#adam vega

[the-council-of-new-york-vampires]

BB MC in court 😂😂😂

[gaiuskamilah]

Bloodbound and the Politics of Dominance and Submission, Part 1: Do You Consent?

CONTENT WARNINGS: contains discussions of sexual assault, rape, and imperialism

“You know the money shots in porn films? Well, this was just a different substance: it was red.”

— Roberta Findlay on the relationship between pornography and horror

If you have ever read, watched, or paid the least bit of attention to Fifty Shades of Grey, you would know that the story revolves around the controversial or putting it lightly, questionable, relationship between the 21-year-old college student Anastasia Steele and 27-year-old billionaire CEO, Christian Grey. I watched as Christian led Anastasia into a new world of sexuality she knew little of, presented her with a neat contract outlining the nature of their sexual relationship, and yet constantly violated her boundaries outside of the bedroom. The series was of course met by disdain from people from the BDSM community, as Christian’s behavior was the exact opposite of what BDSM practitioners actually do. Boundaries, and of course consent, are gospel and ensure that all parties involved feel fulfilled. 

In the introduction, I outlined the obvious references to Fifty Shades in Bloodbound. Despite these references, funnily enough, it became seemingly apparent that the eternally 28-year-old Adrian does not actually act like Christian to his 22-year-old assistant. In the first few chapters, the importance of consent—boundaries—are highlighted, at odds with Christian and Anastasia’s story.

MC first discovers that Adrian is a vampire by the end of chapter one, walking in on him feeding on Nicole. In chapter two, Adrian confronts MC right after—he assures her that everything was consensual, and with her now knowing he is a vampire, then invites her to accompany him through the night as his assistant. He then tells her of the two principles the Council was founded upon: 1) vampires are only allowed to feed off of willing humans, and 2) the creation of new vampires is strictly limited and subject to the approval of the Council. Consent, and how apparently important it is to the Council, is highlighted over and over again in chapters two and three. 

Adrian and MC in B1Ch02

However, as the story continues, it becomes apparent that the opposite—the lack of consent—is a persistent theme throughout the series. Two important beginnings in Bloodbound involve unwanted advances, dismissal of consent, and an overall violation of boundaries: in B1Ch01, MC is subject to unwanted advances from Lester, who continues his sexual propositions throughout the books despite this rejection. Meanwhile, in B2Ch02, it is revealed that Rheya was banished for rejecting King Kaelisus’ advances, an event that leads to her becoming the First Vampire. Both the MC and the final antagonist experience unwanted advances, cementing lack of consent as an important stone in the thematic foundations of Bloodbound. 

B1Ch01 with the narration if the ‘How dare you!’ option is picked

B2Ch02 tapestry scene

While there are more instances of unwanted advances in Bloodbound (for example, Priya’s entire character—how she constantly tries to convince Amy to be her pet, her treatment of her houseboys, her extreme sadism), those explicitly romantic scenes are not the only times where lack of consent is shown. Despite its pact upholding consensual feeding, the Council is the biggest violator of its own principles. It is then followed by Gaius’s own heightened dismissal of bodily autonomy, and taken to further extremes with Rheya. One can argue that these scenes of feeding, Turning, body puppeteering, and mind control are not explicitly romantic nor sexual. Thus I posit a framework to view these as sexual, drawing from staples within the vampire literary genre and how they are portrayed within Bloodbound. 

Vampires have long been linked to sexuality, as authors write:

“The vampire can be a vehicle of or symbol for any desire, in part because it is a symbol for all desire. Noll cites the 1733 Dissertatio de Vampiris Serviensibus, which declares of vampires, “They beset men, women, and children alike, sparing neither age nor sex” (8). The protagonist of “Cinnamon Roses” says almost the same thing about her prospective partners—”straight or gay or female or male body…Age isn’t a biggie either” (Charles 23)—but in that story this diversity is positive, inclusive rather than indiscriminate, as it is sharing rather than predation. In Hodge’s “Alchemy of the Throat,” the vampires are promiscuous and perverse (272-78), but the polymorphous inclination is displaced onto the narrator, a castrato: “alluring to many women and to no few men…We were androgynes whose service to either sex was limited only our inclinations”.  (...) “Sex and horror are intertwined,” Kilpatrick observes, “because they are two taboos in our society”: she sees vampire erotica and pornography as, in part, about “moving beyond limitations,” which can be threatening to some—and satisfying to others. Most of these stories do not only make explicit what was implicit in earlier vampire texts, but also take what was a source of mixed fascination and revulsion and transform it into an image of desire and satisfaction. It seems that vampires function on the margins of sexual discourse, and show that those margins not only have expanded greatly, but are continuing to expand.”  — Bernadette Lynn Bosky, “Making the Implicit, Explicit: Vampire Erotica and Pornography” “...the importance of sucking and biting, and the fact that most acts of vampirism take place in private spaces such as bedrooms and at night, speak for themselves.” — Anna Katharina Schaffner, “Exhaustion: A History”

Choices's vampires are no exception to this use of vampires. Immortal Desires, its latest vampire series, is laden with vampirism as a metaphor for sex, particularly in its second installment. Bloodbound is even more so, with its Fifty Shades inspired cover and opening chapter. In Bloodbound, a vampire piercing through skin and drinking their blood is a not-so-subtle allegory for sex. Drinking blood is constantly described to be a physically pleasurable experience for both the vampire and the human, and scenes are laced with sexual narration. The first time Amy can let someone drink from her is with Jax, where the other vampires look away to give them privacy. Amy letting Lily drink from her in B1Ch11 can lead to a threesome with Lily and Jax—notably the first instance of a threesome in Choices. In some scenes, drinking blood is mixed with sex scenes itself, furthering the connection.

Jax feeding from Amy in B1Ch04

Sex scene with Priya in B2Ch05

Sex scene with Adrian in Bloodbound: Dark Solstice / Threesome with Adrian and Jax in Bloodbound 3

A vampire drinking blood is not the only instance of sexually charged blood metaphors in Bloodbound. The act of being branded is erotic, as the barriers between two people become less definite, and the one receiving a brand takes in the brander’s blood in their body. Being literally bloodbound is a metaphor for sex. MC can first receive a temporary brand in chapter four of book one, and a permanent one in B3Ch01. 

MC receiving Adrian’s temporary brand in B1Ch04

MC receiving Jax’s brand in B3Ch01

Now that the connection between vampirism and sex has been established, I return to the topic of the lack of consent. More often than not, monster stories tend to be a reflection of the fears of the time. Nina Auerbach chronicles this evolution of the vampire as a representation of fear in the Western world in her book, Our Vampires, Ourselves, where she writes: “...vampires blend into the changing cultures they inhabit. They inhere in our most intimate relationships; they are also hideous invaders of the normal.” With regards to fears surrounding gender and sexuality, Le Fanu’s Carmilla can be read as fear of the intimate relations between women, which would undermine the patriarchy’s control over society. In Stoker’s Dracula, it was the inversion of gendered norms, women who took on more “masculine” and active roles, and homosexual relations between two men. 

I argue then that sexual violence is one of the many fears in Bloodbound. Putting it in context, Bloodbound was released on March 30, 2018, at the height of the #MeToo movement, where numerous instances of sexual violence perpetrated by powerful people in industries worldwide were brought to light. Bloodbound is full of instances of metaphorical rape and sexual assault, and these instances are made possible by societal structures and the power dynamics that both result from and sustain these structures. This invasive violation of bodily autonomy both sustains political hegemony and allows for it to happen. This idea will further be elaborated upon; for now, I want to highlight a few moments in the series where this metaphor is most prevalent.

