32 Table Turning (1/2)

”She is like us, Papa. Like you, and me, and Grandpa,” Hunter said to his father.

Silverio blinked twice and smiled at his son. He returned to slicing his steak, as though he had heard something only vaguely interesting.

”Is she now?” Silverio asked without looking up from his plate.

”She is,” Hunter answered. His own plate was still untouched. He continued to hold Ash's hand under the table.

Silverio chewed carefully on a piece of steak. He took a long sip of water. He set the glass down and placed both of his hands on the table, palms flat.

”And how is she the same as you, me, and your grandfather?” he asked his son. His voice had the ring of a challenge to it.

Hunter stood abruptly, dragging Ash to stand up with him. Ash stood from her seat. She felt Hunter's grip on her hand and squeezed back. She didn't know what was going on, but she sensed Hunter's energy and she readied herself. She felt a tingling sensation on the back of her neck as her muscles tensed.

Without warning, Hunter slammed his fist on the table. The plates and the cutlery clattered, and his mother gasped in surprise. Staring angrily at his father, Hunter started to shift at the table. As his eyes changed from blue to amber and his teeth sharpened inside his mouth, he tugged hard on Ash's hand. Ash felt an electric blue surge pass from Hunter's body and into her own.

Without thinking, she slammed her own fist on the table and gave a guttural yell as she felt a sharp pain at her tailbone. Her brown eyes turned golden yellow and her new teeth cut into her human lips. She felt a strange sensation go through her hands and she watched the fingers on her right hand grow into claws.

”Enough!” Silverio shouted, banging his fist against the table. The cutlery was really jumping tonight.

Ash snapped out of her daze and looked at Silverio. The older man was still seated at the head of the table. Hunter's mother had a hand to her chest and her eyes were wide, but she was still seated as well.