Story: Guide to Magical Beasts and Monsters
Book: Cal Leandros Series
Notes: Sorry about the fact that this is in 3rd person, not 1st person like in the actual series. I have difficulty doing 1st person point of views quite often. This may have spots where it switches to Cal's thoughts in 1st person at times, just as a warning ahead of time. And this may have monsters that you've never heard of. I'll do my best to describe them to you without going overboard. If you need things like pictures, I'll do my best at finding and putting them up on my account. And For the disclaimer of this entire fan-fiction all and any names and beasts that are recognized from the series do NOT belong to me. They belong to Thurman. Any persons or creatures not recognized belong to me.
So lets move on with the story shall we...
Another job. As usual. It was like this almost every night for the past week. We hadn't been this busy for a while. Not since Ammut had taken her fall about 5 months ago. We just had enough jobs to live off of and that was it. I also hadn't gated since then either but I knew that my luck would fallout any moment now.
The current job seemed pretty easy. A few revenants had been over killing in this area and we were just here for some quantity control. But the pier was an odd place for many people to go missing since people didn't often travel there for site-seeing. Oh well. The brothers hadn't seen or heard anything since starting the job earlier tonight. Until now that is. A swift scurrying of claws, soft but hurried footsteps of a person and the cackling laugh of something large on the hunt. The noise was coming from above, on the roofs of the warehouses. Niko had disappeared from beside Cal but he wasn't worried. It was the usual for Nik to leave without a sound. Now that he thought about it, Niko had probably moved in for a closer look. Being a good shot with a gun, Cal hurried backwards enough to see the things on the roof; and boy was that monster HUGE. It was probably the size of a small elephant and looked almost like a man covered in wax-like flesh and each joint seemed swollen and twisted out of proportions. The thing it was following appeared to be a girl around his own age. She was running from it but she seemed more like she wanted to fight it then run. Without thinking, Cal raised his Glock and shot out it's knee. It fell and the roof caved in, taking the woman with it as they both fell out of site. With a foul curse Cal Rushed into the building, not really worrying about what might happen.
The creature had gotten the worst of it. The roof fell alright and it practically covered to thing even as it tried to get up and rush them. The girl was laying not far away and was clear of the large rubble. It looked like she was just dirty now from the resulting dust. By the time I got to her, she was standing up and looked as though she were ready to fight. With the resulting squeal of protesting metal and rubble, the creature managed to free itself. Niko wasn't a moment too soon. Cal raised his gun once more and shifted to guard the female.
"Run" he snarled as he took another shot at it's other knee. It gave out but the thing stood back up. When I glanced back, she was still standing there, the hood of the dark cloak she was wearing hiding her face but she seemed shocked about the brothers guarding her.
"What are you waiting for? Run!" Cal snapped and she shook her head as though she were waking up from a daze. The beast roared and swiped at them, Niko managed to duck but Cal was knocked into the wall to his right. Before his brother could recover his stance from the attack, the thing grabbed him and tossed him to the wall opposite of Cal. Leaving the girl wide open. It charged at her. She leapt up and jabbed a long but large sword into it's skull.
The monster's eyes glazed over and it immediately went limp. She yanked at her sword but it held fast so she released it and slid down it's neck to the floor where she carefully held most of her weight on her left leg. Limping, she attempted to walk away when her legs gave out and she sprawled across the stone floor. Getting up and ignoring his bruised body, Cal went to her and crouched beside her. She pushed herself up a bit with her hands so she could look at him and her hood fell back. He was instantly frozen by the color of her eyes. They practically screamed inhuman. Intense violet orbs watched him until wavy black hair fell into them, standing out starkly against her moonlight pale skin, like his own in. She had pretty face that could've given George a run for her money. It was just the light lavender under and over her eyes. It just made them stand out more, like a doe. He snapped out of his study of her as Niko joined them.
"She okay?" he asked as Cal moved to help her up.
