Lion Hearts Tiger

by V. Vaughn

  He lets go of my hands. “Hold on, babe. Ride it out with me.” And then his mouth covers mine. I taste my mate and myself on his tongue, and I devour him. I finally get to drag my nails over the flexing muscles of his back, to dig my fingers into his rock-hard ass so I can hold on tight as we both reach our climax.

  I cry out, “Tristan!” Light around me explodes, and I can hear everything at once. His heart and mine in perfect rhythm, his labored breathing, my pants and low mewls of pleasure.

  The rush of his blood pumping through his veins fills my ears just before he buries his face into my neck, and with one more hard thrust, he breathes out, “Lexi.” I wrap my arms around his back as his whole body shakes and his heat explodes in me. I don’t let go, even after he finally collapses on top of me with a long, low groan that makes me smile.

  And then a rush of emotions fills me that is so intense tears come to my eyes. I have no idea if our sex was always that amazing, but my throat gets thick with the urge to cry tears of joy.

  Tristan rolls off me and onto his back. He rubs a hand over his sweaty face and into his damp hair. His other arm comes around me and pulls me close into the side of his body. I gladly snuggle into him, enjoying the way I fit so perfectly. I can’t help it. I have to know. I ask, “Is it always like that for us?

  Tristan lets out a burst of laughter. “Yeah. It is.”

  “Damn. If I’d known, I’d have insisted we do that a lot sooner.”

  Tristan lazily trails his hand up and down my arm, and a spark of a memory comes, but it’s fleeting. It’s there, and it’s hard to grasp fully, but I capture a piece. The scent of coconut suntan oil and the crash of waves on a beach. Gritty sand between my toes. Excitement fills me because I think it’s a real memory. I bolt up and gaze down at him. “Tristan! Have we been to the beach together?”

  Chapter 22

  TRISTAN

  I sit up next to Lexi in my bed as the aroma of our lovemaking hangs heavy in the air like a perfume I’ll never forget. I’m so excited she finally has a solid memory of us. “Yes! We went to Cabo together for our one-year anniversary.”

  Her hair is a mess from sex, and mascara is streaked on her cheeks, but she’s never looked more beautiful as she smiles with satisfaction. “I remember being on the beach.”

  “Yes, we laid out on the beach one day, and you made me slather suntan lotion all over your body so you wouldn’t burn. But I was the one who got a bit pink.” I grab her hand. “Anything else? Do you remember the music? Because you loved it.”

  She frowns, as she thinks. “I don’t know, maybe? I can’t tell if it’s actual music from our vacation or if I’m just imagining what music would be playing in Mexico.”

  “Do you remember the shrimp and fish tacos that you couldn’t get enough of?”

  She makes a face.

  “How about the paletas? You must’ve eaten ten of them.”

  She frowns and kind of scooches away from me. It’s obvious she’s getting uncomfortable again. “I’m sorry. I don’t even know what those are.”

  I realize I’m being way too aggressive with the questions. I’m just so excited that she finally remembered something on her own. “It’s okay, Lexi. I’m sorry for being so crazy about you getting some memories back.”

  “I understand. It must be so hard for you to be the only one who remembers the wonderful moments in our lives. I can’t imagine what that must be like.”

  I rub her arm. “Well, at least we can remember this one together.”

  She smiles as her cheeks turn pink, and I hope it’s not because she’s embarrassed about talking dirty to me. It was sexy as hell. “It’s a really good memory. One we can repeat again and again…”

  She laughs. “I’d like that. Especially the first part.” She bites her lip and giggles as the thought of eating her out makes my dick begin to harden. “Definitely that first part.”

  Sex with Lexi was amazing from the very start. It’s a mate thing, but it also takes two people who trust each other enough to ask for what they want. And even this afternoon she was able to do that.

  “There’s more to my memory,” she says, interrupting my thoughts. “I remember walking on the beach. The breeze was cool, and you said it felt good on your sunburn.” She squishes up her face in thought. “The moon sparkled on the water. Was it full?”

