“They say black cats are witches’ familiars.” Eric stared at the yellow eyes scrutinizing him from atop the sofa. The black cat’s tail would twitch intermittently as if it were taking notes about the visitor. “You are a pretty thing though,” Eric said as he walked over and stroked the animal behind its ears.
The cat closed its eyes and started a low purring sound that could just as easily have been a growl.
The door to the living room opened and Amanda walked in from her bedroom. The odor of perfume and fresh soap preceded her entrance.
“I see you’ve become friends with Faust,” she said as she brushed by Eric, covering him with the exotic scent.
“You smell delightful,” Eric declared as he stopped rubbing the cat and reached out for Amanda as she passed by. He caught her and pulled her to him.
“Now stop that,” she said with amusement.
Eric buried his face in her neck and inhaled deeply. “Hmm, suppose we stay here and skip the movie and dinner.”
Amanda laughed and pushed him away. “No way, you devil.” She threw back her head, sending its thick cover of curls undulating in auburn waves, and laughed again. “Let me put Faust’s food down in the kitchen. Then let’s go,” she said as Eric feigned disappointment with a forced scowl. Amanda grinned and added, “The sooner we go, the sooner we get back. I’ve got a new nighty to model for you.”
Amanda slipped into the kitchen. The cat bounced off the sofa and followed. Eric wiped the sweat from his brow and swallowed the lump in his throat, casting a wary eye on the other lump as he tried to will it into cold storage for later.
* * *
“What was it you said about witches’ familiars?” Amanda turned and threw one leg across Eric’s naked back.
“What?” he asked sleepily. He coughed and glanced at his wrist watch. It was a little after three am.
Eric‘s mouth tasted of stale wine and lobster. His crotch ached from recent activity with Amanda. After working on her for almost a month, he had finally made it into her bed.
So now it was time to go.
“Oooo,” Eric said groggily as he threw Amanda’s leg off and slipped out of bed. “Gotta’ run. I’m a working man, you know.”
Amanda frowned. She pulled the sheets up over her exposed breasts. “But you will be back, right?”
Eric coughed. He slipped his pants on and then reached for the rumpled shirt he had tossed on the floor. “Don’t get me wrong, Hon. It was nice and all that . . . but since we work in the same building, it might not be a good idea to continue this.” He tucked in his shirt and then bent to slip on his socks and loafers. “You won’t have trouble finding other takers. I know I never do. No use pretending this could lead to any kind of relationship.” Eric, now dressed, turned and faced Amanda. “Hell, I just wanted to get laid, not fall in love.”
An angry blush rose in Amada’s cheeks, but it was soon replaced by a slight grin.
“See,” Eric said when he caught her smile. “You get it. I knew you would.” Eric laughed faintly. He went to the bedroom door and opened it. The black cat dashed between his legs and hopped on the bed with Amanda.
“But what about ‘familiars’?” Amanda asked again, letting the sheet slide away from her body. The cat purred and positioned itself between her heavy breasts, stroking them with its black fur until their deep, ruby nipples hardened.
Eric noticed and stood transfixed in the doorway. He felt himself become painfully erect. He started taking off his clothes in a clumsy ballet of uncoordinated movements back toward the bed.
“Familiars, yes,” he stated with a dry throat. He crawled back in the bed and positioned himself between Amanda’s legs, pushing the cat aside as he did. The animal hissed and ran back out of the bedroom. “I said black cats were witches’ familiars.” Eric shoved himself roughly inside Amanda. “They are, aren’t they?”
Amanda wound her arms tightly around Eric. “What if it’s the other way around?” she asked, pulling him deeper inside. Her sandpaper tongue shot inside his ear. “And what if the familiar is always hungry?”
In the living room, propped on his favorite cushion, Faust purred and licked his paws, his eyes yellow and infinite and glowing.
* * *
“Wow, you smell delicious.” James grabbed at Amanda before she passed by. “What say we skip this evening’s plans and stay in your apartment?”
“No way, you devil,” Amanda said with a mischievous smile. “You just sit tight while I feed Faust.”
James giggled to himself. “Faust. Now there’s a perfect name for a black cat.”
In the kitchen, the cat wrapped itself around Amanda’s legs in a continuous motion.
“Don’t be so impatient,” Amanda said as she took a bowl from the refrigerator. She ran her finger around the inside of the bowl then licked it, making a noisy sucking noise as she did. “I just love jellied blood,” she said and dipped her finger in the bowl again.
The cat meowed in protest.
“Oh, all right,” Amanda responded and sat the bowl down.
“There’s not much of Eric left,” Amanda noted, looking at the bloody remnants inside the bowl while Faust chewed voraciously. Amanda sighed and glanced toward the living room. “That should change before morning though,” she said with a low growl as she bent to stroke the black, glistening fur of the creature dining at her feet.
© Copyright 2012 Timothy C. Hobbs
952 words
Timothy C. Hobbs is a consummate horror writer and his stories are both horrific and beautifully crafted. The Pumpkin Seed published by Vamplit Publishing in 2009 was Timothy Hobbs first published novel. He is now working with his editor at Vamplit Publishing on a collection of stories based on popular fairytales. His other two novels, The Smell of Ginger and Music Box Sonata are also available on Smashwords.
At the top of a steep cliff a derelict church serves its congregation of dust, cobwebs and birds roosting in the rafters. One human occupant lives there hidden in the cellar. He is cursed never walk in the tortuous sunlight, but to roam the woods on the cliff at night in the form of a hideous beast struggling with the violent desire to kill while striving to preserve remnants of his own humanity. Purchase on Smashwords
Loved this one!
Lol! Superb writing.