Tiger's Strength

by Kimberly A Rogers

  I glanced at the dresser mirror and decided to let the curling strands of hair that had escaped to frame my face stay. Taking Baran’s proffered arm, I also pressed a kiss to his cheek. Then quickly wiped away the lipstick I left there because I just knew that Venetia wasn’t going to turn a blind eye to such a blemish, much less beam happily like my mother always did when it happened.

  When we entered the huge dining room, I was struggling against the urge to gawk. And also ignore my leopard’s suggestion that we leap up to the highest row of shelves . . . since they were sitting empty. It was only ten feet up. I could make it. I quickly pushed the leopard back down before I could follow through on her instincts and focused my attention on the Tigers in the room. Venetia stood at one end of the table, her husband at the other, while Madoc was leaning his forearms against the back of the chair directly across from us. Baran led me to the empty side of the table but Venetia raised a slim, milk white hand before he could pull my chair out.

  The TDS stopped and I could almost feel the tension radiating from him as he raised an eyebrow at his mother. “Is something the matter?”

  Her golden gaze raked over me and then turned on Baran as she coolly responded, “Is this what you think is appropriate for supper?”

  She didn’t give anyone a chance to speak as her gaze flicked back to me and I could almost feel it cutting into my skull . . . or, perhaps more accurately, my ears. It amazed me that her voice remained so frostily proper even as the heavy almost oily stench of derision dripped through her scent. “This is a Therian household of pureblood and you think an Elven style is appropriate. It only draws attention to the most unfortunate of your traits. You should at least be old enough to know that it is proper manners to cover one’s ears in any formal setting.”

  I could feel the blood drain from my face and barely resisted the instinctive compulsion to cover my slightly pointed ears with my hands. Yes, I knew about the antiquated piece of Therian etiquette that dictated women were to conceal their ears at a formal meal, but no one followed it anymore. Except, apparently, Baran’s mother. Part of me wanted to point out that the antiquated practice was no longer continued in the king’s court. However, that would just throw cooking oil on a kitchen fire, and I wasn’t going to make things worse. I took a slow breath to steel my emotions and then bowed my head slightly. “My apologies, I did not intend to cause offense.” I hesitated over speaking further, but pressed on with following the formula as I asked, “Is my attire suitable?”

  Venetia looked me over an agonizingly long time, but then she finally lowered her chin just enough to be considered a nod. “It will do for tonight. Though, I hope you have brought better for at least the Thanksgiving meal.”

  A tendril of relief uncurled in my gut. Since she didn’t fault my dress, I wouldn’t have to go change. Thank the Creator. Now I just needed to remember that Venetia was not only reserved, she was rather old school when it came to appearances. However, I could cover my ears for a few days if it would keep the peace.

  Baran seemed to think the issue was resolved as well since he reached the closest chair and pulled it out. I had only taken a step toward it, however, when Venetia’s cool voice interrupted once more. “I said your hair was inappropriate. You will go change it to something more suitable before you may join us for the meal.”

  She wasn’t supposed to demand I go away. I hesitated and glanced at Baran hoping he could clue me in to what I should do now. I didn’t know. I didn’t think she had the right to demand I change my hair when the rest of my dress had been deemed appropriate. But since Baran was my husband and her son, he was the one who had final say. The TDS wouldn’t even look me in the eye when he gave a curt nod.

  I spun on my heel and left the dining room and those Tigers as fast as I could without looking like I was running away. However, I couldn’t escape the sinking feeling that maybe there was another reason that Baran had been so reluctant to bring me to meet his family. Something I hadn’t expected to encounter between Baran’s ingrained sense of honor and Genevieve’s happy acceptance of me in May. I was starting to regret ever answering that phone call.

  ΘΘΘΘΘΘ

  Baran

  Only a few strained moments passed before Raina returned with her hair hanging in loose curls down her back and her slightly pointed ears were completely covered. She looked lovely. She always looked lovely no matter what she did with her hair, but this time the change to her hair rubbed my fur the wrong way. The tiger in me stirred unhappily when Raina darted an uncertain glance at me as I pulled her chair out for her. But, I couldn’t say anything yet. I didn’t want to try to explain why I had capitulated to Venetia’s ridiculous demands . . . at least not in a room with the same three Tigers we would be discussing. It would only make things harder on Raina.

