Page 34 of A Silenced Midlife

"Put that demon down! It's going to eat you alive!" Lucy-Fur was practically vibrating with fury, her long white fur puffing out.

"Lucy, it's just a cat," I said, adjusting the Sphinx in my arms as it began to purr, a faint vibration against my chest.

"That is no cat." Lucy-Fur scowled, her green eyes narrowed to slits. "It looks like a chicken ready to be baked."

Ignoring her dramatics, I held the Sphinx closer. The sensation of its skin was odd, like holding a ball sack if I was completely honest. I chuckled at the thought, shaking my head. "You're ridiculous. Go back upstairs, take care of your kittens," I told her as I scratched the purring kitty. "I’ll handle this so-called demon cat."

"Don't let that thing near my babies," she demanded.

"Remember, if anyone's going to eat us alive, it's you, or did you forget you're a demon stuck in a cat's body?" I shot back, a playful grin on my face.

Lucy-Fur was a demon before Luci turned her into a cat as punishment for something vile she did.

With a sniff that conveyed all of her disdain, Lucy-Fur turned on her heel, paws, rather, and stalked back up the stairs, her tail high in the air like a flag of truce.

"See? No demons here," I whispered to the Sphinx as Lucy-Fur disappeared. "Just us oddballs, a little mystery guest," I murmured to the Sphinx in my arms. "Let's go get you settled before Lucy has a furball fit."

I made my way to my office, careful not to disturb the curious creature too much. Once inside, I flicked my wrist and conjured a litter box in the corner. The Sphinx watched with its large eyes, its tail twitching with interest.

"Here," I said as I placed the cat down gently. It sauntered over to the box, sniffed it, and seemed to approve. Next, I fetched a bowl of Lucy's preferred kibble. She could share after pitching that fit.

The Sphinx didn't hesitate, padding over and crunching on the small bites with gusto.

Satisfied that the cat wouldn't go hungry, I turned to the task at hand. I grabbed my phone and snapped a few pictures of the Sphinx. Then I sat down at my desk, opening a design app to whip up a quick 'Found Cat' flier.

"I hope someone's looking for you," I muttered, typing out a description and contact information. Printing off a copy, I grabbed it and headed outside.

The walk to the mailbox felt good, a chance to stretch my legs after the morning's chaos. I stapled a flier to the light pole beside the mailbox, stepping back to ensure it was visible from the road.

"Good deed for the day: done." I nodded to myself and walked back to the house.

Once I was back in the office, I logged into Shipton Harbor’s social media group on Birdbook. My fingers flew over the keyboard as I posted about finding the Sphinx, attaching the best photo I'd taken. With a final click, the post went live.

"Your fifteen minutes of fame," I told the purring Sphinx, who seemed content to explore its new surroundings. "Enjoy it."

I shut the laptop, a twinge of guilt gnawing at me for neglecting my writing. That's when the shrill ring of my phone grabbed my attention. I glanced at the caller ID. Jax's name flashed on the screen.

"Hey, Jax," I greeted, a smile creeping onto my face despite my earlier mood. "What's got you up and calling in the middle of the day?"

"Couldn't sleep," he replied. "Needed to hear a friendly voice. What's new with you?"

"Sam turned into a bat," I blurted out, still grappling with the reality of it myself.

"A bat?" Jax sounded incredulous. "That's incredibly rare. The only other vampire I know who can do that is Dracula."

"Wait, Dracula's real?" I asked, half-laughing, half-serious.

"Very real," Jax confirmed. "Lives in Transylvania, acts just like every stereotype you've heard about him. To be honest, I'm surprised he survived the culling when our vampire mother exterminated the evil ones."

"Bet that was a sight to see," I mused, shaking my head.

"Indeed," Jax said. "Anyway, what else is going on?"

"Nothing much, just... dealing with unexpected guests," I said, glancing at the Sphinx cat now comfortably curled up on a pile of papers.

"Sounds like your usual kind of day," he teased.

"Pretty much," I agreed, the corner of my mouth lifting in amusement.

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