Hound could feel optics on him as he headed towards the business the day after the rather stressful day of realization of what had been done to him. He had a feeling that those optics probably belonged to Mirage. The vampire was following him, probably to ensure trouble didn't find him. And that Hound was properly bound and not going to spill the beans.

Not that he had any plans of doing so.

Hound just wanted things to go back to normal, when he hadn't been a reusable fuel resource for a hungry vampire.

But it wasn't like he could hop in a time machine and go back in time and scream at himself not to talk to Mirage.

Oh well.

Time to move on and forget about it.

Well, at least, until he got back home to the hungry vampire.

With a small sigh Hound unlocked the crystal sellers shop and began to mentally review what would need to be done today. He nearly froze when a voice spoke up behind him.

"What do you think you're doing, little morsel?"

Hound could feel his frame beginning to tense up in fear as he slowly turned to face the unknown mech that had been following him. Apparently, it hadn't been Mirage like he had suspected.

The mech standing behind him was much taller than him. He was obviously a truckformer of some kind and colored black and dark purple with glowing purple optics in his cruel and harsh faceplates.

He towered over Hound unnecessarily opticing him up and down with something akin to dark pleasure.

Hound took a small step back, considering if he could dart inside the shop to hide from this wild-looking mech.

The mech smirked darkly, revealing the sharpened point of one dental and also informing Hound that this was another vampire standing in front of him.

The other vampire started to say something more but was interrupted by a familiar voice, "Motormaster, get away from him!"

The dark vampire turned, and Hound was able to see Tracks standing behind him, a scowl clear on his faceplates. The dark vampire, Motormaster, just chuckled and said in a dark amused tone, "Then tell Mirage he shouldn't let his little morsel wander around alone. Who knows what might happen if I see him again?"

Hound shuddered at the dark tone and stepped further back into the shop, trying to hide from those darkly amused optics that were darting over his frame. A soft snarl came from Tracks as he spat out, "Leave him be! He has nothing to with your quarrels!"

Motormaster just let out another darkly amused chuckle at those words and purred, "Now, now, dear Tracks we both know that's a lie. Mirage made him part of this."

The soft growl that was coming from Tracks vocalizer turned into a deep snarl of pure anger. The dark vampire turned casually to face him again and purred out, "I'm certain I will see you soon, Tracks. And you, little morsel. . ."

He turned to face Hound again at those words, a smooth dark gleam clear in his purple optics, "If I were you, I would watch my back a little better. Who knows who might decide to have a little taste of you if you don't?"

Then the dark vampire walked away from them, leaving Hound nearly frozen in fear. His plating was beginning to quake as he followed the dark vampire with his optics until the creature disappeared around a corner.

A servo touching his shoulder plating made Hound jump back and turned alarmed optics to whoever had touched him.

Tracks had moved sometime while Hound was watching Motormaster disappear around a corner and was now looking at him with worried golden optics.

The blue and red vampire met his gaze and placed the servo back on his shoulder plating carefully as he began to gently push Hound deeper into his store, all the while saying, "Come. Let's get you somewhere safe so you can calm down a little."

It was then that Hound realized that his fans were running hard trying to calm down his quickly beating spark. He shuddered as the vampire gently pushed him into his office and then closed the door behind them.

Tracks gently began to help him into a chair and then settled into another one as he said, "Take a few deep intakes and try to relax, okay? He's gone and he's not coming back."

"Who. . ." Hound began, vocalizer shaking as he took a few deep intakes of air as he spark beat began to go back to normal. "Who was that?"

Tracks grimaced and said, "Motormaster. He's the leader of the only other vampire coven here in Iacon."

Hound wrapped his arms around himself as he struggled to calm down, "What. . . what did he want me for? Why did he do that?"

"He did that because he's a depraved glitch that likes scaring mechs," Tracks said flatly. "And I'd wager that he wants you because your Mirage's pet and he hates Mirage."

"Why, though?" Hound said, feeling something more than stress or fear building in him.

Tracks let out an annoyed grumble, "Coven politics. Mirage leads our coven and Motormaster leads our rival coven. Their rivals, and they have been fighting over Iacon ever since Motormaster arrived here after being chased out of Kaon with his coven. Your just another pawn Motormaster can use against Mirage."

Hound curled up in the chair and tried to calm down how hard his spark was racing at those words. He managed to waylay the fear for a moment and snap out, "I'm not a pawn!"

"Of course not," Tracks responded soothingly. "That's just what Motormaster thinks of you as."

Hound shivered and clamped his plating down on his protoform as he tried to calm down, "Why though? I haven't done anything against Motormaster. Pit, I didn't believe in this scrap until yesterday shoved it in my face plates!"

Tracks sighed, "It's not about you, Hound. For Motormaster it's all about starting a fight with Mirage. One that Motormaster thinks he can win. By attempting to hurt or turn you, he's pulling Mirage into a fight, one he thinks he can win."

"Why?" Hound said, confused slightly why he would draw Mirage into a fight with Motormaster.

