1
FLORA
Steam raised from the pitcher full of boiling hot water — the final stage of braiding box braids finally in sight for Flora — nine treacherous hours after she had started. Flora’s cramping hands dipped the braids into the water. Finishing off with a hair mousse, her waist-length braids were complete. Dragging her gaze around what she called her "hair nook", which consisted of a huge gold antique floor-length mirror, a pillow, and an end table to hold her hair products, she glanced at the digital clock on her nightstand to confirm the time. Midnight was considered finishing early and she’d take that small win to bed with her.
Braids were a lifesaver in terms of time saved in the morning and everyday styling. They were also a pain in the ass when Flora’s braider canceled on her the morning of and forced her to do them herself. Looking the part of a fashion CEO and shoe designer had become of the utmost importance now that her fashion accessory company, Dainty Rebel, had become successful in dressing Shifters all around the United States. Rainfall Avenue was her home and so it was also Dainty Rebels’. Most fashion companies relocate to big cities like L.A, New York City, Atlanta, etc. when they reach whatever milestone they deem successful. Flora, on the other hand, preferred to remain tax-free in her Shifter "town" of Rainfall Avenue, part of a town in Michigan that had a supernatural side and a human side. Knowing what humans do while fearful, the supernaturals of the world decided to keep their “unnatural” being-asses a secret, creating areas where the supernatural could live in peace known as Shifter towns or Shifter sides.
Dainty Rebel had become extremely popular among those in the supernatural world. Shifter types especially can’t say no to a pair of good shoes let alone a signature necklace that represents their animal or special ability that they have. While Flora's company focused on shoes, jewelry had been the new hot item when it came to Packs and Shifters, which she had famously tapped into. Shifter Packs, whether of bears or vampires, loved having matching jewelry signifying which Pack they were from. Though Flora was sure Shifters' animals could not care less about a moon-shaped pendant hanging from their necks by a thick silver chain, there was something appealing about wearing something that wouldn't break during shifting, that created another connection to Shifters' animals. Her own animal didn’t try to rip off any of the necklaces, bracelets, or anklets that remained on her body after the shift.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, a reminder Flora kept printed above her wide, floor-length antique gold mirror. She kept it there to remind herself and anyone who asked her for an opinion on anything style related. Being in the Shifter fashion industry, it seemed Flora’s opinion was as important as her customers opinions, something that was oddly similar between the human mindset and the Shifter mindset. The thing was, Flora didn’t mind what others had to say about what she did, what she wore, or whom they thought she was with romantically. It was simply not one of her concerns. According to Flora’s PR team, she should most definitely care.
“Flora, why is there a photo of you walking out of Lust Lane on 90th street, for the third time this week?” Willow Buttercup, Flora’s personal assistant and best friend asked. Willow refused to reveal her last name to anyone: Flora was only privy to it after reading her résumé. She also wouldn’t share her next darkest secret, what animal she shifted into, but Flora could understand the need for privacy, seeing as her ex-best friend had dropped Flora like a hot cake after finding out what animal she shifted into. She kept that shit on lockdown ever since.
“Well,” Flora started, placing the pitcher of hot water on the end table, “you know my best clients work at the strip club.” The one strip club in town was Lust Lane, a dub on the name Lover’s Lane. Flora thought the name was clever when everyone else thought it was cheesy. Lust Lane gave her great business. No one bought her fun, exotic accessories like they did. The way Flora saw it, she got to make extravagant, eye-catching pieces and the strippers bought them for their equally extravagant and eye-catching performances. It was a win-win situation.
“Why can’t you sneak in through a back door or something? You know the media goes wild every timethey catch you at the strip club,” Willow stressed. Being sneaky was a part of who Flora was, something she was good at, thanks to her animal. Not only were strippers and entertainers her best customers, but she envied their dancing skills. Flora definitely broke the “all Black people can dance’ stereotype. She couldn’t catch a beat if someone threw it at her.
“Icouldsneak through the back, but Iwon’t.Everyone goes to the strip club, why lie about it?'' Flora explained, sweeping her hair off the floor.
“I’m not saying lie but sneaking in would make my life easier and get the rest of the PR team off my back.” Willow's auburn shoulder-length ringlets defied gravity as she plopped down in a sherpa rocking chair.
