Bria and the Tiger (The Shifters Series Book 5)

by Elizabeth Kelly

  “Night, Kat,” Porter replied. “Bria, take care of yourself.”

  Bria waved her hand in Porter’s direction as Ronin led her toward the door.

  * * *

  “What’s wrong with me, Kit Kat?” Bria asked.

  Kat helped her climb into the bed and pulled the quilt to her chin. She sat on the side of the bed before brushing Bria’s hair out of her face. “Nothing, sweetie. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with you.”

  “There might be.” Bria yawned.

  Kat kissed her forehead. “There isn’t.”

  Bria yawned again. “Thanks for letting me stay with you tonight. I love you, Kat.”

  “I love you too. Get some rest and I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “Yeah. Hey, Kat?”

  “Yes?”

  “Ronin’s a good guy. I’m glad you have him.”

  “Thanks, sweetie.”

  “Does he happen to have a brother? Because my cycle is next week and I’m not sure I can do another one alone.”

  Kat kissed her forehead again. “Ronin’s an only child. Sorry, sweetie.”

  “Dammit.”

  Kat laughed and stood. “Good night.”

  “Night, Kit Kat.”

  Chapter Two

  Bria paced restlessly in her bedroom. She’d spent the last few days dreading her upcoming heat cycle and now that it was here, it was even worse than she had imagined. She stared at the variety of toys on her bed and her cat made a yowl of displeasure.

  No more toys! It hissed at her. Give me the real thing.

  She moaned and sat on the bed. She used a vibrator to bring herself to orgasm, but the pleasure was fleeting and did nothing to help the ache. She needed someone to fuck her or she would go mad. She stood and paced again before dressing.

  Bria, no! You can’t go out – not like this. You’re too far gone to be smart about who you take home. It’s only another few hours, you can do this alone.

  She ignored her inner voice and her tiger roared with happiness. She needed someone, and she needed them now.

  She grabbed her purse and her keys and ran out the door of her apartment.

  * * *

  Bria, this is madness.

  No, what was madness was trying to finish her heat cycle alone. She stood in the parking lot of the nightclub, staring up at the flashing neon lights as her cat growled.

  “Why is this happening?” She whispered.

  She had gone through her last heat cycle alone and it was bad but this – this was something so much worse. She had spent the last day and a half alone in her apartment, masturbating furiously and she still couldn’t get rid of that ache, that deep need to have something in her.

  Please, Bria, don’t do this. Be strong. By tomorrow morning your cycle will be finished and you –

  Shut up! Her cat hissed.

  She was dangerously close to shifting. She closed her eyes and took three deep breaths before walking to the entrance. Her hands shaking, she paid the cover charge as the human bouncer stared curiously at her. She was tempted to grab him and drag him into the alley behind the club. A little bolt of fear ran through her.

  Stop it. Get a hold of yourself! The way you’re feeling, you’ll tear that human to shreds while you fuck him, and you know it. You need a shifter – preferably a powerful one.

  And willing – don’t forget willing.

  Right.

  She walked toward the long, curved bar. The music was loud, and she felt every pounding beat deep in her pelvis. It throbbed miserably. The need was now at the point of pain, and she blinked back the tears that were suddenly blinding her.

  She made a startled little hiss when she ran into a warm wall of muscle. Unable to stop herself, she pressed her hands against the shifter’s chest. She ran her fingers over that hard flesh separated only by the thin fabric of his shirt and purred.

  “Sorry, Miss. You okay?” His deep voice sent lust spiraling through her lower body.

  Please God, please God. Don’t let me lose control.

  She forced her gaze upward, staring into the tiger shifter’s eyes as he cleared his throat. She realized with horror that she was moving her hips in slow circles against his pelvis. She whined low in her throat when his hands cupped her hips and stilled her incessant rhythm. Without thinking, she tried to reach for his dick. Her fingers grazed the front of his crotch and he inhaled sharply.

