Hello everyone! Here's Part 1 of the final chapter of Drawing the Short Straw

When Felina tries to bolster her courage in order to take the next step, Razor ends up in dangerous territory...and finds that he likes it.

Author's Notes: So here it is: Part 1 of the final chapter of Drawing the Short Straw. I've had a blast writing this and I'm glad everyone enjoyed it.

At this point, I will add (and warn) that this chapter now starts the explicit nature of this story. Because of this (and the chapter was going to be too long) I split up the chapter. So if you don't want to read what goes on in the next chapter, you can skip to the epilogue. I like giving my readers options.

Readers really liked Feral's interaction with Felina. I'm glad it came across well, and hope you will like another character's conversation with Felina in this chapter, too.

Thanks to all my reviewers, and special thanks to Ulyferal, who got this chapter back to me very quickly. She made my work look good, and she's an invaluable beta and friend. Thanks Uly.

-AkaneKitty

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Drawing the Short Straw

Drawing the Final Straw: Part 1

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Felina hated feeling helpless...and vulnerable.

Freshly showered, and wearing an old Enforcer dress uniform shirt with the insignia removed, Felina ran her claws through her damp hair.

After patching Razor up, she had excused herself to cleanup. It wasn't a moment too soon since she wanted to get rid of that killer robot's residue as quickly as possible.

When her uncle pretty much confirmed the robot's pronouncement of her possible promotion, it shook Felina to the core. And she hated that. She knew it had to have handlers, so what else did they know about her?

Citations, her family and other things were public record. Anyone could look that up. But a possible promotion...Uncle Ulysses always kept those under wraps, and the only time you knew you were being promoted is when he pinned a new bar to your uniform.

Felina picked up her brush and began pulling it through her hair. Her nine lives were already an open book and she took great pains not to embarrass her uncle, her rank, or the Enforcers. It was her duty. But that robot stripped all that security away, leaving her feeling quite exposed.

It also didn't help that her sidearm was ineffective against the robot. If not for the fact the robot didn't have some kill order for her, she would be in a world of trouble. And if Razor hadn't been there...

She didn't finish the thought...trained to not delve into "what ifs". To start that would lead you spiraling down into a dark hole that took time to crawl out of. But she couldn't help herself. What if Razor hadn't been there...what if it had been an ordinary katizen? Would she be able to help them?

Frustrated, Felina shook her head. She needed to let off some steam and the only way to do that was to shoot something...or fuck something...preferably both.

She stared at her bedroom door, thinking about Razor. Why was she being so damn gun shy around the SWAT Kat now?

It wasn't fear of the unknown. She'd done too many one-night stands and walk of shames, for it to bother her anymore. And she could argue, she knew Razor a lot more than those toms.

They had flirted heavily the entire night and that's usually all she needed. Was it because he was injured? Or that it could be a betrayal against her uncle?

Or was she falling for the tom? She sighed, disgusted. What was with her falling for toms during gunfights?

At that moment, Felina's cell phone decided to chirp. She was grateful she remembered to bring her phone into the bedroom with her. Reaching across the bed, she grabbed it and pressed a button, knowing who it was by the signature ring alone...and the fact that only one she-kat would call her at this hour.

"Hello?"

"It is nearly four a.m. I'm craving a French 75 to help myself go to sleep. I go to my bar, and guess what happens? I find all my hard liquor gone and that a certain she-kat didn't do what she promised when she raided my bar!"

Felina blushed, her voice sheepish, "Sorry, Callie. I've been way too busy, and you haven't exactly been available yourself."

Callie made a rude noise. "These budget meetings have been a bitch! I'll be glad when they're over with so we can resume our happy hours."

"Me, too. I could use a drink right about now."

"What's been going on?"

"Uncle Ulysses called me earlier to say I've been tasked to be the new C3 officer when Major Lewis goes on maternity leave."

"C3? Hey, that's a city hall liaison! I'll get to see you more!"

"Really? Doesn't uncle do that?"

"Only for the big stuff. Ulysses leaves everything else, like sitting in public safety meetings, to his C3 officer."

"Interesting."

"So...," Callie's voice took on a roguish tone, "...anything scandalous?"

"Well...," Felina lowered her voice, "...It could be, so I need your advice."

"For what? And why are you suddenly whispering?" Callie demanded.

"Umm..."

"Let me guess..." Felina could hear the wheels turning in the blonde's head. "You have a potential partner in the next room, don't you?"

"Yep."

"Male or female?"

"Male."

"Gabriel?"

Felina snorted. "He wishes."

"So who is it?"

