Excerpt from Demons and Kittens
Chapter 1: Welcome to Our Dysfunctional Family
Catalina was kidnapped and forced to become the teacher of the captain’s bratty twins.
………… “Miss Catalina!” Standing up, Roos swung his paper in the air, giving me an eager look like he was ready to move onto something different than school work. “I’m done with my test!”
“Alright..” I got up from the makeshift desk I had put together and walked over to Roos, looking over his test that was scribbled on with various drawings and some answers, not many but there were some answers. I gave Roos a disappointed look, which was a little hard for me to do because I didn’t get mad easy. Okay, I admit it, I was kind of a pushover. “Roos, this test isn’t finished.”
“Hmm…” Roos stood up next to me, eagerness in his eyes as he stood close to me. I heard him sniffle as he got closer to me but I wasn’t really sure what he was doing, did he have a cold? “I guess I didn’t did I?”
“No.” Shaking my head, a small laugh escaped my lips that I tried to keep in because I was supposed to be a disciplinarian, not a very good one but I was trying. “This is the chapter test, it‘s very important that you finish it. Can you do the rest for me?”
“Can you help me?” Roos was talking in a slightly babyish voice, something he had been doing with me lately and I wasn’t really sure why. After all, Roos was practically a teenager, he was too old for baby talking.
I sat down next to him and pointed to the first answer that he didn‘t answer, “What’s the answer to this one?”
“I don’t know.” Roos shrugged his shoulders, a small grin on his face as he played dumb. I knew he knew the answer and he knew I knew. “I can’t read the question…see?” Roos leaned over me and pointed to where he had scribbled over all the questions, blocking them out so that they were illegible.
“Roos…why did you do that?” I must admit it, I was really getting annoyed with Roos and when he did stupid things like that I wondered if I was even making any progress with him at all. “Come on, what’s the Capital of Morgen?” Pointing to the paper I wanted him to write the answer but he said it out loud instead.
“Weiss Enden.” Roos smiled at me, his hands held behind his back as he rocked back and forth on his toes.
“Roos!” Giving him a dirty look, Bella stuck her tongue out at Roos, her short pink hair jumping as she stood up. Her ponytails that I had put in that morning were slightly crooked now because she had been playing hard after lunch and had ripped out her hair a little but at least she managed to keep them both in this time. “You’re cheating!” Picking up her test, Bella’s tender little face was filled with scrapes as she glared at her twin brother, her small little fist going up to his face as she ran over to his desk. “You looked at mine you piss wad!”
“Hey!” Standing between them as they both tried to kill each other, I closed my eyes, barely able to keep the twins apart as they screamed obscenities at each other. When these kids fought they really fought, the last time Bella broke Roos’s arm, it was terrible. “Stop this at once!” I tried to keep them apart but amazingly those little buggers were stronger than me and if I wouldn’t have gotten out of their way they would’ve beaten me up too. Standing on the sidelines I begged them to stop, watching helplessly as the children beat on each other like they were little beasts or something, it was crazy. “Bella! Roos! Stop it!” Stomping my foot, I think I pouted a little because my helplessness in the situation was really starting to get to me, this fighting was an everyday occurrence that I still wasn’t used to. “Someone’s going to get hurt and-”
Suddenly, to my amazement, both of the children stopped fighting, Bella walked over to me and put her arms around my waist, the ponytails in her hair now had completely fallen out.
Her sad eyes looked up at me with such guilt, those tender little brown eyes looked like little chocolate candies against her rough skin. Of course I forgave her and put my arm around her, patting her on the back and smiling because I was happy that they had stopped fighting, “See Bella, Roos is-”
“Hey you little piss ants, you better not be giving Miss Cat any trouble.” Turning around I saw the reason why the children had stopped fighting when I heard Striker’s voice behind me. He looked a little annoyed and there were a stack of papers in his hands that he tossed onto the empty table near the door. “Or else your daddy’s going to hear about it.”
