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cassether · 3 years

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Casualties of War

Summary: Gaius uses Amy to turn the tide of war, knowing if he can break Adrian, the rest will all fall with him.

AN: I only started reading Bloodhound a few days ago and got completely addicted to the characters 😍 This is my first attempt at an Adrian/MC fic. It doesn't follow the plot of the game, but I've tried to keep the details as close as possible 🥰

...

Adrian kneels in front of Amy, his heart hammering like it may well beat out of his chest as he takes in her slumped and bruised features. She's been missing seventy-two hours, a taunt from Gaius, and he catches the regretful shake of Kamilah's head, pressing his hand gently against Amy's shoulder as he rises up, bearing the full weight of suffering the woman he loves has been forced to endure.

Her wrists are shackled tightly behind her back, clamped in some kind of torture device, metal spikes digging into her cracked and rotting skin. She's a vampire now, impervious to human pain, but whatever Gaius has imprisoned her with, it's poisoning her supernatural side, spreading black spider-web streaks outwards from the device's teeth and preventing her from healing.

His eyes boil red, his emotions overcome by a rage worse than ravenous hunger, and he can feel himself slipping, the monster inside threatening to break out in a fury, when her soft voice penetrates his anger, dusting it to ash.

"A… Adrian?"

His fangs retract as he falls back, the fire within him morphing in an echo of his hatred for Gaius. His former mentor spent eons trying to force the darkness out of him, but Amy draws out the light. Her voice, even strained with pain, is like a siren call, speaking to the depths of his heart, and he cups her cheek, his touch tender as he strokes her sweaty skin. "I'm here." Gaius will pay, but his foremost concern, the strongest of his desires, is comforting the woman who's been to hell and back since meeting him. Part of him wishes he'd had the strength to debrief her. If he had, she wouldn't have fallen victim to Gaius' hand, twice, but he's not going to lose her a second time.

Delirious, and not quite sure of herself, she tries to reach forward, biting back a cry as her wrists absorb the mistake.

He growls under his breath. Whatever the cuffs are tainted with, they're not just suppressing her physical powers, but her psychic abilities as well. Gaius' been keeping her mind trapped in a drug induced world of pain, and he snarls at Kamilah's hesitation. "Get them off her, now!"

She retaliates the demand with a frustrated and grim glare. She's witnessed Adrian kill for both reward and pleasure, watched as a flame of guilt sparked, turning into a wild-fire that was only tamed by his escaping and evolving compassion. But she's never seen the true scope of his emotions amplified by the power of love. Regret has changed him, age humbled him, but the Bloodkeeper has more influence over him than both. Amy has begun to heal his wounds, make him look to the future instead of always grappling with his past, and if he were to lose her now, she fears for his stability. Gaius obviously hopes the opposite—is delighting in Adrian’s torment—and this is either a warning of what's to come or they're already too late and this is the test; to have Amy die by either her or Adrian's hand, and she regards her brother with a forlorn frown. "We can't be sure of what will happen if I release her."

Adrian's lungs constrict, like they might snap under the weight of what to do. They breezed into the complex with little fight, and he knows Gaius wanted him to see Amy like this. The man is cruel and vindictive, but this is Rheya's war, and there's still a chance she would want to keep the Bloodkeeper's memories alive. He has to believe that, have faith in Amy's strength, because he can't leave her here suffering. He won't. "Amy." He strokes her soft skin beneath his thumb, selfishly looking to her for answers, for a sign he's making the right choice.

"It hurts… please."

She gasps, her voice filled with agony, and he's witnessed firsthand how much she can withstand. They're out of time, and he snaps his decision at Kamilah. "Do it."

She breathes out, clutching the metal, and with all her strength she pries the restraints open, its teeth dripping with black blood as it clatters to the floor.

Amy lets out a howl, her body collapsing and slumping forward into Adrian's arms, and Kamilah's expression stays grave when the spider-like tendrils wrapped around Amy's wrists don't retract. "She needs blood."

Adrian swings her limp body up into his firm hold, his face twisting with anger but his insides painfully hollow as he grips her tightly. "Lets go."

He stalks forward, and Kamilah can sense the desperation radiating off him, the same irrational carelessness that overcame him the night Gaius plunged a sword through Amy's chest. He wasn't thinking straight when he turned her, and he's not thinking any clearer now, her worry rising as she matches his speed, barreling her way out into the darkness.

Adrian feels the rush of life as they leave the complex behind, human blood pumping louder and fiercer than it ever has before in his ears. Blood that Amy needs. He doesn't know how much time she has, and his eyes lock with an elder gentleman, his feet stalling at the old man's hobble. He's killed for less. Torn out the throats of innocent people for sport, even fun, but Kamilah grabs his arm with a sharp hiss.

"No!"

He snarls back, barely able to hear Amy's weakened heartbeat over the cry of blood calling out to him. "She needs—"

"To live without the guilt of taking an innocent life." Kamilah digs her nails into his skin. "She isn't like us, Adrien."

She isn't tainted yet. That's what Kamilah means, and his fangs retract with a growl. She's right. He turned Amy, robbed her of freewill, and she forgave him, having spared her judgment over the mistakes of his past, but she wouldn't forgive him for this; forcing her to drink without consent. He swore to protect her, and he failed, but she's still bound to the choices he makes, and he moves fast into the shadows, leaving the old man behind.

…

The Shadow Den is where they planned to regroup, and he bursts through the doors of the compound, meeting Jax and Lily's fearful expressions, the air thick with silent tension as Jax leads him through to the feeding parlor. They all know the cost of losing Amy, have suffered through her death before—buried her in the ground along with their hope. They won't win the war against Rheya without her, and watching her suffer, clinging to life only to lose it for a second time will break them all. Gaius wanted this, but the man doesn't know Amy like does. If there's one thing left in this burning world he believes in, it's her, and he lays her down gently, kneeling before her and meeting the gaze of the young teenager giving his consent to help. He swallows thickly. She could turn ravenous or the poison could infect him too, and Adrian reluctantly speaks on her behalf, ignoring his instincts because it's what she would want. "I don't know what will happen."

The kid nods, accepting the risk, as he just his arm out, stirring only a faint murder from the woman he loves. He takes hold of the teenager's scrawny wrist, piercing the skin with his fangs, and placing the dripping blood close to her mouth. "Amy, you need to feed."

She groans, her eyes staying shut but screwing up tightly, and he swipes the crimson with his thumb, smearing it across her lips until she tentatively sucks, and the kid steps in, wincing as she weakly latches onto his vein instead.

"That's it." He smooths down her hair, moisture pricking his gaze as she whimpers, letting go. She didn't drink nearly enough to return her strength, and he knows they're in for a long night, his worried attention diverting to the others collected behind him. "She's going to need to feed every hour, real blood."

"I'm on it." Lily swipes her eyes, her usually resilient humor falling by the wayside.

After healing the kid, Jax steps forward, trying to brush off the fear that's been welled in his chest since they split up to find her. The past seventy-two hours have been grueling, but Adrian's wearing them the worst, and he places a firm but gentle hand on the man's shoulder. "I'll stay with her. You should—"

"I'm not leaving her."

Kamilah snorts at the surprise on the younger vampire's face. "Did you honestly think he would?"

Jax retracts his arm, heat flushing the back of his neck. There was time, when they all first met, he dared to read into Amy's kindness and comfort. He thought, maybe, she might return his affections, but harmless flirting aside, her heart has only ever belonged to Adrian, and from what he's witnessed, she put her faith in a good man. "I'll get some blood bags, then."

Kamilah waits for him to exit, folding her arms with a sigh. "I loathe to say it, but he is right, Adrian. You're no use to her in this weakening state."

He pushes up off his knees, feeling Kamilah's concealed concern bore into him as he slumps beside Amy on the couch, gently drawing her head into his lap. The bags will be enough to sustain him, and he'll sleep when Amy's awake again. "I'll rest when I know she's going to be okay."

"And if she doesn't recover?" Her expression darkens as her eyes fall over the black tendrils curling around Amy's arms. She doesn't want to be the bearer of bad fate, but they have to be realistic. Gaius went after Amy to weaken them all, but they still have a war to fight.

"She will." He grinds his jaw firmly, staring down at Amy's prone form. Even as a human, he never saw her as vulnerable or frail. She looked him right in the eyes the night she found out what he truly is and didn't run or back down. Her place has always been by his side, and his by hers. "She has to," he breathes, reaching for a blanket to cover her with.

She has to recover.

Because he can't fight this war without her.

TBC...

#adrian raines #bloodbound #bloodboundfanfic #adrainxMC #mcxadrian #choices #pixelberry #playchoices #bloodbound fanfiction #choices fanfiction #adrain x mc #mc x adrian #bb

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wyrmtooth · 3 years

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Hi so I got tagged by @dealbrekker for this cute little interview thing. It’s long so under the cut!

