Chapter Forty-One: Double Trouble

Chloe gasped, covering her mouth. "You're saying she's..!"

He gave a deft nod, pocketing the tiny jewel, scenting the air again. The bluenette's blood and fear permeated the air, dominating his senses so strongly he was having difficulty sensing anything else. Even if she hadn't been transformed, Marinette was exceptionally strong, so whomever attacked her would have to be just as powerful…or…they could have drugged her. Did Hawk Moth take her down before joining the fight?

"I can't believe it," she squeaked, dancing, and he turned to face her for a moment, noting her joy. It would have been endearing if the situation wasn't weary. She saw his face, and she stilled, clearing her throat. "S-Sorry, I just...I mean…she's my idol," she whispered, eyes widening. "OhmyGod…I was horrible to my idol!"

Chat sighed, shaking his head. "She doesn't hold that against you. Plus, that was a long time ago," he pointed out.

The blonde nodded slowly, running her fingers through her tresses anxiously. "I suppose I should have guessed when I found out who you are…seeing as you're in love with the woman," she teased. He grunted and turned back around, pressing his face closer to the ground. Chloe made a noise. "Uh—what are ya doing?"

"Smelling," he growled. "Quiet," he commanded brusquely, and the woman listened with a huff. He closed his eyes, willing his mate's scent to fall to the wayside because he needed to pick up something else. There, underneath it all was something else. Musky…masculine…predatory. It was foreign and familiar, and it stuck, unwanted, to the back of his tongue.

Anger scorched his blood as he began to stand, body trembling with the overwhelming power of it. He rolled the taste around in his mouth, and all of his instincts told him to protect and defend as he filtered it through his mind. He knew the smell. His body alerted him to the danger of it, and he closed his eyes. It was right on the tip of his…

A low feral growl trickled from his lips as a new level of fury burst across his soul, and power erupted along his right hand without him even calling upon it. "Luka," he snarled, snapping his eyes open. "He should pray Mari kills him before I get my claws on him."

***POV Change***

Running seemed natural, but Marinette quickly realized, as she got further from him, that it was dark. Not, by the light of the moon, type of dark, but nearly pitch, and she fumbled, reaching out with her hands as she moved, crashing straight into a stone wall.

Luka's chuckling chased her down the corridor. "Come back if you would like a candle, or your phone…or some source of light," he taunted. "Otherwise, you won't sssee a thing."

"I'll take my chances," she screamed, tripping, scraping her knee on the way down as she trembled.

"Sass—"

Her heart crept into her throat, and Mari scrambled up to her feet, something broken digging into her bare foot, but she shuffled faster along the path, squinting.

"I really don't want—" the kwami hissed.

"Too bad. Scales slither!" A few moments of silence dripped on, only her labored breathing counting the eternal minutes until Viperion spoke. "I thought this crypt would be a beautiful place to bring you," he whispered lower, and her blood turned to ice beneath her skin.

"C-Crypt?"

"Oh, is Bugaboo afraid of the dead?" He laughed, and she flinched at the nickname.

"Don't call me that," she snapped, trying to grip the anger, but it quickly receded as his growling hiss filled the cavernous abyss.

"Because only he callsss you that?" Marinette felt something, she wasn't sure, but she shifted faster, heart hammering rapidly in her chest as she slid her fingers desperately along the wall to keep it as a guiding force. "I am assuming since you're fucking him," he bit out angrily, "that makesss Adrien Chat Noir because it would cccertainly make a lot of things make senssse. His sssmell for one. His unnatural ssstrength, speed, and ssstupid graccce."

She didn't respond. She didn't want to give him any way to find her as his voice grew nearer, but his fingers ghosted over her arm, making her screech. She lurched forward, losing her footing completely, and tumbled over the hard floor, groaning as the stone dug into her bare skin.

"You ssshould watch where you're walking," he snickered.

She got up just as quickly, blindly running forward. Her shoulder slammed into the frame of an archway as she plowed through it into another…corridor, she assumed.

"Wrong way," he teased, and she released a terrified sob, shaking her head as she reached out to touch the wall. Her fingers met a warm hand instead, and she yanked backwards, her spine hitting the opposite barrier, and she slid to the floor, sobbing.

"H-How can you see? D-do you have night vision?" She pulled her knees up to her face, crying uncontrollably.

"Night vision?" Viperion sounded a little confused. "No. I can only sssee you beautiful Mari," he said thickly. "I can sssee the heat of your lusciousss body. I'm just following you," he taunted. "Do you want to keep playing, or are you going to sssubmit?"

