Hunter reborn.

[TieMeTightly]

Celeste managed a brief nod, twirling the keys in her slender fingers almost in an impatient manner. It was obvious at this point that she didn't want to be gone long, her gaze glancing rather cautiously around the room even, looking a bit more nervous than she probably should have been showing, but while she was usually alright with hiding some of her emotions, fear certainly wasn't one of them.

Celeste moved to the door after Angel, merely glancing back at Michael over her shoulder, her fingers clutching the door to the point that her knuckles lightened to white but even now it was obvious by her frantic heart rate what she really felt about the entire situation.

She said nothing as she left the room, shutting the door rather unceremoniously behind herself - leaving the manor in the same way.

There was hesitation, however, and Celeste turned, looking around cautiously...anxiously, shuddering somewhat.

"Fuck.."

Now she could feel her own heart beat through her chest as the made her way to the car as calmly as she could, though she did slam the car door, clearing her throat and pulling the seatbelt on rather easily.

She didn't prefer to wear the thing but at this point...with the way that she was certain she was going to be driving...well there was simply no point not to.

Amber eyes glanced toward the werepanther just briefly as she put the key into the ignition, looking a bit more comfortable now in the drivers seat.

"Buckle up. And we're making a pit-stop along the way."

It was a simple command, not even request as she turned the wheel hard, pressing her foot down fully on the pedal, the gravel spraying behind the car as she turned to right the car in the correct direction before pulling off. She knew where she was going for now..and that lovely little place was her old apartment.

"Directions only, please...you should get rest when you can I'm pretty good at remembering. We have to get there as quickly as possible I am sure you understand...and please don't think I am being cold but I have to think...and to think I need silence...except for the directions.."

 

[dryfter]

For her part, Angel was silent as she slid in next to Celeste, with a soft sigh, she slid the restraining strap of the seatbelt over her grossly swollen belly...a hand coming to rest over the top of them both.

"A pit stop?"

"Directions only, please...you should get rest when you can I'm pretty good at remembering. We have to get there as quickly as possible I am sure you understand...and please don't think I am being cold but I have to think...and to think I need silence...except for the directions.."

Angel nodded, still curious, though she kept her mouth shut for now. It was obvious that Celeste was every bit as nervous and upset as she was, wincing suddenly as the child inside her kicked its own displeasure at her. Her eyes closing, the brunette sagged wearily back against the headrest her seat provided, her soft voice sounding only as often as Celeste requested it for directions. The whir of the landscape flying by was sickening to look at, so she didn't, choosing instead to focus on the struggle of keeping her breathing low and even.....

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

She knew she was being pursued. He could taste her fear.

The panther girl wasn't old, but what she lacked in age, she made up for in cleverness it appeared. Three times he had come to places in his journey that would have thrown a lesser lycan off the trail.....unfortunately for her.....he was no lesser creature.

He was gaining on her, and from the tracks he followed and the shifting of her scent, she knew it too. Already, his hardened member throbbed at the thought of burying itself in some unwilling, thrashing, lycan cunt. He could taste her screams....her defiance....and her ultimate defeat as he took her as his own.....just as soon as he destroyed the spawn she carried......

Hazel eyes raked the forest before him. The trees were thinning out.....soon.....very soon......he had been chasing her for far too long.....her attempts to shake him off having created annoying delays.

With a snarl, he leapt into the open, lumbering with a swift yet tireless gait. In this meadow, she'd be easy to follow....her own body having cut a swath through the sawgrass.....pointing the way for him. What was more concerning.....was the sun's lowering on the horizon.....a feral snarl revealing his yellowed teeth.

 

[TieMeTightly]

It wasn't very long..well, to her it didn't seem very long before she managed to pull the car in front of her apartment.

A grin seemed permanent on her lips now, and it was nearly obvious that she was thrilled with the fact of where they were.

Slender fingers moved to pull something from her pocket. A set of keys was easily seen in those fingers and only after that did she turn to look at Angel again, smiling somewhat.

"We have a stop now because I have a feeling that I won't have very much time or perhaps won't really want to come back here."

Glancing up to the apartment she shuddered somewhat, mostly because there was police tape all over the place.

"..Stay in here, Angel. I will be back quickly. Lock yourself in..leave the motor running."

She opened the door easily and slipped out before moving rather rapidly toward the door, using her key and forcing the door open before sliding underneath the tape.

The smell of old blood was in the air..and certainly death.

Her breathing was somewhat uneven as she moved through the rooms, inching her way toward the closet .. her closet .. once reaching her bedroom. Where Celeste believed it was going to be simple, she actually found it rather difficult to revisit the place but it wasn't really because of the experience.

Of course that in itself was a terrible thing..but it was the death that she smelled.

Slender fingers clutched at the closet and she pulled it open, falling to her knees easily and pulling literally everything out of it before pulling out the false bottom in the closet, tugging out a case that was locked.

Getting to her feet she looked around curiously before moving to the bed, crouching and reaching underneath it, grabbing the key dangling beneath the bed.

And that quickly..she was finished.

Quite literally she slipped from the apartment and moved to the car, waiting outside of it until Angel opened the car door before getting inside, placing the case in the back seat and tying the key around her neck, glancing back at Angel.

"Alright...Directions please." She managed a smile, tucking her keys away back into her pocket.

 

[dryfter]

It was amazing how much she had changed in just a few minutes....

Angel had obeyed unquestioningly, her own fears....fear of something she didn't even know....but quite obviously terrified her Master, had her hitting the Corvette's auto lock button almost before Celeste's door closed. Just why were they running anyway? What the hell was going on?!

A soft moan echoed through the locked car as the baby stirred once more, aggravated by its mother's sudden tension. Fortunately for her, Celeste wasn't long, reappearing with a strange black case. And what was this place? Why did she feel a sudden need to stop here? And what was with the case that was so important that it warranted a sidetrack from Michael's orders?

And why was she smiling when she seemed so upset and tense just minutes ago?

Angel shifted restlessly in her seat, trying to get more comfortable with her burden becoming increasingly active. With a soft click, she popped the lock on her housemate's door so she could enter.....watching as she slid her nearly perfect frame behind the wheel once more. Yes....Michael had lucked out in finding a prize like her.....

"Alright...Directions please."

And then they were off, Angel for the most part, respecting Celeste's earlier request for silence. For the first hour or two she spoke only when needed, even as her mind churned over the events she had witnessed. She might not have been the most sneaky or the most fierce of Michael's mates.....but the brunette woman liked to think she was one of the more intelligent.....

"That place.....was.....that where you died?"

It was unmistakable, her meaning. The place where Celeste lost her humanity and became one of them. Death and rebirth, all at the hands of the Master. Angel knew it too well, though she'd clarify in a heartbeat what she meant if her words caused confusion. For now though, she kept her voice low, innocent. The more she thought about it....the more she realized just how little any of them knew Celeste. Perhaps....she could learn something.

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

Well that hadn't gone well.

Fangs bared in a wicked grimace, he waited for his wounds to heal. He certainly hadn't been expecting that. He wouldn't make....the same mistake again.

The panther's fear had been quite real when he finally caught up to her, his claws reaching for her flanks to shred the muscles she needed to desperately to continue her flight. So when had the fear turned to something else?

Spinning suddenly, dirt and small bits of meadow grass spat up into the air as her panicked flight slid suddently to a halt. And just as suddenly.....he found himself defending!

It was brutal....and to think how very little he had actually done. Every massive swipe, no matter the speed delivered.....had earned him little more than a glancing blow. He could smell her blood.....but couldn't be brought to taste it.

