Snake Eyes

Chapter 6

"I don't remember you setting this up to be a weekly thing with him." The rat walked around the side of the chair and leaned against the arm. He barely registered the other though, he was too focused on the internal freak out he was experiencing. Just because he was from a different era didn't mean he hadn't listened to the newer dead and how they spoke. So, of course, he knew how things had changed as far as flirting, he just hadn't intended for anything to come out that way, nor had he thought for a second the other man would see it that way. The rat leaned into his vision and had him looking up quickly. Gregory was now standing in front of him, arms folded, a shit eating grin on his face. His assistant was small in stature, smaller than Arackniss easily, and moderately proportioned for his size. His grey fur was incredibly short and it worked for him somehow, not that anyone would ever see him.

"You know, instead of trying to live vicariously through me, you could always put on some clothes and leave the house alone. I'm sure someone would find you enjoyable." He hissed and the rat barked out a laugh in his low tone.

"Why in Hell would I do that? So some shameless shrew can harp at me or some love craved man can think I'm a toy? No, I'd rather watch you fumble around with him like a fawn." Pentious rolled his eyes and hung his head in his hands. "You should have just asked him for the better sample. Just a quick change of pace. Or better yet, you should have told him that one is next week! Since apparently he wants to do this weekly." That brought a smile to Pentious' lips, though. He leaned back in the chair and started toying with his fingers. He'd see the spider again in week's time, and that couldn't come fast enough. Seven days? How would he survive.

"He does, doesn't he?" He heard the light taps of his assistant moving to the counter and grabbing the samples before the man moved to the door. "We should run those and store them. I need to check for anomalies."

"Yes, Sir. I'll take them down and get the first vial started in the processor. The rest I'll make sure get into storage. Did you want to set it to look for something specific, or were you wanting to set it for a search of just about everything?" He waved his hand at the rat and thought for a moment.

"Set it to look for the top contributors for genetic impurities. Common diseases, mutations, genetically passed illnesses and the like. Things that would get in the way of the manipulation." The rat nodded and left the apartment to get started, but he stayed, thinking about everything that had happened. He couldn't get it out of his mind; the way the man had smiled, the sound of his voice, the feel of his skin beneath his fingers, even if it had been an innocent area. He'd noticed the scars on Arackniss' arm, but they didn't look self inflicted. They'd been more like battle scars than accidents; jagged wounds from knives, claws and fangs that spoke to his success. Pentious wondered how many more the spider had and where they all were.

A deep breath with his eyes closed and he felt the slight breeze of the doors opening before him. Gazing down the hall, Arackniss strode into the manor, head high, hands in his pockets. With each step, he felt the eyes turning to land on him, heard the whispers as he always did. Some would murmur about how cruel he was, idolize him for his stark ability to get things done without involving emotion and even praise him for casting aside his own blood brother for the Family. Others would denounce him by saying that everything he had now was a gift from his father. As though he were some spoiled brat who needed his daddy to help him make it through like some of the other rich snobs here in Hell. They clearly didn't know what his days looked like, or how his father responded when he merely thought Arackniss might mess up. There was a low growl from behind him that he recognized as Stefano, but he didn't entertain any of it and headed straight back to the office. Approaching the door was one thing, but walking in would be a different story. With careful tension, he knocked on the door and listened for the approval.