The Reason

Chapter 19


Vincent awoke four days later in the hospital wing at the Inn. His throat ached, and for a moment, he wondered why, until he saw Jexebel sleeping in a chair next to him.

Then he remembered.

A dark chuckled echoed through his mind.

‘Good morning, Vincent. Did you sleep well?’

“Chaos…” Vincent said aloud. His voice woke Jexebel.

“Vincent!” She said, leaning forward and grasping his hand.

“How long was I out?” he asked, putting Chaos out of his mind for the time being.

“Four days…I’m so sorry…I …oh hell I almost killed you, I-”

“Stop.” Vincent said, his voice still gravelly.

“I knew what I was doing, and I am the one who should be sorry. I didn’t want you to think that I betrayed you…we wanted to-”

“I know, Reno told me. I’m grateful, now I know I can control her completely, but Vincent…” She started to cry. “I almost lost you…I was so scared…Shelke said that you probably wouldn’t wake up…You were actually dead for about three minutes…I’m so sor-”

“Stop it!” Vincent ordered, instantly overcome with hacking coughs.

“All right.” Jexebel agreed, standing and helping him sit up in the bed. She sat down next to him and shuddered when she felt him wrap his arms around her weakly. She leaned in to him and kissed his jaw, gently.

“I’m sorry that I forced Chaos back.” She muttered quietly.

“You didn’t. I think he was there the whole time, just waiting for the right time to show himself again.”

“You don’t sound upset?”

“Well…I lived with him inside me for so long…and I have the protomateria so I can control him, so I think…I think it’s all right. It will help us in the end. We will have to be extra careful.” He didn’t elaborate. He didn’t have to.

“I’ll have Shelke strengthen the potion.” She leaned up and kissed him, gently molding his lips with her own. She pulled away quickly, not wanting him to lose his breath again, and stood up.

“I have to fetch Rufus. He asked that I call for him when you woke up. I’ll be right back.”

“All right.” Vincent reached up and grabbed Jexebel’s hand, squeezing it. “I love you.” He said.

“I love you, too.”

She returned a few minutes later with Rufus and the others in tow.

“Valentine.” Rufus greeted, “Are you alright?”

“Yes sir.” Vincent croaked. Jexebel went to the sink and filled a small paper cup with water, walking back and handing it to Vincent. “Thank you.” He said.

She nodded and stood back, listening as Rufus questioned Vincent about the return of Chaos, and asked his opinion on the matter, nodding when Vincent told him what he had told Jexebel.

“He’s really back, then?” Yuffie said from the door. Everyone turned to look at the woman.

“Yes.” Vincent said, his voice a little stronger. Tseng stepped out of the way and Vincent got a good look at Yuffie. She was covered in scratches and bruises. “What happened to you?” he asked.

“Ask your girlfriend.” Yuffie said, solemn.

“Jexebel?” Vincent said, looking at her. Jexebel bowed her head.

“It was self defense. After Ms. Kisaragi heard what I had done…she…well she attacked me. For a while I just took it, until she said that you were stupid for ever loving me in the first place. I got angry, and fought back.” She explained. She looked repentant, but she didn’t sound that way.

“Why don’t you have any bruises?” he asked.

“I did, but just a few minutes after Cloud broke us up, they faded, and all my cuts healed.”

Vincent nodded. It made sense. He looked at Yuffie again, and found her fighting tears.

“Dammit.” She said. She turned and walked away, and the group behind her could only watch in sympathy.

Rufus broke the silence first. “I came to tell you that I have written out your release papers, as well as those for Ms. Strange.”

Vincent was confused. “But…why? It worked. Our bargain was that if it didn’t work, then-”

“It is compensation for the damage you have both suffered.” Rufus explained.

“Well,” Jexebel interjected, “I can’t speak for Vincent, but I can speak for myself. Keep your release papers. I’m going to finish this.” She looked at him, challenging.

“Very well, Ms. Strange. We humbly accept your assistance.”

‘What the hell? “Humbly”?’ Jexebel thought. ‘Why the hell is he treating me like royalty now?’

“I stand beside Jexebel.” Vincent said.

Rufus nodded his acceptance and turned, intent on leaving the room.

“Sir?” Jexebel called out. He turned back to her. “I have decided that I really would like to share my information about Weiss with you. Would it be possible to schedule a meeting with Reeve and the others?”

Vincent stared in awe at his lover, his pride in her courage threatening to explode from his battered body.

