Caramel: Book 3 of the Lord Emperor Vampire Series

Thanks to the Loyal and True. I was surprised by the amount of dismay from the crue. I find it inspiring to hear from the readers. Whether it be, you can’t kill him, where the hell is so and so…and aaawww that’s so sweet. Writing is solitary business and this delayed interaction is better than nothing at all. So I do really appreciate the time you take to read my work, write your reviews or toggle your rating. Major Kudos to you all.

Shiden: your evil muffins were delicious. Yumm.

Sesshomarunaraku – I’m going to write a chappie for your questions over in the rants section. Give me a few days to organize my thoughts.

Loyal and True. Mauh! K; Rosemary;Spirit; Rosei, Duelriel, Laur, Shiden, Tsuki the Moon, Dark Avenger; and Sesshomarunaraku


Chapter 135: Hades & Hellcats

I took a deep gasping breath and sat up. Trendy blond hair and watery blue eyes were not what I was expecting when I opened my eyes but I was damned glad to see them. Hades sat in a chair at the end of my bed, his arms folded across his chest and his feet propped up on my footboard. I burst out crying. If Hades was here; I was home.

“It’s no wonder the Lycan’s are pissed with you…Xavier. Pardon my language, but why don’t you fucking listen to us!” I held up my arms. He slid out of his chair and gathered me to his chest. “If I was two seconds later, you’d be gone, heaven knows where. I thought Marcus showed you how to disappear. A binding shouldn’t have worked on you.”

“…shot me…with….” It was fuzzy to think. It took a lot of effort to speak.

“Yes, we found traces of whatever they used in the darts. I had them sent to the lab.”

“Armor?”

“Marcus is working.”

“What?”

“Alarik dumped you and got away. I caught his accomplice. Marcus is retrieving information now. However, this looks like this was a faction grab not the objective of the main body.”

I couldn’t think. It was like trying to work through a woolen sock. “Faction?”

“Can you heal yourself, Xavier? Burn the lingering remains of this poison out of your system, just like you did to mine.”

“Poison…”

“Xavier…Heal yourself.” Hades took my head between his hands and looked me straight in the eyes. “Call on your Healing Light.”

“Pyotr…where’s…P…”

“Xavier, you have to help yourself before you can help others. Heal yourself, now.”

Flick my bic. I snapped my fingers and I flamed a bright blue. There was a heat rushing through my veins stamping out the cold that was making me sluggish. It was a cleansing. It burnt off the lingering fog of the drug and then I sputtered out. Hades laid me back on the bed. I looked up at the pulley system in the ceiling. That has got to go.

“Xavier?”

“How did you find me?”

“I wasn’t looking for you. I was following the one that’s called the General. Haley said that this is the one you called HC. You need to be mindful of your good deeds, Xavier. They can come back and bite your ass hard. I just happened to be watching the back alley when they carried you out of the house. Alarik sensed me, dropped you to the ground and bolted. The General tried to drag you to his car.”

I raised my hand to my head. “Thank you.”

I tried to get up. I was weak as a kitten. What ever the hell that stuff was, it was potent.

“Pyotr…”

“He got hit with the same dart, Xavier. He’s not doing well.”

“Take me to him.”

“You need to recover.”

“Help me.”

“He was doing his job. You need to rest.”

I fought my way out of the covers. I was covered in cold sweat by the time I got myself sitting upright. The room was swimming around me. I could feel Hades staring. There are times I remember how much I used to hate the fucking bastard. This was one of them. I wasn’t even going to try and stand. I slid off the bed and began to crawl toward the door. It was slow going. I had to rest every ten knee shuffles.

“You can be such a dedicated ass.” Hades reached down and yanked me off the floor. He wrapped my arm around his neck and walk/pull/dragged me down the corridor. “This is why everyone is so willing to die for you.”

“Right, like you’d die for me.”

“It’s a surprise to me as well, Lord Emperor.”

“What?” I think my heart stopped beating.

“You think the Loyal or the Lycan have exclusive rights for dieing to protect you?”

Holy….I was aghast. Here was the Ancient of the Ancients and he was offering, no, he was telling me that he would die to protect me? “I don’t want people dieing for me. I don’t understand why everyone is lining up to do it.”

“And that is what makes you special. Arrogance gets you assassinated. You are blundering around doing things because they are the right thing to do and not just because it’s popular or for political gain. Even though it was done with good intensions, The Winfields placed you in danger. They wanted to protect you and they had that pure desire twisted and converted into something sinister by forces that they don’t even know exist..”

