Survival of the Sickest-(Enigma)

[Dominique]

Outfit::ll::Music

While the music pounded from the speakers the master mechanic worked the last of the components into the trap in her hands. With a few low whispers about the lifeless metal not being such a ***** she heard the tell-tale clicks of submission.

“That’s right.” She nodded tossing the last of the supply in her hand to the box next to her bare ink rose adorned feet.

If she pulled another five cages off before the night was finished she would be good to go. However, a break was needed. Someone with an issue of a pesky ex was needing a shitload of deterrent and was waiting impatiently. The first order was nearly complete except for those cages. Half was better than none. Rolling back in her chair and popping up gave her just enough time to tap her foot at the base and prevent it from traveling further that she wanted it to go. Strolling through the second floor carefully she took a head count of what had come to be over the last two hours.

“One, two, three, four, five, six,seven, eight, nine…” Dark eyes lifted to glance around the room and finally located what she was looking for. “Ten, eleven, twelve and thirteen.”

Thirteen toxic gas traps that were of the highest quality possible. It was what the customer ordered. Well, the batch of toxic gas and miscellaneous others tossed in as well with the shock cages. The shadow glanced down to her digital clock on the crafting table she was working at. She had thirty minutes to clean up and get ready to make the delivery. With the ease of a cat she stepped through the second floor maze of lethal traps and found her way back up the stairs to the top floor to get dressed.

Two drawers were left half open as she dropped back on the bed with a bounce and pulled the black distressed pants up over her knees then stood up and wiggled until she was able to fasten the button at the waist. Next the ivory sleeveless roman strap top drifted over her shoulders absent of anything beneath it. She fastened the black open toe heels to her feet and gave each a look over.

It was a small success that the shoes were on and she wasn’t breaking her neck with the steps she was taking. She was told she needed to expand her wardrobe and she found it rather easy to follow the advice. All she had to do was go into the guest closet and find what others previously staying over had left behind. She didn’t have time to shop and she didn’t have time to have Lennox bugging her about it.

Once she was dressed and ready she slid her leather Night Lords jacket over her inked shoulders pausing to pull it forward so it rested comfortably on her petite frame. Taking each step down gracefully was hardly the efforted task that it was a week prior. She could spring and land like a cat was born to but there was something about standing on the designer stilts that had her fearing for a sudden miscalculation and kissing ground. Just because she could walk on a wire didn’t mean she didn’t have challenges like anyone else. Hopefully her sibling would be impressed with her recent efforts.

[Doc]

So Doc decided he needed to move into this new course of action by easing in it, visiting each spawn every few evenings spending some time with each of them. Tonight he was visiting Minx. Having left from the office, he pointed the nose of the car east. Once he hit the outskirts of the city, he parked at the last fuel station on the highway out of town. Exiting the vehicle and securing it, he would make the rest of the journey on foot.. Melting into the darkness he paused in order to concentrate and take on Puma form. The feline made the remaining miles to Vita Bella effortlessly.

Prowling outside the Villa, the puma made a leisurely sweep of the grounds and the wilderness, to make sure everything was safe and secure outside. Once satisfied that all was well, the Puma leapt effortlessly to the balcony of Vita Bella. Padding over to the sliding glass door, he spied Hello Kitty patiently watching him from the safety inside. The Puma’s large fore paw swatted at the sliding glass door several times. A few swipes later, the door slid open just wide enough for the Puma to nudge his nose into the opening to increase the opening some more, allowing his paw to slip in and gain purchase. With a quick tug the door shifted opened and the Puma strolled in.

The big cat’s tail whipped slowly back and forth as the feline sauntered slowly through the darkened upper floor. The stoll led in and out of all the upper rooms and after finding no one about, the Puma headed down to the next floor. The actions were repeated once more, as the cat prowled through the third floor, again finding no one. The cat huffed in annoyance and began to slink down the stairs to the second floor. Reaching the second to last step, the cat stopped motionless, standing like a statue. The Puma had spotted his prey. She was unaware of his presence.

The Cat hunkered down into a stalking crouch on the lower rungs of the stairs, it’s golden orbs locked on the petite brunette, who was humming to herself. Stealthily, eyes still locked on the prey, the Puma’s paw ever so slowly inched toward the floor. As soon as it’s paw made purchase on the flooring, all hell broke loose. There were explosions, darts, and a foul toxic gas released into the air about the feline’s sensitive nose. The reactions of the cat were instinctive, but wrong. The shrieking and screaming Puma reacted by springing forward, which merely succeeded in the feline crashing into trap after trap. The stinging gas, and the poisoned darts, causing the cat to whirl, it’s tail clipping another two traps and setting them off. Finally the cat stilled, not because it realized it was the best course of action, but rather, because the traps had weakened it so much. It shook its large head trying to clear it’s senses, just as the cat’s legs collapsed beneath it, causing the cat to wobble and fall drunkenly to the floor, setting off another two traps. Of the thirteen traps, only one remain untouched by the carnage.

