by A. J. Wynter
She stepped towards the man on the floor.
“Hey,” she shouted, extending a slender hand. “Are you alright?”
He looked up at her through enormous golden-brown eyes. Thick strands of hair had fallen in front of his eyes. They weren't the green eyes of the man in her fantasy, but they took her breath away.
“Hi,” he mouthed. He seemed as taken aback as she felt.
“What?”
“I said hi!” he shouted, trying to be heard over the music.
“Outside?” she shouted back and motioned to the vine covered entryway.
He nodded, standing up; but mid attempt, a drunk girl stumbled into him and knocked him back onto the ground.
“Oh!” Kat exclaimed, dropping to her knees. She helped the stranger to his feet, wrapping a slender arm around his waist.
‘Hmmmph. I always thought this would be the other way around. Are all Russian men this frail?” she thought. He certainly didn’t feel frail. She could feel his taut body and sculpted muscles under his jacket. Confused, she helped him to his feet.
The mystery girl led him by the hand through the crowd. People seemed to make way for her, as if they knew who she was.
“Who are you?” he yelled over the pulsating music.
She smiled at him, and pretended she couldn't hear him. When they finally made it up the stairs, he breathed in the air and smiled. The night was now crisp and cool, and he gulped in all the breaths of fresh air he could.
“Finally, you’re free,” she said.
“Indeed, I am,” he responded, gratefully.
“What happened in there?”
“I’m not sure, but I think that being in the large crowd overwhelmed me.”
“I certainly get that. Are you alright now?”
“Yes, thank you for helping me. That certainly was embarrassing.”
“Do you want to go for a walk?” Kat asked boldly.
“Sure. Where should we go? Is there someone you need to tell?”
“Actually, preferably somewhere no one will find us,” she said, laughing.
“I know just the spot.”
He took her hand and led her towards the only area on earth he felt safe: the forest.
Kat smiled at the warmth of his hand enveloping hers. She knew that this was dangerous, leaving with a stranger, but something in his eyes implored her to follow him wherever he went.
Daman also knew that leading a young girl into the forest was risky for many reasons. Her trust and naivety made him want to protect her even further. He was basically the king of this patch of land, and he made sure the other carnivores knew it. There was only one tiger who could challenge him. When they got to the edge of the trees, she hesitated.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Is it safe?”
“It is because I’m here. But you must never come here alone.”
“Ah, another rule,” she sighed.
“What?” he asked, scrunching up his face.
“Oh, it’s nothing. Ready?”
He nodded.
“Well, lead the way.”
The forest smelled fresh and crisp, and the aroma of pine needles filled the night air. Everywhere Kat walked there were patches of moss in all shades of green, as well of scourges of mosquitoes that seemed to gather around her legs.
“This is incredible,” she breathed. “I’ve never seen anything like it in my entire life.”
“What kind of life do you lead if you've never been in the forest?” he asked, not in a mocking way, but as if he genuinely couldn’t believe it.
"Oh, I’ve been in lots of forests, just not this particular one," she lied.
They had walked fairly deep into the woods, but Daman took her deeper still. She saw a clearing up ahead, with a small lake glinting in the moonlight. The body of water was surrounded by tall, twisting trees covered in deep claw marks and tufts of fur from when Daman was in a playful mood. The beauty of the clearing in the moonlight made her gasp and smile.
“How did you find this place?” she asked in awe.
“This is where I go to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner.”
She didn’t respond, curious and intrigued by a man who packed a lunch to eat in the forest.
Kat realized she was still holding the man’s hand. She squeezed it once for good measure. She’d never held the hand of someone of the opposite sex before, unless she counted her father, which she didn’t. It was exhilarating to be out here with him. She’d always dreamed of getting away in nature, far from the palace and its guards, and exploring alone. Although she imagined going somewhere far away, she had no idea that this magic existed so close to home.
When they got to the clearing, she turned and met his gaze. The mask had started to get unbearably hot and impeded her vision. She didn’t want to miss any of the beauty in front of her, so she slid the mask up on top of her head.
“This is incredible,” she said, looking firmly into his eyes.
His eyes grew large, and his lips struggled to move. He gasped, “Kat…”
3.
Natalia Emerald entered the hallway. Something in her gut had told her to check on her daughter. She had seemed so unsettled as of late. She approached Kat’s closed bedroom door and made to knock, but lowered her hand deciding against it. She did not want to invade her daughters much guarded privacy, nor disturb her slumber. She shook off her feeling of unease.
Natalia turned and walked down the hall towards her room, past a window the size and length of a hallway. Peering out, she could see the garden in all of its splendor. There were iron floodlights highlighting a fountain filled with large Grecian sculptures. She lingered at the window but didn’t notice the dark figure darting across the yard.
Once she returned to her chambers, she fell sound asleep. On multiple occasions she’d caught Kat sleeping in the outdoor hammock, and there was always a guard with his eyes glued to her. Tonight, she felt reassurance that her only daughter was safely inside the heavily guarded walls of the mansion. She could not have known that it was one of these hired men who was responsible for escorting her past the palace walls.