Roos, who idolized Striker, ran to Striker and started jumping on him, glad that Striker had come to visit our class. I think Roos was also just a teensy bit happy that he was getting out of doing school work too but anyway…
“Striker! Hey, whatcha doin’ in our classroom?”
Roos looked up into Striker’s ice blue eyes that were intensified by his dark lashes.
Speaking of Striker’s eyes, I always tease Striker about his them, saying that he looks like he has girly eyes because his eyelashes are so dark they look like he’s wearing mascara. He doesn’t like when I do that, in fact it’s a good comeback for the here kitty kitty jokes.
“Hey Miss Catalina?” Roos looked back at me, a look on his face that I knew he was about to ask me something that would require some persuasion, hence the girly tone to his voice and the baby begging that Roos began to do. “Can we quit for today? Pleeease? Striker might have something important to talk to you about, right Striker? Something that requires us to stop lessons for a while?”
“What?” I saw Striker run his hand through his jet black hair, ruffling up the streaks of dark red in it. He had a confused look on his face, not seeming to want to play along with Roos’s game.
Bella looked up at me, pulling on my skirt, I have to wear long ones because Roos’s looks up my skirt if I wear anything short. Bella was whispering to me, obviously not wanting the boys to hear what she was saying. “Miss Catalina? I think Roos asked Striker to come because he didn’t study for his test on Morgen and he’s trying to get out of it.”
Looking down at Bella, I whispered to her, my voice low as we carried on our own conversation, which kind of made the boys a little mad. “Oh, really?”
“Yeah. Roos was with Striker last night practicing his fire magic instead of studying.” Bella held onto my hips tightly, she had a tendency to hang on me lately. She was like a magnet, the farther I was away the faster she’d cling to me. I think she’s really missed having a mother figure around and that’s why she’s so gotten so close to me since I‘ve been here. After all I am the only decent motherly figure around the ship anyway so I didn‘t mind being her role model.
“Bella, go get me my green folder would you?” Smiling down at Bella, I pointed to my desk, Bella smiling back at me because she knew what I was about to do. She quickly ran and got my folder, handing it to me before I could get my next words out. “Hmm….” I looked over at Striker, who was giving me a questionable look. I wasn’t really sure what he was thinking or what he was up to. “Soo…what have you come to our class for today Striker? You bring good news I hope.” Looking down at Roos, I pointed to his desk as I took a fresh test out of my folder, putting it down on his desk as I picked up his pencil that lay there.
“Here you go Roos, I’ve got a new test just for you, with readable answers and everything. Now, go finish your test and then you can join our conversation with Striker and since I‘m sure you studied really hard for this test last night then you will have it done in no time.”
Handing him the pencil, I watched Roos groan and curse me out under his breath as he sat down at his desk. “And there will be no going anywhere until that test is finished young man. I want answers this time, not artwork.”
“Ha, ha Roos, I’m finished and your not!” Bella stuck her tongue out at Roos as she held onto me, shoving her finished test in my face when I was trying to talk to Striker, which was really annoying. “I’m done! Miss Catalina, I finished my test! Look, see, it‘s done!”
“That’s good Bella.” Smiling at Bella, I motioned towards Roos with my eyes, “And as soon as Roos is done we will check them together.” Bella began to pout because she wanted me to check her test right now but I ignored her, instead switching my attention to Striker.
“Ooo…meow ouch!”
Making a hissing sound, like he often did when he began a conversation with me, Striker began to laugh, pretending to be a cat and making clawing motions with his hands. I didn’t find it funny but Bella did, she was laughing hysterically, a little too much laughter for such a stupid joke if you ask me. “You don’t let anyone have a break do you? Man, I’d hate to have you as a teacher.”
“Well, never ask me to teach you anything and you’ll never have to.” Giving him a dirty look, I was slightly hurt by his comment.
