Author's Note: Went and saw IT. Again. For the third time. And I am now starting to watch Hemlocks Grove. I am hooked on Skasgard! I think he is extremely talented. And sexy. ;3 That being said, I do not own anything apart of the ITdom. I only own Amanda since she is in essence myself. Enjoy!

Kehlani - Gangsta

10

Lesson One: Probbing of Minds

Amanda stood beside Pennywise in all his Clown glory. It was a slightly odd sight to see a petite woman of five foot one next to a nearly seven foot tall, sinister looking clown. What was even stranger was that they were holding hands. The fingertips intertwined. He had taken some of her clothes from her house as well as other essentials she might need. Like her laptop. She still had stories to write after all.

She had dressed herself in form hugging black leggings and a simple grey sweatshirt and running shoes. She had not decided if she was going to assume a particular image for hunting her prey. She supposed it would be easier to gain trust in order to break it down to rip out their fears. For now, she had to learn to seek out that fear in the minds of others. She had already proven a powerful telepathic ability by communicating with him so easily in his thoughts. If she could sense his emotions that quickly, the rest should certainly prove no challenge for her.

Are you ready? He inquired, tilting his head in her direction briefly. His yellow eyes roaming over her face with an expression that was both proud and loving before it darkened to that sinister look he got when hunting prey. Would he go back to feeding off of children or had his tastes changed? Something that he would have to find out and soon. They were both going to need all the strength and energy they could gather if this Cult was going to keep coming for them. He would not be able to protect her constantly as much as he might want to. He thought it best if he taught her all he knew so that she would be able to take care of herself. Briefly, his fingers tightened their hold on hers and he brought her hand up to his mouth, placing a chaste kiss against the back of her knuckles.

Yes. She replied within his thoughts, a bold of desire tingling down her spine when his lips came in contact with her skin. She heard him breath in and growl. If they kept this up, there would be no lessons. With a snort, she shoved the large clown playfully away from her who gave an amused chuckle.

"Don't distract me, Pennywise. It wouldn't be very productive."

"Oh, it would be very productive, just not in what we came out here to accomplish." He replied with a grin. He took a hold of her hand once more and spun her in a graceful move that would have made the most accomplished of dancers jealous. He placed her in front of him, her back to his chest. His left gloved hand settled on her left hip while the other instinctively and lazily drifted over the mark on the inside of her right thigh that they both knew was just beneath the material of her leggings.

"Now, in order to probe one's mind, you must be open." He whispered against her left ear, lips just barely brushing over the lobe. He leaned forward, breathing in the scent of her that beat strong against the pulse of her neck. "You must clear your mind of all other thoughts, including your own. " His lips shifted down from her ear and over that throbbing pulse. "Close your eyes, Preciousss."

Amanda took a deep breath, hoping to calm her heart and her mind of the racing that his close proximity seemed to invoke in her. After a few moments, she barely felt the scalding brush of his lips, or the searing brand of his hands. She pushed aside any distraction, forcing any thoughts that she had stored, out of her head. That was when she felt it, the first tug of a mind that was most certainly not her own.

Why was I even elected to come to this shit hole of a town?

The question came in the form of a man. A dark figure that was currently making his way down the rain drenched streets, hunched in on himself against the cold pelts of rain. It didn't show any signs of letting up and had started sometime the day before. Would this be another flood like it had back in the fifties? He certainly hoped not. The Cult would have to keep their eye on the weather patterns here.

"He's part of the Cult." She whispered softly, her gaze snapping open. "However, he did not come alone. There are five others." Already, her mind was automatically shuffling through this man's, zeroing in on his fears. A grin of pride passed across Pennywise before he tilted his head faintly to one side.

"A trap?" He crooned, brushing his lips lightly across her temple.

"More than likely. It seems as though he is purposely shifting his thoughts, using them like pawns on a chess board."

"Then perhaps we should stay a step ahead of the game."

She turned to glance over her shoulder at him. "What do you purpose?"

"Still willing to be bait, Preciousss?"

She arched a brow, silently wondering why he was now agreeing to such a thing when he had vehemently been against it the first time.

"You are stronger now. These six pose no real danger to us. They are merely a scouting unit, sent to report back their findings, nothing more. I think they would make good additions to our throne."

