Teenage Shapeshifter

CHAPTER 20

          I was surrounded by complete darkness. I couldn’t see anything. I tried to move around. After taking some steps I hit a wall. Then suddenly, the surroundings materialized around me. I was in the woods near the cabin. I could see the circle which was drawn around me on the ground. And then I saw the 3 glowing stones on the table. Their light converged into a beam and then hit me. I screamed. I kept screaming. I felt someone’s hand around me. They were shaking and I heard my name. It’s like they were trying to wake me up. And then I opened my eyes. I saw John’s worried face. His hand was on my cheek.

            “Katherine, it’s ok. It’s just a dream”, he said.

            “John”, I said and looked at him holding his hand. I was breathing heavily. It was really a dream then. I got up my fingers running through my hair. I looked around. I was on a bed. “John, where are we?” I asked.

            “You’re at my house. Don’t worry. My parents are out of town. We’re alone”, he said.

            “Okay”, I said nodding. “What happened? How long was I asleep?”

            “You were asleep for almost 8 hrs. It’s morning already”.

            Now I started to remember things. How my aunt manipulated and betrayed me for some kind of power. She now needs my blood to get it. I can’t let her have that.

            “Katherine, are you okay? How are you feeling?” John asked.

            I looked at him. I am so relieved he is here with me. In fact I am more than happy. I touched his cheek. I brought my lips to his and kissed him. I put my arms around his neck. I moved back and asked, “How did you follow me?”

            “I followed you from the bookstore. I know you told me to stay away. But I couldn’t. I just couldn’t. So, I followed you guys to the cabin. I saw the two of you go in. I waited for some time. And just as I was about to come for you, I saw one woman drag another woman outside. I couldn’t really say which one was who. I watched for some time. Then another woman came and drew some kind of circle around the woman who was unconscious and then she left. The unconscious woman woke up and after some time a man came there. I recognized him from the diner. I guessed that he was Mark and the woman with him would be Karen. And the woman in the circle was you. I watched everything from afar but I couldn’t hear what you guys were talking. What happened there Katherine? What did they do to you?”

            I told him everything that happened. How Karen manipulated me and how she turned me into a Reborn so that she can have the power.

            “So, she needs to drink your blood within a day to gain the power”, he said thinking.

            I nodded. “So, all you need to do is to stay hidden till tomorrow morning”, he said.

            “Yeah, looks like it. That’s what the witch said. She…. wait”, I said and paused. Natasha… John knocked her out yesterday and we brought her with us.

            “John, where is Natasha? We brought her here with us right?”

            “Yeah, she’s downstairs. I thought she’d freak out after waking up. So, I gave her sleeping tablets. She is still unconscious. She might wake up any minute. What are we going to do with her?”

            “I don’t know, John. I don’t know”, I said. I seriously didn’t know what to do with her. I guess we have to wait till she wakes up. I looked at him. Thank God he wasn’t hurt. I didn’t like risking himself like that. But I was also happy that he came for me.