The air exploded from him time and time again, as the female before him rocked his massive frame with a flurry of punches and kicks, including two to the head that had left him dazed and staggering back in surprise. This one fought as hard as any panther male he had ever encountered! Only when a narrow miss had almost ended the fight.....her eyes widening at the thin cut that oozed just a droplet or two of blood from her throat did she finally flee again.

And now here he was....trying to recover enough to pursue once more. With a grinding crack, he felt the second of his broken ribs fall back into place. The fact that she could even do such damage through his almost grotesque cords of muscle was astonishing. He'd never been stopped cold like that before....and certainly never by a female....

It was more than just lust now. It was pride. He would catch up to her again.....and this time.....their meeting would end in his favor.

 

[TieMeTightly]

Celeste listened intently to the directions and quite literally floored it in the directions specified. Amber eyes did not not lift to even look at Angel, not until she spoke.

In that exact moment Celeste's grin faded, and she became horribly tense, managing to suddenly tense in the seat, her slender fingers clutching at the steering wheel before she actually managed to look up.

"Angel.."

Her breathing was somewhat uneven as she cleared her throat, almost reluctantly.

"...I know...I know that this might not be the most...certain thing to you...why was I here..what do I want. But you have to understand my situation."

She had to turn, therefore easing up on the gas and turning the car, looking up at her when she returned to a straight-away.

"..Maybe it's not normal for you to...ask these questions. I know I've not been very open with you all but I hope that you'll at least give me the decency of being candid. I used to be a hunter, Angel."

Another pause, and Celeste watched her cautiously, gauging a reaction.

"Yes...a hunter...Michael hasn't spoken a word of it and neither of I because I am terrified you'll all try to kill me for what I did to him..well...what I didn't do for him I suppose."

She was quiet only briefly, letting her think before continuing.

"...I left him there. When he was turned, it was my fault."

Again she was quiet, but this time it was because she was practically trembling as she drove like a madwoman down the street.

"He loved me then..a..and I left him there because I was too terrified to face what was coming for us both...so I left him."

She swallowed hard, now staring directly at the road, quite obviously terrified of what her reaction was going to be.

"Please don't hate me..."

It was desperate, and she didn't know any better.

"I haven't told anyone else and I would rather they not know...Kira will most certainly want to kill me...and Shio...I'm certain she would never trust me again..."

Another brief pause before she continued, this time her words trembling.

"When he came for me it was solely on revenge. It was my fault he was like this...a...and he wanted me to experience the same pain. I'm not sure of why but...he was there...he...he destroyed everything in front of me but I still didn't quite...falter as he planned. I of course needed him immediately. Needed him inside of me..but...I don't know...It wasn't what he planned. I think it was that moment that I wasn't a desperate whimpering heap at his feet that he decided that I was something different than what he thought. Please don't think me ignorant I simply don't know his point of view. All that I know is...I have loved Michael for years...a...and I thought him dead. And now I have to bring the Fox clan back to save us all...I'm not sure if I can even do that, Angel...I don't know if I have the strength to be gone for so long..and I don't know if I have the strength to be around...I know what is after us. I understand what is after us."

She looked up then, for the first time locking gazes with her.

"I promise you that I would die to save you all..I've not deserved to be in your house..a..and I certainly don't deserve it now. I will rid you of this evil even if it means giving up my life."

Stilll there was no time for her to respond as she forced a smile.

"Directions...r...right or left?"

 

[dryfter]

"Even if it means giving up your life...."

The words were repeated back to her.....softly.....and without sarcasm. Grey eyes drifted back towards the road they were on. It would be some time before they strayed from their current course.....but Angel could understand Celeste's need to change the subject.

"You're the only one he's ever turned."

She felt more than saw the fox stiffen slightly behind the wheel, a soft glance cast in her direction even though Angel continued to stare forward.

"You seem to think you have us all figured out then. So tell me....who am I? What will I do in reaction to your revelation?"

Again....there was no malice in her tone.....though perhaps a soft bit of reproach.

"You're wrong. You have them mixed up. Kira won't kill you. Nastaja will. She's the most protective of him. Kira values you more than you know.....she sees you as potential help....another capable fighter. Her hopes were dashed right away however when it became known you were carrying child. She hadn't thought you'd become burdened so quickly....."

A soft smile spread across her normally stoic face, finally turning towards the redheaded lovely behind the wheel.

"Nastaja and I were gifts to Michael......did you know that? We were left without a master after ours was slain. We now bear Michael's mark....and serve him loyally as our master. You've heard Siobhan's story? About how her past master tortured her horribly? I pity her.....even though.....she might be the strongest of us. And Kira? Kira hides herself behind a show of flamboyance, but she too has felt what its like to lose a master. Michael is just a surrogate master to her almost. She refuses to sleep with him at times....to bear his children.....and a part of me wonders if its because she's still loyal to her dead master. Yet she protects him fiercely.....is it because she loves him? Or because she fears feeling the sundering once more?"

The brunette sagged back into the headrest of her seat, expelling a soft sigh while doing so.

"You two were in love.......that's more than he gets from any of us I suppose. So what if you were a hunter.....wouldn't you think that a hunter would make for a strong mate?"

But that wasn't the issue was it? That wasn't why Celeste trembled like the child within her behind the wheel.

"You knew fear then......and he suffered because of it. So why then does he trust you know? Perhaps you've been forgiven? Or is it our forgiveness that you are looking for? You've not wronged me in any way, Celeste.....and you defended the Master loyally when our manor was attacked.....you defended me while I was helpless to defend myself......and you lost your child because of it."

Angel's head bowed sorrowfully for a moment. A soft shudder ran through her own body at the thought of having to undergo such a thing.....to lose that much.....

"Perhaps its me who should be asking your forgiveness......though I doubt you see it that way."

Another soft sigh.

"Just know that I speak for myself....and only myself.....when I say I bear you no grudge. The master's turning may have been painful....and some of that pain, only you can heal. But it has also been fortuitous for the rest of us.....he has.....been kind. Demanding at times....physically and sexually demanding.....but he has always been kind to us.....and has always treated us with respect. That's a luxury in many lycan households......where all we would be is breeding fodder."

 

[TieMeTightly]

It was obvious that she had not been able to quite understand why it had been repeated back to her, but she glanced over cautiously just momentarily, focusing so easily on Angel briefly before looking back.

It was when she actually continued that Celeste tensed, obviously not thinking anything like that would actually happen to her.

Michael had turned her..and only her.

But why was that? Did he not find anyone fitting enough to be his mate or perhaps someone who would actually pose a challenge at times?

She was still too human to understand everything, her emotions quite visibly clouding everything even as she attempted to hide them with everything that she had.

Amber eyes hardened somewhat at speak of Nastaja, nearly knowing that she could never actually tell the mate that story..that she would be against the wall in moments. Even their first meeting had been rather frightening.

But she continued again, telling her of Nastaja..of Kira.

"I..didn't really think you personally would attack me, Angel.."

Again she spoke quietly, though now it was because she was remembering something far more painful, emotion..tears creeping into her eyes that she refused to let fall, quickly managing to blink them away only to force a smile in its place.

"Michael is terrified to lose another child you see...and...I know that he wanted to say that...to say he had already lost one in a fight...in...any circumstance. Every day it's no better...every day I still wonder if I just had a horrible nightmare...that I would wake up and be a hunter again...even that I would still waken as this..whatever I am but still have the child. Something that I wanted no part in having, mind you.."

She swallowed hard then, wishing they would turn off of the road...so she knew some sort of instruction...so that she could take a break from the conversation. But there was none, so she continued.

