"Think you could blow up our warehouse and get away with it? Huh, Lick?" the figure above me asked. I groaned in pain as a foot pressed against my throat. I didn't need to breath, but the act was no less painful.
"Boys, I think we could all use a little entertainment," the leader hissed, trailing his claws down my stomach. I fought harder, trying to escape them as panic set in. I heard a gun go off and one swore loudly.
"Let her go." I looked behind the Sabbat and saw Nines standing there, arm extended and gun in hand. I could have kissed him then.
"And why should we?" the leader of the gang asked in his hissing voice. Nines didn't say anything, merely pushed aside his shirt to reveal a grenade strapped to his belt. He patted it and gave them a significant look. The Sabbat backed away warily, albeit reluctantly.
"This isn't over," the leader said and the group turned to escape. Nines holstered his gun and walked over to me, pulling me to my feet.
"You really know how to find trouble, kid," he said, smiling at me as he dusted me off. I opened my mouth to reply, but cried out in alarm instead when a Sabbat lunged at Nines. The Sabbat stopped dead in his tracks and looked down at his chest where Nines had quickly un-holstered his weapon and pushed the barrel of the gun to the Sabbat's chest.
"Nice try," Nines said, pulling the trigger and reducing the beast-like-vampire to ash. "Your execution needs work, though." He turned back to me, his boyish grin in place.
"Scare ya?" he asked.
"Startled me," I corrected. He chuckled and wrapped his arm around my upper back, guiding me down the street.
"You need to be careful," he chastised. "Keep your guard up."
"Sorry," I said. "And thanks, for saving me….again." I looped my arm around his lower back, resting my hand on his hip as we walked down the street together like old friends.
"I'm gonna have to chain you to me just to keep you out o' trouble," he joked, tilting his head back to look at the night sky.
"Sounds kinky," I purred, bumping his hip with mine. He chuckled and pulled me closer, pressing his forehead to my temple quickly.
"Oh baby," he joked in a cheesy voice. We neared the Venture tower, where I was supposed to meet up with LaCroix and give him my report. I stopped, pulling Nines to a stop with me. He followed my gaze and I heard him sigh.
"I have to go," I muttered, not unlacing my fingers from the belt loop at his hip.
"I know," he replied. The cheerful mood was gone replaced by a much more somber air.
"I don't want to," I said, looking at him with pleading eyes, as though he could save me from my fate. He looked at me sympathetically.
"Just play his game and make it out alive," he told me. "Then come down to The Last Round and I'll tell you the real score instead of all the bullshit he'll feed you," he said. I sighed and released him, watching as he walked away from me. I stared after him until he was out of sight, then moved towards the doors of the tower.