"Thy free trial of existence has been, hereafter, terminated. Please, let me cease your means of operation."
●●●
The sun was setting in the Eastern Boshin Empire; its city of Gandrae, in the Sandhills of Medeon, was captured by the soldiers of the Empire, after my Syndicate sneaked in, killing the garrison in a quarter of an hour. The gates freely opened for us, and we marched inside.
We held captive all the nobles in the city, with the army positioning itself in the walls and in the barracks of this exotic oasis in the desert.
I wonder what Aurelia is doing...
Oh, but well, I can sort of use this turn of things, to interrogate this girl I saw earlier: the Commander of the Boshin Empire, the one we faced earlier.
I am currently sitting on the desk of the noble that controls this city, managing the logistics of the Imperial Army. Good thing we came here so fast. If we were late with our marching, who knows in which condition we would be with no supplies and food whatsoever.
The citizens of the city of Gandrae were less than appalled by our arrival. I had the army completely patrol and control all the major streets in the city, and dispell some riots in the city centre, all in a single day.
These people really have spirit, I'll give them that. They have a sense of unity that the Empire of Lightining doesn't have. But, then again, we would be doing the same if Barbarians invaded us.
Individualism thrives when people are independent, both in societal and financial terms. Unity thrives when that independence falls apart. You could say that this very unity is a product of weakness.
Anyway. I need to get some fresh air. Then, I'll go interrogate the Commander girl. I left the luxurious room, with expensive Anatolian carpets and gold all around the place, to find refuge in the walls of the city. My men lit up oil lamps, and some of them used their wands to patrol the walls. When they encountered me, wandering around, they simply bowed, and carried on.
Two casualties in this single battle for our side. Both of them were recruits that didn't know how to swim properly and ended up having their fingers broken from trying to grab some sort of rock on the river as they tried to swim on the other side.
On the other side, maybe a couple hundred thousand dead. Not too shabby.
Without thinking about it much, I stopped and stared at the moon. Yeah, I repaired it after I blew it up.
My plans are going just as I machinated them. But, this incident with the god, and he calling me a sinner and all that...it is a little alarming.
I'm probably just overthinking it, but I just can't rest easy. I know this has got something to do with Octavia and all. But...I just cannot help it but think that Aristea is behind all this.
"Bernadotte? What are you doing up here?"
I looked at my right, surprised by the silent approach of whoever was in there, in the darkness.
"Speak of the devil..."
"...you're the only one who's a devil in here, Bernadotte."
"Don't you mean 'Veevee', my dear Octavia?"
"Would you just shut it for a bit? I didn't come here to argue."
"You didn't? That's an improvement. What, you liked those kisses that much?"
"If one more word comes from inside your vulgar mouth, I'll kill you. Right here, right now."
"Awww, so romantic, don't you think?! Getting flustered like a little girl, saying how much you would 'kill' me under the moonlight, while blushing the whole time..."
To my surprise (again) she didn't respond, and just came next to me, her arms resting on the wall that protected the city.
"...Octavia?"
She didn't respond. Wow. I left her speechless. Things are going way faster than I anticipated.
"Ever since i...ever since I...b-brought my lips onto your neck and I drew out your blood...I..."
"Yes? Continue?"
"...I want to do it again."
I pretended like I didn't listen, and turned my head to her enigmatically.
"Pardon? I didn't quite hear you. A little louder, please."
"Forget it. It's nothing. Anyway, uhm...nice...job today...? I think?"
I chuckled a bit, and took her by her hand as she walked backwards from me. She looked so surprised; her cheeks reddened in an instant.
"I think you misunderstood me, dear. I didn't ask for you to repeat yourself, i fucking demand it."
Instead of getting intimidated, I feel she became more intimate. It seems she likes it rough.
"I want to do it again, Bernadotte."
I chuckled a bit, looking first at the ground, and finally stabilizing my eyes at her eyes, my laugh stopping abruptly.
"Do what exactly? I need you to be more...specific."
I closed in on our distance. Her steamy breath brushed off my neck.
"I want to kiss you again. I want to drink your blood again."
"Really? I thought you hated it. You were struggling to break free back then. I don't know..."
I deliberately brushed her off. Just for a little fun. I want to see how she'll react.
"Bernadotte."
"Yeah?"
I didn't even see it. Her head moved inches away from my own, and she kissed me violently, pushing her tongue inside my mouth. Her two hands rushed to hug me and my neck, because she didn't want me to break off.
Ah, being dominated feels good occasionally.
"When I hunger, I eat, Bernadotte. You did this. Not me." She said, after a small pause from the erotic interaction we had.
"You're so spoiled."
"If this bitch Aurelia is your girlfriend, then I'll be your lover. I don't care in the slightest."
"Oh, Aurelia is going to be mad if she hears about this. I love her, you know."
"Then why are you reddening, little Princess? Dear, it is no surprise to be lusting for the body of a Goddess. I can help you to...discover it."
Awww, when she does that, I can't resist! She has become so aggressive...!
"Well, you're beautiful and I can't do anything about it. I guess redheads are a different treat."
We walked all the way to my tent, resisting the temptation to just do it over there, in the middle of the walls. We stole glances at each other for the whole way. She made it through first, dismissed the guards, and I entered the tent.
She aggressively pushed my body down at my bed, and sealed the curtain.
"Such a change for the better. Some days ago you didn't even talk to me."
"The world changes. And so do my sexual preferences. Don't get me wrong, I still hate you from the bottom of my heart, but I just can't resist...your aroma..." she uttered, while she took her clothes off, with me still lying in bed, making barrels in the sheets.
"You hate me? Sorry, your actions are telling me the exact opposite."
