Justice Knows No Bounds

[Lovely]

July 28 2007
just before dark
boarded-up warehouse

A few had taken a special interest in the girl. The reasons why remained in shadows like her, bound in the cellar of the forgotten warehouse to be discovered eventually. One who'd taken such an interest had gotten as far as finding her, but getting her out and safe was another story altogether. Not one to introduce himself until it was necessary, he knelt beside her as she rested alone and worked on getting the well-tied knots loose. The boys knew their job well, both protecting her and damaging her as the situation called for. The knots they'd left for him to untie were as secure as the building. How he got himself inside without being seen was another story as well.

"Well that's not helping huh?" He was talking to himself and looking at the knots that held her hands and ankles. He tried to pull the knots, but they got tighter. "Damnit..." He got a knife out.

She didn't really know how long they had held her for, days.. weeks maybe. The teasing and torment seemed to never end unless she lost conciousness and even then she wasn't certain it did end. Nicky had no idea why they wanted her or why she was kept alive when she'd watched others torn apart after enduring their own torments. For the most part she'd gone less harmed than the others, many who ended up in pieces. She'd been tied and and held and made to watch what they did.. the torturing, raping, and final rendings. Threats made towards her of when it would be her turn, but she remained protected by their leader.. king.. and his two princes. But the sort of protection they gave was not entirely comforting, she was kept from the worst of what she'd witnessed.

Nicky came to and found a strange man there, his knife raised and she flinched at the glint of the blade but not at the tightening of the ropes as she'd grown used to how they dug into her now-raw wrists.

He moved back, the blade waivering and flickering under what little light there was as it shook rapidly back and forth. He stopped suddenly, holding it pointedly toward her, more specifically toward the ropes. "Sorry sweetheart... kinda necessary. Close your eyes." He looked around quickly, waiting for company and started to carefully cut the ropes apart. Did they really need so many for such a small girl?

She stared at him a moment, taking in a ragged breath and slowly nodding, her eyes closed but she trembled slightly, waiting for him to hurt her more. More than she already had been. Nicky didn't know who he was or why he was there, she expected him to be some kind of trick.. she just wanted to go home and not have them hurting or scaring her anymore.

"Hey, take it easy. If you want I can wait until those boys come back if you're having fun and all, but I'm not getting that this is a fun thing here for you. How long since they left?"

Her eyes peeked open and she turned a bruised cheek toward him. "I seem to have lost my watch.. I don't think it's been long.. ten minutes at most." Her voice was weak, soft, scared but still with a bit of fight left in it.

"Nice. Do you want out or not? We may not have time for the smart remarks. Anything broken that you know? Think you can walk, maybe run if need be?"

"You asked.. do you see a clock.. do you see much left on me?" She turned her face away taking in a deep breath. "I don't think anything is broken.. just cuts, bruises.. a lot of hurt.. I don't know about walking or running.. I've been tied up like this for awhile. You can believe I'm going to try before they come back and do worse to and with me."

"May have to. I don't know how they function with these devices." He dug in a pocket and then another, looking for something that would cut through the ropes faster. Only one thing came to mind, but one or the both of them might lose something important if he tried using that. No time to think about it.

She'd turned away for the moment... did it matter if she noticed? The clear ringing of heavier metal stung the air as his own sword was pulled from it, from nothingness, sharper than mortal blades and faster. "Keep 'em closed. And hope I don't miss." He was smirking, though telling her to keep her eyes shut, she probably didn't notice as he aimed at the knots around her wrists.

Her eyes squeezed tighter and her head tipped down, if his hearing was sharp he'd know she held her breath. "Who are you.. are you one of them?" She asked him, her long dark hair hanging down to veil her body somewhat from view.

"Depends on which 'them' you mean. I've been called a dog before, but I'm not one. Don't move," he warned, letting the blade fall heavily, careful precision splitting the ropes neatly within the final thread that spared that corner of skin from harm. He moved the blade away and took up the knife again for the smaller cords now that she could pop her hands free.

She gasped, her hands curling as they came free and she realized the ropes had been tight enough to make her partially lose feeling in them. "Then what.. who are you?" She prodded softly, trying to help him pull the ropes off and from around her. "How do I know you're not just going to drag me somewhere else and .." She trailed off, do the same or worse.. kill her.. they had hurt her, toyed with her, taunted.. and she heard them discuss several options of what they would do with her, none of them bringing pleasant images to mind.

"Well you said you weren't sure you could run, so I may not have a choice about dragging you, but I wouldn't go through this trouble to try and free you without them knowing if I could just simply buy them off. Save the questions and leave it as.. my name's not Luke, but I'm here to rescue you anyway?"

She nodded, feeling a bit light headed as she tried to stand too quickly and getting hit by the lack of food, water, loss of blood, roughing up and being tied like she was for that length of time. "Ok.. no questions.. just get me out of here please.."

He reached out to catch her and keep her upright. "Whoa, okay. Looks like dragging it is. Do you have anything else here that's yours or just you? Put this on, anyway," he said, slipping off the jacket he was wearing. It only came down to his waist, but would still cover more of her than what she had on.

"Thank you." She murmured, carefully pulling the jacket around her. "Just me.. what I was wearing.." She motioned to the shreds that had amused the one in charge to tear from her and toss around the room, like a taunting decoration.

[Lovely]

"Their time will come," he said, his tone a little dark and chilling, though his expression was kind. He offered an arm to hold her up and pulled the sword up into the other. "This way out. If I say close your eyes, keep moving, but keep 'em closed."

"Sure it will." She murmured not believing it would, not after what she'd seen, heard, and been through. Her hand rested against him to give herself some support and she nodded to him that she understood and was ready to get the heck out of there.

