Here There Be Tigers Read Online Free PDF

again to keep you
safe.”
    “ How is this keeping me safe? I
don’t feel very safe at the moment.”
    “ If I’d told you the truth, you
would have tried to find your mother, maybe even others like her.
Don’t you understand? I never wanted them to know about you. And
you would have ignored the danger to track down Anaya.”
    Hearing this story from her father was like a
sharp stab to her heart. She wasn’t even sure how to feel about any
of it anymore, though betrayal and sadness and love for her father
all tangled into the mix. She grabbed the wooden railing
surrounding the porch and squeezed hard, trying to ground herself
in a world that seemed upside down.
    “ They would have killed you, Nila.
Don’t you see that? Anaya’s people would have killed
you.”
    “ They’re still trying to kill me,
even after all the deception.”
    “ What do you want me to say? I don’t
regret what I did, and I would do it again. I’m sorry if that means
you don’t trust me anymore, but I did what I did for you. My only
regret is that Petrov found out about you anyway. If I could, I’d
kill him myself to keep you safe.”
    He sounded so fierce she actually smiled,
though her lips trembled a little. “You’re not a murderer. But
thanks for the thought. We have a lot to talk about when we see
each other.”
    “ Yes.”
    She swallowed and released the porch railing.
“I still think we should all stick together. I don’t know why we’re
trusting this stranger to look out for me.”
    “ Because he knows more about what’s
going on than any of us. Because my mother has promised me he’ll
protect you with his life.”
    She snorted. “Well, I can’t risk Grandma’s Evil
Eye by not believing her, can I?”
    “ We’ll see each other soon, love.
Just stay safe. Whatever it takes.” He took an audible breath. “I
am sorry you’re in the middle of this mess.”
    “ Stay safe, too, Dad. Keep Grandma
safe.”
    “ I will. Talk to you soon. I love
you.”
    “ Love you, too.”
    For a long moment, she stared into the dark
woods beyond the porch. She still couldn’t wrap her mind around the
whole situation. Her dad had said Mitch was telling her the truth.
She just couldn’t bring her logical brain to accept it. This wasn’t
a movie. Shapeshifter-anythings weren’t supposed to exist in real
life. Your supposedly dead mother certainly shouldn’t be
one.
    But according to her dad, it was all
true.
    Now what the hell was she going to
do?
     

CHAPTER FOUR

    Mitch watched Nila through the front window
while he waited for the water in the kettle to boil. Because he
could hear both sides of her conversation, thanks to his tiger
hearing, he’d tried busying himself with checking his cabin to give
her some semblance of privacy. He gave up the pretense when he ran
out of chores.
    She didn’t move for a long time after she hung
up, and worry wound through his gut. He stretched out his senses to
assure himself they were still safe. He could sense his own kind at
a great distance even compared to other tigers, but more than that,
he knew the night wildlife was still active and undisturbed. The
area wouldn’t be so active if a strange predator was in the area.
Since this was his territory the wildlife was used to
him.
    Nila was as safe as she could be for now.
Unfortunately, they’d have to leave again tomorrow, but they could
rest here tonight and make plans. They still had a lot to talk
about.
    When he had two cups of English breakfast tea
ready, he took them out to the porch. Nila looked up at him, her
expression difficult to read. With only the light from the cabin
shadowing her features she looked mysterious and vulnerable at the
same time. He breathed her in, realized she’d used his soap, and
had to swallow a growl of satisfaction that she had part of his
scent on her skin. The instinctive reaction surprised him enough
that he just stared for a moment. She raised her brows, and he
remembered himself.
    He held up a mug.