Bloodlust Ch. 04

Hello again, readers. I'll be trying to update weekly from now on. I have lots planned for Eve's story, but things tend to take turns that even I'm not expecting. Enjoy!

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It had only been two weeks since the incident at the Mad Hatter, but Eve knew her relationship with Luke wouldn't be the same again.

Their friendship had taken a hit. She almost wanted to laugh - no matter how she put it, it felt like an understatement. How could they possibly come back the same from a threesome with the vampire they were supposed to kill?

The Academy board seemed to agree with her line of thinking. Their instructions to kill Ari had been more than clear and they had come back with nothing to show but bruises and bitemarks. Pending a full investigation, she and Luke were interviewed separately by the board and temporarily placed both of them on probation.

She didn't blame the professors. She understood their fears. They couldn't just let this kind of failure slide. There were only two options for a vampire hunter: carry out the task to completion or die trying. Coming back empty handed suggested either a bloodsucker sympathizer or a coward.

She had only spoken to Luke once, right before the interviews. The story was simple: they had taken out at least five of his coven, but the higher vampire had proved too powerful for their skills. They agreed that the board didn't need to know the intimate details.

She had seen him a few times since they spoke but he had ignored her. As much as she tried to be cordial, she felt a growing resentment towards her partner. There were dark circles under his eyes and she wondered if Ari had been in his head too.

The first few days she'd been back, she had been constantly anxious and on alert. At any moment, she was convinced Ari or his vampires would come looking for her.

It was only by the second week that she had finally started to relax. Most of her peers had welcomed her back with open arms, more curious than suspicious. Nevertheless, it was surreal to be back in her room, surrounded by the other hunters she'd grown up with. She spent a lot of time training - the heat and sweat felt comforting and worked off her nervous energy.

She had upgraded her kit of weapons to include six knives hidden about her body. One had certainly not been enough at the Mad Hatter.

She threw them, one after the other with less than a second between each shot, dead into the bullseye. No one else was training this late at night but she did a small wiggle of excitement even though she couldn't show off.

"You're skilled," said a voice behind her.

For a moment, she thought it was Ari. God damn it, all her knives were in the target. But as she turned, she relaxed.

"Professor," she said, dipping into a customary half bow with her eyes on the ground.

Professor Ramsey gave a tight-lipped smile of acknowledgement. Her gray hair was pulled back so tight that her features were wooden and unresponsive.

"The board requested my consult in your case," she said, "It is their belief that your assignment forced you up against an enemy far too advanced for your skill level. However, you should know that they will only forgo punishment if you right your own wrongs. You know the old ways, Eve. Soon enough, you and your partner will have to face Ari again."

Eve's shoulders slumped. She had suspected a similar ruling. The Academy did not easily forgive. They subscribed to an antiquated set of rules.

"But riddle me this, Eve," Ramsey continued, "You *are* capable. I've watched you fight. You were one of my most talented students, certainly the most driven. Luke has always had his head in the clouds but regardless, you two work well together. Are you going to tell me what really happened?"

"I didn't lie about what happened. He was too strong," Eve insisted.

Another thin smile. "You told them very little indeed. No, I don't think you lied. I suspect you withheld some information. Something that paints you in a bad light, perhaps? Whatever it is, I need to know. You understand, surely, that this will decide your future as a hunter."

"If you think I'm sympathetic, I can assure you I'm not."

"You're not listening to me, Eve. I can protect you. I can help you. But I need to know exactly what happened."

"He can read minds," Eve blurted out. She immediately tried to backtrack but Ramsey held up a hand. Continue, said her expression.

"Well, not read exactly. Suggest. Control. He got into our heads and there was nothing we could do. If he'd wanted me dead, he could easily have stabbed me with my own hand."

Ramsey let out a long breath, eyes reticent and thoughtful. "Interesting," was all she said.

She sat down on the bench against the wall. Eve immediately dropped down to a seated kneel in front of her, as was respectful. Neither of them spoke for several minutes. Eve was used to long silences from the professors.

