The Tiger's Pregnant Bride

by Bonnie Burrows

  “It’s okay, now you know.”

  Egan returned his attention to the line and stepped into place in front of the register when the man before him moved out of the way. He ordered quickly, and moved aside to wait for their food. Their number was called quickly and Egan grabbed the tray in one hand, having Morgan walk ahead of him so he wouldn’t lose sight of the boy. A strange tingle ran up his arms, sending an electric current up his back and neck. The hair on his neck stood on end, and Egan knew he was being watched.

  Trying to appear casual, he scanned the airport as they sat at the table Morgan chose. Could they have been spotted already? Egan’s gaze stopped on a man in tan slacks, his face oddly familiar. The man made eye contact and slipped behind a pillar and into a tiny store. Now he knew that he wasn’t imagining the feeling.

  Part of him wanted to get up and follow the man, to confront him and demand to know what he was doing. But he wondered if that was the goal, to separate him from Morgan, leaving the child vulnerable. He wouldn’t do that. It was too much of a risk, even in the crowded airport.

  There was also the possibility that the man wasn’t following them, and had only appeared to make eye contact across the vast distance. Egan conceded that the man really wasn’t close enough to tell what color his eyes were, let alone what he actually looked at before ducking into the store.

  But Egan wasn’t convinced. Never prone to paranoia, he had to believe the feeling meant something. The man was here for a reason, and until Egan figured out how that pertained to him and Morgan, he couldn’t let his guard down. Not even for a moment.

  “You need to hurry, buddy. We can take the rest with us.”

  Morgan’s face fell. One burger in and he still felt as if he was starving. He didn’t know if he could wait until they got into the car. Egan packed the food up and put it in the to go bag with the extra burgers. He grabbed Morgan’s hand as the boy finished the last bite of his sandwich, pulling him with him towards the car rental counter.

  **

  Egan had reserved the car with his flight, filling out as much of the paperwork online as he could the night before. The agent was quick, seemingly unbothered by Egan constantly scanning the crowd as the man handed him a few papers to initial and sign.

  Egan saw the strange man move into the crowd, head ducked slightly to help him blend in as he rode the human current closer to them. The rental agent handed Egan the keys and Egan all but dragged Morgan into the lot with him to find the car. To his dismay, the car was at the end of an impossibly long line of cars, and Morgan was losing steam. The child trudged along as Egan pulled him, mentally ticking off the distance from the door to the car, and from them to the car. His hair stood on end once more when the glass door opened behind them, closing with a lazy whoosh of air and an ominous click.

  They were alone in the parking garage with the man, with nowhere to go and no way of getting help. Angry and left with no choice, Egan spun and walked towards the man, his face contorted with rage. The man stopped, surprised to see Egan advancing on him suddenly. He held up his hand, gesturing Egan to stop his advance. Egan continued and the man stood his ground.

  “You always were just like your father. Foolish and headstrong, never willing to stand by and let things fall into place naturally.”

  “How do you know my father? Who are you?”

  “I’ve known you since you were just a little cub, Egan. I was at your parents’ funeral. You might not remember me, but I certainly remember you.”

  The man turned his attention to Morgan, who was cowering behind his uncle, having realized something was really wrong with the situation. He put out his hand and offered it to Morgan, smiling widely at the little boy. “You must be Sable’s little guy, Morgan. You’re a handsome boy, that’s for sure.” Morgan took his hand shyly, pumping it up and down like he’d watched the men on the television do it.

  “Who are you?”

  “Terrence. I’ve come for the two of you, though I suspect I’ll only be leaving here with the boy.”

  “You’re not leaving here with anyone.”

  “On the contrary, Egan. Your brother is furious you’d put yourself and his child in harm’s way. I offered to come get you before Olivia finds out what you’ve done. I also realized you didn’t come for the human woman, so you must have something else driving you. I didn’t discuss it with Sable, but my money’s on a fated mate.”

  Egan’s face was easy to read as he said the words. Terrence smiled at him, nodding in understanding.

