‘If a tree lands on the fence, the cats might be able to climb it and leap onto the high bank at the back of the enclosure,’ Max said, an edge to his voice. ‘I have to make sure that doesn’t happen.’
Dylan took a deep breath and let it out slowly. ‘We could have tigers on the loose in Wildley Forest Village?’
Max nodded but said nothing.
Tabitha turned. The painting stood right next to her, the tiger mid-leap from the top of the fallen tree onto the steep bank.
Dylan swallowed.
Max frowned and then walked over to the painting, bending down to look closer. ‘What made you paint this?’
‘I’ve seen it over and over. I’ve dreamed it, drawn it and tried to forget it, but it keeps coming back.’
Max’s eyebrows shot up. ‘You dreamed it? Seriously? That’s a bit of a coincidence.’
‘What are you suggesting?’ Tabitha’s voice was flat, controlled.
‘You have been talking about freeing the cats.’
Tabitha gaped. ‘Not in Wildley Forest Village! I wanted to front a conservation project to release them into the wild, in their proper habitat!’
Max laughed, but the sound was hard edged. ‘You wanted to front it, did you? You think a lot of yourself.’
Tabitha flushed.
‘Now listen, Max—’ Dylan started.
‘No, it’s okay. Max needs to go. It may surprise you to know that I don’t want the tigers getting out of their enclosure.’
Max glared at her. ‘You’re right about one thing: I do need to go.’ He walked over to the door, reached for the handle, and then paused. He turned. ‘How does the dream end?’
Tabitha swallowed. ‘I’ve never seen it the whole way, but I’m pretty sure that if you two fight, things will end badly.’
‘Us?’ Max frowned. ‘Who do you mean? Me and the tiger?’
‘You and Dylan.’
‘Well that won’t be a problem. I’ll be at the zoo. Dylan will be here.’
‘Hang on,’ Tabitha jumped up and grabbed her coat, pushing her arms through the sleeves. ‘I’m coming with you.’
Max let out a bark of laughter, and then frowned. He looked at Tabitha speculatively. ‘Why? I know you love the tigers, but why would you put yourself in their way when you think they’re going to escape?’
Tabitha advanced on Max. Already Dylan could see the haze of something different around her. She had an aura of danger. A soft growl rumbled through the air.
Max shivered.
‘The cats don’t like you, Max. You know they don’t. They’re much calmer with me.’
Max’s eyes darkened and his jaw tightened. Then his eyes narrowed and a smile played at the corners of his mouth. He looked at Dylan and smirked. ‘I guess you have more time to move into your new flat then, Dylan. Come on, Tabitha. Let’s get those tigers secured before someone is killed.’
‘If Tabitha’s going, I’m coming too,’ Dylan said, his voice quiet, but firm.
Max rolled his eyes. ‘You heard her. If we argue, things end badly. The best way to avoid that is to leave you here.’
Dylan clenched his fists, forcing them down by his sides. He stood up, walking slowly to Max. ‘You want me to believe you’ll look out for Tabitha? That you’ll keep her safe? I’ve seen what you’re like around those cats. You get drunk with the power of it and antagonise them. Tabitha will always put them first, even if it means putting herself in danger and you won’t do anything to protect her. I am coming. It is the only way to keep Tabitha safe.’
‘And you’ll do that how? Using all your knowledge of tigers? From what? Working in the Playbarn?’
‘At least I’ll be paying attention. I am not staying here.’
‘You talk as though I’m a child that needs babysitting,’ Tabitha snapped. ‘I have ways of protecting myself that neither of you could come close to matching.’
‘I don’t have time for this.’ Max swung the front door open, stepped through and slammed it behind him.
‘I know you’re right.’ Dylan turned to Tabitha and took both of her hands in his. He swallowed. ‘I know how powerful you are. But if you travel away from your body, it must be left vulnerable. Who will watch over you while you travel?’
