#AU: The Masquerade | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

porcelainseashore · 2 months

Text

Into the Ether (1)

Series Masterlist

Pairing: Vampire! Toreador! Leon Kennedy x Fem! Reader

Summary: At the all-night events cafe you run, you’ve become acquainted with an elusive patron, Leon, though you can never remember the last moments of your interactions together. After a harrowing encounter, a love-hate relationship develops between the two of you as you grapple with your newfound status in a world of darkness and investigate the reasons behind the untimely attacks.

Content & Warnings: 18+ Resident Evil x Vampire: The Masquerade crossover, horror, mystery, romance, slow burn, strangers to enemies to lovers, angst, fluff, eventual smut, swearing, smoking, non consensual blood drinking, blood bond, vampire turning, violence, injury, mild gore, torture, religious themes, minor character death, RE ensemble, VtM concepts.

Authors' Note: Super excited for this crossover series! I’ll try to keep a regular update schedule on Wednesdays. I might take some liberties with VtM lore and mechanics to fit the story, but hope to stay as true as I can to the source material. Finally, I imagined RE2R Leon (my favorite!) in this role 🫶

AO3 Link

Chapter 1: RC By Night

You first saw him in summer, when the days were long and the nights were short, and the streets came to life again. There was the heady smell of pollen in the air and the humidity was sweltering. Just a couple of months after you and a bunch of idealistic friends from your theater school days had taken the plunge, and opened an all-night cafe in one of the cheaper, grittier areas of town, east of the river of Raccoon City.

It had been a scrappy little project, one you didn’t expect to receive a cult following and gain in popularity amongst the intellectuals and counterculture crowd. But then again, there was also the City College nearby and the events program you’d lined up each week drew them in. From comedy nights and disco fevers to site-specific and performance art, you knew what people liked and how they wanted to be entertained. A bit of kitsch, a sprinkle of avant-garde and a generous dose of unpretentious social drinking. It pulled him in too.

Him. You didn’t even know his name. The first thing you had noticed were his striking blue eyes that seemed to glow from the shadows of the dimly lit space, peering out at you. Always observing, always watching, never speaking. Sometimes he’d glance over across the opposite end of the room at another pair of companions — a rugged, broad-shouldered man with a dark crew cut bumping shoulders with a younger, spunky redhead in a matching biker jacket. They’d exchange subtle looks of recognition and mild suspicion before returning to whatever they were doing. Though they never uttered a single word to each other.

He came back week after week, ordering the same drink each time, but never touching it. One Manhattan, please. You obliged. A waitress you had sent over to pry on your behalf told you he enjoyed the cocktail, but couldn’t tolerate much alcohol. You saw him lift the drink to his nose, sniffing it as the corners of his mouth turned upwards, silently smiling to himself before he placed it back down on the table again. Strange. You shook your head and prepared a cup of black coffee, taking it over to him as his eyes lit up in surprise with your approach.

“On the house,” you explained, plonking it down on the table. He raised an eyebrow but remained tight-lipped.

Maybe he didn’t like coffee? Or how did he usually take it? “Uh—” you turned back towards the service area, as if to check that the condiments were still in place. “Would you like some creamer or sugar to go with it?”

He raised his hand to indicate it wasn’t necessary and his jaw clenched, before fixing it into an awkward smile. “Thank you.”

Those were the first words he had spoken to you. It rolled off his tongue like a swirl of mist, a sliver of a dream you couldn’t quite remember when waking up. You took another step forward to get a better look at him. He had a baby face, angelic almost, with that typical, boy next door charm your mom would have gushed at, and you imagined he couldn’t be older than his early twenties. Upon closer inspection, he seemed slightly pale, faint dark circles around his eyes that had seen more than his fair share for his age. There was a sense of weariness and jadedness behind them that made him appear older than he was.

Bringing the cup to his lips, he sipped a small mouthful, letting it sit for a moment, before swallowing it down languidly. You admired the curve of his Adam’s apple, bobbing as the liquid poured down his throat, littered with freckles and specks of moles. Something about his very presence mesmerized you, even more so than earlier. It was hard to place a finger on what it was exactly, and why this feeling seemed to grow with every second you were lingering near him.

He pulled out a pack of cigarettes, tapping it on the table before offering one to you. Why not? You were a social smoker and took it as a sign to join him. In fact, there was no other place you’d rather be at the moment. You were confused, but did not question it as you took a seat beside him, noticing that he flinched each time he flicked open his lighter to ignite a flame.

His fingertips brushed across your wrist as he lit your cigarette, causing you to shiver in response, while his jaw tensed again, as if trying to rein something in. Licking his lips, he took a puff from his own, exhaling the smoke as it billowed around him and for a second you thought you’d lost him to a wall of fog. Both of you continued smoking in silence, checking in with each other through furtive glances, even though there was nothing to be ashamed about.

At some point, you followed the direction of his gaze and saw that same pair of companions he often regarded from the corner of his eye. They were frowning, giving him dirty looks as he shrugged nonchalantly in return.

“Not much of a talker, are you?” you broke through the thick stillness of the air that surrounded the both of you like a bubble, separated from the rest of the evening revelers.

“You’re observant,” he teased, his eyes crinkling as he stubbed out the leftovers of his cigarette in the ashtray. You followed suit.

“So, what brings you here?” you asked, gesturing to the suit attire sans tie that he was wearing. “Don’t get me wrong, but this place doesn’t exactly seem like the kind you types hang out at.”

“Hm,” he huffed, though your question didn’t phase him. “And what exactly is my type?”

“I’d say you were a yuppie,” you blurted out, your mouth rarely had a filter on these days. “But I can’t be sure, something about you seems…”

“Off?” he offered, smirking, yet his expression carried a hint of somberness.

“Different,” you corrected, but mumbled out a quick apology nonetheless soon after.

“Don’t be,” he grazed your hand again as he adjusted himself in his chair, and you felt like he was doing this on purpose. “At least you’re honest. It’s a rare quality to find these days.” Though the way he said the last sentence sounded loaded with a double meaning.

“These days?” you guffawed. “You’re speaking like an old man.”

He joined in your laughter though that was the end of your conversation for that night. The rest of the evening went by in a blind haze, and you found yourself in a dazed state later on in the wee hours of the morning, still sitting at the same table, but your newfound friend gone without a trace. None of your colleagues had noticed a thing. You didn’t even get his name, but you shook yourself, commanding your limbs to get back to business and clean up after the customers that had left.

The next time you saw him was when you were hosting the karaoke night of the month. Decked out in a shimmery mermaid glitter jumpsuit, hair tied up in pigtails and face caked with extravagant make up, you hopped onto the stage, only to nearly stumble on your flimsy heels when those piercing blue eyes landed on you from the all the way back. Of all the nights he could have dropped in, he chose this one.

