OOC: Disclaimer and Trigger Warnings

The story below is a particularly dark SL, involving a few instances that were cut out completely or vaped but vaguely implied to what happened; i.e. abuse, self harm, and sexual assault. Though remaining in the confines of the rules of RDI?s guidelines, this thread is still very much 18+ and contains violence; implied instances not suitable for those easily triggered by assault, abuse or self harm; gore; and language. Your usual rated R warnings, take your pick.

That being said, not ALL clips in this SL are dark. Some are particularly much lighter and more humorous to balance out the dark. Previous warning should still be heeded, however.

If you?ve got the stomach to continue reading, feel free. If you don?t and continue anyway? Remember that you?ve warned, and the players won?t listen to any complaints :) Use your own discretion here.

The Worst of Them



Somewhere along the way, Sawyer had hooked his arm around Ko's waist, pinning her back to his side and keeping her facing away from him. "Will you stop trying to kick me?" He growled, that burst of obsidian shadow spreading through a dark room. It looked like a furnished basement, but only half done and abandoned. The carpet had been torn up and left without replacement, the walls desperately needed a paint job, chipped and stained from god knows what. There was dim lighting from the two windows set into the wall near the ceiling, small as they were. He walked them both toward the couch centered in the room, his torso twisting and he half threw, half dropped the squirming rogue onto the cushions and took a step back, anticipating some sort of backlash. Those luminescent green eyes almost seemed like lanterns in the room, bright in contrast to the dark shadows as they stared down at her. He... looked like a normal guy. In a dark grey jacket over a loose tank top that hung off his frame that was white and had some design on the front. His jeans were just as loose, slung low on his hips and held by a belt. His boots were worn and dark brown. It was his face that was off putting, though. With the shadows that graced the sharp angles and the brightness of his eyes, it gave him a sinister and ominous appearance. Even in the brightest of lights, there was something off about him.


Having been yanked away from Zver in the middle of sexy time, Keirra was wearing little more than a long t-shirt. She was without her bag, without pants, and without any knowledge of where she was or who this man was. One thing was certain, though, she had tried to kick him. Her scrawny legs flailed, and she let out a small cry when he flung her onto the couch cushions. Her teeth wear on full display as she looked around and tried to figure out something, anything. Hopefully an exit, or somewhere to run and hide. It wasn't long before she sprang up from the couch and, yeah.. Tried to backlash. Her foot went flying toward his head. If he didn't stop her, he'd get a swift kick, and then she'd take off running, looking for an exit.


He just watched her as she panicked, one brow raising when she sprang from the couch. He didn't even top her foot connecting with the side of his head, even though he could've. His head turned with the impact and he stood there with that wolfish grin and turned to watch her run off. His hand came up to rub his temple with the tips of his fingers where her foot had whacked him, and he tilted his head. "I don't know what you're looking for. If you're looking for the way out of here, I'll just drag you right back. In case you haven't noticed..." He chuckled darkly, "doors don't exactly stop me. Feel free to waste your energy though," he offered, digging into his pocket for a pack of cigarettes as he stood in the middle of the room. "Makes it easier on me in the long run," he muttered, lowering his head as the stick was fit between his lips and the cherry brought to the lighter sparked to life. Lifting his head once the stick was lit and he looked at her, holding out the pack. "Smoke?" For someone who just kidnapped the girl, he was rather nonchalant about it.


When her foot connected, she didn't miss a beat. She used his face to spring off, and hit the floor scrambling. Once she'd made it to the door, she began yanking and tugging on it with a little grunt. Sawyer spoke to her and she turned around to him with a sharp, icy glare. It softened at the pack of cigarettes produced, though. Her arms fell to her sides, and she looked at him with those puppy eyes as she slowly approached. "...Yeah.." Reaching out to snag a smoke.


He'd felt the pain of impact, but it didn't budge him. Even if he'd been tempted for her to just go through him, he took it. After all, Aviana's torture games were a lot more painful than a kick from a human. He was no stranger to pain. Collecting the cigarette between scissored fingers after a deep drag that had an inward hiss spilling from his mouth, he pushed one of the sticks to be further out from it's comrades. He just grinned to the icy glare she shot him, and it spread further when she walked over to him with those puppy eyes. When she took the smoke offered, he'd flip the pack cover closed and pocket it, brandishing the lighter and if she let him, he'd spin the wheel of the lighter and hold it out to light her smoke for her. "There we go, that's better," he'd nod, pocketing the lighter when her cigarette was lit.


The little rogue didn't stop him from lighting the cigarette. But the moment, the second it was lit, she was moving away from him again. Keirra refused to be anywhere near him in that moment, little smoke signals following her as she moved over to just beneath the windows. She stared up there, trying to make some sort of plan on getting up there--and a follow up plan for actually getting through the little window. "Don't suppose you want to go on a douchebag villain monologue and tell me your plan here..." she muttered in a growly voice as she smoked away.


His hand came to his mouth as his eyes stayed steady on her, not moving from the spot he was standing for the time being. Instead, his head turned to keep an eye on her as she moved around and he snickered when she was looking at those windows. "They're reinforced with metal bars," he informed her, his boots crunching on the cement floor as he turned to face her but still didn't move away from that one spot. He let out a laugh, shaking his head. "I could," he sighed, chewing on one of the barbells in his lip before releasing it. He finally moved, but it was just toward the couch where he settled on in, one arm resting on the armrest while the other lifted to rest on the back of the couch. "But that's so ****in' overdone. This isn't a B rated movie, sweetheart. And you're not exactly a damsel, are you?" He turned his head, peering at her from the corner of his eyes to where she was behind him, the brow seen lifting.


A long, long drag was pulled from the cigarette as her eyes fitted closed and she sighed out a sigh. "Of course they are..." she muttered in a defeated way. Her cheeks puffed out, and she deflated some as she moved over toward the couch. Chewing on the side of her cheek, "I think it would only be overdone if you did it in an English accent...besides," she muttered. "...You kinda turned me into one right now..."


"Naturally," he agreed, his mouth spreading into a wolfish grin before his eyes followed her when she came to the couch. His head tipped back with a bit of a laugh, amusement twinkling in those emeralds. "Well, I'm Norwegian, not English. I guess I can get away with it," he smirked, his eyes lifting in consideration before he shrugged and looked over to her, his arm sliding from the back of the couch to pat the cushion on the other side. Not demanding the one beside him, but just for her to sit down. "Maybe, but if you're compliant enough and don't give me a hard time, you don't have to be a damsel in distress. This can all go smoothly, but that all depends on you," he informed her, raising a brow and staring at her with the next drag from his cigarette.


When she made it to the couch, she plopped down onto it and curled up some, trying to relax some and smoke her cigarette. Those frosty eyes stared up at him, keeping that stern little glare on her pretty face. "You kidnapped me, man... It automatically makes me damsel, dude..." Keirra muttered. "Besides, I can't be compliant if I don't know what you want... You ripped me away from my husband while I was riding the fuckin' dragon, man... You know how close I was?! You couldn't have waited two seconds?" Smokesmoke.


His hand pulled away from the cushion when she went for it and the arm returned to the back of the couch in his lax position. His smile was there in return to that little glare she gave him. "I guess that's true," he agreed, turning his eyes forward with a squint through the smoke that billowed from the end of the cigarette with the next drag. Quick bursts of smoke escaped his parted lips with the laughter that bubbled out of him. "Riding the dragon? You get kidnapped, and your first concern is the fact you didn't get off?" He looked at her incredulously, his brows lifting as he peered at her. "And that I didn't wait to kidnap you until after? Really?" His wolvish mirthful grin was spread wide on his face, eyes twinkling with the laughter forming on his lips. "Oh, you're just a fuckin' treat," he cackled, shaking his head. "And...." He scrunched his nose, his hand lifted from the back of the couch to tip from side to side along with his head. "Isn't 'husband' jumping the gun a little bit? I think we could both agree that the big, bad Zver," that was said with acidic sarcasm, "is more like your bitch?" He looked at her. "Boy's gone soft, it's disappointing, really."


She chewed on her cheek the moment he admitted his agreement and she smoked slowly on the cigarette. It was pretty much the only thing keeping her calm at this point. Keirra was...really trying to contain her mouth. She didn't want it to get her into trouble. When he laughed and called her out on it, she snapped those eyes to him, not looking amused. "Well if you were going to do it anyways, you could've at least let us finish!" Keirra snapped, narrowing her eyes at him. Keirra was so tired of getting Ko-napped by A-holes, man... It wasn't the first time. That eye twitched as she turned to him, "He's twice the man you are..." Ko hissed, lifting her chin some and glaring in his direction. "Being human isn't the same as going soft, you'll learn that when he comes for me."


"If it's any consolation," he peered over to her. "The hit with kidnapping you before the big O wasn't meant to fuck you over, but him. Not that it changes anything," he shrugged, taking a finishing drag before he snuffed out the cherry of the spent cigarette between his fingertips. It singed his fingers, but he didn't seem to mind, sighing softly to the burning sting that lingered before he looked back to her. "I wouldn't count your dimes on that," he informed her when she called Zver twice the man. Her argument had him lifting his hand, whether in surrender or to silence her was hard to tell. "Calm yourself. It has nothing to do with him being human, but I've seen what goes on in that head of his. He's been letting his fear hold him back, and that's not the Zver I know," he narrowed his eyes on her. "The Zver we both know. This," he flicked the filter away as he slid forward and turned his knees to face her, resting his elbows on his knees. "Is to open his eyes. He's in a shit position, Keirra. He's made a fuck ton of enemies, and they're gonna keep coming for him. You got a taste with that pathetic fucking excuse of a demon. Lisa, was it?" He tilted his head, those emeralds intensely glued to her. "She's a baby compared to the rest of us, and she has lines she won't cross. Others he's pissed off? They don't. He's lost quite a bit of his drive, and he's gotten too... comfortable... in his game of playing house. He'll come, and when he does..." He smiled, standing to his feet as he looked down at her. "He'll have that bit of spark I'm sure you've missed in him, too. I'm doing him, and you, a favor," he sighed, shaking his head. "Maybe when you're less focused on hating me for cutting off your dragon time, you'll see it. I'm going to give you some time to think about things, I'll be back," he promised to her, pulling out the almost full pack of cigarettes and a box of matches from his pocket before tossing them on the cushion next to her.


"Yeah well, you fucked me over anyways, congrats..." The bitter rogue spat. She watched him put out his cigarette, and took a final drag of her own before carelessly flicking it to the floor. When he lifted his hand to calm her, "Fuck yourself," she retorted. "So you think yanking me away from my kid is the best way to handle this situation? Are you kidding me? How long are you going to keep me here?" Just talking over him. "...you must not've been paying attention to me, then..." The rogue said, staring at him with that emotionless face as her lips formed a thin line. "I've yet to find a jail, cage, or cuffs that can hold me... So go," Ko waved. "...but I won't be here when you get back."
The rogue leaned, "I promise you that..." she snapped, and leaned back. The stolen knife was tucked beneath her buttcheek, and she waved him off. "...bye bye now."


"You'll survive," he snickered, shaking his head. "I would, but I prefer when someone does it for me," he retorted, rolling his eyes to her tone and he looked at her blatantly. "I wouldn't play the kid card on me, sweetheart. We both know how you feel about that kid situation as it is, don't make me say something you'd regret," he warned her, his expression growing dark with promise of the monster he could be if he wanted to. "As long as I see fit," he tilted his head, lifting his brows. "I guess you'll find out just how much attention I've been paying for yourself," his smile growing wider. "You're not going anywhere. Unless you've got an industrial jackhammer that will go through concrete. No one can hear you out here," he told her, but there was no hint of arrogance. You'd think he was reading from the textbook the way he said it. "Even if you somehow manage to get out... You won't get far," he promised her right back, his intense greens locked on her as she leaned to him then back. "For now," he cooed to her, turning away from her after their goodbyes were had, his hand rising to open that endless black opening in the middle of the room and was swallowed up by it.

When he questioned what Zver meant, she just shook her head. No, he didn't want to know what Zver meant. She knew for a fact that it would probably break Dorian down. She was almost thankful for Boulder's little breakdown, when Dorian walked off to take care of the baby, Freya stepped in closer to Zver. "I think we've got flashlights, and maybe some lanterns in storage..." she muttered. "...but we might want to consider calling Dorian's brother... I'm pretty sure I've seen him do something with light magic before, and it might be good to have another Nighteater looking out." Lifting her chin some, she glanced over to Dorian before shaking his head. "Calm down... Where can we send Boulder that he'll be safe?" she asked, moving toward the little junk drawer to pull out the mini flashlights that were in there. They were small, but bright.


Zim plopped back onto her butt, and flattened her ears in a non-aggressive way when Dorian scratched the top of her head. She didn't really stop him when he pulled Boulder out, but... She did watch him like a damned hawk. He was too emotional damn it. Though, the kid seemed almost inconsolable at this point.


While the two more capable discussed strategy and prepared, Dorian did what he did. Mr. Mom.... or... Grandma... now? Boulder seemed inconsolable but that didn't stop him from holding the little squirt and swayed where he stood, trying to soothe the screaming kid. "Shhh, shhh, it's alright, love," he cooed to him.


"So call him," the ragey Russian grumbled. "I don't give a shit who we call, but we're going to need our own fucking army," he shook his head, straightening finally in his lean but his hands stayed where they were. He shook his head. "I don't know," he admitted. "No place is really safe that a damn shadow or Sanddick could get into," he scowled. "At least no one that would stick their necks out, or even hear me out, or..." He trailed off, brows furrowing before he smacked his palm to his forehead. "Goddammit I'm a fucking idiot. Azura. AZURA!" He called out, really not in the mood to get ingredients together for a formal summoning and just hoped she was listening.


Her true name wasn't often spoken, or with quite so much distress these days. Following the echo, the weightless twilight goddess formed in a sleek floral sundress that billowed at the tops of her thighs and a pair of sandals that looked greek laced up her calves. Between her fingers was a pinched joint and her eyes were redder than Mars. Her lazy smile curled until it faltered at the atmosphere in the room. "What's wrong?" She looked between Zver, then Freya and peeked around toward the other Nighteater and wolf. Just a moment before locking on to the baby. "Is that...?" She pointed to Zver with the joint, looking around to everyone.

Thanks for telling her the baby was born, pricks!


Zim knew the pain, man! She was left behind the day the baby was born, and was hit by a car getting to them! Sucks to be minor, man! Watching Dorian handle the baby, the white wolf paced lightly. Zver's talk of an army had her ears perking. She was slowly picking up that stupid language... There was a growl when someone new showed up in the room, but the canine softened the moment her frosty gaze settled on the goddess. She recognized her. ...Okay, so she didn't care too much for the emotional, clingy nature of the being, but for right now? Could she really complain? Without warning, the white wolf ran toward the door...and then right through it. Sorry, Dorian. She took off into the night!


"An army," she muttered, eyes flicking back and forth for a moment. "Alright, I got at least two Nighteaters I know will help..." Dakota and Hank. "...Gabriel might take some convincing," she muttered softly and pulled out her phone. Eyes trailed to the woman who appeared, and she gave her a considering look before a firm nod. If Zver trusted her, she did. Her phone was pulled out, and the girl fired off a few texts.


Dorian didn't know much about Azura, other than the few times he met her and she was blazed out of her mind, and what was in the textbooks on the Prince. But she was one of the few of the Dark Daedric Lords considered "good" and not evil or neutral. He stared at her for a moment, registering there was a damn Prince in his home and he opened his mouth to offer hospitality out of nervousness before.... Zim bolted. He blinked, shifting the baby against his chest as he called after the wolf. "Zim, where the bloody hell are you going?! Where is she-- oh..." A glance to Boulder. "...Fudge.." Someone had to be a good influence considering all the potty mouths in this damn house!


"Good, anything will help at this point," he sighed. "Don't count on Gabe," he muttered. "Too close to Molag to risk instigating a full on war. Sawyer's Vaemina's little boytoy," he made a face. "Don't even ****in' ask me why," he said, not giving a shit about cursing in front of the kid. Him and Ko stop swearing? Yeah... okay... Azura's appearance had him looking at her with relief until she saw Boulder and... Shit. He realized he hadn't bothered to keep her updated on the whole baby thing, he wasn't even sure if Ko had told her. He straightened from the counter and looked over to the baby in Dorian's arms, then lowered his head like a badpherbull. Don't fucking cry at me, bitch. I can't handle it now. "Yeah, Ko had the baby, that's... him," he was getting there... kinda... He still hasn't held him, though. At least he slapped a pronoun to the kid instead of calling him 'it'. Improvement! Zim's bolting had him looking at her with furrowed brows, but honestly, he figured she was going on a hunt. War coming up? Keeping up strength was a smart decision in his book. "Let her go, Dorian. She'll be okay, she's technically under Hircine's reign. Wolves are off-limits," he muttered. At least there'd been some perks to being Erebus' whipping boy. He knew the ins and outs of the Daedric Lords.


Azura peered back at Zver with a look that said she wasn't pleased with him for not telling her, and might've slapped him were it not for the atmosphere in the air. Zim's departure had a soft pout gracing her lips. "I didn't even get a fluffy hug..." She whispered, looking like she might cry until she offered a warm, bright smile to Freya in two seconds flat. "A Nighteater," she hummed, tilting her head. "Aren't you just popular?" She raised a brow to Zver before she moved past him, swatting his arm a bit with that you should've told me look on her face. "So what do you need? What's with all the.." She twisted bonelessly at the waist to wave her hands generally in everyone's direction. "Bad vibes? Killin' my bu---- oooooh my gawwwwd, he's so precious," her hands came to her cheeks as her mouth opened in that baby-struck way and she held out her hands.


"She does that," he muttered about Zim. He couldn't blame the wolf. He sometimes wanted to run from Azura's hugs too. He scowled. "Popularity isn't a good fucking thing for me," he didn't sound pleased by the question. Rubbing his hands over his face, he sighed and followed after Azura and slipped the joint from her fingers since she was going for the baby. Protective of not having smoke around the baby? Nah, he just wanted it. Azura always had the good shit. "Alright, guess it's time to fill you guys in on what happened...."

"I wasn't talking to-- ....Avi...?" Ko's brow furrowed slightly, and there was a definite look of betrayal there. She didn't question it, though. It didn't seem like Avi was the one truly behind this, and she'd wait to get the woman alone and talk. "Considering you kidnapped me, Asshat, you'll have to forgive me if I don't trust any of the concentrated bullshit that falls out of your mouth!" When he flipped the couch from her, she immediately began working herself toward her feet, only to be grabbed up by him. It was once she was on her feet, that she slammed her knee forwards, and up. Right in the junkyard, and yanked herself free! "Fuck offfff!" she cried, running passed him, and heading right toward the portal that he'd left open.


"Pfft... We both know she was talking to you, Assdick Mc****face..." Aviana made a face when Ko questioned her presence. "Sorry, kid. Not my plan, but... I gotta stick by Sawyer, here." A frown, before she watched the man approach. She'd probably have warned the man of the rogue's scrappy nature, but she didn't. Not until it was too late. Ko broke free and was running...where the hell was she gonna go...? Glancing over her shoulder, she spat a, "Shit..." and grabbed the woman by the back of her shirt. "Close it, moron!"


The stolen knife from before was brought out. Maybe Ko was savage...or maybe she knew that Aviana would live through it. Either way, there was a flash of blade before the silver metal plunged into the reaper's throat with a sickening sound. "Get the fuck off me!"


"You're complete shit at reading my jokes," he made a face at Avi, accusingly so. "You just don't get me like you use to," as if they were old lovers falling apart. Maybe he was just be a dick and making Ko think the worst. Either way, he was aware of Ko's scrappy nature... he just didn't think she'd be that stupid being outnumbered. Apparently... he really should've paid more attention to the rogue. "It's not exactly concentrated, it's pretty raw, actually," he talked casually about the bullshit that came out of his mouth. "Natural, real---ngh," he groaned, folding forward with a pained expression as she kneed him right in the giblets. "Son of a **** whore *****." He spat in his native tongue, irritation reigning in his tone. He was a notorious pain slut, but no man genuinely liked being knocked in the nuts. His hands slipped from Ko's arms as she pulled free from him, one hand going to his knee as he was bent over and the other cupped himself as his head lowered in a groan. "Cheap fucking shot!" He barked. Okay, he deserved it for cutting her off from the dragon earlier, but c'mon! He would've rather been stabbed!

Oh. That call from Aviana and the slick sound following had his head turning to glare over his shoulder to see Ko had plunged the blade in Avi's throat. An inhuman, yet somehow not animalistic growl ripped through his throat as he manned the pain radiating in his groin while he straightened and turned around. His expression was distorted from anger and pain, shifting between his forms in flickering from his erratic emotions. His hand balled at his side with a quick snap of fingers that had the joints popping from the sudden motion, and in that split motion, the portal behind the rogue and Avi fluttered before it burst outward. A concentrated obsidian burst that slipped past Avi, doing little else than blowing through her hair and leaving her unharmed in aim to hit Ko head on. The impact wouldn't do much damage with Sawyer keeping himself in control, but it would be a burst like getting hit with a gale wind with enough force to knock her away from his comrade and right toward him. Instead of letting her crash to the floor, he'd catch her arm and whip her around to face him with the hand he caught her with, just for his hand to practically envelope her throat with his long fingers as he'd stare down at her. Those emeralds were burning brighter than ever before, headlights in comparison to the shadowed angles of his face as he'd stare down at her. His smile wasn't all that friendly at the moment, but he could thank the knee he'd gotten to the groin for that. "You're not making a good case for yourself, sweetheart," his voice was soft, a stark contrast to his unsettling expression and far too calm compared to it.


