Endosymbiosis

30. Subcutaneous

Part 4
Microbiome

Third circle of the Empire
Venerna

When I heard Doxy's voice calling me, my eyes opened to the sunlight. I blinked at her silhouette, dressed in a fabric as pure and white as the clothes of an angel... But when she leaned towards me and I saw the blood in her eyes, I realized that if she were an angel, she had long since fallen from the heavens and rose from the flames below to recruit me for death.

"Change of plans." She purred. "I will help the revolution."

I nearly fell out of the bed I'd spent that night and pulled the covers up to cover my half-naked body.

"I thought you didn't like wars..."

"They gave me enough reasons to accept this one."

I could almost see the cracks in her soul behind that determined facade. And try as I might, I couldn't escape the coincidence between that change and the discovery she made the day before about her mother's death. I kept silent until I got up the courage to ask:

"Is this because of... Your mother?"

"Perhaps." Doxy muttered from the depths of her open wounds. "And maybe because the disease is a tool. To convert the Aulic's soldiers to the rebellion... And to fight those who killed my mother." That explained how the rebels started to grow so much since they joined the pacifists. "So I no longer have a reason to cure the Empire."

But that wasn't how she was supposed to join the cause that had bought me.

"Are you sure this is what you want? The revolution is dangerous..."

She sent me a look as sharp as a razor blade.

"I am too." Doxy purred and I couldn't contain my laughter. "Don't you think I'm dangerous too?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but then her steps toward me tore the words out of my throat. I watched her hover over me and push me against the bed, her fingers trapping my hands against the mattress and her body climbing over mine, because she wasn't going to let me steal the vestige of power she still had after the universe had taken over all the rest.

"You have no idea what I could do to you..." She purred, the covers on the way not letting her touch me, and I didn't know if I should be scared or wanting her threats.

"Don't let me die of curiosity..."

The smile she opened was capable of devouring me.

"This is part of the torture."

"Doxy..." I sighed, trying to be rational when her actions clouded my mind. I knew this wasn't about me, as much as I wanted to. "You could be the most dangerous person in the world, but still joining the revolution would not be a good idea..."

"Isn't that what you wanted? For us to fight for a more 'solid' cause?!"

I could feel her pain in every word, filled with an anger that she needed to let out to not destroy what remained inside. Before Doxy could say anything more, I threw my weight on her and pinned her to the covers. Doxy started to pull away, but when she saw what was in my eyes, she let herself get lost in what I was trying to silently say. She saw that I didn't want to crush her power like everyone else that had come before. I let my fingers touch her face gently and she closed her eyes slowly, as if such a gentle touch hurt just from taking so long to have; as if velvet shocked her for not being thorn.

"I was involved with them before." I whispered and she opened her eyes. "But you don't have to do the same... You're hurt, Doxy... And you think these decisions will fix everything, but hate has never brought anything but pain..."