"..We were in love.."

It was spoken so quietly, her slender fingers gripping the steering wheel to the point that her knuckles went white.

"You know he was a frightening size even as a human.."

She laughed then, grinning up at her.

"He could so easily pin me...I mean I'm obviously not a large woman so it wasn't difficult..but...he lost that at some point. He lost a playfulness even when we weren't hunting..I don't know how to explain it..but he lost himself...and I'm having such a hard time finding him again...because he tries to put on this...front. He tries to be my Master...not Michael...and I still see him as Michael but just one that's confused...misdirected.."

She shook her head somewhat before sighing.

"And then this trip he took me on.."

She wasn't grinning anymore, instead simply focusing on the road.

"He wanted a bit of a getaway..but I don't think he really understood that..I knew something was out there...I've been having these dreams...horrible dreams I thought they were just related to the pregnancy..but...they're awful.."

Nearly whispering now, she was rigid in the drivers seat.

"..I've not told him what was in them..and you must not...but..there was so much blood, Angel..I hurt...everywhere..every bone felt like it was broken. It was almost like...revenge...that thing..whatever Michael is afraid of...recognized me."

She didn't say what it was, merely shaking her head.

"It doesn't matter...It..it's probably just my imagination anyway.."

 

[dryfter]

Angel listened.....Celeste obviously having troubling finding the words she wanted....needed to say. She had always been good at listening, less impetuous, reckless, or impulsive like the others who shared the same house as her. Only Siobhan seemed to understand the concept of being silent as well as Angel did.....and at least for that.....Angel respected her.

"He is the master, Celeste.....and must be treated as such. But he is also Michael as well. We must all learn in our own way to know and recognize when is the time for each persona to arrive."

The soft hand on her belly stirred gently, rubbing its swollen expanse as if to soothe.

"After all....I certainly didn't moan "Master" while he was doing this to me."

It was the first time Celeste had probably heard emotion creep into her voice, even if it was her own special brand of wry humor.

"He cares for you, Celeste. He probably thought himself capable of handling anything that came for you. But now....he's running from something....something that scares him. What exactly are we running from anyway?"

The pantheress scowled suddenly, obviously annoyed at having been kept in the dark. She understood the need to flee, but she would have at least liked to know what she was running from.

"Kira, Nastaja, Siobhan....and yes....myself. We're tools for him, Celeste. I think he knows that we don't really.....love him.....persay. We're grateful for what he's done for us....and we bear his children and help him further his clan and his future as a result. But....I don't think any of us.....love.....him...."

She fell silent for a long moment, consoled by the sound of the wheels churning on the asphalt.

"This has bothered me for a long time.....take the next left....."

It was ironic....just how symbiotic their relationship was....

"We're tools, Celeste. Just as he is a tool to us, providing us with the safety and the protection we need. I'd be surprised if there were feelings beyond that from anyone in that house....but you...."

Another gravel road.....Angel's stomach lurched at the rough treatment of the ill kept gravel and Celeste's speed.

"I know one thing, Celeste. You are lycan now....and you feed off of the people you once called friend. As such....our kind doesn't take dreams lightly, so please.....please.....don't make that mistake. If you think something is coming for you.....and you think its motivation is revenge, then it is. And if you just ignore the warnings.....if you blow them off.....then they'll come true. But a dream is just a possible future, love.....a possible future or a distant memory."

 

[TieMeTightly]

She nearly made a face at the comment that he was her Master, scrunching her nose up slightly at even calling him that.

If there was no punishment for not doing so she much rathered Michael. It was simply so much less demanding. Though of course she was right in the fact that she had to recognize when one would come out over the other.

At the little comment, the slight joke Celeste nearly laughed - but it ended up as just a small smile..one that faded just as quickly when the woman mentioned what was coming for them.

She didn't answer, instead again concentrating on the road, turning when she mentioned the direction. Celeste needed to get there as quickly as she could. And of course she wanted nothing more than to make certain that everyone was safe. Of course..she wasn't lying when she said she would give her life for them all.

She didn't seem comforted still by her words, actually almost disturbed by them..by the fact that they were mates and only that...that their relationship was really...nothing that went as deep as anything she and Michael had experienced.

But then she spoke of her dream and Celeste swallowed hard.

"It might be revenge..but I am not ignoring it..not personally..I am just making certain that Michael knows nothing of it. If he did...hell he would have me hidden away until this was all over as well and..I'm sorry but I can't let that happen."

She was determined now, pressing even harder on the gas pedal even though it was against the floor of the car.

"I won't let that happen. He might not realize how much of an asset I am...fighting anyway. Inside of that case is a gold dagger..and more gold bullets than I can count. We've seen this sort of thing before...m..my old partner and I. And I can assure you it is going to take more than Michael to take it down."

 

[dryfter]

"Then we need to hurry."

Angel remained silent.....distressed surely.....but silent, until the next moment she was needed for directions. Much of the day passed with nothing but the road flying by.....how they hadn't attracted the attention of the police was beyond her.

And then it happened......the red and blue cherries lighting up behind them from a previously unmarked car they had passed.....the still air splitting with the sound of a shrieking siren.

"Turn right here, its not much farther. Let them follow."

The right came up on them fast, much too fast for Angel's comfort as the Corvette spun its wheels on the gravel, turning just enough to make it safely. The road diving into a deep valley.....lush with trees and vegetation.......with various buildings and manors dotting the distant scenery.

To her credit, the police followed them right up to the gates practically.....gates that remained closed to them.....wrought iron things, fixed to a thick mortared wall that surrounded the Vargas compound. Doors that would remain closed until they were no longer strangers in this place.....

She could hear a sharp feminine cry of alarm, as she popped her door open. No surprise....she had scented the human woman almost immediately as she had left her squad car. There was much fire in this one's soul....an anger for having to pursue so far.....so hard.

"Get back in the car, NOW!"

Grimacing, she slid into view.....the woman's eyes softening almost immediately at the sight of her.

"My god....you're pregnant....."

Eyes flickered from her, to Celeste as she also departed the vehicle....no doubt unsure of what to do next.

"You should be taking her to a hospital, not this backwoods place.....or is there a doctor here? Is that why you were speeding? You know you were asking for an accident going that fast on these grav-aaaah!"

The distraction was all she had needed, and while the officer's chiding was a gentle one, it provided Angel with the lack of attention she needed to sink fangs into the human's soft flesh. A strong hand reached for the gun at her side....stopping the all too human hand that had already strayed there......her eyes locking with Celeste as she began to chew meaningfully......a sight that the fox herself had to have seen once.....or at least felt. A sharp cry of pain escaped her captive as the fangs left the ragged flesh of her arm.

"Rope....in the trunk. Let's bind her, and get on with our business. She can go in there when we're done."

"Noooooo."

A soft moan was all she was capable of.....soft brown eyes suddenly full of fear at what she had stumbled across......

"Welcome to our family."

It was the last thing she heard as the trunk slammed shut, sealing her vision in darkness.....

 

[TieMeTightly]

Amber eyes focused in the rearview mirror to see a car in pursuit and she cursed immediately in response, though turned as Angel said so, managing to steal a glance in Angel's direction quite easily seeing the distress and not really liking exactly what she was seeing.

"You're fine.." She muttered it quietly as she continued, though her eyes were locked on the mirror, still seeing the lights behind her, having to slam the brakes when she saw the gate.

Immediately after Angel was from the car Celeste stepped out, doing her best not to growl.

Despite her want...and obvious desire to bite the girl...she didn't. But Angel moved far too quickly for her to respond.

