Blood & Chlorophyll Ch. 18

It was a surreal experience, planning a cam show. Tab had started calling tonight ‘Kat’s debut performance’ but Katrina didn’t like how that sounded; it implied a chance that she would ever do this again. She kept returning to the same thought, over and over; her greatest shame, the guilt that had locked her away from humanity for the last few years, was about to be streamed and monetized.

Now only that, but according to Tab, it was likely going to be a huge hit. With sex work now legalized, it was far more common for cam workers to embrace a wider array of performances as they attempted to draw in viewers.

Tabitha herself was a perfect example of that. In her own words, while most of her time was spent playing with phallic toys, she routinely streamed herself showing off feats of physical prowess in gyms. In her opinion, the diversification of activities also made it easier to attract people that were still skeptical about camming being so prevalent.

Additionally, the variety of Races that now existed made it easier to find creative niches. Gone were the times where every streamer had the same basic anatomy: logging onto streaming sites now meant browsing through Slimes, Demons, Dragons, Trolls, and hundreds of other unique Races, all with diverse Classes that gave them interesting ways of entertaining a digital audience.

A live vampiric feeding, in Tab’s opinion, was the perfect blend of sexy and scandalous. It was risky enough that she expected to get a slap on the wrist from the cam site, but this risk would also generate heavy interest, especially for someone as popular as Tab was.

“Okay, so, now that basic rules are out of the way, it’s time to talk about the actual performance,” Tab said. “It’ll be a shorter show, likely only about an hour, with the main event at the end.”

“An hour?!” Kat said, her cheeks blushing for the hundredth time tonight. “That’s so long!”

“I normally stream for three to six hours, honestly. An hour will give us just enough time to put together a decent audience, but it’s likely not enough time to go truly viral. I’m trying to spare you that torment.” Tab popped a snack into her mouth, then smirked at Kat. “Unless you want us to go viral. You’re the one getting the money, so it’s your choice.”

Kat swallowed nervously. “N-no, the fewer people the better… What do I do the whole time? Just sit there in my underwear?” She squeezed Alicia’s hand, eager for the comfort.

“I was thinking we start clothed, actually. It’s nice to give a sense of progression to these things. We’ll advertise it as a bite show, and the audience decides what state of undress it happens in.”

“But not naked,” Alicia clarified, holding up a finger.

“Correct, not naked. I’ll make sure my mods know this, and they’ll keep the chat in line. Should I assume no sexual activity either?”

“Yes please!” Kat said, sighing in relief. “But, that does beg the question of what we’ll be doing leading up to the, um… main event.”

“We hang out! Talk with the fans! I’ve got a safe-for-work tip menu that will help us stay engaged, too.”

“Tip menu?” Alicia asked.

Tab laughed as she looked at Alicia. “Oh, you sweet summer child. You have no idea how this works, do you?” Alicia shook her head. “A tip menu is just a collection of activities that the streamer is willing to do on command for the right tip. Maybe we write a fan’s username on our bodies or something. Actually, Kat, if you wanted, we could add your guitar to the tip menu.”

The suggestion caught Kat off guard, and she took a moment to think it over. “Is that really something people would want? It’s not like music is a very titillating experience.”

“Oh yeah,” Tab said. “Remember, now that sex work is legal, there’s a huge overlap between the entertainment people are looking for.”

“Um, then sure, let’s do it. Anything’s better than exclusively focusing on my Race.” Kat leaned against Alicia, taking a deep breath as she continued thinking about the show. “Tab, you know I’m incredibly shy, right? Are they going to expect me to be all peppy and enthusiastic?”

The Foxgirl laughed even louder this time. “Maybe if you were doing this solo, but since we’re in this together, they’re going to love it. An exuberant camgirl and her shy, awkward friend who’s got a rockin’ bod? They’re going to be begging to see more of you.”

Elias, who was casually floating on the edge of his pond, cleared his throat spoke up next. “You all haven’t addressed the elephant in the room yet.”

“What do you mean?” Alicia asked.

“You’ve talked about the extremes, about what’s definitely okay and definitely off-limits, but there’s a big gray area in the middle. Are you two allowed to touch each other? Kiss? The people at home are absolutely going to want to see as much intimacy as you’re willing to give them.”

Tab ran her hand through the water as she looked at Elias. “That’s a good point. You watch a lot of streaming stuff?”

“There’s a Sharkgirl I really like watching, and she pretty frequently has guests on. The first thing chat does, without fail, is try to make them kiss each other. It’s a bit of a running joke, honestly.”

