Neph glanced down at her and then toward the building. With an amused snort he pushed his way through the streets pulling her past the establishment a bit quicker. “It’s a form of animal cruelty considering the women that work there. Even dogs have standards,” Neph said, once they were out of the thick of the crowd.
“Why is it so packed here. Who are all of these people?” Jala asked, deciding it was best to ignore his animal cruelty remark. She wasn’t likely to get a better answer from Neph.
“These are dock workers, sailors, thieves, and just about every other sort that enjoys low brow entertainment. It’s always crowded here at night. Graves provides them with every sin they could want at an affordable price,” he said with a smirk.
“And Finn is here?” she asked in a bit of disbelief.
Neph let out a short burst of laughter that caused her to stumble in shock. Still chuckling, he helped her regain her balance and continued on. “Finn practically lived in this district the first year he was in the city. He is probably the most famous man here aside from Graves himself,” he explained.
“How did he get famous here?” she asked, eyes roving over the brothels and bars.
“The same way he did in the arena. By killing people. I really hope you don’t think he is a nice guy, Jala. Finn is probably the coldest blooded person I’ve ever met,” Neph explained quietly as they came to a stop outside a large warehouse. The roar of a large crowd came from inside the building followed by yells and a high pitched scream. “Well, here we are,” he said dryly, waving a hand toward the crowded open door.
“He has never seemed cold blooded to me. He has always been charming and sweet,” Jala said quietly, eyeing the doorway with dread. From the looks of it they would have to force their way inside and she doubted Marrow would set a paw in that place.
“That has always struck me as odd, how nice he is to you that is. I mean Finn is charming when he wants to be, but he can smile at you one moment and kill you the next. I’ve seen him do it before. But with you it seems genuine love,” Neph said absently and shook his head lightly. “I will never understand him. He is a thug,” he added with a sigh and began making his way toward the door with Jala close on his heels.
I will be above watching. If you have desperate need of me call and I will come inside, Marrow told her as he quietly padded off toward an alley. He lifted his muzzle as he went and gave the air a long sniff. With a snarl he shook his massive head. With the way that place reeks of blood and piss though, you had better be dying if you make me come in there, he added as he disappeared into the Shadows.
I’ll be with Marrow. I’m too hungry to be around that much blood scent. I think you are safe with Neph, though, Emily said, adding her own mental voice to Jala’s mind.
Nodding slightly, Jala gazed at the alley they had vanished down before stepping into the dimly lit building. Neph was just a few feet ahead now but already she was losing sight of his back in the push of the crowd.
“What we got here?” a harsh voice slurred as she moved inside. Rough hands grabbed her from behind and pulled her back.
“Let go of me,” she snapped, trying to pull back from the grip. She twisted around to get a look at her assailant and found a grubby bearded face looming inches from her own. “Let go of me now,” she demanded. His hand moved up her side and squeezed her breast roughly and he began to chuckle at her struggles.
“Fiery one eh,” he mumbled, leaning his face closer to hers. Her eyes began to water at the stench of his unwashed body mingled with cheap alcohol. “So pretty too,” he added, his rank breath thick on her face. Twisting again, she tried to get a hand up to slap him but he held her wrist firm.
“Hey, find your own,” the drunk objected loudly as Neph pulled her out of his grip. With a snarl, Neph’s larger hand settled over the man’s face. There was a bright flash followed by the overwhelming scent of burnt flesh. The man crumpled to the floor, his face a ruin of charred flesh and his eyes burned from their sockets.
“You killed him,” Jala muttered, stepping back from the corpse and closer to Neph. His arm still gripped her tightly and he pulled her back farther from the body as those surrounding the corpse began to scavenge. She watched in mute horror as the man’s pockets were emptied and the most serviceable clothing removed. Numbly, she allowed Neph to lead her out of sight and deeper into the building.
“I did,” Neph agreed glancing back at her. “You are obvious Elder Blood, Jala. You are too beautiful to be anything else. If he had the gall to treat you that roughly, imagine what he did to commoner girls who couldn’t defend themselves. Treat others as they deserve to be treated. He deserved to die,” Neph said, his voice a low growl. He maneuvered them through the crowd, moving ever closer to a large circle of people near the center of the building. “You are going to have to learn to kill, Jala. It’s kill-or-be-killed” and you aren’t allowed to die,” he said in voice that was almost gentle.
“But he was drunk. Maybe he wasn’t like that when he was sober,” Jala objected feebly.
“I hate it when people use intoxication as an excuse. Alcohol doesn’t create a desire, Jala, it simply removes the inhibition. If you don’t rape women when you are sober but you do when you are drunk it isn’t the alcohol that created a rapist. The drink simply removes the fear, the desire was always there,” Neph said, his expression disgusted. He paused in step and scanned the crowd quickly as the people near the center let out another loud roar.
“What is over there?” she asked quietly, her eyes locked on the jostling people. Their full attention was on whatever lay in the center of the circle and they seemed almost feverish with excitement.