  As I took my own seat, I could only pray that my mother would at least hold back the barbs for a little while. To my relief, the meal began in utter silence. Even Madoc managed to keep his unsolicited opinions to himself. My only regret was the way Raina had withdrawn and now barely looked up from her plate. She was also picking at her food.

  I rested my left hand on her knee and squeezed lightly, but even that didn’t earn me more than a wary glance. I hadn’t quite determined what my next course of action should be when Roderick turned his attention to us. I had ensured she sat on my left because I thought Roderick would be least likely to attack or harass her than either Venetia or Madoc, but I wasn’t entirely certain I liked that he was paying attention to her at all. Still Roderick’s tone remained civil as he politely inquired, “Raina, your father is a member of King Caderyn’s council is he not?”

  “He is.” Raina glanced at me again and then a little smile appeared as she turned back to Roderick. “My . . . father was military, but he chose to retire early.”

  “And what rank did he achieve?” Venetia suddenly asked.

  “Commandant.”

  “I see,” came the cool reply. Venetia took a sip of her wine and then peered at Raina again. “Perhaps if your father had not retired so soon, he might have at least risen to the rank of general.”

  Raina shrugged. “He’s often said he did better as commandant than he felt he could as general and now he serves on the council. It satisfies him and allows him to stay close to home.”

  “And, what is it you do?” Roderick quickly interjected before my mother could say anything else.

  I forced myself to take another bite of the duck she had insisted on serving. Never mind that it should have been something more substantial like venison with four Tigers at the table. Raina straightened her shoulders slightly and her smile grew just a hair wider as she brushed her hair back from her face. “I am a Tracker.”

  “Are you indeed?” Roderick looked genuinely impressed. My hopes that the conversation was over died when he continued studying Raina with interest. “May I ask what rank?”

  “I am the field commander of the Roanoke field office.” A simple statement that carried no hint of boasting. If there was one thing I admired about Raina, it was her lack of hubris. It would perhaps offer a slight shield to Venetia’s continued censure.

  “Roanoke?” Roderick repeated softly. “A rather large territory, is it not? Since it encompasses both the colony and the Blue Ridge Mountains as well as Roanoke, Virginia.”

  My mate offered a little smile. “It is one of the larger territories on the Eastern Seaboard.” She paused, then her smile widened slightly. “Excluding Maine, of course.”

  Roderick offered a polite smile in response to Raina’s attempt at humor. “Yes, we are even more isolated out here. Canada is only a short walk from here, but it is a good environment for Tigers. Now, as a Tracker, what would you consider your most interesting hunt?”

  Raina brightened considerably. She leaned forward slightly as she said with another wider smile. “I definitely have to pick the hunt for the Beast of Bray Road. Baran and I hunted him in May, and we caught him before he caused a true disaster
in Elkhorn.”

  “Isn’t Elkhorn a human settlement?” Madoc interjected.

  I glared at him, but he was too busy watching our mother to notice. Venetia’s expression hardened when Raina nodded. “Yes, that is what made this hunt one of the most unique I’ve ever been on . . . thankfully, Baran was with me. This hunt was so complicated that I doubt I could have solved it on my own. Although, we did have a few close calls with some of the humans.”

  I wished she hadn’t said that or anything else on the matter. Venetia cut a cool disapproving glare at me before she turned her icy gaze on my mate. “It would seem that all Trackers share the same sense of recklessness and foolhardiness, after all. It goes far to explain your behavior thus far, as no Tracker I have met has possessed either poise or polished manners. In fact, I find your apparent insistence on pursuing a Therian matter into human territory so openly to be nothing short of reckless.”

