She's apprehensive, but supportive

Claire closed her eyes and seemed to think deeply about what I just said. I knew that she hated our parents as much as me, so I expected her to agree with me. But she also started working as a cop recently, so it could potentially lead to her disapproving of my methods.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she took a deep breath and opened her eyes, looking at me. She didn't seem angry, that was a good start.

"You... do know that what you want to achieve is illegal, right?"

Ah, the legal aspect; I expected her to mention it and gave her a cheeky grin in response. "How is it illegal if the culprits themselves confess to their crimes?"

I heard Dahlia snicker at my comment, while Claire simply held her head and sighed.

"Right... Forget what I just said... I don't think there's any law that could apply to that..."

Dahlia spoke, taking a sip of her orange juice. "Obviously. We're not supposed to exist, there's no official law to regulate beings like us. Although there are humans who are trained to hunt us down, out of sight and without revealing our existence."

"Huh?"

Both Claire and I turned to face her, surprised.

"What? You really expect humans to let beings like us live in peace? In their eyes, we're abominations that need to be exterminated." She shrugged, finishing her glass. "Although, I do agree that some skinwalkers go too far. There are some who like to collect dozens of skins to wear, only to let them collect dust in a closet most of the time. Two or three, I can understand, but dozens? What's the point in having so many? To brag?"

As I was starting to get a bit worried, Dahlia smiled at me, holding my hand. "Relax, they only really show up to deal with the kind of skinwalkers I mentioned, or other non-humans causing a big enough ruckus for them to blow their cover. As long as you keep a low profile and only stay in one skin, you have almost no chance of getting caught."

Still, it gave me food for thought. Even if I had planned to use my powers for good, I didn't expect monster hunters to go easy on me. I would have to be careful and avoid them, as I didn't want to have to kill anyone.

Claire also took notice of what she said. "Other non-humans?"

"While humans did a good job at hunting down non-humans over the centuries, there are still some roaming around, even if they're rare. Vampires, werewolves, sirens, fairies, and a lot of other things fantasy books and roleplaying games took inspiration from." She frowned as she stared at her glass. "I admit that I've personally never met any, but… I know that the skinwalker who turned me did."

Mythical creatures were real? I was stunned by what I heard even though it made sense in retrospect. I became one myself, after all, Dahlia and I were living proof of that.

Dahlia clenched her fist, closing her eyes and whispering. "Hope the bastard is dead." She then glanced at me. "Got anything stronger than orange juice? Just thinking about that asshole spoiled my mood."

"Hmm, are you…"

"Dahlia is twenty but I'm not, so yes, I'm of age."

Claire started to speak but was quickly interrupted by Dahlia, who apparently predicted her question. I didn't see any reason to refuse so I got to the fridge to see what we had left in store.

"Are you fine with vodka, Dahlia?"

"Yeah, that's perfect."

I grabbed the bottle and two glasses, I felt like drinking a bit as well after what we just talked about. I pretty much had my views of the world shattered in an instant since I learnt that fantastical monsters were in fact real.

"Here you go." I said as I gave her a glass, which she swiftly drank down in one go.

"Ah, that's a good one." she let out a sigh of satisfaction.

Ever since she remembered the skinwalker who turned her, her mannerisms changed slightly, she was a bit less refined, a bit less overly girly in her posture and movements.

"I assume that you don't have a cordial relationship with them?" Claire asked.

At that, Dahlia sniggered, letting free of her own spines, surprising Claire. "Oh, I am grateful for the gift he gave me, I can have the life I always dreamed of thanks to that. But the guy was a total dickhead: selfish, arrogant, manipulative; the definition of an 18th century British nobleman… He basically turned me into a skinwalker and walked away without explaining anything, letting me fend for myself for months before I finally found him again. And before you mention it, no, it's not the same thing I did with you, Ed. I would have contacted you anyway had you not texted me. Becoming a skinwalker can be terrifying when you're alone and not prepared, especially when you reach the next step in the transformation and start shedding your own skin."

Claire's eyes widened when she heard that last part. "Shedding your skin?"

I grit my teeth, it was something I truly was dreading.

Dahlia gave Claire a compassionate smile. "I don't think you're ready to see how I look like underneath that skin, cutie, so let's just say that, in a few months, Eddy won't be able to take a stroll on the streets without giving everyone a heart attack. That is, unless he finally decides to swallow up his pride and finds a skin to settle in on a daily basis."

"As you said, I still have some time, I'll think of what to do when I'll reach that point." I looked at Claire again. "Anyway, I'm going to resign from my job tonight and then travel to our hometown tomorrow. Do I have your support?"

Claire didn't speak at first, but I saw her expression of resignation. I was a pretty stubborn person, she knew it would be pointless to argue with me.

"Only if you promise me to be careful... You're the only family I have left, I don't want to lose you..."

I was relieved. "I promise I won't do anything rash. I may aim to act like a hero but I have no intention of getting captured or killed."

Claire stood up and walked next to me, hugging me tenderly. "Good." She raised her head to look at me and spoke again. "Although, how are we gonna afford to pay the rent if you quit your job?"

I didn't think of that. I thought of potentially borrowing some money from our parents while I'd be 'visiting' them, since it wasn't like they were lacking in that regard, but it might cross a line morally-speaking.

While I was thinking of how to solve that predicament, Dahlia chipped in. "Claire and you can always live with me. My flat is big enough for the three of us, especially if you're going to be out most of the time. You can take the couch when you're visiting, or even wear one of my neighbors if you prefer to sleep in a comfy bed while still being close to your sister."

While her offer was very tempting, I knew why she was so kind and eyed her suspiciously. "You just want a reason to be with Claire, don't you?"

She stuck out her tongue and giggled. "Why wouldn't I want to be with a cute girl most of the time?"

Claire meanwhile just looked down and blushed again.