The Catalyst

Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

         Nolan

I stopped in front of her door raising my fist to rap on her door, but paused. A heart wrenching sob came from behind the wood. I swallowed and lowered my fist. I silently set my forehead against the door, squeezing my eyes shut, feeling the pain I caused her. I gurgling noise came from the room. I lifted my head and furrowed my eyebrows. How could I be so stupid? I couldn’t restrain her from everything in life. I starred at my hands. I might have just slapped her instead. A chocking, cough. My head snapped up.  She was coughing? Why was she coughing? A thunk. My eyes flashed as a wave of heat passed over my bare feet from under the door. I twisted the knob and flung the door open.

Her long, nearly transparent whipped around her face. My breath left my lungs in a struggling gasp. Our eyes locked in an intense stare down. I could barely draw breath. Her typically captivating ice purple eyes where now a deep, pure, soul-sucking black. Her pupils were red and spiked four points into her now dark iris. I swallowed hard. Her gaze held mine steadily before she tore hers away and flung herself out the window.

“Sony,” I barely was able to whisper.  “NO!” I roared and raced after her. I leaped to the seat, gripped the window sill, and threw myself into the night after her. I fell to the ground with a thud a story bellow. I pushed from the crouch and searched the darkness. The Shaman Mygek blood that coursed through my veins made it easy to see. I narrowed my eyes and inhaled- a faint musky scent, barely there. I raced forward. A dodged and weaved through trees at a full blown sprint. I paused and set my hand against a wise, old oak, closing my eyes. Images flashed through my mind. Animals scurrying past during the day. A flash of white. No, silver. A pair of dangerous black and red eyes. I silently thanked the tree and opened my eyes.

“[Find out Latin for “the path I seek”]” I murmured, my breath creating a cloud on my lips. Small ice blue foots prints glowed on the ground. I took deep breath a delved into the dense verdure.

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The trees finally broke into an opening occupied by a small cottage. The sounds of a car passed on a road nearby, in front of the house. I cursed and raced to the house. The front door hung open, the metal knob nearly demolished. The inside was silent and eerie.  It was nice- clearly occupied by a woman, most likely an older one from the floral wall paper and antique furniture. I made my way into the wide archway opening of the living room. In the middle of the room lied a figure. Moonlight shone through the window and onto it. I sucked in a chocked breath and closed my eyes. Her chest marred and split open, blood pooled around her, her mouth gaping and her eyes wide open. I covered my mouth and took deep breaths. A chocking sob drew my attention away and to the corner of the wide living room. Sony, covered in her sweat damp, silvery hair, sat huddled in the corner, legs to her chest. Her body racked with heart aching sobs, heaved.

“Oh, Sony . . .” My voice caught in my throat. She peaked up over her arms. Her eyes, now a glowing, regular purple brimmed with tears, fear, and horror- horror at herself. Her whole body shuddered. I started walking towards her. Her eyes widened in hear and she let out an ear piercing scream.

“NO!” she shrieked. I stopped dead. “No! No! No! You-you c-can’t come near me! I-I . . . !” she broke off with a sob. I continued forward. Her voice now lower, almost inaudible came to my ears again. “You can’t . . . Nolan . . . no . . .”

I crouched to the ground and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her to my chest. She sucked in a breath and started to fight me, her small, weak hands beating against my chest. “No, no, no! Nolan, y-you can’t! I-I’m a m-monster! I tried to stop, b-but I j-just couldn’t! She wouldn’t l-let me!” she wailed scratching and pushing at my chest. I held her tighter.

“I don’t care,” I breathed. She froze. Her beatings halted and her breath caught.

“No . . .” she gurgled feebly.  I sat down and pulled her into my lap, stroking her hair.

“Shh, shh, it’s fine now, I’m here,” I murmured into her hair. She fisted my shirt into her hands, blood soaking in. Her mouth, her hands, her shirt- they were all covered in deep, dark, red blood. I squeezed my eyes. I wanted to cry. I did not fear this girl. I did not want to cringe back in horror from her touch as most would. No, I could only feel pain for her. How torn, how broken she must be, and how much that hurt me. Oh God the pain she must be suffering. It felt like a hot brand to my heart.

I cradled her again my chest, soothing and murmuring unintelligible words. I set my hand on the nape of her neck. I brought my lips to her hair.

“[Search Latin from rest, sleep, peace, etc.]” I crooned.  Her sobs slowly grew quieter as her breathing grew deeper.  Finally as I was satisfied that she was firmly unawake I set her back to floor, softly placing her head against the wall. I straightened up and looked over at the dead, mauled woman. No one could know this was Sony’s doing. I strode to her and crouched. I held my hands at a hover above her chest. I let my lids slid shut.

“[Idk, figure out some Latin shit for this later lmao].” The blood around the woman started to slowly soak back into her skin. The mangled flesh on her chest drew across her chest and stitched itself back together. I let out a heavy breath and removed my hands. She would be found in the next day by a concerned neighbor. The cops would come, the medics would come. It would be deduced as a fatal heart attack. I did what I had to- to keep her safe. My gaze flitted back over to Sony’s peaceful figure.

It was disconcerting- the blood, all the blood. I held my head with my hands. I exhaled then wiped my face, straightening up. I slowly gathered Sony in my arms. Her head lolled then fell against my chest. The moonlight against her long pale lashed cast a faint shadow on her cheeks. I place a feathery light kiss on her forehead then left the house, shutting the door behind me- all traces of an outer presence erased. I walked into the forest, making our way home.

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The blood was gone, washed away down the sink and burnt in rags now in the garbage. I pulled a nightgown over her head, trying to avoid looking at her underwear clad body. Her head fell lightly against the soft pillow as I set her down and pulled up the covers. I was about to get up but her eyes fluttered open and her fist clenched my shirt.

“No,” she mumbled. “Don’t leave me . . .” she said sleepily. I stroked her hair.

“I won’t. Of course I won’t. I just have to change my shirt,” I told her.

“Mmk,” she muttered, let go of my shirt, and tucked her hands under her, promptly falling back asleep. I gazed upon her small, sharp features, almost elfin like in their beauty. In ways she was an elf. A cursed elf, damned forever to a life of hell. I dragged a thumb across her soft cheek. She reacted, letting out a small breath and her body relaxing. I sucked in a breath. How was I supposed to resist her? I should be able to. She was like she said. She was a monster. Not the monster she thought she was. No, she held a monster. Harbored one unwilling within. Most people would fear away from her, or worse, hunt her down if they knew what she was, but I did not. I could not. I didn’t see what they saw. I saw a beautiful girl- no, woman- trapped in the claws of her inner demon.  Literally. I leaned in and felt her soft breath fan across my face. Soft and crisp.

“I’m so sorry, Sony,” I whispered to her. “I’m so sorry I can’t be what you need.” She stayed silent, asleep. I sighed and closed my eyes, just feeling her presence around me. She captivated me, enraptured me where no other did. She was like a flame, a flame I couldn’t escape and didn’t ever want to. I wanted to consume that fire- hold it closer than skin itself. I slowly reopened my eyes. Hers where still shut. I leaned forward farther and slowly brushed my lips against her lips. Once, twice, thrice. I stopped and drew away. I couldn’t do these things. I shook my head slowly, pinching my brow in frustration and standing up. The bed creaked under the loss of weight and Sony shifted. I watched her, unable to draw my eyes away. The moonlight streaming through the break in the blinds bathed her alabaster skin. I tore my eyes away with a sharp gasp. “I’m sorry,” I whispered again before going to change my shirt. She would not be pleased if I was not there in the morning.

“I’m whipped,” I muttered to myself, laughing darkly.