Author's Note: Thank you for your patience, wonderful readers, and I hope you enjoy the update~
To Caelan0012: You're very welcome and thank you so much for the sweet compliments :)
To Sabrina-nee: Haha yeah, lots of cliffhangers lately!
To red shadow2006: Hello there! I think I would prefer my stories not be on Wattpad. Thank you for asking :)
To Anano Jinseite: Aw, thank you so much! Luffy is indeed very cute and adorable~ More Law and Luffy interactions in this chapter to look forward to ;) I hope you enjoy the update!
WARNINGS:
- Injuries/blood
- Mentions of torture
- Law's weird family
As Luffy tried to catch his breath, he stared up at his savior, who he remembered as 'Torao'. This was the vampire Ace and Sabo had been hired to guard. Unsure what to do, Luffy took the vampire's hand and grimaced as he was pulled to his feet. The monster who'd attacked him left bloody cuts along his right side that stung with any movement.
"Are you okay?" Torao asked, holding the umbrella over him. Luffy nodded curtly while hugging his arms close to his chest. He could feel his ears drooping against his hair and tail dragging along the wet ground. To say he felt like crap was a massive understatement. "You're shaking…"
"I-I'm fine." He managed, trying to ignore how much his knees trembled and threatened to give out from underneath him, "Thanks for s-saving me but I need to-"
When Luffy tried to take a step, his legs crumbled and the only thing that kept him from falling onto his behind was Torao's quick reflexes.
"You are clearly not fine and need medical attention."
The vampire attempted to bring Luffy's arm over his shoulder, likely to help support him while they walked, but he instinctively tried to wriggle away and out of Torao's grasp. He'd seen his ears and tail…what would he do to him?
"Luffy-ya, stop. I'm trying to help you."
"No!" He cried, voice breaking slightly when Torao moved his grip to around his waist to keep him from running, "Let me go! P-Please let go!"
No matter how much he pulled, the vampire's grasp around him was strong. All too soon, Luffy collapsed to his knees, all strength leaving him. His wounds stung and he was completely exhausted…there was no way he could fight off someone as powerful as Torao. What was he going to do?
Would Torao kill him?
The dark-haired vampire sighed and knelt in front of him, getting his nice slacks dirty. Luffy didn't dare look up at him and just continued to sniff pathetically. It was frustrating to feel so weak.
"Look at me, kid." Torao ordered in a soft but firm voice while placing a gloved hand on his shoulder. Against his will, Luffy found himself raising his chin to meet the vampire's golden-red gaze. "I'm not going to hurt you, okay? I know I don't look like it, but I'm a doctor…I want to help you."
"…my tail…a-and ears…" He managed to squeak out in a broken voice, prompting Torao's eyes to flick up to them briefly.
"I'm not a lycan, Luffy-ya. What you look like means nothing to me. Like I said, all I want to do is help."
Shuddering from the cold and blood loss, Luffy found himself believing the vampire's words. He seemed sincere and, honestly, he wasn't too keen on traversing the city alone in the dark again. He'd already been attacked once. Luffy inclined his head curtly, silently giving Torao permission to assist him.
The vampire's expression softened at his response and he wasted no time pulling him up off the pavement so he could curl an arm around his back, supporting his weak body. Luffy was amazed at Torao's strength and how he threw him around almost effortlessly while still managing to hold the umbrella over both of them.
"Where are we going?" He asked after they'd walked a ways from where the monster had attacked him.
"My home." Torao answered while hefting his arm a little higher around his shoulder, "How familiar are you with vampires, Luffy-ya?"
"Not v-very…"
"I see. Well, much like you lycans have pack houses, we have blood houses where each coven lives together. Like a base, if you will. My family happens to own the largest one in the area."
As the words left his mouth, they turned a corner and a tall building came into view. Luffy gulped nervously at the intimidating architecture and guards in black standing under the front awning. Suddenly very aware of how exposed he was, Luffy once again tried to twist out of Torao's grasp so he could stand behind him, but without much success.
