Page 4 of Hunted By Fear

If Bast wasn’t about to go off the deep end, I’d say we should cut our losses, but the last time I suggested that, he almost killed me, and not in the usual way.

No, somehow that bastard got his hands on angelic steel, one of the few things that can truly kill demons.

I’m pretty sure I know where he got it, too.

Not that I can confirm it, even seeing as Ruin is just as insistent that we're out there finding her.

It’s exhausting.

Which is why I didn’t think anything of walking into a random coffee shop in Missouri.

“Hey, welcome to the Cozy Cup!”

I stand frozen in the little storefront, staring at her as she smiles up at me in greeting.

I know it’s her even before I look up; the sound of her voice is etched into my brain. The way she moaned and called my name that night, I fell prey to her replays in my mind.

I’m one hundred percent certain it’s her, yet when our eyes meet, I don’t see even a flicker of recognition.

Ouch.

I know I wanted her gone, but I can’t deny that some part of me hoped she would be fighting to get back to us… I mean, Bast.

She should have been trying to get back to him if they were mates, right?

Or did she not feel the pull since they hadn’t cemented their bond?

Fuck if I know; demons aren’t supposed to have mates; we're damned to spend eternity alone. It’s part of our punishment.

So how the fuck had Bast gotten her?

“Did you need a minute to order, or were you ready?” Her voice pulls me from my thoughts, and I scowl at her, annoyed at my train of thought.

I’m not supposed to give a fuck about her.

She’s one mortal in a sea of them, just the same.

I need to distance myself from her, which means getting her back to Bast.

“Very funny, let's…” I cut myself off as I look her over, spotting the shiny silver ring on her left hand. “You’re married?”

Her brows gather in confusion, and she cocks her head to the side, seemingly taken aback by my question as I am.

It only lasts a moment before she looks down, following my line of sight to her ring.

“Oh, yes.” Her smile returns even bigger than it was a moment ago, and I quickly look away. She hadn’t even been this cheery when she was living with us, and I’d already found her insufferable. “He’s amazing. This shop has always been my dream, and we put everything into it...”

I can hear the admiration in her tone, and when I look up, her smile is tender, loving…gross.

“Is your husband here now?” I ask, daring to hope he is.

I’m not sure if I could take Rome, but fuck if I’m not willing to try.

“Oh, um, no. He’s away on a business trip right now.” I knew her answer even before she spoke from the way her shoulders slumped and her lips pulled down in a frown.

I didn’t think she could be much stupider than when she moved into an apartment full of demons, but I guess I was wrong. The last thing she should be doing is letting some would-be random stranger off the street know her husband is out of town, leaving her and her business alone.

I take a second to look at the selection, but I already know what I want. “Let me get a large black coffee with whip and caramel.” I finally walk to the counter as she quickly moves around to fill my order, and in less than a minute, I’ve paid and have my coffee in hand.