Andrew put the last book into a cardboard box. He stood and surveyed the tiny pile. A half dozen boxes, his whole life sitting in a heap. Two boxes of books, a box of art supplies, and the rest clothing. That was it. He would have to take two trips, but that was all it would take to remove every trace of him from the place where he'd lived for more than a year. But then I wasn't really living, he thought. I'm undead after all. And while I was here, well... even if my heart had been beating I'm not sure I'd call that living. Now though, now I have a chance to make a life for myself, do something with myself more than simply exist. He smiled. It was nice to have something like hope again.

As he picked up a stack of three boxes he heard two pairs of footsteps in the hall. He expected them to simply pass by, nobody ever came to his room, but instead they halted in front of his door. Then the door swung open with a crash, flung inward with so much force it was partially torn from its hinges.

Andrew stood and gaped at the doorway, his boxes dropping to the floor with a thud. Framed in the door was a coyote, the same one who followed the tiger around, the same who had aided in assaulting Andrew. His stomach twisted into a hard knot of pure dread. And then confusion followed fear as the coyote stepped in and the broad-shouldered but emaciated Jake followed him into the room.

“W-what do you want?” he managed to ask.

“I'm sorry,” said Jake. “Follow me.” He turned and left the room, and Andrew, confused and afraid, found himself compelled to go after him. As he walked past the coyote leered at him.

“You're in so much trouble,” he said.

Andrew wanted to run. He desperately wanted to run! But he couldn't do anything but follow Jake obediently.

They went up to the top floor in a little parade, Jake, Andrew, and the coyote. The door to the suite at the top stood open, and inside was a small crowd of people, mostly canines. Standing in the center, and obviously the center of everyone's attention, was a huge wolf. Standing next to him, looking almost small by comparison, was the tiger.

A shiver of pure terror ran through Andrew. He wanted to run. He wanted to somehow hide. But he couldn't. There was nowhere to go, the other canines had closed in all around him. Fear paralyzed him, almost overwhelming.

No!

The shout was purely internal, but it was loud all the same. No. He would not be a helpless victim again. Never again. Maybe he was just a deer, just prey to these carnivores and vampires, but he was a vampire too, and a person as well, damn it! He wasn't just going to let them do whatever they wanted to him. They probably would do whatever they wanted all the same, but not without a fight.

So instead of whimpering and trying to hide, Andrew lifted his head and stared the wolf right in the eyes, his expression determined, defiant.

“Do you know why you're here, little deer?” The voice was vaguely familiar, the same deep voice he'd heard that very first night, when Jake had attacked him.

Andrew didn't reply.

“You're here because prey doesn't get away with attacking one of the pack,” broke in the tiger with a snarl of rage.

Andrew couldn't help it, his eyebrows went high in surprise. “Me? Attacking you?” The very notion was ridiculous.

The tiger growled, fangs bared. “Yes. You and Jen ganged up on me, don't deny it.”

Andrew blinked. He and Jen? Jen had taken the tiger down on her own. But... understanding dawned. The tiger wouldn't want to say that, would he? Bad as it was to be incapacitated by just two, and one of them prey, being taken down by one little female was even worse. So of course the tiger would insist that he'd been outnumbered. His cronies would probably swear that they hadn't even been present, so it would have been two against one...

“I never touched you,” said Andrew.

“Of course you deny it,” the wolf said, breaking in. Andrew looked at him, seeing an expression of sardonic amusement, and suspected that the wolf knew very well that the tiger was lying. “Denial won't save you from your punishment.”

Another shiver of terror went through Andrew, but he gritted his teeth and pushed it aside.

“Jake.” The wolf turned to the emaciated canine, who still stood next to Andrew. “When not... outnumbered,” Andrew detected a hint of irony in the wolf's voice, “Mark should be quite capable of dealing out his own punishment. Order your thrall to go with him.”

Andrew's knees threatened to buckle. Mark must be the tiger. And he was going to be forced to be alone with him? Terror clawed its way into his brain, shot out into every limb and set them trembling. It took every ounce of self-control he had not to fall to the floor in a heap and whimper.

“Go with Mark, Andrew,” said the dog.

Andrew felt that compulsion again. Everything in him cried out to escape, yet he couldn't do anything but obey. Mark grinned hugely at him, and crooked a finger in a mocking gesture as he made his way out of the room. Andrew followed, his feet dragging as he fought the compulsion. There had to be some way out of this! He was not going to just tamely follow along and let the tiger abuse him again! He fought down the terror and tried to think as they went down the hall toward the stairs. Well, he had been ordered to go with Mark. But Jake hadn't said anything about how far, or what he was supposed to do afterwards.

Even as he thought that, the compulsion began to fade. He had “gone with Mark” now he was free again.

Just then they reached the top of the stairs. “After you,” said Mark. Andrew didn't like the gloating sarcasm in the tiger's voice. He hesitated at the top of the stairs. With sudden, malicious violence Mark shoved him hard.

He let out a shocked yelp and tumbled down the steps. He landed on his back on the landing, where the stairs turned the corner and continued down to the fourth floor. Mark stood at the top of the stairs, laughing.

Andrew's mind was racing. Here might be the opportunity he needed. He'd been stunned for a moment, but he rapidly recovered. The fall hadn't really hurt that much. Mark was starting to come down the stairs. A plan sprang into Andrew's head. He pulled up his legs, as though he were curling into a fetal position on his back. He tried to look as scared as possible. That was easy enough.

Mark reached the landing, standing right in front of Andrew, and sneered down at him. “Poor little...”

Whatever else he would have said was cut off in a sickening crunch of bone as Andrew kicked out with both feet, not holding back, putting everything he had into the blow. The tiger's muzzle exploded in a shower of blood and he let out a short, horrified shriek of pain, falling back onto the stairs, his hands covering his ruined, bloody face.

Andrew scrambled to his feet before Mark could recover and pelted down the second flight of stairs. He dashed down the hall. Before he reached the door to his room he could hear the tiger's footsteps on the stairs. He ducked quickly inside and dashed over to the window. He didn't even spare a glance for the boxes he had just packed.

Moments later he was out the window and clattering down the fire escape. He was almost to the bottom when he heard a snarl behind him. He risked looking up to see Mark leaning out his window, trying to force his way through the narrow gap. His muzzle was still covered in blood and looked a little bit crooked.

The tiger withdrew, and suddenly there was a crunch and the lowest of the boards still nailed over the window splintered and flew out into space. The tiger climbed out onto the fire escape, but by that time Andrew was on the ground, just about to round the corner of the building out of site. On level ground the tiger could never catch him.

“If I ever see you again I'm going to kill you!” Mark shouted.

“Don't worry, you won't!” returned Andrew, and sprinted around the corner and out of sight.

He continued to run for some time, making random turns until he was quite certain the tiger couldn't follow him.

He slowed eventually and looked around to orient himself. He felt almost giddy. He had done it! He had kicked the tiger in the face and had gotten away! The memory of that sickening crunch was a little bit disturbing, but mostly it was wonderful. He'd attacked his abuser, he'd defended himself instead of just lying there, and it felt amazing!