You're just mad cause I play them better (Fen)

[cat]

And I'm not hiding the fact that I'm out for blood WORDS 000  tagged Crowley Anna crept through the city, her eyes jumping from alley to street. She'd finally managed to get rid of her appalling collar. Her fur was bloodstained, something she'd have to remedy later, but it looked alright. The man’s scream rang fresh in her mind. Killing was something Anna had been doing for 2 years, and it had gotten easier, once you knew which strings to pull. Anna's head turned at the sound of hollering and her lips curled in disgust. It was one of those gangs, she was sure of it. She would have loved to dispatch of them, but she knew she stood no chance against five or more dogs, who were muscular as well. Pity she wasn’t stronger. That would change with time. She breathed in the night air deeply, and a smile twitched across her face. Fumes, and the fainter scents of blood and sweat. It felt good not to breathe the recycled air of the dungeon. Life was looking up again. She flattened herself against the wall as one of the groups passed, two of them speaking loudly. Her limbs twitched, prepared to attack if necessary, but her slim form went unnoticed in the shadows. Her side scraped against the rough wood, and she hoped splinters wouldn’t pierce her skin. Just as well, she had a meeting to worry about. Anna continued through the streets, all sense alert. A shiver ran down her spine as the breeze cut through the spaces between her fur. Despite the criminal activity, there were a few brave souls who tried to keep the peace. Yeah---very brave indeed. So far her luck had been holding and Anna planned to keep it that way. Her legs were still sore from running so far for so long. The damn bite on her leg hadn’t helped with that. She bent down to inspect it, letting her lungs fill up with oxygen again. She shouldn’t linger too long. The gang might come back. notes , notes here. Baby, I'm vicious

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[Fen]

Oh dear, this just wouldn't do. The dog in front of Crowley was trembling, his small eyes watching every move or breath the white bulldog made. "Now..." Crowley paused, searching his brain for the dog's name, then he nudged Lorenzo who leaned over to refresh his memory. "Tito! That's right. Yes, there is the matter of your payment. My boys here don't like going hungry." The small dog looked up as Crowley spoke, it's eyes wide as he looked back and forth between the large doberman and German Shepherd that flanked the white bulldog. He probably would have pissed himself had he not relieved himself before bumping into the trio.

"I don't...I..." The chihuahua mix swallowed hard, staring into Alfonso's snarling teeth. "I don't have it..."

"Kill him." Crowley said, turning his back as the other two closed in on the tiny male.

"Wait! Wait! I didn't finish!"

Crowley paused, his back still turned but not saying anything.

"I-I don't have it with me. It's at my girlfriend's place. One of your boys can follow me back." Alfonso's teeth were getting closer, and Tito could feel the doberman's breath on his neck. "I'll pay in full!"

Crowley sighed and then turned, gesturing for Lorenzo and Alfonso to accompany the dog. "Fine. Go get your payment. What you owe me plus interest." Then Crowley started to walk away, the other two staying behind.

"Thank you, Mister Crowley!"

"Don't thank me you idiot. Thank those fools for hesitating." He snarled, his British accent stronger when he was angry.

Crowley was done for the day. He left the three to cruise around the Plaza. Maybe grab a bite to eat. It was a rather nice day for early spring in Brooklyn. It was feeling more and more like summer, and the breeze swept through his fur and ruffled the tufts of it on his back. He breathed in the fresh air, and grabbed a bone out of a nearby garbage can to chew on thoughtfully as he walked.

It wasn't long before he stumbled onto a rather strange-looking female and he paused, noticing the blood caking her chest and he smirked. Someone had, had a rather good start to their day, it seemed. He stepped out from the alley, bone hung loosely between his teeth like a cigar as he stepped up to her. He put on his signature smile and uttered, "Hello, Darling."

