Suspended

“You know, I’m not really a Damien Hirst fan… but this is impressive,” Jeremy the shapeshifter overheard someone saying as he studied the five-meter-long display case before him. Preserved in formaldehyde was a tiger shark, it’s jaws open, body suspended as if it could start surging forward, nose bumping into the glass at any moment. It was impressive, he thought, raising his eyes to look through the green tinted glass at the other fundraiser attendees.

Jeremy felt distinctly out of place, dressed in a rental suit that had cost more than one of his weekly pay cheques. It didn’t compare to what the other attendees wore, the women arm in arm with their partners wore glamorous ball gowns that dragged on the marble floor. A college professor that had mentored Jeremy had invited him along “to network” but Jeremy had barely spoken. He didn’t know what to say to these people that seemed in a league of their own, bidding thousands of dollars at a time on the silent auction and eating foie gras and crab legs.

At least he could support the cause, raising money to protect the world’s oceans—including the descendants of the tiger shark before him. Jeremy half expected to see David Suzuki or Attenborough. He had already seen Al Gore. His nerves spiked as he focused in on someone flitting from person to person, shaking hands and kissing cheeks.

Her gown didn’t quite touch the floor, it flowed around her like ocean waves. As Jeremy continued looking over the art exhibition, he found himself searching for her in the crowd again and again, his heartbeat quickening each time his eyes landed on her. A tall and slender figure, he couldn’t quite make sense of the immediate sexual attraction that overtook him.

Suddenly she was standing before him, she held out a hand, her own eyes looking him up and down just as he had done to her moments earlier. Awkwardly, he switched his drink to his other hand and shook hers.

“Adrienne Motsa,” she said with a pleasant French accent.

“Jeremy Vandering, nice to meet you,” he replied.

She smiled, “You have no idea who I am, do you?”

He adjusted his tie, “I’m sorry?”

“My father is the proprietor of all this,” she swept her hand across the large ballroom. The fundraiser was being hosted in a mansion overlooking the Pacific Ocean on Vancouver Island.

“Ah, um, you have a lovely home.”

Adrienne laughed, “Are you a scientist?”

Jeremy hesitated, “Not exactly.”

“Alright, mysterious, I like it,” she stepped close to him, adjusting his tie and smoothing the collar of his shirt. Jeremy tensed at the brazen intimacy of the moment simultaneously wondering how he could continue to capture her attention.

He blurted out, “Maybe an ecologist. I’ve been considering switching from terrestrial to aquatic studies. You know how misunderstood sharks are despite the fact that a person is more likely to be killed by a vending machine than a shark attack.”

Adrienne’s lips parted, head tilted, “What if you never use a vending machine?”

Jeremy had no follow up for that. He fumbled for words, “It’s a statistical average…”

She walked back to the Damien Hirst exhibit, looking over the shark, “Killer whales are actually much more deadly. They’ve been known to kill sharks, removing their livers with astounding precision.”

“Fascinating,” He remarked, watching the rippling flow of her dress.

“Hm, there is something about you Jeremy,” she said, “I saw you watching me.”

His ears reddened, “I… um…”

Adrienne returned to his side, dismissing his embarrassment, “Would you like to go somewhere more private?”

“Yes.” He followed her out to a garden where they found a bench that overlooked the ocean. A dainty fence separated them from a cliff face that dropped down to the water.

They had only been sitting there for a moment, Jeremy searching for something to say when she asked him, point blank, “Would you like to have sex?”

She didn’t give him a chance to answer, “You know they’ve found intersex sharks before? Some of them have fully formed male and female sex organs. I’m intersex. I mean, I don’t have a penis. But my body doesn’t respond to male hormones. It actually comes with some perks—my skin doesn’t get oily; I don’t really have much body hair and I don’t get my period.”

Jeremy felt the need to expose one of his secrets, uncertain if being intersex was something private that she rarely shared, “I’m polyamorous. My boyfriend and girlfriend recently got engaged.”

“I knew you were interesting,” she said leaning closer to him.

He could clearly see down her dress, between her breasts. Jeremy looked out at the ocean, his ears reddening again, “You don’t know the half of it.”

“Oh? Now you have to tell.”

“I’ve just seen more than most,” Jeremy half-lied, “I enjoy art just as much as I enjoy exploring the wilderness. Alex, my girlfriend makes the most amazing abstract paintings by looking at photos of animals.”

