Angell is mine and the rest belongs to Joss. =================================================

Teeth...the business end of an irate gator and the part I was currently staring at...how I got here was entirely a mistake in judgment..that judgment was bringing a man whose idea of fighting involved going in with guns blaring. Now, if you are familiar with the gator as a whole, you will know that its armored hide is basically impenetrable by bullet or even knife and the only true way to kill on is by going for its eye with a high powered rifle, putting a shotgun into its mouth thus blowing its brains out, or cutting its throat by way of its soft underbelly....good luck on achieving that last one, gators don't roll over for anyone save if they have a very large piece of prey. Humans, well, we're swallowed whole.

So, let me catch you up on how I ended up face to teeth with an annoyed gator, with only my hunting knife and a tranq dart, my rifle had all but gone into the bog after I took a hit from the gator's tail. Anyway....

Frustrated at the nasty interruption, Mal took off ready to go toe to toe with this monster of the deep with me hot on his heels trying like hell to explain to him that his pistol was useless. Why is it men, especially ones that are hard headed, tend not to listen when a woman gives them good advice?! Either way, it didn't take long before our prey(at least that's what we thought he was, and strangely, now, I think he had the same idea about us) was sighted.

My scouts had been right, three hundred pounds of pure adolescent reptile with massive jaws, ivory claws, and a tail that could part a man from his head without much effort. Right at the moment, he was making short work of those pig guts in the shadows, and away the large spotlights that probably had spotted him earlier. Sometimes, I wish he would have stayed there, but then I would have hated myself for even considering killing him.

"Am I that drunk or is that reptile white?" Mal spoke at my ear, frustrated by its interruptions, but suddenly extremely curious.

"It's an albino." If you are at all familiar with the animal kingdom, albino animals are extremely rare, mostly because of their weak immune systems. I have lived on this planet almost my entire life, been around gators about the same amount of time, and this was the second one I'd seen. Sadly though, it was the first I had ever witnessed alive and to hell if I was gonna kill it.

"Hunh?" Mal whispered beside me. "Might prettier than the one we saw today."

"I'll make sure to mention that to Old Scar the next time we meet." I laughed and reached for the tranq rifle and the darts. "Realize we can't kill it."

"Somehow, I figured it would come to that. Big bad gator hunter...." He laughed and smiled at me. "Suppose those teeth 'round River's neck aren't your kill either?"

"Breathe a word about it to my dad and I'll kill you." I whispered, Mal turning to look at me very surprised. "Maybe you don't understand, I know my dad doesn't, but these 'reptiles' are the closest thing I got to kin other than my father. Killin' ones like murderin' a family member. I know almost everyone of them by name and sight, and I've learned how to make each one sleep long enough to transfer them to another part of the planet. Not one has ever come back.”

“And the teeth?"

"Well, the gator wasn't dead, but asleep and I just pulled a few of its baby teeth before letting it go." I smiled sliding the four inch long needle dart from its holder and loaded it into the big powered rifle, bored out to accommodate the larger ammo. "No one knows what I just told you and I appreciate it that no one ever does."

"Ange, you would be surprised what I understand, though I am rightly sure that critter out there wouldn't pay you that same kindness. ” He placed a hand on my shoulder. “So, how we go about makin' this critter sleep?”

A rustle in the bushes behind us made me reach for the loaded pistol at my side. “Hold yer fire. It's just me.” Jayne emerged with a few twigs stuck in his hair. “Heard those sirens, thought ya'll might need a hand.” Vera was thrown over his shoulder cradled like a baby.

“What do you think you're gonna do with that gun?' I spoke, knowing that even though the albino gator was young, Vera would only bruise the skin and piss it off. “You can't kill it with that.”

“Vera can pierce armor. That beast ain't nuttin and besides, party was getting a little too warm for my liking. Damn Cleo woman...no harm in my meain'..was going all weird with her voodoo stuff. Figured them alarms must mean sumthin' and damn, would that hide make a decent pair of boots?” He pushed past as the white gator took another mouthful of pig guts.

“And your head would make a good hood ornament for Betsy Lou.” I growled at the merc, my hand resting on the long knife at my side. Now, no, I would never kill anyone over a gator save maybe Ole Scar, but that was only because we had history.

“Jayne! Angelle says we save the beast and that's what we're gonna do.” Mal jumped to my aid.

“Girl got you going soft, Mal. It's just some big lizard that's skin would probably fetch a quite a big piece on the black market.”

“So would your head, and your gun.” I whispered loud enough to be heard over the rustling leaves the wind caused.

