Shifters (Feline english version)

Chapter 1-2

Once my shower was taken, I put on my favorite bathrobe and headed back to our kitchenette, only separated from the living room by a small bar. I was going around it, when I felt like my head was being squeezed in a vise. I carried my hands to my temples, surprised by this sudden and intense pain that disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. Then I heard a slight noise in my back and my neck was covered with the same unpleasant tingling that had been coming and going all evening. Once again in anguish, I turned, my heart pounding, and found myself in front of a young blonde woman standing in front of the couch, staring at me with an impassive look.

I backed away until I bumped into one of the two high stools in front of the bar and barely held back a swear word while smashing my ankle badly. However, I managed to stabilize my back to the countertop, while staring at this woman I didn't know and who was not inspiring me any good.

- 'Who are you? You have no business here, and... how did you get in?' I asked her, in a voice choked with surprise, as I slowly shifted to the left, without taking my eyes off her. 'The door was locked!'

- 'I came to take you to a safe place,' she said in a voice devoid of expression, her empty gaze fixed on me.

- 'What?' I replied, feeling like a total idiot. 'Get me to a safe place... And why would I need it... And who are you? Are you the police?'

Praying inwardly for this to be the truth, I tried to secure my voice now that the bar was standing between us. An illusory protection, of course, but nonetheless reassuring. Because even if this woman were a member of the police force, she still behaved strangely. The cold smile she gave me without deigning to answer my question did nothing to reassure me.

- 'If you are a cop, show me your badge or leave my house!' I tried one last time in a loud voice, before ostensibly moving towards the phone.

- 'Oh, really? You think I look like a cop?' she laughed, as she moved around to block my way.

I stopped, leaving a safe distance between us, and really took the time to look at her for the first time. She was tall and slender, dressed in jeans and a sweater, both completely black, which made her fair skin look almost diaphanous. Her long blond hair naturally fell on her back and her haughty posture, worthy of a fashion contest, reinforced her cold and dominating appearance. Indeed, she did not look like a law enforcement official. Even more than her appearance, it was her posture and look that were disturbing, although I wouldn't have been able to say why. This observation revived my discomfort and I hastened to return, without taking my eyes off her, behind the bar, thin but only protection at my disposal.

- 'If you're not a cop, who are you and how did you get in here?'

My tone was tinged with aggressiveness as the irritation took over from my fear and disbelief.

- 'Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is that I have been asked to come and get you to safety and possibly ask for your help. That's all you need to know,' she said with as much emotion as if she had just read a shopping list.

- 'It matters to me! What you're saying doesn't make any sense! I don't need any help, and help you... That's bullshit! Who sent you?' I shouted in reply, as this grotesque situation was getting on my nerves.

- 'My... A trustworthy person,' she replied on the same monotonous tone despite her slight hesitation.

I repressed a cry of frustration and tried instead to calm down and think. This whole situation was surreal! If I wasn't convinced otherwise, I could almost have thought I was in the middle of a dream. However, it was nothing like that and I began to worry seriously about the mental state of my surprise guest. Maybe it was that simple after all. Maybe she had an accident and was in shock? Or I was facing a crazy runaway from an asylum, which would explain her creepy behaviour. Although this theory did not reassure me, it had at least had the merit of being logical and believable. I still had to know for sure.

- 'What happened, are you lost? Have you had an accident? Maybe you want me to call someone?' I asked falsely worried.

- 'Now we've gone from cop to crazy,' she said sarcastically with a cold smile that didn't go up to her eyes. 'You're so predictable! Stop raking your brain and follow me. It will save us both time,' she continued, staring at me with her inexpressive gaze. 'Believe me, nothing would make me happier than to abandon you to your fate! Unfortunately, it is said that you could be useful to us...'

If she thought I was going to follow her like this, without a minimum of coherent explanations, then she still believed in Santa Claus! Plus, her speech was all bullshit!

- 'All right, the joke's over. I don't know who you think I am, but there's obviously been a mistake about the person. Now, you're going to get out of my house or I'm calling the police.'

- 'I'm not leaving without you. I have orders to bring you back with me, whether you like it or not,' she said, approaching with a menacing look.

I felt my blood freeze in my veins and my heartbeat reach its peak, while fear swept over me. She wasn't planning on kidnapping me if I refused to follow her, was she? No, it was certainly just a bunch of empty words to scare me. Well, I might as well be honest: it was a success! But if she thought that it would be enough to make me obedient, she was deeply mistaken.

- 'There's no way I'm following you anywhere! At least until you give me a good and real reason to do so,' I said.

Maybe it was better not to antagonize her? But at the sight of her little condescending smile, my temper took over my reason.

- 'Which, in all fairness, is not about to happen! You have no business here, get out of my house!'

Then I, too, stepped forward with the obvious intention of bypassing her to reach the telephone or, as a last resort, the door. I didn't think it was very clever to provoke her, but I wanted to see if she was really going to try to stop me or if she was just trying to impress me. She simply positioned herself again in front of me and looked at me from all her height. I realized at that moment, and apparently so did she, that I was taller than her. Oh, not by much, but enough to ruin her act. I saw a flash of anger passing through her eyes, so quickly that I almost had the impression of having dreamt it, before she regained her haughty and impassive look.

- 'Now, why don't you stop playing dumb? We would save precious time...'

- 'I don't know you and I don't understand a word you're saying. Besides, insulting me won't help you,' I replied, staring her right in the eyes.

I was so angry that I wasn't even afraid anymore. She wanted to intimidate me? All right, two could play that game! Then I stopped being subtle and decided to try a diversion. I had to reach the door, because I was more and more convinced that, even if I could get to the phone, I would not have time to use it.

Without further delay, I took action before she could guess my intentions on my increasingly tense face. My gaze still fixed on hers, I suddenly threw my right arm in a lateral movement towards the bar, in the hope of dropping the vase that was usually on it. A wonderful crystalline noise of glass breaking on the tile warned me that I had reached my target. With my heart beating, I took advantage of the instinctive head movement of my surprise guest to go around her by the left and rush towards the entrance.

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Having realized that my chapters were too long ^.^I'm in the process of dividing them into two so that it is more fluid to read for you :-)

Enjoy reading and don't hesitate to tell me what you think ^.^

Kissss <3