The rogue had been spun around by Aviana and those eyes were wide and shocked when the blade actually hit the mark. Her bottom lip quivered slightly, but she didn't hesitate. She left the blade in the woman's throat and turned back toward the portal, breaking free. ...Except it blew up in her face, quite literally as she felt herself fumbling backwards. Her injured wrist was babied as she held it upon her fall--which was cut short by Sawyer snatching her up. "Let go of me! Leave me alone you donkey fuc--ngh!" The rest of it was inaudible, choked out as his hand seized her throat, and she caught those emeralds head on. There was fear in those icy blues as she stared up at him, but it was soon washed away. Her hand--the good one--attempted to grip his wrist and try and pry it off of her throat. "Ffffff...."


....Give Aviana a minute. Reaper or not, getting shanked in the throat sucked. She yanked the blade free and took to one knee as she fought to heal it up. Hacking up some blood, she wiped her mouth before throwing the knife across the room. "...bitch is becoming more of a hassle than she's worth..." she rasped out, climbing to her feet.


"No," he bluntly told the little brat, matter-of-factly when she told him to leave her alone. "That little stunt there made me want to exactly the opposite, actually." Those emeralds flicked to Avi over Ko's head as he watched her spit up blood and heard those raspy words. He snickered. "Does that mean the leash is getting longer?" He teased her, almost bitterly. His eyes lowered to the rogue, a slow smirk curling the corner of his mouth as her efforts to tug his wrist only earned his fingers clamping down harder on her throat but not quite cutting off her air supply yet. But it was certainly a warning. "You know, I was going to play nice. Feed you," thanks to Avi's reminding him, "share my own booze." He'd paid enough attention to notice the woman was a damn alcoholic, that's for sure. "But now, I'm thinking you need a time out." His other hand slipped away from her arm to rake roughly through her hair before his fingers curled and he yanked her head back roughly, those eyes intense on her face. "What do you think, Avi? She did just shiv you in the throat, any input?" Avi deserved some say after that one... Bitch just got shanked in the neck for helping him out with this shit.


That head craned to the side as the wound finished sewing itself back up. She cracked her neck and brushed herself off. "Leash is longer," Avi hissed, glaring at Keirra. She was only trying to keep Ko from doing something she'd regret and getting herself killed--and how'd she get repaid? Bitch shivved her! A few coughs later, and she moved toward the box of matches and cigarettes that had hit the floor, lighting one up. "...I think you've gone too easy on her," the woman smirked. Though would probably change her tune once she got over the neck injury. Not that there was any physical pain....but! It was the principal, man!


An angry hiss left Ko's clenched teeth as he went on. Her fingernails sank into his wrist as she fought to pry his hand away to no avail. "Go....fuck...yourself," she hissed. "...I'm not...afraid of you!" Summoning a deep breath, the rogue would attempt to spit right in the man's face. "Pig fucker."


His smile was far too pleased to Avi informing him of the leash situation. Hitting him in the nuts was one thing, deep down... he knew he deserved it. It didn't mean he liked it any. It was a weak move. And almost insulting. Dammit, he deserved a better hit than that! But Avi? Really, Avi had tried to help her. Stepping through that portal would've been imminent death by the creatures that wandered in that mid-way realm. Robbed of her senses, blinded by the darkness. She would've become lost and eventually turned into something far from human as time passed. "I think you're right," he sighed to Avi's words. "See, if you'd just been compliant," he hissed, his tone telling her she had brought this on herself. Maybe not the kidnapping, or the blue-balls... but this? "You will b--" He eyes squeezed shut as he twitched from the spit that hit him in the face. His nostrils flared with the deep exhale that left him and deflated his chest, his fingers slowly retracting from her hair as he kept the grip on her throat. His freed hand slowly swiped over his face, wiping her spit from it as he slowly opened his eyes and his expression was completely blank. He was particularly... unamused. He had no retort. At least not verbally. His fingers slipped away from her throat, and he might've looked like he was going to just leave as he took a step back.

Really, he was just giving himself enough room as his right arm crossed in the opposite way and came back with a sweep in the means to backhand her across the cheek. Hard enough to surely leave a mark, and maybe enough to knock her to the floor. The noise wouldn't be all that pretty either?


What could be said for Ko, was that the bitch didn't back down. Even as he released her throat, she didn't try to run away from him. She stared up at him with an icy cold stare, taking in his words and clenching her jaw some. There was a part of her, that was thankful that Aviana was okay. Even though the bitch wasn't too happy with her, and it ended up extending Sawyer's fucking leash. His hand came at her face, and...she probably should have expected it. Though, he did look like he was going to walk away for a moment. A yelp left her as she crumbled to the floor. It took her a moment to recover, the pain radiating in her teeth and face, not to mention the shooting pain in her wrist. Her eyes rolled around, but stopped when she saw the faint glimmer of the knife that had hit the floor across the room. ...and then the idiot wasted no time crawling toward it.


Aviana had sat her happy ass down on the floor, enjoying the smoke and the show. When Ko spit, she paused and her eyebrows rose some. "Shouldn'ta done that..." she muttered. "Should not have--" Slap! "...yep..." When Ko began crawling, Avi took a drag before pinching the bridge of her nose. Bitch...stay down! Moron?


"No, she shouldn't have," he snickered, peering down with that blank expression at the rogue. He stood there for a moment, just watching her before the dumbass started crawling. He blinked slowly, turning his head to look at Avi. "Is she serious?" Where is she going to go?! Turning his head to look at the girl again, his eyes flicked to the knife before a glimmer - as small as it was - of amusement in his eyes. "She's a fighter, that's for damn sure," he observed, and his steps were almost agonizingly slow as he just... followed her as she crawled toward the blade. He didn't try to stop her, he just followed after her like the shadow he was. "Word of advice: don't do it," he told Ko, warning clear but his tone said he wasn't going to stop her.

-------------------------------------------------- ----------



By the time the true monster in him had come out, he'd opened that portal to give Aviana the option of leaving so she didn't see what she didn't want to. In perspective, Ko didn't find out just how awful he could be. He'd held back, and he turned out to have more marks on him than she had by the time the horror of his actions was over.

Looking over at her as he brushed his fingers over the strike marks left on his cheek from her lashing out with those claws, he had more scratches on his neck and that wound on his thigh wouldn't heal until he completely changed forms and reformed the one he had now. Fully clothed, he sighed as he crouched in front of the woman he left sitting on the floor against the wall. "Hey," he whispered, his tone gentle and soft, his eyes almost apologetic as he didn't try to touch her after what he'd done. "I didn't want to do that, that wasn't... in the plan... when I took you," he admitted, resting his forearms on his bent knees. "I lost control, and that's my fault," he muttered, "but I need you to not push me like you did back there. Things will go a lot smoother through this if you work with me, here." He looked at her. "Can you do that? So I don't do?that... again?" He gave her a meaningful look, not saying it.


At first, she had fought. Scratched, screamed, cried for help. Hell, she begged Aviana for help at one point, and finally, the reaper got tired of listening and took the portal way out. She knew how bad he could be, but it might have been a little bit harder now that it was a familiar face. By the end of it, she'd stopped fighting him, and went straight to the floor when he was through. Her body had betrayed her....more than once, and in that moment, she knew she wouldn't be able to look at herself in the mirror for a while.

Her knees were pulled up to her chest, her head rested between her knees as she fought the urge to sob then and there. He whispered in that gentle tone, and those wounded, frosty eyes glared up at him, bloodshot and tired. She opened her mouth, and it was dry, tongue sticking to the roof of her mouth as she stared at him with empty eyes. Before, she'd have told him to go fuck himself. She'd have seen right through that sheepishness. But again, she was tired. She hadn't an ounce of fight left in her. "Y-yes," she whispered in a hoarse, raspy tone.


His sigh of relief had his eyes briefly closing when she agreed and he slowly nodded his head. "Good," he whispered, standing to his feet as he walked away from her. He didn't leave just yet, but he walked over to the couch he'd tossed off her and righted it, sliding it back where it'd been. "Will you let me help you to the couch?" He asked, holding his hands out to her. It was probably terrible of him to ask permission to touch her now but thinking about that a second after he asked, he tossed in some part favors. "Let me take you to the couch, I'll get you a blanket and something to drink.... maybe even of the alcohol persuasion," he crinkled his nose, his fingers wiggling as if coaxing her.


Those eyes stayed on him, and she watched him move across the room. She didn't try to run that time. Not that there was anywhere to run. When he asked that question, her brow crooked lightly. It looked as if she might've been thinking the same thing. Why ask now? It didn't matter, favors or not, she was reaching out for his hand. There wasn't anything he could do to her that was worse than what he'd done....and honestly? She wanted that drink. "Okay," she whispered, taking his hand with her good one and working herself up to those noodle legs, stumbling a bit as she made her way toward the couch.


He looked down when she gave him that look, like he knew it was stupid but he'd stuck by it anyways. When she took his hand, he helped her to her feet and wrapped his arm around her waist to keep her supported as he walked her back to the couch. Reaching it, he'd lower her to the cushions and take a step back from her. "I'll be back in a minute," he whispered, his hand raising as he opened that shadow portal and he paused. "Word of warning... don't ever go into this thing. I can promise you won't come back out, there's worse things out there than me," he informed her, glancing over his shoulder at her before shaking his head. "If you can believe that." And then he was swallowed up by the obsidian wormhole.


Getting settled into the couch, Ko had scrambled to get there as quickly as possible. She...didn't want to touch him anymore than she had to. He left her on the cushions, and her eyes stuck to him for a moment. She gave a nod when he said he'd be back, and she couldn't help it. It flew out of her mouth, "Don't hurry..." she muttered, but that insta-regret fell over her--and she simply nodded to the rest of his words. She watched him get swallowed up, and pushed up on the arm of the couch like she was up to something. Soon, she was crawling across the floor again, but would be back on the couch by the time he got back.


He didn't hurry, but that wasn't exactly for her benefit. He needed to piss and frankly, he wanted a sandwich. So, he made one. And took his sweet time eating it. That sheepish look on his face wasn't there, neither was any hint of remorse on him as he finished the sandwich and slid off the counter he'd perched himself on. Passing the kitchen table, he snatched up a fresh bottle and his pack of smokes he'd set out, plucking up the blanket he'd draped over the back of a kitchen chair. Opening that portal, the other side of it opened to the basement as he stepped through. "I didn't," he informed her. "Hurry, that is. Figured the less you saw of me the better right now," he snickered, moving toward her as he set down the blanket and booze, but plucked out a cigarette for himself before tossing her the pack. He lit his own before handing over the matches and seemed to be giving her space. "Need anything else?" He eyed her. "...Besides me getting the fuck away from you?" He raised a brow, like that last part was a given.


When he came back, Ko's eyes drifted in that direction for a moment and she thinned them out, blinking lazily. The bottle was the first thing she grabbed, and she didn't even wait for him to leave before she was gulping down whatever was inside. Honestly, she hadn't even bothered looking. She didn't really seem to react to the supposed burn, and probably drank heavier than someone her size should've on the first go...but she wanted to sleep. She'd probably kill that bottle before that was achieved. The back of her hand swiped over her mouth, and she shook her head. "No," she finally said, taking a gasp of air before letting those eyes roll shut. "...thanks..." whispered, bitterly. He didn't have to give her the booze, or leave her with cigarettes?


He watched her pound down the liquor and nodded approvingly. It was vodka, what she was drinking. He took a deep drag of his cigarette before he grimaced to her gratitude and he held up his other hand. "Don't," he objected, shaking his head. "You don't got shit to thank me for," he muttered, and said nothing more as he turned around headed out the same way he came in. For the rest of the night, he left her alone. Other than when he dropped by silently after she'd fallen asleep to drop off water, and food for her. A certain hellion had reminded him humans needed to fed, or they'd probably die.

Kaz had witnessed Speck being stolen. He'd also smelled the fact she was being pulled off by a lycan.Considering a large amount of his family were wolves, he was more curious where Speck was being taken than concerned for her safety. The fact that Speck didn't seem concerned for her safety was a good factor, too. If the white wolf was going to kill her or hurt her... she would've done so right there.

So what did he do? He followed them. Sticking to the shadows, the shinobi darted between buildings, alleyways, even climbed a few said buildings and moved on the roofs out of the hound's nose reach as he moved silently. Occasionally peeking over the side to not only hear Speck talking to it, the silence from the wolf, but... also checking in. Then he'd move again.



Dakota fully planned on calling on that beautiful bitch once this was over. They probably could both use some release. He knew he could... The PDA wasn't so much minded by the older brother, but it was a bit of a kick to the nads. He wasn't exactly in love with Freya, but there were feelings there. They'd...been through a lot together. When a drink was poured, he didn't waste much time in snatching it up. "Freya's right, we'll get the girl back." A firm nod at that before he brought the drink to his lips. Then went for a cigarette. "Anyone want one?" he asked, lighting his up and holding out the pack.



That forehead met Dorian's back, and she took in a deep sigh. It was... Well it was the worst time for this to happen, really. The girl just had her kid.. It was already a struggle getting her out of the depression she was in, and... Well, the baby was attached to Ko, even if the rogue would have nothing to do with him just yet. She'd seemed to be on board with the idea of coming around to him... Now that was blown out of the water. Still, Freya kept a brave face, because Dorian needed her to. He was blissfully unaware of how twisted the man was. Is. She wanted to keep him that way.

When Dorian turned she loosened her grip until he got comfortable. Then she'd tuck her head beneath his chin, her fingers wiggling at Dakota behind Dorian's back. "..I'll take one."



In Dorian's defense.... he had no idea that there was anything there. Or he might've at least toned it down quite a bit out of respect for his older brother. The sentiment was heard, and the Nighteater nodded with a sigh. "I know we will," he slapped a smile on his face that didn't feel genuine but it was something. "Just wish we were doing something other than sitting on our fists," he grumbled, but honestly... he hadn't the faintest idea where to even start looking. He had nothing on this guy, and Zver had already told him that sniffing her out would be pointless. Shadow-play had been involved. That was what frustrated him the most. Usually, there was something he could do about it. Some way to help. He didn't have shit to go by.

The offer of a cigarette... Well, Freya knew him to smoke after their rendezvous. But now, well.. it was a good way to calm his nerves. "Fuck it," he muttered, plucking out two of the sticks and handing one over to Frey. "Thanks, love," he said to Kota before tucking the filter between his lips.



Zver was already way ahead of them on that perspective. Perhaps not on booze, not wanting to get sloshed right now even though he knew a drink would be fucking wonderful. But, he had gotten high for focus purposes and he was half a pack of Carnivals down from his chimney lungs. Walking out with a joint he'd gotten from Azura tucked between his lips, his eyes squinted against the smoke, he walked around the Nighteaters to drop a heavy duffel bag on the counter. "Anyone hear from Zim yet?" There was that roughness to the Russian's voice that said... well, Zver was back.



It was something he'd get over. He'd gotten over the fact that it wasn't mutual for Freya a long time ago. The random hookups helped... When they took the cigarettes, he'd closed the pack and brought the lighter up to Dorian first, and then Freya once his brother's was lit. "We'll come up with a plan, and then we'll get your girl back.. Can't go in blind." Sorry, Speck. He hadn't bothered to answer Zver, because he didn't quite remember who Zim was.



Freya looked up at him, and leaned up to pepper a kiss on the side of his cheek before Dakota came with the lighter. She took a sidestep, still letting him hold onto her, but making it so that it was the side of her body pressed against him rather than full frontal. Freya brought her own cigarette to her lips and leaned into the light, working the smoke into her lungs as she fought to get the cherry lit. "No, she hasn't been back yet..." To Zver, with a shake of his head. Her heart went out to him, too. Normally, it would be Keirra comforting the Russian.



]It wasn't but moments his question was asked and answered, that the white wolf showed up. She'd dragged Speck all the way to the doorstep, and then circled around to nudge her butt with that massive snout. "You...want me to go in here?" she questioned it, not looking so sure. Grrrrr! "Okay, okay..." Speck shrank, hands up as she began inside the house. "Hello...?"



The peppered kiss to his cheek was comforting and he closed his eyes briefly with a more genuine smile. Frey got him, that much could be said. His eyes opened to the sound of a lighter snapping to life, his head turning to lean the cherry into it until it sparked with the flame and he inhaled a lungful. Sighing it out of his nose, he groaned lightly. "Who knew the taste of burnt chemicals could be so blissful," he turned the hand holding his glass to scissor the filter between two fingers, removing it as his eyes watched Zver's entrance. Then the question. His arm still around Frey's waist, regardless of her new position at his side, he shook his head as she answered for them. "She'll be back, Zver," he whispered, promising. It was the sound of someone at the door that had his brows furrowing and his arm locking instinctively around Frey's waist until he caught a whiff of the hound. "Speak of the devil..." He muttered, but his head tilted to the unfamiliar scent that entered the house and spoke.

Zim ignored Zver's cries, because he was being a bitch. I did good! ...I did good? She ran upstairs toward their bedroom, and fished out Ko's bag. Dumping it out, she nosed a flash bomb before plucking it up gently with her teeth and trotting downstairs. She dropped it at Zver's feet, barked once, and then ran back upstairs to get the rest. At least until her nose twitched slightly, and she began heading off toward the Nighteater's bedroom, growling.



The back and forth between Zim and Zver had her smiling some.. At least until Zver brought her up to speed. "Oh, how awful..." she whispered, lowering her eyes. "Of course I'll help," she nodded firmly. "Anything you need." When Dorian made the offering, "Um.. Sure, thank you." The girl answered. Then suddenly there was a more abrasive Nighteater slinging an arm around her shoulder. "Huh..? O-oh.. Yes, um... hi."



"Um, Speck, I believe?" He whispered to Frey, making a dramatized frown with a lift of his shoulders. He didn't know her personally. "He seems to know her though," he lifted his chin to the Russian and rolled his eyes at his brother. "You're like a bloodhound to anything who's not a dangler," he hissed, but the antics of Kota had him chuckling still. It lightened the mood a little bit. "Your welcome, love. Have any requests? Let me know," he nodded. "I'll be in the kitchen," he told her, turning around as he tied the apron behind his back and started flitting around the kitchen. Nighteater on a mission! A food mission!



Zver didn't hear Frey's question, but he heard Dorian. That Nighteater wasn't too good at whispering. "She's the one who fixed Ko's flitter with her blood." The word had grown on him since Ko'd said it. "That sounded more.... voodoo-ey than intended," he squinted, shrugging before Kota was all up on Speck and he snickered, just to watch the white wolf make an appearance again. "Oh? Came to finally join the party?" He raised a brow at her. "What's in your mouth?" Those brows furrowed as she dropped whatever it was at his feet, and he wasted no time in bending down to pick it up. "...That a... you fucking gen---come on!" He called after her, straightening. Dammit, Zim! But his brows furrowed to the fact she was growling. "...Zim?" His head tilted, and he moved after her without hesitation. Not wanting to rile up the others yet, he waited until he was out of their sight before he reached behind him for the gun at his back.



"Ohhh, nice," he muttered, having gotten a tad distracted by the bedroom chosen. The closet was open, and whoever owned that closet.. "Got style," he observed, giving an approving nod as he lightly touched a silk shirt. It was sleek, black and sparkly. He liked it! Shaking his head, he moved away from the closet. He was there for Speck, not snooping in closets! Moving for the door quietly, he paused as his hand reached and stopped as his nostrils flared to the smell of wolf creeping closer. Shit. Those slanted eyes narrowed as he gave a quick look around, and he made it quickly to the closet, stepping in and closing the door.



The fairer nighteater didn't bother with an apron, but she got to work helping out Dorian. She'd stamped out her cigarette and looked after Dakota. "Oh, god damn him..." she shook her head, scoffing lightly. It wasn't a jealousy reaction, it was more the fact that Dakota never knew how to read a moment. Time and place, man. Time and place!



Dakota seemed pleased with the new turn of events. He lead Speck over to the couch and sat her down, "Let me get you a drink, doll." The man disappeared into the kitchen, beaming at Dorian and Frey for a moment before, "S'cuse me," pouring a glass of scotch for the reaper, and heading back out. "This'll calm those nerves. Terrible, terrible news.. Were you and Ko close?" Holding out the drink to her, he smiled softly, slinging an arm around her again.



"Oh, uh... Well--um..Okay..." seeing as how he was already gone. Her fingers dropped to her knees, drumming for a moment until he returned. "Mm? What is--oh. Um... Well, I knew her through my sister. I wouldn't say we're close, but... I like to think we're friends... Maybe."



Zim made it to the closet and growled, her fangs were on full display, snapping and spitting as she began to paw furiously at the furniture. Sorry, Dorian. You may not have nice things!



Zver had bounded up the stairs after Zim, pulling his gun out along the way and held it in both hands as he followed her. Zim wasn't some chow chow that would bark or growl at nothing. Especially not in a time like this. He heard the clawing as he reached the doorway to the Nighteater's room and nudged open the door with his shoulder, entering with his gun lifted. Looking down to the wolf and where she was pawing, he didn't say shit. He wasn't stupid. Quietly, he clicked his tongue to try to get her attention and when he did, he'd nod his head to gesture her to get out of the way. Once she did, he'd edge closer to the closet door and shift the gun in one hand as he reached for the handle and took a breath before sliding the door open quickly and lifted his gun.

But nothing was there. His brows furrowed, glancing down to the wolf before he looked back into the closet, moving closer as he used the gun to nudge aside Dorian's clothes. "Zim, it's empty. What the fuck were you pawing at?"



What she was pawing at had moved through the shadows the closets offered and crawled out of the shadows beneath the bed. Sliding out from under the bed without a sound made, the Japanese man stood to his feet with a smoke bomb in his hand. His motions were quick and precise as he yanked the pin and tossed it at the duo, aimed more for the wolf as he bounded over the edge of the bed and landed to the floor with a soft thud. His foot lashed out like a viper's strike, catching the Russian with the gun in the back to kick him into the closet and daze him before he bolted with the speed of the undead out of the room.



