Pet Shop Of Horrors Fan Fiction ❯ Predator and Prey ❯ Chapter Eight ( Chapter 8 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Sesshy81 
Anime/Manga: Pet Shop Of Horrors Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Supernatural / Romance | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 10.02.2007 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.0K | Visits: 325 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Pet Shop Of Horrors Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Supernatural / Romance | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 10.02.2007 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.0K | Visits: 325 | Status: Work In Progress
Predator and Prey
Disclaimer: Petshop of Horrors is not mine. I just wished I lived there. In addition, Lee Sinhg, Coyote, and Entai are the sole property of Akita and Subu-chan, who have graciously allowed me to write a fic that ties in with their PSOH fics. Any other characters from any other series that may pop up also belong only to their respective companies.
Co-authored by: Kita and Subu-chan.
Chapter Eight:
Chris stumbled through the kitchen door, half-asleep and yawning, rubbing his eyes with one hand and reaching for the refrigerator door with the other. He was thirsty and wanted a glass of milk. He almost didn’t notice the pair sitting at the kitchen table, arguing quietly over an open book in the light of a small oil lamp. *T-chan?* he asked through a yawn, as he pulled open the door.
Startled, the pair looked up at the boy then turned to each other.
“Ah, T-chan, what time is it?” the other finally asked as he rose to help Chris get his glass of milk.
“Late,” he said quietly. “You should go to bed, Ronan. We both lost track of time. I’ll lock up.”
Rising, she yawned and ran a hand through her hair. As she went through the door, she smirked over her shoulder at him and said flippantly, “Dante may have been a good writer, but he was still a pompous, self-righteous ass.”
Tetsu bristled silently, unable to make the response he wanted to with Chris present, and damned if he wasn’t sure she knew that. These late night talks of theirs had begun five days ago, after she had found him reading Shakespeare in the kitchen. Granted, she’d had a very stressful day and he wasn’t too surprised to find her awake late that night in the kitchen. But she was also reading. Of all things, she was reading Edgar Allen Poe. Poetry. And munching on a grilled cheese sandwich, with a glass of milk in front of her. Through a mouthful of cheese and bread she’d commented to him that Poe was a downright creepy poet. That had led to their first discussion. He couldn’t say it was an argument, since their voices never went above a stage whisper, but in the course of that discussion he discovered that she was very well read for someone of her age. And generation, he growled grumpily to himself, ushering Chris back toward his bedroom.
As he passed the entry door to the rest of the shop he hissed when he saw the Detective passed out, sprawled on one of the couches. Making sure Chris was tucked into bed, he stalked down to D’s room and knocked lightly on the door.
“Yes, T-chan. What is it?” Replied the Count from his lounging chair where he sipped a late night cup of tea. The shop was quiet and there had been no ‘incidents’ of late... as he’d begun to call them. Usually begun by Ronan reacting badly to being startled. The first time it had taken hours to calm the small kitten who had batted at Ronan's ankles as she was passing. Her startled shriek had raised half the shop. He couldn’t really explain the situation to any of his pets who’d never spent time hiding amongst humans. Ten-chan was trying but …
Somehow, Ten-chan had snuck out with the girl and the Detective, and had heard the full story of what had happened to her. He’d come back with dangerously snapping eyes and a growling glare that would have done the Totetsu proud; his own frayed temper getting in the way of his usual jovial urbanity. D was not truly surprised at the kitsune’s reaction, just at the … extremity of it. Ten wasn’t a gentle-natured creature by any means, but he wasn’t bloodthirsty like Tetsu was, and yet every once in a while he overheard the fox watching her with a possessive glint in his green eyes and muttering to himself about fricasseed human.
Apparently Ronan had been added to the kitsune’s “Must Be Protected” list. All to the good for her; as Ten was a dangerous adversary, but D hoped there wouldn’t be any need for him to do so.
“The Detective is asleep on a couch. Can I bite him?” Tetsu’s grumpy voice had a hopeful lilt to it.
D sighed. As amusing as the long-running grudge was, this late at night it just got on his nerves. “No, you may not, T-chan. I will see to him. You should go to your own rest.”
The soft rustle of fabric and a click announced D’s emergence from his bedroom. After shooing the Totetsu off to curl up with Chris, the slender man geared himself up to do battle.
He was all set to give Leon an earful, but his first view of the sleeping man choked the words off in his throat. For once, all the cares of the day were erased from his handsome face and Leon was actually smiling peacefully in his sleep. Shaking his head at his own 180 in attitude, D silently retrieved a blanket from a cupboard and covered the prone man with it, carefully tucking in the edges so as to not wake him.
