Winter Mansion

Animal

Chapter Eighteen- Animal

"Just like animals, animals, animals~" The mansion is unreasonably quiet today besides my obnoxious singing. The masters have all left taking Miss Isabel with them, so it was Farlan and I since this morning just cleaning.

"Hey, Eren?" Oh for fuck's sake, now what.

I turn and smile at the dust topped man, "Yes Farlan?"
"Are you hungry at all, It's about two in the afternoon, you're body must be starved." He walks over to me, crisp shirt tucked into pants and a small smile on his face.

I set down the solution that I was cleaning the chair with, "Not really." I say. Just then my body betrays me and growls loudly, I slap a hand over it and laugh nervously.

"Eren," Farlan chuckles barely able to hold back his laugh, "There's no need to lie, if your hungry be honest, come on." He says grabbing my wrist and pulling me towards the west hall, "No Fa-Farlan, I'm really not all that hungry." I whine trying to pull my hand back.  It's selfish, but I wanted Levi to feed me, and only Levi.  

"Please Farlan!" I exclaim yanking harder.

I make a sound of pain when I bump into his stone hardback and reel back a good foot tearing my pants.

"Oh fuck Eren, I'm so sor-"

"It's okay." I laugh nervously coming to stand. "Ow!" I exclaim and clutch my leg, a large cut runs down my leg oozing blood on the floor.

"Hahah, must have been that open wood," I say gesturing to a plank of wood that separates parts on the flooring.

I look up to Farlan, his eyes are wide and blood-red like Levi's with only his iris color in the middle, he has hand clutched tightly over his mouth, the other on his stomach as if he might throw up.

"Farlan?" I step forward raising a hand to touch him.

He whips around, "Eren. Run."

"What?" I ask stepping closer to him and resting a hand on his shoulder, "Farlan, are you okay?"

Farlan's head slowly turns, his eyes don't hold any color, they look hungry.

I back away, "No." I say.

"Run."

I sprint from the bottom floors pushing my body as fast as it will go up the stairs and push down halls and halls until I finally see my destination, the library doors.

"Eren!" A haunting voice sings.

I ram through the doors slamming them shut behind me and feel around the large doors for a lock of some kind, but it needs a key.

I slide down the door, eyes wide, the fear of death settling in.

The door burst open, my body flies and I roll down the steps painfully.

Farlan's heavy breathing fills the room, "Delicious food!" He cries.

I sit up watching his figure run at me with inhuman speed.

I cry out in fear backing away and falling back down. Farlan leaps onto me his feet digging into my stomach and head pushed to one side, his hand pressing it into the hard floor.

I look away in fear, tears streaming down my face, "NO!" I yell.

Blood flows into my mouth and nerves bound from my hand.

My chest constricts tightly for a moment, body elongating and stretching out of my control.

I breathe again, but it doesn't feel like me, it's like I've been pulled back from my body and control it from afar.

I swing my red hand, black slowly climbing up the limb, the feeling of this body feels so unfamiliar, and yet I pride in being in it, but it's tired as if it's been battling all day.

Farlan screams in agony as he flies across the library hitting a shelf, he falls down some books hitting him on the head.

I slowly come to stand, just a few inches taller than my normal height, 'Farlan.' I try to say coming closer.

But clicking sounds, the same familiar clicking I could have recalled from a dream once.

I look down at myself, a sleek body of black and red, in a way it looks like the black is overtaking the red. What am I? Is this the reason why I drank blood, or is it something else?

My head pounds suddenly like my body is starting to really feel tired, hips on fire and legs starting to wobble. I bend over gripping my head and closing my eyes, Levi.

When I open them, I am back to normal, hands and body.

I look up, Farlan is still resting on the ground with books surrounding him.

"Farlan!" I yell running to him.

I flip his body around, "Farlan?"

He doesn't answer, head just lols off to the side. I cus under my breath, "Farlan." I whisper.

I look around the room, carpet shifted awkwardly with blood leading out the doors and books scattered on the floor along with a few papers that were on the table.

I pick Farlan up tossing his massive body over my shoulder. Unexpectedly he is as heavy as a rock instead of as a human, and I find it terribly difficult while hoisting him over to one of the couches in the room.  Not to mention my body hurts.  

I settle him in the spot and take a step back.

What the fuck was that! I mean, that's not human, how do I even cope with this!  I flip inspect my hand, the one that I bit, it has my teeth marks, just barely healed.  Fast healing, Body Transformation, Blood drinking.  What am I!

 Nobody can find out about this. I frantically look around the room taking in the mess and quickly start to fix papers and books, rushing around for bleach to ensure there is no blood left on the pristine floors.

"Eren?" A groggy voice asks. I jump in surprise, "Farlan?"

He groans sitting up in the chair and squinting, "I had the craziest dream?"

"Eren!" The grand doors slam open.

Master Levi gracefully glides into the room, a dark blue military outfit fitted on his lean body and a long black train flowing behind him.

"Eren." He calls again walking towards me.

I quickly stand and bow, "Welcome home Master Levi."

Master Levi wraps black gloved hands around my chin and tugs it up inspecting my face from all angles, and then the rest of me. "What happened to your pants?"

I look down in surprise, I forgot the wound, but at closer inspection, there is no wound, just a rip in my pants.

I rip through my thoughts trying to find an excuse besides the truth, but he can tell when I lie! "I fell down in the underground and ripped them open a little," I say waiting for a pressure in my hips, it never comes thankfully.

"That's it?" He asks peering closer.

"Yes, Master."

"Mmm, by the level of fear you were radiating, I could have sworn you were terrified and in need, a little confused."

I chuckle nervously but don't respond.

"So, he is okay Levi?" Pipes up the voice of Armin who comes from behind Levi in a similar uniform.

"Farlan?" Levi says letting go of my chin to look at the man. I turn to take in his shocked form, the way his eyes dart from the rip in my pants to the bookshelf and at the door.

"Farlan, are you alright?" Levi swiftly goes to his friend and presses a hand to his head.

"Yes, Levi." He whispers.

We make eye contact and I try not to flinch back at his spiteful gaze. "I'm just fine." He says.

Unveiled.