Nickname: nothing real consistently but a previous coworker always called me Key in the most loving tone so that’s probs my fav 🥰

Pronouns: she/they I think

Star sign: aquarius

Height: 5’10”

Time currently: [EDIT] 7:55pm when I posted this lol I was rushing bc I had a drama date at 8pm

Birthday: Jan 26

Favorite band: for a long time it was probs Mother Mother but now that I’m less depressed (lol) idk. I’ve been really into Leprous lately bc Einar’s voice is just angelic but I’ve also bought a lot of Nothing But Thieves albums bc they really know how to make a bop

Favorite solo artist: ALSO HARD but I think I have to go Cosmo Sheldrake bc he’s the perfect intersection of enviro nerd sound sampling and whimsy. Seeing him break down his audio samples and jam live really sealed it for me

Song stuck in your head: Castaway Angels by Leprous. The Drama of it oof *slaps it in my Essek playlist*

Last movie: A Whisker Away I think. I put it on to make fun of while I crochet bc the premise sounded bad trope-y but I liked it more than I expected! Still wish they’d had a “by the way stalking is bad” message tied in at the end smh

Last show: Tale of the Nine Tailed for TV and Escape from the Bloodkeep for YT series. Both quite good!

When I created this blog: 2011

Last thing I googled: “kid microphone magic mic” trying to figure out what those echo mic toys were called, for hokey DnD reasons

Other blogs: caoimheart where I draw stuff like once a year these days, patinasapore for Aesthetic Vibes, caorefs for reference stuff

Why you chose your url: I needed something non-fandom and dragons are my fav since like birth so here we are

Do you get asks: not really but I’m bad at talking to people online anyway. I’ve gotten one or two that I got like a YEAR late bc I don’t get ask notifs?? Sorry if you ever sent something and I didn’t reply 😔

How many people are you following: 739

How many are following you: 344 (hi!)

Average hours of sleep: 7-8 except on Critical Role night when I decide to be dead on Friday. I’m truly useless on less than 7 hours idk why

Lucky numbers: not really? I like the vibe of 4, 5, and 13

Instruments you play: euphonium in grade school and I’m trying to teach myself piano + electric guitar more recently. It’s hard on my weak hands though :/

What I’m wearing: teal pj pants, a Myst shirt, and my sister’s old hoodie, all ready to watch kdramas remotely with Dealbrekker hehe

Dream job: at this point part-time finance that pays big $$$ so i can spend my other time volunteering and funding environmental initiatives. So hard to get into conservation without being a trust fund kid smh

Dream trip: I really want to visit Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand but idk if I’ll ever be able to go long enough to make the time change worth it

Fave food: for meals it’s chicken parm man. I’ve tried to change my own mind but I love it and the most narcissistic thing is my fav version of it is my own recipe. Similar for sweets my fav is probably the amaretto chocolate chip cookies I make.

Fave song: hm my go to answer for this is Summer Guest by Ásgeir. Pretty little ditty about a bird

Top 3 fictional universes you’d want to live in: weirdly the Murderbot universe but on Preservation bc fuck the ultra capitalism planet(s), Tortall (Tamora Pierce), Avatar (i mean benders but the blue people are honestly cool too)

Tagging: the girl reading this :) or really anyone who feels like it!

#cao babbles #tag bait

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kinda-iconic · 5 years

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Everything comes at a price

Summary: The mysterious collector has agreed to a deal; the amulet is theirs, so long as Amy grants him with the vision that he desires. Though initially reluctant, Adrian agrees, but it isn’t long before he tries to stop it.

Author’s note: This fanfic follows on from Chapter 2 and the events take place during chapter 3. I love angst, so I’m kinda hoping that this will happen at some point - this is a repost as Tumblr deleted the first one, so I’m hoping not too much has changed. All I can really say with this is that... I feel so sorry for Amy!

Song that inspired this Fanfic: Bridges by Aisha Badru

Pairing: Adrian x MC

Warning: Depictions of violence, angst and death

Tagging (I apologise if you didn’t want tagging): @queerchoicesblog @nobounderiesplease @nitakali @teamtomsato @galaxyside-0 @bhavf@shelley-parah @itlivesbeneath @gavryllo @katyagrayce @desiree-0816 @brightpinkpeppercorn @begging-for-kamilah @ladykateofhousebeaumont @mangoruby @krishu213 @choicesfannatalie @adrianadmirer @zigortega4life @laniquelovewrites @flyawayboo

‘Alright,’ Langdon removes himself from behind the counter, running his thumb along the edges of the necklace. He briefly fixates his gaze on the jewel, before turning his attention back to the group. ‘I can see that this amulet is of great importance to you.’

Adrian clears his throat, edging closer to the collector. ‘So you’ll allow us to have it?’

‘For a price, of course.’

‘Certainly,’ He retrieves his wallet from his breast pocket, ‘how much would you like for it?’

The man chuckles softly, ‘oh I don’t want your money.’

Adrian meets his gaze for a moment, his brows narrowing in confusion. ‘Then what…’

‘They told me about you, you know,’ he wanders over to stand before Amy, his hand outstretched towards her, ‘but I never thought that you’d be so…’ he pauses for a moment, his fingers curling as they rest against his chin, ‘innocently human.’

‘I…’

She smiles bashfully at him, her forehead creasing in uncertainty, ‘thank you, I guess.’

He chuckles to himself, before turning his attention back to the group. ‘I will give you what you desire,’ he inhales sharply, before placing a firm hand on Amy’s shoulder, ‘so long as your friend assists me in my endeavour.’ He clears his throat before continuing, ‘for the past decade, I have been searching for the location of the Decarti vase; it’s a magnificent piece of our history, and some believe that it possessed the ability to restore life.’

‘Even if that were true,’ Jax added, ‘why would you have the need for something as powerful as that?’

‘I’m not interested in its power,’ he hesitates briefly, ‘I’m interested in its retail price.’ He walks over to stand adjacent to Amy, his expression stoic, with a hint of curiosity.

‘So, do we have a deal?’

His grip on Amy tightens, and Amy can’t help but wince as he presses his fingers into her flesh. Adrian steps forward, his lips curling into a snarl, ‘I suggest that you remove your hand from her shoulder,’ he retorts coldly, ‘unless you want to lose it.’

The man watches Adrian warily, his eyes narrowing as he tries to assess his counterpart. Adrian edges closer once more, reaching up to adjust his tie as he regards the collector with a cautionary glare.

‘Weren’t we agreeing on a deal?’ Langdon laughs bitterly, ‘it’d be a shame if I had to go back on my part of the bargain.’

‘The exchange we were agreeing on was a vision,’ Adrian retorts, a guttural growl emanating from his throat, ‘as far as I recall, that wasn’t an invitation for you to touch her.’

‘Hmmmm…’ He looks dutifully between the pair, the corner of his mouth curving into a mischievous smile as he takes note of the way that they look at one another, his mouth agape as the realisation begins to dawn.

‘Ah,’ he chortles, releasing Amy from his grasp, ‘boyfriend, eh?’ He holds up his hands, distancing himself from the young woman as Adrian approaches her, curling his arm around her waist. ‘I was never going to hurt her,’ he nods subtly, ‘I guess I just assumed that the young miss wasn’t as fragile as she appears.’

‘Well, your assumption was correct,’ the arm around Amy tightens, ‘but we came here for a bargain, did we not?’

‘You did indeed,’ the man edges closer to the pair, and Amy can feel the grip around her waist tightening even more. He extends his hand, gesturing for Amy to take it.

But he is stopped.

‘No.’

Adrian positions himself between the pair, his voice deep and somewhat unnerving. She looks up at him, her brows knitted in confusion.

‘Adrian?’

Langdon tilts his head, eyeing Adrian suspiciously. ‘I thought we had a deal, Mr Raines.’

‘Our deal was never set in stone,’ he lowers his gaze to the floor before meeting her eyes. ‘I’m sorry,’ he turns away from her, focusing his sole attention on the man, ‘but I’m afraid that you ask too much.’

He pauses for a moment, pinching the bridge of his nose, ‘and after your chivalrous conduct, I don’t feel comfortable letting you anywhere near her.’

Before Langdon has a chance to respond, Kamilah interjects, each utterance becoming more venomous as she ponders over to Adrian.

‘We need that amulet, Adrian!’

‘I know.’

‘Then why are you trying to make this more difficult - ’

‘We’ll need to think of another way to retrieve it,’ he cuts her off, fixating his eyes back on the collector, ‘are you certain that we cannot find another means to…’

Langdon shakes his head, lowering his gaze to the floor. ‘I would normally accept financial payment, but the gift of a Bloodkeeper’s ability is…’ he smiles menacingly at her, ‘worth so much more than money can buy.’

Adrian lowers his head, his facial expression almost stoic as he trails his hand along Amy’s forearm, meeting her with a worried gaze. He exhales, his words carried by a despondent sigh.

‘I can’t let you do this…’

‘It’s the only way we’re going to get that amulet.’

‘There’s always another way,’ he cups her cheek with his hand, his thumb tracing a line on her cheekbone, ‘besides, I’ve been told I can be pretty reasonable.’

‘But the solution is right-’

‘Please, Amy,’ he hesitates for a moment, his words becoming more of a plea, ‘do not risk your safety for…’ he shakes his head, his brows narrowing as he tries to find the words, ‘something as trivial as this.’

