Lexi watched as Guru turned in his coins and gems for a little bracelet that looked like rope made of precious metal. His many coins and gems. Lexi was no longer concerned Guru didn't have enough to outbid every other tom assembled for First Rights. Cloaked away and unnoticeable to anyone but Guru, he could comment freely. "Whatever you do, it must be profitable." Guru nodded his head and answered while they walked down the narrow hall to the viewing platform. "Very. But that's not why I do it. Still, like most toms, I like shiny things and most shiny things aren't cheap."  Lexi watched the good-looking tom glance around to make sure they were alone. "But this is not my scene. My manager swears I have to get one to be taken seriously or my star will fade. Makes no sense to me. And when your friend explained what went on here, I still can't believe it. I always thought the no-furs at a Rodeo were there by choice, a part of somethin

Jinx had his paws full and hoped whatever Hades had to say, he would get back to him. Or had found a way to get himself out of trouble if that's what it had been about. But Jinx had his own problems to deal with right now. The Orangelo was face-to-face with something not borne of nature and therefore not ruled by fate. "Why are there creepy fucking life-sized dolls?" Jinx swore at said fate. He still hadn't found a single living feline but he had found a preparation room. "How am I supposed to deal with those? I'll tell you how, I'm just gonna back away and close the door." Which he moved to do only to back up into more of the spooky tom facsimiles. Jinx was pushed forward in the room.  The three other automatom dolls noticed him now. They started to say "Welcome" over and over again. As they came into the light, Jinx noticed they each had one realistic eye and one empty socket. Their movements were clunky as one gestured to

Hades rolled out of Lexi's grip and stood up. Maybe he wasn't in love with the demon but his heart twisted as he stared down at the mess the Senders had made of him. He watched as Jinx pet the unconscious demon, nudging him and sending out the tell-tale purrs of a tom soothing his partner. Hades had never seen his friend's aura so frazzled and bright. Jinx's eyes glowed in a new bronze fire. The Orangelo stood and raised his paw. His cards heeled immediately, flying to his hand from where they lay in the wreckage. They were suddenly being held out to the Black-fur. Hades's jaw dropped as Jinx demanded, "Lend me your power, pal. Hex them." If it wasn't for the fact he could read the deathly serious hum of Jinx's aura, Hades would have refused. The Orangelo tarot was a family heirloom and it would never be the same after being hit with Hades's hexing power. Truth be told, most Orangelo felines wouldn't try to work with an Orangelo spell-casting d

Doll relived the night over and over in his head. He couldn't do much else while wrapped in the heavy bandages. For a while, he pretended someone had wrapped him up and put him in a safe warm room to heal. He knew better. He'd been told very clearly after his little stunt that he'd been left to die. Little stunt didn't quite describe what had happened in the barn. Doll was just going to resolve himself to the truth of his new reality when he felt a power surge through his body. He became crazed with the need to get away and get back to Hades. And in the minutes the power surge had lasted, grass had stabbed through boots, moss had grown and tried to suffocate one of the toms. The available plants in the barn became weapons to help the no-fur escape, covered in a strange bubbly darkness Doll had never seen. But it was gone too soon, and while some of the rough toms ran away in fear, others stayed to put him in his place. The rest was a blur of pain and b

Doll took full advantage of the small window of opportunity Hades gave him to breathe every time he was pulled to the surface. The no-fur didn't attempt to protest. Not that there was time. Hades was showing just how insatiable he could be as the no-fur's body was twisted and jostled in whatever way set him up to give the tom the most satisfaction. Caught in a moment of weakness, Doll had to tell the truth, if only to himself. What had happened to him tonight was fighting Hades for control of his mind and heart even now. The no-fur didn't want to die but he longed for everything to just fade to black for a while. It wasn't even rest or sleep he was seeking, but freedom from his recent memory. And yet, Hades was drawing him further away from the pain. He was the only one that could. The no-fur reached out in an attempt to connect to the insane power swirling around them. It was a risk. It was also the very definition of misbehaving. He