Adult-FanFiction.org : Cartoons

Secrets In The Dark	By : Daniella Category: +S through Z > SwatKats Views: 1763 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own SwatKats, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
- 9
Chapter Seven

“Talking”

‘Thoughts’

While the Elders were explaining the rules and some of the history of their culture to T-Bone and Razor, Dena had fled to the club above and was now standing at the bar, wiping tears from her eyes.

‘I’m such an idiot!’ She thought bitterly, feeling ashamed at herself for getting upset at T-Bone’s ill-considered words. It had hurt more than she thought it should.

It was hard for her to admit that she truly wanted him as a mate but the timing was wrong, the worst being that they were on opposite sides of the law enforcement fence and the upheaval caused by the actions of the rogue. Also, if their enemies learned of it they would use that information against them. It was a very sobering thought and made her shiver.

But what was she going to do now? Now that T-Bone knew they were mates and was rightfully upset that she had withheld that information from him, he might want to reject her but the empathic link wouldn’t allow them to forget each other. It seemed, however, that T-Bone would willingly put up with the distracting urges rather than accept her as his mate.

‘It can’t end this way! I need to talk to him. I just hope he can contain his anger enough for us to discuss this rationally.’ She thought with a worried sigh.

“Dena, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?” Came a voice behind her. She froze and slowly looked up to see Zachary and Rick with identical looks of concern on their faces.

“Me? Crying? No, I just got something in my eye that’s all.” Dena said trying deny it.

“Please don’t lie to me. I know when you’re upset about something or when you’ve been crying.” Zachary said firmly as he moved closer to comfort her but stopped short of touching her, remembering what had happened the last time.

“Please don’t concern yourself, Zachary, I’m okay, truly.” Dena said then cleared her throat, “Did you find anything at the scene?”

Zachary frowned at Dena not satisfied that something wasn’t wrong but before he could object, Rick cut him off.

“Other than the fact it’s a male and bold enough to attack the Deputy Mayor in broad daylight? Nothing.” Rick said flatly, disappointment in his voice.

“What about Briggs? Surely the Elders will allow us to question her before they erase her memories?” Zachary asked Dena, hoping Briggs had noticed something useful about their rogue.

“I don’t know. I’ll have to ask the Elders but that will have to wait until they are through with the SWAT Kats.” Dena said quietly.

“The SWAT Kats are here? Why?” Rick asked looking at Dena since Zachary hadn’t told him anything about this.

“They showed up to rescue Briggs and got a good look at the rogue. They insisted on being involved so they are downstairs talking to the Elders this minute.” She said, deliberately not informing them why they were allowed in the Iriomkats meeting room in the first place.

“Those kats always did pick the wrong time to get involved in things that doesn’t concern them.” Zachary snorted sarcastically

“Are they having their memories erased?” Rick asked, confused as to why the Elders would allow the vigilantes in their sanctuary at all. Something wasn’t right. He thought Dena wasn’t telling them everything.

Dena hesitated before saying reluctantly, knowing more questions were going to come of it. “No they are not.”

“What? Why not?” Zachary blurted in shock.

Dena sighed. Even though she hadn’t wanted to say anything about it, she really couldn’t lie to her best friend. He was definitely not going to like what she said next.

Down below the club, Serena sighed deeply once more as she and the rest of the Elders finished educating the SWAT Kats on them, Oliver having refused to say anything. They also answered all their questions the best they could.

They ended the lesson with an admonishment to the pair that they could not say anything about their society to anyone. They also told them that they were forbidden to interfere with the hunt for the rogue. Their hunters and Dena would take care of that problem. They were dismissed.

But seeing the set expressions on the SWAT Kats faces even if she couldn’t see their eyes told Serena they wouldn’t pay heed to that anyway and would do what they thought best. She watched them leave. Sighing again, Serena signaled to the rest of the Elders that the meeting was over and they were dismissed.

The sounds of chairs moving and soft good nights were heard. Serena’s eyes narrowed as they watched Oliver leave. ‘That tom, what a pain in the tail he is! As stupid and idiotic as that Mayor of ours! The only reason he became an Elder in the first place was only because my mate refused the position!’ Serena’s mate would have made history among the Iriomkats as being the very first kat to become an Elder.

“Trouble, hon?” A soft gruff voice asked gently.

“Why ask something when you already know the answer, Razor?” Serena asked turning to look at her mate.

The Kat that came around to her side looked like Razor in his civilian identity but much older, his fur a much lighter red now. He chuckled as he handed his mate a can of milk.

“Razor, eh? Now that’s a name I haven’t heard in a very long while.” Jake said taking the seat next to her.

