OBLIVION 3 : THE CONCLUSION
By Wendy de-Veryard
Chapter Seven
Holding the receiver to his ear, James Burton continued to speak to the caller, bewildered that Mr. Francis had called him at all. "I've not heard from Ignatz for some time actually, its funny you should ask Fabian, I should like to speak with him also. Have you tried writing to him?"
The other man sighed, "I don't really know where to contact him. After he left England he moved around a lot, and I wouldn't know where to begin. Do you know where he is?"
"Well yes, I do actually, but I can't let you have his address, not if he hasn't given it to you first. Look leave it with me, and I see if there is a telephone number listed to the address he gave me him, and have him contact you. It may take a while though, as if there is no contact number I will have to write instead."
"Could you send a telegram then, and have him call me, it really is most urgent."
"I'll see what I can do. You still working on those experiments you and Ignatz started on?"
Guarded, Fabian answered, "What experiments?"
A short sharp laugh came down the line, "You know the one, don't try to pull the wool over my eyes. Did they ever work?"
Fabian sighed, a thing he seemed to do more and more these days, "Not very well. We never achieved what we hoped for, but there were some variations, not that any survived. So how about you, did you ever pursue it?"
"After the one that Ignatz sent to me went missing, I changed tactics, there didn't seem to be any more call for that kind of work, after all if Ignatz was wasting his time on it, I didn't want to do the same with mine. I went on to other things, but I am interested to know if he achieved this."
"So what were your initial plans with the one that got away so to speak?"
"Dissection really. Quite a waste I know, but who wants a half lion half human growing up at home, I was just curious that's all."
"And you never saw it as the taking of human life, dissection would have been murder."
"It wasn't like that. Ignatz never expected the offspring to live and after a few days here, he would have died. Then dissection would not have been a problem."
"But what if he had not died?"
"I never liked to think of that. I guess I would have allowed the thing to die, you know not fed it. After all, Fabian it wasn't really my field."
"So how did you and Ignatz come to be working alongside one another on this, I mean instead of sending the offspring to you, he could have sent it to me."
"Yes he could, but you were a rival for the experiment at the time, he would not want anyone stealing what he had achieved, least of all you."
Fabian nodded, "Mmm, I guess so, still I need to speak with him now, rival or not, I believe I may be heading for a breakthrough."
"So you are still working on it?"
"Well, so, so, I'm not committing myself at this stage, I only really want to speak with Ignatz about it."
"All right then, I can see you are being very cagey. Ha! cagey that's a good one in the circumstances. I'll see if I can get hold of Ignatz, either by phone or telegram, leave it with me. Bye"
Fabian Francis replaced the receiver. He was left feeling doubtful. He had never really liked the American scientist, that Ignatz had gone through college with and spoke highly of, there was something about him that never seemed to add up. And he didn't believe for one moment that he had abolished the idea of creating a being from animal and human sperm, it was after all too big a quest, and if like himself, he had never been able to stop trying, then how far had he gone with it?
Looking around his laboratory, Fabian picked up the photographs laid on his desk, and quirked his mouth. Ignatz believed that he had destroyed Honey, but he hadn't. He had crossed her with some of his own sperm, and like Ignatz had created a being that still lived. And from that had created yet another being. And by crossing the pair of them he had another. Finally crossing the last with the first until for once, a scan upon the one pregnant at present, finally revealed the shape of a lion, rather than that of a human, and Fabian was hopeful.
James Burton, replaced the receiver, and flicked through his address book, for the telephone number of Ignatz Strasser, for he had lied when he said he didn't have it. He had been trying to contact Ignatz for some months, to no avail, neither had anyone at the institute answered. Confused but unable to spare the time to investigate further, he had forgotten all about it, until Fabian's call. The telephone at the other end shrilled but still no answer, and James let it ring while he thought about what to write in a telegram. Just as he was about to replace the receiver, he heard a click, and lifting the receiver back against his ear heard a woman's voice ask, "Hello, whose there?"
