I didn’t move.
I could barely breathe—facing off with a predator as it cocked its head.
It looked confused.
“Yeah, you and me both, humongous kitty.”
Its jaws parted, almost in a grin.
“Was...was that you?” I asked quietly, eyeing up the bed and trying to untangle reality from fantasy. “I.... Was I hugging you in my sleep?”
It yawned again and flopped down next to me, flipping onto its back and showing me its sable belly.
The urge to smoosh my face into it came so strong I almost buckled, but I wasn’t suicidal and managed to stay stiff andalivein my blankets. “Where...” Glancing over my shoulder at the empty pavilion, I licked my lips. “Where’s your master?”
Writhing around on the floor as if trying to ease an itch, the panther didn’t reply.
Because it was apantherand couldn’t talk.
Leaving it to do whatever it was doing, I struggled to get free from my blankets and stood. My racing heart skipped a few beats and the faint headache that I doubted would go away until I escaped this place ached in my eyes, but...I hadn’t been eaten in my sleep so that had to account for something, right?
“Does Lucien know you’re here?” I ran my hands through my hair before collecting the blanket and tossing it back on the bed. “Shouldn’t you go?”
The panther shot to its feet and padded toward me.
I backed up. “Eh, what are you doing?”
It kept coming, pushing me toward the kitchen where I’d systematically worked my way through the fridge and cupboards.
“There’s not much food left, I’m afraid.” I dashed behind the counter. “Otherwise, I’d give you breakfast. Just to ensure you’re not tempted to eat me.”
It huffed and prowled to my side, its silky bulk nudging my hip as it went straight to the tall pantry.
“Honestly, there’s nothing in there.” Following the panther, I pulled open the door and—
“Huh. I guess they restocked.” Chills scattered down my back. When did they do that? When I went for a walk last night and got accosted by Lucien or while I was sleeping?
Shuddering, I pulled out a pack of cured honey meats. “Is this what you want?”
The cat planted its rump onto the floor and held up a paw.
“You even know how to sit and beg?”
It never took its eyes off the meat.
A laugh escaped me. “I have no idea what’s going on or how I ended up in this place but...you are rather adorable.”
It hissed, its whiskers bristling with impatience.
“Fine. Fine.” Tearing open the packet, I pulled out the honey-smoked meat and...did I just feed it to it? Those fangs looked far too dangerous. Could a panther even eat this sort of thing? Would Lucien kill me for giving unapproved things to his pet?
Before I could change my mind, the panther snatched it from my fingers and tossed it down with a single bite.
Licking its chops, it purred, headbutted my hip, then turned around and stalked out of the pavilion, vanishing into the woodlands bordering the last manicured strip of grass in front of my borrowed home.
My knees gave out.
I ended up eating the last piece of meat right there on the kitchen floor.
