“You’ve been hurt too, haven’t you?” He nodded. “Someone changed you without your permission when it wasn’t thought of to be a crime. You have lived your life in anger for so long you didn’t care what happened to you.”
“Yes.” He didn’t ask her how she knew this. But he was sure she knew even more about him than he remembered. “You’re very powerful. But along with that, you’re very beautiful as well. I think I should like to be your friend.”
“I would as well.” Putting out her hand, he took it before he could think he should caution himself on what might happen between them with the exchange. The tingle in the region where his heart had long since stopped beating made him think he was more alive right now than he’d been when he was human. “Thank you, Olivia Prince. I will help your grandda, with your help.”
“Deal.”
The rest of the afternoon was all of them sitting around talking. He even enjoyed a scone, something he’d not had in centuries. While he wasn’t older than the tigers, he was old. Food had come to mean less to him than friendship. Or so he’d thought.
Benjamin was happy when he left the home. Happy to do as they wanted. He thought perhaps that he’d still be at their beck and call, though he would enjoy it a great deal more now.
Chapter 10
Micky and Rowan loaded up the car with the few things they planned to take with them. Mostly it was snacks and bottled water and juice, but it was a road trip they both wanted. Maybe even needed a little.
“I can’t believe how quickly my house sold.” She told Rowan she thought she’d gotten a good deal on it too. “Yes, I did. Now I have to figure out what I’m going to do when I get back. Taking a leave from the station house wasn’t my idea, but now that I’m going with you, I think I might enjoy it. Are you sure you don’t mind taking me with you?”
“It’ll be just what we both need.” Not only had her sister sold her house, but she’d gotten someone to take over the running of the nursing home. “We neither one have ties to hold us back or that we have to rush back to. Roone and the others are going to come to see us when they can. This will be better than the cruise we were going to take.”
“I still want to take that cruise with you.” Micky wanted that too, but now wasn’t so sure she’d be able to enjoy it. “Are you going to tell me what is going on, or are you going to make me guess? Tell me.”
“I have cancer. It’s in my lungs, lymph nodes, as well as my breasts. It’s not that I’ve not had checks every year, but this is an aggressive form that is going to take my life. I don’t want to die, Rowan.” She said she didn’t want her to either and hugged her. “I wanted this to be so much fun for us. The two of us getting out and seeing things we might not have otherwise.”
“You’re not going to die.” She nodded at her. “No. You’re not. We’re going to make our first trip out to see the family that saved me. If they can put me back together the way they did, you won’t be a problem.”
“I can’t ask them to do that. They saved you. That was more than enough.” Rowan told her she’d tell them, not ask, and that saving her without her bestie wasn’t good enough. “This is why I didn’t want to tell you. I knew you’d want that too.”
“I can’t go on without you, Micky. You’re as much my twin as Roone is. I need you.” She said she needed her too. “Do they know? Any of them?”
“Mark does. The doctor I usually used was out of town when I fell. It wasn’t that big of a deal, but Mark saw me in the emergency room and found out. Told me about it too.” She told her it would be all right. “No. This is all we’re going to do. Go on this trip, have some fun before I’m too weak to go on, then I’ll die peacefully in my sleep with you holding my hand.”
Getting into the car, she hoped that would be the end of it. However, she should have known better. Rowan was not one to put off. The first hundred miles or so was her talking about how they were going to approach the family. To beg, if they needed to, for what they wanted them to do for them.
By the time Rowan let it go, they were outside the city limits of the town the Prince family was from. At some point, Rowan had driven them right there. Micky’s nap was the perfect time for her to get off the highway and to the city. She shouldn’t have told her.
“Because they shared their blood with me, I’m betting I have some sort of beacon I can contact them with. What is it they do in those dirty books you read?” She told her they weren’t dirty, but romance. “Potato, potahto. Whatever. What do they do?”
“They sort of mind reach out for them. I doubt that would work anyway. I mean, it’s only in books. Right?” Rowan turned and smiled at her. “You did it, didn’t you? Have you no shame?”