Tabitha held his gaze. Her huge, blue eyes seemed to grow even bigger as though she were absorbing everything in and around him. ‘What is it you think you can do? If the tigers get out, you wouldn’t stand a chance.’
‘And you would?’
‘If I change form, I can protect myself and hopefully keep everybody else safe.’
‘But you can’t really change form, can you? You can leave your body, but an abandoned body is a perfect treat for a tiger. I won’t leave you alone. Max isn’t going to protect you. He would let you die and then claim sympathy for having lost the woman he loved. That’s the kind of man he is.’
‘I know.’ Tabitha sighed. ‘I’m not going to protect Max. I’m going to protect the tigers. If they get out, he will shoot them. I’m the only one who can get them to safety.’
‘You really believe they’re going to escape, don’t you?’
She squeezed her eyes tightly shut for a moment, and when she opened them, they glistened with tears. ‘I’ve seen it.’
Dylan nodded. ‘I believe you, and I’m coming with you.’
‘I might not be able to keep you safe.’
‘I’m not asking you to. I’m not asking for permission either. Afterwards, if we both come out of this alive, you can tell me what you think of me. But for now, you can’t stop me from going to my own workplace.’
Tabitha took a deep breath. She nodded and a tear slid down her cheek. ‘Let’s go.’ She opened the door and held on tight, fighting the strength of the wind while Dylan went through.
He ducked out of the way as the owls swooped through the door over his head, and then he bent into the next gust. He didn’t hear the door slam behind Tabitha, but felt her push past him.
‘I have a car on the other side of the road,’ Dylan shouted through the roar of the wind.
‘A car would be more dangerous in this weather. We need to walk.’ Tabitha started up the road without waiting for an answer.
By the time they reached the zoo they were soaked and shivering from the cold. The owls circled above them, riding the currents of the wind. The zoo was shut and the barriers were locked. Tabitha leaned one hand on the car barrier, and then vaulted neatly over the top. Dylan followed, stopping on the other side to brush off his hands. Here, on this side of the fence, reality began to hit.
If the tigers had escaped, they could be anywhere. They would be stressed and on the defensive, spooked by the howling wind, and almost certainly unpredictable. He was the least qualified person to deal with them, and nobody would be watching out for him. If Tabitha hadn’t been so determined to come, he would not have stepped outside the house on that night, but here he was, in the middle of the storm, ready to face down full-grown predators.
50
Max
Max grumbled all the way to the tiger enclosure. He had been soaked within moments of stepping outside Tabitha’s house, and the wind was buffeting him all over the place. He hated being out of control and the weather was reminding him how badly things could go.
He scanned the shadows. Where was everyone? There were always keepers around, and he had expected more than usual in this storm. But there wasn’t a person to be seen.
It was pitch black, but he shone his torch around the top of the tiger enclosure. He couldn’t see a thing, so he started walking around the perimeter, looking for any sign of a wonky tree. He heard a growl in the darkness to his left and his heart accelerated, sending adrenaline pumping through his system. Suddenly, the cold and wet didn’t seem to matter anymore.
He climbed the bank behind the enclosure, pointing his torch at the trees nearby. A flash of lightning lit up the hill. He froze. A single tree was leaning against the fence. On the top of it, about to jump onto the bank, w
as a tiger. The cat grunted a warning, and then bunched his powerful body up to leap.
Max was plunged back into darkness. He backed away from the enclosure until his feet hit the path. Coming face to face with the cats outside the cage on a dark and stormy night was a world away from his adventures into the enclosure. Why weren’t the tigers locked in their sleeping quarters? His heart raced, his mind flitted over every eventuality, and then one thought penetrated the chaos: run.
He turned, racing back down the hill as thunder rolled across the zoo. He stopped on the other side of the cage. This area was more open and he swung his torch in wide arcs, hoping to scare the cats off. Rummaging in his pocket for a key, he let himself into his room to the side of the enclosure and closed the door. Leaning on the wooden barrier, he breathed heavily and spread his palms flat against the surface, taking comfort from its solidity.
