This Cat Has Claws

23: Meet The Sister

Landon's POV

Even though we had been naked together since last night, it felt completely different to see Marley naked and in the shower with me. I couldn't help but watch the water cascade down her back and run my hand through her wet hair. Marley turned around and offered me a bar of soap. There really was another level of intimacy when you bathe with another person, especially in a small, enclosed showers like this one.

"I think the last time I took a shower with someone was when I was a kid with JayJay," Marley said.

"I don't think I've ever taken a shower with someone, my grandparents just left me in there with the door open when I was old enough," I said with a laugh.

"This is a lot more intimate than I remember."

"I was thinking the same thing."

We finished up with the shower and got out and dried ourselves off before walking back to Marley's room. I conveniently had a spare change of clothes in my backpack from traveling, so I could at least change into those. I was so preoccupied with confessing my love to Marley and getting confessed to as well, along with the sex, that I completely forgot to ask her about the cat thing I saw two weeks ago. Maybe I'll do that when we get dressed. I peered out of the corner of my eye and watched as Marley slipped on her underwear and bra, then pants and a shirt, as I put my own clothes on.

"So, I've been meaning to talk to you about this, but things have been kinda crazy," I began. "After the whole Jillian thing, I went out to visit Grams and Grandpa, and I saw you and JayJay on my way to the hospital."

"Why didn't you say anything?" she asked.

"Well, that's what I'm trying to get at. And the more I think about it the more I feel like I'm crazy and there's no way what I saw actually happened."

"Oh, so you saw it? Me transforming, I mean."

"Yes?"

Marley laughed at my half-hearted answer. "You did. It runs in the family. JayJay and my older sister and dad can all change into cats. My mom can't since she isn't related to my dad's side of the family by blood. Wanna see it?"

I nodded my head with a grin. Marley sat on the bed and within the blink of an eye she was a cat. A little tortoiseshell cat. The same cat I met months ago after talking to Marley at that Halloween party. I looked around on the bed for her clothes. It all happened so fast that I forgot to really pay attention to the details. Her clothes were nowhere to be seen.

"Where'd your clothes go, Marley?" I asked.

She transformed back. "They kinda just disappear with my human self," she said. "I don't try to use logic on that aspect because being able to transform into a cat isn't logical in and of itself. Wanna see something even cooler?"

"Of course."

Marley stood in the middle of the room and held out her hand motioning for me to sit back on the bed. I complied and waited. I didn't know what to expect. What could be cooler than turning into an adorable cat? Turning into a tiger, apparently. A three foot tall tiger stood in front of me and purred as I made my way off the bed. She came over to meet me halfway and I extended my hand to pet her head. Marley purred more as I pet behind her ears and under her chin. This was probably the strangest thing I had ever done. I had completely forgotten all the grief that plagued me just yesterday.

As I stared at Marley in tiger form, I gently caressed her fur. Her fur was coarse, but also soft. Her tail made its way around my waist as I sat on the bed. We were interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell. Marley changed back into her human form and opened the door to her room. She walked over to the front door and peered through the peephole to make sure it was no one suspicious. A smile spread across her face and she flung the door open.

"Emrys! What are you doing here?" Marley exclaimed.

"Of course I'd come say hi to my baby sister," the woman said as she walked inside.

Another woman made her way inside as well, though by the looks of it, Marley didn't know her. We all sat down on the couch in the living room. I felt awkward. I knew neither of these two new women and Marley had yet to introduce me.

"This is Landon, my boyfriend," Marley said.

"Hi, it's nice to meet you," I said politely. Emrys gave me a sideways glance before smiling and turning to her companion.

"Hi, Landon," she said in a friendly tone. "This is my girlfriend, Clara. We met while I was in Germany, but she's actually from England."

"Hello, it's nice to finally meet Emrys' family," Clara said.

"So it wa true. You finally settled down. I almost can't believe it," Marley said with a laugh. "Have you introduced her to Mom and Dad?"

"Yes. we just came from their house," Emrys replied.

After another hour or so of talking and catching up between Marley and Emrys, the two women left back to their hotel. Marley seemed a little worn out, and there was just something I couldn't place that seemed off about her. Something about the way Marley looked at the back of her sister as she left the house told me something was wrong.

"Are you okay?" I asked as we laid down on her bed.

"Why do you ask?" she fired back. Sometimes Marley could be really difficult. It reminded me of when we first met and how she called me an asshole right off the bat, though to be fair, I was pretty rude to her.

"You just seemed a little off when Emrys left."

"Yeah. I think something is wrong. Maybe it's not directly related to Emrys, but I got this feeling when they left, but I don't quite know what it is that's even wrong."

"Oh? Maybe something about Clara?"

"Maybe. There's something familiar about her, though I know I've never seen her before. And you know how I always end up in shitty situations? Well, before them, I get hit with this anxious feeling and I know something in the near future will happen. Since it's such a vague feeling, I have no idea when it'll happen."

Marley was silent in thought as she stared at the ceiling. I stared at her face and memorized her featured. Apparently I was more in love with her than I thought. I could study her features for hours and listen to her voice no matter what she was talking about. But, her having a sense of impending danger put me on edge. And she was so vague with it all too, though I don't think she had much more of an idea on what it was to voice it to me anyway.