The Tiger's Pregnant Bride

by Bonnie Burrows

  “No.”

  “Egan is asleep, so take your time. I’ll be ready when you are.” He leaned to her and kissed her sweetly on the head, his right hand reaching into the water to give her breast a squeeze.

  “You’re awful, Sable.”

  She slid down until the bubbles brushed her chin and pushed the timer on the jets, moaning with pleasure as the one directly behind her massaged her back. Sable left the room, humming a little tune as he made his way toward the library.

  Olivia played the evening over in her head. There was so much talking, the words of each politician were a jumbled mess in her head. All she had gathered from the endless chatter was that shifters and humans were coexisting without issue, but there was still much work to be done. A small group of journalists had been present, shouting questions at each delegate as they finished their pre-written speeches. None of the questions made much sense, and were based solely on supposition. None of the issues they brought up were based on reality, and Olivia was certain the footage would be edited to fit some agenda against shifters roaming the country freely. They’d lived among the humans for generations without incident, but once their existence was revealed, the protesters came out in force.

  Olivia hated all the negativity surrounding people like Sable, and the politicians had been hard to listen to. Beneath their seemingly-positive messages were thinly-veiled promises of retribution if the peace that had always been was ever broken. Olivia had barely contained herself when one man went on and on about the perceived, wide-spread insemination of female humans with the intention to take over the species, one baby at a time. Aldrich caught her gaze at that moment, his stare leveled on Sable as the men glared at each other across the room. There was so much tension beneath the surface that Olivia had been ready to go long before they finally made their way to the Jaguar.

  Rousing herself from her wayward thoughts, she began to scrub her pink skin, working the remaining knots out of her muscles and sighing with the release. She felt a million times better. Maybe next time I’ll buy myself a jet tub instead of a dress. Olivia laughed at her own joke. As generous as he was, Olivia had no interest in living off handouts from her dear friend. She had her own job and paid her own way. Of course, she didn’t mind using his massive tub once in a while.

  She stood and wrapped a large, plush towel around herself and wrapped a smaller towel around her head. She searched the dressing room for her t-shirt, unable to find it. She rummaged through his clothes, choosing a soft, green shirt from his collection. Forgoing underwear, she headed down the hall towards the library, the heat within her rising in anticipation.

  The library door was open, and Sable lay in the recliner asleep, book resting in his lap. Olivia tip-toed to him and set the book down on the table beside him. She slid onto his lap, kissing him softly, drawing him out of his slumber. His eyes flew open, surprised that he’d fallen asleep.

  “I was waiting for you,” he said against her mouth as she gently kissed him.

  “I’m here now.”

  Sable ran his hands up her legs and under the hem of his shirt. He caressed her gently, letting her touch slowly pull him from the fog of sleep. She rocked her hips slowly, kissing him with growing hunger and need. He was pulling the hem of her shirt up, ready to throw the garment off and onto the floor, when they heard Egan in the doorway.

  “What the hell, Sable.”

  He spun and ran out of the room, banging into the wall as he tried to put as much distance between himself and the two of them. He roared in anger, over and over, until the tone changed. With a final roar, Egan began to shift, breathing heavily with discomfort as he shifted in anger. Sable ran into the hall, hand out to stop Egan from completing the transition. The young man still struggled to control his anger and himself. Egan was known to run off for days when he shifted in anger, and nothing Sable had said or done had helped his brother get control of himself.

  In the hall, Egan was on all fours on the floor, transition nearly complete, only his face still held hints of humanity in its features. Egan roared at his brother, using his last moments in human form to express his rage at the unfairness of the world.

  “You can have anyone, Sable. Why her?”

  Sable moved to explain; to tell his kid brother that they’d been together off and on since he was eight years old. Whether Egan loved her or not, Olivia was not interested, and had said so on several occasions. Sable didn’t want to hurt Egan, but he had to understand that Olivia was not the woman for him.

  Before he could give voice to his thoughts, Egan turned and jumped through a hall window that looked out on the acres of forest that stretched behind their home. Sable ran towards the window as the blur of orange and black fur disappeared into the night.