"I can't say."

"You can't say or you won't say?"

"Both."

Callie made angry noises, so Felina waited until her friend calmed down. "Callie, you know I would tell you if I could. It's just that, I can't right now. It's...complicated."

"Sure it is..." Callie huffed, disbelief dripping from her voice, but she regained her composure. "So, what did you want to ask?"

"OK, I know I might regret asking you this, but..."

"Mmm, hmm."

"Without giving me the gory details...," Felina took a deep breath, "...when did you decide to...uh...be with my uncle..."

Callie figured out what Felina was trying to ask and decided to make her friend work for it. "To what?"

"Don't make me say it."

"What fun would that be?"

Felina cringed and buried her head beneath a nearby pillow. "When did you decide to fuck my uncle?"

Callie laughed. "There. Don't you feel better?"

"No I don't!"

The Deputy Mayor and Commander's rather intimate relationship was not public knowledge. And if Callie had not inadvertently given Felina a clue to whom her lover was, no one in Megakat City would ever know. It was an impressive feat, as the Megakat City's Press Corps was rather large and tended to smell the blood in the water regarding anything illicit, very quickly. The fact the two of them had been dating for months without anyone finding out, was proof of their resolve to keep their relationship out of the public eye.

"Sorry, just had to do it." Callie's laughter died off. "But to be serious, it was during the walk on the beach after our date. You know the signs. You pretty much know what you're going to do before the date even starts. So you start getting mentally prepared...as well as physically."

"Like you did?"

"A lady is always prepared."

"A little too prepared."

"Like I'm sure you are right now." Callie snorted. "Because if you're not wearing that tank top and shorts combo that you wear when you sleepover at my condo, you're kidding yourself."

Felina sighed.

"What are you wearing?"

"Old dress uniform shirt."

"And no underwear right?"

"...Right."

"Told you."

Felina sighed again. "I suppose you're right."

"I know I am. So what's keeping you from fucking the tom?"

"Mixing work and pleasure...shirking duty..."

"Unless you're fucking a SWAT Kat, you really shouldn't have anything to worry about."

Felina inwardly groaned. Callie had an amazing tendency to know exactly what was going on and not realize it.

"This isn't like you to hesitate, Felina," Callie continued. "So do yourself a favor and do it. Just give me the details later."

"All right, all right."

"But regarding that tom...it's someone I know, right?"

Smiling, Felina couldn't help herself. "Bingo."

"That makes it easier to guess. I'll pepper you with questions later." Callie tittered, obviously enjoying herself. "Night, Felina."

"Good night."

Felina signed off and extracted herself from beneath her pillow. Laying back on it, she went over her friend's advice in her head. She smiled. Callie tended to be blunt, but she was right. Felina had already decided what she wanted to do to the SWAT Kat and had prepared for it. The only question was how to get things started.

Felina's smile dissolved into a smirk. It was time for something out of the trusty Feral Playbook.

And she knew exactly what to do.

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Razor couldn't sleep.

Still in a bit of pain due to the fifteen stitches Felina gave him, Razor ambled around her living room, trying not to be too nosy.

He was working on a good buzz due to drinking his three beers, Felina's beer, and the remaining two beers in the fridge. He wasn't sure why the beers hit him so hard. Felina's brand wasn't particularly strong. It might be due to exhaustion and blood loss.

Lightly rubbing his bandaged arm, Razor continued his aimless meandering. Like most Enforcer officers, Felina kept her apartment neat and tidy. It had a modern feel to it and looked barely lived in. Probably due to the fact, Felina had just moved in and like other officers, used her place to mostly rest and sleep between shifts.

She didn't seem to have anything personal displayed, but that didn't surprise Razor. If she displayed anything, it would be in her bedroom.

Speaking of bedrooms...

Razor glanced over at the closed bedroom door. He hoped she was okay. Feral's announcement of a potential promotion seemed like it shook her. He could understand why: During the time he was an Enforcer, Feral never gave a kat a hint about a possible promotion. So the robot knowing this meant that it also knew private things about her as well. As well its handlers. Who could those handlers be?

Frowning, he focused his attention back to the room he stood in, searching for some way he could show her his appreciation for her taking such a risk in patching him up. He had already cleaned her living room. No need for his medic to clean up the mess he caused. But he wanted to do something more.

His eyed lit on Felina's sidearm laying where she'd left it, on her bookshelf. Walking over, he picked it up and began giving it a good looking over.