His fingers played down her ribcage, and she lashed out, catching him with her strike. He grunted, but for the first time, he returned the favor, backhanding her with enough force to throw her to the ground, gasping.

His voice was perfectly calm when he spoke again, surprising her as she cradled her throbbing face. "Do you get off on the violenccce, is that it?"

"I d-d-don't know what you're t-talking about," she whimpered. "I don't l-like to be hit."

He made a strangled noise. "I'm getting tired of your games," he snarled, tangling his digits in her blue locks, yanking her up to her feet. He twisted her hair tighter, and she cringed, gasping in pain.

"V-Viperion," she pleaded. "Please!"

He moaned, pinning her body to the wall with his. "Yes, Mari, beg sssome more," he groaned, mouth moving to her neck, pulling her head painfully to the side. "I will take what'sss mine and you will ssstop toying with me," he commanded, using his free hand to lift one of her legs, so he could press between her thighs.

The man ground his hardness against her core, and she tried desperately to think of anything else. Anything that would keep her from reacting, but she shivered as he pressed against her sensitive nub.

"Right there?" He moaned, grinding again, and she shoved violently at his unyielding chest, swallowing the pleased sound that wanted to escape. "Yesss, I think ssso," he growled, voice thick with his own pleasure before he began rocking his hips steadily, creating a friction her body refused to ignore, and Marinette bit her lip so hard she tasted blood.

His teeth closed tenderly around her pulse, and he began sucking on her skin as she clawed desperately at his shoulders…his neck…catching his face, and he hissed, releasing her completely.

She gasped, doubling over, her body quivering as the pleasure went…unfulfilled. However, before she could usher in a full breath, he knocked her feet from under her, and she yelped.

The snake wielder was above her, sliding both arms together above her head, and he pinned them with one powerful hand to the stone. He used his free hand to pull her thigh up as she thrashed, pressing more easily into her already dripping core.

"That wasn't ssso hard wasss it," he chided.

"P-Please," she cried, chest heaving with agony as she squeezed her eyes shut. "D-Don't do this L-Luka!"

He rocked his hips gently, finding that special place once more, and her fingers curled as she sobbed, the knot in her stomach tightening as the heat coiled. His mouth trailed hot sloppy kisses over her shoulder, and he started with a slow pace.

"I alwaysss enjoy it," he croaked, moaning as he rubbed into her, "but I think I have more fun when you take control." He shoved more forcefully, and Mari couldn't stop the sound that spilled free this time. "That'sss it, Mari," he murmured, kissing up her neck, grinding faster, and harder as her body started to tremble of it's own accord. "Cum for me," he begged. "Over…and over…"

She threw her head from side to side, desperately trying to ignore the heat searing beneath her flesh, but it dominated every inch, and her stomach squeezed. She staved off the feeling, pushing it down, but it only intensified with his hardness stimulating her incredibly sensitive clit.

She swallowed, panting, digging her nails into her palms, hoping the pain would help, but her head tipped backwards, his warm mouth gentle on her shoulder.

"P-Please," she whispered hoarsely, quaking as the bluenette teetered on that deliciously divine precipice. She didn't want to go over. Not like this, but the feeling was just building…and she was going to explode.

"Mm," he snickered, and shifted so fast, it surprised her. She only had a split second to react before his fingers clamped tightly around her thighs, dragging her lower body upwards a little, and his mouth locked around her swollen clit, sucking greedily.

Her now free hands flew to her mouth as her spine curved, but the scream of pleasure accompanying her orgasm filled the cavernous space at a deafening level.

***POV Change***

Bee huffed a little as they stopped, and Adrien crouched lower to the roof, sniffing.

"It's still weird," she muttered. "How do you make that look graceful?"

"Skill," he teased strenuously, prowling forward on all four.

"Does he do this a lot?"

"If you're talking about tracking smells, I don't think so," Tikki's soft voice said. "If you're talking about acting like a cat? Yeah, it's part of who he is. He does a lot of that in civilian form if you pay close enough attention," she tittered, but the sound was strained.

He tossed the crimson kwami a glower, but it was only half-hearted. He was glad she was okay. He'd found her hiding in the dressing area, not far from the Miraculous. Viperion had tried to snatch her when she'd reappeared, but she managed to get away. She apologized several times for not following Mari.

