Between the stifling stillness of the room he just entered and the heart-wrenching imagery that surrounded him. Photographs doctored the walls. Moxie and Millie's face staring back at him. Blitzo's face was scratched out of every single one of them. Loona and Blitz, adoption day. Striker stopped, his breath hitched in his throat, his eyes locked on a picture he had taken back on Joe and Lin's farm of them, Blitz was happily swinging on the Gates while Bombproof stood right beside the city imp, nose deep in hog innards.
Blitzo had looked so happy and carefree. Farm life truly suited the city imp in Striker's opinion, and with the money he was going to get for the assassination of Stolas, he could buy Blitzo The horse ranch of his dreams. He wanted to surprise Blitz with the see his face scratched out with such vicious hatred ignited a deep fury within the snake-like imp.
He swallows thickly, turning on the fireplace and making a nest of pillows and blankets. Blitzo was notorious for being a deep sleeper.
Ice settled in the pit of his stomach as he came around. Lifting Blitz up off the couch, he began shaking him.
The Outlaw had been with Stella and Octavia, securing the perfect vantage point and setting up the final showdown.
He never thought Blitz would go this far. Never thought Verosika and Fizzorolli would be so relentless in flaying the scarlet imp.
He just wanted him out of the way. His plans got waylaid once he got a disturbing phone call.
He recalled the sound of his mate's broken voice setting off many alarms. Stella sends him a scolding glare as Striker focus on his voice.
"you were right Cowboy, I can't do this on my own, but that's all I'll ever be is alone... I just want to let you know I love you... you were the only one who tried to open my eyes, I was just too blind to see, I wish I could've been a better mate to you..."Stella's eyes widened once Striker mounted Bombproof. "Don't you worry, ma'am, your husband is living on borrowed time. Something has come up, and I'll return shortly to finish my end of the bargain. Just remember yours.'
The Cowboy Mercenary kicked in the door to their Three bedroom apartment. Serpentine eyes search the room. His heart pounding, his stomach churning with dread, he couldn't shake this feeling of overwhelming-sorrow from his mind.
"Blitzy,I'm home darlin wake up."
"Sugar-cube,can you hear me?" he calls.
"Blitz!Answer me! Boss-man," Striker whispered, his body trembling as fear courses through his veins. Blitzo remained unresponsive. Striker swallows thickly, his heart thudding heavily in his chest as he lights the fireplace and begins making a nest. Pulling pillows and blankets out of the closest. "Please,Lucifer let him be asleep," whispers Striker.
The Gunslinger licked his lips before kneeling of Blitzo. He never thought Blitz would go this far, never thought Verosika andFizzorolli would've been so relentless in flaying open the scarlet imp.
He just wanted him out of the way- but not like this-
He'd deal with the other two later he promises himself.
"Don't you dare! Do this to me! Striker growls, cupping Blitzo's head, his eyes dart over his listless form, searching forany signs of life.
"Don't you leave me, darlin, not this way"
"I'll fucking kill him, I'll kill them all,"... he thought,his gaze falling upon the still form of his mate.
Blitzo's phone had fallen to the ground.
There was a bottle of pills clutched in his hand, another on the floor.
Striker snatched them, staring at the bottle.
He flings it across the room, "No- no, no, Blitzy! he shouts, your not getting off that easy sugar"
"What were you thinking Blitz?" He cries, dragging him down,through a narrow corridor that split off into three separate roomsand into the bathroom.
His hands shake as he turns on the dim lights, his eyes begin to water ashe turns on the faucet. The country imp pulls Blitzo in the tub withhim as the gushing waters pelt them from above. Lightly slapping hisface trying to stir the scarlet devil.
"Comeback to me, fuck them all, and just come back to me!."
"Blitz do you hear me!"
The Cowboy opened Blitzo's mouth, sticking his trembling fingers-inside his mouth and down his throat.
"Come-on, come on," he grits, resting his forehead against theback of his mate's head as tears stream down his face as he continues to try to get Blitz to vomit.
Biting back the sorrow as Blitzo's voice resonates in his head.
"Maybe the world would be better off without me in it, - I tend to ruin-anything I touch."
"I'll-ruin you too."
"Cold,Striker barely registered it caught up in segments of Blitzo's last voicemail. Blitzo's skin was like ice. Striker scrambles, pressingBlitz up against his chest calling his name, his voice cracking.
"Blitz!I need you!"
