16 comments/ 21766 views/ 11 favorites Ratter Ch. 01 By: _Aine_ Okay people, this is my first submission so please be gentle but firm ; ) There is no sex in this chapter so if you're after instant gratification, keep looking. *** Seere sat under the moonlight looking out over the ocean. He never got tired of it. The way it moved, the way it swayed in perfect harmony with the surrounding elements. He always felt everything he needed to know about the world could be traced to its sapphire body. If only he could bring himself to touch it, maybe he'd understand what he was. And why he was left here. Standing he grazed the surface of the ocean with well-trained eyes. Waiting for a signal was like waiting for death. The foreboding was always the hardest part. With an angry glare at the moon he paced the waters edge. It was getting early. A couple more hours and he wouldn't be able to complete the job for another week. His target was too well guarded. When a red light reflected through the ocean he smiled. Barely a flash, but it was all he needed. He closed his eyes and focused his senses, extending through the air around him. What he got back was images, smells, voices. There was a party at the beach house down the bank, a poker game at the bar 2 miles south, and his target in an overpriced vehicle with a woman who, by scent alone, wouldn't have a clue who either of them was in the morning. Perfect. About to draw back a force pulled his mind. Angrily he pushed towards the invader. There was always some amateur with mind powers trying to poke around in his business. But not this time. He flinched. It was an image and images couldn't be traced. He tried to pull away but the sender held him grounded. The girl in the picture was lying unconscious under the pier. The one only meters away from where he stood. Using his power he tried to push the image away only to be rewarded with the taste of blood and dirt, and the sound of labored breathing. He pushed harder and fell back from his mind. Seere's eyes snapped open on their own accord betraying nothing of his experience beyond a slight glow. He didn't know what to do. There hadn't been a call to help someone in a long time. Turning towards the pier he let her heartbeat fill his senses. The pain was unbearable. Inside he could hear a voice screaming help her! While he struggled against the onslaught, his body took a instinctual step towards. "No" he growled stepping back. He'd been down that road before. Death paid better than life ever would. He started walking up the beach his ears still attuned to the figure under the pier. Drawn to the slow unsteady rhythm of her heartbeat which was only getting slower with every step. He cursed himself for caring. Compassion was just an emotion and like all emotions, controlled by the mind. And no one had control over the mind like he did. She whimpered. "Oh for fucks sake" he muttered and ran towards the pier. Seere drew her body towards him and peeled the long brown hair away from her face. Her lips had turned blue in the cold and her eyelids were sealed shut; but it was her legs that concerned him. The skin was shredded and her left leg lay badly broken against the rocks. Her clothes, or what was left of them were crusted in dirt and salt, and he could feel several broken ribs under the shirt. "Come on beautiful, let me see those eyes" he whispered swiping at the dirt. Her heart stopped. Cursing again, he tore off the remains of her shirt and placed his hands across her chest. Heat flowed through him and into her body causing the damaged organs to pulse under his touch. Too many. He was going to be sore in the morning. Reaching for the knife on his belt he cut; once across her chest, and once across his hand. With one last glance towards the ocean he shot a glare at the rising sun. So much for getting paid he thought. Then paired his wound with hers and let the power take him. *** When April opened her eyes the last thing she expected to see was the sky. Maybe some clouds, a golden gate and an angel but definitely not the sky. She groaned at the pain and groaned again when she tried to roll over in the bed. Bed? Fighting the pain she maneuvered herself so that she sat against the headboard. Squinting she took a glance at her surroundings. Through the blur it looked like a sunroom. The roof was transparent leaving nothing between her and the dreaded light. She closed her eyes as the pain pulsed through her body "I must be in Hell" she muttered. Blinking she forced her eyes open once more. Her jaw dropped. If this was hell she should have come sooner. The devil was loaded. Her pale green eyes swept over the designer furniture and the entertainment system that put the 'state of the art' to shame. She closed her mouth and leaned back a smile on her lips. Worse places to wake up in. "So you're awake then" Maybe not. She tried to summon a hello from the garbled mess in her head only managing to gasp as the owner of the voice came into view. His skin was so pale it looked almost translucent against the black of his shirt and jeans. Her eyes moved over his body with unguarded appreciation, wondering if he was more lifeguard or dancer. Cursing inwardly she realized she was staring and forced herself to meet his eyes. Well, that didn't help. Violet accentuated by the ash blonde hair falling lazily across his face. A face that looked rather amused at her examination. "Hello?" He tilted his head to the side and waved his hand in front of her face. "Uh, yeah?" "Oh good I thought I might be dealing with brain damage for a moment there" he handed her a glass of water. Ha! "No I'm okay" He raised an eyebrow "really?" She winced as the pain joined the conversation "well my head hurts and I'm pretty sure my legs aren't working but other than that just fine" she tried for a smile "wouldn't happen to have a sedative would you?" Or maybe a lobotomy. "I think you've slept enough. But these should take the edge off" his eyes twinkled as he tossed her a bottle "can I get you some clothes too or would you rather run around naked?" Her blush deepened as she looked down. The blankets had fallen around her waist leaving her top half naked. He chuckled as she dove under the covers. "I'll take that as a yes". She fixed him with her best glare "And what, might I ask, have you done with my clothes?" He shrugged and opened the chest at the end of her bed. "Not me, the ocean. When I found you they were half torn off" he looked up "it's okay, it's nothing I haven't seen before" April smirked I'll bet. When he returned to her side he was holding a pair of blue jeans and an oversized white shirt. "They're a bit big but they'll have to do. I can get you something else this afternoon" he pointed to the left "the bathroom's in there. You can sleep a little longer if you