I’m awakened by an incessant movement underneath of my warm stomach and I groan quietly as I stretch my arms above my head. There is a meow and in my confused state I look down the bed and finally realize what the movement was coming from. The black cat is half squished underneath my stomach that I assumed was pressing against the mattress.

I shift so the cat is freed from my weight and he moves quickly to the edge of the bed.

“I’m not that heavy,” I tell him as I reach forward to his head.

The cat blinks before responding to my touch, his head moving against my palm to downward against my wrist and forearm.  I giggle as his ear brushes against the inside of my elbow and pull my arm away to supress the ticklish feeling.

If only I could stay home and cuddle this cute kitty all day… Yeah, right.

I sigh to myself and rub my eyes before sitting upright, the cat meowing in protest.

“Sorry kitty… I’ve got some stuff to do today.”

I grab a baggy, hoodless sweatshirt and a pair of black leggings and my undergarments before wandering into the small washroom. I’m lucky that this cellar was once a place for someone else because whoever stowed themselves away in such a place was smart enough to install a small bathroom.

There’s a toilet, sink and shower crammed into what seems like a 4 x 4 room and for one person it is perfection. I clean myself up quickly, rubbing my head with a towel for a few minutes before letting it set into its natural wave.

“Well… Back to the daily grind,” I breathe before walking into the main room and grabbing a hold of my jacket.

This time I am happy to take a wool scarf from the table that I quickly wrap around my neck in attempt to stay warm in the cold. Even in here, the room is starting to become a bit unbearable; looks like I’ll have to find some more blankets on top of my task today.

“Okay kitty, I’m going,” I sigh as I move to the steps that lead to the cellar doors.

He meows once more before trotting up the steps as I throw open the doors.

“Come back later if you want,” I tell him while rubbing his head softly once more, “It would be nice to have someone around…”

Why can’t you be a human? I want someone to talk to, to spend my time with… I sigh longingly as I remember my past. My family and friends, but now all I’m left with is nothing.

I’m shaking my head in frustration as I pull myself out of the small square that made up my front entrance and the cat follows suit. He steps carefully around me and seats himself against my feet as I push the doors closed, making sure the latch around the handles is fastened securely.

“Don’t need anyone breaking in again,” I breathe with melancholic eyes.

The cat has stiffened at my words and I giggle quietly.

“Don’t worry kitty, I know how to protect myself.”

I wink at him before standing and giving him a wave. When I reach the end of the alleyway, I can’t help a nagging urge to glance over my shoulder. When I do, the black cat is perched perfectly by the cellar doors with a curious gaze on me. His tail curls around his feet with his ears pointing forward.

Will he wait for me?

I shake the thought away… I’m becoming too attached to a mere cat.

**

“This isn’t the full payment,” his voice hisses at me through a menacing smile.

“Look, I gave you all I have,” I tell him again through grinding teeth, “Stop asking for more, you know you’ll get the money eventually.”

He laughs, “Well, big boss man is asking for it now.”

His hands grab at my shoulders and I put my hands on his inner arms to push them off.

“Well, he’ll get it when he gets it won’t he?” I spit in his face as I move away from him.

I push out of the familiar coffee house, hoping he won’t see me turn in the direction of my home, my feet moving me quickly through the streets.

I gave him whatever I could find – four hundred and eight seven dollars and twelve cents. Yes, the payment was supposed to be at least a thousand, but they know I’m not going anywhere… They said they would follow me anywhere and in these past seventy-five years; they have lived up to their words well.

At first harassing my parents, but then moving onto me when they died… They took something near and dear to me. Something promised to be returned to me once I paid them back my family’s debt. It was a one million dollar debt, but the prize at the end would be worth every paid penny.

My blonde hair sways in the breeze and a chill crawls up my spine. My eyes are on the grey building that made up Connor’s famous shop. Everyone with magical blood knew who she was; she had years and years of experience that I wish I could have… And what looks like a home. I only hope that my prize will still want a home with me in the end.

When I come up to the windows there are people inside; Connor herself, a fiery haired woman and a tall man with a strange mark on his face. When the women’s head turns I notice she has one to match the gentleman and I begin to wonder the meaning behind it. They link fingers and he stares lovingly at her. Connor smiles and begins to speak to both of them. Her eyes jump to me and she gives me a wave.

The other two turn to face me and wave as well, both holding bright smiles.

My eyes widen and I wave at them for a second before remembering my original journey, turning round quickly to find my way to the alleyway.

I pause momentarily when I come across the patch of sidewalk from last night when I shared a brief intimate moment with the man named N… What a strange name, only a single letter.

I smile to myself before moving forward as I think about him, trying to distract myself from the debtors that could be following me.

There was an air about him… Something incredibly familiar, but yet so foreign at the same time. I want to see him again, but the possibility of that is doubtful considering I keep minimal contact in each city I go to.

I round the corner of the familiar alleyway and find myself surprised when the black cat is still perched in the exact same spot as I had left it. Why didn’t he run away after having one warm night’s rest?

I smile at it, “Hello, kitty-”

There’s an incredible pain pounding in my head as whatever has been struck over it leaves my skin.

“Godamnit,” I hiss as I tumble forward from the force.

I should’ve known they would follow me. Why did I let a little bit of happiness distract me?

