Fisher (Prince of Tigers, #3) - Kathi S. Barton Page 0,12

little man.”

“Did you hear that, Lord Fisher? She’s called me a handsome little man. Why I feel as lucky about her as I am when I have myself a good nap.” Piper put out her hand to touch him. Peter flew to her hand and sat down on her palm. “Why, Lady Piper, you’re a very beautiful woman too. Almost as beautiful as Lady Aurora. She’s my boss, you see.”

“Peter, she’s overwhelmed.” Peter looked at Fisher, then back at her. “We don’t want to scare her off on the first day, do we?”

“Nay, you’d be right about that, your lordship. You are.” Peter stood up, and his wings were fluttering almost too fast for her to see. “You’re going to be right fine now, miss. Those people that should be good to you? Well, they don’t know who they’re up against now. We’ll see to you and keep you safe.”

“I don’t know what to think right now.” Fisher sat down on the couch, and she and Peter got to know each other. “I’m assuming you’re going to be my safeguard against them, right?”

“Nay. Not me. I’m only a faerie. There is an entire group of fighters that will keep you safer than you’ve ever been. They’re ready to kill anything that comes to you without anything good in their hearts. Not right away, you see. But if they hurt you? Well, they’d best be having all their ducks in a row, I’m telling you that right now.” Sitting down beside Fisher, she leaned her head on his shoulder. “Also, something else. I hope you don’t mind a bit, but I’ve been poking into your head about some things. It’s all good for you. But you sure do have a nice little plantation in your head about a home you’d like to have.”

“Is that important?” She looked over at Fisher to find him sleeping. His head was on the back of the couch, and his soft snores reminded her that he’d been up for a long time, driving. Getting up, she went to the kitchen area and sat at the table with Peter. “Why is what I have in mind for a house important to you?”

“The others, the other faeries, they’ve built it for you.” She stared at Peter, wondering what the hell he was talking about. “We’ve been around for a long time, you see. And to work for such a family, the Prince family, is a treat we all were happy to have. They’ve been helping the lady Aurora for some time. Making sure there are other black tigers around for their magic. They need only to be there for the birth of a new cub, and one of them will be black. Just like the Princes are.”

“So, they’re not out to populate the world of black tigers by having sex with them.” Peter assured her that wasn’t the way it worked. His face was bright red too, and she had to work hard in not laughing at him when she mentioned sex. “I’m new to all of this, Peter. Will you be able to help me when I’m confused?”

“That’s my job, miss. My job is to care for you when you need me and to make sure you’re not harmed when Lord Fisher is away or something. He’s a good man, Lord Fisher. You couldn’t have done better if you were to ask me.” She asked him what Fisher had meant about her not being broke anymore. “Oh, he’s rich. All of them are. The lady Aurora made them the richest men around. Even when the other wives came along, bringing their goods to the family, they just used what they needed and invested the rest. You’ll not have to worry about another thing concerning money for the rest of your days. Which, I guess you know, is for a very long time.”

She told him about her family. “They’ll try and take what Fisher has if I know them. What will happen if they win?” He told her, his voice full of authority, that they’d not get to anything she didn’t want them to have. “I want them to just leave me alone. Especially now that I have Fisher here. I don’t want anything to happen to him, either.”

“He’s a great black tiger and a man of worth, miss. He’d sooner die than to give into them people if it hurts you. And you can be certain that when they tangle with you, they’re going to be taking