by Amber Jacobs
Leandra sat frozen, trembling slightly, and it seemed for a long moment she had forgotten to breathe. She stared back at Ashley with wide eyes, visibly struggling not to retreat from her more intimate proximity. Ashley held her position until she saw the wild, instinctive urge diminish, and Leandra relaxed.
“I haven’t forgotten,” Leandra whispered in a hesitant voice. “But it’s nice to be reminded, sometimes. And I’d like to show you the animals anyway, if you want to see them.”
“Okay, then.” Ashley backed away and resumed her seat. “I’d like that.”
“Good.”
A long period of silence followed, and then Leandra glanced shyly at Ashley. “You know,” she said quietly, “I’m not crazy or anything.”
Ashley chuckled. “I never thought you were.”
“Good.” Leandra offered a slight smile. “I was just confirming it.”
Ashley cast her eyes over the tall woman’s striped body. “I’m not going to lie and say I think you’re exactly ‘normal,’ but I’ve been around long enough to tell the difference between eccentricity and madness. I wouldn’t be here with you now if I thought you were insane.”
Leandra considered that before giving her a grateful smile. Ashley could read Leandra’s body language well enough to recognize her longing for company after such a long period of isolation. Utterly intrigued by the strange woman, Ashley was more than happy to provide some human contact; she couldn’t even begin to imagine what it would be like to endure four years alone in the wild. How lonely it must be.
The two women sat quietly and watched the peacocks finish their preening and wander off. They lingered even after the birds had left, exchanging a few words now and then but mostly just enjoying the sounds of the jungle creatures at play all around them.
Dressed in camouflage fatigues, a tall, well-built man watched through a pair of binoculars as the group of five gathered around a small fire to share their evening meal and talk as the sun went down. With a rifle slung over his shoulder and basic essentials like a water flask, a compass, and a broad-bladed hunting knife belted around his waist, the six-foot-tall man cut an impressive, confident figure. His dark-blond hair was held back in a loose ponytail, a few strands pulling loose in the humidity and clinging to his sweat-streaked face. His skin was deeply tanned, and wrinkles had formed at the corners of his eyes from years of squinting into the sunlight. Intense, green eyes burned from deep-set sockets as he observed the gathering.
Behind him, another man watched in similar fashion, this one sporting bright red hair and a thick beard. A deep scowl pulled the corners of his mouth down when he spotted a familiar figure sitting on a fallen log, laughing with her friends.
“That’s her,” he said. “The little blonde bitch on the right.” He shook his head. “Told me she was a photographer or something. Guess it’s lucky fer me I didn’t kill her, right, Jack?”
Jack Corbin grunted, as his shrewd eyes took in the details of the camp and its inhabitants. “That balding guy’s no photographer,” he decided quickly. “From the looks of the gear they’re toting, him and that brunette sitting next to him are scientists or some such. Probably doing research. The Indian guy must be their guide, getting paid to babysit, make sure nothing bad happens.” He worked the binocular focus wheel and brought the petite blonde into sharper detail. She didn’t look like much, he thought, wondering whether he should believe the man behind him. “Blondie’s no worse for wear after your little encounter with the ‘Indian Menace’,” he observed.
The grizzly redhead scowled. “Maybe she ran away like I did. Or maybe that thing only kills guys like us. How should I know what happened?”
Corbin replaced his binoculars in a case attached to the belt around his waist. “Tell me again what it looked like.”
“It was a woman,” the man explained for the dozenth time. “Only she was like a tiger. She had claws, her skin was stripy, and she moved like a cat. I swear it’s the truth.”
“And you ran away.”
“Damn right I ran. If you saw that thing, you’d have run away too.”
Corbin just grunted, still unsure what to make of this report. “I had three other men coming in for this hunt,” he said quietly. “They’re two days late now. I guess that means they didn’t make it.”
“If they got caught by the ghost, they sure as hell didn’t make it.”
