Wild Shadow : A Sweet Paranormal Romance

by Martha Dunlop

  ‘Please, Tabitha?’ Dylan’s voice was rough.

  She turned to look at him, her eyes filled with compassion. She walked back, reached up and stroked his cheek.

  He leaned into her touch, allowing his eyes to close.

  ‘You’ll thank me for this, one day,’ she said, and then she turned, opened the door and walked down the ramp, closing the door firmly behind her.

  26

  Tabitha

  Tabitha took a deep breath and forced herself into stillness. She lit a candle and a stick of white sage, and then picked up her sketchbook and pencil and settled into the armchair in the corner of the showroom.

  Closing her eyes, she took a few deep breaths. She felt the moment her consciousness lifted from her body. The familiar freedom sank through her, releasing her mind and her awareness to wander. Still conscious of her body, and of her hand ready to sketch, she allowed herself to float, pulled by a connection to Dylan she didn’t yet understand.

  The moment she thought of Dylan, she was in front of him. She watched him say goodbye to his mum, walk to a flat in the middle of the village, and put a key in the lock.

  He took a deep breath, and then walked in.

  Tabitha slipped past him into the flat, her feline form as fluid as mist.

  The chatter stopped when Linden and GJ turned and saw who was standing in the doorway.

  ‘You came back!’ GJ’s joy was infectious. Even Linden managed a tight smile.

  Dylan let out the breath he had been holding. ‘I need a drink. Can I get you both a beer?’ He walked through to the kitchen, his shoulders slumping as he reached into the fridge for the bottles.

  Tabitha followed.

  He reached out, touching her fur with his fingertips. ‘I am so pleased to see you here,’ he said under his breath.

  Tabitha rubbed her head up against his leg, allowing herself to become more solid. She felt his stress ease.

  Back in the living room, they clinked their bottles together, trying to pretend everything was normal. Their meaningless prattle was of little interest to Tabitha in her astral state. She wanted to hear Dylan’s voice and he seemed too zoned out to oblige. Starting to feel restless, she felt a growl rumble in her chest. Dylan looked up and held her gaze. His lips twitched as he watched her and she snaked towards him, focusing on her tiger form becoming real enough for him to touch. GJ shivered when she walked past him. Dylan’s eyebrows rose, but GJ gave no other indication he had seen anything unusual.

  ‘Are you listening to a word I’m saying?’ Linden said, sounding exasperated.

  Dylan held Tabitha’s gaze for a moment longer, before turning to Linden. ‘No, sorry. My mind was elsewhere.’

  Linden stared at him, mouth open. ‘You do like her?’

  ‘Of course. You knew that, right? That’s why you’ve been worrying at both of us. That’s why you apparently hate her and can’t bear for us to have a mere conversation. If she hadn’t been special, you wouldn’t have cared enough to make a fuss. You have a life, Linden, and a career. I want that. I want to have more than Instantaneous Rock and a casual job. A friend would support me in that.

  Silence.

  Tabitha walked over to Dylan and lay down on his feet. She knew he could see and feel her clearly, no matter how blind his friends were.

  Linden was red-faced. His hands were bunched into fists at his side. His chest puffed out in anger, but he said nothing. He didn’t move.

  ‘He’s right.’ GJ’s voice was quiet, but firm. ‘And he’s right about the music too. This has to stop. Dylan was always a better musician than either of us, but we’ve never given him enough of a chance to shine. He’s amazing at the drums, but have you ever heard him play the guitar? Or sing? I’d love to hear your new song, Dylan.’

  ‘That isn’t for the band.’ Dylan shoved his hands in his pockets and stepped back, further away from the guys. ‘That’s a personal project.’

  ‘I know,’ GJ nodded. ‘But if you’re ready to share, I’d love to hear.’

  Dylan looked at Linden.

  Tabitha growled.

  Linden shivered, looking behind him and around his feet. ‘Go on then, sing.’

  Dylan nodded. He took his guitar out of the case, sat down on the arm of one of the chairs and tuned the strings.

