Feral Bonds

Chapter 8

Since she wasn't as effective at training after having her blood drained, they started having sessions closer to the end of the days, when it was almost morning. Vincent focused on teaching her weapons, daggers in particular, and where to strike to disable her opponents, and Lily taught her how to predict her enemies movements. The training made the old mansion start to feel more like home and while Natania was exhausted most of the time, as the muscle mass she had lost over the last year from hunger began to return, so did her confidence.

Which had the added effect of making Vincent much more irritable. "Send me with him," Natania said, pacing back and forth in the parlour where Vincent had been going over a task with Ray to escort one of his contacts back.

Vincent narrowed his eyes. "No."

Natania growled with frustration. "You do understand that I'm a wolf and not a chihuahua right? Being cooped up in this house is going to drive me mad."

"You are still being hunted," Vincent snapped back. "I'm not sending Ray to protect two targets at once."

Natania flashed her fangs. "Then I'll protect the contact, and Ray can protect me. Everyone's happy."

"Except for me," Ray said dryly. "I'm not babysitting you unless I get a meal out of it." Vincent hadn't allowed his right hand to drink from her, though he often allowed Lily to.

Vincent gave a sudden unfriendly smile. "There you go. You may accompany him, Natania, but you'll be his dinner if you do."

Natania bared her teeth at Ray. She had seen enough times that Ray enjoyed making his victims feel pain while he fed from them. Lily preferred them to enjoy the experience, and, with her at least, Vincent kept his mental tampering to a minimum, so it was just a neutral experience. She expected with everyone else, it depended on how angry with you the master vampire was.

But Natania was desperate to be outside again, to run, even if it was in a stinking city. She could handle a little pain. "Deal," she said.

Vincent raised an eyebrow, he hadn't expected her to agree, then shrugged. "Very well then. Try not to die, or kill anyone who doesn't need killing."

Natania shifted to her wolf form and cocked her head at Ray. She would follow him, for this at least.

Ray glared at her. "I'm going to make you regret this, wolf," he spat.

Natania's chest rumbled with a growl and she mock snapped at him. She could bite, too.

It was a surreal experience to be outside again after being locked in the house for almost three months. Natania raised her nose into the air, closing her eyes and enjoying the sound of the wind. It was night time, so the human noise was minimal, though the glaring street lights ruined her vision a bit.

They travelled over rooftops to avoid being spotted, giving her a lovely view of the surrounding forest. Her paws ached to run over grass again.

"We have a job to do," Ray hissed on the third time she'd stopped to take in the sights. "If you can't keep up, I'll leave you behind."

Natania rumbled a growl at him, fat chance of that, but obediently got moving again.

They were almost at the pickup location when Natania halted again, but this time it wasn't for the view, she'd heard something. Natania pricked her ears and strained to listen. "Help!" The sound was faint, but Natania shot a glance at Ray, who was glaring at her for stopping again, then raced after it.

"Natania," Ray snarled at her. "Get your ass back here."

Natania ignored him, speeding up her pace when she heard a man's voice. "Shut up! Or you die!"