He could rework her piece to give it a bit more firepower. Since it wasn't an official Enforcer sidearm but a Pumadyne prototype, Razor was sure he could get away with it and not get Felina in trouble for using a modified sidearm. And since he figured she would be like other gunners whose arms failed them in the field, she wouldn't be using it for a while.

Happy he found something he could do for her, Razor began to fieldstrip the gun, hopeful he'd found the cure for his insomnia and eager to start learning how it worked. So eager, he forgot to sit down...or hear Felina's bedroom door quietly open.

The pretty she-kat slipped out into her living room, noting the television was off, but the table light on the end table next to her sofa was turned on. Then she spotted the back of the SWAT Kat leaning against her bookcase. Razor had apparently taken her sidearm apart and was inspecting it with interest.

"Gunny?"

"Hmm?" Razor's head snapped up, but he didn't turn to look at her. He'd learned long ago to give a she-kat time to do any last minute adjustments...like closing a robe. "Sorry, Felina. Did I wake you?"

"No. I couldn't sleep. Just came out to see how my patient is doing."

"I'm...fine."

Razor turned to face Felina...and completely froze, the words he was going to say stuck in his throat.

Felina stood beside her bedroom door, clad in what appeared to be an old uniform shirt. The shirt itself was nothing special, only that it hugged her curves more than her dress did, and it appeared to be almost a size too small. The fact she left a few buttons undone to allow room for her ample breasts was just icing on the cake.

Felina tilted her head slightly to the side, and Razor became aware he was staring, fumbling with the pieces of her gun. He caught most of them before they fell but the gun barrel clattered to the floor. Muttering, he scooped down to pick it up, catching more appealing glimpse's of her body as he did so. Her long legs were toned, shapely, and had the right amount of muscle definition.

He took long moments appreciating the sights...and wishing they were wrapped around him.

"Hey," Felina said softy, after a moment, pointing to her face. "My eyes are up here."

"You have eyes?"

She laughed lightly, looking slightly embarrassed, and those feelings Razor thought he had squelched came roaring back. How many times did toms...or she-kats for that matter...have such visceral reactions towards her? Did she get used to it? Embarrassed by it? Or was it something she relished?

Standing up, Razor started placing the pieces of the gun back on the shelf. Modifying the sidearm would have to wait, as he was far too distracted to work on it right now.

Bemused, Felina asked, "What were you doing with my gun?"

"I thought I could remodel it to produce a little extra power. Since it's a prototype and not standard Enforcer issue, I thought you could get by with using it without suspicion if I reworked it." Razor replied, using all his will power to focus on Felina's face than her body. "Just my way of saying thanks for all your help."

"You don't have to do that."

"I know. But the chivalrous tom in me says to do this or get you some flowers," Razor replied. "But I'm thinking you'd like this more than flowers."

"Thank you, Gunny."

"I should be thanking you again. Besides, I couldn't sleep either."

Smiling, Felina walked over and moved behind Razor. Before he could ask what she was doing, she ran her claws down his back. Tingles of pleasure spread throughout his body, and he began to have trouble concentrating on anything else but Felina. And wanting her badly.

Not good.

"Hmm...You're tense. No wonder you can't sleep."

"Really?"

"Mmm, hmm."

As Felina continued to lightly rub his back, Razor became aware of her scent. Some combination of lemons and apples, which was very nice and sweet smelling. He smelled the same scent on the way to the wharf, but at the time it had been more subtle...now it was intoxicating.

He didn't quite understand it. Maybe it was because of the charged air between them that made his fur stand on end. It seemed that it magnified everything between, including her touch.

"Hey."

"Hmm?"

"It seems like I owe you a back massage," Felina purred quietly, her paws coming to rest on his shoulders. "Would you like one?"

He noticed her voice was soft...almost shy. That wasn't like her.

It was an incredible turn on. But it was also moving into very dangerous territory.

"I don't know..."

"Aww..."

Felina slowly moved her paws across Razor's shoulders to let them lightly rub his arm. Her silken voice tickling his ear, caused his mind to wander into inappropriate places.

"It could be fun..."

Razor kicked himself at his reactions. She was teasing him! A very sexy tease that he liked very much, but he had no defense against. Had she figured out what buttons to push? Or he was he too buzzed and exhausted to put up a good offense?

"Lina..."

"As I said Gunny, you can only call me that in the bedroom." Felina leaned in closer, letting her chest just barely touch Razor's body. "So what do you say?"

The last of Razor's willpower crumbled and the SWAT Kat found himself nodding. Gently taking his paw, Felina guided him toward her bedroom, a triumphant gleam in her eyes.

Feral Play #398. She would have to thank her aunt for that one later.