A mixture of a growl and laugh came from his throat. “No, love, I won’t hurt you. Once I change, I’ll still be me, just in a different form. A much bigger form. I have one request before I shift.”
She cocked her head to the side, waiting for his request. “What would you like?”
“I want a kiss. If my shifting freaks you out, it might be my last one. Will you kiss me one last time, Tabby?”
She left the bed and eliminated the short distance between them. “You told me yourself this is natural and I’ll have to go through it. Why would I be so freaked that I wouldn’t want to be with you once you’ve shifted?” She stood on her tippy toes, and not waiting for an answer, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. What she thought would have been a sweet peck on the lips turned into a hungry and demanding kiss.
He broke the contact but kept his arms around her waist, still holding her close. “If I don’t do this now, I will take you. As much as I want that, I want our first time to be gentle. If I take you in the mood I’m in right now, I won’t be gentle.”
He slipped out of his clothes and stood in front of the sofa. Her breath caught in her throat as she stood in awe of his body. She wanted to run her hands through his hair to see if it was as soft as it looked. Then explore every inch of him.
“This is going to look painful, but I promise it’s not as bad as you think. Just stay over there until I complete the change. I don’t want to hurt you by accident.”
He stood in front of the sofa and started to shake ever so slightly. Slowly, fur started to come through his skin. The reddish-orange and black hair looked so soft. She took a step forward, wanting to touch it, before remembering his words. She stayed where she was, never taking her gaze off him.
The air seemed to glimmer around him as the sounds of bones breaking filled the small cabin. She grimaced, her heart pounded. Before her very eyes he seemed to snap apart as he morphed into a different shape, forcing him to fall forward toward the floor. Just when it appeared he would hit the ground, his body completed the transition. There in front of her was a tiger, and four large paws supported his massive body. His mere size had her speechless. From head to tail, he had to be eight feet long and likely weighed over four hundred and fifty pounds.
He shook his body, fluffing his hair out, as he observed her. She watched, not moving from near the bed until he lay on the floor softly purring. Taking it as a sign, she moved slowly, gradually inching closer toward him.
Even though she knew he wouldn’t hurt her, she was a little hesitant about rushing up to him. Closing the space between them, she reached out to touch him before lowering herself to sit on the floor next to him.
He lifted his head from between his paws and laid it in her lap. She raised her hand and touched the top of his head. Velvety fur slid across her fingers. As she ran her palm over it, he let out a soft purr and when she rubbed behind his ears, his purring grew louder.
“I don’t know if you can understand me, but you’re picturesque. I have only seen tigers in photographs, but this is amazing.”
He licked her cheek, as if to let her know he understood, and that’s when she noticed his long, sharp teeth. Without thinking, she reached for them but then thought better of it. He must have understood she wanted to touch them because he opened his mouth and moved it closer to her hand. Inching her hand farther away, she closed her eyes, and she could have sworn she heard him say, go ahead, baby, touch them.
She froze in place. She would have bet her life she’d heard him, but she couldn’t have, could she? “I must be crazy,” she said more to herself than him.
You heard me, didn’t you? The voice was in her head, not out loud.
She shook her head. “No, I’m losing my mind. This must be some kind of dream, and I’m going to wake up any moment.”
Tabby, it’s not a dream, you can really hear me. I think we just found out what your power from your father’s line is.
She wanted to turn this into something exciting and enjoyable, but she worried he might be able to hear everything she was thinking. “Does that mean you can hear my thoughts also?”
No, you don’t have to worry. I can’t hear your thoughts now. I might be able to hear them if you project them to me, especially if you’re in your tigress form. I don’t have the gift to hear what others are thinking. But let me tell you you’re amazing. You have taken this all so well. Most people would have run off screaming by now. We normally don’t shift for newbies.
She was still rubbing his head. “You’re pretty amazing yourself, big guy. I needed to see the change. I was starting to freak myself out about how bad it would be. It doesn’t look nearly as awful as I thought it would. The only thing I can’t get over is how much of you that you still are when you’re in tiger form. I was thinking the animal would take over.”
You can feel the animal there, but it’s not all-consuming unless you allow it to be, and that’s when we get rogue shifters. Want to feel the teeth? I know you wanted to earlier but thought I might bite your hand off. Come on, darling, I only nibble.
She chuckled. “Only nibble, huh?” She could have sworn the tiger smiled at her. “I didn’t think you would bite me. I just thought it wasn’t such a good idea. They’re so long and look so sharp.”
Come on, I know you want to.
He opened his mouth, and she hesitantly began to move her hand toward it. He wouldn’t hurt her. He was gentle and loving, but another tiger could turn in a moment. “They are sharp.”
When she moved her hand away from his mouth, he looked up at her. His crystal clear blue eyes gazed at her with so much trust.
Satisfied, love? she heard him say in her head.
“With you changing, yes.” She chose to keep silent about other things she wanted him to satisfy. She wanted him to claim her as his mate. “Do you have to stay like that all nigh—” Before she could finish the sentence, he had changed back to human form. One moment he was a tiger and she was rubbing his head, and the next moment he was a naked man with his head resting in her lap.
