11 comments/ 9731 views/ 54 favorites To Love a Tiger Ch. 01 By: Daniellekitten Author's Note: I wrote this quite a while ago. It's another one that was sent to a publisher that I've recently gotten back. I hope you enjoy it. For those of you who read it before, it's only been re-edited a little bit. Thanks! Wendy Stone >^..^ Chapter One The light hurt his eyes. They fluttered open and then closed again as the piercing brightness seemed to cut straight into his head, sending the headache that was mildly throbbing into a thumping inferno of all-encompassing pain. He groaned, trying to lift his hand to cover his eyes. A sharp pain in his arm stopped him and he managed to squint open his eyes, seeing the tubes taped down to his forearm. A machine next to him kept track of his heart rate, the bleeps almost comforting. Another machine kept track of his blood oxygen and still a third regulated the amount of liquid that was being fed into the tube in his arm. He was in a hospital. But why? He tried to remember what happened but everything seemed so blank. "Oh, you're awake," a soft, very feminine voice said next to him. He turned his head, staring at the Angel who stood next to his bed. She was blonde, her hair long and naturally curly. Her big blue eyes dominated a small heart shaped face. She had delicate features, a tiny tip tilted nose and lush pink lips that seemed made to be kissed. He could see a book on the chair behind her and wondered if she'd been sitting with him long. "W-what h-happened?" he asked, his voice a hoarse croak. "You don't remember?" the girl asked. "You were in an accident. I found you wandering in the dark on the side of the road. You were bleeding and incoherent. I got you to the hospital." She reached down and took his hand. "Let me get the doctor." She patted his hand gently then left the room, leaving behind her the fresh smell of gardenias to tease his senses. He closed his eyes, enjoying the fragrance that floated just under the normal smells of hospital, feeling as if it were taunting him with a memory he just couldn't seem to reach to remember. He heard the door to the room open again and he opened his eyes, staring at the short, heavyset woman who took his wrist in her hand. "So you're back with us finally. It's about time. I couldn't understand how any red blooded American boy could resist this little girl but you've managed for an entire week." "A w-week? I've b-been here a week?" He stared at the short woman in her nurse's scrubs, a sense of horror and disbelief flooding him. "I c-can't stay. I have to ... to..." The blonde angel came up on the other side of the bed. "Shh. You won't do yourself any good if you get up and rip out your stitches or pass out and hit your head again." She stroked his bare arm unconsciously. He settled back into the pillow under his head, staring up at her. "W-who are you? Do we know each other?" His angel glanced over at the nurse. "You don't know who you are?" He shook his head, groaning as the movement caused his headache to flare even brighter. "It's like a brick wall." He glanced up at his angel. "You don't know me?" "No," she said softly, still stroking his arm. "I'd never seen you before the night I found you on the side of the road." "She managed to keep you calm when you were delirious," a male voice said from the doorway. The nurse handed the doctor his chart after she finished writing his vitals in it. "I'm Dr. Anthony Bernard, I've been on your case since your were brought into Emergency last week. So how are you feeling today?" "I can't remember anything," he said, a touch of panic making his voice a bit shriller then it had been. "I can't even remember my name. Is that normal?" The doctor cocked his head. "You had a pretty nasty head injury. I wasn't sure if you'd come back to us from it so some amnesia wouldn't be abnormal. Just relax, don't try to force anything. It'll come back in time." "In time? Doctor, how would you like not knowing who you are or where you belong?" He tried to sit up in bed but his pretty blonde angel moved quickly to his side. She stroked her hand over his face until he turned toward her, reaching up and grabbing her hand to hold in his. "Listen to the doctor. He's one of the best," she leaned down to whisper near his ear. "I'm going to send you down for an MRI. I'll know more after I get a chance to look at those pictures." Dr. Bernard lifted the sheet that covered him, reaching for the hospital gown and lifting it just enough to see the bandages that covered his ribs. "I'm going to have the nurse change your bandages but you seem to be healing well. Keep this up and we'll be able to release you by the end of the week." He nodded, bringing his free hand up to his forehead as the headache seemed to grow. Release him to go where? He couldn't help but wonder. He could feel something behind the pain but he wasn't sure what it was. It was as if he needed to get through the pain, to reach the other side of it and everything would be there, his identity, what happened to him, why he felt so strange, everything. His eyes flickered and the pain receded. He opened his eyes, staring at his angel then at the nurse who was feeding something in a syringe into the tube that went into his arm. "W-what?" he stuttered faintly. "Something for the pain, you'll sleep for a while," she said. His head swiveled on the pillow, a low moan coming from between his lips. "No," he growled, a sudden pain in his back, like the shifting of bones accompanying his rage. But then, as the medication took affect, the bones shifted back and he fought to keep his eyes open. "Shh, Jamie," his angel said. "Just let it work." She stroked his hair that wasn't covered by bandages, her hand gentle. His eyes popped back open as he heard her call him a name. "J-Jamie?" he whispered. "You don't look like a John Doe," she said with a shrug. "I had to call you something." "W-who are you?" he asked even as he lost the fight with consciousness. Her name echoed in his head as the darkness flooded him. "Tessa." * * * * Tessa Carmichael walked out of the hospital room, following the nurse. "He'll sleep for a while, won't he?" she asked, worried about what would happen if he woke up and she wasn't there. But she had to leave. She had to get back to work. Her lunch hour was over. "Yes, he'll be fine, Tessa. You've gone above and beyond with staying with him the way you have especially since he's a stranger." "He isn't to me, though," Tessa said. "He's become more than that to me." She shrugged and turned toward the elevators. "I'll tell him you'll be back if he wakes up," the nurse called after her and Tessa waved her hand, calling back her thanks, hitting the down button to call the elevator. It was there quickly and she stepped on with a group of white coated people, all carrying clipboards, pagers hooked to their waists, dark circles under their eyes. They got off at the next floor and she rode the rest of the way to the lobby by herself. A big, beautiful blue glass ball sat in the middle of the lobby, water pouring from a fountain in its center to create a rippling affect upon the surface of the glass. It gave off a calming effect and made Tessa smile, every time she saw it. She walked past and out the main doors, into the heat of the mid summer afternoon. It was only because it was summer that Tessa had been able to spend so much time with Jamie. Classes were out and she had most of the summer off except for teaching her English summer school class. She had five students who'd failed their English classes last year. In order to graduate, they had to retake the course. Tessa, being low man on the totem pole at work had gotten stuck with the class. Not that she minded. She had no family to speak of, nobody she was close enough to, to want to take a vacation with this summer. She'd have spent this summer break like she had last year, sitting out by the pool at her apartment, reading. Her car coughed and then the ignition caught. She shifted into reverse slowly, before letting Bessie, her ancient Honda Accord back out of her spot, holding her breath that her car would behave. She could have afforded to get a new one but Bessie held sentimental value. It was the car that her parents had given her before she'd run off to college the year before they'd been murdered. Because of that, she hadn't been able to give Bessie up even when she broke down every two weeks like clock work. She made it to the school with no problems, giving a little prayer of thanks to the deity that covered used cars for his tolerance of the day. Walking down the familiar path that led to the English and Math part of the school, she swung her briefcase, a small smile crossing her face. Jamie was awake. He'd be okay. Tessa couldn't help but remember the night she'd found Jamie. She'd taken herself out to dinner to celebrate the beautiful summer day. On her way home, he'd all but fallen across the road in front of her, forcing her to slam on her brakes. Getting out of the car, she'd raced to his side. His face was bloody, his hair matted with the stuff. Bruises covered his features, swelling the side of his head. Worse had been the long gash across his ribs, the blood causing his shirt to stick to his chest. She'd managed to rouse him enough to get him to his feet and then into the passenger side of her car. Closing the door, she was on the way to her side of the car when she heard it. A snap of a branch in the woods alongside the roadway, the agitated sound of growling and then a roar, as if whatever was out there had flown into a rage. She'd wasted no time hopping her car and racing out of there as fast as Bessie would go. She'd been slightly freaked out by the sounds and finding an injured man in the road. She'd raced him to the hospital, running in to bring out people to help her get him inside. They'd taken him beyond two double doors into the Emergency room, leaving her with a nurse to field questions she had no idea how to answer. Then the cops showed up, asking more questions that she could only answer with an "I don't know." They finally went out to the place where she'd found him, and found exactly nothing but a small pool of blood in the middle of the road where he'd fallen. There'd been no sign of a car, no sign that he could have come from one of the houses along the way. There were no skid marks, no trampled grass on the side of the road, nothing that would indicate foul play except for the injured man. They'd sent out teams to do a house to house search for any sign of where he could have been hurt, but there'd been nothing and nobody could lay claim to him. He seemed to have appeared with no paper trail, no family and no one to claim him. The police had been running his photo on the news for the past week and no one had come forward. Tessa thought of what the doctor had said about releasing Jamie in the next week. He had no where to go. She straightened her shoulders. Yes, he did. She would take him in. There was nothing else she could do or would have wanted someone to do for her or a loved one, if she'd had any. She pulled open the door to her hallway, seeing her group already standing at the door to her room. "It really looks bad for the teacher to be late to class," her loud mouth student, Brian Cole, said. "You been spending more time at the hospital, Miss Carmichael?" "And what if I have?" she asked Brian, slipping between the three boys and two girls to unlock the door to her room. "Do you have a problem with that?" "I think you got a crush on coma-boy," Francis 'Frankie' Rusher teased. "Kind of hard to get any when he's sleeping all the time." "He woke up today," she said, knowing that the class would hear the excitement in her voice. "So who is he?" "He has amnesia." She sat her briefcase down on her desk and flipped up the latches, taking out the test that she'd planned for the day. She was planning on making it a quick day, wanting to get back to the hospital. "Books under your desks, please. When you finish the test, you may be excused for the day." Settling back at her desk, she pulled out the essays that they'd given her at the last class, and started correcting them. When the first test hit her desk, she looked up. "I think what you're doing is great, Miss Carmichael. You saved that guy's life." "Thank you, Amy. That's nice of you to say." The pretty girl blushed and nodded, then headed toward the door, already pulling a cell phone out of her purse. Tessa let it slide even though she knew she should take the phone from her. They weren't supposed to have them on school property. But she remembered what it was like being a teenage girl. The phone was a God to them, a part of their social distinction. When the last paper hit her desk, she glanced at the clock. She still had another twenty minutes before she could leave. She wrote the grade of the essay she was correcting on the top, shaking her head at the barely passing mark. Brian was a smart kid. She just didn't know why he couldn't grasp some of the concepts she'd taught them. She'd have to call his parents, maybe arrange for some tutoring. If he didn't watch it, she wouldn't be able to pass him from this class either. The remaining time ticked away slowly, but she stayed until the time was up then packed up her briefcase, stopping at the teacher's lounge on her way out to buy an icy cold water from one of the vending machines. The sun was still high in the sky when she got out to the parking lot, her car the only one there. It was a bit intimidating, the huge school looming over her, the desolate area, the tiny prickles of awareness that kept making the hair on the back of her neck rise. She put her key in the lock of her car, hearing a snap of a branch behind her. The sound of footsteps on the pavement had her fumbling with the keys and almost dropping them before she could get the door open. She could almost feel the hot breath of whatever was coming on the back of her neck and she hurried to get into her car, slamming the door shut and locking it quickly. Looking out the window was one of the hardest things she'd ever done, every horror movie she'd ever seen flashing through her mind. But no one was there. Tessa heaved a heavy sigh, her hand going to her throat as she laughed derisively at herself. Her hand was shaking so badly, that it took her three tries before she finally managed to get the key into the ignition and turn the car on. She backed out slowly, still making fun of her fear. Then she saw it, a quick glimpse of yellow eyes, hidden in the shadows of the trees that lined the lot. White teeth came into view and a lolling pink tongue. It growled and slavered, those yellow eyes staring at her, filled with malice. "God!" she exclaimed. "What is that thing?" She didn't stop to look twice, pulling out of the parking lot with a shriek of tires against the pavement. All the way back to the hospital, she kept glancing into her rearview mirror. She didn't breathe easy until she was in the lobby of the hospital, heading at a fast clip to the elevators. Tessa managed to calm herself down in the elevator, knowing it wouldn't do her or Jamie any good if she were upset when she was with him. She'd never had a man relate to her the way Jamie had. Just the sound of her voice would have him turning his face toward her, even in the coma he'd fallen into. Stroking his hair had elicited a sound that could almost have been called a purr from deep in his chest. She'd made sure to touch him often, letting him learn the feel of her skin, the sound of her voice, her scent. Though why she found that important, she didn't know. He was awake when she walked in, his eyes heavy and blurry from the drug he'd been given. "Tessa," he said, his voice deep and rough. It sent a shiver through her, the same shiver that she'd gotten when she'd walked in after the blood had been cleaned off of him and the swelling had gone down. Her Jamie was a very handsome man in all the ways that sent her heart thumping wildly in her chest. Long black hair fell back from a wide forehead. Black brows slashed above eyes that had incredibly thick lashes. They brushed against high cheekbones covered in tanned skin that even now didn't show any signs of fading. His mouth was lush, slightly parted, showing off the tips of straight, even, white teeth. She hadn't been able to see his eyes before, it had been too dark on the road and then he'd been in the coma, but she could see them now. Dark emerald in color, they glittered like the gem, causing her heart to thump in her chest. "You're awake," she said unnecessarily. "Yes." He looked up at her from under those incredible lashes, his mouth turned out into a pout. "You weren't here." "I had to go to work, Jamie. The nurse said she'd tell you where I was and that I'd be back." She sank down next to him, dropping the bag of food she'd snuck in onto his tray. "I brought you something." She went to open the bag but his hand came out, grabbing hold of hers and pulling her palm to his cheek. "I'd rather have you just talk to me," he said. "I'll talk to you while you eat. I figured you'd need more than just this hospital food to garner your strength back." "You're afraid," he said suddenly, letting her pull her hand away from him. "Why are you afraid? It's ... not me is it?" "No," she said quickly, slightly unnerved by the look in his eyes. "No, I couldn't be afraid of you, Jamie." "You should be though," he said, sighing heavily. "I don't know who I am or what I've done. I could be some kind of murderer." "Or you could be the most gentle man alive," she countered, unwilling to let him fall into some kind of depression or to push her away. "I know you won't hurt me, Jamie." She opened up the bag, pulling out a wrapped sandwich. "I didn't know what you liked so I got you my favorite." Pulling the wrapping part way down, she held the sandwich to his lips, waiting for him to take a bite. He finally relented and she watched his face light up as the lean roast beef and swiss cheese with a tangy sauce flooded his taste buds. "Wow, that's good," he sighed as he chewed and swallowed, taking another bite. She fed him the entire thing, her smile fading as he took her wrist in his hand and brought her fingers to his mouth. His eyes met hers as he licked the sauce off her fingers and she felt her heart slam against the wall of her chest then double its beat, a flush rising to her cheeks. "Thank you," he said softly, tugging gently against her arm to have her bend closer to him. His lips found her cheek and she turned her head, staring up into his eyes. He said something she didn't catch because of the sound of her pounding heart was so loud, she was sure he could hear it. Then he pulled her forward again and she lost her balance, her hands going to the bed on either side of his body, trying to stop from hurting him. His lips found hers, and all thought left her mind. His lips were warm and he tasted spicy from the sandwich he just ate. His tongue pushed against her lips and she opened eagerly for him. A low growl sounded in his throat, echoing the moan that was pulled from hers. He lips, those incredibly lush lips, kissed her with a dark passion, fire heating his blood. The taste, sweet sin and a little tart driving him mad. His arms were warm, his hand drawing her closer and he pulled her onto his lap. His strength was amazing and irrefutable pulling her closer and knocking the tray table back from the bed. Tessa couldn't have stopped him if she wanted to, but she definitely didn't. His kiss was wondrous, drawing passion from her very soul and invoking feelings she hadn't thought possible for her to feel. Heat slammed through her, than coalesced like an inferno to head directly to the pit of her stomach. It coiled there to send a wetness to her loins that dampened her panties and made her pussy ache with longing. She could feel him under her hip, hard, throbbing with every harried beat of his heart. To Love a Tiger Ch. 01 How far they would have gone, she didn't know. She couldn't stop kissing him, stop feeling the sensual heat or the throb of deep seated passion that made her rock gently in his lap. She did know that even though one part of her wanted to scream and slam the door on the nurse that walked in and interrupted them, another part was glad that she did. It was too fast, too soon, the feelings too hot and intense for her to rationalize. So when a feminine clearing of a throat interrupted them, she crawled off his lap, excusing herself quickly to head to the public restroom down the hall. The Tessa that looked back at her from the mirror didn't seem like the same one she'd seen in the mirror in her own bathroom just this morning. Instead, she seemed sexier, sultrier. It could have something to do with the flush that stained her cheeks, or the heated look in her blue eyes. She didn't know. She turned on the cold water tap, letting it run as cold as it would then splashed her cheeks with the icy water. Running her damp hands over her hair straightened out some of the mess. She dried her face with a paper towel and then forced herself to leave the bathroom. The nurse was at her desk and she gave Tessa a knowing grin. Tessa couldn't help the blush that rose from her chest to heat her cheeks again. She gave the nurse a curt nod and then knocked on Jamie's door and opening it. His bed was empty, but she found him sitting in the chair that was in the corner of the room by the windows staring out at the late afternoon sunshine. "You came back," he said. "You didn't want me to?" she asked, coming over to lean against the wall. "Yes, but I thought maybe you'd be upset with me." "Maybe I should be," she said, using the tone she used to scold one of her students. "But I'm not," she finished a bit more gently. "Good, because I'm not sorry I kissed you. I've been thinking of doing it since I woke up this afternoon after you left. You're scent drives me wild, the look in your eyes..." he sighed. "You're beautiful, Tessa." Tessa wanted to wave away his compliments but he said them with such innocent enthusiasm that she couldn't. He held out his hand and she took it, letting him pull her closer, only balking when he tried to pull her into his lap again. "No, Jamie. You just woke up and I don't want to hurt you." "Then will you stay and talk to me?" he asked. "Yes, of course. But when you get tired, you have to let me know. I don't want you to relapse." "Will you tell me why you looked so scared when you came in the first time?" "I looked scared?" "You know you did. You stopped just outside the door to try to calm yourself. What scared you Tessa?" She stared into the deep, jade green of his eyes and wondered if she dared tell him what she'd heard the night she found him. Then again, she'd heard it today as well. Was she in danger because she'd helped him? Maybe it might jog a memory. But a small part of herself didn't want his memory to return so quickly. When it did, he'd go back to his life and she'd be only a small town English teacher once more. To Love a Tiger Ch. 02 Tessa took a deep breath and turned to smile at Jamie as he slowly lowered himself into her car. "It's only a short ride to my house and then we'll get you set up and you can take a nap." "Oh, do you plan to mother me?" he teased, enjoying the way her cheeks flushed and her eyes shone as she looked at him. "Do you need a mother?" she teased back, feeling freer with him then she had any man she'd ever met. The week had flown by since he'd woken that day and he had been released into her care. The police had come in and taken another head shot of him, putting it out in the papers and on the local newscasts. Still, no one had come to claim him. It bothered him. What kind of man was he that he had no one? Everyone had someone who at least would step up and say, oh yeah, I know him, he's my neighbor. Even if he were someone terrible, wouldn't there be at least one person who would say they knew him? "You're thinking again," Tessa said, dropping her hand from the gear shift to his scrubs covered thigh. "You've got to quit pushing it. Remember what the doctor said, anything at all might make you remember." "Will you drive me by where you picked me up? Maybe something there might trigger something." But he didn't look like he held out much hope. His head was still bandaged though the bandage was much smaller than the first one had been. His hair flowed from under it, dark and thick, curling against his neck. His face held much more color than before, his cheeks flushed slightly from the heat of the day and the fact that the air conditioner in her car wasn't working. "I ... ah ... yes, I guess we could go by there," Tessa said, trying to avoid meeting his eyes. Since the day at the school parking lot, she'd been very cautious of where she'd gone and to make sure not to be alone when she went to and from her car. She'd stayed away from the road she'd been on the night she found him, the growling and noises that had come from the forest still bothering her. She woke at night from nightmares where those yellow eyes had been above her, and she could feel the foul beast's hot breath against her skin, drool from its yellowed fangs falling onto her flesh. "What's wrong, Tessa? Don't tell me 'nothing'. I think I know after this week when something is bothering you." Jamie let his hand drop on hers that still rested against his thigh, squeezing her fingers lightly. "You know, it's not too late to drop me off at a motel." "And how are you going to pay the bill?" she asked, laughing. "Take it out in trade?" "Is that how you want me to repay you?" he asked, his voice growing deep and husky. Tessa didn't dare look over at him; she didn't want to see what his eyes would tell her. "Sure," she said a little breathlessly. "I have a leaky shower that needs fixing and I've been meaning to get around to sanding down and refinishing my floors this summer." She heard his groan and smiled, flashing pearly white teeth at him. "You offered." "That I did," he said, picking up her hand and lifting it to his lips. He kissed her palm then the fluttering pulse that throbbed in her wrist, lingering against her skin and breathing deeply of her scent. A horn behind them made her jump. "We could probably go a bit faster if I could have my hand back so that I could shift out of first," she said breathlessly. "If you must," he said, reluctantly letting go of her hand. He watched as she shifted the little car through its gears, flinching when the transmission ground a bit going into fourth. "I can probably fix that for you as well," he said. "I grew up working on engines." "You're remembering!" she exclaimed, seeing the stunned expression on his face. "What else is there?" His eyes closed and his hands went into fists. "Nothing," he said finally, looking over at her. "It was like that little piece slipped through when I wasn't thinking about it and now it's all locked up again." "Well, if that little piece came through, more can come through as well. You'll just have to take it easy and not make such a big deal out of it, okay?" "Okay," he said, sinking back into the seat. His head was beginning to throb again, like it did every time he tried to force his mind to reveal what it was trying to keep concealed from him. He let his eyes close, the events of this morning already sapping what little strength he'd gained at the hospital. He didn't know he'd fallen asleep until Tessa was shaking him gently. "We're here," she said, nodding out the window at the woods alongside the road. Just beyond, he could see a long, tall grayish colored wall, vines hanging over it and camouflaging the wall even more. He reached over and unlocked his seatbelt, opening the door and climbing out of the small car with a grunt of effort. In only seconds, Tessa was beside him, not touching him but there if he needed her. "You found me here?" he asked. She nodded, pointing to a stain at the side of the road. "That's your blood. You almost fell into the road in front of me. I had to slam on my brakes and I still almost hit you. I got out of my car and dragged you off the road before I got my cell phone and dialed 911." "It's pretty deserted out here, how did I get here?" "It's not that deserted. That's why I dragged you out of the road before calling for help." Just as she finished saying this, a semi zoomed past, the wind it kicked up tugging at Jamie's scrubs and messing his hair. "What's beyond that wall?" he asked thoughtfully. "It's some kind of nature preserve. Somebody with way too much money decided to create this wild animal park. No one is allowed in, no hunting is allowed and I don't think anyone has seen the man who set up the preserve since he did." She watched as he began to walk toward the wall, his steps a little unsteady on the rocky ground. "You can't think you came from inside of there." "I don't know," Jamie said. "You said the cops never found a car for me, or any way that I ended up out here. Maybe I started out in there?" He crouched down by the wall, studying the dirt and the vines. "Look," he said, pointing to a scuff on the walls. "Does that look like it could have been made by a foot?" "Yes," Tessa said slowly after studying the spot for a moment. "Look," she said, pointing to where the vines had been pulled away from their moorings, leaving green stains against the gray of the wall. "If you truly came from inside of there, you could have used those vines to climb down." "Or someone used them to climb back in," Jamie said thoughtfully. Tessa felt a chill slip down her spine, causing her to shudder. She couldn't help but remember the sounds she'd heard that night, the growling and slathering sounds that had sent her pulses racing with fear. She glanced quickly around the area as if waiting for something or someone to pop out of thin air. "Are you done here?" she asked, a quiver in her voice. "What's wrong? You don't sound right, Tessa." "This place is giving me the creeps. Whatever happened here had you in such bad shape that you just got out of the hospital. What would happen now if someone attacked us?" He wrapped his arm around her thin shoulders, feeling the shivers that were running through her body. "Hey, you really are scared," he exclaimed. "The night I found you," she began only to pause, worried if she'd be revealing too much. "The night you found me ... what, Tessa? Please," he said softly, pulling her even closer. "The more you can tell me about me the quicker I might find out who I am. Please, Tessa." She gazed up and into his beautiful eyes and couldn't deny him. "The night I found you," she began with more conviction, "you were so weak I had to force you to stand up. When I did, in the woods beside the road I could hear growling and crunching noises. They kept getting closer and closer until I thought whatever was out there was going to attack us. Then the police showed up and the noises disappeared except..." she shuddered as she thought of the thing she'd seen at the school. "Except," he urged. "Except for the first day you were awake. I'd gone to teach my class and when I came out, the parking lot was deserted. I-I heard those same noises but this time, I think I saw what was making the noise." "What was it?" "Yellow eyes, they were shining from the shadows. They were too high up to be a dog. It had to be about six to six and a half feet tall. Since then, I swear, whatever it is has been following me. I can hear it outside my house at night." "Tessa, you should have told me sooner," he growled. "You could be in danger and it's my fault." "We don't know that it has anything to do with you. Maybe I just pissed off someone..." "And it happened exactly when I dropped into your life. Don't be so naïve, Tessa." She glanced over her shoulder at the wall that was behind them. "Can we go, please?" she asked, trying to steer him back to the car. It seemed so far away, sitting in the sunlight while they stood in the shade of that mysterious wall. "Yes, but we are going to talk about this later." She opened his door for him, noting the paleness of his face and the slick sheen of sweat that was on his upper lip despite the cooling wind that had come up. Reaching into her purse, when she got into the car, she handed him one of his pain pills and gave him a bottle of water. She waited until he took the pill before starting the car and heading home. * * * * "We could have taken him," Lucien Cavatora growled, his eyes going to the leader of their ambush. "Quiet! If you'd taken the female as I'd told you to, then we wouldn't have this problem right now." He was the biggest of the men, tanned and toned, his dark hair shone blue in the sun. His eyes were a muddied brown, unattractive and beady with a meanness that had every member of their 'streak' of tigers backing slowly away from him. Cassius Cavatora was no one to mess with, especially when he was in as foul a mood as he was today. Even his female, a force to be reckoned with herself, didn't push him on days like this. Kalina Orietz, with her white streak that bisected the deep black tresses of her hair and her striking blue eyes had been sought after by many of the male tigers in the 'ambush'. She stood behind Cassius, quietly contemplating her mate and his mood. When she moved toward him, the others backed away, turning from the wall and heading toward the small village that was their home. Small houses, some little more than shacks, were built in a circle that spiraled outward. In the direct center, the largest of the houses stood. In comparison to the other houses, it looked like a mansion with glass windows and fireplaces in almost every room. But it was still rustic, with a hand pump that brought water into the house. Cassius and Kalina lived there now that he was the new leader of the streak of tigers. They heard Cassius roar and Kalina's scream of rage and pain, and while some of the females cast sympathetic glances towards the wall, none of them made a move to intercede. She was his mate; she'd made the decision to tie her life to his. She'd turned her back on the man who was supposed to be her mate and had betrayed him to Cassius, setting him up. She'd been instrumental in his downfall. In the rest of the village's minds, that made her vastly untrustworthy, even though she was Cassius's queen. They would wait and watch, many enjoying the cuts and bruises they knew Kalina would have when she returned to the village with her mate. * * * * Jamie stared at the small house sitting on its quaint plot of land, riotous with flowers and trees, a homey little bench sitting within the white picket fence. "This is yours?" Tessa smiled. "Yeah, I went a little overboard on the plants this year, but I love to garden. In the back is my vegetable and herb garden. I'm pretty proud of how they turned out this year." She realized she was talking a bit quickly and maybe babbling a bit, but she was nervous about what he was thinking. "It's beautiful, Tessa." He went through the small gate and walked through the small paths she'd made between her plant beds. He walked with a sure stride, brushing past the plants almost silently. For a moment, he reminded her of a cat walking through tall grass, then she shook the picture away and followed him. "It's so cool and beautiful in here." He sank down on the bench, holding his arm out to invite her to sit next to him. She accepted, sinking down on the small bench, her arm brushing against his chest as he wrapped his arm around her. "I don't know how to thank you for what you've done and are doing for me, Tessa. Not too many women would take a complete stranger in their home, much less one who's a stranger to himself." "I couldn't do anything else, Jamie. You've kind of become my responsibility." She glanced up at his face, feeling a little breathless at the expression in his eyes. "Is that how you feel about me? I'm just a responsibility?" "No," she said quickly. "You're much more." She gulped wondering what he would think of what she'd just said. "I think the same," he said, his voice deep and full of emotion. "You saved my life more than once this week. I promise I won't take advantage of everything you're doing for me. I'll only stay until I'm back on my feet." "You'll stay as long as you want," Tessa interjected. "I have a spare room and I plan on putting you to work as soon as you're up to it." She turned her face up to his, surprised to find his face so close as he'd bent closer to her. He hadn't kissed her since that first day, but now she could feel the heat of his breath against her lips. Her heart flipped over in her chest and she felt as if she couldn't get enough air into her lungs. "Tessa," he said softly, his voice deep. "I want to kiss you." Her breath hissed between her lips and she felt her eyes flutter close. She lifted her face closer, eager to feel his mouth on hers once again. "Yes," she whispered, hearing his moan even as his mouth closed over hers. Fire rose from her toes, causing them to curl in her shoes. Her hands rose, cupping his cheeks before slipping over his shoulders and holding on tight. Bright colors seemed to mix with the fire, flashing behind her closed eyes as he deepened the kiss, twisting his mouth on hers to part her lips. His tongue stroked across hers and he groaned deep in his throat at her taste and the heat of her mouth. He dragged her across his lap, wanting her even closer. It was only the shock of pain that had him dragging his mouth from hers, pressing his hand against his still healing side. Jamie dropped his head down, his forehead pressing gently against hers, his panting breaths telling her of his need. "Are you okay?' she whispered, stroking his hair as she had in the hospital. He chuckled. "I don't know what hurts more, the pain in my side or the pain in my..." "Jamie!" she exclaimed in shock, pressing her fingers against his lips to halt his words. A flush spread over her cheeks, making them rosy to go along with the feverish heat in her blue eyes from his kisses. "We should get you inside and situated, then I'll make us some dinner." "Just let me hold you for a minute more," he mumbled against her fingers, wrapping his arms more securely around her waist in case she tried to wiggle free. "I like the way you feel here." Tessa sent him a prim look. She wiggled a bit on his lap, feeling the hardness of his cock against her hip. "I think you more than like it," she teased. "Hmm, yeah, there is that." He sighed, letting go of her when she stood and taking the hand that she held out to him. "Come on, stud, you shouldn't be exerting yourself, not when you just got out of the hospital." She cocked her head, giving him a look. "Maybe if you're good, I'll kiss you good night." Jamie laughed, this was a totally new side of Tessa and he couldn't help but enjoy her playful banter. "I'll be good, promise," he said, the double entendre sending more blood surging into her cheeks. "I have no doubt," she muttered, moving in front of him and leading him to the house. "No doubt whatsoever." Jamie stood in the open doorway, the scent of gardenias and lilacs wrapping around him. The house was small; an open floor plan on the first floor gave him the impression of space though. It was decorated in bright colors and simple patterns but they all seemed to work. He could see her being at home here, sitting on the sofa and grading papers, fixing food in the brightly lit kitchen, curling up in the overstuffed chair and reading a good, trashy novel. "This is nice," he said slowly. "Very homey feeling, Tessa. "I like it," she said, a hint of pride in her voice. "It still needs work." She turned to look at him. "That's where you come in when you feel up to it." Jamie glanced down at the scratched and scuffed wood floors. "Yeah, I can see that." "But only when you are stronger," Tessa warned. "I don't want to be the cause of you relapsing. Why don't you go in and have a seat? I'll go check and see what I can whip up for dinner." "You don't have to go to any fuss," Jamie said then his stomach growled, ruining his noble intentions. "I can eat almost anything." "That's nice to know." She guided him toward the couch, gently pushing him down and handing him the remote control for her television. Then she headed into the kitchen, hearing him turning on the television and flipping through the channels. "So what do you like to watch?" she asked. He was quiet for a moment, contemplating her question almost as if to get this wrong would mean the end of life as he knows it. "I-I think I like action movies and cop shows." "What about sports?" "I'm not sure," he answered, staring at the television screen as he changed the channel, stopping when he came across a movie that seemed familiar in the same way as déjà vu happened. It was eerie and a bit annoying. Why couldn't he know if he'd seen the movie or not? What could his brain be trying to protect him from? Had he done something truly evil and this was his punishment? He glanced up as Tessa sat down next to him. She had a take out menu in her hand. "What do you like on your pizza?" she asked. She'd asked so matter-of-factly that he just said the first thing that came to mind. "Meat." "Good, me too." Picking up the phone, she dialed the number and ordered a large pizza with double meat to be delivered. "It'll be here in twenty minutes." She glanced at the television, watching as a man with wings on his back flew around the spires of a huge catholic church. "Oh, I love this movie. Have you seen it before?" "I don't know," he said and Tessa could hear the frustration he couldn't hide. "It's okay, Jamie. You just need to relax and not fight so hard to remember." She patted her thigh and watched as he laid down, using her lap as a pillow. Her hand went to his shoulder, stroking the soft fabric of his shirt as they watched the rest of the movie in silence. It ended and, almost as if he'd been waiting for the credits, there was a knock on the door. Tessa scooted out from under Jamie's head, grabbing her wallet out of her purse. "Coming," she called as another hurried knocking sounded. She opened the door, digging into her wallet at the same time for the money for the pizza. "Here you go ... oh..." she gasped, seeing the tall stranger standing in front of her. "I'm sorry, I thought you were the pizza boy. "No," the man said in a strangely accented voice. "Though he was delicious." He turned his head, nodding at the street in front of her house where an old clunker was parked, a sign on the roof proclaiming the driver was a Speedy Pizza Delivery Man who carried less than twenty dollars in change. In front of the open passenger door was a woman, crouched down, her fingers swiping through a small puddle of blood. She brought her fingers to her mouth, licking off the blood even as she looked up and met Tessa's eyes. To Love a Tiger Ch. 02 Tessa was pulled away from the door and it was shut in the face of the stranger. Jamie locked the door, turning the dead bolt for good measure. "Call the police," he said. "The police?" she asked, still shocked by what she'd seen. "Yes, I think that's the man who beat me, Tessa. He's dangerous. Call the cops!" She grabbed up her cell, hearing the growling and snapping noises that had been filling her nights with terror just outside the window. Her fingers trembled as she tried to press in the numbers. It took her three tries to get it right. "I need help. I think they ate the pizza delivery guy." To Love a Tiger Ch. 03 It seemed to take forever for the police to arrive. During that time, the noises outside continued, going from growling to snarling and snapping noises and then heavy scratching at her front door. "What is that?' Tessa cried, shuddering and sinking down onto her