  “I’ve been there myself. It’s a strong force to fight, and the look in your eye says you’ve been fighting it awhile. I’ll take the boy to safety, and you can go off and find your mate. I won’t fight you. I’m much too old for that. You can deal with your brother once you’ve found her, but don’t put Morgan in danger in the process.”

  Egan struggled, but Terrence was right. He couldn’t protect Morgan and find his mate.

  “How do I know I can trust you?”

  “How did I know the child’s name if I wasn’t sent by your brother?”

  Egan couldn’t explain it, though he had his doubts. Something inside of him told him that this man could be trusted. But Egan couldn’t know for sure if that was his soul screaming to chase his mate or reality.

  “Egan, we don’t have a lot of time to talk about this. It will be dark soon, and we’re a full hour away from the house. I’ll be pushing curfew as it is, and I don’t want to get caught out with the child. He’s been put in enough danger, don’t you think?”

  Egan scowled at the man, offended by his implications. But he knew that Terrence had a point, and they all needed to leave before curfew was imposed.

  “Do you have a plan Egan, or are you just hoping she’ll magically appear?”

  “I’m going to follow my gut, and when it gets dark, I’ll stop and start again at first light. I’m not leaving without her.”

  Egan kneeled beside Morgan, pulling him in for a quick hug. “You be good for Terrence. I’ll see you soon.” Morgan threw his arms around his uncle, hugging him tight around his neck and kissing his cheek.

  “I will.”

  Egan stood, handing the bag of burgers to Terrence. Morgan bounced beside Terrence as they walked away, pulling his carry-on behind him. Egan jogged to the end of the row and got into the car. Leaving Morgan with a practical stranger wasn’t in his original plans, but it was probably much safer than locking him in a hotel room. And if Sable sent him, than he must be trustworthy. Sable. He’d deal with that mess when he finished tracking down the woman of his dreams. Until then, he had more important things to deal with than his angry brother.

  Morgan slipped his hand inside Terrence’s withered one, tugging on the old man’s heart-strings with his sweetness.

  “Are we going to see Mommy and Daddy now?”

  “All in good time, little tiger. All in good time.”

  **

  Darkness shrouded the forest surrounding the cabin. Gary and Tom paced constantly, peering into the black night, waiting for any sign that the shifters were moving in.

  “Do you suppose they’re coming tonight?” Gary asked.

  Tom resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Gary was a “Grade A” idiot, and Tom couldn’t stand him. He hoped Gary would die in the crossfire when the time came. He smiled to himself at the thought. With bullets flying, it wouldn’t be hard to take the man out without anyone being the wiser.

  “Tonight or tomorrow. They’ve been casing the other hideouts. It’s only a matter of time before they find this place. When they do, we’ll be ready.”

  Gary nodded, his eyes glazing over and a goofy grin spreading across his face. He’d been going on about Grace all day, and Tom was about sick of him. He could have her if he wanted, but he doubted any amount of time would make her fall in love with Gary, as he claimed. The way he told it, the new world order would be ushered in after this battle and he’d rise to power beside Laskin, taking Grace as his wife in the process. It was
all Tom could do to keep from laughing at the man.

  A branch snapped in the woods and the man stopped, bringing the night vision binoculars up to their eyes to search the forest. A single man walked out of the woods and strode towards the man. Gary put his binoculars down and put his hand out to lower Tom’s shotgun.

  “It’s only Laskin.”

  Laskin walked quickly, bearing down on them, his face twisted in a sneer. “Two sedans turned off the highway towards the north cabin. They won’t be here tonight, the fools are too busy chasing their tails.”

  Laskin went up the steps and into the house, letting the door slam behind him. He called out over his shoulder. “I hope I don’t have to tell you that you still need to be on watch.”

  “No Sir, you don’t.” Gary was quick to answer, and Tom was thankful for the darkness. An idiot and a brownnoser, Gray made Tom’s skin crawl and his face itch to punch something.

  “I’m going to make rounds, Gary. Unless you want to.” Gary looked back at the door, surely thinking about Grace, lying there alone in the house. Laskin would be holed up in his office, locked away for hours on end, leaving Gary practically alone with Grace.

