Just One Bite

                       Spring Season Finale
        
           "Who knew paradise would have such an infestation."

The morning weather is surprisingly dreary for this to be Florida.
I have to admit that while I do hate this place, it is rather enjoyable. It rains almost every afternoon which is like heaven for me. Storms make me happy and feel at peace. Krow is always a little more jumpy in the rain, which is also nice because then I get to harass him. Basically, everything about the rain is wonderful.

I am sitting on the balcony that leads off from our hotel room drinking a cup of coffee. Today is going to be an interesting day.
One of Krow's connections left a note with him that said,

"Ripley's: Believe it or not! Museum at 9 PM right after closing. Enter around backside the EE door will be open. Good luck." They set up the meeting between us and Kasper the Rattus so this will be our last day in Florida. I know its wrong but I am excited to finally spill his blood.

I shake my head to clear away these thoughts. I zip up my hoodie and go get Nix's leash, for a cat she has very good leash manners. She likes to jog with me from time to time so despite the rain I am going to take her with me.
I gently close the door behind me so I don't wake up Krow.
I need some time to think, alone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Achoo!" I sneeze and rub my nose. I grab the blanket that Krow had been sleeping under and curl up. It started pouring while Nix and I were out and that was a disaster. I ended up wrapping her in my jacket so she wouldn't get soaked but in turn I got drenched.
I can hear Krow stifling a laugh from the kitchenette area.
"What?" I ask and glare at him. He finished packing everything up while I was gone and is finishing the little bit of food that I had bought for our stay. He tosses me a bottle of pills.

"Cold medicine. I went out and bought it when you were putting Nix and her cage in the Jeep." He says while throwing away the empty packages. I read the label real fast just to make sure it is what he says it is and then I take two of the pills.

"Whenever you feel better we can head towards Ripley's." He says while leaning against the door frame. He has been in a weird mood all morning. If I didn't know better I would say he was nervous.

"Pssht. I am good to go right now." I say as I stand up and throw the blanket to the side. I do a mental checklist of my staple possessions. Watch? Check. Knife? Check. Nix? Check.
That's about it. I left the other items at home.
I head out the door and prepare to close this chapter of my afterlife. Krow smirks and follows me.

~~~~~~~~~9PM at the Emergency Exit door~~~~~~~~~
*EE = Emergency Exit

Krow opens the EE door and walks in without hesitation. I am suspicious of the set up but I follow him anyways. I have never been inside a Ripley's building before but the décor is just as creepy as I thought it would be. There is an array of oddities, everything from shrunken heads to people who survived being impaled, the worlds largest tire and strangest collection of tattooed humans, well mannequins but based off of real humans. This place might be a fun thriller when the lights are on and is inhabited by other human beings however with the electricity off and there only being demons in here it reaches a new level of disturbing. I stop to stare at a strange mannequin, they all look lifelike but this one is a perfect recreation of a human except it has little scaly details. The eyes are something else though, they sort of reflect and look like they are wet with the natural human tears. I look for his plaque but I can't find it. I step aside and look at the "lizard man" exhibit next to it. This one doesn't look anywhere near as real nor plausible. I read the plaque in front of him and realize this is a normal whacko human being who wanted to be a dragon... And people think demons are weird.
I suddenly feel a hand on my shoulder and that makes me jump. I hear a stifled laugh.

"Relax man. These are all wax. Have you seen this one?" He says while pointing at the first one. I nod my head and he pulls me over.

"Watch the eyes they will follow you when you move." He says with a smile. I think he is enjoying this. I stare into the eyes for a few moments when we both blink.
When we both blink. I jump backwards as the mannequin steps forward. Krow walks over and claps it on the back.
"Soul, this is Nagahebi. My partner back when we first met. He is a Serpens and also the connection that set up this meeting." He introduces me formally. Nagahebi walks past me and sighs loudly.

This is what Nagahebi looks like. This is actually Snake from Black Butler.

"I can't believe he thought I was one of those ridiculous things." He says while gesturing to the lizard man. I blink bewildered. If he is here does that mean he is going to help us?

