Cat Scratch Fever

A/N: This is a short chapter, I know. Really short. >___<;;;

Thanks to reviewers Lisa (I hope I answered your question. X3), Solstice (here’s more! And there’ll be more coming. =3) and Autumn (omg A new reader! XD Welcome, and thanks so much for giving my stories a try. ^w^) *hugs y’all*

 

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Chapter Twelve

 

Reese reflexively shook the hand offered to him, still floored with the younger man’s exuberance and quick introduction as Ichigo continued to beam. “Your... grandmother’s told you about me?” Reese asked dazedly. Ichigo nodded vigorously as he let go of Reese’s hand, chirping his response.

“Yup! Nik’s told you about Abigail Trenton, right? The lady that found Nik and brought him to live with us?

“I’m her grandson, by blood.”

Reese finally understood. Nikolai had said that Granny Abby was more than a benefactor. She had treated him like family, and it was clear that he returned the sentiment. He told her of his chance encounter with Reese all those years ago, and she wanted to help him as much as she could. It only made sense for the kind matron to tell the rest of her family about Reese, as well.

The brunet suddenly felt a chill down his spine, coming out of his daze to look around. He noticed Nikolai and Ichigo looking up at the mansion, following their gazes to find someone staring out a second-story window, down at them. Reese thought it looked like Viktor, but whoever it was left the window before he could be sure.

Ichigo spoke then, his tone low. “Looks like somebody doesn’t like my car in their driveway.” He stuck his tongue out, blowing a small raspberry at the empty window before rounding the car. He lightened up as he said, “C’mon you guys, let’s blow this popsicle stand!”

Ichigo got into the driver’s seat as Reese and Nikolai settled into the back seat. The brunet was a little unsettled, as was Nikolai if the return of the Lycan’s tension was anything to go by. But Nikolai said nothing about it, seeming to choose ignorance in favor of catching up with his young friend.

They all buckled in as Nikolai asked, “When did you get your license, Ichi?”

The car rumbled to life. “Not long after the last time you were home, two years ago,” Ichigo replied. “The car was an eighteenth birthday gift from Dad, though.”

“That’s right, that was a few months ago, wasn’t it? Happy birthday, kiddo.”

Ichigo thanked him as he shifted gears, pulling them away from the Felian manor. As he slowly drove down the long gravel driveway to the gates, Nikolai spoke again.

“So, how are the others doing? Your dad and siblings doing alright?”

“They are. Dad’s still got his clinic, and Liza is still studying acupuncture. But did you hear about my brother?”

“I think so. He quit the modeling business, didn’t he? It must have been a tough decision.”

“Not really,” Ichigo said with a giggle. “In fact, he was pretty happy when his last contract expired. His job was interfering with his med school classes, and personal life.”

Nikolai nodded thoughtfully. “It kept him pretty busy, didn’t it?” After a moment he said, “So, what’s been up with you?”

Another giggle. “Oh, a lot’s been up with me.” A sly smile crossed Ichigo’s face as he looked over his shoulder at Nikolai. “Especially recently.”

Nikolai raised an eyebrow at him. “Oh?”

Ichigo faced forward. “You’ll just have to wait and see,” he said impishly, “once we get home.”

Nikolai chuckled. “You haven’t changed a bit.” He put a hand on Reese’s knee as he said, “But it’ll be good to be home.” Reese put a hand over his as he said, “It’ll be really good to be home.”

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Hours later, the car pulled up to another pair of gates leading to a gravel driveway. But once they were through, Reese noticed a huge difference between Granny Abby’s property and the Felian’s.

The Felian driveway was flanked by huge, manicured lawns and the mansion could be seen within a few minutes. But Abby’s driveway was flanked by trees on either side, and the mansion itself couldn’t be seen, yet. However, it was far from dark and foreboding. Reese thought the way the sunlight filtered through the thick canopy of leaves was pretty, and the trees themselves were tall and healthy-looking. Ichigo had partially rolled down his window, and singing birds could be heard.

All-in-all, it was just a very peaceful scene. Reese rolled his window down, breathing in the fresh air as Nikolai watched the trees go by, small smiles on their faces. It was a sight the Lycan hadn’t seen in nearly two years and, while Nikolai had kept in touch with Granny Abby, he hadn’t visited at all in that time. He knew she didn’t blame him, but he felt bad about it all the same. He didn’t have time to dwell on it, because at that moment they left the trees, Ichigo slowly driving them into a large clearing as he and Reese winced from the sudden increase in light. As their vision cleared, Nikolai chuckled as his love’s eyes widened. It was almost the same reaction he had when Granny first found him, and took him into her home. The sight of the large flower fields on either side of the road gave a man a feeling of serenity, even as the sight of the mansion filled one with trepidation, the words “what have I gotten myself into” crossing your mind.

It was positively massive. Though only three stories tall, it reached for the trees on either side, making it about half a football field wide. Many windows lined the front, facing east to let the morning sunlight in. Flowerboxes lined some, particularly toward the ends where the private rooms were. But despite the cheeriness the flowers gave, the sheer size of the place was enough to make Reese plenty nervous.

The brunet shook his head before turning it to the side, looking at the field. He was trying to think of something to say, anything to get his mind off the odd feeling in his stomach. Butterflies and lead warred for dominance as a white rabbit on the side of the road sat on its haunches, its red eyes meeting Reese’s over flowers as it watched them go by. Ichigo lightly honked the horn, waving to the rabbit before it started to follow them, as though racing the car until it fell behind. As Reese looked back he saw it hop into the flowers, disappearing like a fluffy little ghost.

“Was that a friend of yours?” he asked, turning back to see kitty ears emerge from Ichigo’s hair.

“Yup,” said the younger (and now apparent) Lycan. “I couldn’t really tell from here, but it might have been Peter or Patricia. They’re twins, you see. But I’m sure you’ll meet both of them soon or later.” Reese nodded and, after a few seconds of blinking and staring at the back of Ichigo’s head, he asked another question.

“You’re a Lycan, too? I thought Abby wasn’t a Lycan.”

“She’s not,” said Ichigo, his black, white-tipped ears twitching. “And neither was her daughter, my mom. Dad’s the Lycan in my family.”

Nikolai shifted, his own kitty ears and tail emerging as he said, “There are a lot of half-Lycans like Ichi living here. Or at least, there were. I don’t know what it’s like, these days.”

Before Ichigo could answer, they were pulling up to the front door.

The driveway became a large cul-de-sac, a small fountain in the very middle of the circle. Rocks rose from the basin, water streaming down the crags as a somewhat weathered bronze wolf stood atop the largest one, ears tall as it looked into the distance. Reese admired the detail in the statue as they rounded the cul-de-sac, the car stopping a short way from the front door steps. Ichigo killed the engine, cueing everybody to climb out of the car. As the trunk was opened, Reese looked up at the mansion dazedly, idly wondering if it was even bigger inside than it seemed on the outside.

The thought made him gulp. Reese already felt tiny compared to the house.

He snapped out of it, finally closing his door and moving to get his luggage, which Nikolai handed to him. Ichigo waited for them at the mansion’s front door, jangling his keys as his tail swished excitedly behind him. Once the trunk had been closed, Ichigo turned to unlock the door, Reese taking a deep breath as Nikolai took his hand.

There was a whole new world beyond that wooden portal, but he’d dive into it head-first. Getting to know the people that gave Nikolai a home would be worth every minute.

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TBC...............