Needless to say he was quite surprised when Leon’s hand shot up and grabbed his wrist in an iron grip.
“D … wha? Is there trouble?” he asked groggily. D was surprised to see the gun in his opposite hand, retrieved quickly from beneath the cushion Leon had been using as a pillow.
D shook his head, midnight hair tossing. “No, no. I was unaware you would be staying here tonight. I would have provided better accommodations. If you wish, I am certain there is an extra room available.”
Leon gave him a confused glare. “Whatthehell? You mean you haven’t noticed? I’ve been here every night since Ronan gave her statement to the department. The Chief wants me to stay as close to her as possible.”
Blinking in astonishment, D sat abruptly on a nearby chair. He tugged absently at his wrist and raised an eyebrow when Leon didn’t release it. “First of all, may I have my hand back?”
Leon looked down at their joined hands, a blush that threatened spontaneous combustion highlighting his cheeks with vivid color. “Eh … sorry,” he said as he released his grip on the other man’s hand.
“Thank you. Second of all, how was it that I was unaware of your extended stay in my domain?”
“Well, the first night Chris let me in. I told him why I needed to stay here and ever since, the door has been unlocked when I came to knock on it. I figured he’d told you and you had left the door open for me.”
D shook his head. He had not left the door unlocked, however he had the curious notion that some of his pets had overheard Leon’s talk with Chris and saw to it that he was able to get in. Not that he’d ever offer that opinion to the Detective. “It was not I. Perhaps Chris has been unlocking the door for you. Still, how have I not known how long you’ve been here?”
Yawning, Leon shrugged. “I’ve been leaving around eight at night to shower and change, coming back and then getting up before dawn to write my reports at the precinct. Then I’d come back here after breakfast. Shit, I had forgotten how much I hate guard duty.”
Sighing at the inevitability, D stood and offered his hand to Leon. “Come. There is a much more comfortable bed you may use. And from now on, you will eat breakfast before you leave.” Turning off the lights in the room, D lead the taller man into the back corridors, neither one noticing that the front door was still unlocked.
Three men nodded to each other when the lights in the shop finally went off at around midnight. They’d had to wait nearly the entire night for their chance to come, and they’d spent the last three nights planning. Shifting and looking at each other, one held up two fingers and tapped his watch. They’d wait two more hours.
Approaching the iron gate, the first went to work with a blow torch, making quick work of the hinges and lock. The second, a short ferret-like man, pulled out a set of lock picks and set to work on the door itself, chuckling to himself a few moments later when he simply pushed the door open. “It was unlocked,” he whispered to his companions. Gliding into the silent and dark shop the man looked around and whistled quietly. “Shit, this guy must be rich,” he grumbled to himself. Shaking his head and putting the thought aside for another day, he waved his hand at the other two, beckoning them inside. Heading straight for the large double doors at the back of the room, they pulled them open and just goggled for a moment at the diverging hallways.
“Alright, let’s split up,” growled one quietly. “Roger, you take the left, Allen, you take right. I’ll go straight ahead. Meet up back here in one hour if you don’t find her. Go!”
The one named Allen followed the right hand hallway, opening and closing doors as he went. Most of them only contained the rare pets the proprietor was rumored to sell. He was grateful that none of them raised a ruckus at his presence. Some were empty, awaiting only a resident. A few contained supplies, strange and exotic things he could put no name to. He opened one door and found a spare bedroom, empty. Rummaging around for a minute, he concluded that this was not her room. There was nothing in the room but a paperback book, badly dog-eared and worn; some thriller the size of a phone book. Snorting, he tossed it back on the table beside the bed.
Moving on, he pulled open another door a crack and shut it almost immediately, though silently. The shop owner and the Detective were in that one, having a very soft discussion over tea. Fortunately, they seemed too wrapped up in each other to notice him. Neither the sneak nor the Detective noticed the way D’s eyes slid to the door for a fraction of a second, or the slight smile that tugged at his mouth.
Roger was doing the same along his hallway. It was more of the same for him and he was getting heartily tired of finding … nothing. “Damn it, bitch, where the fuck are you?" He grumbled quietly to himself as he opened another door. A slithering hiss jerked his eyes up to stare into baleful eyes the color of good rubies and a large mouth containing foot-long fangs. He froze, unable to move under that hypnotizing gaze. The creature slid forward and wrapped himself around the human, hissing to himself. “I believe you humans call this ‘breaking and entering’,” said Rikoda to the terrified human, as he slithered back into the darkness with his snack. “An act that deserves punishment.”
