Betrayal

The door swung open and Yukiko followed timidly in Leo's footsteps.

The atelier felt more damp than usual. The cellar was dark, too. Vampires weren't fans of fire, so the torches were out, leaving only a few candles lit in the corners.

Yukiko shivered involuntarily, but it wasn't because of the cold. A predator had set her gaze on her, and although Leonardo didn't tell her any details, she instinctively knew she was in danger.

"Oh my. What a great choice," the vampire exclaimed in delight as she exposed herself, appearing seemingly out of thin air, "You did very well."

'Hm, that bitch was putting on an act? Seems she's not as weak as I thought.'

Despite grumbling inwardly that the vampire was still distrustful, he smiled pleasantly and bowed slightly.

"I've brought the best for you, mistress."

Putting on an act wasn't too hard on his part. He genuinely felt great about being praised by her, and from the depths of his heart he felt the need to worship her.

Gently pushing Yukiko forward, he stepped to the side - his head still bowed low. Yet, his smile was gone and replaced by a menacing frown. Rage burned in his eyes, their blaze no weaker than the sun.

The vampire studied Leonardo's reaction first, before nodding and once more returning its hungry gaze to the victim.

Yukiko stifled a shriek and recoiled in fear, looking at Leonardo for help. Her pleading gaze was met with dismissal, however.

"Fear not, child. This won't hurt a bit."

Despite sounding compassionate, her actions were anything but. Long fangs surfaced, her lips no longer concealing an amiable smile, but a predator's lustful gaze. The vampire had instincts too, and she reined them in for too long.

Quicker than the eyes could register, she already wound up around Yukiko, her bare neck pierced.

It likely didn't hurt. At least, Leonardo didn't remember the bite feeling bad. Whether physically or emotionally, he felt more stimulated by the bite than by anything he'd ever experienced. The bliss dwarfed orgasmic pleasure and required a category level on its own. It was an extraordinary experience. Yet, all he felt now was pain and shame.

As both Yukiko and the vampire sunk into the pleasure of the accursed kiss, he silently warped a stake from his room.

He couldn't risk hiding it in his sleeve, because if the woman's outfit and demeanor served any clue, she was a trained assassin and would spot his weapon from a mile away.

The stake was a sharpened stick covered in runes. He reinforced it with Materia magic to ensure it broke through and didn't splinter on impact. The work was shoddy and quick but would last, hopefully.

Having positioned himself to the side, he made use of the blind spot to slip behind the vampire.

Before her instincts could react, he invoked every ounce of will, magic and martial training he had on delivering a jab. Everything depended on this one strike, because he could never afford a second one in a confrontation with her.

His hand moved with heightened momentum, his tendons nearly tearing from the sudden exertion. Fate's favor manifested, the stake bypassing bones and striking true at her heart. A barrier of chi covered the weapon, ensuring its sharpness and weakening flesh.

( Hiss! )

The vampire drew in her first breath in decades. She withdrew her fangs and stared incredulously at Leonardo, meeting his hateful gaze with a questioning plea.

It seemed she never even considered he could resist her, no less invoke so much strength to pierce her defenses. After all, she was a vampire. No mortal ever came close to harming her.

Alas, even as she froze still and crumpled on her face like a vegetable, Leonardo didn't entertain to answer her.

"Yuki!" he caught her in his arms, his fingers trailing her bloodied neck with concern.

It seems the vampire involuntarily tore a chunk of flesh out, leaving a pair of gnarly holes in her arteries.

By now, pain made itself known and Yukiko snapped out of her ecstatic daze. She saw blood on Leonardo's fingers and screamed in a panic.

"Don't! Don't speak. You'll be fine. Hold still."

Despite trying to soothe her, Leonardo himself wasn't calm in the least. His heart raced as he summoned leftover energy to close her wound.

Had it been anyone else, he'd succeed on the first try and maintain rational calm. However, seeing Yukiko whimper and tear up while her major arteries bled stirred an unknown weakness inside him. He fumbled quite a few times, each time growing more impatient and angry.

Slapping his face forcefully, he drew in a deep breath and silenced his emotions with an Animus mantra. Only then did he manage to mend the tear fully. By then, her face had become a white sheet and she'd passed out, as pale as can be.

"You'll be fine," he repeated softly, more to console himself than the unconscious girl.

Rocking her against his chest, he looked at the paralyzed vampire again.

"I don't know if you can hear me," he began, his hatred of the creature reigniting his emotions anew, "But I will drain every bit of usefulness out of you and make sure the pain you put us through is repaid manifold."

After checking her pulse several times, he helped Yuki up on a nearby chair then tended to the vampire.

Stripping her bare, he examined her closely for weapons. He was unsurprised when he found several needles hidden in her hair, but the vials he surmised to be poison definitely raised an eyebrow or two.

The stake was still stuck firmly in her heart, tearing a sideways hole from her back. Even so, he knew that as long as it was removed, the vampire would snap back to life.

Her eyes were frozen limpid in a questioning glance devoid of emotion. She didn't seem spiteful or afraid, and at most showed confusion and doubt.

Perhaps even now, she expected the Blood Geas to kick in and for him to free her. Leonardo thought that conviction was mocking him, and that only made him angrier and steeled his resolve further.

"Don't worry, you'll get your dues."

Reining in his emotions again, he chained her up in several layers then teleported away the keys. Perhaps it was the Blood Geas, but he was unnaturally paranoid about taking precautions.

Even now, he felt a tug in his heart, pushing him to free her. He felt pain and sadness, and wanted nothing more than to help her.

'Fuck, it's getting stronger.'

Even knowing those thoughts were a result of the Blood Geas, he had a hard time resisting his base instincts.

Gritting his teeth, he gave the incapacitated vampire another check-up to ensure she couldn't escape, then took Yukiko and fled upstairs.