Vanitas x Female! Reader ☆ Pure Shores ☆

17. Pulled Beneath the Waves

T.W : Gore, blood and Violence

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The grip around her neck tightened, her throat alight with pain, darkness seeping into the corners of her vision. 
It wouldn’t be long before she lost consciousness. 
With the blood thrumming in her temples and the strength quickly seeping from her limbs, she clawed at the hands that held her, kicking out desperately, hoping her foot found its mark.
The hold loosened, and she pulled away as hard as she could, rearing up like a cornered animal. A smaller, firm tug pulled harshly at her neck, before it relented, as (Y/N) crashed to the ground, coughing desperately, gulping in deep, rattling breaths. 
Her necklace...
It was stupid, she knew, to care about such a thing in that moment, but as long as she had it then Vanitas would-
Her hands scrabbled blindly at the ground before her, until finally, she found the strand of twine, pulling it towards her with weakened fingers….
(Y/N) yelled out in pain, a heavy foot crushing her palm to the polished wood of the floor. 
“What is…this?” a cool voice asked lightly. 
Her voice was weak and burning, pain radiating down her pinned arm in waves, but she bolstered herself on the elbow of her free arm, lifting her torso. 
“That’s…mine! Give it back!”
Saix narrowed his eyes, stooping to dangle the ruined twine before (Y/N)'s nose, the tiny vial swinging from one end. 
His voice was level as he spoke, almost nonchalant. 
“How quaint…let me guess…” his foot twisted, another cry sounding below him, the bones crunching. “Vanitas gave you this?” 
If he was expecting an answer, he would not get one. Only a faint keening sound could be heard, as (Y/N) forced her stomach to stop rolling, to breathe through the agony. 
Saix tutted, dropping the necklace by
(Y/N)’s face, removing his foot from her hand. 
Predictably, she dived for it, her shaking fingers grasping at it desperately. 
A hand clutched at the front of her dress, pulling her upright with immense force, before slamming her back against the counter, knocking the air from her lungs. 
Saix took a few neat steps backwards, his expression glassy and unfeeling. 
“Did he swear to protect you, by the light of the Lunarrii?” he asked, his foot slowly bearing down on the tiny vial. “Well?”
(Y/N) tried to sit forward, her muscles blazing in protest. “Yes! Yes, he did…so please – don’t!”
There was a soft crunch as Saix bore his weight down.  
(Y/N) froze, the hand that reached forward imploringly wavered, her eyes wide. 
“No…”
Saix stepped away, allowing her the precious seconds to scrabble forward, trying her best to salvage what remained of her ruined pendant. 
Her fingers touched the shattered vial, came away wet at the slowly spreading water. 
She looked up, her eyes blazing. “Why are you doing this? Just leave!”
Saix sighed, eyes closing for a brief moment. 
“If it wasn’t for you, Vanitas would be dead by now. Your interference was an unexpected flaw in our plans.”
In a sweeping motion, Saix dropped his hand into the shards, before slapping (Y/N) across the face – hard. 
The force carried her backwards, her face stinging, acidic and sharp. 
(Y/N) could do nothing but sit, waiting for the air to return to her lungs and for her vision to stop rolling. 
She reached up gingerly, feeling warmth run down her cheeks.
She could feel tiny shards of glass embedded in the skin, her fingertips were claret as she pulled them away, wet with blood.  
(Y/N) struggled to her feet, her legs unsteady, her body thrumming with fear and adrenaline. 
“Where are the others?” she demanded, holding her aching hand. "...If you've hurt them..."
“They're waiting at the shore. The envoy was to arrive at sundown, but of course, Vanitas couldn’t stand being around you any longer.”
“Shut up!” 
“You and your treachery…”
“Stop it! None of this is my fault!” 
In a lightning fast move, Saix was clutching her face in an unforgiving, vice-like grip. 
(Y/N) cried out weakly as his fingers dug into the fresh wounds on her face, her teeth cutting into the inside of her cheek from the pressure, her jaw a dull aching. 
"You overestimate your place in Vanitas’s life with this fake relationship, to the Levaithai…to the people of this town.” He dropped her abruptly, turning away from her. 
(Y/N) held onto the counter for support, forcing herself to push his words from her mind, to pretend like every fibre of her being didn’t agree with him. 
She swallowed, the taste of iron fresh in her mouth. 
“Why come back? Just leave already.”
Saix turned to her. “Getting rid of you is an unexpected divergence, but one I will happily oblige. 
He stalked towards her slowly, without rush or urgency. 
(Y/N) backed away, adrenaline making her clumsy and hurried. Her feet tangled in her skirts as she moved behind the counter, putting distance between herself and Saix. 
It was no use, for he was closing in, his eyes steely, his demeanour detached and cold. 
 His hand reached out once more, grasping the front of her gown, dragging her roughly to stand before him. With a swift crack of his elbow, he landed a heavy blow onto her shoulder.
With a groan, (Y/N) felt her body sag helplessly, momentarily shell shocked with the pain. 
Her head lolled as she fixed her swimming gaze on the Leviathai.
A glint in his hand, raising above his head, higher and higher.
Then, a voice. 
It called her name.