Vampire Hunter D Fan Fiction ❯ Innocent Souls ❯ Chapter Seven: Curse Breaking and Temptations ( Chapter 7 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Bronach frantically tries to break the curse Ciaran placed upon D. However, physical contact around an injured dhampire can be a very dangerous thing.

Anime/Manga: Vampire Hunter D Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Supernatural / Fantasy / Hentai | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 11.09.2005 | Pages: 9 | Words: 8.8K | Visits: 542 | Status: Completed

Disclaimer:Vampire Hunter D is the property of its creator, Hideuki Kikuchi. I do not own D or any of the characters related to the novel series.

Innocent Souls

Chapter Seven: Curse Breaking and Temptations

By: Elf

“Bloody hell,” Bronach muttered as she looked at the last three yellow candles without crystals. She had to stand with them so that the spell wouldn't be broken. Until she had those three citrine pieces, her spell was moot.

So she was standing in her circle with her arms held out so she could charge it herself. She felt the magic racing through her and finishing the circle. It was trembling and eager, sending lightning currents through her.

Come on now, D, shouldn't take you this long for a bloody simple errand, she thought as she blew a lock of hair out of her eyes in annoyance. The mine wasn't that far away from the town, at least not on horse back. From what she could feel it would have what she needed in spades. However, D was still not here.

Not that she was worried or anything. Of course not. D was probably more capable to handle Ciaran than she was, as loathe as she was to admit it of course. Still, he was gone for too bloody long.

And she couldn't bloody move either.

In the corner of her eye she could see the huge black man with the tattoos and the purple Mohawk approach her. The one who had known who D was when she said his name aloud. Probably a Dragon Hunter from the look of him. He was a big man, mostly muscles yet she had a feeling he could get his bulk moving when he had to.

“Miss?” he said as he stood at her side, “What are you doing?”

Bronach gave him a withering glance as she answered, “I'm holding the sodding spell together.”

“Where's D?” he asked with a frown.

Straight ahead she saw the redheaded Sean approaching. The Changeling was Seelie marked with his hair and eyes as bright as they were. He frowned as he looked at her circle.

“You're holding it closed,” he mused as he lifted his hand towards her.

Bronach glared and snapped, “Of course I'm holding it closed, you fool. I dinna have the rest of the crystals I need and D hasn't shown up yet with what I told him to get!”

“Citrine to repel negativity and to stand for light,” Sean mused.

The Mohawked Dragon Hunter asked, “Got any, Sean?”

“No, but I'd bet that Garnet has some at her place, Danny,” Sean answered as his emerald eyes flickered to Bronach.

Danny said, “I'm Danny, local Greater Dragon Hunter.”

“Figured as much, you're huge,” Bronach replied with a grin, “I'm Bronach of the Morrigan's Grace. I'd shake your hand, but I'm holding this up at the moment.”

Sean asked her, “How long has the dhampire been gone?”

“His name is D. You wouldn't like it if I called you Changeling over and over again, would you?” Bronach retorted with a glare.

Sean flushed and answered, “No, of course not. How long has D been gone?”

“Almost two hours,” Bronach said grimly, “Far too long for a simple errand.”

Danny piped up, “Unless that fucker attacked him.”

“It's broad daylight in the desert. His powers would be really weak here,” Bronach replied, “He wouldn't be stupid enough to attack D now.”

Sean gave Bronach a steady look and said, “D's not exactly at full power either. It's broad daylight in the desert, just like you pointed out.”

“They'd both be at a disadvantage,” Danny mused with a frown, “Yet both will be at their full potential at night.”

Bronach cursed, “Cach! He'd have to know other spells if he's a soul stealer!”

“Like what?” Danny asked.

Sean gave his friend a grim look and answered, “You don't wanna know, pal, you don't want to know at all.” Then he turned to Bronach and said, “I've got a cycle. I could bring him back super quick. Or we just could be overreacting.”

Bronach licked her lips. They were still a bit swollen from the kiss just hours ago. She could still smell him on her skin, like rain drops and lilies.

I will always wait . . .

“Cach,” she grumbled as she looked at her circle. Things were so much easier when I didn't feel. Ciaran, you won't take him. I won't allow it. I'd die first.

Sean asked her, “Bronach?”

