Night With A Tiger

by Dobson, Marissa

  * * *

  Anxiety teased along the edge of Adam nerves. He wanted to get the mission over and go back to his mate. They were nearing the house where Pierce was. All the years of hunting Pierce would finally pay off. He would never be a threat again, but for some reason Adam had a feeling this would not end the issue with the rogues. Someone else would step into Pierce’s position until they could take all the rogues down.

  “We’ll take them down.” Ty glanced over at Adam. “You know how this works, so don’t look at me like that. I can feel your apprehension. We’re thinking the same thing. With Victor and Pierce out of the equation it will be easier to take the rogues out. They will either fight among themselves or separate. There’s only so much we can do at one time. Right now we need to focus on Pierce.”

  Adam turned his gaze to the road, before looking to the back of the SUV. Styx sat in the backseat with Marcus, and Taber, who sat in the seat furthest away, was trying to catch a few quick winks before the fight began. “We’ll keep our clan safe,” Adam said. “It’s priority. Everything else will fall into place.”

  Ty leaned closer, whispering to not wake Taber. “Robin is part of the clan now, and from what I hear, she’s been a major help with Harmony. It’s highly unusual for a human to have that connection. She’ll have to learn how to work out a balance of two sets of emotions. Once Harmony’s been mated hopefully it will calm Robin’s link to her, until then, Robin might have a rough time. Harmony’s been through a lot and the dam holding her emotions could break, spewing a lot of shit forward. Raja and I won’t be able to help like we would with another clan member, since Harmony isn’t connected to us. She feels loyalty only to Robin.”

  “I’ll do what I can to help Robin. My touch should ease Harmony’s affect on her.” Adam steered the SUV down the deserted road, toward the outskirts of town. “What are you planning if Harmony isn’t willing to make the commitment to the Alaskan Tigers? Will you allow her to stay at the compound if she’s only committed to Robin?”

  “I won’t ask her to leave as long as she doesn’t cause any problems. If Harmony doesn’t join us we will have to rely on Robin to know that Harmony is not betraying us. However, if she does join us, if Robin is ever opposed to what’s in the clans best interest, Harmony will create conflicting emotions. Robin has reassured Raja that she’s with our clan, and you, but her discomfort is something we need to consider.” Ty stared out of the window.

  Adam raised an eyebrow. “Reassured Raja? When did that happen?”

  “Your mate is working her way into our clan. She and Raja are becoming quite a pair. Raja’s been helping ease Harmony’s emotions from Robin, giving Robin a chance to get used to them without feeling overwhelmed. His touch will help in short bursts so he’s only assisting when it’s overpowering.”

  Adam couldn’t hide the smile from his face. His mate was finding her own way in his clan without him there to guide her. The mission might have been just what she needed to overcome her apprehension. If she didn’t become a part of the clan, then he would have been split between his clan and his mate. Dividing himself and his attention between the two would be difficult, but if she had her own purpose, then they’d combine together, creating a solid and lasting bond.

  “If you’ve ever thought of starting your own clan, you’ve always been strong enough to do so, and with Robin’s connection with Harmony it would make you stronger, especially if she can continue to make those connections.” Ty added as Adam stopped the SUV at the meeting spot, less than a mile from Pierce. This was their gathering point with the Kodiak Bears, who were following in the second vehicle.

  Shoving the SUV into Park, Adam turned to his Alpha. Did Ty think he would leave even after all they’ve been through? “I have no desire to leave the Alaskan Tigers. It’s my home, you’re my family.”

  Ty nodded and opened his door. Pushing open his own door, Adam followed Ty’s lead, and checked the weapons and gear.

  He wanted to reach Robin, to tell her how he felt about her, but if this attack went bad she didn’t need that to be her final thought. He wanted her to remember their time together, her first night with a tiger.

  * * *

  Robin paced the room suddenly feeling caged in. Six months ago, she had a perfectly normal life, besides her marriage. Now, every turn she made she was surrounded by danger. Would the threats to her new home and family ever pass, or would this be her life now?