couch, bringing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. "What could be making that noise?" she asked again, staring at Jamie as he stood transfixed, staring like a deer caught in the headlights at the door. "I-I don't know," he said, the hesitation in his voice coinciding with his hand, rising to press against his forehead. "The man at the door—he-- I think he's the man who attacked me. I don't know how I know, but I just do." Finally, in the distance, they could hear sirens growing louder as the cars got nearer. The noises outside stopped and they heard the sound of car doors and an engine racing before tires squealed. "They're gone," Tessa sighed, her relief almost sending her into a fit of tears. "For now," Jamie added. "I think they'll be back, Tessa. It's not safe for you if I stay here." "You can't leave," she protested, pushing off the couch to grab his arm. "You don't have anywhere to go." "I can go back over that wall and see if that is where I belong, Tessa. I just can't put you in anymore danger." "And find yourself beaten to death ... I don't think so. They can't get in, you're safe here and I feel safer with you here. You aren't going anywhere." The sweet little Tessa was gone; in her place was someone who was sure and determined. "You aren't leaving." She repeated the words to make sure he understood. "Tessa..." he began only to be interrupted by the sound of a heavy knocking on the door. She gave him a stern look that brooked no arguments, the same one she used on her students, before going to the door and opening it. "Thank God you got here so quickly." "We were in the neighborhood, ma'am. It looks like whatever was in your yard could have been a big dog. Look at the scratches in that door." He showed her the outside of her wooden door, huge gouges ripped from the wood. "No dog could have done that, not in the little bit of time it took you to get here." She touched the gouges gently, her fingers tingling and a strange feeling coming over her. "This isn't right." "No ma'am, I hope you have house insurance to pay for the damage. We'll keep an eye out the rest of the night if you'd like ma'am, but I'm pretty sure they're scared away." He touched the brim of his hat respectfully, taking down her statement and then staring askance at Jamie. "And you are?" he asked. "I don't know," Jamie said. "He's just gotten out of the hospital. He had a closed head injury and developed amnesia," Tessa said quickly. "You're the John Doe that just got out of East Side Memorial Hospital, aren't you?" the officer asked. "Do you think this is connected to what happened to you in anyway?" "I ... yes, I do," Jamie said. "I tried to leave but Tessa ... Miss Carmichael, is a very insistent young woman when she gets her mind wrapped around something." "Maybe it would be for the best..." the officer began to say. "No," Tessa stated firmly. "He's staying here and that's that." "See what I mean?" Jamie said with a laugh. "Very insistent." "Is that a nice way to say stubborn?" Tessa narrowed her eyes at the cop. "You said something about driving by tonight?" "Yes, ma'am, if I could get you to sign this here at the bottom, we'll get out of your hair." "What about the pizza delivery boy?" "What pizza delivery boy?" the cop asked, staring at her as if she'd gone insane. "The one that they ate," she said, confirming his suspicions. "That's his car over there." The cop turned, staring where she pointed. The clunker was still running, the radio playing, blood dripping from the passenger door to the street below. Now that Tessa could see it better, she could see a hand holding onto the "Oh Shit!" handle of the door, the wrist bloodied and torn looking. It was missing the rest of the body. "Holy hell," the cop hissed. "You can say that again," Tessa said. She watched as the cops moved toward the door of the car, one looking into the seat and then turning to step over to the bushes in her next door neighbor's yard and losing his dinner. "Is he dead?" she called. "What little is left of him looks that way," the cop she'd been talking to said. He hit the button on the microphone that was clipped to his shoulder. "Unit 29 to dispatch," he said. "This is dispatch, twenty-nine." "We're going to need a bus and backup as well as a crime scene team and a detective at our location. We got a male db." "You know you can't make that distinction, twenty-nine. Only the coroner can." "Dispatch, trust me, this guy's dead." He stepped back away from the door of the car, swallowing heavily. "Send the coroner as well then." He ended his conversation and then went to his car, opening the trunk and taking out a roll of crime scene tape. Tessa watched as he squared off the property, tying the end of the tape to the tree that grew in the corner of her yard. It didn't take long and the street outside looked like a parade about to happen. Fire and Rescue showed up, an ambulance as well as the coroner's van. Two more police cars arrived, blocking off the area to keep the looky-loos to a minimum. And a woman in a silver unmarked police car arrived, her long blonde hair blowing in the wind. She wore a frilly skirt and pale pink heels that matched her jacket, a dark salmon blouse underneath. In her hands, she held a large rimmed hat that had a saucy ribbon around the brim. She stepped toward Jamie and Tessa who now sat in her living room, police moving in and out of the front door. "Hello, my name is Deputy Chief Georgina Hunter." "Chief, this is Tessa Carmichael and the John Doe that was found last week wandering along highway twelve." "Still doesn't know who he is?" Chief Hunter asked. "Nope, not a clue." "Does either of them know what happened here tonight and why," she flipped through the file she pulled out of a huge black purse, "I now have to go and tell Tommy Bigelow's parents that he's dead?" "Something tried to get in here," Tessa said, unsure of how she felt about the fussy woman with the funny looking mouth painted an atrocious color of pink. "We locked it out. It had to be some kind of animal, something bigger than a dog." "I've seen some pretty big dogs, Miss Carmichael." Tessa got up and walked to the door, motioning the woman to come with her. She showed her the claw marks on the thick wood, parts of the door little more than splinters now. "Whatever it was, it wanted in." Tessa turned on her heel and moved back to the couch, sinking down next to Jamie. "If it had gotten in, I think you'd be investigating our murders." "But it didn't get in, did it? And now Tommy Bigelow is little more than dog meat." "I feel guilty enough about that without you pushing it in my face, Miss Hunter." "Chief Hunter," the woman corrected her, stepping around the room and staring at some of the books that were in the shelves. "Whatever," Tessa almost growled. "I probably will never order pizza again." "Tommy Bigelow sure won't be doing any more deliveries." She eyed Tessa like she was staring at a nasty looking bug. "I'll be sure to let Tommy's mother know how deeply affected you are by his death. The fact that you'll never eat another pizza will probably be a great comfort to her." "Listen..." Tessa began, starting to rise but stopping when Jamie grabbed her arm and tugged her back down. "Chief Hunter," he began. "Tessa never intended for anyone to be harmed tonight. These ... things ... have been outside her house a few times in the past week. She said she heard the same noises when she found me out on the side of the road. I think that whatever was out there was looking for me." "Why didn't you report this before, Miss Carmichael? Don't you think if you had, we might have been able to save poor Tommy's life?" "What would you have said, Chief Hunter, if I'd called you up and told you I was hearing growling and snapping noises outside my house at night? You'd have said it was a dog and I should call Animal Services. You wouldn't have come out to my house to investigate. So in effect, this is as much your fault as mine." Tessa crossed her arms over her chest after she'd spoken, turning her face away from the small blonde woman. Georgina nodded her head, impressed with the woman's spirit though being impressed wouldn't stop her from locking the woman up if she thought she had anything to do with what happened to Tommy Bigelow. "We'll never know because you couldn't be so inclined to call. So, now, what kind of sounds have you been hearing?" "Why do you care? You've already branded us as guilty." "Because I haven't done any such thing. Now, do you want to help me here or should I take you both down town and put you in separate interview rooms. I can hold you for seventy-two hours without charging you for any crime, Miss Carmichael." Tessa wanted to scream in frustration. It was all so completely unfair. "There were grunting noises, not quite Tim Allen sounds but close. And I think I heard grumbles and growling, like something big was not very happy." "So, if you had to take a guess from the sounds that you heard, what would you say was outside your house, Miss Carmichael?" "I'd say it would be a big cat and I don't mean of the house variety." "So," Chief Hunter said, not trying to hide the laughter in her voice. "You think we have a lion or a tiger or something like that running loose in the city?" "You asked me," Tessa answered her angrily. "I just told you what I thought it was." "Chief?" Georgina turned her head, staring at the man who was standing just inside the doorway. "Did you want to see the body before the coroner let's his guys scoop him up?" "Yes, Sergeant Peters. Tell them I'll be there in just one moment. Thank you." She turned back to Jamie and Tessa. "Is there anything else that you can tell me to help me find Tommy's killer?" "No. We've told you everything," Tessa answered her quickly. "This is Jamie's first day out of the hospital, he needs his rest." "That's fine then. We'll be wrapping up in here in another few moments. Don't either of you leave town, I might have more questions for you." Tessa nodded and breathed a quiet sigh of relief when the woman left her house, taking the rest of the officers with her. She followed them to the door, determined to shut out this tragedy but she couldn't help but watch as the coroner removed a sheet from the back seat of the car out there. Chief Hunter took one look and her face went pale in the huge outdoor lights that they'd brought with them. Whatever was left of the pizza delivery boy was scooped out of the backseat and put into a five gallon bucket. The hand was wrapped in black plastic and placed on a small gurney, the bucket setting on the end of the mattress. "Oh God," she said softly. "What is it?" Jamie said, coming up and wrapping his arms around her, pulling her into the warmth of his embrace. "That poor kid, no one deserves to die like that." "Come on," he said, glancing at the gurney and then at the fixed expression upon Tessa's face. "You didn't do anything anyone else in the world hasn't done." "But maybe that horrid woman was right? Maybe if I hadn't stuck my head under my pillow and ignored those noises, that boy would still be alive?" "Or you might be out there, scooped into that bucket in his place," Jamie whispered, his breath tickling her ear. "I much prefer it this way." Tessa turned in his arms, facing him, her hands resting against his chest. "You're a mystery, Jamie. One we need to solve before that thing comes back." "How do you suggest we do that?" Jamie rubbed his hands up and down over Tessa's back. He listened with only half an ear, the feel of her in his arms making it hard to concentrate upon anything else. That was, until she mentioned the wall. "No," he said adamantly. "No? Why not?" she demanded just as ferociously. Because it's just as likely that whatever was outside your house lives behind that wall. I'm not letting you put your life at risk for me." He reached out with one hand and knocked the front door closed, shutting out the prying eyes of the cops and firemen who were working out there. When she opened her mouth to speak, he took advantage, lifting her to her toes so that he could reach her lips with his. It wasn't like his kisses before, sweetly passionate, giving as well as taking. This kiss took, it claimed, it showed no mercy. His tongue was like a fire in her mouth, tasting of her and demanding more. When he finally lifted his head to look down into her face, her lips were swollen and her eyes were hazy with pleasure. "I want to sleep with you tonight," he panted. "I just want to hold you in my arms and know that you're safe." "I'd like that," Tessa said shyly. She slipped out of his arms and headed into the bathroom to get ready for bed, hearing him in the living room and then the kitchen, moving around. It was a comforting sound, one she could get used to hearing perhaps all too easily. With a sigh, she slipped a light weight, short robe off the hook in the back of the door and slid it on. "I set out an extra toothbrush and a razor as well as towels if you want to take a shower before you go to bed. I've also got a bread wrapper and some tape." Jamie stared at her in confusion. "Why?" "The doctor said you have to keep your wound dry. We can tape the plastic over your wound which will keep it dry while you shower and then I can rebandage it and put on the antibiotic cream for you." "Okay," he said. "I got out the fixings for a sandwich, would you mind making it while I shower?" "No, not at all." She turned and headed for the kitchen, only stopping when he called her name, his voice a bit muffled. His shirt was halfway up his body, leaving his abdomen bared, but from there he'd gotten stuck, unable to take the shirt any further off his head or pull it back down. "Hold still," she said, trying to keep the amusement out of her voice and failing terribly. Pulling carefully, she managed to get the shirt over his head and off his arms, her hands lingering on his bare skin. He was built, his body tight and muscled. "Come on; let me help you get these bandages off and the plastic on your wound." There was a thought in her head that she shouldn't be enjoying this as much as she was, but she couldn't help it. Jamie didn't know who he was. He could be married, or engaged or even gay. Of course, the night she'd found him, he hadn't been wearing a ring, but then again, his wallet was missing too. He might have been robbed and beaten then dropped out in the middle of nowhere to die. "You're thinking too much," he laughed, brushing his finger against her nose. "I thought that was my job." "I didn't want you to over do on your first night so I thought I'd take over the thinking part." He laughed, like she'd wanted him too. "So what are you thinking about?" "Who you might be," she said, playing with the end of the tape to get it lifted up enough that she could pull out a long piece. "When I found you, you weren't wearing a ring, but then again, you didn't have a wallet either or a watch. Your clothes were torn, but they were finely made, definitely top quality. You have to be someone important to someone, Jamie." "Then why hasn't anyone come to claim me?" He held the plastic over his wound while she used the long strips of tape to tape it firmly to his skin, making sure there were no edges left untapped where water could get in. "I don't know. Maybe they don't realize you're missing yet? I know if you were mine, I wouldn't quit looking for you." She glanced up into his eyes as she spoke, seeing the jade green flare with fire at her words. "I'd like to be yours, Tessa." Tessa kept her eyes firmly on her task, cursing the way her hands shook at the emotions that streaked through her at his words. It had been all she'd dreamed of since he woke. The idea of him falling in love with her seemed ridiculous and too far fetched to even consider. It was like a scene out of a bad romance novel, the heroine falling in love with the dark stranger who couldn't remember his name. Then he would turn out to be a serial killer or some kind of freak and he would stalk her and kill her. She smirked at the thought, causing Jamie to reach out and take her chin in his hand, raising her face so that he could see into her eyes. "What are you thinking?" She told him, making it sound like a joke. He didn't laugh this time, only took a step back from her. "You're right to worry, Tessa. I don't even know who I am or what I might have done in my life. I probably don't deserve someone as wonderful and beautiful as you." "I'm not," she said, flustered by the sound of his voice and the look in his eyes. Reaching out, she rubbed the last piece of tape into place. "There, you're all set." "Thank you," he said, grabbing her hand in his and pressing it against his chest. "I owe you for more than you can ever imagine, Tessa." "I haven't done much." But her cheeks grew rosy and he could feel her pulse thudding rapidly in her wrist. Jamie let her hand go slowly, then turned and headed into the bathroom. Tessa stared after him for a moment, confused and wondering how her life had gotten so complicated all of a sudden. Then with a sigh, she turned and headed for the kitchen and to make him a sandwich. * * * * Cassius watched the human female as she moved from one part of the room to the other. The bitch locked him away from his prey. Even now, even through the glass windows, he could scent Jared. The fucking tiger should have been dead; he was supposed to have died that night, leaving Cassius as leader. If the others found out that Jared was still alive... "You wouldn't be leader and I wouldn't be your mate," Kalina said softly next to him, surprising him again with the way she always seemed able to read his mind. "I've claimed you," he growled, slapping her gently. "You are mine no matter what." "I belong to the leader of the ambush and to no other. I will fight any female who thinks to usurp my position on the ambush." Kalina shook her head, her long hair flowing like dark satin in the light of the moon, the white streak in her tresses looking even brighter. "If Jared comes back to the ambush, he will once more be touted as king and you will be nothing, not even General as you were before. I will go back to being his and he will reclaim me as is the tradition." "Then I guess I'd better make sure he doesn't return," Cassius growled, the rage he was feeling triggering the change. His body seemed to shimmer, the sounds of bones breaking and reforming loud in the quiet of the night. When it was done, a beautiful tiger stood where the man had once been. Cassius looked to Kalina, almost seeming to smile as he slid through the bushes and flowers in the backyard of the house. He padded his way up to the french door that led from the backyard into the kitchen where the little human was standing, slicing tomatoes to put on the bread she'd already laid out. He snorted at the thought of any tiger eating something that only humans would find palatable. His breath fogged one of the small panes of glass on the door and he grunted low in his throat, hoping to draw the attention of the small female. But she didn't hear him. He grunted louder, lifting one huge paw to bat at the door. Still no response from the little human. His eyes narrowed and he watched her as she turned her head, wires coming from her ears to be plugged into a small box that was clipped to the pocket of her robe. She was listening to music! To Love a Tiger Ch. 03 He growled in frustration. Jared was no where to be found and the little human had banished him from her mind. He lifted up on his hind legs, letting his front paws lay against the smooth wood and glass that made up the back door. He felt the glass creak and then give under his paws and gave it a bit of a push, smiling when the little human couldn't ignore that noise. She turned, her eyes growing wide as she saw him. He padded into the kitchen as if it were his, lifting his head to scent the air. Jared wasn't in this room. Now that Cassius was inside, he could hear the water running in another room. Jared was in the shower. Good, it would give him time to have some fun with the tiny blonde who'd almost ruined everything on him. * * * * Tessa could barely breathe, her heart was in her throat and terror had her legs going weak and her stomach tying in knots. This was the biggest tiger she'd ever seen. Of course, she'd never seen one outside of a zoo before but that didn't matter now. "Nice kitty," she said softly. "Nice boy. Want some lunch meat?" She held out the slices she'd just been readying for Jamie's sandwich. Throwing them toward the door, she watched as the tiger turned toward the meat, scooping it up easily in his big jaws and swallowing it down. She reached behind her slowly, her hand finding the handle of the long serrated knife she'd used on the tomato. She held it behind her while finding the package of meat with her other hand. Throwing that further out the door, she waited until the tiger turned its back on her then headed for the other door, racing to lock herself into her bathroom. She'd taken two steps when she heard the tiger roar and knew she wouldn't make it before he would get here. "Jamie!" she screamed as loudly as she could. "Help me!!" To Love a Tiger Ch. 04 Cassius jerked to a stop, standing with his huge head cocked as he watched his prey run from him. He heard the bathroom door open and then Jared's voice, though he paid no attention to the words. Instead, he pondered the name the woman had screamed. Jamie, not Jared? he thought, growling low in his throat. He felt more than heard Kalina pad to his side, rubbing her big head along the side of his body in affection. Where is the female? she thought at him, growling when he swiped at her with his paw. Never mind her, we need to go. I need to think. He nudged her hard and then followed her out the back door and into the darkness. The change shimmered over him and he stood tall, taking the clothing that Kalina offered him and dressing quickly. "She called him Jamie." "What?" Kalina asked, staring at him in confusion. "Who called whom Jamie?" "The female, inside," he said, glancing over his shoulder. "When she ran from me, she called him Jamie, not Jared. Why would she do that?" "Maybe he gave her a fake name so that he couldn't be traced back to the ambush?" Kalina said, looking up from where she'd been buckling the strap on her sandal. "Who cares why? Is that why you stopped?" "Yes," he mused, barely paying attention to her now. "Jared isn't stupid. He's planning something. I can feel it." Kalina stared at him as if he were crazy. "You worry over what he plans? Maybe you aren't as big a fool as I'd first thought." Cassius stared at her for a moment, then he swung at her, his fist catching the side of her mouth and splitting her lip. The blow was fast and hard. Kalina's mouth filled with blood and her eyes filled with tears of pain that she refused to shed. She knew better than to push Cassius, but seeing Jared again reminded her of his gentleness and care, his tenderness when he'd made love to her. Cassius was all rough edges and harshness, expecting her to do what he wished without thoughts of her own. He cared little for her pleasure, using her like a whore. Many times she'd felt like a vessel that he was using to masturbate with. But he was leader of the ambush, a leader she'd helped as she'd betrayed Jared for him. She was the fool. "Get up, woman," he said, nudging her with the sole of his shoe as she stared up at him from where she'd fallen. "I didn't hit you that hard. We must go back to the village. I must decide what to do about this." "You can be a real prick sometimes," she snarled, ignoring the hand he held out for her and getting up on her own. She spat a mouthful of blood on the ground in front of his feet. "Yeah, and you are a bitch, I guess that makes us just right for each other." "Not if Jared comes back to the ambush." She watched the muscles on his jaw work for a moment as he tried to hide his irritation from her. Then with a snarl, he grabbed her arm, yanking her almost off her feet as he headed back to the car with her in tow. * * * * "What is it?" Jamie asked, staring down at the trembling woman he held in his arms. "What's scared you so much?" "A-a-a tiger," she managed to stutter out. "He ... he broke in the back door and chased me." She reached out and grabbed his arm as he pulled away from her. "Where are you going?" "To find out where he is?" Jamie said in a calm, reasonable voice. "We can't stay in the bathroom forever." "Are you nuts?" Tessa cried. "Did you not hear what I said? There is a tiger out there. You know, the big kitty with the stripes and the claws and the huge fangs? You can't go out there; he'll make you into a midnight snack." "Calm down, Tessa. I'll be fine." Jamie opened the door and slipped out, feeling the cooler air brush against his wet chest. He wore nothing but a towel around his waist, his hair was dripping onto his face and he had no weapons. For a moment he wondered if Tessa might possibly be right, that he was crazy. Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly and headed for the kitchen. It was empty, the door hanging precariously on one hinge. Two of the panes of glass had broken and the shards glittered on the floor of the kitchen. He stepped cautiously around them, careful of his bare and still wet feet before stepping out on the covered porch, staring into the night. It took his eyes a moment to focus, but then it seemed as if something shifted inside of him and he could see quite clearly. On the dirt path between Tessa's herb garden and her vegetable garden, were the imprints of huge paw prints. They were headed away from the house and into a stand of trees some thirty yards away. It took him less than a minute to make up his mind and he stepped into the soft dirt, feeling it stick to his feet as he followed the prints, ignoring the cooling air on his bare skin even as it made small goose bumps grow on his flesh. Around the garden he went, then into the woods, his whole body on alert for even the slightest noise or scent. He found a place where the foliage had been disturbed and where the paw prints turned to shoe prints. That was impossible, wasn't it? Jamie's head started to throb as he stared at the prints in the ground. It should be impossible. He closed his eyes against the pain, bracing his palm on the rough bark of a tree. A flash of light, the sound of an inhuman growl, the sight of a huge paw, razor sharp claws protruding, filled his mind and had him gasping in pain. He heard a woman's voice, it sounded as pained as he felt. It called out a name. "Jared!" Then it all faded and he was once more standing in the back of Tessa's property. He opened his eyes, took two steps back toward the house before falling to his knees in the dirt and heaving up what little was left in his stomach. The retching lasted only minutes but every convulsion left him feeling weaker until he could barely hold himself up with his hands. How long he would have stayed that way, he didn't know. With a flurry of sounds, Tessa was there, her cool hands on his face as she lifted it so she could see him. "God, Jamie, are you all right?" She grabbed his arm, tucking it over her shoulder. "We've got to get you back in the house. You've got to help me?" she cried softly, seeing him flinch at the sound of her voice. "Come on, Jamie, help me." He forced himself up, swaying on his feet. If she hadn't held him, he would have been back on the ground. He felt as weak as a newborn kitten, his body shaking with the effort of even standing. How he'd make it back to the house, he had no idea. But make it, he did. Tessa supported him, taking on his weight with no complaint. She got him into the house and then into her room, laying him back on the bed. "You stay put, I'll be right back." Jamie groaned at the softness of the mattress felt like heaven against him. He could smell her in the blanket and sheets, in the pillow under his head, surrounding him with her fragrance. His eyes closed as he savored the moment, only opening when he sensed her by his side once more. Tessa set the heavy basin of warm water down on the floor next to the bed. She dipped her washcloth into the liquid before meeting Jamie's eyes. "What are you doing?" he asked, seeing her pretty blue eyes fill with determination." "I'm going to give you a sponge bath," she said, her eyes locking with his for a moment. "You brought in half the forest with you." Jamie glanced at his chest, feeling the grit of the dirt on his feet. "I can get back in the shower," he said, not wanting to put her out. "Yes, and fall over and kill yourself. You barely made it inside. Now shut up and ... let me do this." Before he could say another word, she sat up on the bed next to him, starting with his face. The cold and clammy sweat he'd felt was washed away with the warmth of the cloth. It felt so good; he was ill pressed to hide the moan of pleasure from her. "See, now isn't that better." Her hand shook a bit as she finished his face, wringing the cloth out once more. His neck was next, the heavy texture of his muscles feeling good even with the cloth between her skin and his. She stroked down, over his shoulder, gathering as much of the muck and mess as she could before rinsing out the cloth again. Jamie relaxed under her hand, enjoying this bath more than he had the right to. He was glad for the towel that still covered his hips, though it did little to hide the rising of his need. His other shoulder was washed and then the cooling cloth was once more rinsed and wrung out. This time he felt her hand shake before she gently touched his chest, cleaning him with such gentle thoroughness. "What are you thinking?" she asked him, out of the blue. The question was so sudden and unexpected that he answered her honestly. "I was thinking how much I wish you'd lose the cloth and just touch me." His eyes flew open as he realized what he'd said. Looking up into her face, he saw shock, excitement, curiosity and ... was that lust? The cloth had wandered down to his muscled abdomen, bypassing the plastic bag that he still wore to cover his wound. Her hand rested just above the tie to his towel and he held his breath, begging her with his eyes to continue. She turned from him, taking the cloth with her, rinsing it and wringing it out once more. "M-my hand wouldn't do very well for cleaning you off," she said, her voice breaking a bit on the first word. Jamie felt the cool swipe of the cloth over his abs and then the gentle brush of her fingers as she stroked over the flesh she'd just cleaned off as if trying to see if she'd missed some. He sucked in his stomach against the ticklish touch, almost moaning when she did it again and then again. His eyes were closed in pleasure when he felt the mattress move. Opening his eyes, he watched in confusion as she knelt at the foot of the bed, the basin of water next to her. She lifted one of his feet off the spread, letting it rest against the edge of the basin as she cupped water in her hands, rinsing off the dirt, then she took the cloth, cleaning every bit of dirt, even stroking the cloth between his toes. He'd never realized what sensitive feet he had until she'd touched them. Now every touch shot through his body to his groin, making him aware of how his cock throbbed and ached, wanting the same tantalizing treatment that she was giving his feet. His eyes almost seemed to glow in the semi dark of the room and his hands clenched into fists as he desperately tried to remain a gentleman and not grab her and push her down under him. Fucking her seemed to be all he could think of, sinking into the sweetness of her body, taking her over the brink and into the madness of bliss was all he wanted to do. "You're playing with fire, Tessa," he growled. "W-what?" she asked, her eyes shooting to his. He could see the dazed look she had and the knowledge that touching him was affecting her as much as it affected him, well, it almost sent him over the edge. "I need you," he rasped, raising his hands and reaching down for her. "I want you badly, so if you aren't willing, you need to tell me now. If you wait, I won't be able to stop." He dragged her up his body, straight up against his chest so that his lips could find hers. His mouth opened over hers, demanding that she give in to the passion that was burning him alive. He traced the line of her mouth with his tongue then plunged inside when she opened to his. Finding the heat of her tongue, his danced in passion's tune against it, drawing her deeper under his thrall. Tessa gasped, pulling away, panting as she tried to get air into her over heated lungs. "God, Jamie..." she whimpered, arching her back as his mouth found her throat, his teeth, lips and tongue finding every nuance of every place that caused her pleasure and drawing it out until she squirmed. Her hands grasped his head, holding him, directing him to where she wanted touched. She was demanding as well, groaning as his fingers found the hem of her shirt, dragging it up and over her head, his eyes going to the soft half cup demi-bra she was wearing. The satin and lace bra covered only what was necessary, leaving more than half of the luscious mounds of her breasts nude, hinting at the dark circles that surrounded her nipples. His hands slid over satin, slipped under lace until her nipples were bare to his eyes, hardening into begging little pink points that seemed to cry out for his mouth. When he obliged, his name on her lips was his reward, the sound making him even more urgent to make her his. He rolled with her, ignoring his pain as she slipped under him, his thighs parting her knees until he rested in the curve of her body. His mouth continued feasting on those small pink tips, moving from one to the other and then back until he felt her shudder under him. Only then did he look up, his eyes meeting hers that were hazy with release. "That's one," he said softly. Holding her eyes, he pressed his lips against the lower curve of her breast, his hands pulling on the fastening of her pants. When they were open, he slid his hand down her stomach, his palm pressing against her stomach, sliding under the soft satin panties she wore. He could feel the softness of the curls on her mound and then the slick heat of her arousal welcoming his fingers. "Ready for number two?" he asked with a growl. Tessa cried out as his fingers found her delicate opening, gathering her dew to wrap around the hard kernel of nerve endings at the top of her slit. Her hips began to move, a gentle undulation that was as unstoppable as the sea. Jamie slid to the side of the bed, wanting to watch her as he continued his ministrations, finding the sight of her passion almost as arousing as her touch. "You're so beautiful," he whispered, hearing her moan, his lips finding a sweet spot right under her ear to play with. "Your eyes are so hazy with your desire, Tessa, it just makes me want to do more and more until you beg me to stop." "No!" she cried, her hands wrapping around his wrist that was all that stuck out from her panties. "God don't stop!" she cried, her hips moving furiously. "Are you going to come?" he asked. He could feel his heart thudding in time with her own. When she shuddered and he felt the heat of her moisture flood over his hand, he couldn't help his triumphant laugh. "That's two, baby." Tessa was still shaking, her eyes closed, her breath coming in heavy pants. She didn't feel him move, nor hear him because her heart was beating so loudly, it was all she could hear. She did feel the soft material of her pants leaving her legs, her underwear quickly following. The first swipe of his soft tongue almost had her climbing the headboard, she was so sensitive right now, it was almost painful. Jamie wrapped his arms around her hips, forcing her back to the bed gently. "Easy baby, just relax." He teased her gently, keeping his tongue away from her clit, lapping at her juices. She relaxed back into the bed with a little sound that was almost a purr, her hands letting loose of his hair, instead, stroking his shoulders and every other part of him she could reach. "Take off your bra," he ordered and she struggled to obey, finally just tugging the damn thing off of her head when it was stubborn. Tessa laid back against the bed, putting herself willingly into his hands, her expression one of sublime pleasure. "You're so beautiful and so sweetly subjective to my touch, Tessa." He parted her lower lips with two fingers, gently sliding a third into her and feeling the spongy wet walls of her vagina cling to him. Slowly thrusting in to her he added another finger and then his lips were around her clit, his tongue flicking the sensitive bud with carnal delight. Her sweet, tangy taste filled his mouth, her musky scent was in his nose and on his skin. He could hear her moans and cries, all egged him on to an even higher degree. When he was flooded by her juices once more even as her nails dug into his shoulders, he chuckled. She was wonderful. * * * * The third orgasm hit her with the finesse of a freight train, rushing over her as her body seemed to almost snap. A high keening cry was torn from her lips and she felt his skin give under her nails. It went on and on, grinding over her until she thought she would die. Then the sudden release had her falling into darkness that was a riot of everything that was him. In that darkness, he stole over her body, finally possessing her as he'd wanted to since he'd woken in that hospital room so many days before. Tessa felt him push into her and opened her thighs further for him, wanting him even when she felt so numb. He filled her fully, seeming to touch all those places no other man had before, slipping into the hilt. "Are you back?" he asked softly against her ear, pushing her tangled hair away from her face. Her hands stole over his lower back, her legs coming up to wrap around his waist. "Yes," she lisped quietly. "Open your eyes then, baby. I want to see you watching me." She did, finding his face so close, his eyes so heated she felt as if she were falling into them. Only then did he start moving, slowly at first, holding himself up and away from her body, watching that spot where they were so intimately connected. Her hand slid from his body, sliding down her own belly, slipping between her thighs. He watched as her fingers found his shaft, felt the stickiness of their mixed fluids on his skin. She moved lower and he thought he'd explode as he felt the softness of her touch on his sack. He growled, trying to hold on, to let her explore and touch. She cupped him there, her fingers moving across his hard balls, drawn up tight in the loose skin of his sack. "Baby, this is going to be over quickly if you keep that up," he groaned, not knowing whether to cry out in relief when she moved her hand or to beg for her to return it. "Touch me here," he said, lifting that hand to his lips before replacing it on his chest. His strokes resumed, at first gentle, then growing harder until every thrust made her body shake. She was fucking him back, her hips meeting his, the sound of flesh slapping flesh was loud in the otherwise quiet room. Jamie was tenaciously hanging on, wanting to feel her come around his prick before he let loose. His head lowered and he found her pale nipple, eagerly sucking it into his mouth. Suckling upon it with avid hunger, he felt the beginning flutter of her orgasm and almost sighed in relief. Those soft muscles that surround his cock seemed to flare into life, squeezing and stroking over his thrusting flesh with devastating effect. He couldn't hold out any longer and he didn't need to, for she screamed his name as she came around him. Even as he lost himself in her, pumping his seed deep inside of her womb, he realized it was wrong, the wrong name. "Jared," he heard himself grunt. "What?" "My name, Jared, I want to hear you say it." "Jared?" It sounded soft and silky on her tongue and he claimed her lips, jerking against her as another pulsating shiver took him. He collapsed onto his elbows, trusting them to keep him from suffocating her, his face buried in the long lengths of her hair. "Hmm," he moaned happily. He felt better than at any time since he woke up. "You remember?" she asked softly, her hands rubbing gently up and down his muscled back. "What?" he asked lifting his head. "Do you remember, now?" "I had a flash out in the woods. It was really strange, a woman screamed, I saw a paw full of claws coming at me and then someone screamed the name Jared. Then it was gone." "I was close," she said, sighing as he lifted himself off of her and cuddled her to his side. She rolled over and wrapped her arm over his chest, snuggling her nose in his neck line. "Close with what?" "Your name. I called you Jamie and it's Jared, only a few letters different." To Love a Tiger Ch. 04 "I don't know that my name really is Jared. It just ... feels right." "You're not a Jerry, are you?" Tessa asked, her bottom lip caught between her teeth as she waited for his reply. "No, I don't think so, why?" "It's just that Jerry sounds so mousish to me, you know ... Tom and Jerry, the cartoon." "No, I don't think I know it," he said, picking his head up and plumping up the pillow before lying back down. "I take it Tom would be a cat." "Yep. I can't believe you've never heard of it. Oh well, but now we'll have a first name to give the police. It'll help to do a search on any missing persons. It also means that your memory is coming back." She made to sit up, only stopping when his arm tightened around her. "Aren't you excited?" she asked, looking up into his carefully blanked face. "I'm more excited about what just happened here, Tessa." He paused and his voice was almost hesitant when he spoke again. "Don't you realize what it'll mean if I regain my memory?" To Love a Tiger Ch. 05 "Yes," she sighed against his shoulder. "It'll mean that you'll know where you belong and it won't be here with me." "Do you want me to belong here with you?" he asked, lifting her chin with his hand so that he could see her face. "Do you want me to stay with you?" "Yes," she said again, simply and unrepentedly, honestly which is what he'd come to depend on from her. He didn't know how he knew, but he did, there wasn't much honestly in his life before. "I know I should say no, Jamie ... I mean Jared. I've never wanted to be a home wrecker." Jared's brow furrowed. "I don't think there is anyone in my life. I mean, I think I'd feel guilty after..." "But you're not sure, are you?" "No," he admitted ruefully. He held her a bit closer, dropping a kiss on her brow. "I don't suppose there's anything to be done for it tonight. "No," she said on a yawn then struggled out of his arms. "Where are you going?" he said, pulling her back into the bed. "Someone has to clan up the glass and fix the door so nothing else can get in." She pulled free of his arms. "You stay in bed, this won't take long." Tessa reached for her clothes. "Stay put," he growled. Tugging her clothing from her and pulling her back under him. His head lowered and she thought he'd kiss her again, she yearned for it, almost begging for his lips and their gentleness. Instead his cheek grazed hers, the stubble on his cheeks tickling her ear. "Stay, I'll take care of it." He smiled when she kissed his cheek and then snuggled into the bed, her head resting on the pillow that held the indent from him. He was up, snatching up the towel to wrap around his waist, feeling a strange embarrassment when she whistled at the sight of his naked butt. There was embarrassment but also pride that she found him pleasing in his naked state, another feeling he was sure was new to him. Though how he was so sure, he simply didn't