by Jane Jamison
Wash unclenched Rusk’s hand and thrust it away. “Damn it. You’ve lost your ever-loving mind.”
“Damn it. Listen to me.”
Wash took him by the shoulders, his whispered voice going to a calmer tone. “It’s okay. I’m going to get you the help you need, but it’s going to have to wait until after Kendra’s safe. Until then, you stay here and think about pussycats, okay? I’ll handle the mission.” He turned away to peek over the slope again.
He had to show Wash and hope for the best. It was either that or wait until sunset. Even then, he wasn’t sure Wash would trust him to help out.
Rusk started unbuttoning his shirt. He had it half off by the time Wash looked his way.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Wash’s whisper was hard and low.
“I’m showing you what I am. Remember. Stay calm. For Kendra’s sake.” He continued getting undressed until all his clothing lay on the ground. Silently, he gave his inner tiger permission to come to the surface.
Wash gaped at him, his eyes growing bigger as the transition swept over Rusk. The world filled with amber as Rusk’s bones broke and reformed. The part of his mind that still thought in human terms wondered if the convicts could hear the sound of his bones breaking. Fur spread rapidly over his body, covering flesh. Pain seared into his mouth as his teeth reformed into viciously sharp fangs. His cat wanted to growl, voicing its anger, but he kept silent, curling his lips back into a noiseless snarl.
Wash fell back in shock, his hands digging into the side of the slope. Thankfully, he didn’t lift his gun. “Holy shit.”
Rusk, fully shifted, crouched low, knowing his body was much larger than it had been as a man. He sniffed, picking up Kendra’s light scent as well as the rank body odor of the convicts. His ears flicked forward, catching the small sounds his human ears couldn’t have captured.
He purred softly, trying to get Wash to snap out of it. Was he ready to go through with the plan? Or was he on his own?
To his credit, Wash came out of his shock faster than most humans would have. “I can’t believe this.”
Believe it.
If only he could still form the words.
Wash shook his head as though still trying to deny what was right in front of him. He reached out, paused, then when Rusk didn’t make any attempt to bite, he went ahead and touched Rusk’s head.
“Holy shit.”
Rusk gave a low purr again then jerked his sight to the top of the slope, indicating that he was ready to go. Would Wash understand?
Wash swallowed, checked his rifle, and nodded. “I don’t know if I’ve gone nuts or if you’re really a tiger. Either way, let’s do this.”
Before Wash could get a good hold to pull himself up and over the slope, Rusk crouched low and threw his body over the top. He dismissed the sound of Wash scrambling after him as he slid his gaze from the convicts to Kendra and back again. Her terrified look was the last thing Rusk saw before leaping into the air.
* * * *
“Let me go. I swear I won’t tell anyone where you are.” Kendra knew she was a lousy liar, but she still had to try.
Caleb, the older of the two escapees, laughed. The scar across his forehead formed a jagged line. “Oh, sure. We believe you. You’ll go back to camping and forget you ever saw us.”
“I’m not your enemy.”
Juan, his dark eyes flashing as he shoved his stringy black hair out of his face, snarled at her. His gestures, pointing at her and jerking his arms, seemed more menacing, more animalistic than Caleb’s. “Everyone’s our enemy, bitch. Keep quiet, or I’ll have to gag you again.”
She met his gaze but averted her eyes fast enough. The last time she’d stared at him, she’d seen evil in his eyes. And lust. Hard, cold, I’m-going-to-fuck-you kind of lust. She was surprised he hadn’t already taken her. As large as both men were, she’d have no luck fighting them off.
Where were Rusk and Wash? Had they gone on their search, thinking she’d packed up and left? Or, as she’d hoped before, had they come back to her campsite and realized what had happened? If they had, they’d look for her. She had to believe they would.
“We need to get moving. We’ve already stayed in one spot too long,” argued Caleb.
Juan trailed his fingers through her hair. He’d started touching her more and more, building up to the point where she was sure he’d want more than a touch. He snatched a clump of her hair and jerked her head. She let out a quick yelp. She’d tried not to cry out, knowing he enjoyed giving her pain.