[Dominique]

Mr. Mittens. There was so much history behind the name that came to mind. Without a full knowledge of it one would be left bewildered as to why she would see the tawny puma with such affection let alone refer to it with such an obvious term of endearment. It had been so long since he had been around Vita Bella. Way too long. Not that it was her current thought because she was oblivious up until that point that he was in fact far closer to her than she would ever expect.

Some would find their bloodline through e-mail, formal summons or even waiting for them to return to whatever place they chose to rest. Not Doc. Her sire never called to ask. He hardly ever e-mailed. Yes, he had been known to wait in Vita Bella for her to arrive at random times. Usually that was because she had some explaining to do.

In short, despite the fact that she was currently oblivious to it Dominique was being called out by the one who created her. She would not be entirely surprised that he was. He checked in routinely to see what their time apart had been used for in her case. There were expectations he had that she was expected to meet. It had taken years for their bond to develop the point it had but it was stronger than most given what they had been through together.

Case in point. The bag was within reach as HOPE caught the straps and tugged it towards her body. All she had left to do was to get the toxic traps bagged up and she would be out the door. It ended up being more difficult that she ever expected and it started with the sensation that she was being watched. Not just a feeling but something more. Her skin came to life, the hair at the back of her neck stirred and that pull she could never ignore arrived in time to bring her body to turn. Warm chocolate orbs locked down on the primal gold that pinned her in return.

It was one of those moments when she could feel what she had yet to see. The bag dropped from her hand.She didn't even have time to blink as the hiss of noxious gas filled the space between them.

“Stop!” She bolted forward through the cloud of stench. “S-T-O-P!”

One trap after another was set off and with it the ‘Ballet of Miserable Big Cat’ took over. The puma bounced all over the place like Winnie the Pooh’s Tigger. He went upward, he flipped, he yowled and by gods he screeched in growing discomfort. She winced and tried to catch him but the vampire was stronger and faster.

“S-I-T!” She yelled losing sight of him as he flipped from wherever she would get and land elsewhere. “S-T-A-Y!” She was going to be in such deep ****. All of her traps, her work, ugh...the customer’s order! A long suffering cry of a big cat echoed and it was then that she noticed Vader, Hello Kitty and Nico bolting from various corners towards the stairs. “LISTEN TO ME DAMMIT!”

[Doc]

The cat growled, it was done in short quick spurts. Anyone who would hear those abrupt and terse growls might wonder at the unique style of the growl. Growls were typically low and drawn out, hinting of dire consequences should someone venture closer. But not these. However what the listener would not realize was that cat, was really a vampire that was cursing in pain. A vampire that was also quite incapacitated. The poison from the exploded bombs were playing havoc with his senses and physical abilities. He had attempted to take back his true form. But that seemed beyond him at the moment.

Mustering the last bit of willpower the cat had, it raised itself to its feet, the body wobbling erratically on its unsure feet. The voice yelling at him to ‘sit’, to ‘stay’, seemed as if it were coming from far away. It was muffled and indistinct. It wanted to obey, to be able to follow a simple command, however, instinctive reactions were overriding rational thought. The thought to flee, escape, to get back to where it knew it was safe, became the primal predominant desire. One paw precariously lifted, the resolve in mind to escape, but the intent was overturned by the felines body once more crashing to the ground.

The disembodied voice shouted at him again, to ‘listen’. The cat’s head lolled this way and that, as it tried to find the source of the voice, but it was unsuccessful in its attempt. Eyes closing, focus slipping away, one last effort to communicate his thoughts, before losing consciousness. A single word sent to the source of the voice, ~Pain..~

[Dominique]

When those golden orbs disappeared beneath their lids one thing came to mind. Doc was going to be so unbelievably pissed. Off the charts ranting that would likely give her an astounding and epic size proportions migraine before he finally shut up. It wouldn’t matter that it was in Vita Bella that he did the tango with her traps. He would be inconvenienced, likely offended and if given enough time to think on it take it far more personal than anyone else. That was all of what she didn’t need. She had enough to deal with. The last several months had been a disaster and there was no interest on her part to encourage more to be added. She was still digging herself out of hell, not looking to go back in.

