Paradise #21-A


"PAUL!"

Paul turned just in time.  He laughed as the two women 
hugged him and he tried to calm them down.  He knew they 
would be worried but he did not expect this.  "I'm fine, 
ladies."  He looked at them and noticed they had been 
crying.  His mood sobered quickly.  "What's wrong?"

"Des is missing," Shea said.  "We were able to use Morse 
code to relay the messages.  Something grabbed her from out 
of the fog."

"And Peter was here!"  MAC said breathlessly.  "Talking 
about a Beast.  We think that's what has Des."

"WHAT?!  Peter?  Are you sure?"

MAC nodded.  "I didn't get a good look at Peter.  He stayed 
in the shadows but I talked to him and I'm sure it was 
Peter.  He apologized for any trouble he caused and said to 
let everyone know he was okay."

"Where is he now?!"  Paul demanded.

MAC shrugged.  "Don't know.  He comes and goes around the 
islands like a shadow now.  I think he's been on every 
island and no one knows how he gets there.  Peter said he'd 
be back.  I think he might have gone looking for you.  He 
mainly wanted to warn about something called the Beast.  We 
think that's what got Des.  And if so..."  She shook her 
head.

"There's a lot more of these altered humans around the 
islands," Shea said.  "The cook saw one raiding the food 
supplies.  There have been glimpses of strange shapes.  And 
we keep finding dead things."  She shivered.

MAC nodded.  "And Peter says some of the altered call 
themselves Enforcers and are the bullyboys of the islands.  
We need to watch out for them.  The dead animals may be the 
Enforcers trying to scare us."

"And what do we do?  Not a weapon anywhere in what we 
unloaded."  Paul took a deep breath.  He had left the young 
man who so closely resembled Peter back with Stephanie.  He 
knew he needed to get back to the castaways but the boy had 
still not regained consciousness so he had left him behind.  
He trusted Stephanie to keep him safe.  But he was no 
closer to solving that puzzle than any of the others.  
"What else did Peter have to say?"

Mac frowned.  "Not really much.  He got a bunch of his 
stuff from his island.  Not any food though.  Personal 
items.  And some women's clothing."

"Some WHAT?!"

*	*	*	*	*

"Lets try this."  Peter pressed the halter-top against 
Darkraven's bare breasts and looped the ties over her neck.  
"Those wings really limited what I could find for you.  A 
few halter and bikini tops.  Fortunately the jogging shorts 
work great."

"I feel strange."  Darkraven twisted around to watch as he 
tied the top in place behind her.  "Skins feel strange."  
She ran her hand down the silky material.  She wondered 
what creature wore this kind of skin.

Peter stepped back and smiled.  "Much better.  Those old 
rags did nothing for you.  Now you're a proper Lady of the 
Night."

A deep chuckle came from the brush.

Darkraven hissed and placed herself between Peter and the 
brush.  "Fly!" she ordered, ready to defend Peter.

"Friend," came a familiar voice from the brush.

Peter ducked behind Darkraven.  "Gene?"  He did not want 
Gene to see him like this.  He did not want anyone to see 
him.  He just wanted to let everyone know he was alive and 
warn them about the dangers.  They had returned to the 
tenth island to hide their goods and start searching for 
Paul.

"You again," Darkraven hissed angrily.  "You not take."

"I don't want to take Peter away from you," Gene assured 
her from the safety of the brush.  "We just want to come 
out and talk."

"I told everyone I was fine," Peter said.  "Go back to your 
island."

"I can't."  Gene stepped out.

Gene had made his own raid on the camps, obtaining several 
pair of extra large sweatpants that he could alter to meet 
his needs.  The increase in mass in his legs and lower body 
made it impossible for him to fit into his old clothes.  
The sweatpants were large enough to fit over his thicker 
legs, and could be altered to fit around his tail.  He wore 
nothing from the waist up, and his skin displayed a faint 
scale pattern.

Peter nodded.  He at least had been able to retain the 
jeans and shorts from his own belongings, and he had taken 
the sturdiest of those.  He too was bare-chested.  His skin 
was slightly paler than usual.  A set of bat wings was half 
furled behind him, the reason for his shirtless state.

"As you can see," Gene said.  "Neither of us is going 
home."

Peter shrugged.  "I already figured that out."

Darkraven looked past Gene and growled softly.

Gene held out his hand as Samantha stepped from the brush.  
"Darkraven, it's okay.  We're not here to hurt Peter."

Darkraven and Samantha glared at each other with mutual 
distrust.

Peter glanced back and forth between the bat-winged lady 
and the dragon-lady.  "Uh, I take it you two know each 
other."