The vampire noticed his nervousness and stopped walking just long enough to remove his coat and put it around Luffy's shoulders, the hood pulled over his wet ears.
"T-Thank you…"
"No problem. Now come on, let's get you inside."
The guards at the front door glanced down at Luffy with eyebrows raised but opened the door wide for them to enter. As soon as they stepped over the threshold, Luffy exhaled deeply, very happy to finally be out of the rain. However, he also couldn't seem to stop himself from shivering no matter how hard he clutched his furry arms to his chest.
As Torao led him over to the elevator, Luffy let his eyes wander around the strange 'blood house' building. The lobby was extravagantly decorated and filled with vampires carrying stacks of papers or standing guard. For how late it was, they all seemed very much awake. Torao explained that for vampires, when the moon rose, their days were just beginning.
Luffy stumbled slightly in the elevator when it started to ascend and watched as the numbers increased, the machine taking them to one of the top floors of the building. When the doors opened, letting them out on the tenth floor, his eyes widened. It was a beautiful library lit with dim lamps. There was a large desk as well but no one was sitting behind it at the moment.
"This way." Torao muttered, taking him through a doorway to the left of the fancy desk. Eventually, they stopped in a kitchen where the vampire motioned for Luffy to have a seat at a nearby table nestled in the corner, quaintly surrounded by windows. Of course, given the storm outside, it was more ominous than anything else (especially considering how high up they were). Just as Luffy removed the sopping wet coat from his shoulders, a voice sounded throughout the suite.
"Law, is that you?" He tensed when a very tall, blonde vampire entered the room and immediately began to fuss over Torao while he pulled out a first aid kit. "Where have you been and what's with the gauze!? Did you get hurt?"
"Patrolling, Cora-san, and no…it's not me who's hurt."
The vampire blinked in confusion for a moment before finally noticing Luffy at the table. He shrunk under the unfamiliar person's curious eyes and felt his tail curl between his legs instinctively.
"Oh…I see. Who's this?"
"Luffy-ya." Torao put in quickly while pushing past the blonde, "A ghoul attacked him in our territory."
The tall vampire hummed and brought a hand to his face while Torao carefully began to remove Luffy's shredded and bloody shirt, revealing more fur. Thankfully, it didn't seem to bother him. He hissed when the doctor dabbed some sort of medicine or cleanser on one of his wounds.
"We'll need to increase patrols then…Doffy won't be pleased, not with the inspection coming up so soon, but I digress. That's tomorrow's problem." Luffy blinked in surprise when the vampire knelt down to his level and smiled brightly at him. "It's nice to meet you, Luffy, my name is Donquixote Rocinante. You can call me Roci or Cora-san."
"H-Hello." He answered, trembling violently from the cold and pain. Rocinante sent him a sorrowful look and returned to his feet.
"I'll get him some clothes and put on a pot of tea."
"Is he here?" Torao put in suddenly, drawing the tall vampire's attention as he made to leave the room, "Uncle?" Rocinante shook his head.
"Not right now, but he should be back soon. Said he had a meeting or something."
With that, the blonde vampire left them alone and Torao got to work patching him up. Luffy looked at the expertly wrapped bandages and suddenly didn't doubt the man's claim to be a doctor. Not long after his wounds were treated, Rocinante returned and helped dress him in comfy, black sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt that really helped him feel warmer.
Well, that and the hot cup of tea they thrust into his hands.
Sipping gingerly from the mug, Luffy brought his legs up onto the couch where the vampires had deposited him, wrapped snugly in a warm blanket. He felt silly for doubting Torao's intentions now but the vampire had already told him to not worry about it. Anyone would feel wary after being attacked. Rocinante sat in a chair not far from him, fiddling with a nearby record player that released the soothing sounds of smooth jazz. Outside the window, the storm still raged and lightning flashed, but the pills Torao had given him seemed to dull both the pain and his sense of fear.