  GJ leaned back in his armchair, closing his eyes and smiling as Dylan began picking out the chords.

  The room was so still. Tabitha’s form wavered. She floated on the ether, blending into the vibrations of Dylan’s music, which felt like home in a way so profound that she didn’t know how to orientate herself anymore. His voice was deep, smooth and resonate, filling the room with the sound of his body and soul.

  Dreaming of a place on the other side of here,

  Dreaming of a me that’s only shadow.

  The road appears to lead away

  But always comes back home.

  The image shifts and fades

  And again, I’m alone.

  As he sang verse after verse, he created harmonics that carried Tabitha higher, swirling through a fairground ride of sensation. When he stopped, there was silence so potent she could still hear the sound ringing around her.

  GJ sat forwards, elbows on his knees, his lips parted and eyes wide as he stared at Dylan.

  ‘You’re right,’ Linden said, his voice rough. ‘You deserve more than Instantaneous Rock can offer.’

  Dylan took a deep breath. He closed his eyes for a moment, and then opened them. ‘You have no idea what that means to me.’

  ‘What are you going to do?’ Linden jumped up and started pacing. ‘You’ll need to record that. Do you have any others?’

  ‘You’ve changed your tune,’ Dylan said, shaking his head in wonder.

  ‘I was trying to protect you. I don’t trust Tabitha. But that was all you. That is something I’m ready to put my faith in.’ Linden opened his arms wide. ‘Come here. You’re a dark horse, I’ll give you that. But you’re our dark horse.’

  Dylan stood up and walked into Linden’s embrace. They slapped each other on the back, and then stepped away.

  GJ was grinning wide. Tabitha felt the joy emanating from him and moved closer, allowing their energy to touch. He shivered again, but his smile broadened.

  Dylan settled into a chair, more relaxed than she had ever seen him.

  Tabitha felt the pull of her body and allowed her energy to respond to the magnetic tug.

  At home in the gallery, she flicked through the pictures she had sketched while she travelled as a tiger. There was a stand-off between Dylan and Linden, Dylan playing the guitar and a picture of the guys relaxing around the fire. They were all nice, all held the tension and release she had witnessed in the room, but there was something missing. She felt it tugging at her consciousness. Standing up, she walked over to the window and peered outside. She couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching her. With a shudder, she shut the blinds, blocking out the darkness that seemed strangely ominous.

  Walking over to the front door, she opened it wide and stood on the step.

  The barn owl screeched from the tree outside her front door and she answered back, the connection strengthened by her recent astral journey. Emily ran towards her, brushing up against her ankles and then dashing into the warmth of the shop. There was a rustle in the bushes.

  ‘If you’re out there, please show yourself,’ Tabitha said, her voice as commanding as she could make it. A fox ran out of the bush and across the path. Emily hissed, but didn’t move. Tabitha went back inside, shut the door and locked it before pulling the heavy curtain over it to keep in the warmth.

  Stopping at the desk, she ran a finger over the plans for the reserve in India. She had been dreaming of this for so long and she would make it happen, with or without Wildley Forest Zoo. The large stretch of land to one side of an established reserve was currently farmland, but with access to water through the middle, they could rewild it into a beautiful habitat full of native plant and animal li
fe.

  Taking her notebook and pencils, she started sketching as the image grew in her mind. She saw the gnarled branches, the ground lined with leaves and the sun shining through the undergrowth. A tiger walked towards her, its lean body rippling with muscle. She made herself less substantial, fading into the undergrowth as the cat walked past. It stopped for a moment and stared right at her.

  Tabitha lost herself in those eyes. They were so different to the cats at the zoo. The intelligent wildness of its gaze shivered through her, as the cat grunted, and then walked past.

  She opened her eyes. Releasing the tigers from the zoo into her own reserve had been part of her dream, and she had been prepared to fight for it. But she would make a new dream. Ursula was right. Her tigers needed a different world to the one inhabited by cats that had been born into the wild.

  Tabitha made a cup of tea, picked up her candle and made her way up the steep, curving staircase to her bedroom. It was a mess upstairs, so she straightened it up, singing while she began to weave positive energy into the room, focusing into her own purpose and putting up shields to keep her space clear.

