The Werecats: Creatures of the Night (Book One) (Revised)

- Three: Self Control -

- Three: Self Control -

The world slammed it's way back into my thoughts as my eyes opened to see the familiar ceiling of my bedroom above me. That was an insane dream, I told myself as I vowed to write what I could remember from it down.

I dragged myself out of bed and popped two Tylenol to sooth my pounding head before walking to the bathroom. I glanced in the mirror and immediately did a double take as a shout of horror escaped my throat.

It was Riley in the mirror, that was for sure, but a Riley I hadn't known for the past eighteen years. My hair, instead of being it's normal curly and chocolate brown, had darkened to jet black curls engulfing my face. I got closer to the mirror and touched the reflection as I studied my eyes. Instead of the usual dark brown, they had become small pits of fire with tinges of green, blue and silver throughout. On anyone else it would have been beautiful, but the abnormality of it made my insides twist.

Next I studied my arm, which was the most worrisome change. The once invisible veins resembled black lightning shooting up my arm, all spawning from the same point on my wrist. I remembered the dream, how the man had hoisted me up by my wrist and the burning, but immediately disregarded the thought.

Getting dressed in long sleeves and sunglasses that wouldn't be coming off until I got home, I left for school with the realization that my backpack had been left at the bus stop. In the rain.

I arrived at school just before the final bell rang. Instead of heading to my first class, however, I headed for the nurse's station. I found Nurse McKay sitting at her desk, writing a "Get Out of School Free" card, as I called it, for another student.

"Be right with you, deary!" she said in her Irish accent, not looking up from her work. She gave the boy his pass and he walked out, winking at me.

"What can I do for you?" Nurse McKay asked, sitting me on a bench and inspecting my eyes and ears.

"I think I have a fever." I said.

Nurse McKay put a thermometer in my mouth and waited. After a minute, she took it out and gasped. "One hundred and two degrees!" she said. Somehow that shocked her more than the kaleidoscope eyes she had just inspected.

"But I was fine yesterday!" I said, snatching the thermometer to make sure it was correct.

"Yes, yes." she said, thinking, "I'll let you go back to class. For now. It may just be a sudden spike." So I left, remembering my evening the night before.

From Nurse McKay's office I headed to second period and then lunch, which is when things began to get... Strange.

"Hello... Riley?" I recognized the voice of Susan Chardz, drawing me away from my research. I had been scanning the Internet all day for information on whatever the blackness in my veins was.

"Yes?" I said without looking up, "What do you want?"

"Well, five thousand dollars and a Porche." she said, flipping her hair. Susan Chardz was one of those people who looked perfect all the time. She never had a bad hair day, she never forgot her makeup (given that a monkey probably did it for her), and she had many followers. She reminded me of a cult leader.

"Sure, just let me give you my bank account password." I signed, rolling my eyes.

"I don't want your money. I have money." Susan said.

"Please," I said, looking up, "your parents have money."

"Look," she said, her tone going from fake happy to sour, "you're taking up this entire table. My friends and I want to sit."

I looked around to see that she was right. The closest person to me was six empty stools away.

"Then sit. I don't care." I said.

"Thanks." she spat, and twitched away.

Five minutes later, she walked up with at least twelve other girls. she asked, "Why are you still here?"

"Because I don't want to leave?" I said.

"But you said we could sit!" she squeaked. She was beginning to draw attention. I stood, a terrible temper coming over me suddenly, and slammed my hands down on the table.

"Look," I growled, "you can either sit here and ignore me or you can sit your rubber ass outside."

Susan turned around to walk away muttering, "God, what a bitch."

I got up, grabbing my small slice of key lime pie and tapped Susan on the shoulder. She turned around, probably expecting an apology, and was pleasantly surprised when I dumped the pie on her head.

"Why you little mother-" she began, but was cut short when I grabbed her lunch tray and snapped it in two.

"What was that?" I asked, smiling. Susan's eyes widened then, and she yelled and ran off. Her group looked next and began to back away.

"What?" I asked a few people who stared at me. My arm had begun to burn, and I hurried to the bathroom.

"What the hell?" I asked. Looking back at me was a combination of Riley and something more. She had all human characteristics, aside from her eyes and mouth. She had a mouth full of freshly sharpened canines and her pupils quivered every few seconds. I pulled the sleeve up on my arm to see that the black vein syndrome creeping up my arm at an alarming rate.

"What the hell is happening to me?" I asked.

The reflection in the mirror mouthed my words.