"Feeling any better?" Torao asked, prompting Luffy to nod.
"Yes, thank you." The vampire nodded in response to his question and sat down next to him with his own cup of what smelled like coffee. "If you don't mind, I am curious about a few things, Luffy-ya."
He tensed slightly at the statement but let the vampire continue.
"Your…extra appendages…I assume those aren't natural?"
Luffy shook his head.
"I see. Are Ace-ya and Sabo-ya aware?"
"Yeah, t-they know."
"Are they aware you're here?"
"Um…" Luffy stuttered and tightened his grip on the mug. Torao watched him closely. "No, not exactly." Before the vampire could say anything else, the elevator from the other room chimed, indicating someone had arrived. The raven-haired vampire huffed and stood to his feet just as yet another blonde vampire walked into the room. This one had a much more intimidating aura than Rocinante and wore a scarlet suit.
Guards flanked him, making him look like a mafia boss or something.
"Welcome back, Uncle." Torao greeted while Rocinante waved at the newcomer briefly before turning back to the music player when the record scratched.
"Law, Roci." The blonde greeted while his guards helped him remove his wet outer coat, "Where have you been, hmmm? I believe I told you to work on organizing the disaster you call an office. The Eastern Elder is supposed to come by in a few days."
"I was…busy."
"Fufufu, yes I can see that."
Luffy, unsure what to do, brought the blanket tighter around his shoulders. The newcomer's gaze was a bright scarlet and seemed to look straight through him to his very soul.
"Luffy-ya, this is my Uncle Doflamingo. He is our coven's current Lord."
"Hi…" He whispered, scared his legs would give out from under him if he tried to get up and greet the clearly high-ranking vampire. But if he didn't…would the man be offended? But to his surprise, the Lord just laughed and dismissed his guards with a casual wave of his hand.
"Poor little thing, you don't have to be so frightened. I'm not that scary~"
"Yes you are." Law said bluntly, making Doflamingo's smirk widen.
"How rude! Is that any way to talk to family?" Luffy watched with big eyes as the scarlet-clad vampire started to chase Torao around the room, trying to hug him (or kill him…it was hard to tell). "Come on, give your Uncle a hug!"
"Never!" Torao yelled while jumping over the couch and running into the next room, Doflamingo hot on his heels (practically skipping). Rocinante, still in the room with Luffy, laughed softly to himself.
"Sorry about them. Doffy can be a lot…especially for my little introvert."
"Uh huh…" Luffy couldn't help but crack a smile at the odd family's antics. It reminded of him of the times Iva would come over and give his Dad a hard time about something 'trivial'.
Once Doflamingo had finally gotten his hug, the two older vampires left Luffy alone with Torao in the living room. The rain was still coming down but the storm had definitely lost its edge. Luffy looked up when the vampire took his now empty mug and moved it so he could sit on the coffee table across from him.
"…did you run away?"
He bit the inside of his cheek and looked away, too ashamed to look the vampire in the face. Luffy knew Torao would want to continue their conversation, but he really didn't want to.
"I won't pry into your reasons, Luffy-ya, but you almost died. I think we need to let Ace-ya know where you are and that you're safe."
Luffy sniffled and felt his bottom lip tremble as he tried to hold himself together. Now that the adrenaline had worn off, he recognized it was stupid to run like he did. Ace and Sabo had only ever been kind to him. He pictured the raven-haired lycan's supportive hand on his shoulder and how worried he'd looked when Luffy almost fell down the stairs.
"I know."
"So it's okay if I call him?"
"Yeah…I guess." Luffy answered while laying down on his side and pulling the blanket higher. He figured it was a good idea to try and get some sleep before Ace arrived.
