Vixen

Chapter 5

No way back

Noelle

I followed Zack out of the school and we jumped on a train which took us outside of the city. He didn't say a word during this whole trip and all I tried to do was not run away or scream in pain. Something deep inside told me that I could trust him. When we were downtown we walked to a further road which was already covered by trees, bushes, etc. The air became cooler and it was around 5 pm already.

-Here we are. - Zack said and he got me out of the guard. I shivered and stared at him for a few seconds before I said.

- Perfect place to kill someone or hide a body. Which one are we doing? - Zack laughed and stood in front of me.

- We are burying the old Noelle. Tell me what do you know about shifters?

- Shifters? - I asked back and Zack raised his eyebrows in surprise.

- Yeah... You know, werewolves, sirens, werefoxes, kitsunes? - I busted out in laughter causing Zack to get even more surprised.

- Obviously, they don't exist. - I said finally when I stopped laughing. Zack crossed his arms in front of his chest and grinned.

- Really? - he asked in a mocking voice and I nodded.

- Did you bring me this far because of this nonsense? What does this even do with my pain? - Zack took off his shirt and he was about to pull off his jeans when I shouted.

- Whoa! Stop! Are you insane dude? - his well-defined abs tried to call my attention to them but I resisted.

- No. I just want to show you how wrong you are. Just don't run away. Deal?- someone might think that I'm a total i***t but I've come so far so I wanted to know what was all this about.

- Deal. - I said and Zack, the tall fit, handsome, black-haired, and green-eyed guy started to transform. I heard his bones cracking, his nose elongated and he fell to four legs. All his body was now covered with black and grey fur, in front of my eyes he became a german shepherd-sized black fox.

- What the f**k? - this was all I could react to. He walked to me and gently touched my palm with his nose. I caressed his head and he shifted back. I wasn't scared at all this whole situation somehow felt so normal. He shifted back into a now naked Zack. I quickly covered my eyes and he git dressed. He bowed like an actor at a theatre after the play.

- Okay I was wrong. - I admitted.

- What are you? - I asked.

- A werefox. There is another type of my kind which is kitsune but they live mostly in Asia. As you saw I can shift into a fox anytime I want. Our hearing, eyesight, and sense of smell are a lot better than any other humans', even better than werewolves'.

- So everything we can see in paranormal movies is true...- I stated and Zack nodded. I sat down on the ground and millions of questions popped up in my head. Zack interrupted them with his own question.

- How is it possible that you don't know about this? You are one of us as well. Your parents never talked with you about shifting and which creatures to avoid? - I shook my head... Now it all made sense, why we moved each time I overachieved, why my mom was so paranoic... Was she also a fox?

- Well that is strange. Anyway, what you are experiencing is that you are about to shift for the first time. It will be painful but later it will be like a piece of cake. Werefoxes don't have a fox spirit separated in their bodies. So when you shift you will be your true self. Werewolves have a wolf spirit and they have basically split personalities who work extremely well together. They are not fans of werefoxes so you should avoid them from now on.

- Hold the horses! You are telling me that I will turn into a fox?! And that I might become prey to other supernatural creatures? What if I don't want to be a werefox?- I asked and Zack waited for me to calm a bit. He kneed in front of me and said.

- You have no choice. You were born this way. Now take off your jeans and shirt. Focus inside of yourself and shift. I will be here to help because you clearly need some.- I stood up slowly and did as Zack said. We waited and I focused inside, but nothing happened and I started to believe that he was fooling me when I felt an excruciating pain ran across my spine and legs. It made me scream and fall to the ground. I supported myself with my arms and legs trying to get up but it felt like I had tons of weight on my back. I felt how my bones broke and elongated, my hair color now it was all over my body. I closed my eyes and when I opened them the next time and I looked down I was standing on four fox legs. The rarest part in all of these happenings was that I wasn't scared. I felt incredibly great like I just became my true self. The wind blew between my fur, all the smells, colors and sounds became even stronger. It was already getting dark but I saw every little detail. Zack's smell also changed, it was earthy and like the fresh air after a thunderstorm. He smirked at me. I took a few circles around myself and checked out every inch of my body that I could see. I was like a red fox just bigger. After a few turns, I got a bit dizzy and sat down. Zack chuckled and shifted himself. I heard his voice in my mind.

