Lingering around the archway, Helena anxiously watched as Cassie led Clay into the dancing crowd. Gnawing on the inside of her cheek, her wary gaze moved over to Harry and Yzla, preparing herself for the hook-wielding pirate to gun it straight for Cassie. After all, while it was Cassie's first time experiencing the jealousy of the guy she wanted touching up another girl, it was also Harry's first experience seeing the little cat do the same. Sure, he'd been in the shoppe when Maddy stole Cassie's first kiss, but that hardly counted. The kiss hadn't been reciprocated or even wanted to begin with, and Cassie had made that very clear. Now, though, Cassie was hoping to win yet another one of their 'games', and there was no doubt that she'd go to extreme lengths to succeed.

"You called for me?"

Helena whispered a curse and turned her head. "You're lucky I'm not putting you on your ass," she snapped.

C.J. bounced on her feet, clasping her hands behind her back. "I don't know what you thought was gonna happen," she said, giving a shrug. "Of course I was gonna tell him."

"You're a real pain in the ass," remarked Helena.

C.J. simply grinned. "You flatter me, Queenie."

Bringing her eyes back to the situation at hand, a silent whine escaped Helena's lips.

The distance between Harry and Cassie was reasonable enough, but, given they were attempting to rile up the other enough to draw a reaction, it was also entirely too close. There were a bunch of others between the two, enough to possibly hinder Harry in his determination to get to Cassie, but not enough for Helena to be able to swoop in before he reached her. On a more positive note, there was plenty of space for Clay to gun it if things went downhill. And given the momentary sneer from Harry when Clay turned Cassie around to face him, there was a very high chance he was going to have to run.

Breaching Helena's personal bubble, C.J. squinted, following the older VK's line of sight. "The fuck?" she whinged. "Why's he dancing with Yzla?"

"Because of me," a voice said, coming from next to the two.

Helena looked over at Zevon, whose expression was one of great vexation. "What did you do?"

"He said it was payback for sneaking around with C.J.," the youngster explained. Then he grimaced. "Yzla said the same."

Helena's eyes went wide. "She knows what he's doing?"

"She's not stupid," grumbled Zevon, crossing his arms. "Besides, Harry's not her type."

It was a slight reassurance, at least. Yzla was completely aware of Harry's scheme and apparently all too eager to join the game. If the little cat did get particularly feral, then Yzla's beating was only well deserved. Helena was unsure of the lengths they would go to in order to defeat Cassie, though. The VKs of the Isle were notorious for their cruelty, and Helena couldn't bear to think of how much Cassie would suffer at their hands if they pulled some vicious tricks.

"So, uh, who're you betting on?" asked C.J., peering up at Helena.

The Queen of Hearts frowned. "Neither," she exclaimed.

C.J. shrugged. "I'm betting on Cassie."

At this, Helena was quite bewildered. "Why?"

"Hmm, there's just something about that cat." C.J. cocked her head. "And he's been talking about her for days. It's pathetic, actually. If Clay gets a little too handsy, Harry won't be able to help himself."

Well, it certainly made sense. After everything Helena had seen of Harry this far, where Cassie was concerned at least, it was safe to say he was undoubtedly fond of the little cat. His methods of keeping Cassie around were insane and couldn't possibly be executed by someone who was only half-interested. He'd never really played subtle in his interest in Cassie, from asking her for one night to watching over her after Ginny caught her. It was outrageous, really, that Cassie still refused to see it. Harry was never one to pull back from admitting what he wanted, whether it was killing another VK or attempting to seduce them. So it was only natural that his other emotions would come out in a similar fashion.

Besides, the children of the Isle were oftentimes exactly that: children. And they hated it when someone else played with their toys.

On the other hand, Cassie was a little, well, crazy. She had a peculiar penchant for doing stupid things out of pure stubbornness and spite, mostly because she was too damn impulsive with her decisions, allowing whatever emotion was higher at the time to drive her. Jealousy wasn't something she was used to, especially when it came to living people. She wouldn't turn down a challenge, but Helena couldn't guarantee that Cassie wouldn't drown in her fury and lose the game, likely by attacking Harry.

Helena sighed, apprehensive. There wasn't anything she could really do now except stay put and watch, and maybe intervene if Harry got a bit 'stab happy'. For now, though, Cassie was going to have to do this on her own.


The little cat was only partly aware of how insane an idea this was. Maybe in the morning, when she'd transformed and the alcohol was out of her system, she'd look back on this moment and want to throw herself off the ship. On the other hand, she was so damn angry, and there was only so much bullshit she'd tolerate from Harry. She'd joined his crew, rejected Maddy in front of the pirates when they'd demanded she prove her loyalty, agreed to give him one night of her time even after he tricked her into giving herself to him, done her best to at least remain civil with him, gotten stabbed by refusing to join Maddy's gang, and then allowed him to train her for her initiation. Given their history, there was a lot she'd pushed into the backseat to hang around him and the pirates. Only for him to drag himself back into her sights when she wanted one night to herself.

Oh, he was so damn petty. All she'd done was come to a party—her very first party, no less. It might not be anything of interest to him, but it meant a lot that she was able to join in with things like this. For sixteen years, there was a barrier between herself and her fellow VK's, where they could socialise and understand the inner workings of the Isle, and she was trapped up in Maleficent's tower. Now, she'd finally been given an opportunity to catch up with the others, and Harry couldn't stand it.

"You okay?"

Cassie flinched, bringing herself out of her thoughts for a second to talk to Clay. Sucking in a deep, soothing breath, she admitted, "I don't know how to do this."

In truth, she felt a little bad for the guy. They'd only met five minutes ago, roughly, and now he was helping her win a game against an incredibly vicious VK who would happily gut him if he had the chance. If there was ever a moment when she'd worry she'd made a bad impression, this would be it.

Clay simply gave her a small smile of understanding. "I'll show you."

Cassie nodded, relieved that he'd taken that weight from her. "Thanks."

In the middle of the moving bodies, it was easy for insecurity to dig its claws in. Even with the alcohol fanning her confidence and lowering her worries, Cassie still couldn't help but endure a sliver of doubt.

