Queen of Venom

Chapter 4

"What! Those prices are ludicrous!" The junkie growled, and the trench-coated figure shrugged, "$125 for just a few ounces of Venom…!"

"Hey, the price of each hit has sky-rocketed. I'm still dirt cheap. Everwhere else you go, it'll be 200 for a single ounce, I'm giving you 5 for 125. That's 50 an ounce. I have a family to support, ok?" The Dealer said, "So are you going to buy some, or not? I have stuff to do." The customer hesitated, before giving over their money, taking their fix, and leaving. The dealer double checked to make sure he hadn't been ripped off, "Ah- hey, customer, wait up." The junkie turned around, and the dealer handed back some money, "You gave me too much. Here's your change."

"You're one of the most decent Venom Dealers I've ever met." The Junkie told the dealer, before running off. The dealer stashed the money,

"Yeah, yeah- time to hit up Ikea." The Dealer whistled, checking their watch, "Oh, shit, if I don't leave now, she'll get back home before I do." The Dealer said, running off himself.

~O~O~O~

"Swamp Daddy, you're pulling too hard!" Lily whined, Croc on the other end on a studded leash of twisted wire and spikes. "The spikes are digging into my skin, Swamp Daddy, calm down!" Croc stopped, but because he was running along the alleys so fast, when he stopped, she fell over him and they tumbled to the ground. "Hn-" Lilly murmured, waking up- the leash tying Croc and lily together. "Oh, darn it! Please try to go slower next time, Swamp Daddy…(we talked about this, too…)." Lilly asked, and Croc growled, seeing a cat. Unfortunately, his limbs were pinned to his sides from the barbwire leash, and he could only growl and hiss at the cat.

"Let's focus on getting apart first, ok?" Lily asked, and Croc looked at her, ignoring the cat, "Ok, let's see- Roll onto your back." He obeyed, and the leash was loosened. After a few more agonizingly painful minutes, they were untangled, and she stood up. "Ok, ok, I'll let you off the leash, but don't get caught now." She told him gently, un hooking the leash form his collar, and he looked up at her. "I'll go to the pet store and get you some treats- or do you want something else?"

"Collar." Croc growled, and she smiled, touching the sharp wire one he had,

"Ok. I'll get you a bigger, softer collar. Do you want your name on it?" He nodded. "Ok. Behave, now, Swamp Daddy- take the leash back to the Garden, before you go and play, ok?" He took the leash from her hands, "Bye now." Croc crawled away, before looking back at her, "Go play." He turned and ran after the cat he'd seen earlier.

Lily walked to the main street and followed it down, checking every pet store she came across for a collar big enough for Croc to move and eat comfortably in, before coming to the Gotham Pet Depot. She walked to a sales associate, "Hi- I have a very, VERY big dog, and he needs a collar- what's the biggest you've got?" The employee smiled and showed her to the dog section, leaving her to stare at a 10" diameter collar of soft leather, that could be easily expanded to 15". She looked at it- it was a bit heavy. Maybe- Bane would like it if she got him one too?

His collar- the one he was wearing, she could easily bolt to a newer collar, and it could have a little tag on it too. Well, Bane wasn't really a tag person. She grabbed the big collar in a black color, and a smaller one for bane in black too, before going to the tag maker. "Those are some big collars. You must have some very healthy dogs." Someone said, and Lily sighed,

"Or a couple of weirdo relatives." She responded, looking over- no one was in the store. "…How strange. I just saw people not too long ago." Lily murmured to herself, before looking forward and letting out a yelp, stepping back. A thin, ghostly pale man in a pinstrip purple suit with green hair, leaned against the tag making machine, as it wrote out the tag for Croc's collar. "Oh, you startled me, sir. I'm sorry." She said, and the man grinned toothily.

"Sorry, my dear." The man said, side stepping as the tag finished and she smiled thankfully, "I think I've seen you around a few times." They said, their voice a dark, edge tone with mockery hidden in ever extra cranny int heir words. She took the tag and smiled at it,

"I can't say I've seen you before, sir." She told him, walking to the cash register, the cashier hiding under the counter, "Excuse me, I need some help." He stood up and forced the biggest smile,a nd helped her,

"Coy, aren't we? Good sir, make sure her purchases are… on the house." The man grinned, his back to the cashier- the remote device to a bomb, in his right hand that was tucked behind his back and out of Lily's view. "Saaaaayyy- how's about we have a night on the town? You, me, and a carnival? I'm a smooth talker, I hope you know." She smiled at him, the cashier bagging her things,

"I only like men, who can talk me out of my panties in one try, Mr. Smooth Talker." She smiled, waving to him, "Bye-Bye." The man followed her, grinning,

"They call me 'The Joker', because I'm quite…fun." The man said, and Lily mentally groaned. Maybe- she shouldn't have played coy- next time, she'll blow him off harder. She put her fingers to her lips, and whistled, as she walked, "Calling a cab? How about we take my car?" He asked, sliding his left hand under her right hand, and redirecting her to a purple Cadillac in the parking lot. Suddenly, the wirey man was thrown to the ground, far away from her.

