Challenged - Skinwalker Book 2

Chapter 25

Sierra wasn't sure if dinner was more delicious than usual for having skipped out on her regular lunch fare, but she was pretty sure she ate close to twice the usual amount. By the time everyone started leaving the table, her stomach felt about ready to burst. She sat and lounged a while, and it wasn't long before she realised she wasn't alone. Alyssa was sitting staring at her strangely. She smiled at her to try and diffuse the awkwardness she felt inside, but the nix just kept her eyes trained on her in silent curiosity - or was it something else? She couldn't quite tell.

"The fish was good tonight," Sierra remarked, though she had barely touched it in favour of the roast mutton.

She was starting to get a little desperate to break the strange silence, before her eyes and body connected and her craving reared its ugly head again.

Argh... too late! Well, on the plus side, I'm starting to feel a little less stuffed...

She fisted her hands and dropped them under the table in an effort to fight for control of it.

"I caught the last part of your video over Adam's shoulder earlier when I went in for a check-up," Alyssa remarked at last.

Sierra cringed. She hadn't really thought about other people watching that yet, and she still didn't know what to make of Alyssa's expression.

"I had not seen you transform yet. I found it... interesting..." Alyssa mused.

Sierra's eyebrow quirked.

"That's what I say when I'm not really sure how I feel about something," she noted.

"You are very observant," Alyssa replied with a soft smile.

So everyone keeps telling me - but I'm still not sure I believe it!

"The... the hair," Alyssa remarked with a slight cringe, "what did it feel like?"

Sierra looked at her studiously, noting the awkward discomfort behind her eyes.

"You don't like hair?" She asked with fascination.

Alyssa squirmed her back, as if trying to imagine it covered with a nice furry coat - and not liking the idea.

"I do not like hair," she confirmed. "Scales are smooth and efficient. Hair is just... messy."

Sierra grinned at that. She'd never thought of it from that perspective before. Besides, it was kinda funny coming from a woman with bright blonde hair that went down to her thighs when it was wet.

"Normally the hair is okay, but that time it felt like someone sent a belt sander over my skin," she informed her.

Alyssa pressed her plate forward, took up her leftover wine and then stood to leave.

"When my skin changes, it just goes cold for a second then everything feels normal again," she remarked. "See, I was right! Scales are better than fur."

Sierra grinned. "I wouldn't mind trying that myself at some point," she hinted. "I promise hair isn't contagious. You wouldn't get if from me."

Alyssa's mouth twitched with mirth, then she smiled mysteriously and walked away, wine glass in hand.

Well that wasn't a definite no...

By that point, Sierra was fairly certain she could move again, so she got up and headed upstairs. The rec room beckoned and, whether or not she was feeling up for it, she'd made a promise that she intended to keep.

Sierra wriggled into her gloves, marched boldly in and glanced around. Kal, Adam and Geoff were no where in sight - and she was fairly certain that Jocelyn never really came through to the rec room. Adele's eyes lit up when she saw Sierra. The skin walker smiled supportively at her young friend and wandered nonchalantly over to the pool table to start a game with the teen.