  To be honest, I don’t remember if it was, but my heart is dancing with joy as she describes the memory. I want to keep encouraging her, and I say, “I think so.” I do recall the night we walked the beach, though. It had been a perfect night in Cabo. It was our second to last night there, and we walked on the sand hand in hand talking about our future together. It was the night Lexi told me she hoped we’d have nights like it when we were both old and gray.

  “I can’t remember anything else though. Just fragments of that night,” she says.

  I want to tell her what she said, but I don’t want to push her too hard. When I did that before, she pulled away, and we’re so close right now I don’t want to ruin it. “You remembered so much, Lexi. This is fantastic progress. I think it means more will come. Be patient.”

  She smiles and lays back down in the bed. “Okay.” She pinches my ass lightly. “I’m cold. Come keep me warm.” I happily lie next to her and tug her up onto my chest. Her soft breasts press into my chest and the weight of her naked body on mine is pure heaven. For the first time since she woke up from the accident in that hospital, I feel as if we have a future.

  But then I think of something that could ruin it all. And the warmth of her body isn’t enough to keep away a chill because it’s something I’ve been ignoring. Eventually Lexi’s going to remember everything, including the fact that I’m the reason she was on the wet, slippery road the night of her accident. I’m the reason she almost died, and she’ll remember how selfish I was, pressing her to drive when she didn’t want to. And when she remembers that? I’m not sure how she’s ever going to forgive me.

  Chapter 23

  LEXI

  Tristan and I have been asleep for a few hours, cuddled up together under the soft blanket. Late afternoon naps are the best, but now I’m awake, wide awake, and I need to move around. Maybe it’s cabin fever, but I have an overwhelming desire to go for a walk in the woods. With the bugs and everything. It should feel strange, but it seems better than the alternative, which is pacing the floor of Tristan’s living room.

  I consider waking Tristan, but he looks so peaceful. I can imagine I’ve given him a few sleepless nights lately, so I decide to let him rest. I grab my clothes, creep out of the bedroom, and quietly shut the door behind myself. When I get dressed, I discover I’m so antsy my skin actually itches, and I need to go outside before things get worse. I wonder for a moment if my lion is trying to get out again, but I don’t have the same tension I did last time. Although…. A smile turns up my lips as I consider it that might have to do with the afternoon workout I had earlier.

  My pencil scratches on a note pad as I write a message to Tristan to let him know where I’m going. And once I’m outside, I immediately find the trail that swings around the cabin. I’ve walked it once before, and think I know where I’m going.

  As I stroll along the path, rich aromas float around me, and they intensify with my movements. My feet hitting the dirt releases the earthy scent of decaying plant life, and as I brush by branches the pine odor of spruce trees is magnified. The nearby dank odor of a pond tickles my senses too, and I know it’s in a clearing up ahead. What’s amazing is that I know it’s about a mile off by the intensity I can detect. It occurs to me that my nose is an incredible gift.

  Two squirrels scamper across the ground in front of me in a game of tag. And I smile at how cute they are as I watch them race up and down tree trunks, chattering to each other. I find I’m smiling like a fool, and it’s not just from the squirrels’ antics. I actually like being outside, with nature. Heck, I haven’t even noticed the bugs. I felt so strongly that I hated the outdoors when I left
the hospital, but now I can’t imagine being cooped up inside for too long. In fact, I’m enjoying myself so much I’m tempted to run after the squirrels and play with them, and it makes me chuckle to myself.

  One fat gray squirrel runs by my feet, so close that the musty odor of its fur rushes to my nose, closely followed by the scent of its blood pumping through its small body. The desire to chase after it swells in me so hard and fast that I’m suddenly afraid of it. Sweat dampens my forehead and upper lip, and I swipe away the hair that’s stuck to my skin. Panic begins to spike in me when I realize I don’t actually want to run with the squirrels. I want to run after them. The scent of their blood makes my stomach growl. I have no desire to play. I want to hunt. Kill. Eat. My lion instincts must be what’s driving me, and my heart begins to pound in my chest like it’s trying to escape, both from my fear of the desire and the thrill of the chase.

