Cat Class (Trick Or Treat)
Megan Slayer
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2013 Megan Slayer
BIN: 06626-02131
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Changeling Press LLC
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www.ChangelingPress.com
Editor: Katriena Knights
Cover Artist: Reneé George
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Table Of Contents
Cat Class (Trick Or Treat)
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Epilogue
Megan Slayer
Cat Class (Trick Or Treat)
Megan Slayer
Trust a witch to give away black cats on Halloween. Hayden knew her cat was different the moment she picked him up from the box at old lady Hildegard’s house. But there’s a full moon out this Halloween, and Hayden’s about to find out just how special her fur baby truly is. He’s got cat class and cat style, but can he win her heart?
Chapter One
Kittens for sale. Hayden Crowe stopped in front of the ramshackle house and reread the sign. She didn’t really need a kitten. Cats tore up furniture and left messes in the litter box. Did she want another mess in her life?
Her ex-boyfriend, Kenton, had caused enough trouble before he left.
Unlike men, kittens were cute.
“Might not be a bad idea if it keeps one more black cat from being hurt on Halloween,” she murmured. Hayden crept up the uneven concrete path to the front door. Paint peeled in long strips from the weathered woodwork. She rapped her knuckles on the worn surface. “Hello?”
“Just a moment,” came a thin voice from the other side of the door.
Hayden stepped back and fiddled with the strap of her purse. “No hurry, Mrs. Murray.”
“Call me Hildegard.” The door opened, revealing a frail woman with wisps of silver hair framing her thin face. She smiled, her eyes twinkling. “You’re here for a kitten.”
“I --” Hayden stammered. “I wanted to look at them. Maybe they won’t like me. Cats are persnickety.”
“Nonsense.” She lifted a kitten from the pocket of her apron. “This little guy is just who you need. He’s calm and loves to cuddle. Should keep you company quite well.”
Hayden opened her hands and clutched the tiny black ball of fur. The cat appraised her with bright yellow eyes. He was cute in a lumpy, all ears and eyes sort of fashion.
“He’ll be the answer to what you’re looking for.”
“He will?” She tucked him into the crook of her arm and looked up to where Hildegard stood. The door snicked closed, leaving her alone on the porch.
“Don’t you want payment or something?” Hayden cuddled the cat close, rubbing her chin over the top of his head. “Hildegard?”
“Enjoy, dearie,” she called through the door. “He’s got his forever home.”
Hayden glanced down at the snoozing ball of fur, and then at the door. “I guess I just got a cat.”
* * *
One year later…
“If I don’t let Godzilla out, I won’t have curtains. Again.” Hayden stepped outside the restaurant and jabbed the numbers on her phone to call her friend, Cole. She needed a ride home.
She clutched her pepper spray in one hand and her purse in the other. No way she’d let some creep-o terrorize her. “I’ve got to get to Godzilla,” she chanted as she waited for her friend to pick up the phone. “I never should’ve let that asshole take me out. Damn grabby hands.” Visions of shredded curtains and one pissed off black cat came to mind. But just like a dog or his monster namesake, if he didn’t have time to wander around the backyard, he destroyed things in her house.
“You never should’ve gone to lunch with him,” a voice said. “Not on Halloween.”
Hayden screamed and whipped around, her purse leading the way. If she was going down, she’d go down swinging. “Who the hell are you?”
The person who’d spoken stepped out of the shadows. “Chill.” He put both hands up. “I’m not armed.”
Hayden inched closer to get a better look at him. Dear God in Heaven, the man was naked and in front of a restaurant full of people. Her gaze roved down his lean torso to the thatch of black hair at the base of his cock. She swallowed hard. Naturally, the crazy man would be good looking. Her luck didn’t run any other way.
“Hayden, honey, I don’t want to hurt you.”
A shiver ran up her spine. Didn’t want to hurt her? How the fuck did he know her name? “Who are you?”
“Godzilla. It’s a stupid name for a cat. My brother would be named Godzilla. He likes to bite and scratch. Although, naming him Fang worked, too. Hildy thinks it’s funny to name us after things we do.” He shrugged. “I just destroyed that set of curtains by accident. I never meant to piss you off.” The man folded his arms. His black hair shimmered, and his eyes glowed the same shade of green as her cat’s. He even had the same odd way of staring at her as if he knew what she was thinking, and he talked like he knew all about her cat.
“Do you want my purse?” She stuck out her hands. “Take it.” The guy might remind her of her cat, but cat shifters were the stuff of legend. Besides, didn’t Halloween bring out the crazies? Yes, he was some lunatic in character trying to scare the shit out of her… and it was working. She shivered. “Take it.”
“I’m taking you home.” He swatted her hands down. “There’s a long story I need to tell you, but the short of it is, yes, I’m a shifter. I chose you as my human, and now I’d like to go home and explain where you won’t freak out.” He inched toward her. “I won’t hurt you, but I will rip the limbs off the asshole who dicked you over at lunch. Now let’s go. It’s freezing, and I’m not fond of showing my ass off in public.”