Serena hummed, “Think everything will turn out alright?”

“I can’t tell you that, hon. The rules…”

“I know the rules, Jake. I just wish I could say the heck with them and just tell Dena what’s going to happen around here.”

Jake shook his head, he understood his mate’s desire to tell Dena so that she could spare the young Iriomkat more pain but the rules governing time travel were strict for a reason. The timeline could be irrevocably altered and that could never be allowed.

“I want to tell them as well, Serena. There are many things I want to say to T-Bone and myself at this time, but we can’t.” Jake said regretfully, as he leaned close to nuzzle her cheek.

“What’s the point of all this? To know such things yet you can’t say or do anything to prevent such pain from happening?” Serena asked, saddened and upset by the rules. She cared for Dena as if she were her own sister as Jake cared for Chance.

“We may be forbidden to interfere, hon, but the rules never said we couldn’t nudge them in the right direction.” He said with a smirk.

“You’re a clever Kat you know that?” Serena said smiling at him.

“I know and so are you when you have your emotions under control.” He said warmly.

“That’s just the way I am, my love.”

“I know, that’s why I love you.” Jake said, placing a paw behind Serena’s head to draw her toward him for a kiss.

Back in the club above, Zachary and Rick were staring at Dena in shocked surprise after hearing the news she’d been obviously reluctant to tell them. Zachary was obviously hurt while Rick had his head cocked to one side with a thoughtful look on his face.

“You’re serious?” Zachary demanded, finally able to find his voice.

“Dead serious. T-Bone is my mate. That’s why the Elders aren’t going to erase their memories.” Dena said, sorry she had to hurt her best friend even though she had tried to make him realize she couldn’t be with him the way he had wanted.

“Will they be helping us in this little case of yours?” Rick said breaking the growing tension between the friends.

"I don’t have the answer to that question. I ended up running out of there after what...uh…never mind.” Dena halted herself from blurting out more of her pain but her friend guessed anyway.

“He made you cry, didn’t he?” Zachary asked, trying for a calm he didn’t feel. A simmering anger was building up inside him.

“I don’t want to discuss it! We...” She started to say when the pair under discussion appeared from where the hidden door was.

Dena felt her body tighten at the sight of the tiger tabby but forced herself to relax. T-Bone made it clear he wouldn’t be talking to her anytime soon. Zachary on the other paw took a step forward blocking T-Bone’s sight of Dena. He didn’t want that wanna be hero around Dena if all he was going to do was hurt her. Rick eyes darted between the three of them already seeing problems. ‘If it’s not one drama it’s another.’ Rick thought with a mental sigh and rolling his eyes.

“You going to talk to her?” Razor asked his best friend as they stopped crossing the room when they spotted Dena and two unknown males.

T-Bone’s eyes narrowed in unexpected anger and jealousy at the sight of the chocolate colored tom stepping in front of Dena and hiding her behind him. It was as if he was challenging T-Bone while protecting Dena. ‘We’ll see about that!’ T-Bone growled mentally, as he walked over to the small group.

Zachary stiffened as he watched the powerful tom come toward them. As strong as the SWAT Kat was, he was no match for Zach if he intended to pick a fight. T-Bone halted more than an arms length away. He looked around Zachary to Dena.

“Dena, can I talk to you? …Alone?” He said calmly.

Zachary opened his mouth to hiss out a no but Dean brushed by him. Shocked, he hissed, “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Going to talk with him.” Dena said flatly, not looking at her friend as she moved to T-Bone’s side.

T-Bone and Dena walked away to a quiet corner, far enough away to not be heard or interrupted. He could feel Dena’s hurt and anger clearly.

‘This must be what they meant about the empathic link.’ T-Bone thought. He could see the pros and cons of this but knew Dena could use them too so he took great care in what he wanted to say even though he wasn’t certain what that should be.

“Don’t apologize! I know you believed what you said down there.” Dena jumped in before he could say anything. “You don’t care so why should I? Just stay away from me from now on!” She said coldly then turned and started to walk away.

“Why did you keep it a secret?” T-Bone called to her quietly. His words halted her. He stepped forward and grabbed her arm forcing her to face him again.

“You weren’t planning to tell me or anyone else that we were mates, were you?” He demanded using the link to try and understand why she felt this way.

Dena slapped his paw away, “ Why should you care? I’m nothing more then a fling to you.”

T-Bone growled darkly, “Well excuse me! I just got the shock of my life...being mated to my worst enemy. How the heck did you expect me to react?” He demanded.

“I don’t know. It was still very hurtful to hear you bluntly say what you did!” She said angrily.

