Chapter 151 – Transforming

[2009 – October]

"I thought you did not want to get involved with the Club's business.", Emma voiced out with a light frown, a hint of confusion in her crystal gaze.

Nodding, I replied: "True. But I am not ignorant or ungrateful. You have helped Jean and me a lot and I want to return the favour. Helping you find Klaue and the stolen Vibranium is my way of thanking you."

"Also, you can see this as my contribution to the Frost family fortune. The amount he has stolen is worth billions after all.", I added with a smile.

Staying quiet for a few moments, Emma just stared at me with a light frown, the look in her eyes indecipherable while her fingers tapped rhythmically on the armrest of her chair, her long perfectly-manicured nails making clicking noises that filled the silence between us.

She knew that I didn't like being involved in her business, so I could only guess that she might be worried that I felt obligated to help her despite my unwillingness in an effort to repay her, which wasn't a wrong assumption but it wasn't entirely accurate either.

It wasn't a sense of obligation that made me offer her my help but affection and gratitude.

Additionally, giving Emma the Vibranium and Klaue might seem contra-indicative to my 'neutral' stance, but I also had my own considerations.

Finally, her expression turned into something softer as she sighed almost inaudibly and asked: "When?"

"Let's talk about this again after Cordelia's birthday this weekend.", I stated while rising from my seat.

"Okay.", Emma replied while also standing up. She moved around her table and gave me a soft hug before she practically threw me out of her office.

…

Leaving Emma's office, I jumped through the Darkforce Dimension and reappeared back in Jean's and my room.

Jean was out, spending some time with Laura and the Hellion girls, so it was rather quiet at the moment.

Gently reaching into the inner pocket of my coat, I took hold of the sleeping avian within. Most of the time, I kept a shield active around Arya which protected her from most outside influences such as sudden sounds and shaking caused by my movements while she was asleep.

She was still a baby after all, or at least that was how she looked to me, and I didn't want to disturb her rest.

In truth, the day of her first flight was getting nearer and she was growing up slowly. She was still tiny and I suspected that this might just be an unfortunate mutation. Though I wasn't too sad about that as she was just too adorable, being small enough to hide behind my fingers.

Carrying her in my hands as I stripped off my coat and went into the bathroom, I placed her down on a bunched-up towel. She woke up while I moved her though and hooted sleepily while softly pecking at my fingers.

Tenderly rubbing her little head, I moved back after placing her down and removed the rest of my clothes before I stepped into the shower, turning the faucet to the hottest setting.

It took only a few moments before scalding hot water poured down on me, soaking my hair and running down my tall figure. I could still enjoy a hot shower, even though 'heat' had become a relative term to me after my ascension.

Looking down at my hands, I closed my eyes and focused as my thoughts turned inwards, my mind reaching into my body, inspecting every cell, every fiber.

I could feel it, sense the potential of my physique. My cells brimmed with endless amounts of energy, enough to scorch this planet and turn it into a heap of ashes.

But with my Body Supremacy at work, I could also sense something else – the ability to change, the potential to be something else.

Focusing, I commanded my body to do exactly that, white light escaping through the space between my eyelids as I gazed into the distance, locking onto the target of my transformation with my Extrasensory Perception.

I wasn't even sure if I did all this consciously or if it was more of an instinct born out of the heightened potential of my body that I could harness through Body Supremacy.

What I did know, however, was that from one moment to another, I turned from a human into a black leopard, the hot water still pouring down on me, running through my dark fur.

A sharp exhale from outside the shower caused my attention to shift outwards again as I turned around with a few soft steps of my padded paws, looking up at Jean with deep green feline eyes.

She stood just outside the shower, obviously having planned to join me as she wasn't wearing any clothes, her slender curves bare and beautiful.

I didn't transform back but just stepped back a little to make room for her while looking at her with calm and loving leopard eyes, waiting for her reaction.

Jean didn't let me wait for long as she seemed to get over her surprise at seeing me transform quickly, stepping into the shower before kneeling down in front of me.

Her hands moved up and gently brushed through the fur on the sides of my head and down my neck, as she whispered with wonder in her eyes: "You look so beautiful, my love."

Fighting the instinct to close my eyes in comfort while a deep purr rumbled through my chest, I stepped forward and laid my head against her chest.

…

Looking down at the beautiful black leopard in her embrace, gazing up at her with his bright green eyes full of love and trust, Jean wasn't totally sure that she wasn't dreaming.

To say that she was surprised to see Elijah transform into a large feline predator, just as she was about to join him for a hot shower, would be an understatement. He had done many unexpectant things before but this one was especially magical.

With her hands running through his soaked, dark fur, Jean could feel Elijah's purrs reverberate in her own chest, his beautiful large cat eyes falling close as he seemed to melt under her soft ministrations.

She couldn't help the gentle smile that settled on her lips as she looked down at the gorgeous creature, especially so since she knew that it was her love that she making purr.

Suddenly though, Elijah opened his feline eyes and stared at her intensely before gracefully retreating a step and moving around her, his dark fur brushing past her bare skin as he pressed his large frame against her.

Jean stayed where she was, her hands running over his side, back, and tail while he moved around her while constantly purring, his gaze bright and longing.

And when Elijah's feline figure once again moved past her, she lost the feeling of his soft fur on her naked skin for a moment before two strong arms wrapped themselves around her waist, lifting her up and bringing her into her love's warm embrace as he stepped under the stream of hot water with her.

Nearly melting into his chest, her bare back resting against strong muscles, Jean leaned back her head as she gazed up at Elijah's human face with a soft smile.

"How did you do that?", she asked quietly, her eyes shining with a curious and loving light while she felt Elijah's hand moving between her breasts, gently taking hold of her neck.

A roguish smile appeared on his lips, his eyes shining with innocent joy as he replied while leaning down to capture her lips with his: "It's a secret. I will only tell you in exchange for a hundred kisses."

Smiling herself as she felt his lips meet hers, her eyes falling shut while his thumb brushed over the sensitive skin of her neck. His tongue gently invaded her mouth, caressing her own until she was moaning and nearly breathless.

Feeling him break the kiss, Jean opened her eyes hazily, looking up at Elijah with longing and slightly swollen lips.

"That was the first.", he whispered, the roguish smile on his handsome face returning as he looked at her with love.