The Shapeshifter

No proofreading. I am so tired. Enjoy

....

The glass perspired around the amber liquid that rested before Felita; she ran her finger over the rim as the water droplets fell to the base of the glass. She turned to look up at the busy jazz club. A bar sat at the far end of the underground club where blue fairy lights sat, while the stage had a red spotlight and a very flamboyant dancer moved along the stage. Octavian is a shapeshifter who based their entire act on shifting into different people and creatures. Felita smiled while pulling the strong liquid to her lips as she exhaled softly.

Recca was ignoring her since we left the market back in Paternoster, all because Felia didn't snatch their mate up when they saw her. Felita can still picture her blunt bob, button nose, and face that reminded her of a fairy. With her nervous shivers and shy smile, Felita loved the way she affected her, the flush on her cheeks and that little giggle. But her scent drove Felita crazy, it was like she could smell it now, the hints of coconut milk, tropical fruit, and spicy wood musk which awoke Recca.

*she is here* she growled in Felita's ear but Felita just closed her eyes, trying to push back her eagerness.

Felita shook her head "No, she is not" she howled at Recca, who was running wild in her mind. Felita grabbed her glass, so she had some cold against her skin.

Felita looked around the busy smokey club to distract herself and to cool down Recca when Felita saw her. She stood against the fairy lights in tall heels that wrapped around her shapely legs while a mini skirt hovered over her hips. Her curly blunt bob sat under a beret. Her scent hit Felita like a ton of bricks and she took a deep breath of her. Felita watched her mate stare at the stage for a moment. Her mate grabbed the shifter's attention as she made her way towards the spiral stairs that climbed into the second floor where the dressing rooms sat.

Before Felita could stop herself, she chased after her, mesmerized by her swinging hips. Felita licked her lip, piercing as Recca flashed images of her bent over the table and quivering in pleasure. Felita shook her head as she walked up to the door, which had a star on it. She pushed it open and disappeared into it.

The doorknob felt cold against Felita's fingers but she knew if she entered this room, Recca would have her liquid palm of her hands and Felita wouldn't be able to 

…

The napalm sky floated above Rueben as she stepped down into the stairwell of a jazz club. A painting of a door was firmly carved against a wall. Rueben lifted her wrist and wrote a symbol. She waved her wrist over the wall as a deep carving sound could be heard while Rueben changed her essence into that of a fairy. The door heavily cracked open while a troll guarded the door. He stood tall and massive with tattoos wrapped around his arms, all dressed in security guard gear. He gave her a look up and down as Rueben raised her eyebrow at him, but he took a step aside and she climbed down the stairs. 

The scene there was lit with fairy lights, smokey ashtrays, and the musical vibes that only a jazz club could hold. Rueben looked to the stage where Octavian commanded the scene. Octa had the crowd in their grasp as they danced through each choreographed number with strip poles, feather boas, and costume changes. Octa met Rueben's eyes across the lust room and winked at her while showing off their fangs. Rueben felt Crystal blinking on her neck. She had been quiet since the witch used her power, but Rueben expected her to complain.

Rueben felt Crystal shiver in her neck. "they are amazing, aren't they?" they blink with such administration.

Rueben smirked, ready to start a fire. "I thought you weren't speaking to me" She looked to the stage one more time before leaving towards the spiral staircase.

Crystal shuffled in her mind as Aura crossed her arms, complaining that Rueben had shut her out and used his power. Now, he was being hunted.

Rueben shook her head. "there is no hunt, he doesn't know where we are going" she stopped before a door with a star on it. "plus, this brief stop will throw him off," Rueben commented before slipping in.

There were feather boas, lights, and just costumes scattered around the room. Rueben stopped to admire the working nymph who floated about the scene, their fairy-like bodies desperately trying to fix the place up. Makeup sat on a vanity dressing table while pearls were strung from mirror to mirror, a room divider sat in the corner. Fluffy couches and seats scattered, and the room was dimly lit by very aesthetic candles. And Rueben moved to touch the soft pink boa, which lay across a couch. 

Crystal's energy grew dark "What if this isn't a throw" Rueben rolled her eyes and walked to the wall which had pictures stuck to the wall "What if he wanted you to find that purple shit to bring you here" the witch huffed. 

"Why would he?" Rueben argued, "a place filled with people, too many witnesses" She settled against a vanity table.

"Maybe he wants witnesses." Her words echoed in Rueben's mind, but she couldn't process it because the door burst open.  

A very glamorous performer walked in, along with their entourage. Octa's deep toffee skin glowed in the candle and their light, golden eyes found mine. They were sharp but hazed over, probably by alcohol. But they were still sparkling with mischief, but when they realized Rueben's attitude, they threw words at the group and the group wandered out. They threw their silk kimono over their corset, covering their shoulder before falling into a seat by the vanity which Rueben had to move out of the way. 

