Page 79 of Aine

A large shop across the street catches my attention, and I hurry over to peer in the windows. Dozens of tiny animals sit and play inside, their bodies slamming into one another before falling and rolling over on the ground.

They’re so cute. I coo as I watch them, entirely entranced by their fluffy bodies and fumbling movements. Tiny pointed ears sit on top of their heads, occasionally twitching as they try to take stock of their surroundings. They look like mini-beasts.

I glance at the pastry shop, making sure Damien isn’t looking for me, before stepping inside.

“Morning!” a deep voice yells as the door closes behind me.

I turn toward the sound, quickly spotting an older man standing in a front of a small, open cage. He looks friendly and offers me a toothy grin as I walk over.

“Let me know if you want me to take any out for you.” He laughs, flinching as one of the tiny beasts lunges and playfully attacks his arm.

I chuckle at its antics. “What are they?” I ask, tentatively sticking my hand out toward one of the smaller orange ones.

It sniffs my fingers before rubbing its face against them, and I smile before hissing and yanking my arm away when it abruptly sinks its sharp teeth into my palm. There’s no blood, but the skin is red. The man snorts as he watches my awkward interaction with his pets.

“These little guys,” he murmurs, reaching in to snatch up the one that bit me, “are called cats.”

I feel a bit nervous as I take the small animal from his outstretched hand. It doesn’t try to bite me again, choosing instead to latch on to my shirt and try to climb up it. I stiffen, praying it doesn’t attack as I run my hand over its soft fur. Its chest begins to vibrate, and I smile at the soft noises it lets out.

“He’s purring! That means he likes you,” the man explains.

“He’s cute,” I say as it nips my finger.Little bastard.“Do you—” My question dries in my throat as a young boy, no older than eight, comes barreling in with a red face and wide eyes.

I look at the man expectantly, assuming he knows the boy who’s just appeared like a bat out of hell, but the man looks just as startled and confused as me. He must be here for me, then.

“Are you Aine?” he blurts out.

I nod.

“The beast out there wants you,” he gasps, pointing to the large windows.

I turn to look, not surprised to see Damien standing outside staring in at me. He looks pissed, his anger making me panic and clutch the small animal to my chest. The man reaches out and gently pries the pet from my grip, his friendly attitude disappearing as he realizes I’m here with a beast. I thought it would take Damien longer to order and receive his food.

“It was nice meeting you, but you need to leave before that beast comes inside,” the man says, gently nudging me toward the door.

My feelings are hurt at the dismissal, but I understand where his fear is coming from. I wouldn’t want Damien in my shop, either.

Sucking in a shaky breath, I square my shoulders and step outside. Damien’s scolding me the second my foot crosses the threshold, his voice embarrassingly loud.

“What the fuck, Aine? You can’t just run off,” he yells, waving wildly at the street around him.

A few humans nearby stop to stare, no doubt enjoying the show. I shrivel up underneath Damien’s harsh glare, unhappy and frustrated by his lecturing.

“You saw me leave,” I say, glancing nervously at the nosy humans.

A couple snicker to one another as they watch the interaction, probably happy to see the human who’s been parading around with the beast get publicly reprimanded. Damien’s eyes darken as he glares at me, his body shaking as he struggles to fight off a shift.

“I thought you were going to wait nearby.” He gestures to the pastry shop.

It’s admittedly pretty far down the street, and I frown as I realize I wandered farther than I intended. I understand why he’s upset, but that doesn’t give him the right to yell at me like this.

“I’m not a child,” I snap, my words surprisingly firm. “I just wanted to look at the pets. They’re cute and fluffy.”

Damien huffs and peers behind me into the shop. “I’mcute and fluffy.”

I pause, and a loud laugh bubbles up out of my throat before I can stop it. Damien tilts his head back and sighs, his face red as he runs a hand through his hair.

He attempts to backtrack. “That didn’t come out the way I intended it to.”

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