Page 4 of Chasing Stripes

“Small town, big ears. Kalyna filled me in on most of it.”

“Kalyna’s still here?” Artemis perked up, grateful for the change of subject.

“Oh yes! Married to Rust Leonid now—he’s the mayor. A lion shifter from one of the founding families.” Tilly gestured broadly. “She said she’d stop by today with a welcome basket. Should be any?—”

The bakery bell chimed, cutting her off mid-sentence.

“Artemis Blu! Get your fae behind over here right now!”

A woman with auburn hair and bright eyes that flashed amber with excitement burst through the door, barely managing not to drop the large basket she carried. Artemis leaped to her feet with a squeal most unbefitting a thirty-year-old business owner and rushed to embrace her old friend.

Kalyna hugged her fiercely, the basket somehow staying intact between them. “Look at you! All fancy and sophisticated now. Do I need to curtsy? Did they teach you that in the big city?”

“Yes, right after my lessons in pretentiousness and overpriced coffee appreciation,” Artemis shot back, grinning so hard her face hurt. “And look at you—mayor’s wife and everything. Moving up in the world.”

“Please, I married Rust despite his position, not because of it,” Kalyna rolled her eyes, but pride colored her voice. She held up the basket. “Welcome home gift! Local honey, pastries from Sunrise Diner—don’t tell Tilly—and those fox-shaped cookies you always loved.”

“You didn’t make these yourself, did you?” Artemis asked suspiciously, remembering Kalyna’s disastrous attempts at baking in their youth.

“Oh ye of little faith.” Kalyna pressed a hand to her chest in mock offense. “For your information, I have mastered exactly one recipe since you left: frozen pizza. But even I know better than to present that as a welcome gift.” She set the basket on the counter. “I commissioned these from Willow Waters—she’s the witch elder on the town council and dabbles in baking when she’s not busy arguing with Alaric about proper moonlight ritual etiquette.”

Kalyna settled into a chair at their table, immediately diving into updates on everyone Artemis had known growing up. Marriages, children, business ventures, scandals—Kalyna reported it all with relish, her fox nature evident in her delight at sharing information.

“—and then there’s my new friend Thora,” Kalyna continued, barely pausing for breath. “You’re going to love her. Total badass. Sabertooth tiger shifter, if you can believe it.”

“A sabertooth? I thought they were rare.”

“Super rare. She’s a bounty hunter—like, the real deal. Tracks down criminals and stuff. She’s married to Artair Maxen now—you remember the Maxens, right? Old money bear shifters? Artair owns half the town, but he’s not a jerk about it.” Kalyna leaned forward conspiratorially. “She kicked some werewolf’s ass at The Moonlit Cauldron last month when he got handsy with a server. One minute he’s being a creep, the next he’s pinned to the wall with her forearm across his throat. It was glorious.”

“Sounds like someone I need to meet,” Artemis laughed, trying to picture this fierce sabertooth.

“Oh, you will. Girls’ night is mandatory now that you’re back. No excuses.” Kalyna’s expression softened. “We’ve missed you, Artie.”

The childhood nickname brought a lump to Artemis’s throat. No one in the city had ever given her a nickname. No one had known her long enough or well enough to earn that right.

“I’ve missed you too,” she admitted. “More than I realized until right now.”

A comfortable silence settled between them, the kind only possible between old friends. Then Kalyna’s gaze drifted toward the window and Tooth & Claw beyond.

“Speaking of things you’ve been missing,” she said with a grin, “have you seen the new tiger in town yet?”

“No, we’ve just been discussing him,” Tilly chimed in, pouring Kalyna a cup of tea. “I was telling Artemis how the wind seems to be shifting in Enchanted Falls.”

Kalyna’s eyes gleamed with mischief. “That’s one way to put it. He’s caused quite a stir among the single ladies—and some not-so-single ones too.” She fanned herself dramatically. “Tall, built like a brick wall, and those eyes... If I weren’t blissfully mated to my lion, I might have been tempted to bat my eyelashes.”

“Is he that handsome?” Artemis found herself asking, then immediately regretted showing interest.

“Handsome in that intense, brooding way. Not much for smiling from what I’ve seen.” Kalyna’s voice dropped to a theatrical whisper. “But I’ve heard when he does smile, flowers bloom and angels sing.”

“Now you’re just making up things,” Artemis accused, though she couldn’t help laughing.

“Only slightly embellishing,” Kalyna corrected with a wink. “But seriously, when he looks at you...” She shivered. “It’s like being x-rayed by the world’s sexiest security system. You’ll know what I mean when you meet him. And you will meet him, being right across the street.”

“I’m not here for romance,” Artemis insisted, echoing her earlier statement to Tilly. “I’ve got a bakery to revive.”

“A bakery to revive AND plenty of time to flirt with the hot neighbor,” Kalyna countered. “Multitasking is a valuable skill.”

“Speaking of the bakery,” Tilly interjected, clearly trying to save Artemis from further teasing, “any thoughts on your grand reopening? Because if you need help spreading the word, Kalyna has connections at the town newspaper, and Rust could probably mention it at the next council meeting.”

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