The 5th Day

"Hmmm, Charlie..." Moonie squirmed as your fingers caressed the bright red lips between her legs. She chuckled again as you blew into her neck, growling like a wolf hungry for his mate "Cut it out, that tickles!"

You could have stayed there with her all morning, day and night, but the blonde hissed innocently as you went to press a finger inside of her. Her legs curled shut preventing you from going further.

Awakening from your lustful haze, you gave her an apologetic smile "Sorry."

"It's okay, I'm just a little sore..." She grinned, pecking your lips and staring with loving eyes. You pulled her naked body close, the cold soft skin contrasting the burning in your chest.

There you lay for a short while.

"You know, I haven't really gotten the chance to meet your family." Moonie pointed out.

"You know Diana well enough right?"

"I mean a little sure, but she always got along better with Cleo and Belle than me. I guess Cleo has a similar resting-bitch-face energy, and everyone loves Belle, she's too innocent for her own good."

"So?" You asked, lips arcing curiously.

Muninn huffed and rolled her eyes "I don't know, maybe it's just that... When I was in our convent as a kid. Parents would always make relationships a big deal. They'd freak out with excitement, invite families over for diner... they'd even look at setting up betrothals."

You raised an eyebrow, something was clearly weighing on her mind "As in ye old courtship betrothals?"

Her eyes widened, realising what she sounded like "Oh, I-I'm not saying we should get married or anything! I just meant... never mind."

You held her tighter, renewing her smile "If we were living and everything settled down, maybe I would. But all this ****, it makes things complicated-"

"You don't have to explain yourself, Charlie."

"I know, but... listen if you want to have dinner and meet my family properly then we can do that one day. Just fair warning they're all lunatics."

"Family of monster-killers are all crazy, surprise, surprise." She chuckled. There was a weird look on her face as if building up to something until she blurted out "I've, lost a lot of people over the years. Don't become one of them."

You took her soft cheeks in each hand, pressing your lips on the icy glacier of her forehead "I am not so easily lost." You whispered.

Drawing the thick curtains to block out the morning light, Moonie lay naked in the coffin as you showered, watching you get dressed in a neat black shirt and stretchy midnight jeans that stuck to your muscular thighs.

"You not gonna get dressed?" You asked offhandedly, still eying her crisp white curves and full ivory legs.

She lazed, gazing slightly uncomfortably at the small crack in the curtains, spilling the milky white skylight into the corner of the room. You closed them fully, making sure that she would be undisturbed "You're so good at it, I'd feel insignificant in comparison. And as I'm sure you know by now, I'm not exactly in the mood for a mid-day BBQ"

You bent down to the coffin, accepting the final kiss that she pressed into your lips "Please try and feed today, I know it bothers you, but it'll only get worse and I don't think your internal wounds haven't completely healed."

"Stop mothering and get some sleep, I'll see you later."

She lay down on her back and went still, looking up as you closed the coffin door "You better." her whisper escaped through the crack as she was sealed inside, protected from the day.

There were a couple of things that ran through your mind.

"Family of lunatics... Artorias the dementia-ridden patriarch, Remhilde the homicidal alcoholic, Diana the Sex-crazed maniac. And Charles Drake, the clearly schizophrenic-amnesiac nymphomaniac with multiple personality disorder. Is this what it means to be an Executioner, Dad?..."

You strolled down the grandiose foyer of your home, descending the steps and dipping through the landing into the hallway, where your father's paintings hung on the walls.

"...Is this why our ancestors fought and killed Monsters, because no matter how much we try they just keep finding their way into our lives? Hilde and Pops make out like our blood is a gift but being able to see what others cannot, I think it shackles us to our purpose."

Your stride took you back into the lounge, you knew why you were here, even with Muninn you'd been thinking about it... and here it was still on the mantlepiece, ivory and beautiful in the stand, Pops had left it in.

Akuma Muramasa, the Demon blade, what secrets did it hold? It seemed to ooze with ire, demanding that you draw it and cut open someone's flesh with a pristine technique. You wrapped your hands around the handle and scabbard, lifting it like a newborn and admiring the craftsmanship.