"What the fuck?!" The angered Russian didn't see any of that coming, and there was a good amount of noise made as he crashed into the closet and knocked over a good amount of the clothes hanging before the smoke started billowing and whiting out the area.... The gun going off and plunging a round into the wall probably didn't help either. Seriously, Dorian could never have nice things. "Zim! Zim?! You okay?!" He coughed through the smoke, groaning as he tried to get to his feet quickly.



Determined, Kaz's eyes locked onto the banister railing in his sprint before his hand found the railing and vaulted all 5'3 of him over it before he dropped down to the first floor in a crouch. His other hand yanked a dagger out of his boot as he crept forward, holding the blade hilt in his palm with the blade pointed outward and toward his wrist.

Sorry, Dorian.. Freya was a bit of an idiot when it came to running into battle half prepared. Would've been nice if Kota was backing her up instead of talking Speck up! Damn! "The hell is that?" her own nostrils flared as she made it to the top of the steps and paused. "Zver! Are you--" The white wolf slammed into her, and was not gentle. It toppled them both down the damned steps, a series of yelps and growls rang out. Watch out Dorian!



Kota had put up a finger, "Shhh~" Though his attempt to look manly and tough, was all but thrown off the couch with him. He didn't see it coming at all, and a snarl rang free from him as he went flying. He tumbled onto the floor and caught himself. Fangs were on full display, but he paused the moment once he got a good look at the attacker. "Oh," he went back to smiling. "Hello~"



"Uhn..." she paused, not sure how to handle this. She wasn't used to dudes coming on strong, man! Speck's eyes widened when suddenly there was three, and she began to get defensive as Kota went flying. But when the figure crouched in front of her, she halted in her ready to fight and reached out to touch the head of the person in front of her. "Kaz...?" Then she... Yeah, she hugged his head. "...Wait, did you follow me?"



The blinded Russian had managed to get all that out, but only caught a zip of white and then the cries and tumbling of both wolf and Nighteater. "What's going on?! What the fuck just happened? I can't see sh*t. F*ck! I'm like Speck now!" He barked, shaking his head. Sorry, Speck. He had no filter. He was not a happy Russian right now.



Dorian's head had snapped in the direction of his brother getting flung across the room, his teeth baring in a snarl himself as he started to turn in that direction but... Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. "Sh*t!" He yelped, looking up to see the two girls tumbling down the steps as... the idiot moved to the bottom of the stairs again with his arms out. Fuck did he think he was going to do? Catch them?! Apparently. "I've got you!" He tried, but having big white wolf and a leggy Nighteater tumbling right at him... well, at least he gave them a cushion to land on as he grunted to the two bodies colliding with him and knocking him onto his back on the floor. "Bloody hell," he wheezed, the wind quite literally knocked out of him.



Kaz's shining blue eyes flickered with the snarl that came out of him to the sight of Kota's own fangs staring back at him. The defensiveness shifted to confusion to the flirtatious tone in the Nighteater's voice and almost like a puppy, his head tilted. "Wha--ngh," he twitched, feeling Speck's hand in his long, braided hair. Wait, long braided hair. Shit, he thinks I'm a lady right now. Wouldn't be the first time! He blinked feeling the reaper's arms around his head and he whined, which... upped his pitch and only made him sound more girly. "Speeeeeck, I'm trying to save you and it's hard to do when I'm wearing you like...maybe," he answered her question of following her. "I saw that wolf take you and wanted to know why, and where." Then he sniffed. "Is that...?" Glancing to the glass in her hand, his eyes shot wide and he let out a squeak, swatting the glass out of her hands. "No, don't drink that, you'll die!" He yelped, just to look at Kota and point the dagger at him. "You trying to poison her?" His shining eyes narrowed on the Nighteater and well... it might've been more intimidating if he wasn't 5'3, dressed like a woman with a reaper hugging his head.

Or... Kaz in general.



Oh man, everything was such a mess at this point! Speck was confused as all hell, but upon hearing Zver speak of how he couldn't see, and talk of his likeness to her, she laughed like an idiot. "Ha!" Then her nose crinkled some, "Save me?" she tilted her head some. "I'm not in danger, I'm helping out cause my friend got--heyyyy!" When he swatted that booze out of her hand. Then he spoke of her dying, "Oh was that...? I didn't drink any I swear!" Then the accusation was thrown, and she kept her arms around him, boobs on his head. "I don't think he knew, Kaz."



Oh, he hadn't given up. The smile didn't falter, not even in the slightest as he made his way over, careful with his hands up. "Easy there, girl," he lifted his chin, not quite catching on that the dude had a bigger dick than he did. "That's not poison, it's booze.." That's what booze is, idgit... "I wasn't trying to poison her, just make her smile some. I can get you a glass if you want it, doll."

"Okay, fine, it's a little funny," he grumbled, his fists rubbing his eyes and tried to listen to what was going on downstairs. Blinking his eyes open, the tear gas was finally wearing off though his eyes stung like a son of a bitch. Feeling able to make it downstairs without falling down the Humpty way, he held onto the railing as he made his bleary way down to the commotion. "Bitches with their bad timing," he mumbled, just grumping it up.



Able to breathe again, he made it beside Frey and the snarling wolf, but took notice that Zim was holding up her paw. He frowned and tried to nudge the wolf back. "We've got this, step back, Zim," he whispered to her. "C'mere," he held out his hands, instant Mr. Mom mode activated. Sorry, Zim. Shoulda known this would happen if you get hurt around him!



Kaz's eyes didn't leave Freya at this point. The male Nighteater was trying to just defuse the situation and... possibly get his dick wet? It was the blonde that was on full defensive and the one to watch in his opinion. The black eyes only seemed to make his own electric blue hues burn brighter as he fought the growl that tried to bubble up instinctively. He didn't exactly want to fight them, he was outnumbered. He was positive he could nab Speck and pull her out of there. "I'm her boyfriend," he explained. "Think that kind of gives me a right to question the whole 'why' business," he countered, raising a brow before he flicked his eyes to Kota briefly. "Yeah, not a lady," he flashed a fangy smile his direction. "....Most days..Some days... Genders are complicated," he muttered, shaking his head. It was funny, but there was only so long he could lead a man on before he felt bad about it, man! Speck was the one to explain, though. "Yeah, I remember..." He crinkled his nose. "And potty-mouth is an understatement," he snickered, but he glanced Speck's way with furrowed brows as she went on. Slowly, he rose with a frown and lowered his blade. "She's been kidnapped?" His eyes finally cast Zver's way, and it was no secret to those who knew him he was a family man. The mother and wife of a family being kidnapped was a high alert situation, and... he probably just stirred the pot in their anxiety. He looked to all of them one by one as he lifted the hand holding the blade but the hilt was between his middle finger and thumb, "I'm putting down the weapon," he told them, slowly bending down as he put it on the floor.



The older male nighteater's shoulders fell, "Boyfriend..? You're a.." He didn't seem to get overly homophobic, but the disappointment was clear on his face. "Ah, hell..." Then he didn't miss a beat, his eyes slid to Speck. "You're a lady, though... Right? He said her, that means you're a lady." Man just didn't know how to quit while he was behind! "...wait... her boyfriend. Er, got it..." A little frown on his features, "I'mma go get a drink... Anyone want anything?" but he'd made his way to the kitchen nonetheless.



Speck frowned lightly, "Wait...was he..." the girl bit her lip. "How could he think you were a lady!?" she giggled lightly, and squeezed her eyes shut. Then the seriousness caught her up, and she frowned some. "Yeah, she was kidnapped...and she just had a baby..." whispered Speck with a nod. When he said he was putting the weapon down, she perked up some. "He won't hurt you, he was just scared for me... I'll still help if you want me to.. I'm sorry."



When the vampire lowered the weapon, the scariness from her face seemed to vanish. She looked like she still didn't trust him, but she was a thousand times less standoffish. "Dakota! Get out of here!" she snapped at him, glaring. Then when Speck asked how he could think that, her brow furrowed. "...she blind or something?" What? Dude looked like a lady! When Speck went on, she shook her head. "Let's not talk about that..." her eyes moving to Zver apologetically.



Zim snapped at Dorian when he nudged her, snarling as her fur stood on end. Clearly, she couldn't see him all that well.



Kaz gave an apologetic smile as those bright blues darkened to their normal chestnut color. "Yeah... sorry..." He straightened, scratching the side of his head. "If it's any consolation, I get questioned by... well... just about everyone," he glanced at Speck. "Almost." He chuckled, shaking his head as he crinkled his nose. "Because some days, Speckles, I look an awful lot like one," he admitted. "It's... hard to explain." Really, it was. Frey's question had him looking to her, and he answered. "Actually, she just lives in a darker world than we do. Lights are always off, the maintenance man never changes the lightbulb," he sighed, trying to lighten the situation with a joke and also make Speck laugh. Finally, he answered honestly. "She is," he told Freya, looking to Zver when she asked them not to talk about it. "Right," he told her, on both accounts. He had been worried for Speck's safety, too. "Well," he sighed, holding up his hands in a surrender. "Can't have pointy objects lying around with this one," he explained, nodding his head to Speck before he'd pick up his blade and shove it back in his boot if he was allowed to. "How can I help?" He offered, looking between all of them.

Cabin in the Woods



How long had she been down there? She'd lost track of time, honestly, given how much she slept. The time spent on that awful couch she'd grown to hate seemed like an eternity. The first night was the worst, but Sawyer hadn't put his hands on her since then. Save for little things, like to stitch up her wounds and bandage them after she'd tried to end what she could only assume was her new life. He hadn't let her go through with it, needed her alive. Waking up to that had been agony. I can't do nothing right? she slurred, drifting in and out of consciousness.

Today had been no different. Keirra had been curled up on that couch, pale and skinny just as she usually was. She hadn't eaten, though she had given in and had water. What time was it? What day was it? The girl was awake, but not moving much except to pick at a loose thread on the couch with her fingernail. Pickpick... Aviana had gotten her cleaned off and clothed, maybe as a mercy. She was in a pair of Aviana's lazy pants, because jeans seemed to slip right off of her, and a loose t-shirt.



Finding Ko in that condition, laying in her own spilled blood had been quite the pain in the ass. He'd bitten his tongue on remarking on her shit job. You don't cross the street, you go down the street. He hadn't said anything. Just patched her up and took all her sharp objects away from her. Her slurred words had earned an maybe you didn't want to die after all remark from him. But he wasn't all that sure she'd heard it before she passed out.

After consistently making her food, the human task was starting to come back to him. But considering how long it'd been since the stubborn bitch had eaten, he decided to bump it up a notch. That tell-tale black mass expanded in the room to grant his presence into the basement, where he stepped out of the shadows no more than a second later. Holding up a takeout bag of Chinese food, it wasn't long before the heady warm aroma spread through the room. Those illuminated emeralds locked on her and he raised a brow as he lifted the bag, letting the handle swing back and forth on his index finger. "You gonna eat today or you gonna pretend to not be hungry again?"



Yeah, Ko was a stubborn bitch. But to be fair, she starved herself in her home, too. That fingernail dug away at that loose thread, plucking it up and pulling at it. When the blackness spread across the room, Keirra closed her eyes for a moment. She'd almost considered pretending to be sleeping, though she had figured he'd see right through that. Of course she didn't know what he was, but that made her all the more cautious. Well, since... You know.

When he spoke out, those pale blue eyes dragged up to him, harboring dark circles beneath. Did the Chinese food smell good? Damn right. Though, Ko had more self control than she let on. With eating, at least. "...I'm out of booze..." she mumbled to him.



Considering what he was, pretending to be asleep was moot. He'd know. And even then... staying awake around him was likely a better choice. Stepping into dreamstate, you were in his territory then. And his Mistress'.

Her mumble had his eyes lifting to the ceiling before he sighed, the portal creeping smaller until it disappeared altogether. His free hand slipped into the inside pocket of the studded vest he was wearing over a tank top that said 'Wasted Youth' in a bland grey. Pulling the hand out, he held a more square-ish bottle that wasn't overly big but it was a potent vodka. Taking a few steps closer until he was no more than a foot away from her, he held out both the food and booze to her. If she reached for the booze, he'd pull it back some but keep the bag of Chinese food held out. "Eat first, then you can have the booze," he eyed her, his expression just as stubborn as her personality represented.



As he approached, she began to sit up, but not overly defensive, just getting herself into a more upright position. Those eyes hadn't left him, though. Not for even a second, she barely blinked. When he held out both, of course she went for the booze first, looking a bit wounded when he pulled it away. She stared at the bag for what seemed like forever, her jaw clenching some before she swallowed hard and dragged those eyes back up to him. "...how much do I have to eat?"



His eyes followed her as she set up, just as reluctant to leave her as much as hers were to him. They didn't trust each other, that much could be said. He'd given her more of a reason, but he was always remaining prepared for her defiance at any moment. Especially with the little wrist stunt she'd pulled recently. It was safe to say he didn't leave anything valuable in his pockets anymore. His eyes moved to the clenched muscle of her jaw as she stared at the bag like it'd killed her puppy, just to find her eyes when she looked to him again. He considered her question a moment, his head tilting a bit with a light shrug. "Let's play a little drinking game," he told her, and if she'd let him, he'd set the bag in her lap so he could dip into the opposing pocket of his vest. What he pulled out was held at the bottom, his brows raising as he looked at her with it raised. "Every three bites you take, you get a shot. Make it to fifteen bites... you get the bottle as a consolation prize. Deal?"



Those lips thinned out some, and she began to lose interest until he proposed the drinking game and set the bag in her lap. Her arms folded over it, and she stared up at him. "What kind of..." Trailing off as he went on to explain. Three bites for a shot. Fifteen bites, whole bottle... It sounded fair, but she'd come to learn that nothing about the man was fair. "...Okay..." she whispered, looking as if she didn't quite trust him to leave her with the bottle.

Either way, three bites wouldn't kill her, and the hunger pains were fierce. She dipped into the bag and pulled out a little carton. She swallowed hard again before grabbing the plastic fork inside, and opening up. The first three bites were taken, and the girl chewed slower than a three legged turtle.

Character Reference:
Zver
Zim
Millie
Daemien




Pain in the Ass...Literally



"I don't see how eating that guy solved the whole you knocking over the display thing, but... Whatever..." Millie muttered, walking back toward the house with Daemien. She wasn't actually pissy about it, but she had been giving him shit. Can't take you anywhere? Millie and Daemien had gone out for some wine, mostly because the girls were bitching that they didn't have any. That didn't fly now that they could taste and enjoy it! Mostly, Millie just wanted an excuse to get out of the house with Daemien. It was nice to be around him without a bunch of dogs, and vampires running around. "We should go on a hunt before we get back...and by hunt, I obviously mean you doing all the work while I chicken out yet again," if he didn't stop her, she'd be giving him a playful nudge with her shoulder. The girl hadn't bothered to get fancy, wearing jeans and a shirt, with flip-flops on her feet.



"Who said me eating the guy had anything to do with the display?" Daemien raised a brow to her, shifting those hazel eyes to peer at her side long. "The problem was I was hungry. I'd call that a problem solved," his toothy grin was unapologetic. No, she can't take him anywhere. He'd told her he wasn't a liable shopping partner. There was only one red drink he cared for, and it wasn't wine. Walking next to her on the way home, his steps slowed when she brought up the hunt and the nudge met his side before he grunted at her. If she didn't stop it, he'd hook his arm around her shoulders and tug her into his side with a playful snap of his long teeth toward her jawline. "Here I was thinking you just saved my favorite part for me," he scoffed, "so much for that."



Zim's outing was much more purposeful. She had that black nose to the ground, sniffing and huffing as she tried to pick up the reaper's scent. Where in the world had she gone off to? The fluffy white wolf had been trying to seek her out, but had to slow her gruff, stompy steps so that the human at her side could keep up. Though, not a whole lot was slowing him down at this point.



Zver wasn't that far behind. His steps were at a brisk power walk a couple paces behind her, fueled by his own aggression and current irritation. "Who the fuck thought it was a bright idea to leave the blind chick to roam Rhy'Din alone?... And why the fuck do we have to look for her?" He grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest as he bitched. "Got my own fucking chick to look for, and now we gotta look for some other dude's girl. Fucking bullshit," he scowled, lifting one hand with his palm facing the wolf. "Yeah, yeah. I f**kin' know. She's supposed to be helping us find Ko, she's got a purpose," he spat. Zim... hadn't even said anything. He was just going on his bitch rant.



"He was helping me pick it up!" Millie snapped back and laughed lightly, shaking her head at the man. "I don't even think you swallowed an ounce of that blood," she said, giving him a suspicious little glare. When his arm made it around her, she shifted her gate and walk so that she was leaning slightly on him, and looking up with those big green eyes. The teeth-snapping was met with a crinkle of her nose. "I do! I save that part for you, and keep my favorite part for myself. Guilt-free calories," the girl grinned. "Man, I don't miss having to work out every day..."



One ear was perked forward, while the other slanted back to listen to him bitch up a storm. Speck got around pretty well on her own, but Zim couldn't argue that for two reasons. One, she didn't know the reaper that well... Two, wolfie form, man! When he got to the conclusion on his own, Zim just grumbled back at him in a low growl.



"You think he was helping you," he grumbled under his breath. He didn't elaborate that, but played it off like he was distracted with the mention of how much - or little - he actually ate of the guy. "I got some in my mouth!" He retorted, furrowing his brows at her. Initially, he had. He swallowed that mouthful! ....He just tore into that guy like he was the newest chew toy that Dae was all too eager to bust up. He'd spent half of the walk back picking shreds of flesh out of his teeth. His arm stayed around her shoulders as she adjusted herself to lean on him. "See, you say shit like that and make me think you're playing up the shyness and just being lazy," he narrowed his eyes at her, suspicious now. "Getting me to do your dirty work," he shook his head, those thick dark brown tendrils snaking over his bare shoulders but the blatant smirk on his face said he was just giving her shit.



"Don't you use that tone with me," he muttered, his eyes scanning over the area as she grumbled at him. "Gonna put that bitch on a leash and hook her to the tree out back if she gets lost again," he grumbled himself, shaking his head before he ended up pushing past Zim's pace as restless as he was. Little did he know, that's why he'd been put on Find-The-Blind-Reaper Duty. He'd been driving Dorian, Frey and everyone else nuts with his constant pacing, weapon checking and tension. Until they had a solid plan, Dorian had told him to stay home. He wasn't to be trusted alone with the Gatling in his current state, apparently. That didn't mean he hadn't snuck his Desert Eagle into his jeans before leaving the house to look for Speck, though. ".....Do they know how big this city is? And there's the Glen... the Docks.. Who knows where the bitch is," he groaned. "Let's go to the Docks... maybe we'll be lucky and she'll be conveniently waiting beside a bottle of vodka in one of those shabby Dockside bars," he grinned to the wolf, waggling his brows before heading that direction without waiting for an answer. Antsy fuck.

Did he really think she wasn't going to follow him? Murderous rampages were fine when he could hold his own, but now, she wanted to supervise! ...also she liked watching, and maybe she wanted to blow off some steam of her own. A low growl left her when he asked if she was giving him lip, a warning for him as she stayed alert and padded on after him. She was mostly on edge because of that damned vampire. Zim stayed close, scanning the alley with every sense she had available. Eyes, ears, nose?



Seriously, Millie! Get with the Murder Boner Crew! Jeez... They even had a clubhouse, and matching tee shirts. Their rivals were the Horrible People Club. Meetings every Wednesday, like anti-rehab group therapy. It was enabling. Hi, my name is Daemien. I like to tear people's throats out. Hi Daemien! Want a copy of the Murder Boner map layout? We know some great places to tear one out real quick.... It was a thing.

"I'm not fucking carrying the midget hiker pack..." He objected, shaking his head hard enough to nearly whip those dreads in pure defiance. "...And fuck your snowshoes, too," he grumbled, his mood shifted to his usual grumpiness to the prospect of a wolf in his territory. It... it was an animal thing... Or a Dae thing. It was just a thing, okay? Did that bitch growl back at me? I KNOW that bitch didn't just growl back at me.... "I know what a fucking werewolf smells like, Millie. You'll learn to recognize the difference," he muttered, just to groan himself to Millie's griping and he looked over his shoulder at her with his brows raised. "So go home. I'll kick some mutt teeth in and be home soon, dear," he told her sarcastically, rolling his eyes. But those steps still carried him toward the direction of the wolf and.. human? But he couldn't help nearly snorting at the idea. "Fuckin' werewolf being a pet... yeah, okay.. And I'm Tarzan," he mumble-mocked.

He'd live to regret that statement soon enough.



"Relax, you're fluffy and dangerous and I've got a gun," he muttered to the wolf, her uneasiness setting off his uneasiness. But never hindering his recklessness... that's for damn sure. It wasn't until he heard the distant sound of voices that he grinned that Joker smile and let out that psychotic cackle. "Bingo!" He called out, looking to Zim with that murder-crazy twinkle in his eyes before he was taking off through the alleyway.

Another downfall to being human.... was not having that nifty trick of sensing non-humans anymore?



Zim, on the other hand...

She would not relax! She grumbled at the very idea, and even shook her head some to say, nooo. When he picked up on his prey, or...predator was the better word for it, she moved even closer to him. Those teeth were on display prematurely as she walked next to him. Daaaaadddd, I don't think this is a good ideeeeaaaa....



She was new to the murdering, okay? She'd get there! ....she just needed to take it slow... Millie shook her head and clicked her tongue across her teeth. "You know, all that grumpyfacing isn't going to get me down on my knees later..." Millie warned him in a thoughtful, almost airy tone. "Okay, but do you really have to pick a fight with it..?" she didn't understand, but she didn't protest. She followed after in an almost defeated way. "I'll wait..." she muttered bitterly, like waiting was the last thing she wanted to do! "Tarzan..." as if it sparked something in her head. "Hm..."