The first instance that I want to bring up is Kamilah’s turning scene. Gaius holds her down on the desk, he penetrates through her skin with his teeth, drinks from her without her consent, and binds her to him by forcibly turning her, a process that involves making her drink his blood. The scene can be read as a metaphorical rape.

Kamilah's Turning scene in B1Ch12

The second instance I want to highlight is Jax’s Turning, more emphasis put on the events leading up to his Turning rather than the Turning itself. Jax was led on by Margot, a member of Priya’s Clan, to believe that they were going to have consensual sex. Instead, she bit and drank from him without his consent, and left him to die. I posit an understanding of this within the blood drinking-as-sex framework (for lack of better term), where she went too far and engaged in sexual acts without his consent. Coincidentally, though I assume it is not by coincidence, this scene is sandwiched between a scene with Amy and Lester and one with Amy and Priya, both scenes with the Council vampires sexually propositioning Amy. 

Jax and Margot in B2Ch05

The third instance to be highlighted is that of Liv Denara’s. Like Kamilah, she was Turned without her consent, and like Jax, she was preyed upon by a member of Priya’s Clan. It does not go unnoticed to me that Jax and Liv’s assaulters were both from Priya’s Clan, led of course by Priya, who is known for her extreme hedonism and sadism. When Liv refused the advances of a Clan vampire, he Turned her against her will and left her alone to go feral. Viewing feeding and Turning as a sex act, him leaving her to go feral is akin to denying your partner aftercare or leaving them with no support system after an assault. Much like how rape is used as punishment for people who resist, Turning, and specifically the abandonment of a person newly Turned, can be seen as a form of punishment. Liv’s case is one of revenge rape.

Jax explaining the circumstances of Liv’s turning in B1Ch11

This lack of consent, of course, is a recurring theme for the Clanless. Majority of them were Turned without their consent, and most importantly, were isolated from systems that could help them better adjust to their new situation.

Jax in B1Ch04

The next few examples will explore an even more metaphorical expression of sexual assault, but none the less is one of bodily violation, a non-consensual blurring of boundaries for purposes that only benefit the perpetrator. 

First is Gaius’s ability to control the bodies of younger vampires. He typically employs this to subjugate vampires who turn against him. His blood being purer makes him stronger than his progeny, and it is this in part that he is able to exercise power.

Gaius controls Banner in B1Ch10 / Gaius controls Adrian in B1Ch16 / Gaius controls Adrian, Kamilah, Lily, and Jax in B2Ch16

The second example is Rheya and her level of control over other vampires’ bodies. Being The First, she has blood purer than Gaius’s, and as a result can control their bodies and minds on a level that Gaius cannot. The deliberate choice to describe her controlling their minds as them being “violated” not once but thrice by three different characters, as well as the overarching erotic themes of the series, leads me to read it as a metaphorical rape.

Kamilah in B3Ch08 / Gaius in B3Ch13 / MC in B3Ch12

Of course, a case can be made for mindreading and warping not necessarily being a sexual act, but within the themes of Bloodbound, I choose to read it as such. There are also cases where MC’s psychic abilities come into play during intimate scenes. In B3Ch01, if you choose to kiss your LI in the diamond scene, a vision from their past emerges while they and MC make out. Meanwhile, if you choose to sleep with Jax in B3Ch04, you have the choice to access his mind while having sex.

Vision of Lily's past in B3Ch01

Sex scene with Jax in B3Ch04

Bloodbound is arguably Choices’s first smut book. It pushed the boundaries on what exactly they could portray on the app. Books preceding Bloodbound had sex scenes, but no story as sexually overt and charged as Bloodbound. But beyond the explicit playable sex scenes, the charged narration, and the use of the vampiric metaphor, to what end is this use of sex, particularly one that lends itself to be read as rape? The crux of my argument is this: Bloodbound uses vampirism to allude to sexual violence as a natural result of oppressive political structures, as a tool for political hegemony to continue, and as metonymy for other kinds of social violence that allow for imperialism to function.

It was during the feminist movement in the 20th century that conversations around sexual assault started seeing rape as an act of violence. Numerous strains of feminist thought surrounding sexual assault have emerged since then, with my own personal preference being that of intersectional feminism. Intersectional feminism takes cues from radical feminism (not to be confused with the trans-exclusionary brand of “radical feminism” popular amongst “radfems”) and Marxist feminism, where the former acknowledges sexual assault as a form of violence under patriarchy and the latter supplements feminist thought with that of class analysis, where sexual violence is seen as an extension of class inequality. Intersectional feminism addresses the shortcomings of radical and Marxist feminism, with Canan and Levand calling for an “intersectional imperative” to viewing sexual assault, where factors such as gender, race, class, and politics are taken into account in the conversation:

“Our first and foremost recommendation is that it is imperative to see sexual assault as intersectional. (...)  Perpetuating a belief about where or how sexual assaults happen while overlooking evidence contrary to this belief, holding a single group of people responsible for perpetration while ignoring other types of perpetrators, or believing that sex and power are the only dynamics that exist in a sexual assault are all examples of nonintersectional ways of working around sexual assault. We must first break free of the narratives ruling the sexual assault discourse that prevent us from seeing oppression in all forms caused by sexual assault—oppression of all genders, racial oppression, economic disparities, oppression of victims through legal channels, overlooking perpetrators, false accusations, or allowing sexual assault to be tolerated in society.” — Sasha N. Canan and Mark A. Levand, "A Feminist Perspective on Sexual Assault"

It is with this framework that I return to the topic of rape and sexual assault in Bloodbound. When looking at the instances of assault in the series, one common denominator stands out: the perpetrators are people with power, whose privileged positions allow them to carry out assault and delay or even evade negative fallout for their actions. 

This is most overt in book one, where the Clans hold power in almost all sectors of the city. Their material and political advantages allow them to carry out assault with impunity, their principle of only feeding and Turning people with consent nothing more than an ideal with them being the biggest violator of it. Clan vampires admitting their hand at this violation of bodily autonomy would also be admitting the flaws in their system, which would eventually lead to either a reformation or toppling of the said system, forcing Clan vampires to give up a significant portion of the power they have. This is why their policy with Clanless vampires is to oppress, silence, and eventually kill them.

Jax in B1Ch04

Apart from institutional mandates allowing Clan vampires to assault with impunity, assault and the violation of bodily autonomy itself is also the currency on which power is maintained and gained. Book one’s most obvious example of this is Senator Vega—who Adrian describes as someone who “craves power” and hates the Clanless the most—and his use of the Feral crisis to further consolidate power. He took advantage of the Feral crisis, Turned numerous people without their consent, and unleashed them at the Awakening Ball. He pinned the blame on Adrian, the Council member most sympathetic to the Clanless cause. Additionally, Vega also unleashed a truckload of Ferals onto Adrian and Kamilah, using what he sees as expendable, assaulted bodies to eliminate his political rivals.

Vega in B1Ch15

A similar trend can be seen with Gaius, where his physical power and political posturing of himself as King provides in-universe justification for his violation of bodily autonomy. He is King, the domineering patriarch from which his descent from the goddess-figure of the First Vampire provides divine right for his rule. Gaius is also Roman, and the story has postured him more than once as an imperialist using Greco-Roman aesthetics, and throughout history romanticized Greco-Roman ideals, philosophies, and aesthetics have been tools for oppression and fascism. I cite two examples of Roman aesthetics in Gaius’s posturing as an imperial patriarch: first is that he was a soldier in Octavian’s army during the War of Actium, where his Turning of the then-nomarch Kamilah symbolizes Rome’s imperial annexation of Egypt (more on this here). Second is the Council’s coup in the 1920s, which draws comparisons to the assassination of Julius Caesar, with Gaius as the dictator Caesar and the Council members being the Roman Senate (comparisons with Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar here).