  Olivia ran from the library, her hand holding the bottom of the shirt down to keep it from riding up. Hot tears streamed down her face as her eyes locked with Sable’s.

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s not your fault. He knows you’re too old for him. It’s just a crush; he’ll get over it eventually.”

  Olivia nodded. Egan’s overreaction was a symptom of some other internal struggle, though both adults were clueless as to what that could be.

  “I’ll take care of myself, you worry about Egan.”

  Sable nodded, and with smoothness born from decades of practice, shifted and leapt out the window, racing after the angry teen.

  **

  Sable raced through the trees, his ears pricked, eyes focused on the ground before him. Egan’s large prints stretched out ahead of him as he ran, his sleek body moving freely as it ate up the ground before him. Within minutes, he could hear Egan crashing through the woods. In his anger, the teen wasn’t thinking about his actions, nor did he even consider trying to be quiet to avoid detection. As if on cue, the teen let out a ferocious roar several yards ahead of Sable. Sable slowed slightly, crouching low to the ground as he creeped up behind Egan.

  Egan was perched on a large boulder, roaring repeatedly into the night sky, sending birds flying out of trees around him. They were still within the boundaries of the family land, though a human town was not far from the southern edge of the forest. On a night as clear as this, it was likely that his roars could be heard in the distance, however faintly. Sable wanted to catch Egan before he went too far, putting unnecessary strain on the already shaky alliance between human and shifter.

  Unaware that his brother was just feet away, Egan looked up at the bright moon, roaring mournfully into the sky. Even without his human features, Sable could see the pain etched on the younger tiger’s face. His heart hurt for his brother, but he had to put a stop to this now.

  A twig snapped under Sable’s paw and Egan swung around towards the sound. Sable moved out of the shadows and Egan charged, leaping into the air from the elevated rock. Sable ducked out of the way just in time, and Egan hit the hard ground with a thud, rolling in the dirt and getting up. He shook himself off and lunged again, this time hitting Sable in the shoulder and knocking him down. Egan pinned Sable to the ground and bared his sharp teeth, roaring loudly as he lunged for his brother’s throat. Sable swiped at him with his free paw, slapping his head with his full force, throwing the young beast off and down a short embankment. Egan yelped in pain, though that didn’t stop him from coming back at his brother, his face filled with rage.

  Sable stood calmly as Egan advanced, knocking him down once more with a well-timed blow when Egan got close enough. Without missing a beat, Egan got up again, though his ascent up the embankment was slower as he lunged at his brother once more.

  When he was within striking distance, Sable let out a roar that echoed throughout the forest. Egan’s resolve faltered, and then he crumpled to the ground, rolling onto his back in a show of submission. Sable glared at him for a moment before turning and walking towards their home. Egan stood and leapt in the air, intent on taking his brother down while his back was turned. Sable rolled onto his back and caught Egan on his feet, push
ing with all his might and using Egan’s own momentum to throw him off and against a large oak tree.

  Egan lay panting at the base of the tree, his anger deflating as the pain overtook him. Sable walked over to him and nuzzled his shoulder, encouraging him to get up so they could make the long trek back home.

  The first colorful rays of morning were teasing the horizon when the dark figures came slinking into the yard. Orange coat covered in mud and leaves, Egan stepped with a slight limp on his front paw. Sable walked the contrite teen at the back door where he kept their robes. Sable shifted easily and shrugged on his robe, grabbing the second robe to hand to his brother. Egan stopped on the porch and shifted slowly, his body exhausted from the exertion of the past few hours. Sable handed him a robe and followed him inside, noting that the large cut on his hand had already stopped bleeding.

  Egan headed into the bathroom to take a shower, nodding his head silently when Sable told him he would be waiting in the kitchen. Egan hung his head in shame as the water sluiced over his skin, his actions weighing heavily on his heart. He toweled off and dressed quickly, wanting to get this encounter over and find something to eat; he was famished.

  Sable stood at the counter making himself a large sandwich, his back to Egan as the boy entered the kitchen.

