Chapter 7 - Friendly Warning

David stormed out of the club, blood dripping from his nose and mouth, trying to pick up Kez' scent on the grimey underground air. He looked at Shadow and growled.
''Where is she?'' He snapped at the bouncer, slamming her up against the wall and pinning her there.
The air rushed from her lungs and she gasped as he pressed against her throat, making her gag.
''How in the frack should I know?'' She wheezed angrily.
''She had to have come past you, this is the only exit!'' He growled.
''Why don't you go ask blondie over at Ted's?'' Shadow replied hoarsely, purposely refusing to remind the angry Werewolf about the fire exit a little way down to their right.
He glanced over at the small take away that sat snugly on the opposite catwalk.
''D'you know that girl over there, dog?'' He snarled.
''frack no. I don't like to affiliate with the likes of you.'' Shadow snareled back, growing more and more annoyed as the seconds dragged by, his grip continuously and slowly tightening around her throat.
He swore at her under his breath, insulting her, hoping she wouldn't understand the word. But she did. And a hot pain seared through his side and he doubled over, clutching at the claw mark, the pain made stronger by the suddenness of the attack.
''Don't piss me off Fluffy.'' Shadow growled, bringing her knee up into his face, toppling him over backwards. ''I have a habit of holding grudges.''
David wheezed and spat a glob of bloodied saliva out onto the catwalk. He didn't know what she was, couldn't pick up her scent through his own blood. But he knew he didn't like her just by looking at her. He looked up at her and snarled angrily. She just crouched down calmly and looked him dead in the eye.
''You may be a big bad Wolf, but that doesn't mean I, or my friends, are scared of you.'' She said in a near monotone.
David growled at her again.
''Stop trying to intimidate me, little man.'' She chuckled cruely. ''And a little warning: If I ever catch you sniffing around down here again, I will make you hurt, understand?''
Something in the back of his mind told him that she wasn't lying, that every threat she made, wasn't an empty one. A chill ran up his spine when he saw the cold malice deep within her black eyes, and he pulled himself to his feet, trying not to look defeated, and limped away down the catwalk.


Xan sat in Bently's office, an ice pack resting on his collar bone.
''He made a bit of a mess of you, didn't he?'' Shadow said, looking the Polar Bear-esque man over.
''As I did to him.'' He gurgled, spitting a glob of blood into a cup.
''Where is he?'' Bently asked.
''Ran off with his tail between his legs.'' Shadow replied with a sigh, rubbing gently at her throat.
Bently gave her a look.
''What?'' She asked innocently.
''I know what you're like, Ms. Ironclaw.'' Bently replied, a mischieviouse glint in his dark green eyes.
''Okay, so I gave him a friendly warning...'' She said after a moment's hesitation, finally caving in under the small green man's gaze.
Xan chuckled quietly.
''We know what your 'Friendly warnings' are like, Shads.'' He chuckled, flipping the ice pack over.
Bently gave a light sigh and hopped into his seat at his desk.
''Where's Kezzara?'' He asked in a more serious tone.
''Dunno.'' Xan said.
''She might've gone back to the surface.'' Shadow offered.
''If she doesn't turn up tomorrow, I want you to go and have a look for her. And I want you to take Tiffany with you.'' He said.
''You're the boss.'' Shadow replied, with a small, two-fingered salute. ''Right, I'm gonna go back to the doors and stand guard. Take it easy, kay?'' She said and patted Xan lightly on the shoulder before leaving the room, grinning playfully as the big man winced and swore at her.


Shadow went back to Ode's as her own place was still drying out. She stepped through the door and into the dim red light that illuminated the square, single floor abode. Ode was sat on the couch, novel in his slender, lightly scaled hands, a sight rarely seen by anyone. He looked up from his reading and gave Shadow a quick once-over.
''You look like shoot.'' He said after a moment.
''Love you too.'' She retorted lightly and sat down heavily next to him, kicking off her boots.
''Rough time at work?'' He asked, putting his book down on the coffe table.
''Could say that. A damned Werewolf broke in and tried kidnapping Kez from under our noses. As much as I dislike the girl, I can't stand by and watch someone else pick on my prey.'' She said.
''What happened?''
''In a nutshell? Tiffany got thrown about, Xan went to Kez' rescue. Kez ran off and I gave Fluffy a friendly warning.''
Ode chuckled.
''I know what your friendly warnings are like.'' He said teasingly.
''Funnily enough, the others said that too.'' She mused.
''So, can I lock up, or are you still needing to go out?'' He asked.
''Staying in.'' She said and watched as he got to his feet and walked to the door.

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