by Aubrey Rose
Cold hearted? Please. That damned bear had brought me to my knees.
One kiss ripped apart my life like a nuclear bomb. Kissing him turned the whole world I knew on its head, shattering my duty to my father, my clan, and myself.
His rough grizzly heat burned through the ice that was supposed to keep us separate. Heck, even through my tiger's, and she rarely opened up to anyone.
Another savage revelation rattled my brain. I didn't belong in Tiger Bay anymore. Didn't belong anywhere after this.
I couldn't go running back there, and I certainly couldn't go to James either.
For the first time in my life, I felt truly homeless. Lost.
In my brain, my tiger paced restlessly, making me growl softly to myself.
Tonight was going to be one of the hardest nights of my life until my brain finally shut up and let me sleep. And the harsh Alaskan elements were only half the battle. The real one was inside.
Overhead, the gentle crescent moon rising over the mountains was swallowed up by dense clouds. Thick puffy flakes began falling, landing on my fur.
My back twitched every couple minutes, brushing snow off me. I nestled tighter into myself, burying my face in my paws, hoping against all odds I'd have some of this sorted out in the morning.
Cracking wood jolted me awake. I jumped up, poised and ready to tackle any threats with teeth and claws.
The noise hadn't been as close as I thought at first. I heard it again, several feet away. Slowly, I put my paws on the rocks and lifted up, peering over them.
Caribou had arrived overnight. The herds were migrating with the changing seasons, and now at least several dozen of the beasts huddled around the big lake where the stream emptied, watering themselves.
My tiger instantly drooled at their fresh, succulent meat. I'd hunted with Daddy and his men before, a rite of passage for every tiger. But those hunts were always well organized, more like sports than serious acts of survival.
Our hunts always went after stray animals too. I didn't know the first thing about sneaking up on a herd and tearing away the more vulnerable members.
I watched the caribou crowding in for their water, sometimes jostling each other when too many beasts got too close. My stomach growled so fierce it felt like my brain was getting sucked out.
How hard could it be?
I leaped over the rocks and landed gently in the spotty snow. Last night's thick dusting was already turning to mush, but it also buffered my weight, preventing too much crunch.
Perfect for getting closer to them.
I crouched as I moved, walking low to the ground, soft and non-threatening. None of them noticed me yet.
I wasn't sure they'd freak out if they did. Tigers had hunted their kind for years, but our clans were scarce. These animals had far more common natural predators to fear.
Several cows stepped away from the water, loitering in little groups. As ripe for picking as they'd ever be.
My tiger needed fresh meat. I couldn't reign her in if I'd wanted to.
I was halfway to the small group when I heard another snap. This one was louder, and at first I thought some caribou had completely fallen on brittle wood.
Then I looked up. Half the mountain was coming down near the lake in an avalanche. Mud and snow began flowing into the water alarmingly fast, burying the first little noise I'd heard in a deafening roar.
Oh, crap!
The caribou reacted quicker than I did. I hit the ground, planting my furry face in the snow. Hooves beat the ground all around me, a panicked stampede thundering like the end of the world.
One hoof caught my tail. I screamed, springing up and lashing out with my claws, trying to chase the beasts away.
The herd was a lot more frightened of the mountain collapsing than a spitting, angry tiger. They ignored my roars and frantic slashes. Several big reindeer climbed right over me, laying their heavy feet on my back.
I screamed as loud as I could, adding my roar to the world coming apart around me. Didn't even consider that I'd need to outrun the mess spreading across the lake.
The stampede consumed everything, burying my senses in a storm of dirt and ice and stomping hooves. More pressure clambered violently on my back, furious hooves leaving their harsh imprint on my bones.
I roared again, twisting to sink my teeth into a big furry neck. I missed it by a couple inches. Damn it, if I was going to die, then I was going to take some sorry beasts crunching on my tail with me.
