Kendrick rose to his feet and ambled over in a stride that showed the rippling strength of his shoulders, the power of his tiger body. He caught the cub trying to climb Addie by the scruff, lifting him high.
Growling admonition, he carried the tiger cub, dangling from his mouth, into the house. Charlie held the door wide for him. The other two cubs abandoned Addie and rushed after their father.
By the time Addie entered the house, the four had disappeared, but soon the little boys, shifted and dressed, ran back to the kitchen.
“What did you bring us?” Brett demanded at the top of his voice.
“Lots of stuff,” Addie said, as excited as he was.
She rummaged in the bags and brought out little cars and other toys her nephew had liked when he’d been their age, coloring books and crayons, colored pencils for Robbie. She’d also brought comic books and magazines, not knowing what little Shifter boys would like to read, or even if they could. They lost no time in grabbing everything in sight and racing back to their room to go through it.
Addie helped Charlie put away the groceries. By the time they’d finished Kendrick emerged, the sheathed sword in his hand. He’d dressed fully, but the eyes regarding her were pure Shifter.
“I need to talk to you,” Addie said to him, jerking her head at the back door.
Kendrick’s brows went up, but he walked past her without a word and outside. Charlie watched them go, giving Addie a warning look.
“You like to talk,” Kendrick said as they stopped in the middle of the backyard. He laid the sword beside him. Charlie had once had a lawn here, it was obvious, but weeds had taken it over and now it was a field of brown, dried wisps. “Maybe we should go to the barn.”
“I don’t think so.” Addie shivered then gave him a severe look. “I want to actually talk this time.”
The amusement in Kendrick’s eyes was warm. “I can’t for long. I’ve set up the meeting with Seamus. He’ll be there soon.”
Addie’s worries returned. “Do you still think you should meet him alone? Can you trust him?”
Kendrick shrugged. “I have to find out one way or another.”
Addie looked up at him. “Kendrick, when I was in San Antonio, I saw some Shifters.”
He stopped, any merriment he’d found in the conversation gone. “Where?”
Addie quickly sketched the scene and described the Shifters. “I think one of them was a tiger.”
Kendrick’s face had gone grim, his eyes lightening almost to gray. “Did he see you?”
“Yes.”
“Shit,” Kendrick said softly.
He turned away from Addie, put his hands on his hips, and stared up at the cloudless sky. His fingers quivered against his jeans.
“I don’t think they could have known I had a connection to you,” Addie said. “I was just another customer coming out of the store, for all he knew.”
Kendrick turned around. “How close were you to them?”
Addie thought about it. “A couple car lengths plus the width of the lane, I think. How much is that? Twenty feet? Thirty? Hell if I know how long cars are or how much space is in parking lot aisles.”
Kendrick’s jaw tightened. “It might have been far enough. Especially with all the cars, exhaust, people . . .”
He was speaking to himself, Addie realized, trying to sound reassuring. “Far enough for what?”
“Shifters can scent. Sometimes that sense is stronger than sight or hearing. If they were close enough, they could have scented me on you.”
Addie wrinkled her nose. “Seriously? That’s unsettling.”
“It’s normal. But those Shifters have never met you, and I met them only once. They might not remember my scent from so brief a meeting six months ago. Since then, no Shifter from their group has seen me except Dylan.” Again, he sounded as though trying to reassure himself.