I don't own DBZ or Petshop of Horrors they belong to their respected owners and creators. B isn't making any money off this it's just for fun.

Also B really 'hate' fanfiction dot net's way of posting! Seems like every time B post something here the format gets messed up like (') disappearing and spaces between sentences and things that really make it 'hard' to read stuff. So thanks to all that put up with it and his is B's attempt to fix one story that got messed up, it's unfortunately not an update.

Ja ne

b-chan

Pet Shop of Horrors: Dangerous

Chapter 1

Special thank to Xaverri from the DBZ Fanfic Salon who was kind enough to beta for B.

Plumes of mist billow up from the back alleys of Chinatown, home to a variety of merchants of the occult and mystical. A sharp breeze drives the mist out into the crowded streets, revealing here, in the crevices of the concrete jungle, a solitary pet shop. Its proprietor, an enigmatic figure known only as Count D, beckons through his doors the injured and the scarred, introducing them to creatures friendly and bizarre.

Our guide through this mysterious landscape is one Detective Leon Orcot who has traced a series of seemingly unrelated crimes to Count D and his Pet Shop of Horrors. A steadfast skeptic, Leon dismisses as trickery the inexplicable events he witnesses. However, this hard-boiled dick is driven to prove Count D's guilt, or to catch a glimpse of the magic he wields.

Prepare ourselves for tales of wonder and woe in which lessons are learned and fates foretold.

She worked her jaw in an attempt to stifle or mask the yawn that wanted to burst forth. Her sky blue eyes water in tiring boredom, staring blankly at the screen before her that seemed to blaze too brightly in the dim light. The charts and graphs had lost their meaning long ago amongst the many numbers and letters that accompanied her position as CEO of Capsule Corps.

Huffing she slumped back into her expensive executive leather chair, listening to it groan as her weight settled. Lifting a hand of manicured French nails she pulled at the carved mother of pearl shell clip that adorned her long cyan locks and let the mess unwind and tumble free down her shoulders and back.

Her eyes drifted to her image lightly reflected in the large glass window overlooking Satan City in all its sophisticated new age glory. Dressed in a custom tailored pin striped dress suit of sepia, lined with black around trim and pocket edges, she looked the part of all-powerful business woman that she was, but her eyes lacked luster and her unkempt hair enhanced the feel that she was dissatisfied with her current situation.

She couldn't say why she felt so drained and unhappy. Business had been good, stocks were climbing, new products were flying off the shelves and show rooms, magazines praised her mind and body proclaiming her the queen of a new era. And yet it all seemed so meaningless, so routine. It had been for awhile now, when had things gotten so dry?

Her father had retired leaving her to handle the company, off to tour the world with her ever easy to please mother in tow. Perhaps that had been the start of the end of her exciting life as a beautiful young genius out to experience all life had to offer. Oh, she could remember being so reckless, so wild! Remember going to dark places that a 'lady' would never even consider venturing into, let alone a woman of renowned fame and fortune. She'd tangoed with the best and the worst, drank and gambled and indulged in every pleasure to be had. She made some intriguing friends and even more intriguing enemies along the way. Enemies she had ruthlessly crushed over the years. They knew their place, didn't contend with her might any more. She missed the challenge, the excitement. Her friends, exciting lot that they were, seemed to have all melted into the background. She couldn't remember the last time they had called or dropped by.

Digging in her pocket she pulled out her slim metallic blue cell and out of shear boredom flipped it open to thumb down her contact list, her nails began to drum idly against her desk as she scrolled. The first dozen numbers had her frowning: all work associates and partners, labs and factories, and a whole slew of people she had a hard time putting faces to. Disgruntled she closed the phone and pouted; glanced back at her computer screen, snorted in disgust and flipped the cell open once more. Surely she was still close to some of her old friends, surly one of them still held an interest in herself as a person. Going into her history and scrolling down the incoming calls her frown seemed to darken. Business, business, Yamacha, business, business, business, dad…. She paused as an unknown number rolled into view on the tiny screen, a small icon next to it indicating whoever they were they'd left a voice message.

She stared at the number, finger posed over the keys. Out of principle she didn't answer unknown numbers, had probably glanced at her phone when it'd rung and been too busy or uninterested at the time. She was curious as to its nature, now that she was dying to do something besides look at numbers.

Pressing in her number code she brought the cell to her ear and listened to the automatic voice list her options. Impatiently she pressed the option to hear her messages.

"Hey, Babe. Been thinking about you. Wondering if you wanted to go out tonight to eat, maybe see a mo-".

She swiftly pressed the delete option, uninterested in the rest of the message.

