Completely contrite, Aimee went over to her brother. Her father was right, she didn't want anything to happen to anyone else in her family. Even as surly as Remi was, she still loved him more than anything and would protect him with her life. "I'm sorry."
"You ought to be."
Aimee growled at his hostile personality. Why did he have to pick a fight with everyone?
She glared at her father. "You know, it's a shame Katagaria bears don't eat their young, especially the annoying ones."
Wanting to put distance between them, she headed out the door, into the bar area where the human waitress, Cherise Gautier, was filling drinks. Petite and blond, Cherise had the kindest disposition of any being Aimee had met in her three hundred years of living. Creatures like her were rare and Aimee wished she could be more like her.
Unfortunately, she had too much of Remi in her for that-another reason she couldn't stand her brother most days. They were two peas in a pod that together made an unsightly mush.
"Hey, Aimee," Cherise said with a bright smile that cheered her instantly. "You okay, baby? You're looking a little flushed."
"I'm fine."
Cherise gave her a gimlet stare as she covered her hand and gave a supportive squeeze. "You fight with your brother again, boo?"
There were times when she could swear that human had preternatural powers. "Don't we always?"
Unperturbed, Cherise returned to setting glasses on her tray. "Well, that's what family's for. But you know what I do. Anyone threaten you, Remi would have their posterior for dinner and you would do the same for him. That boy love you more than his life. Never forget that." Cherise started to pick up the tray.
"I got it." Aimee cut in front of her.
Cherise frowned. "You sure?"
"Absolutely. Besides, it's time for your break."
Her expression skeptical, Cherise stepped back. "All right then. I'll be just a shout away if we get busy suddenly. Those are for table thirty."
Aimee hefted the tray up and cursed at how heavy eight beers with iced mugs and two Cokes could be. It was a good thing she'd taken it from the human. As tiny and frail as Cherise was, she'd have had a hard time carrying it. But true to form, the human would never utter a single word of complaint. Cherise had never once bitched about anything or anyone.
Aimee carefully made her way from the bar area to the tables in front where the dogs had taken refuge. As she came around the corner, she let out an aggravated breath.
Sure enough, they looked like the dregs of the animal kingdom. Scruffy, leather-wearing brutes. She just hoped the younger two didn't try to hump the furniture or some human's leg.
Though as she drew closer, she couldn't help noticing that the one with the longer hair was extremely good-looking. His dark hair was made up of a myriad of colors. Red, mahogany, brown, black, even some blond. It was as striking as his dark eyes.
The only other one of them really noteworthy was the one wearing a black biker jacket, who leaned back in his chair with his incredibly long legs stretched out in front of him. His black T-shirt was pulled tight over a stomach that was rock-hard and flat. With short dark hair and an evident nasty attitude, he was hard to miss. His rugged features were covered with several days' growth of beard and his eyes were completely concealed behind a pair of opaque sunglasses.
There was something about him that screamed power. Something lethal. Deadly. Raw. The animal in her could appreciate how impressive it was to give off that vibe while completely at ease. It also set off her instincts and made her extremely wary of the whole group.
Yeah, that one wolf gave the word Slayer a whole new meaning. She glanced around the room to locate her allies. Her brothers Zar and Quinn were at the bar. Colt, another bear who lived with them, was having a drink in front of them. Their busboy, Wren, who was a tigard, stood in the far corner cleaning tables while his pet monkey, Marvin, was poking his head out of Wren's apron pocket.
She was adequately covered if she needed it.
Putting off her own "screw you" aura, she closed the distance between them.
As soon as they saw her approaching, the wolves stood up . . . except for the one who looked the baddest of all. He continued to lean back with his arms folded over his chest.
"Fang!" the one with long dark hair snapped, kicking at his legs.
Fang came to his feet with a curse so foul, it actually made her blush. He had the one who'd barked his name in his hands before he seemed to realize what he'd done. "Vane?"
"Yeah, dick, let me go."
The long-haired white-blond wolf closest to Fang lowered his head threateningly. "Were you sleeping?"
Fang released Vane and passed the one who'd spoken a sneer that said he not only hated the other wolf, but that he thought he was an idiot. "Was I wolf or human?"