"Oh come on, where's your spirit?!" His brows raised incredulously at the wolf. "Y'know, I remember when you'd follow me just to watch this shit. Now you're getting all weird about it," he snickered, looking forward just to narrow his eyes as his head whipped back to look at her. "You better not be going soft on me..." There was too much of that going around lately. Like a cold. Zim, don't catch the Softie! Or.. in some weird cases, it worked the other way around. Like King Kong Dorian. Shaking his head, he rounded the corner of a warehouse onto the next street, gripping the butt of the Desert Eagle in his hand as he started to lift it to the sight of two people. "Say hello my little--sh*t." He hissed, stilling instantly. He didn't know the woman, but the blood-soaked tribal fuck was unmistakable. "FangF*ck McLeechSuck," he named the vampire in question. Accurately so, if you ask him.



"You say that," he raised a brow at her. "But it's never stopped you before..." He pointed out. "It's just my face!" He had one hell of a resting bitchface, Millie! You knew this coming into it! It was questionable if he was even aware how much he grumpyfaced. ".....Yes..." He blinked at her, as if the question shouldn't have even been asked. "You've never heard that old rumor of vamps and wolves being rivals?" He scoffed, simplifying it exponentially. He didn't like to talk about why that fight had even started. Millie's bitterness was heard but not responded to, and luckily he'd missed the thoughtful way she seemed to think about his Tarzan remark entirely when that curly headed bastard came into view. And the wolf in question. Those hazel eyes ticked between the human and wolf, back and forth as he heard that name spill from the Russian's mouth.

Not a moment later, those eyes sparked with amusement and his smile exposed blood-stained fang. He looked like he was ready to burst out in laughter. His hands rose like greeting an old friend, but they'd played the numbers game back in the day. "...Oh... Zver..." He shook his head, letting out a sigh in disappointment. "I'd heard you've gone soft... But this for protection?" He gestured to Zim. "She's nothing but a baby," he barked a laugh.

....At least his wolf-murder boner had deflated?...



The vampiress' eyebrow raised like, scuse me, bitch? Though it didn't seem to last too long, mostly because she was moving on. "I heard it, but... I mean... I guess I never had a problem with them, so I don't understand.. A werewolf's never tried to kill me, so far it's just been you, very successful, by the way...and humans." There was the slightest nose crinkle to that.

Though Zver's appearance had her looking over in his direction. She didn't seem to get protective when the insult was thrown out there, "Oh, so he knows you, then..." As if it was just an old nickname. "How do you two--" that half question was cut off when she spotted the fluffy white mass at his side. Then the girl lost her shit, "Eeeeeeee....~" A weird noise that left her lips as she did that infamous fucking arm flail, and wasted no time moving over toward the wolf. "So fluffyyyy~" Yeah, at the risk of getting shot, or bitten, she reached down to sink her hands into that fluff mass.

"No shit! If some bitch was rubbing me one too, I'd probably like it, but damn! There's a time and fuckin' place!" He scoffed, rolling his eyes before looking at Dae when Millie said he wouldn't dare. Oh that smirk. "Wouldn't dare, would he?" His eyes came back to the duo as Zim started howling at him and lolling her tongue. "Yeah, yeah, you're lucky you're--" The world will never know what Zim is. Because Dae started his villain speech and dammit if Zver's hazel eyes locked onto Dae's in that you've got to be fucking kidding me way. Then, "you've gotta be sh**ting me..." He muttered, taking one step back when Dae stepped forward, his hand winding tighter around the butt of the gun. "Don't have fucking time for thisssss," he hissed. His baby mama-girlfriend-fiancee thing was missing, kidnapped by a psychopathic square-diddler and now the Blood King takes an interest in him. "Zim. Get up." That stern tone in his voice said that playtime was over.



Zim had completely tuned everyone out for a moment, missing Daemien's villain speech, otherwise she might've been a bit more protective. The tension and demand from Zver had her sitting up. But daaaad.... I'm gettin' lovin'.... A little grunt left her as she rolled away from Millie's pettings and stood to her feet. She moved back over to Zver's side, sitting down with one ear half perked and the other flopped toward the side.



You are my boytoy whether you like it or not and you're not going to have to deal with Zver tonight, but you gone deal with me! Though none of it was voiced, and by the looks of things, maybe he would have to deal with Zver tonight. "...really?" she asked. Another one? They did not have room for another one! She had no Millie space as it was! She didn't try to talk him out of it, though she did pout when Zim was stolen away. "...you ruin everything..."



And she had to deal with him! Just how much of a grump-monster did she wanna deal with?! But chances were.... she'd win. He hated when that bitch was mad at him. "Shut up, Millie," he muttered side stage to her. If she didn't wanna deal with his impulsive shit, she should have gone home when he gave her the opportunity to. Zver's backing up only had him taking another step forward. "We've missed that... spark in you, Zver," he grinned before dropping the act and sighed. "So let's cut to the chase. I'm not going to go into detail. You know how this goes, and mind****ing you is goddamn pointless." He briefly narrowed those hazel eyes that were bleeding through with crimson as he spoke. "Are we going to do this the hard way... or are you going make this easy on yourself?" His hands rose, palms tilted as he eyed the Russian with that stubborn-as-a-mule look. Millie knew the one. He didn't even seem to be concerned about the wolf sitting there. He'd just sick Millie on her for belly pats if he had to.



"If we get out of this, I've give you all the fucking belly pets you want," he muttered under his breath to Zim, but his eyes were steady on the Blood King ahead of him. Unlike Dae underestimating Zim, he didn't underestimate Millie. His eyes flicked to her once, twice, then he just kept her in his peripherals as he took another step back away from Daemien as he... told him how it was going to be. If there was one thing to ensure Zver was Zver... was giving him an ultimatum. It hadn't worked for Erebus, and it sure the fuck wasn't going to work for Daemien. His expression hardened, and then it went completely blank. "..... Clearly, you've forgotten who the fuck I am, Dae," he said, resembling his old sociopathic self in that moment as his voice was nearly monotone. "Zim," he muttered under his breath, and a second later, he was lifting his gun with no hesitation and as quick as he could to still be able to aim precisely. Then, he was pulling the trigger and sending a bullet straight for Daemien's hip. "Run!" He barked the order to Zim, turning tail and starting to run.

That bullet was going to suck. There was a reason Desert Eagles were his favorite handgun.



Those eyes narrowed on Daemien, cheeks puffing out some. Did he really just tell her to shut up? Damn it if she knew better than to get in the way, though. There was a pretty clear frown on her face when Dae began in on Zver. She knew better than to interfere, but that didn't mean she was going to help him out. Those hands raised, and she took a single step back. "Not gonna be a part of this," she informed him with a shake of her head. Though when he pulled out the gun, she tensed up a bit. The loud noise made her flinch some, and she winced. "...that'll hurt for a second..."



Zim's ears flattened to the back of her head, snout pulled back to expose her own long fangs. Her hair was standing on end, which only made her look bigger, and fluffier.... Maybe he should be a little concerned? I mean... C'mon! A snarl tore through her throat as a warning when he took that step forward, no belly rubs would save him! Though they might save her from doing something stupid. When he barked the order for her to run, she turned to glance back at him after the gun went off. He was on the move, and instead, she was running at Daemien, fully intent on taking him down.



Yeah, he did tell her to shut up. In his defense, she knows how he gets when it comes to portraying Alpha to one that wasn't his. If you were in his inner circle, you weren't allowed to know that Millie suplexed the shit out of him and all the weird shit he let her get away with! Damn! "I'm not asking you to, Millie," he muttered to her, giving her a look that said if she wanted to leave, now was her chance -- and not a moment later, Zver's answer coming back to him with an added bullet for a party favor. The impact.. wasn't pretty. A .50 slug hitting him square in the hip sent him doubling over in pain, his hand coming to the wound as his teeth bared in a hiss. "Son of a fucking bitchhhhhhhhhhh," he snarled, his eyes snapping up as he staggered from it, he... shouldn't be surprised. He did know Zver, and how much the man favored guns. As well as the fact that Zver was reckless and -usually- fearless. His expression contorted into pained laughter that was short lived. He'd started to straighten as Mar's blood worked over the pain and lessened it, but the flash of white running at him had his attention snapping to it and a growl rolling deep in his chest. "Fucking mongrel," he spat at the beast, and he wasn't quick enough to react with the bone of his hip taken as much damage as it had. She plowed him down, but if she didn't counter it, his legs were coming up regardless of his pain and he was aiming to kick the hound to send her flying over his head. If successful, he'd be twisting a hiss of strain and forcing himself into a crouch.



Zver told her to run, not charge the Blood King, dammit! Why did he think she'd go with him?!! The bitch never listened to him! But he was human and stupid now, apparently. With the gun still in his hand, he'd gotten a good distance before he realized the sound of paws on the cobblestones weren't trailing him. He skidded to a halt behind one of the warehouses closeby and nearly busted his ass when he spun around too quick. "Zim? Zim!" He barked, his expression contorting with something of irritation before he groaned.



It was unclear why he thought that she'd listen! Someone had threatened him, dammit! She didn't tend to back down on these sorts of things. A snarl tore through her throat as she got him down. Those teeth snapped at his throat, but missed by a mile when his legs kicked upward and sent her tumbling across the ground a few feet away. She'd hit and rolled, flopped down on her side for a moment. It didn't take her long to scoop herself off the ground and go back to facing him. Another snarl was set free before she charged once more like a damned bull.


The thing about Dae - he was the brute of the twin vampires. When she showed signs of charging, his eyes narrowed on her and he snarled through the pain shooting through his pelvis from the embedded bullet as he pushed off. Charging her head-on, it looked like a bull on bull match until Dae pushed off the ground in a leap, using her shoulders when she got close enough to froggy leap over her. Landing, he'd spin around. "Do you think a degenerated mutt like you could make any fucking difference?" He snarled, his expression contorted with anger - and... hatred? Clearly, old feelings from something he'd yet to voice was bubbling to the surface, distorting his views in an admittedly ignorant way.

Zim.... would find Zver stuck. No, literally, he was stuck. He'd panicked when he realized that Zim wasn't behind him anymore, and he'd started to turn back to go after her. Probably make a massive mistake in putting a bullet in Dae's head for touching his fluffy kid. Unfortunately, he'd tried to take a shortcut through one of the warehouses... and one of those old rotted boards had given under his scrawny weight, and he'd fallen through. "Please tell me that's a rope around my leg and not Tak getting frisky," he muttered under his breath, grunting and wiggling as he tried to untangle his leg from whatever had him caught. "I swear if he hurts my dog, I'm going to blow up his fucking house. Nuke that shit, he's going to fucking di----ngh!" He spazzed, "oi! Don't even think about it!" he barked at something beneath the floorboards. "Those aren't peanuts!" It felt like a mouse that scuttled over his leg. At least he hoped it was a mouse.



Oh, Daemien would be fine... Worst comes to worse, she'd take the bullet out with her teeth. Get a sexy little snack out of it... Shut up, not everything was about food to her! Just...most things. She smiled at his grumble, and nodded, "Okay.. I'll make you a drink," she said, jerking her head in the direction of home. "...yeah, I am," she agreed. She liked Daemien, didn't get more stupid than that! A smirk came over her expression, and she gave him a nudge. "Thanks.." she finally mumbled. "You will be rewarded," Millie assured him before attempting to take his arm and lead him off.



Oh, Zim was long gone. Off to fetch her human from some floorboards, apparently. She moved through the warehouse after sniffing him out into there. A little whine left her when she moved into the room, looking around. When he was finally spotted, she trotted over behind him and sank her teeth into the back of his shirt, working to yank him right on out of the trap he'd created. She might've also eaten the mouse that may or may not have been on his leg. What? Snacks!



He'd be okay with that... in fact... he'd prefer it. Then he wouldn't have to tell Eva why the bullet was there in the first place and have to listen to her lecture him about how his thing about wolves was stupid, or about how they didn't have space for more vamps, or that he was too impulsive for his own good - blahblahblah. "You are," he agreed again, with a firm nod. But it was written all over his face: so am I. The nudge got him to grunt as he looked at her, and he rolled his eyes to her gratitude. "Yeah, don't mention it.... no really, don't," he scrunched his face until she said he'd be rewarded and took his arm. There was a touch of a limp to his walk, but only because of the grating metal. But he wasn't really paying attention to the pain anymore. "...What kinda reward? Your kinda reward or my kinda reward?" He followed after her with her guidance. What the fuck was the difference?



When she found him, he was just bitching up a storm. "Stupid FangF*ckBitchSuck! Hate being human," he huffed, tugging on that leg to try to unsnare it. "If I was still a tentacle monster, I could've shoved it up his ass and made him sing but noooooo," he groaned, shaking his head. "Gotta find Zim," tug, "find Ko..." tugtug "deal with Sawyer and now evade the fucking Leech King. Bullsh*t, total bullshi--hey!" He yelped, thinking Dae had snagged him when he felt the pull on the back of his shirt and his leg soon freed from the hole. "I'll shoot your dick off, you--" Turning that curly head to see who'd got him, his eyes widened at Zim. Even while she was snacking on that mouse, he didn't care. He reached out and ruffled that fur in a loving, proud way that she'd not only escaped the Leech King, but also tugged him out of the hole he was in - literally. "Fuck, Zim. I thought FangDick got you. How....?" His brows furrowed in confusion as he shook his head, looking to his leg that was tangled in an old rope and he grunted with a flop to his side as he wrestled the thing off. "We gotta get out of here, I don't trust that f**ker not to come back. I'll go back to f**kin' Cold Harbor before I become one of his blood sucking bitches," he grunted.



Poor Zver! Zim grunted as he began barking at her and threatening to shoot her non-existent dick off! Ruuuude! He went on and she just nuzzled against his hand. If it hadn't been for Millie, she'd have definitely been a vampire's puppet at that point... The kind where Daemien's hand was shoved through her chest, and not at all the kind where she'd end up working for him. She owed the hell out of that bitch. For now, her focus was on her human, though. She grabbed part of the rope with her teeth and pulled before moving to nudge him up to his feet. Daemien wanted Zver, and that wasn't a good thing. It meant certain death for them both, because she was sure to get in the way again?



"I won't mention it again," she promised. Except to Eva later...in private. I'll swear her to secrecy...she'll probably just tell Micah. It's cool. We love you! A smirk played across her features as she walked with him. "...Your kinda reward. Not the thing that I never let you do, but the thing I almost never let you do..." she nudged him again.



As he went on, she got to thinking about it. Daemien couldn't turn him, if... Without really asking permission, which would've been the decent thing to do, she circled around to the other side of him. And, as he worked himself to his feet, she'd snap those teeth in a quick motion, sinking them into his buttcheek before withdrawing them quickly. Those ears flattened apologetically, as a whimper left her at the taste of his blood. Ko had scarred one side, Zim had been sure to scar the other.

Downward Spiral


Keirra had become much more compliant over the time she'd spent down there. At this point, Sawyer was close to having her in the palm of his hand. It was still a battle to get her to get her to eat, and take care of herself. But she hadn't been a bitch since the first night, and now the backtalk was few and far in between. She didn't move from the couch much, except to go to the bathroom and occasionally wash up. Smelly bitch! She had about a fourth a bottle of vodka left, and two cigarettes, one of which was already lit.


The developments of his position was growing easier with that compliance. They hadn't had another slip up since that first night where she stoked the fire of his temper, but it probably helped that he kept her pretty supplied of vices. His presence was scarce, but not enough to allow her to forget about him. He'd pop his head in now and then just to check on her, ask her if she needed anything else. Or sometimes just to share a cigarette before he'd leave his pack with her and leave. Now, it was the daily struggle to get her to eat.

That tell-tale portal expanded in the room and Sawyer stepped out, dressed in a white and grey button up plaid shirt and jeans held up by his belt. Those emerald luminescent eyes locked onto the smelly bitch on the couch as he lifted an unopened bottle of vodka in one hand and a takeout bag in the other. He'd learned it was easier to just get takeout, instead of wasting time cooking food she rarely ate. "How much am I gonna have to fight you to eat today?" He raised a brow at her, his steps slow as he watched her in his walk toward the couch.


The rogue actually perked up at the signs of his portal, bitch was nearly wrapped around his finger. Her eyes sticking to him like glue, as if she'd actually missed him. Keirra looked between the bottle and takeout, and then looked at her own bottle as if considering it a moment. Asking herself, how much longer can I make this bottle last? Her cigarette was taken to her lips and puffed on, as she seemed to have that mental debate.


That wolvish smile spread to the way she perked up, but it was dialed back to something endearing, as if he was glad to see her. His head tilted to the side, his brows lifting as both the takeout and bottle alike swung back and forth. "Tempting, isn't it?" He teased her, reaching the couch before he turned and sat down on the cushions. "While you figure it out.." He sighed, setting the bag and bottle on the cushion on the other side of him, out of her reach. "I got nothing better to do," he hummed, leaning back into the seat as he worked his pack out of his pocket, retrieving a stick to place between his lips with a shift of a glance her way while he lit it. Yeah, he was settling in.


It was tempting... Mostly because more booze was always a good thing to the alcoholic. As he made his way over to the couch, she sat up. Before when he did this, she'd curl up in the furthest corner away from him. Now, she actually scooted to the middle cushion. Keirra licked her lips and squeezed the neck of her bottle. Bringing the cigarette to her lips as if it would make her mouth somehow less dry. "Mm..." An unpleasant little noise at the choice before she averted her eyes. "What'd you do today?"


His head turned to look at her scooting, his lips twitching with the threat of a smile from how things were turning out. His legs stretched out in a relaxed way, his slumping into the couch like he was going to be there for a while. The conversational question had him laughing under his breath and his eyes lifted to the ceiling in thought for a moment. "Let's see... I slapped a piece of peanut butter toast to Avi's forehead this morning..." He paused, taking a drag of his cigarette before continuing. "I shot the incarnation of evil in squirrel form with a BB gun. Downed an entire bottle of booze by lunch, and spent the rest of the afternoon until now playing games on my phone," he sighed, turning his head to look at her. "It's been a productive day, what about you?" He lifted his chin to her, waiting to hear about her exciting day.


Those lips curled up some when he settled in, and then moreso when he went on with his day. Picturing Avi with a peanut butter face had her smirking around the cigarette some. He went on, and she smoked away, nodding to the productive...ness of the day. "I... woke up, and then... Smoked and drank on the couch... Then I took a shower, and tore the legs off of a bug...and then sat on the couch.."


His eyes found her face as she went on about her.... productive?.... day. "Mhn, we've both had a busy day," he mused, but he was smirking about her torturing the bug. It was little but it was mean! "So you made the bug and the couch your bitch today," he summed up her agenda with a nod of his head, grinning at her before he took another drag. "You up for making this meatball sub your bitch too? Or you going to punk out?" He narrowed his eyes at her playfully. "It talked so much shit about you on the way here, man... you should've heard it," he shook his head, puffing his cheeks with an exhale. "I think you should demolish it, for sure." He nodded, giving her an encouraging look.


Nodding to the idea of having a busy day, because fuck it! She showered! Then he talked about the bug and the couch, "...I mean I don't want to brag, buuut..." the girl smirked some, and then scrunched her nose when he talked about the meatball sub. Then she scoffed, "Do you really think I'm going to fall for that? Really?" A little shake of her head as she folded her arms over her chest and looked away from him.


When she put on her defiant face and looked away from him, he watched her for a moment and chewed on one of the two lip rings. Leaning toward her, he lowered his voice like he didn't want to tell her what the sub said... but he thought she should know. "It.... called you a midget... it also said you punch like a cheerleader," he whispered, pressing his lips together with a tilt of his head in an apologetic way. He didn't say it! The sub did!


When he leaned closer, she turned, stilled. and waited. When he spoke in that low tone, her cheeks puffed out some and her eyes widened. "It said what now?" she asked, eyes staring at the bag like she wanted to punch it. Then she shook her head as if to say she wasn't falling for it. "Why would I want to put that in my mouth?" she asked, folding those arms over her chest as she moved to literally turn her back on him.


His hands lifted in surrender when she asked. "It's got a fu**in' attitude," he told her. The look on her face that said she wanted to... punch the sandwich... had him fighting laughter before he raised a brow to the question. "Why wouldn't you? It's a shit talker, but it's also from one of the best italian places in Rhy'Din. In my opinion," he shrugged, cutting her a look as she turned her back on him. It was his turn to puff his cheeks at her. "Also, because you haven't eaten since yesterday.... and... I'm asking you to." His nose crinkled as he mumbled it, shutting himself up as he brought the cigarette to his mouth.

Watching the two go back and forth, she didn't really seem all that impressed by it. Though some of what Sawyer said made her smirk some. She looked up at him when he mentioned having the good stuff, but she'd probably have done it either way. It was because he regularly brought and left the good stuff, dammit! Keirra took the bowl and lighter, sparking up the weed and taking a deep drag, eyes rolling shut. After her hit was taken and held, she passed it over to him.


Aviana's eyes rolled, "Fuck you... I can do what I want... I don't need to please you!" she barked and looked away from him. Asshole! "It's something," she said, eyeing Keirra and then Sawyer. She wanted to slow clap for the man. "Hey I showered...two days ago." In her defense, she didn't really sweat that much?


While Ko took her hit, Sawyer kept at it. "It's not about pleasing me, though your stench is currently leaving eggs in my brain," he wrinkled his nose like she was repulsive. Really, she didn't smell that bad. He was just being a dick to her. "Oh, two days. Well, that's an improvement," he rolled his eyes, taking the bowl from Ko when it was offered out. The piece was fit to his mouth as he took a hit, holding it in as he leaned forward to pass it to Avi. When she took it, he'd settle back into the couch and looked to Ko. "You're so....quiet," he teased, crinkling his nose at her with that strained voice. He wasn't actually complaining, but c'mon... it's Keirra. She's never this quiet.


