Rare Find (28 page)

She reached out a hand.

He stood up, grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms.

She burrowed in close, reveling in such a simple thing she'd missed all her life – her father's hug.

***

Later that night Tabitha curled up in Ronin's arms. At Ronin's quiet insistence, her dad had left to get Grandfather's box. He had keys and when he returned would let himself back in, so they'd gone to bed.

To enjoy each other. She hoped. Her mind couldn't stop tossing and turning on her father's words. His life. Her life. How one thing had impacted so many? So not fair.

"You're thinking too loud," Ronin murmured. "Go to sleep. You need rest."

She turned her smile to his shoulder and kissed his hard muscled skin. "Not my fault," she murmured. "My mind's got a lot to work on."

Looking into his deep brown eyes, she shifted enough to let her hand glide down his hips and then up between their entwined legs. "But maybe I can think of something else."

Fire smoldered as he shifted restlessly under her touch. He slid his hand up her smooth long lean body, stopping to explore her ribs, before sliding higher to cup her breasts. Stoking the fire within, soothing, caring, promising. Finally he reached to tilt her chin up and lowered his mouth. He brushed her lips once, twice. Then followed with a deep melting kiss that left her wanting so much more.

He rolled onto his back, pulling her gently on top.

Smiling, she sat up, gently guided him into her. "Nice." She sighed. When she began to move, it was gentle. Easy. She loved that about Ronin, the big strong, take-charge cop had the ability to lie back and let her – take charge. It took a strong man to surrender. It took trust. And she hoped – love.

Needing more, he tugged her down for a long drugging kiss. She sighed, a low thrumming sound as pleasure slid through her. All thoughts left her mind. There were no more questions. No doubts. No insecurities. There was just now. Just him. Just them.

She surrendered to it. To him. To the moment. And let herself ride. Head back, eyes closed, she let the heat set the pace. When need pulsed through her, demanding action, she leaned over and framed his face, wanting to see the dark depths of his eyes.

And found them full of love. Her system overloaded with joy.

She cried out, arching her back.

His hands clenched her hips, holding her in place as he drove up inside her…once, twice. He twisted beneath her and shuddered with his own release.

God she loved that. Knowing she'd brought him this, that she accepted what he'd so freely offered… She leaned over and kissed him gently, before sliding down to lie beside him.

"So good," he murmured, lazy satisfaction in his voice. He tugged her up against him, his fingers drawing slow circles on her shoulders.

"Mmmm."
She nuzzled his shoulder, happy and calm for the first time in… Since…? She had no idea since when.

Peaceful silence stretched between them. She yawned sleepily. Tired, but not tired enough to sleep, she wanted to enjoy the moment. The closeness.

"That was a good thing you did tonight," he said quietly, "for your father.

What?
For a moment there, she'd wondered what he was talking about. She twisted her head so she could see his face. "I didn't do anything."

"And that makes it even more special."

She stared up at him, puzzled.

"Your acceptance. Not many people would have given it so quickly or so easily."

She smiled and nestled closer. "It was awkward but it explains so much. I truly am happy for him. To live one life but desperately want another for yourself... That would be hard."

"Sounds like his early life was tough."

"His teen years," she correctly gently. "As a child, he'd have been fine. My grandfather loved him. It would have started once he understood he was different."

His heart beat a steady tempo under her ear, his body heat was warm and cozy. She yawned. "I desperately need a good night's sleep."

"Then sleep."

"I will, but..." She winced, knowing he'd have a hard time with this. "But I need to check on Trinity. Reinforce her energy so she stays calm."

He'd stiffened at her initial words, his arm tightening around her.

"Is that safe?"

"Yes," she answered honestly. "We have to find her. This connection I have with her… It could be very dangerous if she dies and I'm still in her heart line."

"Heart line?"

"A bond that could take me with her," she added softly.

"Then I'd better get back to work."

He started to rise.

She pushed him back. "You need rest too."

"I need to find this tiger. I have several leads, but nothing concrete."

"I'll go reinforce the tiger's energy. You get some sleep. Then I'll sleep and you work."

At that suggestion, he lay back down. She hoped he'd sleep – they both needed it, but she had things she had to do. She'd left it too long. The feeling came over her suddenly. That inner knowing that she'd cut her time short. Possibly too short.

Shuddering, she closed her eyes and opened her inner vision. She knew the pathway now. She jumped free and raced to Tango. He slept soundly. His energy rippled and shifted like quicksand, absorbing her into his own. The acceptance warmed her heart all the way to her soul. She grounded herself mentally and emotionally before returning to the energy highway that would lead back to her aging female tiger. Tabitha closed the gap faster and faster, and then slowed down as she reached Trinity. She dropped into the huge cat.

She sighed and stretched, feeling so feline and graceful inside. That she was truly one with a tiger was a wondrous thing. It produced a feeling like no other. She opened her eyes and smiled.

The tiger lay calm and peaceful in a corner of the cage. Her stomach gurgled loudly. "At least you've eaten, milady," Tabitha murmured gently, easing the energy to the meridian relating to the stomach region. The noises eased. The tiger stretched out with a contented sigh. Tabitha loved the feel of the power in the long legs, the big toes that stretched, then curled gently.

Such a different body. Such a different experience. Murmuring softly, she stroked and soothed, reinforced and calmed the tiger's meridians along with her aura. The tiger was doing so well.

