Fang War

28 ☽

Wizard of Oz: "As for you, my galvanized friend, you want a heart. You don't know how lucky you are not to have one. Hearts will never be practical until they can be made unbreakable."

Tin Woodsman: "But I still want one."

**

Amelie had come for Lila some time later, while she was still wrapped solemnly in Adonis' protective arms. The broken man and her truest ally, held her as a lover would. He's so involved in holding her, that he didn't even shudder when one of his most hated enemies entered.

"Adonis..." Lila started, "You will be alright. Do you understand? We are leaving this place soon. I won't leave you behind."

Waiting for him to speak, or make any sign of acknowledgement, she believed her words had fallen on deaf ears. All he did was stare back at her, but she did read something different in his feral eyes. She cupped his face gently with her shaking hands, her nerves starting to show on what was to come.

She promises, "You will go home."

Amelie takes one of Lila's hands in hers to try and ease her away from the Vasile's prized fighter. "Come on, Lila. It's time. He will be fine, I promise."

So far, Lila's only friend had made true on all of her promises, but it was clear to the human that Amelie always seemed to have an ulterior motive. One, that would always involve her and Julien's interests first and foremost.

"Okay." LIla's voice was soft, as Adonis' dangerous eyes narrowed on Amelie's intruding hand.

Adonis backed away when Julien came through the doorway.

Behind the boot-strapped vampire, was the all-too-familiar crate that housed Fang before he was released into the arena.

Adonis' muscles tensed. In the triggering of his fear, he debated shifting and killing any Vasile in the room, but it wasn't safe for Lila. In that knowledge, he controls himself, bringing back the expansion of his chest and jaw that cracked back into place.

As if sensing the danger of Adonis, Amelie takes the human out of the room, then down the hall. They head toward the arena, where the deafening sounds of the rich congregating brought anxiety to flare within Lila.

It was the final throw with vampires she hoped she'd ever endure.

"Come on." Julien said to Adonis.

The two words were loaded with the promise of it being the last battle. Fang didn't comprehend what exactly was happening, but something was different about this time. He heard it in the vampire's voice, saw it in his body language that he meant him no harm.

Maybe this would be the fight that finally killed him. This would be the last time he would have to feel pain or fear. Relieved at that realization, Fang willingly went into the cage after transforming into the trademark red wolf of the Vasile's arena.

Loading the cage onto the transporter, Julien rolled the crate behind him with ease as he pulled it on the wheeling system towards the arena.

***

"Ugh." The sound of disgust coming from Amelie finally stirred some attentions from Lila. She had only been trying to talk to her for the past few minutes, to little or no response from the human. "You smell of the wolf, Lila. I hate that smell...like mud and wet leaves."

Rolling her eyes, Lila refused to acknowledge that comment.

"I should have thought of that and dressed you up after you saw him. Ugh! Hold on. Stop, stop, stop."