Familiar!

"So your ancestry is . . .?"

"Egyptian. Though it has been many centuries since we've lived there along the shore of the sea. Much outbreeding has diluted our physical appearance from what we once were."

"Oh."

"Do not mistake that for lessening. We are still strong. My line still begets more Familiars than Kitties."

"I thought Bast was the God of cats?"

"The Goddess Bastet. Bast was an abomination by those who wrongly thought that proclaiming the Goddess a God would make her stronger. They paid for their mistake and their dynasty collapsed."

"Oh. Sorry, Bastet." I apologized for my not knowing.

She shrugged while still shielding her face from the sand. "The Goddess Bastet bore only a son and no others. Her line ended with him. Ours continues. We are strong."

There was a pause while I contemplated what she'd said. Absently I erased the dibbling sand. Mrs. Black winced behind her cupped palms as I did so.

"The power you wield is enormous. Yet you use it as if you are a spoiled child playing with a toy, not caring if it gets broken or if you accidentally destroy something with it."

"It's not that important to me."

"It should be." She sat up and tugged on her collar to straighten it. Our tete-a-tete was over, it was back to mentor and pupil.

I just waited for her to tell me what to do next. To me magic wasn't that important. Nor was I defined by what I could do with it. With a roll of her eyes heavenward, she indicated the table.

"Change the boxes to pieces of paper. Keep them the same size and position."

A moment passed as I did what she wanted.

"Now, change . . . "

As she directed, I continued to convert the bits and things on the table into other bits and things while I thought about what did define me. Was I just a Mage or something more? Just someone who could do things at a whim? Someone who could get away with doing anything I wanted to do, even if it hurt someone else, just because I was more powerful? Did might make right? Is that what I believed?

No, I decided. I wasn't that kind of person. It didn't matter if I could wield magic, I had ethical standards. I had seen abuses of power, my ex-boss was proof enough of that when he didn't bother to try to find out why I wasn't at work. Even though I'd worked there for years, he'd immediately started the process of replacing me because I didn't matter to him. I hadn't ever mattered to him.

I wasn't like that. I cared about the people I knew. Carefully sliding my eyes to the left I caught sight of Kathleen as she sat on the patio watching a bird on the overhead power lines. As if she knew I was watching her, she turned her head to look directly at me and chirped once in my direction.

"Pay attention Mage!"

Chapter 22

All of that made for a very weird week made even stranger by the fact that Nazaa and Lia both started hanging around my house after my morning lessons ended. One or the other would show up unexpectedly to just sit around in my living room because I wouldn't let them do anything like housework.

For me it was very strange to suddenly have people everywhere after I'd grown used to being alone almost all of the time. My kitchen was crowded as even Esmie tried to help fix dinner for everyone. It was as if they all expected me to take care of them now. And I had no idea how to do it.

At first Kathleen had hissed at them until they left. But, she and I were sitting together on the couch watching a TV program about birds one afternoon when Esmie showed up and things changed. Kathleen was draped over my legs while Esmie slowly eased herself onto my lap and curled up next to her. Kathleen stiffened for a moment then relaxed again as Esmie just curled up tighter and purred lightly.

Nazaa showed up while Kathleen was cleaning Esmie's face and ears. Without a word she sat quietly next to me on the couch.

"Prey." Nazaa eventually spoke and nodded at the TV. "You are a good Master. Esmie will learn by watching how they live and how easily they are caught. She will be a good hunter some day because you are a good Master."

At her use of the word Master, Kathleen paused in her efforts before resuming her licking of Esmie's face without doing anything else.

"Is that how you see things? Prey and Master?" I asked quietly.

Nazaa nodded. "It is the way we are. There is prey to hunt; Master to care for; life to live; and the raising of our young."

"And magic." Lia's voice came from my dining room where she sat at the table. I hadn't heard her come in so she'd probably been in feline form and had changed to sit at the table rather than join the rest of us on the couch.

Kathleen didn't pause her bathing of Esmie's face as Lia spoke. And that was the end of the conflict between them. My house got cleaned, my things were picked up, and the cat bed in the corner started getting used as whoever's turn it was to take care of me napped in it.