Tab recognized the streamer Elias was talking about, and they ended up on a small tangent that Kat didn’t care to listen to. She instead turned to Alicia, kissed her cheek, and started a quick private conversation. “What do you think? I’m cool with whatever limits you want in place.”

“Hm.” Alicia nuzzled up against Kat’s hand as she thought. “I think… I think I’m okay with kissing. But only on camera!”

“Are you sure? I don’t want things to be uncomfortable for you.”

“I’m sure, Kat. Promise. Honestly, the more stuff we have that’s exclusively ours, the more it feels okay to think about you and Tab doing stuff on camera. Like, we’re sleeping together, and we’re not sharing that with anyone, so what does it matter if you get paid to kiss a cute Foxgirl a few times?”

“I don’t think I would have thought about it that way, but I see where you’re coming from. Honestly, I’m glad you think so, I think a little bit of casual intimacy will make this feel less predatory. Hopefully it will make it harder to… y’know. Lose control.”

The girls hugged each other tight, then Alicia interrupted Tab and Elias’ conversation. “Hey, you two will have plenty of time to talk about camming later.”

“Right, sorry,” Elias said, sheepishly sinking a few inches lower in the water. “Tab just said she might be able to introduce me to—never mind, it doesn’t matter. You’re right, let’s focus on tonight.”

Before Kat continued the boundaries conversation, she looked back at Elias. “Are you sure you’re okay with us doing this? We’re going to be at Tab’s for a while, and I hate to leave you alone out here.”

“Well, for one thing, I’ll have my phone so I can watch the stream. But I also need time to settle in, to make this place a little more comfy. A little time on my own will be good, I can check out the river, sculpt the floor to my liking, find comfortable places to sleep, I’ll be okay.”

Kat leaned forward and ruffled Elias’ hair. “Sometimes I swear you’re too nice for your own good.

“Alright, so, boundaries,” Tab said, turning her mind back to business.

The group spent the rest of the conversation navigating exactly what was and wasn’t comfortable, and before long, it was time to head out.

The walk to Tabitha’s place was tense, but Kat felt better about the event now that they’d combed through so many specific details. A large part of the conversation had also been establishing safety measures for the bite. Kat had explained how long she normally fed for, and Alicia would be watching Kat’s behavior closely.

It had also been decided that tonight’s show would be the official reveal that Tabitha was joining them as a delver. She’d actually spent most of their conversation, and the entire walk home, posting on social media about tonight’s show. She was promising everyone a grand announcement and a once-in-a-lifetime stream, and Kat found it impossible to ignore the butterflies in her stomach as they drew closer to Tab’s house.

Without Alicia, she never would have agreed to something like this. She was happy to have so many distractions, but at the end of the day, the main event was still completely focused on her drinking blood in front of a live audience.

After arriving, Tab gave them a quick tour of her place. It was surprisingly quaint compared to her personality, which made Kat even more suspicious that Tab’s entire persona was a carefully crafted act. The decorations were restrained, the furniture was simple, there were relatively few personal touches on display. When they saw her streaming room, it was obvious where all the time and attention had gone.

Multiple top-tier cameras were attached to high-end rigging devices, capable of switching angles at a moment’s notice. An impressively large desktop computer sat on an elegant desk, wires carefully arranged to stay out of sight. The back half of the room had a massive assortment of colorful decorations; curtains, lights, pillows, and dozens of other pieces that could be used to craft a stage for her cam work. Kat was in awe at how well organized everything was, and it became painfully obvious how much Tab enjoyed her job.

Just out of sight of the camera, a pile of decorations sat at the ready to help Tab create any visual theme she wanted. Currently, everything on the stage was hot pink, but Tab reassured them she would be putting together something more elegant for tonight.

In preparation for the show, Tab had offered to share her shower, and Kat was eager to try it out; Alicia’s shower was functional, but it had obviously not been used in years. They left the room, leaving Tabitha to the decorating, as they looked for the master bathroom.

As they walked, hand in hand as always, Kat looked back at Alicia. “Hey, we’re pretty far from your Heart Tree, are you holding up okay?”

Alicia nodded. “I’m good! Remember, it only got really bad on the train and in the city, and we were much further away then. Plus, the show’s only an hour, right? I think I’ll be alright. Plus, if I need to go stretch my legs and touch grass, her yard is only a few seconds away.”

Another smile, and both girls returned to their search. They rounded a few corners, following Tab’s instructions, and finally found the bathroom in question.