Fear settled into the back of my throat, “Did you kill them?”

“I was tempted. Trust me, I was very tempted. You laying damn near lifeless in the street pushed some buttons I didn’t know I had. Then again, you can’t stand against Alarik, yourself. What chance did mere humans have? Mrs Winfield and the little girl were pretty damn shocked when I carried you back through the house and kicked down the front door to get to the Loyal.”

Hades dragged me into Sex’s bedroom. Pyotr was laying on the bed. His whole frame was sweaty and he seemed to be running a high fever. “I will get you blood. You are so weak. Do nothing until I get back, Xavier. You are in no condition to attempt Healing right now.” Hades dumped me on the bed. “Listen to me for once. I am actually concerned for you.”

“Thank you, Hades.”

I waited until Hades disappeared out the door then dragged myself up closer to Pyotr. He had a huge puncture mark in his neck from that dart. I glanced down at my chest. The entry points were healed but there was a dull ache where they did hit me. My little red fox Lycan went down hard and fast. I laid a hand on his chest. The Healing Light responded easily lurching forward through me, out of me into the Lycan. I traveled his veins with the fire…blazing off that burning cold that had taken up residence within his smaller frame. Whatever it was, it was not meant to kill…it was meant to immobilize. Me. This tranquilizer was meant to bring me to my knees and keep me there. Anyone else…it would kill them eventually. I used the Healing Light like a whisk broom sweeping off the lingering effects. The bulk of the poison had settled in his head. It hung like a purple fog, clinging to thoughts and memories, weighing them down, making them unweilding and hard to think.

His brightest memory that he clung to…I stumbled to a halt. It was me. I was sure it would be his lover Manu, the Lycan he had followed so long but it was me, from that time in the park. I stood on the gravel path and forged a bow made of blue light. I drew back and there was an arrow nocked then that bolt flew through the air. Lycan eyes followed it’s trajectory – straight and true – then it punched a perfect hole through the would-be-assassins leg. He was honored to have been chosen to protect me. He would do more than die for me…if selling his soul would protect me, he would do it without hesitation

He took a deep breath and my hand jumped. The blue light flickered out. His opened his feral gold eyes and stared at me. “I failed you, my Emperor.” His voice was gravelly and weak.

I collapsed on him. My eye lids felt weighted with sand bags. “No…Pyotr, I failed you. I’m sorry.” Slowly his arms came up around me. A hand pet my hair.

Hades found us like that. The fact that the Lycan was awake and holding me told him I didn’t listen…again.

“I’d tie you up somewhere, but trouble would just find you. You’re a giant electro trouble magnet.” Hades marched over and gently pulled me upright even though his voice told me he wanted to rattle my fangs out of my head. He had a mug of blood but he fanged his wrist open and shoved it up onto my fangs. “Take all you can. You are almost not registering any essence at all.”

Hades sat himself on the bed and leaned me back against him. I drank slowly. Allowing the honey sweetness to fill my mouth. He reminded me of milk and honey Pocky. I shut my eyes and moaned. “At another time, I would find that to be a blatant invitation, Xavier.” He stroked my hairline and hissed as I took a deep draw on his wrist. I was hungry and he was sweet. I forced myself off him. He tasted like more but…I didn’t want him to start crushing on Sex again. Liam wouldn’t like that one bit.

“How are you doing, Lycan?”

“Better than I should be.”

“That’s true. If it were my decision, I would have let you die. You failed to protect your Alpha. “

“Hades!”

“I do not suffer fools lightly, Xavier.” He took the mug he had set aside and gave it to me. “This was a mistake. Basically you’re like babies in the concrete jungle. A fledging and puppies wandering around begging for someone to kick them off the street.”

I took a big drink of warm blood then licked it off my lips. “I can’t hide, Hades.”

“No you can’t. If you do, they have won. Be it Orel Wessel or the Northern Pack.” Hades’ beeper when off. “Progress finally. I’d tell you go lay down and rest but we both know you’d be crawling along the wall and you’d be following him so…” Hades hauled me to my feet then held on as the world spun around me. “Take your blood.”

