Tropical Panther's Penance (Shifting Sands Resort 6)

It was unwinding, untying, unraveling him to get at the toxin.

It drew the cobra’s venom from his blood, sucking it from his seized muscles.

It felt like having his skin ripped off from the inside, like every vein in his body was being sandblasted from within.

It was almost worse than the initial poison had been.

Finally, it was done, he was free, and he lay a long moment trying to make sense out of the fact that he was still alive.

“Is he dead?” someone asked. Travis. That was Travis’ voice.

Shouldn’t I be? Wrench wondered wearily.

“I think he’ll be fine.” That was Saina’s voice, sounding unusually hoarse. “I probably got the toxins from his blood in time.”

“His pulse is steady,” Bastian agreed.

“Well done.” Scarlet’s voice.

Shit.

Chapter 34

Lydia wept in frank relief, cradling Wrench’s head in her lap. “Thank you,” she told Saina, when she could breathe again. “Thank you so much.”

The mermaid was looking fairly gobsmacked herself. “I never knew that siren powers could be used like this,” she confessed. “I’m so happy I could help.”

“You’re amazing,” Bastian murmured.

“Is Uncle Wrench going to be okay?” Ally asked, her voice subdued.

She was rather suddenly the center of all the attention in the courtyard as nobody wanted to look at Scarlet.

“Your uncle is going to be fine,” the resort owner said mildly. “But I’m left with some questions.”

“She needed a safe place,” Travis said too swiftly.

“She’s been no bother,” Bastian added. “None of the guests have seen her.”

Wrench mumbled something unintelligible and sat up weakly, leaning heavily on Lydia.

“Wrench didn’t want the cartel to know about her,” Lydia added quickly. “Her mother is in protective custody until the sting.”

They all braced for the worst.

Scarlet took a step forward, and extended her hand to Ally. “I’m Scarlet,” she said mildly.

“I’m Ally,” the girl replied gravely, shaking the hand gingerly.

“I’m pleased to meet you.” Scarlet’s voice was utterly neutral. “It was very brave of you to try to fight the snake.”

Ally was still clutching the fork, and she gave a lopsided smile. “Snakes can’t hurt me,” she said proudly. “Papa is a GOOSE shifter, and I will be, too.”

The statement met a puzzled silence.

“A goose?” Lydia pressed. She wasn’t sure how being a goose shifter would protect the girl.

“A MAN goose,” Ally added.