“Oh my.” She shivered from the magic in the air.
“I didn’t mean to frighten you. I was anxious to change back and continue what we started before I shifted. That is if you’re still in the mood?” He gave her a cocky grin, as if to say she wouldn’t turn down a naked man in her lap. To wipe the smile off his face, she bent to kiss him.
Their lips met, drawing her in. She wanted, needed, more of him. He leaned up, taking the kiss that began sweet and innocent to an entirely different level. As their kisses grew deeper and more passionate, he slid her turtleneck up, parting their mouths only long enough to lift it over her head.
The sweater was discarded on the floor, and he kissed her neck before slowly working his way down to her breasts. He drew his tongue along the tops of her breasts where the cups of the bra hid the best part from view, then he slipped his hands around back to unhook her bra.
When the bra slid down to join her sweater, a purr filled the space between them, making her freeze.
“Did you just purr at my breasts?” Her voice held the disbelief she felt.
He glanced up at her and nodded slightly. Taking her nipple into his mouth, he rolled his tongue around it before gently placing it between his teeth and pulling. Her thoughts skittered over those huge tiger teeth, but his gentle nipping stole her control. Her back arched, leaving him no choice but to loosen his bite or cause her pain. He removed his mouth from her nipple and slowly kissed his way across to the other one.
He pulled the blanket from the back of the sofa and laid it behind her on the floor, and in a deep sexy drawl, he instructed her, “Lay down, and let me pleasure you.” She stretched out on the blanket, watching him with wanting eyes. He was the only thing she could see.
He leaned over her, claiming her lips before taking his sweet time kissing a path down her body, spending extra time for each breast. As he kissed her abdomen, his fingers worked to unbutton her jeans be
fore he pulled them down her legs. Using her toes, she kicked off her sneakers, allowing her jeans to slide completely off. Once they were out of the way, his teeth latched onto her red bikini panties, tugging until they broke free.
“What the heck?” she gasped as she propped herself up on her elbows.
“My patience wore thin.” He cocked his head to the side, giving her a sly grin.
She had to agree with him there. He’d spent so much time and effort taking off her clothes, it was beginning to feel like torture. She’d never had anyone take her clothes off, and tonight all she wanted to do was be as naked as he was. She wanted every inch of their bare flesh touching.
She caressed his cheek, and he turned his head to kiss her wrist. Her face heated with awareness from the way he was staring down at her. “Let me make this time memorable for you. Mating is supposed to be special and all about the female. Lay back and enjoy this.” She did as he asked, running her hands over his body, feeling the muscles on his skin contract as he moved and the warmth he gave off.
Look at him. I could never get tired of his body. I want to run my tongue over his abs and have his arms wrapped around me as if I am his entire world. Now that would be the life.
She was jolted out of her thoughts by the heat of electricity sparking around their bodies. There was a beauty to it that whipped away any fears she might have had.
“Tabby, I need to ask, are you sure about this? Once I have claimed you as my mate, there’s no going back. We’re not like humans, instead we’ll be mated forever. You won’t be able to divorce me. If you have doubts, it’s best to wait.” There was a gentle quality to him, not only during sex, which would have surprised many. Most would have seen him as menacing and intimidating because of his size. She was lucky enough to see another side of him, a side she was sure not many were afforded.
Propping herself up on her elbow, she kissed him. “I’m sure. As you said, I’m your mate. Why would I want to fight it? I want you.” She kissed him again but this time, she let her desire race through her. She wanted to chase his worries away.
Her hand slid down his chest, letting her nails graze over the skin with just enough pressure. “I need you.”
He leaned in closer, his shaft pressing tight against her thigh. She was captive underneath him, his fingers slid between her legs and teased her bundle of nerves, dragging pleasure from her in hard, hot waves. His mouth claimed her until she moaned around his unrelenting kiss, her fingers reaching up to cup the back of his head, keeping him there. He thrust his fingers into her as his thumb continued to wring more pleasure from her core. It took everything in her not to break away from his lips and scream as desire rushed forward, she was so close.
His teeth grazed her lower lip and he pulled back enough to let her cries of frustration escape. “Not yet,” he whispered, withdrawing his fingers. He caressed every inch of her body, sending moans of ecstasy from between her lips. For such a big man, he was incredibly tender, as though trying to memorize every curve of her body with his hands and mouth.
Heat soared through her blood, impatient and demanding. It had been too long since she had been intimate with another, and she wanted him hard and fast. “I need you.”
He gently eased her legs open farther, giving him enough room to position himself between them. He slipped on top of her, his bulky frame hovering above her as he stared down at her, desire burning in his eyes. His shaft teased along her entrance without entering as he watched her.
“Ty!” She reached up and grabbed his hips, determined to have him inside her.
As if calling his name tore away the last shred of control he had, he drove into her with one powerful thrust. With it came a moan of both pleasure and pain. Even with the foreplay she was still tight, her body wasn’t ready for hard and fast yet, but he’d get her there. He gave her no time to catch her breath before he began rocking in and out, slow enough not to cause pain.
