Predator Girl (A Paranormal Romance) by S. B. Roozenboom Read Free Book Online Page A

sidewalk.
    Her tan legs were crossed, sitting at an outdoor table made of iron, owned by the coffee shop on the corner. She had a magazine propped in her lap; she brushed crumbs off her tube top, unaware of my presence.
    Mya . I crouched behind my chair, wondering how long she had been there. While it was hard to hear or smell an Otherworlder in a busy place, I should have at least sensed something the second she showed up.
    The crosswalk was just up ahead, drawn across the intersection and ending behind her chair. I rocked on the balls of my feet. If I could get over the crosswalk, she’d never see me coming. You’re not getting away from me this time, Otherworlder . I hopped up, trying not to run as I headed toward the intersection.
    She was still reading. She turned the page, unaware. I smacked the button on the light post, waiting for the red hand across the street to change. I jiggled my leg, antsy, debating on what technique to use should she attack. The chances of her coming at me were high—I hadn’t forgotten the way she’d crouched outside the club, ready to leap.
    The light across the street stayed red. I groaned, turning to look at her again.
    Uh oh.
    She uncrossed her legs, sitting forward. Tossing the magazine on the table, she crumpled up a small paper bag. My stomach dropped as she stood up, slipping inside to toss her trash.
    My heart pounded. Hurry up, stupid light . I was not going to lose this girl just because of some dumb traffic signal. Maybe it was all the pent up energy from fighting with Mom, but I was ready to take her down. Even without weapons, I could do it. I would see her tagged or in captivity before the night was over.
    The coffee shop bells jingled. Mya stepped outside, zipping up her jacket. Suddenly she stopped. Her nose twitched. Her eyes locked onto mine. I read the fear in her face and finally picked up on her familiar scent.
    And she was off, bolting down the sidewalk away from me.
    Adrenaline coursed through my system. The crosswalk signal was still red, but it no longer mattered. I tore across the road, ignoring the honks of oncoming vehicles and the squeal of breaks. Mya darted around a corner into an alleyway. I ran right after her.
    I can’t let her get away .

Chapter Nine—Ilume
    I  should’ve kept to my original plan.
    Originally, I intended to just stop into town for some breakfast. Maybe grab a coffee and a sausage wrap, or even a double patty cheeseburger, picking off the bun and condiments.
    That wasn’t quite what happened.
    I came into the old part of Loralin that morning, where the buildings were rundown but the shops quirky. Back home, it wasn’t often I visited a town in Canada—we were taught to stay in the woods unless you were a job-holder. I had been a worker once but not for very long. I was a born huntress, an alpha female.
    Being in this town had, to my surprise, fascinated me.
    I watched, possibly a little too intensely, as a short human girl with glasses and purple nails made me a mocha. I hadn’t had one since I was a pup, and Ms. Purple Nails here sure made them different than my mom. Nonetheless, it tasted delicious, as did the strange, turkey-bacon thing I bought.
    Curiosity prolonged my stay. I walked through art shops full of paintings and pottery, boutiques with strange and colorful clothes, and an assortment of junk stores, all of which held items that engrossed and confused me. Who knew humans needed so much stuff ? I even bought a magazine about famous humans. Rex popped up in the back of my mind, scolding me for spending his money on useless, human trash. I didn’t care. In fact, I reveled in knowing my magazine would piss Rex off.
    Around five I found myself back at the coffee shop buying one last mocha. I ordered a piece of coffee cake, which didn’t taste like coffee to me. It tasted like sponge cake with sugar, its surface crumbly and sweet. The interior was so soft it melted in my mouth. I loved it. What an incredible day.
    Too