Page 26 of Siren in Love
Luckily, the volume on top was a heavy Mandarin dictionary Corvin had saved from getting thrown out back at the university library, only to then rehome it on his shelves.He grabbed it and spun.
The cat beast growled, was almost on him, but before the fangs could dig into his throat, he slammed the Mandarin dictionary into the massive cat’s head.
The feline howled and hissed, stumbling sideways…where an unfazed Peter grabbed it by the scruff and deftly twisted the beast’s neck.Corvin gasped as he heard bone snap.A dark red tongue lolled out of the cat’s mouth as its slitted cat eyes fell shut, looking at Corvin with accusation and fury in those last moments.
“Fuck!”
Peter dropped the heap of dead cat and looked at Corvin with a smile, the first that had really seemed genuine on that eerily still face.“So refreshing to see a librarian fight.The pen reallyismightier than the sword, isn’t it?”
The sound of feet pounding on concrete made Corvin turn his head.“Corvin!Shit, hon, are you okay?”Mike skidded out of a dead run, wrapping Corvin and the dictionary in his arms.From the cars around them, applause and honks broke out.“I thought you were keeping him safe, Peter.”
The other man shrugged and kicked the cat corpse.“I did.I was right behind him at all times, but he was worried about your safety.”
Footsteps announced the arrival of a group of police officers, one of them the one they’d talked to before.He looked decidedly less bored when the large dead cat at Peter’s feet came into view.The officer’s jacket was torn open across his right arm; evidence he’d already met the cat.
“Fuck,” he said, then he just stared at the cat corpse.
Peter turned to look at the officers.“That’s what dear Corvin said.It seems as if the disturbance has been dealt with thanks to some librarian heroics.However, the cat very nearly attacked my employee’s boyfriend, and I feel responsible.”He pulled a business card from his pants pocket.“I’m available for questioning or can arrange for them to give a statement to you, but I believe it’s best if they go home for now.Corvin looks quite in shock.”
Peter barely raised his voice, but all the officers just nodded, occasionally stealing glances at the massive cat corpse.“Yeah, we’ll get traffic moving again too.Get people home,” one of them said.
“Wonderful,” Peter said.He turned to Corvin and Mike.“I do hope you’ll return for tea, Corvin.I wish we’d had more time to chat.Michael has left me quite curious as to the man who made his heart burst into melody and song.”
Mike’s arms were still around Corvin, hands roaming his body as if to make sure the cat hadn’t left a mark anywhere.At Peter’s words, Mike stilled.
“Uhm, sure,” Corvin said.“I don’t have…shock though.I’m fine.I mean, you’re okay, right, Pineapple Mike?”
“Yes, honey, I’m fine.Just worried.I should get you home, get you warmed up.This must’ve been a lot.”
Peter nodded.“There’s an idea.Michael, I must hear how you got that monicker, but another time perhaps.”He grinned.“It was very wise to choose a man who can defend himself and will not flinch in the face of danger.”
Mike sighed.“I know how amazing he is, but thanks.”He took a firm hold of Corvin’s shoulder and led him back to the passenger side of the van.
“I can get in by myself.I’m fine.”Corvin was still clutching the dictionary to his chest.
“Of course you can, honey.”Mike brushed a kiss across Corvin’s right cheek.Thatgot them some more excited honking and applause, which in turn made Corvin bite his lip.
Wow.Did we just become queer heroes of the people?Corvin wondered.Also, did I just…almost get eaten by a giant monster cat?
“You’d have taken care of my books, right?”
“Huh?”Mike pulled back, but he stroked Corvin’s cheek with the pad of his thumb.
“I-if the cat had eaten me?You’d have taken care of them, wouldn’t you?”
“Keeper, keeper, cat defeater!”
Peter’s voice echoed from back behind the van.
Corvin turned his head.“Is your boss still talking to the cops?”
“Honey, don’t mind him.The answer is yes, I would have taken care of your books, but…Corvin, I forbid you from ever doing anything this stupid ever again.You should’ve just stayed with Peter.”
Corvin gestured at the street.“But you were out here all by yourself!With the demon cat.And you weren’t even inside the van.”
Mike smiled.Tears shot to Corvin’s eyes.Maybe he was in shock after all.
“Come here.”Mike hugged Corvin close, and the honking around them resumed once more.“…drag you to a remote island…” Mike whispered, but Corvin missed the rest of it.
