by Jane Jamison
Stunned, Lisa looked at the others in the bar. No one, including Marvin, were afraid of the beast-man. “They haven’t told me what yet?”
Marvin and Purdy exchanged a telling glance as Marvin came toward her. She shook her head, all at once afraid to have any of them near her. Was she losing her mind? Didn’t they see what she saw?
“Lisa, I’m sure the guys didn’t want you to find out like this. Damn it, Herb.” Marvin’s lip lifted into a snarl.
“Tell me what? That there’s a monster in your town?” Her thoughts whirled, bringing up one idea only to lose it. Was John a beast-man? Was that why they couldn’t get the authorities involved in finding him?
“Monsters? Hell, Lisa, watch who you’re calling monsters.” Another man she’d seen before, a man who had been kind to her, scowled. He’d been leaning back in his chair then dropped it down, planting his feet.
“Haskel?”
“Yeah. That’s right. I met you the other day at the market.” He started to come toward her, but Marvin blocked his way. “Come on, guys. The cat’s out of the bag now. She’s got to find out sooner or later. Looks like old Herb here decided on sooner.”
“Marvin, please. What’s going on?”
Marvin’s expression said it all. He knew exactly what was happening. “Lisa, I know this will be hard to understand…” He paused. “Then again, now that you’ve seen Herb, maybe it won’t be.”
She tried to breathe, tried to calm herself. But how could she? The world had been turned upside down.
“I’m just gonna say it plain out.” Marvin swept his arm around the room. “We’re shape-shifters. People who can change into animals.”
Herb’s growl interrupted Marvin. “Purdy, get hold of Herb. He never did have good control over his tiger.”
Purdy moved to do what Marvin had asked, but Herb let out another growl. Suddenly, his clothes started tearing away. Fur burst through the seams and clawed feet broke out of his boots.
Lisa clapped a hand over her mouth as the man changed, going from human into a large white tiger.
I really did see a tiger.
Amazingly, Purdy grabbed hold of the tiger’s tail and started pulling him toward the back room.
She let out a small moan. “Oh, my God.” Marvin reached for her, but she backed away.
“Try to calm down, Lisa. No one’s going to hurt you.”
She scanned the bar. Every set of eyes were on her. Some of those eyes were glowing with bits of amber. “You’re all the same?”
Marvin nodded. “Yes, but you don’t need to be afraid. We won’t hurt you.”
I have to get out of here. I have to keep the kids safe.
Taking hold of their hands, she darted past Marvin and out the door.
“Lisa! Hold up. We won’t hurt you!” called Marvin.
“Honey, what’s going on?”
She skirted past Lena, hurrying as fast as she could and still hang onto the kids. They made it to Marrick’s pickup and she slung the door opened.
“Get inside. Fast.”
“Lisa, honey, don’t go. Let us explain.”
She stared at Lena. Her, too?
There was no way in hell she was going to stick around. Hopping into the truck, she turned the key and slammed on the gas. By the time she dared to glance in the rearview mirror, Lena and Marvin were standing in the middle of the street, watching.
Chapter Eight
“I’m going to kill that fucking Herb.” Craig didn’t know if Marrick could hear him or not over the thundering sound of their horses’ hooves digging into the dry Texas ground. He didn’t care. He’d said it as much for himself as for his friend.
Lena’s call had them hightailing it back to the ranch. He just hoped they’d get there before Lisa did. According to Lena, Lisa wasn’t about to hang around. She’d no doubt hot-foot it out of town. Since the twins were with her, she’d probably take them along for safe keeping.
He could see the pickup she’d borrowed parked in front of the house in a haphazard way, half on the grass and half on the cement parking pad. If she’d taken her car into town, she might not have come back to the ranch. Thankfully, her car had started acting up the day before.
Marrick brought his horse to a skidding stop along with his. Together, they were off their mounts and bounding up the front steps when she burst through the door.
