Revelation 14

All characters are over 18 years old. This story is from my imagination and my thoughts on sin and the end of the world. This opening contain a touch of erotic horror.

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Ada McLeod registered for the bare knuckle round and waited for her name to be drawn. The chalkboard had a bunch of nicknames, last names, and first names, but never the whole name. Seconds before stepping into the ring, she pumped blood through her body, for strength.

'Jackson' wasn't a stranger here. People got edgier when he was around. They took their names off the lists. There were more spectators when he came around though. Jeans and a t-shirt left the tattoos on his arm exposed, and a careless expression on his face didn't go along with the way the crowd watched him as his name was called. There was the hubbub of bets being placed, of cheers and laughter as they saw his opponent. He smiled, but it wasn't mocking like the rest. He had a challenge finally.

"Excellent," he said under his breath, and took his place in the circle. He'd let her take the first shot, and he'd let her land it.

She stepped up looking him over rolling the cuff of her shirt mid forearm. She heard some of the mocks, and could understand she was David to his Goliath. Ada tuned out the crowd, narrowing her eyes. They circled each other once and then she went for it with a right hook to the jaw, landing it, feeling the sudden rush of adrenaline over take her.

He exhaled with the hit, gauging it and liking it. She really was an actual challenge. He'd gotten wolves in here sometimes, and vampires looking for a bit of blood sport. People who died in the ring weren't mourned. The people who did the killing disposed of the bodies. One of the rules: Clean up your own mess. It was not a problem tonight not for him anyway. No one here he wanted to kill. His jaw was steel, and he grinned when he brought his left around in a backhand to match her hit. He was as strong as she was, at least.

She shook her hand out as she wiped the small trickle of blood from her lip with her left hand. She couldn't tell if he was a little more than human. He took her supernatural punch and returned it. She narrowed her eyes, this time a combination right, right, left, followed by a leg sweep to the side of his knee.

He took the first two hits, ignored the left jab with a scoffing sound. Was this all she had? He doubted it. As she went for his leg he lifted it out of the way with a graceful motion, brought it back down in a hard swing kick toward her chin.

Both of her hands came up, fast catching his boot just as it impacted her chin. The momentum took both of them off balance, flipping them to the ground. She saw stars only a second before she was back on her feet. Kick flipping to her feet she straddled his chest striking another right to the chin.

There we go! He let out a huff of a laugh as she blurred in her movement, even as he fell. He was smiling, intensity in his eyes the only sign that he was focusing as he caught her fist. With her caught hand and his free one, he shoved her off with enough force to slide her across the circle to the other side. He got to his feet with a smooth motion and waited for her to come again.

She stood up, smoothing her shirtsleeve, the white cloth already staining red. Using the back of her hand, she touched the area just below her right eye.

"Nice," she said in a low voice. She walked closer, half circling him. This was actually getting fun. Ada came at him again using a combination of punches and kicks, which he matched. She finally twisted, spinning around, using her elbow to impact his chin from the left.

She was well trained, but when he matched her, it was with fluid grace. He grunted at the hit, and dropped to a crouch, gave her two hard, quick jabs to the gut followed by an attempt at an uppercut.

She held her own repeatedly, until the upper cut. She weaved, when she should have bobbed. Ada's chin snapped back with enough force to twist her around. Blood escaped her jaw landing on the face in the crowd. She went down, catching her weight on her wrist, which snapped under the strain. She rolled on her back dazed.

The rush of sound when the blood came was intoxicating, and he licked his lips. The crowd did love to see blood. They seemed disappointed, though, when she didn't get back up right off. It was done, for now. He sauntered over to her, reached down, and grabbed the front of her shirt to pull her effortlessly to her feet.

"Come on. Up." It was as much to clear the ring for the next fight, as it was to get her back on her feet. He'd pull her along until she started to argue about it, to a side area where people sat to get ready or to bandage up.

"Ada," she said extending her hand. She knew two of her fingers were broke at the knuckle, and some tape would hold them. She also shook out her other hand feeling the sting in the wrist. "Thanks..." she said a little quieter.

