Shifty Characters Ch. 01

"You know..." The creature leaned close, resting one claw on the table. He leaned back, sitting on the table now, unable to get his face more than a few inches away from hers. Whenever he squirmed, she would gently adjust his chin with her other hand, holding him still and captive. Her smile had taken on a beguiling quality. "I've been wondering, Jazzy. I spent a long time wondering after I convinced those monsters to fling me back into the atmosphere. I spent a long time wondering while I waited to hit the ground." She released his chin from her soft clutches and cocked her head.

It was such a childlike gesture. Coupled with that smile, Jasper felt it draining just a little more of the fight from him. He stared into those silver eyes, the eyes he'd once compared to lustrous will o' the wisps.

"Why, Jasper?" Her eyebrows arched. "Why did you do it? I would have left if you'd asked. I never made you do any of what we did together."

Jasper leaned back still more. His head was almost flat against the table. He felt a soft hand cradling the back of it, stroking his short black hair like he was a mere babe. The baron didn't answer.

The creature frowned, as if confused. The expression seemed purely genuine, despite what Jasper knew. "I wouldn't even have told the poor baroness. Experiences were all I wanted from you, Jazzy. I didn't want to hurt anyone." Finally, her voice broke, just a fraction. "Why did you do that to me?"

Jasper was now lying back against the table, his head in the creature's hand. His eyes stared straight into hers, much as he wished he could look away. She lay atop him, curvaceous figure pressed against his trembling body. Both of them could feel his rapid, fluttering heartbeat. He stared up into her beautiful eyes, feeling himself becoming slowly lost in them. He knew her too well for his own good. It only took one look and he wanted to melt in her once more. And there was nowhere to look but those eyes.

But that meant his hands weren't being watched. And he also knew this creature too well for her own good.

"Because," he said hoarsely, "you made me want you. You...you owned me."

She smirked. "You wanted me all by yourself." She licked her finger, then traced it down his cheek, onto his lips. He shook, feeling his lust beginning to overcome his fear, feeling his cock starting to harden. "And you wanted to be mine." She leaned very close—close enough he could smell her sweet breath. "It's a common symptom of being around me, but it's not my fault. Why do you have to blame me for your own weakness? Why's it such a big deal, anyways?"

"You'll never understand why," he whispered. "Never understand humans. You're going to die alone, and fucking strangers isn't going to change that."

Her face went devoid of expression. She seemed to think a moment before speaking. "I came here to kill you, Jazzy. It's going to be slow, and it's going to hurt. I'll be here for every moment of your death." In spite of the words, her tone was fond. Her other hand stroked the back of his head softly. "I'll look after you once again, dearest."

"I think I've had my fill of being looked after." And Jasper lunged. His hand darted down to the creature's belt, drawing out the dagger where he remembered she kept it. She blinked, momentarily caught off-guard, and started to get up. But her proximity now betrayed her, slowing her movement by just a hair.

Giving a snarl, Jasper plunged the dagger into the doppelganger's stomach.

Many-hued blood sprayed out onto his hand and chest. The creature screamed, falling away, desperate to escape her own weapon. "No! You can't—"

"That's your problem, you miserable monster." Jasper sprang off the table, grabbing a nearby chair. "I can do whatever I want. Nobody is going to get in my way—especially not some shapeshifting whore. You may be faster, and stronger, but you're dumb as a brick, 'dearest'."

"No!" Her body was morphing rapidly. Teeth grew, then retracted. Skin went translucent, showing the black blood and organs beneath, then went as black as ebony, then as white as quartz. Her ears grew elfin points, then enlarged and grew fur until they were more like bat ears—then stretched bizarrely until they were like bat wings.

The creature struggled to her feet only to be slammed into. The baron rammed with his shoulder, knocking her down. She twisted, trying to rise again, eyes wide as saucers. "No! I have to—"

"You've had this coming a long time, you demonic bitch." He raised the chair over his head to break the shapeshifter's neck.

The door opened. Reflexively, Jasper turned to see Peska in the doorway. Beside her stood Bisem, the captain of the guard. They stared in shock.

"Bisem! Peska!" He scowled. "You're just in time to—"

"Your Excellency!" Bisem shouted, looking horrified. He started to rush forward, drawing out a spine-covered shield. "Don't!"

"What?" Jasper blinked, looking back down at...the scrawny-but-attractive woman that was his wife, Oefeli. Her face was screwed up in concentration.

Then Bisem rammed into Jasper, the man's plate armor brutally bruising the baron's side. Jasper was literally sent flying, slamming into the stone wall.

"No, you fool!" he howled, twisting to avoid being grabbed by the brawny guardsman. "It's a doppelganger! A doppelganger!"

Peska gave a strangled cry. "Bisem, look!"

Bisem stopped trying to grab Jasper and turned. Still lying on the floor, Jasper looked as well—just in time to see a young woman with feathery, wing-like arms zoom by them. She leaped, crashing through the window.

Rainbow blood sprayed everywhere as Jasper helplessly watched her struggle in the air a moment, then right herself and zoom away.

Bisem was calling for his archers. Jasper knew, though, that it was too late. The doppelganger was gone. And if she managed to tell someone what he'd done with her...with it...

He'd have to call in some professionals.

~~~~

Goblin's Note: Sorry, I know this chapter doesn't have much sex in it, but the balance between story and sex will get better soon, I promise!

I got the idea for this story when I noticed there don't seem to be a ton of stories on the site that use proper shapeshifters and not just werewolves (not that there's anything wrong with werewolves!). It seemed like a shame to me, so...here we are! Coming next: Larya learns a thing or two about goblins as Balabar gets directions from a 'willing' wood nymph.

Thoughts, critiques, complaints, suggestions and spam (the delicious canned meat kind) are always welcome! :D