"That gift is exceedingly rare," said Ramsey finally, "We've long believed that true Persuasion died out in the war. Many vampires have a shadow of it; just enough awareness to sense your attack before it happens, just enough suggestion to get you alone. To the extent that you're describing... that would be very grave."

"Is there anything we can do?" Eve wanted to ask, but instead she waited for Ramsey to finish her thoughts.

"There is one thing," said Ramsey. When Eve stared at her in confusion, she smiled and explained, "The gift is not reserved only for vampires. I too have some Awareness in me, but only enough to hear the words on the tip of your tongue. But yes, there is a way. In a fair fight, I believe your abilities would match his. You will need strong wards around your mind."

Eve couldn't believe what she was hearing. Had she known wards were an option, she would already have them.

"I want them," Eve urged her.

"They are very painful, and costly. Old magic." Ramsey stood suddenly, and Eve tipped to the side in surprise before standing as well.

"I don't care. I need any advantage I can get."

Ramsey regarded her carefully, "There are few who can tap into such energy, the source of magic that all dark things possess. It is a dangerous game. I know only one such person, and as chance would have it he owes me a favor. Can you think of what kind of person that might be, Eve?"

Always the teacher, Eve thought. She was annoyed at Ramsey's vagueness when the issue felt so urgent. But as she considered it, she realized it wasn't a riddle at all. The only people capable of harnessing dark magics, and who would even think to use it for good, were warlocks.

"There you go," said Ramsey with an almost-smile, "I can contact him within a few days. Will you be able to wait that long?"

"I- I think so," Eve stuttered. Everything was moving so fast. "Ari hasn't reached me here. I don't know if he can, or if he's even tried. I mean, the protective enchantments on the Academy... they must be strong, right?"

"They are not as strong against attacks of the mind as they are of the body. Stay vigilant."

Eve didn't know how to feel about that.

Ramsey touched her shoulder gently. "Try to get some sleep, Eve. The next few days may be difficult for you."

With that ominous warning, they parted ways and Eve made for her room.

It was late enough that most of the lights had already been turned out. She paused at Luke's door for a moment longer than necessary, contemplating knocking. Would he even be awake? And if he was, would he want to see her? She paced a couple of times before giving up and proceeding back to her own room.

Finally alone, she sat on the edge of her bed and didn't move for several minutes. She ran her hands down her face and let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. Things were spiraling out of control fast.

She needed Ari dead. Then this could all be over.

Thinking ever so briefly about him brought up a surge of unwelcome emotions.

She wanted him dead, only...

There was something intoxicating about him.

She could feel his hands pinning her down, touching every part of her body as though it belonged to him, nails scraping her tender flesh. She remembered how it felt to be bitten, a sensation she thought she would never have to experience.

The tingling sensation as the blood in her veins spilled away, as he tasted her - it hadn't felt the way she'd always imagined. It had only hurt for a short time, quickly overtaken by something indescribable. For a moment, she'd wanted him to drain away all of her. That thought scared her now.

Goosebumps sprung up all along her arms. She could feel her body responding eagerly to the thoughts and for once, she decided not to push them away.

She let herself imagine what it would be like for him to have her completely, his cock seated fully inside of her and his fangs sinking into the delicate skin of her neck. Her lips felt dry and she thought in a funny way, how they could be dry now when only two weeks ago she'd been a slobbering mess on Ari's cock.

She wiggled out of her shorts until she was just in panties and a baggy hoodie, slowly sliding back into the pillows. Surreptitiously, she looked around to make sure the door was closed.

Eve reached down to touch herself, fingers immediately finding her clit and gently rubbing circles. She was already soaking wet. It took a moment to find the spot that made her legs go weak, but when she did she sunk easily into the feeling.

Her eyes closed and she bit her lip, the tiniest moan making its way out of her mouth.

**Good girl.**

She sat bolt upright.

Had she imagined that? Was she really so far gone?

"Are you there?" she whispered. Nothing.

Cautiously, she smoothed her hand down her belly and back into her little black panties. She pressed a finger into her pussy and slowly worked it in and out, her muscles bearing down at the feeling. She couldn't help the small sound of pleasure that escaped her.

**Keep going. Fuck yourself for me.**

This time she sprang out of the bed in surprise. No. No way. It couldn't be. She needed some air.