"In the annals of our family it says that we are born into our roles: Judge, Jury, Executioner, Heir, it can only be changed when one of us is lost. And without you, Dad, all of us are changed. If we're going to survive in this dark world, then maybe a little crazy is what is needed."

You popped a claw and made a small incision on the back of your hand. "Mhalia."

...

The Tachi remained solid, it didn't obey the command. You tried again "Mhalia."

Still, nothing "Nice, to not be the only stubborn one around here, uh I guess? How am I gonna carry you around without a prefect bursting into tears and running to straight principal saggy-balls eh?"

Not to mention Vicky likely pestering you about it, trying to pick you apart for Mr Harrow's assignment, or inquisitive Izzy, a Katana slung over your shoulder wasn't exactly a guitar on your back-

...and there it was, that shining lightbulb moment.

The Morning air was cool and refreshing as you pushed through the double doors into the front of the mansion. Your eyes trailed up over the treeline after you got up your garage security app, watching the dawn streak the clouds with flaming oranges and dancing violets, it filled you with a conviction for the new day as the tall garage doors slid open.

"Alexa, turn the workshop lights on." You called, watching the bottles hanging from the ceiling flood the space with light. You walked past the collection of sports cars, rolling your eyes at the space where the Apollo once was.

The Akuma felt alive in your hands, so smooth and fluid, you couldn't help but cradle it close to your side.

Your dad's workshop was neatly arranged as ever, here he stored every tool he could get his hands on. Not a single one was clean and all were worn with use, the only clean item was up on a high shelf to the right, decorated with fairy lights...

A smile of nostalgia cut into your cheeks when you spotted it, and arched into a full grin as you climbed the step ladder to reach it: a dreadnaught acoustic guitar case.

You ran your fingers across the gleaming surface wrapped in dark crocodile skin. A signature was slashed into the side with a white marker, "To Roman Drake, the only man I've ever known to truly kill with style, C.U" You read allowed, snatching it down to open it up.

"Pssst!"

You flinched looking toward the ominous red double doors engraved with symbols. One of those doors was cracked open, a smooth face poking out just a little.

"Rudy?" You called curiously.

"Close the doors!" She cried in a whisper.

"What?" You asked, confused.

"CLOSE THE GARAGE DOORS, IDIOT, DAYLIGHT IS EVIL!"

"Okay, alright." You chuckled, reaching into your pocket you closed the doors with the app on your phone. Once the light of the virgin morning was shut out, Rudy rushed out of the doors with supernatural speed, barging into your space and pushing an angry finger into your chest.

"You! You great big flaming piece of shit!" She growled angrily, her nimble form contrasting to yours, blonde hair whipping as see snapped her head back and forth.

"Whoah, good morning to you too."

Her face twisted, and despite her anger, she looked kinda adorable in her American-flag style fluffy pyjamas... she must have jumped right out of her coffin.

"What's got you all riled up?"

She scowled, biting into her thump drawing blood with one of her long fangs. After whispering "Mhalia" the trickle of blood lept out into the air, forming into a pair of fractured onyx horns. You huffed as she snatched them out of the air and held them up in your face "You killed my baby, my masterpiece. I give you the best thing I ever done created and you smash it into pieces!"

The Black Drake was... triggering to you. Yet another inheritance from Nox that was not your own.

"Rudy, stop." You warned, as your mind throbbed with painful thoughts.

"I made this for you! It is the encapsulation of yourself, the greatest damn thing Rudy's ever seen, and You just snap in two! You goddamn stick in the mud, I oughta kick your motherfucking ass!" She roared in wrath, psyching herself up with gnashing teeth and ferocious magenta eyes.

Your hands closed around her wrist, snatching her up and off her feet. She froze, hearing your soft voice press into her ear "I'm only just starting to grasp your story, Rudy. But if you want to try it, go ahead and try -- I'm not fully in control of my faculties, I might just bring your story to an end."

Rudy shimmered, running her hand across your chest "I ain't afraid of ****, darlin'"

Pressing her into the wall, the blonde huffed heavily as your presence between you grew harder and stronger "You will be. I broke the mask, why wouldn't I break you too?"