Croc growled, giving a crocodilian roar at the man, as he crouched in front of Lily. "What in the hell?" Croc roared louder, as Lily stood there,

"I'm sorry, I like to choose who I date. Come on, Swamp Daddy, let's go home, leave him be. I'm sorry for the trouble, sir." Lily said, pulling on Croc's collar in the directing she was leaving, "Swamp Daddy, we're going," The Joker got back to his feet, and Croc tried to lunch for him, the grasp on his collar holding him back, but he lashed his claws out at the joker and spat angrily all the while. "Swamp Daddy!" She said sternly, and he flinched, before picking her up and running off like a frill lizard.

He set her down when they got to the front doors of the Garden, and he pushed open the doors, letting her in, before locking them behind her. Croc sat down and she pulled the big collar out, putting the little tag on it, before wrapping it around his neck. She latched it, and Croc sat up, puffing his chest out abruptly to show it off, and the tag tinkled against his armored body. Lily smiled, and heard a match light, whipping around to see Bane lighting some candles. "Bane?"

"Yeah?" Bane asked, and she gestured to the brand new table, sitting in the kitchen, along with some other things.

"What's going on here?" Lily asked, and Bane looked around at the new furnishings of a legit table, cabinets, and a little pantry, before looking at Lily.

"I have a little bit of extra cash, so, I got a table and make everything look nicer, since Batman seems to take a liking to dropping in." Bane said, blowing the candle out, "I got some candles and food too."

"Oh, well, I got you a new collar. I could take the one you have now and attach it to this one I got for you, if you like. By the way, I think you guys should go out from now on, everyone I meet tries to ask me out and rape me." Lily said bluntly, and Bane grunted,

"That would be the best idea. I was thinking some type of gothic Victorian style furnishings next." Bane said, taking off his collar and handing it to her, "I furnished your little rain watching room- just a little, but, I hope you like it." Lily frowned, "Just go look at it before you judge." Bane told her, Croc running around, the jingling of his tag becoming a quick annoyance. Lily picked up her skirt, and Croc darted over, opening the heavy door for her since it was too thick for her to open.

2" of pure steel, was what the door was made out of, a little slit in it for viewing, but all you would see is the staircase. The room was more of a panic room than a normal little room- a thick lock on the other side of the door. If you wanted to be locked in, you'd have to slide the 5 pound slate from the door, sideways, into the wall.

Lily gasped, the room held a little futon, Bane behind her, as she looked around. There was a 6" tall, circular mattress, in the middle of the little room, wrapped in a comfy fur. "The futon pulls out to another bed." Bane told her, and she hugged him,

"You didn't have to, but thank you." She told him, and he nodded, "Come on- I'll whip up some dinner for you boys." Lily said, patting his chest where the button didn't rest, before leaving the room with Bane behind her.

~O~O~O~

Batman slowly looked all around the city from upon a rooftop. The girl was no where within bat-sight. This was depressing. He'd looked all around an didn't seem to see her. Just workers, putting up solar panels on the rooftops and new windmills being built. Maybe he should check up on his main lead- Bane and Killer Croc. Obviously they were hiding something.

Batman took his secret path to the underground Garden that was once Poison Ivy's, rain falling down upon the city with heavy pitter-patter. He pounded on the door- every way in locked. The door was opened by Bane, "Oh, it's you." Bane said with irritation,

"I just want to talk." Batman said, hands up in surrender, Bane glancing backwards before looking back at Batman.

"…We're having dinner." Bane said, "You- have to take off your cape." Bane told him and Batman took off his hood and cape, entering the Garden, Bane shutting the door. "Do you want something to eat, since you're here?" Croc was watering the plants, looking over at Batman, before clicking his continue and going back o watering.

"I already ate." Batman said, and Croc growled at Bane.

"Don't worry, I picked everything up." Bane told Croc, who nodded and continued. "Last time you were here, you found my- intimates- I tucked them away. That was embarrassing to say the least." Bane said, cutting the meal of a turkey, drenched in mouth-watering sweet and sour sauce, into 3 portions. Croc ran over and sat down at the table eagerly, as Bane set a plate for Bruce anyways. "Help yourself." Bane said.

Batman looked around the room, what wasn't covered in deep, peacock green-colored creeping vines, was thick dark grey walls with some spaces between the stones. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary Aside from a crocodile and a venom junkie living together in a garden of flowers. Stupid homosexuals. He cut up a small piece of turket form the portion he was givena nd ate it. His mind went blank in surprise. "You made this?" He asked Bane, who looked at him silently,

"…Yes. I made it with love and a family recipe." Bane told Bruce, the other two eating their own portions happily. Bruce helped himself, and when they were finished, Croc went off to collect some nectar- from the flowers- for dessert.