know. The kitchen door still hung from one hinge, the glass still winked evilly up from the floor as if anxious to taste of his blood. He reached for a small closet finding what he needed in the shape of a broom and a dustpan. Carefully sweeping up the glass, he took it out and dumped it in her garbage can, finding some boards stacked up against the wall. Taking one that he deemed close enough in size for the door, he took it inside. There was something that felt right about doing this for her, about making her safe and secure. He found himself humming some tune, his voice a rough purr, as he nailed the board over the holes in the door and then fixed the hinges and put them back on. It didn't take long to do, but he found he was good with his hands and with the carpentry work. Afterward, he stood in the bathroom, having just put away Tessa's meager tools. With care, he pulled off the plastic she'd placed upon his chest. The doctor had told him that the slice on his chest had been deadly deep and had almost taken his life. If Tessa hadn't held her jacket against it, stemming some of the blood, he'd have been dead before reaching the hospital. Now, under the light of the bathroom, the wound seemed too small to him to have been so deadly. He touched the edges, finding them completely healed, only a small red scar showing the beginning and the end of the wound. With a tiny pair of scissors, he snipped away at the rest of the stitches, pulling them out and dropping them into the trash can. The entire wound seemed almost healed. It hadn't looked like that earlier, had it? Jared couldn't be sure. "Who the fuck are you?" he whispered, meeting his own gaze in the mirror. A shaft of pain so intense that it sent him to his knees, rocketed through his head. He grabbed hold of the counter with a strength he hadn't known he possessed, his fingers cracking the ceramic tile. "Ahh!" he cried, squeezing his eyes closed, knowing another blaze of memory was coming. Hatred so intense as to be a physical blow slashed at him. He could see their eyes, glaring at him, hating him, wanting him to fail. How could he be so hated? But he was. Worse were the eyes, eyes so like his own staring at him from a height similar to his own. "You'll lose brother, every time. You'll lose because you have no will, no stamina, no stomach for the things that must be done." With that, the man turned, ignoring Jared's cries for him to return, to tell him who he was, to finally let him know where he belonged. "Jared," Tessa said hesitantly. "Are ... are you okay?" She reached out as if to touch him but he jerked back. "I don't deserve you," he growled before he picked his clothing up from the bathroom floor and slid them back on his body, turning away from her as if embarrassed. He turned, seeing her still standing there, looking at him with those beautiful blue eyes. But now they were filled with hurt and confusion, the sight of them making him feel even guiltier for what he'd just done. "I need to leave, Tessa. You've been more wonderful than any human has ever been to my kind but..." "Your kind? What do you mean, Jamie? You're as human as I am." She reached out to him again, her hands shaking and he knew she wasn't as sure as she wanted him to believe she was. He avoided her touch, knowing he'd be too weak to leave her if she touched him. He had to leave, otherwise she would be in danger, otherwise she would be hurt if not killed by those who were after him. "I can't stay, Tessa. I have to leave, if only to keep you safe." He pushed past her, steeling himself to feel the brush of her skin against his. "You can't go," she said, rushing past him to block his exit. "Jamie, you don't even have clothing or money. How will you eat? How will you live?" "It's Jared," he growled, trying to move past her. "I'm sorry, I guess you'll always be Jamie to me." "Don't," he said, holding on to his will by the merest brush of his fingertips. "I can't stay." "Was I..." Tessa hesitated and then blurted the words. "Was I that bad?" "Bad," Jared asked, staring at her in confusion. "In bed," she qualified, feeling her cheeks turn pink. "Is that what you think this is?" He turned back heading toward her. "You think I'm leaving because you were terrible in bed?" "Y-yes." "No, baby, God no." He reached for her, unable to stop himself. He couldn't let her think that way. Pulling her close, he felt her head snuggle against his chest, her hands grasping the scrubs top. She was shaking and for the first time he noticed she was wearing a tank top and a pair of pajama bottoms that had tiny monkeys all over them. "Then if it's not that, why?" she asked, looking up into his handsome face. "They'll never stop coming after me," he said softly. "Not until I'm dead. If you hadn't rescued me that night, he would have finished me off then. That was the noise you heard in the bushes, him coming after me." "Who? Who was coming after you, Jared? Do you remember now?" "I remember enough," he said shortly. "I'm no good for you, Tessa. I'm no good for any normal person. I'm a freak, that is why he was going to kill me and my fiancée was helping him." "Who?" she asked again. "My brother, Cassius Cavatora." * * * * Cassius watched as Kalina stretched out naked on their bed. He stood in the room that had been his brother's, readying to take the woman who had also been Jared's. Now she was his, the house was his, the village was under his rule, and the people of the ambush did his bidding. How they'd followed Jared and ignored him all these years, he didn't know. But he'd be damned if he'd let it happen again. He'd fight to the death to keep Jared from coming back and taking from him everything he'd wanted for so long. "He should have been dead already," Kalina said, interrupting his thoughts. "You should have killed him the first time." "You think I don't know that?" he growled savagely, his features twisting as he fought the rage that would trigger the change in him. "I had him. I'd beaten him. If you hadn't screamed..." "Castor would have killed you," Kalina finished for him. "You should be thanking me instead of blaming me." "You screamed and I turned and ripped the throat out of my youngest brother, Kalina. You want me to thank you for that?" "He had a knife, he was sneaking up behind you, what do you think he planned to do with it?" Cassius scowled, hating her at that moment. Castor and Jared had been part of his litter. They'd been the only boys in a litter of nine and had been close up until the moment that Cassius had begun planning Jared's downfall. He couldn't remember the exact moment when he knew that Jared was different than the rest of them. He'd never noticed the defect, though others had and had whispered and pointed at his brother. It wasn't until he had ascended to leader of the ambush that Cassius had begun to listen to those whispers and see for himself hat Jared was a freak. Every one of his litter mates had the same coloring, as tigers they were orange and white with deep black stripes. Jared was as black as sin, not a stripe showing against his dark fur, his blue eyes shining against his pelt. He was a freak, a mutant and Cassius had told him so as he'd fought him, both as a human and as a tiger. If only he'd been able to finish the job. "Are you coming to bed?" Kalina called, turning on her side and pulling the soft covers over her even softer skin. "Later," Cassius said, grabbing his jeans from where he'd tossed them and pulling them up over his lean flanks. He zipped them, but left them unbuttoned, grabbing a shirt to yank over his bare shoulders before heading out of the room and down stairs. He had to think. * * * * "Your brother did this to you?" Tessa asked him, surprised. "Why?" "He wanted to take my place as leader." "Leader of what?" "Tessa, please, can't you just trust me when I tell you that I'm no good for you?" "No!" Her hands reached up, her fingers tangling in his hair, yanking his head down to where she could reach him. Her lips found his, kissing him with a passion born of panic. For just a moment, Jared stood stone-like resisting the pull of her kiss. Then as if a dam had burst, he broke, reaching for her with a lust-filled groan. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her off of her feet. He took over the kiss, his tongue spearing into her mouth, desperate for her. She tasted like salvation, clean and whole and he couldn't get enough. He kissed her roughly, bruising her lips even as he felt her hands in his hair. He waited for her to yank him away, to tell him as Kalina had always done that he wasn't right, that she didn't want him. Instead, she pulled him closer, her lips parting further, her teeth nipping at his lower lip. The tiny sting had his body tightening, and he dragged her to the bedroom, unable to stop himself. "I'm no good for you," he groaned against her mouth. "I don't care," she whimpered, tearing her lips from his and arching her back, feeling his lips at her throat. "I want you, Jared." His hands were at her waist, and he ripped the hem of the tank top up and over her head, baring her upper body to his eyes and his hands. She gasped as she felt the heat of them, sliding over her skin, running over her back before she pulled them to her breasts, filling his palms with the softness of her. Their centers were rigid, the light pink tips begging for his mouth. He lifted one soft mound to his lips, feeling her shudder in pleasure as he took that pink crest between his lips, suckling upon her. Tessa cried out his name, her back arching over his arm, letting him support her weight. He did so easily, his other hand coming up to tease the other breast, twisting and tweaking her nipple until she came apart in his arms, climaxing with a glad cry and a shiver of goose flesh. "You're so beautiful," he said quietly, holding her as she recovered. her blue eyes hazy with satisfaction. He gently settled her upon her bed, untying the monkey pajamas and sliding them down her legs. She was naked under them and before she could move, he was between her thighs, his fingers pulling the slender columns apart, staring down at her pink flesh. Jared could see the wetness on that delicate flesh as it shimmered in the bit of light that came in through the open door. He could smell her arousal and the musk of her passion mixed with the scent of her skin. It was a scent he would never be able to forget and one that he breathed deeply of now. His hands trailed over the satiny softness of her skin, gentling his touch as he saw the bruises on her body from his earlier possession. He kissed each bruise, whispering his apology into her skin. His eyes were filled with pain at the thought of hurting her and Tessa reached down, lifting his chin so that she could see his him. "I bruise easily, Jared. But more importantly, I enjoyed each one of those bruises so stop apologizing." She smiled as he gave her a doubting look. Taking his hands, she placed them on her breasts, squeezing her hands over his so that he held her breasts tightly, her nipples hard points against his palms. A moan left her lips and she cried out her pleasure. "Please," she whispered. "Make love to me like you did before." Her hands went to the scrub shirt he wore, yanking at it until he lifted up, allowing her to pull it off. Her eyes lit up as they roamed over the hard plains of his body, rubbing her hands over him, kneading his flesh. She ran soft fingers down the line of hair that flared just before the scrubs were hiding her prize. Her nails scraped over his nipples and he sucked in a gasp, letting it out slowly. With desperate hands, she pushed against him, rolling him to his back. Her palms ran over his flesh, moving up and over his chest, sliding through the soft hair under his arms before pulling his arms over his head and wrapping his fists around the wooden slates of her headboard. "Stay there," she whispered, her mouth finding his. She kissed him with a passion that sent fire shivering down his nerve endings. It left no doubt in his mind. He'd found his mate, he could just never claim her. Cassius and Kalina would kill her with as little regard as they had when trying to kill him. If it hadn't been for Castor... "You're thinking," she whispered. She slid down his body, her fingers making fast work of the bow he'd made in the ties of the scrub pants. They fell open, exposing his cock in all its erect glory. Her eyes grew wide as she stared at it, before finally reaching out and cupping him with her hand. "I guess I'll just have to come up with a way to get you to stop," she whispered. As he watched, his hands twisting against the wooden slates where she'd placed them, her mouth opened and that soft pink tongue he'd been fantasizing about slid between her wet lips. He watched as she ran it up one side of his cock, moaning as she discovered the taste of their mixed juices. "We taste good," she whispered, glancing up at him from under her long, thick, lashes. "You're killing me, Tessa." She smiled at his words before taking the head of his cock in her mouth. Her tongue teased the sensitive ridge before she slid down on him, taking as much as she could of him into her mouth. Jared fought his reactions to what she was doing, wanting badly to thrust his hips up into her face, to force her to take more of him. He wanted to grab her, hold her while he fucked her mouth. A low growl built in his throat and he felt his body shift. His hands cramped around the wooden slates and he heard one crack. "Stop!" he shouted, not knowing if he meant her or himself. Tessa lifted her head, shocked. "I ... Did I do something wrong?" she asked huskily. He was shaking his head before the negative came from his mouth. "No, it wasn't you. Tessa ... God, you're perfect. You're beautiful, and kind, and loving, how could any man not want you? But..." He sat up, glancing around the room as if the answer to his problems could be found in some corner. Taking her hands in his, he pulled her closer. "I'm not a man." Tessa stared at him in confusion. "Is this ... Is this more from the head injury, Jared?" she asked finally. "No." He stopped and chuckled, realizing how what he'd said had sounded. "I guess I should have said that differently. I'm not only a man, Tessa. I'm not completely human." "Are you saying you come from another planet? That you're an alien?" "No, no, I'm from this planet." He sighed. "I guess the only way to explain is to show you." He got up off the bed, letting the scrub pants fall to the ground and stepping out of them. "Don't run, Tessa. I promise you on my life that I won't hurt you." "Jared, you're scaring me," she said slowly and then she couldn't say anything else. His body shimmered in the light that came from the living room, a light that seemed to change angles around him even as she heard strange and slightly gross sounds coming from his body. His bones cracked, tendons stretched and changed shape, cartilage shifted. She watched as his face changed, growing rounder, black fur sprouting even as he grew a muzzle, his nose growing flat and black. His eyes changed shape, the green changing until it was green mixed with amber. He fell to the floor, rising on four powerful legs. When the change was finished, standing before Tessa was a black tiger. She rose from the bed, unaware of her naked state in her awe of the creature standing before her. "Jared," she whispered, one hand reaching out tentatively to touch his ears that were now round and incredibly soft with fur. "Is that really you?" He nodded his big head, his intelligent eyes looking up at the beautiful vision of Tessa. His senses changed when he did and he could smell her arousal. It went straight through him like an arrow, lancing through his loins and he felt his cock start to grow. Tessa dug her fingers into the softness of his fur, trying to force herself to believe what she was seeing. The man she'd taken in, the man she knew nothing about except for the emotions she was beginning to feel for him, was some kind of ... were-tiger? So caught up in her own thoughts, she almost screamed when she felt his nose press between her legs, his long, incredibly thick and wet tongue stroking across her sex. "Uh," she grunted as that tongue managed to flick across her clit. "Jared, what are you doing?" He nudged her back toward the bed, ignoring her questions and her protests. Pushing her back, he kept his head between her legs, laying one giant paw next to her hips. There was the musky taste of his seed on his tongue, but under it, as sweet as a summer peach, was the taste of her. Tessa writhed under his tongue, the rough texture feeling like heaven against her clit. He licked and tasted her from her tiny rosebud to the top of her slit, making a strange grunting purring sound deep in his throat. Passion coiled deep in her loins, hard and almost painful. She couldn't stop wriggling, her thighs now opened wide for him, wanting the ecstasy she knew he offered. "God, Jared, don't stop, don't ever stop!" Then it splintered inside of her, letting loose a tide of pleasure that rushed from her loins, filling every part of her from the tips of her toes to the top of her head. She screamed his name when she came, her entire body going stiff and shaking. Jared growled, fighting his beast, wanting to be inside of her. She'd never handle the size of him as a tiger, he'd rip her apart. Just that thought sent the beast deep inside and he pushed her over to her belly, his body once more human. The need to mate was an overwhelming desire within him and he plunged his hard cock deep inside of her, his body taking over even as his mind fought what he was about to do. His hands pulled at her blonde hair, lifting her head, forcing her to see him even as she came down from her orgasm. "You're mine," he growled, his mouth full of the fangs of his beast. "Say it," he growled, his eyes warning her not to argue with him. To Love a Tiger Ch. 05 "I-I-I..." Tessa took a deep breath and swallowed harshly. "I'm yours," she managed to finally whisper, hearing him roar as he began to thrust hard and deep into her from behind. He dipped his head and she screeched as she felt him bite into her shoulder, the pain sudden and overwhelming. The pain disappeared as suddenly as it had started, pleasure slowly and inexorably taking its place. The bite numbed and heat radiated down from it, into the pit of her stomach where she could feel him plunging. There was a strange feeling deep inside of her and something seemed to shift as if making room inside of her for something new. He turned his head again, this time fully human, her blood staining his lips. His eyes were full of sorrow and self-loathing and he kissed her gently, sharing the taste of her blood. "I'm sorry, little one," he groaned. "I couldn't stop myself." "Stop?" she asked, even as she flung her head back, her blonde hair flinging in his face. "Ahh," she cried. "What's happening to me?" "You're changing," he whispered, feeling her begin to shift. His beast roared from deep within and he let him loose, changing with her. When it was done, she lay beneath him panting even as another orgasm approached, feeling his fur against her own. She opened her mouth, a strange roaring cry coming from her. It was answered by him and she felt his teeth dig into the loose skin at her neck, holding onto her even as he continued to thrust into her, grunting low in his throat. She felt the first swell of his seed as it poured into her and screamed as it triggered another orgasm, this one even more intense. Her claws dug into the bed beneath her, ripping at the soft cotton sheets and into the fabric of the mattress. Tufts of batting caught and were pulled free of the mattress, riddling the ripped sheets as she fell forward onto the bed. Jared pulled free of her when he caught his breath, standing back to admire her beauty in this form. She wasn't as orange as a tiger, her fur more golden with streaks of white and the dark black of her stripes. Her face held more white than orange and when she opened her eyes, her gorgeous blue eyes shone, the same gentle intelligence gleaming from their cat shape. You're beautiful like this, he said in her mind, startling her. She rose from the bed, turning to stare at him. What did you do to me? she asked, and he could hear the panic even in the thought sent from her mind to his. I mated with you. He dropped his head, ashamed that he'd done so without her consent. I tried to stop, Tessa. I didn't want to do this to you. Ignoring his words, she padded to the mirror on the wall, staring at herself. She blinked her big eyes, turned sideways and flipped her tail in the air, walked away from the mirror and stared at herself over her shoulder. I'm a tiger, a real tiger. She turned to stare at him. That was your brother that broke into my house, wasn't it? That's why you were so determined to leave here. Yes, he answered, amused by how she'd been looking at herself in the mirror. I didn't want him coming back. If I'm not here, there's no reason for him to return. But now, will he know you've done this? I left my mark on you, he thought with a strange combination of pride and shame. You are mine and he will know if he sees that mark or scents me on you. So there is no reason for you. "to leave?" she finished, changing back into her human form. She did so with an ease that had Jared speechless. He changed as well, his eyes following her as she wandered naked around the room. There was a new confidence about her, a new sensualism that was almost impossible for him to look away from. His mouth went dry and she turned her head, staring at him from over her marked shoulder, a small smile touching her lips. "Well?" she asked softly. "Uh, well what?" he asked dumbly. Tessa turned, her amusement trickling forth as a husky chuckle that rammed into him with the gentleness of a bull dozer. His eyes followed her every move as she sauntered toward him. Her fingers traced the small scar that was all that was left of the deadly slice his brother had given him. "You don't have to leave now, do you?" she asked, looking up at him and nibbling on her bottom lip as she waited for the answer. To Love a Tiger Ch. 06 Author's Note: In case anyone is curious, Marcus is related to Lukah Alexandros from one of my best selling novel, Pick of the Litter. I kind of like bringing back characters or relatives of characters in my stories. I hope you enjoy his part in this novel. Take care and Happy reading! *************** Chapter Six Deputy Chief Georgina Hunter sat in her office nibbling daintily on a small piece of chocolate candy, her eyes half closed as the first bite melted upon her tongue. She looked feminine and pretty, sitting at her desk, the pink hat laying on a small stand behind her. But then her eyes went to the file and grew hard and her body was ramrod straight as she stared down at the DMV picture of Tommy Bigelow that she'd gotten from her computer. He'd been a good looking kid, holding down a B+ average at the local high school. He worked nights since he was fifteen. He lived with his mother and three younger sisters in a small apartment on the poorer side of town. The kid hadn't been given much of a break but he seemed the type to work hard for what he had. Just under the clipped picture were the crime scene photos. Georgina tossed the rest of the chocolate into her trashcan before looking at them. The kid had been torn apart, there'd been no doubt about that. She knew who'd killed the boy the instant she'd seen what was left of him. Now she had a report to make and a phone call as well. She had to leave it up to their police to handle this case and it pissed her off to no end. "Chief?" She looked up to see the youngest of her homicide detectives standing in her doorway. He was a good looking officer, with only three years on the force. Something about him had called to her though, so when he'd passed his detective's tests and got his gold badge, she'd made room for him in her department. It didn't hurt that he was six feet four inches tall with shoulders that almost touched the door frame he was standing in. She swallowed harshly, trying to force some saliva into her mouth so that she could answer him. "Yes, Detective?" Marcus Alexandros stared down at the small human female, smelling her arousal and letting it flood through him. She was such a contradiction, looking so feminine and beautiful but with a will and a spine of steel. Maybe it was the contradictions that had him so ensnared, he didn't know. He did know that coming to work each day was definitely one of his favorite things to do. He took a few steps into her office, letting the door close softly behind him. "They just called up with the preliminary on Tommy Bigelow. He was eaten, ma'am," he said respectfully while his imagination and libido was picturing pushing everything off of her desk and laying her down on it, stripping off that feminine frippery she always wore and getting down to the woman beneath it. He could just imagine how her skin would taste under his tongue, how she would feel against him. He could almost hear her calling his name as he slid his cock inside of her, her nails in his back as he brought her to orgasm after orga... "Detective? Are you listening to me?" "I'm sorry, ma'am," he said quickly, gathering his scattered wits. "I was thinking of something else." "Well get your mind back on your work, Detective. Anything off the tox screen yet?" "We got the prelims on that too, nothing more in his system than a bit of pot. Tommy was pretty much a straight shooter. He didn't deserve what happened to him." "Not many homicide victims do," she said, glancing up at him. "You have the most unusual eyes, Detective." "Uh, thank you, chief," he said with a big grin. "Is there anything else?" she asked after a moment's silence that was starting to grow uncomfortable. "No, ma'am." "Good, then grab your jacket, it's time you learn how to do a relative notification." Marcus swallowed hard. "Yes, ma'am." He turned and headed out to his desk, grabbing his jacket and sliding it on before sliding his duty weapon into its shoulder harness. Then he sat and waited for her to come out of her office. She walked out with an air of authority that was undeniable even in that wide brimmed pink hat. Going up to the murder board that had been set up, she picked up one of the magnets and put the picture of Tommy Bigelow on it. "Okay people," she said softly, a bit of southern twang in her voice. "Detective Stewart, I need you to go out to the high school and talk to Tommy's friends. I want to know what they have to say about him there. Lieutenant Davis, Tommy worked at Digg's Pizzeria. Head out there and talk to his boss. I want to know if Tommy was having problems with anyone, or had been getting any threats." She turned, staring at an empty desk. "Where's Sergeant Frakis?" she asked the room. "Right here," Deborah Frakis said, coming through the door with a file under her arm. "I was getting more from the morgue, chief." Georgina crossed her arms under her breasts. "And..." The auburn haired sergeant sat the folder on her desk and opened it, holding out a sheet of paper to her boss. "Tommy's hand wasn't bitten off, it was pulled off. Do you know the amount of force it would have taken to do something like that?" "Meaning?" Georgina asked. "Meaning that someone had to be holding his hand in place, someone with incredible strength, while someone else pulled." "Like making a wish," Marcus whispered, but Georgina heard him. "That is ... disturbing to say the least." She glanced at the paper in her hand before handing it back to Deborah. "Six copies of that, one for the murder book, one for the board and the other four to the appropriate files. Don't send it up to the big man yet, I want to talk to him myself before he sees that. Thank you, Sergeant. When you finish that, please go back to the scene and talk with that couple again. I want to know what they saw, heard, smelled, just ... just get me everything." Deborah nodded and then turned to head to the copy room while everyone else got to work on assignments. "With me, Detective Alexandros," she said, motioning him with her hands. Then she left the room, knowing he was following right behind her. * * * * Jared stared down at his mate, the urge to nibble on that delectable bottom lip that she held between her white teeth was almost too much to ignore. She was different now, more aware of her sensualism and the effect it had on him. He liked it. No. He loved it. That would be a more accurate statement. The woman had been pretty irresistible before, now she was mind blowing. "Jared?" she asked softly, reaching out and stroking the scar he'd gotten from his brother. He shivered under her touch and she smiled. "You don't have to leave now, do you?" "You're still in danger." "But between the two of us, the danger isn't as much of a threat, is it?" She took another step toward him, the tips of her breasts brushing against his skin, her hands going to his waist. "I don't think you want to leave me." She whispered the words, words that had been going through his mind. "No," he growled, wishing he had the strength to deny her. "I don't want to leave you. I love you." The smile that spread across her face changed it from pretty to breathtaking. He couldn't look away. His hand came up, his fingers touching her cheek gently, brushing a strand of her hair away from her eyes. "I'd give a lot to know what was in here," he whispered, touching her temple. "You've only to ask, Jared." "Tell me?" Her smile grew until it was brilliant. "I love you, too." "Really?" he asked softly, his heart racing as he heard the words he'd longed to hear for what felt like so long. "Why do I feel as if it's hard for you to believe that any woman could love you, Jared? What happened to you to make you feel like that?" Jared bent his head, his eyes going closed, his cheek brushing hers as he remembered the cruel taunts, the jeers that had been thrown at him since he was a kit. He'd been born black as the night, no stripes discernable anywhere on his fur. His father had taken one look at him and had wanted him taken away, thinking him defective. If it hadn't been for his mother, he would have been killed that day. But she'd taken one look at her first born and had fallen in love, stripes or not. She gathered him to her, licking him clean even as Cassius had been born. Cassius had been everything his father could have hoped for, a real son, not one whose coloring was so strange. In a world where being different could get you killed, Cassius was perfect. But Jared was first born; no one could deny that, though his father tried. All his life, he'd been pushed away, ignored, punished for being something strange, a tiger with no stripes. "You've seen me," he said softly. "I see you now," she said, reaching up to lift his chin so she could see his eyes. "You're gorgeous, whether it's as a man or as a tiger, Jared." "I'm strange, a mutant, Tessa. How can you not see it? I have no stripes." "You have stripes, Jared. They're just rather hard to see. Besides, who cares anyways? You are worth more inside. You are a good man, Jared. You're kind, loving, strong and protective. Who cares about a stripe or two when they get to know you?" "My kind," he said softly though he felt a spurt of hope deep inside that if she thought the way she did, maybe others would too. Maybe if they could see him as she did ... But he pushed that thought away. It was foolish to hope, especially after what happened. "I was first born in my litter, my parents' first litter. As such, when my father was too old to lead, it was up to me to take on the mantle of leader." Tessa tilted her head to the side, intently listening to his words while she stared into his beautiful jade colored eyes. The emotions she could see in them told her more than what just his words would. He didn't believe he deserved to be leader. "I never realized how badly Cassius wanted what he thought I had." Jared ran his hand over her skin and then took her hand, entwining his fingers with hers and leading her back to the bed when he saw her shiver. "Then there is Kalina. Her parents were killed in a flash fire long before we moved into the enclosure. When they realized that they were trapped, they put their bodies over their cubs, protecting them from the fire. Only Kalina and her litter mate, Stavaros, survived." Tessa climbed back under the covers, holding them opened for him to follow her. He looked at that space with such longing, then resolutely turned his back. "I can't, not if you want to hear this." Instead, he reached for his scrub pants, pulling them up his long legs. "Kalina lived with us. She was still a young kitten and my mother had just given birth to another litter, so she nursed Kalina and Stavaros. Stav was never very hardy, he had been almost dead when his parents' bodies were found. But Kalina made a full recovery. My father and Kalina's father had been friends for years and he'd decided that to keep Kalina safe, she would mate with the leader of the ambush." "Ambush?" Tessa asked, sitting up and wrapping her arms around her legs while she watched him pace. "A group of tigers living together is called an ambush or a streak, Tessa," he explained patiently, turning to make another circuit of the small room. "So when you became leader, you mated with Kalina." She tried to keep all expression out of her voice but even she could hear the bit of jealousy that sneaked in. "No, we never mated. One or the other of us would always have a reason to put it off. You are my true mate, Tessa, never Kalina." Her smile made him catch his breath and he had to force himself to stay away from her. All he wanted right now was to climb back into bed with her, to make love with her until he was too weak to lick his lips and then hold her in his arms for the rest of the night. "I ... I found out the reason Kalina didn't want to mate with me the night you found me. She brought me to the village center where Cassius was waiting with the rest of the village. She took me right to him then pretended innocence when Cassius declared his challenge to me." "She betrayed you? Oh God, Jared, how could she do that to someone she loves?" "She doesn't love me, Tess. I don't think she even loves Cassius. I think she got caught up in the middle of all of this the same way we all were, because of the dictates of my father. I should have never been made leader of the ambush when the others didn't want to follow a freak of nature. Cassius should have been leader in the first place. I got all caught up in the thoughts of finally being accepted that I couldn't have given it up." He turned and went to the door of the bedroom, casting a long shadow that covered her on the bed. "I should never have been born," he muttered caustically. Tessa threw back the covers and hurried to his side, grabbing his arm and forcing him to face her. "Don't say that," she said frantically. "Don't ever say that." "Don't you see, Tessa? If not for me, my brother would be alive. Cassius would be leader and Kalina would be his mate, because of love, not duty." "Your brother?" "Castor. He was the youngest of us three boys. He was also the sweetest. He loved us all. He never saw me like the others did. When Cassius challenged me, I turned my back on him, trying to stop what was happening. Cassius came at me from behind with his knife. Castor tried to stop him and Cassius, in his blood lust, ripped Castor's throat out." He stared down into her striking features, finally seeing that he was grasping her arms with a grip hard enough to bruise. Releasing her, he dropped his head, ashamed for her to see the tears in his eyes, tears of guilt and of pain. He couldn't help but remember Castor's voice, he loved to sing and his voice could make you weep with the beauty of it, whether he sang some pop tune or any of the spirituals that his mother had loved so much. "Let me guess," Tessa said harshly, "your brother Cassius blames you for killing Castor." "Yes. I can't blame him. If I had stood up to him, it wouldn't have happened." "Well, I can," she said in disgust. "Cassius planned it all, Jared, you know that. He must have known that you wouldn't fight him, that you didn't want to hurt him. He must have known that you'd have walked away." "What kind of leader does that make me?" He pulled away from her then, wanting badly to destroy something, to ebb the rage that he felt inside at the memories that were pouring forth. "I couldn't even stand up against my brother." Tessa stared at his bare back, seeing the tension in the rigid way he held himself. She sighed, unable to figure out how to reach Jared, how to make him see himself the way she did. Worse, she knew if she failed at this, Jared would leave her, thinking he was no good for her. The tiger inside roared her rage at that thought and she knew, if Cassius were here now, she'd rip him apart if she could. "Jared..." she began, only to hold up her hands helplessly."I don't know the words to use to make you see yourself like I see you. God, what kind of English teacher am I?" "Tessa..." He looked up as there was a pounding on the front door. Reaching down, he picked up the scrub shirt that was on the floor. "I'll see who that is while you get dressed." Tessa nodded, watching him leave the room, his face set, his eyes hard. She hurried to her dresser, yanking open drawers and pulling out the first thing that came to hand. With a sigh, she set her own features, hurrying to dress. She had a man she had to make realize she couldn't live without, no matter what he thought his faults were. * * * * Georgina stared at the building that they were walking up to, noting the graffiti on the front stoop, gang symbols done in broad strokes of a spray paint can. Tommy Bigelow had faced more in his young life than she'd first thought. To die at the hands of one of the weres that were in this town seemed too sad to even think of. "It's five C, chief," Marcus said quietly from beside her as she seemed to be perusing the buttons beside the barred door of the building. "Thank you, Detective," she said, looking up at him. "Did you notice the gang tags on the building?" "Yeah, the Toros, hardcore." Marcus glanced back at the graffiti. With a start, he realized what the chief had been thinking. "Damn," he said softly. "Yes," Georgina said. She sighed and forced herself to relax, feeling the tension in her shoulders and neck and the headache that was starting to form because of it. "Let's get this done." She reached out and pressed the button on the board, waiting a few seconds before she hit it again. When a nervous female voice answered, she identified herself. "Mrs. Christina Bigelow? Could we come up and have a word with you?" "Uh, sure," the voice said and then a buzzer sounded and the door lock clicked. Marcus reached out and opened the door, holding it for Georgina. "We don't tell her that we're homicide," she said softly to Marcus. "When you get inside, ask her if she's alone. Ask if we can sit down with here. We don't want her standing when we give her this information. Ask when the last time she saw Tommy was. We need information before we give her news that possibly could have her falling faint at our feet. Got it?" Marcus nodded but he could feel sweat starting to bead on his forehead. It could also have something to do with the five flights of steps they were walking up. When they reached the fifth floor, he wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. "You okay, Detective?" Georgina asked, seeing his face was white. "Yes, chief," he answered determinedly." He headed down the hallway to where a door stood slightly cracked. There was a crooked "C" on the heavy wooden panel. Georgina knocked on the wooden frame and only had a few seconds wait until the door opened and a haggard looking woman answered. By the file Georgina had, she knew the woman wasn't much past the age of forty but she looked much older. Her eyes were shadowed and there was a hardness there that didn't seem natural. Her hair was straggly, pulled back in a messy ponytail, most of the blonde gone to gray. "Is this about my Tommy?" Her eyes moved quickly from one to the other of them. "I checked his room, he isn't home yet. The pizza place he works for closed hours ago. Please, is he okay?" "Mrs. Bigelow, is there anywhere that we can go to sit down?" Marcus reached out to take her arm, seeing how the poor woman's body was shaking almost uncontrollably. "Yes, sure." She turned, leading them into a neat living room. The furniture was old and stained, but everything was almost strictly in place and the floors were so clean it looked as if you could eat off of them. "Can I get you anything?" "No, ma'am. Sit down please. Are you home here alone?" "N-no, my daughters are asleep in their room. Is this about Tommy?" She reached out and grabbed hold of his sleeve, her eyes pleading with him to tell her that everything was okay. "When was the last time you saw your son, Mrs. Bigelow?" Marcus asked, gently covering the woman's hand with his. "I-I ran into him when I came home from work. He'd been home with the girls before his shift. He walks them home. The gangs in the area you know?" "Did Tommy have problems with the gangs here?" Georgina kept her eyes locked on the woman's. "No more than anyone else. They harass everyone. If parents were allowed to discipline..." She stopped talking and shook her head. "Was Tommy hurt by the gangs?" Georgina turned and looked at Marcus, nodding her head for him to give the poor woman the news that was probably going to destroy her. "Ma'am, I'm so sorry to have to tell you, your son was killed earlier tonight when he was delivering pizza." Mrs. Bigelow began to shake her head, looking from one to the other of them. "No! You're wrong. It's not my Tommy, it's another boy." To Love a Tiger Ch. 06 "No, Mrs. Bigelow. We were able to match his fingerprints to those that the school had taken from him a few years back. I'm so sorry, but it is your son." Christina broke down, sobbing as her heart was broken. "Not my Tommy, please." Georgina rose from where she was sitting and went to sit down next to the distraught woman. She put her arm around her, gasping just a bit when Christina turned and grabbed hold of her as if she couldn't bear any more. "Is there someone we could call?" Marcus asked softly. The woman seemed then to remember that they were there and almost seemed surprised to be wrapped around Georgina the way she was. She took an unsteady breath and then another, visibly pulling herself back together. "N-no. There's no one. Can I see him?" Marcus shook his head. "Ma'am, I wouldn't recommend it. It's better if you remember him the way he was." "Was he shot?" "We aren't exactly sure of the cause of death yet, Mrs. Bigelow." They stayed for a few moments more, answering what questions they could before letting the woman know they'd keep her in the loop and standing to leave. Marcus was quiet as they left the apartment. He would be making some phone calls when he got home to a certain cousin of his to see if there was anything that could be done to help Christina Bigelow and her two girls. After all, a were had destroyed part of their lives it was up to another to help out. "What are you thinking?" Georgina asked. "Sometimes life just sucks." She laughed, earning her a strange look from Marcus. "You're a little young for that outlook on the world, aren't you?" "I'm older than you think, chief." "I've seen your jacket. It has your age included." It had the age he wanted those around him to believe he was, not his actual age. His jacket said that he was twenty-eight, add an extra hundred or so