Free Waking Her Tiger by Zenina Masters Page A

situation, and Madeline is being offered a trip to the Crossroads, free of charge.”
    Maddy let the fangs recede, but she kept the claws. Her sisters and brother were watching with intense attention.
    Her father ushered her family into the other room, but Maddy knew they would be listening. She and her mother sat at the table with the strange woman who had piercing blue eyes and hair that was just on this shade of navy. Maddy kept her hands on the table and her claws visible.
    The woman smiled nervously.
    “I am Leanne Black and Madeline is my daughter. Please explain why you are here.”
    The woman swallowed. “Um, I was told to transport Madeline to the Crossroads as soon as I could.”
    Her mother asked, “Why?”
    The transporter blushed. “Have you heard about the fey acquiring shifter mates?”
    Leanne nodded. “I have.”
    “Madeline has come up on the seers’ visions. One or more of the fey have come up as a possible match for her, and she has been chosen for the honour of the free trip to find her match.” The woman’s mahogany skin darkened again.
    Leanne leaned forward. “Are you demanding that my daughter mate with a fey? If that is the case, I am afraid I would have to put my foot down.”
    The woman’s eyes grew wide. “No, nothing like that. I mean, I am new to this and thought that all the shifters had gotten the memo that we would be asking your unattached females to at least see if there was the chance of a match.”
    Maddy listened to her mother bark a short laugh.
    Leanne muttered, “Do you think we are all on a psychic frequency? No, we did not all get a memo.”
    The transporter shifted in her seat. “I was told that you had been informed. The shifter guilds and councils agreed to allow certain fey to approach a shifter for the purpose of pair bonding. The mage guild agreed to create a bonding spell that would allow for reproduction and an equal footing. If she found a mate among the fey, she would get half his lifespan and he would get his own beast.”
    Maddy leaned forward and tapped her claws on the table. “What is your name, punkin?”
    The woman jolted. “Mary Alice, fourth generation transporter.”
    Maddy smiled. “Mary Alice, while we all live in the town, we live in individual pockets. We don’t inform anyone on anything unless it is relevant to our survival. Why would a fey want me?”
    Maddy flicked her eyes to feline and watched the shocked expression on the features of the transporter.
    “Um, I don’t think I am up for this conversation. I will tell my supervisor and someone else will be in touch.”
    Light flashed and the scent of cinnamon hung in the air. Maddy sneezed.
    She looked at her mother and shrugged. Her father came in and his brows and shoulders were high.
    “What was that, pet?”
    Maddy leaned back in her chair. “Honestly, I have no idea.”
    A voice in her mind whispered, You will.
     
    * * * *
     
    Mary Alice ran a hand through her hair and shifted back into her half-djinn form. “She has no clue. No one has told them. No wonder they have ignored our requests, Your Majesty.”
    Larion, king of the North American fey, grunted. “Well, as he has been reluctant to go himself, it will do him good to be the one to convince her she needs to go where they can meet on equal terms.”
    “I have her full name and address now. We can find out where she works, and Suran can meet her there.”
    “Who am I meeting where?” The dark tone rumbled through the stone around them.
    Mary Alice bowed as her uncle entered the room. He stood at the king’s right hand as he always did. It was his place.
    Larion chuckled. “We have found you a mate, Suran.”
    Suran snorted and crossed his deep-blue arms. “Very funny, Your Highness.”
    Larion raised his brows. “Do you know me to joke about this sort of thing, Suran?”
    The djinn scowled. “No, Your Highness, but we also know that I am not a fit match for any fey.”
    Larion smirked, “That is true. You have been