Shadow Claw: The Life Story - The Final Chapter

Ch. 12 - Scurrilous

James' head popped out from under the bed, his face twisted in disgust. "I saw it all Jenny- well, actually I heard most of it. In any case, it was disgusting."

He slid back under the bed, and it took us all a few seconds to realize James was serious. Draco scowled and pressed a hand around Jenny's waist, causing my eyes to narrow in and a snarl to began to form in my throat.

Salem placed a hand on my shoulder, and my snarl died. "It isn't like that Jenny. I take the responsibility of anything that ever happens between us. But nothing ever will. Do you have that little faith in Shadow to just assume the worst?" He growled gruffly.

Jenny's face fell in shame.

She'd been shut down.

Temporarily, of course, but shut down nevertheless.

I thrusted past Jenny and Draco, who had moved to the centre, "Shadow-" Jenny started.

"Save your words, girl who lived!" I shouted, shoving her against the wall in a single harsh movement. Draco yelled, and he snatched my wrist that was raised to past my ribs; I cracked it back around and punched him in the nose. There was a satisfying SNAP as it broke under my fist, but I could do no more as Salem grappled me quickly and stole me from the room, into another spare.

"Are you insane?" He bellowed at me.

I just sat in the corner, curled within myself - knees to chest, forehead to knees, arms to legs - and silent. "Shadow, if you don't control your goddamn temper- fuck- learn to, or you'll get into an unwanted situation." He gripped his smoky hair, pacing back and forth with thundering footsteps.

Still, I gave him deafening silence.

"I fucking like you, Shadow! Say something!" He was desperate.

I sucked in a deep breath after moments more of silent treatment. "I'm already mated Sa-"

"I don't- I don't fucking care, Shadow, that you're already mated. I want you- you to choose me- I want- I want you." He crouched beside me and lifted my chin with his calloused fingers. I bit my lip, but stayed my expression.

Equanimous.

"I think I've known for a while... you're not my type, Salem, and I- fuck, I have kids!" I sounded crazy. Maybe I was.

"I just- just a kiss. I beg you." He picked me from the floor and sat me on the bed, eyes wide in fear of rejection. I knew how he felt.

"Have you not had your fair share of kisses from me?" I whispered, our mouths suddenly quite close.

"Unwilling." He uttered, and then our eyes fluttered closed and we kissed. His hands nestled under my shirt at the curve just above my hips, my own curled into his hair. Some dark part of me lusted after the man- perhaps we were not men and women yet. Not in Jenny's eyes, nor James', only our own... but why should I have cared what they thought?!

Salem and I ended up in bed together.

Mm. I wished I could regret it - still do - but I had a strange calm settle over me. I had a mate, whom I loved dearly, and two kittens that I loved just as much. Was there something wrong with me? Doubtless. I did not doubt I had gone wrong with myself somewhere, but exactly where, I had yet to figure out.

Maybe, just maybe, I'd been tortured twice in my life and shut up in an attic for my first twelve years? I wondered if that was what had fucked me over.

"Not your type my ass." Salem sighed in the morning, shameless. I did not question why he had allowed me to give up my body when he fully knew I was taken, because this was Salem after all. He took advantages when they were offered, and never turned down most challenges shown. That was one of the reasons why I admired his dangerous seductivity.

His hands curled at my bare belly, his chest pressed to my back, his head nestled in the crook of my neck. "I understand why Shade loves you." He murmured, placing a kiss at my shoulder. "Beautiful, sexy, a listener, wonderful in bed... it's a shame you cannot see this yourself." He pulled up one of my arms, turninf my wrist to view the faded scars. I slowly pulled away with a sigh, sitting up without the protection of the covers.

Salem's eyes zeroed in on my breasts, darkening to a stormy grey. I could already smell his arousal.

"I'm almost a year clean." I lowered my arms and slipped out my legs. I began to pull on my clothes, a vicious calm settling betwern us.

"I'm not-"

"Neither am I, Salem."

I'm not sorry, Shadow. I hated that sentence. How many times had I been told that same sentence?!

I promptly exited the room without another word. I peered into Draco's room: James was curled in the bath, sleeping with his thumb in his mouth, whilst Draco and Jenny slept in the same bed - clothed, fortunately - with their limbs entwined. I looked back after I clicked shut the door, finding Salem sitting in the hallway in his Claw form.

A message passed between our expressionless eyes.

If you tell anybody of last night, I shall eat your liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti.

"Shadow-?" Salem asked.

"Shut up." I said casually, and strode down the hallway.

"-... shower with me?" I heard Salem muttering. I rolled my eyes.

"I'd rather dine on spleen, but thank you anyway." I shot back. He grimaced but did not follow me, and for the rest of the day, I did not see him.

He returned at one day of the week, looking very dour and drenched with rain, but the Death Eaters had not returned to the manor for about two weeks at that point, so something was keeping them busy.

Only, the radio told us the next edition of the Quibbler would not be out because Xenophilius Lovegood was visited by Harry Potter and Hermione Granger (it did not speculate on Ron Weasley, for he was supposed to be dying of spattergroit, though it was not true) and a few Death Eaters from the Ministry had, by accident, blown up an Erumpent horn that Mr Lovegood had believed to be a Crumple-Horned Snorkack horn.

"He's alive." Jenny said, her breath shallow and her voice wispy.