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rose-red-ink · 6 years ago

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Blood and Starlight Part 3

My guys, I am SO SORRY it took so long for this to get out. The tragedy made my depression attack my brain with a vengeance, and of course, college waits for no one. However! I am back, and ready to drag you guys off the cliff I left you on. Thanks for all the support, and I hope you enjoy :3

Part One Part Two

It took every ounce of self-control for Daybreak to keep her expression calm. Her hands from shaking, curling into fists.

It had taken a week for Starfall to try something like this. Frankly, she should have been surprised he hadn’t tried this sooner.

“The party’s in a couple days.” He murmured, breath warming her ear. “I have a good eye for this kind of thing, but try it on in case.”

If she hadn’t had so many years of self-discipline from her bloodbending training, she would have snapped.

The dress was silky, red, and cut in the most revealing ways imaginable. She wouldn’t even have minded that, but he was making her wear it.

And that color. No way was it a coincidence.

The warmth of his presence at her back was gone, the door shutting with a soft click.

Her hands weren’t shaking from fear anymore. No, now it was rage. And rage was dangerous for her.

She spotted a tiny plastic pouch on the side of the dress, containing a bit of gold thread and a spare button.

Daybreak ran her fingers over the glittering string, ignoring the pang in her chest. Gold had been her mentor’s color, her costume had glittered with it like sunlight and fire.

One of the rarest superhumans ever, with the power of flight and empathy.

Gold was a sign that an empath was on the scene, ready to help victims and talk sense into enemies. Gold was a sign that Daybreak wasn’t alone anymore.

It was a symbol of peace.

Inspiration flashed, quick as lightning on a clear day.

It took her awhile to find one of Starfall’s maids (because of course, he had maids), and even longer to convince the older woman she could “mend” the dress herself.

Dawnbird had been the one who taught her to sew, after all. Might as well utilize the whole skill set she’d been left with.

“What’s the matter? Don’t feel like dancing?”

Daybreak had to struggle to keep the smirk off of her face, keeping her lips marshaled into a serene smile.

A single muscle twitched in Starfall’s cheek. That was all she got. And all she needed.

“You certainly...added your own touch to it.” he said, eyes sweeping up and down her body.

She tried not to flinch under his gaze, instead of lifting her chin and steadying her gaze at him.

The dress was now glittering with gold embroidery, silhouettes of feathers and wings curving and shimmering against the red. Dawnbird’s symbol, over and over and over, shining in his face.

The only hero who had managed to take him down.

And the first hero who he had killed.

It wasn’t unnoticed. This party was swarming with villains, the ones who Starfall had spared, not to mention civilian billionaires and philanthropists.

Starfall had launched this little party as a “charity event”, the money used to rebuild the parts of the city after it had crumbled under the villain’s rule. In actuality, it was to show off that he had her under his thumb, and would be taking the place of the city’s underground ruler.

Her dress was getting smirks from every villain in the room. And unlike Starfall’s plan, it wasn’t at her expense.

“Shall we?” he asked softly, leading her out onto the dance floor.

She didn’t resist. Being in the center would make sure everyone saw her act of defiance, however tiny.

The ballroom was well-lit with chandeliers, all marble floors and columns. Stairs leading up to the second floor and the rest of the huge, elaborate manor. It made her stomach lurch, all that wealth wasted with the city still falling apart at the seams.

“If I weren’t a gentleman, I’d rip that dress off you.” Starfall hissed in her ear.

Daybreak felt a thrill in her chest. He was more riled than she had expected, and she only hoped others were catching his icy expression.

“If you were a gentleman, we wouldn’t be in this situation in the first place.” she pointed out calmly.

His grip tightened on her waist. “Just try not to embarrass me any more tonight, if you can manage that.”

He spun her, and as she moved, she let a grin slip loose.

“No promises,” she whispered, too quiet for him to hear.

The rest of the party passed relatively uneventfully.

She was paraded around on Starfall’s arm, but Dawnbird’s symbol covering her rather ruined the effect he was going for.