years and it was closer to the truth, but not too many humans could handle that. He just wasn't in the mood to argue about it. "It gets to me, seeing people like that and the hardships they have to endure while others make their living off the sweat and tears of people like Christina Bigelow. I just think it's unfair." "No one said life was fair." She glanced at him as they started down the long flights of stairs. "You handled that very well." Marcus smiled. "Thanks, chief. I've watched you do it enough, I guess it just sunk in." They were at the front door when it happened. Marcus reached for the door knob only to have the glass in the window blow up in his face. He turned, holding his hand up to protect his features when he felt the first bullet penetrate into his shoulder. Without a thought to himself, he grabbed Georgina and pushed her down, covering her body with his own. Two more bullets hit him, one in the thigh, the other in his back. Then he heard the sound of squealing tires and the gunfire had stopped. He looked up cautiously, then stood, going to the door to see if he could get a license plate number. It was too late, the perpetrators were long gone. "Are you okay?" he turned to ask Georgina. She was sitting up, staring at him in shock. "What are you? You were shot three times and you're still standing. What the hell are you?" To Love a Tiger Ch. 07 "I-I wasn't shot," Marcus blurted out, trying desperately to cover for himself. "Where did you get the idea I was shot?" Georgina walked up to him, putting her finger through the hole in his jacket that was tinged red with blood. "One, I saw it. Two, where the hell did this hole come from if you weren't shot?" "Killer moths?" Marcus asked, one corner of his mouth tipping up in a crooked grin. Georgina didn't bother with a reply; she pushed his jacket off of his shoulders, letting it fall to the ground while she started unbuttoning his shirt. Any other day, Marcus would have been in heaven, watching her pull the small buttons through their holes. He'd daydreamed about her doing this for a very long time, even before he became a detective. But not for the reasons she was doing it today. This could very well get him fired from the police force. She yanked aside his tie, pushing one side of his shirt open so that she could see a smear of blood and skin that was unblemished and whole. "I know you got shot. I saw the impact of the bullet when it went into you." She pressed on his skin, rubbing away the blood until she could see all of his shoulder. "You aren't human." It was an accusation and one that he couldn't deny. "No," he said finally. "I'm not human." "But you passed all your evals. I have the results in your file in my office. How did you manage that?" "It was a combination of things," he admitted. "Friends in high places as well as a little slight of hand work when it came to the physical. I've been trying to find a way to tell you since you took me into your squad, Chief. I didn't want to hide it from you." "You hid it from the entire force, why was I any different?" Georgina's eyes were on his chest, those wide firm muscles, the tiny brown nipples that lay flat against his skin, the small patch of black hair that started just below his navel and tapered into a thin trail that went inside his pants. She almost missed his words, so enchanted was she with that line of hair. "What?" she asked, looking up a bit dazed. "I said, you really don't know?" "No, detective. If I knew I wouldn't have asked." She tried desperately to keep her eyes above his open shirt and strictly on his face but her libido was having no part of that. It wanted to memorize every plain and ripple of magnificent flesh that he had. Marcus took a step forward and then another, backing Georgina into a corner and out of sight of the doorway. His hand came up, whipping the wide brimmed hat off her head, a hat that was smashed and ruined by her fall to the ground. Dropping it on the floor at her side, he slid his fingers up her arm until he was cupping her cheek with the palm of his hand. He tipped her face up, bending his head to let his lips brush across hers, slowly, gently, giving her every chance to pull away. For a moment, she stood there stiffly, shocked by what he was doing. Then his soft kisses grew longer, his mouth moving over hers, his tongue stroking gently across her lips, seeking entry. Georgina moaned, her hands coming up to wrap around his neck, one digging into the short hair at his nape. Her lips parted and his tongue snuck between, slowly investigating every nook and cranny of her mouth, dancing in time with hers. Flames leaped in her belly as she felt his hands slide down her back, slipping over the curves of her ass and filling his palms. He squeezed, bringing her up on her toes and rocking her hips into his, letting her feel the size of his desire for her. "Now do you know?" He stared down into her dazed eyes, smiling at the look of passion and confusion on her face. Then he kissed her again, putting every ounce of desire he could into that kiss. She pushed against him, trying to get closer, wanting to drag him to the floor right here and now and take him. The emotions he evoked, the passion was too much and she began to fight him. "Stop," she begged hoarsely as he dragged his lips from hers, dropping his head down to bury it in her neck. The smell of her skin, the taste of it, was like the sweetest of aphrodisiacs. He couldn't get enough. His mouth moved hungrily over her flesh, lifting her with his arms just a bit so that he could more easily reach her. She was so delicate, her bones so thin and tiny, he could break her with one huge hand. That thought gentled his touch and he nibbled on her collarbone, every whimper and cry she made going straight through him and lancing his belly with heat. Marcus could have made love to her right there, in that glass littered foyer, with its cracked and peeling wall paper and its stained carpet. But a new sound had him lifting his head and he pulled back from her, slowly lowering her back to her feet and cupping her elbows until she became steady. "We're going to have company." He nodded his head to the doorway where the sounds of police sirens rent the air. "Sounds like the neighbors called the cops." "Good," Georgina said, bending slightly to pick up her destroyed hat. "Oh no," she sighed. "This was my favorite hat." "I'll buy you another one, chief." Marcus's voice was soft, husky with the desire he still obviously felt. His hand touched her cheek once more and she lifted her face so that she could see him. "We need to talk about what just happened here, detective. But not now, and not here. My office in an hour," she said briskly, once more becoming the no nonsense cop despite the flush that covered her cheeks and her lips that were swollen from his kisses. "I also expect for you then to tell me why you have three bullet holes in your clothing but none in your body." "Yes ma'am." He held the door for her, watching her as she walked away amongst the arriving squad cars. She wouldn't get far, he had the keys. Looking down, he realized that his shirt was still unbuttoned and quickly fastened the stubborn disks, straightening his tie and picking up his suit coat from where it was laying on the floor. He swung it on, wanting to hide the blood stains on his shirt from the eyes of the cops. "What's going on Alexandros?" He turned, seeing one of the guys he used to ride with when he was on patrol. "Drive-by shooting, Milton. Deputy Chief Hunter and I were on a death notification. As we were leaving, a black Monte Carlo pulled up. It had tinted windows so I couldn't see who was in it. Then they started shooting." "What did you do then?" Marcus grinned. "I bent over and kissed my ass good-bye. Then I knocked the chief out of the way and covered her with my body." The officer closed the book he was writing information into and nudged Marcus. "You got to rub up against that?" The look in his eyes as he stared at where Georgina stood had Marcus's beast simmering and wanting released. He held him back, glaring at the officer. "She's your senior officer," he said, his voice dark and deadly. "Yeah, well a man can look, can't he?" "Not at her, not if the man wants his head on his shoulders to stay on his shoulders." "Damn, Alexandros, you were more fun when you were a poor working slob." The officer gave him one last disgusted look and then walked away. Marcus took a few steadying breaths, counting to ten and then ten again as he tried to calm both himself and the panther inside of him down. It wasn't easy, he could feel the beast's rage and it fueled his own anger until he wanted to slam some heads together. But finally, with a bit of a prayer, he was able to gain control again. When he was sure he could walk by Georgina without grabbing her to play tonsil hockey again, he started toward the car. "Did you give them a statement, Detective?" The formal tone of her voice had his beast up and prowling again, wanting to hear her moaning and whimpering like she'd been in that pathetic foyer. But he kept control, leashing the beast with promises of later. "Yes, chief." "I hope you left a bit of it out for discretion's sake." She glanced at him, her blue eyes huge under the rim of that ruined hat. "Of course. No matter what you think, Georgina, I'd never embarrass you." * * * * He might not embarrass her, but he sure as hell had her hot. Hearing her name come from his lips in that rich, sensual voice of his had her almost creaming in her panties. It wasn't fair that he could get her worked up with just the sound of her name. It wasn't fair that he was a subordinate and much too young for her. She was almost forty and he was young, and handsome and his kisses ... oh hell. Those kisses burned her up and made her feel alive. He wasn't human. She repeated that to herself as she got into the car, waiting for him to come around and slide into the driver's seat. He was one of them, the others that lived beneath the view of the city that ignored them. He was the thing that went bump in the night, the thing that mothers used to scare their children into going to bed at night. He was supernatural. Now she just needed to figure out which kind he was. "You aren't a vampire. I've seen you out in the daylight too often for that." She glanced over at him as he put the gearshift into drive and pulled away from the curb. "Are you a magic caster?" "No," he grinned. "But I know a few. Oh and you might not want to type cast. Lots of vamps can spend time in the sun; it just depends upon their ages" "This isn't a time for humor." She fumbled with the strap of her purse, muttering to herself for a moment. Marcus only caught a few of the words she was saying, each causing him to flinch as he knew they were directed to him. "How am I supposed to tell the chief this? You're a were, aren't you?" "Yes ma'am." "What kind of were? Are you a wolf?" She sniffed cautiously his way and he looked over at her, confused. "I'm allergic to dogs." "I'm not a dog, or a wolf. I'm one of the big cats, a panther to be precise." "Panther? I know of tigers and bears, rabbits and even snakes in the area, but I've never heard of panthers." She stared at him thoughtfully, chewing on one tapered and painted nail. Pink, he noted. She had a thing for the color and it did her justice, putting roses in her cheeks and making her blue eyes seem all that much more bright. He couldn't help but wonder if her underwear was pink and if she liked plain cotton or if she believed in satin. Marcus prayed for satin. It would be beautiful against her skin. "Detective, keep your eyes on the road," she said crisply, pointing forward with her finger. "Yes ma'am," he croaked. He licked his lips, seeing her eyes narrow in on his mouth. If he got any harder, he'd go up in a puff of smoke, he had no doubt. "I can't believe this. I just really can't believe this." Georgina kept glancing over at him. "How did a were get on my team? What am I going to say to the chief?" "Do you have to say anything, ma'am? I've been a productive member of your team for four months now. None of that has changed. Now you just know what I am and can use me more efficiently." Marcus could think of a few "efficient" things that Georgina could do with him and not one of them dealt with police work. But he kept those thoughts to himself, at least for now. "You want me to hide the fact that a were-panther is running loose at central?" "Running loose? You make me sound like I'm wild and uncontrollable." Marcus wasn't sure he liked what Georgina was saying. "You never would have known I was what I am if I hadn't been struck by those bullets. Right before that you were praising my sensitivity, now you're saying I'm uncontrollable?" "You kissed me," she spat at him. "Where was your control in that?" Marcus slammed on the brakes, steering the car to the side of the quiet street. He threw the gearshift into park and turned to face her. His voice, when he spoke, was low and controlled, but inside he fought against the beast that wanted to show her how wild he could be. "I would have wanted to kiss you even if I was just a man. Are you disturbed that I kissed you or are you disturbed that a were kissed you?" "You have no right to question me, Detective. I find your questions insulting. Do you really think that I am the kind of person to discriminate?" "Yesterday I would have said no, but then yesterday you didn't know who I am. Now there's a look in your eyes when you look at me and I don't understand it. Did you have some kind of run in with a were or something?" "Not that it's any of your business, but yes, when I was younger, I was accosted by a were. He was rabid and rogue, two very dangerous things, I found out." She waved a hand in front of her. "I don't want to talk about that. It has nothing to do with you. Department procedures state that we have to register weres when we find them." "I've never seen that in the procedures handbook." "It's not, it's something that only those that need to know, know. I would be in dereliction of my duty were I not to have you registered." "They'd take my shield," he said tightly, his anger simmering right below the boiling point. "They'd force me out of police work. It's all I ever wanted to do since I was a kitten." Georgina's head turned when she heard him call himself a kitten. That tall, sculptured, rugged body, his black hair just a tad longer than regulation, those intelligent and fiery green eyes, thinking of him as a kitten was just ludicrous. You could join the force that your kind has set up ... what is it called? Oh yeah, ASP. I know they have a branch in the city. I don't know why you didn't just join them instead of breaking human laws to join the police force. "My kind ... do you know how prejudiced that sounds coming from your mouth? I don't know what that rogue were did to you, but he really screwed up your head when it came to the rest of us. I'm almost two hundred years old and I've never heard of anyone as skewed as you, Georgina. "How old are you?" "I'll be one hundred and ninety-nine next month." He sat and glared at her. He could almost hear the wheels turning in her head as her eyes took on a slightly vacant look. "Georgina? Can't you look at this as how I can be an asset to the squad? You know I can smell other weres. I've got one of the sharpest noses around. I can also help with any supernatural cases. I know a lot of talented people. I have an in with one of the strongest magic casters in the area. He married my cousin. You could use me as an asset instead of forcing me to register to something that my kind doesn't believe in. We feel it's persecution, no one is forcing you to register anything but your car and your weapon." Marcus reached over and took her hand, feeling her fingers flutter against his own for a moment before lying still against his palm. "I'll think about it, Marcus. That's the best I can do." "I guess that'll have to suffice for now then. He caressed her slender fingers for a moment before letting them go and shifting into drive. Checking his mirrors, he pulled out, only to hear a car's tires shrieking from behind them. "It's our buddies from this morning," he growled, grabbing the wheel with both hands and speeding up. "Looks like they're here for round two." * * * * Tessa hurried to put on clothing, barely noticing the difference in her body as she did. If she'd looked in the mirror she might have been a bit stunned by the differences from her strictly human form. She was curvier, her muscles a bit more developed but she didn't look like a female body builder. The small tummy she'd developed since becoming a teacher was gone, instead her stomach was toned and flat. She walked taller and her hips swung with a sensualism she hadn't had as a human. Her hair seemed thicker, fuller, her eyes brighter and more direct. Even the tiny lines around her eyes and her mouth were gone. She moved with a deliberate power that was just plain sexy. Jared saw it; he couldn't keep his eyes off of her despite the intrusion of their guest, Detective Deborah Frakis. Handing Tessa the detective's card, he waved her into a chair and then sat on the couch, Tessa coming over to sit next to him even as she stared at the card in her hand. "Homicide? Is this about the poor pizza delivery boy?" "Yes ma'am." Deborah glanced around the room, noting the open bedroom door and the tufts of batting coming out of the bed. "Did you have more trouble after we left?" Jared followed her eyes and saw the mattress. "No. Tessa has a cat that's almost feral when anyone else gets around her. He wasn't too happy with me earlier." He shifted in his seat, moving closer to Tessa and wrapping his arm around her. "I love cats," Deborah said. "Could you call him? I'd love to see him." "After he tore up my bed, I set him outside for the night. He loves to explore." "Aren't you concerned after what happened here tonight that he might get hurt?" "No," Tessa answered. "He's pretty self sufficient. He was a stray when I took him in and I always figured he was doing me a favor by sticking around." "Cats can make you feel that way, can't they?" Deborah shifted in her seat and got out a notebook from her purse. She was a pretty woman with sharp features that were softened only by the light caramel color of her skin and the silkiness of her hair. But her eyes were all cop, direct and to the point. There was a hardness in them that said she'd seen too much of the seedier side of life. "In your statement you gave earlier, you said you heard growling and scratching at the front door. You didn't hear it anywhere else or hear anything else?" "There was some crashing noises like something fumbling in the bushes," Tessa said, lifting her head and meeting Deborah's eyes. "And some popping sounds, besides that, I can't remember anything else." "What about what you saw? Did either of you go to a window to see what was making the noises? Did you see any shadows or figures? Anything that would tell you who was making the noise outside?" "I opened the door," Tessa said. "I thought that the pizza I'd ordered had arrived. There was a man outside. I apologized for thinking he was the pizza delivery guy. H-he said he wasn't but that the boy had been delicious and then nodded toward a woman who was crouched down by the car. She was licking blood off of her fingers like it was maple syrup." "Do you remember what they looked like?" Tessa hesitated, glancing over at Jared. The question was in her eyes. Should she tell the truth? Jared's features were hard. One of the biggest dictates of their father for the many years he'd run the ambush was avoiding human contact. Humans were the enemies and could cause nothing but harm to their kind. If they ever knew what came to life in the dark of the nighttime hours, he shuddered to think of the response. Vampires had pets that they used as donors. Those pets were taken care of and no vampire that was sane would ever harm one of their donors. They also had security, someone to watch out for them while they slept, for they were very vulnerable at that time. But weres mostly stayed away from humans, unless one went rogue or rabid. Cassius had dug himself into a hole by killing that boy. With inscrutable features, he gave just the barest of nods to Tessa, his jaw moving as he ground his teeth in frustration. Cassius could have ruined in two minutes what it had taken his father generations to put together. "He was tall. He had black hair and brown eyes. They looked mean and kind of beady. His nose was a bit too big for his face and he had thin lips." "What about build?" Deborah was busy writing the description down in her book. She glanced up when Tessa didn't answer right away. "Did you notice his build?" "Strong, wide shoulders and a huge chest. He was wearing black motorcycle boots and a black leather jacket." "Good, very good. Do you remember anything about the woman that was with him?" To Love a Tiger Ch. 07 Once more, Tessa turned to Jared. This was his ex-fiancée she was about to give to the cops. Is that what he wanted? Jared nodded, sighing when she reached out and took hold of his hand, entwining her fingers with his. "She was stooped over by the car. I didn't get a good look at her." "But what did you see?" Deborah had her pen ready. "Black hair with a streak of white through it. It was long and she wore it freely. She was thin, pretty I guess." "You guess?" Jared smirked though he said it softly enough that Deborah missed it. Tessa smiled back at him, a slow, sexy smile that sent heat to his loins. "Definitely. She was pretty in a vapid sort of way." "Vapid?" Deborah eyebrows rose as she stared at the couple. "Yes, definitely vapid," Tessa confirmed. "But I'm afraid that's all I remember. The two of them had me pretty weirded out. He had blood around his lips and she was scooping it up from the pavement and licking it off of her fingers. I pretty much slammed the door in his face. Then those noises started and we called the police. That's all we know, Detective. I'm sorry that I can't give you more." "Do you think you could recognize him again? If we were to take you to the station and let you look through some mug books, do you think you could pick him out?" "Oh," Tessa glanced at Jared, her eyes begging for his help. "I-I don't k-know." "Tomorrow," Jared said, meeting Deborah's eyes for the first time. "She's been through quite enough tonight." "The sooner we can get her in to look at mug shots, the fresher the memory is in her mind..." "No." It was definite and Deborah took it as such. "Can we depend upon you coming in tomorrow?" "Yes. Once she has gotten some rest and recovered from the shock of what happened." Jared stood; his eyes letting her know that she'd overstayed her welcome. "Uh, okay, I'll let the chief know." She went through the door that he held open for her. Before she could say anything else, he had it shut and she heard the click of the lock. Jared stood at the door for a moment, listening as the detective moved away from the door and down the sidewalk toward her car. "You're a minx, aren't you," he said, stalking toward her slowly. "Vapid." He rolled his eyes. "Well, she was." Tessa laughed, getting up off the couch and backing away from him. "Come on, those white streaks went out with the Adam's Family." She skipped behind the couch, darting out as he came around the other way. "Oh, you want to play do you?" He chased her around the living room and then into the bedroom, catching her just as she made to leap across the bed. Grabbing her around the waist, he tripped on the clawed part of the mattress and they both fell onto the bed. "Gotcha!" He grinned, his heart feeling lighter than it had in years. "You cheated." "I did not!" "Did too," she said, sticking her tongue out at him. Jared stared down at the beauty that he held under his body. "You have a sassy tongue, my mate." "Is that the same as telling me you love me?" She smiled innocently up at him, laughing when he narrowed his eyes at her. "Do I really need to say it?" "Yes." She dared him with her eyes, her hands sliding over his back and playing with his hair. "I want to hear it." "Do you always get what you want?" "Yes." He laughed, dipping his head to kiss her until the room spun around her and she was moaning. "I do," he whispered. "I do love you." "I knew it." He laughed at the teasing sound of her voice. "Don't you have something to say to me?" He moved off to the side, his hand sweeping over her body. She sighed and arched her back, purring deep in her throat. "Such as?" "Tessa? Don't make me coerce it out of you?" "Coerce? That actually sounds kind of interesting. What would you do?" She reached up, touching his face with a gentle hand, her eyes never leaving his face. "I could tell you, but then where would the surprise be in that?" His hands caressed her skin, pulling off the clothing she'd put on such a short time ago. When she was naked, he grabbed the scarves that she'd put over the table lamps. With a wicked grin, he grabbed her hands, tying them together with one of the scarves and then tying them to the same headboard that she'd held him to. "What are you doing, Jared?" she gasped. "Shh," he ordered, taking the other scarf and folding it, then tying it over her eyes and behind her head. "Jared," she shivered under him. "What are you doing?' "I'm coercing you." His lips were against her throat, right under her ear, forcing another shiver from her. Slowly, he moved down her throat, holding her head still with one huge hand. He nibbled at her collarbone, chuckling lightly when she shivered again. His name left her lips on a sigh as she squirmed under him, her thighs pressing together as the need between became overwhelming. "Please, Jared." "Please Jared what?" he asked, cupping one of her breasts and lifting the firm mound so his mouth could reach her nipple. "I want you to f-fuck me." The sound of her sweet voice saying such a dirty word had his cock jerking inside his scrub pants. "And I want to hear you say that you love me. Who do you think will win?" He nibbled on the hard peak then trailed kisses to the other, running his tongue over the darker brown circle around her nipple. "Oh God!" she cried, arching her back and cursing when he moved away from her breasts. His mouth slid down her stomach, his hair tickling her skin and making her jerk. He moved between her thighs, parting them, his eyes on the beauty of her sex. His fingers were gentle on the softness of her inner lips, one running through the wetness that he'd caused then circling her clit. "J-Jared," she stuttered. "Yes baby?" "I love you," she growled. "Now, make me come!" "Your wish is my command, baby," he laughed. Then his mouth was on her, his teeth pulling on her clit before he sent his tongue on an investigation that had her whimpering. He reveled in her taste and her scent, enjoying every moan or scream she made. Then he focused on her clit, driving her passions and pleasures higher. "Stop!!" she cried, her hands struggling against the scarf that held them so securely. "I want you in me when I come. Please Jared," she begged, her voice husky and full of desire. He could deny her nothing, especially when she asked so very nicely. "Tell me you love me again," he ordered, reaching up and pulling his shirt over his head. "I love you." With a growl, he tugged down his scrub pants and rose above her, thrusting inside of her with one quick stroke. He slid halfway in, aided by her secretions. Lifting so that they were only joined where his body was quickly thrusting into hers, he stared down into her face, watching the expressions that came over her beautiful features. "I want to touch you. Please, Jared, let me touch you?" "Next time," he growled. "If you touch me now, this will be over before it's started." But he bent, finding her lips with his, kissing her with every ounce of passion and love he felt. When he pulled away, her mouth followed, wanting more. His thrusts slowed as he deliberately withheld her climax. She felt like wet satin around his cock, holding him in a silken embrace. Thrusting into her was bliss, hearing her cries as she fought to fuck him harder had him shaking. "God, Tessa. I never thought to feel like this about anyone. I never thought anyone would feel like this for me. Tell me I'm not still in a coma and that this isn't a dream?" Tessa felt the tears that wet the scarf covering her eyes. The words he'd just uttered tore at her heart for in them, she felt his pain and how the jabs and jeers of his kind had hurt him. "You aren't dreaming, my love. You're right here, with me. I love you. I'll never hurt you." His mouth covered hers once more and he quickened his strokes, slamming into her until she cried out and came apart in his arms. She shivered and shuddered against him feeling the heat of his seed as it pulsed inside of her. Jared collapsed on top of her, taking a moment to catch his breath before rolling to her side and pulling her against him so that her back was to his front. "Hmm, are you going to untie me?" He snuggled his face into her hair, breathing deeply of its fresh scent. "Nope." Tessa laughed though it turned into a groan and his hand covered one of her breasts, playing with her nipple like she was his toy. "Jared, untie me." "Shh," he whispered. "Go to sleep." Tessa shook her head, moving her butt against his groin until she was comfortable. "You're something else." "That I am, but you love me anyways." * * * * Georgina walked in front of Marcus as they entered the murder room. "In my office," she said, pulling off the ruined hat and stuffing it into one of the trashcans by the many desks. She followed him inside, setting down her purse. "So give me one good reason I shouldn't go to the chief right now and tell him what you are?" "Because then you wouldn't get to see me everyday?" She whirled around, stalking back toward him and pushing her finger into his chest. "Don't push me detective." He grabbed her hand, dragging her against him. "You do what you have to do, chief. But do me one favor, don't ever lie to yourself about how you feel about me or about what happened back there." He stared down into her blue eyes, seeing a fear that he didn't understand. "I'm a were-panther and I worked my ass off to be normal, to try and have a normal life. I wanted to be a cop. I went to school, I passed the evals and I work for you. I do a good job for you and maybe, if you keep my secret, I can employ some of my special talents for you." There was a knock on her office door and Marcus let her go, stepping back and turning his back to her. She called out entry in a shaky voice that had him feeling guilty as hell. "Chief, Alexandros has a visitor." "He'll be right out." Georgina went to the window that looked out on the murder room, her eyes meeting the eyes of the man who stood there. He was tall, dark hair slicked back into a ponytail down his back. His skin was pale, his eyes an icy blue that sent a shiver through her. He was wearing jeans that lovingly cupped what made him a man. A black tee shirt was tucked into them and he wore a long black duster over it. There was something about him that didn't seem right and then it hit her. The pale skin, the long duster ... he was a vampire. To Love a Tiger Ch. 08 Author's Note: I am dedicating this chapter to all of the readers who have commented on my stories or in emails to me. Just to emphasize...The stories that I am re-posting here are finished. The only thing I am doing to them before posting is to do a quick edit. They will all get finished. I am also working on a new chapter of Alpha Bravo. I understand that I have quite a few unfinished stories...mostly because I have been dealing with the fallout from a bunch of mini-strokes. They have done damage to the part of my mind that deals with memory and balance. Makes things a bit difficult. I hope you will all enjoy these RE-POSTS that are finished. Thanks! * * * * * * * * * * Chapter Eight Valerius Notte stood inside the murder room, his icy blue gaze touching upon every aspect. Being around humans with all their failing and unnecessary trappings made him itchy. If it weren't for the dictates of his Uncle, he wouldn't be here at all. He'd be holed up in some exotic location, preferably with a gorgeous redhead and a bottle of rare brandy. But no, his Uncle Marcus had to send him down here to check up on his namesake. He sighed, a wondrous feat for someone who didn't need to breathe and one that he used to his advantage whenever he could. A sudden feeling of being watched made his neck tingle and he turned, locking eyes with a pretty blonde. She was interesting for he could feel her dominance, her power. She might make this stay here in this Podunk town a bit more entertaining. When she turned, breaking their locked stare, he couldn't help but raise one brow. Not too many women could look away from him that way. Yes, she would make his stay more interesting. Now that she'd turned away, he wondered what she would taste like. He'd bet she'd be sweet. Her blood would go to his head like the finest of wines. A little niggling at his brain made him aware of Marcus Alexandros, the reason he was here. Who is she, cousin? She's off limits, Val. Val smiled and sank down into a chair. Well, you don't need to bare your claws, kitten. I was just asking. Now get out here so that we might talk and then I can report to Uncle like a good little vampire. One of these days... Yeah, whatever. He turned bored eyes toward the two heading toward him. Marcus seemed to be trying to block the little blonde female and he even growled when Val stood up at her approach. "Such loveliness is to be found in a police station? I'd never have believed it, Marcus." He took Georgina's hand, bending over it and placing the most discrete of kisses upon her palm. "I am enchanted, uh..." He looked askance at Marcus, ignoring the deadly stare the were-panther was giving him. "Deputy Chief Georgina Hunter, this is my cousin, Valerius Notte." "Oh but please, call me Val. All my friends do and I hope that we shall become intimately friendly," he said, his icy blue eyes meeting her gaze and snagging it firmly. "I'd love for you and your cousin to come into my office, Val," Georgina cooed, her southern accent coming across even more thickly. She knew of his kind, she knew of what they were capable of, but she couldn't help but be curious how a shape shifter ended up being a cousin of a vampire. "Lead the way, fair lady, and I shall follow faithfully in your wake." Val ignored the growled warning in his cousin's eyes, enjoying this interaction too much after days of traveling to find him. Georgina turned, feeling only a small spurt of fear at allowing a vampire to be at her back. She caught Marcus's eyes and he nodded, following behind Val until they reached the relative privacy of her office. Val spoke first, his eyes running over Georgina. "You have a lovely name, Chief Hunter. It suits you, feminine and soft but your surname adds a strength that is easily seen. Such a contradiction of terms. Just fascinating." Georgina wanted to cross her arms over her breasts, his gaze made her feel strangely naked. "Thank you. I'm curious though, how did a vampire such as yourself end up with a were-panther as a cousin?" "Oh, he's not my real cousin. The Alexandros line and the Wolfe line have bisected, his Aunt Callie Wolfe works with my Aunt Angel and Uncle Marcus. The title is sort of a familial thing. But you are right, a vampire and a were together is pretty much unheard of. Vampires tend to be the dominant of the two species." He walked around Georgina, his duster flaring with every step, reaching out and touching the flesh over her collarbone and then lifting his fingers to his lips. "Sweet," he sighed, closing his eyes as if savoring the taste. "Valerius," Marcus growled in warning. "No, detective, it's fine. I'm finding that the supernatural community is as fascinating as your cousin finds me." She stepped forward, tilting her head and staring at his mouth. It looked soft in a face that was all angles and plains. "May I see your fangs?" "Wouldn't you rather feel them, lovely?" He traced a line down her throat with his hand. "I'd love to taste you." "No," Georgia said after a moment. "No, I think not." She turned her back on Val and went to Marcus, lifting on tiptoe to place a kiss upon his lips, leaving no doubt in Valerius's mind upon whom she wanted to be with. "Go back to work," she said, reaching up to let her palm lie gently upon his cheek. "We shall talk after..." "It was nice meeting you," she said to Valerius. The vampire clicked the heels of his motorcycle boots together and gave her a small bow, a smile upon those soft lips. As they left the office together, she couldn't help but hear Valerius's parting comment. "Your taste is improving, little kitten. There might be hope for you yet." * * * * Cassius stood in the upstairs window of his house in the center of the ambush, his eyes lighting upon his people who were going about their daily lives as if Jared being alive were nothing to them. If they only knew what he'd sunk to, what he'd done to take over as head of the ambush, they probably wouldn't follow him. "You're thinking way too much, Cassius." "And as usual, you're worrying way too little, Kalina." He turned, rolling his eyes at the sight of his woman, her body dressed in what amounted to little more than a lace handkerchief. Silk covered the tips of her breasts and tapered to a small vee at the apex of her thighs, the red color making her hair shine even darker and her skin look even creamier. Even knowing her for what she was, he couldn't help the rush of blood that flooded his cock, making him so hard he thought he'd rip open the jeans he was wearing. "What do you want, Kalina?" He took two steps toward the bed, watching as she sank back upon the black comforter. "You," she purred. "Can't a female want her male to fuck her without there being some ulterior motive?" "Not you, Kalina. You always have some motive or another. I have the scars to prove it." Cassius stood beside the bed, his hand shaking as he reached out to brush his knuckles across the creamy skin of her thighs. "Oh poo," she frowned. "You have to know that I care about you Cassius. Otherwise I wouldn't have gotten involved with your scheme to take over. Jared was a freak. A freak that was pushed on me whether I wanted him or not. Your father decided that he was to be my mate, not any form of nature or need as it should have been. You were always who I saw whenever I was forced to bed Jared. If I didn't pretend he was you, I would have run from his bed." "Why am I having a hard time believing you? Oh, maybe it was because just last night you were crowing about his gentleness, his finesse. Maybe it was because you couldn't stop saying how you'd be his again when the ambush found out he was still alive." His hand reached out and he grasped the top of her silk and lace concoction, ripping it easily down to her crotch. "Now you claim to want me, to want to stay my mate." Kalina wasn't afraid of Cassius, not now. She knew his moods as well as she knew her own. He was violent, he was too intelligent for his own good. He needed her backing and she would give it, one hundred percent. Arching her back, she brought her hand up to touch the mark on her neck, the mark he'd given her when he took her as mate. Tigers weren't monogamous but a marked female wouldn't just be taken as any other female might. It was only after the first litter was born and accepted by her mate that a female tiger would become available for any who would ask her mate for her. For now, if Kalina wanted release, she had to go to Cassius for it for no other tiger would touch her. Not yet anyway. "I do want to be your mate. Can you not smell it on me? I come into my heat, Cassius. I am at estrus; I need you to fill me." She rose to her hands and knees upon the bed, turning her taut round ass toward him. "Take me, Cassius. Fill me with your seed. Let me help you start your own dynasty." Cassius couldn't resist the sight of her ass, so beautiful with a patch of silky black curls peeping from between her thighs. His hand came down hard upon one creamy smooth buttock, the sound like a clap of thunder. She squealed and he watched as her lips grew swollen upon her sex, and her juices began to seep, forming a glistening veil over her cunny. A low growl emanated from his throat and he slapped his palm once more against her soft flesh, his hand staying to roughly caress her bruised skin. His eyes saw red and he dipped his head, burying his face in her juicy flesh from behind. Kalina squealed again, her hands going to the headboard in front of her and grabbing hold tightly. His tongue was sliding over her, tasting her juices, finding every erogenous zone she had and teasing it roughly. She came once, just from his tongue on her clit, her high pitched cries heard throughout the village. "Oh, oh," she cried, turning her head to watch what he was doing. She reached back, grabbing a handful of his long hair and yanking him up. "Fuck me!" she ordered him. Cassius yanked on the jeans he'd pulled on when he'd left their bed earlier to stand at the window. Tearing them down his legs, he licked his lips, tasting her on his tongue. "I'm going to fuck you until you can't stand," he said in a deep gravely voice, his eyes on hers. "When I'm done, you'll never wonder who you belong too, you bitch." "I know who I belong to. There's never been any doubt." She gasped as he took hold of her hips, climbing onto the bed behind her and slapping her ass with one hand. She wiggled her ass under his hard blows, every one of them causing her to come closer to her climax. "Fuck me!" she shouted. Cassius pushed his cock into her cunny, feeling her juices covering him. She gave way slowly, her tight sheath stretching around his cock as if it were made for him and him only. He let out a long moan as he filled her, bottoming out in her, his head falling back against his shoulders. "You feel so fucking good," he growled, slapping her ass again. He pulled out until just the head of his cock was in her then slammed back in. Over and over he fucked her, feeling her come on his cock, her head thrown back and her screams of release echoing around the room. His own climax was just a will away, but he denied himself, wanting her to come just once more then once more again until she begged him to stop. Only then did he pull himself out of her, letting her collapse to the bed beneath him. Lifting up, he flipped her onto her back, seeing the satisfied look upon her face, hearing her sated sigh. Then he pulled her thighs open, ignoring her pleas and thrust back inside. Laughing, he jacked himself into her, holding her down with one hand when she tried to push him off. "You wanted me to fuck you, now shut up and let me do it." His other hand slid down her body, grasping her thigh and bringing it to his side, sliding her leg around his waist so that he could penetrate her all the deeper. "Can you feel me in there, touching your womb? I'm going to fill you with my cubs, Kalina and then there will be no doubt of whose mate you are, will there?" He grunted, letting loose of his hold upon his orgasm, letting it rush through him, smashing into his defenses and the brick wall he'd built around his heart. Calling forth his tiger, he let his mouth fill with fangs, burying his face in her neck as he filled her with his seed. Hearing her mewls of pleasure, he bit down on the marks of his mating; reaffirming the mark and his dominance over her. Her blood rushed into his mouth, filling it with the sweetness of that