Chapter Text
"Whoa! Just look at this place, Tora!", Poppy shouted over her shoulder to the tall and mildly irritated man trailing closely behind her. She practically had to drag him out. Tora is so not a fucking morning person, yet he couldn't say no to Poppy when she asked to explore an abandoned fucking church hiked up on a stone mountain with a dangerous path you had to hope to hell tides weren't high or you'd get washed the hell away. Grrrrrr! He knew when he saw her staring across the water at the building that FUCK! (*face palm).....her curiosity was already getting the best of her and they would HAVE to go. Tch.
Nevertheless, at the sound of his name, Tora snapped his head up just in time to catch a glimpse of her bright smile against the backdrop of the rising sun. Hints of yellow, pink and orange swirled around in the sky behind her like a halo. Gorgeous. 'Guess it really was worth it leavin' early as shit.' He moved a loose patch of hair from his left eye back under his baseball cap and grinned back at the tiny brunette. She's so gotdamned cute. "Place is fuckin' ancient, Sweetheart. No doubt about that", he replied looking on at the desecrated holy place. They stood side by side now looking up at the massive church flanked by sharp stone that juted out of the mountain it was seemingly carved into. 'To keep fuckers out......or in.' Either way, Tora went into bodyguard mode and placed a hand on Poppy's back as she moved to open the large wooden doors just ahead of them.
The church stood about 3 stories high and was a bland grayish color with copper rust from years of rain and ocean spray. The church's roof was partially collapsed and the columns surrounding the frame of the building made of brick were chipped or completely missing. In the tight space between the mountains and the church rested a mix of ancient trees. Some were plush and grew wildly around the church. Others were barren and sad in appearance. 'Creepy as shit.' As he continued to eye the place, Tora noticed almost immediately that there were not many windows on the building at all. 'I bet there was definitely some sick religious shit going on here a long time ago.' He himself could appreciate minimal windows. Best way to hide from sniper fire. Here though? Churches were always filled with windows. His mind traveled through thoughts of demons, exorcisms and predatory priests. 'Fuck 'em, all.' A place with few windows had something to hide.
The front doors were already cracked open a few inches when Poppy's tiny hands moved toward the handles to pry them apart. Her breath caught as she looked inside, Tora's hand planted on her back. "Wow! It looks very well preserved inside, Tora! Almost as if someone has been keeping an eye on the place. It's not nearly as dusty or inhabitable as I thought it would be with the collapsed roof and all." Tora nodded, his suspicions about the place only heightening his sense of awareness as he glanced around. 'No rubble? The curtains are only slightly worn and frayed. The furniture still looks like it holds up pretty well. Gotta be careful about this fuckin' place. We may not be alone.'
Tora moved ahead of her and scanned the church thoroughly, eyes sweeping around every bench, pew, or stand before beckoning her inside. The alter at the end of the room held a large wooden cross that sat in front of a colorful stained glass window depicting what he assumed was Mary and baby Jesus with golden halos around their heads. The cross, however, appeared to have held gems or precious stones with gold that were most likely stolen. There were only indents and gold remains on the now bare cross. The massive artwork along the walls was a sight to behold in various religious scenes. Even dull with time, both Tora and Poppy appreciated them. Waking from his momentary stupor, Tora found Poppy snapping pictures beside him. His hand fell away from her back as she quickly navigated around the room.
He took a few steps toward the alter and looked up at the cross. Tora himself had never been a religious man. If there were a God, he figured, they had forsaken him a long time ago. He frowned as he nervously palmed the strawberry hair tie Poppy gave him in his pocket. He felt unease down to his bones. The unholy Tiger of Ares Street was in a holy church. Abandoned or not. Tora had resigned himself to his fate quite a while ago when he knew he couldn't change it. He was cursed his whole life. Never given a fighting chance to be anything other than a dejected monster. Forever an outcast. A misfit left to battle with demons during the rare times he actually was able to sleep as well as with his eyes wide open. Cursed. That's probably why it felt so otherworldly being inside of a holy place for him. Looking at how Poppy simply moved around the room so carefree only served to darken his mood further. She was Angelic. Not a fear in the world. He was caged in. Enraged. Hurt. An object of destruction. Full of his past sins that knawed at him like lost souls on the river Styx. The more he stood there at the alter, the more ashamed and filled with self loathing he became. Demons had no place here. Or so he thought.....