She smiled and greeted guests, and acted like his perfect little thing. But this was only step one.

She had no idea what step two would be, but is Starfall was this easily angered, Daybreak was sure she could think something up.

The hours stretched on, until Starfall moved his arm from under her hand to around her waist.

He gave a quiet laugh and as she stiffened, then turned to address his guests.

“I’m so grateful you could all come tonight, but I’m afraid Daybreak and I must retire for the evening. Thank you for your generous donations, and you’re free to stay as long as you like. Good evening.”

Then he was lifting her up, into his arms in a bridal carry.

Her first instinct was to writhe out, then smack him across the face for good measure. But then they were moving, rapidly ascending into the air...they were...

They were flying.

Starfall could fly.

Her hands gripped the front of his suit, and his laugh rumbled against her.

“I’ve got a couple surprises up my sleeve too, darling.”

He had completely upstaged her.

Starfall had two powers...that hadn’t been seen since...Dawnbird.

He had used her own act of defiance to remind everyone just how powerful he was; not only had he killed the only other double-powered superhuman alive, he had her protege at his beck and call.

Her dress only highlighted that.

Daybreak laid back on her bed, in the room he had provided for her. At least he didn’t make her stay with him. But the room was dark, and quiet, as the guests silently filed out of the manor.

The dress suddenly felt ridiculous, gaudy, a fool’s dream.

She stood, reaching back to unzip it, and go to sleep for as long as she could.

Her closet door swung open suddenly.

She immediately dropped into a fighting position, eyes widening as she saw not clothes behind the door, but a swirling blue void.

A gangly twenty-something stepped through slowly, hands in the air. “Easy, Ms. Daybreak. Not here to start anything.”

She didn’t budge. The portal shimmered back into darkness.

The silence stretched out. Daybreak narrowed her eyes.

She had seen this boy before...but where?

“Who are you?!” she whisper-shouted.

“My name’s Jason,” he said nervously, glancing at her bedroom door. “We’ve met before.”

Daybreak frowned. “Where?”

The boy smiled. “You saved my life from Starfall. Now I’m gonna save you.”

To be continued...

Tagging: @saidainabook @wishesofxadia @ithebookdragoni@fillerusernametr@acaiaforrest @unicorndefiance

#bloodandstarlight #daybreak #starfall #hero x villain #hope it was worth the wait!

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lhadylheyn04 · 9 years ago

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Soo soo good! Took me awhile to finish this coz i dont want it to end..📗📱✔🌟#daughterofsmokeandbone #bloodandstarlight #godsandmonsters #karou #akiva

#akiva #daughterofsmokeandbone #godsandmonsters #karou #bloodandstarlight

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rose-red-ink · 5 years ago

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Blood and Starlight part 5 (finale)

The silver burst of energy broke apart the desk, inches from Daybreak’s head. She rolled out of the way, brandishing the tiny knife. She was hilariously unequipped to fight him.

But she wouldn’t let her bloodbending join his list of stolen abilities.

All those heroes, all that killing...she wouldn’t let it stand.

She crouched, glancing around the study quickly, looking for something, anything to help.

Starfall rose off the ground, his eyes crackling with power. “Come on, Daybreak,” he smirked. “You’re a hero, right? Prove it.”

He wasn’t attacking. She didn’t know why, but she wasn’t going to let it go to waste.

She lunged, aiming with her knife to slice at his ankles. His boot collided with the side of her face, sending her flying back against a bookshelf.

She gasped for air as he tutted disappointedly, flying closer. “All that power and you go with a knife? I know you’re better than that, darling.”

He smirked, leaning down to grab her chin. “Show me the same spark your mentor did. I want to snuff it out in you, too.”

Rage boiled over in Daybreak’s chest. She gripped his hand, twisting his wrist savagely and biting his palm.

The taste of iron filled her mouth and he jerked back, hissing in pain. She grinned, feeling power rise up in her.

Then it hit her. That was what he wanted, wasn’t it?

“You stole their powers. And you want to add bloodbending to your powerset. So why haven’t you?”

