Nyx Nyghtingale
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Blood & Chlorophyll Ch. 25
🕑 Added 2025-05-16 17:00:11 +0000 UTCWhen Alicia woke the next morning, sunlight dancing through her cherry blossoms, the first thing she noticed was the Vampire peacefully leaning against her trunk. Kat normally slept on the floor of Alicia’s bedroom, nestled deep in the nest of blankets they’d cobbled together all those nights ago. After allowing herself a few minutes of not-quite-cuddling with her girlfriend, Alicia stepped out of her Heart Tree for just long enough to move Kat to the floor.
Picking Kat up proved to be much easier than Alicia had anticipated, which caused her to wonder just how much her recent growth spurt was affecting her body. However, the sleepy, grumbling Vampire in her arms quickly pulled her thoughts back to Earth. She tucked Kat in, double checking that the bedroom was properly dark, then merged with her Heart Tree again to start her day.
The position of the sun betrayed the fact that Alicia had stolen far more than a few minutes in favor of morning cuddles. She’d likely spent at least two hours simply enjoying Kat’s company, and while she had no regrets about this, it meant she had to rush to take care of her morning chores.
On top of watering the plants, she needed to work through a stretching routine and practice combat forms with Roxy and Tab. She also wanted to spend as much time with Elias as possible, as she knew the Mermaid wouldn’t be a neighbor for long. As she watched Elias prepare himself lunch, the two discussed a plethora of options as to how they might continue seeing each other once the Key Dungeon had been finished.
By the time Roxy had joined the conversation, however, the two had begun hatching an elaborate scheme to trick the City government into building a series of canals, based entirely on the premise that Venice was a bustling hub of activity for aquatic races, and it would boost their tourism industry.
Needless to say, none of their ideas were very helpful.
Still, Roxy’s presence inspired Alicia to get up, stretch her legs, and finally get to practicing. She spent the next hour on a series of simple exercises, all put together by Tab for the express purpose of helping Alicia adjust to her slightly larger body. Alicia had initially protested the need to re-acclimate—after all, the change had felt so natural she hadn’t even noticed it—but the exercises quickly proved her wrong.
Simple maneuvers that she’d previously mastered suddenly felt foreign. Her muscle memory now worked against her, and she found it much more difficult to dodge incoming attacks. She was also surprised to learn that her extra mass wasn’t entirely a bad thing; Tab and Roxy both confirmed that her strikes seemed to be hitting harder.
By the time training had finished, all three combatants had a small collection of light bruises. Not enough to prevent them from entering the Dungeon again, but certainly enough to feel sore. As a way to wind down, Alicia took another lap around her neighborhood to water her plants again. Happily, Roxy decided to join her, which Alicia realized was starting to become a habit.
Roxy even had a small watering can of her own, one made of thick bark that Alicia had grown, and now helped with the watering. While Alicia walked patiently from plant to plant, quietly measuring the steps to try and adjust to her new size, Roxy bounced around behind her, helping with many of the smaller flowers.
“So, what’s it like?” Roxy asked. “I mean getting taller. Humans don’t get to grow unless we have certain classes, and since I can’t gain any Charisma, I don’t even get to change this tiny chest of mine.”
“Um, it’s hard to say. I mean, you were there when Kat pointed it out; I didn’t even know it had been happening. It’s definitely weird to have to relearn all this combat stuff. When I duck, I don’t go as low as I’m used to, and my longer stride makes fine movements a bit confusing. Still, it’s not like bigger is better, right? I mean, you’re a Rogue, I imagine you’d benefit more from being smaller!”
Roxy paused for a moment, her fingers tapping her chin as she thought. “Yeah, I guess. I won’t lie, sometimes I get a little bummed that I didn’t get a new Race in the Change, but… I also know how rough it was for people. If nothing else, staying Human probably helped me stay alive.”
“Just make sure you don’t fall for any scam artists claiming they can give you a new Race,” Alicia warned. “It’s never true. ORC actually sees dozens of cases each month of people getting swindled, hoping to turn into Angels or Catfolk or whatever. For whatever reason, no matter how powerful the System appears to be, it’s got a few ironclad rules that no one can break.”
