Tiger's Dream (Tiger's Curse Book 5)

by Colleen Houck

  Frowning, I said, “I don’t think you gave me enough infor—”

  The forest floor spun away, and with a sickening wrench, I was torn from the past and propelled into the future. When we arrived at the destination he’d chosen, we were still surrounded by trees and our feet sunk deeply into the snow.

  “—mation.”

  As I staggered to one knee, overwhelmed by the time jump, Kadam whispered some words, and the tie he was wearing burst into thousands of colorful threads. The Divine Scarf worked according to his command, and we were soon clothed in modern snow gear. With its work finished, the scarf became a thick woolen version of itself in red. Kadam tossed the end over one shoulder and said, “Follow me.”

  “How is it that I didn’t pass out?” I asked as I stumbled forward, my strength returning quickly.

  “The Damon Amulet makes the transition easier, and as for me, I’ve traveled through time enough now that I’ve become used to its effects. You will adapt soon as well.”

  The thick conifer trees surrounding us were heavily dusted with snow and were beautiful as the setting sun caused the thick snow to sparkle in a blush of colors that reminded me of Kelsey’s cheeks. In a few moments we exited the forest and came upon a resort. The exterior coloring and sloped roof mimicked the impressive view of the mountain behind it.

  “We’re not in the Himalayas, are we?” I asked, though I knew the answer already.

  Kadam shook his head. “This is Mt. Hood.”

  “Oregon,” I said as much to myself as to him.

  I was puzzled since I remembered that Kelsey didn’t have much fondness for snow. Perhaps that stemmed from her being attacked by a bear on our hike together on Mt. Everest as we searched for the spirit gate. But if memory served, she had mentioned that she didn’t enjoy what she termed “snow sports,” and this place, from the activity I was witnessing, was clearly designed for such.

  Dozens of people, including young children, were making their way to the resort, many carrying skis or boards as they headed in for the night. They were dressed in varying colors in types of clothing that I knew were from Kelsey’s time.

  They filtered into a main building flanked by two brightly lit wings that stretched out on either side. From the dozens of windows, I surmised that the wings were the guest accommodations. Warm light spilled from the building, and lampposts lit our way as the sun sank beyond the horizon. We soon caught up to a group carrying their equipment over their shoulders and headed into the building with them.

  After taking our turn stomping our boots on thick mats at the entrance, Kadam led me to a stone fireplace and bade me sit. “Don’t get up,” he said. “Not until I tell you.” With those cryptic instructions, he left me alone.

  A waitress soon brought me a mug of steaming chocolate topped with whipped cream and cinnamon, which I suspected Kadam had requested to be sent over. As the fire and the chocolate warmed me, my heart pounded, knowing I’d soon see her again.

  Kelsey, the woman I loved beyond reason, would arrive any moment. I practiced what my first words should be. You have no idea how good it is to see you. I’ve missed you so much. I made a mistake. Please come back to me. I love you.

  I still wasn’t sure which words would spill out of me first and I honestly didn’t care. If I could just lay eyes on her again, I was confident I’d know what to say. A family came in dragging their suitcases behind them and stopped at the seating area I was currently occupying. The mother smiled at me shyly while the father gave me the once-over before organizing their belongings into a pile, then he told his young daughter, “Have a seat by the fire while we check out. We might be a few minutes since there’s a line.”

  The girl nodded and plopped her backpack on the chair next to me. Unzipping it, she took out a book and, after tugging her pink cap down to her eyebrows, buried her head behind it and began to read.

  Glancing at the girl, I smiled and nodded, but then twitched nervously again thinking of seeing the woman I loved. Picking up my cocoa, I sipped, letting the aroma tickle my nose, then froze as a new scent assailed me. Kelsey! She was here! Whipping my head around, I searched for her amid the bustle of people and cursed the fact that Kadam had insisted that I stay seated. Still, I craned my neck and twisted every possible way to catch a glimpse of her.

  “Are you okay?” the young girl asked as she peered at me over the pages of her book.

  “Yes,” I replied irritably. “I’m just looking for someone.”

  “Who?”