She could feel the cord that reined in his desperation to touch her fraying. He pushed her arms above her head, his mouth claiming hers as his pace quickened. With each pump his hips increased speed, driving the force deeper and faster. Finding a perfect rhythm, their bodies rocked back and forth, tension stretching her tighter as she fought for the release she longed for.
She cried out as her orgasm tore through her. Her nails clawed at his back as she pulled herself tight against him, meeting his thrusts. He pumped twice more and growled her name, his own climax finding him. Eternity stretched on until he collapsed beside her.
Her breath slowly returned to normal and she lay cradled beside him. Now that the act had been completed, the mating energy was pouring through them, connecting them through their thoughts and needs. The urges, intense desires, were like extensions of her own body.
She finally felt like she belonged somewhere. She belonged with him, in his arms. They snuggled together, their hands interlocked. All of a sudden a burning sensation coursed through her right hand.
Whimpering, she pulled away from him as he hissed, and the smell of burning flesh filled the room. In the light she could see there was a moon design burned into the tops of their hands.
Cringing as the pain subsided, she asked, “Did you know it would happen?”
“No, Tabby, I didn’t.” He couldn’t seem to tear his gaze away from their hands as if he couldn’t believe it. “Not really.”
“What do you mean not really? Either you did or you didn’t. Which is it?”
“I’m sorry. I guess I knew there was a chance.”
“How could you? You knew there was a chance of this and you didn’t tell me?” This time she couldn’t keep the pain from her voice. The searing sting from her hand made her testy, leaving him the unfortunate outlet for her discomfort. She was hurt he’d tried to hide something like this from her.
“Let me explain.” He must have taken her silence as a sign she would listen, because he continued. “There hasn’t been a tiger of your line to mate with another tiger in the last eighty-five years. There were rumors it would happen if someone from your line mated with another tiger and not a human, but no one could be sure. It was just information the Elders passed down from generation to generation. I never believed it until now. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but I honestly didn’t think of it.”
She could feel the truth of his words through the mating connection. “So what does this mean?”
“If I remember the story right, it means we’re the highest ranking tigers. Once you mated with me, it brought me into the line. It means we can claim our rightful titles as King and Queen of all the tigers and not just the Alaskan Tigers.” He paused as if gathering his thoughts. “If this is a fact, then I would say everything in the book is true.”
She could feel her eyes widen, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to know but she had to ask. “What book? What does it say?”
“Your father gave me a book to give to you once we were sure you were going to go through the change. No one can open it other than your line, but since I was entrusted with helping you through the change, your father opened it one evening and we read it together. If I remember correctly, it says there will be a female tiger who claims her place as Queen of all tigers and unites us.”
“Where’s this book now?”
He leaned over to kiss her cheek before he shot up onto his feet and grabbed his discarded jeans. “I brought it with me. It’s in my bag in the car.”
Chapter Nine
By the time Ty returned from the car, Tabitha was dressed again and digging around to see if there was anything in the cabinets to make coffee or tea. There was a slight chill in the cabin, causing her to shiver.
He must not have spotted her when he opened the cabin door because there was a slight edge of panic in his voice. “Tabby?”
“I’m over here. It’s chilly in here.” She closed the cabinet door.
He gave her a smug little grin. “Come here, I’ll warm you up.”
“Correct me if I’m wr
ong, but didn’t we just do that?” Grabbing the book from his hands, she gave him a rewarding kiss.
“Honest, I was going to offer to have you sit on my lap while we looked at the book. You would be warm in a matter of moments. Once you go through the transition, your body temperature always runs at one hundred and one. But I do plan to do what you were thinking again later. Come on, we need to find out what’s in store for us…and if there are any more little surprises coming up.” He led her to the sofa. Once there, he grabbed the blanket and set it next to him. “On my lap and I promise to be good.”
She was pretty chilly, and he was right, his body was like her own personal heating blanket. She sat on his lap, and he threw the blanket over them. The heat coming from him made her want to curl into him. He seemed to know what she was thinking and put his big arms around her, pulling her closer. She rested her head against his chest and opened the book.
There was a lock on the side of the book, but when she went to unlock it, it seemed to spring apart.
“It did that for your father too.”
She turned to the first page, and there was a handwritten note addressed to her.
Tabitha,
If you’re reading this letter, I didn’t get to see you grow up, and I’m sorry for that. I’m sure you’re an amazing woman. Hopefully you took after your mother more than you did me. Though if you’re able to open this book, you must be on the brink of going through the change. I always knew you would follow in my footsteps. I’m just sorry I won’t be there to help you through it. But I know you’re in good hands. (Ty, you better take care of my baby.)
Everything you read in this book is true and has been passed down through our family for generations. Now it goes to you. Everything you’ll need to know lies within these pages. I have faith you’ll be able to accomplish much. I’m honored to know it’s my daughter who will bring the tigers together.
Alaskan Tigers Box Set 1 Page 6
