The Cat Admits Something Big
DELILAH
H ex and I finished up my ‘surprise’ with relative ease. His eye for design is exquisite. We got a fluffy black down comforter and achingly soft Egyptian cotton sheets in blood red. There are piles of accent pillows in satin and lace, but I’m sure they’ll never again see the light of day once I’ve shown this to Taurus. He doesn’t seem like the accent pillow type. Once the bed is perfect, I curl up on the huge wrought iron bed amongst the mounds of pillows and fall right to sleep.
The hairs on the back of my neck prick up, waking me. I open my eyes, knowing what that means: he’s here. Yawning, I stretch limb by limb, rolling onto my tummy with a smile. “Hello, my love.”
Leaning against the doorjamb casually, he smiles. He must have been watching me sleep. “Hello, love. You look beautiful.” It hits him suddenly because he gapes at me. “Wait. Bed. You.” He looks around as if trying to make certain that he’s in the right place.
Grinning, I tilt my head. “Nice to know your keen observation skills haven’t failed you.”
His jaw works, but he doesn’t seem to get anything out. “You... you. It’s a bed.”
Nodding, I give him a satisfied expression. “With pillows and everything.”
Taurus walks into the room cautiously. “I see that—you know, now.” He winks and I wonder if he’s trying to hide how he feels. “You bought us an exquisite, gigantic bed with all the frills.”
“Yup.” I wriggle my toes, spreading out on the softness happily.
Tilting his head, he sends a caress through our bond. “I thought you didn’t do beds, love.”
“Don’t be silly—I’m not a heathen. I just have a hard time making it to them.” I squirm, not wanting to explain how beds tie to fear of commitment.
I didn’t used to be this way, but I am now and telling the tale will ruin the mood.
He takes another few steps and runs his hands over the wrought iron with a wide grin on his face. “I love it. Very manly—except for the dust ruffles.”
“I’m a sucker for old fashioned stuff. Besides, the sheets are blood colored. I thought that’d be handy—no stains!”
“Look at all those places to tie you down and have my wicked way with you.”
His eyes glow and I know he’s being playful, but I feel my chest tighten. My breathing gets thready as the images flood my brain. It was fine with Alistair. He’s gone now, but Taurus won’t do what Wilde does. He won’t take my power and make me small and afraid.
Shit. Shit. I can do this. It’s okay. Just breathe, Deli, and it’ll be okay.
I squirm, finally forcing husky words out of my dry mouth. “I knew you’d be all lecherous about it.”
“You’d be disappointed down to your cute little toes if I didn’t, so don’t even try it, Minx.”
“Maybe.” I give him a sly smile as I work to push the panic away before he notices.
“You bought your lover—your mate —a bed. That sends a message.” Eyes bright with love and passion, he stares as he slowly unbuttons his shirt. “Mind if I try out the mattress?”
Flopping onto my side, I let my hair spill over my shoulders like a pose from the cover of a romance novel. His growl tells me that I made a perfect ‘come hither’ picture and satisfaction rumbles through me. “Help yourself.”
He tosses his burgundy silk over the foot rail and bunches his muscles, leaping onto the bed with delighted exuberance. Laughing happily, he pulls me towards him. “Oh no, minx. One cannot try out a bed properly without the person you intend to share it with as often as non-humanly possible.”
I kiss him lightly, my heart filled with sappy emotions. He’s taken this one little gesture and made it feel like I gave him the greatest gift he’s ever received. Christ, it’s nice to have someone who wants to share things with me that aren’t to make themselves feel better or to look good in front of others. I purr softly as he holds me close.
Taurus groans low in his throat, enjoying the purr. Drawing back, he looks at me. “I like this setup.”
“Oh, good. I hoped you would.”
His smile is tender. His arms spread out over the expanse of the comforter as he relaxes. “This is wonderful. What made you think of this, love? Last I heard, you scoffed at the ultra-breakable beds and only wanted a sofa in here.”
