The Tiger's Heart Read online

  “Are you sure?” he asked, breaking away from the kiss, his fingers going to her nightshirt.

  “I’m sure.” She leaned forward, allowing him to slip the shirt over her head. “I need you.”

  The shirt was tossed carelessly to the floor as he kissed her neck. He rubbed his head against her neck, like a cat against a body.

  “What are you doing?” She laughed as his hair tickled her neck.

  “Marking my mate properly. I want my scent all over you. You’re mine.”

  “Hum.”

  “There will be no going back from this. You’ll be mine. If you have reservations, we should deal with them first.” He rested his head in the hollow of her neck but no longer rubbed.

  Mating. “I have no doubts when it comes to you. I love you, Raja.”

  “Good, because you’re my world. I love you too.” He kissed her. He slid his hand deep under the covers, gliding smoothly down her torso until he found her sweet spot. His fingers slipping between her lips, entering her core, tantalizing her with yearning.

  “These must go.” She hooked her hand in boxers, pulling them back and letting them go.

  “All in due time, my love” He winked at her. “I want to take my time, enjoy every moment, feel every inch of your body against mine.”

  She groaned. “You made me wait this long, and now you’re going to take your time?”

  “Yes,” he teased with a wicked grin on his face.

  “If I didn’t have this damn brace on my leg, I’d roll you over and take control of the situation.”

  “You could try, but shifters are stronger than humans. Now lay back and let me enjoy myself, bring you pleasure, or I could draw this out longer.”

  With no visible choice, she leaned back against the pillows, watching the moonlight bounce off his chest. There was enough light coming through the window to allow her to see him. She had no doubt that he was able to see better than she could ever have hoped to. Will he like what he sees? Listen to me, I’m as nervous as a virgin on her wedding night.

  “You’re beautiful.” He took her nipple in his mouth, sucking gently, before letting it slide out again. His cool breath made her nipple harden.

  She raked her hands through his hair, moving it out of his eyes, allowing her to truly see him. She loved the feel of the silky strands of hair between her fingertips, the way his hands caressed her body.

  Raja tenderly kissed her neck as his fingers delved inside of her. He slipped two fingers inside, stroking the fire that was burning in her.

  “You’re wet,” he whispered, his breath hot against her neck.

  “Please, Raja. I need you.” She turned her head to him. “Don’t make me wait.”

  He lifted his head from her neck and met her gaze. “Please,” she whispered as their lips touched. She ran her hands down his chest, feeling his tight abs on her way to his shaft. She slid her hands inside his boxers, wrapping her fingers around his hard shaft. Her hand worked his shaft, while their kisses got deeper.

  “Let me.” He leaned back and ripped the boxers off. The ripping sound filled the room before material was tossed to the floor to join her nightshirt. She felt her eyes get big with surprise. “What? They were in the way.”

  She laughed.

  “Keep your leg up on the pillows, I’ll work around it. I won’t have you doing more damage to it.” He slid between her legs, angling himself with the tip of his shaft playing lightly along her folds.

  As he entered her tight channel, she cried out with pleasure. His thrust was gentle at first, working his way into her core, allowing her body to adjust around him. Her body relaxed around him, giving him the room he needed. His thrusts came deeper and faster.

  Their bodies worked together in precision, as if it was a well-choreographed dance. Their bodies rode back and forth until they explode together in unison.

  Breathless, they laid there hot and sweaty, not wanting to move. Their legs still entwined together.

  “I love you, Bethany,” Raja whispered. He wrapped his body around her, his face buried in her hair.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  After hours of making love Raja and Bethany lay tangled in each other’s arms, their exhaustion taking hold as night was becoming day. His mating couldn’t have come at a worse time. Tiger shifters were living in a dangerous time, but still he couldn’t deny himself the pleasures of Bethany.

  “You’re thinking too hard.” Snuggling against him.

  “Hum?”

  “When you’re thinking hard, you have a deep line that forms on your forehead. Penny for your thoughts?”

  “It’s nothing,” he whispered in her hair before kissing the top of her head.

  “If we’re mates, we should be straightforward with each other. A relationship that isn’t built on honesty and trust isn’t one I want to be in.”

  “I was just thinking what bad timing this mating is. It’s dangerous to be a tiger shifter or someone even connected to us now, especially the Alaskan Tigers. Pierce will stop at nothing or no one.”

  She took it in. “Did you have control over mating?”

  “No. Not really. We can hold it off for a short time, but it infuriates the tiger. It makes us on edge as we battle the tiger claws and rage. If it takes too long, our animal will take control of the mating. When that happens it’s perilous—we can be uncontrollable with the need for our mate’s touch.”

  “Then why worry about the bad timing? If there was nothing you could do, isn’t it better to accept the situation?” She ran her hand lazily over his chest, caressing his abs.

  “Just because you make a good point doesn’t mean the worry vanishes. I’m not worried for myself, it is you I’m concerned for.” He laid there staring at the celling, wishing they weren’t having this conversation.

