Snow Angel, Christmas Devil

The glare of the studio light caused Aiko to pause to rub at the bridge of his nose. His eyes were becoming more and more sensitive as the solstice approach.  He rolled his shoulders and sighed as the soft feather collar brushed lightly against his fur.  Slipping his hand back into the black paw glove, he crouched on his mark.  The shrill production whistle blew and the lights dimmed.  He could hear the director coaching the actress toward his position and he pulled tighter in his crouch.  A steady rumbling vibrate out from his chest more a physical force then a sound.  The subtle shift of the actress scent as her unconscious mind pick up on his promise of danger.  She paused as she closed in on his location, smell of her fear growing stronger as her conscious mind picked up on the warning of her subconscious.  As her body turned to face the bush he was crouched behind, he launched himself forward.  His paws spread wide in a perfect predatory arch.  The scream of absolute terror from the actress reverberated through the sound stage as his aerial harness pulled tight swinging him away from landing on his intended prey.
The actress caught in a very real moment of terror collapsed weeping to her knees.  The fly technician lowered him back to the ground and unhooked his harness.  He looked back at the actress she was still struggling to recover from the terror he had inflicted on her.  Aiko cursed softly under his breath, his powers were becoming erratic.  He'd only meant to frighten her to get the reaction the director was wanting, yet he had incapacitated her with her own primal terror.  She knew him on a deep and primal level for what he truly was not the human male everyone else saw.  He had to fix this or she would literally die of fright.  His keen senses could already pick up what those around him could not, her heart was faltering, her breath shallow and not efficient.
He took his mask off and shed the fur suit before making his way over to her, his footfalls quick and silent.  He bent down a force her eyes up to look into his, if she saw the change in the shape of his pupils she gave no sign.  She just sighed as he smiled, the tension in his form relaxed and she turned her head to rest against his cheek.
"How do you do that?" Her voice was little more than a whisper, but he could hear her clearly.
"Do what, my sweet?"  The endearment relaxed her even more under his influence.
"You're purring. Just like a ca..."  She blinked once her sentence forgotten as she turned her head once more to look at him.  Her brows scrunch slightly as she looked at his eyes.  "Your eyes, Aiko look just like a cat.  You know that don't you?"
He smiled wider as their little exchange began to draw the crew's attention. "They are just contacts my sweet. Part of the costume I was wearing that gave you such a fright.  Come let us retire to a more private setting."
She smiled back and nodded as he helped her to her feet.  The shoot for the day was done as it always was after his performances most were in no condition to continue shooting that day.  The crew whispered and softly whistled as he walked the slim Burnette back to her dressing room.  He knew what they were thinking even without the stench of the pheromones to overwhelm him.
This was how he had gotten the playboy reputation, yet he had not taken a lover in over 20 years.  He had learned a long time ago his dual nature did not work out so well on his human lovers.
Once in her dressing room he closed and locked the door behind him.  The Burnette, what was her name? Pam or Linda? No, he couldn't remember flopped limply on her chaise lounge.  He set down on the edge by her feet and look down at her form.  She was deep under his control and he could do whatever he wanted and she would not fight him.
How are you feeling my sweet?  He ran a hand gently up along the underside of her chin.  She cooed and turned into the touch.  His mouth quirked on one side as he took in a deep scenting breath.    She was aroused and his body was responding.  No, he had to end this before it when too far.  Her breathing and heart rate had return to an almost normal level and would continue to improve without his help.
He stood to leave and her fingers snaked around his wrist.
"Wait Aiko! Please don't go, there is no rush.  We are done with shooting today."  His muscle twitched as she slowly feathered them up and down the inside of his arm.  Her scent was becoming stronger and his resistance weaker.  The first pain hit him forcing him to his knees.  He looked around for the source and was startled to see a small female standing in the doorway holding a device with two cables coming out of it. He followed the cables to see two darts protruding from his calf.
"Get away from her!!"  The small blonde woman's eyes were wide with terror and Aiko instantly realized she had been too close to the sound stage and had been influenced by his terror as well.  She knew he was a predator, she had not been calmed and unlike most she was fighting with the strength of her terror not crippled by it.
"ALHONA ARE YOU MAD?"  The burnette leaped off the lounge and lunged for the smaller one.  "What have you done to poor Aiko?"
Aiko tried to get to his feet, but his legs would not obey him.  He grabbed then ends of the dart and pulled them out wincing in pain.  Barbed of course they would be barbed.  He looked up to see the two woman fighting in the door way before Jack the bouncer stepped between them.
Jack looked over the scene and just smiled shaking his head of Aiko.
"Jack I can assure you this is not what it looks like."  Aiko tried again to get to his feet and was successful but very unstable.  Jack walked between the two women who were staring daggers at each other and brace Aiko against his body.
"Come on Aiko, I knew one day your bedside manner was going to get you in trouble."  Jack help Aiko out of the room Alhona stepping back to give them a wide berth.  The burnette just looked after him with longing and regret.  That was too close it was too much he needed a break.  He was glad his role in this move was over.  The big cat is killed in the very next seen and he wasn't need for a death scene.

