When The World Burned

Chapter 4

"You kids shouldn't have come here." Kage growled out as he walked toward them.

"We were just following the new girl." Billy shrugged and grabbed Rita's arm, pulling her aside as the monstrous male passed them. "She doesn't know her way around here, so..."

"I don't care," The hulking male snarled and turned toward them, baring his sharp teeth. "Leave!"

"But - ?!" Rita began, but was interrupted by Billy pulling her along down the hallway. "Wait, Billy, no!"

Rue stepped away from the monstrous man, back pressing to the door behind her as those blue eyes went wide. Fear spilled through her as he turned to face her and raised a hand to his hood. Grabbing it, he pulled back to reveal a scar covered dark skinned face with gold eyes peering out from behind dark locks of hair like liquid fire. Black feather tipped pointed ears twitched at the sides of his head, obviously listening to everything around. Opening his mouth slightly, he sniffed at her with a low rumble deep in his throat, sending chills down the ombre haired girl's spine.

With hands pressed to the door behind her, she felt along it until her fingers touched the handle. Wrapping her fingers around it, she started to pull it down. "What do you want?" She whispered.

Chuckling, his entire body seeming to flicker in and out to reveal the odd skeletal structure within. Did she just see a second pair of arms pressed into his torso? "You," He growled and started to move his hand toward her face, black claws sharp and glinting in the flickering red light. "I want you, Rue."

The door opened behind her and she twisted away from him, putting the door between them by slamming it shut. Looking at the handle, she pressed the small button in to lock it. Turning, she noticed cages lined both sides of the walls, animals snarling and clawing at the bars they were locked behind. A banging on the door reminded her of the danger she was in, so she rushed down the hall between the cages and burst through the only door available.

On the other side it was all dark but for a small lamp in the corner. Not sure how much time she had, Rue ran across the room, slamming into something midway with a yelp. Pressing her hands down on what felt like a table, she turned as the door burst open. Towering in the doorway with a menacing presence, Kage let out a loud growl. "Trying to run is useless." He said, stalking toward her.

Gritting her teeth, the teenager climbed over the table and stumbled to the floor on the other side. Rushing to the lamp, she grabbed it. Looking back at the hulking male to see him pushing the table aside, she whimpered and threw the lamp at him. With a sweep of his hand, he knocked the lamp into a wall where it shattered, and the lightbulb flickered on its way to the floor. The moment it crashed to the floor, the light went out, leaving the room dark.

Keeping close to the corner, Rue looked around and kept quiet to hear her assailant. The fear had her stomach twisting in knots, anxiety coating her in a cold sweat. Where was he? What was he doing? What did he want with her?

Claws suddenly dug into her arms, eliciting a scream from her as she was slammed into the wall.

Hot breath hit her face. "Mine..."

"No," She whimpered in pain just before bright light hit them both.

"Get your hands off her, Kage!" William's voice was loud with authority.

Turning to face the President of the bunker, Kage roared loudly. "Tell me why I should, old man? I go out there and hunt all day long for you and your pathetic brood in this dump! One human from the surface should not be too much trouble! She's mine!"

"She is a guest and you will treat her as such!" The President yelled out. "Now, release her! I give you enough freedoms around here!"

Taking in a deep breath and releasing it slowly, the golden-eyed male slowly let go of Rue and stepped back. With all the lights on, she could see the room properly now. It was coated in red – paint, she hoped – and the table was a desk that was now shoved against a stack of cages with more of that red color inside them. Looking down at her feet, she finally took notice to how wet her feet were and saw red all over them.

"Rue, will you come with me, please?" William's voice called and she quickly stepped around her assailant, making her way to the man. With surprising gentleness, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and lead her out of the room. They walked down the hall of cages and he held the door open for her to step out. Standing out there was the grey-eyed teen from earlier, hands hidden in his pockets. "Since you seem to be the explorative type, I'll have Billy walk you back to your room. I have to speak with Kage."

As he walked back through the door, Rue looked to Billy and frowned.

"Yeah, you fucked up." He said.

~

Kage moved his desk back into place with a growl and glared down at the broken lamp. "Why do you keep me from her?"

Sighing from the doorway, William glared at the hulking man with piercing yellow eyes. "We need her here. Dr. Charles is testing her blood as we speak, and it greatly matches yours. It is black with a blue hue." He explained and tapped nails along his elbows where he had his arms crossed. "Tell me why you want her so bad."

"She's my mate," Kage answered with a twitch of his ears, body fading to reveal the skeleton within. Pacing around his desk, he jerked open a cage and reached in. Pulling his hand back, a bat-like creature became visible and let out little chirps before climbing up to his shoulder. It nuzzled against his cheek.

Those yellow eyes narrowed at the bat. "With your attitude I'd be surprised if she ever lets you attempt to kiss her. You're over a thousand years old and she's but a mere sixteen-year-old."

"She's the one, though." Reaching up, he stroked the bats' head with a dark finger. Both fur and feathers covered the odd little animal as it let out another happy chirp. "I want her, and I will get her."

"You will wait until after we've gotten what we need from her." The President snapped, dropping both arms. "Are we clear?"

"And what is it you intend to take from her?" Gold eyes narrowed, a snarl rising from his throat, Kage stepped toward the man with feathers in his dark locks. "Her life?"

"We are not trying to take her life, but we need a way to save the people in this bunker. If we can find a solution with her blood, perhaps we can get back to the surface." William explained as a hand slid to the back of his pants where a gun was hidden. "I am not going to argue with you over this, my old friend. We do what we must to survive."

"Warlords used to say that over the ages, you know."

A long silence fell between them as the cloaked male continued to pet his bat. It was purring softly, laying upon his shoulder like a small furry blanket with leather wings. The beastly male was both elegant and hulking at once, but those that knew him were not fools. They were aware of his power, his strength, and his age. No one got in the way of Kage, the Hunter. Too bad, this old man was his friend and had a bad habit of getting in his way. Why Kage did not kill him was a complete mystery to both men.

"Leave her be for now, Kage." The President stated. "Please."

Growling, the beast gently returned the bat to its cage. "Leave," He warned.

"As you wish." Turning, William walked down the long hallway of cages and stepped out. The door echoed loudly as it closed behind him, leaving a sick feeling in the pit of Kage's stomach. He knew what happened to the last person he brought in with blood like his own. They had been tortured, body and soul torn apart by that mad woman called a doctor. The poor boy had been only twelve years old when they tore into him with scalpels and needles, getting all the blood and bone marrow they could from him.

Getting rid of the body had been Kage's job.

Banging a fist down on his desk, a crack splitting across the hardwood, he roared loudly.