I stand up as straight as possible, my body swaying momentarily from the blow to the head, and press my back against the brick wall… There was no greenery here to help me. No tree’s or plants of any kind to bend to my will.

“I said I’ll give you the money as soon as I can!” I shout as I recognize the man from before who holds a wooden bat in his right hand.

“It’s not good enough,” he tells me with anger.

He begins to move forward so I kick at his knee’s to which he only groans in pain for a moment.

“Don’t screw with me,” he yells as he brings the bat around to smack against my arm.

I whimper in pain and crumple to the ground as he smacks it against my ribs with ferocity.

I’ve dealt with this before… I can get through this again.

I stare up at him for a brief moment before slamming my hands against the ground, preparing myself for another blow. Clenching my eyes closed in fear and stiffening my body, I expect the worst.

Nothing comes except the man’s frustrated words.

“What the hell?”

I open my wet eyes and notice two feet directly in front of me.

Someone is standing up for me?

I lift my head shakily and my gaze drifts along the persons muscular legs. The black pants look familiar and as I let my eye s continue to work their way up the person’s body I take note of a grey wool sweater hanging on their upper half. They have dark medium length hair and it rests perfectly against their somewhat long neck. He seems so familiar…

“Stop it,” he orders darkly and I immediately recognize his voice.

“N?” I say breathlessly.

My eyes are glued to his back and he turns his head so I can make contact with his fierce gaze.

“Don’t move unless I tell you too,” he orders.

I nod and I can’t help but feel his mysterious eyes are still familiar. What was it about him that had me so intrigued?

“Get out of here,” N hisses at the man.

“She needs to pay me, now get-”

“I’ll pay you everything she owes you if you leave her alone,” He orders once more.

That’s a lie… When he figures out the million dollars I owed, he would completely back out.

The man scoffs at N’s proposition and this is when I can finally admit that my enemies and I see eye-to-eye.

“Her debt, huh? Would you like to know how much she owes? You probably won’t pay it after that.”

“Don’t underestimate me… Now, tell me how much she owes you.”

Was he for real? My prize… The thing I had been waiting for a hundred years could be in my life once more… I feel a wave of shock come over me and I begin to hyperventilate slightly.

“Her debt is 998 567 dollars,” the man states flatly, rolling his eyes at N.

“Done. You can expect it tomorrow afternoon.”

My mouth drops open in pure awe; he was going to pay it? How much money did this guy have?

“You can’t be serious?” I ask.

N only nods as the man stares at him with a strange look on his face.

“Agreed?” N almost orders, his muscles seemingly tense.

“I… I guess so, yeah. She has the address to bring it too,” the man tells him calmly before giving me a look.

“You better be damned happy he stepped in and saved your ,” he mutters.

“I said leave her alone,” N growls at him, grabbing his shoulder and pushing it backward.

“Take it easy pal.”

The man looks him over once before shaking his head in what seems like awe.

“I haven’t seen a shifter in centuries, by the way… You might want to be careful how you use that power of yours,” my debtor says before stalking backward down the alley.

A shifter? So N had magical blood?

My eyes immediately dart to the cellar doors and I take note of the empty space in which the ‘kitty’ used to sit… He couldn’t be? That naughty little cat slept in my bed and had been human all along.

N turns around and kneels by my side, brushing some hair off of my face.

“Are you okay?” He asks with sincerity.

My emotions are incredibly mixed as I look up at him.

“You cuddled with me and you were human? You ert,” I say with laughter.

He rolls his eyes, “Is that really something you should be saying to someone who is paying basically a million dollars for you? Besides, I can explain… After.”

My left eyebrow perks in curiosity.

“After what?” I ask with a quizzical stare.

One of his hands slides underneath of both of my legs while the other slips behind my shoulders. My body becomes heated when he stands up. He does it with such ease and I yelp in shock as his hands settle comfortably against my skin.

“Put your hands around my neck if you want.”

My face heats and I can feel my ears turning red as I contemplate put slipping my arms around his neck as he begins to carry me out of the alleyway.

“Where are you taking me?” I ask nervously.

“To Connor’s,” he answers with simplicity.

His voice seems strained, almost melancholic, as we continue our journey up the street.

I feel embarrassed being in his arms… But in a good way. I can’t get over the fact he still feels so familiar… and the fact he just agreed to pay of my debt.

My eyes look to the pavement and I shiver slightly at the thought of falling onto its cold surface. Almost instinctively, my fingers crawl up his chest to fasten themselves against his neck. I smile when I look his face over as a pink tinge finds its way to his cheeks. He still holds a confident smirk, but the shyness is noticeable as my thumb against the back of his neck.

His scent is sweet as my head falls against his chest. I can’t help myself from liking it and part of me wants this walk to last longer than the regular five to ten minutes it normally does.

“You didn’t answer before,” I tell him softly, hoping I could get him to look at me.

He does briefly with slightly pursed lips. He almost looks confused before he realizes what I am implying.

“Ah, right… I’ll explain once you tell me just what I am paying for.”

… I should expect at least this much.

I nod a bit before I let my eyes travel to the sleeted sidewalk once more, my brain taking over as we come within minutes of Connor’s shop.

So the kitty was human… And a very strange, intriguing human at that. How will he respond? I pray to whatever God is out there that this man will understand my past… The very thought of his disregarding me hurts me to the core.

Why is that? Why did I hope the kitty wanted me just as much I seemed to want him?