He led into the main corridor, expecting a confrontation. Simply put, she wasn't theirs and he'd let them know with the point of his blade. The old basement where she'd been held wasn't the securest of places, but also wasn't the largest for a good fight, though a good ambush was a probability. He kept his ears tuned to the sounds up the staircase. "Trust is a really good thing to have right now."

"I don't know who you are.. I've been.. " She shook her head and lifted her gaze to his face. "I can only hope that I'll wake up in a soft bed and this will be over.. and the only chance I have is to trust you to help me out of here." Her voice was a whisper, she was smart enough not to raise it and chance being heard further than the space between them.

"C'mon, you can hope for more than that. Why stop there?" He said, keeping his voice level, but not loud. She was a fabulous choice for a captive, but why they had to go and tear her up so badly was beyond him. He may have been guilty of staring a little too long before adding another grin. "If you can't trust me, we're going to have bigger problems than you know." Something in his eyes channeled an unearthly spark, something stronger than human and brighter than the flash of metal he carried at his side. With it was a sincerity she could feel in his tone, that was gentle despite the violence he promised if they were met on their way out.

"I'm a simple girl.. I'll be more than happy just remaining in mostly one piece, alive and making it somewhere safe.. some girls might want more than that.. maybe I will when I feel better." She appeared tired, in truth she was, too afraid to give into it before as she did not know what they would do to her if she did. She'd been giving all she could to fight them, resist, and not cower in fear or break down with the terror and panic most of their other victims seemed to. From what she'd gathered, there had been several at least and she been forced to watch how the girl he'd had before her had been finished off.

"Alright then, I'll consider it a start of things to come. Keep that picture in your mind and hold on. We're going up." He started for the stair, staying ahead of her to guard, ready for what may find them.

His comment had her slightly puzzled but she brushed it off to the circumstance confusing her and making her not hear things right. She hoped they could get out quickly, she didn't really remember the way in since she'd been blind folded and unconscious -in and out since from the time they grabbed her outside the resturaunt, where they had held her first and when they moved her here... she came to fully -again, already tied up in the basement -it appeared.

He led the way, keeping aware of what was ahead of them and what lay beneath them. So far it had been too easy which smelled of 'trap'. That's all he could smell or sense, everything here being corrupted with the stench of the ones who kept her here. He scarcely wanted to touch the floor or the walls it was so thick. It was hard not to get sick off the thought of what coated everything just from the air. The stairs were solid at least and gave very little indication of them coming up, but the door would swing out and was currently closed. He motioned that he wanted his hands free, one for the door, the other for the sword he used to slowly push open the door.

She didn't want to let go of the hand she clasped tightly, but a moment later she released it and stayed a step behind him. As he pushed the door open she closed her eyes and murmured a soft few words that they would get out of this. Her eyes opened as the door swung slowly back and she let her breath out.

That nothing sprang immediately for the door made his own breath pause for the moment. He couldn't see around corners and his hearing, though sharp, detected nothing either. Probably exactly as they'd planned it.... "Stay right here a moment," he whispered, taking the next two steps to emerge out the door. Their scent would be noticed before their sounds regardless of the whispers. When he stood and appeared to relax a moment, he looked all directions around the room, not appearing to see anyone and motioned her further up to try to get her out.

She watched him warily and came cautiously up the last few stairs, peeking out to the ground floor of whatever building they were in. She didn't even know what direction to begin in, stepping to his side and glancing around. She noticed it was cold though, there seemed to be no heat going, her toes curled on the even colder floor and she noticed how strangely quiet it was.

"I don't like it," he murmured as she came up beside him. He wasn't talking about the decor. The place looked like it had been some kind of production house for small assembly once, shut down without ever clearing out completely. He mused sickly that the workers were probably a food source for a while when the boys took up shop here themselves. When he'd come in through a broken lower window, he hadn't seen much of the interior. The expansive room had far too many nooks and tables and partitions to hide far too many things and everything looked sharp or heavy or dangerous. "Not at all," he added, taking a few cautious steps down the center aisle, carefully stepping over reels of cable and cast-off debris.

She stepped carefully behind him, nearly on her tip toes as her bare feet avoided edges and sharp debris. Her eyes darted around, finding something perhaps of use in the remnants. A piece of twisted metal that looked like it had been a handle on one of the machines once. At least it offered something her fingers could grip and an end to stick in something else if needed. "Better safe than.." She whispered as she bent to retrieve it and straightened up behind him.

"Definitely," he agreed quietly, motioning for her to stop a moment. Some of the debris ahead of them looked a little 'too casual' in the way it had been discarded, but turning back around wasn't an option now. He knelt down to look at the reels and the fine fishing line that caught the light only at a particular angle. "Dandy," he said before cursing something else. "We're expected and you might want two of those."

[Lovely]

"Welcome. I see you received your invitation... and brought a date even. We like her already. So, why don't you just go on to the party and leave her here?" The voice came from beyond one of the partitions, but the form was not yet seen.

The voice was familiar and it sent a shiver over Nicky, her eyes squinting and trying to peer into the darkness to find the voice. Her heart leapt and thundered when it was suggested she be left behind. But this voice.. why was she drawn to it? What had they done to her to make her hear and want to step away from the one who was rescuing her? She took a deep breath and her fingers curled into the side of his shirt. "Looks like I'm quite the catch.. or just a tastey entree." She whispered.

"Yes on the first and not if I can help it on the second. Not for them," he said, hooking his arm back to pull her alongside him. He spoke to the darkness now. "That's the thing about dates and parties. Planning on taking her out with me, so if you'll please excuse us..."

A different, more surly and dark voice followed the sound of someone dropping down behind them. "Oh..., he said 'please'. So we should just let them go right? I don't think she'll play for you like she does for us. Ain't that right, sweetheart?"

"No." She heard herself answering the darker voice from behind as her head turned to look at the one that dropped down. A second shiver ran through her and her breath came in a soft pant, something about these two.. She was drawn, she was scared, but not in the way the other .. the one who seemed to be higher than these two had made her feel. She was almost certain he would just tear her in half, kill her for the slightest error but these two were not as bad as that, though she had the definate feeling they would hurt her if she made them angry maybe even kill her if it was enough.

