stuff us in boxes that's where you want us

cardboard is boring, we brought our matches - look how it burns

That loud rapping on the door sounded demanding and assaulted her temporary sense of calm. A rare occurrence in that unruly mind. How quickly that sweet calm shattered as Ace flailed to get to his feet, going in full grown guard dog mode. If only it packed the figurative punch the dog was going for, because in those moments he only looked like a flailing ball of adorable with those oversized paws seeking for traction on the old wooden flooring, barely achieving that. He may have been little, but he had a life time of a dog beneath it all. It was good seeing him so lively and youthful again.

A small tug of the corners of her lips, watching her little black furball as she reluctantly made her way to the door. This had better be good she thought. However, that smile would quickly fade only to be replaced by that dragon's temper that would soon surface when her purple eyes landed upon a familiar face she was none too pleased to see. She was so fucking damn sick of people waltzing in here with all the strength in the world, able to do whatever the damn well they pleased. First Ryker and now the catman, Risque's obedient little pet. Nobody has goddamn time for that! She knew trying to close the door in his face was futile, but in true Harley fashion she tried it anyways.

What did he expect? A big smile and an invitation to tie her up and throw her in some trunk where she didn't know where she was going. He didn't even hide the fucking ropes slung ominously over his shoulder? Couldn't he at least try to conceal them just a little. Act like maybe she was a little more powerful than what she was.

The door slam was a fail, so she abandoned that plan and focused on finding herself a weapon of use. If only she could have scooped the puppy up in the process. She fretted over her little black terrorizer and was also full of pride as he attempted to try and take on her would be assaulter. As she backed up, her calculating purple eyes never left him even as they narrowed, not even bothering to hide the loathing she felt in that moment. Her mind went back to a time she would rather forget, back to that history that clearly wasn't finished with her. Her stomach where his talons still marked her flesh seemed to throb as though the wounds were fresh even if they were long healed. She remembered. All of it, painfully vivid as the blood that flowed from her once broken and bloody body.

The sound of the door closing behind him felt like a death sentence, but there was no way in hell she would tolerate that. She spat her words as though they were spikes laced with poison if only those words were weapons he would be dead. Or severely incapacitated.

Wrongo. She thought smugly. "Clearly you need to be educated. The French say all kinds of shit." She reached out behind her on a table.. Reaching out a hand hoping to find a blade but only found her phone. "will you quit your whole stalk and pounce your prey for one fucking second.." She growls at him. If she could get his mind off his task she could get that silver blade in the kitchen, just a few feet away. She cursed at herself for becoming too lax with keeping it on her at all times. This might be the last time it actually mattered. "I was about to have a relaxing night and you ruined it so don't be the worlds biggest prick and chill your roll for a moment." she huffs, frowning at him with that deadly glare she was so good at.

She unlocked her phone, still backing up. She was going to firstly message Isolt or Sterling to take care of Ace. Then she was going to look up those French words so she could throw them into her assaulter's face. But for every step she took backward, he took one too, she was running out of room and options. She should have known better, should have thought faster.

"You know.. you can pretend I wasn't here, I won't even tell Isolt." She persuaded mildly. Maybe she could get him talking, work on that less than feral side instead of his feline form that would only make her shudder, she was very certain she didn't want to see. Maybe at the very least, she could get her hands on a weapon. Anything to prolong the inevitable. Anything that would keep Ace from harm. Any extra time she could bide to accomplish these things that seemed so important.

He then inquired about an off switch, she noted that frown and it made her smug. The midnight haired women wondered if there was a switch for Tetradore to fuck right the hell off. She smirked, proud of her little terror. If only he were just a bit bigger, those little needle teeth would do much more damage. If only it could be enough, but with this mortality that flowed through their veins, they are but mere fodder against a world of creatures that were far too strong for their own good. She was so fucking sick of being that fodder to those creatures who only wanted their pound of flesh. Apparently, hers was a hot commodity these days. Not even keeping her head down was enough to keep the past from breaking down her door.

At least he wasn't going throw him across the room like Ryker. Maybe she could reason with Tetradore. Yes, she wanted to slap him and cut him as he had hurt her, yes she wanted to call him the worst names she could come up with, knock him down a few pegs. But maybe there was a piece of him that could actually hear her. He wasn't a vampire and he had pathetic little googly eyes for Isolt. So... maybe she could use this to her advantage. "Off switch is behind the ear.. or belly scratches." She sighed. "... and.... These..." She grabbed a bag of puppy treats from behind and threw them at him, right at his forehead. Well, it was a long shot and the chances of it actually hitting him were few and far between considering his lightning reflexes. "But he doesn't like cats... Soo.. sucks to be you. Plus it wouldn't surprise me if he remembers you from when you almost killed us.. So, let's avoid that, agreed?" The little puppy growled and paused his mauling to Tetradore's shoe to listen to that bag of treats. He tipped his head and wagged his tail like it was the blades of a helicopter. She also realized the whole Ace being a puppy again might have been incredibly confusing. She pondered at her own words. If pissy cat lady is involved. Dying in my own home doesn't seem that bad.

This raging storm trapped in a human body would not simply accept her fate. She would fight, scratch, run her mouth into the grave. She would not go quietly. It just was not in her nature, just as it wasn't to go like a quiet little mouse.

Risque may beat her, may kill, but she would never break her. Not while life clung to her painfully pathetic human body. She was determined not to die tonight, there was just too much shit she had to do. That silver blade that was once her fathers was the only answer. Just how far could she get away with.. well. she wasn't sure. Maybe she could get a few drinks in.. If she was going to face the wicked bitch she needed a good buzz.

Harley Westward