Starfall smiled at her. “Well, I figured I’d give you a fair shot before I splattered you against my office walls.”

“Bullcrap.” Daybreak spat. She shoved herself to her feet, ribs aching. “You kept me for weeks. Why?”

Starfall took her in, that same irritating sneer on his features. “You’ve been fun, fun to play with.”

He grinned. “Why would I want to end that so quickly?”

No, that wasn’t it. What he had said in his journal, about wanting to bloodbend.

It all clicked.

“You have to see someone use their power in order to obtain it when you kill them. That’s it, isn’t it?”

Starfall looked almost impressed if it wasn’t ruined by him smug smile. “Not bad, Daybreak! Smarter than you look, even if it took you ages.” he chuckled lowly. “Really dear, did you really think this was ever about love?”

Daybreak gritted her teeth in concentration.

“And now, if you want the slightest chance at survival, you’ll bloodbend. You’ll give me that delicious power of yours, or you’ll be ashes in seconds.”

She took a deep breath, pushing off the wall. “So, you want me to bloodbend for you?”

“Of course.”

She grinned. She could feel it, dripping off her teeth from where she had bitten him. Off a cut on her forehead from where she’d fallen into the bookshelf, off his own arm, her hand, and, most significantly, in the tiny beads of blood shimmering, hovering in the air all around him.

“Good luck.”

She shoved her hand out and they formed into a single, long scythe of crimson liquid.

It sliced away at his back, the sheer force knocking him a step or two forward. That was her chance. Her hand closed around his wrist, the other bending down to grip his neck.

His pulse hammered under her fingertips, begging her to be set free. To rip out of his veins, tearing his entire vascular system apart. It would take a thought, a flick of her fingers.

And that’s when she saw her eyes, glittering deep scarlet back at her from the office’s mirror.

Dawnwing would want her to be better.

She wanted to be better.

She squeezed her fingers slightly. It was all she needed.

Starfall collapsed against her, solidly unconscious. The blood from his back wound started seeping into her clothes.

She pulled herself from under him, gasping for air. Her eyes flew to the mirror. Normal brown.

She had bloodbent. And she was still here.

And she was bleeding to death.

She closed her wounds quickly, using the blood on the floor and on her clothes to transfuse the blood she had lost.

A shimmering portal opened, Titus and Flicker stepping through. Flicker’s eyes grew wide. “You....how the hell?!”

“Later.” she promised. Footsteps were pounding down the hallway. “Get him to a cell, with the strongest power-dampening cuffs you can get on him.”

Flicker frowned. Their eyes shone briefly, their power activating. “Daybreak, his power...”

“I know, he’s strong. We’ve got to-”

The door to the study broke open, Starfall’s goons appearing on the other side.

Barely thinking, her hand shot up. Glittering energy appeared in her palm, exploding into the row of guards.

Starfall’s power.

Flicker cleared their throat. “What...what I meant to say, was that he’s powerless.”

Daybreak looked at her hands. They looked normal, but the blood under them teemed with power.

This was the start of something...something new.

Tag list: (thanks for sticking around, guys! I’ll be posting more about my other short-term project, Arcane Sea, and my long-form project, Shadows and Thrones from now on)

@saidainabook@wishesofxadia@ithebookdragoni@fillerusernametr@acaiaforrest@unicorndefiance

#bloodandstarlight #finale

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rose-red-ink · 6 years ago

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Blood and Starlight

Part One

You asked for it, you got it. This is likely gonna be several parts, and they’ll be tagged under #bloodandstarlight, the new name of the series. I’m gonna tag some people who were interested, let me know if you want off the tag list.

I’ll also be adding these to my master list on my main page.

Without further ado...

Daybreak’s mind was spinning. She had freed her friends. Saved the city from the villains. And she had sacrificed her own freedom for it.

The villain’s mansion was huge, and she had wandered through several bedrooms, bathrooms, and a giant dance hall before she found what she was looking for.

Athletic tape. A training room. And a punching bag.

She gritted her teeth, slamming her wrapped fists into the surface of the bag, the rhythm of fists and feet pounding with her thoughts.

