Monster

DISCLAIMER: Same as the first chapter, if you REALLY want to read it you can find it there but I doubt anyone REALLY wants to.

A special thanks to Jadedmidnight and Silver_Slumber. This chapter is for you two for the reviews and the compliments thank you both.

A chapter should be up every week or so (maybe more often than that it depends on my schedule) so check in every so often. If this should change I\'ll post the information regarding my chapter updates. It will be continued since a few ppl really liked it.

Thank you again and enjoy!


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Kari woke slowly as she lay in an unfamiliar bed. She remembered her escape from near injury and her fear as she entered her Master’s chamber. She remembered pleasure and then…crying. Yes, she had cried her held tears of torment into her Master’s chest as he cradled her in his lap like a child. She must have fallen asleep. She opened her reluctant eyes to see the door to the chamber wide open, torch light spilled across the floor and walls.

“Damn it Kari!”

She sat bolt up at the familiar voice.

“Master Kazaki, I-“

“He is no longer your Master little bird.”

Kari looked to the Mindtalker, sudden pain stabbing at her heart for the creature. Numerous chains around his arms, wrists, and waist held him tightly to the far wall. His elegant form was twisted mercilessly as long strands of beautiful silver hair fell across his vision. He was leaning forward against his restraints; he was in fear for her now.

“What the hell are you saying!?”

Kazaki was directing his question to her Master now, quite angry at his response to her use of Master. The creature only smiled.

“She neared my chamber and so I called to her to enter. She wisely obeyed my order. When I attempted to satisfy my body and blood lust her tears touched me. I dared not dirty my hands with such purity as she. And so I spared her life, but at a cost.”

His eyes pierced her where she sat, beautiful gray eyes that stabbed into her soul.

“I asked her to serve me and in return I would offer her my protection. She accepted, and thus I claimed her as my Sali.”

Kari’s brow furrowed at the title, Sali. She had never heard that title before and was curious of what it meant. Kazaki couldn’t take it anymore, he angrily approached her. She flinched as his hand came towards her, he was going to strike her. The blow never fell to her face though, instead he pulled back the fabric that covered her left shoulder reveling bite marks from her Master when he attacked her. She flushed in remembrance of his touch, the mixture of pain and pleasure intoxicating her. Kazaki’s frame relaxed, almost looking beaten in the argument over her as he walked back to the door.

“Come Kari.”

Confusion. She looked to her Master where he was held, a reassuring smile touched his lips as his beautiful voice comforted her.

*Go with him little bird, we will meet again.*

She nodded to herself and obeyed her new Master, following Kazaki silently from the room, which was closed and locked behind them. She could feel the tension filling him as she walked, head down, behind him. Kari began to realize the magnitude of her mistake now that her wits were about her. She had fled the school grounds without an escort or her Master’s permission. She had trespassed into the dangerous keep of a Mindtalker, and allowed herself to be claimed by him. Despite the cold in the darkness she could feel his warmth, he was there.

*Master?*

*Yes little bird? I’m here.*

Relief found her limbs as his voice caressed her mind. He had seemed so menacing and so dangerous upon her first entry but now he was gentle to her, caring.

*What have I done?*

*We will talk more when time allows. We have much to talk about you and I.*

The sun met her eyes mercilessly as they left the tiny shed behind them and walked back towards the school grounds. It wasn’t until then that Kari felt brave enough to speak to Kazaki.

“What is a Sali?”

Silence. Anger seethed from him but she didn’t care, she was glad to be from his cold and uncaring grip. Away from his scolding lessons.

“It is an eternal servant of a Mindtalker. Once claimed their entire lives revolve around him. Many times though, the Sali goes mad, his power drives normal humans to their brink. They are monsters, tormenters of humanity. And now that monster is your judgment.”

Anger welled up inside of her, she wanted to defend the creature that had been so merciful to her.

“He spared my life!”

Kazaki spun to face her, clear frustration and fear in his eyes as he screamed at her what he was trying to bottle inside.

“You are his play thing Kari!”

Kazaki turned again and walked across the school grounds towards the council building. The students who had been standing around now stared at her, some with fear and others with evil smirks pulling at their lips. She was still below them, even when serving a creature so much greater than they. She followed reluctantly, more wanting to leave the heavy burden of eyes behind her rather than face the council. Kazaki was right, she was very good at stepping into deep shit. Her talent had proven itself once again! Come see the great Kari make a fool of herself and make friends with the creature that will be her end!

A light laugh caressed her mind. Master.