I don't think we need that kind of help. Krow snorts and they both walk further into the shadows of this creepy place. For those of you who have never been inside a Ripley's Believe it or Not! Museum they go one way. You walk through in one direction with all these different exhibits staring you down and making you feel uncomfortable, well I guess it might be enjoyable if it was open. I will have to experience that sometime...
While I was lost in my thoughts I strayed from the main path, I jog to find Krow and Nagahebi. They appear to be discussing something.
As I approach Nagahebi casts a glance in my direction and slips away into a door I didn't realize was there. Krow is waiting on me, I take a mental note of the changes in his behavior. When Nagahebi was here he was more relaxed but now he has his arms crossed, seems to be chewing on his lip and his down feathers are bristling.

He silently leads me over to this weird tunnel with a bridge down the middle. The bridge is rickety but I have a feeling that's on purpose for the effect.

SWHRRRRRRRR "Krow?" I whisper questioningly as everything begins to come to life. The power was flipped on. The walls of the tunnel start spinning and the bridge starts swaying back and forth. I am standing directly behind Krow but I can see someone at the end of the tunnel over his shoulder.

"Welcome to the rat's maze! Lets see how well you play!" The figure yells as it turns and runs. Krow starts to emit a dark feeling that even I can sense, a type of "Demon mode" so to speak. I take the hint that things have just gotten serious. I flex my claws and reach out to the edges of the tunnel I gently tap the wall of the tunnel to get the feel. It is a one directional rotation, easy enough.
I dig my nails into the walls of the tunnel, disrupting its formally resistance free rotation causing it to squeal with defiance. It slows to a stop revealing a long spiral of claw marks.
Krow looks over his shoulder at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Hunting time." I whisper to him as I slide past him and allow my instincts to lead me. I take control and follow the stench of rodent into a different hall. This room is more open  and features all kinds of disturbing sea life creatures. I inhale trying to pick out the freshest sent but it simply reeks in here. If I think about how it smells I may very well pass out or throw up. I let my ears do the work for me this time. The faintest scuffling can be heard from somewhere inside a giant shark model. The over-sized mouth is the entrance into this thing and I doubt he would get himself trapped inside but I have to check anyways. I sneak over and stare inside, it is too dark to tell if something is in there so I have to go in.
This is a bad idea. I think to myself as I begin to crawl in. I step down on the fleshy tongue. I feel it sink beneath my feet. Uh oh! 

"Oof!" I grunt as I am shoved to the side. The moment my weight is off of the tongue the jaws slam shut. Krow was the one who shoved me aside, I look up at him and notice nose crinkled in pain. His foot is caught in the jaws of the shark. I sit up and slide over to inspect the jaws.

"How much pressure is there?" I ask him as I fiddle with the upper portion.

"Too much." He says from between clenched teeth. Hmmm..."Soul!" He caws as I feel a hand grab a fist full of my hair and jerk me backwards. I let the momentum aid me in spinning around and sweeping his legs out from beneath him. The attacker falls to the floor as I engage. I grab hold of whatever I can reach, in this case it is his shirt. We grapple for a few moments, rolling away from Krow. I pin him down by the shoulders and breath for a moment. This person beneath me is indeed Kasper Rattus. He sneers at me as he throws me off of him and takes off down a darkened hallway. I briefly glance at Krow who is yelling for me to stop and then chase him down the hallway. Even though it's dark my cat eyes are aiding my sight and I can see him not too far ahead of me. I pick up my pace and almost catch him as we barrel through a doorway at the end of the tunnel. On the other side of the door is a spotlight shining in my face.
The sudden contrast of light blinds me and throws me off balance I lean against whatever is to my side and rub my eyes trying to make them refocus faster.

"Your move, kitty." A clever voice taunts me.  I blink a few times and am left speechless by what I see. I am trapped in a room of mirrors. All I can see is endless panels reflecting myself and my reflection. No doorways or distinguishable differences. I am completely and utterly alone.

"Stop hiding!" I yell and punch the mirror closest to me. It shatters and leaves a black empty panel almost worse than the endless reflections.

"Ah I see... You are a brute. Krow would have been fun in here, this game is about intelligence whereas the other was better suited  for your.. processing abilities." He says cautiously.
