by Iris Abbott
Selena arched a brow, “Athena? Next, you’ll be telling me that Cupid really exists.”
“He does, but I didn’t notice him at the party. He doesn’t much care for Halloween. I once heard him say it’s the least romantic night of the year.”
Selena laughed. “Don’t tell the powers to be of the magical universe. Our mated souls spell seems to be working just fine!”
“Roman god or not, I don’t think Cupid is any match for the three of you when you set your minds to something.”
“I hope you’re right. I just hope that things are working out as well for Julie and Brittany as they are for me.” She leaned in and backed up her words with a sweet kiss that held the promise of many more to come.
FOUR
The irritating jangle of her mobile phone jarred Selena from a deep sleep. She pulled away from the arms wrapped around her like a vise and grabbed her purse. Luckily or maybe unluckily depending on how you looked at it, the phone was right next to the bed. She managed to hit the correct button before voicemail had a chance to pick up. A very sleepy “hello,” was all she could manage to mumble into the phone.
Phillip ran a hand across her back. The contact sent a chill down her spine. She giggled when he found a ticklish spot. He nuzzled the side of her neck, and Selena swore he purred. She hoped whoever was on the other end of the phone hadn’t heard the hard to explain noise.
“Selena, Selena are you there? It’s Julie, and I need to talk to you right away.”
Selena let out a muffled sigh, so much for an encore performance with Philip. Julie didn’t sound like her usual calm self. Something was up, and whatever it was she obviously wanted to talk about it. That was fine because Selena had news of her own. She lightly pushed Phillip away and sat on the edge of the bed.
“Julie, I’m here,” she answered. “I’ve got some unbelievably wonderful news. What’s going on? You and Brittany disappeared last night about the same time I did. Luckily, I was claimed by Phillip, so I was able to leave my car behind for the two of you.”
“Thanks for that, and I have your car. I’m on the way to my apartment. I am going to grab a few things, check on Syn, and then I’m heading back to the castle.”
“Umm, about that,” Selena said while trying to stifle a giggle. “Syn’s not going to be there, but don’t be alarmed. I promise he’s fine.”
“Oh, did you find his rightful owner?”
Selena chuckled. “Something like that! We’ll have to talk about it in greater detail, but I don’t want to do it over the phone.” She changed the topic again. “So, where did you disappear to last night? And did the spell work for you because it definitely worked for me.”
“It did,” Julie confirmed with joyful glee. “That’s why I’m going back to the castle. And you aren’t going to believe what I found out last night, but that’s also a conversation better had in person.”
“Have you been able to get in touch with Brittany?” Selena asked in a concerned voice. “The last I saw of her she was being hauled off by some dashing pirate.”
“Same goes for me. I tried calling her before you, but I only got her voice mail. I’ll try again later. I’d be willing to take wagers on that pirate being her soul mate! Maybe he spirited her away to his ship.”
“Yeah, well, nothing would surprise me anymore after last night,” Selena admitted. “But I hope we hear from her soon.”
“I have a brilliant idea! We have to get together before long and compare notes. Meet me for lunch tomorrow at my place. How does eleven o’clock sound?”
“Sounds great,” Selena agreed. “I’ll see you there and hopefully Brittany too.” The two women air-kissed their respective phones and said their goodbyes.
Selena turned her attention back to Phillip. He used his fingernails to lightly draw circles on her back. The light touch of his sharp nails over her sensitive skin was deliciously torturous. It put chill bumps on her entire body.
“Julie asked about Syn. She thinks I found your owner. Boy is she going to be surprised.”
“Maybe not too surprised, I’m sure Russo has told her all about vampires by now. And in a way, you did find my owner. You definitely own my heart.”
Selena let out a deep sigh that she felt all the way to her soul. Speaking of hearts, hers was close to melting after such a sweet declaration as that. She winked at him, “it was more like an even exchange because you hold my heart in your hands.”