Quickly, she threw her shorts back on and hopped out of the bed. Her heart was thumping.

She made her way into the hallway and paused when she reached the upper landing. She took the stairs one at a time, careful not to wake anyone else as she crept downstairs. She knew every creak and rustle by heart.

Finally she reached the kitchen where she drew herself a glass of cold water. Her thoughts were running a million miles an hour, her head spinning as she paced silent circles in the dark.

She froze when she heard the gentle padding of footsteps towards her. Everything had her on edge.

Thankfully, her vision had acclimated to the dark somewhat and she could just make out his face.

"Luke," she said with a sigh of relief, "Can't sleep either?"

He didn't respond, slowly walking around the counter towards her. His messy brown hair looked like he'd just woken up. She turned on the stove light and as she watched him she wondered idly if he might be sleepwalking.

"Luke?" she tried again.

He closed the distance between them disarmingly fast and she shrieked. His chest was flush against hers as she backed into the counter. "What the fuck?!" she exclaimed, pushing him away.

His arm caught hers in midair and she instinctively twisted in his grip until she was behind him. She kicked the backs of his knees and when he stumbled, she had a grip around his neck before he knew what was happening. She had always been a better fighter than him.

A sudden burst of electricity shocked at her fingertips and she let go, stumbling back in surprise. Using magic on peers was strictly forbidden. She hadn't expected it from any of her fellow hunters, much less from Luke.

The fury in his expression stopped her dead in her tracks.

He crossed over to her in a second and lifted her off the ground. In a motion, he had her flat on her stomach on the counter. He pulled her hoodie over her head and she gasped as her exposed chest pressed against the cold marble countertop. He held her wrists immobile in one hand.

She couldn't believe he was doing this where anyone could walk in. Anyone could see.

He tried to pull her shorts down but she wiggled away from him. She felt a slap on her ass. Hard. Stunned, she turned to look at him and suddenly it all made sense. The eyes looking back at her were dark, malicious. That wasn't a look she had ever seen on Luke's face.

"You're not Luke," she said. His sadistic smile confirmed what she already knew: Ari.

A sense of desperation clawed up her throat. "Help me! Someone help!" she screamed, hoping someone was awake. No one came.

**They can't hear you.** Ari said, his voice reverberating in her head.

He gave up on removing her shorts and simply pulled them aside with her panties and lined his cock up at her entrance. She wriggled away from him, trying to get onto the counter. He pulled her back down with a huff of frustration.

**Ass up. Arch your back.**

She struggled against his hold fruitlessly. It was like fighting against a statue. After a moment, she obeyed in resignation, realizing wouldn't have any say in the matter. It would be over sooner like this.

What Eve lacked in strength, she made up for in her speed and agility. But here, crushed by the weight of his body, it was only strength that mattered and he would always be stronger.

She held still for him as he used his knee to spread her legs apart. He unceremoniously shoved his cock into her, forcing apart the folds of tight muscle. She grunted in pain and tried to relax her body.

Her mind struggled to put the pieces together. He looked like Luke, smelled like Luke - that warm, woodsy smell that usually comforted her. He wasn't gentle with her. His thrusts were hard, fast, and clearly intended to hurt. He rammed in and out of her like he wanted to break her in half.

She realized he wasn't just getting himself off - he was angry. This was punishment.

He knotted a hand in her hair and forced her head to angle back uncomfortably. His other hand squeezed her breast painfully tight. The wet sloppy sounds of his cock driving into her sounded vulgar in the echoing kitchen.

She'd never been fucked anything but gently before Ari. She felt hurt, demeaned. But also something else. The act of submitting to him awakened something deep inside her that she refused to face.

"Why are you doing this?" she managed to ask.

"Do you like him? Luke?" Ari asked her instead of responding, the words sounding unfamiliar in the low tone of Luke's voice, "I'm tapping into the darkest parts of him, you know. He wants to do this to you. He's dreamed of it."

"That's not- no, that's not true," she panted.

He stopped moving and she waited to see what he would do.

He released her hair and her dark locks spilled onto the countertop around her.

