Seven Days Read Online Free Page A

Somewhere in the swamps near his parents' home lived a loner werepanther with a vendetta against Xavier's family. It wouldn't be good for me to forget again.
    Elise took Xavier's hands and put mine in his before clasping her own around ours. “Promise me you’ll stick together, no matter what.”
    "Gram, I promise. You know I long ago gave up the idea of finding the bastard who did this to me. I certainly wouldn't go looking for that kind of fight while Kerry is with me."
    "I know what has happened in the past, Xavier. I just feel that you might change your mind in the future. I ask only that you promise not to go looking for the panther who changed you while you're in Florida."
    "I promise, Gram. I'll bring Kerry home safe. If I don't, all holy hell would break lose between the pride and the leeches and I won't bring that down on our family."
    Shock made me tremble as it dawned on me that Xavier was right. My safety was not just a matter of his personal feelings for me. If I were harmed, the vamps at Mathias' house would likely break the tenuous truce they had with the panthers. Mairin would surely find a way to beat Xavier into a bloody pulp, probably with Mathias' help. Highland Home and East Hampton could easily be lost to a metaphysical battle of epic proportions and all because one teenaged girl got hurt while she was on vacation with her boyfriend. I knew I couldn't allow that to happen.
    "Elise, I can promise you that even when Xavier's hotter head might want to overrule his good sense, I'll keep him from losing it. We'll stay together and come home safe. I promise."
    Elise hugged us both and let us go back to where the rest of the family waited for us. She'd stood a little separate from us all, watching and not joining in with the irreverent ribbing or solemn warnings shared by the family. I knew she was uncomfortable near Mathias, but something else was on her mind today. Each time I caught her watching me and Xavier, I'd smiled, but nothing I did seemed to reassure her that we'd be find in Florida with Xavier's mother and father. I wanted to chock it up to normal worry for the young man she loved as a son, but I couldn't. I was worried, too.
    "What is Elise so worried about?" I asked after we'd passed through the security and left our family behind.
    "I'm not sure. She's been hinting for a couple of weeks that she didn't really want to let me go to Florida this year, but she never said why."
    "Well, at least what she wants from us is easy." I linked my arm with Xavier's. "I'd rather not leave your side anyway."
    Xavier's kiss curled my toes and he led us through the terminal to the gate where our plane waited to whisk us away from everything I was comfortable with.
    Now I dragged him toward the rest of his not so subtle and currently shouting family members. It was good to know that while my family might be steeped in weird, Xavier’s family made up for being relatively normal by being loud and brash. I loved them before we even made it across the terminal.
    “Xavier, you look so good,” a pretty blonde woman said, hugging him. “Too thin, but good.”
    “Mom, jeez. I’m not five anymore,” Xavier said. “Don’t you want to meet Kerry before you embarrass me to death?”
    I stepped forward and extended my hand. “It’s very nice to meet you, Mrs. Meyers,” I said.
    “Call me Dot. Everyone does.” She shook my hand and looked me over. “Xavier has been kind of closed-lipped about you, Kerry. You’ll have to ride with me and tell me all about yourself.”
    “Mom, please,” Xavier pleaded. “You’re killing me.”
    “Oh please, Xavier. You won’t die because your mother loves you,” Dorothy said.
    “Xavier thinks he’s way cooler than he is,” I said. “And he thinks I won’t get even with him for all the times he’s embarrassed me in front of my mother and her partner.” I smiled as Xavier groaned. “I love you,” I said and hooked my arm through Dorothy’s offered elbow. “I want