The girl was in the trunk and Celeste was filled with horrible memories, moving up to Angel immediately after, the spot where Michael bit her beginning to throb just at the memory.

"Are you joking!?!"

She was nearly in a panic as she slammed her palm down on the car, cursing all too loudly.

"That's just what we need, Angel...that's just what we damn need.."

Groaning, Celeste stepped to the gates, wrapping her slender fingers around the bars and hitting her forehead against it.

"Just say there's a doctor inside and she would have been on her way!"

She snarled out the words, looking back to the manor.

"Damnit someone had better let me in or so help me I will shift and get my own way into the manor."

Her pulse was elevated from anger, frustration, and obvious fear, her eyes taking on a more animalistic appearance as she glared back at Angel briefly.

 

[dryfter]

Well, Celeste's anger had been hot enough. As the still half sobbing officer was rolled into the cramped trunk of the sports car, Angel shot her companion a confused look.

"Would you rather we just gave a perfectly viable female to the foxes then? Surely you know they've been watching us for at least the last two miles now. While we may be free to leave.....her fate was sealed the moment she decided to give chase to something higher on the food chain than she was."

At least the fox mate's tirade had been good for something as steeled bars retracted quietly on well oiled hinges. The compound beyond belied an exquisite yet misleaing elegance......almost as if they two of them had stumbled into Cinderella's courtyard......if they didn't already know better.

The lawn was meticulously clipped, right up to where it met the looping driveway, its lush green expanse the perfect contrast to the oily asphalt leading up to the manor house. Yet in that one glance, Celeste had to also realize just how surrounded they were as well......men and women bustling about from building to building, houses dotting the horizon both near and far.....and they hadn't gone unnoticed......

More than one eye narrowed shrewdly at Angel, first one male....then another.....stepping in their direction with an almost aggressive manner.....only to catch wind of Celeste and back off immediately with a suddenly more trusting nod of acknowledgement.

"Can I help you, miss?"

An auburn haired youth smiled at the two of them as the car finally came to a halt once more, his sharply tailored suit pressed gently against the granite column he leaned against......an almost cocky air about him.....confidence and kindess blended perfectly in his eyes.

"Forgive me, you seem lost. I'd ask if the panther is your slave.....but I think unless there is something drastically wrong with you, you couldn't have possibly have put her in the state she's in."

Straightening suddenly, he approached them with a lively skip across marble stairs.....bowing deeply before them as he neared.

"My manners....forgive me.....Julian Vargas.....at your service."

When he looked up, it was with a dashing smile. Truly he'd not seen a female worthy of such attention in a while.....but this one.....well.....she just had all the right curves.....in definately the right places.....

"And you are?"

 

[TieMeTightly]

Celeste didn't seem at all phased by her words and it was mostly because she probably would have chosen to let the officer have her own fate and simply leave it that. The glare that she shot at least made it clear that Celeste didn't want anything to do with the woman and upon driving through the gate she was muttering a lovely line of little curses along the way.

She didn't really care if the woman had been following. It would have been just as simple to lead her off of the trail or get rid of the woman instead of letting her follow. But No. Angel had insisted.

When they did pull through the gate she turned the engine off, amber eyes looking around the place with obvious caution. She had to know every bit of her surroundings.

What was worse is that Celeste easily saw the tension when the many eyes found them and she got out of the car, regarding them all with a glance around. It wasn't until she heard the voice that she actually focused on someone, an all too kind voice. It was something that she didn't quite trust anymore.

"I seem lost."

She muttered the words, a grin tugging at the corners of her lips at the comment about Angel, however was visibly taken aback by his movement, swallowing hard and taking a slight step backward. She hadn't been expecting someone to approach them so..openly.

"Vargas."

She shuddered at the name before narrowing her eyes briefly - forcing herself to soften them and smile at him.

"Celeste. Michael Tarvish sent me as we have extremely important matters to discuss but I'll need to be talking to Lord Vargas..not yourself..and I should mention that you're not the one who has to apologize..though the men about might want to not stare at people as they're enemies until they smell fox around."

She smirked briefly and glanced back to Angel.

"So then if you'll just be pointing me in the right direction?"

 

[dryfter]

Julian kept his smile open and honest, though he didn't bother to disguise his interest in this....Celeste.....either. With his kind, it was only considered flattering to show such an eager appraisal of a potential partner's body. True that this one was claimed....a fact that he would honor.....but that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy her presence here while it lasted....

The youth chuckled softly at his fellow foxes subtle rebuff, straightening once more as the lovely female layed out her purpose for visiting the compound.

"Michael Tarvish, huh? It seems our good Michael Tarvish seems blessed with the company of beautiful women these days. As for my people.....well, this is as close to sacred ground as it gets, milady. We don't tread on young Michael's ground.....and he doesn't visit us in return. The very fact that you're here now speaks volumes."

"So then if you'll just be pointing me in the right direction?"

Angel shivered just a little, looking more nervous and stressed now than she had the entire trip there. Not even as she claimed another heiress to the manor had she had second thoughts like she had at this moment. Slowly, the brunette turned mournful eyes towards Celeste.....shaking her head sadly.....

"I only know the way here....."

"Well then! It falls to me to be your guide, a duty I'd be most pleased to perform."

Sidling in closer than he knew she felt comfortable with, Julian slid easily in beside the distracted fox mate.....his arm entwining cordially with her own. Rather than begin with a brisk pace towards where they wanted to go however, the lycan youth merely waited for his new consort to adjust to his presence and the lack of threat it presented. He was a gentleman....perhaps a slightly lecherous one at times, but for now.....all eyes were on them.

And Julian would be damned if a single one of them even thought of stepping in their way. Not that they would of course.....mess with the Master's favorite? Unheard of.

He deliberately took his time, keeping their stroll casual and lengthy. Partly because both females seemed badly in need of time to calm themselves.....partly because he simply enjoyed showing off the family wealth. Indeed the grounds they walked, with their neatly kept gardens of beautiful flowers, the patios and gazebos in all their elegance, and of course.....the commanding presence of the mansion alone......all combined to make Michael's little pittance seem.....well.....just that.....a pitiful shadow of true wealth and beauty.

The inside of the mansion was every bit as glorious as the outside, though perhaps with a touch more commanding, hard edged atmosphere that suited his father well. With the exception of the parlor and the lounge, almost the entire ground floor was polished and gleaming hardwood....a dark contrast to the perfectly white painted walls. The smell of freshly baked bread and meat pies wafted towards them.....Angel's stomach growling softly at the scent.....reminding her of the meat they had left behind in the car.....if Celeste was really going to cause such a fuss over the human, they might as well make sure she was never found again.....

The panther whimpered softly as her full belly jostled against her lithe housemate as the pair of them stopped suddenly....Julian releasing Celeste's arm with a flourish and a soft frown to knock softly upon the double doors.

"Come in, Julian.....thank you for escorting our guests....."

"Yes, Father."

Dark cherrywood swung open on hinges oiled every bit as well as the compound gate's had been. More than one figure moved before them as the young fox sauntered in with a saucy wink and a wave at several of the more stern looking ones. Behind the desk, hands folded, with a serious look on his normally cynical face.......sat Justin Vargas.....

"Celeste.....Angel.....how.....good to see you again."

While the words were cordial enough, the tones....the inflections he used left nothing but unspoken question. It was as Julian had said, the fact that they were here......

"Report."

Julian frowned, flinching slightly. Bowing respectfully, the lad looked up with a sad smile.

"I fear myself lost in her beauty Father.....I did not ask why they came here. I was told from the start that they would speak to no other but yourself."

