Page 53 of Tiger Bitten

“Fuck your ex and his party tricks. Your eyes are gorgeous but not just because they’re supernatural. They’re pretty because you can see your whole soul in them.”

The laughter fell from her throat. She didn’t know what to say. It was the nicest compliment she had ever received.

Up until now, she’d hated her eyes.

Up until now, she saw what a freak she was when she looked in the mirror.

Up until now, they just made her feel different, when all she really wanted was to fit in.

How could she hate them now that Mars had said that?

“It’s true, Ren. Your whole soul.”

And she could hear the truth in his voice. She knew without the shadow of a doubt it was how he really felt.

She didn’t say anything back. She didn’t have the words that would do a thank you justice. He was snuffing out her insecurities like candles.

Ren climbed into his lap and curled into a ball, slipped her arms around his neck, and rested her face against the tripping pulse at his throat.

No words needed to be said.

He was purring again.

Chapter Fifteen

Today had been the best day of Ren’s entire existence.

The best. Hands down. By far.

She sipped on her sprite and watched Misty take a turn throwing an ax down the caged lane and sink it into the outer ring of the target.

She was beaming with pride when she turned around. “That’s all we needed, right? I did it?”

“Winners!” Although Ren was slightly certain that Dame and Mars had let them win, but whatever. She wasn’t going to tell Misty and ruin her victory lap, which she was currently taking by riding an imaginary stick horse in circles.

Mars winked at her from where he was standing with Dame, tallying up the score cards.

Ren had probably thirty pictures on her phone from today. They’d walked around downtown Salt Lake City with Dame and Misty, found an awesome barbecue place to eat, found a record store Mars had surprised her with, and she picked out records for all of them based on a guess on what kind of musical tastes they all had, and they’d done a happy hour at this fancy hotel bar that overlooked the city, and then moseyed on down to their appointment at the ax throwing place. And all the while, she’d worn her black dress to match Misty. Ren’s was a little tight, but Mars seemed to really like the fit. His eyes stayed glued to her cleavage. His staring had become the running joke of the day.

Stellan had only just shown up to meet them at the ax throwing bar, but he didn’t want to play with them. He drifted back and forth between hanging out with them and going to the bar area to order drinks and food, to hanging outside, and back in a constant loop, like he was uncomfortable and his animal couldn’t settle. His eyes had been glowing bright gold all night. He was wearing sunglasses, but even through them, she could tell.

Currently, Stellan was sitting at the bar top in the room behind them, in Ren’s line of sight, spinning a full shot glass of what looked like whiskey. There was such a feeling of isolation that clung to him. It was as if he felt the need to be near them, but not with them.

These Ledger boys didn’t talk about their problems and danced delicately around stories of the ‘before.’ Before they were Turned. But when it came down to it, they were raised by a cold mother, and a stepfather who did something unspeakable to them, and they had to live as adults knowing their mother chose their killer over them. All they’d had to lean on growing up was the three of them. Everything about Stellan screamed outsider, and she was curious why.

Ren stood and made her way to Mars, slid under his waiting arm, and hugged his waist. He leaned down and kissed her, then patted her butt and lowered his lips to her ear. “I kind of don’t want to go tomorrow.”

She smiled. “I’m going to remind you of this next year when you’re whining about not wanting to come here.”

He chuckled. “A reminder would be good. I’ll book us for a week next time.”

Ren slid a glance to Misty, who was sipping on an orange soda. She winked at her new friend. They both knew the week would happen in just a few months if everything went to plan.

“You should just stay an extra day,” Dame said.

“Ah, I’ve got a meeting with my lawyers, and Ren has to get back to work.”

“I mean, I could text my mom and ask to get one more shift covered.”