Fallen Angel (Transformers Fanfiction)

Chapter 14

The iron tang of blood filled his mouth and he quickly ran his tongue over his teeth. If he didn't get rid of that taste quickly, he'd crave more. He hated that craving, but it wouldn't go away. It had only gotten stronger over those four years, and every kill in the arena made him hungrier. 

"Number 7." He looked up, fingers twitching. Starscream, his handler, stood in the doorway, blocking the light. The demon hissed, claws curling into the floor. "Sorry to bring you out so soon, but we have a special treat for you." 

Treat? Well, who was he to turn down a treat? His stomach was growling, anyway. Starscream inched towards him. His handler had always held a fear for his pet, he had the scars to prove it. Number 7 was a little savage. 

The demon allowed Starscream to get close enough to clamp an iron collar around his neck with a chain attached. His wings were tucked in and his hands were cuffed together. His feet were also cuffed, but the chain between was lengthy enough to allow him to walk normally.

That didn't stop him from tugging against the chain, making his face turn red and his handler growl and hiss in frustration. "Would you quit that?" Starscream snarled. Number 7 fell into place after that, knowing he would get slapped by one of his handler's scaly hands, and that, more often than not, left a nasty bruise that would break open and leak pus for days after.

Starscream hauled his pet out to the arena, taking all the cuffs off and hanging them on easily accessible hooks by the door. It usually took four or more Decepticons to subdue Number 7 after a fight, and most of the time, the demon got his teeth on one of them.

"This is a lone Autobot," Starscream said silkily, pulling Number 7 by one of his horns out into the arena. A man was kneeling in the center with his head down. "Most despicable. First of all, he was caught mingling in the human race, and second, he was married to one of them. Mr. Darby. We will not test his skills. You will simply kill him."

"Yes, master," Number 7 hissed. Starscream then backed away and the demon dropped onto the ground on all fours, baring his oversized fangs. The Autobot looked up, his eyes widening.

"Filthy," Number 7 spat. "But I like filthy opponents." He lifted himself off the ground and shot forward. The Autobot tried to back away but Number 7 was faster and wrapped his claws around the Autobot's throat.

"Mingling," the demon hissed, shoving his victim onto the ground. "Falling in love with a human? Weak. Pathetic."

"Please," the Autobot rasped.

"Begging for mercy." Number 7 pressed a hand into his victim's chest over the heart. He curled his claws in and the Autobot's body convulsed. Number 7's other hand gouged his throat and a chorus of pleased and disgusted cries from the stands ensued.

The demon stood back as his victim convulsed and gurgled, hands limp and twitching. He moved in to start satisfying his craving when the iron collar suddenly clamped around his neck and the chain jerked him back violently. He shrieked in dismay and clawed at the air.

"He'll be fed to you later," Starscream assured him. "In pieces."

Cliffjumper startled awake and grabbed someone's arm in a death grip. Ratchet yelped in surprise and ripped his limb away.

"Oh, good. You're awake," the medic said. Cliffjumper shivered, only covered by a thin shirt over his torso, the bandages and ointment cold and constricting. He coughed, the familiar and horrible taste of blood following.

"Nightmare, I'm guessing," Ratchet said, waving a hand over Cliffjumper's chest. Over the brand.

"Mr. Darby," Cliffjumper whispered.

"What about him?"

"Ratchet...Ratchet, I think I killed Jack's father." The medic paused.

"What?"

"In the arena, Starscream told me himself that it was Mr. Darby, someone who'd been mingling with the humans, got married to one. Had Jack. Ratchet, I killed Jack's father!"

"Huh? What's that?" Cliffjumper froze as Miko poked her head into the clearing, sauntering in with Jack and Raf on her tail. "You killed who's father?"

"It was a long time ago," Cliffjumper said. "But...." He looked at Jack nervously. The human teen blinked. "Jack, I think I killed your father."

"Wh-what?" Jack stammered. Cliffjumper looked down. "Why? Why would you kill my dad?"

"It's complicated," he said.

"How complicated can it be?" Miko snapped. "What do you mean you killed his father? By accident? What were you doing? How long ago?"

"Eight years," Ratchet put in. "Eight years ago, Cliffjumper was a genetically modified pet of Megatron's. He was forced to fight and kill in the arena to survive, so Shockwave could perform tests on him to see if they could make an army like him."

"So he's a demon," Miko said, eyeing Cliffjumper distrustfully. "What, a ten year old murdered Jack's dad?"

"Precisely," Ratchet said. "I'd like to see you in an arena with a craving for pixie blood. He wasn't in control of himself."

"How stable is he now?" Miko asked, looking suspiciously at Ratchet. "Could he turn on us and rip us into shreds?"

"He's perfectly stable. The only thing about the modifications I couldn't reverse were the horns," Ratchet said. "You can't blame him. It was Megatron who issued the order. There could be no filthiness in his army."

"His father wasn't filthy!" Miko burst out.

"That's not what I'm saying!" Ratchet shouted.

"Stop!" Cliffjumper yelled. "I know that I did! I was perfectly aware!" He stood up, wincing. He opened his arms. Jack stared up at him with wide eyes. "Say what you've got to say; I can't change who I was and who I am." He waited, but even Miko looked stunned. "I'm a demon. These remind me every day." He knocked his fist on one of his horns. "And I'll always be Megatron's pet. Number 7." He shifted the shirt to show the crude branding, red and puffy from Nemesis.

"I understand," Jack whispered. "I understand why." Cliffjumper tightened his mouth into a line, ready for an outburst. However, Jack simply looked at his hands, tears falling silently. "I just wish I could have known him longer."

"I'm so sorry," Cliffjumper said. He looked away, emotions raging inside him. "I was - am - a savage. I'm sorry I lied to you."

"It's okay," Jack said, looking up at him. "And I'm sorry, too."

"Where's Arcee?" Cliffjumper asked, turning to Ratchet.

"Out," the medic said. "I tried to stop her, but she needs time. She'll send a signal if she runs into trouble. But good luck with her when she does get back." Cliffjumper sighed. So much for trying to escape from his past.