“You never change, Pax to the Max,” a female voice chuckled. “Toujours le même.”

Paxton turned at the tinkling voice, and a young girl in a floral dress smiled, a half smirk on her pretty lips. She finished brushing the grass and flowers from her lap, and then shoved her glasses higher on her nose.

“I’m sure by now you realize I can take care of myself.” With a giggle, she stood and held out her hand.

“Evie?” he whispered.

She nodded, giving him another smile. “It’s about time you remembered.”

He shook his head. “I’m dreaming again, right?”

“What do you think?” she asked with a wink.

She giggled again and moved toward a tire swing tied to the tree and pushed it wide. When it swung back, the air blurred like waves on the summer asphalt. A pull as strong as an ocean current dragged him under and the air sucked from his chest. When he could breathe again, he stood by the side of a lake. A lake he knew well, and memories swirled like eddies in the water.

“Hey! No fatties allowed!” a boy shouted, diving into the water from the high bank. He surfaced with his friend, the two circling Evie in the shallows. “Your kind doesn’t belong here, freak. We don’t want you at our lake.”

Evie lifted her chin. “It’s a free country, and I’m not a freak, but you’re a dimwitted doofus!”

“If you’re not a fat freak, then what are you, huh?” He shoved her with both hands and she lost her footing, falling backwards in the water.

She clamored to her feet and wiped the water from her burning eyes, her hands curling into fists. “You’re going to be sorry you did that.”

A snarl formed at the back of her throat and the boy took a step back, lifting his hand to point at her. “See? You are a freak!”

Evie straightened, but before she could open her mouth a loud crack sounded from the trees. She lifted her hand to shield the sun, and a grin tugged at her mouth even as her eyes burned with the need to shift.

“Leave her alone!” Another crack sounded.

“Well, well…did we interrupt your plans to pork your fat girlfriend, Noble?” one of the boys shouted with a laugh.

“Only scumbags like picking on girls. I’m warning you. Leave her alone.”

The boy looked up from the water and snorted. “Make us.”

“Be careful what you ask for, loser.” Pax’s voice echoed in the near woods, and a splash landed in the deeper water not far from where the others stood in the shallows.

Paxton straightened in the water, his young body pulsing with anger. A growl sounded from the back of his throat and his eyes shifted from brown to yellow.

The two creeps scrambled back, their eyes wide as they headed for deeper water. He stared them down before taking a step forward. “They’re both freaks! Run!”

“Boo!” Evie taunted, and the two shrieked, clamoring for the opposite bank.

Pax grinned, wading through the water to stand beside her in the shallows. “That’s right, run, you pansies! Next time my home girl and I won’t be so nice.”

She laughed. “Home girl?”

Pax shrugged. “How about, Tiger Lily?”

She splashed him. “Ugh, no.”

He laughed, lacing his hand with hers. “Yup…Tiger Lily it is.”

Rolling her eyes, Evie smirked. “Pax to the Max has spoken.”

“That’s right.” He nodded. “It suits you. Like the Native American princess from Peter Pan. Fierce and beautiful.” His teasing sobered for a moment. “You okay?”

With a nod, she sucked in a quick breath. “I’m fine.”

“You shouldn’t be in the woods by yourself, Evie.” He gave her fingers a squeeze.

She snorted. “If I’m so fierce and beautiful, why ever not?”

“Tiger Lily had a knife between her teeth when she boarded the Jolly Roger to face the pirates. You’re alone. It’s not safe. Not with losers like those two roaming around.”

Ground birds sounded, taking off to the trees around them. “That sounds a like a double standard, Pax. After all, you’re alone.”

He nodded. “Yeah, but I can take care of myself.”

She angled her head, eyeing him. “I know we haven’t known each other long, but I thought by now you would have guessed.”

“Guessed what?” His brows pulled together.

“Your eyes.” She gestured toward his face. “Mine do that, too.”

“Do what?”

Evie lifted her free hand from the water and ran her fingers over his wet forehead above his brows. “Change color when I’m angry or scared.”

He laughed. “I suspected, but didn’t want to ask. I’m still getting used to being okay in my skin. Have you shifted yet?”

She shook her head. “Not yet, but my mother said my eyes burning was a sign I’m close. She said that meant they change color, like I said.”

“Then why didn’t they change when those assholes were bothering you? Weren’t you scared?” he asked.

Evie shrugged. “Because I knew you were there.”

Splashing him, she tried to jump away, but he held her hand tightly and pulled her close. “You did, huh?”

“Yup. Tiger Lily may need a knife in her teeth, but my teeth are sharp enough. Just like yours.”

Pax leaned in with a smirk. “Too sharp for a kiss?”