Chapter 7.

Part 29. Getting Started.

Serena was quiet on the walk back to the dorm. She desperately wanted a shower, or better yet a swim at the beach.

Emma was laughing and talking about what just happened. She thought it was a great way to shake up the class. It made her expect the Prof would have more surprises in store for them. Next time she would not be caught off guard.

Helt agreed that it was a good training trick. But he did not look forward to surprises like pepper spray or smoke grenades.

The first meeting of the improved Relations Club was held that afternoon at 4pm. Because the permit was not yet approved, it was an unofficial meeting held on the Common Green. Along with Helt, Serena and Emma were Erik and Yue.

The small Filipino said Hello to everyone then got down to business, “We should have the permit this week and get a room to use. Ut even if permission is not granted we can still go forward, meeting regularly to discus issues of relations between humans and non-humans.”

Emma looked directly at Erik as she added “We know not everybody can get along, some monsters just wanna eat brains. But we believe things can be better than they are. Right?”

Everyone gave nods of agreement.

Erik was clearly just being polite, he had doubts about all this. However his involvement could help protect people from their own idealism. Especially Serena.

Yue was harder to read. Seemingly friendly and open, he was really the biggest mystery in the group.

“This sounds noble, but let us put a more fine point to it.” the Frenchman suggested “For example, what about Vampires? How do you expect people to live peacefully with them, when they think of us as food?” He looked directly at Helt.

The German took up the challenge with out hesitation, “We can assume all are evil, paint them all with one brush or we can take a more keen view of the situation. Not all creatures you call vampires are the same species and in any group there are good and evil individuals.”

“But they all need to feed, the hunger drives them to drink human blood.” Erik offered in counter argument.

Helt made a chopping gesture with his hand, “That is over simplified. Some are driven more by hunger than others. Many have a great deal of self control. Some are happy with animal blood. Others feed on humans but never kill.”

“This is exactly the problem, lack o understanding, we need to deal with.” Emma said happily.

Part 30. Dance floor danger?

Friday night at the Cave, the music was thumping and the place was jumping. Emma and Helt arrived about an hour after the place opened at sunset. Serena had said she was tired and didn't want to be in a loud crowd of people tonight. The American blond was surprised that the tall often silent German had agreed to go. She just assumed he would be antisocial, off doing something mysterious. But not tonight. He had accepted her offer and even put on a different coat.

Emma was surprised. After a few beer, Helt walked over and asked the DJ to put on an upbeat version of Putting on the Ritz. He then hit the dance floor with style and skill. The normally dull man could have fun. The dark and serious image he maintained most of the time was in part just an act.

It was into the second song when a short haired, very attractive, woman dressed in tight leather got to dancing face to face with Helt. He quickly recognized her sent. Some sort of cat-person, a very hot and frisky one in fact. He knew from some experience how much fun and trouble they could be.

They danced closer and closer, playing the game of not quite touching as the music pulsed and flowed. When the song came to its end, Helt took her hand, spun her around in a circle and caught her in an embrace. With his lips almost on hers, he said “You dance marvellously. Now I need another beer.” Then he let go and turned to walk away.

The woman stared at him with her dark golden eyes, in surprise. Most men would want to dance more or to buy her a drink.

Helt knew the game, it had not changed much in 100 years, probably not in a 1000. Show your interest clearly, but never a hint of weakness or desperation. Reach out but never chase.

As the bartender passed him a new beer, the soft voice purred in his ear, “Im Natilla, nice to meet you.”

The tall German smiled and looked her in the eyes, “I am Helt. Shall I buy you a drink?”

She ordered an Irish coffee with a cherry on top. They talked for a bit, about nothing very much, as you usually do in a loud dance club. Then went back to the floor to enjoy a few more songs.

Emma noticed it was nearly midnight as she watched Helt walking towards the exit with the sexy cat woman. She was curious, but not enough to actually follow him.

Part 31. Faster Kitty Cat.

Playful as a kitten from hell was the nasty Natilla.

Once they were outside the flirting quickly escalated. Helt knew she was going to be a handful, but was confident he could handle her. However he really had no idea what was going on. There was much more to this than an evening’s fun.

“You know, of course, I can only respect a man who can hold his own.” she said with a soft voice, just before she swept his feet out from under him. Surprised but not stunned, he reacted on reflex, rolling to the side as he hit the grass. Her follow up strike hit the ground with a solid thump.

Playful yet serious. He could not figure her out. Her moves were quick and hard, not like she was holding back. Yet she laughed now, and let him time to get back to his feet. In a real fight, pressing the attack would be the smart move, unless one was very confident in their superiority.