He turned to face the one that appeared behind them, there being a certain recognition in his expression. The blade lifted to keep him at a distance. "I'm sure she doesn't play that way when she's not forced. One snap or snag the wrong way and your toy is broken? Not this time."

The darker one didn't seem concerned about the blade, stepping closer and brushing it aside. "Not in my house. People... get hurt with these," he laughed, holding the blade in his gloved hand. It was clear he wasn't including himself in that list. "He said leave her here. She lives here now, with us."

She lifted her gaze to the one that came closer, trembling ever so slightly. Her eyes locked on him and her lips parted as if to protest though no sound came from her. A ragged breath sounded and she started to take a step back.

He jerked the blade with no intent to be kind, pulling it out of the man's gloved hand along with a red line painting over the cold metal as it cut through to the skin beneath. He lifted it higher at the man's throat. "What's to keep me from just ending this here?"

"C'mon. Do it," the other voice laughed. "I get his coat but you can keep the gloves." The first figure emerged now from beyond one of the partitions, his hair a slightly lighter brown, but his face darkened with a thin beard. "What's to keep us from ending you here? Unless you leave the girl... Then we might think about letting you out."

The darker one pulled the ruined glove off and licked the blood from his hand, stopping it from bleeding further. "That was a very rude gesture for your host, don't you think? C'mon now. The little girl here needs her beauty rest." He offered the girl his dry hand, his gaze softly insisting she come to him or suffer if she did not.

Nicky gasped softly, the sound of the voice behind them now and the one in front of her with his hand held out to her. She didn't want to stay.. did she? Her hand lifted, curled in front of her for a minute then slowly started to extend toward his. Her heart was hammering in her chest and she warred within herself not wanting to, yet being drawn to and.. wanting. Her eyes glistened with a mist of confusion as they all bantered and she felt like she didn't even know herself.

He slapped the flat of the metal against the outstretched hand before hers met it. He was tempted to simply sever it, but his war wasn't with these two. "I said, she's not staying. Let her go." He slipped his arm in front of her and spoke gently. "Close your eyes and don't look at theirs."

She sort of leaned loosely against him as his arm circled her. It was a little like she was dazed, her eyes were held by the dark one in front of her. Her hand remained in the air, lingering a moment before dropping to her side again. "Close.. what?"

"Eyes. Listen to me. You're not staying here," he reminded her, hoping he was right. If they'd infected her enough he might not be able to sway her without knocking her out first to ignore their pull.

[Lovely]

"I'm getting bored already. Nicky, babe, it's time to come play. It's cold in here. Come keep me warm." The bearded one came closer to them, cutting the fishing line on the reels that sent a series of material crashing around them to raise the dust in clouds. Though his voice held a smiling chuckle, his expression was as dark as the other one. "Don't make me tell you twice."

"I'm not staying.." She whispered turning as the bearded one spoke, she closed her eyes for a moment but the noise of the reels and his voice again, had her jerking away from the one with the sword. Trying to get out of the way and avoid the clouds of dust. She couldn't help but take a step toward him as he told her not to make him tell her twice. "I.." She didn't know whether to apologise to him or call to the one with the sword for help, her head felt as clouded as the room. "Name.." She managed to gasp out. "You know my name..? I don't.. know any of you.. can't remember.." She whispered bewildered, looking back to the darker one and the rescuer, then swinging her gaze to the bearded man. "Please.. help me.. make it stop." Her hand lifted to her head which swam like she'd had far too much to drink. Images of him, very close to her floated through the sea of confusion and she shivered as if she could feel his breath on her skin.

The clatter of the reels was a distraction, but not the one they had in mind. The sword swung again at the dark man and he reached to pull her from the bearded one. "That's part of the plan," he said, engaging the bearded one once she was out of the way.

Being drawn to the bearded one she made a sound of protest as she was pulled away and out of the way. The one with the sword started at him and Nicky stumbled back from them, she felt drunk and being in the pressence of the two wolves seemed to increase the 'draw' on her the longer she was near them.

The sword came at him and he moved clear of the blade, lithely curling away from it and jumping up to a table full of materials. The first item that came to his hand was used to block the blade and attempt to break it. "That's the spirit. C'mon, you can do better than that."

The darker one hadn't dodged as quickly and now showed a thin line on his chest and a deeper flare in his eyes from the pain and the scent of his own blood. The rumble of his fury rattled the ceramic tumblers and glass casings around them as he pulled his form in a twisting lupine mass of raw flesh and fur, bounding after the man with the sword.

Her eyes were open to see the dark one change and she screamed, her eyes going wide. It was like.. a vivid flash of memory -the girl before her, the leader had his fun and so did several of his boys, then they'd changed and torn her to pieces. Nicky had seen it all, and been given commentary on it as it happened. She didn't understand that the leader had only let these two touch her because he had intended to keep her, though he'd taunted her with the idea. Now she was scared enough to fight their pull more with them not focused on her as well. Run. She could run while they fought, she was backing away from them all -slowly.

The scream wasn't expected, nor was the sudden swipe at his head. He blocked the paw with the blade, but only for it to be pulled from his hand completely, leaving him seemingly empty handed at the moment. He rolled under the table and scrambled for the knife in his pocket and anything else he could grab. Looking up, he realized how far that separated him from the girl and he cursed.

The bearded one seemed to fly for as easily as he leapt across from one table to the next, retrieving the sword for himself and leaving his brother to toy with the intruder. "Going somewhere, sunshine? While they play their game, I think it's time to play ours now. I'm still ... oooo... chilly," he shivered teasingly, darkly, letting the dim lighting catch the shine of the blade.

