Page 18 of Immortal Sun

It paws at me and does another circle. How could something so ugly be so cute at the same time? It’s jet black with blue eyes that seem to stare straight into your soul, so basically it’s a demon in cat form.

“That must be a ‘yes’.” I yawn and stretch. How hard did I sleep? I snatch up my phone and check the time. It’s barely six, but I slip into my white Nike sweatshirt and pull on a pair of gray sweats anyway. I mean it’s not like I’m going to see anyone this early. My apartments on the second level of the bar and how the hell did this cat get in here anyway? I look at the door. I know I locked it, but now it’s wide open as if anyone could just barge in, naked cat included. Did I lock it though? I remember being really tired and just setting my alarm. Shit. I really need to get it together.

My stomach flops a bit, but I decide not to even figure out if it’s excitement or absolute terror.

Last night was weird. An NDA? It just feels strange for a random bar in the Seattle area. He was so adamant though.

I decide not to fixate over it too much; when I have an opening I’ll ask Cyrus about it. He has to at least know where Jake had been exploring and he’s literally my insight into everything right now so I don’t want to start off on a bad foot especially after last night.

An earsplitting meow erupts from the cat again.

“Let’s go, little guy.” The door makes a loud creaking noise when I open it, and the little cat jolts ahead of me.

I walk out of the bedroom. He follows me down the stairway, and I’m quite honestly proud that I don’t get lost again on our way to the back door Cyrus texted me the code to go through. Where would the litter box be?

Yawning again, I look around my feet. The cat’s gone. I decide to take a look around outside, I was too tired last night to even explore. Suddenly the cat appears again and lunges ahead of me and runs to a weird looking black canoe in the middle of the back alley or what I thought was the back alley but is actually just a small park like yard within the city. It’s a square shape with a weird looking black wooden boat in the middle with the name Styx across it. Wow, they really do take it far don’t they? It looks like something Captain Jack Sparrow would steal. It also kind of resembles a treehouse with as high as it goes. One tip is pressed downward into the concrete, the other is high up like it’s part of the Titanic deep diving into the Atlantic. Strange.

“Cat!” I really need to learn the cat’s name. It runs past me towards the boat. “I don’t think you’re supposed to be outside!” It hides behind it. “I mean it’s the Pacific Northwest, so I highly doubt you’ll get sunburn on your skin, but come on.”

It yawns.

Of course it does. I’m a day in, and I’m going to be responsible for killing the naked cat that looks like it belongs in an Egyptian textbook.

It doesn’t budge, so I choose to walk over to it and stand. Then take in the full view of the small back yard. “Is this what you wanted, Jake?”

My whisper feels like it carries across the breeze.

Tears well in my eyes.

He’s not gone. He’s just missing in action. I’ll find him.

“Come on, cat.” I nod to the cat. “We should head back in before I get blamed for un-aliving you.”

I flinch when it answers with an ear-splitting meow.

A shiver courses through me as it stares almost behind me then bolts back toward the house.

The last thing I need is to lose my boss’s pet. “Cat!” I literally don’t know what else to call him as I sprint toward the house, stopping way too late, and running directly into Cyrus instead of the front door.

I wish I could say it was a gentle sort of run and stumble, but instead it’s more or less a faceplant against his burly chest while I grip his biceps to steady myself and then make an embarrassing open-mouthed squeak against his naked skin.

He doesn’t even have chest hair—yup, that’s what I fixate on, no chest hair, just firm golden muscle that feels like his boobs might even be bigger than mine, nicer, better proportioned.

I’m afraid to move.

To breathe.

“His name isn’t Cat. That’s insulting, even forthismess of naked.” Cyrus’s voice is low, grumbly. He’s pointing at the cat like it personally offends him, but the cat starts to prance around his legs like they’re best friends.

Cyrus mutters a curse.

“Sorry,” I mumble, dropping my hands from Cyrus’s biceps and attempting not to inhale his scent, like warm sunshine and sunscreen. “I didn’t mean to misname the cat, and I just figured it was better if he was taken to his litter box, then he ran past me when I opened the door.”

Cyrus stares me down. I realize he’s massive, but he feels even bigger in this moment, more domineering, terrifying almost. His tempestuous blue eyes search mine like he’s waiting for me to flinch or step back farther. “The cat has a weirdly specific schedule and also has several litter boxes in the bar and around it outside. He even has a special door. Interesting how easily you’re taken advantage of when something gives you attention.”

My stomach instantly drops at his cruel words. I frown. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Bast.”

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