like. Just come downstairs when you're ready" April watched as he turned to leave "so are you going to tell me who you are or should I just call you mister?" He looked back. Those gorgeous eyes holding her still "You can call me Seere". He was gone before she could open her mouth. "And I'm April" she whispered. Ratter Ch. 02 Again no sex. I'll just come out and say I don't know when there will be. But there will be. Eventually. This is longer than the first as requested. I don't know how many words constitutes a literotica page but this should be more than one (I hope ; ) ) I want to thank everyone who commented and gave me advice on my first submission. It is very much appreciated : D And again sorry about the no sex : ) Ratter Ch. 03 "Fuck! Fuck! FUCK!" Seere beeped the horn at the traffic congested down the highway. He wouldn't have even needed to drive if April hadn't been there. A quick warp through dimensions wasn't beyond him. Sure it would make him tired and nauseous but he wouldn't be stuck behind an SUV with three kids in the back. They'd been staring at him for the last half hour. Not that he could blame them. He flicked off the radio and ran a hand through his hair. April. She was a big problem. Rane had been right when he said it was too easy to fall into old habits. The girl had only been there less than a day, and already he was slipping. Weak. His hands tightened around the steering wheel. That word. It was how the other beings that frequented the human world had branded him. His inability to walk through dimensions blamed on his weakness for humanity. But they were wrong. Even after he'd shed his emotions and learned to kill without guilt he still couldn't leave the world for more than a few minutes. The traffic started moving and Seere saw the opportunity to leave. He took the next turn off and parked the car in front of an abandoned building. Reaching back he pulled the hood of the jacket over his head; it was harder to hide in daylight. He closed his eyes and focused allowing his awareness to haze. It slipped away, leaving his mind looking out into Netherspace, the halfway between worlds. He could smell blood and fear...and the sweet exhilaration of retribution. Beings who bothered with humans were usually called. Most didn't like being called. He moved away from the screaming and searched for the target, a dull ache forming in the back of his skull as he strained to stay grounded. His only chance was to finish the job and hope his employers didn't mind he was a couple of hours late. The consequences of failure were never pleasant. He found the face in a hotel with the same woman from the night before. She was naked and unconscious on the bed with one hand dropping to an empty wine bottle on the floor. To his credit, the target wasn't sticking around long enough to regret the evening, he had already managed to get out of bed and stumble towards the bathroom. Seere took in the guards. Only three. A surprisingly small number. But then, such a prominent man wouldn't allow just anyone to guard him through his endeavors. There were few, but they would be the best and most trusted of his staff. He would have to take them out first. He focused on an alleyway around the corner from the hotel and released his hold. The only witness to his arrival was a woman stoned to the point she was barely breathing. Seere moved past her holding on to the wall as his body calmed from the trip. He felt worse than he usually did. There was a nagging hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach he didn't recognize, it made him feel...wrong. He forced it back and drew his hood further down. This was not the time for emotion. With a quick glance at the camera, he entered the building. The elevator was at the back of the room and he walked towards it noting the high security. The receptionist watched him curiously but with the hood hiding his face, wouldn't identify him. He pressed the button for the top floor and waited, the hollow feeling rose with every level and still he couldn't think of why. The doors opened and he lifted his head. Two men stepped in front of him almost filling the gap with their bulk. The nagging feeling left. "This floor is reserved, head back down" He grinned. They were armed. It was so much easier when they were armed. Like lighting he grabbed the gun fitting the clip in place. The fear that filled the air tasted like honey to the senses. "Now easy there, no need to..." He pulled the trigger and a body fell to the floor. The other man reached for his gun and Seere fired into his head. Blood started pooling on the floor and Seere stepped back. A shot rang out from behind him, clipping his left shoulder. Pain pulsed through him but he didn't flinch. Instead he tugged on the hood bringing it lower on his face, and turned to the last guard. The gun was pointed at his chest and held with expert precision. There was no doubt of the guards skill and intent. He was going to shoot him. Without warning, Seere fired a shot through the guards hand. The gun fell as he clutched the bloody mess to him. Seere moved forward almost casually, gesturing towards the door with the gun. "Open it" The man, unable to speak through the pain shook his head in response. Seere glared at him. "Now you can open it or I can take it from your corpse. Your choice" the guard seemed to fight himself for a moment before reaching for the key. He pulled it out with his good hand and tossed it to him. Seere gripped the guard by the shirt and shoved him through the elevator doors. Dropping the gun, he picked up the key from the floor and slid it gently into its slot. Through the open doorway Seere could hear the shower running an off-key voice singing 'La Marseillaise'. The elevator moved behind him taking the guard downstairs. He estimated a maximum of twelve minutes before the police came to arrest him. By that time he'd be long gone. Dropping the gun he walked over to the woman on the bed. Her breathing was deep. She wouldn't be awake for hours. He avoided her hand and picked up the empty wine bottle smashing it against side table. The guards were just pawns. But a target in itself, was something special. Their blood somehow richer. Through all the assignments he'd taken, and all the people he'd killed. Seere never left a scene without feeling their blood on his hands. Gripping a large shard he slinked around the bed and through the bathroom door with barely a sound. Not that he would be easily heard over the inhuman wailing his target was making. He pulled back the screen door and waited as his target opened his eyes. Until he could taste the fear on the air, and the mouth fell open to scream. His hand flew forward lodging the piece of glass in his throat. Blood streamed out of the wound and through Seere's fingers as