Page 9 of Falling for Famine
I reached for the blue hair plastered to her forehead but stopped myself just before touching her. My jaw clenched as I rolled onto my back and stared at the ceiling. An odd sensation was in my chest.
I couldn’t blame a mortal vessel the way others could. Mine, though built to mimic a human’s in some ways, was still muchcloser to my original form, and not once had I felt anything like this.
I didn’t like it.
I was already too fascinated with her.
The feline she called Fergy hopped onto the bed and meowed. I stared as the black creature stalked closer, eyeing my familiars. Then its copper eyes fled them for me, and it meowed again. Without waiting, it fitted its sleek body between us and snuggled its master.
Her nose twitched when the creature’s hair tickled across the tip of it, and I barely caught myself before my lips twitched upwards.
Frustrated, I bent one arm behind my head and considered what this power Counter Souls had over us. If it was this strong in a single day, I might need to reconsider how close this mortal and I got.
Because as soon as I found Ares, I’d leave her.
Chapter Five
Nomi
Ferguson pounced on me, yanking me out of sleep with anoof. I coughed and rubbed my chest as he mewled and purred, shamelessly proud of himself.
I glared at the cat and stared at the ceiling. The dream had been so real and clear. I hadn’t forgotten a second of it. But when I peered around, slightly hopeful it hadn’t been one, I didn’t see my little cuties or Ghost.
Ferguson slammed his heavier-than-it-should-be body into my face, nearly taking me out. I stroked the cute jerk in apology and sighed. “Okay, I’m up, you little menace.”
I padded from my bedroom to get him his food, when something caught my eye and I froze to the spot. A man was on my couch, playing one of my favorite PS5 games,Dragon Age: Inquisition. His white hair was a dead giveaway.
But then I was attacked by two colorful menaces, nearly falling back in surprise. I didn’t hit the floor like I expected to. A strong arm had caught me before I could. I stared into a familiar pair of red eyes, and a series of very unflattering curses left my mouth.
“Ghost!” I exclaimed, scrambling out of his hold. “I—what—but—you…why are you playing my PS5?”
His gaze flicked to the TV, where he’d apparently had time to pause his game before catching me mid-fall. “I enjoy it,” he replied with a shrug.
“Ah,” I said, head not really doing its job. “Cool beans.”
Maybe I was still dreaming and this was one of those new dream clip-overs from lighter sleep to deeper REM sleep.
Ferguson meowed loudly, and I looked down at him in confusion. “Did you say he could play, you jerk?”
His head tilted as if to demand why I wasn’t getting his breakfast like a good little servant. Since I’d clearly lost my mind, I figured I’d think about all the crazy while I got him food.
My colorful cuties fluttered around me in excitement, rubbing my face and arms. I was dripping a little by the time I put the bowl down of Ferguson’s favorite wet food.
Ghost was still on my couch, playing his game. My shock hadn’t deterred him from the epic dragon battle he’d been engaged in when I walked into the living room slash kitchen.
I gave my body a cursory glance, cursed again because my nipples were poking through my top, and rushed off to get a better outfit on. More specifically, one with a bra. If I was going to be humoring my new psychosis, I didn’t want my nipples to be out while I did.
My guest was still playing when I made it back into the living room and, mumbling to myself, I took a seat next to him. He only gave me a brief glance before he mashed a few buttons with gusto.
“Uh, so.”
He continued mashing.
“I think we have a few things to discuss.”
His eyes found mine, and then he hit pause. “I told you it wasn’t a dream.”
I blinked. He blinked. Then I broke the pattern by sighing dramatically. “How was I supposed to know that?!” His lip twitched, and I glared at him. “Oh, this must be so amusing for you. Well, us mortals aren’t used to having Horsemen show up to protect us from demons and angels.”