Kat and the golden-eyed man had walked home hand in hand from the forest, and he had finally introduced himself as Daman. She felt at ease with him the entire time they walked. When they reached the steep walls, he stopped and turned to face her. She could tell that he wanted to kiss her.
“Do you want to come inside one day? I’d love to show you around the garden, or the courtyard.”
“I don’t think that’s a very good idea,” he said. “And aren’t there guards stationed all over the place? I’ll be killed.”
“You won’t be killed, Daman. It’s not like you’re a wild animal or a vagrant. The only things I’ve seen the guards shoot are quails and other beasts, but never a human. At least I’ve never seen them shoot another human.”
“That’s troublesome,” he mused.
When he looked at her, Kat felt something strange stirring within her chest. It felt like her ribcage had taken itself apart and exposed her heart. It was hard to breathe with him looking at her like that.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked, as he tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
“Nothing,” she lied. “What are you thinking about?”
He smirked and remained silent. She had a feeling she’d never get a word out of him but it was fun to ask anyway.
“Goodnight, Kat,” he said, swooping low to kiss her on the cheek.
“When can I see you again?” she asked, with no hesitation.
“Soon. I’ll come find you.”
“But the guards—” she started to say, but before she could finish her sentence, Daman kicked off his shoes and pulled his shirt over his head before dropping to his hands and knees.
The sudden movement startled her, but what came next caused her to step back in total shock. His bronzed skin crawled and sprouted fur. He arched his neck back to the sky as his facial features m
orphed. His hands thickened, nails replaced with sharp black claws. Suddenly, a massive orange and black tiger appeared right before her eyes. His cat eyes stared at her intently while he emitted a low purr. He rubbed his body up against her legs then turned on his paw, and bounded off towards the forest.
She placed a hand to her chest and gasped; it had felt as though the entire evening she’d been holding her breath. Even if her mother caught her in the garden and she was punished, there was no way she would forget about the most magical and exalting experience of her life.
Glancing both ways, she emerged from a wiry cluster of trees and ran across the courtyard, carefully skirting the edges. There was no way the guards would see her, she knew every inch of the courtyard and how to get around them.
One of Kat's earliest memories was that of a palace attack by a small group of Mongolian raiders. Instead of giving her up to be kidnapped, raped, or worse, every single guard in the building fought hard in order to protect her. She trusted them implicitly, but knowing she could come and go when she needed gave her a sense of freedom. With her mind still whirring about her magical night, exhaustion finally overtook her and she slept.
4.
When Kat woke up, she felt warm and alive. Her first thought was that the night before had been a dream, yet it felt too real. With the lucidness of morning, she realized it was impossible that Daman really had turned into a giant tiger before her eyes. It was likely a figment of her overactive imagination, or maybe someone slipped something into her drink at the club.
Her thoughts were interrupted as her handmaids and dressers burst into her room. They were scurrying around, tearing open drawers and closet doors, barking orders at Kat. She sat up in bed and stared at them confusedly before it dawned on her that this was the day; the day she was to meet her ‘betrothed’. Who was this Sergei? He would arrive wearing regalia, probably bearing water lilies, which were her favorite flower. And he would say something like, “I’ve never met a vision as beautiful as you.” She’d heard it all before, with the past suitors and it all felt disingenuous. She sighed and dutifully allowed them to get her ready.
Even though her favorite color was green, the maids had picked out a prim and proper violet velvet dress for her. They looked at each other quizzically as they brushed bits of twigs from her messy hair.
Overwhelmed by it all, Kat gasped, “I need some privacy.”
“Must you go right now, miss?” the senior dresser asked.
“Yes. Now. Please let go of my hair,” she insisted peevishly.
They did as they were told, letting Kat’s thick blonde hair fall around her shoulders. It curled slightly at the ends, and was meant to be placed into a delicate bun. She wore her mother’s glass bead earrings, which were a pretty lilac color. For all intents and purposes, she was a beautiful princess. All she needed on her arm was a powerful ‘prince’ to inherit the estate.
As she left the room and entered the hallway she was so deep in thought that she walked straight into a sturdy wall of a chest, covered in white and gold. It was, she could only assume, Sergei.
“Watch where you’re going,” he barked.
“Right back at you. What is that you’re wearing, a tablecloth?”
“You’re one to talk,” he spat. “You look like a wilted old tulip.”
“What are you doing in my private wing anyway? Couldn’t wait to meet me in the reception hall?”
He chuckled and raised an eyebrow at her. “Not even close. I'm casing the property to come back later and get me some fancy silverware."
Part of her wanted to punch him in the face, but Kat instead found herself blushing at his extreme moxie. He was nothing like Daman, but maybe that was a good thing.
Kat and Sergei had literally crashed into each other in front of one of the massive windows overlooking the garden. As they stood there Kat glanced out the window. She gasped as she caught a glimpse of something lurking in the corner behind the shrubbery. A tiger. He was watching Kat and Sergei through the trees. She doubted he could see her looking back; can tigers see as good as they can in the daylight as they do at night? She made a mental note to do research about the rare Siberian when she had a few minutes alone to herself. And what was he doing here? She wished he hadn’t taken such a risk. If he wasn’t careful, he would be spotted by the guards and killed instantly.
