Nightwalkers

By: Darkfang Magus

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Part 6

#

Night 9

The air-conditioning vent is cool to the touch as Quicksilver rappels downward through its shaft. Above her, Shadow follows. The echo of their equipment banging on the steel column rings in his ears. Quicksilver only hopes the residents don't decide to investigate the sounds. Soon they come to rest at a junction.

Quicksilver activates her communication unit. "Kitty, how does everything look?"

"Okay... How long's it gonna be?" Kitty flicks back a lock of golden hair from her brow while awaiting Quicksilver's response. From her perch atop the adjacent building the breeze is cool.

"Just be patient. If anything changes I want you to keep me informed." The lioness shuts off her headset, and then turns to Shadow who is currently removing the ventilation grate. "Ready?"

"Uh-huh." With a groan, Shadow pulls the metal panel free. A few loose fasteners rattle on the concrete floor beyond. Like slick-black oil, they enter the room's meager space. The maintenance area is empty but for a locked toolbox at the far wall next to the door.

All business now, Quicksilver procures a pick set from her satchel, "Wait one moment while I get this door open." Soon she is busily tinkering with the lock. A shiver starts at her neck and courses down her tailbone. It is followed by a now unmistakable sensation of the heat which begs her to let everything go. Looming overhead, Shadow watches her work. Quicksilver's taunt body is inches away. The very heat of her consumes him. A deep breath brings about the flehmen response, and he smiles hungrily.

Quicksilver feels a hand upon her back but ignores it as she works. Shadow's tender petting fails to break her mental concentration, but the body is much weaker. Purring slightly, Quicksilver arches her back up to his delicious male form. Tongue now hanging slightly over her bottom lip, Quicksilver releases the pick set. "Stop it Shadow, I cannot concentrate with you pestering me."

"Fine give in, realize what you want and then take it-embrace it. Otherwise the thought will eat at the back of your mind, soon hampering everything you try to accomplish."

"You misunderstand my intentions!" she turns to glare at him, but then wishes she hadn't due to Shadow's lack of clothing.

"NO! It is you that misunderstand." Roughly, he pulls her to his chest, "Do you feel that? The wild power of our feline bodies. By trying to douse this fire, you only weaken the animal inside, and that is where true power lies."

"Let go!" Quicksilver vainly beats at his chest.

"Embrace what you are." Shadow kisses her roughly while his hand creeps between her legs, "an ANIMAL". A razor claw slits the material that stands between him and his reward.

Quicksilver doesn't fight when the kiss breaks-leaving a bit of spittle on her lip. Her head hangs down, now veiled by silver-blue hair. Moisture runs down Quicksilver's leg from her own traitorously wet sex. All arguments to resist seem paltry when faced with her own burning need. Not looking up, she brushes Shadow's erect penis with her fingertips, "fine, we do it your way. Je m'en fous."

Growling lustfully, Shadow grabs the back of her shirt in his clawed paws and shreds the cloth. Quicksilver lifts her arms upward as Shadow removes the tattered remnants. First the left then the right, her small hard breasts are exposed. Shadow wastes no time kneeling down to remove her pants. Quicksilver's sharp feline teeth dig at her lower lip while the last remains of decency are stripped away.

Illuminated by the soft red exit light, she stands naked before him. Quicksilver doubts a newborn kitten could feel more helpless than she at this moment. Given into her basal instincts every nerve drives her female form to what it was natually meant for. Being shorter than him, Quicksilver shivers as his cock pulses against her smooth belly. The powerful male before her, growls ferally before lifting Quicksilver off the ground. Quicksilver is slammed bodily against the wall, and then a hand hooks her inner thigh spreading shivering milky white thighs. Shadow gnaws at her neck as his cock finds its place against her engorged labia.

The soft sound of a ventilation fan and dripping water is accented by the squeak of Quicksilver's fur against the steel wall. Shadow's claws tease her lower back, causing the lioness to involuntarily lick the wall she is pressed to. Gazing at the sweet nether region he is about to enter, Shadow brushes back his short mane. Her body bent like a bow, Quicksilver's taunt frame quivers at each breath. Quicksilver hooks her right leg over Shadow's shoulder, allowing her hot channel to open slightly.