What the hell? Eggs in the brain? Really? "An improvement?" she questioned, brow furrowing as she pouted out that bottom lip. Mean ole Sawyer! Offending her and stuff. "..she's probably just planning her escape," Aviana jested when he commented on Ko's sudden silence. Taking the bowl, she sparked it up and took a deep drag, letting it out after a moment of holding, and passed the bowl back to Keirra.


Even Keirra looked over at him with that eggs in the brain comment, though she hadn't said a damn word! The smoke left her lungs from the first drag, and she shrugged lightly. No escape planned, man! Keirra seemed more than content leaning on him and sitting there. When Avi passed back the bowl, Ko took a hit and then passed it up to Sawyer with it still smoking. "I'm sorry," she mumbled about being quiet.


Yes, eggs in the brain. He was never going to be rid of it. Pfft, fuck you. He doesn't have to explain himself to anyone! He waved his hand dismissively to both their looks. "Blow me," he muttered, just to eye Ko when Avi mentioned planning an escape. ".....Don't leave me alone with that bitch," he whined at his hostage, "she's so hateful." Really, she was! Always teasing him and stuff... calling him ugly.... He might be a terrible person and monster, but he has feelings, dammit! Okay, maybe they were buried deeper than the Bermuda Triangle... But still. "Well," he sighed, taking the bowl offered before taking a bit and only continuing to speak when he was holding it in and passing on to Avi. "Maybe this will get you more social." Leaning back into those cushions, he let his head fall back with that thinned out look of his eyes. "Mhn," he grunted, seeming relaxed again.


"Aww honey, no..." To Sawyer's mutterings. "...I have standards," she teased him. "Pfft, you're the one who decided to live with me!" Aviana scoffed, rolling her eyes. Though it was unclear whose idea it was, honestly. One of those things that just sort of happened. "Men, right?" to Keirra, trying to break the ice some. She had to say, she was impressed. Taking a drag, she passed it to Ko.


Keirra winced slightly, when he seemed unhappy with her look. Though in her defense, it was a stupid thing to say, dammit! She looked between him and Avi, "I'm not trying to escape," she assured them, one last hit before she put up her hand, those eyes bloodshot and thinned out. "M'good," she muttered, handing to to Sawyer and shaking her head. Now, she was staring at that meatball sub.


"Could've fooled me," he flashed his wolfish smile to Avi, just to wave his hand with a roll of his own eyes. "You're the one who wanted me to live with you!" He snickered, still making it difficult to discern who's idea came first. "Men?" Scoffed, "women," he said pointedly to her until Ko's assurance had him raising a brow at her. "Relax," he muttered to her, the arm being leaned on nudging her gently. "I mean, the last escape attempt went..." He crinkled his nose, looking to the wrist she'd fractured. "Still can't believe you did that," he chuckled, almost making it sound like a fond memory. What? C'mon, that shit was funny. Blinking to focus those bloodshot eyes with the passing, he took it and caught her eyeing that sub. He didn't say anything, not wanting to put her off from the idea, and just kept looking through his peripheral at her, taking another hit of the joint.


Those eyes shifted over to Sawyer, and the little space case blinked. "What?" to the nudge, and then she laughed lightly, if only because she was high. "...had to try, right?" she asked with a lazy little shrug. Then she went back to staring at that sub, before giving up and reaching for it. Tearing the foil off, she took a bite that seemed way too big for her, and then leaned all that meager weight on Sawyer. Those eyes drifted to Avi for a moment.


"Pfft," Aviana shrugged and looked away from him for a moment. "Yeah, that did not go well," she agreed. She watched Ko finally take a bite of the sub, and reached for the joint, pausing when Ko made eye contact. It was like a flood in her brain, and she blinked away after a moment, moving to stare Sawyer in the eye. Oh man, you really did a number on her? Catching the way Ko was cozied on up to him. I can't say I'm not impressed, I didn't even have to manipulate her. She thinks Zver doesn't want her now, so if I were you, I'd play on that. But, she's also uncomfortable around both of us at the same time. Want me to go?


His brows lifted as he looked to the space cadet. "You're.... so baked," he teased her lightly, letting out a bit of a laugh before shaking his head. "Yeah, it was commendable, really. I mean, you can get creative, that's for fucking sure," he snickered, slouching a bit more when Ko leaned more of her weight on him after that big bite. He considered teasing her about having a big mouth, but didn't want to put her off from eating. Would've killed the purpose of bringing her the sub in the first place. The look from Avi and Ko had him eyeing Avi curiously, just to be met with those eyes. It was a feeling he'd gotten used to by now, but it still sent a shiver down his spine. Endearing, really. As her thoughts invaded his, the corner of his mouth twitched with a restrained smirk to the compliment and he refrained from glancing at Ko to the new information gained. Keeping eye contact, What can I say? I'm good at what I do. But so are you, I'll keep that tidbit in mind. He considered the last for a moment, squinting those emerald orbs at her before nodding once, briefly. As much as I love this little threesome we've got goin' on, we don't want her to withdraw. The corner of his mouth curled into a smirk. Hate for you to go, but I love to watch you leave, he sang mentally, his coy smirk snuffed out by the second hit he took from the joint before holding it out to the Looker.


Yeah, yeah, you're alright, a smirk played across her features. She reached out for the weed, and took one last hit before handing it back. I kinda need to hunt anyways, and with an ass like this, I can't say that I blame you. She pushed up on her knees and stood with a grunt, "Alright, I gotta go hunt. Later guys," she said softly heading away from them, waiting for Sawyer to open a portal, and then she'd disappear through.

Damn it, if he wasn't great at manipulation. She averted her eyes when he questioned her, and it was true. She couldn't keep something like that from him. Though she didn't have it in her to take it out on Sawyer. She couldn't even see how he was at fault anymore. Keirra had pushed him to it, she made him do it. It was her fault. Then the point of Zver being smart was brought up, and how could he not figure it out? She could feel her heart race a bit, the weed doing its part in her anxiety as she shot him the most pathetic look. "...but he loves me.."


Her pathetic look had him looking at her, then quickly away like he hated seeing her in pain. His hand swiped over his face before he stood from the couch, raking his fingers through that muss of hair. "I'm sure he does, okay? And yeah, he'd probably stay with you," he shrugged, looking over at her like he was trying to help her figure this out, a way around it. Maybe fix this. "...For a while. Could he look you in the eyes? Touch you?" He shook his head, looking to the ground before he looked at her and sat back down, his legs turned to her. "I'm not trying to hurt you, Keirra," he whispered, holding up his hands in surrender. "I'm not trying to destroy everything, it happened and..." He shook his head, rolling his eyes closed with a sigh like he blamed himself for all of this. "...I'm sorry, for all of this. It got out of hand. But you need to be prepared for the possibility that love can't redeem this," he muttered, shaking his head. "It's in the most primal of our cores, to feel like what's ours is ours, and when another man touches what's ours..." He crinkled his nose, trailing off like he didn't want to say the rest.


Watching him stand, the fear wasn't there in what he might do. At this point, she didn't really care what he did to her. Swallowing hard, she stared up at him, and damn it if he didn't sell it. Damn it if she didn't eat it right out of his hand and believe that he wanted what was best for her; that he cared. He apologized, and she took in a deep breath, trying to gulp down that lump in her throat and all she could do was drown it with whiskey. "It was my fault," she whispered softly, lowering those eyes. She took in a deep breath, "I don't deserve him," she wasn't enjoying the cigarette anymore. Just smoking it out of habit.


Lowering his head like he was about to admit something he didn't want to, he averted those smoldering emeralds from her. "I would've let you go sooner after what I did to you, it was never in the plan and the plan kind of fell to shit after that," he muttered, looking down as he brought the cigarette up to his lips, closing his eyes against the smoke that pooled up to hit him square in the face but he didn't care. "But... I didn't know how to bring up... or prepare you for..." He wrinkled his nose, lowering his hand while his head lifted. Looking over to her, he moved to crouch in front of her but didn't touch her as he looked up at her. "Kierra... I know what happened to you before... I just don't want you to go through that again, if there was a way I could fix this, I would," he told her, a false promise.


Keirra was silent for a moment, staring at him with deadened eyes well after he was finished talking and crouching in front of her. She blinked a few times, and believe it or not, she looked worse off than when he'd done what he'd done to her. She'd known it in the back of her mind, that she was damaged goods now. It had been a thought that had crept up on her, something she tried to run from as if it were going to pull her straight to hell. But he'd said it, and it was one thing to think it, but to have it confirmed? A shiver went down her spine like she wanted to cry.

He won't love me anymore. He's probably already moved on.. Has he even been looking for me? If he has, he's going to be so disappointed...

Like looking for your phone all day, only to find it broken. That was Keirra; a broken phone. Suddenly, she reached out for him and buried her face into the crook of his shoulder and neck, letting out a shuddering little breath.


He swallowed hard, and looked down to the cigarette that he rolled between his fingers. Indecisive on if he even wanted it anymore, just playing with it. Of course he still wanted it, but it was all a part of his sick game. It was questionable if the monster could ever feel remorse, but he could wear the mask like the flip of a switch and it was adorned brightly on display, flashing in neon colors. Guilt, guilt, guilt. He was quiet for a while, wondering when was an adequate amount of time to let pass before he told her he was leaving, but that thought was tossed out of those barred windows when he saw her reaching for him. His eyes lifted to her, half preparing for her to lash out. You did this to me, you sick fuck! But she didn't. Instead, her face found refuge in that spot where others might be able to offer warmth but he was more like a chilled breeze. Recovering from the look of surprise on his face, he flicked his cigarette away to free up both hands that wound themselves around her back. One soothing, stroking his fingers through her hair while the other splayed over her back. He turned his head, whispering an "I'm sorry" into her ear.

"Yeah, I won't give you any trouble," she shook her head. "Plus, I don't really have anything to go back to," she shrugged and took another drag before passing it with an, "M'good," bitch was a lightweight when it came to weed, not so much alcohol. "It definitely smells like one, but also kind of musty...a basement bar," she muttered. "I'm not sure.. Sometime soon, hopefully? But whenever is good for you. I know you're busy."


Even if she did give him trouble, he was confident he was fast enough to catch up to her. Shadows were a bitch, but he was an asshole. Holding the cigarette between two fingers, he took the joint with the other hand and muttered that she was a lightweight, playfully so and smirking when he said it. "The musty smell was here when I found this place," he wrinkled his nose. "I like it," he admitted, taking a hit of the joint and holding it before adding nicotine into the mix until his lungs felt like they'd burst. Exhaling the mixture through his nose, he looked around then at her. "How 'bout tomorrow? I'll come get you earlier than my usual pop-in, but," he squinted at her like the cost was going to be great.

"You better eat that sammich I gotchu," he concluded, pointing to the bag with the hand holding the cigarette. "And shower," he teased her. "You smell like a basement bar," he slowly smirked, shifting those eyes to her with a nudge of his shoulder to hers.


Yeah, he'd have caught her. Bitch has been sitting on a couch for the past two days, it was a gamble on whether or not she could even run at this point. "Oh it was? Thank goodness... I thought I caused it," she snickered some and took the vodka bottle to polish it off. "Mgh..." Wiping her mouth and reaching for the cigarette pack as he made the plans. The stipulation had her frowning, "The whole thing...?" she asked with a pitiful look on her face. "I guess I'll shower, but I ain't shaving.."


"Nah, you tossed your own musk into it. Eau-de-Ko. Not sure if it made it better or worse," he smirked, taking a deep hit of that joint one more time before he pinched the end with those fingers to snuff it out. The joint was a fatty and there was still a good half of it. Leaning forward to reach around her, he set it on the couch's armrest next to her. "For later," he told her, settling back into his seat before he took a drag of his cigarette, flicking the ash accumulated in it's wait to the floor. Her questioning the sandwich had him tilting his head to peer at it. "How 'bout half? Final offer," he went for the flask again, pouring more into his mouth before he swallowed hard with the strained laugh. "Fine, don't fucking shave. Let the wild thang in you hang out," he waved his hand in the air. "Get your inner Sasquatch on," he snickered, shaking his head.


"Yeah, I've been told it's a hit and miss scent," she muttered her agreement and sighed. "Thanks," when he left the joint with her, moving to grab the sandwich. For now, she was high, and getting a good portion of it down wouldn't be a problem. She nodded, "I'll accept half," because it was a 50% better offer than whole! The cigarettes were abandoned for the sandwich and she worked on getting it unwrapped. "...so what is it?"


"Well, you don't smell like fruit, candy or a pastry like most chicks," he crinkled his nose. "I mean, I get that whole... I'm going smell delicious, maybe you'll eat me thing.. but.. A chick that smells like cheap vanilla perfume is gross," he made a face. "Keep the musk, it does you better," he shook his head. Finishing off his cigarette, he rolled the filter into a ball before flicking it away and glanced to the sandwich. "Lil' bit of everything... kinda realized when I got it I never asked you what you actually like... so whatever you don't like.. you can pick out. And y'know, tell me what you do. That'd be helpful," he snickered, pouring more of that harsh liquor over his tongue from the flask.


"Body spray just makes me want to sneeze," she crinkled her nose. Bitch did not like smelling clean. She leaned on him as she looked at the sandwich. "Well," she muttered, looking at it before taking a bite. "If y'gone get mmf takeout..." she swallowed hard. "I don't really like eating in general..." Ko admitted, but nothing beat Dodo's cooking. She missed him...

"My favorite thing is pizza, just cheese...maybe some sausage.."


"Just smells like chemicals to me. And not even the good kind," he scoffed. He shifted under her lean a little bit, slouching more to make it a bit more comfortable before settling in. "You'll want takeout over my cooking," he assured her in a mutter. He wasn't much of a cook, unless it was quick things to pop in the microwave. He wasn't a kitchen efficient man at all. He cut her a look when she said she didn't like cooking, but when she caved and said what she liked, his brows lifted. "So... all this time I've been trying to get you fancy meatball subs, sandwiches and chinese food..." They weren't all that fancy. "I should've just been getting you baked dough with greasy cheese and sauce..." He let out a cackled before he nodded his head. "Got it. I'll keep that in mind."


A few bites in, she looked over at him, wiping some sauce from her face. "I've smelled your cooking," she said with a crinkle of her nose. "I'll go for the takeout," a smirk. After a few more bites, she set the sandwich aside. "Pretty much," a nod. At least she was being helpful? Pizza she could eat, even if it reminded her of Zver when he was Kitra... Their little apartment.. How he'd try and trick her into eating by nudging a slice near her when he got her high. A bit of sadness washed over her.


"That's probably the better and safer choice," he laughed. "I'd pity your taste buds if you got ballsy enough to actually eat that shit. But pizza... that I can do." Leaning his head back against the couch, he peered over at her as that sadness washed over her. Misery. It was like a taste radiating from her in his favorite flavor and for a moment he breathed it in before giving her a soft nudge with his arm. "Hey," he said softly, "you don't gotta eat more if you don't want to," he assured her, then, "you wanna crash for a while?" Seeing that she seemed to like those pills he called 'Avi's Candies', he'd come around to offering them.


The rogue basked in that sadness for a moment before his nudge took her out, and she looked over at him, trying to blink it away. He was soft, completely different than he'd been on their first meeting. "I'll eat more later," she muttered softly, fidgeting with that pack before he made that offer. "Yes, please.. Will...you stay here until I fall asleep?"


He seemed to have made a 180 since that first day he took it upon himself to teach her a lesson in 'compliance'. The monster he'd been seemed to have disappeared completely through guilt and shame. He nodded when she said she wanted them, slipping his hand into his pocket before it paused with the next question she asked. He looked over at her a moment before he nodded slowly. "Sure, I can stay," he smiled, pulling the orange pill bottle out of his pocket and popped the cap off with his thumb. "I can chill out on the floor if you wanna make the couch your bitch," he snickered, tapping out one pill before holding his hand open and toward her, palm up to brandish the pill.


While he fished out the pills, she took the cap off of the new bottle, smiling softly when he agreed to stay. "No, that's okay," she said with a shake of her head when he offered to take the floor. She scooted away from him a little ways, taking the pill and washing it down. A deep breath was taken before she took a few more swallows and set the bottle on the floor in front of the couch with the cap put back on. Then...she moved to lay her head in his lap if he'd let her.


"No?" He raised a brow, apparently not quite getting it when she objected, but didn't elaborate. Was she going to nap sitting up? Like a sitting horse? That would be new. But it was all made clear as he remained quiet and she readied herself for naptime. His eyes ticked to her as she moved around, but his brows twitched upward when she decided to take up residence in his lap - just her head though. Biting his tongue from the crude comments that came to mind, while you're down there? He snickered, but didn't stop her. "Comfy?" He questioned, shifting a bit to get comfortable himself before he went for a cigarette, lighting it since he was going to be there for a little while.


Tomorrow was going to be a big day, so a good nap was needed. Mostly, she was sick of being alone. He visited her quite often now, but she was still alone for a lot of the time, unless Aviana came for a visit. "Yeah, comfy," she nodded against his leg, reaching back for the blanket to drape it over her bare legs before she snuggled in.


Those bright emeralds lowered to her as she got settled and admitted to being comfy. "At least I have some use other than Delivery Guy," he teased her lightly, smirking before it was snuffed out by his cigarette. His head tilted back to rest against the couch while his eyes closed. For a moment, it might've looked like he fell asleep were it not for the shift of his smoking hand lifting to his mouth until it was spent.

It was until her breathing evened out and all signs pointed to her being knocked out from those special candies that he opened his eyes slowly and lifted his head. Looking at her for a moment - a few moments, actually - he maneuvered out from under her head, guiding it to the couch as he stood to his feet. Starting toward the portal that opened up in the middle of the room, he paused and looked over his shoulder at her, mostly at the awkward way her head was angled due to the fact his lap wasn't supporting it anymore. Rolling his eyes some, he turned back to the couch and moved the items in his pockets around. Then removed his sweatshirt. Bunching it up into a makeshift pillow, his hand slipped under her head and lifted it to slide the sweaterpillow beneath it. "Better appreciate it," he mumbled under his breath, turning away from the couch to head on out this time.

The nudge came along with a comforting squeeze to her waist like she was an agoraphobe and he was pulling her out of the house for the first time. "Fresh air, right?" He grinned to her, and... he hadn't done shit to clean up the actual cabin. It was still a bit gloomy, still musty and dusty. It looked more like a haunted cabin than a livable space, but it... kinda suited the Lethifold leading her out of the basement. It wasn't big, and there was the main floor, then a set of stairs that went up to a high-ceiling small loft. But the only place he was interested in drawing her towards was the front door that was across the living space and a small portion of the kitchen. "Sorry for the mess, I should probably fire my maid," he teased, his lips twitching to a smirk as he lead her toward the front door.




If she was an agoraphobe it was his damned fault! Ko's eyes squeezed shut a moment, and she took that step. "...right," she whispered, not even registering for the moment that it was her idea to do this. When she stepped further into the house, she looked around. She walked with him, and swallowed hard, her arm circling around his back, digging into his clothes and clinging there. "Yeah, or set her on fire...burning flesh might help with the smell," she teased nervously.




If she was this bad over the span of a few short weeks, imagine longer! Poor thing was as skittish as a doe at this point when it came to the Outside World. He considered reminding her it was her idea to do it, but he didn't want to rub it in or draw too much attention to her nervousness. Her comment, however, had his brows arching high as he turned his head to peer at her. "Dark," he laughed, shaking his head but he didn't seem to disapprove. "But you're right, this place is past the hope of improvement from just lighting a match." Snickering, her clinging to him had him refraining from rolling his eyes as he steered her for the front door. Reaching it, he put his hand on the doorknob and didn't really give her time to back out or ask if she was ready. Leap of faith, or jumping headfirst into the pool, he pulled the door open as he tilted them both out of the way to welcome - begrudgingly so, for the not-so-living shroud - the daylight and fresh air.




The booze and drugs didn't help with anything. Though she probably would've just kept trying to off herself without them. When he spoke of lighting a match, she smirked some. Though if he burned down the house and forgot that she was in the basement, bitch was gonna be piiiiiissed. Keeping tangled up in him, she watched him grab the doorknob and almost told him to wait. Too late. The sunlight poured in and she squeezed her eyes shut with a grunt before turning her face against him. A low groan came out of her mouth before she tried to right herself. If he didn't stop her, she'd slip away from him and take a single step to peer out, and then another, and another until she was out in the sun. So pale!



Ko was his leverage, why would he want that bitch to burn to coals?! Even if she'd told him to wait, he wouldn't have. Rub some dirt in it! You'll be fiiiiiine! The closed-eye grunt was echoed by him, though for different reasons than living like a cave dweller and more for the fact he was a shadow and light sucked. Though, the grunt didn't sound too displeased by the sounds of it, regardless of the sting to his eyes until they adjusted. "F***in' bright out in this bitch," he mumbled under his breath until his eyes opened slowly and to a narrow squint when she slipped away from him. He didn't stop her, but he watched her and was at the ready to book it after her if she tried to take off running. He waited until she was out of the doorway before he stepped through it himself, closing the door behind him that finalized the transition to the outside world. Teasing, he held up his hand and turned his face from her. "Daaaaamn, cool the high beams, sweetheart. You're blinding me," he grinned, peering through his fingers as they spread to reveal the fact he was just giving her shit.

