Blood Prize (Bloody Dance #1)

by A Muse

  “I assumed my bloodline was dead. I never saw Yael again after his wife was killed. What do I call you?” I asked him. I didn’t know his name. This was my nephew though. I didn’t know how many greats separated us. He was still my family though. Or maybe I was wrong, maybe a demon didn’t have any family.

  “Forgive my rudeness. I’m Akabane, it’s a pleasure to meet you at last Zero.” He paused to look around. Maybe he was trying to see if we were alone. “You must have been lonely for a very long time.” I looked at Akabane. His words echoing through me.

  “Being a demon is an empty existence. I found friends. I made a new family.” Shu, Kaleb, Amy, Rai they were my family. They were the people who saw my demon form and still called me family. They didn’t judge me or hate me. They never ran from me or shunned me. They accepted me for me, just like family was supposed to. Now I had Fang and Soji as well. They were my family.

  Before them there had only been the fog of hunger and Ban. Ban, was he, my family. He was always saying he loved me. He thought he owned me. He killed the people that I loved though. Again and again he attacked and murdered everyone important to me. Ban was just a demon. He didn’t know what it meant to be someone’s family.

  “How is it that you’re a demon?” I looked to Akabane. I never had a chance to explain it to Yael. There was so much fear, hunger, Ban. My brother and I never had a chance to sit and talk. Maybe if I had, he would have stayed with me. For as long as he could. Maybe I could have watched my bloodline grow and thrive. Or maybe Ban would just come for them again.

  “I took Ban’s blood and it changed me.” That was the short version of events. He didn’t need to hear all of the bloody details. “He killed my mother, father, and Amber . . . My sister. He killed me as well. I just . . . Came back.” I could see the pity in his eyes when I told him. It mixed with something else that I couldn’t read. Guilt maybe, why would he feel guilty? Maybe it was something that Yael passed down to his children. Survivor guilt.

  Akabane came close to me. His arms wrapped around me. I could feel the embrace of his huge. Of the years of my life, I’ve hugged a lot of people. This wasn’t the hug of Shu or Amy. It wasn’t the same with Rai or Soji. This hug was so odd and yet strangely familiar. It was as if I was hugging Yael, my dead brother. I relaxed into it. I couldn’t remember a lot about my brother, about my family. Our death was my memory of them. Still inside of me I knew that Yael was a good brother. I knew that when he hugged me it was that of an older brother keeping his younger brother safe.

  “The past is dead and gone. We can only move forward now.” Akabane spoke and I pulled back from him. My past was full of blood and pain. There was a river of red liquid that I bathed in. Still I agreed with him. The past was over. We couldn’t go back to change anything. There was only the road ahead of us.

  “Zero,” Soji’s voice called to me and Akabane and I turned to look at the white mage. I could see the frown on his face. It reminded me of a frown that Ban get. Soji was jealous. Why did I find that so cute? When Soji reached me, I grabbed his chin. Leaning down I pressed my lips to his. My tongue flicked out touching his lips before we pulled back. I could see the red flush on his cheek.

  “What are you doing?” Soji asked his eyes moving between Akabane and I. I shook my head.

  “We were talking. Thanks, walking me to my master.” I nodded to Akabane and he nodded back at me before giving Soji one more look. He then turned on his heels and walked down the hall. I looked at him but shook my head. It was nice to have met him. I was glad that I had that.

  “Who was that guy?” Soji asked me and I looked down on him. Shouldn’t he have known who it was. Then again, this place was massive. I doubt that Soji knew every member of this church. I looked back down the hall, but Akabane was long gone by now.

  “He's descendent of my brother. Now I have a question for you. What is your mother?” His mother wasn't human as far as I could tell. Soji frown as he looked at me. What was that frown for. I didn’t understand why he would be unhappy. It wasn’t like my question was offensive.

  “I . . . I don’t know my mother.” Soji whispered and now I frowned. How could he not know her. She has been walking around here. At first I thought the woman outside of the club was Soji’s mother. I had never questioned it, but now I suppose she wasn’t. Maybe she was his aunt. Or a stepmother.

