Ch 107. Marcella’s addiction

While I pondered how long it would take to reach something like Crow's power level, Marcella was struggling to wake herself after a rough night of no sleep. The stimulation of the potion having clearly kept her wide awake, although she was both too embarrassed and too strong-headed to admit to it. 

When asked if she could describe the side-effects of what she had taken last night, something she had promised to do, she was both unwilling and unable. Choosing to tough it out alone, as if nothing were bothering her. 

Sitting back in the carriage alongside the two girls, I started preparing an especially strong dose for tonight as I filled more vials full of blood. 

How much time would take for her to break? Sitting back comfortably as I prepared for the day. 

Watching grassland turn to isolated pockets of forest, the road veering off in multiple directions as we began to see the signs of civilization. Former frontier cities that had once been the furthest reaches of humanity's domain just a few decades ago. Unlike Tromwell though, these cities had not yet reached the extent of the true 'wilderness' yet. The discovery of which had drastically slowed down the policy of border expansion. Massive forests with increasingly vicious monsters, but with our kingdom's issues with overpopulation and crowding, especially in the major cities, there was seemingly an unlimited resource through which they could throw towards the problem, and just like that, cities dotted the outward bounds of the wilderness, chipping away at the great forests and the monsters that lived within.

The further we got from the edge of civilization, the more we found that we were often no longer the only ones on the road. Traffic picking up now that there were other cities within visible range of another. The security more lax than anything I had ever seen, especially so given that I had spent my entire life within the walls of Tromwell. Living surrounded by monsters had always been the norm, and seeing people out and about, and also with far less guards than we had expected, was an eye opening experience to say the least. 

Looking out the window every once in a while to catch the other wagons wait on the side of the road as we passed, the merchants and guards marveled at our procession as if we were royalty. Marcella who was still being brought along the back tried to hide her face in shame as onlookers gossiped to themselves, her collar making her appear as nothing but a criminal slave. Few men, and even fewer women were ever sentenced to such treatment, as slavery was mostly reserved for beastkin it was an especially humiliating punishment for a human to be treated that way. 

Later at camp, when the time came, I once again presented the vial of diluted blood towards Marcella as I gave her an option. Take the comforts that came along with it, or accept her lifestyle as a normal slave. Unknown to her, the addictive properties of my blood had already taken hold of her. Pure vitality was like the essence of life itself, after tasting such pure lifeforce, she would subconsciously crave and seek out the source, as would any living creature according to their nature. I had experienced this myself every time I invested points into constitution, and I knew better than anyone how powerful and blissful the feeling of life truly was. I was constantly being infused with its presence through the pool of attributes I had invested so far, but if I should ever lose those points it would be like I had been cut off from the realm of the living. 

Belle and Tammy always appeared fine, given they had a constant supply through our nightly intimate contact it never seemed to rise to the level of an overpowering instinct for them, but for Marcella who had just received her first taste and could at any time lose access, how would she react?

Watching her face contort in contemplation, she knew the side-effects, and how they made her feel, it may be an aphrodisiac, but if that was all it was she wouldn't be so tempted to accept it a second time. Greed showing fully in her eyes as she almost salivated to take it again, against her better judgement. If she knew this was my blood all along, how would she react? 

Watching her hesitantly drink the vial I had given her. Licking her lips afterwards, ensuring not even a drop was wasted. Her cheeks flushing again as she tried to take the blanket and hurry off to the tent. Too ashamed to look me in the eye as her sensitivity heightened. Even if she had no place to herself, sleeping by our tent was still the safest place for her in a camp filled with strange men. 

The sounds of love-making emerging from our tent as I spent the night together with Belle and Tammy, acting out the carnal pleasures that acted as promises of what Marcella might enjoy if she were to give in, as she spent the night listening in on our passionate activities, rubbing herself in a futile attempt to alleviate the symptoms but feeling no satisfaction as she was unable to climax without a man's touch. The potion she had just drank kept putting strange ideas in her head. Ideas of embracing even someone like Keaton who had ruined her life. Her cheeks burning in shame after she realized she felt lust towards a man like that. Letting a moan slip out as she tried to rub herself faster to drown out the errant thoughts.