Tiger Magic

Connor took it. “Hurry. I think he’s coming around.”

He unrolled a long length of tape, then wound it around Walker’s ankles and calves. Connor forestalled Carly running back for scissors by letting his fingers sprout claws and slitting the tape neatly with one Feline razor-sharp nail.

“Handy,” Carly said.

Connor’s fingers became all human again, and he wrapped Walker’s wrists with another layer of tape. Walker swam to wakefulness, eyes focusing as Connor cut a six-inch strip of tape.

Carly took the strip from Connor. “Sorry,” she said to Walker as she pasted it over his mouth.

Walker only looked at her quietly over the duct tape. No anger, no frustration, no emotion at all.

Tiger didn’t like that look, one that said Walker wasn’t worried about anything they did to him. Carly didn’t seem to like it either. “Maybe some more tape, Connor,” she said, sounding nervous.

Connor added an extra layer to Walker’s legs and wrists before he handed the tape back to Carly. “Tiger, want to carry him?”

“No.” The word came out harshly. With the blood smell strong, Tiger wouldn’t be able to contain himself. He’d take Walker far from Carly and Connor and kill him.

Connor understood. “It’s all right. He’s not that big.” He got to his feet, heaved the bound Walker over his shoulders, and balanced the load. Connor wasn’t full-grown yet, but he was wiry and strong.

“Tiger, get dressed and meet us in the garage,” Connor said. “Carly, I’m going to need the keys to your car.”

Carly already had them out. Tiger ignored Connor’s instructions and followed them into the house and through to the garage, not trusting Walker not to twist his way out of the bonds. The man was a fighter. He’d know how.

Inside the closed garage, Carly opened the car’s back door, looked inside, and put her hands on her hips. Tiger liked when she stood that way—the stance emphasized the curve of her waist and her sweet backside.

“If we put him in there, someone will see him, won’t they?” she asked Connor.

“I’m thinking they will,” Connor said.

Carly heaved a sigh and clicked the remote on her key chain, and her trunk popped open.

Connor rolled the inert Walker into the trunk. Carly reached for the lid. “I’m really sorry,” she said to Walker before she and Connor slammed the lid shut.

Only then did Tiger let himself retreat to Carly’s bedroom, fetch his clothes, and carry them back with him to the garage. He also brought Carly’s purse from the living room. Having lived for months in the same house with Liam and his mate, Kim, Tiger had learned that these large bags were full of things females considered essential. They fussed when they didn’t have them.

Carly gave Tiger a wide smile he’d treasure for a long time. “Why, thank you, Tiger. What a sweetheart you are.”

“Hey,” Connor said as Tiger pulled on his clothes. “I have to wrap a guy in duct tape and stuff him into your trunk after Tiger knocks him out, and he’s the sweetheart?”

“You’re sweet too, Connor.” Carly dropped a kiss onto Connor’s cheek.

Tiger’s growl stifled itself. If Carly had done that to any other Shifter, he’d have had said Shifter on the floor. But Connor was a cub. Not a threat. Cubs were never threats.

Carly gestured Tiger toward the backseat. “Get in.”

Connor held out his hand. “You’re not coming. You stay here, out of trouble.”

Carly said, “No,” at the same time Tiger did. Connor looked at them both in exasperation.

“You are not driving my car around with Walker wrapped up in the trunk,” Carly said. “Besides, I need it to go to work tomorrow—today. Apparently, I still have a job.”

“I’ll bring it back,” Connor began, but Tiger ended the discussion by getting himself into the front seat of the car.

“She comes,” he said. “We protect her.”

Carly smiled in triumph and slid into the driver’s seat. “Besides,” she said, “You have to ride Sean’s motorcycle back.”

“All right,” Connor said, looking weary. He shut the door for Carly. “But Liam’s going to shit himself, I’m thinking.”

“How did you get to my house anyway?” Carly asked Tiger as she hit the control to open the garage door. “I don’t see a car outside, or another motorcycle. Connor didn’t sneak out and get you while I was asleep, did he?”

“I walked.”

Carly blinked at him. “You what?”

“Walked.”

“Walked,” she repeated. “From Shiftertown.”

Tiger shrugged. “Hitched a ride a couple of times. Connor told Liam where you lived when he called. I heard.”

Connor had been moving toward Sean’s motorcycle, still in Carly’s garage, but he swung around and leaned to look through the car’s window at Tiger. “Wait a minute. Does Liam even know you’re gone?”

“No one saw me,” Tiger said.

“Oh, shite.” Connor thumped his forehead to the window frame. “Goddess, Tiger, you’re going to get me into so much trouble.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

Carly waited until Connor was ready on Sean’s motorcycle before she started the car. She backed out, thankful that it was still too early for even her hardiest neighbors.

She drove sedately, trying not to attract attention, following Connor as she pulled out onto the main streets.