Nicky stared at him, shaking her head a little. "No.." She whispered, trying not to look at the blade which seemed to taunt her now. "Y..you..you're going to just kill me like that other girl.. why would I want to stay for that?" She stammered her protest, her reason for trying to get away as if it would matter. She continued to back up without looking, too focused on him and the sword until she stumbled over some debris and fell back against a support beam.

He'd paused to watch the blade fly away and have his brother retrieve it. Now his attention focused on this intruder. His jowls dripped with menacing hatred of the creature, eager to finish it off, but knowing it to be impossible, knowing it for what it really was, but the fight would still be pleasantly painful. Under the table the man was nearly eye level and he crept closer, curious and amused by the scramblings for make-shift weapons that would be of little use.

He cursed again, looking for something large enough that he could lob, but not coming up with much at the moment. The cables and knife gave him an idea, but it would require some careful footwork he wasn't sure he'd manage. He looked back at the thing creeping towards him, wondering why exactly it was being nice enough to creep at all and not lunge. He then looked around more carefully to see where he'd landed himself, amongst wiring and prepared cabling, some already hooked to a meter. He wondered if the unit had any electric current since the place itself had no heat.

"Why would I want to kill you? You're much warmer and your blood flows so nicely while you're alive," he grinned. His own eyes flashed a deep crimson, but he wasn't changing any time soon. "I think you'll stay for this," he added, slamming the blade into the space between two concrete slabs and using it to lean on as he hovered over her and hunkered down closer. "Be a good girl and scratch behind my ears," he chuckled.

She flinched from the blade that hit between the slabs next to her, her head turned to the side with eyes closed and she waited, expecting to be struck next and cringing before it happened. A moment passed and she slowly opened her eyes and turned her head just enough to 'see' if he was still there. "Why?" She creaked out in a barely there whisper. Why were they doing this to her?

The 'king' had found himself another tastey treat, though this one was purely to be used for fun and food, he had no interest in keeping the sniveling snit around but she screamed nicely and that was amusing. He'd sent most of the others off to find similar amusements and food, to be brought back for sharing with the rest. The brunette he'd kept bound in the basement was the only one so far he'd found pleasing enough to keep, though toying with her was fun, most of it was really to prepare her for the change. To get her ready to be theirs, only his top two boys, his princes so to speak had been allowed to play with her, touch her or taste her. He would let one of them be the one to give her the bite and both had been told this, though which one would finally do it was another story.

He was practically dragging the nearly limp girl he'd picked up back to the wharehouse, unaware of what was going on inside. Though he would soon find out he was sure to be highly entertained and angry at once.

[Lovely]

He stopped a foot before lunging beyond the table to take care of the man and knock him into the wires that despite looking dead were quite live and keeping key monitors running in other rooms. His attention turned and he sniffed at the air, following with a series of nearly-human sounding whines and murmurs equating to a 'daddy's home' warning for his brother.

"Because we've been very nice to you, haven't we? Time to get up and smile pretty," he said, reaching to pull her from her seat on the floor.

As the beast's attention turned, he took the moment to go up on the table and launch himself over, tucking down to roll beneath the other and move around to the bearded brat who was still taunting her. He could only guess what the murmurs meant with that response and he wasn't going to wait to get his sword back.

He was hauling her to her feet and she didn't know what to expect now, but felt a cold finger run down her back, like she was sensing something but she didn't know what. In a moment of instinct she used his own strength to lunge at him, hoping to knock him back but where he had ahold of her and was stronger -she would likely topple over with him if he went down at all.

The girl he dragged was tossed roughly like she was a sack of nothing, sending her skidding and bouncing over the floor as he came in and took a look around. "Boys.." He began, looking at the one in form and then the other with the girl, his expression was half amused. "She's not trying to leave us, is she? We can't have that, can we?"

His lip curled as he growled out his hunger that was piqued more by the pile in his father's hand. The one his brother toyed with could wait and the intruder was temporarily forgotten.

He was bowled backwards with the momentum as she lurched suddenly, rolling down under her as his father entered. His air was knocked out for a second before he chuckled. "No... no... we're just playing Twister," he said, grabbing for her wrist. "Left hand... and blue were next. Unless you want to play?"

She almost got her wrist away before it was held tightly and her arm stretched out. She made a sound almost like a growl of frustration as she laid firmly over the bearded one. Nicky froze for a moment as she watched the other andvance toward the girl on the floor, it sickened her how she was suddenly grateful that they appeared to want to keep her around.

He chuckled and motioned to Mark to help himself. "Enjoy yourself.. make sure you show Nicky how to do it right." He smiled at the girl who was riveted and sprawled over his other prince. "It's good you two are getting along so well.. you'll likely be playing with him alot.. and I do hope you'll make him happy, he's gets terribly cranky if not." He appeared amused, but his eyes were moving about the room surveying the 'damage' but not demanding explainations.

"Where did she get that awful coat.. get that thing off her!" He ordered with a slight annoyance in his voice as he realized what was covering her. "I find her soft flesh much more attractive, don't you boys?"

Awful? He loved that old coat. He also loved the handy kevlar lining he'd had put in it. Mortal shells sucked when it came to being destructable and he liked the one he was currently in. He made an unseen face from beneath the table where he skittered silently, keeping himself moving closer to the sword and away from the door. As long as the bearded mutt didn't hurt her or sound an alert, he still had a second, maybe two. Look away, he thought loudly, trying to will them not to see him, seeing as the blade was far too visibly upright between the concrete slabs. He was wishing that Pendragon kid was around right about now.

Marcus licked over the heap on the floor, but as sweet as she was, he remembered something tastier had gotten his attention moments before. A whimper of confusion from beneath his instincts aligned the more human thoughts. Human. Intruder! He turned his attention back to the center of the room and sniffed, watching corners. It was still here and offended his senses. It had hurt. Time to hurt back. The sound of his voice, part animal, part cursing insult in a forgotten tongue, rattled again off every surface in the room. Whatever had gotten in the way, tried to take their prize, was still here and he was coming after it.