“I know, I know. I’m not that bummed about it, honestly. I mean, everyone wonders from time to time, right?” Roxy smiled wide before completely shifting gears. “Oh, did I tell you I went to see Alouette with Kat the other night?”
“Kat mentioned it, but we’ve been so busy with delving stuff I didn’t get many details. How was it? Isn’t she great!” Alicia eagerly asked.
“Oh, incredible. I can’t believe how skilled she is! Plus, since it’s a bit of a walk, Kat even told me how you two met. It was so romantic! I had to stop myself from crying, and I only got the quick version!” Roxy had inched closer and was practically hanging off Alicia’s arm.
Alicia caught herself blushing. “I mean, I guess… we just got lucky, that’s all. Honestly, I’m more surprised at what our chance meeting inspired. I’ve got all these new friends now, I’ve Leveled Up a whole bunch, I even discovered I really like delving. It’s crazy to think that all of this only happened because Kat missed her stop.”
“It’s so much more than that, though! Either one of you could have given up at any point, but you trusted each other and made it work! I was telling Kat that, if the same thing had happened to me, I’d—” Roxy bit her tongue, then looked over at Alicia. “Well, that’s not important. I just wanted to say that you two are really cute together, and I’m super jealous. I… I really wasn’t expecting you all to be so nice…”
With a wide smile, Alicia pulled Roxy in for a hug, squeezing her tight. “Aww, Roxy, why wouldn’t we love you? I know Tab can be a little intense sometimes, but she’s just fed up with Guild drama. You’ve pulled more than your fair share of weight, Roxy, and I’m just happy we’ve given you a way forward after Ashes has been suffocating you for so long. Hey, once all this Dungeon stuff is done, think you’d want to move into the neighborhood? I’m not sure what your current living situation is, but I certainly wouldn’t mind the company.”
Surprisingly, Roxy’s bubbly attitude seemed to recede slightly. She stepped back, looking up at Alicia as her tears welled in her eyes. “I… you mean it?”
“Why wouldn’t I?” Alicia asked, sprinkling some water over the rose bush they’d just arrived at.
“Well, I… I guess I’d never…” Roxy stumbled over her words for an impressively long time, eventually falling completely silent. When she finally spoke again, her voice was strangely quiet and monotonous. “Um, look, Alicia… I’m sorry.”
“For what? You’ve saved my life like, a dozen times! If anything, I owe you an apology,” Alicia said with a playful smirk.
“I meant for following you home after you visited the Dungeon camp, and for… I mean, like, I’m worried that I might mess something up down in the Key Dungeon. So, you know… I’m sorry if you ever get hurt because of me.” Roxy was staring at the ground now, avidly avoiding Alicia’s gaze.
Alicia reached out and playfully tussled Roxy’s short black hair. “I’m the tank, silly. It’s my job to get hurt.”
The two smiled at each other again, but Alicia swore that Roxy’s grin was somewhat forced. After another awkward minute of silence, Roxy handed back her watering can and excused herself, heading back to her house without her usual bounce. Alicia thought about following, maybe asking if she’d accidentally said something wrong, but decided it would be better to leave the Rogue alone.
When Kat finally woke up hours later, the group unanimously decided to not delve tonight. They still had a few days left, and with the assumption that the Third Floor was likely the last, no one was in a particular rush to charge into a boss fight without the proper resources.
Instead, they spent much of the night simply enjoying each other’s company. Elias made food for everyone that needed it, Kat happily strummed on her guitar, and Alicia made a small bonfire next to the pond for them all to gather around. It was rare for their schedules to overlap like this, and they were happy to make the most of it.
Unfortunately, with only a single nocturnal Race present, it wasn’t long before most of them needed to turn in. Surprisingly, Tab opted to sleep at home for the night; something she hadn’t done since Roxy first appeared. Alicia hoped this was a sign that the Foxgirl trusted their newest member, but she knew that trying to predict Tab’s behavior was pointless. Rather than dwell on it, Alicia decided to take advantage of their suddenly empty house.
“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow for the delve, yeah?” Kat asked. She stood in Alicia’s bedroom, leaning against her Heart Tree as she prepared to say goodnight.
