In a Badger Way (Honey Badger Chronicles #2) - Shelly Laurenston Page 0,40
Net to find out the truth. So why put off the inevitable?
“She’s my sister.”
Kyle dropped to his knees, eyes ridiculously wide. “Why didn’t you ever tell me?”
“Why would I tell you that?”
“I thought you were just some useless, big-muscled wall to protect me from the plebes. But you know and are related to Kiki Wen Li. The Kiki Wen Li.”
“What the hell’s a plebe?”
Kyle sighed, shook his head. “Poor Kiki. She must be starving for real discourse if you’re her family.”
“Hey.”
Kyle jumped up and ran to Shen’s side. “You have to introduce us.”
“Why would I ever do that? You just insulted me.”
“With a word you don’t even know,” Kyle’s sister interjected.
“I hope your jeans are destroyed in the wash.”
“You need to introduce us,” Kyle continued on. “Your sister will want to meet me.”
“Why would she want to meet some kid?”
“Some kid? Some kid?”
“Now you’re going to get it,” Kyle’s sister muttered.
“I am not some kid,” Kyle ranted. “I am Kyle Jean-Louis Parker. The future of art. I am art. Entire buildings will be dedicated to my work, like shrines to a god. Never forget that.”
What was really entertaining was that his sister was saying the words along with him. Exactly. So this was a standard speech apparently.
“I am not introducing you to my sister.” She had enough leeches wanting something from her. Shen wasn’t about to add some brat who thought he was the god of art.
“Then good luck finding your phone,” Kyle snarled before turning and walking away.
It took seconds for Shen to drop from the tree, walk up behind the little brat, and pick him up by his throat. He turned Kyle around to face him and unleashed his fangs. Sure. He was a giant panda who mostly ate bamboo, but he was still a carnivore. Not only that but raw bamboo was hard as hell, making panda jaws—and the muscles that controlled them—one of the strongest among their order. Even stronger than the hyenas. Although his polar and grizzly brothers—not surprisingly—beat pandas in the bite strength competition.
But Kyle wasn’t a hyena or a bear. He was a jackal. Tall and a little skinny. Stronger than almost any full-human but not in Shen’s league, and they both knew it.
Shen removed the phone from Kyle’s hand and, looking up at him, reminded the kid, “Don’t fuck with me, little man. Stay away from my sister.”
“Got it,” Kyle squeezed out.
Satisfied with that, Shen dropped the kid and started back toward his tree. Kyle’s sister cut in front of him. He thought she’d start yelling at him like Toni would, but no. She simply held out her hand.
“Hi. I’m Oriana.”
He shook her hand. “Nice to meet you.”
She glanced down at her younger brother picking himself up off the ground.
“I think,” she said, “we’re going to get along great.”
* * *
It was late when Stevie woke up. She stumbled out of bed and made her way down the dark hallway to the bathroom. She peed, washed her hands, and stumbled back into bed. That’s when she realized she wasn’t alone.
She turned over and smiled into the dark corner near the window. “Hi.”
“Hi.”
“What are you doing here?”
Shen shrugged. “Just making sure you’re okay.”
“You don’t have to stay. You must be bored sitting in the dark.”
“I’ve got my phone. I only turned it off when you got up.”
“Watching or reading?”
“Reading.”
“Really? What?”
“Uh . . .” He turned his phone back on, the light illuminating his face. “Their Life’s Work: The Brotherhood of the 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers.”
Stevie worked hard not to cringe. “Oh. Um . . . you do know there are other books to read than just . . . sports ones? Right?”
“Yeah.” When she just continued to stare at him, he added, “My grandfather was a big Steelers fan. Loved Mean Joe Greene. Used to love showing me old footage of the best plays.”
“A That’s sweet.”
He shrugged again, turned off his phone, putting him back in darkness. But she was made up of two nocturnal animals. She could see him perfectly.
“Do you need anything?” he asked. “Water or whatever?”
“No. Thanks.” She turned back over and snuggled under the sheet.
“If you get tired of the chair,” Stevie suggested, “you can always get in here with me.”
“Yeah . . . well . . .”
“Unless the dogs come back.”
There was a long pause. “Excuse me?”
“The dogs. They were here earlier. They get first dibs. But you’re welcome too.”
“Wow. Thanks. That’s big of you.”
“No problem. Anytime.”
“As long as I don’t bother the dogs,” she heard him mutter.