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FREE READS By Lizzie T. Leaf CHAPTER FIVE “Alistair, you to have to stay home today.” Amanda placed the cucumber slices over her eyes and tilted her head back. “I wish I’d thought of this earlier.” Screw the cucumber. What do you mean I have to stay home? “Cold cucumber is supposed to be good to moisturize the skin, plus the cold reduces swollen eyes. Can you believe I wasted all those tears over another jerk who passed through my life?” She took the compress off one eye and looked over at her companion. “It’s to the point I’m thinking I may swear off men. They’re more trouble than they’re worth. If I need sex…well, that’s what vibrators are for.” No, don’t swear off men. Let me get back to my normal self and I’ll show you how a man should treat you. Wait before you decide my gender isn’t worth the effort. We’re not all animals I promise. And the real me can love you in ways no vibrator can. “Anyway,” Amanda removed the cucumber slice from her other eye, “I’d better get going.” She took the last swig of coffee and placed the cup in the sink. “You be a good boy today.” Shit, that’s right. She said I have to stay home. No fair, she never said why. She made the little boo-boo face that always made Rand’s heart leap. “Don’t look at me with those sad eyes. I have to go to a charity event right after work and won’t have time to bring you home.” Okay, he could understand that. Just make sure you come home alone. Amanda stopped at the door and looked back. “I feel guilty leaving you home alone all day. I’m glad the man got the doggy door installed yesterday. You’ll be able to get some exercise in the back yard. I won’t feel so guilty about you being shut in the house all day.” She closed the door behind her. Well, that’s that. Home alone. Okay, time to figure a way to get out of the yard and see if I can find my PITA sisters. How two young girls could be such a pain in the ass at times always amazed him, even when they were toddlers. I’m glad the doggy door is installed, too. Rand wiggled through the opening and sniffed the air for any familiar scents. Nope, nothing around here smelled like his mother’s neighborhood. He made his way slowly around the border of the fence. Any small open hole he could squeeze through would do the trick. Damn, think I’m going to have to dig my way out. Oh well, it’s a dirty job, but I don’t see lines forming to do it. Guess it’s my team of me and me. Besides, daylights burning. Intent on digging, he missed hearing his name called. He didn’t notice big black cat that appeared across the fence in front of him. “Rand, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” Simma stared though the wire separating them. “Simma, am I ever glad to see you?” Rand would have hugged the family familiar if he’d been able to reach him and if he had arms instead of dog paws. “Do you know where we are? Dumb question I guess, since you found me.” “You could say that.” Simma licked a paw and used it to wipe his face. “The twins are beside themselves with worry. Why haven’t you found your way back home before now? Just like a damn cat to cop an attitude. “Because I got hit by a car, I’ve been locked in a house or at the vet clinic since I became a dog.” Rand started to dig again. “So how’d you get out today?” Rand stopped and panted for a moment to get his breath. “Dog door, guy came over and put in a dog door yesterday. She has some event tonight and didn’t have time to bring me back here, so I’m home alone.” The unblinking stare of the cat gave Rand the urge to squirm. Damned feline was almost as big as him. “Well, at the rate you’re going with your tunnel, we’ll be here when she gets home tonight.” The cat’s shout vibrated through Rand’s head. “Brutus, get over here.” The largest Doberman Rand had ever seen ran up and sat down beside the cat. “What’s up, Simma?” Damn, one bite and Simma would be this brute’s snack. Come to think of it, so would I. “Don’t worry it’s cool. In times of need animals band together.” Simma turned his attention to the big dog. “Brutus, we need your help to dig our boy out of here. As you can see, progress on his part is slow. “Yeah, well these puny little lap dogs aren’t good for much except taking up space on laps and yipping anyway. Get out of the way short stuff. Let a real dog take over.” The huge monster started to dig and in a matter of minutes created a hole large enough for Rand to squeeze through. “Hey, thanks man. Can’t tell you how much I appreciate your help.” Rand wiggled under the fence. “No problem. If you need help again just yell or should I say yip.” The dog laughed at his little joke. Simma stepped between the two canines. “We need to get going. It’ll be dark by the time we get back and the twins are home alone. Thanks Brutus. Talk to you later.” Tail high in the air, Simma streaked across the lawn with Rand close behind. Rand followed the cat, unsure he’d have found his way back home with all the twists and turns. He cautioned Simma a couple of times to not climb fences and lose him. He received a look of disdain when he pointed out that dogs don’t have the ability to scale six foot redwood boards. The lights were on in the kitchen when they arrived and Rand paused by the window to watch the girls as they worked together to prepare dinner. He didn’t know they could cook, but it appeared they knew their way around the kitchen pretty well. Simma sat on the window ledge and glared down. “Shall we let them know you’re back or do you prefer to sit here and watch them like a perverted Peeping Tom?” “Sure, I’ll go around to the door and bark. That should get their attention.” Rand started toward the door, but stopped as a sharp pain shot down his leg and along his back. The joints in his body were on the verge of exploding and agony ran though his bones with an intensity that made him want to howl. “What the hell is going on?” He directed the question at Simma, but didn’t hear the cat’s answer as his body shattered into a million pieces. Lying on his stomach in the grass, Rand realized he no longer had the body of a dog, but a nude human male. Simma jumped onto his naked chest and stared into Rand’s eyes. “Damn, looks like the twins didn’t do the correct calculation on the arrival of the full moon.” The feline looked up toward the horizon where the moon peeked up. “This wasn’t supposed to happen for another forty-eight hours.” “You knew I would turn back to my human form again?. Why didn’t you tell me on the way