Neko-laus 2 : Toy Tiger

Chapter 7: Disarmed vs. Declawed

Mack was out on his feet before we got back to the quarters. He was heavier than he looked and I wasn’t feeling so much verve and vigour myself. I was using the wall to prop him up walk about half a step then drag him forward. The prop, walk, drag thing was working but I was near the end of my limit. If I wanted to be an ass, I would have just left him laying in the corridor but you don’t do that to a member of the inner circle. It was fucking evident that each Mage unit consisted of a Mage, a Handler, A Latent and a Groomer. Whatever happened to one was equally distributed to the whole group. So unfortunately that meant that Mags was in charge with Newmarket as his lieutenant and Mack was my right hand man. In the pecking order I didn’t figure out yet if I was above Newmarket or below him. Time would tell. Besides, Mack was like this because he had been trying to protect me. He had proven himself as part of the crew. So I would continue prop, walk, and drag until we made it back to the quarters. Mother was probably watching with electronic eyeballs.

Crap we’re both going to be lying on the floor. My knees were weak.

“I just can’t watch this any more.” A massive hand followed by a massive arm reached around me and snagged Mack out of my grip. “Can ya walk Neko or am I going to have to carry ya too?”

I looked up and up and fucking up some more. What the hell? “Keep up if ya can Neko. If ya fall over, I’ll come back and get ya.” This giant of a man tossed Mack easily over his shoulder and strode off down the corridor towards Magnus’s quarters.

“Hey!” He was in dark gray of the regular army. He disappeared around the corner quicker than I could get my wits about me. That just goes to show I needed another shot of Mags or candy. I was probably going to get stuck with candy.

By the time I got to the room this giant had Mack laid out on the couch and was dragging the mattress back up on the bed. “Looks like the maid took the day off.”

I didn’t care if it looked like a temper tantrum. It was justified. I crossed my arms in front of my chest. I would try and look tough but that was just asking for more energy that I had right at this moment. A physical draw from the ship would just be like a sweets rush and would leave me flat on my ass, again. “I was trying to make a point.”

The giant straightened the mattress. “Want this back on the floor?”

I thought about it for all of one second and shook my head. Mistake. My nose started throbbing. “By the way, Sergeant Elway. I’m part of King Tiger’s ground team. I see ya met Mackie. I heard ya had a little bit of fun with the rest of yar kind.”

Your kind? Was that supposed to be an insult or a compliment? I just watched him warily as he stripped the bed, found new sheets and remade it to military standards. Questions popped in my head. Number one, why did he know were the sheets where? Number two, why does he have the code to get in and out of the room? And number three...well I would take care of that.

“If you and Magnus were fucking that’s over now.”

Elway straightened and looked at me as if I just sprouted three heads. He looked down at me. “And if I say no I don’t plan on backing off, little kitten, what ya’re going to do?”

I was getting really tired of cat references. They all thought it was so cute. My dropped my hands down from my chest. “Make you back off.”

“I’d crush ya with one hand.” There was a glitter in his eyes that I couldn’t place. I’ve met some rival bangers and couldn’t read them. I didn’t know if they were serious, deadly serious or joking. I slipped a blade into my hand. Better to be safe than dead.

“Hold up kitten.” He raised a hand. “I’d die for King Tiger. Since he’s gone out of his way to claim ya, ya also get put into that category and I’ve seen ya practise on our training ground. Put yar claws away. Besides, I’m too damned ugly for King Tiger to take a second look at. Besides, he’s got a cutie like ya.”

Cutie? I have never been called cute. Then again, I’m usually standing around people’s shoulder height. If Elway ever rushed me, I could bite his nipple in my defence.

I glared at Elway. “Not that I don’t appreciate the help, why are you here?”

“I’m ya guard. Maybe I should say the guard to make sure ya stay in your room.”

“Oh, you’ll going to have a hell of an easy job. I’m going to clean up and go to bed.”

“You look like you’ve been stomped on Kitten so does Mackie.”

Yeah...metaphysically we were both fucked over. The bathroom looked so far away. Elway made a move towards me and I brought my dagger up between us. He stopped.

“You see me laying on the battlefield or passed out in a bar, drag my ass home. If I’m conscious, I’ll do myself.”

“I’m supposed to...”

“Confiscate?”

“No, more along the lines of place all blades in a secure area.”