Amanda nodded once. Already she could feel the tell-tale burn in her veins. There was a sound like snapping twigs at the bones within her body began to shift, contoring to accomidate a new form. Her height grew until she was nearly eye level with Pennywise. A deep howl arose from her throat as her face lengthened.

The Clown laughed with glee, a nearly manic sound of delight as he glimpsed the large female Werewolf that stood in front of him. He practically danced in place, clapping with sadastic amusement. She hadn't needed his help on her first Shift. It pleased him to know that she was as strong as he had hoped she would be. She was damn near close to his power level and with more practice she would be his equal.

"Absolutely lovely, Preciousss. Shall we play with Nicholas?" He offered with a gentlemanly sweep of his arm and an elegant bow.

Nicholas hated the rain. He hated practically everything about this God forsaken New England town. He missed the nearly oppressive heat of the south. He had grown up in bayou country. Creole was in his blood. This was damn near freezing rain, something he was most certainly not used to. He still didn't understand why Sterling had sent him here. Especially with the five other goons that were all brawn and no brains. There were hardly a dozen brain cells split between the five jocks. He supposed they were more for muscle than anything else.

As he walked, he kept his head down against the driving, cold rain. His hands were stuffed deep into the pockets of his coat, collar turned up like an old fashioned gangster. A noise to his right caught his attention. He stopped moving and shifted his gaze towards the trees that lined the side of the road near the Barrens. He began to brush it off as the rain shifted tree branches but when there was a loud crack and a snap, the hairs on the back of his neck stood to attention. A low, rumbling growl only made it worse and he knew that he wasn't alone. He immediately turned around and almost screamed as he came nearly face to face with a large, lanky and creepy looking clown.

"Hello, Nicholas. Would you like a balloon?" It asked in a child-like voice. It's eyes were a very eerie shade of yellow, the left eye just slightly off kilter. In it's white gloved hands, it held nearly two dozen red balloons that barely moved, even with the increasing whip of the wind. It was as if nature itself didn't phase them.

"W-who are you?" He inquired, taking a small step back.

"Why, I am Pennywise the Dancing Clown. Nicholas meet Pennywise, Pennywise meet Nicholas. Yes." When it looked as though the man was ready to bolt, the clown stopped him. "I wouldn't run if I were you. She so does love a chase."

"She?" Nicholas asked, momentarily confused but that was soon sedated as he felt hot acrid breath beating against the back of his neck. His fear spiked. Something large stood behind him, if the indication of where that breath hit was any hint. Slowly, he turned away from the Clown to face whatever it was that stood behind him. For a moment, he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. He thought that perhaps he had fallen asleep somewhere and was stuck in a nightmareish dreamscape. But now, the creature that stood before him was very real. It towered over him by a good six inches, standing on two legs that were bent at the wrong angle. It was a black as the shadows that surrounded it, but he could see the defination of muscle and coarse fur that covered it. Large limbs were tipped in lethal claws that could render flesh to ribbons. It's muzzle was open, barely able to contain an array of large sharp teeth that appeared as if it could easily crush bone in a single bite. It's eyes were black, but ringed with a thin circle of red.

"W-ha-wha-t..."

"W-ha-wha-t.." Pennywise taunted, manic laughter following as he danced around Nicholas with glee. "That is my most Preciousss." He hissed, leaning down as he circled Nicholas so that his mouth was close to the other man's ear. "And she is mighty hungry."

With a shout the man launched himself away from the strange duo. He slipped in the rain and landed square on his backside. He back peddled, crab walking on his hands in his haste to put as much distance between himself and them as quickly as possible. He didn't get very far before "she" tipped forward onto all fours, a vicious snarl rumbling from thin black lips as drool dripped down it's chin to join the rain flooding the ground. This creature resembled a Werewolf, but it's wasn't. This was a Hellhound, Nicholas was almost certain of it. And the Clown was the Devil himself.

"Preciousss." Was all the Clown said. Then, without warning, the large beast launched itself at the man.

Screams echoed through the oppressive silence of Derry and although it's citizens heard them, they paid them no heed as they continued about their lives as if nothing had happened at all.