It's not just about being comfortable with each other, it's about killing any symptoms of malice!
There's a small portal beside her where she's putting her clothes. She told me to do the same. And it feels like I'm the only one reacting to this situation. Perhaps she didn't tell me earlier because of this possibility. I strip my coat, shirt, pants, and even my boots to put them in the enchanted portal. The clothes disappear whenever we put them there. I only have my boxer as the cover.
"I hope this will suffice."
"Hm, so that's your real color?" Her arms are folded when I look at her. Inevitably, I stole a glance at her body before it crawled up to her face. I'm relieved she didn't catch me because she's staring at the spots on my skin. Just a glimpse of her fair skin, bulges of her breasts, and loins electrifies me! I looked away and that's how I met Acro's menacing glare. I clear my throat.
"Come here," Dandeline instructs.
I stood in front of her then she snapped fingers at my face.
"I'll show you." Her hand is surrounded with light enchantment and when she touches the wall, everything waggles again but this time, I saw the eyes Dandeline was talking about. These eyes are as big as a clock and their eyes are moving in different directions. "Now they can't see us. They won't be able to confound an unseen prey. Which means we can leave this inn as is." She drops her hand then everything is back to normal. When we left the room, the structure of the inn was back to its original form even if we crossed another door.
Dandeline told me that we should hurry. We're running down the stairs to the exit when the walls compressed! The path becoming narrow also slows down our steps. I'm running behind Dandeline when I saw the wall designed with a fossil artifact was about to hit her.
"Dan!" I ran faster to parry that horn before the two walls compressed and trapped us. We're running out of movements. I'm trying to push the wall and she's casting an enchantment but all efforts are reduced to naught.
We stop struggling and chase our breath instead. I ask, "I thought this building can't see us?"
"Yes, it can't. But to play it safe, this monster trapped us before they could let us escape blindly. I expect this anyway!" She sounded proud. The exit is ahead of us but we're totally stuck, while Acro flies off all the way to that exit.
"What shall we do?"
"... Let me think about it."
I purse my lips and look at the exit. I can't bring myself to smash these walls because of my position. Plus, my shoulder where the horn pierced feels numb. After the long silence I gave her, I look at her again and am confused when she's flustered.
"Are you alright?"
"I am, just..."
"I believe this kind of position isn't really helpful for meditation," I said sarcastically. We're compressed with each other because of the walls behind us; both of my arms are flattened on the wall behind her, her arms are flattened to my chest, and her legs are in between mine. I've been pulling back any malice whenever her softness presses on me. Yet the little smell of sweetness in her skin arouses me. And now, she can't land sight on me anymore. I whisper,
"Sorry."
"Well, embarrassments are part of life."
"You're the one who said we should be comfortable—"
"Yes! And without further ado, there's more you need to know about this trick that I can't bring my tongue to tell you."
"Sure. What is it?"
"You're aware of Tanya's personality. And I'm... just... concerned about you, too."
"Is there something wrong?"
"..." She looks straight into my eyes. "To put an end to this tricky house," she says hesitantly, "we have to kiss."
And she's been pulling back that truth from me. We exchange fake laughs. "Aha-ha... ah... why does it concern you?"
"Because I respect your feelings! I know how traumatized you are from what Tanya did and I don't want that to happen to you again!"
"But it's you, not Tanya, this time."
"..." Our eyes talk with each other for a moment. "What's with me— No! This isn't the right time to talk about that."
"I trust you, that's why."
"Are you s-sure it's okay?"
"If it's fine with you."
"Right. It's fine."
I play my sight around before I look at her again. "Shall we?" I tried to bend down to reach for her lips but the wall behind me and the horn hindered me. She wraps her arms around my neck and lifts a kiss on my lips. She's standing on tiptoe. I lean her on the wall behind her, supporting her on her waist.
I thought a peck would be enough, yet the second I tasted her soft lips boiled the pleasure within me. We kiss deeper intimately, both lost in the wild. I heard her chase her breath as my tongue gropes for her tongue. The thirst of my lips is severe. I can't even tell if I'm still myself. My chest pounds because she's responding the same. I remember the prophecy of the furnace.