  “Wait.” His voice was surprised as he pushed her hand away. “Not -”

  She purred to him, reaching for his dick a second time.

  He had what she wanted.

  What she needed.

  He batted her hand away again before staring at the people around them. Oh God, what was she doing? She was so far gone, that she was trying to have sex with someone who didn’t want her. She tore away from him before she lost it completely and tried to fuck him in the middle of the damn club.

  “I’m so sorry.” Her voice was raw.

  “Wait.” He tried to touch her arm.

  She hissed at him before backing away. “I – I’ m sorry.”

  She slipped through the crowd toward the bar, each brush of her body against the other shifters and humans making her cat cry out with need. She found an empty stool and ordered a beer when the bartender stopped in front of her. She sipped at her beer as the music and her pelvis pulsed and thumped, and stared grimly at the top of the bar. She needed to look around, needed to pick out a shifter who she could approach and proposition.

  What if there isn’t a shifter who’s interested?

  There is! There has to be!

  “Hello, gorgeous.”

  Her body tensed. She inhaled before staring at the shifter standing beside her. He was a snake shifter and she licked her lips as her cat meowed with satisfaction.

  “Can I buy you a drink?”

  “I already have one.”

  He smiled at her. He was handsome enough, with his dark skin and soulful dark eyes, and she licked her lips again. She had never been with a snake shifter before but what did that matter? He would have what she needed. Her eyes dropped to his crotch. He was wearing incredibly tight pants and she stared at the bulge at the front of his pants before tearing her gaze away.

  The snake shifter hissed happily. She flushed bright red as he moved a little closer. “Tiger shifter, is that right?”

  “Yes.”

  “I get the feeling you need something else, other than a drink. Am I right?”

  He was so close to her now that she could feel his breath on her face. She moaned. “I – yeah, I do.”

  “I have what you need, gorgeous. Why don’t we go back to your place?”

  She nodded, and he hissed in delight. “Good.”

  He held his hand out and she reached for it.

  Bria, wait! You know nothing about him!

  She hesitated and there was a flash of annoyance in his suddenly-yellow eyes. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. I just – let me use the ladies’ room first and then we’ll go, okay?”

  He frowned at her. “Okay, sure, I guess.”

  “I’ll be right back.”

  She scurried away as her cat snarled in anger. The blaring music faded to a muted hum as she entered the bathroom. She smiled weakly at the woman washing her hands before hurrying into a stall and resting her forehead on the back of the door.

  Get back out there! He has what we need! Her cat yowled.

  Shut up! Just shut up and let me think!

  Think about what? If you don’t take that snake shifter home, we’ll go mad.

  Yes, she would. The logical part of her brain retreated against the overwhelming lust and need. She flung the stall door open and blinked in shock at the tiger shifter she had practically dry-humped earlier. He was standing in the doorway of the now-deserted ladies’ room and giving her a silent, assessing look. Her cat studied his long, lean length and made a happy little purr.

  Forget the snake shifter. I want him. Give him to me.


  “This is the ladies’ room,” Bria said.

  “That snake shifter is dangerous.”

  She hissed at him. “Get out of my way.”

  He sighed and glanced over his shoulder. “Listen to me, okay? That shifter makes a living by preying on cats in their heat cycle. Once your heat cycle has ended and you’re back to normal, he’ll tell you that unless you pay him a whole lot of money, he’ll go to the authorities and claim that you raped him.”

  Her mouth dropped open. “How do you know that?”

  “Does it matter?” He asked. “Just trust me, okay?”

  “Why should I? I don’t even know you,” she said.

  “I’ve seen him do this before,” he said patiently. “I know you’re finding it hard to think right now and I know your heat cycle is making you crazy, but you need to hear me. You’re making a big mistake.”

  She hesitated as the normal part of her brain that wasn’t crying out for relief rose to the surface. He nodded at the look on her face. “That’s right. You can’t let him anywhere near you. It’s better for you if you go home.”

