The Wake-up Call

Funny how waking up properly is like a slow reboot. The hiss of static becomes the pounding of rain against the windows, the body recognizes the familar rub of sheets against skin and the nose breaths in a bit deeper than it had, taking in scents to process.
Paul carefully moved each of his digits, then limbs, then he clenched his stomach and hauled himself upright. Opening his eyes he looked around the room and smiled softly to himself the familar tiny homey feeling room still exactly the same as he fell asleep to. He couldn't explain why he felt the way he did, why he liked this particular hotel so much but he had his reasons. "A few days away from home, no one to bother me, no responsibilities, not even to clean up" always left him feeling...new. Like he was taking a break from reality for awhile.

He twisted in bed and checked the digital clock on the nightstand...far too early...but he was awake now. He debated eating the leftovers in the fridge, but didn't feel too hungry. Instead he felt...daring. Some bizarre urge struck him, this hour, this moment. He bit his lip and weighed the impulse quietly in his head. Why not? Slipping out of bed, he grabbed two towels, the fluffy robe he knew they had just replaced and tied it around himself. He grabbed his room key, his phone and stuffed them in his pockets. Now to begin his mildly daring journey. From his room to the elevator, he rolled his eyes at the DENSE reek of weed. Not that any of the staff truly cared, until one of the other 'residents' complained and no one ever did. At least he never heard of it. He did pause briefly as he heard from one of the rooms rough yells of ecstacy. He smirked and shook his head, padding along in his bare feet. He definitely appreciated the floors of the hotel being so densely carpeted now that he had to feel them underfoot. Finally as the elevator dinged, he stepped around the corner to his destination. He swiped his room key and unlocked the door.  Stepping inside he inhaled the dense wall of chlorine and water, walking through the humid air to turn the hot tub bubbles on to an acceptable temperature. He dragged a chair over and placed his towels down, flicked his robe off and slid into the waters gingerly but quickly.
Some of the tiles were uncomfortable on his bare skin, but the thrill of "getting away" with something so simple and casual filled him with a sense of safety and calm. He sank into the waters and sighed happily, closing his eyes...until he heard the tell-tale 'Beep" of the door reader. He struggled between diving for his robe or sinking lower into the water as he whirled around to face the intruder. Which only made his mind swim as his eyes focused on something he had trouble processing.
A lithe cat. She looked more nervous than he did, ducking into the room and giving a sheepish wave. On pure polite instinct, he waved back. He could only hear bubbles in his head as his brain struggled to make sense of the creature before him. Dressed like some kid, yarn-multi colored bikini top covering only her nipples and shorts that were cut so small he saw her pocket insides flapping against her thighs. But coated in fur, curious large cat eyes and ears...he slid back as she moved forward. Less concerned about being seen naked now, not that the foam surrounding him had that well covered, more concerned with the vision before him.
 "...you hear me?"
He blinked rapidly and rubbed his eyes. "Uh?" He grunted in response. She smirked and padded up the hot tub.

 "I said, 'do you mind if I join you?' Those guys in the room upstairs going at it...not the best for sleep" she snorted.

Paul cleared his throat and sniffed nonchalantly, motioning to the rest of the foaming circle.
"T-take a seak" he coughed, then shook his head.
"Seat! Take. A. Seat." He groaned.
The cat giggled and her ears twitched as she sat on the raised edge of the small pool across from him, dipping her long elegant legs into the tub. He had to rub his eyes again to stop from staring.
A. She was...a cat.
B. She looked WAY too young for his tastes, despite how his cock twitched at her powerful and long body and how gracefully she moved. He desperately wanted to trace those thighs..he shook his head and leaned back, crossing his leg to crush his erection down.

"I'm Daisy by the way"
she smiled as she crossed her legs as well, causing his eyes to catch the anklet that dangled there...and the claws at the end of those toes?paws?
He returned her polite smile and nodded.
"Uh..Paul, pleasure to meet ya little lady!" He tipped an imaginary hat at her, which earned him a look and bright giggling laughter that only lasted a second but made his stomach flutter. He kicked his own ass and he stroked his moustache to cover his stupid grin until he managed to force it down.

"We're not supposed to be in here are we?" Daisy whispered, a playful smirk plastered on her whiskered face now.
He had to bite his tongue to keep from blurting out "well you shouldn't even exist so no" instead he just shrugged lazily.
"We're guests, we're paying for it" he spread himself out lazily and she pursed her lips (an odd expression for a cat) before nodding, grinning.
"Guess you're right"
Daisy went to lazily swishing her feet through the water, as her tail swished behind her while doing something on her phone.

Paul analyzed the young cat as subtly as he could, trying to place what species she might be, or trying to make sense of what was happening. But before he could come to any conclusions she effortlessly lifted herself around and out of the water and slid her toes through the much larger indoor pool, squealing lightly and shivering. Paul watched the fluff on her arms rise slightly.
"Geez! Don't they warm this stupid thing??"
Paul replied almost instantly "only when it's 'official pool hours', and staff are here" he nodded.

Daisy frowned and huffed, Paul was busy kicking himself for staring at her ass.
"Well shoot, ruins that mood...what's open then?" She spoke more to herself than paul, but he answered immediately anyway.
"Like food? McDonald's across the street, that's about it until 6" Daisy looked like she weighed the option in her head before frowning.
Paul just shrugged.
"Damn...ah well, thanks Paul right? Guess I'll go find something! Good night!"
"G-good night Miss"
"Daisy, call me Daisy"
Paul definitely felt his cheeks heat and his cock stir again as she playfully glared.
"Good night Daisy" He managed to sigh out, smiling. The cat wiggled her fingers at him and pranced out of the pool room, glancing back at him as she left.

