A.N.

I'm doing this now :P I want to thank everyone for sticking with me, and the new people that have started to read my story, I appreciate all of the support y'all have given me! Now I have had some mental arguments with my characters {no, I'm not mental} and I have decided I was a little mean to Alexandre, I have also decided that I'm not done yet :D I'm feeling particularly evil! Why? I have no idea :D I'm also sorry for the wait! School is a killer. Now on with the story!

0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o

I stomped down the hall, hearing the slap of my bare feet on linoleum, trying not to adore the old home. It was the Sterling home in the mid eighteenth century but abandoned until recently, I know this because I had to do a report over the oldest home in this dank little town. It really was a good report, even though I'm not that great at reports, this odd little mansion fascinated me; still does. I ignored the ornate tapestries, the delicate sigils, and the prominent colors of the Sterling House. The beautiful silver and white of the walls and floor stunned me a bit as I walked farther down the longest hall I've ever had the pleasure of walking down.

I stopped to touch a painting briefly, admiring the craftsmanship of it. It looked like a modern day photograph, the only thing that gave it away was the raised edges where the paint had bunched and dried. It was the most beautiful painting of the Madam I'd ever seen. The Sterling wife had run the mansion after her husband had died, normally, the brother of the bride would have taken the estate, had she not poisoned him.

I became lost in thought while wandering around the empty halls. While admiring everything, I'd not noticed the manors inhabitants watching me. I'd honestly believed the hall to be empty. I felt, more than saw, the eyes digging into my skin as someone (or something) approached me. The hair on my arms and neck stood stiffly and a chill came over me. There was an aura of complete menace that swept over me, dark and imposing; yet somehow, familiar.

"Hello."

There, the voice was smooth now, instead of sharp this time, and accented all the same. The words rolled from his tongue like melting chocolate and I was curious as to how quickly his demeanor had changed from the dark, frightening, man that William had spoken with in the room, to the man that had now dripped with attractiveness. I didn't even know his name, nor his appearance.

As I returned his polite greeting, I slowly began to relax, the hairs flattening down once more as I realized he meant no harm. I started to slowly turn on my heels, if only to see his face.

"No! Don't look at me!" He commanded, causing me to freeze in fear once more. My heart felt like it would explode. His tone was the cause. Icy, merciless, and completely barbaric.

"I'm sorry, do not be frightened," he crooned softly. I felt a large hand run gently through my hair and an arm encircle my waist. Though I wondered why, I was immediately soothed.

I relaxed again into the strong, finely muscled, chest of the man who stood behind me. He cooed and rubbed my head, petting me as if he'd rather do nothing else. I sighed happily, content like a sunbathing animal. I felt a rumble in his chest as he rested his chin on the top of my head. The rumble was similar to that of a cats purr.

Suddenly, the thought popped into my head that he very well might be a cat. He was bipolar like the tiny, fuzzy, beasts, that's for sure! Then, the thought of this dark, dangerous, frightening, man with cute cat ears and a soft little cat tail made me chuckle lightly. I could feel his brief confusion.

"What amuses you?" He asked, I could imagine the smirk of his own amusement gracing his lips.

"What are you?" I asked curiously, pausing in my laughter. I felt as he stiffened, the hand in my hair coming to a stop. The purring ripped out as a mrrow of laughter. I smiled and the hand continued it's stroking. He purred louder, and I was right to assume he was a cat.

"I am the God of Cats," he whispered, tickling my ear with his warm breath. I frowned, opening my mouth.

"Yes, Bast is the Goddess of Cats, but she has chosen me to be her successor." the cat man said, the purr making its way into his voice. I smiled, enjoying the sensation of comfort his rumbling chest gave me. I opened my mouth once more to ask why Bast needed a successor, but the man let loose a threatening hiss.

"I told you to stay away from her," Williams irritated voice growled. The mans lips brushed my ear again and a few words were faintly whispered.

"Run, this is not William."

My legs shot out and I was running, no decision of my own. I'd wanted to stay and ask what he'd meant, but my feet wouldn't let me. They sent me shooting down hallways and corners, down stairs, and through rooms. I wasn't able to stop until I reached a large, oak, door.

My hands reached out to open it against my will. An abrupt and bright light blinded me as my fingers tugged the handle. I'd not noticed how dark it was in the manor compared to the brightness outside. I heard loud crashes coming from deep in the heart of the house. I briefly worried for the cat mans safety, but then remembered that he'd preformed some kind of cat-magic-hoodoo on me to make me leave. Scowling, I made my way down the untended gravel drive-way, trying to process all I'd seen and heard today.

