Basilisk

Page 2

The deep voice made me gasp, a squeak of surprise before I spin to see a tall man leaning against a post. They were every ten feet around maze hedges. He was chewing on a tooth pick. Jacket loose, tie undone, first few shirt buttons undone. I was trying to place him. I knew his smell, it was lion. But five prides had sent small groups. His eyes went slowly down my body then back up. Approval was easily seen in those deep blue eyes.

"Isn't it your party?" That made me snort.

"Yep just like a cow owns the auction." I say a little snide in my tone.

"So you've come to escape? Want me to bugger off?" A slight accent came and went as he talked. He'd been raised somewhere else but he'd obviously been in the US most of his life.

"I don't mind sharing as long as you behave."

"My best behavior." He says crossing his heart with a finger. Going to the bench I sit and try to ignore his gaze. In silence I sit and watch my koi go around in circles. His eyes don't leave me but I did okay with ignoring him. He moved easily as he came over and sat next to me.

"Have you named them?" He asks crossing his legs toward me and putting an arm along the back of the bench.

"Yes. The black and white one is Po. The one with orange right on it's forehead is Tony."

"What about that little one?"

"Chaplin."

"The tri-color one?"

"Trinity. She's the only girl in the bunch. We have to watch every year and take her out before the boys make her a mom."

"The last one, it looks nearly white."

"It is white all except a little line of black under it's lips. Sylvester is his name. He and Trinity have a little romance going. Though they try to play it cool so the others don't notice. I've caught him rubbing scales. She ever has babies, I can guarantee he'll be the accidental father. If that happens we'll have to move her and the eggs to a holding tank."

"You don't want her to be a mom?"

"She's barely five, she's got a long time to have babies. Comparative she's just a baby in their years."

"I don't really know a lot about fish, other then how to descale and serve them baked. A little lemon on the side." I laugh at him.

"You heathen, I better not be missing fish the next time I come out here."

"They are a little too small. Not worth bothering. Now a big old bass, fresh from a river, that would be good."

"Whatever you say, heathen."

"Lions rarely fish. For one we don't like getting wet. For another they aren't very filling. A nice steak medium rare, potatoes, slaw, garlic toast. Now that's worth fixing and eating."

"Is that your favorite?" I ask.

"Favorite? No. My favorite food is macaroni and cheese." That made me laugh.

"So you are just a big kid then?"

"I don't think age limits should be put on food. I like mac and cheese, string cheese, sugary cereals, eating dessert before dinner, bowls of ice cream at midnight all sorts of things that people think are childish."

"Well, I can't really say much. I still do midnight raids on ice cream." A voice brought our attention to the entrance to the pond. Two men stepped in. My companion leaned toward me.

"If we're quiet maybe they'll go away." A few minutes pass and the two leave never noticing us. "You should make this spot harder to find. Maybe an entrance only you know where it is."