Love and Hate

Chapter10

Revenge

Two days after the race where Butterscotch Ruler had been injured, Victoria had been receiving threats from Richard. No one could find him anywhere. His wife had already been arrested for accessary to commit murder. Victoria had asked three different stables to take in some of her horses. She watched the last van leave with her grooms to the next stable. She wanted to make sure they were safe from harm so she would send them away to another farm until everything was under control. She turned and went into the barns and looked at her empty stalls. There were no horses to nicker and greet her when she came in anymore. There was nothing there. Heaving a sigh, she walked down the barn aisle.

Butterscotch Ruler had survived the surgery and was in recovery. He was still in New York. He was under surveillance by the police and Cam stayed with him. Vicky's yearlings had gone to her friend's house. Angel Martinez had promised to watch them for her. Her mares had gone to one of her groom's friend's house. He also owned a large barn and had room to spare. As for her stallions and geldings, they had been sent to Samantha Larsen. She was also a friend of her and Cam. Vicky just looked at her stalls and wished this hadn't happened. But it did and she had to deal with it. She walked out of the barn and closed it. Locking the door securing, she checked the area before moving to the other barns and locking them.

Leonardo read the newspaper with the headlines that read:

Richard Claymond suspected in killing Nancy Pena. Victoria Pena could be next!

" So that's why she was so careful with her horses." Leo said setting the paper down.

" Ya . . . it must be hard. Someone said that the horses were sent away to different farms and no one knows where. They just know that Silver brook is empty now. She must feel horrible." April said sadly. Casey sipped his coffee that Donatello had made him start drinking more than 15 years ago. Casey was always drunk and the turtles wanted him to change so they stuck coffee in his face when he wanted a drink. Now he couldn't get off it.

" I wonder how she is doing?" Leo wondered.

" Beats me! I hope she is all right though." April said.

Michealangelo sat next to Cam outside Butterscotch Ruler's stall in the clinic. He had finally decided to come down to New York to see her. The sound of her tears on the phone had broken his heart and he wanted to do everything he could to comfort her. He looked at her with his soft eyes and saw tears stream down her face. He reached over and pulled her close to him. She wrapped her arms around him and held him as she cried. Still she couldn't see him for anything, but the way his body felt was strange. His back was roundish and hard. She could feel his muscles through his clothes.

" I can't believe this happened to my favorite horse!"

" I know it's hard, but he's alive."

" I know . . . I just wish I could have seen him race again. I wanted him to be a champion."

" Cam he is a champion. It doesn't matter how many races he won, it matters how much heart he had." Cam thought about it and realized he was right. She held him tighter and snuggled closer to him. Everything he said and did made her fall in love with him. She wasn't sure what she would find under the clothes, but she wasn't all that sure if it really mattered.

Vicky picked up the phone after it rang twice.

" Hello?"

" I'm gonna get you bitch!" She screamed and set it down hard. There was a loud crash and a rock came flying through her window. It was getting to be very dark and she began to feel scared. She picked up the phone quick to call 911, but the line was now disconnected. She went for her shot gun, but something came past her head and into the case where she kept it. It was a bullet. She turned and ran as fast as she could out the door. Her truck tires were flat and she screamed in fright as another bullet came her way. She turned and bolted for the pastures. She needed to get out of there. Then she remembered the woods that she said she would never go in because Raphael didn't want her to. She hadn't seen him in seven months, but she knew she had to find some way out.

" I'll get you!" She heard a loud angry voice say. She screamed and ran through the pasture as fast as she could. Richard had brought his motorcycle and was now coming after her. But she was already at the back gate where she jumped over and ran into the woods. She heard the sound of the motorcycle coming toward her. He had shot the lock off the gate and came through. She ran over the trails quickly, not wanting to look back. She ducked behind a tree and took another trail. She began to fade from him, but he was still behind her. He shot at her again and missed. She dodged another tree and suddenly ran smack into something hard. She backed away in fright.

Raphael's eyes were on her in a cold and hateful glare.

" I told you never to come here!" He raised his sai, but she screamed and took off the other way. He paused long enough to see a motorcycle pass through some bushes and head her way. He bolted after it and when he was close enough, he lunged at it and pushed it into a tree causing Richard to fall off of it. Vicky heard the crash and stopped to look at Raphael punching Richard in the face. He stabbed him in the leg with his sai causing blood to spill. Richard managed to get away quickly and grab his bike. Raphael followed him as Richard went through some trees at an unbelievable speed. Suddenly there was a loud crash and Raphael and Vicky saw him go right into the road and into a large truck. The sight was so gruesome, Vicky nearly screamed in horror. Richard was now dead.

Raphael turned to face her. His eyes were cold and his sai had blood on it. She turned and ran from him. She heard his foot steps behind her and she tried to run faster, but she was tired and hurting. Then she felt strong arms grab her and stop her from running.