"Samantha," Darkraven snarled.  "Thief.  Murderer.  Bully."

"Darkraven," Samantha snarled.  "Thief.  Murderer.  
Coward."

"Let's choose opposite ends of the clearing and sit down," 
Gene said.  "I think this is going to take a while."

"You killed Ross!"  Darkraven almost screamed.

"Which one was Ross?"  Samantha asked coldly.  "I've killed 
a lot of people.  They all deserved it.  They tried to hurt 
me."

"Ross never tried to hurt you!"  Darkraven answered 
angrily.  "Ross my companion.  From the strangers before 
this plus one."

Samantha looked confused.  "I killed no one from that 
group.  In fact, someone killed a young man from that group 
I was trying to protect.  If Ross was your companion, why 
would I kill him?  You do that well enough on your own."

Darkraven started to launch herself across the clearing but 
Peter grabbed her.

"Liar!"  Darkraven hissed.

"Everyone sees you bury what's left of your toys," Samantha 
said coldly.  "Have you shown this one yet?"

"Yes," Peter said softly.  "I've seen the graves.  And 
she's explained about the Enforcers and Minotaur."

"Minotaur?"  Samantha looked at Darkraven in surprise.

Darkraven turned away.  "Minotaur always take away.  
Minotaur hurt and kill.  Then Minotaur laugh and ask if I 
want them back now he showed me how to really break them."

A week ago Samantha would have just shrugged.  Now, she 
looked at Gene and imagined Minotaur taking Gene away and 
returning him in the condition he had seen some of the 
bodies Darkraven buried.  She imagined having that happen 
over and over, a Gene killed for every marker on a certain 
hillside.  "You should kill Minotaur."

Darkraven laughed.  "How?"  she demanded.  "Minotaur 
Enforcer.  Minotaur strong.  Minotaur stronger than 
Darkraven."

Samantha smiled.  "Darkraven gave Minotaur the scar."

"Lucky."  Darkraven shivered.  "Very lucky."

Samantha shook her head.  "Darkraven, I have never killed 
any of your companions.  Nor stolen anything from you.  You 
and I, we are outside the People.  I do not take from 
those."

Darkraven nodded.  "Nor I."  She smiled.  "We not have 
anything steal.  Enforcers have best stuff."

Samantha nodded.  "Enforcers have Yellow Sticks."  She 
licked her lips.  Darkraven grimaced, uninterested.

"Yellow sticks?"  Gene asked.

Samantha gave him a look of disbelief.  "Yellow sticks.  
Like I stole from strangers of your camp.  I show you."  
She hurried back into the brush.

Gene frowned.  Yellow sticks?

A shrill squealing noise came from the brush, almost 
drowned out by Samantha's roar.  Darkraven and Peter both 
jumped into the air, hovering out of reach.  Gene unfurled 
his wings of fire and prepared for battle.

"Just looking just looking," Piglet squealed as he ran 
across the clearing and disappeared into the brush on the 
other side.

"Piglet," Darkraven spat.  "Disgusting little thief."

Samantha came out of the brush carrying a canvas bag (also 
spoils of a raid).  She was poking through the contents and 
muttering.

Peter carefully landed.  "I about have a heart attack 
several times a day around this place anymore."

"Yellow sticks!"  Samantha said in triumph, pulling out a 
box.

"My Twinkies?"  Gene took the box from her.  "You call 
these yellow sticks?"

"They are," Samantha pointed out.

"Yellow sticks are more valuable than rounds in exchanges 
of the People," Darkraven said, landing.  "One yellow stick 
get you three days of fruit.  Round just one."

"I should have fried Piglet," Samantha said angrily.  "He 
ate four of the sticks."

"I've eaten four out of that box," Gene said.

Samantha looked at him.  "Four?  You ate four?"

"I didn't realize Twinkies was the island version of 
money," Gene said.  "I thought they were something to eat."

"We eat them," Samantha agreed.  "But FOUR at one time?"

Peter chuckled.  "I've seen Gene go through a whole box of 
them at one time."  He turned to look at Gene.  "Here's an 
interesting question.  Where are the islanders getting 
Twinkies?  This couldn't just be since we got here."

Darkraven shook her head.  "Yellow sticks, rounds, brown 
sticks."

Samantha sighed.  "Brown sticks," she said dreamily.

Darkraven grimaced.  "I never take.  Taste terrible.  But 
People, they eat.  Trade services, favors, anything for 
sticks and rounds."

"Maybe ship's supplies from previous castaways?"  Gene 
asked doubtfully.

