Page 33 of It All Started with a Bite

“Consider it training.”

The woman reached the doors just as they opened from inside. A tall man with multiple piercings, vivid purple hair, and an expensive suit held it for her.

“Morning, Dave,” she greeted.

Dave nodded. “Morning, Janet.”

“You off to see a client?”

“Yeah. Count de Ville. He’s claiming fang replacement expenses. Fifth time this month.” Dave grimaced. “Watch out for Kevin. He’s on a rampage about someone stealing his lunch again.”

“That werewolf is an idiot,” Janet said succinctly. She vanished inside the building.

Dave glanced at me and Bo curiously as he headed down the road.

“Didn’t you work with a guy named Kevin?” Bo said.

Motion in an upper window caught my eye before I could answer. The morning sun danced off something beyond the glass. I squinted.

Whatever it was vanished from view.

Bo’s ears flattened. “Were those tentacles?”

I chewed my lip. So I wasn’t the only one who’d seen the tentacles. “It must be our imagination.” I took a deep breath, straightened my shoulders, and headed for the doors. “Okay. Let’s do this.”

Bo didn’t look convinced by my battle cry.

The inside of the building was all marble, potted plants, and strange smells. A security desk that looked like Fort Knox loomed at the far end of the lobby. A guard who could have doubled as a linebacker and a petite, mousy brunette sat behind it.

My steps echoed on the floor as I closed the distance to them, Bo’s nails clicking along in tandem. I was wearing my best suit and heels and had definitely not spent the better part of an hour changing outfits this morning or putting on a thin veneer of makeup that made me look like I was naturally pretty without trying.

The guard gave me a once-over as I approached, like I’d committed a crime by just walking into the building. I got a whiff of a faint sulfurous smell and was wondering who he reminded me of when his expression cooled.

“Dogs aren’t allowed in here.”

“He’s rude,” Bo huffed.

The guard blinked. “He’s a familiar?” The sulfur aroma got stronger. “He doesn’t smell like one.”

The receptionist was talking patiently to someone on the phone. “No, sir, we don’t provide pet insurance for krakens. We don’t deal in any pet insurance whatsoever. We’re a financial firm.”

I looked at Bo, certain I’d heard wrong.

He did a version of a doggy shrug. “Krakens are real. They said so on the Discovery Channel.”

I squinted. “Which Discovery Channel are you watching?”

“The supernatural one. It’s on channel 999.”

The guard was leveling a wary stare at Bo’s vest. “What services does he offer?”

“Sass and free belly rubs,” I said a smidgen darkly.

Bo grinned, tail thumping the floor.

The receptionist’s face had tightened. “I don’t care if your Uncle Norman thinks we provide pet insurance, sir. We do not.” A vein began throbbing in her temple.

The guard looked worried all of a sudden. “Hmm, Charlene, how about you calm down?”

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