"Well, well. Looks like Dhavian is our ultimate loser this time! Pay up." Zulkris pointed her clawed finger, before holding out the hand palm up. Dhavian wasn't too upset with his loss as he was now free to share a little of his power with the other champions. He gladly plopped his bag into the winnings pot and sat to watch what the people would do next.
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"So no one's heard anything after he went rushing off yesterday? What could Straum be up to?" Strigo asked.
"He's probably dead." Beedde said, sounding a little too pleased with the statement, "His and Nura's sat phones have been going to answer mail since last night. They're probably both no longer with us."
"You're not serious, are you Boss? If that is the case, what are we going to do?" Huvlei asked.
"It happens all the time, the hunter becoming the hunted and the hunted killing the hunter. This is like that." Beedde said cooly.
"I'm with the boss, more hounds for me play with. I don't care about his dojo, but I'm taking his hotel. Perfect place to kennel my pets until I need them." Strigo sat back boredly.
"If I have permission, I'd like to try to take care of Stirvia myself." Glimon seemed to be asking.
"He's been free game since the experiment started, if you think you can take him, who am I to stop you." Beedde yawned.
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Emotionally and physically drained, Rukard returned to his house changing and disposing of his bloodied clothes, before collapsing in the hallway. His grandpa arrived from a hunt, seeing Rukard lying there.
"I did it Grandpa. Straum is no longer able to hurt anyone else, but I fucked up. Someone innocent also got killed."
"Leave the clean up to me, my boy, you rest, and take your time."
As the weeks passed into a month with no word about Rikkie or Straum, detective Fabena Lauphe and her partner Fousta Hauboak decided to investigate. The biggest lead the two could think of was Beedde Stumout as he was not only friends with one, but cousin of the other, but he seemed busy and was never able to be reached to have a word with on the matter. It was impossible to even get Rikkie's parents or Beedde's to talk.
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Name: Strigo Chethes
Age: 22
Occupation: human trafficking
Interests/Hobbies: sex, starting fires, experimentation, human pets.
Special information: no official girlfriend or boyfriend, just human pets/sex slaves.
"So he also has no human heart."
"Yes, Grandpa. This one should be even easier to kill."
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"I remember you Nura Minven! I don't remember seeing you since graduation though. Nura Kozzee has an amazing eye, you're just my type! You can start working immediately, if I like how you perform, I might have a lot more for you to do." Strigo chatted excitedly.
Minven gulped nervously. The things she does for love. With a little hesitation, she let him have his way.
After it was over, he placed a beautiful collar on her neck and brought her to a big room with other people, mostly girls, who also had collars on. Minven noticed that her collar was the best quality out of everyone's. No one spoke until Strigo was out of the room. The idea was pretty simple, "Master Chethes" only had one favorite pet. His favorite pet would get more food, get to get outside more, and have the more glamorous clients aside from the master himself. None were allowed to speak like humans within earshot of the master, and when given food and water within "the kennel" none were allowed to use their hands. Minven had become the new favorite pet, and it seemed that Minven's friend Kozzee had been the old favorite before her.
