I Unintentionally Became Her Kitten

Chapter 4: The Kitten has a Nightmare

Tye met her back at her house and held the door open for her. The other guard departed, done with his work for the day.

Alisha was a different person once inside. She still scowled a lot but it wasn't a permanent expression plastered on her face. Still, she unwound slowly with a glass of wine while I sat on the other end of the couch. She didn't pay much attention to me but Tye did. His eyes were constantly observing me and I wished he would stop. He stood quickly and I reached for Alisha's leg out of instinct, but he just left the room, leaving me to my embarrassment as Alisha looked up from the book she was reading.

She waited for Tye to be out of the room before acknowledging my hand on her ankle.

"Are you still nervous?" she asked.

I nodded.

She shut her book and pulled her leg away from me.

My heart was racing from everything and even though I knew she was some kind of criminal, I preferred her company to anybody else's so far. I expected her to reject me, and push me away, but she sat up on the couch and patted the seat next to her.

I cautiously situated myself next to her, legs folded up underneath me so I didn’t crowd her space too much. She reached over and patted my head, then turned back to her book, her fingers still gently running through my hair.

“You’re a cute kitten,” she stated as she did so.

Sometimes I wished I was a kitten so people would love me like this. Just some simple pets went a long way and I closed my eyes, appreciating the human contact while I had it. I was sure she had other plans for me and eventually this would go wrong. But this moment was good and worrying about future ones would only ruin it so I put those thoughts out of my mind.

“I should probably feed us again,” Alisha said, then turned a page of her book. “Is there anything you want to eat?” she asked.

I shook my head. I didn’t even feel hungry yet, the sensation of starving had become so normal to me that day-to-day hunger was almost negligible.

She patted my head. “How about I make us something?” she asked. “It can be just the two of us tonight.”

I leaned into her hand, just wishing I could hold on to the moment for a bit longer. She indulged me, even going as far as to run her fingers behind my ears where my nerves lit up and I really wished I could purr. 

"I'll make us some food," she said before pulling her hand away. She stood, her hand trailing behind her as I watched it go.

Once she was out of the room I couldn't help myself and got up to follow. 

She was in the kitchen, looking through her fridge again, bent at the waist to look through her produce drawers. I averted my eyes before any risque thoughts could take over. But it was undeniable that Alisha was a very attractive woman. (And very far out of my league.)

When she stood, there was an avocado in her hand.

"Do you have any dietary restrictions?" she asked.

"No," I answered.

She nodded and set the avocado down on the counter. Then grabbed a half used loaf of bread from an upper shelf of the fridge.

"Normally I have somebody cook for me but I think you might appreciate some peace and quiet," she explained. "So you'll have to forgive me for my limited kitchen skills."

She proceeded to slice the avocado and toasted a few slices of bread. Before long she had produced an avocado toast and sprinkled some sesame seeds and black pepper on top before handing me a serving.

I followed her out to the table but this time she sat directly next to me and stared down at the food contemplatively before beginning to eat.

I looked down at the strange food. Avocado toast was an item I never thought I would eat. But I did like avocado and I liked toast. They went well together. Alisha may have only been able to make simple food, but it wasn't bad food.

She nibbled on the meal, beginning her phone-scrolling again but stopped after just a few minutes. Then she looked at me.

"Oh," she noticed. "You ate."

I nodded. "Thank you," I said. "I appreciate you taking care of me like this."

She smiled, a harsh contrast to her constant frowning. 

"I have to make some calls but you can go relax in the bedroom if you want. Nobody'll disturb you there."

I nodded, then looked down at the bare dish in front of me, wondering what I should do with it.

Alisha took it from in front of me. I opened my mouth to offer to take care of it myself but she didn't give me a chance, already heading off to the kitchen with it.

I relaxed, feeling a bit useless. Alisha's voice came from the kitchen, evidently she was already on one of her calls, so I slipped off to the bedroom. I had some understanding that while she trusted me to know of her illegal business dealing, it would probably be best for me to try not to know too much.

I heard Tye join her in the kitchen briefly, then he left the house, probably done with his job for the night.

It made me feel a bit safer, ironically, that her security had left. I laid on top of the bed, half curled up as I tried not to disrupt the comforter. 

The time ticked by slowly and the boredom started to creep up. After a while of staring at the darkening sky through the windows, I decided to try sleeping. It was just Alisha and I and I should've probably been terrified of Alisha, but I also needed sleep. My body had food now so it could start rebuilding muscle and fat. Sleep would be good for that.

I shifted, getting onto the bed properly and squeezing myself to one side. It wasn't my bed. Once Alisha was done downstairs I'd probably give it back to her and get some sleep on the couch. For now, I was appreciating the vast pillowy mattress. No matter how I stretched, I didn't think I could touch both sides.

Situated on top of the blankets I started to drift off, feeling like I was falling and then swaying and finally I was on the other side, in the dream world.

I already didn't like it. I felt my heart beating too hard and too fast for this to be a good dream.

Before I knew it I was back home, and things were warped. Somebody grabbed me and I yanked myself free and ran. My feet kept getting stuck in the flooring though and it took all my strength to keep ahead, but the thing behind was always catching up. I even made it outside of the house this time and ran across the grass.

My hand tingled strangely. I looked back to see the monster standing in the doorway. The back of my hand almost hurt with an unpleasant sensation.

I breathed in suddenly back in the real world.

There was a feeling in my hand and I forced my eyes open to see.

Alisha was there, kneeling next to the bed. My hand was in hers and she was gently tracing circles in the back of it.

My breathing slowed, understanding I wasn't being chased by a monster. 

"You were hyperventilating," Alisha stated.

I nodded as I stared at my hand in hers.

She let go and stretched. She was in her pajamas. I started to get off the bed. My stomach still felt uneasy after that dream. 

“You can have your bed back,” I told her. The back of my hand still tingled uneasily where she’d been stroking it.

“Its a big bed,” she pointed out. “I think we can both be in it.”

I didn’t feel good and the hot flush that came from that statement only made it worse. I shook my head and went for the bathroom, feeling sick. 

Some cold water from the sink felt good splashed across my face as my heart rate slowed. It had been a while since I had that particular nightmare. I took a little bit to calm down and ended up brushing my teeth. The taste of toothpaste was wonderful. I'd done my best to keep up with hygiene but there was only so much I could do without money or a decent bathroom.

My nerves were still trembling from the fear and embarrassment but I couldn't stay in here forever so I rubbed my eyes one last time and headed back out.

Alisha had sat on the far side of the bed, paging through her book. She had a point. If I laid on the other side of the bed and stretched as far as I could I probably wouldn't be able to reach her.

Maybe it was okay then. Beds were luxurious and hers was far from an exception. It said a lot that I slept well on it.

I started to climb on, then saw some pajamas laid out and realized I wouldn't have to keep wearing the same set of clothes for days and days anymore.

With a quiet thank you I left to get changed and finally got into the bed properly.

Alisha continued to read her book for a couple minutes but then gently set it on the nightstand and turned off the reading light there so the room was once again cast into amber shades from that crystal lamp.

I laid still as Alisha got settled on the other side of the bed and pulled the blankets over her. I kept my back to her, and slowly relaxed back into sleep.