His chuckle reminded me of a schoolboy up to mischief. “No. That’s my alligator. Cat’s name is Sanchez, but I started calling him Snack-head. Tried to make himself a gator snack. Vet said I have to keep him in the kennel unless he’s inside. I got him in the cage out back. Right now, he’s guarding the beef jerky.”
“Beef jerky?”
“For Howard. It’s his favorite. And lovely to meet you both. You can call me Gramps. That’s what my Angela calls me.”
This elderly man, Gramps, had a pet alligator named Howard? And he fed him beef jerky?
I thought my life was strange.
“Gramps, I left something in the cat’s kennel. Would it be all right if I grabbed it? I don’t need the kennel back. You can return it to the clinic when you’re ready.”
“Sure. Sure. Come on in. You got a warlord with you, I know you’re good.”
Interesting criteria for choosing who to trust.
“Can I get you something to drink? You hungry? Warlord?”
“No, thank you.” Kai answered for both of us as he followed me. We walked through the house and out the back door. Outside, a table and chairs sat on top of a rectangular patio that overlooked the yard. Thick, green grass sloped away from the house, down toward a walking path. On the other side of the path, not far out, the waterway and swampy areas dominated the landscape. I imagined alligators galore lived out there.
Seemed to me that Gramps lived in Howard’s back yard, not the other way around.
Gramps took a seat and indicated we should do the same. I sighed in relief at the sight of the cat kennel sitting on top of the table, complete with a groggy, bandaged cat safely locked inside. I peeked through the metal door, made sure the big tabby was out, and opened the cage.
Took me less than fifteen seconds to peel the duct tape, and the attached flash drive, from the roof of the kennel. With a sigh of relief, I gave the poor kitty a soft head rub and closed the door.
I turned to find Kai hovering like he expected the cat to attack me.
Did he always expect the worst? Was this the way he’d been taught to live?
The thought made me sad. If we made it through this, and I truly became his mate, I’d have to do something about that. What? I had no idea. Something.
I held up the flash drive. “Got it.”
Kai nodded. “We should go.”
“So soon?” Gramps lifted a small bag of beef jerky from his lap and opened it. “Just getting ready to feed Howard. You want to give him a piece? He’s friendly.” Gramps pulled a thin piece of dried meat free and waved it in the air as if the alligator could smell the treat and would come running.
Did alligators run?
I stood up as a six foot long alligator waddled toward us across the grass.
“Here he comes.” Gramps held out the beef jerky like he was offering a treat to a puppy. The alligator stopped about fifteen feet away and opened his mouth. Gramps tossed the beef jerky straight into his gaping jaws. Crazy.
“Aren’t you worried he’ll bite you?”
“No. He knows me. It’s his damn kids you have to worry about. One of the little ones got Snack-head. Just a baby. Smaller than the cat. Bit him good. Vet had to give him ten stitches.” The alligator was so close I could see striated colors in its eyes. Too close.
“Howard had babies?” What was it with babies, babies, everywhere babies? Was I pregnant? From one time in the shower? I wasn’t on birth control, but after the Hive tried to kill me, safe sex had been the last thing on my mind. Then Kai took off his clothes, looked at me like I was the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen, and unleashed his beast.
I was only human, after all. I didn’t know a woman alive who would be able to resist a sexy, obsessed, devoted, honorable beast. So… shit. I guess it was possible. Was the universe trying to send me a sign?
“No. His mate laid the eggs a while back. They both take care of the little ones. Got six or seven of them running around down there. Most of the time, they don’t come this close to the house. I think Howard runs them off. A man needs his alone time.”
Right.
“Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Kaur.” Kai was on his feet, waiting for me. “We really need to go. We wouldn’t want to put you in danger.”
“Not worried about that, son. Not with you here.”
