Sassy Ever After: Kiss My Sass (Kindle Worlds Novella) by Serena Pettus Page A

question.”
    Ashe narrowed her eyes on them both, holding Lilly a little tighter before she replied, “My term was a little shorter than expected, but what does that matter? She’s perfectly healthy.”
    “And has she ever been sick? Does she become easily offended by smells or sounds?” Benson inquired.
    She thought about the times she’d boiled some cabbage and how Lilly had fussed until the odor had been aired out. Then another time when she’d been at a gas station and the stench of gasoline had been hanging in the air from someone overfilling their can. “Yeah, a few times she’s fussed over some things that stunk, but she’s never been sick.”
    “How about sounds?” Surely Benson had a point, she just wished he’d get to it already.
    “Yes, yes, she has excellent hearing, but what the hell does any of this have to do with those papers?”
    Luke leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees and regarded her before replying, “You want us to just spit it out, huh?”
    Benson offered a small smile. “I was trying to ease you into things.”
    “Do I look that fragile? I’m a sturdy girl, so just lay it on me already.”
    “Your uncle is a shape-shifter.”
    Ashe blinked several times in Luke’s direction, yet it didn’t do anything to change what he’d said. A shape-shifter? She’d heard rumors they existed, but for James to be one? “Is this like a joke to soften the blow? If it is, it’s not funny.”
    Luke sighed. “It’s not a joke, Ashe. Shape-shifters do exist. You walk past them every day and never know it. They’re just like normal people, only they have the amazing ability to change into an animal as well.”
    She considered what he was saying, wondering just how many people in her own town were shifters. Many of the residents were freakishly large, and she’d witnessed the strength some of them had. Could they really change into animals though? The very idea was both frightening, yet intriguing in equal parts.
    With the wrong person, that kind of ability could be deadly, but for the most part, she imagined it would be pretty cool to be able to become an animal at will and roam the wilderness. “Lord knows there’s been plenty of times I wished I could become a bird and just fly away, but that’s just childhood wishing. Are you trying to tell me that my grandfather wasn’t crazy? That kid really did turn into the badger? My uncle can turn into a badger?”
    “Exactly, and that’s why you don’t need to be alone. You’ve been in the dark all along as to what he is, and that’s given him an advantage. However, now that you know you need to be extra vigilant,” Luke insisted. “Badgers are mean little shits, but honey badgers are no joke. Those little bastards go after lion prides and come out fairly unscathed. They eat mainly snakes, poisonous or not. They’re hard to kill is what I’m saying.”
    “Who said anything about killing him?” Ashe demanded. “I just want him to leave me alone.”
    “And he obviously was trying to keep you from discovering what he is. There’s got to be a reason for that, beyond you just not knowing about our kind,” Benson replied.
    “What do you mean by our kind ?” Ashe wasn’t sure what was going on anymore, but she sincerely hoped she came out of this without completely losing her shit. Already her concept of reality was being challenged, and now she was wondering if there was more to her new friends than met the eye.
    Luke gave a tentative nod of his head. “We’re shifters too, Ashe. So was Matt, and so is Lilly.” When her eyes snapped down to her daughter’s face, she heard him add, “That’s why someone had to come and check on you. There’s always a chance that a pregnancy with a human could result in a human child, but our genes are usually dominant, and you needed to be made aware so that you could be prepared. Raising a cub is much harder than the average child.”
    “Cub? Did you just call my daughter a cub