Page 44

44

SKEL

T he sun hung low over campus, casting long golden streaks across the sand as I carried Comet toward the Cat-tuary. The little calico squirmed in my arms, her tail flicking with excitement, little claws pricking at my shirt in her eagerness. She’d grown so much since we took her in.

“She probably knows where we’re going,” Pandora said with a giggle. “She always smells us after we’ve been around the other cats.”

Comet meowed in agreement, wiggling again.

Pandora walked beside me, and I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the way her long black hair trailed behind her like a ribbon of ink, the tips catching the golden light of the setting sun.

The others trailed behind us—Bram, his jet-black hair wind-ruffled, and his bleary red eyes were now sharp as they locked onto our mate. Dex’s white-blond hair was a slight contrast against his gray gaze that was also trained on our mate. Hunter stayed quiet as usual, his dark blond hair tousled like he’d just run a hand through it while he kept an eye on Pandora. And Reed’s dark brown afro swayed in the slight breeze as his violet eyes shimmered with love for our mate.

Bram and Dex weren’t just my friends any more, and Reed and Hunter had grown to be more, too. The four of them were my family now. We were brothers, and Pandora—she was the centerpiece, keeping us all from breaking apart.

We had all been through too much shit lately, and we needed something good to happen. Just one fucking night to breathe, to exist outside of Dark Veil and Sybil Shaw’s suffocating presence.

Nebula was de-manifested in Pandora’s bag, but we’d been able to talk with him earlier. I just wished he could’ve joined us tonight, too. Unfortunately, Sybil fucking Shaw was using his magic again, rendering him unable to manifest.

As soon as we stepped inside the cat’s sanctuary, the protection ward fell over my skin like static, tingling with a familiar magic.

Comet sprang from my arms, landing perfectly on the sandy ground. Her ears perked up, and for a moment, she stood still, taking everything in—the stream of crystal-clear water, the food bowls filled to the brim with magic keeping it stocked, the floating rocks swaying gently with magic, the cozy little caves carved into the rock walls, and of course, the other cats that lounged around and played, their ears perking with curiosity at her arrival.

Recognition dawned in her green eyes, and she let out an excited chirrup before sprinting off to explore.

“Aww, how cute,” Pandora cooed, clasping her hands together as she watched Comet weave through the sanctuary like she belonged there.

“They remember her,” I murmured, watching as a tabby padded up to Comet and gave her a gentle nudge before rubbing against her side.

Just like that, she was part of the pride again.

“She looks so happy,” Bram said, his voice softer than usual.

As if she heard him, Comet turned back to us to meow, her emerald eyes glinting in the now dimming sunlight.

“Why does it feel like she’s telling us goodbye?” Pandora asked in a hushed voice, her fingers brushing against mine.

“Because she is. Not forever, but I think she feels at home now,” I told her, my throat tightening as Comet curled up in a sun-drenched patch of earth, surrounded by her feline friends.

“Home.” Pandora moved closer to me, her red eyes full of warmth. “That’s sweet.”

The rest of the guys gathered around us, a silent circle of love for her. This place—it wasn’t just for the cats. It was for us, too. A sanctuary built from a lone rock arch and shadows, shaped by magic supplies Death had given us access to. And we had made something good out of it. A safe place. A home for the cats, and a refuge for us.

I wrapped an arm around Pandora’s waist, pulling her against me. “Thank you. For all of this.”

She tilted her head up, a small, knowing smile playing at her dark red lips. “We built this together. You don’t have to thank me.”

“And you all did a great fucking job,” Dex said as he plopped down onto the sand. Almost immediately, cats strolled over and sprawled around him, rubbing against his legs and nudging his hands until he relented and started petting them.

“I’m proud of both of you for creating this,” Hunter said, his voice quiet but firm as he squatted down to scratch behind the ears of an orange kitten pressing against his shin. “This is amazing.”

“This is really great,” Reed agreed, his violet eyes wide as he ran his fingers through the fur of a black cat curled against his side. “So innovative. Perfect for strays.”

“ Any cat would love this.” Bram leaned against the rock, but a white cat stuck its head out of a burrow and meowed at him in clear demand. With an exasperated sigh, he reached down to scratch behind their ears, earning a deep, rumbling purr.

“Thank you for taking us here,” Pandora whispered to me, tiptoeing up to kiss my cheek. Her lips were soft, warm, and the simple touch sent something deep in my chest unraveling. “We needed this.”

“The vibrations of a cat’s purr can actually be really beneficial,” Reed said, his voice slipping into that matter-of-fact, nerdy tone Pandora really loved. “It helps fight infections, reduce swelling and pain, and promote muscle growth and repair in humans. In demons, the purr helps more with emotional pain.”

“I bet you also know what frequency cats purr at,” Dex teased, raising an eyebrow.

Reed didn’t even hesitate. “At a frequency of eighteen to thirty-five hertz.” He blinked. “Wait. That was rhetorical, huh?”

We dissolved into laughter.

Pandora made her way to Reed, playfully ruffling his curls as he groaned in embarrassment. “I honestly didn’t know the purr of a cat could do all of that.”

Dark Veil wouldn’t take this from us.

Not the Cat-tuary. Not this night with my mate and friends…my family .

When it was finally time to leave, Comet didn’t follow. Instead, she stretched out luxuriously, blinking up at us with slow, knowing contentment before letting out a soft, deep purr.

“Looks like she really is staying,” Pandora murmured, amusement flickering in her voice.

I sighed, but I was smiling. “I guess she found her way back home with her brothers and sisters.”

“Probably for the best,” Reed said. “Gumdrop wasn’t thrilled about her anyway.”

“Considering Comet almost ate him, I get it,” Bram muttered.

Pandora let out a strangled gasp as she whipped her head toward Reed. “She almost ate Gumdrop?”

“Perhaps this is the best for everyone,” I mumbled, scratching the nape of my neck. “And we can come visit her whenever we want.”

“She does seem happier here,” Pandora agreed, glancing at Comet again. “And Gumdrop will be safer.”

After a few moments of silence, we left Comet where she was, knowing this was her home now. We walked away from the Cat-tuary, and the night air settled around us, crisp and full of promise.

This might be Comet’s home, but my home would always be wherever Pandora was.