What Tab had failed to mention was that her shower was absolutely massive. Kat swore it must have cost more than the house itself, and she took several minutes to marvel at its complexity with Alicia before she even thought of stripping down. There were dozens of shower heads attached to each wall, and several in the ceiling. An incredible collection of soaps and scrubs sat in a corner, and as Kat looked around, she also noticed several camera mounts had been affixed to the walls. Thankfully, there were no cameras present at the moment; she would never have considered showering here had there been any.

“Kat, look at this thing! It’s massive!” Alicia said, running inside. She stretched out her arms as far as she could, and still wasn’t able to touch both ends of the shower at once.

With a whistle, Kat joined her girlfriend. “Y’know, if camming with Tab meant I got to use this everyday…”

“Oh yeah? You’d be a camgirl just for this shower? You naughty girl!” Alicia said with a playful smirk. She grabbed Kat’s waist and pulled her close, then leaned in to kiss her neck. “Only if I get to use it with you. Can you imagine what kind of fun we could get up to in here?”

Kat closed her eyes and leaned into Alicia. “Oh, that does sound lovely…”

Alicia gripped tighter, pushing Kat back until they hit a wall. Her lips moved higher, and the girls eagerly kissed each other. Kat’s hands moved to the Dryad’s back before sliding down, teasing the foliage that covered her pert backside. With a giggle, Alicia spoke up. “How much time do we have?”

“Um…” Kat quickly pulled her phone out. “Not very long at all. The show starts in half an hour.”

A devious grin appeared on Alicia’s face. “That’s more than enough time, Kat. I only need a few minutes to get you off…”

Unable to say no to her voracious girlfriend, Kat nodded in excitement and started unbuttoning her shirt. Alicia slid down to her knees to help unbutton her pants, as she had no need to undress herself. Within moments they were both naked, and they turned on the water as soon as Kat’s clothes had been thrown out of the shower.

Kat let Alicia turn her around and jumped with surprise as her naked breasts pushed against the cold tile. The moment faded quickly as hot water began to cascade around them both, coming from every conceivable angle as the shower activated. Alicia’s hands ran up her legs, then she dug in her nails to make Kat widen her stance. The whole time, the insatiable Dryad was kissing Kat’s neck, occasionally peppering in small bites as she explored every inch available to her. Soon enough, Alicia leaned closer and whispered to Kat, “Time to taste more of you, Kat. I just wish I could hear you scream…”

Alicia fell to her knees again, and Kat braced herself against the shower wall as she arched her back, eager to experience Alicia’s tongue again.

The Dryad’s hands grabbed her cheeks, squeezing tight before pulling them apart, exposing her dripping wet sex. She leaned in, licked Kat’s tender opening, and the Vampire was forced to bite down on her hand to prevent herself from gasping out in pleasure. After several days of intense lovemaking, their familiarity with each others’ bodies had grown immensely, and Alicia knew exactly what would get Kat off.

Her fingers began playing with Kat’s clit, quickly rubbing it up and down as her tongue pushed inside of the Vampire. Her free hand continued groping and squeezing, to a degree that made Kat wonder if there would be visible marks during the cam show. The thought was forced from her mind moments later as Alicia pushed her tongue even deeper, reaching Kat’s favorite spot, and her eyes rolled back in her head. Her mouth opened, desperate to gasp with pleasure, and it took all her strength to stay quiet. Her body shook, and her face pushed against the shower wall as she tried to hold herself upright.

When Alicia finally took mercy on her and pulled her tongue out, Kat was breathing heavily and holding onto a shower head for support.

“Wow… Alicia, I can’t… that was amazing,” Kat said between gasps. A sultry smirk crossed Alicia’s face as she stood up, gently grabbing Kat’s face and pulling her in for a kiss. Kat tasted herself on the Dryad’s lips, the sensation mingling with the water and steam surrounding them, and they both giggled with excitement. “Do you want me to return the favor?”

Alicia shook her head. “Not enough time, Kat. Plus, I don’t know if I can keep myself quiet…”

It was Kat’s turn to smirk. “You are a naughty little screamer,” she said, squeezing Alicia’s butt.

“What can I say? You drive me wild, Kat. Plus… can I share a little secret?” Alicia asked.

“Always.”

“What you’re doing tonight, being on cam with Tabitha… I think I’m a little excited about it. Like, there are going to be so many people wishing they had what we have, but they don’t. You’re all mine.”

“You’re so bad!” Kat said, faking a scandalous tone. “Are you a little exhibitionist now? Eager to show me off to a bunch of strangers?”

“You know I can’t get over how hot you are. Not to mention kind, loving, supportive, caring…”

Kat felt herself blushing. “Y-you don’t have to keep listing everything! I get it!”