He took her hand and then pulled it to him, studied the broken fingers. Not crushed, just fractured. "Adam," he said with a grin. "Good fight. You gonna fix that?" He gestured to her wrist. "Or you want me to tape it?"

"Tape," was her only answer. Bitch of it was her right hand.--Her favorite hand. The colt felt more at home in her right hand. "I can see why they take their names off the board." She shrugged to the crowd behind them. "You pack one hell of a punch," she said rubbing her chin.

He pulled two different rolls off a shelf and waved her toward a couple of chairs that sat around a table. A deck of cards was splayed out, from a half-finished poker game that was set aside when the matches started. "Eh," he shrugged as he sat, peeling off some tape for her fingers from the roll. "I don't hit them that hard. I knew you could take it." He smirked. "You're not too shabby yourself."

"So you just summed me up with a look or was it something else?" Ada was fishing rather poorly. Her game was off. "Or are you going to give me some line about smelling it on me?" Extending her fingers to him, she reached for her coat with the other. "Mind if I smoke?"

She asked not interested in the crowd behind them. She glanced to the cards.--Dead man's hand, aces and eights, looking back at her. "So how often do you do this...I mean if I want a rematch?" She held up a hand. "Don't answer that. I'm not good with small talk." She was nervous.

"Hah. No, you don't smell like what you are. You smell like sweat right now. But honestly, who wants to inhale in a place like this?" He started the tape around her fingers, binding them together with almost delicate touched that didn't match the blood on his hands.

"Smoke if you like," he said, finishing the fingers. He considered her, shrugged, and answered the question anyway. "I'm here once a week or so it's something to do." He waved for her to give him her wrist and picked up the other roll of softer, wider tape. "I don't think you'll beat me next time either, if it makes a difference," he said with a kind of confidence.

His cockiness brought an unfamiliar reaction a smile and soft laugh. "What makes you think I wouldn't beat you next time?" She lit the cigarette as he finished wrapping her wrist. Looking over the faces of the crowd and passerby's Ada had a funny sensation, a tickling at the back of her mind. She had been here before. Not this place, but the situation.--Some stranger patching her up after a fight.

As she sat, her tongue moved along her teeth, checking to see if his blows had loosened any. All were intact. Her tongue then darted to the corner of her mouth to the split lip, tasting her blood. "Man you pack one hell of a punch. I haven't been hit that hard since..." She thought about Mickey and the 2 x 4. "It's been awhile," she finished. She reached over, taking her jacket on hand before standing. She rubbed her cheek just below her left eye.

"It's been great Adam," she continued. "If this is what you do when you're bored, I would hate to see what you do when you not." Again, her tongue touched the split and a new trickle of blood. She thumbed it this time. "Fuck," she breathed. "I need some ice and a stiff drink."

He glanced back to her as he sat back, stacking the tape as she licked at the blood on her lip. "Ditto. Get out of here and go where, Ada?" His eyes narrowed with good humor. "And what makes you think that you deserve to know more than what you think already?"

"Leave... stay... it doesn't matter to me." She shrugged, leaning back, becoming reminded just how sore she was becoming from sitting still. She smiled slightly sipping the rest of the crown. "I'm kind of curious sort," she said quietly, reflecting on the words again. "Maybe your right and I don't have as much as I think I do. And, I want to know more. Forewarned is forlorn after all." She laughed.

"I would rather take this conversation elsewhere though. It's getting late, and I'm covered in blood, and you and I are not the only beings here tonight." She glanced to the door as a pair of younglings walked in. It must have been their feeding ground.

"Beings," he repeated with amusement. "I love how you dismiss the other human's out-of-hand." A chuckle for that and he got up and stretched. Tossing back the rest of the drink, he shrugged. "So lead on. You can ask questions if you like. I'm certainly never going to stop someone asking questions. Of course I don't have to answer them." He gave her a wink, walked his glass to the bar, and set it down. He could care less about the vampires. He was about as afraid of them as a dog was a kitten. Something you swatted around if they got uppity. And they did tend to get uppity, thinking they were at the top of the food chain most of the time.