“They’re in a secure area.”

“Okay, how about the medical staff has complained about the fear of getting stabbed.”

“Then I’ll stay away from the white coats.”

“It don’t work that way, kitten and ya know it.” The big man moved across the room to the inner wall just below the counter that separated the pseudo kitchen from the rest of the quarters. It only had a microwave, a small sink and kettle to make hot water. Oh and an icebox that was stocked with my brand of beer and Mags hard liquor. Any foods was to be found down in the mess halls.

Elway pressed three squares of colored tile and I watched amazed as the panel slid back and revealed a hidden weapons cache. Or at least what could be a weapons cache once it was filled. Mags didn’t even carry anything. A nail file could be protection when magic failed.

“There are ways to make you obey, kitten.”

“They could try.”

“It’s not that easy. Ya disobey, ya aren’t the one to suffer the consequences. King Tiger will take the brunt. For the most part the other Latents I’ve seen don’t like to get their Mage in trouble but ya don’t need me to tell ya that ya aren’t like the others. If it doesn’t work with King Tiger, then it will go to Mackie. The same with King Tiger. He gets out of line, it used to be Newcastle, its going to be ya and ya have that lovely piece of jewellery on that is going to make it very easy for them to get King Tiger to do what he’s told.”

I blinked at him. I was in trouble and Mags was taking the heat. Sonofa… I stuck the blade back into the sheath and started to disarm. Nobody paid for something I did. If I did something, I suffered the consequences. That was the way of the world. Or it was the way of the world. The way of my world. Now I was in Mags world.
I frowned when I noticed there were pre-planned hooks in this hidden cabinet. Sure enough my bandoliers had a spot. My long daggers and harness had a custom fit spot. So this was MY weapons cache. I reached up to my forearm to un-strap the knife sheath there but Elway raised his hand. “Don’t see any other blades…as far as the letter of the order, yare disarmed.”

Hmmm. I’m liking this guy.

I turned to see him spreading a blanket out over Mack’s sleeping form. “Ya’ve scared the brass, kitten. Ya had them set on edge to begin with because of yar influence on King Tiger. Ya say take your meds. King Tiger takes his meds. Newmarket says take your meds. King Tiger ignores him. Mackie says please take your meds. King Tiger ignores him. Now that ya had the rest of the Latents burn out non essential circuits, well that’s were Mackie and me come in. ”

“Influence?” It wasn’t a simple matter of asking and Mags jumping to my tune. It wasn’t a knock down drag out fight lately but there has been a few of those. I didn’t like whupping Mags because he couldn’t even physically defend himself. He actually looked bewildered when it happened and I felt like crap. Darryl gave as good as he got for at least five minutes. One shot and Mags was on his ass looking up at me with stunned amazement in his eyes. I don’t make threats that I can’t follow up on and we have come to an understanding. I only ask him to do something that will directly affect me and I don’t undermine his authority in public. Aka, beating the crap out of him in front of his fellow Mages.

“The…brass…is giving me more credit that I deserve.”

“It’s better to be feared than ignored, kitten.”

“Can you can the kitten stuff? It’s bad enough he’s calling me that in my dreams.” I stopped. Er, I don’t think I need the rest of the crew learning that I’m dreaming about him. I popped my head up and looked at Elway with a hunted animal look in my eyes. His face broke into a wide grin that stretched from ear to ear. Oh, crap.

“Oh don’t worry yar pretty little head about me, Neko. So maybe that influence is pillow talking eh?”

“I’m going to wash up.” I wasn’t even going to attempt to brazen it out. My cheeks were blazing red underneath the bloody crust that was still on my skin. I had no problem retreating to a safe position when I was out flanked.

“Mackie stays here. I’m outside the door.”

As long as you stay out of the shower I thought to myself.

Rain was still a problem. Showers...well when I could bolt the door, they were quite enjoyable. I really preferred baths for their muscle easing soaks. Haven’t seen too many baths around here and since this is a single occupancy suite why would one person need a door. I second guessed myself for all of one heartbeat as I stood in front of the mirror behind the sink and caught my reflection. I had dried blood caked in my hair. I was wearing more blood on me than most times I can remember and this was without a death being involved. I had to shower.