  “I’m looking for my…my friend.”

  “What does your friend look like?”

  “Long brown hair, brown eyes, beautiful smile.”

  Her eyes widened as she peered at me over the rim of the book and she giggled. “I’m guessing it’s a girl. Is she your girlfriend?”

  “She was.” I spun in my chair, scanning the people walking out the door, worried that she’d passed me and already left. I didn’t see her, but her scent was still strong, so I relaxed and let out a sigh, reminding myself I should trust in Kadam. Still I kept my eyes peeled.

  “And you’re here to win her back, right?”

  “Something like that,” I mumbled distractedly as I picked up my cocoa and sipped.

  “That’s so romantic,” she said.

  I grunted and gave the girl a wry smile. “At least you think so.”

  “Oh, I do. Your cocoa smells good. Is there cinnamon in it?” She was now peeping at me from the left side of her book so I could only see half her face.

  When I tilted my head to see her better, she sucked in a breath and hid her eyes again.

  “Would you like one?” I offered.

  “Umm…I’m not really supposed to take gifts from strangers.”

  “Then I’ll introduce myself. My name is Kishan.”

  “That’s a strange name. Where are you from?”

  “India. Where are you from?”

  “Salem.”

  I smiled. “I’m familiar with the town.” When she snuck a brief look at me from the right side of her pages, I said, “You don’t need to be afraid of me.”

  “I’m not afraid,” she insisted. “I’m just being…cautious.”

  “As you should be,” I said with a serious nod.

  I summoned the waitress, who soon brought a second chocolate for the girl, and we sat quietly for a few minutes, me watching the steam waft into the air and her pretending to ignore my gesture. Finally, I said, “Aren’t you going to even try it? It’s very good.”

  Slowly she shifted her book, still keeping her face hidden, and her gloved hand snuck out and grabbed the handle. After a few noisy sips, she deposited the half-empty mug back on the table.

  Laughing, I said, “It’s nice to see a girl who enjoys her chocolate again. My girlfriend loved hot chocolate.”

  “It’s delicious,” she said shyly. “Thank you.” At last she lowered the book and smiled at me. Happy at my small victory, I was about to tease her about being a bookworm when I looked in her eyes. Familiar chocolate orbs gleamed in a charmingly chubby, red-cheeked face. I trembled and my heart stopped.

  “What’s the matter?” she asked, forming the words around a mouthful of wire brackets attached to her teeth.

  “I…I…I’m not sure.” I swallowed, barely able to speak.

  I stared at her in what I was sure was a frightening way, and she tossed her book aside. “Are you having a heart attack, Mr. Kishan? Why aren’t you moving?”

  She approached me and shook my shoulder. Long braids swung back and forth like the pendulum of a grandfather clock keeping time, and as she leaned over me, I couldn’t help but laugh inwardly at the irony.

  Kadam approached and the girl backed away. He assured her that I was all right but that I was likely a bit disoriented from a bad fall. As she took her seat, watching me worriedly, he sat beside her and introduced himself. She spoke much more easily with him, and after reassuring herself that I was recovered, she downed the rest of her cocoa and began telling
him about her ski vacation with her parents.

  Kelsey.

  The girl I loved had been sitting next to me the whole time. Her unforgettable scent had been all around me. This was my Kelsey. I guessed she was all of thirteen. Her cheeks were pink from the warmth of the fire, and pink appeared to be her favorite color if her backpack and hat were any indication. How could I not have recognized her? It was obvious to me now. I should have known her from her eyes. Her voice.

  After a moment her parents returned, and as Kelsey introduced Kadam, I took a long look at the two people who had influenced her so much. Her mother was plump and beautiful like her daughter, and as she listened to Kadam share his manufactured tale of the slopes, I saw the strength behind the sympathy that I so often saw in Kelsey’s eyes. She got her determination and openhearted kindness from her mother.

  As Kelsey’s father sat down next to her and put his hand on his wife’s shoulder, Kelsey nestled between them and leaned her head back against him. A tender memory of her doing the same thing with me came to mind. As he spoke with Kadam, I recognized the sharp mind behind the gentle man. He cleaned his glasses as he considered Kadam’s story.