I wrinkle my nose, suddenly feeling exposed. “I might have been looking for the right time and place. I’m a softy about stuff like this.”
Tilting his head as he leans over me, caressing his feather. He leans down and kisses me gently, stroking the feather eye with his thumb, then whispers, “I hate to tell you this, love of mine, but you’re a softy about more than just ‘stuff like this’. In all seriousness, you humble me. This is perfect and I’m honored to be the right time and place.”
My eyelids flutter, a contented hum escaping into the kiss. I smooth my hands over his hair and down to rest on his shoulders. “Maybe I am soft, but you’d better not tell anyone.”
He arches an eyebrow. “Who would I tell? You keep me locked away in this room, hoarding me all to yourself.”
“I’m sure that disappoints you so much.” I shrug, pretending to be nonchalant. This is the first time he’s seriously talking about us going out in public as a couple and it terrifies me. “If you want to go strutting around together, I’m always game. I know how you love to spread your feathers.”
“That’s a conundrum. On one hand, I have a chance to sport you on my arm with a side order of proud and mighty; on the other, I have you all to myself for all manner of wicked naked fun on this new bed. What’s a proud, ornery, love-struck, arrogant peacock to do?”
“You know, Mr. Polar Extremes, you could split the difference. I’m not going anywhere, and neither is the bed.”
He eyes me oddly, a twinkle sparking in the sapphire depths. “My, my, kitty. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re interested in keeping me with you all the time.” He leans back into the soft mattress, sighing in pleasure. “Split the difference, eh?”
Sighing dramatically, I roll my eyes. “Every time I’m accommodating, you get difficult. It must be a reverse corollary or something.”
“I was being difficult?” He hides a grin behind a pillow sham. “How was I difficult?”
I huff in response.
“You mean saying you want me around all the time?”
“See how often I’m accommodating now.” I cross my arms over my chest.
It’s not very threatening, given that I’m flat on my back, but it’s the principle that matters.
“Baby, you know the only thing that matters to me is being with you. I’m sorry I poked. I like it when you get possessive.” Taurus rolls over and looks down at me seriously. “It occurs to me we’ve never been out on a date. I’d like the world to know I’ve mated with you, beautiful. That means a trip around town for mayhem and chaos.” His smile is evil, and I can hear the wheels turning in his head.
“Ooh,” I clap in excitement.
“Oh, sure. Now you want to dash out the front door with me in tow. Mention a date and the chits get all anticipatory.”
“You are pushing my buttons, buster.” I poke his chest playfully.
“You want a night out on the town. Hunting, stealing, chick flick, maybe a bit of a walk on the beach? Let me ponder a chaotic, glorious show.”
“That sounds like a lot for a first date. Maybe we should pick a few?”
“What would you like to do, baby? Riot, random pyromania, girlie film…?”
“Surprise me. I like surprises.”
His expression is evil. “Right then. Just ignore that buxom blonde that’s going to hit on me while we’re out then.”
I arch my brow at him, the beast rumbling to life within a second.
“You mentioned preening, darling. I thought it would be an excellent opportunity for you to say, ‘mine’. I know how much you like it.”
“You are incorrigible,” I huff.
“Though, you haven’t said it of late. Maybe that buxom blonde will be more receptive.”
My eyes narrow and I mutter, “She would be less buxom without her spine.”
He laughs and rolls over to look down in my eyes, sapphire meeting sapphire. “Say it.”
“Mine.” I drop a single fang and lick it, my lips curling up.
My control is getting better now that she’s not caged. I’ve been practicing things I’ve seen my boys do. The one fang thing is Victor’s signature schtick and I was pleased as fuck to master a trick that none of the others can do.
I have twice as many as them, so that has to be slick as hell, right?
“Bloody right. Nice work on the control, minx—you’ve been practicing.” His warm hand strokes along my skin as his eyes burn with pride. “I love you and I’m going to work hard to give you a decent time when we go out.” His head lowers and his lips move over my collarbone, then quirk up in devilment when he draws away an inch. “You’ll probably only have to kill three—maybe four—stunningly gorgeous chits with a yen to get me horizontal.”