Jack Corbin was not prone to flights of fancy. He had traveled every continent on Earth, had tracked and hunted almost every creature capable of killing a man, and had never encountered any beast that couldn’t be overcome with caution and a loaded gun. His reputation was widespread among those who lived in the shadowy world of the black market animal trade, and though he could have lived a soft life of luxury from the money he’d made in his dealings, Jack preferred the excitement and danger of his work.
Three years ago, he’d heard the reports of a poaching expedition that had been massacred in the Indian forests, the details of which had been enough to make even a ruthless hunter like him a little nervous. At the time, he’d assumed it was some kind of scare tactic the rangers were using to frighten away poachers. The stories told of some mystical, tiger-like spirit stalking the jungle, ravaging those who dared to hunt the great cats. He’d scoffed at the lunacy of it, even as many of his comrades started avoiding the Indian territory.
In the years that followed, more rumors had filtered down to him of men lost in the jungle—some never found; some discovered by rangers, their bodies mauled and shredded with fearful savagery. Now, lured here by the chance to hunt the rare white tiger, Jack wasn’t sure what to make of the story brought to him by his companion, but he intended to tread carefully. He hadn’t become successful as a poacher and smuggler by being rash.
Having never hunted with Shaun Duggan before, Jack trusted his bizarre story just enough not to discount it. The man seemed a touch too eager to believe in a superstitious explanation, but he’d obviously seen something. Jack could hear the nervousness in his voice.
“So what’re we gonna do?” Shaun asked.
Jack considered long and hard. Eventually, he nodded toward the distant campfire. “We’ll watch them closely,” he stated. “If they’re here for the tiger as well, maybe we won’t have to work so hard to find it. We can let them do the work for us.”
“And what about the ghost?”
“We find it, and we kill it.” Jack turned away, unslung his rifle, and headed back to his camp, some two miles to the west. “If it’s real enough that it can kill a man, it’s real enough that we can kill it.”
“But how?”
“Simple.” Jack shot him a withering glance. “First, we lure it out of hiding. Once I get a good look at it, I’ll decide the best way to take it down.”
Shaun’s expression suggested he still had reservations, but he was smart enough to keep them to himself. On the way back to camp, Jack pondered the safest way to lure out the strange menace, rather enjoying the first true challenge he’d had in a long while.
Chapter 2
In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand, dare seize the fire?
—“The Tyger” by William Blake
For the last four days, Ashley had thoroughly enjoyed herself, having seen more of Leandra than she had any of her other companions. She’d quickly developed a routine: after breakfast each morning, she would walk out into the forest around the camp and along the river, knowing that the enigmatic woman would join her once she was alone. Once, Tarun had tried to follow. Leandra hadn’t shown up, and Ashley had lectured the protective guide sternly that she was quite capable of taking care of herself. Tarun grudgingly accepted that he couldn’t discourage Ashley from befriending Leandra, and turned his attention to helping the others.
The two wom
en had settled into a comfortable rhythm, spending their days in peaceful companionship in the wilderness. Sometimes, Leandra would take Ashley out to places she knew were favorite haunts of various animals, other times to scenic locations she thought Ashley might enjoy seeing. Leandra’s voice grew stronger as she became accustomed to speaking again, and soon she was talking more, explaining the habits of the creatures with whom she shared the jungle. Occasionally, she would even relate amusing stories of their antics, such as the time a group of mischievous young monkeys had found a sleeping bear and decided to wake it up with a pelting of pebbles, then scampered away unharmed as the drowsily irritated beast struggled to catch them.
Ashley was continually amazed by Leandra as she learned more of her life these past four years. She was fascinated most of all by her strange, symbiotic relationship with the great cats who dominated everything out here—a relationship Leandra spoke of rarely, and one which was clearly her strongest link to the forest.
In turn, Ashley talked about her life in America; about her older sister, Evelyn, who had married young to a childhood sweetheart who had since become a successful physician; and about their daughter, Casey, who was now seventeen and seemingly intent on following in her aunt’s footsteps as a troublemaker. She described her house and the quiet town that lay a short drive away from it.
