Page 25 of Never Kiss a Krampus
“Your creature is demented,” he said.
“He’s spirited.”
“He is a menace.”
“He’s sweet!”
As if to prove me wrong, Jingle bit Bastian’s ear. Not hard—he didn’t actually draw blood—but enough to make his point. I gasped, and Bastian’s eyes flared red, just for a moment.
Then, to my absolute shock, he carefully reached up and plucked Jingle from his shoulders. The cat dangled in his massive, clawed hands, still puffed up and hissing.
“You,” he said to my cat, “are very fortunate that I have patience for foolish creatures.”
Jingle responded by batting at his nose.
I covered my laugh with a cough. “I’m so sorry. He’s usually much better behaved.”
“I doubt that.”
He wasn’t wrong. Jingle was a chaos agent on the best of days. I was actually surprised he hadn’t done something equally foolish sooner. Bastian held the cat at arm’s length, studying him with those intense amber eyes. Jingle, apparently deciding he’d made his point, went limp and began to purr.
“Traitor,” I muttered.
“He has accepted my dominance,” Bastian said calmly.
“He’s manipulating you for treats.”
As if on cue, Jingle mewed pitifully.
“He does not appear injured or distressed.”
“That’s his ‘feed me’ sound.”
“It sounds identical to his ‘attack’ sound.”
“Welcome to cat ownership.”
He looked at me, then at the purring fluffball in his hands, then back at me. “I will not be caring for this creature.”
“I didn’t ask you to.”
“Good.” But he didn’t put Jingle down. Instead, he held the cat against his chest, one large hand supporting his back end. Jingle immediately curled into the warmth of his fur, purring loud enough to be heard across the room.
I bit my lip to keep from smiling. The sight of this massive, terrifying Krampus cradling my tiny white cat was possibly the most adorable thing I’d ever seen.
“Don’t get attached,” I warned. “He’s very high maintenance.”
“I do not get attached.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“I am merely preventing further attacks on my person.”
“Of course.”
“I am not—” He stopped, seeming to realize I was humoring him. His eyes narrowed. “You are amused.”
“I’m delighted.”
