Clearing my mind after last night's shock

I was assaulted by awful nightmares during the night, what I've seen in the mirror still haunting me. The part of me that stayed human couldn't accept me becoming this terrifying monster coming straight out of a horror movie.

As such, I woke up fairly early and tired, not having had much sleep. It was the first time in a while I slept so badly.

I let out a long yawn before stepping into the bathroom, hoping a shower would help me feel better. The hot water did indeed do wonders for my body, but not so much for my mind. I couldn't stop thinking about my real self underneath the pretty face I took as mine for these last eight years.

"It doesn't matter, this face is mine, now. I don't care about what's underneath..." I repeated multiple times while caressing it unconsciously, as if to reassure myself.

As I left the bathroom in my bathrobe, I saw Kasia, just waking up from the looks of it, as her hair was still messy.

She smiled at me while yawning. "Morning, Mom. Are you feeling better?"

I nodded. "Morning, sweetie. A bit, yeah, thanks for asking. What about you? I hope I didn't give you any nightmare?"

"No, don't worry. I've, uhh, seen worse things in some books and movies Wiktoria, Aleksandra, and Yulia showed me..." She confessed, glancing away awkwardly.

I giggled softly. "I see. I hope they're not being a bad influence on you."

"They're not, Mom. They're just... unique."

"Heh, as long as you enjoy their company and they don't drag you into doing illegal stuff, I won't protest. By the way, I'll be spending the evening with Zofia, so I might return tomorrow morning. I'll leave some money if you want to order something for dinner."

"Thanks. I hope you'll have fun." Kasia replied, giving me a warm smile.

I returned to my bedroom and got dressed in my suit for the day, this time opting for a black one with trousers instead of a skirt. Despite my nightmares and intrusive thoughts since last night, it was still a pleasure to see just how hot and desirable I was.

"I'm aging like fine wine~" I muttered, grinning as I put on my make-up.

Once done, I went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Kasia joined me shortly after, ready for her day.

As we ate, she spoke. "After what you told me last night, I understand why you always seemed to prefer women."

"Well, my sexuality never really changed even after becoming a skinwalker and living as a woman. It is easier for me to be with men, but I still prefer women overall."

"I see. To be honest, even if you tried to tell me otherwise, I still think it sounds cool... Being able to experience so many different things so easily..."

I chuckled weakly. "It has its appeal, yeah. I can't deny that it's been an enriching life so far. But it's a life of solitude, too. A life of pretending to be someone else, of not allowing your real self to be on the forefront. Most people would definitely be terrified and disgusted by a being like me."

She smiled warmly at me. "I'm not afraid or disgusted by you, Mom. You're not alone anymore, you have me."

"Thanks, sweetie."

Her smile then became more playful. "And if I ever become like you, you would never be alone again. We could always be together."

Her reply surprised me, but I regained my composure and looked seriously at her while gesturing with my spoon. "Kasia, try enjoying your life as a human before thinking about this. There's no way back after becoming a skinwalker. You'd lose the life you've been building for yourself here. I'm not going anywhere, I'll keep being your mother and supporting you."

"I know, and I'll try, but would you still refuse me if I truly wanted to be like you in the future?"

I sighed. "We'll see when we get there, alright? I'm not even sure when I'll get the ability to turn a human in the first place. I know I am unable to do so currently, at least."

"Okay, sorry if I made you uncomfortable, Mom."

"You haven't, sweetie, don't worry."

After breakfast, she gave me one more hug before leaving, joining Marek who was waiting outside like yesterday. They left hand in hand, making me smile.

I had to admit that knowing Kasia loved me so much to the point of wanting to become a skinwalker herself was bringing me joy deep down, but I truly wanted her to enjoy her human life for the time being. She was still young, she had so much to experience.

I left the house shortly after, going to work like always. I focused on the case I had been working on for the past months, a pretty big case for me. The final judgement should be done next week, and I was looking forward to it. My client had been quite a pain in the ass, in all honesty. An entitled rich lady who disrespected everyone. She called me a few times just to complain and treat me like I was her ****.

Only a bit longer before I'm rid of her... I thought to motivate me.

I spent most of the day working on this case, reviewing everything for the trial, making sure we were ready for it. I also took some time to coach our youngest member, who was struggling a bit with her own case.

Karolina was a cute freshly-graduated law student, full of motivation and eager to make it big. She took on a pretty challenging case right from the start, but she's started to realise that she bit more than she could chew. At least, she didn't have any shame asking for help, which was good. I gave her a few pointers and advice on how to deal with it, not wanting to backseat her too much. I enjoyed being a mentor like this, and she was truly grateful for my help.

Finally, the work day was over, and I drove to the bar where I was supposed to meet Zofia. I was really looking forward to this night, more than ever. I spotted her waiting at the counter, looking at her phone, until she heard the clicks of my heels coming closer.

She glanced towards me and gave me a flirtatious smile. "Hello, gorgeous~"

In the dim lights of the bar, her blue eyes shone like sapphires, mirroring the blue gems hanging from her ears. Around her neck was a big pearl necklace, matching the bracelets she had on her wrists. She had a long flowy dress and leather boots, and round sunglasses resting on her forehead. This whole look gave her some 'eccentric but cool auntie' vibes, vibes that I did find quite appealing.

"Hi Zofia~" I said, sitting next to her and ordering two cocktails and some snacks for us. "You look stunning today too, as always~"

She blushed and smiled. "Thank you~ How was your day?"

I sighed. "Tiring. That old hag kept pestering me on the phone. I can't wait to be done with this trial. Rich people and their entitlement, I swear..."

She giggled at that. "It's not like you're poor yourself, though."

"True, but at least I respect and help those who aren't as privileged as me."

And it wasn't a lie, I often donated to various charities in town and even gave a hand to some organisations whenever they needed it. I was financially well-off, but it didn't mean I'd become like my former parents and hoard all my wealth for myself. I wanted to help however I could, while keeping enough money to live comfortably with Kasia and satisfy her needs.

"Yeah, you're different from these rich jerks. That's what I like about you. You're still down-to-earth, aware of the troubles those poorer than you face." Zofia declared as we got our drinks served.

Her declaration made me blush. "Thanks."

We cheered for our futures and started to drink, the two of us talking about our works and families. I told her about Kasia's first day of high-school, and how proud I was of her. Zofia mentioned some tensions with her family as her older uncle found out about her sexuality and was a vehement homophobe. I consoled her, embracing her and enjoying her sweet, fruity perfume as I did so.

Time flew by and, after a few more drinks and complains about our jobs, we found ourselves in front of her apartment, Zofia inviting me in. It was my first time visiting her place. It was a heavily decorated studio near the old town, full of paintings, plants, and trinkets hanging on the walls. A white cat greeted us, brushing itself between our legs.

"This is Vivi." Zofia said, taking the cat in her arms. "Vivi, be a good girl and say hi to Gosia."

I approached my hand and petted her head, the cat letting me do it without any protest.

"She seems calm." I commented, smiling.

"She is, she doesn't have an ounce of aggressiveness in her."

After this short introduction, Zofia led me to her bedroom, removing some of her jewellery and placing it in a drawer.

"Would you like to... spend the night?" She offered, giving me a lustful look.

It was an offer I was expecting considering how our night went so far. Now the question was whether to accept it or not.