Opening his eyes, he studied the room. Listening, there's the heartbeat and breathing of his redheaded lover, yet something was here. Holding his breath, his ears detected two type of breathing. Slowly rolling onto his back, he saw pig like face staring down at him. Quick smile, he shoved his thumb into its eye socket. It lunged only for Manko to shove his lover out of the bed. As creature torn into the mattress, Manko rolled onto his feet..
Blind in one eye, it rushed swinging its claws at him. Slapping and dodging its claws away. The back of his prey pressed against pulling its claw back for injury or death only for a water jug to smash against its hide. It was the prey's female slave. Roaring, its plans to devour her entails got delayed by a shard of broken jug which she used to slice its arm. Sharp snap broke the bleeding arm. The palm of his prey produced that snap. In pain, injured it climbed through the window to escape.
Grabbing a pair of pants, he noticed she was dressing into some of his spare clothes.
Wrapping of cloak around her body, "Think I'm letting you have all the fun," she said.
Series of jumps, they made it to the window the creature escaped through. Searching, they found the trail of blood which they followed. Leaping, running, they found the blood led them to the center of Yarlet where the merchants sold their wares. Being late, no merchant booths were opened instead there was.
Noticing the trail ended, "Too long, we've lived I fear of Nimrod and his whore sister, who flaunts her depravity in front of us," brought their attention onto a man standing on the edge of fountain spouting propaganda of revolt.
Noticing the speaker, "That's the guy who wanted me to kill the king," she said.
Twirling her bracelet between his fingers, "Let's return this."
A dark figure crawled towards the speaker bringing grasps and screams.
"Master," escaped from its lips before death claimed it.
Throwing stones at him, "Wizard of hell," screamed the crowd.
Throwing a green fire orb departed the crowd enough for Shubba to run. Through the mazelike alley, he ran. Lose those fools.
"In here," said occupant of a house.
Darting inside, the door closed behind.
"Thank…" his relief turned to horror when his rescuer was the belly dancer who was post to kill the king.
Pinned to the wall by her male companion, his ears caught, "I'm returning your gift, my former master," slapping the bracelet onto Shubba's wrist.
Her male companion rammed his thumb at Shubba's throat damaging his vocal cords. Seeing the she cat's smile, they carried him onto the rooftop. After some leaps across rooftops, they found a hostile crowd then pushed Shubba off the roof.
Landing hard to knock the wind from his lungs, Shubba struggled to get up.
"There's the evil one," caused him to run despite the pain.
He might have made it if that pain didn't paralyze him. Seeing the bracelet then studying the runes, his body was torn apart by the mob as he wondered how the runes were changed.
As Nimrod's palace burned, two figures rode on a black horse with red down its muzzle to find better opportunities for their skills.
Resting her head against his back with her arms around him, "What's the name you're using," asked the redhead with a batch of white over her left eye thinking of the pleasures in bed waiting for them.
"Manko," he answered, "You?"
"Jael."
Chuckling, "It seems we'll be sleeping in separate tents."
"And why's that?"
"I don't want a tent peg shoved through my ear."
In middle of the desert inside a chain link fence, a guard flicked his flashlight on and off towards dark covered horizon. He saw a flickering light answer his signal. Taking his key, he unlocked the gate and rolled it opened.
A jeep drove up to the entrance. A female wearing a cloak sat behind the steering wheel. The hood covered her face. In the passenger seat sat a male wearing a black coat and fedora. The guard believed a cowl covered this male's head.
"My money," said the guard.
"Sweetheart, give Johnny his payment."
The driver got out, walked towards the back, and retrieved a briefcase from the rear. Walking along the passenger side of the jeep, she placed the briefcase on the jeep's hood. Stepping back allowed Johnny near the briefcase.
"Just click it open," said the passenger.
"It's your money to see empty warehouses," said Johnny opening the briefcase.
The glow of the jeep's head lights revealed the empty briefcase.
"What's…" ended when the curved blade of a sickle sliced through his neck.
His head fell off as his body fell against the jeep then slid to the ground.
Staring at the blood spray covering the jeep's windshield, "Empty case for empty warehouses," said the passenger, "Besides," getting out, "It's what's underground that's important," stepping over the headless body.
Walking past the fence, he started tapping the ground with his foot. He kept doing this until his ears detected a metallic thump. Waggling his fingers, a whirlwind appeared and brushed away the dirt leaving a metal surface behind.
Grabbing two metal loops beside an etched circle, he pulled a metal cylinder up from the ground. Unscrewing the cover, he dropped a small sphere into the tube. Screwing the cap back on, the cylinder back slid into the ground. A section of the metal surface tilted backwards becoming an incline plane.
"Dear, go tell the boys the mechs are ready to leave."
Bowing, "Yes, master," she said.
Turning, she disappeared into the night air.
Sitting in her hermitically sealed room, Hazara stared at her face mask. Hearing her phone ringing, she pushed the call button.
"Yes?"
"Haraza, it's Alice."
Her recruiter and section leader.
"Hazara, you're are getting a new sparring partner plus I've been informed Jake Spiegel requested materials to make you a new mask."
"I'm being denied," thought Hazara.
"If you want that mask, go ahead get it. I'm not going let you wait for a miracle to break your heart."
"Thank you," pushing the call cancel button.
Slowly waking up from Jake gently rubbing her back, she enjoyed being next to Jake's warm and comforting form. She didn't care that she still wore her dress. She just didn't want to leave him. She wanted to be with him for every moment that she could, and knew he felt the same.
Nuzzling into him, "If you stop now," she muttered, "I would hurt you badly."
Chuckling, "Good morning to you too, Angel."
To continue her comfort, he didn't stop.
Cracking open her eyes, "What time is it?"
Moving a bit to look at his clock, it read 8:05 in the morning.
"Have you been awake long?" she asked trying not to fall back asleep from the massage.
"Not really."
She stared at him with her 'I know your lying' look.
Grinning, "Ok, yes. I've been awake for awhile. I sleep less with my healing factor and I didn't want to disturb you."
Smiling as she placed her head back on his chest "Jake, I've been thinking on something,"
She was a bit nervous. Would he say no?
"Do you think that we could move in together?"
"Well," he said slowly, "I know Nightwing might blow a gasket, but I would love waking up next to you every morning. Is it what you want?"
Nodding, she propped her head on her arm so she can look into his face.
"I know that part, I hurt more then any battle I've been in. And once a week I've had nightmares when I haven't been with you that show me losing you. I feel safe and loved in your arms, and I'm afraid that one morning I'll wake up and you won't be there."
Shrugging, "Heck, if you ask me, I like the idea," he remarked withsuggestive grin, "might even get more time to rub more then just your back."
Rolling her eyes, "I love him," she thought, "but does he really have to bring up points like that.'
Though, in the back of her mind, she couldn't wait for those body rubs.
Rubbing her bruised face, "She'll die for messing your face," said Kirk.
Kissing his hand, "She not our worry right now," she said, "The Butcher of Baltur got a lover and she's a demon."
"Another wayward child that's been led astray by an unclean creature."
Rubbing his arm with a riding crop, "I get hot when you talk about purging unworthy hunters," rolling onto her stomach.
Taking the riding crop, he brought it across her bare ass.