I think he just called me stupid. Okay Soul, calm down. What would Krow do? I think to myself trying to come up with a solution. Now that one panel is broken it is easier to identify just how many I am truly dealing with, there appears to be about nine unshattered panels. One of them has to be the door I came in here with and the other has to be the door Casper left from. It didn't take me too long to recover from the blindness so it wont be one on the far end of the room. That leaves around four mirrors for me to check. I inspect every edge of the mirrors but can't find anything about them that might be off. Then I remember the sharks tongue, this guy likes to deal with things in a pressure sensitive way. I put a small amount of pressure on a mirror to my left then let up. Nothing.
Click Click Click
I look up to see a ceiling tile sliding to the side. Yes! I scream internally. A stream of water pours down from the tile space and drenches me, water continues to flow from the ceiling. I sputter and cough as I move out of the way. I hate being wet.
If I guess the right tiles then I will be one step closer to Kasper, if I guess wrong I could drown, possibly to actual death since this is a demon trap.
I put weight onto the next mirror, as I release another ceiling tile moves and water comes crashing down on the other side of the room. Two down, seven to go and the water is lapping around my ankles already.
I test every mirror, even the broken one and the water keeps flooding the room.  The water is just below my shoulders and keeps splashing into my face as I slosh around re-checking the mirrors.
Panic sets in as I realize I am trapped.
What do I do? I had the right idea about the pressure sensitive trigger but I am not doing it right. Is there a sequence? No that would take too long... DANG IT I HATE SMART GUYS! I rant mentally. I cling to the edges of a mirror as the water starts to make me float upwards. I stare into my reflection. Think, you idiot!
Demons revel in three things. Pain, Fear and Anger. That means that this trap is supposed to entice all three. The fear is coming from being caged, the anger is coming from the sense of helplessness but where should the pain come from? Drowning is painful but he would want me to suffer longer... that means he wants me on the floor... The floor! I take a deep breath and dive down, I never went to the middle of the room to check the flooring. I try to swim down and push on the tile but the water is fighting against me so I can't push down. I swim back up and get another large breath. The water is almost to the top now.. Last chance.
I dive back down and use my claws to cling to the flooring. I grip the floor on either side of the center panel and kick it the best I can. The first kick doesn't make it budge but with the second kick I feel a slight shift. My lunges throb, begging for air. I open my mouth to yell in frustration as I kick the last time. No sound comes out of my mouth but the panel gives way and the water gets sucked down the hole like a drain. I try to swim up for air but the current is pulling me down.
My body shudders as it is running out of air... Just a little bit more and I can breath...

"GAH!" I burst to the surface and inhale as much air as possible. I sit there panting as the water slowly drains out of the room.
Once the water is all gone I lay on the floor not moving, trying to conserve my energy. It looks like I am supposed to go down the rabbit hole but I don't want to.

I drag myself over to the hole and inspect it. There is a breeze coming from it which means it at least leads to somewhere not filled with water, it is pitch black which doesn't mean a thing and it reeks of rodent. I sigh and rub my face preparing myself mentally.
This is gonna suck.. I know its a bad idea... I think as I lower myself into the floor. I can't feel a landing or anything beneath me so there is only one choice left.
I let go.

I slide down in complete darkness, the tunnel feels never ending and my other heightened sense are making me nauseous. Everything is spinning as the tunnel suddenly ends and I crash hard into the floor. I try to catch myself at the last minute and roll with the hit but I don't do a very good job and still take damage. I clutch my knees (which took the brunt of the damage) as I look at where I landed. It appears I am in some sort of medieval torture room shaped like a coliseum.
*Clap* *Clap* *Clap* 
I look over to see Kasper sitting on a bed of nails, staring at me curiously.

"I didn't expect you to make it here first." He says with a mixture of emotion that I can't identify. He crosses his legs and looks perfectly content. He should be concerned..
I launch myself across the room, taking him by surprise, and pin him to the bed. An evil smile stretches across my face as I smell blood. I push him further into the nails, putting all of my weight into it. His face contorts with pain as me tries to wiggle free of my grasp.

"Don't underestimate me." I warn him. I dig my nails into him as he gets an arm free, he uses it to swing and knock me upside the head distracting me just long enough for him to get free. I back off a little bit so I can properly analyze the situation.