He flicked the light switch to the left of the door, but nothing happened. Damn, the electricity must be down. That didn’t bode well for the phone. He ran the beam of his torch over the tigers’ sleeping quarters. The door to their outside area was almost closed, but there was easily enough space at the bottom for the cats to get through. Whoever had tried to shut it clearly hadn’t been concentrating. He forced himself to step away from the comforting protection of the door, reached for the phone and pressed the button. Silence. He pressed it again. Still, nothing. He reached into his pocket for his mobile and fired it up, but there was no signal.
He was completely alone.
There was a growl outside the door, but it was cut off by another roll of thunder. Max swallowed. The temptation to hole up in here was almost irresistible, but even he knew he couldn’t leave tigers on the loose for the staff and visitors to find in the morning. They were his cats. He was accustomed to being in close proximity with them. He alone went into their enclosure. He alone had proved he could better them and come out of it alive.
He walked over to the wall next to the cage and yanked up the big, red lever that opened and closed the sleeping quarters. Now the cats could get back in easily if they chose. Rubbing his hands clean on his trousers, he went through to the small room at the end and opened the locked cupboard. There was a solid black box tucked in one corner. Max grinned. He pulled the box towards him, clicked open the catches, and ran a finger over the cold, heavy metal of the closest pistol. Standing up straight, he took a deep breath and filled his lungs with musty air. Then he picked up the pistols, tucked them into his belt, and zipped his jacket over the top of them. Shutting the cupboard door, he locked it, and put the key back into his pocket.
Max looked at his hands in the torchlight, turning them over and over. The shaking had stilled. They were completely steady. Adrenaline was pumping around his system and excitement bubbled up in his chest. This was his moment. He had been born for this.
Putting his ear to the door, he listened. The wind was howling, but the growling had stopped. He pulled out one of the pistols, pointed it at the door and eased it open.
A gust of wind shoved the door back and a flash of lightning floodlit the room. He skittered backwards and slammed into the heavy, metal mesh of the tiger cage, gasping as the air was knocked from his body. He heard a grunt outside and stilled, forcing himself not to breathe.
After a few moments, he pulled himself up to standing, grabbed the pistol from where it had fallen and shoved it into his belt.
The door was still swinging uselessly on its hinges. He walked over, leaned against it, and peered outside. There was nothing to see. Letting out the breath he hadn’t known he was holding, he stepped out into the storm. Another roll of thunder cut off any last hope of hearing the cats before he saw them, but he knew they were close. He felt it in the prickling adrenaline that flowed through his veins. He rolled his shoulders and cracked the knuckles in his hands. He would show them all.
51
Tabitha
Tabitha closed her eyes. The wind raced around her, but she didn’t feel cold despite the drenched clothes that clung to her. Warmth came from the middle of her chest, radiating out to the tips of her fingers and toes.
She sent her awareness into the enclosure and felt the disturbance immediately. It was cold and empty, with the broken tree trunk acting as a bridge to the outside world.
They were out there, free at last.
She started walking, moving instinctively towards the cats. Her awareness split. She was barely holding in her white tiger and wondered what Dylan could see. One way or another, she had to get those cats to safety. Max was volatile and Dylan was the most vulnerable of them all. She loved his impulse to protect her, but wished he had a bit more self-preservation. She hoped she was strong enough to protect them both.
Her human body felt strange, distorted, and the storm wasn’t helping. She followed the pull of the cats and then froze. A yell rose over a sudden lull in the wind. Max. She pushed her legs faster.
Dylan was behind her. She recognised his proximity in the prickles that ran down her spine and the backs of her legs. She could hear his laboured breathing as though his body was an extension of her own. She had to keep him safe, even when she travelled from her physical form and out into the elements.
She was almost there when she saw a figure dash across the road. Bright lightning zigzagged through the sky, lighting the enclosure and the space in front of it like a stage. The figure disappeared into the bushes next to the fence. She sent out her awareness. The tigers were on the other side of the enclosure. They recognised her energy and she felt the vibration as the larger cat yowled.
