Leaving Town

Raven whined when Renji began shaking her gently and calling her name. She felt his lips cover hers and that woke her up more effectively than a bucket of cold water would have. Her sleepy black eyes met amused brown ones. She hugged him thinking how his appearance did not fit him at all because he was a real goofball – but a drop dead sexy one.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty!" Renji exclaimed, giving her another peck on the lips.

Corbeau opened her eyes looking around in confusion at the dimly lit room. It was still gray from the light of dawn. "What time is it?" she groaned, sitting up in the bed.

"Five thirty. It's moving day. We're leaving to go to the next city. Come on, baby, we gotta go help," he said, pulling her off the bed and into his arms.

Corbeau grunted, snuggling against his warm bare chest as he held her. She wrapped her wings around the both of them, enclosing them in a feathery cocoon.

"Oh, don't make this any harder than it already is," he grumbled, hugging her tightly. "I'd love to still be in the bed with my arms wrapped around you. Maybe we could have even …"

"Hey! Renji! Is the bird girl with you?" a man yelled, bursting into the RV without even knocking.

"Dammit, man! What the hell would you have done if we had been in the middle of something?" Renji angrily shouted.

"Watched," he answered bluntly, leaning against the doorframe of the bedroom. The man's brown eyes swept over the bird girl as he had called her with approval and interest.

"That pervert right there is my best friend I'm ashamed to say. His name is Ichigo," Renji told her, holding her possessively.

Corbeau, peeking at him over her wing, smiled at the orange haired man who was staring at her. Such interesting people here. She had not seen this man yesterday and wondered where he had come from. Of course there were so many people here, and she had only met the performers yesterday.

"Come on, Sunshine, let's go!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands loudly. "You can go help some of the ladies pack up and get ready to go."

"And you'll do manly things? Like pitch tents, oops! I mean take down tents and things like that," she shot back, folding her wings behind her and relinquishing her grip on the handsome red head in her arms.

"Ooooh, feisty," he mumbled, glancing at his friend. "Dude! Let's go! Kanonji wants to be on the road by eight. Nice meeting you, Birdy."

"Yeah, you too, Itchy…what was your name?" she inquired, smiling as his lips thinned into a line of aggravation. She knew his name; she just wanted to see that reaction.

"I-chi-go!" He sounded it out for her.

"Later, I-chi-go!" she exclaimed, blatantly mocking him.

"You're going out like that?" Renji asked referring to his silk boxers and braless tank top she wore.

"Well, yeah, Red. I don't have anything else," she replied with a 'duh' tone to her voice.

"Smart ass," he grumbled, watching her walk away.

"You've got yourself a mess of trouble there, buddy," Ichigo warned him, watching her walk away as well.

"Don't make me punch you."

Corbeau entered the performer's tent asking where she could help. Her arm was grabbed by Sui Feng who requested her assistance with packing all of her props for her contortionist act. She was bending over the huge crate placing a small silver stand in the packing hay when she heard a tsking noise behind her.

"Sugar, what in the hell are you wearing?" a female voice asked as she was standing up. Rangiku was standing behind her with a look of pity on her face for the young woman.

"I don't have anything else. I even had to borrow this," she explained, suddenly feeling very self-conscious under the scrutiny of the big mouthed, busty blond from yesterday. At least the woman was dressed today even though it was a low cut shirt that gave everyone a generous view of her copious cleavage whether they wanted it or not and tight jeans that showed off her behind wonderfully if the attention could drawn away from her breasts.

"From who? That redheaded boyfriend of yours?" she snorted derisively.

Boyfriend? She just met him yesterday. Does Renji think he's her boyfriend as well? The thought made her smile because she quite liked the idea.

"Come on! I'll fix you up!" Rangiku offered, seizing her wrist and dragging her along behind her.

Why do people insist on dragging her everywhere? She was a little on the short side but she could still manage to walk fast and keep up with them when necessary. Her eyes widened as she was pulled into the small dressing tent that apparently belonged to Rangiku alone who must be a prized feather in the proverbial cap of Don Kanonji. With her big honking hooters, Corbeau imagined the woman could make it rain money in the Hoochie Coochie tent. Seriously? They still call it that? Rangiku was a stripper, plain and simple. It hadn't been called the Hoochie Coochie dance since the early twentieth century but Kanonji as trying to harken back to the glory days of side shows to awaken that sense of nostalgia in patrons.