Instead, he took hold of her wrists and forced them behind her back.

He used her wrists as leverage to pull her back, impaling her. Her ass was flush against his hips. She could feel the heat pouring off his skin. He began thrusting again, bouncing her back and forth on his cock. His balls slapped against her with each thrust.

She didn't fight. There was no point. She began to relax her muscles to allow him to slide in and out without resistance. He took it as encouragement to go harder, deeper. As much as she tried not to, she tensed every time he pumped into her.

"Please," she begged, "Please stop. Is there anything I can do to make you stop?"

"You can let me use your holes until I cum."

With that, he pulled out of her pussy and aimed his cock higher, pressing against her puckered asshole. Her entire body went rigid.

"No, no no no," she said.

She heaved against him with all her might and it was only enough to shift him slightly.

She knew what she had to do. Closing her eyes, she summoned every ounce of magic in her system and released it all at once. Her vision went blurry and her eyes rolled back in her head. A thick bolt of white light shot out of her restrained hands and he leapt back, releasing her.

It took a moment for her vision to return. She saw him getting to his feet across from her. He spat blood on the tile floor and wiped his mouth. His expression was murderous. She mentally counted the steps to the kitchen knife rack, but his eyes followed hers and they both lunged at the same time.

She grappled for the single remaining knife in the rack but he knocked her to the floor in a swift motion. She rolled into a cabinet and hit her head hard. Her ears rang from the impact. She looked up just in time to see him reaching for her and kicked his hand away. She got to her feet with a momentous effort. Everything felt off-kilter and she realized she was swaying.

He took the opportunity to strike, wrapping his arms around her waist, pinning her arms to her sides. She kicked out into empty air. After a minute of squirming and kicking she slumped in his arms and waited.

He dropped her to the floor. She started to scramble away but he pulled her back easily and pressed her flat to the floor with his body weight. He forced her hands behind her back with one hand, using the other to spread her ass cheeks.

She felt cold liquid dripping on her asshole. Lube? Spit? She didn't know. Eve squirmed fruitlessly beneath him, knowing what was next.

He mounted her, bracing his cock against her puckered hole. He began to press in, meeting resistance and tight muscles. He pushed harder and finally the head of his cock made it past her sphincter. She groaned in discomfort.

Although she couldn't see his face, she felt as his anger stilled. He brushed her hair to the side and pressed a kiss to the back of her neck. "It's okay," he murmured, "relax."

She didn't know what to make of his sudden change, but she tried to do as he said. Maybe he had realized he could really hurt her if he wasn't careful. Maybe he was just playing with her.

She felt every inch of him as he slowly slid the rest of the way into her ass. She felt so full. Too full. Like she might burst.

He pulled out of her sore passage, admiring the way the head of his cock popped out from the tight band of muscle. Then in again. He made slow deliberate strokes as she whimpered and squirmed beneath him.

She felt every vein and ridge of him, achingly hot inside of her. Luke's cock was slightly longer than average but not nearly as wide around as Ari's. She knew that if he'd tried this in his own body it would be too much for her.

He continued his slow rhythm, keeping her just at the edge of pain and... something else. Not quite pleasure, but a sense of being completely full. She heard his breathing hasten and knew he was close after only a couple of minutes.

He couldn't hold back any longer, plunging into her suddenly and entirely. His hand was painfully tight around her wrists. She felt his cock pulse inside her and she let out a soft sound. He stayed there for several seconds longer before pulling out.

When he finally released her, Eve glared up at him, too incensed to speak. Her anger dropped away immediately as she read his expression.

"Eve," he said in a choked voice, dropping to his knees beside her. She knew immediately that Luke was back. He picked her up into a messy, sweaty hug and squeezed tight.

They stayed like that for several minutes. She knew he had probably seen and felt the whole thing. It was his body after all. Finally, she turned so she could look at him.

"I need to see Ramsey," she told him. He nodded.

They went up to Eve's room first. He waited patiently on the bed while she showered and changed into clean clothes. Some part of him seemed to understand she didn't want to be alone. She knew she was no safer with Luke there, maybe even more dangerous than being alone, but it made her feel more at ease nonetheless.