“Cat got your tongue?” Sergei said wryly, disrupting the silence.
“No,” she responded icily. In only the few seconds she’d known him this man had already gotten under her skin. But to be fair, he’d come in with the deck loaded against him.
“Then what are you looking at?” he asked, turning to look out the window. Her heart leapt into her throat. Would Sergei see Daman in those trees, blowing his cover? But when she glanced back, the tiger was gone.
“It’s a beautiful garden,” he said.
“Oh, so the silverware thief has some taste?”
“Who says I’m a thief?”
“You’re the one that blatantly announced your intent to trespass,” she said.
“Maybe I just plan to assess your dowry, m-lady.”
She flushed at his impudence.
“Kat! Oh good, I see you two have finally met.” Her Mother intruded, making them both step back a pace. “Sergei, won’t you join us in the tearoom? Kat, you're looking a bit rumpled, do you want to go get refreshed before tea?”
Sergei smirked at her, prompting Kat to stick out her tongue at him. Thankfully her mother didn’t notice. She wasn’t sure what it was, but something about Sergei was bringing out the bratty child within her. As a grown woman, she’d never joked around with a man this freely, and it felt refreshing. Days at the palace were usually spent focusing on studying, both academics and social responsibility. She never had any time for fun, let alone flirtation.
Sergei, on the other hand, was lucky to be inside the palace walls at all. While it was true he was to be the sole inheritor to a huge fortune, no one really knew where his family had earned it. There were rumors he came from a long line of Siberian Royalty born and bred in the heart of the north. And he definitely was suitable.
Sergei stopped to admire his image in one of the ornate gilded mirrors in the long hallway. He looked like the ideal suitor for someone of Kat’s “standing”; with thick wavy locks of black hair, full lips, his dark eyes framed by long eyelashes, he certainly looked the part of a prince. He stepped back and gazed intently out the window. His ears darted around the courtyard for any signs of the stray shifter his father had warmed him about. He needed to ensure that the rogue cat stayed far away from his future wife.
The only way to please his father was to travel to the Emerald keep, which is exactly what he had done. But now that he was here, he felt out of place. He didn’t have the same kind of grooming as Kat. Of course he had the clothes to match his title, but his personality was clearly more that of an arrogant servant boy, than a gentile prince. He definitely wasn’t high brow material. But Kat didn't need to know that.
The two of them followed Natalia to the reception room, which was formally stocked with the makings of a proper English tea.
“Wait here, the both of you, and try to be nice to each other.” Natalia barked and hustled off to find her husband.
Once she was out of sigh, Kat turned and walked the other direction.
“Where are you going?” Sergei asked.
“Let’s go for a tour and get to know each other,” she murmured, subtly motioning him to follow.
She led him down a long marble hallway and into the more secluded part of the palace. It was uninhabited by the rest of her family, and they used it only for parties and balls.
“This place is incredible,” he said, marveling at the sweeping ceilings and marble slab walls.
“It is, I suppose, although it's a bit cold for my taste.”
“So… what are we doing here?” he asked, cocking an eyebrow at her.
“Don’t get coy with me; we’re here to pla
y a game.”
“A game?”
"How about I go and hide and you try to find me?"
“That sounds like a terrible idea.”
Kat grinned at his cowardice, and turned on her heel and ran away. He certainly was bringing out the playful girl in her!
Thankful for a minute alone, Sergei adjusted his throbbing manhood and shivered at his own touch. He was so turned on by this bratty little heiress.
Kat knew the perfect hiding place. It was in the corner of a walk-in closet, filled with party decorations. There were huge mirrored ornaments, silk flowers, shiny chains, and flimsy curtains that were meant to filter light into shimmering crystals. There was even a life size porcelain tiger that her mother brought out on special occasions. She hurried in without turning on the light, as she knew the closet by heart. The one thing she didn’t account for was a real tiger sitting next to the porcelain one.
She walked towards the back of the closet in the darkness and gasped as her hand brushed up against something furry. At first she thought it was likely just another decoration, maybe one of her mother’s many fur coats. But when she touched it for a second time, she realized it was warm and breathing.
“What the hell?” she hissed.
“I’m so sorry,” came Daman’s voice. Her hand was now resting on bare skin. She stumbled back into a suit of armor, which clanged to the floor. It hadn’t been a dream!
From down the hall, she heard Sergei shouting, “I hear you!”
“Stay still and shut up” Kat hissed at him. “Sergei can’t find you here”.
“I need to warn you about him” Daman whispered.
“Warn me about what? He’s to be my husband.”
“Your what?” he asked, but she didn’t respond, only shushed him again. She allowed herself to relax against his body, and was slightly shocked when she heard a deep but restrained purr. She was reminded again of the previous night, and their magical evening running around in the forest. It was like living in a fairy-tale—only a dark and complicated one. She could hear Sergei’s footsteps in the hallway, but he walked straight past the closet and around the corner.