Preferring not to answer that question he replied with one of his own, "Can I speak to Ignatz Strasser please."
"Who's calling please?" Came the female voice again, after a short pause.
"That's inconsequential, if you would just put me through please, Ignatz knows me." He replied somewhat sharply, hoping for an immediate response. These secretaries usually obeyed when he spoke like that. However this one didn't.
"I'm sorry Sir, but Ignatz Strasser is no longer with us. However, Mich'ael Reidel would have taken your call, but he is in hospital after a bad fall, I am the only one here at the moment, and can relay a message to Mr. Reidel if you wish?"
James Burton, paused, somewhat irritated, "Is there no contact number to Ignatz Strasser, it is he I really wanted to speak to."
There was another pause at the other end, and then, Catherine quickly made up her mind and told him "No I am sorry Sir, he did not leave a contact address, so I cannot help you. I can only ask that you give me your own details and I'll have Mr. Reidel contact you."
"Absolutely not, my details are private, I shall have to send Mr. Reidel a letter. Can you give me his home address?"
"Mr. Reidel is expecting to go to live in America when he is out of hospital, so he has yet to find somewhere, and this institute is going up for sale. I'm afraid that the only contact address now would be at the hospital where he is recovering. I can give that address to you."
There was a brief pause in conversation as Catherine spelled out the address and then James Burton told her, "I'm actually calling from America, which part does Mr. Reidel intend on living?"
"Somewhere up in the mountains, a couple of hours drive from New York, he hopes to be able to buy an institute there, well actually part exchange it with the one on Sonn Alp. He was over here tidying the place up, when he had his accident, along with his colleague. They fell through a hundred foot shaft, through the side of Sonn Alp, Mich'ael is lucky to be alive, Sir, they both are."
James Burton whistled, "The poor guy, and this colleague I take it that would be Hans Kogler."
Catherine paused, she was getting in deep here, but as there was no longer anything to hide, did it matter anymore? "No, it was a chap called Deryl Weston. Han's Kogler is dead Sir, I am sorry to have to break this news to you."
James closed his eyes, "Whatever has been going on there? Did he fall through the shaft too?"
"No, Johannes Kogler was killed by one of Professor Strasser's wild creatures." Catherine hoped that bit of news, would worry him, if he knew of the experiments that had been going on at Sonn Alp, which proved to be so, when he made no comment to it.
"Then I have to speak with Mr. Reidel. Look tell him nothing of this conversation, I will contact, Fabi...I mean another chap, and we will send a letter to the hosptal and hope that Mich'ael gets well soon."
"Thank you Sir, Goodbye."
Catherine replaced the receiver. What was all that about. Quickly she scribbled down as much of the conversation as she could remember, not omitting the name he started to utter then stopped himself, Fabi, he had said, what was it short for? And who was the caller that lived in New York? If she knew the language she would call the operater and ask if it were possible to be told from which number someone had just called her, but she didn't so that put paid to that idea. There was no certainty the number would be given her anyway. So there was only one thing for it, she would have to speak to Devin and Mich'ael about it as soon as they were well enough.
Catherine had gone along to the institute to check that Devin and Mich'ael had done everything they had set out to do. Mich'ael had been able to tell her bits when he came out of theatre, but he insisted she double checked, as it was unlikely he would ever go there again. Besides, if there was time she intended to take Father around the complex while he was there, and because on the first occasion there with Devin she had left her camera behind and was thankful to find it, still in her villa. Extracting the roll of film she put it deep inside the pocket of her jeans to keep it safe. She wondered about the call, but not unduly, not yet knowing what Devin had uncovered while he had been deleting files several days ago.
Peter had left now, and outside the building a horn blared, signalling the impatience of the driver to be off. She frowned, since Scott had helped them find Devin and Mich'ael he had grown fidgety, and though he had gladly taken her to the institute that morning, she could tell he had something else on his mind, and was not very talkative at all. Taking a last look around, telling herself she would be more thorough when she brought Father up here, she locked the great doors behind her and went across to where Scott sat waiting restlessly for her return.
