Angie remembered her parents coming to visit when she turned ten. They’d promised to take her away on a family vacation. Instead, they spent thirty minutes telling her why they couldn’t. She listened with absolutely no emotion, while her grandmother slammed pots around in the kitchen and cursed in Portuguese. But Miki and Sara were there too. They didn’t say anything, but she soon learned their silence was a very, very bad thing.

Sara limped into the kitchen and returned with a glass of what looked like milk and orange juice. A revolting mix. While staring at Angie’s parents, Sara handed the glass to Miki, who gulped it down in two big swallows.

Three minutes later, Miki staggered up and over to Angie’s mother and projectile vomited all over the woman. Twice.

To this day, her mother wouldn’t even mention the two women who had become such an integral part of her life. And until the day she died, both Sara and Miki always had a place at her grandmother’s table.

Her anger-management counselor seemed convinced her issues with physical contact were due to her parents’ lack of affection. Perhaps, but knowing that didn’t make it better. Or make any of it hurt less.

And although she knew she was too old to worry whether her parents cared or not, she did. Still. After all this time.

Angie laid her head on her knees and sighed. She didn’t feel lonely often. But when she did, she felt it all the way down to her bones.

She looked up as Nik—at least she really hoped it was Nik—burst out of the trees. He sprinted across the backyard and took a wild leap up to her balcony. He didn’t clear it, but clung to it with his big claws and forearms. His giant tiger head dipped over the railing, as he looked at her.

So stunned by his return and launch at her balcony, Angie didn’t move or run for her life. She just stared up at him. She’d never seen a tiger this close up before. She couldn’t believe how enormous he was. His gold eyes glinted at her in the darkness and his huge tongue hung from his mouth.

“Is this your way of saying good night?” He dragged that big tongue across her cheek. “Dude! Disgusting!” But she laughed in spite of herself and immediately let go her sadness.

One paw released the banister and he hung off the side. He stared through the bars of the railing and it took her a moment to realize he was staring at her…well, her and her no-panty-wearing ass.

“Hey! Eyes front, cat!”

He again gripped the banister with both paws and let out a weird sound through his nose. Like two big puffs of air. Strange, but she got the feeling it didn’t mean anything bad. His head came farther over the banister and he quietly waited. She had the feeling he wouldn’t leave until he got what he wanted.

Praying she would get her hand back intact, Angie reached up and ran her fingers through his fur, like shehad done with his hair earlier that day. She kept it up for about three minutes, just petting him, lost in the feel of his fur against her fingertips. Eventually, he made that puffing sound again, licked her wrist with his dry, rough tongue, and released the banister. He fell back to the hard ground, but landed on his feet. He turned to look at her once more, then bounded off into the trees.

She had no idea what happened, but she did know her hard nipples, wet thighs, and that damn thumping noise were freaking her the fuck out.

Chapter Six

Nik didn’t come back. At least, she never heard him if he did. Around eleven in the morning, she rolled out of bed and scrounged up a bowl of cereal, made a fresh pot of coffee, enjoyed two cups, and the newspaper before heading off to the shower. Once bathed, she threw on a pair of denim shorts and a T-shirt, heading out to the backyard. She draped herself onto a lounge chair and dialed Sara.

No answer on her cell. So she tried Miki.

“Yeah?”

“Hey. It’s me.”

“Yeah.”

“Oh, come on. You’re not still mad at me.”

“No. I’m not.”

“But Sara is?”

“She’s mad at everybody. Zach, Conall, me. The universe.”

Angie grimaced. It took a lot to piss off sober Sara. But once done, the woman wasn’t satisfied until someone lay bleeding and crying.

“Well do something.”

“Do what? She won’t even talk to me. She’s pissed. I mean p-i-s…”

“Yes, Miki. I know how to spell pissed. I can actually spell it in several languages.”

“I still have you beat by two.”

“I’m sorry but Klingon and Elvish don’t count.”

“Says who? Klingon is really tough.”

“Miki, hon, I really need you to focus.”

“Yeah. Well, if I were you, I wouldn’t get too fuckin’ comfortable.”

“Am I the only one who sees the big picture here? Hyenas are trying to kill you. True, there are many who have wanted to see you dead, but these are the first that have actively tried.”

Miki snorted, “Look, I do understand. And I appreciate you caring and all.”

“But…”

“There’s no but. I mean, I did do a little research on this Vorislav guy last night and found some pics of him and his brothers on his company’s web site. And imagine my surprise when I realized he’s the guy from the airport. But, of course, I’m sure that has nothing to do with you staying there so comfortably.”

Fucking, researching bitch!

“It has nothing to do with that. I’m waiting for the Pack to get here. Then I’ll be back.”