his target gave one last choke before collapsing against the tiles. A deep serenity filled him as he let the blood wash from his hands. It was done. Almost. There was one more stop to make. He turned off the shower and pulled back against the wall. Then, closing his eyes, located hotel security. *** It had taken Rane a while to register what happened. One second she was there, the next she was flying across the room at top speed. When she hit her head on the wall and sunk unconscious to the floor, he couldn't help but wonder if the girl was a child of chaos. It seemed to follow her everywhere. He surveyed the area noting the shades of light and dark more than the objects themselves. If it was working unseen on this plane it had to be reaching out from the Netherspace. It would cast a shadow but not an image. There was only one race he knew of who could affect dimensions through the midway pull. He stiffened. It was standing by April's body. Its projection only a flicker, but enough. The Hije were notoriously vicious bastards. Unable to think for themselves they were popular slaves among some of the more wealthy titles. For a human, they were impossible to catch. But Rane was Jinn. Keeping his eyes on April's form he touched the Netherspace with his mind and located the creature. It was tall and wiry, with grey skin hanging loose around its body. Its ears molded against the skull to pointed tips at the bald peak. Pink veins ran like cracks through the white of its eyes and they gleamed at April over a long nose. "Who sent you?" Rane released his hold into the Netherspace and moved towards the creature binding it with a stare. It struggled against him, hissing its protest and he brought it to its knees. "I asked who sent you" Bending down he pulled a seal from its neck. His fingers circled the branded image as he muttered the words and it fell away revealing a ruby centre. The highest rank for a soldier of its class. A soldier would never get a target wrong. Rane walked towards the woman he shouldn't have been able to see in the space between worlds. His mind filling with questions he knew she wouldn't be able to answer. "Who are you?" he whispered. High pitched laughter snapped Rane's attention back to the Hije. It looked at him smugly, the veins dancing in its eyes "he doesn't know?" Drawing a sword from the energy Rane sped forward and sliced through its head, the pieces dissipating in the air. He stared at April for a moment, wondering what to do. The Hije had already begun dragging her through dimensions leaving a transparent figure in the Netherspace. He could bring her back easily enough, but without knowing her breed, it wasn't safe. Shaking his head, he walked forward and scooped her into his arms. Until he knew more, she was still in his care. He only hoped Seere would be able to control himself when he found out how far her secrets really went. *** "She's what?" Seere's voice jolted April awake. She grimaced against the glaring light and tried to sit up. The back of her head was on fire. The rest of her body wasn't feeling too good either. "I thought you were supposed to be able to detect these things" Seere continued his tirade. She looked at him. He looked pissed. She wondered if he was born that way. "I usually can but even my powers have limits Seere, you saw how fast I left her mind the first time" he paused "I'm sure she's not Jinn. Or a demon." He rolled his shoulders uncomfortably as Seere continued to glare. "Then what is she?" Rane opened his mouth to answer and stopped when he sensed her presence. They both turned to her. "What are you saying?" panic filled her throat and her voice was higher than normal. "April..." "Are you saying I'm not human?" Rane diverted his eyes, silence filling the room. "Come on, you can tell me, I can take it." Rane started to answer but April wasn't listening. The thoughts were coming too fast and they all added up to one thing. "You're not human are you?" She stumbled to her feet and Seere reached out to steady her. She pushed him away her eyes darting between the two. They landed on Seere, "are you?" she whispered. He looked away "am I what?" "Human" she spat. The hysteria was rising in her throat. Everything in her mind screamed against the idea, until she thought she would go crazy just standing there. She wanted to run. She wanted some outlet other than the shaking than was taking hold of her body. Rane stepped forward "now calm down April...it's not ..." "ARE YOU?" she screamed. Seere met her eyes. Violet irises, two beautiful flames in a winter scene. Why didn't I notice before how different he looks from everyone else? No human could be so pale and have eyes so intense. "What are you?" she whispered. He flinched and she wondered if it was because of the question or the horror she could feel flooding her face. "I don't know." A stab of guilt shot through her, she shook it off. She needed answers. She turned to Rane, he looked nervous. "And you?" "Jinn" "You were telling Seere that I'm not human" "Yes" "And what exactly do you think I am?" "I can't say" "You're Jinn and he's an unknown. I think it's okay to talk about me now" "No I mean I really can't say" he folded his arms and studied her face for a moment before continuing. "There are many dimensions and many kinds of creatures that inhabit them, it's impossible to know them all. The creature you met today is illusionary, or if you prefer the elemental measure 'air'. It's a category reserved for forces without substance. Hije, Specters, Doppelgangers...to name a few." "And which one attacked me?" "Hije" She laughed "and you think I'm one of these..." "No. You're not. You're most likely a hybrid which would explain why I couldn't sense it. Whatever powers you have a latent." "I see" Rane exchanged looks with Seere. "Is there anything else you want to ask me, April?" She shook her head. The only question going through her was along the lines of directions to the nearest psych ward. If she wasn't there already. He held her gaze for little longer before turning to Seere "I should go. Charity is calling me and she can be extremely uncharitable when I'm late" he had already started to disappear when he gave a nod in April's direction, and a 'good luck' to Seere. *** April collapsed on the couch, her head too full to think. Seere stood off to the side with his hands in his pockets. The silence grew uncomfortably long before she turned to him. "It wasn't an accident your finding me, was it?" "No" "Well at least you're being honest" she whispered. "So why did you save me, what's in it for you?" He sighed and sat on the arm beside her "there wasn't anything in it for me. I don't know what I am, but I'm not human. Never have been. I washed up on the same beach you did a long time ago wearing nothing but this wrapped