Sebastian/Aristide (Bayou Heat) (4 page)

The sooner she could find the means to release her spirit from the bonds of the mortal form, the sooner she could rule the world.

“I dislike the smell of fumes,” she snapped, her gaze flicking dismissively over Lady Cerise. The woman possessed an arrogance that Shakpi was eager to shatter. “I also dislike being kept waiting. Don’t allow it to happen again.”

“I told you—”

The chandelier above them swayed, a crack forming in the cove ceiling. “You have been a dedicated disciple, Cerise.” Shakpi’s male voice held a quiet, deadly warning that couldn’t be mistaken. “It would be a shame to have to destroy you now.”

Cerise fell to her knees, her head bowed. “I am your servant.”

“Hmm.” Shakpi strolled forward, savoring the spiky fear that filled the air. “So you say.”

“I have proven my loyalty,” the priestess insisted, her head still lowered. “I have gathered disciples to spread your infection through the Wildlands. I have devoted years to searching for the Shaman to help open your pathway—”

“And yet, I still wait for the war you promised.”

“The opening battle has begun.”

Shakpi made a sound of disgust. She’d read the reports of the escalating violent attacks spreading across the South, and the rumors that had started to spread about the rabid puma shifters who were crawling out of the swamps to hunt humans. But she wanted instant results.

“Do you know how long I’ve waited to see the Pantera destroyed?”

“Which is why we must not risk your ultimate success by pressing too hard, too fast,” Cerise urged, her body tense. “The humans are becoming increasingly fearful. Once they believe their local officials can’t protect them it will be a simple matter to push them into violence.”

“Don’t fail me, Cerise.” Shakpi reached down to grab the female by the neck, lifting her off her feet and squeezing hard enough to make her moan with pain. “You won’t like what I do to disciples who prove themselves to be unworthy.”

***

Reny took her time strolling along the street, despite the fact that dusk was cloaking the buildings in shadows.

She was a well-trained agent with a gun tucked in a holster beneath her jacket. Besides, she’d never had the trouble of many women. Men might leer and whistle and harass her from a distance, but none of them tried to get into her private space.

It was almost as if they were…intimidated by her.

Until Sebastian Duval.

She absently wiped her damp hands down her slacks, trying to concentrate on her surroundings. She could sometimes get a vibe from a crime scene and the neighborhood around it.

Tonight, however, she couldn’t concentrate on anything but the nagging ache in the pit of her stomach.

Dammit.

She’d hoped that a little space would allow her to shake off the disturbing arousal that scorched through her. But ridiculously, it only seemed to grow worse.

It didn’t make sense.

She never noticed guys. Not because she was some man-hater. It was just that she’d been so focused on her career that she’d never had time to play the games other women seemed to enjoy.

But from the second that Sebastian had strolled into the room her entire body had been on fire. As if he’d tossed a match on her long-dormant libido.

Okay, he was gorgeous.

No, wait. He was way beyond gorgeous. Reny wasn’t certain there was a word that could capture his tawny beauty. Or the incandescent animal magnetism that the designer clothes and polished charm did nothing to mute.

But he was annoying, and arrogant, and clearly demented if he thought for a second he could make her believe she had some sort of cat smell.

Oh yeah, and there was the little fact that he wasn’t even human.

If he weren’t her current partner and vital to her future success, she would…

The image of what she wanted to do to him seared through her mind.

That long, chiseled body stretched across her hotel bed. His bronzed skin glistening with a light sheen of perspiration. His hair tousled and his hazel eyes darkened with pleasure as she kissed a path down his stomach to the hard cock…

She gave a strangled sound, a heat staining her cheeks.

Where the hell did that come from?

The answer hit her as she rounded the corner to discover Tall, Tawny and Tantalizing leaning against the apartment building.

Her nerve endings tingled as if they’d been scrubbed raw, as she studied the predatory male. Even wrapped in dusk he commanded full attention, creating chaos among the group of women walking down the sidewalk as they tripped over their feet at the sight of him.

Oddly annoyed by the lingering female glances, Reny moved to stand at his side, her brows pulled together.

“How did you…” She cut off her words as a smug smile curved his lips. “Never mind.”

With a shake of her head she turned to pull open the door to the apartment building, stepping into the lobby.

Sebastian was directly on her heels, moving around her to investigate the bleak space. Across the peeling linoleum floor was the elevator, as well as the narrow door to the stairs. Opposite were a dozen mailboxes built into the wall. And closer to the door was an orange couch that she’d bet had been there since The Brady Bunch was on the air.

Reny shuddered. Had anyone actually sat on those lumpy cushions in the past decade?

“The attack supposedly happened here?” Sebastian demanded.

“Yes,” she said, watching him pace from one end of the lobby to the other with a lethal grace that was mesmerizing.

“Cameras?”

She pointed toward the hole cut in the ceiling near the flickering florescent lights. “The owner of the building said they were temporarily out of service, but I suspect they’ve never functioned.”

Sebastian nodded, crouching next to the mailboxes. “There’s blood, but no scent of Pantera.”

“It happened three days ago,” she pointed out.

He straightened, turning to meet her guarded gaze. “After such a violent encounter there should be some trace of the attacker.”

“Unless he could mask his scent.”

“Impossible.” Irritation emphasized the yellow-gold in his amazing eyes. “Just as the wounds on the female are impossible.”

“Why?”

“A Pantera can’t shift into his animal form unless he’s in the Wildlands.”

Reny hesitated. Her briefing had been lacking any details about the Pantera. No doubt because there wasn’t much information to share.

