He had never wanted this - any of it. Tetradore had been so utterly foolish to allow himself to give into Tobias' fruitless hope that he might find any resemblance of a life away from the cruelty of his vampire mistress. He should have simply accepted that punishment she had beset him with, he shouldn't have challenged her and he most definitely shouldn't have gone home after. He should have insisted they stay, even despite the fight that would have ensued. Maybe if he had done things differently then Tobias wouldn't be the one suffering for his mistakes. The very sight of that chilled caress upon that short spotted fur caused his fingers to curl into a fist as the felines nipped at his jeans and bared his teeth, striving to keep the Were-King at bay. Tetradore's piercing emerald gaze met the mismatched hued irises of Darcy as the vampire proclaimed that he had a new game. God, how Tetradore abhorred that word. Those games were so rarely enjoyable in any sense, the Were-King entirely aware, to some degree, of what was to come. It was for the entertainment of the undead species alone that they were forced to submit through those sick and twisted 'games' that danced within the dark recesses of their demonic minds. He refused to allow Tobias to fall prey to the depths of Darcy's depravity. He knew first hand, after all, what the vampire was capable of.

The very sight of those sharpened fangs glistening in the moonlight caused his own tired form to tense and yet, he was given but a mere moment before Darcy's canines pierced the flesh of Tobias' shoulder. That jolt of the Were's muscles tore at Tetradore's heart, despite the silence that persisted in the stillness of the desert night. It was Darcy's power alone, he knew, that caused such silence from the very pain of that bite as those fangs tore through flesh and muscle to create a wound that near spewed forth that warm, crimson blood the vampire craved so greatly. The sheer depths of that bite were hardly necessary and yet, Darcy was enjoying himself, utilizing his fangs for what they did best - to hurt and destroy. Tetradore so silently reached for his own affinities, his gaze steadfast upon Darcy as the vampire leaned away to lick his lips in an almost salacious fashion. Tobias' blood would undoubtedly make the vampire stronger now, healing away the damage the leopard had caused and yet, that simple knowledge was hardly enough to stop Tetradore's efforts. His gifts, though they felt weak and far away, were still enough within his grasp to inflict some level of harm to the vampire. The threat upon Darcy's lips was hardly hallow, even he knew that. His gaze met those peculiar colored his, his jaw set in a fashion that gave away that anger that laced his every thought and yet, it was that simple caress of Tobias fur that finally prompted Tetradore into action.

Speed, he knew, was of the essence, particularly when it came to Darcy. Tetradore's own body was still healing from the previous evening he'd spent within Risque's grasp - the man hardly at the height of his power and yet, for tonight, it would have to be enough. He watched as Darcy's jaws parted, clearly intending to bite again before Tetradore's affinity for fear all but lashed out at those felines that surrounded him. Control was hardly his specialty at the moment, the Were-King almost throwing perhaps a bit too much into that gift as the snow leopard outright fled from him. The cats were all but gone as Tetradore gave into that shift, encouraging that change from man to beast with all the quickness he could muster. All four paws hardly touched down upon the ground before Tetradore simply was gone, that teleportation was, likely, the last he was capable of for tonight. It required far more of his effort than his other affinities and yet, for now, it was enough. A part of him was almost smug at that cursed word that fell from Darcy's lips and yet, he hardly gave the vampire even but a moment to register his presence behind him before he launched himself at the man's back.

His sharpened claws dug into the man's back, shredding cloth and tearing through flesh as Tetradore faulted upwards and towards that far more vulnerable place at Darcy's neck. His own jaws parted before his canines pierced the man's skin, tearing in the process before that acidic saliva tore through those puncture marks and at the very flesh itself. He knew well just what his acid was capable of, he knew how it could burn and kill flesh, turning it grotesque colors of black and purple to never heal again. How many times had Risque used that very affinity upon those that had provoked such anger within her? How she enjoyed hearing that very scream that now peeled from even Darcy's lips. Tetradore's own attention was entirely devoted to that bite as he made every effort to dig his teeth further into Darcy's neck. That near violent launch backward was hardly enough to cause him to release his grip, despite the air that was knocked out of his lungs. His teeth only clenched tighter as his body was all but pinned beneath Darcy's back and sandwiched against the ground. The sudden slamming of Darcy's elbow into his side caused a growl to leave his throat and yet, it wasn't until the second jamming of that elbow that Tetradore's grip loosened ever slightly. That slight release of pressure was all the vampire needed before Darcy abruptly jerked away and free from Tetradore's grasp, leaving that a fresh taste of blood within the Were-King's mouth. Vampires - they tasted disgusting.