Casper Rattus is a formidable opponent. Fairly intelligent looking and above average fitness, chances are he is incredibly agile like a rat should be.                                 

 

Depiction of Kasper.

He is an interesting choice for an opponent for Krow because they are on par with each other.

"I can understand Krow wanting to bring a partner, seeing how he is out classed and all but what I can't understand is how a rare Panthera escaped from Befoul's grasp. He is usually so possessive of the things that are his, just look at Krow. I guess since you aren't with him it doesn't matter if I kill you and that's all that matters to me." Casper rambles out loud.

What? I feel like I just learned something very important but I can't figure out why its relevant, I don't have time to mess with it either.                                             
This is taking too long.. I am afraid Casper will escape again if I don't make a move. Now. I let my demons take over and all sense of "self" goes black.



Befoul's POV

I watch from the fake throne as Soul viciously chases after Casper. Beside me in the queens throne and a sneaky demon named Nagahebi. He joined me here a while ago and said the show would begin shortly.
I didn't know why I was summoned here but this was not what I was expecting. The cursed child from so long ago is not only alive but he is thriving in a demon way. The anger in his eyes that pulses in sync with his very own heartbeat, the blitz attack with inhuman speed and most importantly the way he loses every shred of humanity and gives way to a new variety of monster.

"No matter how smart or skilled our little rat friend is there is no way for him to survive." Nagahebi says casually from beside me. I glance at him, intrigued by the suddenly sociable side of him.

"It doesn't matter, he was a flawed servant. I would have done far worse to him someday soon so in a way this is mercy." I say nonchalantly. That is entirely the truth, Kaz got on my last nerve with that stunt he pulled and especially when he let Krow escape. I had made it very clear that he would be punished if anything happened and somehow he still managed to fail. As much as I would have enjoyed killing him it is far more interesting to watch Soul do it. The way he moves is almost like looking in a mirror, the natural predatory attacks and the compulsion to be a wild animal are all my traits but somehow when he does it he has more grace and a more fluid and light-footed approach. It must have something to do with his smaller frame because I would never move like that.

"Does that mean you are looking for a new partner?" Nagahebi questions me, drawing me away from my observations. Ah, this is a different type of interest.

"The last one isn't even dead yet. Are you sure you want to be asking that?" I counter. The scent of blood floats up to us from the battle floor. Soul just sank his fangs into Casper's lower left flank and tore the flesh away, the blood curdling screams bring me joy.


Soul, no control.

A picture I edited for Befoul. Fitting right?

"I have ulterior motives but I would still make a great asset to The Cause. Besides, it looks like the position is open." He says flatly referring to the way Soul is hunched over Casper's almost unmoving body practically foaming at the mouth. I just scoff, ending the conversation. I lean forward and watch intently, this should be the final move. If he is like me then he should go for the throat.
Soul freezes as a side door opens, Krow comes limping in while calling out to him.

"Stop! SOUL!" He yells. Soul turns his head but his eyes are still that of a demon... Why is he listening to him? Only a Deviser should be able to control a demon in that state.
Krow reaches Soul and pulls him off of Casper, I only just now realized that Krow is in his full out demon state as well. He doesn't waste time and instantly mangles Caspers face and throat. He rolls off to the side and collapses. It appears the he had his own struggles to go through in this maze.

"Naga, I think our time here is done. Cut off the power, calls the cops and then meet me outback by my car. We have business to discuss." I say as I get up to leave. Krow and Soul are both mentally and physically drained and it is blatently obvious that someone other than me is training them and playing with them. As ticked as I am about Souls existence I am also thrilled, he will be the key to unleashing a demons full potential and reaping havoc on this world and whoever hid him from me will suffer indefinitely.

"Yes sir." Naga mumbles as he slips out of the room.


Krows POV

I regain control and gather my thoughts. Soul is currently passed out and based on his actions earlier I would say he got impatient or injured and gave in to his demon side. If his "tests" were anything like mine then it is safe to assume that they were catered to emphasize his weakest points, being his intelligence and patience. Mine required strength and mandatory rash decisions and I barely survived... 