A soft snort as the Lord of the Fox Clan rose from his desk, fixing the pair of them with a stare of contemplation as he slowly stalked his way around the hardwood surface towards them.

"Michael tests our alliance by sending you here. We've not forgotten the disgrace his cheetah visited upon us.....upon Julian."

Amber eyes widened as a body dared interpose itself between himself.....and the visitors he had yet to interrogate.

"I paid for that disgrace. Let it go....its not their fault, father."

And just as quickly, they narrowed again. Reaching out, the boy was brushed aside easily enough.....almost a disgrace in and of itself to be disregarded so callously. Still.....he would understand.....there was much more to this than family honor.

"Yes, yes.....of course, you chivalrous little idiot. What concerns me.....is the motive our young bitten would have for sending two such females into our midst. Its a cause for concern is it not?"

The room around them burst into sound, more than one worried glance cast in Angel's direction.

"What do you mean, Father?"

The clan lord sighed....his face softening a little bit beneath exasperated fatigue.

"Think about it....for one second take your mind off of Celeste's boobs and think. Sending a fox here....alone.....would be a brilliant move. I could see that as an obvious need for negotiation....and thus.....a fox would be sent to a fox."

Silence hung for a moment as he let this sink in.....Julian suddenly shifting uncomfortably in his stance beneath the lecture.....feeling somehow that he was the only one in the room that hadn't come to this conclusion already....

"But its not just Celeste, is it? She has a panther friend....a panther friends who is quite obviously with Michael's child. Can you think of a single thing more precious to him right now? And yet he sends it away....."

And just like that.....golden eyes seized hers, a brilliance of trepidation, cunning and amazing intelligence boring into Celeste's own.

"He's not negotiating, is he dear? No....I'd say he's scared."

 

[TieMeTightly]

Celeste bit her tongue at all of the comments given and managed to tense horribly as she felt him so near to her, looking up at him with wide, somewhat alarmed eyes. Of course she perceived him as threat, and he waited..letting her feel out that he was not then, walking only then.

She seemed to relax rather quickly to his presence, slender fingers clutching at his arm as he led the way. She was of course not thrilled to have to go and speak with Vargas, the simple thought of meeting with the man literally chilled her. But she would do so as it was really the only thing that she could do to help protect Michael and the clan.

The walk bothered her immensely. It wasn't due to the wealth it was simply due to the fact that she had little patience with waiting for him to show off the land, yet he felt the complete need to do so. Every so often she would clear her throat, almost trying to coax him to continue their little walk a bit faster to the destination.

She couldn't help but to notice the food...glancing in the direction of the scent only to stop somewhat abruptly rather glad to have her arm back to herself.

When Vargas rose she watched him cautiously, quite visibly already bracing herself for some sort of challenge and of course he gave it. She nearly snarled at the mention of Angel, taking a slight step forward only to flinch at his accusation.

"What would you do?"

She spoke quietly, the words calculated.

"If I told you that something was after us all..a loup garou..."

She nearly hissed the words as the memories flooded back, the blue in her amber eyes sparkling as she grinned somewhat.

"Tell me, Lord Vargas. What would you do exactly if mates of yours were in danger..if there was a possible son in the stomach of one of them? Would you simply sit by and let whatever were to happen happen? Or would you fight."

She kept her ground, standing in front of Angel - unwavering in response to his words.

"We both know that this is all of strategy. I will not play you as a fool because you don't deserve it. What I will do is tell you that I need your help. A favor. You..to me. Angel must stay here to protect what is inside of her, and I need you. If you wish to negotiate, so be it. But I plan on leaving here with an army behind me no matter what the cost on my end. Of course, I'll not be able to bargain with anything but myself..but if this thing comes after us...each and every one in the clan - I'll be dead as well. Tell me how you think that would look. A fox coming to you and asking sincerely for aid of fellow foxes...to be turned down and wind up dead? We all know that won't happen."

She was smirking somewhat, not seeming at all phased by him at the moment though she was hiding all nervousness extremely well.

 

[dryfter]

"What would you do?"

The question rang in his ears repeatedly, even after the headstrong little bitten had said her piece. A loup garou?

Vargas scowled, drawing back only moments before he would have slapped her impertinant face for speaking to him in such a tone. Michael had been weak from the start.....giving his mates so much freedom.....but to send one into his own home and address him in such a manner?

Frankly, it was a little exciting. Though he'd never admit it. The confidant pose she struck, accentuating her body to its fullest, the way she tried to hide the fear in her eyes even as she succeeded in keeping its tremor from her voice.

But she had left an opening.....an opening far too wide for someone as intelligent as him to miss....

"Very well. Julian.....you are to find Ramone and have him assemble every trueblooded warrior we have. Bitten males are to be ordered to defend the compound at all cost, and all females will be commanded to their assigned shelters.......understand?"

It was obvious....the sudden flow of mixed and oft confused emotions in the boy's face. Indeed, Justin watched carefully to see how the boy would react. After all, it was the first time he'd been given any sort of responsability since he had lost his would be cheetah mate.....

Julian, in his part, warred with the intense pride he felt at being assigned the task of preparing his clan for war.....and the confusion he felt at the same command. A loup garou? What the fuck? Was this really a big deal? Or was his father fucking with him again......

Seconds later and he was gone, his lithe form careening through the compound corridors even as his voice echoed down their lengths.....urging his people to follow their Lord's commands......

"Good boy.....and now......"

A multitude of eyes returned to him, each warrior before him tensing as if preparing for war themselves.....only some of which had any idea of just what they would be hunting.....

"Marcus.....escort the panther.....Angel.....excuse me, dear.....to a secure shelter as well, make sure she's guarded properly, and return here immediately."

Another slender form, the angular tone of his muscles giving him a more wicked appearance, detached from the wall it had been leaning on. Nodding politely, the otherwise fierce looking warrior offered a kind and gentle elbow for Angel to lean on......the pantheress giving Celeste a last worried look from over her shoulder as they departed....

"And now.....the rest of you......do make sure our vixen here is bound tightly, stripped devoid of all clothing.....and deposited in my private chambers. We've a long night ahead of us......if Michael won't train his mates correctly, then I'll have to do so myself."

As the remaning bodies answered in tandem.....hands reached for her from all directions.....the weight of the same bodies seeming to move her effortlessly beneath their crushing tide.....

It only took one of them to carry her....awkwardly bound as she was. Not only had her wrists been bound with thick cable behind her back.....but her legs had been tied at the ankles as well after her thrashing had caused more than a few painful bruises. Worse still.....was that the bindings were then cinched tightly together until her petite hunters body arched painfully backward.....each step of her captor bringing another agonizing jolt to her diminutive frame as he held the rope by its knot.

The room itself was surprisingly plain for an otherwise lavish mansion. Hardwood flooring, the only real thing of note was the king size bed which the lord of the foxes had to have slept upon. Even the furnishings of the room seemed plain, unadorned, and sometimes even shabbily crafted. A far cry from the exquisite desk he had been bent over when she had first intruded on him.....

How long she lay there was impossible to tell, there was no clock in the room. Yet keen ears not only caught the sound of her tormentor leaving.....but much, much later......a new one arriving......

"Well then....."

Lord Vargas' voice was like pure silk.....emerald eyes roaming across the naked and nubile young body desplayed before him.

"Shall we begin?"

 

[TieMeTightly]

Celeste seemed to actually relax when he began barking out orders, swallowing hard and nodding slightly, glancing back at Angel and managing a smile. What she had said had actually worked.