[cat]

And I'm not hiding the fact that I'm out for blood WORDS 000  tagged Crowley “Hello.” Her voice was soft and cultured, her own accent mirroring his own in terms of the country. She smiled, but only to be polite. Anna regarded the dog with the same cool look, her own dark eyes never wavering from his face. It was mostly smooth, with only the pouches under his jowls and the short stature betraying his breed. anna continued to study him, her eyes flicking once over the rest of his body. She knew she looked like a mess with her stained chest, certainly not the attire she would have chosen for such a meeting, but desperate times had called for it. Anna saw the faint flicker of recognition run through his eyes as he noticed the blood. He must be one extraordinary dog not to be running in the opposite direction. Anna had a high tolerance for pain, which was one of the reasons she hadn’t noticed the broken skin at first. He had been stronger than he looked that one. She put aside the past for now, concentrating on the present. Or rather, the bulldog in front of her. Anna hated showing emotion. It let others know what you were thinking. And Anna didn’t want someone inside her head. Enough judges had done just that. But she was better then them: better than the dogs she killed. Smarter. This man was no different. Or perhaps he was. He had showed no fear upon seeing her, even going as far as greet her instead of running to the nearest form of authority. Truly, there were some gentleman left, even in a city as black as sin. The bone hanging from his jaws completed the look. notes , notes here. Baby, I'm vicious

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[Fen]

Crowley was surprised by her accent, and gave another smile. It was nice to hear someone who sounded at least a fraction of a percentage more intelligent than the idiots he usually had to deal with on a daily basis. He could not comprehend where they derived that uncultured dialect from, and he was thankful that he had finally taught Alfonso and Lorenzo that speaking was probably best left undone. He studied her for a moment longer, his eyes still finding a way to longer on the blood before he met her gaze again. "Have a tough morning?" He asked, gesturing to the reddish-brown substance that stained her fur. He wondered absently how fresh it was, and smelled the air. He couldn't exactly tell. The scent of it was masked by her own. He gave up after a moment, deciding it might be better if he didn't know. He saw another misfit in front of him, one that could be groomed carefully into the type of killer he needed in his ranks, assuming that blood was from her teeth sinking in and not the other way around.

"I'm Crowley. Just Crowley." He said, taking a small bow and smirking. "Charmed, I'm sure." He stood up straight again, chewing the bone in his teeth absently. "And if you don't mind me asking, might that be your blood, or someone else's?" He knew for certain it wasn't hers. The scents didn't match. He needed to gauge her, find out if she was able to spin a lie. Crowley might be able to pick a liar out of any crowd, but most people weren't as skilled as he was in that department. Also, if it wasn't hers, that made things a lot more interesting and raised quite a few more questions.

[cat]

And I'm not hiding the fact that I'm out for blood WORDS 000  tagged Crowley Anna nodded in response to his courtesy. “You could say that.” She shifted her weight from one leg to the other. She wanted to get out of the open air that was quickly turning chilly. Her coat only served as a thin buffer of protection. Getting cold was an entirely human thing, and at times Anna cursed her weak body. “Anna.” Her smile had turned into a smirk. “A bit of both, but mostly his if you must know.” She could feel him studying her like a virus in a petri dish, but it was only fair as she’d done the exact same thing to him. He was fit for a man of his age, perhaps of a tough background, if the scars meant anything. Anna’s mind was already working, trying to analyze him, but she’d need more time with him before she made any conclusions. Not that she minded. A gentleman’s company was always welcomed. Blood smelled like pennies. That’s what she’d learned the second time around. Anna had never paid attention to the smell before, but when it came into her nose she was forced to pay attention. Thomas had been the second guest, and too smart for his own good. He had realized her true intentions in time to attack. She had moved to wrestle with him, but not before he had cut her paw with his teeth. It had been a shame to put out such a brilliant light, but it was something that had to be done. She thought of the scar absently now, the memory had sprung to her mind unbidden. But she shouldn’t get lost in memories. There were so many involving death. It seemed Crowley knew more than his fair share on the subject. notes , notes here. Baby, I'm vicious