  “My mother left when I was born. I never met her.” How sad was that? To have never met your own mother. I might not have many memories of my mother, but she was there. From her actions on the day of our death I knew she must have loved me deeply. Soji mother asked me to protect him. Did that mean she loved him as well?

  Soji reached up touching my cheek. “I’m not sad about it. This is the way it has always been. I know she loves me and watches over me. She just can’t be here. That is the way that father explained it. Plus, Niwa mother has always acted as a mother to me as well.” Niwa, that was the boy with the long sword. The one who Emiko was scared of. The one who was outside of the club with Soji.

  “Niwa?”

  “My brother. He’s on a mission. You will probably meet him soon though.” I nodded my head. So I was right. The woman was Soji’s stepmother and his real mother could only watch him for a far. Still what was she? What did that make him?

  TWENTY-FOUR

  Pleasure rocked through my body. Ban’s finger raked down my chest. Catching my nipple, I sucked in a deep breath. My breath was forced from my lungs as Ban delved deeper into me with rhythmic pushes. His lips were near my ear as my finger flexed.

  The handcuffs that he had on me was laced through the bars of the bed. They pinned my arms above my head as his hands gripped my hips holding me to him. I could feel the slight burn of the ring heating against my chest. I wasn’t sure how once again I ended up entangled with the one person I was supposed to hate.

  “Darkness falls and the moon bleeds. Light stalls because the sun feeds. Mortals die when sacrifices are made.” Ban whispered the words gently in my ear. I didn’t know what his words met. Why was quoting nonsense to me? What was he trying to do?

  His thrust was just as powerful as always. I wanted to reach for him. I wanted to touch him as well. Ban liked control though. He always had it. I doubt that he was ever going to give it up either. I moaned more my back arching into Ban.

  “Gods cry as the world fades. Demons crawl as hell is raised. Humans brawl in chaos phase.” He kissed my jaw as he finished this poem. It was different, gentle. These were the rare moments that Ban and I had. It was in these moments that I forgot that Ban was evil. In these moments, I almost believed when he said he loved me.

  “What is that?” I asked my breath was ragged as I tried to get the words out. Ban was over top of me. He was still thrusting into me. His fingers came down between us as he stroked my member. My back only arched into the pleasure more. He was impossible.

  I didn’t understand how someone so beautiful could be so interested in me. I paled in comparison to what Ban was. He could have anyone in the world and time after time he came back to me. He loved me in his own sick twisted way.

  My golden eyes locked with Ban’s black ones. He was soft right now. Even the motion, as he rocked into my body, was soft. I didn’t have to ask for more. I knew that Ban would give it to me. His red hair came down around both of our faces. It created a curtain between us and the rest of the world.

  “It’s the future,” Ban spoke and my brows pulled down. What did he mean it was the future. Ban fingers drew back up my chest. “It’s going to get stuck that way.” He touched the spot on my forehead between my brows. I shook my head at him. “It’s just a dream, Natsu.”

  It didn’t sound like a dream. It sounded strange. Some dark poem that Ban made up. “One day I will make it true.” It didn’t sound like something that could be true. Maybe Ban was just having a go at me. It wouldn’t be the first time.

  He leaned down his tongue flicked out over my nipple. I gasped again his cock was still shoved deep
inside me. Ban pulled back bucking his hips faster. I could feel my body clenching around him as his hand wrapped around me. He stroked me in time with his thrust.

  How was I suppose to hold a conversation with him when we were connected to each other like this. It made hard to think as his movement started to become faster and frantic. I knew Ban, we have been coming together in this matter for nearly hundred years now. I knew that this motion meant he was close to his climax. I was close to mine as well. I wanted him to release inside of me. Of course, he was going to. It was what he always did.

  “You say that like it’s a good thing.” It didn’t sound like a good thing. Of course, I couldn’t actually tell what was supposed to happen from what he said. It still sent shivers down my spine. Ban laughed a little his hips moving erratically as he stroked me. “Ban!” His name was always a cry on my lips when we were like this.

