High Inquisitor (Unfinished)

The High Inquisitor of the Empire sat at her desk, her legs crossed as she bounced it across her lap, staring down at the documents laid across it. It had been a tiring few days, with the weight of the upcoming war weighing down on the most in the court, and she had been getting letter after letter requesting for their support with one thing or another. She didn’t let her work get to her, but she did need some sort of distraction, which she had requested brought to her this evening for a little enjoyment on her end. Seraphyel was a  tall woman, with long silver hair that swept to one side and a bald cut on the other. She had thin eyebrows, sharp, witted eyes and plump lips with her fangs hidden behind them. She typically wore a long purple cape with silver amour that was light enough for her to move in combat, and long sharp nails she liked to use when it was necessary. She had a full figure that curved at the waist, and it was something she constantly tried to maintain. She had muscle from years of training, but she also liked to keep herself soft to the touch. 

High in the tower of the Inquisitional Church, Seraphyel’s chambers reflected her duality—white marble with veins of real gold dominated one side, embodying divine authority, while dark, polished obsidian defined the other, capturing the depths of her vampiric nature. A large fireplace cast flickering light across the room, with a commanding portrait of Seraphyel hanging above it, the same serious expression on her face, her expression staring down at the room like she commanded it above all else. 

Shelves along the walls are lined with religious texts, imperial decrees, and ancient scrolls, meticulously arranged in alphabetical order and genre. A plush couch and a soft chair form a seating area near the fire, which she spent many evenings sitting at while indulging in books from her library. Her sturdy desk held her work, its surface immaculately organized, with quills, parchment, and a hidden portrait of the High Inquisitor enchanted to shift between modesty and nudity at her command. Beyond an arched obsidian doorway was her bedroom, where a magnificent gilded coffin replaced a traditional bed, though larger than a normal coffin, just in case she needed someone to keep her company for the evening.

As she licked the tip of her quill to respond to yet another letter, there was a soft knock at the door. She looked up to find her Hand, William, a young half-elf that she had taken under her wing, peek his head inside, “my lady, your guest has arrived. Would you like me to let him in?” His angular face, marked by high cheekbones and a straight, narrow nose, bore the faint traces of elven lineage—ears that tapered to soft points and eyes that shimmered with an otherworldly silver-green hue. His dark hair, neatly combed back, had a slight wave to it, softening his otherwise disciplined appearance. Clad in the muted, functional attire of the High Inquisitor's Hand, he wore a high-collared coat of deep charcoal leather, subtly adorned with sigils of authority and the inquisitor's crest upon his breast.

She couldn’t help but let out a little smirk. Her prey was finally here for her to play with. “Sure, let him in.”

The door opened wider to reveal a Leonine, or Lionfolk male. He stood at the doorway, his imposing silhouette framed by the golden light spilling from the room behind him. His mane, a thick cascade of tawny and amber streaks, framed a face marked by regal yet primal features: a broad nose, high cheekbones, and piercing eyes the color of molten gold. Standing well over six feet tall, his powerful frame was accentuated by a tailored leather vest and a cloak draped loosely over one shoulder, its edges embroidered with intricate patterns resembling claw marks. His tail swayed slightly, the tufted end flicking with a restless energy, and his clawed hands gripped the wooden doorframe, as if grounding himself for what lay ahead. 

She studied him without saying a single word, waiting for him to make the first move. His tail swished impatiently as his jaw clenched up, but he bowed and said, “My lady, my name is Arion Drakori, I have come at your request.” 

Her smirk didn’t fade as she nodded her head, “come on in, Arion Drakori.”

He gave William one last look before her Hand closed the door behind them and stepped out. William would be off for the rest of the evening, though was always available for her if needed. Arion stood there awkwardly, wondering if he should step inside. She let him squirm for a bit more before inclining her head towards the leather couch across from her desk. He gave her a slight forced smile before stepping to the chair and sitting down. He had no idea why he was called to the High Inquisitor, so late in the evening, and she knew he probably had a lot spinning in his mind at the moment, perhaps his entire life history, wondering what he had done wrong to harbor the wrath of such an important person.

She let the moment drag on as much as possible, like a predator watching her prey, before she said, “do you remember me, Arion?”

He paused for a second, swallowed, and said, “I do, my lady. We were both at the Kraken on the night of the Winter Solstice, though I was shocked to see my lady at such an ordinary tavern.” 

She nodded, “I’m glad you remember me.” She crossed then uncrossed her leg and said, “the Winter Solstice ball has always been somewhat of a bore for me, as events like that are in general, and I always find myself needing an escape after, which is why I find myself in taverns such as the Kraken.”

He nodded, “that makes sense. It would be hard for anyone to keep so many people’s company for so long while keeping up an appearance.”

“Do you try to keep up appearances, Arion?” She said quickly, trying to get him off guard.

He looked like he was physically attacked at the question, but quickly composed himself and shook his head, “I don’t know what you’re referring to, my lady. Is this perhaps the reason why you’ve called me to see you this evening?”

“I know Leonines try their hardest to act like civilized individuals in society, but I’ve always wondered if the lion deep inside of you tries to come out from time to time, a caged beast that can be unleashed at the right moment,” she said, her eyes sharply focusing on him.

“A… caged beast?” He said, looking even more nervous. 

“I assume you’re even worse right now, being in front of someone with so much power, wondering how you could look as presentable as possible, so I don’t try to use any of this against you.”

He seemed to think about all of this, and finally said, “well, if I could be blunt, my lady.” She nodded, giving him her full permission - this was what was fun for her, afterall, “if you did wish, right now, you could have me imprisoned or hanged without needing a single reason. Of course I have to be as courteous as possible. It would be very unwise for me to be anything but formal and civil.”