"I think she's hurt but I don't think she's human" he replied. She stiffened even as she stood up and glanced back at Niko over her shoulder. Slight fear lit her eyes as she looked back and forth between them. She made to move away when her legs gave out and Cal caught her, shocked at how light she was as he swept her up. She might not like it but it kept her from hurting herself at least. With a sound of surprise, she wrapped her arms around his neck and looked at him in fright.
"I'm not going to hurt you so don't worry" The fear in her eyes dimmed a bit and she nodded.
"Do you have a name?" Niko asked her softly, gently probing for info on her without frightening her. She nodded once more and we waited to see if she would give it to use. After a minute had passed Niko opened his mouth and she answered before he could make a sound.
"Kurai" Her voice was soft, almost a whisper with a beautiful lilting accent that neither brother could place.
"Kurai. Does that have a meaning?" Niko asked again.
"Dark" she said in that quiet voice.
"Can you tell us what you are?" Cal asked her. She shook her head and hid her face against his shoulder.
"I can't." More questions...
"Do you live anywhere near here?" Niko this time.
"No" was the muffled reply to Niko's question. Just great. That answer only left more questions.
"We can't leave her out here" Cal muttered to Niko in a low voice. His brother seemed to think things over before giving a reply.
"She doesn't seem like she'll hurt us so you can take her with home. Just don't let down your guard too much, just in case. We'll have Robin come and check her out. See if he can identify her species" With that he started the walk back to the car with Cal in tow. When Cal made to set her in the back seat, she refused to let him go so he slid in with her seated on his lap. In the mirror, he saw Niko's slight smirk and he flipped him off, but the gesture was ignored. She lightly brushed her fingers against his hair and sniffed his neck.
"You smell" she muttered quietly then sniffed again. "Like two things" She sniffed again and he tolerated it. At least she wasn't revolted by it.
"No. Not two" Cal looked at her in surprise. That was a first. Wasn't he Part Auphe and part human? Curious he waited.
"You smell like three. Like your brother." She was beginning to use more than three words and her voice was getting stronger. That was a good sign at least.
"He smells like two" He almost stopped breathing. What did she mean that Niko smelt like two?
"What do you mean?" The question came from Niko. She looked at him before snuffling Cal's neck once more.
"Auphe" she stated clearly and before anyone could respond she continued. "Human" she then grew quiet as she sniffed at him again, playing with his hair as she thought. She didn't offer anything more then that.
"...And?" Niko prompted but she shook her head and slid herself off Cal's lap to sit next to him, on the passenger side.
"I can't tell." The cloak had gathered up against her side and bore a bloody and torn stocking where her leg must have been injured in the fall from the cave in. Her hands had twisted into the fabric of her shredded skirt.
"Can't; or won't?" She was purposely not telling them details about herself so what stopped her here?
"Can't. It's to faint to tell" she stated, sliding off his lap to side on the passenger side. The rest of the ride passed in silence with Kurai watching the scenery from the window. Getting out of the car proved a small challenge to her as her right leg refused to hold her weight properly. Cal ended up doubling back from the front door to pull her from the car, still a bit surprised at her weight; or lack thereof. Niko was already through the door and probably calling Robin.
Plopping her down on the couch, he strode to the kitchen and leaned against the door, a bit surprised when he heard Nik talking to Promise instead.
"...and can you bring a few pairs of clothes? Hers are ruined." he looked a bit discomforted for a moment. "I'm not sure of her size. Cal," he turned to his brother in question. "...can go check"
"36-24-36 at 5'2" tall..." came an answer that made Cal twist to see the girl behind him as she hid her own tattered clothes under that cloak of hers.
But now he was interested in what she was hiding. Even as Niko gave his grateful goodbye and dialed Robin.
"Can you distract yourselves and behave like adults while I make this call or are you going to listen in the whole time?" Kurai actually looked sheepish and nodded before slowly limping back to the couch. Cal caught up easily and offered his arm as support and she took it gratefully with a murmured thanks. Together they sat awkwardly on the cushions and turned on the tv. Though he was by far more interested in young woman beside him then the half naked one on the screen for once. She caught him watching and blushed.
"Is there something you want to ask?" the tilt of her head as wide eyes the shade of pure amethyst fixed on him.