  “I’ll go, Gary. Spend some time with her. Maybe today will be better for you two.” His voice was dripping with sarcasm as he clapped Gary on the back heartily, but the fool was too stupid to notice. He nodded and went into the door, leaving Tom to do the rounds on his own.

  Grabbing a flashlight and shoving his firearm into his waistband, he headed off into the night. The cabin had a solid acre of cleared land around it, making it difficult for anyone to sneak out of the woods without being seen before they reached the building. Still, the moonless night was working against them, and Tom silently wished for a full moon.

  He walked quickly along the edge of the forest, swinging the flashlight back and forth lazily, searching the ground for footprints that didn’t belong. The cabin to the north was several miles away, and Tom was as assured as Laskin that they wouldn’t be there that night. There had been more than one report the night before of shifters spotted lurking around the other strongholds, searching in vain for their friend.

  A movement ahead of him caught his eye, his hand moving to rest on the butt of his gun. He panned the light in the direction of the shadow, lighting up a young opossum that froze as soon as the light touched it. Tom laughed, pulling out his gun to take aim at the helpless creature.

  An arm went around his neck and he was pulled off his feet. He dropped the gun, reaching up to claw at the arm cutting off windpipe. He gurgled and flailed, trying unsuccessfully to shake off the hold Sable had on him. The world began going dark, and his last thought was to wonder if the opossum he was about to shoot would scavenge from his body before he was completely dead.

  The man went completely limp, though Sable held him a few more moments for good measure before dropping him to the ground. He whistled low, and three shadowy figures moved out of the tree line and fanned out around the cabin.

  Olivia hung back, bringing up the rear. She bent down and picked up Tom’s firearm, giving him a good kick in the chest as she walked by. Sable smiled to himself. He didn’t want Olivia here, but he knew he couldn’t stop her. He was enjoying angry Olivia.

  He crept along the outside of the cabin, sticking to the shadows while the others went around the back. Olivia was behind him, waiting for the all clear to follow him inside.

  Sable stopped, holding his breath as he listened. He could hear a man talking, his voice rising now and again with anger. Grace’s voice was low, but the venom in each word was obvious as she defied her captor over and over.

  He motioned to Olivia as he quietly opened the door and stepped into the house. The other shifters remained outside, watching for reinforcements sneaking in. Rescuing Grace from two humans was too easy. Much too easy, and they weren’t going to be caught unawares.

  Sable saw the light around the closed door in front of them and the man’s voice coming from the other side. Grace was arguing with him, and for now, he was occupied. Sable went left, clearing the other two rooms before motioning to Olivia to come in. The man outside and the man in the room with Grace were alone. Sable listened for any signal from the men outside, but the night remained quiet.

  Olivia slipped into the cabin and to Sable’s right, back against the wall, waiting for his cue. He kicked in the door and rushed in, taking down a surprised Gary. Grace was sitting on the floor, beaten and bound, one eye swollen shut from the blows she’d taken from Gary. Olivia rushed into the room, kneeling behind her friend and untying her hands. She tossed the rope to Sable, who bound Gary’s hands tightly behind him and yanked the man up off the floor.

  Olivia stood in one swift motion, sucker punching Gary in the face before turning her attention back to her friend. She untied her feet and helped her up, pulling her in for a quick hug. Sable took the rest of the rope, trying unsuccessfully to tie Gary’s feet before slamming the man to the floor and hog tying him.

  **

  They hurried out the door, Olivia in the lead and Sable bringing up the rear with Grace in between them. They ran out the door and Sable whistled shrilly to let the others know they had Grace.

  A man stepped out of the shadows. Olivia gasped and reeled backwards, unable to hide her shock at Laskin’s hideously scarred face as he emerged from the shadows. Behind him, the other shifters lay motionless. He stood between them and freedom, his gnarled face twisted in a sickening smile. Laskin let out a low whistle, and scores of men stepped out of the dark woods behind him.

  “Going somewhere, shifter?” The words dripped from his lips, his voice slightly deeper than Olivia remembered it. “What’s the matter, Sable? Did you think I was dead?”

