A/N I own none of the characters from the Carpathian Series, that wonderful world belong to Christine Feehan herself. The only characters I own are the one I create, such as Rika.

Dark Cry

Chapter 1

I sat in the car as Leon pulled up outside one of the illegal clubs, it was used for dog fights, and cock fights, illegal gambling and bets. But that's not what Don was interested in, he had loaned money out to the owner, it was meant to be due back two weeks ago, he had given out warnings and threats but it seemed the owner was naïve enough to think he could boss Don around. Bad move, 'cause that's when Don brings me in to sort things out. I didn't care, he was the boss after all, I had to do what he said.

"Come on now Rika." Don said as he climbed out of the Bentley in his crisp midnight blue suit, his muddy brown hair was slicked back and his shrewd light blue eyes where nearly glowing in excitement of what was to come.

"Leon stay with the car, Mark stay in the side of Rika." Mark, your typical blonde surfer type climbed out of the passenger seat and opened my door, when I got out he griped me by my arm and led me behind Don into the back entrance of the club. The stench of streets and filth clogged up my nose. The club was built at the back of a jewellery shop the owner owned. He had the money. He should have paid when he had the chance.

Walking into the club that was built with rusty metal walkway frames, flashing lights sand deep pounding music, I clocked the exits, including the windows. Inside there were people dancing and drinking, men wore baggy clothes or were topless, women wore clothes that barely left anything for the imagination, but it was enough to stop them getting arrested for jaywalking. Couples of men and women alike were dancing, or downing shots in quick success.

One of the bouncers stopped up and after Don said a few quick words we were escorted through a hallway at the back of the club that led to a high design and expensive furniture adorned office, at the back of the jewellery store. This was how the boss connected his two businesses, both legal and illegal.

Don had kitted me out in skin tight black jeans, a silver crop top that had metal chains looping across it, black boots and black leather fingerless gloves. Don usually did this, dress me up for show, people usually thought I was just a piece of meat on his arm, a show dog. They never did suspect, unless Don got mad and wanted to make a serious threat.

The door closed behind us and the man in the chair across the desk grinned at us. "Well hello there Don, what can I do for you this fine evening?" The man in the suit leaned forward on his desk.

"Mr. Howards I believe you owe me twelve thousand dollars. And yes I would like it in American currency even if we're not in America. You've ignored my warnings and your debt is overdue. Last chance, pay up." Don said as he crossed his arms.

The four men standing at the edges of the room lowered their arms and clenched their fists. Mr. Howards a rat of a man, with his lanky build and features, his brown crew cut and shining green eyes, began laughing.

"What if I don't pay you?"

Don gestured to me and Mark took a step back. "Have you met Rika, pretty thing isn't she? You don't pay up, now, her collar comes off and she'll take out your men and hurt you so much you'll want to give me the money and more."

All for show, a show of who was in control and who had the power. The collar was just an idea Don had gotten from somewhere, he had utilised it and now he found it entertaining. But it worked to some extent, I knew Don owned me, I knew he was the boss. I had to obey his every word.

"Really? Now what you gonna do sugar, give me and my boys a lap dance? Well Don, if what you say is true, then its probably in my best interests to keep that collar on at all costs, isn't it?"

Before Mr. Howards could give a signal to his men Don's hand flew to the metal and leather collar at my throat. "Bad move Dean."

The collar opened with a click and swung off my neck. That was my cue. I took a step forward just as one of the men rushed up to us, attempting to grab us. My leg shot out, hitting him in the stomach, knocking him back into the wall. The other three men cam at me then, one fumbled in his jacket to draw a gun. I spun in a circle and threw my hands out so I could use my momentum to throw one of the burly men at Howards desk, when he crashed down on it, Howards leapt up and made a dash for the door. I pounced on the man who was drawing the gun, smacking his head into the wall and banging it repeatedly till he went limp, turning around I could see the third man coming at me with a crowbar and the first one I'd hit was crawling up the wall back to his feet. The crowbar swiped past me and I dodged to the side, the man swung the crowbar a few more times, I dodged again till I got bored and gripped the crowbar with my fist on a swing to my head, I used my hold to pull the man forward, twisted the crow bar out of his grasp and swung the crowbar hard and fast at his head, making a bleeding gash. I threw the crowbar at the man who had finally gotten to his feet and was pulling out his revolver at his temple, he went down in seconds.

The entire scene had taken a few minutes, Mark and Don were on the side of the room watching enjoyably. Dean Howards was running down the hallway, the door swung open showing his fleeing back as he raced to a door. I glanced at Don, he tilted his head letting me know he wanted me to go after him.

I sprinted down the corridor catching up in seconds, I could hear Dean's panting breath, the fear in his eyes as he glanced back at me. He was my prey. I jumped and landed on his back as he fumbled to open the door. We went down and I rolled with the momentum using it to throw Dean into whatever room we had fallen through into. I jumped to my feet and realised we where in the jewellery shop. Glass cases were dotted around everywhere, containing crystal, diamond, ruby and every other kind of jewellery available.