"Hey." Clay raised his hand to Cassie's chin, tipping her head to meet his gaze. "Eyes on me, yeah?"

Cassie's lips parted. "Sure," she muttered.

Reaching forward, he gently grabbed Cassie's waist and brought her into his chest.

"Don't look at him," he told her. "He wants your attention. If you don't give it, he'll get pissed off."

Cassie tilted her head. "But I won't know if he lost."

Clay replied, "I'll tell you."

She hummed in acknowledgement. There was a strange impulse to turn around and find out what Harry was doing with Yzla. A sick kind of intrigue, really. But she was wildly out of her element, and listening to Clay was the best thing for her right now.

Pulling Cassie's hands up to rest against his nape, he muttered, "It is okay, just move with me the way you moved with your friend earlier."

Cassie frowned. "You were watching me?" More a statement than a question.

Clay shrugged. "Who wouldn't?"

Before she could linger on that any further, he placed his hands low on her back, moving his hips to the rhythm of the song. Cassie, still slightly anxious, attempted to bring herself back into the comfort she'd felt when dancing with Helena earlier. It was trickier this time, with the reminder that she was 'duelling' Harry and that she was now dancing with practically a stranger, but she did her best.

"How're we doing?" she asked, after a moment or two.

He passed his gaze over her head and said, "He's good, I'll give him that."

"Do I wanna know?" she wondered.

With a thoughtful look on his face, Clay's eyes shot back to meet Cassie's. "How bad do you wanna win?" he asked.

Cassie paused. Then she answered, "More than anything."

"Good," he said, with a hint of mischief in his eyes. "Let's kick it up a bit, then."


On the edge of the crowd, Helena watched, her stomach twisting with anxiety. She'd almost reached for a drink numerous times, only to scold herself afterward, reminding herself that she'd need to be clear headed to deal with the aftermath of Cassie's 'challenge' with Harry.

So far, nothing extreme had gone down. Clay turning Cassie to look away from Harry was a good plan; it'd drive the pirate insane not being able to tell what was going through Cassie's head. It was also akin to a dismissal, like he was as important to her as a rat running around the alleyways—desirable enough when she was starving but easily ignored when she was enticed by something tastier. Helena had seen the flicker of irritation in his focus, which he aimed to hide away by grinding his hips into Yzla. It was enough to set things off, but Cassie would need to do something she might not be totally comfortable with if she wanted to defeat Harry.

"What're we hanging around here for?"

Glancing back, Helena saw Freddie standing close behind them. "Harry challenged Cassie," she explained, bringing her head back around to watch the pirate.

Freddie was positively gleeful. "You're kidding?" She stepped in closer, looking over C.J.'s head to find the duo. "Oh shit."

"Oh shit!" added C.J., almost in disbelief. "She's gonna do it!"

Helena had been so preoccupied with Harry and his reactions to Cassie that she'd foolishly taken her eyes off her friend for a while. So, when her gaze drifted back to the little cat, she was, understandably, taken aback.

No longer did Cassie stand with her chest against Clay's. At some point, he'd spun the little cat around to press against her back, slotting his right leg between hers. His right hand smoothed slowly down her side, brushing against her breast as it descended. It paused near the hem of her dress, delving beneath the fabric to slide up and rest on her upper thigh, the skirt hanging over his arm and exposing a little more of Cassie's skin. His other arm wrapped around her waist, his fingers spreading out against her stomach to keep her up against him. Around the same time, Cassie's right hand gently held onto the back of his neck, her right hand drifting along her body to the flow of the music. Their sway didn't falter; if anything, it synced in the most beautiful way. The little cat rested the right side of her face against Clay's chest, still refusing to grant Harry even a scrap of her attention.

"Oh, Cass'," whispered Helena, almost pitying. She'd wanted Cassie to have a good night tonight, to forget her troubles for at least a few hours. If dancing with a stranger brought her happiness, then that was fine. But doing it just to get one over on Harry was just upsetting, really.

It wasn't often Cassie allowed someone to touch her this way. Helena actually knew with certainty that this was the first time. Sure, she allowed the Queen of Hearts close enough and Starla on occasion, but that was different. They were friendly touches, only meant to bring comfort and warmth. How Clay was touching Cassie now was far from 'friendly'. And Harry, who was fond of getting his hands on the little cat regardless of whatever he had to do to achieve it, hadn't yet been fortunate enough to get close enough. He'd lost her first kiss to another, and now he'd lost his chance to be the first to touch her like that.

His eyes flashed with such uncontrollable rage that it was almost comical. His fingers wound in Yzla's dress, clenching until his knuckles whitened from the grip. His movements faltered for a second, his body straightening against Yzla's back as he stared at Cassie.

"He's gonna do it," exclaimed C.J., practically bouncing with anticipation.

Freddie shook her head. "I don't know," she said. "I think he's got some fight left."

Maybe he did, but Helena doubted he'd last much longer. If Cassie had been watching, he'd have been able to take it a step further, basing his moves on whatever reaction he pulled from her. Unfortunately for Harry, Cassie wouldn't even give him a second-long glance. It was frustrating for him to not get what he wanted from her, and Helena worried about what he'd do when he finally snapped.

While Cassie wasn't paying close attention to Harry, the boy behind her was, and he was taking great pleasure from tormenting the hook-wielding pirate. The look in his eyes was almost victorious, like he'd managed to take something away from Harry. Then, keeping steady eye contact with the pirate, Clay tilted his head, his lips quirking as he ghosted his mouth over the slope of Cassie's throat.

That was what it took to break the pirate. Pushing Yzla aside, he began marching towards Cassie, his hand moving towards the waistband of his jeans.

"Oh fuck!"

"Oh shit."

Helena grabbed C.J.'s arm. "Move!"


It was quite terrifying, really, that Cassie didn't even need Clay to let her know if Harry broke first. Even with her eyes closed, she'd sensed it somehow, likely due to her inner feline warning her of the danger. A niggle of caution tickled along the length of her spine, causing the hairs along her arms to raise. Not as intense as it'd been when she'd met the triplets earlier, but more of a familiar type of apprehension.

