Page 1 of Tiger Born

Prologue

Stellan’s tiger was going to kill someone.

Damian Ledger crouched lower on the tree branch as his brother lifted his head and cast that eerie golden gaze up to the trees. Oh, that tiger knew Damian was here. He always knew. Damian just wasn’t his prey right now, so the tiger ignored him.

If his brother had Changed into his tiger in the woods, this wouldn’t be as big a problem, but as it stood, they were right on the outside of a neighborhood full of humans, right in the middle of the city. Stellan had a tiger problem. He had since the day he’d been Turned.

Their other brother, Marsden, was so lucky. He’d moved away from Salt Lake City and didn’t have to be his brother’s keeper. He’d abandoned this Ambush, and for that, Damien would never forgive him.

Truth be told though, he would never forgive Stellan either.

They’d all been poisoned with the monsters inside of them, but at least Marsden tried to keep some of his humanity. At least Marsden still believed in right and wrong.

Stellan’s tiger was a dark orange that faded to white tips, and his stripe pattern was very close together, making him seem darker. All three of their animals had been conjured from hell to look so different. That part, Damian would never understand.

They all had the same Maker. They should all look the same.

What was Stellan hunting tonight?

There was nothing of interest in this neighborhood. No prey. No animals running around. The lights had gone out hours ago, and the humans had gone to bed.

The metal chains of the playground swing jingled as Stellan stalked past it. The sound was eerie here in the quiet of the early morning hour.

The wind shifted, and he could hear the soft click of a door.

Damien looked in the direction the noise had come from. Below him, Stellan’s tiger had paused and was perked up. Not a muscle twitched. Shit. He was in hunting stance.

The house was just across the street. It was a small one with a black Maxima parked in the driveway. A slight-framed woman stood with her back to them, locking her door. She wore light blue scrubs, like she worked at a hospital or something. Her straight brown hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, and when she turned, she wore very little make-up on her face. She wore ear buds in her ear, and she bobbed her head like she was listening to music.

Stellan took a step toward her and paused. Another step. His attention was trained on the woman.

Shhhit.

Damian hopped off the branch and bolted for him.

This was bad. This was so bad.

Stellan had a tiger problem, and this woman was about to die.

Chapter One

Five years later…

Misty Antone ran into the door.

She hadn’t been walking very briskly, and in defense of the door, it was trying to slide out of her way, so when she hit it with her phone, it was nothing more than a soft bonk, and a moment of startlement.

Good grief, her shift at the hospital had been eternal, and she’d come back to her phone with a dozen messages she needed to catch up on. Her family drama was on maximum setting lately, and for some stupid reason, they always thought she was the one who needed to patch things up.

She waited for the door to finish sliding open, then gave a smile and a nod to another nurse who was coming in for her shift. Misty didn’t know her very well, so they were still at the polite smile-and-nod stage of things. At least this time, Misty bothered to read her nametag. Brittany. She looked like a Brittany. How did moms do that? How did they know their kids would look like a Brittany, or a Michael, or a Kevin when they grew up?

She herself had never thought she looked much like a Misty. Maybe she would change her name. She was sure there was a way. She would have to do an internet search about it—oof. She ran directly into a guy in the parking lot. He was rushing toward the emergency room doors, and she hadn’t even registered him running around the corner.

“I’m so sorry,” she murmured, holding her hands out.

Gah, she was really tired. She’d worked three long shifts in a row and now had a couple of days off. Thank goodness. She needed the rest. Tonight’s shift had been rough.

“It’s fine,” the guy ground out, and hurried inside.