“You miss her, don’t you?”

“Dominic, my boyfriend, too but I have to forge my own path, build up a career on my terms before settling down.”

“So… save the world and then what? You’ll all marry each other?”

“Maybe… I’m sure there is room for one more,” he smiled at her invitingly.

Adrienne laughed again, “I’ve never had a threesome let alone a foursome.”

“The night is young,” he joked, moving a hand to her thigh and leaning into her. As they shared a kiss Jeremy noticed she smelled faintly of soap. Hundreds of questions began crowding his brain, he wanted to know more about her, but a loud pop interrupted them, followed by a scream.

Worried, the pair returned to the party. Jeremy pinched his nose against the sharp scent of formaldehyde. A bullet had struck the shark tank, the clear liquid spilling out on the floor. Beside the tank was a body—a man dressed in an expensive tuxedo, blood soaking his expensive suit.

Adrienne sprung into action, ordering people to clear the room. The person that had shot the gun was being removed from the party by security—Jeremy watched as what looked like black smoke trailed behind the person, dissipating into the air. He had seen that phenomenon before. Pulling out his phone he called Dominic, “Hey Dom, I just saw Smoke.”

Dominic’s concern was immediate, “You should get out of there Jeremy. Nothing good ever happens where Smoke is…”

Jeremy loosened his tie, “I know. It’s like he is following me.”

“I don’t think so, you said this fundraiser has a lot of big names. Even so, stay safe. Let me know when you get back to your hotel.”

“Okay, talk later,” Jeremy ended the call. Adrienne was still bossing people around. Someone had covered the body with a white sheet which was now soaked in formaldyhde. Jeremy nervously threaded his way through the crowd, finding a quiet spot. Smoke could be anywhere, influencing the minds of people he possessed.

Hours later, after the coroner had removed the body and the police had questioned the witnesses Jeremy was disappointed that he could not find Adrienne before leaving. He took a cab to the nearest hotel, immediately undressing once he reached the safety of his room. After sending a text to Dominic and Alex he pulled open the window and tugged the screen free. Then, standing on the ledge Jeremy transformed into an eagle, flying out over the island.

His anxiety dissipated with each wing flap, the wind rushing over him. It had always been his favourite animal form to take on. When the first signs of sunrise crept over the horizon, Jeremy returned to the hotel shifting back into human form as he slipped into the still open window.

“That’s a neat party trick,” A feminine voice said in the darkness.

Jeremy felt as if his heart had just been squished, cupping a hand over his nakedness until he could pull on a pair of boxers. He flicked on a light, finding Adrienne sitting on the edge of one of the queen sized beds. She was still wearing the flowing dress from earlier.

“How did you get in here!”

“I have my ways,” she said, “I think the more important question is what are you? You were a bird.”

There was no point in denying it, “I’m a shapeshifter.”

“You really are interesting,” She pushed herself further onto the bed until her back rested against the headboard, “Are there others like you?”

Jeremy pulled on a pair of pants, “Not that I have met.”

Dominic could read memories, and Smoke was an ethereal being capable of possessing minds. He hadn’t met anyone else with supernatural powers. The shapeshifter changed the subject, “Did you know the man that was killed?”

“Not really. It’s so surreal. I had never seen a dead body before.”

Jeremy sat beside her on the bed, “I have. I didn’t know at the time, but it was Alex’s brother.”

“Oh,” Adrienne was quiet. Jeremy wished he could go back to that moment she had first touched him. Wished they could remain suspended in the moment like the shark in its tank. Now though, the sexual tension felt tainted in a way.

When Adrienne had not moved, Jeremy looked her over, “Would you like to stay for a while?”

“Yes,” she said. They slipped under the covers. Her body curled against his as sleep carried them both away. Death would touch them again soon but for now it would remain a physical impossibility to both of them.

_________________________________________

If you enjoyed this bit of fiction, please support my work with a heart and check out the rest by clicking the owl! As this is an early draft, I’d appreciate constructive criticism. Let me know what you thought on FB, Twitter, or Insta @akelseyreich.

Are you interested in joining Vocal as a content writer? Click to sign up!

Written by Kelsey Reich on July 12/2021 in Ontario, Canada.