“Okay, I concede that what I said was pretty nasty but I was angry that here I was feeling all these intense feelings for you and didn’t know why and there you were knowing exactly what was going on and didn’t bother to tell me. That was just wrong!” He said tightly.

“I had my reasons!” She snapped.

“What reasons?”

She shook her head violently but he held her firmly. “You were supposed to educate me on what was going on and tell your Elders you were mated to a Kat. You didn’t do either!” He said flatly.

Her eyes narrowed into slits as she hissed out, “ What gives you the right to spout my own society’s laws at me?!”

“Because you are supposed to uphold those laws!” He hissed back.

“Oh, you’re a fine one to tell me about upholding laws, vigilante.” She hissed furiously. “You who only follow the rules when it suits you.”

“That’s an old argument that has no bearing on what you did!” T-Bone snapped impatiently.

“To me it’s the same thing.”

“You’re avoiding telling me why you failed to tell anyone about us.” T-Bone said, not letting her of the hook.

“I have my reasons! And there is no ‘us’ now!”

“Why?” T-Bone was getting frustrated. He could feel the same thing coming from her...but why? It just didn’t make sense. God! Females, no matter what species, were so confusing. He getting no where fast.

“That’s none of your business!” Dena said, even more upset. It felt like T-Bone really cared about what she felt. She was getting more confused by what she read from him.

“Why are you being so difficult?!” T-Bone finally said in utter frustration.

“Why the hell are you even acting like you care?!” Dena blurted furiously.

T-Bone opened his mouth to say something back but never got the chance because Zachary chose that moment to get between them.

“I think you’re done talking now.” Zachary said in a warning tone to the tiger tabby kat.

T-Bone growled ready to snap back at him when he noticed Dena clenching a piece of Zachary’s jacket in her fist while leaning against his back seeking protection. He felt a pain of something he couldn’t name at the sight of his mate seeking another for comfort as well as a possessive feeling of anger and jealousy against the interfering tom.

“Fine, we’re done talking...for now.” He snarled pushing past Zachary making sure he slammed his shoulder into the other tom in a show of strength.

He strode angrily toward the door. “Let’s go, Razor.” He called over his shoulder to his partner.

Zachary had grunted from the blow but didn’t move as he could feel Dena pressed against his back clutching his jacket in her paw.

Across the room, Rick slipped up beside the other SWAT Kat and halted him before he could follow his partner. “Razor, right?” He asked mildly.

“Yeah, what do you want?” Razor asked feeling a little nervous around this grey furred Iriomkat.

“Easy, there. I’m not going to hurt you but could do me a favor?” Rick asked studying Razor’s face.

“Eh, maybe.” Razor said cautiously, taken aback by how blue the Iriomkat eyes were.

“Get T-Bone to calm down then tell him to go to the Tori Drop. It’s one of Dena’s favorite places to eat and unwind. It has good sushi.”

“It won’t do you any good if your brother’s around to swirl up trouble.” Razor said doubtfully.

He understood now that T-Bone and Dena couldn’t resist the mating bond and it would harm their partnership if he didn’t help solve this problem between them because T-Bone would continue to be distracted. Razor was still very leery of these creatures and the fact Dena was Commander Feral didn’t make things any easier for him to accept.

“Leave my brother to me. He knew that one day Dena would meet her mate. Finding out T-Bone is her mate is just reality slapping him in the face.” Rick said shaking his head sadly at his brother’s actions.

“Okay. I guess I can do that. But if anything happens to T-Bone I’m blaming you.” Razor said firmly, making it clear he didn’t trust them enough yet.

“Fine by me.” Rick said, understanding Razor’s worry for his best friend.

Razor nodded then hurried to catch up with T-Bone who had already left. Rick sighed and turned to see what was going on with his brother and Dena. He shook his head again when he saw Zachary trying to comfort Dena only to have her shove him away.

‘I really wish he had met his mate by now so that he’d stop mooning over Dena. She’ll never be his and its ripping him apart.’ He thought with a sad sigh. ‘Better see if I can calm things down.’

At Megakat Hospital Callie Briggs laid in her hospital bed flipping through the television channels but wasn’t focused on the screen, her mind was elsewhere. She kept replaying what had happened in her office earlier. She couldn’t shake those cold, hateful, gold eyes that bored through her from behind the enforcer face guard the male was wearing.

She suspected Razor knew something but was closed mouth when he carried her down to the ambulance. It wasn’t like him to be so secretive when her safety was in question. But somehow she knew he had been shaken by what he’d seen. She was shaken to by the power this strange male was capable of. He didn’t wear anything like Hard Drive to explain how he could wield energy like that.