Shadow takes a deep whiff of her scent, and then grabs Quicksilver's right wrist to hold her straight as he enters. Cold damp air had chilled his cock-flesh, but as Shadow enters his willing companion, her wild living flesh feel like an inferno.

Quicksilver shrieks out in sensual agony as she is impaled by the tiger's tapered feline organ. Teeth bared, Quicksilver instinctively digs her fangs into Shadow's forearm. Growling fiercely, Shadow pulls back from his overzealous thrust, and then grabs the scruff of her neck in his jaws. One quick tug pulls her free allowing Shadow to press her face back to the metal wall, "be still, my fuck-kitten". Though muffled by her fur, Shadow's words are nonetheless threatening.

Now helplessly pinned, Quicksilver digs for purchase, her claws leaving deep shiny lines on the metal wall. She catches a loose corner of the steel sheet and holds tight as Shadow reenters her body. His thrust drives her forward, straining every joint. Quicksilver caterwauls as his balls slap directly on her clit. The heat of it all is immense. The lioness' tense walls suck at Shadow's cock as he withdraws causing his barbed member to dig even more at the soft flesh.

But like a candle burned from both ends, the power of their passion cannot last. Shadow strains to hold back what is inevitable, while Quicksilver barely notices her headset fall to the ground as she is continuously pummeled.

There is a light click as the device activates, but to Shadow it doesn't even register because he can feel the floodgates about to open. Gripping her neck hard enough to draw blood, Shadow sinks his long shaft deep. The head forces past her cervix and into Quicksilver's womb, as the first fertile bursts flows forth. Quicksilver doesn't orgasm though she can feel the edge nearing; somehow she thinks that enjoyment of their act would further defile her. The warmth spreads quickly through Quicksilver's belly causing her to feel deliciously full.

"Hello." The com twitters at their feet.

"Foutre!" Quicksilver pushes Shadow back though she is unable to suppress a moan as his spined shaft exits. Cursing her luck, the lioness crouches and scoops up her earpiece."

Kitty's voice comes through clearly, "What's going on, you in trouble..?"

Quicksilver puts the device to her lips, "everything is fine Kitty."

"Well if you're sure everything's alright. I'll tell ya if something happens out here".

"Okay Kitty, I will speak with you if the need arises." Quicksilver turns the com off, and then breathes a deep sigh of relief. "See, Shadow I told you we shouldn-", she stops as a rough tongue drags across her neck.

"We're not done yet my little toy!"

*

Perhaps thirty minutes later, the liness moves silently through the complex. Quicksilver makes quick work of placing the charges. Dodging watchful eyes comes naturally. Single charge in hand, she approaches her last target room. The area is virtually devoid of decorations. At the far end sits a desk behind which lies the support she means to destroy. Spotting someone at the desk, Quicksilver curses under her breath. An old piebald man looks up briefly at the sound. He then reaches into the desk's drawer and procures some glasses. Quicksilver, now invisible, remains breathless as the man looks for any intruders. Bare moments pass before he seems bored with the idea and goes back to work on his computer.

On silent cat feet, Quicksilver crosses the distance. Making less sound than the man tapping on his keyboard, she reaches the back wall in moments.

Rubbing his face the man pushes away from his desk. Quicksilver freezes. Not bothering to shut down his laptop, the man exits his room, locking the door behind.

Able to breathe freely now, Quicksilver fades back into the visible spectrum. The C4 explosive is cool in her hands as she sets the detonator. To her, that seems quite ironic considering its explosive nature. Perhaps it is the natural curiosity of her feline blood, but Quicksilver cannot help but open the laptop before leaving.

Surprisingly, she finds her picture displayed. Concerned, Quicksilver scrolls down. Every contract she had ever completed is listed. At the bottom are several linked files. She clicks the one marked Operation Quicksilver. The Led's light shines in her eyes as she stares astonished. Contained within is data on an experimental training program used specifically for her. "Why go through all the trouble if they knew all along?"