The power has been turned off because it is almost pitch black which makes me think that its just about time to take our leave. I grab Soul and drag his lifeless body outside, its time we left this awful place.

END
"It's been a blast these past few months and I look forward to the Fall/Winter season. I hope you all have a wonderful Summer and don't forget about me! I will still have mini stories (Non-plot related) that I will post at least probably twice a month so be sure to check back for traditional serial killer specials seeing how they don't really feature our demons in full swing. TBH I like writing those because I get to be disturbingly specific about what they do and how they do it. Anyways, See you soon!" -Soul

Bye!

Demons Live In Paradise Too

Demons Live In Paradise Too

Krows POV (next week is Souls POV and he has an extra that accompanies this chapter)

There is a video at the song at the bottom that adds a good feel while reading this.

I take one last glance at the kids crumpled body. Good riddance.
I open the door while slightly lifting it up so that I take pressure off of the hinges increasing my chances of not making noise. I smile to myself. Only two guards standing outside my door. He must have underestimated me. I pluck two more of my feathers and attack.
I plunge a feather into the larger guards neck making him reel back in pain and confusion. The second, smaller guard looks at me in fear. I force my will on him and make him unable to scream. I make a split second decision and go for the eye. He reaches for his eye, mouth hanging agape dying to scream. It is sort of surreal. A silent murder.
I smirk as I dash down the halls. I close my eyes and listen to the sound of the echoes, feel the way my feet bounce off the uneven path. This is the way I came. I had etched that experience into my memory for this very purpose. I inhale the musty air as I pick up the pace.
I come to a fork in the halls. This isn't good. I close my eyes and try to feel the faintest breeze. The down feathers on my arms feel a slight ruffling from the left. I do feel like I could have made a turn when I was tied up so I am going to trust it. I take off down the tunnel veering left.
After what feels like forever I can hear running water. That means I am nearing the main tunnel. I don't care if I go up the same stairway that I came down on, I just need one shot to be free. If I am giving the opportunity- Wait, no. I will make the opportunity for me to escape. This crow has known what it feels like to be caged up and I refuse to go back.
I break into the main tunnel. I see a few people lingering here and there in clusters. They don't seem to have noticed my sudden appearance. I calm my breathing and start to emit a superior aura. If they think I am a higher species it is likely that they will avoid eye contact and wont be able to identify me.
I work my way slowly down the tunnel. Some of them stir but none of them look up at me. Good.
I see one of the stairway entrances. I suppress the urge to breath a sigh of relief. I am not out of here yet. Just a few more feet.....
I notice a set of footsteps approaching me swiftly from behind. I don't turn back to look but I don't run either. It isn't unusual for someone to be in a hurry down here but it does attract attention.
I catch a whift of a Serpens. Chances are I know who is behind me.
So close to the stairs.. I glance over my shoulder and sure enough its Nagahebi. He smiles at me to acknowledge that I know its him. My eyes widen a little but I turn back and focus on my target. Naga walks up beside me and leans over. 
"I am impressed. Weren't you supposed to kill Kasper while you were here?" He whispers quietly while matching strides beside me.
I glance over at him. There is only one way he would know that. Soul must have called Defy and asked for help. Crap. 

"Since you know, I take it that means you can handle it from here?" I ask him. Naga is equally skilled in assassinations so I know I can trust it to him. He nods his head but doesn't say anything else, I can feel him slide something into my pocket. I turn to go up the stairs and he keeps walking.
I am free.  Thanks Naga.

I break into the open air of the street. Thankfully it appears to be dark out. The neon lights and sounds of partying overload my senses. I need something to eat... I am not talking about food. I look at the buildings around me. Uh oh....
I came out of a man hole in front of a biker bar and I am splattered with blood, of course some of the bikers are giving me some very unfriendly looks. I think that they will taste pretty good. Damaged souls usually satisfy my hunger. I strut through the foul traffic, glaring at drivers and passengers alike.
A few of the bikers notice me coming towards them. I suspect that they are probably going to fight back though I am not particularly concerned. They can stab or shoot me all they want, it wont kill me.
