Tempting the Tiger (21 page)

“There are a few changes we think may occur during the mate’s time of ovulation, to ensure pregnancy,” Diane explained.

“But you don’t know?” Amia asked.

“I was ovulating when Tah and I were first together,” Abby said. “That had a huge effect on us.”

“We believe the animal is more dominant during the mating cycle when the chosen female is ovulating. The sex drive increases to the point you might have sex a dozen times in a twenty-four hour period.”

“Jesus.” Amia uttered, interrupting Diane.

“You’ll want it,” Abby said. “Trust me. You’re body will crave it just as much as his does.”

Christ, she already wanted him all the time and had the feeling it was mutual. He was possessive and dominant, yet patient and giving, and she didn’t want that to change. She respected what they were trying to do. They wanted to let her know what she might be in for. In a way, she took it to mean they accepted her both as Reno’s mate and part of their group or pride or whatever they considered themselves. But it also made her uncomfortable. There were some things that should remain private.

“Does Reno know any of this?”

“Some of it,” Diane confirmed.

“Then no offense to either of you, but I think I’ll wait and talk to him about all this.”

Diane nodded.

Abby smiled. “I understand completely. I’m the same way with Tah. But I want you to know that if you ever need someone to talk to, I’m here for you. We’re family now, like sisters.”

Amia knew her concept of family differed vastly from most peoples, but she smiled and nodded. She’d never had a sister before.

“Good, good, you’re still here.” A short man with a head full of gray hair almost bounced into the room. “You’ve taken blood. Good. Good.” He walked right up to the table and poked his finger against her lip until she opened her mouth. His fingers nudged her teeth while he peered over his glasses into her mouth. “Hmmm…”

He murmured, and she leaned back, snapping her teeth together and giving a growl that would probably impress her mate if he were there to hear it.

“Now, now. None of that. I didn’t see any cavities. Good strong teeth.”

“I don’t have any fillings,” Amia confirmed.

“What’s going on Professor?” Abby asked.

“Logan called. They’ve isolated the point of the signal going out. It’s right here, in this room.”

Amia’s eyes widened. “It’s on me?”

The Professor nodded as he ran his eyes over her. “The only question is where have they hidden it.”

Chapter Eleven

Tah and Reno walked from the house toward the area where the malfunctioning sensor was. Reno expected Tah to shift, but he didn’t. He seemed content to walk with Reno, making Reno suspect there was something more on his mind. They’d just stepped into the trees when Tah finally spoke.

“I’m terrified.”

Reno didn’t have to ask why or what. He knew. There was only one thing that had the power to make Tah afraid.

“Abby.”

Tah nodded, though Reno hadn’t made it a question. “The baby is growing too fast. Her body can’t keep up. She’s depleted and exhausted. Hell, even Diane’s worried about the toll this pregnancy is taking on Abby.” Tah shifted his shoulders as if he carried the weight of the world on them. He lifted his hands and cupped them behind his head. “I’m terrified of losing her.”

“What does Abby say?”

There was no humor in the barked laugh Tah gave. “She says everything will be fine.” He turned to face Reno. “But I see the dark circles, the weariness and fatigue stamped on her face. She barely sleeps, and when she does, she’s restless. Her back aches constantly. She’s getting bigger, yet she’s losing weight. I can’t lose her. I won’t survive that.”

“Diane’s keeping a close watch on her, right? Seeing her every day?”

Tah nodded. “And the Professor checks on her constantly. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve walked in and caught them with their heads together. He hasn’t said anything, but I can tell he’s worried too.”

“I’m here for you,” Reno said, reaching out to grip Tah’s forearm with his hand. “Anything you need. Anytime.”

Tah sighed. “I know. I trust you and Logan more than anyone.” His gaze met Reno’s, and there was such sorrow in it Reno almost took a step back. “And yet I let you down. I hurt you, and for that I’m deeply sorry. I questioned your judgment, and that could have cost you the love of your mate.”

Reno shook his head. “She’s right. You did what you thought you had to.” He still felt a rumble of anger stir inside him, but pushed it deep. There was no room for anger or guilt between him and Tah.