Cassie couldn't deny that, when Clay turned her around to 'kick things up a bit', she hadn't been completely apathetic. He was, well, not bad to look at, and he seemed decent enough for a VK. And maybe, while he was moving her against him, she'd felt a little something in the pit of her stomach. Dancing with him was like nothing she'd ever experienced before. Sure, their only motive for doing so was to piss Harry off enough for her to win the game, but there might have been the slightest moment where Cassie wondered if he did find something in her that he liked. Whether or not there was something there, though, Cassie wasn't sure she'd ever find an opportunity to dig into it further.

When she picked up on the oncoming danger, she finally opened her eyes, her gaze wandering to the area where Harry was once dancing with Yzla. She'd known he'd lost, known that he was approaching her, but seeing it was something extremely different.

His outrage was unbearably palpable, to the extent that Cassie wondered if those he shoved through could also feel it. His eyes formed slits, and his lower jaw twitched as he ground his teeth together. Storming through the crowd around them, he wasn't even a little deterred by the other VK's. His agitation had clearly taken the reigns, and it was entirely focused on Cassie.

She'd seen him mad plenty of times before, and she was no stranger to being the cause of it. This time, though, there was something different about it. It was primarily his actions that triggered her suspicion. Cassie wasn't stupid; she'd known on some level that he'd be annoyed when he found out she'd come to Dragon Hall. What she hadn't counted on, however, was that he'd bring himself all the way here the second he heard about it. On top of that, he hadn't even approached her the moment he came in, which she would've expected from him. If it irritated him that much, he'd have dragged her out of Dragon Hall regardless of what she wanted. Instead of physically forcing her out, he'd settled on attempting to stir her emotions instead, taunting her with another VK to drive her to approach him. It was peculiar.

The little cat loathed the twinge of guilt she felt when she met his eyes, an abrupt need to shrink herself down as he approached her. Technically, she'd done nothing wrong. Sure, she hadn't told him about her coming here, but he hadn't really needed to know anyway. He'd been away with his sisters, doing whatever the hell it was he did when he wasn't terrorising those in pirate territory. Cassie had drank, danced, and spoke to some new VK's, nothing in those categories had been spurred by a desire to fuck around with Harry. She'd come to a party with her best friend to let herself relax for a few hours, nothing more and nothing less. So why in Hades did she feel like she'd done something bad?

A twinkling underneath the lights tugged at Cassie's attention. Lowering her eyes, a sudden nausea brewed in her stomach when she realised he'd brought a dagger in here.

Spinning around to face Clay, she pushed at his stomach. "You have to go," she pleaded.

"Hmm." He stayed still, stupidly unaffected by the pirate heading straight for them. "Shame, really." Taking Cassie's hand in his, he raised her knuckles to his lips, brushing them against her skin. "Maybe in another life, little kitty."

Cassie paused. But before she could question him further, he raised her arm above her head, twirling her around and gently nudging her forward. Dizzied by the motion, she whined, looking back over her shoulder even after she collided with another VK. Clay, however, had disappeared.

It wasn't until Cassie felt a firm grip around her throat that she turned around, the air catching in her throat as she peered up.

"Hello, Kitty."

Swallowing down her nerves, Cassie's lips tugged upwards quite sheepishly. "Hi, Harry."

For a second, they remained still. Cassie, overwhelmed by whatever he'd brought out of her earlier, a slight anxiety, and the dumb confidence brought on by the drinks, could only stand where she was, tongue-tied now that they were only an inch apart. And Harry, well, it was a little hard for her to fully assess what he was thinking. He was still pissed—that much she could tell. But the furious twist in his expression seemed to falter now that he had her within arm's reach. It didn't dissipate entirely, but something else was trying to push through it.

"Cassie!

The moment was shattered. Cocking her head, mainly because Harry didn't seem keen on releasing his hold on her throat anytime soon, Cassie saw Helena pushed her way through the crowd, frantic in her determination to get to them. Right beside her was C.J., not quite as panicked as Helena, but there were traces of unease on her face.

"Hi, Hel'," greeted the little cat, raising her left hand to wiggle her fingers.

Helena's wary gaze flickered to Harry, his hand, and then back to Cassie. "You okay?"

Parting her lips to reply, the words choked in her mouth when Harry's fingers tightened. Raising her right hand, she grasped his wrist, her nails pressing into his skin.

"Let me go. Now," she demanded, indignation stirring inside of her.

One corner of his mouth curled upward. "We've got some talkin' to do, Kitty."

Just like that, the faint guilt from earlier disappeared entirely. Cassie's nose twitched, her eyes narrowing as she stared up at him. "With your hand on me? Fuck you."

"Oh," he drawled, his brow flicking up. "Are ye' gonna play dumb, Kitty?"

"C'mon, big brother," implored C.J., moving to stand at his side. "Not in here. There's too many."

Cassie smirked. "Scared, Harry?" she taunted. "Not so easy to take on the inner's when you're on your own, huh?" The edges of her nails dug into his wrist.

Reluctantly, he lifted his head to survey the rest of the room. Cassie wasn't sure if anyone was actually paying close attention. In truth, she thought the rest of the VK's were too far gone into their euphoric state. They weren't in the right frame of mind to take on Harry. However, every single VK in the room, aside from Harry and C.J., were inner islanders. If they did realise he was a pirate, there were too many for him to escape without a scratch. And going by the faint glower on his face, he'd figured it out too.

"Did you forget, Kitty?" he wondered, tugging her against him. "You're one of ours too."

True. Still, Cassie's amusement didn't fade. "I'm not starting fights, though, am I?" she pointed out.

"If I let ye' go, will ye' walk out nicely?"

Cassie shrugged. "What can you do if I don't?" She would, of course. It wasn't fair of her to disrupt the party with her personal issues. But he didn't have to know that.

A slight pressure against her side, around the area Ginny had caught her with a knife, drew Cassie's attention. She tilted her head down, relieved he'd slackened his grip, only to groan when she realised what was pressed against her.

