She leaned over to kiss his cheek. “Thank you. Just one question: how long until you think I will go through the change? Not before tomorrow night, I hope.”
Turning his head slightly so he could meet her lips yet still keep an eye on the road, he kissed her back. “No, you won’t go through the change before I can shift for you. You’re close, but not that close.”
Chapter Eight
The cabin finally came into sight after what seemed like a two-mile drive on the dirt road. “Once you’re settled, I’ll call Raja. If there’s still cell service out here. I’m going to tell him to send a few of my best soldiers to protect you. They should be here tomorrow sometime. I’ll have Raja get them on a plane first thing.”
Slowly getting out of the car, Tabitha had to admit she was disappointed that he was calling in others to protect her. She enjoyed their time alone together and didn’t want it to come to an end. She had hoped they could pick up what they started back at her apartment once they reached the cabin. Are there other woman in the clan fighting for his attention? Will they be jealous because I’m his mate? Will they treat me different knowing I’m the Alpha’s mate?
“Tabby, what's wrong? Your mood changed once we arrived here. I know it’s not perfect, but it’s the safest place right now. Very few people know Raja has this.” Ty opened the cabin door.
The cabin was small and cozy. A little kitchenette to the right of the door provided just the basics. The king-size bed with a red and black quilt was pushed up against the far wall with a trunk at the foot of the bed. Leaving the center of the room for the couch and chair. There wasn’t a television, just a small CD player on the coffee table. Whoever came here wouldn’t be spending much time indoors. Maybe too small, if Ty is in a hurry to get away from me. She eyed the bed and couch, not sure which one she could make it to. Her body was exhausted, and she felt downright awful.
She must have made the unconscious decision on the bed, because next thing she knew, she was plopping down on it. Her eyes feeling like lead, she wanted to lie down, but she could feel Ty’s gaze on her.
Without opening her eyes, she knew he was in front of her. She could feel his presence the same way she could feel the sun on her skin.
“Come here; let me make you feel better.”
“You should call Raja. He needs to know what's going on, and that way they can start making arrangements for your soldiers to be sent here.” Her shoulders were slumped and her voice deflated.
“Oh, so that's why you’re so upset?”
“I don't know what you’re talking about.” She tried to make her voice sound sincere and kept her eyes closed, knowing they would deceive her.
“You think I’m calling in soldiers so I can leave, don't you?”
“Well, isn't it?” She embraced her anger. Being angry was better than crying.
“Boy, Tabby, if you’re going to be my Queen, you must learn how to read people better. No, that isn’t why I would like guards for you. I want guards so I can concentrate on you. I don't want to run after someone who comes after you and leave you by yourself for someone else to harm. What if there was another attacker, waiting until I took off after the first one? I would feel better if I had a few more people close by, in case we need them.”
Boy, did I read that one wrong. “Ty, I'm sorry I doubted you. I just thought you were trying to find a way out without being rude. No one has ever stuck around, so I figured why would you? Especially since people are now trying to kill me.”
“Tabby, for this to work, I need you to trust me. I don't plan on going anywhere. If I need to go anywhere, I want you to go with me. That means if the clan needs me back in Alaska, then that's where you’re going. Don’t push me away. I'm not like everyone else. I’m your mate, and we will be together always. Once I have officially claimed you, you’ll understand. The tiger in you won't have doubts about me leaving. We fit together.”
Tabitha knew Ty was right, but she couldn't stop the human part of her from wondering if it was crazy. Her brain was screaming at her that there wasn't even a small possibility that she could really shift into a tiger, but her heart knew everything Ty told her was the truth. This was who she was and what she was meant to be, so she had to embrace it. She looked up at Ty and smiled. “I know you’re right. I'm sorry. Please call Raja then lay with me.”
Ty kissed her forehead before taking out his cell from his jeans pocket and stepping away from the bed. A moment later, the cabin was filled with his rich voice, making her heart pitter-patter. “There's been a small change in plans, Raja. Pierce attacked her apartment this evening.”
A long pause while Ty listened to Raja. “Yes, we’re currently at your cabin. I thought it was best to get her out of the city, and this was the first place I thought about. I need you to make arrangements for Leo, Thomas and Felix to get over to Pittsburgh as soon as possible.” His shoulders rolling like he was anxious.
“Great. Get Felix here right away then. Have the other two fly into Pittsburgh. We’ll pick them up at the airport when I exchange cars—with all of us we are going to need something much bigger—and then we can head there. Let me know when they’re flying in.”
There was another long pause, and Ty started pacing the small cabin. There wasn't much room for him to pass. He was a large man in a small space, which meant he only had to take a few steps in any direction to be at the other side. A low growl came from deep in Ty's throat. “Raja, keep me informed about the situation there. We can be back in a matter of hours.”
With that, he closed the phone and tossed it onto the bed. “Tabby, were you serious when you asked me to shift for you?”
