Waking the Beast

by Lacey Thorn

  “Losing him would kill me, too,” she whispered, wrapping her hands around her waist and holding tight.

  He nodded. “I can see that too. This has just caught me off guard, and I’m worried. Really worried.”

  “Me too,” she whispered. “Me, too.”

  * * * *

  Tah sensed Abby’s pain easily and made his way silently back toward her. It was easy to hear the conversation between her and Logan. Part of him wanted to rip Logan apart for accusing her of doing something to him, but he could sense his friend’s worry just as he could feel Abby’s. And he wanted Logan to accept Abby and be her friend. If anything happened to him, then he needed to know Logan and Reno would see to Abby.

  As they went back to arranging the supplies they’d have to carry, Tah turned and grabbed the first few limbs he saw on the ground and began dragging them back toward the truck.

  “Jesus, Tah,” Logan grunted as he saw him. “I thought you were bringing limbs not the whole damn tree.”

  Tah turned and really looked at what he was pulling. Apparently his strength was increasing as well as everything else. He’d have to be careful not to be careless and accidentally hurt Abby.

  His body was already burning for her again. Her scent tickled his nose and had his cock throbbing with the need to be back inside her. What the hell was going on with him? He’d always had a lot of stamina, but nothing compared to how he was with Abby. His cock had been hard since he woke up this morning wrapped around her, and no matter the number of times he’d taken her today, it showed no signs of settling down.

  His clothes were itching the hell out of him too. He wanted nothing more than to strip to the skin and stay that way. Preferably with Abby beside him just as naked. And he needed to get those thoughts out of his head, or he’d never make it the last few miles without having to stop and take her again.

  He was at the point where he believed Abby. The idea that there was a lion inside him was the only thing that made sense at the moment. What else would account for all the changes happening to him? The change in his teeth and cock were the biggest two as far as he was concerned. He was damn glad Abby seemed to like the swelling ridges or bumps all over his cock. Honestly, though it felt like heaven when he was inside her, it freaked him the fuck out.

  All of it was freaking him out. He shouldn’t be able to focus and hear the things he could. His vision, always above par, shouldn’t reach the limits it now did. And his skin was beyond sensitive. He’d done his best to keep Abby as close as possible. Her touch seemed to be the only thing he could stand.

  “I’d say that’s enough,” Abby’s voice interrupted his thoughts as he dragged a few more limbs in to help hide the truck.

  Logan had a pack thrown over his shoulders. The thing had to weigh at least a hundred pounds. Abby had a smaller pack on her back that still appeared too heavy for her to be carrying, and a third pack sat on the ground in front of them.

  Tah walked over, took the remaining pack, and pulled it on before holding his hand out to Abby. “I’ll get that for you.”

  “The day I can’t carry my weight is the day I’m dead,” she responded, and he couldn’t stop the growl of displeasure that rumbled up through his chest.

  “And you can stop that right now,” she said. “I’ve got this.” She leaned in and nuzzled her nose against his chest. “I appreciate the offer though, and I promise I’ll tell you if it gets too heavy.”

  He nodded. She knew just what to say to keep him from losing it.

  “All right, Abby,” Logan said. “Which way do we head?”

  “This way.” She pointed toward the right. “We go this way for a few miles. There will be a tree with an old tire swing rope hanging from it. We turn there and the house is a mile further.”

  Logan nodded and took off, leaving them to follow behind. Tah made Abby go in front of him and then wondered if that was wise as he watched her ass twitch in her jeans. It shouldn’t be possible for his cock to get any harder.

  Logan set a quick pace, and Abby had no trouble keeping up.

  Tah did his best to watch everything around them, but he mostly watched Abby’s ass. God, the things he wanted to do to her ass. If she could read his thoughts, she’d be running as far and fast in the other direction as she could. And that thought conjured up ideas of chasing her and what he’d do when he caught her. He was seriously fucked up and had no idea how to fix it.