"Can do this the easy way or the hard way, Kitty," he muttered, the rings on his fingers glittering under the lights as he twisted the dagger in his hand.

Cassie lifted her head. Mockingly, she asked, "You gonna kill me, Harry?"

He snickered. "I can bring ye' back, remember?" To emphasise his annoyance with her, he pushed the dagger in further, the tip piercing through the dress Helena had given her.

Cassie stiffened. The wound itself had healed enough for her to no longer need a bandage, which, unfortunately, meant the dagger was now grazing the scar left behind. She hadn't thought about it, really, how painful that night had been. In truth, the majority of it was almost a blur. With the dagger against her skin, though, it forced her to recall that moment she was laying down in Uma's kitchen. How they'd held her down and poured scolding water over her wound, how agonising it had been when they finally tugged out the dagger. It was another moment to add to her growing list of 'times I almost died'. Now, with the sharp point inching towards her scar, it was an infuriating reminder of a time she'd been stupid enough to let her guard down.

Instinctively, Cassie's right hand swept through the air. Her nails scratched against Harry's cheek, his head whipping to the side at the force of her attack. At the same time, she tilted her head, her teeth latching on to the skin of his forearm, her jaw closing down until a slight metallic taste erupted on her tongue.

The pirate's hold on her throat loosened when she caught his face. When her teeth pierced his skin, it removed itself completely. To Cassie's misfortune, though, this wasn't Harry's first rodeo. The dagger didn't penetrate the area he'd been aiming for, but it did scratch at her skin as he dragged it up, carving a line from her rib to her sternum, tearing through the dress in the process. Catching the little cat off guard, his now-wounded hand darted into her hair, taking a firm hold. Quicker than Cassie could comprehend, with her mind fogged by alcohol and panic, he pounced, biting down on the slope between her neck and her shoulder.

Cassie yelped, her fingers clutching at his shoulders, clawing at him with desperation. The pain in her shoulder was almost blinding—a sting so sharp that it caused her body to lock up. Despite her nails digging into his shoulder blades and cutting bloody lines across his back as she fought to get him to let her go, he refused to relent. If anything, the pressure increased. She had no doubt that the imprints of his teeth would linger for at least a few weeks. The wounds from her bite would clear up within a day or two, thanks to the gift she'd inherited from her father. His, on the other hand, would heal slowly, torturing her with the reminder of tonight.

"Hey!"

From the corner of her eye, Cassie could see both Helena and C.J. coming to assist.

"Let her go, Harry," begged C.J., nervously eyeing the space where he'd latched onto the little cat.

"C.J., I swear to fucking Hades," exclaimed Helena, pressing her own dagger Harry's nape. "I will take his head off if he doesn't let her go!"

It was quite the situation for them, really. If either one attempted to drag Cassie back or pull Harry away, there was a great risk that he'd only bite down harder, causing extreme pain to the little cat. In fact, if he really wanted to, he'd be able to rip a chunk from her shoulder with his determination.

Cassie, though overwhelmed by the burning pain, couldn't help but feel bad for Helena. There was a flush to Helena's cheeks that only made an appearance when she was overcome with anger, her expression twisting between terror and fury. She wanted more than anything to get Cassie away from him, but the possibility of further endangering Cassie prevented her from attempting it.

The little cat closed her eyes, inhaling a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself down. Between Helena and C.J. shouting at each other, the deep bass of the music, and the cheering of the VK's around her, her nerves had become unbearably frazzled. Pushing past the pain and the overall chaos of this entire situation, Cassie tried to clear her mind and consider a way out of this without risking herself. When she was certain she was soothed enough to think straight, she realised something.

Harry's bite was deep and unyielding; that much was true. It completely bypassed the faint prick she could feel along her stomach. The pressure wasn't lessening, but neither was it increasing. He'd found a pace he liked and seemed to want to stick with it. He could let her go, but Cassie knew he wouldn't since he was technically punishing her for attacking him first. However, he wasn't trying to cause her more pain either. He was just, well, loitering there, for whatever reason. In addition, his harsh grip on her hair had calmed. Now, it was just resting there against her nape.

Cassie frowned, bewildered. There had to be a reason he wasn't moving.

Then it struck her, and her eyes widened. Back when she was a youngling and being particularly annoying or rowdy, her dad would cuff the back of her neck. Not enough to really hurt her, but hard enough to bring her to a pause. Maybe it had something to do with the sensitivity of that area, especially for felines, or that it was quite a delicate area when it came to fighting. It applied, of course, to the entirety of the throat, since one bad move could render you unable to move. But Cassie had seen it with the normal cats as well, when she'd been visiting the Witch Academy. The felines would often hash it out, and whichever one managed to get its fangs around the other's throat would subdue the challenger, thus winning the battle. It was kind of a way of saying, 'I've got you now, so back down or I'll rip your throat out'.

It was incredibly ridiculous, and Cassie couldn't help but wonder how in Hades the pirate had learnt the trick. There was a slim chance he was doing that, but she had to be sure.

So, albeit reluctantly, Cassie backed down. She brought her hands away from his back, allowing them to hang down at her sides. Bringing herself to untense was a little trickier, but she did her best, lowering herself to fully rest on her feet, and relaxing the strain on her neck. Her way of admitting, 'okay, you win. I'm done'.

He hummed against her shoulder, causing a shiver to travel down her back. Then he finally let her go, stretching back to his full height and removing his hand from her hair.

Cassie had no doubt they made quite the vicious impression on anyone around them. Her, with specks of blood across her lips and chin, her dress ripped to expose a long cut along her midriff, the tips of her fingers and her nails coloured red, and a deeply bruised bite mark on her shoulder leaking. And him, with his teeth, lips, and chin smeared with blood, his upper back clawed so badly that he looked like he'd gone a round with Tick-Tock. If there was ever a moment when someone doubted either one's insanity, this was the very image that would set the story straight.

"Hades, Cassie," gasped Helena, finally being able to come closer. Her hand delicately probed the little cat's shoulder. "We need to get you home."

