Black Cat

Black Cat-25

I felt heat rush my cheeks and my heart sped in my chest, the honesty in his words was warming to hear.

Even though if I was being honest with myself since meeting Balto I had been hurt more than I had been protected really, I did feel protected around him. When he was in his Cat form I still felt protected, it was his comfort that really got to me that I wanted.

I was falling for Balto, and from the way I could feel my heart stutter when he said things like that I wasn’t new to this. How long had I been growing this feeling, this toxic drug.

I really didn’t want to relive what happened with Corey, the dependency on him for everything is what gave him the power he had over me. Physically I could have ended him, it was the compassion I wanted, the need of being somebody else’s.

Balto was prepared for that, he wanted me… Did I sound crazy? Probably I usually sounded pretty crazy. Balto was mine.

“That’s damn straight you won’t be touching her at all. Do you really want me to start harping on your ass about this all over again!” Taryin shouted stomping through the wall of tree vines.

He tossed my jacket at me and turned too glared menacingly at Balto who sat unflinching. They stared at each other for a moment before Taryin cursed under his breath and looked up to Natalie.

“I forgot she was here.” He hissed running his hand through his hair.

I glanced at Natalie who sat in the open with a very confused look on her face, “What the hell is talking about?”

“Taryin is like you but for Balto.” I explained vaguely.

She nodded her head slowly as if she was sort of buying it but not really. “Sure. Alright.” She sighed shaking her head at me.

“Balto we should get going to class soon.” Taryin grumbled walking around to sit in front of me on the ground.

“I’m enjoying Sybelle, and Natalie’s company right now.” He hissed back.

I glanced at Taryin and sighed, “We really should get going though, class will probably be starting soon and we don’t want to miss my last period” I said getting to my feet.

Balto and Natalie rose with me in together, I looked between them and smirked. They were more alike than they knew.  Balto laced his fingers in my hand and pulled me back to him. Natalie handed my bag over to Taryin who grudgingly took it.

“I’ll call you later, same time.” She shouted waving back at me as she disappeared inside of the school leaving Taryin with Balto and I.

I could see him counting down in his head, when his head snapped to look at us I flinched stepping back against Balto.

“You two idiots! Balto do you understand what you’re doing? The repercussions for what you’re doing, there isn’t going to be rainbows and fucking sunshine at the end of this. The Tribunal will kill you if they get their hands on you.” Taryin snarled stepping towards us.

I frowned shaking my head, “I thought you guys handed Thomas over to the Tribunal. If you did that wouldn’t they know where Balto is anyways?” I asked looking up at Balto.

His jaw clenched and his hand tightened, his blue eyes flickered down to me and he let out a heavy breath.

“Thomas was not taken to a Tribunal. We are exiles, Taryin and Sunny by choice, myself for being the Black cat.”

I looked to Taryin, “Then where did you send Tommy?”

His orange eyes darkened considerably, “I dealt with him, why should you care, don’t you remember what he did to your arm.” He grabbed my left arm and his hand tightened making me wince.

“What. Did. You. Do?” I asked him again.

“I killed him, we changed form and then Sunny and I ripped the flea bitten bastard apart limb by limb.”

Shock hit me and knocked all the warmth from my body, Tommy was dead. All the memories I had of him seemed to fade like smoke in front of my eyes.

“He can’t be, did you know?” I whispered looking at Balto.

He nodded gravely, “I knew.”

My legs almost gave out beneath me. Why did that not sound like a big deal to them. Taryin had killed somebody!

“It’s Feral Law, I was within my right to kill him. Well Balto was more in his right but I was under orders to keep Thomas away from you.” Taryin sighed slinging my bag over his shoulder.

“There is a reason why Ferals are the forgotten Immortals Sybelle, we are the collection of all the bad. The murder, the rape, the violence and anger, lust, greed. Ferals are the embodiments of all of those, and more.” Balto’s voice nearly trembled as he spoke,

“We are the monsters of the world, Vampires have nothing on our bloodlust, Were-Kind cannot even compare to our need to hunt and kill. Fae victims of our Lust, and Elves crumble like clay before our allure and beauty.” I could feel the resentment in his voice, Balto didn't want these things, he didn't want to be immortal.

“Why did you kill Tommy?” I whispered.

“Because he hurt you Sybelle. You agreed to this before knowing what it was you were welcoming. Now you have to deal with the repercussions.” Balto stepped towards me his hand tightening on mine.

His blue eyes darkened as they closed in on me, his body tightened as I tried to pull away from him. Taryin stood useless to the side and watched instead.

“But you aren’t like that!” I shouted at him pulling my hand free of his grip, “I haven’t seen you lay a hand or finger on anybody with intent to hurt them.” I was going to cry, I was upset they had killed Tommy and lied to me about it.

Even if the Tommy I had known wasn’t real anymore, that memory of him was all I had left and I was going to cherish it. With him dead now it was as though that lifeline of connecting my past and now was violently severed. All I had was my Mum, Dad and Natalie.

“We need to get to class” Taryins voice was slow and calculated, his orange eyes flickering between Balto and I.

“How am I supposed to trust you, when you lied to me about Tommy?” I asked ignoring Taryin.

Balto’s face crinkled with shock, wrinkles appearing at the edges of his eyes and creases on his forehead. He glanced over me to Taryin then back down.

“What do you mean?” He growled.

“You told me Tommy was going to a Tribunal, but you really had him killed!” I shouted stepping towards him pushing my luck.

“I was protecting you, you would have been devastated if we had told you. Now you have time to comfort yourself and calm down.” He sounded so reasonable.

I shook my head tossing my light black hair around my shoulders, “That’s not what I’m talking about Balto, I’m talking about the fact that you lied to my face. You broke my trust.”

His hand slid up the side of my face and I watched him lean in to kiss me, I brought my hand across his face as hard as I could and watched him stumble backwards against the tree.

“Don’t think I forgive you with just a look. You stupid Black Cat.” I stepped up to him my chest aching and my mind racing.

I kissed him, pulling him forward off the tree as he struggled to stay pressed to my lips.

I was angrily, but admittedly, falling in love with a Monster.