"I don't dismiss humans, not really. I protect them from the unseen war, from the blood baths. It is just easier not to make it personal. I cannot afford to have my own emotions compromised. I need a shower," she added offhandedly. Ada decided to take him back to her place. "My place, I can shower and we can talk there." She stood and walked to the door, narrowing her eyes at one of them. She controlled the growl building in her throat.

"That's very gracious of you," he said, and it was impossible to tell if he was making fun of her. "Downright noble, except of course emotions are what gave people their power, they come from the soul. Control is one thing, stoicism another." He eyed her as she said she needed a shower. He supposed she did. Humans were all about being clean these days. He remembered when they thought bathing would kill them. Admittedly, the world was a better smelling place now. "Sure, why not," he said, glancing at the young vampires but only that. He didn't pick fights for no reason.

Ada walked with her hands inside her jacket pockets. Her apartment wasn't too far from the fight club. It was one of many places she had throughout the city. Michael had believed they needed more than one safe house. She didn't say much, instead thinking about what he said and if he meant it, or if he was being factious. She toiled with it. She never thought of herself as gracious or noble. She was neither in her eyes.

She looked up to the building before looking over her shoulder. It was then she felt the hair on the back of her neck tingle as though being watched. "Why would you say I was noble? I am nothing of noble. And I agree it's our emotions that give us power, but emotions can hinder you as well. I mean what if in the middle of a fight I freeze from fear? I die. I'm not willing to cave into emotions. I did that once."

As she opened the door, her hand moved to offer him in. "Make yourself at home. There is a small bar near the kitchen. I won't be but a minute."

"Sure, emotions can hinder you. But like I said control versus elimination." He eyed the bar as he walked in, looking around the room. "Yeah, thanks. I think I'm all set," he admitted, and strolled to glance out a window before moving to take a seat. He wondered how she could be so comfortable with him, and grinned at that thought. "So you're willing to let a strange man into your apartment, get naked and shower while you leave him in your living room? How do you know I won't do something particularly unpleasant to you?"

She looked from the door of the bathroom. "You have already said you have no interest in me in a sexual nature, and you have given no hint to wanting to harm me. In fact, you said you would enjoy fighting me again. So," she shrugged a little letting the coat fall from her shoulders." She started the water. "Should I be worried Adam? Should I live every moment in fear?"

Ada looked towards him again. "Besides I can handle myself." She turned to finish stripping, though he wouldn't be able to see it from where he was sitting. She stepped into the water. It felt damn good over her sore muscles. It wouldn't take her long to clean up.

"Oh, Ada," he said with a shake of his head, but he didn't elaborate on that amused chiding. He hadn't said he wasn't interested. He'd simply said that those having sex would end with her dead. It wasn't her fault. The human body wasn't made to stand up to him. And there was that whole... don't have sex with mortals lest ye bring about another Flood thing... He wasn't keen on another Flood. He liked the world.

But she could handle herself. He grinned. Yeah, against most things he supposed she could. He wondered if that was hubris. He kind of wanted to show her how dangerous he was. Maybe he would. She seemed to need the action. He could almost feel that edginess coming off her in waves. But he'd wait until she was out of the shower at least.

A few more minutes would pass before Ada would emerge. She stood near the door glancing to him. "Give me a minute to put some clothes on," she said turning to walk the short distance to the room. The towel would fall free at the door. She pulled a shirt from the closet and a fresh pair of jeans.

"So tell me Adam...Were you being factious at the club?" She called over her shoulder fighting to get her jeans on over her still wet thighs. She kept a glance to the mirror to watch for shadows on the wall, meaning he was moving around. Ada wasn't entirely stupid about having a stranger in her apartment, and she wasn't completely convinced about what he was.

He watched her move, watched the completely unconcerned way she let him see her naked backside--Finely formed at that. She clearly worked out, beyond her ghoul physique. Squinting, he grinned as she spoke.

"How do you mean?" he asked lightly, from where he sat on the edge of her bed. His hands were to each side of him, supporting him. There would have been no warning that he was there, just the time between her glancing away and looking back. His eyes looked her over, not leering but appreciative. "That I'd win if we fought again?"