- Happy 18th birthday little one! - I tilted my head. It was weird to hear him in my mind. I mean a few hours ago I didn't even know him.

- Um... Thanks. But how do you do this? - he laughed.

- We can talk in our fox form with other supernatural creatures. This is one of the advantages of being a werefox.

- What are the others?- I asked curiously.

- Well we are f*****g fast and our stamina is a lot better than werewolves or werebears. Also, we are incredibly good at tracking and getting out of trouble, thanks to our sixth sense. Werewolves can only link those wolves that are in their pack or they are mates.

- Do we have packs?

- No. Our kind is free, we neither have mates like werewolves unless our mate is one, which happens rarely, but other creatures or humans can be your mate as well.

- What is a mate? - I asked and his voice changed. Zack now talked sweet and sentimental like he knew the feeling.

- A mate is your soulmate. Your other half, the one you meet and there is nothing you wouldn't do for that person. You would literally die for them. If they die you will soon too probably because the day you meet, your souls merge into one in the eyes of the Moon Goddess. - I felt the fur standing up on my back. I didn't want to get that attached to someone. I wanted to experience freedom.

- You talk like you know the feeling. - Zack's tail wiggled a bit.

- I know it that's why. I have met my mate a few years ago. I was still sixteen without my first shift and while I was wandering in the woods I saw the most perfect woman in the entire world. She was older than I but looked so sweet and innocent. When she noticed me her pupils grew large and she whispered "Mate" after that this feeling hit me like a lightning. We are together for three years now, her name is Piper. She is a white witch.

- Wow... - I couldn't say anything else. This was too much information.

- I can imagine this a lot to handle, I want to help you to understand and learn what you need about our world. First rule, no shifting in front of humans. The second rule, you can't harm a human with your powers like huge strength, etc. For now, this is enough. Would you like to go for a run?

- Yes. - we started to run and I also jumped several times. It felt so great I was finally free and I understood my mother better. She might know that this is going to happen and she really wanted to protect me. After a good hour of running, we walked back, shifted into our human form and Zack gave me his number.

- Here you are. I think we will see each other more often from now on. We should stick together. - he said with a wink.

- Definitely. Thanks for everything Zack!

- Don't be silly Noelle, this is gonna be so much fun! - he shouted like a teenage girl. We said our goodbyes and I headed home. It was already really late and I saw several missed calls from mom. I felt useless to call her back since I was already at our main door. I took a deep breath and walked in mentally preparing myself for the screaming of my mom. I turned to our corridor from the stairs and I smelled a disgusting scent. It was like rotten meat which was covered with expensive colognes. The hair on my body stood up and I had to cover my mouth before a soft growl escaped from it. It was even harder to contain myself when I saw a man in his late fifties dragging with him my bleeding and injured mother. My eyes opened wide at the scenario and my legs stopped in tracks. The man walked to me and placed a hundred bucks in my hand saying.

- You haven't seen anything kiddo. - I felt my blood boiling and I was about to throw up from his scent. My mother glanced at me just right when I wanted to say to him to stop and let my mom go. I understood from her glance that I need to stay quiet. I walked past them and gently caressed my mom's arm without him noticing it. Just in case I walked another level up on the stairs. When the main door closed I ran back to our apartment and called the police. They arrived quickly and started the investigation. Right, when they were questioning me my mom walked into the apartment. I jumped up and hugged her.

- Mom are you okay?

- Yes. Why are the police here? - I frowned and looked at her like she really hit her head hard.

- Mom you were kidnapped.-she laughed and started to excuse herself for the policeman that I was having a stressful period in school and I had insomnia which caused hallucinations lately. They left the apartment but an older policeman stayed behind and said.

- I believe you. - he gave me his number.

- Call me whenever you need help. - I looked into his eyes and he winked at me, his scent was so familiar and his looks as well. But who was him?