“You wouldn’t hit a lady would you?” she asked in mock fear.

Helt moved towards her in a classic boxer stance. “One way or other, I will put you down.” he answered.

Knowing that cat people were fast, incredibly fast, he pushed reserve energy into his own speed and some toughness just in case. If he wanted to keep up in this contest he would need to be a bit more than human.

They exchanged a few blows, each testing the other’s reflexes. She clawed at his hands, like a cat going after a toy. He jabbed, aiming at her shoulders and upper chest. Not a single solid hit was made in the exchange.

Then Natilla rushed in, making a grab for his arm. When he dodged, she continued pressing the tack, targeting his elbow. For a brief moment she had his arm trapped against his body and took the opening for a claw strike at his throat. It all happened so very fast. A normal man would have been ripped open. As it was Help twisted just enough to escape with only small scratches across his neck.

“Are you crazy?” he growled “That is way to deadly for fun and games.”

She gave him a sweet vicious smile. “Not man enough to play with me, are you?” she asked.

Part 32. Don't do the expected.

The realization dawned on Helt – This is a trap.

Natilla was the bait. Once all his attention was on her, the trap would be sprung. So it was time to change how this game was played. “Catch me if you can.” he said, then took off running for the near by Performing Arts building.

She was caught off guard by this sudden change in attitude. The man was running away? That didn't seem right at all. She wasted no time thinking about it, instinct said to chase. So that is what she did.

Helt was almost to the building when the cat lady started to catch up to him. No problem, it was not like he intended to go inside. With a serious burst of strength he jumped all the way up, three stories, to the roof. She could follow him, no doubt. But that was part of his plan.

After a quick glance down at the area they had recently been fighting in, Helt backed away from the roof’s edge. If it had been a trap, her allies would now be moving to deal with the disruption to their plan. He should have a few moments up here to deal with her before they could arrive. It was just a guess of course, but it was based on many years of experience.

“Come here, you lovely little fur ball.” he said as Natilla flipped onto the roof.

She expected him to attack as she reached the top, in that moment when he had a clear advantage. But he did not. Whatever. She was not going to over think things now. She crouched low and circled her target, ready to pounce.

Helt stood perfectly still, letting her get closer, concentrating on his next move. The seconds dragged on slowly. The he lunged for a strike, one she could easily dodge. Except he was not really where he seemed to be. Using the same talent that allowed his kind to be unseen, he shifted her perception of his position by a few feet. Being invisible in a fight was nearly impossible. This trick however, was a reliable, if underhanded way to get in a good solid hit.

Natilla was shocked. The blow hit her right in the stomach, with incredible force. The dodge should have worked. But the reality was that she was flying backwards, off the roof into open air, down to the grass below. Somehow he had won with that one punch. Reflexes saved her, as consciousness faded, her catlike ability to land from a long fall kicked in. She was both furious and excited by this turn of events.

Helt now did his best to make himself invisible and peeked over the edge of the building. He wanted to see who came to the cat lady’s aid. Because they were most likely her allies in this attempted trap.

Part 33. Paranoid or Perceptive ?

Helt did not go back to his dorm room that night. Just in case things were more complicated than he expected, it was best to keep out of sight until tomorrow. So he found a spot up in the hills to rest while he thought about that had just happened. He considered there were two possibilities;

Natilla was just a wild and crazy cat woman, playing rough because she believer he could take a vicious hit or avoid it. On the surface this seemed to be exactly the case. But something felt wrong with that. Even if her words and actions did not confirm a larger plot they did fit into one, if it was there.

A basic seduction manipulation to get him outside to that spot, it was her who led the way out of the Cave. A play fight turning more deadly to make him to focus on her. Even an insult to his masculinity to keep him from calling a halt to the fight when it got serious. Helt carefully thought about it all, over and over again.

Why a fight? Why not sex? That would have captured his attention and given an opening for an ambush. But then the location may not have been as predictable, assuming her allies had set up in advance. Also a fight offered the enemy a chance to watch him and evaluate his skills. That was a smart tactic.

So the big question was, who set it all up? Natilla didn't strike him as a leader and organizer. More likely she was working for someone. One of those two guys who came to help her after she got knocked off the roof? No, the body language he saw there was wrong. Those were more like allies, concerned for an injured teammate. The one behind this was smart and careful.

“I need to find out more about the cat lady and her friends.” he said to himself. “Time to put my own allies to work.”