---Scottie's POV---

I don't know how long I've been here, what hour or day it was, but I was shivering all over. Azazel was currently smiling down at me, as he was still busy with creating a pattern on my chest with a knife.

My body was still in his hold but in my head, I was screaming in agony and crying for help, unable to let a single sound slip past my lips. "There we go..." He remarked airily, as if he hadn't just finished carving an elaborate mark in my flesh. He patted my cheek rather roughly and bared his teeth in a horrifying smile before he stood.

"Now don't move while I get the rest of the materials. You're mine soon enough dear." He smirked, eyes roving over my body again as I managed to shiver before he walked out the door. As soon as the door closed, whatever hold on me broke and I ended up sobbing as I tried desperately to get out of my binds.

My wrists were shaved pretty badly from the iron rubbing against my skin. According to Azazel, he didn't want to waste any energy in containing me so he ended up using physical bindings instead of his freaky powers. "Come on, come on! Please!" I pleaded as I yanked at the chains, hearing the metal clatter against the floor with every move I made.

After another sharp yank, I sagged down on the floor; my chest heaving and sending bursts of pain with every breath I took. I managed to look down but wished I hadn't. Blood was running in rivulets of my chest, obscuring exactly what was carved there.

I closed my eyes on a whimper and leaned back, only to snap my head up when I heard the door creak open. A pair of luminous eyes blinked towards me in the darkness, glancing back and forth between the hallway and the room I was in before the creature slipped in.

The dark ness didn't help me in trying to keep an eye on the creature as it sauntered through the room, occasionally stopping and glancing back. I lifted my head up, trying to peer through the shadows until I let a sigh of relief when the animal stepped closer, sniffing and eying me curiously.

"Its just a cat, nothing more." I thought and smiled warily as the ginger tabby stepped closer, its green eyes flashing sharply in the darkness. Slowly resting my head back on the cold floor, I watched tiredly as the cat made its way closer before it paused to sniff at my chest, scrunching its nose before it let out a sharp hiss.

When it looked back up at me, I couldn't help the small smile, trying to ignore the fact that I was giving up. The tabby reminded me of the cat Devon's girlfriend adored and cuddled with on their picture, a small tear rolling down my face as the memory of my brother.

I gasped in shock when a raspy tongue licked the salty tear away before a low purr rumbled through my ear. The tabby rubbed its head lovingly against my cheek before it huddled closer and shared some of its body heat with me.

"Mraw..."

"Shh." I shushed the cat, startling it a bit until it laid down beside me and stared up at me, flicking its tail slightly before it rolled up on his back, stretching a paw towards my face. Hehe, if I wasn't in this condition, battered, kidnapped and tied up, I'd love to play with the ginger bundle of fluff.

"What's this?" The calculated and cruel voice made me shiver in disgust while the cat beside me rolled back on its paws, curving its back while he let out a warning meow. As Azazel approached us, it hissed sharply and curled its ears back, meowing again.

"Look at that, my new host has found a little pet." He sneered, his boots thumping on the floor as he walked around my immobilized body while the cat surprisingly stood its ground, staying close to my face while it curved its back, fur blazing and eyes focused on the possessed man.

"Leave him alone! Its me you want, not the cat!" I snapped before blinking at my sudden burst of courage. Azazel stopped for a second before he turned those glacial eyes on me with a burning intensity. He studied my face for a moment in complete silence before flicking them to the tabby pressed against my cheek.

The grin that slowly curled on his lips made my stomach churn and I watched in horror as he produced a knife in his hands. Judging from the scarlet color of the blade, it was the same he used on me.

"Let's test something, shall we? I've heard about a certain ritual and know of one mage who successfully performed it but I never witnessed it myself." Before I could ask him what he was talking about or what he was planning, he took one step forwards and kicked at the cat.

It hissed sharply and let out a cry as the boot connected with its ribs before it scrambled away from the demon. Its pupils were blown wide open as it flattened its ears completely, now looking for a way out of the room.