Looking at me I was the picture of a gangbanger. A lieutenant in the RIPpers. The Captain of the Skulls. Inside I shook like a rabbit. I snorted as I climbed into the tiled enclosure and turned the water on. That could be why Grim loved calling me his bunny. Neko is better than bunny any day. Still, I washed with extreme quickness and cleanliness. King Ass has quit raping me since we sync’d up but he still pounces. He waits until I say IT before finishing us off with complete satisfaction. Blood had seeped right through my uniform and was caked over these damned mage marks. Proof positive of our synchronization, or so he claims.

Shit. Shit, shit shit shiiiitttttt. I bowed my head under the warm spray. I owed Magnus my life twice over, no, three times over. You can’t pay back a life debt with sarcasm You can’t pay it off just my rolling over and taking it either. I might be floating here in space but a Skull is a Skull no matter the location. It was a matter of pride. Magnus wanted me as his Latent. He moved heaven and regulation to get me. The Empire gave me to him to serve that purpose – as a reward. Magnus wanted me in his bed. Not to renew the link we had but I honestly think he liked me. Even when I was space sick he would haul me out of the closet and hold me tight against him as I shivered.

He was such a fucking contradiction. Everyone feared him. And I mean everyone. He wasn’t lying when he said that he had no friends. Watching him practice was like watching a professional dancer. His motions were fluid and dynamic. I could see the power he just played with to warm up. It was more than I could personally generate. I was going to have to power lines to tap into immediately because with my base power, I couldn’t augment his. I knew that already just from that one little draw he did on me back in the Shambles. Then, I could knock him out of his comfort zone so quickly. He didn’t know what to do with someone he couldn’t intimidate. He was lost and...well bewildered. He snapped his fingers and I slapped him. He tried to order me. I fought him.

When I needed him he was there, even when I didn’t want him to be...damn it.

My nose was set but it ached. The rest of me ached but it was an inner, bone set ache that I couldn’t do anything about it. I dried off just was quickly as I could then hesitated over whether I should pick the clothes up off on the floor. Well Hydrau said that I was supposed to be in grey. So leaving this mess on the floor didn’t mean much.

I was weary.

I padded back into the bedroom and slipped under the covers Elway had tossed back on the bed. My little tirade looked so damned petty right now. I was asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow. Thankfully my dreams were at bay.


I was aware of his heat first. Then the gentle tough of his hand on my hair. I gave a little grunt when his hand pulled back but it returned brushing strands of my hair back behind my ear. I could smell him. He wore something out of a purple bottle that I couldn’t read but it was light and seemed to bring out his natural aroma.

“My little kitten, you look like you’ve been stomped.”

I opened my eyes and turned my face into his fingers touch. Any other time, I would have pulled away with curses and accusations. I can’t do that anymore. Well, I could but my choice was not to do that anymore. I was on my back and my hair was either standing on end or plastered back along the pillow. My eyelids ached.

“There was this rodent back where I grew up that had markings like a bandit’s mask around it’s eyes. You sort of look like it right now.”

“What is it with you and animal names?” I blinked up at him. He didn’t look any worse for wear. I can only assume that he wasn’t physically disciplined for my failure.

“I don’t know. I think I want to make you less of a threat.”

I found that refreshing in an odd sort of way. I had spent years cultivating a dangerous aura.

I have never set out to seduce anyone before. My first encounter he cornered me against a tree and stole a kiss. I think his first words to me were, “You’re cute. Bend over.” Stupid me, it worked which lead to a horribly painful experience that turned me into the predator and not the prey. Donnie just showed up at my side one day. I don’t even think I set out to pursue him just where ever I turned there he was. I got horny, he set himself in my sights. I think the first thing I ever said to Donnie was “What’s your name.” This was after I spent a night thrusting into him.
“Nicky?”

I reached up and wrapped my palm around the back of Magnus’ neck. His blue eyes wore a puzzled expression but he moved easily towards me at my simplest urging.

“Nicky?”

I hooded my eyes and licked my dry lips. This seduction thing is harder than it looks. I hoped I gave him a sexy come hither smile.

“Nicky, what’s wrong?” He looked slightly alarmed. Maybe not so sexy. Straightforward it is.

“You’re cute. Bend over.”

“...what...”

Oh shit.

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cliffy I know. I'm trying to get to the smexy goodness but Mags is being uncooperative. grrrrrwwlll. Tell me what you think? Neko the seme this time around or you want Mags to be in control?

love and reviews please.