Oh, look! More booze! ... This is why Sawyer should never have living pets. He'd just feed them vodka and forget to water them. His steps stopped a moment after hers did, and he looked between the set up and her as his brow started rising. "What? Something -" He paused in his question as she dished out her own and he pulled his eyes away from her to look at it. His shoulders shrugged as their hands parted and he slipped both of his into his pockets. "Yeah... First time coming outside in a while, and after everything..." He cleared his throat, approaching the blanket a pause after her and as she asked him again. "Thought you could use a decent day. Kinda.. the best I could really do," he wrinkled his nose, turning once he made it to the blanket and lowered himself to sit down beside her, removing his hands from his pockets on the way down before they got trapped.




"This is..." Keirra looked around, and one would think that the blanket was made out of roses by the way she reacted to it. She hadn't expected such a nice gesture. Sure, he'd done a great job of taking care of h--no...keeping her health--no...Oh! Supplying booze! Still, this was something more, and as he sat beside her, she looked up at him. Vulnerable little bitch. Those icy eyes met his, and then lowered to his lips, and then to his eyes, back and forth as she began to lean closer.




"Yeah, it's not the best... but," he shrugged. "Best I could do," he snickered, but she reacted to it better than he expected. No jokes, no smart assery. Stockholm Ko was far different than the Ko he'd been keeping his eye on. He supplied her with booze, cigarettes, weed and nappytime candies! He was a GREAT caretaker! ... Not really. If Avi hadn't reminded him to feed her and leave water for her, she'd probably be dead. He looked at her when she looked up at him, and he caught the way she glanced down to his lips then up at him, back and forth. The lean... he had to keep himself from smacking her on the forehead like she was that Staples Easy Button. He stared at her for a moment, starting to lean down himself.. slowly at that, which to her may have seemed hesitant for an innocent, maybe even a sweet reason... but really, he was half expecting to get headbutted.




The man had broken her little brain and soaked what was left in booze and nappytime pills, mang! She needed therapy! ...and H2O... It might've been helpful if he Easy Smacked her instead of leaning in. Headbutting him and trying to run might've been the smarter choice than what she had in mind. As he leaned to meet her, she took in a deep breath and if he didn't stop her, the rogue would be wrapping her arms around his shoulders and pressing her lips against his.




Yeah, maybe later he'd push the H20. She'd be useless to him dead. And she needed a whole lot of therapy. It might've been helpful.... but would it be Sawyer if he was helpful? Hell no. So instead, as they both leaned, it was her wrapping her arms around him and making the contact that one hand propped him on the blanket to twist at the torso, his other hand moving to slip his fingers into her hair as he returned the kiss. And I thought Maggie was stupid?




It wasn't a secret that Ko was stupid. She fell for Zver when he was a sociopathic demon, dammit! Now, she was just a twisted up mess that believed she was broken, damaged goods to the man she wanted to be with. She'd been down there for weeks, without any form of affection and only heartbreak. Unless the possible "sleep visits" counted. There was a part of her, in the back of her mind that prodded at her and told her it was wrong. She deepened the kiss for a moment, her tongue prodding and quite possibly slipping into his mouth before that voice got the better of her and she pulled back. "...I can't.."




Maybe it won't be so easy.... He'd taken what she had to offer, his lips parting as the cigarette tainted mint of his breath brushed her lips, even managing to flick his tongue over hers when it entered his mouth until she pulled away. His eyes had fallen closed in the midst of it, but opened to those two words. He fought a scowl, then an eye roll, and turned his head with a sigh. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that," he cleared his throat, shaking his head as he played the guilt card.




As she pulled away, her hand came up to her lips and she shut her eyes for a moment before shaking her head. The guilt card worked, and it was painfully obvious on her face. "N-no," she shook her head. "You didn't do anything, it was me," she whispered, swallowing hard for a moment as the vulnerable thing turned her face away. "I... know that he couldn't.." Keirra sighed softly. "I know that he won't feel the same about me anymore, but...I still feel it. I'm sorry.."

She didn't need to, he called himself out on it. "Cheap line, but I stand by it," he smirked, lifting his chin like he regretted nothing. Those emerald eyes shifted over to her when she moved around, lifting his head enough to fit the bowl to his lips for a hit. He held it as he let his arm and head fall back to the blanket, and moved his other hand now free from the cigarette to prop up his head. His voice strained, he set the bowl away. "Welcome," he barely crinkled his nose to the gratitude, but at least this time was for a compliment and not something else. Hands freed, his chin lifted with the train of smoke shot up toward the sky.




Quiet for a moment, she stared at him and tilted her head some before letting out a sigh. "Sawyer," she mumbled softly, slurring his name a tad before going on. "Now that..." she swallowed hard. "..things didn't go as planned," because it sounded a hell of a lot better than, now that you raped me and screwed all chances of Zver even wanting me back?"What's...going to happen? He's..." A soft sigh escaped her. "Probably not even looking for me anymore, so why are you keeping me still?" And then like any stereotypical drunk, she hiccupped.




"Hm?" He hummed, to the slur of his name. Those emeralds flicked to her, a brow raising in question as he waited for her to get out what she had to say or ask. He turned his eyes skyward when she mentioned things not going as planned, and yeah. It sounded better, if only because his mask was on. He waited until she was finished, staring up to the sky peeking through the foliage before he let out a sigh and shifted again until he was propped up on his elbows. Looking ahead instead of up, he shrugged his shoulders in a defeated way. "I... honestly don't know, Keirra," he whispered, shaking his head. "I had things planned out, was going to fuck with him and get him.." He trailed off. "It doesn't matter," he mumbled, about his past intentions. "What do you want to do? I suppose I could've just let you go, but I fucked things up. I can't fix it," he admitted, "but... the least I can do is make sure you're taken care of and you're not alone. And..." He looked down, keeping his head turned away from her as he picked at a stray string that had come undone from the blanket. "I've kinda... enjoyed your company lately," he admitted. "It's been nice to hang around someone who doesn't just... y'know," he snickered, glancing in the direction of the cabin. "I'm sorry for fucking up your life, Keirra. I can't change or fix what I did, but if there's something I can do to make it better, just... tell me," he looked at her, shame and guilt littering those sharp angles of his face.




Hearing him go on, he continued to say all the right things, and she stared for a moment as she considered his words. What he did couldn't be undone--and the girl had no idea where to go from there. Could she have faced any of them? Dorian would probably just cry.. Zver wouldn't be able to look at her. Gerry...well, he wouldn't let her around Nasya that was for damn sure. What did she have to go back to? Could she even begin to be a mother to her son at this point? Ko swallowed hard, and shook her head. "I messed it up.." she whispered. "I should've just been quiet." A soft sigh left her, "Just...don't leave me alone, please."




He bit his tongue from reminding her he'd tried to warn her and she didn't listen, but he didn't have to. He was positive she already knew, and it would likely just upset her and ruin the outdoor adventure. Her request had him looking at her for a moment until he nodded. "Of course," he promised, against her better judgment. It was probably one of the top five things to Never Say To Sawyer. "And... when we get back, you don't have to stay in the basement," he told her, shaking his head.




Yeah, she would probably regret all that once she got out and realized her was a lying, manipulative asshole. For now, she was eating out of the palm of his hand. Those words had her brows furrowing, "I...don't?" she asked, swallowing hard. "...really?" Bitch looked like she was ready to start crying in that moment.




That would be certain. Especially when her words might bite her in the ass later. Might. While she ate out of his palm, he held it wide open for her and reveled in it. Her questioning the basement business had him shaking his head. "Nah," he sighed, looking at her and that expression that threatened to cry on him. "You're.. not a hostage, sweetheart. You haven't been for a little while, I just... didn't think letting you just... go would've been a good idea for you." He was caring, looking out for her! He shrugged. "The basement just seems over the top, considering," he crinkled his nose. "So you can stay upstairs with me," he shook his head.

-----------




Breathing heavily and unnecessarily, those emeralds were tucked behind lid and lash as she finished with him, opening once it was over with that wolfish grin on his face. "I guess you can that a debt repaid," he teased lightly, his tone far from displeased as the bastard looked down at her with a smile, his fingers raking almost affectionately through her hair. "I don't know about you, but I could use a smoke."




She wanted to throw up, wanted to cry. There was that misery he seemed to love to feast on, even through the forced smile, it was pouring out of her. "Yeah, a smoke sounds good.." she nodded, curling up on the blanket.




Her misery was like his favorite liquor as he drank it in, feasting on it as mentioned. He was "decent" enough to pull up his pants now they were done, fastening them before he went to pick up the cigarettes and slipped out two, lighting both before handing one over. While she was miserable, he was pleased behind his complacent mask.




Taking the cigarette, she looked up at him for a moment. Though there was no hint of how terrible he was, because he was fantastic at what he did. Still, it didn't take away the agony that she felt in that moment. The sorrow, the guilt. If by some miracle Zver would have wanted her still, there was no chance now. Sucking on the smokestick, she furrowed her brow some and sighed out the cloud. "Can I go home?"




He could feel her misery in it's basic form, and the deeper flavors more specified. But you wouldn't think he was feeding from it by the way he laid there smoking, seeming to just be enjoying the afterglow of getting off and getting that post-blow cigarette. Her question had him turning his eyes to her, a brow arching. "Home?" She... might have to elaborate on that term.




Yeah, she was oblivious, but not to the wrong of what she just did. It would take some getting used to. Laying with a man that wasn't her husband... She swallowed hard as he questioned it, "My...new home," she whispered softly. Even that sounded wrong to say, but what else could she call it? Would he let her go if she wanted to? She didn't even think to test it...dumbass.




The correction of what she meant, or more elaboration, he watched her for a moment before he slowly nodded his head. "Yeah, let's get back," he agreed, pocketing the pack of his cigarettes and lighter before he rose to his feet. Keeping the filter of the lit stick between his lips, he held his hand out to help her up. "Want a piggyback ride?" He offered, giving a soft smile that didn't suit but he managed.

Sweet Home?. Purgatory?


Running. Trees. Fog. Huffhuffhuff. Howling. Distant howling. The Chase. The Hunt.

Trees zipped by in a blur of motion, fog adding to the effect. His footfalls crash through the forest?s underbrush in clumsy, stumbling steps, echoed by someone else?s. He didn?t know who, or what. Not yet. Caked in sweat, he couldn?t tell if the heat pouring off his lanky frame was from himself or the humidity that was so thick in the air you could almost touch it. The russet curls of his hair stuck to his forehead as he panted, his lungs aching with breaths he couldn?t quite take in a whole.

The panting, the steps, echoed by someone behind him. Then the howl.




?He?s burning up. We need more wet towels. Zver? Zver! He?s seizing!?





?Zver.?

The rough voice echoed behind him, tainted by a growl that spilled through with that lone word. Familiar, if not distantly. He remembered it? but?

?Zver.?

The voice, commanding with authority forced his feet to still against his will. Speaking to something older, more primal. Instinctual. Panting, he stood there, looking around to the trees that seemed to never end in every direction, cloaked by fog that somehow managed to get thicker.

?Turn around.? Demand. Obey.

He turned. Slowly and reluctantly, hesitantly, as he fought himself to the very core that the man in question was speaking to. His chest rose and fell with shuddering breaths from the run, his eyes turning to the one who seemed able to control him with a voice alone.

?...Hircine..? He heaved, eyes widening as the man stood in front of him in all his primal glory. Hair to his shoulders, mussed from the breeze and the chase after Zver. The scruff that littered his jawline was no more than stubble, surrounding a grin that was nothing less than his true animal. Dressed not in clothes, but hide from various animals. The color and texture assuming from an elk, the daggers at his hips carved from bone with the hilts made of antler. The crossbow at his back modern, standing out among the rest of him. Necklaces covering a chiseled chest, with leather formed chains and teeth from a variety of animals.

?I thought you?d never stop running.? The dark eyes of Hircine stared directly into Zver?s own hazel eyes, as if searching for something in particular. Leaning forward, his tone was mocking. ?You?re not afraid of the Big Bad Wolf, are you?? He teased, almost sneering at the man.

Zver?s own tone was dry, unamused as his breathing calmed into rough exhales from his nose. ?Your Momos is showing??

?Who says I can?t be both?? Hircine?s brows rose, his steps carrying him like a shark?s to circle the Russian. ?After all, it?s only fair since your cowardice showed..? He hummed, his eyes shifting to stare intently at him.

?How the fuck am I a coward?? He barked back, his head turning with the circling from the Daedric Lord. ?...Can you not do that? You?re gonna make me dizzy..? He mumbled, shaking his head.




?Hold him! ?. Okay,? sigh. ?It?s passing.?





?It?s not like you to run. Not from what I?ve learned from you,? the Daedric Lord sighed. ?But, you?ve grown rather weak since the last time we?ve met, haven?t you?? His gaze stayed pointedly on Zver, narrowing to the bark as his steps slowed. His head cocking to the side, his expression was that of warning. ?Don?t take that tone with me, else you?ll swallow your own tongue.?

His mouth opened to talk back to Hircine, but the words stuck. Just to be swallowed down with a thick, dry tongue as he lowered his eyes against his will. ?Sorry,? he mumbled, gritting his teeth with the hissed word. ?What do you want? If you don?t mind, I?d like to get back to the fever and shivering. It?s much more appealing..?

?Curiosity, mostly??

?I thought curiosity was a cat thing??

?No, no. It killed the cat,? Hircine grinned wolfishly. ?Cats have the claws, but the hounds have the teeth.?

?Whatever, what do you want??

?An explanation.?

?For what?? He spat.

?Why you?re here,? the Daedric Lord, barked. His teeth bared as his patience grew low, one step carrying him closer to the Russian.

Hazel eyes narrowed on the Huntsman, but relented beneath the Alpha?s gaze before he averted them. ?Where??

?Home. Isn?t it obvious?? Hircine raised a brow, his arms spreading outward.

?This doesn?t look like Cold Harbor..? Zver muttered, his eyes casting about to note the trees, looking up to seek the sun but couldn?t find it through the thick leaves above.

?Cold Harbor?!? Hircine roared, taking a step forward to grasp Zver?s sweat-coated shirt and drag him nearly nose to nose with the ancient Hound. ?Molag will never set foot in my home again,? he snarled, teeth baring as dark eyes flashed with amber. Warning, authority.

?So this is? Purgatory,? Zver?s eyes locked onto Hircine?s, his hands clasping around his thick forearm in case the Hound decided to lift him off his feet. Hazel eyes ticked between those amber ones, cautious as he chose his words more carefully. I?ll never find Ko if Hircine kills me here?

Grumbling as he collected himself, Hircine?s fist unballed from Zver?s shirt, nearly tossing him to the ground. Zver?s steps stumbled back until he collapsed, his back hitting the forest floor with a grunt leaving him. Staring up at the man, he couldn?t bring himself to make a smart ass comment about the uncomfortable angle of that hide loincloth..

?I?ll repeat. One. More. Time,? Hircine hissed through his bared teeth, biting back a growl. ?What is Mora?s little ex-champion doing in my home? With my gift running through his veins?? His eyes narrowed on the curly headed Russian, expectant as he awaited a response.

?...Daemien,? Zver relented. ?He had us cornered -?

?Us??

?Zim and I-?

?Of course,? he sighed, but there was a soft smile on his face. Almost fond. It was gone in a flash as he crossed his arms over his chest. ?So I?m your scapegoat.?

?I?m?? Zver didn?t have an answer. What could he say? Yeah, man. Rather be Furry than Fangy! If it comes between Douchebags telling me what to do, I?d rather deal with your punk ass? ?....Yes.?

?So be it. One wrong move, I?ll do what Father should?ve done when you came back.?






?What was that??

?I don?t know, he?s unconscious. I think he?s finally sleeping..?

The area around almost seemed wet and musty, the sound of a single water drop hitting a pool beneath it rang out every so often. The lights in the area around her seemed to flicker agonizingly as Keirra sat on the small bed in the single cell. Her knees were pressed up to her chest, uncovered with the white, sleeveless nightgown that rested over her body. Her bones popped through, the skinniest she'd ever been as she wrapped her arms around the limbs and rocked slowly. A certain song was hummed, one he'd remember.


It was the cold stone beneath his back that he felt first. Almost relieving against the fire his skin seemed to have been turned into through the fever. Limbs sprawled, his fingers tapped against the stone with each droplet of water that echoed through the room. Drop. Tap. Drop. Tap. It reminded him of the old Chinese water torture he'd studied once. Even with the dampness of the cell, nothing chilled him to the bone more than the familiar hum of an even more familiar song.

Lurching upward, the upright position made his head spin as he stared through the rusted bars of the cell. The slits of vision made from the bars couldn't obscure the woman sitting on that bed, her scrawniness and unhealthy appearance nearly making him choke as he scrambled toward the bars. "Ko? Keirra. Hey, it's me," he whispered, glancing around. "Baby, I'm here. I found you." His eyes lifted to the bars he'd gripped onto, looking for the lock. Maybe he could pick it, maybe he could get her out.

But there was nothing. No lock. No way of opening it. It seemed to be sealed completely.


The rogue's head was down, forehead resting between her knees as she continued to hum and rock. Her hair covered her face, separating at the neck to reveal those almost spike-like vertabrae and shoulderblades. Zver's voice had those eyes opening, but she didn't lift her head, didn't stop humming, and the rocking only seemed to pause for a moment.

After he finished, she didn't move, but the humming did cease long enough for, "Hi, Cobra..."


Defeat flashed across his face as he didn't find a lock, his eyes lowering to the skeleton of a woman folded on that bed. His knuckles were whiter than his complexion as he gripped those bars, desperate as he looked through them. It was unsettling, between her appearance and those two words that came out. "Sugar Puss.. what's he done to you?" A whisper, more to himself and he regretted asking almost immediately, unsure if he even wanted to know the answer. "We need to get you out of here," he tried to move on from the stupid question, his eyes looking around the room with dreaded desperation. A pointless move as his hands tried to rattle the bars of the cell.


The movement in the flickering light made everything she did almost too creepy for words. Her head seemed to snap up, even though the movement was slow as time spent in hell. "I don't want to leave," her voice was a sharp whisper as she turned her glacier eyes up to him. Her face was bruised, battered, lips broken in a couple of places, splitting as she smiled. Blood seemed to trickle easily, "I like it here."


The sight nearly had bile rising up his throat again, and he swallowed it down. It burned, but not as much as his eyes did. "No, baby. You don't," he tried to reason with her, his brows rising with a shake of his head. "He wants you to think you like it here, but you don't. Just... come home.." He reached, his hand splaying before curling. "Let me take you home." He just wished he could stop staring at the bruises, the blood trickling from her lips.


"You don't want me home..." she whispered. "I waited for you.." There was something in those eyes, perhaps a flash of anger before the lights went out. "I waited for you!" The voice rang out, sounding as if it was right in front of him. He could almost feel her breath on his face. When the lights came back on, she was gone. The cell, empty.

From behind him, "...but you never came for me..."


"I do, baby you know I do," he tried to reason with her. "Whatever he's done to you, we can fix it. We can.." He trailed off, wincing to her words of waiting for him. "I'm coming, I'm just..." Where was he? What was he doing? He couldn't remember. He snapped out of his thoughts to the flicker of the lights, a sharp inhale made to the sudden breath on his face.What has he done to her? A fleeting thought as he stared at an empty cell, squinting against the sudden light that cut into his vision from the darkness. "I will... I am... Just.." He twisted around, his breath stolen to what he saw. "No. Don't you fucking touch her!" He snarled, trying to scramble to his feet but the shadows came up to consume his hands, gluing him to the floor.


"She is home, Zver," Sawyer's voice matched his wolfish grin. The sight of Sawyer's arms wrapped around Ko's waist, an embrace intimate enough that it threatened bile to rise again. "Aren't you, sweetheart?" He crooned to Keirra, his hand coming up from the embrace to caress a bruised cheek as he looked at her affectionately. "Improvement, I think. Isn't she pretty, Zver?" He smiled, looking over to the Russian glued to the floor.


The broken rogue stared at him, a step back taken toward Sawyer, practically moving into his embrace. She didn't fight him, didn't seem afraid. "I am home now," she nodded, her voice void of all emotion, though Keirra did smile when he caressed that battered face. "He takes care of me... Keeps me safe," she muttered. "I like it here," Ko repeated.

Keirra winced and grabbed one wrist, blood seeping between her fingers. She seemed to try and hold her blood in, by the way she was squeezing. Then, her fingernails raked against the open wound and left the vein wide open as girlish titters began escaping her lips.


Those hazel eyes ticked desperately between Sawyer and Ko, wishing and wanting this all to stop. "What? No... no. This isn't your home. He's - he's not taking care of you, he's manipulating you. He's not safe. Ko, he's. Not. Safe. Just get away from him."


"I told you I'd take care of you," Sawyer smiled, "didn't I?" A coo before he planted a sloppy kiss to her other cheek. Zver's pleading turned Sawyer's smile onto him next. "She likes it here, man. She's made her choice, just let her be."


"You son of a.." He trailed off, his expression turning to horror as he stared at the blood seeping through her fingers. "No... nnnnnnno!" He fought, he wrestled, he pulled on the shadows keeping his wrists bound to the floor until he thought his bones were going to dislocate. Until they ached. "Don't do this! Leave her alone, if you want me, then take me. Don't fucking touch her, I'll kill you!"


Zver's pleas were ignored by Sawyer, his full attention on the rogue who was tittering at her wrists. His smile grew warm, pleased as he watched the blood pool and drip to the floor. "It's time to go now," he whispered to Ko. "It's time to meet the others, your new family." A shadow portal nearly consumed the entirety of the room, all except for the circle like a spot light on the three. Sawyer held his hand out to Ko, waiting and expectant. "You ready, My Little Puppet?"


"It is. He is. He's not. He is. He. Is. I won't.." Finding an answer easy for every word that came out of Zver's mouth. It was almost condescending, as if she were stating facts and Zver was out of the loop. "You did," she answered Sawyer, closing those eyes warmly to the kiss.