  “Me?”

  “Yes. There are transitions that will be taking place soon, and it could…well to be honest, dangerous situations will arise from it.”

  “I can take care of myself. What transitions?” She propped herself up on her elbow and gazed down at him.

  “Bethany, you’re an amazing woman with many talents…”

  “But?”

  His lips curved into a smile. “But you don’t stand a chance against shifters. We’re stronger, faster and deadlier than a raving human on drugs.” He rubbed his thumb over the dimple in her chin. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

  “I’ll be fine.” Lowering her head, she laid a light kiss on his lips.

  “To see to that I’m assigning guards to you. It is normal procedure with the Alpha and the Lieutenant’s mates. I should have done it when you first arrived, but I was more concerned about your knee and how you would react to the news of shifters. I was also coming to terms with you being my mate.”

  “I think I’ve done very well. Now what transitions?”

  “My persistent mate.” Before he could tell her of the transitions, his cell phone vibrated on the nightstand.

  Grabbing it, he saw it was a text message from Ty.

  He’s ten minutes out. Felix and Marcus are bringing Tabitha there. Meet me at heliport, five minutes.

  “He?” she asked, looking at the phone screen.

  “Tabitha will explain the transitions when she gets here. I’ll be back shortly.” He slipped out of bed. He strolled naked toward the closet.

  “Who is he?”

  “Nothing to worry about. I’ll be back soon.” He slipped his legs into a clean pair of black jeans then grabbed the long-sleeved t-shirt that he favored.

  “Answer me.” She threw a pillow at him, hitting him in the back.

  “James.”

  “Uncle James is here already. Let me get dressed.” She threw off the covers.

  “I meant to tell you last night but well, we got sidetracked. Ty and I have decided to meet with him first. I’ll bring him to see you after we have spoken with him.” After slipping the shirt over his head, he strapped his knife to his thigh and grabbed the g
un holster.

  “Why can’t I be there?”

  “Your uncle knows something. We don’t know if he’s working with Pierce or not. I want you here with Tabitha and her guards until we get a read on him. I promise if he is clean, I’ll bring him to you.”

  “How would you know he’s clean?” she asked, pulling on a pair of lounge pants from the bottom of the bed. They were the easiest to wear with the knee brace.

  “I’m taking Shadow with me. She has the ability to see into someone’s psyche and to be able to tell if they’re lying. If there is anything evil about James, she’ll notice it. If he wishes to harm you or anyone here, she would see it. I’ll apologize now—if he means any of any harm he’ll be escorted out of the compound.”

  “Raja, we’re here,” Tabitha called, coming into his quarters.

  “Make yourself at home. We’ll be out in a moment.” He went to Bethany, kneeling in front of her. “Don’t fight me on this. I’m protecting you.”

  She hooked her bra, but she still needed a shirt. Her nightshirt wouldn’t do to meet her uncle after all these years. “I want to see him one way to another.”

  “I can’t promise you that. I won’t put you in danger, no matter how angry you’ll be at me. I can tell you I’ll do my best to make you happy.” He stood, grabbing one of the sweaters from her suitcase that still sat on the floor. “Here.”

  * * *

  Raja stood at the helipad, feeling guilty. It’ll break her heart to know her uncle is behind any of this.

  “Apprehensive James has something to do with this?” Ty asked, leaning against the railing surrounding the heliport.

  “We don’t know completely he doesn’t.”

  “No, but Adam is quickly becoming an outstanding guard, or I wouldn’t have added him to Tabitha’s guards. He has good judgment. If he found James suspicious, he wouldn’t be bringing him here. Plus neither of us thought he was part of it. You’re only doubting your judgment now for dread of how it will affect your mate,” he added when Raja looked guilty. “Don’t worry I do it as well when it comes to Tabby. It’s only natural to want to protect your mate from harm and heartbreak. But we have to trust in our instincts. It’s what keeps us and our mates alive.”

  “You’re right.” Raja ran his hand through his hair as the first sounds of the helicopter came from the distance. “After all this I need to explain to Bethany the dangers that might be in store for shifters and their mates. Not just Pierce but also with the joining of the clans.”

  Ty nodded. “Just make sure she doesn’t tell James.”

  “I swear if he has anything to do with the attack on Bethany, I’ll kill him myself,” he growled, watching the helicopter coming into view. Adam was at the helm, steering it toward them.

  “If that is the case, he’ll be all yours once we get all the information out of him.” Ty stepped forward, standing straight and tall when the helicopter landed. “How long do you think we have before Felix is begging for a break from our mates? I’m sure Felix won’t have it easy since both of them wanted to be here.”

  “They were both shooting looks that could kill at me when I left them sitting in the living room. I expect we have only a short time before they drive the guards to a breaking point. Maybe we’ll go back and find them bound and gagged.” They laughed as the men stepped out of the helicopter. The last man who jumped out was an older man who looked to be in his mid to late fifties. He has the same piercing green eyes that Bethany has.

