Disclaimer: This story is loosely based on the 1982 movie called Cat People from Universal Studios. All of the rights, original ideas, and characters belong to Allen Ormsby and Dewitt Bodeen. I'm using their basic premise and am using just a few of their characters briefly in my story. The rest of the stuff contained within is all mine. No copyright infringement is meant, and I'm writing just for fun and not for any monetary gain.

Author's Note: In this chapter I have a lot of interaction with Abby and the captured black leopard. That was one of the only things that bugged me about the movie. It would have been interesting to see more connection between Paul in leopard form and Irena. The last part of the chapter deals with Abby experiencing the darker part of her heritage. Again, I took a little from the movie for that part, but put my own spin on it. Thanks to RadcliffePotter for her betaing.

Rated T: For language, violence, and romantic situations

Chapter 10

We decided to give the big leopard another small dose of sedative to make sure he stayed under while I examined him. Not only was he big in size, but his muscles were lean, strong, and powerful. All thirty-two of his teeth were immaculate; no sign of rot or decay. Someone had been taking excellent care of him. His four, long canine teeth were impressively sharp. His carnassial teeth or molars were in good shape, and so were all his incisors. His gums also looked nice and healthy. I forced his retractable claws out of his paws, and they were razor-sharp, just like his teeth. Someone was letting him keep them nice and sharpened. His long, tail was in good condition, no kinks in it or any other problems. His pupils were responsive to light as they should have been. I determined that he was most likely a Sub-Saharan leopard, from the jungles of Africa, probably Ethiopia.

His poor head was cut and bruised from hitting the metal gate and the glass window. I cleaned it thoroughly and put some salve on it to help it heal and protect it from infection. I took three vials of blood, used a catheter to extract some urine, and took some saliva samples. I'd wait and let him have a normal bowel movement to test his poop. The blood test would let me know if he had any viral or bacterial infections to worry about. I didn't see any sign of him begin rabid. His throat looked clear, and he wasn't producing any excess saliva or tears.

I x-rayed the leopard to see that if, in all his terrorizing of the Victoria's Secret store, he'd broken or fractured any bones. Those came back clean. I was tempted to get Brian to authorize a CAT scan or an MRI, but I'd wait and see how the animal behaved when it was awake. The expense of the exams at this point wasn't necessary or expedient to the animal's overall well-being. I also made sure I bagged and tagged evidence for the police's forensics department to look at: stuff that I could brush out of his fur, anything in his teeth and claws, and samples of his saliva, urine, and blood.

Now we had to figure out where to keep him. Brian and I didn't think it wise in any way, shape, or form to put him in with the other leopards. Maybe later, after his true temperament had been accessed could we do that. Right now, however, we needed to keep him isolated. Toby and Keith volunteered to clean out a pen that had housed a cheetah at one time, but not anymore. It had died a few months ago of very old age. We all thought it better to keep the leopard confined inside until its disposition could be determined as well. Putting it out in a public forum would be a very bad idea until it could adjust to its new home.

I went down to the lab and got the techs running the blood, urine, and saliva samples right away. The new leopard was the "buzz" of every conversation I caught drifting throughout the zoo and its various departments. I was also a topic of conversation it seemed, at least my part in helping capture our new guest. I caught people staring at me once in a while, and some employees and patrons at the zoo even gave me a thumbs-up sign. I laughed it off each time, but it really made me feel very self-conscious.

Truth be told, I was having funny thoughts about how it all went down as I replayed the incident in my mind. I was charmed as much by the beast as the beast was by me. I had no more power over the animal that it had had over me. If it had been me that was being distracted for capture, I would've been jail bait too. I was partly disturbed by the allure the animal had over me, but partly intrigue by it as well. I'd never felt a connection to an animal—or person—that strong and overwhelming before. I wondered it if was a fluke or the real deal. Sure, I was able to relate extremely well to Tarzan and the other Amur leopards, but what I felt with this black leopard was so much more robust and commanding.

I was going to wait a few days before I tried to match up the leopard's markers with the animal markers I had taken from the mutilated bodies' case. I'd wait until the police officially asked me to do it. I didn't really want to know if this animal was the killer. I wanted to enjoy him for a little bit before I found out. I was being selfish, but right now I didn't care. I wanted some time with him.