‘Max,’ she called into the darkness.
She waited, but thunder silenced any attempts he might have made to speak.
Slowly, he stepped out of the bushes. ‘Tabitha?’ He straightened and puffed out his chest. ‘You’ve come to join the fun? You’re lucky, the real action hasn’t started yet.’
‘No, the tigers are on the hill on the other side. But they’re coming this way.’
Max walked over to her, standing too close. ‘When did you see them there?’
‘A few moments ago.’ Tabitha stepped back, putting space between them.
Max peered into the darkness. ‘They move fast when they want to.’
‘Move!’ Dylan yelled, running out from the shadows. ‘The tigers are coming!’
‘Shit,’ Max muttered, looking around, nervously. ‘Which way?’
Dylan pointed to the bushes. Tabitha reached out her awareness. The tigers were right there, watching them silently. Dylan’s hand tightened like a vice around her own. She squeezed back gently, hoping it conveyed reassurance.
‘The tigers trust me,’ Tabitha said, looking Max in the eye.
‘And?’ Max said.
‘I’ll lead them back to their enclosure.’
‘You? Are you kidding me?’ Max’s voice cracked. ‘Do you have any idea what you’re dealing with?’
She laughed, tipping her head back and baring her face to the wind and the rain, glorying in the wild air on her skin. ‘They won’t eat me. Open the doors to the safety cage. That’s the only way to get them back in.’
He shook his head. ‘There’s no way they’re going to just walk in there.’
‘Is there any harm in doing what I ask?’ Tabitha said.
He looked at her for a moment, eyes narrowed, and then walked over to the enclosure. He unlocked the outside door to the safety cage, and then crawled inside and opened the inner door. Climbing out, he put the keys in the outer lock and left them hanging.
He walked back over to Tabitha. ‘They may not eat you, but they’ll certainly kill you.’ Opening his coat, he pulled two pistols from his belt.
‘What are you doing?’ Tabitha said, her voice carrying over the wind even though she didn’t shout. ‘You are not shooting those tigers.’
He raised the guns. ‘It’s either them, or us.’
Tabitha felt a rush of energy as she reached out her mind to connect with the tigers. A cat rumbled in greeti
ng and she felt her white tiger begin to disconnect. ‘I have run with them and spent lifetimes by their side,’ she said, feeling the power of the giant predator course through her veins. ‘I am at one with the cats in a way you will never understand. You seek to dominate and control. You keep them captive. I set their souls free even though you constrain their bodies. I see through you, Max. You have never fooled me, and you never will.’
Max stared at her; lips parted. ‘For God’s sake. What is wrong with you? You sound pleased they’ve escaped.’
‘Pleased? Pleased that you’re here with your guns ready to shoot them down? I am here to protect them from you and I will put them back in their cage to do that.’
A growl sounded from the bushes, and then there was only the roar of the wind.
Max swore. He backed away. ‘I take no responsibility for either of you.’
A roll of thunder cut through the sheeting rain.
‘Please put the guns away, Max. I will keep you both safe and put the cats back in their cage. Just don’t use your guns.’
‘You’re delusional,’ Max said from between gritted teeth. He backed away, but kept his gun trained on the bushes.
Dylan put a hand on Tabitha’s arm. ‘Ignore him. Focus on the cats. Everything else can wait.’
She closed her eyes, drawing reassurance from the warmth of his touch, re-orientating herself. She would not let Max get to her again.
She reached out her consciousness, searching for the tigers. They were so near, near enough to pounce, near enough to surround her and obliterate any one of them, near enough to be shot and killed.
She walked towards an area of thick undergrowth. ‘Come with me, my lovelies,’ she sang to herself and felt them follow. ‘Stay with Max,’ she called over her shoulder.
‘No.’ Dylan’s voice behind her sounded panicked but determined.
A tiger growled.
Dylan stepped back, his face pale. ‘I am here to protect you.’
Wild Shadow : A Sweet Paranormal Romance Page 19