Taming the Familiar

Chapter 6- Stranger Danger

Alexa jogged to catch the library before it closed. She had forgotten all about her library books and this was their last day in the city. Tomorrow they were moving to Alistar's mansion. She had left Pitch asleep on her bed. She was impressed with herself for having caught the library. The librarian was actually moving to lock the doors. She held up the books and the librarian smiled, leaving the closed sign in the door but letting her in. She handed in the books and explained that she wanted to close out her account. The librarian made quick work of it, obviously so she could finish her workday. Alexa stepped out and took up a slower pace as she headed home. She glanced up at the night sky. You could never see the stars in the city, that was something she was excited for when she moved. She'd be able to go stargazing from her very own balcony. The city lights were pretty in their own way but she was excited for the change. She did like the neon's though.

Even if she hadn't been so distracted she wouldn't have seen the sketchy character in the alley. She was jerked, none too gently, from her not star gazing and out of the light of the nearby streetlamp. She passed out of the lighted street and into the darkened alley. A clammy hand that stank of sweat clamped over her mouth as she tried  to scream. He drug her deeper into the alley and she silently begged for help, wondering what exactly his plans for her were. She was sure they weren't anything she would approve of. She kicked and fought as he drug her further into the alley. 

"Now don't fight or this will hurt more than it needs to." The creep whispered into her ear. His voice was low and deep and his breath stank like cigarettes and coffee, making her gag. She slowed her struggles to attempt to take aim at something vital. She mule kinked out and hit him in the knee. He roared and his hand loosened just enough from her mouth for her to cry out.

"HELP!!" She demanded of anyone that could hear. Her attacker's hand quickly found her mouth again. She watched the light at the end of the alley as he pulled her further away, but it didn't seem like anyone had heard. No one appeared to save her. That's when she heard a feral snarl. She glanced up and Pitch was standing on a fire escape above them. He let out another feral snarl and dove at her attacker's face. He fell backwards releasing her in an attempt to protect his eyes and she scrambled away as fast as she could. Pitch yowled again, an eerie sound usually heard in Halloween soundtracks and horror movies. The noise sent chills down Alexa's spine. The attacker finally tore Pitch off his face and Pitch hissed as he was thrown across the alley. Alexa flinched at the force he hit the dumpster, and he did not jump back up as she had hoped. The noise of the collision echoed through the alley as the creep turned back to her. Pitch had done some damage. It appeared Pitch had bitten the creep's nose. Blood dripped from two pricks there and there were also long scratches trailing along either side of his eyebrows. In all he was a gory sight, but still approaching her. He only made it a couple paces and she was about to bolt when a dark shadow drifted over them.They both looked up at the same time but he didn't have time to register what it was before he was flattened. All she could see were red and black wings and bare shoulders. The creep made a pained 'oof' as he collapsed beneath Kaleth's weight. Kaleth didn't even look at her. As he stood from his crouched position he was lifting the guy by his head. It wasn't until he gave it a sudden twist that Alexa realized what he was doing. She flinched at the snapping noise it made then shrieked in horror. She had just witnessed a murder. Kaleth looked up at her shriek and lifted the guy further. There was a sickening tearing noise as the body fell to the ground, but not the head. Kaleth stared at her in surprise, obviously unsure of what to do next. She finally ran out of breath to support her shriek and became silent, though soon after she started to hyperventilate. She stared at the gored headless neck and felt like her lungs were shutting down. After several minutes of her struggling to breath and Kaleth standing still as a statue holding the dead man's head, what finally brought them back was a pathetic meow from beside the dumpster. Kaleth glanced at him in disgust and Alexa ran to her cat.

"Pitch!" She shouted. She momentarily forgot her panic over the beheaded body behind her and focused solely on her pet. Pitch was trying but failing to stand. Alexa knelt to scoop him into her arms. Kaleth followed her, still carrying his gruesome prize. 

"What do I do?" She asked, "can I make him better?" Pitch glued her in place with the saddest looked she'd ever seen. He meowed pathetically.

"Use a familiar regeneration spell." Kaleth said. Alexa turned to look at him, unfortunately being eye level with the head he was carrying. She flinched away, guarding Pitch with her arms. 

"What the hell is wrong with you?" She asked. Kaleth flinched but did not say a word. Alexa growled in frustration. 

"Why the hell did you bring that over here?" She asked, gesturing to the head. Kaleth glanced down as if he'd just realized he was holding it. He shrugged and tossed the head back towards the body. Alexa cringed as it landed with a dull thump. She watched it roll a couple times before it stopped and she struggled to contain the panic that clawed up her throat. She closed her eyes and counted in her head, trying to calm down. At fifty Kaleth approached her again. At seventy five she finally opened her eyes to look at him. He was kneeling on the ground in front of her like the first time he had appeared. She couldn't quite see his face but his shoulders were tensed as if he were worried. She sighed, then stood up with the cat.

"We can't stay here with the body. If someone sees me I'll be in trouble. Let's go." She said as she headed for the end of the alley. She let out a breath as she stepped back into the light of the streetlamp. Kaleth hesitated a moment before following, his head still hanging. She looked him over, there was no way they'd go unnoticed all the way home.

"Is there any way you could not look like a demon from the seventh circle of hell? I'd really rather not draw any attention right about now and your wings... and.... Um tail, will kinda stick out." She explained. Kaleth glanced up at her for a second then shrugged. As he did his wings dissolved into smoke, then vanished. After a quick inspection Alexa sighed with relief, his tail was gone too. They set off at a brisk pace, and were soon into the busier par of town. Pitch was quiet in her arms and Kaleth kept a step behind her. As they came to the main intersection she heard him gasp, then had to stop him from walking into the crosswalk. 

"Wait for the light." She scolded. Kaleth stared at her in confusion until she pointed out the sign saying don't walk. He watched it until it changed and she led him across the street. Finally they walked up to her soon-to-be-vacant house.

"Walk around back and I"ll let you in the window." She told him. He nodded and headed around the back. Alexa looked down at Pitch. He seemed to have fallen asleep in her arms. She wasn't sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing.