He blinked and finally looked at her. “What?”
“I’m a man-eating tiger.”
He scoffed. “Don’t waste my time. We have work to do.”
“Don’t piss me off. I could eat you for dinner.”
He gave her a wry look. “You eat men?”
“It’s what tigers do.”
“You don’t eat people. You are a person most of the time. It would be cannibalism.”
“So you think I know right from wrong when I’m an animal?”
He paused, then nodded. “Yes.”
“You trust me not to bite you?” She smoothed a hand down his cheek to his neck. “Even when I’m feeling ravenous?”
“Are you hungry? I could take you to the bat cave. Or Zoltan’s place.”
She swatted Russell’s chest. “You see? Even when I threaten you with bodily harm, you’re still thinking about how to take care of me.”
He scowled at her. “So?”
“So I trust you, you idiot. I know you won’t harm me. Just like me, you know right from wrong, even when your fangs are out. So cut out the remorse routine, and let’s be friends again.”
“You call your friends ‘idiot’?”
She shrugged. “If the shoe fits.”
His eyes narrowed. “Fine. We’re friends, princess.”
“Don’t call me princess.”
He smirked. “Bite me.”
“Maybe I will, cowboy.” When he stiffened, she continued, “That’s right. I found your cowboy pistols.”
He gritted his teeth. “You have no right snooping around my stuff.”
“Are you really a cowboy?”
“I don’t explain myself.”
“Well, that’s a shame, ’cause I really like cowboys.”
He stilled, his gaze growing more intense. “Is that so?”
Her skin tingled. “Yes.”
He stepped closer. “And are you really . . . hungry?”
She wasn’t sure if he was talking about food, but she nodded. “Yes.”
“In that case . . .” He grabbed her by the waist and teleported.
“Are you crazy?” Howard whispered as Russell inspected the contents of the refrigerator in the kitchen at Zoltan’s castle. “Rajiv is furious. He says you kidnapped his cousin and refuse to return her.”
“You don’t have to whisper,” Russell told the huge were-bear. “She doesn’t understand English.” He glanced over at the kitchen table, where Jia was sitting next to Howard’s wife. “But she does seem to like your donuts. I think that’s six she’s eaten so far.”
“What?” Howard looked back.
“How come you know about this?” Russell asked. “Do the MacKay employees do nothing but gossip like a bunch of old hens?”
Howard snorted. “It’s not every day that a Vamp kidnaps a were-tiger princess.”
“She’s not kidnapped.” Russell removed a package of meat from the fridge. “What’s this?”
“New York strip steaks.” Howard frowned at him. “Elsa and I are having those for supper.”
Russell gave him a wry look as he set the package on the counter. “You need all five?”
“I have a big appetite,” Howard grumbled. “And Elsa is eating for three.”
“Three?”
“Yep.” Howard beamed proudly. “Twins. We found out about a week ago.” He winked at his wife.
Damn, everyone was having children. “Congratulations.” Russell translated the news for Jia, and she grinned while congratulating them both in Chinese.
“She’s so sweet,” Elsa said, patting Jia’s arm. “I wish I could talk to her.”
“So do I,” Howard muttered. “Then we could find out if she’s actually been kidnapped.”
“Does she look frightened or abused in any way?” Russell cringed inwardly, recalling the bruises he’d left on her shoulders. “She’s just a little hungry. There’s not much to eat in the bat cave.”
Elsa gasped. “You’re making her live with bats?”
“There aren’t any bats,” Russell protested. “It’s actually very nice . . . as far as caves go.”
Elsa rose to her feet. “What has she been eating? Is there any way to cook there?”
Howard snorted. “I have a feeling he has a solar-powered generator and a microwave.”
Russell shrugged. “She needs more than instant noodles and chips.”
“Of course she does.” Elsa hurried over to the fridge and shooed them out of the way. “She’ll have dinner with us. Steak, and I’ll make some salad.” She selected a variety of greens and veggies from the fridge and piled them on the counter. “And we’ll nuke three potatoes. They’re in the pantry.”
“I’ll get them.” Russell strode into the large walk-in pantry.
Howard followed him. “So you’re not going to return her?”
“She doesn’t want to go back,” Russell explained as he scanned the shelves, looking for potatoes. “She wants revenge, just like me. Han killed her brother and parents, and she’s helping me track him down. It’s a business partnership, that’s all.”
“Really?”
Russell stiffened at the dubious tone of Howard’s voice. “Yes, really. You can tell Rajiv and Angus and everyone else you gossip with that I will keep her safe. In fact, before we leave, I’d like to get an extra sat phone and an antenna I can install outside the cave for better reception. Then she can call Rajiv every day to assure him that she’s all right.”