Catabolic: Tails of Talisman, #3

By T.M. Stark

I'm just your normal handsome devil with nine lives… scratch that… seven lives and the most gorgeous girlfriend this side of the Mississippi River. That is, until I died…

 

Again.

 

Another life bites the dust. And another one down and another one down.

 

Tricked out Hummer. Check. El Chupacabra. Check check.

 

Lunatic on the loose in my tiny hamlet of Shadowkeep, Arizona?

 

Triple check.

 

But with my posse of furry friends, I'm on the case. Because the circus is coming to town. Life is a three-ring circus, you say?

 

I agree. With some murders moments more spectacular than others. Just call me P.T. Barnum with razor-sharp claws.

 

When people start dropping like flies, Sage and I jump into action.

 

So don't worry, humans. Just like all the others, I've got this one by the tail.

• Language: English
• Publisher: T.M. Stark
• Release date: Apr 5, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393659549

Book preview

CATABOLIC

Tails of Talisman – Book Two

By

T.M. Stark

Table of Contents

Title Page

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Epilogue

Copyright

Chapter 1

A full moon hung suspended in the sky, the cool clean air tickled my nostrils, and the freshly cut grass of Lamplighter Park Pavilion felt so lush under my paws that I couldn't help but lean down and nibble on some.

Talisman! Amelia scolded, snapping her fingers at me. Like many pet owners and annoyed mothers worldwide, she had a habit of using my whole name when I stepped out of line in her eyes. No! Bad! Don't eat that! You’ll puke.

If I were a child – or kitten, in my case – her tone might have shamed me. But since was just over three hundred years old, I’d learned to take these things in stride a long time ago. I looked up at her and flicked my tufted ears, licking the last few blades of grass from my whiskers defiantly.

Take that, full name user!

Actually, eating grass isn't bad for cats at all, Penelope said, reaching down to run her long, tapered fingers down my back in the way I enjoyed most. I leaned into the impromptu kitty massage. It can be good for their digestive tracts.

I can confirm that, her husband Dr. Luke Collier piped up. Hardly surprising – since they got together last year, Dr. Luke had been acting so doting and smitten with her that if she claimed the world was flat and made of scrambled eggs, he'd probably happily confirm that, too. Still, as the town's veterinarian, his input on this particular subject held weight.

And it wasn’t like I could blame him for loving Pen so much – I loved her more than life itself, or at least one of my nine, and not just because she'd given me complete control of her animal shelter, Paws Crossed, when my owner, confidante, and mentor, Papa Delacroix, crossed over. If I could have, I would have stopped to cross myself. But alas, no fingers. Only claws. Razor sharp and ready to take down anyone who threatened the humans or animals that I loved. Penelope took excellent care of me, and in return, I protected her whenever her penchant for using magic got her into trouble.

Which certainly tended to happen from time to time. Especially in a town like Shadowkeep, Arizona, where at least one-tenth of the population were witches or warlocks – and the other nine-tenths were either wholly oblivious or darkly suspicious.

And the most suspicious of all? Elias ugly-mug Stout anyone?

I stared up into the air but couldn’t see my best friend, Sage, a great horned owl, anywhere. We could communicate telepathically when humans were present. When they weren’t, we talked to each other.

We’re enchanted. Suspend disbelief and get the heck over it.

Well, since you're so eager to 'confirm' that, Ami replied, "you can be the one who cleans up watery grass-vomit when Tali hacks it up at home later."

It's a deal, Dr. Luke laughed, putting an arm around Pen. In all my years as a vet, I have seen so much worse. And now that we’re a family, Tali is my cat as much as Pen’s.

Tali, sweetie? Is Ami right? Will that grass really make you sick? I hate it when you vomit. Gross. Lola rubbed up against me, her big blue eyes filled with concern. She was my main squeeze, a gorgeous Ragdoll cat with luxurious white hair and crystal-clear blue eyes the color of a sweet summer sky. Most Ragdolls tended to grow to between fifteen and twenty pounds, but she’d been the runt of her litter, so she was a bit smaller and skinnier than me. Whenever I felt her long, bushy tail brush up against mine, I couldn’t help but think of what a lucky feline I was.

Lola was smoking hot.

Too soon to tell, doll, I answered, butting her with my head.

The truth was, my belly was starting to feel a bit sour, and I could taste the first trickles of bile traveling up my throat. Darn. It really stuck in my craw when the humans were right. First, I’d found out coffee – my all-time favorite snack – was toxic to cats, and now grass? Could a hungry feline ever catch a break in this life?

Ugh. To those of us with whiskers and tails, existence was a never-ending parade of gastronomical disappointments.

Thanks again for giving us your extra tickets to the show, Ami, Dr. Luke said. It's nice to have a proper date night with Pen.

Don't mention it. There was a strange edge to Ami's voice, one I'd noticed more and more lately whenever she spent time with Pen and Dr. Luke. I couldn't quite put my paw on it. She was the one who'd pushed Pen to start seeing him in the first place, and now that they were together, she acted like she was happy for them, but...

Whatever happened to just one kiss to break the spell?

Lola licked the tip of my nose, interrupting my train of thought. I nuzzled her in return. Pen and Dr. Luke weren't the only ones who were happy to have a romantic evening out.

Yes, well, it's hardly surprising that you'd take her on a date you didn't have to pay for, is it, you penny-pinching furball? Sage's fussy British accent filled my head, mocking as usual. Even during moments of touching intimacy, that darn owl wouldn't stop heckling me.

With friends like him, who needed dogs?

I don't have pennies, or even pockets to keep them in, but if I did, I’d give Lola the world, I retorted, watching Sage flap around above us. Besides, I didn't notice you buying a ticket to get in either, Owlcatraz.