“No.” She held her ground. “I don’t know you from Adam and you want me to take you home? No way, buddy. Blow.”
“Now that’s just mean.” He scratched his brow. “Okay, look, I come from a long line of shifters. Black cat shifters. My litter had four. Hildy knew about us and protected us from a scientist who would like to use me for some crazy-ass experiment. Somehow she knew you needed me. I’m glad you took me home because I knew you were the one for me.” He stepped closer to her. “Hayden, I need your help. We aren’t legend, and some bad people know about me. You’ve got to help me.”
He crouched down before her and curled in
to a ball. His human form morphed into a cat. After a moment, the cat sat on his back legs and stared up at her. He even had the tiny white tuft on his chest -- the same tiny white tuft like Godzilla had.
“Godzilla?” Hayden swayed on her feet. This wasn’t happening. Her cat was a cat, not a shifter. She collapsed on the nearest bench and rested her head in her hands.
A pair of bare feet strode over to her. She glanced at the legs connected to the feet. The man squatted down in front of her. The mystery man who claimed to be her cat. Tears blurred in her eyes. What else could she do? Laugh or cry?
“Hayden, honey, shifting destroys my clothes.” He tipped his head to look her in the eye. “Let’s go home. I’ll explain everything there. I’ll show you what I am.”
“Show me. That’s a terrible come-on line, especially in front of a restaurant full of people who can see you. How do I know you’re not another creep like the one I went on the date with?” God help her, she wanted to go home with him. But what the hell? Was he really her cat? She stood and shrugged out of her coat. Might as well help him since Cole wasn’t answering. “You know what? After the day I’ve had, I’m numb. Take this. It’s girly, but it will keep you from getting arrested.”
“I’m supposed to save you,” he said with a smirk. “My name is Joel.”
“Nice to meet you, Joel.”
* * *
Joel strode in time with Hayden. Shifting in front of her hadn’t been his brightest move, but he needed her safe. He padded beside her. She’d done her hair for her date, and some of the honey-colored curls had lost their spring. He didn’t care. No matter what she looked like, she turned him on. The walk to her townhouse only took fifteen minutes, but he refused to leave her alone. If Branker found out Joel had been able to shift…
He refused to give Branker the chance to hurt her. Joel followed her onto the porch of her townhouse. At least the configuration of the building meant only one door to guard. Still, if Branker wanted to attack her, he’d be ready.
Hayden unlocked the door and ushered him into the townhouse. He sniffed the air. Nothing smelled out of place. He tipped his head. Silence.
“What are you doing?” Hayden tossed her keys onto the table and kicked out of her high heels. “The creep from my date didn’t show up, did he?” She dug through her purse for an elastic. Once she found what she needed, she bound her hair into a ponytail. “The guy was a jerk. All grabby hands.”
Joel frowned. Who the fuck had touched her? “Let me get dressed. Then we can talk.”
“You have clothes here?” She followed him into the hallway. “When did you get clothes?”
“I’m a shifter. Hildy showed us what we needed to do to survive once we could shift -- where to go and who to talk to.” Joel knelt in front of the worn leather trunk. “I bought this while you were out. I also kept an eye on you.” He withdrew a cotton T-shirt and jeans. “Can’t exactly carry cash, but I do have some clout. Seems Hildy opened an account for us all. The woman is goofy as all get-out, but she’s a good person.” He shook out the pants and then stepped into the soft denim. “According to the shop girl, no one’s heard from my brothers.”
Hayden leaned on the doorframe. “Hildy? The shop girl? Don’t you get around?”
“I’m a cat shifter. What do you think I did when I went outside?” Not the best thing he could’ve said. “Why don’t we talk now?” He left the jeans unfastened, but yanked the shirt over his head. “I’ll try not to stick my foot in my mouth.”
“We’ll talk once you button your pants.” Hayden ducked around him and scurried into the living room.
Joel sighed. He felt her fear as if it were his own. And what else did he expect? He’d shifted in front of her! Goddess. He strolled into the living room where Hayden had perched on the edge of the black leather couch, hugging her arms. He settled at her feet. Touch her? Hell, yes, he wanted to. She belonged to him. But he refused to scare her even more than he already had.
“So.” Her blue eyes glistened with fresh tears. “Can you do any other tricks? Anything else I need to know about in case I have to get a bigger litter box or something?”
“No, babe.” Joel threaded his fingers with hers. “I shift into a house cat. That’s it. I’m a freak.”
Her lips parted and she wiped her cheeks, smearing her makeup. “Not a freak. You morph into a handsome guy. I bet all the girls like you.”
“I’m handsome?” He inched closer to her and curled his fingers under her chin. Goddess, he wanted to taste her. He’d dreamt of kissing her since the moment he’d met her.