She opened her mouth again, and Chat shook his head. "It's okay," he whispered hoarsely. "Even if you had gone with her, that wouldn't help me find her now. You'd be with her, right? Once you were with her, I wouldn't expect you to leave her side. The best we can do now is keep looking for her."

Queen sighed, crossing her arms. "Wish I could help you."

"You can help by standing there and being beautiful," he tried, sticking his tongue out before sniffing some more.

"Dumb…cat…" She blushed.

His head popped up, and both of his ears perked, twitching. They swiveled, and his tail swished, vibrating. His lip curled back, and Chat growled, taking off.

"D-Did you smell something?" The blonde was panting as she endeavored to keep up.

"No," he clipped out. "I heard her screaming."

"Oh, God," she croaked. "I hope she's not in too much pain."

He snarled, slamming down onto the sidewalk in front of a large set of steps, leading up to an old building. They were right next to the canal. "They weren't screams of pain, Bee," he said angrily, and she stiffened. "It came from around here, I think."

She looked up at the building. "This is—uh—a church?"

Chat shifted around to look at it, eyes narrowing. There was nobody around this late, and churches could be pretty secluded. He doubted Luka took the steps inside, but he sniffed anyway, shaking his head. "We'll start in there," he growled, jogging up to the door.

"You think he'd be…um, defiling her…in a church?" She cringed. "He has no shame."

His tail flicked violently, swatting her by accident, and she made a noise. "Sorry," he breathed, tilting his head curiously at a sign in the distance inside. "That would be secluded," he whispered, pulling her with him.

"Cripta?" The blonde jerked, trying to stop him. "I don't speak Italian, but tell me that doesn't mean crypt, Chat!"

"It doesn't mean crypt," he replied smoothly, shoving her through the open door, staring down the set of stairs.

"Oh, God, what if she isn't even down there?"

He tipped his head, inhaling sharply, and he could smell her. "She is," he croaked. Someone shrieked, and he hopped over the railing without thinking, charging down the corridor. It was dark, and his night vision kicked in automatically to compensate as he listened intently.

"L-Luka, please stop it!" Marinette's voice was weak and full of tears. It echoed a little, and he cringed, scenting the air, pressing himself low to the floor.

"I know you sssaid you like it rough and the gamesss were fun, but why do we keep going through thisss?" The man sounded irritated. "You come fuck me, then you go back to him."

Chat flinched, but he prowled forward. "That was o-once, and I'm s-sorry, Luka, it was a mistake!"

He entered a circular chamber and spied them down the left corridor. Viperion had Mari pinned to the floor, and she was naked. He could also see a developing bruise on her face and the bloody outline of her left ear where the Miraculous was torn free. Other than that, she didn't appear to be injured. They were at a slight angle, but Luka's back was mostly to him.

"What do you mean just once?" He sounded genuinely confused, and Chat tilted his head as he crawled nearer, relying on his exceptional stealth. However, he still only inched, a little at a time, because he wasn't sure what kind of skills Viperion had. Clearly, he could see in the dark, because there was no light, and Marinette was at the disadvantage, but the snake was looking straight at her.

"The o-other night…"

"Almost every night," he spat angrily. "You come to me! You toy with me, then you go back to him!"

Everybody froze. Marinette's face showed surprise and shock, and if anybody could see Chat's, he was sure he echoed her sentiment. Not because he believed the man…but because the man believed himself. He tasted no lie in Viperion's words.

He crept a few inches closer and tackled the snake wielder, catching him by surprise. They both growled angrily, and Adrien kneed him in the face before rolling, pinning him to the floor. He howled in pain, and the cat realized his nose had already been bleeding. He smirked because that meant even without her Miraculous, Marinette had given him hell.

"Do you have any last words before I kill you?"

"Chaton?"

"Oh, yesss, the wonderful Adrien is here to sssave you," he spat sarcastically, making Chat falter, and Viperion slithered free, using a well placed knee to the man's stomach to wind him.

The snake tried to sneak by, but Chat wasn't letting him get near Mari. He leaned, tapping his fingers to his baton in his sheath. He pulled it free just enough to activate the extension, and his feet left the ground as he swung them up, double tapping Viperion in the face, sending him spinning.

Chat twirled around, dropping back down and shorted his staff, pulling it all the way from its confines, rotating it in his hands. "You're outclassed," he warned. "I'm the better fighter."

Luka snorted, and winced, glowering. "Do you have sssome sort of heat vision as well?"

Ah, so he could see body heat? That was good to know. Not nearly as useful as full night vision, but he'd still be able to see Adrien if he was directly in front of him. Through walls though…he'd log the information away for use.

