Chapter 6
A predator knows another predator when they see one. This was a fact, everywhere Venom went this was a fact.
Here in this room was no different.
Venom knew they were in the presence of one the moment Eddie walked them through that door. Eddie didn't have the instinct of a predator, not like Venom. So Eddie had to rely on his research, only Eddie ignored his research as best as he frustratingly could. It was good that Eddie had Venom because he didn't doubt Eddie and he didn't doubt himself. Don't get him wrong, he was well aware that Eddie was an intelligent human, intelligent enough to come to the right conclusions when important, diligent enough to stay steadfast in what they were doing and brave enough to try and be the good guy on San Francisco's streets. More importantly, Eddie was Venom's host. His preferred host, perhaps not perfect – they were working on it, but Venom would choose no other now.
They made them – us. We.
Although Venom did have to correct Eddie multiple times since the fight against Riot and his scrawny host, Eddie always falling back on singular terms – I, me, myself. But Eddie was getting better, including Venom in every sentence and nearly every thought. Only around the ignorant did they use the singular terms.
Today will be the one and only time Venom wished that Eddie stuck to singular terms.
It was what gave them away to the doctor in the room. Venom wasn't fond of doctors of any kind, he didn't mind Dan but that was because he was Anne's and treated Eddie kindly. But all others were as good as eaten if Venom had his choice. As they exited the bathroom, Venom had seconds to react and he easily did so – saving them from a small knife before it could hit Eddie's throat. It took less than a second for Venom to find himself shifting inside of Eddie angrily at the sheer audacity! This doctor – this pitiful small tiny doctor threw a weapon at Eddie.
At them!
Holding the offensive object away from their neck Venom allowed Eddie to see it clearly as Venom held the blade before them. Eddie sounded stunned, his question matching perfectly. It didn't last long, however, as anger sent off fireworks throughout Eddie's body simply adding to Venom's own anger.
“You tried to kill us?” Venom accused through Eddie. Venom could picture the tiny doctor headless before him so perfectly it was enough to send a shudder through Eddie. Eddie who now wasn't completely in the driver seat as he called it. Having to listen to the doctor's answer did nothing to improve Venom's mood.
“See? You threw a blade at us to see if your theory was correct.” Venom let the blade drop as he spoke, letting himself spill out inch by inch instead of all at once as they normally do when it was time to hunt the bad guys or investigate something too dangerous for Eddie alone. Venom let the doctor take the changes in for a moment before pushing forth and taking full control as he revealed himself before the now very tiny doctor.
“V, I don't think this is the greatest idea.”
Venom could almost hear the speeding up of the doctor's heart, enough to excite him and have him push forward with what he was doing. Saliva coating his teeth and tongue. Venomous to anyone unfortunate enough to have it exposed to open wounds or eyes, nose, mouth. Especially if Venom was to bite.
Venom could smell a tinge of fear and it grinned widely down at the tiny doctor.
“Does this let you see enough?” Venom asked before snatching the tiny doctor by the neck, small and thine – easy to snap if Venom was so inclined.
“Venom – seriously.”
“Does this prove your theory correct or false, because you proved our theory correct. We knew you were a killer even before we walked into this room.” Venom explained, let the doctor know that Venom knew he was bad. Eddie's definition of bad and the doctor wasn't a cop or an agent of any sort. So he didn't exactly fall into the category of do not eat. There was so many in that category, it was a near miracle sometimes that they had enough to eat. Chocolate and Eddie's chemicals in his brain can only do so much, they still have a need. Something Eddie should understand, humans didn't need meat to survive and still, they ate it. Regularly.
And Venom had a large appetite. He needed live meat like humans needed steak and burgers.
Wanted it so badly that he could imagine the crunch and gushing of bones and blood. Eddie shivered inside of him.
The doctor squirming in Venom's grip all but confirmed what Venom already knew – Venom indicated that Eddie should listen carefully. They were right. Pushing forth to get it in words, Venom was satisfied when they relieved a simple, “No.”
“Good. Because we eat bad people.” See Eddie, the doctor was bad and thus edible. Venom licked the doctor's face, only two of them would know the effect their saliva can have on someone. Their bite. Widening its mouth as Venom lifted the doctor up – ready to bite even as the doctor begged,
“Wait! Wait! Let's talk – you and I.”
