Sometimes it doesn't even look like you

We emerged into the street, the bright sunlight dazzling me, ducking back inside the house, I grabbed a pair of goggles from the cloakroom emerging to find Nareth sniffing the air, glancing up and down the street.

We moved quickly, passing along the street and down the side alleys to the laboratory. the professor's laboratory. The climbed to the sparse loft where 5 long days ago, Nareth had struck me down, infecting me with this lethal curse and yet now it was to be my home.

It had changed in those few days now passed. In the corner where I'd submitted to her will now stood a simple white bed.Opposite, unchanged, the cold grey stone of the casket and alongside it, the single chaise longe/sofa that served as furnishing.

"Where will I sleep?", I asked. Nareth held up a hand and the door slammed.

"I would have you with me...but there is also the bed. Lina usually sleeps there.". I stared at the casket, cold, unwelcoming, sepulchral. "It is your choice."

"I am no corpse", I answered, still looking at the casket.

"No...you are not. Am I?", Nareth took a seat on the divan and I sat next to her. "The soil in that casket is sacred to us guarded for ages...Handed down."

"I feel no attraction to it Nareth. Is that wrong?"

"You are...different. I do not know what is appropriate for what you have become. But..already I see so many advantages.", Nareth looked about the small room. "Lina must be out hunting. A pity...". I gazed around the lofts four walls and meagre furnishings.

"so this is home now?" I asked unimpressed and somewhat rhetorically.

"For now...They would hunt you, Mistress. They would...I cannot imagine.",
Nareth watched me for a moment, and then stood. I looked back up at her from where I sat, as unsure as ever about where these short pensive moments would lead. Nareth reached out, running her fingers through my hair. "Have your feelings changed...towards me? Is there only spite and hatred?"

I did not have an answer, desire burned in me as it had previously, but was it led by feelings and emotion or simple carnal lust. Spite and hatred? I looked up her, she looked lost, even scared somehow changed from the earlier Nareth, a post feed mood swing? I looped my arm out around her waist and pulled her close she offered no resistance. "I can..I can be your Orchid...Even now...Not her face...but a receptacle for your longing."

"or my professor..."

"Yes...If you so wish. Anything you so wish.". I lifted my face, kissing the underside of Nareth's chin, Nareth closed her eyes and relaxed.

"what would you wish Nareth?"

"Mistress, I am bound to you. My wishes cannot subsume or proceed your own, unless you should wish..."

A knock at the door below silenced us, Nareth raised a finger to her lips to silence me, a setting me giggling like a child. We waited, I stood moving behind her, holding her close, arms around her waist, I nuzzled her neck.

"Mistress...there was something important...", Nareth closed her eyes at the touch of my lips on the nape of her neck.

"how important?", I whispered.

"Something very important...You should know."

"really?", I licked lightly at her neck causing her to moan softly. "please go on", I prompted continuing my exploration. I looked up as she wiggled free of my hug.

"Please, sit.", she indicated down to the sofa and I sat, confused and frustrated at the passion, now inflamed, that had been denied. Nareth, looked down at me and removed her spectacles and I looked up into the deep wells of her eyes.

"Since I first laid eyes on you, there was desire in me. Not hunger...not only hunger. But you know this.", I smiled a little and nodded as she held out a cold hand stroking the side of my face sighed at the warmth as I closed my eyes the cold touch sending a ripple of sensation through cheek to my spine. "You must know what was done to this vessel...that it might contain what I am".

"you are more than a vessel Nareth", I replied trying to offer some comfort but she shook her head.

"I am a vessel...literally. Tepes...he took the body of Sang Li, which by then contained the mind of Nareth Nishi...It was carried deep into his fortress in the mountains." She paused, as though the memories were difficult to recount. I...it...it was bound. It was bound". I held up a hand to Nareth, an offer of reassurance. "Mina and the others, they came too late...What he guarded...was passed into this vessel. Relics from the dark times...", Nareth glanced down at her belly. He put into me certain artifacts.Into me. Into..her. Deep...into her. That they would be carried in this womb."

"Do you see?", Nareth watched me closely. Looking into my eyes.

"I see but I do not understand why".

