Fantasy 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡 (𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 & 𝐒𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐫𝐞)

[roxybirdie]

"I'd be lying if I said it wasn't extremely flattering to hear so many whispering gossips about my attendance."

A fleeting laugh escaped his lips. "The Big Easy is interconnected with supernatural communities outside New Orleans, Yeux Charbonneux," Demetri began. He slid a finger around the rim of his flute, creating ripples in the sparkling liquid. While the platinum blonde enjoyed Persephone's exquisite champagne, he never accepted a glass unless his sister or his wolves — his sister's werejaguars are her jurisdiction — presented the drink. It was simultaneously a power move and security measurement. Persephone catered to the darkest of clientele. Despite his absolute power, foolish sheep — mainly desperate hunters or arrogant spies — were exceptionally fond of challenging his authority. Presenting his soulmate champagne was an excuse to approach him seamlessly. Demetri didn't need a reason, but from experience, a flute of champagne projected an unapproachable façade. The sapphire-eyed vampire wasn't above underhanded tactics to ensnare his other-half's complete attention. "While your body count is primarily mortals, the west coast communities, especially the vampire clans, are quite wary of The Reaper," he elaborated.

Ah, The Reaper; while the moniker lacked creative flare — a bit on the nose in his humble opinion — it was unquestionably apt. "You made headlines, darling. I make it a habit to stay connected beyond New Orleans," he chuckled. I have eyes and ears everywhere was left unsaid. Demetri glimpsed at his soulmate's bare skin. He would be lying if he said he didn't feel a surge of vicious satisfaction when he witnessed his mark on display. Without a doubt, it was a deliberate tactic; his other-half's subtle movements confirmed his assumption.

Is that— Under his harlequin veneer, a sharp grin adorned his face. —you mean he's— Once a single bystander witnessed the carved rune displayed on the serial killer's palm, the news spread like wildfire. Master— A hiss of pain silenced the whisper. —invited Azazel? While the brand stirred the crowd, a Persephone signet ring — a membership ring — perched on the obsidian-eyed man's finger made it glaringly apparent the mortal predator was there to stay. Demetri surveyed the ballroom, sapphire eyes glimmering with unabashed amusement.

"But you already know all this, Yeux Saphir."

"Oh?" Demetri cocked his head to the side. Light shined on his decorative mask, piercing through the eyeholes. Sapphire met obsidian. "What do you think I know, Yeux Charbonneux?" he inquired. His mischievous tone belied the monster lurking beneath. "What do you see?" Beneath the Venetian veneer, his crystalline eyes illuminated a brilliant crimson; the luminescent gaze penetrated the shadows. Demetri shifted his flute to his left hand and raised his palm. Clawed fingertips tapped the hellish skull shielding his soulmate's visage, the touch featherlight and impish.

 

[Eridian]

He took note of the new knowledge that the supernatural community seemed much more connected than human communities - it certainly was a good way to reconsider his actions with the knowledge that they could potentially follow him wherever he went. It was just icing on the cake that his soulmate seemed aware of his exploits and how that had stretched over into vampire clans along the west coast that had the misfortune of crossing him or attracting his rather selective attention. If there ever had been any doubt that his soulmate had a far reach, it was gone at the unsaid warning.

It was enjoyable to hear a new round of whispers upon his hand being shown, the vampire's brand on his palm visible and golden ring making the fact that he was not only here to stay but that he had been specifically invited into the fold. He certainly didn't miss the whispers of Master and knew well enough that they were clearly referring to the man across from him. A dull thrum of satisfaction curled through him at the new information confirming his assumption that his soulmate was in a position of power and certainly held no one superior to himself. Nate could appreciate it - he wouldn't either and he'd expect the same from his equal.

The tilt of his soulmate's head and mischievous tone were fair warnings that his statement had stirred the darkness lurking below that delicious moon kissed skin that he certainly hadn't forgotten about and he made sure to keep his posture relaxed and loose as he stared back behind the stark black and white mask. It didn't keep their eyes from meeting and he relished that alone for the rewarding sapphire brightening into a stunning sanguine that he couldn't imagine himself ever tiring of. As fingertips shifted into inhuman digits, he leaned ever so minimally into the touch tapping against the demonic visage he presented, wishing the touch wasn't quite so light and making his comfort with the deadly fingers clear.

