Page 9 of The Dragon's Mate

“Yeah.”

He didn’t say anything else and she raisedone perfect eyebrow at him. “How do you know him, human?”

“His girlfriend had some trouble with a guya while back. The guy murdered Ava’s friend and was stalking her, and I wasassigned to the case. We never did find him, and the case has gone cold, but I’vehad some interactions with Bishop and Ava on and off since then.”

“What kind of interactions?” she asked.

“Social stuff, mostly.”

If a person referred to saving the giantgrizzly shifter from another grizzly about to rip his head off and then helpinghim and his friends rescue a phoenix shifter from a mad scientist as ‘socialstuff’, then yeah, it was totally social.

“Human?”

He glanced at Kaida. “Sorry, what?”

“I said if you know Bishop then you know hecan help. You should call him.”

“Yeah, maybe I will.”

The grizzly shifter wouldn’t be happy tohear from him, he still believed that Bren had a thing for Ava, but Bren woulddo whatever he had to, to keep Tyler safe.

“It’s a good idea,” he said. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

They watched in silence as the sun slowlysank below the horizon.

Chapter Three

“You should have told me, Corey.” Tylersqueezed Corey’s hand as he sat next to him on the couch.

The shifter started to sit up and Gramappeared. “Oh no you don’t, fox shifter. You need to stay still. Nothing’sbroken, but your ribs are bruised badly and you’re lucky you don’t have aconcussion.”

Corey touched the side of his facegingerly. There was dark bruising rising on his tanned skin and his cheek andjaw had swelled to twice their size.

Gram draped warm, steaming cloths acrosshis ribs before pressing another one against his jaw. Corey’s nose wrinkled,and Gram laughed. “Ayuh, I know. It stinks but it’ll help. Trust me.”

Tyler frowned when Gram reached to touch Corey’sforehead and the boy sniffed at her hand. A weird look crossed his face andhis eyes widened as he looked at Gram.

“There, there,” Gram said, “old Gram ain’tgoing to hurt you. Don’t you worry now, boy.”

Corey stared nervously at her as she restedher hand on his forehead for a moment. She winked at him and went back to thestove.

“Why – why did you bring me to them?” Coreywhispered.

“I didn’tbringyou to them. Thewoman, Kaida, showed up and saved us. She beat the hell out of Jeff and theothers. You were unconscious and in your fox form, and she said she knewsomeone who could help you. I didn’t know what else to do,” Tyler said.

He glanced at Gram before squeezing Corey’shand again. “Why are you frightened of her?”

“I’m not.” Corey licked his lips.

“You are. Do bear shifters and foxshifters not, uh, get along normally?” Tyler asked.

“Bear shifters?” Corey hesitated and thengave Tyler a weak smile. “Fox shifters are, um, cautious around othershifters, that’s all. We’re not as big as some of them, you know?”

“You should have told me you were aparanormal,” Tyler said.

“I don’t tell anyone, Ty,” Corey replied.“Not even my foster parents know.”

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