“Stop worrying. If we hadn’t stuck around an extra night, we wouldn’t have found our little puta.”
“Then let’s fuck her and get out of here.” Caleb’s drawl was more pronounced than usual, probably because of nerves. “I’m getting a bad feeling about this. We need to get back to Lubbock and that bitch’s house. Shit fuck. She’s probably already spent half our money by now.”
“You get a bad feeling any time you take a dump, you fucking sissy-ass. As for the Lubbock bitch? She wouldn’t dare touch it without my say-so.” Juan chuckled, bent over and put his face close to Kendra’s. “What do you say, chica? First in the ass and then in the pussy?”
He reached over, caught her breast, and gave it a hard squeeze. She refused to give him the pleasure of knowing he’d hurt her.
“Throw her in the tent and let’s fuck her until she can’t stand up.” Caleb grabbed his crotch and thrust his hips toward her.
She couldn’t stop trembling. Longingly, she took a glimpse of the gun closest to her. If she could get it in time, would she be able to shoot both of them fast enough?
Juan grabbed her arm and yanked her to her feet. The stench of alcohol and tobacco filled her nostrils. “Time to show us what you’ve got, bitch.” Taking hold of the top of her shirt, he yanked the material away, exposing her bra.
“Yeah, fucker. It’s about time.” Caleb staggered toward her.
“On your knees, bitch.” Juan’s hard face, the lecherous sneer, came closer until all she could see was his amber eyes. He threw her to the ground then yanked her onto her hands and knees.
Amber eyes. Like Rusk’s.
No. Not like his. Rusk’s eyes had been filled with love and respect.
Fear shoved away all other thoughts except one.
Survive. I will survive. No matter what they do to my body, they can’t touch my mind.
A hard shove against the back of her head put her face into the dirt. She bit back a cry and shut her eyes, prepared to be taken to hell.
I will survive.
Kendra heard the low rumble of a growl a moment before she felt the rush of electric energy surge into her.
Wash?
Rusk?
She turned just in time to see a huge white tiger leap over the edge of the slope. The animal was magnificent, all raw muscle and animal power. Fierce eyes blazed with amber. Saliva dripped from its fangs and claws burst from its paws as it stretched out its legs.
The tiger struck Caleb, knocking him off his feet. They tumbled until their bodies rolled under a group of low-lying bushes.
“Kendra, run!”
Wash broke over the edge a moment later. He pointed his rifle at Juan.
She scrambled toward the log where the guns were. Just as she reached to get one, Juan’s body hit the log, knocking the guns to the ground. She let out a scream and flung herself backward, out of the way as the convict fought vainly against the huge animal.
Wash rushed toward her. “Kendra, get moving. Don’t wait—” He skidded to a stop, his jaw dropping as he stared at Juan.
The tiger snarled at Wash, then leapt into the bushes. Juan staggered to his feet. His body was blurred, his clothes shredding away as his form changed, growing larger. Juan was changing from a man into a tiger.
“Wash! Shoot him!” She pushed up, getting on her hands and knees. “Shoot him before he finishes changing!”
As though hypnotized, Wash lifted his rifle slowly. Before he could take a
im, the tiger that had been Juan pounced into the air. Man and animal came together, the sound of a loud thud splitting the air before they hit the ground together. Wash’s rifle scooted along the ground, out of her reach, but still within Wash’s grasp.
Wash was no match for the large beast. His arm was caught inside the tiger’s mouth as sharp teeth took purchase and held on. The agony of his scream tore into Kendra. If she didn’t do something to help him, the tiger would tear him apart.
She searched around her and grabbed the closest thing to her that would serve as a weapon. Picking up the heavy branch, she staggered toward Juan and raised the branch over her head.
“Look at me, asshole.”
Juan opened his jaws, freeing Wash’s arm, and then turned his black-striped face upward.
“Fuck you.” Her voice was calm, almost serene, as she brought the branch down on his head.