Making a face, I push him away. “I’m onto you, Mister. You want to see me slice people up over you.”
“Well, yeah, but I’m an equal opportunity chest-thumper. I’ll eviscerate a few flockers if you’d like.” His eyes say that he’d not only do it, but enjoy it thoroughly.
Chuckling, I say, “No need. Unless you’re eager to thump and bellow.”
Leering, he sniffs. “Whatever gave you the idea that I was… how did you put it? Eager to thump and bellow?”
“Because you live for that shit, you big cave clone.”
Leaning over, he nips the skin of my collarbone with blunt teeth. “Oh? And you don’t, you ferocious feline?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Of course not. That’s the sissy girl in you, not wanting to admit to anything ever.”
“Did you just call me a sissy ?” I push him away again, eyes flashing with emerald and fury. I am not a sissy.
The idiots we’ve been avoiding; those are sissies.
“Huh?”
“You called me a sissy!” I thump his chest with a fist, fuming.
“Ow! Bloody hell woman, stop that.”
“Stop what?” I thump him again, giving him a dirty look.
“Ow! That, sod it all. Why are you pounding on me?”
“Because you called me a sissy, why else? I’m not a sissy.”
He presses his lips together as if trying to come up with an excuse quickly. “Is this our first fight, baby? I want to be prepared because I have to plan the makeup session.”
“You realize that it’s awfully hard to be pissed at you when you’re planning how to get in my pants afterward?” I snort, shaking my head.
“I had no idea at all, really.” He tries to look angelic and fails miserably.
I give him a shrewd look. “I’ll bet you didn’t.”
He raises his head and sucks on the dip where my collarbone meets my neck. “I’m completely innocent.”
“We both know that’s not true.”
His lip curls up and he prowls over me. I know where this is going and honestly, I’m okay with that… sissy and all.
I lift my arm off my face and look at him. My lips curl as he presses kisses to my sweaty shoulder.
“Aren’t you glad I called you a sissy?”
“I guess that’s one way to thank me for bringing the bed,” I chuckle throatily.
“I should probably cop to the truth, minx. I meant to say sassy. I was distracted, and it slipped out as sissy. But you got stompy, and I thought—why not?”
My eyes widen comically. I fall into uncontrollable giggles, snorting. “You are a terrible non-person.”
“Well, yeah.” He grins unabashedly. “That means you’re not brassed off at me for not being honest, right?”
“You knew I wouldn’t be after that .”
“It certainly gave me motivation to make you scream, love of mine. You can’t blame me after you pummeled me bruised and sore. I bet you feel guilty about that now.”
“Oh, not at all. You didn’t seem to mind.” I smirk, bobbing my brows at him.
He blushes and shrugs. “I was keyed into your emotions, minx. You were pumping emotions into the air like pheromones. I don’t know how, since you’re a mind speaker, not an empath.”
I wince. I mean, sort of… “I have no proof that I’m an empath. I... sense a lot. Mind speech only works with my mates as far as I know. I’m not a true telepath like you. However, until four months ago, I didn’t have a tail and fangs, either. I pick things up with no warning—that’s why I came to you.”
We haven’t even discussed my magick yet. After Beltane, I’ll feel comfortable talking to the ones I love about my skills—or lack thereof, we’ll see. Look how long it took me to get a modicum of control over her.
“I feel like we should get working on that again. What if something even weirder happens? I know you’re working on control and I can see improvement. But what if you’re not a mutant, but a shifter? What if there are things you can do that you don’t know about yet?”
I sigh. “I lost the plot when we started dancing. I’ve been so focused on you, the idiots, community issues, and my Beltane ritual that I put it on the back burner.”
Truth be told, his acceptance of her and the modicum of control has made that quest seem less important. She’s part of me now, and we’re starting to respect one another. The weird side effects like blood hunger, feature shifts, and the weird fire in my veins aren’t that big a deal.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you about that ritual you keep mentioning. What’s it about?” He tilts his head, sensing that I don’t want to be pushed about the DNA research.
