<sup>It had become somewhat of a second home. The cold, crumbling concrete walls filled with all kinds of decrepit, rusting metal equipment was not a place for many dogs. In fact few would consider you crazy to want to be in a place such as that. And so, maybe that was true. At the very least he knew he wasn’t completely sane. Any dog that had thoughts run through their head like he had surely couldn’t be sane. It’s these thoughts that grate away at his sanity. He laughed under his breath at the thought.

His maroon tainted white paws came to a flying stop as his gallop collapsed to a trot and quickly stopped by the main gate to the building. Nose tilted towards the ebony sky as he breathed in deeply the cold, strange air that was unique to the area. His amber eyes were closed due to the brightness of the moon’s light but opened once more upon lowering his head and proceeding past the open gates. Something felt a little off… An extra smell? Perhaps a sound? Something was new…

He padded forward slowly making his way across the concrete lot before the broken building, his shadow following close behind. Before he could purge himself of any demons he would have to make sure this strange presence wasn’t another dog… His ritualistic mutilations were secret nobody was to know of. Not like he had anyone who would really care for his wellbeing or that he worried that someone did. He wanted to keep what little pride he had left protected. If others were to learn of how he rips into his own flesh at night, they might want to know why and then they might learn of how he is a monster inside. How he has a passion for those of the same gender that he has never felt for a female. A deformity of the mind indeed and enough reason for ridicule and banishment from Dire.

He pushed his way past the thick metal doors of the entrance, allowing his shadow to be consumed by the darkness of the building and stopped. The only light coming from large windows near the factory ceiling. In a mere moments time he was able to see with the pale lighting. His folded ears perked forward, listening to the sounds of the building, as his amber eyes scanned the interior for the difference. All he could hear the sounds of metal settling and the winter winds blowing through the broken glass. A smirk spread upon his face. Maybe it really was just nothing but paranoia.

His favorite spot was up in the catwalks where the blood would not pool at his feet but fall from the grates below him. Taking a deep breath he could still faintly smell the dried blood from times past. He began to trot forward with new ambition and set destination… That was until he seen her silhouette. Quite obviously a female… A young border mix like himself most likely. He snorted with frustration. She wasn’t supposed to be here. But none the less he would confront her. It shouldn’t take much to scare her off.

With that he stood solidly a few yards behind her and spoke in his unusual soft male voice,” Heh. What is this?” A false smirk appeared on his face as he trotted forward and past her to face her front on. “What’s a pretty thing like you doing in a place like this? Didn’t anyone tell you it’s dangerous to wander in the dark alone?” His smirk extended to bare his teeth as he spoke, slowly circling in closer to her as he spoke in his most seductive, dangerous voice. He had no interest in her sticking around… had no need for a female… but this tactic had worked for him in the past.</sup>

<sup>He continued to circle her as she first spoke. Exposing his young, stark white teeth and catching her eyes with a threatening glare, each pass he made. Letting each step fall against the cold concrete in a confident stride. All the while, he attempted to make it appear as if he was sizing her up.

Scouring every inch of her with his eyes, attempting to intimidate her and make her leave. It wasn’t until she spoke, did he notice the stance she had maintained and realized his attempts were futile. And flaws began to appear in his façade appearance. His low hung tail began to twitch with aggravation and his eyes would leave her momentarily in disgust with himself for failing to scare her off with the first attempt. Reno didn’t like to physically injure other dogs unless he felt a true need for it and the only thing she was guilty of was being at the wrong place at the wrong time… at least for now. The tight circles he made around her began to widen. Concentrating on thoughts more than actions his eyes faltered more, he failed to threaten her with his fangs and his pace slowed. Then he suddenly stopped.

It wasn’t so much her words this time but her voice. A unusual rise that he had never heard in a females voice before. He took a few steps back to get a good look at her. Narrowing his eyes with his smoldering amber stare. What was with this girl? She wasn’t like a dire who would have turned on him and immediately attacked for acting the way he did… And she didn’t run off whimpering like most lone femmes did. She almost seemed slightly pleasured and yet was still put off by the attention he gave her. Very peculiar… Almost interesting…

Hmpf. He snorted through his nose letting a hot cloud form in the cold air. With that he turned and slowly disappeared into the pitch black shadows, in which he blended so well. Had he not had prior arrangements he would have certainly enjoyed toying with her more just to see how she would react. Just to find her all buttons and exactly how to play on her emotions. He had yet to find just the right female to toy with just yet. Afterall, there were a few things a female could provide him with that a male could not. And he knew all too well that he was not hard on the eye.

Aw. What the hell? Why not? He stopped moving. Still deep within the shadows, he looked over his shoulder to see her silhouette illuminated by the moonlight through the windows. “Hun. It’s not the dark you should be afraid of… It’s what lurking in the shadows.” He let his voice drift off and sink into the abyss around them. Purposefully he swept his tail along a metal machine, allowing the soft noise to echo in the silence. “In the dark of the night evil will find her…” He whispered softly with his strange voice, as he was making his way to the metal staircase, allowing his nails to click against the frozen concrete on the way there. “In the dark of the night, evil will brew…”

The staircase was made of metal with raised steel bumps that had clearly been weathered over time. Rust had almost consumed it and even eaten away at a few spots. It shouldn’t be safe for any creature to climb but he had greater concerns than that of his life and safety very rarely crossed his mind. Reno began to ascend the stairs towards the catwalk, the metal moaning with each step, until he stepped in a pool of light that descended upon the decrepit construction. “Soon she will feel…”

The moonlight shone much brighter here. He looked back over his shoulder to her and then turned fully around. The light caught in his eyes and made the shadows look much darker, the female lost within them. He had wondered momentarily if she had left before the true fun began but a short breath confirmed her presence in the area still. He took one more step into the light, cast down upon him in a way that would have been extremely flattering, much like a fallen angel… had it not been for his fore legs that were so scarred that his black fur barely grew in patches there. The dark creature continued unaware and without care that one of his many flaws was being displayed. A cocky smirk appeared on his face as he whispered once more into the dark, hoping to hook her on his tone,” That her nightmares are real…”</sup>