Her mind went back to those gold eyes. She seen those before but she was still feeling a little addled from the shock she’d received and bring the memory into focus. She stopped flipping channels when a knock came on her door.

She startled, but calmed immediately, and called out a little nervously, “C-Come in.”

A welcome visitor walked in. Dr. Abby Sinian, a brown furred she-kat with short brown hair and dark color eyes, dressed in a light blue shirt with matching pants and white tennis shoes. The archeologist and museum curator smiled warmly as she approached Callie’s bed.

“Abby, thanks for coming.” Callie said, pressing a button on the bed to raise herself to a more upright position.

“I came as soon I could. Are you alright, Callie?” Abby asked concerned. She’d been terrified when she’d heard what had happened to her friend.

“Yes, the doctor said I could leave tomorrow. They are keeping me here overnight just in case.” She reassured her friend.

“That’s good news. There’s no telling what kind of mess Manx would cause if you were here any longer.” Abby joked as she sat down in the chair next to the bed.

“I don’t even want to think about that. But I have something I want to ask you.” Callie said getting down to business.

Abby nodded, “ What do you want to know?”

“Have you ever heard of a species of Kats that could generate energy from their bodies?”

“You mean Iriomkats?” Abby asked in surprise.

“I thought they were extinct.” Callie said staring at Abby.

“Many of my colleagues do believe that but I and a few of my other friends don’t.” Abby said.

“Why?” Callie asked excited now.

“We believe they may be hiding themselves among us. After all, our kind didn’t treat Iriomkats very well in our history. They were feared and made slaves to control them then they simply disappeared. It makes sense that they would hide themselves once they escaped our cruelty and ignorance.” Abby said plainly, noting that Callie’s eyes widened as she apparently remember the history she’d been taught about the lost species.

“But if what you’re saying is true, Abby. Why would they attack me?” Callie asked hoping Abby could shed some light on what had happened to her.

“Are your serious, Callie? You actually saw one?” Abby asked surprise by all of this.

“Yes, I think so.” Callie began to think over it trying to remember every detail as she began to tell Abby all that had happened.

Abby listened carefully as Callie described everything she could remember of the attack at city hall. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Callie had indeed met an Iriomkat but why he had attacked her and plainly exposed himself to Kats were things she needed to find answers to.

“I don’t have any answers for you right now, Callie. Just a guess, perhaps the Iriomkats are tired of hiding.” She said.

“That doesn’t give them the right to attack!” Callie said firmly.

“You’re right, Callie but remember it was only one Iriomkat that did this. Just as there are good and bad Kats so there are good and bad Iriomkats. I truly doubt from what I’ve read of their history that they are normally like that.” She soothed the upset Deputy Mayor.

“Of course, you’re right about that. I should know that better than most since I support the SWAT Kats despite how some perceive them.” Callie sighed. “But still this make me uneasy. After all they are a dangerous species.”

“Yes, well that’s true but give them the benefit of the doubt and keep your mind open.” Abby urged her. “Don’t let fear cloud your judgment, is all I ask. Now, is there anything else I can do for you before I get back to work?” Abby asked gently.

“No, I’m fine. Just look up that information for me please and I promise to keep an open mind.” Callie said with a wane smile.

“I appreciate that. You get some rest, okay?” Abby advised as she got up to leave.

“I will, thanks again.” Callie said to Abby watching her friend leave. It didn’t really ease her mind to know a species that was thought to be extinct could actually be living among them. It made her uneasy though when she thought further about it, if the Iriomkats had meant to cause trouble they would have so much sooner. That train of thought left her with more questions than answers.

Meanwhile, as Abby walked down the white hallway heading for the elevator, her mind went to this new problem she needed to address. Callie was a witness to the fact that Iriomkats truly existed. That information would convince the scientific community that they didn’t die out as was thought. Perhaps Katkind could finally exist beside Iriomkats in the open. After all, they obviously were living among them and causing no problems. Maybe they could finally put behind them all the terrible things Katkind had done to them all in the name of fear.

As she rode the elevator down to the main lobby, she reached back to her neck below her collar and traced the pattern her fingers found there. No one knew that she was a mixed breed. Both Kat and Iriomkat. Her grandfather was an Iriomkat who had met his mate, her grandmother, a Kat, during a trip to another country.

