Excessica Anthology BOX SET Winter (62 page)

“Come,
lay down next to me. I’m in no shape to do anything other than sleep, Shu.”

“But—”

“Now,
mate. I tire of worrying you’re going to fall off the damn chair because you’re
exhausted. Lay down with me. I’ll keep you warm the rest of the night.”

“Pushy
male.”
 Her mumbled reply before curling up on the bed next to him made him
purr with pleasure.

Such
a feisty thing she is.

* *
* *

The
sun streaming in from the open window woke Shu up. The feel of silky fur next
to her had her thinking for a moment she was ten again and had crawled into her
father’s bed, feverish after another brutal attack.

Opening
her eyes, hazy memories of a man’s strong arms wrapping around her, holding her
safe and then soft fur keeping her warm washed over her. She groaned when she
heard an answering rumble from the hybrid she’d saved the day before.

Fuck!
I’ve got to get up before he…

“Before
he does what?”

A
pair of human arms wrapped around her and a man’s breath teased the shell of
her ear.

“Let
go of me, Gregory.” She was proud of the fact her voice remained steady.

“Why,
so you can run?” He took a deep breath and she heard the rumble of his feline
purr in his chest. “Damn you smell good—wild and untamed. I could roll in
your scent forever.”

“Knock
it off. I’m not your personal cache of catnip.”

“Hmm.
You’re a hybrid, like me, aren’t you, Shu? A tigress disguised in a sexy little
human body. I want both the woman and tigress, so it only leaves one question.”

“Really?”
Her sarcasm had little effect on him.

“How
hard are you going to fight me before I take what I want?” He buried his face
in her hair.

Using
his distraction, she jerked herself free of him. Rolling off the bed, she stood
standing next to her bed with hands on her hips. Even though she managed to
keep her breathing steady, there was no way she could ignore the wetness
between her thighs his words had created.
Fuck! I know he can smell me!

“Hmmm,
well if you want to, I’m more than willing. But fucking in human form won’t
change the fact I’m going to have you in my mating circle before the week is
up. You’re going to be my mate.”

Her
mouth dropped open. “You arrogant ass! What makes you think I even want to mate
with you?”

“My
senses tell me.” He rolled off the bed and stood, uncaring he was naked.
Without thinking, she backed up. He followed her, stalking her like the cat he
was. “My hearing tells me your heart is racing.”

“It
does that when I have to deal with arrogant shifters who manage to get shot and
captured by the local zoo.”

“So
it’s anger and frustration that has your heart racing, Shu?” He continued to
stalk her. Running out of the room, she backed into the wall. His arms came up
on either side of her head. “Is that why my nose is telling me you’re creaming
right now?” He leaned in and a growled as he gently raked his teeth over the
swell of her shoulder.

A
whimper escaped her as his masculine scent washed over her and his teeth teased
her. Her hands flew up to his shoulders as if to push him away, when he chose
to suckle on her pulse. Curling her fingers over them she jerked him against
her. The rumbling purr of satisfaction he gave made her want to bash him up
against the nearest wall but the pleasure he was offering was too tempting. Her
head arched back as his mouth trailed up her neck.

“Hmmm…no
answer? I’ll take it as a yes then.”

She
hissed at him without thinking.
Arrogant male!

Spearing
his hands into her tumbled hair, he held her head still for his kiss. “If you
try to bite me, I’ll throw you down and mount you before you can stop me.” He
lowered his head.

“Tigers
don’t do it missionary style!”

He
brushed his lips over hers. “But humans do.” He swallowed her cry as he parted
her lips with his tongue before surging in to explore hers. The erotic rub of
his tongue against hers had her wrapping her arms around his neck. His hand
drifted down to her breast and teased her straining nipple through the cloth of
her tank top. The sudden jangle of the telephone was an irritating sound and
had Gregory lifting his head and snarling.

“Let
me go. I have to answer it.” She wiggled against him.

His
nostrils flared. “That is not a good way to convince me to let go, Shu.”

The
ringing continued. “I’m serious, Gregory. The only one who has this number is
the zoo.”

“Fuck
the zoo.” He pressed her back against the wall.