“Jeeze Catalina, you’re in a bad mood.” Letting out a small laugh, Striker seemed calm, thinking that I was in a bad mood. Who was he to judge what I was feeling? He didn‘t care about my feelings or my mood, the only thing he every cared about was trying to make me mad. “I was just coming to ask you something.”
“What is it?” Handing Bella a piece of candy that I had in my pocket as I spoke, my action forced her to loosen up her iron grip on my hips as she took time to open up the wrapper around the candy.
“Degan said that I said I should take a partner with me on the princess mission.” Holding his hand out when he saw I had candy, Striker just assumed I would give him some and didn’t ask for it. Of course I did give him some and I also secretly slipped a piece onto the desk of the little boy that was actually taking his test like I had told him too. I did it secretly because I knew Bella would be mad if she saw me give Roos a piece. “I suggested you because we needed a girly girl, you being the first name that slipped off everyone‘s tongues.”
“A girly girl?” Gathering up Bella’s messed up ponytails, I tried to fix them so that they looked nice again, her pink hair slipping through my fingers as I finished one ponytail. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Well…” A sly smile came over Striker’s face and I knew that if he wasn’t trying to convince me to help him then he would’ve said something smart just now. I could see his little mind working and his halt button going on his nasty comment. “…You’ll make a good decoy for distracting the guards while I kidnap the princess. We need a hot looking girl, a girl that looks like-” Looking slightly annoyed, Striker ran his fingers through his hair, not looking at me as he spoke, “..an actual girl.”
“AndMedinadoesn’t look like an actual girl?” I didn’t look at Striker as I spoke, I just continued redoing Bella’s hair. Medinawas the other woman that worked on the ship, she was very muscular and intimidating looking. I was a little put off by her mannerisms and pushiness so I never really talked to her that much but I knew Striker did.
“No.” Shaking his head, Striker smiled, his perfect eyes twinkling. “She looks like a man dressed up as a woman, you know that Cat.”
“You mean a transvestite?”
Smiling, I looked at Striker, a small laugh escaping my lips, I knew he hated when I corrected him. That’s why I did it, I loved to do things to see how mad I could get him. It was kind of a game we played with each other, a strange game, but a game nonetheless.
“I wouldn’t talk pussy cat, we all have our little quirks don‘t we? Hey Roos, come here!” Giving me a slightly evil look, Striker laughed, his eyes meeting with Roos’ as Roos stood up and walked over to Striker.
“What’s that supposed to-” I tried getting a word in but Striker just ignored me, talking to Roos instead of getting on with the conversation he had been having with me.
“I just saw the most disgusting thing on my way down here.” Striker pointed towards the door behind him as he looked down at Roos, giving Roos a high five. Both of them exchanged a few manly shoves and punches, laughing at their pain hysterically like it was something that was enjoyable. “Medina’s making out with that fish guy from Greco, you wanna go check it out? I didn‘t know fish had that many holes!”
“Hey!” Putting my hands on my hips I gave Striker a dirty look, “You better not let him watch that kind of smut Striker, I don‘t think it‘s-”
“It’s like school, daddy says if I’m gonna be a man I got to know how one acts. That includes watching naked girls and stuff.” Roos laughed, watching my face that probably got a little red because I was furious. I couldn’t believe that Degan and Striker let Roos watch that kind of stuff, I thought it was disgusting, not to mention inappropriate for an twelve year old boy to be watching.
“You better not-” Pointing my finger at Roos, I was about to lecture him but Striker cut me off.
“And that includes your teacher?” Covering his mouth, Striker seemed to be trying not to laugh, Striker’s comment appearing to be funny to Striker but it made Roos really mad. Of course I knew that Roos had a slight crush on me so that’s what I assumed Striker was talking about.
“No Striker…” Looking into Roos’s reddening face, I gave him a slightly accusing look, my voice coming out a little low as I let out a small laugh. “I don’t think Roos needs to see me like that.”
