Tiger's Strength

by Kimberly A Rogers

  Baran sighed. He looked rather put upon as he grumbled, “You want to trade stories. Of what?”

  I pulled my charm necklace out. “I’ll tell you the story behind any charm of your choice.”

  “In exchange for what?”

  I took a deep breath. “In exchange for you telling me about your father, Badir.”

  What little expression had crept back into my mate’s face vanished. He shook his head. “No.”

  “Baran, I’m sorry.” I touched his arm before he completely walked away as I added, “I just thought . . . I wanted to know about him because I think you inherited far more than your looks and height from him. But, you don’t have to talk about it.”

  This time I didn’t wait for him to decide to answer. Instead, I kissed his cheek before I went to get ready for bed. He was pacing the room when I emerged from the bathroom and wouldn’t look at me. I suppressed a sigh as regret and chagrin rose to the fore. Well done, Raina, you’ve only made things worse. When will you learn to shut up before speaking?

  I touched my charm necklace as I climbed into bed. The gold two inch tall sitting leopard, the copper ash leaf, simple gold cross, large antique seal ring, and my newest addition, a pre-persecution charm depicting a Tiger head with determined orange eyes with a Leopard beneath his chin, emerald eyes gazing up at him fondly and both Beasts’ necks were encircled with a band of pearl with the word Cariad etched into it. Rubbing my fingers over the Tiger and Leopard, I spoke softly, “Do you know that Cariad is my favorite of these charms? When you gave it to me on our anniversary, I thought it was gorgeous. You picked something so . . . open when you chose the charm that said Beloved. I loved everything that said to me about us, about what you believe about us.”

  I gazed up at the ceiling wondering if this was doing any good at all. I didn’t dare risk looking at him even as I heard his steps slow briefly, and my skin prickled with the awareness of his gaze. I hesitated only a moment before I continued talking in the same soft, low tone as before. “I love you, Baran. I just want to understand you too. I won’t ask any more questions. I know you have all your reasons lined up for why you don’t talk about your past and that’s okay. You don’t even need to tell me those, okay? Just . . . Try not to spend the whole night pacing. It’s bad for your blood pressure.”

  Silence was the only answer. I closed my eyes admitting defeat. Being stubborn now would only drive a wedge between us, and I would do anything to keep that from happening again.

  I had almost fallen asleep when the TDS finally crawled into bed with me. His fingers closed around mine, where they still grasped the charm, gently caressing against my skin and bumping over my wedding band as his warm presence settled next to me. Then he rumbled in my ear, “What is it you want to know about Badir Demirci?”

  I opened my eyes to look into the golden eyes almost glowing in the darkened room. “What do you remember most about your aita?”

  Baran looked away from me, but didn’t leave. A small victory. I rolled onto my side and draped my arm over his waist as I leaned my head against his shoulder. The TDS stiffened but then forcibly relaxed as he leaned back against the pillows. His fingers brushed over my shoulder in an absentminded pattern as he broke his silence. “My father was the truest follower of the Therian Way and of Yeshua that I ever witnessed. He was far better at it than me. He was a man of honor and wholly devoted to his family, loving us even when we no longer deserved it.”

  He paused, fingers still tracing patterns across my skin, and then added in a soft rumble, “He taught me everything, Raina. That is what I remember. My father taught me everything he knew about following the Therian Way and about being an honorable man, an honorable Therian. If I act without honor, it would be the same as spitting on his memory.”

  I tightened my grip on the TDS. Poor Tiger. No wonder he was so straight laced about the rules. I tilted my head up and kissed his chin ignoring the tickle from his scruff. “Your aita did a very good job, then.”

  ΘΘΘΘΘΘ

  Chapter Twelve

  Baran

  Raina’s soft laughter drew me into the kitchen. We had discussed the matter of leaving and, while my mate had offered the option, I could not yet bring myself to leave. Leaving now would not only signal weakness to Venetia, but also disappoint Raina. She still clung to the hope that she could win over the Tigress. Since it was important to her, I was willing to wait. For Raina’s sake. We only had another day to survive until Thanksgiving, and then we would leave the following morning.