“All I’m saying, Kat, is that you’re incredible. Tonight’s going to go off without a hitch, I know it, and then we’ll be in the clear to start delving. Plus, a certain someone has a hefty paycheck coming her way.”

“I almost don’t want it to be that big. I don’t know if I trust myself with serious money.”

From the floor outside the shower, inside a pile of clothes, Kat’s phone alarm went off. Alicia looked over in a panic. “That’s not the show starting, is it?”

“No, I set an alarm,” Kat said, laughing. “Just to make sure we didn’t lost track of time in here.”

Alicia leaned forward, burying her head in Kat’s shoulder. “I should help you get ready, shouldn’t I?”

After another kiss, the girls broke off their hug and actually started showering. Kat went as quickly as she could, regretting that she didn’t have an hour to waste in this amazing shower, but it was enjoyable while it lasted. Once she was clean, she quickly toweled herself off and borrowed Tab’s hair dryer. Thankfully, one often-ignored side effect of high Charisma was that hair always seemed to look its best. Without an ounce of product or styling, it only took a few minutes for it to return to to looking unnaturally silky and smooth.

She slipped on her lingerie, did a quick spin for Alicia, then finished getting dressed and returned to Tab’s streaming room.

She was shocked at how quickly the room had been transformed. The stage, previously covered in nothing but frilly, hot pink decorations, had been overhauled to something far more extravagant. Elegant crimson drapes hung against the back wall, with small battery-powered candles held aloft at various heights. A similarly scarlet rug sat on the floor, with a collection of black silk pillows scattered in the corners of the stage.

“Wow, Tab, you really turned this place around,” Kat said as she walked in the room.

“It is my job, after all!” Tab said. “A modular stage is incredibly important for a streamer like me. The variety is really helpful, and sometimes I’ll even let viewers pick stage setups.”

Looking around the room, Kat noticed that the computer had also been turned on. Tab had logged on to her streaming site, and a countdown was visible next to an already bustling chat log. “Oh shoot, ten minutes left? I still need to get my guitar out.”

Kat quickly unpacked her guitar, tuned it, then set up the stand against the back wall. Once she was finished, she tried to settle in and get used to the space, but found she had trouble holding still.

God, there’s already thousands of people in the chat, and we haven’t even started streaming yet. Is that how popular Tab is? That she can pull together an audience of thousands with barely an hour of social media posting?

She tried to distract herself by looking around, trying to familiarize herself with the stage. She noticed several large drawers that had been tastefully covered, and she had a feeling they were filled with Tab’s more risqué toys. Feeling herself blush, she instead started fidgeting with her own outfit to kill time.

She was wearing long, black jeans and a loose, red, button-down top. It was nothing fancy, but Tab had repeatedly stressed that she didn’t need to wow anyone with her wardrobe, especially with her Charisma score. Besides, with how busy that chat already was, Kat had a feeling her clothes wouldn’t be staying on for very long.

Tabitha was dressed in a similarly relaxed style, though she already had more of herself on display. She wore white jean shorts that were slightly too short to fully cover her backside, and a tank top that sat low enough to show off a healthy amount of cleavage. The edges of her lingerie were visible, peeking around the edges of her clothes, and Kat saw hints of bright blue as she looked. Although she’d been avoiding thinking about it, she couldn’t deny how attractive Tabitha was. With Alicia’s presence, and insistence that everything would be safe, maybe this show would end up being enjoyable after all.

“Okay, so, Kat,” Tab said, turning to face the Vampire. “I need you to start off screen so I can do my introduction. I’ll only need a minute and then I’ll introduce you and bring you onstage!”

Kat swallowed nervously. “Um, sounds good. Anything I should know?”

“Nothing major. Plus, if I end up explaining things to you on camera, it’ll make the performance feel more authentic. Like I said, my fans are going to love the fact that you’re so shy and demure. However, there is one thing you should know.” Tab pulled out her phone and showed Kat her main social media feed. “This show is going to be a bit more crowded than I expected. My announcement post got reposted by TheSexiestSlayer.”

“What?!” Kat said in shock. “That’s… I… there’s going to be so many people!”

With the cameras still off, Alicia took a moment to step in and grab Kat’s hand. “Hey, it’s gonna be alright. At a certain point, a big number is just a big number, right? There’s no tangible difference between one thousand or two.”

“I mean, I guess that’s true…” Kat said. She slowly stood up, following Alicia off stage to take a seat while Tab finished her last few tasks.

Alicia leaned close to whisper. “Besides, if TheSexiestSlayer reposted this, doesn’t that mean she might be watching? You might get a chance to talk with her, wouldn’t that be exciting?”

Kat blushed again. “And that’s… something you’re okay with?”