In return I created a scratching post for them and had enough toys and things to play with always on hand. On Saturday morning they were joined by Katya and Katrina. The six of them sat at my table drawing up a battle plan to evict the racoon, all of them coming back a couple of hours later worn out, scuffed, and ruffled, but triumphant over the trespasser in their territory. I barbecued some chicken on the grill for a victory feast. They all grinned with delight right before sinking their teeth into the prey.

A few days after that a painful scrabbling in my head woke me. It felt like someone was repeatedly digging into the back of my skull with a shovel. A dull shovel. At first I thought it was my position on the sofa, having fallen asleep with Kathleen on my chest while watching a movie about some girl solo trekking the Pacific Crest Trail. The sofa wasn't the most comfortable place to sleep since it usually gave me both a headache and a stiff neck, but this pain was sharp rather than the normal dull throbbing I usually got from napping on my couch.

It was barely dawn so Kathleen and I were alone as she raised her head and glared across the room. Faintly, as if from a great distance, I thought I heard someone call my name. Kathleen hooked her claws into my shirt and snarled soundlessly, showing off her fangs to the empty room. Again, I thought I heard my name called.

<Daniel McAllister. Come to . . . >

Abruptly the distant voice cut off as Kathleen's shield flickered and surrounded us. The pain in my head snapped at me once more then vanished. With a very un-catlike sniff, Kathleen dropped her head between her paws and closed her eyes again. The only thing indicating she was still awake was her tail which slapped and whipped against my legs in irritation.

Carefully I ran a delicate finger up the bridge of her nose, along her forehead, and between her ears.

"Can you tell me what that was all about?" I repeated the stroke of my finger as I asked.

Kathleen dug her claws into my shirt again, hooking them deep into the fabric and holding on. She began to purr without opening her eyes.

"Yes, I like you too." I ran another finger up between her ears. "Very much."

Kathleen stopped purring to raise her head and stare at me. Her eyes were yellow instead of gold, pupils dark and clear with no flames flickering in the depths.

"What?" I smoothed her whiskers back. "I just want to know what it was about."

She gave me a distinctly Kathleen style look and then rose to stretch and flow off the sofa. I watched her tail wave as she wandered into the kitchen, sitting up as one of the cabinet doors opened.

"Where's the salmon?" Her voice snapped. "If I have to get up at the crack of dawn to save you, again I might add, I'd better be getting salmon for breakfast."

"What did I do?" I complained at the tone of her voice. "I was sleeping too."

The cabinet door slammed and Kathleen's glare appeared around the corner.

"What?" I raised my hands along with the question.

She disappeared without answering and slammed a few more of my cabinet doors.

"There isn't any salmon." I walked into the kitchen behind her. "And we ate the last of the tuna."

Kathleen whirled and glared at me again.

I let it slide off, I didn't want to fight. "Why are you mad at me?"

"Because!"

"Oh. Why because?"

"Because you're an IDIOT! That's why."

I looked at her for a full minute without saying anything waiting for her to tell me why she was angry at me. Nothing, just more glaring. Carefully I eased past her toward the coffee pot still half-full of yesterday's coffee. Reaching for the mug tree I grabbed a cup and poured the cold coffee. A glance over my shoulder showed Kathleen still glaring at me.

"I know you think I'm dumb, but it's because you don't tell me anything." I put the coffee mug into the microwave and punched the buttons.

"I didn't say you were dumb, I said you are an idiot."

"There's a difference?" I leaned against the counter, bracing myself with my arms.

Rather than answer, Kathleen whirled and opened the cabinet door again. I took the two steps which would bring me up behind her before reaching around to stop her from slamming the door.

"There's no salmon."

She spun around fast.

"I can't give you what I don't have." I looked into her eyes and slowly lifted my hand to run the backs of my fingers along her cheek. Her hair stirred as if from an invisible breeze. Golden flames started to flicker in the depths behind her pupils as she lidded her eyes and leaned forward slightly.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

The microwave interrupted whatever moment we were having. Kathleen slipped away as I twitched and moved back a half step. Taking the hot coffee out of the machine I added a spoonful from the sugar bowl I kept right there.

"French toast okay?" I asked casually as I stirred. "I still have a couple of eggs and bread. You'll have to go easy on the milk though, there's not much left."