You suppressed your embarrassment and warmed up the audience with a couple of well-placed jokes before kicking the event off with those who had registered to participate. It appeared to be a tough crowd as you only had a handful of sign ups, and would need to potentially seek out volunteers when they were done. You hoped the rackety sound system would hold up till then too.

Fortunately, when it came to the crunch — which it did — you always had an ace up your sleeve. “You there,” you called out, pointing towards the back of the room. “Yeah, blue eyes, you.” Crooking your finger, you beckoned him over, waiting in anticipation to see what he would do.

To your surprise, he bowed his head, accepting the challenge, before slowly weaving his way through the crowd, who were cheering him on with your prompting, towards the stage. He flashed you his pearly whites as he climbed up the short stairs, his floppy bangs bouncing with each step. For a moment, you thought you caught something feral in his gaze, but it dissipated when he reached out for the mic from you, his hands sweeping over yours with an electric touch.

You were in awe of him, like almost everyone else in the cafe, when he broke out in a rich tenor voice, effortlessly floating through the notes of the gentle melody, that you felt as though you were being wrapped in a serene, velvet cocoon. Enthusiastic claps and hoots filled the space when he finished. The only two people in the room who were scowling were the same pair of companions he knew from before.

“Will you join me after the show?” he whispered in your ear as he handed you back the mic. Nodding was the only appropriate response.

You were rushed off your feet for the next couple of hours and it was late by the time you called the event to a close, but he was still there, by his usual table, waiting patiently for you.

“So you decided to push me into the spotlight,” he accused with a wry smile.

“Don’t pretend you didn’t enjoy it,” you shot back. “Here.” You set a cup of black coffee down in front of him. “My treat.”

“You’re too kind.” It sounded flat, like a game that had become routine between the two of you. He took a sip from it, nothing more, nothing less.

That was all you could recall from your conversation. You didn’t get his name until a few nights after.

“Hey, blue eyes,” you acknowledged as he strolled in.

“Leon,” he disclosed sharply. “It’s Leon.”

That was the night of exchanging introductions. You named all the nights you’d spent with him under various labels, so you wouldn’t forget.

Another night, he had whipped out a flip phone and you nearly choked on your drink. “They still make those?” You stared in disbelief.

He turned to face you in amusement.

“Bet you don’t have a—”

You didn’t even need to finish your sentence for him to fish out his pager, dangling it in front of you like a toy.

“Fuck off,” you laughed. “No fucking way.”

He grinned at your outburst and it was one of those times, few and far between, where you experienced a glimpse of that youthful energy he often hid behind a calm, matured facade.

“You’re still living in the 90s dude?” you jested, grabbing the pager as you flipped it over, trying to determine if it was real. It was.

His lips curled up into a playful smirk. “Something like that.”

“Healthcare,” you guessed, squinting at him. “I heard people there still have them. You’re a doctor?”

“I wish.” He coughed out a self-deprecating laugh, before rummaging through his wallet for a sleek white card, sliding over to you. “P.I., actually.”

“Private Investigator Leon S. Kennedy,” you read the title out loud, deliberately emphasizing each word.

“Go ahead, shout it from the rooftops,” he joked.

“Don’t tempt me.” You gave what you hoped was a cheeky wink, not flirty, definitely not flirty.

A lopsided smile spread across his face, and you wondered if you were finally beginning to unravel the mystery of this man, one that he seemed to carry around like a burden.

“Well, now you know where to find me.” He winked back, taking a tiny sip of his free coffee.

That was the night of P.I. Kennedy. Soon, these nights blurred into each other. You felt like you were getting a step closer, but yet you weren’t. He always had you at an arm’s length for some reason, even though he seemed to want more. Why did he keep coming back?

He also appeared to care about what you thought of him. At some point forth, he started dressing down, exchanging his usual formal attire for a shirt with no blazer, and his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. A fine gold chain necklace peeked out from underneath his top collar, which was left unbuttoned. “Better like this?” he asked with no context. You had to pause and consider what he meant for a while before you understood.

“If you’d like to fit in.” You shrugged indifferently. “But I don’t think you want to.”

“You know me well,” he murmured fondly. The back of his fingers caressed the side of your neck, just under your jawline, along a pulse point. You closed your eyes and sighed. It felt sensitive and tender.

“And how well do you know me?” you asked.

There was no reply, but somehow you already knew the answer.

Another thing you were vaguely aware of was that you kept missing the tail end of your interactions with him. It was as though after a certain point in the night, you would come to, like waking up from a daydream, and he would have disappeared by then.

Your colleagues asked if you were seeing each other. Were you? You were only chatting, you surmised. Nothing had gone that far yet, at least from what you had gathered. But you liked him more than you would’ve liked to admit.

He walked you home one night, and when you reached your doorstep, you were about to invite him in, but he interrupted you. “There’s something I need to tell you…”

Guilt clouded his eyes, unmistakable and heavy. But as he was about to say more, he held back, as if pulled by an invisible thread. Then, you felt yourself overcome with tiredness, but it was pleasant and comforting. “Can you help me to bed?” Your voice sounded far away.

All at once, you felt yourself being propped up under his arm and your weight shifting under your feet, until your head touched a feather-soft pillow. He draped a blanket over your unmoving body. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I never should have—” Even in your state, you could tell it pained him.

“I won’t do it again, unless you let me.”

That was the last you heard from him for a while.

━━━━━━━━━━━

Leon couldn’t get enough of you. Believe him, he tried countless times, but it didn’t work. From the moment he had set foot into that establishment, he had damned himself. He knew it when he spotted you and smelled your sanguine resonance from afar. It was the humor of your blood, and it was stronger and more consistent than he was used to. You were just so full of life, and enjoying it to the point where he was envious. You signified all the hopes and dreams that had been dashed spectacularly to the ground, ever since becoming… what he was now.

He had to have a taste of you. A little drop wouldn’t hurt, would it? He’d been taught ages ago, by Ada, his sire, that he needed people like you to survive. If one ignored their hunger for too long, things would get worse, so much worse, and not just for himself, but for everyone else around him. It was simply the lesser of two evils to feed, and he’d never actually killed anyone by doing so. Then, why did it feel so wrong? He had gotten good at pushing down these thoughts, until they were reduced to an inaudible hum at the back of his mind. Just like many other things, he learnt to compromise. But compromising meant that sometimes, he’d lose a piece of himself. If there was an equivalent of a soul within the monster he had become, then it was fragmented, and he’d never get back the ones that had dissolved into the ether, due to the bad decisions he had made. Like the ones he would soon make with you.

