“But—”
“No.”
“Maybe it’s nice?” I say.
“Shouldn’t you start smaller, with something manageable? Something the size of a building isn’t manageable.”
Okay, he’s got a point.
But not all of Harper’s objections are reasonable. He hates the next creature on sight.
“No, no, absolutely not!”
“Come on, it’s not even dangerous!” I say.
“You don’t know that.” He glares daggers. I wonder if he’s going to draw his weapon.
“It’s not acting dangerous.”
“It’s a cat,” he says like that changes everything. Well, he’s got me there. It is a cat. Some kind of ghost cat.
The cat’s just sitting there. Looks like a normal house cat, except transparent and about the size of a mountain lion. A forked tail splits off into two, swishing lazily behind it.
In fact, of all the creatures summoned, the cat seems least interested in the human realm, which seems like a good sign? The cat rests on the threshold into our world, licking its paw while grooming itself. Totally unconcerned with us. Maybe that’s just a cat thing? Even with ghost cats.
Harper frowns at it, disgusted. “It’s a cat.”
“And definitely dangerous,” Marlow confirms.
Crap. In profile, I see Harper’s smug expression.
“But everything Dodger brings over will come with some risk,” the demon continues. “This might be our best bet. Not ginormous, powerful but not too powerful, and the powers even line up perfectly since it’s a ghost cat that has power over the dead.”
Ha! I nudge Harper with my elbow. “So it’s basically a necromancer cat? We have so much in common already!”
A muscle in his jaw ticks and he sucks in a sharp breath. “No cats,” he grunts.
“You’re being ridiculous,” I point out.
“I’m allergic to cats,”Harper says.
“Well, it’s a ghost, so don’t think that’s a problem,” Marlow comments.
“No, you aren’t,” I guess.
“Okay, I’m not allergic,” Harper admits. “But it’s either me or the cat.”
…
Harper smoothly steps in front of me, blocking my view of the passage and our visitor. He stares me down. “No cats.”
I roll my eyes. Fine. Not worth it if he’s going to make such a fuss. I hope there is a creature out there he can get along with. You know, if we’re gonna be sticking around each other. I shoo him aside with my hands and dismiss the cat.
Nothing happens.
“Dodger, seriously. Not this one,” Harper says.
“I heard you.”