"So, who was that girl at the hotel, Bane?" Bruce asked, and Bane looke dover.

"Hm? Oh, that girl. I don't know. I saw her cowering in the hotel, she must have been a homeless girl or something. I thought she didn't need to be involved, considering the fact I was just savaging around for building utensils. To keep the vines of the flowers straight." Bane told him, and Bruce nodded, "Do you know her?"

"Hm? No, I don't, but I've seen her around more after I fought you at the hotel." Bruce admitted,

"Well, it takes a while for Croc to harvest the nectar, but I'd rather you not come here again, Bruce." Bane said bluntly, "I like my peace alone with Croc, right Croc?" Croc looked over, "We like our privacy?" Croc growled,

"Yessss…No interruptions." Croc said, going back to what he was doing.

"What if we were having sex if you came by? That would be awkward and unlucky for you." Bane said to Bruce, who got a mental image. He grabbed his cape and pulled it on, leaving.

"Well, I'll be leaving. Thanks for the meal." Bruce said, leaving, Bane locking the door behind him. Bane went to the door to the little rin watching room, and walked up the stairs, Lily laying on the bed. She sat up while he came up the stairs,

"Is everything ok?" She asked with concern, and he stood at the top of the stairs.

"Batman came…he…ate your portion of tonight's meal…It was good though." Bane said, and Lily sighed, then smiled forgivingly.

"It's ok. I'll find something else to eat." Lily said, standing up, "Is he gone?" Bane nodded,

"I told him that Croc and I like our privacy and what would have happened if he had come while we were having sex." Bane reported, and she nodded, trying to walk past him, "Whoa, whoa, whoa." Bane said, right hand out, Lily walking right into his hand and he pulled her over, the hand on her lower back. "You're not mad?"

"Why should I be mad? Its not like I haven't been denied a meal before. Besides, I'm happy my cooking is liked." Lily said, reaching up and holding Bane's face between her hands, "Let it go." She said, smiling, before continuing to walk off. As she went into the Garden, bane yelled,

"Croc, drop the flower nectar and get Lily!" Bane yelled, and croc set the bucket down, lifting her up into the air. "Since you caught her, you can help yourself." Bae said, and Croc slowly slid his tongue up her neck, Lily quivering over him, "You see that expression she's making? It's making her feel good." Bane told him, Lily struggling in Croc's hold, "Have fun with dessert."

"B-Bane, you're being mean." Lily said, Bane blinking, "You- should give dessert to everyone present." She blushed, "Not just picking the people you like…" She said, "Put me down Croc." Croc did so, and she went back to her rain watching room. The two followed to the door, as they watched her sit down. "…I'm tired." She admitted, laying down,

"You're probably just hungry." Bane said, "We'll get you some food." Lily laid there, gripping her chest, panting lightly. Pain wrapped around her body, but it captured her screams and kept them to feed it's own greed. Why? Why did it hurt so badly?

"Croc…" Lily called weakly, Croc coming up, peeking at her, "The window. Open it. Please." Lily groaned, and Croc went over to the window, opening it, letting the rain in. He laid next to the center mattress, "It feels nice." She said quietly, closing her eyes as Bane came in, "I'm in pain. I can't move."

"Again?" Bane questioned, setting the food down, as Lily laid there.

"I need to go to a hospital…maybe a lab of some sorts. I think my body is rejecting Ivy's blood." Lily murmured. "I'm sorry, but could you just…lay with me tonight?" Croc got on the bed and laid his head on her chest., Bane laying his forehead on her shoulder. She sighed, "Sorry, I just won't feel well." Bane relaxed, Croc growling happily.

"We'll find someplace to take you that's secluded from Batman to get you a physical." Bane said, Lily petting Croc with her left hand, Bane holding her right. She smiled, "I'll find someplace…"He said quietly, slowly falling asleep.

"I know of someone who can help…but she'll need persuasion." Lily said, Bane nodding gently, even Croc was slowly falling asleep. "Croc, help me up," Croc yawned and got off the bed, helping her sit up, and she forced herself to eat, despite the pain of swallowing and chewing. She even shared it with Bane and Croc, before lying back down, the two getting comfortable again. Croc tucked his arm under her head to use as a pillow and bane pulled a blanket over them.

"You two are so helpful." Lily said quietly, kissing Bane on the head, tilting Croc's head up and kissing him on his snout. Croc purred and laid his head back down, tucking his feet under hers, Lily shivering. "Your feet are freezing, Croc…" He only purred in response. The room was cold and warm at the same time, and a vines kept the window open only a crack, small venus fly traps waking up on the limbs to keep bugs out.

They cuddles closer to her, and she slowly drifted off to sleep with them, wondering if she was going to die soon from her reaction to Ivy's blood. If she did die, in her sleep, then she could say she was moderately happy when she did so. Despite the pain that wrapped around her spine like a clingy lover, she laid still as stone. Bane was a little cold, Croc was far colder, but they warmed her. These big puppy dogs, warmed her.