Page 37 of Cats Never Fly

Assoon asI’dmetSimon,Ihad a niggling sensation that my life was going to change.Myconversation withWesleyjust solidified my decision.Therewere more legalities to sort through, of course, but for now,Ineeded my lawyer to draft up changes to removeWesleyfrom my will at the very least.

Vanassured meWesley, if he was involved, would not be rewarded by my death, but ifSimonhadn’t blown that whistle, who would have known to stop him?Myparents’ hoard kept them running.Ourconversations were always short; they barely had more than a few minutes to spare whenever we spoke.Althoughmy sister andItalked regularly, we commonly missed each other’s calls as well.Wewere each busy with our own lives.Howlong would it have been before anyone realizedIwas missing?Wouldthere have been any evidence left at that point?Wasthere any evidence even now?

IhopedIwas mistaken aboutWesley, butIwas still going to make those changes.

Itonly took a few moments on the phone with my lawyer to set my request in motion.AsIended my call,Vanreappeared to pepper me with more questions aboutWesley.

Bythe time we finished,Iwas sure my paranoia wasmaking me see things that weren’t there.Everythingthat’d happened over the last twenty-four hours or so had left me feeling upside down, and everyone knew dragons couldn’t fly for long if they weren’t right side up.Themagic connected to the whistle wasn’t helping.Thelonger we went without completing our bond, the moreIfelt the foreign magic urging me to fall in line.

Yes,Wesleywas awkward.Healways had been.Allthat squeaking and squawking probably didn’t mean anything.Butit was inVan’shands now.AndIhad other things to do, like spending my last few minutes of freedom withSimonbeforeIwent allJackReacheron a trafficking ring.

WhenSimonfinally popped his head inside the meeting room again,Icouldn’t hide my relieved sigh.Wasit because of the magic from the whistle or was something else going on?Ididn’t know.ButIsprang out of my seat and glommed onto the cat shifter anyway.Ididn’t think he minded me clinging to him.

“Youcan stay here until you have to leave,”OfficerHellhoundsaid. “Thatway we’ll know the moment you leave, and we can start tracing your location immediately.”

Simonpaled at the reminder of what was about to happen.Iwasn’t feeling so thrilled about it myself.

“Areyou on shift all night?”IaskedVan.

“Iam tonight,” he said.

Inoticed how tired he looked.Thatwas fair.Noneof us had planned to do this tonight.Thenhe left the room and shut the door.Finally,Iwas alone with my little kitty cat again.

IpulledSimonover to the chairs and pushed on hisshoulders until he sat.Itook the seat next to him, although whatIreally wanted was to slip into his lap, but this wasn’t the time or place.Assoon as we were settled, my skin tingled.Irecognized the sensation; it was exactly howI’dfelt before everything went psychedelic, then a moment laterI’dended up in the lake.

“Mytime is running out,”Iadmitted.

Hesat up straighter.Helooked like he wanted to lunge for me and hold me there with him forever. “Iwish this didn’t have to happen.”

“Asmuch asIappreciate the sentiment, that won’t work.”Iwrapped my hands around his. “Imust help those people.Noone else can.”

Simonstared at our linked hands and nodded.Thetingling sensation was growing.Everyhair on my body was quivering.Simontipped his head forward and pressed his forehead to mine.Myeyes closed asIsavored the feel of him so close to me.Hisscent filled my senses.Thesoft brush of his breath fell against my mouth.

Unbidden, my magic swelled and streamed toward him.Itundulated and zinged over me like electric waves.Asit grew stronger, it began gathering at the spot where my skin touchedSimon’s.Thetips of my fingers itched as my magic bridged our clasped hands and reached for him.

Suddenlya foreign magic—Simon’smagic—surged up and greeted mine.

Asa dragon,Iwas an ancient creature, filled with more magic than most.Iwas a creation of theEternalMagic, built of water and air and fire.Threeof the four elements were within my domain.ButSimon’s, his was different.Likemost land-based shifters, his magic was earthy andsolid and strong.Abeautiful counterpoint to mine.Itgrounded me, like a firm foundation upon whichIcould build a life…

Italmost felt like we could be mates.Almost.

Aftercenturies of being alone,I’dnever imagined a cat shifter from a small town in the middle of nowhere could be the answer to everythingI’dever dreamed, but maybeIshould have.Orperhaps my heart was caught up in the moment and pretending to see things that weren’t there.

“Wow,”Simonwhispered. “Ilove howIcan feel your magic.I’venever felt anyone’s magic before.”

“Hmm…”Iagreed, not ready for words yet.

Thiswas whyIwanted to come back toWillowLake.Ineeded to knowIwould seeSimonagain.Ineeded to know if any of this was real, because if it was…

“Ogden.”Hespoke my name so softly that it felt like a caress.Ishivered and opened my eyes.Hewas staring back at me. “Iwant…”

Hedidn’t finish his sentence, but those two wordsIwantsounded sure and confident, so different from the stuttering, insecure shifterI’dfound on the lakeshore a few hours ago.Thenhis magic rushed toward me, wrapping around me.Everythingabout it was perfect and comforting and beautiful.Iwanted more.Mymagic leaped forward to greet it.

“Yes,”Imurmured, suddenly sure that whatever he wanted,Iwanted it too.

Withthat one word, everything changed.Hehadn’t asked for anything, not with words, and yetIknew with my single syllable reply something powerful had been set in motion.

Isucked in a breath.