Tracks shifted in his seat, "Your Mirage's pet, Hound. There's a deep relationship between pet and the vampire whose pet they are. Basically? If Motormaster tries or even succeeds in hurting you, Mirage has to attack him because you're under his protection."

Hound let out a sharp intake at that. He didn't exactly like being referred to or thought of as belonging to someone else, but if what Tracks was saying was true. . .

Then Hound was literally a weak link for Mirage. And that bothered him a little bit.

He said slowly, "Should we tell Mirage what happened?"

Tracks seemed to think about that for a moment before he responded, "No. If Mirage finds out that Motormaster was even close to laying a hand on you, all bets will be off, and he will challenge Motormaster. I or someone else in our coven will keep an optic on you for the time being when you are moving to and from your apartment. Whatever you do, do not let Motormaster draw you somewhere alone. Let us handle him."

Hound nodded slowly, inwardly wondering and worrying about what might happen if Motormaster did get him alone.

111111111111111

Tracks had left by the time Myst arrived. It was probably a good thing that Hound was usually early to work and Myst came in a little bit later than him. This way she hadn't seen what had happened this morning.

A part of Hound wondered how he was supposed to keep something like this from Myst but knew that Myst was a believer in the supernatural and would report anything he told her in confidence to the Priests at the Temple. And based on what Mirage had told him, they would have him killed too for being a vampire's pet.

But it was going to be hard not to tell Myst. They had been friends for a very long time and Hound had never kept anything from her.

Which was why he nearly jumped in surprise when she came in, took one look at him, and then demanded, "Alright, what's wrong?"

Hound stared at her blankly for a moment, trying to figure out something to say that would appease her, but not reveal what had happened to him. Finally, he just said, "Oh, some mech decided to try and jump me this morning. Luckily someone was in the area to stop him."

The look on Myst's face plate became angry as the light blue femme huffed out, "Should I call the Enforcers?"

Hound shook his helm, "Nah. Nothing was taken thanks to the mech who stepped in."

"Still," she said stiffly. "That thief can't be allowed to get away with this. What if he comes back?"

"Then we'll call the Enforcers," Hound said. "But I highly doubt he will. The mech that stopped him, Tracks, scared him off pretty good."

Myst shook her helm as one of their employees came in, "Just be more careful, alright?"

Hound let out a calm, friendly chuckle, "Don't worry, I will."

The employee, Chromedome, came up and quickly grabbed the package of orders that he had to complete today, giving them both a nod before heading for a table. Hound turned back to Myst, asking, "Who do we have working today?"

Myst responded, "Chromedome, Windcharger, Velocity, and Hot Rod have the morning shift today. Then Hot Rod gets off this afternoon and Thundercracker joins the others for the afternoon shift."

Hound narrowed his optics as Velocity and Windcharger arrived. Hot Rod was always late and that always got on his last nerves. He had been tempted several times to talk to Myst about firing him.

But Hot Rod was really good at his job so the pros of keeping him on as an employee always outweighed the cons of it.

Hound was already supervising the counter where Hot Rod was supposed to be working today when the younger mech practically flew into the shop, yelling as usual, "Sorry! I slept in again!"

Hound just rolled his optics and said, "Yes, and how many times have I heard that excuse Hot Rod?"

The young red, yellow, and orange flame-patterned mech started to say something but then stopped completely and just stared at him as if Hound had grown two helms or something since the last time, they'd seen each other.

Hound frowned at the young mech and said, sharply, "What are you looking at?"

Hot Rod's optic shutters flickered for a moment before he slowly responded, "Nothing. . . I'll get to work boss."

Hound took a step back and watched with raised optic ridges as the young mech quietly stepped behind the counter, without looking at him or meeting his optics.

Hot Rod looked a touch disturbed as if he had seen something frightening and didn't know how to talk about it.

Hound stared at the young mech for a moment longer before letting out an annoyed sigh and turning back to the back where the crystal arrangements were being made.

He tried not to dwell on whatever was wrong with Hot Rod as he disappeared into the back.

1111111111111111

Hound was a little worried as he closed the shop for the day, alone, except for Thundercracker who was looking a little distant and tired today. He wasn't looking forward to walking back to his apartment by himself after what had happened this morning.

Especially since he could sense optics on him, at least more than one pair.

He locked the front door and turned to face Thundercracker with a small smile, "Good work today. Take care."

Thundercracker gave him a short nod and said, "You as well, Hound."

Hound watched the blue and red Seeker walk off and disappear behind a corner towards his own home.

Hound took a shuddering intake of air and turned to head back towards his own home, trying not to think about Motormaster and whoever was watching him. Trying to ignore those optics on him was difficult.

They seemed to bore into him and even though he couldn't see where they were, his entire frame was tense and twitching slightly.

Hound twisted to the side out of the way as someone landed right in front of him from above.

The mech immediately bounced up and held out his servos, murmuring, "Easy, it's just me."

Hound almost immediately started to relax as Tracks stepped out in front of him and added softly, "Come on. I'm going to escort you back home."

"W-why?" Hound questioned, a little confused.

Tracks grimaced, "Because, Motormaster's entire coven is watching you. And if one of us isn't with you, they will attack."