Shadow 7
#7 of shadow
Shadow 7
Several months past as Shadow and Vincent grew deeper in love with each other. They spent as much time with each other as they could. Shadow never noticed the changes that Vincent made in him, brushing off the comments the staff at the club made about how happy they were of it.
Vincent frequented the club as often as he could along with Nathan and Victor, who had begun to rediscover each other.
Nathan had begun school and Victor kept busy at the gym. They both remained with Shadow, who enjoyed their company when Vincent wasn't around. The four would often go out together letting Jess tag along when her friends were busy. There friendship grew in that short time as they began to form a family. Little did they know that their lives would change forever.
At the club Shadow scanned the dance floor as he made his rounds. He smiled as he waved back at Arron who was dancing with cute rabbit. He made his way to the dinning hall and approached the bar where Vincent, Nathan and Victor sat. "Hey guys didn't think you would be by tonight."
Nathan turned holding out a box. "Well Victor and I aren't staying long but Jess insisted that I give you this."
Shadow took the box and began opening it. "What is this?" he asked pulling out a small silver pendant with an intricate pattern on the front, the back had an inscription in an odd language.
Nathan frowned briefly before quickly smiling again. "Not really sure, she it would bring you good luck or something."
"You should wear it. I think it would look good on you." Vincent said as he stood up giving Shadow a kiss. "Well as nice as making out with you is I need to relieve my bladder."
Shadow put on the necklace as he watched Vincent make his way to the bathroom. "So how is Jess? She seemed offbeat the last time we hung out."
Victor laughed as cut Nathan off. "Spunky as ever. I don't think she ever slows down. If I wasn't gay and with Nathan I would defiantly be chasing her."
Nathan covered his face with his paws. "That is my sister your talking about you know."
Victor smiled as he wrapped his arms around Nathan kissing the tiger on the neck. "I'm only kidding. You know I love you and if you're ready to go I'll show you just how much." His hand slid down to Nathan's crotch and gave a little squeeze to the tiger's package.
Shadow heard an argument begin close by and turned. "Well I got to go so I'll see you guys later."
"See you later." Nathan said as they parted ways.
Shadow broke up the argument with little effort and continued making his rounds. As time went by he began to worry about Vincent. He hadn't seen him since he went to the bathroom. He began asking the other staff members as he continued his rounds but no one else had seen him either.
"Hey...You alright?" James asked as Shadow stood near the bar scanning the room with a frown.
"Just can't stop thinking that something happed to Vincent." Shadow replied as he walked over and sat down.
James leaned onto the bar with a serious look on his face. "You worry too much. He probably just got tired and went home; we all know you take your job too serious."
Shadow let out a sigh still unable to shake his feeling of dread. "I guess your right, but you would think he would have told some one to let me know..." His sentence drifted off as he turned to see what had caught the corner of his eye. He looked to catch a glimpse of a lioness slip into the bathroom. He stood and began to follow not listening to James calling after him asking what was wrong.
He stood in the bathroom looking around. There were a few patrons that finished their duty and left. After he made sure the bathroom was empty he stood at one of the sinks. After splashing some water on his face he looked in the mirror and noticed scuff marks on the floor behind him that appeared to go under the wall. He turned and made his way over seeing that the trail lead from the sinks. He wondered how they could just go through the wall like that as he slid his paw along the wall.
His paw soon found a tile that pushed in slightly. As he pushed the tile in harder a piece of the wall slid inward before sliding open reveling a staircase that lead downwards. He cautiously stepped down a few steps before hearing a click and the wall slid back into place. He was glad that his eyes allowed him to see in his darkened surroundings as he tried to find anything that would open the wall again.
The unmistakable laughter of a hyena echoed from below him. He turned slowly to see no one was there. His thoughts turned once more to Vincent as he quickly made his way down the stairs. He adjusted his eyes as he approached a dimly lit hall at the bottom of the stairs. As he entered the hallway he was surprised to see that lit torches were hung from the stone walls of the hall.
