𝑨 𝑻𝑶𝑼𝑪𝑯 𝑶𝑭 𝑫𝑨𝑹𝑲𝑵𝑬𝑺𝑺

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟕𝟗: 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬

THE DEW LACED and fog drizzled hours of the morning embraced Severus with a juxtaposed sense of warmth. The gravel below spoke its ancient cries as the forest around heaved in its final stages of slumber. He sighed with enough force to make his surroundings feel as equally uncomfortable with his dissatisfaction.

His journey home had been strenuous and still he diligently carried himself towards the school gates. At first a subtle ache prodded at his mind, beckoning to be presented as something mightier than what it was. It tapped while its cries were ignored and morphed its plea to a piercing thud. As Severus continued through the gates he recognised a change within the morning's gaze.

The ache inside his mind had felt further displaced and had travelled deeper to the pits of his stomach. It thrashed and lulled itself until Severus could disregard it no more. He was worried. His body had been overruled by protruding fears.

His gaze matched with the gentle sway of the trees, looming back and forth at a supposed danger that had not yet presented itself. With a jaw clamped down as an attempt to suppress his concern, his feet had instinctively hastened their pace.

The doors swung open just moments before he entered, courtesy of his wand, as the students, both tired and now stunned, parted as his strives sounded as loud as the thudding in his stomach. The corridors had entangled themselves into an endless route, marred with antiques and candles that proved to be insignificant if one truly concerned themselves with the value of time.

He snarled inwardly, frustrated by his own sudden irrationality and yet he made no attempts of halting. Those, including Minerva, who had grown accustomed to his antics did not dare intertwine themselves with the possibility of collision. He ignored their voices, their incoherent nature not worth his focus.

He carried himself with a brooding force just as he had done for the last eternity at Hogwarts, walking through the same footprints that had most certainty been worn into the ground below. It felt comforting under his feet as a sense of familiarity had began to counteract his worry.

As he walked further down the dungeons, his body made contact with a door before his mind had comprehended it. With no consideration as to the intrusion he found himself on the opposite side of the door, inhaling deeply with his hands twitching.

As the uncontrolled fog cleared his mind he became familiar with those same walls, the same countless array of books and the same warmth that swore an everlasting light.

There were many things within the room that could be taken or misplaced but ultimately it would reside as a room with the very same purpose. There was, however, one thing that would detract all purpose of this room's existence.

And it was looking at him in disbelief.

He stared intently at the cut-throat struggle of silence she emitted as he balanced upon the blade on her tongue. He experienced every emotion she felt as she sought to persevere with them herself. Her body stood stiff as he filled the room. The place he had left uncultivated and the place whereby she had nurtured. Her eyes promised storms but her mouth could barely conjure clouds. She fought her tongue, bit down on her devotion and simply closed her eyes.

Severus' hand twitched again as he reached to her side. The silk of her dress moulded with his touch and lifted slightly as his hand grazed her side. His hand moved to hers where the looms of his fingers weaved his love into her. For a moment they stood breathing together, the deepest intimacy and yet almost silent.

He chanced his desire as his lips began pressing themselves everywhere that was accessible to him. The wall behind her and lusting man gripped around the front of her body left Lilith almost land locked. As the downpour of Severus' cravings overruled her senses, she steadied herself with a hand gripped around his back. Her body complied most ardently to his demands whilst seeking out her own pleasure as Severus hoisted her upwards.

Throughout every kiss against her skin, the sole figment of permanence was her guttural approval.
He teased as she succumbed and she obliged to his requests.

Severus had been absent of her for too long, of her might and beauty. He momentarily pulled away, inwardly absorbing everything she was. As he admired the beaded sweat and peals adorned upon her face, her hair had fallen loosely from its bun, half glitter and half broken curls. She was her own unspoken storm and he wanted to be destroyed.

His lips found hers with a force from deep within, a kind of practice that he had only imagined and never acted upon. Whether he let her destroy him or not, true calamity would reside within the choice of not letting her do so. Every passion play she tried to deliver back was ruthlessly denied and instead fuelled his efforts further. Their tongues became a mess of love laced knots.

And when passion became too much, that deeply rooted intimacy soon returned as she breathed for him and he breathed for her.

"You could dismember my soul, Lilith." He spoke against her mouth. "But even in pieces, I would still love you whole."

A brazen face replaced her soft features with a tight lipped smile as she took a step back.

"Love me?"

Her hands glided along the threading of her dress, running along her waist and up to her chest.

"Your reverence is my disease, Severus."

He kept his eyes on hers despite her hands that had now claimed their own agenda of unbuttoning the front of her dress. He had been paralysed into place, unable to move beyond the rug on which he stood.

"You know, there's grand allure in this light." Her head gestured to the flickering candles decorated around the room. "How I can see you, as much as you can see me, but..."

The remainder of her unfinished sentence encouraged Severus to seek the answer, a sudden intensity clasped around his throat.

"But?"

"But..." She continued, he fingers tugging the final button causing her dress to separate entirely down the middle. Her body was half hidden, half glowing under the orange hue of the room. "If I step away from you enough, the darkness has its own temptation. You can feel it, but can't quite see it. It's there and waiting."

"Lilith." He spoke with slight concern. "What are you doing?"

"A dismembered soul and to still be loved whole?" She had moved closer to him again, her breath tantalisingly warm on his neck despite the cold tone of her voice. She inhaled his edged strain before the tip of her tongue brushed over his cheek. A satisfied moan vibrated in her throat followed by her fingers tipping the dress off her shoulders; the final push that displayed herself to him.

"So look at me now. Here lies the rawest, most unpolished and entirely disjointed remnants of my soul."

But Severus did not look, nor glimpse, nor touch. His eyes centred on her dulled ones.

"What?" She mocked laughter. "Have I not broken you enough yet? Is there more to dismember before you love me?

She had brought her finger to her lips, a rivulet of blood cascading from the tongue that tasted it down the length of her arm. The reddened treacle enhanced the pale rictus of her face as she instantaneously appeared more dying than dead.

"Touch me." She whispered. "Touch this darkness."

Surged with shock and partial awareness, Severus gripped her arm, her expression remained unfazed as the same impending fear from earlier began brewing within him again.

"What have you done?"

"What have you done?"

"What have you done?"

His pain struck his vocal cords thrice. Over and over again, his anger pushed itself to optimum level until his rage had turned into a gentle sob. His body unable to withstand his pain any longer collapsed onto the floor, his knees holding him in place as his blood smeared hands hugged his body while tears fell below.

Beside each splotch of his pain, landed droplet of Lilith's blood. A blistered and carmine feature was adorned upon her arm.

The Dark Mark.