Sexnip
Sexnip
Celia Kyle
Published: January 2012
Published by Summerhouse Publishing. Copyright, Celia Kyle. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author.
Summerhouse Publishing
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Celia Kyle
This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.
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The enemy lurked. It seemed scattered everywhere she looked. It couldn’t be escaped no matter where she turned her attention. Kat tried to shut her eyes, shut out the sight before her, but she couldn’t. Every shift and twinge brought her in contact with the horrid stuff.
Dirt, dirt everywhere and not a drop of Clorox in sight.
Kat eyed the chair and fought the shiver racing down her spine. No way. The receptionist had told her to have a seat because she’d be waiting a while, but Kat would rather stand. She’d spent over an hour making sure her clothes were free of dust and lint. She wasn’t about to dirty herself now by sitting on a chair that didn’t look as if it had seen any type of disinfectant in
years.
True, to the casual observer the reception area appeared clean, but Kat had a sixth sense when it came to germs and dust. She could
feel
them aching to get their grimy hypothetical hands on her. Some would classify her as suffering from severe obsessive-compulsive disorder. She preferred to think of herself as someone who liked being clean. Plain and simple.
Kat slid her hands over her hips, smoothing the lines of her skirt as she begged her nerves to calm. She needed this job.
Needed it.
Needed it the way dogs needed to pee on every tree within their vicinity—maybe even more so.
Lost in her thoughts, she started when the receptionist called her name. “Katerina Pawslowski?” Kat turned toward the voice. “Mr. Burnman will see you now.”
She followed the petite woman down a short corridor. The entire time she remained conscious of their differences, not just in height, but in width as well. Her heels sunk into the plush carpet with each step and at one point, Kat had to steady herself by touching the wall. She wasn’t a girly-girl who normally wore high heels, but when interviewing with Heart’s Haven, a woman did what she had to do. Even if what she had to do was don a way-too-expensive suit and three-inch heels.
The receptionist turned down another corridor and Kat followed, surreptitiously tugging at the neck of her blouse and blowing cool wisps of air over her chest. The farther they walked, the hotter it seemed to become. She’d never been known to grow overheated when nervous, but there was a first time for everything.
Finally, they stopped in front of a large metal door and the woman she’d been following eyed her carefully, one perfectly waxed brow arched. “Well, you made it this far.”
Kat didn’t understand the woman, but didn’t question her. The receptionist opened the door and Kat’s breath rushed out in a wheeze as a great burst of heat rolled over her. She clutched the doorframe to steady herself and yanked back her hand with a spitting hiss. Hot, burning hot. Her palm reddened before her eyes and she glared at the receptionist. “What’s going on?”
The woman shrugged and turned her attention to the room before them. “Thank you, Draco, I’ll be interviewing Miss Pawslowski in my office if you desire anything.”
“There are many things I desire,
kalushka.
” The growling, rumbling voice nearly stopped Kat’s heart.
Kat didn’t have a chance to look into the room to investigate the deep voice that had her pussy creaming in delight. The receptionist pulled the door closed and strode past Kat in a blur of motion. The woman wasn’t human as Kat had originally guessed. No human could move that fast.
Well, it seemed the rumors about Heart’s Haven may be true after all.
Sure, she’d heard the rumors that Heart’s Haven Toys was owned and operated by paranormal creatures, but since she didn’t really run in the “normal” para circles, she had only guessed she’d (with her furry tendencies) be welcomed.
The receptionist, who Kat was beginning to believe wasn’t
really
the receptionist because of the way she seemed to carry an air of confidence, led her into an office. Thankfully, the room felt cool compared to what she’d endured only moments ago.
“Have a seat, Miss Pawslowski, and we’ll continue on with the interview.” The woman gestured to a nearby chair.
“Continue?” Kat sank into the plush chair with as much grace as she could, which wasn’t much.
“Yes, continue. My name is Madeline Windfire. I am the para-human resources liaison for Heart’s Haven Toys. One of my tasks is to ensure that the individual hired is adequately equipped to work for Heart’s Haven. While we have many humans in several different capacities, a paranormal individual was specifically requested for this position.”
Kat’s head spun, but she managed to understand and process most of what Madeline had said. “So, that was to make sure I wasn’t human?” she asked, incredulous.
“Of course. No human can tolerate the heat just outside of Draco’s office and they definitely can’t handle the blast of hot air that emanates once the door is opened.” She smiled as if it all made perfect sense.
Well, it didn’t! Kat wasn’t raised around all of this paranormal stuff. True, she got furry every now and again, but
no one else
did. Talking about her abilities and whatnot was just
not
normal.
That’s why I’m called
para
normal,
idiot.
“I see.” Kat swallowed hard. “Um, now that you’re convinced that I’m not human…”
Madeline smiled in return, revealing white, gleaming teeth with incisors that were just the teensiest bit
long.
“Now we’ll discuss your qualifications, the job and any personal needs which would have to be met should you become employed with Heart’s Haven Toys.”
Kat nodded. “I’m very efficient with cleaning, which the ad mentioned as one of the job duties. Organization and cleaning are actually my strengths.”