‘You know it’s not trivial...’

‘Amy...’

‘I get it,’ she runs her fingers through his dark hair, ‘you’re worried about me.’

‘Is it that obvious?’

She reaches towards him, cupping his cheeks between her palms before she leans forward, enveloping his lips in a tender kiss. After a moment, the pair part, resting their foreheads upon one another. She inhales sharply, a soft whimper catching in her throat.

‘You know I’d do anything for you…’

She kisses him again, her breath ghosting over his skin as she nestles her face into this shoulder. She sighs, her fingers entwining themselves in the hair at the nape of his neck. She bites her lip, her brown-doe eyes meeting his once more, her voice soft and quiet.

‘That’s why I need you to trust me.’

‘Amy…’

She turns to face Langdon, her arms folding protectively across her chest. ‘I’ll do it,’ she exclaims hastily, ‘if it’s the only payment you will accept.’

‘It’s not the only payment, but it seems like too good of an opportunity to pass up,’ he smiles fondly at her, offering her his arm.

‘May I?’

She turns to face Adrian for a moment; he fixes the collector with a cold glare as his jaw clenches. He exhales sharply, a blanket of wariness covering his face.

‘I don’t trust him…’

‘I know,’ she places her hand on his chest, ‘but you trust me, don’t you?’

He bows his head, fixating his gaze on her fragile fingers as they grasp onto his jacket.

‘I do.’

The man draws closer, his eyes never leaving Adrian.

‘Is there anything that you need before we begin?’

She turns away from Adrian, his hand softly gracing the curve of her waist as she steps forward.

‘I… I need to be sitting down.’

‘Of course,’ he gestures for Amy to take his arm, before leading her over to an upholstered chair, its plum threading worn with age.

‘Is there anything else?’

Before she takes a seat, she spies a coil of rope, nestled in the shadows. She retrieves it from the darkness, before walking over to Jax.

His nose crinkles in confusion.

‘What is…’

‘I need you to tie me to the chair.’

His eyes widen as he processes her request.

‘You want me to,’ he glances over at Adrian, who stands motionless, his sad eyes fixated on the young woman, ‘why do you want me to…’

‘The visions they’re…’ she hesitates for a moment, ‘they can be rather painful and…and I know that, if I’m not tied down,’ she exhales defeatedly, ‘I’ll try to run.’

‘But why me?’ He crosses his arms, his face painted with confliction, ‘why aren’t you asking Adrian?’

‘Because I know you won’t hesitate,’ she meets Adrian’s gaze, trying desperately to comfort him with a soft smile, ‘Adrian would.’

‘Is that everything?’

‘Yes,’ she turns away from Jax, pondering over to rest beside the chair. She sits down, her eyes darting around the room pensively as Jax approaches with the rope, binding her arms to the back of the chair. He ties the knot, tight enough to restrain her, but not enough to cause any harm.

‘Is that alright?’ Jax fiddles with the knot, ensuring that her arms are properly bound.

‘Yes,’ she responds with a warm smile, ‘it’s not too tight just…’

‘Tight enough to stop you from escaping?’

She nods.

He checks the knot once more, tugging at the threads before meeting her eyes.

‘You can still back out of this you know,’ he looks over his shoulder at Kamilah, whose eyes bore into his own, ‘it’s not too late to change your mind.’

‘I know,’ she mutters, ‘but this is something that I have to do.’

He backs away from her, returning to stand beside the others as Langdon approaches, grasping onto her hand as she adjusts herself.

‘Are you alright, miss?’

‘I’m fine,’ she looks over at Adrian; their eyes meet, before he lowers his gaze to the floor. She watches him quietly for a moment, but it isn’t long before she addresses him, ‘Adrian?’

At first, he is reluctant to look upon her. However, after some time, he looks up at her, his gaze softening as he meets her eyes.

‘It’s going to be okay,’ she smiles lovingly at him, ‘I’ll be alright.’

Adrian nods, needing desperately to believe her.

‘Okay,’ Langdon presses forward, leaning his weight against the chair. He reaches towards her, tucking a strand of Amy’s hair behind her ear.

‘Are you ready?’

She sighs, her eyes darting to the faces of her friends as they look back at her, their gazes evidently stoic. Except for Adrian.

She locks eyes with him for a moment; he smiles weakly at her.

‘I’m ready.’

At first, all Amy can see is a void of darkness, its shadowy tendrils slowly enveloping her as they close in, like an eagle catching its prey.

Suddenly, an electric current rushes through her, and she is briefly blinded by a vibrant light. Her body stiffens and, as her eyes adjust to the vibrancy, she manages to catch a glimpse of the past. However, as she tries to focus on the location of the vase, she is projected into the past of those that she holds most dear.

‘No.....’

Kamilah stands in an old temple, her eyes red with fury as they scan her surroundings for any sign of life. The floor is covered in fresh blood. It isn’t long before she removes her cloak, a sinister smile enveloping her face as she pierces the heart of another with an ornate dagger.

‘Kamilah...’

Kamilah steps forward, tilting her head as she speaks her name, her brows narrowed in confusion.

‘Amy?’

Amy’s face goes red as her blood courses rapidly through her veins. She tries to refocus her mind on the task at hand, but it isn’t long before she is overpowered by another vision.

A lone figure prowls a battlefield, his navy uniform stained with splatters of dry blood. He reaches forward, grasping onto an enemy soldier before digging his fangs into the man’s jugular. The man struggles for a moment, trying desperately to fight him off, but before long, his body goes limp and still. The soldier throws him to the floor as he gazes over his horizon. The field is littered with the dead. He smiles fondly at the sight, turning his head as he looks briefly over his shoulder at another. It is only then that Amy is able to see his face.

Adrian.

‘Oh god...’

‘Feeling peckish, are we?’

Adrian laughs, removing his cavalry sword from its sheath before sharpening the blade, droplets of fresh blood falling onto his skin.

‘Aren’t I always?’

The figure looms closer, greeting him with a wide grin as he surveys the scene before him.

Gaius.

Amy’s head snaps back, her wrists tugging at the ropes as she tries desperately to break free. ‘Hrrgh!’ she cries out in pain, the rope burning into her flesh as she continues to struggle.

Adrian inches closer, his eyes widening as he takes in the sight before him.

‘A...Amy?’

Within seconds, Langdon appears behind her. ‘Don’t fight it!’ He reaches his arms towards her, his hands settling on her shoulders as he whispers into her ear, ‘if you want that amulet, I need to know where that chest is hidden,’ he pauses for a moment, taking in her contorted expression, ‘regardless as to how much pain it causes you.’

Her mind is transported back to the battlefield, the whites of her eyes beginning to show as she screams out in pain, her focus shifting between the two figures as she draws closer to them.

‘Not a bad effort if I say so myself,’ Gaius exclaims, patting Adrian on his back, ‘not too sloppy...not too gruesome...’ he smiles once more, ‘just the right amount of gore, I’d say.’

‘Well I don’t intend to disappoint,’ Adrian retorts, a menacing grin enveloping his lips, ‘after all, isn’t this what they all deserve?’

Gaius laughs, his eyes fading into red as he looks upon his soldier proudly, like a father to his son. Suddenly, their attention is captured by a loud whail in the distance, their eyes following the trail of thick blood as it lines the path to their next victim.

‘As your reward, My Prince,’ he steps forward, turning to face his creation, ‘I shall allow you the satisfaction of the kill.’

Adrian’s lips curl into a sinister smile as he reaches up, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth as he looks at his master fondly.

‘Thank you, my King.’

The images fade once more, and Amy is left alone in the darkness. She cries out, her pained plea sending shivers down Adrian’s spine.

‘Adrian...’ Amy hesitates for a moment, her breath hitching in her throat as she holds back a sob, ‘please...no...not... not you...’

‘...Amy?’

She tries to open her eyes, but the brightness intensifies, carrying her into another vision, the darkness consuming her memories of Adrian and Kamilah.

A young woman creeps out of the shadows, a brown chest nestled within her arms. She looks around for a moment, checking that she has not been followed.

‘I trust that you have delivered on our bargain?’

A cloaked man appears from behind her, his hood covering the entirety of his face.

‘Of course,’ the woman sighs, opening the chest carefully before holding its contents out to the mysterious character. The vase is made from porcelain, its green tint brightening as it is exposed to the light.

‘I always honor an agreement.’

‘Good,’ the cloaked figure takes the vase from her, his eyes widening as he takes in its intricate detail. ‘My my,’ he gasps, ‘isn’t this exquisite!’

‘What did you expect?’ She stands beside him, peering over his shoulder, ‘the Decarti Vase has always been a valuable asset to my culture.’ She sighs defeatedly, lowering her gaze to the floor, ‘I guess it belongs to you now.’

‘Certainly,’ he smiles mischeviously, turning the vase in his hands.

‘What are you going to do with it?’

He chortles, holding the vase tightly in his grasp.

‘It is no concern of yours.’