  “It’s not always like this.” Felix stood near the window, looking out to the darkness of the night.

  She had tried occupying her time with watching the comings and goings outside. Every once in awhile someone would pass by one of the lights from a cabin, or around the perimeter, giving her something to focus on. Other than that it was just darkness as far as the eye could see. She suspected Felix could see further and better or why else would he continue to stare into the night.

  “Danger has surrounded us since Ty found Tabitha, and rejuvenated with Pierce, but there was a time it was safe to be a shifter. No one knew about shifters, unless you were one of us. We didn’t have to worry about people attacking our homes, or compound. The occasional rogue was the only real threat.” Felix turned from the window to face her. “It will be like that again, the book has promised that. We have to solider through this fight and we will have safety in the near future. This clan is the type of world I want for my children, so I’m willing to fight for it.”

  She leaned against the armrest of the couch, watching Felix. Tabitha and Bethany had gone in the other room to get a little more sleep, leaving her alone with Felix, the guards still at the door. “With all the threats I’m just wondering if I’m more of a hindrance as a human instead of truly helping.”

  “When there’s time I’ll take you to the gym, if you’d like. You’ll see the changes there better than anywhere. Being mated to a shifter, even though you are human, you will age slower. You’ll see changes in your speed and strength. It’s not as considerable as shifters, but it is still remarkable.”

  She gazed past him to the window, thinking about what he said. “If the compound was compromised could I hold my own if something happened?”

  “I suspect with a little training you could until help arrived. It’s hard for mates to work together in training, especially in your case. Adam would be easier on you, unwilling to push you because he wants to protect you. If you want to learn, I’ll work with you.” He slid his hand into the pocket of his jeans. “We don’t know how long the danger will last before the clan is once again safe, so the more people who can protect themselves, the better. We have guards patrolling the compound at all hours. If you travel outside the compound it’s better to know how to shoot a gun to protect yourself. Knowledge of hand-to-hand combat would be helpful as well.”

  She could shoot, maybe not as well as she would like, but she hadn’t shot a gun since she was a child. Robin didn’t have any skills in hand-to-hand combat. If someone attacked her she had very little chance of defending herself adequately. “I would appreciate that.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  The moon was full, forcing Adam and the others to the shadows of the trees in case Pierce looked out his window. Adam and Ty moved together, almost as one, getting to the spot where they could view the house while the second team got into place. The Kodiak Bears divided through both teams, giving them added strength.

  Adam’s heart raced, beating frantically against his chest. He clenched his gun in its holster. No one planned to shift unless the situation got out of hand. The goal was to get in and out within twenty minutes. While Adam’s team searched for Pierce, the other teams would divide and conquer. Jinx, with the assistance of Turi and Trey, would search for the hidden room, while Marcus and the other guards would search the house for any information that might help find the other rogues.

  “Don’t get eager, this is my kill if possible. I will gain justice for my mate, for Bethany, and everyone else who has been affected by Pierce.” Ty slid his gun
from his holster.

  “We’ll honor that if we can, but your safety is more important than who gets the kill. I promised Tabitha I would bring you back without a scratch.” Adam pulled his gun from his hip holster, and clicked the safety. “Let’s do this.”

  Scurrying through the shadows, they made their way to the front of the house. Adam stayed in front of Ty. If a trap waited for them inside, Adam wanted to make sure his Alpha wasn’t in the direct line of fire. Styx squeezed in beside him, working his talent on the lock and within seconds it popped open. The fact Styx knew how to pick a lock surprised no one, after all Styx had been an assassin at one time, working for a former Alpha as his personal hit man.

  Easing into the entryway, Adam spotted a tripwire. The fail-safe would alert Pierce if anyone made it past the door. Adam signaled the others, and then carefully stepped over it as he went right and Styx went left. With a clean sweep of the living quarters, Adam and Styx headed for the stairs. Taber aimed his gun at the overhead railing, guarding the team as the rest made their way up the steps.