"No," she said calmly. "About me being noble." She pulled the shirt over her shoulders and buttoned the center only. "Comfy?" Ada remarked grabbing a pack of cigarettes from the dresser. She normally didn't smoke inside. "You ready?" She was completely calm. There was no reaction to him being there. She had no modesty. Male--female it made no difference to her. She couldn't care who saw her most nights. She was a ghoul. She had little regard to her dress. As long as she could fight in it and conceal a weapon or three.

"It's not bad," Adam said to her question of his comfort. "And sure noble-- Protecting humans and all that crap. Most of your sort doesn't bother. Just try to keep them out of the way, or keep the secrets, but protect? Nah." Drawing a deep breath in through his nose, he considered her, made no move to go anywhere. "Ready for what? I thought you wanted to... talk." He managed to make that word sound like any word besides the one he said.

Curious was the look she gave him. She hadn't intended on them spending time in her room. She moved back over to the bed, climbing on the far end. "I'm anything but noble," she commented. "Nobility and I are far strangers." She said with a nod. She glanced to him, she could. Have sworn he said he wanted to fuck instead of talk. "What did you say?"

"Noble has a lot of meanings, Ada. You fit at least two of them." But he grinned, because she didn't seem to catch what he said. She was a delicious ball of shadows and frustrations, he thought. Her thoughts ran dark, and her inner lake was disturbed like someone had thrown rocks in it. He tilted his head, glanced her over again. He supposed he could use her, to his own ends. She wouldn't like him for it, but after about a millisecond of consideration he realized he didn't care. "I said... I thought you wanted to... talk." It would happen again, this time deliberate as he pinged that darker nature inside her. "I mean, if you don't want to, I can go. Or I can knock you around a bit. However you get your kicks."

She made a strange face, shaking her head. She had heard it again. "You must have hit me harder than I thought. I swear you just asked if I wanted to fuck... twice. But we both know you didn't."

"Really?" he mused on that. "If I did, that was a poor reception to the question. Disbelief." He chuckled, eyes dark as she tried to get past being unsettled. Not that he'd let her do that. She likely wouldn't even feel his influence. The chaos and darkness tugging at her nature, it wasn't something most people could sense. Provoking her to simply react--To do, to be, to try. "I don't thanks. I don't actually drink alcohol. Proscriptions. I get my kicks in... other ways."

"And how do you...get your kicks?" She asked opening and shutting her hands to force the rush away. But her body reacted, pumping blood, strengthening her. It was like a reflexive response to a unseen attack. Ada didn't understand, Adam had made no attempts at anything. She was actually relieved, and confused why she was reacting yowards him. "And explain Proscription for me. I don't think I understand." She pulled a cigarette free of the pack and moved it end over end. "What exactly do you do? What do you enjoy?"

He turned more fully on the bed to face her, still looking like a lion in a sunbeam relaxed but no less dangerous. "Oh, all sorts of ways. I mostly enjoy tormenting prodding, teasing, and manipulating." He said that in a way that could have been taken so very wrong. Or right, he supposed. He could almost feel where her mind was going, and he continued to spin the room with chaos. He'd make her drunk on it before he was done. "Proscriptions. Hmm... things I'm not supposed to do. Restrictions placed on us for the good of creation as a whole. No-no's," he added with a grin. "And I enjoy just what I'm doing now spending time with intriguing company, learning about new people, and getting under their skin."

She was finding it hard to think straight. She moved to the edge of the bed, letting her feet fall over the edge. "Tormenting...manipulating..." she said her head clouding over with images his voice carried. Teasing, tormenting, and prodding all brought back memories from her youth. She pushed them away, deeper inside. It was hard to keep focus.

"So I am a no-no. Basically I am too human for you." She thought about that. Her father a werewolf, her mother a fae, her dominator a vampire, and still to human for anyone. She resisted the darkness. Death was enticing to her. It had eluded her for years. She had died three times already. She looked at the floor. "Getting under my skin?" Ada stood. She didn't want to give in to it. She wanted to keep the control. But it was getting harder to resist. "What do you want to learn about me?"

"Too mortal I suppose is a better word in spite of being a ghoul." He turned further, watching her react. Though none of his amusement showed on his face she was so easy already keyed to the darkness. Driven toward it and he admired her ability to hold out. "What I am would turn you inside out."