I feel all the spirits of my people, from the Great Manitou to Corbeau, and some of them talk to me in my sleep or in my prayers. Now today, I know that something important is going to happen, something that is going to upset my people, but I’m not able to identify the nature of this sign. Is it a danger or a blessing ? Why don’t spirits come to help me protect my people ? They’ve never been so unclear and silent. Did we disappoint them ? The knot in my stomach confirms that something important, maybe even crucial, is going to happen. Now our tribe has not been involved in any conflict with any clan around since ages and our business is thriving. The only change is the arrival of the French girl. It has to do with her. I’m not against people from outside Manitoulin. I would be an hypocrite as I mainly live on tourism. But I’m suspicious towards people who come to stay on our island. When someone leaves his country, it’s because he’s escaping from something. I need to know what this young girl is escaping and how much her arrival is going to affect my tribe.
When I arrive I just take the time to greet my brother and then I go straight to the point that led me there.
– Where is the foreign girl ?
– Good morning to you too, Achak. Did you sleep well ?
He’s lucky to be my brother and the boss of the tribe, because I wouldn’t have been in the mood to tolerate this sarcasm with another guy. I answer containing my frustration.
– Don’t make fun of me.
– Aiyanna is helping her to move in her room.
She’s just arrived and my niece is already at her feet. Don’t let her unpack her things too fast. If I have any doubt about her, I’ll send her back on the first plane with no regrets.
– I wanna see her. I feel she’s bringing problems.
– Stop being in a bad disposition, Achak. This nanny looks great, she has a great feeling with your niece, and that’s no small deal, as you know, and the kid is in a hurry to spend some time with her, so calm down.
I grumble in dissatisfaction. I will be the sole judge of this intrusion in our lives and he knows it.
– Get back your claws, Achak.
I had not even realised they had come out. I never lose control of my animal in normal times. This is one more proof that something unusual is gonna happen.
– I’ m gonna introduce her to you, so you stop worrying, and after that you’ll have the time to play with your niece.
My brother leaves me alone at the bottom of the stairs of his house and I take the opportunity to get back inside.
Something intrigues me immediately, a perfume in the air that I cannot identify.
My lynx stays on the surface, on the lookout. It wanna trace this smell back to its origin without waiting. Strange ! My sense of smell is not made for hunting, just for recognising the territories of the pack, then wyh is my feline confirming that this perfume is important, that it’s part of the clan ?
I’m still lost in my thoughts when Tyee comes with the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I’ m breathless. She’s dressed in simple slim jeans that highlight her long legs and in a cachemire jumper that tightens her chest. She’s amazing with her pale skin, her big innocent brown eyes and long hair of the same colour that brush against her lower back. I imagine her in my arms, the contrast of her supple and light body against mine, my fingers passing through her long chocolate hair while we’re talking after making love. But what is happening ? I never reacted so violently in front of the opposite sex. I’m not lacking conquests, far from it. I have an athletic body that cause lustful looks and, considering the position I have in the clan, I can say I’m not lacking propositions. But they’ re always just sexual relationships whereas now I feel a different need, an attraction of both spirit and body.
It takes me some moment to realise that Tyee is frowning while looking at me, waiting for me to react. I was indeed frozen for a moment, in front of such a beauty. I scrape my throat to avoid drooling in front of this goddes descended from the sky and I reach out my hand to introduce myself :
– Goodmorning, I’m Achak, Tyee’s brother.
– Isabelle, she says, taking my hand.
Her smooth voice and her soft skin make me shiver, but that’s nothing compared to the effect of her perfume. A wave of wild flowers pour into my nostrils. My lynx, usually so calm, scratches my skin to get free. It wants to meet this woman and rub against her body. I can hardly control it. The truth that the lynx is crying inside my head hits me with the strenght of a bison. This woman is the second half of my soul, the person that I’m gonna love and honour until the end of my life. She’s my partner, no doubt about it. As a shapeshifter, it’s a phenomenon that I can feel clearly throughout my body and I cannot control it. That’s why my spirits left me in the ignorance, to prevent the fear of the unknown or my prejudice towards foreigners from giving me the chance to run away from my destiny. Once we meet our partner, she becomes our universe, nothing is more important than her. I can’t help looking at her. I’d like to eat her up and my lynx encourages me to do so. Besides, the spirits had nothing to worry about, I have no fear, I accept my destiny with gratitude. Destiny has sent me a real princess and I’m gonna treat her as such. All I have to do is to make her mine.
This man stares at me relentlessy and he has not left my hand yet. I don’t feel uncomfortable, that would be a classic for me, but really annoyed. I wanna run away without turning back. There’s a sparkle in his eyes that I don’t understand. A wild glint that makes me think of a predator spotting its pray. He may be gorgeous, but this time I’m the one who finds someone weird. He looked upset when I walked into the room with my boss and now he examines me with his blue eyes, the same of his brother and niece, probably the trademark of this family, like a damned x rays scanner. I feel naked and I hate this. I don’t like being the centre of the attention. It brings back bad memories.
« – Did you really think that we wanted you at this party, Isabelle ?You were just the attraction of the night, the starter for the atmosphere, just to have a good laugh. Now get out of here, we don’t want you by our side. »
Mm, really bad memories from the last and only party I went to. First the crowd surrounded me to have fun of me, then they threw me away like a scumbag.
I see the muscles of the man in front of me under his blue shirt, his legs, squeezed in black jeans, looking strong, his black hair long up to the shoulders and his olive skin. His Native American origins are unmistakable. He’s breathtaking and scary at the same time. Different and opposite sensations make my stomach twitch. I feel the stress building up inside. It’s time this visual connection ends. My hands are sweaty, my heart beats in panic and, at the same time, I’m fascinated. I absolutely need to get out of this room, under any pretext. I hold back my hand suddenly, pulling it hard and I rapidly leave the lounge explaining quickly that Aiyanna is waiting for me for a guided tour of the house. Safe in the room, I ask myself what has really happened. No man has ever really paid attention to me, even less with that sparkle of interest mixed with desire in his eyes. I have short time to think, the little ray of sun of this house comes to show me my new house. I’m gonna live with this family for the next few years, if everything goes fine. I need to get familiar with this place. On the floor, in addition to mine, there are four more rooms, each with its toilet. They’re all decorated with taste, in warm tones, and they all have a large bay window that lets the sun rays in, making the room very pleasant. The sweetheart one is
