Dark Requiem [malexmale]

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

I couldn't speak. I couldn't move. I couldn't use my magic.

I wasn't sure if it was something this female was doing, or if I was too stunned by her appearance to do anything. And the fact that no one in the meeting room beside us, all the creatures within with their wide variety of powers, could sense her out here. In fact, I hadn't even sensed anything about her until she'd looked up at me. Now I couldn't react to her presence.

She was positively stunning. I'd never seen a female so beautiful. But there was something in her beauty, something horribly wicked and vile. It was as if she was putting off fumes... thick and sweet and delicious. The scent sent chills over my skin, goosebumps prickling their way up to the back of my neck, across my arms. Her skin was completely flawless, no scars, no creases, nothing. Smooth soft porcelain. Her hair was jet black, glossy and healthy, and her soulless black eyes... no, not soulless. Just so black they seemed to absorb everything around them. Framed by long black lashes. Lips painted a blood red that matched her dress. Her voice was husky and sensual, an accent I couldn't quite place.

"I know," she said, touching her collarbone, revealing long black fingernails, "Shit, you're stunned, aren't you? Yeah, I have that effect on people. Maybe I should've stayed in the skin of that old lady... But it was getting sort of itchy. I think humans wash themselves with starch or something, and a polyester uniform? Hell no. Even I'm not that cruel to my babies." I stared at her, speechless. I tried to jump start my magic, something, anything, but I couldn't move.

She smiled slowly, as if she understood. She walked toward me, and as she did, the coldness in my chest grew and spread through my limbs. I parted my lips, trying to make a sound of pain, but no sound came out. I blinked rapidly, coping with the severe cold.

Fuck, it burned! It stung! It was so cold, it felt hot!

I had no idea how I stayed breathing, how I couldn't scream. I could feel the destruction inside me rearing its ugly head, but even it couldn't escape.

"Wow," she murmured, coming to a stop in front of me and scanning me from head to toe. She lifted her hands and placed them on my skin and I wanted to scream. The direct contact of icy coldness was unbearable. Finally a tear managed to slide down my face from the pain of it all.

"Oh no," she whispered, reaching up to brush her finger across my cheek, catching the tear and touching it to her lip. She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them to look at me.

"I'm sorry," she said softly, brushing her thumb across my cheek, and the contact only fueled the agony to the point where I had no idea how I could be standing, "I come on a little strong sometimes. I didn't mean to hurt you, definitely not you. You're too... shit, I can't even find words. I ever tell you I have a fetish for pectorals? Like these." She reached up and cupped my chest in her hands, squeezing and I finally managed to hiss. She smiled, then looked up into my face, studying it with those empty black eyes of hers.

"Wow, that was totally inappropriate of me, wasn't it? I do apologize. This is not how I wanted us to meet. Let me try again," she stepped back and I gasped in relief at the lack of contact, only for her to hold her hand out, cocking her head, "Hi, big boy, I am Viviana. And you must be Xiphrus." I blinked at her, not taking her hand. Her eyes flickered and she reached out, snatching my hand and I gasped. This time, I sank down to my knees as the cold flooded up my arm, freezing my veins solid until I was trapped in my own body, on my knees, staring up at her as she looked down at me, her smile delicate.

"It's truly an honor, sweetheart. It's like meeting my idol, you know? I'd love to stick around and chat. Or do more. But I only do things consensually. I actually came to see if my stupid little boy was around here," she paused, releasing me and stepping back to put her hand on her hip, "Have you seen him, actually? He's about, eh, yea high? Short black hair. Black eyes-- Oh wait, they all look like that. Shit. Uhm." She actually had to stop and consider her words.