Sharp Teeth - Sleep Token/Vessel FF

Chapter VIII

I asked the bartender to make me a strong Gin and Tonic to help me with the adrenaline rush. I never drink when I'm working but today was begging for it. I practically chugged it, hoping it would work.

The concert started half an hour later and I was feeling a bit dizzy, but nothing that would stop me from doing my work. There were some new stage accessories like a new mic stand that I wasn't aware of, so I tried to incorporate those in my photographs. I noticed the fandom loved it when the band posted new things on their Instagram accounts. Everyone had an Instagram account except for Vessel. Either he is a boomer pretending to be a young man, or he is just avoiding social media in general. I can't blame him, honestly.

By now, I was used to the setlist and the whole performance. IV and III kissing on stage, Vessel kissing IV and then kissing III, Espera vibing all the time, and poor II left forgotten in the background. That's when I noticed something different when Alkaline started to play. Instead of doing that silly walk he always did, he walked to the side of the stage where he could see me standing in the area below along with security.

"Let's talk about chemistry
Cause I'm dying to melt through
To the heart of her molecules
Til the particles part like holy water
If anything, she's an undiscovered element
Either born in hell or heaven-sent
But either way, I'm into it"

He sang this part while looking deep into my eyes, using his hands to point at me. A female fan who stood right behind me thought he was pointing at her, and started recording him with her cellphone while she screamed "OH MY GOD HE'S SINGING IT TO ME!!". 

I felt a bit jealous about the idea of him singing this chorus to another lady, but I let her live her fantasy as I KNEW he was not singing it to her. When the song finished, he turned his head down and mouthed "I want you, Ava", giving me serious chills all across my body.

The whole concert was a blast as always and I did great tonight despite the whole Jace thing. I forgot about that for a whole hour, this was how powerful the Sleep Token concert was. But as I returned to the staff room, the fear of meeting Jace hit me, making me anxious. The band manager, Joseph, was talking to the rest of the staff.

"Oh hey Ava, please join us. I have some sad news to share. Jace suffered an accident and won't be joining us for the rest of the tour. He's being taken care of but his legs are severely broken. Hit by a bus, the poor guy. I'll let you know who'll be Jace's replacement, we should have someone covering for him at the next concert." He stormed out of the room, leaving no space for questions. Everyone seemed to feel sorry for Jace except for me. I knew what happened to him and I was curious to know how Vessel convinced Joseph that Jace was "hit by a bus".

I arrived at the hotel and went straight to my room, hoping Vessel would join me soon. I threw my working clothes on the floor and took a shower, wishing the water would wash away all the anxiety and fear Jace put over me. I wrapped the towel around my body and got out of the bathroom. "Vessel, why are you taking so long?" I whispered to myself while grabbing my hairbrush.

"It was you who was taking the longest shower of the century, Ava." Vessel was sitting on my bed, looking at me. My heart almost jumped out of my chest.

"How did you get in here? The door was locked! I'm naked!" I said, making sure the towel was not going to suddenly fall, embarrassing me."

"You have a towel wrapped around you so you're not naked, technically. And I told you, I can be here whenever you need me."

"Why are you still with the mask, cape, black paint? You don't have to be in character with me, you know..."

"Oh but this is not a character, Ava. This is how I must look to the rest of the world. A while ago, I made a deal with an ancient God and now I have to live like this until my debt is paid. Does it bother you? The way I look?" He leaned back on the bed, using one arm to support his weight while the other hand ran around his neck down to his chest.

"It would be nice to see your whole face for once. Can you at least remove the cape?"

"Yes, that I can remove. Would you like me to do that now?" He jumped out of the bed, smiling at me.

"Hmmm... Yes." I answered, nervously. Damn, he was beautiful even if I couldn't see everything.

He removed the hood first, and I could finally see his hair: it was black, short, messy, and slightly curled. He kept undressing the cape, seeming a bit nervous.

"Are you ashamed of stripping in front of a woman?" I teased him.

"Not ashamed. Afraid. For you." He laughed, removing the rest of the cape.

His body seemed like a God sculpted it. He had a lean yet muscular body, his chest finely sculpted with defined muscles, matching his toned arms perfectly. The six-pack was the cherry on top for me. I felt like a Victorian man seeing a woman's ankle for the first time. I could also see his red eyes through the mask as he got near me. Every single cell of my body ached for that man.

"Your turn, Ava. What secrets do you hide behind this little towel?" He touched my shoulders and I noticed his hands were very cold. I felt my nipples getting hard and hoped he wasn't able to see that.

"Not until you answer my questions." I fought bravely against the will of just giving myself to him. Saying no to Vessel almost killed me, but I needed to know where I was stepping in first. "Why was Jace aggressive like that?"

"Jace was not himself today. He's been going through some... Changes, let's say it like that. And seeing you with me last night awakened his primal instincts. He wanted to be your boyfriend, Ava, but I won't let him do that. As I said, you will be mine." He said, walking until he was behind me. I felt his breath going down my neck as he suddenly kissed it. If my nipples weren't hard before, they for sure were now. My neck was my soft spot and he noticed.

"Vessel, I..." He put his index finger over my mouth, silencing me as he pressed his body against mine.

"Accept your fate, Ava. Give me all that you can give." He whispered in my ear.

His hands were not cold anymore and I felt the heat of his body. I couldn't control myself anymore.

"I can't fight you anymore. I want you, Vessel. Even if I don't know who you are. All I know is that I want you." I turned my face to his and kissed him. His kiss was gentle yet furious, and I could feel he wanted me just like I wanted him. Our tongues danced together as he lifted me, one hand on my back and the other on my left thigh, and I wrapped my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck. Our bodies matched perfectly, like puzzle pieces made for each other.

"You don't know how long I have waited for you." He said, laying my body on the bed and unwrapping the towel.