“Sprinkles!” a high-pitched voice called.
“Shit!” Liam hissed and got to his knees, looking around for the source of the voice.
“Quick, let’s get out of here!” Eve said and leaped to her feet with all the grace of, well, of a panther.
“Sprinkles! Here boy!” the woman called again.
Liam and Eve made a run for it, but when Eve burst out laughing, Liam joined in and then they laughed so hard, it was almost impossible to run at the same time. Fortunately, they made it away from the woman and her tiny dog before they were spotted. Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said about them getting back to the safehouse and they had to steal a sheet from the washing line in someone’s backyard to cover them for the rest of the way back. They did so giggling and laughing like a pair of teenagers. It was the best morning of Liam’s life.
Chapter Nine
Eve
Eve beckoned Liam over to the open window above their heads. He cupped his hands to offer her a leg up, and she just shook her head with a grin.
“Watch.”
She backed up a step, reaching inside for her panther’s strength and agility, and then ran two short strides before leaping up at the window. Her hands snatched hold of the windowsill, and below her, Liam loosed a low whistle of amazement, making a blush spread across her cheeks. She flexed her arms and hauled herself through the window and tumbled out onto the bedroom floor…and found herself staring up at the barrel of a gun.
“What thefuck,Kit?” Hawk snapped, lowering his weapon to aim at the ground.
“Yeah, she’s back,” he said into the phone pressed between his ear and shoulder. “Liam…?”
Eve tilted her head to the open window and mimed ending the call. Hawk narrowed his eyes at her, but said into his cell,
“Yeah, he’s back, too. I’ll debrief them and update you. Thanks, Flint.”
“You called Flint?” Eve said, her eyes widening.
“Well, what was I supposed to do? The pair of you vanished all night, no sign, no call. I thought you’d been taken.”
Oops.
Hawk exhaled heavily and shook his head.
“I’m glad you’re okay. You had me worried there.”
“Sorry.” She really hadn’t meant to worry anyone, but it had been so amazing, running in her panther form alongside her mate, who— Who was outside right now, probably attracting entirely the wrong sort of attention.
She accepted Hawk’s outstretched hand and got to her feet.
“So, you were right,” she said, grabbing her discarded pants and shirt from the floor. Hawk turned his back while she traded her somewhat illegally acquired sheet for her clothes. “He’s a shifter.”
“And there I was thinking I might get to tease you about being mated to a human.”
She shoulder barged him affectionately on her way through the bedroom door and made a sound of mock derision.
“Pah, I’d like to see anyhumanman keep up with me.”
“Given that your one true mate is currently stuck in the front garden, I’m guessing shifter males can’t, either—though I’m disappointed on behalf of my entire gender. Just tell me he’s not a hawk shifter, I don’t think I could handle the shame.”
She shot him a grin over her shoulder.
“Nope, way better than that. He’s a panther.”
And the most stunning, power, incredible panther she’d ever seen. Her own inner panther purred its agreement. Their mate was perfect, in every single way.
…even if he did use to be a Viper.
