Kylie held her defensive stance. "I wouldn't believe everything you hear."
"And if I were you, I wouldn't forget that if you do turn, we'll likely meet. And on full moons the emotions are always generally out of control, resulting in high casualty rates."
"Then I'm sure you will be watching your back," Kylie said, really bluffing now.
Fredericka's brows pinched. "Especially when a female feels another is making advances toward her mate."
"So, you still having a hard time holding on to your man?" Kylie fought back her fear.
The gold in Fredericka's eyes grew brighter. "What's that smell?"
Fredericka held her nose up in the air.
Kylie didn't dare glance at the pillow hiding Socks. "Wouldn't know, but if it's offensive, the door is right behind you."
"It smells sort of like ... I don't know, lion, maybe?" Fredericka's left eyebrow arched.
Kylie didn't blink. "I knew you did it."
"Did what?" Fredericka's smile turned into more of a smirk. Then she shifted back a couple of steps and dropped down on the sofa with an exaggerated plop, as if she planned on hanging around a while.
The sound of the sofa giving up air was quickly followed by a half-hiss and half-meow. The pillow fell away and a black and white tail sprang up into the air. Fredericka turned just in time to take the full spray directly in the face.
Twenty feet away, the stench had Kylie covering her nose, but she couldn't stop smiling.
The she-wolf screamed and dove at the animal. While Socks had gotten in touch with his skunk side, he obviously hadn't forgotten his feline roots. He flew off the sofa in full frightened-cat mode. His ascent into midair sent the lamp on the end table crashing to the floor.
Wiping her eyes with her palms and howling, Fredericka shot off the sofa after Socks. Socks, now perched on top of the overstuffed chair, reacted accordingly and flew in midair, bouncing off the walls as he ran for his life.
The thought of what the she-wolf would do to her kitten had Kylie giving chase. Wooden chairs cracked against the floor, the microwave flew across the room, the computer desk nearly fell over, and a few dishes left on the counter shattered beside the chairs. Everything spun in circles with one kitten-turned-skunk, one she-wolf, and one unidentifiable supernatural chasing each other around the living room/kitchen, each with their own agenda.
Socks to live.
Fredericka to kill.
Kylie to protect.
Unfortunately, Socks was no match for the angry she-wolf, and in seconds Fredericka had Socks cornered by the refrigerator. A loud roar filled the cabin. A wash of adrenaline shot through Kylie as Fredericka dove for the poor animal.
Just before Fredericka latched her paws on to Socks, Kylie latched on to the girl's forearms. Picking her up in the air, she hauled the struggling Fredericka over to the front door and tossed her out.
She landed about eight feet from the porch with a loud thud. Her eyes, now a bright gold, stared up in horror at Kylie. The she-wolf rose off the ground on all fours, her knees bent, shifting back and forth, as if revving up to pounce again.
Kylie didn't flinch.
She breathed in.
She breathed out.
She welcomed another round.
"You bitch!" Fredericka growled, and tossed her head back.
"You hurt my cat and you'll see how big of a bitch I can be!" Kylie voice sounded as animal-like as the she-wolf's. Then, suddenly frightened, not of Fredericka, but at what Kylie would do if the girl came at her again, she stepped back and slammed the front door. The whole cabin shook from the impact. And right then a cold presence filled the room.
Company.
Great. The cabin smelled of skunk, she had a majorly pissed-off shewolf outside, and now the spirit wanted to drop by.
Five minutes later, Kylie still stood with her back to the refrigerator, breathing through her mouth so she wouldn't gag at the pungent odor, and trying to calm herself and a very scared skunk-kitten. Socks, seconds after Kylie had come inside, had climbed up her leg, cuddled into her arms, and buried its little pointed nose in her armpit. Kylie wondered if the nose in the armpit wasn't so much his need to escape the smell as it was to hide.
The ghost paced the tiny living room as though she was trying to think. Kylie watched the spirit walk in circles before realizing the ghost's wardrobe.
"Why are you wearing a hospital gown?" Kylie asked, but the spirit didn't answer. And when the ghost faded, relief flowed over Kylie. She closed her eyes and tried to recall the calm she'd gathered at the falls about the whole "Someone you love is dying" situation.
Then the door to the cabin swung open. Thinking it could be Fredericka again, Kylie tensed and then un-tensed when she saw Holiday and Miranda.
"Are you okay?" Holiday asked.
Kylie nodded and Socks, hearing more commotion, snuggled tighter into Kylie's armpit. Miranda and Holiday both covered their noses and their wide-eyed gazes moved around the ransacked cabin.
"What happened?" Holiday asked.
Fredericka happened, Kylie almost answered, but then bit back the words. She'd never been much of a tattler and didn't want to start now.
"Socks got startled." It wasn't altogether a lie.
Holiday, her hand still plastered over her nose, squinted at Kylie. "I know Fredericka was here." Her voice came out muffled behind her palm.
"She told you?" Kylie asked.
"Didn't have to," Miranda piped in. "We smelled her when she walked past the office."
"What happened?" Holiday repeated her question from behind her fingers.
Miranda took a step closer. "She was spitting mad," Miranda broke in again, humor in her voice. "Seriously spitting. Did Socks get her in the face?" The witch laughed and wrinkled her nose at the smell again and waved her hands around the air as if to perform a bit of magic.
Kylie's next intake of air didn't include the skunk stench. "Thanks," she said to Miranda, surprised that her roommate had removed the smell without any goofs.
"Welcome," Miranda said with a sense of pride. "Odor removal is a piece of cake. Learned in the potty-training stage."
Holiday dropped her hand. "Miranda, can I have a minute alone with Kylie?"
Miranda rolled her eyes. "Why is it that everyone is always sending me away?" She stomped off into her bedroom, but flashed Kylie a smile before shutting the door.
Holiday met Kylie's gaze. "Now, what happened?"
Fredericka just stopped by to remind me that she tried to kill me once by putting a lion in my room and once might not be enough for her.