One walks away from the rest and approaches me. He is a fairly decent size man. I put him around late 20's early 30's. I am a little surprised to see him coming from the biker group. Despite his leather clothing he is very neat.

"Hey man, are you alright? Do you need a ride to the hospital?" He asks politely. Even the tone in his voice is forced.

"No officer, I'm good. Thanks though." I say while trying to push past him. It is obvious this guy is undercover. Either these bikers are idiots or he is being played with. His eyes widen and he grabs my arm. I pull away and throw him to the ground in the process. I pin him by the throat and steal his soul in an instant. It isn't messy or loud but it's just my style. I feel a little better my appetite is still ravenous.
I stand up and back away from the body. Crap.. I did that without thinking. A hand grabs my arm and pulls me aside. Some of the other bikers swarm around the body. I look over and acknowledge the presence of the person grabbing my arm. I yank my arm away but he has a better grip than the last guy.
The cluster starts to get louder as they realize he is dead.

"What did you do?!" The one holding me yells/spits in my face. I smile at him. I tackle him to the floor while simultaneously plucking one of my feathers. I lodge it into his neck and grab the items in his pocket. Feels like a cellphone, cash and keys. Perfect. While I am at it I lean over and devour his soul. A wave of relief washes over me as I am revitalized by his essence. The taste was rather delectable as well.
I try to remember what bike this guy was standing by... ah I think I got it... I slide onto the bike and try the ignition. It roars to life. I glance back to notice that the bikers are coming towards me. Haha. Dang it. I drive away as fast as I can manage. It has been a long while since I drove a motorcycle so I am a little slow when it comes to shifting.
One of the good thing is that I am still on I-Drive (International Drive) the bad thing is that I-Drive is known for its traffic...
I take the motorcycle onto the sidewalk, irritating a lot of people. I cannot help but laugh as I continue this crazy escape attempt. Who would have thought that the humans would give me a harder time than the demons.

A few reckless decisions later and I am free of my pursuers. I ditch the bike and sneak into a back alley of one of the fancy restaurants.
I grab the phone and dial my number. If my predictions are correct than Soul should answer. I am usually right so..

Ring

Ri-"Hello?" A confused Soul says on the other end.

"Yo. Whatcha doing with my stuff? Who gave you permission to answer my phone?" I tease him instantly. I hear a sigh from the other end.

"Where the heck have you been?! You give me all your crap and run. Yeah, I am gonna answer the flipping phone!" He rants into the phone. I can't help but smirk at his simple thinking. Demon or not he is still 19.

"We will talk about that later. I take it you found a hotel room? Where is the Jeep?" I flip into serious mode. I want my Jeep back."Yes. I am at The La Quinta still on I-Drive. The Jeep is here with me. Want me to come get you?" I can feel the smug attitude radiating through the phone. I almost called it a receiver... Man I feel old.

"Yeah. That would be best. I am behind the steakhouse down by the big hotels and stuff. You might want to hurry because I am kind of messy-" I cut myself off. I don't want to tell him I am covered in blood. He will know when he gets here but he will also know better than to ask.

"I will be there soon. Oh, and Krow. Don't do that again." He says in probably the most honest tone I have ever heard him use. To think I scared him. A demon. A Serial Killer. 

"Shut up and get here." I say back to him and hang up. I smash the phone and wait for him to get here.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


I see the Jeep pull into the alley and come out of hiding. Souls puts it in park (well its a stick so technically he puts it in neutral and puts the E brake on) and climbs out the drivers side.

"Krow?" He asks. He looks a little uncomfortable.

"Of course its me you idiot. Who else would be waiting for you behind the steakhouse?!" I can't help but tease him. I understand its how I am reacting mostly out of relief. This entire time I was afraid that Befoul would find him and that wouldn't end well..
He scoffs and starts to climb back in the drivers seat.
"Heck no! Get out. I am driving." I yell as I pull him out of my spot. He looks at me a little puzzled, acknowledging the bloodstains.

"Are you hurt?" He asks in a flat tone. He glances from my shirt to my face, looking for a reaction that isn't there.

"It's not mine." I say with a smile. He laughs and walks around.