“That would be most helpful. I will do what I can.” Rufus agreed. He turned again and left the room, the rest of the Turks following him. Jexebel turned back to Vincent, shocked at the look he was giving her.

“What?” she asked.

“You are very brave; much braver than I. I wouldn’t talk about my past for a very long time. Not until after Omega was defeated, and only to Shelke. Everything that the other’s know about me they learned from watching me. They didn’t know about the Galian or Chaos until they watched me transform in battle with – ironically – Reno and Rude. They saw the Galian then, but never saw Chaos until the final battle with Sephiroth during the Jenova war.” Vincent said. He motioned for her to join him on the bed. She did.

“I want it to be over.” Jexebel whispered. She looked at him. “What is the Galian?” she asked. Vincent chuckled.

“See? I still don’t like talking about it. He is the beast that Hojo gave me. He resembles a giant dog with horns, and hurls fireballs.”

Jexebel smiled. “When will I get to see this beast? For that matter, when are we going to train together as Quietus and Chaos?”

Vincent looked down. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” he asked. “Our whole problem is keeping Quietus and Chaos from…procreating.”

“I can control her, Vincent. You taught me well, you know that, and you can control Chaos, so we shouldn’t have a problem. If anything happens, you can shoot me with a tranq dart.” Jexebel said, flippantly.

“Jexe-”

“Stop, Vincent. Just listen for a second, and think about it. We will both most likely transform when we face them, and we both have our own special attacks as our demons. If we were destined to be together anyway, maybe our powers will work with eachother. I don’t even know what Quietus’ power is.”

Vincent thought about it for a moment, and decided that Jexebel’s point was a valid one. “Alright.” He agreed. “But we will have to be very careful.” He gave her a soft, very out-of-character whap on the arm. “And you know damn well that I won’t shoot you with anything. Chaos is probably stronger than Quietus, I’m sure that he could stop you if you lost control.”

“Is that a challenge?” Jexebel asked, a playful lilt to her voice.

“You may choose to think that way if you wish.” Vincent went along.

“You’re on.” Jexebel said solidly.

“You’re serious, aren’t you?” Vincent asked, surprised that she would actually want to spar with him. No one could beat Vincent as Chaos. Omega couldn’t beat Vincent as Chaos, and yet she seemed to think that she could.

“Yep. When you wanna do this?” she asked.

“When can I leave the hospital? I feel fine,” It was true, after waking, Chaos really had the chance to kick in to gear and Vincent could feel his injuries healing.

“Shelke said that she trusts your judgment. She said that if you felt okay to leave, then you can leave.”

“Alright.” Vincent said, feeling strangely playful. “I’ll get dressed and meet you in the Dojo in fifteen minutes.”

“Deal.” Jexebel turned and waltzed out of the room, turning left and heading for the dojo.


“Are you sure that you want to do this, Jexebel?” Vincent asked, shaking the stiffness out of his shoulders.

“Of course.” Jexebel answered from across the dojo.

“Alright then.” Vincent said nothing else, just turned away from her and allowed himself to be overtaken with a bright pink light. The glow receded, revealing Chaos, his tragic and terrifying beauty enough to knock the wind from the bravest of the brave. “Well?” Vincent said, his voice scratchy and almost metallic. “What are you waiting for? Transform!”

Jexebel stopped ogling and did as she was told, barely making a whimper as the pain of transformation claimed her being.

The demons stood facing each other, neither making the first move.

Jexebel got tired of waiting. She used Quietus’ supernatural speed to rush Vincent, intending to knock him aside.

He was too fast for her. He grabbed her wrists and stopped her in her tracks, using his enhanced strength to throw her to the ground. Jexebel landed face first on the carpet pad, turning and hissing at Vincent. He shuddered at the heat behind her gaze.

Jexebel stood and shook her body, relaxing her wings and falling into position. She raised her left hand behind her head, balancing her weight on her back foot. Her right hand, she stretched out in front of her, intending to taunt Vincent into attacking her.

Vincent smiled and began his advance, but suddenly he stopped and stared at Jexebel’s left hand. Jexebel thought nothing of it, other than Vincent maybe trying to distract her. That is until she felt a jolt of electricity melting into her left hand. She turned to look behind her, and to her surprise she found that a bolt of lightening from her stormy aura had connected with her hand. She felt the energy seep into her arm and bleed its way to her right hand. She turned her right palm up, watching in fascination as a crackling ball of electricity began forming in her hand. She stared for a moment, and then smirked devilishly at her lover.

