By
USA Today Bestselling Author
Sky MacKinnon

It’s time for the last meow.
Her whole life, Kat has been fighting for survival.
For her freedom.
Now she’s done. She wants peace.
Even if that means having to risk everything she loves.

NOTE:
The final book in this purrfectly exciting urban fantasy series full of action, suspense and cat puns. A slow burn reverse harem where Kat won’t have to choose.

When we last saw Kat she was in labor with a battle going on around her. This book begins right there as the guys win the battle and Kat gives birth to four very unusual babies.

She’s also not doing well, still bleeding and they need to get back home, it’s a long and arduous journey. Once there she finds the Mayor, Lady Lara has a surgeon waiting with ultrasound to see why Kat’s still bleeding. Healing is going to take a while, and Kat also finds the reasons human mothers switch to bottle feeding.

While still reconnecting with her mates, she is already plotting revenge on Lord Delaney. She owes him a painful death for all he’s done to her. Meanwhile there have been murders around the area of Lady Lara’s offices. Unusual in the fact that a Fang coin has been left with the bodies. Lady Lara realizes it’s a threat and she wants Kat to investigate.

One of the things that amused me are the nicknames being used for her children, Tailie the only male, who just happens to have a tail, Biter and Vamp, they have very sharp teeth and like to bite while nursing and Furrie who sports fur in human form. They need real names and a naming ceremony is planned and carried out.

This is a favorite scene.

Gryphon clears his throat, looking extremely serious. “Please, everyone not holding a baby, sit down.”

As soon as they’re all seated, the room feels immediately less crowded. I breathe in deep, then focus on Gryphon as he looks at the babies one at a time.

“We welcome you to the world. Know you were loved from the moment we heard your tiny hearts beat for the very first time and that you will be loved until the day they beat no more. Our life together has only just begun, but from now on we will be part of your lives every second of the day. You are loved, you are cherished, you are treasured. May you know happiness, friendship and health. May you know right from wrong, your own true worth and peace throughout your lives. May you sing and laugh and play with only joy and never fear. Children, we welcome you to the world.”

“We welcome you to the world,” we all repeat solemnly. I’m tempted to laugh at seeing everyone behaving so seriously, especially Bethany and Lily. In combination with Benjamin wearing a suit, it’s kind of comical. Still, I resist the temptation by focusing my gaze on my children.

“Do you want to start, Kat?” he asks me quietly after a moment’s silence.

I kind of wish he went first, but I get why he wants me to be the one to begin. I’m the mother, the woman who carried these four tiny people inside of me. Not for as long as mothers usually do, but I think the pain towards the end made up for that.

I take a deep breath and press Tailie closer against my chest. “I promise to make you the happiest children in the world,” I say quietly, barely more than a whisper. “I will protect you with my life. I will steal you the stars and kill anyone wishing you harm. You will never want for anything. You will be raised with love and care. You will never lack for catnip.”

“Kat!” Lily hisses. “That’s not appropriate.”

I flash my teeth at her and continue. “I name you Liat Feln. May your name serve you well.” I gently kiss his forehead. Tailie – no, Liat – giggles and grins up at me. I don’t think he understood any of it, but I’m glad he’s not crying.

“Liat Feln,” everyone echoes. I can almost hear Lily roll her eyes at my name choice, but she doesn’t comment on it.

I step back and let Ryker take centre stage. He’s cradling Biter who’s fast asleep. Her brown hair seems to be growing with every day, much faster than that of her twin. We may have to give her a first haircut soon if this doesn’t slow down.

“Little one,” Ryker begins, lovingly smiling down at his daughter. “We’ve been calling you Biter because you’ve been sinking your teeth into life from the moment you were born. You’re a fighter, a warrior, and that’s why I’ve chosen this name for you. Biter, I name you Bella after the belladonna plant. It may be one of the deadliest plants, but its flowers are as beautiful as its leaves are toxic. May you be as strong and deadly as the flower you’re named after.”

“Bella Feln,” we all say solemnly before I meet his eyes and smile. He chose a good name.

To my surprise, Gryphon joins Ryker with little Vamp. Unlike her twin sister, she’s wide awake and is taking in everything with rapt attention. “Let’s make this short,” he says while tickling his daughter under the chin. “You shall be Donna, the other part of belladonna. Together, you and Bella will be unstoppable.”