over here, stupid cat?” Crap, he still used the mind talk thing. Better revert to his voice and make sure it still worked. “Oh, that won’t be necessary.” Simma’s back claws dug into the bare skin as he jumped off. “I’ve been able to read your mind for a very long time and you could have read mine if you’d not been so determined not to acknowledge your heritage.” “Really?” Rand started to explore this bit of news when it dawned on him; he laid bare-assed in his mother’s front yard. What if someone came by and saw him. The last thing he needed right now was a nosey neighbor putting in a call to the police. His current circumstances wouldn’t be easy to explain. He jumped to his feet and scurried behind a bush, using it as cover. “Okay, smart ass, how do I get in the house like this? I’m sure the front door is locked and I can’t slip in through the kitchen with the twins in the midst of a mad cooking spree.” Rand’s voice sounded rusty to him. He’d only used it to bark or growl for the past two weeks, which must not use the same vocal cord muscles. “Must I do everything?” Simma jumped up on the ledge and stared though the window. One of the twins turned in his direction. “Let me in, please.” A grin lit her face and she hurried to the door. Rand waited in the bushes. Seconds later he heard squeals of what he hoped to be delight. The back door opened and Mel appeared. “Rand. Rand, where are you?” “I’m in the bushes. Get me a towel or something to cover up with.” He heard the running of footsteps and Riz’s head appeared over her sister’s shoulder. Ducking past her twin she rushed toward the bush where Rand hid and tossed the towel. He wrapped the terrycloth around his lower torso and came out from his hiding place. In a mad dash through the door, he told the twins, “After I get some clothes we’ll talk.” Sunlight put a different perspective on things. Rand drank his coffee and contemplated his options as he soaked up the rays of morning sun. The conversation with the twins and Simma last night enlightened him to the probability he had about a week in his own body. Sleep eluded him when he went to bed, not only because of the need to find a counter spell, but also not having Amanda’s warm body next to his. Even as a dog, he appreciated the feel of her and each time her arms reached out to snuggle him closer, he’d desperately wished to be Rand instead of the one she called Alistair. There were two problems to resolve today. One, try and figure out how not to revert back to Alistair and two, come up with a way to meet Amanda as his true self. “Sleep well?” Simma’s tail swept back and forth across the breakfast bar as he made himself comfortable in front of Rand. “Don’t you know cats aren’t supposed to jump up on kitchen counters?” “A misconception perpetrated by humans who want to be territorial.” The animal in question licked a paw and stroked it down the side of his face. Before Rand could comment, the twins barreled into the kitchen and threw their arms around his neck. “I thought I dreamed last night..” Riz squeezed harder and Rand worked to loosen her choke hold. “Sorry.” She planted a kiss on his cheek and Mel smacked one on the other side. “Lucky you got hit by a veterinarian.” Mel reached over and swiped the toast he’d buttered minutes before. “Hey, get your own.” He snatched his breakfast back and took a big bite, washing it down with coffee. Back to the situation at hand. “I need to figure out a way to meet her as my true self. Either of you two have any bright ideas that won’t cause me more trouble.” Maybe soliciting their help wasn’t too smart on his part. Give either of the duo an inch and they’d take a mile. “Well,” Mel stopped to grab the piece of toast that popped up, “we’re talking vet here, which if I’m correct is an animal doctor.” Not bothering with butter, she took a chunk out of the crisp bread and talked around it. “So what you need is to find an animal with some sort of problem and take it in for her to treat.” Damn, impressive. Rand wondered why he hadn’t thought of something so simple. “Yeah. All we need is to find a dog. Or you could go down to the shelter and adopt one.” Riz wiped her upper lip to remove the milk mustache. “You can take the one you decide on to Dr. Livingston and say you just wanted to make sure the animal shelter didn’t make a mistake when they issued a clean bill of health for your pet.” “Hmmm.” Rand tapped his fingers on the counter and his eyes drifted toward the cat who now soaked up sun on the window seat. “I don’t think we need to go to that extent. After all, we have a cat here. Why do we need to acquire a dog? It’s safe to say our kitty is magical enough to develop some type of ailment, don’t you think?” Simma lifted his head and squinted at the three humans who formed a semi-circle around him. “Hey, leave me out of this. I’m not going to the vet.” His tail twitched a signal of his irritation. “You know I don’t do vets. Never have cared for doctors since my brush with that Frankenstein dude awhile back.” “He wasn’t a veterinarian, just some whacked out doctor who thought he could change the world, you crazy cat. Come on buddy, you owe me. You let the demon duo get the book out when you were in charge.” “Excuse me!” Hands planted on hips, Riz glared at her brother. “Since when did we become the demon duo?” Rand, braced for an attack from the other indigent twin, fired back. “How about since birth?” He hoped the frown directed toward her sister would be enough to keep her quiet. “Hey, don’t get all uppity with me, Big Brother. I kinda like the title. Not like I haven’t heard it before.” Mel grinned and gave her sister an elbow in the ribs. “Come on Riz. Admit we giggle about it in private. You’ve got a case of guilt about turning our brother into a dog, even if he does make a cute little woofer.” “Enough!” Simma’s tale twitched back and forth in a pendulum swing. “You,” he fixed a green-eyed stare on Rand, “are as bad as your sisters with all the arguing.” He transferred his glare to the twins. “I hoped the efforts to find your brother would help you two grow up, but it looks like I was wrong. If you want to bicker, take it elsewhere. Since the only way I’ll get peace and quiet around here is to go to a stupid vet, I’ll do it.” The large cat took a deep breath and mumbled something the humans couldn’t make out. “There, are you happy now? Do you think this will get me into the doctor’s office?” Rand shook his head in amazement and the twins broke into hoots of laughter. |