Project: Hero

Chapter four

I stare at Sergio, trying to find something to distrust in his face. There's nothing but I don't look away, seeing the reflection of a blond girl with brown eyes. For a few seconds neither of us blink or look away. Brown eyes on blue, yet he's the one that is steady and solid like land - as least that's what he's showing me.

Something changes and I'm not looking at my reflection anymore, I'm looking at him. His face is open and honest looking at me; looking past the 'president's daughter' and seeing the real me.

His eyes widen and I blush, the heat rising in my cheeks as I think it's me. That he likes what he sees. That feeling disappears and is replaced with something close to embarressment as he looks to the side, to the corridor, and whispers, "not good."

My hand goes to my hair, trying to flatten it as I ask, "What's not?"

"He's coming back," he answers. There's no emotion in those three words, somehow that scares me more than the words themselves.

Knowing I can't fight back, I whimper and try to make myself smaller. Pressing myself into the corner of the cell as if the stone walls would protect me.

"Get closer to me. We'll force him towards me," Sergio says. His voice is soft but his next sentence promises violence. "I'll deal with him."

I do as I'm told, pressing my back against the bars that separate us. I hear Sergio's chains scraping against the floor as he moves. His body heat is comforting, I'm not aone in all of this, and his hand weaves through the bars. It rests on my shoulder and squeezes gently. That action gives me a sense of belonging - even if he did shoot my dad.

Knowing I'm more dangerous and stronger as my other form I shift. It's getting easier and easier to do this, I hope that's a good thing.

The German from before comes up to the cell and smiles. No humour or lightness in it, the smile is like him, completely evil, "I am going to have fun with you Miss Stone."

I don't like they way he said, 'fun'. I growl and my ears slick back against my head, preparing to fight, but stay close to the bars.

The German doesn't seem to be bothered, calmly pulling out a dart gun and a ring of keys from somewhere. He unlocks the cell door and says, "If you come vith me like a goot little girl, I von't hurt you ... as much."

His voice is the kind you'd expect from a grandfather or someone selling sweets, but he's the kind of grandfather that would hit you with his walking stick and the sweets are poisoned.

I growl again, snapping my teeth together and feeling my hackels rise.

"Come on. I just vant to see how you reproduce." He says it so casually, as if he was offering me a drink. He's disgusting and such a peadophile.

I snap my teeth again, foamy drool dripping over my lips. Sparks fly from the ground as I sharpen my claws, kneading my toes against the floor.

The German drops his creepy-old-guy act and raises the gun instead, "Fine if that's how you vant it."

He fires.

I yelp and duck out of the way, causing the dart to miss and hit the wall behind me. There's no time for me to inspect the dart as the old man reloads the gun.

"Hold still bitch!"

If I was human, I'd snort and say something like, 'not likely'. Instead I just snarl at him and press against the wall close to Sergio, creeping closer to his reach.

"Stop moving!"

The old German charges for me and straight into Sergio's hands. The dart gun clatters to the floor as he struggles, I growl and dart out of the open door.