Shades (2)

The figure wound the towel around itself with deliberate, painstakingly slow, motions. Ivan's grin froze. Surely not...

A body, much too curvy for public safety commitee standards, covered in skin nearly comprised entirely of - were those scales..? - stood before his disbelieving stare. Even with the dark lenses, he squinted at the unnatural brightness reflected off this unmistakably female form. How had she managed to pass this long?

Shimmering white curtains of hair were lifted off the strange, yet too familiar face. Eyes of wine guiltily looked askance. Those pupils... Horror chased across the man's expression. This changed everything.

The woman opened her mouth to speak, but an intake of breath was all the sound she brought forth. Ivan cursed as the front door burst open. He'd nearly forgotten about the backup. The man lunged toward the startled female, grabbing an arm. Noise filled the hallway. Where to hide her became moot as he saw nothing in front of him. Ivan squeezed the bicep he could clearly feel beneath his palm.

"Ow!"

"Shh!" he hissed near where he estimated her ear to be. "Don't move a muscle," he whispered. "In here!"

Three armed uniforms responded to block the doorway, thankfully not noticing the apparently floating towel in front of their colleague. Ivan tore it out of the invisible hands and faced the others. The man steered his imagination from the fact that he was now holding a very naked woman at arm's length. Not being able to see her didn't help. Heat radiated off her, though he could feel her shiver.

"Empty," he said in a carefully even tone. "The sensor must've malfunctioned." The quite steady point of light at the edge of his vision privately contradicted his words with nary a flicker.