Mary met Father at the airport, flinging herself into his arms, sobbing quietly against his chest. "Oh Jacob, I'm so pleased to see you, just hold me will you. I feel so tired. So helpless."
Father hugged her tightly, until he felt she had calmed, then drew her away to look into her eyes, "You haven't been sleeping have you?" he asked her gently, kissing the tip of her nose.
"How could I Jacob, there has been so much on my mind. I am so glad you came. Though you must prepare yourself for seeing them, Devin is not good, still comatose."
Father heaved his shoulders in a great sigh, "It will be nothing I haven't seen before, but you are right my dear, as it is my own son, it will be a strain to see him. Come shall we go straight to the hospital. Where's Catherine, I thought she may be here to greet me too."
"I thought so too. I don't know where she is. She and Scott went up to Sonn Alp early this morning, rang to say they had left and were well, and there has been no word from them since. I expect she will meet us at the hospital later. She has spent almost every waking moment at Devon's bedside. She may even be there now."
"I had hoped that she would return to Vincent now, that I am here, along with Mouse."
"I don't know about that. You will have to prise her away from Devin. Something happened with Vincent that she won't talk about, she makes no sign of wanting to return to him, only saying he deserves what he gets."
"That's so unlike her. But I can fill you in there, apparently through the Bond Vincent sent a jolt of jealousy when Peter was holding Catherine's hands, he mistakenly thought it was this other man, Scott."
Mary nodded, "Scott is very smitten with Catherine, that I do know, he and Peter had words about it, but as for Catherine wanting to return any affection in his direction that just is not so. She sees him only as a helper."
"That's what I told Vincent, still he worries, he feels something terrible is about to happen."
"Well I hope not, we have all the trouble we need right now."
"Still, I can't shake it off myself, he is very compelling you know, when he becomes convinced of something."
"Oh don't I know it Jacob." Hand in hand the laughing pair made their way out through the airport and took a cab straight to the hospital.
"Where are we going?" Catherine asked Scott as she opened her eyes from her nap, alongside him in her seat.
Scott smiled, "There's some place I want to show you. Something you missed the last time you were here."
Catherine frowned, "Where are we?"
Smiling, Scott told her, "Don't you recognise the terrain?"
In the fading light all Catherine could make out was towering mountains, and though they looked familiar, there was a scent about the place reminiscent of Italy. Struggling to sit up, Catherine's eyes flew open, as she realised, "Scott! we're miles from the hospital, why have you taken me here, turn back please I need to be at the airport, Father is arriving this evening."
Scott reached for her hand, "Don't fret so my love, Mary was going to meet the old man, and going straight to the hospital, so Devin will be in good hands. I thought you needed a break, and brought you here, to the Dolomites to visit the tour that you missed last time."
"But I don't want to do, I need to be with my family. Tomorrow I was going back to America."
"Sorry Catherine, but you won't be going just yet, after all you owe me."
Catherine frowned, "You know I offered to pay, you refused to accept anything."
"I don't want your money, my love, however, I do want you."
Catherine snatched her hand away as he made to grasp it, "Scott! I demand you take me all the way back and now."
He laughed, Catherine did not like the sound at all "Thank you for the offer. I do intend to take you all the way my love, but back," he shook his head, "Never."
Grappling with the door handles, Catherine tried to free herself, Scott just laughed at her futile attempts, "Central locking my love, its impossible for you to get out. Besides, I won't hurt you, or do anything you would not want me to do, just relax Catherine, and enjoy yourself. I'm sure you could if you tried. I know you feel the attraction between us, let it free my love, and we can start a new life together."
"Never!" Catherine spat at him, "I thought I could trust you Scott."
"You can. Catherine, look you are a very beautiful woman. I have not stopped thinking about you since we first met. And to have you contact me, well you can imagine how thrilled I was that you thought of me. You can't deny the truth my Catherine, you know you find me as appealing as I do you."
