Erik passed a hand over his face and sighed wearily. "I will not stand for any chicanery in my own household, madam," he finally announced, stressing the human demeanor of his visitor, "Though society may be partial to calling me a monster, I am indeed a gentleman and pride myself on that. Therefore, I will ask you again to kindly leave my home, and I will not be tempted to disclose the monster you should fear." Just as he finished talking, the woman pushed herself out of the coffin and in a rather clumsy manner padded over to Erik on all fours. He attempted to back away, but found himself caught in the corner of the room and was forced to allow her to sprawl on the ground, trapping his feet under her body.
Erik felt himself blush and quickly looked away, trying to ignore the fact that a woman's naked torso held him in place. "Madam, please, I will show you to the door and will provide you with some garments if you wish, but you simply must get off the ground," he wheezed in a tone that even he realized sounded pathetic. For a brief moment he had considered simply lifting her up, but a short glance down made him realize that some embarrassing contact with her skin would have to be made for him to successfully do that.
"You are raving, masterrr," the woman purred quietly, "Too much morrrphine, again, perhaps?" Lazily, she reached up a hand and clawed a vertical line down his leg. Her soft human fingers did little damage, but it was enough to make Erik leap out from the corner.
He opened his mouth again to make some sharp comment, but stopped as the woman folded herself into the shape of a sphinx and narrowed her eyes. Somehow, it was easy for his mind to visualize her as a cat and the call 'Ayesha' all but involuntarily leaped out of his mouth.
"Again you move away from me, master. What is wrong? Are you repulsed by me? I am hurt, master."
"No, I... I am not repulsed... merely shocked. Shocked, yes... I... Well, I... Are you my cat? Are you really my little Ayesha?"
"Of course. Have I not got the collar to prove it?" She stretched her neck, allowing him to better see the precious diamonds around her throat.
Erik knelt by her and touched the sparkling stones. "Well then, my little Ayesha, do you not feel any different than usual?"
"Not particularly."
"No change in appetite? Mm? Do you still prefer veal to fish?"
"I have never liked veal, master."
Ayesha resented veal.
"And rats?"
"I would spend my nights catching them if you were but to allow me."
That was true.
"And do you like cool or warm milk better?"
"Why, cool of course."
Ayesha always irritably spat out warm milk.
Astounded, Erik completely collapsed on the floor, crossing his legs. "Extraordinary. Completely extraordinary!"
Raising herself on all fours again, the woman approached him and calmly began settling down between Erik's legs.
"Master, I seem to have grown bigger," she finally announced fretfully to her mute and extremely embarrassed owner after several moments of unsuccessful attempts at curling up.
"Ah, yes. Yes, my dear, I'm afraid you have... grown, to put it delicately," he mumbled, sliding out from under her. As it seemed the woman was intent on somehow placing her body on Erik, the first thing to do would be to clothes her. Absentmindedly, he seized a silk robe he had abandoned on a nearby chair, and tossed it to the woman.
She brought her nose close to the fabric, then clawed at it with several short swipes of her hand.
Erik let out an exhausted sigh. Of course, she did not know how to put on or wear clothes. How would she? He picked up the robe and making a courteous barrier with it between Ayesha's smooth bare human skin and himself, began trying to show her how to slip it on her arms.