Her arms slithered around your back, legs curling around your waist. Her throat was like a plump piece of fruit. Your chest throbbed, mouth-filling with saliva, her skin was soft, and you could taste the peppermint body wash she had used before as you kissed under her jaw "You can't do to Rudy what she has already done to herself, Cowboy. If you're gonna wet your whistle then you'd better get on with it, unless your just a yellow-belly who can't bite a biscuit?"

You smiled a little deviously, there was no greater pleasure than a moment alone with Rudy, where your darkest desires could be met without fear or judgement.

She coaxed you in with a kiss, her mouth was wet and her tongue was ice cold, you groaned as she bit hard on your lip, drawing blood.

It was maddening how she slid back, sucking in her top lip, her wild gaze up at you.

"You're fucking mental, you know that?"

She laughed at that, a hauntingly shallow laugh "Rudy, ain't no snowflake ya hear? No insult is gonna me up."

"I don't think you're a snowflake... but I wager I could rile you up pretty quickly." Your evil grin extended.

"I'll take that bet, bitch-boy. Twenty bucks."

"I'm. in." You whispered insidiously.

Quick as lightning you shot downwards, pressing your cheek under her jaw and clamping down on her neck. You felt the soft flesh give way, Rudy giggled as if you were tickling her, forcing her body into yours and raking her fingers across the back of your neck.

The song of Rudy flew through you, like a train or a bat out of hell. You'd forgotten how chaotic she tasted. Her blood was thick, it had a depth to it like stale whiskey just on the cusp of spoiling... strangely enough the flavour only enhanced the longer you pulled on her veins and something corrupting slithered back in.

Voices travelled from afar.

"four rocks and five rocks!" A crazed tone echoed in a cabin nestled into a gorge. "Six rocks, seven rocks throw a girl a bone! She d'queen of rocks won't ever get her off that throne!!!"

You saw the mouldy ceiling beams engraved with hundreds of scratch marks, then the walls with decayed head-mounts and cloudy oil lamps bolted to the walls. You saw a massive hole in the floor surrounded by what could only be described as a shitload of rocks.

...And damn was the small woman picking them out of the deep cobbled floor in soiled underclothes and no shoes, bloody footed with a wild discoloured mane of splaying dirty-gold hair.

She dug her claws viciously into the ground, ripping free one of the tiny stones one by one and by one again. "Eight rocks, nine rocks throw a girl a bone, Rudina's gone and all is wrong, now Rudy's all alone!"

You could feel the absolute chaos in her, she hadn't left this cabin only to feed on the Leeches when they came in at night. They were chewy and bland like jerky, it made her mind spin away, every night she either laughed or cried, sometimes both at the same time for hours on end.

Her fingers gleamed with rings that extended her claws into steel, each shaped oddly and crackling with crimson light as she inscribed empty blood runes into the stone; furthermore, many slices and cuts bled from her hands and wrists.

Memories continued to jump out at you further down the stream. Having to relearn how to walk on two legs tasted particularly odd, she had been isolated cannibalising those monsters for so long that she found travel much less cumbersome on all fours. She had to relearn how to speak, devouring humans on the way... enjoying the runes she'd inscribe with their rich blood.

Every human she killed or hunted was chosen completely at random, she thought that she had a keen palate but that was a delusion, the only common denominator was young men who she snatched off the street.

Her grip on you was lessening as she gasped in euphoria.

Pulling away was harder than you thought It'd be, but you closed your eyes and relaxed his jaw. He was awash with gluttony but he wanted to at least get through one more night before burning out.

Rudy turned her face to yours nearly before you fully pulled away, but she grabbed you, mushing your lips together as she hummed cheerfully. She smiled at you as you separated, for once she gave you a very lucid smile.

"Was it good for you?" You said in a nerdy trill"

Rudy grinned and chuckled like a hyena, always running her fingers around your arms and your chest to let you know she would never stop touching you "You suck better than all the whores in texas."

The time had come. You held back a titering smirk as you stood back, reached into your wallet, retrieved a 100 dollar bill and slid it into her waistband "Unless I'm reading this image wrong, I covered in your blood and you nearly prostrated before me. I'd say I paid my whore pretty well."

