[SamuraiAlchemistNinja]

Chapter Four-Auribus Teneo Lupum ("I hold a wolf by the ears")
"Boss Amos wants you to attend," Domenikos was saying, as Ferric fidgeted with a silver tribal ring on his thumb.
"F**k Amos. I mean, come on. He piles me up with 7 targets and expects me to attend a little formal ass-kissing party, too? He knows I hate shit like that," Ferric said tonelessly.
Domenikos sighed. "Are you at least going to try to off them all tonight?"
Ferric stopped fidgeting with his ring and stood up to stretch. "No."
Domenikos threw his hands up in surrender.
"Ferric!"
"What? Okay, all right, fine. I'll off most of them. Happy now?"
"Like you'd care if I wasn't," Domenikos replied, shaking his head wearily.
"That's the spirit!" Ferric said with a smile and disappeared.
Ferric reappeared outside of a dark house. He heard rustling behind him, and immediately threw two kunai at the source of the noise. There was a small meow, then nothing. Ferric walked over to investigate and watched as a grey cat turned into a light-haired woman in her 30s. He jabbed her with his foot.
"Dead. Target one down. Eliza Mooris," Ferric said, waiting a moment for Raemis to appear before disappearing.
This time, he was in a dimly lit room.
"Who the hell're you?" A husky voice asked, drawing closer to Ferric. He had dark skin and black eyes.
"Death, nice to meet you," Ferric replied, punching the guy in the stomach, then kneeing him in the groin. The guy fell to the ground, the vanished.
Ferric rolled his eyes, and mumbled "I hate when they run." A second later, the guy reappeared behind Ferric, and Ferric spun around and thrust his elbow forward into the guy's nose. Blood splattered everywhere. The guy retaliated by catching Ferric with a side kick. Ferric pulled an athame from a sheath near his collarbone, disappeared, then reappeared behind the guy. He stabbed him in the back, right in the side where it would cause his appendix to tear open, and twisted the athame firmly. The guy fell to the ground, and for good measure, Ferric ripped the athame out and plunged it through the man's heart.
"Target two down. George Kiel," Ferric said, and waited a few seconds. Raemis appeared again with a sly smile. He bent and lifted George's dead body off the ground.
"You're working fast tonight," he said. Ferric nodded, and was gone again.
He appeared back at his apartment.
"I never lie." Tin's voice came into Ferric's mind, and he smashed his fist into the wall, making a small dent. Son of a bitch! Ferric ran his hands through his hair.
What the hell is the matter with that guy? Ferric thought. No, I'm not going to think about it.
Ferric sighed, and walked into the kitchen. The next target is who again? Ferric picked up the list Domenikos had written for him.
Eliza Mooris--cat shapeshifter--39West Cott Street, Michigan.
George Kiel--demon--apartment #12 Upotein Apartments--Cairo, Egypt.
Daron Groves--human--26 Sunny Drive佑alifornia.
Hiro Watagashi and Ayuki Watagashi--vampires--locale 1679--Kanagawa--Japan.
Martin Barriera--wolf form night permanence--location latitude 42, longitude 8--Spain.
Tin Vittorio Adeuzo--vampire--locale 47--London--England.
Ferric's heart skipped a beat. "Are you...lonely...?" Tin's words crept back into Ferric's mind. What does he mean? Why would I be lonely? People never leave me alone. Can't be lonely if I'm not alone. What a stupid question! Besides, it wouldn't matter anyway. I have a job, and it happens to be killing people. There's no room for anything else. It's not like that, though...but I always have Domenikos and Raemis, and I always will. Like I said--can't be lonely if I'm not alone, and those two guys are always around. This guy is nuts! Always smiling and laughing at me; it pisses me off!Ferric disappeared, and reappeared in front of a huge house. It was twilight here, in California. There was a light on upstairs. Ferric went to that room in the blink of an eye.
A boy was sitting at a desk, writing. He looked to be no more than 17. He had sandy hair and long fingers, which were writing furiously.
The floor creaked under one of Ferric's feet, and Daron turned around.
"Come to kill me, demon?" The boy asked fearlessly. "I knew it was coming sooner or later," he sighed.
Ferric gave the boy a strange look. "You're human, and so young. The hell'd you do to get them to want you dead? If you don't mind my asking before I go ahead and kill you."
He smiled and put down his pen. "I'm writing about you. Demons, I mean. I've published compromising pictures and stories proving the existence of the Parallel. This Amos guy--big head demon--is not too thrilled with me. He told me if I continued that I was going to get killed."
"And so you are. I'm feeling a bit nice tonight, so, is there any way in particular you'd like me to kill you?"
Daron smile again, then turned to look out the window. "I guess I'd like to drown in that lake."
"You want me to drown you," Ferric said slowly, then shrugged. "Take my hand," he said, extending his arm. The boy stood up and placed his hand on Ferric's, then they disappeared to the edge of the dark blue lake.
"Thank you," Daron said strangely. "I haven't got anyone to live for."
Ferric gently lifted Daron up in his arms and reappeared in the middle of the lake, letting Daron go and disappearing back to the edge of the water. He watched as the young boy calmly slipped under the surface of the water.
Ferric was silent for a moment before speaking. "Raemis, come."
Raemis appeared at Ferric's side.
"Why ever did you call me?" Raemis asked curiously, taking Ferric's hand in his own and letting their arms drop back down at their sides, his fingers curled into Ferric's.
"Daron Groves is at the bottom of the lake," Ferric said distantly, keeping his hold of Raemis' hand. He wanted to hold it, just this once. He didn't like the way Daron's words swam through his mind.
"What? You've got to be kidding me. That means I've gotta get wet ," Raemis sighed, but it was not an annoyed sigh. He turned to look at Ferric. "Why the sad face, dearest?"
"I haven't got anyone to live for" is what the boy had said. It weighed heavily in Ferric's mind. Who do I have to live for? Who am I kidding, that's such a stupid thought!"It's nothing. This boy was just weird," Ferric replied, tightening his hand around Raemis'. Raemis smiled, surprised. For a while, they stood like that, staring out over the water, until Ferric disappeared.
Back at his apartment, Ferric layed down on his bed. He closed his eyes, and soon fell into a dream of the past.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Git off the ground, Ferric!" Amadeus yelled, grabbing Ferric's small arm.
"I...don't...wanna...," Ferric sobbed, tears flowing down his face. Amadeus slapped him.
"Quit yer crying! Act like a man, not a little girl!"
Ferric wiped his eyes and stood up. "Yes, sir."
"Better. Now git in there an' git yer punishment. Boys who run away need to be taught a lesson. Personally, I wouldn't mind one way or the other if all y'all little f**kin' pests up an’ died, but rules is rules," Amadeus spat, shoving Ferric into the cell and slamming the door shut, throwing Ferric in total darkness.
"Ten hours in solitary, then you git yer whippings. The third time you run away, I'll start puttin' you in the ring. O' course, you'll have to kill yer little friend Joseph first," Amadeus laughed harshly, and Ferric listened to his foot steps fade away.
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Ferric awoke with a start, cold and thirsty.
I did run away again...Ferric thought, climbing out of bed. And I killed Joseph...I had to...But Amadeus and my mother got what they deserved when I killed them. Besides, none of that matters anymore. That was a long time ago.
Ferric got a glass of water and sat on the couch.
"Are you...lonely...?" Maybe that's not such a stupid question after all...