She liked where this was going, with him being more and more transparent, without her being too pushy. She’d played this cat and mouse game with many other men before, and a lot of them couldn’t understand what she was fishing for, or were too nervous around her to ever speak too boldly. She paused the conversation, standing up at last and pushing her papers aside. He stared at her every step of the way, his eyes traveling up and down her body as he studied the way she moved. She liked the way he was staring at her, like he definitely saw her as a woman, and not just as the High Inquisitor. A lot of men also couldn’t get past that point. It was rare for anyone to see her outside of her usual armor, as that was what she wore most of the time - it was just what she was comfortable with. He must’ve been intrigued by her more casual clothing, though still with her purple cape, though now draped on top of an olive dress that was decorated with silver pigments throughout. It was a low cut so her cleavage was very accentuated, and had two triangular cuts on the sides of her waist to expose them. 

She wished she could know what he was thinking as she walked to the side table, gathered a pitcher full of blood red liquid, and poured it into two glasses. She swayed over to him, handed him one of the glasses, her expression searing into him as she did. Their fingers grazed against each other as he grabbed the glass, his hot skin a dramatic contrast to her cold vampiric skin as he said, “thank you, my lady.”

“You can relax, Arion. I promise I won’t bite tonight, not unless you ask me to,” she winked. She turned away from him, deliberately showing him her ass as she walked back to her desk. She lifted the glass at him, and he did the same, “cheers.” She said before they both pressed the glasses against their lips. She took a few large gulps of the expensive red wine before setting it back down on the table. She was pleased to find him doing the same. She could’ve easily poisoned it, and it was nice to see he trusted her to this extent. “How was the wine?” She asked after he set it down.

“Very delicious. Can I ask what it is?” He seemed to go right back into his falsely courteous demeanor. 

“An aged iced wine from the Dragon’s Vestibule in the West City, one of my favorites.” She replied.

His eyes seemed to widen at that, “that’s… that’s a really hard wine to even find.”

“Well, I have my methods,” she shrugged. It was barely an effort for her to acquire rare goods with her status. 

“It makes me really wonder why I’m here today, my lady, if I may be bold enough to ask,” he blurted out.

“What if I said I merely enjoyed fine company?” She replied, leaning back on her chair as far as she could. 

“I could understand that, but… why me?” He pushed.

She pretended to really think about it and said, “to be honest, Leonines really intrigue me as a species. I remembered meeting you at the tavern, a poised individual that got along well with his peers and with the ladies, and I wanted to have a conversation with you.”

He chuckled awkwardly and said, “what an honor.”

“Does that make you uncomfortable?” She asked. If it did, she didn’t know if she would want to continue this evening. There would be no point in doing so.

He thought about it, taking another sip of the fine wine to give him some time to deliberate, and said, “no. Honestly, I am quite flattered. I was a little nervous to come tonight. Actually, very nervous. But I find you to be quite the conversationalist.”

“A great compliment,” she grinned, exposing her sharp teeth. “Do you mind if I sit next to you, then?”

He seemed a little shocked at that, but nodded all the same. She was faster this time as she walked up next to him, her vampiric nature making her footsteps almost completely silent. She sat down next to him on the leather sofa, her legs almost brushing his trousers, but not quite. “There, it's much less formal this way.”

“I’ve never seen vampire fangs up close like this before,” he said, looking both nervous and intrigued at the same time.

She grinned, showing them off even more, and leaned in closer to him. “We’re a very private group. Vampires don’t typically like outsiders.” He nodded, “you must have some fangs as well, no?”

He opened his mouth up for her, exposing his very large and sharp canines, along with the rest of his teeth. They were clearly made for someone who devoured mostly meats. She grabbed his chin as she moved even closer, a little roughly, and she tilted his head up to examine him further. He paused and didn’t move a single inch, and as she held her grip on him, she reached her thumb up to trace his lower lip, feeling the rough and slightly wet texture of it. “Your lips are stained from the wine,” she said. 

He nodded, though barely moved with her grip on him. “You’re very strong,” was all he could say. His pupils were very dilated as he stared down at her, and she could feel how fast his heart beat was. 

“We’re all strong. Me even more so, with my decades of training,” she replied like it was obvious.

He seemed to lean closer to her, his lips slightly parted as he stared. She knew he was turned on, it was obvious in every part of him, and she loved that the fear was somehow making it even hotter for him. He was truly the perfect candidate for her to unwind this evening, and she was getting more and more excited by the second. She didn’t hold herself back as she closed the gap in between them and placed her lips on his. He reacted at once, his lips pushing against hers as their teeth clashed against each other. It was ferocious and rough, and she climbed on top of him, straddling his lap as she pushed her fingers into his hair. He growled, and she slipped her tongue inside of his mouth, flicking against his sharp canines as she did. A little bit harder, and she knew it would’ve drawn blood. The thought alone was incredibly hot for her. His hair was just like a lion’s mane, coarse and thick and so easy to tug on. She could feel the heat of his body radiating off of him, so much heat that it was almost overwhelming. His tongue slipped into her mouth, and they pushed against each other, fighting for dominance, and she felt his hands travel up to rest against her waist, his large palm and fingers firm against it. 

They kissed for a few minutes, rough and unrelenting before she pulled back, leaving a long trail of saliva between them. They were both panting slightly as she said, “That growl was pretty sexy.”

“I didn’t mean for it to come out,” he admitted.

“That’s why it’s sexy. I want to draw out the animal in you. I want to see you lose control,” she said, finally telling him exactly what she wanted from this evening.

“Why?” he asked, looking up at her.

She shrugged, “it fascinates me.”