I swallowed my pride and called my parents. I nervously waited for them to pick up the phone but I figured they must be sleeping. When the voicemail came, I cleared my throat, "Dad, something happened. Drive to the apartment building and wait until the morning. If no one comes back--go to Blackstone Forest. Don't find us there, leave. Find Kavan and head far, far away. I'm sorry, I screwed up." I lowered the phone and pressed the end button. Taking a deep breath, I turned to Rian, "Head to the station. Tell Ander what happened here and. . .just move-"

He scoffed as he stood up, "I'll not letting you go alone."

I scoffed this time, "This isn't some game Rian it's real--"

"Stop doubting me!" he yelled. "I'm going with you, Thalia. I'm not letting you go alone, no matter how dangerous it is."

I breathed out heavily, "But Rian, it's danger-"

"Dangerous, Yes I understand. I know this is serious, I know I'm putting my life at risk. I'm not letting you go through it alone though." he said. "If your going, so am I." I had a strong feeling no matter what, Rian wasn't going to leave me to fight this alone.

*

It took awhile to find a car that wasn't lock and hot wire it. Rian drove an two and half hours of the city to Blackstone Forest.

I looked out into the inky dark woods when he parked the car and we got out. I could see perfectly through the forest but Rian still needed a flash light. As we stepped in, I took a deep breath of the air trying to find Jaguars. At first, was faint but the further we go inside the forest the more it got stronger and stronger.

Yet, I only smelled two Jaguars. Ones was Aunt Hala. When we were less than a mile away, I turned to Rian and held the gun out to him I quickly bought from a guy I knew who sold these. Lets not ask questions.

Ge stared at it for a moment before he took it and placed in bis waistbane. I forced a smile to him and he gave me one back before we continued over to Vasco.

I found him sitting on a small boulder with his back facing us. He seemed to be picking his nails with the tip of his knife. I saw Aunt Hala passed out of the ground next to him. I knew she wasn't dead because Silver Jaguars stay in Jaguar form when dead and she was in human skin.

"I had to take care of Neve ever since she was three." Vasco said. "I was only nine when our parents died so I quickly became the main in charge. We were bounced around family but they didn't really care for us. So when I was sixteen I raised her myself. It was actually a big burden, Neve had this lust danger. She liked expensive clothes, cigarettes when she was thirteen, promiscuous, and liked to nag allot. But yet, she was my sister and I promised I will always love her."

I held my hand up to Rian before I stepped forward, "She threatened me, Vasco. It was my role to protect myself. It's unwritten law."

"And it's unwritten law I can take revenge for my sister." he said.

"It doesn't have to go this way." I told him. "No more blood should have to be spread tonight."

"Maybe if this was a perfect world." he said. "No matter if we live in places with large buildings this is still an animal kingdon. It's you or your aunt, doesn't matter to me. Both of your skin will cost allot equally though."

"My skin isn't up for sale or my aunt." I said. "I don't wanna do this, Vasco. I understand your pain but I don't wanna fight with you. Just let us leave."

His snapped around as he glared at me with this reddish-yellow eyes, "Stop insulting me, Thalia." He quickly got up and walked towards me until he was six feet away, "We're gonna play by the rules whether you like it or not! Your gonna be a Jaguar once in your life!"

I huffed heavily from my nose, "I am a Jaguar. It a matter how we're raised and my parents didn't teach me to be a killer. Neve pushed me to the edge."

"And you pushed me to the edge!" he growled. He looked past my shoulder and growled, "I want him to. I slowly kill you, Thalia. Give you enough time for you to watch me feed on him!

"Rian didn't do anything." I told him.

"He did allot by being with you!" he growled at me. "He choosed to be in this world when he chosed to be with you. So, he's gonna pay with you."

I sighed heavily, "I'm not gonna fight you."

He growled before walking over to me and I saw his hand raised. I winced before he backhanded me across the face. I fell the ground and he kicked me in the stomach.

"Thalia-"

"Please Vasco!" I looked up at him. I didn't want anymore people to die tonight because I knew only more trouble will follow if Vasco dies tonight. Someone will take revenge for him. Begging was the only way. "Please for both our sakes just stop! You won't ever have to see my face again if you give us time to leave forever--"

He brought his foot up and kicked me in the face. I fell back and propped myself up on my elbows. He kicked me in the side and I groaned.

"So worthless." he said. "You might be a Silver Jaguar but you don't have the strength to ever be my wife. Your parents raised you in a bubble," another kick. "They raised you to be with another tamed Jaguar. You tame Jaguars disgust me with how weak you are."

