Fantasma

Chapter 6: Of Demons and Mutants

Cold wind brushed Leonardo's face. He opened his eyes and found himself outside, cold and stiff on the moist jungle floor.

The turtle's mouth parted slightly, the taste of claret in his mouth. A terrible suspicion began to rise in him. He wanted to go home, nothing more than to leave this behind and go home as if nothing had happened. But if he was right, then he might be putting his brothers in danger. Nothing mattered more than his brothers.

He put his hand over his heart, thinking about his brothers made him ache in ways he hadn't before, familiar but more intense. The mere thought of them made him sigh- treasure them, want them, keep them safe- including from himself if need be.

Leo put his hand to his cheek. Cool, not painfully cold, not very natural either. Something was very wrong. He didn't want to think too hard about what had happened. Instead, he distracted himself by dragging his body upwards like a puppet being jerked by its strings.

His mouth twisted. This wasn't his fault. Somehow that monster had done this to him, changed him, forced this into him. The deep wounds, the violent bloodletting... Leonardo no longer showed the injuries, but he remembered the attack at least, the bites. If he had changed, it was her fault.

"I saved your life," Abigor whispered, suddenly appearing behind the alarmed turtle. "Had it not been for me, you'd be a rotting corpse in the hot jungle sun." Her lips brushed against his own, allowing him to feel a silk comfort before she moved closer and fully trapped him. "She some gratitude."

A sudden burning sensation erupted inside of his throat, his lips parting as he exhaled painfully, "W-wh-what di-did y-you do t-to m-e...?"

She let out a soft, amused chuckle, staring at his plastron in fascination. "Your heart, it's like a little bird in there, just fluttering in a mad panic."

Putting his hand over his chest as if covering himself, the blue-clad turtle swallowed once, lifting himself away from the demon. Abigor sounded as if she could actually see his heart- sounded as if she were underwater, leaning closer as the turtle leaned back.

"Leonardo," Abigor hummed as she cupped her hand by Leonardo's face, forcing him to look at her. "Be calm. You're mine- You're safe."

"... yours? But..." Leonardo groaned, weaker then he cared to let on. His head tilted into the demon's waiting hand. "No, what're you...?"

"Calm," Abigor shushed. Her voice came not from outside but inside the turtle's head, a firm command no less stern for all its gentleness. "You're mine. You're safe."

"Safe." The blue cladded turtle murmured. His head tilted more and more and the demon was suddenly behind him, holding him in her arms like a snake around a mouse, flush against his body.

A kiss, coppery and hot, pressed to the turtle's mouth and stole entry, forcing a long taste that Leo could not stop and did not want to stop. The blood soaking him was starting to dry. He sat straight, ashamed at the strained sound that escaped him. Something was wrong. He didn't feel like he was bleeding, but he felt like he could lie down forever- like he could sink into the earth and close his eyes.

"Safe..." The demon repeated softly, her fingers twisting his bandana tails as she gently pulled his forward. "Mine."

......

Raphael's hear finally settled into a more rhythmic beat, calming down. The sound made Leonardo feel safer. When they came to the lair's door, Raphael showed the turn-stiles forward and shook his head as he collapsed in the living room.

The blue-clad turtle had demanded too much of himself. The fight had restored him, but it had also taken so much in return. He needed rest, and he needed to feed. In a moment, he'd catch his breath and return to his room, curled up in the midst of his candles.