"Shut up Marc," he spat, pitching upward suddenly to flip the girl off and pin her more prettily to the floor. "Something about brunette and cement... flows so nicely, don't you think? Right hand... red," he said curtly, attempting to press hers into the bricks.

She gave a slight sound of surprise when he flipped her, thankful for the coat as her back hit the cement, the jacket keeping her skin from being scrapped badly. The weapon she'd picked up and forgotten in her hand, was jarred from it now as the bearded one pinned her. She resisted midly, protesting the sudden change in position with legs that curled along his sides and her back arching to try to push the larger and stronger male off her. Her chest heaved in a panted breath as she gazed up at him with naturally seductive eyes and pouty lips.

His laugh was deep and low, watching Biff pin the girl.. yes she'd do very well to be kept. His boys had not had a permanent plaything like her before. Someone who would have strength and last.. and likely give back all they gave her. He'd noticed a fight and spunk in her, though subdued. A princess for his princes, he grinned turning his attention to Mark as he started to circle. Let Biff have some fun, he would let Mark protect and take care of what bothered him. His growl was soft in responce to Mark's, listening and sniffing the air a bit, but he did not seem overly concerned by a human intruder.

The scent shifted, and again. A moment he thought it was under the table where he'd left it, but it wasn't there. Where? Humans didn't move like this one. Even in his dulled-wit state of pure strength and instinct he knew... something not human but human... and it confused him more. Up on his hind legs, he stretched upward along a support beam, smelling into the upper level of air above the girls and above their father, his glance casting around the room before focusing on the spear of metal near his brother. It wanted that. It hurt him with it. He would watch it more closely and wait.

[Lovely]

"Hey now, babe," he smiled down at her, liking the position he'd left her in and not minding how she writhed against him now. "Was hoping you were going to warm me up. Feel it heatin' up pretty fast in here now." He glanced up to his father, his eyes nearly on fire with the instincts of his own. He wasn't going to defile here while daddy watched... unless she kept moving... ooo... just like that. His attention was diverted back to her as she moved just the right way. "Listen, sunshine. You want to be kept the right way, you be careful. I might not care if we give 'em all a show."

Part of her .. she hated to know it, but part of her wanted him. She strained against being pinned, giving a slight moan of protest as she writhed a little more. There was a piece of her that remembered the one trying to get her out, but where was he now? If she kept this one distracted..? She bit her lip and arched up against him, pushing her upper body towards him as much as she could. "You don't really want me to be careful.. do you?" Nicky whispered, scared of him, drawn to him, confused and feeling nearly on fire inside.

C'mon doggie, just go back to your snack and be a good boy, he thought. He was nearly ready to cast off this shell he was in. It would be some time before he could find another one to house him and leaving now would not help her. Timing had to be right. Before the wolf moved away from its pole, he made his move, tumbling out from the corner behind this one to reach the sword... and finding that not only was it stuck deeper than he feared, but he was more than visible alongside it... another distinct disadvantage to human bodies.

If his face could reveal a wicked smile, it showed it now, dripping steaming liquid hate into the cracks of the floor a moment before he was moving toward the man again. It wanted its toy but couldn't get it. Time to play, make it worry, make it fear, make it want its toy more as he came closer, swatting debris like paper aside with each upright stride.

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't," Biff considered, rocking down closer to her, a warning, a promise, a desire to find out how careful or careless she was willing to be. "Maybe I just wa-... what the fu...?" His attention was diverted by the sudden movement and the cursing and unyielding metal the man who appeared again tugged on. He was more than annoyed that this thing, whatever it was, was being so f***ing distracting and ruining his playtime still. Letting go of Nicky, almost throwing her back, he was ready to lend a heavy paw and get this over with, sending his own rumbling growl spitting forth.

Nicky was nearly pouting and upset that he let go of her, but in a way it helped clear her head a little to see the other guy, she didn't even know his name and yet he was going through all this.. for her? With a slight growl she pushed herself up, finding a somwhat heavy and solid object in her hand. With the other she reached to tug Biff's sleeve and turn him back. "Hey!" She tried to pull his attention back to her a moment, leaning to meet his mouth with a firey and passionate kiss. Sort of a taste of what he'd just walked away from, what he'd given up. Her arm slinked around his neck to hold him to the taste until she felt it thorough enough to release him and leave him wanting much more.

"Well well well.. finally something." He murmured, he was arrogant.. and good with intimidating weaker creatures, and his boys since he'd earned their respect or fear, but he also had gotten used to them dealing with most fights for him.

He was about to swing a hit toward the man when he was swept up by the girl in a kiss he would have killed the others right then to keep. He didn't hesitate a moment to return it, eager, wanting, nearly taking her back to the bricks as he'd warned moments before. His father's comments didn't even register.

Something else in the air pulled his attention now, smelling the sickening lust from his brother and the turn of amusement from the man behind him. Taking advantage of the form he kept, his brother was getting the benefit of the girl as well and now he was beyond fury, forgetting again about the human and turning on his brother. He'd had her first, wanted her more, would keep her for himself.

"Look, do I have to start this again with the part about she's not staying?" He murmured as the bearded one was pulled away to a... what in the hell was she doing? His eyes dimmed toward sad and piteous a moment, watching her give this one her attention in... quite a memorable way. He scarcely noticed how it made him grip the upright hilt that much more insistently to finally release the blade.

She pulled from the kiss with a sweet smile, stroking her finger over his lips. "Sorry babe.. not tonight -You- have a head ache." She gave a wink and her arm swung with all the force she could find to bring the piece of debris crashing hard into the side of his face. With any luck it would put him down and out long enough to get past the others without him helping them.