Tetradore gagged, attempting to spit out that flavor with no true success. His emerald eyes turned upwards at the sound of that spat hiss. Tetradore's own canines bared in clear retaliation and yet, he was hardly fast enough for that vampiric speed induced by Darcy's rage. The man's fist slammed into his side with a sickening crack, that pain near immediate as it filled his whole frame. Every breath somehow hurt and yet, Tetradore hardly thought much of it now as those outstretched claws swiped at Darcy's frame, only furthering his efforts to harm the man. The vampire was far faster than he, however, as Darcy darted out of his grasp only to quite literally kick his legs out from beneath him. Tetradore had only just gotten his far more powerful hind back beneath him before he felt that tight sensation upon the scruff of his neck, the sheer weight of Darcy's frame near thrown down upon him. His own frame tried to fight that pressure, his limbs near shaking as he struggled upwards and yet, he was weak. His very figure so protested, his side ached with such ferocity that it nearly took his breath away. Darcy hardly seemed to let up upon him, quite on the contrary, the man's force only increased as Tetradore's knees finally buckled, the cat near panting as he laid against the dusty, hard ground of the desert.

That sudden roar caused his own body to tense and yet, he could hardly stop his form from flinching at the sudden sound of Darcy's fist into the sand beside him. Tetradore's teeth bared, his body reverberated with that low, threatening growl and yet, even he was not oblivious to Tobias' disappearance. His ears flicked at Darcy's voice and yet that threat only provoked a roar from Tetradore's lips. He was hardly prepared for the sensation of Darcy grabbing at the skin upon his back, his whole boy winced as a yelp habitually left his lips well before he could stop it. The panther found himself thrown into the back of the car, those doors locking closed behind him. It took him several moments before Tetradore could pull his crumbled form from the corner of the vehicle's back seat. His emerald gaze settled upon Darcy's back as he leaned against the vehicle. Like this, there was little chance of escape - even he knew that. A soft breath left his lips. God, this was going to hurt. That shift came far slower this time as his ebony fur receded to caramel flesh. The very sensation of it hurt, prompting a hissed grunt from his now human vocal cords. His hand near immediately went to his side and yet, in the darkness of the vehicle, he could hardly see the way his flesh had changed colors. His touch was altogether soft as his palm pressed gingerly against his side, as if that delicate pressure might be enough to keep his body from any further damage. It was like his ribs were broken all over again. His hand leaned forward, clearly intending to go for that lock that separated him from Darcy just as the sound of a fight pulled at his attention.

His emerald eyes watched as Tobias' spotted frame collided into the Mountain Lion, the pair clawing and twisting as the cats all but warred it out for several precarious moments. It was over in seconds before the spotted feline was presented with a line of Risque's lackeys between himself and his childhood companion. Even he knew that the odds were stacked against his best friend. Tetradore winced as his gaze shifted towards the interior of the vehicle and yet, nothing within that car was likely to help him, especially not with Darcy's already demonstrated mastery of all things machinery based. No, it was best, he was sure, to simply have Tobias back down, if he could convince the boy. Tetradore twisted ever so slightly in his seat to eye his companion, just as Darcy spoke his greatest fear. The last thing he wanted to see was Tobias die here and now for his own benefit, especially when the end result would be the same either way. Tobias couldn't save him. Just as Tetradore couldn't even save himself. It was a sobering reality. The least he could do was to ensure Tobias lived to see yet another day. His head shook ever so slightly as the leopard's gaze settled upon him, encouraging the leopard to give up in the only way he could.

He watched that warring decision within the boy before his so abruptly shifted back, wincing from that wound of Darcy's making. How those muttered words so broke Tetradore's heart, causing his lips to press together as he sought to keep that emotion in check. His hand ran through his hair in a small display of stress and yet, he found himself hoping all the same that Darcy would say no. Although he knew Tobias feared being left alone - it was far better then what Tetradore was sure he would be returning to. His gaze turned towards Darcy as the man made his way back towards Tetradore's prized Agera, even if the Were-King couldn't see exactly what Darcy had fetched from the vehicle. Those words, however, though muffled, were well understood and yet, how he worried for Tobias' safety. Frankly, he wasn't sure if the man would make it back to the Ark on foot, with such a wound in his shoulder. It was all his fault. All of it. He shouldn't have let Tobias talk him into this. "Go home, Tobias." Those words were undoubtedly muffled and yet, he could only hope the boy would listen. if Tobias died....it would be all his fault too. Raven would never forgive him for this.