As I returned from the zoo lab, I found that Toby and Keith had gotten our boy all situated in his new home. The enclosure had ledges he could climb up on if he wanted to, but sadly, there was no tree to climb. Though there was plenty of space for him to pace around the place if he felt the need.

He was starting to stir as I approached the bars. I watched his tail and ears twitch as consciousness came back to him. I hoped he would be in a better mood. That was half the reason I wanted to be there when he woke up, to try and keep him calm. The other reason was purely personal. I wanted to interact with him. As I had examined him, I had indulged in the little fantasy I'd had in the Jeep; I ran my fingers through his rich coat. It was heavenly. Now I wanted to do it and see what kind of response I got from him when he was aware of what I was doing.

The leopard lazily opened his eyes and stretched on his back, like a domestic house cat would. He yawned, opening his formidable jaws widely. He shook his head, as if to clear it. Slowly, he started looking around. His ears flicked this way and that, taking in all the new sounds. I stood where he would see and smell me.

"Hi there, big guy," I greeted him in my most soothing voice. "How are ya doin'? Have a good nap?"

His gaze pierced mine as he carefully stood. My breath hitched at the intensity of his look. I found the same intelligence in the depths of his blue eyes that I'd seen before. Without realizing how I'd gotten there, I was up close to my side of the bars. My heart felt like a humming bird in my chest. The leopard made his unmistakable sawing noise.

Walking stiffly, he came close to his side of the bars, and then started sniffing the air. I put my hand up closer to the bars so he could get a good whiff of me. To my surprise his tongue darted out, and he quickly licked my fingertips, before backing away. His tongue had been wet and coarse. "It's okay, baby. Go ahead," I encouraged him.

As if he understood me, he came forward again, sniffing. I offered my hand once more in invitation, watching that he couldn't get a hold of me with teeth or claw. Cautiously, his tongue came out and lightly brushed my fingers. I stood perfectly still, not moving. When I showed no sign of fear or threat, he licked at my fingers again. Getting braver, he slid his tongue down my palm and back up to my fingertips. I shivered in delight. It was a pleasurable sensation.

Finally, he began licking my hand and fingers in earnest, as if they had something yummy on them, and he wanted to clean it all off while savoring each drop. I gasped at how good it felt, and how it made my whole body tingle. As he was licking, his eyes met mine once more. The zinging thrill that passed through me, at the heat of that look, almost made me moan. It reminded me of something or someone else.

I pulled my hand back, trying to ground myself. I wiped it on my pant leg. What the hell was that? I silently wondered. I've never had an animal make me feel that way before. I must be losing my mind. I took a couple of deep, calming breaths. "That's enough, you," I told him. "I'm glad you're in a better mood. I know this isn't the Hyatt," I joked lightly, gesturing with my hands at his surroundings, "but it'll have to do for now. You're safe here."

He let out a short roar and shook himself like he was shaking off water. "Is that approval?" I asked. He just gave me the short roar again, but he was calm. He showed no sign of irritation. That was good; very good.

"We need to give you some kind of name," I mused out loud. "I don't want to go around saying, 'Hey you,' or have to call you 'big guy' all the time."

As I stood there trying to think of a good name for him, he began to explore his surroundings. He sniffed at everything. The floor, the walls, the bars, his water trough, and the soft straw he'd been given as a bed all fell under his inspection. He even sniffed at the back door to his enclosure, where a person could come in. He wandered over and drank heavily from his water trough. That was another good sign that he didn't have rabies. Then he inspected everything again, rubbing his cheek and chin along it all to mark it his, leaving his scent behind.

"I guess you'll take it, huh?" I asked him with a small smile. He sawed at me this time. "I'll take that as a yes."

Then he did the most unusual thing. He went back to the back door and scratched at it, then came back toward me rubbing up against the bars. He went back again and scratched lightly at the back door. He looked at me and made a soft mewing noise, almost like a whine. I cocked my head to the side, attempting at putting the pieces together. What are you trying to tell me? I wondered. He repeated the actions, making sure I was watching him.