I climb in and start the car. While Soul is getting in I take a moment to look at the paper Naga slipped into my pocket. It is a time, a place and a number I know very well. Defy has set up a meeting and I am supposed to be there. Great, everything will get back to normal soon and we can end this special brand of hell. We can end him.

There will be an extra that follows this chapter the link will be added here by Wednesday.

 

Escape The Sunshine State: Part 2 Krows Entrapment

Krows POV

Kaz blind folds me and ties my hands up.
He is dragging me to an unknown location and despite the situation I cannot stop smiling like a fool.
I can't wait to see what they do to me.
Kaz throws me into a room and I fall face first onto what feels like cement, maybe brick. I hear a metallic thud from somewhere behind me. I can feel the humidity in the air. I feel like I'm trapped in a dungeon... Haha, how fitting...
I roll myself over and inch forwards hoping to find a wall to prop up on. I am pulled backwards by the bindings on my wrists. I see..
They have me tied up, not just like simple handcuffs but a thick rope or maybe some other type of bindings with a leash attached. That way they can redirect my movements and actions without giving away their location. While, I mean if you are smart and know how the system works then you can still pin point them.
I sit still waiting for them/him(?) to say something.
----------
Nothing.
"Well that's nice. Kidnap a guy and tie him up and don't even tell him why. I mean sure I stabbed a few people but come on, we are Demons." I say trying to break the ice.
----------
Nothing.
Time to resort to my plan B.

"You are a Rattus, right? You know I am a Raptore. I have seniority. Start talking." I say in a chilling voice that I reserve for these special moments when I actually reign superior.

------"I shouldn't" A small voice says. He can think what he wants, the obedience is a part of him now.

"That's ok. I wont tell." I assure him. I can hear some shuffling from somewhere behind me. That means the door is back there as well.

"Yes, I am a Rattus. I guess... No one really explained this stuff to me." He admits while sounding frustrated. 

Hmm... So he doesn't know anything... 

"Alright, Rattus. How long have you been here and who turned you?" I ask him. Thanks to him talking I am able to angle my position to face him, hiding my hands. I am slowly working at the rope, at least I think that's what it is, bindings. 

"Um... the big one turned a few of us.. Most of them didn't make it. We have been down here in the dark for a few weeks I think. Maybe a month. There was already a few here when we got here. There are a lot of snakes around lately." The poor kid is whispering. I guess he is afraid. Perfect for me. 

"Hate to break it to ya but you are a pawn for a war. Let me guess, you are all getting basic combat training but no medical training? He is just going to sacrifice you all for his own agenda. I am here to stop it." I lie. Chances are that is what is happening and that's why Defy sent me here... That idiot could have mentioned I was walking into a fox den. (Metaphorically of course, these are rats and snakes and a few cats.)

"What?!" He squeaks. I can practically hear the panic attack. I must have been right. I hear him shuffle and move closer.
I sense a presence not far away from me. I think it is somewhere off to my left.

"If I let you out, will you save me?" He whispers quietly.

"Sure." I say without hesitation. I feel nimble fingers wiggle the rope around my wrists. He is clumsy but he gets them loose enough for me to pull my hands out.
I stretch my shoulders and rub my wrists. I wasn't tied up for long but I am already sore. Geez I need to retrain myself. I take off my blindfold and turn to see a kid who couldn't have been more than 14.

"How are you going to save me? What should I do?" He asks me. I can see him physically shaking. This is just wrong.

"Ugh...." I sigh.
In one fluid motion I throw the kid around and wrap my arms around him putting him in a choke hold.

"Y-you... said... you'd... help..." He chokes out as he is running out of air. A rush of adrenaline hits me as I become entirely aware of the situation. Yeah, I am slow to the party.

"I lied."  I whisper softly into his ear. I jerk his head to the side and hear a satisfying snap. His body tenses and then releases.
That is a unique thing. I don't recall anyone doing that before...
I toss his body to the side and pop my own neck. I head towards the door as I mumble to myself.
"That felt good."