dark, rich liquid. Humans always claimed that blood was metallic or coppery, that it tasted like those metals. They didn't have the senses to taste blood in its pure form and enjoy it, not like the vampires or the weres. Kalina's blood was full of endorphins from the pleasure he'd given her. That sweetness filled his mouth, rushing over his tongue until he was hard pressed to pull from the wound. But he could feel her pulse weakening and knew that he must. She would bear his cubs, perfect tiger cubs with none of the imperfections of Jared. His line would be pure. Lifting his head, he licked her wound, sealing it with the magic of his kind. It scarred over, an ugly scar that was all the more perfect against the beauty of her skin. Her eyes fluttered closed and she slept while he watched, lying against her side, his hand on her lower belly where his babies would grow. His fingers were gentle but his eyes were hard. Jared couldn't be allowed to come back and take this away from him. He'd already robbed him of his brother, of Castor, brilliant, talented Castor with the voice of an angel and the sweetness to match. If not for Jared, he wouldn't have killed Castor. He closed his eyes, seeing his brother's face in his mind. He was always laughing, carefree, without the doubts and recriminations that Cassius had felt. How he'd envied him that. The satiated feeling that fucking Kalina always gave him was quickly swept away by his thoughts and he once more left the bed, bending to pick up his jeans and put them back on. Grabbing a tee shirt out of a drawer, he decided to go down and look for food and maybe conversation, something to get his mind off these maudlin thoughts. * * * * Tessa woke slowly, her eyes fluttering and a yawn catching her unprepared. She stretched, only then noting the hard body that lay next to her in the bed. A smile turned up her lush lips and she opened her eyes, seeing Jared looking at her. "Good morning," she said, leaning up and kissing his cheek. "You snore." Jared watched as her head whipped back around and she glared at him. "Well, thanks for telling me. What's with you this morning?" "I'm a tiger; I'm allowed to wake up grumpy." "Oh no," Tessa said, seeing his eyes and realizing his motives. "You can just knock the little guy out and forget about it. I'm not fighting with you this morning just to give you a reason to slam out of here and leave because you think you're not good enough for me." "Maybe I've just changed my mind after listening to you saw logs all night, did you ever think of that? No, you think you're so irresistible that I can't possible want to leave you." He turned his face away from hers knowing she would see the truth in his eyes and possibly in the way he was feeling. He'd woken way before dawn and had spent every moment since then staring at her as she slept. "No way, Jared. You are not getting away from me like this." She grabbed his arm, turning him to face her, amazed at the strength she felt. When he still wouldn't meet her gaze, she grabbed his face, lifting her mouth to his. He growled as he felt the softness of her lips against his. A sound that was almost a sob came from him and he grabbed her into his arms, his mouth taking over the kiss and making it one of heat. He sat up, bringing her with him to drape her across his lap, holding her in arms that were locked around her, unable to turn her loose. She struggled against him for a minute as his teeth mashed against her lips and she tasted her own blood in her mouth. Then the tiger in her rose, feeling the call of her mate and slowly the kiss changed, turning into one of almost overwhelming passion. Then she was free and Jared was out of the bed, pulling on the scrub pants that were all he had to wear. "No," he growled, staring at her. "No, I won't let you do this. I won't let you put yourself into danger for me. I don't care that you're a tiger now and able to take care of yourself. Kalina and Cassius were born tigers. For them, viciousness is innate and easy. They enjoy it, Tessa. They'd take you and kill you and enjoy every second of it because they know what it would do to me." Tessa sighed. She'd admired his sense of right and wrong before he'd changed her but now ... well it was annoying to say the least. "So you think I would be better off staying here by myself and letting you go and be the big, tough male to do the hard jobs, huh?" "No. You can't stay here. Not until this is over. We'll have to find you someplace safe, someplace that Cassius can't scent you. As soon as he sees me, he'll know I've mated and he'll know he can use you to get to me." He turned and opened up her closet door, seeing a suitcase sitting on a shelf above her neat row of clothes. Dragging it down, he opened it and started tossing clothing in. "I'm not leaving." Tessa spoke the words but he didn't stop, going to her underwear drawer and tossing a hand full of silky lingerie on top of a stack of jeans. "Dammit! Jared! I'm not leaving!" She finally seemed to have his attention and she quickly began to put her clothing back even as he emptied out more drawers. "Would you stop this?" she cried. "Fine, you don't want to leave." He slapped his hand to his head, bending over like a massive pain was overwhelming him. "I've suddenly got my memory back and the person who hurt me so badly ... oh my Gawd, it was you. You came at me with a baseball bat and a knife and when someone drove by, it snapped you out of whatever fugue state you were in and you reverted back to the sweet Tessa I knew in the hospital. That should keep you in jail long enough to keep you safe." "You'd do that to me?" she asked, feeling as if her heart were breaking. "To keep you safe, I'd do more." Tessa dropped the armful of clothing she was taking back to the dresser, sinking down on the floor. "All right," she said, looking up at him, tears in her beautiful eyes. "You win. I'll find somewhere to stay where you won't have to worry about me." "Tessa ... it's for your own good." Jared felt his heart breaking as he stared down at the tears on her cheeks. "Please, you've got to understand." "I understand just fine. You don't want me by your side, great. Only one thing, Jared. If you come out of this alive, I won't be waiting for you. You have to let me be at your side through good and bad, not just when it's convenient for you." "Tessa," he began, then he turned, gripping onto the dresser with a white knuckled grip to keep from picking her up and holding her to him. This was harder than anything else he'd ever had to do, including fighting Cassius. "I would die if anything happened to you because of me. I'd die if anything happened to you period," he whispered. But Tessa heard his words and came up fighting. "So you want to wrap me in cotton batting and stick me in a closet so that nothing can hurt me? Life doesn't work like that, Jared. You should know that. You can't protect me all the time." "But I can protect you from a threat that is my fault. That much I can do." "So what happens if by protecting me from one threat you're only leaving me open to others? Please, Jared. I'm begging you, don't do this. Let me stand beside you as your mate where I belong." For a single moment she felt hope blossom, then her heart sank as he turned away from her. "Get dressed, I'm taking you to stay with an old friend." To Love a Tiger Ch. 08 * * * * The trip took two hours with Tessa driving and Jared giving her directions. For a moment, she'd thought to argue with him, to refuse to get into the car, to do anything that would give her time to try and change his mind, but he was adamant. They headed north, driving through Ann Arbor and then further up, getting off the expressway near Bay City. Jared had her driving through back roads she'd never knew existed and turning off onto an old two track that looked as if it hadn't been used in decades. They bumped and banged down the old road, her poor little car bottoming out more than once. She groaned every time it happened, slowing down to an almost crawl by the time the two track opened up into a beautiful clearing, a huge lake peeping out from behind an old cabin. "Where are we?" she asked, staring at the cabin with a cautious eye. "You don't expect me to stay here, do you?" Jared smiled as he heard the panic in her voice. Wait until she met the man he expected her to stay with. Even as he thought that, the front door of the cabin opened and a mountain of a man stepped out. He was as hairy as a bear and as big as one as well. In his hands, he held a shotgun pointed at them. "Step on out of there and let me see who you are?" he called in a voice that rumbled deep in his chest. "Oh no, Jared. I am so not staying here. No way, uh uh, never. You can find me a hotel room and I promise to stay inside and eat room service but I'm not staying with Mountain Fred there." Tessa glared at Jared as he opened the door and stepped out, walking around to her side to pull her out of the car. "His name is Jack," he said quietly. "And you will be staying here." "Jared? Is that you boy? Who you got with you?" "Yeah, Jack it's me. I need a favor." "You're about the only one I'd do one for. What'd you need?" He sat the shotgun down, leaning it against the side of the cabin and coming off the porch. "Well, she's a pretty little filly, ain't she. She yours?" "Yeah, she's my mate and I need someplace safe for her to stay while I take care of some nasty business." "This nasty business don't have nothing to do with your brother, do it?" "I'm not getting into this with you Jack, will you help me or not?" "Don't get snippy with me, boy'o. I've known you and your mamma since you was a cub playing about her feet. If you need my help, you know you only got to ask. What's her name, anyway?" "Tessa," Jared said. "She's not happy about this at all. You might have to use a bit of force to keep her in place." "Stop talking about me like I'm not here," she grouched. "Then will you give me your word that you'll stay here until I come for you?" "What if Cassius wins? What if you never come for me?" "I'll know," Jack said. He reached into a pouch that was tied around his neck and pulled out what looked to be a stone. Covering it with his hand, he said some words that Tessa didn't understand, but she was impressed when a bright light came from deep within his cupped hands, shining brighter and brighter until she covered her eyes with her hand. Jack chuckled, drawing her eyes back to him as he held up the stone once more. It was bright blue and shiny, almost like a marble but it wasn't round. "Keep this with you, Jared. If you need help, just hold it in your hand and call my name. Remember, I was the one who taught your daddy a lesson once upon a time. I'm not afraid of that pain in the ass brother of yours." Jared took the stone, dropping it into his pocket. He reached back and took Tessa's suitcase out of the back of the car, handing it to Jack. Then he took one last look at Tessa before heading back to the car. He got all the way to the car door before she cried out his name. "Jared! Wait!" Turning, he opened his arms just in time to catch her, his head dipping to find her lips, groaning at the sweet taste of them. "I love you," she whispered. "You'd damn well better come back, you got me?" "I got you, baby," he said, feeling his heart come alive again. She kissed him one last time before stuffing something into his pocket and backing away. "Don't leave me here with mad Jack for long." "I won't." He got into the car, turning around in the clearing and heading out before his heart led him into doing something stupid, like going back for her. Tessa stood on the front porch, watching the tail lights of her little car disappear in the distance. "You'd better come back or I'll follow you to hell and make your life miserable," she vowed. Then she turned and entered the cabin. To Love a Tiger Ch. 09-10 Chapter Nine Marcus stared at the side of his car where the entire front panel had been sheared off by the punks in the Monte Carlo that had followed him and Georgina from the death notification. His eyes followed the line of scratches and dents and even a few stray bullet holes that were on the passenger door. "God dammit all!" he growled. "She could have been killed." "Yes, mortals are rather fragile, aren't they?" Valerius was leaning against another car, this one black with tinted windows. Marcus would bet it was bullet proof and the entire car, a BMW, was probably reinforced and held a few toys that weren't factory issue. "She's not just a mortal." Marcus glanced up at Val. "If you have to know, she's going to be my mate." Valerius gaped at him for a moment, then he threw his head back and started to laugh. "You're having one on me, aren't you?" he gasped, his accent heavier. "What do they call it here? Junking?" "Punking and no, you aren't being punked. I mean it, Val. I've been in love with her for three years." Marcus stared at the vampire as he laughed himself silly, finally leaning against the car and holding his ribs weakly. "Why is this so funny? "Have you told your Uncle Lucah yet?" "No, but I can't see how he'd have a problem with it. I mean, he married a human as well, so did Nashe and Dimitri. There all very happy. Look at Molly and Brady Knight? Or Callie and Shadow, they've all managed to make it work, why should I be any different? "Oh hell, Marc, I didn't want to be the one to have to tell you this. One of the reasons I was sent to hunt you down ... damn, don't go all beasty on me." Val moved to the other side of the car before saying anything else. He wanted to keep at least one thing blocking him and the easily angered Marcus. "What is it?" Marcus growled, once more looking at the damage to the car. "Your Great Uncle has set up a match for you." Val said quickly, thanking God for once that he didn't need to breathe. "He's done what!!?" Marc turned his head toward Val, noting how the vampire was trying to sneak away. "Get back here, Val and tell me what you're talking about or I'm going to stake your lying ass out on the top of some building." "Sunlight doesn't affect me that way." "Fine, make it an empty building and I'll set it on fire. Now tell me what you're talking about?!" * * * * Tessa's eyes were full of amazement as she stared at the world around her, a world done in black and white but with shades of gray that were amazing. Everything seemed crisper, clearer than when she was strictly human. Branches were full of leaves so crystal clear that she could pick out individual details of each one. Their patterns cast a dappled shadow across her light blonde fur and the dark black stripes of the tiger. Her blue eyes were bright, full of mischief and curiosity as she looked around the forest. The scents were overwhelming. The smell of the forest itself was so deep and earthy with a mysterious lingering aroma that ... felt alive. She could scent the different creatures nearby, a deer that moved with cautious steps around the big cat, never having seen one before. Tessa knew if she moved, the deer would be off like a light, bounding through the forest as if the hounds of hell were after it. She could scent its fear and, breathing deeply she heard her stomach growl, its blood. The pictures in her mind confounded her. She wanted to rise up and capture that trembling creature and then ... break its neck and devour it until she was covered in its blood. The human part of her gasped in horror, the tiger part wanted to be free to hunt and partake of its kill. Another scent caught her attention and she turned her big head, staring over one shoulder as Jack walked toward her. "He picked himself a beauty," he said softly, reaching out one hand to caress the soft thick hair around her ears. "I just hope you don't hurt him. He's been through so much with that father of his. The man would have killed him before he was a year old if it hadn't been for me." Tessa jerked her head. She knew that Jared was old, he'd told her as much. As well as telling her that she would age differently now. The beast inside of her would keep her body at tip top shape and would slow the process of ageing, which in reality is just decomposing while still alive. So if Jared was old, how old was Jack?" He chuckled, almost as if he could read her mind. "Much, much older than you, young lady." He laughed as she grunted then held up a blue stone, something like the one that he'd given to Jared. This one was on a thin gold chain. "I came out here to give you a present and to warn you of the boundaries. This stone will help with your telepathy, and if you're strong enough, you might even be able to reach Jared. It will also tell you if something happens to him or if he needs you. Might I place it about your neck?" he asked softly. She rose on her four big paws, turning to face him. The chain that had seemed large enough for a woman's neck, fit around hers as a cat. When the stone touched her skin, she felt a warmth radiating from it. It was almost comforting, like a hug on a bad day. Cocking her head at Jack, she concentrated. How do I use this?? The words exploded in Jacks head and sent him rocking on his huge feet. "Whoa! Not so loud," he held his hand out as if to stop her from doing any more. Sorry, she thought at a whisper. I guess it works. "Yes, better than I hoped. After I leave, you might try finding Jared with it. I think it'll be a comfort to both of you. Now for the boundaries I was telling you about." He opened his hands, showing her a strange little bird that glowed brightly against the shadowy forest. The light wasn't coming from an outside source, it was coming from inside the bird and it rose from his hand, bobbing gently in front of her nose. "This bird will help. If you see her, you know you are closing in on the boundary or I can send her out to you to bring you back to the cabin. She can also be used if you need me, just send her back to me. Her name is Jocelain, and I would appreciate it if you would treat her with respect. Try to stay within the forest boundaries, Tessa. I have magical wards and other types of alarms that let me know when one of those boundaries have been breached. It's for your own safety. If a human saw you, do you know what kind of hunt there would be? You could out the whole magical community that has managed to stay hidden for the past ten thousand years." He waited for a moment and Tessa nodded her big head, letting him know she understood. "I didn't think Jared would mate with a woman with no brains. Good girl. Go and play, learn your tiger. If you have any questions, we can talk about them during dinner." Then he turned, leaving her alone with the bobbing Jocelain and her own thoughts. * * * * Jared felt the vibration against his leg and he reached in, finding the stone that Jack had given him as well as some papers. He pulled them all out, keeping one eye on the road as he lifted the stone into his hand. A blue light seemed to shine from the thing, surprising him enough that he almost ran into the car in the other lane of the highway. Then Tessa's image, gorgeous in the blue of the light was sitting next to him in the passenger seat. "What is this?" he breathed, turning on his turn signal and getting off at the next exit to pull into a gas station that was pretty much deserted. When he caught sight of the price of their gas, he could understand why. "How are you doing this?" "Some of Jack's magic. He thought it might comfort both of us to be able to talk to each other. I just wish that I could really be with you. It's not too late..." "Yes it is, and you know it, Tessa." He watched the image of Tessa as it squirmed a bit. It was like watching a bad Japanese movie with poorly dubbed English. Her mouth would move and about five seconds later, he would hear her words in his head. "Jack is just full of tricks, isn't he?" He put out one hand to touch her cheek, watching as it passed right through her head to touch the seat. "Are you all right?" "Yeah, I have the run of the forest to learn "my tiger" as Jack puts it. It's beautiful here, except for the inside of that cabin. The man is a slob." Tessa's face made a moue of disgust and Jared couldn't help but laugh. "He's a confirmed bachelor, baby. I think, maybe, if my mom hadn't loved my father so much she would have been his heart's mate. But the timing was wrong and then she was killed. It's actually kind of sad." He blinked when she started to flicker, like a bad hologram. "Tessa?" Her mouth opened but he only could catch a word or so before her blue figure was gone. He shook the stone, calling her name and cursing under his breath. "Dammit." Magic was only good for so long and Jared could only guess that Jack's magic stones would need a chance to gather more energy before they would be able to talk again. He shoved it back in his pocket, only then noting the papers that Tessa had given him. It was a note. He opened it, reaching out and grabbing the small red plastic card that fell out. Dear Jared, he read out loud. You'll need money so don't argue with me about taking this card. The car will need gas and you'll need clothing and food. The pin number on the card is 6394. I know I can trust you with this. If you don't come back for me ... well, we'll just see what kind of tiger I really am then. I'm giving you three days to figure this out. After that, well then I'll be there to find out what's going on. Don't think you can argue with me about it because I'm not going to argue and it doesn't matter how powerful this man is that you're leaving me with, I will be there. I love you so very much. Be safe and come back to me. Tessa Jared read through the note one more time, a crooked smile touching his lips. This was just like her, generous and a little bossy but always incredibly sweet and loving. Tapping the card on the console, he couldn't help but think of what he was intending to do. Why didn't he leave the ambush to his brother? He'd never wanted to be leader. All he'd ever wanted to do was just belong. Tessa made him feel that way; as if there was another person out there that he belonged with. She was like an anchor, holding firm, never giving her reason to doubt him. So why didn't he give the ambush over to Cassius, turn around and run away? "Because he would run it to the ground in a year and out the entire magical community and not in a good way." With a sigh, he put the car in gear, tucking the card into his pocket. He knew what he had to do and he knew how he had to do it. He only hoped that he could actually do it. * * * * "God!" Georgina Hunter rolled her head around her shoulders, trying to ease the tension that was settling into her muscles with a vengeance. Why did this always have to be so damn hard? She could feel the absence of Marcus's presence almost like a physical ache in her gut. Why now? Why after all these months of working together did she have to find out about his heritage? She had a dead boy that was literally torn apart, a case that was getting weirder by the minute and a detective on her team that she might have to see as a suspect. "He couldn't have killed that kid," she said to herself, ignoring the strange looks she was getting. "He's not that type of person even if he is ... different." Then he had to bring a vampire into her murder room on top of every thing else ... It was more than she could take. She settled back into her desk chair reaching into the side drawer of her desk and picking up the pack of chocolate cupcakes she'd gotten earlier and stashed in there. The plastic gave way reluctantly under her fingers until she could finally pop one of the two cupcakes out of the preformed container. The first bite of frosting, chocolate cake and vanilla cream filling was almost sexual, the pleasure exploding in her mouth as her taste buds sighed in ecstasy. She closed her eyes, enjoying every bite of that cake before looking around guiltily. Then she popped out the other cake, knowing she was going to hate herself for this later, and ate that one too. Even as she was licking her fingers free of crumbs and frosting, she was sitting up and touching her mouse to take her computer off stand-by. The small email box was flashing in the corner, telling her she had mail. She clicked the button on her mouse and opened the mail, not surprised to see three emails from the chief, but one email caught her attention right away. She clicked on it, reading it quickly then going through it again for more information. "Cassius Cavatora," she breathed. "I know you but from where? How the hell did you get my personal email address?" She narrowed her eyes at the screen. " ... information that might be pertinent to a case that I'm working on, huh? Well let's see what we can find on you." Two hours later she was rubbing her temples, her face twisted in a scowl and a deep line intersecting her forehead right above her nose. "This can't be real," she said, clicking on a page and bringing it to the front of her screen. Cassius Cavatora did not exist. There were no DMV records, no birth certificate, no social security card given to anyone of that name. How could anyone live to even the age of eighteen without their being some kind of paper trail about them, not even a vaccination record? She stared at the screen, putting in the name again and trying a different search engine. * * * * Deborah Frakis stared at the chief through the glass window that separated Georgina's office from the rest of the bullpen. Deborah had been ordered to report her findings when she returned and she'd typed up her report, stating the facts in a no nonsense fashion. But ... there was just something about this case that had her hackles rising. She wasn't sure and she couldn't quite put a finger on it, but there was something weird about that couple she'd talked to. It was as if they had some kind of secret, something that could break this case wide open and they weren't talking. She made up her mind. Standing, she walked toward the chief's office with a determined stride. She'd tell the chief and get it off of her chest and then she wouldn't have to worry about what was in the report or not. The chief called for her to enter right away and she hurried over to lay her report on the desk in front of Georgina. "Chief, I went and talked to that couple again, the amnesia guy that she's calling Jamie and Tessa Carmichael. They gave me a bit more than they had you, but not much. But I got a feeling..." "We don't work on feelings, Detective," Georgina said, holding up her hand to stop Deborah from talking before opening up the file and scanning through it. "She saw our suspects? She didn't tell me she saw and talked to the suspects." "She said it was only for a second or so and she didn't think it worth mentioning." There was a bit of scorn in her voice that was directed toward Tessa Carmichael. "I've got her description of the couple in the report." "I see that," Georgina said. "She'll be coming in this morning? Let's help her with that, Detective. Send a cruiser to pick up Miss Carmichael and her anonymous guest." Deborah knew she was excused and she turned, only to be stopped at the door. "Wait, you said you got a feeling, what kind of feeling?" "That there's something more to this case that meets the eye. Chief, I know I've only been working here for five years and to some, I'm still a newbie and worse, a female. I handle that just fine and work around the good old boy attitude you get from some of these guys. But ... There's something strange in this town. I really don't think that everything here is what it seems to be." "Continue," Georgina said, turning in her chair to give Deborah her full attention. Deborah walked back toward the desk, sinking down into the chair that Georgina waved her into. "This is going to sound so stupid." She took a deep breath and continued. "Tommy Bigelow left the pizza place at 10:45 p.m. We have that documented by his boss. He had two deliveries, one to the Carmichael residence and the other to a family by the name of Stanfield. The Stanfields had their pizza delivered and said that Tommy seemed just fine to them when he left." "Okay, I'm following you so far." "He left the Stanfields' at right around 11:00. Mrs. Stanfield is pregnant and was craving pizza and Mr. Stanfield ordered it for her. So we have the time he left there. From the Stanfield's house to the Carmichael home, it's only like four blocks. The 911 call came in at 11:10. Who could do that kind of damage to a kid in less than say six minutes?" "That is kind of quick, isn't it?" "Yeah, so..." she took another deep breath, glancing down at her hands that were playing with a button of her shirt. "So..." she said again. "You've heard of Occam's razor, haven't you chief?" "Yes, Detective. When the sum of all things are put together and you have two theories to choose from, the simplest deduction is usually the truth. If you hear hoofbeats in your backyard, think horses, not zebras. So what are you getting at Detective." "This boy was mauled. Miss Carmichael said that the two strangers in her yard claimed to have eaten him. No human could have done what was done to that boy in the span of six minutes. Using Occam's razor, I have to think we have werewolves on the loose." Chapter Ten "Werewolves?" Georgina smirked, hoping that she could portray just the right amount of disbelief to keep Detective Frakis at bay. "Come on, detective, you expect me to believe you believe that there are werewolves running around the city?" "Well, maybe not wolves but some kind of were ... creature," Deborah said, feeling a blush turning her cheeks rosy. "How else do you account for the timing of Tommy's murder?" "I'm not sure, but I don't know if I'd be spouting words like werewolf. Remember, detective, these aren't the dark ages where Dracula ruled the night with his trusty werebitch on a chain next to him." If people only knew what was out there at night, they'd be behind locked doors before the sun went down. "Then how do you explain it? What's your theory, chief?" There was a knock on her door and Georgina mentally sighed in relief. "Come." "Gina ... Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know you were busy." "It's okay chief. Detective Frakis, we'll pick this up later." Georgina smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes, they were hard and all cop. Waiting until the door closed behind her detective, she stood and offered the chief a seat. "Why the hell haven't you made the call?" Chief Matthew Germaine was a tall man and was very direct, and having risen through the ranks very quickly, he was still relatively young. They'd been friends and he'd been the one to promote her to Deputy Chief in charge of Homicide. She was used to his gruffness because she knew he had a heart of gold underneath his stern exterior. But when he was pissed, he was a force to be reckoned with. "Matt, I'm going to make the call; I just wanted all my ducks in a row before they came in and take over." She slammed her hands down on her desk, the thought of having to give up her case causing her blood to boil. "Dammit, Matt. Tommy Bigelow was a human victim and his mother will never know why he was killed or have any kind of closure over this. She'll never know who killed her son. Doesn't the fact that he was human give us any control in this?" "You know as well as I do, when it comes to punishing their kind for any kind of disturbance, procedure says we call their law enforcement, Gina. I don't have any pull on this. You have to make the call." Georgina growled deep in her throat, startling Matt. She stomped across her office, turning when he got up. To Love a Tiger Ch. 09-10 "Gina, I know you better than anyone and I know that you think this is unfair. It's not your decision to make. It's procedure. We have them for a reason." He dropped his hands down on her shoulders, rubbing them gently. "Make the call. Maybe you can talk them into letting you be involved in the case? Stranger things have happened." Matt ran his hand down her arms, squeezing her hands before letting go. "Make the call," he repeated, staring into her eyes and waiting for her to acknowledge the order. Georgina nodded her head. "I'll make the call." "Good girl." He turned away, heading toward the door only to stop when she called his name. "Matt, what would happen if it were to be found out that one of our detectives was ... supernatural?" Matt stared at her for a moment. "Who is it?" "No, hypothetically, I'm asking hypothetically," she said quickly. "He'd be fired and then prosecuted by his own kind. Do you know something I should know?" Matt stared at her, his hand on the door. "No." Georgina felt her heart sink. If anyone found out about Marcus, his career was over. She couldn't do that to him, could she? He'd worked so hard to become a cop and then to get his detective's badge. Could she ruin that for him? With a sigh, she sank down into her desk chair, waiting for the door to finish closing behind Matt before picking up her phone and dialing a number from memory. "Yes, this is Deputy Chief Georgina Hunter. We have a problem." * * * * Marcus growled and snarled his rage. His eyes, usually such a beautiful emerald color were now almost black. "I will not be forced into a marriage of convenience." "You know, I told your Uncle Lucah that, but he seems to think that you will do as he says." "My Uncle Lucah needs to get his head out of his ass." He paced back and forth in front of his battered and bullet riddled car. Every time he turned and saw Valerius, he growled again, feeling the rage building inside of him. "Do you know anything about her?" "Only what I've been told," Val said, brushing at a spot on his jacket and then leaning negligently against his car. He crossed his ankles, creating a picture of decadent casualness that would send any woman's heart to racing. "What have you been told?" Marc growled. "Don't make me have to pull this out of you. I don't have the time." "Oh well, okay then, since you don't have the time," Val snarled. "Don't forget, I was pulled away from some very important business to come and find you to bring you back to the flock. Maybe you should think of what I'm giving up right now to be here to tell you this." "What was she, a redhead or a blonde?" "Blonde, but that neither here nor there." Val laughed as Marc chuckled. "Your bride-to-be is a sultry brunette with eyes like gold and legs that would wrap around you twice. Your Uncle picked a looker." "I can just bet. Where did he find said looker?" Marc leaned against a post in the basement garage, crossing his powerful arms over his chest. "She's from Italy. I believe her clan is located just outside of Rome." "She probably doesn't even speak English." "You're making excuses not to like her. Is it because of that pretty little blonde up there?" He nodded his head toward the way they had come. "Come on, you're almost two hundred years old, don't you think it's time you settled down?" "You're more than twice that and you're still single" Marc couldn't help but point out." "Yeah, but the continuity of my race isn't based upon mating and having young. We need new vampires we just go out and make some. You can't do that." Marc narrowed his gaze, raking the vampire with a look so hostile, Val couldn't help but laugh. "So tell me, what about this pisses you off the most? Are you upset that your Uncle took control or are you upset that you can't go up and play with the pretty little detective." "She's deputy chief and my boss, Val. Keep a civil tongue in your mouth about her." "You're fucking your boss?" "No, I'm not fucking her ... not yet anyway." He threw up his hands. "God! It's none of your business what I do. If you want to be helpful, you could just go back to Uncle Lucah and tell him that you couldn't find me. Have him send the little Italian princess home and let me lead my own life." Marcus pushed away from the post. "Val, I like my life the way it is here. I'm accepted, I've got a good job that I enjoy and ... well, I've got Georgina, kinda." "You know he won't accept that. He'll send me back or someone else to come and fetch you home. Why don't you just go and tell him how you feel about arranged marriages. Tell him you don't want to mate with someone who isn't your real mate. Tell him you've found her." "And find myself hustled up the aisle so fast that my head spins? I think not. No, I've got a case I'm working here, I've got a woman I'm trying to woo over to the darkside. I'm happy here." He grabbed Val's arms. "You've got to do it. You've got to convince him that I'm happy here. Please, Val. I've never asked you for anything in the hundred and some years I've known you. Please do this for me?" "You've never asked anything from me? What about the twins, huh? Wendy and Cindy? You remember them, don't you?" "Yeah and you shared so don't try and make that one totally on me." "Very true, that Cindy was one delectable creature." Val closed his eyes and a slow smile spread across his handsome features. "Truly memorable," he sighed, his fangs growing to cover his bottom lip. "You can't do that here," Marcus said, catching a glimpse of the fangs. "Put them away." "Next you're going to be telling me I can't bite anyone here," Val said, glancing up. "No way, man. What am I supposed to eat?" "I can have some bagged bl..." "Bagged? Do you have any idea what that shit tastes like? Hell, man, I'd be better off going back to talk to your Uncle. At least then I could get someone to eat." "Well that decision was easy," Marcus held his hand out to Val. "I didn't say I was going back, I said I'd be better off going back. Marc, you know better than anyone what happens when someone goes against your Uncle's dictates. Besides, Uncle Luc almost raised me and he only has your best interest in mind. I can't defy him just because you have the hots for a little blonde human." Marcus let his hand fall back to his side. "It's more than the hots. She's my mate. I'm going to change her." "Does she know this?" "Not yet, no. But it's only a matter of time. She just found out how I feel about her and that I'm not quite human." "How do you know she'll keep your secret? She could be up there already, spilling everything you know so you'll end up fired and put into a cage while little men in white coats get ready to dissect you to find out what makes you tick." "She wouldn't do that." "You don't sound so sure," Val said, coming up to slap his cousin on the back. "Forget the blonde, go back to your clan, Marc. Make your Uncle happy. Hell, make yourself happy and marry the little Italian princess. Who knows, she might be just the one to settle you down. At least take a look at her, man. If you can pass her up for this little blonde, maybe then I'll be convinced she's your mate and help you out." "You promise?" Val crossed his heart with two fingers, or where it would be if it still beat. Then he held them up, as if he were a Boy Scout. "Boy Scout's honor." "You were never a Boy Scout." "No, but I ate a couple of them once, doesn't that count?" Marcus turned away from his cousin, shaking his head. "You'll never change, Valerius." "I know," Val said, falling into step with him. "Ain't life grand?" * * * * Her thumb nail was ragged. Georgina stared down at it in disgust. It had been years since she'd fallen back into the old habit of tearing at her nails when she was worried. But if she couldn't do it now, well, she'd have no better opportunity to do so. She sighed, turning away from the glass partition and going to her window to glance down at the people below her. They should be here soon and Marcus had yet to return. She needed to get him out of the office while they were here gathering up everything. She couldn't do it early. She had to make it seem to her people like they were being thwarted by some government division who thought themselves better than a regular homicide department. "Damn, damn, damn," she growled, finally seeing the silver gray SUV pulling up outside. Four people tumbled out of it, heading for the building at a measured tred. The knock at her door had a small scream slipping from between her lips. She turned seeing Marcus standing there, his cousin behind him. "You've got to get out of here," she whispered loudly and urgently. "ASP is on its way up." "ASP? You called ASP? Why?" "It's standard operation procedure in a case like this. It's definitely of the supernatural variety so they get the call and they deal with the suspects." She stood, picking up a stack of files and slipping them into her large black purse. "Is there anything else, Detective?" Marcus looked as if he had plenty to say but he could see the determination on Georgina's face and he knew anything he said right now would be a waste of time and breath. "Where do you want me to go?" he said finally, surrendering. "Go home," she said, softening the order by touching his hand as she went by. "Spend some time with your cousin but keep him under wraps. I don't want the next body I have to go to, to have bite marks in the neck." "Actually, Chief Georgie, the upper thigh is a much more ... satisfying place to feed from." Georgina gave him a look that would have sent any of her underlings scurrying to get out of her way. But Valerius had been around too many years to have this one little blonde scare him. He gave her a most predatory stare then licked his full lips, letting her see just a hint of his fangs. Georgina just glared at him, shaking her head at his theatrics. "I'll remember that." "You do that, Chief Georgie." He held the door to her office open for her then went to follow her out before Marcus stopped him with a hand to his throat, pinning him against the door. "What the fuck are you doing?" "Being me," Val said with a smirk, not threatened in the least, even when Marcus's eyes flared with green fire. "She's a pretty little thing, Marc. I'm a flirt, it's what I do, what I'm good at." "Practice on anyone other than her, got me?" For someone hanging two feet off the ground, Valerius seemed pretty unaffected. "Put me down, Marc. ASP is here." Marcus dropped the vampire, hearing the soft thud of his feet touching the ground. Then the two of them were across the office, not wanting any members of ASP to get their scent. They snuck out the side door to her office that led to the elevators. Marcus glanced over his shoulder, catching sight of a slender back clad in ASP gray, dark red hair curling down to a slim waist and shapely hips. "Fuck," he growled as they got into the elevator. "Mariska." "No, Mariska Chinestral?" "Do you know any other Mariska?" Marcus glanced out again just as the doors began to close and popped back in before he could activate the automatic opener. "I'd recognize that hair anywhere." "God, I haven't thought about her since that night in the islands. Oh hell, she was a hot little thing, wasn't she? You can't tell me she got involved with ASP." Marcus hit the button for the basement garage, anxious to get away now that ASP had invaded his home away from home. "Yeah, it's pretty weird considering she was always one for breaking any rule and convention that she could." "I think she broke a few rules of nature that night on the beach." Val licked his lips as he remembered the taste of the sultry redheaded witch. She'd had his pants down and his cock buried in her throat before he'd known what she meant to do. Later, that evening, she'd offered him her neck to feed from, giving him a taste of the magic that was in her blood. It had been a powerful aphrodisiac to the vampire. If not for her getting him off the beach, he might have ended up laying there until the sun's rays could dry him out until he was dust, left to mix in the soft sand. "We did have a wild couple