The Change

Content warning: violence, assault

Consciousness came in a rush. The sunlight from the bay window flitted across he closed eyes, a kaleidescope of colors dancing in the darkness. Slowly she opened her eyes, revealing crystal blue eyes. The feeling someone was watching her was a heavy weight. Sitting up slowly and looking around the small room was empty but for a big calico cat staring intently at her with large green eyes. Sitting on the bench amongst colorful pillows, he shifted his body sensing there was no danger.

'Where am I' Ali thought. Water sat on the nightstand along with two aspirin. She clutched her head against the headache that rested there. The feeling of being watched was still intense. Slowly, she slid off the bed and saw she was wearing a silk emerald green night dress. It flowed like water over her legs yet clung to her breasts, torso and hips. "Who changed her clothes?" Ali looked around and saw three doors. One clearly led out of the room and the other two led to a bathroom and she assumed a closet. Ali rubbed the back of her neck trying to stave off the panic sweeping through her.

Searching her muddled brain for answers that she could not grasp she walked over to the bedroom door and it was locked. What the Hell? Fighting back her panic her bladder throbbed, her throat dry as a desert her tongue felt thick and furry. Ali didn't trust the water or the aspirin, what if it was poison? She would deal with it until her body finished healing. Rehydrating will help speed the process. She never understood how, but her body healed itself, no matter the kind of injury. Her parents were always scared of her for it. "Well Kitty, no matter what panicking is useless. I need to relieve my bladder and get a drink." Her voice was raspy in her ears. Heading to the bathroom door she walked into the large room. There was a claw foot tub and a large stand up shower, ornate toilet and large bowled sink. Walking to the toilet she relieved herself and walked to the sink. Using the rose scented soap to wash her hands she rinsed them and then drank thirstily.

A soft thud coming from the room she whirled around to see the cat staring at her, apparently his curiosity overcoming him. Ali walked right past him and again went to the bedroom door. She started pounding on the door, calling for someone, anyone! Panic started setting in, she felt someone, sensed a presence, it was there yet no one was there! The cat stared at her quietly assessing her. Putting her back against the door Ali started crying her body sliding to the floor and her face cupped in her hands. A few moments passed, and she heard a key in the lock and the door knob jiggling. She jumped up and whirled towards the door and waited for her captor to come in. The door was pushed open slightly but no one came in. She turned to the cat only to find he was no longer there. Shaking, she gripped the knob and opened the door. It opened quietly, easily. She poked her head out first looking up and down the short hallway. There were two other doors, both open. Creeping out on silent feet she walked past one room and stopped to stare. "Hello? Is anyone here?" She called out and silence met her inquiry. The room was beautiful, a young woman s dream pillows like clouds sat on a white ornate bed, a light blue coverlet so light it was almost white, nightstands, a desk. She felt them, they are here.

"This is my sister's room." His voice was quiet, soothing. Ali screamed at the sudden intrusion. She turned quickly to see a feline like man, large almond shaped green eyes, pert nose thin yet masculine frame and hair with so many shades of reds, browns and yellows. His beauty was breathtaking. "I will not hurt you" he purred. Ali was frozen in place, she couldn't move! He stood still as stone waiting for something.

"I found you, you were laying in the side of the road, drenched and unconscious. My sister locked the door, she was keeping you safe. You were unconscious all night. This room was my sister's until she passed away. Her spirit is still here, she tends to be protective of our kind. My name is Fallon, she is called Stephy. You are safe here with us."

Ali felt her body relax, she felt waves of comfort flowing through her. Instinctively she knew she was safe, maybe for the first time in her life. Her brain exploded with memories from the night before, flooding through her, the four men, beating her, bashing her head in and taking everything she had. "I-I'm Ali. Thank you for helping me." She extended her hand to shake his. He cautiously reached out and encompassed her small hand in his larger one. His hand was firm and strong, a jolt of electricity shot through her body, centering in her lower belly. She gasped in shock, watching him and seeing a spark in his eyes. He felt it too, she knows he did.

"I had run from home and was looking for a motel. They came at me and I didn't understand why. They left me for dead." Ali searched his face as she spoke, she saw a flash of rage shoot through him, felt it. Stephy slammed her door and a haunting wail followed the slam. Her soul was suffering, raging and hurt. She could not move on, stuck in between worlds. Ali's heart hurt for her, a ghost is not surprising to her, she always had sensed and seen into the other world, another reason her parents feared her. "Those men killed her. They ran her down, the damage was too great for her body to heal. She made it home and died in her bed. They are hunters, they kill our kind." Falling stated in a grave voice.

"What do you mean our kind? You keep saying that." She was curious by nature, and she felt something from him that she couldn't place. "Have the police done an investigation? What did they say?"

"There are no police for our kind. You do not know what you are? We are shifters. We live for long periods of time and it is hard to kill us. We can heal almost any wounds we have and transform into anything we please. You are beyond the years of a child, you have never shifted?" Fallon said, surprise flashing on his face. He thought for a moment as she shook her head no. Looking at Fallon with disbelief and started thinking he may be a lunatic. She felt a feathery touch in her mind, a smile spread across his face and the air started crackling with power. The room felt charged with energy and right before her eyes he started shifting form. His bones popped, his body contorted, ears elongated and became points, his nose extended and his teeth grew sharp. Fur exploded over his body; the transformation to his cat form was beautiful and horrifying all at once. She felt something shift inside her, something she had felt intensely once before the day of her 18th birthday, something she had worked so hard to subdue. Fallon, the cat from her room, sat staring and purring. "Shift for me, I feel her. I wonder if your fur will be as white as your hair." He whispered this in her mind, she felt him there, as if he was made to be there. " I can't, this is crazy!" Ali resisted the feeling inside her. "You are one of us, shift for me. You are my mate, we can do this together." He showed images of them frolicking in the grass, her pregnant, everything that can and will be. "How?" Ali was desperate for the things he showed her, the feeling of love and belonging consumed her. Stephy opened her door, revealed herself to Ali. "Concentrate on what you want, he will guide you if you give over to him. We are so few, join us and claim your place." Ali resisted for a moment, than let him flood her mind and body, they held an image of a short haired white female a spot the color of ash on her head. She felt the shift, her body breaking and contorting, she panicked and felt so much pain but Fallon took control and the pain was gone. Ali dropped to all fours and fur exploded over her body. Walking to the mirror in the hall she saw the beauty of her new form astounded it was her.

The abuse and neglect she had taken all these years from her adoptive family and the loneliness. Now she knew. She understood everything, there was no denying her true self. "Cat is my favorite form, although we can be anything. You are more beautiful than I imagined." Fallon came over to her and rubbed her body along hers and purred. "You are my mate and we will find the hunters and eliminate them. There are so few of us left, we need to find them and join together, you can help build our family with me. You have a lot to learn, we will help you. Let us eat and play!" They ran and shifted forms. They talked and got to know one another. Fallon taught her everything she needed to know with love and patience.