human form of the guide he had known as spirit and then wildcat. He’d heard the man’s human manifestation was unusual—the body he wore so comfortably was tall and strong and powerfully shaped, with lean muscle and a stark yet almost feminine beauty, with his long, dark hair, dark skin, and dark eyes.
This was the man who had linked with his daughter, who would guide her to adulthood along with Mik, Tala, and AJ. Suddenly, the whole of his little girl’s life flashed before him. Mik burst into laughter.
The others in the room looked at him as if he were nuts. Maybe he was. Maybe he was losing it, standing here in a loose embrace with a man who couldn’t possibly exist, a man who’d walked the ancient world as a mountain lion, survived as spirit to guide many generations of Sioux warriors, and now stood here in this San Francisco home wearing faded Levis, a red plaid flannel shirt, and a pair of Mik’s old hiking boots.
“You find me funny?” Igmutaka frowned.
Mik just shook his head. “I’m thinking of something Tala said the other day, how it’s going to be almost impossible for our daughter to ever go out on a date with me and AJ looming over her. Now she’s going to have you, too? The poor little girl won’t have a chance.”
Igmutaka slowly shook his head from side to side. “I disagree. She will have every chance.” He glanced over his shoulder at Anton.
Mik realized Logan and Jazzy were no longer in the room. They must have gone immediately to Tia’s room with Luc and Keisha, but he noticed that Anton observed the dynamics between him and Igmutaka with a thoughtful smile on his face.
After a moment, Anton turned and focused directly on Mik.
“Igmutaka’s right. She’ll have every chance because she will survive today, healthy and alive, with memories of her mother’s bravery, two fathers who love her, and the spirit guide who protects her. As will your son, AJ, and Tink, your daughter. And your mates. I applaud your bravery, yours and your mates, for not taking the easy way out and going for the quick rescue. You’re giving us a chance to end this threat here and now.”
Mik crossed his arms over his chest. He felt Tala’s presence in his thoughts along with AJ, knew Tinker was linked to Lisa. “So, Anton.” He cocked one eyebrow. “What do you propose?”
Chapter 6
Baylor stepped out of the shower, dried off, and wrapped a towel around his waist. He dug around in his overnight kit, in search of his razor. “Son of a bitch.” He jerked his hand out of the bag and glared at the perfect little parallel slices on his fingertip. Hopefully Manda wouldn’t notice. She was always telling him to put the stupid plastic cover on the blades, which seemed like a fucking waste of time.
Grumbling, he set the razor on the counter and stuck his bloody finger in his mouth. Damn but he hated it when she was right, though it was almost worth admitting he’d screwed up, just to see her gloat. She really loved the occasional gloat.
He glanced at the bathroom door, comforted by the fact she slept just on the other side of it. He didn’t even want to think about what Mik and AJ were going through right now. And Tinker? How was he handling things? Tinker lived and breathed for Lisa, and he was so fucking excited about the baby.
His sisters had found damned good men and he was glad for them. They’d lived lives of pure hell. They sure didn’t deserve what had happened. None of them did.
Bay stared at the mirror and lathered up his face, but it was Tala’s smile he saw, Lisa’s soft laughter that he heard.He hated feeling as if he was too far away to help, and even though they had their instructions from Anton, he couldn’t see what good they could do. Not from clear across the country.
He’d failed them when they were little, when their parents had done their best to screw up their kids’ lives. He couldn’t handle it if he failed them now. Didn’t know if he could survive if anything
This was the man who had linked with his daughter, who would guide her to adulthood along with Mik, Tala, and AJ. Suddenly, the whole of his little girl’s life flashed before him. Mik burst into laughter.
The others in the room looked at him as if he were nuts. Maybe he was. Maybe he was losing it, standing here in a loose embrace with a man who couldn’t possibly exist, a man who’d walked the ancient world as a mountain lion, survived as spirit to guide many generations of Sioux warriors, and now stood here in this San Francisco home wearing faded Levis, a red plaid flannel shirt, and a pair of Mik’s old hiking boots.
“You find me funny?” Igmutaka frowned.
Mik just shook his head. “I’m thinking of something Tala said the other day, how it’s going to be almost impossible for our daughter to ever go out on a date with me and AJ looming over her. Now she’s going to have you, too? The poor little girl won’t have a chance.”
Igmutaka slowly shook his head from side to side. “I disagree. She will have every chance.” He glanced over his shoulder at Anton.
Mik realized Logan and Jazzy were no longer in the room. They must have gone immediately to Tia’s room with Luc and Keisha, but he noticed that Anton observed the dynamics between him and Igmutaka with a thoughtful smile on his face.
After a moment, Anton turned and focused directly on Mik.
“Igmutaka’s right. She’ll have every chance because she will survive today, healthy and alive, with memories of her mother’s bravery, two fathers who love her, and the spirit guide who protects her. As will your son, AJ, and Tink, your daughter. And your mates. I applaud your bravery, yours and your mates, for not taking the easy way out and going for the quick rescue. You’re giving us a chance to end this threat here and now.”
Mik crossed his arms over his chest. He felt Tala’s presence in his thoughts along with AJ, knew Tinker was linked to Lisa. “So, Anton.” He cocked one eyebrow. “What do you propose?”
Chapter 6
Baylor stepped out of the shower, dried off, and wrapped a towel around his waist. He dug around in his overnight kit, in search of his razor. “Son of a bitch.” He jerked his hand out of the bag and glared at the perfect little parallel slices on his fingertip. Hopefully Manda wouldn’t notice. She was always telling him to put the stupid plastic cover on the blades, which seemed like a fucking waste of time.
Grumbling, he set the razor on the counter and stuck his bloody finger in his mouth. Damn but he hated it when she was right, though it was almost worth admitting he’d screwed up, just to see her gloat. She really loved the occasional gloat.
He glanced at the bathroom door, comforted by the fact she slept just on the other side of it. He didn’t even want to think about what Mik and AJ were going through right now. And Tinker? How was he handling things? Tinker lived and breathed for Lisa, and he was so fucking excited about the baby.
His sisters had found damned good men and he was glad for them. They’d lived lives of pure hell. They sure didn’t deserve what had happened. None of them did.
Bay stared at the mirror and lathered up his face, but it was Tala’s smile he saw, Lisa’s soft laughter that he heard.He hated feeling as if he was too far away to help, and even though they had their instructions from Anton, he couldn’t see what good they could do. Not from clear across the country.
He’d failed them when they were little, when their parents had done their best to screw up their kids’ lives. He couldn’t handle it if he failed them now. Didn’t know if he could survive if anything
Similar Books