Then, it hit me. "You want me to come in there with you?" I asked dubiously.

He sawed at me in response. I think that was his version of a yes. I was shocked on two fronts. The first being that he understood what I was saying to him, at least on some level. The second being that he wanted me to come into the enclosure with him. After what I'd seen him do at the Victoria's Secret store, I was leery of that idea.

"I don't know about that, big guy," I said hesitantly. "You've got to earn my trust first. You're a lot bigger and stronger than me. I'm surprised you trust me that much. After all, I'm the one that caused you to get tranquilized."

He padded his way back over to the bars and rubbed up against them, and then he sat there expectantly. He wanted me to pet him. He wanted my attention. If I wasn't going to go to him, he was going to come to me. I was fascinated by this behavior. He was taking to me fast—faster than any other big cat I'd dealt with. It was like he saw me as one of his own, not a human predator or captor. Whoever had raised him must have really loved him and showed him great kindness. I speculated that his previous owner must have been a woman, and that I must remind him of her in some way. That could be the only logical explanation for his actions.

I hesitated to actually go over, reach out, and pet him, even though I wanted to do just that with every fiber of my being. I was scared to trust this. Some part of me feared he'd turn on me and that would be the end. When he noticed my lack of compliance, he rubbed himself along the bars again and mewed again. He searched for my gaze once more. His eyes were open, warm, and friendly. His tongue was hanging out his mouth, lazily.

"Don't make me regret this, big guy," I told him sternly. "I'm trusting you." This is probably the stupidest thing you've ever done, Abigail, I admonished myself internally.

I slowly and tentatively reached out my hand, but I stopped short of putting it through the bars. It was in the position it had been in when he had licked my hand, just close enough for his tongue to reach, but not his teeth. That's when I felt his tongue once more caressing my fingers. He was tempting me for more. I gasped again at the sensation his licking caused to course throughout my body, like an electrical current.

"You little devil," I cursed him, but now daring to put my hand through the bars and scratch him under his chin.

He started purring instantly. I gently ran my hand up his jaw and petted his head, ever careful of his sore spot. He shifted slightly so I could run my hand down his broad and long back. His fur was like velvet, soft and soothing. It tickled a little too. Soon I was running my hand down him over and over again, addicted to the feel of his velvety coat. His backside would rise with each stroke I gave him, just like any normal cat's would. His purring was a deep, vibrating sound. It resonated deep within me, making me tingle again.

"Someone has totally spoiled you, haven't they?" I asked him, not really expecting an answer. He just continued to purr loudly. "How about Bagheera?" I then questioned him for a name, pulling it from the black jaguar in the Jungle Book. He snorted and shook his head. "O—kay. I take it you don't like that one." He grunted at me. "How about Rue?" I threw out the name of a tiger from the Beast Master. He snorted and shook his head again. "Geez, you're picky, aren't you? Let's see…how about…Achilles?" I pulled out another name, this one coming from Greek mythology. "He was a famous and fierce warrior from ancient Greece. Would that fit you, my large friend?" That one got him to give me a sawing noise. "Well, don't we have a big ego to go with your big stature?" I teased him. "Achilles it is."

"Are you talking to that animal?" Ray's voice suddenly broke into our private little world. "Is it safe for you to be that up close and personal with it after how it behaved this morning?" Ray came up to stand close to me, but putting me between the wild animal and himself.

The leopard, Achilles now, let out a warning growl to Ray. He snarled and bared his fangs, ears going back. He obviously didn't like Ray's presence or Ray's interruption of our bonding moment. I pulled away, wary of the leopard accidently hurting me in his sudden anger.

"I don't think he likes you being in here, Ray. You're frightening him," I warned my fiancé. "Back up."

"How can someone like me frighten an animal that size?" Ray asked me incredulously.

Achilles let out another aggressive growl, bordering on a roar. He was pulling in his ribcage in between his shoulders blades to make them stick out more. He was doing it to make himself look more menacing. "He doesn't know you, Ray. You're in his territory. Plus, he's been through a lot today. Just back up," I commanded.