Shoving
hard against him, she half expected him to back up but despite his slender body
he was like a brick wall. “Damn it, Tiger. They have your brother!”

He
stilled. “Why do they have Daniel?” His voice was hard.

“Because
after you pulled your stunt and got tranqed, I couldn’t care for you at the
zoo. You shift back and forth too unpredictably. Unless you want the secret to
leak out about shifters, I had no other choice than to bring you back here.
Daniel stayed and took your place so Dr Chen wouldn’t suspect anything!”

He
released her. Moving across the room, she answered the phone. Behind her she
could hear the rustle of clothing as Gregory hurriedly dressed.

* *
* *

Arriving
at the zoo, Shu and Gregory walked into the room where Daniel was pacing. He
was edgy and wasn’t in a good mood. Knowing Dr. Chen was watching, she
carefully approached him. He snarled once at Gregory before calming down. After
running her hands over him, she checked his wound.

“Looks
good, Daniel. But I expected it to.” She kept her voice low. “Are you ready to
get out of here?”

“Fuck
yes. You should see the slop they tried to feed me. I’m starving. Tell that
hardhead over there to hurry up the paperwork or I’ll take a bite out of his
ass.”

“I
heard that, brother. Don’t tempt me. As it is you’re in for a long ride back
home.”

“You
wouldn’t dare!”
The tiger growled warningly.

“Enough,
Daniel. You’re going to get your ass tranqed and even dealing with one tranqed
hybrid is one too many right now.”

“If
he keeps me in a cage all the way home, you better tranq me because I’ll kick
his ass when I get out.”

 “Come
on, Gregory. I do believe he’s well enough to travel to the preserve.”

* *
* *

A
Month Later

Shu
couldn’t help but be awed when she’d first laid eyes on the Preserve outside of
Nanning. It was quite beautiful and for once she felt as if she were at home.
The utter wildness of the surrounding had her wanting to shift for a run.

“It’s
tempting isn’t it, Shu, the idea of being able to run free with no worries
about being shot at and or discovered.” Daniel walked up behind her, now in
human form. He’d just returned from a short trip to Guangzhou. They were in one
of the private exam rooms in the clinic on the edge of the preserve.

“It’s
quite beautiful, Daniel, but I don’t worry about those things when I shift.”

“It’s
been two weeks since we arrived but you haven’t once shifted. I assumed you
would take the opportunity to run free.”

“No.
There is no freedom for me in my base form.” She walked away from the window.

“Why
is that?”

“Because—“
She stiffened when she smelled the familiar scent of Gregory.

“Afraid
to tell the protector of my pack that you’re scared of what will happen when
you do?” Gregory’s snarl wasn’t surprising. Since they’d arrived, he’d been
trying to draw her into the mating ritual. When she refused to shift, he’d been
first amused. So he’d set out to seduce her in both forms. When she still
refused, his amusement had turned into frustration and rage. He wanted her and
wasn’t happy about her resistance.

Daniel
looked from his brother to Shu. “What’s going on?”

“Are
you going to tell him, Shu?” Gregory leaned up against the exam table.

“No.”
She turned and left the room.

Daniel
looked at his brother. “What the hell is going on, Gregory? When I left for
Guangzhou she was settling in fine. Why is she so skittish now?”

Gregory
stared impassively at him. “She’s running.”

“From
what?”

“Me.”

When
Gregory didn’t elaborate, Daniel’s patience wore thin. “All right, that’s
enough. I’m tired of pulling answers out of you like teeth. Explain!”

“She’s
my mate. She won’t shift because she knows the first time she does I’m going to
claim her.”

“And
you told her this? No wonder she won’t shift. You hardheaded son of bitch, do
you have any idea with what you’re dealing with?” He rounded on his brother.

“A
tigress in denial.”

“No.
I spoke with Ry-lin while I was gone. She’s not just any ordinary hybrid,
Gregory. She’s a half-breed, one that’s been repeatedly rejected and even
attacked by her own pack. Your highhandedness is going to backfire.”

“She’s
not the first half-breed. Why would her pack attack her? She can’t help it if
one of her parents is full blooded human.”

“They’re
not. Both are hybrids. From what Ry-linn says her mother was a Bengal hybrid
and her father a Jaguar hybrid.”