“I want to talk to her some more. I’d like to hear anything she has to say about the Blanes and what it was like growing up there. And the glow she sees. I want to find out more about that.”

“You have an idea what it means,” Reno said. Another statement.

“I do.” Tah nodded. “It’s just a theory. I’d like to call a house meeting and pull everyone in, see what she sees.” He started walking again, and Reno followed with him. “That means Finn and Murphy. Can you handle that?”

Reno sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ll try to hold myself to one punch.”

Tah snorted a laugh. “Remember we need them. And they were following my orders. You can’t forgive me and not them.”

Reno nodded but said nothing. He knew Tah was right, and yet he still wanted to kick the shit out of Finn and Murphy—out of both of them. Finn, who’d eavesdropped then tattled as if they were in grade school instead of grown fucking men, and Murphy who’d jumped right in to help contain Amia. Reno still wasn’t sure what all had happened before he’d gotten down there.

“Feel the urge to shift yet?” Tah asked.

Reno knew he was changing the subject to get Reno’s mind off of what had happened.

“I do, but I don’t,” Reno said. “If that makes any sense at all.”

Tah laughed with genuine humor this time. “Believe me. To me, it does. Christ, how long did we spend out here with me trying to figure it all out. I wanted to, but I didn’t.” The smile that crossed his face was way too happy for Reno’s liking. “The Professor’s been asking about you. He wants you down in the lab for tests. Blood, saliva and semen.”

Fuck! No wonder Tah was happy. Now he had someone to take some of the Professor’s interest off of him. He had no problem recalling the way the Professor poked and prodded at Tah. Hell, the little man had even ordered Tah to get in touch with his inner kitty and shift already. Reno was not looking forward to dealing with the Professor from this side of the fence. He turned his head to say something to Tah and caught the look of absolute delight on his friend’s face. Well, fuck. If thinking of Reno dealing with the Professor and all his endless demands eased Tah by giving him a good laugh, then Reno would take everything thrown at him. Tah had far too much on his mind.

“I’ll deal with the Professor,” Reno grunted. “As long as he doesn’t start shoving me out the door with commands to shift already.”

Tah laughed. “When the time’s right, you’ll know. I’ll admit, I was a little worried about you at first, knowing the toll it all took on me. I had such a hard time with it. The whole thing almost shut me down permanently. But I think we were wrong about some things. It all happened fast for me, at warp speed even. The Professor thinks it had more to do with my mate being in her fertile period than with anything else. You’ll have to deal with that when it happens with Amia. The beast just takes over, and all you want to do is fuck your mate. You’ll spend the entire time hard as steel and ready to go. She’ll be just as ready for you.”

“I remember all those stops on the way here,” Reno said. “I remember how annoyed I was.”

“Just wait,” Tah taunted. “You’ll get to experience it firsthand some day.”

“I haven’t used anything,” Reno admitted. “Talking to you. Seeing Abby. I’ve done nothing to protect Amia from getting pregnant.”

Tah nodded. “I’m not sure I could have. The thought of anything between my skin and hers? No fucking way. We were both so sensitive at the time. The only touch we could stand was each others.”

“Diane or the Professor have any thoughts on it?”

“Both of them think it has everything to do with the animal and a need to bind your mate to you. Has Amia noticed any changes since you bit her?”

“Not that I know of, but it’s only been a few hours.”

“Right. It still blows my mind that you were able to hold back on that. Be sure to ask Amia. My saliva changed everything for Abby. Or the mixture of my saliva and semen. Hell, being with me has changed her, and I’m not talking about the pregnancy.”

“You’re talking about the changes in her senses too. I remember discussing it briefly. I’ll talk to Amia. I should have thought to warn her about it. I lose my head around her. All I can focus on is touching her, feeling her.”

“Don’t expect that to change. At least it hasn’t for me,” Tah admitted. “Abby does have increased senses. Not as good as mine but better than normal. Plus it seems to have created a bond between us. I can feel her.” He rubbed his hand over his heart. “It’s like she’s a part of me, the best part.”

Reno should have never held back the impulse to bite Amia, to mark her. If he hadn’t, they might have shared that link, that bond Tah said he had with Abby, before they even got here. Then he would have known what she was going through while he’d been talking to Tah. He could have reached her faster. He rubbed his own chest. Were they linked now? Was that the reason for his sense of unease? Maybe it had nothing to do with him and everything to do with his mate.

