Page 67 of Rescued By the Beast
"Balthazar told me something bad was coming. It's not enough that I'm dealing with all this shit, now I have to deal with Liam too." He exhales slowly and closes his eyes. "I want to end this feud once and for all. I've been very patient until now, but no more."
I lightly touch his face with my paw, feeling his tension. He relaxes under my touch, the muscles in his face softening.
When it's time to sleep, he carefully places me on his chest. This gesture has become a ritual between us, and my animal instinct, which only grows stronger with time in this cat form, makes me press my paws against his muscles. I purr contentedly, massaging his body as if kneading bread, just like cats do. I take advantage of the moment to indulge in a veiled pleasure, without him noticing. I feel every rise and fall of his warm skin under my paws, losing myself in the mesmerising texture...
Mark lets out a hoarse laugh and slides his fingers through my fur.
"Good evening, Kitten."
I purr in response, curl up and close my eyes, burying my face against his neck.
His scent envelops me, and I finally fall asleep.
***
I wake up with a start in the middle of the night.
A pressure hits my chest. My body vibrates, my bones tingle, my muscles contract in waves of scorching heat. My essence pounds at the barrier, trying to break through. I jump off Mark and run, through the door and down the stairs to the bathroom. As soon as I cross the threshold, the transformation takes hold of me completely.
Pain tears through my limbs. Bones crack and reform, skin stretches, flesh moulds. I swallow my moans and curl up on the cold floor, naked and panting. Every breath burns my lungs. I force myself to stand and lean my hands on the sink. The mirror reflects my image: feverish green eyes, black hair plastered to my face with sweat, pale skin.
And the collar is still there.
My hands hesitate before touching it. I pull on the ribbon, try to loosen it, but it remains tight against my throat. My heart races. It must be enchanted so that Mark can remove it. That means he'll know where I am at all times.
I let out a sigh; it's not like I want to run away now, I've decided to stay here as long as I can. I'm safe here. I'm being very well looked after.
I can't lose the only comfort I still have while I'm in this situation.
That doesn't mean I want to be trapped in this curse, or cut off from communication. I need to think of a plan...
I can't just go back to the room like this and wake Mark up, can I? He'll probably attack me instinctively, before I even get a chance to explain who I am and what happened to me. And even if I do, would he believe me? After all this chaos, he might well think I'm some kind of spy, conspiring against him.
I don't know how much longer I can stay in this form, and I urgently need to relieve the feverish burning in my body.
I turn the tap carefully, avoiding any sound that might give away my presence. The cold water against my face brings immediate relief, calming the turmoil inside me a little. I take the toothpaste, squeeze a little onto my finger, and rub it on my teeth, getting rid of the bitter taste in my mouth.
I think about what else I can do, but then the pain returns with a vengeance.
A shock runs through me, my spine freezes, my skin tingles.
The curse demands control.
This time I manage to remain in my human form for a few minutes, my thoughts flashing briefly before I am consumed by the transformation.
I bite my lower lip to stifle a scream and fall to my knees. My strength abandons me, cold spreads through me, and in a single breath, my human form dissolves.
Now I am a cat again.
The next day, Mark feeds me before going to work, leaving me alone.
I spend the entire morning trying to transform, feeling my essence gradually increase. I struggle, banging against that crack, trying to escape the barrier.
I need to regain control over my own body.
I think about how, even if I were to become completely human again, I wouldn't want to lose contact with Mark, not after getting to know him more intrinsically and growing fond of him... Perhaps, if by some miracle I could completely free myself from both the curse and the collar, I could bump into him and strike up a conversation...
I laugh inside, shaking my head at the improbability.