"No!-your wrong, Blitz, - , just breathe- Come on Blitzy for me!"
"not like this, anything but this" Striker cried clutching Blitz to his chest.
The Outlaw held Blitz. Throughout the long and lonely night. Biting back tears of frustration, the searing pain that claws at his chestripping right through him leaves him numb.
As water continues to pelt them from above. The Mercenary growls upon hearing the insistent ringing of both cellphones.
His claws dig into Blitzo's bare shoulders. With shaking fingers, he shoves two of them down Blitzo's throat.
"Come-on, Boss-man, don't let me down darlin I know your in there, Blitzy."
With a sudden jolt, amber eyes shot open as Blitz began choking. He could feel the bile rise from within his stomach. As tears sprang to his eyes, he was gagging on Striker's fingers. The Gunslinger could feel his rapid heartbeat staggered back to life. Blitz lurched forward, heaving painfully; Striker was holding him steady, rubbinghis back as he puked up his guts.
"Atta boy, Striker whispers into his ear as he heaves, licking his lip grimacing at the sour taste. Striker buries his face in the crook of Blitzo's neck, inhaling his scent.
Continued to convulse till his body gave out and slumped into Striker's embrace. The Gunslinger could feel Blitzo tense upon hearing his irate rattling;mixed in with his mate's sweet scent was the roiling stench of an owl.
Blitzo closes his eyes against the pain, blinking past a splintering headache that pounded mercilessly at the back of his head.
He groans as Striker's tail wraps around his waist.
He moans painfully as his stomach violently churns against him. His eyes were dim, sore, and achy with tiredness to them. Resounding fatigue settles into his bones as his diaphragm spammed with anxiety.
Fiery eyes glowed through the darkness, feeling his mate quaking with furyand relief. Blitz bit his lip as Striker wraps his arm around hiswaist.
Striker buries his face into Blitzo's neck, teeth piercing Blitzo's skin. as he pushes Blitz up against the wall. Snarling his name as guiltwells up inside the fire imp as he licks his dry and cracked lips.
Nothing made sense; he was alive!- but how? he could've sword he had taken enough painkillers to do the job.
His breath hitches as Striker traps him, wedging his knee between his legs.
In blind desperation, he had managed one single phone call.
Too bad he didn't pick up; Blitzo's mind was in a thick, dense fog, his tongue felt scratchy with a lingering bitterness.
Blitzo's voice is raw and hoarse as he attempts to speak. Only to be silenced by a pair of bruising lips crashing onto his in a hasty, sloppy kiss. Fear-slowly dissipates as Striker wipes tears from Blitzo's eyes. The Gunslinger sweeps him up into his arms. His eyes were bright with unshed tears.
The scarlet imp is at a loss for words looking down, ashamed of his actions. Blitz waits for the scathing remarks or the backhanded comments, or the laughing ridicule.
None came, to Blitzo's surprise burying his head into Striker's chest, his claws curling around the Cowboy's red Bandanna.
"Didn't mean to scare you, don't look at me like that- I can't do this anymore" Blitzo thought.
Soaking wet Striker led them back to the living room, Blitzo has deathlike grip on him he could feel his trembling body as he placedhim on the nest of pillow and blankets. Blitzo's eyes darted back and forth listening to the crackling pop of the fire. They were alone, it was just the two of them. His eyes landed on the memorial of photos Blitzo could feel self-loathing well within him.
Blitzo reaches over him, his fingers skimming across his phone. gliding against the shiny metal cover, growling when Striker quietly snatches it up.
"it's late- or early, however you wish to see it, he says, its been a long night, I think we should get some rest" .
"I'm going to get a few things to dry us off, he says, I'll be back- he says snatching the rest of the bottles off the floor.
"Can't think straight, why is he here?" I thought we were enemies?" why would anyone waste their time on me?"
"I've got to quiet my thoughts, Blitzo thinks to himself. "I've got to et a hold of this-"
"Whys he here?"
The scarlet devil closes his eyes, trying to stave off another oncoming headache, knowing if he got up vertigo would follow. and that's allhe needed right now, to be disoriented and dependent on the snake-imp. Blitzo groaned feeling weak and queasy as hisstomach rolled with another churning jolt of nausea
"Dammit why did he have to come, I was so close"
So he waited, and waited. shivering and lonely.