  “I knew you were alive the moment I couldn’t find your body in the woods. No surprise that you need an army behind you to face me again.”

  Laskin smiled at Sable, chuckling softly. “I can’t wait to get my hands on that little boy of yours, to make your entire family an example. When I’m through with you, it will only be a matter of time before people are calling on me to run for president. I’ll rule this country, and all those who dare cross me will be executed.”

  “They’ll never elect a shifter.”

  Laskin leaned in, his voice pitched low, “Do you think these stupid humans know what I am? When I rise to power, they’ll be the first to go.” Laskin stepped back, addressing the men over his shoulder. “Kill them!”

  The men moved towards Sable and the women, holding the semi-circle to trap them. Sable lunged at Laskin, grabbing the man and pulling him down in the dirt. Both men began throwing punches while the others continued advancing on Olivia and Grace. Olivia pulled out Tom’s gun, firing wildly into the group.

  Sable looked up, surprised for a moment. Laskin kicked him off, using the distraction to pin Sable beneath him. He pulled out a knife, going in for the kill. Sable held his wrists, struggling to keep the knife from his throat. Laskin was surprisingly strong, and the knife nicked Sable’s throat more than once.

  The men stood away from Sable and Laskin, the two men rolling in the dirt and blocking them from Grace and Olivia. The men cheered on Laskin, whooping with delight each time the knife connected with Sable’s skin.

  Sable held fast, putting the danger out of his mind as he began to shift. He hurried his body, the pain ripping through him as he changed from human to tiger. With a final cry, he threw Laskin off him and into the dirt beyond. Laskin hit the ground with a thud, stunning him. Sable advanced on him, and the group of men turned their attention from the women to Laskin and Sable. They stood their ground, but they were ready to step in with a single word from Laskin.

  Laskin’s face contorted with rage. He stood as Sable came closer, his face defiant. The men watched him, many with their hands on their weapons, waiting for a reason and an opportunity to shoot Sable dead without hitting their leader.

  Tom stood closest to Laskin, back from the others, standing without a weapon. His
brow furrowed as he watched Laskin, while the rest of the men were trained on the advancing Sable. Tom blinked rapidly, certain his eyes were deceiving him as Laskin’s hands appeared to elongate and hair began to appear. His gaze slid up to Laskin’s head, and he noticed the man’s head and shoulders widening.

  Tom cried out over the sound of the men shouting, pointing at Laskin. “He’s one of them!”

  Laskin turned, his face a mix of human and tiger features, the shiny silver hair sprouting in random places as his body continued to shift. Tom couldn’t believe his eyes. “He’s a half-breed!” Too late, Laskin turned back to Sable. He would deal with the humans later. Sable slammed into Laskin, who was mid-shift. He went down hard, completing the shift in his anger.

  Sable and Laskin were a blur of silver and orange coat as they fought. Olivia grabbed Grace’s hand, dragging the stunned woman towards the road and away from the men, who were watching the fight in horror.

  Sable landed on top of Laskin, pinning him to the ground and roaring mightily. He surveyed the crowd, noting the angry look on each face. They were staring at Laskin, completely oblivious to Sable. Moving off of Laskin, Sable walked away slowly, his back to Laskin. As he walked, he shifted back to human, his body gradually transforming with each step.

  Laskin called out to him, out of breath, stumbling in human form towards Sable. “Coward! Do not walk away from me! We will end this, now!”

  He turned to face Laskin, looking the angry man right in the eye. “You’re a disgrace. You let your anger rule your world, and you nearly destroyed mine in the process. Don’t worry about me, you have bigger problems.” He angled his head towards the men lined up around Laskin. Laskin’s face paled as he seemed to notice the men for the first time. Their angry glares were trained on him, and they each took menacing steps towards him, closing the gap.

  Sable was walking away when he heard Laskin scream, begging the men for his life, and reminding them that he was their leader. Sable jogged towards the road, eager to get to Olivia and Grace. Before he hit the road, Laskin’s cries had died. He’d left the world much how he’d lived it, an angry, sniveling weasel of a man that no one would care to mourn.