"No! Stop it!" My shouts echoed from the walls as Azazel flicked with his wrist, slamming the door shut while the cat slowly stalked away, keeping a close eye on Azazel and bared its fangs. Azazel simply replied with a smirk and laughed as the cat hissed at him before he stepped away from me.

And back to the innocent feline.

Anger and resentment flooded through me as I jerked at the restraints, hoping that I could break them and stop Azazel from attacking the cat. The cuts on my chest burned as I twisted and pulled, my ankles screaming in pain as I kicked and cried out in frustration.

Only to stop when something warm and soft was thrown on my chest. I froze completely before I dared to look down at my chest. Ginger fur was stained with a dark crimson as the tabby weakly tried to crawl away, panting in distress. I felt more tears attempting to break free as those green eyes settled on me before the cat let out a soft and broken meow.

"You bastard! Monster!" I spat, wanting to sooth the dying cat and tried to think of a way to get out of here. Azazel merely chuckled as he cleaned his blade with a white cloth before it disappeared in thin air.

"Ah stop your whining. Now, where did I hit it again?" He wondered as he stepped closer, crouching to observe the tabby as it crawled on my stomach, trying to get away before Azazel turned his eyes back on me, the dark intent in them created sharp jolts of fear in my body.

"Oh yeah...right here." I couldn't hear his mocking tone, the footsteps downstairs and the loud shouts from the strangers running up the stairs. Nor could I see the grin on his face and the way he bared his teeth. All I felt was the blade sinking deeply into my chest, the way white-hot pain seared my veins and wrecked my senses, numbing me from everything else.

As in slow motion, I sensed the moment when the sharp tip of the dagger made contact with my heart.  The pain and stress had already forced it to beat frantically against my ribs and now that would be my downfall, as with each beat, the blade slid deeper and deeper into the important muscle, the sharp edge making short work of that vital organ.

"Azazel!.......away...ith this!"

The shouting and maniacal laughter that followed was reduced to a faint whispering, as if they weren't even inside the house anymore. Coldness seeped into my bones as warmth bubbled up my throat to drip down my chin and for a second, I felt someone stir my arm gently. But when I went to lift my head up, my body failed my and I sighed softly as my head dropped back down.

Spots of black danced in front of my eyes, swarming and threatening to claim my vision away. I blinked, trying to focus and wondered why I was still holding on; if I died now, I could finally rest. Maybe mom was right...maybe...just maybe...Devon was indeed dead all these years. A shadow fell over me and I blinked, trying to look up and see whom it was.

The room shifted and it was as if I was looking at it from a different angle. Strangely, my body wasn't aching so badly anymore, instead, it felt as if I had been stung by billions of mosquitoes but when my eyes managed to focus, my mind seemed to freeze.

"B-but...no, I-It can't- I'm dreaming! Nonononono!!"

I stared numbly at a face I've seen everyday when I looked at myself in the mirror and realized that I was watching myself. My chest a mess, the dagger still sticking out and blood pouring from around the hilt and my mouth as my body underneath me blinked once, twice and then...simply stopped breathing.

But I wasn't dying! I felt my longs gasping with each and every panicked breath that rushed through my nose, heard the scuffle going on at the doorway and saw a hooded man making its way towards my body before he looked straight at me.

I couldn't see his face and still felt frozen when he reached out and gently slid his hand under my face as I laid on my human chest, his hand cupped my cheek, rubbing his thumb through the fur.

Fur?

A hiss escaped me and I managed to move my head to look down before I cried out in fear and shock as I realized that somehow...I-I was-I am the cat! I willed to move my arm but instead, a furred black and ginger paw lifted and turned the same way I wanted to turn my hand around.

Gulping and jerking my head up in fear, I watched as the stranger was now joined by another, bigger and muscular man, who reached down to sooth the hooded man, who's shoulders were quivering and jerking, shaking his head before he went to pick up my body.

