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He only blinked once with surprise before saying, “Of course.”
“I got these pictures from a source I have who’s familiar with the deep web.” Phoenix pulls out her phone, and the Professor tugs his glasses from his front pocket before reaching for it. Phoenix pulls the phone back at the last minute. “I’ll warn you, they’re gruesome.”
The Professor nods gravely. “I understood they might be from what you asked.”
Phoenix nods and relinquishes the phone to him. Even though he was apparently ready for it, I still see his face react to the horrific images Phoenix snapped while we were on the scene.
“Madonna Santa!” he whispers, crossing himself briefly before flipping to another image.
He pushes the bagel he ordered away right as Phoenix’s coffee and pastry arrive. I peek at the coffee. It’s some swirly, milky-colored concoction with whipped cream on top. Whipped cream.
I’ve endured late-night coding sessions with this woman, and all I ever saw her down was entire pots of black coffee. Thick as tar, too.
The Professor puts the phone down and crosses himself again.
“So what do you think? Is it anything you’ve seen before?”
He takes a moment before answering but then finally does. “Heaven help us, but yes, I have, only once before.”
Phoenix almost leaps over the table, I can tell she’s so excited. “Where? What was it?”
“During my work with Ancient Egyptian scrolls. They spoke of an evil goddess who would enchant a man with her sexual pull. She would get him alone, mate him, and then demand his life as a sacrifice. After the mating, she’d tear his body apart. ‘Rend him limb from limb and joint from joint in a circle bathed in blood’ was how the texts described it. And then she would eat his heart.”
“Like a black widow,” I murmur.
“The heart wasn’t there,” Phoenix says. “You really think it could be her? Come back after all this time?” She sounds incredulous but also focused. “How do we find her? Stop her?”
The Professor’s mouth drops open. “You’ll do no such thing. Phoenix! Did you not see these photos? These are powers for us to observe from afar! Not interfere with.”
“Of course, of course. I just want to study her more,” Phoenix recovers quickly. “To include in my dissertation. What’s her name?”
“Ammit, the man-eater.”
“Oh, of course. I read about her in The Egyptian Book of the Dead.”
“That’s the best place to start.”
Phoenix jumps up from her seat.
“You haven’t even touched your latte,” the Professor objects.
“I hate to dash, but time’s running out on the dissertation if I want to put in this new addition,” Phoenix apologizes. “Thank you so much for your time, John Paul.”
“Of course, of course, I understand. Your devotion to your studies is what makes you such an excellent protégé.” He stands up as well and holds his hand out to me. “It was wonderful to meet you, Signore…?”
Phoenix’s eyes widen like she’s appalled at herself for never actually introducing us. Or maybe because she hoped to make an escape without him ever learning my name.
“Layden,” I say, grasping his hand in a bone-crushing handshake. To his credit, he only winces a little.
“Signore Layden,” he says before letting go and shaking his hand out. “Quite a grip you’ve got there.”
Phoenix glares at me. “Well, time to be off. I’ll see you later this week after office hours to go over my most recent revisions on my chapters?”
The Professor grins far too wide. “Wouldn’t miss it.” After Phoenix turns away, he winks at me.
I barely keep back my snarl, and it takes even more restraint not to put my hand behind Phoenix’s back in a show of protection and intention to guide her away from Fuckface.
“You really think Vlad’s gonna like you getting close to that guy?” I mutter as we finally walk away.
