Andrew: Lanning’s Leap: Erotica Shapeshifter Romance (Lanning's Leap Book 5) by Kathi S. Barton Page A

throat, that had him staying as still as he could. Nic tried again to speak around the laughter bubbling up when his sisters came into the room, both Linyah and Kendra. Linyah started laughing almost as soon as she saw him, and it was all it took to bring him over the edge too.
    “Would someone like to tell me what in the blazing hells of Madeally is going on?” Kendra looked at him, and he could only point to Laci, then back at his dad and Andrew. “That is not helping. Should I get help?”
    “No. No, I don’t think Andrew needs any help.” Nic laughed harder when he saw his dad’s face. “I’m pretty sure that he has it under control.”
    “Nic. Behave.” He tried to for his mom, but he was going to hurt himself. With a final look from his mom that said he’d pay, she continued. “Your father thought he’d be clever and give young Laci here a bit of his magic. He actually told her that he’d not hurt her. Well, as you can see, he did, and Andrew took exception to that. Poor dear. I bet she never lets any of us hug her again. And I’ve so come to enjoy it when one of you would just wrap me up in their arms.”
    Laci struggled to stand, and Nic moved to help her. “Don’t touch me. I think I could go for the rest of my life without any of you touching me again. Christ, what the fuck was that?”
    “Magic.” Laci glared at him as she made her way to Andrew. When she wrapped her arms around his waist, Nildale whimpered. Nic walked to the couple and his dad again. “He’s hurting him. While he cannot kill him, he can still cause him a great deal of pain.”
    “Yeah, well, he can suffer a bit longer.” Nic said nothing, but he knew that the couple were talking. And when Andrew let his dad go, Nic helped his dad to stand up. Laci looked at his dad. “You should be beaten. All of you. You lied to me. And hurt me. Why? What did I ever do to you? Nothing. That’s what. I did nothing to you.”
    “I am profoundly sorry, my child. If I had thought this through, I would have known that as a newly mated couple he would have been on the defense.” Nic watched his dad put out his hand. “Will you forgive an old man who only thought to help you out?”
    “Not yet. And if you think I will ever let you touch me again, you’re nuttier than my aunt.” He looked pained, but his dad nodded and stepped back from Laci. Nic wanted to tell her that he’d never hurt her again, but his mom spoke through their link.
    Don’t. This is between them, and your father should have known better than to do such a stupid thing. Nic agreed with his mom but told her that dad was hurt. And you don’t think that she is? She trusted him and he hurt her. Laci will forgive him, but she needs this as much as he does. Andrew will feel badly for this as well. He hurt a friend of his.
    Nic knew that his mom was right, but he didn’t have to like it. He turned to the front door when someone cleared their throat. Christ, he’d forgotten about Cyrus. The big vampire was smiling when Nic walked to him.
    “You have quite a family here, Nic. Why have I not noticed that before?” Nic told him he wasn’t around enough. “True. But my kind causes more grief than it does happiness. People are simply too afraid of me. Then there is my master. He is not a man that should be trusted even with his own mother, I think.”
    “You’re harmless for the most part.” Cyrus said nothing. “Andrew lives here. He’s gone to get dressed with his mate. I’m sorry, but I can’t invite you in.”
    “No harm. I was entertained. The young human…your father did right by what he did for her. In the coming weeks, days I would think, things are going to come to a head for her, and she will need the boost he has given her.” Nic asked him what he meant. “I cannot tell you, my friend. You know that as well as I. My soul is no longer mine, and I must do the bidding of one that holds me.”
    “I can still talk to my family for you. You know that they’d