Because he is King, he can violate with impunity, as seen with him puppeteering the bodies of younger vampires. He forces into submission via bodily violation those who stand against him—Banner in B1Ch10, the Council members (sans Kamilah) in B1Ch16, and Adrian, Kamilah, Lily, and Jax in B2Ch16. When this ability is first portrayed in-game, Kamilah, his Queen and right hand, did nothing to stop him from violating Banner after Banner turned his back on Gaius. He is “the only vampire [Kamilah] ever feared” and no doubt his ability to control and violate people the way he can has fuelled that fear. Her fear keeps her subservient, and his rule unchallenged.

There also existed Gaius’s plan to turn humankind into cattle, taking them only for the pleasure and sustainment of vampire political hegemony. Like with Vega and ferals, the lack of regard for the autonomy of others is the foundation of his empire. When put within the framework of vampirism and sexuality as previously detailed, this disregard for life becomes both a metonymy for and enabling of sexual violence.

Gaius in the B1Ch13 tapestry scene

Vampirism, sex, and violence become even more intertwined with Rheya, whose villainous reveal happens at a Bacchanalia. She lies in bed with multiple dead partners, whose blood she consumed. It is later revealed that she, a goddess-figure set on imposing her empire, consumes blood to gain power. Like Vega and Gaius, it is through metonymic sexual violence—the desecration and cannibalization of others’ bodies for her own sake—does she gain power. It is also through violation of her progeny’s minds that she sustains political power, as Kamilah, Gaius, and Amy all describe Rheya’s intrusion as having “violated” them.

Rheya in B3Ch08

Truthfully, one does not even have to go so far into the story to see this intrusion of body and mind as a way to preserve the status quo. In B1Ch03, after learning of Adrian’s vampire nature and spending the night as his assistant, Adrian takes MC to Scholar Jameson to be “debriefed” i.e. have her memories erased. He does this without informing of what the procedure entails until Jameson has his hands on MC’s head, and only when she demands an explanation does he answer and ask her: “Do you consent?” (this is not even the last time Jameson is called to infiltrate Amy’s mind for political purposes; book two opens with him using his abilities on her for Gaius’s political machinations)

Adrian in B1Ch03

The more I look at the series as a whole, the more I come to appreciate the first few chapters of the first book. Amy’s decline of a debriefing, choosing to remember and face the truth, is such an important part of the series’ themes, especially adding to her role as the Bloodkeeper. It lends itself to the overall theme of destroying the cycle of violence, of doing away with systems that only perpetuated harm.

But before fully diving into the discussion of ending the cycle of violence, the machinations of the wheel need to be established. So far, I have discussed the connection between vampirism, sex, and sexual violence as a tool of political hegemony and empire, and the context which allows the said violence to happen. However, I do not think Bloodbound limits the conversation to only that. I believe Bloodbound correctly identifies the beginning of unequal submission in a unit frequently relegated to an untouchable status: the family. This exploration of vampirism and the family unit will be discussed in the following entry into this series, Your Blood is Mine.

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references:

Alexander Heller-Nicholas, What’s Inside a Girl?: Porn, Horror and the Films of Roberta Findlay. https://www.sensesofcinema.com/2016/american-extreme/porn-horror-roberta-findlay/.

Anna Katharina Schaffner, Exhaustion: A History.

Bernadette Lynn Bosky, Making the Implicit, Explicit: Vampire Erotica and Pornography in The Blood Is The Life: Vampires in Literature, edited by Leonard G. Heldreth and Mary Pharr.

Nina Auerbach, Our Vampires, Ourselves.

Sasha N. Canan and Mark A. Levand, A Feminist Perspective on Sexual Assault in Handbook of Sexual Assault and Sexual Assault Prevention, edited by William T. O’Donohue and Paul A. Schewe.

tags | @kainebell @itlovesinthewoods @peonyblossom @dutifullynuttywitch @icanmakewords

@sharpstake @bedtimegiraffe

(let me know if you'd like to be added or removed from this series!)

[kamilah-is-queen]

I feel like writing a Kamilah x Amy series where Kamilah is part of a band/singing group… maybe with the council members as part of that group too.

Thoughts?

[askkamilahsayeed]

I was wondering, do you solely see Baron, Lester, Vega and Priya as bad people or do you think they have good sides as well?

‘I find it difficult to imagine them having any capacity for goodness within…’

Kamilah pauses.

‘Perhaps I could be mistaken. For centuries, I deemed myself unable to possess a so called good side, until Amy showed me otherwise.

We all can hope, can’t we anon.’

[the-council-before-the-pact]

Bloodbound Diary Entries (April 1924)

[bloodbound-selfship]

Hello!

My name is Lu, and I go by They/She. Everyone is always welcome on my blog! You can send in asks about any Bloodbound characters you ship yourself with, any headcanons you'd like to submit, or maybe some cute imagines! However, this blog will mostly be used for me to gush over Adrian Raines and. Self ship. As the blog is named lol

Thin Ice

Lester lovers, Baron lovers, Vega lovers/apologists, Lily haters, Jax haters,

Dni

Sexists, homophobes, transphobes, anti-neopronouns, NSFW, LULA LOVERS (romantic/sexual. That is a CHILD), pedos

[georgiesgirl1223]

Two's Love, Four's a Crowd

Blood Bound. *Cordelia is escorting Jax (A vampire) to meet with her boss Adrian (another vampire) about a truce.

Warnings: NSFW, smut, mentions of blood, biting and blood sucking (I mean vampires), fingering, language, nipple play, threesome, oral, anal, sex, unprotected sex.

Word Count: 4453

In was late in the evening as the sun was setting low in the sky, its final rays of the day being blocked out by the tall New York City skyline. Jax followed Cordelia through the bustling streets as they made their way to the Raines Corp building. Somehow, he allowed himself to be talked into attending a meeting with clan leader Adrian Raines to discuss the best, most humane way to handle the clanless vampire issues. Jax knew agreeing to this sit-down went against everything he believed in, but he allowed his judgement to be clouded by the feelings he formed for Cordelia. He barely knew her, but yet there was something that always seemed to draw him to her, to protect her. He didn’t know if it was the calming rhythmic beat of her heart or the sweet smell of her blood, or even a combination of the two, but he wanted her. He wanted to know the taste of her blood on his tongue, how her skin would feel pressed against his. Jax knew she couldn’t feel the same way, he’s seen her together with Adrian. He’s seen the way Adrian looks at Cordelia, because it’s the same look he has in his eyes whenever he sees her. The only difference was that she never reciprocated those feelings for him. Jax was snapped out of his thoughts as they paused outside of the giant skyscraper. 

“Are you sure about this?” Cordelia asked as she turned to him.

“I’m only going to listen to what he has to say.” Jax’s tone was stern and unwavering. Cordelia nodded as she led him in through the lobby and into the elevator that took them directly to Adrian’s office. Jax hesitated as Cordelia opened the door to Adrian’s office, guiding him in. 

Cordelia was surprised to see another familiar figure standing with Adrian, both men leaning over the ornate desk, presumably glancing over different documents. Adrian’s head popped up as she entered the dark office, the curtains were still drawn from the afternoon sun, the only light coming from the large roaring fireplace, illuminating much of the room. 