Paul waited a long moment before tugging at his scruffy beard and scratching rapidly at his skull. What the FUCK WAS THAT?! he dashed out of the tub and frantically tied the robe around himself, slowing just enough to pad himself dry with the towels and rushed to the door. The hallways were empty. Was she...a ghost? A fucking specter? He scratched his head furiously again, desperately trying to rationalize the situation. He rushed around to the small "corner store" the hotel had inside it, grabbing a paper with his moderately dry fingers.
The date, same, the place same.
But...some names were different from when he checked in and the large pictures in the major stories had animal people in them.
Not furries, people in suits...but ACTUAL FUCKING ANIMALS AS people! His head swam and he felt lightheaded. As he walked back to his room, he shook his head again and again. His room key still worked and everything inside was still the exact same as he left it.
He threw his towels on the chair in the kitchenette,  not caring as one missed and hit the floor. He collapsed in the massive chair in the corner and turned on his phone's radio.
"Music. Music will help.." he mumbled as he closed his eyes and leaned back...passing out.

[Chapter 2]

The sharp buzzing ring of a phone jolted him awake, the old-fashioned but familiar “BRRRNG BRRNG”.

Paul groaned and rolled onto his side, bleary-eyed and half-blind, groping for the phone attached to the clock. He yanked it off the receiver and worked his throat and jaw to ease the muscles, readying himself for speech before putting the earpiece to his ear. “Hello?”

“Good Morning Mr. List, This is your 8am courtesy call”

“I didn’t ask for a--”

“Our courtesy call is simply to remind you that you have 3 days with us, and to make sure your stay is a pleasant one. Please refrain from alerting the other guests too much or there will be Fees added to your account.”

Paul’s blood froze and somet deep primal fear crawled up his spine assuring him that was a threat. He knew what they meant, but before he could relay the message to his conscious mind, his mouth moved. “What kind of Fees?”

“Very unpleasant Fees, Sir, we may have to end your stay with us early, Understand?”

Paul suddenly got the ghostly sense of long spidery fingers clawing around his throat and tightening slowly. “Crystaline..” he wheezed. The ghostly feeling vanished.

“Good! We do hope your stay is a pleasant one Mr. List and I hope you enjoy the view Paul”

A sudden feeling of falling, rocking, something banging. A vision of the young cat from last night, gripping his hands to her breasts as she rolled her hips before pinning his hands above his head. ‘She’s outside my ‘range’ his inner mind chided. “Don’t you want me?” she purred before opening her maw. He felt hot breath and teeth on his neck. The banging didn’t stop.


Suddenly Paul jolted awake in his seat, gasping for air and sweating enough to leave a cold stain on the robe. He stood...was the pounding still in his head? He tied his robe around him and his hearing focused. He blinked slowly and stumbled to the door to poke his head out.

“Come ON! OPEN UP!” she hissed, kicking the door before she jumped, ears flattened against her head.

 “OH jeez! Sorry!..uh, Paul right? Dang, sorry!”

Daisy twisted around, swaying really, suddenly embarrassed. Paul coughed and nodded, still blinking away sleep as he raised his hand in a placating motion.

“No problem, already up...You okay?” He looked from her and to the door. He thanked his lucky stars that she was at least wearing a large hoodie this time to cover herself.

Daisy sighed and glanced back at the door “Forgot my Key” she shoved her hands in her pockets. Paul took a deep breath and scratched his head slowly “And it’s too early for the staff to be at the desk” he groaned. He opened his door a little more and shifted nervously, his dreams still weighing on him. But his conscience wouldn’t let him get away without asking.

“Would you like to sit inside my room until the desk opens? I promise it’s warmer and safer than the hallway..” he mumbled. Something tugged on the back of his brain and he winced as he said it.

“Sure” She shrugged with surprising ease. He barely had time to process her response before she was inside his room, dashing into the restroom and locking the door behind her. He shut the door wordlessly and scratched his head frantically to shake his thoughts loose before he stepped around and began dressing himself, tossing off the robe when he decided he was ‘decent’ enough for company. Before too long Daisy stepped out of the bathroom with a lightness and huffed, flinging herself onto the sofa next to him. He was uncomfortably aware of her paws hovering by his arm and the long claws she occasionally flexed...and her legs all the way up to her hips. Paul swallowed and chewed on his lip slowly. His mouth opened and closed as he struggled to come up with an adequate question to begin his probing. Daisy broke the silence first.

“Thanks, I’ve been holding that for awhile”

Paul paused, then shook his head “Oh, right, yea nah, it’s cool”

“How long you been here?”

Paul opened his mouth before chewing on his lip again “I ah..Just got in yesterday”

“Cool, we’ve been bumming around for at least a week or so, waiting for work, you know the big data centers in the area? Flew us in just to work on em” Daisy crossed her arms behind her head and Paul watched her tail roll back and forth along the cushions. “Guess it's the same for you?”

Paul coughed and rolled his neck, closing his eyes as he smirked “Nah, I live in the area, I just like ‘taking some time off’. Daisy smirked and her whiskers twitched “Yeah? That’s...interesting way of looking at it, so you come here, blow off some steam and go home refreshed…” she dramatically leaned over the side of the sofa and looked around. “Surprised there’s not more tissues around”

Paul sputtered and his ears turned a shade of pink. “Not that kind of relaxing!”

Daisy burst out laughing, sitting up and crossing her legs. “Well I know you don’t have girls over!”

Paul gaped at her and stammered “I-i could!” Daisy just rolled her eyes and tapped her nose as if that explained everything.