“Not where you’re concerned, no, I don’t. We’ve been invited for dinner. I’m talking to Bryant right now. He thinks it’s funny that we’re here. They were all just talking about me.” Misty said they should find a hotel. “Nope, we’re staying with them. They have plenty of room, and we’re going there.”
The drive through town was slow going, but it was a nice little town. The more they got out of what could only be considered downtown area, the houses got bigger and pricier. Rowan pulled into the drive of one of the biggest houses she’d ever seen. She asked her if this was right.
“You tell me. Is that him on the front porch?” Not only was it Bryant, but he was waving at them. The woman with him could only be Harper, the woman she’d spoken to briefly when she’d called to talk to her husband. “I’m assuming that’s a yes. Come on, dork. We’re going to have a lovely dinner with them, then we’re going to see about saving you for me. This might not work the way I want it to, but I’ve got my gun. We’ll just have to make them help you.”
Before she could tell her she was insane, which she was sure Rowan was, she was in the car all alone. Getting out, she had a moment when she was dizzy and didn’t let go of the door just yet. When a tiger came to the car beside her, she wondered if this would be an easier way to die than the cancer she had.
“Hello.” She smiled at the man who walked from the porch to her. “I’m Collier. Emmie is my daughter. Kylan is her husband. He wants me to talk to you. Can I do that for you? Also, you should know that this is Marcus.”
“Is he planning on having me for dinner? I’m ill. He should know that too.” Collier told her she had been ill. “I’m sorry. No one has touched me here. I can’t be cured.”
“He said you were touched by your sister. Hugged, too, if he doesn’t miss his bet. Marcus said you were cured of the cancer the moment she held you in her arms. However, he is very happy you’ve come to visit them.” She said she didn’t understand. “Marcus said they explained to you about the magic they used on your sister. Also, telling you they didn’t know how it would work with her. She can apparently heal people with just a touch. Even the cut on your leg you did this morning while shaving is gone. He said you missed a spot on your ankle.”
“Does he have any manners at all?” Collier laughed and said all of them did, usually. She looked at where she’d cut herself badly this morning and found that not only was it gone, but there wasn’t a scar. “I don’t understand this. We came here…Rowan has a gun. She planned on using it on your family if they didn’t help me.”
“Not that it matters, but since you’re healed, we don’t have to worry about that.” She asked him why it didn’t matter. “We’re all immortal, including you and your sister. Are you coming in for dinner? I’m starved.”
When he walked away, she looked at the tiger. He was staring at her like her cat did, who she had left in the back of the car. Going to get it out of the cage, she warned the big tiger that she wasn’t too keen on bigger cats. As soon as she leapt from her hands, the cat was gone.
“Micky? Are you coming in or staying out there all day?” She looked at her sister, then at the tiger. “Come on. We’re all waiting on you?”
�
��Something is going on here, isn’t it?” He nodded at her. “Do you suppose we’re going to be unhappy with whatever it is?” The cat shrugged like a human would. Then he took off for the side of the house. “I’ve entered The Twilight Zone. I just know it. I’m going to start hearing that scary music, then end up in some cornfield where I’ll never be heard from again.”
Going into the house, she felt calmed. The aroma coming from the dining room had her following her nose. Whatever they were serving, she wanted some of it. Sitting down next to her sister, she started piling up her plate. The tiger, in the form of a man, came in and sat down too. This was just going to drive her over the edge, she knew it.
Before You Go…
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Kathi Barton, a winner of the Pinnacle Book Achievement award as well as a best-selling author on Amazon and All Romance books, lives in Nashport, Ohio, with her husband, Paul. When not creating new worlds and romance, Kathi and her husband enjoy camping and going to auctions. She can also be seen at county fairs with her husband, who is an artist and potter.
Her muse, a cross between Jimmy Stewart and Hugh Jackman, brings her stories to life for her readers in a way that has them coming back time and again for more. Her favorite genre is paranormal romance, with a great deal of spice. You can visit Kathi on line and drop her an email if you’d like. She loves hearing from her fans. [email protected].
Follow Kathi on her blog: http://kathisbartonauthor.blogspot.com/
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Kylan: Prince of Tigers – Paranormal Tiger Shifter Romance Page 15