‘But I’ve trusted you with a priceless artifact,’ she exclaims warily, ‘I deserve to know what you intend to do with it!’

The man watches her, amused, before removing his dagger from its sheath. He looks over the blade, the orange hue of candlelight reflecting on the hilt.

‘This relic is incredibly powerful,’ he turns to face her, ‘some say that it has the power to restore life to those that possess it,’ he pauses for a moment, his eyes never leaving hers. ‘But there are others that believe it can be used as a means to take life instead.’

‘But it’s just a vase, how can it...’

He pierces his skin with the blade, letting the fresh blood fall onto the vase’s exterior.

‘I will show you.’

The blood begins to boil, it’s coppery scent filling the air as it disappears into dust. The woman looks on in awe as the cut in his skin heals, her eyes refusing to leave the sight of the wound.

‘But that’s impossible!’

‘Nothing is impossible, my dear.’

She watches on in bewilderment, before her excitement turns into wariness. The young woman edges closer out of curiosity.

‘I don’t understand,’ she mutters, ‘you weren’t going to tell me...’

‘On the contrary, my sweet,’ he steps to rest before her, his bloodied fingertips tracing along the curve of her jaw, ‘I had always intended to tell you.’

‘But...why?’

He leans closer to her, his warm breath ghosting on her skin as he whispers in her ear.

‘Because you won’t be alive to tell anyone else.’

Amy’s breath catches in her throat as the memories relay before her; the young woman gasps, her head lolling back as the blade of his dagger seeps into her flesh. He forces the blade in deeper, her initial cries of pain turning into nothing more than a whimper as her blood stains the dirt around her. He drops down to his knees as he cradles her motionless body, watching the essence of life fade from her eyes.

‘Please,’ Amy wails, ‘for the love of god, make it stop!’

Adrian’s muscles tighten, his eyes growing wide at the sound of her terrified voice.

‘Amy...’

The vision continues, and Amy is able to make out little snippets of the aftermath; the Decarti vase sits next to the lifeless body of the young woman, her scarlet blood staining its base as it begins to form a barrier around it. The man is quick to retrieve it, cleaning the blood from his hands before placing the vase in his worn leather satchel. He strokes her cheek, her warm blood tinting her tear-stained face. ‘Oh, my sweet,’ He sighs, ‘this is why little girls should not get involved in other people’s business.’

The man treads further into the cavern, stopping short at the sight of a waterfall, its fresh water falling in to the cavernous void below. The water falls silently down the rocks, its magical properties allowing green foliage to emerge from the cracks in the rock. He starts clawing at the dirt, stopping only momentarily to wipe the beads of sweat as they run down his forehead. Once the hole is deep enough, he removes the vase from his bag, wrapping it in his old cloak before lowering it into the ground. ‘You’re safe now,’ he murmurs under his breath, covering the vase with the broken dirt, ‘no one will ever find you here.’

Before the vision dissipates, Amy is met with the image of a word as it breaks through the threshold of her memories.

Carabella...

Her pale skin is quickly met with a waterfall of her own, as a trickle of crimson blood flows out of her nose and onto her lips, tinting her skin with a dark pigment.

‘Adrian?!’ The pain intensifies and she bites her lip, drawing more blood as she latches on, ‘I...please I.... I don’t want to do this anymore!’

Within an instant, he is by her side, trying desperately to pry her from her bounds. Kamilah edges closer, her eyes trained on the mortal as she begins to speak, her voice somber and cold.

‘Adrian, stop; you need to let this vision unfold.’

‘She’s in pain, Kamilah!’ He looks at Amy, her warm blood diluting with fresh tears as they make their way down her tear-stained cheeks. He breaks one of her wrists free from the rope, ‘I can’t let this continue any longer.’

‘Adrian, think about what you are doing!’

‘I am!’ he exclaims, his eyes red with agitation as he tugs at the rope keeping her in place. He hesitates for a moment, his breathing becoming less erratic before he speaks once more, his voice nothing but a whisper.

‘If you cared for her as much as I do, you’d do the same.’

‘I’m warning you, Adrian,’ Kamilah takes another step forward, her tone cold and threatening, ‘you may be my brother, but I will not hesitate to drag you away.’

They glance at each other, before he turns his attention back to Amy, her face now inscrutable and strained. He reaches towards her, softly cupping her cheek in his hand, running the tips of his thumbs across her delicate skin as he traces intricate patterns on her cheeks.

He focuses on her for a moment, but it isn’t long before he breaks his gaze away, his eyes meeting the floor as he clasps tightly onto Amy’s hand. He leans in, placing a delicate kiss to the back of her hand, before peering back over his shoulder at his friend. They hold each other’s gaze for only a moment before he speaks; though his voice is only a whisper, Kamilah is able to make out two little words, both said with sincerity and desperation.

‘Forgive me.’

He turns away from her, his hands trembling as he frantically tries to free his lover from her prison. Kamilah watches, her expression conflicted, before walking over to stand behind him. She rests her hand on his shoulder, her voice lowering to an inaudible whisper.

‘No,’ the grip on his shoulder tightens, and Adrian can feel his entire body being lifted into the air as his feet are grounded on the floor once more. A defeated sigh escapes her lips as she pulls him away from the mortal.

‘Forgive me, brother.’

‘Kamilah, no….’

He tries to push himself forward, but her hold on him is too strong. Within seconds, he is back in her company; she grasps onto his forearm, forcing his back against the wall. He continues to struggle against her strength as she pins him by her elbow…

‘Hhhrggghh…’ a deep growl emanates from his throat as he tries desperately to free himself from her control. ‘Kamilah…stop…’

‘Not until you get ahold of yourself!’

Jax edges closer to the pair, his eyes trained on Amy as he regards Kamilah over his shoulder.

‘Maybe we should listen to him, Kamilah,’ he pauses for a moment, cupping the nape of his neck with his palm as he stares at the mortal, his gaze softening as he witnesses her suffering, ‘this is cruel, even for us.’

‘How is it?’ She retorts, meeting Jax with an icy glare, ‘she knew the risks when she agreed to accept this as our payment - this may hurt her, but she’s doing the right thing.’

‘She’s our friend, Kamilah,’ Jax scoffs, ‘or are you forgetting that?’

‘I...’

‘It’s Amy, Kamilah,’ Adrian sighs, his breath catching in his throat as he holds back a wince, ‘she always does the right thing, no matter how much pain she has to endure.’

Kamilah looks over at Amy; she remains seated in the chair, fresh blood trailing down her chin. She struggles against her bonds, her salty tears thinning the blood as it seeps into her clothing. She meets Kamilah’s gaze.

‘Kami...please...’

Kamilah’s eyes glisten as a single tear threatens to fall. Her expression softens and, within seconds, she loosens her hold on Adrian, giving him enough slack to break free. He runs to her side, reaching his arms around her to free her. With a flick of his wrist, he severs the rope, untangling her from her prison.

‘Amy?’ He inhales sharply, his fingers entangling in her balayage hair.

‘Wh...wha... Adrian?’

‘Amy!’ She stirs, her eyes slowly opening at the sound of his voice. He takes her hand in his, giving it a reassuring squeeze. ‘I’m here…’ he lifts her hand to his lips, placing a gentle kiss to her knuckles, ‘I will always be right here.’

‘A…Adrian?’

He embraces her tenderly, his arms constricting around her as he runs his hand across her back. ‘Are you alright?’ He holds her at arms length, his brow knitting as he notices her body begin to subtly shake, ‘You’re trembling.’

‘I…’ her voice is hoarse, no louder than a whisper. ‘I’m okay.’

‘I’m so sorry,’ he leans in, lifting her arms so that he can inspect her limbs, the red mark on her skin twisting from her wrist to her forearm. ‘Does it hurt?’

‘It stings a bit, but it’s otherwise okay.’

‘Amy…’

Kamilah’s voice carries across the room, her gaze softening as she approaches the mortal with a sad smile. However, before she has the opportunity to get closer, Adrian holds up his hand, signalling for her to stop.

‘She’s not doing that again, Kamilah,’ he peers over his shoulder at her, his tone a mixture of anger and guilt. ‘I won’t let you use her like this…’

‘Adrian…’

‘No.’

He turns his attention back to the mortal, ‘are you alright? Can you stand?’

‘Yeah, I think I’m alright.’

Amy stands for a moment, though it isn’t long before her dizziness catches up with her.

‘Amy?’

‘I…urm…’

Her legs buckle from underneath her. She grasps onto his jacket, trying but failing to keep herself standing.

‘Woah, woah easy there!’

Adrian catches her, his arms tightening around her waist as he supports her weight before perching her on the edge of the seat.

‘Are you okay?’

She nods rapidly, her breathing becoming irregular. He reaches towards her, wiping at the tears as they fall onto her cheeks.

‘I think… I think I just need a… moment to breathe…’

‘Of course,’ his hands trail up her torso, his fingertips resting slightly underneath her ribcage, ‘do you want me to -’

‘Stay.’ She whispers, each word a painful labour. ‘Please.’

