by Leslie Chase
“Who…?” Lenore broke off her question, swallowing her jealousy. If nothing else, the woman was here saving her life, and she should be grateful for that, shouldn’t she? The woman just laughed, pulling away from the curb, driving slowly away.
“Hey, wait, you need to wait for Maxwell!”
“Oh, didn’t he tell you who he was calling, dear?” She said, waving away the question with one hand and steering with the other. “I’m Penelope, Max’s sister. And he’ll just have to keep up, there’s no point in us getting caught here!”
Behind them, the doors burst open under the weight of Maxwell in tiger form and a man in black. The two slammed into the concrete outside with a crunch that Lenore knew would haunt her dreams for a while. The tiger landed on the man’s chest and bounded off after the car. Behind him, more men leapt out of the doorway, pistols cracking as they fired darts after the retreating tiger.
Penelope leaned backwards over the seat, and now she held a pistol of her own. It boomed as she fired over her brother’s head, forcing the men back into cover. Lenore whimpered, resisting the urge to grab the wheel - even distracted and firing backwards, Penelope was driving straighter than she’d manage, woozy as she was feeling.
Behind them, the tiger that was Maxwell raced after the car, catching it easily. He pounced over the back of it, landing in the rear seat as Penelope turned her attention back to the road and accelerated away.
Lenore reached out over her seat, nervously stroking the tiger’s fur, and found a dart lodged in him. She plucked it from his flank and dropped it, gasping as he transformed back into a human. He looked exhausted, nearly asleep, as tired as she felt, but she couldn’t help stare at his gorgeous nudity again. Whatever happened to his clothes when he transformed, they hadn’t come back with him.
“Penny, could you raise the cover? I think I might attract attention…” his voice trailed off, and Lenore realized that there were several other darts lodged in him. Whatever drug they carried was dragging him to sleep even faster than she herself was fading.
“Wouldn’t want that, brother dearest,” Penelope answered, hitting a button on the dashboard and accelerating as the top rose up to cover them. Her gun slipped neatly away under the dashboard and she merged with the London traffic. Lenore tried to speak, but she could barely keep her eyes open.
“Don’t worry,” Penelope’s warm voice reassured her. “You’re safe now. We’ll take care of everything.”
What exactly does that mean? Lenore wondered, slipping into unconsciousness. The last thing that she felt was Maxwell’s hand closing on hers, banishing her worries, and then the warm darkness claimed her.
End of Book One
Continue reading in Book Two, Tiger’s Den
Preview of Tiger’s Den
Tiger’s Sword Book Two
"It's Devi, my ancestor, yes." Maxwell smiled and guided her to stand beside the statue, looking out to sea. Before them, the sheer drop to the sea below opened up, and Lenore could hear the rhythm of the waves. "This was her favorite spot, and Caulley wanted her to feel at home. I can't imagine it was easy getting the statue made in the style of her homeland, but with enough money, that's the kind of problem that can be brushed aside."
Lenore shivered, drawing close to him, feeling the warmth of his body as he folded his arms around her. "It must have been lonely for her, here."
"I expect it was," he said, squeezing her gently. "But she was with her love, and that mattered more to her than being in her homeland. As I said in the house, we never regret the one destiny chooses for us."
He didn't sound entirely convinced by that, and Lenore could see why. He seemed to think that she was his one, his chosen-by-destiny mate, and why wouldn't that put him off the idea? She was hardly the model type that he should be used to, and a man as handsome as Maxwell Walters would have no trouble finding his perfect woman.
She looked away, trying to keep her eyes from tearing up, and found herself looking at the statue, its stone face serene in the face of the vast gulf of miles and cultures between here and Devi's home. It helped a little, making her own troubles seem insignificant in comparison to a woman who'd uprooted herself so thoroughly to be with the man she loved.
"What's wrong, Lenore?" Maxwell's voice was full of concern. "What did I say?"
"It's nothing. I don't have any claim on you, I know that, and you don't… don't seem to want…"
Her words trailed off as he took hold of her chin and gently turned her face up to meet his stern gaze.
"Lenore Kimble," he said, with steel in voice that wouldn't be denied. "You are never to doubt that I want to be with you, am I clear? That is never in question."
"But..." Helplessly, she trailed off again.
"No buts. You, Lenore, are perfect for me, and I will not have you doubting that. I will be cross with you if I catch you doubting that, or me. Understand?"
All Lenore could do was nod. His sincerity, his need for her, was clear in his voice, and his eyes glowered intensely into hers. Her breath caught as he pulled her to him, kissing her firmly on the mouth, sending tremors of need running through her body. His strong arms lifted her, and he pushed her back against a tree, pinning her there with a kiss, his tongue meeting hers urgently, his hands roaming over her, caressing her curves.
About the Author
Leslie Chase
I love writing, and especially enjoy writing sexy paranormal romance. It lets my imagination run free and my ideas come to life! When I’m not writing, I’m busy thinking about what to write next or researching it – yes, damn it, looking at castles and swords counts as research.
If you enjoy my books, please let me know with a review. Reviews are really important and I appreciate every one. If you’d like to be kept up to date on my new releases, you can sign up for my email newsletter by following this link.
My website can be found at here
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Email me at [email protected]
My books:
Tiger’s Sword
A four-part paranormal romance serial:
Book One: Tiger’s Hunt
Book Two: Tiger’s Den
Book Three: Tiger’s Claws
Book Four: Tiger’s Heart