Pyotr took Hades offered arm. We must have staggered like a couple of drunks after last call. I found it a little disconcerting that Hades was having an interrogation within the confides of my home. Then again…I don’t think my enemies were stupid enough to attack the strong hold of the Loyal and the Lycan. I would like to say I got stronger as we made it toward the Lycan’s den but that would just be wishful thinking. Hades was now carrying me and my mug of blood. Pyotr had a little bit more in his tank but he was moving just about as fast a newborn puppy.

The door opened and everyone turned and looked at us; Loyal, Lycan, staff, Assassins, and Lovers. Manu made a move toward Pyotr but Sang Kyu hauled him up short.

“I am glad to see you up and about, Lord Emperor.” Ping called out to me. They bowed in my direction then cleared a path to the ‘General” Hades had captured. At least, Marcus and Azrael’s toys were being put to good use. HC hung on the…crucifix limply, his head hanging forward and his full weight hung from his wrists.

Marcus turned and looked at me. His eyes were cold and hard. He was still working is way through HC’s mind. “Xavier…Come and meet the leader of those who would tame you.”

“Tame me?”

Hades hauled me forward and a chair magically appeared. I flopped in it boneless. I had pushed past my limits back at the foyer. “This is General Artemis Hewlett, your hot chocolate savior. He commands a quarter of Orel Wessel and he had plans for you. Tell him your plans, General.”

The human jerked as Marcus made the question a command. “I wasn’t going to hurt the Lord Emperor. He is still a child. He could be saved.”

“How did you plan on saving me?” HC..no Hewlett, any debt I felt I had toward him was gone the moment he shot Pyotr.

He raised his head and looked toward me. There was absolutely no physical damage on him aside from what Hades was forced to manhandle on his body. But looking into his eyes, told another story. “Tell me, how you were going to save me?”

“Genetically you are close to human. You once were human. This is just a virus. We have been experimenting on other vampires, on the Reds and we have some success at creating an antidote. If you were once human, the antidote could return you to that state again. It has some side effect….”

“Tell the Lord Emperor what you wanted to do to him.”

“”I…”

“He wants to rip out your fangs, Xavier. He wants to cut off your wings. He wants to keep you drugged so you are docile and easy to control. After he has done that, he wants you as his lab rat. He has killed hundreds of reds to get to his antidote and it doesn’t work on everyone. A true Red, dies horribly if injected with it. He has been searching for a Blue to move his experiment to the next level. He was delighted to be your first taste of blood. His blue flame red angel.” Marcus’ voice was appalled and disgusted.

“You’ve been plotting to kill me since the day we met?” I was a little stunned. Little? I was freaking out. If I had the strength I would be running around the room screaming.

“It was fate. God placed me in your presence. He gave my mission purpose.”

I just got creeped out even more. Ewww, eeeeww, eeeeewwww.

“When did you start working with Alarik Du Bussey?” My voice never quavered.

“He approached me in Europe. He knew I was searching for the higher strain of vampire. He said he could get me a half breed. That would be better than nothing.”

“If you were looking for strength, why didn’t you take me?” Hades demanded.

“You’re just a red. I’m done with reds. I needed a blue. He offered me Claudius Du Bussey.”

I felt an ice ball form in my stomach. Father. His own brother hated him that much?
I’d heard enough. “Marcus have you got what you wanted?”

“I have the location of the main base. He doesn’t have to check in for another hour so they shouldn’t be on alert or moving…yet.”

“Good.” I fought back to my feet. Haley grabbed my arm when I listed starboard. I got my feet under me and walked up to the cross. I bent and looked into Hewlett’s eyes. He straightened his head. “You saved my life twice. I owed you one, but I think it’s null and void now.”

“It doesn’t matter. I have a clean conscience. All I have done has been in the service of Orel Wessel. You can kill me.”

“You don’t get off that easily.” I leaned forward and ran my nose along his hairline. He smelled slightly of almonds. “You took poison?”

“It is standard procedure when captured.”

“Slow acting poison. You know that doesn’t work with us, well with me anyways.” I did a Harry Potter on his forehead. I touched him and ripped into his mind. He screamed and jerked in his bonds. Not enough to kill him, but to just make him wish he was dead. Then I cupped his chin and made sure he watching as my eyes flared blue. “You don’t get the choice of how you die. Not after what you planned for me. I can be forgiving, but you just drove all over that line.”

