ARC TWO: BODY
The Sixth Chapter
Heat
It was the most heated night of my life. My mortal enemy…no longer quite my enemy…in my bed.
It was a strange, twisted occurrence for both of us. She is frightened – frightened I'll turn on her without a thought. But she doesn't know that I've been thinking about her each night…wishing…lusting…seeing that slim figure in the shadows and wishing I could have it, and knowing it is crazy…because the Cat would kill me if she had the chance.
Loyalty is a powerful bind, but it seems to me we've both run low on it. Warring families that have struggled for generations have suddenly fallen apart. Family doesn't mean anything to me now; the only thing keeping me here, in this house, is the fear that Azula will turn the others on me. They would not hesitate, I know, because of the same fear.
It's fair; it's what we agreed to. Protect your own. Stay loyal to your own.
She wraps her arms around my neck, murmuring slightly. I lay there, thinking of consequences. Azula knows how to break open a door without a sound. Who is to say she won't simply come in looking for me, demanding why I hadn't met with her about vengeance?
And I know the street gangs are tough. Traitors – like Katara – are retaliated against. I've seen their work – people deemed disloyal or useless, beaten and left for dead. Broken glass, wired fences, guns and stolen cigarettes. That's what the entire war is about. And if they found out we'd done, they wouldn't hesitate to kill me. Or hurt her. Even to her brother, Katara would be nothing more than a worthless slut who didn't belong. Didn't deserve the name of Cat.
And that makes everything even sweeter for me.