He stood there for a moment trying to figure out if he should go left or right when the tail of a lioness caught his eye as it disappeared down another corridor to his right. He ran over and made the turn to only to see no one there. Still he felt he was supposed to go this way so he continued forwards.
He followed this corridor for some time before it forked into two narrower paths. He waited for a moment to get another sign from the lioness. When none came he started towards the left stopping as his phone began to ring. He stepped back as he got his phone out and answered it. "Hello...You're breaking up...Nathan is that you...Hello." He started to hang as he got disconnected when he saw the lioness walking down the passage to his right. Dropping his phone he rushed down the passage as she began to disappear.
He continued down the passage before emerged into a large darkened room. The only light was one in the center of the room that shown down on an image that would haunt Shadow for the rest of his life.
Shadow's eyes grew wide as he looked at Vincent suspended from the ceiling by a thick chain. The chain connected to the shackles that bound his wrists and his head hung down in front of him. Blood ran out from wounds that covered his bare torso.
Shadow started towards Vincent, but stopped the sound of a whip cracking echoed through out the room followed by the hysterical laugh of a hyena. The hyena stepped into the light to the left of Vincent and grinned wickedly as he swung the whip in front of him, as a bobcat stepped in from the stallion's right pulling one of the throwing knifes out of his vest.
Shadow's eyes narrowed as he prepared for the fight. He tightened his fists as he began to charge. The bobcat threw his knife before darting into the shadows at super speeds. The knife sliced open a gash in Shadow's arm as it flew past him and he leaped towards the hyena. The hyena brought back his whip to strike but was taken down before he could.
Shadow sat up on the hyena and raised his paw extending his claws to strike, letting out a roar as a knife stuck in his side. He reached over and began pulling it out giving the hyena time to get out from under him. As the hyena got to his feet and began to run Shadow flipped the knife in his paw and threw it at him catching him in the back, puncturing his lung. The hyena began to wheeze as he staggered for a moment and fell to the ground.
As Shadow got back to his feet another knife flew at him catching him in the opposite leg. He growled as he reached down to pull it out. He dropped the knife as the bobcat's fist caught him in the stomach knocking him to the ground. The bobcat stood there for a moment laughing before his form blurred as he speed away. Shadow tried to catch his breath as the sounds of metal scraping across stone echoed through the room, followed by a menacing laugh.
Shadow laid there trying to force himself up when his eyes drifted over to Vincent. He started to give up but saw Vincent take in a breath and lift his head slightly. He managed to get to his feet and heard the whizzing of another knife fly through the air. As it drew near he quickly turned raising his paw and hit it out of its path. In a blur of fur the bobcat came in for an attack, but Shadow managed to dodge him as he reached out grabbing the bobcat's throat and slammed him to the ground. He dug into the bobcat's throat with is claws before raking his paw across his throat flinging blood across the floor.
Shadow got to his feet and began to make his way to Vincent. He looked up at the chain and followed it to the wall where it was attached to a large winch. Making his way to it he began to feel uneasy but ignored it as he placed his paw on the lever and began lowering Vincent down. As he turned and made his way back to the stallion he heard clapping. He stopped as a wolf stepped into the light on the other side of Vincent. Shadow recognized him as the owner of the Hollander Corporation.
"Well done kitty, well done, but I must say you could have done better." the wolf said as he crossed his arms.
Shadow moved closer as asked, "Why are you doing this we did nothing to you?"
The wolf grinned evilly. "My part in this was minor. It was actually your rhino friend that planned this. Seems you had something he wanted."
Shadow had almost forgotten Boris' threat. "Boris isn't this clever."
"You're right." the wolf said moving around the stallion to Shadow's side. "He was planning on shooting you in that ally. Remember you saw him walking down it and started to follow."
Shadow thought back to that night in the park. "That explains the feeling I got."