****
Selena hummed to herself as she moved around Phillip’s kitchen. They had spent the day together talking and getting to know each other. She opted out of going to a restaurant in favor of hanging out at his penthouse. She volunteered to cook dinner, and it was almost ready. She shut off the burner and turned to call Phillip to the table.
Instead, she let out a startled squeak. He’d walked right up behind her, and she hadn’t heard a thing. She slapped a hand against her breast. “You scared the heck out of me! I’m going to get you a collar with a bell,” she insisted.
She burst out laughing as soon as she realized what she said. She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Or maybe not. I don’t imagine that cat shifters are too fond of bells or collars, huh?”
She gave him a quick kiss. “Dinner’s ready.” She slipped out of his arms and moved toward the dining room. They were getting ready to sit down to the nice meal she prepared when Phillip’s cell phone gave off a very loud and annoying beep.
He gave her an apologetic look. “Sorry, but that’s the council’s emergency tone. I have to take the call.” He left the room only to return a short five minutes later. “I have to go right away there’s a situation at Russo’s castle.”
Selena frowned, “I hope this doesn’t have anything to do with Julie. She was on the way to her apartment when I talked to her, but that was several hours ago.”
Phillip ran a jerky hand through his hair. “Do not leave this penthouse. Security should be infallible, but just in case, do not open the door for anybody.” He tilted her chin up and looked her straight in the eyes. “I mean anybody, and that includes Julie.”
Selena shivered. She most definitely did not like the urgent tone of his voice or his instructions. An ominous foreboding swept through her body like a bone-deep chill from the coldest winter night in Maine. “You’re really scaring me. What’s wrong with Julie?”
“Good,” he grated out in a harsh voice. “Better scared than dead,” he insisted. “And maybe nothing is wrong with Julie. She might be in her apartment safe and sound, but I won’t know for sure until I find out all the details. I’ll be back to fill you in as soon as I can. Remember, don’t leave and don’t open the door for any reason.”
Selena watched him go. She was stunned into silence by the turn of events. Her feet felt like they were glued to the floor, and he had the door open before she made a move. She ran to him.
“Wait!” She launched herself into his arms. “Be careful, I know we just found each other, but I don’t want to have to imagine life without you now that we’re together.”
Phillip claimed her lips in a hungry kiss that said more than words ever could. “I promise I’ll return to you. You just need to make sure you’re here when I do.” He punched in a code at the alarm panel. “The alarm is set. Make sure you lock the deadbolt behind me.”
He disappeared through the door leaving Selena with just her worries for company.
Selena grabbed her phone and called Julie. It didn’t help her frame of mind when all her calls went unanswered. She called repeatedly and left five messages before finally giving up.
She was too keyed up to eat. She dumped the food down the disposal and mindlessly set about cleaning up the kitchen. When that task was complete, she raided his refrigerator and found the bottle of sweet red wine she originally planned to serve with dinner. She poured herself a glass and made her way to the couch.
A lot had happened in the past twenty-four hours, and she needed to sit and absorb everything. Selena thought about calling Julie again, b
ut she’d already left several messages. Her friend would call when she got the chance. She tried Brittany but was greeted with her voice mail as well.
She let out a deep, weary sigh. She just had to be patient, even though that wasn’t one of her strong suits. She eventually finished half a bottle of wine and fell into a fretful sleep. She was still napping on the couch when Phillip returned home.
****
Phillip felt the heavy burden of his new assignment. The information he learned from his visit with Russo and Gannon was not good. His fingers curled around the vial in his pocket. The mysterious liquid it contained could prove to be disastrous for the paranormal world.
His eyes fell on Selena. She’d obviously fallen asleep on the couch while waiting for him. He spent several hours trying to get to the bottom of this latest mess. Then there was the conference call with the other nineteen members of the council.
