Hidden Nature
by Shadowriter
Part Three
"I was just beginning to come out of the closet. A few of our friends in the group knew I considered myself bisexual, but only a few, and didn't advertise it. When we went out, it was mostly to straight bars, but sometimes we'd hit mixed clubs. I'd watch the women, mostly, but occasionally I'd admire a guy.
"So, this one night we were at a mixed club. I was flirting with this guy. He was kind of cute; a frat boy, all American kind of cute, with blond hair and a tan. For me, it was just flirting, it didn't mean anything. But a friend of mine told me the guy really liked me, and tried to set us up. He -- well, let's just say I didn't like where his hands ended up when we slow-danced, and I ended up twisting his thumb until he moved his other hand. Then I told him he was a jerk -- yelled it, really, since we were on the dance floor -- and headed off to another part of the club.
"It was then that I met this woman. She was tall, about Lindsay's height, with a dark tan and hair blonder than Jill's. Her eyes, though, were dark brown, almost black in the light of the club, and I have to admit, I fell in lust with her almost instantly.
"She offered me a beer, and it was the same kind I'd been drinking earlier. I asked her if she'd been watching me, and she admitted she had. Told me she'd been watching while I was on the dance floor with the jerk, and would have stepped in if I'd needed help. Then she winked and told me she would have to watch her step with me because I was a feisty one.
"What, afraid you can't handle little old me?"
"Oh, I could. But I might get burned by all that fire you have inside."
Cindy blushed and her new friend smiled and held out her hand.
"I'm Drake."
"Cindy. Cindy Thomas."
"Are we up to last names already?"
"What, you're not comfortable with that?"
"Did you know it used to be bad form to tell someone your first name when you first met? It would be Miss Thomas, not Cindy."
"I'm a reporter. I did know that."
"Really."
"Yes, so, tell me your last name, Miss . . .?"
She laughed. "Just Drake. It's what I am and who I am."
"So you're a dragon?"
"Well, you'll have to wait to find out, won't you?"
We spent at least an hour talking and laughing. There was something a little magnetic about her. We danced, and she was always careful where she put her hands, but she flirted with me, just the same. It was strange, because even though I knew she was coming on to me, I never felt any pressure. And she never crossed the line. She even said I was safe with her because she knew I wasn't ready for anything more than flirting. I felt safe. I was safe.
One of my friends found me and said they were leaving and did I want a ride back or was I staying? Drake offered to get me home safely. I went to say goodbye to my friends and Drake said she'd wait for me at the bar.
After saying good night, I went to the women's room. The men's room was just down the hall, as was the emergency exit. It was alarmed, but appeared to be propped open. It was a warm summer night, so I didn't think anything about it, but when I came out of the restroom, someone grabbed me and put a hand over my mouth. I tried to get an elbow in, but couldn't, and the next thing I knew, we were outside and I was up against a wall. It was the guy from earlier that evening.
"Bitch. Fucking queer. Think I didn't see you with that dyke bitch out on the floor?"
"Let go of me!"
"Fuck you, you fuckin' tease!" He slapped her and she stumbled a little. Another slap and her head hit the wall.
Things began to spin a little, and she shook her head to clear it. When she heard the sound of a zipper being opened, she looked up in shock, realizing just what kind of trouble she was in.
"Can't we talk--"
"Shut up!" And then she was against the wall again, and he was pulling up the skirt she was wearing.
She fought, yelling as loud as she could, leaving claw marks on the man's face and nailing him in the stomach with her knee. It wasn't enough, though, and he backhanded her and jerked her arm hard, forcing her to turn, face to the wall. In that position it was easier to hold her body still, with her arms twisted behind her back. She felt something leather like wrap around her wrists and then a hand went over her mouth.
"I said, shut UP!"
He forced his weight against her, pinning her to the wall with his body and forcing her legs apart with his knee. She thought about just dropping to the ground, but he yanked upwards on her arms, already pulled painfully high, and she screamed at the pain.
She was losing and she knew it. She was about to be raped.
"... and then -- he was just gone."
"Gone?"
"As in not there anymore."
"What happened?"
"Drake happened."
Cindy felt the pressure release and she slowly slid to the ground. Her shoulders were aching, and she took great gulps of air to ease the burning in her lungs. As she recovered, she heard growling and then a scream and she rolled over to see what had happened to her attacker.
He was about ten feet away, on his back. Standing over him, almost quivering in rage, was Drake. Her hands clenched and unclenched, and anger showed in the snarl on her face.
With her arms still pinned, Cindy could do nothing but watch.