Langdon waiting the pair for a moment before walking over to join their conversation. Though it seems that he is primarily concerned about Amy’s well-being, his attention swiftly turns back to the location of the chest.

‘So the chest?’ He bends down beside her, ‘did you manage to locate it?’

Amy gulps, the horrifying reality of her power settling in as she responds to him, her voice hoarse and raspy.

‘It’s hidden in a cave,’ she pauses, ‘the man that hid it buried it just a little way beyond the waterfall...’ she presses on, ‘I didn’t see a name as such but I... I saw a word... Carabella... I don’t know if that’s a name or... I...’

She buries her head in her hands. Adrian runs his hand along her back softly.

‘Carabella cave?’

Amy bolts upright, removing her hands from around her face.

‘You know it?’

‘It’s an ancient cave on the coast of Scotland; it’s not exactly a popular area for tourists, so the place has been almost uninhabited for years.’

‘Oh...’

‘Can I access it?’

‘It’s not impossible but… you’re gonna need a lot of help to get out of there.’

‘Hhhmmm… not bad,’ he looks back over at Kamilah and Jax, ‘I can certainly see why people desire to harness your power,’ it isn’t long before he fixates his gaze back on Amy, ‘not to mention your beauty and intellect.’

‘You have what you wanted,’ Adrian murmurs, placing a hand on Amy’s shoulder, ‘so I believe it is time for you to adhere to your part of the bargain.’

The man regards the pair for a moment before he reaches into his pocket. ‘Here,’ he tosses a golden pouch to Adrian, ‘I may or may not have to have a rather difficult conversation with a previous client,’ he smiles gingerly, ‘but I guess you did adhere to your word.’

As Adrian and Jax convene around Amy, Kamilah watches from the side before strolling over to Langdon. They remain silent for a moment, though it isn’t long before Kamilah speaks, breaking the tension with a warning.

‘Can I give you some advice, Langdon?’

‘Certainly, Miss Sayeed.’

She moves closer to him, lowering her voice to a hushed whisper, one that only he can hear. ‘If your client is the man that we suspect it to be,’ she sighs coldly, ‘I would recommend that you do not make that phone call.’

Once Amy is feeling well enough to walk, the group prepare to bid Langdon farewell.

Adrian extends his hand towards the man, ‘thank you for agreeing to our bargain, Langdon,’ he pauses as they shake hands, ‘though the night would have gone a lot smoother if you had agreed to a cash payment.’

The man chortles. ‘I’ve made my billions in dealing antiques, Mr Raines,’ he pauses, taking him in, ‘I wouldn’t have been this successful if I was easy to bargain with now, would I?’

The pair converse for a moment longer and, as they fall deep into conversation, Kamilah sidles up to Amy, taking this as her opportunity to discuss the night’s events.

‘You know that I never intended to cause you any pain,’ she sighs despondently, ‘but I need you to understand that, if we are to defeat Gaius once and for all, then we will need every resource that we can to put an end to him.’

Amy remains motionless for a while, the memories of Adrian and Kamilah seeping slowly back into her thoughts.

‘I know.’

‘So you agree that we did what we had to do?’

‘Yes,’ she utters, ‘though there’s also something that I need you to understand.’

‘Oh?’

‘These visions are fragments of the past; they can help us to understand what Gaius is really after,’ her response is sudden, ‘but I am not in control of who I see, or rather, what I see…’

‘I don’t follow.’

‘I can’t control what I am exposed to, Kamilah. This isn’t something that I can turn on and off…’ she responds confidently, ‘I’ve seen things, awful things; things that no mere mortal should ever have to see,’ she lowers her head, unable to look at Kamilah, ‘and I’ve seen you.’

‘What are trying to say?’

‘I will do as you ask; I will use my newfound power as the tool you seek to locate Gaius,’ her gaze meets Adrian’s as he looks over at her, comforting her with a warm smile. She returns his grin, before turning her attention back to Kamilah, ‘but I need you to accept the consequences of what might happen as a result of me harnessing this power.’

‘And they are?’

‘I need you to understand that, no matter how hard you try to keep your secrets buried,’ she hesitates for a moment, trying to find the right words to say before continuing, ‘I cannot guarantee that the visions won’t reveal the truth to me.’

‘Ah.’

‘So you understand what I’m trying to say?’

‘Yes, though I ask that, no matter what you see, do not tell Adrian.’

‘But…’

‘There are things in our pasts that would horrify you, Amy, things that would truly make you feel disgusted with yourself that you ever associated yourself with us,’ within seconds, both women find themselves watching Adrian, ‘Adrian’s past is a difficult topic for him to discuss, and one of his greatest fears is that the truth will be revealed,’ she sighs once more, ‘that you will become aware of what he was truly capable of.’

‘But why wouldn’t he tell me this himself?’

‘We are capable of many things when we are broken, Amy; most either harness their grief and use it for something good,’ she sighs defeatedly, ‘or we can use it to destroy everything that is good and innocent about this world.’ She turns to face Amy, her wary eyes taking in the features of her face, ‘in his grief, Adrian chose the latter.’

‘Why are you telling me this?’

‘Because you said that you deserved the truth,’ she mutters under her breath, ‘and, in truth, that is all you really need to know.’

‘Kamilah...’

‘Just try to keep it to yourself,’ she retorts coldly, her tone stern and unyielding. ‘If not to spare yourself from the pain,’ their gazes fall on Adrian once more, a conflicted expression resting on Amy’s face.

‘Do it to spare him.’

#Playchoices #choices fanfic #choices bb #bloodbound #adrian raines #adrian x mc #kamilah sayeed #jaxmatsuo #gaius augustine

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bobbichoicesfeedback · 4 years

Text

Okay, so Bloodbound is over. Unsurprisingly, I wasn’t a big fan of the ending, but to be fair it wasn’t as bad as I expected it to be. I have an alternative ending I wrote to it.

It’s dark, but no darker than the ending you got if you chose to absorb Rheya’s goddess abilities. I hope people enjoy this alternative telling. Please give me feedback if you like it or if you don’t like it. It’s just a different perspective for the story, I guess.

***

Life force drained from Rheya, her blood pouring out of her body and floating into the air like DNA helix. I stared at it, the power inside me almost intoxicating, as the life force of The First was absorbed into my veins.

“Wow,” was all I could say, sensing every heartbeat in the huge room. Adrien, Kamilah, and Lily were staring at me in horror - I could tell without even having to turn - and the cattle… the humans in the auditorium were coming out of the trance Rheya had put them under. The screaming started immediately.

“Bobbi!” Lily’s voice was suddenly all I could hear. Her hand was on my wrist, “You’re scaring me.”

“Do you know what I can do, now, Lily?” I asked, pouring sardonic contempt into my words. I could sense everything Rheya had been planning, all the good sense her aspirations to godhood represented. I felt fangs digging into my lips as I grinned.

“No, Bobbi,” Lily sounded terrified, but more upset. Saddened by what the woman she loved appeared to be turning into, “I don’t know what you can do now, and it scares me. But I know you’re still in there. The girl who cries when dogs die in movies, the girl who always tries to save everyone- urk.”

She stopped talking as my hand gripped her throat and I lifted her as though she were made of paper.

“It’s sweet that you think you know me,” I purred, pouring as much as I could into sounding seductive, knowing I was sounding like my great-et-cetera-grandmother who I’d just killed, “But you proved you didn’t two months ago, when he killed me.”

I hurled Lily across the stage, where she collided with Gaius. Both vampires crumbled to the floor in pain. Kamilah attempted to step towards me, but Rheya’s memories were in my mind now. I stopped her and Adrien with a simple thought.

“Bobbi,” Kamilah’s voice sounded hard and brittle. She’d always known what to say when I was alive, but had struggled to get through to me after I was resurrected. She didn’t know why. She was jealous of Lily for having my love, but had decided to back away gracefully, “You sound like Rheya now. You don’t want to do this…”

“Rheya was a fool,” I snarled, “She wanted a world where humans and vampires wouldn’t be a threat to each other anymore? She overlooked the obvious. I can’t do it yet…”

I turned to the auditorium. None of the humans or vampires had been able to escape, the doors would not open for them.

“I need more power…”

I heard gasps of shock, horror, disgust… Lily, Gaius, Kamilah, and Adrien had worked out what I meant at the same time. I didn’t blame them. What I had to do now sickened me. But there was no choice. I could save the world.

“I wonder if Machiavelli was a vampire,” I mused aloud, deliberately putting a childish, sing-song cadence into my voice, “The ends really do justify the means.”

I forced myself to keep my eyes open. I needed to know every death I caused. I could not absolve myself of this guilt, even if my actions were necessary. Every human in the room screamed as the blood was drawn from them, merging and vaporising into some ethereal energy which merged with my undead body, elevating my power even closer to godhood. I reached out with the psychic powers granted by my Bloodkeeper heritage.

“Not enough, yet,” I said. In an instant, I realised what needed to be done. I released the vampires in the hall from my power - the four who had accompanied me surged forwards. Lily plunged a stake into my heart. I just smiled, reached out, and booped her on the nose as the stake evaporated and I flew through the roof without blinking.

