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While Meredith showered and dressed, August finished his breakfast and tidied the kitchen. Once he had everything put away and the dishes stacked in the dishwasher, he made his way to the living room and flopped down on the sofa. Man, driving always took it out of him, and the time difference left him feeling off for a day or two.
“I’m out of here,” Meredith called from the front door. “Do you want me to pick up something to eat on the way home?”
“Call me when you’re about to leave,” he yelled back. “We can decide then.”
Meredith departed, leaving him alone in the big, quiet house. August thought about watching a movie before heading out to do his shopping. Maybe it was because of all the sugar he’d consumed that morning, but his breakfast gurgled in his stomach, threatening to make a reappearance. If he just took iteasy and didn’t move too much, though, he figured it would pass soon.
So he stretched out on the cushions with the remote in his hand, flipping through the cable menu in search of something interesting to watch. After only a few clicks, however, his stomach gave a painful lurch, forcing him to bolt for the hallway bathroom.
Dropping to his knees in front of the toilet, he had just enough time to pull his hair back from his face before expelling his breakfast into the bowl. He dry heaved a few times after he’d emptied his stomach, his shoulders shaking and his muscles so tight his joints hurt.
Eventually, his stomach settled, and he closed his eyes, sagging exhaustedly against the wall. He didn’t get sick—not a cold, not a fever, not even allergies. His kind wasn’t indestructible, but they were damn close.Lobosdidn’t have any known natural enemies. Their injuries healed quickly, and only a few substances on the planet were poisonous to them, none of which should be in Meredith’s house.
Flushing the toilet, August gripped the side of the sink and pulled himself up. He felt marginally better after rinsing his mouth out and splashing cold water on his cheeks. Still, unease permeated from his pores, and the short hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He didn’t detect anyone’s scent in the house other than his own, and a faint, lingering scent from Meredith. He couldn’t shake the feeling someone was watching him, though.
Leaving the bathroom, August treaded slowly, creeping through the downstairs as he checked behind furniture and inside closets. Of course, he didn’t find anything. Not that he’d expected to, but something still didn’t feel right. He couldn’t put his finger on it, couldn’t give it a name, but his entire body thrummed with tension.
Assured the bottom floor was clear of any lurking danger, he climbed the stairs, pausing halfway up to listen for any strange sounds. When he heard nothing but the hum of the refrigerator and the gurgle of the plumbing pipes, he jogged up the remainder of the steps and turned toward his temporary bedroom.
Stopping just inside the doorway, he scanned the room, looking for anything odd or out of place. Strung tight and maybe a little paranoid, he nearly jumped out of his skin when his cell phone began to vibrate against the top of the dresser. Cursing under his breath, August crossed the room quickly and answer the phone without bothering to check the ID.
“Yeah?”
“Um, August?”
“Yes. Who is this?”
“It’s Micah.” He paused, cleared his throat, paused again. “Meredith said you’d made it to town.”
“Oh, yeah, hey, Micah. Sorry, I guess I’m still a little out of it from the trip. I was actually going to call you this afternoon.”
“Ant, what’s going on? What happened?”
August cursed again, though silently this time. It wasn’t fair. Twelve years later, and Micah could still read him like a book.
“Nothing. Everything’s fine. I’m just a little tired, that’s all.” He needed to change the subject. “So, I was wondering if you wanted to grab some lunch later.”
“I’d like that. I have a meeting with the insurance guy about the farm at noon. I can meet you after that, though. Did you have something specific in mind?”
“I’m not sure,” August answered distractedly as he tiptoed down the hallway, checking the rest of the rooms on the top floor. “Where is your meeting exactly?”
“On the northeast side, near Nora. Those office buildings across from the Fashion Mall.”
“The ones right off the loop?”
“That’s it.”
Everything seemed as it should be, but August still couldn’t shake the paranoia. Jogging back down the stairs, he headed for Meredith’s bedroom, the only room he hadn’t searched yet.
“Do they still have that little place by the bridge?” He nudged the door open with his toe and stuck his head inside, sniffing the air before entering the brightly lit room. “The place with those awesome breadsticks?”
“They do. So, I’ll meet you there? Let’s say around one o’clock?”
The sweet scent of floral perfume and too much carpet deodorizer assaulted him, causing him to sneeze. Groaning, he backed out of the room and closed the door. His stomach knotted once more, forcing him to grit his teeth against the wave of nausea that flooded his mouth with saliva.
“August? August?” Micah sounded a bit panicked as he called his name. “Ant, talk to me. What is it? What’s going on?”
“I have to go, Micah. I’ll explain during lunch.”
