Shadow
Elizabeth Knight
KB5
Kyle sat glaring up at Bra's window. It was open in invitation, but he stayed put. It wasn't long before she came to the window and stood staring out at nothing in particular. Her long blue hair was still wet from her bath and the short blue robe she wore clung to her wet body. He was too far away to see the wet spiky lashes he knew would be framing her clear blue eyes. She turned her head and her mouth moved as if someone were at her bedroom door speaking with her. A moment later and she turned away herself, and he couldn't see her anymore.
He was about to leave when he caught sight of a shadow move under her window. The robed figure reached up and pulled itself inside the open window. Kyle made his way toward Bra's house out of the shadows. When he glanced to see if anyone was coming he caught sight of Zantha sneaking out of her bedroom window. White Fang had sent him to follow his sister to make sure she wasn't followed and this was his sign to get moving. He didn't have time to see who was sneaking in Bra's window. Giving a low frustrated growl, he turned to follow Zantha.
Zantha reached the woods and shifted so he did like wise staying back far enough that if anyone was following he'd catch them. They traveled slowly at first with Zantha moving silently and turning every once in a while to stop and listen. He'd taught her well. Zantha changed back before she entered the clearing and went over to White Fang who was waiting patiently.
"It's nice to see you could make it. Was she followed?" he ask, looking past Zantha into the dark woods at Kyle.
"No one followed." he told White Fang as he stepped out of the bushes and into the clearing. Zantha looked shocked and he smiled slightly at himself. He had taught her good, but she wasn't that good.
"Good. Now have a seat and tell me your news."
There was a soft knock at the door and Bra could hear her fathers voice on the other side. "Bra? Can I come in?"
"Give me a second and I'll be out." She told him, turning away from the window. She grabbed a heavy night gown off the bed and threw it on, tying the robe on over it. Sighing and plastering a bright smile to her face, she went to open the door. Vegeta stood there arms crossed looking at her curiously.
"What's so amusing, daughter?"
"What?"
"That ridiculous grin isn't going to fool me, Bra. You've been very quiet here lately. What's going on?"
"Nothing. I'm just quiet is all."
"I don't like it that nothing has got you so distracted. Does nothing have a better name?"
Bra stayed quiet looking at her father. He had always been very perceptive. She didn't want to lie to him, but she couldn't tell him anything either. "It's nothing really, dad. I just haven't been sleeping so well lately and I'm really tiered." A small crashing noise sounded behind her closed bedroom door, and Vegeta looked up at her questioningly. She smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "I had probably better go check on that. I left some things on my easel and it probably fell over. I hope it didn't make a really big mess."
"What were you working on?"
"Oh....just...touching up....an old painting really." She told him, reaching for the doorknob behind her.
"I haven't seen many of your paintings lately. Mind showing me?"
"Ummm....it's not really finished yet."
"I thought you said it was an old painting."
"Oh it is, but it's not got all the revisions that I want on it yet."
"Bra..."
"I really gotta go clean that up, dad. I'll talk to ya later." Bra opened the door and closed it quickly behind her. She had her back pressed up against the door and took a few deep breaths. Her heart was beating so fast so felt like she'd been running forever. A large dark shape moved in front of her window and she smiled. "What took you so long to come back?"
The long cloak fluttered as he turned around to face her. She couldn't see his face since the hood covered it completely. The silence in the room was eerie and Bra became nervous. He just stood there staring at her. Why didn't he say something to her? Probably because he had heard her with someone out in the hall. "Don't worry. He's gone. You had me worried for a little while. I thought you weren't coming back."
A quiet snort sounded from across the room, but he kept silent.
"I totally agree. That made me sound really desperate didn't it? You know I'd feel better if I knew you're name. It doesn't seem fair that you remembered mine, but I don't know yours." she told him quietly. Bra waited for an answer but none came. She took a few steps away from the door to him, but he quickly moved back. "What's wrong? I'm not going to hurt you? You still don't trust me? You did last time." He turned to sling one leg back out the window, when she called to him. "Wait!" she begged, running to him. She grabbed the arm closest to her, and he turned slightly. His paw had come uncovered and Bra didn't seem to notice. He shook off her hand and leapt to the ground. He got several feet away before turning back to look at her.
He flipped his wrist around and let the cloak fall away from his paw. She stood staring at the flower in his hand and smiled. Very slowly, he placed it on the ground then took off. Bra ran to her bedroom door and flung it open. She crept out into the darkened hallway and down the stairs. The front door was still unlocked as she slipped outside to retrieve the flower. The blood red rose glared up at her from the middle of the street. Where had he gotten it? Roses weren't found on Mkyi. She reached down to pick it up but dropped it, when it pricked her finger. She stuck her finger in her mouth and used the bottom of her nightgown to pick up the rose. She brought it up to her nose and smelled the unusual sent of the flower. It was light and soothing.
Bra ran back to the house and closed the door. She was about to slip back upstairs, when her mothers voice stopped her. "Bra." she whispered.
Bra jumped and turned around, using her robe to shield the flower from her mother's view. "Yes?"
"What were you doing outside? It's late. There could be dangerous people....." Bulma stopped speaking at the slight smile that split Bra's face. "I take it that if someone were out there you'd have been expecting them." Bra moved her robe to show off the rose she held. "Good lord, where did you get that? Never mind I don't want to know. Don't show your father though. He's suspicious as it is. You know your father still looks at you as his little girl don't you?"