  He was still thrusting into my body until I hissed. I could feel his hot liquid filling me. His prick pulse inside of me as he gave up his seed. Leaning down he pressed a kiss to my jaw. He released my hands and I let out a sigh. We had been at it all night.

  Ban’s touch flicked over my neck. I could feel his fangs bite into me. The pain and pleasure always drew me higher. My hands came around his back. My nails sank into his flesh breaking the skin. I could feel his tainted blood leak over my fingers. When he pulled away, my chest heaved with desire.

  “I love you, Natsu,” Ban whispered even as my blood coated his lips. I closed my eyes. A part of me wanted to believe him. A smarter part of me knew better.

  A yawn split my face as I stood behind Soji’s chair in their supposed war room. There were ten individuals seated at the table including Soji. Rhett, Able, and Soji’s stepmother were among the ten. I zoned out for most of the boring talk. Every now and then I would tug on Soji’s hair so he wouldn’t nod out and face plant the table.

  My eyes moved across the room to Able. He was shuffling through papers that were laid out in front of him. This meeting was about Ban and Kenji. I got that much from the bits that I listened to. None of them seemed to be listening as they all talked over each other. The only thing they agreed on was the Night of Demons had to be stopped.

  Rhett clapped his hands together making them all shut up. I yawned again as all the others snapped their mouths shut to listen to their master. I didn’t get it. As far as I could tell Rhett held no power inside of him. So why were they people so willing to follow him.

  “Ban needs someone who is pure to complete the ceremony. We will use Soji as bait to blitz him.” That was Rhett great idea. It sounded like a sure fire way to put Soji in danger and give Ban just what he wants. No one blitz Ban. No one lures him out. He shows up when he wants where he wants and Ban always gets what he wants.

  I chucked at this notion drew the eyes of the others to me. I couldn’t help it that it was a laughable idea. For all of that they should have just gift wrapped Soji and told Ban to please end the world for them. It would have been the faster more respectable way of doing things.

  “Do you have something to say, Demon.” Able asked. It was never Zero when Able talked to me. In the three days that I have been here he only referred to me as Demon. I didn’t know if he thought I was going to be upset about this or not. I was a demon. Calling me one had no effect.

  “What do you suggest, Zero?” Soji’s step-mother asked. Unlike the others when she looked at me she didn’t hold the same hatred in her eyes. She was the one that called me a coward but let me go. She was like a real mother. I think she accepted me just because Zero did.

  “Why would you ask him?” Able hissed out his words. I rolled my eyes at this man.

  “How many times have you run into Ban?” I asked Able. I already knew the answer to that question. None, Able was the kind of person that Ban hated. He would have killed him just because he didn’t like his face. “I don’t know everything about Ban. In fact, I hardly know anything about him. Ban isn’t the kind of man that let you pull back his mask. I do know that Ban will see through your trap and take Soji.”

  “What then?” Soji asked. I wanted to reach out to him, but I wouldn’t with his father in the room. “They are going to bring hell to earth the next new moon. We only have three days.” I knew that. It still didn’t make it a good plan.

  “We target Kenji. Ban needs Kenji or else he wouldn’t be keeping him around. Kenji is prideful and pride makes you stupid. We lure him out, attack him, kill him. That’s how we do this. You’ll need your best mages. Ban will probably pop up after we attack Kenji. They are both S-Classed demons. They won’t just lay down and die.” If they really wanted to stop this, they had better be smart about it.

  “Zero is right.” Soji backed me up and Able growled at the white mage. This could be my chance. If I had these idiots backing me up then maybe this would be the only chance that I got to kill Ban and Kenji. I wanted to end them both. They killed my families and now they would pay.

  I reached up touching the ring around my neck. Then it would be over. I wondered what I would do after it was done. I spent the last two hundred years only thinking about Ban. What would my life be out when Ban was gone?

  “We’ll focus on Kenji,” Soji’s step-mother spoke. Looking towards Rhett he was frowning. He didn’t like the idea of going after Kenji. Or maybe he just didn’t like the fact that it was my idea. If he wanted a chance at winning this battle, he would listen to my idea.

