Chapter 53

Poor Decisions Made Easy

I like talking to Viscarra, really I do. She knows a lot about the pits, music, and magic. I’m honestly not sure there is a subject she can’t make seem interesting in spite of all that I’m doing an awful job of listening to her. It isn’t on purpose or anything but every time she opens her mouth and speaks I get distracted by the red of her lips and the little curve of her neck.

What's worse is the BlackMist girl is dressed in a corset that makes her figure more than a little distracting and I keep having to ask her to repeat herself.

“Is something wrong?” She asks me obviously, noticing my terrible attempts to converse. “I’m talking about your matches here, giving you all sorts of chances to brag and you don't even care.”

I am not at all equipped to handle that statement. My normal response to getting called out like this is violence but that isn’t exactly on the table for me right now. Taking the least effective steadying breath of all time and try opting for the truth.

“I..uhh you just look really pretty tonight and it keeps distracting me while I’m trying to listen.”

Viscarra gives me what I think is a flat look, it's hard to tell with the creepy black discs atop her eyes.

“Was that supposed to be charming? I’m so pretty that you can’t even manage to pay attention to what I’m saying?”

She does not sound impressed.

“Logically if you thought I was so pretty, you would want to pay attention to what I'm saying.”

My fists ball at my sides, but I try to keep the rest of me seeming as non-threatening as possible. I don’t think it works as I see one of the BlackMist guards out of the corner of my eye get the attention of another and gesture towards me.

“I do want to pay attention,” I say scratching at my main like I’m Xael.

“So why aren’t you?”

“I already told you. I just” I’m getting frustrated now, and my mind is struggling to find the words to express myself. “ I’m not trying to be charming, I don’t even know how. But I do know you smell really good, and you are really pretty, and your clothes are like.”

“North.”

I’m rambling a little too much to notice she is trying to interrupt me right away. “Are like doing something to the shape of your body, and every time I notice I just think about what kissing you might be like, and and I don’t fucking know!”

“North calm down, you are getting really loud.” She’s right, at some point during my little tirade, I practically started yelling.

“Right,” I grunt before going silent.

She doesn’t say anything for a long time, just staring at me with those black discs. I am telling myself I’m an idiot and shouldn’t have said anything for probably the twentieth time when she finally breaks the awkward silence.

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“ So.” She says with a grin that shows a single dimple on her left side. “You are saying if I let you kiss me you will start paying attention?” I’ve never considered myself particularly smart. Quite the opposite once I get angry if I’m being entirely honest, but even I am not slow-witted enough to miss an opportunity like that.

“I...yes that's exactly what I’m saying.”

Her little giggle in response sets my heart racing so fast It starts make the buzzing feeling I get when I’m really tired.

‘Does that mean I can do it?’ I try to look sure of myself offering her my best attempt at a charming smile and a raised eyebrow. I have never imagined I would want to kiss someone at a party but here I am. I wouldn’t be much of a pitter if I couldn’t take initiative while I’m scared and I lean on that skill now.

“Well” I say, my voice is far steadier than I am expecting. “ Close your eyes then.”

For just a heartbeat she looks absolutely scandalized and I’m certain I’ve made an awful mistake. Then the girl takes a little breath, closes her eyes, and purses her lips.

I’m glad she can’t see the slack-jawed and idiotic expression that crosses my face.

‘That is definitely confirmation.’

I don’t know exactly what she was expecting but judging from the surprised “eep” she makes against my lips when I grip the hair on the back of her head and pull Viscarra into a kiss. I’m not quite audacious enough to shove my tongue into her mouth, but I still kiss her hard.

Her lips are soft, and so close that the perfumes she wears fill my nostrils with an intensity that makes my head spin. After a moment of basically slamming my lips into her, she opens her mouth and matches my intensity.

That is the moment I remember I’m supposed to close my eyes and I quickly screw them shut. Somehow that makes the kiss feel better, like taking vision off the table somehow improves all the other feelings. I still wish I hadn’t closed them as I'm in the midst of letting out a little groan of pleasure when not one but two heavily armored BlackMist soldiers brutally tackle me to the ground.

Not seeing the attack coming it both knocks the wind out of my lungs and ruins my attempts to defend myself. With a snarl I struggle, kicking and snapping my jaws at the pair of men. As per usual it's the armor that makes the difference. Even caught off guard I feel like I could probably fight them off eventually if it wasn’t for them being encased in metal.

I get my mouth around the armored forearm of one of the soldiers I am grappling with. Chomping down with as much force as I can manage. The armor initially holds but I feel the metal start to buckle and the man screams. Sadly before I can crush his arm properly another pair of the soldiers get involved and the four of them have little trouble pummeling me with blows and wrestling me out of the room.

The BlackMist soldiers are less than gentle as they transport me to a locked room down the hall from the viewing box. Granted I'm not exactly what you would call cooperative but its still unnecessary since I didn’t do anything wrong!

I’m not sure if the room they shove me into and lock is always intended as a cell or if they emptied out a large supply closet before the party. Either way there is nothing in the little room besides some empty shelves and now one extremely pissed off cursed.

I wouldn’t say I’m keeping track of the time as I pace back and forth in the tiny room but I’m pretty sure it's about half an hourglass when the door opens again. I’ve calmed enough that I don’t hurl myself at it the moment the door moves. I still drop into a crouch and make ready to dispense some violence if I think it will prove to be the fastest way out of here.

I’m glad I didn’t try anything, really glad when I see Poe the pale-skinned shadow creature that had casually shattered the lock on my muzzle with its bare hands. If I ever have to fight this thing I want to do it with an axe in hand.

Behind Poe is Viscarra and a woman it take me a moment to rezognise, but when I do the sense of relief I felt at seeing the BlackMist girl sizzles away like the droplets of burning stone that bleed of my owner.

‘Fuck, Fuck, Fuck. This is bad. BAAAAAAAAD! They are going to execute me, this is it, this is the end. I’m dead, I’m fucked, I’m going to get eaten by shadow monsters. Why didn’t I think about all this before?!”

The woman accompanying her is Viscarra’s mother.