Chapter 3

Later that night, Sylvia and Gabrielle insisted the cat sleep in my room.

"He needs to get used to you, Ryan," Sylvia said, her eyes like chips of ice. "It's important you two bond."

I knew the real reason. They wanted the locket and the cat in close proximity to me for as long as possible, to speed up the draining process. I nodded agreeably. "Of course. Whatever you think is best."

They left, closing the heavy door behind them, leaving me alone with the furious, hairless creature. Caleb sat on the end of the bed, his back rigid, radiating contempt.

You think you're so smart, he projected, his mental voice shaking with rage. You're just a savage. Mother will make you suffer for hitting me.

I ignored him and sat on the edge of the bed, pulling out my phone. I sent a quick text to my mentor.

Found the lost son. They have him in a cat. And they gave me a cursed locket. A body-swapping ritual. City Voodoo.

A few minutes later, a reply came back.

Fascinating. A nasty bit of work, that. But clumsy. Like a child playing with fire. Take it apart, piece by piece. See what makes it tick. And make them pay for it.

I smiled. My mentor never panicked. He saw everything as a puzzle.

Caleb, seeing me distracted, decided to make his move. He crept closer, his movements silent on the thick duvet. Then, he lunged, his mouth open, aiming to sink his sharp little teeth into my hand.

I was ready. I caught him mid-air, my grip firm around his scrawny body. He was surprisingly strong, writhing and twisting, but it was useless. I was stronger. I held him tight, his struggles growing weaker until he went limp, panting.

I brought him close to my face, my eyes locking with his.

"Listen to me," I said, my voice a low whisper. "You are in a cat's body. I am in a man's body. This is a fight you will never, ever win. You try to bite me again, and I will break every bone in this pathetic form you're wearing. Do you understand?"

Fear. For the first time, I felt pure, undiluted fear from him. It was a satisfying change from the arrogance.

You wouldn't dare, he whimpered in my mind.

"Try me," I said, and squeezed just a little harder.

He let out a terrified squeal. I held him for another long moment before tossing him onto a velvet armchair in the corner of the room. He landed in a heap and didn't move. He just watched me, his big eyes wide with terror.

I lay back on the bed, feeling the locket's faint pull. It was a nuisance, but not a threat. Not yet. The balance of power in this room had just shifted, decisively.