The Calavera's

I swallow and chuckle nervously. 'Uhhm, I- I'm waiting for my boyfriend ma'am so I'm afraid I don't have much time. He can come here any minute now, do- do I know you?'

The man keeps walking closer. The tiny hairs in my neck are standing up. Why is he coming so close? I'm starting to panic slightly. I need to calm down. Nothing is happening. At least, not yet.

'I hope you'll remember me in time, for now, I think it's better if you'd join me fore a ride sweetheart. We wouldn't want any interruptions.'

Her smile is sweet but her tone hols some sort of warning. I take a step back. 'N-no thank you, I- I must leave- I-'

Before I can say anything else I feel a tingling pain through my stomach, after that I feel numb. I notice how I fall to the ground but before I hit it the man picks me up and lays me on the back seat.

The woman turns around to look at me. 'I'm truly sorry it had to go this way miss McCall, but I'm afraid we are left with no other choice.'

It's like I can hear her but the words don't occur my mind. I'm getting kidnapped.... Who the hell is this woman?

I grumble slightly in response. I have to do something. I have to... I have to do something, anything!

I feel my eyes change color and the numb feeling disappears. Before the man can close the door I jump out. That was a bad idea, I immediately fall to the ground. Even though I get up and start running, I'm too busy with sending my location to Void since I feel that my legs are gonna give up any moment now. I'm not as fast as normal and my legs burn, within seconds I feel someone grab me from behind. I don't know what to do so I simply start to scream.

Bad idea. The man is not happy with my screams and before I can protest, I'm hit on the head and I see black dots everywhere.

'Señorita Calavera, la tenemos.' (*I have no idea if this is correct, it's from translate. It should mean, miss Calavera, we got her*)

I have absolutely no idea what that means but I understand one thing. Señorita Calavera. These people are hunters. And I'm just caught.

---- Time Skip ----

When I feel myself gaining consciousness again, I still keep my eyes closed. I don't move and just listen. I don't hear any engine so we're no longer in a car. This place smells weird. It smells like blood but on the same time I smell food. Things like fresh baked bread, fruits.

I still refuse to open my eyes and let anyone know I'm awake. It doesn't feel like I'm on the rough ground but it also doesn't feel like a couch or bed. I'm pretty sure I'm not in a sitting position.

I slowly open one of my eyes a little bit to peek through my eyelashes in hope of seeing anything useful. The room has some sort of yellow white color and is dirty on multiple places. I don't see or hear anyone and fully open my eyes. The lights are dim and I can't see any details but I doubt there are any to see. This room is small and looks pretty much empty.

It appears I'm on some sort of doctor operation table thing. Really? Why?

I swing my legs over the side and slowly stand up. My legs still feel a bit like spaghetti but I guess that's what happens when you get electrocuted. Luckily for me, I manage to stand in just a few seconds.

I feel my pockets and I'm surprised when I find all my belongings, including my phone, still there. Why the hell would they let me keep my phone?

I quickly take it and try to turn it on. The apple symbol appears on the screen. Great, it's rebooting. Note the sarcasm.

I impatiently tap at the screen, like that's gonna work. When it finally opens I see I have a lot of messages. Mainly from Void, a few from Theo, and one from an unknown number. It reads: Sorry gatito (Little cat)

No idea what that means and why it's on my screen. I click on it, as usual my phone asks for my code. I press my birth year, I know, very original, and wait. Then my phone buzzes and asks me again for my login code.

Wait, what? It was wrong? Maybe I pressed the wrong number...

I try again, no success. So that's what the text meant. They changed my login code and now I can't enter my very own phone! I feel mad, how dare they, I'd rather have them take it away then!

I receive another message from Void. *Where are you?'*

Ohh, how I wish I could answer! I feel frustrated and try another login code, this year. Then I try 0000. It's probably not it but I have to try something right?

Now my phone blocked my from login in for 2 minutes. I hear a door opening but don't look up. Even though I want to, it's better not to let anyone know I heard them, maybe I can hit someone and run away, and then hack my phone... only I'm not a hacker... Crap!

'Look up mija.' It's the same woman from the car. Is she gonna use Spanish words now too? But I don't understand any Spanish! I only know things like, no and hola. That's only because of Stiles who likes to say no in Spanish and because Lydia once told me hola was hello.

