Come on, Polly, hurry up.

Charlie’s entire focus was on Polly’s frantic dash through the club’s back corridors, her mind linked so strongly to the rat’s that she didn’t realize her own danger was closing in. As Polly came barrelling around the corner, Charlie knelt, arms open, offering Polly a refuge. Polly didn’t hesitate, leaping straight into her embrace, her tiny claws clinging desperately. Charlie tried to soothe her, cooing softly, sending waves of reassurance through their mental link, but Polly’s terror was so intense that nothing could calm her.

Then Charlie froze. Lester appeared at the far end of the hall, a smirk twisting his features as he strolled toward her, slowly, savoring each step like a predator toying with its prey. He licked his lips, his eyes fixed on her.

“Well, well, well,” he drawled, his voice laced with mockery. “Isn’t this a pleasant surprise? We never did finish our little chat, did we?”

Heart pounding, Charlie took a step back, her gaze darting around for any escape route. When she glanced back at Lester, he’d already halved the distance between them.

How in the hell did he…?

Lester’s grin widened, reading the shock in her eyes. “Oh, isn’t this just delicious?” he sneered. “You have no idea what you’ve walked into, do you, Charlie? Neither did your dear brother. Too bad for you both. But hey, better late than never, right?”

In the blink of an eye, he was suddenly right beside her, his cold, rotten breath brushing against her neck. Charlie’s mind reeled - he’d moved so fast that he was more of a blur, a sinister afterimage lingering in her vision.

She stood paralyzed as he leaned in, inhaling her scent like it was some exotic delicacy. Something about his nearness clouded her senses, sending her mind into a strange fog. All she could focus on was the sound of his voice, the warmth of his breath against her skin, and the faint brush of his lips as he licked her earlobe.

“Oooh, I love the way you tremble,” he purred, chuckling softly as he felt her shiver.

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To her horror, Charlie found herself reacting, a soft sigh slipping out, her body betraying her by leaning into his touch, her mind trapped in an unnatural haze. Polly, meanwhile, was frantically wriggling in her arms, her tiny claws digging into Charlie’s skin, trying desperately to escape. While Charlie was paralyzed, Polly seemed immune to Lester’s spell, her primal instincts on full alert. The rat squirmed, scratching and biting at Charlie’s hand in her frenzy to get free, squealing in frustration.

“Ah, what do we have here?” Lester murmured, finally noticing the struggling rat. “Mr. Ice will be so pleased.” His eyes gleamed with dark delight as he reached toward Polly.

“Your poor brother wasn’t too bright, either,” Lester went on, his hand still reaching for Polly. “Poking his nose into things he shouldn’t, asking the wrong questions. So he had to be dealt with… and so will you!”

The fog around her mind shattered at the mention of her brother, and a wave of rage swept through Charlie, breaking Lester’s hold over her. She gasped, the pain of Polly’s frantic scratches snapping her back to reality. Without thinking, she hurled Polly straight at Lester’s face.

“You bastard!” she shouted.

Lester’s eyes widened in surprise as Polly latched onto his face, her sharp teeth and claws digging in as she scrambled over his skin. “Ahh! Rat bitch!” he howled, tearing Polly from his face and throwing her against the wall with a violent swing. Polly flew through the air, a small white blur, and Charlie ducked instinctively as her companion hit the wall with a sickening thud before bouncing to the floor and scurrying out of sight around the corner.

When Lester turned back to Charlie, blood streaked down his face, a dark stain trailing from his cheek to his jaw. His eyes burned with rage, and his mouth twisted in fury. But this time, Charlie was smarter - she avoided meeting his gaze directly, keeping her focus just past his shoulder.

She widened her eyes, her mouth dropping open in feigned surprise.

Lester scoffed, his lip curling. “You think I’m going to fall for that?” He sneered and advanced, ignoring the direction of her gaze.

Big mistake.

In a flash, a much larger, fiercer Polly came racing back into view, skittering sideways along the wall before leaping onto Lester’s back. Her jaws latched onto his neck, and she bit down with a vengeance, sinking her sharp little teeth deep into the flesh at the base of his throat.

Lester screamed, a raw, primal sound that echoed through the hall.

Somewhere in her mind, Charlie heard a voice - whether from Polly or some instinct, she wasn’t sure - RUN.

She didn’t waste a second. Charlie spun on her heel, yanked the door open, and sprinted back into the throbbing, blinding chaos of the club.