  I struggled to keep a frown from appearing when I entered the kitchen to find Raina chattering at Roderick. Roderick noticed my entrance and nodded. “Good morning, Baran. Raina was just enlightening me about some of the challenges her brother, Connor, faces as ambassador to England. Not much seems to have changed since I was last in London.”

  “You alone could judge that accurately,” I acknowledged as politely as I could. “The New World concerns me far more than the Old.”

  There was a pause and then Roderick nodded. “That is understandable, of course.”

  Unwilling to continue the conversation, I quickly walked past him to the refrigerator. However, I was not swift enough to avoid the sharp glance my mate cast at me from where she was preparing cinnamon rolls. To my chagrin, she was right. I was being more rude than polite to Roderick. And, I couldn’t bring myself to be friendly to the man.

  Neither my mother nor my half-brother had made their presence known yet, and I wondered if Madoc had even returned from wherever he ran off to last night. I glanced at Roderick as he cooked sausage, bacon, and ham. If he knew where his son was going off to, perhaps I would need to speak to him beyond what courtesy required. But only as was necessary to obtain pertinent information. I glanced at the older Tiger once again. Maybe it would be better to have Raina talk to him since she was already getting along with him.

  Raina bumped her hip into me as she put the cinnamon rolls in the oven. “Come on, TDS. We’re having an informal breakfast this morning, and we’re going to watch a movie.”

  “No Christmas movies on the day before Thanksgiving,” I warned. Not that she would be very likely to listen.

  The little pest of a Leopardess beamed at me. “Thank you for the reminder, dear.” She turned to Roderick and asked, “Do you have the channel that shows all those Christmas movies? Starting at the beginning of November?”

  “I do not know. We don’t make a habit of watching Christmas movies.” Roderick looked over his shoulder at Raina and a slight grin appeared as he added, “Especially before Thanksgiving.”

  I cleared my throat, uncomfortable with the similarity to my mother’s household. I reminded myself that most people preferred to celebrate their holidays in the proper order. Raina was the exception, not the rule. Still, I followed her into the living room leaving Roderick in the kitchen. My mate had already claimed the remote when I reached her side. She turned the television on and grimaced as the Therian News Network appeared on the screen.

  Taking the remote from her, I took a seat on the couch and turned the volume up as the screen announced a special broadcast. Two news anchors looked into the camera, their expressions grave. A picture of an olive skinned woman with dark hair and equally dark eyes flashed on the screen in their place. Not a Therian, and her ears weren’t pointed enough to be a pureblood Elf. I was aware of the others joining us as the picture vanished and the older anchor spoke, his voice solemn. “Now for an announcement from our sister network dedicated to the paranormal community at large. The security company, Weard Enterprises, has released an announcement for all Therians to be on the lookout for a fugitive from the West Coast. Lauren Hope is a rogue Spotter who fled authorities a little under four weeks ago due to . . .”

  He abruptly trailed off as he inclined his head and raised a hand to the transmitter nestled in his ear. The older anchor’s already grave expression grew even more serious as he pronounced, “Breaking news from Washington D.C. is that the House conve
ned a special vote yesterday. The proposed Elven Heritage Registration Act put forth by Senator Cunningham has passed.”

  There were hisses from Venetia and Celeste while Madoc and Roderick both growled low in their throats. Raina, on the other hand, was absolutely silent as she sat on my lap wrapping her right arm around my neck. I turned up the volume as the anchor continued, “Again, the proposed Elven Heritage Registration Act has passed the House and is to be sent to the Senate. Senator Cunningham also announced that a special vote will be convened for this bill. It is set to begin next week when Congress reconvenes after the holiday weekend. While we do not have any further information at this time, it is believed that King Caderyn will release an official statement over the weekend addressing how Therians are to respond to the bill. Until then all Therians, pureblood and Elf-born, are urged to use caution and avoid spending prolonged amounts of time in areas with a heavy human population. Several experts will join us in the upcoming hour to discuss ways in which you can keep your family safe and what changes may be made to the Therian way of life should this bill pass the Senate and be signed into law.”