Authors Note: "Thank you to everyone on the friendly Disqus site that praised the fanservice made for Kuro. It was fun exploring things outside my comfort zone and learning about a different genre of Anime and Manga. I think I might be into it :P
Anyways, as you can tell that bit of fanservice is placed after this installment so you guys actually got to see the story first! Congrats and thanks again :) -Soul"

Escape The Sunshine State: Part 1

                                     Escape The Sunshine State


Souls POV

I sprawl out in the back seat of the Jeep. Krow told me to wait here for him but he hasn't come back yet. I roll over and feel something uncomfortable on my side... Oh yeah, I remember that Krow had put something in my pocket....
I empty the contents of my pockets to find Krows wallet, keys and cell phone.
"What the?..." I mumble out loud. If he left all of this with me then that means he doesn't plan on coming back. Dang it!
I sit up in the seats and look around. I am too frustrated to try and sleep. It is some ungodly hour of the night and I am about to go searching for Krow... Then again... I mean, I will never get a chance to go through his stuff again.
I open his wallet and sift through its contents. A license with an amazingly good picture.. I wonder what he did at the DMV to get that. A ton of cash... Does he work another job?
A picture of a girl.... Whatever.
I throw his wallet into the other seat. Time to sift through his phone.  The first thing I pull up is his contacts. He has hundreds of demons in here! He only has one emergency contact.. "Defy".
His screen background says to call Defy if something ever happens.

............................................Internal struggle......................................

I dial.

Ring

I am kind of concerned.

Ring

He probably wont answer anyways so its all good.

"Hello?"  A confused voice says from the other end of the line.
"Krow?" The voice asks. Now it sounds concerned. I panic.

"Hi, um its not Krow but he said to dial this number if something happened to-" I start to ramble but he cuts me off.

"What happened to Krow? Where is he?!" The voice asks panicked.

"I don't know...We were in the demon underground earlier and he gave me his belongings and told me to run." I mumble regretfully. I can't fully express a range of emotions, mostly because I don't feel them anymore, but I do feel bad about this. That was completely uncharacteristic of me. I shouldn't have listened to him.
The voice on the other end of the line doesn't say anything. I think I can hear him doing something in the background.

"Is this Soul?" He asks. His voice is very sophisticated and gives me the feeling that he already knows the answer.

"Yes." I respond. The reacting portion of this epidemic has passed. My demon instincts are responding for me.

"Don't go after him. He has his reasons. How much cash do you have left?" The stranger asks. He angers me. What type of moron would stay put?!

"About $350. Why? Of course I plan on going after him!" I argue with the disembodied voice. Actually, I don't know why I would fight with this guy. I could just hang up.

"Soul, do you want to see Krow alive again?" He says delicately. I can tell that he is frustrated.

"Yes. That is why I am going after him." I retort. I am seriously about to hang up.

"If you return to the underground then you will both die. I will provide more money for you. Find a hotel and sit tight. I will get Krow." He says. I cannot tell if it is a threat or not. I think it is.

"Why should I listen to you?" I don't actually know who I am talking to. I have no reason to listen to this guy, yet everything he says is making sense...

"My name is Defy. I am a Canis. Now I know you don't like to abide by demon laws but at the moment someone of my standing is the only one that can save Krow. Don't do anything stupid. He trained you better than that." Defy snarls spitefully.
As much as I want to argue with him something deep inside me knows to obey his wishes.

"I don't trust you. If you don't get him released soon,  I will." I say in a tone of voice I haven't used in a while.                                       I think the last time I used it was when I went to retrieve my Grandpappie's watch.
Gosh so much has changed. Ever since I met Krow the strange stalkers have left me alone, my crazy mood swings have lessened and I can fake being human better, though the tail and ears still drive me insane.
I subconsciously stroke Nix's chin. I feel bad having left her alone for so long. She is a faithful companion and is the only reason I can sleep at night. She meows softly.

"You shouldn't trust me. Be a good little kitty and stay put. I promise I will handle this, though there will be a price for you to pay at a later date. Don't let me down when the time comes." He says cooly. He has regained his calm. I open my mouth to ask him how he knew my name but I hear a click and the line goes dead.
I snap the phone shut and curl up beside Nix. She gently paws at my shoulder. I recognize this action and open my arms, she crawls in and curls up. Gosh I love her.
I slip into sleep~