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[Fen]

Crowley smirked. "Ah, clever girl." He tossed the bone that had been previously clenched between his teeth into a nearby trashcan before looking to her, his eyes focusing on her injured limb. "Dear, you should really have that looked at." He gave a grin and adjusted himself into a siting position. He could tell she wasn't lying. He wondered absently if said dog was still among the living, and then decided that he couldn't be, not judging by the amount of blood on Anna. "And pretty name. Reminds me of London. There was a dame that ran a brothel near the Tower named Anna. Not nearly as pretty as the Anna before me, however." He winked, the statement not being a pass but more of a gentlemanly compliment. Crowley's eyes looked down to her leg again.

"If you'd be so inclined as to follow me, I know someone that can help you with that." He said gesturing with his head for her to follow as he turned and began to walk away. There was a very kind vet around here that Crowley actually liked, even despite his obvious hatred for Humans. The man had always been inclined to help the strays of Bensonhurst, and Crowley had scratched on his door numerous times for his own injuries as well as others. He was right around the corner, and Crowley was sure that he could patch up that leg very easily.

"Oh, just don't bite him. He's done many a great service to my family. I'd hate to have my name tarnished." He gave her a look that was to let her know that he was serious. Crowley was definitely someone to be watched when his expression turned serious. He was about to kill someone or he was speaking your death warrant.

[cat]

And I'm not hiding the fact that I'm out for blood WORDS 000  tagged Crowley Anna watched Crowley carefully, her grin appearing and then disappearing just as quick. He had relaxed his position, and she finally stopped being tense as well. She was in no real danger, if he made a comment like that. Still, she continued to stand. Better safe than sorry, and Anna was in no shape to fight and win this time. So, he was from London. She liked having someone else besides the ignoramus to converse with. Anna’s smile returned. “Flattery will get you somewhere, Mister Crowley.” It was the first time she’d spoken his name aloud and she felt the moment had called for it. It was a special occasion, a formal one, and something she’d keep close to her. anna followed him without complaint, curiosity winning over common sense. He could be leading her into a trap, but she trusted he was smart and perhaps, kind enough not do so. She was counting on his morals. Anna kept pace with him easily, feeling quite at home in the streets. The shadows worked to cloak them, and they were like two ghosts drifting down the road. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” Her voice mirrored his steadiness, perhaps a bit softer in tone. Impulsive was something Anna was not. Everything was planned and precise. The troublesome male hadn’t been part of that. She walked in compatible silence, their pawsteps creating a tempo upon the sidewalk. Crowley. The name rolled off her tongue smoothly, a pleasant two syllable word that Anna decided she liked. She didn't know very much about the man, and figured she never would. He seemed like the kind of person that kept his personal life to himself and wouldn’t divulge it for anything. Anna wanted to put a notch in his armor, to see what made him tick. She liked, in a word, control. This task had been far simpler with simpler men, and Crowley was no simpleton. It would be harder than normal, but Anna enjoyed a challenge. notes , notes here. Baby, I'm vicious

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[Fen]

It didn't take long for Crowley to escort Anna to the vet's back door. He scratched a few times and cleared his throat a bit to get ready for some serious acting. The door swung open and out leaned a young man, possibly in his thirties. Crowley whined a bit and looked to Anna, walking over to her and pointing his nose at her injured leg.

"Ah, got a new girlfriend there, Spike?" Crowley nearly groaned at the little name the human had given him. He watched as the young man bent down to a squat to get at eye level with Anna and he whistled a bit. "C'mere. Let me look at that." He waited for a moment and inspected her leg before ducking back through the door and reappearing with some ointment and bandages. He slowly began to treat Anna's leg, making sure that the bandages were on tight enough not to fall off and loose enough as to not cut off circulation. "There ya go! Much better, eh?" He reached in the pocket of his coat and brought forth two milkbones, handing one to Crowley and the other to Anna.