The question took him by surprise for just a second as he quickly considered it, finding the words to explain his chaotic mind with only a moment of thought. "My future," he easily answers back, void gaze staring back at that ruby gaze without even the faintest bit of fear or discomfort. "What I could be, what I will be. My equal, my match, a like-minded soul. I see everything that I could want. It's disconcerting, really," he admits easily, cocking his own head to the side in thought as his gaze narrows as if he's rather seriously contemplating the man he's speaking with.

"I see everything a future would take to be worthwhile. A soulmate of unprecedented caliber and endless eternity to equal him. I see power and I have always been a rather selfish and ravenous man. But I think you already know that, Yeux Saphir, because you have felt the same as well. I can see that same hunger in you that has consumed me since my first murder at eight. Men like you and I are never really satisfied, why would either of us think any differently of our soulmates?"

 

[roxybirdie]

Razor sharp nails trailed down the nightmarish veneer, curling beneath the obsidian mask. He skimmed his soulmate's jawline, avoiding the hellish skull obscuring his other-half's face. Demetri scraped his claws across the hidden flesh. It was simultaneously featherlight and firm; a delicate balance between playful and vicious. While his touch was unquestionably strong, he didn't draw blood. Demetri tilted his head, vermillion eyes glinting with unveiled amusement. He knew. Oh, he knew. The platinum blonde could taste his soulmate's willingness and it was absolutely intoxicating. With a single twist of his wrist, he could rip out Nate's — Azazel's, his mind hissed — throat. Demetri envisioned hot blood spraying over his harlequin mask and deep burgundy suit. Great Lord Hades, his gums positively burned. Despite his violent imagination, the sapphire-eyed vampire wasn't plotting his soulmate's demise. However, under his glamorous façade, Demetri was a merciless creature.

"My future,"

Fathomless black met luminescent ruby. No fear, no apprehension; his soulmate's gaze remained steadfast and resolute. When was the last time a mortal met his sanguine eyes without a spark of undeniable terror? Or a dose of unmistakable wariness? Despite his fearlessness, Nate didn't underestimate him; on the contrary, his other-half remained vigilant. However, the dark-haired man wasn't afraid. Demetri could tear him apart — and he would without hesitation — and his soulmate knew. He knew and his scent remained pure; not a hint of trepidation soured the captivating aroma. Was it utmost confidence or blind arrogance fueling his boldness? Did his other-half believe the connection binding them together protected him from a gruesome demise or was it an elaborate game of Russian roulette? Demetri hummed at the obsidian-eyed man's declaration. He retracted his claws, leaving thin lines across the smooth surface. While it wasn't enough to draw blood, he left a distinct impression.

I see everything a future would take to be worthwhile. His vermillion gaze remained fixated on his soulmate. I see power and I have always been a rather selfish and ravenous man. A chuckle rumbled in his throat. Men like you and I are never really satisfied, why would either of us think any differently of our soulmates? Oh? Eight-years-old? While he filed the useful piece of information, it didn't surprise him in the least. Demetri ended his first victim when he was seven. No one — not even his destined other-half — harmed his beloved sister and lived. "Show no mercy," he murmured. Beneath the black and white veneer, sanguine reverted to sapphire. "It's been my family's motto for generations. Rather fitting, oui?" Demetri raised his flute and swished the glass. He whispered an incantation under his breath and suddenly, the sparkling liquid darkened to a sickeningly deep purple. He gazed at the seemingly innocuous flute, unperturbed by the poison swirling in his drink. "Eán boreís na anapnéeis, boreís na statheís kai an boreís na statheís, boreís na polemíseis," he announced. The platinum blonde fingered the rim of the glass, creating ripples in the poisonous liquid. "If you can breathe, you can stand—" he translated. Sapphire locked onto obsidian. "—and if you can stand, you can fight," he elaborated with conviction.

Demetri flourished his wrist, gesturing toward the massive crowd. "I can grant you immense power," he began. His sultry tone was like a siren's call; an enchanting voice promising your deepest and darkest desires before dragging you toward a watery grave. "I can rip away your mortal flesh and grant you eternity." All the sudden, black sand emerged from his sleeve and slithered down his outstretched palm. It twisted and writhed, waiting his command. "I can be your equal, Yeux Charbonneux." Demetri twisted his fingers and suddenly, the sand dispersed and maneuvered through the air. He willed it to be unseen and it slipped through the crowd unnoticed. "The price for everything you desire is simple." The crystalline-eyed vampire lowered his arm. "What is your greatest fear?" he inquired.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Eán boreís na anapnéeis, boreís na statheís kai an boreís na statheís, boreís na polemíseis — If you can breathe, you can stand, and if you can stand, you can fight
Google Translate Warning

 

[Eridian]

