His shiny necklace is calling to me. Beckoning, even. It wants me to take them and use them in my nest. I’m sure of it. I could do so many things with them! I could stack them, roll them, shove things inside their center...I’m practically giddy at the thought.
I wiggle my butt a little and curl my tail around the arm rest for balance as I lean in once again. This time, I’m careful to dig my back claws in, sinking beneath the leather. So pro.
With more grip, I’m able to reach farther, and my front claw hooks around the chain. I squeak in victory, which is really stupid, considering I’m supposed to be quiet. I freeze, my beady eyes looking up at the male with anxiety.
Don’t wake up, don’t wake up, don’t friggen wake up!
He takes in another long, steady breath. I nearly sag in relief.
Slowly, so as not to wake him, I drag the chain over to my mouth, and I clutch it between my teeth. It pulls against his neck a little, but aside from his foot shifting, he doesn’t move at all.
With my dexterous hold—totally proud of that fact—I grab the small metal clasp. It only takes me three tries before I manage to snap one of the metal beads out of the clasp. Unfortunately, the chain slips out of my claws, and lug nuts go falling.
I watch in alarm as the metal pieces go rolling down his chest. I try to scramble and catch one, but no use, all four go slipping down out of reach. One bounces on the leather, arcing up in the air like an Olympic gymnast, heading right for the floor.
I lunge.
Legs outstretched, whiskers flapping, mouth wide open, tail flicking, I lunge. Looking like a damn flying squirrel, I get some impressive air as I reach with all of my might toward the lug nut projectile that’s flying through the air.
I strain to reach it before it falls. Almost...there…
The edge of my claw nearly touches it. It’s just a hair’s breadth away. Like Michelangelo’s painting of man and God, fingers nearly touching, The Creation of Adam is suddenly The Rat and Lug Nut.
So poignant.
At the last second, my claw curls around it, and then I’m falling. But I manage to yank the lug nut toward me and keep it clamped in my hands, secure against my belly.
Bam!
I hit the floor hard, but dammit, I keep hold of my prize. I lie there, stunned for a moment, staring up at the shadowy warehouse ceiling.
Cheese and mice, that hurt. But...victory!
I glance down at the lug nut, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I nuzzle it. It’s so smooth and polished. I can even see my reflection in its silvery surface. My nose twitches in satisfaction.
“I’d ask what happened to my necklace, but I think it’s safe to say that you happened.”
His voice startles me so badly that I jump to my feet, damn near dropping my prize in the process. A hand clamps around me, and then I’m lifted up in front of the male’s face.
“Easy, Mousey,” he says as I squirm and squeal in his hand.
I huff. Why do people keep calling me a damn mouse?
My rat makes some very unimpressed noises at him for his mistake. He looks down at the couch, where the rest of his lug nuts have fallen. “Your handiwork, I see.”
I stare at him unblinkingly, trying to gauge his mood. My rat watches him with wariness. I just got caught red-handed. If he’s a territorial shifter, this could get ugly. But luckily, he’s not squeezing me or growling or yelling. In fact, his mouth kicks up on one side like he’s trying to suppress a smile.
“You know, if you were hard up for lug nuts, you could’ve just asked,” he says as he lifts up the empty chain in his other hand.
He eyes the lug nut where it’s gripped in my hands and shoved partway into my mouth. I accidentally drool a little since it’s pressing hard against my tongue. My drool lands on his palm. Dude doesn’t even flinch.
“Can I have that back?” he asks with a smirk.
I startle at that question. Have it back? Yeah, that’s not happening. It’s in my mouth. On my tongue, covered in my spit. That’s basically the same thing as licking it, so that makes it mine. I have it on good authority that’s how things work.
The man has three other lug nuts. Surely he doesn’t need to be greedy?
As if he’s taking my stillness for a yes, he opens his palm, letting me stand freely on it, and then starts reaching for the metal with his other hand.
Finally shocked out of my stupor enough to listen to my flee instincts, I squeak in alarm and scramble away. Before he can grab a hold of me again, I go racing up his arm and shoulder, and then jump off, all four limbs out in full flying squirrel mode again.
I do a very impressive tuck and roll and land very nicely on my feet, but unfortunately, I drop my lug nut.
I race for it as it rolls beneath the couch, catching it once more. I clamp the thing in my mouth. Damn, it’s heavier than I realized.
But I will not be deterred.
Creeping out from under the couch, I spot the male shifter standing there with his arms crossed, smirking at me.
Slowly, he kneels down and holds out his hand. “You gonna give that to me now?”
I blink at him—all innocent like. Like I’ve suddenly changed my ways. My rat puts on her whole Oh, I’m just a sweet rat, look at my cute whiskers and my adorable eyes act.
“That’s it,” he coos as I start to slowly pad over to him, the lug nut still secure in my mouth. “Good girl.” I want to snort, but I manage to suppress it.
Right as I make it to the edge of his outstretched fingertips, he thinks he’s got me. I can see it in the satisfied gleam in his brown eyes.
But that’s when I make my move. Turning a sharp ninety-degree angle on my hind legs, I zoom past him, faster than he can react.
I run across the floor towards the stairs, the lug nut dragging slightly. “Hey! Get back here!”
Haha, sucker!
I sprint towards the stairs and up the little ramp as fast as my legs will carry me.
I make it all the way up to the top without his pursuit, but I swear, I hear him laugh quietly. By the time I’m back in Addie’s room, I’m panting like a dog in the summer heat. I race over to my cage and bury myself under the wood shavings inside.
Son of a nest breaker, that was intense.
I inwardly berate myself. I shouldn’t have done that. I just broke apart his necklace and stole from him. A male shifter, no less. Rick Dick would’ve skinned me alive for that.
I drop the lug nut and stare at it, running my hands over it lovingly. I wait a few more minutes, hiding, just to make sure the male shifter won’t come up here and try to take it back from me. To my shock and luck, he never comes, and I’m able to relax.
When I’m calmed down enough, I roll it over to the end of my cage, where I’ve already stacked some other pieces that I managed to chew off my toys. I put my treasure right in the center, and it damn well gleams. My nose twitches in satisfaction.
That male shifter might be totally pissed, but damn, this lug nut looks amazing in my nest.
Worth it.
4
Reese
That male is strange.
For the last five nights, I’ve snuck out of Addie’s room when everyone is asleep and gone downstairs. And every single time, there’s been something waiting for me on the top of the coffee table. I know it’s for me because, the first night, it was left beside a Post-it note that had a picture of some mouse ears drawn on it. Rat ears are far superior, by the way.