“Absolutely. Like I keep saying, as long as we’re in this together, I don’t mind.” The girls kissed again before looking over to Tab.

The Foxgirl was typing furiously, her keyboard resting on a small lap desk just past the stage. “Alright, my mods have got the tip menu all set up, and they’ve already made several warning posts that there won’t be any nudity or sex of any kind. People still seem pretty excited, which makes sense. I’ve got a pretty solid routine, and this is a big deviation. I’ve never been this cryptic about anything before.”

“And you’re okay with this, right, Tab?” Kat asked quietly. “I know I’ve been pretty wrapped up in my own nonsense, but I know it’s a big step for you too.”

“C’mon, Fangs, this whole thing was my idea! Besides, it’s too late to back out now.” Tab laughed nervously to herself, and for just a moment, Kat thought she saw a break in her well-practiced camgirl persona. “Alright! Five, four, three, two…”

Tab mouthed one, then clicked a button. A small red light appeared on the main camera, and Kat watched the video go live on the computer.

“Hey everyone! Who’s ready for a mystery show?”

A flurry of comments appeared on screen. There were so many people typing that Kat couldn’t read any individual message.

“Whoa, looks like we’re pretty cramped today! Mods, can we get a slow feed going? I was expecting you all to be excited, but this is a little ridiculous. I guess I have been a bit of a tease the last few days, haven’t I?” Tab said, alongside a playful wiggle of her hips. “Although, I think quite a few of you have already figured it out. I saw a bunch of you talking about how I reposted the Chicago Delver’s announcement that the Key Dungeon had been found, and, yeah, that was a pretty big hint, wasn’t it?”

Kat was fascinated watching Tab talk. The Foxgirl had always been energetic, but seeing her on camera was completely different. Everything she did seemed perfectly practiced, and all her movements were slightly exaggerated.

“Anyways, without further ado, let’s get to the big announcement! I am officially a practicing delver now! I’ve partnered with the wonderful people that found the most recent Key Dungeon, and we’re going to be tackling it all on our own. We’ve been spending a bunch of time training, talking strategy, and crunching numbers, and that’s why I’ve been so winded recently!”

The next few minutes were mostly spent answering questions from the chat, and Kat was relieved to see how supportive everyone was. For some reason, seeing how easily Tab got along with all these strangers made the thought of what was about to happen less intimidating.

“Alright, settle down everyone. Tonight isn’t actually about my big delving announcement, that was just the foreplay before we get to the real fun. See, I’ve got a guest tonight. A very special guest that just so happens to be one of my fellow delvers! Now, I’ve got to warn you, she’s a little shy, and she’s not used to this kind of attention, so I need you all to promise to take it easy on her, okay? Scarlet, would you like to come join us?”

Katrina squeezed Alicia’s hand tight, gave her a quick kiss, then walked into frame to join Tabitha on stream. Part of her swore she could feel thousands of eyes suddenly on her, drinking in her pale skin and her Status-enchanced curves, but she fought past her anxiety.

“H-hi everyone! It’s, um… nice to be here,” she said, forcing a nervous smile.

“Isn’t she adorable, chat?” Tabitha playfully jumped at Kat, hugging her tight as she squealed with excitement. “Well, go on, tell them a little about yourself!”

The hug caught Katrina off guard, but she couldn’t deny it was nice to have Tabitha to rely on. Her performance seemed so naturalistic, and it helped that so much time had been spent discussing boundaries beforehand. She knew for a fact that nothing sexual was going to happen and was starting to get used to the idea that the two of them could just be extra-cuddly friends.

“Well, um, I’m one of the delvers, obviously,” Kat said quietly. Her words came slowly, and she even found herself stuttering a few times. “I’m a Bard, and I play guitar, but I’ve got a special kind of inspiration; instead of stat buffs, my inspiration gives Regeneration! I actually brought my guitar, though I’m sure you’ve already seen it behind me, and, um, if you tip, I’ll play something for you all. Though, I play mostly classical stuff, so don’t expect any Rock or Pop stuff.”

“Let me tell you, chat, she’s sooo good at it! She spends a bunch of time practicing and, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but she’s got a pretty high Charisma score too. In fact, since you’re all looking at the tip menu anyways, you’ll notice there are some extra goals if you want to see some of these clothes come off!” Tab said, winking at the camera.

Kat’s face turned beet red as Tab rather blatantly pointed out the size of her bust, and looked down at the floor to hide her embarrassment. A lock of her impossibly silky hair fell in front of her eyes, and she didn’t bother pushing it away as Tab continued talking.