I eventually do look up because I'm curious. Maybe that's part of the cat? The woman looks calm and offers me a smile which I don't return. I just glare at her.

'Don't look so angry, I actually expect you to recognize me gatito.'

Gatito... I have no idea what that means but it somehow sounds familiar. And recognize? I have never seen this woman in my life.

She looks at my puzzled face and sighs. 'I could explain you but what's the fun in that? We always loved our games you and I. I'll just let you figure it out on your own. Let's have some dinner.'

This is so confusing...

The woman, who I still didn't caught a name from, walks out and I quickly follow her. What else can I do? Do I know her from another life? She looks old enough to know me from a past life.

I follow her outside, the though about running crosses my mind but when my gaze falls upon three men with guns I decide to sit on the chair the woman points me. I look a bit around me and bit my bottom lip in nervousness. We are sitting at a little table with food and the woman across me is calmly cutting some fruit.

'Do you know me already?'

I shake my head. Then I feel a sharp stinging pain in my cheek.

'Au, what the-'

'Better figure it out soon.'

I look at her in disbelieve and cup my cheek, when I retrieve my hand I see blood on it in some sort of line. The woman is missing the knife she was just using. Did she cut me?

I though my cat spirit thing would protect me? Wasn't that what Void had told me?

'I know what you are thinking. You didn't catch the knife because we used mistletoe on you.'

-Au, Araya! Why did you do that?

Your spirit won't always protect you. Not when I use mistletoe. You need to be less reckless gatito!

She's younger... I'm older... this is a memory of another life...-

I snap out of it when the woman, Araya? asks me the question again. 'Do you know me already?'

I could be wrong of course, and I don't know what happens then, but seeing she's twirling another knife between her fingers I better say something.

'Araya Calavera. I know you from another life.'

She smiles. 'Very well gatito. That didn't take you long. But you were always the smart one weren't you. We were such and amazing duo.' She stares at me with narrowed eyes. 'Would you believe me if I told you we were friends?'

'You're a hunter, shouldn't you have killed me? You didn't kill me, right? No, I don't think I would believe you, you kidnapped me and you changed my phone login code!'

'Actually, Carlos did. But I guess I'll just have to make you remember.'

Oh oh, now she looks threatening. She starts saying something in Spanish and suddenly two of the three men flank my sides while the third one nudges me forward with his gun. This doesn't feel very good. It's probably gonna end up bad. I don't like this. I just hope Void can find me, or anyone. Would they even be looking for me?

Before I know it we enter a basement. I get pushed against a metal mesh panel and tied up against it with my arms above my head.

'Don't worry, it's hurts more than it looks like.'

⚠️!!! trigger warning. They are gonna shock her and torture a little for information. If you don't wanna read, skip to the next long white space and this ⚠️ sing !!!

Wait what? I suddenly scream. It happens before I can think of anything else. It's like I placed my hands on a wire with electricity. Such wire people use to keep animals in a certain area. Only where I normally let go and it's just a little shock, this keeps going on until my throat feels hoarse from screaming. I grit my teeth, refusing to scream more. Even though my vision is blurry from tears and pain.

Araya looks at me with no emotion. 'Más' (more)

Before I know what happens the pain increases. And then my whole world slows down. I can hear the laughing of two people in the distance. Imagines play through my head like those confusing flashbacks in movies. I know the main language is Spanish, yet I understand everything perfectly...

'Bella! Wait for me!'

I turn around. 'Come and catch me.'

A young woman runs a few meters behind me. Her hair is brown and in a long braid. She's grinning and holding a water gun. We're playing again. The same game as always, me vs water.

'I suddenly feel a splash of water on my head and look up. 'Manuel!'

They both laugh. 'Seems our kitty got wet.'

'Ha ha, very funny but not really. Thanks for keeping this a secret guys.'

'Always.'

The flashback fads away and the pain in my body feels realistic again. A sharp pain spreads through my shoulder. My vision falters and blurs with the flashback.

I'm shot! Crap!

'M-manuel? Why- Why are-'

'Shh, spare your breath little kitten. You are a danger. Reckless. It's nothing personal, but we are hunters. This is our job.'