  But I’m not good at shifting, and without Tristan—I glance down at my hands to see I’ve sprouted yellow fur. “Oh no! No. No. No.” My skin prickles with my lion rising to the surface. She wants out. Now.

  I take a deep breath and try to remain calm and stop the shift, but I can’t. The urge is too powerful, and I grab my head as if I can hold my lion back. It’s no use. She overwhelms me, and I can’t begin to keep her at bay. She’s coming whether I want her to or not.

  I’m forced to my knees by the power of my animal. I struggle to get back up, but it’s as if I’m stuck in quicksand and I can’t move. My stomach roils as I grit my teeth and concentrate on staying human. Please, I beg my lion. But she doesn’t listen. My lion shuts me down like a steel trap, and my shift happens so fast I can’t even process the changes I go through within seconds. The next thing I know I’m pawing at the dirt and grass with huge furry paws, and my claws leave divots in the soil. I let out a loud roar as I take off after the tasty little morsel of a gray squirrel that darted into the nearby brush.

  Branches snap from the force of my powerful body as I thunder through the woods. Fear rushes through me, the human me who’s along for the wild ride as my lion keeps on running. I’m completely out of control. My primal urges have taken over, and no matter how much my human logic tries to reason with my lion, I’m powerless to stop my animal side. My lion is dominating me, and she won’t let me stop.

  I need Tristan. I need him to talk my lion down and help me gain control. I watch the world fly by in horror as I keep running, chasing after the squirrel. It scampers up a large tree trunk, and I’m right on its tail, digging my claws in the bark with ease to climb after it like it’s nothing but an inconvenience. Up the trunk in seconds, I see the squirrel scurry out onto a thick, leafy branch. And I follow it, confident I’m going to be sinking my teeth into its soft, squishy body momentarily. But the squirrel is smarter than I anticipated and knows I’m too big to follow it out further. It moves out to a thinner branch then leaps off the end into another tree.

  The human me laughs at my lion’s foolishness. But that was a mistake, because she then retreats, leaving me in control. I hold still as I realize I’m trapped, crouched on a tree branch, my claws buried deep into the wood to keep me from falling. And I’m not going anywhere because I haven’t got a clue how to get down. If I shift into my human form, I’ll be naked grasping on to the branch for dear life without the use of claws. And since my lion is pissed off that I laughed at her, she has no interest in helping me get down as a lion. I’m stuck.

  Damn it. Where’s a nice fireman with a ladder when you need him?

  I let out a loud roar, hoping Tristan will come to the rescue.

  Chapter 24

  TRISTAN

  I jerk awake and sit up in bed as the echo of a roar rings in my ears. I look over to the other side of the bed to find Lexi isn’t there. I place my hand on the pillow and discover it’s cold. Where is she? And was that her I heard roaring?

  I shake my head, wondering if it was just a dream. But then I hear another roar, and the sound makes my body quiver. Lexi. I’m up and out of the bed, running as fast as I can out of the cabin and in the direction of Lexi’s roar. I’m naked, but I don’t care. My girl is in trouble, and I need to find her.

  My bare feet pound on the packed dirt as I run along the worn trail in the woods. I breath in deeply, searching for Lexi’s scent, and I follow the aroma of her musk to her location. As I get closer, I realize her scent is also laced with the adrenaline of her fear.

  I slow as I get closer so I can assess the situation, and when her scent makes me crane my head, I find her. She’s in her lion form in a tree, crouched on one of the branches. At first glance she appears ferocious, but I know she’s also terrified.

  And unless something’s changed, she’s got little control over her lion. I’m going to have to approach her carefully. One false move on my part and things could get bad really fast.

  But first I need to get her out of the tree. I take another step forward, and a branch snaps under the weight of my foot. Lexi’s head swivels toward me, and she glares as she bares her teeth. A low growl rumbles in her throat. I consider talking her down, but I don’t think she’s in any state to actually hear me. She’s in flight or fight mode, and Lexi has never been a flight kind of girl.