around my wrist." He pulled a black stone with strange gold markings out of his shirt. "It's not that my memory is completely gone. When I woke up I knew my name, and a lot about the human plane of existence. But everything about my past, where I'm from and what I am is gone. I stood up on the shore and looked around for any clues to who I was; that's when the whispers started. The first time they came all at once, flooding my mind. They were so intense, I couldn't move. When they stopped, my eyes and mouth were bleeding. The same thing happened every time they came for a week. As the symptoms got better, the whispers became more coherent. I started noticing images, then voices." He tucked the stone back in his shirt "when I met Rane he taught me how to train my mind. Eventually I learned to block them. That is, until you washed up on shore." "And they told you to help me?" "Yes" "So, the voices made you do it?" He laughed "guess so" She nodded and picked herself up. His story left her feeling calmer. But her brain didn't know how to process what he was saying. She walked towards the fridge, pausing at the door and turning to him. "You don't have blood or anything in here, do you?" He rolled his eyes and came up beside her "just because I'm not human doesn't mean I drink blood" Her head was a mess. She couldn't even see the fridge. In 24 hours she'd almost drowned, been attacked, and found out she wasn't human. Her body shivered and Seere slipped an arm around her waist. She leaned instinctively into his warmth. "It's going to be okay" She looked up at him, there was sincerity in his eyes but something told her he was wrong. Biting back her doubts she pulled herself out of his arms and opened the fridge. "So what's for dinner" she chirped. *** He was in front of the TV with a beautiful woman. He should have been happy. Only one problem...she had the remote. Five minutes in Seere was ready to shoot something. Contrary to the genre it was neither romantic nor funny. He made a go for the remote only to have April slap his hand away. "I'm the guest, I control the remote "But..." "You can have it back after the movie" "I might not last that long" he muttered She was sitting in the opposite corner of the couch, smiling with her knees drawn up and her arms wrapped around them. Her long hair draped silkily around the navy shirt she'd found in his drawers. He wanted to touch her. Something about the way she fit against him left a mark that burned when she left. This was not good. She yawned, her eyes already half closed. He stood and pulled her into his arms, lifting her off the ground. She screeched, "What are you doing?" "Putting you to bed, you're tired" he started walking towards his bedroom. "The stairs are that way" she pointed. "I know but now that we have people chasing you I think you should sleep in the downstairs guest room" "There's a downstairs guest room and you carried my limp, wet body up the stairs when I was injured. After you carried me from the beach?" He shrugged. "I like my privacy. And, I was hoping you wouldn't be here very long" he admitted. She gave him a look and he talked quickly "it took a long time and a lot of training to learn to block the voices. After I found you I thought maybe they were coming back. I've learned to think of people more like animals. If you forget how people feel, you can block any urges to care about them. That stops the whispers. But living with one changes that" he walked through a door and dropped her on the bed. "My room is just opposite this one so if you need me, just call." He paused at the doorway turning back to see her walking towards the mirror. "I don't really look like myself anymore. I wonder if I ever will again" she whispered He came up behind her and pulled the hair off her face letting the strands slip through his fingers "you've taken the news well. I guess it's only natural to be a little lost about what you are" "You seem to manage okay" He laughed softly, "I've had years to deal with what I am. With my memory gone, I had to create myself. But you don't have to create yourself, you're still there. Your memories, friends and family, your achievements are all still there. I'm not saying this won't change you, but you're not losing who you are. Humanity is just a title" She nodded slowly and studied their reflections in the glass. "Well at least I know I'm not a vampire" "What?" he looked in the mirror "Reflection" "Oh" he grinned and tugged on her hair "you know all those myths aren't true right?" "So there aren't vampires?" "There are, but they have a reflection. Doppelgangers are the one that don't" "Why wouldn't a doppelganger have a reflection?" "Because they are the reflection" She turned her face towards him "you're going to have to explain that to me" He hesitated before pulling back "not tonight, you've got a lot of time to learn everything there is to know, and Rane knows more than I do. We should probably talk about it when he's around" *** April could have slapped him when he pulled away from her. She needed him. He made her feel safe. She walked back to the bed and slipped under the covers. He was almost out the door when she called to him. "You healed me didn't you? Just looking at the scars, if you found me yesterday I couldn't have healed this much on my own" He moved forward looking guiltily at her legs. "I tried to. I couldn't fix everything at the time there was too much damage" "Can you fix it now?" He shrugged and sat on the bed "I can try" She opened her mouth to ask if it would hurt and shut it as he reached for her. His hands gently gripped her arms and he eased her back against the pillows. "It doesn't hurt. Just a quick cut here and nothing after that" she shivered as he ran a finger along the small scar just peaking out of her shirt. She nodded her consent. She would have agreed to run away and join the circus if he'd asked. "Close your eyes and try to relax" he whispered. She did as he said trying to crush the butterflies in her stomach. He's not human she reminded herself and shrieked as he sliced open her skin. She opened her eyes and glared. "Sorry." He gave her a apologetic smile and pulled the knife away. She watched with interest as he sliced through his own hand. "Why do you have to be cut?" "The healing is in the blood. I need to pair mine with yours so I can focus the energy on your wounds" "Oh." He moved closer and pressed his hand against her breast. The effect was instant. Fire filled her body. She could feel every organ, every scar, and every injury that had healed in her life. She writhed against the sensation vaguely aware of Seere holding her down. Colors danced in front of her eyes until her head spun. Ratter Ch. 03 When it stopped, she could feel him. Like a caress in her mind. His presence relaxed her