“Do it and make haste,” she answered, eyes narrowing, “Because I need those bloody crystals.”

******

Underneath the pain of having his blood forcibly expelled from his body, D felt something cold and sucking within him. From the very core of his being. His whole essence being extracted and torn from him.

He heard nothing save his own heart frantically beating in his ears. He gripped the sand as his blood continued to spill onto it. His blood filled eyes looked up to see the glowing orb being held above his head.

He heard Ciaran chanting furiously, a sly grin on his features.

He felt rip through him. Felt his soul being torn from his body. It was cold and hot at the same time. Burning and freezing him as it was torn from his flesh.

He finally let lose a snarl from the agony.

“D! Damn it D, do something or we're both screwed!” Left Hand shouted, his voice muffled from the sand.

D snarled and focused on the pain. He let it wash over him and overwhelm him. He let his shields and his well placed control down around him. His vision cleared as his fangs lengthened and throbbed.

With a bestial snarl, D was on his feet and he darted away from Ciaran. He picked up his sword and tossed it right at Ciaran's wrist. The blade went through and blood squirted out like glowing rubies from Ciaran's sickly moonlit skin.

The Faerie screamed as his soul orb fell to the ground. He wrenched the sword out of his wrist as D managed to stay on his feet. Yet the dhampire wavered for moments on end and his vision blurred. His fangs retracted immediately as he glared at Ciaran.

Ciaran cradled his damaged hand and glared at D. Blood continued to pour through his fingertips, mingling with D's own upon the sand. The soul orb glowed dimly on the ground.

D focused on it and lunged for it. Ciaran smirked and snaked weak shadows out to it. It wrapped around the glowing orb and brought it back to him. Then he entreated his shadow tendrils to bring D's sword to him. He smirked as he held the sword at D and folded himself within his cloak.

“I believe we're at a stalemate again, Hunter D, but I think I'll let the sunlight finish you off,” he taunted before vanishing right before D's eyes.

D staggered for a moment, drawing his breath. Then he proceeded to collapse from the severe blood loss Ciaran's curse dealt him. He managed to look up towards the horizon.

The town was just ahead. He could feel and sense it. I must get back. Ciaran must be stopped . . . And he won't touch her.

Ever so slowly, he rose up once again.

******

Sean kept his head low. Despite the tinted goggles he was wearing, the sand still whipped at his face as the cycle darted through the sand. Under the yellowish tent of the goggles Sean could make out the faint shape of a tall male dressed in a flowing duster on the horizon.

Save the figure wasn't doing too good. He kept wobbling and wavering, stopping every few breaths to straighten himself. His steps were dragging and slow. Defiantly not the cat like grace Sean had seen the hunter exhibit just mere hours ago.

Sean kicked down on the accelerator and the bike shot ahead. The warm air whipped around him as he jetted to his objective. He slammed on the brakes, threw his weight to the side and kicked his foot into the sand.

D blinked as Sean skidded to a stop mere inches in front of him. Sean blinked at the dark wetness seeping from the dhampire's eyes, nose, ears, and still trickling down his mouth. With the goggle's tint the liquid appeared black, no color to concern it. Yet Sean knew the sharp, metallic tang of blood when he smelled it.

He held out his hand to D as he kicked the kick stand into place. He let the engine idle. If Ciaran was still around, Sean wanted to get the hell out of there, Changeling or not.

D looked at him with bleeding eyes. His mouth was set in a grim line as he looked at Sean. Sean shouted over the roar of the engine, “Come on, damn it, we're gonna get the hell out of here!”

He shook his hand for emphasis. D stared at it for a moment before looking back at him. His jaw tightened. Sean swallowed at all the blood.

His grandmother told him about curses like these. Curses that would will a person's blood out of their body towards the person summoning it. The blood would escape in any manner possible: eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and any other body part that it found nice enough to burst out of. Sort of like Hemorrhagic Fever by way of magic.

“Come on, damn it, Hunter. I don't got all fucking day,” he snapped before swallowing.

D looked down at him and his face became even more unreadable. Then he settled down on the bike. Sean felt the tires sink a bit into the sand and he looked back at D.

While Sean had Faerie blood in his veins, it was diluted. It made him faster and gave him better senses than a normal type, so that was why he became a hunter. He was damn good at it too, but when his Fey kin came a calling, he knew exactly when to step down.