“Delia” Adrian said with a smile as he stepped towards her, placing a soft peck to her cheek. “And you must be Jax.”Adrian turned, extending his hand to him as Jax reluctantly took it, both men eying the other as they shook hands. 

The familiar man behind the desk stood as he folded his arms across his chest. He eyed her hungrily as his gaze roamed her body. The heels she was wearing only made her lean legs appear longer, the shape of her hips was accentuated by the tight-fitting red pencil shirt she was wearing, her white blouse unbuttoned just enough to show a sufficient amount cleavage to make his mind race. The man’s stare moved further north admiring her defined collar bone and the slight flush of her milky white skin of her scrumptious neck. 

He moved out from behind the desk as Cordelia stepped further into the office. He reached out for her hand as he approached her, lifting her hand to brush his lips over her knuckles. “Cordelia, you’re looking as radiant as ever.”

She blushed ever so slightly. She had to admit that he was very suave, his presence commanding. “Always a pleasure Senator Vega.”

“Please call me Adam, dear” he corrected still holding onto her hand. 

Adrian cleared his throat, obviously agitated with Adam’s demeanor with Cordelia. “Shall we begin?” he asked motioning back to his desk. 

Adam moseyed over to Adrian’s liquor cabinet in the far corner of the room, pouring himself a glass of whiskey. “Would anybody like anything?” He gestured back to the group as he grabbed for a rock glass. The group shook their heads, declining his offer. 

“I’d rather have a clear head for this” Jax snapped, eying Adrian as he sifted through different documents. 

Adam sauntered back to the desk, posting up next to Cordelia, placing her in the middle of him and Adrian, with Jax keeping his guard up on the opposite side of the desk. Adam watched as Cordelia leaned over the desk as she assisted him in readying Adrian’s proposition. His eyes grew darker as he noticed her blouse hang down as she bent over, exposing more of her cleavage. 

Adrian glanced over and noticed Adam’s intense gaze lingering over Delia’s body. “Vega” he growled as his jealously come bubbling to the surface. He and Delia had only been sexually intimate once, it was that amazing night on the rooftop, making love to her underneath the stars. They haven’t really spoken about that night since, but they continued to steal little moments together when they could. He admitted to himself that he had felt something for her the moment he laid eyes on her. She was different from anyone else. She so readily accepted him for who he was, allowing him to open himself up to her. They never talked about it, but Adrian assumed that Delia felt the same. But, seeing the way Adam was staring at her, how he was devouring her with his eyes, that pissed Adrian off. Yes, Adam was a tall, handsome, well-traveled man, who women constantly swooned over, so why did he have to have her too? Adrian locked eyes with Adam during an intense stare down, a smirk on Adam’s lips because he knows he’s gotten to Adrian.

“Are you going to tell me why I’m here or are you guys just going to continue with your alpha stare down?” Jax loudly snapped, catching everyone’s attention. “Listen I just know what you can do to help the clanless.”

“Right.” Adrian began. “We could petition the council to open the clans to support the clanless and hopefully prevent them from becoming feral.”

“The picture is bigger than that Adrian, and you know it.” Adam barked. “We need to know who is creating all of these new vampires. Where are the ferals coming from. I mean there were hordes of them at Marcel’s ball. We need to know who’s behind this before we can help anyone.”

“What about the Baron?” Cordelia chimed in. “There has to be a reason behind why he voted to help Lily. It obviously wasn’t out of the kindness of his heart.”

“There might be strength in numbers Vega. If we petition the council to accept clanless members, there would be more eyes to look into who is behind all of this.” Adrian tried to compromise and make Adam see reason.

Adam swirled the liquid in his glass deep in thought. “If we did present this to the other council members, there would have to be a concrete set of rules these clanless vampires need to abide by.”

“Of course.” Adrian replied signaling to the documents before him, handing them out to the other three. “I’ve outlined all of the important points and guidelines for us to go over. I would like you all to look at page three” Adrian prompted as he flipped through his papers. 

As Cordelia began to flip through her papers, her finger caught the sharp edge of the paper and gave herself a paper cut, blood dripping from her finger. 

“Delia! Are you okay?” Adrian asked in a concerned tone as he reached out toward her. 

Red eyes began to glow in the dimly lit space. All three vampires became instantly hungry at the sight of the small amount of the blood dripping down her pointer finger. The sweet smell of Cordelia’s blood filled their senses, her scent was intoxicating, and they all wanted more. 

Adam swiftly grabbed her by the wrist, drawing her bloody finger to his lips. Cordelia was shocked by Adam’s force as her body turned towards him. She watched as he darted out his tongue, licking up her crimson finger before gently wrapping his lips around her, suckling the blood from her finger, relishing in her taste. A meek whimper exited her mouth as she bit her lower lip, enjoying the feeling of Adam sucking her finger. 

“Let go of her” Adrian yelled, his voice booming against the walls. 

Jax leapt to the other side of Adam, ready to pull him away from Cordelia, afraid that he would harm her. 

Adam released Cordelia’s finger from his mouth, placing a tender kiss on her fingertip. Her breath hitched as she glanced around her, three sets of glowing red eyes and three sets of drawn pointed fangs surrounded her. 

“Sorry Delia. I haven’t fed in a while.” Adrian looked down, ashamed of his hunger for her.

“Are you all hungry?” Cordelia asked timidly.

“Starving” Adam leaned over and whispered into her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. She’s never been fed on before, let alone by three vampires at once. Shockingly enough, the thought didn’t scare her. Quite the opposite actually. She’s always been a little turned on by vampires and the thought of three sets of fangs puncturing her skin filled her lower body with a searing heat. 

“You could all feed on me? I assume you’re hungry too Jax?” Cordelia offered. “I mean, as long as you don’t take too much” she let out a nervous laugh. 

“Oh honey, I’m famished” he growled eying her cut.

Adrian reached out and cupped her cheek, turning her head to face him. “Delia are you sure about this?”

She placed her hand over his. “I am Adrian. Plus, I have to do my part to help the cause.” She joked. 

Adrian cleared off his desk as Adam walked over to the office door, locking it to prevent any unwanted interruptions. Adrian placed a firm grip on her hips, lifting her up to sit on the desktop, shedding his jacket and vest, throwing it over his leather desk chair. He locked eyes with her as Adrian slowly started to unbutton her blouse, sliding the fabric over her shoulders, his thumbs sprawling over her soft skin. Adrian shuttered as he revealed the dark ruby lace bra Cordelia was hiding. His fingertips traveled down her sides, resting at her waist as his thumbs brushed over the see-through material. Delia’s hands roamed hungrily up his chest as her fingers found the collar of his dress shirt. Her nimble fingers worked feverishly to undo his buttons, placing heated kisses on his skin as she exposed it. 

“Looks like we’re not the only ones that are hungry” Adam snickered.

Jax let down the guard he had been keeping up around the two council members. Although he had just fed before they came, Jax couldn’t pass up her offer, the chance to finally get a taste of her sweet-smelling blood. He stepped closer to the desk as he shrugged off his leather jacket, letting it fall to the floor and pulling off his undershirt to expose his well-defined muscles. 

“Are you ready?” Adrian asked her softly. Cordelia nodded in agreement, butterflies fluttering in her stomach. “Here lay down.” Adrian cradled the back of her neck as he helped guide her down, moving her legs onto the desk, so her body was sprawled out ready for them to devour her. 