The tiger roared his anger and jumped away, shaking its head. But it didn’t go far. Instead of running off as she’d hoped it would, it confronted her, tail swishing back and forth and ears laid back. Its mouth pulled back into a sneer that resembled its human one. Growling, the tiger took one step toward her then leapt into the air.
A shot rang out, blasting black powder against the white and black of Juan’s tiger head. Blood spewed out as it landed on its paws only a yard away from her. With one growl, it turned its head toward Wash, who lifted the rifle again and aimed. Another shot came as Juan whipped around, ready to pounce. Juan, the tiger, dropped to the ground, dirt flying into the air.
For a moment, she couldn’t move—couldn’t think. Then her attention fell to the red stain soaking Wash’s shirt. “Oh, God, Wash, you’re hurt.”
Blood flowed down Wash’s arm. He glanced at his wound, shook his head as though to clear his mind, then searched around them. “Where’s Rusk?”
Chapter Five
“I don’t know. Did he come with you? I haven’t seen him.” Kendra snatched up one of the guns and started toward the bushes. “Keep your rifle handy. The first white tiger and Caleb went into these brushes.”
Just as she was within a yard of the bushes, two tigers burst out from underneath the foliage. She let out a scream and stumbled backward, barely managing to hang on to the gun. The tigers skidded to a stop and crouched low, their bodies bloody from multiple wounds. Snarling, they confronted each other.
Where was Caleb? Had the tiger killed him? “Shit! Wash! Shoot one, and I’ll get the other.” Yet when she checked Wash to be sure he’d heard her, she saw that he’d lowered his rifle. The fear already inside her morphed into confusion and terror.
“Wash, what’s wrong with you? Shoot before they stop fighting each other and come after us.” She hefted the large caliber revolver in her shaky hands and pointed it at the tigers. It didn’t matter which one she shot, as long as she managed to kill one of them. Hopefully, if Wash didn’t take his shot, she’d get another chance to fire.
The two tigers lunged at each other. The larger of the two—she thought it was the first one she’d seen—landed on top of the other one, pinning it to the ground. Its jaws opened wide, ready to clamp down on the other’s neck. If she did nothing, she was sure the second tiger would have its throat torn out. At least one of them would be gone, giving them a better chance of surviving.
“Shoot the tiger on top once it’s finished off the other one.” She dragged in a breath and took aim. If only she could stop shaking long enough to get the tiger between the crosshairs…
She never expected Wash to yank the gun out of her hand. He pulled it away and stepped back.
“What the hell are you doing? Kill it before it turns on us.”
“I can’t.” Wash stuck her gun in the waistband of his jeans and held the rifle at his side.
“Are you out of your damn mind?” When he didn’t react, she took hold of his arm and tried to force him to leave with her. If he wouldn’t defend them, they had to run. “We’ve got to get out of here. Come on!”
He wrestled his arm free. “I’m not going anywhere until Rusk is finished.”
“Rusk?” She glanced around, frantic to find him. “He’s not here. Don’t you get it? We have to find him, but first we have to get to safety. Please, Wash, run.” Should she leave without him? Could she forgive herself if she did?
Wash lifted a finger and pointed at the tiger on top. Its eyes were filled with amber as it sank its massive jaws into the other tiger’s throat. The second tiger’s scream was muffled as blood flowed out of its mouth. It flailed, claws trying to find purchase but couldn’t. With one final hard jerk, the victorious tiger silenced its victim.
Fear swamped the adrenaline that had kept her going, leaving her weak. They were going to die. Taking hold of Wash’s arm again, she had to make him move. “Please. For me. For your life and mine, we have to get out of here.”
Why didn’t he understand the danger they were in? Was he in shock? She lowered her voice, trying to sound calm. “Wash, we have to get you to a doctor.”
He shook his head again as he undid his shirt, took it off, then wrapped it around his bloodied arm. His attention fixed on the tiger. “Rusk? Is it you? Show yourself. Do it, or I’ll shoot. Don’t make me find out the hard way.” He lifted the rifle and aimed it at the surviving tiger.
