Cravings in the Night

Xiao watched with little amusement as Dara's maidservants pleaded for mercy. At the same time, Dara was forced to watch as they were executed for their insolence. Dara wondered what made the foreigner so remarkable that the King would risk rumors of their relationship spreading. Song personally delivered punishment in the cruelest way the Fox King of the Silver Night Clan could.

The servants Dara had entrusted with humiliating and hurting his Xiao had their hearts and lungs torn out. Song had no doubt Dara's jealousy had gotten the best of her. As much as Song hated to show Xiao this side of himself, he needed Xiao and all present to know he would not stand by idle while they harmed her.

While most believed Song was oblivious to Dara's feelings towards him, the truth was another. Song had always made it clear he had no need for her nor her antics. If she'd been allowed to live this long, it was because Song knew Tae loved Dara. Even if the girl was too caught up in her delusions, Tae did not seem to care. But unlike Tae, Song couldn't nor would he put up with Dara's insolence.

To Xiao, the message Song was trying to send was clear enough if anyone wished to come at her, he would exterminate them. While most would feel a sense of joy knowing the person, they once loved would do anything for them, this was something Xiao did not need. The crueler Song's actions became, the more corrupt his soul became. Xiao would have to find a chance to extract some of the obstructive energy, gathering where Song's heart used to be.

With the excuse of feeling exhausted due to the day's events, Xiao excused herself. As they had made their way through palace grounds, Xiao had absorbed a significant amount of negative energy meant for Caihong. Now while most would become sick or even lose their minds, beings like Xiao tended to become something otherworldly.

Having insisted on remaining in the Forbidden Palace, Xiao used the seclusion to her advantage. Placing Caihong under a sleeping spell and a barrier around the palace, Xiao set out.

Under the guise of the night, Xiao shifted into her butterfly form and flew down the mountain into the sleeping town to satiate her nightly cravings. Yes, butterflies liked the sweet nectar of flowers. Still, thanks to the corrupt energy she had absorbed, Xiao craved a different kind of honeyed nectar.

Xiao tried not to kill anyone, but it was futile; the hunger that filled her could not be satiated. A sweet aroma wafted towards Xiao pulling her back into the mountains up, up, up, until she fluttered around her old cherry blossom tree.

"Little sister," a divine voice spoke, "this you should not do."

"The hunger will not go away no matter how much I drink. The craving remains," Xiao seated herself atop her old branch and shifted back to her human form. Blood dripped down Xiao's chin, coating her chest. The crimson liquid had seeped into her clothes; what a shame she really loved Song's gift. Xiao dangled her feet as she licked some blood from her hands.

Cherry blossom petals wrapped around Xiao like a warm blanket cleaning away all traces of her nightly activities.

"Little sister, take this nectar, " one of the branches bent towards Xiao; a lovely blossom dripped golden drops of nectar into Xiao's mouth. The ache in her belly settled, but the cravings remained. "That which you crave cannot be found amongst mortals," the cherry blossom spirit continued, "you require the blood of other immortals."

Xiao leaned back with a sigh, "dearest sister, where could I possibly get such sweet nectar as that of pure immortals?"

The cherry blossom tree let out a sweet laugh as her petals crafted a portrait of Song.

"Oh, my dear sister, I wouldn't dare; he's too precious," Xiao said with a little laugh, "what of others?"

"Little sister, for your hunger to be satiated," petals brush against Xiao's face in a gentle caress, "it must come from the one your heart has been bound to."

"My dear sister Song and I have not bound our eternal souls," Xiao rubs one of the petals between her fingers, the soft texture soothing her nerves.

"So long as it was done in a previous life, it still counts," the cherry bloom spirit proclaimed as a form of goodbye, "it's the only way."

Xiao shifted back into her butterfly form, an orange streak in the night sky as she soared high up to great the moon.

"Won't you help me, dear mother?" Xiao asked the moon but did not receive a response, and thus dejected, flew back to Silver Night Palace, where Song waited.

Xiao flew down landing before a disgruntled Song the anger filling his eyes receding momentarily as he examined her to ensure no harm had been done. Before Song could start questioning her, Xiao took him by the hand and led him toward the Forbidden Palace.

As they scurried down, the hall Song caught the scent of cherry blossoms. It seemed Song had been too inconsiderate after all Xiao had slept on the branches of the tree for the last eight years, of course she'd miss her. Why would she feel comfortable sleeping in the palace; when she was used to the openness of the night sky.

Settling the sleeping Caihong in a separated bedchamber, Xiao threw Song onto the bed.

Song sat up quickly, "Xiao, what are you doing?"

Without answering, Xiao pulled Song towards her once more, or at least she tried. He was as stoic as stone, unmovable until Xiao decided to drop her dress, causing Song to reach toward her in an attempt to cover her with his outer robe.

Using his outstretched arm to her advantage, Xiao pressed Song against the bed and bit into his throat.

The sweet nectar that coursed through his veins was definitely better than what she'd had in town. Song's blood was like a melody to her aching nerves soothing to the point of lucidity.

Song seemed to comprehend what Xiao was doing and stopped trying to fight her. It seemed his little butterfly required more than nectar, but the question was why.