“Smell that?” Tah asked, holding his hand up for Reno to stop.

Reno shook his thoughts away and focused on where they were. He inhaled deeply of the air around them, filtering through the scents until he latched onto the one Tah must have noticed. He’d smelled it before. In the woods outside the cabin he’d first taken Amia too. This had been what he’d scented when she’d tried to run from him, before he’d taken her and made her his. He hadn’t sensed a threat then, and he didn’t now. But whoever it was had followed them, and he hadn’t even realized it.

“We know you’re there,” Reno shouted. “I know you’ve been watching Amia.”

Tah lifted a brow but simply crossed his arms over his chest as he scanned the area around them.

“The sensor is going crazy here. I’m betting that’s your doing. You wanted to get me out here. Here I am.” Reno spread his arms wide and took a few steps forward.

One moment, there was nothing, then the rustle of leaves and a figure was landing in a crouch at his feet. He could feel the tension in Tah and held a hand up to his friend, asking him to stand back.

“I had hoped you’d come alone.” The voice was husky and low, a contrast to the very feminine woman before him. Long blonde hair was braided and left to hang in a rope down her back, while large brown eyes seemed to dominate her face. He took note of the curves, the muscle tone, the attitude. But none of that kept his focus when he saw the flash of gold in her eyes and sensed the animal she held inside.

“Who are you?” But he knew. Somehow he knew exactly who she was.

“The one who’s been watching over Amia. I think she has a death wish. Or at least she did. Before you.”

“Why are you watching her?”

“Someone had to.”

“You’re Clara.”

She was startled, and it showed on her face for a brief second before she masked it. “More importantly, I’m not the only one who’s been following you.”

“The Blanes?”

Clara nodded. “If they’re not in Colorado yet, it’s only a matter of time.”

“How do you know this?” Tah stepped up, and anger emanated from him.

Clara took one look and total awe filled her face before she went down to one knee in front of him.

“What the hell are you doing?” Tah asked.

“It’s… I’m…” She breathed out roughly and hurriedly stood. “You startled me. That’s all.”

Reno gave her credit for trying, but he wasn’t buying it. He doubted Tah was either. She was hiding something, but one thing was clear. She’d obviously recognized Tah as an alpha leader. But was he her alpha?

“Who the fuck are you?” Tah demanded.

“I’m Clara,” she said with a shrug.

“I heard him loud and clear,” Tah said, nodding toward Reno. “Who are you, Clara? Where are you from?”

Tah glanced at him, and Reno knew his friend sensed the animal in her as well. Was she a member of the pride? One of the ones they’d read about in the journal? Could Clara be the first to find them?

“I think you better come back with us,” Reno said. He opened his mouth to say more and felt as if the earth beneath his feet quaked. In his mind, he heard Amia scream his name.

“Amia!” His roar shook the trees as he turned and took off back toward the house.

“What is it?”

He heard Tah yell, but he didn’t take time to explain. He had to get to her. His mate needed him.

He paid no attention to the burning of his muscles, the agony of his joints. He had to keep control, had to restrain the beast. His mate needed him. He could hear the pounding of feet behind him and knew both Tah and Clara followed even without looking. Finn was at the door as Reno reached the porch, and he took great pleasure in sending the other man flying as he tossed Finn out of his way and headed inside, toward Amia.

Reno immediately headed toward the door that led to the labs. She was there. He knew it.

“Reno!” Tah’s voice called behind him, but he paid it no mind.

“Get it out! Get it out!” Amia’s scream hit him dead center of his chest as he hit the stairs and had a roar leaving his throat.

He could see them through the glass. Amia was facedown on one of the exam tables with Logan leaning over her back, holding her down while Diane took a knife to her shoulder. The Professor was saying something, and Abby was nodding her head, one hand clasping Amia’s. He saw it all and yet saw nothing, felt nothing but his mate’s fear, her pain.

“Amia!” He roared her name and gave in to the burning of his flesh. Man or beast no longer mattered. All that mattered was reaching his mate and stopping her pain.