body into a trance as her flesh responded to his touch. Through him she could feel her skin regenerating and the once broken bones growing stronger. He traced a mental hand along her abdomen and up to the base of her skull. She gasped at the weight on her mind as it struggled against his invasion. He withdrew, leaving her body cold and her mind in a haze. When her eyes opened, he was already gone. She pulled back the sheet and studied her legs. Not even a scar. She stripped off the shirt, running her hand over her abdomen. The large scar had disappeared, so had the smaller cuts and bruises. Even her hair looked healthy. She smiled. Everything was back to normal. Everything except the small scar across her breast. *** Despite the healing, April's thoughts kept her awake beyond exhaustion. She'd wrestled the covers for a couple of hours before settling for a cane chair by the window. It was raining. She loved the rain. It would be so easy to just forget why she was up and enjoy it. But she'd never sleep again. Seere and Rane weren't human. Both had saved her life where they had no reason to. Somehow that made it easy to accept that they weren't human. But could she accept that she wasn't? She turned once again towards her reflection, it looked human enough. Hybrid. Hybrid of what? She ran a hand over her face. Creatures she had no defense against were trying to kill her and she didn't know why. She looked human, she felt human. Title or not she needed to know what she was. But all she could think was 'This must be how Seere feels all the time.' The floor creaked and she jumped out of the chair keeping her senses keen for another sound. It's a storm you idiot. Of course the house is going to creak. Despite her reasoning the panic rose in her throat. She was in foreign territory. How was she supposed to know what was normal and what wasn't? Silently she inched her way towards her bedroom door, peeking out into the hallway. She couldn't see anything, but then she hadn't seen anything before. Turning back into her room, she heard a loud crash and bolted to Seere's door. Inside the room the storm was raging, and so it seemed was Seere. His body was writhing against the sheets, his arms lashing out at the air. Moving closer, she could see the source of the noise. The broken pieces of his lamp scattered on the floor beside him. She tiptoed around them and turned to Seere. His body was shaking and slick with sweat. His face scrunched up in pain and anger. The soft growl she'd heard when she entered the room had dulled to a whine now that she was closer. Avoiding his arms she reached forward and nudged his shoulder. She shrieked as strong hands gripped her and threw her down, pinning her under his weight. She looked up, his eyes filled with a rage that rippled through his entire being sending his breath into a low growl. His naked form moved against her and she could feel every inch through the shirt. It occurred to her she might want to scream, but it was taking all of her willpower not to wrap her legs around him and growl back. She gave a mental laugh at the thought. I am seriously fucked up. His nails dug into her wrists and she yelped, "Seere" Recognition and guilt flooded his face and he rolled off her running his hands through his hair. "God, I'm sorry" "It's okay" she took a deep breath gaining some self control "you were thrashing about so much I thought I'd better try and wake you before you broke more than your lamp" when she turned towards him, he was looking over the side of his bed with a smile on his face. "I hated that lamp. Guess my subconscious wanted revenge." "I think you got it" He smiled and the butterflies in her stomach stirred. Stop it, she ordered. They didn't listen. He was staring at her and she fumbled around for a distraction "so what did you dream about?" He shifted back against the headboard and pointed to the black stone around his neck "this." Curiosity overtook her common sense and she reached forward to run her hand over its smooth surface. Her fingers brushed against his skin and she jumped back, vaguely aware of the amused look he gave her. "You never said what it was" "When I first met Rane, this was how he knew I was different. It shows images of the past. Every creature that walks in the human dimension and doesn't belong here is, for some reason, connected to it. Some are heroes giving their lives defending the human race, others are monsters" "What does Rane say about it?" His eyes narrowed "Rane's a funny creature. He knows a lot more than he tells. Whenever we're together, he always calls it 'the black stone'. Never by its real name, whatever that might be." "Why would he hide things from you?" "He thinks he's protecting me" April rolled her eyes and he laughed. "It's hard to understand when you haven't been through it." He admitted "Rane believes as most creatures do. That in order to become who you were meant to be, you need to fight for your right to be it. He won't key detail because he believes it would have a negative impact on my journey." "Must be hard to accept" "It is at times. I can tell he wants me to know things. Sometimes I think I should push him for it. But I know he's right. If he told me everything, I think my mind and spirit would be a lot weaker than it is now" April yawned and leaned against the pillows another thought coming into mind. She eyed him warily, wondering how he would take it. "I lied about what happened on the cruise" "I know" "You know?" "You're a terrible liar" "Well, how much do you know?" "Just that you lied. I try not to read minds." She sighed. "After everything I know now, what happened doesn't seem so strange" "Sounds promising" he smiled and she found herself smiling back. "The party had finished and we'd dropped everyone at the shore. I was ready to leave but my uncle came up to me." She turned to him "I didn't want the party. I'd left that life and survived on my own for eight years. The whole point of those kinds of things was to assess which was the more profitable match for the host. He told me he was sorry, that he knew it was hard to be back and wanted to make it up to me. He handed me an envelope with three tickets to my favorite band" she laughed "I was shocked he even knew what it was. By the look on Seth's face so was he." "Who's Seth?" "My older brother" She looked at him curiously as he relaxed and waved his hand to continue. "Like I said, it came as a shock. Then he said we should take the boat since we had a couple of days, he thought it would be good for our family to spend that time together." She paused "I think I knew then that something was wrong. I just didn't let it bother me." "It was the next night when it happened. I was on the deck looking down over the railing when I heard a shriek from behind me. I turned and