“Miss Catalina?” Bella was pulling on my dress, her hands still digging into my hips, her sweet chocolate eyes looking into mine. An angry expression came over her calm face and she suddenly pointed an accusing finger at Roos, screaming at him as she spoke,
“Roos does spy on you! He’s a little pervert! I saw him do it! I did Miss Catalina!”
“Shut up Bella!” Roos raised his fist up to Bella, ready to go over and hit her but Striker held him back, a few laughs escaping Striker’s lips that he tried to contain, well pretended to try anyway. I think that Striker found the whole thing quite humorous, just another little thing to tease me about.
“Well…” Looking down at Roos, who he had his brown black gloved hand over his mouth, Striker laughed, looking to me as he held the raging little boy. “I guess it’s time that Roos confesses, huh?”
Striker had two large tattoos on the sides of his face, they were like two large sweeping black wings that hung around the corners of his eyes and down into the upper part of his cheeks. Whenever he wrinkled his nose, like he was doing right now to me, his tattoos would bunch together when his dimples raised, making the tattoos look like a part of his dark eyelashes.
If you didn‘t know it before Striker is a demon, a shape shifting one that can change his form whenever he wishes. His tattoos are supposed to be some sort of mark he had gotten from his rite of passage when he turned into a man, or something like that. I don’t really understand the whole thing. I think it’s just some dumb thing Striker made up to make himself sound more cooler.
Looking at Striker, I gave both of the boys a questionable look, “What do you mean, confess?” I really didn’t like the sound of what Striker was saying or the direction in which the conversation was headed, especially because it concerned me.
“Don’t be too hard on the boy but-” Letting go of Roos, Striker’s eyes turned towards the door behind him as he watched Roos take off out of the room. Looking back at me, Striker shook his head as he crossed his thick muscular arms across his chest, his tight black flight jacket half zipped up so I could see the brown shirt he wore under it. “He kinda saw you getting dressed the other day.”
“Kinda?” Putting my hand to my mouth, I was shocked, I couldn’t believe Roos had snuck into my room again, this time watching me get dressed on top of it. “What do you mean by kinda?”
Smiling, Bella looked up at me, her hands filled with the blue fabric of my long skirt, “Roos was smiling all day after that. He told me that Miss Catalina is even more beautiful than Miss Gregan and Roos has a huge poster of her naked in his room, she‘s wearing her pageant crown and everything. Daddy bought it for him last time we visited Telemare.”
“Oh my god…” I felt like puking, honestly I did. I couldn’t believe that Roos had seen me getting dressed but to think he might have even seen me naked, now that was just unthinkable. I felt so sick and of course I felt extremely embarrassed. “He saw me-I mean he-he-”
“Settle down Cat.” Waving his hand in the empty air between us as he walked towards me, Striker placed a calm hand on my shoulder. To tell you the truth I did smile a little when he touched me, not on the outside, but on the inside I did. “It’s not that bad. Roos said he didn’t get to see you naked because you put your undies on in the bathroom. He did say that you have a killer rack though.” Giving me a slightly mocking look, Striker was going to start teasing me, I could tell by the way his voice got higher and the way he started to hang on my shoulder. There was also this devilish look that came into his ice blue eyes, a sort of challenging look. “..does that make you feel better? Being the lusty lady of a teen boy’s fantasies?” Punching my shoulder, Striker laughed when he saw the frown that came over my face, taking that as an okay to keep teasing me some more. “He probably thinks of you now instead of Miss Gregan every time he-”
Striker was about to make an obscene gesture, referring to something sexual of course but I quickly grabbed his hands and stopped it before he got the chance to make it. I didn’t like him talking about such things around Bella, even though I knew her mind was already tainted I was trying my best to untaint it.
“Oooo…” Sticking his tongue out at me, Striker wiggled his hands free from mine, of course making a big deal out of my gesture even though his was much more outrageous, well for my standards anyway. I could hear Bella laughing behind me, thinking that Striker’s playfulness with me was hilarious. “Teaching him geography, huh? All about forests and mountains I gather..”