  Her cat immediately surged forward, angry and upset and demanding relief. She hissed again at the tiger shifter. “I don’t care.”

  “You do care,” he said. “Just try and think past the need for a minute, okay?”

  “No!” She snarled and tried to shove past him.

  She yowled when he grabbed her arm and yanked her back into the ladies’ room. Her claws extended, and she swiped at him, narrowly missing his face as he pushed her into the handicap stall and locked the door behind them.

  “Let me go or I’ll rip you to pieces,” she growled.

  His fangs popped out and his eyes glowed jade at her. She made a startled meow when he pushed her against the wall and kissed her. She froze for a moment before her cat made a yowling hiss of delight and her pupils narrowed to slits. She returned his kiss, shoving her tongue deep into his mouth and tearing at his shirt and jeans.

  He muttered a curse against her mouth and pushed her hands away before unbuttoning his jeans. She purred loudly when he freed his dick. It was long and thick and delicious looking. He shoved her skirt up around her waist and tore off her panties before lifting her. She wrapped her legs around his waist and made another soft mew of need.

  He covered her mouth with his before entering her wet pussy in one hard thrust that had her screaming with pleasure. He fucked her hard and rough, his mouth never leaving hers, as her hips bucked against him and her orgasm rushed through her.

  He pressed her into the wall, panting into her mouth. “Better?”

  “Again!”

  He drove in and out. His cock was so hard, and a perfect fit within her, that she could barely breathe from the pleasure. She mewled as she slid her hands under his shirt. She tore at him with her claws and he hissed in pain but continued to plunge in and out of her.

  “Oh, oh, oh…” She bit him hard on the shoulder, her teeth sinking through the fabric of his shirt and into his flesh.

  He growled and slammed in and out of her. She dug her claws into his back as her second orgasm washed over her. She shuddered and shook against him, purring and making high-pitched sounds of happiness as he buried his face into her damp neck and licked the salt from her skin.

  “Oh God,” she moaned.

  “Need more?” He rasped out.

  She nodded, a little of the need had dissipated enough that she could feel some shame creeping in. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be.” He dropped his mouth onto hers again and kissed her slowly this time. She sucked at his tongue and he cupped her breast with one large hand, squeezing it as he pushed his cock deep inside of her.

  He released her breast and slipped his hand between them, pressing the heel of his hand against her clit. She purred and rubbed herself against his hand, her pussy squeezing his cock rhythmically as he slid in and out of her.

  “Harder,” she panted.

  He cupped his hands around her thighs and held her tightly as he pushed in and out.

  “Fuck, your pussy is incredible,” he muttered into her mouth.

  “Your cock is incredible,” she whispered.

  He smiled, and his fingers dug into her smooth thighs before he started a rough rhythm that had her gasping with pleasure.

  “Oh God, please, please,” she whimpered.

  Her third and most powerful orgasm yet, shuddered through her. She clung to the tiger shifter as fire and lightning coursed through her veins. He rubbed her thighs when she collapsed against him.

  He was still hard within her but the fiery need to be fucked had abated enough for her to think clearly. She licked her lips before whispering, “I’m sorry.”

  “I told you, there’s no need to be sorry. Are you good for now?”

  She nodded but her cat made a disappointed hiss when he pulled out of her and set her on her feet. She swayed, and he steadied her before tucking his erect cock back into his jeans and buttoning them. He grimaced as he adjusted himself, and she felt another trickle of shame.

  “I – uh, should go. Thank you,” she whispered.

  She needed to get the fuck out of here and get back to her apartment before the next wave hit. Already the slow cycle of need was starting up in her belly and she felt a moment of panic. What the fuck was happening to her? Her cycle was never this bad before.

  She smoothed her skirt as the tiger shifter watched her carefully. She couldn’t look him in the eye and she moaned in dismay when she realized blood was blooming on his shirt.