The girl hadn't quite paid attention to the look on his face..it was only when he spoke of taking Angel to a shelter did she actually look up at him again after watching Angel depart the room - easily seeing the nervousness on her face. She didn't like that.

He was addressing them again though this time..it was about her.

"Lord Vargas.."

Her eyes were wide as he spoke to them, trying to interrupt..to stop him. But it was impossible - and there was nowhere for her to run.

She fought immediately, struggling against their grasp. Stripped - luckily for her - meant that they actually kept the dress intact, leaving her struggling violently until they had managed to bend her frame, so easily binding her.

Despite what she was it was obvious that being a woman left her with very little strength.

She groaned with each step the man who carried her took, causing her entire slender frame to ache - the simple rope holding her wrists and ankles, making it quite literally impossible for her to even concentrate on anything else besides the pain.

Though when she was placed on the ground she was already squirming again, though she rather quickly wore herself out by it all, struggling to lift her head when Vargas actually came into the room.

She was breathing heavily through parted lips, cringing, twisting her wrists desperately as though to attempt to pull herself free of the bindings, a whimper escaping her lips.

It was obvious that she was terrified of what he had planned to do, the mere thought of being touched by him enough to repulse her.

"Fuck you.."

Her breathing was heavy as she started to squirm again.

"Anyone would have done the same...a...anyone in my position trying to get you to come and you choose me to toy with?! I won't be made your plaything for the evening..w..we could already be on our way back.."

She pressed her forehead against the ground with a groan, flexing her fingers somewhat, her feet and hands both pink by how tight the restraints were, her leg muscles already cramping, aching.

"..Y..you Bastard...untie me.."

The words were spoken through whimpers at this point and she shut her eyes tightly, struggling to calm her breathing.

 

[dryfter]

"You're quite an impertinant child, aren't you?"

The words were quiet, well oiled with refinement.

"Did you think you could command me? Or perhaps you sought to scare me? Yes....that's it isn't it.....scare me like that weakling you call a Master."

A rough hand slid over exposed buttocks.....up and over the small of her back.....receding until just fingertips traced upward her shapely back.

"Strategy, you called it. I'll have you know, my little Celeste, that I don't need to use strategy with you......or Michael either for that matter. In my eyes, you're both bitten trash. My so called alliance is more with Gerald than with Michael, and as such, I leave the boy alone because I respect the true power of his house. A power, I'm sure he's no doubt asked help from as well."

The fox lord frowned, ignoring her name calling in favor instead of enjoying the sound of her rapid breathing....the desperate twisting of her body as she tried to keep him in sight.

"Still....your actions are borne only out of weakness. Michael's weakness. Were you my pet, I'd have beaten you senseless.....perhaps even tortured you for addressing me in any less than a subservient manner in front of my warriors. You're only a female after all."

The fox lord spat in disgust.

"Perhaps it runs in some clans then? It never ceases to amaze me how Gerald lets his little fucktoys fight too. Such a spirited bunch. But at least there I can say its the trueborne running free, so perhaps they have the right.......perhaps."

Vargas leaned forward, the wickedness in his voice evident as his whispers reached her ear, his true anger only now becoming evident.

"I'll release you, Celeste......release you to run back to that spineless worm you call a Master. Certainly....now that you've spent time in here realizing just how easily I could have you....willing or not. And I shouldn't have to remind you that me.....Julian.....any warrior I choose to give you to.....wouldn't have to wait for your next heat to remind you what your role in a clan is. But then.....why bother?.....it appears you're a failure at that role too."

As the lycan beneath him flinched at the harsh words, Vargas spun towards the door, his face a mask of well kept fury......

"Release her....and send her back to our "good Michael.""

A pause at the doorway....

"Oh....and if I smell even a trace of your scent on her....."

"Yes, Lord Vargas!"

The rest of the sentance was unneeded.

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

"There you are dear......"

There were forms all around her, blurry in shape and definition.....only voices penetrated the fog.

"Nastaja, love.....what happened to you?......"

She hurt.....everywhere.....the scent of blood.......

With a sharp cry she felt more than saw the forms around her retreat as her body convulsed, expelling more of the fluid she needed to live......yet already beginning to mend the shattered bones.....

"What the fuck is going on here?!"

More than one head turned as the broad shouldered lord of the panther clan entered the room, heads bowing respectfully and solemnly even as the man's greying head swiveled towards his broken kinsman. If Gerald had been in a stern mood......it had just turned 100% foul.

"Nastaja? What happened here?! ANSWER ME!"

A warrioress stepped forward, keeping her head bowed.

"We were drawn to the sounds of combat, lord. We know not what she was fighting.....it fled at our approach. It's....it's a scent that I've never known before, lord. Others have come to examine her.....but when they catch wind of her, they back away.....whispering to themselves.......what......does it mean?"

Frowning, the great lycan stooped low to examine the twisted body of the lycan at his feet....his eyes not without heartfelt sympathy and sorrow. It was a look that hardened instantly as the telltale scent of her attacker wafted upwards to him.

"A loup garou!"

Grey eyes widened suddenly, the room bursting into a soft murmur as the clan lord shot back up into a fully erect positon. More than one of his trueborn nodded to themselves.....as if the declaration confirmed their own suspicions.

"A loup garou? On Michael's land perhaps?"

A weak nod was all it took.

More than one backed away then, the lord's face a look of unbridled fury.....one that many had never seen before.....and the few who had.....had never wished to see again.

"I want my huntsman, assembled and in front of me in 20 minutes. Trevor......Landon.....NOW."

The two lycans were gone in a flash, carrying the news to the clan even as the lord himself bent before Nastaja.....his loyal warrioress still hovering over one shoulder. It was with a look of concern that she glanced even closer at her lord's heavy sigh.

"Take her to the infirmary. She'll need time to heal......about as much time as I may need to figure out a way to tell Michael he's lost another child."

 

[TieMeTightly]

Celeste strained horribly, whimpering at the touch and immediately recoiling. 'little Celeste'. And she knew she could quite literally do nothing to escape the touch, the mere thought making her tremble beneath him.

The words did not bother her at first. It wasn't until he mentioned the child did she break down, her frame going slack in the restraints for that.

"Bastard.."

She paused, tears in her eyes as she struggled weakly.

"If I'd ever found you while human I would have fucking killed you..do you hear me! You twisted fucking shit. You will see if anything I have ever turns to your hands because I can promise you..I can promise you that you'll never have any child that I bear. Your..children..if they touch me...I will kill them. Punishment or not I will see to it that they never touch another female should they come near me do you hear me!?"

She couldn't see him anymore and thought that perhaps he was already long gone - and after her well winded string of insults she was visibly struggling to hold her composure, to hold back the tears.

But despite this - he was right. She had quite literally failed at everything - but she would not fail at this. She would not allow herself to fail and should he believe that binding her would make her feel fear from him simply because he had his brutes bind her..it did not.

He himself had her only thanks to them..the pitiful creatures that bowed to his every will and Celeste knew - though struggling to breathe at a normal pace - unable to calm her rapid heartbeat - that should she be alone with him not in a state such as this she probably would at least stand a chance.

Of course not when he had his little minions on his side.

 

[dryfter]

Vargas paused.....the hair on the back of his neck slowly rising even as the two lone guards backed a half step away, just from the look on his face.

"Your orders have changed. I want you to go to the barracks, find every able bodied bitten warrior you can.....and tell them Lord Vargas has a present for them. When....and only when....each and every one of them has been satisfied by this insolent little whore, will you let her run back to her...Master."

He spat the last word, contempt heavy on his tongue. Furious, he spun on a heal to storm down the corridors of his own compound, leaving the guards to do as commanded.....