You cleared your throat, tapped the one-hundred bucks for the record, turned to pick up your guitar case and strolled over to the workshop.

Rudy boiled, her face contorting with wrath as her teeth became sharp and her eyes veined with red. She flipped dexterously, cartwheeling over to you and skipping manically "I WILL PISS IN YOUR MORNING COFFEE YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!"

Placing the Muramasa on the table with the case, you looked back gratefully "Careful now, future customers find out you had to give twenty of that back, it's gonna be bad for business."

The Wendigo froze "Oh... well... shit." She grouched. The blonde pulled the cash from her waistband, shrugging and tearing off a quarter of the green piece of paper.

You flinched, smacking the back of your hand "Giving Rudy money: blacklisted."

"GOODNESS ME, LOOK AT THAAAAAAT!" The loonie slid in, eyes feasting on the eastern blade with her crazed magenta eyes. Her fingers toiled across the ivory scabbard.

"Don't touch it."

"I'm just looking!" She poked the pure white sheath with glee, fascinated by its gentle command for you to kill everything in sight with it. She looked back at you in awe "This is a Genryu-sword. One of the Three blades."

"I thought it was four?" You asked curiously.

"Not that Rudy ever heard, and Rudy has broken many hardbacks... Do you get it? Rudy has read a shit tone of booooooooooks!"

"Yeah, I get it. I wanted to find a rune to fuse the two together, I can mesmerise all I want but if the wrong eyes were to find it unattended... I need to keep it hidden, and drawable if it is needed."

Her claws slashed into her fingertips, red droplets swirled across her finger hardening into her steel runic claws. She looked dissatisfied "Hmmm, as handy as Rudy loves being, I don't think it's possible for any Rune to lock such a powerful artefact into something like a guitar case."

Blood Runes, the one time you needed them for something specific... "Come on, there's gotta be some kind of way? I tried M'halia but it doesn't seem to work, maybe we could alter it somehow."

The Wendigo threw her hands up, making her Runic claws glitter in the low light "If Rudy was a Master Blood-Mage and not a Runesmith, then she'd probably still have a firm grasp on her marbles... or not?"

"I'd love to know just how something so powerful as Blood Magic can remain so obscure to nearly every Vampire I've met."

Her nose scrunched up "Look, Blood magic is very old and extremely dangerous. Rudy has been on this earth for nearly one-hundred and fifty years, and she's only ever met one Blood mage, trust me that was some nasty business. Blood Runes are simplistic in nature; tools made for specific purposes, they are inscriptions of our will infused with blood, this Sword seems to have a will of its own, darlin'"

Rudy was chaos and imagination made flesh, it was difficult to get anything one hundred percent tangible from her. And yet here she was... speaking academically like it was nothing at all.

"She's changing, every time I see her she only gets sharper. I have fed on her before but, surely it couldn't be that which is steadying her mind?"

"Shit, I really gotta keep a hold of this thing."

"Welp looks like your fucked. Unless... you feel like petitioning one of those pompous walking-talking bonfires to gift you a Wiccan Rune?"

Your eyes flashed and you smiled as the lightbulb brightened "You beautiful little genius. I think I'll do just that."

"What? No witch will ever break bread with a vampire, let alone give away their secrets!"

"Hey, it's like my dad always used to say 'it's not what you know, it's who you know"

She nodded "Right." the air became quiet and slightly awkward, and Rudy bit her lip and played with her fingers childishly.

You huffed, she did seem much more lucid than before... and the image of her alone in that cabin lingered in your mind. "You know, it's overcast today and I think there's gonna be some lame trip or something up to Obsidian Beach. If you're feeling up for it, you could-"

The blonde erupted into you, wrapping herself around you and squealing "YES! YES LET US GO TO SCHOOL!!!!"

"Okay, you're sure about this? what happened to daylight is evil?"

She nestled into your neck, it was strangely... comforting "Rudy can beat anything when she's with her Cowboy."

You sighed, stroking her gold head. This was probably a bad idea.