"Hello, honey," sing sang her mother's voice. "Just calling to let you know we arrived in Cabo safely. I've already found the cutest pair of earrings for you at this quaint little flea market. I'll be sending them home to you via mail. Uh oh, you're father's eyeballing an old pocket watch like he wants to take it apart without paying for it first, you know how he is, so I'd better cut this short. Love yah, bye sweetie."

She smiled briefly missing the pair, the house seemed so empty without them. Just her and Yamacha when he visited, but they'd seem to have run out of things to talk about and all he ever wanted to do was watch TV or go out to movies, have sex- Even that seemed routine nowadays. She glanced down at the large diamond set on white gold on her left hand, used her other fingers to straighten it. Even its dazzling sparkles seemed dull of late.

Her attention perked up as a familiar voice called its greeting.

"Hello Bulma, it's Chichi. I'm in Chinatown and there's something here you just have to see. Call me, kay? Bye hun."

Bulma pulled the cell away from her ear and looked down at the screen as it listed her option to delete, save, or reply. The date stated that the call had been made over a week ago; had it really been so long since she'd checked her messages?

She couldn't help, but feel a tinge of excitement as she dialed the code for reply. Chichi was an old friend, the two of them had gone to high school together and for a few short years been inseparable. Many of those dark places the other woman had been the one to introduce her to. Chichi had a knack for finding trouble, the woman also had a fighting streak in her a mile long. She'd never been able to keep a boyfriend because of it; boys had always been intimidated by her sharp right hooks and even sharper mouth. Bulma was pleased to say some of that had rubbed off on her and had come in pretty handy when dealing with stubborn board members.

The woman had been the one to introduce her to her fiancé, back when they were all young and wild. He'd been a street fighter and oh so raw and dangerous then. Now… now she rarely ever saw that fierce fire in him, he'd been tamed too easily. It was hard to believe the spark had died so fast, they had only been a couple for two years.

She craved something dangerous again, she wanted to feel alive! Surely Chichi had sniffed out something juicy. The phone rang for a time and Bulma feared that maybe the woman had called from a payphone or something, when there was a click and an amused voice that sounded slightly out of breath like it had just finished laughing answered. "Hello?"

"Chichi? Hey it's Bulma."

"Bulma, oh hey what's up?" There was a pause on the other side and Bulma got the impression that her friend was preoccupied by something.

"Hey, I'm just calling to return your message. Sorry I took so long."

"What message is that," Chichi said in a dreamy voice.

Bulma frowned wondering what was going on, she could hear a low growl? Purr? In the background. "You said something about a shop in Chinatown." Stated Bulma straining to hear something that might give her a clue as to what her friend was doing.

"Oh Chinatown!" said Chichi excitedly which was followed by a long pause.

"Yah," prompted Bulma. "What did you find?"

"Well, um… you see. Sorry, hun… but I can't talk about it."

"What? Why?" she growled, put off that Chichi would invite her then withdraw the invite.

"Sorry, hun, but well I promised not to speak about it. If I do they might take him back?"

"Him?" questioned Bulma now very interested. "Chichi… did you finally find yourself a man?"

The other woman giggled dreamily at that. "Well, yes and no. Oh, Bulma I'm so happy. I wish I could tell you about it, but… well there are rules. And he said there were consequences if I would break them, but oh… you need to come over. I can't tell you anything, but I need to share my joy with someone."

Bulma was dying to know just what was going on. "Okay, I'll see you at your place today at 4?"

"Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I'm not at the apartment anymore."

"Really, why? Where are you?" questioned Bulma.

Bulma could feel the other woman's smile. "He likes open spaces… I'm at my father's old house in the Marzipan woods."

"Marzipan woods! Damn, girl you're like a two hour drive away from anything!" grumbled Bulma wondering if it would be worth the time to drive just to 'share' in her friend's joy. This guy must be something, but why the secrets? Why rules?

"Honey, you're not doing anything illegal are you?" questioned Bulma. If Chichi was, then she could help get the woman out of it. Would Chichi tangle herself with the mob? What was this talk about breaking rules and consequences?

"Oh no," assured Chichi. "Nothing illegal, D assured me of that before I signed."

"D?" questioned Bulma.

"I probably shouldn't say anymore over the phone. Just come over, I'll tell you what I can."

"Okay, I'll be there as soon as I can."

Bulma flipped the phone closed and stared at it, unsure of what to think. Chichi was undoubtedly happy, happy in a girly sort of manner Bulma wasn't used to associating with her. But, the whole thing smelled kind of fishy.

Bulma pulled up in front of the old dome shaped capsule house. She was sure they didn't make this kind of model anymore, it was so old fashioned compared to what she was used to, but then Chichi's deceased father had been old fashioned and had bought the building long before she and Chichi were even thought about.

Pocketing her keys she strolled up to the structure, her pumps making loud 'clump' 'clump' sounds on the flagstone path. She wished she'd gone home and changed into something less formal and more suited for the outdoors, but she'd been too curious to wait.