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

The wind was heavy with scent......their scent. Just when he had her in his grasp.....

Muscles flexed, spasming with sudden annoyance at what he had been robbed of. He had tasted her fear.....just as she had tasted his before. She knew that she was going to die.....but that wasn't half as delicious as the look on her face......a look that told him that she also knew what he had taken from her.

His beating had been savage. The sight of her blood, intoxicating. The stilling of the tiny heart inside her? Euphoric. In the lycan's mind, it only cleared the path for his own spawn......a monster that would end her miserable life the moment it was born......

A low growl......it's fun had been interrupted. And not just by warriors.....their inky black shadows having mixed into the waning light of a fading sunset so easily.....but by more little cunts like hers......fangs bared and just as savage.

He was lucky to have caught wind of them before they closed in on his location. He had even been startled enough by their sudden proximity that he had left his prey in his haste to flee......something he deeply regretted now......and regret only served to anger him further.....

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

Slowly they filed in.......gaze after longing gaze taking in the sight of the tightly bound lycan stretched out helplessly on the bed. Ten....twenty.....thirty men.....until the room seemed crowded even to her. Worst of all was their total lack of clothing.....cocks of all sizes and shapes surrounding her.....

It didn't take long for Celeste to feel their touch, exploring fingers roaming her body.....testing as much as savoring.....

A heavy hand pressed her head tightly against the mattress as sharp claws tore away the bindings on her legs. A warrior on either side of her, each grabbed an ankle and began what she had to have known was coming.......her tawny thighs slowly being forced apart.....

Well muscled arms pulled her from the bed.....turning her around.....even as she was being lowered. A rather handsome male grinned up at her....his cock proudly standing from his body.....enjoying her thrashing and struggling as the others did their best to position her on top of it......

Their efforts had to be doubled as the massive member touched her puckered little asshole.....

The entire room could hear his groan as she sank on top of him, each and every one of them ignoring her cries as he took her, another already moving into place above him.....the horror and anger evident in her eyes as she felt yet another male tracing her exposed slit with his cock....as those who weren't involved stroked their own arousal.....and waited their turn.....

Hands on her head, Celeste was yanked brutally to one side, her face forced down onto yet another cock until its turgid head bruised her lips. Fingers pinched her nose.....onlookers seemingly amused as she struggled for long moments before finally coming up for air.....the opening accepted immediately.....her first desperate inhalation of air silenced brutally by a solid thrust that sent the length of meat down her throat.

"If you bite me, bitch.....it'll only get worse for you."

For now at least.....he was gentle......fully intending to allow her brief periods of air before returning to take pleasure from her gripping throat.

It could always get worse.

 

[TieMeTightly]

Celeste had been reduced to a whimpering heap after she had finished her little bout of threats, her body aching horribly from being bound in such a way.

She smelled something then - thinking perhaps it was the men who were to release her - she hadn't herd Vargas give the orders, too busy instead with attempting to free herself, calm herself even.

But then she smelled them. One by one coming down the hall, causing her to briefly become extremely still, lifting her head. Her amber eyes widened quickly - and as the door opened to the room her panic only heightened.

He had heard her. It was the only answer she could come up with,..and it was the answer that had her struggling voilently against the restraints, not doing well to keep herself calm at all in the situation.

Flinching was her first response at the touch..too many hands upon her and she literally had no way of getting away from them, her struggles seeming to go unnoticed - the scent of far too many aroused warriors filling the air, nearly suffocating her as they came closer.

The rest had begun which ended up being a blur of pain.

A cry escaped her lips as she felt a strong hand against her head, forcing it down against the mattress until she found the restraints on her legs gone - only to follow it with forcing her legs apart.

They were fucking inspecting her.

Within moments she was lifted from the bed, the actions seeming only to heighten her efforts to attempt to pull free - but it was useless. They were literally controlling her movements with their arms, her struggles probably unnoticed.

Though it was when they lifted her that she realized that they were struggling to hold her - breathing heavily through parted lips as they forced her down onto him - his groan met with her cry - cries that nearly deafened her as another cock pressed to her slit.

She was far from height of concentration as she was literally yanked to the side, landing rather hard on the bed, her legs spread awkwardly as they used her, her back arching in an attempt to pull away but even the struggling was barely noticed at this point.

It was beyond obvious that they had her.

She was trying to pull her head away - to get away from the male attempting to find her mouth and for the moment she was quiet - terrified to part her lips - to have him invade that part of her as well.

He barely even let her squirm and try to pull away - instead pinching her nose shut until she was forced to part her lips, her cry choked to near silence as he thrust into her throat.

Tears already were in her eyes - staining her cheeks as he threatened her, her lips stretched around his length, her struggling still apparent as she twisted her wrists desperately in the restraints, the efforts leaving them both bruised and bleeding.

The onslaught seemed to last hours. Hell. It probably did last hours and they never seemed to get bored with her screams or her efforts to get away, the rope holding fast to her wrists, one simply taking place of the last, giving her no avenue of escape.

When the last finally did pull from her she didn't move - flinching occasionally in response to sudden movements, the scent of blood and cum filling the air.

Her entire frame was a mess of cum, sweat and blood - and she wasn't even moving upon the bed anymore, her amber eyes unfocused - staring - and then it was obvious what she was doing.

She was struggling to stay conscious.

The last thing the girl wanted was to be unconscious in this place, but her mind was well on its way toward shutting down and her body had given up a good bit ago - really making it a useless struggle.

She was breathing through parted lips, her breathing far from even - seeming almost as though she was struggling to get all the air that she had lost when their cocks had blocked her airway - but the frantic breaths slowed almost too quickly, her entire self giving up on staying awake.

Fear-filled eyes slipped shut despite her efforts though her slender frame remained tense even in this state, the collapse of mind and body almost something to be expected after the amount that she had been made to endure.

There had been hundreds of screams, her throat raw from it - the curses interrupted by cocks, her struggles interrupted by hands. And now after it all she was unable even to try and defend herself should perhaps another bout of men came in - though she didn't suspect they would.

No, now her body was pressuring her to rest,..to heal perhaps, though the girl laying on the bed was very much broken in the manner that by the time they had all pulled from her, the slightest movement of them toward her had left her flinching, attempting to get away - even if their intention hadn't been to even touch her.

She didn't hear them leave and the scent in the air remained unchanged. It smelled like each and every one of them - and so did she.

 

[dryfter]

Warm hands.....

Gods she was a mess!

He flinched again as he tenderly cradled her head upward.....pressing a cup of hot and bitter liquid to her lips. She may have endured his father's punishment.....but to then send her home and endure her master's would most likely be far too much for her. Yet just such a thing would have been exactly what the fox lord would have wanted as her punishment.

For once, Julian was glad she was unconscious. The trueborne doubted very much that he would have enjoyed seeing her recoil in fear of him.....seeing another male so soon after having been assaulted by so many. Yet as he coaxed her into taking another deep swallow, he could feel her beginning to stir.

"Shhhh.....its over......"

A damp cloth moved against her head, wiping away some of the spent and dried seed they had marked her with. Retreating, it was replaced once more by the vile liquid at her lips.

"Just keep drinking.....I know it tastes bad.....but if I can get it all down you, at least you won't suffer the indignity of going back to Michael pregnant....."

A soft shudder wracked the tiny body propped against him, evidence that she'd drank enough for it to at least begin its work. How long would it be before she opened her eyes? And why did he care? It wasn't like he was in for a warm welcome or anything......she'd hate him just as she hated all of them......if she even had the capacity to hate anymore.

