Scales

Chapter 6: Vanished

"Cat, I'm back!"

Closing the door, Syrenthia stepped inside and kicked the door closed behind her. She set the large canvas in her arms on the dining room table. The gallery had given her another commission, but Syrenthia had been too distracted with Eamon's strange behavior to be inspired. Hopefully, Catalin would help her come up with some ideas. She thought that her roommate would be gone by now, but all the lights were still on.

"Hey, did your rehearsal get canceled?"

Syrenthia stepped into the kitchen and looked around. Catalin's breakfast was still on the counter. Frowning, Syrenthia turned to the back hall.

"Cat? Are you here?"

"Catalin's not available."

Whirling around, Syrenthia saw Eamon standing in the center of the living room. He had the same emotionless expression on his face that he had before she left.

"Eamon! What are you still doing here?" Syrenthia asked surprised. "Where's Cat?"

"She had to leave for a little while. She is out retrieving necessary items."

Puzzled, Syrenthia moved out of the kitchen. Catalin would never leave their apartment with someone she had just met inside.

"Unfortunately, she had to leave before bringing me the pages," Eamon interrupted Syrenthia's thoughts. "Do you mind?"

"Of course not."

As Syrenthia turned to walk to the back hall, she caught sight of something under one of the dining room chairs. Bending down, she picked up Catalin's shoe.

"That's odd," she muttered.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing."

Syrenthia examined the black ballet flat in her hand. Catalin had definitely been wearing the shoe this morning. This was her favorite pair of flats, and she never left her shoes out of her closet. While Syrenthia went back through the kitchen towards the back hall, she felt a movement behind her. A shadow fell over her, and Syrenthia instinctually spun around with her hands held up. A misty spray hit her arms. Eamon was directly in front of her holding out his hands. Kicking forward, Syrenthia knocked her agent away from her. He stumbled backwards, wrapping his arms around his middle. As he dropped his hands, the spray dissipated.

"What is going on?" Syrenthia yelled. "What did you do to Cat?"

Eamon straightened up and massaged his ribs. Raising his fists, he approached the girl. Syrenthia backed up until she hit the oven. As Eamon struck at her, she dodged to the side, but he managed to grab her arm. Swinging around, Syrenthia scrabbled her hands on the counter trying to find a weapon. Her fingers closed around the plate Catalin had used for breakfast. Quickly, Syrenthia bashed it into the side of Eamon's head. The glass shattered and sent the man crashing to the ground. With a swift move, Syrenthia opened a drawer and pulled out a Taser and her mace.

"Okay Eamon, if that even is your real name," she panted out, "you are going to tell me what is going on right now."

"Or what?" Eamon sneered.

Syrenthia pressed the button on the Taser making the electric current spark brightly and held her mace ready to fire. Holding one hand to his bleeding head, Eamon shrank back slightly.

"Where is Catalin?" Syrenthia demanded. "Tell me or I will make you."

"You will never find her," Eamon hissed.

Before Syrenthia could react, Eamon began writhing, his skin began melting away to reveal green and brown scales that were linked together like armor. Syrenthia stared while Eamon transformed into a hideous creature with long, black, curved fingernails and a tail. Only his icy green eyes remained the same.

"What are you?" Syrenthia gasped.

The creature didn't answer. His tongue hissed out, but he merely shook his head and pressed another button on his watch which had turned into a silver band around his wrist. Syrenthia leapt forward, but it was too late. The creature vanished completely.