Pulling Poppy out of her own little world, Tora unceremoniously called out to her over his shoulder, "Need to take a smoke break. I'll be right out back. Don't go any deeper into the church until I get back, Sweetheart." He was already walking out of the broken back door before she could respond. She stood in silence watching him retreat until the door creaked shut behind him. Sighing, she continued on with her exploration. 'I hope he's ok. He's not his usually playful self.'
The church was dim inside with light only penetrating from the colored windows, making rainbows appear on surfaces all around. Poppy ran her fingers across relics that lay in the aisle and took pictures of everything that caught her eye careful not to break or move anything from its original space. She walked up the the alter where Tora stood only moments earlier and looked up in awe at the cross and the religious paintings that adorned the walls around her. Exquisite. During her rounds, she caught sight of a small brown door on the right side of the building. It was opposite to the exit Tora just left. She walked over to the door and opened it carefully. It was pitch black inside and the dust flew up in a cloud, pushing her back and causing her to catch a coughing fit. She slammed the door closed just as Tora re-emerged from outside. "Ya alright, Bobby? Heard ya coughing up a lung out there", he said, voice laced with concern. "I'm fine. Just- AHOO! opened that door and CHOO! dust flew everywhere." Tora nodded. "Told ya this place is ancient. Who knows what the hell is in that room or where it leads. What I can tell ya is that there's a huge fuckin' cemetery out back with a massive gargoyle perched up on a slab of stone. Wanna see?", he said with a smile. Tora had his hand extended for Poppy to take as she quickly dusted herself off and claimed it.
Poppy was immediately drawn to the gargoyle. Headstones be damned! She marched past countless graves and stalked right up to it, Tora in tow. Tora had already observed the freakish looking statue on his smoke break earlier. Oddly enough the face was handsome, but mared by a cross on its forehead. The body was strong like his, but with....welts? The fuck? Why would an artist create something that looked so fuckin' real? A gargoyle with welts across its body in x's and odd lines? A questionable detail. There was also what appeared to be a collar around its neck. Poppy touched the stone face with her own merely inches away. "Any closer, Sweetheart and the thing might swallow ya", came Tora's teasing voice. 'There he is. Maybe all he needed was that smoke.' Poppy knocked on the stone arm of the gargoyle and scoffed. "Since when did stone gobble anyone up, Mr.?" Tora smirked. His smile soon faded as he could have sworn he heard a low growl coming from....the gargoyle? No fuckin' way. It was early, and there was no way he heard anything. Tora eyed it seriously a final time before gently pulling Poppy back down from the statue and through the cemetery. Eyeing the inscriptions on the tombstones, Poppy saw some dates as far back as the 1600s! "There must have been witches and magic, and all kinds of rituals done here. Maybe even people were hung or burned here, Tora. Just like we used to read about." Tora looked around and sighed. Places of death only served as a reminder of the blood on his own hands. How many had he sent to the grave? Shallow and unmarked ones? He tried his best to ensure his darkening mood didn't damper Poppy's happy one.
It was time for a quick breakfast, so Poppy and Tora retreared back to the church. They took a seat toward the back at Tora's behest and they munched on the croissant sandwiches that Poppy had packed for them. They had enough food with them for several days in the thermal pack she stored everything. As well as extra clothing. Tora had rolled his eyes at her need to always pack so much, but had to admit he fucking appreciated it now. When they were outside, they saw storm clouds that weren't in the forecast earlier.
After their meal, Poppy packed up their items and stood to continue exploring. Tora followed suit. They went up the stairs to the second and third floors. There were various rooms including a library that appeared disheveled as if someone were looking for something in a rush. Poppy insisted on tidying up the library to restore it to its former glory. 'Of fuckin' course she would.' Tora sat idly by on his phone while she buzzed like a bee, filling her arms with multiple books at a time and then storing them back onto the shelves they fell from. Moving on, they entered a room with a simple tub and sink with a large mirror outlined in gold trim that was to be the washroom Poppy assumed, followed by a few quaint guest rooms. One room, though, caught their attention rather quickly. At the end of the hall on the third floor was what appeared to be a master bedroom. Tora could feel heat radiating from the room before they even opened the door. He looked down nervously at Poppy, his senses screaming that something was amiss. There were no sounds that he could make out as they explored, so if someone or something was here, it was hiding. Tora and Poppy continued on into the room to find a fireplace blazing and flicking within. The fuck?! Tora instinctively moved quickly in front of Poppy, placing a finger over his lips for her not to speak. Her eyes widened as she nodded her head in silent acknowledgement. He motioned for her to stand at the door until he took a look around the room. If this wasn't proof someone was laying around here, then what the hell was it? THEY certainly didn't light the fuckin' fire!