“Aww, guys, I think I broke Scarlet! This is why I need you to be nice to her, okay? Anyways, you left out the best part! You forgot to tell them what our show is going to be!”

With a deep breath, one that made her painfully aware of how much cleavage was on display, Kat pushed her hair behind her ear and looked up at the camera. As she tried to summon the strength to tell the chat about her Race, she caught a glimpse of the chat log.

ThreeWolfkinMoon: AHHH shes adorbs look at her blushing!!

BurritoGoblin: omg how does Foxxx find all these hotties

DreamcastWizard8: YO GUYS THERES A KIS OPTIIN IN THE MEUN

She forced herself to look away from the chat, instead directing her attention back to the camera as she tried to ignore the thousands of people now watching and talking about her. “I’m, um… a Vampire. ArcticFoxxx here volunteered to… to, um… let me bite her.”

“That’s right, chat! This adorable little creature of the night is going to get a taste of yours truly!”

With the purpose of the show revealed, the chat exploded with questions and comments. A bunch of them wanted to know more about Katrina, and she did her best to answer while still obscuring certain details. They had all agreed beforehand that they shouldn’t mention Kat’s inability to drink non-human blood, as it invited uncomfortable speculation about what she might have done before the rationing system was implemented.

As time passed, Kat found herself growing more comfortable with the situation. She caught herself looking at the chat log more frequently, and found it easier to talk with the chat as she got used to their comments. She was beyond thankful that the mods were keeping everyone in line.

Barely ten minutes had passed before they got their first big tip request.

“Scarlet, look! TranscendantPancake just tipped for a kiss!” Tabitha said, excitedly jumping up and down. “Chat, you don’t even know how lucky you are right now. Scarlet and I have never kissed before, isn’t that wild?”

If anything, Kat was surprised it had taken so long for chat to request it, but she certainly wasn’t complaining. With a nervous glance off camera, Kat silently confirmed that this was still okay with Alicia, who was giving her a big thumbs up. With that out of the way, Kat did her best to get into the spirit of things. She tried to remind herself that Tabitha was objectively quite attractive, and there wasn’t even a risk of losing control, as the whole purpose of tonight’s show was to bite her eventually.

“Alright, how does this work?” Kat asked. “I’ve never kissed a Foxgirl before.”

“Psh, that’s easy. You close your eyes and let me take care of it, okay?” Tab readjusted her legs until she was leaning closer to Kat, then reached over and pushed her hair behind her ear again. Her paw was quite warm, and Tab let it rest on the back of Kat’s neck before pulling her close. Closing her eyes, Kat tilted her head to the side as she felt Tab’s breath on her face, and then their lips met.

The first thing Kat noticed was how fuzzy Tab was. It was hardly surprising, she was literally covered in fur, but the experience was quite novel. Their kiss lingered for a few seconds, both girls subtly moving around occasionally, before Tab pulled back.

“How was that, chat? Hot enough for you? I’d say Scarlet’s a pretty good kisser, myself, even if it’s obvious she’s never kissed someone like me before!”

Kat’s eyes were immediately focused on Alicia once the kiss ended, and she got another thumbs up before returning her attention to the show. The chat was predictably excited about the kiss, but thankfully they didn’t push for anything heavier to happen.

With the kiss out of the way, it became easier to relax and enjoy the stream, especially with the fancy throw pillows Tabitha had set up around the stage. She started to get a feel for which members of chat were regular fans, and was even pleasantly surprised when the next tip request was for several minutes of guitar playing.

With no reason to hold back, Katrina picked one of her favorite songs to play, one that showed off just how skilled she was. She figured this was the perfect opportunity to let herself grandstand, and was thrilled at how much the chat enjoyed her performance.

At the half hour mark, chat reached the first stretch goal, and it was time for them to start removing some clothing. After another check-in with Alicia, Kat and Tab took turns taking off each others’ shirts, putting on the best show possible for the thirsty audience. While all three girls had agreed that there would be no kissing below the neck, light touching was on the list of acceptable behaviors. Kat hadn’t expected this to be relevant, but she found herself growing more physically comfortable with Tab as time passed. She came to enjoy just how soft Tab’s fur was, and the two even took turns laying in each others’ laps on occasion.

Around forty minutes, they learned through the chat that “ArcticFoxxx Bite Show” was trending on multiple different sites, and the size of the audience swelled to even more impressive numbers.

By the fifty-minute mark, enough tips had accumulated for their bottoms to come off as well. Just like last time, they helped each other out, and soon both girls were in their lingerie, much to the delight of the thousands of fans.

