Primal Fortune

Chapter 3 Meeting Adjourned

Time had become Ivy's greatest nemesis. The seconds ticked by with all the swiftness of a sloth. No matter how many times she glanced at the clock, the difference was always negligible at best.

"This is ridiculous. It's just a reading, not Christmas." Ivy's hands sought out the cards for the sixty-ninth time that morning in a desperate bid to focus on something besides Kenji's impending arrival.

It had only been a week since Halloween, but Ivy's mind kept replaying every detail of their first encounter with a vivid clarity that took her breath away. Every smile, every touch, and every lame joke nestled in the deepest recess of her psyche. Try as she might, it was impossible to ignore. She might as well have been trying to capture the stars in her paws.

Had she been in her wolf form, Ivy knew she would have been pacing. The cards would just have to distract her or so she thought as she plucked a solitary card from the deck at random. "Of course, it would be Strength."

This had to be the universe's idea of a joke. Even the tarot cards were mocking her. The image of a regal lion and serene priestess had never been so maddening as the beads chimed.

"You alright?" The strands had been parted once again with a graceful ease by Kenji. "You look like someone who is about to get blood work done."

Just like that, the aroma of the rainforest reclaimed her office. It was as if he had never left.

Ivy raised a skeptical brow in response. "I'm alright. I've just got a lot on my mind. Are you implying that you're afraid of blood work? That's a little ironic for a vet. Don't you think?"

"A little, but come on. Everyone hates blood work." Kenji grinned as he sat down on the couch. "I don't mind performing it on animals, but I'm not a fan of needles being used on me."

That grin was magical. Ivy could swear that there was now a colony of butterflies residing in her stomach that had never been there before.

"I admire your honesty." The werewolf smiled, showing him the tarot card deck again. "Most men wouldn't admit that. Choose three cards."

Kenji selected the cards with the wonder of a pup chasing their tail. "Well, I doubt most men know about your sexy tattoo either. What can I say? I like to defy the odds."

The tropical fruit scent was back. Kenji definitely had a thing for tattoos.

"In that case, you should be on your very best behavior. Sexy tattoo secrets are sacred. They shouldn't be shared lightly." She glanced at the cards. "You'll have to really impress me if you're that curious about it. Now, let's start with your reading." Ivy needed to focus. Kenji had paid for a reading, not a dating profile. "You drew The Star for your past. This card represents a period of mediation so that you can determine what you value most. Serving the Greater Good by getting to know yourself better."

Kenji gazed at the picture and smiled. Something about the woman underneath the starry sky must have struck a cord with him. "That makes sense. Hoshi's name means star. He's the one that told me I should become a vet."

"That's sweet. You're right. He does sound amazing." She reached for the second card, her fingers brushing against Kenji's as she retrieved it. A seductive warmth cascaded through her body at the contact. "The Lovers is your present card. The most obvious meaning is romance, but in older traditions it referred more to the difficulties of choosing a partner than the more...intimate aspects." Her face threatened to match the color of her hair at the implications. "It's likely that you're either considering beginning a relationship or ending a current one."

Against her better judgement, Ivy hoped it was the former. Dating a human could get complicated quickly, but the nose didn't lie. There was something worth exploring here.