No! Leave me alone! You can't just touch me!

"Meow!"

I stood up on wobbly paws and wanted to run up to the man to stop him from touching me but stopped when I heard a gasp. One moment my human body was there and then, it was gone; it vaporized into a fine silver dust, circling through the air before it rushed me .I panicked and felt a mental shove from a presence inside me.

My mind was filled with questions and memories I couldn't understand while my body had a mind of its own and darted away with a sharp hiss. I couldn't control my movements at all, it was as if I was dreaming, not in control of my body and was forced to just watch.

I watched passively as my feline body hurled itself out of the room and down the stairs before my eyes turned towards the door. While I was still busy cringing at the odd sensation of my body moving beyond my control, the cat had already skidded outside and darted into the forest, ears flattening as surprised cries and shouts to stop rang out behind us.

Keep running! Whatever you do don't stop!

The cat seemed surprised at my mental cheering, its ears flickering slightly as it halted for a second, fur blazing and teeth bared until it ran further down the hill. I was still in shock and didn't know exactly what happened but I know one thing for sure; the cat and I were now sharing the same body.

I felt the pine needles on the forest floor against the sensitive paw pads, the wind rushing by and providing new scents of animals downwind, the running creak a few jumps away or the musty scent of a fallen tree as we scrambled over it. Our claws dug into the tree and scratched some bark away, a small bug skittering away from the sunlight and back under the safety of the bark.

Wow. This is amazing!

The annoyed sound of the cat as it shook my head made me chuckle before I coed at it, trying to sooth the animal. I tried to picture myself as I reached out to the cat, inviting it to sniff and take in my scent.

"Mew."

The cat flicked its tail and walked along, ears turned to the forest behind us but everything kept quiet. At least the tabby wasn't afraid of me and didn't spook as I poked around in its mind, trying to settle into this body.

Whatever the demon did to us, I don't know how to undo it. We need help.

I only got a snort as a reply as the cat ventured further down the rocky slope, unconsciously making me more comfortable in its body and how his muscles worked. I never even realized how important those whiskers were actually; he never pushed his head through anything his whiskers didn't fit into.

To my surprise, the cat started to trot again, covering several miles until I could feel the tiredness seeping through our minds. I was amazed at the distance it had traveled on those tiny paws, but now he felt sore, tired and still stressed from...before.

But I couldn't freak out though; it was like there was a veil over my emotions and reactions, stopping myself from going over the edge. Maybe it was because the cat was now in charge, its emotions flowing freely through my mind as it searched for a spot to curl up and sleep.

We both sighed in relief as he found a fallen tree; the dip underneath it formed a natural den. I saw the loose branches and pine needles a few steps away from the den and wanted to push them in, keeping us warm. Surprisingly, the cat relented and gave up control, allowing me to take a few stumbling steps forwards until I managed to claw and push the branches in.

Panic.... oh god, what happened to me...to that cat and me? My breathing started to accelerate but just at this critical moment, the cat seemed to realize what was happening and took control again, curling up on the spot before it started to purr.

The soft rumbling purrs calmed me down until I felt sleep tugging at my senses, sweeping the cooling forest away and exchanging it with memories of Devon. My mind registered the fact that for a second, the purrs were coming from me as they intensified, and then I dozed off.

------

A sharp yip woke me up, eyes fluttering and instantly on alert as my nose twitched. I sniffed and hissed softly, the scent of a predator coming closer. Turning my head slightly, I spotted a fox jumping through the brushes, its thick red coat contrasting sharply against the dark trees as it stopped a few steps away from me.

Golden eyes stared at me before it yipped again, flicking its tail and tilting his ears behind him, as if it was waiting for someone to follow him. A low warning meow escaped my throat, the cat pushing softly against my mind, urging to get into the defensive. My eyes widened to catch the light, noticing only now that it was already dark outside, and I could see perfectly that there was a half-naked man coming our way.

