Page 61 of Bound to be Yours

"What?"

"He's a cat."

"He appears quite competent."

Another impatient series of scratches echoed across the porch.

Scratch.

"Mrrrrow!"

I shook my head, still smiling, and reached for the doorknob. "The world almost ended, and his biggest concern is dinner."

Reggie looked over his shoulder with profound offense. "Mrrp."

"I know," I said solemnly. "Obviously you've been starving for at least... fifteen whole minutes."

The door swung open. Without so much as a backward glance, Reggie marched inside, tail held proudly aloft, as though he hadn't just helped save two realms.

Azaren watched him disappear.

"I preferred him before he developed confidence."

"You mean before you gave him his eye and tail back?"

"...Perhaps."

I slipped my hand into his. "You know..."

"What?"

"I think he likes you."

Azaren snorted. "I believe he merely tolerates my existence."

From somewhere inside the house came a loud, demanding... "Mrrrow!"

I grinned. "He says you're wrong."

Azaren sighed with all the long-suffering dignity of an immortal infernal hunter. "I fear that cat has become entirely too comfortable in my presence."

"That's because you're family now."

For a moment, he simply looked at me. Then that beautiful smile—the real one, the one only I ever seemed to get—slowly spread across his face. "...I rather like the sound of that."

Neither of us moved to let go. I looked up at him. His deep red eyes searched my face like he was still making sure I was real.

"We need a shower," I said softly.

His gaze darkened. "Do we."

It wasn't a question. I nodded, my heart was hammering fast. I couldn't believe I was going to suggest this. "Together."

He carried me inside without setting me down. The door closed behind us with a quiet click. Reggie—now fully two-eyed and whole-tailed—opened his bright green eyes from the couch, decided we were not worth the effort, and went back to sleep.