I knew I had dismissed my suspicions about Akasha, but here I was in bed thinking about her. It was almost a daydream the way my body ached for her whenever we were apart.
It was the same way I found myself aching for the stranger.
I had wondered what such intense feelings could do to a person before this. I didn't realize they seemed to impair even logical thought.
I cared about nothing else right now as I got up from my bed in the dead of night. I didn't wake Eco and quietly slipped out of the dwelling into the forest.
Despite the knowledge that my enchantments seldom had any pertinent effect on animals, aside from maybe making them slightly more amiable, I still strayed where even the jaguars slept.
I knew my way around pretty well, but nighttime was undeniably riskier. My bird companion was surely not awake as of now.
I did not know what calling pulled me as if I was being enchanted by another siren, pulled toward some unmistakable mysterious force.
I walked steadily forward as my body seemed to have a will of its own; it didn't scare me, however, it felt right even.
I heard a low rumble, as if a predator had its eyes on me. I still did not tremble in fear. I walked forward, not feeling or seeing the being directly but sensing it nonetheless. It seemed to watch from every corner, waiting in the shadows.
My hand vibrated, a deep throbbing, as I got closer, approaching the force of mystery and dreams. I could feel the pressure building with each step I took while my consciousness followed it in a haze.
"Mine." I heard the voice transform to that of a low resonance of a woman. There were tales of fae luring you into forests and making you lose your way; this was akin to a beast summoning its prey.
I had thought I would be immune to such beguiling, given my own enchanting nature. I did not realize the implications of my own state. Finally I saw the shadows morph around a tree just ahead of me. Out from the ferns came a large shape, muscles rippling like the water as it moved. The darkness did not hide its sheer presence and size, and I couldn't mistake what was before me as it moved fully into view; it was a very vivid jaguar.
I had never seen such a jaguar in person before, normal jaguars had that familiar black-tan pattern. I had heard of black panthers frequently enough online. She was not quite either; rather her pattern was mostly vivid black with the tan etchings as a secondary. She looked like a spotted jaguar, a rare mutation.
Anyone else stumbling upon this would have backed away trembling in fear, either of the creature or even sensing the fact this one before me gave off an unnatural air of dominance and otherworldly strength. Something a normal creature would not strike such a feeling in any reasonable human.
The creature stared at me with its fierce eyes that I could see even within the dark light of the jungle and moon. The being did not pounce, just observed me.
I felt an urge to keep walking forward still, letting my feet slowly amble forward until I was just an arm's length away from the beast.
I took a deep breath as an inexplicable heat filled my senses. The forest smelled of dewdrops and mossy greens, but the being before me smelled of something else entirely, something better.
I stared back at the being with the same level of intensity as I slowly reached my hand out, putting my hand to the creature's nose. "Am I crazy?" I said to myself, briefly snapping back to my senses. The jaguar said in a voice I could almost hear, resounding in my head and all around me, "No, but you will soon feel such."
Whatever the voice came from was right. This creature born from the night had set its sights on me as it circled around me slowly. It was as if eyeing a meal. I could have run, pulled out a weapon, done anything really. Yet my feet stayed still as if rooted to the ground.
The jaguar then pounced on me, sending me to the ground. I exclaimed "ouch" instinctively rather than from any actual pain. Surprisingly, the moss on the jungle floor had padded my fall. Instead, the jaguar before me had now hovered over me, not hurting me.
I stared back at the jaguar once again, my eyes still wide. "Call me," the female voice said. "Call what?" I said, terribly confused.
The creature nuzzled my face, trailing back to my hand. I felt a pang in my body as I seemed to burn up even more now; in response to this, the creature's voice hurriedly echoed in my head as it said, "I will make you feel better."
Confusion didn't even have the chance to register in my brain as the jaws of the jaguar bit into my upper thigh. I would have thought this would be deadly, painful, and horrible. Yet a minute, then two, then three passed. It still didn't hurt or seem to make me weak.
If anything I wanted her to continue. Her? Why was I so sure beyond the voice? This whole situation was a side to the mythology I didn't know about. Yet here I was, feeling... good.
I had the resistance of grass, I suppose, because I did not push the being away or struggle at all. It felt as if I was doing something right, something I was meant to.
We stayed like that for what may have been ten minutes, may have been an hour, as the pain from my hand ebbed away. I was slightly hazy when the shadows began to morph around us. I couldn't make out what was happening; it seemed to change shape and form, creating a being much more appealing in my eyes.
Above me, hovering, was a woman, her body seeming to curve, her warmth seeping through to my skin. "Hello, birthday girl," she said in a teasing tone. My eyes widened again, wondering how this woman knew of my approaching witch year. My thoughts distracted by her features, she was more than just an attractive woman; every feature of hers was etching itself in my mind.
She looked like a goddess even though I couldn't make out her face again in the darkness. I knew this was the woman who had marked me.
I stared up at her, then looked away, realizing she wasn't wearing any clothes. I felt abashed and that it was inappropriate to stare so I turned my head.
She got up now and shrouded herself in shadows, telling me, "You can look now." Her tone almost teasing. Older women, huh! They are always so gutsy! Well, I only assumed she was older from the way she spoke and walked, the way she already had a tattoo running down her thigh—not that I noticed.
She waved at me impishly before disappearing in the shadows more suddenly than she had appeared. My haze started to dissipate as I felt very clear-minded now. I tried to get up to stop her, but she sped away with a speed unknown to mankind.
I walked back to my home, out of the forest, confused as to what had just occurred. I still felt as if I was being watched but nothing happened this time even when I called out.
To be safe, I took a different route and several detours, even considering not returning home for the night. I still did in the end, laying down and having the deepest sleep I have had in a very long time.
When I awoke, the birds were already chirping and the sun was bright out. My body that I expected to ache seemed light and carefree.
I got up from my bed as if nothing had happened the night before, walking like a diva until I had rested by the table and grabbed a pizza slice to munch on. I was famished. I felt light, but as if I had done a lot of exercise needing to replenish my energy.
This sort of thing was also why I was careful with how much parkour I did, because the more parkour meant the more fuel and food needed.
I walked around, not initially noticing a new addition to my humble abode. I patted Eco as he slept, whispered to the ghosts as I made them some offerings.
Then something caught my eye. I looked closer; there was a strange unfamiliar red envelope laying there on the ground. It glinted in the light. My blood froze for a minute as I began to smell that strange scent again.
I cautiously walked over and picked it up. On it was written: "Ms. Míst Mael Amalís Quesada Solórzano. You are cordially invited to a gala on Místicos Avenue on the 11th."