The rising sun filled the bedroom with a soft golden light, the sound of something sizzling making Maddie blink awake. She stretched luxuriously, all the way from the tip of her tail to the ends of her whiskers. She took a moment to groom, rubbing a paw over her ears and nibbling on the side of her thigh. The silk sheets were warm and inviting, but the scents and sounds from the kitchen were far more enticing. She leapt to the ground with a whump, nosing her way though the cat door and down the hallway.
The kitchen was warm and she padded up to the man standing at the stove. With a soft trill, she rubbed against his ankles, wrapping her tail around his leg.
"Good morning, sleepy," Vlad greeted. He reached down to scratch between her ears.
"Wrr." She arched her back, looking up mournfully.
Vlad smiled down at the cat, telling her, "No, Maddie, I'm cooking."
Maddie sat, curling her tail around her paws. The tip curled up to her chest and her purred loudly.
"No," Vlad insisted. He manuvered the food in his pan, flipping two thick strips of bacon. "You can't always have what you want, little miss."
Maddie blinked slowly, still rumbling with deep purring.
Vlad sighed. "All right, fine. Come here, Maddie."
The man reached down, hefting the cat into his arms. Maddie trilled happily, wriggling until she was settled against his chest, supported by one arm. She dug her claws into his shoulder and wrapped her tail around his wrist.
Vlad laughed at Maddie, nuzzling into her cheek. "Don't act so smug. You're only waiting on me to finish so you can have some of my bacon, you little fiend."
Maddie just continued to purr away, closing her eyes. As comfortable as the bed was, there could be nowhere warmer than where she was now.