Beneath the Neon Moon by Theda Black Page A

Kane howled.
    Aaron laughed.
    Kane looked furiously around at Aaron, slinging blood, then turned back to Mal. He grabbed the chain lying loose by his side and grabbed it, started to pull it. He stopped, watching Mal thoughtfully. A slow smile settled over his slick red mouth. Kane settled himself deliberately against Mal's body, blood gushing from his nose and down his face, some of it catching in the strands of his long hair.
    Mal fixated on the blood. His mouth opened as if in a dream. He licked his lips and swallowed.
    "Fucker." Kane grinned. "Taste it. Tastes good, doesn't it?" He shook his head, blood rolling, dripping onto Mal's lips and into his mouth. Mal licked his lips and swallowed convulsively. He squirmed tied arms up between his and Kane's body, then gripped Kane's throat by both hands and pulled him closer. His eyes closed. He opened his mouth, seeking.
    "Mal?" Zach whispered. His voice strengthened. "Mal, don't!"
    Mal hesitated, stopped. His mouth closed, flushed and swollen as if the skin itself had bloomed beneath the fall of blood. He opened his eyes and blinked, chest heaving as his breath quickened, disgust wrenching his face. He scrubbed his mouth frantically with his bound hands. "Get off me!" he snarled at Kane.
    Kane laughed suddenly and stood up. He tipped his head back, trying to make the blood flow lessen. "Lucky I'm a quick healer or I'd have to beat the shit out of you, Mal."
    "If you’re going to take a shot, do it already. But he's alpha, and he'll remember. We both smell it." Aaron looked at Mal and Zach from the corner of his eyes. "Among other things."
    "All right, all right." Kane threw Aaron a hostile look. "Stand up," he said to Mal. "Get over to the wall. Unless you want one more shot at me before I go."
    Mal rolled from his back and onto his feet. "What are you doing to me?" he yelled, his chest heaving. "Why are we here?"
    "You really want to know?" Kane grabbed his shoulder. "All you have to do is open your eyes, you stubborn son of a bitch. Now why don't you do the smart thing and stop fighting? We're not gonna touch your buddy again beyond getting the two of you chained back up." He shrugged. "You just pissed me off, what can I say?"
    "Just settle down, okay?" Aaron said. "You're not going to be here much longer."
    Mal looked at both of them a few seconds, then walked over to the wall and knelt. He didn't speak, but his eyes followed Kane, cold as ice. Kane shook his head, bemused. Aaron stepped forward and locked Mal into his cuff again.
    "You next, Zach," Kane said. Zach didn't move. Kane put a firm hand around his shoulder and shook him a little, as if he were a good friend he was trying to cheer up. Zach didn't know if it was meant as some bizarre gesture of sympathy or just mockery.
    Kane whispered in Zach's ear. "I have to hand it to you for trying, but you can't get out of this. Nobody makes it out unless we let them out." He gave Zach another short, hard shake. "Come on."
    Zach went. Aaron threaded the chain on his cuff, closed it shut and locked it, then stood up.
    "See you later, guys," Kane said, a flash of humor in his eyes. He nodded and swiped at the blood under his nose, then cursed when he saw how much blood was there. Aaron smirked, apparently still entertained.
    He and Kane climbed the stairs, the old gray planks creaking under their feet. The door shut behind them. Mal and Zach heard it lock.
    Zach sat down hard on the packed dirt and ran a hand through his hair. "Good job there, Rambo." His voice rasped, and he had to clear his throat. 
    "I was trying to get us out of here." Mal's shoulders hunched in on themselves. "Guess it didn't work."
    "That fucker paralyzed my kidneys," Zach grumbled. "I don't think I'll ever piss again."
    "How bad?"
    Zach shrugged. "Not bad. Not really. Just not real happy with how easy he got me out of the way, I guess."
    "If you ask me, you had pretty good reaction time."
    Zach grimaced. "Whatever."
    "Are you sulking or