"You too," chimed C.J., her eyes travelling along Harry's back. "You haven't looked like this since we left dad."

Harry shook his head. "Need to talk first," he said firmly, pointedly raising a brow at Cassie.

Cassie sighed. Right now, she just wanted to go home and let Helena bandage her shoulder. But if they didn't talk now, then they never would.

"Fine," she agreed. "Let's talk."


Exiting Dragon Hall, Cassie was startled when the cold air swept across her body. If her fight with Harry hadn't woken her up a little, then the icy breeze outside would've done it. It was almost soothing, considering the sticky heat down in the hall. But being out in it for too long without a coat would get irritating fast.

Helena, the wonderful being that she was, had gone rummaging around Dragon Hall for a cloth or rag of some kind. The bite on Cassie's shoulder was now painfully sore and wouldn't close up anytime soon, so, for now, she could only press the cloth against it and hope it hadn't been used in a crazy lesson.

Things had been unnervingly quiet since Cassie agreed to talk to Harry. He and C.J. had left Dragon Hall first, likely because he was in unfamiliar territory without his crew or his favourite weapon. He seemed certain Cassie would come out, but given the odd situation, it was understandable she wouldn't want a repeat of it.

Heading down the steps, Cassie peered up ahead. Harry and C.J. were standing a few feet away, him slouched against one of the grave stones, C.J. inspecting his back, whisper-yelling something or other. When Cassie and Helena approached, they both stood.

"Let's go, Kitty," he mumbled, gesturing to the path.

Cassie shook her head. "I'm not going back to the ship with you."

A mixture of a groan and a chuckle escaped his lips. "I thought ye' were willin' to talk?" His arms drooped at his sides. It was like exhaustion was holding him back from going for her again.

"I am," she assured, folding her arms in front of her for warmth. "Just not on your territory."

"It's ye'r territory too, Kitty," he said.

She replied, "Not for another few months."

Harry rolled his eyes and raised his arms, gesturing to the area around them. "Ye' wanna talk here, then?"

The edges of her lips twitched upward. "Not exactly."


"Ye'r fuckin' jokin', right?"

In Cassie's, albeit slightly unhinged, defence, it had seemed like a good idea at the time. Still reeling from the embarrassment down in Dragon Hall, where he'd had the audacity to cuff her like she was a kitten, she'd wanted nothing more than to get back at him for it. If he wanted to talk so badly, she'd make him as uncomfortable as possible.

Peering up at the shadowy castle, Cassie now realised she wasn't immune to history either. Her eyes swayed to the right corner, where the metal staircase led up into Mal's old bedroom. The last time she'd been here, she and Gil had staggered to Uma's ship, the weight of a very unconscious and severely wounded Harry hindering their journey.

"What's so bad about this place?" asked C.J., unaware of just how pivotal this place was for both Cassie and Harry.

It was understandable that neither Helena nor C.J. wanted to leave the two alone, especially after witnessing the attack in Dragon Hall. The Queen of Hearts only wanted to keep Cassie safe, which wasn't a guarantee when she was around Harry. And C.J., well, Cassie wasn't too sure why the daughter of Hook was hanging around. Harry wasn't in great danger where Cassie was concerned—not severely, anyway—so it wasn't as if he needed the backup. It must've been a simple desire to make sure he was okay, or to ensure he didn't cause anymore trouble.

"He almost died here," clarified Helena, somewhat perturbed.

There was a second of quiet. Then C.J. exclaimed, "Huh?!"

"She almost died here, too," added Helena. "Not exactly. But almost."

'Ye're wonderin' if I can't fall asleep on my back anymore, 'cause I think I'll wake up back there again? Or maybe ye're wonderin' if I can't look down over the side of the ship, 'cause I won't see waves, just a long fuckin' drop'.

It was almost cruel of her, really, to bring him back here, knowing full well that it had caused him some form of suffering. It was almost the equivalent of Cassie running over to Ginny and asking her to hold a knife against her. In the back of her mind, Cassie wondered if this was the most vicious she'd ever been. On a deeper level, though, she knew exactly what she was doing. He wanted her to believe he truly desired her? Fine, she'd put him through a trial he wouldn't possibly take on unless his intent was genuine. She'd seen the look on his face that night on Uma's ship when she'd asked him if anything she'd ever done to him had burrowed itself firmly in his mind, and there was no feigning that kind of unease. If he wanted her to agree to whatever he wanted from her and cause her one of the worst kinds of emotional agony, she'd force it from him first. It wasn't to say she believed him, of course. Even now, there was a little voice echoing through her mind, saying, 'he's lying'. There was only the faintest sense of belief, which would easily clear itself up tonight.

Turning her back on Bargain Castle, Cassie faced the trio, hoping she masked her apprehension well enough. Her fingers, which had begun to tremble at the sight of the stairs, she hid behind her back.

"You wanna talk to me?" She tilted her head back, indicating the castle. "You'll do it in there."

"Cass'," whispered Helena, almost pleading with the little cat. From the look in her eyes, even she thought this was going too far.

In truth, it pained Cassie to do this, even to Harry. Bringing someone back to the place where they almost lost their lives was a new kind of wickedness, especially for her. If their roles were reversed, she had no doubt she'd have gunned it from the area within seconds. But this was Cassie's first and final task for Harry. Just for this moment, she'd allow herself to consider his intentions and convince herself for a second that he actually did want her the way he claimed to. This was the one thing she could rely on—the one thing that would finally confirm everything anyone seemed to tell her these days. If he wanted her to believe him, he was going to have to prove it to her in the worst way she could think of.

"You can't be serious," mumbled C.J., shaking her head.

Cassie shrugged. "He doesn't have to. But I won't talk anywhere else."

Harry appeared, well, quite untroubled considering where she'd brought him. Almost apathetic to it, his head tilted as he eyed the staircase to Cassie's left. But the little cat had spotted a glimpse of anxiety in other places. How his fingers had momentarily flexed around the handle of his hook, tightening around it like he was making sure it was still there. The way his other hand tapped rapidly against the side of his jeans, only faintly, so they didn't hear it. And how he swallowed down what she knew was an abrupt urge to flee. He was good at hiding it, but there was no mistaking his distress.

