Kahlee & Phoenix (Chapter 1)

Chapter 11

A small shiver ran through her back as the fur that encased her body slowly started to retreat into her skin. She heard the faint snap of bones and the squish of things moving inside of her body. It was slightly painful, but only because she didn’t want to waste the energy on the smooth change she could achieve.2

Standing up on her two human legs, another small shudder ran through her body. This time it was from the cold night air brushing along her naked form. Looking around quickly she searched the bushes for the clothes she’d left there. 3

She heard a twig snap and her head turned around quickly. ‘What the fuck was that?’ She thought to herself as she stood still, listening. Her heightened hearing was trained on listening out for any more out of place sounds. After a few seconds of listening intently she gave up and continued to search for her missing clothes.4

Finding them she slowly dragged them onto her body. First the plain cotton panties, then the old ragged jeans and finally her old high school jumper. Everything was old incase it got lost, or in the slim possibility that she lost control before she got to a safe place.5

Walking back through the bush was fantastic. Every sight and every noise was music to her ears. Every sense was alive with being free and out in the bush. It was like every dream come true. She was truly emerged in the sights and feelings.6

She didn’t have any time to react as she was pounced on by a huge grey, black wolf. Tumbling to the ground with an “oomph” she looked up at the huge monster of a thing and hissed at him. The thing on top of her smiled, if you could call it a smile.7

His muzzle prevented him from making it a human smile, but she could tell. His tongue was falling from his mouth and he was panting. Plus the look that shimmered in his honey gold wolf eyes was unmistakable. The big oaf. She was going to get him later.8

“Phoenix!” She ground out, between her teeth. Phoenix growled softly, playfully and swiped a big paw across her chest lightly, barely anything. Not even enough to scratch at her clothing. At this gesture she couldn’t help but release a high girlish giggle.9

“You’re an evil bastard. Now get the fuck off me so I can get up.” Nodding his shaggy head, Phoenix melded back into his skin with barely any mess. He had always been better at it then her. Slowly the now naked man got up and smiled that devilish smile he had. It would have melted her knees, but she knew him too well.10

“Well, well my pretty little copy Cat, how did your hunt go?” He said in that low growl of a voice that told her he hadn’t long changed. Well she knew that, she’d seen it, but it was a small tell tale sign.11

“It was great, I love being free in the night.” She replied in that soft silky tone she always had. It was like a permanent sex voice and she didn’t even have to try.12

Phoenix and Kahlee had been friends for a long time. She thought she was all alone when it had attacked her, but no. It turned out that at least two years previously her friend had been attacked. He’d always called her a copy cat, for being attacked.13

They laughed about it now, but when it first happened she couldn’t face it. But now, looking back on her life she realised she was a lot like a cat anyway. Now she actually was one. A beautiful, sleek, black leopard, with the darkest green gold eyes. It was fabulous to feel so free, to be at no one's mercy.14

The only problem was that she couldn’t tell a single soul. They wouldn’t let her work if they knew what she was. Everyone was too scared they’d catch it. It wasn’t that easy to catch, you actually had to be a survivor of an attack, not just a mere scratch or a touching of blood.15

It was stupid how they thought that. They just didn’t want monsters around, she’d found that out the hard way. Having to move towns three times before she finally learned she couldn’t trust anyone other then Phoenix. So now she could actually work in her preferred field. It was amazing.16

She was low down on the ladder at the moment, working as a drug and alcohol counsellor, but hopefully soon they’d see her potential and move her up the system to work with the police, or in prison’s somewhere. It was her dream. 17

And she deserved it. It had taken her ages to get the degree under her belt, and then just as she was writing her Theses, she was attacked. Then she couldn’t do it, but one day soon she hoped to get back into the saddle and finish it, get her PhD. Maybe now in this new town she could.18

Phoenix was frowning at her. It was slightly unnerving, his dark chocolate brown human eyes focused on her intently. Why was he staring at her? Did he realise he was still naked.19

“Uh, Nix as much as I love you, you’re still naked and creeping me out.” She said softly, nodding her head once and pulling a twig from her multi coloured hair. Trying to look away from the naked man. She couldn’t look at him, they were friends nothing more.20

Slowly realising he was naked Phoenix laughed, a low rumbling sound that was pure him, not wolf. She’d always wondered if he was meant to be like this. If she was. It was funny to see the attributes they’d been born with that perfectly matched their beasts.21