The game he was playing held intense consequences for failure - ones he'd already had a front-row view for just the night before - and yet he was confident in his ability to play it. His heart thrummed steadily, not a trace of fear for the terrifying visage his counterpart teased him with. There was no need for it - if Demetri decided that he was bored and uninterested in his soulmate, he had no doubt that those delightful claws would dig into the soft flesh of his throat and pull out those delicate arteries then and there and there would be little to nothing he could do to stop it. But that wasn't at all terrifying to him - death had been on the table for as long as he could recall and once he'd even accepted it as an unfortunate reality that would someday catch up with him. Death by soulmate was decidedly one of the better ways to go out, he'd already resolved as he stared back at those gorgeous ruby eyes that eventually settled back into artic sapphire.

The soft sting that ran across his face when those claws retracted were likely a clear impression and quite intentional - Demetri had quite a thing for marking toys he'd claimed, didn't he? - but it didn't at all bother Nate to feel the soft welts from the razor-sharp digits. Instead, he focused his attention entirely on the vampire's reactions, enjoying the rumbling chuckle and hum of thought before his own murmured response came. He was fully aware of the flute in the older man's hand swishing from a bubbly crystalline clear to a grotesque purple from the edge of his vision but his attention remained pertinaciously attached to his soulmate's face. While he wasn't averse to meeting his end by this man's hand, that hardly meant that he'd easily go down and he would certainly not be distracted by magic and grandiose gestures and forget the true threat in the room.

He inclined his head slightly in agreement at the other man's family motto being rather fitting for him; it raised questions about just what his family had been like but now was hardly the time or place to inquire, particularly not when the man was keeping his gaze and motioning to the crowd that was still watching how this would play out between the two of them. The promise of power, of eternity, had his coal gaze sharpening as he listened to that seductively sultry tone offer him everything he wanted. The temptation to acquiesce was immense in the face of his own desires but he didn't immediately respond, forcing himself to pause and his gaze finally shifted from Demetri's face to his palm at the black sand shimmering and undulating in his palm.

Oh, he had no doubt that this man could be his equal - he already was and they both knew it. His pierced tongue wet his lips as his eyes found sapphire again and he cocked his head to the side slightly in thought at the price he was being offered. "A cage," he slowly answered, in no hurry to admit the truth of his answer and fully aware that he was neglecting to give the reasoning behind it as a slow smirk curled his own lips. "But if you intend to use it to test me, Yeux Saphir, I would inform you that you will not like the consequences that come from it. I have long since conquered my fear and know how to use it to my advantage. If you seek a reaction, just know that you will certainly get one."

 

[roxybirdie]

"A cage,"

He arched an eyebrow. It was a simple answer, but also complex; seemingly innocuous and undoubtedly detrimental. Demetri saw past the truth and pinpointed the deceit; it was a lie of omission. A wicked grin adorned his face. His soulmate had the audacity to exploit a loophole. Surprisingly, the sapphire-eyed vampire wasn't vexed; on the contrary, his other-half's wiliness filled him with immense gratification. Nate understood the price and while he offered a sacrifice, he twisted the conversation to his favor. For a moment, it felt as if Demetri were gazing in front a mirror; the sheer underhandedness was his specialty. Despite their dangerous game — higher the risk, greater the reward — the platinum blonde knew without a shadow of a doubt the dark-haired man was his true equal.

But if you intend to use it to test me— His lips twitched at the unmistakable warning. Adorable. —I have long since conquered my fear and know how to use it to my advantage— Demetri didn't doubt it for a second. —If you seek a reaction, just know that you will certainly get one. Without warning, the crystalline-eyed vampire threw his head back and laughed. Silence washed over the crowd; witnessing the Laughing Nightmare's signature cackle undoubtedly frightened — in some cases, delighted — the masked partygoers. When immediate death — or some type of violent destruction — didn't occur, whispers spread like wildfire. Ignoring his meddlesome audience, Demetri plucked (he didn't need a spell to know it was tainted) the champagne flute from his soulmate's grip. "Some would say a soulmate bond is the ultimate cage," he mused. He cocked his head to the side, unhinged delight evident in his razor sharp gaze. "Many have killed their soulmate to set themselves free," he added. The platinum blonde leaned closer, tilting his head until his harlequin mask brushed against his soulmate's ear, as if his velvety lips glided across the surface. "Making assumptions without dotting your I's and crossing your T's is dangerous, Yeux Charbonneux. I have no use for such theatrics," he murmured. I don't need a cage was left unsaid. Demetri was unquestionably curious to witness Nate deliver his unveiled threat, but he never intended to test him with that.