Taking a step forward, he scratched at his chin with the point of his hook. "Ye' won't chat anywhere else?" he repeated, looking down at Cassie.

Avoiding his eyes, she shook her head. "Nope." Cassie flinched when he held her chin between his thumb and index finger, raising her head.

"Ye' sure, Cass'?" He whispered, forcing her to meet his gaze. Gently, his thumb ran back and forth along her skin.

Cassie tugged her lip between her teeth, and his eyes darted to it. A light metallic-like taste met her tongue as she dragged it through her lips. She'd almost forgotten that she'd bit him that hard back in Dragon Hall and that, like him, there were remnants of him lingering around her mouth.

Then it hit her. He used her name. Not kitty, or pussycat; her actual name.

"If you're gonna kill me anywhere, it's gonna be in there," she mumbled, even though every fibre of her being begged for her not to.

It wasn't a guess; it was a command. Cassie was well and truly done playing this game with him. It was exhausting, and it'd lost it's entertainment value long ago. Maybe it was the drink fanning her courage or a sick desire to prove everyone right; she wasn't sure. But waking up each day and wondering if it was finally the day he was going to put her down permanently was getting to her. Tonight, she was giving him the key he was so desperate for. If he honestly wanted to kill her, he'd do it at Bargain Castle.

Keeping his eyes on Cassie, he said back to the other two, "Ye'll stay here."

Helena scoffed. "Like Hades I will."

"Hel'," said Cassie, looking over at her friend. "It's okay." She could understand the queen's reluctance. If Helena was heading into a building where the guy she was with once tried to kill her, she'd have some words too.

"Sure," huffed C.J. "I'll stay."

Releasing his hold on her face, Harry started towards the staircase. "C'mon, Kitty."

With a slight hesitation, Cassie followed.

'You're so pathetic, you know that? I mean, you act all big and bad out there, but you're nothing. If your dad could see you now, he'd be so disappointed'.

'I hope ye're off to say ye'r goodbye's, love, 'cause the minute ye' get back, I'm gonna tear ye'r pretty throat out'.

'Hello, kitty, kitty'.

'I was lying here, giving you a huge opportunity to do me in, and you were thinking about it. I won't fight back, and I won't run. You want to kill me, Harry. What's there to think about?'.

'But if I do this, I wouldn't be doin' it for me now, would I? I'd be doin' it for you. Ye' wanna die so bad, love, that I don't wanna kill ye''.

'Something wicked this way comes'.

'Ye're so pathetic, ye' know that? Ye' go through all this trouble to get me here, and ye' can't even go through with it. I wonder what ye'r daddy would say if he could see ye' now'.

'He's still alive. His heart's still beating. Now we just have to get him home'.

'Cassie. Help'.

Cassie hadn't anticipated how difficult it would be to climb the stairs. Physically, she was perfectly fine. The boots on her feet made a 'clank' every time she went up another step, and her fingers smoothed along the handrail as they ascended. On the inside, though, there was an uproar. Memories flashed through her mind in a chaotic loop, reminding her of exactly how much pain had been caused in this very building. Something turned in the pit of her stomach—a peculiar twist of agitation and fear. It took a great deal of inner strength to get herself up the staircase and an even greater determination to get her into Mal's bedroom. How Harry did so, she had no idea.

For a short moment, Cassie hovered in the doorway. Nothing had changed. Against the right side of the room was Mal's double bed, with multiple shelves and desks strewn near the wall on the left, both gathering dust now that the castle was uninhabited. On the furthest side of the room was the door that led to the inner castle—the very door Cassie had fumbled to get to when Harry dragged her in here. Regretfully, her eyes lowered, travelling along the wooden floor. Right near the centre, close to a shaggy purple rug, dark stains were embedded in the wood.

"Why're we here, Kitty?"

Dragging her gaze away from the floor, Cassie found him sitting on the edge of Mal's bed. For a second, she wondered if it'd been right to bring him up here since he showed no evident discomfort. Then she realised his eyes would stay on her, never even sparing a glance at the rest of the room.

Stepping into the room, Cassie leaned back to grasp the handles of the doors leading out, pulling them shut behind her. Without the wind pouring through or the usual ruckus that came with the nightlife of the Isle, the bedroom was completely silent.

"I almost killed you in here," she finally muttered.

He nodded. "Aye."

Cassie frowned. "You almost killed me in here."

"Didn't, though, did I?" he retorted, far too indifferent for her liking.

"Is that all you can say?" she demanded, a sudden irritation rooting itself. "We almost killed each other, but we didn't, so it makes it okay?" As she came closer, she mindlessly shoved at his shoulder. "What's wrong with you?!"

"Me?!" He laughed, but it was without humour. "Ye' rock up to Dragon Hall, wearin' my colours, an' let some stupid little kid put his hands on ye'. If one of us is crazy, love, it's not me."

Cassie fleetingly eyed the dress Helena had given to her. Sure, in a certain light, it might share a similarity with Harry's coat, but what did that matter?

"You started it!" she yelled.

He jumped to his feet, but she remained still. "'Cause ye're a fuckin' idiot!" he shouted back. "If ye' didn't run from everythin' I wouldn't have to pull shit like that!"

Cassie gaped. "I don't run from everything." Her voice wavered towards the end.

"C'mon now, Kitty," he said knowingly. "Every time somethin' happens that ye' ain't used to, ye' run." He lowered his voice, and the annoyance faded from his expression. "Ye've been runnin' from me since I said I didn't wanna kill ye'."

At this, she straightened. "Have not," she muttered petulantly. "I'm one of Uma's now. Haven't run from you in a while."

His lips quirked up. "Not with ye'r feet, Kitty. In here." He lifted his right hand to tap against her forehead.

"So what?" she snapped, hoping to return to the hostility from before. "For months, we hurt each other. And then, like magic, you decide you don't want that anymore." She ran a hand through her hair, forgetting Helena had pinned it up. "It doesn't make sense!"

He groaned. "It makes sense to everyone except you, Kitty."