  She sat on the bed, stretching her legs out in front of her and closing her eyes. Familiar images started flickering through her mind and she shivered. She opened the book and started to draw. Dylan and Max fighting. A storm. A tree toppled against the side of the tiger enclosure. A tiger, its teeth bared, a rumbling growl coming from between drawn-back lips as it stood its ground in the sheeting rain and brutal wind.

  She saw herself shimmer and her tiger form detached. She stared in wonder at the cat she knew so intimately, but so rarely saw. She watched the power of her feline body as it grew more and more solid, the muscles flexing beneath the white, striped fur, the growl rumbling from inside the enormous ribcage. Even knowing it was her own consciousness, she shivered.

  The yellow tiger moved towards her astral form, slowly at first, and then at a run. She roared, rearing up on her back legs as the two huge beasts met head-on, swiping with giant paws.

  Tabitha jerked and opened her eyes, almost feeling the heavy impact of the other cat. Her breath was short and she gasped for air. Tears streamed down her face, but she had no idea why. She put the notebook down, went through to the tiny bathroom and splashed water on her face. She leaned on the sink, looking at herself in the mirror and touched the dark circles under her eyes. She looked so pale. Her copper hair hung in curtains that made her eyes look even bigger than normal, and gave her a haunted look. She shook her head, went back into the bedroom and lay on the bed. Every time she closed her eyes, the images started up again, around and around on the backs of her eyelids. She shook her head again, trying to force some sense into her brain.

  Pulling herself up, she turned on the TV, willing there to be something that would distract her. The news flashed up. A woman with dark, curly hair was standing on a road, with trees bending severely in the wind behind her.

  These storms sweeping Europe are showing no signs of slowing. Rather, they are building in strength and speed every day. There is a good chance they will take a different course over the Atlantic, but if they do head towards the UK we need to be prepared to batten down the hatches and secure everything that isn’t bolted down. So far, these storms have brought chaos, destruction and even loss of life, and they are only getting stronger. The advice is to monitor the weather forecast closely and adjust your plans if the course of this storm doesn’t alter.

  Tabitha frowned. She picked up her sketch book and looked at the pictures again. In the image of the men fighting, the trees were bent right over to the side from the force of the wind. She looked back at the television screen. The image was alarmingly similar.

  Emily jumped up onto the bed, meowing and settling onto Tabitha’s lap.

  ‘It’s okay, sweetheart, I’m not going anywhere,’ she said, stroking the white, striped cat. ‘Whatever happens, you and I are in this together.’

  27

  Dylan

  Dylan went into work early the next morning, wanting to get some time to explore the office properly before the staff came in.

  It was still dark and there was an icy drizzle as he walked through the gates. He pulled his jacket tighter around him. The shop and cafe weren’t open yet, so he went straight across the grass to the Playbarn. Slipping the key into the lock, he pulled across the sliding door, and then froze. There was a growl behind him.

  He turned, expecting to see the white tiger, but there was nothing there.

  There was another growl.

  Dylan frowned, and then on impulse he pulled the glass door shut, locked it again, and went over to the tiger enclosure. He paused a few metres away and listened. Max’s voice carried on the wind.

  Dylan took out his phone and walked quietly up to the fence.

  If anyone was up to facing-off to a tiger, Max probably had a fair chance. He stood inside the enclosure, tall and broad, his bulging muscles on show in spite of the cold. He threw a chunk of meat and the two tigers pounced on it, but he still held the rest of the bucket of food. He had turned away from the cats now and was talking to someone on the other side of the enclosure.

  Who could possibly be here this early?

  The sun was coming up and Dylan squinted in the pale, early-morning light. The tigers had finished the meat and were prowling, their eyes flicking up towards the figure in the cage. Dylan peered through the enclosure and his breath caught. A familiar face was frowning at Max through the bars. Her long, copper hair flowed around the shoulders of her black hoody and her arms moved fluidly as she gesticulated from the other side of the enclosure, her movements becoming more and more urgent.