Within his mindscape, cackles reverberated throughout his mind. Silly mortal, a dark voice giggled. While Demetri accepted his soulmate's sacrifice, Phobos wouldn't hesitate to prove the audacious man otherwise. Phobos welcomed the bold mortal's violent promise and would gleefully return it tenfold. "Do you want to be set free, Yeux Charbonneux?" the platinum blonde purred. Suddenly, tendrils of black sand slithered down his forearms and shot forward, seizing Nate's wrist. The sand dragged the serial killer's arm forward until his palm pressed against the vampire's chest, directly over his heart. "Are you willing to do whatever it takes to maintain that freedom?" Demetri raised his arms and the sand retreated. "Your move, Azazel," he chuckled. Despite his vulnerable position, the sapphire-eyed vampire didn't appear perturbed; higher the risk, greater the reward.

 

[Eridian]

It took discipline to keep the smirk on his lips from spreading into a matching wicked grin as his soulmate cocked an eyebrow at him and made it very clear that he'd blatantly lied through omission and likewise answered the question posed to him. He'd wondered if the defiance would enrage his other half but he was rather delighted at finding out that he instead seemed rather satisfied with his beguiling answer. With that answer to the nagging question at the back of his mind of how Demetri would handle his insubordination, he felt sure that this man was fully worth the risk he clearly presented and he was slowly starting to believe that this had the potential to be something substantial once they worked out the little details.

But wasn't that exactly what they were already doing? He could find himself adoring this man easily and the realization washed over him easily as he stared at his soulmate, enjoying the amused twitch of his lips and laughter that spilled from his lovely mouth that immediately silenced the crowd. It was no surprise to him and his own lips had quirked up in delight at hearing it, not at all afraid of this man. It was glaringly obvious to anyone with a pair of brain cells to rub together that Demetri was a nightmare to even nonhuman beings and based on what he'd already seen, Nate was quite sure that his violent tendencies were characterized by that laugh and the whispers that spread like wildfire when he didn't meet his demise at the vampire's hand only solidified the thought. He easily let the cool glass slip out of his fingers as the blonde plucked the champagne from his hand, letting what he knew to be a poisoned drink go while keeping his eyes locked on the dangerous man that compared having a soulmate bond to a cage.

He wasn't wrong. If you'd had asked him two days prior if he thought that a soulmate bond was a chain, he'd have immediately agreed and made it clear that he never intended on letting his soulmate dictate any fraction of his life and certainly wouldn't even consider fulfilling a bond with them. But much had happened in the past forty-eight hours and he tilted his face slightly to the side naturally as the vampire leaned into him, keeping his own obsidian stare intense and considering as the harlequin mask brushed against his ear in the mockery of lips.

Perhaps he was right in that making assumptions was dangerous, but he only felt it was fair to give his equal fair warning before tipping the scales too far this early on into them knowing each other. His mouth twitched at the mention of theatrics, biting down the urge to question or quip about how between the two of them, it was clearly Demetri that had a flair for theatrics at the moment. The unsaid warning was heard clearly and his fingers twitched despite his loose and relaxed posture - a warning of the tension hidden and of how quickly he could react if prompted to. He wanted to see what his blonde beau had intended for him and so he only narrowed his eyes at the sand seizing his wrist and dragging his hand to Demetri's chest, clearly unhappy with the treatment but not yet about to complain about it as he instead focused on the meaning behind this show between them.

His crooked, previously broken fingers spread across the expensive fabric stretched across his chest at the offer and he suddenly found it rather difficult to consider why this was a bad idea. How long had it been since he'd indulged? Too long. Too long since ruby droplets had sprayed in a lovely arterial arc. Too long since he'd felt the warm velvet of organs in his palms and here he was being offered such a thing so casually. It was the wrong person on the other end of his hands and that thought was what stayed his hands that had slightly tensed, fingertips digging just a bit into his chest before relaxing again and he wiped the dark and hungry expression that he was fully aware that had just been on his face only to replace it with a dark grin.

"Oh, ma moitié. I don't think you are a cage so there's nothing to free myself from, is there? But to answer your question, if I ever do feel like you have become a cage, I'll warn you. If you choose to ignore that warning, then I will take the steps to recover my freedom. Because make no mistake, Yeux Saphir, I will do whatever it takes to remain myself. Not even a soulmate will get in my way if it comes down to that. And I likewise expect nothing different from you."