Taste. Taste was something he had acquired since young. In his human life, he always had an eye for detail, an eye for what fit, what worked, and what didn’t. It certainly helped when he became a cold case detective with the police force, filled with unbridled potential, only to have that overturned, when he decided to chase after love instead of missing people and puzzle pieces. For years, he would’ve done anything for her, only for it to amount to wasted time and regret when the inevitable boredom that came with time struck, and he was tossed aside over something exciting and new. Still, he knew a delicious vessel when he saw one. You were just meant to be a special curiosity that he could pass on to the older vampire for a favor or two. At least, that was what he told himself, when you took the initial bait and he beckoned you to stay through unnatural means. That was the first lie.

When he bit into you, he was met with a burst of color, vibrant shades of all kinds of red. The flavor saturated his mouth: sweet roses, his favorite kind, their scent carried on a gentle zephyr; warm light that enveloped him but didn’t hurt; traces of nicotine coursing through your veins; and the familiar iron tang that gave it its kick. Your face, your voice, your very essence haunted him in that taste. He could see you like a will-o'-the-wisp performing on stage in one of your many plays across a lifetime, laughing with your friends in the back of a car speeding down the highway, crying into a pillow when you had your heart broken by your first love… How was this possible? Your memories came flooding through him and you were blissfully unaware of it all. He felt like a spy, listening in to all your secrets and desires, and his blatant invasion of your privacy disgusted him.

This was wrong. He shouldn’t have gotten so close. He should’ve heeded the warning glances the Redfield siblings were throwing his way. So, he tried his best to stay away, but like an addict, he kept crawling back, seeking you out like a dog with its tail between its legs. How could a mere mortal have such an effect on him? Did he taste this way to Ada when she turned him? He laughed sardonically. If only she could see him now, being so torn up over a woman he had just met.

He tried to erase you from his mind, but you were always meant to be something more. You reminded him of all the things he missed when he was living. You were the best he had ever tasted, but he didn’t want to turn you over to her, not yet. After all, he could afford to enjoy you for just one more time. The second lie had spun its thick, dark webs throughout his head. Truth be told, he would never share you with anyone else.

The third lie came when he resolved to tell you what he really was. He couldn’t keep going on like this and deceiving you, but his sire’s words bore down on him. “You don’t get attached to a vessel,” she scoffed. Wait, wasn’t he one too at some point? Her contradictory words replayed in his ears like a broken record. In any case, he wasn’t attached. He was being brave and honest, which was how he liked to think of himself. But when it came to the crunch outside your doorstep, he was a coward, finding himself unable to breach the rules of the Masquerade and gave in to his urges instead. It was then that he realized deep down, he was truly a despicable and hateful low-life.

Thump! He felt his body slam against a solid wall, as he entered a secluded alleyway round the corner from your apartment. A dull ache bloomed across his skin. After the events that had happened that night, he didn’t even bother putting up a fight. He slumped down until the brawny, older male sibling, Chris, lifted him by his collar and pinned him in place. At the same time, the slender redhead, Claire, Chris’ female counterpart, spoke, “Where the hell are you going with this, Leon?”

“Why do you care?” he spat, blood coating his teeth. “The cafe’s in neutral ground, no one’s claimed domain over it yet. I can feed on whoever I like.”

“Listen, you’re Cam scum, but you saved my brother back then, and you used to hang with us,” she hissed, jabbing her finger into his shoulder to emphasize each point. “So, I’m gonna give you a tip, but just this once.”

She brought her mouth to his ear. “There’s interest in the domain… and you’re not the only suitor vying for her attention.”

His eyes widened at the threat.

“Whatever you do, do it fast.”

#leon kennedy x reader #leon kennedy x you #leon kennedy #leon kennedy smut #leon kennedy angst #leon kennedy fluff #resident evil #vampire au #vampire the masquerade #vtm #crossover #porcelainscribbles

242 notes · View notes

post-it-notes7 · 1 year

Photo

Let the party begin

#galacta knight #meta knight #kirby #post's art gallery #midnight masquerade au #hope you enjoy some silly outfits and mysterious borbs #I now need to nap for ten thousand years

1K notes · View notes

ministarfruit · 1 year

Text

day 1: first time meeting ♡

(prompt list for femslashfeb)

#minifemslashfeb2023 #danganronpa #kaemaki #harumatsu #kaede akamatsu #maki harukawa #pomelo: akamatsu kaede #pulasan: harukawa maki #KAEMAKI DAY 1 EVERY TIME #WE IN THE ZONE #WE READY #they're meeting at a masquerade :3c #originally it was going to be a heiress/assassin au #but I ran out of time to do that #so now it is simply up to interpretation #OK GOODNIGHT SEE YOU TOMORROW

2K notes · View notes

koifsssh · 1 year

Text

here is my slow spiral into insanity (ft. clownsuu & foxyd101)

first of all, thank you all who joined! it was very fun! i had lots of laughs! thank you clownsuu for being so funny, i hope that danny & robbie continue being karaoke buddies!

(very long post! beware! there’s a lot of sketches here!)

(danny hasn’t even been an oc for very long... and already sentenced to jail for accidental murder? shame...)

(howdy is crying from the beautiful duet! not pain! i assure you!)

i have... saved all the images from the whiteboard, and while i don’t think i’ll upload those that aren’t mine and/or those i haven’t drawn with as well (or actually i might not upload all for the sheer fact that it was a lot more than i initially thought and i dont wish for this to get too long) i DO have to bring light to THIS ONE BWAHAHA???

(this one too!!!)

(little dust bunny, hahaha)

additional thank you to @foxyd101 for staying with me for so long that i passed out! bwhaha! i’m so sorry for falling asleep on you!

649 notes · View notes

foxyd101 · 1 year

Text

Masquerade AU

Imagine a ball that happens every night and draws in crowds from far and wide in which the gates of the grand mansion open wide for everyone and reveal a breathtaking fountain framed with two flights of stairs and a balcony above it all that has a big circular window that watches you along with the host leaning against the railing of the balcony. The host of this grand nightly ball is Wally Darling, and he is quite a mysterious and charming host that tends to observe his guest and ensure that everyone is enjoying their night. Now, if you are one of the lucky guests or one of his estate residents, you may have a chance to dance with the infamous host.

Anyway, with a party that goes on every night and nine residents that people don't know much about or have a strange feeling of familiarity with, there are secrets and strings tied throughout the ball, especially with the host, Wally, and a second host that is rarely seen or has never been seen before by all guests. Sooner or later, one resident starts to question things, especially when Y/N becomes a resident/guest of the mansion, to which questions begin to arise on how every resident even became residents of the estate or their lack of memory of their past.

