Golden Threads

Chapter 16: The frogs Attack/ After

Mallory couldn't help but watch with a bit of amusement as Paul and Dwayne went around the cave and gathered pillows, blankets, comforters, cushions, anything soft you could think of, that would work to create a makeshift bed... or in this case, a better term would be "nest".

Marco and David talked to Laddie with Star nearby, carefully watching, and told them in not so many words that Mallory was gonna be a guest for a little while because "She was nice, and because she was nice, bad people would behave."

The way Star paled, it seemed to do the trick. Message received.

Mallory felt bad knowing she was tricking the poor woman. She did like Star... but these men saved her life and she was able to get their honest word they wouldn't harm her family. So right now, they needed to come first.

She knew she'd do everything to make it up to Star eventually... but not tonight. Tonight she had to save the men who saved her.

Then she was rigged up and she started hating her own plan for all that it would definitely keep her safest. The bear traps weren't brand new by any means...

Her only comfort was that the boys were clearly not liking it either.

"We don't have anything else? I still think you should just cut your palm or something." Paul gritted as he fastened the trip wire to their roost.

Mallory sighed and leaned her head back against a pillow. "I appreciate it Paul, please trust me if I didn't think those boys wouldn't stab me for "betraying humanity" I'd go for it in a heartbeat. This isn't exactly a situation I consider tubular." Giving him a shaky smile that betrayed her anxiety.

As she ran a hand through her curls, taking a deep breath and settling her nerves once more.

In a perfect world nothing would happen. She'd just sleep through the day, the boys wouldn't show up with some murderous Rambo plan, her leg would be safe and everything would be fine.

Though she didn't even pretend to look away as the boys finished rigging up their cave and got ready to sleep themselves, the sun beginning to light up the room in the main cavern away from the five of them.

"Oh wow..." she couldn't help but breathe out as she looked at their feet. "Shit... I know you guys aren't human but... holy shit. Your feet are gnarly."

Indeed, they didn't have "feet", no, these vampires had talons. And as they laughed and floated up to hang from their roost, the use of the talons became apparent.

They hung, upside down... like fucking bats.

Mallory had now seen everything, nothing would top this.

Absolutely ridiculous.

Paul and Marco sent down their jibes when they noticed her reaction to their obvious differences. Causing David and Dwayne to chuckle.

Mallory grabbed a small pillow, perfect projectile size, and shot it at them, just managing to graze Paul's hair. "Yuck it up boys. Even if I ignore the stagnant air of this place, you guys live like a cliché. If we survive this, I'm gonna convince you guys to modern up a bit. It's the last decade of the 20th century."

They laughed, threatening to bring her to the dark side and make her "rough it", causing her to chuckle as well.

She truly did hope it would just be a quiet day.

———

'Quiet day my ass.' Mallory grumped to herself as  she heard the commotion rising from the other room. Groggy and sore from her position. She looked up and saw the boys were still asleep. Unroused by the noise in the other area of the cave.