The Voice

Chapter 12

The woman glared at me, then stormed out, grabbed Nora and I by the hand and dragged us into her house. I was near pissing myself at that point. And rightfully so, I'd say. I had seen Choephori in action. You'd be losing bladder control, too.

She glared at me then turned to Nora and hissed, "Who the fuck is this? And why are you here at this hour?"

I gulped as she turned her furious gaze back on me. I felt myself shrinking back towards the door. Just as I was about to completely lose my mind and go screaming down the road, Nora grabbed my arm.

She pulled my shaking form to her, and shot her own death glare to the woman and said, "Stop it, Kat! You are scaring her!"

"Good," Kat replied, wrinkling her nose, "She should be scared of me after yelling that out like a moron for everyone in a ten mile radius to hear."

My heart came the closest it had ever come to escaping through my throat, including that time I tried cocaine. Hey, it was the seventies. Don't judge.

I slipped behind Nora, and she gripped my hand reassuringly, and said, "Kat, stop it. She's my girlfriend, Sirena."

Now that gave me pause. Fear flew out the window as I turned wide eyes to her face. I was her girlfriend? When did she decide that? When was she going to tell me? Was it appropriate to do a victory dance in the foyer of a terrifying stranger's house?

"Wait, wait, wait," Kat cut into my internal squeals of joy, "Your girlfriend? You mean, like a regular friend, right?"

"Nope," Nora answered and slid her hand up to encircle my waist, and I couldn't hold back my smile, "She's my girlfriend. As in girl I like. As in girl I kiss. As in..."

Kat cut across Nora's speech, "Okay, okay, I get it. Is that why you're here?"

Nora's face fell, and my trepidation returned. Kat noticed how our demeanor cooled, and she stepped forward, which brought back my terror full force. I stumbled back, grasping the doorknob behind me. Nora pulled me forward again.

"No," Nora said in a small voice, "It's about Matt."

I had never seen a Choephori look dismayed, and I never thought I would, until I experienced it that moment. Kat stepped back, a hand at her throat. Her delicate face paled.

She swallowed, a far-away look in her eyes, and asked faintly, "What has happened to him? I can't see him clearly!"

Nora looked confused as she said, "What do you mean?"

I answered in a voice coarsened by panic, "The Choephori can telepathically locate any being they have met."

Kat focused on us and said in a shaky voice, "Come sit. You have to tell me everything that has happened."

Nora nodded, and towed me with her into a large sitting room. I glanced around as we sat on a large cushy couch. Kat dropped into an obviously antique rocking chair.

"Now tell me," she said, "What has happened to my Matt?"

I blurted out, "Your Matt?"

She turned steely eyes at me, and I shut up.

"Yes," she finally answered, "He was my lover. He still would be if I had my way."

Nora's brow drew together as she asked, "Why did you two split? Matt would never tell me."

Kat sighed and leaned back, gently rocking the chair, and finally answered, "Because of what I am. He was tired of hiding it for me, and he found my work ... distasteful."