It was the third who was having the most luck. He’d found Chris’s door and sneered at the sight of the pile of bodies on the bed. Kids, he thought to himself in derision.
Opening the next one, he found an empty bedroom, but one obviously occupied by a female. Grunting, he shut the door behind him and turned around only to run smack into the girl they were looking for. At least it looked like her. There was something wrong with her eyes. Weren’t they brown in that photo? He asked himself. Why are they green now?
He made a grab for her and totally missed the vicious smirk that flickered across her face as she effortlessly avoided him and took off at a dead run into the depths of the shop, screaming as she went and rousing the entire shop in her wake.
“Shit!” he said expressively. Then he ran after her.
Behind him, Chris’s door opened and shut, leaving a hungry-looking Tetsu glowering after the running man for a moment before he too followed, fully intent on taking a piece or two out of him.
The rest of the animals in the shop immediately understood that there was an intruder and set about making his escape virtually impossible. Most of them hadn’t understood what had happened to Ronan, but certainly understood she was being hunted, and they would not allow her to be harmed.
Off in another part of the shop, D and Leon looked up at the sudden cries and traded glances.
“You don’t think …” said Leon.
D only gave the human a particularly malicious smile, and bowed him out the door.
“You know, having him alive would be nice!” exclaimed Leon as they pelted full out along the corridors. “I’d hate to have to explain why there are dead bodies with pieces missing instead of captured criminals.”
D gave him a long glance out of the corner of his eyes and shrugged expressively as he easily kept pace. “I can make no guarantees as to the safety of this man, or men. My pets will protect their territory with violence if necessary.”
Allen had come to the end of his corridor and shrugged when he only found a painting of a tiger hung on the wall. All of the side passages had only contained more of the freaky animals that he had no wish to make the acquaintance of. Turning back the way he had come, he had taken no more than five steps when a low growl behind him had the hairs on his neck lifting in atavistic fear. Turning about slowly, he dreaded to see what was behind him.
It was a very large tiger. Confused, he looked at the painting and shuddered when he realized that the tiger in it was gone. Slowly the tiger stalked towards him, the low rumble growing louder with every step. Gulping, he tried to make his legs move, but they seemed frozen in place. He held up his hands in a futile effort to ward the creature off. He didn't have a chance to scream before the beast leapt, teeth and claws bared.
He was lucky. D and Leon showed up only moments later, D snapping out something in Chinese that had the tiger backing up and curling itself about D’s legs. “As you can see, my pets prefer not to be disturbed. They dislike intruders intensely. I believe, Detective, that you have the authority to arrest this man?” the Count asked as he absently stroked the tiger’s head, making it purr in content. Leon stepped forward with a feral grin.
Allen sneered at him. “You won’t be able to protect her forever, you know. The other two took the other hallways and since she’s not in this one, one of them will find her.”
Leon froze for a minute. Then fury blazed in his eyes. Reaching forward he grabbed the other man by the collar and yanked him so close their noses nearly touched. “If either of those bastards hurt my little brother, I might just let that damned goat of the Count’s eat you, and the more joy to him for it. And as for Ronan,” He paused and chuckled a bit evilly. “She's not without her protectors, you stupid prick.”
“Indeed,” Affirmed the Count in a frosty tone that made glaciers seem warm by comparison. “My pets are … rather fond of her. And most of them are quite deadly. Like this lovely fellow here,” he said, scratching at the tiger’s ears. It leaned into his touch and growled at Allen again.
Rikoda looked up from the human caught in his coils and cocked his head, listening to the cries from the other pets. “Ah, so you are not the only one here,” he whispered dryly. “I see.”
Beginning to laugh, he called out to a few of the other pets of the fanged and clawed variety, inviting them to join him. Then he reached and touched the mind of the screamer. *Ten. Why am I not surprised...? Lead your … pursuer to my den. My friends and I will take care of them.* Settling himself on the floor, he groaned. Using that ability was exhausting, even for a basilisk of his age. Very few of his kind ever gained the gift of mind speak, and those that did rarely used it because of the mental exhaustion afterward.
Deep in the corridors of the shop, Ten chuckled to himself as he received the big snake’s message. He’d do it, but he’d decided to lead the idiot behind him straight through another part of the shop that no one but Chris and D went, first. He had a surprise left for this fool.