They stared up at themselves in the mirror, ignoring Rueben's presence while slowly bluffing power onto their face. "It has been a long time, Rue" Rueben nodded, leaning against the side of the vanity. "How have you been?" They tried to keep up some pretense that Rueben was her friend.

Rueben faked a smile, which hurt her cheeks. "this is not a social call" She pulled out a ziplock bag that had the leaf and purple liquid spread on the plastic.

They rolled their eyes. "is it ever" It was a statement, not a question. They took the bag from Rueben and began moving the slime with their silhouette nails. "where is Crystal? She is much more pleasant" The witch rolled my eyes and lifted her necklace.

Octavian walked up to Rueben, towering over the witch. They grasped the necklace in their elegant fingers before pulling it from the witch's neck and moving back to the vanity. Rueben rolled her eyes and moved away from them. Rueben's blood boiled as she saw Crystal between their fingers and their secretive looks that said she was invading their privacy. 

"Enough, Octa" She moved towards them and grabbed Crystal from their hand. "Just tell me where to find this purple shit?" Rueben grabbed the ziplock from them. "I don't have time for schoolgirl gossip". They rolled their eyes and moved to the room divider.

They throw their arms up dramatically. "Why would I know where that comes from?" They moved behind it and began to undress.

Rueben huffed, and the witch opened a secret compartment, revealing an identical purple liquid in a small glass bottle. They gasped before being teleported, with the bottle in Rueben's hand.

They appeared in their vanity "that is none of your business". The witch rolled her eyes as she looked down, exhaling.

There was one thing that could change their mind: "They took Raine" Rueben felt the room tense and the walls began to creak around her. She cautiously turned to face them. Their eyes were saddened, and their posture was hunched.

Octa shook their head. "that's not fair" Rueben walked up to the tall shifter and pushed them against the wall. Rueben was done with the whole thing. 

The witch lifted the bag to their face. "It's not, but you need to tell me where I can find this shit" Octa was shaking against Rueben's hand.

"Merchant, the name is Marko, he sold that stuff to me" Rueben nodded and stepped away from them, pulling a notepad out.

"Anyone else?" Rueben looked down at the poor soul to find that she had sunk to the floor, hugging their sides.

"No, he is the only one who gets it, but he traveled east a few days ago," they explained before standing up, still holding themselves. The witch nodded, writing it down.

"What does it do?" Rueben watched their shoulders tense and goosebumps springing to life on their shoulders. "Octa?" the witch pleaded, as they nodded. It seemed like they were trying to come to grips with what was happening.

They shook their head "It works like Chloroform but stronger, you use a drop of it to sleep, for people who suffer from insomnia" Rueben nodded before heading to the door "Wait, Rue, you don't understand, the merchant, by now he is in The Perpetuum" She stopped dead in her tracks, flashes of Raine's face moved through the witch's mind.

"It's fine," Rueben whispered in heavy energy that fell on her heart while Crystal blinked in the witch's hand, but she silenced her again. Rueben began to fidget, her mind racing on what was next. When Octa appeared in front of me.

They reached their arms out as if to stop. "I may not like you but sending you. Rueben gazed up at them for a second, then tried to leave, but the shifter stopped her. "Take her if you're going," the flamboyant shifter said, opening the door to show Rueben the woman she had never expected to see again.

She leaned against the wall with ease, as she was sculpted with it. She stared up at Rueben with red halo eyes and silver studs fitted in her brow, lip, nose, and ears. "No" Rueben shook her head at the thought, but the woman just lifted her eyebrow. "why would I do that? I don't need help," Rueben argued, pulling her eyes away from the seductive beast. 

Octa grabbed the witch's shoulders "She is one of few who know the Perpetuum" Rueben just stared at the voguish queen with a deadpan look in her eyes, not wanting to spend days with that alluring stare "Either you take her or I tell" they crossed their arms as a smirk crept up on their lips.

Rueben gave them a deep sneer, "Who YOU gonna tell?" hissing through her teeth.

They giggled, leaning against the doorjamb. "oh you know who" Rueben grabbed them by the arm and ushered them deeper into the room again.

The witch pushed the shifter towards the couch and they gladly fell into it with a soft oof "You wouldn't dare, especially with Raine's life at risk". They stared up at Rueben, and she felt their rage. 

The entertainer was mad, standing up from their seat. "Stop trying to be a savior. It isn't helping. You need to let go of your pride for the sake of you and Raine." The witch was stunned and walked out.

Walking up to the woman who gave me a look over, "Why should I trust you?" She smirked before grabbing Rueben by the waist, causing them to slam into each.

The scent of peppermint and tobacco hit the witch's body like a wave. Their faces were centimeters apart. "you know why you can" Rueben felt the burning sensation of a shiver climb up her back. She smirked at the witch's reaction before moving toward Octa, who threw a flask toward her, which she caught with her eyes still on Reuben, and the witch had to catch her breath.