“V, he has records of us being here written in his book. We can't just walk up and erase it or steal it. There's also the chance that others already know we're here. Possibly even security camera's!”
That caught Venom's attention. Records would be a bad thing. Records could lead more people to them – it would ruin what they had in San Francisco and their apartment and being together. Eddie would be upset if everything was taken away. But the squirming doctor was so close to being eaten, and he was bad and deserved it and Venom was hungry!
“Put him down.”
No. He's bad, we eat bad. You said we could eat bad.
“He has records of us being here. We can't take the chance, not when things are going smoothly for us.”
There was the problem of the doctor talking now, saying what he saw. What nearly happened to him.
We're hungry.
“I know, I promise we'll find someone to eat – but later. Right now we have to make sure he doesn't talk.”
Venom snarled; angry at the prospects of a denied meal, angry because of this human's audacity to throw a weapon at them. Eddie proposes mercy while Venom wanted retribution for the offence.
“We are listening.” Venom forced out, not letting the doctor go but holding him at arm range. Eddie wanted to be put back in the driver seat, but Venom didn't trust the doctor. The doctor seemed surprised, idly trying to wipe away the saliva while Venom hoped it would find an open cut or something.
“Can you put me down?” The doctor asked.
“No. Speak. Then we will speak.” Venom sneered. Grinning madly at the doctor who seemed far from amused, but this was a workable situation apparently as he continued as though he was put down and as composed as he was at the start of the interview,
“I propose a truce, of sorts.”
“That might work for us, as long as he keeps silent about us.”
Venom disagreed, despite not being able to kill the doctor – they were still the ones with the power here. The control. It was by their terms this truce will be set. Signed and dotted with a friendly bite.
“Dude!”
“Are we in agreement? About there being a truce.” The doctor – the tiny little insignificant doctor as far as Venom was concerned. A lost meal. A lost opportunity for a meal. Nothing grand or important, just a morsel.
“You stay silent about us. We stay silent about you. That is the truce, we don't eat you and you don't kill in our city.” Venom spat out, “No matter what.”
There was silence, the doctor no doubt thinking this over. Curiosity was now clearly seen in the human's expression.
“How much do you know?” Venom should have known this question would be asked.
“Don't tell him exactly what, let him wonder about it. Let him worry about it, and hopefully, that'll be enough to keep him quiet.”
Venom could agree with that, so he smiled widely.
“Death follows you, any half-wit can see that if they only looked and we know how to look and where and did. How much do you think we know?” Venom might be having a bit more fun than he wanted to admit, however, he did hope that the arrogant little thing in front of them would make the mistake of killing someone in San Francisco or simply going to the city. Accidents happen after all. Venom could feel his saliva dripping off of his jaw, with now neat everything in this room it would no doubt bother the doctor. Venom would add insult to injury.
“I can agree with that.” The doctor sounded reluctant, but there is no doubt a lot of wiggle room in Venom's suggestion that would allow the man to carry on as he has been. All the same, Venom let his grin grow wider as it showed an exaggerated version of pleasure, even when he didn't feel it himself. Eddie felt relief, that was enough to sooth some of Venom's own feelings on the matter.
“Good.” Venom spoke, before adding calmly, “We suggest a price to be paid for your crime against us and a reminder to keep to our agreement.”
~ POV Change ~
A few months passed since that fateful interview, one that changed Hannibal's life. For the better. For the worse. His limitations at times were taxing, but liberating in other ways. The reward from the cost was enough to erase evidence as best as he could about what happened and keep his end of the agreement. One sealed with his own flesh. An event Hannibal remembered as though it happened yesterday.
“Good.” The thing spoke, before adding calmly, “We suggest a price to be paid for your crime against us and a reminder to keep to our agreement.”
It was enough for Hannibal to be concerned, what price would he have to pay in order to keep his life and for the both of them to go their own ways without much of a fight. The thing – whatever it was smiled widely down at him. Drool mixed with green slime dripping steadily onto the floor. Hannibal hoped it wouldn't stain. But the scent of the green stuff was even worse than the thing's breath.