Kneeling down she reached out and was grateful his fur was still there beneath her fingers. The damage was not enough to yank him from the puma form he was in and deliver him to a place that would significantly change things between them once he returned. No, this was still salvageable. All she needed to do is make it better before those golden orbs flashed to a semi-alert state and she could neutralize his inevitable bristling mood with something to make it all better. HOPE and LESS slid beneath the cool fur of the massive cat and pulled the limp, long form over her shoulder like sack of potatoes.

“We can fix this.” Her colorful inked hand stroked the pelt beneath it as she made her way back to the elevator. There was no way she was taking the stairs. The elevator doors hissed open and she stepped inside tapping buttons until they were closed in. “I think I know exactly what you need.”

While she adjusted the awkward weight over her shoulder HOPE pulled out her cell phone and tapped the screen to unlock. As the elevator climbed upward the text was created. The recipient would be just what the doctor ordered so to speak.

Hey, it’s me. Hope you are out there and have some free time. Thought we could catch up over Doc’s sick, comatose carcass. Bring anything that will put him in a better mood when he comes out of it. Vita Bella. It’s unlocked. Come on up to the top. I will explain once you get here.

The shadow smirked as she hit send. Yes, the infamous ball and chain. The very same redhead that could get under his skin like no other. The idea was that she could deal with him because she sure as hell didn’t want to be alone with him when he woke up. His wife, Cytherea, owned that role as far as she was concerned. She would gladly be the one to whip up buckets of ice and listen while he pissed and moaned. That or if it took too long the trap crafter would invite the woman down to the bar and pick up where they left off the last time she enjoyed her company.

Gently HOPE and LESS set the puma down on the white leather sectional sofa. Her foot sweeped the game controllers and the coffee table out of the way. As soon as she turned around and started pulling off her jacket Vader the wonder bull terrier tried to hop up and investigate. LESS pulled him down and sent him on his way.

“Shoo!” Her steps followed the dogs until it finally retreated.

“Now to make you more comfortable.” A ice face mask was pulled from the freezer and worked back and forth in her hands until it loosened up. Once she wiggled in and sat next to him effectively teetering on the very edge of the sofa she slid the mask over his eyesand the bridge of his nose and tied the ice treatment in place. “Well, that is a start.”

[Doc]

Eyes wearily began to move under it’s lids. Consciousness was beginning to dawn on him. He groaned, at least he thought did, but it came out as a growl. He tried to open his eyes, but his vision was weird. Blue, he saw nothing but blue. A hazy blue. He tried to rub his eyes, but his hands weren’t working properly. Frustration, pain, irritation, anger and confusion were the mix of emotions that warred within him. It still had not dawned on him he was still in his animal form; so the act of trying to sit up was an exercise in more frustration and confusion.

Realization that someone was beside him, seeped into his mind, as he still struggled to see and sit up. ‘****..!’ was what he had intended to say, but instead it was a sharp quick feline yowl that erupted in ear piercing loudness. He stopped moving. If only he could ******* see! That would make things easier. He couldn’t even tell who was with him. Were they hurt as well? What had happened?

The last thing he remembered was going to visit Minx. He had parked, and shifted. Yes. He remembered. He had been in cat form when entered Vita Bella. He remembered spotting her, her back had been to him, he was closing in on her... when all hell broke loose. His memory was fuzzy from that point on. He had been in Vita Bella, he guessed he still was. No. He hoped he still was. He sent Minx a telepathic question, ~Why the **** can’t I see? And what happened? Are you alright?~

[Dominique]

Dominique glanced at her cellphone then at the door. So far no sign of Cyth. She looked to Mr. Mittens, the massive puma, sprawled out looking lifeless on the white sofa. This was going to be a long night. She started a text to the customer waiting letting them know she suddenly got tied up with an unforeseen emergency. Her free hand shifted the ice pack mask on the lethal cats face and then finished up and sent out the apology message. Business would have to wait when it came to her sire and his current condition. It was the least she could do. It was then that her mind felt cramped and soon was flooded with thoughts.

He can’t see?

Great, so Doc was in there. He was blind as a bat yet he seemed to find a link through the fog to her mind and was using it. Now she knew she was in deep trouble. She felt the pinch of her teeth biting down on the tip of her thumb before she realized it was there. What is she supposed to say?

What about twelve toxic gas traps did you miss?

