The true depth of her kindness and compassion for others never failed to amaze him. She, alone, had nursed him back to health and made sure that he survived. When he’d awakened a week later, she’d been sitting on the floor of their attic next to him, petting the scales of his head, completely unafraid of his dragon form, and humming a soft French lullaby. Wounded and barely alive after a nasty encounter with an ancient enemy, Max had collapsed on the third floor of this very building at Aimee’s feet. That snarky, long-legged blond had been one of Max’s favorite members of the Peltier bear clan since the day he’d sought refuge in the famed Sanctuary her family had founded in the heart of New Orleans over a century ago. For a bear, she had the voice of an angel.

She stepped away to pick up two glasses from the crate and placed them on the shelf under the bar while she sang along to the jukebox metal song. One thing about the prickly bar owner, Aimee always kept her brothers and employees on their toes. Max laughed at the female werebear’s quick humor. Get with the times, you old knuckle-dragging cave-bear.” “The correct term is mental health facility. Pausing behind the counter next to Dev, Aimee draped one long, graceful arm around her brother’s waist and wrinkled her nose at him. With blond hair a few shades lighter than Max’s, Dev was one of the rare males at Sanctuary who was also more muscular. Max snorted at Dev Peltier’s dry wit as he set the plastic rack of clean glasses onto the mat for Aimee Kattalakis to put away. “You know, really, someone should just drop a razor-wire fence around this entire place and declare it an insane asylum.”

Dragonbane by Sherrilyn Kenyon