The puma shifters had been elusive for so long that even the rumors of their abilities had died away.

“Are you telling me the truth?”

He shrugged. “It would serve no purpose for me to lie.”

She held his fierce gaze, even when instinct told her to look away. “Of course it would. The Pantera have gone to a lot of trouble to remain hidden. If you have a rogue psycho attacking women it’s going to reveal your presence to the entire world.”

Without warning he was standing directly in front of her, his hand cupping her chin as he glared down at her.

“Whoever did this—” With a hiss, Sebastian abruptly jerked his hand from her face, shaking it as if he’d felt the blaze of ruthless need that jolted through her body. Then he went still, something dark and dangerous glowing in his eyes.

Puma.

It wasn’t threatening. It was…watchful. Intent. Hungry.

She shivered, and lifted her hand to touch her chin. The skin felt like it’d been scorched.

“What did you do to me?” she husked.

He gave a slow shake of his head. “It wasn’t me.”

“It had to be you. It was your touch that started this.”

“Reny—”

“No.”

With a jerky motion she was headed across the foyer and up the stairs, unwilling to acknowledge the brutal arousal that was spreading through her body with every beat of her heart.

God. What the hell was wrong with her?

“Where are you going?”

“The victim’s apartment is on the first floor.”

Reny walked up the narrow steps, pretending to ignore the image of a stalking panther just inches behind her. He remained silent, but she could sense his tension. The very air sizzled with the heat of his edgy unease.

It was a relief to step out of the stairwell and into the dark hallway, despite the unmistakable stench of urine. Wrinkling her nose, she hurried to knock on the nearest door, forced to wait for a tense minute before it was pulled open to reveal a young woman who clearly was preparing for a night out.

Dressed in nothing more than her bra and panties, the woman pushed her dark hair still damp from the shower out of her eyes and glared at Reny.

“Christ, not you again,” she muttered in disgust. “What now?”

“I need to speak with Ms. Handler.”

The roommate leaned against the doorjamb, her pretty face already showing signs of her party lifestyle.

“She’s not here.”

“Do you know when she’ll be back?”

“Never.”

Reny frowned. “What do you mean, never?”

The woman shrugged. “She packed her bags after the attack and said she had a new place to stay.”

Damn. Reny shook her head at her stupidity. She’d already suspected the female victim had received money to lie about her story. She should have known the first thing Koni Handler would do was flee this shithole of an apartment.

“She didn’t give you an address?”

“The bitch didn’t even leave enough money to cover the utilities. When you find her, tell her I’m going to kick her—” The roommate forgot how to speak as Sebastian suddenly stepped into view. Abruptly straightening from the doorjamb, the woman gave a toss of her hair, arching her back to make sure Sebastian hadn’t missed the large tits that were spilling from the tiny lace bra. “Hello there.”

Sebastian flashed his killer smile, and Reny had to clench her hands to resist the urge to shove the young woman away and slam the door.

“Did she leave any clothing behind?” he asked.

The woman continued to wave her tits like flags of invitation. “Just a bunch of worthless shit.”

“Show me.”

Turning, the roommate offered Sebastian a full view of her rounded ass. “I’ll show you anything you want, big boy.”

Sebastian shot Reny a covert glance, almost as if he sensed the violence that was boiling just below her brittle composure.

“I’ll wait here,” he murmured. “If you could just get me a shirt?”

The woman didn’t bother to hide her irritation at Sebastian’s lack of appreciation for her near-naked body, flouncing to snatch a thin top from a sofa that looked remarkably similar to the one in the lobby.

Eww.

“You’re not a freak, are you?” she demanded, shoving the shirt in Sebastian’s hand.

Sebastian kept his gaze locked on Reny’s flushed face. “That’s a matter of opinion.”

Reny made a choked sound, the arousal pulsing through her reaching a near painful level.

Oh…hell. She had to get away from this man.

Now.

“If you hear from your roommate please give me a call,” she muttered, shoving her business card into the woman’s hand. She was already headed down the stairs by the time she heard the door slam.

Sebastian gave a low growl at Reny’s hasty retreat.

The sensible part of him urged him to bring a halt to the dangerous game.

It was one thing to play along until he could discover if she was an innocent who’d truly been unaware she was Pantera. Or if she was a traitor who was leading him into a trap.

It was another to become lost in the siren song of her mating heat.

A shudder shook his body as his cat savored the spicy arousal drenching the air.

Christ.

It’d been so long since any female had actually been fertile, let alone had broadcast her need with such potency, that it was like a kick in his gut.

Which was all the more reason he should get her to the Healers.

They needed to discover who she was, if her cat had been damaged, and how the hell she was able to project a mating heat when other females had tried and failed for years.

Yeah. That’s exactly what he should do.

But as he headed in pursuit of the female, he wasn’t reaching for his phone to make the call. His cat had been snared by the intoxicating scent of Reny Smith, and it was on the hunt.

Moving with lethal silence, he jogged down the stairs and out of the building.

Reny drew him on a level that was impossible to resist.

Stalking her through the darkness, he waited until she’d turned the corner before he was moving to stand directly in her path.

“Where are you going?”

“I assume you want the shirt so you can track Ms. Handler.” Her words were cool, controlled. But her eyes glowed with a raw need that made his gut twist. “It only makes sense for me to return to the office and start a trace on her finances.”

“That can wait.” He brushed the back of his fingers over her cheek, groaning at the dewy heat that dampened her skin. His cat roared, not understanding why he was waiting. It didn’t care they were on a city street where anyone could see them. It wanted what it wanted and it wanted Reny Smith. “We have something to take care of first.”