weeks there, didn't we?" Val said softly, smiling at the memories. Marcus was staring at him strangely until a huge grin crossed his handsome face. "You've got a thing for her." "What?" "For Mariska, you like her don't you?" "What's not to like? The woman can suck chrome off a bumper. I've always found that a trait to be admired in a female." Valerius wouldn't look at Marcus not wanting him to see what he knew was in his eyes. His cousin didn't know what had happened to send Mariska back to the states and away from their idyllic romp those weeks so long ago. But he did, and he could still remember the look in Mariska's beautiful hazel eyes as she'd told him that she loved him but that there could be no future, not for a vampire and a witch. She wasn't willing to give up her powers, not for the gift he could give her. Pain ripped through Valerius and he shook his head in denial. "No, anything that was between Mariska and I was over a long time ago, Marcus. Please, drop it." They stepped out of the elevator and into the garage, walking over to Val's car. Marc sank into the passenger seat, running an admiring hand over the leather upholstery and sighing. "Sweet, Val. I never have been able to fault you for your choice of toys." "Or women, cousin. Don't forget the women," Val said, once more the uncaring playboy vampire that Marcus was used to. They might have been a little less carefree if they'd known what was happening in the murder room above them. * * * * "I'm looking for Deputy Chief Hunter," a man in a dark gray leather jumpsuit said as he entered the bullpen, his voice carrying over any and all conversation. The men and the women seated in the bullpen stared at him and his companions, all dressed in the same figure hugging jumpsuits. Badges rested against their waists and the leader of the four wore a set of thick sunglasses that blocked out the curious eyes. "Is she here?" he asked again when no one spoke up. "I'm Chief Hunter," Georgina said, coming into the murder room. "Can I help you...?" "I'm Protector Reming and these are the members of my team." His hand waved behind him but he didn't bother introducing any of them. "I believe you know why we are here." "Yes, and I'd like to speak to you about that in my office, if you don't mind?" Georgina wasn't one to back down but she could feel his eyes on her and it made her more than nervous. She led the way to her office, feeling not only the Protector's eyes on her but also those of her teams. Opening the door, she ushered him in, shutting the door on his team. "Can I get you anything? A cup of coffee? A soft drink?" she asked politely, waving him into one of the two chairs in front of her desk. "No thank you, Chief Hunter. I've spoken with your supervisor. He seems to think that you might have some problem with turning this case over to us? I hope that isn't going to be the reason we're here?" "Well ... yes, yes it is, Protector Reming. Tommy Bigelow was a young boy. He was a good boy, he helped his mother with his sisters and gave her his pay check every week. That woman deserves to know why her son, a boy who'd been in no trouble his entire life was killed so brutally. I want to give her that reason." "That should be no problem for your police department, Chief Hunter. Make something up, pin it on someone else, lie like you humans seem to enjoy doing." He pulled his sunglasses off his face and she found herself tongue-tied. He was almost impossibly handsome but there was something hard about him, like biting down on tinfoil. She could see it in his eyes. Eyes that would be impossible to call human. They seemed to swirl with color, changing with each mood he went through. Right now they were icy blue, so cold as to freeze her in place. If Georgina had been anything other than what she was, she might have let it go and let go of her case just to get him out of he office. He was terrifying. But she wasn't just another human. She was Georgina Hunter and she had always felt a huge sense of right and wrong. What was being done to Mrs. Bigelow was wrong. "I don't know what people you've been in contact with or what law enforcement department, but my division is not like that Protector Reming. I will not lie to a victim and that is what Mrs. Bigelow is, a victim of the two who ate her son. I want to see justice not just for her son but for her and her daughters as well." She watched as his eyes swirled, changing color until they almost flamed red then settling down into a soft blue that was beautiful. "I had heard this about you," he said softly, almost as if speaking to himself. "It's come through our division that you are one of those that might be trusted and worked with. You know what we are and do not shirk your duty to go after vigilante justice because we aren't what you humans are used to." "Thank you," Georgina said, settling down behind her desk. "Though to be honest, I have no idea what you are?" "Would you care to know," Reming said, leaning forward in his chair and letting his arm rest on her desk. "Look into my eyes, dear lady, and I'll show you exactly what you are sitting across from right now. Georgina gasped, her eyes having met his without her directly meaning them to. In his, she could see pain and despair, a hopelessness that ate at her soul. Shrieks filled the air around her as she fell into his eyes and she saw him in his true form, his skin bright red and scarred from the whip, his body bent and broken by millennia of being a slave. Wings, ragged and torn, hung broken from his body. He knelt before one of his handlers, his head down, black hair dirty and oily swung to cover his face. The handler uncovered a huge cock and Georgina watched in horror as it was forced down the broken demon's throat. Her hand rose to her face, covering her face, not wanting to watch any more of the degradation the poor man/demon had faced. "I have seen more pain and despair in this life than one such as you could understand. But in you there is a goodness, a strength to stand up for those who have no one. I can't help but wonder if you'd have had the strength to stand up for me?" Reming stood, retrieving the files from Georgina's desk. "I understand your wishes for this boy's mother. Letting her think it was a gang shooting or some kind of satanic cult might be better than letting her know what actually happened. He stopped by Georgina's chair and leaned down, touching her cheek that was wet with tears, tears she'd shed on his account. "I thank you for these. I'll be in touch, Chief Georgina Hunter." To Love a Tiger Ch. 11 Mariska stood where Protector Reming had left them, trying to ignore the harsh and curious stares of the humans in the bullpen. She felt Kaiser fidget next to her. He was a huge were-bear who even in his human form was scary enough to have the police eyeing him with more than a bit of wariness. "Hold still," she hissed out of the side of her mouth. "Don't they have anything better to do then to stare at us?" he growled under his breath. "You know I hate being near them, Mari." "Just settle down, we won't be here long." She leaned back and the skin between her glove and the end of her sleeve touched the wall behind her. With a gasp, she closed her eyes as a series of pictures flew through her mind. When she saw a familiar face, her heart started racing and she felt lightheaded. "There's no way," she whispered. Tabitha Jones reached out, grabbing her arm, while making sure not to touch her skin in any way and pulled her away from the wall. "You okay girl?" She had a soft island accent that gave her voice a gentle lilt. With her caramel skin and beautiful doe brown eyes, she was exceptional lovely. Lush, full lips gave her a sensual look that was made even sexier by the soft pink lip gloss she was constantly applying. The only thing that stopped most men from fawning all over her was the fact that she stood a head taller than many of them. At six feet, four inches tall in her bare feet, she was intimidating to say the least. Mari shook her head, trying to rid herself of the after effects of what most would call a gift. Most people didn't have to worry about touching someone and learning their entire life's story within a matter of seconds though. She couldn't risk touching anyone or anything. Not anymore. The gift had come upon her quickly, in a matter of days; she'd gone from a fun loving girl who had minor magical prowess to a powerful black witch who could no longer touch anyone without knowing everything about them. For a while, she thought she would go mad. Then she met Reming. He'd taken her in, given her respite from those who sought to use her for their own profit. Then he gave her a chance to be useful again, something that was very important to Mari. But now her gift had turned up something she hadn't ever expected to happen. It had shown her Valerius. Valerius Notte, a vampire who'd done more than drink from her blood. He'd ripped out her heart and taken it with him when he ran from her bed. She'd been willing to give up everything for him, her magic, her family, even her life if that's what it would take. Instead, she'd found the note he'd scribbled early one morning, the morning she'd told him she loved him. She'd seen right through his hasty excuses, knowing them for what they were. He hadn't been able to say the words back to her that night and she'd seen the panic in his dark eyes, the need to flee. It hadn't surprised her when she'd found him gone. It had only saddened her. Then days later she'd been cursed with this gift, and she knew any chance of a normal life was over. Who would want to be with someone who could tell everything about you with just one touch? How many men could live up to their ideals knowing that she could see every flaw, every lie, every falsehood that they'd ever employed? None. "Mari?" Kaiser asked, touching her chin with his gloved hand. "You okay? You look pale, do you want me to get you a chair?" She smiled up into the huge bear's gentle eyes. "No, thanks Kaiser. I'm fine. Just, someone I hadn't expected to see again was here just a while ago. It shocked me a bit." She nodded over at Tabitha, straightening her spine. "I'll be fine guys." "That's good, here comes Reming." Tabitha straightened her own spine and looked down her nose at the humans in front of her. Her stomach rumbled and she eyed one of the smaller males with a hungry glare. "Down Tabby," Reming said as he walked by her. "We'll find you someone to eat later." He knew his words carried and saw the look on the face of the man Tabitha had been eyeing. It took everything he had not to laugh, but he managed. "I got what we came for. Let's head out." Mariska was behind him, Kaiser as close behind her as he could get without actually walking into her. Tabitha followed along behind, her hips swaying sexily as she glanced back at the small male she'd fixated on. His eyes moved from her ass, following the line of her spine until he saw her eyes. She purred, licking her lips and flashing him an image in his mind of her true self. The man jolted, stumbling back and falling over a trash can before landing on his ass on the floor. With a grin that showed just how amusing she found him, Tabitha left the room, a trail of pheromones following behind her, male heads turning to watch her leave. * * * * Georgina wiped the tears off of her cheeks, stubbornly refusing to acknowledge the ache in her stomach from what Reming had shown her. She shouldn't be surprised. Strange things happened around her all the time, since the first time she'd watched as her brother stripped off his clothes and changed in front of her, giving her a lopsided, canine grin as he ran into the night. Even as he began to disappear into the woods, she saw a female wolf appear, rubbing up against him and nipping at his shoulder. They'd tussled and then ran into the forest together. A part of her had wanted to go with them. That had happened some twenty years ago. She saw her brother rarely after that, but it had given her an insight into what really was about after the last rays of the sun shimmered from sight. She knew first hand that vampires and were-creatures, demons and witches, truly existed. But having to give her case up, to give up a boy that her heart had taken as her own, it just didn't sit right. Georgina gave a disgruntled sigh then glanced down at her desk, her eyes widening as she saw the card. Protector Reming had given her his card with his personal cell number on it. Maybe all wasn't lost yet. The phone rang, startling her. She picked it up. "Deputy Chief Georgina Hunter," she said briskly. "Georgina." The voice was male, husky, sexy. She'd never heard her name spoken quite like that. "Who is this?" "It's Marcus. Are you all right?" "Detective Alexandros," she began, trying to keep things in perspective between them. "Oh hell, no, I'm not all right." She sighed again. "We can't do this, Marcus." "I'm not going to discuss this with you over the phone, Gina," Marcus said softly, his voice coming out of the headset like a dark caress. It seemed to slither along her spine, weakening her resolve. "Then when? I won't do this here. There are too many other things that need my attention here." "Like Tommy Bigelow? You gave them the case, didn't you?" "I had no choice!" Georgina took a deep breath, realizing she was more upset than she even knew. "I had to follow procedure. I had to." "I know." Georgina felt as if a calming hand had been placed on her shoulder, squeezing gently, giving her the strength she needed. She closed her eyes, relishing the way that felt when she'd been on her own for so many years. "Thank you." "Two hours, Georgina. Then I'll be there to pick you up. We are going to discuss this." There was a click and then a buzz as the dial tone reinstated. Georgina stared at the phone for a moment before letting it slip back onto the cradle. She stared from the card to her phone and then dropped it into her purse before reaching into the side drawer of her desk for the chocolate she kept hidden there. * * * * Jared walked boldly into the small village inside the huge gray walls. He could hear the whispers coming from the people who stepped out of their homes, staring at him as if he were a ghost. "Jared!" A hand came down upon his shoulder and he spun around, falling into a fighting stance that seemed as natural as breathing. When he saw who it was, he stood straight again, letting the man pull him into a hearty embrace. "We have been so worried about you." "It is good to see you again, Tetalus." He pounded the bigger man on the back. "How have you fared?" "Cassius, well, suffice it to say, he isn't you." Tetalus let Jared go, watching as his mate drew the young man into her arms for a hug, kissing him fiercely upon the cheek. "We worried," she said softly, stepping back to look him over from head to toe. "You're okay? You've healed?" "Mara, always the mother," Jared smiled down at the small woman. "I am fine." He kissed her cheek, whispering in her ear. "I've found my mate." When she would have spoken, he stopped her with a small shake of his head. "I'm here to find Cassius. I'm here to end this once and for all." "I know many that will stand behind you, Jared. Cassius has lost face with many of the village in the way he went about this coup of his." "His way of handling Kalina has turned off many of the females of the village," Mara said, glancing around as more of the villagers came out to greet Jared. "Kalina made her decision, Mara. Now she must stand with Cassius for I won't take her back, no matter what." Jared nodded at some of the others that came up to him, clasping hands with a few of the men and accepting their loyalty. He was amazed. He hadn't known that he'd had so many loyal followers. "I'm going to confront Cassius," he declared, turning and heading up the curving trail that led to the village circle and the main house. When the others fell in behind, Tetalus leading the way, he seemed to walk taller. By the time they reached the center of the village, the torches had been lit, giving off a flickering glow that did nothing to illuminate the shadows surrounding the circle. Jared strode into the middle of the circle, pulling off his scrub top and baring his tanned chest to those gathered. "My name is Jared Cavatora. I am first born of Julius Cavatora, once leader of this ambush. I challenge my brother, Cassius! Let him show himself now or be thought of as coward!" A loud roar sounded from just outside the torches and Jared turned, his eyes narrowing as he searched the shadows for a glimpse of his brother. He wasn't surprised when Kalina was thrust into the circle first, her body naked, covered in scratch marks and bites. Her eyes were dazed and then grew wide when she saw him. "Jared?" Her bare feet padded almost silently over the hard packed earth and she reached out for him, only to be stopped by the coldness of his expression. "I-I..." "Save it," he growled, his eyes flashing contemptuously over her. "You've already chosen, Kalina." She had the grace to bow her head as her cheeks flushed with shame. "I'm sorry, Jared. I-I guess I saw you as your father did." "That was your mistake. Where is he, Kalina?" Kalina shrugged, her breasts jiggling with the movement. "He's afraid, Jared. You almost beat him last time. If it hadn't been for Castor..." Jared roared his pain as she spoke that name. "He killed my brother! He shall pay for that by my hand. Where is he?!" "He's gone! Cassius has run away!" Kalina's eyes, once filled with tears of shame, shone now with angry excitement. She stared at the young tiger that had broken into the group gathered around Jared to make his proclamation. "Yes, he's gone, left hours ago. You know where he's gone, don't you, Jared?" Mara walked up to Kalina and slapped her, hard. The young tigress growled, snarling at the older feline. "If you know something, Kalina, spit it out. Most of us have felt sorry for you for having to deal with Cassius and his mood swings. But if you've gone and helped him do something that you'll regret, you'll be ousted along with him, banished from the ambush. You'll be hunted down like the vermin you are and then you'll be killed. Is that what you want?" "I'd rather face death than mate with a freak!" Kalina shouted back, spittle flying into Mara's face. Jared's face grew even harder. "That's what this has been about, the color of my fur? Castor's death, Cassius, everything because you couldn't see past the color of my fur?" "I'd drown any cub of mine that had black fur," she spat. "Take her away," Jared said, feeling sick at the hate she showed him. "Put her in the pit for now." "Your mate won't have to worry about having freakish cubs!" Kalina shouted at him as two of the males grabbed her arms and started dragging her away. "Wait! What do you mean by that, Kalina?" "You want to know where Cassius is? Ask your mate, Jared." "You lie," Jared shouted, though deep inside he knew she spoke the truth. Cassius had gone after Tessa. "You go ahead and think that. That old man can't protect her, Jared. His magic isn't as strong as it once was; he's grown old and weak. Cassius will take her and then he will come back and take his rightful place as head of this ambush." "No one will follow him after this," Tetalus growled. "Jared, go, get your mate. I will care for the ambush while you are gone." Jared nodded, taking his forearm in a firm grip. Then he was racing back the way he'd come, his heart threatening to beat out of his chest as fear for Tessa fed his adrenaline. * * * * Tessa glared at the old man who slept in his chair. There was a circle of dirt around him since he refused to move. The rest of the cabin, while not gleaming, was much cleaner than it had been when she'd first gotten there. Her nose twitched. It didn't seem to matter how much she cleaned, she couldn't find the source of the horrid scent that attacked her senses. Sniffing, she moved a bit closer to Jack and then swung her broom at the mountain of a man. "You stink. Do you ever bathe?" Jack sat up, glaring at her. "I was sleeping woman!" he roared. "I don't care!" she roared right back. "You stink!" She turned away, going to the pump and using the metal handle to have water pouring into one of the many buckets she'd found around the place. Pouring it into the huge caldron that swung out over the fire, she quickly filled it, setting it above the flames to heat. "You're going to take a bath and I'm going to wash those clothes." "Listen here..." Jack began, only to find a towel thrust into his face and soap and a wash cloth to follow. "No, you listen," Tessa said. "I am stuck here until Jared comes back. I don't know how long that will be but if I have to stay here, then I'm not staying with a stinky old man. That means either you get out or you take a bath. Now which will it be?" Jack grumbled and grouched, but he rose out of his chair, picking up the soap that fell to the floor. He moved to the old wash tub, Tessa had dragged out, pulling it to sit in front of the fire. Then he half filled it with cold water from the pump, waiting until the water in his cauldron was boiling before grabbing a huge glove and pulling it on. With little effort, he lifted the cauldron off its hook and poured it into the tub. "You gonna close your eyes?" he grumped, looking back at her. "I'll do you one better. I'm going to take a walk. That should give you time to get cleaned up and into clean clothes. Don't forget to wash that hair and that scruffy thing on your face," she added as she headed toward the door, unbarring it and stepping outside. She waited until she heard a splash as he got into the hot water then she headed down a path that led toward the lake. * * * * Jack washed. He'd forgotten how bossy and fussy women could be. "Clean clothes," he hissed as he picked up the soap and began to wash off layers of accumulated dirt. "They're just gonna get dirty again. Damn women anyway." Lowering himself into the water, he rinsed off the soap, then dropped even lower to get his hair wet. "Probably catch my death," he grumped when he rose out of the water. The door behind him opened. "You sure didn't give me much time, I ain't even washed my hair yet." "Let me help you with that," Cassius said, coming up behind Jack and putting both hands on the old magician's shoulders. "You're losing your touch, old man. I got by your wards without you knowing it." He shoved Jack's head under the water, feeling the old man struggling with a grin. He felt strong, almost invincible as he watched the bubbles rise to the surface of the water. "I forgot your towel..." Tessa said, coming in the door and stopping dead in her tracks. "You!" she hissed, staring at the man who'd stood outside her door what seemed so long ago. Cassius turned from the water, not bothering to check to see if Jack was dead or not. This was his quarry, this little woman who'd taken his big brother's heart. He was going to take it back and then crush it between his hands. "Come here," he ordered, his eyes shining. Tessa had only seconds to make up her mind. Flight or fight? Flight, definitely flight, she thought. She flew out the door, pulling it shut tightly behind her and jamming one of the heavy porch chairs against it. Then she was off the porch, flying into the forest. She had to find a place to hide and she had to contact Jared. As if she conjured him up, she felt the stone in her pocket vibrate. Pulling it out as she ran, she tried to hold it on her palm as Jack had showed her. As soon as she saw his face, his beloved face, shining in the blue light, she knew it was probably the last time she'd see him. "C-Cassius i-is h-h-here," she panted as she ran into the woods. "H-He killed Jack." "You can't let him catch you, Tessa. You have to find a hiding spot and somehow cover your scent. You can do it baby, just don't let him catch you." Tessa glanced behind her, hearing her name roared. "He got out of the cabin," she said. "I love you, Jared." Then she stuffed the stone into her pocket, cutting him off in mid sentence. With a quick prayer that what she was about to do would work, she shimmered, changing into the tiger within one step. Leaves slid off her body, sticks that would have caught on her clothing, brushing past her fur. Her stride was larger; she was faster, quieter, more aware of her surroundings in this form. She sent out a thought, breathing a sigh of relief when Jocelain flew into her view. Jack? Still alive otherwise I wouldn't be here either, the tiny bird thought at her. You need to hide. There's a cave up ahead. It's been used by bears for years. It might be enough to cover your scent. Can you go back and ... I don't know ... dive bomb him or something? Anything to slow him down? The bird twittered and then flew the other way, leaving Tessa alone once again in the dark of the forest. * * * * Val and Marcus stood on the corner across from the police building, waiting for Georgina to come out. Both were nervous, but for different reasons. Marcus was fighting for his life, for his lively hood, and for his mate. Georgina held so much power in her small hands and she didn't even know it. Val kept glancing around, feeling as if he were being watched. He couldn't help but wonder if Mariska had sensed his presence at the station, if she knew he were in town. It had been a shock, seeing her there. All those feelings that he'd thought he'd buried deep so long ago had flooded to the surface and he knew he'd been fooling himself. He loved her. He always had. "There she is," Marcus growled, seeing the gorgeous blonde walking out the front doors of the building. He stared at her until she looked over at him and saw her nod as she started walking to the corner to cross the busy street. She was almost there when a familiar black Monte Carlo turned the corner. Marcus saw it all in slow motion, unable to reach her even as he started across the street himself. The window of the car rolled down smoothly, a large black barrel poking out. Flames spewed from the end as bullets raced toward their target. Marcus cried out as he saw them impact, blooms of red blood forming on Georgina's sweater. "NO!" he shouted, as she flew back, hitting the side of the building and then slumping down. To Love a Tiger Ch. 11 Then he was next to her, crouching down, lifting her chin to feel for a pulse. A bubble of blood formed on the side of her mouth as air hissed in and out of injured lungs. "M-Marcus," she sighed, opening her eyes and looking up at him. "Oh, this hurts." "Shh, baby. Don't talk. Help is coming." He held her in his arms, tears streaming down his face. "You'll be fine. Just stay quiet." Even as he spoke, he knew a helplessness that had him staring up at Val as he knelt down next to them. "Y-you have ... to ... know," she struggled to say, shaking her head weakly when he once again tried to get her to be quiet. "I ... have ... to tell ... you. I ... love ... you." Her eyes closed on the last word and she was still. "No baby." Marcus rocked her against him. "No, stay with me, please, Gina. I need you." "Marc," Val began, letting his hand rest on his cousin's shoulder. But Marcus snarled, his eyes flashing, making Val draw back. "No!" Then he began sobbing. "She's not dead, please, Val. She's not." To Love a Tiger Ch. 12 Cassius Cavatora walked out of the cabin, tossing aside the chair as if it weighed nothing. He lifted his head to the sky, breathing deeply of the clean, forest air. Letting out a laugh, he stopped at the edge of the forest. "Tessa Carmichael, come on down!" he shouted, laughing at his own joke. He waited as if expecting an answer. When he heard nothing but the normal night sounds, he called out again. "Ollie, Ollie oxen free, Tessa!" "Oh, she doesn't want to play fair. Okay," he sighed, as if disappointed. Shrugging off his shirt, he tore open the front of his pants and let them drop to the ground. "So much work, Tessa. It would go so much easier on you if you'd just come along nicely now. His shoes hit the ground next and then his socks. He rolled his head on his shoulders and then with a cracking of bones and a roar, a huge tiger stood where he'd been. Another loud roar came from his mouth, his beady eyes looking into the forest before he even took a step into the trees. He lifted his head, scenting the night air, searching for that one scent that would lead him to her. If a cat could grin, he did, and then he bounded into the night, startling a deer that ran off into the brush a different way than he was going. * * * * Tessa heard him. She moved further into the cave, pushing her human body into a small crack in the wall, hoping it would be enough to hide her. She was scared, hell she was way beyond scared. Only one thing kept her hoping. Jared. He would be here. He wouldn't let anything happen to her. She tried to control her breathing. It sounded harsh and loud to her ears even though she knew it wasn't. The scent of the bears that'd made use of this cave was heavy in her nose, keeping her from scenting anything but that. She had to stay calm, she just had to. She shook with fear. Her hands trembled and she wrung them together, trying to force them to be still. She heard Cassius' voice again, the menace in it making her shake even more. "Come, come, pretty one. You've fucked my brother, don't you want to see if the baby brother is as good in bed? Come on, come out from hiding." He was still shouting but his voice was nearer. "Oh God," she hissed. "Please hurry, Jared." * * * * Marcus stared down at the bloody body of the woman he loved. "No," he whispered, feeling as if someone was squeezing his heart in two. He could barely breathe for the pain that was welling inside of him. "Open her mouth!" "W-what?" he growled, staring up at Valerius. "Marc! Snap out of it. Open her mouth!" Marcus did as Valerius ordered, pulling open her mouth. Val used one sharp nail and slit his wrist, holding the wound against Georgina's mouth. "Swallow it, Georgie girl," he said softly. His eyes never left her face, Marcus watched as Georgina swallowed, her mouth pursed and she began sucking on Val's blood. "That's it, Georgina." Val pulled his wrist away and pulled out his phone. "We have to get out of here," he said glancing toward the police station where cops were beginning to pour out the doors. "Take her to my car." Marcus lifted her easily, crossing the street and heading into the lot where they'd left Val's car. Opening the door, he slid into the passenger seat, holding Gina's lax form in his lap. Valerius was closing up his cell phone as he slid into the driver's side. "You can't go with her, Marc." "I'm not leaving her, Val." "You have to. You know how they feel about..." Val glanced over at him, "the were community," he finished. "Then they'll just have to put up with me. I'm not leaving her," Marc repeated. "Can we get out of here please, before we get found by the police?" Val sighed, an affectation since he didn't have to breathe. "They won't let you stay, but I'll let them tell you that." "I love her, Val. I'm not going to let her go through this with no one with her but strangers." "We aren't strangers now. She's one of us." "Don't remind me." Even as Marc spoke, he felt Gina's body began to shake, her muscles quaking. Her head rolled against his shoulder and she moaned painfully. "It's started." "Oh hell," Val started the car, pulling out of the parking lot and heading down the road. He pulled into an upper class suburb where the houses had rolling green lawns and gates with high fences circling the property. Pulling up to one of the gates, he tapped a code on a keypad and the gate rolled open. From the police station to the door of the house had taken less then twenty-minutes but Georgina was beginning to struggle against Marcus, fighting his hold, fighting his hands as she began to feel the pain of the change. She was murmuring, her head tossing, her hair flying up into his face. "We have to get her inside. She needs to be put under and the bullets removed. Then she's going to need blood and a lot of it." "Lead the way," Marcus said, glancing from Georgina's face to Val's. Valerius sighed, knowing that he was in for it when the elders of the house found out that he'd brought a were-panther into their exalted presence. "It might be easier..." he began, knowing he had to try again. "I'm not leaving. Come on, Val, let's just get this done." Marcus started toward the main entrance of the house on his own, leaving Val staring after him, a look of long suffering on his face. But Val was there before he reached the door, opening it himself and closing it after him. A gurney was waiting at the front entrance and as the door closed, a buzzer could be heard somewhere in the massive building, like a hollow welcome. "Get her on the gurney and strap her down." Marcus looked up as he heard the voice, seeing the elder vampire as he moved with a stately grace toward them. The elder had long white hair that held a silken quality as it cascaded over his shoulders. His skin was pale, his eyes intensely blue. His lips were blood red, as if painted with the stuff, looking almost clownish against his white skin. He held a beauty that was almost classical and for a moment, all Marcus could do was stare. Then Georgina stiffened against him again, a gasp of pain coming from her sweet lips. He moved quickly toward the gurney, laying her down gently before pulling the first of the straps over her. In the background, as he worked, he could hear Valerius speaking with the elder and knew they were discussing him. "I tried to keep him out, Uncle. He loves her and wouldn't be parted. Would you want to part from your mate?" If she'd mated with him, she wouldn't have needed your blood, our blood to survive? Am I right?" the elder vampire asked angrily, shooting Marcus a look that would have frozen a normal human to the spot. There was anger in his eyes, anger and something else. It was a loathing that was deeply ingrained, coming from a time before the Vampire/Were being laws had been put into place. At one time, Vampires and were creatures were mortal enemies, each vying for the upper hand, each holding the other in contempt. But since the creation of ASP and Callan Wolfe's work at ending the feud, the relationship between the two communities had been better. Friendships had sprung up between the two, but the elders in each community held onto the beliefs that had been pounded into their heads for so very long. "He cannot love her. It is an abomination! It will not be allowed!" Marcus had heard enough. "Are you going to help her or are you going to sit here and argue about something that isn't any of your business in the first place?" he asked rudely. "You will mind your tongue here, beast," the elder said. "Or I will make a rug out of you." "I will mind my tongue here because I have been taught manners, unlike some I know. Now please, help her." Georgina began to scream, a horrible sound. Her eyes opened wide but were sightless, the pupils dilated until the irises looked black. She thrashed against the restraints and Marcus moved quickly to her side. He held her down, speaking softly to her, brushing her hair back from her face. She calmed at his touch though she still writhed against the pain of the change. "She responds to you well. Were you close before?" the elder asked, though he drew back the robes he wore as he came toward the gurney, making sure that they didn't touch Marcus. "I worked for her. She's a deputy chief of police." "Not anymore. Now she's a Vampire and will take her place among her people." "She's my mate," Marcus growled, his eyes flashing. "Change here in my home, beast and you and your mate will find yourselves on the other side of the gate. Is that what you want?" "No," Marcus spit out. He forcibly curbed his beast, pulling the panther deep inside of himself. "I won't change. Just help her, please." "You must love her," the elder said thoughtfully but was interrupted by another scream from Georgina. "Come, we must get her downstairs." Marcus stayed at her side for the entire trip through the massive house and down an elevator that led to a basement that was decked out with more medical equipment than Marcus had ever seen in any one place but a hospital. They had everything from x-rays to IV stands and an entire room that was full of bottles of pills. "Whoa," he whispered quietly. They pushed Georgina into a room where two women dressed in scrubs began to cut off her clothing. Marcus and Val were pushed from the room, Marcus going to a small seating area in a corner and sitting down, staring at the blood that was on his hands and his clothing. It was so bright, so red, sticky on his skin. Blood ... Georgina's blood. Georgina who was no longer simply human. She was a Vampire. "She'll be okay, won't she?' he asked worriedly, standing and walking back toward the door that had been closed behind them. "She'll be fine. I've seen it happen before, Marc. There's pain, but she'll be asleep through all but the worst of it. They don't dare put her under deep enough for that. Her body is changing, the thing in Vampire's blood that makes us what we are is undoing the damages of the years she spent as human. She'll look twenty years younger when this is all done." "What about the bullets?" "They'll remove them so that her body can heal easier, otherwise it would take up precious amounts of energy pushing the bullets out of her. Trust me, Val, she'll be given blood and she'll be fine." "How long will this take?" Marcus looked up as he heard a scream come from the room, his muscles tightening as if he wanted to go back into the room. "It depends," Val said, standing and putting his hand on Marc's shoulder. "It could be anywhere from a few hours to a week. We have to see how she responds. Some just adapt right to it. Others, well..." Val hesitated, realizing he'd said too much. "Others..." Marc urged. "Worst case, she'll never wake up and her body will devour itself trying to heal damage too severe to heal. In all the years I've been alive, Marc, I've only seen that happen once. He was an old man. Too old to have been changed. He never should have been changed." Marc slumped back down into a chair, his hands going to his hair as if he wanted to run them through the silky tresses. He glanced up at the blood that still covered them, changing his mind and letting them hang between his knees instead. "It's going to be a while before they are through with her, Marc. Why don't I take you up to the room I stay in when I'm here? I've got some spare clothes and you can wash up. I don't think you want her to see you like that ... do you?" "No," Marcus growled. Now that she was no longer in his arms, he cursed himself for leaving her alone in the first place. If he'd been there, he could have thrown himself in front of her, taken those bullets that would have taken her away from him if it hadn't been for Val. Things had just become a lot more difficult than they were when she was human and he was Were, he realized suddenly. A strange lethargy seemed to pull at him then, making him feel so tired, he was loath to move. It was almost more than he could handle, to follow Val back to the elevator and then up a flight of stairs to a room at the far end of the hall. He was too tired to appreciate the luxury around him, even as he stepped into the in-suite bathroom with its decadent soaking tub and the huge shower. Silvery tiles decorated the wall in a swirling pattern and granite counter tops held stained glass bowls used for sinks. Even the door on the shower was patterned stained glass done in deep, rich colors that seemed to brighten the room. He stripped out of his blood stained clothing and turned on the shower, stepping under the heavy spray and turning the shower head until it hit him like stinging needles. The water woke him, snapping him from the lethargy he'd felt below, making him wonder if any of the elders here might be responsible for the way he'd felt. He showered quickly, a strange feeling enveloping him. He needed to hurry, to get back to Georgina. Something was going to happen otherwise. He knew it. Stepping out of the shower, he shook his head, sending water drops flying, then dried quickly, putting on the borrowed clothing. Black pants in a thin wool fit him as if made for him. With them, he put on a black silk shirt, buttoning it over his wide chest. He walked out of the bathroom, hearing Val's voice as he was once more on his cellphone. "Where? Do you think this is for the best?" "What's for the best?" Marc growled, staring at the man he'd considered family for so long. * * * * Valerius closed his phone slowly, turning to stare at Marcus. "My clothes fit you well, cousin," he said, ignoring the question. "You could even pass as one of us if it weren't for your scent." "My scent?" Marc shook his head. "Never mind that. What's for the best?" "Now, I want you to remember, I'm just the messenger here, Marc." "Valerius Notte, you're always just the fucking messenger." Marcus growled, his eyes flashing. "What's for the best?" Val sighed, holding up his hands in a gesture of defeat. "My uncle has had Georgie moved to another of our properties. Before you think of beating the location out of me, he wouldn't tell me where they were taking her. He only told me that it was for the best and that you should go back to the world you were making for yourself. If anyone asks anything about Georgie's whereabouts, you can honestly say you have no idea." "Your uncle had her moved? Without asking me? What part of her being my mate didn't he comprehend? Damn, Val. I thought you understood how I feel about her." "I do, Marcus. I do, really. But my Uncle Aquila has other ideas." "That's your Uncle Aquila? He's the one that's mentioned in the bible?" "Yes, him and my Aunt Prisca. Since her death at the hands of a rogue Were, he has no love for your people." "He wouldn't hurt her?" Marcus asked quickly, feeling a spurt of fear at knowing who had control of his mate." "No. He would be put to death for hurting a new Vampire who isn't fully turned. The most he can do is hide her from you until she finishes becoming one of us. Then Georgie will be allowed to do what she wishes as long as her wishes abide by the rules of the council." "And ASP. Don't forget them. "How could this have happened?" Marcus felt helpless and angry. He couldn't take his rage out on Val but he could on the punks that shot Georgie. "Who were those men in the car?" "I didn't get a good look but I think the one behind the gun looked a bit young to be called a man, Marc. If you want to go out and track them down, I'm with you." Valerius grinned, letting his fangs grow until and his eyes glow until they were almost red. "Georgie, if she is truly your mate, will come to you when she is freed, trust me. I've never led you wrong before..." "Steered me wrong, Val, get your colloquialisms right." "But what do cows have to do with it?" Marcus just rolled his eyes and smacked his cousin on the back. "Come on, let's go hunting." * * * * They started out on the street where they'd last seen the car, the street where Georgina had been killed. Marcus stood and stared at the blood that was on the ground, the crime scene tape that was fluttering in the breeze and the building where he'd worked for so many years. If he continued with what he was doing now, he would be giving up that life, a life of normalcy that had lasted about seven years, a blip in time for one who lived as long as he did. But his anger was fierce, his rage at what those men had done, what they'd almost taken from him overrode his need for normalcy. If he had to start fresh somewhere else, he would, as long as Georgina was at his side. "Can