Adam disposed of his dress shirt as he positioned himself between her long legs. His hands palmed up her body, hooking his fingers into her waistband, pulling her tight skirt past her hips and down her legs, tossing it to the floor, revealing a matching set of dark ruby panties. A devilish smirk crossed his lips as he took her in. The sight of the woman he craved spread out for him made his eyes glow darker. “Oh, kitten I’ve been waiting so long to taste you” Adam said licking his lips. 

All three vampires hovered over Cordelia’s exposed body, six hands eagerly roamed over her as she moaned out in excitement, Adrian’s gaze still glued to hers. Jax gripped at her right arm pulling it out for him. His fingers trailed down her arm, turning it overexposing her wrist, blue veins popping through her fair skin. 

“Oh honey” Jax groaned, “you’re going to quench my thirst.” He lowered his mouth to her pulse point, his pointed fangs grazing her skin. Cordelia flinched as Jax sunk his teeth into her as he slowly fed on her.

“Mmmm.” She cried out, arching her back of the desk. 

Adam looked like a wolf ready to pounce. He grasped at her hips pulling her into him, she could feel the hardness of his length pressed against her thigh. He spread her legs, lifting her left and draped it over his shoulder. His lips moved from her ankle, to her inner thigh, brushing kisses over her, leaving a burning trail in his wake. He paused at the sensitive spot of her inner thigh, sinking his fangs into her, suckling fiercely, her sweet blood coating his tongue. 

Cordelia gasped as the second set of fangs broke her skin. Adrian gave her a concerned look as his thumb brushed over her lower lip. “Are you alright princess?” 

“Yes” she whimpered out. “I want you Adrian” her voice breathless. 

His lips found hers in a heated kiss. She parted her lips, letting his tongue mingle with hers as he deepened the kiss. Adrian moved his lips down her still cradled neck, placing sweet kisses down her flushed flesh. His pointed fangs foraged over her thin skin before he plunged them into her neck. He moaned out against her skin as the first taste of her blood hit his tongue. Cordelia arched into him as her left hand roved up his leg. She felt a twitch in his pants as she grasped at his engorged cock and began to roughly palm him through his pants. Her body writhed under them as all three vampires sucked her blood. 

“Mmmm. Oh, fuck yes”, she cried out, as her moans filled the room. She could feel Adam grin against her skin. Adam’s hand traveled up her leg, his finger darting out to tease her slit, her panties already soaked. He slid his finger under the material, feeling her wet folds, making her groan out. He dove his finger deep into her abyss, curling his finger, plunging knuckle deep into her, making her body pulsate. 

“Oh yes!” She breathed out tightening her grip around Adrian. Adrian growled against her skin, feeling the vibrations of his voice flow through her. Adrian’s hand flew up as his strong fingers found her left breast, massaging it as the rough lace rubbed against her nipple, eliciting a moan. 

Jax glanced up from her wrist, watching her body squirm under their mouths, their touches. He felt himself harden at the sight, it was like something out of a movie, nothing he ever thought he would be a part of. His hands roamed her body, up her side as he found her other breast, his finger and thumb tweaking at her nipple, stiffening it into a hard peak. 

“Adrian” she whimpered out. He lifted his head, her blood dripping from his fangs as he stared at her through worried eyes. “I need you” she said reaching up to his belt, giving it a tug.

The others withdrew their fangs, their lips and hands still roving over her body, making heat pool deep in her belly. Adam still pumped his finger, hitting her sweet spot with every thrust. Cordelia’s hips bucked as Adam felt her walls tighten around him. They all watched in awe as she came apart under Adam’s touch. 

“Oh, kitten” Adam growled. “You’re so fucking sexy like this.”

“Shit!” She cried as she thrashed against his touch. 

“That’s its kitten, cum on my hand.”

Jax’s lips found her nipple, flicking his tongue over the lace, taking her in his mouth, only adding to her pleasure. “Shit honey, I want more of you.”

Adrian’s mouth crashed onto hers as she came, her moans escaping into his mouth, echoing against his skin. 

“I think my naughty kitten wants more” Adam said grinning as he undid his belt.

Adrian hated the thought of sharing the woman he cares about, dare he even say loves, but he was also so wrapped up in the heat of the moment he was willing to set his jealously aside. He broke the kiss, looking up at her as he stroked her hair. “Do you want all three of us princess?”

“Yes” she whimpered out. “I want you all to fuck me” Cordelia said as she glanced between the three men, their eyes dark with lust and their bare chests heaving in anticipation. “But I need you” she whispered for only for Adrian to hear.

Adrian helped her up, so she was sitting up on his desk, sharing understanding looks between Adam and Jax. “Alright gentleman, so we are doing this. First and foremost, we must always make sure Delia is comfortable, if she says stop, we stop. Secondly, I’m fucking her pussy tonight boys” Adrian said as he moved over to Adam, who still stood in between her legs. 

“I can accept that this time” Adam said as he eyed Cordelia. “How about I fuck your tight little ass kitten? Would you like that?” He ran his hand down her flushed cheek as she let out a panting “Yes.”

“What about me?” Jax chimed in. 

“You could fuck my mouth” Cordelia replied with a sideways smirk.

Adam and Jax stripped from their confinements as Cordelia pulled Adrian to her. Her hands excitedly roamed to his waistband, undoing his pants and pulling them down as she nibbled a trail across his chest.

“Fuck princess, you’re so amazing.” His head flying back as she reached down, wrapping her fingers around his thick cock. His hands crossed her back to unhook her bra, exposing her large, perky breasts. He helped her down as he slid the lacy ruby red fabric down her thighs, letting it pool at her feet. The three vampires surrounded her, sharing open mouth kisses, their strong tongues fighting for her mouth.

Adam leaned back on the edge of the desk, pulling Cordelia in between his legs, brushing her long, dark blonde hair to the side, grazing his fangs along her neck as he placed kisses on her skin. “Mmmm, you’re my good little kitten.” 

Adrian moved closer to sandwich her in. He brushed his fingers down her cheek as he kissed her passionately, deepening he kiss as his tongue mingled with hers. 

Jax moved in kissing the free spot on her shoulder as his hands wandered her body, exploring her curves for the first time. His fingers found her wet slit, spreading her lips to find her clit. Her voice got caught in her throat as he began to trace circles around the sensitive nub. “Oh honey, you’re so wet. I’ve waited so long just to feel you.”

Adam laid back on the desk hanging his legs off the edge, picking her up by her hips, guiding her back into him, her back pressing against his bare chest, her legs bent with her feet firmly planted on the desk. “Are you ready for my big cock to fuck your ass kitten?” He reached down, teasing the tip of his cock against her puckered hole, she could feel his precum smear across her skin. Adrian held onto her knees as Adam forced the head of his cock into her. Cordelia yelped out and flinched at the intrusion as Adrian and Jax rubbed her skin to comfort her. Adam inched himself in, feeding her the entire length of his cock, going balls deep into her. Adam gave her a moment to adjust before he gave her a few hard pumps.

“Fuck Adam!” Cordelia cried out as he thrust into her tight ass.

“That’s it kitten say my name. Fuck you feel so tight kitten.” Adam groaned out through his forceful pumps. 

Adrian slid in between her legs, placing his hands on her hips as he leaned into her, kissing along her smooth stomach. He gently stroked the tip of his thick cock against her wet opening, allowing her juices to drip down his dick. Adrian thrust into her, tossing his head back as he felt Delia’s tight walls stretch around him. “Shit, princess! You always feel so good.”