"Maybe," Peter agreed with reservations.

Samantha tied the bag shut and slung the cord over her 
shoulder, giving Gene an annoyed look.  "Four sticks," she 
muttered.

"I like Twinkies," Gene answered.

Peter sighed.  "You can have my share."

Gene gave him a surprised look.

Peter smiled and ran a finger along one fang.

"Oh," Gene said.  "Liquid diet now, Pete?"

Peter nodded.

Darkraven gave a contented sigh.  Peter was still adjusting 
and could not hunt for himself yet.  She hunted the beasts 
down for their blood and then let him drink from her.  The 
sensual pleasure of feeding Peter's Hunger always led to 
other pleasures.  Peter was the best companion she had 
found yet.  She was definitely going to keep him.

"We need to fix something to eat," Samantha said.  "I can 
hunt.  We saw some pigs not far away."

Darkraven grimaced.  "Stale blood?"

"I'll bring it back alive and you two may feed," Samantha 
said with a casual shrug.  "Make preparing the meat for 
cooking much easier."

"I'll dig a hole and we can cut it in half and cook one 
half luau style," Gene said.  "We need to talk.  Make 
plans."

"Paul is missing," Peter said, concerned.

"You're behind the times," Gene chuckled.  "I saw the flags 
on our way here.  Paul's back on his island.  We're the 
only ones missing now."

"I told them I'm alive but I won't be back," Peter said.  
"And warned them about the Beast."

"Beast," Samantha snorted.  "Nonsense.  Silly 
superstition."

"No!"  Darkraven protested.  "The Beast walks."

"I fly through the fog all the time and I've never run into 
any Beast," Samantha scoffed.

"Beast probably think you too tough to make good meal," 
Darkraven answered.

Samantha laughed.  "I'd chew the Beast up."  She hesitated, 
and then handed the bag to Peter.  "Do not let Gene eat any 
more sticks or rounds."

"Hey!"  Gene protested.

Peter chuckled.  "I'll make sure he eats his meat and 
vegetables before he gets dessert."

Samantha gave Gene a smoldering look.  "I let Gene have 
dessert whenever he wants.  Just no more sticks or rounds 
today."  She spread her wings and flew off to find dinner.

"Nice wings," Peter said in admiration.  "Yours too, Gene."

"You got a nice set too," Gene told him.

Peter sighed.  "They get in the way sometimes," he 
admitted.  "Be nice if I could do like you."

Gene shrugged.  "Darkraven, this is your territory.  Is 
there a nice level spot, sandy soil, where I can dig the 
baking pit?"

"I show you," she offered.

"And I'll gather up some fruit," Peter offered.  "I may not 
eat the stuff but I can still recognize a ripe one.  And 
you need to eat a balanced meal before you can have any 
dessert."

Gene started to make a playful swipe at Peter but decided 
Darkraven may interpret it wrong.  Instead he just pointed 
a finger.  "I always knew you were a little batty."

"Ooo, bad one Gene," Peter scolded.  He headed for the 
treeline to search for fruit.

He had picked a nice assortment, carefully placing them in 
the bag where they would not get bruised.  There was one 
tempting fruit halfway up a tree.  He flew up and reached 
for it.

Something struck Peter, knocking him tumbling through the 
air.  He dropped the bag and tried to orient himself, still 
a little unpracticed in his flying.

A lariat wrapped around his leg and a strong yank brought 
him tumbling to the ground.  His face was roughly shoved 
into the dirt as several sets of hands quickly bound his 
wings, ankles, and hands.  He was yanked to his feet.

The man in front of him was heavily muscled, a fact easily 
observed since all he wore was a set of jogging shorts.  
His feet ended in hooves.  His head was totally bovine, 
with a set of sweeping horns.

Minotaur grabbed Peter's chin and forced his mouth open.

Peter obliged and slashed across the hand with his fangs.

Minotaur cursed, clutching his bleeding hand as the other 
Enforcers manhandled Peter, forcing the gag in his mouth 
and fastening it securely in place.  They wrapped several 
more ropes around him, making sure he was helpless.

"I'll enjoy watching them take you apart," Minotaur 
rumbled, wrapping a cloth around his hand.

"NNNNooooo!"

Darkraven hit Minotaur feet first, momentum adding to her 
kick.  The bull-headed Enforcer stumbled back.

Gene barreled into an Enforcer who looked like a mix of man 
and wolf.  He breathed fire on him, setting the altered's 
fur ablaze.

Peter vainly fought against his ropes.

"Fool," Minotaur observed and grabbed Darkraven's leg as 
she kicked him again.  He snapped the bone, twisting the 
leg so the shattered ends tore through the skin.