This Castle has nine residents (soon to be 10 with Y/N), and they are:

Wally: The host of the nightly ball and the owner of the mansion. He is noted to be charming, observant, kind, mysterious, and can be pretty threatening. He tends to observe his guest from the balcony of his chambers and, of course, join the fun of the ball to which he will dance (with his residents/friends or guests) and sing (with Juile, Sally, and Eddie). He will also be seen carried around by Howdy and Barnaby, which saves him from the crowds, or he will be hiding behind Poppy's cape.

Home: He is the mansion and is where the ball happens every night. He watches over everyone and is considered a resident of the estate.

Sally: The singer and performer that entertains guests at the ball. She will also host/provide plays and theatrics in the main stage area of the mansion. She is very energetic and bold and LOVES to make an entrance. She can be seen dancing with guests and her friends/residents or just hanging out around the stages.

Juile: The singer and decorator for the ball. She is a very bubbly and energetic puppet and loves to help anyone that needs it. She is also considered the life of the party and will drag you out to dance if you are standing around or seem down.

Poppy: The chef/cook of the mansion that also preps food for all the guests at the ball. She tends to keep to herself and is quite timid. And she will freeze up or politely decline if offered the hand for a dance. (But if she did dance, she tends to do it privately or away from crowds.) She's nice to hang out with, primarily since she provides a safe space for those who don't take well with big parties (introvert heaven).

Eddie: The main male singer for the ball. He has a very chill and charismatic personality and loves to hang out with the other residents of the mansion (especially with Frank). Eddie is quite clumsy and a bit forgetful, but everyone loves to have him around, and he can deliver small messages around the ball for guests or between his friends/ residents.

Frank: The libertarian and gardener of the mansion that plays violin occasionally during the ball. He tends to sit around the corridors of the mansion or somewhere seculife in the ballroom reading, in which Juile drags him out to dance, or he will hang out with the residents during the ball. Frank is often described as a small ball of anxiety that is quiet, knowledgeable/nerd, kind, and grumpy.

Barnaby: The jokester of the residents. He tends to be the comedian of the ball and is considered another life of the party since he has quite an outgoing, chill, and goofy personality. He would also be considered a bouncer of the ball and will stop guests from acting out. He will be seen joking and hanging out with residents or guests, and if not, he will be sitting at the bar or table smoking and providing drinks for the guests.

Howdy: The co-chef of the mansion that helps Poppy prep the food for the ball. He will also play piano for the ball and will be seen assisting Barnaby in being a bouncer of the ball and providing drinks for the guests. All guests alike can say that Howdy is quite a charmer and is silly/ fun to be around like Barnaby.

Y/N: The newest member of the mansion.

(Hi, everyone; I hope you like the info I have dumped about my Masquerade Au! I have so much more info to share for the characters but am still working around the details of them, which would be on what the residents do during the day time, what areas they tend to be in the mansion, etc. Anyway, feel free to draw my Au and @ me to them, and if you have any questions, my ask box is open!)

(Also, the Masquerade Wally drawings I did is still Canon; they are just missing small outfit details that I added in my reference sheet here.)

Home's and Y/N's designs are here: Masquerade Au

502 notes · View notes

crisiscutie · 3 months

Text

Crisis and Chill

A little scenario where our Kuudere Darling is mad at Sephiroth.

Sephiroth/Content Warning: NSFW. Mommy Kink. Body Worship. Scent Kink.

"You're late," your flat, cold voice echoed through the void realm as Sephiroth's black feathers circled around you, heralding his imminent entrance. It seems that he has finally finished exterminating the rest of those insects from earlier.

"Mother..." he said, his physical form materializing near you. The velvety tone of his voice held a touch of solemnity, like a mischievous child expecting his punishment. You couldn't express it, but you were pissed at him. The pain of being separated from him, even for a short time, was excruciating for you. And it happened because Cloud and the other puppets intercepted you two, preventing you from absorbing more energy from the world's core to become a goddess, all thanks to Sephiroth's reckless attempts to impress you. He just had to spend precious time toying with them, didn't he? And you were worried about him when he used a portal to send you away to safety. Even though he's strong, you still didn't want him to handle those insects alone.

As he strolled towards you, his traditional smirk returned and his icy blue slit eyes locked with your dull pink ones. You couldn't help but notice the subtle, seductive sway of his hips. Though he concealed his thoughts from you, you sensed he was already plotting something. But there was no way you were going to let him get out of this so easily. Absolutely not.

"My apologies, Mother. Those insects insisted on delaying our reunion. Please forgive me." He said as he gently caressed your cheek, his thumb brushing against your delicate skin. However, you turned your head away from him.

"You were intent on delaying our reunion as well," you retorted coldly, teleporting a few feet away from him. With a wave of your hand, you used your JENOVA powers to conjure a makeshift bed made of fleshy matter to lie on. Sephiroth's smirk only grew at your reaction, and a soft chuckle escaped his lips. Moments later, he teleported near you and discarded his trench coat. He joined you in bed shirtless and spooned your body. The fact that he's still so confident about getting back into your good graces only made you more frustrated.

"You're getting used to your new powers already," he whispered into your ear. He just can't resist getting under your skin like an irritating child at times, can he? Just as you were about to blow him off again, he brought out a small, blue crystal and held it close to your glossy lips, causing a rare flicker of liveliness in your otherwise dull pink eyes. You couldn't believe it... This must've come from the world's core! How did he get enough time to funnel the energy into a mere crystal? Sephiroth's smirk intensified with a sinister and triumphant air as he watched your reaction in the crystal's reflection. Your tongue instinctively darted out, briefly caressing the smooth surface of the blue crystal. The intense energy it gave off was absolutely tantalizing, instantly triggering a powerful release of your pheromones to your chosen son.

"I couldn't depart from the world's core without a fitting present for my dear mother," Sephiroth whispered, pressing his lips against your ear. He delicately placed the crystal in your mouth as you eagerly opened wide to accept it. As the crystal went down, waves of intense power surged through your body, causing your eyes to shut in sheer ecstasy. What you absorbed had only furthered your destructive instincts even more. And the joy of receiving it made your heart swoon for your chosen son. You wouldn't say it yet but he's such a good boy for bringing this to you. He slid off your dress, revealing your tits to the cold air as his hands roamed your body. He then showered your neck and collarbone with a series of fiery kisses, only intensifying your power high. Your body instinctively arched toward him, yearning for more of his worship. Your pheromones commanded it, sending waves of exhilaration and bliss coursing through his veins. It was an irresistible order that he willingly obeyed, unable to resist even if he had wanted to.

With one hand, he gently traced circles on your belly using his thumb, while his hard, clothed bulge pressed against your ass. His desire to impregnate you was palpable, but he knew he had to wait until you both reached godhood. The spawn of you two deserves to be born to the strongest god and goddess. Slowly, his touch trailed down to your slit, already feeling the juices gushing from your core. With his other hand, he lifted your arm and indulged in a few teasing licks to your underarm as his nose nuzzled within, enthralled by your intoxicating scent. He craved all of you, needing this closeness to satisfy his overwhelming reunion instincts.