The alpha was going to be so mad at him…
By the time Ace reached town, his fur was heavy with water and he was tired, but he didn't dare slow down or take a break. He needed to find Luffy before someone (or something) else did. It was a well-known fact that predators targeted pups that had been separated from their pack and he would never forgive himself if something happened to Luffy on his watch.
Nose to the ground, Ace continued to track the boy's scent to the best of his ability. The rain made it difficult…but he was certain Luffy made it to town. When he came to a shopping area, Ace was forced to hide briefly due to a drunk pair of humans stumbling around in the storm.
He had to be careful and not let himself be seen in his hybrid form, otherwise the rumors would start.
Once the humans had moved on, he emerged from the shadows and sniffed along the pavement until he caught a particularly strong whiff of the pup…one tinged with fear. Ace snarled and raised his nose up into the air.
'Vampire? No…ghoul.' Ace thought, stomach dropping. Ghouls were very dangerous and loved to prey on the weak. Worried, he picked up his pace and followed the scent into a dank alley. His breath caught in his throat when he smelled blood, though it appeared most of it had been washed away by the rain.
Luffy had been hurt.
"Damn it…" Ace hissed to himself, baring his teeth. Was he too late? Before he could thoroughly search the alley for any more clues, the phone he'd hung around his neck began to vibrate. Sabo insisted he took it just in case his brother needed to contact him. Cursing his extra-large fingers and claws, Ace fumbled for the annoying device and answered without even bothering to see who it was.
"What?"
"Ace-ya, did I call at a bad time?"
He frowned, recognizing the voice but noting it wasn't Sabo. Wiping the water droplets from the screen, Ace held it away from his ear so he could read the ID.
"Law? What're you calling me for?" Ace hadn't spoken to the vampire since they received compensation for guarding him at the gala.
"It's a bit of a long story but I'll skip to the point. I came across Luffy-ya on patrol and saved him from a ghoul."
"Is he okay?" Ace immediately asked, shoulders drooping in relief.
"He was injured but I've treated him."
"Where is he? I'll come get him."
"Our blood house. I'll be waiting for you."
With that, Law hung up and Ace slumped against the nearby brick wall. Thank God Law had been there, otherwise…
Shaking water from his head, he took off in a full sprint towards the Donquixote blood house, hiding his form in the shadows as much as possible. The last thing he needed was human interference. As he approached the building, he noticed a dark clad figure waiting for him just outside of the front door. Law noticed him quickly and waved him over.
When Ace jumped and landed on the railing without warning, the two guards stationed there immediately hissed at him and got into a fighting stance.
"Stand down, he's with me." Law quickly put in, causing the guards to relax, "You may want to change out of that form though if you want to come inside without causing too much of a scene." With an understanding growl, Ace felt his bones moving back into place and his fur recede. Soon he was standing on Law's front porch in nothing but a torn pair of shorts and the phone hanging around his neck.
"Come inside, I'll take you to him."
Ace chose to ignore the stares and closely followed Law into the blood house. He did feel bad that he was leaving puddles of water in his wake, but his focus needed to be on getting to Luffy. Thankfully, the vampire took him straight to the elevator and up to the tenth floor, where they'd met Lord Donquixote for their job.
Seconds after stepping off the elevator, Ace sniffed the air, searching for Luffy's scent. Thankfully, he did smell the pup, but…
'And I thought he smelled sick before…' He thought, nose scrunching up in displeasure but also worry. Mingled with the vampire's natural scent of medicine and blood was Luffy, smelling of fear and intense stress.
"Let me get you a towel." Law offered in a low voice, but Ace didn't give him time to finish and swiftly made his way into the next room. He startled a blonde vampire (Donquixote Rocinante, he reminded himself) who sat in the main area of the space but he ignored him, focusing instead on the small lump not far from him.
Luffy, swaddled in blankets.
His sudden arrival seemed to wake the teen as he sat up when he entered the room, one side of the blanket sliding off his shoulder to reveal unfamiliar clothes. Ace frowned when Luffy winced in pain, drawing attention to the bandages wrapped around his right arm and weird, polar bear themed band-aid on his cheek.