Ray did as I ordered, but Achilles was still angry. He hissed and snarled narrowing his eyes. "We'd better leave and talk elsewhere. You're upsetting him too much. I just got him calmed down. Come on," I then informed Ray.

"I'm upsetting him?"

"Yeah. He sees you as an invader, a rival male in his territory. Now out, out!" I insisted.

I went to walk with Ray to the door, out into the hallway, but I found I was stuck. I tried to move forward again, but couldn't. I looked back over my shoulder. Somehow the sneaky leopard had snagged one of my belt loops on my pants with a couple of his claws from one of his front paws. "What the—," I started, but didn't finish. Achilles was holding me in place, not letting me go anywhere. "What do you think you're doing?" I demanded of the animal. A shot of fear spiked through me. I'd never seen a big cat behave this way.

"What's wrong, Abs?" Ray asked standing and holding the door open.

"I'm caught," was all I said.

"On what?"

I looked at Ray, trying not to show my apprehension to him. "The leopard's claws are stuck on my belt." That was kind of a lie; Achilles was purposely not letting me go.

"He's got a hold of you?" Ray was shocked and dismayed.

"Kinda," I said softly.

"Do I need to go get some help?"

"No, just back off. I'll handle it."

"Abs—," Ray tried to argue.

"Just do it, Ray," I snapped at him. "I know what I'm doing. This is my territory. I can get myself loose."

But Ray was not going to let me handle it by myself. "I'm going to get Brian."

I gave him an annoyed look. "Fine, you do that. But by the time you and he get back in here, I'll have it all sorted out."

Now it was Ray's turned to look annoyed. "I'll be right back," was all he said and disappeared.

Achilles chose that moment to pull on my belt loop, forcing me back against the bars. A real fear swept through me again. This big cat might not let me go without a fight. "Let me go, Achilles," I demanded in as stern a voice as I could muster.

He snarled and yanked on me again, my butt smacking into the bars. "If you don't let me go, they'll deem you dangerous and send you away," I threatened, somehow knowing he'd understand me. It was a creepy flash of intuition.

The leopard didn't let go, but he stopped yanking on me. Then he made the weird mewing noise again. He just doesn't want me to leave him, I decided. "Are you afraid that I won't come back?" I asked, trying to look back at him. "I'll be back tomorrow and every day after that if you behave," I told him. "Please let me go."

And just like that, he did. His claws disengaged from the material of my belt loop, and I was free. "That's better," I said. Then I turned around to face him and shook my finger at him. "You can't do stuff like that after what happened with you this morning, baby. People who don't understand you like I do will look for any excuse to take you away from here. I'll fight for you, but you've got to meet me halfway."

Achilles relaxed his stance and sawed at me as if agreeing to my terms. "I really don't want to leave you any more than you don't want me to leave you," I confessed to him, leaning frontward against the bars. "But I do have other responsibilities as well, ya know. I promise to spend as much time here as I can, provided you cooperate with the other zoo personnel too."

He roared at me, not liking the last of what I said. "I can't be here twenty-four seven, babe," I explained. "At least let Della look after you, if you don't like other males in your territory."

Rubbing up against the bars in a submissive gesture let me know he'd comply. I petted him again, stroking slow and soft. He rose up on his haunches just a little to reach my face. His tongue flick out across my mouth. I blanched in shock at so intimate a gesture. He started licking my face in long, broad strokes. I was frozen in place; a little from fear and a little from delight. It was a strange sensation. Then it started to feel natural, like he'd licked my face a hundred times before. It started to feel good.

The leopard was purring again as he licked faster and faster. I could sense his delight and excitement as well as my own. It was pouring off him in waves, catching me in their ebb and flow. I pulled back when it hit me, just how unnatural the whole situation really was. Achilles just looked at me with that same strange intelligence he seemed to have. His blue-green eyes were starting to hypnotize me again. Something deep within me wanted to answer his call. It was something that I couldn't define. It seemed ancient, primal, and otherworldly. Something that defied logic. There was some kind of connection we shared, beyond anything I could ever imagine or comprehend. It frightened me, but thrilled me at the same time.

"I guess you really didn't need us after all," Brian's voice broke into my reverie.

