Guilty Pleasure, Chapter 10

This chapter kicks off with Anita poking the door in the vain hope that it'll magically open for her, you'd think that someone that'd have to break into places to kill vampires would have a vague idea on how to pick locks...
Suddenly! Rats, a lot of rats, they are followed by a rat roughly the size of a German Shepard. I like rats, but this would scare the living hell out of me, the rat shows its long yellowed teeth and Anita screams for JC.
Really? I get being scared, but since you're in a den of vampires I'd be wondering if this wasn't another attack on my life, especially considering how nice and respectful Anita appears to be towards vamps.

The air fills with the squeaks of rats, causing Anita to freak out even more somehow managing to notice the man sized hole in the wall. How the fuck did the rats manage to create a man size hole and not have the occupant of the room notice??
It turns out that the giant rat can talk, telling Anita that no one will come for her until they've finished with her... Well, that's creepy.

Anita turns to face the cell, nothing that the floor is literally crawling with rats, four enormous rats are standing among them. She notes that while she'd never met a were-rat before she was willing to bet good money that she's just met four.
Apparently the were-rats have grown in size since they've entered the room considering that the one talking is now human-sized, he invites her to join them.
Anita ponders about the fact that she knew one male that got brutally attacked by a were-wolf, survived and managed to stay human while another male barely got scratched and became a were-tiger, so she figures that she'd be better off standing on the stairs near the door then get close to the virus carrying were-rats. Can't really argue with her logic here.

Since it's been just over a page since someone acted cliched the main rat asks Anita to 'come down and play' when she refuses he points out that she 'won't like what would happen if I have to come up and get you'
When he starts moving towards her the rats at his feet scramble to get out of his way, leaping over each other in a frantic attempt to avoid his touch.
Now, I'm not sure why real animals can't seem to stand were's in this series. In my story they tend to treat them like any other animal of there kind, if they are dominant and you are dominant they will try to fight you, if you wonder onto their territory they will defend it. But they won't flee, or attack any were's for simply being were.

Anita reaches for her knife and seems mildly surprised to find it missing. Bitch, you're a renown vampire hunter, why are you surprised that they are treating you like a serious threat??
When she refuses to go to the rat, he send two lackeys over to fetch. As they come towards her one of the smaller rats fail to get out of the way in time so they walk over it, as soon as they have passed the other rats rush over to consume it.
When they get to the bottom of the stairs, she asks them to wait which they do. If I was the lead rat I'd be getting new lackeys, and asks the head rat what he wants from her. Apparently Nicky has asked them to entertain her until she's needed.
When Anita points out that, that really didn't answer the question he replies with...

"Come down to us human. Touch us, let us touch you. Let us teach you the joys of fur and teeth." He rubbed claws though the fur of his thighs. It drew my attention to him, between this legs.

Yay for bestiality! Also the fact that she doesn't write the word 'penis' is a recurring theme in both this series and her other one. For a author that claims to push the forth wall and write hard-core erotica she has an issue with naming sexual organs.
So Anita implies that the ratman here is ill-equip to entertain her, which... Pleases him like a box of ratkill.
The two lackeys start moving towards her again, Anita presses against the door begging them not to touch her, which... Pleases the lead rat? He taunts that it's a shame that she's broken so easy.
As soon as one rat starts to crawl on top of her, she kicks out with both feet knocking him off her and leaving it tottering on the edge of the stairs, she lunges at his chest, knocking him completely off the stairs.
His friend crouches, making an odd sound in his throat. Anita gets down to one knee and braces, noting that if the rat leaps at her it'll knock her off the edge also.

The rat leaps and Anita drops to a roll, shoving both feet and one hand into it's body to make sure it ends up flying over the edge.
I get the move she's going for, but I'm honestly pretty sure that she'd have been better off using one leg for that move. I'm not self-defense expert here, but from the bits I've dabbled in I just can't see that move working, especially since she's just come out of a roll.
The rat lands with a 'satisfying' thump, she notes that she probably hasn't killed them (how tall is this staircase?! I'd assumed it was at max five steps) but that it's the best she could do.
The lead rat sics the lesser rats onto Anita, because LKH is REALLY trying and failing to cause a tense scene here the rats attack her, attempting to climb up her legs.
Even though right now she should be panicking pretty badly that a bunch of rats are trying to eat her, she notes that one of the were's is dragging his friend out of harms way, the one walking is limping and his mate isn't moving at all.
Way to kill the tension by the way...

Blah blah, rats are crawling and biting Anita, she rips a rat off her face and starts asking the lead rat if he is scared to come at her himself. He replies that he isn't afraid of no human, so Anita taunts that he should come at her then.
Rinse and repeat this conversation two or three more times and finally the lead rat, calls his smaller brethren off her Lycanthropes...
Ok, I have to stop and rant here. Lycanthrope is Greek, it literally means Wolf man, two seconds on google can tell you this, so why is her were-rat a lycanthrope??
A-Sporking-Rat on LiveJournal (http://a-sporking-rat.livejournal.com) goes on a rant about this too and claims that were-rats under the lycan terminology should be "Ponktikoanthrope" not sure where or how she came to this conclusion but it sounds about 1000000000000% times better then 'Lycanthrope'
The only terminology that I'm 100% sure about is Therianthropy which is the general term.