"That would be my fault", a man's voice responds.

Quicksilver's gun is drawn before she has risen fully, "WHO ARE YOU!"

"There is no need to yell dear, I am the one who has kept you alive all this time."

"Why would you want to help me", Quicksilver lowers her tone.

"How many years has it been since we last met; ten, fifteen. How you have grown."

Quicksilver narrows her eyes, I do know him, but from where? She approaches cautiously, "How do you know me, why is my life catalogued in your computer?"

He stands respectfully still.

"WHY?"

"Please stop yelling, don't you see how hard this is. What lengths I have gone to protect you, my daughter."

"That's a lie, I was born in France, and French you are not."

"No, I am not French, but your mother was; that and much more." His watering eyes plead for her faith, and in those eyes she sees the truth. That same shade of as her own which she had seen reflected so many times. Quicksilver lowers her weapon slightly. "What do we do now"?

"I have no idea".

*

Hanging near his target, Shadow licks pulled back lips. Anticipation, that rush before the kill, it comes natural to him these days. Somewhere deep the last remnants of the stranger cringe at the thought. It ends brutally, but for the victim at least quickly.

One less to bother with, Shadow kicks the corpse out of his path. Ahead lies a support. He tosses a charge next to it, and then activates his earpiece. "Hey how many do you have left".

Quicksilver's voice comes back sounding shaken, "I am done".

"Oh, well I have about five left..." Shadow turns to the sound of his previous victim's movement. The bleeding husk of man pulls a Walkie-talkie free and presses it to his face. Shadow rushes over and throttles him. The blare of an alarm fills Shadow's ears as he cringes. "I gotta go."

*

Father and daughter stand separated by the decades between them. "Look Quicksilver, you can leave right now. I will find some way to convince them you have no wish to be involved with Johnathan Validus, or Shadow as you call him."

"And what of Shadow... I mean Johnathan".

"He must be contained immediately. By the time you escape we will have already taken the necessary measures to disable your charges. When Johnathan Validus returns to the exit point we should have no trouble with his capture."

"You talk like he is some animal to be caged."

"Is he not my dear? You've seen him, can you look me in the eye and say he isn't dangerous. My job is to protect your kind even from yourselves if need be. There is a great mad power about him that must be contained."

"You can't do that", Quicksilver backs to the door, "We aren't your experiments to be toyed with". Fading from the visible spectrum Quicksilver exits briskly. Her mind is abroil; the right path no longer seems clear. We just have to escape, for now that will be enough.

Placing a finger to her ear, Quicksilver calls Kitty, "Go back to the room now, we have been compromised".

"Huh, whadda you mean compromised."

"Just get out; they are likely coming for you. Do not wait for us, get out now."

"But Silver, you can't-"

The lioness cuts off Kitty's protests by switching to Shadow's frequency. Receiving no answer, she picks up the pace.

*

"AAAAAAAGGHHHHH" the shadow grips his chest as a 5.56 mm round pierces through strained sinews.

"That's your last warning! Give up now or we all open fire!"

Give up, HAH. I would rather die, he smiles at the thought. The shadow's eyes smolder as he crosses furred hands behind his mane. The red glow in his eyes becomes more apparent as they approach, even reflecting faintly from his fur. His smile grows feral, just get a little closer.

For some of them the end is blessedly quick. Amid the shadow's rage not all are so lucky.

Quicksilver whips around a corner and skids across a slick surface nearly losing her balance. All around, the wall floor and roof of the hall are coated with a fine red spray. At the end stands Shadow. Quicksilver can see his back heave with each breath.

"Shadow, what happened...? It does not matter; we have to leave now!"

Ignoring her, Shadow steps into the next room.

Agitated, Quicksilver follows him, "that is the wrong way".

"Don't you smell them? The prey. Do you not thirst for their blood?"

Quicksilver responds to his mindspeak by rubbing the sides of her aching head, "come back". Entering the room, she stops stone-still. Twenty men stand around the room, wielding automatic rifles, "Foutre!"

"HALT!"

Shadow steps forward. Three rounds are instantly sent his way the first two sink into the shadow's chest; the third pierces his lung and passes out the back barely losing any velocity.