  I should shift so that I’ll be better able to protect myself in case she attacks me. But if we get in a fight, I’m not sure I can control my tiger, a situation neither of us should chance being in. Even though shifters are fast healers, our brawl could end up with a deep slice to the gut or a slash to the neck that might be fatal. But if I don’t shift, the chances of surviving a lion attack are less than zero.

  I drop to all fours and force my shift, and when I’m done, I let out a quiet growl of frustration. Lexi responds to this with a loud chuffing noise. It’s not a sound of challenge but one of warning. Be careful when you come near me.

  In my tiger form, I climb the tree up to where she is. She watches me, her look guarded, her muscles flexed with tension. But she doesn’t appear to want to attack. I think about shifting back to human to talk her into a shift of her own, but it’s too precarious for both of us. I need to help her get down from the tree before I can soothe her and help her become human again. When I reach the branch she’s on, it bows with our weight, and she twists her head back to snap at me. I hold my ground until she calms down, and then I inch back. I’m trying to tell her she needs to back up.

  She tilts her head at me, watching with interest, so I retreat a little more. I keep inching back until I’m able to descend the tree, using my claws to dig into the wood to keep my balance. After a few tentative motions with a rear foot, Lexi finally begins to back up on the branch until she gets to the main trunk, then she slowly crawls back down until she’s able to jump safely onto the ground.

  She bares her teeth at me again, but her body isn’t tensed to pounce. It’s more a warning not to get too close. It doesn’t deter me though, and I approach her cautiously before I butt my head into her flank. She tenses, chuffs, and then stays still.

  I take it as a good sign and rub my body against hers. She whips around, her lips pulling back again to reveal her large powerful teeth. I freeze and wait. She walks around me to sniff at my hind quarters, then up along my body. She’s inspecting me, and I think she’s trying to figure out who I am. It’s no wonder her lion doesn’t recognize me in my tiger form since Lexi has amnesia, but I’m hoping Lexi has enough control that she can let her lion know it has to be me.

  I let out a sigh of relief when Lexi mashes her nose into my shoulder. I consider shifting back, but right now the two of us being together in our animal forms again feels good. It’s natural and normal for us, and I want to revel in it for a while. And who knows? Maybe being in her lion form with me as my tiger will help Lexi retrieve more memories of us together.

  I paw at her back end, and she comes around and butts her head against mine. She’s purring with happiness, and that fills me with joy. I pat her again and then turn my head toward the woods. I want to run with
her.

  I chuff at her, then paw at the ground. She rubs her body against mine, then gives me a short, barking roar I take as ‘let’s go!’ But when I head deeper into the woods, she doesn’t follow me. I look back and find she’s dropped her head, and she retreats further, cowering. She’s afraid. I wonder if she’s overwhelmed or perhaps afraid she can’t control her lion. She did get stuck in a tree after all.

  Whatever it is, I think she needs to talk about it, and that means I have to help her shift back to human. I lie beside her and shift first. When I’m human again, I touch her flank, running my hands through her fur. I’m not sure what her lion thinks of it since she’s watching me intently. Although, she’s allowing my touch, which is definitely a step in the right direction.

  “Easy, Lexi. Easy. I’m going to help you.”

  She chuffs at me, and I relax a little because she’s being playful. That’s so much better than wanting to eat me. I continue to pet her, running my hands up her body to her head. I reach around to her cheek and rub my knuckles right under her jawline where I know she likes it best, and I’m rewarded with a huge head rub that nearly knocks me over, accompanied by a loud, rumbling purr.

  I smile. “Hey baby. Now, let’s try and shift back, okay?”

  Chapter 25

  LEXI

  Shifting back takes time. Lots of time. I recognize Tristan. I remember what he looks like, and his smell. I want to be back in his arms, but it’s hard to take control of my lion. First, I have to get her to come back considering she’s sulking at the way I insulted her earlier by laughing when the squirrel outwitted her. But once I cajole her with the idea of finding more squirrels, she wants it, but then I have to convince her we can eat more cookies instead.