Faline

When light brown eyes widen while looking into the showers, I look over before thinking. My face goes red and I quickly look away to glare at the wolf facing me. His appreciative look turns to an all-out grin when he sees my face.

"You did that on purpose, you flea-bitten dog!"

His laughter follows my bent head, covering my eyes and rubbing them hard. Dear wolf Shifter Viskal is very well endowed. I look up in time to see Trisha's slightly flushed look as well.

Well this isn't going to go well, being a healer, she kinda needs to look at them. Then again, she's flushed, not flustered. Watching her closely, my grin is slow in coming but soon splits my face. It isn't until she notices that she starts looking flustered. I cover my mouth to keep from laughing aloud at her. Old doesn't mean dead, and she's admiring the goods.

My yelling at Seth has both Shifters looking over at me. With one hand going over my eyes, the other just kinda waves at them to continue. Taking a few steps forward so I'm no longer able to see them, both healer and her helper are now smirking at me.

Golden eyes narrow as I point at them threateningly. Neither looks repentant, so I go take it out on the Werewolf. His eyebrow is raised as I semi-stomp over to him. Shoes are still tucked against the wall, so my bare feet are hardly anything to be worried about. Snatching my clipboard from his hands, I smack him in the gut with it. The flesh slap is loud before he steps away, chuckling.

"You're quite abusive, you know that?"

"Don't even tempt me, you...you...mutt. I will end you."

My fierce look and squinted eyes get me nothing but laughed at, but that's alright. He has yet to see me actually fighting anyone, so he has no idea. I take soft comfort in that knowledge.

While he imitates a hyena and the girls try to hide their giggles, I make the appropriate notes. An extra one is set aside for the wolf Shifter that he's lethally equipped. He may have had to act submissive to survive, but by his actions since leaving that room, he really isn't.

Also make a note that one thing I would like to do is have more of them come out to be more ‘aggressive’. Assertive. Not all women want a 'bottom', but someone who can make them feel afraid. A dominant who calls the shots.

Will bring in a whole new set of patronage, I'm sure. Maybe not for Vamps, but for humans seeking something new. Have to be sure to bring it up to Lady so she knows why some of her subby slaves are showing their backbones instead of their bellies.

When one shower stops, the healer makes her way in to do a better body inspection. Can just imagine where her eyes are. The grin in my head doesn't stay there, quirking my lips while waiting for them all.

The other stops a few minutes later. I'm in the process of glaring at Seth when they all come out, his unrepentant grins make me want to throw something at him. Something heavy and vaguely pointy.

Arms are crossed over my chest, clipboard mashed against me while Trisha relays her findings. So far it seems the six bodies that had been presented to us are the 'better behaved' ones, having very few newer wounds. They still carry the typical 'breaking' scars though, removed brands, signs of rape, and attempted drugging.

I wince when she mentions rectum bruising and tearing, groin scars, and raw skin. No dignity even when saved. Acting as if she never told me, we trail to the room set aside for the fuzzy sleepers.

Not that I don't care or am indifferent, but men don't usually like having others know about their personal issues, private pain, and self-shame. Few of them will have to be on suicide watch for awhile.

Orion is leaning against the door frame, staring at the opposite wall before looking at our approach.

"How are they?"

Even asked quietly, I more than likely woke a few. Bodies and brains may be beyond tired, but after what they've gone through and being in a strange place, sleep will be pretty light. Until they pass out from sheer exhaustion at least.

The lion’s face looks very...contained. I touch one of his crossed arms lightly before motioning the two new males in. Towels are either dropped or tossed aside as they shed human skin and become what they really are.

A wolf and serval cat step lightly forward, looking back at me for a moment before curling up to other balls of fur. Hyena, clouded leopard, a couple of foxes, and a lion are joined by the two new bodies. Not surprisingly, the lion, Alastor, is really big.

Not as big as his uncle, but the potential is there. Scarlett had quirked her ears and opened her eyes when I came close, but my motioning her to stay has her going back to sleep. Chandrika, the hyena, also raises her head and looks over. Tilting my head to her, I back out and go to the detox rooms again. Still have four more.