Back we get to this story before I keep ranting, Anita thinks about how were-rats (for the sake of my sanity and not wanting to bore you with incoherent ranting about how stupid it is, I'll refrain from calling the were-rats Lycans when Anita does) Are naturally stronger and faster then us mere humans, and she'd never see him coming if he does.
She also doesn't think he'd be as stupid as get angry enough to rush her.

I was hurt, unarmed, and outmatched. If I couldn't get him to make a mistake, I was in deep shit.

Well, we are in agreement with that statement at least. Even if the were-rats weren't completely over-powered, a giant rat could easily take a human down.
Mister rat here gets in touch with this psychotic side, sniffing the air claiming that he can smell fresh blood and that she reeks of 'fear, blood and fear.' Which smells like dinner.

Now from a predators point of view I can understand, from a human prospective I'm skeptical. Like it or not the were-rats under all that fur is human, he clearly still has his human thoughts and emotions so why doesn't he have empathy?

Anita slides her hand out of view, bluffing that she has a silver blade hidden on her, the lead rat hesitates claiming that she couldn't have silver on her. One of his lackeys squeaks something at him, causing him to snarl that he isn't afraid, making Anita worry that her bluff won't work if he's going to be egged on.
She then points out that she injured both of his mates without lackeys, which to me doesn't prove that she has a weapon but I'm too tired to really think of a witty enough response to this.

Anita then starts with small talk, mentioning that she's never seen a blond rat before (something I admit I missed from earlier)  hoping that JC would hurry his French ass up and return, which causes her to laugh.
This unnerves the ratman for some reason, Anita ruins the illusion that she's either mentally unstable or knows something that he doesn't by explaining that she's hoping the vamps would rescue her and that, that's pretty funny (spoiler alert, it's really not)
Moving her hand to her back, acting like there's a blade hidden there doesn't seem to fool the lead rats lackey as it squeaks in derision, making it clear that head rat won't live it down if she bluffs her.

Now, Anita gets all up on her high horse, claiming that most people when faced with a massive rat man they would freeze and/or panic (who wouldn't) but since she's had time to get use to it so she 'wouldn't fade away if he touched her'
The arrogance, it burns!!
Having an arrogant character doesn't bother me, my main character can be pretty damn arrogant and over-confident but I don't express this by pointing out how much better he is then everyone else, that's just.. Stupid and makes Anita here look extremely uncaring.

Well, she now claims that she has a plan and that if it doesn't work she will die (if only I was so lucky) she also mentions that being a rat wouldn't be her first choice of furriness. Now I admit that it wouldn't exactly be mine either, but that's because I'm mildly obsessed with canines, but being a rat wouldn't be too bad, rats have dog-like intelligence, are fast, nimble can eat anything and better yet, they have extremely useful paws.
We also learn that they have inoculations available for those bitten by a were, only sometimes they healed you and other times they infected you. How the fuck did this pass the first round of inspections? This sort of medicine goes through vigorous testing and experimenting before they even notify the media let alone start injecting civilians! Plus considering that there have been supernatural beings hanging around for awhile now you'd think they'd have something just a little more bloody reliable!

Rat man gets all creepy, stroking his tail and asking if she's ever been taken by a were before (get use to the rape overtones, if I remember correctly this series is filled with them) Anita isn't sure if he's talking sex or food, choosing sex she once again implies that he doesn't have what it takes to please her.
Yes Anita, because it worked so well for you last time. You're one of those people who just HAS to touch the electric fence again in case the first shock was just a fluke.

Skip a few sentences of them sparring about his sexual abilities, he finally gets pissed off and leaps at Anita, he comes at her with 'incredible' speed, but she is ready for it and bunches her legs in front of her body, using the strength in her legs to hold him off (really? great plan there Anita...) she then tucks her arms over her legs fighting him... I.. I can't envision what she's trying to convey here.
She kicks out with both legs, but shockingly enough the rat see's this coming and tries to move backwards so Anita's legs hit him full force between his legs.
Naturally he drops to his knees and struggles to breath, another were-rat seems to be joining the party, rushing out of the tunnel the rats made, causing the lesser rats to scramble to safety.
The new rat is jet black and you know he'll be a good guy because he's wearing cut off jeans. Just thinking about it, wouldn't the jeans a) no longer fit someone whose changed that much and b) wouldn't that impede his ability to move as a rat?

