“Cat claws,” Jo-Jo corrected.
Hugh shook his head at Jo-Jo, then eyed Maggie and me. “You’re running a nut farm over here, and I won’t stand for it. I’ll rally the whole neighborhood if I have to, but you people will not be rowdy at all hours of the day and night.” He stomped back through the jasmine hedge and shouted, “Selma, I need a goddamn drink.”
“Bless his holy name, the bourbon’s in the bar.”
Bless whose holy name? I heard in my head.
The breath of relief I’d started to take lodged in my throat. Maggie hadn’t spoken, and neither had Jo-Jo. Uh-oh. I looked down to where Cat rubbed against my bare leg.
“Please tell me you didn’t say that.”
But I did, Cat replied.
My pulse thu-thudded in my ears. This couldn’t be happening. I’d taken one too many smacks in the head from my surfboard, that’s all. The vampire “curse” on my psychic senses might be wearing off, but there was only one person I’d heard this well telepathically. That was in my past. Plus, well, Cat wasn’t even a person.
Was she?
No, I am not part human, and I am not called Cat. I am called Pandora.
I blinked. Ai-yi-yi, she was talking to me, and in a superior, snippy tone, just like a typical cat. I sputtered something like “Ohmygarrrgghh,” and staggered to a patio chair. Maggie rushed to me. “Cesca, what’s wrong?”
I couldn’t find my voice, so I pointed at Pandora as she glided to sit a few feet away, out of Hugh Lister’s line of sight. Then, like time-lapse nature photography on high speed, she grew back to panther size and licked a platter-sized paw. The chain around her neck disappeared into her thick ruff of golden fur.
“Princess, if the panther is threatening you, you and Miss Maggie should slip into the house. I mean, you know I’d protect you with my life from most things, but—”
“Pandora isn’t a thing, Jo-Jo,” I croaked, still staring at the panther. “She’s a shape-shifter. A sentient being.”
Thank you for the support. Tell the odd vampire to get down before he breaks the arbor.
“Jo-Jo, get down from the arbor before you break it.”
“Nuh-unh. Panthers bite.”
I glanced up. “So do you.”
“Not anymore.”
“Come down here and meet Pandora.”
“Pandora?” Maggie echoed.
“With all due respect, Your Royalness, I’m not meeting a wild panther, sentient or not. He interrupted my act.”
Pandora raised her head to stare at Jo-Jo and chuffed low in her throat.
Jo-Jo sniffed. “Everybody’s a critic.”
“Pandora is a she, Jo-Jo, and for heaven’s sake, get down,” I commanded.
Maggie knelt beside me. “Cesca, what’s the problem? We’ve seen the cat—Pandora—before. She helped Saber save us from that killer.”
“Yes, but she didn’t talk then. Or she didn’t talk to me.”
Maggie cut her gaze to Pandora. “She’s talking?”
“Like that horse on TV, Mr. Ed?” Jo-Jo asked, shinnying down an arbor post.
“No, not like the horse. This is telepathy.”
Pandora sighed. I realize you are surprised, but you must listen. I have a message to deliver. I gave Pandora a long and probably stupid look. “A message from whom?”
“Is she talking to the panther?” Jo-Jo whispered to Maggie as he drew cautiously nearer. Pandora narrowed her eyes on Jo-Jo and jerked her head toward my cottage. We will talk in private. Jo-Jo about climbed into Maggie’s arms as Pandora rose and trotted across the yard into the shadows. Good thing my porch light was off. I didn’t need Hugh Lister spotting her.
I looked at Maggie. “Pandora has a message for me.”
“Fine. Go find out what it is so we can get back to work with Jo-Jo.”
Oh, yeah, Jo-Jo’s act. What with the neighbor who hates us almost catching us with a shape-shifting panther who now talks to me, I’d almost forgotten my priorities. Silly me.
I plopped on one of the tiki barstools facing Pandora. My mother drilled manners into me, but she never covered a formal visit from a shape-shifter. Should I start the conversation?
“Uh, thank you for coming,” I said. Constantly striving to be a gracious hostess, that’s me. “What do you want to tell me?”
The message is from Triton.
My heartbeat faltered. Triton was my first crush, the long-lost friend with whom I’d shared a strong and mutual telepathy. He was the only other soul I’d shared that gift with until now.
Pandora swiped a paw at my foot, forcing me to focus.
“How do you know Triton?”
Pandora simply blinked. Nothing stonewalls like a cat.
I sighed. “What is the message?”