In the background, she heard noises. There'd been something earlier, but it was low key so she hadn't recognized it. Now the noise level had risen. Men. Arguing.

And coming closer.

Tabitha poured out soothing energy for her sake as well as for the tiger's. She didn't recognize the voices.
No. Wait.
One of the men was Fez. So he was fine after all. Too bad. She'd have liked him to suffer for his part in this.

"I want to move her because of the change in plans. I didn't go to all this trouble to lose her at this stage." A cold chilling voice slipped through the air. Hushed but authoritative…

Tabitha knew she'd have no trouble recognizing it again. She tried to search through the darkness. Trinity's vision was excellent at night time, but the cover on the cage was absolute. Almost. She managed to coax Trinity to stand up and walk over to stare out between the slight parting of the covering. She could hear Fez talking. "Maybe beef up the security?"

"You are the security. Why would I add more than you and Keeper?"

"Because we can't always be together. Because they know we're here. And because I was attacked."

"You're the idiot who allowed someone to sneak up on you." The boss snorted. "Maybe you're the problem."

Silence.

Tabitha grinned to herself. A falling out among thieves.

"If you'd seen your attacker, at least we'd have some idea of who was after her. The question is why?" This last bit was added thoughtfully.

Tabitha watched as Fez walked into view. He winced involuntarily with every step he took. It was obvious he needed to lie down. Or go see a doctor, at least. His head was covered in dried blood.

"You're thinking the buyer might have been checking her out on his own?" Fez shrugged. "Why? Because he probably didn't believe your story."

There was an uncomfortable emptiness in the air. Tabitha could only hope these two would do or say something that would help her out.

"No one," the boss said in a silky voice – a spider to a fly, "is going to screw this up."

Tabitha held her breath. Now that man scared the crap out of her.

"No one will," Fez stepped into her line of vision again. He was holding his head. "I don't feel good."

"A bashing over the head will do that." As if making a sudden decision, the boss said, "Stay here."

Clip. Clip. Clip.
"I'll be back in a few minutes." And a door shut. Quietly. Too quietly.

Tabitha wondered if Fez knew his days were numbered. She didn't think anyone screwed up twice with this boss.

And apparently getting hit over the head was akin to screwing up.

***

Ronin swore he could tell when she left her body. And didn't that stretch his sense of reality? What part of her had she left? And what part of her had left? These were questions that he couldn't answer, but they reverberated in his mind. Her body, still draped over his, had become...boneless. It was weird because it was more than as if she were asleep. It's as if she had died except her chest still rose and fell in a relaxed manner. Her color looked normal; her breathing sounded normal; but she didn't
feel
normal.

He wanted to get up and go to work. Sleep was the furthest thing from his mind now.

Tabitha needed to get back fast. That something could go wrong and he'd never know… He didn’t want to dwell on that.

He couldn't believe what he'd seen and done these last few days. But there was one person who could possibly help him deal with his cat problem. If he would.

Reaching out gently so as to not disturb Tabitha, he snagged up his phone and called Stefan.

"Hey, I'm hoping you can help me." He stopped, not really sure how to start. Should he even ask? At least Stefan might be able to give him answers no one else could. And he needed to deal with this fast – if he could. He tried again. "I have a little problem."

"Really?" Stefan murmured, humor in his voice. "I'm not a counselor."

"Damn. Not that kind of problem," he growled. "Another problem. A problem from my past. At least Tabitha suggested it might be from there...if such a thing is possible."

"What type of problem?"

"Cats. I get a weird reaction when I'm around cats..." He winced, took a deep breath and explained what happened when he came close to them. He groaned. "Most of the time it's no big deal, but around Tabitha..." He gave a bitter laugh. "And if I tell myself that often enough, I might believe it."

"And what do you want from me?" Stefan asked.

"I wondered…" Ronin paused and stared moodily at the ceiling of Tabitha's bedroom. "If you can see inside my mind...my history, my energy... Is there anything in there that would explain this?"

"Interesting problem." Stefan’s voice grew distant, thick in an odd way. Ronin wasn't sure what to make of it.

"What does that mean?" he joked. Even admitting there was a problem was hard.

But necessary.

Whoa.
Stefan was in his head again. Ronin stared nonplussed at the phone in his hand. Should he just hang up?

Give me a moment,
murmured the whisper in his ear.

"Yeah, sure. Take your time." Yet...he couldn't help but hold his breath. It was such a weird feeling. He could sense Stefan's progress through his mind. Like a cat creeping up on a mouse to trap it. A shudder rippled down his spine.

Thanks. Can't say I've ever been called a cat before.

Ronin winced. Shit. "Sorry, but having you move around in my head, it's a similar feeling to a spider on my arm. Raises the hairs on the back of my neck too."

Hmmm. Interesting.

"What? What's interesting?" he asked cautiously. "As in the stuff about the cats is interesting or something else?" He waited, but no more was forthcoming. "Stefan? Is something wrong?"

No, there isn't. At least not the way you are suddenly concerned. You don't have a cancer eating away at your physical body, but a kind of fear has been eating away at your psyche. Interesting. You play music, huh?

Ronin frowned. "Yeah. Both my brother and I do. How did you know that?"

I can see it in your energy. It's how you soothe your soul. And...
He gasped. A gasp so loud that Ronin sat up, accidentally shifting Tabitha's position beside him. "What?"