Chapter Forty-Three
Amonth has gone by since Victor’s encounter with Derek.
Victor shifts around in his sleep. His facial expressions look as though he’s having a bad dream.
Victor wakes up abruptly in his bed. He looks around and remembers he’s back in his apartment.
The TV is still on, playing a crappy nighttime show with the volume down low.
He looks over and sees Leo curled up with a pillow.
They’re lying on the comforter after falling asleep from an evening run and are still in their jogging clothes.
The room starts to flash around as a storm builds up outside.
Victor shakes Leo awake. “Babe, wake up.”
Leo swats Victor’s hand away. “Five more minutes.”
“Come on, I’m hungry,” Victor pouts.
Leo sighs as he removes his shorts. “Fine, but you’ll have to do all the work this time.”
Victor laughs, hitting Leo with a pillow. “I’m talking about getting dinner. Go take a shower.”
Leo turns his head to look at Victor with a sly smile. “You’re not going to join me?”
“I’ll join you in a minute,” Victor says, leaning in to kiss Leo.
As Leo undresses, Victor slaps his ass. “That’s gonna cost you $2,” Leo says with a wink.
Victor waits until Leo gets in the shower before he picks up his phone. He notices Wren sent him a couple of messages and a missed call.
“About time you call me back,” Wren says when she answers the phone.
“What’s going on?” Victor responds quietly.
“I overheard a couple of the council members talk about you while they were in the library today,” Wren informs. “They are planning to have a couple of the members meet up with you. I think they’re not happy with you not joining a coven.
And also want to go over how you knew about the secret coven. ”
Even though Wren can’t see it, Victor looks perplexed. “How? How did they find out?”
“I honestly don’t know,” Wren responds. “I know none of us told them. But somehow, the council knows that you’re keeping it a secret from them.”
“Babe! Are you going to join me or not?” Leo shouts from the bathroom.
“In a minute,” Victor shouts back.
“That’s another thing too,” Wren continues, “I don’t think they are happy that you and Leo are together, even though it’s been a month since you killed Derek.”
“I didn’t kill Derek. He got what was coming to him,” Victor protests.
“Regardless, I think some council members are unhappy with you. It would help if you tried to lay low as best as possible. And don’t be surprised if you meet another mentor to continue your lessons,” Wren informs.
“VICTOR!” Leo shouts.
Victor sighs, “I’ll give you a call tomorrow. Let me know if you find anything else about what we discussed.”
“I got my chime flying around, feeling things out,” Wren responds. “Just keep a low profile for now.”
Victor ends the call and puts his phone on the dresser. He doesn’t look behind him when he senses Leo’s gaze. “Don’t give me that look,” Victor says to Leo. He turns around and sees Leo standing naked at the bathroom door. “You’re getting water everywhere,” Victor states.
“Get your ass in the shower with me now,” Leo demands. Victor snickers.
As Victor steps into the shower with Leo, Leo slams Victor’s naked body against the cold tiles. “Now, time for your punishment,” Leo comments, pressing his lips against Victor’s.
They kiss under the rushing water. Leo grabs the soap and starts lathering Victor’s chest and shoulders. Victor smiles as he kisses the man he can finally be with.
Victor senses someone is at the front door but tries to ignore it. “I’m coming,” he says as he presses his lips against Leo’s.
“Already?” Leo questions against Victor’s mouth. The person at the front door keeps knocking.
“I SAID I’M COMING!” Victor shouts.
Leo stops and jerks his head back. “What the fuck? I heard you. You didn’t have to yell in my ear.”
Victor lets go of Leo and pushes himself off the wall. “I’m sorry, someone won’t stop knocking at the door.” Leo lets out a groan of annoyance as they quickly rinse off and turn off the water. Victor steps out and dries off as the knocking continues.
“I SAID I’M COMING, GODDAMNIT!” Victor lets out as he hobbles around, trying to put on some shorts.
The knocking doesn’t stop.
“FUCK! I’LL BE RIGHT THERE!” Victor shouts. He storms over and flings open the door.
“WHAT?!”
There is no one there.
“The hell?” Victor questions with confusion.
Victor looks around until he feels something pawing at his foot.
He looks down, and a standard schnauzer looks up at him with puppy eyes.
The poor thing is dirty; its gray hair matted around its paws and stomach.
The hair around the snout is muddy as if he were rummaging around in the dirt, looking for something to eat.