Bokor had told me he was a Goblin, but Goblins were supposed to be stupid and ugly. Bokor was incredibly intelligent and far from hideous. I could think of a few fugly creatures too! What had he meant by Hell King? Where William and Alexandre demons?

I shuddered at the thought of William or Alexandre looking like the monster I'd encountered at school. Walking through the trees, I heard something off to my right.

Whipping around, I eyed the nearest bush, heart thundering in my chest. I inched closer, thinking I was an idiot to do so. Suddenly, something small and orange burst through the leaves and knocked me flat on my back in surprise. It was a cat!

It looked a little scuffed up, like it'd just gotten into a fight, there was a scratch above it's eye and a clump of fur missing from it's fluffy tail. It stared at me through deep, amber colored eyes that moved as if shadows passed through them. It sat on my chest in a regal manner, as if it had every right to do so. I huffed and knocked the ball of fur off of me, then sat up and began dusting myself off. The cat seemed to laugh at me. I glared at it harshly.

"If you'd have been through what I have today cat, you would have been scared out of your nine lives." I tell it. It wasn't weird to be talking to cats. I'd just had a conversation with a cat-man, and a Goblin! This was normal! Old women do it every day!

I stood and brushed the dirt off of my butt and looked at the cat, who was still giving me an amused stare. I reached down to pick it up, it had no complaints, it nestled into my chest and stared at me. I rubbed it's head, careful of the scratch, and continued walking.

A purr rose up in the cats chest and I realized I couldn't just keep calling him cat. I grinned evilly and looked down at the small bundle of fluff in my arms, who seemed content to never leave. I'd give him the perfect name! I saw my house peaking out of the woods and knew mom wouldn't let me keep the animal. If they weren't home, I could sneak it inside.

I saw their car parked in front of the house and cursed silently. Not only would they see me, but they'd make me get rid of the cat who, right now, was my only companion in this confusion. I sighed roughly and attempted to slip around to the back porch.

"Emithea!" mom shouted and I winced, the cat jumped from my arms and disappeared in that way that cats do.

"Yes ma'am?" I choked out. I was about to get chewed out. I could hear it in her sharp tone, the way her voice was cold.

"Why weren't you at school today? I leave you alone for one day so I can take your father to the hospital and I can't even trust you not to skip school!" she yells.

"Mom, I didn't skip, I got sick and one of the boys from my class was nice enough to take me home." I tell her, slowly turning around.

"Oh, so you were with a boy." the deep timbre of my dads voice reached my ears and I glanced up, momentarily taking my eyes off of the ground below me.

He had exactly thirteen black stitches covering a long vertical scratch above his eyebrow. It was crusted with dried blood and looked grotesque. My eyes shot down so I wouldn't have to look at him.

"No," I spit out.

"Don't lie you slut!" he shouts angrily. I recoil into myself and my mom doesn't say anything but his name.

"I'm not a slut, and if you don't shut your mouth I'm going to punch you in the face." I threaten, suddenly struck with a violent anger at his treatment of me. Even though I knew mom had probably gotten him liquor of some sort, and that was the reason he was like this, I couldn't help but be upset.

"You won't do anything! I'm the adult here!" he says, grabbing my arm roughly, I knew I would have a bruise shaped like his fingers. I raised my hand and slapped him. Suddenly everything was quiet and I couldn't believe what I'd just done. Neither could my mom or dad.

I jerked my arm from his grip and rushed passed him into the house, nearly tumbling in my rush. I immediately sprinted through the long hall and into my bedroom, where I slammed shut the door, and twisted the lock. Shaking slightly, I sat on my bed and curled my knees into my chest, almost hyperventilating. There was an angry roar as my dad finally got his bearings and realized what happened. I heard a soft meow and looked towards my window. There was the orange cat again. He was pawing at the sill, begging to be let in.

I uncurled from my ball and stood, walking over to the window, then slid it open without difficulty. The cat hopped in and I silently shut the window back. He jumped onto my bed and sat down, simply staring at me. I sat back down on my bed and curled back up, the cat crawled up next to me and butted its face against my head. I started to pet it, grateful that I wasn't alone. Dad started pounding on the door, calling me all sorts of foul names, screaming profanities and threatening me if I didn't unlock the door.

He could threaten all he wanted. Right now, I felt safe behind my locked door, laid on top of my blanket on my bed, cuddling with the cat I'd found.