Top Gun Tiger (Protection, Inc 7)

“Lying in wait,” Shane said fondly.

Another flying kitten leaped from Rafa’s shoulder and landed on Grace’s outstretched arm. When he did, his glossy black wings and fur, which had been the exact shade and sheen of Rafa’s mane of hair, changed to match the bubblegum pink of Grace’s handknit arm warmers, a gift from Rafa’s mother.

Her pregnancy was starting to show, but she’d found a stylish black maternity dress, then taken a pair of scissors to the hem. It hung in artistic rags and tatters about her curvy hips, accentuating leggings the same bubblegum pink as the arm warmers.

“Show them your new trick, Leo,” said Grace. “Revert fur!”

Catmeleon’s wings stayed hot pink, but his fur returned to its former glossy black.

“Good kitty,” said Grace, petting him. “Now we match.”

None of them worried any more that their pets would be spotted by outsiders; they’d found that all the magical pets had the ability to become invisible, like mythic shifters could, and had trained them to do so in public. Snowy didn’t need that training, but Ethan had to teach him not to create snow or ice in public. Justin had first trained Trio to heel, so he didn’t seem to have a leash sticking out into thin air.

“I feel bad for Ellie and Hal,” Catalina said. “They’re the only ones who didn’t get a magical pet.”

“They have two beautiful babies,” Rafa pointed out. “That’s plenty!”

“Still…”

Then Hal and Ellie, the last to arrive, came into the backyard. Ellie was carrying Elliot, while Hal cradled Haley in one arm and something else in the other. Haley was crying, and Hal was jiggling her and crooning.

“Aww, Haley, don’t cry—” Catalina began, then peered at the other thing Hal was holding, half-hidden in the folds of his overcoat so all that could be seen was some brown fur. “Hey! What’s that?”

“We found it curled up at the foot of our bed this morning,” Ellie said.

“A flying kitten!” exclaimed Destiny. Sky landed on her shoulder, flapping her bluebird wings to keep her balance as she too craned to get a look.

“Nope,” rumbled Hal. “Thank God. I’ve seen the havoc those things wreak. If I had twin babies and one of those things flapping around all day, I’d have a nervous breakdown.”

“You would not,” said Ellie. “All the same, I’m just as happy this little guy doesn’t have wings.”

“Or an excitable disposition,” Hal added.

He turned his arm so everyone could see the creature he was holding. It was a fat little thing, as round as it was tall, a fuzzy brown creature like a living teddy bear with a fluffy squirrel’s tail. It blinked yellow owl eyes at everyone, then clambered across Hal’s chest, pulling itself along with oversized blunt claws like a sloth, until it could cuddle up with Haley. She immediately stopped crying and began to coo.

“It’s a natural babysitter,” said Hal with relief.

“More like a living lovie,” said Destiny. “What is it?”

“An owl-bear-sloth-squirrel,” suggested Grace. “An owbesloque?”

“Yes, my mother told about owbesloques,” Rafa said. When everyone stared at him, he began to laugh. “I’m kidding. I have no idea what it is.”

“Nor have I,” said Lucas.

“What’s its name?” Journey asked.

“Bob,” said Hal.

“Bob?” Raluca’s accent made it sound like a very strange and exotic name indeed.

Ellie shrugged. “We both thought it looked like a Bob.”

Hal’s phone rang in his coat pocket. Elliot instantly began to cry. The owbesloque clambered over to cuddle him, whereupon Haley started wailing. The phone continued to ring.

Hal looked out at his team. “Help.”

They sprang into action. Ethan scooped up Haley and held her so Bob could snuggle them both, Catalina pulled up a comfortable chair for Ellie to sit in, and Destiny fished the phone out of Hal’s pocket and answered it. “Protection, Inc., how may I help you?”