He ended his answer with a pat to his chest, retracting his hand with a twisted smirk and another swipe of his pierced tongue over his lips to wet them. He didn't bother to step away, staring behind the mask to gauge the vampire's reaction for himself, wondering if he'd pushed too far. "I rather enjoy you already and can easily appreciate you as you are. I don't wish you ill, âme sœur. But that isn't to be mistaken as docility. If you give me a reason to, I will not hesitate to cut you down before you can do the same to me. If we can get past that, I think we would get along famously though."

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
ma moitié - my half
âme sœur - soulmate

 

[roxybirdie]

Crooked fingers — broken fingers not set properly and healed incorrectly; a distinct history of abuse — splayed across his chest, fingertips twitching. Demetri could taste the bloodlust radiating from his soulmate; his other-half's obsidian eyes burned with an insatiable hunger he knew all too well. He resisted the urge to lower his gaze, morbidly curious to see if Nate succumbed to his bloodiest desire. Vibrant sapphire remained fixated on fathomless black. Even when Nate clutched his frontside — the grip borderline vicious — Demetri remained unperturbed. Once his soulmate released his iron grip and schooled his expression, a fleeting chuckle rumbled in his throat. As the dark-haired man retracted his palm, the platinum blonde lowered his arms.

"Oh, ma moitié. I don't think you are a cage so there's nothing to free myself from, is there?"

A grin akin to a cat catching the canary adorned his face. His smile merely widened at the bold declaration. Had it been anyone else — any mortal with the audacity to challenge his prowess — Demetri would plaster an exuberant smile on his face and gleefully prove the mortal otherwise. He would commend the foolish mortal's boldness before breaking the mortal until there was nothing left. Once the whimpering flesh bag begged for sweet release, Demetri would rip apart everything (and everyone) the mortal held dear until pure insanity consumed them. Then and only then would Demetri grant them death. However, Nate wasn't an ordinary mortal. Despite his unspoken promise for a gruesome demise — the sapphire-eyed vampire knew the obsidian-eyed predator wouldn't hesitate for a second — he welcomed the unrepentant declaration with open arms. Why would he reject it if he had every intention to do the same?

But that isn't to be mistaken as docility. Demetri withheld a snort. His soulmate was anything, but docile. He had no use — nor would he accept — for a submissive equal. If you give me a reason to, I will not hesitate to cut you down before you can do the same to me. Demetri grinned viciously in response; teeth razor sharp. He accepted the unmistakable challenge. If we can get past that, I think we would get along famously though. While his demented grin remained on his face, his crystalline eyes were warm and genuine. "You're a diamond in the rough, mon trésor," he murmured. Within his mindscape, a single word reverberated throughout his skull; mine. "It seems we're on the same page, oui?" he chuckled. I accept was left unspoken. Without warning, a pained cry silenced the gossiping crowd. Tendrils of black sand coalesced into a single rope and dragged an unassuming man — a young mortal in his early thirties — toward the platinum blonde; it was the server with the poisoned champagne.

"Master of the City—" the man spat in lieu of greeting. Suddenly, sand slithered across the human's mouth, silencing his profanities.

"Tutt, tutt, petit chasseur. I would commend you for your apt deduction, but we both know it wasn't you who connected the dots," Demetri drawled silkily, eyes razor sharp; all traces of his genuine warmth extinguished. When the foolish man attempted to speak, the sand tightened its unforgiving grip, silencing his cries. "Did I give you permission to speak?" he purred, tone glacial. He raised his arms and suddenly, a hulking man accepted the tainted flutes. Ignoring his wolf, Demetri approached the tethered hunter. "I will commend your employer for the drinks. That poison is incredibly rare and significantly hard to procure." Despite its supposed colorless, odorless, and tasteless structure, nothing escaped his incantations.

"Mmm—!"

He clicked his tongue at the mortal's insubordination. Demetri snapped his fingers and without warning, the grand French doors opened. "Are the other vermin set in place, sister dearest?" he inquired.

Daphne materialized next to her brother like an ethereal specter. She pointedly ignored the hellish-masked mortal standing on the other side. "The maze is prepped, brother dearest," she confirmed. Her frigid tone and commanding nature was like an unforgiving queen striking down her enemies when they least expect it; a delicate balance between regal and merciless.