The dog starts to whimper and shiver from being cold and wet from the rain.
“Who is it?” Leo asks, still drying his hair with a towel. Victor steps to the side, letting Leo notice the helpless schnauzer at the door. “Did someone leave him at your door?”
“I don’t know. He has no collar, no note.” Victor leans down to pick up the schnauzer. The schnauzer lifts his front legs, allowing Victor to pick him up.
“Poor thing looks like he’s had better days,” Leo comments.
“Poor thing is cold. We should wash him and try to brush out this matted hair. After the storm passes, we can try to find his owner tomorrow.” Victor walks back into the bathroom and turns on the water. “Leo, could you please grab a couple of towels for me?”
Victor kneels down against the tub and starts washing the dog. As Victor starts cleaning the dog’s snout, the dog begins licking Victor’s hand. The schnauzer keeps licking Victor as though he’s thanking him. Leo sits down next to Victor and helps with the shampoo.
After a few minutes of washing all the dirt away, Victor wraps a towel around the poor animal.
While Victor dries the dog’s head, he makes eye contact.
Victor pauses, mesmerized as if the two are making some connection.
Victor and the dog do not look away from each other or blink.
Victor can feel something building up inside of him, but he doesn’t take his eyes off the schnauzer.
“Victor?” Leo questions, lightly shaking Victor. “Babe?”
Victor shakes his head, snapping back to reality. “I . . . I . . .”
“You what?” Leo looks down at the schnauzer. His eyes slowly open wider at what’s before him. “Babe, um, I don’t think he has an owner.”
“Why would you think that?” Victor asks as he brings his focus to Leo.
“Look at his tail,” Leo suggests, pointing down.
Victor looks where normally a small nub of a tail for a schnauzer would be. Instead, there is a shadow of a cat’s tail flinging around. It disappears, and the small schnauzer tail returns. Victor becomes confused, looking at Leo, who grins.
Leo looks back at the dog. “I think you are now the proud owner of a familiar.”
“Really?” Victor is perplexed. “I didn’t ask for a familiar.”
Leo shakes his head as he warps the dog in a towel. “It doesn’t matter. Sometimes familiars will show up when you least expect it.”
Victor slumps down on his knees. “But you don’t have a familiar.”
“I never asked for one, nor did I feel as though I needed one,” Leo explains. “Familiars are very picky with who they select. I’ve even heard familiars leaving their witch if they become bored or deem them unworthy to keep them.”
“They can do that?” Victor asks.
Leo shrugs his shoulders. “Familiars are weird.” The dog looks at Leo, letting out a little growl. Leo is taken aback. “Not all familiars are weird.”
The dog huffs.
Victor giggles as he lifts the small familiar up, giving him an Eskimo kiss. “Looks like you and I are going to be great friends.” Victor is attacked by doggy kisses. “Let’s get into bed so you can be nice and warm. But don’t get used to it because you’re getting your own bed tomorrow.”
“You know he won’t listen; he’ll just end up sleeping with you. And then I’ll get jealous because you’ll be sleeping with him more than me.” The dog sticks out his tongue at Leo and pretends to lick his nose. “I swear, he just stuck his tongue out at me.”
“So, what are we going to name you?” Victor asks his new familiar. “How about Guapo? Because when I’m done cleaning you up, you’ll be muy guapo.”
Guapo licks Victor’s face as fiery doggy kisses. “Guess he likes the name.”
“He’s a dog; they like anything,” Leo comments. Guapo lets out a slight growl and a soft bark at Leo. “Victor, if he bites my face off, this is all on you.”
Victor laughs as he hands Guapo to Leo. “Hold him for a minute. I’m going to get some water. Poor guy must be thirsty.” Leo heads to the bedroom as Victor walks to the kitchen.
“Thirsty?” Leo comments while looking at Guapo, unamused.
“He was out in the rain. There was plenty of water outside.” Guapo growls at Leo, exposing his little teeth.
“Okay. Okay. I’m sorry. Babe might as well get him some food.
” Leo has to hold Guapo back, trying not to be licked.
“None of that, mister. The only tongue I want on me is your master’s. ”
Victor rummages in the kitchen. He gathers a bowl of water and a small plate of lunch meat, then heads back to the bedroom. As he makes his way back to the bedroom, he drops everything out of his hands in shock.
“Mom?! Grandma?!”
Two glowing women sit at the dining table.
“Victor, we need to talk.”