Pound.

I’m never getting out of here.

Thud

I’ll never see the sun again if it’s not by his side.

Pound

How many people died of injuries I could have stopped?

Thud.

If I had gone alone.

Pound.

If I hadn’t had to beg him for help.

Thud.

If I had left that prison victorious.

Pound.

If I had been stronger.

Thud.

If I had LOST CONTROL.

Pound.

It would have been over. Me and him. Forever.

“Beating up a punching bag, pretending it’s me? A bit cliche, don’t you think?”

Daybreak wiped the sweat from her brow. Her palms were shaking.

Biting back a curse, her eyes flicked to the wall of mirrors opposite her.

Starfall watched her with a satisfied smile curling his lips. He looked refreshed, well-rested.

Bastard.

“I’m training. Ever heard of it?” she said flatly.

A lame response, they both knew it. Just as they both knew his sudden presence had startled her.

She still hadn’t turned around. Every instinct was screaming to face her enemy, be ready for his attacks should they come. But she was deep in the viper’s pit now, he could strike as he pleased. If he wanted her dead, she wouldn’t have set foot outside that villain HQ.

She kept her expression neutral, shifting back into a fighting stance. She couldn’t focus on that now; Starfall was too good at reading expressions. And now more than ever, she needed to keep her cards close to her chest.

Her foot slammed into the punching bag, followed by a series of quick punches. And as cliche as it was, she was picturing Starfall’s smirking face in the path of her heel.

She just wasn’t expecting it to actually come so close.

He had moved to stand behind the bag, bracing it with his weight. Waiting for me to strike again.

Daybreak took a couple of steps back, crossing her arms across her stomach. His eyes followed the movement, to the white-green bandages peeking under the hem of her cropped workout top. The burn from his blast still hadn’t fully healed, but two days recovering was all she could stomach.

Still, the left side of her ribs ached in protest every time she twisted for a kick or punch, even though she gritted her teeth through it.

The seconds stretched out, and Starfall still hadn’t moved, And his eyes hadn’t drifted from her side.

“Done admiring your handiwork?” she snapped. “Ready to let me get back to training?”

His gaze finally dragged up to meet hers, and he smirked. “On the contrary, I could admire you all day. And I’m trying to help, little hero.”

“Noted. But not needed.”

He shrugged. “I came to train. It’s either this, or we could spar a bit.”

His silver eyes dropped down to her injury again. “I’d give you a burn on the right side this time to match.”

She was moving before she fully processed the action, and long before he did. Her foot slammed into the bag, hitting where his stomach was positioned on the other side. She felt his fingers too, caught between her foot and the bag, smashed under the strike.

With a sharp gasp of air, Starfall stumbled back, blinking rapidly.

She had stunned him. He was actually surprised.

Daybreak savored that expression for all it was worth.

Until the sharp scent of blood reached her nose.

She stumbled back, quick as she could, but Starfall was already moving.

His hand clamped over her arm, the busted-open fingers pressing over the bare skin. The blood trickled, hot and slick, down her bicep.

She forced down the nausea, the fear, the delight that the sight of blood brought. She kept her eyes firmly on the training room floor.

His fingers caught her chin, tilting her head up. She glared back for all she was worth. Silver sparks from his fingers, shooting pain into the vulnerable part of her throat. A warning to behave.

“Incredible,” he whispered, brushing aside a strand of dark brown hair that had fallen from her bun. She didn’t have to see her reflection to know what he was talking about. To know that her eyes had turned from soft green to ruby red.

Then there was a flash of silver metal, a knife drawn quickly, too quickly for her to flinch away.

It came up, close to her face, and with a swift stroke…

Sliced into Starfall’s cheek.

Blood was running quickly down his face, the smell of it choking her, filling her lungs with the smell of the battlefield, of death, of the time the power had claimed her for the very first time.

She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself against the urge to draw out the red liquid, to use his own body to rip him to pieces.

“Bloodbend. Do it for me.”

She couldn’t. She wouldn’t use her power for that.