"Your personality is infuriating! You're so arrogant, pesky, nosy, and awfully cunning! You're like a fox; I hate it, but at the same time, I can't help it but feel horny!"
Her dress and shirt were rapidly taken out from her body, with her jumping onto bed, with her bra still on.
"You're the first who told me how they feel about me."
"Yeah, because everyone is scared about you blasting them off. You threw a fucking asteroid at me from outer space. No wonder why they're not saying anything."
"Hey! That was rude!"
I stood up on my two knees, and she did the same. Our two hands touched each other, and we kissed once gently, before breaking it off.
"So, uhm, Bernadotte? What are we...doing?"
I raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
"I, uhm...don't know how to do this."
"Ahh, oh yes, that is right. You are a goddess. An innocent, pure being who doesn't have the slightest idea about having fun. Let's turn this into a lecture then!"
I pushed her by the shoulders and forced her down on the mattress.
"Take off your panties."
Her hands gently pushed downwards her black lingerie, allowing me to see her sensitive area. I can't take my eyes off from it.
"Wh-what are you looking at, you idiot?!"
"Sorry. It's actually my first time seeing female genitalia. Apart from mine."
My right hand sort of moved on its own, touching her exterior walls. She made a small, cute sound, closing her eyes.
"This...is the outer labia. And this..."
"Hnngh...your fingers are so cold..."
"...is the inner labia. Or I guess for a more scientific term, we have the labia majora and the labia minora, respectively."
"Is this a lecture or are we having sex?"
"Quiet. I'm trying to make studying a bit more fun."
"Hah...you're the ONLY person in this world who does that. Just make me feel good."
After this, I don't know how many hours passed by. I remember changing sides many times; the bed sheets started getting soaked from our orgasms and vaginal secretions.
"How does it feel to be cheating on Aurelia, huh?!"
"Agh...i...can do...whatever the fuck I want..."
"I love it when you swear, dear princess."
By then, the night had swallowed us, allowing each other to discover a new side of material and bodily pleasantries.
In the end, we held each other together, our chests touching one another, while our hands were interconnected to our different nether areas, fingering them like pistons.
The both of us let out simultaneously our orgasms, as we both climaxed. I fell into her arms instictively. My breathing was violent, my body was shaking.
"That...ah...felt good..."
"Yeah..."
"I need to get up, Octavia..."
"Just stay as you are, Bernadotte. Let's feel our heat for a little longer."
"I still haven't interrogated the dodgy enemy Commander."
"Do you want to see another girl that badly?"
That was a nice line. I let out a short laugh.
"You're right. I should leave it till morning. We have a long campaign in front of us."
We dived inside our bed sheets, and hugged each other naked. She played with my hair, my golden strands in her delicate hand, her little fingers running in my scalp.
"I love you, Vespertite."
"Eh?"
"I said I love you, Vespertite."
"No, I heard you the first time. I just...don't have an answer to that yet."
"What do you mean?"
"Just some weeks ago, we duked it out on an alternative dimension. And now, we just had sex. Such an intercourse I haven't done, even with Aurelia."
"Hey, you made me fall for you, so blame yourself. I'm not at fault here. I'm just doing what I feel."
"Do you want to learn the truth?"
"Yeah, sure. I'm listening."
"I turned you into a mortal so that I would be able to dominate and control you. A pawn, of some sort."
Octavia just sighed.
"Tell me something I don't know."
I smiled shyly, and turned away from her face.
"I never thought that it would turn out to be like this. You're beautiful. With a cheeky, carefree, cunning personality, compared to Aurelia's intimate, meaningful self, and her seriousness. You are something refreshing."
"Jeez, you're so corny."
"We're way too young to make lovers out of ourselves. We shouldn't bind ourselves to just one person. That's why I'm fine with having multiple partners. I'm having fun. That's what life is about."
"I understand you. You don't want to tie yourself down to one person. Neither me, nor Aurelia."
"This doesn't mean that I don't have my preferences whatsoever. When I become Empress, I'll decide who I'll marry. Until then, you guys can do anything to win me. I won't tolerate any harmful play, though."
"Challenge accepted. I won't lose to this nerdy Artemisia, neither to this human, and most importantly, I won't lose to Aurelia."
"You're so sweet. I'll hold you to it, then. I will just let you on a little secret."
I came closer to her, breathing seductively into her ear.
"You make me want to drain you whole. I want to mix my blood with yours so bad...Octavia..."
Her breathing became disrupted again. She opened her mouth, closing her eyes, and brought her tongue slightly out.
I took up on her offer; I sank my two fangs on her tongue, drinking her blood while at the same time, I kissed her, forcing my tongue inside.
I could hear her breathing becoming weaker, her heart slowing down. I broke off the blood-stained kiss, my mouth full of her life essence.
"Your blood...is flowing with mine, reaching my heart."
My hair started turning a bit reddish on their ends. A piece of hers is now mine as well. Including her powers.
My heart could be significantly heard from outside my body.
My isophagus lit up, and my veins were slightly more visible. They pulsated all the way down at my heart.
"Bernadotte?"
I laughed a bit.
"Thank you, Octavia. Thank you for reuniting me with my Gnosis."
Her eyes widened up.
"Wait...you know about that?"
"You're so naive. Of course I know all about it. This is...all part of my plan, after all."
Like a cat, I crawled out of bed, wearing silently my clothes.
"Bernadotte...was your affection even real?"
"It was. But you're a false deity, a phony. And I am am the biggest shard of the true God. You don't actually mind me using you a little, right?"
"Do I mean nothing to you?!"
"You do. You're a...beautiful toy to play with, Goddess Of Time. If you weren't..."
I crouched all the way down at her trembling, almost angry expression.
"...you wouldn't be breathing right now."