"Don't ever, ever call me that." She fumed.
"What my Catherine?"
"That. I am not your Catherine. That right does not belong to you."
"Does it not?"
She looked at him with fire in her eyes, furious with him, and afraid of him. There was something about the set of his jaw that told her she should be afraid though she tried hard not to show it.
He reached again for her hand, "Don't worry my Catherine, I can assure you , you'll have a happy life with me, I will give you everything that your heart desires."
Catherine flinched at his use of a happy life, something her mother had hoped she would have, a life which she had known with Vincent. She wondered whether she should open up the Bond with him. He could not help her himself, but he could get help to her, Scott knew nothing of their emphatic connection, and he would not be expecting anyone to find out where he had taken her. Catherine relaxed, this was her trump card, and she smiled as she relaxed.
Scott saw her smile, "That's better my love, I knew you would see it my way eventually. We will have a good life together I promise you."
Catherine thought it best she humour him, so she smiled, and tried to make light of things, "Remember I said I had a bone to pick with you?"
"Yes, I think I know what you are going to say". He told her sheepishly, "Dorothy told you I could speak French didn't she? Sorry about that, it was all I could think of at the time to get you to sit closer to me. Am I forgiven?"
"That's debatable. However, if you would take me back to the hospital I would consider it."
He laughed at her "Then I'd sooner remain unforgiven then stand to lose you again. Besides I'm sure you need a break and you will enjoy being with me."
Catherine decided not to argue, instead she closed her eyes and silently called to Vincent.
Vincent found joy in his children in his wife's absence, spending as much time as possible with them. The babies had grown so much, and Jacob adored them, trying to lift them, as he'd seen his elders do. Vincent's eyes creased into a smile when he saw Jacob sitting with all his brothers and sisters upon his lap. It was a sight to behold, and Elizabeth standing alongside Vincent expressed her desire to paint them. A picture for all to treasure, but not on the tunnel walls, rather in the chamber that Vincent shared with Catherine.
"That would be wonderful Elizabeth" Vincent told her, as he scooped Jade up into his arms. He did not like to show favouritism between his children, but in Catherine's absence, it was Jade that he turned to with her eyes so like her mother's. Elizabeth fondled the baby's hair, "She is beautiful Vincent, you must be very proud of her, of them all."
"I am. It is still like a dream to me. Five children all mine, I would never have deemed this possible. That someone like me could have found this great joy. And that Catherine could love me enough to have given them to me."
Elizabeth patted his hand, "Don't put yourself down so child, you underestimate what it is you have to give. So many people love you, we do not see you as less than a man, but more than a man. You have to believe this."
"I do try, Catherine says much the same to me. And I am happy. It is only when I catch sight of my hands or my face in a mirror that I am reminded of what I am, or rather what I can never be. I feel at times, great sorrow by the face that looks back at me."
"Un-yet Gerry your sister, sits and preens herself in front of a mirror, enjoying her own beauty. She has attained the ability to see herself the way Devin sees her and more. This Vincent must be your virtue. If you can begin to look upon yourself the way other's see you, then a lot of your insecurities will pale into insignificance. You have to believe in yourself before you can trust that others believe in you the way you are."
Vincent nodded, accepting her wisdom, "Still it is not easy."
"I never said it would be, that you try is all we hope for you. Vincent I must go back to my chamber now, I have some things to attend to, but please if you would like to resume this chat, come to see me there, when the children are napping."
"Thank you Elizabeth, I should like that."
When Elizabeth had left, Vincent continued to play with his children. There was Jade with her gorgeous green eyes, so like her mother's, her identical twin sister Jasmine, and their three brothers, Connor, Cannon and Jacob the eldest of the five. Vincent loved them all so much, he felt deliriously happy just being with them, yet Catherine's absence marred his happiness, and no matter what other's told him, he could not shake away the fear for her safety.