"Here, put this on," Rangiku barked, handing her what looked like a pile of string and strips of cloth. "If it will cover me, it will cover you."

"Band aids and yarn would cover more than this would. Especially on you," Corbeau remarked sarcastically.

"Do you want to stay in the boxers and ripped up wife beater? Just put it on," she ordered, her blue eyes sparkling happily. She was having fun with the new girl because she liked her.

Corbeau undressed right in front of the woman who did not even turn away. They were both women and were both comfortable with naked bodies. How could a stripper and not be comfortable with the naked body? The winged woman had gotten accustomed to being naked in front of strangers after being studied like a science experiment when she was still a child. That was before her parents gave up and could not handle her affliction anymore because there was no cure for her physical anomaly. Perhaps she was the product of a science experiment to begin with. Her father was a geneticist who dealt with theoretical genetic research so that was definitely plausible. She never asked if it was his fault she had wings, and at this point it did not really matter. She is whatever she is and there is no changing it.

"There! Isn't that better?" her new friend with the honey colored hair inquired, tying the strings behind her back that ran just under her wings.

"It looks like a gold bikini. Can I at least have a skirt?" she inquired and would have begged. She felt ridiculous. The clothes she had on before covered a whole lot more than this thing.

"Here's a scarf. You're little. Use it like a sarong, Let me show you," she offered, wrapping the big piece of red and gold material around Corbeau's waist then brought it up to criss cross it over her chest and tie it behind her neck. "There you have it! You now have a pretty halter dress. All right gorgeous, you can help me pack."

Of course. Corbeau already saw this coming but she did not mind helping. How heavy could clothes and make-up be? She would be shocked and exhausted to find out. By the time she completed helping Rangiku, the men had arrived to take down her tent.

"Hi, gorgeous! Nice dress! Where's your boyfriend?" Ichigo inquired, panting slightly while sweat trickled down his face. It was barely seven in the morning, and it felt as if the temperature was already well into the eighties.

"I don't know. I've been busy," she replied, biting her lower lip when he suddenly grabbed his sweat soaked t shirt and pulled it off. "Oh, god." It was out before she could stop herself.

"Not quite, but close," he murmured, giving her a wink.

Crap! Just what the egotist needed to boost his already inflated sense of self. It would not be so bad if he wasn't close to being right. He looked like a bronze god in the sun with his golden skin and the sweat glistening on his body.

"What are you looking at?" Renji whispered in her ear, holding in his arms when she jumped back into him with a scream. "Holy hell! I would have thought you'd be over the jitters by now."

"You scared me!" she exclaimed, struggling out of his arms because he was sopping wet with sweat.

"Want me to kiss it and make it better?" he joked, pulling her against his hot, sweaty body.

"Ugh! Not until have you've had a shower! Gross," she grumbled, pushing him away.

"Don't you love me?" he pouted, holding on to her.

"Not that much!" she shrieked, leaning away from him as he tried to kiss her.

"All right kids! We have an hour to get the rest torn down and packed up! Move it people!" Don Kanonji bellowed, appearing from nowhere.

"Does he always do that?" Corbeau asked, gaping at the man in shock from his sudden appearance.

"Yes, yes, he does. Gotta go, baby. See ya later," Renji said, stealing a quick kiss from her lips.

"Angel!" a deep booming voice yelled across the almost empty field.

Corbeau giddily ran toward the attractive wolf man who had captivated her from the moment she had laid eyes on him. She was not sure what had captured her about the peculiar man, but she definitely felt drawn to him. Maybe he was a kindred spirit because he was an incredible oddity like her that could not hide what made them different. He really had no chance of hiding his at all.

"Hello, Wolfie," she called, throwing herself into his furry arms.

"Hello there, Angel," he replied, pushing her hair back from her face. If anyone else but her had called him Wolfie he would have ripped their throat out. Especially that red headed boyfriend of hers. "Can you help me?"

"Of course. What do I need to do?" she asked exuberantly.

