Page 46 of Backstage at the Freak Show
“You’ll find out,” I told her. “Whether or not he comes back, you will get your answer.”
“I guess you’re right,” she sighed.
“Quit moping, Mir,” Jeanie said in her tough-love but still upbeat tone. “You’re gorgeous, you’re powerful. You have two sexy wolves who worship the ground you walk on. You’ve got everything going for you and if Tak can’t see what a prize you are, it’s his loss.”
“Ditto,” I said, giving her a quick hug around the shoulders. “Forget about him. Just for tonight at least.”
“You guys are right. I will.” Miriam perked up slightly, angling her eyes at me with a smirk. “Want to play spot the shifter?”
“Ohh, yes I love this game!” Jeanie clasped her hands together excitedly, her eyes darting between me and the other shaman.
“Sure,” I grinned, choosing not to let on that I’d already sensed all the shifters in the bar when we walked in.
“I’m picking up three. How about you?” Miriam waited smugly as she sucked at her drink straw.
“Five.”
“Really?” Miriam coughed in surprise. “Who?”
“Two felines at the bar,” I muttered, subtly angling my head to the two black men sitting with their backs to us. My senses gave me flashes of a strong family unit with strong ancestral pride, wise golden eyes, and rippling, predatory power. “Lions, most likely. The big one is the leader.”
“Yeah, I got them,” Miriam answered. “The big guy who’s supposed to be checking IDs at the door but flirting with the hostess is a moose. Who else?”
“There’s two more who really don’t want to be detected.” I bit my straw playfully, grinning at her. “You can sense them, though. I know you can.”
Miriam narrowed her eyes in concentration. “Hmm, you’re right. I feel something else there, but…” Her eyes snapped open. “The two girls!”
“Yup.”
“Aww.” Miriam clenched her hands, resisting the urge to turn around and look at the women curled up together in a corner booth. “They’re so cute.”
“And unfortunately a double-target, especially down here,” I said. “I can totally understand their caution.”
“What animals are they?” Jeanie asked. “Can you tell?”
“Birds,” Miriam and I answered in unison. “I’m getting…” Her brow pinched in concentration. “Really bright, beautiful feathers, but I don’t know exactly.”
“Yeah, flying over a tropical rainforest,” I added. “The Amazon, probably. It’s breathtaking. They’ve been in the highest treetops, hanging out with monkeys, other gorgeous birds.” I shrugged. “Who knows, exactly. They’re trying to stay hidden, so I don’t want to dig too deep.”
“They’re just lovebirds,” my sister smiled. “That’s so sweet.”
“Five is a lot for shifters to be in one place,” Miriam mused.
“It’s working,” I sighed happily. “Slowly but surely. They’re finding their place among the general population.”
“So what’s a girl like me gotta do to nail a man with an animal half?” Jeanie waggled her eyebrows suggestively. “Are they different in bed from regular human guys?”
“Jeanie!” My laugh turned into a cough, frozen strawberry slush going down the wrong pipe.
“What? I’ve always wanted to know!”
“I don’t really have an answer.”
“What do you mean? You have Connor to compare!”
“That’s not a fair comparison,” I laughed.
“Why, ‘cause he’s your baby daddy?”