  Whatever Rhett was thinking he kept it to himself. They went back to planning out their attack until the meeting was finally over. I stretched as Soji and I left out the room. As soon as I was in the hall someone slammed into my body making me stumble back.

  “Zeo!” Rai yelled her arms were around me as she embraced me. This was the first time I saw her in two days. Following Soji around didn’t leave much room for anything else. They kept the white mage busy. He was always in meeting like this. Or he went around healing anymore who might have needed it. His down moments were still spent behind a desk buried in paperwork. I felt sorry for him.

  “Hey, little one.” I stoked Rai’s hair as she pulled back a smile on her face. I was starting to think that she was never going to smile again. I was happy that even after all that happened to her she still found something to smile about.

  “They are giving me awesome training.” She beamed and I smiled at her. I figured that this would be good for her gift. There was a lot of mages here. She would get the training she needed here. That was what I wanted for her.

  “I can’t wait to see you in action,” I told her. I could see the question in her eyes. Deep within her eyes I could still see sadness. I wanted to take that away from her. I wanted to make everything right in Rai world again. I knew that there was nothing I could do. These kinds of wounds heal in time.

  “Ayase told me you all are going after Ban.” That wasn’t all the way true. We were actually going after Kenji and not Ban. I wouldn’t tell her that though. “Kenji will be with him.” I squeezed my eyes shut. I knew where this was going.

  “Rai . . . it’s not-”

  “He killed my mother!” Rai cut me off. “He took my brother from her body.”

  “He’ll kill you as well. If you give him one chance, he will slaughter you. You aren’t ready for this battle, Rai.” I didn’t want her to think she was weak. She wasn’t weak, she was the strongest person I knew. Still I couldn’t allow Rai to come with us. It was too dangerous.

  “What am I supposed to do? Just let you handle it. I’m going with you. You can’t stop me.” I could if I wanted to. I could stop her.

  “I promised Shu to keep you safe. I can’t do that if you’re running off into battles you can’t win.” She couldn’t win this. Rai stomped her foot before running down the hall. I sighed leaning against the wall and sliding down the wall before sitting. I was happy I never had children. They were too much work.

  “Darkness fall and the moon bleeds. Light stalls because the sun feeds. Mortals die when sacrifices ar
e made. Gods cry and the world fades. Demons crawl as hell is raised. Human brawl in chaos phase.” I whispered the words licking my lips. So this is the future. The Night of Demons. “It’s my move now Ban.”

  TWENTY-FIVE

  All of the mages in the church were suiting up. They were preparing for the battle ahead. Kenji was the target, but I wondered if even with all of this firepower was it going to be enough. I probably should have told them their armor wasn’t going to mean shit against Ban and Kenji.

  They were so focused, so sure that they were going to win. I didn’t want to crush their dreams and bring down morale. Of course, most of the people here wouldn’t listen to me anyway. I was just some stupid demon in their mind.

  Leaning against the wall in their armory I bit into the apple Soji had given me after breakfast. He wasn’t in here with the others. Soji knew that the armor was just for sure. He was making his own preparation for his part in this battle. Raising the apple to my mouth again it was taken from my fingers. My eyes shifted to the left of me as I watched Fang bite into the fruit.

  “Ready for your slaughter?” Fang asked holding the apple out to me. I didn’t take it. I had no idea where Fang’s mouth been or more importantly who he’s been putting his mouth on. I might couldn’t get any human sickness, but I still didn’t want to risk it.

  He said me, but he would be a part of this Fang as well. His power would be useful in the battle to come. I didn’t want to get hopeful. I was afraid that if I allowed myself to think today we were going to kill Kenji and Ban something was going to go wrong.

  “I died once. It wasn’t so bad.” Of course, that was a lie. My death was awful. It made me cling to life harder. It made me come back as something that was greater than what I had been. I wanted life so badly I became a demon in order to live.

  “You have bigger problems than death at the moment,” Fang said and I frown I always considered not dying to be my main focus in this world. Fang pointed towards a cluster of the mages that were in the room. My eyes followed as I saw Rai.