  Raina glanced at me, but didn’t say a word. Still, I knew that look. I knew what she was thinking . . . that my mother and I held similar opinions about the wisdom of that particular hunt. And, I didn’t like it. Not at all. A growl tinged my words, but I didn’t care as I addressed my mother. “The hunt for the Beast of Bray Road was a risky one, yes. But, it was a very good thing that we took that risk since it cut out one of Cunningham’s most potent weapons against our lines of defense. He can no longer point to the Beast of Bray Road as a reason to abolish the Shadowed Lands treaty.”

  “That human is not an excuse for reckless behavior. Politicians have come and gone, many of them proclaiming the fallacies of Auberon and his elves. I think there are more than enough reasons that our people should no longer hide behind the Elves. The time of persecution and the Great Purge is over. There are others who walk openly among humans, especially in the Old World, since that time.” Venetia cut a sharp look toward my mate as she added with icy haughtiness, “Many of the traditions put into place during those days should be replaced, especially since the dangers of breeding with inferior blood now outweigh the so called need for strengthening ties between Elves and Therians.”

  Tension filled the room as everyone stilled in response to Venetia’s words. Raina wasn’t even breathing though her eye color had changed to Therian gold. Roderick cleared his throat. The sound was harsh in the sudden silence as he gave Venetia a warning look. “My dear, I do not think now is the time to discuss the matter.”

  I ignored him as I focused on my mother. The tiger in me seethed, and I fought the impulse to roar a challenge. Instead, I forced my tone to remain even and shielded my emotions behind a wall of impassiveness as I responded, “On the contrary, the tensions that have been building between pureblood and Elf-born over the last year and a half are a perfect example of why peace marriages are still necessary in this day and age.”

  Disapproval flashed in my mother’s eyes and for the tiniest second, the Tiger ghosted over her face. Her voice was as hard and unforgiving as ice when she hissed, “For some, perhaps. Those whose bloodlines were already inferior. Yet, you have singlehandedly tainted one of the oldest and most honored bloodlines in Clan Felidae by agreeing to marry this half-breed chit.”

  I didn’t have the opportunity to defend my mate before Venetia turned her attention to her. “Are you with child?”

  Raina drew a ragged breath as she dropped her gaze to her plate, her empty fork hovering over the food still piled high on its surface. She shook her head as she answered in a low voice, “I am not.”

  “Good, then you two may cease your pretense at being a happy couple and stay in separate rooms. I am quite certain that you are accustomed to such an arrangement. There is no need to pretend otherwise in my house since I know that you, Baran, only brought your wife here out of duty.”

  I caught the pungent whiff of hurt before it faded beneath Raina’s cinnamon and vanilla perfume. Before anyone could say anything, she shoved her chair back. She wouldn’t look at any of us as she dipped a slight curtsey and then fled from the room.

  The tiger in me stirred, pushing against my control, because his mate was upset and hurt. I clamped down on an irate roar as I shoved my own chair back and rose. Clenching my fists, I glared at my mother. Venetia actually dared to act entirely unperturbed by the fact that Raina had been driven into fleeing from the table. She took a bite of her duck as she persisted in ignoring my glare. I shook my head at her and an unvoiced roar provided a vibrating timbre to my words. “You go too far, Venetia.”

  I didn’t speak further. I ignored the hot angry words that I would have been more than content to aim at my mother under different circumstances. Fortunately, for the peace of the house and my own honor, I was driven to seek out Raina rather than continue quarreling with the Tigress. Hurrying through the lodge, I followed her scent. The underlying layers of hurt grew stronger until her perfume was nearly overwhelmed as I rushed toward the room we had been given.

  Flinging the door open, I paused just inside the room when I caught sight of her. She had shifted into her Beast and now sat at the window, tail curled around her paws, as she gazed out. I closed the door silently and then locked it. Raina broke the silence first. “When you said she was reserved, I thought you meant your kind of reserved. You were certainly correct about her being the total opposite of my ama. But, she is in a whole ‘nother region when it comes to reserved because you at least have never been intentionally cruel.”

