demonic presence, nothing human or angelic. Was this some kind of trap? Sebastian paused for a moment, just to make sure there wasn’t an electronic alarm system either.
There wasn’t. He snorted and shook his head, disgusted all over again.
How stupid. A woman living alone, and a Guardian no less. Of all people, she should know better.
Sebastian eased into what appeared to be the living room and closed the door. He glanced around, looking for a good place to start.
The term organized chaos came to mind.
Stacks of corded newspapers rested near the door. As if someone had bound them with the intention of carrying them out for recycling, but then gotten sidetracked. Indeed, the majority of the house was in much the same state. Baskets of clothing sat near the foot of the staircase, clean and neatly folded, but someone had neglected to take them the rest of the way upstairs and put them away.
A vacuum cleaner waited near the end of the couch with its cord wrapped up in perfect order. The floor was spotless, but the vacuum had yet to be put away. A green, reusable grocery bag rested on the counter dividing living room from kitchen, half unpacked and pretty much forgotten. Everywhere he looked tasks were partially completed.
His attention landed on the coffee table. A notebook rested atop a tidy stack of papers. A file box sat on the floor nearby, lid open. After scanning through the papers on the table, he found what he realized was her itinerary.
Could she make this any easier?
Again, the uneasy feeling of walking into a trap rippled over his skin. He perused the detailed schedule. The script was feminine and flowing. He smiled when he located not only her destination, but also the name of her guide.
Piece. Of. Cake.
He should have just done this earlier, rather than chase her all over town. Then he’d be the one a step ahead. But he’d thought he’d be able to catch up to her and just snatch her off the street. That she’d eluded him time after time, without even knowing she was eluding him, jerked his chain all over again.
A bloodcurdling screech rent the air, catching him off guard. An enormous ball of pissed off orange fur came hurling at him from out of nowhere. Searing pain exploded down the side of his face as he fought to tear the yowling monster away. Instead of dislodging the little beast, he only succeeded in fueling its fury. It sank spiky claws into his shoulder and chest, ripping streaks of fire across his flesh. Sebastian bellowed in shock and pain.
His mind raced as he sought to fend off the attack. But the damned thing clung like a bur. Animagi? But what kind? It didn’t smell like Animagi, though. And he’d never encountered one so small before. Was this a hybrid? Each wound the creature inflicted throbbed and pulsed as if injected with venom of some kind. But weak venom, as it didn’t induce immediate hallucinations or paralysis, but damn did it burn all the same.
And just like that, the fiend was gone. Only then, as the devil crouched, hissing and spitting in the corner, back arched and luminous irises glowing, did Sebastian get his first real look at his assailant.
A damned cat.
Sweet saints, he hated cats. And they hated him.
Witness exhibit A.
His chest, scratched to hell and back, stung something fierce. Wetness dripped onto his now shredded T-shirt. Scowling, Sebastian probed his burning cheek. His fingers came away smeared with crimson. He snarled. The double damned cat let out another screech and scurried for cover.
One thing was for certain. Professor Phoebe Mackenzie better enjoy her brief reprieve. Because once he caught up with the woman, he damned well might strangle her with his bare hands.
Chapter One
Phoebe hefted her carry on and stifled a huge yawn. She readjusted the shoulder strap as she strode down the terminal in Alberto Acuña Ongay International Airport. She’d made it to Campeche, Mexico without incident.
When’s the other shoe going to drop?
Nope,
There wasn’t. He snorted and shook his head, disgusted all over again.
How stupid. A woman living alone, and a Guardian no less. Of all people, she should know better.
Sebastian eased into what appeared to be the living room and closed the door. He glanced around, looking for a good place to start.
The term organized chaos came to mind.
Stacks of corded newspapers rested near the door. As if someone had bound them with the intention of carrying them out for recycling, but then gotten sidetracked. Indeed, the majority of the house was in much the same state. Baskets of clothing sat near the foot of the staircase, clean and neatly folded, but someone had neglected to take them the rest of the way upstairs and put them away.
A vacuum cleaner waited near the end of the couch with its cord wrapped up in perfect order. The floor was spotless, but the vacuum had yet to be put away. A green, reusable grocery bag rested on the counter dividing living room from kitchen, half unpacked and pretty much forgotten. Everywhere he looked tasks were partially completed.
His attention landed on the coffee table. A notebook rested atop a tidy stack of papers. A file box sat on the floor nearby, lid open. After scanning through the papers on the table, he found what he realized was her itinerary.
Could she make this any easier?
Again, the uneasy feeling of walking into a trap rippled over his skin. He perused the detailed schedule. The script was feminine and flowing. He smiled when he located not only her destination, but also the name of her guide.
Piece. Of. Cake.
He should have just done this earlier, rather than chase her all over town. Then he’d be the one a step ahead. But he’d thought he’d be able to catch up to her and just snatch her off the street. That she’d eluded him time after time, without even knowing she was eluding him, jerked his chain all over again.
A bloodcurdling screech rent the air, catching him off guard. An enormous ball of pissed off orange fur came hurling at him from out of nowhere. Searing pain exploded down the side of his face as he fought to tear the yowling monster away. Instead of dislodging the little beast, he only succeeded in fueling its fury. It sank spiky claws into his shoulder and chest, ripping streaks of fire across his flesh. Sebastian bellowed in shock and pain.
His mind raced as he sought to fend off the attack. But the damned thing clung like a bur. Animagi? But what kind? It didn’t smell like Animagi, though. And he’d never encountered one so small before. Was this a hybrid? Each wound the creature inflicted throbbed and pulsed as if injected with venom of some kind. But weak venom, as it didn’t induce immediate hallucinations or paralysis, but damn did it burn all the same.
And just like that, the fiend was gone. Only then, as the devil crouched, hissing and spitting in the corner, back arched and luminous irises glowing, did Sebastian get his first real look at his assailant.
A damned cat.
Sweet saints, he hated cats. And they hated him.
Witness exhibit A.
His chest, scratched to hell and back, stung something fierce. Wetness dripped onto his now shredded T-shirt. Scowling, Sebastian probed his burning cheek. His fingers came away smeared with crimson. He snarled. The double damned cat let out another screech and scurried for cover.
One thing was for certain. Professor Phoebe Mackenzie better enjoy her brief reprieve. Because once he caught up with the woman, he damned well might strangle her with his bare hands.
Chapter One
Phoebe hefted her carry on and stifled a huge yawn. She readjusted the shoulder strap as she strode down the terminal in Alberto Acuña Ongay International Airport. She’d made it to Campeche, Mexico without incident.
When’s the other shoe going to drop?
Nope,
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