The storm luckily had finally lightened up by the time Kuza and Croc were cleaned up. Rain was different here than it was on Earth. It truly cleansed away sin, leaving neutral ground. In time, the rain would turn to dark as Jasper's control on this realm tightened. For now, it had left a gentle clean smell in the air. Despite the fact that they hated the way it equaled out the energy, it was calming.

Croc picked his love up and carried him bridal style down the rocks. When they reached the beach, he set Kuza down and kissed his forehead. "I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is Jasper wants me to go run an errand for him on Earth and I'll be gone for about six or seven days."

He crossed his arms and pouted, "And there's supposed to be good news? There's nothing that could cheer me up from that." 

With a sigh, Croc pulled him into his chest. He expected this reaction but it still upset him to see a frown on Kuza's face. "Sweetie, I promise, it'll make things a little better. See, the good news is you won't be alone. A few days ago the others found a tuatara egg washed up on the beach."

Kuza looked up at him like he'd grown a second head. "A what?"

He chuckled, "A tuatara. It's a rare kind of reptile. They look like lizards, but there're a lot cuter and they've got a lot more personality. They're feistier too. That's why I thought one would be a perfect companion for you. I want you to raise him and take care of him. He was lost, without a family at all. We need to give him one."

"Just like Happy. You truly haven't changed, have you, brother?" Covey spoke in his head. 

"Why do you automatically assume it's a boy?" Kuza wondered.

Croc shrugged, "Just assumed, I guess. The others said they thought it might be. They told me earlier that they think the storm will cause it to hatch. So, that's why I took you down here. Marla told me they've been keeping it in a small cave in the rocks."

"That doesn't mean Marla is here, right?" He asked as he followed him down the shore.

"Baby, one of these days you're going to have to get over your fear of snakes." He replied.

"I'm not scared of snakes. I'm scared of their venom. Any of them could kill me in two seconds." 

Croc glanced over his shoulder at him, "Why would you-" He paused, "Oh, that's right. You weren't in the room when Jasper told me that."

Kuza hurried to catch up. He wasn't short but certainly shorter than his mate. "Tell you what?"

"About his powers. He's got plenty I know he won't talk about, but he told me one of them. Anyone who bares his mark from a pact or branding can't die of anything other than old age. He said our contract will cover you in that deal too. Just don't get any bright ideas of jumping off of cliffs or anything." 

"I know I'm a sucker for pain, but not to that extent, Babe." Kuza responded, "But, it's really nice to know that I won't lose you. You worry me with some of the stunts you pull."

Croc smirked in his direction, "You know it turns you on to watch me fight."

"Well, maybe, but I still worry." He blushed.

He grabbed his little vampire roughly and tossed him over his shoulder. "Yeah, yeah. I know, pipsqueak."

"Hey! I am not a pipsqueak! You're just a fucking giant." He grumbled. Kuza didn't really mind getting the free ride, though. So, he didn't complain too much as his boyfriend carried him halfway down the beach. Finally, they stopped near a small cove. 

Croc placed him down again and gestured him inside. With a sigh, Kuza got down on his knees and glanced around. Sure enough, there was a small little egg half buried in the soil to keep it warm. It had a small crack in the top. The snakes seemed to be right. Rain and thunder did provoke the little guy to want to hatch finally.

"It looks like he's trying to get out." He said, "I wonder how long it's going to take." 

"Sometimes you have to provoke them. At least with crocodile hatchlings, some of them would always need a little help getting out." 

Kuza glanced back at him, raising an eyebrow, "Why do you know that? Do you have any half demon half crocodile children I need to know about?"

He laughed lightly, "No, Babe. I promise, I'd never keep something like that from you even if it ever had happened. I know because I've taken care of a lot of abandoned or orphaned hatchlings. I just can't help it."

"You have such a big heart. I wish other people would see it." He softly smiled.

His attention was drawn back to the egg as it started to crack more. Slowly but surely a little scaled head popped out. He looked around groggily, as if he had just woken up from a nap. For a reptile, he was pretty damn cute. He even did a small little yawn that just melted both their hearts. It might seem like a horrid thing that this baby had lost his real parents, but in truth, he'd probably gotten a much better adoptive set than he could've ever hoped for.

Kuza reached out his hand, letting the tuatara crawl out of it's shell and onto his fingers. "Aww, he's so cute! And tiny!"