  I hated that I heard tears in her voice. The fact she was so upset that I could still hear tears in her voice when she was a Leopard only bore further witness to the depth of her hurt. “I’m sorry, Raina. She never should have said those things to or about you. I’m sorry I couldn’t make her stop before she hurt you.”

  Raina shifted back to her mortal form, still in her formal dress, and looked at me. Moonlight played across her face, but fortunately didn’t highlight any tear tracks on her cheeks. I crossed to her and wrapped my arms around her holding her tight as I ran a hand over her copper colored locks. I pressed a kiss to her hair. This was why I hadn’t wanted to bring her.

  I guided her over to the bed and got her to sit on the edge. Bending down, I brushed her hair back from her face and tucked it behind her pointed ears. My fingers lingered over their slight points, brushing across them gently and earning a shiver from my mate. When she looked up at me, her eyes were Therian gold and liquid hurt shimmered in them. I pressed a light kiss to her lips.

  Kneeling on the floor in front of her, I took her right foot in my hands and slid off her shoe. I weighed our options as I lightly massaged the top of her foot. “We can leave in the morning,” I murmured as I switched to her other foot. Tugging her shoe off, I added, “I would leave tonight, but the road travels through enough unsafe areas that it wouldn’t be wise to risk night travel. I don’t want to put you in danger if I can keep from it.”

  Raina pulled her foot out of my grasp and she bristled as she snapped, “I am not going to let that snooty Tigress chase me off. As unpleasant as she has chosen to be, she still isn’t as scary as Matahari. I’m certainly not going to yield to a Tigress I don’t even respect.” Her breath caught and then her eyes widened as she shot me a nervous glance. “I’m sorry.”

  “Raina, it is nothing.”

  “No.” She shook her head. “No, I . . . I had no reason for my behavior. I shouldn’t be ungracious to your mother. Forgive me, I was just . . . rattled.”

  I stood up and then sat beside her, wrapping an arm around her. I was grateful she still leaned into my embrace. Pressing a kiss to her temple, I stroked her hair with my free hand before rumbling, “If anyone has cause to be ungracious in this house, it is most certainly you. You are being too kind to her.”

  “Did she know that you had a peace marriage? Before you showed up with your half-breed mate, that is.”

  “Don’t call yourself that, Raina,” I scolded. I tilted her chin up so our eyes met as I continued, “No. I didn’t take the time to send a personal message to her when it happened. However
, she knew before we came here today that I have a peace marriage and that you are Elf-born. I’m certain Genevieve told her if she somehow missed the announcement of the peace marriages from the Week of Weddings.”

  Raina somehow found a way to offer a tremulous smile and hurt’s heavy scent gave way to the lighter one of hope. “It’s probably my fault for accidentally insulting her earlier.” Before I could disabuse her of that notion, she asked, “Do you think I could still win her over? I mean I succeeded in growing on you, right?”

  I didn’t even understand why she was even willing to try anymore. “Yes, you grew on me.” I paused deliberately and then deadpanned, “Like a barnacle.”

  To my relief, Raina gave a watery laugh. “That is a horrible thing to say. I’m distraught, you know, and you call me a barnacle.”

  My lips twitched before I smothered the smile and feigned a contemplative tone. “I thought it sounded better than calling you a burr. Those you can eventually remove.” I tightened my hold around her as I continued, “Barnacles, on the other hand, tend to stick around no matter what you try to do to remove them. Eventually you simply grow to accept their presence because apparently they’re too stubborn to give up.”

  My mate laughed softly, sounding more herself. Her scent indicated her emotions were better as well, steadying as amusement and love suffused her scent with warmth. All of it served to soothe my lingering agitation over the dinner. She rested her head against my shoulder as she wrapped both arms around me, a smile playing over her lips. “You realize you’re very fortunate that I am finding this funny, yes?”

  “I am aware of my good fortune, yes.” I ran my fingers through her hair, making sure the copper colored locks fell behind her ear so she couldn’t hide her face from me. Deliberately trailing a finger over the tip of her ear, I felt her shiver in response. A smile tugged at my mouth as I mused, “I count myself to be among the most fortunate of Therians to be blessed with your presence in my life.”