  He shifted his shoulder, trying to ease the ache centered between them. It had nothing to do with the backpack and everything to do with what was inside him. If it was a lion, then it was itching to bust free of his skin and run. He could feel it stretching inside him, and the damn thing seemed to want command. It was a fight for Tah just to maintain control at times. It scared him. He was afraid if the lion took over, the beast might not let Tah have it back.

  He shook his head. If anyone knew the crazy shit he was thinking, they’d commit him in a heartbeat. Well, anyone but Abby. She’d be down the hall from him in her own padded room. And just the thought of her being separated from him had his skin itching and the beast inside setting his chest to rumbling with a growl.

  “You okay?” Abby stopped and turned around to face him. “The turn is still another mile ahead.”

  He took her in his arms and pulled her close. Dipping his head, he took her mouth with his, thrusting his tongue deep and rubbing along hers. He slid both hands down to cup her ass and lift her against her cock. She rubbed wantonly against him, and he wanted nothing more than to strip those damn jeans down her legs and spread her wide.

  She broke the kiss with as gasp, and he realized he needed air as well as they both gulped it in.

  “Do you need to go off somewhere?” she whispered the question to him, and his heart soared. This woman loved him so much. He could smell her pussy and knew she was wet for him. And that was throwing him for a loop as well. Abby had been a virgin when he first took her. And they’d had sex since then that would leave even a porn star sore. What was he doing to them?

  He knew Abby was changing too. She hadn’t needed glasses since he bit her. Whatever was in his saliva was getting in her and making changes to her as well. Plus, her sex drive was revving up to match his. There was no way they could keep up this pace. So what was going on? How long would it last? And would he and Abby be the same once it was over?

  “Tah?”

  He could see the question in her eyes and finally got it together enough to shake his head. “I’ll make it to the cabin, Abby. Promise.”

  She nodded and took his hand, lacing their fingers together as she turned and tugged him along behind her as she walked. They hit the turn and headed toward the cabin. He could feel Abby’s excitement growing the closer they got. She seemed to put so much stock in the ability of her friend to help them, and he hoped the woman lived up to Abby's expectations.

  “It’s just ahead,” Abby said with a radiant smile. God, she was the most beautiful woman in the world.

  He loved her, and the strength of that love scared him. He’d never loved anyone the way he did Abby. He’d loved his parents with a child’s faith and trust. Then he’d lost them and gone to live with his grandmother. He’d loved her, but more cautiously. He was desperately afraid to love and lose again, and his grandmother hadn’t been a young woman when she took him in. He’d lost her his senior year of high school, just days before he graduated and left for Marine boot camp.

  Not once had he looked back. And he’d built a wall around his heart to protect himself. Women were soft and beautiful, meant to be cherished and respected. He took what was willingly offered and moved on. Repetition built expectation, and he wasn’t a forever kind of guy.

  His glance fell once more on Abby. Or at least, he hadn’t been before her. Maybe he’d just been waiting to find her. Maybe the animal sharing his body had known things he didn’t, and protected them both, even as he slept. At this point, he didn’t find any possibility preposterous.

  “Holy s
hit! You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” Logan’s comment drew Tah’s attention toward him. He stood just a few feet up the path from Tah and Abby.

  Tah and Abby hurried to reach him, and Tah shook his head as he glanced between Abby and the sight in front of him. “A cabin, huh?”

  Abby laughed. “That’s what he called it. I told you it was a hell of a lot bigger than any cabin.”

  It was so big there was no way it should blend and look natural, but it managed to anyway. As they stood there watching, a woman stepped out on the porch and lifted her hand in greeting. Abby practically vibrated as she saw her.

  “Jess!” she yelled and tugged away from Tah, practically running the last bit of distance to reach her friend.

  Tah was okay, until a man stepped around the corner of the house directly in between the two women. A roar left his mouth before he could hold back, and he was sprinting after her. He was at Abby’s side in an instant. He was fast, but it helped she’d stopped and turned around when he let loose that roar.

  “It’s just Jess, Tah,” she told him, reaching a hand out to rub his chest. “You don’t have to worry about me.”