Vincent’s eyes widened in shock when he realized what was about to happen. He called forth his demonic energy to lessen the blow, and attempted to call to Jexebel.

“Jexebel, don-” was as far as he got before she hurled the now gigantic ball of electricity at him.

He narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth, waiting for the ball to connect with his energy barrier. To his distress, the ball passed completely through his barrier and connected with his chest, throwing him back a fair amount and landing him flat on his back. It didn’t hurt, really, just…tingled in an odd way. He tried to lift himself from the ground and found that he could not move.

Jexebel threw herself through the air, landing gracefully straddling Vincent’s waist. She somehow knew that Vincent was paralyzed as she didn’t immediately attack, just slowly pressed her right hand to his throat and lifted her left hand behind her again, allowing her power to flow directly from her body into Vincent’s. She smirked down at him and purred: “I win.”

Vincent just stared up at her, his look crossed between amazement and arousal. He allowed his eyes to betray his acceptance of the outcome.

Jexebel removed her hand but did not move, just remained perched atop him chuckling.

In a few seconds, Vincent once again had control of his limbs. He flexed his arms and neck, leaving his head turned to the side a bit, exposing his pale blue neck.

A shiver ran down Jexebel’s spine at this show of forced submission. She thought she’d won.

It happened in a half-a-second.

Vincent looked at Jexebel from the corner of his eye, his arms shooting up and his claws gripping her forearms. He yanked her against him and rolled them over, pinning her to the mat. His golden eyes reminded her of molten sunlight as he stared down at her, lowering his head and latching onto her lips, nipping at her with sharp teeth.

Jexebel’s hands – her arms still held in place by Vincent’s hands – lifted and her claws clamped down on Vincent’s sides, causing him to growl ferociously into her mouth.


From behind the glass window outside the dojo, Shelke watched in awe. She had not expected Jexebel to gain control of her demon’s powers so quickly. She watched Jexebel hurl the crackling ball at Vincent, and then Vincent hitting the floor, and Jexebel leaping onto him. She saw Jexebel’s lips move, but wasn’t sure what exactly she had said. Then she saw Vincent’s movements, and the actions following. Her heart leapt into her throat, knowing that neither of them had a potion on them, and what the repercussions could be if they went through with their unplanned encounter. She spent a moment in panic, trying to decide how to go about interrupting them without becoming a pile of Shelke-dust on the floor before deciding that there was a better way. She rushed back to her lab and threw together a version of Jexebel’s birth-control potion, making sure to strengthen it quite a bit, and then slipping back to the dojo. She quietly opened the door and laid the bottle just inside before letting the door latch again. She dusted her hands off on her slacks and walked away with a small smile on her face.


Vincent heard the door latch and looked up, expecting to see someone rushing in to stop him. Instead he found a small vial lying on the floor just inside the dojo. He smiled and leaned back down to Jexebel.

“So vicious…” he growled, latching onto her lips again. He released her arms and hauled her to her feet, never releasing her lips as he slammed her against the wall with all the force Chaos could muster.

Jexebel hissed in pain as her back hit the hard wall behind her, ripping her mouth from his and yanking at his hair and forcing his head to the side. She bared her lethal fangs, hissing just before she leaned into Vincent, sinking the catlike teeth into the nape of his neck.

Vincent roared, pulling her away from the wall and slamming her harder against it. She released him and he responded in kind, sinking his own fanged teeth into her skin.

“Yes…” she hissed, pushing against him. “Do it, Vincent! Fuck me!” she ordered. He pulled away and bared his fangs at her.

“Not yet…” he growled. She slapped him. Open palm, right across his pale blue cheek, causing his head to turn to the side from the force of the blow. He stared at her in awe from the corner of his eye as a shudder worked its way through his limbs and a small sound of pleasure escaped his lips. He slowly turned his head back to her and growled again through gritted teeth: “Not. Yet.”

Jexebel lashed out to slap him again, but Vincent caught her wrist in his hand, bringing it to his mouth and dragging his lethal fangs across her skin.

Jexebel growled at him, the sound sending yet another shiver through his body. He was caught off-guard when she pushed away from the wall and tackled him to the floor.

“Now!” she hissed. She tore the tattered pants from her body, revealing rippling muscle pulled taut in her haste. Then she ripped Vincent’s own tattered clothing from his body.

