Love and Hate

Chapter5

Friend or Foe

Victoria starred in disbelief at the creature before her. Muscles bulged from his thighs, calves, and arms. She starred at the dark plate like shell over his chest and stomach. There was a hard shell in his back with many dents and scratches in it. She looked at his face to see his dark eyes and a scar that went from part of his forehead to his cheek on the left side. It went over his left eye, which was half green and half brown. Whatever caused the scar damaged his eye. She looked at his three fingers and two toes. She was surprised to see such a creature.

" Are you happy now that you know what I am?" He asked coldly. She glanced at him and then turned away. Maybe he didn't like it when people wanted to see him. He went and sat down again in his dark corner.

" How did you come to be like this?" She asked, turning to look at his gleaming eyes.

" You fuckin humans dump shit in the sewer so much, we just happened to step in it."

" We?"

" Yes WE!! I have three other brothers and I used to have a rat for a father!"

" Oh. Why aren't you with them?"

" Because I . . . " He paused, realizing that he was about to tell her what happened 15 years ago.

" That's none of your business!"

" Sorry. How long have you lived here?" He looked at her with the same glare in his eyes, but answered.

" I have been in this area for almost 14 years. The other year I was in Virginia."

" What is your name?" He glared at her coldly.

" Raphael." He growled.

Cam looked at the door to Michealangelo's apartment. She was somewhat afraid to knock, but she realized that she should thank him for what he had done for her. She knocked on the door and waited.

Mike came to the door and looked out the peep hole. He gasped and almost fell over. He slapped his forehead in disbelief. The woman of his dreams was at his door.

" SHIT!" He hissed. He ran to the bathroom and grabbed his long robe and his hat with a scarf to cover his face. He put on some slippers and his gloves. He came to the door and opened it slowly. He peeked out and looked at Cam. She looked at him uneasily.

" Um . . . can I help you?" He asked softly.

" Um . . . I wanted to come by to talk to you if you don't mind." He gazed at her beautiful brown eyes and realized this was his chance to get to know her. He opened the door and made a motion for her to come in. She stepped in slowly and he shut the door behind her. He walked to the table and sat down in his chair. She followed and sat down next to him.

" Do you want something to drink?"

" No thanks." She looked at him with soft eyes. She couldn't see any part of his body and she wondered what kind of deformities he had.

" So what did you want to talk about?" He asked uneasily.

" Um . . . well, first I wanted to know, why you helped me the way you did." He looked at her.

" Because I was looking through magazine articles after I saw Butterscotch Ruler race and I found that article on you and Fire Light. It was interesting, but something didn't seem right about it, so I researched more. My brother helped me with it."

" Oh. I wanted to thank you for what you did. I would've been suspended from riding as a jockey and then I really wouldn't have had the money to pay for my home." She looked away as she realized how close she was to losing everything.

" I'm glad I could help. Do you have any horses of your own?"

" I used to have one, but he had to be sold, because of my financial problems."

" Oh. Are you doing better now that you work for Silver brook?"

" Well, I don't really work for them. I'm hoping Victoria will hire me as their full time jockey, but even as a part time, they pay pretty nicely. I just like to be around Butterscotch too." He smiled.

" That's one hell of a horse."

" Ya . . . Vic says he'll probably be a great horse. She's mainly working on a gray colt that has a temper problem. That's why she wanted me to look after Butterscotch."

" What's the gray's name?"

" Silver Serenity. He is the son of her foundation stallion; Silver brook Champ."

" Is that horse still around?"

" Ya, he is still there. He is her main breeding stallion." He nodded in interest. He was beginning to like horses more and more because of her.

" Um . . . I was wondering about something. I had bought one of your paintings a while back. It didn't have a title, but it had a moon with a black sky and dark blue waters at the bottom. It also had a cliff with a figure on the top . . . " She saw him look down at the floor, but she couldn't see his expression.

" What about it?" He asked softly.

" Well . . . I was wondering who the figure was. It looked kinda like a. . . . turtle." She felt almost stupid saying something like that.

" It was my brother. He had killed himself by jumping off that cliff when our father died."