When she spoke of the outside world, Ashley noticed Leandra’s expression would become even more intense and focused than usual, as though she wanted to absorb every word and description that was offered. Seeing Leandra’s obvious fascination with the world she’d left behind, Ashley talked more and more about her life and the places she’d visited.
Today, Ashley had risen earlier than usual, wanting to get in a quick bath before she went looking for Leandra. The high humidity was making her feel decidedly sticky. When the others gathered for breakfast, she was humming a happy tune. She smiled cheerfully at Grady’s early morning scowl and handed out mugs of strong coffee to Simon and Grace, who exchanged amused glances at her merriment. She was in a very good mood this morning, already looking forward to another day spent in the company of her new friend.
She grinned at Grady as he settled himself on his tree-branch seat with a groan, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
“Good morning, Grady,” she greeted him in a singsong voice. “Urgh.” He accepted the coffee she offered and sipped the bitter brew slowly for a few minutes before meeting her sunny smile. “Why are you in such a good mood? Last I heard, you weren’t any closer to getting pictures of that damn cat. Let me guess: You’re going off with tiger-woman again today, right?”
“I told you, her name is Leandra. And yes, I’m spending the day with her.” Ashley gave her partner a grin. “I don’t see why you’re so down in the dumps about it, Grady. For one thing, she’s helping me get some unbelievable shots. For another, she’s keeping me out of trouble, so you can get your own work done in peace without having to worry that I’m about to get run down by a herd of elephants or something.” That earned her a wry grin from her partner, who never missed an opportunity to remind her of the time he’d had to rescue her from a stampede in Kenya because she’d been too busy taking photos to get out of the way. “Leandra’s a wonderful person, so don’t be so grumpy about me spending time with her.”
“And when are we going to be introduced to your mysterious friend?” asked Simon. The scientist had made no secret of his eagerness to meet Leandra, and had already probed Ashley for every scrap of information she had about her. “Did you ask about letting us talk to her?”
Ashley took a sip of coffee while she composed a polite rejection. While she knew Simon had only the best intentions, she also knew Leandra would not welcome his questions about her life. “I’m sorry, Simon, but I don’t think she’d be interested,” she said, watching his expression drop. “She’s just a very private person, I’m afraid, as you can probably understand. I don’t think she wants a bunch of people staring at her and asking lots of questions.”
“But I wouldn’t be at all intrusive,” Simon argued. “I’d just like to see her, that’s all. Maybe ask her a few questions—nothing too personal, of course. It’s just that she could offer incredible insights into how the tigers spend their time out here…there’s still so much we don’t really know.”
“I understand, and I’ll mention it to her. If she’s interested in meeting you, she’ll tell me when she’s ready. Okay?”
Simon nodded reluctantly. “Okay.”
Finishing off her breakfast and grabbing a change of clothes and her bathing accessories, Ashley headed off to the river for a quick wash. The humidity in the jungle was high, and even though she was accustomed to roughing it in the wilderness, she didn’t like feeling sticky and smelly. Finding what looked like a safe, fairly sheltered part of the river, Ashley laid out her gear and stripped down, rather enjoying the guilty little thrill that came from being so exposed outdoors.
Just as she was reaching back to unhook her bra, a familiar throaty voice called a cheerful greeting from behind her. “Morning, Ashley. You taking a bath?”
Ashley gave a startled squeak and grabbed for her towel, covering herself as she spun around to glare at Leandra. The striped woman was perched on a boulder nearby, head cocked to the side as she regarded Ashley curiously.
“Damn it, Leandra! What the hell are you doing here?”
Leandra looked confused. “What do you think I’m doing? I came to see you, of course.”
Ashley blushed a deep crimson. “You shouldn’t sneak up on people like that,” she scolded, pulling the towel around her body more securely. “I was just about to…” She gestured to the pile of clothes, the soap and washcloth, and then the river.
