person? Or are you a straight shooter, hit you with the hard stuff, rip off the band-aid type?”
Dax figured this would narrow down the ways he could screw this up.
“I want honesty above all else, Dax. Tell me straight out whatever it is. I’m a big girl, I can take it,” she told him. She never liked when people hedged. It had always made her nervous, even as a kid. Too many adults talking about her behind her back or whispering when she was in the same room. Honest people she could read and trust, it was the only way she’d let her foster parents and Cassie in.
Dax nodded and turned walking into the bathroom, grabbed another towel and dried off as he slowly came back. He was really just buying himself some time to formulate his plan.
Dropping the towel he saw that Effie was sitting patiently, although there was an air of worry about her. He knew he was acting strangely, his cat was setting up a hissing fit telling him to get on with it. He wanted his mate too and he didn’t like having to hide from her.
Leaning against the wall, he crossed his arms over his chest and took a deep breath.
“Do you believe in the paranormal?”
“What like vampires and ghosts?” Effie replied. “I’m undecided mostly. Vampires probably not, ghosts? I really hope not, too many people are assholes when they’re alive, I can only imagine if they were dead.”
“What about things like…werewolves?” he hedged.
“Are you telling me you’re a werewolf?” she scoffed.
“No,” he said.
“Good, I was about to call the looney bin hotline,” she said laughing.
“I’m a shifter, a cougar to be exact,” he said, looking at her, no expression on his face. No laughter, no smile. Just him outing himself to his mate.
Effie was going to start laughing again, but something stopped her. He wasn’t smiling when he said that. He looked…what, serious?
“Dax?” she asked, her confusion was palpable in the room.
“I’m a cougar shifter, Effie. I share my body with another soul. I can change into a cougar whenever I want. Been one my whole life. I was matched at birth with the soul of a cougar. Other shifters are matched with their own animals. It’s who I am,” he explained calmly.
Chapter 21
Effie froze. He was telling her he was an animal, or that he could change into one? She should have known, handsome, rich, charming, sexy as hell, and certifiably crazy. Damn, her jackpot just went straight out the window.
“Shit, Cassie always told me the good ones are either married, gay, or dead. She forgot to mention wacko.” Sighing, Effie stood up and started picking up her clothing. She’d have to call a cab to get home.
Dax saw the disbelief pass over her face and he expected her to get angry or laugh at him. But the quiet resignation really freaked him out.
“Sweetness, please don’t go. I’m not crazy, I swear. I can prove it!”
Effie turned around and gave him a look of utter annoyance. “What, are you going to wave a magic wand and turn into a tiger?”
“Cougar, actually,” he quietly corrected.
“Whatever!” Effie flipped her hand into the air, turning back to her clothes.
It was now or never. Dax stripped out of his shorts and gave his cougar the lead. A shimmer of sparkling light washed over Dax as his cat came forward. He shook out his coat and gave a stretch in his skin. Remembering they weren’t supposed to scare her, his cat sat back on his haunches and gave a loud purr.
Effie spun around and let out a yelp, “What the fuck!” She clamored up the bed with her back to the headboard. There was a very large, very real mountain lion sitting across from her. Then she mentally corrected, cougar. Wait, what was the difference? Damn she’d have to Google this when they let her out of the asylum.
“I’m hallucinating or I’ve been roofied.” She covered her eyes like it would make it go away. Then she realized she really needed to keep her eyes on the giant cat in the room.
“This
Dax figured this would narrow down the ways he could screw this up.
“I want honesty above all else, Dax. Tell me straight out whatever it is. I’m a big girl, I can take it,” she told him. She never liked when people hedged. It had always made her nervous, even as a kid. Too many adults talking about her behind her back or whispering when she was in the same room. Honest people she could read and trust, it was the only way she’d let her foster parents and Cassie in.
Dax nodded and turned walking into the bathroom, grabbed another towel and dried off as he slowly came back. He was really just buying himself some time to formulate his plan.
Dropping the towel he saw that Effie was sitting patiently, although there was an air of worry about her. He knew he was acting strangely, his cat was setting up a hissing fit telling him to get on with it. He wanted his mate too and he didn’t like having to hide from her.
Leaning against the wall, he crossed his arms over his chest and took a deep breath.
“Do you believe in the paranormal?”
“What like vampires and ghosts?” Effie replied. “I’m undecided mostly. Vampires probably not, ghosts? I really hope not, too many people are assholes when they’re alive, I can only imagine if they were dead.”
“What about things like…werewolves?” he hedged.
“Are you telling me you’re a werewolf?” she scoffed.
“No,” he said.
“Good, I was about to call the looney bin hotline,” she said laughing.
“I’m a shifter, a cougar to be exact,” he said, looking at her, no expression on his face. No laughter, no smile. Just him outing himself to his mate.
Effie was going to start laughing again, but something stopped her. He wasn’t smiling when he said that. He looked…what, serious?
“Dax?” she asked, her confusion was palpable in the room.
“I’m a cougar shifter, Effie. I share my body with another soul. I can change into a cougar whenever I want. Been one my whole life. I was matched at birth with the soul of a cougar. Other shifters are matched with their own animals. It’s who I am,” he explained calmly.
Chapter 21
Effie froze. He was telling her he was an animal, or that he could change into one? She should have known, handsome, rich, charming, sexy as hell, and certifiably crazy. Damn, her jackpot just went straight out the window.
“Shit, Cassie always told me the good ones are either married, gay, or dead. She forgot to mention wacko.” Sighing, Effie stood up and started picking up her clothing. She’d have to call a cab to get home.
Dax saw the disbelief pass over her face and he expected her to get angry or laugh at him. But the quiet resignation really freaked him out.
“Sweetness, please don’t go. I’m not crazy, I swear. I can prove it!”
Effie turned around and gave him a look of utter annoyance. “What, are you going to wave a magic wand and turn into a tiger?”
“Cougar, actually,” he quietly corrected.
“Whatever!” Effie flipped her hand into the air, turning back to her clothes.
It was now or never. Dax stripped out of his shorts and gave his cougar the lead. A shimmer of sparkling light washed over Dax as his cat came forward. He shook out his coat and gave a stretch in his skin. Remembering they weren’t supposed to scare her, his cat sat back on his haunches and gave a loud purr.
Effie spun around and let out a yelp, “What the fuck!” She clamored up the bed with her back to the headboard. There was a very large, very real mountain lion sitting across from her. Then she mentally corrected, cougar. Wait, what was the difference? Damn she’d have to Google this when they let her out of the asylum.
“I’m hallucinating or I’ve been roofied.” She covered her eyes like it would make it go away. Then she realized she really needed to keep her eyes on the giant cat in the room.
“This
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