Whipping around a corner he nearly ran over Ronan as she left the Library. Casting a glance behind him at the human, he grabbed her hand and pulled her up with a snarled “Run!” Pulling her along behind him, he raced through several side corridors, unexpectedly finding her hand tugged out of his grasp. He turned with a snarl to find Zeriah standing in an open doorway, her golden eyes blazing.
She yanked Ronan behind her and frowned fiercely at Ten. “Go! I’ll protect her,” she snapped at the fox, pushing the girl farther into her nest, mantling when Ten hesitated a second longer. Ten flashed her a vulpine grin and darted away. Zeriah shut the door before the human rounded the corner, hissing softly as he ran after the fox. Ronan's face was flushed and her eyes were startled and half-mad with a renewal of her terror. Zeriah gently enfolded her in a wing. Ronan started before bursting into tears, burying her face in the hippogryph's gold-brown feathers.
Zeriah hissed and awkwardly patted the girls head. "They will never touch you again, little one." She stared out into the corridor where Ten and his pursuer had disappeared, dark amber eyes angry. "The Count has offered his protection and that is nothing to scoff at. If asked, there is not a being here who would not risk life and limb for someone under D's protection. Tetsu once took a bullet for Chris and will do the same for you." ‘And maybe even more,’ she thought to herself, remembering the discussion she’d had with a certain hawk a few days ago. She had her own ideas as to what was happening between the two. Despite the restraints placed upon him by D, Tetsu was a predator, and she strongly suspected that his protector’s and predator’s instincts were in conflict with each other.
Ronan hiccuped and snuggled into Zeriah's embrace. For a moment, she had been back there in the staircase, pinned to the cold concrete, a blade through her hand and her tormentor ramming himself into her helpless, battered body. She hated herself for the weakness that made her shake in the hippogryph's embrace. She blinked a moment later when Tetsu flashed by the door she could still see out of. For the first time she saw what any normal human saw, and gulped at the huge beast he revealed himself to be. His back was easily as tall as her shoulder and as broad as a horse’s, covered by a thick and shaggy pelt of reddish-brown. Three inch long fangs jutted out of his mouth in a livid snarl and battle-light made his eyes glow.
Awed wonder filled her and pushed back the fear attempting to control her. She’d caught glimpses of the smaller, pet-size version of him, and for it’s size it was impressive. This … this was incredible. Now she understood why most of the other creatures in the shop were terrified of him. Looking up at the hovering hippogryph, she smiled tentatively, although it was a bit crumpled around the edges.
“I’m okay. I was just … startled. I never would have thought they’d come here.”
“This is good. It only means you are beginning to heal. We have all come to care for you, for all you’ve not been here long. Come, none who enter here without my permission leave alive. We may rest while the more deadly of us deal with the trespassers.”
“Um … Zeriah?”
Yes, little one?” replied the hippogryph as she settled herself back on her nest.
“Just now … when Tetsu ran by … I saw … Well, I guess it’s what everyone one else sees, but … I mean, is that really what he looks like under the shapeshift?”
Flipping her wings closed and turning her head to look at the human girl, Zeriah narrowed her eyes as she thought about the question. “Hmmm, well, I know that the Count has fixed things so that the Totetsu does not seem so dangerous to humans; the form usually seen by visitors is not even a quarter his real size. Ronan, you must remember that above all else, Tetsu is a predator, one of the very few species who have made humans a natural part of their diet. His true form reflects that. However, you are something different, and have D’s protection, Tetsu is no threat to you. I can say that if the Totetsu get his teeth into the human that was chasing you, there won’t be anything left of him in the morning. If it makes you feel better, I will say that Tetsu likes you a great deal.”
“He does?” she asked shyly, blushing.
“Very much so. Now come and rest yourself. All will be well by morning.”
(*)(*)(*)(*)
Ten-chan let himself nearly be caught as he led the stupid thug a merry chase through the corridors. He'd seen the flash of terror in Ronan's eyes as she had seen the man. Oh yes, he was going to enjoy this... He doubled back, narrowly escaping the frustrated grab the man made for him. Ten spotted Tetsu coming up fast, a furious snarl on his face. "This way!" He shouted to the angry Totetsu.
"What are you planning, fox-boy?" Tetsu snarled as he growled and snapped at the human chasing after Ten.