"A-Ace..?" Luffy managed, eyes wide. Feeling all the air leave his body at the pup's voice, Ace rushed up to him and pulled the teen into a tight hug. Based on how tense the kid's body was, clearly the action surprised him.
"Thank God…" He whispered while bringing a clawed hand to Luffy's upper back so he could pull him closer, "I-I thought…if Law hadn't…"
Ace stumbled over his words, unsure what to say to express how he was feeling. Despite the fact that Luffy had only been with them for a short while, he'd started to see the pup as part of their pack. The thought that Luffy had almost been taken from them scared him more than he would ever admit.
Pulling away, Ace looked the pup over, eyes lingering on the bandaged wounds that littered Luffy's right side. Thankfully, his lycan blood would heal him quickly.
"Are you okay?"
"Mn." Luffy made a small sound and looked down, ears drooped against his hair. Ace's eyes softened at the look on the pup's face. It hurt his heart to see the normally feisty teen so downtrodden.
"How are your injuries? Are you in pain?"
Luffy didn't answer and simply let Ace hold his arm so he could examine the bandages more closely. Behind him, Law finally entered the room and tossed a blue towel at his head.
"I gave him some medication for the pain already…now please, at least dry your hair."
"Yeah, my bad." Ace answered, releasing Luffy for a moment so he could towel off his dark, sopping wet locks. He stopped when the pup suddenly reached out and grabbed the towel, drawing his attention.
"I-I…I'm sorry."
He looked at the pup in surprise and barely noticed Rocinante rushing Law out of the room behind them. Luffy sniffed and used his other hand to wipe a dripple of mucous from his nose, eyes watering.
"I should've listened to you and Sabo but I-I was worried about my Dad and-"
"Hey, hey, take a breath." Ace interrupted, while letting the towel rest around his neck. "I need you to slow down, okay?" He tried to keep his scent as calm and soothing as possible, anything to sweeten the pup's sour smell.
Thankfully, it seemed to work as the pup took a deep breath, following his instructions. His erratically moving tail slowed to rest briefly on the cushion behind him.
"Are you and Sabo mad at me?"
"I mean…a little." Ace admitted, cursing inwardly when Luffy's ears drooped even lower, breaking his heart into itty bitty pieces. "But more than anything, I'm just glad you're safe."
His second statement seemed to improve Luffy's countenance but the pup still seemed upset. Ace scratched his wet hair awkwardly and settled on the couch next to him, trying to think of what to say next. He wasn't used to having to deal with this sort of thing…
"…why do you keep trying to run?" Ace settled on, glancing to his left at the injured pup, "I mean, I sort of get it, but I don't think we've ever really talked about it."
Luffy shrugged and pulled the blanket back around his shoulders.
"Wouldn't you do the same thing if you were separated from your family?"
Ace hummed, picturing Sabo in his mind.
"Yeah, I guess I would."
"I just want to see my Dad…I have so many questions." Luffy continued as he pulled his knees up to his chest and leaned his forehead on them, "How did I get like this and why did he give me away like I-I was…"
"He was trying to protect you."
"I know that!" Luffy groaned into his knees, sniffling again, "…but it still hurts."
Ace's heart went out to the pup. He wished he had answers to give him but he just didn't know what to say.
"And you know those bad guys who tried to kidnap me? The one's who said they worked with my Dad?" Ace nodded, frowning when he thought back to that incident. "They said some things and-and it sounds like my Dad might be in trouble, so I…I wanted to find him before he got hurt."
"I see…" Ace responded softly, "Why didn't you tell me?"
Luffy huffed and moved his head so his cheek was squished against his knees.
"I thought you'd say no."
Ace felt his stomach drop at Luffy's answer. They had not done a good job of making the pup feel secure and comfortable in their care. Sure, they'd kept him safe and hidden away, but what else had they truly accomplished besides giving him vague promises of release and a chance to see his father again if he behaved.