“Oh, thank God you’re back.” Lisa clutched the front of Craig’s shirt. “You’re never going to believe what I found out. The tiger I saw? It’s real and they’re more of them.”
“Calm down, babe.”
She shook her head causing her curls to dance. “No, I can’t. Don’t you see? They know I know about them now. They’ll be coming after us. We have to get out of here while we can. Please, let’s go.”
He looked to Marrick for an answer, but his friend gave him a slight shake, his mouth set in a thin line. Craig took hold of her arms. Should he slap her? Did that really help when someone was hysterical or did it only make them even more upset?
“Where are the kids?”
“They’re inside. I told them to put some clothes and toys into garbage bags. I didn’t know if they had suitcases.”
“Okay.” Craig hooked his arm in hers as much to try and comfort her as to lead her back inside. Once in the living room, he called to the kids. “Teag. Kitty. Are you two all right?”
“Uh-huh,” called Kitty.
At least they were within shouting distance. “Stay where you are until we call you, okay?”
“Okay,” answered Teag.
“No. We need to leave. Now.” She yanked her arm out of his. “You don’t understand. There are monsters in Twisted. They can change into big white tigers.”
“Babe—”
“No, Craig, it’s true. I saw one of them change.” Her eyes were wild, her breaths lifting her chest in rapid succession. “Marvin, Haskel, even Purdy. They all said it was true. They’re monsters, too.”
Monsters? He never would’ve believed she’d think of them as monsters. She’d be shocked, sure, but monsters were horrible creatures that harmed people.
Craig cringed when Marrick took hold of her and gave her a quick shake. “Lisa, knock it off. You’re not in any danger.” Bits of amber blazed in his eyes. “Not from them and not from us, either.”
She frowned, confusion marring her forehead. When she tilted her head to the side much like weretigers did, Craig knew she finally understood. Her mouth opened into a small oh.
Where she’d been afraid before, now she was in full panic mode. “No. It can’t be. You can’t be.”
Now that Marrick had told her, there was no turning back. “Babe, try and understand. We won’t hurt you. Not now. Not ever.”
“You’re like them? You’re shape-shifters?” She moved backward until her legs hit the couch. “I thought it was crazy to think you owned one, but that you are one? No. I won’t. I can’t.”
Where had she gotten the idea that they owned a tiger?
“Yes, but, babe, we’re still us. Nothing you know about us is any different.”
“Except that you can change into animals. Are you white tigers, too?” She sat down hard. “Nooo. This isn’t real. I must be dreaming. Or hurt. Unconscious.”
Craig shoved the coffee table out of the way and went to his knees. He reached out for her, but she let out a small yelp and jerked away from him. “Lisa, please, don’t be afraid. We’re still the same guys. Try to calm down.”
She shook her head, intent on denying the truth. “I can’t. I saw him change. He was huge. And, oh, God, the fangs.” Her gaze dropped to his hands. “And his claws. No, please, tell me it’s all a bad dream.”
Marrick flattened his hands on the arm chair and bent forward. “Damn it, Lisa, stop acting like an idiot. This is real. We are real. Just deal with it.”
Craig couldn’t hold back the growl that slipped from his lips. “Fuck off, man. You’re not helping.”
“She has to accept the tr
uth. She’s our mate. What else can she do?” Marrick reared back and dragged a hand through his hair.
“Your mate?”
Craig wasn’t sure if she was beginning to calm down or if she was so freaked out she couldn’t move. “Can you listen to us, babe? I mean, really listen?”
She drew in a shaky breath. “I’ll try.”
It was more than he’d dared to hope for. “Good.” He came to sit beside her, thankful when she allowed him to take her hands in his. “It’s true. We’re weretigers. Shape-shifters. Men who can change into tigers.”
She closed her eyes, shuddered, and then opened them again. Tears welled in them.