I won’t outright lie, but I have to choose my words carefully. He doesn’t have the full picture on the problems with my erstwhile mates prior to his arrival. I’m not ready to share that with anyone. Since I can’t use that as a reason to plan a magickal rebirth, I have to couch it in simple delicious observance. “Beltane is the celebration of rebirth; it’s a wiccan spring festival. I want you to help me to rid myself of negative things and allow positive things to come to fruition.”
He blinks as the light bulb comes on. “Ah. It’s about your fallen family tree branch. You can’t undo mating, but you can try to cleanse the ugly so it’s less painful. This will be sort of like a baptism for normies, right? You’ll do a little chanting outdoors in a circle?”
“Um, that’s how it will work for the others, maybe. I usually practice as a solitary witch, but for this, I need the four corners to be anchored. It started out with my stupid idea to have Sari, Lily, and Amanda help. Since they are at least familiar with paganism, it seemed like a good compromise. I don’t believe Sari and Amanda are believers like Lily and I, but close enough. Rhea thrust herself in as usual and Sari added Calista without asking me.”
“That’s typical Blondie. I’m surprised she didn’t ask you why pagans don’t eat cheese.”
I burst out laughing, having to catch my breath once I’m done. “While you were gone, Rafe kicked the two of them to the curb—both metaphorically and literally. So I had to replace a person. For them, it’s weekend Wicca playtime. For me?” I consider how to say this to him so he won’t think I’m crazy. “For me, it’s the real deal.”
He frowns. “What do you mean, the real deal?”
People have always disbelieved me about my magick, so I’m used to having to defend myself. That’s why even in the Rift—which amplifies them—I keep quiet.
“I’m a witch—a real one. I could do a little magick on the other side, but nothing worth writing home about. Since I moved here full time, I can do more, but I don’t. I’m not saying I can shake mountains, but I can turn the spigot on and do things. I want to truly let it all out now. I think allowing my energy to flow naturally will help with her.”
“Neat,” he says, grinning. “Do you suppose that’s why the mutation happened? Quantum ribbons stuff—as you call it—mixed with honest to hell magick in your blood?”
I blink, surprised by both his automatic acceptance and the question. “Maybe. I never considered that.”
“Can I ask you an unrelated question?” I nod, still turning over his suggestion in my head. “Does Blondie know about us? Is her reaction what caused your mate to sever ties without talking to you first?”
“I haven’t told her because we’re not speaking. She probably knows something, and it’s part of the blow up that made Rafe give them the heave-ho. He would never decide for both of us unless what happened was so egregious that there was no other option. That’s why I haven’t asked him—I trust his judgment. He’s truly grieving, and I feel… like I was ready to let go. I don’t want to find out what they did, get hurt or angry, and get sucked back in.”
“Does the gnome know anything?”
I tilt my head, wondering where this is going. “She knows that we slept together, but not that we mated. I told her how good you are to me.”
“To recap: Wilde and Sari know we’re shagging, but not that we’ve mated. Blondie and my brother are wallowing in self-pity because your mate exiled them. Sari says great things to my face and is the same waspish little gnome to my back.” He registers my comment and his eyes pop open. “ Wait, you’re telling the gnome nice things about me? ”
“Maybe. You never know.”
Clutching his heart, he sighs. “Bollocks. That’s it; I’m dead.”
“Drama queen.”
“You are one step away, Missy. You do not want to poke me.”
“Oh? Why not?”
“Because I have to leave you to take care of a familial obligation with my goddess. By the time I come back, I will have had a lot of time to consider retribution for ruining my sterling reputation.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Can you never ever ask me to work on something like this ritual where the other loonies are involved? Christ, they’re a morose lot.”
“I can try, but um, we didn’t get a chance to go into the mechanics of this ritual. I, um, can’t really guarantee that?”
His head swivels as he gives me a look of pure fear. “What do you mean, you can’t guarantee that? What the bloody hell is this ritual?”