  ΘΘΘΘΘΘ

  Madoc could hardly concentrate on the broadcast as he watched the little Leopardess. He was surprised when his brother allowed her to sit on his lap, but now she was running her fingers through his hair. He kept expecting the paragon of the Therian Way to stop her or to at least scold, but he just allowed it. Other than his hand resting on his mate’s hip, Baran might as well have been reading a report without so much as noticing there was a pretty girl in his lap. It was definitely not how Madoc would have treated any beautiful woman in the same position. But, his brother always placed decorum first.

  His gaze strayed to where Celeste was casting a poisonous glare at the two, and he almost chuckled. Of course, if Baran felt his honor was being threatened, he might be persuaded to be a little more open toward his mate. The report changed, and Madoc heard a word that had only been whispered to him by Charlie in a crowded bar—Vampyre.

  Wrenching his gaze from the paragon and his mate, Madoc stared at the television. The pretty Dhole with perfect chocolate brown curls brushing her shoulders looked a little pale despite her makeup and natural tan as she said, “According to a spokesperson from the Trackers, the rumors of a Vampyre clutch making its way to the New World have been confirmed. It is believed that the clutch is operating within the bounds of New York City. However, until the clutch has been eliminated, all travelers are advised not to trust anyone after dark attempting to hitchhike. Likewise, families are cautioned against inviting strangers into their homes for a meal or for shelter.”

  A frisson of shock skittered down Madoc’s spine. So, Charlie hadn’t been full of drink after all when he claimed Vampyres were coming. He glanced around the room, but no one seemed to notice him. For once, he was all right with being overlooked. He resisted the urge to swipe nervously at his brow. Vampyres . . .

  Baran grumbled, “They are going to cause a panic by giving such an announcement during the holiday season when Therians have traditionally opened their homes to travelers.”

  “Caderyn must have decided it was worth the risk and is operating on the better safe than sorry principle,” his mate responded as she continued combing her fingers through his hair. “I would be far more worried about the possibility that someone will decide to take matters into their own hands and play vigilante by trying to kill the Senator in an attempt to stop the bill from making it through to the final stages. That is the kind of attention we cannot afford.”

  “Everly Carroll might be able to talk President Grey Wolf out of signing the bill into law. If only because of the damage it threatens to do to the Elven-Human Alliance,” his father interjected. “I’ve seen Everly work for well over a century. If anyone can stop the bill using human politics, it will be that Vulpine.”

  “It would be less of a risk to just kill off the Senator and his key supporters,” Madoc scoffed. He didn’t know why the words escaped. He hadn’t intended to do so but, as all eyes turned to him, he couldn’t bring himself to apologize. His father gave him a look that made Madoc regret his thoughtless words even more, but then he saw Baran’s disapproval and he quickly raised his chin in mute defiance. He still couldn’t meet Baran’s eyes to offer a challenge, but he met the Leopard’s.

  She raised a slender eyebrow. “That is exactly what I’m talking about, thank you. Killing Cunningham won’t stop his bill. It will just turn him into a martyr. One that could expose our race if a Therian loses his head and attacks Cunningham in Beast form. Or even half-form. Then, it will not be solely the Therians who want the responsible party’s hide nailed to a wall. There will be a line.” Her phone buzzed, and she glanced at the screen then sighed. “Matahari. Sorry, I have to take this. Excuse me.”

  Madoc watched her get up and leave the room. She was high enough up the food chain in the Trackers to receive calls from the Supreme Commander. Maybe she wasn’t the flighty featherbrain he had originally assumed. He didn’t want to be impressed with the Leopardess, not when she so willingly defended his brother. He glanced back at Baran and wondered if he should mention Charlie.