"Because, he knew that he was going to die. That he would lose the battle with the Company of Light. Elenore Darwin told him that, and he believed her. The relics had to be kept safe and he looked at your professor, the Impaler did, and he told her, "Now...I will make you perfect. Now," he said, "I will make you even as the angels were made and no man shall ever enter you.". The vessel was..sealed.". Nareth had begun to tremble. A realisation of what she was saying came over me.

"sealed..? Oh ....Nareth", I looked up with pity in my eyes.

"I am...a reliquary. I am..the mother of all Damnation. And no matter the desires he poured into me, I am...unable...", Nareth reached to unbutton her coat, I took her hands in mine and then raising a finger, unfastened her coat, letting it drop to the floor. "You must see this...and you must understand this...Can you look upon such a thing?".

I sat back in my seat "I would look upon you with these fresh untainted eyes".

"Very well.", she whispered. "It is the mark that brands me, even as his kiss branded me.", She pulled off her gloves, removing her vest and somewhat reluctantly, unbuttoning her trousers. I watched her as she undressed, reluctant and shy she was quite different to her normal self. I watched her solemn facing following hers hands down across her pale white breasts and stomach as she stepped from her trousers. "As smooth...as inviolable...We must know these truths."
Nareth looked around at the scatter of clothing on the floor. Looking up from the clean smoothness, between her legs, I reached out, tenderly, to pull her down to me. Nareth stood back resisting, uncertain.
"There is more than violation, Nareth, and I am no man".

"If that is so, this mind does not recall it. No, you are not...I will not choose men.". I smiled up at her and ran my fingertips across her stomach, looping down, feeling the intriguing smoothness between her legs. She watched me sadly, "I had no *need* of it, after all. No need...". I let my hand slip round behind her, cupping her buttocks and pulling her forward, this time, Nareth did not resist. I pressed my lips against Nareth's stomach. "She is in there, after a fashion. My Lady...".

I reached down unlaced my boots and cast them aside, resting my head once more against her body. "It is...it all..so...strange now...It is become so...strange." she said, as I looked up. Nareth bent down kissing the top of my head and I swung my feet up onto the couch laying down upon the cushions
"You know..there is no love in me.", she continued, smiling down at me as I began to unbutton my jacket. "But...I have made you feel wanted.". I nodded. "When my Lady comes....", she trailed off, her dark eyes watching me as I undressed.

I lifted my body slightly, slipping my trousers off and casting them onto the floor, smiling up at her, she seemed more lost than ever now, overtaken by a kind of innocence. I reached up to her hand and pulling her down, sat her on the edge of the cushion brushing my body against hers. I lifted my arms above my head, pulling off my top, throwing it on to the pile around us. Pressing firmly against her, causing her to flinch at the touch. I looked up into her eyes, grinning, and mimicking her intonation asked,

"would you look upon me Nareth?". She looked back her face unmoving, the simple joke lost in her confusion".

"Yes...I would. My mind...", she smiled. An odd, nervous smile. I pulled off my undershirt

"For one moment, let me not be the Messenger...For one moment.", her voice pleading, though with whom it was unclear.

"would you mind Nareth? remove my panties for me. Please.", I settled back waiting for her, as she nodded and gently leant forward, tugging at my panties, slipping them down across my legs and then off, sniffing them before dropping them to the floor.
I smirked, and ran a finger gently down the side of Nareth's body, then pulled her closer, laying her next to me. I raised my left hand to her hair, as she moved down, licking at my left nipple, the roughness sending sending a pleasant shudder through my body as with my right hand I caressed her back, laughing playfully and tickling her gently with my fingertips, then holding her head to my breast.

I pulled at her hair, drawing her head up pushing her back down, as she smiled briefly before letting her teeth pierrce the flesh of the aureole, and she began to gently suck as I squealed at the shock and relaxed as the sensations of blood sharing replaced any pain
"yes, Nareth, you too can feed", I said, breathing faster. Nareth nodded, and sucked harder, her right hand sliding down between my legs. I let my thighs drift apart, accepting her touch, and started as she stopped sucking, looking up with her pearl black eyes, her lips rouged with my blood, and I felt her fingers slip to the cleft of my vagina

"I must be invited..." she laughed, I chuckled looking down at her.