“Remember. We’d never hurt you. Not for any reason.” She needed to hear him promise her safety several times. Each time he did, he noticed a small flash of relief on her face. “Shape-shifters have been around forever just like humans. We don’t attack people. All we want to do is to live in peace without the world finding out about us. Can you understand what I’m saying?”
“Y–yes.”
“Then please understand the rest. As weretigers, we know that one day we’ll find the woman we’ll love for the rest of our lives. She’s our intended mate.”
He could see her trying to grasp what he was saying. She struggled with it, but at least she tried.
“And I’m your mate?”
“Right.” He smiled, trying again to comfort her.
Marrick had finally calmed down. He sat in the arm chair and rested his elbows on his knees. “I’m sorry I yelled at you. It’s just with the kids and Donna—” He paused, gathering himself. “I’m sorry.”
She nodded, forgiving Marrick. Things were starting to look a little better. Maybe.
“Do you feel something every time you’re with us? Remember? We talked about it before. Something more than just that we’re so incredibly hot?” A joke couldn’t hurt, right?
His reward was a slight lift of the corners of her mouth. “Yes. It’s like an electric current. Or a really strong rope pulling me toward you.”
“Have you ever felt anything like it before?”
“No. Nothing.”
“That’s what we call the connection. It’s what brings mates together.”
“Like fate?”
“Exactly,” answered Marrick. “We don’t believe it’s a coincidence that you came to Twisted.” His expression darkened. “We only wish you hadn’t had to go through what you have. Finding Donna’s body and hearing about what we are from someone else. I know it’s been rough on you.”
Her sorrowful expression mirrored Marrick’s. Craig didn’t want anything to sideline the real discussion. “But meeting you is fate. It’s the connection at work. You’re our intended mate and you came. If you’ll accept us as your mates, as your partners in life, then we’ll do our dead level best to make you happy.”
“I’m your mate? Like being married? To the both of you?”
At least she’d started breathing easier. “That’s right. We can’t both legally marry you, but it’s the same thing.”
“I can’t believe this. It’s all too much.”
“You’re going to need time to let it sink in.” Marrick put his hand on her leg. Surprisingly, she didn’t jump at his touch. “We’ll give you all the time you need, but you’ve got to promise you won’t leave. If you do—”
“If you do, it’ll break our hearts,” interrupted Craig. “Weretigers only have one mate. If you turn us down, we’ll live out our lives missing you.”
“You said you felt the connection, right?” asked Marrick.
She glanced at the both of them. “Yes. If that’s what it’s called. Yes.”
“Then will you stay? I swear no one will hurt you.” Craig’s heart was in his throat. If she still wanted to leave, they wouldn’t stop her.
“You can change into tigers. I still can’t believe it.”
Was it a question? Or was she trying to convince herself? “Yes. Marrick and I are weretigers.”
Her eyes grew big again. “And the twins? Are they—?”
“Yes. Donna was human, but John was a weretiger. The kids were born weretigers.” He didn’t want to talk about anyone but them. She had to adjust to what they were first before trying to accept anyone else.
“Oh, hell. No wonder they’re so damn fast.”
He chuckled at her amazement. “Yeah. And they have sensitive hearing and their other senses are heightened, too.”
“Can they change?”
“Not yet. Once they get into puberty, though, then watch out.” Having one teenage weretiger would be hard enough, but two? He and Marrick would need all the help they could get.
“Wow.” She fell back, slumping in her seat. “Do they know what you are? What they are?”
“After today, they definitely know about shifters. Hell, judging from the way they didn’t freak out, they’ve probably known for a while. Some kids find out early on after seeing a relative or friend shift. I’m not sure what Donna told them.” He looked to Marrick for an answer, but got none. “We could ask to be sure, but then we’d have to tell them about us.”
“I want to see what you look like.”
He’d expected as much. Wanting to see, needing to confirm with her own eyes what she’d been told wasn’t unusual. Even though she’d seen Herb change at Roar, she still needed to see them in their tiger bodies.
