Desert of the Damned by Kathy Kulig Read Free Book Online Page A

and peered inside. The kitten bobbed her head, blinked her eyes and meowed the tiniest sound. A little pang twisted inside Amy’s chest.
    No. There was no way she could keep this cat. Or could she? Reaching into the box, Sienna hissed and clawed at her. Jerking her hand back kept her from getting sliced with needle-sized claws.
    “What’s wrong with you? Hungry again?” The cat howled like a mountain lion cub, not a house cat. “Boy, are you ornery when you get hungry.” Amy picked up the syringe and drew up milk from the pint container and placed it by Sienna’s mouth. The kitten’s head swung around and tried to bite her. Fortunately, Amy yanked her hand away in time. “Damn it, Sienna.”
    “What are you doing to your kitten?” Truly asked, the question sounding accusatory as she walked into the storeroom and crouched down by the box.
    Amy glanced over her shoulder at Truly, refusing to look guilty and stood, waving the syringe in her hand. “I told you this cat doesn’t like me. When I went to feed her, she made a fuss and tried to bite me again. Here, you try.” She handed Truly the syringe.
    “That must have been some meeting,” Truly said with a wink. “You’re all flushed.”
    “Stop it. I am not.” Amy felt her cheeks. Was she flushed? “It’s the cat. I’m calling the Humane Society and see how late they’re open ‘til tonight.”
    “I called them. They’ll take a kitten that young if they have personnel available to give it twenty-four-hour care and if they have room.”
    “Great, thanks for—”
    “They don’t have either,” Truly interrupted. “They said you could try a vet but they were doubtful. You could try back in a few weeks when the cat was older if you still didn’t want it. They gave me information for recommended care.”
    Amy raised her arms then let them drop to her sides in defeat. “How am I supposed to take care of a kitten that hates me?”
    Truly laughed and came over and hugged her. “Sienna doesn’t hate you. She just hasn’t gotten to know you yet.”
    Feeling the same stubborn determination and resilience that got her through college and through two long-term relationships that went sour, Amy wasn’t going to let this kitten get the better of her. “Will you come and have dinner at my house tonight? I 32
    Desert of the Damned
    want to make sure I can feed Sienna. You seem to be the only one who can get near her without getting torn to shreds.”
    Truly glanced down at the kitten. “But I was supposed to dance naked in the desert tonight. The waxing moon is almost full.”
    Knowing Truly never missed her Earth rituals, she asked, “Well, can’t you do that at my house? I have four open acres in back with no houses around and beyond that is the Sonoran Desert.”
    Truly swayed side to side, her skirt swooshing around her ankles. “That’ll work. I’ll bring prickly pear juice for margaritas if you’re cooking.”
    “Are you trying to manifest anything special this month?”
    Truly smiled wickedly. “Of course. A hunky guy.”
    “Great, thanks.” Amy peered into the box. Sienna was sleeping again. She looked harmless when she was sleeping.
    As they walked out of the storeroom and back to Chemistry, Phil from administration, who was at Dante’s door earlier, was jotting a note on her desk. A knot tightened in her stomach. Could he know what had happened in Dante’s office? It was not a good idea to be messing in one’s own sandbox. What had she been thinking?
    Never again. What had Dante been thinking?
    “Give me all the gory details later,” Truly whispered as she walked past and got back to the autoanalyzer.
    Straightening her back, she approached Phil with her best professional manner.
    “Hello, Phil, are you looking for me?”
    “Amy, yes. Do you have a moment to come to my office?” He didn’t smile. Phil always smiled.
    Oh God, he knows. “Of course. What’s this concerning?” Her throat constricted to the size of a swizzle