Black Cat

Black Cat-13

Balto ignored me and a tense vibration strung through the air making me tremble. The topic of his brother seemed to be rather raw for him to deal with. But Taryin had done what he wanted to accomplish and sparked my curiosity about who Balto’s brother was.

“Balto?” I asked his name softly.

He ignored me once again staring at the Tv screen instead, his eyes glued angrily to the screen. I wanted to shake him and angrily demand that he tell me but really it was none of my business to know.

Still I couldn’t help but feel frustrated, he could at least keep telling me about something. I was starting to actually understand and he stopped.

Before I got the chance to open my mouth and ask my front door swung open and my father stomped inside with two of his buddies from his old days. They had their guns drawn and looked ready to kill, I sat up on the couch holding Balto against me.

“Sweety, where are they?” My father growled looking around the living room.

“Taryin took them downstairs” I murmured pointing at the floor.

My father disappeared down the basement stairs and for a moment I almost felt a pang of sympathy for them, nobody screwed with Daddy’s girl, nobody. Thomas was the last to come through the door, when I saw hi narrow face a smile blossomed on my face. I sat Balto down and ran at him dodging past David and Farrell.

“Tommy!” I shouted launching at him.

It gave him a split second to holster his gun then prepare to catch me, which he was able to do in one fluid motion as always. I landed in his strong arms a big grin splitting across his face.

“You alright sugar?” He swung me a little losing the momentum before setting me down, “Jeez you look like death warmed over.  When was the last time you ate” He hissed through his teeth losing his smile.

“I haven’t been feeling very well this week. It happens every month” I shrugged.

He stepped back holding his hands out in front of him, “Girl thing?” He whispered as if it was something dirty.

I shook my head snickering, “No, I just normally get a small head cold once a month. It has nothing to do with that” I said.

Tommy smiled and held his hand out to me, “Now tell me how are you really feeling, and no sugar coating it sugar”

I swallowed and glanced back at Balto who’s tail had puffed out, he lay glaring over the arm of the couch at me. Guess he was angry at me now, what for I didn’t know. I turned back to Tommy and shook my head.

“Some whack-jobs broke into my house, trashed my room, and beat me up”

“I told you to wait outside” Taryin shouted from the kitchen.

He turned and walked over to me looking down at me with a heavy glare, I shrank from both him and Balto.

“Who are you?” Tommy asked stepping between Taryin and I.

“I’m an exchange student, This is my foster home while I’m at school.” Taryin answered sipping from his glass.

“Really, so you let Sybelle go into a house with armed men, and didn’t follow her in?” Tommy growled stepping closer to Taryin, they came face to face.

Taryins orange eyes against Tommy’s hazel eyes, apart from the eyes they could have been brothers. They both had short browny blonde hair, Taryin had more of a boxy face and Tommy had a longer narrow face. But they were both tanned and muscular. They stood at the same height, and even sounded similar with the same kind of drawl.

“Does she know?” Taryin growled through his teeth.

Tommy went still and glared evenly at Taryin for a moment before turning to me and smiling, “Come on Bell, let’s go and watch some TV and see if I can’t help get rid of some of those memories” He said taking my hand wrapping his fingers with mine.

I glanced at Taryin and caught him watching me instead of Tommy, he followed us into the living room and sat down at the end of the couch again with Balto. Tommy sat down on the floor pulling me into his lap.

It was just how it was when we were kids, I would always sit in his lap whenever we watched TV. It was my favourite way to watch a movie because he could always tell when I was getting scared or sad and he always found a way to make me feel better.

Tommy was the big brother every girl needed, and we were only separated by a year. It made our connection so much better because we were generations apart; he understood the slang I sometimes used.

“Oh, Alien VS Predator. I loved this movie,” He said wrapping his arms around my stomach.

I smiled and hugged them tightly, I needed him right now. My world was just a little tipsy and I was close to snapping. Balto growled next to Taryin glaring directly at me, I rolled my eyes and snuggled into Tommy’s lap enjoying the warmth his body put off.

“Have you ever seen this movie Sugar?” He asked.

I shook my head, “Nope, this is my first time. It’s a little violent.”

Tommy chuckled and nodded his head, “Definitely, I wouldn’t expect you to be all that into this movie. Why don’t we check out what else is on? Or here why don’t you go and pick a movie, I’ll go chat with your dad for a sec, and see if I can stay over while the guys take care of things?”

Excitement filled me, which sounded great! That meant I wouldn’t have to be alone with Taryin and Balto all night and I could watch movies and get a ride to and from school! I nodded enthusiastically getting up from his lap and going over to our DVD shelf to pick out the movies we were going to watch.

I loved movie nights, they were always so much fun. Tommy smiled at me shaking his head as he disappeared down the steps, I listened as he descended down into the basement where the muffled cries of the men who had threatened to sell me.

“You can’t let him stay here Sybelle.” Balto growled hopping down off the couch.

“Why, I trust him to keep me safe. You have Taryin to keep you safe”

“Taryin isn’t here to protect me Sybelle, He’s here for you.” Balto snapped.

I set a stack of movies down behind me and turned to face Balto, “Right, like he was today. It should have taken him seconds to get upstairs, instead it took minutes.”

Taryin raised his hand, “To defend myself at that point I was scoping the rest of the house just in case”

“Its basic strategy after you go in you scope out the place, clear the bottom level then leave one to two men on the main to defend and protect. You never leave a man in the basement,” I hissed at him sticking my tongue out.

“Well I don’t know that, all I know is that I wanted to make sure that You and Balto were safe.”

“Great thanks for that. Now I have a concussion, a couple bruises and three dangerous men in my basement.” I shouted rising to my feet.

Taryin rose with me his eyes narrowing and his jaw clenching angrily.

“Sybelle, Taryin, would you stop this” Balto snarled at both of us his ears pressed back against his head, “Sybelle he cannot stay here tonight, or ever. Do not talk to him” Balto growled at me.

“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t let him stay, he makes me feel normal and safe around you two”

“Thomas is a Coyote Feral, and he reeks of Sylvester” Taryin spat at me.