The blood poured out of both wrists now, pooling on the floor below her. "Calm down, Zver...I'm happy," she whispered. "This is what I always wanted.. Family.." after his tantrum and Sawyer's words. "I'm ready," she nodded, raising a bloody hand to Sawyer. "Let's go. I wanna go now..." she muttered. No emotion, nothing. Even as she looked at Zver one last time. "Good-bye, Cobra..."


"You have a family, Ko! It's home, with me... and Boulder. You have a family." He begged, he pleaded, desperately as he watched the man he hated most in this world steal what he loved most. "Don't you take her, don't you fucking take her, Sawyer. Get the fuck back here!" He roared. He tugged. He fought. The two final words from Ko stole his breath, almost made him choke.


"Bye, Cobra," Sawyer's smirk over his shoulder as his arm moved around Ko, leading her toward the shadows. "Don't listen to him," he whispered to her, like he was brainwashing her. "We're your new family now," he promised, a moment before the two were consumed by the shadows, leaving Zver pinned to the floor to struggle alone.

That sound rose goosebumps and shivers up his spine, seeing only the blackness behind his eyelids as he feared what was coming next. What did he know that had claws like that? Everything else so far had been a slew of nightmares. Did he want to see what was coming for him next?

The scraping claws on the cell floor dragged closer, the soft growl of a beast coming closer. Close enough he could feel the heat radiating from it, hit him in short bursts from it?s breath. The snout of it edged closer and sniffed at him, the fur tickling his cheeks before he started to turn his face away from it. ?Zim??? He paused, his hopeful tone turned dark as everything before now had been things to leave him broken. If it was Zim? he didn?t want to see how he?d done her wrong. How he?d put her in the line of fire. Would it be the time she got shot for him? Trying to protect him from the Feds?

Persistent, the beast?s want of Zver?s attention had it nuzzling his shoulder, his neck. Growling in warning, it even snapped his teeth at him to get him to open his eyes. He had a feeling none of this would stop until he did, and after a ragged breath, his own voice sounded more emotionless. Like what he used to be. But he knew it was just his emotions shutting down after the constant battering. ?Alright, Zim,? he sighed. ?Show me what you got.?

He opened his eyes but the beast standing over him wasn?t Zim. Russet brown fur, paler at the base to show through. It was relatively large, but not as large as Zim. The amber eyes that stared down at him didn?t stare with malice like the others had. It lowered his head, staring intently into Zver?s own hazels like it was trying to tell him something, or coax him. Looking at the strange wolf, it looked like a stranger but the familiarity was in it?s presence. His brows furrowed as he slowly sat up, staring eye to eye with the beast. The wolf?s head rose with him, keeping the eye contact as it seemed patient, waiting.

Swallowing hard, Zver?s hand reached for it. Slow, attentive, approaching the wild animal with caution, but with purpose. The wolf did nothing but stand there, staring at him. ?I know you,? he whispered, but he didn?t know why. The wolf?s eyes closed as Zver?s hand reached the top of his head, fingers sinking into the fur as relief washed over him. At least? until it?s eyes opened and his own voice came from it?s mouth, speaking to him.

?It?s time to wake up, Zver.?

https://i.pinimg.com/564x/dd/b7/1f/ddb71f9a24920b36c0db732ecafd384b.jpg

"Man, you guys are fuckin' touchy-feely," he grumbled, but allowed it from Zim. Frankly, he was relieved to have her there. After the things he just saw, she was a comfort to say the least. "...Hi..." He shifted his squinted eyes over to Zim who was just creeping on his scent, "alright, alright." He grunted, his face scrunching as his palms met the bed to slowly scoot himself to sit up against the headboard. His muscles were sore from the spasming and tensing through the hallucinations, and the couple seizures brought on by the excess fever. The heels of his hands came up to rub against his eye sockets and he sighed before lowering them with a hard stare to Frey. "Fuck are you talking about? How long have I been in bed?" His head turned between Dorian and Frey, ignorance written all over his face. He didn't have a clue..... And he wanted those weapons back, for the record!



Dorian was thankful for the confiscated weapons, though. He got lucky it was a fist to the mouth and not a gun to the face. "Thanks," he wrinkled his nose to Frey for calling 'not it'. Zim got a soft smile from him, and he was itching to get that wolf to eat, Zver too. They both needed to. Zver's question had him looking at Frey, then to the Russian. "...Four days."



"We're not touchy-feely, you just scared the hell out of us," Freya admitted. It was foreign to her, being able to feel something besides anger for someone. Having...friends. Liabilities. People to look out for, people to get killed over. Caring. The thought made her crinkle her nose, "About..." doing mental math for a moment before Dorian answered for her. "Yeah, four days," she nodded to that. He'd get them back now that he wasn't seeing ghosts.



Zim hadn't meant to put him out for so long--but that was only a fraction of how long Dae would've had him out for! Still, there was guilt there, and she knew he wouldn't take the news well. When he sat up, Zim rested her head on his lap. Another soft, apologetic whimper.



Zver's eyes trailed down to the wolf on his lap and his hand smoothed over the top of her head, memories of the brown wolf he'd seen but couldn't remember why it seemed familiar to him. The apologetic whimper had him scratching behind her ear. "Relax, Zim. I'm fine," he assured her, but the news of how many days he'd been out had stilling and lifting his head to look between the Nighteaters. "..Four... four days? Fuck!" He barked, trying to squirm out from under Zim's head and made a feeble attempt to worm his way out of bed. His muscles screamed at him the whole way and he gritted his teeth against the dizziness even kneeling on the bed gave him. "Did someone run me over with the truck?" He mumbled. It sure the fuck felt like it!



Dorian didn't like the pause on the search for Ko any, either. But Zver's illness had taken priority for a moment, whether he liked it or not. If they got the rogue back, coming back to a dead husband wouldn't do her any good either. His eyes turned to Frey, and he was almost waiting for the outburst. When it came and Zver tried to get up, his hands came up as he side stepped into the Russian's way but didn't actually touch him. "Whoa, love. Calm down. You need to recuperate before doing anything else, get your butt back in bed." He pointed, but Mr. Mom had deflated some with the punch he'd gotten from Zver. Or maybe because he just wasn't wearing flannel today.



The wolf couldn't relax. She'd already lost one of her humans, the other was now turned... She was terrified that he wouldn't make it, she'd...never turned anyone before. Anyone unlucky enough to get her teeth, had been killed off by her before the gift--or curse--could spread. Zimuska was a bit of a wolf snob. Finding wolves who were turned to be less appealing and inferior to the natural born ones. So the fact that she'd turned him, was a huge deal for her. He tried to squirm, and the wolf nudged and nosed to try and get him back in the bed. "Awooooo!" she bitched.



"Hey," Freya was right at Dorian's side now to block him. "Dorian's right, you can't do anything while you're like that, Zver.. Give it a night, maybe two...try and eat and get some rest..." What was another two days?



"Zim, stahp," he huffed at the white wolf, to her nudging and nosing. But the weak Russian's muscles were spaghetti as he let out a grunt and his legs gave out on him, plopping back against the headboard as he looked up to the two blockers, back and forth. "A lot can happen in a few days... It's already been four," he tried, but he knew them both better than that. He knew they wouldn't let him out of that damn house. He might be willing to army crawl his ass around town looking for her! ...But the Nighteater's wouldn't let him. Looking ahead, his expression was far from pleased but distantly he knew they were right. "...Fine," he muttered, grumpy as could be as his jaw shifted and he let out a huff of a breath.

"...Needa piss though."



Zver was outnumbered by two Nighteaters and a wolf. There was no way he was getting out of that bed, and Dorian nodded when Frey came to his side to back him up. "She's right. You need to eat. Both of you," he glanced down to Zim sternly as well. "And get your strength up." Zver's relenting had him eyeing him skeptically. He didn't trust it, he'd agreed too quickly. His eyes shifting to Frey to see if he was the only one, but... then Zver spoke out to his bathroom needs. Before Frey could say 'not it' again, he held up his hand. "I'll get it," he muttered. "Get 'im in the shower too...Stinky bastard.."

A LOT CAN HAPPEN IN A FEW DAYS.

And waited. And waited further. For a moment, he considered he?d recited the old script wrong, or his tribute wasn?t enough. ?C?mon, you son of a bitc-?

?Is that any way to speak of Nocturnal??

The Russian?s curly head swiveled first before the rest of his body spun, peering up at the primal man who stood behind and over him with his arms crossed over his bare chest. He was dressed nearly the same as his hallucination, with exception to the hide loincloth and replaced instead with a pair of stonewashed Lee jeans and old boots. ?...Hircine. ?Bout time you showed up,? he muttered, pulling out of his crouch to be more eye level with the Huntsman.

Hircine?s eyes pulled away from the Russian, his torso leaning to peer around him to the deer. His nose wrinkled, nostrils twitched. ?Gunpowder.?

Zver looked over his shoulder, his shoulders lifting in a shrug. ?Didn?t have time to fashion a bow from twigs and twine,? he snickered, turning his eyes back to the ancient God.

?You should?ve. But, a sacrifice is a sacrifice,? he sighed. ?Even if I don?t care for modern methods.? Dark eyes turned to match hazels as he straightened from the lean. ?You wasted no time in calling on me, so what do you want, Zver??

Zver averted his eyes for a moment, and it was clear he wasn?t used to asking for anything. He?d never even asked for anything from Mora. ?I need your help,? he muttered, keeping his eyes turned away from the Daedric Prince.

?My help?? Hircine sputtered out a laugh, turning as he started to pace back and forth in front of Zver. Restlessly amused. ?What could you possibly need my help for? I thought my gift was just a scapegoat from vampirism?? The hound raised a brow, peering at him with a slowly growing smirk, waiting for him to put two and two together.

It didn?t take long. Zver?s head snapped to peer at the Huntsman, quiet for a moment as he looked him over. ?Scapegoat? You? That wasn?t?...?

?A hallucination brought on by the fever? No.? Hircine shook his head, peering down at the ground as he kicked a broken piece of branch. ?That was very real, and you got a glimpse of the Hunting Grounds.?

?Of course,? Zver snickered, shaking his head. He was quiet for a moment, making the Huntsman pause in his steps to stare at Zver. ?Well?? The Russian pinched the bridge of his nose as he gritted his teeth. ?Keirra. My wife. Sawyer took her, and I need to find her.?

?Keirra? the mouthy little rogue?? Hircine remembered her well, never one to forget a face.

?Yeah, that?d be the one,? Zver scoffed, looking to the Hound now. His eyes locked and stayed, meaningless hope lingering on his expression. Maybe if he knows her?

?I?m sorry to hear that. Can?t imagine what that must be like for you,? the Hound sighed. ?But Sawyer belongs to Vaermina. I do not intervene when it comes to her or her people.? Hircine?s eyes locked onto Zver?s, squandering what little hope the Russian had.

He was quiet for a long moment, the seconds ticking by as he searched for anything, something in Hircine?s eyes. There was a sadness there, pity for the Russian that had his jaw clenching. ?Don?t. Don?t give me that fucking look if you?re not going to do anything about it,? he spat at Hircine. ?I?m coming to you, one of your own. You know I don?t ask for favors, or help. But-?

Aimlessly, Zver walked through the Glen. He couldn?t face going home with empty hands again. The others didn?t know his intent when he left earlier, but he couldn?t hide the disappointment and anger written all over the sharp angles of his face. He didn?t know where he was going as the conversation with Hircine circled around his head, he didn?t look at his surroundings as he walked over the underbrush, climbed over fallen trees and seemed to be following a misdirected path to nowhere.

It wasn?t until that one line rattled his brain with a flash of irritation that he paused to strike the rough bark of a tree. For what it?s worth? I?m sorry for your loss. Hircine talking like she was already dead didn?t help his morale, or his hope. Pure denial was what kept him going, refusal to believe she was another number of Terror?s ranks. Another puppet of Sawyer?s that he could play with, his own little marionette. The thought had him wanting to spill stomach acid all over the ground and for a moment, he had to lean forward with his hands on his knees and his head hung. Between the heat and an empty stomach, the punch in the gut from Hircine?s back turning on him, he needed a moment to breathe. Eyes closing, his nostrils flared with the short, deep breaths as he steadied himself and tried not to vomit. Maybe Dorian was right, maybe I wasn?t ready to come out today. A fleeting thought as his eyes snapped open to the scent the breeze carried to him, ruffling in his spiral curls and cooling the sheet of sweat coating his forehead. ?Ko..? He hissed, straightening quick enough for him to stumble back from a dizzy spell.

Shaking his head as he forced himself to focus, he knew he wouldn?t have caught the scent a few days ago. Before the infliction. Before the gift. Or was it a curse at this point? He didn?t know just yet. Either way, it was a lead..

Keeping his nose turned up, he followed the scent carried in the wind. He kept his steps steady, trying to keep quiet as he wandered a path with more direction than a few short moments before. Weaving through the treelines as his feet crunched dead leaves, twigs and damp soil beneath his sneakers. The distant sight of a building ahead had him ducking low and behind a tree, keeping a safe distance as he edged closer to get a peek at it. The scent was stronger here, but it was pulling him off in another direction. Thick brows furrowed as he stalked toward a nearby tree, on the outskirts of the opening where a cabin rested. Sticking pointlessly to the shadows, he stopped behind the base of a particular tree, Ko?s scent lingering and sticking to the area. He was too new to being a Hound to dictate how long ago it was, or how long it?d been, but he was certain she?d been there.

His breathing quickened, heart raced as he turned his eyes toward the cabin. Impulse wanted to charge in there and go after her, intuition screaming that she was inside - or maybe false hope. His palm pressed to the bark of the tree, fingers curling against it as he fought to stay in place. I just need to know she?s still alive? But standing there too long risked Sawyer spotting him, if they were even still there. I need the others, he concluded. Against impulse and intuition, he knew he couldn?t take the lethifold alone. Not like this. His hunting knife and Desert Eagle might as well have been a slingshot and toothpick against Sawyer, and he gritted his teeth against his desires to tear into the man?s throat with his teeth. ?I?m coming, Ko,? he whispered, slowly backing away from the tree until he was at a safe enough distance to turn and bolt, sprinting through the Glen and in the direction of home.

Speck gave no fucks, dammit! She kept an 'eye' on Kaz who had circled around. Then smiled almost slyly at Zver's encouragement and nickname. She didn't seem even remotely fazed by that meager use of energy as she stepped forward to join the others at the opening. "Let her go," the blind bat ordered. "Send her out to us and we'll leave the place in...mostly one piece!" shouted Speck.


Keirra had a bit of a decline since her time in the Glen. Sawyer had her trust at this point, and she was sure Zver had given up on her. Which, gave Sawyer a massive amount of misery to feast upon. The pale-faced, skinny thing was sitting there with him, not a lot of emotion written on that broken face as her hand held out for that dosage. The one thing that assured her the peace of sleep. It was interrupted by the loud explosive entrance of her rescuers. She dragged those empty eyes in that direction, but saw nothing. There was a spark of something when she heard her husband call out. "...Zver?"


The girl had been on the couch with her feet propped up on the arm and her back straight across. "The hell?" she perked up some and slowly climbed from the area before Sawyer was barking at her. "I was busy!" she defended.

Busy throwing popcorn into my mouf? She'd leave that bit out.


The others made their way toward the gaping hole in the wall and Dorian wasn't far behind them, wearing flannel and holding the crossbow in skillful hands. He left the ax at home for this fight, Zver having told him to stick with what he was familiar with. There was no room for slip ups, and Dorian didn't want to risk messing up or tripping - thus impaling himself on an ax while trying to rescue his human. He'd even left the heels at home, too. Much more sure on his feet in a pair of work boots as he kept the crossbow with custom bolts he'd fashioned with the idea of flash bombs in mind. He left the forceful demands to Zver....and Speck... as he stood as armed back up, a short distance away.


Kaz was taking position, unnoticed and silent in his flanking position behind the building. He was already scaling the cabin toward the second story windows.


As the dust from the wall explosion settled, Zver's sights locked on Avi sitting there first. His teeth bared into a snarl as he lifted his AK strapped across his chest to aim it at her. "Don't fucking move, bitch," he barked, keeping his sights trained on the one on the couch as his eyes ticked up to Sawyer on the loft balcony. Hatred consumed his expression as he saw the man in person, not through a hallucination or dream. "You sorry son of a.." He hissed, pausing when he distantly heard Ko's voice. "Sorry it took me so long, Sugar Puss," he called up to her. "****ers made it one hell of a bitch to find you," he growled, lips curling as he narrowed his eyes on Sawyer.


"Busy being a lazy-" He trailed off, sighing as Speck made her call out. "In case you haven't noticed, we don't exactly care about the housekeeping," he snickered, his hands meeting the railing as he looked down from his watch tower. "Missed the door by a few feet though," he informed her, glancing over to the other wall. Looking back in time for the smoke to clear so to speak, Zver's gun had him cackling. "Fuck do you think that's gonna do? This your grand plan? Blow a hole through the wall and... what? Storm the cabin with a few guns?" Ko's voice had him looking over his shoulder to her, "...your idiot in toil foil's here. I guess we were both wrong." His mouth twitched like he was fighting a smile.

The wolf was shining through the sheep's mask.


Aviana had in fact moved, getting into a sitting position and wiping the popcorn dust from her mouth. "Don't tell me how to live my life," she smirked some. "Hi, Speck. Long time no see," appealing to the girl's sense of humor. "Looks like we've been found, Sawyer," she frowned some. "Such a shame, too. You and Keirra were really beginning to hit it off...were you not?" she smiled some, and brushed a lock of hair from her face. When he called up to Keirra, she rolled her eyes. "You ever stop and think maybe she wants to be here?"

Speck's nose crinkled slightly at Sawyer's words. "Why don't you come down here and try it, then?" she asked, lifting her chin some. No, she wasn't even remotely afraid of him. The lack of fear was written all over her face, too. "Aviana," she turned back to her now. "...why?"


"You mean like you?" she asked Zver with a little smirk on her face. "C'mon, dude... Use your head," she scoffed lightly, and turned her attention back to Speck. "What do you mean why? I'm a monster, and you're the last to know," she smirked. "Sorry you had to find out this way, sis." A sadistic little smile. It was true, Avi had once tried to play the good guy, but those who knew her past favored her as a monster, and that's what she embraced after a while of being treated like one. With a wave of her hand, she sent a powerful blast at the white wolf mid-lunge. "Stay down, pup."


Between Sawyer and Aviana, Zver held no hope for wishing the worst hadn't happened. Sawyer was bad enough on his own, and he could only guess what could've gone wrong with back up. His jaw clenched as she called him out on it. "Don't insult me," he spat, insinuating being friends with her would be one. His eyes ticked to Speck asking Avi why, and he almost pitied the girl. He knew a small amount of what Avi was capable of, when he was trolling her in the woods that day and she'd gotten fed up with his shit. He couldn't trust the reaper, he knew that. But those thoughts were out the window when Sawyer kicked his wolf and a snarl tore through his lips. "Zim!" He took a step but paused, his gun trained on Avi still. "Stay with the-- Zim!" He repeated, attempting to tell her to stay in formation but she was being blasted by the reaper. "You fucking c***," he pulled the trigger, aiming at the reaper's knee to try to distract her enough for him to go to the wolf.


"Dumb mutt," he muttered, turning to look back at Ko. "No? No takers?" He raised a brow, shaking his head. "Didn't think so," he sighed, just to see the wolf get blasted a second time and Zver send a bullet toward Avi. His hand rose, sending concentrated shadows from the ground around the Russian to tear the rifle from his hands and fling it across it across the room. "How fucking stupid are you? You're bringing a gun to a shadow fight, man!" He laughed. "You of all people should know how pointless that is! Or have you been so domesticated that you've forgotten?" He scoffed, shaking his head before he stood at the top of the steps, between the group and Keirra as his arms spread out. "She's been free to go for days, Zver. I haven't been keeping her hostage... she chose not to go home." His expression was easy, like he was telling him fact from a textbook. His shoulders shrugged. "You're trying to White Knight for a princess who doesn't wanna leave her tower."


Between the tumble of the wolf and the shot fired from Zver, the words he heard, he couldn't stay put any longer. "No, she wouldn't stay here," he whimpered, shaking his head. "Not my Koko," he muttered, looking around as he stood outside the busted wall. Things were going south fast. What did he expect? They'd roll up with their misfit group and it would be a fairytale rescue? ...Mehbe...


?Please don't hurt him..." Ko whispered her pathetic request to Sawyer, and then he was gone. She knew better than to think she could do anything against Sawyer. She knew what happened when he lost his temper, and the thought of it happening in front of Zver killed her inside. Well, it might've if she wasn't already dead inside. "I'm sorry," Keirra whispered, bringing her hands up to her head. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." she turned her body and sank down to the floor on her knees.


Zim's back ached from hitting the corner, but she didn't stay down. She worked herself to her feet and shook it off, a barking snarl as he tore the rifle away from Zver and she moved to take a chunk out of his thigh. Her teeth sank in, but she immediately pulled away, shocked at the taste and tried to shake it off. Sinking low, she moved for a killing blow.


"Don't you forget it," she smirked to Zver when he called her that awful word. Then the bullet smashed into her knee and her head dropped to look down at it. A brow quirked, and any normal person would've sank to the floor in that moment and screamed. She didn't even seem to feel it, "...well, now that was rude," she hissed. Sawyer worked on disarming the man and she smiled softly. "It's true, you know," said Aviana as she moved over toward the pair. "She fought it at first, I mean...really fought.. But you know how persuasive Sawyer and I can be..." a smile graced her features as she moved over and drew her foot back, slamming it into the attacking wolf's ribs and then blasting her back into the wall. "Ohhh, crunching bones...gotta love that sound~" she smiled sadistic as ever.