you sense anything?" he asked Val, letting the vampire reach out with his senses. Val was a tracker of the first order. If anyone could find that Monte Carlo without a plate number, he could. Val's eyes were closed and he looked eerily like he was the walking dead with his white skin and dark hair. "Will you be up to following me?" Val asked, glancing up at the rooftops. "Try to ditch me," Marc said with a grin, remembering all the times they'd played tag throughout the years, using the entire cityscape as their playground. He watched as Val leaped for the rooftop above them, some four stories up and then he ducked into an alley, changing into his panther. His fur was pitch black, so black it shone blue in the light. His human form was just an extension of the panther, he had a wide chest and long legs, a huge head that held intelligent eyes that glowed with his power and his magic. Within seconds, he was leaping from wall to wall, climbing to the rooftop, his nose filled with Val's scent. His momentum sent him flying over the edge of the roof and onto the next, his paws flashing as he raced through the night after his cousin. * * * * "We got the bitch! Did you see that blood fly?" Ramon Price and his posse came slamming into the room above the garage where Ramon worked as a mechanic. "That bitch ain't throwing no more of us into prison!" "Settle down," his brother, and the cooler head of the two, Anthony "Tude" Price growled, slapping his brother on the back of the head. "Go get me a beer." He took the automatic weapon off of his shoulder, letting it rest against the wall. It was only one of many that he and his gang sold throughout the city, guns that they'd stolen from the police themselves. Going over to the "hospitality bowl", he helped himself to a couple of the different pills that were in it, popping them back and then taking a deep pull from the bottle his brother handed him. Killing didn't bother Anthony. He'd killed his first woman when he was twelve, taking the $22 in her purse and using it to buy him and Ramon some food. After that, well, it'd become easy. But he wasn't feeling right about this. Killing cops was second nature but this bitch, well, she hadn't done anything to either him or Ramon. He wouldn't have killed her if he hadn't been ordered to do it. She'd been kind to him, as kind as any cop would be to a hardened killer like him. He watched as his brother and the two other members of their gang that were allowed up here, settled down around the television, arguing over the video games and who got to play first. He could feel the pills working, mellowing him out and he reached out for one more, hoping to take the edge off of what he had to do next. "Ramon," he said softly, knowing his brother would hear him. "I have to go see him." His brother nodded, but his face got serious. "You want me to go with?" "With you," Ramon corrected. "You want me to go with you?" "Yeah, well do you?" Ramon sighed. "No. I'll do it." He saw his brother brighten up instantly, turning back to the game that was just beginning. He couldn't blame him; he'd rather do anything, even those insane video games than what he had to do next. But there was no help for it. So he straightened his shirt, slicked back his black hair and wiped his hand on his jeans. Turning toward the door, he headed down the stairs and into the darkness of the garage. Knocking tentatively at the door, he waited for an answer before opening it and stepping into a room full of cigarette smoke. To Love a Tiger Ch. 12 * * * * Valerius was waiting for him on the roof of the garage. He smiled when Marcus slid to a halt next to him, growling at the sarcastic Vampire. "It's about time. I've been here for at least fifteen minutes." Shut up, Val. They're here? "Yes." He nodded at the skylight in the building and watched as Marcus padded silently over to it, peering down at the three men playing video games. Only three? "One left the room but not the building. I think he went down into the garage, but I can't be sure." With one huge paw, Marcus pushed at the skylight, slipping it open. He glanced up at Val, noting the look of anticipation on his face. The shooter isn't in the room. I can't smell gun power from these three. The shooter is mine. Val nodded and with that, they jumped! To Love a Tiger Ch. 13 To say that the boys playing video games were surprised was an understatement. Who wouldn't freak when a full grown panther dropped in on them from the ceiling? That he was followed by a man dressed all in black, his face pale, his eyes so intense that once you looked in them, you were never the same. Ramon raced toward where his brother had left the fully automatic weapon, lifting it to his shoulder to take aim. When the site focused on the man in black, he was caught in his eyes. Without firing a single shot, he sat it back on the floor and walked toward Valerius. There was a look of terror in his eyes and his mouth gaped open as if he wanted to say something, but no sound came out. Valerius took him by the throat, lifting the younger man off of his feet and dangling him from one hand. "Where is he?' "Where ... is ... who?" Ramon grunted. He kicked his feet, trying to get free. "The killer, the one who shot the Deputy Chief outside of Prescott Central, that's who. Where is the little scumbag?" Marc growled, baring his teeth at the two men who were now standing on top of the couches they'd once been sitting on. He moved closer to Val, rose up on his hind legs to bat at the hanging ruffian. Ramon screamed the sound cut off as Val closed his fist around his throat, cutting off his supply of air. "He's ... down ... stairs," Ramon grunted. "He's reporting to Caspian." He started coughing when Val let him fall to the ground, landing on his hands and knees in front of Marc and Val. "Who's Caspian?" Ramon kept coughing, trying to clear his throat from what Val had done. Valerius stared up at the two standing on the couch watching Marc with fearful eyes. "Who's Caspian?" Val snarled at the two of them, showing off his elongated canines. Both of the two men jumped, screeching in fear. Marc snarled as well, jumping up on the couch with them and knocking them off the back. He jumped over the edge of the couch and sent the two men screaming, one leaving a wet trail as he voided his bladder. "He's the boss! He's the one who ordered us to hit the bitch!" "Where is he?" Val asked glancing over at Marc. "He's downstairs in the room in the back of the garage!" Ramon answered, finally recovering from Val's hand around his throat. "He's like you guys!" "What do you mean, like us?" "He's some kind of Vampire or something," Tepe, the youngest of the three, said. He stared down at Marc, eyeing the panther as he would a venomous snake. "He only let's Ramon or Anthony around him." "A Vampire named Caspian," Val mused aloud. "Here in the city without getting my Uncle's permission. He's not going to like that, not at all. It shows disrespect." Marc growled. Sorry for your Uncle and his poor feelings but do you think we can find this Caspian and kill him, please? "What about Anthony? You going to let him live?" He was just the gunman. I want whoever's behind putting out the hit on her. Marcus went to the door, pacing in front of it impatiently. "We might want to find out more about this Caspian before we go after him, Marc. We don't know how old he is or how powerful." And give these three a chance to tell him that we know he's here, I don't think so, Val. I think that would be the stupidest thing we could do. Valerius stared down at his friend. "Okay." He sighed heavily. "What should we do with these three?" Marc growled, opening his mouth to expose his huge fangs. He licked his long tongue over them, eyeing the three so that they shrank back away from him. "No man, don't. We told you the truth. Don't let it at me!" Valerius walked up behind the men, grabbing two of them by the heads and knocking them together quickly. They slumped to the ground leaving Ramon who cringed away from the Vampire. "What do you want me to do with this one?" he asked Marc. Marcus took a deep mental breath and forced his beast back under his control. When he rose from the floor, he stood naked, tanned skin gleaming in the light of the overheads. His hair was the same color as that of his beast's fur, a black so true to look blue. His body was toned, muscles rippling across his chest and stomach as he moved toward Ramon. "That bitch that you killed was my mate," he growled. "I want to know why the hit was set up. I want to know everything you know about this Caspian. I want to know now!" "I-I-I d-don't know much," Ramon whimpered. "My brother mostly deals with him. He showed up about six weeks ago, set up this place and offered Tony a job. Tony is like his right hand man. He brings him blood, girls, whatever Caspian wants. Caspian wanted the bit ... the woman dead so we went and did it." "But how could Georgina be a threat, she doesn't deal with the supernatural world." Val grabbed Ramon by the collar. "Why is Caspian afraid of Georgina?" "He's not," Anthony said from the doorway. "Put my brother down." "You," Marcus growled, his eyes flashing, green as emeralds. There was hatred there, in the tone of his voice and the way he stared at the younger man. "You're the one who killed my mate." "Yeah, Ramon had nothing to do with it, so let him go." Valerius dropped Ramon, letting him fall to his knees. When he tried to get up, the vampire stood over him, forcing him back down. "Why should we?" "Because you don't want him, you want me. Let him go and you can have me." "No way, Tony," Ramon said, staring past Val. "No way I'm letting you sacrifice yourself for me." "Shut up, Ramon," Tony never took his eyes off of Marcus. "Let my brother go." "He seems a bit too eager to get his brother out of here, doesn't he?" Marc looked at Val. "Oh hell, man, we're being set up." Even as he spoke, men seemed to pour into the room, carrying automatic weapons, their barrels pointed at Marcus and Val. Val reached down, grabbing Ramon and holding him in front of him, one hand on his throat, a lethally sharp nail just piercing his skin. Tony raced for the gun he'd set against the wall earlier, scooping it up and turning to point the weapon at Marcus. Marc took one step and then fell to all fours, letting the beast loose. He bounded behind the men who had been sent in to kill them, letting loose a scream that had them all flinching away from him. Tony let loose a volley of bullets, cutting down a few of Caspian's men in the process. Not a single bullet touched Marcus or Val. Valerius tipped Ramon's head to the side, his elongated canines pressing in against Ramon's throat. He bit down, nicking the carotid artery with one fang, just enough so that the boy's blood would drain slowly, giving them time to get him help. Then he pushed him away, into Tony's arms so that he dropped his weapon and with one leap, jumped through the skylight and out into the night. Marcus was close behind, though he managed to cause a bit more mayhem, using his lethally sharp claws on the legs of the men who were trying to kill them. Then he leapt for the skylight, reaching the roof and streaking away with Valerius. * * * * It was a tired and very disgruntled Marcus who opened his apartment door a little later on that evening. His mind raced with the discovery of this new Vampire and the crew of men he'd sent out after Valerius and Marcus. They'd managed to lose them easily enough but it still left a bad taste in Marcus's mouth. He didn't bother with the lights, dropping his keys onto the granite surface of the breakfast bar. Pulling off his holster, he set his duty weapon onto the counter as well before going into the kitchen and rummaging in his refrigerator for something to eat. Ten minutes later had him kicked back in his chair, remote in hand as he flipped through channels, a half eaten pizza in his lap and a beer on the stand next to him. Marc settled on an old James Bond movie, putting the remote down and picking up his beer to take a long pull on the bottle. He needed this, the normalcy of it all after the day he'd just had. Being shot at just didn't rest well with him. Losing Georgina was like an open wound that wouldn't heal. He missed her. He looked down at the box in his lap and picked it up, tossing it to the coffee table. His thoughts of Georgina had caused him to lose his appetite. He did take another long pull on his beer before he kicked up the footstool on his chair and leaned way back. He could only hope that James Bond and the Bond girls could take his mind off of everything that was going on. The dream started out eerily like a bad Dracula movie. Cheesy looking fog rolled across the floor of his apartment, gathering around his chair. He sat up, knocking down the empty beer bottle and watching it disappear into the fog. It shimmered, as if it were coated with sequins. Then there was music swirling around the room. It rose in volume ending in a crashing crescendo of sounds that had him covering his ears. "What the fuck?" Marcus shouted over the sound. It stopped as abruptly as it started, leaving a silence behind that was so complete, he couldn't help but wonder if he'd gone deaf. Across the room, the door to his bedroom burst open and Georgina was there, gliding across the floor as if it were ice. "I want you," she said softly. Marcus couldn't believe his eyes. He rubbed them and stared at his mate, his mouth gaping open and nothing coming out. She was incredibly beautiful, her skin firm and silky looking, her eyes such a bright blue to look unreal. Her hair was in silky curls that covered her shoulders, reaching far down her back. She wore a long blue gown made of satin, the bodice clinging to her gorgeous curves, flaring at the waist to fall in graceful folds around her legs. "A-are you real?" he stammered. Georgina held out her hands to him, beckoning him to come to her. "I'm real," she whispered when he stood in front of her. "I'm real and I'm yours, if you still want me." He took her hand, resting it against his chest, over his heart that was beating way too fast. "Does that answer your question?" Georgina smiled, sending a bolt of lust straight to his cock. "Maybe I scare you," she teased, taking a step closer so that the tips of her breasts brushed against his chest. "Maybe all that does is show how much you are afraid of me." "You scare me all right," Marc growled, fighting the urge to grab her and drag her against him, wanting to feel those luscious curves against his body again. "I'm terrified that I'm going to lose you again." Her eyes swept up from where she'd been staring at her hand against his broad chest. She met his eyes, her blue gaze glowing as she accepted her feeling for this man. "You don't have to worry about that again. Not unless you want me gone." He reached for her then, pulling her close, his hand gently stroking her cheek and pushing her hair back from her face. Then he cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing over the soft skin of her jaw-line, inching her chin up so that he could reach her mouth. "Never," he breathed as his lips finally captured hers. The little moan she gave was lost in his mouth as his lips moved over hers with purpose. Hers were soft, moist, sweet to his tongue. Her flavor, that deep rich passion he'd once tasted, kept him coming back for more. He kissed her until she tore her mouth from his, her lips going to his chin and then his throat. With a groan, she opened the buttons of his borrowed shirt, her fingers stroking over the silky material, searching for the hard flesh under it. "Fuck," he groaned as her mouth touched his throat. Every kiss sent a flare of pleasure to his belly until he was a churned up mass of flesh, begging for another kiss, another touch. When her cold fingers touched his belt, he had to fight the need to come. He heard his zipper being pulled down, felt his borrowed pants sag at his hips, the weight of the change in his pockets pulling them down. His cock was hot and hard, lying in her palm. "No underwear," she breathed. "I'd never thought you the type to go commando." "My clothes were ruined when you were ... well, you know." "When I was shot?" she asked, a teasing note to her voice. "When you held me in your arms and I died? When you told me you loved me?" "I didn't tell you that," he groaned, only half listening as she began to stroke his hard flesh. His eyes closed and his breath hissed out in a pleasure filled moan of lust. "You might as well have," she said. "It's okay, baby. I love you, too." She moved down his body, kissing her way across his wide chest and down his heavily muscled ribs. Then she was on her knees in front of him, her mouth achingly cold against his belly, following the small trail of hair that led to the wiry nest at his loins. Georgina looked up at him, her beautiful eyes teasing and full of the love she wanted to give him even as she opened her mouth, her tongue coming out to lap at the head of his cock. He closed his eyes, his hand coming out to tangle in her soft curls as her mouth moved over him with eager intent. His head fell back as he felt her wicked tongue flicking the underside of his cock, swirling over the soft head before she took him deep into her throat. His moan sounded as if he were dying, his hands tightened in her hair, pulling her closer against him until he could feel her nose brushing against the skin of his crotch. Georgina held him there, suckling hard on him. "You're going to make me come," he groaned. "Oh fuck, I'm going to come, Georgina." It happened so fast, he tried to pull away but she wouldn't let him, moaning deep in her chest as the first pulse of his semen bathed her throat in warmth. Her hands locked on his hips and she held him there, catching every drop of his ejaculate and swallowing it down greedily. When he was spent, his knees weak and shaky, she finally pulled away, smiling up at him as she licked her lips. He reached down for her, pulling her into his arms, the satin of the dress she wore, caressing his skin. His mouth found hers and he kissed her gently, his tongue exploring her mouth, tasting himself there. "Will you stay?" he asked, wanting nothing more than to take her to his bed and keep her there forever. A banging on the door behind him startled him and he turned, feeling her pull away from him. When he turned his head to find her, she was gone as if she'd never been. He felt cheated, angry that she'd run from him when all he wanted was to love her for the rest of his life. The pounding on his door sounded again, this time louder and he found himself sitting up in his recliner, shaking his head to rid himself of the dream. "Hang on a second," he shouted. Marcus had to take a minute to get himself together. "It was just a dream, she wasn't here. She didn't give you a world class blow job. Pull it together, Marc." He rubbed his hands over his face, scrubbing away the remnants of sleep and then put one hand to his neck, massaging the slight pain he had from sleeping wrong. Marc got up, going to the door and opening it without looking. He stumbled back a step when he saw who it was. "Can I come in?" Georgina asked. "Oh, uh, yeah, sure. Come in," he said, stepping back and opening the door wider. "I just wasn't expecting you to have come through the change this fast. "I still feel kind of weird, good, but weird." "You look fantastic." She did, almost as sexy as in the dream he'd just woken from. But in the flesh, wearing jeans and a long sleeved red tee shirt, her hair up in a slightly mussed pony tail, she was much more what he was used to. He found that even sexier. God, he had it bad. "Thanks. I-I've got to thank you for saving me, though I never thought it would be like this." She fidgeted with the hem of her tee shirt, glancing up at him from under her thick lashes. "It wasn't actually me, Gina. Val is responsible for changing you. I'd have made you a Were but..." "But..." she urged. "That change comes about in bed, during sex." He could feel the blush that was heating his cheeks, it matched the one heating hers. "Oh, I thought all you had to do was bite someone." "Old wives tale mixed with myth and legend. It helps keep our race alive." "Like the Vampire movies? I was really disappointed when I found out I can't fly or turn into something besides what I am." Marcus chuckled, walking up closer to her to gently brush his knuckles against her cheek. "You really scared me out there." "I scared me out there," she said, looking up at him. Her hands came up, fisting in the silky material of his shirt. "I think I'm still scared. I'm not sure what I'm doing now. That man who was helping me, he said I can't go back to being Deputy Chief anymore. I don't know who I am without that." Marc's hands came to rest against her waist, holding her gently. "You are more than just a badge, Gina. You are an incredible person and I know you can work through this. I ... I'd like to help." Georgina smiled a grin that lit up her face. "I'm so glad you said that. I don't think I could do this without you." "I guess I just have much more faith in you and your abilities." He looked down at her, unable to look away from her pretty face and the glow that was in her eyes. "God, you're gorgeous." His hand rose to her face, his thumb against her chin, softly stroking her satiny skin. The look in her eyes had him spellbound, unable to resist lowering his mouth to hers, gently stealing a kiss so soft, he thought he'd dreamed it. "More," she sighed, closing her eyes as he obeyed. Their lips clung, his tongue slipping over the seam of her mouth, urging her to open to him, to let him in. She did, a sweet moan becoming lost in his mouth as his tongue swept past her defenses. She tasted of passion, rich and dark, mixed with a slight coppery taste of blood. His tongue explored, finding the sharpened canines, feeling them nick him, his blood flooding her mouth. She moaned again, this one a sound of hunger as she suckled upon his tongue. Marcus chuckled, pulling back to see her eyes come open and stare at his mouth. "Do you want more?" he asked, sliding his big hands down her slender back and over the curve of her hips. "Yes," she panted. Marcus squeezed her ass in his hands, hearing her moan. "Will you stay?" "Depends," she teased, moving even closer and rising on her toes so that she could grind herself against the bulge in the front of his pants. "On what," he said with a groan, squeezing her hips even more and moving her against him. "On whether or not you plan to use this on me." She reached down, cupping her hand over that bulge and squeezing gently. He couldn't answer her, not with words anyway. Dipping his head, he found her lips again, nothing gentle or tender about this kiss. It was raw, hot, filled with the need and desire that only she made him feel. His hands roamed her body, cupping, squeezing, searching for every spot that might elicit a response. He had to have her as hot for him as he was for her. Reaching down, he grasped her tee shirt, yanking it up and over her head. His hands were unsteady as they went to the clasp of her bra and he fumbled with the unyielding clasp, growling deep in his throat in frustration. His eyes flashed fire and the clasp fell free, the victim of one sharp claw that never even came close to nicking her skin. Lifting Georgina in his arms, Marcus wrapped her long legs around his waist, his mouth roaming down the length of her neck and slipping over her collarbone, his path taking him directly to the softness of her breast and the hard bud of her nipple. He heard her gasp as his lips closed around the pale pink tip, his tongue coming out to torture the captured sweetness of her. Georgina let her head fall back, allowing him to support her as the swirling heat of his mouth sent pulse after pulse of need to her sex. She was wet, swollen with need, wanting him so desperately that she couldn't help but grind against him. To Love a Tiger Ch. 13 "God!" she cried, as the seam of her jeans ground into her clit, sending her over the edge. She could feel the contractions in the muscles that lined her cunt, feel the emptiness there that desperately needed filling. Grabbing his hair, she forced his head away from her breasts, her mouth latching onto his in frantic appeal. "Fuck me!" she growled into his mouth. Marcus glanced around the room, as needy as she to complete their heated dance. In a second, he'd made up his mind. Keeping her wrapped around him, he moved to the door to his bedroom, knocking it open and stepping inside only to kick the door shut behind him. Moving instinctively, he found the side of his bed, dropping her down onto it. His hands went to her jeans, yanking open the button, laughing darkly when her hands went to the zipper to help. They fumbled to get them off of her, Marcus yanking off her panties as well as the jeans, down her legs, pausing only to pull of the tennis shoes she was wearing. Then he stood back, watching her twist upon his bed in the dim light of the streetlights that shone through the small cracks in the blinds. It gave her body a striped pattern, sometimes hiding the choicest of bits before she would move again. He stood there as long as he could, teasing himself and her with his self-control. When she raised her hands to him, beckoning him closer, he couldn't stop himself from going to her. "I feel like I'm dreaming," he muttered, putting one knee on the bed before stripping off his silky shirt. "If you are, then I am too," Georgina whispered, staring at his gorgeously ripped chest and abs. "How you hide that under those suits you wear, I don't know. It should be against the law." "Would you arrest me, Georgina?" His brow cocked and a slight smile quirked his lips at the thought of being manhandled by the gorgeous blonde. "I didn't bring my handcuffs," she teased, getting onto her knees on the bed and reaching out to touch him. "I have mine," he said, holding still as her soft, little hand settled against the wide plains of his chest. His eyes closed at the sublime pleasure she dispersed with the tiniest of caresses, his breathing growing ragged. "You don't know how much of a turn on it is for me to see how my touch affects you." She moved even closer, her fingers sliding under the waistband of his pants before working loose the button and slowly pulling down his zipper. "You don't know how turned on I am by you, Gina. I've wanted this for years, since the first time I saw you at Prescott Central. You were wearing that black suit, the one that you think makes you all business like." "What do you think it makes me look like?" she asked huskily, sliding her hand inside of his pants and finding the hard ridge of his cock. "It makes me want to strip it off of you, to get down to the woman who is too sexy to wear something that severe." His hands stroked down her arm even as he moaned at the sensations she was stirring by stroking his cock. His eyes closed and he gasped with pleasure before he reached down and grabbed her hand. "Too much?" Gina teased. Marcus shuddered as he pulled her hand free, so close to giving in to the pleasure she'd so generously given him. But he wanted this for her first, for her to know how much he truly did love her and what being his mate could be like. Just because she was a vampire didn't mean they couldn't be together, it just meant it might be a bit more difficult, kind of like an interracial relationship back in the 1950s. He pushed that thought aside, concentrating instead on the warm, soft woman that was in his bed. With a grin, he pushed her back, following her down so she lay under him. Her breasts beckoned, her nipples upright little pebbles that he wanted in his mouth, under his tongue. Sliding his hands up from her waist, he filled his palms with the firm, supple flesh, drawing one up to his mouth so that he could taste her again. * * * * Sparks seemed to burst behind Georgina's eyelids as Marcus's tongue, his lips, the heat of his mouth, sent sensation after sensation through her. She could feel the pounding need throbbing between her legs and moved under his hard body, wanting more, evermore. His mouth moved from one hard peak to the other, his fingers playing with the other tip, left wet from his mouth. She ground her hips against him, all thoughts of teasing and play gone from her mind as a desperate need for him filled her. "Marcus," she groaned, grabbing his head and pulling him up to her mouth. When she'd woken from the comatose state that Aquila had put her in, she'd felt an overwhelming sense of loss, of cold that only one person could fix. When she'd demanded to see Marcus, Aquila had looked upon her with scorn, calling her a fool. But now, here, in his arms, in his bed, everything that had seemed so wrong disappeared. How could this be bad? "I love you, Gina," he moaned against her mouth, startling her. "I always have." She pulled her head back, avoiding his mouth. "Y-you love me?" Marcus smiled and she felt a tiny bit of irritation at the superior look in his eyes. "You're my mate, of course I love you." Gina pulled further away as he tried to kiss her again, as if his words were enough to convince her of his feelings. "Wait," she said, bringing up her hand to cover his lips and feeling his tongue trace over her palm. "I don't understand this mate thing. Hell, I don't understand being a vampire but I guess I'm going to get a crash course." "What's to understand, I love you, you love me, we mate ... voila!" Marc pulled her hand off of his mouth, nibbling on her wrist. "How do you know I love you?" she asked, turning to glance at him as she sat up in bed. "I mean, I don't even know that I love you. I don't even know that I like you half the time." "Of course you do." Marcus sat up next to her, trying to take her in his arms. She dodged his hands, holding hers up in warning. "I want to talk about this, Marcus." She didn't miss the rolling of his eyes at her words. Georgina balled up her fist, hitting him in the arm. "Don't roll your eyes at me, this is important." Marcus took a deep breath. "Okay, let's talk," he said, turning his big body more toward hers so he could see her easier. In the process, the pants that he hadn't taken off yet got pushed down a bit more and his cock popped out, slapping against his stomach. Gina's eyes grew big as she saw the size of him and she licked her suddenly dry lips. He groaned, balling his hands into fists to keep from reaching out and grabbing her. "If you don't want this conversation to be over before it begins, Gina, stop looking like you'd like to suck me like a lollipop." "Fine," she said, but she took one more look at his groin, her eyes widening appreciatively. "What was I saying?" she asked him. Marcus grinned, reaching out with one hand and tapping at her temple. "You were over analyzing our relationship," he reminded her. Her eyes narrowed and he held his hands up in surrender. "You want to know about mating?" She nodded. "Okay. The simple version. A Were searches their entire life for their mate, knowing deep inside when they have found that person. I knew it the moment I laid eyes on you. It was as if a part of me that was dormant came alive. Then I talked to you and I found you intelligent and sexy, funny and sweet and most importantly, we seemed to agree on almost everything. If you hadn't been shot, then I would have wooed you and then claimed you as mine and changed you into a panther. Being a Vampire, well it makes things a bit more difficult but we aren't the only Were/Vampire couple around." "But that's pretty one sided, isn't it? You say you knew, you were convinced, etc ... but what about me?" "You have no feelings for me?" Marcus asked, feeling as if his heart had stopped. "I-I ... don't know..." In the other room his cell phone began to ring. Marcus glanced from Gina to the door, knowing by the ring who was on the other end. "God!" he groaned. "I have to take that." He got up and hurried to the other room, yanking at his still unfastened pants as he went. He got to the phone just before it went to voice mail. "Uncle Lukah," he said as he answered it, feeling as if he'd just been given a death sentence. * * * * Jared pushed the little car to its limits, making the two hour trip in less than half that time. He rammed it down the two track to Jack's cabin, cursing as the car bottomed out and then bounced up, jamming him against the seat belt. But it couldn't be helped. Cassius was out here and he could have Tessa right now. He grabbed the wheel with one hand, holding the blue stone out in the palm of the other. "Come on, Tessa," he whispered, halving his attention between the road and the stone. "Answer me damn it!" But like the other twenty times he'd tried it, there was nothing. That meant one of two things, either Cassius had Tessa or Jack was dead and so was his magic. He pulled into the clearing where Jack's cabin was, slamming the little car into park before he'd even come to a complete stop. He was out of the door and into the cabin in three huge bounds. "Tessa!" Jack's nude body was lying on the floor close to the doorway, as if he'd been trying to get out. Jared knelt next to him, turning the big man into his arms. "Jack!" Jack's eyes fluttered open weakly and he coughed harshly, spitting up even more water than he'd had before. "I-It was Cassius..." he said weakly. "He caught me by ... surprise," he bit out. "Sorry, boy." "It's okay, Jack. Where is he now?" "W-went after your woman ... after trying to drown me..." Jared lifted the big man in his arms, carrying him with little effort over to his bed and tucking him in. "Rest, I'm going to find her." "Kick his ass, boy," Jack sputtered, his eyes closing as if talking had worn him out. Jared closed the door tightly behind him, not wanting Cassius to use the cabin as a place to hide out with Tessa. He lifted his head to the wind, his eyes glowing with rage as he scented his brother and under that scent, the sweet freshness of Tessa. "Hurt her and I will kill you, Cassius," he promised as he changed into the tiger, leaving his clothes on the porch. His black fur blended with the dark forest and he began to hunt... To Love a Tiger Ch. 14 Jared padded with silent ferocity, easily passing through the heavy brush and the dense undergrowth. His eyes were alert, his senses humming as he searched for any sign of his quarry. When a glowing shape swooped down toward him, he almost batted it away before recognizing Jack's magic. "She's in the bear cave," little Jocelain peeped. "He's there too, hurry!" Now that he knew where to go, he moved quicker but still just as silently. He was at the entrance to the caves within moments. "Bitch!" he heard Cassius growl and then the sound of a struggle. Tessa's cry of pain was cut off, but it was enough for Jared to see red. He barreled into the cave, taking in the details quickly. Cassius stood over Tessa, his nude body shivering slightly in the cool air. Tessa was prone on the ground, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth where Cassius had struck her. She looked up as Jared rushed in, her eyes opening wide. "Jared," Tessa cried. "Brother," Cassius smirked. "Do you see now?" he asked Tessa, his hand sweeping wide toward Jared. "He's a freak of nature. A tiger with no stripes. You'll always be laughed at, made fun of. You'll never have a normal life with him. Come with me and I promise you a life of luxury, of fine things and the respect of those around you. You'll never have to bear a freak's litter or worry that your cubs will be born like him." He held out his hand to her. "Take my hand and I promise you, you'll never want for anything." Tessa stared up at him for a moment in stunned silence. Then her pretty eyes grew hard. "There is one thing you can't give me." "What's that?" Cassius asked, his eyes flitting from her to Jared and back again. "You'll never be a quarter of the man Jared is." Tessa slapped away his proffered hand, scrabbling back and away from him when she saw the rage on his face. "You fucking bitch," Cassius cried. "Fine, you want him, you can have him, after I'm through with him." He turned away from her, ignoring her as he watched Jared's black shape come toward him. "You would fight tiger to man, brother?" Jared growled, forcing his beast back and standing proudly nude before his older brother. "Change to the tiger, Cassius, and we shall see who wins a fair fight and not an ambush such as you set up before." "I'm going to kill you and your mate just as I killed that old spellcaster you were so fond of." Cassius smirked. "Jack's not dead," Jared smiled as Cassius growled angrily. As if to prove his words, Jocelain flew into the shadowy cave, flying circles around Cassius's head. Her wings glowed a brilliant blue and she sang a tuneless little song. "I saw him dead." "That little bird is proof. It's more of Jack's magic, magic that would be gone if he were dead. You failed again, Cassius." Cassius batted at the little bird, becoming even angrier as she flew just out of his reach. With a shout of pure rage, he threw himself at Jared, tackling him and driving him into one of the cave's walls. Jared felt the air rush from his lungs at the impact at the same time he heard Tessa's cry of horror. He fought to breathe as Cassius's arms came around him, squeezing tightly, his fists locked together against Jared's spine. "Get off of him!" Tessa cried, beating her small fists against Cassius's back. "Leave him be!" She grabbed hold of Cassius's hair, tearing it out by the roots as she pulled his head back. Cassius growled in pain, letting go of Jared and pushing Tessa backwards harshly. She fell, hitting her head on a stone buried in the sandy floor of the cave. "Bitch!" Cassius growled, his back turned to Jared as he lifted one hand to his head to see if he was bleeding. It was his biggest mistake. Jared took one look at his mate lying prone on the ground, and his temper boiled over. He reached for his brother, seeing red. He hit Cassius, Jared's fists flying, unable to stop until he realized that Cassius wasn't moving anymore or trying to duck his punches. His gaze cleared and he stared down at his brother. His face was a mess, Jared's fist mashing his features, bloodying his nose and his mouth, his eyes swollen shut. Blood dripped from his ear and he had several broken teeth. He was unconscious, not moving at all when Jared got off of him. Jared's hands were almost as bad. His knuckles bruised and swollen, the skin scraped raw. His right hand was so bad that he couldn't make a fist, but he reached down and pressed his fingers against Cassius's throat, breathing a sigh of relief when he felt the steady beat of his brother's heart. He went to Tessa next, lifting her gently and cradling her in his arms. "Come on, baby. Wake up," he crooned, carefully pushing her hair away from her face. He found the lump on the back of her head and felt a spurt of panic. But then she moaned and her eyes opened. She squinted up at him. "Are you ... are you all right?" "Right as rain now that I know you're okay." He smoothed the hair back away from her face, bending to reach her lips. "Jack! Cassius was trying to kill him." Jared smiled and pointed to where little Jocelain still flitted around. She dropped to the ground next to Tessa. "Jack's fine," she peeped. "Don't worry about him." Tessa sighed. "Thank God. I'd hate to have his death on my conscience." "It wouldn't have been your fault, Tessa. It would have been mine. I should have known that Cassius would look here for you. He knows how close I've always been with Jack and that I trust him with my life." "But I was right there," Tessa said, a sob breaking her voice. "I watched him hold Jack under the water and the only thing I did was run." "It was the best thing you could have done for Jack. Cassius left him to come after you and he was able to pull himself out of the water. Come on, baby, don't cry." He held her close, his hands stroking down her back until she sniffed and pushed him away. "What about Cassius?" she asked suddenly, staring around the cave. Jared was too late to hide the damage he'd done. "He's out for the count." "You did that," she asked, standing up to walk unsteadily over to the downed tiger. His face was a mess; blood ran from his mouth and his nose. He was definitely unconscious. "You should have done more." Tessa looked over at Jared, noting the surprised look upon his face. She giggled though it turned into a sob, one she was unable to stop. "He was going to rape me, hurt me, Jared." "It's over, Tessa. He won't be able to hurt you anymore. He's going to jail for his crimes, a human jail." "Won't that cause problems?" "No, not if it's done the right way with the right people. I know the right people." Tessa reached over to put her hand on the wall as a wave of dizziness swept over her. She closed her eyes and let her head drop down, fighting the urge to vomit. "You need to see a doctor." He lifted her nude body into his arms. "Where are your clothes?" "Jack's porch," she said softly, letting her head rest against his shoulder. "I'm taking you to the hospital." "No, won't they find out what we are?" Jared smiled over her head. "No. When one of our kind is taken to the hospital, their blood is tagged and any tests done are done by one of ours. They doctor the reports. Which is why none of the doctors knew who I was or what I was." "But they didn't identify you?" "None of them knew anything about me except the fact that I was a Were." He stopped walking when he reached Jack's porch, letting her down gently on her feet. He helped her dress, lifting her again to carry her into Jack's cabin. "Jack..." Jared called as he opened the door. "Close the damn door, you're letting out the heat." Jared kicked the door shut, amazed to see Jack up and walking around. "Old man, you almost died. You should be in bed." "I'll go to bed as soon as you get that bastard off my property. You did get him, didn't you?" "Oh yeah, he isn't going anywhere soon." He sat Tessa gently on the bed. "If I can borrow your cuffs from when you rode with the Texas Rangers, I'll get him out of here." Jack went to a large trunk that sat at the foot of his bed. He opened it, lifting out the shallow tray on top to set on the bed next to Tessa. He dug through a jumble of items searching for the cuffs. Tessa reached over, grabbing a stack of photographs that sat on the top of the tray. "What are these?" "Pictures," Jack said harshly, glancing up. "Here they are." He pulled the cuffs out and handed them to Jared. "These will keep that fucker locked up tight. I don't think any Were around could break out of them." Tessa flipped through the pictures, stopping on a black and white picture of a much younger Jack who had his arms around a woman dressed in a fancy dress, a huge bouquet of lilies in her hands. "You were married?" Jack glanced at the picture. "That surprises you?" He acted for a second as if he would turn away from her before he added... "Her name was Jasmine McPhee. She was the prettiest girl in four counties. She could rope a steer, butcher a hog, and cook up a feast without breaking a sweat." He reached out for the picture, his finger running lovingly down over her figure. "When she died, she took half my soul and all of my heart with her." "She's beautiful." "She was. She had hair that would almost flame when the sun hit it and eyes that could capture a man and make him glad he was who he was." "How long were you married?" Jack glanced up as Jared walked out of the cabin, leaving Tessa sitting on Jack's bed. "Not long enough." He took the pictures from her and dropped them back into the trunk tray. Putting that back in the