"What is it now Brody? Mom will have my hide if I'm too lat- what is...is that a cat?" The fox yipped as if answering and wagged its tail slightly as I slowly stood up, bristling the fur and arching my back with an angry sound.

The man stepped closer, his hair a mess and knitted with little twigs and leaves clinging to the black strands. He frowned slightly as I heard more footsteps, some other guys walking out as they seemed to glare at me.

"Who's he?"

"I don't know, never seen him before."

"A friend of yours Brody?"

I hissed again as the fox stepped closer, tilting its head before giving it a light shake. There was something here that...felt like I was missing something. As if there was something right there, obvious for everyone around me yet I wasn't seeing it.

The glares intensified, people stepping closer in a rather threatening way as I took a step back, hissing again as I bared my teeth. I only got a few chuckles as reply before the fox in front of me stepped on its hind-legs.

And disappeared. In its place stood a young naked man with red hair and forest green eyes, which sparkled with curiosity and hesitation before he took a step in my direction. No way was I going to let anyone get their hands on me again! Especially not after what happened last time!

With an angry cry, I leapt forwards and clawed at his reaching hand, electing a pained yelp from him. The next thing I know, the other guys started changing as well, turning into viciously snarling wolves as they snapped their teeth at me.

"Guys, no!"

No, don't run! Don't-!

The cat ignored my mental shouts and shoved me to the back before bolting down the grassy hills. I felt the fear bubble up, strengthening my own as I heard the wolves give chase with that fox guy shouting at the pack to stop chasing me.

"Meowrr!"

My chest stung from the wounds Azazel had inflicted but we couldn't stop now; I could hear the wolves panting just behind my feline body, their paws thudding on the ground and the excited growls bouncing of the trees. The cat was running as fast as it could but the wolves easily followed us through the woods.

They're playing with us.

A low meow slipped from my lips just seconds before I slipped over a few mossy rocks and flipped tail over heads into a river. I could sense the cat's growing disgust for the water before I pushed, trying to take control.

Keeping my head above water, I started to paddle towards the other side, hearing the wolves howl and jump into the water behind us. I doubled my efforts and finally managed to claw at the dirt, remembering that I spotted another house not too far from the river.

Go, go, go! Now!

Managing to get onto the muddy shore, I ran as fast as I could towards the house, glancing over my shoulders to see two of the wolves already darting out of the water and quickly gaining on me. I jerked my head forwards and set my eyes on the house, or more likely, the foundation that was being supported by several columns. If I could just squeeze underneath-

A pair of teeth clamped shut over my hips before I was shaken from side to side. Pain shot through me and I cried out both mentally as out loud, the painful meows and cries accompanied by angry snarls of the wolf that caught me.

"LUKE! Drop that cat this instant young man!"

The female's southern drawl was a life-saver, as the wolf instantly dropped me back on the floor and turned to look at a shapely woman marching our way, hair twisted in a messy bun while she rubbed her hands clean on the apron tied around her waist.

Ignoring the pain, I quickly dragged myself underneath the cover on the house, bumping against the stone columns on the way but strangely, I couldn't feel it. My hind paws weren't co-operating anymore, so I was forced to drag my limp legs through the dirt and huddle in a corner as far away from the light as I could.

The voices a few feet away kept arguing back and forth, the other wolves arriving and shifting back as the woman peered under the deck, trying to spot me. For now, I was safe and tiredly gave back control to the cat.

I was exhausted, my mouth opened to pant heavily as I glanced down at my body. The gorgeous fur from before was now unrecognizable, caked with mud, wolf slobber and blood. I started shivering, the world around me spinning softly and dimming before I gave up the fight and sank deep into the depths of the cat's mind, barely hearing it starting to purr and the woman's voice urging someone to fetch a guy named Jeremy and his guardian.

A low meow passed my lips just seconds before I lost all consciousness of the world.

I'm sorry brother.