They had used her gloriously, each and every one of them, until her body ran with their seed. All the while spewing their crap about what a good little female she was, how she was a great fuck, and how they couldn't wait to see her begin to show......laughing all the while as they joked about who the father would be.

None of them. Not if he could help it.

She stirred once more.....the last of the dark liquid slipping past her lips with another round of sputtering and choking while he held her lips closed and coaxed her to swallow.

"You're awake....."

 

[TieMeTightly]

Celeste felt the hands, though had quite literally no ability to move away from them. Her entire body was a massive ache, and her mind was refusing her the ability to waken though of course if she had a say in the mater she would be up, fighting off whatever she could.

She had heard all of their comments, joking about what would happen should she end up with one of their foul children inside of her..but there was a warm voice, a kind voice attempting to soothe her, a voice which she recognized after a few moments.

Still she was quiet, wincing somewhat as her body began to protest the liquid yet still he was making her drink, causing her to groan and attempt to cough it out instead of swallowing, but he held fast, making certain that each drop found its way down her throat.

Yes..she was awake. And it was a feeling that was beyond horrible. Her eyes opened slowly - struggling to focus upon him. She didn't want to be awake..and at this point her body was protesting it - but there was no use. The pain was doing well to keep her eyes open.

She wanted somewhere to hide herself,..hide her slender frame, but she managed only to turn her face into his chest, using him for that comfort that she so desperately needed.

"He's going...to kill me.."

The words were quiet, hoarse. Her screams had most likely been heard throughout the place and now another thing to protest was her throat. Almost immediately after she spoke she whimpered, lifting her hand to cover her face.

She was speaking of Michael. He wouldn't want to even touch her after that. Hell, even if he did she wasn't sure if she would even be able to allow him to. Almost immediately the tears began to pour from her eyes - when she hadn't even been certain that she had the ability to cry.

She wanted to question Julian immediately, to ask why he was even there helping her, but she couldn't bring herself to. Without him there..she probably wouldn't have even attempted to get up.

 

[dryfter]

"He's going...to kill me..."

A soft sigh was his only immediate response as he watched with a certain amount of worry as she attempted to rise from the bed, tears flowing unabashed from her face, matching the wavering tremor of her voice. A gentle hand took her by the elbow, staying clear of her still painfully cut and bruised wrists. Leading her slowly, always there to support her should Celeste stumble, Julian escorted her around the mess that she had lain in just moments ago.....moving instead towards the room's antechamber and the large bath he knew it to hold.

It was amazing, her state of mind currently, as he coaxed her to lay down. Reaching instantly for the hot water, steam rose from the porcelain tub as it began to fill around her....its temperature as hot as she could stand it without complaint. And when she finally did complain, just a little, Julian was quick to add just enough cold water to the mix to make it more to her liking.

"Lavender bubble bath? Simple yes, but clever enough to cover any scent that might worry you. I'm not trying to cover up my father's actions, if that's what you're thinking. I'm trying to diffuse them....more or less."

Upending the suddenly procured bottle, the lycan added a generous dose to the running water......foam beginning to churn against the waters surface almost immediately.

"Do you really think he'll be mad at you?"

The question was quiet, barely a whisper....

"Or do you think he'll be mad at Father? He wouldn't.....come here.....would he?"

A soft frown creased his normally jovial features as he reached down absently to run a cloth across her firm flesh.....suddenly unhindered by chivalry as he dragged the warm washcloth across her taut skin.

"He'd be killed you know.....Father's over seven hundred years old......or so they say. How am I to know for sure....I'm only 65....a baby in his eyes."

The warm cloth dipped lower....running smoothly across the full globe of one breast, though his attention seemed elsewhere.

"No....it would be best to get you back to him as soon as possible, don't you agree? Though....I don't know how long you can keep this kind of thing a secret.....or even if you want to. All it would take is a moment of Father's nasty temper to taunt your master over just such a thing."

Rising to a more modestly acceptable place, Julian's cloth covered hand eased the cum, dried and yet drying, from the fox vixen's face. He could feel every muscle tensing and spasming as she remembered not only everything that had just happened to her.....but feared what might lay yet in store......

"Can I ask a question?"

He had done his best to not worry her.....despite his own worries.....worries that ran deep enough to cut into his best of intentions. Lord Vargas.....all those warriors......the sequestering of the females......and his assignment to be left behind as a last means of protecting them......

"What's a loup garou?"

 

[TieMeTightly]

She was actually rather surprised that she was able to walk. The ache her legs held was enough to make her nearly groan with each step but she was trying to be silent...to not show. It was almost like she was practicing for what she would have to cover at home..if she could even cover such a thing.

He was there the few times she faltered, holding her up until she managed to right herself, her entire body trembling as she did so - but still she didn't speak...she wasn't sure she could at the moment - and what was worse was that she had no idea what was going through his head until he spoke.

She moved into the tub, flinching somewhat as the water began to pool around her, rising slowly, her eyes closing briefly, managing a slight nod in response to the comment about the lavender.

"Do you really think he'll be mad at you?"

She took a moment to think of a response to this, mostly because she really had no idea what Michael would do. And this terrified her.

"Or do you think he'll be mad at Father? He wouldn't.....come here.....would he? He'd be killed you know.....Father's over seven hundred years old......or so they say. How am I to know for sure....I'm only 65....a baby in his eyes."

She nodded somewhat, though seemed completely taken aback only by his age.

"You're old.."

It was the only comment she could manage, flinching somewhat as the cloth moved to her breast, squeezing her eyes shut just a bit more tightly.

It wasn't until the last question that she opened her eyes, trembling somewhat just at the thought. And just as suddenly her thoughts of what had happened were replaced with her dreams..dreams that nearly had her screaming in the middle of the night.

"What's a loup garou?"

"It's the reason I'm here.." She wasn't looking at him, instead staring down at the foaming water, unfocused.

"It.." She swallowed hard, trying to find her voice to tell him. "It's something that is going to take a lot more than one person to kill..Something that we can kill only with gold weapons..bullets..blades, though blades are more difficult as you must get closer and you don't...want to get close to this thing. I've tried..I've tried to kill it..I believe it's the same..I believe it's why I keep dreaming about it's coming, but Michael assures me of course. Still..I can't listen to him now. Gold tipped arrows for crossbows. Bullets..shells...daggers..they're all in the back of the car right now."

She looked up at him, easily seeing the confusion on his face as to why perhaps she actually had those things.

"I was a hunter...and I failed. And now it's back. It's my fault it's here..and it's my fault that all of this happened.." She raised her hand, gesturing to herself only to cover her face briefly, shaking her head.

"If I'd not made those comments...but he was so damn sure of himself..Bastard...had...had I not been bound I would have been fine...or at least stood a chance..but of course not. I deserved it..it's probably what everyone here thinks.." Again she wasn't looking at him, staring down at the water.

"He wants me to suffer now. Now when speed is of most importance. He chooses now. It could not wait..could not be put on hold.." There was anger dancing across her features, her entire body rigid. "I have no respect for your father..and should he touch me I may break the hand that does so.."

Her heart was pounding in her chest as she spoke, her breathing heavy, but she quickly tried to make sure that he wasn't offended.

"I'm sorry.."

She didn't know what to do..to say - her mind a mess at this point. Really it was amazing she was managing threats after what had just happened..and she hoped that it would last...that she wouldn't slip away as she had before when she lost the baby.

"You're very kind..you're not like him at all.." She turned then, smiling up at him as best she possibly could at the moment only to lift a hand and place it on his cheek. "Each mate you take is incredibly lucky.."