Page 104 of Rescued By the Beast
Unable to see me, to know that it's me here?
Should I force my transformation back into a cat?
But... the old witch said it would take time for him to recover.
Perhaps days.
So what's the harm in enjoying it?
My body moulds itself to his, as I always wanted. Mark is warm, firm, and envelops me in a way that brings a satisfied smile to my lips. I close my eyes, breathing in his essence,allowing myself to feel what I always wanted. Just for a moment. Before everything changes.
And if it's wrong... may the stars let me sin just a little longer.
***
The sun is already streaming through the windows when I say goodbye to Ted in the living room. He hasn't even eaten anything and he's already leaving.
"Three monsters in one night... I need to go to the office, but if anything happens, call me."
He leaves first, leaving an awkward silence in the room before Ethan goes upstairs to check on Mark. I follow him, watching from a few steps away as he approaches the bed and lets out a sigh when he sees the blood on the bandage on his friend's torso.
"The stitches have come open," he murmurs, his fingers already picking up the necessary tools from his bag. "I'll have to redo them."
My head drops instantly, a wave of guilt boiling inside me.
"He turned and hugged me while he was sleeping," I confess in a whisper. "He didn't moan in pain or anything... I didn't realise he was hurting himself."
Ethan looks up at me, his eyes soft despite his exhaustion.
"It's not your fault."
This time, unlike the night before, he applies a local anaesthetic before starting work, allowing Mark to continue resting without discomfort. The suture is redone with precision, the movements careful. When he finishes, I help apply thebandage while he explains how to do it. I want to learn, to take care of Mark when Ethan isn't here.
"He's stable."
"That's the least I can do after the lives I paid the old witch," I murmur, crossing my arms. "But the bitch refrained from healing him because I bargained. She just removed the cold iron from his system and said he would recover on his own... in time."
The silence drags on. When Ethan looks at me again, his eyes are shining, moisture glistening at the edges. He swallows hard and, in a hoarse voice, whispers:
“ I can never thank you enough for what you did for him... for the sacrifice you made to save him.”
My chest tightens. I shake my head, feeling my throat close up.
“There's no need to thank me. I'd do it again. And again. As many times as it took. He saved me first. If it weren't for him...”
I can't finish. I don't need to. Ethan understands.
We go downstairs; he needs to get back to work, but he seems reluctant to leave. At the door, about to leave, he stops and looks at me once more.
"How are you feeling? Is your animal trying to get out?"
I take a deep breath before answering:
"I don't know how, but I still feel in control. My essence is still strong enough. I think I have at least an hour. Maybe more."
He nods.
"Mark needs to feed, can you give him the potion?"