Until Striker reappeared with a tall glass of water in hand. change of clothing two fluffy white towels draped around his neck and half eaten sandwich wedged in his mouth.
Blitzo didn't feel like talking, having nothing else to say while believing he had said it all, in that missed phone call. The-red-skinned imp was still shaking as Striker wrapped one of the towels around him. pulling him closer. His eyes were brimming with unshed tears as he dried him off. A lump forms in the back of Blitzo's throat, every time he attempts to speak feeling like nothing he'd say could would make this awful pain go away.
His hands tremble as he reaches for the glass of water that Striker had set on the end table, the assassin humors him tilting the glass up as he drinks. Blitz wipes the residue off with his sleeve staring at him through half-lidded eyes. He expected to berated, and ridiculed. For the self-proclaimed superior imp to tell him how weak and pathetic he was, that he should've tried harder-or-not have bothered to call him.
Blitzo takes a deep shuddering breath, his chest ached as he fumbled with tiny string attached to a tattered blanket.
"Blitz, Striker begins, his eyes sharpening as his mate flinches away from him.
Here it comes" thought Blitzo "We've come a long way haven't we, since the Harvest Moon Festival, the make-shift shower in the barn after getting good and dirty,in the mud, those long strolls at night, underneath the stars. Nights underneath the moon, on top of the roof, you curled within my arms. those long rides on Bombproof my arms wrapped around your waist.
"I have no regrets, that was the most fun I've ever had, as soon as I am done here with this assignment , we'll be packing ourbags you and I and I be able to give ya a proper anniversary gift this time"
"Anniversary ,oh shit" thought Blitz panicking.
"Let those vermin of yours squirm figuring it out for themselves, since they're so involved within their own insignificant lives they don't even have time to come check on ya"
"Would've been here sooner, if I had only looked, what happened lastnight" Striker asks his tail wrapping around Blitzo's legs, his arms around Blitzo's waist.
"Iran into Verosika and Fizzorolli, Blitzo says,voice cracking as he speaks unsure what the lone cowboy might think.- "Shit hit the fan, we were singled out, and I- I just couldn't anymore"
"You took Stolas to the lust ring, on a premise of a date, that ditsy blue blood doesn't even know you mated does he?"
"Are you getting what you want from him?"
"I just want to be a part of something!" Blitzo blurts out, and I'm not! everything I do backfires on me- and I'll beleft to pick up the pieces and move on"
" And-I'm not even sure the biz, is working out, I won't be able to help anybody without Stolas's book!"
"You said it yourself Striker, Why run a business rigged against you"
"Finely seeing the light, are ya? heh, bout time" quite shame though"
"I can't even die right" Blitz snarls burning pictures in-the fireplace. Striker snatches one before throwing him onto the floor and straddling his hips. He has Blitzo's hands restrained over his head. "I'll tell ya somethin, sugar Didn't come back here tonight so you could tear yourself down"
"Quit tearing down my mate, I know your hurtin, I can see it in your-eyes,"
Blitzo stares up in fear, "I'm not gonna hurt ya Blitz, come here and straddle my hips while I tell ya somethin" the imp tilted his head, Striker should've been livid with him for taking Stolas to the club. Blitzo bit his lip as if considering it as he slowly crawls toward him a look of embittered shame washes over him. Striker's eyes darken upon seeing this, he reaches out grabbing Blitzo's hand and pulling him into his lap.
Couldn't avoid those piercing eyes that sought him out. Striker tilts Blitzo's head with a single clawed finger. " Good, Do I have your attention? sugar-cube"
Blitzo nodded meekly, trying to curb his self-destructive thoughts.
"Let me make myself perfectly clear, I don't care where you've been,who you've been with so long as you come home, that ditsy blue-blood doesn't realize he is living on borrowed time that his life will be ending shortly"
"I'd appreciate it if you would just stay home, but I know- knowing you you'll fight me all the way, this cat-and-mouse game we had going was fun, but I need you to realize somethin, you're my mate not his"
"Your not a impish little plaything, neither are you a lovesick sell out or a succubus scratching post" Striker reminds him, cupping his head. "I'll never hurt you, and I'll never leave you I'm just asking you this one thing, let me have this one thing- and I'll lay the world at your feet"
"I" m sorry about your mother and your sister, I saw your pictures on your phone, you don't have to be alone anymore Blitz, the thought of losing you leaves me in a blind rage"
"Oh well, there loss my gain" he purrs. "I'll never leave you Blitz his whispers into his ear, and I'll be patient if that's what you need"
"You can't kill Stolas! I-
"Don't say you have feelings for him- just don't growls Striker. "I wish I could tell you I have no other choice, that his death wouldn't give me no satisfaction"
"His death is only the beginning for us"
"I don't want to hear it ! Screams Blitzo.
