Ellie taps her claw-fingers against her thighs, tilting her head this way and that as she stares at me. Then she bounds forward so suddenly I don't have time to scramble away.
Next thing I know, she's crouched in front of me and reaching out to pinch my chin between her thumb and forefinger. Her claws prick at my skin, but don't draw blood. It's a tight grip, and she jerks my head around, examining me like I'm a prime hunk of meat.
I hold my breath, my entire body stiff as a board, and a now-familiar rush of energy surges from deep inside me on a mad dash to where Ellie's fingers touch my skin.
My eyes nearly cross as I grasp frantically for control. Losing all my energy and blacking out would be less than ideal with my potential murderer in front of me, but it somehow feels like the exact kind of thing I'd have happen to me…
Thankfully, Caine's been giving me a lot of practice. It's more fun with him, though.