I looked at him, blinked, and then found the will to speak. "I told Ray I'd handle it. Achilles just didn't want me to leave. I worked out an understanding with him."

"Achilles?" Brian questioned with a raise of his eyebrows.

"It just seemed to fit him," I replied, shrugging my shoulders.

The leopard had gone to the far back corner of his cage. I could tell that he was mad, but he was trying to behave like I'd asked. He still had his ears back and had pulled his ribcage in again, but he was staying away, not openly challenging Brian or Ray. I heard a low growl emanate from him, but nothing more.

"I would just let Della deal with him when I'm not here," I then informed my boss. "He has something against men. They make him feel threatened for some reason. That makes him aggressive."

Brian stared at me for a moment. "O—ka—y," he drug out. "I'll let you figure out the reason behind that then. He seems stable and healthy otherwise?"

"So far. The blood and urine tests will tell me more in the morning. Somebody should monitor him throughout the night though," I answered.

"I'll see if Della would be willing to do so," Brian said before I could volunteer.

"Yah. You, young lady, need come home and get some rest," Ray insisted. "You've had quite the day." He smiled at me, trying to soften his pseudo-command.

I knew he was right; the full weight of the day hitting me all of a sudden. Some food and sleep would do me a world of good. I also realized that I had missed Ray today—a lot. Maybe I needed something more than just sleep. I felt kind of keyed up. I smiled back at him suggestively. "You might be able to talk me into that," I told him.

He came forward, sliding me into his arms and kissing me softly. "I'll do my best," he said huskily. This was how we forgave and forgot our irritation we sometimes had for each other's ways of dealing with things.

Brian smirked at us. "Get out of here you two."

Achilles' roar seemed to second that. I glanced one last time at him to say good-bye and reassure him that I'd be back soon, when my eyes met his again. They seemed to blaze with an angry fire. I got the impression he was jealous of the companionship between me and Ray. It was an odd deduction on my part, but I made it nonetheless. It was like Achilles was trying to tell me that he wanted that kind of companionship with someone too.

Animals don't think on that level, a voice in my head said. You're projecting human characteristics and motivations onto an animal that doesn't make up meanings and reasons for things the way that people do. You're being foolish, living in fantasy land. Besides, leopards of both sexes are loners, solitary creatures.

I was disturbed to say the least. The leopard held my gazed for a long moment, and then he turned around and lay down. He put his head on his front paws as if sulking in the corner of the enclosure. I suddenly felt guilty for leaving him and wanting to be with Ray. A lump had formed in my throat in sympathy for him.

"Maybe I'd better stay this first night with him," I threw out to Brian.

"You've been with him all day today. You need a break. Go home. I promise to make sure he's well-looked after," Brian argued in return. "I know how to take care of an abandoned animal, Abs."

"Yes you do," I agreed, "but this animal doesn't trust you. He's just starting to trust me. We still don't know a lot about him or his prior circumstances. I just feel like I need to stay. I can't explain it more than that."

Ray pulled me closer, distracting me. "This guy has had all of your time today, Abby. It's my turn now." He kissed the sweet spot behind my ear, making me shiver happily.

Brian all but pushed us out the door. "I'll take care of it, Abs. Don't worry so much," he chided me.

"I'll try not to," I replied. "I'll be here first thing in the morning. Like around six or seven. You call me if you need anything or if anything funky goes on. You got that?"

"Yes, momma bear," Brian teased me. "Now. GO HOME."

As I started to leave with Ray heading out of the door, I looked back at Achilles one last time and couldn't help but wonder if I was doing the right thing. I sure hoped I was.

Ray had set up a romantic candle lit dinner at the manor, using his family's china and everything. He'd set it up before he'd meet me at the zoo. I was touched. He was really being sweet. He let me shower and change into something nicer than my zoo uniform. Once in a nice pair of light blue jeans and a white, frilly top with swirls of bunched up material up by the neck and bust, I felt more revived and relaxed at the same time.

Ray was wearing nicely pressed tan Dockers and a burgundy, long-sleeved, button down shirt. He had rolled up the sleeves and hadn't buttoned the shirt all the way up. He was a very sexy sight; one I didn't mind staring at and drooling over a little. My hormones were more than happy to take him all in. That keyed up feeling had increased tenfold.