Gregory
paled. “Good Lord. Which does she take after?” The idea of having a mate from a
different race wasn’t as appalling as it should have been. Shu had gotten under
his skin and he wasn’t looking for a way to get her out. He was looking for a
way to get her to accept his claim.

“Ry-lin
doesn’t know. She hasn’t ever shifted outside the rainforest of her father’s
pack. No one other than her own pack mates know what she truly is.”

He
thought for a moment. “Make arrangements to go to Brazil.”

“You’re
sending her home?” Daniel was no longer relaxed.

“Yes.
This is something she’s going to have to work through.” Rubbing the back of his
neck, he wandered to the window.

 “You’ve
got to be kidding! You’re our next alpha. I can’t believe you’re giving her up
that easily.”

Gregory
looked over his shoulder at him. “I’m not. You and I are going to accompany
her. Facing her fears and misgivings on her own turf are the only way I’m going
to have a chance to claim her.”

“Let
me guess, I’m going as protection?” Daniel looked amused now.

“I
may be an Alpha but I’m not stupid, brother. I will be outnumbered and I know
it. Don’t give me any sass about it. Just make the arrangements.”

* *
* *

Getting
off the phone, Gregory sighed. His call to Enrique Rodriguez had gone better
than he’d hoped. After explaining his situation to Shu’s father, he was amazed
at the support the man had given him. The plan they’d hatched was solid and
hopefully he’d come back from Brazil a mated man. But he took her father’s
parting words seriously.

“She’s
been shunned by the males of my pack because of her form but she has a good heart.
Don’t break it and we’ll get along fine.”
The words still echoed in his
head.

A
knock on this outer office door drew him out of his thoughts.

“Enter.”

The
door opened and both Daniel and Shu walked in.

“Good,
just the people I wanted to see.” Leaning forward, he looked at his brother.
“Did you make the arrangements?”

“Yes.
We’re scheduled to leave in the morning.”

“Good.
Well, Shu, since you’re obviously going to continue to fight me and my claim,
it’s time for you to go home. I just finished talking to your father and he’s
requested your return. We’ll leave in the morning.” He stood and left the room
before Shu or his brother could say anything.

* *
* *

Standing
in front of Gregory’s desk, Shu trembled. “He no longer wants me?” Tears filled
her eyes before anger rushed over her and she turned to follow Gregory. “That
son of bitch!”

“Now,
Shu, you need to calm down…” Daniel stepped in front of her.

“Calm
down my ass!” She snarled at him and for the first time in his adult life, he
was glad he was not going to be on the receiving end of her anger. He loved
angry sex as much as the next tiger but he wasn’t about to take on Shu. “First
he says he wants me and then he doesn’t. We’ll just see about that! Move your
ass out of my way.”

Measuring
her, he stood in front of her more calmly than he felt. “You’re not going to
kill him are you, Shu? How are you going to mate with him if he’s dead?”

“I
won’t kill him but he’ll wish I had. Now move!”

He
wisely moved out of the way.

* *
* *

Deep
inside of his own tiger, Gregory ran through the preserve, leaving his scent on
several trees for Shu to find.
Goddess, I hope this works. Her father said
telling her I’d changed my mind would push her to prove herself worthy. I don’t
understand this reverse psychology stuff but it better work. The tears I heard
in her voice damn neared killed me.
Then the sound he’d been waiting for
echoed through the forest—a female cat’s scream of rage.
Thank you
Goddess.

*
* * *

Daniel
stood at the opening of the trail. Beside him, Shu discarded her clothing.
Handing them over, she stretched. “You make a single snide remark about my cat,
I’ll tear you to shreds, Protector.”

“Yeah,
right.” When she hissed at him, he held his hands up. “My bad. I’m sorry, I was
teasing. I’m sure you’re…” His breath caught in throat as she shifted right
before him. Standing in front of him stood a large cat. Her body was of a White
Bengal tiger. The intriguing silver rosettes were like nothing he’d ever seen.
She looked up at him, her eyes blue as the sky. “Beautiful, is what you are,
Shu. And don’t let my brother forget it.”

At
his mention of Gregory, Shu screamed, her cry echoing over the forest.
Whirling, she bounded into the forest.