"I know!" she yelled. Her voice then softened, with a hint of hopelessness breaking through. "I can't see it. And it's driving me fucking crazy."

After a second or two, Harry sat back down on the bed. "Why?" he eventually asked.

Cassie paused. "Huh?"

"Why can't ye' see it?" He shrugged. "What's holdin' ye' back, Cass'?"

She sighed. "I just don't get it. We tried to kill each other—almost did! How can you ignore that?"

His eyes rolled skyward as he pondered the answer to her question. Then he replied, "It's just how things are here."

The urge to choke him out was strong. "That doesn't make sense," she exclaimed, incredulous. "You see how fucked that is?"

"It's the Isle, Kitty," he droned. "Does there have to be a reason?" Slowly, almost cautiously, he reached out, grabbing the skirt of her dress with one hand. "Ye're worried 'bout me killin' ye'?" He pulled her in, placing her between his legs. "Do ye' wanna kill me?"

Cassie felt a twinge in her lower stomach. "No," she admitted.

"Why?" he pressed. "Like ye' said, I almost killed ye'. Done a hell of a lot more, too. So why?"

She floundered for a moment. "I'm not like you guys," she soon answered. "I can't do that."

He chuckled. "Bollocks. I've seen ye', when ye' get it goin'. Ye' could kill anyone with the right motivation." He rested his chin against her stomach, peering up at her. "Try again."

Cassie huffed, her fingers twitching at her sides. They were approaching dangerous territory now, she could feel it. "I can't give you a straight answer," she confessed. "Something in me just doesn't want to."

"Exactly," he pointed out. "Not as easy as ye' think, eh?"

To that, she had to admit defeat. But there was something else she needed an answer to.

"I asked you why you want me, remember?" she recalled.

"Aye."

She focused her attention on the wall behind him. "So why?"

There was a minute of quiet. Then, an abrupt pressure came down on the area behind her knees, weakening her stance. A yelp escaped Cassie's lips as she stumbled forward, falling onto his lap. He was quick to tug her in further, dragging her up his legs until her knees were on the bed.

"Ye' want the truth, Kitty?" he asked, a furious kind of amusement twisting his expression. "I haven't been able to stop thinkin' about ye' for weeks."

Baffled, Cassie leaned back as far as he would allow. "Huh?"

He pressed his tongue against the inside of his cheek. "I dunno how it happened either," he mumbled. "Drove me outta my mind. Wanted to kill ye' when I figured it out."

She shook her head. "You're not making sense."

"There's nothin' to make sense of, Kitty," he teased. "I was gettin' bored, ye' know, before ye' showed up. Every day the same. When ye' get to be like me, love, people stop playin' with ye'. So imagine how surprised I was when I went back to the ship and I found ye' in the room?" He shook his head. "And ye' got away, didn't ye'?"

Cassie nodded. "Uh-huh."

"Ye' liked me back though, even then." He tutted when she shook her head. "Don't lie to me, Kitty. I saw it when I went soft on ye' every now and again. Could see it then; can see it now. Made me a bit... crazy."

Cassie stayed quiet. For one, she was desperate for answers that he was finally willing to give. And second, there was a manic look in his eyes, one she didn't particularly fancy messing around with.

"Asked ye' to be mine before, didn't I?"

'I don't care about yer curse, Cassie. We can find' ways around it, I'm sure. Oh, the things I could teach ye'. I just' want one thing from ye', Cassie. One thing, and' that's it. I'll give ye' everythin' and more after'.

Cassie glared. "You wanted to know who cursed my dad," she accused.

"So?" he replied. "Doesn't mean I was lyin' 'bout the rest."

Her eyes rolled. "You're not explaining anything."

"'Cause I can't," he snapped. "I can't tell ye' how ye' did it, Kitty. Ye' just kept comin' and comin', no matter what I did to ye'. I just wanted to know what made ye' tick. Then, I saw how vicious ye' were gettin', how far ye' were willin' to go to get back at me. Ye' might've been runnin' rings in my head, Kitty, but I was makin' a bed in yours, wasn't I?"

Cassie, despite the urge to object, could only nod. She'd figured it out before—that he'd grown into something of an obsession for her despite the constant risks he posed. How it came about, she still didn't know. One moment, he was nothing, and then he was everywhere she looked. He just kept coming and coming, leaving little time for her to gather her thoughts. Above all, he was consistent. She always knew that, if she made a move, he'd soon follow.

"Ye' beat me a few times, didn't ye'?" he continued. "Pissed me off, but, oh, I fuckin' liked it. Never had anyone to teach ye' nothin', but ye' managed to survive the Isle. Sneaky, clever, and so bloody pretty." He raised a hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "So much to learn about ye' still, and I have to know it. Need to know ye' inside out."

Oh, she was so damn crazy; she had to be. How in Hades was this doing something for her? He was making no sense at all, and at the same time, it was perfectly clear. Evidently, he had absolutely no idea what drove him to her in the first place, but it was oddly similar to what brought her to him. At first, they meant nothing to each other—just another VK on the Isle to irritate. Somehow, somewhere down the line, they'd become a constant. In the beginning, it was a nasty stubbornness, a refusal to allow the other to win. Then it became a need. There was a desperation to see each other over and over again to make sure they still had the ability to drive each other mad. It was pure insanity, and it shouldn't have lasted as long as it did. But they relied on each other now.

It was odd, really, how his confusion burned just as painfully as hers did. She'd wanted to know what caught his attention—what it was that brought him around time and time again—but he had no idea either. He didn't want her dead—that much was true.

Still, she repeated herself. "Why do you want me?"

Instead of a reply, he asked, "Most people on the Isle are scared of me, and for good reason. You weren't, though, were ye'? I had ye' scared, of course, but ye' never really feared me. Do ye' know why?"

Cassie shook her head.

"We're on the same level, you and me. Ye've proved ye'rself plenty, that ye' can match what I give. It tends to grab a guy's attention, ye' know."

