The Skin Thief

Chapter 16

The world beneath me is a blur as I hurtle through the sky. It takes seconds before I start to slow. I only just make out the narrow brick building before I come to a complete stop inside a quiet, dim restaurant.

My eyes immediately fall on a woman who sits in a darkened corner. A faint, golden hue surrounds her body and is attached to the golden thread that I follow. I float toward her and step into her body.

She gasps and for a second, her conscious is panicked. I push it down with ease and take control. My vision clears as I look through her eyes. I shake her body a little, trying to get used to the strange, scratchy feeling of her skin which clings to me tightly. As I wiggle her fingers, I feel her bones and muscles pulling and stretching. Something tickles my shoulder and I flick her blonde hair away. Then, I awkwardly adjust the top she is wearing. Its extremely low cut almost makes me blush. The leather trousers she wears are also tight and uncomfortable, making me shift awkwardly as I try and adjust them.

Once I am a little more comfortable, I look around, my eyes struggling to adjust to the dim red and orange lighting. Most of the small tables are empty. Any other guests here are sat on the other side of the room. The music is almost uncomfortably loud and when I look up, I realise that the large black speaker sits right above me.

I shift awkwardly in my chair, not sure what to do now. What should I do to blend in? What happens now?

I am about to reach for a menu when a shadow looms over me. I look up.

"May I sit?" a man asks.

I smile calmly, trying to disguise my nerves. "I don't know," I reply confidently. "I haven't heard the magic word. Manners go a long way you know."

He chuckles and nods his head. "Equinox," he says and looks at me expectantly.

"Eclipse," I reply and gesture for him to sit.

As he takes a seat next to me, the music overhead gets louder. The man gives me an apologetic look.

"Can't have anyone overhearing us," he explains. I nod my head in agreement. He leans closer to speak so I can hear him better.

"It is nice to sort of meet you, Little Bird," he says and chuckles. I try not to groan at my code name. I silently curse the prime minister for her cruel little trick.

"And you, Cobalt," I reply, remembering the code name they had used for my handler during my briefing.

"How are you settling?" he asks casually.

"Well."

"Good," he says, almost dismissively. He makes a gesture to a waitress and she comes over quickly. "A coffee for me and my friend," he orders.

"Anything else?" she asks.

"No, that will be all."

She turns and walks away quickly.

"I don't like coffee," I say.

"She does," he tells me, gesturing to my body. I roll my eyes and lean back in my chair, crossing my arms over my exposed chest.

"Who is she, anyway?" I ask.

"An escort I hired to meet me here," he tells me casually. My eyes widen but I don't say anything. I guess it makes sense. If you want someone to be somewhere at a certain time without them asking awkward questions, then hiring an escort is the best bet.

"And are you, you?" I ask.

He chuckles. "So many questions," he replies and as he looks into my eyes, I spot his ones changing from blue to brown then back to blue again.