“Yes. Have you changed your mind?”
“No, Tabby, I was going to shift for you now if you still want to see it. It’s a great way to relive stress and anger. Plus tomorrow, we’ll be driving, so I won't be able to.” Ty unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it on the back of the couch. “I won't do it if you’re not ready.”
Butterflies started to swarm in Tabitha’s stomach. His muscles were tense with anger, his hands balled into fists. Shifting would help him release whatever made him furious. “No, let’s do it. I need to see what happens. You won’t attack me or anything, will you?”
A mixture of a growl and laugh came from Ty's throat. “No, love, I won't hurt you. Once I change, I’ll still be me, just in a different form. A much bigger form. I have one request before I shift.”
She cocked her head to the side, waiting for his request. “What would you like?”
“I want one last kiss. If my shifting freaks you out, it might be my last kiss. Will you kiss me one last time, Tabby?”
Tabitha left the bed and eliminated the short distance between them. “Ty, you told me yourself this is natural and I’ll have to go through it. Why would I be so freaked that I wouldn't want to be with you once you’ve shifted?” She stood on her tipsy toes, and not waiting for an answer, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. What she thought would have been a sweet peck on the lips turned into a hungry and demanding kiss.
Ty broke the kiss but still held her close. “Tabby, if I don't do this now, I will take you. As much as I want that, I want our first time to be gentle. If I take you in the mood I’m in right now, I won’t be gentle.”
Ty slipped out of his clothes and stood in front of the couch. Her breath caught in her throat as she stood in awe of his body. She wanted to run her hands over every inch of him.
“This is going to look painful, but I promise it’s not as bad as you think. Just stay over there until I complete the change. I don't want to hurt you by accident.”
Ty stood in front of the couch and started to shake ever so slightly. Slowly, the tiger fur started to come through his skin. The reddish-orange and black hair looked soft enough to run her hands through. Tabitha took a step forward, wanting to touch it, before remembering Ty’s words. She stayed where she was, never taking her eyes off him.
The bones seemed to break and mor
ph into different shapes, forcing him to fall forward toward the floor. Just when it appeared he would hit the floor, his body completed the transition. There in front of her was a tiger, and four large tiger paws supported his massive body. His mere size had her speechless. From head to tail, he had to be eight feet long and weighed over four hundred and fifty pounds.
He shook his body, fluffing his hair out, as he observed her. Tabitha watched, not moving from the bed until Ty lay on the floor softly purring. Taking that as a sign, she moved slowly, leaving the bed and gradually inching closer.
Even though she knew he wouldn't hurt her, she was a little hesitant about rushing up to him. Closing the space between them, she reached out to touch him before lowering herself to sit on the floor next to him.
Ty lifted his head from between his paws and laid it in her lap. She raised her hand and touched the top of his head. His fur was velvety. As she ran her palm over it, he let out a soft purr and when she rubbed behind his ears, his purring grew louder, as if he were enjoying the feeling. “Ty, I don't know if you can understand me, but you’re picturesque. I have only seen tigers in photographs, but this is amazing.”
Ty licked her cheek, as if to let her know he understood, and that’s when she noticed his long, sharp teeth. Without thinking, she reached for them but then thought better of it. Ty must have understood she wanted to touch them because he opened his mouth and moved it closer to her hand. Inching her hand farther away, she closed her eyes, and she could have sworn she heard him say, “Go ahead, baby, touch them.”
She froze in place. She would have bet her life she’d heard him, but she couldn’t have, could she? “I must be crazy,” she said more to herself than Ty.
“You heard me, didn't you?” The voice was in her head, not out loud.
Tabitha shook her head. “No, I'm losing my mind. This must be some kind of dream, and I’m going to wake up any moment.”
“Tabby, it’s not a dream. You can really hear me. I think we just found out what your power from your father's line is.”
She wanted to turn this into something to be happy for, but she worried he might be able to hear everything she was thinking. “Does that mean you can hear my thoughts also?”
“No, you don’t have to worry. I can't hear your thoughts now. I might be able to hear them when you’re in tiger form if you project them to me. I don’t have the gift to hear what others are thinking. But let me tell you that you’re amazing. You have taken this all so well. Most people would have run off screaming by now. We normally don't shift for newbies.”
She was still rubbing Ty's head. “You’re pretty amazing yourself, big guy. I needed to see the change. I was starting to freak myself out about how bad it would be. It doesn't look nearly as bad as I thought it would. The only thing I can't get over is how much of you that you still are when you’re in tiger form. I was thinking that the animal would take over more.”
“You can feel the animal there, but it’s not all consuming unless you allow it to be, and that's when we get rogue shifters. Want to feel the teeth? I know you wanted to earlier but thought I might bite your hand off. Come on, darling, I only nibble.”
She had to chuckle at the last comment. “Only nibble, huh?” She could have sworn the tiger smiled at her. “I didn't think you would bite me. I just thought it wasn't such a good idea. They are so long and look so sharp.”