He stands and mentions at Anita, causing her to once again fruitlessly call out to JC. All the lessor rats race for the tunnel, causing Anita to watch the entire scene in shock.
The lead rat and his lackeys starting squeaking at this new rat, who hisses and snarls that Anita was merely defending herself then demanded to know what they were doing.
The limping lackey starts dragging his unconscious friend back towards the tunnel, which makes me wonder, wasn't there 4 were-rats to begin with? Or did I just misread that? (goes check) There was four rats... What happened to the fourth one?!

The blond rat is lying still, cradling himself and clearly just concentrating on breathing. The new rat demands to know why he's here since he ordered everyone to stay away.
Blondie replies that the master called so he came, a responds the new rat shuts down by proclaiming that he's king, and that means he obeys no one but him.
Blondie points out that he's only king until he dies, which if he keeps standing against the master will be soon.
The rat king spazzes out at this, grabbing blondie by the throat he hurls him up. Claiming that if he disobeys him again, it will mean his death before tossing him down the stairs.
Bloody hell mate, I get beating respect into those who don't fall into line, but I dunno. this just seems to rub me the wrong way, maybe if you stopped throwing your subjects around and actually explained shit to them they'd be more willing to follow your orders.

Rat king turns to Anita and asks if she's alright, she realizes that she's being rescued and internally snarks that she didn't need help. I get that you're being sarcastic, but just shut the fuck up and be grateful you stupid bitch. It comes across as ungrateful and petty.
It turns out that the rat king is only here because he's forbidden his people from hunting for the vampires (good job there buddy!)
Anita and rat king snark at each other for a moment before getting on with the plot, sorta, rat king has a crown burnt into his arm. Causing Anita to state that wouldn't it be easier to carry a crown and scepter? (face palm of epicness) to which the rat king replies with a grin that this way leaves his hands free.
Ratty asks what the vamps what with her, when she replies that they want her to work for them he suggests that she does it since they'll hurt her if she doesn't.
When Anita turns the tables, pointing out that it wouldn't be good for his health to be ordering the rats away from the vamps he responds that Nicky considers herself queen of the rats since they are her animal to call, but they are not animals but human, which leaves them a choice.
Ratty and Anita have another back and forth 'do what she asks and she won't hurt you,' [...] 'I give good advice, I don't always take it'
He turns suddenly to the door, mentioning that 'they're coming' he picks up blondie and leaves quickly down the tunnel, leaving Anita to her fate.

Theresa opens the door, hands on hips and 'I've just bitten into a lemon' face, demanding to know where 'they' are.
Anita holds her injured hand up, saying that they did there part then left. An answer that doesn't please Theresa since they were apparently not suppose to leave, making the surprisingly quick leap of logic that the rat king got involved.
A leap that Anita doesn't exactly go out of her way to dispel with a 'they left, don't know why'
Theresa yaps on about how Anita is so calm and asks if the rats didn't scare her... I thought vamps could smell fear? Wouldn't Anita still smell of fear? And in that case wouldn't Theresa be able to smell the rats and note that the king was actually involved?????????????

Theresa says that the rats weren't suppose to draw blood, then asks if she'll change at the next full moon, which gives us the worst quote adaption I've ever seen.
Curiosity killed the vampire. One could always hope.   
No, just... No...

Apparently the whole point of having the rats pay her a visit was to make her scared, throw Anita off her game I guess, Anita responds that maybe she just isn't that easy to scare. She then proves this fact by looking Theresa in the eyes.
The vamp grins wide enough to flash fang, pointing out that Nicky will find something that frightens her since fear is power. She whispers the last part as though she's afraid to say it too loudly.
Anita then wonders at what vampires must fear, conjuring images of sharpened stakes and garlic, wondering how do you frighten the dead.
To me that answer is pretty easy, death. One doesn't become a vampire for it's awesome diet and lack of vitamin D, they usually become vampires because they are terrified of dying. Or they want power, or revenge. Death is pretty bloody permanent, and once you're dead very few remember you and over the years less and less people remember you. Unless you make a name for yourself by either creating something interesting (Nikola Tesla) or a bloody war (Genghis Khan) your name will be nothing but a name on a death certificate. Even then your history will be so twisted over the years that separating fact from fiction becomes nearly impossible.

Theresa tells Anita to walk in front of her, so that they can go and meet her master. Anita snaps back that Nicky isn't her master.
Apparently at the end of the night, Nicky will be everyone's master (Cliche's attack again!) Theresa claims that JC's power has made Anita stupid, a claim I call bullshit on since she's this stupid before we even met the guy.
Anita states that she'd rather die then become a vampire lackey. A claim that Theresa nods at slowly, saying that she might get her wish
The back of Anita's neck crawls, saying that she knows what evil feels like and that while she's felt it around humans being undead really does help.
So she walks down the corridor, Theresa clomping behind her in her high heels, stating that while it might only be her fear talking, but that she'd swear she could feel the vamp staring at her like a cube of ice sliding down her spine.

This chapter was just awful, and long...