Moving to tangle more into her hair, he didn't even see the arm come up until he saw it moving away and the room spinning away to black. What did she do? Falling heavily, there was no other sound, no cry and no change of form, though the dizzying swirl of his eyes as they cast a blank gaze upward indicated he might well have taken her down and well beyond that within seconds. He lay still, wheezing around a trickle of blood that flowed down his jaw and into his mouth.

The lurch forward was seized as the target he was after left the frame of his vision. He immediately switched direction as the wolf barreled toward her, his target having been shared. "Move!" A single word was all he had time to yell at her as he swung heavily at the creature to slow it down at least.

Biff had fallen, but now the girl was his, to land on, fall and tumble with and take as he pleased. The sound, the shriek of metal and the human warning, came together as Marc pounced, feeling the warmth against his abdomen and the seering, icey sting with it. The blade had cut his side and he crumpled, but had fight enough to still grapple for the girl. His. He wanted her. He won her, got to keep her. Still awake, still fighting.

Nicky turned her head at the warning, her eyes going wide as the wolf barrelled toward her. There was a half second of frozen with terror and then she dove to the side, hoping to be out of his reach as he flew. She scampered to get further from his form and closer to the guy with the sword, though there was still one problem between them and the door. As she tried to circle Mark, she heaved a fallen brick in his direction, trying to keep him at bay until he collapsed or gave up.

[Lovely]

Amid snarls and protest, he wasn't going down easy though his side felt hot and sore. Marcus felt the brick, felt the crack beneath it, the sudden pain then numbness of a shattering hind leg as he dodged, but not far enough, catching the brick on his left side. The baleful screech was not one asking for pity, but screaming his desire now to kill as reward for his pain. A pair of seering flame-colored eyes turned and focused sharply on the girl, then on the man with the blade. Him first, then she'd be entirely his to play with until broken completely.

Even though an adversary, he felt the pain as he heard the crack across the room, cringing in sympathy though it didn't last long, his attention turning from the girl who tried to move closer to him to the murderous gaze of an injured wolf. He held the blade out, coated with warm blood, playing a hunch that if the brother was threatened, he'd stand down. He only half believed it would work, but for the bearded one's sake he hoped it would.

Nicky was scared -even more than she'd been thus far, she could see that she had made the dark one very angry and she knew there was little chance she could fight him if he got close enough to her. Her only chance was to get away from him and fast, her bare feet were quiet against the cement floor as she scrambled toward the door. She stopped between the man with the sword and the wolf who stood in the doorway watching them all. He'd not moved to interfere, letting his boys get badly injured and simply watching the fight with a disapproving expression. But when his gaze shifted to Nicky, she was chilled by his stare and froze in place.

The low threatening growl rumbled from him as he watched both of his princes be injured -though Marcus kept coming. That made his face twist in a cruel smile, Biff would be fine -he'd heal if left as he was now, but Mark risked being killed with the way he recklessly attacked, driven by the animal.

The shining metal pulled his gaze away only slightly. Biff was still on the ground. What was the matter with him? The connection to the boy's pain and injury didn't register in his mind above his own, filtered by instinct. The blood on the blade was his and he watched it dull the shine as a few thick drops rolled down the length toward the heap on the floor. It had hurt and still hurt and the brick had hurt, too, thrown by her. His eyes narrowed on the blade and the growl behind him was ignored. What caused pain was to be dealt with, given pain back. He followed up the shine to the hand that held it and readied to lunge at the man, hobbled by the pain in his leg, but not enough to keep him from trying, and still he moved fast.

Nicky was held for longer than she wanted by the gaze of the leader, her mouth parting in a gasp as she felt her knees go weak under her. She was trembling with fear but fighting it as much as she could, closing her eyes -remembering distantly what the man with the sword had said. It was then that she felt the hands grabbing her roughly and dragging her across the floor.

"Whoa," was the sole commentary, muttered half-under his breath as the stall was ignored and the wolf came after them anyway. He swung the blade more as shield than weapon as he caught a breath, but buckled under the weight of fur and rage, barely keeping the snapping maw away from his face. "Go... get out of here!"

The man's warning cry came too late for the girl as he came the short distance to grab her. She would still be kept, though punished for misbehaving like she had. If his boys proved and redeemed themselves he might even let them have her for awhile to teach her where her place was. He growled, nearly roaring his warning and promise to them as Mark lunged at the man with the sword.

He reared back to get a better angle and try to gain purchase on anything not too neatly tucked, but the man was compact and Marcus wasn't very orderly about snapping and grabbing at him. The more he missed, the angrier he was getting and the warning from his father spurred him more. His leg was no good point of balance, though, making it harder to simply crush the man.

"How do humans deal with this?" He muttered under his breath. Maybe she heard, maybe she didn't, but the point was made that maybe he wasn't normally this easily ploughed over. He took the moment of the weight-shift to pry loose of the wolf and push him off, the blade pulling across its chest in a match to the previous mark, though a little deeper.

Her cries of protest fell on deaf ears as he dragged her several feet from Mark and her rescuer. He hoisted her up and slammed her back, pulling the coat down over her arms to help pin her as he leaned in to give her the bite that would cause her to change. His face began to distort to a wolfish form, though the rest of him remained that of a man.

Nicky heard what the man had said before she'd been dragged too far away, but what could she think or do with such a remark at this time. She couldn't help the scream that escaped her lips as she watched the one above her twist and contort. Her legs kicked at him and until he pulled the coat down and pinned her -her hands had clawed and hit at him. Now she was more helpless against this beast than she had been moments before. She felt defeated, she didn't want to be hurt by them anymore but knew that is just what they would do if they kept her there.