"A Mark is a mark darlin, nothing is going to happen to you, that is the only stipulation I have set in stone and that harpy of a woman knows it"
"Stella again" thought Blitz, he had managed to riffle through some of Striker's text messages trying to piece together who was Stolas's would-be assassin.
Striker looks around licking his lips dreading the thought of leaving Blitzo again But he needed to get back Stella was waiting for him.
Blitz I need ya to understand somethin, somethin important, the thought of losing you, drives me crazy and tonight I came damn close, I never want to feel that way again" Seeing your prone form lying on the couch, feeling you chilled flesh: cold as death against mine- I thought I'd lost my mind seeing ya so close to death's door nearly killed me promise me darlin, that you'll never do that again
Blitzo is rendered silent, speechless as the mercenary continues to undress him, unbuttoning his shirt, peeling away the layers. He kisses his way up Blitzo's torso. "I'll show you how much you mean to me sugar-cube, I'll have you squirming and screaming my name all night.
"your mine, not his- "
"I've claimed you once before" Striker flings his phone across the room as it buzzes, "Stella can wait, tonight your mine" Striker sinks his teeth into Blitzo's neck he suckles deeply before traveling across Blitzo's body his tongue flicking over a hardening nipple.
Watching as Blitzo closed his eyes, moaning as Striker twisted his mouth around Blitzo's pectoral, he would show the filthy blue-blood who Blitzo truly belonged to.
He broke off, trailing kisses along Blitzo's torso
"Dammit Striker! Blitzo hisses, closing his eyes as Striker continues to torture him. his breath hitches as Striker goes for his belt Blitzo shivers as the outlaw quickly joins him shucking off his black shirt and tan jeans. He'd make sure Blitzo was nice an d toasty tonight, he'll have him scratching up the floorboards tonight.
Screaming his name. Stella could wait, while he dealt with Stolas's bodyguard.
Blitzo curled around him, his head resting on Striker's shoulder while his ass throbbed, Blitzo's tail sought out Striker's. as the cowboy curled an arm around his waist. while fishing around in Blitzo's jacket.
He chuckles darkly, to himself pulling out Stolas's credit card. He flung the sentimental note into the fireplace. Tonight, it would be some lowly imp who would be saddled with delivering their pizza. He'd call Stella in the morning explaining what he found. he would fake Blitzo's death with his mate out of the way he'd be free to end Stolas's life without interference.
He didn't care if the others got in his way, at this point they were expendable, and If Blitzo somehow came into possession of pure gold wedding band withhorse engravings, it would be at the filthy blue-blood's expense- and purely a coincidence . A flash of lightening lit up the room: thunder crack reverberating throughout the small house.
Bombproof silhouette is cast across the wall rearing back like some hellish nightmare. its piercing cry echoes. as his hooves tear into the door.
Blitzo gets up, coughing into his hands, he grimaces as he pulls his hand away looking at the speckled blood, he looks around to see if anyone has noticed. as he stumbles through the living room towards the door. He wipes the blood on his leg, placing a finger to his mouth.
Striker smirks, as his eyes slowly drift down Blitzo's leg. to the splotches of blood, Blitzo was hiding something from him, something fatal. Bombproof eagerly nudges Blitzo's chest. Blitzo nuzzles Bombproofs face as tears flow freely down his face.
Blitzo leads him inside. Striker tail coils around Blitzo's wrist before tugging him into a searing kiss.
Bombproof curls around Blitzo, the imp looks around for his missing phone. Striker has it, the cowboy smiles up from the phone.
"Reunited at last, I know one thing Blitzy, that horse has missed ya, since we left the farm"
Chuckling darkly Striker smirks up from the phone, to see his mate finely past out in front of the kindling fire along with his horse.
"You'll l lose, you'll lose everything by the time I'm finished with ya and your vindictive wife."
"I'll win, like I always do in the end, stay with your own kind, and I'll make sure Blitzy stays with his"
"Say your prayers Stolas, because, sweet prince "Your Next, but this time Blitz won't be there to save your ass"