"Ummm. You won't mention what you are, I'm just curious" he offered and she smiled a little before reaching over and taking up his hand, spreading his fingers and matching her own smaller digits to his. Five sharp little points tapped the pads of his fingers and he grasped her hand to inspect it. The nails where harder then his and formed into sharp little points at the tips. She smiled again and he noted the lengthy canines that formed perfect points.
Niko reentered the room with the medical kit in hand and immediately noticed the closeness of the two. Their joined hands and the fact that Cal was ignoring the bikini wearing girl on television said something and he broke it up by dropping the kit into Cal's lap. Kurai giggled as Cal moaned and massaged a new bruise on his left thigh.
"Hey, Nik. Know any creature with fangs and claws?" The question brought forth more giggles and a death glare from Nik.
"All creatures we have run into so far have had claws and fangs. Next time, ask a more intelligent question"
"Ah, she also has purple eyes. What about that?" Cal offered hoping they could solve the mystery of her species without Robin's help. Niko, now curious, leaned against the back of the couch and gently tilted her head so he could properly see said orbs. What he saw was a swirling mix of violet and lavender in the gaze that watched him with equal curiosity.
"No creature I know of has eyes like that" An obnoxious knock at the door lead Niko to answer and not a moment later, Promise, Robin and Ishiah were entering the room. The moment his eyes locked on her, Robin entered his usual Monogamous speech much the annoyance of those in the room but he interrupted himself quiet suddenly.
"It can't be. The last I saw one of them, was back before Pompeii." he leaned closer to her and she attempted to move away, despite the fact that she couldn't walk well let alone do much else. Particularly when Robin growled in irritation.
"Fuck. She is one. Of all the damned creatures you could have pulled from the depths of Hades and you find, what is probably the only left of her kind, and the only creature that has ever truly pissed me off."
"What-" Cal started when Ishiah cut him off.
"A shape-shifter. She is a shape-shifter, and able to change her form to virtually anything that has a heartbeat." And that was the reason Robin disliked her.
"Can you really change form?" the question was out of Cal's mouth before he could stop it. Kurai glanced up at him and nodded, wavy black hair turning bright almond and her human ears disappeared to be replaced with feline ears atop her short brown curls. Her porcelain skin turned to a soft tan and a fluffy tail rose from under the cloak and torn skirt as purple orbs changed to a gold with slit pupils. Her appearance stayed like that for a moment before returning to her previous self. Robin huffed; obviously a bit jealous as she would be the better trickster.
"We should wait for the questions until after she has been looked over." Promise voiced her thoughts and Kurai agreed, allowing the taller woman to help her up and into the bathroom. The boys waited patiently, while Robin had captured the remote and was currently flicking through the channels. There was a yelp from the bathroom and Promise walked out to pick up the bag she had brought with her and returned to the girl in the bathroom. When they returned, Kurai was blushing furiously as she sported a purple top with the low neckline displaying the soft yellow chemise and a layered black tulle skirt that only covered the top of her thighs. From mid-thigh, a pair of striped stockings hid the rest of her legs. In her hand, which was covered by a purple fingerless glove that darted up to her elbows, was a pair of black slip on flats.
"Uhh, I'm ummm," She couldn't bring herself to say something intelligent this time around. Niko though was going to drill her with questions.
"You said you couldn't return home; care to explain why?"
"My brother doesn't want me where I can be found easily"
"Why?"
"I'm not sure" The phone rang just then and Niko answered. After a brief greeting he glanced at Kurai and mentioned that they had found a girl matching the unheard description of a missing sister.
"So, we shall meet you at the park then? An hour? It's fine. Good bye Mr. Night" he hung up and turned to face Kurai.
"So you are Kurai Night?" he asked a bit miffed that a job he had planned to ignore had ended up with them anyway. Though of course, it was hard to notice the slight annoyance in his features if you hadn't lived with him your whole life.
"My brother called you?"
"He seemed quite concerned about your whereabouts. I imagine that you merely ran from home and simply lied to us about your circumstance"