D muttered as Sean kicked the cycle into gear again.

“Bronach's crystals are in my belt.”

Sean blinked as he rushed out back towards town again. He replied, “I'll get em to her.”

******

Bronach closed her eyes and let the spell wash over her. She felt it hum with in her, a song like the ones she sang to cast spells. Her power, unlike Ciaran's, was in her voice. Hence all of her spells and wards had a faint, musical quality to it. If someone listened closely, her wards sounded like someone playing a haunting tune on a violin.

The sound of a motorcycle speeding close broke her out of her revere.

Her eyes flew open to see Sean riding at her in a mad dash. The dark green scarf he used to cover his face had almost whipped free in the breeze. His eyes gleamed like peridots under the yellow goggles. He threw up his hand as he slid his cycle to a stop right in front of her. He let the engine idle as he stared at her.

“Finish the ward and come on,” he snapped.

Her heart leapt suddenly into her throat. It was pounding in her ears as she stared at the Changeling. He stared at her before dismounting and putting the remaining crystals into place. He grabbed her out of the spell and she heard a soft popping sound as it set.

She stared at him and asked, “What happened to D?” She winched at the way her voice cracked. She was shaking as she looked at Sean. Sean shoved her towards the bike and she straddled it behind him.

She held onto the seat as he revved up the engine and shot back to the inn they were staying at. Locks of her hair were whipped loose from her braid as they rode. She shielded her eyes as Sean tore through his town, causing old men and women to yell at him and shake their fists. Yet it still wasn't fast enough.

Her fingers dug into the soft leather of the seat. She bit her lip. Her eyes watered as they rode.

The inn came into view. Sean spun the bike to the side as he gripped the break. The cycle slid to a stop but Bronach jumped off before it did. She was already half way to her room when she heard Sean behind her.

She heard the nasal voice of D's Life Force Regenerator through the door of their room. He was saying, “D, this isn't enough. Yeah, you have all four Elements but . . . I don't know what sort of curse he cast on you but . . .”

“Keep trying. We can get more,” D's voice was strained and tense.

“Bronach!” Sean's voice boomed from the hallway.

She turned to face him and asked, “What happened?”

“Sort of like the magical equivalent to Hemorrhagic Fever. He's bleeding out,” Sean answered between gasps of air. He was heading towards their room as well.

Bronach put a hand on his chest. He stared at her. She gave him a firm look.

She said, “You'll be in my way when I try to break the curse. You best go back and watch for Ciaran or any thing he has at his beck and call.”

“Are you sure you don't need anything?” he asked her softly.

She grinned and replied, “I have all I need right here.”

With that, she turned and walked into the room. She shut and locked the door behind her. She took a deep breath before turning to face D.

“You didn't have to come in here,” he said softly as she walked over to him.

Her breath caught in her throat. Her heart was thundering in her ears and she was still shaking. He was covered in blood. He was still crying his blood and his clothing was soaked with it. Had he been human, he would have been dead within the first few moments after Ciaran cursed him. Had he been Faerie, he would have been unconscious and then comatose until someone broke the curse.

She looked at the bowl of water, lit candle, pile of sand, and the open window on the table. He was sitting at the table, looking up at her. His Left Hand was facing palm up towards the four offerings. She pressed her lips together as hot tears stung her eyes while a stream of blood trickled from his left eye.

“Lord and Lady,” she breathed as she rushed over to him. She reached her hands out to him and whimpered when her hands touched hair wet with blood. He reached out his right hand and gently grabbed her wrist.

D explained, “He tried to take my soul after he cursed me. It was like my body was trying to expel all of my blood at once.”

“The Blood Bring Bind,” she explained softly as she looked at him, “And you'll keep bleeding out, no matter what your Life Force Regenerator does. You'll keep healing yet the more you'll heal the more you'll bleed out.”

He replied, “Until the curse is broken.”

“Exactly,” she said with a nod.

She looked down at her wrist. His long, alabaster fingers were still wrapped around it. His skin was startlingly cold. Not the overwhelming warmth earlier when they kissed.

He coughed softly, blood bubbling on his lips. His Left Hand asked, “Well, sweetheart, can you break this damned curse?”

“I can try,” she answered softly as she studied D's face.