So it came as no surprise to him, when tucking the children down for a nap a little later, the first tentative fingers reached through the Bond and plucked at his heart for a response.
Overjoyed, Vincent welcomed their touch, feeling at once a great weight lifted from him, for since Catherine had closed down the Bond after his jealous outburst, she had not made contact save for the time Devin needed help, many days since.
"Catherine" he answered her overjoyed, then frowned as her tumbling emotions told him all was not well.
"Vincent, I need your help. I've been kidnapped." She told him as gently as possible, so gently that he at first thought it was some cruel joke, but he did not seriously think she would be so unkind, knowing how he worried about her.
She felt his response, his uncertainty, "Its true, though I'm in no immediate danger, I cannot get away, and no-one knows where I am. Please, Vincent, try to get Gerry to reach Devin, or Marie to reach Mich'ael so someone can help me."
"Who" Vincent wanted to know "has kidnapped you?"
Catherine sighed, "It is Scott."
Catherine felt Vincent's anger flare along the Bond, she winced, as she felt it directed at her. "I never encouraged him Vincent, truly I didn't. Its a misunderstanding."
"Why did you not tell me about him?" Vincent paced the nursery, his anger rising out of control.
"There was nothing to tell. He was attracted to me, but I made it obvious I wasn't free." She wished she didn't have to tell him that.
"And you called him! A man that found you attractive! How could you be so careless?"
Tears pricked at Catherine's eyes, "Vincent I came to you for help, not recriminations, don't you think I don't know all that, if you won't help me, I shall have to find another way."
"Catherine, oh Catherine" Vincent groaned, "Forgive me yet again, of course I will help you. Where do you think he is taking you? Are you hurt?"
"He's heading for Italy. Into the Dolomites where we first met. And no, I'm not hurt but he has made some threats." Vincent's sharp intake of breath, hurried her on. "Not to my life Vincent, I don't think he'd hurt me..." Her voice trailed away. Would he though? He had already made reference to taking her sexually, wasn't that a kind of hurt if one wasn't agreeable? Would he rape her even if she refused? Horror flooded her senses as she remembered that other time, the night when Vincent had found her, those men that had cut her, those men that had raped her. But for Vincent she would have died both physically and mentally. Vincent caught her thoughts, knowing what she was hiding from him, thoughts her mind refused to utter, could not utter in words. "Catherine I am with you, my strength is your strength, keep the Bond open, I will help you. I love you my Catherine."
"I love you." Almost as soon as she heard the words in her own ears she regretted them, words she had spoken out loud, as well as internally, Scott slowed the car to a halt, turning in his seat, his eyes fixed to hers and smiled broadly at her.
"I knew you would come around to my way of thinking, but love, can it be possible? What can I say, only I think that I love you too." He told her. At first Catherine thought of taking back her words, but the look on his face told her it may be as well to go along with it, for he reacted differently towards her now.
"Would you like to stretch your legs Catherine." He asked her. She nodded, and he got out of the car, leaving the keys in the ignition, to walk around to her side to open her door. Catherine hesitated, but in doing so the moment was lost, as Scott retraced his steps, and extracted the keys putting them into his pocket, before going back to her door once more and letting her out.
"Is there anywhere you can run to Catherine", Vincent asked her, as she stood up to look around her.
"No, there is nowhere, just mountains, no forest at all to hide, I shall have to keep his trust and try at another time."
"Come sit with me," Scott told her, "Tell me about yourself. I know so little."
"Then how can you want me with you, when you know nothing about me."
"Exactly, yet already I feel as though I know you, and the little I do know, I admire. So what do you do for a living?"
"Nothing."
"What nothing at all?"
"I told you I am married."
"Then what does your husband do?"
Unable to hear Scott's words, unless Catherine repeated them in her mind, Vincent heard her ask, "He wants to know what you do for a living Vincent, what shall I tell him? I know!" Turning to Scott she told him, "He's a teacher." Deep in her mind she heard Vincent chuckle.
"Really, what subject does he teach?"
