Asprin, Robert Lynn – Catwoman – Tiger Hunt (With Lynn Abbey)

“What’s going on here? One minute there’s a banshee in the chapel, the next you’re all dawdling in the garden.”

“Rose came back,” Sister Theresa admitted in a small voice.

Mother Joseph folded her arms in front of her. She had the patience of a saint, or a stone, and by the angle of her head let Rose know she was prepared to wait for the Last Judgment, if necessary, for an explanation.

A wave of guilt and shame broke over Rose. She felt naked and worthless—but she was used to that. If Rose had allowed feeling worthless to stop her, she’d never have made it to kindergarten. “I made a mistake,” she said flatly. “I shouldn’t have come here.”

You couldn’t lie when you were naked, but there were a thousand kinds of truth. Squaring her shoulders, Rose started for the street. She hadn’t gone two steps when Beelzebub, the mission’s battle-scarred tomcat, streaked past. Anyone might have been startled by the sudden movement. Almost anyone might have yelped with surprise. But Rose was wide-eyed, stark-white terrified.

Beelzebub yawned and stretched himself across a sun-warmed stone, looking for all the world like nothing had happened. Sister Theresa became aware of someone staring at the back of her neck. She turned to face Mother Joseph. After so many years together, the veterans didn’t need words. The set of Mother Joseph’s features, the subtle movement of her right eyebrow, all conveyed a very clear set of orders.

Sister Theresa slipped her arm gently, firmly around Rose’s waist. The young woman blinked, but her eyes were as wide and frozen as they’d been before.