James

Tala was walking down the street for once alone. Once she would have thought that constantly being around people would kill her now she felt longing to have Rahne or Bobby at her side. Both were at work right now, Bobby at the ice cream parlor and Rahne at McDonalds. Tala sighed, so much had happened in the past two months. She had made friends with Rahne and even some of the younger guys. Rahne and Tala had even been able to talk mind to mind but only in their animal forms, which made attacking much more coordinated and easier. Tala had paid off her debt and unfortunately was starting school next week. The biggest thing, to her, was the fact that she no longer felt weak. Even after their punishment had ended of two a day danger room sessions Tala found that it was a good stress reliever and so did it once a day.

A familiar sent drifted past her nose. Todd She turned around to see her walking towards her. So the snake does come out in the sun He must have seen her because he was calling her name. She stopped and waited for him to catch up with her. "What do you want?" She asked trying hard to be nice.

"Tala we found a stray dog." So what's new? "It is in building somehow it made a hole in the wall and we can't get it out. I need you to come help me get it out."

"It isn't my shift Todd."

"I know but I need your help." Tala sighed.

"Fine, where is it?" He led her down through the town to the more run down buildings. When they got to what seemed like the furthest away from town, he pushed open a door and led her inside. It was dark and cold inside filled with dust, making Tala sneeze twice. Something about the place made her want to run. To find trees and open spaces but she forced the feeling down.

They climbed two flights of stairs when Todd opened another door. Tala stepped inside and looked at the room. There was no hole in any of the walls. In fact the only thing in the room was Todd's dog catcher's pole. She turned to see Todd standing in front of the door. She gave him a confused look but he just smiled at her. It was not a smile one would want to have when stuck in a room with a guy. He reminded her of a lion who had cornered its prey.

He stepped towards her. She stepped away fear making her forget she could fight. All that was in her mind was to run, run away. He was stalking towards her. She ran to the door and jiggled the handle. Locked. She wanted to hide to wake up from this nightmare. Todd pulled her away from the door and pushed her onto the ground. Before she could get up he was on top of her. He pulled out a knife and pushed it against her throat. Leaning close to her ear he said "Make a noise and I'll slit your throat." A shiver of fear, helplessness, and anger ran down her body. She growled in her mind, defiant.

She heard the door open and close. Todd looked at the intruder. "Get up." A voice demanded. Tala went still with fear. That was the voice that made her scream at night. The voice she had run as far as she could from. The voice had found her.

"You said I could have fun first if I brought her to you." Kill me now. Oh please kill me now. She pleaded.

"Get your knife away from her you idiot." A strong hand pulled the knife away from her throat before she had a chance to kill herself. "Did you really think I would let you have my prize? You must have been mistaken." Todd got up reluctantly. He walked out of the room. Tala knew she needed to get up but she couldn't look at him. You need to defend yourself. She rose slowly to her feet and looked at him.

He was looking at her with a little sign of worry on his face but mostly satisfaction. He was tall with dark black hair and deeply tanned skin. His dark brown eyes looked at her body seeming to never blink. He was wearing a black muscle shirt and blue jeans. He was twenty but had been held back in school. That's where she had first met him. James

"You led me on quite the little chase Kace." He was one of the only people who called her by her real first name. "Did you really think you could get away from me?" He stepped towards her. How did he find me? "Did you miss me? I missed you, but you broke my heart when you left me." This wasn't true. It was just words, words to distract her. "Come back with me Kace. We will never be apart again."

Tala looked around. There was a window in the back. The glass was already broken. She ran for it. He was right behind her. Crash. The remaining glass and Tala fell down three stories and into a rose bush. Dizzily Tala picked herself up and ran. She could see trees ahead she ran to them and went deeper in until she found a large bush. She changed into her dog form and crawled in.

Her whole body felt like one big bruise. The only way she had been able to keep going was the adrenalin and now it had run out. Not having enough energy or mental satiability to care that thorns and glass was embedded in her skin. She laid down and watched the path from where she had come. Her path was evident to anyone and Tala knew she needed to hide her trail but her body refused to get up.

"Rahne, Can you hear me?" No answer came. Tala hadn't expected it to work. She changed quickly to her human form. "Professor? Help me…" It was all she could ask for before she felt the tears come. She quickly changed so she wouldn't cry. She couldn't cry it would only blur her vision and use more energy. She waited there for what seemed like hours before she heard voices. She perked up thinking it was Rahne or Bobby. Instead out stepped Todd and James. They were looking at the bush she was hiding in. She couldn't help but give a small whimper.

"Come on out Kace. I know you are in there." She growled as loudly as she could. Todd stuck his pole in the bush and somehow got it around her neck. He pulled choking her. Good, death is welcome Although she had convinced her mind that death was good her body betrayed her by finding energy to get up and walk out in the open. Todd had stopped pulling so she let gravity take its toll and fell to the ground.

Todd gave the pole to James and took a closer look at the Doberman at his feet. There around her neck was a spiked dog collar with a tag claming the dog to be named Starbite. He recognized the tag and collar and quickly got up. "She is a mutant! Kill her. Kill her James." James didn't move so Todd pulled out his knife and went to slice open her throat.

"NO!" screamed James. He pulled the noose off of Tala and swung the pole like a bat straight at Todd's head. Todd fell unconscious. James continued to beat him with the pole until he was sure Todd would never hurt her ever again. He turned to Tala. She was standing now but her whole body shook from the effort.

She growled at him and bared her fangs. She felt no fear in this body not for him at least. Slowly she stepped towards him, stumbled and fell. She had no more energy in her to hold her shape. She changed in front of him. He stood aw struck. She started to army crawl away from him. Hands picked her up and held her. She didn't feel fear as she was being held. She looked up and into the eyes of Bobby.

She wanted to cry with relief but the roar of rage shattered her hope. She looked at James. He was running at them swinging the pole. Tala knew Bobby could only work ice through his hands but he refused to put her down. Out of the brush Rahne ran at James. She ripped at his wrists and he dropped his pole. She attacked at him again and again. He gave one last hateful glare at Tala before he ran away.

Rahne came to her side. She changed and gently hugged Tala. It was the last thing Tala remembered before passing out.

Kool wolf: Thank you so much for reading my story and encouraging me to continue. I know the last update took a while so I made this one shorter for you. I hope you like it.

Yaya bitchy fish: Hey thanks for reviewing. I'm glad you liked it. Keep reading please.