“Adrian! Yes! Adrian!” She cried out. He loved hearing her scream out his name, he’d never tire of it, he craved it.

“Are you alright princess?” Adrian asked before he continued with his thrusts. 

Cordelia nodded as Adam and Adrian resumed their thrusts, the sounds of skin slapping on skin filled the room. They alternated thrusts, so she was never left empty. Their engorged cocks filling her up and stretching her out with every deep thrust. 

Cordelia turned her head and reached out for Jax, taking his hardness into her hands. She flicked out her tongue, teasingly rolling it around his tip, lapping at his precum. 

“Oh yes honey that feels so good.”

Jax watched her intently as she lowered her warm mouth onto him, suctioning her cheeks, sucking up and down his shaft. His hands flew into her hair, gripping it in tight fists. He bucked his hips against her mouth, forcing more of himself into her, the tip of his cock hitting the back of her throat with every thrust. Jax soon lost control and started fucking her mouth, needing to feel more of her, more than what she was giving him. 

Cordelia’s body squirmed over Adam’s body as the three vampires ravaged her body, fucking every hole she had to offer. She gripped one hand onto Adrian’s shoulder, digging her nails across his skin, drawing out small beads of blood. She tried to moan out, crying out Adrian’s name but her voice was muffled by Jax’s cock fucking her mouth. He felt the vibrations of her cries on his cock and it sent him over the edge. 

“Are you ready to eat my cum baby?” His grip tightened on her head as his thrusts faltered as his warm milky cum spurt in her mouth and ran down her throat. She swallowed everything he gave her before releasing him with a pop of her mouth. Jax stumbled back into one of the nearby chairs, struggling to catch his breath, his chest heaving, feeling spent. 

Adam and Adrian continued to fuck her ass and pussy as she writhed in between them. Adam grabbed her hips, stilling her as he bucked his hips up, deepening his thrusts. “You-feel-so-fucking-good-kitten” he groaned out, accentuating each word as he pounds into her. 

Adrian continued to fuck her sweet wet pussy, feeling her walls contract against him. “Fuck princess” he growled out. He put his hands on the sides of her neck, cradling her face as his thumbs stroked along Cordelia’s jawline, their eyes locked in the thralls of passion. 

“Oh Adrian!” She continued to scream out his name as her moans resounded around them. 

“Yell my name kitten” Adam commanded as he pulled out of her only to harshly thrust his cock deep into her. 

“Adam! Yes, fuck my ass.”

“Shit, I’m going to cum kitten. “Adam howled out as he came. 

“Fuck Adam! Mmmm yeah!” Cordelia moaned out as Adam filled her tight ass with his warm cum, shooting it deep inside her.

Adam collapsed back on the desk as he slipped out of her, panting to catch his breath as beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.

Adrian had the longest stamina of the bunch as he continued to pound Delia’s tight pussy, wanting to be the last one to cum inside her. “Come here princess” he whispered as he picked her up, wrapping her limps around his frame. He walked her over to the leather couch in front of the large fireplace and slipped back into the cushioned material. Delia was on top of him, Adrian pulling her closer to rest her on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her as he repeatedly thrust up into her. 

He felt her walls tighten around him, inching him closer to his release. “Oh, yes! Delia!” he yelled out, pulling her into him to brush his lips over hers. 

Cordelia craved the feeling of Adrian’s fangs sinking into her again. She buried her hands into his soft hair guiding him down to her neck. “Bite me” she breathed out. She wanted to give all of herself to this man, not just her body and blood, but her soul as well. 

Adrian’s fangs scraped over her skin as he pierced her luscious skin for the second time that night. He couldn’t get enough of her, he wanted her and only her, through this lifetime and into the next.

As he sunk his fangs deep into her skin, she saw stars. Their shared pleasure only intensified as he fed on her and she couldn’t help but scream out. Her eyes rolled back in her head as she bared down on his cock, moving her hips with his, pushing them both closer to their breaking point. Cordelia has never felt anything like this sensation before. This wasn’t just sex, this was something more, something deeper.

Adrian withdrew his fangs, so he could watch her cum. “Cum with me princess” he said as he rested his forehead on hers.“Delia, look at me” he whispered. Adrian thrust into her desperately as he shot streams of hot cum inside her pussy. 

“Adrian! Adrian!” she cried out as she came with him, her juices dripping down his cock, mixing with his own cum. She collapsed onto his sweaty chest as he kissed the top of her head. His arms still embraced her as he stroked her back, both heaving as they attempted to catch their breath. Delia curled up in Adrian’s arms, turning to glance at the other two men, obviously satisfied. “Well boys, that didn’t exactly solve our problem” she giggled. “Shall we get back to business?”

The men nodded in agreement as they got up to gather their clothes.

Adrian moved away from Delia, fetching both sets of their clothes, helping dress her still quivering body. “Are you okay Delia?” He asked concerned. 

She put one hand on his cheek and looked him deep in the eyes. “Perfect.”

Adrian smiled at her.

“But maybe next time it could be just the two of us?” Her voice faltered, afraid that he might turn her down.

“Nothing would make me happier princess.” He picked up her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing her knuckles. “I want you to sleep here with me today.”

“I would love to.” Delia responded as she grinned ear to ear.

Adrian guided her back over to his desk and picked up his documents. “Alright gentlemen, back to page three.” 

[songsaa]

Vulpes pls like men I promise I can treat u right

[annieqattheperipheral]

nhl players: i permit the nhl to use the likeness of my image in promotional materials

the nhl:

"hockey players have no personality" nhl: i beg your fucking pardon???????

[filmgifs]

ADAM SANDLER and PAZ VEGA SPANGLISH (2004) dir. James L. Brooks

[nottodayjustin]

February 23rd 2024 best hockey tweet(s) of the day

I’m sorry there were just so many

[the-council-of-new-york-vampires]

Bloodbound characters in therapy 😂

[gaiuskamilah]

to me and to nobody else

bloodbound | E | 3.1k words

relationships | kamilah sayeed/adrian raines, past gaius augustine/kamilah sayeed, past gaius augustine/adrian raines

warnings | explicit sexual content, pseudo-incest, incestuous themes, adrian and kamilah fuck on the sarcophagus with gaius in it (that is it. that's the fic. dead dove: do not eat)

summary | It's the 1920s, and the newly formed Vampire Council of New York has just deposed of the country's Vampire King. His two closest children, his Queen and his soldier, visit his tomb.

notes: heed the warnings, it's what it says on the tin. title from inbred by ethel cain. this fic is inspired by that song, two children in a motel (also by ethel cain), and the copious amounts of gothic fiction i consume.

[read on ao3]

The Council meeting drew to a close. It had been two weeks since the Pact was formed, since the cataclysm that shook the foundations of American vampire society. Much rearranging was done, with even more matters that waited to be discussed. All in due time, were the words that repeated over and over in Adrian’s head. 

It was hard to believe that it had already been two weeks since they sealed their Maker’s tomb. The city was in disarray as the six of them established their new status quo. But now, well into the last days of March, Adrian could say with some confidence that things were looking up. At least, on the side of the new Council.

Six members, six leaders of their own clans, each controlling an industrial sector of the city. Thirty vampires per clan, a controlled number, bound by the Pact and its principles. It was new and it was frightening, but a vampire life without experiencing at least one change in the status quo was not a vampiric life truly lived.

Kamilah gave Adrian a terse nod as she rose and exited the room, the first of the Council members to leave. He gave her a small smile before gathering his things, preparing to leave to tend to his own business, before Vega’s voice cut through the room.