Ten-chan favored him with a grin that took even the seasoned predator aback. He hadn't seen Ten that angry in a long, long time. His green eyes blazed with raging fire as he dodged a clumsy grab. "You'll see..."
(*)(*)(*)(*)
Chapter eight complete. Read and Review, please!
Disclaimer: Petshop of Horrors is not mine. I just wished I lived there. In addition, Lee Sinhg, Coyote, and Entai are the sole property of Akita and Subu-chan, who have graciously allowed me to write a fic that ties in with their PSOH fics. Any other characters from any other series that may pop up also belong only to their respective companies.
Co-authored by: Kita and Subu-chan.
Chapter Eight:
Chris stumbled through the kitchen door, half-asleep and yawning, rubbing his eyes with one hand and reaching for the refrigerator door with the other. He was thirsty and wanted a glass of milk. He almost didn’t notice the pair sitting at the kitchen table, arguing quietly over an open book in the light of a small oil lamp. *T-chan?* he asked through a yawn, as he pulled open the door.
Startled, the pair looked up at the boy then turned to each other.
“Ah, T-chan, what time is it?” the other finally asked as he rose to help Chris get his glass of milk.
“Late,” he said quietly. “You should go to bed, Ronan. We both lost track of time. I’ll lock up.”
Rising, she yawned and ran a hand through her hair. As she went through the door, she smirked over her shoulder at him and said flippantly, “Dante may have been a good writer, but he was still a pompous, self-righteous ass.”
Tetsu bristled silently, unable to make the response he wanted to with Chris present, and damned if he wasn’t sure she knew that. These late night talks of theirs had begun five days ago, after she had found him reading Shakespeare in the kitchen. Granted, she’d had a very stressful day and he wasn’t too surprised to find her awake late that night in the kitchen. But she was also reading. Of all things, she was reading Edgar Allen Poe. Poetry. And munching on a grilled cheese sandwich, with a glass of milk in front of her. Through a mouthful of cheese and bread she’d commented to him that Poe was a downright creepy poet. That had led to their first discussion. He couldn’t say it was an argument, since their voices never went above a stage whisper, but in the course of that discussion he discovered that she was very well read for someone of her age. And generation, he growled grumpily to himself, ushering Chris back toward his bedroom.
As he passed the entry door to the rest of the shop he hissed when he saw the Detective passed out, sprawled on one of the couches. Making sure Chris was tucked into bed, he stalked down to D’s room and knocked lightly on the door.
“Yes, T-chan. What is it?” Replied the Count from his lounging chair where he sipped a late night cup of tea. The shop was quiet and there had been no ‘incidents’ of late... as he’d begun to call them. Usually begun by Ronan reacting badly to being startled. The first time it had taken hours to calm the small kitten who had batted at Ronan's ankles as she was passing. Her startled shriek had raised half the shop. He couldn’t really explain the situation to any of his pets who’d never spent time hiding amongst humans. Ten-chan was trying but …
Somehow, Ten-chan had snuck out with the girl and the Detective, and had heard the full story of what had happened to her. He’d come back with dangerously snapping eyes and a growling glare that would have done the Totetsu proud; his own frayed temper getting in the way of his usual jovial urbanity. D was not truly surprised at the kitsune’s reaction, just at the … extremity of it. Ten wasn’t a gentle-natured creature by any means, but he wasn’t bloodthirsty like Tetsu was, and yet every once in a while he overheard the fox watching her with a possessive glint in his green eyes and muttering to himself about fricasseed human.
Apparently Ronan had been added to the kitsune’s “Must Be Protected” list. All to the good for her; as Ten was a dangerous adversary, but D hoped there wouldn’t be any need for him to do so.
“The Detective is asleep on a couch. Can I bite him?” Tetsu’s grumpy voice had a hopeful lilt to it.
D sighed. As amusing as the long-running grudge was, this late at night it just got on his nerves. “No, you may not, T-chan. I will see to him. You should go to your own rest.”
The soft rustle of fabric and a click announced D’s emergence from his bedroom. After shooing the Totetsu off to curl up with Chris, the slender man geared himself up to do battle.
He was all set to give Leon an earful, but his first view of the sleeping man choked the words off in his throat. For once, all the cares of the day were erased from his handsome face and Leon was actually smiling peacefully in his sleep. Shaking his head at his own 180 in attitude, D silently retrieved a blanket from a cupboard and covered the prone man with it, carefully tucking in the edges so as to not wake him.