He walked to the hidden safe in his office and made sure the latest piece of evidence, the odorless and tasteless liquid tranquilizer, was protected under lock and key. He would have to have it analyzed immediately. It was a good thing he was good friends with Adam Landis, King of the mermen. They were descended from Atlantis, and mermen were legendary throughout the paranormal world for their advanced scientific knowledge and technology. He was also a chemistry professor at Enigma University. If anyone could solve the mystery of the liquid in the vial, it was Adam.
Phillip felt some of the weight lift from his shoulders now that he had a starting point. He would call Adam first thing in the morning. Right now he needed to be with Selena. He quietly walked over to the couch and scooped her into his arms. Her eyes slowly flickered open, and she offered him a slow, sweet, and seductive smile.
“I tried to wait up for you.” She lifted a hand to the side of his face and caressed his cheek.
Phillip leaned into her touch. “I’m glad you didn’t. You need your rest. I kept you up most of last night, and I don’t see tonight going any differently.”
“How is Julie? I called her phone and left several messages, but I never heard from her. Please tell me she’s all right.”
Phillip began walking toward his bedroom. “There’s big trouble, but for now all you need to know is that Julie is safe and sound in Alessandro’s arms. If she hasn’t called you back, it’s probably because he hasn’t let her anywhere near a phone. I’ll fill in the rest of the details tomorrow, but right now I need to make love to you, and the only thing I want to focus on is driving you insane with pleasure.”
FIVE
“Let me get this straight!” She crossed her arms over her breasts and paused. Her mind hadn’t processed everything Phillip tried to tell her. She could barely see through the red haze of anger foggy her sight.
“Julie was kidnapped and held hostage for almost a whole day by a crazed vampire hunter.” She paused to let her breathing even out. “However, she managed to escape as you and Alessandro arrived at her apartment?”
He nodded his agreement, so she kept going. “And now you are telling me the entire paranormal population might be in danger, because this vampire hunter drugged Alessandro’s whole security team which just happens to be made up of wolf shifters, with some kind of odorless tasteless and colorless liquid. And you’re the person in charge of fixing all of this!” Her voice began to rise in pitch as her worry grew exponentially at the level of danger Phillip would be exposed to.
“That about sums it up,” Phillip agreed. “Remember I hunt and dispense justice to rouge vampires and shifters, so I’ll take this in stride along with everything else.”
Selena heard what he was saying, but it didn’t ease her worry. She chewed on her bottom lip and threw her arms around him and held on tight. “You better be careful, I don’t think I could stand it if anything happened to you.”
“I’ve been doing this for a long time,” he reminded her. “I’ll be fine, besides I still have several lives left.”
“That doesn’t make me feel any better. If these hunters have figured out a way to tranquilize wolf shifters, then they might know how to permanently end the life of a cat shifter.”
“I’m not worried about myself, but I am concerned for you. You and your friends are vulnerable now, because of your association with Alessandro and me. You, Julie, and Brittany have to be extra vigilant now when it comes to your safety. Don’t take any chances.”
“Julie and I made plans to meet at her apartment for lunch today. I have to go, Phillip. She’s my sister by choice. I have to see for myself that she’s okay.” She scrunched up her forehead. “We still haven’t heard from Brittany. I hope she’s all right.”
“I know you’re worried about your friend, but I can’t risk anything happening to you. Alessandro and I will arrange something later on that is safe for both of you after some of the danger has passed. I know the pirate Brittany was with the night of the Halloween party. He’s probably taken her far away from here, and that’s for the best.”
He gave her a quick kiss that Selena welcomed. “Right now,” he said after breaking off the kiss, “I have an important meeting at Enigma University. I need you to stay in the penthouse until I return.”
Selena was not going to be put off that easily, but she didn’t see any reason to start a fight with Phillip. She crossed her fingers behind her back, “Sure, I’ll be here waiting for you when you return,” as long as you take your time she silently added. Selena kissed him goodbye and waited for him to leave before she grabbed her cell phone. She hit speed dial number one and was soon rewarded by the sound of Julie’s voice.
“Phillip just filled me in on everything. Are you all right?” she demanded to know.