My heart melts. Ryker and Gryphon must have agreed on this, which means they talked about names while I wasn’t with them. They’re behaving like true loving fathers. Which they are, I know that, but it’s good to see yet more proof of it. My right eye itches. In other people, that might be a tear trying to squeeze through, but in my case, I’m sure it’s just a speck of dust.

“Donna Feln,” Gryphon says and we echo him.

Together, they step back and Lennox takes their place, holding Furrie.

“I’m not a poetic man,” Lennox says with a shrug. “So I shall call you Shade. You may not blend in with humans, but once the sun sets, you will become one with the night. You’ll move unseen unless you want to be noticed. You’re something new, something beautiful, and I will make sure you’ll never feel different within this family. And outside of this family, I’ll kill anyone who hurts you with words or weapons.” He grins down at her, a complete contrast to his words. “I love you, little Shade, just like I love your siblings. Welcome to the world.”

Liat, Bella, Donna and Shade. I look at my babies and realise how well their names fit.

The guys have done a great job. It won’t be hard to let go of the nicknames and call them by their real names from now on.

Gryphon clears his throat again, getting everyone’s attention. “The next part of the ceremony has been modified by Kat.” He rolls his eyes with much drama before holding up a small bag. “Usually, we’d sprinkle flower petals over the babies, but Kat insisted that we use catnip instead. Help yourselves, just make sure they don’t get any into their eyes.”

Lily snorts. “Kat, you’re incorrigible. Don’t you dare pass on your addiction to my nieces.”

“They’re not your nieces.” “They sure are. If you tell them otherwise, I’ll tell them of the time you played with a ball of string and almost licked your-“

“Alright,” I interrupt her. Gryphon must not have heard that story yet for his eyes are wide open and he looks like he’s about to combust with laughter. “They’re your nieces. Now go cover them in catnip like you’re supposed to. It’s for good luck or something like that.”

“It’s a symbol of us promising to provide for them,” Bethany corrects in a surprisingly sombre voice. “And I intend to keep that promise.”

She takes the bag from Gryphon and pulls out a handful of dried catnip leaves. They’re of the best quality, nice and big, not those tiny, shredded pieces you sometimes get with cat toys. Not that I’ve ever bought those.

Bethany gently lays a few leaves on each of the babies’ foreheads, then hands the bag to Benjamin while shooting me a stern look. What happened to the fun-loving, never-serious Bethany? She’s been spending a lot of time with the litter, maybe too much time.

One by one, my friends rub some catnip on the babies, until they smell so delicious that I want them all in my arms. Sadly, I’m not large enough – or maybe they’re not small enough anymore. Instead, I breathe in deep, smelling the sweet aroma of my babies mixed with the addictive aroma of catnip.

I stand there with Liat on my arms, feeling a little out of sorts. Like this isn’t quite real. I should be out there, running over the rooftops, assassinating people, doing what I was trained to do. Instead, I’m in a cosy, suburban living room with my family and friends, cooing over babies.

My life is unravelling and I’m not sure what to think of it. I both hate and love it. But once this ceremony is over, I need to get out of here for a moment and be Kat, the assassin again.
Skye MacKinnon. Roar: Catnip Assassins Book 7 (Kindle Locations 1123-1177). Peryton Press.

I think the naming ceremony is the most peaceful scene in the whole book and it involves all of Kat’s mates as well as her friends.

Things heat up even quicker after that, with plenty of action and so much more, as this book and this series reaches it’s conclusion.

With plenty of love, intrigue, action, laughter, tears and sizzle this is the purrrrfect ending!

5 Contented Purrs for Skye!

Skye MacKinnon

Skye MacKinnon is a USA Today & International Bestselling Author whose books are filled with strong heroines who don’t have to choose.

She embraces her Scottishness with fantastical Scottish settings and a dash of mythology, no matter if she’s writing about Celtic gods, cat shifters, or the streets of Edinburgh.

When she’s not typing away at her favourite cafe, Skye loves dried mango, as much exotic tea as she can squeeze into her cupboards, and being covered in pet hair by her two bunnies, Emma and Darwin.