They'd procrastinated addressing the elephant in the room: Luffy's strong desire to see his Dad again and go back to his old life. Luffy wasn't like them. He'd only just recently discovered his lycan blood and still had no idea how that happened.
'We need to do better.' Ace resolved, turning on the couch so his body faced Luffy's.
"I'm sorry, Luffy…for everything."
The teen's eyes widened at his statement.
"What..?"
"Sabo and I wanted to keep you safe but all we've been doing is keep you prisoner." Ace continued, voice low. "And that's not something we want. You're basically pack now and we have no right to keep you locked up, even if it's to protect you."
"Pack? You mean-"
"W-Well, you know…" Ace interrupted, face flushing a bit when he met Luffy's big eyes that seemed so full of surprise and wonder, "If you want to, that is. We won't force you."
When Luffy actually seemed to consider the offer, Ace found himself shocked into silence. The pup slowly emerged from his blanket and let his feet gently fall back to the floor, moving into a more relaxed posture. His ears twitched and his tail wagged back and forth, less chaotic and more rhythmic in its motion.
"I've never been in a pack before…it's just been me and my Dad." Luffy murmured, swallowing hard, "Is it nice? I-I feel like it would be nice."
Ace blinked at the boy's strange question. Luffy's scent was kind of all over the place and his pupils were enlarged…something was off. Without really thinking, he reached over and flicked the kid right on his forehead, making him yelp.
"Ow! What was that for!?"
"This isn't a decision your instincts should make for you. Take some time and think it over."
Though the pup hadn't realized it, his innate desire to belong to a pack had started to blur his senses. Ace knew very well that it wouldn't be right for him to let Luffy's instincts all but force him into the pack. Doing that would make him as bad as Teach, the monster who'd stolen him from his life, everything he'd ever known, without giving him a choice in the matter.
"But, in the meantime, why not let Sabo and I help you. We know more about the Shikari than you do and I am a little curious how that old man is faring…"
"You mean it?" Luffy asked, a small, excited grin forming on his face, "You'll help me find him?"
"It's the least we can do after everything that's happened, but you really do need to follow our rules, okay? Things might've worked out this time but-" Ace didn't get to finish as the pup threw off the blanket and glomped him, wrapping his skinny legs around his waist in a violent hug. He was so shocked that he just sat there, unsure what to do with his arms.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Luffy exclaimed with ears perked up and tail wagging happily behind him, "You're the best kidnapper ever!"
"Hey, rude." Ace muttered before finally returning the kid's hug, stifling a sneeze when Luffy's furry ears rubbed against his nose, "But I mean it, Luffy…no more running off, especially at night. There are too many predators out there and you aren't strong enough to fight them yet."
"Yet? Are you gonna teach me to fight like a wolf too!?"
"…we'll see. One thing at a time."
"I see he's feeling better." A voice interjected, drawing their attention. Law had stepped back into the room with Rocinante, the latter peering around the corner while dabbing at his eyes with a handkerchief. "You two finally work things out?"
Suddenly embarrassed, Ace pried Luffy off his chest and stiffly placed him on the floor. They'd been having such a serious discussion that he'd completely forgotten they were borrowing the vampire's living room. The pup just chuckled softly and wiped the wetness from his eyes with the back of his forearm. It was amazing how much his countenance had lifted with Ace's simple promise.
Of course, now they were probably going to have to break into another Shikari base, but that was a problem for another day. Honestly, if Luffy made good on his promise to stop running off, Ace would be happy to fulfill his request.
"Sorry, I think we've overstayed our welcome."
"Nonsense." A different, deeper voice put in. Ace looked to his right in surprise when Doflamingo appeared, wearing his signature scarlet suit. "I'm always happy to open my home to very interesting lycans. Consider it a bonus for protecting Law at the gala."