Falling to her knees, Quicksilver cries out when the bullet sinks into her calf. Now visible, she sees several men aim at her. Shadow doesn't even slow down though blood leaks from his chest. The red fluid leaves streaks on the charges still remaining on his belt. His normally dark-grey fur becomes a midnight black.

"OPEN FIRE!"

Quicksilver takes six rounds in the chest, and is immediately thrown flat to the ground. Dazed and wheezing, she puts a hand to her vest thankful that it held. Looking up, she sees Shadow caught in the crossfire.

A shrill laugh fills the air. Not even bothering to move, the shadow lets them try to kill him. That last human spark within pleads for a release. Something stronger though takes over. It is a power pure but mysterious. The shadow feels no pain though his body is shredded by the impact of every round. His fur now blacker than a midnight sky bristles at the shoulders.

Time has slowed it seems to Quicksilver as Shadow leaps across the room. Though short-lived, his victim's screams are most horrible. It is in that moment that she realizes what the agency fears. This creature of unbridled fury, if let loose into the world would cause untold deaths. What right does she have to help such a thing occur?

Though wheezing from many wounds, the shadow doesn't drop as he dismembers his final victim. The blood is sweet on his tongue as he drinks. Dropping the lifeless lump, he looks to see who is next. His mind only recognizes the rage and upon sighting Quicksilver their companionship fails to register..

Quicksilver coughs weakly and sees a spatter of blood land on her chest. Her ribs are broken she knows, what else might be she cannot guess. She grimaces at Shadow's laughing form ahead. While contemplating the possibility of her coming demise, Quicksilver sees the true monster that Shadow has become. The clacker lies tucked in her satchel, a last chance to end the killing. Using now weak hands, she pulls the detonator free. Kitty, Shadow, forgive me. Upon mashing the button, Quicksilver sees another part of Shadow fill her thoughts. The stranger seems to be smiling as he speaks, "Thank you".

Kitty cringes behind some brick as the deafening explosions overwhelm her. Ears ringing she fumbles for the headset. "Shadow, Silver! I didn't see you come out. What's the matter?"

Through some static, Kitty's voice fills the headset as Quicksilver comes to. Everything is very dark, though she can faintly smell smoke.

"Someone answer me!"

Quicksilver reaches her right hand to the call button but finds herself unable. The left feels wet with blood but is mobile so she makes do, "Kitty get away". She wheezes for breath.

"I can't leave till you get out of there."

"Quicksilver coughs heavily; there is no pain just an overall numbness, "We are not coming".

"What do ya mean we? Where'd Shadow go, what's happening?"

"He is dead Kitty, I... I", Quicksilver finds herself unable to tell the girl the truth of the matter. "I will be joining him soo-" The lioness coughs hard feeling her lips go wet with blood, "Foutre! Run while you are able."

Kitty screams into the mic for several more minutes, but receives only silence. Fire and police unit begin to overwhelm the scene. Confused and scared Kitty follows her friend's parting advice and leaves as fast as she can.

Epilogue

In the following months, Kitty uses a false identity Qucksilver had given her, and blends into the population. It is not long before she has disappeared from the agency's view. Only one agent knows her true identity.

That agent checks Kitty's status quickly before shutting down a slim laptop computer. Her silver-blue hair hangs neatly at shoulder height. The LCD light flashes briefly in her eyes as the screen powers down. The compassion those eyes held while looking at the screen disappears when she leaves her office. Quicksilver's right arm bears deep scars evidence of her nearly losing it. Now though, she has regained about fifty percent motion with the limb. As the newest and only nonhuman member of the HPA's American division, she has learned to live with distrust. Her father's status is likely all that has saved her life, but even that will one day end. Until then, she intends to find as many dangerous members of her kind as possible. Quicksilver hopes perhaps doing so will save others like Kitty from similar events. Smoothly strutting into the boardroom, the lioness' cold voice beckons her associate's attention, "Good evening gentlemen". Smiling ferally, Quicksilver is alone among her contemporaries, which is just the way she likes it.

The End