Page 38 of Cat’s Guide To Romance

“One time.” I push away from my desk. “I find him. Give Dorman his location, and that’s it. I don’t collect him. I don’t touch his soul. I don’t drag him back to the demon realm. Whatever contract he signed is between him and Dorman.”

“Dorman wants him returned.”

“Then Dorman can get off his ass and return him himself.”

“Lucy.”

“Those are my terms.”

Stefan studies me for a long moment before nodding. “Okay.”

“And after this, you stay out of my life.”

His brows rise.

“Within reason,” I amend, because he is still my brother.

“There he is.” Stefan grins and reaches for the door. “I knew you loved me.”

“I tolerate you.”

“I’ll tell Dorman.” There’s way too much pep in his step.

“And Stefan?”

He pauses.

“If I ever find another picture of Sparkle on your phone, I’ll shove the entire thing so far up your ass you’ll be taking calls through your colon.”

His laughter follows him out of my office.

I drop into my chair and rub both hands over my face. More than forty years since I followed a magical trail with the intent to find someone who desperately didn’t want me to. I should be furious, and I am, but underneath the irritation, something old starts waking up.

The hunt.

I hate how quickly my mind starts working. If every other tracker lost the trail, then he didn’t simply glamour himself. He knows better. He’d layer protections and false trails. He’d probably move between human and supernatural settlements and avoid predictable portals because he knows I’d check them. If he suspects Dorman might eventually send me, he’ll have planned specifically for me.

Asshole.

A smile pulls at my lips before I can stop it. He wants to hide? Fine. Let’s see if he’s gotten better at it because I’ve always been able to find him.

I stand and look through the window overlooking the club. I chose this place. I chose the music, the ridiculous zombie exterior, the bartenders and dancers. I chose a life where I didn’t have to hunt anyone simply because someone more powerful told me to.

This is one hunt. My terms. Then I come home.

My thoughts drift to Sparkle. I could text him and tell him I have to leave unexpectedly. Tell him I might miss our breakfasts. Except he hasn’t agreed to anything with me. He told me he doesn’t have time to date, and I told him I’d give him space. Maybe disappearing for a few days is exactly what I need to prove I meant it.

I pull my phone from my pocket, stare at Sparkle’s name for a few seconds, then lock the screen without sending anything. Right now, I won’t chase the cat. I have someone else to catch.

16

SPARKLE

I have an apartment! A ridiculous amount of secondhand furniture my friends and family decided I absolutely needed, three boxes I haven’t unpacked, and no idea what I’m supposed to do with myself now that no one wakes me up before the sun to ask where their shoes are. It’s weird. Wonderful. But weird.

My first night, I sat on my new-to-me couch for almost an hour, waiting for someone to need me. I checked my phone so many times I finally had to shove it beneath a pillow. Mama texted twice, Ferris sent me a picture of something he drew, and Fiona asked if I had any food in my new place. That was it.

No emergencies. No one forgot homework. No one yelled my name from across the house because something was missing that was directly in front of their face. I slept until eleven the next morning. Eleven! I haven’t slept that late since I was a kitten.