Demetri giddily clapped his hands. "Excellent!" Once the dark sand dispersed, his sister and her werejaguars seized control and transported the filthy mortal to the maze. He pivoted, facing his soulmate. As he offered his hand, his black and white harlequin veneer crumbled. Beneath the illusory construct, his once moonlight skin was absolutely ghostlike; a significantly greyish-white pallor akin to a living corpse. Its unnatural glow resembled a nightmarish phantom waiting to be unleashed. Pitch black cosmetics darkened the spectral visage, twisting the vengeful phantom into a demented circus performer. A familiar lullaby washed over the bloodthirsty predators. Demetri — no, Phobos — grinned wickedly. "Shall we hunt together, ma deuxième moitié?" he purred, a musical lilt overtaking his deep tenor.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

mon trésor — my treasure
petit chasseur — little hunter
ma deuxième moitié — my other-half
Google Translate Warning

 

[Eridian]

He watched this inhuman man's reactions carefully to his declarations, preparing fully to react if the vampire chose to take his words as offense instead of a simple matter of setting boundaries and making where they both stood crystal clear to them both. The ferocious grin he was given that showed razor fangs at his warning had him doubting this would end well just before he watched sapphire eyes warm at his statement of them both being companionable if they could move past the danger they both presented to the other. Even before that sultry, deep voice curled through his ears again, he knew that they had an accord and it was with a satisfied smirk that he listened to that exact sentiment be vocalized by his soulmate, delighting in hearing his amusement and finally letting himself relax more as he felt assured that at least for tonight, he didn't have to closely watch for a dagger in his back coming from his soulmate.

A slow, cat-like blink was the only marker of his slight surprise at the pained cry suddenly ringing in his ears, attention pulled from his soulmate to the unassuming human man a scant few years older than himself that his other half was currently dealing with. He filed the title Demetri had been to referred to as before said man's sand silenced the profanities immediately following it, listening and letting his gaze move back and forth between them as the human that had apparently attempted to poison them was dealt with. His eyes flickered to the enormous man that appeared at Demetri's beckon, accepting the poisoned glasses, and moved back to the vampire as he realized the wolf was clearly under control and held no immediate threat to him as he watched the scene unfold before him.

The mention of sister and watching the feminine counterpart to the man he'd been learning more about appearing on the other side of said man had him staring between them for a moment longer than he was admittedly proud to admit, realizing at the woman's frosty treatment that his soulmate wouldn't be the only one he'd need to impress. He had no siblings himself, but he knew without needing to ask that they both were a package deal and he'd need to earn this woman's approval at a minimum if he didn't want to have to eternally worry about having his throat slit in his sleep by his soulmate or his soulmate's sister. While he could play games and subtly threaten his soulmate in an eternal dance of power between them both - and oh, did he revel in the idea of never being bored with a counterpart like that - he already knew that the icy woman was utterly off-limits to even the faintest implication of a threat bar self-defense. And likely even then if he didn't want his soulmate's wrath baring down on him.

He was mentally shifting priorities and plans on getting his soulmate's approval when Demetri pivoted to face him again, offering him his hand. The gesture threw him for only a fraction of a second as he watched the mask crumble to reveal his handsome face that certainly wasn't what he'd seen last night - his pallor was corpse-grey and inky makeup outlined his lovely face to twist it into a horrific visage that clearly played up the image he'd already donned tonight. It was appealing and he could certainly appreciate the dramatic look paired with his fearsome reputation and smiled slowly, slightly demented but otherwise warm at the offer as he accepted the hand and curled his fingers through the other man's, aware he likely wouldn't have expected it.

He should have. If he thought that Nate - Azazel - would not openly advertise that he was close to this powerful man, he was wrong. "Of course," he drawled back softly, grinning devilishly back at his beautifully horrifying soulmate. "How many are we playing with tonight? Just that man? You mentioned others." And if that was the case, he had a rather devious thought running through his head on how to toy with the unfortunate victims Demetri had found. "I have encountered hunters that thought I wasn't human, you know. Shock for them. There's a rather fun little game I like to play with them that I rarely get the opportunity to otherwise. Want to see, liebling? I imagine you'll enjoy it."

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
liebling - darling (German)

 

[roxybirdie]

"How many are we playing with tonight? Just that man? You mentioned others."