We ate our meal—his mother's recipe for chicken gumbo—engrossed in conversation. There was a light salad, rolls, and some kind of fancy lemonade as well. Ray wanted to hear all about how we'd gotten the leopard out of the Victoria's Secret store, and he wanted to know what it was like from my point of view. I was eager to talk about it and shared the whole scenario easily with him. He then told me about his day, needing to vent a little about some of the problems with some of his restaurant managers and their employees.

We cleared the table when we were done, and Ray said he would have one of the house staff take care of them. It wasn't long before he'd taken me in his arms and was kissing me like I was his dessert. I repaid his enthusiasm in kind, suddenly needing him as much as he needed me. It had been awhile since we'd been able to have some intimate time together, and we were both feeling the neglect.

I let him pick me up and carry me upstairs to our bedroom. He set me down just inside the doorway. I slid my hands inside his half-open shirt to caress his chest and run my hands though his soft chest hair. He walked me backwards to the bed, kissing my breath away and stripping off my shirt. He kissed his way down my chin and neck. He went lower, making me moan. It wasn't long until we found ourselves passionately making love in the plush bed.

Later, I woke up snuggled in Ray's warm body. He was sleeping soundly, breathing slow and steady. Something was off with me, however. I felt like I had nervous legs. They twitched in weird muscle spasms. My back ached and my head pounded. Then the nausea hit me. I decided to get myself to the bathroom, so I wouldn't disturb Ray—and in case I got out-and-out sick. I was feeling smothered.

I was too warm, but chilled at the same time. I had broken out in a cold sweat, making my skin clammy. I closed the new bathroom door as quietly as I could and turned on the light. When I looked in the mirror, I gasped. My eyes were mutating on me again. My pupils were now vertical slits, just like a cat's. Pain erupted from between my shoulder blades and down along my spine. I had to grasp the sink to stay standing. Then I found myself losing my dinner in the toilet, before I knew it.

It was like my bones were breaking and my nerves were being shredded. I moaned and groaned in agony. I reached for the sink to wash my mouth out and glanced in the mirror again. I tried turning a bit to look at my back. I watched in horror as my spine seemed to shift and stretch under my skin. The bones of my arms and hands seemed to morph causing even more stabbing pain. I had to let go of the sink and ended up on my hands and knees on the floor. My nose was dripping blood onto the white tile. I wanted to scream for Ray, but I couldn't. My jaw seemed to want to break apart too.

Finding the strength to rip down my mint green robe from the back of the bathroom door, I slipped it on. I didn't want to see my body move so unnaturally under my skin. I also didn't want Ray to see me like this. I made myself get up. I stumbled, biting my lip to keep from crying out in pain. I made my way agonizingly down the stairs and out the back door. I needed to get away from the house. I needed to be out in the wild.

At first, I thought I should have gotten a flashlight so I could see where I was going, but the further I got from the manor and its outside lights, the better I could see. Objects, like the trees and bushes, didn't have much color, like they did during the day, but I could see them very clearly. I doubled over in pain again, leaning against a large willow tree.

I tried to take deep breaths to manage the pain. I could hear animals all around me in the undergrowth, moving and scurrying. I could hear thousands of insects speaking in the night. One sound in particular caught my attention, helping me fight the hurt. Something was close by, rutting around in the brush to my left. I looked carefully for its source, sniffing the air as well. Then I saw it, a few yards away. It was a long-eared hare. Instead of the normal brown color they were, this one looked gray to me.

The little creature fascinated me as I watched it hop around looking for something to eat. I wanted to hunt it. Without really realizing how or why, I started to stalk it. I quietly got down on all fours and slowly circled it. If I lost sight of it, the noise it made in the undergrowth let me know exactly where it was. I slinked through the bushes and trees more silently than I thought I was capable of, timing my movements with that of the hare's. Suddenly, I was right on top of it. It darted away, but somehow I leapt at it.

