Flower

Preface

Leaving some filthy bar in Oregon, I turned the corner and down a dark alley. I heard the hoots and hollers of the drunk men as I escaped, cooing me to come back.  Yeah, right.  At least here I could change and get the hell out of here.  The only reason I was in there was to get away from the demons that were on my tail.

The alleyway was musty dark with overfull garbage cans and other things you didn’t want to see. The smell was horrific and I was surprised that I didn't find a guy either passed out drunk or someone making out in the alley. I wore a black leather jacket that hid a white shirt with leopard print lips that said wild kisses.  I wore black leggings and black high heeled boots.  Vera Wang perfume that I had by accidently slipped into my pocket one day gave me a sexy smell.  I blended in well. 

I checked my area to see if it was okay to change without being seen.  No one was with me or around me so I took a chance and relaxed my body.  A rattle of a trash can lid unnerved me and my change stopped. I swiveled around in anger and annoyance to face a young, handsome man with a set jaw and short brown hair.  In the dim moonlight, shadows played with his bone structure, making it hard to see what he truly looked like.

“Who are you?” I growled. I didn't like seeing strangers in an alley of a bar.

“Who are you?”  He countered. My eyes pierced through his. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets of his jacket that he wore. It was strangely cold for being September.

“What do you want?” I demanded with another question, placing my hands on my hips. If all we were going to do is ask questions, I was out of here.

“I’m making sure you’re safe.” My eyebrows furrowed. He stepped forward and I noticed that this man was pretty cute.  He had a soft, angular bone structure that slimmed his cheeks. His face looked rough, as if he hadn't seen a razor in a couple of days. Yet, he seemed a few years older than me.

“Why are you making sure I’m safe?”

“A pretty girl like you shouldn’t be out here alone.” He reached out his hand, “I’m Sid, but call me Spit.”

I smirked, popping a thin eyebrow up across my forehead, “Spit? What are you?”

“I’ll show you.” Spreading his arms out, he hunched over, growing legs. His body grew larger and it stretched out to create 8, spiny long legs that scuttled around.  More eyes speckled his face.  He became a spider, and a large one at that.

“Makes sense now.” I stepped closer, and walked around the spider, examining the body of my opponent. I didn't think I would need to battle Sid, but I liked to be prepared; especially since I was outside The Academy borders illegally. The eyes of the spider followed me, fixed on my body.

“So, how'd you stumble across me Spit? You go The Academy?"

"Sure did, graduated two years ago. I like to come to this bar and I noticed you from school. You were always a troublemaker." He had changed back now.  He crept forward and rubbed a hand against my thigh. I jumped, but gave a pissed look.

“Oh?” He was trying to flirt with me.  I didn’t like it.

"Yes, I had always admired you."

I shuddered deeply inside. I didn't like this guy and I should really get going. Who knew what The Academy had in store for me this time 'round if I didn’t come back? "If you admired me, then what am I?"

Sid circled around me, playing with my hair on occasion. “Well, you change into a small animal with feathers.  You're fast and swift and black as night.” I looked at him, my hair whipping with me.  Sid watched me, and I looked deep into his eyes.  I could feel his breath against my neck. His breath smelled of peppermint.  He was so close; my eyelashes could almost brush against his cheek.  I kept my gaze on his eyes and then I noticed the thin strip of red around in his glossy gray irises.

I stepped back and hissed like a vampire who had seen the light, “Get away from me Demon.” Deep inside, I cursed myself for not seeing before. His good looks had blinded me.

“I’m taking you to where you belong. The Father wants you back.” The voice of the demon snarled.  Without thinking, I let the change wash over me as I urged my brain to relax. My arms became wings and my body became smaller and hollow.  I flapped while the change took place and sped away.  I didn’t care if someone had seen me.  This was a life or death situation.  I flapped, leaving the area, but I knew Sid was right behind me. During my change, he must have changed as well.  He spat and nearly hit me with the silky spider web.  No wonder they called him spit.

The demon tried again and this time connected with my left talon.  He yanked and I lost the wind in my wings.  I tried to recapture it, but it was too late. I hit the ground hard, feeling at least one of my hollow bones shatter. This would be a painful change.  The spider still had his web wound around my foot.  I tried to yank free, but the webbing was sticky and I was only making it worse.

“Foolish girl,” the demon hissed, “You’ll never escape my web’s grasp.” We were on the top of a building, probably the bar because I could hear the light pound of the music through the roof.  I felt my body slide on the shingles and then felt the air rushed through my feathers as we fell down, back into the alleyway. I hit with a sickening thump as something else shattered.  The world spun a couple times before it came into focus.

“It’s time to die, little bird. It's your time to become demon.” The demon hissed into my small ear.  My eyes glazed over, but I wasn’t dead. Maybe I wished I was. As I lay there, my body went into auto-pilot and began a painful change process.

Suddenly, I heard a low growl from somewhere unknown and then the spider’s screech as something battled it.  I couldn’t turn my head due to the change.  I felt my hair returning and my arms and legs regaining its shape.  The spider cried one last time and then it went silent, its dust spraying me in the face. 

My eyes finally unglazed as I could turn my head to see my rescuer.  It was a wolf, pure as snow with splashes of gray on the head.  Her eyes were a glossy black as she sat down and changed herself back.  She had a beautiful bone structure with blond hair cascading down in elegant strands.  She wore pale blue skinny jeans a dirty tee-shirt. The odd thing was, she was wearing no shoes.  She looked very pure, like an angel.

“Are you okay?” she whispered.  She looked frightened.

“Yeah,” I tried to sit up, but pain twisted my face as I fell back down.  The strange girl caught me and set me down so I didn’t crack my head on the pavement.

“I see you’re a shape shifter.” She observed.

“And I see you saved my life.” She blushed lightly against her pale skin. She reminded me of a rose with frost nipping at the tips of the petals.  I noticed she was shivering in the cold September air. Goosebumps played on her skin. “Are you cold?”

She looked around and then replied, “Yes.”

“You can take my jacket if you can get it off me.” She shook her head as she watched me struggle to get the jacket off.

“No, you need medical attention.  I will see you to a hospital.” She stood up and prepared for a change.

“Wait! How are you going to get me there?” She looked down and smiled as if I was a child.

“On my back,” She replied and let the change envelop her.  She doubled over and her arms and legs evolved into four legs. Thick fur covered her body. She padded over and nudged me onto her back. I tried to help but I wasn’t really helping. Once I was somehow securely on her back, she trotted off, out of the alleyway.