Cynful

himself into interesting situations. All Julian had to do was visit Living Art Tattoos to see proof of that. The pixyish Glory had the poor Bear tied up in knots.

Jamie handed Julian the orders to prepare the shot. While Julian could heal something as simple as tetanus in the early stages, Dr. Howard had convinced him to keep his powers as quiet as possible and use them only in cases where simple shots wouldn’t fix what was wrong.

Julian prepped the needle. “It’s only a pinch, you big baby.”

Ryan whimpered. “Hell no, I won’t go.”

“I’ll tell Glory what a wuss you are.” Julian held up the needle and shook it, then handed it to Jamie.

“I’ll tell Cyn how sexy you look in nurse’s tights.” Ryan growled.

“Really? You think so?” Julian held out his leg, currently encased in blue scrubs, and gave it a thoughtful glance. “I thought my calves looked a little big in white.” He batted his lashes at the Grizzly, trying to distract him. “But thanks, sweetie.”

It didn’t work. Ryan saw the needle coming and jumped off the examination table. “No.” He held up his hands and waved them like a three-year-old.

“Man up.” Jamie swabbed Ryan’s arm and did his best to hold him in place. “On three.”

Ryan eyed the needle with dread. “How about on one hundred?”

Jamie sighed. “Fine. One, two, skip a few, ninety-nine, one hundred.”

“OW! Motherfucker!” Ryan rubbed his arm where Jamie had jabbed him.

Jamie disposed of the needle, his face a mask of professionalism. “Was that so bad?”

“Yes!”

Jamie sighed again. He reached into a cabinet and pulled something out. “You’ll need to keep the wound clean. No shifting for a day or two.” He slapped something over Ryan’s heart. “There. You’re all done.”

Julian was laughing so hard he was wheezing. God, he loved Pumas. They were fucking sadistic.

Ryan peeled the Hello Kitty sticker off his chest. “I hate you.”

“Good. Don’t get hurt again.” Jamie grinned. “I’ll bill you.” He sauntered out of the exam room, winking at Julian on the way out.

Ryan grumbled something under his breath as he hopped off the table. He dumped the crumpled sticker on Julian’s head and stomped out of the room, growling at the desk nurse who asked for his paperwork.

Julian wiped away the tears and tried to catch his breath. “I love my job.” He cleaned up the exam room and got it ready for the next patient, all the while wondering whether or not Ryan was going to go show off his boo-boo to his as yet unclaimed mate, Glory. If so, Julian could relax.

Ever since Gary had attacked the girls six weeks ago in Living Art, Julian, Alex and Ryan had made it a point to stop in at least once a day to check on them. All three had good excuses. Alex was mated to Tabitha Garwood, the apprentice tattoo artist. Ryan’s mate, Glory, was the piercing specialist, and wasn’t it fun when some poor sap came in for a Prince Albert while Ryan was there? Julian’s mate, Cynthia Reyes, owned Living Art. They were dating, and had been for two weeks.

Julian grinned as he thought about what he had planned for later that night. He was going to wine her, dine her and hopefully convince her to accept a nibble or two for dessert. It was driving him insane, having her so close yet so untouchable. But she insisted that she had to fall in love with him before he bit her.

Julian didn’t need any time at all to fall for Cyn. He’d fallen for her the moment he’d seen her. Cyn was the only one he’d ever want to be with. She was his, and now that the danger was past he was all ready for his mating. If only he could convince his reluctant mate that, come hell or high water or asshole Wolves out for blood, Julian DuCharme wasn’t going anywhere.

Chapter Two

“Is it me, or have the boys been by a lot recently?” Tabby tapped her pen against the glass and wood counter, her lime green hair glistening in the bright afternoon sunlight pouring in through the plate glass window. Cyn smiled, glad she’d gone with Emma’s suggestion to get rid of the all-glass counter and do something half wood, half glass.

She’d chosen to go all out; instead of veneers she’d done solid wood, something that could be sanded out and refinished if she ever changed the look of the shop. She was pleased with the simple mission style and the dark cherry stain. She’d even gone so far as to reframe the flash, the artwork that represented some of their best tattoos, in the same cherry.

The walls were still bright aqua, displaying the flash to advantage. A huge image of tattooed yin-yang dragons, one red, one blue, hung behind the counter. That had cost a bundle to reframe, but it was worth it. The flash in the windows and on the walls was still in silver frames, making it look even more like art. Their flash books lay open on the counter, bound in brown leather and containing more tattoos.

The floor was wood, a dark ebony stain that would hide spilled ink. She was considering replacing the tan chairs by the plate glass window; with the new countertops and frames, they didn’t seem to fit anymore. There were still four curtained-off cubicles where they worked, even though there were only three of them at the moment.

Cyn was still looking to replace the girl who’d left after learning Tabby was a Wolf, but she hadn’t found someone who met her exacting standards. At the very end was a last curtained-off area marked “Employees Only”. Tacked over the curtain hung Tabby’s crooked De Nile sign.

She still hadn’t found where the bitch had stashed her ladder, or that sign would be toast by now.

“Earth to Cyn. Come in, Cyn. Over. Bzzt.” Cyn turned to Glory, her partner in LA, and grinned. Today Glory had her waist length, powder-blue curls up in a high ponytail. She wore one of her floaty outfits, a broomstick skirt in some sort of patchwork design and a peasant top in the same blue as her hair. Bangles graced her wrists and clinked together merrily as she waved her arms. “Tabby’s right. The boys have been coming by more.” She grimaced at Cyn. “We need to get some Bear-Be-Gone.”

Tabby snorted, amused. “Yeah, let’s all sashay down to the local Save-A-Lot and pick some up. I’m sure it will work beautifully.”

Glory crumpled up a blank receipt and threw it at Tabby’s head.

Cyn laughed, happy to see her friends playing again. Six weeks ago a maniac with a grudge against Tabby had tried to smash their lives. Now they were back on track and ready to roll.

The bell over the door jangled, and in walked the reason their lives had gotten back on track so quickly. Alexander “Bunny” Bunsun stepped into LA, a huge grin on his face and a bag of sandwiches in his hand. His hazel eyes lit up when they landed on Tabby. “Hungry, baby?”

“Always, sugar.” Tabby glided out from behind the counter and let the huge Grizzly wrap her up in his arms. Even in her three-inch heels Tabby barely came to her mate’s bottom lip. She looked fragile, breakable next to him.

Today she’d told them she was pregnant. Cyn couldn’t be happier for her. Tabby had found something she’d always longed for—a permanent home. Much to Cyn’s surprise she’d found that not in Halle, but in the man who held her in his arms. Tabby would go wherever Alex led, and she’d smile the entire way.

Cyn wasn’t certain she understood it, but she was happy for her friend.

“You girls ready for the masquerade tomorrow night?” Alex stole a quick kiss from his mate, one that would have been much longer if Cyn and Glory hadn’t been present.

No. No, she wasn’t. Cyn rolled her eyes. How the hell had she allowed Tabby to talk her into this? She wasn’t the one who’d lost the stupid bet, but somehow Tabby had begged and pleaded and offered up shoes and chocolate until Glory and Cyn had agreed to go along with her. Gah. Just thinking about her costume made her butt itch. “I’ll never be ready for that costume. Pamela Anderson wouldn’t be ready for it.”

Alex smirked. “You three are going to look amazing. We’ll have to beat the Pumas off with a stick.”

“Or a well-used ball of yarn.” Glory yawned. “Bored now.”

Cyn grabbed the bag of food and practically threw it at Glory. “Eat.”

“Yay!” Glory raced for the back room, squealing like a teenager who’d just gotten the keys to Daddy’s car.