“Come on, I know you want to.”
He opened his mouth, and slowly, she started to move her hand toward it. He wouldn't hurt her. He was gentle and loving, but another tiger could turn in a moment. “They are so sharp.”
When she moved her hand away from his mouth, Ty looked up at her. His crystal clear blue eyes gazed at her with so much trust. “Satisfied, love?” she heard him say in her head.
“With you changing, yes.” She chose to keep silent about other things she wanted him to satisfy. She wanted Ty to claim her as his mate. “Do you have to stay like that all nigh—” Before she could finish the sentence, he changed back to human form. One moment he was a tiger and she was rubbing his head, and the next moment he was a naked man with his head resting in her lap.
“Oh my.” She shivered from the magic in the air.
“Sorry, babe, didn't mean to frighten you. I was anxious to change back and continue what we started before I changed. That is if you’re still in the mood?” He gave her a cocky grin, as if to say she wouldn't turn down a naked man in her lap. To wipe the smile off his face, she bent to kiss him.
Their lips met, and it was like a drug they couldn’t get enough of. Ty leaned up, taking the kiss that started off sweet and innocent to a whole ‘nother level. As their kisses grew deeper and longer, Ty slid her turtleneck up, parting their mouths only long enough to lift it over her head.
The sweater slid over her head to lie lost on the floor, and Ty kissed her neck before slowly working his way down to her breasts. He drew his tongue along the tops of her breasts where the cups of the bra hid the best part from view, as he slipped his hands around back to unhook her bra.
When the bra slid down to join her sweater, a purr filled the space between them, making her freeze.
“Did you just purr at my breast?” Her voice held the disbelief she felt.
He glanced up at her and nodded slightly. His mouth never left her breast. Taking her nipple into his mouth, he rolled his tongue around it before gently placing it between his teeth and pulling. Her thoughts skittered over those huge tiger teeth, but his gentle nipping stole her control. Her back arched, leaving Ty no choice but to loosen his teeth or cause her pain. He removed them from the nipple and slowly kissed his way across to the other one.
Ty pulled the blanket from the back of the couch and laid it behind her on the floor, and in a deep sexy drawl, he instructed her, “Lay down, Tabby, and let me pleasure you.” She stretched out on the blanket, watching him with wanting eyes. He was the only thing she could see.
Ty leaned over her, claiming her lips before taking his sweet time kissing a path down her body, spending extra time for each breast. As he kissed her abdomen, his fingers worked to unbutton her jeans before he pulled them down her legs. Using her toes, she kicked off her sneakers, allowing her jeans to slide completely off. Once they were out of the way, his teeth latched onto her red thong, tugging on it until it broke free.
“What the hell?” she gasped as she propped herself up on her elbows.
“My patience wore thin.” He cocked his head to the side, giving her a sly grin.
She had to agree with him there. He spent so much time and effort taking off her clothes, it was beginning to feel like torture. She’d never had anyone take her clothes off, and tonight all she wanted to do was be as naked as he was. She wanted every inch of their bare flesh touching.
She caressed his cheek, and he turned his head to kiss her wrist. Her face heated with awareness from the way he was staring down at her. “Let me make this time memorable for you. Mating is supposed to be special and all about the female. Lay back and enjoy this.” She did as he asked, running her hands over his body, feeling the muscles on his skin contract as he moved and the warmth he gave off.
Look at him. I could never get tired of his body. His washboard abs that make me want to run my tongue over them and to have his arms wrapped around me as if I am his world. Now that would be the life.
She was jolted out of her thoughts by the heat of electricity sparking around their bodies. There was a beauty to it that whipped away any fears she might have had.
“Tabby, I need to ask, are you sure about this? Once I have claimed you as my mate, there is no going back. We’ll be mated forever; we’re not like humans. You won't be able to divorce me. If you have doubts, it’s best to wait.” His voice cracked.
Propping herself up on her elbow, she kissed him. “Ty, I’m sure. As you said, I’m your mate. Why would I want to fight it? I want you.” She kissed him again but this time, she let her desire race through her. She wanted to chase his
worries away.
As Ty entered her, she could feel the air explode around them, as if they had just unleashed something. He took his time allowing her core to adjust around him.
There was a gentle quality to Ty, not only during sex, which would have surprised many. Most would have just seen him as menacing and intimidating because of his size. She was lucky enough to see another side of him, a side she was sure not many got to see.
He made sure to please every inch of her. She loved his body touching hers. Every touch like the first touch. When she wasn't sure she could take any more and was at the edge of bliss, she heard Ty say, “Baby, come for me.”
As their bodies relaxed, a burning sensation coursed through her right hand. A whimper escaped her, and Ty hissed as they brought their hands into view. There was a moon design burned into the tops of their hands.
Ty rolled off to lie beside her on the blanket.
Tiger Time Page 5