I didn’t want to hurt the beast on hallowed ground. I lifted her higher as it reached my ankles, baring its teeth at me and hissing. It began repeatedly smacking me with its paw, claws catching on my denim. Soft, useless attacks.
“Hey, baby.” I looked away from the small black creature, and back at the female. A tired smile spread across her cheeks.Her pale blue eyes had regained some luster, reminding me of the freshwater trickling in the background.
I was rather surprised that she was already responsive, not to mention feelingaffectionate. Toward me. A welcome surprise.
“Hi,” I replied. It was an unexpected pleasantry, but I didn’t want to be rude.
“Sorry, I wasn’t talking to you.” She grimaced apologetically, squirming in my arms. “Could you please put me down?”
I blinked. “There’s a beast at my feet.”
“He isn’t a beast. That’s my cat,” she chuckled, her voice raspy as if waking up from a deep sleep. When I didn’t immediately let go, she began struggling with increased effort against my hold. “Seriously. Stop holding me, please. I’m good.”
A sharp, annoying sting shot up my leg. I fought the urge to kick in response.
“It just bit me.” My eyebrows furrowed. This was the “cat” she needed?
“You’re big, scary, and holding his mom,” she groaned. “Put me down!”
I hesitated a moment, not eager to offer her to the unfamiliar creature. She must not be of sound mind after the attack. But, it couldn’t do much damage. And I wasn’t about to hold a goddess against her will. Besides, the beast didn’t seem to be one of the between-world wildlife that were native to Cyciciah; it was made of flesh and fur.Not deadly… Probably.
I lowered her to the ground reluctantly, ready to intervene if it started mauling her.
“Little guy,” she cooed, scooping the Lumick—cat—into her arms. Its noises changed to a soft rumble. A purr?They must be companions. “Were you trying to protect me?” Her sleepy voice felt like nails scratching over my scalp, rough but soothing.
“I was.”
Her tired eyes crinkled in amusement.
Was she talking to the cat again?It wasn’t like me to miss social cues. Social cues were my life. The job requirements of being a hitman weren’t that different from owning and operating a pub it turns out. Listen carefully. Read energy. Placate and charm as needed to get the job done. The only real difference is ideally one ends with someone dead and the other ends with repeat customers. I had a good reputation on both fronts. Ididn’tfumble through my interactions the way I was now.
“Thanks for coming to the rescue. I dropped my crystal when I fell.” She frowned. “Fuck. I’m going to have to get that before it’s washed away.”
The expletive sounded sharp on her sacred tongue. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end in response. Why did it feel sopleasant?
“What crystal?”
“A friend gave it to me to keep the monsters away.”
I hadn’t heard of anything capable of that, but I wasn’t from the South. AndnobodyI knew was fromthisfar south. Cyciciah was pure wilderness. Drifael was the last rural landmark before things turned hostile. The remnant wildernesses of our evolutionary roots were savage and best left unexplored. That is, unless someone was looking for the undiscovered energy fields, like me. With all the “tamed”grounds already developed, the middle of nowhere was the next place to look.
“Does it work? The crystal.” I asked.
“Yeah, it works.” She set the purring cat down and began tugging her leather bodice back into its rightful place. The tops of her full breasts pooled above the hem of the dress and pressed pink flesh taut against the semi-transparent wet fabric.
Something primal twisted in my stomach, quickly replaced by the shame of realizing there wasmuchmore blasphemy swirling in my mind about this female than I’d like to admit.
“I’ll be right back. You stay here,” she said with exhausted resolve.
“I’ve got it. What does it look like?” I shrugged the heavy bag I had toted up the mountain off my shoulders and cracked my neck in relief.
“You really don’t need to do that.”
“You saved my life last winter. I owe you and would like to retrieve your charm.” I turned on my heels and passed through the wheat border. I wasn’t interested in her objections.
“You just saved mine!” she called after me.
I looked over my shoulder and grinned. “We’vegotto stop meeting like this."