Flying was incredible. I’d reluctantly enjoyed the sensations my vampire body had given me when I’d been able to leap from building to building in single jumps, but this made that look… pedestrian.

I soared high into the air, above the peaks of New York’s skyscrapers and looked down at the city below me. The most densely populated area in the United States - more than eight million people had lived here before Gaius’ ill-thought-out war. The population hadn’t all returned, but there were still millions of humans down there.

Eyes wide open, I began to feed. For the first time since I’d become a vampire I truly enjoyed the sensation, instead of my body just lusting for more. Men, women, children. Evil as it was, I couldn’t spare anyone. The screaming reached my hyper-sensitive hearing even up here. Then it fell silent. The only heartbeats coming from the whole of New York City were from baffled vampires, reeling from the loss of their goddess and now the sudden emptiness of their home.

I reached out with my mind. It had worked. I was now psychically aware of every living being on Earth - Vampire, human, other supernatural beings - even Ferals were now in my mind, thanks to my great-umpteenth-grandfather. I clenched my fists and allowed a burst of power to soar west.

A woman in Los Angeles ran down an alleyway. Her taser hadn’t worked, the man following her had just laughed and then his teeth had grown. She was sure he was toying with her.

“You can’t run any more,” he growled, eyes glowing red. The woman, out of options, plunged the spikes of her taser into his chest again and pulled the trigger. At first, the monster seemed to shrug it off. Then his eyes went wide, fading from the red to a much more ordinary blue. His teeth retracted. He convulsed as the electricity pumped into his human body.

On an island, lost in the south Pacific, feral vampires in every form of twisted mutation, ran around in panic. One-by-one, in an east-to-west wave, they exploded into ash.

A malformed tree in the centre of the island spontaneously ignited and inside the spirit of Demetrius was finally freed. He smiled sadly, but accepted the end of his days.

“Well done, grand-daughter,” he said, as he dissolved into the aether.

The four survivors of Japan’s vampire council were gathered around in their cyberpunk nightclub, watching whatever news was coming out of New York in horror. Kano, the young, gifted psychic was there, unusually. He screamed and dropped to his knees.

“I can’t believe she’s done that,” was all he whimpered to himself, as his heartbeat slowly accelerated back to normal human levels.

Three of the four felt their bodies warming, returning to the humanity they’d lost so many years ago. They didn’t notice much, though, because the screams coming from The Evolved drowned out every thought. Her once-again human body was rejecting the mechanical augmentation she’d put herself through. There was no chance to save her now.

In Outer Mongolia, a vampire was running as fast as he could. Dusk was coming and he’d had to abandon his hiding place early.. Suddenly he felt dizzy, tripping and falling. He screamed in terror as the light of the sun shone down on his body but, to his surprise, it just felt warm.

He stood up, blinking in the unaccustomed light. He tried to flex his muscles but no longer had the unlimited strength he was used to. In a moment, he realised. He wasn’t a vampire. The sunlight wouldn’t kill him anymore. Now he just had to get back to civilisation…

Three of Dracula’s brides, imprisoned in the dungeons of his castle, dropped to their knees. The irresistible compulsion to seek out the blood of the living had passed from them. They clutched each other, weeping tears of mixed regret, relief, and horror, as they finally understood their lives were human again.

Across Berlin, Paris, and London, dozens of vampires who had been trying to work out how to live in a world without The Order suddenly felt their supernatural powers fading. A world without The Order had suddenly become a world without vampires.

In the opera house below the blazing goddess, Kamilah, Lily, and Adrien held each other closely, gazing up in horror at the shape of what had once been their friend. Gaius screamed in pain - when they turned to look, the mortal wounds that Rheya had inflicted on him started bleeding again.

Lily realised first.

“I can’t smell his blood,” she said, waving a hand in front of her face, “Why can’t I smell his blood?”

All three of them tried to draw on their senses. The terrific truth dawned on them with awe.

“She didn’t,” Adrien said, quietly, realising that his teeth were now immobile, “Surely, she couldn’t…”

Simultaneously around the world every former vampire heard a psychic scream, the last utterance of the vampire goddess. Bobbi. The last Bloodkeeper.

“I am become Death. The creator of worlds…”

At Rheya’s mansion outside the city, the last example of the tree of blood caught fire, burning into ash. The sap flared like burning oil, evaporating and removing any chance of a vampiric bloodline being reborn.

I gasped as the power withdrew from me. I had felt every moment. Every vampire who had died because they weren’t safe when they lost their abilities, their pain was my pain. Every sensation of rage at becoming human again, I knew. Every feeling of relief, mostly from older vampires who had learned the price of immortality, was a mild balm.

Gravity reasserted its authority over me. It would have been interesting to say that I hadn’t thought of this part. But it would also have been a lie. The small part of the dead goddess that had still been me knew I’d be returning to my human life more than two thousand feet above the ground.

I had accepted it. Even without the mind-perverting influence of the power I had absorbed, I felt I had done the right thing, but that didn’t change the fact that I had just become the most prolific mass-murderer in history.

I hugged myself closely and closed my eyes. I sacrificed an entire city, to save a world. I had made a world where humans and vampires would never threaten each other again. I assumed I would never know if it had been worth the appalling cost.

The sun was rising over New York. Kamilah, Adrien, and Lily blinked owlishly as they stepped out into the eerily silent streets. Drawn by some sense they didn’t understand, all three stumbled through the daylight towards Fifth Avenue.

Lily began to sob uncontrollably as they saw the crater. Just in front of the Empire State Building lay a crumpled heap that no-one would have been able to identify, if they hadn’t instinctively known who it was.

“Why did she do that?” Adrien asked, aghast, “She could have landed before relinquishing the power.”

The thought on all their minds went unspoken - why had she killed so many and then cured the vampires?

“She hated being a vampire,” the voice was Serafine’s, but it sounded hazy, “When she knocked me out, our minds met for a moment…”

Kamilah caught Lily clumsily - she had thrown herself forwards with hatred in her eyes, hands extended to punch the psychic woman who had just arrived on the scene.

“Why would you lie about that, now?” Lily screamed, struggling against Kailah’s grip. Both women were unused to the weakness in their muscles without vampiric blood, “She didn’t hate it, she would have said!”

“I don’t want to hurt you, Lily,” Serafine replied, calmly, although tears were running down her face, “The past three months, she’s loathed herself. Every second of life as a vampire. Every drop of blood she had to drink. Every tale from a vampire elder about how they regretted their elongated lives…”

At that last line, Serafine made eye-contact with Kamilah who trembled. Sadness was writ large on every face.

“She’s been harbouring resentment since the moment she woke in that coffin,” Serafine continued, slowly walking up to the pulverised mass in the street. Her breath caught as she saw the extent of the damage, then she swept off her scarf and covered Bobbi’s remains as best she could, “Her hatred of becoming one of us twisted and perverted Rheya’s goal. She wanted to make a world where humans and vampires wouldn’t threaten each other any more. I guess she managed…”

“Has she killed all the humans?” Adrien asked, his voice croaking, “I can’t hear anything in the city…”

“There’s news coming from outside…” Lily said, robotically looking at her ‘phone, “I think it was just New York… but… she killed every man, woman, and child in the city…”

“Good god,” Adrien sat on the hood of an abandoned taxi, dropping his head into his hands, “What did we create?”

“Why didn’t she tell us she was unhappy?” Kamilah asked, stalking in paces out of habit, “Why didn’t she say that this was hurting her?”

“She… ah…” Serafine suddenly looked nervous and stepped away from Lily again, “She didn’t want to hurt Lily. Since Lily admitted she Turned Bobbi, Bobbi had been lying to her. I saw… painful amounts of sadness and hatred. She couldn’t forgive your Turning her, but she couldn’t admit that because the love she’d once felt meant she couldn’t hurt you either.”

Former vampires were coming out into the sunlight. There had been a few hundred left after Gaius and Rheya’s purges. Lulu had been following Serafine. Kamilah realised just in time and caught the little girl in an awkward hug before she could see the mess in the crater.

Adrien managed to rally some assistance to remove Bobbi. Kamilah reverted to type and began to wrangle the survivors into bands to find all the former vampires left in the city.

Lily and Serafine remained at the crater’s edge, not talking. Instinctively, people left them alone. It was almost midday before Lily finally spoke.

“So…” her voice was firm, despite the tears still flowing down her cheeks, “Bobbi told you all that in the moments she knocked you out?”

Serafine smiled enigmatically.

“Even though she didn’t know that she could absorb Rheya’s power before it happened?” Lily glared at Serafine, accusingly. Serafine chuckled sadly.

“I knew you’d work it out,” she said, running a hand through her hair, “Serafine was the only psychic nearby. She was the only one who could help me. Let her link minds with you? I need to say goodbye.”

Lily gasped as the world blurred into an ethereal mindscape. She looked around and her imagined breath caught when she realised that the projections of Serafine and herself had been joined by a projection of me. Still, she wouldn’t be Lily Spencer if she didn’t have a facetious comment.