  “I think he’s more worried about me, sugar,” the man said as he eased back toward the porch, where the woman was heading toward them.

  Tah could feel his lips peeling away to reveal his canines as he continued to growl, making a point of staying between Abby and the man.

  “Abby, this is my husband, Derrick.” Jess stepped next to Derrick and took his hand. Tah watched as Derrick pulled Jess close to his side.

  “He’s fine, Abby. You can trust him.” Jess assured them.

  “Did you hear Jess, Tah? You can trust him.” Abby’s eyes beseeched him to listen, and he was trying. But there was just something about Derrick that rubbed him the wrong way. His scent was off.

  “It’s okay, ladies. Cats and dogs have been fighting for years,” Derrick offered with another laugh. “It’s going to take some time for the two of us to warm up to one another.”

  “Cats and dogs?” Logan asked as he walked up to stand next to Abby and Tah. “I’m not sure I’m ready to hear the rest of this conversation. Not yet anyway.”

  Derrick grinned. “Come on in. We’ll show you to your rooms and let you get settled before we talk.” His eyes seemed to size Tah up before he continued. “I think you got here just in time.”

  Abby started up the steps, and Tah stayed right with her. He couldn’t help the way he positioned himself between her and Derrick. It was an instinct he couldn’t stop. The growl was in his chest as they passed the couple, and Derrick laughed again.

  “Calm down there, pussycat. I’m not your enemy here. Hell, I might just be the only one who can help you.”

  “How do you figure that?” Tah stopped and glanced back at Derrick.

  “No time like the present, huh,” he said as he turned to kiss Jess on the lips. “I’ll just go for a quick run and be back soon.” He was tugging his clothes off as he moved away from them.

  “What the fuck?” Tah said, trying to turn Abby away from the man.

  “Stop.” She slapped at his hands, and the only thing that kept him sane was that he knew she wasn’t lusting after the man stripped down to his underwear in front of them. She was curious.

  “I love that underwear,” Jess yelled just before the whole world shifted out from under Tah’s feet.

  One minute the other man was standing there laughing, and the next he was gone and there was a full grown grey wolf where he had been. The wolf turned and looked at them, and Tah swore it still held Derrick’s grin.

  Want to play tag?

  What the fuck? Derrick’s voice filled Tah’s head as the wolf pranced then took off. Tah could hear Logan sputtering beside him as much in shock as Tah was. And Tah was pretty sure only he had heard the voice after Derrick changed into a wolf.

  Abby glanced over at Jess with a smile. “I see you found your wolves.”

  He knew at this point he should be more like Abby. She’d pretty much convinced him he had a lion inside. But hearing it and starting to accept it was a hell of a lot different from watching someone shift. Holy fuck!

  Tah took it all in. His heartbeat was going crazy. He swore his muscles were burning as that presence inside fought him again, trying to take control and force him to do what it wanted. But Tah couldn’t let go.

  “Tah?” Abby’s voice was panicked and seemed to come from a very long way away.

  His vision started to blur, and he heard Logan swear as the ground swung up to meet him.

  Chapter Eleven

  From the journal of Abby Lane

  I went back to the bar tonight just to see Utah. I managed to force myself to stay away for three nights. They were the longest three nights of my life. I swear I started going through withdrawal from him, and how obsessive does that make me?

  I felt his eyes on me as soon as I walked in. I walked straight to my table on shaky legs, and I was seriously afraid my heart was going to beat out of my chest. I swear Utah was there almost before I was. He took my bag while I slid into the seat.

  He was sick the other night when he was gone and asked if I had caught the bug that seemed to be going around. I laughed and told him I did, and even flirted a bit saying I must have picked it up from him.

  He laughed with me and chatted. I felt like we were friends, like maybe for the first time since I’d walked in here, he knew who I was. And he said he’d missed seeing my smiling face. He missed me. So much for getting over my obsession.

  Still, I think I floated home tonight. He’d noticed I was gone, and he said he missed me. I’m not sure my feet will ever touch the earth again.