It took a few swipes, but I got it to go down. My nails were not fingernails anymore, but sharp, retractable claws. I held the struggling animal in place with those claws. Then some deep, primal instinct welled-up inside of me and consumed me. With teeth and fangs, much longer and sharper than humanly possible, I took the squirming hare into my mouth and bit down right on its jugular. It squealed as it died. Its warm blood filled my mouth and tasted like honey. I began to feast on the blood and flesh of the animal, my pain now forgotten in the heat of the kill.

I woke up somewhere down from the manor house, down by the river bank. My body was stiff and sore from lying on the hard ground. The sun was just barely starting to light the sky, in a predawn glow. I couldn't figure out how I'd gotten here. Then I remembered the horrible pain I was raked with during the night and the need to get outside. My body still remembered the night's events with lingering muscle spasms and bone-deep aches. After going outside, everything else was a blur, however.

Glancing down, I noticed that all I had on was my light green bathrobe. My arms, all down the front of the robe, and my legs were covered in red and brown streaks and stains. I realized I had a strange metallic taste in my mouth. I looked around at my surroundings more. I was behind a big willow tree, curled up on my side. The mutilated and torn carcass of a long-eared hare was just a few inches from my head.

Crying out, I sat up abruptly, scooting back into the tree. My God! my mind screamed. What happened to me last night? Are these stains blood?

I now scrutinized my hands more thoroughly. They were covered in red and brown. I felt my face and discovered something thick was caked all around my mouth and down my chin. I stared at the slashed up hare. No! I thought in total revulsion. I couldn't have, could I? I didn't eat that hare did I? What possessed me to come out here and do this? My stomach roiled and churned. Before I knew it, I was spewing raw meat and bile. I retched for quite a while, until it was just dry heaves, and then I lay back down.

Does Ray know that I'm gone? Does he know what I did? What will he think if he sees me like this? Is this all I'm responsible for? Oh God, what is happening to me! were all terrified thoughts swimming around in my head like ferocious piranhas. Maybe Valen was trying to tell me the truth about myself. Now don't get ahead of yourself. There has to be a logical explanation for all of this. I killed and ate a freakin' bunny rabbit! How do you logically explain that shit?

I needed to get back to the manor and cleaned up before anyone saw me like this. Slowly willing myself to stand, I made it to my feet. I leaned against the tree for a few minutes as I took deep breaths and tried to get a handle on myself. When I felt like my legs were steady enough to let me walk, I starting making my way back up to the house. I pulled the hapless robe around me more tightly as I shivered in the predawn chill.

Slipping in through the back door as quietly as possible, I made my way slowly upstairs and into the bedroom. Thankfully, Ray was still snoring away in bed. I grabbed a clean T-shirt, jeans, and undergarments before shutting myself in the bathroom. I stripped off the blood and dirt covered robe and turned on the shower. Every movement made me wince as I was still stiff and very sore.

Then I saw myself in the mirror, and I felt like I was going to black out. My vision started to get hazy after I saw the dried blood and tissue covering my mouth, chin, and neck. I looked like some crazed Hannibal Lector out of the Silence of the Lambs movies. My hair was a nest of snarls and knots. I had completely flipped out last night.

Suddenly all I wanted was to be clean again. I got in the shower quickly and started scrubbing all the blood and gore off of me. My stomach clenched again as I saw the red start swirling down the drain. Finally, I began to cry, sobbing as softly as I could. I slid down the shower wall into a sitting position. I pulled my knees up to my chest as my tears mingling with the spraying shower water.

I was in deep shit. I couldn't deny it any longer. Something was not right with me. Medical science had not been able to discover what it was. Only one person I could think of might actually know what was happening to me. That was Valen. I needed to talk him. I needed to find out if he really did have any useful knowledge or if he was full of bullshit. I also needed to research my biological origins in much more detail and find out who I really was. I couldn't be tentative about it or do it half-heartedly. I had to really dig. If not, I was going to go fucking nuts, and probably take Ray right along with me.

TBC...

Just some clarification. Abby did not completely transform here. She came close, but not quite. I will reveal all the whys and hows a little later in the story. There is method to my madness. Hopefully, it will go over well. I'm tweaking some of the mythos from the movie. Any thoughts you care to share with me about this chapter would be very welcome and appreciated. Thanks.