  Before Sable could speak, Egan blurted out, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. And I shouldn’t be mad that Olivia loves you and not me.”

  Sable was about to correct his brother when he thought better of it. Olivia and Sable weren’t in love, they were just friends. But pointing that out would only prolong this for Egan, and Sable didn’t want that. Egan was a handsome, well-liked young man. The most popular boy on the varsity lacrosse team, girls fawned over him constantly. He needed to find someone his age to fall in love with, even if it didn’t last this time.

  So Sable nodded his understanding and set his sandwich down on the counter. He pulled his little brother in for a hug and held him for a moment. Twelve years his senior, Sable had been a young man himself when his parents had died in a violent car accident, leaving him to raise a twelve-year-old boy whose only wish was to be a man. Egan had always struggled to accept the limitations of his age, and this latest incident with Olivia proved that he hadn’t outgrown that tendency. Hopefully, his apology was heart-felt and not just a bid to get Sable off his back.

  Sable made a second sandwich and slid the plate to Egan. They ate in silence, Egan shifting uncomfortably as muscles began to stiffen after their scuffle in the woods. Egan finished his food and cleared his plate, giving his brother one last hug before he limped up the stairs to bed. Sable knew that there was more to discuss, but for now, he felt like he’d finally gotten through to Egan.

  **

  Sable stood in the clearing beneath the moonlight, watching Egan advance on him as he had so many times that night. Each time, Sable thwarted his attempts to take his older brother down, but Sable’s strength was fading, and Egan showed no signs of stopping. With one final roar, Egan leapt into the air, soaring above Sable with the full moon behind him, landing on his brother. The air whooshed out of Sable’s lungs, and it was several moments before Sable could breathe again. Egan rolled off his brother in one smooth motion and sauntered away without a backwards glance, leaving Sable broken, lying helpless on the ground. Sable tried to call out to Egan, but the teen was long gone and Sable was alone.

  His body, battered and broken, was unable to hold his tiger form any longer. With painful slowness born of soul-crushing exhaustion, Sable’s body slipped back into human form. The moonlight burned his naked flesh, setting his very soul on fire as his body struggled to heal itself. A heavy fog rolled in off a nearby lake, shrouding Sable in its thick blanket. Smoky tendrils caressed his tortured flesh, drawing anguished moans from his cracked lips.

  Footsteps crunched on the gravel path beyond, but Sable was too weak to lift his head to see who was coming. Too broken to fight, Sable lay on the ground complacent. Perhaps his brother had come back to finish the job. Or to help him.

  Floating above him, face etched with concern, Olivia appeared out of the fog. She kneeled above Sable, her tiny fingers floating over his skin. He looked down to see the tips of her fingers glowing, blessed heat coming off of them as they worked their way over each broken bone. He could feel his body healing with her touch, each bruised and broken part setting itself right as she moved from one injury to the next. She worked ceaselessly, humming to herself as she went.

  When Sable’s body was healed, the pain all but forgotten, Olivia lay down beside him, weakened from the effort it took to mend his shattered soul.

  Sable wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close, inhaling the sweet scent of her hair when she rested her weary head on his chest. She moved until she was on top of him, her body wrapped around his, the fog beginning to envelop them as it moved in slowly.

  Olivia leaned up, looking deep into Sable’s eyes, her face set and determined. Her eyes grew brighter with each passing second, until they seemed to glow green in the darkness. Her lips parted and her voice floated on the fog to him, sounding as if it had come from miles away.

  “You belong to me.” The fog surrounded her, and all at once she burst into nothingness, the fog enveloping him completely in her absence, snaking around his neck and closing around his throat. He tried to scream, to call out to Olivia to save him, but the fog slithered down his throat and cut off the sound.

  Sable shot straight up in bed, gasping for air and clawing at his neck. He tried desperately to release himself from the grip of the malevolent fog when his eyes finally adjusted to the dim light peeking through the heavy curtains on his windows. With a heavy shudder, Sable fell back onto the pillows and let out the breath he’d been holding; it was only a dream.