He slipped two of his fingers into your cunt, working you closer to your orgasm. Your lips quivered when his fingers delved deeper to seek out that sweet spot. He was putting forth every effort to make you moan, just for him. He could always sense your feelings, but nothing brings him greater joy than witnessing those intense emotions burst forth in rare moments. What he loved was that only he had the ability to make you openly express such intense emotions. He's hellbent on keeping this monopoly. No one else shall have it, nor you.

"Does it feel good, Mother?" Sephiroth asked, his gaze fixed on your quivering lips. He tenderly grasped one of your breasts, delicately rolling it between his fingertips. As he discovered your sweet spot and felt your walls tighten around his fingers, a quiet mewl escaped your lips. When you reached your climax, your cry reverberated through the void realm, your sweet juices coating his fingers. Slowly withdrawing them, he savored the taste as he admired the fruits of his labor: your panting breaths, your exhausted form, and the faint sparks of liveliness in your beautiful, dull pink eyes.

"So, how did I do?" he asked. Once you had regained your bearings, you snuggled into the fleshy bed.

"...You've done better," you replied in your typical cold, flat voice. The truth was, it was amazing, but you couldn't let him off that easily.

"Is that a challenge for more, Mother? Then I shall accept it~"

Heavily inspired by this video, I implore you all to watch.

Expect Sephiroth to always have a back-up plan whenever EVA is mad at him. xD

#sephiroth ff7 #sephiroth #ff7 sephiroth #final fantasy 7 #ff7 #sephiroth x reader #final fantasy x reader #yandere sephiroth #one winged masquerade AU #female reader #fem reader #x reader #final fantasy vii #x female reader #tw: mommy kink #tw:

101 notes · View notes

bl00dfroma-fairy · 24 days

Text

202 notes · View notes

happy-gremlinn · 7 days

Text

I created a new Welcome Home AU about vampires :D

#welcome home #welcome home puppet show #wally darling #apple masquerade AU

67 notes · View notes

emmster · 1 month

Text

Reposting my old Dinbo art and Obitine because it’s been a year since this ship became more of a reality

#dinbo #bo katan x din #my art #digital art #Star Wars #obitine #Star Wars Au #masquerade Au #college Au #bo katan kryze #din djarin #the mandalorian

121 notes · View notes

flipppyflopp · 7 months

Text

“All we gotta do is ring that bell, right?” 🔔✨

One last silly Glorious Masquerade comic before Book 7 consumes my inspiration. Sebcroc au is just so fun to revisit as I get to think about how he could dramatically impact different events, like Rollo’s evil plan. I just like the idea of Malleus, Idia, and Azul being like, “How can we get close to the bell with Rollo in the way? If only we had something large and hard to throw at the bell to ring it from afar.” Cue them all looking at the little crocodile who has somehow managed to keep up with them the whole time.

Anyways, hope everyone is ready for Book 7 as well as Sebek’s dorm card dropping tomorrow! I have lots of fun ideas in store for Book 7…can’t wait for you all to see them. 👀

#sebcroc #sebcroc au #sebek zigvolt #malleus draconia #rollo #rollo flamme #glorious masquerade #twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland fanart #twst fanart #twst #ツイステ #ツイステッドワンダーランド #art #fanart #my art #doodle

1K notes · View notes

pika-ace · 2 years

Text

Disney Knowledge Yuu: Masquerade edition

[BASED ONLY ON THE TRAILERS AND NOTICES]

(When Rollo appears)

Yuu: Oh fuck, that’s Judge Frollo… *movie flashbacks* …OH FUCK THAT’S JUDGE FROLLO!!! D8

----------------

Rollo: (eyeing up Malleus)

Yuu: ...?? ... (realization hits) Oh...Oooh no, no no no no (starts shoving Malleus away) No no no no no NO, we are NOT doing this! Not today, not in THIS house!!

(Later)

Yuu: Sebek, Silver, do NOT let Malleus ANYWHERE NEAR THAT GUY! *points to Rollo*

Silver: Why not?

Yuu: Because he is looking at him like he's a piece of meat, and if I know the movie, that can either mean one of two things and I hope to god it's not EITHER OF THEM!

Sebek: Movie-?

Yuu: JUST TRUST ME ON THIS!!

((TLDR, I am VERY scared for Malleus, I know he can take care of himself, but I am still CONCERNED cause Frollo is a nasty, fucked up, piece of shit))

((Also, I will definitely add more once the event begins and the translators spill the deets >:3c))

#twisted wonderland #disney twst #twst yuu #disney knowledge yuu #twisted wonderland au #twst wonderland #yuu #twisted wonderland masquerade #twst rollo #judge frollo #masquerade #glorious masquerade #the hunchback of notre dame

1K notes · View notes

porcelainseashore · 3 days

Text

Into the Ether (10)

Series Masterlist

Pairing: Vampire! Toreador! Leon Kennedy x Fem! Reader

Taglist: @admirxation @angelstargel @miss-oranje-disco-dancer ❤️‍🔥

AO3 Link

Chapter 10: Devil's Advocate

You woke up again with a start, your face buried against something hard which stirred. Groggily, you nuzzled it, unwilling to fully come to just yet. Fingers sifted through your hair as you felt a chaste kiss planted atop your head.

Oh.

The events of what had transpired the night before replayed through your mind as you kept your eyes shut, stilling yourself despite the fact that you were pressed right into Leon’s chest. Thank god you hadn’t activated Blush of Life yet and weren’t breathing. You could pretend to have fallen back to sleep a second time and he wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Or would he? Did daysleep work this way?

“I’ll head down first and make us a drink, sleepy head.” His voice vibrated through his chest like a deep rumble as he chuckled, kissing your forehead another time before letting go.

Of course he knew you were awake, he’d been at this game for much longer and could spot the signs. The mattress shifted under his weight and the sheets piled as he rose up, your body swaying gently from the ripples of movement. Footsteps pattered across the floor and down the stairs. You heard a door open and the showerhead turn on, the sound of water splashing onto the ground drowning out the racket in your brain.

Clearer thoughts started to form. You kissed him. No, well, he kissed you first. But you kissed back. That had to mean something, right? Or was it just a pity kiss? Then why did you invite him to join you in bed? You had broken your number one rule in just over a week. Go figure.

He went through something harrowing back at the Bakers and you were being there for him as a ‘sort of’ friend. Because friends totally kiss each other. Not once, not twice, but multiple times throughout the course of the night. You tried to remember what it was like, his lips on yours as you involuntarily brushed your fingers against your mouth. It was soft and sweet, everything you wanted—

No, stop!