Tora walked around the room looking left to right as stealthily as a ninja. His footfall was barely audible as he stretched from one end of the room to the other. Nothing. At least that he could see. He spun around to face Poppy and with a deep sigh, told her that she could enter the room. "Dont know what the hell is going on, Sweetheart, but it doesn't appear to be anyone around. Maybe they heard us and got scared or some shit." Poppy entered the room slowly, looking all around to see if she could find anything her eagle eyed boyfriend had missed. The bed....it looked slept in? There was a large greatly tattered black cover pulled aside in the bed. Poppy noted that coupled with the fire. 'Is there another couple here? A Lone squatter? Wish we could find someone to ask questions about the place.' Poppy walked toward the large windows in the room. She peered out and could see the cemetery below. Suddenly Poppy wasn't as adventurous as she had been before. She yawned and gave her body a twist and stretch as she regarded Tora across from her. "Well! I think we've seen enough of- "
Just then, as if the heavens themselves heard her wish and willed to do the opposite, rain began to pour from the blackened sky down onto the church. "Fuck!", Tora roared. "Racing down the steps with Poppy holding firmly to one of his hands, they raced through the water on the first and second floor due to the collapsed roof. The front doors were swinging open and slamming closed due to the high winds. When Tora reached the door, he pushed them open and held them as he looked out into the storm. The path was pretty much gone for them to cross back to the other side. Covered in thick waves and turbulent waters. "Mother-FUUuUUCCKKK!!!", he screamed into the howling wind. His baseball cap flew from his head and his hair whipped violently across his face, catching in his open mouth. He tried to close the doors with all his strength. Poppy shuddered as her clothes now hung on her body, soaked through. "The bedroom!", she yelled above the wind. Tora turned to look at her, his hair plastered to his face covering his eyes. "The fireplace! Tora, we can go up and it's dry there. We will have to stay the night or at least until the storm stops. We can lock this place up best we can and race up there to get dry. We don't have a choice." Tora scowled but knew she was right. He closed the front doors as Poppy grabbed a log of the split furniture for him to jam through the handles. Handing it to him, he whipped his head back, effectively removing his long hair from his vision and successfully secured the doors. He then raced to the backdoor that was bumping against the frame. He closed it and turned the lock. Racing back for Poppy, he took the heavy bag from her shoulder and tried his best to shield her from the worst of the rain fall as they made their way back to the master bedroom. Once inside, Tora plopped their belongings on the bed and they both peeled off their wet clothes, sinking on the dry rug in front of the fireplace.
Tora laid down on his back and beckoned Poppy to join him. She laid on his chest as he wrapped both arms around her, transferring his body heat to her. They held on to each other, cold and miserable, not knowing what the fuck was going on or if the possible squatter would be back. It set Tora on edge. He looked down to see his small girlfriend already asleep. Shit. He closed his eyes but flung them back open at the slightest sound. 'This is goin' to be a really long fuckin' night.' Begrudgingly, after a long while Tora slipped into a deep sleep himself. The body does what it will, after all. Proves its strength over the mind.
**************************************
Night came quickly as the storm continued to rage. Rain flexed his fingers one at a time as feeling painfully slowly came back to him. His eyes beneath long lashes darted around the cemetery in search of his Canary. He couldn't find her right away, but knew she wasn't far from the flickering of light coming from the master bedroom window of the old church where she often slept in waiting for him to arise. He smirked as the rest of him formed into soft flesh. His dimples deep, and his teeth slightly protruding from his lips. Shaking his whole body like a wet dog, he stood up to his full length on the slab of stone he was cursed to position himself daily for all eternity. He moved around until he felt comfortable enough to step down. His long hair flowed behind him as the wind whipped at him. His wings and waist covering were being battered by the rain. He moved his wings over his head and searched around for his woman.
"CANARY!", He roared into the wind. Nothing. 'Maybe she is safe in the bed above.', he remembered looking up at the light. He called out to her anyway because on most nights, no matter the weather, she would be wrapped in his arms awaiting his return. She wasn't there with him today. He spread his wings and darted up to the third floor and perched on the ledge outside of the window. What he saw was far from what he expected. There was no Lena, or Canary as he liked to call her. Yet there were persons there, in her room. A man of large build, almost as massive as himself. His features were handsome as if he were sculpted from a very talented artist. He had long black hair like his, a broad chest similar to his yet without the ghastly whip markings, and colorful etchings on both his arms and one of his legs. If he himself were a human man, he would hope to be this one. Longing flashed across his mind. The possibilities he knew would never be ate at him in silent torment.