The doorman owed me a favor, Sage sniffed haughtily. If he were here, I would recognize his superior expression anywhere. Not the same thing at all.

Right. Pull the other one, and I toot the Meow Mix jingle.

I can't believe we get to see Reynard Wolfsheim! Pen gushed, clutching her hands to her heart. He's the world's greatest living illusionist and stage magic historian. I've always wanted to watch him perform, but he's never come to Shadowkeep on tour before. Or anywhere else in Arizona, for that matter. When do you get to interview him for the paper?

After the show. I'm supposed to meet up with his publicist Linus Apis first, to coordinate it. I think that's him now, Ami added, pointing across the park. I’m super excited!

A tall, lanky man in an expensive suit walked toward us, smiling and waving. He had high cheekbones, curly black hair, and round wire-framed glasses with oddly flat lenses – every few seconds, they seemed to catch the light around them, flickering intermittently and obscuring his large brown eyes like headlights flashing on a dark road. He pushed them up the bridge of his nose self-consciously as he reached us, extending a hand to Ami. For a rich, famous guy’s publicist, this dude seemed decidedly geek-like.

You must be Amelia Foley, he said in a rich baritone. It's wonderful to finally meet you in person. You're even lovelier than I'd pictured you.

Ami seemed taken aback – especially when, instead of shaking her hand, Linus brought it up to his lips and kissed it. She blushed a deep shade of crimson.

Um, thanks, she mumbled. You, too. I mean, it's, uh... nice to meet you. Finally. Too. These are my friends Pen and Dr. Luke. Collier. That's his last name. Well, hers, too, I guess. We just, we, um, we call him Dr. Luke. I don't know why. It's silly. Anyway. We brought our cats.

I've never heard her so nervous before! Lola's tail twitched with excitement. Look at her! She likes him! I mean, she, like, likes him! How cute!

My, what magnificent creatures you have. Linus kneeled down, petting both of us at once. His hands were extremely soft, and he seemed to know just where to touch us to make us purr. You're just a pair of fine, noble beasts, aren't you? Of course, you are.

I slipped into my best Bogart impression. Lola, baby, if he keeps this up, I think it could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

She gave me her sexiest mewl, batting at me playfully.

I must say, Linus continued, getting up and brushing the grass off his trousers, "I'm tremendously envious of all of you. I've been traveling with Reynard for almost five years, and I’ve seen his show hundreds of times. But to be seeing it for the first time? I can't wait to read your article tomorrow, so I can experience that through your eyes... thanks to the poetry of your prose, of course. All of Shadowkeep will be delighted."

Oh, well, um, it's hardly, I mean, I wouldn't necessarily call my writing 'poetry,' Ami stammered. Or prose for that matter. More like, ‘just the facts, ma’am.’

Nonsense. I make a point of researching every reporter we provide intimate access to, and I've found your previous journalistic efforts utterly captivating. Your article on desert erosion and its detrimental effects on the local wildlife was particularly compelling. The part about the plight of the antelope jackrabbits nearly moved me to tears.

Ami stared at him, mouth agape. But something deep within her gaze spoke the volumes of words that refused to regurgitate up from her tight throat. The compliment had moved her. Thank you.

"No, thank you for consenting to lend your considerable talents to the coverage of our show. I have no doubt we'll end up using segments of it in our press releases from this point forward... with your kind permission, naturally. Now, I must run – lots of hands to shake and ears to bend before the show starts, as I'm sure you can imagine – but afterward, I'll make sure you have plenty of time with Reynard. And the rest of our merry band, too, if you'd like. Until then..." Linus bowed deeply, then turned, walking back toward the stage.

Ami continued to stare after him, her face still a deep scarlet. The toe of her shoe dug into the dirt, and her shoulders hunched over into an ‘aw shucks’ pose.

Well, it certainly seems like love is in the air tonight! Pen teased, giving Ami's shoulder a gentle shake. Linus is cute.

It does seem that way, though, doesn't it? Lola purred, rubbing her nose against my shoulder. The stars are shining, the whole park is full of magic and excitement, there are couples cuddling all around us... She sighed happily.

A pause. A heartbeat. A moment suspended in time.

I love you, Tali.

Oh, no. Not that. I held my breath.

I'd been with Lola for quite some time. I enjoyed being with her. She was beautiful, sweet, and a lot of fun to curl up with. Not only that, but we'd been through a lot the previous year when the vile Chokecherry family had tried to siphon Pen's magical energy and we defeated them – narrowly escaping with our collective eighteen lives.

Lola meant a lot to me, and I wanted us to stay together.

But love? I wasn’t sure I even believed in it.

And I'd never said that word to anyone I'd been with before, not in all my centuries, and I wasn't in a hurry to start now. The thought of it was just too... big. Too permanent. When you've been alive for three hundred years and might stay alive for hundreds more, commitment can be a scary thing. And since Lola had never belonged to Papa Delacroix, she would have the normal cat lifespan.

I would outlive her.

And if I confessed my love to her, that would gut me in a way I didn’t even want to consider.

Lola was still looking at me, concerned. Tali? Did you hear what I said?

Darn. I had to say something back, but what?

Before I could think of anything appropriate that wouldn’t cause me to get kicked out of the orthopedic kitty bed, the voice of Dr. Luke saved me, dripping with disdain. Uh-oh. You spoke too soon, Pen. Looks like the romance in the air is about to curdle.

Chapter 2

I followed Luke’s ‘I just sucked down a lemon’ gaze. Elias Stout and Sabrina Scuttleworth picked their way across the park, eyeing us as if we’d just rolled around in sewage.

Elias was a