At the end of chapter 15 Anya has somehow transformed into Eugenia:
Summary
Anya’s hands freeze in the air. Her eyes flash wide before she breathes a laugh so soft it’d be easy to miss. “This is a first.”
“No one’s done this for you?” I keep my eyes trained on my hands as I work, feeling her stare.
“No. Not for some time, at least. Not since I first learned.” Her hands fall to her sides.
I pat down my handiwork and smooth it against her. The motion makes her go still. I had done it so automatically that I didn’t realize what I was doing until after the fact. I retract my hands like I’d been caught, and before either of us could say anything, several rapid-fire knocks bang on my front door. Instinct slams my defenses into place. There’s about fifteen different things I can readily use as weapons around me if my knife isn’t an option.
“Richard! I know you’re home! I met your cartoon-princess-come-to-life of a girlfriend yesterday and she made me promise to wait until the morning to see you!”
Until Jace’s muffled voice breaks through, that is.
Eugenia slumps into the couch, groaning.
Jace continues knocking. And crying my name. At this rate, he might bust my door off the hinges. I stride for it, having it unlocked in seconds. “Okay, stop— oof!”
He throws his arms around my neck. His arm strength is stronger than I’d expected! “Ugh! She had me spooked!” Jace squeezes until I’m practically in a modified chokehold
Summary
The taps to his back are practically slaps. “Whoops!” Thankfully, he doesn’t try to hug any longer, and he draws back his arms. “Blame her for my death hug!” He points a sharp accusatory finger at Eugenia slumped on my couch. “It’s her fault!”
“How?” I wheeze, still catching my breath.
“I told you. Your girlfriend made me promise to wait until the morning to see you. All she said was ‘he doesn’t feel well’.” He does a terrible impression of her voice, his hands on him hips.
He’s getting far too worked up over this… “Jace,” I sigh his name, “she isn’t anything like that to me. She’s just a coworker who I’ve barely known for a week, at most.”
“Oh.” Jace bites his bottom lip, the irritated furrow in his brow turning into confusion. “Sure. Okay, then, why is she here? If she’s ‘just a coworker’?”
From the couch, Eugenia says, sounding utterly bored, “Your bagel is burning.”
I shrug when he glances at me. He spins toward his door. Then Jace gasps out an “oh shit!”, rushes inside, and slams the door. He certainly seems better since we spoke last.
Summary
Eugenia waits until I’ve closed the door before saying, “Is he always like that?”
“Yes.”
“And you’re neighbors.”
“He just happens to be a… very friendly one.”
She tosses up her eyebrows as if to say, “Yeah, no shit,” while leaning to one side, digging into a back pocket for her phone.
As it comes into the open, I hear its strong sequential vibrations. Eugenia unlocks her screen. Her eyes read something over that causes her to frown.
I come to the edge of my coffee table, closer to her. “What?”
“It’s from Min-Ji.” Eugenia looks up at me. The light of her phone below creates sharp shadows, warping the structure of her face. “Ulysses is agency custody. He said Clyde tried to kill him.”
In ch16 it’s Anya again.
I could make the fight last a little longer after than inital rescue… It wouldn’t throw too much off, even if MC still passes out.
Operation: Make MC More Badass, Go!
I’m sorry for the lack of any updates here-
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I hope.