I flared my feathers then burst into healing flame. I slowly, like a lava flow creeping to the ocean, ran the flame through his veins burning off that poison. I couldn’t keep it going as long as I wanted, or he deserved. I grabbed onto the wooden cross post to keep from collapsing from the floor. I pushed my lips to his ear. “Let’s do this, for old time’s sake.” I wrenched his head sideways and fanged him hard. I didn’t even try to make it bearable. I jerked my head and opened the fang holes wider. Blood flowed out of my mouth and down his neck.

“Mercy.” His groaned.

I wrenched my head back. “Mercy? How many Red Vampire did you experiment with? How many cried mercy? Never mind, I’ll find out for myself.”

He screamed and screamed and finally gurgled. He was a excellent impassive research scientist. Those Reds that died, were just tossed into the incinerator. Those that survived, that returned to a semblance of humanity, he kept and still experimented on. At the last count, there were seven locked in his lab. Security code was 87340. I was pulling back from his ravaged mind when a fleeting image caught my attention. Alarik and his four cronies. They were younger than him. He made sure of that so he remained in control. Alarik, Sebsatino, Romeo, Matthias and Julian. Alarik began working for Orel Wessel less than a year since he left the House. Traitor, Matricide, Genocide, Regicide. He killed his soul and now killed because it made him feel alive.

“Mercy…”

I stepped back from him, my wings still out. I licked at the blood staining my mouth. “I’m the Angel of Death…not the Angel of Mercy.” I looked at Hades and willed his dagger free from his arm sheath. Instinctively he grabbed for it but stopped as it floated gently to my extended palm. “Pyotr.”

My little fox of a Lycan stagger forward. “Lord Alpha.”

“What is your duty?”

“Protect the Lord Emperor.”

I handed him the dagger. “Protect me.” I raised my wing out of the way so he could get past me.

Pyotr slit the General’s throat. Blood poured out all over the place. It was through sheer force that he drove the dagger back into that bloody mess and decapitated the human. The head I had taken earlier in the weeks before, upset me more than this. Mainly because, they wanted to make me into a maimed lab rat. There was no thought of it in the General’s mind but what if….

I turned toward the Lycan. Vladimir caught my eye and came forward. “Lord Alpha?”

“I want you to go to Claudia. Now.”

“Lord Alpha…”

“She is the would-be-mother of my litter. I wouldn’t put it past Orel Wessel or my uncle from going after her. Do you understand the faith I am putting in you, little Vlad?”

He stared at me for a moment then tentatively reached out his hand. I caught the back of his head and pulled him in for a brief kiss. Lycan’s mate for life…good or bad or by mistake. “I am glad to see you up and around.”

“You wouldn’t believe how glad I am up to be up and around and at home. I thought I was done for. Who are your best trackers?”

‘Manu and Pyotr.”

“Can Pyotr work?”

Vladimir glanced passed me. “He is stronger than when you both came in. He should be able to track. Fighting…I would not test it.”

“Manu, Pyotr. Go back to the Winfields alley and track Alarik from there. He has a lair with Orel Wessel, but I doubt it’s his only one. He probably hasn’t returned. If he has been watching Father, he probably knows Marcus can mindfuck. I don’t know if he knows I can. Don’t engage him. Just call in his position. Remember. he doesn’t work alone.” They moved off together. Manu catching his smaller mate’s hand as they headed out the door.

I was feeling more like my old self. Marcus came up beside me. “I’m …” He burst into tears. Jees….I turned and awkwardly brought my arms around him. “When Hades brought you home, I thought you were dead.”

“Marcus…” I hugged him tight to me. Marcus, Marcus, Marcus. Fragile, fucked up Marcus. “You did good, big brother. I’m fine. Get your game face on. We have to go hunting. Just like a cull.”

I brushed at Marcus’ tear streaked face. “Get my glocks and my blades, please.” He nodded and pulled back. “Azrael is proud of you Marcus.” He gave me a watery smile then turned on his heel and moved off.

Hades stood off to the side and looked at me. What? “You have a nasty streak in you, Azrael.”

“Xavier.”

“If that’s true, it’s nastier than I thought. Bravo. I take it you’re coming with us.”

“You going to try and stop me? You could, but I’d go down swinging then you would be a hindrance, too.”

“You have no artifice about you what so ever, Xavier.”

“Is that a good thing, or a bad thing?”

“I’ll say it’s a good thing…for the Lord Emperor. Everyone will know where they stand with you. If you need intrigue…that is where Liam and I will come into play: we exist to lurk in the grey areas of the mind and soul.”

