I was just kissed by Ayame Sunrise. I kissed Ayame Sunrise. Russel passed the second floor on the stairs up to his apartment. He hadn’t even considered the elevator when he entered the building, lost in his thoughts. The Ayame Sunrise. Kissed me. Abby is going to have my guts for garters.

His use of the archaic phrase, combined with the burning in his legs as he passed the third floor landing pulled his mind out of the loop. Oh crap. What did I even say to her? I said something, right? He hadn’t asked for her number. I didn’t t suggest a second date or anything. She didn’t hope I would, did she? Surely not. She’s Ayame bleeding Sunrise. And she just started a world tour. Russel shook his head. It didn’t matter. She was gone now, no matter that his lips still tingled. That he could still feel her hand on his wrist. Whatever he did or failed to do Ayame - Amara, he reminded himself once more - was once more at a distance. It wasn’t like she sought him out anyway; she almost ran him over. It was all an accident. A wonderful, confusing, fun accident. But still an accident. That kiss was no accident. She kissed me.

That threatened to get his brain stuck again. I need a cold shower. Russel didn’t even know how late it was. Do I have work tomorrow? No. I asked my birthday off. Why did I do that? He shook his head again. Shower. And Katana needs food I’m sure. The key wasn’t working in the door. Russel blinked and looked up. It wasn’t his apartment. His apartment was the second door past the stairs. He was all the way at the end of the hall. Geez Russ. The kiss wasn’t that amazing was it? Who am I kidding. I walked four flights of stairs and right past my own door over it.

He didn’t notice the sounds that came from below. Katana’s plaintive yowling before he even put the key to the lock, the right one this time, he did.

“All right Katana. Calm down. I’m coming.”

The cat didn’t ram into him as the door opened. She attacked him, but by latching on his pant leg and pulling.

“Katana, geez! What’s this all about?”

The door slammed at his back and Russel jumped, whipping his head around to look. And saw nothing but a closed door. Katana was still resolutely tugging on his slacks. Russel let himself be drawn to the middle of the room. Katana climbed to his shoulder and curled against his neck, shivering and hissing at the door.

“What is going on here?”

The sound of glass breaking carried up from the alley outside his window.

---

Amara reviewed the situation as she rolled to a stop in the dirty alley. Single pane windows? This place can’t be up to code. It wasn’t safety glass either, as the numerous scratches in her limbs could attest. She checked her surroundings while the half-changed weretiger who assisted her through the window was still climbing out after. There were plants here, but they were uprooted and torn apart. This time, they knew it would be me. Fortunately for her, she carried her own ammunition. It does mean I’m out two gloves in one day. Jane will be annoyed.

The tiger dropped to his feet in a crouch, hands curled to bare his claws. Amara clenched her fist hissing in pain at the force necessary not only to grow thorns, but throw them in the guy’s face. He clearly didn’t anticipate her attack, eyes still open as they hit.

Two down, three to go. But she was almost out of tricks, and they knew it. Behind him, a fellow eight feet tall and at least half as wide enlarged the opening in the wall to step through. Tossing the writhing form of his companion aside, the big one advanced on her. A crack like a whip and dull thud to the side of his head, and the brute’s eyes rolled back in his head as he collapsed. A glance left showed Jane, in a shooter’s stance, at the end of the alley.

“Thank you.”

Amara’s two remaining assailants did not follow their fallen friend out the window. Where are they going? Upstairs. Amara had hoped by meeting them head-on that they would forget about Russel all together. Clearly that was not going to be the case. She muttered another curse as she looked for a way to reach the fire escape.

“You’re welcome." Jane called.  "Why aren’t we leaving?”

“Russel’s still up there, and at least two of them.”

“Shouldn’t have taken him to dinner.” A shrug was in Jane’s voice. "Maybe you’ll remember this, next time you get-“

“What, he’s a mundane so it’s fine? I think Mother would disagree.” Amara shot back.

There. She had to partially unfold her arm to reach, parting the last remnants of her glove as she caught hold of the bottom rung and pulled herself up onto the first landing. Russel’s on the fourth floor, she reminded herself. Which window is it?

“And if you save him?” Jane had to raise her voice, shouting up from the alley floor. “Set him on the street with a pat on the head while you fly off? He’ll dead within a week anyway.”

Amara rounded on Jane to curse to her face.

“And you’re fine with people like them,” she pointed at the downed troll, “getting his cat too?”

Jane paled, grimacing. “Fine.” She was reaching for her phone as Amara turned back to the stairs she was climbing.

---

Further confused by the sounds that followed the breaking glass, Russel had retreated to the corner between his bed and dresser. A thump on his door, hard enough it started to crack drowned out the first ring in his pocket. On the third, he realized it was his phone and pulled it out. I should probably call the police, yeah? He didn’t recognize the number. Katana’s claws dug into his shoulder and Russel nearly dropped the phone trying to hit ‘answer’ as another strike to his door sent splinters into the room.

“Hello Russel. It’s Jane.”

“Jane? Wha- how did you get this number?”

He very nearly forgot the threatening goings on around him in the face of this new surprise. More important, why is she calling me? A warning not to go bragging about the dinner? Whoever’s punching out my door will probably take care of that. Holy cats. Someone is punching through my door.

“Never mind that. If you want to see tomorrow, listen. Grab your passport and head for the window. And your cat.”

The fist that punched through Russel’s door in the next moment looked about the size of his head. Okay, sure. Passport. Why not? He didn’t contemplate why she assumed he had one. Fortunately he did, thanks to parents who had planned to take him on a cruise last summer. They never went, but he had already paid for the thing by then. It wasn’t hard to find either, under the socks in the top drawer of his dresser. He had it in hand and was just leaving the corner when his door came completely free of it’s hinges, flying across the room to hit the outside wall.

“Russ!”

He did not pause or look. Katana only dug into his shoulder more firmly as he sprinted toward the window and the voice he heard beyond it. The window was torn from the wall before he got there, too late for him to slow down. What is even happening right now?  Then he saw Amara perched on the railing of the fire escape outside, leaning toward him with right hand out-stretched.

“Take my hand! Jump!”

The cat hissing and spitting at what was behind overrode any last hesitation. Sucking in a breath, Russel jumped through the window. With a strength surprising from her small frame Amara pulled him to her even as she tipped backward into space. The heart-stopping smile she had for him as she did was small comfort as they proceeded to fall four floors. Russel wrapped one hand over Katana to hold her. Never mind she’s probably totally safe here. Putting his other arm around Amara, Russel closed his eyes.

With a grating sound and a sound of escaping air he eventually realized was coming from Amara, they did not slam into the ground but slowed to a mere wind-stealing thump. When he opened his eyes, Russel gasped and scrambled back, immediately sorry. I didn’t even try to roll and break her fall instead. Amara’s face was contorted in pain. Russel cast about for a cause when he realized that her left arm wasn’t where it should be. It was uncoiled and stretched, branches jabbing into the walls around them that as he watched slowly started to recoil. That’s how she broke our fall.

Any longer he might have spent contemplating the scene was taken as the weight of his cat was plucked from his shoulder. Even as he turned to look for who did it Jane’s voice, crisp and commanding, cut through his confusion.

“I have your cat. Pick her up and follow me. Now.”

As the lady says. Amara’s eyes latched onto him as Russel got arms under her, but otherwise she didn’t react as he lifted her from the ground and followed Jane to the end of the alley and the long black car waiting with the door open. Katana watched him silently from Jane’s shoulder. Guess we’re riding this crazy train.