Page 29 of Tiger Bitten

Mars was so confused. “Why didn’t you come say hi to me?”

“I wasn’t here for small talk.” Stellan leaned forward and tinked his can against Mars’s. “To the Ledger brothers getting all their shit together.”

Mars huffed a laugh. “I have none of my shit together.”

“Welcome to the club.” Stellan took a big drink, and with the toast, Mars did too.

More condensation dripped on his pants, and he wiped it off his hand. Mars held the can out in front of him, frowning at a tiny hole near the top. It was leaking.

Confused, he ran his thumb over it. The metal was rough there, like something had been stabbed into it.

In that moment, he swayed dangerously to the right and sagged against the arm of the chair. “What the fuck, man? Did you drug me? What is this?”

“Your intervention,” Stellan said somberly. He set his drink down and knelt in front of Mars. His eyes were full of anger. “You asked for help, but there is no help for people like you and me. You can’t hunt a Rabbit. You said you don’t want to, so I’m going to help you.”

“What are you going to do?” Mars slurred.

Stellan’s smile was pencil thin across his lips, and cold as ice. “Kill you.”

Chapter Nine

Ren’s phone lit up with a text.

With a gasp, she rushed to the phone and read the text.

All good. I’m always okay. Something came up though and I need to head up to Salt Lake early. I’m driving. Meet me there?

Wait, you don’t want to fly together? Send.

The dots appeared that said he was typing. Then disappeared. Then started again. Disappeared. Another minute passed with no response.

Mars? Send.

My brother had an emergency, but everything is going to be okay. I’ll pick you up from the airport. When does the flight land?

Ummm, you booked it? Send. She frowned at her phone. She knew the answer. She knew all of their flight information, but he seemed frazzled. Are you sure you’re okay? Send.

Yeah. Sorry. Just worried about my brother. I’ll be at the airport when you land. I’m driving so I can’t text unless I’m at a stoplight. I’ll message when I can. Long drive.

Okay, please drive safe. Her finger hovered over the send button before she pressed it. Send.

This changed things. She was worried about whatever Mars was having to deal with, and also a little worried about flying alone. She’d never done that before. Okay. She was heading to a city she’d never been to, but Mars would be waiting on the other side for her.

She could do this.

Chapter Ten

“It can’t be true.”

The words were muffled and echoed through Mars’s head.

He winced at the excruciating headache that was pounding behind his eyes.

He tried to open his eyes, but the instant light hit his pupils, the headache turned agonizing.

“How much did you give him?” Was that Dame’s voice?

“I don’t know. I don’t know how to dose those. He’s a fucking Cat. Metabolize it.” That was for-sure his least favorite brother’s voice.