  The young version of Kelsey fascinated me. She still moved her hands when she talked. Her brown hair was longer than I was used to seeing, and her braids were missing the customary ribbons. She had the same open laugh that reached her eyes. My heart wrenched at seeing her as she’d been, and at that moment, I fell for her even more than I had before. I loved her no matter what age she was, and if she needed saving, then I would throw myself down the mountainside to protect her. It was time to become an active participant in the conversation.

  “It’s all right, Dad,” I said to Kadam. “I’m sure I can wait until morning.”

  “Nonsense,” Kelsey’s mother replied. “There’s plenty of room to take you.”

  “Well, Maddie, we do have a lot of luggage,” Joshua Hayes countered.

  “I really don’t want to be a burden,” I said. “I’ll just stay overnight and go on the morning shuttle.”

  “Now, son,” Kadam fussed, “It might be broken. I don’t want to wait that long to get your ankle checked out. If you could walk around on it, then it would be a different story.”

  Taking his cue, I said, “Look, it’s fine. I can walk on it. See?” I stood, putting all my weight on my right leg, and then took a few awkward steps and grabbed a nearby wooden post, hobbling as if I were in terrible pain. Kelsey cried out and ran to my side. She put her arm around my waist, and her mother came to my other side and fussed over me as I sat down again.

  “I simply won’t hear any more of this nonsense,” she said. “Joshua, we are taking this young man to the hospital and seeing him settled and that’s that.”

  “Yes, dear.” Her husband smiled and began gathering the luggage. “I’ll bring the car around and stow our gear first.”

  Maddie patted my arm and said, “I was a nurse until I had Kelsey, and I know that a broken ankle is no laughing matter. You just sit right here and let us help you. I insist.”

  She had Kelsey’s determined won’t-take-no-for-an-answer expression, and though I knew that Kadam had orchestrated the whole thing, I couldn’t help but enjoy the situation. I smiled warmly at the two Hayes women and said, “Having two such lovely young ladies taking care of me has already healed all hurts but one.”

  “What still hurts you, Mr. Kishan?” the young Kelsey asked.

  Leaning my head toward hers as if telling her a secret, I said aloud, “The fact that I can have neither one of you for myself is what ails me the most.”

  Kelsey’s mouth dropped open, and her mother charmed me with a blush that warmed her cheeks. “Now, now,” she said. “I’m much too old for you and Kelsey is too young. Besides, if my husband hears you flirting with us, he might change his mind about taking you to the hospital.”

  “If the two of you belonged to me, I fear I would guard you just as jealously,” I conceded. “It’ll be our secret then,” I said with a grin.

  After Kadam paid the waitress for our hot chocolates, Maddie Hayes stood as Kadam exclaimed with all sincerity, “My dear woman, you have shown me the greatest of kindnesses. There are not many who would deign to help another as you have. I entrust my son wholly to your care and know that you will treat him as your own.” He paused only briefly and then continued soberly as he cupped her hand in his, “I hope you know that I would do the same for your daughter should ever the need arise.”

  “I only wish there was room in the car for you too,” she replied kindly.

  “Alas, fate has deemed I should be left behind. But all is not lost. You are a remarkable soul, Mrs. Hayes. I am honored to have made your acquaintance.”

  “As am I,” she said.

  “What about your girlfriend?” Kelsey asked. “Shouldn’t we wait for her to come back?”

  Lowering my gaze, I said softly, “If she wanted to return to me, she would.”

  While retrieving her backpack, I heard Kelsey mumble, “Girl must be crazy to leave a guy who looks like that.” She didn’t know that with my tiger hearing, her words were clearly audible. When she returned, I grinned at her. She blushed and looked away.

  Joshua Hayes soon came to fetch us and he and Kadam helped me hobble to the vehicle. Kelsey and her mother stood in the hotel entrance while the men helped me get settled. I overheard Kelsey ask her mother, “Why are we taking a stranger to the hospital? I thought we needed to be careful around strangers.”