"Take care of her now, Spike. I gotta get back to work." He said, patting the bulldog on the head before heading back inside the door. Crowley stifled a growl of annoyance at having been touched, but he looked to Anna and gave a smile. "There now. All fixed up." He sat back on his haunches and scratched at the spot where the man had touched him, and he looked back to Anna. "He's one of the good ones, I suppose. Despise their kind but they can be useful at times."

[cat]

And I'm not hiding the fact that I'm out for blood WORDS 000  tagged Crowley Anna glanced at Crowley out of the corner of her eye with a small smirk at their presumed relationship before the man crouched down to her level. She stepped forward obediently and froze as he applied the ointment. She’d almost forgotten what a human’s touch felt like. The procedure was done faster than she had excepted and the tightness of the bandage across her leg was something she was going to have to get used it. Anna accepted the bone, dropping it speak once the human had left. “Thank you. I don’t think I could’ve found him without you.” It was startling declaration of honestly from Anna, a rare look at her kinder side. She looked out across the street, rearranging her features into an emotionless mask once, with only her body betraying her with the occasional shiver. She spoke again, not looking at him. “It was an Italian that attacked me. I hope for your sake you don’t run with them.” He was an interesting man, Crowley. Carried himself like someone in charge. Anna wanted to get as much information as possible. She only had a fragment of a piece that was the puzzle of Crowley. It would be a great shame to have to put him down after everything he had done for her. notes , notes here. Baby, I'm vicious

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[Fen]

Crowley chuckled. "Oh heavens no. You're thinking of the Mancini family. No, I'm the other side. The opposing force." He smirked and settled into a more comfortable sitting position. He had a figment of an idea of what Anna was implying by the question, he just didn't care. No, he wasn't Italian. That much could be said from his East London accent and the way he carried himself. He was much more refined than those fools, and he knew this. He knew he was a hell of a lot more open to taking risks, killing people. He didn't care. He was the leader and his word was law. Whether or not someone agreed with that word was none of his concern. "If you will, darling, consider this. I need fighters. I need dogs that are fit to be killers, ready to go for blood without hesitation. I would extend an invitation to you, were you so inclined to hear me out."

He smirked again. "However," He began and met her gaze for a moment. "I have yet to actually see you in action. Not that I think you're lying to me. I can spot a liar. I just would like to see. If you're up for it, I may have some work for you once your leg heals." He looked down to the bandaged leg and sighed a bit. He always went for the broken ones. The ones that didn't fit in anywhere else. The Family was like a glass menagerie full of cracked pieces, but somehow could all come together and make each other whole again. "Well, what do you say?"

[cat]

And I'm not hiding the fact that I'm out for blood WORDS 000  tagged Crowley “Excellent.” Anna was secretly glad that she wouldn’t have to fight Crowley. “I can assure you, Mister Crowley, I am quite capable of doing both.” If anything the wound should’ve been a sign, another healing that marred her body. A sign that she was a fighter. Her gaze hardened slightly, but before she could speak Crowley continued. A test. Anna sat down and dipped her head in a mock bow. “You won’t regret it.” It was her way of saying “Yes.” Her narrow muzzle that had crushed many a windpipe opened in another smile. She would prove herself to him, to this Crowley once her leg had been healed. Anna would earn her place among the killers. Her days in the show ring had been shed years ago, and she was eager to find her way in this new world. It had been lonely, just killing when she thought the moment or dog called for it. But now she would have purpose. notes , notes here. Baby, I'm vicious

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[Fen]

Crowley felt a smirk crawling onto his face and he chuckled. "I trust I won't." He looked at the sky. It was getting dark, and the comfort and warmth of the Church was beckoning to him. The wind sweeping from the north chilled his bones and he looked to Anna. "Well, if you have no other place to stay, the Church has plenty of room." He suggested, gesturing for her to follow as he turned and padded up the narrow alley and back out onto the street. He had been picking up quite a few strays lately, and this one was sure of herself. It made him a bit more comfortable with the family members he had plucked from the cruel streets and given purpose. As he walked, the cold began to wear on him. He had been a bit ill lately, and his thin fur was doing nothing in the way of insulation from the evening chill. Seeing the Church looming on the horizon made him quicken his pace a bit, hurrying over to the plank of wood that sat in front of the door and pushing it aside for Anna to enter.

