I shrugged, then told him about my music collection, about helping at the farms. I loved picking berries or apples. The air was thick with the scent of ripe fruit, the sun was warm on your skin, and you got to snack as you worked.
"I also adore cats," I said, glancing down at Dots. "I'm cat-sitting for my friends, in fact, and I've realized cuddling with a cat is the best way to sleep."
"I concur," Nolan said with a smile, then tilted his head to the side. "Cat-sitting? Does this have something to do with the door getting locked the other day?"
I nodded, then jumped into an explanation of the issues that had been cropping up all over the Sanctuary over the last few months. Nolan listened intently as he finished his cake, and I had to remind myself to keep talking more than once as I watched him lick the chocolate frosting off his spoon. The twinkle in his eyes made me suspect he was doing it on purpose, but I pushed through, determined not to let him sidetrack me.
Nolan
"It sounds like the pocket dimension has become unbalanced," I said when Zamir was done with his explanation, and his brows furrowed in confusion.
"Unbalanced how?"
"Did your sorcerer tell you what powers the Sanctuary?"
"Yeah. When he first invited me, he said a part of my magic would go to the Sanctuary, to keep it running. It's how he's able to invite more people in."
"Exactly. You've had quite a few human newcomers recently, haven't you?"
Zamir blinked, then nodded. "It started with Touya. Then there's Bellamy, Dustin, Liam, and now Diego."
"Hmm. Five humans, who don't contribute—magically, I mean—to the dimension. It's throwing things off-balance, and your sorcerer isn't strong enough to make up for it, at least not in the long term."
"Is there any way we can help? We've asked the headmaster, but he won't say. He insists he can fix it himself."
I thought about it. The only way I could see was if the supe residents gave more of their magic to their 'headmaster' and the Sanctuary, but that must've occurred to the sorcerer too. If he hadn't mentioned it, it could be because it wasn't a viable option. Maybe the supes weren't strong enough.
I could help, I realized. If I lived in the Sanctuary, my magic would make up the difference. It would give me an outlet too, saving me from having to risk blowing up a volcano every month.
But I couldn't say it. I couldn't ask Zamir to move in with himon our first date. That would be too soon, even for supes. My dragon side was all in, but luckily, I had more sense than that.
"I'm not sure yet, but I'll tell you as soon as I figure something out."
"Thank you, but don't worry too much over it, okay? It's not your problem."
"It's your home, Zamir. Of course it's my problem," I said, and he bit his lower lip, then glanced away. Had I said something wrong? "Zamir?"
Dots hissed as Zamir leaned forward, dislodging him from his lap as he closed the distance between us. I grabbed his hips to steady him as he pressed his lips to mine. His fingers slid into my hair, his lips soft against mine, as his warm, sweet scent filled my lungs. The kiss remained chaste. Neither of us pushed for more, content to enjoy the moment of connection.
When Zamir pulled back and sat on his heels, Dots gave his leg two quick smacks in reprimand, making us laugh. Zamir picked the cat up, holding him against his chest as he smiled at him. "I'm sorry, Dots. Did I disturb your nap?"
Dots meowed, and Zamir cooed at him, rocking him slowly like he was a baby. This time, I was the one who leaned in, and I covered Zamir's lips with mine as he glanced up, trapping Dotsbetween us. His sharp claws found my skin with eerie precision, digging in as I continued kissing Zamir.
"Ow ow," I mumbled, going with him when Zamir tried to pull back, and we both glanced down at Dots.
"Oh shit. Here, let me..." Zamir mumbled as he carefully pulled Dots's nails out of my skin, and the wound disappeared almost instantly, leaving behind a single tiny drop of blood that I wiped away before it could soak into my white shirt.
"He likes you better, doesn't he?" I said with a sigh, and Zamir grinned down at the cat.
"Is that true, Dots? Do you like me better?"
Dots started to purr, and Zamir laughed, kissing the top of his head.
"You should take him home," I found myself saying, and Zamir's eyes flashed to mine.
"What?"
"I got him the day we met, you know. He hasn't been with me that long, and it's clear he likes you."
