Fisher: Prince of Tigers – Paranormal Tiger Shifter Romance

by Kathi S. Barton

  I don’t know. This is the first time I’ve laughed in a long time. Forever, it feels like. Perhaps if you came here, we could hang out while looking at the mountains. Or have you been around so long that they were just little hills back then? He laughed again, telling her he’d been around before there had even been a Gatlinburg. Sure, you have. And I’m as old as the first rock that was ever seen. I’m not usually this friendly with strangers. Why don’t you come down here? Nothing but friendship. I’m not in the mood to keep you at arm’s link while gandering at the most beautiful mountain range I’ve ever seen.

  Fisher didn’t have to think twice about it. Getting into his car, he started the truck up and realized he was going to drive several hours to meet a woman he didn’t know in a place he wasn’t sure of. He paused for just a moment to think about what he was doing.

  I don’t know what came over me, Fisher. I never do anything like this. You must think I’m a weirdo. I assure you I am, but also lonely. I’ve never spoken to anyone like I have you. I felt something I’ve never felt. Compassion. Understanding. Even a little humor mixed in for shits and giggles. But I have never invited a man to come and see me. Especially one that probably lives several hundred miles away. Fisher thought about his next move. Not to mention the words that he’d say to her. He realized then that he really wanted to meet her. Don’t do this. I’m sorry I even mentioned it.

  I’m leaving now. I’ll be there really late. Is that all right? She asked him if he was sure. As sure as I’ve been about anything in a long time. We can meet at one of those all night breakfast places that serve pancakes with pecans on them.

  I can’t afford anything like that. Fisher told her it would be his treat. Nor can I allow you to do that. I’ll probably regret this. For all I know, you could be a mass murderer. But you can come to my camper, and I’ll make us something to eat. If you still want to come.

  I do, because I’ve enjoyed myself so much, just talking to you. She laughed again, and Fisher started his truck up. It takes about seven hours or so to get there, Piper. So, don’t be upset if I show up around midnight or sometime afterwards. All right?

  That’ll be fine. I’m an early riser anyway. I have a few more jobs to do, and that’ll keep me from just lying around feeling sorry for myself. He told her not to do that. I should have spoken to you before. You might have kept me from sitting here for three days with nothing to occupy my mind but how lonely I feel right now. I should be working.

  We’ll take it a little at a time, you and me. Perhaps we’ll be good for each other. He hoped so. Just in the few minutes he’d been talking to her, he did feel a great deal better. Tell me a little about yourself. It will make the time go by faster if we talk to each other.

  I’m twenty-five years old and single.

  They talked for hours. Even when he had to stop and get gas or something to eat, they spoke about everything. Keeping some of his thoughts to himself, like how easy it had been to connect with her, he also didn’t tell her that he had a great deal of magic.

  ~*~

  Piper wasn’t sure she’d made a sound decision. Her heart raced each time she thought of having this stranger in her home. But after talking to him during his drive to her, Piper felt like she’d known him forever. The things they had in common, the books they’d both read and enjoyed. It was as if they’d been made for each other to be friends.

  The knock at her door at midnight made her heart race. Piper wasn’t sure if it was from fear or excitement. As soon as she opened the door, her disappointment was overwhelming. The officer standing there smiled at her.

  “Ms. James?” She nodded at him, almost too afraid to find out what he had to say to her. “This gentleman here said he was coming to see you. I was doing my rounds here when I saw him driving slowly around the campground. He seems like a nice fellow, but that doesn’t mean much nowadays.”

  “No, I guess not.” Then she saw Fisher standing there beside the officer. “Hello, Fisher. You made good time.”

  “I did. Thanks for the instructions. I just forgot which campsite you were in.” She nodded at him. When he smiled, Piper felt it warm her like the sun did on her walks. He turned to the officer. “Thank you for your help, Officer. I might well have scared some campers. That was never my intention when I came here looking for Piper.”