“Leave Vera out of this.” Jayne growled loudly, his voice carrying as the winds suddenly ceased. “Where'd that monster go?”

“What?” I yelled and looked toward where it had been dining. Somehow, while arguing we had misplaced a very large and very white killing machine. That, in itself was a problem, but what made matters worse was, I could almost be assured it had heard us. “Fuck.”

Both men looked at me as I slammed my hand against a small tree next to me. “We'll find that beast. Ain't like it can hide too easily.” Jayne muttered shifting to look around him.

“We're not hunting anymore. It's hunting us, in the pitch black of the swamp with bog ahead of us and a town full of people behind us. Now, if that's what you all call easy, I'd hate to see hard.”

“Say this thing is an armored tank. Bullets can't harm it, then how you gonna get that dart into its skin?” Mal pointed at my rifle.

“I was gonna wait for a clear shot at its eye, but now things got slightly more difficult.”

“I hate those words.” Jayne shook his head.

“We got to get it to open its mouth.”

“Why can't for ruttin' once we just be able to walk up and blow the damn thing's head off? Once, I would like easy.” Jayne shook his fist at the sky mostly as Mal looked at me like he did when I put my knife to Inara's throat.

“So, what are you thinkin'?” He spoke after a minute of staring all the while I could almost feel the swamp's eyes watching us.

“The old bait and hook.” I hooked my rifle over my shoulder and grabbed a flare I had in my pocket. “It'll be drawn to the flare's light and heat. Whoever's got this will have to be able to run and in a straight line that way. Gator will be on you in a moment.”

“Fool linin' up a shot for you then?” Jayne added.

“No. Just getting him out in the open. Figure someone fire Vera at him to make him a bit pissed and then he'll charge the rifle holder. Young gators open their mouths to seem bigger. One dart into the upper sinus cavity and he'll sleep for a good twenty four before wakin'.”

“So, who's the pig?” The merc laughed as Mal grabbed for the flare.

“I am. You two are familiar with those guns and I did a helluva a lot of runnin' in the war. Seems I'm the best candidate.”

“Good. Didn't want to have to draw straws.” Jayne sounded relieved as both of our eyes were on him. “What? I always lose at that game.”

“You just be ready to fire at that thing. I ain't goin' out as some critter's meal.” Mal commented and went to pull the flare from my hand.

“This rifle is easy to fire, Mal.” I whispered so only he could hear. “I could easily...”

“No, you can't. I ain't trustin' your life to Jayne pullin' a trigger.”

“But, you are with yours.”

“I pay him.” He smiled. “Ran from guns and grenades in the war.”

“This ain't the same.”

“You're right. Didn't have a gorgeous swamp woman watchin' my back. You ready that rifle and I'll make sure you got plenty of room to shoot it. Okay?” He leaned to me and his lips touched mine. “I plan on finishing what we started.”

God, I wished I could have said something more, but Jayne yelled beside me as the bushes parted revealing a very large set of teeth. Mal grabbed the flare and lit it running fast away from us into the relative darkness of the bog, the gator in hot pursuit, but as it ran past me, I got a full face slap from its tail and down to the ground I went, the rifle flying into the air and away from me.

Jayne, startled and not quite paying attention to what had happened to me, angled Vera for a shot at the gator's rear end before it took down Mal for good. Like the mercenary I figured he was, his aim was true and the gator suddenly became less interested in Mal and the heated flare. Charging like a mad bull that has been speared by a stupid matador, the white gator turned its teeth filled mouth on the scared shitless Jayne, but then opted for the currently slightly dazed me.

It took seconds before I was pinned underneath the belly and teeth of a half ton monster that was ready to make me its next meal. Believe it or not, its hide wasn't the only thing on it that was white. Fortunately, in its mad dash to eat me, the gator had made a slight error. Most will attack the legs or head of an animal, locking its jaw to roll you to death by either crushing you under its weight or drowning you in the water. The albino, though, had trapped me completely under it so it was literally on top of me, its legs supporting its weight and leaving me enough room to stay under its body and away from its massive jaws. Sadly, I knew this wouldn't last too long. My body was being cut and scraped by the rocks and sticks under me, the blood causing my friend above to be driven into a feeding nightmare. The gator wanted me as its next meal and I was being to think that it would chew its own leg off to do so.

I heard the gun before I realized what was going on and as the body of the monster fell on me crushing my lungs and vital organs, I figured Jayne had fired away and pissed the gator off enough to realize killing me under its weight would be smarter than waiting for me to die of exhaustion.

“Move, Jayne. Got to get her out.” I heard whispers around me, but the lack of air was making me a bit delirious.