They had two sets of twins. One of the oldest set of twins had come her father who met her mother at a dig from his ancestors. She had been his assistant and they had fallen in love. Her father was the first of a mixed breed so that when she was born, Abby looked more like a Kat rather than an Iriomkat but still had their abilities. The down side of her birth was the pure Iriomkats were reluctant to trust the mixed breeds so they weren’t accorded the same rights as the pures. She sighed. She wondered if the Elders were aware of this rogue in their midst.

As she stepped into the lobby, on the floor she’d left another elevator opened and two hunters stepped out, looking around.

“Do you know the room number Briggs is in?” The First hunter asked his partner.

“Yeah, room number one hundred five. Let’s cast the spell and get out of here. I hate hospitals.” The Second hunter said, uneasily.

“Right.” With that the two hunters headed for Briggs’ room.

As night fell finally, a storm had moved in but brought no rain, only lightning and noise. Into this stormy night, T-Bone drove the streets heading for a place called Tori Drop. Razor had advised him it was a nice place that served excellent sushi. It was quiet around the restaurant when he pulled into the parking lot. He drove to the alley behind the place and parked. He climbed off, left his helmet and set the security on the cyclotron. He walked around the building for the entrance.

Nearly all heads near the door craned their necks when the colorful figure came in. They quickly looked away when he glanced around the room. They didn’t want to make him upset. T-Bone looked for a seat and spotted one at the bar itself. He moved to it and spotted someone he hadn’t planned on running into for awhile.

Dena was sitting at the bar in her female form eating fried eel and rice. Taking some calming breaths, he continued on and sat next to her.

“Food good here?” He asked nonchalantly.

Out of the corner of his eye, T-Bone saw Dena nearly choke on a piece of her fried eel. Quickly she grabbed her cup of green tea to wash down her food.

“What are you doing here?” Dena growled placing her cup down.

“To unwind, same as you. Razor told me is has good sushi.” T-Bone said then signaled the chef for an order.

“I doubt Razor’s ever been here.” Dena said, focusing her attention back on her meal.

“He said a friend told him.” T-Bone said casually. He heard Dena click her tongue in irritation.

“Rick! He’s going to pay for this the next time I see him.” Dena said knowing that Rick had a paw in this.

“Oh?” T-Bone questioned then quickly ordered his food.

“Rick knows I like to come down here to relax, drop my worries and troubles for a bit.” Dena said flatly.

“So which one I am? Trouble or worry?” T-Bone asked, wanting to keep Dena talking.

“Both.” Dena said ordering a second order of fried eel with white rice.

“But I’ve always been that way for you. Nothings really change.” T-Bone said. He took a bite of his tempura, a deep fried seafood in a light distinctive batter.

“Tsk! You don’t get it do you? Us being mates make things more complicated! You’re a vigilante and I’m a…! Why am I bothering to explain all this to you? You should know this already. I’m out of here.” Dena slammed her money on the bar getting up and leaving in a huff.

“Hey, wait a minute!” He called to her as he quickly got up from his seat. “Here keep the change!” T-Bone put his money down not caring how much he left as he hurried after her.

Dena was striding across the parking lot for her vehicle when he caught up to her. He wrapped an arm around her waist to make her stop and listen to him.

“What’s with you? Why are you avoiding me?” He asked.

“I’m not avoiding you! I just…! Let me go! I don’t want to deal with this now!” She said trying to squirm away from him.

“We have to deal with this!” T-Bone said tightly, finding it hard to hold her as she was much stronger than him.

“I don’t want to!”

“Why not? If we don’t the sexual pressure will just build up again! It will be worse once your heat cycle comes!” He warned.

Dena froze, “You know about that?”

“Serena told me. She also told me that something terrible happened to you when you were a kitten.” T-Bone said, feeling Dena stop struggling.

“It has nothing to do with you.”

“It might help me to understand you better but if you don’t want to talk about that, that’s fine. It’s the least of our worries. Whether we like it or not we’re mates and obviously we can’t change that fact.” He said plainly.

“You’re wrong.” Dena said catching T-Bone off guard.

“I’m wrong about what?” T-Bone asked in surprise, as Dena turned to look at him.

“That I don’t like it. You just assumed I didn’t!” With that Dena jerked away from him and made it to her vehicle while he stood there stunned by what she’d said.

“Dena!” T-Bone shouted but Dena was already starting her vehicle and leaving. ‘Damn it! Just what did she mean by that?’ T-Bone thought, confused by his mate words.

He just had to make her listen. They needed to clear the air once and for all and to do that he needed to make sure this time she couldn’t run away from him or have that friend of hers around.

“And I know just the place.” T-Bone said out loud. But it would have to wait till tomorrow. He would see her when and where she would least expect him to show up.
- 7
- 8
- 9
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Secrets In The Dark