Water bottles are grabbed and two more doors opened. WereBobcat and a human. Both are the same height, about five-foot-seven, they aren't overly tall, probably the shortest ones out of them all. White males and young-looking to follow the trend. Can already tell we may have another death tonight. The human boy is drugged and his body doesn't seem to like it.

When opened, his room smells of shit and vomit. Orders are given to have it cleaned immediately. Trisha and Danica help him while I help the cat.

He isn't happy about it; his green eyes glaring in defiance before they drop. I pat his arm as it goes around my shoulders, mine going around his waist.

"Keep that fire, cat, just be careful. There's a time and place for it and here isn't one of them. Let me help you to the showers, then you can be Mr. Big Bad Kitty, okay?"

His wariness is obvious as he says nothing. While walking, I get a look at his legs. Broken. One of them still looks wrong. My brow furrows.

"Why didn't you shift in the room to heal your legs?"

His short brown and red hair is covered in sweat, lines forming on his face from the pain. The signs of torture are obvious, cane scars on his back and inner legs as well as the assorted ones they all seem to share. Both males were also shown at the house, but neither looked like this...did they?

He shakes his head, jaw clenching as he forces himself forward. I scowl at him. While Trisha and Danica help the human into the showers, I take the stubborn cat into the bath. Not sure who, but someone has drained some of the old water and put in some fresh hot. Thank you, whoever.

"Can you at least tell me your name?"

Helping him sit at the edge isn't happening, so we walk down the steps till he can lift himself onto the ledge. Legs dangle in the steaming water as he catches his breath. Jeans dripping wet again, I get him the assorted things he needs.

His towel had been lost in the water, so he's sitting there nude. I get a dry one and hold it for him while waiting for him to answer me. Takes him a few minutes, but he finally does.

"My name is Kyle, the human is Kell."

Nodding, I walk around randomly to keep from pacing in one area. I stay within his field of view so he doesn't have to twist around to keep an eye on me.

"I'm guessing you've heard everything that's gone on previously, if you have anything to ask, now would be the time. After you're done bathing I want you to shift and sleep with the others. Kell will be looked after."

Lips are pressed as he nods at me. Few minutes later he starts talking, slipping into the water to submerge himself briefly then keeps going. I see patches of fur randomly sprouting along his body, so he must be shifting only parts of himself. A half-shift.

Kyle is twenty, legs are 'jacked up' from his trying to run away. Once healed they would be broken again. It had happened a couple of days before we showed up, and every time he would try to shift to heal, more torture would ensue.

He’d been held for two weeks before we came, didn't appear in pain there because he was doped up, same as Kell, who is only seventeen. Bobcat isn't sure how long the younger kid had been there, just that it was longer than two weeks. Coming out of the bath, he's walking a little better, but still showing pain.

I scowl at him while he dries off, totally ignoring his nudeness facing me. When I don't give any other reaction towards that fact, he nods to himself then finally shifts. Takes him a couple of minutes, so I'd wager he was semi-recently turned.

Shaking himself once finished, the big cat watches me. Motioning him to follow, we go out into the hallway where I introduce him to Seth. Kitty hackles rise at the Werewolf, so I grab his short muzzle and turn him back to me.

"Enough now. Seth will not harm you, he's leading you to the room with the others then coming back here. I'd let you go on your own but there's no telling who's walking around. Vampires roam here and don't always adhere to rules. Don't have to grin, but you do have to bear it for right now."

The hold isn't harsh or tight, he kept his nose in my hand on his own. Yellow-green cat eyes look back at me the whole time I scold him. He pulls away slowly, his tufted ears catching my attention.

Madaline, the bitch Vamp, is a lynx in animal form. They look much the same, just different coloring, fur density, and possibly size, but I'm not sure. Males are always bigger than the females, right?

Lex, one of the males on my kitchen crew, is a Shifter lynx, Joey is a WereBobcat. Don't recall seeing either in animal form though. All the kitties. While my sister collects canines, I get pussycats.

Fine with me, supposedly less maintenance. Guess we'll see. Hadn't realized I'd done so, but I'd reached out and started rubbing his ear between my fingers. A brown and red coat with black ear tufts.

Giving him a small apologetic smile, I let him go so he can follow the dog to the room with the others. Metallic eyes watch them for a moment, the cat still limping but not horribly. Satisfied that they aren't going to go at each other's throats, I go into the showers and help Trisha.