  Anxious to shake off the lingering fear, Sable jumped out of bed and dressed quickly. He took the stairs two at a time and headed for the garage. He slid into the driver’s seat of his car and put the vehicle into gear, passing under the opening garage door with mere inches to spare.

  He drove down the driveway and turned right, heading for Olivia’s house in town. He had to see her and it couldn’t wait. He glanced at the clock and was surprised to see that it was already noon. He’d been asleep for hours, trapped in his dreams, struggling to breathe. A cold sweat clung to Sable’s body as he guided the powerful machine through the city streets. As hard as he tried, he couldn’t shake the heavy burden the dream left on his soul.

  His world was about to change, and drastically. The fight with Egan was a metaphor for something else, and not just his mind reliving the events from the week before. Egan and Sable had long since made up and the house had returned to normal. The fight in this dream was different, but the message was clear: he was going to be fighting for his life, one way or the other. Scoffing at his own thoughts, Sable tried to remind himself that he didn’t believe in prophetic dreams. But the images were too real to shake.

  Then there was Olivia, mending his wounds with the strength of her love. And her words, you belong to me. What had that meant? Generations before, all unions were heralded by an announcement dream; a way for two souls to declare their status as one entity. But Sable didn’t believe in announcement dreams. That couldn’t have been a real one anyway, because announcement dreams were purely a shifter experience; no human had ever had or been in one. His dream was obviously the result of days of pent up, sexual frustration working its way out in his subconscious.

  Sable settled on that explanation, satisfied that he’d explained away the dream in a logical fashion. But he was still overwhelmed by the need to see Olivia, and he knew this was more than pent up desire.

  He pulled up next the curb in front of her home, parking hastily, his stride eating the distance to the door. He knocked, but there was no answer. Trying the handle, he found it unlocked and let himself in.

  He could hear voices coming from her bedroom, soft moans and short breath; the tell-tale squeaky bed springs. Sable st
rode down the hall, his large body filling up the doorway.

  The man looked up and shouted, “What the hell!” when he noticed Sable appear from the dark hall beyond the room.

  “Get. Out.” With a calm that was almost eerie, Sable stood in the entryway, waiting for the man to comply. The stranger moved quickly, adjusting his clothes and heading for the door.

  Hair in disarray, but otherwise still dressed, Olivia sat up in bed.

  “Jeez, Sable, you scared the hell out of me.”

  “I had a dream.” He offered no explanation at first, practically shouting the declaration and sitting down beside her on the bed.

  “A dream? What does that even mean?”

  Sable shrugged. He honestly wasn’t sure, but he knew it was important.

  “Are you going to tell me what it was about or leave me here in suspense?”

  “It was about you, and me. Something big is going to happen, and I need you by my side when it does.”

  Olivia blinked. “Are you saying you had an announcement dream and I was in it? How is that possible? I thought only shifters announced to each other. Are you sure it wasn’t just a dream?”

  “It wasn’t just a dream.”

  “But you don’t believe in announcement dreams.”

  Sable shrugged again. She was right, but he’d be a fool to ignore the pull he’d felt towards her. Sitting beside her was the first time he hadn’t felt frantic with the need to be by her side. He knew that, if he walked away, that same force would pull at him again, making it hard to breathe, until he found his place beside her once more. Whether he believed in the dream or not was irrelevant, the force between them was more powerful than either one of them.

  Olivia watched the emotions play across his face as he recounted the dream to her in frightening detail. She didn’t understand most of it, though he assured her that the fight and her subsequent disappearance into the fog wasn’t meant to be taken literally.

  Sable struggled with his emotions as he continued, leaning on Olivia, who wrapped her arms around him. She pulled him down with her to lay on the bed, stroking his temple as he searched for the words to explain to her exactly how powerful the dream had been. She held him quietly, the implications of his dream heavy on her mind. Whether she believed in fated mates or not, the majority of shifters did. If the council got wind of this dream, they’d be in an uproar. No shifter had ever had a human as a fated mate, and the news would spread like wildfire. Olivia loved Sable like no other, but she was completely unwilling to be tied down to one man; even a man a great as he.