  As soon as the men shook hands, Piper felt a connection with the officer. It was immediate and profound. She also knew his wife was missing, having left him several weeks ago, taking their son with her. Looking at Fisher, she wondered how she’d been able to know that.

  “Officer Faraday, correct?” The man nodded at Fisher. His eyes were glazed over, his jaw slack, like he was in some sort of trance. “Your son is at the hotel on highway seventy-five going north. Exit thirty-eight in Kentucky. There is a Baymont Hotel there. He’s alone but in good health. Your wife isn’t there—she is dead. She overdosed in the next room with her lover.”

  As soon as the connection between Fisher and the officer was broken, Officer Faraday looked slightly confused but otherwise fine. He asked Fisher what had happened.

  “You were just telling us about the tip you received just now. Something about your son.” The officer nodded and told them how he needed to go to Kentucky to see if it was true. “Yes, that’s right. Good luck. I’m sure your son is just fine.”

  When he left them, Fisher looked at her. His face showed concern. Instead of asking him what had just happened, she moved back so he could come into the camper with her. There was the slightest hesitation on his part, just enough that she was sure he was going to leave her now.

  “I don’t know what you’re thinking right now. I don’t even know if I want to know. But I would very much like for you to just come in and be with me. Act as if that didn’t just happen to us both.” Fisher said he could do that, but they would have to talk. “I understand. Just not now. All right?”

  Fisher climbed the two steps and entered her home. In that moment, the second that he looked at her while standing in the doorway, she knew Fisher was going to be more to her than just a good friend. Turning her back to him, she told him where the bathroom was, as well as the couch that turned into his bed.

  “I’m exhausted. I usually go to bed around ten, so being up this late is unusual for me. So, if you can find everything you need, I’m going to go to bed. Alone. We talked about that too if you’ll remember. I’m not a person that—”

  “Piper.” Her teeth hurt when she closed her mouth. Piper knew she was overreacting, babbling too, but she didn’t know what to do. “I’m not going to do anything to harm you. Nor will I take anything from you. I’m your mate, as I’m assuming you figured out. You can rest assured that nothing will happen between us until you’re ready. All right?”

  “Yes. But I’m confused.” Fisher told her he was as well. “Bad confused or good confused? Because right now, all I can think about is touching you. Having you wrap me up in your arms and make everything better for me. But another part of me wants to turn you out and leave here before anything more happens.”

  Fisher smiled at her, and her already mixed up mind went into overload. Taking a step toward him, Piper put her hands on his shoulders, only then realizing how big of a man he was. As soon as he put his hands on her waist, she felt a calmness come over her that made her know she was in the best place possible.

  “You’re all right now?” Shaking her head, then nodding, Fisher laughed. “Yes, well, I know just how you feel. Right now, I feel as if the weight of the world has been lifted from me. I can feel that you’re less stressed too. May I hold you?”

  “I’d very much like that.” Piper laid her head on his chest as he pulled her body flush with his. “Is us being mates why I felt the officer’s pain? Also, how I was able to know what you were telling him was what he needed to know?”

  “Yes, I think so. As I’ve never had a mate before, I can only guess
. Also, I think that’s why I was able to connect with you the way that I did. I have to tell you a few more things I didn’t before—things you’ll need to know. You’re an immortal. The same as me. I’m ancient too.” Piper asked him to explain when she looked up at him. “Immortal. As in living for—”

  “Don’t be a dick. You know that’s not what I meant at all.” His laughter was like a balm for her heart and soul. “How old are you? Ancient could be a hundred years or less when you take into account that I’m only twenty-five.”

  “I don’t think you’re going to like my answer any more than you might some of the other information I have to let you in on.” Glaring at him earned herself a kiss to her nose. “First of all, I have to tell you that myself and my brothers are all the same age, just different times of birth. I’m a hundred times older than you are. Give or take a decade or two.”