"You have my personal invitation Nareth".

"Thank you.", she replied, and I sighed as she slipped a finger inside finding me already wet. I craned my neck and kissed the top of her head, running my hands across her shoulders, as she lifter her face to me and we kissed. She broke away quickly, dropping down to my crotch
"So...so..perfect.", she sighed. I brought my legs up, wrapping them behind Nareth's back, lifting myself slightly from the cushion, as Nareth slipped her cat-like toungue inside me, drawing blood from delicate tissue. I shuddered, my body tensing, then, opening my legs wider moved my pelvis in a rocking motion, pushing down onto her then pulling back as her rough tongue worked and I worked my hands through her hair feeling the roughness inside me. A soft growl rose from Nareth's throat, becoming more like a purr as her tongue probed deeper.

I squirmed with the pulses of peculiar pleasure as the penetration moves inward, and threw my head back, swallowing the saliva in my mouth tasting blood and realising that I had bitten my lip in the course of passion. Nareth's arms ranged along my body and she placed her hands firmly at either side of my hips, holding me firm and still. Then pulling out her tongue, paused for the briefest instant before sinking her fangs into me.
I screamed as the fangs tore into me and Nareth bore down, holding on. Her tongue moved on to my clitoris, and working it carefully. I tensed again, nearing cramp, wrapping my legs tighter still around her feeling blood and saliva run through my vagina, my breath quickening, the surge of beautiful sensation building in my abdomen as Nareth's sharp nail's sank into my thighs. Nareth withdrew her teeth, turning her face up to stare at me, her mouth dripping, I panted, licking my lips
"A kiss?", she asked and I blinked slowly, nodding, releasing her from my legs, guiding her head up to me, rubbing a trail of blood along my body. She raised her head, her mouth lingering but inches from my own, teasing me as I flicked at her lips with my tongue, lifting my mouth towards her.

"It is...the blood...he said, it is the Life.", she called out before leaning back down , to lick away the trail of blood, sending bursts of electricity through my skin.
before returning to hang in front of me. "Kiss me...", she demanded and I did not deny her pulling her close, biting down hard on her lip. She snarled, but did not pull away as I tilted my head, placing my lips over hers, shocking her with the heat of my breath. Nareth pulled away very roughly, blood spilling from her mouth, spattering across my breasts. "No..stop...", she cried, a note of alarm in her voice, "...the breath.". I shuddered at the sudden loss of passion, gasping for air. Nareth shook her head.

"The breath Nareth?", I looked back at her worried and confused a almost equally confused, she leant down and licked away the spilled blood. Nareth raised her head again, her teeth bared.

"Something...I do not know...you are not only alive...", She sat up, wiping at her face, staring at the casket. She spoke then, her voice distant and as if reading, or recalling from memories long buried. "There's always a siren...singing you...", she paused, looking back to me, "Three. And each of us so very different. Yet..each of us...", Nareth closed her eyes and shivered. "Singing you to shipwreck.". She broke away, staring down at ours clothes on the floor. "There is no love in me, nor life..and I am not your Professor."

I looked at her, watching, then shifting my gaze to my own body, watching the torn flesh of my abdomen reform.

"but she is there, Nareth, I feel her"

"Yes...she is in me. Always. I am the Messenger, and you are...you are something..that must go before the coming of our Lady.", Nareth laid a hand on her bare stomach then paused. before speaking in a strangely masculine voice... "My mind is overthrown.". I looked up in shock as Nareth stared blankly at the wall. I wriggled up into the corner of the couch, pulling my knees up in front of me
"I have crossed oceans of time..Oceans of time, and there is always a siren, singing you...", silence, for a moment and when she spoke again, her voice was her own. "Nyarlathotep...*that* is my name. And..this is only a skin I have been given for a time. There must be no forgetting. Nareth stood, gathering her clothes...

"no forgetting", I echoed.

"No...", Nareth walked toward the casket, holding her clothes to her body. "You may lay with me, or take the bed. It matters not.". I stood, walked naked to the casket, running a hand along the surface. Pausing for a long moment, then without meeting Nareth's eye, I turned and walked to the bed. "So be it...", she called after me.