“So, is this like Doctor Strange?” she asked, raising an eyebrow, “Astral projecting?”

“Just telepathy,” I said, smiling sadly. I turned to the projection of Serafine, who looked shell-shocked and a little angry, “I’m sorry Serafine. I will be gone soon. I needed to explain why I did it…”

“What did you do?” Lily asked, drawing back a little, “We’re trying to look, but there don’t seem to be any humans left…”

“I…” I closed my eyes. Admitting this to myself had been easier than admitting it to the woman I’d once loved, “The whole city… I needed the power to make sure there was never a chance of vampires coming back… I know I’ve become a monster. Everything we were fighting against. But I wanted to make sure you could all have true lives, lives you deserve.”

“Why did you get to make that decision for me?” Lily snapped.

“The same reason you made the decision to Turn me and start all this in motion,” I said, and quickly continued before she could bring up her perfectly valid objection, “The same reason that I asked Adrien to Turn you last year. Because I love you.”

“Don’t tell me you committed genocide because you love me,” Lily recoiled, in horror, “You do realise that’s not a good thing, right?”

“I know. But, for a moment, I knew everything any vampire knew,” I closed my ethereal eyes, but could still sense every molecule of Lily’s astral projection, “All the older ones were unhappy. Eternal life is not a gift. The powers you all had were not repayment enough for the suffering you would eventually experience. Just ask Kamilah. She told me once, how only the memories she made while she was a human felt truly hers. I wanted to give that back to her. I didn’t want you to suffer the way she did. The way Takeshi did. The way even Gaius did.”

“I loved being a vampire,” Lily groused, but there was a tone to her voice, a sensation of understanding, “You killed children to take it away.”

“Lily, if there had been any other way, I would have done it,” I admitted, honestly. I realised that I was being one-hundred per cent truthful, “When I was a vampire I couldn’t love you anymore. Why do you think we never made love? I didn’t sleep with anyone else either. But, when the tree burned, and I became human again… I could feel the love. I wish we could have had more time. But I need to let Serafine have her body back.”

Finally, Lily stepped towards me. We reached out and held hands for the last time.

“You have the chance for a normal life now,” I said, feeling phantom tears stream down my face, “You, Kamilah, Serafine you could all have children if you wanted. Adrien can eventually rejoin his family.”

“Without condoning, or condemning, I understand,” Lily quoted to me, reaching up and brushing the tears away, although they were streaming down her face now, “I will miss you, Bobbi. I love you, even now…”

“Please, promise me…” I choked on the words, knowing this would be the last time I ever spoke to Lily in this life, “Take my ashes and spread them in Greece. Go to those beautiful ruins, see them in daylight. I wanted nothing more than to go back there with you one day.”

“I promise,” she said. I felt a lightness in my heart, although it would never efface the guilt I deservedly felt.

“I love you, Lily.” I said, leaning forwards to kiss her. Then my soul dissipated as I truly died.

#bloodbound3 #bloodbound #choices #pixelberry #choices stories you play #vampire #finale #dark ending #world changing #bhagavad-gita

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alleycat97 · 5 years

Text

Your Destiny

Pairing: Kamilah x MC. Rheya x MC (Aurora)

Description: MC(Aurora) and the council discover the truth of the first vampire and possess the Amulent of Nero. Being a Bloodkeeper, MC uses the Amulent to be called towards the bleeding tree, to fulfill her destiny.

Disclaimer: Not my characters. Not sure if any of this is correct, my vampire knowledge isn’t the greatest. It’s fun anyway, just writing for the Kamilah endgame. Enjoy y’all! Kamilah is Queen! *very light smut.

They finally escaped that imprisonment from the creepy hillbilly out in the Nevada Desert, taking with them The Amulet of Nero containing the Vial of the first Vampire. Aurora knew the second she touched it, the vision she had, she could see Rheya and a bleeding tree that called to her. Whispers calling to her, ‘blood calls to blood, flesh draws to flesh’. She could feel the power, the desire, the lust, it was all calling her.

“Kami?!” Aurora called out in panic waking from her nightmare. It was another vision of Rheya calling to her. Showing her what lies ahead for the mortal, stabbing the tree to fulfil her destiny.

Kamilah bolted awake, reaching to comfort her poor mortal lover, “Are you alright dear?”

Aurora decided it best to explain everything from the moment they snagged the Amulet, “I had another vision. Rheya is calling to me. She is the first vampire, The Queen. I saw a tree, it was bleeding, I watched her stab it and drink from it.”

Kamilah mulled over the information she received, deciding best to comfort her girlfriend until Adrian could meet them.

“It calls to her. The Amulet is a portal of some sort for her. Rheya calls to her through it.” Kamilah explains to Adrian.

“Why can none of us feel this connection?” He ponders.

“It must be her Bloodkeeper line. Bloodkeepers are rare correct? Maybe one every generation? She is pure first blood.” Kamilah explained. “She just hasn’t unlocked her abilities.”

“What do we do now?” Adrian asks walking back and forth.

“We must destroy the tree.” Kamilah spoke, Aurora pouting at the idea. “But...”

“No love, we must destroy the tree that gave us life. It’s bad enough we have this vial to keep from Gaius, it all has to end.”

With extensive research and constant bickering among the council, the whole gang reluctantly traveled to the former City State of Mydiea in search of the cave that holds the tree. All members in agreement to destroy the tree. Aurora felt the pull as soon as she stepped foot in Mydiea, with Rheya’s guidance and the smell of blood filling her senses, Aurora bolted for the unknown, startling the rest of the group.

“Aurora wait! It’s too dangerous!” Adrian yelled while Kamilah bolted after the young girl.

“Aurora stop! We must go together.” But Aurora couldn’t stop, Kamilah couldn’t stop her, the young mortal was being pulled by an unknown force.

The council followed closely behind until they were all stopped by two dark figures,

“Hand over the Vial and I might spare you all in my new world.” Everyone in the room knew the voice. Gaius.

Kamilah finally gained control over Aurora and pulled her into the furthest corner, handing her the vial, “Keep this safe love.” Kamilah and the council skipped the introductions and started the grand fight with their creator. Gaius may of been weak, but along with Jameson, he was still a force that had these 6 vampires hands full.

Under the cover of battle, Aurora was pulled to the tree, the Connection with the Amulet edging her closer until she kneeled before the tree, one hand on the bark, and the other around the Amulet. Rheya consumed her mind, pulling the young mortals soul from her body in the middle of the battle. Aurora came to in a temple. It was calm, quiet, she could feel herself now, kneeling before Rheya.

“Rise my child, for you are the true heir of the first vampire, the direct descendent of the 1st son, Prince Xenorates.” Rheya spoke lifting the young mortal to her feet. “I’ve called for centuries to my kind, but you dear, the very first bloodkeeper to answer my calling, you are pure, you are my savior.”

Aurora stayed quiet, allowing her connection with Rheya to answer her questions, she instructed her to stab the tree and drink its blood from the chalice, allowing her bloodkeeper powers to fully activate. Then to drink the vial, allowing herself to be consumed by Rheya, and unlocking the power of the first vampire.

“Go forth young mortal, make me proud, fulfill your destiny.”

“Yes my queen.” Aurora bowed and returned to her body to find Gaius standing tall amongst the nearly beaten council demanding the vial.

Kamilah glanced pleadingly with her eyes to Aurora to stay quiet. Gaius saw the stare and turned his attention to the mortal.

“Ah yes. The young mortal, the bloodkeeper. Hand it over.” He barked.

Aurora didn’t listen and quickly pulled her dagger, piercing it deeply into the tree, collecting its blood in the chalice.

“What is she doing!?” Gaius yelled toward Jameson.

“Master! It’s the tree! She can’t drink that!” Jameson pleaded trying to stop Aurora but it was too late, she had consumed the blood. Nobody knew what a bloodkeeper was capable of, but Aurora could fill a change, she felt stronger, she felt weightless. It was then when she pulled the Amulet out, breaking it to expose the vial.

“Stop her!” Gaius yelled as he and Jameson approached the bloodkeeper. The council looked on in fear, the fear of the unknown. The fear of being in the presence of the first.

“Don’t!” Kamilah yelled at her lover in fear. But it was too late, Aurora had consumed the vial, stopping an angry and startled pair of Gaius and Jameson in their tracks. The cave began to shake, the air grew thin and the floor began to crack and open. The trunk of the tree had split open and all could see Aurora’s body being taken over by a mysterious cloud coming from the tree, Rheya.

The vampires looked on speechless and scattered as far as possible as the small mortal transformed, Bruce Banner/Hulk style into this incredible being that towered over Gaius and Jameson. Rheya was using Aurora as a vessel and while she was transforming the duo tried to kill her while she had her guard down. Aurora quickly, with the use of her eyes only, shot an electrical current towards Jameson that blew him into a pile of ash. Gaius stopped dead and begged for mercy when Aurora turned to him, she powerfully flicked him with her index finger, decapitating him and sending his body across the room.

The council looked on in shock as Rheya used Auroras body, turning her attention to them next. She scanned over the frightened council and decided to spare them. Quickly transforming herself back into the small human frame that was Aurora.