D's thumb rubbed a circle around her wrist and her pulse quickened even more. His dark eyes looked firmly into hers and she swallowed. Then his eyes drifted to the line of her throat where the pulse was beating. His eyes darkened and began to glow like rubies. He clinched his mouth and looked away.

She reached out and touched his bloody cheek. She gently guided his face back towards her again. His eyes opened and they were dark and endless again. Except instead of the serious sadness she had been accustomed to seeing, there was a hunger and a need lurking in those night dark depths.

She moved closer to him and leaned so that her forehead was touching his. She took a deep breath and the coppery scent of blood filled her nostrils. She clinched her jaw as she looked into D's eyes.

“You can do this,” he said softly, his voice barely audible.

She closed her eyes and requested, “Be quiet. I need to listen for the curse.”

While her magic had a musical quality to it that anyone could hear, practitioner, sensitive, or not, Bronach heard magic as music. She listened to the slow, erratic beat of D's heart as he fought the curse, the soft breathing, she could feel his chest rising up and down with each breath. She heard the growl of hunger from his vampiric half, and the soft, heady sighs of need from his human half. She concentrated, listened harder, until she could hear it.

She cursed softly as she jerked in response. Nails on a chalk board. Loud static. Sirens blaring warnings. A skipped cord, a missed key, painful and grating.

She took another breath. She thought for a moment, searching for just the right key. Then she let loose with all of her magical know-how, power, and talent. She sang softly, hauntingly, her voice filling the room.

She could hear the curse growing louder in protest. She felt D jerk in response. She gripped his shoulders and willed him, Just hold on. Hold on. I have you, I just need you to hold on to me and listen.

She reached a high note. The grating sound stopped. She sang softer now, soothing away the curse. She stopped singing and listened. D's breathing, heartbeat, and his inner self were back to normal again.

For a moment.

She opened her eyes to find him staring at her. She noted that her glamor had slipped and she was glowing brightly like moonlight. He reached out. One arm wrapped around her face while the other pressed at the middle of her back.

He stood up and brought her with her. Her face searched his and he bent down towards her. She tilted her face up towards his moved one hand to tangle in his bloody hair while the other arm wrapped around his shoulders. They moved at the same time and when their lips touched Bronach tasted blood and Ciaran's dark magic left over from the curse.

Still, she kissed him furiously. Knowing what was to come and craving it. She shivered in anticipation as her tongue darted over his lips.

D growled quietly and lowered her to the floor. Her legs cushioned his body as he loomed before her. He broke the kiss to move his lips down her cheek and to her throat. She tilted her head back and gripped him tightly.

Then, he fell still.

“D?” she asked, blinking up at him.

He gave her a tiny, half smile and looked down at her with his too pale and blood streaked features. There was no quip from his Left Hand, and for that she was thankful. He rose up, bringing her up with him.

“No, not like this,” he said softly, “You don't even know what you're offering.”

Bronach glared at him and squared her shoulders. She retorted, “I'm offering you my sodding blood and and . . .”

“What else?” he demanded.

She stared at him and answered, “My virtue.”

“You don't want to give that to the likes of me,” D said in dismissal.

She glared and spat, “I'd rather be with you than have Ciaran rape me!”

“I'd hurt you without meaning to, Bronach. Thank you for breaking the curse, but I need to be left alone,” he said as he headed towards the bathroom.

She bristled as her heart thundered in her ears. She snapped, “Fine, I'll leave you alone to your Left Hand and I hope he bites your bits off!”

Then she spun out of the room and slammed the door behind her.

******

“Wow, D, you sure know how to make friends and influence people,” Left Hand chortled as D locked the bathroom door behind him. He waited until he heard Bronach's angry footsteps leave the floor that they were on. Then he began to take off his bloody clothing.

His vision doubled for a moment as his head swam. He could still taste her mingled with his blood. She had been eager and glowing. Just as he had wanted earlier.

He replied, “It wouldn't be fair to her if I did sleep with her like that. I'd hurt her, Faerie or not.”

“She seems like she was enjoying it to me, D. Sides, I think she's one that can take care of herself,” Left Hand said.

D reached for his belt and opened one of the pouches. He drew out one of the dark red pills and picked up the plastic cup beside the sink. He turned the water on hot and broke the pill into the tepid water. It turned bright red and smelled remarkably like blood.