“Angelle?”

“Yes, God.” I muttered, my eyes losing their focus as I felt the body of the gator moving a bit and my lungs filling with good, sweet swamp air.

“Now, been called many things, but that there is a first.” His arms were around me and pulling me to him as I just melted into them. It had felt almost like the day my dad had held me after Old Scar, but very different as well.

“Who shot?” I muttered still catching my breath as I stood looking at the gator, a tranq dart resting in the corner of its eye.

“Tripped over your rifle on the way to save you. Figured I'd better use it. Wouldn't want you to lose any of your family.” He smirked as I turned and ran my hand along the gator's back. “Damn thing did get a piece of my shoulder, though.”

“You okay?” I asked him as he walked up beside me and into the spotlights. I could see a nice size gash, probably from the gator's razor scales.

“Been through worse. What you gonna call this one?”

“Not mine to name. You downed it.”

“Mal gets to name a reptile.” Jayne laughed and then frowned. “You should call it Boots. Still think it would make a great pair.”

I frowned and motioned to his head again as he put up his hands in defeat. Meanwhile Mal just looked the sleeping monster up and down before running a hand over its hide. “Had a few horses in my time and a dog or two, but never had to name gator before. Male?”

“Yup. See the horn like bumps on his head, over the eyes. Females are void of those.”

“And he's rare?”

“Very.”

“Just name the damn thing, Mal. It's just a cold blooded lizard.” Jayme whined.

“You can go back to camp.” Mal growled. “In fact, do.”

“Fine.” The merc huffed, but quietly whispered to me before walking away. “Tell me later what he called it.”

I smiled and moved closer to Mal, who grabbed me around the waist as he continued to stare at the sleeping giant. “So, you got wounded by a gator, brought one down, and now about to name one.....way I see it, you are almost a member of this here swamp.”

“What's left?”

“Well, traditionally, you got to sleep with a swamp princess, but way I see it, they ain't many of those around any more.”

I felt his face nuzzle into my hair and neck. “Think I could find one if I looked hard enough.”

“You're suppose to be thinkin' of a name for this brute.”

“Well, stop distracting me with notions of sex.” I could feel his hot breath on my cold skin, it reacting with a slue of goosebumps. His lips, equally hot, but also ice cold on the tips gently caressed the soft part where neck meets shoulder. Hands burning with fire that was not due to the elements traced over my shirt finding the tears caused by my fall and discovering the meat therein like leeches of seduction. Each digit found skin as they sucked away the cold and pain leaving only a heat like none I had ever felt.

Once done, they continued down my sides exploring the scars and muscles my well formed belly and abdomen allowed before venturing into the welcoming darkness that lay within the confines of my jeans. I muttered a slight moan as I felt liquid heat surging through my veins like hot coffee on a freezing day, but starting from my loins and working up. My legs were like jelly as I almost collapsed, the strength of his arms holding me upright.

I could feel his fingers working over like the steady vibrations of a deeply beaten drum, ready to drive you mad with the pleasure of it, rumbling through your core. All I wanted at that moment was the sensation of what he felt like in me and I wasn't talkin' his fingers.

Turning so I faced him and sadly relinquishing the feel of his talented fingers, my hands fell in earnest to undo the clothes that were keeping me from his nakedness and heat. For some reason, he also took it as his cue to help me with mine. I have undressed quickly in my time as an assassin, but never quite that quick. Buttons sewing might be in my future.

In the darkness, though dimly lit by the spotlight, I saw the cut of his muscles, the shadows of scars, and the size of his....manhood. It glistened in the air showing I wasn't the only one in need of him. His hands fell to my chest, the cold and my desire causing my own hardness to show. Teasing with a circle and a flick, I bite into my lip to keep from screaming.

My hands reached to stroke the only thing that seemed fitting at the present moment and when I did, Mal's whole countenance changed. With a growl, he pulled me to him and literally split my legs, wrapping them around his waist. I moaned loudly as heat like that of a hot iron filled me and I felt his hardness overtake me.

Biting down on his shoulder, the taste of blood filling my mouth with copper from the cut he received earlier, I could feel my entire being convulsing in pleasure like I have never felt with any other man I had been with. Lifting me with strong arms made from wars and battles alike, he drew me against him again and again, each time harder and quicker than the last. Finally, when I could almost bear no more, I felt a release of heat flowing into me and his sweaty head bury into my chest as my screams still echoed across the darkness.

“Hoban,” he whispered out of breath as I breathed heavily against him. “The damn beast's name is Hoban.”