^CRIMSON^
Two minutes after he'd collapsed on the welcome mat, she was there. Standing in the doorway, in a ratty pink robe, her hair a mess and sleep in her eyes. Reaching down and picking him up as if he weighted nothing at all. Laying his bleeding and broken form on the brand new couch. Taking out the bullets, bandaging his wounds. She didn't scream, didn't quiver, didn't even flinch when the convulsions started and he'd started Shifting out of control, in and out of forms. She just sat there, holding his paw, his hand, his paw, then his hand, then his paw. No fear in her eyes; only kindness and understanding. Wiping his brow, speaking in a soft voice.
"Shhhh. It's okay. You're okay. Everything's okay."
The memory flashed through Rodney's mind as he watched the girl he loved fall to the ground with the mortal wound he'd given her. As she lay there, those wide pink eyes staring up at him. As he repeatedly bit her, desprate to see what he needed to see, as her blood rushed into his mouth and stained his lips.
And finally, as he ran.
'She wus sup-posed' ta' 'eal!' he screamed silently, running faster than he'd ever run in his life through the dark forest. It was common knowledge among his kind: Marking one's mate. It was as simple as a small celebration, a body of water, and then finally "marking" your Destined, who was supposed to immediantly heal.
'But she din't!' Rodney roared in agony. His paws slapped against the Earth as he raced through the trees in a blind speed. Before he knew it, he was back at the house. He Shifted skins, his mind on auto-pilot. He opened the front door and stumbled inside, the door shutting softly behind him. After a minute of standing in the dark, he placed his hand to the wall and felt around for the light switch.
Click
The room flooded with light. Brick floated cenitmeters away, his hand on the light switch.
"Where. Is she!"
The stood like that for the longest time, nose to nose, in deafining silence. Eventually, Rodney pushed past Brick.
"Shut up, freak." Rodney muttered, his face completely blank as he started to walk away. He hadn't gone two steps before Brick grabbed him by his neck and slammed him into the door. His head bounced hard against the wooden door, but his face remained blank. Without a word, he slowly removed Brick's hands and slipped away. Brick just floated there, staring at the place where Rodney had been. Rodney was making his way up the stairs when Brick started to laugh. Rodney whipped his head towards the sudden burst of meniacal laughter. Still laughing, Brick pulled out a small vial from the pocket of the baggy jeans he wore. Rodney stiffened at the sight of it. In a flash, Brick was on the stairs, three steps above him.
"Don't look so surprised, mut." Brick said, tossing the vial to Rodney. "You're not the first person whose ever tried to drug me."
Rodney said nothing. He turned his back to Brick and started back down the stairs. He was 5 steps down when Brick spoke again, stopping him dead in his tracks.
"Whas'a matter, kitty cat?" Brick said in a sweet voice, a cruel smile on his lips. "She turn you down?"
Rodney whipped around and lunged for Brick. They fell through the banister and crashed against the floor. Rodney landed gracefully on all fours, his claws clicking against the hard-wood floor. Brick, who'd landed on his back, groaned and started to sit up. Rodney raced foreward and pounced on the hated man, his claws ripping through the long gray wife-beater Brick wore.
"Et' can't be you!" he screetched, punching snd slashing wildly at his foe. His eyes burned with hate and jealousy as he tore through Brick's skin over and over again. Blood flew everywhere, like confette, until finally Rodney wrapped his claws around Brick's neck, bringing them face to face. Brick's face was slashed, gashed, and bloody, his mouth slightly open and his eyes closed. Rodney snarled with bloodlust. "Ah'd kill mah-self 'fore I let any bloody filth lih'k you 'ave 'er!"
"Well, that's just the thing, kitty cat," Brick coughed and slowly turned his head towards the mutant. Rodney's eyes widened in disbelief as the wounds on Brick's face mended and closed and the bruises faded away.
"You don't have to!"
Brick raised his legs from beneath Rodney and kicked him. Rodney went flying into the air and slammed against the ceiling. Right as he was starting to fall, Brick flew up and caught him in the lower gut. Brick grabbed Rodney's hand and crushed the bones there in mere seconds. Rodney cried out, kicking his legs up towards the red menace. Brick slid his hand to Rodney's upper arm and twisted the limb to an odd angle, twisting it and kneeing Rodney in the face until he heard the definate crack and blood gushed out of Rodney's mouth. Rodney spit out a tooth, his breathing hard. Brick squeezed Rodney's broken arm and flung him to the wall. The mutant went straight through, and landed with a sicking crunch against the grass.
The sky was dark and rain was starting to fall. Rodney weased out quick breaths and started to close his eyes, waiting to feel the cool rain caress his battered form. Instead, he saw a red fire bloom inches from his face. Brick stood over him, internally struggling with the need to kill the bastered lying at his feet. He took a deep breath, and brought his hand closer to the mutant's face. Rodney let out a hoarse scream as Brick ripped out his lip ring. Tossing it into his other hand, Brick twirled the silver ring around his finger, his face composed in a frightening calm and alluminated by the glow of his flame.
"I'll say it one more time: Where is she?"