  Piper pulled back and looked at Fisher to see if he was joking or not. The look on his face told her nothing, not even when he took a step forward to hold her again. Putting her hand up, trying to judge the look on his face, it was as unreadable as if she were looking at a photo of him.

  “You’re serious.” Fisher said he was. “I don’t understand. You’re over twenty-five-hundred years old? You do know you don’t look a day older than me, right?”

  “You’ll never age from this point on, either. Nor will you get ill, gain weight, or be killed. Even if you were hurt, shot, or something equally heinous, you’ll heal quickly. Like in minutes, if not too serious. Longer, of course, if it’s worse. Also, you might well have heard that iron will—” Piper put her hand over his mouth. When he kissed her palm, she smacked him on the chest. “Too much?”

  “You think so?” Fisher laughed again. “A person could forgive you most anything when you laugh like that. Why me? I have so much going on in my life right now that if you were smart, you’d take off at a high rate of speed and never look back. I have no money. My only possessions are this camper and my truck. The computer I use is nearly eight years old. Even if you discount the fact that I’m poorer than a church mouse, I have a brother and a sister that are out to take what little I have from me because they’re greedy fucking shits.”

  “First of all, you’re no longer broke. What I have is now yours. Secondly, you’re not alone in dealing with them anymore. In one of my jobs, I was a pretty good attorney. Also—well, I had hoped I’d have a little time in introducing you to someone, but I’m afraid he’s impatient.” He had a child, as well as a wife, she just knew it. “Don’t make up things to worry about. I have no children because I’ve only just met you. You are the only person I can have a child with. As for being married. I’m hoping that as soon as you’re ready, we can take care of that too. Don’t freak out. But there is a faerie here that will be with you at all times from now on. His name is Peter. As a favor to me, he’s been keeping an eye on you since we first connected. Keeping you safe.”

  “Peter?” Almost as soon as she said his name, he was standing on Fisher’s shoulder. “It’s a tiny man. I mean, he’s handsome and has wings and sparkles, but he’s a very tiny little man.”

  “Did you hear that, Lord Fisher? She’s called me a handsome little man. Why I feel as lucky about her as I am when I have myself a good nap.” Piper put out her hand to touch him. Peter flew to her hand and sat down on her palm. “Why, Lady Piper, you’re a very beautiful woman too. Almost as beautiful as Lady Aurora. She’s my boss, you see.”

  “Peter, she’s overwhelmed.” Peter looked at Fisher, then back at her. “We don’t want to scare her off on the first day, do we?”

  “Nay, you’d be right about that, your lordship. You are.” Peter stood up, and his wings were fluttering almost too fast for her to see. “You’re going to be right fine now, miss. Those people that should be good to you? Well, they don’t know who they’re up against now. We’ll see to you and keep you safe.”

  “I don’t know what to think right now.” Fisher sat down on the couch, and she and Peter got to know each other. “I’m assuming you’re going to be my safeguard against them, right?”

  “Nay. Not me. I’m only a faerie. There is an entire group of fighters that will keep you safer than you’ve ever been. They’re ready to kill anything that comes to you without anything good in their hearts. Not right away, you see. But if they hurt you? Well, they’d best be having all their ducks in a row, I’m telling you that right now.” Sitting down beside Fisher, she leaned her head on his shoulder. “Also, something else. I hope you don’t mind a bit, but I’ve been poking into your head about some things. It’s all good for you. But you sure do have a nice little plantation in your head about a home you’d like to have.”

  “Is that important?” She looked over at Fisher to find him sleeping. His head was on the back of the couch, and his soft snores reminded her that he’d been up for a long time, driving. Getting up, she went to the kitchen area and sat at the table with Peter. “Why is what I have in mind for a house important to you?”