Aurora passed out from the abduction and the council debated on what to do. If they should kill Aurora in her sleep, or leave her untouched. The threat of her unpredictable behavior with Rheya consuming her scared them. Her unlimited power was something the world wasn’t ready for. They were among a force none of them could control. But as they looked on at The 23 year old Aurora, who began to snore, they took a gamble and let her be free. Kamilah taking responsibility for her. She was in charge of keeping Aurora in check, making sure Rheya didn’t completely control her after all. She took this risk on one account, the love for her. She loved Aurora no matter what and if this love ended up getting her killed then so be it, she wasn’t going to abandon the girl.

The council kept tabs on Kamilah and Aurora, who was still in a slumber days after the battle and arrival of Rheya. Consuming the amount of pure blood she did apparently caused a sickness that kept her shutdown. It was only a guess however, but one thing was forsure, with Aurora being asleep, she couldn’t harm anyone.

Kamilah kisses her unconscious girlfriends temple, it was a habit before she went to bed. But before she could get out of the room, she heard her voice,

“Kami?”

Kamilah stopped and tensed up, it was going to be her first encounter with the woman since her turning, “Yes, love?” She replied timidly.

And before Kamilah could fully turn around, she felt a very firm grip clutching her throat and was being forced chest first into the door grasping for air. Fear taking over her, she wasn’t sure what was going to happen, she was no match for Aurora’s new strength and power.

Aurora pressed herself deeply into Kamilah’s back and she held her by the throat tightly against the door, slowly taking in the woman’s scent. She could feel the panic in the older vampire, her body was trembling. She took her nails and drug them across Kamilah’s neck earning a never before heard whimper. Aurora’s lust grew in each passing second. She was in control now, with all intentions to show Kamilah she was the boss now. She stood up on her toes to reach Kamilah’s collarbone, slightly piercing the skin with her teeth, getting a small sample of blood.

“Mmmm, Kami I’m so hungry.” Aurora moaned out, keeping Kamilah held by the throat firmly against the door. “I think I found my next meal.”

“What are you gonna do now that you got me.” Kamilah asked unsure If she should be scared of turned on. Hell, she was both.

“Oh my queen, I’m going to devour you.” Aurora groaned out before sinking her teeth into Kamilah, getting a much needed taste of her lover. Kamilah moaned and screamed out to the new sensation. Being took over and over by the Vampire Queen was exciting.

When Aurora finally pleased herself, she was about to leave Kamilah, who appeared to be paralyzed, lying naked on the floor alone to rest. Aurora felt herself being thrown back onto the bed, hands firmly held above her head. Kamilah looked into her eyes and flashed her fangs, “It’s about time I show you who the real queen is darling.”

#playchoices #kamilah sayeed #kamilah x mc #bloodbound 2

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jq37 · 5 years

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hey hey hey!! have u seen the new bloodkeep episode, and if so..... thoughts?

**spoilers for avanash and double pants the caged elf and the crown**

(I have another ask that I’m going to use to talk about the airship ambush ep)

Rekha on Fantasy Spelling: “J, apostrophe, O, H, Umlaut, N.”/ “An umlaut over the H???”

I love that this episode starts with them arguing politics with an eagle. Brennan takes every opportunity to start talking philosophy.

“Please don’t call it seed.”

I love than no one calls Leiland by his goth name at all. I don’t even remember what it is right now. He’s just Leiland, the giant mess of a Walmart ringwraith.

So the Vingury show up and everyone makes a point to be as unnatural and creepy as possible for the drama of it all instead of acting natural.

Leiland doing a full of Mice and Men on poor Deckland. That’s just what I was thinking before Matt made the reference.

I think Barbarian is such a fun class for a new player. Not a ton of of complications. Just messing people up.

I wonder what would have happened if they had tried to persuade one of the Vingury into making a sacrifice instead of ambushing Deckland.

OK, what did Deckland do to Leiland? Or vice versa?

Efink Skype calls Maggie’s dad who beats the tar out of Zaul’nazh when he finds out he knocked her up without putting a ring on it. “SHOW ME YOUR HANDS.”

Anyway, lbr. This episode is only important for two reasons: Avanash and Double Pants.

Based on the character image, I thought Avanash was going to be a straight Gollum expy but y’all. Y’all.

Sidenote, since the players know this is a LOTR game, I wonder how much meta-gaming they have to stop themselves from doing. Like, “OK, this is this character so I know they can be corrupted.”

“This dude is full crazy.”

“Oh hey.”

“Don’t make this gesture at him.”

“I guess the only query I would raise here is how are you going to keep my bones.”

The comedic brilliance of Avanash truly is the completely even and normal sentences that melt into complete nonsense.

“Are you them? What?”

This is just going to turn into me quoting everything Avanash said if I don’t rein it in now.

“What does this lady think she is? A river? HELP.”

Lilith going off on being sensitive about mental health terminology, even though she’s a full evil general of the magic empire trying to genocide like 3 races.

“WHAT IS CRAZY ABOUT WANTING YOUR BONES?” I want that on a shirt so bad.

Everyone just breaks down. No one can handle Avanash. Not even DnD vet Matt who has sat through some insanity. In terms of just pure humor, Avanash is Bren’s best NPC ever.

Markus’s question about the first five things he would do was a really smart move I think. Like, within this craziness, a very smart PC move.

Not even Brennan can keep a straight face. “I’m gonna be very clear.” He has to stop to crack up.

Maggie’s go to move is to just promise people shopping trips.

Good on Brennan for being such a cool DM. Bargaining for spell slots. Giving Jessa advantage on the pants roll to reward the, “She was a design major” improv. I would love to play at his table.

And then Leiland going off about child sweatshops. Sohkbar, “That’s where you draw the line?”

Lilith started making the “Where do eagles wear their pants” point and at first I was like, “Girl what?” but then, as she went on, I was like, “Hmm, she might be on to something.” Anyway

DOUBLE PANTS, DOUBLE PANTS, DOUBLE PANTS

Jessa coming in CLUTCH. A 19 and a NAT 20. Top of her class! What a wild roll on such a plot irrelevant thing. I love DnD so much.

For such a mercenary guy, Markus is kind of nice. Trying to give Leiland a morale boost last ep. Paying Jessa in this ep and offering to give her a commission for his crew, even though she would have done it for free to help her mom most likely.

The rest of the party is overseeing this very important plot point and Maggie is like, “Shopping episode!”

I was trying to figure out Efink’s name the other day and I didn’t so to find out in this ep that it’s KNIFE BACKWARDS and I didn’t notice murdered me instantly.

Also, I spent 2 hours trying to reverse that, “What do you have there?/A knife!/No!” gif for a post after this ep but tumblr wouldn’t let me post it. But I want you to know that I tried.

Efink and Lilith’s friendship is so funny to me.

“Stop saying mean things about my friend!”

Also, I forgot to mention before, Stalker getting covered in spiders and being like, “AHHHH. Eh, not so bad.”

“I don’t use this word lightly. This guy is a Goober.”

Brennan’s happy DM face right to the camera set me on edge until the reveal. You never wanna see your DM make that face.

Markus and Leiland have a heart to heart. Leiland lightly flirts with Markus. I am here for it.

HAMHEAD HAS THE CROWN.

THIS IS WHY YOUR GUARD THE PRISONER YOU GUYS. THERE ARE SO MANY OF YOU.

Pushing Avanash in the lava was in character but I would have kept him around. There are still 3 non-Leiland Vingury. They could hypothetically made another crown.

Good on Erika for enlisting Stalker’s tracking skills. These PC’s really make use of the story elements to help them out.

All of the snapping and hand punching and stuff Brennan does is hypnotizing to me.

Cut back to Maggie who is still shopping. Wild.

Oh, wait. There’s one more important thing in this episode. Maggie using Power Word: Kill on the torture dude. Like, not the actual spell, but that’s basically what happened.

“Cool. Maybe next time that will be the first thing out of your mouth instead of your fucking tight five.”

Truly brutal.

I didn’t know dire bats were a thing before now but I love them.

Olag is back because of course he is.

“THE KICKED DOWN AND MADE THE DOOR HAPPEN.”

“mISTRESS? You asshole!”

“How do you become the villains of the villains?”

Efink being, “Y’all, I can be queen of the good guys and get us all hall passes. We’re good.” She’s selfish but she’s also gonna get everyone out w/ her so there are layers here.

“GHOSTS ARE OUR THING. THEY’RE SPECIFICALLY MOST OF WHAT WE DO. THAT’S BULLSHIT!”

“You’re a large bird.”/ “You’re a large asshole.”

Efink kills Stalker which is another short sighted move I think but also very in character.

Anyway, they escape on Markus’ ship but are ambushed by his brother’s ship which is the lead in to next ep’s airship battle, which I’ll cover next!

Anyway, very curious about where this story is going to end seeing as we want the PC’s to succeed but a success for them means, like, straight genocide.

#asks #anon #bloodkeep #dimension 20 #escape from the bloodkeep #anonymous

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