Smokescreen: A Collection of Vignettes

Chapter 8

Sakura woke up, drenched in sweat. In her dreams, visions of an inky black entity appeared. It often took the shape of her friends and allies who had fallen in battle, constantly taunting her. The worst of it all was when it took the shape of her sweet Tomas. It was those dreams that were the worst. She would be reminded of their childhood love, of the future that they would have had together. The entity would remind her that it had Tomas, now. She was next. It was better if she surrendered now. It would be for the best.

She took a deep, shaky breath. This really had to stop, but the entity that haunted her had a tight grip on her, now. The darkness inside her was growing. She felt like she was turning into a monster. Was this how Tomas felt before he was turned? Did he struggle? Or...

Warm lips touched her bare shoulders. It would actually be comforting if it wasn't an evil copy of the man she loved. The monster in her, however, delighted in his touch. It wanted more. The young woman managed to beat it back, though it didn't last for more than a moment. It still lurked within her, slowly rising to the surface of her being.

"Nightmares, darling?"

Sakura quickly inhaled, ignoring the voice next to her. The darkness in her was getting stronger. She hugged herself tightly. She didn't want to lose herself in whatever this was. Her dark consort leaned into her to nuzzle her neck. They were connected in ways that she didn't realize and was going to use it to his full advantage. The darkness was as conniving as it was seductive, after all.

"Give into the darkness." He whispered. "Embrace it."

"Ahhhh..."

Smoke began to nibble at her sensitive skin, slowly peeling her nightdress off of her. He could feel her resolve weaken and her inner darkness surge. He was so close to turning her to his side. Just another push and he could fully claim her as his wife. His lips travelled to the swells of her breasts before he bit. Blossoms of purple, red and pink appeared on her delicate skin. The man pulled back for a moment to inspect his work. Not enough marks. He released a deep sigh as he began to mark her again.

Sakura turning to the darkness would mean a major blow to the timeline she had originated from. A major blow to Titan Liu Kang. Another warrior lost.

Heat passed through Sakura as Smoke kissed and nipped at her. There was very little she could do when the monster within broke free from her chains. Her violet eyes flashed red.

It was done.