He kicked me again and when he tried to do it another day we heard a click. "Enough." Rian said. I peeked over my shoulder to see him pointing the gun at Vasco. "Look, my dad has allot of friends that are on the police force so they let me and him come in for target practice. I know how to work this shit."

"Oh really?" Vasco boredly asked. "You better have enough bullet in that stupid ass revolver! Only got seven tries."

Rian rolled his eyes, "I won't miss your head." Vasco stepped near him and Rian raised his arm. My eyes itched silver as Vasco threatened Rian. Vasco would quickly change his position as her rushed over towards Rian who was trying to get a clear shot.

I sprung up and ran over, jumping on Vasco back. He fell to the ground with me on top and I growled at him. He quickly pushed himself up so I fell off of him. We both crouched low on the ground as we narrowed each other eyes on the other.

He attacked first by grabbing me by my shoulders and pushed me down on the ground. I heard the revolver barrel turn and a bullet hit the ground an inch away from us as Vasco grabbed onto my neck roughly barley any air passed. Holding my breath, I brought my hands up to his face and pressed my thumbs against his eyes. Roughly pressing on, he cried out and pulled away. We both got up and he looked pissed as ever now. He stepped back, growled. He brought his hands up to his shirt. He ripped it off him as his muscles changed. They got bigger and his whole body changed as he morphed.

I took in a sharp breath as I turned to face Rian, "Go! Leave!" I yelled at him.

"Thalia no--"

"Go now!" I yelled at him. "I'll meet you back at the car! I want you to go now!"

He groaned as he looked beside me and I heard a very deep cat growl. Gulping, I gave Rian a hard look as he looked back at me. I saw deep in his eyes he didn't wanna turn away and run. Vasco hissed as I saw in corner of my eyes him try to run past me. I grabbed him by his pelt and brought my left foot up kicking him to the ground. He hissed as he got back up and I growled back at him.

I crouched down as I quickly shifted into a Jaguar. He wasted no time by lounging at me and he bit down on my neck. I hissed out as I shook him off. We circled each other, tempting another to attack. I felt the strong threatening feeling coming from him so that's what made me prance on him. We both rolled around on the ground biting at each other to submite. Vasco was much stronger as a Jaguar.

I was getting tired after awhile but I kept my fight up. I could tell Vasco was getting tired but he didn't give up either. He pushed me down onto the ground as he bit me neck and growled trying to make me give up. I raised my head up, snapping at him, and he released me. He walked backwards as I quickly ran over to Aunt Hala. Shifting into human skin, my body was sore. Blood came from my nose and mouth.

I grabbed her arm before shaking her, "Aunt Hala! Aunt Hala wake up it's me Thalia!" I yelled and her eyes peeled open a little. I hadn't noticed Vasco run over and he grabbed me by my short hair. He pulled me away from her and I cried out. He stopped and I brought my fist up to his muzzle. He released me and swung his paw at my face.

Bam!

My whole body froze in shock as I heard a loud powerful booming sound like something exploded. I propped myself up on my elbow as I saw fire half a mile away from us appeared. Tree gulfed in flames as the other beside it caught on fire. Smoke quickly filled the air rising up to the bright moon.

The fire drew near us quickly but I laid there enchanted by the fire. Fire was a weakness for us. Vasco stared right st the fire, the flames seemed familiar like his eyes. The flames got closer and closer to us. But yet, they wouldn't be able to hurt us.

The smoke was another thing. I quickly smelled the burning wood and the smoke filled my lungs. I could think straight though to move away.

"Thalia!" I heard Rian as he ran back near us but I didn't dare turn away from the beautiful light. So bright and sparkling. I felt Rian come beside me and he grabbed my face. That woke me by looking away. "We need to go now!"

My head snapped to Aunt Hala who was trying to lift herself up but she seemed in somedr ug state fate. I grabbed Rian arm, pointing at her. He nodded and ran over towards her.

I looked back at Vasco and the threat feeling came back. Growling, I jumped on his back. He breathed out heavily as his head turned. Grabbing his head, I closed my eyes and twisted his neck. I was a little hard but very much like twisting chicken bones.

*

My mom tightly hugged me as she cried, "Damnit Thalia, never scare me like that again you hear me! Oh my baby!" she said as she sobbed.

"I'm alright, mom. Seriously." I said even though I had dry blood all over my face and my hair was a wreck. It was an exhausting drive back home. We had to quickly leave the forest as people rushed to stop the fire. Rian apparently Rian back to the car to look for anything useful, found a propane and can of gasoline. We did find the car near a junk yard. Aunt Hala had woken up from the drug state she was in but was jittery from the after effects.

We just made it back to the apartment and it was near dawn. My parents and Kavan was waiting for us. My mom rushed off the couch, hugging me.