Ace bowed curtly in respect to the old vampire, not liking how his gleaming eyes lingered on Luffy's exposed ears and tail.
"Thank you for taking Luffy in, we are in your debt." He straightened up and looked the vampire in the eye, not flinching. "However, I would ask that you not mention his features to others. It's not something we want to become common knowledge."
Ace shivered unconsciously when Doflamingo's grin widened into a knowing smirk.
"We wouldn't dream of it! Roci and Law would never forgive me if we put little Luffy in a pinch. That being said, giving our coven a discount on your services would certainly help-" The elder vampire was cut off when Law stalked over and elbowed him in the gut…rather aggressively.
"Don't listen to him. He's an idiot."
"Law…I was making a business deal~" Doflamingo whined, holding his stomach gingerly. The younger vampire just glared at him.
"Now, now." Rocinante said with his hands up in a soothing motion, "Sorry about that, you don't need to listen to him. Why don't I walk you two out?" When the tall vampire turned over his shoulder, he seemed to trip over nothing and smacked his face on the door frame. Ace and Luffy watched with wide eyes as he slid to the floor with an audible smack.
Law and Doflamingo just sighed.
"…Cora-san…you okay?"
"Y-Yeah. I'm good."
Meanwhile…
Dragon grunted in pain when a fellow Shikari punched him across the jaw, sending him sprawling across the floor of his cell. It seemed his silence only infuriated his visitors more.
"Just admit it and the pain will stop."
He glared up through his matted hair at Akainu, the man responsible for his current situation. Known to his closer companions as 'Sakazuki' (his given name), the current leader of the Shikari was an imposing man despite the fact that he liked to dress like a washed-out football coach. Dragon could just barely see his fiery eyes from beneath the brim of his baseball cap.
Akainu had always disliked his family, starting with his father. He didn't know the details, but apparently Garp's ideals clashed with Akainu's and they'd had quite a few fights when his father was younger. Now that Garp chose to simply ignore most of what their new leader said, he'd moved on to Dragon as his primary target.
…and Luffy.
"I won't confess to something that's not true." He retorted while spitting a glob of blood on the stone floor, "I'm not a traitor."
"Tell that to the men you injured."
"I was protecting my son."
"That thing stopped being your son the moment 'Red Haired' bit him." Akainu shot back, eyes full of hate. "He's one of them and should've been put down a long time ago."
Dragon's glare deepened and he shakily stood to his feet, using the wall as leverage for his beaten body. Akainu's goons stepped away from him, and rightly so. It'd been a while since he'd felt quite so angry.
"Don't you dare talk about Luffy that way."
Akainu just scoffed.
"Or what? What could you possibly do-"
"I'll kill you." Dragon all but hissed, pulling sharply on the chains that connected his wrists. The men around him flinched in surprise at the sudden sound and backed away from him. "Underestimate me and you'll regret it."
The man simply watched him with a neutral expression before motioning for the men to hook his chains back up to the wall. Dragon didn't fight them and focused on keeping his gaze locked with Akainu's.
"We'll see."
As Dragon settled back down against the wall and his torturers left, Akainu sent him a snide look over his shoulder.
"Oh, and don't worry so much about your boy…hopefully he'll join us for your trial as the final nail in your coffin. Then, who knows, perhaps you can be executed together. Either that or we'll find a good use for him…maybe as target practice for the rookies."
"Go to hell, bastard." Dragon growled, cursing the man even when he finally left his cell.
Finally alone, Dragon relaxed against the cold wall, all breath leaving his lungs. The Shikari wouldn't rest until he was forced out of their ranks and Luffy was dead…or worse. Akainu hated all kinds of monsters with a burning passion but lycans seemed to be at the top of his list. If he got his hands on Luffy, it would be disastrous.
'Hurry and find him, Dracule.' He thought, hands clenching into a fist. 'Get to my son before anyone else does.'