Page 3 of Fated Mates and How to Seduce Them (Fated Mates #4)

It was just after dawn on Monday morning, as Ian had left his dorm room half an hour early to make his way down and around to the side of the building, where Casper normally liked to lurk.

He’d discovered her three weeks ago by the dumpsters, a scrawny thing that gave him a wide berth and darted for the bushes if he got too close.

It wasn’t until last Thursday, when he’d dropped off food and water as per usual, that she’d been waiting for him.

They’d since developed a bit of a routine, and she’d let him know if he was off.

Cats were the rulers of the world, after all, and even a six-month-old kitten knew it.

If she hadn’t been so cute, Ian might have been exasperated with her.

He slowly drew out the Ziploc bag of food and a water bottle from his backpack, careful not to spook her as he filled both bowls.

But before he could back away and give her space, she slowly, carefully approached where he still knelt beside the bowls.

Ian held his breath, willing his muscles to not even twitch, watching as the shy kitty tentatively approached.

After what felt like a moment suspended in time, she delicately sniffed his hand.

A pause, then she gave his hand a single head boop before focusing entirely on the food.

Oh my god. Finally!

After weeks of skittish sidesteps and hisses, he felt his heart morph into a delighted puddle of goo at her acceptance. Hard-won trust, but well worth the wait.

Ian would dearly love to scoop her up and take her back to his dorm room right now, but despite the giddy emotion coursing through him, he knew he didn’t quite have everything set up for her yet.

He had a delivery coming in tomorrow with the litter box, food, cat tree, and bed.

Once those were in place, he could bring her back and give her a safer and more comfortable life.

They were having mild weather for October, barely dropping down into the fifties at night, so with the box and blanket he’d tucked against the side of the building, she should be okay with one more night outside.

He could smell the change in the air, though, and knew a cold front was slowly coming.

There was a thunderstorm predicted for Wednesday, so either way, she was going home with him tomorrow.

Thankfully his dorm allowed pets under twenty pounds, which she definitely was. He wasn’t sure what he’d have done otherwise. Read as he was not above smuggling her in and bribing his roommate to stay quiet if needed.

“Just hang in there another day, okay?” he requested as he lightly stroked her head. She was soft, if dirty, the short white fur lightly brushing against his skin. “I can come get you tomorrow.”

Casper purred at him but didn’t lift her head. Eating was a serious business.

Amused, he let her eat, petting her every now and again because she was too cute for him to resist.

Behind him, a warm tenor voice called out, “Ian?”

Turning, he looked up at the hail. Oh. It was André Castor. He hadn’t even heard the man approach. Was that a vampire thing? Being able to walk like a damn ninja?

The man gave him a cheerful smile, all confident grace as he stood there, much like an actor waiting for the camera to show up.

He wasn’t showing off; he didn’t need to.

Some people just had that kind of beauty to them.

He definitely looked better than he had this past weekend, though.

Those blue eyes were bright and focused, for one.

Interestingly enough, despite being in blue jeans and a simple black T-shirt and light grey cardigan, his clothes still looked perfectly tailored.

Could you even buy tailored jeans? Inquiring minds wanted to know.

Ian left his bag on the ground and stood, looking André over. “Uh, hi. You look fine?”

“I am, thanks to you.” André’s smile deepened, hinting at dimples. “Seriously, thank you. Charges are being pressed against her. I’d thought myself safe with that group, as I was with an old friend, but apparently not.”

“I’m glad I caught her in the act,” Ian answered honestly.

“No one deserves what she’d planned. Thanks for coming over to say something.

” Although it was a bit odd André knew what dorm he lived in and when to show up.

He’d probably just asked around. “I did wonder how you were feeling after the ambulance took you, but figured I’d see you in class or something. ”

“Right as rain. I basically slept it off.” André stepped in closer, looking the situation over. “Why, hello. Who’s this bundle of cuteness?”

Oh, he liked cats? Ian’s opinion of him raised a notch. “She’s a stray I found a few weeks ago.”

“Yeah? She’s cute. Shouldn’t you take her to a rescue, though?”