You felt ashamed for thinking that way. Was this some kind of Stockholm Syndrome you were experiencing? Falling for the man who turned you into what you were? You would have fallen twice then: once when you were alive, and again when you were undead. It was too much to think about first thing in the early evening. The shower turned off.

A few minutes later, you heard someone rummaging through the kitchen cabinets and the clinking of glasses. Drink first, talk later. Just play it cool and act oblivious, like you would when a customer at the cafe tried to chat you up. The greatest irony of it was that Leon had been one of them too.

Making your way towards the counter, you leaned your elbows on it, watching Leon as he poured a bag’s worth of blood into two glasses. His hair was damp and in a tousled mess from being roughly towel-dried. Beads of water trickled down his neck onto his bare chest. You swallowed thickly, realizing it was the first time you’d seen him topless with nothing but a pair of gray sweatpants on. Your eyes trailed across a scar on his left shoulder which he must’ve gotten in his mortal life, over to the gold necklace he wore without fail on a daily basis, noting the cross pendant attached to it.

A quick glance at his face confirmed that he was still concentrating on what seemed to be the longest drink-pouring process ever. So, you continued to rake your gaze along his athletic build, which you assumed was honed from police training. It traveled from his tapered waistline to his lean abs, finally reaching the hem of his pants that hung loosely on his hips.

“Drink? Or are you too busy eye fucking me right now?” he teased, a smug smile playing across his lips as he slid a glass over to you.

It was just your luck that he’d catch you red-handed. But that didn’t mean you were going to give in. You snorted, narrowing your eyes at him as you brought the rim of the glass to your mouth. “You should put a shirt on.”

“Why? Am I being a distraction?” There was that stupid wink again.

Taking a hearty swig, you allowed the blood to wash down your throat, revitalizing your senses. “You give yourself too much credit for your looks.”

Pointing at his necklace, you commented, “Guess crosses don’t burn you, huh?”

“What have I told you about silly superstitions?” He folded his arms, raising an eyebrow as he feigned a look of being unimpressed. “Only a person who possesses True Faith can use these symbols to damage us.”

“Have you met any of them?” you quizzed.

“Thankfully, no,” he admitted. “They’re rare, but some of them lie within the ranks of the SI.”

Placing the glass back onto the table, you probed further, “Were you religious back then?”

Your question must’ve taken him by surprise, as a range of mixed emotions swept across his face. “Yeah, born and baptized Catholic,” he replied, scratching the side of his head sheepishly.

The memory you’d seen of him praying in the church flashed through your mind. It must’ve been his main source of solace back then. Had it changed since? Where did he find comfort now?

“You still believe in a god?”

He pursed his lips, sipping at the remaining blood in his glass slowly. “Yes, I do,” he finally decided. “But whoever it is, I’m pretty sure they won’t have me.”

Twirling the glass in his hand, he continued, “We belong to Caine now, our Dark Father, as Noddist scholars like to say.”

Whenever Leon talked in this way, it felt like hearing a bedtime story. You wondered if he really believed in all the myths and legends Kindred liked to tell themselves. Turning your back to the counter, you pressed your palms flat on its surface, pushing yourself up so you could sit on it.

Looking over your shoulder, you met his pale blue eyes. “I never believed in anyone up there,” you stated. “Always thought we’d go back into the earth when we died.”

It was his turn to ask, “Do you fear dying?”

“Not really.” You shook your head. “I think it’s like a comatose sleep from which you never wake up. The thing is whether you suffer beforehand.”

Being able to speak freely about such morbid topics with Leon comforted you in some way, even though you found it amusing how you got there in the first place.

Discarding his glass, he circled around the counter, leaning his hip against its edge beside you. “I fear it sometimes,” he revealed quietly.

“Are you afraid of going to hell?” you suggested, wondering if it was a form of subconscious religious guilt that haunted him.

He averted his gaze. “For the things I’ve done, yeah,” he answered, offering no further explanation.

Against your better judgment, you reached out to touch his face, though he caught your hand gently in mid-air. Stroking the back of it with his thumb, he raised your palm to his lips, kissing it reverently. “But I won’t drag you down with me,” he murmured into your skin.

One thing led to another, and before you knew it, he had moved between your legs, supporting himself with his arms positioned on either side of your body. Was he doing this to distract you from the can of worms you’d almost uncovered? Would he ever truly open up to you?

For a moment, it seemed as if time stood still, while he tried to read the expression in your eyes. There was your chance — the slim window he had offered you to protest or say anything at all, but you didn’t. You couldn’t even breathe. So much for playing it cool.

Bending forward, he captured your lips in a quick kiss, breaking away to peer at you, as though he was testing the waters. It didn’t take long for him to bridge the gap again, taking your lips into his hungrily, like an animal who’d been laid out to starve in the heat. You wanted him, yet at the same time, you couldn’t. And the latter, more rational side happened to be winning in the ensuing battle.

“Mm—” Kiss. “Um—” Another kiss. “Leon?”

“Yeah?” he slurred, as if drunk on your taste, before kissing you again.

It took every ounce of your resolve to shove him off you by his shoulders. He stopped abruptly, panting through swollen lips and his eyes glazed over in want. Though they soon widened in panic as he saw the look of discomfort written across your face.

“I-I’m sorry, I thought you—”

“This isn’t right,” you whispered, trying to convince nobody but yourself. You hopped down, pushing away from the table, as you brushed past him, rubbing your mouth gingerly with your hand. “You’ve already damned me, and I feel like I hardly know you at all.”

━━━━━━━━━━━

Back at NEST, you were immediately accosted by Jill, who had been waiting eagerly for your updates on the case. At the moment, things between you and Leon were awkward. It felt like you were back to square one with him, where neither of you dared to say anything to each other. He gave you the space he thought you needed, though you could spot the worry and concern in his eyes whenever they met yours briefly.

In the server room, Leon ran through the information you had gathered from the Bakers, showing Hunnigan the supposed Sabbat hotspots they had marked out on the map.

“Good work, Leon,” she remarked appreciatively, clicking to zoom in on the areas he had highlighted on the screen. “My sources have correlated with the river route too. A bunch of homeless people going missing under the bridges. They’re probably tapping into them as vessels and potential cannon fodder.”

“It’s like they’re baiting,” Leon noted. “Their last attack was sloppily executed—”

“It was a fucking shitshow,” Jill interjected.

“Just seems like they weren’t serious about creating an army,” he deduced. “They just wanted the attention.”

Jill clicked her tongue. “No offense, but when have they ever been organized? They’ve never cared about attracting a lot of attention either.”

“True,” Leon agreed. “But even the Sabbat have their limits.”