“She’s going to betray us,” said Vega. His eyes remained trained on the door Kamilah had just walked through. 

So much for things looking up.

Adrian’s eyes narrowed. Vega, ever the pulsing ache in Adrian’s head. “You don’t trust her, Adam?” 

Vega let out an amused huff. “Hell no,” he said. “Aside from Priya, I don’t trust a single one of you lot, but especially not her. Not his Queen.”

Adrian turned to the rest of the Council. “And the rest of you agree with him?”

From across the table, the Baron shrugged. “Vega’s got a point, Raines,” he said. “She wasn’t originally on board with our plan to kill that freak.”

“A freak she’s been with for two thousand years, mind you,” supplanted Lester. “Girl’s got a crazy level of loyalty to her King to stay with him for that long.” 

Adrian ran a hand down his face. “She’s got at least a thousand years on all of us. If she wanted us dead, she’d have done it already.” 

“Always so eager to leap to dear sister’s defense,” said Priya with a grin. She didn’t even try to hide her mockery. She was so much like Vega. Two peas a pod, those two. It made Adrian’s blood boil.

“And she for me,” said Adrian sharply. “Unless you’ve all forgotten that she’s the reason we’re not ash under his feet.”

—

“He’s just doing what’s best for us,” said Kamilah. “You weren’t there, Adrian, in Europe, with the Order—”

“I don’t have to be there to know that this isn’t right!” interrupted Adrian. “I know he’s only doing what he thinks is best, but this is too much. Surely you can see that. If you come, Kamilah, maybe he’ll—”

“He will not! I know him. I’ve known him for two thousand years,” said Kamilah. “This is a fool’s plan. You will get yourself killed. He is King.”

“You’re the Queen.”

“A hollow title during times like these.”

A moment of silence.

“He’s just doing what’s best for us,” Kamilah repeated, the words more for herself than for Adrian. She kissed her teeth and turned to Adrian, more haunted and scared than he’s ever seen her before. She reached out and clung onto his sleeves. “Please, brother. Don’t. Don’t push him. I can’t lose another…”

Adrian grasped onto the sides of her arms. “Will you stop me tomorrow, sister, if things get bloody?”

Kamilah didn’t answer. Instead, she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest.

—

Once the initial anger had left him, Adrian finally admitted to himself that his fellow Council members’ accusations were not completely unfounded. At least from their point of view. But they didn’t know Kamilah like Adrian did. Betraying their Maker the way she did, cutting him in half to save the rest of them, the rest of the world…Adrian knew that wasn’t an easy call for Kamilah to make. They could question her, accuse her, loathe her even, but nothing they could say would make Adrian ever think twice about where Kamilah’s loyalties lied. Not after their coup.

Adrian still remembered the look on her face as she stared at their Maker, the man she’s loved for two millennia, split in half in a pool of his own blood. She was silent, detached from it all. As the others went to work severing the King’s limbs, wrapping him in chains, placing him in the Sarcophagus, Kamilah stood by the sidelines, her arms wrapped around her frame, her clothes stained with their Maker’s blood. When Adrian sealed the Onyx Sarcophagus shut, Kamilah wasn’t even there.

Kamilah loved their Maker, still does. One cataclysm cannot wholly erase two thousand years of companionship. She was his right hand, his consort, his Queen, with a reputation almost as fearsome as his. 

Almost. It was always the almost. 

Kamilah was his Queen, but never his true equal. He was King, he was Creator, Maker, Father. No fancy title could erase the fact that she was but another one of his children who cowered when daddy dearest got a little too angry.

But he made a mistake, letting Adrian get so acquainted with Kamilah. Because then she was no longer just a child. 

She’d become a sister again.

—

They had what would be the second of a million future Council meetings in a few hours. Adrian had stopped by unannounced to find that Kamilah was still in yesterday’s clothes, their Maker’s blood still under her fingernails.

Minutes later, he watched from his seat as Kamilah threw the bloodied dress into the fireplace. The smell of smoke and blood wafted through her living room. Adrian remained silent as Kamilah collapsed onto the sofa, as if the act of burning her dress was akin to swimming across the Atlantic.

Knowing Kamilah, it probably was.

They still haven’t talked about it. 

The flames consumed Kamilah’s dress, burning through the fabric until it was nothing but ash. It reminded Adrian of the night when he first became their Maker’s soldier, centuries ago. 

—

It was a mockery of a wake. 

Adrian stood next to Kamilah as they both surveyed the pristine stone coffin in front of them. He could feel the dark energy just simmering underneath, demanding to be let out. His blood drawn to it, drawn to the person trapped in the box. 

Their Maker was alive, breathing, and his body was slowly wasting away in the confines of the Onyx Sarcophagus. 

It was Kamilah’s first time seeing it, weeks after Adrian and the other Council members stowed their Maker away. She’d approached Adrian hours after the meeting, meekly asking if he could come with her to visit. I’d rather not be alone, was the plea that went unsaid. Adrian understood immediately.

“Silver chains.”

Adrian turned to Kamilah. It was the first words uttered between them since they arrived. 

“You bound him in silver chains,” she repeated. “My men did that, two thousand years ago. We thought it would actually do something. But apparently silver chains ‘don’t do a damn thing.’” 

“If you’re worried he’ll escape, I think he’d have done that and killed us by now.”

“Perhaps,” was all Kamilah said in reply. Then, with a resignation: “We’ve damned him to a fate worse than death,” she said. “I’ve seen what happens when a vampire is trapped the way he is, to spend the rest of their eternity secluded and rotting away, with no companion, no blood to be shared. Him and I… we saw it, during our time in St. Petersburg. 

“He was so angry. The humans saw her as demonic, and they trapped her. She was buried alive for centuries. Her hair had fallen out, her skin turned ash gray, rotting, almost Feral. But she was somewhat herself inside. Just extremely hungry. Lonely. She fed on the blood of the villagers but nothing could return her to the state she was in before. Not even his blood. In the end, she asked us to be the ones to stake her.”

Kamilah laughed mirthlessly to herself. “Good times.” 

“I’m sorry, Kamilah,” said Adrian.

“What are you apologizing for?”

“For all this. I’m sorry I put this on you. I know how much he means to you.”

“Don’t,” said Kamilah, her voice soft but firm. “I made my choice. I know who he is. I know what he’s become. We both know the things he did, the things he’s capable of. I was just… too scared to act out. Too scared to disrupt the way things were.” She exhaled. “Too scared of him.”

The vulnerability in her eyes was a rare sight, even in the centuries that Adrian had spent next to her. 

“I wasn’t completely sure you’d show up,” said Adrian. “What made you decide to join in the fight?”

Kamilah answered, quick and simple: “You.”

“Me?”

She stared off into space, almost lost in thought. “When Rome put Egypt under siege, my brother went to war. The Romans… they took him. They took him from me,” she said. “That day in the temple, I was there the whole time, watching it unfold. But I was still torn. And scared. Until I saw everyone else on the ground, everyone else except him and you. He was holding you by the throat, brother. A few more seconds and he’d put his fist through your heart, and I couldn’t—I couldn’t let them, I couldn’t let them do it again. It was him or you. I made my choice. I chose you.”

Adrian had an inkling, but it was different hearing it straight from her. Kamilah, his dear sister, damn it all, chose him. Saved him. Relief and affection rose up in his chest as he pulled her into a hug. He felt her tense in his arms and he only held her closer. He buried his face in her hair and breathed her in—warm, alive, her heart beating. Finally, she relaxed into his embrace. She wrapped her own arms against Adrian’s larger frame and hugged him back.