“Well… yes, I suppose that’s also true,” Alicia whispered, biting her lip.
“Also? What do you mean?”
“We have the house to ourselves, Kat.” Alicia stepped closer, moving her hands to Kat’s waist. “That hasn’t been the case for ages, and I was thinking…”
Kat caught on, returning Alicia’s smirk. “You’re incorrigible, do you know that?”
Alicia leaned forward, gently kissing Kat’s neck. “I blame you.”
“You always blame me, Ali.” A small gasp escaped Kat’s mouth as she melted into the Dryad’s arms. “Goodness, you’re so tall now… that’s such a turn-on.”
“Oh yeah? I didn’t know you liked taller girls, Kat.” Their lips finally met, delaying the conversation for a few moments. Alicia grabbed Kat’s waist harder, pinning her to the tree trunk before her lips broke away. She pulled the Vampire’s shirt off, then her bra, before eagerly leaning forward to tease her tender breasts.
“I like you, Ali, not the fact that you’re tall.” Kat ran her fingers through Alicia’s hair, then down her back as she lightly scratched the Dryad’s vibrant green skin.
“Stop being so proper, Kat,” Alicia teased, quickly biting one of the Vampire’s nipples. “You should know by now I love your lecherous stares. I just wish I’d catch you in the act more often.”
“What fun would that be?” Kat whispered. She traced a finger around Alicia’s waist, then quickly slid in between her legs and teased the Dryad’s sex. “The more I hold back out there, the easier it is to keep you on your toes in here.”
“That’s not… that’s not fair!” Alicia gasped. “I’m bigger than you, I should be the… the one…”
She was unable to finish her thought, or continue teasing Kat, as the Vampire’s deft fingers had found her clit. She pulled Kat’s face to her breasts, urging her to go further as pleasure washed over her. Her heart raced as Kat picked up the pace, and Alicia was ecstatic they’d found time to be alone together.
“You know, this would be easier if you were laying down,” Kat said. “But it’s not like I can easily lift you now.”
Alicia giggled as she reluctantly pulled herself away. She released Kat’s hair, instead grabbing her hands and pulling her to their makeshift bed. They both landed harder than intended, then fought through their laughter as they kissed each other again. Once they’d calmed down, Kat moved a pillow under Alicia’s head, then began traveling down Alicia’s body. Her soft lips met the Dryad’s neck, then her breasts, then her waist, before eventually skipping too far down. She kissed Alicia’s thighs, alternating from leg to leg as she inched higher, far too slow for the Dryad’s tastes. Alicia was on the verge of grabbing Kat’s hair and making her stop when the Vampire finally relented.
Kat’s tongue began expertly navigating Alicia’s sex, tenderly exploring all of the Dryad’s favorite spots. Her fingers began circling Alicia’s entrance, growing wetter with each second before slowly working their way inside. With a loud gasp, Alicia squirmed with pleasure before grabbing the blankets around her, desperate for Kat to continue.
Prior encounters had proven that Kat could keep this up for hours if she wanted, and as much as Alicia wanted to spend the entire night with her legs wrapped around Kat’s head, she knew they didn’t have the luxury. She reached down for Kat, and soon they were holding each other’s hands as Alicia crept closer and closer to orgasm. Kat seemed to sense what Alicia wanted, and pushed another finger inside the eager Dryad before sucking her clit into her mouth.
It proved to be too much, and Alicia squeezed her legs around Kat’s head as she gasped. Pleasure surged through her, and as much as she wanted to keep it down, she was unable to stop herself from moaning out. She grabbed a pillow, biting it before giving up control over her body, hoping it would be enough to stifle her orgasmic screams.
Several minutes passed before Alicia began to calm down, and when she finally pulled the pillow from her face, Kat was eagerly waiting to kiss her again. Alicia grabbed her girlfriend’s face, holding her tight as they kissed, but Kat pulled away after only a second. She replaced her lips with her fingers, smirking as she gave Alicia a chance to taste herself. She was more than happy to do so, sucking Kat’s fingers into her mouth and delicately teasing them with her tongue. As much as she enjoyed tasting hints of her own pleasure, she was much more eager to return the favor.
