Bell the Cat
an excerpt

Prologue:

“Around and around the mulberry bush, the monkey chased the weasel…
Around and around the mulberry bush, the monkey chased the weasel…”

The song played through his head as he ran blindly through the alleyway. Over and over the verse was sung, causing an unexplainable fear to course through him. There was a certain maniacal pleasure in the singer’s voice that made the simple child’s ditty into something ominous.

Into something evil.

On he ran into the night, not caring where he was going as long it accorded him safety. Fear spiked his heart rate and stole his breath, he could feel tears spill down his cheek and hear himself whisper, “Oh God, please make it stop. Please, please, please.”

The singing got louder, the words faster as the singer’s excitement escalated, “Around and around the mulberry bush, the monkey chased the weasel…
Around and around the mulberry bush, the monkey chased the weasel… Around and around…”

He picked up his pace and ran, choking sobs and his panting breath filling the silence of the alley and startling its four legged denizens. Blinded by tears, he tripped and fell onto the refuse littered pavement. He stared frantically around and tried to push himself onto his feet, but his shaking limbs refused to cooperate. He rolled over and scrambled backwards seeking the dubious shelter of a dark corner cluttered with large boxes.

“If I can only hide there, I’ll be safe.” He thought hysterically, “I can hide and he’ll go away.”

He pushed himself until he reached the corner and began to burrow into the boxes trying to curl up and make himself as small as possible. He clamped his hands over his mouth, stifling his frightened whimpers and heaving breath.

Slowly, the song in his mind faded until it became nothing but blessed silence. He heaved a silent sob of relief and waited until he was sure there was no one out there waiting for him. He forced his trembling limbs to move and carefully stood…

“Pop goes the weasel!”

The last thing he saw was the moon glinting off feral steel before it arced towards him, abruptly ending his terrified scream.

*****

Chapter One:

Gallic MacLaren woke slowly, the dream that disturbed him quickly fading from his memory, but leaving the lingering sensation of fear and pain in its wake. He frowned into the darkness of the room and tried to recall what it was that had bothered him. Then, with a mental shrug, he gave up trying to pull the details from his sleep-fogged brain.

He relaxed back against his pillow and let his eyes adjust to the dim interior of the bedroom. Yawning and shifting slightly into a more comfortable position, Gallic grinned as an annoyed murmur came from the man lying sprawled across him, a hand tightened on his shoulder and a brunette head firmly tucked itself beneath his chin.

More often than not while he slept, Itsuma had trouble distinguishing between Gallic and a mattress and both would awake to the smaller man stretched over the blonde. Whenever Gallic would tease Itsuma about this particular habit, the irritable brunette would just glare and retort that if he had to sleep with someone who preferred to wrap around him as if he were part boa constrictor, then, tough shit, Gallic could deal with being slept on instead of beside of. Of course, Gallic would calmly wait for Itsuma to take his first sip of coffee before he would whisper, “I really don’t mind, Doll, it provides easy access to that gorgeous ass of yours.” Then he would sit back and laugh as Itsuma sputtered and blushed.

Gallic ran his hand down Itsuma’s spine and affectionately patted his hip, the beginnings of a wicked grin curving his lips. Slowly, he trailed his hand down the soft skin of Itsuma’s inner thigh and up again to cup a shapely cheek. His fingers slipped into the crease dividing the two firm globes of flesh and lightly teased the sensitive skin. Gallic curled his free hand into the messy tumble of chestnut hair and began a slow kneading of Itsuma’s skull, his lips ghosting over the slumbering profile.

Itsuma pushed into the light touch and released a soft moan as he drifted lazily into wakefulness. When he opened sleep-clouded eyes and looked up at Gallic with undisguised tenderness, Gallic just couldn’t resist, he smiled and pressed a kiss to the tip of Itsuma’s nose, “Morning, Doll.”

Itsuma, soft affection being replaced by usual annoyance, wrinkled his nose and scowled, “Once again, you wake me up by trying to molest me in my sleep.”

“Doll, that’s the best time to do it. You’re all soft and malleable and so damn sexy…it’s almost a crime not to.” Gallic teased with an unrepentant grin.

“Try harder.” Itsuma retorted.

“Now you’re telling me “harder”, and you wonder why I’m always wanting to jump your bones?” Gallic laughed, a lustful gleam in his eyes.