“You need to shower, Xavier. Whatever that drug was, has intensified your scent. I think a human would find you smelly right now.

Haley grabbed me around the chest and squeezed me hard. Hades moved off. “Don’t get hurt again, Lord Alpha.”

I brought my hands up and pet his head. He tightened his arms even more. “I don’t plan on it.”

“We’ll make sure this doesn’t happen again.” Ping stepped up. She offered up her hand. I leant over and she stroked my face. “Vladimir understands the importance of the job you just gave him.”

“You’re not coming.” I got a slight smack to my cheek. “My winglets, your puppies. Do you think I could live with myself if either of you or the royal eight were injured?”

“Haley, is glued to your side, Lord Alpha. Don’t try and shake him.”

“Understood, Elek.”

/Xavier./

I turned my head and spied Shade standing in the doorway to the Den. “Your Majesty.”

/Come with me./

That red tail flicked out of my line of sight. What? “I need to get cleaned up, meet you at the foyer, Pup.”

I followed Shade into the Great Hall. My footsteps faltered as I spied two other Hellcats. What stopped me cold was the two hellkittens in the new Hellcats’ mouths. /Shade?/

/I lose contact with you when a brother comes. You’ve come a long way, my Emperor from the mattress to the throne. You have an army at your command. You have a personal guard that will kill for you. But your enemy still touched you. This Violet and her kit, Morose. This is Hazel and her kit, Snowflake. They are for Sex and Azrael. The Hellcat nation appreciates your service and offers this protection freely. Accept it as it is given, Xavier./

/I…./

/Call Sex./

Violet was a pure Crimson. The only other color on her was the black of the pad of her nose. I set my ass on the floor. Who heard of three Hellcats in one family? One was rare enough. /Shade?/

I got a light smack with a tail then it curled around my neck. Nightshade rubbed her head against my shoulder. /Once your brothers bond with the kittens, there will be no more loss of communication out in the field. This is an honor, Xavier./

/I know./ Violet set her newborn kitten in my hands. He was a deeper red than his mother. His paws were black. The tips of his ears were black.

/Sex…you know what’s going on?/

/He’s beautiful./

/You know what to do?/

/Yeah./ I raised my head and looked at the three full grown Hellcats. Tears burned the back of my eyes. This was an honor. I dropped fang and nicked my finger. Blood pooled at the tip. I held it up to the tiny little nose. It twitched. A black tongue curled out and lapped at my offering. I grinned like the village idiot then froze. What name was I supposed to use? Sex? Edward? I looked down at the little guy in a panic.

Xavier’s voice floated back to me, /What do you call yourself, brother?/

S-E-X. /You know, you reek./

I blinked down at the kitten. It seemed older and he stared up at me with pale blue eyes. /You’re beautiful./

/So are you./ His eyes looked past me up at the wings, Xavier hadn’t put away. /Nice./

I fanged my wrist and set it before him. The kitten lapped at his first meal. I petted his back then stopped. Maybe he didn’t…

/Trust me, Sex. If you do something, I don’t like, you’ll hear about it./ The little head lifted from my wrist. I licked it closed.

/What form do you like?/

The kitten jumped off me and he morphed into a Bengal tiger. Holy….big cat. He roared. I slapped my hands over my ears. Big cat, big voice.

/You can call me, Mo./

I started laughing. “Mo, Sex.”

/Can you hear me now?/ I turned and looked over at Shade.

/Hey./

/You hesitated./ Shade came over and sat beside me.

/Identity crisis. It’s better now./ I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around her neck. “Thank you your Majesty.”

/Call Azrael./

/Mo Sex?/ I could hear the smirk in his voice.

/Snowflake./ I could mentally see his tongue stick out at me.

I watched as Sex’s Hellcat headed over to his mother and rubbed against her then flopped to the floor. His big head lowered and rested on the floor. He was beautiful. I blinked as a pure white kitten was dropped in my lap. I guess this was Snowflake. I picked him up and brought him to eye level. Sleepy blinking eyes opened and he yawned. His coat was pure white, no discolorations but his eyes were green -- green as emeralds. I copied Sex then watched absolutely fascinated as the kitten hopped off my lap to the floor.

He morphed into a ….sabretooth tiger. Oh my god. “Wicked.”

/Hey there, Angel of Death./

/Snowflake./

Hazel smacked her son over the head with a paw.

/Snowflake, what have you been told?/ I turned toward Nightshade.

