To any Neko fans, I hope I do the race justice.

Stephanie woke to wet, sticky saliva running down her chin. In the dream she was being attacked by a bear that was using her face to sharpen its teeth. When she sat up, she pushed the beast off, but it was only a wolf pup showing its affection.

"You should wipe that stuff off your chin, before the guards come back," whispered a distinctly human cat perched up in the corner. Her eyes were huge splashes of blue, as if painted on her face, and the pointed ears were covered in short, downy hair that made Stephanie want to pet her behind the ears.

"Or maybe I'll post this on the Spell Threads," she turned a cell phone towards Stephanie and there was the pup, mounted up on her stomach humping like crazy while white sticky drool ran down her face and onto her chest. "That will make a great wallpaper, don't you agree?" she purr-hissed in a strange rumbling laugh, but Stephanie was focused on the phone.

"You're a..."

"Neko is the proper term. I'm a genetic hybrid created by magic from the sick and twisted imagination of a teenage witch." She ran her tongue around her mouth in one fluid motion. Stephanie could hear the sound of sandpaper scraping across whiskers.

"Beautiful creature is what I was thinking," lest you tear my face off with those claws, she thought to herself.

"My name is Candy," she sprang from her perch and landed squarely on the floor, both long and perfectly formed human legs spread over Stephanie. She had her hands on her hips, head cocked, and tail swishing back and forth with an annoyed motion. It was thick and hairy and she could hear it cutting the air like a club.

"Candy," the name rolled off Stephanie's tongue like they were friends. "Is that a cell phone? On Avalon?"

"This is the 21st Century, just because it's dark on the night side doesn't mean we're barbarians."

"But you're in jail," Stephanie looked up at the perfection standing over her. Candy had a tight bikini bottom made of what looked like bat skin. The material stretched over her rear, leaving her cheeks hanging out the bottom. Her bare stomach was covered in fine fur with stripes, but above her moderate cleavage the skin returned.

"Who's to say those outside this cage aren't the ones in jail?" she smiled and tiny cat teeth lined her mouth. Her neck was slender and her hair fell down around her ears. Her loose fitting halter top was short but draped over her shoulders, allowing free movement of her human arms and hands. Stephanie swallowed when she saw the claws. Each finger nail was a razor sharp instrument of death, designed for one purpose.

"Good point," said Stephanie, holding her hand out. The wolf pup was giving her the eye and she had enough of that for one day. Candy wrapped her hand carefully around Stephanie's wrist, keeping the claws off her skin. She gave one easy pull, and Stephanie was on her feet.

"You know Stag seems to like you," she straightened Stephanie's cloths over her bloated stomach. The wolf pup came up to her side. "He will be able to take his human form soon, and he might be looking for a mate."

"I'm a little predisposed right now," she ran her hand over the baby growing inside, " but I could use some help. Is this House Cr-----?" <Name is classified at his time.>

Candy was thoughtful and a little wary. "You know Stag is mine but I'll trade him to you." Stephanie knew nothing about the conniving nature of a Neko, at least one created by a witch.

"For what, I don't have anything."

"Forgiveness," Candy moved behind Stephanie and ran her claws across the branded rune on her shoulder. "You are a descendant of the royal bloodline?"

"Yes," said Stephanie reluctantly, "but Coven Justice requires me to prove my birth right."

"Of course, but I'm a gambler," her eyes twinkled at the thought of such high stakes. "I'll bet you win that fight."

"And in return?"

"Spare my life, of course, my execution is set for the morning."