Mad Woman Rambles

“Auntie Flo, wait a minute!” Krystal calls after her aunt following her into the kitchen. The smells that hit my nose make my kitty tummy rumble and my mouth salivate from hunger. The kitchen gave off a cozy, earthy vibe with it’s green painted cabinets and copper fixtures. Plants took up all available space giving off a warm feeling. In another life I would have enjoyed a cup of tea in the wooden nook with the bay window overlooking the yard.  

“You knew Minerva was put in Max’s body?” Krystal asked, clutching me closer to her body.  

‘Hold on, I’m a boy cat?!’ I complained. ‘Of all the indignities!’ I mewed drawing Flo’s attention. The look on the older woman’s face caused me to shrink back in Krystal’s arms, trying to make myself as small as possible. 

 “That little snit knows exactly what she did and why she isn’t welcomed in this house,” Flo retorted.  

“Okay, who is this Minerva person? And how did you get back here before me?” Misty asked, stepping in between Krystal and Flo effectively blocking her view of me. I purred involuntarily as Krystal bit her bottom lip and rubbed the top of my head.  

“Hmph” Stormi smirked to herself as she shoveled food on everyone’s plate that had been set around the corner nook. Flo clicked her tongue as she turned to Krystal waiting for her explanation.  

“Okay, goodness glaciers! I don’t know exactly who Minerva is, per se. She showed up with Aunt Stormi to get me out of the Peach Kiss. Next thing I know I am sharing a mind with her, and we were heading back at the store,” Krystal paused slumping down into a chair at the table and placing me on the bay window cushioned seat behind her head. I lay there waiting to see what my fate might be and possible escape routes.  

“When we got back to the store Jona showed up. He made me an offer to get rid of her,” she explained.  

“You nitwit! You accepted a favor from a fae noble?!” Misty exclaimed. “Oh, this is rich. Even I am not that dumb,” Misty criticized her sister for her stupidity. For once I agreed with her. There were far better deals to be made. If I had been human, I would have been able to make those deals for us. Then again if I had been human we wouldn’t be where we are right now.  

“Aunt Flo could have exorcised the demon from you.” Misty shook her head. “Do better.” 

‘I am not a demon!’ I yowled in retort.  

“Oh, for the love of Freyja!” Flo exclaimed and a flick of wrist I fell silent. I felt my fur start to tingle and tongue grow heavy for a split second. “Now speak!” she commanded. 

“If I had half a mind I would–,” I began in my normal voice. Everyone stared at me as my beautiful voice graced my ears. “You can hear me?” I asked warily, taking in the nodding heads around me. “How did you?” 

“I may not agree with consorting with demons, but I do know my way around a communication spell,” Flo replied crossing her arms. “Now speak, since you are so chatting. The meowing was getting tiresome.”  

I nodded my feline head and began to regal the Waters clan with my tragic story of how I ended up here and my revenge plot against the dastardly dashing men who put me in my current condition. ‘Both Korbin and Jona would pay dearly. Oh yes! They would pay!’ I thought as the Waters women patiently listened and said nothing until I finished.  

They sat in silence around the kitchen table processing my harrowing tale. My tail flicked back and forth as I waited for any kind of response. These humans were slow thinkers that was for sure. If I didn’t need their help I would have moved on to find another body to jump into.  

Stormi sat back in her chair, her food half eaten on her plate. She laughed slapping her knee, “Pissed off some powerful people, did ya? We wouldn’t want to run afoul of the New Orleans coven or Abigail Winters. She is no one to trifle with.” Stormi rubbed her chin in thought as I looked up at her.  

“You could say that”, I replied managing to give her a haughty look in this feline body.  

“Then we play nice with this Winters chick and stay away from New Orleans,” Misty stated. “Fine by me. I think I have warrants there anyways,” she mentioned before shoveling more food into her mouth. “What are we going to do with you?” Misty asked around a mouth full of food.”  

‘Neanderthal.’ I balked at her poor manners. ‘Disgusting.’ But before I could say as much a familiar masculine voice cut me off.  

“I could assist with that,” that masculine voice said from the darkened doorway. All of us turn towards him as a mysterious figure emerged from the shadows beyond the door. My fur instinctively stood up on end as I hissed at the newcomer.  

“You have got a lot of nerve showing your face here, Mallec,” I hissed.   

“Indeed, I do. I have it in spades,” Mallec chuckled as he stepped into the light.