Pavlov (manxman)

Chapter 3: First escort.

Ivan couldn't help feeling slightly nervous every time he was left alone with Vadim. Maybe it was because it turned out he killed his predecessor. No that wasn't it, since he felt the same before he'd come to discover that.

Although it might have distilled an extra layer of fear into the mix. There was just this air about him that made him feel intimidated. Next to that he somehow couldn't help but feel bad for him. He didn't know how long Vadim had been in the hands of this gang. Based on the fact that he had murdered Boris, he had to be there for at least a few years.

Sergey or anyone in the gang hadn't told him much about Vadim since he had been here. Which admittedly hadn't been much longer than a few months. Although he hadn't started working so closely with Vadim, since about a week or two.

All he knew was that apparently Vadim was something of a shifter or a werewolf. How absurd that had sounded to him until he had seen it happen right before his eyes.

He was aware of Sergey's prided fighting dog, he just never laid the connection to that dog and 'the cuffed man' he has seen only once before. It was but a brief instance, where the cuffed man was being escorted to the boss's office, after they had returned from a dog fight someplace else.

He hadn't known who that man was, but based on the bruises he had at the moment and the fresh wound on his face, he assumed it was some unlucky guy who the gang had caught for interrogation or some sort. The boss wasn't against the occasional torture if there were people sticking their nose into business that didn't concern them.

It wasn't until he was asked to escort the boss' prized dog back to his office, after a fight, that he discovered it.

Artyom came along, thank god. He probably would have freaked out even more were he alone when it happened. Artyom ensured him 'Vadim' wouldn't bite him as Ivan cautiously looped the leash around the dogs big neck and carefully muzzled him, before they brought him to the back area. The dog was surprisingly well behaved despite the utter feral way he had just seen him kill another dog.

Artyom had taken some clothes from a closet and laid them on the table beside them before he placed cuffs with a chain next to it. He leaned back against the table and crossed his arms.

Ivan's brows frowned in confusion eyeing the items on the table.

"The boss wants you to take over some of Vadim's care. Before you do, it's essential you know the situation. What you're going to see is going to be unexpected. It's going to make you question all you think to know of what's out there, but it's important you don't speak of this elsewhere. You Understand?"

In all his time he had known Artyom this was probably the most he had heard him speak in one go.

Ivan felt a spike of anxiety as he said a nervous 'yes' unsure of what he was actually agreeing to.

Artyom nodded. "Take the leash off and take a step back."

Ivan carefully unlooped it from the big dog's neck which calmly stood there as if it couldn't be bothered less by the whole situation.

"Go ahead Vadim," Artyom gave it a sign.

The dog raised its head up to look at Artyom and then slowly locked eyes with Ivan.

Ivan felt an instance of fear, thinking Artyom's sign might have been something of an attack command to the dog until he saw it move strangely in place.

He wasn't sure how to describe it, but it was making movements as if it was convulsing at first. He saw long shapes shifting under its hide as if its bones were rearranging itself. Its hair seemed to recede in patches and its tail became shorter until it became non existing. Its snout shrunk and its paws stretched and split longer in the shape of fingers. He wasn't sure what he was looking at but the whole process wasn't pretty and seemed painful.

Before he knew it that wounded and cuffed man he had seen a week before was now in front of him, crouched and naked on the floor.

His jaw dropped perplexed. He backed up until his back hit the edge if the table and he unceremoniously stumbled to the floor.

Artyom helped the man, apparently named Vadim, up before handing him the clothes from the table. Reacting as if this was all very normal to him.

Artyom walked over to Ivan to help him up too as Vadim started to dress himself.

"You'll get used to it."

As the man was done dressing, Ivan cautiously got closer before carefully sticking his hand out to Vadim for a handshake. He honestly wasn't sure what possessed him to do so thinking back. Vadim had eyed his hand with something like mutual confusion mixed with contempt.

Artyom gently pushed Ivan's hand back.

"I said he wouldn't bite you when you led him here, but it's best not to provoke him," Artyon said as he placed the cuffs on Vadim. Lastly he hooked on the chain and handed the end to Ivan.

"Bring him to the boss's office,"Artyom said.

He gave Vadim's shoulder a pat as he gave him a look before he was off.

Ivan gulped nervously, now left alone with this, whatever Vadim was, his hand on the chain trembled in its grip. He'd seen this dog, or potentially wolf based on his huge size, that is apparently, Vadim kill many a times, what couldn't it do to him.

"Don't worry. You'll be fine, just do as he says," he heard from Vadim.

He hadn't expected to hear encouraging words from this being.

Ivan nodded overwhelmed by the situation and did as Artyom had told him to.

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