"Yes mother. I know."
"Sometimes it's hard for a parent to see when they're children have grown up."
"Is it hard for you mother?"
"I see so much of myself in you. It almost scares me. I always knew you'd grow up to be a wonderfully special person though. You have a gift with most people, Bra. I get the feeling thought that your idea of a special man isn't going to be what we're used to."
"What are you saying mother?"
"My idea of the perfect man was your father and look at him. What a wonderful specimen of male ego. Being a proud saiyan doesn't help much with his people skills, but he's gotten better."
"What does that have to do with me? Dad is a great guy."
"But he was never the normal average everyday man, Bra. He was even a completely different species. No average man was ever going to do for your mother. Somehow I think the same can be said about you. Considering you've never looked at anyone I've noticed around here with any interest. Just how different should I be expecting dear?"
A few days later
Bra gave a sigh of exhaustion as she climbed the stairs to her room. She opened the door and dropped her bag of paints on the bed. She crossed into the combining bathroom and drew a warm bath. Stripping out of her cloths, she climbed in and soaked her troubles away. She let her mind wonder and drifted to sleep.
When Bra opened her eyes again, she was in complete darkness. The water had grown cold and she began to shiver. Climbing out, she grabbed her robe off the door and went back into her bedroom.
She smiled at the painting sitting across the room next to her vanity. She had brought it home that afternoon but hadn't had time to put it up. She knelt down in front of it and pulled back the sheet she'd draped over it. Her heart gave a painful lurch as she gazed at the golden eyes in the picture. If only.....
Bra looked up at the window and sighed. Where was he? He'd come back surely. The beautiful rose he'd given her had withered away already, but it was dried and in a small glass jar for her pleasure. Picking up the picture, she decided to hang it next to the one Robert had given her. She pounded a nail into place and hung the picture. Standing back, she tried to judge if it was hanging strait or not. She reached up to move it slightly, then stood back again.
"What a horrifying resemblance." he whispered in her ear. Bra jumped, but she didn't scream this time. She was getting used to him showing up at the strangest times.
"How long have you been here?"
"You were making such a racket, I didn't think you'd notice me. Is that supposed to be me?" he ask, reaching over her shoulder to straiten the painting.
"Do you like it?"
"Hmmmm. I think I like the one above it better." Bra glanced up at the picture then blushed. She had forgotten it was there. "Did you do it?"
"No. One of my students did it."
"He's good." he complimented, stepping forward to take a better look. His eyes focused on the corner of the painting that had Robert's name scrolled across it. Bra watched him smile and give a small laugh.
"What is it? What do you see that's funny?"
He shook his head, turning to look at her. "It's not a bad likeness. I think perhaps he made a mistake on the proportions though."
"How would you know?"
"I think perhaps your right. It was rather dark that night I dropped in. I'll just have to rectify that won't I?" He reached for Bra, but she backed away. He raised both eye brows and continued to purse her across the room. For every step he took forward she took one back until she came up against the wall. "Now where will you run to my beautiful Bra?" he ask, using his arms to pin her in place.
"What is it you want?"
"What do you want, Bra?"
"I....I don't....know." She watched his head lowering to her own.
"Follow your heart, Bra." His voice was low and seductive, and those golden eyes seemed so deep. Bra closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck. She turned her face up to his own and waited. When nothing happened, she opened her eyes and looked at his smiling face. She quickly unwrapped her arms and put them down at her sides.
Ducking under his arm, she put as much space between them as possible. Her face was flaming, and she was totally humiliated. What had she been thinking? Perhaps she'd miss read the situation. "What did you come here for?" she ask the still smiling cat-man.
He lost his perfect smile. "To temp fate. You're completely forbidden to me, Bra. You know that, don't you? Do you like to tease me?"
"What?"
"Do you think you can control me? That you have me on a leash as your exotic pet?"
"I don't understand. Why are you angry with me? Because I wanted....I wanted you to kiss me? I'm sorry....I didn't mean to.....offend you."
"Didn't you? What's your plan? Catch me off guard so you can get me captured?"
"No!" Bra answered defensively. "If you think that, then why are you here?"
"I don't know. I shouldn't be." He shook his head and made his way back to the window. He started to climb out.
"Don't go, please." Bra begged. "I'm sorry."
"For what, Bra?"
"For whatever your angry with me for. I won't do it again."
"I am the one in control here, Bra. Do you understand me?" Bra shook her head and he grabbed her by the arms to pull her to him. "I can control myself. I don't have to come to you. You can't make me do what ever you want me to." He sounded more like he was trying to convince himself of something instead of her, but she nodded her head anyway. He swooped down and ravished her mouth with his own.
He hurt her for only a split second before his kiss turned warm and seductive. He ran his tongue over her lips asking, pleading for an invitation, and Bra parted them. He growled and plunged his tongue into the sweet recesses of her mouth. Bra ran her fingers through his silky hair over and over again. She ran her palms down his back and reveled in the feel of the fur covered muscles flexing under her finger tips.
She didn't notice the ripping sound until too late. Cool air raced in through the slits in the back of her robe, before he slipped his paws in to run his hands down her back, mimicking her movements. He pressed her body closer into his own and molded her to his form. He tightened his hold a split second before he let go of her and backed away. They were both breathing heavy, and their chests heaving. Bra ran her hand threw her hair and continued to stare at him. He was so gorgeous, so perfect.