5- Neighbours and nastiness
The more time I spend with this Shifter, the more I begin to think fate got it
wrong.
I wonder if there is a way to break threads or get rid of them in some way. I’ve never seen it happen
before. Even in death people are tied together.
I once walked past a cemetery and saw an old man visiting his wife’s grave. The red thread still flowed
from his chest and vanished down into the ground connecting him forever to his beloved. It was
depressing but also sort of romantic in a morbid kind of way.
I nced back at the man sitting at the table across from me. I can’t imagine being linked with him
forever. I really hope fate knows what it’s doing, giving me this man as my soul
mate.
“Yes, I will be friends with your twin sister. It is fated.” He scowls at me.
“You aren’t even a Shifter, why would fate want you to be friends with my sister?” Now it’s
my turn to scowl back at him.
“What does that have to do with anything? Everyone has a fate Mr Kane, regardless of the
circumstances of their birth. When I look at someone, I see the threads of their fate, not their
species.”
I am feeling incredibly annoyed. This man is my soul mate, how can he be such a jerk? This was
definitely not the first meeting I expected when I finally met the holder of my red thread.
I had hoped for something a little sweeter, maybe cute or romantic. But no, I get yelled at and
insulted. Yay for me. He stares at me for a moment.
“Bemy.” he suddenly states.
“What?” I am totally confused, he already told me his name, didn’t he? The Shifter looks very
serious.
“Call me Bemy. Mr Kane was my father.” His expression is sad. I don’t know what happened
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5- Neighbours and nastiness
to his father, but I am certain that he can’t be alive and well, not with his son looking so miserable. I
nod.
“Fine. Bemy then. You can call me Ryann.” I offer, mostly because it would be super awkward for me
to use his first name while he uses myst name. Besides, the guy is my soul mate, we’re going to
have to pass the awkward ‘using each other’s names‘ stage eventually, why not get it out of the way
now?
The Shifter- I mentally remind myself to call him Bemy, seems relieved that I agreed so easily and…
is he breathing weirdly deep?
Maybe it’s a Shifter thing, I heard they can tell a lot about how a person is feeling and reacting from
their scent… which is kinda weird but I guess it would be useful.
“Well Bemy, now I have some questions for you.” I begin. He looks annoyed. You would think I had
just told him he had a dentist appointment or something.
“Wow, calm down would you. I’m not asking anything difficult, at least it shouldn’t be.” hesitantly,
Bemy nods and gestures for me to continue.
“Well, first I really would like to know how you found me. I didn’t even put my full name on the note, and
you didn’t know it until I told you, so I doubt you got my details from anyone at Borderline.” I reason.
Bemy shrugs.
“Your scent was all over the note. I assumed that it was ced in my sister’s bag at the restaurant
since that’s the only ce she went that evening, so I went there. It didn’t take me long to find you from
there. Your scent was… exceptionally easy to follow.” he observes with yet another deep breath. I
shrug.
“Maybe it’s because I walked home barefoot.” I say nonchntly. He seems confused.
“Barefoot? Why would you do that?” he asks curiously. I point to the heels I had abandoned in the
doorway.
“Because those shoes are evil and I am pretty sure they were biting my feet off or something. Sadly,
they are part of my uniform at work.” I exin. He raises an eyebrow.
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5- Neighbours and nastiness
“Biting your feet off? Surely they can’t be THAT bad…” he trails off. I lift my foot up and pull off my
bunny slipper to reveal the blisters and red marks that marr the pale skin of my foot.
“They are definitely that bad.” I state as I hold my foot up so he can see. It is almostical how
horrified Bemy looks. He actually leans forward and grabs my foot, pulling it towards himself.
He seems to realise how weird that is because he suddenly freezes and, almost as quickly as he grabs
me, he releases me again.
There is an awkward silence as I pull my bunny slipper back over my foot. I decide to move on to my
next question and try not to think about the fact that he figured out my location by scent. It kind of
seems like an invasion of privacy or something, but who am I to talk. I literally spy on everyone’s
personal rtionships constantly. Besides, I did leave a note.
“I… how did your sister react when she saw the note?” I find I am actually terrified to hear his response.
I don’t want her to hate me. Bemy drops his gaze to the floor.
“She hasn’t actually seen it. I scented something different in her purse, you I suppose, and I took it
before she saw. She was excited and didn’t seem to notice it. I’m not sure if I’m disappointed that my
warning never made it to her or relieved.
“I’m surprised you took the effort to track me down.” Iment. He shifts ufortably in his seat.
Owned by N?velDrama.Org.
“She’s my sister, I had to know if there was anything to the note. Besides…” he hesitates.
“I’m not too sure about Tristan. I’ve never really bonded with him.” I interpret that as his tactful guy way
of saying he hates Tristan and thinks he is a total ass. I open my mouth to say so, but I am interrupted
by someone at the door.
Paul is standing with his arms crossed over his chest in my doorway. We have been so busy arguing,
neither of us thought to close the door. Bemy is on his feet in an instant and steps forward to meet
the stranger. Paul speaks, his tone is one ofplete disgust.
“A Shifter?” he bites out, staring at Bemy’s mark.
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5- Neighbours and nastiness
“I thought you were such a nice girl Ryann, I hope you don’t intend to have Shiftersing at all hours
in my building.” He snaps. Bemy takes a step closer, his stance is defensive. I get to my feet and
stand between them.
“Bemy, ignore my neighbour. It seems he has poor manners. Paul, get out of MY apartment. This
building belongs to Maggie, not you and there is no reason why I can’t invite whoever I please.” I
remind him. So Bemy is a bit of an ass, but I’m not going to let my neighbour be insulting because of
his species. Paul res at me.
“Well sorry foring to check on you after this brute almost knocked your door down. I could hear it
from downstairs. Magics really all act like rules don’t apply to them, don’t they?” he directs thest
statement towards Bemy who looks like he wants to knock Paul out.
I don’t really me him. Paul is grating on my nerves too.
Without saying anything, I push the sleeve of my pyjamas up as high as I can on my arm. It’s just
enough that the bottom of my mark is visible. Paul’s expression darkens.
“What the hell? Maggie promised that everyone in this building was safe. I guess a little olddy is
pretty easy to fool huh?”
I snap. It’s one thing to insult Bemy, I barely know him. Insult me?
Sure, why not. It’s not like there aren’t tons of people doing it already, I can take it. But Maggie? She is
the best person I know, and I can’t stand to hear him speak about her that way. I probably shouldn’t get
physical but I just can’t help myself. My hand flies before my brain registers that it’s moving and I p
him hard across the face.
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