He downed it in almost one swallow. He felt his strength return somewhat and his vision clear. He lifted himself to his full height and looked at his blood streaked reflection in the mirror.

He'd never been overly concerned with his appearance, but right now he did look frightful. He licked blood off of his lips and more of his color, as little as it was, return. I shouldn't take a virgin covered in blood, he thought as he looked into his reflection's eyes.

“I don't think she would have minded too much,” Left Hand snorted, as if he was reading D's thoughts once again.

D looked down at the wrinkled face in his palm and replied, “Still, it wouldn't be right. For her, and for me.”

“Oh, so you do like her,” Left Hand taunted with a snicker.

D stepped into the shower stall and silenced his parasite by using him to turn on the water. He stood under the hot spray, letting all the blood rinse off of him. He grabbed the soap left by the inn and began to lather himself.

Bronach glared at him and squared her shoulders. She retorted, “I'm offering you my sodding blood and and . . .”

“What else?” he demanded.

She stared at with those violet ringed indigo eyes and answered, “My virtue.” D could smell her, like lavender, ozone and the musk of arousal. She had gripped him and offered herself willingly, knowing exactly what he was and showed no fear.

Yet her words stung, but then again, he had hurt her himself.

He stood under the spray of water again and rinsed off. He ran his right hand through his hair to make sure the water saturated the thick black waves. He rested his head against the tiles as he set strict controls on his body. Yet the memory of the feel of her glowing and wild under him was almostmore than his strict control could bear.

As soon as he was clean he turned the water off. He stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist as he took another to squeeze excess water out of his hair. In the other room he could hear the steady heart beat of a woman. Even under the smell of hot water, soap, and his bloody clothing, he could make out the lavender and ozone scent that was Bronach.

He tousled his hair with the towel one last time before walking back into the bedroom. Bronach was sitting on the bed. She looked up at him and there were tiny smears of his blood on her hands and her face, probably even her hair.

He wanted to pull the silk cord that held the braid and run his fingers through it. He wanted to see it pool like sunlight around her. She had placed her glamor up around her again. Her now indigo eyes looked up at him, still angry and burning.

He waited for the sarcastic, biting retort.

Instead she stood up and headed for the bathroom. She snorted, “You had better left some hot water.” She disappeared into the bathroom. He heard the sink running, and not the shower.

Moments later, Bronach emerged with her face and hands clean. A lock of her blond hair fell into her face as she sat back down on the bed. She folded her arms over her small breasts and glared up at him.

“I'm not some human farm girl throwing myself at you. I know exactly what you are and what you can do. Yet you're D and I can easily take care of myself,” she said stubbornly.

He moved over to her and sat beside her. He reached out and took her hand. She blinked up at him and searched him, her eyes flickering down her body. She flushed for a moment before looking up at him.

She quipped, “You are easier to be mad at when you're fully clothed.”

He could feel her blood racing, making her grow warmer. He could smell her nervous arousal. Yes, she was bold, but then she was also untried. Which would make anything that happened interesting to say the least.

He brushed his thumb over her wrist and she shivered like she had done earlier. She was responsive, especially along her pulse points. He had a feeling that if he drew blood that it would drive her even more insane.

D looked deep into her eyes and asked, “Do you know what you're offering?”

“Very much so,” she answered softly, “And you canna hurt me.” Her lilt and accent were becoming deeper and more pronounced.

He then asked, “Well, what do you want, Bronach? And don't play games, it wouldn't be fair to us.”

To Be Continued!

Author's Notes: Yes, yes, I am an evil, evil little bitch. Yet another cliffhanger, and even a more interesting part than with Ciaran trying to steal D's soul. Next chapter you shall be rewarded with the promise of a lemon scene. Finally. Took long enough for them to get to it, didn't it?

Anyway, I like to thank all my reviewers. I'm sorry that there was such a gap between chapters. Real life and a con got in the way.

Also, I'm going more towards the novels' interpretation of D than the two movies. You know, where he almost sleeps with Doris and is nervous around Lina. And, he, you know, talks.

I know one reviewer was interested in my novel. If you'd like to take a look at the first chapter, go to: http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/7190900/ and if you want to see who's basically the starter for Bronach go to: http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/18223311/ and http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/6331430/

Again, thank you all for your support. Feed the muse and review!