AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Shh,” Ben said firmly.
The waitress walked over with their omelets and placed them on the table.
“Let me know if you need anything else,” she said as she walked away, dissatisfied.
Ben looked at Liz’s plate, then up at her. “You’re not crazy.”
Liz stared at him blankly. Ben locked eyes with her.
“I’m a shifter.”
“A shifter?”
“I take on the form of a big cat when I choose to.”
Liz remained silent, her mouth open in shock and her face frozen in confusion. Ben sipped his coffee without saying another word. They sat in silence until Liz mustered up the courage to ask more.
“A … big … cat?” she asked, slightly tilting her head down.
“Yes.”
“Like, an actual cat? Like …”
“Like a tiger, yes.”
“Uh-huh,” Liz said, looking down at the table. “And you’ve been doing this for how long?”
“Like I said,” Ben put his coffee down and picked up his fork, stabbing his omelet. “I never said the answers would be detailed.”
“Okay,” Liz said quietly, cutting into her omelet. She watched the cheese ooze out, and steam rose into her face. She was eating an omelet at a diner, but mentally, she felt like she wasn’t really there.
“For the most part,” Ben said between bites. “It’s great. I can run at high speeds, see well at night, attack prey,”
“Prey?” Liz asked.
Ben waved his fork in the air. “Not important. Basically, I have freedom, power, and strength. Regardless of which form I take.”
Liz quietly dug into her food, listening. This all sounded like a joke, but she knew what she saw. He was serious. If this was true, she wondered if pixies and unicorns existed somewhere, too.
“Are there others?” Liz asked. “Like, magical creatures?”
“Watch it,” Ben said, pointing his fork at her. “You’re lucky I’m telling you this to begin with.”
Liz put her hands up in surrender. “All right, okay.”
They ate in silence for a moment before Ben wiped his mouth with his napkin and spoke.
“There are downsides, though.”
“Like what?” Liz asked cautiously.
“Well,” he said, taking another bite, “most women don’t want to settle down with a shifter. The lifestyle, the upkeep, it can get a bit …” he locked eyes with her again, “intense.” A shiver ran down Liz’s spine.Intensesounded intriguing and compelling. The mealy-mouthed choir boys who had hit on her had always been boring. She craved adventure, passion, and intensity. She blinked in shock when she realized that she desired everything he was.
She stifled the butterflies in her chest as she took a bite of bacon. He probably flirted with all the girls like this. Maybe the shifter thing was his way in, and they all fell for it. She reminded herself of his personality. He was cocky, prideful, and powerful. She had fallen way too fast for a man who probably just liked the attention she gave him.
“I bet it can be,” she said, chewing her bacon.
Ben looked at her before putting down his fork. “It’s late. I should get you home.”