  Scanning the hall with his eyes and gun, Adam took in a deep breath. He tried to sense which room Pierce was in, and if there were any other human or shifter scents coming from the other rooms. He waited for Taber to join them before stepping aside so everyone was in a tight group. “Pierce is at the end of the hall, asleep.” His whispered tone could only be heard by those next to him. “This feels too easy. We been after him too long, it should be a harder fight.”

  “Maybe he’s tired of the fight?” The group of men looked at Styx, who shrugged his shoulders. “I spent longer than I care to remember as an assassin. You eventually tire of the chase. It should never be routine to kill someone. Sociopaths do it for the sport, but the rest of us do it to keep innocents safe.”

  “Or it could be a trap,” Taber pointed out.

  “I don’t smell any explosives, or other shifters around us.” Adam’s pulse beat frantically on the side of his neck. “If it’s a trap, it’s just Pierce. We’ve got enough man power to take him down even with a fight.”

  “We’re doing this. Let’s go,” Ty ordered.

  “Stay behind us,” Adam whispered, moving down the hall with Styx at his side. Ty was next and Taber brought up the rear watching their ass.

  Since arriving, Adam felt a connection to Robin, almost as if she was standing next to him, guiding him. They were as one when her voice called to him. Be safe. He would be, and if all went well, in a matter of hours he’d be in her arms again.

  Adam pushed the door open, resting his finger just above the trigger of his gun. He scanned the room and ended at the bed. Adam took a step back. The horrific smell surrounding the room caught in his throat, making it hard to breathe. A clearly poisoned Pierce lay in the middle of the bed, his limbs stretched out and tied to the bedpost corners.

  “What the hell?” Styx’s eyelids blinked from the stench.

  Adam held his breath in the sickening air. He stepped forward, noticing a piece of paper. Pierce was still alive. There was no telling how long before the poison would kill him. If Ty wanted the kill, he’d have to do it soon. Either way this lacked the real fight that Adam and the rest of the team were looking forward to.

  Adam snatched the paper from Pierce’s chest. He read the note.

  Pierce has been growing more and more desperate to kill your clan. His insanity has begun to jeopardize Bratva and I will not stand for that. Instead, I offer him to you on a golden platter with the knowledge that if you come after us we will be forced to kill you. To eliminate your problem further, I’ve taken care of Pierce’s rogues that were no use to me and Bratva. Enjoy your kill. Keith, US Bratva leader.

  Adam had hoped Bratva wouldn’t be an issue after they had killed Victor. Obviously someone else had stepped in to lead the Bratva. They would have to completely dispend that organization if they were going to protect their kind.

  Ty stepped up beside him, with Styx close by. Adam handed the note to Ty. Ty might be their Alpha and have to prove he was able to take care of himself and the clan, but there was a reason Elders had guards and it wasn’t because they were weak. In a direct challenge a guard could do nothing to help the Alpha, but when it came to rogues they would protect their Alpha to the death. Whatever they were going to do, they needed to get it done quickly because the smell of the room was getting stronger by the minute.

  Pierce moaned and struggled against the chains, his eyes still closed. His movement sent new waves of pigment odor through the room.

  “Whatever you’re going to do needs to be done now.” Adam stepped to the side, giving Ty direct access to Pierce.

  “I wanted him to put up a fight, to beg for his life. At the very least the bastard will know what’s coming.” Ty looked down at the gun in his hand. “Pierce took the life of my mate’s family, which left her an orphan, and I had to watch him kill Bethany’s parents and sister. I’m doing this for all the lives he destroyed in his wake. He will know I’m the one who took his life. I only wish I was less civilized, that I could torture him as he had done to Bethany and countless others.”

  Adam wanted to torture the bastard too for the hell he put Robin through, but the Alaskan clan were better than that. They wouldn’t stoop to Pierce’s level. It’s not who they were. His fingers began to tighten around the gun until he was afraid he might break the handle. He forced his shoulders to relax.

  Pierce’s eyes opened, fear made them glow, bringing his weretiger close to the surface. As a bitten were he wouldn’t be able to shift without a full moon, therefore he couldn’t heal himself or break free from the chains.