" Leave me alone! I didn't mean to come down here! I'm sorry!" She trembled in fear and tears streamed down her face. She felt his grip lighten a bit and he turned her to face him. His hood was now pulled back and she could see his face in the dim moonlight.

" It's all right . . . " He said gruffly. He heaved a sigh and realized that he shouldn't have threatened her.

" I'm sorry." She looked in his eyes to see softness and caring. It was a look she hadn't seen before. He pulled her close and felt his arms wrap around her. She found herself wrapping her arms around him also and resting her head on his shoulder. He breathed against her neck and she snuggled to him more.

Raphael tried not to think about the shivers that ran through him, but he couldn't help it. Her body felt so good against his and his hands along her back made him just want to touch her all over. He laid a hand on her hair and stroked it gently. It was soft and smelled sweet, like rose petals. Her skin was soft like a rose also. He didn't want to let her go, but he didn't think she would want a freak like him.

Donatello had heard about what happened and tried to phone Mike, but he wasn't there. He knew Silver brook had been closed down, so he wasn't sure if he would be there either. But then he had an idea. He logged onto his computer and pulled out files on Butterscotch Ruler. He was recovering in a large horse clinic not too far from Saratoga Springs. Don called the airport for an immediate plane ticket and packed some things. He knew that Cam Russo wouldn't leave that horse's side, and that Mike would probably not leave hers. As quickly as he could, he grabbed some things and headed out the door. He wanted to make sure everything was ok with Mike, and he also wanted to see him again.

It had been hours since the police left Vicky's house. She sat on her couch alone now. She wasn't about to send for her horses yet. She would have a few more days to recover from the shock. She got up and went upstairs. Raphael was at his home. He hadn't wanted to leave the woods, not even to walk her back home. She began to run the bath water and undress. Slowly, she set her aching muscles into the warm water. She was laying on a resting spot in her tub. It was more like a spa. It was large with a nice waterfall like faucet. She closed her eyes and relaxed. She remembered the feel of Raphael's body against hers. Was she falling for a giant turtle? It would be strange, but he captured her in a way that no one else ever had. Not once had she even been kissed and now she wondered what it would be like to kiss Raphael.

Vicky was quickly jolted from her thoughts as a cool breeze went over her wet skin. She jumped in fright and realized that Raphael was standing above her. She backed away a little and realized that she was totally exposed to him. She quickly jumped into the deeper part of the tub.

" I thought you didn't want to come down here." She said uncertainly.

" Not while the police were gonna be here, but now that they're gone, I can come out. Do you want me to leave?"

" No." She said more quickly she would have liked. He tilted his head to one side and looked at her suspiciously. He heaved a sigh and set his cape and sai down.

" Mind if I join ya?" He asked gruffly.

" I don't care. Go a head." He turned and took off his kneepads, elbow pads and belt and set it down where his cape and sai were. Slowly, he lowered himself into the tub and looked at her.

" Is this your normal bath tub?" He asked looking around.

" No, that one is . . . " She said pointing to the shower in the corner of the bath room. The room was large, almost like a living room. He glared and faced her again.

" You must be rich." She looked at him. She could see that he must have been jealous. But why wouldn't he be? He lived in a cave.

" Ya I guess I am. Mostly cause my mom earned the money."

" Where is your mom?"

" She was killed by that man on the motorcycle." He looked at her sharply and then began to understand why she had been so afraid and sad.

" A pathetic human is what he is." Raphael said with disgust.

" He is . . . but that doesn't mean all of us are." Again Raphael glared.

" I believe we had a talk about this almost seven months ago. I still think all humans are bad."

" Then why are you here with me?"

" Good question!" He said angrily and went to get out. She jumped at him and pulled him back. He faced her with a look of surprise at her sudden action.

" Don't go! Please!"

" Why do you want me to stay here with you!? I'm a freak! Not one of your human friends!"

" You're not a freak and I don't want my human friends right now! I want you!" He looked at her in surprise. He gazed into her eyes and she gazed into his. He had never disgusted her in the least. It had amazed her that such a creature could come to be. She wondered if he was capable of kissing and feeling love. He hadn't acted like it. He felt her hand move to his thigh and make its way up his stomach and to his chest. He trembled with excitement as her hands went over the muscles in his arms. She watched them tense and ripple under his skin.

Raphael eyes traveled down her face and neck and to her chest. Her breasts were so close to him, and he could feel them brushing against his chest. He breathed in and reached out to pull her closer. Her body came against his and he felt the ache between his legs grow stronger. Vicky rested her head on his shoulder and Raphael then began to give her little kisses on her neck. He hardly believed what he was doing, but it was happening. She threw back her head and let his mouth curse over her neck and make his way to her lips. Raphael gave in to her and passionately kissed her mouth. Waves of shock went through them both and Raphael found himself touching her body everywhere and kissing her with more passion than before. He moved his mouth down her chest and over her breasts. She groaned in pleasure and felt his tongue move down her belly, trying quickly to get between her legs . . .