The wolf placed his paws on Shadow's shoulders. "Yes your ability to sense trouble. That's what makes you the perfect protector, and once your powers fully awaken..."
"What powers?" Shadow asked pulling away from the wolf. "Look I don't know what you're on put I need to get Vincent to the hospital." Shadow knelt beside Victor to check his pulse.
The wolf raised his paw shooting out a wave of energy that knocked Shadow over. "Forget that stallion he will only get in your way. I'm offering you a chance to be one of the most powerful creatures on the earth."
"You're crazy you know that." Shadow replied as he sat up trying to figure out what was going on. As he got up he felt a slight pulse of energy begin to flow through him.
The wolf smiled as he began to walk towards Shadow. "You can feel it can't you. The energy flowing through your body."
"Stay back." Shadow said raising his paw as a short bolt of energy flew from his fingers hitting the wolf in the chest. He held his paw in front of him as he looked at it in shock.
The wolf began raising his paw saying, "Why you little whelp." As his paw extended out a blast of fire began shooting from it towards Shadow.
Shadow crossed his arms in front of him as he felt a surge of energy build up within his body. The air around him felt electrically charged as the fire blast came near, and he closed his eyes and turned his head preparing to get burned.
It took him a moment to realize that the fire wasn't touching him. When he opened his eyes he was stunned to see he was shielded by an electrical force field. He struggled as the wolf raised his other paw and increase the strength of the fire blast. He closed his eyes and began to fall to his knees as he felt the energy begin to drain.
The wolf stopped his attack and lowered his paws seeing that Shadow's power was draining. "You will never beat me kitty. I should kill you, but I'll be generous and offer you a choice. Come with me or stay here and bleed to death."
Shadow struggled to his feet and stared the wolf down. He heard the voice of his mother tell him to be strong, and felt her unseen hand upon his shoulder as his energy returned to him. "You can go to hell." he said as his eyes began to glow pure white. As he raised his paws his rosettes began to glow. Managing to tap nearly his full power he shot out lightning from his paws which connected with the wolf knocking him back to the ground before he could defend himself. He was only able to hold his power for a moment before his energy left him again. He bent over placing his paws to his knees and breathed heavily.
As Shadow began to recover he remembered Vincent as the stallion coughed and moaned softly as he started to come to. Shadow quickly moved to Vincent's side and knelt down lifting up the stallions head and placing it in his lap. "Vincent...hey come on open your eyes." he said in a soft tone.
Vincent opened his eyes slightly and looked at Shadow. "Ssadoww...is that...you?"
Shadow smiled down at the stallion. "Yes Vincent it's me... no don't close your eyes stay awake."
The chain rattled as Vincent brought his hands to his chest. "It'ss...so...so cold."
Shadow took off his shirt and placed it over as much of the stallion's torso as he could. "I know, but you need to lie still." Tears began to fall down Shadow's face as he began to pick the locks of the shackles with his claw. "Let's get these off you, and then I can get you out of here."
As Shadow got the shackle off Vincent's wrists the stallion reached up to place a hand on Shadow's face. He wiped the felines cheek as he said in a weak voice, "Don't cry you sexy stud...it doesn't hurt that much. I...I love you...so much" His hand slipped back down as he closed his eyes and his body went limp.
Shadow placed his paws on the stallion's shoulders and began to shake him. "Vincent...Vincent...Come on open your eyes." He carefully laid Vincent's head to the ground as shifted up to lean over him. He checked for a pulse as he continued pleading with the stallion to wake up.
After doing all he could Shadow laid beside Vincent placing his arm over his love, and rested his head on the stallion's chest. He cried for a while before remembering the lullaby his mother sang to him. He closed his eyes taking in a deep breath and started to hum the tune.
Shadow laid there drifting into unconsciousness as his wounds continued to bleed as his ear twitched at the sound of footsteps coming towards them. He felt himself being pulled off Vincent and struggled to keep a hold onto the stallion but didn't have the strength as his mind faded into darkness.