Chapter 18

Shemika found herself sprawled on Caturix’s bed, taking in his unique scent of rosemary and mint. She waited for him, her patience wearing thin, until she was sure he wouldn’t be back anytime soon. Then, she hopped off his bed.

She couldn’t resist the chance to explore, especially when it came to a man as enigmatic as Caturix. She started with his bedside table, rummaging through the drawer before moving on to his closet. His scent permeated every corner of his space, and she reveled in it.

She examined his bookshelf, surprised to find not just one book, but many. She skimmed the summaries, trying to piece together the kind of man he was. She was taken aback to find that most of his collection was philosophical. She’d expected horror stories at most. She hadn’t even thought he’d be a reader, let alone own a book.

Next, she inspected his refrigerator and nearly fainted at the sight of his endless stacks of meat. After a few minutes of gawking at his game, she found a large deep freezer at the back of his apartment. More game. He must’ve been an exceptional hunter. Why was Lyosha using him as a ‘punisher’ when his talents were clearly elsewhere?

Shemika stood up from her kneeling position and realized that the blood had significantly healed her body. She felt as good as new and a quick check confirmed she looked almost as good. It should’ve been a relief, but instead, Shemika found herself missing the pleasurable aches. She enjoyed the way her body pulsed, a reminder of all he’d done to her.

She decided to head back to her own apartment and had even put on Caturix’s clothes, since hers were still missing. His t-shirt hung down to her knees like a dress.

Her snooping continued until she came across a closed door. A door that hadn’t been left open, or even shown to her. It was as if he didn’t want her to open it. So, of course, she did.

Luckily, the door wasn’t locked. Shemika pushed it open easily but was left staring blankly in confusion. The room was a decent size, but…

It was pink, with a small bed on the left. A pink heart-shaped rug in the middle of the room. There was a strange carpeted statue in the right corner with different platforms. What was this room for?

She noticed two pink bowls against a wall and a pink bucket filled with sand. “What the fuck?” She ventured further into the room and heard a chittering noise behind her and quick little steps.

She spun around but saw nothing. Her heart pounded. She turned back around. There was nothing. The room was empty. Completely. She didn’t think Caturix had this room for a secret love affair. The bed was too small, even for a child.

Confused, Shemika backed out of the room slowly, carefully closing the door. The room was so strange, she decided not to mention it to him. She’d just pretend she never found it.

She returned to the living room and froze.

A large, fluffy white cat with icy blue eyes sat on his sofa watching her. Where had the cat come from?

The peculiar little room was for a cat? Clearly, he cherished his feline friend. She guessed it was a female, judging by the room and the pink collar with a dangling silver heart.

Shemika knelt down in front of the cat and lifted the silver heart.

“Kisa.” She read out the engraved name.

The cat perked up, responding to her name.

Shemika had always wanted a pet, but it was impossible. She wasn’t allowed to go to the human town and not many stray animals ventured deep into the mountains. It was too cold. How did Caturix get Kisa?

She moved to the other side of the sofa to wait for his return, but was surprised when Kisa stood, shook out her fur, and settled onto Shemika’s lap. Kisa kneaded Shemika’s thighs before curling into a furry ball.

She tried to resist petting Caturix’s cat, but it was hard. She’d never been this close to a soft kitten. She only lasted a few minutes before her hand started to absentmindedly stroke the incredibly soft fur.

Shemika was lounging, petting his cat when he returned. She didn’t move, even as he entered the room. She just turned to face him. “I went into the room at the back because I was curious, but she must’ve run out behind me. I didn’t mean to let her out,” she confessed quickly.

He stood by the kitchen counter for a while, watching her with a tense expression before saying, “Kisa doesn’t like anyone.”

~Awkward.~ Shemika slowly pushed the cat off her lap and stood.

Caturix’s eyes quickly scanned her. His mood darkened, his anger evident in his golden eyes. “I see you took the liberty to clothe yourself,” he stated.

So, they were mad at each other now? She remembered him saying something about not needing to return anything she took from him. She assumed he wouldn’t get mad.

“I did,” she finally replied, moving around his place to gather her belongings.

“I brought clothes back for you, if you want to change out of mine,” he said, handing her a small pile.

She unfolded the top item, a small white t-shirt with a pink heart on it. She crinkled her nose in disgust but said nothing as she unfolded the last item: bright blue-green, capri-length sweatpants. She could’ve thrown up. “Where did you get these?” she asked through gritted teeth, assuming they belonged to a previous lover.

He shrugged nonchalantly as he moved around the sofa to sit next to Kisa. “Don’t worry about it,” he said casually.

The apartment fell silent for a while as he petted his cat and Shemika just watched. She didn’t feel like leaving yet. She took her time changing into the clothes and immediately hated them. They barely fit.

“So…” Shemika moved around the sofa to stand in front of him. “Where did you get a cat? Have you gone to town before?” she asked excitedly, thrilled at the idea of visiting.

He shook his head quickly. “No, of course not. Kisa was abandoned in the woods,” he said, offering no further explanation.

He really took care of the kitten.

“Now I feel vindicated.” She laughed.

He looked up at her through his thick lashes. “About?”

“You really are a kitty cat, with a kitty cat,” she teased.

Caturix scowled. “Not in my apartment. It’s a rule.”

~Ugh~. “Are you really going to enforce all those rules?” she asked skeptically.

He nodded.

“Fine,” she groaned. “I’m leaving,” she said, moving toward the door. She stopped at the threshold. “Um, so when do you want to…again?” She cleared her throat.

He paused for a moment, long enough to make Shemika nervous. “Meet me by the door at dinner, that’ll be our new routine.”

~Huh~, he had said that before too, if she remembered correctly. “What ~do~ you do there?” she asked curiously.

Caturix, surprised by her interest in that dark side of his life, straightened suddenly. “Um, I carry out Lyosha’s punishments to the members of the pack, and extract information from enemies, but mostly I just do what Lyosha says.”

“Oh, what does it look like down there?” she quickly asked.

He frowned. “I…it’s a long corridor with holding cells and a large room at the end. I… Do you, maybe want to visit me tomorrow?” he suggested softly.

~Like a date?~ she wondered excitedly. “Um, at dinner?” she asked, trying to hide her enthusiasm.

He shook his head. “No, I leave the cells at dinner. Come by earlier, any time you like,” he said. He seemed so calm, unlike Shemika’s inner turmoil.

“Oh, yeah, totally.” She laughed, turning to exit his room. Tomorrow, she was going to the cells to ~visit~ him.