*Little bird, little bird, you mock yourself. I’ll not be your end, I don’t wish to stain my hands with such purity that is you.*

*I’m afraid.*

She passed through the heavy wooden doors into a large hall, a long table sat at the far corner of the room. Three old and graying men sat talking amongst themselves but silenced a little at their entry. She wasn’t quite sure if she would survive this meeting.

*Do not fear. They cannot touch you, it is against the code.*

Deep breath, just breathe. Master’s confidence help lift her doubts, but she knew the worst was still to come.

“My Lords, this student Kari Musaki has violated code 246. She has also stumbled upon the Mindtalker and was claimed there as a Sali. I’m here to ask council, do we honor the code?”

She was trembling now. Why did he have to be so blunt? Why did he have to go directly to the point and make it sound as if it was her doing? Did she have no say in the trial?

“She was claimed as Sali you said?”

“Yes My Lords.”

Her left sleeve was pulled not-so-gently from her shoulder, revealing the dark bruises and cuts from her Master.

“I see. Let us delegate these issues.”

Kazaki nodded to them as the men stood and talked amongst themselves in hushed tones. She tried to listen but found it difficult to do. Instead she stared at the floor, trying to sort out her rainbow of emotions she was feeling. Fear rested in her stomach, fear of what the council would think what the others would think. Anxiousness was there too, she was anxious to return to her new Master and talk with him as he wished. She was also worried about him, he seemed so frail looking when he was twisted, wroth in chains and irons; his beautiful hair spilling down his back and across his face. And a small trace of care rested in her as well. She wasn’t sure if it was what she was really feeling or the effects of the Mindtalker being connected to her, but she was beginning to care for him. And cared much for his well-being.

“We’ve made our decision.”

Words so cold, so heartless when spoken from their lips. A shiver ran down her spine, despite the warmth within her.

*Steady little bird, don’t be afraid.*

“We will honor the code. She is now Sali, and thus cannot be taught the ways of the Soriki. She shall be given all that she needs to honor her Master’s wishes but must first ask a Master. You all know what the monster is allowed to have and to not have, or is allowed to do. We leave this responsibility to you to decided what you feel is best.”

He stood and faced her, bowing to her slightly but not nearly as low as he would have a different student.

“You are dismissed Kari Musaki, to die as best as you see fit.”

It was done, all was done now and she was free from the clutches of the blasted school. Kazaki bowed in return as he turned and left, Kari followed behind him but didn’t give a bow. All she could think about was her freedom, her newfound freedom. But the horror of her new title struck her hard as she walked onto the open grounds. Whispers had already spread, eavesdroppers had placed their ears to the doors and heard every word exchanged. Stares of hatred and spite stronger than she had ever seen them before stabbed into her skin.

*Come.*

She quickly obeyed, sprinting back to her safe haven through the woods, away from the evil stares and the evil hearts. To the door, down the stairs, grab the keys, open the locks, into the room, and close the door. Silence. Cold, dark silence. She leaned against the door panting, eyes closed. She was fully aware of her Master staring at her, a small smile on his lips as he sat in a chair in the corner. He gave her a moment before he stood. Slowly, as no to startle her, but she wasn’t afraid of him. From what she gathered a Sali was treasured by her Master, and wasn’t killed for the simple pleasure of killing.

“Sit little bird, we have much to talk about you and I.”

She looked at him, slowly lifting her eyes from the floor as they adjusted to the darkness. His body was unmarred, although she was sure he would have had some sort of wound from the way his body had been so mangled and twisted before. But alas, no cuts, no bruises, not even a red whelp was seen by her eyes. He smiled at her as she examined him from afar.

“Don’t concern yourself with me. Their treatment is kind, their treatment of my siblings though is much harsher than my own.”

Siblings? He had siblings somewhere too? He smiled, her Master was very keen on her thoughts and she hadn’t learned how to think without shouting in her head.

“I have a brother and two sisters. We are two pairs of twins born at the same time, a very rare phenomenon. We were all born with the gift of Mindtalkers. The only four in the world.”

‘Where are they now? The others I mean?”

He smiled again, she seemed to amuse him, but she took no offence to his behavior.

“So she does have a voice. We are separated, between the four Soriki schools. Kept as final tests for students and locked away from the world.”

Pain and pity for him stabbed at her as she slowly walked over to the bed and sat on the edge stiffly. She wasn’t quite comfortable in his presence yet.

“It’s cruel, how they keep you. You should be free like everyone else.”