When no answer came from her direction, I looked over at her. She was leaning against the back of one of the chairs tucked under the table. Her arms were crossed over her chest. We stared at each other for a few seconds before she yanked the chair out and flopped into it, crossing her arms over her chest again.

"Fine!"

Leaving my mug behind I reached for her.

"Don't touch me!"

The words lashed out. Instead of stopping I brushed my fingers through her hair, gathering and smoothing the ones trying to fly while static crackled and popped under my hands. Almost against her will, she leaned into me. Cupping my fingers under her chin I tipped her face up. Unresisting, she lidded her eyes once more as I leaned closer.

"WHERE ARE THEY? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH THEM?"

The door slammed open as Kathleen's mother screamed at me, hands raised. Sparks scattered and sprayed themselves in an arc as the energy thrown at me by my neighbor sheeted along the surface of Kathleen's shield. Both of us ducked in surprise before we could gather our wits. Another bolt hit the shield and I watched the arc of brilliant light while Kathleen dropped her mouth open at what her mother was doing. We'd all been at an impasse over her mother's threats to kill me but something had changed the equation.

"Where are my Kits?" More energy was sent our way, glowing this time as the lightening slammed into the shield. Kathleen ducked again but now I knew what was happening, I just stood there. Kathleen's shield would hold forever if she wanted it to.

"Mom! Stop!" Kathleen held up her palms. "What are you talking about?"

"Sisters!" She hissed angrily in response. "He stole your sisters."

Switching her focus back to me she slammed more magic into the shield. "Where are they?"

"Stop! They're not here!" Kathleen tried to get her mother to stop throwing power at us.

"Thief!"

"Mom, they're not here."

"You lie to protect your pet Mage." Another blast accompanied the slur.

"No. I'm telling you the truth, they're not here." She looked at me in question as if she didn't quite believe her own words. I shook my head slightly and she returned to the face-off with her mother.

"Katrina and Katya are missing? Since when?" I tried to talk calmly. Maybe if I talked calmly she would start thinking rationally instead of just reacting and trying to scorch my house.

"As if you don't know, Veneficus." Another fireball hit the shield, weaker than the first one.

"Stop!" Kathleen tried again. "If they're not here, and Daniel doesn't know where they are, then you need to stop so we can find them."

"Lies. The Mage lies."

She was panting now, losing steam as her strength began ebb. Another fireball sputtered against the shield. Kathleen looked up at me for reassurance.

"I don't know what she's talking about." I shook my head again. "The last time I saw Katrina and Katya they were playing in the backyard. I had to climb up on top of the garden shed to get Esmie and take her home after she conked out from exhaustion. She's still too little to keep up with them."

"Lie. You lure my Kits." A zap against the shield, barely sufficient to call it an electrical strike accompanied her denial.

"Would you STOP already?" Kathleen yelled at her parent. "Daniel didn't take them. That means whoever did is getting away."

"He has them." Nazaa entered through the open door behind Kathleen's mother. She held Esmie's hand in her own. Mr. Espinoza's face appeared right behind them. Apparently, the screaming and magical fireworks had drawn him along behind Nazaa and Esmie.

"Liar!" Mrs. Black snarled at me and tried once more to breach Kathleen's shield, throwing all she had left into the strike. The spell fizzled and snapped as it buzzed its way over the surface until it dissipated into nothing.

"Not Daniel." Nazaa pointed into the distance. "Fabian!"

We all stopped and looked at her.

"Fabian has them. He tried this morning to call me, us, but Daniel's binding prevented him." Nazaa turned to me and knelt, dropping to touch her forehead to the floor between her hands.

"I didn't bind you . . ." I started to explain they weren't bound to me, but she kept on talking right over my words.

"Thank you Master. He is known to be cruel and uncaring. His Familiars die young from abuse and overload after being forced to give him more power than they can direct safely. He doesn't care about his property, just the power they give him."

She shivered as she sat back over her heels.

"The Kitties fare far worse. Constant breeding until they cannot bear any further young. Then they are thrown out to fend for themselves while the Kits are bred as soon as they are able. He seeks unlimited power and doesn't care how he gets it."

I twisted to look at Kathleen, ignoring Nazaa on her knees. "Was that what this morning was all about?"

Kathleen snarled at me rather than answer.