"Aiko, you do realize the full moon is only two days away.  You need to be more careful.  You know it's not safe to use so much of your power. I could feel you in the green room.  I almost came after you myself and not in a buddy, buddy kind of way.  That felt like a full on alpha challenge. "

"I know Jack, I'm sorry.  I don't know what's wrong with me.  My powers seem to be fluxing and I am not as in control.  I was purring Jack.  She saw my eyes change.  I have never slipped in front of humans before, why would I start now?"
Jack laughed and it was very similar to the caw of a raven.  He was much older the Aiko and had taken him under his wing when he found a young Aiko on the streets.  He paused to catch his breath and then look down at the younger man.  His dark black eyes narrowed on Aiko and he felt the hairs on his neck stand up.  Then Jack smiled and he shudder when Jack smiled like that it was never good news.

"When was the last time you actually took a lover, Aiko? And don't lie you know I can smell just as well as you.  You scent betrays you.  Your spirit is restless and calling out to any who will hear it.  You cannot keep that penned up forever.  Some of us were meant to walk this life alone others need something more. "
Aiko sighed this wasn't the first time Jack has spoken of this to him.  He sighed again as a tingling sensation rang down his legs.  Something was wrong.
"JACK!"  Aiko cried out as he tumbled to the ground groaning as his fingernails began to elongate and he looked up at his friend.  Jack was looking around in a frenzy to make sure no one was coming.
"Fight it Aiko, we cannot risk this here, too many people."
" It's not like it is giving me a choice!"  He spat back as his body continue to stretch and elongate until he was the Black Panther in the bush.  He looked up and Jack who was shaking his head.  The big cat just snorted and growled.
Jack reached for his belt and pulled it free from his pants.  Carefully he wrapped it around the big cat's neck to resemble a leash.
"Okay Aiko, let's go and try to behave."
The big cat took a swat at Jack leg.  The big man just sighed as he looked down at his charge Aiko had not had an involuntary shift since he entered puberty.  His cat spirit was unusual compared to the cougars and bobcat he had met in the past.  His spirit was not one for isolation it called out to a mate.
Aiko growled and huffed at his side as he made his way out of the studio.  A small throng of paparazzi appeared at the side of the lot and began snapping pictures of the big cat.  Jack smiled as the cats ears flattened on his head.
"Alright boys, I will give you a picture."  Jack rested a hand on the haunch of the big cat and it turned to look back at him.  "Let's give them a show boy."  The cat turned back to the camera men showing all its teeth and with a hiss reared up on all fours.  Its front legs spread wide to look just as the panther on the side of building in which the movie Panthera was being shot.  The roar from its throat was laced with the terror of a primal predatory.  True to their prey ancestors the camera man forgot about the great shot and turned tail running for their lives.  Jack slapped his hands on his thighs as he doubled over with laughter.  Aiko sat back down on his haunches and began to causally lick the claws on his left paw.

Okay, Aiko let's get you home.  The big cat huffed but obediently followed the large man as he got into a small Dodge Dakota.
"Sorry Aiko, you are going to have to ride in the back."  The cat cocked his head to the side and made a chuffing sound. "I know, I know but if you lay down flat we should make back the house without drawing too much attention.  It's the only option we got unless you think you can change back now?"
The big cat seemed to think for a moment then it lied its head down on it forepaw and seemed to concentrate.  Jack watch intently.  After a moment, the big cat got up and growled, swatting the air with bare claws at an invisible foe.  Then it leaped into the back of the truck and laid down.