“What price would be paid?” Hannibal asked as the thing seemed to loosen its grip for a moment before letting go of him completely.
“We're glad you asked! A simple token, you won't miss it too much.” The thing answered, before adding a near playful, “Maybe.”
Unfortunately, despite not being held anymore Hannibal wasn't given much chance to react as he was knocked back hard enough that he landed partially on his desk. Cursing Hannibal wondered if whatever it was going back on their agreement. Hannibal cursed lightly as he tried to get up quick enough only to find his arm was now securely held by the thing. It's drool and green slim soaking his shirt, but that was hardly important in regards to the fact that his arm was securely held while the thing leaned over him and staring down at him hungrily.
“We have a truce.” Hannibal reminded, trying to sound far calmer than he actually felt.
“We do.” It reassured and after that, all Hannibal knew waspain as his left arm was twisted at an unnatural angle at the elbow, it took everything in him to not scream at the agony of feeling his limb being torn off. Hannibal attempted to strike the thing only to find that whatever he did had no effect. Hannibal cursed in every language he knew, this was painful and it was taking everything in him to not black out. Or perhaps he did? Because the next thing he knew was his belt was being removed and it was Eddie Brock before him. The temptation to stab the man was extremely high. The reporter must have seen it as well.
“I wouldn't. I barely managed to get him to spare you. He takes a great deal offoffence to someone trying to harm us.” Eddie warned as he tried to stop the bleeding. It was clear that Eddie hasn't phoned this in yet.
“W-What is it?” Hannibal managed to ask, voice unsteady with the pain he was feeling. It was clear that Eddie was trying to be gentle but didn't care too much about being gentle at the same time. Perhaps it wasn't only the thing that felt offence.
“I dunno – mine. My special other. Something you don't want to fuck with. His name is Venom by the way, not it. He's not a thing.” Eddie corrected, there was a warning there, taking a good look at Eddie he could see black veins spread across the man's neck and disappearing somewhere under his shirt. The answer he received did, in fact, make Hannibal wonder just how far Eddie would go to protect his 'special other' in return. But that was a thought for another time. Right now he was trying to control his own reactions as best that he humanly could.
“I'll call someone for help. But as far as anyone knew, I wasn't here when this happened. I stepped out long enough for this to happened and returned and found you like this.” Eddie said, Hannibal noted it to not be a very clever cover story but simple would be best. Hannibal nodded, he'll figure things out better when he could think clearly again.
It was from Jack that he learned that Eddie was released two days after being questioned. No signs or proof that he knew what happened. Oddly the man did stop at the zoo before heading back to San Francisco.
Hannibal only recently returned to work, having to take the time to recondition himself and get only having one arm and trying to learn how to use an artificial limb. He wasn't completely healed, so naturally, everything was still very painful. He removed it whenever he had a chance to relax properly, Hannibal tended to his own bandage changing and aftercare when he was finally discharged. Fieldwork, however, has been impossible for him, he was no longer able to assist Jack and Will on Jack's orders. But he was still very much involved thanks to Will coming to him regularly. Even more so after his 'accident'.
Eventually, Hannibal was sure he can have Will assist him even further in regards to his own preferred source of meat. After all, Will has already knowingly assisted him in his kitchen knowing what the ingredients were. So the reward for losing a limb and keeping quiet about something not of this world was greater than the loss of a limb and some of his dignity.
~ POV Change ~
Eddie wasn't entirely pleased with what happened on his last interview, Venom was completely unapologetic. But so far things were going smoothly for them, the story was exactly what his current boss was hoping for. It burned to have to write Dr. Lecter as a good person when he knew the truth. But it was a price he had to pay in order to keep his life with Venom going smoothly. And to keep what he had now, it was a price he could very well pay again. A few more weeks and perhaps they could quit working for his boss and start working for themselves.
The only problem in their city was the extra deaths that were happening, people dying the same way they would be for Venom. Heads missing. Venom was certain that those weren't theirs. So it was something they had to look into. Eddie just hoped that it wasn't something too bad, it didn't help that he read somewhere that the serial killer Cletus Kasady escaped custody.
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