  “The others, the other faeries, they’ve built it for you.” She stared at Peter, wondering what the hell he was talking about. “We’ve been around for a long time, you see. And to work for such a family, the Prince family, is a treat we all were happy to have. They’ve been helping the lady Aurora for some time. Making sure there are other black tigers around for their magic. They need only to be there for the birth of a new cub, and one of them will be black. Just like the Princes are.”

  “So, they’re not out to populate the world of black tigers by having sex with them.” Peter assured her that wasn’t the way it worked. His face was bright red too, and she had to work hard in not laughing at him when she mentioned sex. “I’m new to all of this, Peter. Will you be able to help me when I’m confused?”

  “That’s my job, miss. My job is to care for you when you need me and to make sure you’re not harmed when Lord Fisher is away or something. He’s a good man, Lord Fisher. You couldn’t have done better if you were to ask me.” She asked him what Fisher had meant about her not being broke anymore. “Oh, he’s rich. All of them are. The lady Aurora made them the richest men around. Even when the other wives came along, bringing their goods to the family, they just used what they needed and invested the rest. You’ll not have to worry about another thing concerning money for the rest of your days. Which, I guess you know, is for a very long time.”

  She told him about her family. “They’ll try and take what Fisher has if I know them. What will happen if they win?” He told her, his voice full of authority, that they’d not get to anything she didn’t want them to have. “I want them to just leave me alone. Especially now that I have Fisher here. I don’t want anything to happen to him, either.”

  “He’s a great black tiger and a man of worth, miss. He’d sooner die than to give into them people if it hurts you. And you can be certain that when they tangle with you, they’re going to be taking on an entire family of the greatest tigers ever born.”

  They talked for a little bit more. But she was exhausted and needed to work in the morning so she could get paid. Leaving out some sugar as well as a plate with some honey on it for Peter, she made her way to her room and got into bed. It was going to be a long morning tomorrow. There were also things she needed to tell Fisher. So much good could only mean to her that the other shoe was about to drop. It was the way it usually went for her.

  Tomorrow she had to call a company she’d been dealing with for the last thirty days. They weren’t paying her. On top of that, they were going to sue her if she turned off their programming. For the first time in a while, Piper felt as if she could take them on and come out on top. It was a heady feeling being able to feel this good because a man and a faerie had stepped into her life at the correct time.

  Chapter 3

  Benson avoided talking to the programmer company for seven days before he had no choice but to talk to her. His fucking secretary had pu
t the call through, and he’d answered it. Because Denise had worked for his father-in-law, he’d had to keep her on until her retirement.

  Miss James, owner and operator, had thought since he was part of a big company, she could make threats to him about paying the bill. Well, that hadn’t worked out so well for her, now had it? She told him, literally, that she held all the cards and he’d better pay her. He knew that to be nothing more than a threat too. Telling her she had better not turn off the programming she’d installed for him, he leaned back in the chair and waited for her to tell him he could have a little more time to pay her. If he ever did. Benson didn’t pay for things if he could get by with it. That was the main reason he was as rich as he was.

  He’d been able to take his father-in-law’s little company and turn it into a very profitable one. Of course, he’d always thought Franklin was a sap. Giving some of the people working for him time off with pay when they needed it. Paying bills on time, even if he had a net term to pay after so many days. That had been a real money maker for the business, Not paying his bills until the smaller company simply gave up on it. He was quite proud of himself for that. His wife didn’t feel the same way, but what she didn’t know didn’t hurt her. It was the way of the world to keep secrets from a spouse.

  “You’re trying my patience, Mr. Alexander. I told you when you had me write the program and then install it that there were things I would do to my program if you didn’t pay on time and in full. I’m not going to allow you to take any more advantage of me.” He told her he was a man with power. “Are you? So, what do you think will happen to you and your money if I were to simply turn everything off? That would include your Internet, you know. It’s all hooked together. I’ve explained to you that there isn’t any way to retrieve the information you have stored on my program. Not to mention, you signed the waiver that states that if you’re late on your payment, I have full rights to take my program back.”