"....monster..." she hissed beneath her breath. "You have no right! Neither of you! You can't just..." Sawyer came into the play, and for once he was in her energy field. It sent chills down her spine, but as he went at Zver, she showed her dull teeth. "Hey!" Then Aviana went about taking the wolf down and out. That was about it for Speck, she sent her own blast lifting the younger reaper from the floor, and then...sent one back behind herself. It might've jostled Dorian a bit, but the sole purpose was to boost herself forward. She was quick to catch up to Aviana before she hit the floor, and blasted her again once more, sending her through the other wall of the cabin. "Pick on someone your own size!"

Zver's eyes flicked toward the showdown between Avi and Speck, but didn't linger as he brought his attention back to Sawyer. Through the man's legs, he spotted Kaz dropping from the window and caught the look from him. He got the jist and his jaw tensed. He wanted to tear Sawyer a new asshole and he didn't want to admit he was outmatched... but he was. He was weaker than Zim, and they'd ragdolled the poor pup. He couldn't stand against the shadows without taking damage, and glancing to Ko... Kaz was right. She needed him. A brief nod was sent to the vampire, and when he made his move, Zver would slip past the lethifold and slide on his knees to Ko. "Ko, c'mon. We gotta get you out of here," he'd tell her, his hands coming out toward her but not touching her yet.


Sawyer's eyes narrowed on the Russian, who seemed to not be looking at him but past him. "Fuck are you looking at?" He hissed, taking a step like he was going to kick Zver in the face like he had Zim until a sharp, musical whistle caught his attention and he spun around. "What the fuck are you?" He raised a brow.


Kaz's smile was the least friendly it'd ever been, and Zver had given the nod. The whistle had brought Sawyer's attention to the rogue vampire and his fangs shined through his smile. "Don't matter, I'm here to ruin your fucking day, buddy," he giggled, his hand coming up to pull the pin on a flashbomb before he tossed it at Sawyer's feet.


Sawyer's eyes widened to the flashbomb as he cursed. "Shit!" He barely managed to close his eyes against the flashbomb that practically went off in his face, and brought a yell from him as the light felt like it set his skin on fire and the bomb made his ears ring. Cut off from the shadows by the burst, he stumbled back against the railings until he felt the impact of a small but powerful torpedo hit him in the midsection and sent him flying over the banister, ridden down by the vampire rogue.


Zver just managed to cover Ko when he saw the bomb in Kaz's hand, shielding her eyes and trying to cover her ears.


?How can you stand up to me? ?when you don?t even know which direction to face?? A blast of raw energy from Avi?s core was sent right for Speck who had been turning and trying to find Avi, ragdolling her across the ground. ?You?re out of your league, girl?? she hissed as she stepped up toward Speck and growled beneath her breath. The look-alike was crawling across the ground, trying to collect herself as Avi came up behind. ??I don?t feel pain, you know? Daddy dearest beat it out of me when I was a kid? But you,? her foot came down on the back of Speck?s leg, snapping it. ?You do feel it, don?t you?? a sadistic smile played across her features.


When Avi?s foot crashed against her leg, she felt the bone crunch like a twig and screamed out pathetically. ?Yeah,? she hissed weakly, her head dropping as she bore her teeth and panted. ?I do?? she admitted. ??and I wouldn?t trade it for a thing!? Speck shrieked and turned her body as she pushed back with a gentler blast of her own, enough to knock Aviana off and to the ground a few feet away. Her leg snapped back into place, bruising and fading as she stood up. As the younger sibling scrambled to get out of her field, Speck persisted after. ?Don?t run away,? she nearly demanded, eyes bleeding out blackness as she stomped after her. ?Fair fight, reaper to reaper. Come on!?


It spoke to Aviana?s sense of pride, it?s what had stopped her in her tracks. She couldn?t help but laugh. ?You?re a baby,? she giggled. ?You think your reaper would win against mine? Really?! If you?re in that much of a hurry to die, Speck? I guess I?ll help you out.?


Keirra lifted her head lightly when she saw Zver, and then shook it. "Get out of here, Zver," she whispered softly, letting her head fall back down. "I'm not worth it," she whispered. "I'm.... he.." Kaz threw the bomb, and Zver covered her up. She squeezed her dry eyes shut and took in a trembling breath. After all of this...why is he trying to protect me?


"I'm not going anywhere," Zver told her. "I don't know what he's said... or done," he muttered, lifting up once Kaz tackled Sawyer off the loft floor. "But I'm here, and I want you home with me, Ko," he looked down at her, trying to scoop up her face in his hands if she let him. "I know what he is, Sugar Puss, I know what he does. He's not good, no matter what he's tried to tell you or make you believe. But trust me," he whispered, pleading with her. "We need to get you out of here."


Kaz had sent the lethifold flying over the railing. Mid-flight, his small and lithe body folded to get his feet against the man's chest. A split second before Sawyer's back met the floor, he kicked off to backflip through the air and land a few short feet away in a crouch, his teeth bared in a hiss through his smile. "What's wrong? Just Shadow-Step," he taunted the lethifold. "Can't, can you?" He spat, rising to his feet slowly.


Sawyer's back crashed hard against the floor, the impact leaving the air crashing from his lungs. The blast had snuffed out his abilities for the moment, and even though he'd closed his eyes to save himself from being blinded, when his lids peeled back there were dark blots in his vision. He growled to the effect, and more to the vampire's taunting. "You're a Shadow-Stepper too, I can feel the fucking shadows on you," he snapped at him, turning as he leaned on his elbow before he tried to stand to his feet.


"I'm something else. You're just Shadow," Kaz reminded him. "Nothing more. And you've one... big...design flaw," he laughed, staring at the lethifold with blatant distaste. "The things you do to women..." He shook his head. "Disgusting," he hissed, quite literally spitting at Sawyer's feet in a show of disrespect.

Keirra's eyes dragged up to him, and she squeezed them shut after a moment. "He...cares about me, Zver.. I.. I..." she took in a deep breath and then turned her eyes away from him. She couldn't find the words, and didn't want to speak of it. She wanted to die, and the evidence was clear by those scarred up wrists, and the lifeless look in her eyes. "I'm sorry..." she whispered, laying her head back down against his hands. "I'm so sorry..." The smell of liquor was heavy on her breath.


Kaz looked murderous in that point. Sawyer was everything in a man that he hated. Sawyer was everything against the vampire's morals, and he wanted to tear him to pieces on principle. It was written in those electric blue eyes that shined bright despite the flashbomb. He wasn't hindered by the light like Sawyer, not unless the entire room was washed with light. It didn't hurt him, just hindered him - except for his eyes. But he'd been smart enough to shield those against the bomb he'd set off. Approaching him, he reached behind for weapons that lined his short frame, particularly for the khopesh strapped to his back. His hand only made it to the hilt before his eyes moved to Speck, his brows furrowing as he saw what she'd become. "...Speck?" He whispered, concern casting shadows over his face that wiped out the disgust for the entity of Sawyer. It was almost in slow motion that he couldn't stop, no pause button as he saw that rifle come around for Speck and he winced to the shot fired to her leg. His hand lowered from the hilt as he started in that direction, unknowing that the wound in her leg was nothing - and it was in comparison. He yelled when her head snapped back with the bullets shot. "No! Speck!" He called out, his steps almost blindingly fast as he skid like a baseball player to catch the toppling tower, his arms wrapping up the fallen reaper.

...It was probably good that Avi lost unconsciousness, but Kaz was too concerned with Speck to care about much else in the moment.


"No," Zver's head shook, his shoulders hunching as he flinched from the rounds popped off. He didn't know who had it, but he knew the sound of his AK by heart. "Ko, he doesn't care about you," he tried to get her to realize. "He wants you to think he does, anything he told you... don't believe it," he whispered, and it was Kaz's cry out for Speck that told him it was her that had gone down, one of their biggest players. Shit. Reaper down, losing time! "Baby, anything that happened, I'm here.." He whispered, his hands cradling her face as he leaned forward to press his lips to her forehead, speaking against it. "We get past it. I know what he does, what he's capable of. I'm sorry," he closed his eyes, his head tipping to press his forehead to hers. "I should've warned you about him, I know I should've... but we can't talk about this now. We need to you out of here, and get you home." He could smell the liquor on her breath, and he could only imagine what else Sawyer had given her. "C'mon, let's get you home." If she let him, he'd be trying to get her up enough to get a hold on her to bring her to her feet. But it was in that process he took notice of her wrists, the marred wrists that were blatantly obvious and he swallowed hard against the possibilities to what that meant. Oh, Ko... what'd he do to you.. That fire was burning in his belly all over again as he looked at the stairs.


"Not just Shadow," the crazy Nord cackled. There were things no one knew about Sawyer. Just how close to Mina he was, right down to sharing her power. "You can use 'em, but you're disconnected," he spat. "You should've stuck with your Clan, Ryuga. The vampire's made you just as pathetic as the dumbass upstairs," he spat. The bullets flying had him looking toward Speck and Avi, his grin turning wolfish as he seemed pleased. Kaz's brief terror and misery at the sight of Speck getting shot in the face had him breathing it in, feeding from it as the streaks of black like tendril scars started to disappear. "Where ya going?! I was just getting warmed up!" His arms opened, feeling himself restore from Kaz's reaction to Speck.


The two nighteaters moved in through the hole in the wall. Freya had instructed Dorian to go home, using the shadow stone she'd taken from Ko's nightstand. With him and Zim out, there wasn't much else to do. She'd kissed him, promised she'd come home, and her and Dakota were on the move. "I wouldn't bet on that," Freya hissed at Sawyer's claim of getting warmed up. Dakota sent a blast of concentrated light right for Sawyer, as Freya opened two portals that would lead to their house. One in front of Kaz, the other in front of Zver. "Get them out of here!" she yelled to Kaz and Zver, before looking to Dakota who'd kept up the attack. "Keep him down," she hissed. She'd wait for them to make their escape and close the portals, before she'd open on of her own to swallow up the nighteaters, hopefully before Sawyer could recover.


Keirra swallowed hard when he spoke those words. Was it...all a lie? Everything Sawyer did to her, everything she... Staring up at him, "Oh god..." her stomach turned and she scrambled away for a moment to empty the contents of her stomach. Which was mostly booze and drugs at that point. When he got her to her feet, she took a lean on him. "Zver..." she whispered softly, squeezing her eyes shut. The portal opened and she looked at it, flashes of memory going through her brain of the first night in this hellhole. He'd acted as if raping her was a mistake, as if he was sorry, but he wasn't. He'd convinced her that Zver wasn't coming, that it was her fault, and... Those eyes went back to being empty, her voice emotionless as she simply nodded. Letting him take her wherever.


Dorian's kiss to Frey was fierce, wearing the flannel as he was, and he looked her in the eyes. "You better come home." Sawyer had unsettled him, what had happened to Zim, the noises, the gunshots. He hadn't seen Ko yet, but his imagination was running wild with the worst. They didn't need to tell him at this point, his intuition that was he was known for was ringing the bells in his head. There were people like him in Cold Harbor. To say he didn't like leaving Frey there with him, or even around him, was an understatement. And the look he shared with Dakota said enough: both of you get home. Leaving Dakota with that monster made him sick to his stomach. But he took Zim through the portal nonetheless, coming out in the living room as he lowered her down to the couch and tossed a blanket over her. "They'll all be coming soon, love," he promised her, giving that warm smile and a nod.

"No, no, don't move. Lemme see your ribs," he muttered to Zim as he saw the bruises. A sympathetic and solemn look was there for Kaz when he returned with a face-shot Speck, a breath of relief that turned to a whimper when he saw Ko and the condition she was in for the first time. A whimper he was swallowed down hard, and he tried not to stare. She looks thin... too thin. I can smell liquor. She looks like she hasn't slept. She needs to eat, and sleep, and bath. Yes, bathing would be good. ....Maybe some therapy.. His eyes ticked to Frey and his brother and he closed his eyes as everyone arrived, and the one casualty seemed to be Speck until she woke abruptly. "If you didn't kill us, love.. that would be delightful," he muttered, crinkling his nose as he looked back to Ko like he wanted to do what Dodo did best, but the look on Zver's face was what stopped him.


"You can?" Kaz's eyes were slowly bleeding back to their normal chestnut hue, but looked kinda pitiful as he looked up at the Nighteater. "How...? I... okay," he muttered, looking down to the Reaper as he started to bring her to Frey until she jolted and he let out a grunt, legs spreading in his stance to balance himself and her so he didn't drop her. "Whoa... Speck!" He chirped, that punted puppy look diminishing as his toothy grin spread until she spoke of killing... who? "I mean... if you have to?... I'd rather you didn't, though?" He raised a brow at the bullet that flew from her mouth before the tiny Asian man literally dropped down so the Reaper was in his lap and just... started rubbing his face all over hers. "I thought you were deaaaaaad," he whined at her, just nuzzling the crap out of her.


The rogue didn't want to talk about it. She didn't want to sleep, or bathe, or eat. Especially eat... She fumbled around for her cigarettes, only to realize she'd left them behind. She went back to wrapping herself up, her thumbnail picking at a piece of dry skin on her arm as she did so. She could practically feel Dorian's gaze on her, and she dragged those dead eyes back up to him. There was a mixture of emotions behind them, fear, guilt, shame, all hidden by that unfeeling mask. He'd know, though, because he knew her best. Then those eyes trailed to Speck, thankful that she didn't die getting her home. Then Zim... After a moment, she climbed to her feet, groping at the wall before she stumbled carefully toward the kitchen. She needed a drink and a half.


Speck calmed down a bit once she realized who was holding her, and the non-hostile environment. "What...happened?" she asked, wincing lightly. Kaz took her to the floor and she couldn't help but sputter a laugh. "Hi," she giggled some and wrapped her arms around him. "...my head hurts...did we get her back?" she asked, rubbing at her bloody, matted head. Everything felt safe, if not a bit tense.


Zim nuzzled against Zver's hand, but didn't keep him. She was happy that he was safe, and he had Keirra back... Now, she just wanted to rest. She collapsed back down on the couch and huffed a raspy sigh. She felt like a failure, but at least the rogue was okay--for the most part.


Freya's mouth opened to Keirra walking off, and then she sighed lightly. She crouched down near Kaz, and folded her hands on her knees. "Thanks for your guys' help," she told them. "...but I think maybe Keirra needs a quiet environment," grabbing the stone and squeezing it. She felt like a dick, but... It needed to be done. Another portal would open, "..that'll take you guys home, and... I'm sorry, thanks again for all your help. When things are settled you can come back and visit?" she was trying to be nice, she really was. Her eyes slid to Dakota who was staring at Keirra, mumbling something about her looking like a trainwreck. "...that goes for you, too, ass****. Out." ...Not as nice to him.


Kaz wasn't offended, and once he looked up from his nuzzle-assault on Speck, he snapped out of delight that Speck wasn't dead. Seeing Ko walking off to the kitchen as Frey tried to be nice in telling them to take their happy elsewhere, he gave a tight smile and apologized. "Sorry, I understand," he nodded, giving Speck a nudge with his nose. "Yeah, Speck. We got her back, and I'll tell you how awesome you were when we get home," he whispered to her, climbing to his feet and pulling Speck with him. He didn't need the shadow stone, but it saved his own reserve and kept Speck out of the Shadow Realm. "Call us if you need anything else," he glanced around to the others before looking down at Frey. "Anything," he smiled, reaching out to pat her shoulder if she let him before he was pulling Speck through the portal to take her home. The battle was over, at least their portion of it, and now he was focused on getting the Reaper home to rest.


Dorian's eyes had kept going back to Ko, that worrisome Mr. Mom look on him that said he was barely restraining from making matters worse by hovering. He was trying! But it was that look from her - one he read like an open book, as blank as it was that he understood. It took everything within his control and power to keep his eyes from welling up, and it was that moment he knew. Zim seemed content with resting now, and once Ko was out of the room, he took a shuddering breath that trembled. "I... I need a minute." His imprint on Ko was stronger with her so close, and feeling that from her had been the last piece of the puzzle for him. He was almost too innocent for words as he stepped outside for some fresh air, or maybe to vomit in a fern.


Zver's eyes didn't leave Ko as she moved, like if he looked away she'd disappear again. Even as she moved for the kitchen, he leaned to keep her in his sights. He was grateful to Frey for kicking out the giddy duo, mostly because he didn't wanna deal with their chipper attitude, whether she was nice about it or not. Thanks for helping... now get your happy asses outta here. Ko had seemed to be looking for something and he rose to his feet to follow her into the kitchen, pulling his pack of cigarettes that were almost crushed in his pocket but he managed to scrounge up two that were the least damaged. He lit one and held it out to her, saying nothing with that offering.


"Thanks again," she smiled at him. Then watched Dakota leave out the front door. Closing up the portal behind the pair, Freya watched Dorian out, and she knew in that moment he had figured it out. She wasn't going to have been the one to tell him. If it came from anyone else, it would've been Ko. "I'll be upstairs if you need me," she informed him. She wanted to give the two some space.

Even as she spoke, he was shaking his head softly. "Ko... he's deceitful. I know exactly who - and what - he is," he muttered, closing his eyes. "I should've warned you against him, I didn't think he'd be so fucking bold," he muttered. His eyes opened as she spoke of how he'd manipulated at her, the tears that brimmed those icy blues and his fingers twitched like he wanted to reach from her but stopped himself. Let her come to you when she's ready. He kept trying to remind himself of that, even though his want said differently. He opened his mouth to say something - anything - to ease her suffering until she scooted away from him and said she didn't want to talk about it anymore. Looking down to his lap, he nodded slowly. "Just.. know you can talk to me, Ko. If you don't wanna talk, just.. let me sit here quietly with you," he whispered, his thumb brushing over the filter of his cigarette, and the words felt weird coming out. He wasn't begging, not even close, but asking. To share silence. Share misery. Just share space. The both had their guilt in their own ways, and after her being ripped from his life over the past few weeks - with Sawyer doing who knows what to her - he just needed to be near her. On a deeper level that he recognized wasn't the human part of him, but he didn't think now was the right time to inform her he wasn't human anymore.


Yeah, that was going to be an awkward conversation for everyone. By the way... everyone who's human take a step back.. Seriously, she was the only one now? Keirra wasn't sure what warning against him would've done. She might not have fallen victim to his tricks, but she still would've fallen victim to him. "You can stay, if you want to..." she whispered. She wasn't trying to push him away. Not really. She just wanted him to know that she... Well, she did bad things. Things she couldn't say...things she didn't want to think about. Another drag was taken before she stared at the mostly-filter.


Definitely awkward, but it wasn't like he wasn't human when she'd met him. At least this time he had his own face and wasn't some weird blonde tranny. But it was only a matter of time before it came out in the open, but not tonight. Not right now. That was a conversation for another time. He nodded slowly when she said he could stay, and he sighed. He didn't know everything that happened, just how badly Sawyer manipulated her. But for the moment, he just accepted existing with her. While she stared at her mostly-filter, he finished off his and shifted around, stretching up to pull open one of the drawers of the kitchen island to retrieve one of the plethora of stashed packs he had lying around. It'd been a tick of his for years, always having a pack within reached. Stashed in a draw, under a cushion, anywhere he may possibly need one and was too high, too drunk or feeling to lazy to go hunting for one. It also ensured he never ran out. Fetching that pack, he tore off the cellophane and opened the pack, slipping two from the box and handing one over to her to light herself. She hadn't reacted well to the first one he lit for her, for reasons unknown. But he set the back between them. He had a feeling it would be empty eventually.


Watching him search around for it, Keirra took another couple gulps from the bottle and sighed, wiping her mouth. When he held out the unlit cigarette, she sparked it up with her old one and looked over at him a moment. Her jaw ticked some, and her eyes blinked away the tears, leaving only redness behind. "...thanks," she whispered softly, and then offered him the bottle. Maybe pleading a bit for him to take it from her so that she didn't overdo it.


There was no question she'd fallen off the wagon again, and once he was settled and that soft whisper came from her, he nodded his head. "You got it." The offer of the bottle had him nodding slowly, the hint he understood before he took it from her and took an unhealthy swig of it himself before setting it at his hip away from her. "You know Dorian's going to annoy the shit out of you to get you to eat right," he tried to smile for her, changing the subject to laugh at the Nighteater's Mr. Mom's ways. "Lemme know if you want me to lock him in a broom closet if he goes overboard."


Chewing on the inside of her cheek, she chuckled a sad little chuckle when he spoke of Dorian. It was absolutely without question that she'd fallen off the wagon, and was well on her way to another heart attack if she kept it up. When he took the bottle, she let out a breath, "Yeah, I know..." she whispered. "He..." Unable to say his name now. "...would only give me booze and pills if..." Keirra didn't like talking about it. "...I ate a certain amount..." By the looks of her, it wasn't a lot.


He'd already lost her... how many times now? He couldn't see her go through another heart attack, not without setting the world on fire after. She's been through enough. His nose crinkled when she talked about his methods and he shook his head. "Well, we both know Dorian's methods are simple: bitch, whine, and make that stupid face. No pills or booze."


Too many times. She didn't want to put him through that again, but recovery was going to be a bitch. She owed him that, though. When he made that face, she winced some, and turned her face away. Keirra wanted quiet, in that moment. She didn't want to talk, or hurt him anymore in that moment. Plus, the alcohol was kicking in and she wanted to just close her eyes. Sleep wasn't going to be a thing for anyone anytime soon...but she'd rest. Probably end up leaning on him.


The look was wiped off his face when he heard her wince, and he hadn't intended to make it seem that way. He accepted and welcomed the quiet after the night they had, the weeks before it, too. He sat, he smoked, and when she actually leaned on him, he just basked in her presence. No words, no movements, just existing.