"You're lucky I've been having a good night, asshole, and that I got here when I did. If you'd gotten even a little further I'd rip your throat out." Drake stepped back, letting the young man get to his feet. "Take off, asshole. Before I forget I don't kill humans."
Slowly, the man got to his feet. He edged back from his attacker, obviously surprised and angry at having the tables turned on him. "Fuckin' dyke." Then he was holding a knife and moving toward Drake in fury.
"Drake reacted without thinking. She -- changed."
"Changed?"
"It's the best word for it. One minute she was a human, and the next, she -- wasn't."
After ducking the blade, Drake turned and swung. Her hand was suddenly tipped with claws and they met skin through a silk shirt. With a yelp, her opponent pulled back, a hand going to his bloodied shirt. As he looked at her he saw fur appearing on her face. Her jaw was slowly elongating, and her back hunched a little. Her teeth became fangs, and her legs thickened, bulging muscles filling out formerly loose black jeans. Her arms lengthened as well, and she reached out, grabbing the startled man by his throat and throwing him against the wall not far from his original victim.
Then she turned to face him, and Cindy got her first look at the creature Drake had become. She screamed and tried to crawl away.
Ignoring her, Drake stalked up to the man now cowering before her.
"What the hell are you?" The smell of urine filled the alley as the frightened man's bladder gave way. "Somebody help me!"
Then the creature was on him, and he screamed.
"I don't know exactly what she did. I know she didn't kill him. He walked out of the alley a few minutes later. Well, ran, actually. He was bleeding, and holding his -- well, his privates. And he was crying, making this mewling sound like a baby or a little cat. I think it's that sound that's stayed with me the strongest. This big all American with his tan and his blue eyes -- and he was crying like a little child."
The creature turned towards the woman still whimpering against the wall. Before Cindy's frightened eyes, the changes reversed. She could see the fur pulling back under the woman's skin, and the fingers shortening, the claws turning back into fingers. The head shrank back, lifting, as the fangs receded, leaving only human teeth in their wake.
Moments later, Drake knelt beside Cindy, gently reaching out with a shaking hand to wipe tears from her face. When the woman pulled away from her, she looked down and sighed.
When she looked back, her eyes held a sadness that Cindy couldn't help but react to.
"If you turn around, I'll get that belt off your arms."
With a nod, Cindy turned. She felt a gentle touch on her aching wrists and then the restraint eased. She winced as she brought her arms forward, the ache worsening, then easing as her muscles relaxed from their cramped position.
"Are you okay?" Drake's voice was soft. "I mean -- I know you're not okay, but --"
"I'm fine." Cindy tried to make her voice work, but it came out as a whisper and she had to try again. "I'm fine. He -- you stopped him."
Drake looked relieved. "I would have gotten here sooner, but I didn't know where you'd gone. I went out front, and then I went to the bar and asked and --"
"I'm fine." She couldn't seem to stop repeating herself. "He didn't --you got here in time."
"Good." Drake looked around. "I think I slammed the door behind me when I came out here, so we'll have to go around the front, but --"
"What are you?" Cindy winced as she unconsciously echoed her attacker's words. "I mean -- what -- how did you --?"
With another sigh, Drake ran a hand through her short hair. "Tell you what. Let's get you out of the alley and put some ice on your eye and lip. Then we'll talk. I'll give you what answers I can. Does that sound okay to you?"
Cindy nodded, too tired to argue. Her curiosity warred with her fear and won. "Would you mind if we went to my place? I don't think I could handle the stares at a restaurant."
With a nod, Drake slowly reached out to help her up. "Did you -- uh -- do you want to call the police?"
"No. I don't feel like reliving the experience and then having to answer questions." The injured woman chuckled as they started walking down the alleyway. "Besides, I think you scared a good ten years off that asshole's life."
"I hope so." The growl that accompanied the statement reminded Cindy of what she'd just seen and her eyes widened.
"You're -- I mean -- I'm --"
"You're safe with me, Miss Thomas." The reply was a gentle tease in a soft voice, and Cindy relaxed. "I'm sorry you saw that."
"Can you tell me what I saw?"
Drake didn't answer at first. She put a hand out to help Cindy when the woman stumbled, and flagged down a taxi when they finally reached the street.
As the cab pulled up, she turned to the woman beside her. "You saw the change. You saw the other half of my nature." She opened the door and stood back to let Cindy slide in first. "And I swear to you that you won't see it again unless the circumstance is just as dire."
Standing back, Cindy Thomas regarded the woman in front of her. Her dark brown eyes were serious in the glare of the street lights.
In a soft voice, the reporter replied, "I believe you." Then she got into the taxi and let Drake take her home.
episode list promotional graphics credits links contact downloads