Cats in Heat by Asha King Page A

thunder shook. The rain came down in sudden sheets, drenching her in an instant. There was nowhere to go for shelter but she stuck close to the building at her left, avoiding the worst of it. Her feet splashed through sudden puddles, soaking through her shoes. If she recalled correctly, there was a convenience store just around the corner—they’d have an ATM and, if she looked pitiful enough, maybe they’d let her use their phone.
    Addie turned the next corner, expecting to see the convenience store, and instead her eyes settled on a bright red sports car in front of it.
    Her stomach plummeted. Though she scanned the area, she didn’t see the people from yesterday. Maybe they were parked there for no reason. Maybe...
    Stop thinking about it, get inside, and call a cab. It’s a public place—even if they are dangerous, no one’s stupid enough to do something in public like that.
    She took a deep breath and ran forward.
    The car windows were dark and obscured by rain; she couldn’t see if anyone was inside, not without staring which she didn’t want to do. So she ignored it and dove through the door into the store. A bell jangled over her head and she swiped wet hair from her brow, blinking as she glanced around.
    The clerk was a teen, some young kid she didn’t know. Her eyes adjusted to the dark and she realized the power was out.
    “Electricity just went,” he said with a sigh. “Hadn’t put the sign on the door yet.”
    Shit. Well, she might have a little cash in her purse and she thought the cab company in town had debit machines in the vehicles. “Phone?”
    He shrugged. “Doesn’t work.” He looked her over, the expression on his young face softening. “Here, lock up, turn the sign over, and I’ll get my cell from the back—it might work.”
    “I’d really appreciate that.”
    He blushed, nodded, and walked around the counter, disappearing through the staff door at the rear.
    Gotta love trusting small towns .
    Addie shivered in her wet T-shirt, brushed tendrils of soaked curls from her forehead, and turned to face the front door just as the bell jangled again.
    Her eyes widened as she recognized the lanky dark-haired guy, the one she’d seen the day before with the redheaded biker woman. The woman wasn’t with him but there were two other men who stepped into the store after him. She didn’t look at them, however—she couldn’t look away from the one she’d passed off as forgettable the day before. His eyes had settled on her, locking on, and his nostrils flared for a moment’s breath in before recognition passed his face.
    “You,” he said slowly. “I know you.”
    Addie tried to smile but knew she was failing. “Small town.”
    She took a step back as the others crowded into the store. The door banged shut behind them and jarred her nerves, her shoulders jumping. Her heart rate spiked and though she tried to breathe normally, she couldn’t stop the sudden panic. Clammy fingers of warning dragged over her, urging her to run though there was nowhere to go.
    More and more, though, she was certain something was off about this man.
    He’s not human .
    Steps sounded behind her and then she heard the voice of the store clerk. “Oh, I’m sorry, guys, but we’re closed.”
    They didn’t pay any attention to him, however. No, the man in the lead was still locked on Addie as he stepped forward, his head cocked to the side, eyes raking over her in study.
    She took another step back. In a minute she’d hit one of the racks, she knew—the store wasn’t that big. But every fiber of her being was telling her to flee and it was difficult to stand her ground. She crossed her arms at her chest and tried to at least keep from shivering from the rain still clinging to her.
    “You can take turns using my phone, I guess,” the clerk said, his voice pitching higher with nervousness. “But...”
    Mr. No-Longer-Forgettable stepped closer still until Addie’s head was tipped back to maintain eye