[Comm] Wither: Vampiric Rites (Catalyst)

The broadcasts started with murders. Details on these weren’t hard to come by. It seemed so savage at the time. Then, the head of the Church of Sulfur was found dead in his own bed, ravaged by another one of these murderers. Calla stepped out of the shadows, sending a spark of fear and hope in many buns across the burrow. Not only was she supernaturally beautiful, but it seemed she was simply supernatural.

Perhaps this is where most would call it a day. A few hours of research or watching the news after the events, but it would go back to normal soon enough. Wither felt something else upon seeing Calla. Immortality wasn’t something she thought about often, but this being, this vampire, had been around since before the burrow was even officially created. Under Calla’s foot had to be hundreds of graves, and in her hand hundreds of followers. The power she possessed, the power to command others with a single glance, creating loyal servants without a second thought. Yes, she may be trying to make peace today, but Wither knew there was something darker within the vampire… and she wanted it.

There was a decent number of vampires in the burrow after they came out of hiding and with the sheer number being created after All Sinner’s Day, which made becoming a vampire exceedingly easy. Blood banks were more common now, and many of the patrons were vampires themselves. It wouldn’t be hard to make one turn her without much fuss.

Wither couldn’t help but feel that was much too easy. Watching Calla speak in front of crowds, seeing the air of aloofness she had, watching as others failed to get close, gripped Wither as a challenge. She hadn’t heard of other succubuns being turned personally by her and the thought drove Wither to plan. Calla’s fashion sense seemed to be a mix between modesty and as much skin showing as possible. Those she kept close seemed quiet, obedient. Not a word was spoken by her left-hand-man despite appearing alongside her more often than not. Black and red adorned him, seeming to be a purposeful choice to contrast Calla’s own outfit.

It wasn’t difficult to find a night gown that looked to fit her taste. Wither wasn’t a huge fan of hiding any of her physique, but the gown came up to her neck, ending just short of being a turtleneck. The sleeves were tight against her arms, allowing a peek at the subtle muscle underneath. The lace was Wither’s addition, leaving the back sheer, which wrapped around to her sides. Despite the cover that her bust had, the lace trailed down her legs, gently pooling on the floor to allow anyone a look at her body through what was nearly just a sliver. Thin silver chains acted as bracelets, connected to her collar with platinum and diamond that caught the light with every movement. From a distance, the chain may not even be visible to onlookers, but the glittering will force them to take a closer look.

Calla was holding a gala as a way to allow vampires and mortals alike to mingle and get to understand each other better. Sure, Wither didn’t receive an invite, but nobody would mind. She had made sure of it. Within the doors, fangs glinted in the candlelight and wings were more numerous than not. Her tongue dragged along her teeth, knowing that soon the action could very well draw blood.

Fitting in wasn’t a difficult task. Wither mingled, slowly working her way through the crowd to figure out where exactly Calla was. Several eyed the collar with disdain, as if it was a preventative measure in their eyes. The leather wouldn’t keep any fangs away, but it would make it ever so slightly harder.

“Lady Calla,” Wither greeted with a smooth, softened voice and slight bow. “This is lovely. You’ve done such a wonderful job putting it all together.” The vampire had been closer to the wall, people watching rather than actively participating. Her eyes didn’t shift towards Wither even as she spoke.

“I appreciate your kind words,” Calla replied, continuing to monitor the party and mingling guests. It wasn’t terribly surprising, but the lack of even slight attention peaked Wither’s attention a bit more.

Instead of mentioning it, Wither turned to gaze upon the crowd alongside Calla. The distance between them was comfortable for strangers, but slightly closer in the party setting. “You’ve done so much to introduce vampires and succubuns to each other in a way that makes everyone happy. I can only imagine how much it has weighed on your mind how to make this all work.”

The words earned a brief glance. Wither had to stop herself from smirking. “It took much effort on both sides. I hadn’t intended on being outed in the way we had been, but mortals have been receptive thus far.” A wine glass in her hand swirled for a moment before a delicate sip was drawn.

“I’m sure that’s been… dreadfully stressful for you,” Wither said, looking over at Calla with an innocent look. “I know that I may not be much… but is there anything I can do to take any of the strain off of you?”

Something lit up in Calla’s eyes, and a slight grin formed on her features. She turned to Wither, a laugh bubbling in her throat. The sound was enchanting. “Oh, you’re adorable, you mortals,” she said with humor, looking at Wither with an amusement that she wasn’t used to seeing from other people. “Do you genuinely believe you’d be of assistance to me, little bun?”

“For a matter of fact, I do,” Wither said with a bit more confidence. There was a slight air of flirtation to her tone. Maybe Calla was more similar to her than originally thought.

Calla studied Wither for a few moments, a type of scrutiny that Wither hadn’t experienced before. “Speak with the staff. If you’re suitable, perhaps you will be contacted.” Calla sent a smirk her way, before leaving without a response.

Wither watched as Calla left to speak with others, unable to help but notice the grace of her steps and the slight sway of her hips. The staff would find Wither to be a perfect fit. She grabbed a drink from a tray as a waiter passed, taking a sip before making her way back into the crowd.