Darkraven screamed and slashed Minotaur's shoulder with her 
claws, making him release her.

Minotaur did a fast punch as she tried to get out of his 
reach.  His fist hit her in the ribs, breaking bone and 
driving the ragged ends into her lung.

Darkraven flew back, Clutching her side, blood dripping 
from her leg.

Gene was struggling under a pile of Enforcers but he was 
outnumbered.  They quickly put chains around him, binding 
his hands behind him at a painful angle and assuring he 
could not create his wings without doing harm to himself.  
They gagged him.

Minotaur looked up at the hovering Darkraven.  "Go dig 
another hole!"  he yelled.  "I'll bring this one back to 
you in a few days.  When I break something, all you can do 
is bury it!"  He laughed as the Enforcers gathered up their 
prisoners and headed for the beach.

Darkraven knew she had to follow.  She had to rescue Peter.  
But it hurt to breathe and she was feeling weak and...  She 
struggled but could not stay aloft.  She spiraled down and 
landed, her shattered leg hitting the ground and wringing a 
cry of agony from her before she collapsed to the ground 
unconscious.

*	*	*	*	*

"Pay!"  Piglet demanded greedily.  "I show you where they 
were.  I get paid!"

Minotaur nodded, watching the Enforcers load the helpless 
men on the small motor-powered boat.  "We pay, just as we 
promised."  He walked to the boat and pulled out a box.  
"Here."  He handed over a box of Hostess Ho Hos.

Piglet clutched the box to his chest and ran back up the 
beach and into the woods.

Minotaur climbed in the boat.  He looked down at Peter and 
kicked him.  "You're going to regret the day you were 
born," he promised.

*	*	*	*	*

Samantha paused, trying to hear over the loud squeals of 
the pig.  Had she heard something?  She hesitated, and then 
snapped the pig's neck, silencing it.  She flew upward, the 
dead pig held in her arms, searching the sky and listening 
carefully.  Darkraven may not like stale blood, but if she 
got the dead pig to her and her companion in the next few 
minutes the blood would still be fresh.  And she could not 
hear over that infernal noise.

She heard Darkraven give a scream of agony.  And then 
silence.

Gene!

Samantha flew as fast as she could, pushing for every extra 
bit.  Something was wrong.

She knew the area she had left them in.  She quickly 
searched, trying to find some clue.  She felt cold fear 
when she saw Darkraven lying on the ground, alone, and 
signs of a struggle nearby.

She quickly landed.  Darkraven was bleeding badly.  She had 
obviously been attacked but by who?  And where was Gene?

Years of living on the islands gave her knowledge of 
Darkraven's unique situation.  She used a talon to slit the 
pig's throat and quickly positioned the bleeding corpse so 
the blood ran across Darkraven's face and into her mouth.  
That would handle one problem.

Samantha carefully straightened the shattered leg.  She 
needed to heal it.  She was unsure if her special healing 
would work in this, but she was determined to try.  
Darkraven was the only one who could tell her what had 
happened to Gene.  Darkraven had to live.

A few moments after she began healing the leg, she felt 
Darkraven stir slightly.  She spared a second to look up 
and saw that the vampiric woman had grabbed the pig and 
buried her face in the slashed throat.  Samantha felt a 
rush of relief.  Darkraven would survive.  Now she had to 
help her heal.  Because she had a feeling she was going to 
need an ally.

"Enough," Darkraven finally said, pulling her leg from 
Samantha's grip.  "I can heal the rest myself."

"What happened?"  Samantha asked.

Darkraven began crying.  "Minotaur.  The Enforcers.  They 
took Peter.  Took Gene.  I couldn't stop them!  Six 
Enforcers."

"Six Enforcers?"  Samantha's eyes narrowed.  "What brings 
six Enforcers here?  They knew about Gene and Peter.  They 
knew they were here.  They had to.  But how?"

Darkraven shook her head.  "I don't know.  I've lost him.  
Minotaur will return Peter like all the others and I'll be 
alone again."  She buried her face in her hands and cried.

"We haven't lost anyone," Samantha said firmly.  "We're 
going to go get them back."

"Six Enforcers," Darkraven wailed.

Samantha slapped her.  "We are getting them back," she said 
angrily.  "Now quit being a sniveling coward like..."

The two women looked at each other and together said 
"Piglet."

"I'll search the beach," Samantha said.

Darkraven nodded, eyes cold as she rallied.  She had a 
means to rescue her companion.  Or at least make someone 
pay.  "I will search the forest."

They quickly separated.