“We said go big or go home with the height of our curls today, didn’t we, Willow?” Flora flirted, glancing through her eyelashes toward her friend. Willow had a hard time accepting compliments, so Flora made it her duty to change that. How could such a kind beauty get shy at compliments? Willow was a 5’6" Black woman with round hips and a soft nature; a book-loving friend who'd been Flora’s rock since they met six months before.
“Yeah…do you like it?” Breaking eye contact, Willow looked anywhere but at Flora, all shy and nervous. She was as cute as a buttercup, Flora thought.
“I love it, don’t worry, it's hot,” Flora reassured.
Pulling an oversized t-shirt over her sport bra, and careful of her tender scalp, Flora laid down on her queen-sized bed. It was midnight — she was tired as hell and ready to become dead to the world. Her hands, arms, legs, and hips all hurt like a bitch. Being as weak as Bambi in human form and being a badass panther in Shifter form made little sense in terms of biology. Her panther was strong as hell. Climbing, no problem. Running 50 miles per hour, no problem. As long as Flora was in panther form, she was one of the strongest predators among Shifters. Flora’s human form was a different story.
“Don’t forget your scarf and bonnet dumbass.” Willow crawled onto the bed with both in her hands, smoothly wrapping a silk scarf around Flora’s head, sliding her braids into the bonnet.
“Goodnight, darling.”
“Goodnight, Flora.”
* * *
Too many things to do,not enough hours to do them in and stress was at the top of Flora’s to-do list. At least she didn’t have to do her hair for the next month and a half.
“That design is not going to work.”
“Like that neon-orange knit dress you have on isn’t working?” Willow joked.
“This dress is cute, but that camel toe of a shoe is not,” Flora said, side-eyeing her product design assistant, Kacy. Kacy knew Willow and Flora’s relationship ran deeper than a work-related one. Being best friends gave them the room to joke around more than Flora could with any of her other employees. Flora’s floor-length orange dress was totally cute, especially with her complexion. Oversized at the top, it nipped in at the waist. "Flattering" was an understatement. Going back and forth with the product design assistant was unprofessional as much as it was unproductive, and Willow could tell this meeting was going nowhere hence the jab, but creativity was running low, and she only had a few weeks to design a collection. Flora was supposed to drive out to meet the production team a few towns over in a month, but nothing had been confirmed for the designs of the shoes.
“Let's go back to the drawing board and meet again on Thursday,” Flora stated, ending the meeting with Willow flanking her side. Frustration flowed; the energy kept other employees from talking to her. They strode back to her office. Keeping up with fashion trends was becoming more and more difficult, as trends tended to fade out as fast as it took to run out of barbecue chips. It was time to create trends, not just follow them.
“You know what we need to do,” Willow lectured. This was the second meeting on this issue, and it still wasn’t resolved.
“Ain’t no way Shifters are going to wear camel toe-shaped boots!” Flora exclaimed, plopping into her oversized office chair.
Flora knew they were both right. Shifters were not going to wear something that looked like other animals' feet. Pride was a big deal with animals, so Shifters naturally also had an intense amount of pride, and egos the size of planets.
“Off-topic, but what is this new addition to the office?” Willow questioned, pointing towards the left wall of Flora’s office. There was a jungle gym-type platform designed to look like a tree with lots of branches, with enough room for Flora’s panther to climb eight feet high without destroying the office, as she’d done before.
“Just some new decoration,” Flora answered shortly. The Shifter Black Market was hot in the United States. Made up of trafficking and cage fighting, the SBM was a deep-rooted fear in every Shifter. The stronger a Shifter's animal was, the more enticing the fight or bid would be. The U.S. was filled with a diverse array of Shifters, but panthers were known as some of the strongest. Flora’s panther would be worth a couple hundred million dollars at least. Willing participants must not have been making enough money anymore, so kidnapping Shifters to force them to fight was the new booming illegal practice. A Shifter could work their way into the SBM by finding themselves a manager that already had an in. These ‘managers’, better known as Collectors, wouldn’t make as much money off a willing fighter since part of their earnings would have to go back to the Shifter, hence the push for unwilling participants. Shivers ran down Flora’s back and arms at the thought of it.
While she would love to say the SBM was the only reason she kept her animal’s identity so close to her chest, it was not. Humans, Shifters, vamps, fairies, and everything that fit under the supernatural umbrella were terrified of panthers.