"Will you carry these for me?" he inquired, handing her two boxes that were surprisingly light for their size.

"Sure. Where do I take them?"

"Follow me."

Corbeau followed him just like he requested. She saw that he was leading her to what she guessed was his small RV with a scene of wolves howling at the moon airbrushed on the side. Since these vehicles were their homes, the people took a lot of pride in them to make them as nice as possible. Without a second thought, she climbed right on in when he opened the door for her.

"Thank you," he said, taking the boxes from her and setting them on what was a couch and a seat at the table that folded down from the wall. He surprised her by taking her by the arms and setting her on the small counter so she was closer to his face.

"Sajin, what are you doing?" she asked, apprehension tickling her spine as he pushed himself between her legs. It was not the fear he might hurt her; she was afraid of how her body was reacting to him. He stirred an impulse, an appetite within her – for him. The itty bitty string bikini beneath her makeshift dress would not be a barrier in the least if he decided he wanted her which it seemed he had.

"Be careful who you trust, Angel," he murmured in her face, his cold wet nose grazing her cheek.

Corbeau shivered while he silently stared at her, touching her face with his hand. She slid her hand up his belly, pushing him back gently as his golden eyes roamed down her half clothed body. "Please don't do this," she begged, staring into his eyes when they returned to hers.

"I would never hurt you. Don't be so damn naïve anymore. Please, be careful," he advised her. He stuck out his long canine tongue licking her from between her breasts up to her neck.

Holy crap! That was very bizarre to say the least. And strangely stimulating. Oh, good god. She truly was member of the freakiest place on the earth. Her body trembled when she looked into his luminescent golden eyes that were gazing deeply into hers.

"I-I h-have t-to…" Damn! Why can't she talk? All she could think about was the other arousing possibilities that tongue had. "C-can I l-leave?" she stammered, unable to move from the counter because if she even inched forward the slightest bit she would be pressed against him beneath his waist. She could only imagine what intriguing potential was held there. Her eyes stayed on his so they would not roam over him or give any hint to what she was thinking. She held her breath as he leaned forward, burying his nose in her hair. His warm breath puffed across her neck and chest as he sniffed and inhaled deeply. How stupid of her! He is half wolf - he does not have to be a mind reader; he would be able to smell that she is aroused. Corbeau gasped when she felt his soft furry hand sliding up her thigh and tickling her. "Sajin, please," she pled with him, leaning back as if that would help. Instead it drew his attention to her breasts as the dress opened.

"Please what, Angel? Stop? Or go?" he asked, putting his other hand on her belly.

"Raven!" Renji's voice could be heard calling in the distance. "Corbeau!"

Sajin silently put his hands around her small waist and set her down on the floor. "It seems you want me as much I want you. Avoid being alone with me in the future," he warned her with disquieting tranquility. "Red Riding Hood trusted the Big Bad Wolf, remember?"

"So are you saying I shouldn't trust you?" she inquired, standing with her back to him and her hand on the door handle.

"I'm saying you should stay away unless you want to get eaten up," he replied, lifting the hair from the back of her neck. "In a good way," he added in a growling seductive manner before licking across the back of her neck.

OH MY GOD! Corbeau opened the door, leaning against it after slamming it to catch her breath. She felt as if she might faint her body was so hot yet she shook uncontrollably.

"Hey, what were you doing with dog breath?" he asked, looking down at her. Her face was really red. "Are you okay?"

"I'm just really hot," she answered, sliding her arms around his waist.

"It is hot as hell out here already. Did he try to hurt you?" He moved her out of the way and was about to snatch open the door to confront the man…wolf…dog…whatever the hell Sajin truly is, he intended on kicking his furry ass.

"No, of course not. I was helping him load some of his stuff. He told me this really weird version of Red Riding Hood that kind of freaked me out," she lied, pulling on Renji to try to lead him away. She guessed Sajin had allowed his animal instincts to take over and acted upon them, nothing more than that. She had almost acted upon hers as well.

Thankfully, Don Kanonji showed up to distract them both from the Sajin thing. He yelled at them, "Come on, come on, kids! To your vehicle! This show is pulling out and leaving town!"