She nodded. “Very handsome. Did the shop girl give you her number? Or are you seeing Hildy?”
“Nope.” He bridged the gap between them and nipped her bottom lip. “I like you, Hay.”
Hayden inched away from him. “Have you looked at yourself? You’re like a model. Get out of here and capitalize on it.”
Fuck. He didn’t want anyone else. “Babe, I’m not going anywhere. I’m yours.” He cupped her jaw in both hands, then kissed her. Hayden tensed beneath him. After a moment, she smoothed her palm over his heart. Her touch seared him to the core. When she opened to him, he grabbed the advantage and tasted her. Her tongue tangled with his and his skin tingled.
Closer, he needed her closer. Joel tugged her onto his lap and settled on the floor. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight to his chest. Her breasts pillowed against his pecs and her nails dug into his shoulders. He wanted to learn everything about making love to a woman and showing that woman just how much he cared about her. Right now, with Hayden.
Hayden broke the connection first and gasped. “You’ve been practicing.”
“Nah, just waiting for the right girl to come along.” He petted her hair, relishing every moment with her. A voice shouted loud in his head, repeating what he already knew. He’d found his mate.
Chapter Two
What a strange idea, having a mate. Joel rested his forehead on Hayden’s. Maybe the crazy old witch was right. The person adopting each of the kittens would be the chosen one. Fuck if he knew the truth, but no matter what, he wanted Hayden.
“You’re addicting.” Hayden leaned on the front of the couch. “I don’t understand it.”
“What? Me being a cat?”
“Yes. How did I not know before now? You slept with me. Sat on my lap and licked my tears when I got low. Watched me dance when I really shouldn’t have been dancing. I should’ve had some clue you were not just a cat.”
“I couldn’t shift until this Halloween. I had to wait a year for the change to take place. Hildegard, the woman you got me from, provided each of us with instructions for once we shifted. I’m just glad I remembered what to do.” He patted her hip. “Stand. I want to hold you while we talk, but I’d rather sit on the couch. The carpet isn’t as comfy as it looks.”
She rolled her eyes, then left his lap. His ears perked and he sniffed the cool air around him. The normal smells bombarded him, along with a new one -- a pungent scent. He remembered the odor from his kittenhood. Branker?
Joel scrambled to his feet and scanned the room. Hayden kept the curtains closed, save for the front window. A shadow moved across the glass, and a ripple of fear streaked up his spine. She lived on the bare side of the building. No trees, only knee-high bushes lined the walkways. No one lived in the townhouse on the left.
Fucking hell, they’d found him.
Joel ushered her to the back of the living room where he could watch the shadows on the windows better. “Wait here.” He bounded back across the townhouse to lock the door. He shoved the chain in place and then twisted the second deadbolt. “Just try it, asswipe,” he muttered. “I’m not an experiment.”
“Joel? What do we need to talk about? You’ve hit me with the biggest bombshell.” Hayden perched on the edge of the dining room table. “And why are we sitting back here? Does this have to do with the” -- she crooked her fingers in the air -- “bad people who want you?”
�
��Yes.” Joel pulled the closest chair up and turned it around, then sat down. He braced his forearms on the back of the chair. “There’s a man named Orson Branker. He claims he’s a doctor, but no one knows for sure. When I was very little, before you adopted me, he came to Hildy’s house. Said something about wanting all the kittens. He loved kittens or some shit like that. She didn’t believe him and it’s a good thing. He wanted us for lab rats.”
“Cats.”
“Huh?” She’d confused him. “What?”
“Lab cats.” Hayden snickered, but went silent. “Guess that was a bad joke.”
“You’re a smart aleck.” He scooted the chair closer to her and held her hand. “I like it.”
“But why does he want you? To say he’s got all the shifters? That’s nuts.”
“Genetic engineering. He wants to corner the market on manmade animals. If he can mutate our DNA to create super animals, he can make money. Lots of it. We’re nothing but walking DNA strands to him. He’s got a peon working for him named Nugent. He’ll tell you whatever he thinks you want to know in order to help Branker.”
“It’s crazy. I mean, come on. You just shifted. As far as anyone knows, you might not have been able to. Branker and Nugent are banking on you all being walking, talking, fully functioning humans who can do something extraordinary. Oh, and while you’re at it, I shouldn’t trust crazy people who want to con me into giving you up. I’m still not sure how you managed to learn how to do half the things you can do, and I sure as hell don’t know if I believe this story.”
“We aren’t the only shifters. I’ve been around others. Hildegard had other shifters camp out with her. Wolves, big cats… one guy turned into a bird. We watched and absorbed what we saw. This was my first shift, but she was good about providing for us, even when we didn’t know what we needed.”
“I get it.” Hayden nodded. “You’ve learned by doing. That explains the shopping and the kissing.”
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