Man vs Hero

When Felicia Hardy walked back into her apartment that very evening, it was well after midnight. The obnoxious glare from the street lamps created a garish pathway from the window in the main room. Felicia didn't require this inkling of artificial light to move fluidly around her home, and when she unbuttoned her black suede coat to hang in in the coat closet, she did so without switching on the lights.

Felicia glanced around the open plan front room.
She took in the sight of her luxury purchases and the pilfered trinkets which furnished her apartment. Nothing was out of place, yet she felt the involuntarily shiver pass over her; a window was open. Had she not been so secluded by the sheer height of her location, the full bustle of noise from New York's taxi cabs and nights out would have been invading her peaceful den.

The chill from the spring night air wasn't what caused her to shiver though. Felicia had locked the window when she left that afternoon. And that formidable, yet intoxicating scent of frozen mint which now engulfed the apartment wasn't foreign to her.

Felicia walked to the open window and pulled the pane shut. She flipped the latch across to secure it.

It was in the reflection of the glass that she saw those emerald eyes even brighter than her own. A cool hand reached her shoulder. She knew the identity of her guest, but a small part of her wished to still be in the guise of the Black Cat, should she need to make a hasty exit.

Both hands were on her shoulders now, long alabaster fingers squeezing with gentle pressure. Such was the sensation that she had to bite her lower lip to prevent another shiver dancing down her spine. When he spoke, she could almost hear the mocking smirk which played across his lips in triumph.

"My, my, aren't you just a clever little cat?"