They waited for her about a mile in. Sissy stopped ten feet from them. She didn’t shift until the first one did.

“Gertie,” she said after she’d shifted.

“Sissy Mae.”

The three other females shifted, but none of them came near her.

“So, what do you want?”

Gertie shrugged. “Just wanted to see you. Thought you’d like to come up for some sweet tea.” She gestured behind her. “She’d love to see you.”

“Forget it. I ain’t goin’ up there.”

“Sissy, you know she wouldn’t harm you.” Harming her wasn’t what had Sissy worried.

Everyone called her Grandma Smith, but the most she was to Sissy was a great-great aunt. No one knew for sure, but they said she was a teen during the Civil War. She didn’t choose sides since she considered all of that “full-human business,” but Lord forbid some soldier from either side strayed on Smith territory.

Even Sissy’s daddy feared her, and the man didn’t fear many. As old as the hills and as mean as a snake, Grandma Smith was a powerful witch and shifter who led by fear. She didn’t like males much, and she took Smith females with power from their mommas and raised them herself. And to hear Sissy’s aunts tell it, Grandma Smith had wanted Sissy and had come down from her precious hill to get her. It was Janie Mae who backed her off. And in that one move, ensured her place as Alpha Female and the eternal enemy of one cranky old bitch who lived up on the hill.

“Look, I’m just here for a few days. Then I’m gone again.”

“We know what your momma’s told you about us, but she doesn’t know anything. You’re a Smith female of the bloodline. One of us. We’ll always have a place for you here…among us.”

Sissy forced her body not to move. Not to run. Even as they moved closer, she didn’t back down. She kept her voice calm. “I’ll never belong here. You know it. She knows it.”

“That’s your momma talkin’, Sissy Mae. You know better. You know where you belong.”

“I know I’m done with this conversation.”

“That whore has turned you—”

Sissy didn’t even know she’d do it until her claw slashed across Gertie’s cheek. Blood sprayed across a tree trunk, and the others snarled, fangs extended.

“Call my momma that again, Gertie, and that’ll be the last thing you ever do.”

Then Gertie was there, her forehead resting against Sissy’s, her fangs bared. “Remember who you are, little girl. Remember who you come from.”

Keeping her fangs in and sheathing her claws, Sissy said flatly, “Get off me.”

She could see Gertie deciding what she wanted to do, but a low howl from higher up on the hill had the fourfemales looking nervously over their shoulders.

Gertie stepped back. She stared at Sissy. “We’ll talk again.”

They walked away from her, but they never turned their backs on her. At least not until they were out of her sight.

Mitch had worked his way through most of the cereal Miss Janie had in her cupboards before he realized that Sissy had made it home.

He found her sitting on the porch swing, her legs tucked up under her, her eyes focused out into the dark.

Sitting down next to her, he got the swing to rocking gently. He’d never been on a porch swing before. He liked it.

“You all right?”

“Yeah.”

“Sissy…” Mitch blew out a breath. “I’m much stronger now, and I’m going to leave tomorrow.”

“It’s not about you, Mitch.” She looked at him. “Me sitting here, thinking. This isn’t about you. But you do need to promise me one thing.”

“Anything.”

“Don’t go up that hill.” She pointed to the freaky hill with the scary woods surrounding it that she had run into earlier. “Don’t ever go up there. And if anything calls to you, like a dead uncle, or if you think you see a pet dog you once loved when you were ten, ya know…ignore it.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Sissy had nothing to worry about. Some places a man instinctively knew not to go. That hill was one of those places.

Mitch scratched his chin. “So can we get back to me now?”

Sissy smiled, looking relieved he hadn’t asked more questions. “Yes, we can get back to you now.”

“Me being here is not helping you with your family, is it?”

“Other than your frightening appetite…you’re the least of my problems when I come home.”

“Then what is it?”

When she only shrugged, Mitch patted her thigh. “I’m a very good listener.” When Sissy only stared at him, he added, “I have very soulful eyes. Women love that shit.”

“It’s nothing really,” she finally told him. “It’s just disappointing when you realize that nothing has or will ever change. Just like my grandpa used to say…same shit, different day.”

“You can’t let your family get to you.”

“Easy to say. Your family adores you.” And she rolled her eyes at that.

Mitch scratched his head. “Who are you talking about?”

“You. Your mother adores you. Brendon brags about you all the time. And your sisters haven’t tried to kill you once.”

“Hold it.” Mitch held both forefingers up and rolled them back. “Let’s rewind. Who brags about me all the time?”