The pain I'm feeling can't be described. It's not physical, it's mental. Betrayal. Anger. Sadness.

Manuel presses his foot on my injured shoulder. Yet it doesn't even hurt nearly as much as the fact that my best friend betrayed me like this. Then I lose it.

My teeth break through, my nails change to claws. It feels like all my bones are breaking, I know this, I need to think of a specific cat. The first one coming to my mind is also my favorite one, the clouded leopard. Within seconds I'm on Manuel's chest as a big cat.

He looks panicked. Then I hear another gun shot. Pain, pain everywhere. My shoulder, my chest. Another gunshot, my tail, another one, my ear, more, my tight... In utter despair I shift to my natural form. A normal Iriomote cat, about the size of a house cat. Not the best fighting cat but perfect to run and hide. Not that It's easy to run but well, I should do something.

the flashback seems to flicker, like it's glitching, then I'm suddenly somewhere else. A huge tree towers above me. Bigger than any other three. I shift back to my human shape. I know I won't survive this.

'If I die, then I die with a purpose. Nemeton, I offer myself to you, stay strong, stay a beacon for supernatural creatures. Be a safe place to gain powers.'

I close my eyes. Everything hurts. It doesn't longer feel like bullet wounds. More like electricity...

I scream and move against the metal mesh panel, desperately trying to get away or in a position with lesser pain.

'What do you know about the Nemeton?'

So that's what she wants huh? Information. She's not gonna get it.

'Were you- with M-Manuel?'

I look up at her as I question her. Refusing to answer her question. She disappointingly shakes her head. 'Oh, mija, you should have answered the question. Más.'

The pain increases once again. Now I wish I could pass out. But right as everything starts to fade the pain level goes down and a splash of water is thrown in my face. I shake my head. Oh man, don't tell me I'm gonna hate water now like I did in my last life.

'Where is the Nemeton?'

'Why do you wanna know?'

'That does not sound like an answer to me.'

Now she takes a knife out. She slowly brings it closer to my face. I move as far away as possible, not that that helps. 'I could hurt you in the worst way possible. I did not kill you because we were friends and I know you do not intent to kill. It's not in your instinct. I will not hesitate to hurt you though if that gives me what I want gatito.'

'Stop calling me that, I'm not gonna tell you anything about the Nemeton. And you should know that I don't lie.'

She backs of a little. 'I know. So let me change your mind.'

She suddenly stabs me and I bend over, well, for so far that's possible. She quickly twist the knife. 'Where-' twist again. 'Is-' twist. 'The Nemeton?' She pulls the knife out when she notice I'm starting to cough up blood.

'I'll give you some time to think. I'll be back in ten minutes.'

I glare up. She walks away, the man stays behind. He smiles, not in the good way but in a sick evil way. Also not the hot way like Void but really a way that can make your blood run cold.

I gulp. Why is he standing up and coming closer? He slowly steps closer. Like unusually slow, like he's enjoying the fear on my face.

Yet before he can do something, someone yells something in Spanish and he quickly leaves.

⚠️

⚠️

⚠️

I don't know what to do, or what's going on. All I know is that I don't want that to happen again. No more flashbacks from my previous lives about dying, no more Nemetons and definitely no more pain!

I don't know how long I'm waiting for anything to happen but my arms start to feel heavy. My body still hurts from the electricity but I feel the wound on my stomach healing. That's one good thing right? Well, at least a little bit better.

I close my eyes for a brief second. Maybe I can just stay like this and pretend like I passed out. Would they leave me be if I did that?

I look up when I hear heavy footsteps and stumbling footsteps. Then I hear Stiles' voice.

'Hey, hey, careful! What are you doing? You can't do this, this is kidnapping!'

'Shut up. I know who you are demon. And you better don't pull any tricks if you want the both of you to stay alive.'

Oh crap. They got Void!? Really!? He got tricked by them? That can't be right. There must be some other plan!

But when they come in he looks at me apologetically and with concern written on his face. I stare back with big fearful eyes when they tie him up too.

It doesn't go unnoticed by the Calaveras and they smile.

'It seems like your boyfriend was so worried he got sloppy. The plan was fine, only he missed when he fired the gun.'

Oh shit. This is bad.