“It was a harrowing experience because my hands were tied and I was gagged,” Julie explained. “Luckily, the guy wanted to set a trap for Alessandro, so he needed me alive. It took me most of the day to work my hands free so I could cast a spell. I literally ran into Alessandro on my way out of the apartment.”
“Thank goodness you made it out alive.”
“Amen, sister. Oh, I met Phillip formerly known as Syn by the way. Congratulations, he’s almost as scrumptious as Alessandro.” Julie giggled.
“Speaking of Phillip, he ordered me to stay confined to his penthouse. What about you?”
Julie laughed. “Yep! Alessandro pretty much did the same thing to me. So how do you plan to break out of that place for our lunch date?”
Selena smiled. She should have known Julie would be on the same page. “Phillip left to take care of council business, so I plan to just walk out of here and take a cab over to your apartment. Fortunately, I’ve been paying attention and I know the code to disarm his alarm. What about you?”
“Oh that’s easy,” Julie assured her. “Alessandro is in his resting place, and his security team is too busy trying to wrap up loose ends the same as Phillip. Your car is still at my apartment, so you can drive it back to the penthouse. Alessandro has a whole garage full of cars, and I know where he keeps the keys.”
“Great,” Selena checked the time on the mantle clock. “See you in a couple of hours.”
****
Phillip listened in stunned silence to what Adam Landis was telling him. Things went from bad to worse in the blink of an eye. “Water, you’re telling me the secret weapon in that vial is nothing more than plain tap water.”
The merman ran a hand through his already mussed hair before pushing his glasses back up his nose. He didn’t need them. He had perfect vision. He just thought they added to the academic image he portrayed to average humans. “That’s what I’m telling you. Either this vial is a plant to keep you away from the real tranquilizer, or you’ve stumbled upon a more insidious plot than you imagined and this was a diversion to cover up something else entirely.”
Phillip pushed back the oppressive weight of the bad feeling that tried to envelop him with suffocating darkness. Cats and cat shifters both were blessed with an innate sense of intuition that beat any species alive. He didn�
�t like what his intuition was telling him. “This could have been an inside job, and the hunter may have been a pawn in a very dangerous game. One where the stakes are growing greater every minute it takes me to figure this out.”
Adam let out a deep sigh. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be more help, my friend.” He gave Phillip a firm handshake. “Let me know if you need anything, anything at all.”
Phillip explicitly trusted the king of mermen. “I’ll keep you informed and let you know if I need further assistance. Now I need to report to the rest of the council and meet with Alessandro again. He may be the key to all of this since he was the original target of the vampire hunter.” Phillip said his goodbyes and hurried back to his penthouse. He needed to check on Selena to make sure she was still safe.
The feeling of dread he harbored grew by leaps and bounds when he entered his penthouse. He knew before he even opened the door that his home was empty. There was no sign of a struggle, so he could only guess that Selena left under her own steam. His best guess was that she and her friends had decided to meet for lunch despite the danger.
He fought the urge to rush to her side and demand she return to the safety of his home. He knew that she was very independent and stubborn to boot, so that wouldn’t go over very well. If she was with her friends, she should be safe enough. Surely, they would be extra careful, considering what happened to Julie yesterday.
Phillip sent out an emergency request for an immediate conference between the other nineteen members of the council. He outlined what was revealed about the chemical makeup of the mystery liquid. Everyone agreed that he needed to dig deeper, starting with Alessandro Russo and Mitch Gannon.
Something had knocked out the wolf shifters working security, and it hadn’t been water. Phillip finished his report as quickly as he could. He was anxious to talk to Russo and Gannon, his head of security. He started dialing as he walked out the door and to his car.
He tried Gannon first. “Mitch, this is Phillip Saint John. I have the chemical test results for the liquid from the vial that Russo got off the vampire hunter. Things are not as straightforward as they seem. I’m on my way to Russo’s. I need you to meet us there in about thirty minutes.”
