Red Blood, Dark Night

She walked through the thick fog blanketing the ground. She could smell old dirt, and new fresh green growing things as she walked and they bent and cracked under her feet. She held her head high, unashamed, unafraid. She was walking surely into her demise, and she knew it. She would not allow them to spoil these last moments of life. She had been fighting for so long now she knew no other way, and so accepted her death with a grace and pride that few of her people held any longer. She knew they would send the best after her, and was proud that they thought her that much of a threat.

In her life she had destroyed numerous cleansing centers, on dozens of worlds. She had killed over 1000 clerics and other workers loyal to the Divine Order. She knew of nothing else. Her parents had been fighters, and had died in one of the attacks when she was but a youngling. She had only seen 10 summers when she had accomplished her first mission, the destruction of a pleasure slave training center. Who would have suspected a child was capable of such, but this was no ordinary child. She had been trained and guided from birth for this role. She had a name, but it was known only to those of the highest ranks and those she held dearest to herself. She was known to most as Red Blood, for her flaming hair and her slaughter of the clerics on Turmis.

She chuckled to herself as she settled onto the stone above her parents' grave. There was a mission to remember. She had snuck into the clerics' dorm in the dark of night, single-handedly killing over one hundred and fifty divine clerics, and well over 50 security personnel that night. That was over 5 years ago, and she had been dodging the assassins ever since. She had added three of them to her tally as well. She would never run from them, but she had dodged them until the time was right.

She had heard rumors that they were sending the one known as Kai after her. She knew of his reputation, and had taken precautions. She would die this night, but the cause, and her work, would live on.

She looked at the bag before her, smiling slightly. Within it she had brought the last thing she would eat, and it was something she rarely had. On the world of Regius they had a plant with pods that produced a rich thick syrup that the locals used to produce candy and other treats. She had tried this once while on that world, and had loved it then. She had had her last meal before leaving the compound and now she waited for the right moment for her dessert.

The snap of a branch started her from her reverie, and she peered into the soupy mist around her. She could sense the footfalls of the person approaching her. She had honed her senses to their peak and beyond over the years, and she could tell these were the heavy yet almost silent footfalls of a divine assassin.

"Red Blood...I have been sent by his Divine Shadow. You are guilty of the mur..."

"I know what I have done killer.." She interrupted his speech, "And I concede to you. Allow me to finish my meal before you finish your job. Do the condemned not deserve that much?"

She could not see the frown she sensed coming from him, but he finally emerged from the fog. "Very well. You may finish eating."

She smiled and opened the bag and pulled out the confection that lay within. The pink paper crinkled as she pulled it into her hand. The rich sweet fragrance reached her nose quickly, in spite of the still air. She noticed the shifting weight of the assassin as he smelled it as well, and he slowly moved closer.

"Have you had this before?" She knew they had no memories, but she felt the urge, the need to ask.

"Yes, I was instructed in it's use to torture by giving pleasure." His voice was deep and rich, almost as rich as the sweet that lay in the palm of her hand.

"Do you wish to share this with me?" She found it odd she would ask him this, but figured it would do no harm. The best case, she could give him something to remember, the worst, she would eat it alone and still die by his hands. Either way the end result was the same.

He tilted his head, a stray strand of hair falling into his face from the gesture. "Very well, I will share it with you."

He had not been given any special instructions to complete with her, but merely to assure that she was dead before the night was through. He decided he would take the time to further explore this peculiar food item. He could not understand the enchantment with it.

She smiled gently, her features lighting up slightly as she raised the piece of chocolate to his nose, allowing him to inhale and enjoy the sensation as much as his limited emotions would allow. He closed his eyes as he smelled it, leaning his face close.

"It is my favorite, in spite of only having it once before. It is hard to find anywhere but it's planet of origin, and costs quite a lot when you can find it." She whispered softly, her words muted even more by the fog. Her voice was husky, both from nervousness at his presence, and the scent of the food she held.

"Yes, I understand." His voice had lowered an octave, and he was startled when she pushed the piece of candy into his mouth. It melted on his tongue, warmed by the humid climate of the planet. He let out a soft low moan as it trickled down his throat.

"It is wonderful..." She smiled faintly, she had ordered a special batch when she knew this time was coming. She was surprised she would be sharing this with him, but if it was meant to be, so be it.

He marveled at the texture as it slid down his throat. He watched her watching him, mind whirling at the sensations this was giving him. He was experiencing pleasure, something he knew he should not be doing. He did not care though. Reaching out he snatched the next piece, with a speed only a divine assassin could produce.

She smirked as he fed it to her, licking the melted traces from his fingertips. He traced the outline of her lips faintly with the tip of his fingers, watching her reactions carefully. She sighed happily, closing her eyes as she slowly chewed and swallowed the confection. She smiled more as memories of her first time tasting the treat flooded her mind.

Kai's eyebrows knitted together as he watched her smile. "Why are you happy when you are going to die?"

She chuckled. "Memories, of those I have known, things I have done. Happy times and sad. Don't you ever remember things?"

"No, I have no memory. There is one piece left." He noted, and put it to his lips, placing half between them. He leaned close to her and kissed her, sharing the last piece with her.

She was so lost in the memory, smell and taste of the melting confection that she never heard it coming. The soft snick of his brace coming out, the hot rush of pain as it severed her spine. She crumpled to the ground, her life's blood flowing out into the soil, to mingle with the remains of her parents below. He quickly severed her head from her body, placing it within a bag he had brought and hidden behind one of the trees.

He heard a soft noise and looked around. He could see the glitter of eyes peering behind the stone, but paid no regard to them, his orders were simple. Kill the woman and return. There was no mention of witnesses. He looked one last time at the wrapper on the ground, and departed the cemetery silently.

From behind the ancient stone stepped a woman with flaming red hair. She watched him leave before burying the body left behind. She smiled as she worked. Red Blood would live on.

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