Cat Class (Trick Or Treat) (2 page)

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.

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.”

“You’re going to drive me nuts.” Joel pinched the bridge of his nose. “There is so much I need to tell you. Give me time, okay?”

“So what now?” asked Hayden. “You’ve got a girlfriend? A girl cat? What? And what do we do about the lunatic, Branker? Maybe you’d better tell me everything now.”

“I shifted, which makes me more valuable. You’re right. If I hadn’t, then I’d be an ordinary cat. But I don’t have another woman in the wings. You own me.”

“I see. Well, you can’t hide for the rest of your life.”

“But I can find my mate.” He squeezed her hand tighter. “With her and the magic, I’ll be able to shift when I want, and my DNA will bond with hers. I’ll mutate enough he can’t do shit with me.”

“That’s… strange and sad.” Hayden stared at him for a pregnant moment. “Who is your mate?”

Joel grinned. No hesitation, no second thoughts. “You.”

* * *

“You do realize this is a lot to throw at a girl. First you’re not just my cat, but a guy. There’s some crazy guy wanting you dead -- oh, and I can change that. Geez.” Her brain fuzzed. Nothing made sense. And damn it, she’d need to get another cat. She rather liked having the fur baby to talk to. Then again, Joel wasn’t a bad companion.

“I’m sorry, babe.” He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. “I wasn’t sure how else to tell you.”

Hayden massaged her temples. Her brain hurt. She loved her cat and damn, seeing Joel in his human form turned her on, but mates? Like a forever connection? It didn’t seem possible. “How do you know I’m the one? I’m your person when you’re a cat, but you haven’t really known anyone else. There could be someone out there who is better for you.” Her heart hammered. She could hope all she wanted she was the one for him, but hope meant very little sometimes.

“Hildy told me I’d know when I met the person for me.” Joel crooked his fingers under her chin.

“The witch? She’s just a nice old lady in a slightly beat-up house. Okay, she’s cornered the market on cats, but people expected her to. She personifies crazy cat lady.”

“Hildegard is a bit unhinged, I agree, but there’s more to her than just a crazy old woman. She’s got a gift. She knew who we would eventually belong to. Don’t ask me how she knew, but she did. When you came along, I knew, too. I saw it in your eyes.”

“You’re sappy.” Hayden slid off the table and righted her dress. “So to protect you, we screw around. Fine. Let’s do this thing.” At least she’d know her heart wasn’t involved. She strode across the townhouse towards the bedroom. A shimmer of anticipation slid through her veins. If Joel knew what to do with his human body, then they’d have a hot time.

“No.” Joel stepped between her and the hallway. “Not going to happen.”

“No?” She ducked around him. Great. So she was good enough to be his mate, but not sexy enough to fuck. Nice, just nice, and par for the course.

“Hayden.” The angst in his voice made her pause. She kept her back to him and didn’t head into the bedroom.

“Explain it to me.” She wrapped her arms around her torso. “Be honest.”

Joel gathered her in his arms and rubbed his chin on the top of her head. “The change has to happen because we’re in love. I can love you as much as possible, but if you don’t return the feeling, nothing happens.”

“That makes no sense.” She stared at the carpet. “It’s sex and magic. Love doesn’t need to be involved.” Besides, when he got what he wanted -- freedom from Branker -- he’d be on his merry way to the woman he really wanted.

Joel padded around her, then gripped her upper arms. “It’s not just sex. It’s me giving myself over to you.” He dipped his head, looking her in the eye. “We’re a permanent couple. At least we are for me. You can leave my ass high and dry whenever you want. I’m loyal and I’ll stick by you for the rest of my life.”

“Oh.” Her head swam. Too many thoughts, too much information, and no way to understand it so fast.

Joel coaxed her down the hall to the bedroom. “It’s late and I don’t want to talk anymore. Let me hold you.”

“You are.” Hayden shrugged out of his arms. She needed to change, but things were so much more complicated with him in human form. “How do we do this? I don’t mind getting naked in front of a cat. They don’t talk back. But you? You’ll see my flaws. I’m not sure I want you to.”

“We take our time and get used to each other.” Joel held her hand and led her to the bed. Instead of ripping off her clothes like she expected, he sat on the edge of the mattress. “Come here.” He eased her onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her. “I’m going to kiss you, touch you, and prove what we’ve got between us is real, no matter what I look like.”

Hayden tipped her head and captured his bottom lip between hers. She licked and nipped him, enjoying the feeling of his scruffy cheeks against her mouth. The bulge in his jeans rubbed her pussy and sent shivers through her body. For a guy who wasn’t supposed to have any skills, he knew his way around her body. She forked her fingers into his hair and pulled.

“Hay, that feels good.” He hiked her skirt higher, baring her bottom.

Hayden sucked in her stomach and backed away from him. “Let’s turn the light out.”

“And miss out on seeing you?” Joel loosened her zipper. He palmed her ass. “You forgot I spent most of my time on your bed watching you. I know what you look like and I’m hooked. I want to see you and feel you.”

“Joel.” She fisted his shirt in both hands. “This is surreal.”

“For me, too.” He kissed her again, this time leaving a trail of heat from her lips to her neck, then down to her cleavage. His breath warmed her skin and his light touch eased her fears.

Might as well go for it
. She inched off his lap and stood. The skirt slipped past her hips and pooled at her feet. She grasped the hem of her tunic and yanked the silky material up over her head.

“Beautiful,” Joel gasped. He threaded his fingers with hers and held her close. From her breasts to her belly, he kissed and licked. The strap of her bra slipped down her shoulder, revealing more of her to him. She fought the urge to push it back into place.

“Leave it,” he murmured and moved the other strap out of the way. The cups barely covered her nipples. Joel reached around her and popped the clasp, then moved the pesky lace. “That’s what I wanted to see. You.”

He cupped her face in both hands. “Teach me what I need to learn. Take the lead and show me everything.”

He wanted her to take the lead? Good Lord. Hayden squared her shoulders. He wanted to learn, she’d teach him. She pushed him onto the bed and crawled astride his thighs. One by one, she unfastened his buttons, raking her fingers over his chest between buttons. He gazed up at her and his lips parted.

“Baby.” He palmed her breasts, pinching and flicking her nipples.

“Like that,” she murmured, then pulled the elastic from her hair.

Joel’s eyes lit up and he stroked her bare arms. “That is so sexy.” He sat up, keeping her on his lap, and flattened his tongue over her breast.

Sparks shot from her nipple to her core. She wanted more of his kisses, more of his touches, more of him. When he switched to her other breast, she moaned and rocked on his lap. Cream coated her panties and her skin tingled. She spread her legs wide, rubbing her juices on him.

“I don’t know what you’re doing to me, but I don’t want it to stop.” He gripped her hips. “More.”

Hayden smiled. She loved knowing she had him on edge. She crawled off his lap and dragged her panties from her drenched cunt. The fabric landed on the floor at her feet.

“You’re a fast learner.” She climbed back onto his lap, but this time she didn’t stop at his thighs. She worked her way up his chest, rubbed her juices over his skin and marked him, then planted her knees on either side of his head. “Kiss me.”

Wicked need flashed in his eyes and he palmed her breasts. Hayden parted her pussy lips. “Right there.”