Feral Awakening (The Feral Series-Book 2) Read Free Page A

actually loved to be
touched. She was constantly reaching out to her friends and would rest her hand
on their arm while they talked and she was definitely a hugger but something
about Eric’s touch gave her the creeps. Stepping away from him she quickly
walked around the front counter, eager to place an obstacle between her and
Eric’s wondering hands. “I really should get back to work. I got in a little
late today.”
     “Yes, she did!” Patrick’s
voice sang out from the back of the shop causing her to roll her eyes in
childlike defiance.
     Eric reluctantly moved
towards the door. “Yes, I really need to get back to my shop anyway. Things
just seem to fall apart when I’m not there. See you later.”
     Kat breathed a sigh of
relief as he left the shop; the little bells on the front door chiming his
departure. The man was annoying. She didn’t know what the other women saw in a
slime ball like that but he seemed to be popular.
     “Kat, maybe you should
go out with him. When was the last time you were on a date?” Patrick emerged
from behind a display where he had been unashamedly eavesdropping on the whole
conversation.
     “Ew, really Patrick? Eric
Norris? No way.”
     “Kat.”
     “Patrick the last
thing I need right now is Eric Norris pawing at me. I can barely stand the
man.”
     “I’m just saying maybe
some sex could help with your little hormone problems you have been having
lately.”
     “Patrick! You know
what, sex really isn’t the answer to everyone’s problems. Especially not sex
with Eric Norris. I know this is hard for you to understand but the rest of us
are not wired like you are.”
     Patrick sighed and
fluffed at his dark hair for a moment. “Honey, don’t I know it, but wouldn’t it
be fun if you were.” He shot her a devilish grin and she burst into laughter.
     The rest of their day
passed by slowly until finally it was time to close up the shop. Kat carried a
box out to her truck, she had a few things she wanted to take home to work on. Closing
the tailgate she knocked the dust from her hands and headed back towards the shop
to help Patrick lock up.
     A slight breeze blew
across the cobblestone, teasing her hair into her eyes and scattering newly
fallen leaves. Kat closed her eyes for a minute and took a deep cleansing
breath of the fall evening air. Instead of relaxing her, the breeze sent a
tingle running down her spine and the hair on the back of her neck felt like it
stood up on end. Slowing, she scanned the puddles of light coming from the lamp
post down the street.
     Peering into the
shadows around the building she could just barely make out the silhouette of a
large man sitting on the curb next to the building. “Benji?” Kat spoke quietly
into the dark alley. The large homeless man had shown up a few days ago. Ava
had teasingly named him Benji and declared him one of Kat’s new strays after
she caught her bringing him food. What could she say? She was a sucker for
strays. Ava had wanted Kat to call the police and chase him off but something
about him had pulled at Kat’s conscience. She didn’t want to cause any trouble
for the poor guy and he wasn’t hurting anything. It was really strange but Kat
didn’t find him scary.
     Assured that it was
Benji who watched her from the curb, Kat went back inside to lock up with
Patrick. Having closed up for the night Kat and Patrick walked out to their
cars together. “See you tomorrow sweetie.” With a quick one armed hug, Patrick
said goodbye and got into his car.
     Walking to her truck,
Kat found herself searching the shadows for her stray. Strangely disappointed
when she didn’t see him, Kat hiked up her skirt a bit so she could step up into
the old truck and slid onto the well-worn leather bench. The old Ford started
with a grumble and she pulled out onto the cobblestone, headed for home. A pair
of glowing eyes followed her progress for a few moments before disappearing
into the night.
     
     
     Kat woke