Rolling my eyes, I tried not to let what Striker was saying get to me, pretending to change the subject because I was getting a little annoyed with his teasing, well maybe a lot. “Yes I teach the children about those kinds of things, don’t I Bella?” Looking down at Bella, I forced a smile, “And about history and art…all kinds of things. Geography is not the only subject that I teach.”
“That’s not what I meant pussy cat. Roos likes your-” Giving me a devilish smile, Striker was about to say something else but Bella cut him off.
“Hey Miss Catalina?” Looking up at me again, Bella pulled on my dress, a slightly confused look in her eyes.
“Is it true what Striker and daddy tell the new recruits? That your nickname is pussy cat because you don‘t like boys?”
“What? Striker said I was a-” Looking at Striker, I gave him an angry look, not happy about the comment I had just heard come out of Bella’s mouth. I couldn’t believe Striker would tell someone, let alone a bunch of people that I was a lesbian.
“Ahh…” Putting his hands up in surrender, Striker looked at me with guilty eyes and I knew that he had said that and what Bella had heard was true. What I didn’t understand is why Striker would tell people that because I was definitely not a lesbian. “That’s not what I said. You misunderstood the conversation…” Looking slightly confused, Striker ran his fingers through his spiky jet black hair, giving Bella a dirty look because obviously she had said something he was mad about. “Talking about privacy, that was a private conversation Bella.” Making a big X in the air in front of him, Striker tried to avoid my angry eyes, his own dark lashes concealing his ice blue eyes as he looked down at the floor. “An adult conversation that me and your dad were having with the recruits, it had nothing to do with kids. You had no right to be listening in on us, you know your dad doesn‘t allow you and Roos to get involved with his business matters.” Business matters? More like Degan’s heist and thievery plans, nothing about Degan’s business was legal or openly shared for that matter.
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http://hnsieverding.wordpress.com/list-of-my-books/demons-and-kittens/
The staff working at the arena were selling prize tickets to the audience members. Hailey really wanted to buy a ticket because the winner got to hand out the trophy to the winner of tonight’s competition. She didn’t have enough money to buy a ticket and was now sulking. Adrianna clapped and did the funny motions that the other audience members did as she giggled happily, pretending not to notice how mad Hailey was about not being in the drawing.
The contestants started to lash out at each other, each of them running around the ring as the crowd roared around them. It was an intense fight, just like the others had been and after a few slashes and potshots, one of the contestants finally fell.
“Boo!” Lilly jumped through the back window that led to the back of the truck, scaring Genevieve and making her brake quickly. “Ha ha…” Lilly laughed, holding her large stomach as she looked at a flabbergasted Genevieve. “Did I scare you?” Putting a hand over her heart, Genevieve was still trying to catch her breath, unable to speak for a few seconds. Lilly climbed out of the window, moving a bit awkwardly and sat down next to Genevieve. “Can I drive?” Lilly laughed, pointing to the steering wheel and not seeming to notice that Genevieve was afraid of her. Lilly no longer wore her bandana, revealing her whole face she had hid from Creon.
“Gimme that.” Blaze gave the man an angry look and reached for the flower but the man ripped it back, shielding it from Blaze’s grasp as he pulled it closer to him. Blaze reached for it again but the man quickly smashed it in his fingers, the petals turning to dust and falling like sand to the floor. Junis dropped on his knees, trying to pick up the fine grains of the red Moon Flower. “Hey! Why’d you do that?! Those things are rare! Why didn’t you just give it to me!”
I’m looking for an editor/reviewer for one of my books. I got the idea from a fellow blogger friend of mine that I have swapped a book with. Hopefully I will soon kick myself in the arse and get back to trying to send one to a publisher. I’d like some opinions first though. I am their creator so I think they are totally awesome and can do no wrong but I know, I, like every author, are not perfect and have missed a few things.
1. The Bloodlust Prince 61,300
6. Carter’s Curse 49,300
Angel 141,000