There were more guards in here, as they came at me I threw my punches, even alternating my hands into a claw strike to hit more fiercer. When they fell to the ground I stamped on them, I ignored the blows I got dealt, the tender bruising or my bleeding knuckles. Don wanted a lesson taught and I was the best on to do it.

Screams went around as the shoppers tried to scatter away and had to resort to standing against the walls as I turned the shop into my playground. When the last guard dropped like a stone, I grabbed Dean off the floor from where he was trying to scramble away, I threw him into a glass cabinet and as he crumpled on the floor I stamped on his chest, breaking bones, then I used my fists as I couched over him, breaking his nose and blacking his eye.

"That's enough Rika." My fist stopped immediately in mid strike. I slowly released my grip on Don's shirt and straightened up.

"Take it, take what you want, take all of it." Dean gasped out through the pain as he cowered under my stare.

"I'm not a greedy man Dean, but when I give you money that help you set up in this country I expect to be paid back in time we agreed. But you tried to make a fool out of me, now I hope you know better cause I've seen Rika here dodge bloody bullets. I'll take what I'm owed and a little something for Rika here as a treat. Next time don't try to cross me, otherwise I wont stop her. Well trained she is boy."

The entire time Don had been talking he'd been picking up diamonds and expensive jewellery throwing it into a small bag Mark handed him.

I looked around the room and on every face I saw, I saw the same expression, repeated over and over again. Fear. They were all afraid of me. I pair of frightened blue eyes captured me, I stared at the face of a young beautiful girl, dressed in a long skirt and blue blouse she looked as innocent as a flower trying to hide behind a curtain of long black hair.

It made no sense to me, we all had to obey our masters, I was only obeying mine, as long as they did nothing to him to set me on them they were safe, so why did they fear me?

"Why…. Am I feared?" I asked with a husky disused turned to me with surprise, then looked at the girl I was staring at. He began to grin. "They're not afraid of you Rika, just surprised I think you gave them quite a show. You're not afraid of her are you? You girl what's your name?"The girl trembled and was pulled into a hug by a tall elegant woman. "Skyler." I head her murmur.

"What was that kid, speak up." Don spoke as he took a step towards her. Her mother, I'm guessing, held her tighter.

My ears perked to the sound of a silent scrape something clicking and fabric rustling. I spun low just as a shot was fired past where my head at been, the bullet embedded in the ceiling instead. I swung my leg out on a spin to knock the gun from Dean's hand, I heard a crack of bones as he cried out. I lunged forward and slammed him forward, my nails like claws digging into his throat as I slammed him down. My eyes changed, burned amber and the pupils elongated onto slits, a hiss and a growl ripped out of my throat as I felt my precarious control slip.

I wanted to rip his fucking throat out.

"Rika I said that's enough!" Don shouted as he rushed over with the collar in his hand.

I squeezed my hand tighter, feeling the windpipe crush. I wanted this man dead, an eye for an eye, he may have failed to kill me but I wouldn't fail in killing him.

I felt the slap of the collar as it wrapped around my neck and Don clicked the clasp closed. Immediately I relaxed my grasp, Don was in control, and he wanted me to stop.

"That's enough now lets go, I think these folks have had quite a bit of a shock for the rest of t night."

Just for safety precautions Mark hauled me up by my arm and didn't let his vicelike grip slip as we walked out of the shop. I threw a last glance at the girl, Skyler as she and her mother looked at me with shock. Why, when I looked at them two, did I feel such longing?

I went back into my obedient shell as Don climbed into the Bentley with me, once we were all secure Leon drove off to the building we were staying at whilst we were staying in Romania, Carpathian Mountains, during a business trip. Don had already paid off the local police, so we were able to do what was necessary.

Skyler looked to Francesca as they walked out of the shop and straight into Gabriel's arms.

"Are you okay? Where are they?" He asked as he scanned the minds of everyone in the area.

"We're fine, there was no danger to us just the owner, it seems he didn't pay all that he owed." Francesca consoled as she soothed the worries of her life mate.

Skyler completely forgot about the bracelet her and Francesca had just bought for baby Tamara, instead her mind was fixed on the girl she had seen be so fierce. Rika.

"That girl, she seemed confused, like she didn't fully understand what was going on. She asked why we eared her, that doesn't sound like something your average thug would say. And….."

"What is it Skyler? There's nothing to be afraid of, we were never in any danger you know, Gabriel put up safeguards to protect us."

"No that's not it, when she looked at me, she seemed lost, like I was before you found me, lost in my own mind. And you must have felt the surge of power, and at the end, her eyes, they changed. They looked like a cat's eyes. I don't think she's normal, or even human. But I also want to help her. That man was treating her like a dog, literally she had a collar."

Skyler tried to describe her befuddled thoughts, she was afraid but she knew what it was like to believe what you were told and to be so far in your own mind that people could practically control you. She could recognise it in that girl, Rika, she didn't look much older than Skyler, and she couldn't just let her stay in the hopeless world Skyler had been saved from, could she?