Nix had always been playful, ready to attack anything. She thought it was just being a typical boy, but no it was a wolfish side. Fiercely loyal, also wolf. He had those dark chocolate brown eyes with flecks of gold. It was always hard not to get lost in his eyes.22

He was a tall man too, well over 6’ with a whole lot of hair, it always hung messy around his face. A dark blackish grey, even when he was young. He loved messing around with the dogs when they were children. It was funny to watch them muck around.23

She’d always been a lazy type of person, but smarter then people gave her credit for. She was great at gymnastics and running, anything that increased her agility. Her eyes had always been of a dark green colour, and her hair hung long and sleek down her back.24

It was almost like they were born this way for a reason. Maybe it just wasn’t surviving an attack, maybe there was something else inside of them. Something that drew the animals to them, to the right person to turn them into something they already knew they should be.25

But that was something to think about later. Her partner was still looking for his clothes, standing naked like it didn’t mean a thing to him. He’d always been overly confident, secretly she loved it.26

Looking around she spotted the green shorts he loved to wear hunting and picked them up between her thumb and forefinger, holding them away from her body. “Nix, I think I found them. Geez do you ever wash them?” She asked waving her other hand in front of her nose.27

Laughing Phoenix took them from her and slid them up his legs, covering himself now. Much to her disappointment. Smiling softly she turned on her heels, giggling slightly, turning her head to look over her shoulder at him. Her look said, ‘chase me.’ And that’s what happened.28

She took off like a bolt of lightening, moving gracefully in and out of the trees. Not the least tired at the moment, knowing she would pay for the exertion later. But for now all she wanted to do was beat him back to her car. Her feet were hitting the ground with amazing speed as her body darted through the bushes and tress.29

It was a fantastic feeling, so free. Turning her head slightly she spotted Nix a few steps behind her. He kept up with her so well for someone so large. But that was the thing about wolves, they could do that. And they could run incredibly fast. Much to her dismay.30

She had to beat him, had to show him that she wasn’t weak. But he caught up to her. She could see the sweat beading on his chest, slowly dripping down the contours of his skin. It was an amazing sight that had her captivated and distracted. It’s probably why she didn’t see the log before it was too late.31

It was like falling in slow motion, it took her so off guard that she didn’t have time to catch herself before her body flipped and landed her hard on her back. Knocking the wind right from her body with an audible yelp. He was over her almost as fast as she fell. His eyes wide with wonderment and worry.32

It was such a treat to see those brown eyes flecked with worry from seeing her hurt. It would have been even more of one if she wasn’t actually in pain. She knew it would disappear in a few moments, but that wasn’t the pain she felt. She was embarrassed to have fallen, to have been so distracted by his body that she fell arse over head.33

He was never going to let her forget this. He never did. He still reminded her of that time she ran into a pole in the 8th grade. He thought it was because she saw a cute guy going past, but in truth it was the way his hair had fallen in front of his eyes. She’d had a huge crush on him since she realised how good looking he was.34

“Are you okay?” His worried words broke through her memory. 35

“Yes I’m fine, Nix. You don’t have to worry about me. I’m already all healed.” She said softly, pasting an almost fake smile across her face to keep him happy. She didn’t want him to worry about her. “Help me up though.” She laughed up at him.36

Slowly bending down further, he slipped a hand under her knees and one under her shoulders. He lifted her with no effort whatsoever. Like she was a feather and he could carry her for miles. He almost did, insisting to carry her all the way back to her car.37

“I can drive myself.” She hissed at him, her voice teetering on the edge between animal and human. “I am still capable; it was just a tiny fall.”38

“I don’t care. You landed pretty hard,” was his growling reply. 39

“I’m not human.” Was the chilling reply as she fished her keys out and shoved the key into the lock, turning it until the button popped up. “And if you think I’m so incompetent, you can walk home.” With that she closed the door and started the car up, readying to put her foot on the accelerator when he knocked on the window.40

“Kitty cat, let me in.” He had to yell to get her to hear him through the shut glass. Thinking about it for a few long moments, she leaned over and flicked the lock up for him to get it. “Thank you.”41

Forcing her foot down on the accelerator she shot forward, the cars tires crunching against the gravel of the secluded parking lot as they traveled home not saying a word to each other. Not knowing whether to break the silence or not. She stopped outside his apartment and smiled.42

“Thanks, Kahlee,” were his departing words as he closed the door.