Madeline interrupted her. “You’re a Felidae, correct?”
Struck dumb by Madeline’s ability to discern Kat’s true nature so easily, she took a moment to respond. “Yes, I am.”
“So humans would consider you an individual suffering from OCD.”
Holy shit. This woman knows me better than my mother. Well, she would if I had a mother, anyway.
“Yes,” she nodded. “My parents—”
“They weren’t your parents,” Madeline snapped.
Was the woman inside her head or what? She nodded again. “Correct, my
adoptive
parents had me diagnosed as suffering from severe OCD. I tried to tell them that my need for order and cleanliness was just a part of me, but they wouldn’t listen.”
Now it was Madeline’s turn to nod. “I see. Do you have a problem with late night hours? While the position is technically titled ‘lab assistant,’ you’d be charged with keeping the lab orderly and clean each evening.”
“No, I am fairly nocturnal, and as you said, I live to clean.”
“So you are and your kind always does.” Madeline glanced away for a moment to look at Kat’s resume and Kat prayed the woman wouldn’t find any fault with what she read.
“Just one last question, Miss Pawslowski. How are you around lupines?”
Kat gulped. Dogs? She wanted to know how Kat reacted to
dogs?
She didn’t particularly care for them, but they never seemed to care for her either. “Dogs, Ms. Windfire?”
Madeline shook her head. “No, Miss Pawslowski, lupines. Animals in the lupine family.” The woman sighed. “You’ve lived among the humans for so long, I suppose I’ll have to refer to them as they would. Werewolves, Miss Pawslowski. How do you feel about werewolves?”
Scared. Could that be an answer?
Scared, terrified, frozen in fear, all of the above, please.
Werewolves were
different.
Even more different than dogs. The fear she felt at the mere mention of werewolves had her hair standing on end, hackles raised. They could look human, but deep down, they were dogs. They would bite her and scratch her and… Kat shuddered at the memory that threatened.
“I’m…” Her mouth felt dry. “I do harbor a natural fear of
lupines,
Ms. Windfire.”
Lie.
Most people would consider her fear irrational, even for a Felidae.
“Hmm…” Madeline went back to reading her resume and Kat released the breath she’d been holding.
Please let her believe the lie. Please.
“Let me be straight with you, shall I, Miss Pawslowski?”
“Kat, please.”
“Very well, Kat.” Madeline gifted her with a stunning smile and Kat definitely saw a hint of fang.
Whoa!
“This position reports directly to two linked lupine males. We at Heart’s Haven can guarantee your safety from your co-workers and direct supervisors. Mortal enemies have even been known to work out their differences while under our employ.”
Kat nodded, something she’d been doing a lot since walking into the Heart’s Haven satellite offices.
“What I’m trying to say is, you have nothing to fear from Wilmington and Montgomery. They will not chase you like new pups or rabid dogs. You will be welcomed and treated cordially by all staff members. Rest assured, no pain will ever fall upon you unless it is specifically requested.”
“Requested?” Kat squeaked, sounding more like a mouse than a cat.
“Well, we can’t very well make BDSM play a violation of company policy, now can we?” Madeline arched her brow and Kat felt a blush creeping up her neck, the heat rivaling that of Draco’s office.
“No, I suppose you can’t, considering you’re a sex toy company.”
“Precisely.” Madeline turned in her chair, opened a drawer and began pulling sheets of paper and folders out and laid them on her desk. “If you’ll fill out each of these and bring them with you on your report date, I believe we’re finished here.”
Finished? As in… “Wait, I got the job?”
“Absolutely, Kat. Who better to clean up after those two lupines than a female feline. Any paranormal worth his weight in gold knows a feline is
the
person for clean-up and we’d love to have you on the Heart’s Haven team as long as you’ll be okay with working for two lupines.”
Two werewolves, not one, two. Could she do it? Hell, she didn’t know. What she did know was that she needed the money and benefits this job could provide. So, she lied. “It sounds perfect.”
* * *
Oh what a terrible web we weave…
Kat couldn’t finish the thought. Her stomach felt ready to forcibly remove itself from her body through her throat. Ew.
Madeline had mentioned cleaning. She had mentioned organizing. She had even mentioned working for two lupines. What she had
not
mentioned was the fact that she had to travel by plane, helicopter and
boat
to get to Heart’s Haven. Because surprise! Heart’s Haven Toys was headquartered on an island.
Cats can do air. They don’t like it, but they can do it. Cats
do not
do water. No riding, sliding, coasting, or sailing over water. They don’t get in it, they don’t go near it. And yet… Yet, there Kat sat, huddled really, in a corner of a very large boat smoothly cutting through the water toward her destination.
The bitch hadn’t mentioned water.
A woman’s voice whispered through the room. “I’m sure she didn’t, dear.”
Kat started, hissing and spitting in surprise. The cabin had been empty when she’d scurried in. Even in the dark, Kat could see well and she still couldn’t see the intruder. Where was the woman hiding? And how had she gotten in without Kat noticing?
A cool caress slithered down Kat’s cheek and she jerked, banging her head on the corner of the nearby table, making her see stars… and ghosts.