With a deep breath, Alicia sat up and grabbed Kat’s waist, spinning around until she had Kat pinned to the covers. Having heard that Kat was turned on by her size, she decided to lean into that fantasy a little further. She grabbed Kat’s wrists, holding them above her head before leaning in to playfully bite her neck.
“How’s that?” Alicia whispered as she nibbled Kat’s ear. “Still like how big I’ve gotten?”
“Mmmm I love it, Ali. But you can’t keep me pinned forever, or else you’re going to have a hard time tasting me. I know how much you love that,” Kat moaned.
A playful giggle left Alicia’s lips. “That’s where you’re wrong.” Before Kat could say anything else, a series of soft green vines began to extend out from the Heart Tree. They wrapped around Kat’s wrists, then her ankles, before eventually snaking around her legs and waist as well.
“Oh! That’s…. I like this, Ali. A lot,” Kat gasped.
“Good, because this is where the real fun begins!”
After one final kiss, Alicia finally released her hold on Kat’s arms. The vines likely wouldn’t restrain Kat if she were seriously trying to escape, but it was obvious she didn’t want that. Alicia was still breathing heavily from her own orgasm, and the thought of tasting Kat was too much to resist. She began crawling down Kat’s body, licking, kissing, and biting every inch of the Vampire’s pale skin. She watched as Kat’s muscles flexed, tensing with pleasure as she struggled against the restraints, and Alicia giggled as she reached her girlfriend’s dripping sex.
As much as she wanted to be a tease, she was too horny to wait. She carefully bit Kat’s sensitive thighs, then leaned forward and licked her tender entrance. She felt Kat flinch with excitement, then wrapped her lips around Kat’s clit and softly pulled it into her mouth. She massaged it with her tongue, using her fingers to gently massage the slick entrance.
Kat was already breathing heavily. Alicia pushed a finger inside, then two, then slowly pulled them back and forth as she felt Kat’s walls squeeze in ecstasy. The bondage was likely turning the Vampire on more than usual, as Alicia could tell she was already unusually close to cumming. She doubled down, adding a third finger as her tongue began moving faster against Kat’s clit. She even commanded another vine to slowly wrap around Kat’s neck, gently holding it to heighten the thrill of being restrained.
That last touch set Kat off. Her entire body froze, then waves of pleasure cascaded from head to toe as she came. Alicia stayed perfectly still, making sure to continue at her current pace so that Kat could ride out this high as long as possible.
While Kat’s orgasm didn’t last as long as Alicia’s, it still left her completely winded. As her body began to relax, Alicia slowly loosened the plant life that held her in place. Kat slowly stretched out her arms, then reached down to caress the side of Alicia’s face. Crawling higher, soon the two were face to face again, their lips meeting passionately. Despite having both reached their own heights of pleasure just minutes earlier, they kissed with an ever-increasing passion as they lay atop each other.
When Alicia’s arms began to tire, as she was holding herself up as to not crush Kat, she quickly rolled over in their blanket nest and pulled the Vampire with her. Slowly, as they kept massaging each other’s bodies, their passion began to fade.
Kat pulled back slowly, staring deep into Alicia’s eyes as she held her face. With a soft breath, she whispered “I love you, Alicia.”
Without hesitation, with every fiber of her being erupting with joy, Alicia smiled. “I love you too, Katrina.”
They kissed again, giggling with excitement as they celebrated their affection. Kat eventually slid off Alicia’s body, pulling blankets over them both as she turned on her side. Alicia reached over and pulled Kat close, smiling as exhaustion took hold. She allowed herself a night of selfishness, and fell asleep beside her amazing partner.
—
Kat wanted nothing more than to stay cuddled with Alicia all night, but she’d only been awake for a few hours when they’d retired to the bedroom. A quick nap had been easy, especially after the fun they’d gotten into, but it wasn’t long before she woke up again, her body protesting the attempt to go to sleep so soon after waking. Taking great care not to wake Alicia, Kat slid out from her girlfriend’s arms and got dressed.
Outside, the bright moonlight illuminated the neighborhood, and Kat took a deep breath of appreciation. After relaxing with everyone earlier tonight, and with the end of the Dungeon now in sight, she was feeling optimistic about the future.