trunk, he closed it with a loud thunk. "You gonna keep asking questions bout things you don't need to know about?" Tessa gave the crotchety old man a glare and got up off the bed. "Fine, you don't want to talk, I'll go wait for Jared on the porch." "Jared would kill me if anything happened to you." Jack got up and ran to the door, slamming his hand against it to keep it closed. "You gotta stay in here." "Then you can talk to me. Tell me about your wife?" Jack tried to glare at her but she was having none of it. Going to his chair, she picked up the dirty blanket that he'd been sitting on, using two fingers to hold it away from her and dumped it in the bath water that still sat by the fire. Then Tessa went back and sat down, looking at Jack with an expectant look in her eyes. "That's blackmail." "Is it? I guess you'll just have to call the cops. Now are you talking or am I waiting for Jared on the porch?" Jack growled under his breath and stomped over to the bed, sinking down on the side. "I almost just died woman." He coughed, covering his mouth with his hands. Tessa laughed. "That was pretty poor there, Jack. If you want to make me feel bad, you're going to have to do better than that." She waited while he cursed under his breath, knowing that it would take a few moments before he got over his indignation from being bested by a woman. When he finally spoke, his words surprised her. "She was a lot like you." "What?" "You heard me. You remind me a lot of her. She had a no nonsense attitude and could always find a way to get what she wants from a man. She was also beautiful and loving and would drop everything if someone she loved was in trouble." "How did she die?" Jack studied his hands, not eager to go into the story but he saw no way out. "She was murdered." "Oh Jack, I'm so sorry." "So was I, girlie, so was I. It was my fault, you see. I'd been riding with the Rangers when I met Jazzy. She knew my job took me away from home a lot. But she'd always seemed fine with it. We got a call out, one of the murdering bastards that I'd put away had gotten out. By the time I got home to warn her ... well, it was too late. He'd ... he'd raped her to within an inch of her life and then slit her throat." Tears were falling down Tessa's cheeks as she reached out and touched Jack's hands. "I'm so sorry Jack. You can't consider that your fault." "I'd brought the bastard in the first time. I wasn't there when he got to her. I should have been there." Jack got up and ran his hands through his hair, leaving it looking wild and him looking half-mad. His eyes held a haunted look that was heart-breaking. "You couldn't have known he was going after her, Jack. Is this why you keep yourself hidden away? Why you don't allow anyone on your property or want anyone to get close to you?" "Why would anyone want to?" he grumbled, pulling away from the tenderness he could feel through her hands. "I'm a great bear of a man, like you said. I'm better off out here where no one else can get hurt by me." "No one's better off alone, Jack. You could come back with us, stay at the Ambush with Jared and I. The others will accept you." "You can't know that. You can't even know if they'll accept you. No," he said with a defiant shake of his huge head. "I'm better off right here." Tessa opened her mouth to speak when there was a loud noise from outside. Jack was at the door, closing it firmly behind him and right in her face. She stomped her foot in aggravation and tried the door. It wouldn't budge. "Dammit Jack!" Outside, Jack couldn't help the small smile that touched his lips. She was definitely like his Jasmine and a proper match for Jared. "Need some help with that?" He waved at Cassius's unconscious form that was dangling over Jared's shoulder. "Nope, I got him," Jared said, glancing over at Jack who was holding the door closed with a hint of magic that could be seen in the blue glow around the doorframe. "Are you two fighting again?" "Nope. She stays on one side of the door, I'll stay on the other and there'll be no fights." "Jack," Jared began, shaking his head. "You two fight more than any two kids I've ever met." "She's a nosey baggage." Jack shrugged his shoulders. "And she blackmailed me." Jared had opened Tessa's car and shoved his brother's limp body into the backseat naked as the day he was born. Grabbing a blanket out of the trunk, He covered him up completely, not wanting anyone to see him and then call the cops. "She blackmailed you?" he asked, his head coming up out of the car so suddenly, he knocked it against the door frame. "Yeah, made me talk to her. You know I hate talking to people, Jared." "Jack ... what happened with Jasmine was a long time ago. Can't you let it go?" "No he can't let it go," Tessa said, coming from the other side of the cabin from where she'd crawled out of a window. "Stubborn, mean old man." "I knew I should have locked them windows too," he growled, glaring down at the tiny woman. She poked him in the chest with one finger. "Do it again and you'll find yourself shaved bald on either end," she said softly. Jack tried to glare her down, but Tessa refused to be cowed. He finally dropped his eyes and turned to go back in his cabin. "Jack?" He looked up at Jared as the man came up on the porch. Jack took his hand, shaking it warmly. "You'll always be welcome here. You can even bring mouthy over there if you make her promise to behave." "Thanks so much," Tessa growled. "She's going to marry me," Jared said. "I'm going to need a best man and it's got to be you." "Oh no," Jack said, backing away and shaking his head. "I ain't getting gussied up in one of those monkey suits again for anyone." "Yes you will. I'll let you know." He grabbed Jack's head and planted a kiss on his cheek before swooping Tessa up in his arms and depositing her in the car. He glanced in the rearview mirror as he turned the car around, seeing Jack standing still on the porch, a small smile curling his lips. * * * * "Uncle Lukah," Marcus said into the phone. "Yeah, he told me that you'd summoned me. But Uncle, I can't just drop everything in my life to come when you decide I need to be there." Georgina stood, picking up the bathrobe that lay across one of the chairs in his room and slid it on. Then she followed his voice out into the other room. She could hear the stress he was feeling, she could see it in the way he stood, as if braced for a blow. "No, Uncle. I will not come meet her. I don't care who her parents are. I am not mating with a complete stranger." Her eyes widened as she listened into the conversation. Was Marcus being forced into mating? Was this his whole reasoning for wanting to be with her right now? Questions tumbled through her mind and she stared at his naked back. "Uncle, I can't talk right now. I'll call you back in a couple of days. I'm not changing my mind. So you might as well send her back to her parents." He paused for a moment; his muscle's tightening even more until they stood out in stark relief. "Does Aunt Marissa know what you want me to do?" "I didn't think so." He held the phone out as the man's voice on the other end got louder. When he'd subsided, Marcus put the phone back to his mouth. "The reason you didn't tell her had nothing to do with her pregnancy, Uncle. You knew she wouldn't agree to what you want and it would cause a fight." He paused again, listening to the man on the other end. Finally, Marcus closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm in love with someone, Uncle Lukah. I just have to prove to her that she loves me back and then we'll do the mating ceremony." Marcus listened and then interrupted the man on the other end of the line. "No! It's not a good time for you and Aunt Marissa to come and visit. She's due any day now. I promise, as soon as things settle here, I'll bring her for a visit. Yes, I said I promised, you've got to give me some time. I love you too, Uncle." He hung up the phone, his head down. It popped up quickly when Georgina spoke to him. "So, you're using me to get out of mating with this other girl?" Marcus turned quickly, reaching out and grabbing her as she tried to go by him. "No, God no, Georgina. You weren't meant to hear that conversation." "Why not? Were you trying to hide it from me?" Marcus felt a moment of panic as he noted the stubborn look that came over her pretty face. It was a look he was used to seeing from work, a look that told him he had a lot of explaining to do and it had better make sense or she'd rip his heart out and hand it to him. "Can we sit down, please?" "Why? Are you going to try to seduce me again?" "Would you let me get away with it?" "No, probably not," Georgina said after a moment's thought. "I think I'd like to know when you found out about this other girl your Uncle is trying to foist on you, and when did you decide to use me to get him off your back?" "I never decided to use you. I was telling him the truth. I'm in love with you, Georgina." "Answer the first question." Marcus took her hand and led her into his living room, buttoning up his jeans before he sat down next to her. Georgina had taken a few moments to redress before coming out to confront him. This wasn't a conversation he wanted to have with her while he was mostly naked. "Do you remember when Val showed up in the murder room?" Gina nodded. "What does he have to do with anything?" "My Uncle Lukah sent him to fetch me, to meet this woman he'd picked out for me." "Wait a minute, he's a Vampire. Why is he doing a Were's bidding if the blood is so bad between the two species as you said earlier?" "It's a long story ... You can't want to hear this now..." Gina raised one perfectly arched brow. "I can't?" Marcus closed his eyes again and counted to ten. She could be so damned stubborn. "Okay, the speedy version. Val's Aunt Angel works with Callie Wolfe who is related to Nashe Wolfe. Nashe and my Uncle Lukah are friends and have been for centuries. When Lukah knew he needed someone to come down here to find me, he called Nashe, who got a hold of Angel who sent Val down to do my Uncle's dirty work." To Love a Tiger Ch. 14 "A Vampire doing the bidding of a Were? Isn't that unusual?" "Not so much as it used to be, not since the treaties made up by Callan Wolfe with the Vampire Counsel of Twelve." He sat quietly, waiting for her to digest what he'd told her. "So ... is that where ASP comes in?" "ASP was made up by Callan Wolfe to uphold the treaties and the laws made since the treaties. Callie Wolfe and Val's Aunt Angel both work for ASP in New York. You met some of the agents that work here." "So why didn't you go to work for them instead of coming to work for me?" "I've been wondering when you would ask me that. ASP is a kick ass agency but working for them, well, I wanted more normalcy in my life than working for the supernatural community." "You consider all of this normal?" She gestured to her mouth, exposing her fangs to him. Her blue eyes grew darker, the pupils shining red. "It's who you are now. Because I love you, I love the Vampire in you too." He shrugged his bare shoulders, noting the way she was eyeing his neck. Tipping his head to the side, he offered her his throat. "Are you hungry? You can't hurt me. As a matter of fact, this would strengthen the bond between us." Gina eyed his throat than looked up into his face. The question was in her eyes and he nodded. "Yes, it would bring me pleasure too. But if you are going to do this, we should go back to my bedroom. We should get comfortable." He rose, holding his hand out to her. When she took it, he pulled her into his arms, kissing her gently and feeling her fangs with his tongue. He lifted his head, smiling. "Come on, baby girl. Let's let you feed." * * * * "You were serious about dropping him off with the humans?" "Well, I am about one human. I just have to find her first. Cassius won't wake for a while. I was pretty brutal on him." Jared checked his rearview mirror, seeing his brother still out, lying across the back seat, a blanket pulled up to his neck. He checked his speed, not wanting to be pulled over if he didn't see the cop first. "It'll be fine, Tessa. When we get back to the Ambush, you and I are going to be mated in our traditional ceremony, and if you want, we'll get married too. I have no problem doing anything that binds you to me all the more." He glanced over at her, reaching out and grabbing her hand to hold it against his thigh. "I love you, Tessa." "I love you." She squeezed his hand, sinking back in her seat and letting her head rest against the back. With a sigh, she let her eyes close, feeling more tired than she could ever remember feeling. "Sleep, baby. I'll wake you when we get there." He lifted her fingers to his mouth, kissing them before entwining his fingers with hers. * * * * The last thing she remembered was the scream of a semi passing. She opened her eyes, looking around her in dismay. "Jared?" she called softly. The car was parked on a dirt road, trees on either side of it. The driver's side door was opened as was one of the back doors. A mosquito buzzed around her ear and she waved her hand at it. Where was Jared? She got out of the car, lifting her head and scenting the wind. Then she took off down one side of the road, seeing Jared's footprints in the soft sand. She followed them into the woods. Glancing back at the car once, she turned and disappeared into the shadows of the trees. To Love a Tiger Ch. 15 Jared kept moving no matter how much he ached. One thought kept his feet trudging forward and that was getting back to Tessa. She'd looked so beautiful, sound asleep, her face tipped toward him; he hadn't the heart to wake her. But now, with every minute that passed, he wished he had. She'd worry if she woke and couldn't find him. How could he have been so irresponsible? A moan sounded from the burden he was carrying and he growled in response. All he needed was for Cassius to wake now ... he was so close to the ambush. "Brother..." "Shut it Cassius, you're going where you are going to pay for your sins to the humans that you've committed since you took my place. You will be put away for a long time, your powers stripped from you, your mate and all your riches forfeit. "You'd do that to your brother?" he moaned beginning to squirm on Jared's wide shoulders. "In an instant if it'll keep you from my mate." Jared let the injured tiger drop to the ground in front of him, keeping him down with a well placed foot. "I won't worry about you and what you could do if you're safe in some human prison." "I'm your brother," Cassius argued feebly, reaching up blindly to grab Jared's calf. "I was your brother the day you had me beaten half to death and then chased me from my home. I was your brother and your ruler and that didn't stop you from stripping me of my title, of my home, of trying to take my life. Now get up, now that you're conscious, you can walk." Jared reached down and grabbed his arm, yanking his brother to his feet and holding him as he wobbled. When he was finally steadied, he turned him and pointed him in the direction he wanted him to go. "I've called the police detective who was running the case of the pizza boy that you ate. She's willing to take you in." "I should press charges against that kid, he gave me indigestion," Cassius grouched, moving with short strides and tripping himself up. He was yanked up short by Jared's tight grip on his arm. "Well, he did." "You're sick," Jared growled, an expression of disgust upon his handsome face. "You're jealous, you always have been. You thought you took Kalina's virginity, didn't you? I got it. I snuck in there two days before she was going to give you her precious cherry and took it from her. Do you know, every single time she fucked you, she was wishing it was me. If I'd gotten the chance at the other one, the one you made your mate, she'd be wishing for me as well." "You're never going to look at her again, or Kalina. Matter of fact, I should make sure they put you in with some guy twice your size so you can feel what it's like being someone's bitch." Jared push Cassius ahead of him, disgusted with every word that came from his mouth. Cassius began to fall again and Jared grabbed him, keeping him upright and moving. "Hurry it up. I want to get this over with." "So you can go back to cooing and rubbing up against that blonde bitch? She made a real pretty tigress. We'd have made some tasty cubs between the two of us. Real pretty ones. Not them black ones like you're gonna give her. You tell her, Tessa, wasn't it? You tell Tessa that when she gets tired of mutant cubs, I'll be around to show her what a real tiger's made of." Jared grabbed Cassius by the throat, pulling him up so that he could stare straight into his eyes, bloodshot and swollen as they were. "It's not gonna work, Cassius. You are not getting out of this so easy. You will be going to the human prison. So shut the fuck up and keep walking." Jared pushed him on ahead, anxious now that the ambush was within sight. The guard at the tall gate gave off a yell that brought the entire village to the gate to watch as Jared pushed Cassius inside. Kalina came running, her short skirt flirting with her tanned thighs. She took one look at Cassius and at the expression on Jared's face and gasped, her hand going to her mouth in shocked horror. "Tell him good-bye," Jared said shortly. "As soon as the human detective gets here, Cassius will no longer be part of us. Tallulah?" The pretty, little brunette stepped forward, a steaming mug in her hand. "I made it just as you asked, Jared," she said shyly. "Thank you." He motioned for two of the bigger males to step forward. "Hold him." Cassius took one look at the mug and tried to bolt, his eyes growing as wide as the swollen skin around them would allow. "You can't be serious." "I can and am serious, Cassius." He went wild, thrashing and kicking, almost breaking free of the men that held him. Two more men rushed forward from the crowd gathered around, watching Cassius's fate. They bore him to the ground where he locked his jaw shut, turning his head back and forth until another man grabbed it. Pinching his nose closed, Jared waited for Cassius to open his mouth to breathe. "No, Jared," Kalina cried, rushing over to try and stop him. She grabbed his arm that held the steaming mug of liquid, spilling some of it to the ground. The grass instantly turned brown and withered where the potion fell. "Please don't do that to him." "Please don't do what? Punish him for eating a human? Send a warning to anyone foolish enough to try to do what he's done? Do you know that he was ready to rape my mate when I found him?" Jared grabbed the potion in the other hand, grabbing hold of Kalina and setting her away from him. "He would have taken her against her will, scarred her, just because she was mine. Is that the type of man, of tiger, that you want as your mate, Kalina? Because, if it is, then you can share his fate." He gestured to the mug in his hand. "Would you take first drink?" He offered it to her, watching as her eyes went to the mug, her head shaking slowly as she backed away from the crowd. With a cry that seemed to come from the depths of her soul, she ran from the ambush and out of the gates. "Does anyone else have a problem with my decision?" Jared stood, staring around at the people in the crowd about him. Eyes dropped as he stared at them. The few that didn't shook their heads. Cassius was on his own. His eyes dropped to the man struggling under the five men that held him down. "Cassius Cavatora, for your crimes against humans and the people of this village, you are sentenced to living the next fifty years as one of them. You will age as they do and you will face death at the end unless you repent for the crimes that you've committed. Repent and return to this village as one of us, as a tiger once more." He knelt and held Cassius's nose again, waiting until he opened his mouth and then pouring a thin stream of the brackish liquid between his lips. The man holding his jaw, shoved it closed, holding it until Cassius was forced to swallow or choke to death. As soon as he swallowed, all five men jumped back. Jared was the last to leave his brother's side, staring down into his blood shot eyes. "You left me no choice," he said quietly, standing and backing away. For a moment, Cassius was as still as stone on the ground. Then his head fell back, a fierce yowl erupted from inside of him. His body twisted, fur erupting and then retreating from his skin. His teeth changed and he snapped at the air, foam flying from his black lips. His nails changed to claws and he flailed at the ground, ripping up huge hunks of grass and dirt. Unholy sounds came from between his lips, garbled screams and curses spewing forth to fill the silence left by the expectant crowd. None but Jared noted the newcomers as they entered the enclosure. All eyes were on the struggle happening right in front of them. Jared stepped past the heaving body of his brother, handing the mug back to the horrified Tallulah. "Thank you for coming," he said, holding his hand out to Georgina, then to Marcus. His eyes narrowed and he looked back at the beautiful blonde with her pale skin and beautiful eyes. "You're not human." "No," Georgina said. "I'm not." She glanced at Marcus, not sure how much to tell the tiger. "She was attacked, there was no choice in the matter." Marcus shrugged his wide shoulders. "But we both still, technically, work for the police department. We'll be transferring to ASP within the next few days." "So you can still take him in?" "As long as you can supply us with proof that he was the one that killed the boy." Jared nodded. There was a sudden silence behind him and he turned, ready for any attack. Instead, Cassius lay where he'd finally fallen. His rasping breath was all that could be heard in the small area. "Cuffs?" Marcus moved forward, grabbing Cassius and flipping him to his stomach. He quickly cuffed the man, but he didn't fight, he barely moved. Marcus grabbed him by the arm, pulling him to his feet. "Come on," he said, no sympathy in his voice. Jared handed Georgina a package. "There's a tape in there. He talks about killing the boy. I can't tell you how I got it. You'll just have to take it on face value." He stepped a bit closer to Georgina. "I am sorry for your problems. I hope you know you won't have anymore with my people. Now that I am back to being leader, we shall have the same peace we've always known." "That's good to know." Georgina nodded at Marcus, not meeting his eyes. "I'll make sure and tell the Chief. He'll be in touch." She took Cassius's other arm as the man now wobbled on his feet. "I'll walk him through myself. He'll be kept out of the general public in respect for you and the help you're giving us now." "I appreciate that," Jared said, nodding. He glanced down at the watch he wore on his wrist and then out the gate of the enclosure. "Is there anything more?" "Why, do you have someplace you have to be?" Marcus smiled though it didn't reach his eyes. "I left my mate sleeping in the car. I'd like to get back to her before she wakes and tries to come looking for me." As if his words conjured her up, Tessa stumbled through the gate. Her eyes were wild, her hair a tangled mess. There was a bruise on her face. Kalina followed her in, a gleeful expression in her eyes. * * * * Kalina rushed through the forest, her eyes flooded with tears. Cassius had been a huge prick, but he'd been her huge prick. She stumbled into a clearing, falling to her knees in the soft grass. Her hair fell in front of her face and her shoulders shook, but she didn't try to stop the sobs. Only the sound of a branch cracking had her head lifting. * * * * Tessa was lost. She'd be the first to admit it if someone would come right now and find her. Being alone in the forest scared the bejesus out of her. It was dark and the trees seemed to come alive around her, reaching out to grab her hair and her clothes. Each time, she would squeal or shriek, batting at the tormenting branches. Tears came to her eyes as she was scratched and bruised, causing her to start to run, her hands waving around her head. "Jared!" she cried. Her foot hit a branch and it cracked in two as she fell into a clearing. When she lifted her head, there was a woman in front of her, a huge grin upon her face. There was a flash of a fist and then she knew nothing else. * * * * Kalina dragged the unconscious woman forward. If she were going to lose her mate, she would make sure that Jared lost his. It didn't matter that it was Cassius's fault and that he was being made to pay for his actions or how she'd felt about him in the past. They were mates, he should be left alone to live his life with her. She heard Tessa moan and grinned. It would be good to hear her screams as she drew her super sharp nails across her throat. She would gurgle and then fall to the ground as her life's blood pumped from her body. Jared would be devastated. Her grin grew wider. He would never recover. "W-who are you?" Tessa moaned, pitching forward and almost falling except for the harsh hand on her arm. "We've met before," Kalina rasped, yanking her up and pushing her forward. "I might not have been in the best of positions to introduce myself. I was finishing up a meal." Tessa glanced behind her, seeing the brunette hair and the harshly beautiful face. It struck her at once, the girl that was bending next to the car door, her fingers dipping into the blood on the pavement and then licking them off. Her stomach turned and a flicker of fear had her shivering. "W-what do you want from me?" "You can't guess." Kalina pushed her forward again, keeping her hand on Tessa's arm. "Walk!" "Jared has Cassius. He's turning him in to the police." Tessa's voice quivered though she tried to sound tough. "You do anything to me and he'll hound you to the end of the earth." "Shut up!" Kalina grabbed Tessa's hair, yanking her head back. "I'd kill you now if I didn't want Jared to witness your death." "What have we ever done to you?" Tessa felt her tiger rising to the surface and pushed it back desperately. She didn't stand a chance against the older and more experienced feline. She could only hope to out wit her as a human. "We only want the chance to live our lives together." "Jared has made Cassius human." "He's done what?" The look on Tessa's face almost had Kalina laughing hysterically. "Yes, it is possible. Keep walking." "But how?" "A potion whose ingredients are known only to a few chosen of the ambush. It curbs the beast for days to years, depending upon the transgression of the one being forced to take it. It's like a death sentence. Move!" She pushed Tessa forward again, seeing the gates of the ambush ahead. Tessa saw where they were headed. Her heart sank and fear had her mind frozen. She couldn't think, she could only be pushed forward toward the gates and almost certain death. She couldn't do that to Jared. It would kill him to watch her die. But how could she get away? * * * * Jared watched as Tessa stumbled into the ambush. He held his hands out to her, smiling in welcome to see her. "Tessa, I was just on my way back to..." His voice trailed off as he saw Kalina step up behind her, her arm wrapping around Tessa's throat, two super sharp claws pressing threateningly against her throat. "Let him go," she said loudly enough for Jared to hear. "Let him go or I'll kill her." "He's been given the potion, Kalina. Don't do this." Jared held his hands out, trying to calm Kalina down. "He has to pay for what he's done." "He's my mate, Jared. He's all I have." "Yes, baby," Cassius rasped, his throat raw from the potion and screaming as his beast was wrested away from him. Jared moved a few steps closer, drawing Kalina's attention to himself and away from Georgina, Cassius, and Marcus. "She's all I have. Please, Kalina. You don't want to do this. It's death if you hurt the mate of the leader of the ambush." "If you take my mate, it'll be death for me as well," she cried, pulling Tessa closer and using her as a shield. "Who'll watch out for me? Who'll take care of my cubs?" "Cubs?" Cassius croaked. "You're going to have my cubs?" Kalina nodded, her nails pressing even harder into Tessa's throat. She split the skin and Tessa yipped, but made no move. A trickle of blood, warm and thick, slid slowly down her skin to stain her collar. "Kalina," Jared called again. "Think of your cubs, think of the precious lives inside of you. Don't do this, don't hurt Tessa. You and Cassius will have your chance if he can repent for what he's done." Marcus saw Jared's eyes flick toward him and he began to move slowly around the clearing, making his way slowly toward Kalina. He waved his hand at Jared to keep talking, to keep her attention on him. "You can stay here, Kalina. You know we always take care of our own. You'll have a place here." "I was leader, Alpha female, Jared. Now you bring this mewling, puny half-breed in to usurp my place. Where does that leave me? Where does it leave my cubs?" "With a home, Kalina." That voice of reason didn't come from Jared but from a most surprising source. "You'll have a place here until I come back, baby." Cassius stared from Kalina to Jared. "Promise me you'll take care of her and my cubs," he almost begged Jared. "You have my word, brother, as long as she let's Tessa go." Cassius nodded. "Let her go, Kalina," he said softly, watching the expression on her face. "It's all right. I'll come back. I promise. Just let her go." Tessa felt Kalina's claws retract just a bit, her hand moved the tiniest inch away from her throat. With a desperate shove, she pushed herself away, falling toward the ground as Marcus reached out and grabbed Kalina, holding her securely in her arms even as she screamed and fought. Jared was at Tessa's side, lifting her chin to check the cut then pulling her into his arms almost desperately. "God, I thought she was going to kill you." "I did too," Tessa said, sniffling and holding on to him as hard as she could. He pulled back, dipping his head to find her lips, kissing her quickly. "Are you hurt?" "I-I don't t-think so. But I-I think I-I've had enough excitement for a while." She shivered in reaction and felt tears coming to her eyes now that she was safe in his arms once more. To her embarrassment, she burst into tears. Jared picked her up in his arms, holding her high against his chest as she buried her face in his neck. "Uh, what do you want me to do with her?" Marcus said, struggling to keep hold of Kalina. "Kalina," Cassius shouted, his voice finally breaking through her fury. She slumped in Marcus's arms, her shoulders wracking as she sobbed with a desperation that was almost heartbreaking. "Please," Cassius looked up at Georgina. "Let me go to her?" Georgina nodded, keeping hold of Cassius even as she walked him closer to Kalina. He whispered her name when he was closer and she looked up. For a moment, she stared at him blankly, then, as Marcus let her go, she reached for him, balling up her fists and hitting him with all the strength she could. Cassius stood and let her beat him, taking it until she fell against him in tears. "Why did you have to do it? Why couldn't you have been more like your father?" She finally fell against him, exhausted, occasional sobs still shaking her body. "I'm sorry, Kalina." Cassius kept repeating. Jared, holding his own mate, nodded to two of the women who came and took charge of Kalina, pulling her away from Cassius. They would take her to the jail house for the night and keep an eye on her until morning when Jared could then decide where to place her. Marcus pulled Cassius up, his eyes meeting Georgina's over the tiger's bent head. She turned away. "We'll take him now, Mr. Cavatora. Thank you." Jared nodded. He couldn't, wouldn't watch them walk his brother out of the ambush. Instead, he turned toward the main house in town. Tallulah hurried up to his side. "We've cleaned your brother's things out of the house and changed the sheets on the bed, Jared." She bobbed her head like a small bird as she spoke, casting quick glances at Tessa. "Thank you." Jared nodded and then waited for her to open the door. Tallulah stood on the small porch for a moment as he kicked the door closed behind him. Then she hurried back to the village center. * * * * Georgina put a vastly changed Cassius into the back seat of her car. She reached over him and put his seat belt on him, catching a terrible scent that came from his body. Cassius saw her recoil and grimaced. "It's the potion Jared forced on me. I will smell like this for a while. If you were human, you'd never have noticed it." Georgina nodded, and then got into the passenger side of the car, pulling on her own seatbelt while Marcus got behind the wheel. He started the car without saying a word. They drove down the small dirt road, the quiet in the car broken only by an occasional cough from Cassius. They reached the main road before Marcus said anything. "You know we need to talk about this." To Love a Tiger Ch. 15 "Yes, but not here and not now." Georgina turned her head and glanced over at him. "Let's get this done, talk to the chief and then we can talk." "I won't be put off," Marcus warned. Georgina just nodded. * * * * Tessa clung to Jared even as he brought her into a huge bathroom, sitting her down on the toilet. When he went to get a washcloth from one of the shelves, she refused to let him go. "Sweetheart," he said softly, waiting until she looked up at him. "You're safe now. Cassius is gone and Kalina is in the jail. They can't hurt you. You're with me." "I-I know. I-I j-just can't s-stop shivering." She slowly let him go, wrapping her arms around herself as if for warmth though it was warm in the bathroom. "W-where are you going?" "I was just going to get a washcloth but I think you'd do better with a bath." He turned on the faucets, checking the temperature before shoving in the stopper and adding some soothing scented oil. The hot water mixed with the oil and the room began to fill with the scents of lavender and jasmine as the mirrors began to steam over. Jared helped her stand and then began to strip her of her clothing like he would a child, taking no mind of her protests that she could do it herself. "Just hush, let me take care of you. I want to do this." He turned off the water and then helped her settle into the tub. Then he stood, taking off his own clothing and letting them drop onto the floor of the bathroom. "What are you doing?" she asked, her eyes roaming over his strongly muscled chest. "I'm going to get in there with you. I have this need to hold you, baby. I thought I was going to lose you out there tonight." He stepped into the tub carefully, settling his legs next to her slender hips before pulling her back so that she could rest against his chest. Carefully cupping water in his hand, he let it pour down over the small wound in her throat, washing away the dried blood. The wound itself had already scabbed over and was healing at a rapid rate, due to her beast. "I don't want to live without you, Tessa. I love you." His head dipped and he buried his face in her hair, pulling her even closer. "I'm okay," she said, her voice hitching as the power of his emotions swept over her. "I love you too." "Just let me hold you for a minute." His voice sounded funny and she turned her head to look up at her handsome mate. His eyes were filled with tears, one slowly dripping down his whiskered cheek. He tried to hide them from her, but Tessa wasn't to be denied. "Jared?" "I've waited so long to find you, Tessa. I dreamed of finding my mate, of not being so alone anymore and in one night, I almost lost you twice. I'd die without you." Untangling herself from his arms, she slowly turned in the tub until she faced him. Her hands went to his face even as she straddled his hips, feeling the proof of his desire for her brushing against her most intimate flesh. "I'm safe, you saved me. Not once but twice. You saved me the night you stumbled out in front of me." She smiled at the confused look on his face. "I was alone, I had no one. Now ... I have you and hopefully someday, our children and a whole village to get to know. I'm no longer alone. I have your love." Jared's hands cradled her face as he stared into her lovely blue eyes, seeing the truth of her words. "You always will. I'll love you until the day I die and then for an eternity after that." His lips sought hers, a kiss to seal his avowal of love. It began slowly, a gentle tasting that grew as passion and the fear that had been with them all day colored their emotions. "God!" Jared tore his mouth from hers, his eyes dark with passion, his hands gentle as they caressed her soft skin. Tessa smiled coyly, tangling her fingers in his hair and drawing his mouth back to hers. She played with him, kissing him and then pulling back to bury her face against his neck, her mouth suckling at his skin, nipping at his shoulder. His moan made her laugh, a wicked trilling of notes that had him putting his head back to give her better access to whatever part of his body she wanted. "Yes," he hissed. "Tessa." "You're mine," she growled, licking at a drop of water that was sliding down his chest. Her hands were busy under the water, one sliding between his thighs to cup him, her fingers wrapping around his cock. When he groaned, his eyes closing in bliss, she smiled. "Say it." "I'm yours." His eyes opened, meeting hers. "You're mine." "Yes," she said easily. "I'm yours." "Forever" he added. "I'm yours forever." His hands cupped her hips, pulling her closer to him, sliding up her wet skin to slip over her breasts, pushing the two firm mounds together. His fingers found the soft pink tips, twisting them gentle and hearing her sighs of delight. "I don't know how long I can wait," Tessa moaned. "I need you inside of me." Her words set off something inside him and he grabbed her hips once more, drawing her up and over him so that the tip of his cock rested against her opening. She was wet, throbbing with her need, sending flames of passion to coil in his belly. He took her lips once more, pushing inside of her slowly, holding back despite the talons of need that tore at him. Holding her still with his hands, he kept his strokes slow, refusing to allow her to move no matter how she strained against him. "Shh," he whispered, grinding her sex against him. His lips were against her ear, his breath warm, causing shivers of delight inside of her. His hands held her tight, moving her the way he wanted, enthralled by the way her pussy hugged his cock so tightly, he could feel every throbbing, every convulsion as he worked her toward orgasm. The water began to wave around them, splashing against the side of the tub and then over the edge. Tessa quivered, on the edge, pleasure surging inside of her unlike anything she'd felt before. Her hands roamed over his shoulders, her eyes locked on his, watching as his pleasure grew. She writhed against him, fighting against his hands. "Jared." "Easy, my love," he groaned, denying his own words as his hands moved over her hips, his thumbs pressing between the creases, slipping into her pussy. He could feel his cock as it thrust inside of her; feel the hard kernel of her clit. He circled the tiny bundle of nerves, teasing her with little flicks and soft touches. "Jared," she whimpered again, her hands tangling in his hair, drawing his head up, finding his lips. She kissed him with a desperation that demanded and he responded, giving her the caresses she needed, his hips moving with harsh purpose, fucking her until her head fell back and her fevered cries echoed throughout the room. His name left her lips one last time, a cry of fulfillment that he followed with one of his own, her breasts pressing against his chest as she arched into him. He held her against him, his cock throbbing as he spewed his seed into her eager sex. In the silence that followed, they held each other tightly, her head on his shoulder, his hands running down her back. * * * * Marcus stared out the window into the shadowed darkness of the midnight hour. His hands gripped the edge of the sink in his kitchen and he scowled, glancing over at his coffee maker as it seemed to take forever to finish brewing a cup of coffee. "You can't frighten it, honey. I think it's impervious to that scowl of yours." Marcus turned, his eyes roaming over the sensual sight in front of him. Georgina, wearing nothing but one of his button down shirts, stepped into the dim light that he'd lit in the kitchen. Her gloriously bare legs were long and curvaceous, silky smooth. He couldn't help but remember how they'd felt wrapped around his back. "You look ... sassy," he said, watching her walk toward him. "I fee sassy," she smirked, stepping closer to him and letting her hand trail down his bare chest and over his stomach, playing with the waist band of his jeans and the button he'd left undone so that they slipped lower on his hips. "You look ... biteable." "I think you've done that already, gorgeous." He tipped his head to the side, showing off the marks where she'd fed from him. "Turnabout was only fair play." She flipped her hair over, showing the scars from where he'd bitten into her neck, mating with her though it wouldn't be a true mating. The differences in what they were wouldn't allow for her to become a shifter. She played with the small trail of hair that led from his navel to his groin, stroking her fingers over the sensitive skin of his lower abdomen. "What are you doing up? Didn't I wear you out earlier?" He lifted up the cell phone he hadn't put down yet since he'd turned it off ten minutes before. "My uncle." "Again?" "He is adamant about me coming home." "To meet his little princess he found for you?" "She's not a princess, but yes. I'm going to have to go. He's not going to drop this, not even my Aunt Marissa has been able to stop him." Georgina scowled, her blue eyes going dark. "When are you leaving?" "I'm not. I was hoping we would be leaving." "We?" "You're my mate, who else would I take home to meet my family?" Georgina's smile lit up her pale face. "Very good answer." "So you'll go with me, then?" "Where else would I be but at your side, my mate?" She stepped away from him, turning toward the bedroom. "When are we leaving?" "Whoa, Gina love. Where are you headed?" He reached out and grabbed her hand, tugging her back gently. "I was going to pack," she said, the corners of her mouth quirking though she tried to hide it. "Well, then maybe we should start with my shirt." "What?" "You're wearing my favorite shirt." He dropped her hand and leaned back against the cupboards, crossing his arms over his bare chest and raking her with a lusty look. "And you want it back?" She arched a single golden brow at him in question. "Yes, please." Georgina reached up, slowly unbuttoning the shirt, letting it fall open until a strip of smooth pale skin could be seen. Finally, she shrugged her shoulders, letting it drop down her arms until she caught it in one hand. She stood proudly naked in front of him, holding out his shirt. He ignored it, reaching out and grabbing her around the waist and yanking her to him. He groaned at the feeling of her cool skin against his warm chest. "What about your shirt?" "To hell with the shirt," he growled, picking her up and sitting her on the counter. "Kiss me." "Well, since you asked me so nicely..." His lips took hers in a kiss that scorched, shaking her to her very soul. When he lifted his head, her lips were swollen, her eyes hazy with desire. "Tell me." "I love you," she said, lifting her lips to his for another of his incredible kisses. Marcus smiled. It lit up his face. "I knew it all along."