Toris and Eduard were the first to gasp. Then came the rest of the cirque. This punishment was much too severe. Even Vash was taken aback. Raivis was just a kid-err-puppy; Alfred couldn't just toss him on the high road. Modern society didn't accept werewolves. Where would he go?
"That's not right, Alfred!" Matthew came up out of nowhere. "Please reconsider!"
"I have carried out my role, little brother; I will not reassess this crime."
"Alfred…"
Lili even spoke up. "M-mister Jones, please, th-that's too much! I-it's only a scratch." She showed her hand. "See? I-It stopped bleeding."
Cold blue eyes settled on her. Not a word was spoken but Lili back off and hid behind Vash as if the ringleader had just threatened her.
"Alfred, what are you doing?" Arthur and Francis came forward, confusion and anger shone in their eyes.
"Mon cher, why are you kicking poor petite Raivis to ze curb? Lili iz fine now."
"Yes. And you just admitted Ivan to help with his control, why not do the same with the unfortunate lad?"
Alfred's voice dripped with malice. "You're questioning your ringleader?"
Even his own father flinched. No one spoke.
Well not until Matthew opened his mouth. "The power's getting to your head, Al! Y-you're being rash, and rude, and you think you can do anything you please without suffering the consequences-…"
Suddenly Matthew collapsed, his accusing finger still was held out. His nose bled.
"Anyone else have anything to say?"
That wasn't Alfred. Ivan knew it. What happened to that wannabe punk? Who was this cold man? Was this yet another side of the ringleader?
"Good. Raivis. You have thirty minutes to pack up everything and leave-"
"We're going, too!"
Toris and Eduard stormed out to stand in front of their friend. The former kept his eyes on Alfred's chin but glared nonetheless. "W-we can't just leave Raivis alone like this. So…we're quitting!"
"Matthew's right…Maybe you shouldn't be ringleader." Eduard murmured. For humans the wind ate his words, but the wolves heard.
Raivis had changed back and was huddled naked in the snow. Toris draped his coat over the younger boy's shoulders. "C'mon, let's go." Blood dripped after the trio. Sobs and tears were carried away by the falling snow.
There was a tense minute until Alfred's punk side reared its head again. "Cool! They can have their house. We don't need to take it," he strutted away laughing as if he had cracked a joke. "Plus, it's beginning to snow again."
Slowly the carnies dispersed to their respective "houses" eager to get out of the cold. Ivan scooped up Matthew who was still down for the count. He was so much lighter than he looked.
Francis touched his son's cheek. "Mon pauvre bébé…take care of him."
"Da, I will." Ivan assured.
He was worried. Why had Matthew collapsed like that in mid-rant? Why had he started bleeding from his nose, too?
Matthew was tucked under his covers fully clothed. The damn heater didn't work and Ivan had accidentally left the door open when he dashed outside. The blood was easy to wash away and it didn't seem like it was going to start up again. As Ivan took off Matthew's shoes, the owner woke up.
"Eh?...Ah-AAAH!" Matthew jumped back, leaving Ivan quite confused.
"W-what's wrong, Matvey?"
"Y-y-y-you were u-u-undressing me!" his face was scarlet.
"No, I was only taking your shoes off." Ivan deadpanned but blushed a little.
"O-oh…"
"Hold your head back." The Russian instructed.
Matthew blinked in confusion. "Eh?"
Ivan pressed Matthew's chin upwards. "You're bleeding again." He fetched a paper towel.
"Thanks." The young man plugged both nostrils.
"Why did this happen to you, Matvey?"
Matthew sighed. His voice was a little lisped from the plugs, "As a ringleader, Alfred has a lot of power over us, but he's not an ordinary human. He's a bit of a wizard, too, from Arthur. He won't admit it, though. He just thinks it's his leadership skill that makes us to as told. Sometimes when he's really angry he causes people to just…drop. It doesn't happen often."
Ivan scowled. "Isn't there that rule? 'No one carnie may harm another carnie without punishment'? Why wasn't he punished? You bled, Matvey."
"No evidence. There needs to b-be physical evidence. Magic doesn't leave a visible trial, only the effect." Matthew blushed. Ivan cared about him. He was really upset to see the little carnie injured.
Ivan pouted childishly. "That's stupid."
"Oui…." Matthew looked towards the door of the trailer. "I wonder if Raivis is going to be alright…"
"His friends Eduard and Toris went with him."
"How nice. They're like brothers."
o0o0o0o
Raivis was happy to have Toris and Eduard with him now that he was banished from the cirque. He thought of them as his brothers even if they didn't share his sentiment. The three watched as the tail-lights of the last house was swallowed by the night. The truck their house was attached to purred lowdly breaking the nowy silence.
"What'll we do now?" Raivis asked in a small voice.
"Go back to the last city we passed, I suppose." Eduard said.
"I'm sorry that I got you kicked out, too," Raivis' eyes were wet again. "I didn't mean to scratch Lili."
Toris patted Raivis' messy blonde locks. "You didn't get us kicked out! We left voluntarily, remember?"
"Yeah, and it wasn't your fault. Tino once told me that controlling the wolf is very difficult. Berwald has practiced for years to get to where he is now." Eduard smiled softly.
Raivis was close to sobbing again. "Th-thank you, b-brothers,"
The other two looked away awkwardly.
"U-um … do you smell perfume?"
"Perfume?'
It's windy; we can't smell a thing-ACK!"
"EDUARD?!"
The Estonian young man gasped raggedly as a long elegant and restricted his airflow and a woman bit into his shoulder. Blood stained his coat in seconds. The woman's silvery bangs cast a shadow over her eyes, but they glowed in a steely grey-blue color evilly. Raivis screamed. She was the same woman who had bitten him.
Eduard collapsed to the snow. His eyes were huge in terror and his mouth was open in a silent, shocked cry. The woman raised her head and smiled.
Despite the gore and just seeing one of his closest friends being bitten, Toris was awestruck with her beauty. He couldn't move as she smashed Raivis down to lay next to Eduard.
"H-hi…" Toris breathed as the woman was within a foot of him.
She was so gorgeous. Her skin was flawless and pale, her lips were full and the blood on them looked like the best complementing lipstick. Her dress was dark blue, nearly black, with white lace. Two inch black high heel boots made her slender legs look oh so enticing. She was perfect in the chest area; not too small, nor too big. Small waist and great hips. The way her waist long hair shimmered in the night made her look other worldly or like some exotic queen.
"Hello, there." And her voice! Like angels singing chorused with tinkling bells. Toris just about melted. "Say. Would you like to serve me?"
"Y-Yes!"
"Good boy." Her arms coiled around his shoulders. Her lips touched the juncture where neck met shoulder. Toris shivered in pleasure. Then she sank her sharp teeth in into his skin. After a moment, she let him collapse at her feet. "You'll be perfect."
She had a plan for those three. She needed minions. Toris was already lovesick and he seemed like the leader of the trio.
"W-what's…your…name?" Toris asked.
The lady wolf glanced down her nose. Even if she only saw them as pawns, she gave him a seductive smile. "My name is Natalia."
….
Translations:
French: Mon pauvre bébé - my poor baby
Mon cher - my dear