She paused, taking in the sight of pale blue skin stretched tight over muscle that seemed to be made of stone.

Vincent growled right back, attempting to roll them over and regain dominance, but Jexebel refused to play the submissive role. The two wrestled, rolling around on the floor growling and hissing. Vincent won, barely. He crouched over Jexebel, his claws at her throat stopping her movement and his teeth bared. “Don’t. Move.” He threatened.

Jexebel held still and stared up at Vincent, her need to feel him writhe against her almost painful. Her eyes widened when he pulled a long black belt from his cloak lying beside him on the floor. She shivered in anticipation when he folded the belt together and snapped the ends, smirking at her when the loud slap echoed throughout the dojo.

Vincent used Chaos’ enhanced speed, lunging down to Jexebel and strapping her hands together with the belt before she even saw him move. He hooked the belt to the leg of the training dummy, making movement on her part virtually impossible. He chuckled darkly and leaned down, nipping at the nape of her neck, smiling wider when she gasped and bucked against him.

“Now I can take as long as I want.” He said. He gently kissed the bite mark on her neck. “Make you moan.” His tongue flicked against her ear. “Make you sweat.” He trailed his mouth lower, using his claws to slice away her top. “Make you scream…” He whispered his promise a scant second before his mouth closed over her nipple, flicking his tongue against the sensitive flesh.

Jexebel inhaled sharply and arched against him, straining against the belt that held her captive. In truth, she really could have snapped the flimsy piece, but what fun would that be?

“Hm…we’ll see who’s screaming when this is over.” She threatened, gasping and shuddering when a sharp tooth ghosted over her nipple.

Vincent only chuckled, trailing his kisses lower, leaving a wet trail circling her belly button. Without warning, he spun her around so she was on her knees, resting on her elbows with her tied arms crossed almost painfully. He snarled at the sight of Jexebel spread out before him, bound and helpless. He lifted one of her thighs and slid under her, grasping her butt with his hands and pressing a hard lick to her heat.

Jexebel writhed and would have fallen to her chest were her arms not bound and crossed as they were.

“Vincent…” she moaned, frustrated. She thrust her hips down against him and cried out softly at the hard slap across her behind that the action earned.

“Hold still.” He growled against her, flicking his tongue out and rolling her clit with the tip.

Jexebel whined, allowing a shudder to pass through her shoulders.

Vincent tormented her, pressing his tongue high inside her and swirling it around, then licking along the length of her opening, and flicking at the tiny bud there. He would bring her to just the edge of oblivion, and then start all over again, leaving her with nothing but frustration. Finally Jexebel got tired of playing captive. She leaned down to her wrists and pushed the belt with her nose, nudging it closer to her razor sharp claws. When it was close enough, she sliced through the leather, freeing herself.

She tightened her legs around Vincent’s head, gasping when he slapped her behind again, and smiling devilishly. Vincent had no idea that she was free from her bonds. She carefully but quickly shifted, pushing her feet under Vincent’s shoulders to steady him, and flipped them over. Vincent landed with a loud “Whap!” on the mat, his claws spread out on the floor to steady himself, and his face buried in Jexebel’s heat. He slowly lifted his head and stared at her in disbelief. Jexebel smirked again before moving like lightening, reaching down and grasping a handful of his hair and forcing him to crawl over her.

“My turn,” Was all the warning she gave.

With that he was being shoved and forced to scoot across the floor to the wall, where Jexebel forced him to his knees. She slammed him hard against the wall and pushed him to his feet, pinning his hands beside him level with his hips. Her yellow eyes burned with an almost evil glow as she lowered her head to his now-aching arousal.

“Careful…” he warned. As much as the pain was turning him on, her fangs in that area was not a comforting thought.

Jexebel only smiled and took his whole shaft into her mouth all at once. Vincent groaned and let his head fall back against the wall with a “thump”, reaching as far as her tight grip would allow and threading his fingers through her dark blue hair. His knees buckled at the pleasure and he slid down the wall slightly, groaning even louder when she hummed against him, tightening her grip on his wrists. Her claws dug into his forearms, drawing a light trickle of blood, and the smell immediately went to her head. She stilled suddenly, causing Vincent to whine pitifully and push against her. She pulled back and let him slip from her mouth, nosing her way to his left wrist. She pressed her nose against it, inhaling deeply, and Vincent knew exactly what she was doing.