The Church was a lot more lavish now that they had been doing more jobs. Expensive fabric was draped over the pews in decoration, the place was cleaner, the carpet more exposed. Rua must have dusted the altar today because it shined beautifully in the painted light from the stained glass.

[cat]

And I'm not hiding the fact that I'm out for blood WORDS 000  tagged Crowley She cast a glance toward him before looking straight ahead, her eyes adjusting the levels of darkness. The patrol must be on the other side by now. She briefly wondered what the church looked like as she walked just behind, allowing him to take the lead. Anna sighed internally. Back then, no one had a problem trusting her. Back then, everything was easier. The dark door looked foreboding. Anna watched Crowley open it, silently noting how to exit. She stepped ahead of him and unconsciously stiffened as the door closed behind her. His home reminded her of the prison in youth with the flat stone walls. Her eyes were forced to adjust again to the flickering flames held in glass containers. She allowed her eyes to wander around the foyer. It was richly decorated, nothing for her to go on. “It’s very beautiful.” Anna paused to admire the light filtering through the stained glass. She cared not for human religion, and so the church was only a building to her. Her nostrils flared slightly as she inhaled the varied scents at once. “How many others are there?” notes , notes here. Baby, I'm vicious

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[Fen]

"Thank you. Our resident interior designer is Rua. Older lady. Red fur. Real sweet." He said as he padded up to the altar and took one of his rawhide bones from the box and clenched it between his teeth much like a cigar. "There are four others." He heard a mew from the back room. "And currently a cat. Only temporary, mind you. Disgusting little vermin, they are. But good for covert jobs." He sat in his chair and put his paws up on the altar before him. The high-backed chair that was normally used for a priest looked intimidating as it towered over the sanctuary, the arm slightly chewed because Alfonso got easily nervous. Crowley got comfy in his chair as he watched Anna examine the place. "Humans come every once in a while to keep the grass cut, but this place has been empty nearly the entire time I've been in Bensonhurst. Too valuable an asset to the humans to destroy it, I suppose."

He smirked a bit. "So, tell me about yourself. All I really know is your name and that you killed a man today. Is there more to you than that? Or shall I stop asking questions?" He cocked an eyebrow, his British accent rolling smoothly off his tongue, even with the bone clenched between his teeth.

[cat]

And I'm not hiding the fact that I'm out for blood WORDS 000  tagged Crowley Anna dragged a piece of fabric had been draped over one of the pews to make her place on the bench more comfortable. She knew this question would be coming. If he was trusting her, it would be fair to trust him as well. Her life story was a good any place to start. She exhaled and sat down. She was nearly eye level, but the chair gave Crowley the advantage. “I had been born for the show circuit, and I was apart of that world for some time, until I got sick of it and the judges stopped caring. One of those nights I snapped after one too many insults and prodding from a Greyhound. I killed him and that was it. They abandoned me and I haven’t looked back since.” Anna shifted her position and continued. “I found there were dogs much like the Greyhound in the world, rude bottom feeders who got pleasure from the torment of others. They were disposed of as well. I had just run into one of them when you met me.” Anna stopped, waiting for her reaction. Short and to the point. No mention of the collector, or how many more she had buried. The recalling of the collector was simply painful. It was a dark turn in her history, and she preferred to leave it in it’s dark corner in her mind. notes , notes here. Baby, I'm vicious

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