“Daybreak.”

His power sparked into her skin again, shooting pain down her neck, into her chest, dangerously close to her heart.

She forced her eyes to open, to look at his smug expression.

“Bloodbend. Now.”

Her stomach settled at his self-satisfied face.

This wasn’t a gamble for him. As soon as she tried to take him out, he had the power to end the fight in seconds. Her aching ribs were proof of that.

“You want me to bloodbend?” she asked softly.

His hand left her chin, moving to bring her hand up to his cheek. The blood from the cuts on his hand had dripped down, staining her fingers.

He leaned into her hand, letting her fingers brush his cut. “Now.”

Without warning, she snatched his cheek in her hand, quickly and firmly. Her eyes didn’t leave his. Because she needed to see, needed to confirm what she already suspected.

And she saw it.

Daybreak brushed her thumb gently over the cut. The blood scabbed under her touch, the wound shrinking considerably.

Her other hand grasped his, fingers twining to heal and close the wounds.

He stepped away, smile carefully back in place. “Well, I was hoping for something a bit more dramatic, little Daybreak. But I suppose that’ll do for now. You’re very good at following orders.”

She forced herself to grimace, to look away. To not grin viciously at her victory.

“I’m going to take a shower.” She said bluntly. “You’re not invited.”

She needed to cold water to sober her, to remember this wasn't over yet. But she couldn’t suppress the spark of excitement in her chest.

Down in the villain HQ, she could have been imagining things. But it was there again as she grabbed his face, the same shadow passing behind his eyes.

For a moment, Starfall had been afraid of her.

Tag list: @gingerly-writing @saidainabook @wishesofxadia @ithebookdragoni @fillerusernametr @acaiaforrest

Let me know if you want to be added to or taken off the tag list!

#bloodandstarlight #starfall #daybreak #hero x villain #bloodbending #hope you all like it!

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rose-red-ink · 6 years ago

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Blood and Starlight part 4

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Daybreak coughed, spitting out blood.

Teeth clenched, she willed herself to stand. She was on her knees when the boot slammed into her ribs again.

Her back hit the hard oak of the desk, drawing a groan from her throat.

Get up.

I can’t give up now.

Starfall’s face was filled with an emotion Daybreak couldn’t place. Pity? Arrogance? Triumph?

Somehow all three, as he lifted his hand. Energy gathered in his palm, and Daybreak braced herself, waiting for the finishing blow.

She gasped awake.

Her skin was slick with sweat, her breath rattling in her chest. She couldn’t get the air in fast enough, she couldn’t breathe.

Remember what Dawnbird taught you. Deep breaths. Count things you can see in the room.

Daybreak remembered being pissed when her mentor refused to help her with her nightmares.

As an empath, Dawnbird could enter the minds of those asleep, and influence their dreams. But she refused to help.

“One day I won’t be here.” she would say softly. “And you need to be able to heal on your own.”

As the minutes ticked by, and her panic attack receded, Daybreak mentally thanked her old mentor.

Her heart rate had slowed, and she turned to settle back down to bed.

Until she caught sight of her eyes in the mirror, and her stomach dropped.

They were burning, glistening red.

This was bad. This was very, very bad.

She could feel her grip on her powers slipping, slowly, but surely. Ever since the party, nightmares had kept her gasping awake in the middle of the night.

Her days were filled with tension, and Starfall wasn’t making it any easier. He had become more confident, not hesitating to give her orders or touch her shoulder.

It wasn’t the worst he could do, she knew that, but it made her stomach twist with unease.

And unease wasn’t good for emotion-controlled powers.

But today, a new emotion had joined the roiling mass; hope. Because Starfall had left the manor for the day.

He had done it before, but before she didn’t have a portal superhuman on her side.

The kid was the same she had ordered Starfall to save their first night working together, and he had come back to save her.

But there wasn’t any way she could escape, not yet. Her bargain with Starfall would fall apart. He would become a supervillain again, and could just capture her again.

But since this kid could make portals leading out of any door in the world....