" Oh my God . . . " She whispered.

" And yes I know he looks like a turtle . . . " There was something about the way he said it that made her wonder if that's why he was covering himself.

" I'm sorry I asked . . . I was just wondering, cause I never saw a figure like that."

" It's ok." He said softly.

" Well, I should get going. How long are you going to stay down here?"

" I'm not sure. Probably a while. I rented out a cabin a little way from Silver brook. I'll be here a while."

" Well maybe we can talk again another time. Maybe you could drop by Silver brook sometime."

" Yes, I guess that would be ok." She smiled at him. He walked her to the door and opened it for her.

" Thanks again." She said before leaving.

" You're welcome." He said softly.

Vicky looked at Raphael curiously. He was quiet, but starring coldly at his spear. It had a fork like weapon tied to the top of it and he was just gazing at it. Then slowly, his eyes moved to stare at her. She turned away quickly and trembled. She felt his stare on her and it was beginning to scare her.

" Don't you know it's rude to stare? ? ! " He growled. She didn't look at him.

" Sorry . . . I just never have seen anything like you."

" Ya well, I'm sick of you humans starring at every freak you see and making comments like we actually wanted to be this way." She turned to him. His eyes scared her, but yet made her stare into them at the same time.

" I never called you a freak." She said softly.

" I know that's what you think."

" No . . . it isn't." He looked at her coldly.

" Don't lie to me!" He turned away to face the wall and look at his weapon. Vicky was scared of him, but she had to let him know that not all humans were bad. At least not her. Also she might make a good note with him and stay alive. She quietly got up and moved closer to him. The blanket didn't do anything to cover her so she just left it. She hated showing herself to anyone, but he had already seen her and besides, they were in the dark almost. She came right behind him and gently touched his shoulder. He didn't move an inch. She lowered down next to him and tried to see his face. Her hand was on his shoulder and she gently tried to turn him around. But he wouldn't let her.

" Raphael?" She said softly. She felt his body tense up and she saw the spear move a little. She feared that he would turn and just stab her with it, but she was about to take that chance. She moved her hand to his arm and felt the bulging muscles ripple under her touch. She used to have turtles herself, but he felt somewhat different from hers.

" Raphael?" She said again.

" What the fuck do you want?!" He asked in a low growl.

" For one I want you to quit being so mean to me." Raphael laughed to himself and turned so quickly, she barely noticed until his face was right next to hers and his eyes starred at her with hate. He grabbed her arms and pinned them behind her and came closer to her. She felt the warmth of his breath against her face and neck as he came close to her. For some reason, it didn't bother her in the least that he was close to her and he was what he was.

" I don't like you humans touching me." He growled.

" Why not?" He seemed a bit surprised by the question and didn't answer it. She looked away uncertainly. She knew she had to get home to check on her horses. The grooms would have already left and she would be the only one home.

" I have to get home." He gazed at her icily.

" Then go." He growled. He backed up and went to another little cave opening and came back out with her shotgun and torn clothes.

" This is not even wearable!" She said looking at her coat and shirt.

" I tried to tell you that before. Hurry up and go. If you ever tell anyone that you saw me, I will come get you and I WILL kill you." She looked up at him sharply. His eyes said the truth.

" How am I supposed to get home without a top?" He laughed.

" Walk! Now go." He yelled. She saw him pick up his spear and turn to her again. She got up with the gun and walked out of the cave. He came at her and poked her in the back with the spear to get her going. It was so cold out that her skin began to hurt and nipples stuck out. He looked at her breast before she covered them and walked on.

She climbed the hillside that she had fell down and walked out of the woods. She walked to the opening in the woods and walked to the pasture gate.

Raphael stood behind some trees and watched her in silence. He didn't know why he was starring at her, but something captured him when he saw her. She trembled as she closed the gate. He could see the pain in her face. Her skin was turning a reddish blue color from the bitter cold and he wondered if she would be alright. He then saw a horse trot up to her. The animal stopped and she hugged its neck. But her hug was more like holding on. She dropped her gun. Suddenly she collapsed to the ground and held the horse's legs close to her. But she couldn't get up.