"I knew you'd fall in love with him the second you saw him. He won't get much bigger than about two feet long and three pounds. That is, if you don't feed him too much. Knowing you, you'd let him eat whatever he wants." Croc snickered.

"I'll be a good parent. I promise." He softly smiled as he held the creature up in front of him. 

"I'll let you name him, Baby." 

"Hmm, I'll have to think on it a bit." Kuza replied. He stood up, carefully holding the tired baby in his hands. 

Croc expected for him to take to the tuatara quickly but he wasn't expecting it to be this much. Not that that was a bad thing. It made him so happy to see the two instantly click like that. He had a feeling that Jasper was going to become a lot more active now that he has the energy to do so. In his old body, he was too sick to bother inserting himself into situations that he wasn't needed in. Now, he's hungry for more control of the human world again.

That wasn't really something Croc was going to argue against. The humans once worshiped their kind. Then, they became arrogant. They believed that they had to destroy anything more powerful than them. Unfortunately, they won too many times. They had to be put in check. They'd really fucked themselves in recent years, turning into pansies. It was time they learned what they really should be fearing. 

Watching Kuza and their new baby bond made him think, though. Is rage anyways the answer? When it comes to protecting his family, he'd do anything. Croc would leave the humans be and defy Jasper, but he feared humans were going to become too much of a pest soon. They needed to be shown who still holds the power in this world. It's the price of forgetting your mistakes.

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Jasper gave a judgmental eye to two of his powerhouses. They knew better than to dress in their casual clothes in his presence. It was rare either of them ever actually saw him. Considering they were usually locked up, they never got to sit at the dinner table with him every night like other patients. 

Asher was too out of it to care much about his appearance. He thought a pair of ripped jeans and a leather vest were just fine, but his boss didn't agree. As far as Dusk was concerned, she simply forgot. A leather skirt and a lot of fishnet covering her rail thin body was far from respectful. Not that her true form was very classy either, but it was considered more appropriate.

"Have you two forgotten your manors? In my presence, you are to present your true forms. A dark creature that would choose to look like a human disgusts me." He bitterly spoke.

"We're sorry, Master." Dusk muttered. 

Their real forms weren't that far off from human. Black light flashed up from the ground around them temporarily. They were returned to the state they'd presented themselves in during the battle. Asher's horns now visible and his hair dropped to his knees, he looked more like you'd picture of a god of seduction. The same could be said for Dusk, as she was covered in nearly nothing but cobwebs and sheer.

"Thank you." He sighed, "Now that I am able, without sickness or legalities to stop me, I'd like the society to start serving a more offensive role. Frankly, defense has gotten boring. Croc is returning to Earth for a week and you two will accompany him. Your order is to follow his orders, understood?"

"Yes, Master." They both answered obediently.

"If I may, Sir, what is the objective?" Dusk asked.

"To do what you do best; Wreak havoc. Humans have gotten lazy. They complain but don't do a damn thing to cause change. So, we're going to force them to wake the fuck up. If they realize they aren't on the top of the food chain, maybe they'll stop being so arrogant." He spoke with so much spite, it honestly worried them. "Dusk will have plenty of misery to feed off of. Asher, I trust the energy you harvested from Ryan will last you the trip?"

"It should. If it were to run out, I'd find a way to replenish it quickly. I understand I am on a short leash currently and I will follow Croc's orders." He replied.

"Good." Jasper said, "I have seen you've taken some care to Mr. Sitkowski. I do not mind, just so long as you stop letting it cloud your head. The man will come around eventually. You've always gotten your prey, no matter what the circumstances. Stop worrying about it so damn much."

He lowered his head shamefully, "Forgive me, Sir. I've never found it difficult to control an emotion before."

"Some emotions aren't meant to be controlled. Though, I will admit, some must be suppressed. Follow Dusk's lead and learn to channel your unfiltered emotion into power. If you can't do that, then you'll have to learn how to be numb, and I don't want that for you. Maybe this trip away will be good for your mind." 

"Perhaps you're right." He muttered, "Thank you, Master."

Jasper made a shoo motion with his hand, "You've got your orders. Now, get out of my sight. I have work to do."

They didn't really mind anyways. Both had other things they'd rather be doing right now. Their Master had made a decision that was a little offensive to them, even if he didn't realize it. They'd been here for years and never gotten to lead a mission. Croc has been here a few months and he's already trusted with a high responsibility like that? It hardly seemed fair. Then again, he was much more trustworthy. They couldn't help their natural urges to break the rules. 

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Comment question: Name suggestions for the tuatara?