Problem was she wasn’t sure he could hear her thoughts or not. It would be nice if he couldn’t. Just in case she cleared her mind and tried to think about good things. HOPE massaged the back space of his left ear, pressing her fingers together and kneading the cool flesh beneath. He liked that from what she could remember. So did she. He had those fingers that just really worked her tiny little sand kitten ears and well...she sighed. ****. Why the hell did he have to go get gassed up? She could use a little stroke and touch right now. His being all vacant was starting to give her the creeps.

I am pretty good if you don’t wake up and want to kick my ***.

“I am alright. You just ran into some, uhm....”She popped up from the sofa and reached for the remote and started playing the movie, whichever that one would be. “You kind of found my gas traps I was about to collect up and deliver.” She didn’t want to laugh at his misfortunate situation but he looked rather hilarious bouncing all over the room like Tigger. “It should wear off soon.”

The movie started and she reached over picking up the tray on the coffee table and expertly rolled up what would eventually burn down to nothing once she lit it up, which she did. Inhaling deep and stretching back reclining somewhat beside and over him she finally exhaled a pungent cloud near his face.

“We really need to do this more often, ya know?”

A hiss of another inhale sounded and her legs stretched out so that one could drape over him like an oversized fur covered body pillow. An exhale then a low muffled cough was followed by the shadow’s attempt at keeping up with the intro chant that was slowly building. All of which she believed she was singing perfectly on pitch.

Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba.
Sithi uhm ingonyama
Nants ingonyama bagithi baba
Sithi uhhmm ingonyama
Ingonyama
Siyo Nqoba
Ingonyama
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala.

Once the song started rolling Dominique leaned over and turned up the volume so she could feel the back of the sofa behind them vibrating with the beats.

From the day we arrive on the planet
And blinking, step into the sun
There's more to see than can ever be seen
More to do than can ever be done
There's far too much to take in here
More to find than can ever be found
But the sun rolling high
Through the sapphire sky
Keeps great and small on the endless round

It's the Circle of Life
And it moves us all
Through despair and hope
Through faith and love
Till we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the Circle
The Circle of Life

"Isn't this ******* amazing?" She cooed as she reclined back. "Better than the movies!" Her face nuzzled against his thick fur. "Not going to lie. Your coat needs a good soaking but props for it giving me the feeling of almost being right there." Her hand with the burning weed between it points to the massive screen while her heels wiggle near his huge paws. A sharp jagged claw scratches against her barefoot. "Damn." Her leg pulls up a little. "We need to deal with the nails. Not cool."

[Cytherea]

Time was a fleeting concept to Cytherea now, what once held such an importance to her, now was merely a second thought. It was often why Doc became so infuriated with her. Where are you? Why haven't you replied? Are you even around anymore? Of course she was here, where else would she go? This city was her final resting place, and not just for the mortal life she had once lead. No, a lot more had been taken in that time. If only he could understand, then perhaps their volatile interactions could be minimized. At that thought, a crooked grin spread over the darkly painted lips of the allurist. Who was she fooling? Doc loved those fights, and at times, so did she. It was then she recalled that her phone had vibrated against the flesh of her thigh, informing her that someone had tried to contact her. How long ago had that been now?

With haste she removed her phone from her pocket, praying to any being that listened that it was not Doc. God knows what he would have to say about her not replying in a timely fashion, and if he learned it was due to Freddie? Well, she would be sitting with a bottle of bourbon and a massive migraine.

Message from Domdomtheniceone, 4 hours ago.

''Hey, it’s me. Hope you are out there and have some free time. Thought we could catch up over Doc’s sick, comatose carcass. Bring anything that will put him in a better mood when he comes out of it. Vita Bella. It’s unlocked. Come on up to the top. I will explain once you get here.''

Those words were read more than once, dissected in every possible sense, and even then Cytherea held little knowledge as to what the heck was going on. Doc was in a coma, and Dom wanted to have drinks. What...
Oh god. If he found out that Dom had sent that message four hours ago and Cyth hadn't replied, she was in for it. That look, that voice. Yep. She needed to leave as soon as --

Her thoughts were interrupted as her door burst open, an orderly rushing in, panic stricken. ''Mrs. Nilson, Freddie has lost it again, we need you.'' And with that he vanished back down the hall, rushing to the commotion she could already hear. It wasn't here choice now, Doc hadn't hired another Dr. yet, and she couldn't leave until the crazy individual had been pacified once more.