Another smile, what had she said?

“There was an age when we were free. It was a bloody time, a nightmare left behind when the moon was large and red and the lands of the earth were scorched black with our hatred. We cannot be free like you, a bloodlust deep inside us drives us, and we must obey our bloody instincts.”

His voice grew colder as he went, sending a chill down her spine as his once warm tone froze her insides. She knew what he was talking about. So long ago it was that only scattered ruins were left to tell the tale of the Thousand Year War. A war when man rose up against the Mindtalkers and drove them into solitude, into darkness. They were called Nas’hals back then, meaning Blood Burners in the old language. A small trace of fear crept into her; she was in the presence of one of those Blood Burners. She wondered how many had died by his hands, how stained was his skin by the blood of thousands?

“Don’t ask questions in your head little bird. You practically scream them at me. Those days are long dead and the hunger that had burned in me so long ago has been quelled.”

“It’s still there, inside.”

His expression changed, his eyes were sharp now like during the confrontation with Kazaki, but this time directed towards her.

“It’s true I cannot crush my instinct, it nearly over took me when you first wandered into my cell but I’ve drowned in blood before, I’ve bathed myself in death and darkness and have found it such an empty food to feast upon. I am the monster your body fears that your heart screams to run away from, but only a shadow of the monster I used to be. Merely a shadow of my once self.”

The last was almost a whisper, such a breathy statement Kari’s keen ears almost missed it’s passing. She could almost see his younger self, red and dripping with death laughing at the giant crimson moon as the bodies of hundreds lie at his feet. He was still so beautiful in her eyes.

“What did you wish to talk about Master?”

Change the subject, she didn’t like to see him in the state that he was and wished to chase away the bloody scene from her mind. A smile touched his lips, he knew she was diverting his mind but didn’t resist the change.

“I want to talk of the world. There’s much I’ve not seen or heard of the world now, locked away in the depths of the earth. Please, what has changed now my little bird?”

“Well…”

Kari lay down on his bed, relaxing a little now, putting her arms behind her head and wracking her brain for things that might have changed since his imprisonment. He smiled at her and sat on the bed next to her, running his fingers through her short hair as she thought. It felt good, his kind touch.

“The kingdoms, there are five of them now. All are allianced and at peace. We just finished a war between Kazar and Tuin, so most of the Soriki are bored and looking for a fight.”

He chuckled at her.

“That explains their tormenting. They don’t have an enemy so they target the weakest of them.”

A hot flush ran across he cheeks.

“I’m not weak!”

He smiled lightly at her, calming her a little at his kindness.

“You are far weaker than they, but you are stronger in different aspects. I don’t know anyone who, in your situation, would have held themselves so well as you have. Such torment has followed you since you were small, such weight on your shoulders.”

His fingers left he hair and traced her cheek running down to the side of her neck. She closed her eyes as a flush found her cheeks; she was so sensitive to him, so keen to his touch. His fingers stopped abruptly at her pulse point, pressing a little to feel the throb of her heartbeat. She opened her eyes as he leaned down to taste, his tongue probing the soft skin, sliding over her pulse. She winced as his teeth scraped the skin, the small appearance of fangs sending a wave of fear into her. It was the bestiality of the Mindtalkers, coursing into him, the blind instinct he had spoke of before. They changed when they gave into their bloodlust; they turned into inhuman creatures with the blind need to kill. His clawed hand pulled her out of her mind as he held the back of her neck not-so-gently, pressing her throat against his mouth more. It was almost too much; he didn’t break the skin, didn’t cut her, only licked and bit and tasted her skin. Sending waves down her body that rested hotly in her stomach. His free hand pulled her fingers from his hair and pinned her to the bed, he wanted dominance, control. A whimper from her caused him to pull back as his claws went away and his fangs slid back. Her small sound had pulled him back to humanity as he released her, panting a little. A look at his eyes told her that he was actually scared, he had frightened himself.

“You may go. I’ll call to you if I need you again.”

His voice was so shaky; it pained her to see him as he was now. But she didn’t dare disobey; he had scared her as well. If things had continued it was very likely he would have killed her. She went to the door slowly, closing it and locking it behind her she tried to think of how she was to survive now that everyone hated her so. Her hand went to her somewhat sore neck, his saliva was drying against her skin and she could smell his scent clinging to her. She groaned as she left the small shed, she was warm between her legs, her body called out for attention now. Flashes of what had just happened plagued her mind as she walked, she would have to talk more with her Master tomorrow.