Oz knew the moment King tossed Golden what was about to happen. Kit, get the girl.
King snatched his pants off and shifted into a massive brown beast. Even in this form, he was scarred, and his left eye had a long scratch over it. His roar thundered through the silence. Ronnie’s eyes widened, but she didn’t stop coming.
Oz wanted to yell at her to run, but he couldn’t. The lion moved faster than he’d anticipated, and was nearly on top of Ronnie, before she got her first shot off.
Santiago burst through his clothes and reared at the oncoming tiger. He took off toward Ronnie.
King’s cat was huge, but even more intimidating as he stood on his hind legs. Over six feet of muscled lion towered over Ronnie. The guns clicked after hitting him at least ten times. The lion roared and swatted his huge paw at her. Oz knocked her out of the way just in time, taking part of the blow across his back.
Oz growled and Ronnie seemed to understand as she backpedaled out of the way. Blood poured from King’s stomach and chest as he circled Oz. The lion leaped, aiming for the smaller cat’s neck, but Oz was agile and faster than the heavier cat. He twisted out of the reach of the gaping maw. After a few swipes, Oz maneuvered around the injured lion and when he reared to hit him, Oz went low using one long talon to open up the lion’s stomach as if he’d used a scalpel.
Oz slid to a stop, kicking up dirt and gravel. King limped and pushed slowly to stand. A hurt lion is a dangerous lion. His heart thudded in his chest when he saw his woman sneaking up behind King. The lion must have been seriously hurt not to have heard her. He was going to have a serious conversation with his woman about her safety.
Bam! Bam!
The lion’s back end dropped to the ground, then moments later the rest of him fell to the ground causing a plume of dust to kick up.
“Good.” Ronnie looked up from the dead lion to him. “Geez, Oz, you’re covered in blood. You hurt bad?”
Now was one of those times he wished he could tell her what was on his mind. He yelped when she touched his back leg.
Wizard, you are not going to believe this.
Oz didn’t want to hear or see anything else. Santiago?
That little coward ran off after I hit him once.
“Oh, my God.” Ronnie fell to her knees. “Golden is that you?”
A small pale white tiger with patches of gold stood behind the huge Bengal tiger.
“Goldie, come out, baby,” Ronnie coaxed. “I love you. You hear me? I love you. I don’t care what form you take. You are my little sister.”
It’s okay, Golden. Your sister knows all about you.
I don’t even know all about me. The little tiger tentatively moved from behind Kit and nuzzled Ronnie.
I’ll explain it when we get back. Oz nuzzled her too.
I didn’t know there were any golden tigers left. Kit walked around the group.
Neither did I, Oz responded.
Ronnie kissed Golden’s furry head, then looked around at the collection of big cats, then scanned the trees behind her. “I gotta get the kids out of here. Maybe the bus is at the motel by now. I’ll see you guys back there.” She kissed the tiger, then Oz. “I’m glad you didn’t die.”
Ronnie had a slight limp as she walked away. Surely, she would have said something if she was hurt. He’d get her out of those clothes and cleaned up the moment they got back to the room.
Chapter One Hundred Nine
Oz limped out of the trees that lined the back edge of the motel. The first thing he spotted was the large black Tahoe blocking three parking spots in the middle of the parking lot. Clutch leaned against the door, smoking a cigarette. Oz had just pulled on his t-shirt when he spotted Six, his president, sitting on his bike with his old lady, Twistie.
“Happy you guys made it down,” Oz said as he walked up.
Six held out his hand and Oz clasped his president’s outstretched arm below the elbow, and leaned into a half hug.
“You okay, brother?” Six lifted his head toward his legs.
Oz looked down. His thigh still hurt like hell from where the lion shot him. “Yeah, I had to dig out a bullet. It’ll be fully healed in no time.”
Six nodded.
Twistie smiled up at him. “I heard you found a baby tiger.”
“Yeah. Uncle Kit is around here somewhere, explaining to her what we are. And doing tiger-type shit.”
“Oz, you alright? You’re fucking talking… out loud,” Six stated as he patted his shoulder.
“Yeah, long story.” Oz gave a nervous laugh.
Twistie and Six laughed with him.
“Babe, I’m going to go find those tigers.” Twistie leaned in and Six lowered his mouth to kiss his mate.
Before, them kissing like this bothered Oz, even drove him to leave town for a few days. And thank God for these two being so damned amorous and having noisy sex. If he hadn’t left, he would never have found Ronnie. Now, he knew what love felt like. Now, he understood what it meant to have a mate. Now, his soul was intertwined with a woman he would never let go of for anything.
Six slapped his woman’s ass before she walked away. She looked back, winked, then put a little extra sway in her hips. He looked around the parking lot before lowering his voice. “Where are the girls?”
“Mostly girls, but some boys too. Ronnie should’ve gotten here already.” Oz looked around as well.
A dark-haired teen wandered into the parking lot, crying his name and holding his cut. “Oz! Are you here? Oz!”
Oz and Six rushed towards the girl. “Whoa!” Oz held out his hand like he was calming a wild beast. “I’m Oz.”
“Ms. Ronnie said to show you this.” She held out his cut.
Oz