Still, there was quite a bit of time to kill before dawn, and she wasn’t entirely sure what she wanted to do. At some point she needed to pay another visit to Alouette, but she was in no rush for that. Instead, as she listened to a faint breeze whisk through the branches of Alicia’s Heart Tree, she decided to take a walk around the neighborhood.
She passed by Elias’s pond, smirking as she imagined the Mermaid cuddled up at the bottom. She walked by the dozens of trees and flowers that Alicia had planted, stopping to appreciate each and every one. It was a shame she couldn’t see them in the sunlight, especially as some of the flowers only opened during the day. She began to imagine the feel of the sun on her skin, back how it felt before the threat of death had accompanied it. The fake sunbeams in the Dungeon hadn’t helped matters, and on some of the more peaceful excursions underground, there had been times when she’d sworn warmth had accompanied them.
Her idle daydreaming was interrupted when she heard a strange rustling noise above her. She froze, scared a monster had broken free of the Dungeon, when she heard it again. It happened every few seconds, and as she focused, she began to hear heavy, panicked breathing.
Kat thought about running back for her guitar, but decided to check out the strange noise first. They’d never seen a monster break out, after all.
Taking to the skies, Kat floated towards the source of the noise. She approached the side of a partially destroyed house, then kept moving higher until she found the roof. She kept listening and, as she drew closer, realized she hadn’t been hearing a rustling noise; it had been sniffling. Floating over the top of the roof, she saw a small figure sitting on the other side, huddled against a chimney while squeezing her knees to her chest. The figure was softly shaking, twitching in time with the labored breathing.
The mystery solved, Kat landed on the roof with a soft tap, causing Roxy to jump in surprise. She gasped, then quickly balled up her sleeves to wipe her cheeks before turning to face Kat.
“Oh! Kat, um… what’s up? I didn’t hear you climb up here,” Roxy said.
Despite the dim moonlight, Kat’s vampiric senses made it easy to see how red Roxy’s eyes were. “Well, that’s ‘cuz I flew, Rox. When I’m not delving, I tend to fly everywhere, to be honest. Everything alright?”
Roxy sniffed again. “Y-yeah, it’s nothing, I swear.”
Kat stayed quiet, calmly watching Roxy with disbelief in her eyes.
“Okay! Okay, I get it, you probably heard me or whatever…” Roxy muttered. She turned away, facing the edge of the roof before leaning against the chimney again. “I was just thinking, alright?”
Walking closer, Kat sat next to Roxy. “You want to talk about it?”
Neither spoke for a few minutes as Roxy buried her face in the crook of her elbow. When she finally broke the silence, her words were incredibly quiet, as if she were scared to say them. “You’re pretty weird delvers.”
“Yeah?” Kat asked. “I always figured we were pretty run-of-the-mill. Other than Tab, maybe. Mage Knight’s aren’t that common.”
Roxy shook her head. “I don’t mean your classes, or how you fight, or anything like that. I mean… you’re nice. Like, genuinely, no-strings-attached nice.”
“Is that honestly so weird? I know Ashes To Ashes are a bunch of jerks, but what about all the other Guilds? If I’m being honest, other than what I’ve heard from Tab, I don’t know as much about specific Guild drama.”
“Ashes doesn’t exist in a vacuum,” Roxy muttered. “They’re awful, yes, but they’re also the most influential. All their bad behavior rubs off on the other Guilds, who are forced to be antagonistic just so they can hold their own against Ashes. Every new recruit, every bit of information, every possible revelation about how the System works, any of it might be a trap.”
“Aren’t all major delving hubs competitive?”
“Well, yeah, but competition comes in many flavors. In a more stereotypical Dungeon, the goal is to get as deep as possible. The main focus of the game is all about party comp, overall skill, things like that. Comparatively, Chicago has made much less progress in their Dungeon than most other major cities, mostly due to the way it’s structured.”
“You mean with the Key Dungeons?” Kat asked. “How delving has to stop every once in a while so that a scavenger hunt can happen?”
