Page 20 of Me and My Christmas Familiar
Confusion, pain, and hurt swelled through the bond. Those feelings belonged to Lachlan. But they mirrored Kit’s own. His hands shook.
“Please.” Kit’s hands shook.
Lachlan closed his eyes and let out a breath. “I… I’ll sleep in here,” Lachlan rushed out. “But in Jack’s bed. And you can sleep in mine.”
Kit wanted to say no. He wanted to beg for them to share the same bed. He wanted to be held. Heneededto be held by his witch. And Lachlan needed him too! He needed to let Kit comfort him.
They both needed each other so they wouldn’t be alone!
A sob escaped Kit.
But Lachlan wanted to sleep apart. So Kit just stared at Lachlan, tears running down his face, body shaking.
Cas, who’d remained silent throughout, flew into the room. He leaned down and placed a hand on Kit’s shoulder. “It will be all right, Kit.”
Kit squeezed his eyes shut. More tears fell. He didn’t want Cas comforting him and touching him; he wanted Lachlan.
“You both just need time to think,” Cas said so gently.
“Think about what?” Kit’s voice strained.
Kit didn’t want to think. He didn’t need to think. He needed Lachlan to hold him, pet him, tell him he’d always protect him, keep him warm, and tell him he loved him.
But Lachlan turned his back and climbed into Jack’s bed. He pulled the sheets over himself, not looking at Kit. After a moment, the others left.
Grady paused. He stared at Lachlan. He came over to the bed and leaned down, whispering to his brother, too low for Kit to hear. Lachlan said something. Grady stayed where he was for several seconds, then he walked to the door. He looked to Kit.
“You should sleep too,” Grady said.
Kit sat on the bed.
“Goodnight. Sleep well.” Grady hesitated, then he turned off the lantern and closed the door.
Lachlan lay on his side, pulled the blanket over him, and faced the wall. Kit stared at Lachlan’s back in the darkness of the room.
After several moments of excruciating silence, Lachlan spoke, “I’m sorry, Kit. But… I…” He trailed off, and more silence filled the room. “I don’t know what this means.” His voice trembled. “You’re not just a cat anymore.”
Kit shook his head. This changed nothing for him. But clearly it did for Lachlan.
“I’m sorry,” Lachlan repeated.
Kit could feel the confusion of Lachlan’s mind through their bond. But Lachlan didn’t speak or share his thoughts with Kit.
Kit continued to stare at Lachlan. Lachlan wasn’t asleep. His breathing was too shallow. He just pretended to sleep, to trick Kit.
Lachlan needs me. He’s hurting. I need to soothe him.
But Lachlan was hurting because of Kit. And so Kit did not know what to do.
CHAPTER 12
In a handful of seconds, Lachlan’s whole world had been upended. He lay in Jack’s bed, facing the wall, back to Kit as he pretended to sleep. He didn’t move. But sleep would not come.
Thoughts and feelings smashed through his head, exploding and muddling together until he didn’t know which way was up and he struggled to draw breath into his lungs.
Kit was a shifter. His sweet cat familiar was a shifter.
And right now, Kit was a very handsome man sitting on Lachlan’s bed, staring at Lachlan with so much longing and love that it vibrated through the bond.
