Hour of the Lion by Cherise Sinclair (reading a book txt) 📕

here. Spit it out." Leland was taller than the rest and had the bowlegged stride of someone who‘d spent time on a horse.

"First, let me finish introductions," Calum said. "This is Victoria, a new shifter who has not yet experienced her first trawsfur."

With their impassive expressions, Maude and Leland must play poker, Vic decided. The rest stared at her in blank shock.

"At her age? How can this be?" Aaron asked.

After Calum explained, Maude had tears in her eyes. "I taught the lad in his First Year.

Filled with pranks. I didn‘t think he‘d paid attention, but he remembered when the time came.

Well done, Lachlan." She lifted her cup. "Goddess willing, he will return to run with us again."

The rest raised their drinks, saying, "As She wills."

Calum smiled at Vic. "Lachlan has brought us a strong woman; she rivals Alec both in courage and sheer stubbornness." As the Elders laughed, he said seriously, "I bring Victoria, a werecat, to be Seen."

There was silence as the Elders studied her. Their eyes seemed to burn deep inside her, exposing her weaknesses, the darkness in her spirit, even the men she‘d killed.

She wanted to slink down in her chair, to disappear under the table. So she firmed her spine, straightened her shoulders, and stared back.

The Elders spoke together. "We See Victoria."

Calum raised his cup again. "Rejoice, Daonain, the clan increases."

And cups clinked.

*

That evening, Vic lay on one of the twin beds in the room and watched Jamie pull clothes out of a backpack. To everyone‘s surprise, Alec and Jamie had shown up an hour before, having driven as far as possible and hiked the rest of the way. Vic and Calum would have a ride back to Cold Creek tomorrow.

"What kind of a party will this be, anyway?" Vic asked. "I didn‘t bring any nice clothes."

Looking between two T-shirts, Jamie said, "It‘s not a fancy party, not like we have in Cold Creek or anything. Nobody here has dress-up stuff."

"Well, that‘s a relief. So this is all right? Jeans and a shirt?"

"Yeah." Jamie finally picked up one shirt—a blue one that matched her eyes—and pulled it on. "Everybody will bring stuff to eat, but we don‘t have to since we don‘t live here."

Vic grunted. "Good thing. I‘m not much of a cook. That‘s a nice color on you, Jess."

"Thanks." The kid looked up from under her lashes. "I‘m glad Lachlan made you a shifter. I didn‘t want you to leave."

Vic blinked as warmth enfolded her like a hot bath. "Well. I—" She sighed and let the words spill out. "I would have missed you, munchkin."

"Were you going to miss Daddy too?"

Look out, Sergeant. This conversation is booby-trapped. With relief, Vic heard a door open and cheerful voices from the living room. It sounded as if more people arrived. Oh, wonderful, she had two no-win options: being polite while strangers stared at the new freak shifter, or discussing a this-can‘t-happen relationship with a man‘s daughter—or niece—and wasn‘t this so totally screwed up?

She chose the least dangerous option and said with a groan, "Guess we‘d better get our butts out there."

Jamie snickered. "Oh, Vicki, it won‘t be that bad."

"Easy for you to say."

Jamie took her hand and pulled her off the bed. "I‘ll take care of you. It‘s not a Gathering, so nobody‘s gonna fight."

"No fighting? What‘s the point?"

Giggling, Jamie dragged her into the living room. To Vic‘s horror, people surged through the front door like ocean breakers.

Aaron trotted over and handed her a big mug of hot chocolate. "I made this for you, young lady." He gave another one to Jamie before hustling away.

Vic stared at the mug . No beer? Dammit, she really wanted a drink. With a sigh, she sipped, then choked as it burned all the way down, not from the heat, but from the amount of peppermint schnapps Aaron had added. "Good God."

She pulled Jamie‘s cup out of her hands and sniffed it. No peppermint, just chocolate.

"Okay, you can drink it."

Jamie took it back with a suspicious look. "I bet yours is better."

"And when you‘re twenty-one, you‘ll get to find out, won‘t you?" Vic answered. "Um.

What are we supposed to do now?"

"We mingle and...and schmooze." Jamie frowned. "I‘m not sure what that means, but it sounds cool."

"Come, come, let‘s introduce you around." Aaron popped back and chivvied Vic and Jamie forward like a hyperactive cattle dog. He stopped beside two women in their thirties seated on the sofa. "Victoria, this is Sarah and Gretchen. They‘re here visiting their mother until Samhain."

They offered chill nods.

Vic recognized Gretchen as the woman in Cold Creek who‘d run her hand over Calum‘s chest. She was tall, slender, and fucking gorgeous with porcelain skin and French-braided platinum blonde hair. Her sister looked completely unrelated with a curvy build, dusky complexion, dark brown eyes, and wavy black hair. Also beautiful. "Nice to meet you," Vic lied.

"Jamie, Maude‘s grandson is here. He‘s just your age." Aaron dragged Jamie away. Traitor, Vic thought at the child, then sighed and took a chair. Although the women looked at her like she‘d crawled out of a garbage can, she managed a polite smile.

"So you arrived here with Calum?" Gretchen asked, obviously already knowing the answer.

"That‘s right." Should she mention the attackers? God, someone should have briefed her before this party. "Um, we hiked up from Cold—"

"Hiked?" Sarah interrupted with a thin laugh. "Why didn‘t you trawsfur? You made the Cosantir walk like a stinking human?"

Vic considered being polite for all of two seconds and discarded the idea. They disliked her, for whatever reason, and the feeling was mutual. She rose and without one swearword—truly a miracle of self-control—walked away.

"Well!"

Vic didn‘t look to see who had spoken. Next stop? A mess of older people, including the Elders, mingled on the other side of the woodstove. Three middle-aged men stood by the door. A handful of women had taken over the kitchen. Jamie was engaged in a vehement argument with two boys about her age. No Calum, no Alec. Damn them.

Maude