*	*	*	*	*

Almost there.  Just another hundred yards and he'd be in 
the volcanic vent and safely on his way back to his hiding 
place with his newest payment.  And it had been great to 
watch Minotaur and Darkraven fight again.  Although it 
looked like this time Darkraven might have taken more 
injury than even she could heal.  Pity.  Selling Minotaur 
information on Darkraven was a nice steady income.

The fist struck the side of his head, powered by momentum.  
Hands grabbed him, holding him tight as he shook his head.  
He convulsively clutched the box to his chest, not about to 
give up his precious Ho Hos.

"SAMANTHA!"  Darkraven screamed as she carried the small 
porcine man skyward.

Samantha dove towards them with a scream.

Piglet gave a shrill cry, wet himself, and dropped his box.

Darkraven threw Piglet at Samantha and dove, catching the 
box before it disappeared into the trees below.

Piglet screamed, and screamed again as Samantha caught him.  
Her talons met through his wrist.  "I didn't do anything!  
Leave me alone!"  he screamed.

"Where are the Enforcers?"  Samantha asked angrily.  "Where 
are they taking Gene?"

"I don't know!"  Piglet screamed.  "I'm innocent!  I don't 
know anything!"

Darkraven circled the two, the box in her hands.  "Where 
did you get these?  You did not have them when you left us.  
Where did you get these?"

"I found them!" Piglet screamed, looking at the ground far 
below.  "I don't know where they came from!  I just found 
them!"  He screamed as Samantha broke his finger.

"Where is Gene?"  Samantha asked coldly.

"I don't know."  Piglet screamed as another finger broke.

"Once I finish with your bones," Samantha promised in an 
emotionless voice, "I will slowly cook the flesh from them.  
If you tell me who has Gene and Darkraven's companion, I 
will set you on the ground and not harm you any more."

"No more harm?"  Piglet asked.

"No more harm," Samantha agreed.

"Not ever?"  Piglet asked.

"As long as you do no harm to me or Gene, no harm ever," 
Samantha promised.

"Put me down!"  Piglet ordered.  "I'll talk."

Samantha flew down into a clearing and set Piglet on his 
feet, keeping a tight grip on his injured wrist.  Darkraven 
settled near them.  Samantha smiled.  "Talk."

"Minotaur has the two Broken Ones," Piglet said.

"I already knew that," Darkraven said coldly.  "Where is he 
taking them?"

Piglet hesitated.  He screamed as Samantha's talons met 
through his wrist again.  "SHIP!"

"Ship?  What ship?  There is no ship," Darkraven said.

"Ship the Enforcers go to," Piglet said, tears of pain 
streaming down his face.  "Where Minotaur always takes 
Broken Ones."

"Where is this ship?"  Samantha asked.

"I don't...NNNNNnoooooo!"  Piglet collapsed onto his knees, 
shaking from the pain of his shattered forearm.

"Where is this ship?"  Samantha asked.

"How would I...NNNNNnoooooo!"  Piglet knelt, both arms 
dangling.

"Every bone," Samantha promised.  "And then your flesh 
burning, turning black, peeling away as you watch."

"And I will hold you down as she does it," Darkraven 
promised.

"Beyond the North Island," Piglet gasped.  "That's all I 
know.  It's beyond the North Island.  They always meet 
there out of range of the islands, beyond the island no one 
goes near.  No one ever goes to the ship but the 
Enforcers."

"And you've been selling my companions to Minotaur," 
Darkraven said coldly.

"And you sold information about me and Gene to the 
Enforcers," Samantha said coldly.

"You promised," Piglet shrilled.  "No harm.  Samantha 
promised no harm."

Samantha stepped back.  "And I'll keep my promise."  She 
looked at Darkraven.  "He's yours."

Piglet made it to his feet but no further.

Darkraven grabbed him. She buried her fangs in his throat, 
forcing him to the ground and pinning him under her as she 
drained him.  Piglet kicked for several seconds and then 
the euphoric effect of Darkraven's bite overpowered him and 
he lay still as she fed.

Samantha walked back to the dead pig and began skinning it.  
She had no time for a fire so she would use her own fire to 
scorch it enough that she could choke down a meal.  She 
chuckled as she decided she would use Piglet's own Ho Hos 
to boost her energy.

Beyond the North Island.  It would be a long flight.  
Hopefully they would overtake the Enforcers.  Hopefully 
Darkraven would gain enough from Piglet's blood to be able 
to keep up with her.  Because Samantha was determined to 
follow Minotaur and the other Enforcers.  She would get 
Gene back safely.  And she would teach all in the islands 
to never cross her.