I froze when I saw the huge grizzly bear. His paws slapped at my backside, urgent, but not painful.
He let me go, stood up on two legs, and opened his mouth wide, unleashing a roar so loud it vibrated to my bones.
It took me a second to realize it was James. He stepped right over me, standing in front of my body.
Apparently, the caribou took a hulking bear a lot more seriously.
They swerved around him, or slapped his sides and ran off the other way after crashing into the big brown boulder. James spread his front paws like arms, giving us more room as the last of the terrified animals fled.
When the final little calf went trailing after its momma, he dropped to all fours. We faced each other for the first time. He held himself on all fours and shifted.
My lips curled in amusement and annoyance. Then James looked up, his human eyes glowing with one stern demand.
“Run, Laura,” he said coldly. “I'll be right behind you. We've got to go. Now.”
The whole world exploded. Ice and water began running out of the lake in thick waves, splashing us with stray water.
I turned tail and ran so fast I didn't even feel the soreness left from yesterday's flight.
The caribou weren't stupid. They understood the Alaskan wilderness better than I did, and apparently James did too. We hit the edge of the forest before the dirty tsunami filled with ice and dirt slapped the ground behind us.
If he'd been a minute later...
You would've been one frozen, dirty tiger. Probably a dead one too.
A shudder ran up my spine as I pumped my limbs. Broken brush in the forest cut my sides, but I kept going, listening to the crunch and crack of James' huge footprints behind me.
We both growled when water came rushing in, a mucky tidal wave chasing us. We were fast, but the flood was faster. It soaked our paws, and my tail dipped into cold muddy water each time I bounded up and down.
The whole forest was flooded. Didn't help that the snow and shallow streams added to the flow as the deluge overtook it. James caught up to me when I hesitated at what used to be a stream, now a raging river with small icebergs floating through it.
A tree had snapped at the roots and was flopping near the shore. The great big bear at my side shifted into a beautiful man again, and he pulled me to him.
The sudden motion disturbed the tiger. I shifted, burying myself in human comfort, if only for the last time.
“I'm scared! How're we ever going to get away from this?”
James warmed me with his eyes and nodded. “Hold onto me tight. That wood over there's gonna break and float away any time. It's just wide enough to ride.”
My mouth dropped. He couldn't be serious!
But he was, already pulling me toward it with one hand. My knees wanted to seize up and run.
Anywhere looked better except the log perched in the dirty, freezing mess.
Of course, James wouldn't have it. I was going with him, whether I liked it or not.
He forced me onto the wood and then got on top of me. Being smashed up against a huge man I desperately didn't want to fall for would've been awkward anytime. Now imagine being in between him and the tree, completely naked, with all hell breaking loose around us.
James did something with his foot, kicking the tree away from its last tie to the shore. The roots crackled, and then we were moving. I screamed.
He pressed me tight, cradling my whole body, making sure I held on to the wild ride.
It was all in the go
ds' hands now. Riding the log was like the wildest rollercoaster I'd ever been on.
“Keep calm, baby. You're safe beneath me. I promise.”
Funny, I almost believed him. Then we went flying around a corner and my stomach heaved. Good thing I hadn't eaten for almost a solid day.
I closed my eyes, sure that hot death was about to come. Brutal bear or not, I was happy he was with me. At least I could die happy beneath the gorgeous Adonis pressed tight to my flesh when the tree inevitably threw us to our doom.
We were flying faster, faster. Debris smacked the wood around us, but it broke apart as our ride rammed its way onward.
“Hold on, little tiger. This is gonna fucking smart.”
James flattened himself down so tight I couldn't breathe. It was for the best because the collision would've sucked the air right out of my lungs.
We ran aground hard, smashing straight through several worn rocks and ice. It all happened so fast, but it felt a lot slower, my brain processing a dozen fearful things at once.
I felt his muscles tense like iron, holding onto the wood for dear life, mostly making sure I didn't go flying out beneath him. The tree shrieked as it splintered, and wet wood rained over my head.