"Stop it!" I snapped back at her. "Tell me what's going on. What happened this morning? Someone kidnaped Katrina and Katya and you know something about it. What did you do this morning and why? We were sleeping and then I woke up. You put up your shield after that. Why?"

"Sleeping? With the Mage?" Kathleen's mother had a look of disgust on her face as she said the words.

"Not relevant." I slashed my hand through the air to keep them both on track with what was happening rather than an unproductive squabble. "Kathleen, what's going on?"

Her eyes flickered with gold flames. "I was watching and someone tried to call you. I warned him but he tried again. I put up the shield so he couldn't get to you." Her face and voice got fierce and she looked at her mother. "That's all we were doing, I'm not a Kitty."

"When?" Nazaa asked her before Kathleen's mother could respond.

"Just after dawn."

Nazaa waved her hands through the air to catch our attention. "He tried to call us before dawn. First me then Esmie. He wants Esmie because she bears more potential than I do." Once more she quickly knelt. "Thank you Master. I would die rather than let him take Esmie from me."

"Daniel? What's going on?" Mr. Espinoza asked quietly from his semi-concealed position by the back door.

"Daniel has been protecting us." Nazaa told him, raising her eyes from the floor. "He can't say anything to anyone about why he's doing it but that's what's been happening."

He looked at her then switched his eyes to Esmie and back.

"Esmie too." Nazaa affirmed his unspoken question. "There's someone who is trying to kidnap us. Daniel is preventing him from doing it."

"Okay, so . . . Fabian?" I frowned down at Nazaa and let everything else pass as Mr. Espinoza looked at me with a startled expression. Nazaa scrambled up and nodded back that I'd gotten the name correct. I tried to connect the dots.

"This Fabian, he tried to call you and Esmie. Your binding stopped it from happening. Next he tried to call me? How? I don't know him. How did he learn about me so he could call me?"

"The Kits. Esmie told me this morning they were playing in your yard and they heard something in the alley behind the house. The other two Kits went to investigate. Esmie stayed behind because she was tired and sleepy. He probably took the Kits then. He is not above torturing them to force them to tell him who you are."

I instantly got angry. Despite what I'd done to keep my neighborhood quiet and safe, someone had come to my house to kidnap two little girls out of my yard to torture them. If not physical torture, he'd certainly scared them enough they'd probably told him whatever he wanted to know.

He wasn't going to get away with it, not if I had anything to say about it. Turning to Kathleen, my voice got tight while I kept my feelings under control.

"I need you to drop your shield."

She shook her head no and hooked her fingers possessively into my shirt.

"Yes. I need to talk to this Fabian." I pointed a rigid finger at Kathleen's mother while looking directly into her eyes. I didn't change my tone one bit yet she recoiled at whatever she saw in my gaze and heard in my voice.

"No tricks. I'm not in the mood right now for any more tricks. I didn't take them and I don't want to hear anything about how you think I'm somehow responsible just because of what I am. Got that?"

I turned back to Kathleen. "Drop the shield. I can't call the magic with your shield up. I know you don't want to risk it, but if he has them, I'll need magic to get your sisters back. I'm the only hope they have and you know it."

Rather than argue more, Kathleen released my shirt to slip her arms around my neck. Pressing her body against mine she tipped her face up in invitation. I bent slightly and kissed her.

GOLD! washed over me, filling me up. I could feel Kathleen straining to direct more and more of the Golden force into me. I felt like I was overflowing with power and she still kept feeding me more and more. And more.

"KIT! Stop!"

The words of warning were distant as Kathleen kept pulling magic and shoving it at me. I could feel how much it hurt her but she just tapped deeper into the power stream rather than quit.

<Stop.>

She shook her head and pressed her lips harder against mine, following me as I tried to pull away while still feeding more raw energy into me. Her shields flickered and dropped away as she whimpered and fell to her knees at my feet.

"I can't. That's all I have, I can't give you any more." Her voice was a pain-filled ragged whisper.

'You demand too much!" Her mother knelt beside her, putting an arm around Kathleen's shoulders while glaring at me as if I'd required Kathleen to overtax her magic.

I ignored the glare and looked at Nazaa. "Can you shield them?" My voice, at least to me, seemed to echo into the distance.