A giggle escaped his lips. "Four petit chasseurs and two vampires traître," Demetri mused. The aforementioned vampires weren't part of his court, but sought asylum from their previous Master of the City. He knew it was only a matter of time when they revealed their true colors; it was a ploy to overthrow his authority. Demetri gained several allies during his supreme reign. However, he also attracted various enemies. As a warm hand — so fragile, Phobos cooed — draped over his outstretched palm, the platinum blonde tugged his soulmate closer. Suddenly, shadows pooled on the ground and writhed, swirling around the bonded pair. While vampires are capable of flight, he preferred traversing the inconspicuous shadows. Demetri tapped his foot on the polished floor and stepped back. Once he guided his other-half backward, the world grew black. Darkness enveloped the master vampire and mortal predator. For a moment, it felt as if a chilling void threatened to consume them. A split second later, Demetri and Nate materialized in front the north entrance of Persephone's prized hedge maze. Centered in the magnificent garden, the tall and massive labyrinth was designed to confound even the sharpest mind. The south entrance — the vermin's end goal — led to the dense forest surrounding Persephone. Powerful enchantments interwoven in the maze's foundation prevented immediate escape.

I have encountered hunters that thought I wasn't human, you know. Demetri merely grinned. The small factoid didn't surprise him. Shock for them. There's a rather fun little game I like to play with them that I rarely get the opportunity to otherwise. He cocked his head to the side. Want to see, liebling? I imagine you'll enjoy it. A chuckle rumbled in his throat. Demetri retracted his palm and flourished his wrist, gesturing toward the labyrinth. "The stage is yours, chéri. I'm rather fond of a dramatic performance," he chuckled. He raised his arm and tapped a clawed index finger against the dark-haired man's hellish veneer. "I do so love the theatre," he purred with a demented laugh. The sapphire-eyed vampire retracted his palm and directed his attention to the daunting labyrinth. All the sudden, as he inhaled deeply, his crystalline eyes illuminated a brilliant amethyst. His painted lips curved upward, stretching unnaturally into a parody of a Glasgow smile.

"Twinkle, twinkle, mikrá astéria," Phobos crooned. A distinct Greek timbre shattered his smooth New Orleans drawl. "Fly away, fly away," he hummed. Phobos pivoted and skipped backward, entering the maze. Luminescent eyes — the color of the deepest violet — locked onto fathomless black. "Let fear guide your way," he giggled. He lifted his hand and curled his finger, beckoning his soulmate to join him. Phobos bowed, folded his arms as if he were a corpse, and fell backward. Suddenly, darkness engulfed the deranged vampire, resembling a writhing coffin. Once he vanished, a musical whisper reverberated throughout the entrance. "Time to play, Azazel," the master vampire murmured wickedly. His signature cackle resonated in the air. Come find me was left unspoken.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

vampires traître — traitorous vampires (French)
chéri — darling (French)
mikrá astéria — little stars (Greek)
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[Eridian]

The tug didn't at all worry him as he was pulled closer to his soulmate, daring to keep his gaze as he was answered and as shadows pooled and writhed around them both. He had already seen a taste of the vampire's power so it didn't startle him as he was whisked away, letting himself be guided and momentarily allowing the other man to lead. It took a split second for him to shake off the icy tendrils that had tried to curl around his heart at the void they'd nearly been consumed by after the pair reappeared on the far side of the hedge maze he'd peeked out upon earlier. He hadn't intended on spending any time in there but it suddenly made perfect sense why the hedges were so perfectly manicured for tonight.

He nearly mourned the vampire pulling away from him but he didn't dare let it show on his face as his gaze moved to the labyrinth gestured, the stage that he was being offered up so casually. The deadly clawed finger that tapped against his demonic visage didn't at all surprise him - he was starting to become quite accustomed to his soulmate's flair for the dramatic - and his next words were hardly a surprise as he offered back a slow smirk at the declared love of the theatre and the laugh that accompanied it. As his other half pulled away and directed his attention to the leafy maze, Nate reached up to pull his mask off and delicately set it down on a stone wall decorating the outer limits of his stage for him to retrieve afterward. A hand ran through his dark curls, purposefully mussing it before he slid off his jacket and draped it over the same wall as he loosened his collar and sleeves, rather purposefully distressing his own appearance.

His partner's crooning voice that had dropped from smooth French to distinct Greek that he certainly couldn't understand brought his gaze back to the vampire and he was glad it did as he was rewarded with an unnatural smile that held this illusion of splitting his cheeks and amethyst eyes that nearly glowed as they locked onto him. His own lips twitched at the giggle and crooking finger beckoning to him before his companion's flair for the dramatic reappeared as that same darkness that transported them moments before engulfed him as he mocked becoming a corpse and fell into his coffin of swirling blackness and vanished.

