The Liger's Mark Read Online Free PDF Page A

welcome here.”
    “You know who I am,” Kenzie said. Not a question as she could see the woman obviously did.
    “You are death,” the woman sneered. “To any who should fall in your shadow. I’ll lose no one else for you.”
    “What?” Kenzie asked, taking a step back into Holt. “What are you talking about? I’m searching for my family. That’s all.”
    “You have no family here,” the woman stated adamantly.
    “There was a family. Cougars,” Kenzie said.
    “You’re not a cougar,” the woman said.
    “Please,” Kenzie begged, but the woman just shook her head and shot a quelling look at her son. “Who did you lose?”
    Silence.
    “I’m looking for answers,” Kenzie said softly. “That’s all. Answers. No one will die for that.”
    The woman laughed, but it was a harsh sound. “Plenty already have. You should stay lost. Nothing good will come from your answers.”
    Kenzie’s heart beat faster. It was too late for that, but the woman didn’t need to know that. “You know who I am,” she said again. “Tell me. Please, tell me who I am.”
    The woman motioned to her son and gave a curt nod. He stood, and Holt tensed behind her. She reached her hand back, gripping his waist to try and assure him she was okay.
    “You touch him, but he’s not yours,” the woman said.
    “He’s my friend,” Kenzie said.
    “Where is your mate?” the woman asked.
    Kenzie kept her gaze on the woman, knowing Holt was watching Frankie as he looked through cabinets around the room, searching for something.
    “He’s gone,” Kenzie answered.
    “Not dead,” the woman said. “Though I feel your sorrow.” She inhaled again, this time doing nothing to disguise the gesture. “I’ll give you what I have, but you must leave and never contact us again. Frankie and his family are all I have left. I won’t risk them for secrets, which were never mine to keep.”
    “Secrets?” Kenzie asked.
    “I don’t know who you are, and I don’t want to know. I’ve seen the knowledge of it bring death more than once. I’ll warn you, though. Trust no one. Not shifter. Not human. There are those on both sides of the fence that would prefer only your corpse be found.”
    She heard Holt’s sharp inhalation and knew he’d be demanding more answers from her after this conversation.
    “I found it,” Frankie said and held up a box.
    “Give it to her,” the woman said.
    Kenzie took the sealed box Frankie passed to her and clutched it against her chest.
    “Take it and go. I’ve never opened it. I have no idea what’s in there. All I know is my sister and her mate asked me to keep it. My sister told me it was important, that someday the baby she gave away would come looking for answers. I was to give you that box.”
    “Where is she?” Kenzie asked.
    “Dead,” the woman spat out. “Her whole family gone because of you. Now get out of my house and never come back.”
    Kenzie swallowed, her hands shaking as she gripped the box and turned. She saw a flare of surprise in Frankie’s eyes before she faced Holt and caught the anger in his. She gave a slight shake of her head and led him back through the house and out to the car.
    “What the fuck was that all about?” Holt demanded as he beeped the car unlocked.
    “I don’t know,” Kenzie admitted. “I think I’ll have a better idea once I go through this.” She jostled the box in her arms.
    “We,” he said. “I’m not letting you do this alone.” It was a subtle reminder of exactly who he thought should be here with her—her mate. “Where to now?”
    Kenzie glanced at her watch. It was still early, but she knew what she wanted. “Let’s find a place to stay for tonight.”
    Holt didn’t answer until they were both locked in the car, and he was heading out of the drive and away from the house.
    “Why don’t you go ahead and open it?” he suggested.
    She’d been thinking the same thing, but every time she lifted her hand to do just that, her stomach cramped.