Needless to say he was quite surprised when Leon’s hand shot up and grabbed his wrist in an iron grip.
“D … wha? Is there trouble?” he asked groggily. D was surprised to see the gun in his opposite hand, retrieved quickly from beneath the cushion Leon had been using as a pillow.
D shook his head, midnight hair tossing. “No, no. I was unaware you would be staying here tonight. I would have provided better accommodations. If you wish, I am certain there is an extra room available.”
Leon gave him a confused glare. “Whatthehell? You mean you haven’t noticed? I’ve been here every night since Ronan gave her statement to the department. The Chief wants me to stay as close to her as possible.”
Blinking in astonishment, D sat abruptly on a nearby chair. He tugged absently at his wrist and raised an eyebrow when Leon didn’t release it. “First of all, may I have my hand back?”
Leon looked down at their joined hands, a blush that threatened spontaneous combustion highlighting his cheeks with vivid color. “Eh … sorry,” he said as he released his grip on the other man’s hand.
“Thank you. Second of all, how was it that I was unaware of your extended stay in my domain?”
“Well, the first night Chris let me in. I told him why I needed to stay here and ever since, the door has been unlocked when I came to knock on it. I figured he’d told you and you had left the door open for me.”
D shook his head. He had not left the door unlocked, however he had the curious notion that some of his pets had overheard Leon’s talk with Chris and saw to it that he was able to get in. Not that he’d ever offer that opinion to the Detective. “It was not I. Perhaps Chris has been unlocking the door for you. Still, how have I not known how long you’ve been here?”
Yawning, Leon shrugged. “I’ve been leaving around eight at night to shower and change, coming back and then getting up before dawn to write my reports at the precinct. Then I’d come back here after breakfast. Shit, I had forgotten how much I hate guard duty.”
Sighing at the inevitability, D stood and offered his hand to Leon. “Come. There is a much more comfortable bed you may use. And from now on, you will eat breakfast before you leave.” Turning off the lights in the room, D lead the taller man into the back corridors, neither one noticing that the front door was still unlocked.
Three men nodded to each other when the lights in the shop finally went off at around midnight. They’d had to wait nearly the entire night for their chance to come, and they’d spent the last three nights planning. Shifting and looking at each other, one held up two fingers and tapped his watch. They’d wait two more hours.
Approaching the iron gate, the first went to work with a blow torch, making quick work of the hinges and lock. The second, a short ferret-like man, pulled out a set of lock picks and set to work on the door itself, chuckling to himself a few moments later when he simply pushed the door open. “It was unlocked,” he whispered to his companions. Gliding into the silent and dark shop the man looked around and whistled quietly. “Shit, this guy must be rich,” he grumbled to himself. Shaking his head and putting the thought aside for another day, he waved his hand at the other two, beckoning them inside. Heading straight for the large double doors at the back of the room, they pulled them open and just goggled for a moment at the diverging hallways.
“Alright, let’s split up,” growled one quietly. “Roger, you take the left, Allen, you take right. I’ll go straight ahead. Meet up back here in one hour if you don’t find her. Go!”
The one named Allen followed the right hand hallway, opening and closing doors as he went. Most of them only contained the rare pets the proprietor was rumored to sell. He was grateful that none of them raised a ruckus at his presence. Some were empty, awaiting only a resident. A few contained supplies, strange and exotic things he could put no name to. He opened one door and found a spare bedroom, empty. Rummaging around for a minute, he concluded that this was not her room. There was nothing in the room but a paperback book, badly dog-eared and worn; some thriller the size of a phone book. Snorting, he tossed it back on the table beside the bed.
Moving on, he pulled open another door a crack and shut it almost immediately, though silently. The shop owner and the Detective were in that one, having a very soft discussion over tea. Fortunately, they seemed too wrapped up in each other to notice him. Neither the sneak nor the Detective noticed the way D’s eyes slid to the door for a fraction of a second, or the slight smile that tugged at his mouth.
Roger was doing the same along his hallway. It was more of the same for him and he was getting heartily tired of finding … nothing. “Damn it, bitch, where the fuck are you?" He grumbled quietly to himself as he opened another door. A slithering hiss jerked his eyes up to stare into baleful eyes the color of good rubies and a large mouth containing foot-long fangs. He froze, unable to move under that hypnotizing gaze. The creature slid forward and wrapped himself around the human, hissing to himself. “I believe you humans call this ‘breaking and entering’,” said Rikoda to the terrified human, as he slithered back into the darkness with his snack. “An act that deserves punishment.”
