called for. And justice.”
“You mean vengeance, don’t you, Hudson? If that’s the case, then count me in.”
Trea appeared before them, her hands fisted at her side. Bright flags of color rode the blades of her cheekbones.
“Justice, honey,” he answered.
Trea shook her head her gaze flashing from him to Max, her lips set in a mutinous
scowl. She shrugged. “Vengeance. Justice. Whatever you want to call it I won’t rest until Tom Hawkins and that other guy are in the grip of my claws.”
74
Panther Moon
Inwardly, Hudson sighed. He walked up to his little hellcat and settled his hands
on her shoulders hoping she would relax. Her shoulders remained stiff under his touch.
“Sweetie, you don’t have claws yet. Remember?”
“Don’t patronize me,” she snapped. She shrugged off his hands and faced both men
square on. “You weren’t there when Mom and Dad were gunned down. You didn’t
hear those monsters laughing about it. And we’re animals?” She laughed bitterly. “No, they’re the animals. There was no regret. No emotion other than pleasure from those
two and if you think for one second I’ll stay home like a good little girl and wait for the big, bad warriors to deal with them, then you’re dead wrong.”
Max chuckled softly. “Forgot to tell you, Hudson, that your mate is a bit feisty.
Listen up, little sister, and listen good, hunting down these men is too dangerous and you don’t know what the hell you’re doing.”
“Then teach me,” she said, her fierce expression wilting under their scrutiny.
Hudson’s heart tightened with compassion. There was no doubt in his mind that if he’d walked a mile in her shoes, he would share her feelings. But it remained that his
priority was her safety.
Reaching for her hand, he gently tugged until she was nestled against his side.
“You make me proud, Trea. Know that?”
“I do?” The whispered question caused him to tighten his hold.
“Yeah.” He settled his cheek against her hair as her soft fragrance filled his head.
“This has been an emotional day. What do you say we head home?”
“Hudson’s right, Trea. There will be plenty of time in the days and weeks ahead to
talk about vengeance and justice. I promise you, we will.”
Trea mustered a smile for her brother. “Will you be staying?”
Max nodded. “Yeah, for awhile. Titus and Mahara have offered their hospitality
and I’ll hang out a bit. I have a hell of a lot to think about.”
* * * * *
75
Regina Carlysle
Late the next afternoon, Trea sat curled up with a book from Hudson’s collection of
spy thrillers and absently thumbed the pages. One glance at the clock sitting on the
fireplace mantel told her she’d been staring at the same paragraph for the past thirty minutes. Mentally rolling her eyes, cursing her lack of concentration, she huffed a
breath and set the paperback aside. Hudson had done this to her, zapped her
concentration until she was a shivering, quivering mass of flesh just waiting for him to claim her again. Yep, she was now a happy addict and Hudson, her mate, was her drug
of choice.
Trea closed her eyes, loving the feel of the late afternoon sun bathing her face. Her mind drifted to the hours she’d spent in Hudson’s arms after what had been, no doubt, one of the worst days of her life. The day before had been bittersweet, reconnecting
with Max after their long separation and sad beyond measure saying goodbye to her
folks. But then Hudson, with his strong, quiet ways made things better by taking her
into his arms and loving her until little breath was left in her body and her limbs had turned to Jell-O. Once again, she was beginning to believe she’d finally found the place where she belonged. A home. People who might come to love her.
Feeling restless, Trea unwound her legs from the couch and padded barefoot into
the kitchen for something cold to drink. Seeing the tea pitcher was empty, she put water on to boil. Soon sweet
“You mean vengeance, don’t you, Hudson? If that’s the case, then count me in.”
Trea appeared before them, her hands fisted at her side. Bright flags of color rode the blades of her cheekbones.
“Justice, honey,” he answered.
Trea shook her head her gaze flashing from him to Max, her lips set in a mutinous
scowl. She shrugged. “Vengeance. Justice. Whatever you want to call it I won’t rest until Tom Hawkins and that other guy are in the grip of my claws.”
74
Panther Moon
Inwardly, Hudson sighed. He walked up to his little hellcat and settled his hands
on her shoulders hoping she would relax. Her shoulders remained stiff under his touch.
“Sweetie, you don’t have claws yet. Remember?”
“Don’t patronize me,” she snapped. She shrugged off his hands and faced both men
square on. “You weren’t there when Mom and Dad were gunned down. You didn’t
hear those monsters laughing about it. And we’re animals?” She laughed bitterly. “No, they’re the animals. There was no regret. No emotion other than pleasure from those
two and if you think for one second I’ll stay home like a good little girl and wait for the big, bad warriors to deal with them, then you’re dead wrong.”
Max chuckled softly. “Forgot to tell you, Hudson, that your mate is a bit feisty.
Listen up, little sister, and listen good, hunting down these men is too dangerous and you don’t know what the hell you’re doing.”
“Then teach me,” she said, her fierce expression wilting under their scrutiny.
Hudson’s heart tightened with compassion. There was no doubt in his mind that if he’d walked a mile in her shoes, he would share her feelings. But it remained that his
priority was her safety.
Reaching for her hand, he gently tugged until she was nestled against his side.
“You make me proud, Trea. Know that?”
“I do?” The whispered question caused him to tighten his hold.
“Yeah.” He settled his cheek against her hair as her soft fragrance filled his head.
“This has been an emotional day. What do you say we head home?”
“Hudson’s right, Trea. There will be plenty of time in the days and weeks ahead to
talk about vengeance and justice. I promise you, we will.”
Trea mustered a smile for her brother. “Will you be staying?”
Max nodded. “Yeah, for awhile. Titus and Mahara have offered their hospitality
and I’ll hang out a bit. I have a hell of a lot to think about.”
* * * * *
75
Regina Carlysle
Late the next afternoon, Trea sat curled up with a book from Hudson’s collection of
spy thrillers and absently thumbed the pages. One glance at the clock sitting on the
fireplace mantel told her she’d been staring at the same paragraph for the past thirty minutes. Mentally rolling her eyes, cursing her lack of concentration, she huffed a
breath and set the paperback aside. Hudson had done this to her, zapped her
concentration until she was a shivering, quivering mass of flesh just waiting for him to claim her again. Yep, she was now a happy addict and Hudson, her mate, was her drug
of choice.
Trea closed her eyes, loving the feel of the late afternoon sun bathing her face. Her mind drifted to the hours she’d spent in Hudson’s arms after what had been, no doubt, one of the worst days of her life. The day before had been bittersweet, reconnecting
with Max after their long separation and sad beyond measure saying goodbye to her
folks. But then Hudson, with his strong, quiet ways made things better by taking her
into his arms and loving her until little breath was left in her body and her limbs had turned to Jell-O. Once again, she was beginning to believe she’d finally found the place where she belonged. A home. People who might come to love her.
Feeling restless, Trea unwound her legs from the couch and padded barefoot into
the kitchen for something cold to drink. Seeing the tea pitcher was empty, she put water on to boil. Soon sweet
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