there was...this thing. It looked deformed. Like a snake wrapped around a human body with yellow-green scales. It leaned forward on all fours; its knees bent the wrong way" "Gataro" "What?" she looked up startled "Did it have webbed feet and hands?" "Yes" "It's called a Gataro. Rape, kidnap, murder...pure evil" April nodded. "I froze. I just couldn't move. Seth came out from his cabin and saw it. He started grabbing things off the deck and throwing them. But it had already started running. A chair nicked its leg and it fell against me. Next thing I knew I was flying over the railing. I hit my head on the way down" Her eyes widened. "I hope Seth is okay. That thing didn't fall after me" "He's okay" "How do you know?" "If he had the nerve to throw things at it, he wouldn't have stopped when it turned in for revenge. Gataro are easy to kill. One good swipe to the head would do it." "But my uncle wouldn't believe it. He'd blame Seth for my disappearance" Seere moved up beside her and pulled her against him. She relaxed against his chest and listened to the steady rhythm of his heart. "I know you don't want to hear it but Gataro aren't free thinkers. It wouldn't have attacked you without someone else pulling the strings." She couldn't wrap her mind around his words. Her uncle had cared for them since they were young. Why would he hire someone to kill her now? The thought alone made her shiver. "Can I stay with you tonight" she whispered. He gripped the blankets and eased them both against the pillows. His arms came around her and she nuzzled into his warmth, barely hearing the whispered "sure" before falling asleep. *** It was a horrific place from the outside. Screams echoed over the river of lava encircling the castle, and all manner of beast surveyed the area tearing apart anyone who dared to stray from the grounds. Inside, however, was a different story. Musicians played and people danced. Conversation filled the air, and children laughed. It was hard to believe that it was the same place. Luthen ran forward on two decaying mounds he'd been left with for legs. His claws gripped the bound wrists of a female who she stumbled along sobbing for clemency. "Will you just SHUT UP?" he screamed at her. She fell silent looking around for someone to help her. No one met her gaze. Luthen loved the sweet taste fear. With her silence, he could revel in it. It was the one emotion in all the dimensions that could override the need for any other. Not that he could blame the girl for being scared. Luthen himself was a sight with skin like charred tree bark and eyes red rubies in his withered skull. A kind of mucus oozed out of the flakes and dripped onto the ground as he walked. If he hadn't seen the sight every day for the past five hundred years, he would be scared of himself. The voices died down as he hobbled quickly down a white stone hallway and into the throne room. So much white made Luthen uncomfortable, and in the throne room there was no other color. It made the dark body on the throne, the centre of attention. "My Lord, there has been a sacrifice in your name" A gloved hand gestured towards the girl. "Come forward" Spellbound the girl stepped closer to the black robed figure. "What is your name girl?" "Natalie sir" "And do you know who I am Natalie?" "N-no sir" The man pulled back the hood of his robe. His hair looked almost black against the pale of his face, but the few strands that captured the light tinted green. The eyes that looked at her with such emptiness, were a grey just shy of the purity of the black center. A golden hawk rested on his shoulder studying her. Luthen smiled at her as stepped forward. The man moved off his throne with grace, speaking with a slight accent she didn't recognize "I am Lord Gare and you will find me most demanding. His eyes never left hers as he moved towards her. "There are many things I will take from you Natalie." He brought her hand to his lips. "Obey me and I offer reward; disobey me..." he spun her around to face a mirror "and I'll have to punish you." The mirror shifted to reveal a woman being brutalized by what looked like a rabid dog. She was screaming and begging for mercy while two other creatures, the size of a small child, tore at her flesh. Tears streamed down Natalie's face as the image turned back into a mirror. A hand reached up to stroke her face "you're so beautiful when you cry" Gare whispered in her ear. Turning, he called to a guard. "Put her with the others." The guard nodded and dragged her away. Her sobs echoing down the hall. Gare settled back into his throne before turning towards Luthen. "Now, where is the other one?" Luthen swallowed knowing his master would not be pleased. There was no way to tell if he would be punished. Lord Gare's temper was notoriously unpredictable. "We sent a Hije as you instructed, my Lord" "A soldier?" "Yes" Gare sat forward his eyes narrowing at the creature "and he failed?" "Our sources say he was killed by Jinn" "And they're certain?" "Yes" Gare leaned back "good, then there's still time. The Jinn will be a problem. But he won't stay on the human plane for long and there are many creatures the Jinn have no power against." The room drowned in silence before a smile formed on his face. "Send her something more local...with teeth." Luthen grinned. A Jinn was no help, with what Gare had in mind. Ratter Ch. 04 The path was dark and hidden, with the shadows of trees and stones marking it unsafe for travel. Evil echoed from the knotted branches with such warning the birds refused to nest. For the best part of five generations, insects and snakes were the only inhabitants of the Vár Forest. With the exception of Sholdaeth Tiernan. Shol's feet barely grazed the earth as he flew along the unseen path. His agile body dodged the branches and stones and his breath came in steady pants. The dreams that plagued his mind were strong as only a call could be. Violent, raging fantasies that stirred his blood in the most pleasurable of ways. Slowing his pace, he pushed aside the brush and entered a clearing. There was a circle of bare earth with a stone embedded at its centre. He approached it warily, keeping his senses attuned to his surroundings. Even the wind refused to pass through the trees. The stone was smooth and round, its face unflawed. To others it would appear as any other rock. But after seven hundred years, Shol knew better. He knelt down and bowed over the stone chanting words long forgotten by his kin. The words caught in his throat as he felt an energy beckon from the earth. Straining forward he blew a mist across the surface. It shimmered, the gray falling back to a mirrored glass. The face staring back wasn't his. Shol fought the bile rising at the image of black decay in front of him. "Why have you called us?" The creatures' red