Page 29 of Birthright

Yes, my love.

He startled me. Oh—I’m sorry, I was just thinking of you.

How sweet. He laughed just a little and the sound tickled my spine.

I’ll be more careful. I didn’t mean to disturb you.

Were you thinking of our lovemaking? His tone was light and playful.

I was blushing and Abbey saw it. She gave me a questioning look. Yes, I was…you?

I’ll never dream of anything else again.

Good night, Tynan, I thought with a laugh.

Abbey was still looking at me like I was crazy. I showed her the amulet. She took the charm in her fingers, admiring the work. “A communications charm,” she murmured. “That Bevin is so good.”

“Back to the point, Abbey. How do I get my father off that island?”

Manus’s loud, booming voice sent us both screaming to our feet. “You’ll do no such thing!”

Abbey lunged, steak knife in hand, before realizing it was him. He had been curled up just under the table at my feet.

Abbey shrieked at him, “Listen, you scraggly old pussy, if you don’t quit lurking around my kitchen, I’ll sic a Werewolf on you!”

“I’m not lurking, it’s warm in here, and I haven’t been able to sleep in my bed since…since it started thundering so often.”

At least he had tried to be polite about it.

“Nonetheless, quit lurking.” She was trying to straighten her frazzled hair. Manus changed to his man form, bursting the bubble as he did so. I should be used to seeing him change but it still gave me the jeevies. I had asked him once if it hurt. He said it stung.

Stung? To change from an eleven-pound cat into a rather large man? I found it hard to believe. He said that his change wasn’t as dramatic as a Were’s because he was a natural Shapeshifter. That was all I got at the time since we were sparring and he wanted my attention on the fight. I’d never thought to ask him again.

He must have wandered in here in cat form because there were no clothes in sight and he faced us naked now. I found it hard to take him seriously. “Keena, Priestess of the Wild, you will not, under any circumstances, go to that island, and you will not attempt to save your father.”

“Awful pushy for a naked cat,” I quipped.

“I am not making jokes, Keena. The island of Thule is off limits to you. You can’t even begin to imagine the dark magic and nefarious things that reside there. It is most certain that Coyle is dead. I ask your word!” He looked frightened. He had a strong grip on my shoulders, and it was tightening more as he spoke.

“Okay, don’t get so worked up.” I was trying to pull away, but he just held me tighter.

“I mean this, Keena.”

I finally just stood and yanked myself back and he let go. “I said okay.”

He huffed. “I know you, Keena. You forget I spent eighteen years at your side. I know what you like to eat, I know your favorite songs, your first love and when you lost your virginity as a human⁠—”

“Eww,” Abbey said. “How could you let him be around you that much?”

“I thought he was a cat for Christ’s sake.” I shot him my best shut-your-mouth look.

“What I’m saying is that I know you too well. You get an idea in your head and won’t let it go. I know you’ll dwell on it and plot on it, and you will do something stupid.”

I huffed. But he was right, and I hated that he knew me so well. As my loving pet, I had treated him as my confidant, held him to me when I cried. He had been there with me for everything as I grew up.

“You have too many important things to do to risk yourself with this.”

“But he’s my faattherrrr!” I whined and I hated that too.