  Her mother, thinking I wouldn’t hear, replied, “My heart tells me they mean us no harm, and I believe that sometimes it’s better to listen to your heart than to your head. Never let fear stop you from helping others, Kells. You’re right that you should always be careful, but sometimes, if you don’t take a leap of faith, then you may lose out on an incredible adventure. I want you to experience all that life has to offer, and that means taking a risk every once in a while. Get it?”

  “Got it,” Kelsey answered.

  “Good. Now let’s go make sure our guest is comfortable, shall we?”

  Kelsey soon joined me in the backseat, and as her parents buckled in, I realized what a miracle it was to see that glimpse of Kelsey’s past. Her mother was an amazing woman and one I would have liked to have known. She reminded me of my own mother, and I was sad knowing that Kelsey no longer had her parents to turn to. Their deaths must have devastated her.

  The night was cold and crisp, and though it had snowed in the afternoon, the stars were clearly visible and the moon lit our path. Kelsey buckled her seat belt and put her book into her backpack. Before she zipped it closed, I saw the flash of a very familiar object.

  “Is that a quilt?” I asked.

  She nodded and, embarrassed, stammered. “I know I’m too old to have one, but my grandmother made it for me and she died a couple months ago, so I like to keep it close.”

  Ducking my head toward her, I said, “There’s no need to feel self-conscious. My girlfriend has a favorite quilt too.”

  Maddie gave me a grateful look and waved at Kadam, who nodded silently to me as Kelsey’s father started the car. I clutched the Damon Amulet hidden under my shirt, wondering how I might have to use it.

  ***

  Kelsey’s father turned on the radio, letting the music play gently in the background as he drove slowly down the icy mountain. The small car settled into a rhythm that made a sort of music of its own when combined with the sound of the tire chains crunching a new path in the thick snow. Leaning my head back, I closed my eyes and could almost believe Kelsey was my own and we were visiting her parents to ask for their blessing, that she would introduce me as the one she loved, the one she couldn’t live without.

  Instead, she caught my attention when she spoke about school with her mother. She seemed shy in answering her mother’s questions, and I wondered if it was the subject material or if it was my presence that made her nervous. Maddie had just turned her attention to me and was asking if I was visit
ing or if I’d moved to Oregon when Joshua adjusted his mirror and glanced behind us.

  “What is it?” his wife asked.

  I heard a car and looked out the back window. The revving of its engine was accompanied by uproarious laughter. Kelsey jumped when the driver blew the horn several times.

  “Crazy kids,” Joshua said. “They’re probably drunk.”

  “We have several miles left of mountain road. Just wave them ahead,” Maddie suggested.

  Joshua rolled down his window and waved his arm, but the honking continued. Whoever was driving the vehicle behind us fishtailed back and forth in the thick snow and ice covering the road. They bounced the back of their car into a tall fir tree, and the impact sent a snow shower down onto their car. Instead of having a sobering effect, the boys in the car hooted victoriously as if they’d just won a great battle. They accelerated dangerously close to our vehicle. Kelsey cried out.

  “It will be okay,” I reassured her. She nodded trustingly, but then the driver behind us flicked his brights on and off. Kelsey sunk down in her seat so her head could no longer be seen, wrapped her arms around her torso, and played nervously with one of her braids.

  Seeing her frightened caused my fists to tighten in anger. I wanted to burst through the back window in my tiger form. Imagining landing heavily on the hood of their vehicle and raking my claws across their windshield as I roared and they whimpered gave me a measure of satisfaction, but I doubted that was the reason I was here.

  Why am I here? To save Kelsey. But from what? From these boys? What do they want with her? As soon as I began to speculate, my mind filled with nefarious possibilities, ones that would cause me to rip out the throat of any boy who dared think it. Is that the reason I’m here? To prevent these boys from hurting Kelsey and her parents?

  So far they’d limited themselves to being annoying. There was no reason to rip throats. At least not yet. Kelsey and her parents were safe for now.

  The car weaved behind us, the headlights creating shadows in our car that lengthened and shrunk with each turn. I could see the strain in Joshua Hayes’ eyes, but to his credit, he was as calm as if he were reading a book.