  The large male dropped low to the ground and moved silently towards Max, its ears laid back.

  Tabitha carried on pointing, but Max didn’t turn. She looked up and caught Dylan’s eye.

  ‘Hey,’ Dylan called, trying to keep his voice level to avoid spooking the cat further. It froze, turned to look at him, and then continued its approach. The man ignored him.

  ‘Max,’ Dylan yelled. ‘Look behind you.’

  Max didn’t turn.

  The tiger charged soundlessly.

  ‘Help!’ Dylan yelled, his voice over-loud in the silence, but there was no reply. Dylan’s gaze was fixed on Max who was now turning, too slowly. Max roared when he saw the tiger, dropped the bucket of food and swung a thick wooden pole around to catch the tiger full against the body. The cat recoiled, but immediately dropped back into a crouch.

  Tabitha turned and walked away, not looking back. She crested the hill and disappeared into the early morning shadows.

  Max held the stick in front of him now, his face white as he backed slowly towards the safety door in the enclosure, leaving the bucket of meat behind. Both tigers leapt at the bucket. The male got there first and growled at the female. She flattened her ears and turned to Max. The tiger moved towards him again. Max’s gaze was fixed on her, but he was still too far from the safety door. He turned to the spot where Tabitha had been, just for a moment. It was a moment too long. The tiger launched at him. Max turned back, and then screamed as he realised the cat was almost on him, teeth bared.

  A second roar cut through the air and the tiger was knocked flying. The white tiger had materialised out of nowhere. It landed, flexing its muscled legs and crouching close to the ground, baring its teeth at the yellow cat, a growl rumbling in its throat.

  ‘Come on,’ Dylan yelled, running to the safety cage. ‘Get out while you can.’

  Max closed the distance, swung the door wide and threw himself in. He slammed the door shut and slumped against the wire barrier, letting his head lol back as he drew in strangled breaths.

  ‘That’s not far enough.’ Dylan crouched down as close as he could get to the cage. The female was prowling around the metal barrier, her head low as she pawed at the fence. Max yelled and jolted forwards as her claws raked his back through the wire.

  He turned, crawling on his hands and knees
to the outside exit of the cage. He pulled the lever, forcing himself upright an.d dragged himself out, securing the door firmly behind him. Swaying, he staggered to the final gate and let himself out into the public area.

  Dylan looked back at the cats. The white tiger had gone.

  ‘Don’t worry, mate. I’ll call an ambulance.’ Dylan turned on his phone.

  ‘No,’ Max gasped. ‘Don’t. I just need a minute. I know what I’m doing.’

  ‘Come on, you’ve just been attacked by a tiger. You must need a tetanus shot, at least,’ Dylan pleaded.

  ‘I’m fine.’ Max pulled himself up to standing, gritting his teeth and closing his eyes against the pain.

  ‘Don’t be ridiculous, Max. He’s just trying to help.’

  Dylan turned. ‘Tabitha!’

  She smiled. ‘He would have been killed if it wasn’t for you. You did a good thing.’

  ‘I would not.’ Max grimaced. There was a huge rip down the outside leg of his trousers and the back of his shirt was shredded. The edges were tinged with blood.

  ‘You need help.’

  ‘I know what I’m doing,’ Max said from between gritted teeth. ‘I can handle a bit of a scratch without it being an emergency.’

  ‘You shouldn’t have been in there with them, Max. You know that.’ Tabitha stared him down, refusing to look away.

  In the end, Max was the one who turned to look at the ground. ‘I can manage myself.’

  ‘But your boss …’

  ‘Don’t get her involved. I don’t need to be micromanaged. Tabitha, go and draw your picture. Dylan, I assume you’re here to work? I’m going to get myself cleaned up.’

  Max almost disguised his limp as he strode off. Dylan heard a van door slam, and then the roar of an engine.

  Dylan took a ragged breath. ‘Are you okay?’ he said to Tabitha.

  She nodded, but the colour had leached from her face. ‘I think I’m done here for the day.’