I clear my throat, looking sheepish. “Beltane is the ritual of spring and rebirth. We, um, call down our personal goddess. She takes over and calls her God. And uh, well, rebirth sums it up, right? I don’t know—I can’t predict what will happen?”
My face turns bright red and I curl into the smallest version of me I can, feeling stupid and embarrassed. My stuff might unintentionally involve him, and I can’t prevent that from happening. He won’t get that if the Goddess calls him, it’s a huge fucking deal. That would say an awful lot about his level of importance in my life. He’ll probably tell me he hopes it’s not him.
That’s how most people react.
He blinks. “All five of you are calling a goddess into you. It will call a random git the Goddess thinks is her God. This included two people who are multiply mated to the same gits. Did you lose your sanity on the way to that meeting?”
I frown. “Well, I don’t expect it to work except for me. They’re not really magickal, you know?”
Shaking his head, he snorts. “Holy hell, that could be a mess. Between the infighting over Wilde, your mate, and everyone else? Someone’s going to be mightily pissed. What about those without clones? Will it work with their droid mates?”
His question is fair, and I don’t have an answer. I didn’t think this one through once all the people got involved. When everyone started talking about how the Goddess picks, I was hoping it would work itself out. “Perhaps I didn’t think this one through very well, so I’m hoping it works out?”
He gives me an amused look. “Since everything with those bints has worked out on its own. Christ, woman, you may have set up the world’s most magickal cat fight.”
I huff. “Regardless, I’m not making you a promise I can’t keep.”
“I don’t know if you’d want me in the mix. Word is that I’m hell to deal with. Do you think it’s hard to deal with me?”
“No— except when you’re being an ass.”
“Bloody buggering hell, I walked right into that one! Christ, you’d think I was a two-day-old.”
“That’s why you’re fun. You always set yourself up so well.” I smirk and bob my brows.
Pinching my rear hard, he snarls, “You will pay for yanking my manly and powerful chain.”
“Oh, goody!” I clap, playing along. I’m happy to have the conversation move along from my horrifically poor judgment in ritual partners, life partners, and well, my bad ideas in general.
“Never forget, love. You’ve got me wrapped, but I really am evil.”
“Of course not. Big Bad. Evil. Got it.”
He murmurs low, looking serious. “I can be cruel, love. Not to you, but I can.”
I can’t argue with that because I’m sure he can. I’m also certain that what I consider cruel and unusual is not something he’d do to just anyone—especially not to someone he loved. “You’re not the only one—trust me. If it’s not to me, you have a head start on a lot of people.”
“I do?”
He looks surprised and boy, would he be if he knew the extent of that truth. “Yeah.”
“I don’t know why, but I’d turn myself inside out not to hurt you. Okay, I know why, but go with it; it’s an image. You know that, right?”
My smile is tinged with sadness as I nod. I can feel the honest belief in his statement, and I’ve heard it before. I can only hope that time proves me right this time. “I do.”
“That said, if you get shit for being with me from anyone, I want you to push it off on me. I don’t want you touched by it. That’s not open for discussion, so don’t argue.”
“I’m not arguing. I was going to say that people can get bent if they don’t like it. I don’t really give a damn what they think.” In another twist, I realize that I really mean that. With Rhea gone and Sari colluding with every nut in the community behind my back, I’m not concerned what they need. I’m ready to face the music with them because it’s time. “I love you. You make me happy and if they can’t deal with it, it’s their own problem.”
“Stop that. Saying you love me makes me all calm and soothed, minx.”
“I wasn’t doing it on purpose.”
“You were a shade more subtle than a purr, kitty.”
“Aww. I was just saying how much I adore you.” I bat my lashes at him, giving him my most adoring smile.
His expression melts and he grumbles, “Bloody hell. I’m going to go before I’m a total poof. I. Love. You.” He kisses my nose.
“I love you, too. Be safe.”
“We’ll see.” He grins as he rolls to his feet and heads out.