Rhage 1.31.12

*I stepped out of the shower and grabbed one of the thick dark blue towels that were piled up in the bathroom that led back into my allocated bedroom in Darius’ mansion. Wrapping the towel around my waist I headed into the walk-in closet, shaking my head as I glanced once more at the over-the-top opulence of the place.

I hadn’t bothered much about the converted warehouse I used to live in. It had just been an empty building and clothes and shitkickers and other random bits of debris had always been scattered all over. This place was like going from pauper to prince; from the rich brocade drapes to the ostentatious satin cover spread over the large tester bed. But it was the pillows ... The huge mountain of pillows piled on the bed that made this room irresistible.

I grabbed a pair of leathers and a fitted black shirt and pulled them on, both sticking to my still damp skin, but I didn’t care. It would dry soon enough. I sat down on the edge of the bed to pull on my shitkickers, lacing them up tightly before heading to my stash of arms, pulling on the holster that crossed over my chest first. I slipped the black bladed daggers into them, a small smile of satisfaction on my lips at the familiar soft metallic hiss as they slid home, then loaded a couple of guns and tucked one into the back of my waistband and the other I strapped to my left ankle. Grabbing another knife holster, I fitted that around the other ankle and slid another knife into it. I preferred hand-to-hand cos seriously, where was the satisfaction otherwise? But it never hurt to be a boy scout.

I tugged the trench coat off its hanger and tucked a few hira shuriken and extra ammo into the custom made pockets before shoving my arms into the sleeves and adjusting the way the butter-soft leather stretched across my shoulders. I inhaled deeply, my eyes closed as I tried to find my focus. My skin was crawling like millions of tiny insects squirming under the surface. I knew it was the curse, throwing its weight around and if I didn’t blow off some steam soon I was going to have one ugly scaly Godzilla ruining my night.

Slipping quietly from my room I made my way downstairs and out, dematting instantly to a dingy, rank alley in downtown Caldie. I stepped out on to the sidewalk, avoiding the mumbling addicts and ignoring the cat calls from the sleazy hookers that paraded their diseased wares for the passersby. I trolled the streets, itching for a decent brawl. One that would burn off some juice and shove the beast back into his cage again. I headed toward Caldwell’s excuse for an entertainment strip, where most of the clubs and bars were. The gloomy alleys and doorways around there were always good for a fight or a fuck. If I was lucky...yeah right!... I’d find both.

Sure enough, as I closed in on the throbbing bass from a club as it rattled the nearby buildings windows, my nose tingled with the familiar redolence of lesser. I picked up my pace as I followed the stink, my heart pounding as endorphins started to race through my body. I jogged past an alley then backed up as my senses screamed. I turned into the murkiness warily, the sheets of discarded newspapers and plastic bags rolling and flapping, like they were intentionally trying to distract me. I took a few steps into the inkiness, the tall buildings dampening out the noise from the club, turning the fetid alley eerily quiet. My skin crawled and my senses were buzzing, the tang of baby powder burning in my nostrils. I turned at the softest shuffle a nasty grin spreading across my face as I came face to face with the two pasty ghouls stepping out from the shadows. Hallefuckingluiah Just what I was looking for.

They both rushed at me at once and I started to laugh, needing this like a fucking junkie who was on a downer from hell. Wanting to draw it out as long as I could, I grabbed the thin taller one, ignoring the other as he threw his fists into my back. With the rush of adrenaline and the fierce need to pound something into oblivion I felt nothing as I grappled with Beansprout, trading quick solid punches. When I snapped my fist out to land a brutal blow that pulverized the lesser’s nose, Mr. Monkey-on-my-back slammed his knuckles into my ribs. With an irritated grunt, I jerked my elbow back into the fuckers solar plexus, then turned slightly to send a blow to his head, sending him flying backwards a couple of feet. As he curled up on the wet concrete trying to catch his breath I turned back to the lesser with the broken nose. Slick black blood was spraying from the mess in the middle of his face. “Looks like I struck black gold there stinky” I grinned at him, my head ducking down to get ready to finish him off. I threw my weight behind several smashes to his face and body, forcing him to the ground.

Pushing my knee to his chest to hold him down as I quickly rummaged through his clothes, lifting out the wallet and keys shoved into the pocket of his jeans before I slid the knife out of the holster at my ankle and thrust it into his chest. Still on my haunches I twisted quickly from the pop and bright flash, then turned my attention to the second lesser. I thumped my fist into his back to force the fucker to straighten out so I could play search and destroy. I relieved him of his wallet then sent the human backpack wannabe home to daddy dearest.

I slowly got back to feet, wiping the blade clean on my leathers before sheathing it again. I glanced down at my fists, grimacing at the disgusting oily mess covering my knuckles. I pushed my trench coat aside and rubbed the backs of my hands across my shirt to clean them off as best I could. I bent down to retrieve the pilfered wallets, memorized the addresses listed, then tossed them into a nearby trashcan and dematted to collect my jars of hearts.* #BBDB