“Bathe?”
“Yes.”
Leandra settled down on the rock more comfortably. “That’s okay. I’ll just wait until you’re done.”
Ashley laughed out loud, then realized Leandra was serious. Frank, startlingly clear, blue eyes continued to watch her openly, and Ashley’s blush deepened. I guess her sense of modesty was one of the first things to go when she came out here.
“Um…would you mind…you know, turning around or something?” Ashley asked.
“Why?”
“Well, I could use a little privacy, you know.”
Dark brows contracted in puzzlement, then shot up as Leandra grinned in sudden understanding. “Oh, you’re embarrassed to be naked around me?”
“No, but…” Ashley fidgeted with the edge of the towel uncertainly.
“You don’t need to be shy, Ashley. I doubt you have anything there I don’t already own myself.”
“I know that, but still…”
“Would you be more comfortable if I joined you?” Leandra asked, reaching for the leather cord that held her top closed.
“No!” Ashley quickly stopped that line of thought, shaking her head in amusement. “That’s a very nice offer, but I don’t think it’ll be necessary, thank you.”
Leandra shrugged and settled down again. “As you wish.”
Ashley sighed. “Do you even remember the meaning of the word modesty?”
“I understand the concept,” Leandra said dismissively, inspecting one of her claw weapons. “It doesn’t have any place out here. I lived naked for probably three months before I realized it was more comfortable to have at least some support.” She spread her arms to display her brief outfit. “Modesty is constructed from the concept of shame. Beyond comfort and the need for warmth, clothing is entirely dispensable.” Seeing that Ashley didn’t seem likely to take her bath if she didn’t get some privacy, Leandra turned away. “I won’t watch you, if it makes you uncomfortable.”
Ashley groaned. This is what I get for making friends with Jungle Jane, she thought. “Fine.” Deciding to make it quick and get it over with, she turned back to the river and pulled the towel from her body. Quickly stripping
off her undergarments, she grabbed the soap and washcloth and waded out into the surprisingly cold, mountain-fed water.
Lounging easily on the boulder, Leandra used the rock to touch up one of her claws, gently rubbing the bone weapon against the stone and blowing away the shavings. She inspected each of the hooked talons carefully, sharpening those that needed it before she felt her eyes start to drift curiously back to the river. Not wanting to do anything that might make Ashley uncomfortable around her, Leandra subtly observed the naked woman scrub herself vigorously.
Ashley’s outdoor lifestyle had given her a fairly even tan, and her body was lithe and firm from a physically demanding career. She was slender without being bony, delicate without being weak, and her observer found her entirely enchanting. High, firm breasts quickly captured Leandra’s attention, and she enjoyed the sight of a naked female form for the first time in many years. Ashley was a beautiful woman, and having learned from experience not to fight her instincts, Leandra didn’t bother arguing with her attraction. She realized it would not be wise to act on it, however.
After four years of social denial, the company Ashley gave so easily to Leandra was like water to a woman dying of thirst. She craved it with a deep passion, hungered for every scrap that was offered, and hoarded in her memory each precious moment spent in the young woman’s presence. She knew Ashley would be leaving sooner or later, and didn’t want to do anything to hurry that departure. She might frighten her away by expressing her not-so-platonic interest.
Tearing her gaze away from the nymph-like figure in the water, Leandra turned her attention back to the jungle, trying to recall the faces of some of the women she’d bedded before coming out here. There had been many, she remembered, and not one of them had ever meant more to her than a simple night of pleasure. She had seduced them, taken them, and then left them as soon as something more interesting came along. Of course, it had been a long time since Leandra had thought more than fleetingly of sexual pleasure. The struggle for survival consumed most of her thoughts these days. Still, sneaking a peek at her new friend as she finished her bath, Leandra found that the myriad faces in her memory had now dissolved into Ashley’s soft, gentle features, and she was glad the paint hid her blush as she wondered how the young woman might look in the throes of ecstasy.