Page 78 of Undying
It was surprisingly satisfying.
I walk around the room and finish pulling off the rest of the furniture covers. A sound on the stairs from the opposite side of the room has me turning, and I smile, thinking it’s Tobias.
Only to yelp when I see Bryce, the cat we rescued from the alley, come charging toward me with a snarl on his face.
Fuck, the man can move!
Seeing him awake makes him appear bigger and fiercer and a fuck ton more dangerous with his dark eyes looking ready to do murder. He flashes me a menacing smile, his sharp fangs thick and long and totally ready to rip out my throat.
He leaps toward me, his form rippling, and it looks like he flies through some sort of barrier—then a large ass fucking black jaguar appears in his place.
“Don’t hurt her!” Kenny, the kid from the alley, yells, then promptly trips down the stairs in his rush.
I’m so stunned by the sudden appearance of the massive black cat, I don’t have time to get out of his way. Bryce slams into me, and we both go flying backward. I smack the ground hard, barely bringing up my arm in time to keep him from ripping off my face. Massive teeth snap just inches from my face, and I grunt, then jam my arm harder into his throat, barely able to hold him off.
As much as I don’t want to harm him, he’s not leaving me any choice. Just as my claws lengthen, the cat freezes. His mouth snaps shut, then his nose twitches, and he leans in close. A puff of warm air caresses my face, then a wild purr erupts from his chest, the vibration so strong that it rattles my whole body.
My claws retract, and I suddenly find my fingers full of soft, fluffy fur. The touch seems to please the cat, if the way his purring increases is any indication. The big beast lowers his massive head, then proceeds to rub his muzzle along my face.
The aggressive cuddles are like being smothered in a fluffy blanket, and I chuckle, trying to fend him off. Unfortunately, the kitty is massive, all sleek muscles, and my fingers aren’t able to find purchase. Every time I push him away, he wiggles and squirms, moving like he’s a liquid instead of a solid, coiling around my arms to press closer. The cat is like an annoying older brother giving a younger sibling a noogie and doesn’t know when to stop.
Never having had a sibling, I kind of enjoy the attention and snuggles.
It makes me feel warm and loved.
Up close, I can see black rosette-shaped spots hidden in his coat, and I absently trace one along his neck. The dang cat belly flops on me, seeking more pets. I grunt, then groan when he knocks the air out of my lungs.
Then Kenny is there, trying to peel the beastie off me, but the jaguar just plants his rear paw against the kid’s chest and flings him away. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear the big cat snickers when Kennyoomphs, then trips over his own feet and goes down hard on his ass. When he glances at the cat, his exasperated expression says it all.
Before anyone can react, there is a vicious roar, and the weight on top of me is gone. I automatically inhale sharply, then twist to figure out what happened…and can only gawk when I see the black cat facing off against a very pissed-off-looking black wolf.
A low growl rumbles from the wolf as the two creatures circle each other. The cat releases a furious snarl, but he doesn’t back down despite being outsized.
“Shit. Shit. Shit.” Kenny is on his feet, anxiously wringing his hands.
I narrow my eyes on the two idiots, then grimace when Castle dashes across the yard at a dead sprint. Talk about adding fuel to the fire. Not waiting for him to arrive, I scramble to my feet and jump between them. Both animals snarl at the intrusion, then rear back, going quiet when they see it’s me.
I glare at the dumbasses, unable to contain my exasperation when they don’t immediately shift back into their human forms. They both glance at me, then sidestep until they’re faced off against each other once again.
They crouch, ready to pounce, but before they can launch themselves across the room and tear into each other, I step between them again and cross my arms. “Shift. Now.”
I barely resist tapping my foot.
Castle bursts into the room, takes the situation in at a glance, then causally leans back against the wall to watch. Much to my annoyance, his presence does nothing to ease the tension. I shoot him a pointed look, but he only gives me a savage grin and settles in to enjoy the show.
Neither animal bothers to look in my direction as they circle each other, waiting for the perfect opportunity to attack, and my irritation ratchets up to another level. “If you’re trying to piss me off, you’re succeeding spectacularly. If you don’t want to be on my shit list, you will shift now.”
Both creatures peer at me warily while still keeping an eye on the other. They seem to come to some sort of conclusion. Their forms ripple, like looking at them through a waterfall, then their shapes stretch and twist until two men are standing before me…completely naked.
I quickly avert my eyes…only to come face to face with Castle’s amused gaze.
Asshole.
Almost as if he can read my mind, a tiny grin curls the corner of his mouth.
“They leave tonight,” Tobias demands, completely ignoring me to glare at Bryce.
I’m already shaking my head. “Nightfall is less than an hour away. If they leave now, the chances that they’ll survive are almost nonexistent.”