/You have a wonderful voice, your Majesty.”

/Don’t suck up to me, Azrael. Snowflake…/ The white Hellcat morphed down to a bobcat. All fluffy and pett-able.

/Can I call you Snow?/

/If I can call you Az./

/Nice to meet you Snowflake./ I waited while he fed off my other wrist. Damn, I was going to have an intravenous permanently attached to my arm. This body had three Hellcats to feed.

“We good?”

/Everything is set./ I banished my wings and climbed to my feet. I was a little weak but nothing like earlier. I bowed graciously to the five Hellcats as they sat in the Great Hall.

/Know that we realize how much of an honor this is. Thank you./

/Vampire at your back./ Snowflake warned. Apples.

“Xavier?”

I leaned back and rested against the big body. “Try again.”

“Azrael. What’s going on?”

I made the round of introductions then gestured toward Snowflake. “This my Hellcat, Snowflake”

/He’s big./ Snowflake eyed Marcus.

/And gentle for the most part./

/I heard screaming./

/That was X./

“This is Marcus. He belongs to me. Excuse me. ” Marcus draped himself all over my back. I brought my hand up and rubbed my cheek along him. X actually didn’t hate him. We were making progress. “Now, we need to take a shower.”

I twisted around and caught Marcus hand tugging him along behind me. X was ready to step back in but he was willing to give me some time with my big man. He could be such a big brother at times…then he could turn around and startle me. I never thought, X would offer my Babe…my Puppy comfort. “Azrael?”

“Carpe deim, Marcus.” We had a hell of a lot further to wander now our room was moved down to the end of the hall. We were closer to the music room but more than a job to the elevators. We got clean. That’s all there was time for and some Marcus specials, that curled one’s toes. Crap, I did a flamingo. I felt his smile and them he picked me up off my feet.

“I love you, Azrael.”

“Love you too, Babe.” Marcus towel dried my hair and then began to braid it in small sections. Nothing like the elaborate the Hades warbraids. I just hoped it didn’t look like Coolio. “I never meant to make you worry.”

“Don’t apologize, Azrael. You had no clue how dangerous Orel Wessel is. I’m guilty of disregarding them as well. I’m glad…that.”

I turned and brought his face to my naked shoulder. “Don’t cry for me, Marcus. I don’t want you tears. I am all right. If you want to cry, cry for our enemies. You know what Von Drachenfeld means? From the Dragon’s field. Maybe they thought, since the House was new, that the little dragon was still in the egg. They are going to find out that the Drachen is more capable than they ever thought.”

“Are you going to kill them, my love?”

“I don’t have to. X is going to. He’s pissed. You’ve learned the hard way to stay out of Elder brother’s way when he’s pissed.”

My hair was done. The back fell straight to the middle of my thighs, but Marcus had braided the front and the sides together and had secured them across the back of my head with some metal clip. He worked a thin stiletto into my hair. I got dressed in black leather pants and a long sleeve tee. I was fitting my daggers to my forearms when Marcus came up to me carrying…a vest. “Kevlar?”

“If they have darts meant to take you down, any shield is worthwhile.”

“Thank you, babe.” I shrugged into it and Marcus velcroed me in. I reset my harness to fit over the vest. By the time I was geared up and ready, Marcus was in black leathers too. He pulled his long hair back from his face. I caught him by the back of the neck and pulled him toward me. I kissed him as sweetly, as gently as I could. I realize that gentleness was part of my nature now. Just like the killing.

“Good to go?”

“Good to go.” He straightened and held the bedroom door open for me. You woke the sleeping dragon, Orel Wessel. It’s only a matter of time, till you’re burnt to a cinder. Tick Tock.

* * *

Author’s Note: Before I get all kinds of mail, previously Claudius told X back in Cake that he had to but a ring through his Hellcat’s ear to mark her as his own. If other Hellcats found her with out a mark, she would be torn to ribbons. So why does Morose and Snowflake get out of the kitty ear crunch-a-thon?

“This Violet and her kit, Morose. This is Hazel and her kit, Snowflake. They are for Sex and Azrael. The Hellcat nation appreciates your service and offers this protection freely. Accept it as it is given, Xavier.”

Everyone in the Hellcat Nation now knows that there are two Hellkits with the Lord Emperor. His signature is unique. Any Hellcat will know the honored two. Therefore they don’t need earrings.

Well that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.