Rocking back and forth on his feet, you could sense that he was getting nervous about what he was about to say next. Silently, you prayed that he would keep his word about not revealing Lucas’ involvement in the matter. The Baker family had helped you out and were counting on you to do the same.

“By the way, you were right, Hunnigan,” he started off. “A Sabbat member cast Dementation on them.”

Hunnigan nodded, smiling to herself in satisfaction, whereas Jill piped up, “Any clue as to who this Sabbat member is?”

You felt your throat constrict as you eyed Leon questioningly. He caught your gaze and a flicker of understanding passed between you. The corners of your mouth curled up slightly into a subtle smile, which he returned for a split second before turning to face Jill again. He was going to keep quiet about Lucas’ identity after all.

“A Malkavian,” he answered vaguely. “That’s how the Bakers sensed them through the Cobweb. But other than that, no clue as to who it is.”

Jill cocked her head, scrutinizing his features intently. “You sure?”

He met her stare dead-on with a blank expression on his face. “Of course.”

She shifted her gaze towards you briefly, squinting as she studied your reaction while you tried to remain as calm and indifferent as you could. Finally, she sighed, “Fine, what about Rebecca?”

“We’re working on it,” Leon reassured her. “Her Regent has been creating some complications, but we’ll get to her soon.”

“Listen, do whatever you need to do, Kennedy,” she ordered hastily. “We need that girl.”

Whenever Jill used his last name, he knew she meant it as a threat. Do it, or else. Time was running out, and he needed to make a decision quickly.

After the meeting, he dropped you off at the lounge, asking you to wait for him there while he ‘sorted things out’ with the Tremere Primogen. Before he left, you grabbed his hand, squeezing it as he looked back at you in astonishment.

“Thank you,” you mouthed, acknowledging his earlier efforts in keeping his promise.

You still weren’t keen on what he was about to do with the Tremere, but you could see that he was trying to change.

“Don’t mention it.” His fingers ghosted the outline of your jaw. Perhaps you just needed time and would come round to him at some point. “I won’t take long.”

On his way to the offices, he observed the Tremere Primogen busy chatting with another Kindred. He’d timed it well, taking advantage of when she usually took her breaks to socialize with others roaming around Elysium. Keeping himself inconspicuous, he slinked away from the crowd, continuing towards the more mundane areas of the building. Still, a nagging feeling burrowed deep in his chest.

Was it really such a good idea for Glenn Arias to take over as Primogen? He would essentially become a mini-dictator among the Tremere of Raccoon City. And no matter how much Leon wanted to avoid internal clan politics, he would have had a hand to play in it. A serious one, with significant consequences that, like it or not, would affect everyone else as well. Was he ready to do that?

Your words came back to haunt him. How many compromises was he willing to make? Would there be nothing left within him at the end? Just an empty shell of a man, his husk dry and withering. He wondered how the elder vampires felt as their humanity trickled away, ebbing into the recesses of the abyss. It was inevitable, a voice told him. You’re only fighting a losing battle, it added.

“What would you do?” he muttered under his breath, closing his eyes and as he imagined addressing his former mortal self.

There he was, the golden boy, fresh out of his training from the police academy. He had everything going for him then, graduating with top marks and being singled out for the fast track detective pathway within the RPD. His idealism and innocence hadn’t yet been tainted — he still knew what was right from wrong. Not this murky gray mess, like sludge he waded through to get to the other side. Each time, sinking a little deeper as the mud shifted under his feet, until he was fully covered in the filth.

The boy in front of him was beaming, his closed mouth smile stretching from ear to ear, radiant like a haloed angel. So close, he could reach out and touch him. His fingers sifted through the specter, the light refracting at different angles on his hand as it moved. For years, he had looked back on his younger persona, calling him names: naive, childish, stupid. He thought he had known better, when in fact, he knew nothing at all.

“You already know,” the figure spoke, his warm palm coming to rest on top of Leon’s shoulder before vanishing into thin air.

Opening his eyes, he took a few steps forward only to come to a halt. He thumbed the side of the file nestled in the inner pocket of his suit jacket, sucking in a sharp breath through his teeth. If this is what it would come to, then so be it.

Spinning on his heel, he headed back in the opposite direction from which he came, aborting his original plan.

━━━━━━━━━━━

“Excuse me.” Leon wedged himself politely between the Tremere Primogen and her current company, highlighting with a sense of urgency, “I’m sorry to interrupt, but may I have a word with you in private?”

Thankfully, the Primogen was apt at reading between the lines and took his cue, departing swiftly with him towards her office. Once they had settled in at her desk, he handed her the documents that had been weighing heavily on his person all this while.

“Mr. Arias put me up to this,” he proceeded cautiously, making sure to leave out your name, in case this ended up backfiring on him. “He’s been eyeing your position for a while.”

The Primogen let out a hearty laugh. “Of course he has! That scoundrel.” She shook her head, flipping through the pages within the file. “Oh, Glenn… what to do with you?”

Peeling a sheet out from the folder, she lifted it, holding it towards the beam of light hanging overhead as she examined it closely. “Hmm, impressive,” she stated. “Perfectly forged. And I know who the accomplice is as well.” She wiggled her eyebrows in mirth.

Leaning back in her seat, she rested her hands behind her head and continued, “So, tell me. What is it you want?”

“Huh?” He had partaken in many deals of a similar nature before, but for once, he was stumped.

She rolled her eyes in impatience and sighed, “You didn’t just betray Glenn out of the goodness of your heart, did you?”

Actually, he did, was what he wanted to say, but instead, he went with, “With all due respect, ma’am, I’d rather not get involved with Tremere politics.”

“Hmph,” she grunted, clearly unconvinced by his antics. “Well, let’s put it this way. Why did you head over to see Glenn in the first place?”

Smart lady, he thought. She wanted to repay the boon incurred as soon as possible to avoid it hanging over her head.

“I needed to make contact with Ms. Chambers,” he narrated earnestly. “Her expertise would prove insightful in tying up some loose ends we’ve had with the recent attacks.”

At this, she sat up straight, scooping up the bunch of papers as she tapped them triumphantly against the table to align the edges before stowing them away in the folder. “Then, consider it done, Mr. Kennedy.”

He rose to his feet and bowed respectfully. “Thank you for your assistance.”

She waved him off as if it were no bother. “I’ll need some time to take care of… her Regent,” she added slyly. “He’s had it coming though, I can assure you. Now, we’ll finally be able to put an end to this nonsense.”

“Shall we say end of the week?” she suggested, already planning her next steps and penning down the appointment date in her scheduler without waiting for his reply.

Nonetheless, he thought it courteous to do so. “Yes, that works,” he uttered to the blank wall in front of him, while she had her head buried in her notes, scribbling some random symbols on them as she hummed.

“Perfect,” she answered, still not looking up from her desk.

