Chapter 6: Cornered and Collared

REM'S POV

"Hello?" Rem whispered, looking around the alley they were crouched in. "Run where?" They cursed again when there was no answer and briefly considered trying to break into one of the abandoned buildings they stood by to find a hiding spot. A glance at the padlocked metal doors told them that wasn't going to work. Out of fast ideas, they took the few seconds needed to begin to transform. Pain lit up their skull just as the fur began to grow and they hit the ground, the change reverting entirely.

"Not so fast, little kitty," a malicious voice said above them.

Rem glanced up, into the twisted vampiric face of Leo. "Nice scar," they commented.

Leo's grin wavered slightly. "Don't have a-"

Rem lashed out, jumping up and bringing out their claws. They raked the sharp talons across Leo's face and leapt back as he howled. They turned and started to run but Leo reached out and caught their jacket. He yanked back, sending Rem crashing down onto the pavement with a grunt of pain.

"Best not to run, Remmis," another voice said. Marcus stepped out of the darkness a few yards ahead.

"Unless you'd like a proper beating," Shane said as he joined his brother's side.

"Look," Rem said, kneeling, "I'm sure we can come to some kind of agreement."

"Maybe," Leo replied, nodding along, "if you hadn't just clawed the hell out of my face." He gestured, furious, to the four long gouges on his face and the light pink blood trailing down his neck.

Rem stood slowly, watching the three of them. "Okay, I don't want a fight." They sprung away toward the only clear path and further down the alley.

Leo and Shane immediately jumped after them, hands extended and Rem barked a laugh at the two, confident in their ability to escape. The laugh was cut short as a burst of freezing cold air hit their stomach and they were once again thrown back. Their head hit the ground and the few stars above swum around in a dizzying fashion.

"Watch it!" Marcus barked from above them.

"I didn't hit you," a feminine voice answered.

The stars began to still in the sky and Rem's vision cleared. They remained on the ground, not really moving, and watched the vampires out of the corner of their eye. The twins took a step toward Marcus and whoever he was talking to.

"Get the collar ready," Marcus ordered.

As the men watched their companion, Rem took advantage of the momentary distraction and shifted as fast as they could. In serval form, they rushed away from the vampires. Shane shouted a warning as Rem dove past his legs. The vampires began chasing after Rem, keeping pace with them.

The fur on the back of Rem's neck stood up straight and they tried to dodge whatever was incoming. Heat and flames surrounded them and the air burned right out of their lungs. Stunned and coughing, Rem stumbled and fell. They hit the ground hard and slid to a stop at the base of a partially torn down building. Seconds later a metal collar was latched around their neck and their breath was stolen a second time.

Rem cried out in shock and pain as they were forcibly reverted to their human form. The collar was tight, but not enough to cut off circulation and they reached for it. Burned skin pulled on their arms and Rem stopped, lying in place.

"Chase is over, cat," Marcus taunted as he leaned over them.

Rem tried to spit in his face but was so dry-mouthed, they only made a slight noise.

Marcus laughed and straightened up. "Pick her up. We're heading home."

One of the twins stepped forward and picked Rem up by the waistband of their pants. They tried to fight back, but the pain was spreading and their vision had gone so blurry, they weren't sure which one of the vampires it was who had them. They were slung over the large man's shoulder and held there with a beefy hand.

"Are they okay?"

Rem tried to look up, that voice was tantalizingly familiar, but only managed to get a face-full of their own hair.

"Quiet," Marcus barked.

Slipping in and out of consciousness, Rem tried to wriggle out of the vampire's grasp but no avail. The pain from the burns dulled the further they were carried and at some level Rem realized that was not a good thing. They tried to shift but nothing happened. It was like they were Mundane. Rem tried again and again, panic welling up as they realized they couldn't feel the serval within themselves at all. Fighting back tears, they gave up and simply listened, hanging limp in the vampire's grasp.

"The fireball was a little overkill," Marcus commented as he led the way down the broken streets of Chicago's shrouded neighborhoods.

"Maybe a little, but it's fine," the female voice replied. "We got them, that's all that matters."

Marcus grunted. "I don't think Isaiah will agree when the Hunters come to investigate."

The female voice didn't respond.

"Was kinda cool," the twin carrying Rem admitted.

"And that's why you're merely muscle, Shane," Marcus snapped.

Shane grumbled under his breath.

"Hurry up the pace," Marcus continued, ignoring him, "we're almost home."

Through the dull throbbing of the burns, Rem could feel the shift in Shane's body as they drew closer to Isaiah's mansion. The smell of vampires already invading Rem's nose grew stronger as they were carried up to the porch and inside the building.

Rem moved slightly, pulling at one of the burns. They hissed at the sensation but it did its job and pulled them back to full consciousness, though it would be a fight to remain awake. They shook their head to clear away the tangled mess of hair, determined to at least meet Isaiah and their possible end without showing him fear.

Shane continued to carry them along through the halls of the mansion, toward Isaiah's entertainment room. Rem could hear the other vampires split off and rumor of the successful capture spread.

All too soon, the musky and familiar scent of Isaiah filled Rem's nostrils. He'd never been known for wearing cologne and while he did have the typical vampire smell to him, there was a quality to his scent Rem found disturbing but others seemed to gravitate towards.

Isaiah's voice filled the room. "Leave us."

Rem was dumped unceremoniously to the floor, causing a burst of fresh agony from the burns. Isaiah tilted his head, watching them. Rem slowly climbed to their knees, panting with the effort, and raised their head. They met the blue-eyed gaze of the vampire with a glare of their own.

Isaiah took a long, deliberate drink from the silver chalice in his hand without breaking eye contact and carefully dabbed at his lips. He set the drink aside and stepped toward Rem, though he was careful to remain out of their reach.

"Tell me, Remmis, do you enjoy my new toy?" he asked.

"What, this stupid collar?" Rem growled. "It's a piece of junk."

A smile spread across Isaiah's face. "It works then," he commented. He brushed a fingertip over the scar on his face. "Good to know you won't be repeating this."

Rem's jaw snapped shut. It was the collar. Temporary magic, not permanent. The relief was immense as it spread through their body. They swayed slightly, suddenly realizing just how exhausted and in pain they were.

Isaiah's smile faded as Rem's eyes unfocused. He took an actual look at them, seeing the burns going down their arms and back.

"I warned them," he growled.

"No fun... for you," Rem taunted as blackness overtook them.