And there beside him was a small woman much like Canary, but with brown long wavy hair and a very voluptuous body. He licked his lips as he regarded her damn near naked body. Stunning. Not as perfect as his Canary, though. He preferred the petite figure of the blonde woman he shared a bed with so many nights before, but could not deny this one's beauty. The woman's breasts were huge and looked heavy as they rested against the large man. Her ass was shapely and resembled a perfect peach 🍑.
He was so focused on the new guests that he didn't notice Lena until he heard her banging against the front doors of the church to get in away from the rain. Swooping down, he lifted her up and they entered the building through the collapsed roof. He shielded her from the rain the best he could as he brought her to safety. "Canary, there are people here. Do you know them?", Rain asked curiously. Lena had never brought over any guests, so this would definitely be a first, especially since Rain wasn't so keen on guests in HIS domain. He didn't miss that she shivered at his stern voice. "N-no!", Lena shook her head shivering from the cold and his fierce stare. "I didn't invite them. I saw them creeping around and I....I hid." Rain nodded, straightening up at her words. He looked at the door the two were behind menacingly. "Unwanted guests, then? I'll see to them while you take shelter. Go down to the basement and close the door, Canary. Wait for me there."
Lena noticed that the two meant no harm and appeared to only be interested in the old church. Their clothing was nothing like she was used to, and they seemed so fascinating. She didn't have many friends since she left to live with Rain on his deserted little piece of land. She also knew that Rain would maim them to death if she didn't tag along. "C-can I come with you, Rain? They seem like nice p-people. They only looked around until the storm made it impossible for them to l-leave." Rain frowned, but noticing the look in her big blue eyes his heart melted as it always did. He leaned down to kiss her trembling tender lips and wordlessly offered a hand to her as they ascended the stairs.
The door was locked from within, but that was no problem for Rain. He stuck a long sharp finger into the keyhole and it clicked so low that it could barely be heard above a whisper. Lena clung to his side as he stooped to move within the doorframe. Upon entering the room, Lena saw one of the most beautiful men besides Rain that she ever laid eyes on. She took in his unblemished skin as her eyes widened at the bright colors etched on him. Flowers....fish.....and a tiger? Rain looked down toward Lena and saw the awe in her eyes as she regarded the man. His nostrils flared and he wanted to scream and break things in a jealous rage, but her hand crept up his arm and squeezed tightly. She smiled up at him sheepishly, effectively soothing the raging beast within himself. He moved her further behind him gently as he looked over the two sleeping figures. They seemed harmless enough. The man looked strong, as if he could put up a good fight. Tch. 'I'd rip that bastard in half if he so much as tried!' Rain breathed heavily as he continued to stare down at the two. Lena peered down at the woman who slept ontop of the beautiful man. She was beautiful, too. And quite....curvy. She blushed, suddenly feeling as if she was intruding on something private. They're were unclothed after all.
Turning his attention from the pair, Rain smirked at Lena's reaction to the woman. 'Is she curious? Does she see the woman as I do? As the man does?' Rains eyebrows shot up in.....desire? Curiosity? He pictured the two women touching each other as he himself...and the other big man....took them from behind. His head tilted back and his eyes closed with lust seeing their tongues lapping at one another passionately. Both women feeling lost in ecstacy. Their screams echoing off of the old churches walls. His loins stirred under the thin cloth that covered his waist. So many ideas flickered across his mind. Maybe he could even get a chance with the curvy one? But the big man near Canary? Hmph. His tongue slid between his lips as he licked them in anticipation. He reflected back to the times himself and Lena fucked like rabbits. Just last night they were naked outside on his little slab of stone in the cemetery, the howl of wolves and the full moon their backdrop. Other times they were right in this room on the bed with her legs up in the air around him as he drove his thick cock into her tight and always dripping wet pussy. 'Sweet little pussy', he said to himself as he reached down and stroked Canary's cheek. She stared up at him with her eyes full of fire for him. Rain could feel his blood boiling with the need to let go of his pent up energy. He wanted Canary now...right the fuck now! But there was the case of these two that needed to be dealt with first.
As they continued to sleep, neither Poppy nor Tora, the ever alert, noticed the petite wild haired blonde woman eyeing them with curiosity silently from behind the strong wings of the massive gargoyle. Nor the eyes of the gargoyle set intently upon them in indecision. What was he going to do with the naked pair before him? They would soon find out.
To be continued.....