Dog Fights

Chapter 6; Working Wounds

"I don't know where I am!" Ezra speaks frantically, holding his phone to his ear with both hands. "The sun is coming up and there's no buildings in this area I can sit inside!"

Ezra paces within a small section of sidewalk, kicking at stray rocks and garbage with his black flats. He had been dropped off fairly close to the alleyway he was meant to 'get lost' in front of and walked the rest of the way there.

"Please come get me," Ezra begs to no one, loud enough for Joseph to hear. He can't see him, but Mahin had confirmed he's in the alley and still alone. Ezra would be the perfect target to capture and sell on site. "I'm alone and no one knows where I am."

"Ma'am?" Ezra allows himself to jump instead of tense up as someone speaks behind him. He turns to look, seeing a tall man lean against the grimy brick wall of the building. Joseph.

"I'll call you back when you care about me," Ezra hisses into the phone, hitting the blank screen before shoving it into his back pocket. "I'm not a lady." Ezra frowns, crossing his arms defensively. He struggles to bury any sort of old beating deep in his mind, memories of being 'trained' to look intimidating and confident being pushed down. He has to look scared and small.

Joseph cocks an eyebrow, letting a grin slide onto his face. "My apologies," he says, tilting down the bill of his baseball cap, "was an honest mistake. Now, I overheard you're lost? I know this city like the back of my hand, I can help you find your way."

Ezra hesitates, but nods. The rising sun pust a very real nervousness in his stomach, a the warmth of the light reflecting off the orange and yellow tinted clouds making the sidewalk seem cold. "Please- my friend is refusing to pick me up and I don't know what part of the city I'm in."

"Of course I'll help," he smiles. The man holds his palm out, looking at Ezra. "May I use your phone though? I don't have my own."

Ezra nods as he pulls out his phone, not questioning the lame excuse to get him closer. Heat radiates from the taller's hand as he hands over the electronic.

Ezra yelps as Joseph grips hard onto his wrist,dropping the phone and dragging him forward when no passerby's watching. Panic flares in his chest, and he letting the emotion rule his actions, but not his strength.

A heavy padded glove covers Ezra's mouth as he's spun around, pulling his head back against the man's chest, arms pinned to his sides as he's hugged tight. Joseph had hidden the glove behind his back, planning on snagging Ezra before even evaluating him. A confident action, but stupid unless perfectly carried out.

The glove reeks of both vampires and werewolves, having been used to muffle countless screams and shield the kidnapper from sharp teeth. Ezra gags on the smell, stumbling as he's pulled into the alley and around a dark corner where the dumpsters are hidden. Only one door breaks the pattern of the dirty red bricks, padlocked from lack of use.

Joseph tightens his grip, crushing Ezra enough to make him stop struggling for a moment.

"If you scream," he whispers lowly, making his voice sound intimidating and deep, "I'll put a wooden stake through your heart and toss you in the sun. Got it?"

Joseph rips Ezra's hat off, making tears prick his eyes as a bare hand runs into his clean black hair. Joseph is a lot bigger than him, showing off way more muscle and height. He easily kicks out the back of his knees, forcing him to the ground as he holds his hair. The glove comes off his mouth, letting him take a gasping breath.

"Don't move," Joseph hisses, letting go of his hair just long enough to pull a handkerchief from his back pocket and stuff it in Ezra's mouth. The feeling of cloth between his six fangs makes him squirm as it's tied around the back of his head. Instinct tells him to bite down, but it solves nothing.