As he spoke each word, Catherine began to repeat each word in her mind so that Vincent could be a part of the two way conversation. And after a while she got really good at it.
"English, Shakespeare, Music", Catherine told him.
Scott nodded, "So you are left at home with your children. How many do you have?"
"Five"
"Five!" Scott asked in disbelief, "but you don't seem old enough."
Catherine found herself repeating through the Bond, everything Scott asked her. "I wear well." Catherine told him, laughing within as she heard Vincent chuckling through the Bond. Perturbed Scott continued, "I thought you said you had only recently married?"
"I did."
"So how come you have five children?"
"I'm a fast worker."
Scott looked at her hard, "Are you making fun of me." His voice showed a hint on malice.
"Careful Catherine," Vincent told her, and Catherine told Scott, "Of course not. I do have five children, and am recently married."
"Then they have different mothers. They are adopted."
"No."
Scott shook his head, "Then you had children before you married him."
"Just the one."
"I'm sorry, my Catherine," She heard Vincent suck in a sharp breath when without thinking she repeated Scott's words and told Vincent, "I don't like it either."
Scott went on, "I just cannot understand what you are saying to me, I wouldn't have taken you for a liar." His voice held a knife edge of maliciousness.
"I'm not lying Scott, I had a litter, four babies at the same time, and a single child, making five children."
Scott's face relaxed, "Oh I see, why didn't you say?"
"I was enjoying your confusion." She smiled at him, and his heart somersaulted, and he brought his face close to hers, intending on kissing her, and jumped back sharply as he heard a growl issue from her.
"Nice work Vincent" Catherine told her husband, "That stopped him in his tracks."
"Did that come from you?" Scott asked looking about wildly.
"Did what come from me?" Catherine asked him, keeping as straight a face as possible.
"Didn't you hear it?"
"Hear what?"
Getting to his feet, he pulled her up level with him, "Come on let's get out of here, for I definitely heard something."
"Like what, I never heard a thing."
"Like a growl. Okay I know it sounds crazy but I heard it. Just as I was going to kiss you, I heard a growl."
"You must have imagined it." Catherine told him, trying to keep a straight face.
"I didn't."
He looked at her long and hard, her green eyes glinted in the early evening light, and a ripple of apprehension ran through him. "Come on, lets get going, we are almost home."
Sitting in the car a little later, driving along in silence, Vincent told her, "Hold tight Catherine I want to try something. Just close your eyes, and pretend to be asleep."
Doing as he bade her, she waited, and listened, as slowly the sound of purring came through her mind, through her body, and growing louder by the minute. Scott jumped, slammed his foot on the brakes, and screeched to a halt. Catherine's eyes flew open, "Whatever is the matter now?" She asked him innocently.
Staring at her with the help of the interior light, he trembled slightly.
"What?" Catherine asked him.
"You were purring."
"Me, purring! Now I know you are hearing things."
"Then if it wasn't you, who was it?"
Catherine shrugged her shoulders. "I think you need to get some rest, Scott, obviously your mind is playing tricks on you."
He was silent for a long time during which time Catherine said nothing. After a while he re-started the engine, and pulled back onto the road.
"Have you contacted Gerry and Marie Vincent?" Catherine wanted to know now.
"Yes, but Devin is still in a coma, and Mich'ael is unconscious again. We will have to do this between us. I must admit, providing we can get you out of there in one piece I am rather enjoying this."
"I never realised you could still growl and purr. I thought those abilities left you with the dark one."
"They did, still years of practice and all that. I know what to do."
"You should have seen his face when you did it, Vincent."
"I did."
"Could you hear him too?"
"No, I can only go on what your body relates to me, if you repeat his words in you mind and so on but I can see all that you see through your eyes. Where do you think he means to take you?"
"To his home, that could prove dangerous Vincent, or it could prove better, it depends where he lives, in isolation or not."
"Then keep your eyes open, watch where you are, look for highways, signs, houses, try to keep a track of the mileage from place to place, ask him how much further his home is, that sort of thing. More important, see if he will tell you an address."