Kamilah looked up at him, and Adrian could see the beginnings of tears in her brown eyes. A tear rolled down her cheek, and she gasped as he kissed it away. Her skin was so soft under his lips. 

There was a charged air of uncertainty as he met her eyes again. Her gaze took his breath away. His thumb brushed against her lips and he saw her eyes flit to his mouth. His lips parted in anticipation. Centuries together, lovers shared between them, and yet they had never locked lips. Not even once. 

Especially not when their Maker was watching.

And yet, with him just a few feet away, Kamilah held the sides of Adrian’s face, and pulled him in for a kiss.

Kamilah’s kiss was bruising, uncompromising as she ravaged his mouth with her own. Adrian’s eyes slipped shut and he responded in kind. He pulled her closer and let her have her way with him. His lips sparked with pleasure and a shiver ran down his spine as the older vampire kissed him. She stoked the fire under his skin faster than any of his previous lovers did.

His previous lovers. Serafine… Celia… Gaius.

Remembering where they were, Adrian pulled away. “We can’t,” he said, despite every nerve in his body telling him to sink into Kamilah’s kiss again. “He’s… He’s going to hear us. He’ll know.”

“Let him. I don’t care,” said Kamilah. She grabbed his face and kissed him again, relentless in a way Adrian’s only ever seen her with other people, whether on the battlefield or at one of their wildest parties. And again, almost as if she was trying to convince herself: “I don’t care.”

She bit his lip and shoved her tongue inside his mouth. Adrian moaned against her lips and kissed back, attempting to keep up with her ferocity. If he had any doubt that their Maker didn’t know what they were doing, it was all gone. Adrian became all too aware of the brand on his arm, the crescent moon insignia binding him to his Maker, the same one branded on his sister’s hip. Every brush of their lips and tongues against the other’s felt like a betrayal, but Adrian didn’t care. Kamilah’s kiss was intoxicating, the best drug he’s ever had the privilege of tasting, and she chose him. 

Kamilah chose him. Not Gaius. Adrian.

Kamilah licked the blood off his split lip and Adrian silently groaned as she took his bottom lip between her teeth. His pants felt all too tight. Kamilah pushed him up against the Sarcophagus and slipped a knee between his legs. Almost on instinct, Adrian grinded down on her thigh, wanting to relieve some of the painful arousal at his center.

She ravished his exposed neck and grasped onto his jacket. Adrian moved to undo the zipper of her dress, but she stopped his hands. Adrian looked her in the eye. “What do you want, Kamilah?” he asked, soft and eager. “Show me what you need.” 

“Just work around my dress. I don’t… want to see it,” was her order. The brand. Adrian could sympathize. He nodded in understanding. She undid the buckles on his belt and pulled his pants down just enough for her to be able to cup his aching cock through his underwear. “And let me hear you. Make this worth it for me. I want to make sure you’re alive.” 

An easy task. Adrian’s body felt like a livewire with the way Kamilah was touching him. He grasped onto the stone slabs of the Sarcophagus — careful not to put on too much pressure lest it break — and moaned as Kamilah finally pulled down his underwear and took him in her hand. He tipped his head back in ecstasy as she worked her hand up and down his cock, holding him close and drawing the most obscene noises from the younger. 

Adrian, honest to god, whined as Kamilah removed her hand. Slick with her spit and his precum she tapped two fingers against his lips. He took them in his mouth and sucked. “Sweet boy,” she whispered. 

Kamilah bunched up her dress and took his hand to feel her center, and Adrian groaned as he felt how wet she was. She let out a sigh as he ran his own fingers up and down her clothed slit. 

Seemingly fed up with his teasing, she pulled down her underwear and stepped into his space. Adrian slipped in two fingers and curled his fingers in just the right way so as to elicit a moan from her. He kissed down her neck and held her tight, alternating between pumping in and out of her and circling her clit with his thumb. She moaned his name as his palm brushed against her clit.

But it wasn’t enough, not for her. Kamilah maneuvered them so he was pressing her against the coffin. “Here,” she said, now reaching for his cock. “Fuck me against here.” 

Adrian obeyed. He was hard and aching as he sheathed himself in her, letting out a moan at how tight she felt around him. He pressed his forehead against hers and grasped at her hips as she engulfed him in her wet heat. Her jaw dropped as she took him inch by inch, up to the hilt. He took a moment to let both of them adjust. Then, almost imperceptibly, she gave him a nod.

Adrian moved his hips against hers. He couldn’t believe how amazing she felt. For him, all for him. He kissed her with a passion and grabbed onto her jealously, a hand covering the part of her skin where a cursed moon was permanently etched onto her body. 

Kamilah breathed into his mouth and held onto him just as tightly as he did her. She cursed as he picked up the pace, but told him to keep going. If this was what she needed, he was all too eager to oblige. He lifted her and placed her on top of the Sarcophagus, and she pulled him down as she lay back. She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him closer, closer than they’d ever been before, and Adrian didn’t want it to ever stop.

God, she was beautiful. He’d been with tens of beautiful men and women, but no one compared to Kamilah. The word father rang in his head as he wondered why they hadn’t done this before. Adrian remembered their Maker’s blank look whenever Kamilah hugged him for a just second too long, or whenever Adrian gave her a polite cheek-to-cheek kiss. 

Did their Maker know, even then? That if the two children he held closest to his heart loved one another just a little too much for his liking, they’d ruin everything he’d built? The King, toppled and buried alive right beneath them, because his daughter-queen chose his warrior prince of a son over him. Chose a living brother over him.

Adrian kissed Kamilah again, conveying in his kiss all his gratitude and adoration. Kamilah chose him. She protected him, caught him before he fell to the ground and held him so fiercely that day, just as she did now. Just as she would do over and over again.

It was him or you. I made my choice. I chose you.

Adrian lifted the skirt of her dress just enough to slither his hand between them. He circled her clit just as he licked a stripe up her neck and sank his fangs into her skin. “Hnng—fuck, Adrian!” She threw her head back and spasmed under him as she came, falling apart on his bite and fingers and cock. Adrian groaned against her skin as he felt her clench around him, and it didn’t take much for him to follow her soon after. 

He trembled as he propped himself up on the white stone, taking in the debauched image of Kamilah underneath him. Her face was flushed, her hair and dress a mess, and he could hear the rapid beat of her heart. She was gorgeous. 

Adrian didn’t think that he and Kamilah were in love. They loved each other, but they were not in love, at least not in the way most people were. Maybe it was just because they were the same. Two children who’d seen and lost too much, with centuries’ worth of blood on their hands. Two children who’d made love on their father’s grave.

They’d make a new world. A better one. One free from their Maker. 

Never mind that Adrian could already scent the beginnings of a pallid rot under the white, clean stone. 

—

notes: gaius gagged and trapped in the sarcophagus sending them psychic messages to STOP!!!!!! they don't listen, he's weak and rotting.. like a loser...

the part about gaius and kamilah being in st petersburg and seeing it happen before is actually semi-canon, as it's from bloodbound: cold blood, a short story written by bloodbound's lead writer on the now-defunct app storyloom. screen recordings are available on youtube for those interested; this specific bit is mentioned in kamilah's route.

[kamilah-is-queen]

Guys, can you imagine if Bloodbound was a series? Or even a movie for that matter?

Why can’t producers get on this shit 😪 like cmon.

[kentjohnson91]

[the-council-before-the-pact]

Bloodbound Diary Entries #4