The size of the audience kept expanding, to a degree that even seemed surprising to Tabitha. The endorsement from TheSexiestSlayer had no doubt worked wonders for their crowd size, but they also learned that the announcement of a bite show had stirred up more interest than they’d initially thought. Despite Tab’s attempts to keep the audience at a reasonable size, tonight’s stream was shaping up to be one of her most popular in months.

There was no escaping the point of tonight’s show, however, and soon they had reached the end of the hour. Kat had played several songs for the chat, she’d kissed Tabitha more than a couple times, and it was time for the grand finale.

“Alright, chat, I think I can hear Scarlet’s stomach grumbling, so how about we get this show on the road?”

Katrina was sure her stomach wasn’t making any noise, but after looking at the stream, she noticed that her eyes were glowing brighter than usual. Despite how comfortable she’d felt up until this moment, the anticipation of her first live feeding in years was starting to build. Memories she’d spent years trying to bury resurfaced, and she licked her lips as she remembered how delectable blood could be when it wasn’t sitting in a medical bag.

“Now, before we get started, I want to stress that we’ve already taken a bunch of precautionary measures. We’ve got a secret temporary mod just off-screen who’s helping us monitor the situation, and Scarlet here is a pro! I promise I’m in good hands, but most importantly; I can’t wait for you all to see this. I’ve seen her drink before, and it’s really something else.”

With a quiet laugh, Katrina tried to play along. “Don’t worry, chat, I’ll keep her safe. After all, if something happens to her, I won’t be able to come visit anymore, right?” It was difficult to stay jovial; every nerve in her body was itching to taste Tabitha’s blood. She could already smell the Foxgirl’s nervousness, the hints of fear that would no doubt be exponentially more potent once she had blood in her mouth. A part of her hated how excited she was getting, but she could feel the predator in her taking over.

With the disclaimers out of the way, Tab slid closer to Katrina. She turned to face the camera, then angled herself in such a way as to give the audience the best possible view of the action. Before leaning back into Kat’s arms, she leaned close and whispered, “Please be careful, Kat.”

Kat nodded, then put an arm around Tabitha’s shoulder to help her lean back. Once she was comfortable, Kat shifted her hand to the Foxgirl’s head, cradling it to help control the position of her neck. Kat’s other arm crossed over Tab’s stomach, reaching behind her back to hold her steady. The lights almost seemed to fade as all of Kat’s attention turned to the body in her arms, the neck on display, the blood running just beneath the surface. She could hear its song growing stronger by the second, and her tongue danced over her lips as she leaned down.

Opening wide, her fangs on full display, she sank her teeth into Tab’s neck. They punctured her skin easily, it was their purpose after all, and glorious ambrosia sprang forth. It filled Kat’s mouth, overwhelming her senses as the music of creation exploded around her.

Her body shuddered as she drank, and she completely lost track of the stream. Nothing mattered now but the heavenly nectar passing over her lips and down her throat. A powerful warmth surged through her limbs, bringing power and life that had eluded her for years. Her tongue darted out, repeatedly running through the short fur on Tab’s neck as she desperately reached for every last drop.

She felt her vampiric nature fighting for control, the horrid curse inflicted by the Status that begged for her to go further, to drain Tabitha dry. How much time had passed? A second? A minute? Alicia was supposed to say something if Kat drank for too long, but would she even hear her in this state?

More importantly, did she want to?

Tab’s body twitched in her arms, her breathing growing heavy as Kat kept drinking. Blood kept flowing, and Kat kept drinking.

So hungry. More.

More memories flashed through Kat’s head. She thought back to the night of Change, to every night she’d been forced to hunt, and the faces of her victims sped through her thoughts. Somehow, either through her own strength or through the connections she’d forged, Kat knew that continuing would condemn Tab to being just another memory.

No. I can’t! I WON’T!

Despite every bone in her body begging her to continue, Kat found the strength to pull her lips away from Tabitha’s neck. The Foxgirl was still breathing, which was a good sign. Kat jumped in surprise as Alicia ran on stage, brandishing the medical supplies they’d prepped ahead of time. She pushed medical gauze and a towel against Tab’s neck, then settled in to pull her into her own lap. Kat watched for a moment, still lost in a daze, and ran her fingers over her chin to push the last drops of Tab’s blood into her mouth. She slowly licked her lips, then her fingers, and soon enough she’d licked herself clean.

With no more blood in her immediate surroundings, Kat snapped to her senses. She looked over at Tabitha, her breathing obviously weak, and then reached for her guitar. A melody sprang from her fingers, and inspiration flowed into Tabitha as the regeneration took hold. Other than the sound of her music, it was a slow, agonizing minute before anyone spoke.