Catherine nodded, wasting no time, "Scott, are we going to your home?"
"Yes."
"Where is it?"
"In the mountains."
"When you say in the mountains do you mean that literally?"
"No, I have a cabin nestled in a valley, not far off from where I met you that day. I do however, plan to take you to a place I know you will love."
"You do, when, where?"
"Tomorrow and it is a surprise. Well you know part of it already. I want to take you on that trip you never continued, but from there, I aim to show you another place, deep inside the mountain. A very special place for me, I hope it will come to be yours also, in fact to make it ours."
Catherine felt the alarm bells ring, "I think, Scott, I have seen enough of the inside of mountains to last a lifetime, is there no-where else you could show me?"
Scott frowned, "But you will love it."
"How do we get there?"
"By train and foot."
"How much foot?"
"A mile, maybe one and a half."
"Then I cannot go."
"Why ever not?"
"Its not long since I had my babies." She lied, " I have been cautioned not to walk far."
"Yet you showed no sigh of abating while on Sonn Alp."
"Nonetheless, I should not have attempted it. That I got away unscathed, only highlights I may not be so lucky if I try it again, especially so soon."
Scott fidgeted in his seat, "Then we shall have to try it another time. I don't want to cause you unnecessary risks."
"And there is something else" She told him hoping it was right to bring it up.
"What is that?"
"I mustn't have sex, until the stitches are removed."
"Well done Catherine", Vincent told her.
Scott sucked in a deep breath, "Damn!" He muttered, "How long will that be?"
Catherine shook her head, "My check up was scheduled for next month, about three weeks time, but there was no guarantees even then."
"Oh well, not to worry. Though it will be hard to keep my body off of yours, no doubt we can use our hands to satisfy one another until we can do better eh?" He told her a twinkle in his eye. Catherine felt sick, more so, as his hand came across to caress her thigh. Vincent was furious, he growled again, and Scott snatched back his hand, jamming his foot on the brake once more. "You did it!" He cried.
"I did what?" Catherine asked him softly, trying to act as bewildered as she could.
"That growling. It comes from you." His eyes searched hers, as the hairs stood up on the back of his neck. "When you said you had a litter when you spoke of your babies, was that a joke?"
"Of course it was a joke, what more could it be?"
Scott shrugged, "That you purr, that you growl, what do you expect I would think."
"Then maybe they were a litter, I don't know. Though..." She stopped purposely.
"Though what?" Grabbing her shoulders, his face inches from her own, he seethed through clenched teeth her, "Though what?"
"Hey you're frightening me Scott." Putting out a hand to pull his away she accidentally racked her nails over his skin, and he snatched his hand back, looking at the scratches she had inflicted, "You little wildcat," he spat at her. "And to think I thought I knew you. What are you some kind of animal?" Catherine flinched, suddenly feeling drained, "Is this how it feels for you Vincent? I am only now beginning to understand? See the fear on his face, it is real. He is really scared."
Vincent growled menacingly, louder this time, the sound vibrated through Catherine, making her lips tremble, her body convulse.
Jumping from the car, Scott ran around to the passenger side, wrenched open the door and dragged her out. "Get out, get away from me." He flung her to the ground, threw her bag after her, ran back to his side, got in and drove off in a cloud of dust.
"Gee thanks Vincent." Catherine told him, "Now what am I to do?" Then she burst out laughing and crying with relief at the same time, as the enormity of her plight came to her. She was in the middle of no-where, mountains all around, miles and miles of jagged ranges, and not a house or a telephone box in sight.
"Know that I love you my Catherine and at least you are free."
"I love you too Vincent, thank you for your help, you should have seen his face."
Vincent chuckled, "Oh I did Catherine, I also saw the seat of his pants."
"His pants? I never noticed." Then as Catherine realised the import of his words, she burst into laughter, and heard it echo, echo, echo, all around the mountains.