She was going to bite him again.

That thought filled him with anticipation, and the dam of his control burst. He yanked her to her feet, spun them around, and lifted her off the ground.

“Yes…!” Jexebel hissed, clutching his shoulders and digging her claws into the skin.

Without another sound, Vincent shoved his rigid erection inside her, quickly creating a hard, fast rhythm.

“I love you…” He rumbled against her ear, gasping and snarling her name when she finally sunk her teeth into his shoulder. Jexebel gasped and pushed against him. He pulled back and looked at her to find the yellow draining from her eyes.

“No…don’t say that…she’ll leave!” she hissed. Quietus shied away from all things tender and warm.

Vincent growled. Nothing was going to ruin this for him. He decided to take a different route.

“You almost killed me!” he snarled, shoving inside her hard and yanking on her hair. “You will take whatever punishment I see fit to give you!”

Jexebel’s eyes widened and then began glowing again, the animal look bleeding back into her gaze.

“Then do it.” She dared. “Punish me!”

Vincent groaned at her words and thrust a little harder.

“Is that it? I said PUNISH ME!” Jexebel snarled. She lashed out and slapped him across a tinted cheek again. His head turned away from her with the force of the blow and he snarled at her, turning his head back to her and taking her lips in a savage kiss. He tasted blood as his tongue swirled around hers and he thrust harder, so hard that he was sure he was hurting her. He ripped his lips from hers and struggled to slow the pace just a bit. Jexebel was having none of it. She slapped him again. The snarl he let out at that point was not like any of the others, it was animal…primal…predatory. He reached down with both hands and forced her to wrap her powerful legs around his waist to hold herself up, and then roughly caught her wrists in his hands. He pinned her hands to the wall just above her head and smirked at her, staying just far enough away that she couldn’t reach to kiss him.

It was arousing to watch her try, though. She leaned forward as far as she could, her lips parting invitingly. Vincent didn’t move. Then her tongue flicked out just far enough that she was able to flick it across his closed lips.

Vincent groaned and fell against her, pinning her to the wall with more force. She could not move and inch, the only friction was that of Vincent rocking back and forth moving inside her, desperately seeking release.

“Vincent…” she moaned, trying in vain to arch against him. “Please…touch me…make me come…” she pleaded.

The tattered and magnificent wings of Chaos fluttered open instantly, shuddering and beating as Vincent used them for the first time in over a year to push the two of them off the ground. The were suspended feet into the air, still pinned to the wall, when he finally dragged his hand roughly down her abdomen to rub frantically at her clit.

That was all it took. Jexebel screamed her pleasure.

With the way her walls contracted around him FORCING his own climax to shoot from his body, Vincent barely had the mind to clamp his clawed hand over her mouth to muffle the sound. He desperately leaned down to her neck, writhing and shuddering jerkily with his release, and sank his fangs into her shoulder one last time, drawing another near scream from her.

He slowly lowered them to the ground, too tired to stop himself from collapsing into a sweaty, bloody heap on the floor, or to catch Jexebel as she fell on top of him, panting. There was a bright flash of light and the roaring sound of winds, and then the two were left as human as ever, without even a scratch to betray their previous activities. Jexebel closed her eyes.

“Oh…my…holy…sweet…leviathan…” Jexebel panted, patting around searching for Vincent’s face. She cupped his chin and pulled his lips to her for a final breathless kiss. “We have GOT to do that again sometime.”

Vincent laughed. He couldn’t agree more.

Long moments passed in silence until Vincent stood on sinfully shaky legs and helped Jexebel to her feet.

They dressed in their ruined clothes, and then Vincent led the way to the door, leaning down and picking up the vial that Shelke had sneakily placed by the door. He handed it to Jexebel.

“I think we had a visitor.” Vincent chuckled. Jexebel blushed, but downed the potion none-the-less.

“Euch, that was stronger than the rest.” She complained.

“Well, it probably has to be.” Vincent reasoned. “Come on, we should probably report to Rufus and tell him about your new power. Paralyzing electricity…very nice.” He murmured, taking Jexebel into his arms and nuzzling her neck.

She laughed quietly. “Liked that, huh? Then I guess we WILL have to do that again.”

Vincent threw his head back and laughed. “Insatiable.” He said.

“You’re just as bad.”

“I know.”

With that the lovers left the dojo, making their way to their leader’s office.