"Excuse me." We turn our eyes on the security guard who approaches us. "Don't you have a room yet for the privacy of your affection?" he asked, discouraged. Everything is back to how it used to be. Some people are murmuring and laughing at us. We've done this outside the lobby area, both naked. I couldn't die in peace! Dandeline pulls me inside the empty lobby where we both get dressed.
"Tanya... I'll make sure she'll burn her tongue and throat!!" she complains whilst dressing.
I do it silently. The embarrassment shall surely haunt me! An awkward silence between us plays a role. The sensation of her lips on mine is still here. It's so not me that I want more!
"Hessuel." My heart froze when she called. "Tanya is outside. She could reactivate the trick anytime soon especially if she sees us escaping. We have to leave here as quick as a blink!"
"T-The exit is only a few steps away."
"That's not what I meant! Can you shift into a wolf?"
"No. I don't know how."
"I know you can, you just can't remember. How about this, I will unlock the spell within you for a short period of time just for you to remember how to use your power. Once you turn into a wolf, sprint as fast as you can to the exit."
"Then how about you?"
"I will be your passenger behind. Can you cooperate?"
"Yes!"
"Just to forewarn you, this idea is apparently risky. It's a forbidden spell. At some point, it might harm you."
"I trust you."
Her tongue holds its words for a second. "Thank you."
She reaches my temple before casting the spell on me. The shine of her enchantment blinds me and during that effect, my head is bombarded with unfamiliar memories of strangers and scenes.
All of a sudden, I remember everything about myself. My family... My origin... I was born... more than three hundred years ago... My head is being squeezed in pain! When I was about to lose myself from grief, I felt warm touches on my cheeks.
"Hessuel, remember how to shift! This will not last long!"
A voice of a woman echoes in my head, the one who's teaching me the capabilities of a werewolf, my mother. Automatically, there's a strong will within me that flows throughout my body. And that gives me enough power to change my body just like how I do with my claws. When I feel bigger than ever, I lift Dandeline behind me and escape from the inn in a blink of an eye. The doorway collapsed when I passed. I managed to stop the drift with my claws and put Dandeline down safely.
"You made it!" she exclaims in joy. "Hessuel, you're amazing!" This is the first time she compliments me.
I sat in front of her but I'm still bigger. I feel naked as well but I'm covered with furs. However, instead of rejoicing, my heart is filled with sadness from the fact that my lineage is already extinct. Being an endangered species weighs so much sorrow. The people around us were scared, but we ignored it. Dandeline notices my mood.
"That's enough, Hessuel," she said gently without looking at me. She snaps fingers at my face then everything in my mind fades... I became smaller... and weaker... before it all ends for me.
☪ ✧ ✧
The playful caresses woke me.
The feeling before I lose sight of the battle remains the same: I feel smaller. Where I'm lying down is as warm as the body and soft as a bed. I'm surrounded by the smell of Dandeline. I look up, more confusing than the calculation of math, that Dandeline is bigger. "Good morning, little wolfy~!" she greets and chuckles. I jumped away from her lap and looked at my form; I have these tiny paws, furs, and a tail!
I stood with my two thighs and said, ["What's going on!? Why am I... What's this...?"]
But she kept on giggling at me. "Surprised? It was you who made it. You've finally awakened one of your capabilities."
["I did? I thought it was all just because of your spell?"]
"And since you're speaking in the tongue of a wolf," she puts a ribbon on my right leg above the ankle, it has a crescent moon design as the lace, "always have this. It enchants me to understand what you're saying. It's stretchable whatever size you shift."
My shoulders fell. ["Ah, you didn't understand me just now?"]
"I didn't. What were you saying?"
["Nothing."]
I look away, flinching my ears, and realize where we are. We're in a huge and elegant room. Acro is sleeping on top of a golden pendulum. The moment I was about to ask her, she suddenly lifted me like how she does to her dogs and was stiffened when she rubs her face on my fur while smacking me with kisses!
["Dan! S-Stop—"]
"You're so adorably cute~! Please stay like this forever!"
I'm pushing her face away with my tiny paws. ["It's still me! You'll regret this!"] I remember that every time I shift forms, my body changes in shape like clay until the desired form is transmuted. Whatever I wear in my human remains even after the shift. When I shift into a human again, I end up sitting on Dandeline's thighs while she's still holding me on my waist.
"Now, kiss me," I teased.