  * * * *

  Abby felt her heart freeze inside her as Tah hit the ground beside her.

  “Tah!” His name was a scream piercing the air around her, and she couldn’t get to him fast enough. “Tah.” Her hands were shaking as she tried unsuccessfully to turn him over.

  “Abby, move.” Logan was there, trying to push her out of the way.

  “Tah!” Abby fought the hands pulling at her.

  “Abby!” Jess’s hand connected lightly with her cheek. “Snap out of it and let his friend move him inside.”

  Abby let Jess pull her out of the way as Logan first rolled Tah over. Then with some maneuvering, he managed to get Tah up and over his shoulder.

  “Hurry up and lead the way,” he muttered. “He’s not exactly light.”

  Abby could hear the fear in Logan’s voice.

  “Christ he’s burning up,” Logan exclaimed. “Nice husband you got there, lady.”

  “It’s not Derrick’s fault,” Jess argued.

  “A fucking wolf,” Logan grunted. “I’m losing my fucking mind. I’m going to wake up and find myself tied up in some mental ward.”

  Jess laughed and even Abby had to grin.

  “I saw it too.” Abby felt the need to tell Logan.

  “No offense, Abby, but considering you think Tah’s a lion, that’s not exactly reassuring.”

  “Didn’t you say you were more of a dog person?” Abby reminded him.

  Logan just looked at her.

  She snickered then. God, they all sounded crazy. It was crazy. But after what she’d just seen Derrick do, she was even more convinced she was right and Tah was a descendent of the paka watu.

  “There’s a couch just inside the door on the right. You can put him there. I’ll go grab my bag.” Jess took off while Logan moved to put Tah on the couch.

  Abby was kneeling beside him before Logan could even step out of the way. She clung tightly to one of Tah’s hands while she pushed his hair off his forehead with her other hand.

  “Tah,” she whispered at his ear as she leaned into him. “Can you hear me? I need you to wake up now. You’re scaring me. I don’t like being scared, Tah. I need you.” She lay her head on his chest and couldn’t hold back the tears that slipped free. “You promised you wouldn’t leave me alone. Wake up, Tah. Wake up.
”

  “Abby.”

  She jerked her head up as Tah spoke her name. She planted kisses all over his face. “Oh, God, Tah. You scared me. You really scared me.”

  “I’m sorry, Abby.” Tah shifted as if getting ready to stand up.

  “Lie still,” she said, leaning in to press against him. “You hit pretty hard when you fell. Jess went to get her bag.”

  “I’m okay,” he scoffed and rose up to sit on the couch, tugging Abby into his lap and hugging her close. “I’ll always be okay as long as you’re with me.”

  Abby heard the throat clearing behind them and looked back to see Jess glancing at her strangely.

  “You were going to show us to a room,” Tah prompted huskily. His chest rumbled, and she felt the throbbing of his erection under her buttocks where she sat.

  “Yes.” Jess nodded. “It’s just down the hall this way.”

  Tah shifted and helped Abby stand before taking her hand and leading them in the direction Jess was pointing.

  “Abby, can I talk to you for a minute?”

  Tah rumbled and his fingers tightened on hers.

  Abby was torn. She had so much to talk to Jess about, none quite so important as whether or not she’d heard the news about her father. But Tah was hot and though he wouldn’t admit it, wobbly on his feet. She glanced at Tah and saw the surge of yellow in his brown eyes.

  “Can we talk later? I just want to get Tah settled first.”

  It showed how much he needed her by the fact he let her comment go without argument.

  Jess slowly nodded. “Would you mind if I took a couple vials of blood first? Just to go ahead and get started on some of the tests we’ll need.”

  “We?” Tah asked.

  “I’m more up to date on wolves as I’m sure you understand from seeing my husband. But my dad called in a biologist who’s worked with several zoos with large cats. Her expertise is lions. She should be arriving today as well. Her name is Diane. I think you’ll like her.”

  “We have another one coming as well. I should have spoken to your husband, Derrick.” Tah shook his head. “We may have been followed. I should go out there. Check on Reno.”