“Let me check on the kids and tell them to stay in their room first. Go on and start without me if you want.” Marrick bounded up the stairs and headed down the hallway.
“Are you sure, babe? I wouldn’t want you to be afraid.”
“I’m sure.” She clasped her hands in her lap, her knuckles turning white.
“Okay. I’m going to get undressed first.” He stood and started unbuttoning his shirt.
“So you won’t tear your clothes, right?”
“Right. I guess Herb didn’t bother changing before he shifted?”
She drew in a long steadying breath. “No. He got so angry so fast, I don’t think he gave it any thought. He came after us when we ran out of the sweet shop.”
“He’s a cranky old fart and flies off the handle a lot. I’m sorry you had to find out about us that way.”
She didn’t respond. Instead, her gaze fixed on him as he slowly took off his clothes.
Damn it. Don’t get turned on.
Yet having her watch him was doing exactly that. “Babe, uh, I don’t usually have a hard on when I shift. It’s just that you’re watching so…”
Another smile earned. He could spend the rest of his life earning her smiles.
“I’m just saying, is all.” He let his shirt drop to the floor. Her gaze locked on to his chest. Was he strong enough for her? Broad enough? If not, he’d buy a home gym and work out every day.
“You’re taking it kind of slow, aren’t you? We’ll have to make this quick because of the kids.” Marrick strode into the room. His shirt was gone and he had his boots off and was working on the zipper of his jeans.
The bulge of his crotch said Marrick was having the same problem he was.
“The kids are busy watching a movie they like. They should be good for another hour or so. I made sure they understood to stay in their room.” Marrick kicked off his jeans.
Craig was almost jealous when she slipped her attention to his friend. Almost. They’d decided to share a woman early on. Besides, he liked watching her with Marrick. He toed off his boots then shoved his jeans down.
The tip of her tongue slipped between her lips.
No doubt about it. She’s as turned on as we are.
But first things first. She had to accept them for what they were.
“Are you sure you’re ready?” The last thing they needed was to frighten her again.
“Yes. Please. I have to see this.”
“Okay.” He glanced at Marrick. “Let’s do this.”
Together, they turned their inner tigers free. The transformation came quickly as years of cha
nging had taught him. Bones broke and fur spread over his body. Amber colored the world around him as he watched Lisa sit up and grip the edge of the couch.
Please, don’t run.
If she did, he’d have to chase her. First in his tiger body, and then changing once he caught her.
His breathing picked up speed as it always did, yet he knew part of it was due to his nerves. Would she run? Would she accept them? Would she see what they were and decide she couldn’t handle a life with shape-shifters?
Even as his cat mind took over, the thoughts continued to pummel him. As a man ideas were concrete things. As a tiger, they were more like feelings, lacking clear substance and order. As the change continued, he dropped onto his hands and knees as claws replaced fingers.
“Oh, hell.”
He might not have heard her if his weretiger hearing hadn’t caught her whisper.
Please, don’t run.
* * * *
What Lisa saw was unbelievable. Even after seeing it once before, seeing the men she cared for change into tigers still made her heart pound and her mind whirl, trying to deny what her eyes showed her.
They really are white tigers.
Within minutes, Marrick and Craig no longer existed. In their places were two amazing, deadly creatures that could kill her with one quick swipe of their paws. Their glowing amber gazes fixed on her, keeping her glued to the couch.
If I ran, would they chase me?
The logical side of her screamed at her to flee. To get away from the house and Twisted as fast as she could.
Yet the strange sensation drawing her to them every time they came near her was still there. She wasn’t turned on in a sexual way, but found she still needed them. She still wanted them at her side, day and night, for as long as she lived.
The connection. That’s what they’d called it. It was a simple name for an extraordinary sensation. And yet it fit.
Craig eased closer then set his large head on her knee. At first, she jerked back, but then an overwhelming sense of peace permeated her. He’d never hurt her. She knew that as well as she knew her own name. His soft purr sent a flow of warm air over her knee.