Page 13 of Cats Never Fly

Ilet out a shaky breath.Relax.It’sfine.Exceptit didn’t feel fine.

Ireally wasn’t cut out for a life of crime.

Ishould give the whistle back.

Myfingers tightened on the whistle in my pocket.Atthis point,I’dprobably have the engravings embedded in my hand for the rest of my life.

“I’llbe over in a minute to get your order,Simon,”Jakecalled out.

Everyonelooked in my direction.Igulped.

Sallyturned on her stool and tapped her bottom lip with her finger.Theshiny bright pink polish on her fingernail glittered under the lights.Mamaalways told me to stand at least six feet away from the succubus.Somethingabout pheromones or something.Ihadn’t paid much attention.Womenweren’t my thing, especially not a woman who was older than my mama and looked like an extra in the movieGrease.Hergaze grew assessing asIsquirmed under her attention.Whatwas she thinking?

Didshe knowIhad the whistle?

Alicerushed in, with flushed cheeks and red, wet lips, as if she had just been thoroughly kissed.Thesexual energy around her distracted the succubus and drewSally’sgaze from me.

“SorryI’mlate,” the brownie said as she threw her purse behind the counter.

“Howlong were you sitting outside making out withBuddy?”Jaketeased.

“Shutup.”Shelaughed and punched him lightly on the arm. “Likeyou don’t get distracted by your mate.”

Asif her words summoned him,Jake’sboyfriend walked through the door leading to the inn.Beforethe renovation, the demon had always been ridiculously clean in pressed shirts and trousers, soIalmost didn’t recognize him in stained and sweaty construction clothes.Sawdustcovered him all the way up to the tips of the horns protruding from his dark hair.

“See?Ihave perfect timing,”Alicesaid as she shooedJakeaway. “Gosit with your mate.”

Jakegrinned and hurried around the bar toGage.Theirkiss was almostX-rated.You’dthink they hadn’t seen one another for months.Theywere oblivious to everyone else.Noone had ever kissed me like that.Icouldn’t imagine being so lost in someone’s mouth thatIforgot everything else.Losingawareness like that was just asking to lose one of your nine.

Ofcourse,Iwouldn’t want to kissGage—not only was heJake’smate, but he freaked me out almost as much as oldUlrichad.Atleast nowIdidn’t have to worry about where to sit.Iwasn’t getting any closer to the demon thanIhad to.Peoplesaid he was nice and all—some amazing protector forWillowLakeor whatever—butCliveandWarrenhad forced me to watch too many horror movies when we were kittens.Thedemons in those movies might have been fictional, butIdidn’t care.Ididn’t need to find out the difference between fiction and reality for myself.Andwasn’tVansupposed to be our protector?Hewas a hellhoundanda police officer.Whywere people letting this new guy come in and take over?

I’dnever ask those questions though.Notout loud.

Ididn’t want that demon looking at me, wondering whyIwas stirring up trouble for him.

Ichose a small empty table within hearing distance of the bar and sank into a chair.Mygaze darted around the room.Noone was paying any attention to me.NotthatIcould see.Butwhat if they were being sneaky about it andIdidn’t notice?Myleg bobbed up and down.Myfree hand rapped a chaotic rhythm on the scarred wooden surface of the table.Myother hand remained wrapped around my whistle.

WhenJakeandGageseparated,Jake’slips and cheeks were as red asAlice’shad been.Heglanced around the room, as if suddenly remembering where they were.Hisgaze landed on me.Iducked my head, butIwas too slow.Jakewas already dragging his boyfriend to my table.

“Hey,Simon,” he said. “Canwe join you?”

Iwanted to hiss and hide, but allIcould do was nod.Oncethey took their seats, the creepy cat-like creaturePawsjoined my table as well.Mamawould have been thrilled to knowIwas sitting with so many influentialWillowLakers, but allIcould think about was escaping.Mywhole body was numb.

Wasthis an intervention?Hadthey found out about the whistle?Werethey going to corner me and demand it back?

Thedemon narrowed his eyes at me.Ihunched.Jakeswatted his boyfriend playfully.

“Quitthat,”Jakeadmonished.Thenhe looked at me. “Crap.Iforgot to take your order, didn’tI?”

“It’sfine.”Myvoice cracked, betraying my nerves.

“Youwere too busy sucking onGage’stongue,”Pawsmuttered.

Jake’scheeks darkened as he wavedAliceover.Theblush stretched down his neck and seeped into the strange tattoo he had that matched his mate’s.Iknew those marks were given to fated mates, but ifIever found my fated mate—not thatIwas looking—IhopedIgot a bit of color in my hair likeMercerandOak.Ididn’t want a tattoo-like mark like these two or likeAshandDillon.Iwas not a tattoo kind of person.Oncewe ordered our drinks, silence fell over the table.Awkward.

“Whatis the matter with you people?Whyaren’t you talking?”Pawsasked.Hisblack, white, and orange tail flicked back and forth across the table.Mamawould have skinned us alive if we ever dared jump on the table in our cat forms.

“Paws,”Jakeadmonished. “Benice.”I’dheard that tone before.Thedon’t scare awaySimonwas implied.