I Unintentionally Became Her Kitten

Chapter 107: Safety

Sergei and Alex both looked up at the sound of the door slamming shut behind me.

Alex was terrified, of course, but even as they opened their mouth to yell or shout, Sergei’s grip tightened, cutting off any air supply.

“L-let them go,” I tried to order him, but my voice was already shaking.

Sergei just rolled his eyes at me. “You’re such a needy brat, you know that?”

“Alisha warned you,” I told him. My hands were trembling and I curled my fingers into fists to help hide it.

“Alisha’s not here,” Sergei sneered. He pulled harder on Alex’s throat. “And when she does show up, I’ll shoot her myself.”

I flinched. Alisha would show up. It was only a matter of time. My phone had already buzzed with Tye’s response. My heart was already pounding but the thought of her walking into an ambush only made it worse.

I did my best to level my breathing. “Let them go,” I told him again.

Sergei stilled, defiant.

With a swallow, I reached behind me and slid my hand to the holster, unclipping it and drawing the weapon.

Alex struggled a bit more frantically as it came into view. My hands still shook. I didn't think I'd ever get used to holding a gun at somebody. Unfortunately Sergei was smart enough to pull Alex in front of him as a human shield.

I did not like pointing a gun at Alex and had to drop it to aim at the ground.

“Does the kitty even have claws?” Sergei asked, still smarmy. “Do you even know how to fire that?”

The chill was creeping up my arms now. But I couldn't retreat. Tye was on his way and if he wasn't, someone else was. I just needed time.

“I’m not dumb Sergei,” I managed. “I won’t let you hurt an innocent bystander. And you know how Alisha will feel about that. And Tye. Neither one of them is gonna listen to a word you say after this.”

He snorted. “I’m above that now,” he announced. I saw the movement of his somewhat more free hand to his groin area and he pulled out a much larger and much scarier gun than the one that was currently still trembling in my grip. “I’m counting on them coming. But I know Tye. He’ll come alone, and when he does, he’ll get a bullet. And when Alisha comes barrelling in, not waiting for her own protection…” he let the blank fill itself in.

This was a trap, and I was the bait. 

At least, Alex could breathe again, based on the shaky sounds coming from them. 

“So what?” I asked. “You’re the next Nico?”

He shrugged. “There’s always another Nico. Before Nico it was Alisha and before Alisha it was Isamu and before Isamu it was Ferdinand, and before that…. Well that was before my time. Everyone thinks they’re the last…. And what do you think that means for you?”

My blood chilled even more. I gritted my teeth, tried not to show the fear, but it was very obvious.

“Right. You might enjoy the part of being her plaything, you might enjoy it when she pushes you down and fucks you like a bitch. I’d pay a pretty penny to see that myself. But you’re still just a thing. A possession. When her house burns, you’ll still be trapped in it. If you’re lucky, it’ll be quick. Unexpected like this.”

And then his gun raised to Alex’s jaw, resulting in a fresh struggle between them. I didn’t hesitate, I panicked, and picked my own gun up and pointed, even took a couple steps closer to get a better shot.

Sergei didn’t fire, but the amount of adrenaline dumping into my system wasn’t sustainable. There were tears already fighting out of my eyes. I hated this. I hated him, I hated the gun in my hands and the way Alex was still gasping, still not getting enough air to scream.

All I could do was keep Sergei talking. And hopefully get him to put the gun down, at least away from Alex.

“Y-you think I’m just a thing to Alisha?” I asked shakily. “That I’m a pampered pet?”

“Of course you are, dear,” he agreed. “But there’s no shame in that. We all play good boy for treats. Especially from a bitch.”

“Alisha is not a bitch,” I defended. “Maybe to you but never to me or anyone else she cares about.”

“She only cares about herself,” he snapped. “About her petty ideals.”

“She cares about people,” I said with finality. I gripped the gun a little firmer. “She cares about humanity. If that makes her a bad boss then I don't want to know what a good boss would look like.”

Sergei still grinned. “Either way, she won’t be a boss much longer.”

I heard the crunch of gravel under a car, and even recognized the uncannily quiet but powerful engine. Tye’s Hon-Yoda. I didn’t have any way to warn him: Sergei was armed, and targeting him.

At least, Sergei didn’t seem to recognize the sound. He gestured with the gun in hand still. Elaborating more on some nonsense about business ethics but my attention was fading from his words.

The gun was still in my hands. My grip shifted on it. Sergei was planning on Tye coming and going to shoot him probably. But not me. He was relaxing a little more now, with Alex slowly getting a little less strangled by him, especially with Sergei only using one arm to hold him. I heard footsteps coming from the side of the building and Sergei was distracted for a moment.

I made a quick gesture to Alex to try and free themself. They didn’t seem to understand at first but started to squirm as I picked my gun up.

It was surreal. This felt like a nightmare, one I’d never want to repeat but I did adjust my grip and pointed it more properly at Sergei, who looked over again. I saw his face drop at the look on mine. My blood was icy.

When Alex made a real effort to pull free, Sergei understood and started to scramble to get them in his grasp better but without a second arm to brace the first, Alex managed to wrench out of his grasp, leaving Sergei open and exposed.

My chest was about to explode. I saw Sergei start to pull his own gun from aiming at the alley to me. I moved fast, aimed, felt a switch under one of my thumbs. The trigger was stiff, not wanting to budge, and it connected in my brain that the safety was on, so I pressed that switch.

The weight in my hands shifted.

I blinked, the trigger still not moving and something heavy and metallic dropped next to my foot.

Then Sergei laughed. It was malicious, and almost maniacal.

When Tye finally came around the corner, Sergei scrambled to reorient himself to aim just to get decked by Tye’s fist with a loud snapping sound.

He stumbled, smacked his back against the wall and was then promptly grabbed. Tye pulled a syringe’s cap off with his teeth and plunged it very coarsely into Sergei neck.

I felt blood rushing back into some of my limbs as Sergei went limp. Alex was still paralyzed, now more confused than ever and started to creep away, trying to slip back into the Starmaids door.

“Wait,” Tye ordered lowly.

I looked down at my feet, saw a gun magazine there, a few bullets scattered around my coffee spattered shoes.

I reached down and started to silently gather them. Tears were still pushing behind my eyes and before long they were falling to the ground as I shoved unspent bullets into my pocket.

Alex was watching, still afraid, still silent even as their breath returned to somewhat normalcy.

They were waiting for me, I realized. When I stood up, I was still crying. Tye disappeared around the side of the building again.

“Should I stay?” Alex asked. Their voice was tight, straining against panic and stress.

I nodded, still holding the weight of the gun. “You’re safe,” I told them, and also myself. “But this needs to get cleaned up before anyone asks questions,” I explained.

They nodded.

Tye’s car backed up next to Sergei and he came around, hefted the weight up onto his shoulder like a ragdoll and unceremoniously chucked him into the trunk of the car.

Then he turned to Alex.

“In. Now,” he ordered.

I didn’t hesitate, and was aware of my role here. I held the door open for Alex, letting them feel a little more comfortable that at least I was here, at least I wouldn’t let them get hurt, but they knew still. They’d seen too much to simply brush it off.