She let out a huge sigh. Thank God, he’s coming around. “Shoot, Wash, before he attacks.”
“What if it’s Rusk?”
“Rusk?” Again, she tried to find him. “I don’t know where he is. Shoot the tiger. Please.”
“Nah.” Wash lowered his rifle. “He’s right in front of you.”
She stared at Wash then at the tiger creeping toward her. Even afraid, a part of her recognized how magnificent it was. Raw power emanated from its body. Its amber gaze slid over her. Strangely, as she looked into its eyes, the fear started ebbing. The tiger didn’t want to kill her. Even stranger was the feeling that she knew it.
No. Not it. Him.
She stared, too mesmerized to move, and wondered if her vision was impaired. Had she hit her head? Was she in a nightmare and didn’t know it?
He’s blurry. Every part of him seems to be changing.
The awful sounds of breaking bones seared into her as a moan drifted out of the tiger’s mouth. His body changed, growing longer in some places and shorter in others. He stopped inching toward her, but the strange transformation continued.
Massive jaws and a broad face morphed into a square jaw line and the shape of Rusk’s face. Arms and legs took different angles as fur skimmed off to reveal human flesh. His tail disappeared, and his ears got smaller, morphing into human shapes.
“Oh my God.”
She must’ve hit her head. Or had the convicts drugged her? Yet, in her heart, she knew what she saw was real.
“Rusk? Is that really you?”
“Yeah. It’s really him.”
One look at Wash told her he was almost as shocked as she was. “I can’t believe this.”
“It’s really him, Kendra.”
“But how? It’s not possible. Oh hell.” She gaped at the two dead tigers. Their bodies were changing, too, quickly transforming into their human forms. Before long, the bodies of the escapees took the places of the dead tigers.
“Caleb and Juan were tigers.” She eased away from Wash, but kept her distance from the two dead convicts. “Are you an animal, too?”
The entire world had been turned upside down. The two men she was so attracted to—the ones she could see spending the rest of her life with—were not what she’d thought they were.
“No. I’m not.” Wash’s face was weary, the fatigue of the battle settling in.
A naked Rusk took a few steps toward her. “Kendra, you don’t have anything to fear from me. I’m still the same man I was.”
“Except that you can change into a tiger. That makes you different.” Weariness flowed through her, the last of her adrenaline finally gone. She couldn’t have run if she’d wanted to. Yet she wa
sn’t sure she did.
“Here. Sit down.” Rusk took her arm and helped her over to the log. “You, too, Wash. You look like you’re about to pass out.”
Wash settled on the other log. Placing his rifle on the ground, he rested his wounded arm on his knee. “I lost a lot of blood.” His speech was muffled, as though he was drunk. “Might ought to get to a doc soon.”
“You’re going to be okay, partner. Both of you stay where you are while I get my clothes. I’ll be right back.” Rusk hurried over the slope.
Kendra studied Wash, wondering what else she didn’t know about them. “Can you…”
“No. I told you. I’m just a plain old human.”
Rusk was back, dressed, and striding over to them. He knelt between them, like a parent getting ready to explain the facts of life to his two children. “You’ll heal, but you might not like how you heal.”
“What does that mean?” Wash’s eyes flashed with bits of amber.
Her attention jumped from one man to the other. The sensation she’d felt with them ramped higher. Blaming it on what they’d just gone through made sense, but she knew better. The intensity was stronger, yet it was the same feeling she’d had every time she’d been with them. Even after what she’d seen, she recognized the truth deep within her.
I never want to be without them.
Until then, she’d never counted on anyone, had never cared to be committed to anyone. But now, after nearly losing them, after facing death head-on, she couldn’t imagine a life without them.
Is this love?
Her heart answered when her mind couldn’t.
It’s more. It’s love and everything else.
“Answer me, Rusk. What’s going to happen?” Wash’s tone held a hint of alarm.
In that moment, she understood. Although he’d asked, Wash had to already know. “You were bitten by a shape-shifter. Like in the movies when the werewolf bites someone. The person who gets bitten will change.”