It was the third who was having the most luck. He’d found Chris’s door and sneered at the sight of the pile of bodies on the bed. Kids, he thought to himself in derision.
Opening the next one, he found an empty bedroom, but one obviously occupied by a female. Grunting, he shut the door behind him and turned around only to run smack into the girl they were looking for. At least it looked like her. There was something wrong with her eyes. Weren’t they brown in that photo? He asked himself. Why are they green now?
He made a grab for her and totally missed the vicious smirk that flickered across her face as she effortlessly avoided him and took off at a dead run into the depths of the shop, screaming as she went and rousing the entire shop in her wake.
“Shit!” he said expressively. Then he ran after her.
Behind him, Chris’s door opened and shut, leaving a hungry-looking Tetsu glowering after the running man for a moment before he too followed, fully intent on taking a piece or two out of him.
The rest of the animals in the shop immediately understood that there was an intruder and set about making his escape virtually impossible. Most of them hadn’t understood what had happened to Ronan, but certainly understood she was being hunted, and they would not allow her to be harmed.
Off in another part of the shop, D and Leon looked up at the sudden cries and traded glances.
“You don’t think …” said Leon.
D only gave the human a particularly malicious smile, and bowed him out the door.
“You know, having him alive would be nice!” exclaimed Leon as they pelted full out along the corridors. “I’d hate to have to explain why there are dead bodies with pieces missing instead of captured criminals.”
D gave him a long glance out of the corner of his eyes and shrugged expressively as he easily kept pace. “I can make no guarantees as to the safety of this man, or men. My pets will protect their territory with violence if necessary.”
Allen had come to the end of his corridor and shrugged when he only found a painting of a tiger hung on the wall. All of the side passages had only contained more of the freaky animals that he had no wish to make the acquaintance of. Turning back the way he had come, he had taken no more than five steps when a low growl behind him had the hairs on his neck lifting in atavistic fear. Turning about slowly, he dreaded to see what was behind him.
It was a very large tiger. Confused, he looked at the painting and shuddered when he realized that the tiger in it was gone. Slowly the tiger stalked towards him, the low rumble growing louder with every step. Gulping, he tried to make his legs move, but they seemed frozen in place. He held up his hands in a futile effort to ward the creature off. He didn't have a chance to scream before the beast leapt, teeth and claws bared.
He was lucky. D and Leon showed up only moments later, D snapping out something in Chinese that had the tiger backing up and curling itself about D’s legs. “As you can see, my pets prefer not to be disturbed. They dislike intruders intensely. I believe, Detective, that you have the authority to arrest this man?” the Count asked as he absently stroked the tiger’s head, making it purr in content. Leon stepped forward with a feral grin.
Allen sneered at him. “You won’t be able to protect her forever, you know. The other two took the other hallways and since she’s not in this one, one of them will find her.”
Leon froze for a minute. Then fury blazed in his eyes. Reaching forward he grabbed the other man by the collar and yanked him so close their noses nearly touched. “If either of those bastards hurt my little brother, I might just let that damned goat of the Count’s eat you, and the more joy to him for it. And as for Ronan,” He paused and chuckled a bit evilly. “She's not without her protectors, you stupid prick.”
“Indeed,” Affirmed the Count in a frosty tone that made glaciers seem warm by comparison. “My pets are … rather fond of her. And most of them are quite deadly. Like this lovely fellow here,” he said, scratching at the tiger’s ears. It leaned into his touch and growled at Allen again.
Rikoda looked up from the human caught in his coils and cocked his head, listening to the cries from the other pets. “Ah, so you are not the only one here,” he whispered dryly. “I see.”
Beginning to laugh, he called out to a few of the other pets of the fanged and clawed variety, inviting them to join him. Then he reached and touched the mind of the screamer. *Ten. Why am I not surprised...? Lead your … pursuer to my den. My friends and I will take care of them.* Settling himself on the floor, he groaned. Using that ability was exhausting, even for a basilisk of his age. Very few of his kind ever gained the gift of mind speak, and those that did rarely used it because of the mental exhaustion afterward.
Deep in the corridors of the shop, Ten chuckled to himself as he received the big snake’s message. He’d do it, but he’d decided to lead the idiot behind him straight through another part of the shop that no one but Chris and D went, first. He had a surprise left for this fool.