  “Oh shit, I’m so sorry.”

  He barely glanced at the bite on his shoulder. “It’s fine. It will heal.”

  “I know but I… oh God, turn around.”

  “It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”

  “Turn around.” She grabbed him and swung him around, another moan of dismay bursting from her throat. The back of his shirt was soaked in blood and she yanked it up, staring in horror at the long deep scratches on his back.

  “You need to go to the hospital.”

  He actually laughed. “You know I don’t. They’ll heal on their own.”

  He turned and frowned when he saw how pale her face was. “Hey, are you okay?”

  She swayed again. She felt physically sick over how terribly she had scratched him – another first for her – and he grabbed her upper arms. “Don’t pass out on me.”

  “What is happening to me?” She whispered.

  “It’s just your heat cycle.”

  “It’s never been like this before,” she said. “It’s never been this bad. Already, I – I’m starting to feel…”

  She closed her eyes and didn’t object when he put his arm around her waist. “Come with me.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “Back to my place.”

  “I – I can’t.” She pulled away from him.

  “If you don’t, you’ll be right back at this club. We both know that. Do you want to risk taking someone home like that snake shifter?”

  “How – how do I know you’re not like him?”

  “I’m not,” he said. “I’m a good guy. I promise.”

  “Fuck. ” She pressed her fingers to her temples as her pelvis throbbed. The shifter was right. If she didn’t go home with him she’d be right back at the club. The way she was feeling, her fingers and a vibrator weren’t going to do shit for her.

  “Okay,” she whispered. “Do you live close?”

  “Ten-minute drive.”

  He took her hand and led her out of the stall. Two women were standing next to the sink, staring wide-eyed and slack-jawed at them. Bria turned scarlet. She wondered how long they were standing there and listening, but the tiger shifter simply nodded to them, and led Bria into the dark and loud nightclub. He walked her quickly through the crowds of people. She kept her head down and tensed when she heard the snake shifter.

  “Hey! She’s mine.”

  A hand landed on the tiger shifter’s arm a
nd she pressed her lips together when he growled. “Get your hand off me, asshole.”

  The snake hissed but released him, and the tiger shifter led her to the exit. She took deep breaths of the clean, fresh air as she followed him across the parking lot to his car.

  He opened the door and she climbed in without a word, trying to keep herself from sticking her own damn fingers into her pussy as he started the car. He drove fast but she made a moan of dismay when he had to stop at a red light.

  “Please,” she whispered. The need was back, throbbing deep in her pelvis like it had never found a moment of satisfaction, and she gave him a helpless look. “Please.”

  He reached across and slid his hand under her skirt. She spread her legs, crying out when he rubbed at her clit.

  She screamed as she orgasmed against his rough fingers. She shuddered and shook and clutched his wrist when he sank two fingers deep into her aching pussy. The light turned green and he stepped on the gas, keeping his eyes on the road even as his fingers plunged back and forth.

  She humped his hand shamelessly, bracing one hand on the ceiling of the car as she rode his hand to another orgasm. She collapsed against the seat, keeping her hand locked around his wrist so he couldn’t remove his fingers from her pussy.

  “Okay?”

  “I need your cock,” she gasped. “Please.”

  “Soon. I need my hand back, baby. Just for a minute.”

  “No.”

  “Give me my hand back and I’ll be fucking you in less than five minutes.”

  “Do you promise?” She was ashamed at the way she was whining.

  “I promise.”

  She released his hand reluctantly, growling under her breath when he pulled his fingers free. He licked his fingers and she purred in response when he smiled at her. “Very nice.”

  He pulled into a driveway and she was opening the door before he had even shut off the car. She ran to the front door, waiting impatiently as he joined her and unlocked the door. She was purring in anticipation and she leaped on him the moment he shut the door.

  He hissed in pain and tugged her hands away from his back, ignoring her angry growl of displeasure. “You promised!”