eyes glittered in the glass, "we need the help of your master to take care of a little problem." "There are powerful beings in the worlds, this one wouldn't hope to rival. Why is it you seek help through the human plain?" "The girl is protected by other forces. Your powers aren't founded on the worlds. You are immune to their control." It was an appeal to his pride he shrugged off easily. He'd learned long ago pretty words were best unheard. "So it's a girl then?" "Is that a problem?" "Not for us." The creature pulled out a small wooden box engraved with symbols Shol didn't recognize, "if our sources are correct, your master is already quite wealthy. So I suppose money would do little to sway his decision." He pulled a clear stone out of the box and held it towards the mirror. Shol leaned forward, his fangs lengthening at the sight of a blue mist swirling inside the jewel. "But everyone could use a little more power." Ratter Ch. 04 "Great." he grinned and started walking away, "name's Ryan by the way." Ratter Ch. 04 "Thanks for the night out Ryan. I had a great time." "Really?" "Of course!" she laughed. "Then how about going out with me again?" he grinned a million-dollar smile. "Sure." I could use a distraction. She jumped when she heard a crash from inside the cabin. It was then that she noticed the broken glass under the front window. What's going on? It occurred to her that she probably shouldn't go in there alone. Oh yeah, ask him to go come inside and meet your friends, she thought, A Jinni, three shape shifters and a jerk from some unknown universe. Maybe we can all hangout. She plastered a smile on her face and laughed. "They're probably drunk and jumping off the furniture." He smiled and turned towards the window. No, don't look. "Hey!" her call startled both of them. But she recovered quickly. "Aren't you going to kiss me goodnight?" He beamed at her and leaned forward. His lips were cold and persuasive as they coaxed her mouth open. He lingered there for a moment, sucking on her bottom lip before flicking his tongue like a lizard, inside her mouth. She almost sighed in relief when he came away. "So I'll see you the same time tomorrow?" She plastered that stupid smile on her face again and nodded. He was a nice guy, next time she'd control the kiss. Maybe he'd catch on. Though every part of her doubted it. You can't be this desperate for a distraction. He stared at her happily for a moment before walking to the car and driving off. Bracing herself, she turned the doorknob and walked inside. Ratter Ch. 05 A/N: Thanks be to my editor amerks29hockey, an of course all the reviewers. Ratter Ch. 05 He turned to Seere and April. Seere nodded and April crossed her arms, apparently irritated that she was the only one not in shock. Michael and Wade looked at each other and left the room. Some things were just too weird, even for them. "This can't be happening." Rane said. "I know." Seere answered. They stared at the girl twirling around inside the mirror. "No, I mean this really can't be happening," Rane repeated. "It's not possible. Transfer of energy. There's not enough energy in a human to animate their reflection without interference from other sources." "I know." "It's not fucking possible." "I said, I know, but what the hell is that?" The reflection got dizzy and fell to the floor, still giggling. Rane ticked off the process in his mind. The transfer of energy wasn't hard to understand, providing you had enough manipulation of the elements to pull it off. He didn't. Few did. "Well it's not manifesting so it might not have enough energy to do so." "Or it might not know how." April added quietly. "Is it meant to be acting on its own accord?" Rane frowned. "Well it's only animated at the moment. Inside the mirror a doppelganger is a sentient being. Its energy isn't focused on the material necessities of having a body. Moving, breathing, everything your body does takes energy and so the manifestation ends up being nothing more than a reflection in physical form. Of course, this is just stemming from what I know of the process, this is completely out of my field." "Could this have something to do with her powers?" "No. If she was able to manipulate creational energy then a doppelganger would be the least of our worries." Charity came out and stared thoughtfully at the mirror. "Dragon's blood." "Hmm?" "She was lying in a pool of vampire and dragons blood." "Vampire blood alone wouldn't turn her." "Dragon's blood increases the effect of powers, the power is in the blood." "Wait, are you saying I'm a vampire now?" April glanced nervously at her reflection. Rane place a hand on her shoulder. "No. The becoming of a vampire is a ritual, blood alone wouldn't do it." Charity huffed and glared at him. "You're not listening! I didn't say she was turned." Rane looked at her, clueless. "Vampire 101 moron. What is a vampire's source of power?" she chided. "The transfer of energy." "Good. Now what's the primal rule in a war?" "Stay alive." Seere answered. "Oh my God, they're learning!" "Miracles do happen." Rane pressed a hand to his heart. "That hurt Ril, it really did." "Okay, so the dragon's blood enhanced the vampires' natural ability to transfer energy and its main concern was staying alive. What does that have to do with April having a doppelganger?" "The body always dies before the consciousness. It couldn't go back so it went forward." Seere's turned to April. "Then the reflection…" "Isn't just her." They watched as the doppelganger tilted its head to the side and giggled. It drew back its lips and they watched its fangs grow. Ratter Ch. 06 A/N: I know. Demon bitch from hell. Well, here it is. Ratter Ch. 06 April stared at the cat for a good fifteen minutes before she realized she was expecting it to talk. It watched her dumbly in return. "We'll try for English, shall we? Hello. April. Human. And you are?" Its eyes glinted in something resembling mischief but didn't answer. "Fan-fucking-tastic. Help me off this thing?" She reached a hand slowly towards the cat and breathed her relief when it didn't back away. Leaning heavily on its back she took a few steps towards the snow and slipped, landing draped across its back. The cats head turned to eye her with amusement. "Uh, I don't suppose you could maybe..." she waved in the direction of the snow and righted herself to straddle its back. It made a gruff sound like a chuckle and moved swiftly to the edge of the lake, the moving snow also taking form as six more cats as she got closer. They didn't pause long enough for April to get off, instead bolting for the forest with the others close behind. She held on for dear life as it pounced and slid along the marbled rocks and ground vines, beating a fine dust through the air. It skidded and changed direction, April's arm