Ian shook his head. “No, I’m taking her in. I’m just waiting on a delivery of things for her. I can take her home with me tomorrow.”

“Well, good. She’s too young to be out here alone for long. Have you named her?”

“Casper,” Ian answered with a smile down at her. “Not just because she’s white, but because she was a freakin’ ghost at first until I won her trust. Took me two and a half weeks before I could see her properly.”

“It’s a cute name. Do you think I can pet her?”

Ian glanced at him, feeling oddly sheepish. “Um, honestly? No. I finally managed to pet her today, and I’ve been trying to make friends for weeks.”

Understanding dawned across André’s face. “Ah, so she’s semiferal, then?”

“She’s young enough she’ll become domesticated if I spend some time with her.”

“I hope it works out.” André squatted down a little to get a better look at her fuzzy face. “I’ve never had cats but have always loved them. Maybe that’s what I’ll do as a graduation present to myself, get a cat.”

Did vampires own pets…? Well, apparently they did. “Parents were against pets?”

His expression turned thoughtful, and he tapped a finger to his chin.

“Hm, not like that. We traveled a lot when I was a kid. Well, my parents still travel a lot for work, but I no longer tag along during the semester. Having a pet when you’re never home isn’t feasible.

” André shrugged. “Have you had a cat before? You seem comfortable with her.”

“My father had two. They were my favorite beings in the entire world.” Ian had sobbed like a child when he’d been forced to put both of them down, a bare six months after he’d lost his father.

Neither Tony nor Thomas had been well, both developing cancer within weeks of each other.

They’d been eighteen years old—an amazing lifespan for a cat.

Still, losing them right after burying his father had been incredibly hard.

He couldn’t even remember that dark time without crying, or so it felt.

“There’s lots of cats in the shelters,” André murmured. He stared at Casper with a pensive expression. “Hey, do you know if it’s better to get a kitten or an adult?”

What an odd conversation, but Ian played along and said, “Either’s fine, and honestly, both are hard to place for different reasons.

Kittens are bundles of energy, and not everyone’s prepared when they take a kitten home.

Adult cats are normally litter box trained, and you can get a better grasp of their personality, but most people go for kittens, so older cats move through a shelter slower. ”

“Yeah?” André raised his eyebrows, visibly intrigued. “That’s food for thought. Look at you, you sound like a pro pet parent.”

Ian snorted and waved this praise off. “No, I did a lot of research. I’d thought about getting a new cat and then stumbled across Casper. I chose instead to focus on her, see if I could make friends and adopt her instead. Which, fortunately, seems to be possible.”

“I love a man with a warm heart,” André said with a wink. “You clearly have a good one, seeing how much time you’re spending on a single kitten.”

“Uh, thanks. I just think every living thing deserves a good home.” Ian personally knew what a boon having a loving family could be.

For some reason, André now looked at him in this strange way, like he was keenly interested.

Or maybe evaluating Ian somehow? He didn’t understand it, and the intense gaze instinctively made him uneasy.

No one looked at Ian with that kind of interest. It felt invasive, or at least, he felt prickly under it.

He shifted uncomfortably, unsure how to interpret André’s look, and figured now was the right time to start his exit strategy.

“What?”

“I,” André said softly, almost to himself, “have apparently been blind.” His charming smile reappearing as he casually dropped, “Hey, Ian, come have dinner with me.”

Based on the heated look aimed his direction, it did not sound like an invite for a thank-you dinner. “Uh, why?”

“What do you mean why? I want to get to know a handsome man like you better.”

Oh, hell no. Ian put up a staying hand. “I’ll pass, thanks.”

André slowly blinked as if he’d never heard these words in his life. He likely hadn’t, Adonis incarnate that he was. Ian, however, was not one to set himself up for either trouble or failure. Yeah, no, he’d avoid going down that road. It had way too many warning signs.

“Pass? Why would you pass?” The puppy eyes were seriously next level.

Because I have common sense. Ian had no intention of handing him this answer, though. Instead, he deflected the question. “Why would you ask me to dinner?”

“Well, it’s obvious. You check all the right boxes.” André started ticking things off on his fingers. “You’re cute, especially when you smile—”