James grunted. I groaned, reaching up when I realized we weren't in motion anymore, and wiped dirty water from my forehead.
“Hey!” I gasped. I tried to turn, but his weight was pressing me down, a little weaker than before. “We're free now.”
For the first time since we'd shifted, I flushed, realizing we were close and naked. And was that an erection pressed up snug to my ass?
Nice try, big boy. If you think you're getting me that easy...
Snarling, I rolled. James didn't move and didn't speak.
He wasn't holding me down anymore. He was slumped over me – literally slumped – and it took all my energy to move beneath him.
I noticed the warm blood on my back shoulder before I saw his face. He'd taken a nasty cut to the forehead. Something hard had given him a good whack.
Oh, no!
My heart pounded. I jostled my way out and grabbed at his huge body, struggling to move him. Or maybe better that I didn't.
I managed to roll him over and spread my palm on his massive chest. My hand went over a huge tattoo of a bear claw above his heart, the dark ink glistening like a target.
Pleasure flared inside me as I admired his body, stroking him up and down. I'd wanted to see it so badly, but not like this.
Pressing my ear to his chest, I listened closely. Not easy with the angry waters and debris still slapping the new shore.
He's breathing. Thank the gods.
I wiped his brow with my hand. The cut was clotting quickly, and it didn't look like he'd lost much blood.
Shivering, I looked around. It wasn't right to say we were safe. True, we'd both survived the avalanche and the wild ride on the tree, but we weren't out of the woods.
I didn't have a clue where we'd landed, or how far it would be to the Denali clan or even Tiger Bay. If I ran off searching, it might be days before I found my footing. And James wouldn't survive out here in the elements that long.
My eyes fluttered, the same as my worn out heart. I threw my face at his chest, smoothing my cheek on his skin. He was still so warm. Amazing out here in the icy wilderness.
“Please, wake up. You can't leave me alone...I'm sorry I ran. I'm so, so sorry, James. I was a complete idiot. You saved me.”
Turning on the waterworks was about the last thing I needed, but there was no stopping it. I crumpled to my knees and started to cry, cradling the man who'd buried me in emotion.
It was just like him to add more to the mix: guilt, fear, revulsion. This time, though, the disgust was turned purely at me. Nothing about his powerful body stretched out beneath me was disgusting anymore.
We were different species, sure, but we were both skinwalkers. And skinwalkers were more than a little human. This man, this bear – whatever he was – caused me to care about him.
I couldn't deny it again, and it hurt that I couldn't. My whole mind and soul were rending apart as I wept on his chest, praying he'd wake up.
I jumped when I heard him groan. I rose and stared carefully, raking my nails along his skin to make sure I'd heard it right.
Then he moved. He swung his legs over the trunk and planted uneasy feet at the ground, staring at me like he was getting out of bed.
“James! Are you okay?”
“Shit. Smarts isn't even half of it. Wish I'd brought a fucking helmet.”
I laughed, involuntarily throwing my arms around him and giving another squeeze. “I thought you were out of it for good!”
“Can't take a good bear down with a little knock to the head.” He paused, running his fingers through my hair and listening to the raging rapids behind us. “Let's get the fuck out of here before anything else comes ashore.”
He wasn't kidding. Another tree skidded to a stop just a couple feet from ours, scattering mud and ice. Wouldn't have been much different than a speeding truck if we were unlucky enough to be on the receiving end.
“Can you walk?”
“I made it here, baby. Might not be as sleek and steady as a tiger, but I'll manage.” He groaned and grabbed his head again when he stood up.
At first, I was concerned. Then I saw him looking me up and down, fixing his bright eyes on my curves.
Yikes! I hadn't begun to make sense of everything that had happened between us.
Love, hate, and lust hit me harder than the caribou stampede. I was ready to see him again, but not to deal with his desire – a very deep desire judging by the familiar intensity in his gaze.