  “How did you get in here?” Pain filled Pierce’s voice.

  Ty stepped next to the bed, keeping his gun aimed on Pierce. “Where can I find Keith?”

  “I don’t know.” Pierce’s eyes closed and his face clenched in pain.

  “Open your eyes, damn it. Do you know why I’m here?”

  Pierce opened his eyes, just barely. He pulled against the chains again. “To kill me.”

  “Damn right. You killed the families of people I care for. You tortured and killed more people than I care to remember while we were chasing you. Now it all ends. Do you have anything to say?”

  “Killing me won’t end the threat. If it’s not me, it will be someone else. Keith is a cold blood murderer. He’ll find Tabitha and kill her. It won’t be as quick as I would have done. Her death will be on your hands.” He took a deep a breath. “If you expect me to beg for my life it won’t happen. This poison will kill me before long, so either way I’m dead.”

  “Begging would have done no good,” Ty said.

  Adam stood next to Ty, his gun pointed at Pierce. Styx mirrored Adam’s stance at the end of the bed. Ty holstered his gun and took out a syringe from his pocket. Before they had left Alaska, Doc had mixed up a deadly batch of drugs that could kill even the strongest shifter. It was humane and would appear as if Pierce had a heart attack.

  “Tell me what you had on the Ohio clan to get them to do your business?” Ty twisted the cap off the syringe.

  “You haven’t figured it out yet?” Pierce laughed, yet in too much pain to be heartfelt. “Keith was the Ohio Alpha, he abandoned his clan to lead a stronger group, Bravta.”

  Adam was thankful for the connection he still kept with Robin. He wasn’t sure if Ty had a link to Tabitha opened, so Adam passed the information to his mate. Get this news to Raja and Tabitha. Ohio’s Alpha was Keith and he’s leading the U.S. Bravta. No other information yet. Get Connor on it.

  “You’ll go to your grave knowing we found you because Robin Zimmer came to us.” Ty told Pierce. “You screwed up messing with her. She’s got fight and helped bring you down.”

  Pierce once again struggled against the chains. “If Keith has no interest in Robin, know that Randolph has been my second for years and he will pick up where I left off. Your problems are not over. Randolph will revenge my name and see your clan dead.”

  “I’ll
take them all down. My clan is my family, mess with one of us you are messing with all of us. Your rogues are no match for us.” Ty shoved the needle into Pierce’s arm and pushed down the plunger.

  Watching him squirm as the drugs hit his system seemed unsatisfying. For years they had sought Pierce, always finding the lead a little too late and being a few steps behind him. Tonight Pierce’s life would finally end, but Adam was spoiling for a good fight, to put all those hours he had spent in the gym to work. His tiger paced within him. This was just a disappointment to both of them.

  Adam watched as the stare of death took over Pierce’s eyes.

  “Is everything all right up there? It’s eerie quiet.” Jinx’s voice sprang live through Adam’s earpiece.

  “Subject had been terminated. How is the situation on your end?” Adam asked.

  “We’ve found something. It might be the room.”

  Adam looked at Ty for instructions before making a move.

  Ty raised his hand to his eyepiece. “Marcus, when you’re done search the upstairs rooms. We’re going to join Jinx.” Ty moved to the door, and everyone fell in place. “Jinx, we’re on our way, wait for us.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  After Robin passed the information about Keith to Raja and Tabitha, everyone’s exhaustion seemed to slip away. Now they had a purpose, they weren’t just sitting around waiting for the other tiger paw to drop. Connor and Lukas were in the make-shift computer center down the hall with everything they needed to find on Keith.

  Now that the Ohio clan no longer had an Alpha, with no leadership it could be disastrous for all involved. If that clan wasn’t careful they could expose all shifters. They were abused shifters which left their actions in question. Without leadership it wasn’t surprising that Henry escaped.

  “What are we going to do about Ohio’s clan?” Tabitha brought a tray full of coffee and cookies in the living room.