  No. Why would the great General Baran listen to his younger brother? He barely tolerated him. Besides, just because Charlie said there could be Vampyres in the New World again, it didn’t mean he was directly involved in the matter. Madoc hesitated, then slipped out of the room as the others continued watching the news. He needed to make a phone call of his own.

  ΘΘΘΘΘΘ

  Baran

  Raina had closed herself in our room for the better part of two hours, and she didn’t seem likely to emerge soon. When I brought her breakfast, she muted her phone long enough to murmur an apology. It seemed Matahari shared Raina’s concerns about a potential assassination attempt. Knowing Trackers valued their security even if they didn’t always take the same precautions a military officer would, I left Raina alone.

  Instead, I roamed the grounds searching for some sign of my wayward brother. Madoc’s comments had raised my concerns that he was going to do something even more foolhardy than usual. And, he had disappeared immediately after Raina got her first phone call. He had not even returned for breakfast.

  “Baran.”

  I stopped at the call and emerged from the woods to find Rodrick standing next to his idling truck. My step-father nodded to me. “I’ve received a call from the reeves to come and see something. The captain I spoke with refused to tell me what, however, which is . . . concerning. I hoped you would accompany me since your experience as a soldier would be appreciated.”

  I offered a curt nod and then got into the truck. As we drove away from the lodge, I muttered, “I had almost forgotten you were a magistrate now.”

  Roderick shrugged. “While I do not miss the turmoil of being an ambassador, I could not completely retire from making myself somewhat useful. Maine is fairly quiet, but when the reeves call me in and refuse to share information before my arrival . . . it usually indicates a disturbing find.”

  “You are worried Shadowed Creatures have come down from Canada.”

  It was not a question, but he still nodded. “It would not be the first time. Although since the migrations are in off years, I had hoped such an occurrence would not happen this year.” He paused and glanced at me. “I also wanted to have an opportunity to speak with you alone.”

  I stiffened. My voice was cold when I finally broke my silence. “Why?”

  “I am concerned about Madoc.”

  I huffed as irritation pulled at me sending my Tiger closer to the surface. “You should be. I warned you and Venetia both that this would happen.”

  To my surprise and slight disappointment, Roderick did not take the bait. The Tiger stirred restlessly before I silenced him. I was not going to lose control over this, over Madoc. My step-father drummed his fingers against the steering wheel as we wove through the forest. “You are correct. Venetia and I handled Madoc poorly and caused a pr
oblem. I have attempted to fix it, especially after last summer’s incident with the troll baiting in the canals, but I fear it has been too little, too late.”

  “There are some who would have arrested Madoc as soon as he uttered those words this morning. Because he would be deemed a threat to the safety of the Therian people.” I paused and then added in low voice just tinged with a growl, “He walks the edge of a knife, Roderick. No one will be able to help him if he continues on this path.”

  Roderick said nothing. Most likely because there was nothing he could say if he didn’t wish to agree with me.

  We drove in silence for a good twenty minutes before he spoke up once more. “I was surprised you brought your mate.”

  That riled the Tiger and I didn’t attempt to soften my words as I growled, “Surprised or disappointed like Venetia?”

  “Surprised, but pleasantly so,” came the mild reply. Roderick glanced at me as he added, “I like Raina. She has the sort of spirit and zest for life that you have always needed in a mate. And, she is extremely loyal.”

  I bit back a snarl as I coldly demanded, “Just how did you discover that fact?”

  Roderick shrugged. “It was painfully obvious at our first meeting that you dropped that kitten into this house thoroughly unprepared for what she would face. She did not even know about me.”

  “I didn’t expect we would stay long enough for that information to be necessary,” I grumbled.

  My step-father chose to ignore my interjection and neither his scent nor his mild expression changed as he continued, “Despite all of that, Raina has not mentioned it in conversation. Nor has she ever said anything negative about you for putting her in such an awkward position. She merely got her feet under her and ran with the situation as best she could. I admire that quality.” A faint smile appeared as he added, “She also has been able to keep the peace with Venetia without permitting her to walk over her. I love your mother, Baran, but we both know how she treats anyone who is incapable of having a backbone.”