Tab’s eyes slowly opened, and she looked up at Alicia, then Kat, then the camera. “Wow. That’s really something,” she said.

“How are you feeling?” Alicia asked.

Although it took a moment, Tab triumphantly held up a thumb. “Doing pretty good, Cherry Blossom. That’s a pretty wild side of Scarlet, wouldn’t you say, chat? How was the show? I was a little busy being an entrée to focus on much else.”

Kat took a deep breath, then sighed in relief. Despite all her fears, she’d managed to keep Tabitha alive. She looked over to the computer to see what the chat was saying, and at the moment everyone seemed to be celebrating the successful bite. Some of them were commenting on how Kat’s demeanor had changed while she fed, others were asking for more reassurance from Tab, and some were asking who Alicia was, but no one was saying anything heinous.

She was happy to have her guitar, it gave her something to hide behind as she watched Tab slowly recover. The Foxgirl had just finished off a small carton of juice and was sitting up, despite Alicia’s insistence that she continue relaxing.

“Alright chat, I think it’s time to start winding down. It was tough to get Scarlet here to agree to a full hour, and I think I’ve pushed her hard enough. Although, before I sign off, how about a big round of applause for Scarlet! She was such a good sport tonight, and you all were so nice to her, so let’s make sure she leaves on a high note!”

The confusion over what a digital round of applause might look like cleared up immediately. Almost the entire chat started posting applause emojis, and another huge wave of donations flooded the stream.

Tab went through another minute of goodbyes and thank-yous, then finally signed off. The camera went dark, the chat began to thin out, and Tabitha fell backwards into Alicia’s lap again.

“Whew,” the Foxgirl said. “That was… an experience.”

As much as Kat wanted to run closer and hug Tab, she didn’t dare stop her Inspiration. “How are you feeling? Are you okay? I didn’t drink too much, did I?”

“Calm down, Fangs, I’m fine. I’m breathing and talking, aren’t I?” Tabitha took another deep breath, wincing slightly as she readjusted the gauze on her neck. “I… I could feel when you stopped holding back. It was like the difference being seeing a storm outside your house, then opening a window to let it inside.”

Kat kept playing, unsure how exactly to respond to such a statement. A few more moments passed before Tab continued.

“It was incredible, but also kinda terrifying. I feel like I caught the tiniest glimpse of everything you’re constantly fighting to hold back. I could never fully understand, Kat, but—look, I’m trying to thank you, okay?”

“So… we’re okay?” Kat asked nervously.

“Cards on the table, I think I’m more scared than I was before, but I also see how hard you’re fighting to keep yourself in check.” Tab smiled, nudging Kat with her foot. “Yeah, we’re good, Fangs.”

“I was ready to jump in if you fed too long, but you actually pulled back a bit earlier,” Alicia said, sliding closer to Kat now that Tab was holding the towel on her neck. “You did great, Kat, and I’m super proud of you.”

A quick kiss from Alicia alleviated much of the tension in Kat’s shoulders. The three of them spent another half hour decompressing from the show, with Tab explaining that their audience was massive compared to how little advertising she did. Alicia shared her favorite moments and stressed to Kat that she’d been comfortable the whole time, even during the kissing. In the end, as the night crept ever later, the girls were forced to go their separate ways.

In less than a day, they would be starting their descent into the Dungeon.

—

"Look who it is! I've heard so much about you!"

Tabitha? What are you doing here?

"They said I could take a turn! Besides, most of this chapter took place in my house, so it only seems fitting, no?"

I mean, yeah, you just caught me by surprise. Did Kat give you a song?

"Whew, look at this place. You know, if you put up some curtains, a few pillows, this would be a great room for a cam setup. You ever consider streaming? Camming? And don't lie to me, I've got a sixth sense for these thing."

Sure, I've thought about it, but it's not really my thing. Now, about that song...

"Right, yeah, the music bit. She, um, gave me this note. Here you go!"

...Huh.

"What?"

This doesn't really look like something she would recommend. It also doesn't look like her handwriting, I've seen her notes before.

"She was in a rush. Her and Alicia wanted to... y'know."

There's also no comments about the song choice; she normally loves talking about that.

"Right, uh, she said 'I wanted to switch things up 'cuz all that classical stuff gets kinda boring after a while. This song [expletive] rules and it's a great way to get hyped before a strea—' delve. Before a delve. She said delve."

Uh huh. Sure she did. Well, I guess today's song is "Echo" by Outtrigger.

"Ideally the Nightcore version, but the original is great too!"

Really Tab? Nightcore? What year is it again?

Tab?

Aaand she's gone.

Nyx <3