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But back in the old days, when Shifters had been bred for fighting for the Fae, Spike would have been top of the fighting class The best warriors had been kept to fight the est prizes, to perform the most difficult tasks

Did it bother Spike that in the wild he’d be an elite warrior, and noas keeping an eye on troublehting every week in the fight club?

He had no idea This was life You just did it Shiftertoasn’t ideal, but it wouldn’t be forever And anyway, no ould Spike have ever let hi Fae

But now Spike had a cub He was rushing home to that cub, or would be if traffic on the 35 wasn’t such a bitch

Ellison would want to report to Liao ho on four hours, and wanted to knohat the cub had been up to And Myka would be there The scent of her lingered on hissweeter by the second

They reached the Austin Shiftertown No gates separated Shiftertown from the rest of the city--they passed an empty lot, and they were in

Ellison turned his truck to the Morrisseys’ street, but Spike said, "Drop me off at home first"

Ellison looked surprised "You don’t want to report?"

"You report I have things to do"

Ellison gave Spike a long look, but took a quick turn up the block to Spike’s street "All right," he said in his Texas drawl At least he wasn’t arguing

Ellison hadn’t brought the truck all the way to a halt before Spike was out the door His house looked quiet, but he already heard the yelling from the backyard He waved Ellison off, and Ellison drove on, shaking his head

Spike jogged around the house, not bothering to go inside The noise came from the back, which hbors Myka stood at the base of a tree, her hands on her hips Spike’s grand at souesses as to what The other Shifters stood by, laughing or shouting advice Nothing dangerous then, but Spike’s hackles didn’t settle

"What’s going on?"

Myka turned at his harsh question Her eyes were blue like su those lips, in the huive him a taste of sweetness, soft pressure

The lips quirked in exasperation "Your son’s up a tree"