When she broke the hug I nodded at her, "I'm fine. . .I'm fine."

"I'm tired of this crap!" Aunt Hala yelled as she rushed into the kitchen. She grabbed a can of beer, opened it, and chugged it. When she was done, she slammed it down on the counter, "I'm moving somewhere like Canada! Shit never happens in Canada."

My dad walked over to me. He looked at Rian beside me with a blank look before he looked at me. He gently grabbed my arms and pulled me towards him for a hug. I brought my arms up around my dad waist.

He breathed out heavily as he pet my head, "Oh Thalia, what to ever do with you."

I patted his back, "And you thought Kavan was the trouble maker child." He pulled away and cup my face. He turned my head slightly like he was examining me. Mom came over with a hot rag as he let go and I took it from her. I stained the light blue cloth as I tried to clean my face. "But in my defense, I didn't cause it. Vasco tried to have anything he wanted. He wasn't getting anything from me."

"You should have told us before anything happened." dad said.

"You would have made me leave and make me never see Rian again." I said.

He scoffed, "So being with this--this human is worth more than your safety?"

I lowered the rag, "Dad, you should know by now that answer." I said. He breathed out heavily as he looked at Rian coldly. "He helped tonight. I clearly underestimated Vasco in Jaguar skin and I was starting to lose. Rian caused a dostraction for enough time to kill him."

"Kill him?" mom breathed out in shock.

"He was gonna kill me." I told him them. "I had to do what I had to do."

"And now someone will try to take renege for him." my dad breathed out.

"I won't be to sure about that." I heard a voice. I quickly turned around to see a man walk up to the door. He leaned against the door, "My name Max, I'm Vasco and Neve second cousin. I've been trying to get ahead of my cousin for a long time. You just did my dirty work for me."

"Huh?" I questioned.

"Vasco and me always bickered growing up. He slide his way up to the top like a snake. We may be family by blood but to us loyalty was greater. Vasco was never loyal to me. Now that he's gone, everything he owned will go to me now." he said. "And Vasco had plenty of enemies who wanted him dead. If I take over Vasco gang, I can make sure none of you will have no threat on you. As long as you leave the city in the next couple of days."

Aunt Hala scoffed as stomped her way to her room, "You can believe I'll be out in a day! I'm so out of here!" she yelled.

"Right." Max said before turning to look at me. "Look, there's no bad blood with what happened. As long as you leave because everyone will expect me to handle you. They'll try make me hunt you down. So leave soon."

I nodded, "Understand, I am."

"Good." he said. He stood up and turned away. I heard him walking down the hallway and the elevator doors open.

When I turned to my family my dad breathed in relief, "Okay, this is good! We'll help you quickly pack up and we'll go south. To some small town in Georgia or Alabama. We'll stick to the small towns where no Jaguars are--"

"Dad. Dad." I said cutting him off. He looked confused and I took a deep breath. I took Rian hand and went next to his side, "I'm going with Rian. Somewhere on the west." I told him and he breathed out heavily.

"I just remembered my family own this small cabin home in north California." Rian said. "We haven't visited in awhile but it'll be safe, far away from the cities."

My dad scoff, "Excuse me? Thalia, you need to stick with your family."

"I'm old enough to go out on my own. I wanna go." I told him. I let go of Rian hand and stepped towards my dad. I took his hand in both of mine, "Dad, I'm sorry but I'm going with him. No matter what though we're family. And as my family I want you to accept Rian and that I'm with him."

"Thalia, he isn't like us--"

"I don't care." I told him. "Doesn't me still wanting to be with him after everything in Harmony prove I love him? Dad, please don't make me choose between my family and him. I want both in my life but I'll choose him if I have to. For my own happiness."

Mom stepped over as she looked at my dad, "Aron, you know Thalia well enough she's right. She fought hard for us no not to make her marry. She's fighting hard not to be in love. We shouldn't stop her. What if someone tried to stop us?" My dad stared at me as his eyes looked sad. "Do we really wanna lose Thalia? We can still be a family."

"He's just huma--" he cut himself off. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. After a moment he opened them. He walked around me and stood in front of Rian, "You have been such a pain of the ass. But, there must be something my daughter like about you. If you hurt her, I'll come find you." He grabbed Rian from his shoulder and growled at him as Rian eyes widen in fear. "I'm serious, boy. You make her happy, treat her right, and take care of her. I'm passing the role onto you so you better appreciate it."

I smiled at my dad as he let go of Rian. He turned to me and cracked his knuckles. I giggled as I hugged him tightly, "Don't worry, dad. I'll make sure to call enough to update you on things."