"No!!!" He saw the movement and the change, felt it cut the air with the dense dark evil, knowing what the humans meant by it making their skin crawl, as he felt the shiver of the wrong-doing wake his inner strengths. If he surpassed the strength of the shell he was in, it might break apart, but he had to take that chance. The sword point came down into the shoulder of the one on the floor to keep him there and warn the father that his princes would be done away with as well, easily, but they were not his targets. That didn't keep him from swinging the blade heavily at the other injured wolf again, aiming at one forepaw then the other as it swung at him in return.

Tired. This thing was making him tired and made him hurt more. He was pushed off and bowled back. He swung a heavy paw, only to meet metal just below his elbow if he were still a man. The blow was enough and he hurt too much to continue, pulling away only to have the other struck at the shoulder, leaving him lame in nearly all limbs. Marcus howled out the agony, but smiled weakly, smelling a beautiful new scent as he recoiled and faded back to his former self. Her blood was the sweetest he'd smelled and that alone kept him from passing out completely, though he wasn't far from it, having been hungered to start with.

Not entirely out, but surely dazed, the pierce in his shoulder on the floor pulled his own bellow of pain and he curled to the wounds though the one on his face was sealed now, but still dark and damp. The hole in his shoulder, close to the bone, but not through the heart, was enough to make it hard to rise. He glanced at his father, also smelling the bite and the fury in the room.

[Lovely]

The pain seared through her shoulder and down her arm, making it limp for the moment and also quaked through her side. The room swam before her eyes and for a moment she thought she saw the man with the sword above them. She was let go and her head thumped heavily to the floor and she crumpled limply, half on her side. Alive but weak and in pain, bleeding but breathing still. Tears wet her cheeks and she closed her eyes, trying to clear her head, confused again.. was it leaving her to bleed to death?

In a half changed form, he released the girl, turning on this thing which had tried to ruin his fun. It threatened but did not kill his princes, which meant.. the lips curled in a snarl. He stood between the man and the girl, shiffing the air and looking to his boys, then to the girl and finally to the man.

Marcus had nearly reverted completely to human and crawled out of the way. If it wanted him dead, he'd have done it already, though he wasn't sure this was truly being still alive. He licked at the wounds he could reach, but most needed time and more attention than he could give. He became a ball underneath the table, whimpering softly.

"Aren't you just a barrel of laughs," he seethed, shrugging off the pain and his own human shell, changing and turning now, himself. The sarcastic chuckle hollowed out into an eerie yip and chortle from a now-wolfen throat as he moved to protect his father and keep the girl right as she was. His turn for paybacks. The girl was on the floor where he wanted her in the first place, now it was the intruder's turn to chew concrete.

"Laugh a minute," he agreed humorlessly, readying to strike whatever came at him first. He wouldn't think twice about beheading this one if he had too, but his true target was still beside the girl.

His eyes steadied on the man as his prince came to his defence. The low growl was one of warning to Biff, not to attack in rage as Mark had. This one was not a simple human and thus caution was needed when dealing with him. He made a few small noises -inviting Biff to have a lick, taste the girl now as she bled at his feet, the infection tainting and spreading through her. He shifted and returned to human form, to smile at the man, Nicky's blood still dripping and smeared over his mouth and chest.

Her eyes opened and her gaze shifted over those around her, lifting slowly to the man who'd been trying to save her. Her eyes shining with pain and pleading with him not to leave her there.

He looked over the mess they were making of her now, but between him and her was another sloppy-jowled maw that threatened and guarded both the girl and its father. One man against the both of them wasn't a good set of odds if he'd been only human. "Tell him to stand down," he spoke to the man at the back. "Or he looses a head and so does his bro."

Although unable to reply verbally, he understood and the snarl seemed to pull up into a smile. Let him try, Biff thought, circling towards the table where his brother licked his wounds.

It hurt more than she could express right now and she felt like something was burning through her veins as well. Nicky's eyes closed against the well of tears, letting them silently leak from the corners of her eyes.

His gaze was steady and his chuckle deep. "Who are you to tell me what to do with what is mine?.. my boys.. our girl here.. Why should I let you take her?"

"She doesn't belong here and never did. She's not yours. You know that, don't you. Even giving her that... it won't change what she really is. You only keep her here because you're scared."

He really laughed, now. "Keep her because..?? what am I scared of that this little girl can protect me from?"

"That's the point. She's not protecting you at all. You're just buying time," he said, swinging the sword down on the edge of the table without looking, but knowing where Marcus was curled.

Marcus' thought of leaving the middle of the action at the moment was cut nearly too short as the sword nearly clipped his hand. He jumped and rolled back under the table, that hand still held to the large gouge on his side that seeped.

[Lovely]

Biff listened, curious about the accusation, but wasn't going to balk at lies and diversions. He also jumped at the sudden movement of metal, but only to change direction and fly at the man while his arm was out.

He growled and his eyes glowed with a fire of anger, he took his own step forward, knocking Biff to the side when he charged. His snarl was fair warning for his prince to get back, if anything to stand gaurd over the girl. He didn't change forms as he advanced, making a gap between himself and where Nicky was laying. "There is no way to stop it now.. so why bother? She is lost to you."

He watched the wolf get bowled easily to the side. "Nothing is ever lost to me," he shook his head and moved forward a step. If he could just get past him. "Or haven't you heard that little addage that humans like so much... Justice will prevail? Hm?"

Biff rolled to the side under the weight of the blow, but only because he'd been airborn. He stretched and shook off the insult and took stance beside the girl, cleaning her up a little. He wanted to keep her, but didn't want her all messed up like this.

Her eyes opened at the touch and she shivered, trying to curl away at first. The tending was strangely soothing and she stopped trying to resist it. She lay still, letting him lick over the wound and blood, closing her eyes again and still crying silently.

He was chilled and he turned to his boys, growling low and long.. Justice.. of all the.. With a sigh he turned back to the man and crossed his arms. "Take her.. it will do you no good.. she belongs with us now.. and she will feel it."

"What... just like that? Take her, she's yours? She doesn't belong to you no matter what you bite her with. She'll feel it, but so will you."