Reaching the door she pressed the doorbell and waited. To her right something stirred inside the house, the curtains shifted and she saw a long tail swish between fabric and glass a moment before it disappeared and the curtains stilled.

Cat? Wondered Bulma stepping over to the window to try and see. It would have to have been very big for a tail that long! The obscured thought that Chichi had acquired a tiger somewhere crossed her mind before she shook it out. What would Chichi do with a tiger; ridiculous.

The said woman appeared a moment later at the door and leaned out to spot her by the window. "Bulma?"

"Oh," smiled Bulma carefully picking her way back to the front porch, the ground was soft and her pumps wanted to sink into it. When she finally reached the front door the two embraced.

"It's good to see you," said Chichi pulling back to gaze upon her old school buddy. The high chine style mandarin collar of her green dress was unbuttoned and an angry red crescent shaped mark stood out sharply against her pale porcelain skin.

"Kami, Chichi," said Bulma reaching out to take hold of her collar to better see. "What is that?"

"Oh," breathed Chichi as the other woman brushed the mark. Both woman's heads snapped up as a low growl was issued from inside the house.

Chichi frowned. "Goku!" she snapped and the low growl instantly stopped. She made a shooing gesture with her hand. "Back, you know better, back!" There was a quiet scrap of something bounding away and then Chichi sighed.

"Chichi," said Bulma eyes wide. "What was that? Is that what bit you?" she questioned, eyes going back to the angry bite mark marring Chichi's throat.

"Oh, this…" said Chichi touching the mark. She winced, pulling her hand away to button the collar. "That was my fault. But, never mind that, come in, come in. "She paused at the door and did a quick sweep with her eyes around the house before stepping aside to allow Bulma in. "Don't mind the mess," she stated as Bulma surveyed the damage.

There was mud and dirt all across the wooden floors and pieces of plant matter: twigs, grass.

The light fixture on the ceiling seemed crocket and a lazy boy chair was turned over, the sides torn up like some large jungle cat had used it to sharpen its claws. At the thought, Bulma glanced around, half expecting to see some large cat curled up on a sofa or something. The lights were dim, but she didn't spot that strange beast she'd heard lurking in the shadows.

"Does your new man keep some dangerous messy animals?" said Bulma wincing as she stepped on a tiny rock surely digging a scratch in the fine wood flooring.

"Oh well…" said Chichi looking down at the condition of the floor. "I never said it was a man."

"What?" stated Bulma taken back. "But, when I asked, you said yes."

"And no," stated Chichi nodding her head. She led Bulma to a round dining table and settled herself in a matching chair. Bulma followed suit, "Well what is it then? What's going on here Chichi?"

Chichi sighed and seemed to be thinking it over in her head. "Well, like I told you on the phone I went to this shop in Chinatown. It was a strange place, I mean it looked so small from the outside, but when he took me into the back the place seemed huge; like a palace. He was burning some kind of sweet smelling incense that I can't place for the life of me and the man himself was an oddity. Two different color eyes and a complexion to make any woman jealous. Don't even get me started on the hair."

Bulma leaned over the table and grasped Chichi's hand in concern. "Oh, Chichi. What did he sell you? Some kind of drug or hallucinogenic? Hun, even if the stuff isn't listed under contraband substances, you really shouldn't have tried it."

"Drugs?" said Chichi pulling away. "No, he didn't sell me any drugs. He sold me-…" she paused as if thinking her wording over. "…a pet… he sold me a pet."

Bulma face planted into the table. "You called me over here to show me your new pet?" questioned Bulma glancing up at her with her cheek still pressed to the table.

"No, no," said Chichi waving her arms. "I mean I can't show him to you, but he's no common household pet. He's special Bulma, one of a kind." She leaned forward as if to emphasize her point.

"You didn't buy something endangered or dangerous did you?" questioned Bulma nervously remembering her earlier thoughts about tigers. Had that been a tiger, the growl certainly made her think so.

Chichi leaned back in her chair and interlaced her fingers before her chest. "Dangerous… well no. He's really the sweetest thing."

Bulma gave her a skeptical look remembering the mark on Chichi's throat, wishing she had a stun gun just in case some large predator decided to jump out of nowhere at her.

"Okay… I'm sure he could really do some damage if he wanted to, but he has a really sweet temperament. I'm sure he wouldn't hurt a fly, Bulma. As for being endangered well… yes he is. D says there's only a handful of his kind left. He's very rare."

Bulma's interest was perked. Her parents had a large collection of animals back home, everything from domestic house cats to an old tyrannosaurus they found abandoned as a hatchling when they were a young new couple. Rex, as they had affectionately named him, was indeed a dangerous creature, but was so well trained and well fed it had never even considered her or her parents as a potential snack. Unlike some of the wild T-rexes she had run into in the past.

