Zoology 101 Read online

  She couldn’t think about that.

  “What are you going to tell them?” Benedict remained at her side, silent and calm.

  “I have no idea.” They weren’t supposed to know anything. But, the rules and laws be damned. She had to warn her beloved Kinsey the end of everything she knew was coming, and to hell with the laws against it.

  But, she had a stop to make, first.

  ***

  INT. – JULIAN BLACK’S MANSION - NIGHT

  Cici hung, hands tied with thin leather straps, to the rough wooden frame Simone favored for her treatments. Her feet ached where the bindings cut into her flesh, the choking sensation of the stiff collar around her neck familiar enough she didn’t fight it anymore. While everything else around her seemed soft and perfect, the cross’s harshness brushed against the therapist’s back in stark contrast, splinters of wood jabbing her down her spine, across her naked buttocks.

  Simone circled her slowly, sipping a glass of wine, eyes hooded, ruby lips parted. Cici would have wept if it didn’t feel so good to hang here, with the drug in her system and her mistress’s power pressing against her. The sharp slice of the tip of Simone’s knife drew a faint line of blood from Cici’s flesh, healing with a whisper from the man who hovered, watching.

  “Not so soon.” Simone’s sharp voice cut him surely as deeply as the knife she held against Cici’s flesh. At least, he flinched as though it did. Cici sighed into fresh pain, hate and rage and devotion winding together as the torture made her body soar with pleasure.

  A breeze washed over her naked body, the soft tread of a visitor approaching through the waving fronds of the giant plants around her. There was a time Cici would have felt anxious, embarrassed. But Simone’s control and the powder she fed Cici eased all that into a blur of dull curiosity.

  She knew this man, had seen him before, but never here. Observed him with her lips aching for Simone’s while the tall, broad-shouldered intruder ignored her in favor of smiling with overwhelming charm at her mistress.

  Simone seemed unaffected by his wiles, though Cici’s body ached for him to touch her. She writhed in response to the power he pushed at her mistress. Simone’s knife slashed, harsh and furious, cutting deep into Cici’s thigh in irritation at her response.

  Cici sagged into the pain. “Thank you, mistress,” she whispered, savoring it as Simone turned from her to face her visitor.

  “What are you doing here, Gideon?” Gideon Orter, yes. The leader of the Collective of All Souls. What did they call him? Grand Prophet? How delicious. Cici felt a giggle bubble in her chest but didn’t let it out.

  He gestured at Cici, still smiling, those eyes devouring her. “I’m merely here to congratulate you on claiming a Panther.” His hungry gaze drifted over her body. She strained to reach him, feeling weak suddenly from the blood loss. But Simone let her bleed. “You’re certain, of course, she is yours?”

  “Of course.” Simone’s snapping tone wasn’t like her. “She tried to trick me in the beginning.” Cici moaned from the memory. Mama Roan had asked her to come, so had the Nightshade, Margot DanAllart. To infiltrate Simone’s confidence. Did they know what she’d do to Cici? How weak she was in comparison? She’d been so careful, and yet it had only taken the woman moments to cut through her and take her, body and soul.

  She couldn’t bring herself to hate her grandmother for that.

  “Indeed,” Gideon said, smile fading.

  “Mistress.” Clarence appeared like a ghost, bowed to Simone, ignoring Cici’s presence, that of Julian Black, even Orter. “The call you’ve been waiting for.”

  “If you’ll excuse me.” She drifted from the room, leaving Julian and Gideon alone with Cici. The vampir gestured, absently, healing the cut in her leg, though Cici’s eyes drifted closed, weakness almost driving her into darkness.

  “How long do you expect me to wait, Orter?” Julian’s anger came through despite her controls, despite her near unconscious state. Cici held still and listened through the dullness of her state. “I’m losing patience with this.”

  “All in good time, Julian.” Orter’s tone was soothing, made Cici smile. “Simone’s time is coming.”

  “One word,” Julian hissed, “and I’ll end her life myself.”

  “She belongs to me.” All charisma was gone, so quickly and harshly it startled Cici out of her twilight state. Neither man was looking her way, missed her wide-eyed stare as Gideon Orter stood over Julian Black with one hand at the vampir’s throat. The dervish leader of the Collective’s skin took on a red hue, eyes flaring with power. “Her soul will taste sweet.”

  Julian backed off while Cici forced herself to close her eyes to slits. Though, it seemed neither seemed to care if she heard them or not.

  It only took a moment for her to understand why. Gideon turned toward her, smiling again, leaning in to press his lips to hers. Cici moaned, writhed against him as his hands traveled over her body, cupping her breasts, fingers sliding between her legs. She gasped the loudest when his power entered her and planted a seed, a spark of something she couldn’t identify that dissolved and was gone so quickly it left her panting, as powerful as any orgasm.

  Orter leaned away. “You’ll find the greatest victories,” he said to Julian, “come from careful planning and the joy of seeing your enemies cut their own throats with their cleverness.” He laughed, clasping the vampir on the shoulder. “We’ll just see how long it takes for Simone to ruin herself.”

  Julian glared at Cici as Gideon left. Not that she cared. Sighing her exhaustion, the Panther Periqwai, beloved of Toqwai, sank into unconsciousness while the seed the dervish planted spread and grew inside her.

  (CUT TO BLACK)

  ###

  Next time on The Nightshade Cases…

  Death hits close to home when a fellow professor and bestselling author is murdered at Silver City College. With orders from her boss to uncover the truth, Kinsey teams up with Gerri and Ray to uncover who killed the womanizing Dr. Malcolm MacIntosh.

  Look for Episode #10: Teacher’s Pet, coming soon!

  Teacher’s Pet

  Panic Room

  Bad Shoot

  Sicko

  Federali

  Witness

  The Hit

  Mimic

  The Maze

  Haunted

  Splish Splash

  Divided We Stand

  Don’t miss a single episode of Season One! Sign up for new release emails at www.bit.ly/pattilarsenemail.

  ***

  About the Author

  Everything you need to know about me is in this one statement: I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was a little girl, and now I’m doing it. How cool is that, being able to follow your dream and make it reality? I’ve tried everything from university to college, graduating the second with a journalism diploma (I sucked at telling real stories), was in an all-girl improv troupe for five glorious years (if you’ve never tried it, I highly recommend making things up as you go along as often as possible). I’ve even been in a Celtic girl band (some of our stuff is on YouTube!) and was an independent film maker. My life has been one creative thing after another—all leading me here, to writing books for a living.

  Now with multiple series in happy publication, I live on beautiful and magical Prince Edward Island (I know you’ve heard of Anne of Green Gables) with my very patient husband and six massive cats.

  I love-love-love hearing from you! You can reach me (and I promise I’ll message back) at [email protected]. And if you’re eager for your next dose of Patti Larsen books (usually about one release a month) come join my mailing list! All the best up and coming, giveaways, contests and, of course, my observations on the world (aren’t you just dying to know what I think about everything?) all in one place: www.bit.ly/pattilarsenemail.

  And check out all of my books now available (as well as the fun forums where you can connect with other readers) at www.purelyparanormalpress.com.

  Last—but not least!�
��I hope you enjoyed what you read! Your happiness is my happiness. And I’d love to hear just what you thought. A review where you found this book would mean the world to me—reviews feed writers more than you will ever know. So, loved it (or not so much), your honest review would make my day. Thank you!