Light flashed down the tunnel, and the snake blinked, frowning. "Queen Bee?"

"How are you all fighting in the dark?" She scoffed, and Chat moved enough to see her from the corner of his eye as the blonde gripped Mari, pulling her behind her. Tikki floated down to touch the bluenette's face, and she sniffled.

"I'm okay," she whispered.

"Why doesss everyone keep treating her like she'sss a victim!?" He muttered under his breath, shaking his head. "Mari toysss with me ssso much and breaksss my heart and of courssse she's the victim," he laughed.

Chat's tail flickered repeatedly, and he frowned. There were still no lies in his words. "The only night she came to you was when I was with Chloe in the hospital after Mayura left her for dead. If you had been more worried about your own girlfriend instead of mine, maybe you could have saved her before she got injured," he tried.

Viperion's face fell into deep creases. "Chloe's not my girlfriend," he said firmly. "What would make you think that?"

Chat stiffened as he turned to regard the blonde. "Y-Yes I am," she whispered, sounding hurt. "They already know, so you d-don't have to lie for Mari's sake!" Queen Bee sobbed, covering her eyes, and Viperion hissed.

"Shit, I forgot you were Queen Bee," he admitted, but shook his head. "However, that doesn't change the fact you're not my girlfriend. Marinette isss."

Adrien stiffened. Nobody was lying. How could nobody be lying? Was his 'lie detector' broken?

"Chloe, lie to me."

"I didn't!"

He snorted. "No, I mean, tell me a lie." Viperion shifted a little, and Chat held his staff out, pointing it at the man. "Don't move. Something isn't right here, and you've pissed me off enough. You're lucky I didn't kill you straight away."

"I have brown eyes," Queen Bee said slowly, unsure, and he rolled it around on his tongue. Yeah, it was a lie.

"Marinette, tell me two things, one truth and one lie, but something more substantial. Don't tell me which is which."

"I d-don't know," she whispered. "I—uh—have always secretly loved your cat puns," she said, and his face broke into a grin because he didn't scent the lie. "I didn't fall in love with you right away, s-sorry." He grinned even broader because he did sense the lie this time.

"Your turn, Viperion," he finally said, grinning like a moron. He couldn't put his game face back on, and Luka rolled his eyes. "Two significant lines, one truth and one lie."

"I don't know how to crochet," he commented, and it was a lie, which made Chat quirk a brow. "My favorite food is pizza." The feline nodded. Truth. Nobody was circumventing his senses, so something was completely wrong with this picture.

"Chloe, have you slept with Luka?"

"Yes." Truth.

"No," Luka hissed. Also true. He waved his free hand at both of them to get them to shut up.

"Mari, have you slept with Luka other than…in the dressing room, and the night you were drugged?"

"And…n-now," she added, whispering hoarsely, and he flinched, nodding. "N-No, not other than that." Truth.

"Yesss, we have, almost every night sssince the dressing room." Also truth.

Chloe gasped. "The fake Marinette?"

Chat turned slowly, frowning before his eyes widened. "Shit, you don't think…?" He rubbed his jaw, and shook his head. "Fuck. This can't be good….if…she almost fooled me…"

"That's…why Mayura was sure…Marinette was messing with her boyfriend. Do you think it was the imposter?"

"M-Mayura thought Marinette was sssleeping with her boyfriend, too?" Viperion moved closer, and Chat decided to lower his weapon, but only minutely. He still kept his body between him and the bluenette.

Mari squeaked. "That's what she said before she drugged me. She wanted me to…to stay away from her boyfriend."

"Yeah, whoever that is," Chat growled.

"I'd assume it would be Hawk Moth," the snake commented, frowning.

Chat sighed. "Yeah, maybe, but not…in that form." He gave his head a few shakes. "You're not off the hook," he snarled, pointing at the snake wielder. "But you need to come with us. So, you can come willingly so we can start figuring this out, or I can make you. Your choice. For the time being, you're not coming near Mari."

Viperion sighed, holding his hands up, dropping his head. "What a messsss."

AUTHOR NOTE:

Welp, there you have it…*blinks, nodding* (The Church and Crypt Model I had in my head is San Simeone Piccolo, VERY dark in the crypt, if you care to look it up!)

Calerose, I'm glad I could brighten your morning! Here's a chapter for you…hope the rape wasn't too horrible…sorry about that…but now that we're getting more information, Luka really didn't see it that way…he thought they were playing :S so…how many victims are there, really?