I dropped to the ground and shifted. Better to be covered with fur than bare naked before this sex starved bear.
James did the same a second later. This time, I let him lead, figuring it would be better to have a powerful bear in front to clear out any new obstacles in the forest. Plus he seemed to know where he was going, or else he was just a damned good actor.
I followed him, keeping my tiger tame and calm while I trailed behind him.
In my mind's eye, I saw her hunker on the ground and let out an uneasy growl. She didn't know what to make of the big furry beast we'd entrusted to lead us to safety a second time.
You and me both, girl, I thought. He's a walking mystery. Even bigger and badder than the wicked curiosity surging in my blood.
It took half a day to get back to the cabin. It was mid-afternoon. We encountered a few bears along the way, all shifted into grizzly form, curious about the commotion. Anybody out that morning in Denali had probably seen the mountain collapse.
The bears stayed out of James' way and mine too. At most, they gave me a quick glance, backing off and going the opposite way whenever he looked at them. He flashed his huge, sharp teeth if they waited a second too long to get moving.
It wasn't too different from the way the tiger hierarchy worked. An Alpha postured constantly to keep up his position and deflect challengers. The bears weren't as civilized as tigers, but I understood the wild message in every razor sharp gaze and subtle snort James made.
I started to feel anxious when we were almost to his door. Last night's snow hadn't covered up the tracks I'd left on the patio, desperate and long tiger footprints in full flight.
There's that guilt again, I thought unhappily.
James became a fine man again and opened the door, waiting for me. I held off on shifting until the last possible second.
We'd gotten along fine out there in the elements, when our lives were in danger. We both knew how to fight for survival, but I wasn't sure we had the slightest clue how to sit down like good people and sort out yesterday.
I knew I didn't.
As soon as I was in the house, a woman once again, the door slammed shut. James looked at me with a bear's eyes, tough and demanding, even though he was very human again.
And hard too. My eyes drifted down his tattooed chest and went betwee
n his legs. Whatever damage the blow to the head had done, it hadn't dampened the anxious, sexy signal jutting up for attention.
“Come with me, Laura. We need to have a talk.” He walked straight past me and pulled my hand.
“Wait! Shouldn't I clean up first? Get a change of clothes?”
“No.” James turned to face me and fixed the fires dancing in his eyes on my bare flesh. “This dirt and blood will come off our bodies pretty fucking easily. Not the same for the dirt still stuck between us. Hell of a lot harder to cleanse hearts.”
I tugged my wrist against his fingers, testing his grip. He only tightened more, and I realized he wasn't leading me to the sofa.
We were heading for the bathroom down the hall. When I flinched again, he whipped around, flattening his body against my length, pushing me to the wall.
His lips curled and a soft growl came out. He looked pissed as all hell, achingly sexy in a way that said, you think I forgot about the way you disrespected me?
No, he hadn't. I was scared and aroused, but I also felt like I was about to get what I deserved.
“I'll do you a favor and go first. We can't keep fucking around, baby tiger, pretending we don't want to scratch and bite and taste each other deep.” He drew a deep breath, inhaling my scent.
“I know you want the truth. Here it is: you're driving me insane, Laura Hisch. Ever since I took this sweet hand at the altar.”
He reached down and pushed my little hand into his. The nascent heat building in my core surged at least ten degrees. Sweat beaded on my brow, a pleasant warmth spreading through my body, especially since I was still chilled to the bone from the long journey.
“Insane?” I repeated dumbly.
Crap. What the hell do I say when he's looking at me and touching me like this?
“Yeah. Bonkers, mad, straight up loco...whatever you want to call it, you're doing it to me. Every minute you're here – or fuck, out in the wild playing hard to get – you're burning up my brain.” He pushed close, until my nipples were flush against his hard chest. “No more playing around, wildcat. I can't take the kind of crazy you're offering if it's just a tease.”