"Why can't you show him to me Chichi? After all this, I'm dying to see him."

Chichi bit her lower lip and regarded her.

"Oh come on, who would know?"

"I can't Bulma."

"You can't call me out here, tell me all this, and expect me not to want to have a look. I won't tell a soul, please Chichi."

"I'm sorry Bulma."

Huffing Bulma leaned back in her chair and pouted. "Fine, be that way. Where did you say you got this animal again?" questioned Bulma.

Chichi turned to regard her. "Chinatown, there's a pet shop there run by Count D. It's all quite shady Bulma, I wanted to go with you, but well… I'm not sure just what I got myself into." Her hand reached up to touch the mark through her clothes again. "I broke the rules already so please don't say anything. If he were to find out I did, he might take him back and I-I- Oh, I couldn't stand that Bulma."

Bulma nodded making a mental note to go and check this 'pet shop' out. If Chichi could afford some rare and exotic pet there, then what might she find? But, from the looks of it Chichi was very worried about anyone finding out if she'd broken the rules.

"Okay Chichi, I won't say a word."

"Thank you Bulma. You don't know how much that means to me."

The rest of the visit was spent reminiscing over the past. Bulma was having a hard time getting that animal's haunting growl out of her head. The sun dipped behind the horizon and the moon filled the night's sky. Pulling a curtain aside Bulma peered outside.

"Wow, Chichi. Just look at that moon! Without the city lights the sky looks so amazing."

"Moon?" questioned Chichi getting up to see. She dared a look, but as soon as her eyes caught the silver glow a sharp pain sliced into her. "Close it!" she croaked clamping her hand over the mark on her shoulder.

"Are you okay Chichi?!" asked Bulma in concern moving over to check her friend. Blood was soaking into her dress around the area she grasped.

"Fine," hissed Chichi pushing her away. "It must have opened back up," she stated moving to get a bandage. Bulma moved to help, but stopped as she spotted a man standing in the hallway. She would have missed him if not for the haunting glow of his eyes and the too bright contrast of his white teeth against the shadows. It reminded her of the Cheshire Cat in 'Alice in Wonder Land'.

He was tall, his body covered in thick corded muscles that had the woman in her wanting to hum in admiration. His skin was a soft pale peach, the only clothes he wore was a pair of white billowing pants leaving plenty of his buff frame for her eyes to devour. His hair was a crazy riot spiking out at odd angles to defy gravity; the color jet black with just a hint of navy blue to the shine. He had a strong jaw line, straight nose, and large deep black eyes that seemed to be pulling her very soul into them. Besides being inhumanly beautiful, one other feature stood out animalistic; the creature sported a long length of tail! It was covered with short brown hairs and moving hypnotically behind him, like a large predator about to pounce on his prey! Adding to the effect the male seemed overly pleased about something in a manner that made the hairs all over her body stand on end. She was frozen in place; the creature's eyes were glowing like a wolf's reflecting moon light. She watched as they started to tint red.

"Bulma," Chichi called stepping back into the room after having dressed the wound. She gasped as she saw him standing there and hurried over to the window to shut the curtain. "I told you to close it!" she hissed angrily. Moving towards the 'animal' cautiously she looked up into his face, seeing his eyes had bled red. "Goku?"

The beast let out a low sultry purr, that made Bulma feel instantly hot between her thighs and reached out an arm to hook it around Chichi's shoulders. He dipped his head and scented along the large blood stain in her dress.

Chichi's breath hitched. "Bulma," she called not looking at her. "Bulma you'd better go home now!"

"Chichi?" question Bulma. "Hun, it you need me to I can-"

"Go home!" growled Chichi turning to look at her.

Bulma gasped, Chichi's once dark brown eyes were now the same blood red as the creature that held her loosely and her friend's voice had grown rough and deep.

Wordlessly she nodded and hurried out the door, half expecting something to attack her before she could reach her hover car. She had just started the engine and lifted off when she heard it, it started out low like the earth itself was moaning, then erupted into a fierce howl that reverberated throughout the woods. More than a little terrified she floored it and didn't look back.

That night Bulma couldn't sleep, she was too disturbed by what she'd seen; haunted by the creatures deep sexual prowess and concerned for her friend's safety. Yamacha had questioned her as to why she was so pale and skittish, but she didn't say. She'd promised Chichi, not a soul would know.

To distract the man from his never ending stream of questions she'd changed the subject quickly by pressing him to the bed and sealed his mouth with hers. As it had been of late the session ended with little to write home about, but Yamacha was sated and quickly fell asleep; his earlier concerns forgotten. She lay there next to him, wide awake. Every time she tried to close her eyes the beast's haunting red eyes blazed back at her, burned into her mind forever.