Was it really that easy? He couldn’t believe it, thinking that there must be some sort of trick lying in wait as he shuffled awkwardly out of the office. But there was none. Perhaps he had been wrong about things all along.

━━━━━━━━━━━

In the meantime, you’d been waiting anxiously within your booth, occasionally glancing at the curtains, hoping to see Leon’s face rather than some security personnel coming to escort you away for a crime that was being committed at that very moment. The curtains drew open slightly and a familiar head poked through. Too familiar. You were experiencing a serious case of fucking déjà vu.

“Darling…” her smooth, velvety voice made the hairs at the back of your neck stand.

“What do you want, Ada?” you asked, not caring to mask the mistrust in your voice. With the way your last meeting with her went, you wanted to avoid her at all costs.

She tutted, sildling over to you as you inched away. “You’re beginning to sound a lot like him, you know?”

Him. Your sire. Leon.

“That’s not a bad thing,” you stated defensively.

“Is that so?” she asked coyly. “Where is your sire now, anyway?”

She gave off an air of disinterest, but it was all pretense. You knew she knew.

“He’s busy.”

She scoffed, picking at her fingernails. “Too busy to teach his childe properly it seems.”

Anger boiled in your veins. How dare she speak about Leon that way? “And you would know better?” you seethed.

This appeared to amuse her as she laughed in your face. “I taught him everything he needed to know, which is the reason he’s still alive,” she countered. “But you, my dear, won’t last a day without him.”

“That’s a lie—”

“When was the last time you fed properly?” Her voice overpowered yours with ease.

She meant through a hunt, not a ready-made blood bag waiting for you in Leon’s fridge, mocking you for being spoon-fed and pampered like the princess you were. You bit your lip, at a loss for words as you diverted your gaze.

“Thought so,” she declared. “It seems to me you haven��t truly accepted who you are, and your sire’s overprotectiveness is going to cause your downfall.”

“Why do you care?” you spat. You weren’t her childe; she wasn’t responsible for you.

Leaning forward, she whispered, “Well, if you must know, he paid a pretty price for you. So, I’d rather not see you make a fool of yourself — and by extension, him — especially when you have such potential.”

Your ears pricked up at her first sentence. Somehow, she had aroused your attention again. Turning to face her, you asked, “What kind of price?”

Evading your question, she followed up with another explanation of her own. “You see, it’s no secret that I’m more of a sire who would throw their childe into the deep end for them to adapt and survive.”

“You mean, what you did to me at the Rose Garden,” you concluded. Had Leon taken you instead, you would’ve been shielded from the elder vampires due to his presence. Would that have worked out for better or worse in the long run?

“Very good, you’re catching on.” She nodded approvingly. “Like it or not, everyone has their place in the hierarchy, and you will never be able to escape Kindred politics. So, it’s time you start learning.”

You wondered where she was going with this conversation. There was a sinking feeling in your stomach that this wasn’t bound to end well, but curiosity got the better of you, and you stayed rooted to the couch to listen.

“There will come a point where you’ll need to make deals of your own,” she forewarned. “Deals that you may not like. Even your sire has had his fair share of them.”

Was she trying to lower your opinion of him? Something inside of you made you want to fight back. “I know that,” you snapped. “But he’s a good person.”

You said it so genuinely that Ada paused for a moment in stunned silence, before she broke out into a roguish smile. A smile that instantly told you that you were clinging onto false hope.

“Are you sure?” she challenged. “How well do you know him?”

They were the questions you’d been dreading, but you couldn’t give up on him. Not now.

“Yes, he is,” you repeated, though it came out more like a squeak. “I know it.” You didn’t. But that didn’t stop you from wanting to believe.

“What is he doing now then?”

“None of your goddamn business,” you barked, biting your inner cheek until you tasted blood. You knew she was trying to rile you up and you needed to get a hold on yourself, but she was relentless.

“What do you think he did as my lover for over 10 years?” She glowed victoriously as if she had won a game of chess. Check-fucking-mate.

“He never told you about the vessel business, did he?”

“What do you mean by that?” you croaked, even though you had an inkling of what it entailed. It wasn’t difficult to guess from the terminology used, but maybe you had a masochistic side that still wanted to hear it from the horse’s mouth.

“There are some Kindred who have an acquired taste, and some who merely want to try something exquisite,” she explained. “If you could afford the best of the best, wouldn’t you too want to partake in it?”

Bile rose to your throat as you protested weakly, “No.” It was all you could utter. You felt the energy drain from your body as you braced for the worst.

“Your sire delivered such vessels to me, in exchange for favors,” she revealed salaciously. “That’s his place in the hierarchy.”

Tears welled up in your eyes as you cast your gaze downwards, clenching your fists as hard as you could to stop yourself from screaming. How could you fall for this worthless piece of shit? To think you even tried to defend him earlier made you nauseous.

But the final nail in the coffin was when she disclosed, “In fact, he was supposed to make me a delivery, just around the time when he found you.”

Your eyes shot up to meet hers.

“Sad to say, he still owes me on that one,” she added.

It was you. You were meant to be the vessel. Cupping your hands over your mouth, you took in painful, labored breaths. The little world you had idealized for the two of you was crumbling. The room spun and it felt as if your heart had been ripped out of its chest and torn asunder.

“Angel…?” You heard his voice calling out to you, but you couldn’t respond.

“Ada, what did you do?” His tone turned accusing.

“Her sire’s job,” she replied rather matter-of-factly. “Telling her the things she should hear.”

Dashing over to you, he clasped your hands in his. You pulled away, getting up from the couch as you socked him in the gut, winding him. He crouched over, clutching his abdomen and panting.

“Was I the perfect vessel for you?” you taunted, your voice dripping with venom.

A tumultuous storm brewed in his eyes, filled with self-loathing and despair. He couldn’t deny your statement, but it wasn’t the whole story. “You meant so much more to me,” he professed. “Always have, always will.”

“You’re despicable,” you hissed. “You make me sick.”

He couldn’t bear to look at you when you said that. Your hatred for him stabbed deep, carving a gaping hole in his heart. Instead, he directed his rage towards Ada, his face red and puffy as he yelled, “You think you’re so righteous? Tell her what you fucking did to me!”

She smirked at him in response before quietly walking away. Her work here was done.

When he turned back to you, there was a maddened, hysterical look in his gaze. “She blood bonded me and I was forced to do her dirty work!” he exclaimed.

But you weren’t listening anymore. All you could hear was the rush of blood pounding in your ears. “Are you still bonded?” you contested. “Who’s forcing you now?”

His mouth opened and closed like a fish on dry land gasping for air. He had nothing left to say in his defense. There was no one else to blame but himself; he had been the monster all along.

86 notes · View notes