“Exactly.” Roxy nodded. “For us, tangible Delving skills tend to be of secondary concern. What really matters is information; finding Key Dungeons can make or break an aspiring Guild. If you have a Key for the main Dungeon, not only do you get a huge loot drop, but you also guarantee that your Guild gets first crack at the next floor. There have been dozens of cases of Ashes opening a door, clearing the entire next floor in a single run, then immediately stalling progress while the hunt for the next Key Dungeon begins.”
“Wow,” Kat muttered. “I had no idea they held that kind of monopoly.”
“Most of the smaller Guilds live on scraps. They only enter the Dungeon while everyone else is busy hunting for the Key Dungeon.” Roxy shifted slightly, rubbing her eyes again. “Anyways, that’s why you’re all so weird. You’re not playing that game.”
“You mean we’re not playing that game, right, Rox?” Kat asked, playfully tapping Roxy on the arm. “You’re one of us!”
Roxy stayed quiet, staring off into the distance as silence enveloped them both. If anything, the friendly gesture had made things more tense.
“I just… I wish I could make things better. I wish I weren’t trapped like this,” Roxy whispered.
Kat shifted closer, doing her best to ignore the scent of Roxy’s blood as she spoke. “Hey, you’re already helping. Without you, this Dungeon would be giving us way more trouble. You saved Alicia from that first Boss, and you killed the second with a single attack! That’s crazy impressive for a Level Six Rogue.”
Roxy looked over, momentarily confused about something, but it passed quickly. “R-right.”
Both girls fell silent again, neither moving much as the minutes dragged on. An occasional gust of wind swept over the suburb, and thankfully for Kat, she seemed to be upwind of Roxy. It wasn’t easy being this close to a Human, but she couldn’t stand the thought of leaving Roxy alone with her thoughts.
Nearly fifteen minutes had passed in complete silence before Roxy spoke up again.
“What happens when you drink blood?”
“I… what?” Kat asked, surprised by the question. “What do you mean?”
“Like… do you get stronger? Does it hurt the other person? Would you be twice as strong if you were fully sated?”
Kat slid further away from Roxy, just to be safe. “I don’t know if I’d say stronger, exactly, but… maybe more agile. My senses sharpen, I feel lighter on my feet. I have no idea what would happen if I fed to my heart’s content, I’ve never had the chance. As for the other person, I mean, that should be obvious. Two razor sharp teeth are plunging into your neck and draining you dry; it’s not supposed to be a pleasant experience. Still, I’ve heard that some people love being fed on, so it’s probably just a personal preference.”
Roxy took a deep breath, then reached up and unclasped her cloak. The fabric, which had previously bunched around her neck and hidden the bottom of her face somewhat, fell to the roof with a soft thud. Underneath, she wore nothing but a simple tank top. “Kat. I want you to bite me.”
“W-what?!” Kat asked, sliding away from Roxy.
“C’mon, you said you’re always hungry, right? Wouldn’t it make the Dungeon just a little bit easier? Wouldn’t your life be a bit less miserable?”
“Roxy, that’s not the point! You could get seriously hurt!”
“You bit Tab, didn’t you?” Roxy protested, sliding closer. “What’s so different about this?”
“I-I had Alicia with me! And it was on camera, there were thousands of people virtually holding me responsible for her safety!” Kat swallowed nervously, unable to mask the fact that her eyes were glued to Roxy’s neck. “I can’t stress enough how dangerous this is, Roxy. I… not everyone I’ve fed on has survived.”
Roxy paused, her intense gaze locked on Kat. Reaching behind her back, she pulled a small object out and flicked it open, revealing a small switchblade. Before Kat could say anything, Roxy brought the tip of her knife to her neck. She pricked her skin, applying just enough pressure to draw blood, before closing the knife and looking at Kat again. “I trust you, Katrina. I want this. I’m not scared.”
Blood flowed freely from the wound, and Kat’s senses were overwhelmed by the delicious smell of the universe’s most powerful nectar. Her teeth itched in excitement as she stared at the crimson ambrosia, the sound of Roxy’s song blocking out every modicum of rational thought she might have preferred to listen to. The air between them sizzled with a slow, powerful melody, and Kat lost control of herself.