"I'm beginning to realize that you see the world as your stage, mon rêve," he murmurs softly as he shakes his head and closes his eyes. Gathering himself to play the part he's chosen, his entire expression shifts when inky eyes open and he steps into the depths of the maze. He held no doubts that it was enchanted to be difficult to navigate for even the brightest minds so he took no offense when he quickly found himself a bit disoriented. It suited his purposes at least and when he opens his mouth to call out for help, the shake in his voice is a perfect imitation of terror as he listens intently for even the barest of moments for anyone nearby.

It's because of his awareness, of having taught himself to anticipate others, that he just so happens to round a corner and find two of the hunters he'd been warned of trying their own hand at escaping. "Oh, thank God, you've got to help me," he found himself babbling, voice verging on hysteria as he stumbled closer to them, watching them tense before slowly relax at the realization that he was human. "I don't understand, I was just supposed to be catering to this party! But I walked in on them setting up out here a-and there was blood everywhere. I-I thought it had to be a joke but then there was the body at their feet and I just ran- Please, you have to help me, we have to get out of here, they're killing people-"

He silenced at the warm, calloused hand that could only belong to a mortal clamping down on his shoulder and he let his bottom lip tremble as he looked into brown eyes that were just a few inches taller than him. "Calm down, we know. We're getting out of here as well." He let the tension shakily fall out of his shoulders as a hand pressed between them and guided him between the two men and let his own feet follow the man in front of him. He used the moment when eyes weren't directly on him to look over the second man, finding weapons and weaknesses in a matter of seconds. The smooth turn on his heel threw the man off guard and he didn't have time to react as Nathanael smoothly pulled a blade out from his sleeve and embedded it in the man's throat, a hand on his mouth to keep the gurgling quiet as blood seeped through his fingers and down the blade and dripping off his elbow.

"Oops." The smile that curled his lips was entirely feral but didn't touch his void eyes empty of any sort of humanity as they turned to the dead man's partner as he slumped to the ground to bleed out on the dirt. The remaining hunter was caught off guard from a moment, clearly looking for proof that he wasn't really human and momentarily baffled by it before he drew his own weapon, leveling the gun at the serial killer. "Tsk. You know, the problem with you all is that you think that humans aren't as dangerous as the beings you hunt. You never see it coming."

He doesn't give the man a chance to retort, shifting his body out of the path of the barrel as he drapes an arm over the top of the hand holding the gun, a maniacal grin on his lips as his empty hand slams upward in his elbow. The satisfying crack and yelp of pain signify that the elbow shattered beautifully for him and the gun falls from his prey's numb fingers as he helplessly backs away. The mixture of fear and terror was exquisite and he held no doubt at all that his soulmate was keeping an eye on him and enjoying the show. "I haven't killed in a few months now out of respect for this not being my territory, you know. My soulmate is spoiling me with such a nice gift," he adds on, stalking forward slowly and raises a sanguine-stained finger to his lips as if he were sharing a secret while the hunter scrambles backward while clutching his useless arm to his chest.

"Come, now," he purrs, closing the knife he'd killed the man's partner with and making his intentions clear before tossing him the weapon. It was easily caught, confusion flickering through the clear pain he was in, and a manic grin stretched his lips in reply. "I'll give you a fighting chance. Fight for your life, hunter. You can kill monsters, can't you? A human should be easy, shouldn't it?" With the bait thrown, he waited just a moment for him to grasp it and let the anger and grief hit. He could TASTE it the moment the man's expression shifted and his pain was outweighed by fury and sorrow and was fully prepared for having the man's full weight launched at him, hate burning in his eyes as he clearly intended to do just what he'd been commanded to - he'd fight for his life.

Not that it would matter. Nate had spent much time and energy stalking and watching how these men worked, how they were trained to dispose of the beasts they hunted, the tactics they employed to ensure their survival. So he was fully aware of the second blade hidden in his other hand as the one he'd tossed to the hunter glinted towards him - it wouldn't be the weapon to end his life if he hadn't been aware and it took little more than a swift kick to the hand at his thigh to drive the hidden razor into the tender flesh there. It pulled a gasp from the man that immediately went silent as crooked fingers wrapped around the blade he'd given the man to defend himself, forgotten for the split second that pain had distracted him, and drove it upwards into the soft flesh under his jaw. It wasn't immediately fatal, but he highly doubted the hunter would be getting the medical attention necessary to save his life as he pulled the blade out and let the man crumple at his feet, choking on blood and gasping for breath.

"I know you're still watching, Mon cœur," he murmurs lowly, licking his lips as he wipes his blade on his slacks, ignoring the blood drying in his sleeves that stained the fabric crimson. "There are four remaining. I didn't want to take all the fun from you."

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Mon cœur - my heart
Mon rêve - my dream