Page 40 of Alive and Kicking
Cain’s fingers trace soothing little circles over the side of my thigh. He never really touches me casually like this so I’m enjoying it while it lasts. Maybe I just need to take the initiative with him more often. Unfortunately, Psycho must have been paying attention to the tantalizing circles he’s been drawing onmy leg, because his paw bats at Cain’s hand like he’s trying to catch him.
Cain laughs softly, leaning forward to get a better look at the fur ball. He pets his head softly and Psycho starts to purr for the first time since I’ve met him. “He is pretty cute,” Cain says softly.
“Yes, he is,” I respond, but I’m not actually sure if I’m talking about the cat or the man sitting beside me.
Zane
Amonth after Psycho joined our family, everyone decides it’s a great idea to leave him home alone for hours. This helpless animal who hasn’t been alone since he came to our house, besides an hour or two while Nox goes shopping. How could they do this to him? The poor little guy is going to feel abandoned if we leave him all alone.
“We can’t just leave Psycho alone. He’s never been home by himself for so long before.” I try to make them as worried as I am because they should be.
Nox sighs. “He’s a cat. He will be fine home alone for a few hours. It’s not like he even comes to see me while you all are in class anyway. He will be fine alone.”
Sloane puts his elbow on Nox’s shoulder. “You two really haven’t started to get along any more, have you?”
Nox scowls at him, shaking his elbow off. “We’ve come to a mutual understanding; I leave him alone and he leaves me alone.”
“So… You’ve called a cease fire… With a cat?” The condescending tone of Cain’s voice and the slight raising of his brows doesn’t hide what he thinks about that.
While the twitch that starts to form in Nox’s left eye makes me worry he’s about to start stabbing people. He better wait for Viv, she would love to see that. I know she gets all turned on when Nox gets murderous. With almost perfect timing, Viv comes down the stairs. She’s wearing black leggings, and a skin-tight, black, long sleeve shirt. She looks like a cat burglar in the best way possible.
Psycho follows closely behind her, winding himself between her legs, and somehow Viv manages not to trip. Maybe they have an event for that in the Olympics. Viv would take home gold for sure. Once she’s standing with the rest of us, Psycho makes the rounds rubbing against Sloane’s and then Cain’s legs. He stops to raise his fur and hiss at Nox for almost a full minute before rubbing against my legs twice.
Then he goes back to Viv and lays at her feet, showing off his belly. It’s a trick. He’s played this particular trick on me a few times. He looks so cute, but the moment you touch his tummy he latches on to your hand and refuses to let go. I have no intention of falling for it again.
Viv smiles down at him because he’s the sweetest little kitty in the whole wide world, but she doesn’t fall for it either. “You know, if you guys had let me keep that puppy I brought home a few years ago, I think he and Psycho would be good friends.” I grumble.
They all turn flat stares on me, Cain’s eye now doing that twitching thing that Nox’s had been earlier. “That was a Coyote. Not a puppy.”
I huff. “I’m not an idiot. It was a Coyote puppy. He was such a good boy.”
Now Nox’s eye is twitching again. Maybe they should see a doctor about that. I think it might be contagious. “That thing ate a door, dug a hole through the drywall, and pissed on all of ourshoes. And that was all within the couple of hours that you had him here before we got home.”
I roll my eyes. “He was just exploring. He didn’t know any better.”
Nox’s eye continues to twitch. “At least this fur ball is actually meant to be a pet.” He looks down at Psycho like he’s about to attack him at any moment.
They just can’t see my vision. He would have been such a great guard dog. Nobody would dare break into a house with a Coyote living in it. They never give me the benefit of the doubt.
“Umm… Are we all ready to go?” Viv asks, getting us back on track.
Cain huffs. “No, Zane is worried about leaving the cat here alone.”
Viv’s eyes find mine and she smiles. “He’ll be okay. I gave him plenty of food and water, and made sure his litter box was clean. He’ll be fine until we get back.”
I nod. “Okay.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?!?” Cain snaps. “We stood here telling you the same thing over and over again and you’re just going to accept it the first time she tells you?”
I shrug. “Yeah. Viv wouldn’t lie to me. Sometimes you guys lie when you don’t want me to freak out about something.”
He goes quiet because he knows I’m right. Though now he’s looking down at his toes like he’s done something unforgivable. I’m not mad about it. I can be a little much sometimes, but I like that Viv never acts like she’s walking on eggshells around me.
“Let’s get going then. I’m excited to see how you guys work.” Viv rubs her hands together like an evil villain about to start stealing candy from babies.
Cain adjusts the sleeve of his black crew neck shirt like it’s one of his fancy dress shirts. “You and Zane will ride with me.Sloane and Nox are picking up the target. They will meet us at the warehouse.”
I bounce on my toes and raise my hand. “I call shotgun!!”