"Oh.. I'm feeling it sweetheart.. I'll be feeling her later too." He made a show of licking her blood off his lips and motioned to Biff to move away from her.

"You have no idea what you've done, do you?" He had to laugh a little. Though she didn't understand now, she would eventually. "She'll tear you apart if I don't. Now I ask myself... why should she have all that fun?"

"Why don't I have Biff there just eat her up.. tear her to shreds?" He motioned over his shoulder, keeping his eyes on Justice but speaking to his prince now. "Biff.. rip a big chunk out of her for tough guy here."

The growl from behind him was an unexpected 'no'. Biff refused and turned back to Nicky and her wound, guarding her to keep her here.

Another growl, sharper and darker came from under the table. Only half changed and still filled with fury, Marcus emerged, wanting to take on the intruder that had hurt him and fight his brother for defying their father... and for keeping the girl to himself. Rage roared from him as he came out behind Justice with a heavy paw, slicing at his exposed back.

Nicky heard the words and expected to be torn to pieces, the growl from Biff was a shock. She tried to push up on her one good shoulder as he turned back to keep tending her. She was grateful and in a small gesture of that her fingers reached to his muzzle, stroking it gently if he'd let her. She was willing to accept his protection at this moment if he'd give it in defence against the other two. She gasped as Mark lunged at Justice and she tried to find voice to warn him to watch out.

He was angry that Biff defied him, yet glad as he didn't truly want to destroy the girl only anything that might take her away from them. His smile was smug as Mark attacked.

He didn't have his coat at the moment, she did, and his back was stung by the wolf behind him. Had the beast not roared first, he would've been left in ribbons. Justice had moved enough to thrust the blade back behind him as the raking claws came down, piercing something, but not killing him. He turned and pulled the blade. "Go lick yourself and stay out of this, huh?" He sent a kick to the beast's chest to help clear him and the blade.

[Lovely]

The glorious feeling of shredding flesh was dulled by the sharper sting that met his side again, this time puncturing through and leaving him gasping in pain against pain. He staggered and when the boot came he fell back several feet, tossed like a feather.

He started to change as he finally took the initiative to lunge at Justice. In a rage for the severe wounds he'd inflicted upon his prince and that he would take the girl from them.

Seeing his brother tossed aside again was amusing in part but infuriating as well. To step away from her and leave her unguarded from either man wasn't in his best interest. She couldn't travel like this yet, she was bleeding too much still. Confusion and anger rumbled from him for his father to get things over with so he could have his girl, his very own.

Justice wasn't liking the sound of what rumbled behind him as he turned around with his blade to see the father getting into his own battle finally. "About time. If you only knew how badly you screwed up this time."

"MINE." He roared, twisting and contorting to half form as he came into the air in a leap at Justice.

She was somewhat afraid to watch the others fighting, nearly curling into Biff's side now. She tried to pull the coat back over herself, managing the one uninjured shoulder and leaving the other open.

"Indecisive sons of b**ches... make up your minds if you're wolves..," he said, the blade in his hand shining with an inner light a moment as he braced it for a blow to the 'creatures' chest. "Or real men."

He howled, nearly screaming in pain as the blade connected with his chest, tearing deeply. Blood splattered the wall and floor as he was knocked to the side with the force of the blow.

The howl that echoed through the room, sent a visible shiver through Nicky, she peeked around Biff to see the master stumbling and falling to his knees. She didn't know why exactly she did it after everything she'd been through in her time as their captive, but Nicky leaned and whispered to Biff's ear, ever so softly. "Go.. get out of here." For a reason she couldn't explain at the moment she did not wish to see him torn open like his brother and father had been.

"I guess I shouldn't have expected you to listen," he said, pulling the blade back, then wiping blood away from his mouth and eyes, getting ready for another blow. "How many years have you tipped the balance? Are you ready to listen now?" He looked back to Marcus a moment, making sure that wolf wasn't springing and his attention was turned to the pair on the other side. He spoke to Biff now. "It never was your fight. Leave like she said or it will be."

"F*** you.. you don't win.. Biff.. Kill her! NOW!" He used all the breath he could muster to command his prince in a gurgling statement.

Nicky's fingers curled in Biff's fur a moment as Justice addressed him. "Go on.. I'll be fine.. get out of here." She encouraged him again just before his father's order's came.

Complete confusion hobbled him.. 'protect or kill' tumbled in his mind between each of the others. He wasn't even certain his brother was still alive and he couldn't get to him without risking his own head. The intruder didn't want to hurt the girl and he hadn't yet really hurt him, so whatever this 'justice' thing was, what he was talking about made the most sense. He backed away, tugging with him some shred he could grab... something of hers with her scent. He wasn't going to let her get far if she left.

"At least one of you listens," he smirked, turning his attention back to the heap at his feet.

She closed her eyes then opened them with a sigh as Biff finally moved away, feeling him grab and tear off a bit of what was left of her clothes, she didn't even care that he had -only that he was listening and it saved her from that much more violence. Her eyes lifted to Justice a moment and the she closed her eyes so he could finish this.

He was furious that Biff defied him again! The adrenaline from that kept him going longer and struggled trying to get up so he could attack. "I'll do it myself.. you don't win!"

"Oh I think I do this time," he said, waiting for the right moment, the sword seeming to build up that glowing light again as the half-wolf came closer.

As if he knew he would not win against the 'man', the half-wolf suddenly turned. With a final charge of strength he threw himself toward Nicky, intending to rend her in half before he was stopped.

Whatever happened last was a dull blur as the weight of the pain pulled his eyes closed and he started to heal. An uneasy peace creased Marcus' features as his blood slowed. Even his dreams of the girl escaped him to swirling shadows and thoughts of revenge, richly tainted by the smell of blood.. his, Biff's, Nicky's, his own father and the human who wasn't what he appeared.