She pounced forward, pushing Roxy to the roof while holding her down. She prepared to move Roxy’s head to the side, but found the Rogue was eagerly presenting herself. Kat licked up the trickle of blood that already existed, and her entire body shuddered as the song suffused her own body.
She was used to the taste of fear, and as much as she hated to admit it, she’d developed a taste for it after years of hunting. She was also quite familiar with the taste of arousal, which often paired with fear for a delectable cocktail of passion and thrill, but neither taste was present in Roxy’s blood.
Roxy’s song was a slow, pounding march of determination, layered with delicate flourishes of regret. It was powerful sustenance, far more than Kat had suspected, which made the next moment even more exciting. Baring her fangs, she took a deep breath, then plunged them into Roxy’s neck, causing the song to crescendo to its first celebratory refrain. Haunting string instruments sang of a life filled with compromise while deep, thrumming brass warned of swarming danger.
Kat drank deeper, her stomach growling with satisfaction as blood raced down her throat, and she felt the song start to quiet. In a panic, she forced herself back to her senses, grabbing Roxy’s shoulder as she tried to push herself away.
As she began to move, however, Roxy’s hand grabbed the back of her head, pulling her teeth back into her neck. “Do it!” Roxy hissed.
Despite holding all the power, Kat found herself scared of Roxy’s sudden insistence. She fought even harder to pull away, burying the song she so desperately wanted to see conclude. Stumbling backwards, Kat leapt into the air to keep herself out of Roxy’s reach. “Roxy, what was that?!”
Roxy wiped her hand across her neck, smearing what little blood remained. “I… I just want to help…”
“You help us by fighting alongside us, Rox! Not by letting me drain you dry!” Kat protested, unconsciously searching her lips for the last traces of Roxy’s blood. “Are you okay?
Averting her eyes, Roxy grabbed her cloak and began fastening it around her neck again. “I’m fine, Kat. What about you? Was it good? Did it help?”
“I… I mean, yeah, sure,” Kat muttered. “I’m definitely less hungry, but that’s hardly the point.”
A slow, melancholy smile grew on Roxy’s face. She even laughed quietly to herself. “I’m glad. I’ll see you tomorrow for the delve, alright Kat?”
With a flurry of her cape, Roxy disappeared behind the roof. Kat completely lost track of where she’d gone, and stared at the empty roof as she replayed the last few minutes in her head. What had gotten into Roxy? Why had she tried to pull Kat closer towards the end?
Kat was shaken by the encounter, but she had trouble pinpointing the exact reason. Biting a live person always brought forth unsettling feelings, but this time she also had to wrestle with Roxy’s strange behavior. She even opted not to leave the neighborhood tonight; being around Alouette didn’t feel safe tonight, which also meant visiting the Dungeon Camp was out of the question.
Instead, after washing her face several dozen times, Kat simply crawled back into bed with Alicia and tried to go back to sleep.
—
"Alright, look, you need to tell me what's going on with Roxy. Seriously, that was weird."
Sorry, I'm afraid my lips are sealed.
"You seriously expect us to delve after that? She's being so weird!"
You know, I bet a little music would be the perfect distraction. How about it? Got a song for us today?
"I see what you're doing Nyx, and I don't like it. Let the record show that I'm not falling for this little trap of yours, I'm willingly allowing you to change the subject because it's obvious you're not going to tell me anything."
Of course, of course.
"Anyways, I guess tonight's piece is Sonata Giocosa by Joaquin Rodrigo. It's got three movements, and they're all fantastic. I think the different emotions of each piece feel very much at home in this chapter, which was a little scattered overall. I'll admit, I was tempted to find a piece that accurately portrayed my feelings after my encounter with Roxy, but nothing that felt right also served as a worthy entry in the playlist I've provided so far."
I dunno, I thought that rock song was pretty angry!
"THAT WASN'T—ahem. We don't speak of Tabitha's indiscretion, and it doesn't count as part of the official playlist."
Hehehe.
"Ugh, you and Alicia, I swear..."
Sleep tight!
Nyx <3
Comments
Chris L.
Same here…
AFanofRoses
I have a very bad feeling about the next chapter. Fingers crossed that everyone gets a happily-ever-after.
