Chapter 1The Midnight Bellhop

After six months of unemployment, I finally landed a job as a front desk clerk at a hotel. The pay was great, the benefits even better. The only unusual requirement was that I had to like animals.

Looking at the calico cat that had been rubbing against my leg since I arrived for the interview, and the walls covered in photos of cats and dogs, I nodded. Must be a pet-friendly hotel.

My first shift was the night shift. Before the manager left, he kept looking at me like he wanted to say something, but couldn't. I just patted his shoulder reassuringly. “Don’t worry, I’ve got this.”

At eleven o'clock, the revolving doors started to turn. A few seconds later, a soaking wet, battered tuxedo cat leaped onto the stool in front of the reception desk.

“Human,” it said, its voice a gravelly hiss. “Get this cat a room. King-sized bed.”

“This cat needs a room.”