The Jaguar

Chapter 6

I shifted in the bed as sound from the other room threatened to wake me.

"Adeline! You're home," Keelan whispered.

"Why are you whispering?" I heard Keelan shush her.

"You know the something you felt was coming? The something that made you say I had to stay home? Well that something came, and she's sleeping in the guest room." There was a small pause.

"Sleeping? But it's three in the afternoon!"

"My guess is she hasn't slept for a while. Even if she's slept since she got to town, she didn't sleep for weeks before that."

"What brought her here?"

"Beats me."

"Where'd she come from?"

"America."

Adeline gasped.

"She's a long way from home."

"I don't think she has a home anymore. Her home is officially where her heart is."

"That's so sad. I'm going to make her a nice meal. Maybe the smell will draw her out of her room. And if not, I'll bring it to her in bed."

"You're such an amazing woman." I heard the two walk in separate directions.

I forced myself to stay asleep as I heard Adeline clattering through dishes in the kitchen. It became harder as the first smells floated to my room. It was fruity, but different. I was grabbing the sheets as meat-smells floated into my nose. But I broke when a strange medley was added to the mix.

I removed the covers and stood, revealing my crop top and underwear. I considered putting on some form of pants, but decided against it.

I slowly made my way through the bright hallway when I came into the main room.

"Ah! Mother was right! Nothing like fried peaches, bacon, and homemade cinnamon-chocolate-strawberry-butter-croissants to get a child out of bed." It was then I realized Adeline had an accent that came from somewhere else. Not Irish, but it definitely had some Irish in it.

"I can see it your face, you're wondering why, with my husband having such a strong Irish accent, I only have a bit of one. I'm from the great city of Paris," she stated with a flourish of her spatula. "Now, I know it's the middle of the afternoon, but would you like some breakfast sweetie?"

I nodded weakly before pulling myself onto one of the stools surrounding the island. Next thing I knew a plate with six pieces of browned peach, a beautifully decorated croissant, and a pile of bacon was shoved in front of me. I gave Adeline a smile of thanks before diving in. I was halfway through before Adeline laughed, causing me to look up.

"Are you gonna need another plate? It's been a minute and a half and you're practically done with this one." I let out a breathy chuckle and bowed my head in embarrassment. "Do you talk? Because you haven't said anything quite yet. Keelan didn't give me any details before heading down to work, but I'm not sure if you do or not. So do you?"

I swallowed the bite I took when she was talking and gave a small laugh.

"Don't worry, I talk plenty. I just, wasn't sure about, well, anything really. Sorry if I worried you Mrs. Brannock."

"That's Adeline to you." I nodded in understanding before quickly finishing the rest of my food. I stood and walked towards the door.

"Sweetie!" I turned towards Adeline, concerned with the alarm in her voice. "Where are you going?"

"To get the mail. I want to see if I got my transfer papers." It wasn't until after I said that, that I felt the pain of my situation. Yet I managed to hide it with a smile.

"You may need some pants for that. And it's getting cold, I'd put on a better shirt." I looked down and realized what I was wearing, or more like what I wasn't.

"Right," I chuckled before heading to my room.

In my room, I turned to the dresser at the foot of the bed. I pulled out a drawer to see all sorts of shirts. I traded my crop top for a loose tank that has a fringe starting about an inch below the bottom of my bra. In the closet I found different types of pants: jeans, sweats, leggings, and dress pants. I pulled on a pair of black mid-rise skinny jeans. After looking around for a bit, I found shoes and socks in a drawer of a dressing table. I quickly slipped into a pair of combat boots and walked back out of the room.

Adeline was reading in the main room.

"Better?" She looked up and gave me smile of approval. I turned and opened the door to the stairwell. At the bottom I passed Keelan who was in the middle of a conversation with another man. I walked out the door and saw the mailbox to my right. As I grabbed the pile of envelopes the man from inside came out and walked into the store next door. I wandered back into the boutique as I flicked through the envelopes.

"Good afternoon." I chuckled at the tone in Kellan's voice.

"Yeah, yeah." I reached the counter just as I found the one envelope for me. It was weirdly small. I scrunched my eyebrows as a ripped the envelope open. I pulled out a single piece of paper. I unfolded the top part and saw nothing. I unfolded the rest of the way and read the message just before I realized what it was.

We're coming for you, bitch.

The cloud of monkshood powder puffed in my face. I set the note down before running out of the store. The effects started getting to me just as I reached the tree line. I managed to get a little ways in before collapsing and puking. I looked around to see the colors flashing and swirling. The swirling made me dizzier and dizzier until I puked again. I closed my eyes and groaned before going unconscious.