Corrupting Chastity - Krista Wolf Page 0,50

little nest. The animal on Ander’s engine cowling was hands down the cutest kitten on the planet. Maybe even the universe.

Look at him!

I waited until it had tasted the tuna. Sat there patiently, until most of its beautiful kitten head was rooting around in the foil pouch.

Then I leaned in very slowly… and reached out in one smooth motion to scoop it up.

“NICE!” Ander shouted.

The cat didn’t even flinch as I grabbed it. It seemed more interested in where the tuna had gone, than in the fact I was now holding it. I reached down and grabbed the tuna as well.

“Quick, get it inside,” said Ander. “It’s freezing out here!”

He opened the passenger door for me, ushering us into the front seat. Then he closed the hood, jumped back in, and started the engine.

“Thank God you didn’t start the engine while it was still in there,” I gasped.

“I know.”

“How did you even know it was—”

“I was walking back to my car after a training session,” Ander said, “and I actually heard it.” He shrugged. “That thing’s got a tiny little meow, but it’s a loud meow.”

I picked the cat up gingerly, holding the tuna pouch with my other hand. From what I could tell, beneath all the grease and grime, the kitten was a he.

“He’s a hungry little bugger,” I laughed.

The cat kept eating, driving his face deeper into the pouch. My heart kept melting. Eventually the heat kicked on, blowing blessedly warm air against our faces. The smell of tuna permeated the interior of the car.

“I knew you’d come through,” Ander grinned. “You did good. Real good.”

He reached out to scratch the cat behind the ears, and it actually leaned into him. My heart started melting again, only this time for different reasons.

“Where do you think he’s from?” he asked.

I shrugged. “A stray for sure, probably wandered out of the woods behind those power lines.”

Ander nodded. “They go on for miles. I’d imagine there are all kinds of feral animals back there.”

We glanced through the windshield, past the swirling snow. Past the darkness of the distant treeline, and the unknown beyond it.

“Well one thing’s for sure,” my lover said matter-of-factly.

I looked back into his handsome face, his chestnut-colored hair plastered over his forehead. He was still petting the cat. It was purring now, too.

“And what’s that?”

“Seems to me you’ve got yourself a kitten,” smiled Ander.

Forty

CHASTITY

“A little higher, I think. Way back there. Behind the waffle-iron.”

Ander reached back, easily rummaging through the section of the pantry that would normally require a chair for me. Eventually his hand closed around something, and he came back with a lime green bowl.

I couldn’t help but lower my eyes a little, as I felt a pang of sorrow.

“Athena?” Ander scratched his chin as he read the name printed across the plastic surface. “I think we’re gonna need to change that.”

He handed me the bowl, and I filled it with one of the cans of kitten food we’d bought at the 7-11 on the way home. The little orange tabby was still at our feet, gliding back and forth between our legs. Rubbing its now-clean body happily against our shins.

“Here you go little guy.”

I slid him the bowl, and the cat immediately began eating. For such a tiny thing he looked absolutely ravenous. But after scrubbing him carefully with dish-washing detergent to get the engine grease off, at least he was clean.

“Damn he eats fast. Maybe we should call him ‘Greedy.’”

I chuckled at Ander. He was being cute — really cute, actually. And the cat seemed to love him. A lot.

“Your old cat’s name was Athena, eh? After the Greek goddess?”

I nodded somberly. “Yes.”

“How about Ares, then?”

I blinked in surprise. It actually wasn’t half bad.

“Ares is the god of War, right?” asked Ander. “Ruled by Mars. Fire sign. That’s badass.” He shrugged. “Plus the cat’s so orange it’s practically red.”

I folded my arms and tried the name out. The little kitten licked its nose and actually looked up.

“Holy shit,” I smiled. “I think you just named my cat.”

“Damn right I did. Plus the name honors me also, as the guy who found the cat.”

“And how do you figure that?”

Ander thumped his own thick chest. “Because I’m an Aries.”

We watched the cat eat for a little while longer, as Ander ransacked my fridge and freezer. Not that I had much to begin with, but he eventually came up with a pair of ice-cream sandwiches.

“Too late for ice-cream?”

I laughed as he unwrapped both, and handed me one.