Free Alistair (Golden Streak Series) by Kathi S. Barton Page A

want them, and you don’t tell me when I’ve run
out. But in all this time, never has a woman come in here demanding where I put
my measuring spoons.” Jed grinned at her as he handed down a large bowl from
the cabinet over her head. “She can cook all she wants and leave me the mess to
pick up. I don’t ever, never ever, fuck with a mate that’s as pissed as she is.”
    Ally laughed. She couldn’t help it. Jed
did look to be a little scared. He winked at her, and she asked him what he
was. Then flushed hotly when he laughed at her.
    “I’m so sorry. That was rude and very…it
was rude. I’ve never met a tiger before this and assumed since you said
something about….” She put down the bowl with eggs in it and stepped from the
counter. “I’m sorry. I had no right to come into your kitchen and act like
this.”
    Alistair started to say something but Jed
cut him off. He looked at Alistair who nodded before turning back to her and
smiled.
    Jed handed her the bowl of eggs and a
whisk. “I’m a tiger, like you, but I’ve been injured. My cat had been, anyway.
He…well, he’s a bit on the scared side now and hasn’t been out to play in some
time. He is afraid, you see.”
    “Afraid? I don’t understand. Aren’t
you…you’re a weretiger, right?” Jed nodded. “Then why is he afraid, and you
aren’t? And you aren’t, are you?”
    They both looked at Alistair when he
cleared his throat. “While we reside in one body, we’re as different as two
separate people. He has his likes and dislikes, as his cat does. When his cat
was injured, then…well, Jed can’t shift.”
    She looked at them both, trying to
figure out if they were kidding her or not. Her books had never said anything
about them being two people, or in this case, a person and a cat. She started
mixing the ingredients together while she thought about it. She heard the door
open and close behind her but paid little attention. When she turned from
putting the first pan of cookies into the oven, she was startled to see the
entire family in there with her.
    “I bake when I’m nervous.” She started
to clean up and then decided that she needed more and pulled out some other
things from the pantry and cabinets. “I like to make bread when I have a
serious problem to work out. I’ve not had the…it’s hard to bake when you’re on
the run.”
    Bronwyn snorted. “It’s hard to bake when
you’re as big as a house, too. But I can sample anything you put before me. I
love cookies and bread.”
    She put the milk on to cook and looked
at them all, including Jed. “I don’t know what to do. I mean, I know what I
should do, but not what to do. Bronwyn told me that he’s here in this area. He
has to be looking for me here, so I’m assuming that the prints came back.”
    Alistair nodded before he answered her. “I
spoke with a friend of mine, and he said he already spoke to your ex. He said
the man claimed you were confused and that he should hold you until he got
here. He also mentioned the robbery.”
    “Robbery? I don’t know anything
about…Lance did it?” He nodded at her. “When did this happen? I’m assuming that
I should expect to be arrested soon?”
    “No. Clift said that there was something
wrong with the way they were added, and he’s looking into that as well. You’re
safe here. And Isaac is in the area, but he doesn’t seem to be having any kind
of luck finding you. The police are…let’s just say that he won’t find too many
people there that’ll help him, if any at all.” Alistair stood up and pulled on
an oven mitt when the timer went off. Jed put out three cooling racks while she
put in two more trays.
    “So the police department is lying to a
lawyer. That will get them into trouble, wont it?” Ryland grinned as he stuffed
a hot chocolate chip cookie in his mouth. “You’re going to burn yourself, you
moron.”
    She took out a gallon of milk and handed
it to him, then smacked him on the head when he started