She was on the same level as him. Part of her wanted to be insulted; he was ruthless and stubborn, with a complete disregard for boundaries. And he was charming, relentless, and out of his damn mind. But there was a compliment in there somewhere. He was strong and loyal enough to have earned a position as Uma's first mate and the trainer of her crew, and her crewmates adored him, especially Starla. He was a fierce fighter, unmatched by anyone else in pirate territory. Clever enough to catch her out a few times and enticing enough to have her mind reeling. Not only that, but he'd fought his own father for his hook and freedom, and that in itself was greatly admirable.

"You're not serious?" she muttered, dubious.

He frowned. "Ye're jokin'?" She shook her head in response. A gasp left her lips when his fingers twisted in her hair. "Talk like that again, and I'll throw ye' off the balcony."

"Okay, okay," she pleaded, soothing the back of her head when he eventually let go. "Damn."

"Insecurity ain't great, but it's somethin' I can work with," he noted, leaning back on his hands.

Cassie's brows furrowed. "What?"

"Oh, Kitty," he cooed, somewhat teasing. His head cocked to the side as he looked at her. "Look at ye'. Fightin' since ye'r dad left, even when ye've got the curse on ye'r arse. Survived the Isle on ye'r lonesome, only usin' ye'r brain. Got away from me, got away from the mad witch. Had to scrap a bit between, but it was all this." He pointed at her head. "Nifty little fighter, too, gonna be a great bloody pirate. Shit keeps comin' for ye' and ye' keep fightin' it head on, bouncin' back no matter what. Might not agree, but ye'r one of the strongest runnin' around the Isle, Cass'. Don't see it now, but ye' will."

An unexpected warmth flooded her veins. When he put it like that, it sounded almost impressive. In truth, she never really thought of it that way. She'd only done what she had to to survive. She'd never expected it to be something worthy of admiration for others on the Isle.

Still with a fleck of resistance, she asked, "What if you get bored?"

Falling back onto his forearms, he grinned. It was the grin of someone who knew they were winning the game. "I won't."

Cassie deadpanned. "You can't promise that."

"Are ye' ever gonna stop fightin' me?" he asked.

"No," she replied, wary.

"Ye' gonna listen to everythin' I say?"

She grimaced. "No!"

Faster than she could wrap her mind around, he shot up, his arm winding around her waist. "Then why would I ever get bored of ye'?" His lips curled as he eyed the mark on her shoulder. "Ye' think I want a little doll, Kitty? It was ye'r fight that caught me, why would I wanna destroy it?"

Cassie shook her head. "You told me someone would put my fire out one day."

He hummed. "I did, didn't I?" Inching closer, he dragged his nose against Cassie's. "Never been one to put them out, Kitty, more the type to start them."

"What're the rules to this game?" she asked, a breath catching in the back of her throat.

"Oh, they're easy ones to follow, Kitty," he whispered, his fingers holding onto the back of her neck. "First, don't think I'm gonna go easy on ye' with trainin'. I'm the best on the crew, and since ye'r mine, ye've gotta come pretty damn close." His lips brushed against hers as he spoke. "Second, if ye' fight me again, I'm gonna put another pretty little scar on ye'r neck."

Cassie's stomach was wound in knots. "And the last rule?" she whispered, her eyes flickering down.

He chuckled. "Very important, this last one." He pulled back a little, enough for her to clearly see his eyes. "Ye' play this game with anyone else, and I'll put ye' in the fuckin' ground." It wasn't a threat, it was a promise. "Got it?"

She nodded. "Got it."

"Good."

Pulling her forward with his hand on her nape, he closed the space between them. The movement was so fast that she didn't have time to register it until it was in motion. When it did eventually settle, she was almost astounded.

Back in Uma's shoppe, when Maddy had stolen her first kiss, it'd felt nothing like this. To begin with, Cassie hadn't even had an inkling that it was approaching. They'd been arguing, and the witch had managed to catch her off guard enough to swoop in. It'd been fast and brief, barely enough to give Cassie a second to think it over. There was shock, and then agitation. She might've felt something for Maddy once, enough to maybe have considered allowing the witch to do that, but any interest had been dismantled after everything that went down between them. It left Cassie with nothing but indifference, if not quite annoyed that Maddy had had the audacity to kiss her in the middle of the shoppe, with the pirates around them to witness it.

Much like the pirate himself, his kiss was hard and bruising. He held onto Cassie like he was afraid she might run, which, given her history, was understandable. For a moment, they remained like that, like he was generous enough to give her a second to fully process the situation. The deep groan that moved through his mouth vibrated against hers, almost pleasantly so.

Cassie pulled back first, her lips parted in surprise. The words had left her long ago. Now, she had to face the rampant twitches in the pit of her stomach and the peculiar goosebumps that lined her arms. The little voice inside of her head had gone quiet the moment he pulled her in, subdued by the unfamiliar and somehow enjoyable kiss. Her heartbeat was wild and heavy, to the point where Cassie wondered if Harry had been able to feel it as well. Was she nervous? She couldn't quite tell. There was something, but she couldn't fully recognise it. Her nerves were on fire, almost painfully so, and yet, a part of her longed for that feeling again.

"Cass'? You good?"

Looking back over her shoulder, Cassie's mind finally decided to wake up at the sound of Helena's voice.

"Oh shit."


AN;

Hello readers!

First, I'm very awkward with writing romantic-type scenes, so if it's not great it's because I'm way out of my element. 😅 I would also like to add that just because they've cleared the air, doesn't mean it's all gravy from this point on. They've still got some stuff to go through.

So, I really hope you liked this chapter!

Reviews;

CallMeDella; (Listen Harry is toxic af so anything that doesn't fully show that toxicity wouldn't be as satisfying. I adored this chapter! I had to read this in pieces over several hours (since I'm at work) but I refused to wait. It always makes me so happy to hear that you like my reviews!
Sending you all the good feelings for this awesome chapter!)

- Thank you for another wonderful review! They make me so happy when they pop up 😊 I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter. I hope you like this one.

Heaven's Mistake; Thank you for leaving a review! I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far😊

Lottielue1: Thank you for leaving a review! I hope you enjoyed this chapter 😊

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Thanks!