Whipping around a corner he nearly ran over Ronan as she left the Library. Casting a glance behind him at the human, he grabbed her hand and pulled her up with a snarled “Run!” Pulling her along behind him, he raced through several side corridors, unexpectedly finding her hand tugged out of his grasp. He turned with a snarl to find Zeriah standing in an open doorway, her golden eyes blazing.
She yanked Ronan behind her and frowned fiercely at Ten. “Go! I’ll protect her,” she snapped at the fox, pushing the girl farther into her nest, mantling when Ten hesitated a second longer. Ten flashed her a vulpine grin and darted away. Zeriah shut the door before the human rounded the corner, hissing softly as he ran after the fox. Ronan's face was flushed and her eyes were startled and half-mad with a renewal of her terror. Zeriah gently enfolded her in a wing. Ronan started before bursting into tears, burying her face in the hippogryph's gold-brown feathers.
Zeriah hissed and awkwardly patted the girls head. "They will never touch you again, little one." She stared out into the corridor where Ten and his pursuer had disappeared, dark amber eyes angry. "The Count has offered his protection and that is nothing to scoff at. If asked, there is not a being here who would not risk life and limb for someone under D's protection. Tetsu once took a bullet for Chris and will do the same for you." ‘And maybe even more,’ she thought to herself, remembering the discussion she’d had with a certain hawk a few days ago. She had her own ideas as to what was happening between the two. Despite the restraints placed upon him by D, Tetsu was a predator, and she strongly suspected that his protector’s and predator’s instincts were in conflict with each other.
Ronan hiccuped and snuggled into Zeriah's embrace. For a moment, she had been back there in the staircase, pinned to the cold concrete, a blade through her hand and her tormentor ramming himself into her helpless, battered body. She hated herself for the weakness that made her shake in the hippogryph's embrace. She blinked a moment later when Tetsu flashed by the door she could still see out of. For the first time she saw what any normal human saw, and gulped at the huge beast he revealed himself to be. His back was easily as tall as her shoulder and as broad as a horse’s, covered by a thick and shaggy pelt of reddish-brown. Three inch long fangs jutted out of his mouth in a livid snarl and battle-light made his eyes glow.
Awed wonder filled her and pushed back the fear attempting to control her. She’d caught glimpses of the smaller, pet-size version of him, and for it’s size it was impressive. This … this was incredible. Now she understood why most of the other creatures in the shop were terrified of him. Looking up at the hovering hippogryph, she smiled tentatively, although it was a bit crumpled around the edges.
“I’m okay. I was just … startled. I never would have thought they’d come here.”
“This is good. It only means you are beginning to heal. We have all come to care for you, for all you’ve not been here long. Come, none who enter here without my permission leave alive. We may rest while the more deadly of us deal with the trespassers.”
“Um … Zeriah?”
Yes, little one?” replied the hippogryph as she settled herself back on her nest.
“Just now … when Tetsu ran by … I saw … Well, I guess it’s what everyone one else sees, but … I mean, is that really what he looks like under the shapeshift?”
Flipping her wings closed and turning her head to look at the human girl, Zeriah narrowed her eyes as she thought about the question. “Hmmm, well, I know that the Count has fixed things so that the Totetsu does not seem so dangerous to humans; the form usually seen by visitors is not even a quarter his real size. Ronan, you must remember that above all else, Tetsu is a predator, one of the very few species who have made humans a natural part of their diet. His true form reflects that. However, you are something different, and have D’s protection, Tetsu is no threat to you. I can say that if the Totetsu get his teeth into the human that was chasing you, there won’t be anything left of him in the morning. If it makes you feel better, I will say that Tetsu likes you a great deal.”
“He does?” she asked shyly, blushing.
“Very much so. Now come and rest yourself. All will be well by morning.”
(*)(*)(*)(*)
Ten-chan let himself nearly be caught as he led the stupid thug a merry chase through the corridors. He'd seen the flash of terror in Ronan's eyes as she had seen the man. Oh yes, he was going to enjoy this... He doubled back, narrowly escaping the frustrated grab the man made for him. Ten spotted Tetsu coming up fast, a furious snarl on his face. "This way!" He shouted to the angry Totetsu.
"What are you planning, fox-boy?" Tetsu snarled as he growled and snapped at the human chasing after Ten.
Ten-chan favored him with a grin that took even the seasoned predator aback. He hadn't seen Ten that angry in a long, long time. His green eyes blazed with raging fire as he dodged a clumsy grab. "You'll see..."
(*)(*)(*)(*)
Chapter eight complete. Read and Review, please!