“Thanks Titus.” she whispered, stepping out of the portal, into Starfall’s office.

Titus gave her a smile and a salute. “You’ve got five minutes before I can use my power again to come get you. Make em count.”

With a shimmer of light, the office door turned back to wood.

Daybreak was alone, with five minutes and a penknife.

She glanced over the papers neatly stacked on the desk, but that’s not where the good info would be.

After sifting through drawers, she encountered one that was locked.

Grimacing, she sliced the back of her hand, drawing out a small amount of blood, before closing the wound.

She moved the blood to fill the lock and willed it to freeze.

There was a crack, and the lock was broken.

She opened the drawer quickly, to find...a leather-bound notebook.

Three minutes left.

Daybreak flipped through the pages, becoming increasingly aware of her time running out.

Page after page of superhero profiles, lists of their powers, weapons, abilities, battles they had won and lost.

Daybreak frowned. She hadn’t pegged Starfall for a fanboy.

Besides, these heroes hadn’t been on the frontlines for years, they had all--

Died.

Her heart stopped. Had he...?

She started flipping through the book, faster.

Titan: Superstrength and durability.

Silverbeat: blasts of shimmering energy.

Dawnbird: Flight and empathy.

All veteran heroes.

All with a neat little check next to the name.

She turned to the last page, terror building in her stomach.

Daybreak: Bloodbending.

Patience has been key when attempting to acquire her abilities. She is strong, stronger than I ever hoped.

I had planned on aquiring her at some point, healing can be useful, but bloodbending is too good to pass up. And she delivered herself to me on a silver platter.

She’ll break soon. I can see it in her eyes, when I talk to her, touch her, smile. She’ll snap, and she’ll be mine for the taking.

A sigh sounded behind her.

“Darling, you really shouldn’t have done that.”

To be concluded....

@saidainabook @wishesofxadia@ithebookdragoni@fillerusernametr@acaiaforrest @unicorndefiance

#bloodandstarlight #bloodbending #part 4

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rose-red-ink · 6 years ago

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Blood and Starlight part 3 preview

It took every ounce of self-control for Daybreak to keep her expression. Her hands from shaking, curling into fists.

It had taken a week for Starfall to something like this. Frankly, she should have been surprised he hadn’t tried this sooner.

“Be ready by seven.” He murmured, breath warming her ear.

If she hadn’t had so many years of self-discipline from her bloodbending training, she would have snapped.

The dress was silky, red, and cut in the most revealing ways imaginable. She wouldn’t even have minded that, but he was making her wear it.

And that color. No way was it a coincidence.

The warmth of his presence at her back was gone, the door shutting with a soft click.

Her hands weren’t shaking from fear anymore. No, now it was rage. And rage was dangerous for her.

She spotted a tiny plastic pouch on the side of the dress, containing a bit of gold thread and a spare button.

Daybreak ran her fingers over the glittering string, ignoring the pang in her chest. Gold had been her mentor’s color, her costume had glittered with it like sunlight and fire.

Gold was a sign that an empath was on the scene, ready to help victims and talk sense into enemies. Gold was a sign that Daybreak wasn’t alone anymore.

It was a symbol of peace.

Inspiration flashed, quick as lightning on a clear day.

It took her awhile to find one of Starfall’s maids (because of course he had maids), and even longer to convince the older woman she could “mend” the dress herself.

Dawnbird had been the one who taught her to sew, after all. Might as well utilize the whole skill set she’d been left with.

New chapter dropping tomorrow

Tagging: @saidainabook @wishesofxadia @ithebookdragoni@fillerusernametr @acaiaforrest

#bloodandstarlight #daybreak #starfall

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rose-red-ink · 6 years ago

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Blood and Starlight part 4 preview

Daybreak coughed, spitting out blood.

Teeth clenched, she willed herself to stand. She was on her knees when the boot slammed into her ribs again.

Her back hit the hard oak of the desk, drawing a groan from her throat.

Get up.

I can’t give up now.

Starfall��s face was filled with an emotion Daybreak couldn’t place. Pity? Arrogance? Triumph?