Two more hours later and Cytherea finally arrived at the location Dom had requested of her. Golden depths roamed over the building as she approached the roof top. Okay, think of something that didn't involve Freddie. But he'd know, the whole building had seen the debacle the patient had caused. It had all started so well, she'd approached him, trying to sooth him with her voice, and he appeared to be relaxing. And then he threw himself upon her, and she'd felt teeth at her neck, tearing flesh away. It gave the guards the opportunity to subdue Freddie, but they were horrified at the wound in her neck and the blood down her front. Only with her insistence that she was fine and was heading to the hospital was she finally able to leave. When Doc found out though? Bye bye Freddie.

Finally, she reached the roof top, soaking in the scene of Dom and Doc in his animal form. ''Sorry about the delay,'' she finally said, approaching the pair. Her gaze trained on her husband, hopefully he was drugged up and happy.

[Dominique]

It was proving to be harder than she first thought it would be. HOPE held the massive paw tight while the industrial, large clippers that were made exclusively for the wild, large species was squeezed. It was another failed attempt. She tossed the grooming tool down and sighed. A tug of the limp paw had her inspecting the claws more closely. The condition of cracked broken claw was evident. So was was the thickness of each one as she pressed her fingers into the bottom pads to encourage their full length to extend. LESS patted the top of the furry rear paw before she released it to drop like a dead weight to the sofa.

“I think this calls for something a little more effective.”

Just as the mellow and feeling rather fine shadow was about to turn and head for the tool she in mind downstairs she glanced up. It seems she was just in time to find the beautiful redhead burdened with being bound eternally to her sire approaching. She smiled enough to set her dimples on display while reaching for the television remote. With a tap intended to pause the movie the intro of Hakuna Matata instantly came to a pause. The message of the song came to mind and she set her peaceful wide orbs on Cytherea.

“Hakuna Matata.” As soon as she said it she realized she probably sounded a bit off. She shrugged her inked shoulders and was already on another train of thought. “I was just about to run downstairs to the garage and grab the dremel tool. His claws are in bad shape. Figure while he is out of it might as well give him some much needed maintenance. A bath wouldn’t be a bad idea either...anything involving soap.”

Dominique turned and made a start for the stairs but stopped realizing she forgot to explain why Cytherea is arriving and finding her husband comatose.

“I was finishing up with some traps and had them spread out downstairs. Just as I was about to gather them up for delivery Mr. Mittens came in all ninja like and was ready to rumble. Unfortunately he hopped all over the place and got the worst of the high quality gas traps. Hopefully it is not too much longer before he comes out of it.” She glanced over to him. “The ice mask on his face probably can come off. Be right back!” With that said she was down the stairwell to retrieve the tool that would make those claws like new.

[Doc]

What the **** was Minx rambling about? It was bad enough he couldn’t see, but between Minx rambling about movies and wanting a bath, and the caterwauling in the background, he had no ******* clue what was going on.

Doc struggled to sit up, but his muscles refused to respond to his commands. His mental acuity was hampered as well. The toxic gas from the traps made it a struggle to even focus. In the short time that passed with him telepathically talking to Minx, he had blanked on what had just transpired, what he had said or asked, and he had already forgotten he was in cat form. So his irate and pained question of ‘Why the **** can’t I see?’ Came out as angry squelches and hisses, as his head lolled in an uncontrolled manner.

At hearing his own verbalized yowl of a question, he grimaced. Puma form. That was right he was in cat form. Try as he might, his attempt to retake his natural form seemed to elude him. He was spent. He had no energy, and gas was affecting him with motor control, and thought control. Fuuuuuuck. He was about to just give in just suffer in ******* silence when he heard that voice.

Her voice.

The voice that was like no other.

He tensed and stiffened immediately.

The Ball and Chain.

Great. The sarcasm heavy in his thoughts. That was just ******* great. Not only could he not control his own ******* body, but now the Ball and Chain was here to witness his humiliation. With all the effort he could muster, burning what little energy he had left, Doc in puma form, sat up and tried to give the Ball and Chain a smirk. It was to show her, ‘hey, I just fine. Nothing to see here.’

At least that was what he thought it would look like, in reality though it was more of a drunken puma trying to sit on its haunches, and failing miserably. Mouth agape and tongue lolling out, he looked more like a caricature than a majestic wild creature.

And to add insult to injury, He felt Minx stand. She was leaving?! What the ****?! Focus Man..! What were they saying? Try as he might, he couldn’t focus on any specific words. The only thing he heard now was a rushing sound like a he was caught in a wind tunnel, before once more collapsing into an undignified heap, and blacking out.