tearing on a wayward branch and spilling a red line down its leg. It huffed a bit but didn't slow down. A hollow opened in the trunk of a tree and they dove in head-first, eliciting a strangled cry from April when she found herself clinging to the cat's neck, dangling vertically as the cat climbed the inside of the tree. She bit her lip as the body slipped out from under her and jolted to once more lengthen out. The hollow opened around them, leading down several worming passageways. Her companion moved at a slower pace, the blood slicked across its neck and leg all but forgotten. She looked behind her at the others, two nudging and swiping at each other playfully while the others focused their attention on her. Suddenly they came to a halt, the tunnel opening to a large, square room. April slipped off the back and stumbled a bit for her footing. She opened her mouth to thank them when the cats shifted, going transparent before taking form, this time as human. The one who carried her rose up as a worn and wrinkled man with salt and pepper hair and a teasing smile. A practice she'd only seen once before. "You're Shapeshifters" she said. The man looked shocked at her insight but recovered quickly. "Yes." "A few of my friends are Shapeshifters. I don't know if you would know them, I'm not sure how many of you there are." He smiled. "I'm not acquainted with your mathematics, but there are more than I could tell you. What breed are they?" "Wolf and Dragon." "What kind of wolf?" "Um...I don't know. Black, red eyes, kind of nasty." "Nyart. Unfortunately I know nothing of the brace beyond what they are, and the Dragon breeds are skittish, they won't stay in the same place too long. My name is Oridan. You are welcome to stay as you wish." "That's nice of you but I really just want to go back the way I came." He chuckled. "If you can't find your own way back then you're in trouble shilaan. Nobody can take a full form through the space and our people lack the alternative." "Alternative?" "Threading. It allows the being to thread a path for another to follow and can pass through the barriers between worlds. It's dangerous and more often than not people find themselves lost or arrive in less than one piece. It's rare to find someone who can thread a stable path." "Do you know anyone who can...thread?" "Such practices are unheard of in this era. It's believed the formless beings possess it in natural ability. However they are selfish and cruel at their core and would likely destroy you for the sake of asking. How did you arrive if you possess no direction?" "That's a really good question" she muttered. At his confused look she continued, "I think it might have something to do with my powers. They're new and I guess a little unstable." "You're just coming in to your powers now?" "Yeah, they were blocked. I still don't know what I am." Oridan's eyes grew wary. "Powers are blocked for good reason." "Such as?" He tilted his head, eyeing her curiously. "It depends on the being. Sometimes it is for innocent purposes such as a weak coalescence of physical and mystical forces. Sometimes it is a means to punish one who would misuse their power. Sometimes a guard against an unrivaled force of neutral allegiance, in order to protect the worlds from their fury." "Why neutral?" "A powerful being will always be neutral. Its actions are not." The possibilities flew around in her head and she pushed them aside. "So how am I supposed to get back?" At this he smiled. "If your power is as precarious as you say then that will not be a problem. I doubt you have long to linger in this world." His voice was far away as the world blurred around her. She landed with a thud on a wooden floor, in front of mirror with Eve tapping her foot in impatience. Ratter Ch. 06 Rane smiled and moved her to the bed. "So says the walking crisis" he teased. He shot a look at Seere and left the room. "There was this man" she said as his hand brushed over the cut on her breast and the healing brought back her strength. "Man?" he whispered. "I guess. Don't know really. Things are strange in the other worlds. He said his name was Gare. He whispered something to me before I..." she took in his stiff posture and sat up. His hands slipped away and he stood, running his hands through his hair. "What?" she said before knowledge spread across her face. "You know him." His look confirmed it. "He wanted me to kill you." There was more to his words. More that he was going to tell her and she wasn't sure if she wanted to hear it or not. "What?" "When you got hurt. I met him. He wanted me to kill you." She watched him, her eyes neutral but her heart beating erratically when the words formed in his eyes and spilled out his mouth. "And I wanted to." She didn't have to ask when. She knew. "It's in me April, and I know you see it. Whatever I am is coming to the forefront and it has something to do with you." She nodded slowly and he continued. "That's why you have to leave." Her head snapped to attention. "Sorry, what was that?" He held her gaze. "Leave." Her face was a myriad of hurt and righteous indignation, but she didn't move. "You're kicking me out?" "Yes." "Well fuck that" she folded her arms and glared. "Get used to this face mister, because as of this moment I am a permanent squatter in this piece of shit you call a life." "Do you want to die?" "I've got nothing better to do." "Bitch!" he growled storming over to her. "Is there any part of you that isn't drenched in your inbred stupidity? The part of me that cares about you isn't there. Not when...whatever that was happens. Don't think it's going to matter." Her eyes widened. "You mean there actually is a part of you that cares about me?" He gripped her by the arms, punctuating every word with a shake. "You. Need. To. Go. I don't want you here. Nobody wants you here. You're alone April. On the outside and you will never be in. No matter what your breed is." She shook him off, biting back the sting of his words. "I know what you're trying to do and it won't work." He spun around and headed further away from her. "I can't do this on my own" she pleaded, and he stopped. "You told me I couldn't trust you" she whispered. "I believe that but it's not really a choice. I do." "More reason to leave." She walked to him and touched his shoulder. His eyes widened in surprise as she took his hand and wrapped it around her neck. Somewhere in the back of her mind she wondered if this was such a good idea, but it was outweighed by the knowledge that if she didn't do something she was on her own. "I'll leave. But you'll have to make me." "Ril..." "Make me. It's easy and I know you can do it. What was it you said? The feel of bones crushing beneath your fingers? You think you're a danger to me, then do it, and hey, I'll be convinced. Kill me."