  “Ty, Raja, this is James Thompson,” Adam said, coming to stand in front of him. “James, this is the Alpha of the Alaskan Tigers, Ty and his Lieutenant, Raja.”

  “James, if you could follow us to the conference room.”

  “Where’s my niece? I demand to see Bethany.”

  “You’ll see her once we have had our discussion. She’s safe, that’s all that you need to concern yourself with,” Raja said, irritation showing in his voice.

  “I want to see her now,” James complained as he followed them to the conference room, Adam and Leo taking up the rear.

  “As I said you can see her once this is complete and not until then. If that doesn’t suit you, you’re more than welcome to get your ass back on the helicopter and they’ll return you to your life. But you’re on our turf and you’ll do things our way,” Raja growled at him.

  James was a weak shifter. Raja could feel it in the air around him. Yet he had the courage of a fighter. If he had anything to do with the attack on Bethany, he would be hard to break. His commitment and honor would be strong.

  “If anything has happened to my niece…”

  A fierce growl had Raja’s lips curling into a snarl. Not even five minutes on the ground and Raja was already losing patience with James. Ty paused briefly to make eye contact with James.

  “No harm has come to her since she has arrived here. She’s with my mate, and they’re safe. If we could get this out of the way quickly you may see her,” Ty said, trying to calm the situation as he opened the door to the conference area. They decided to use one of the smaller ones on the far side of the compound, farthest away from the mates.

  Shadow and Thomas sat at the conference table waiting for them. Ty took the chair at the end of the table, leaving the one to his right for Raja, before gesturing toward the other chairs. “Please have a seat and we can get started.”

  James stalked to a seat, the anger sliding off him. Raja watched him out of the corner of his eye, but his attention was focused on Shadow. He was watching her, waiting for some sign of her impression of James. Was he a threat to Bethany? To the clan?

  “What do you need from me?” He sat across from Shadow in the middle of the table, leaving an empty chair between Ty and him.

  “Do you know a man named Pierce?” Ty dug through the folder lying on the table and came out with a picture of Pierce.

  He slid it across the table to James, who leaned back as the picture came into view. The tension in the room inched higher. James remained still with everyone watching him closely.

  “Nothing, I know nothing,” James said, his eye twitching slightly.

  “If you’re not up front with us, you won’t be able to see Bethany. We won’t risk her life.” Raja fought the need to stand, to pace the room.

  “She’s my family—you can’t keep me from her.”

  “What to bet?” he snarled.

  “Whatever you know about Pierce might help us find him. I’m sure you want to see justice for what happened to your brother and his family. Justice for Bethany.” Shadow leaned forward in her chair, her voice so low and sweet, one wouldn’t have guessed she was one of the fiercer guards.

  “I do, but that’s a family matter.”

  “It’s bigger than a family matter. He has gone after my mate. He has a bounty on Bethany’s head. This is bigger than you.” Ty laced his fingers together and laid them on the table.

  “I don’t want Bethany injured or killed.” He looked down at the picture again.

  “Then help us.”

  “It began many years ago. I was married to my high school sweetheart. She had problems, split personalities mostly. I loved her and thought I could fix her. It started out fine. We had a small home near the plant I took a job at after high school. I wanted to go to college, but there wasn’t enough money. My baby brother had the brains. I got a job and helped my parents, put away what I could for his college and did my best by my wife. She got pregnant within the first year of our marriage, but the pregnancy was hard on her. It brought out more personalities, meaner ones. You never knew where you stood with her, and our marriage started to suffer.”

  “I don’t understand what this has to do with Pierce.” Raja shot a questioning look at James.

  “You have to understand how it started. It started with me and my wife, but it ends with Pierce.” James played with his short goatee as he spoke. “Six months into the pregnancy she had a breakdown one day when I was working a double. I got the call from her sister. She was admi
tted to the hospital after trying to drown herself. She survived, but she was never the same. She became a shell of herself. Giving birth to our son made thing worse. She wanted nothing to do with him. They wouldn’t discharge her from the hospital, and eventually she was transferred to a long-term mental hospital to receive the treatment she needed. Her younger sister moved in and helped with James Junior—J.J.—while I worked. He was seven when she married and moved away, and he was already showing signs of his instability.” He paused, looking down at his hands. “When J.J. shifted, things became worse. Six months after his first shift he attacked Pierce.”

  “Where is J.J. now?” Shadow asked softly.

  “You know our law…”

  “He’s dead?”

  “Yes. He was my son. I took care of it. I should have acted sooner, but I never thought…I guess that’s just it—I never thought.”

  “That explains the statement in the video.” Raja pushed back his chair. He couldn’t sit there any longer.

  “Statement? Video?”

  “Pierce has taken to sending us videos of his actions. We received one when Bethany was kidnapped, and one of the murders.”

  “Kidnapped? You said she was safe!” James hollered, slamming his hands down on the table.

  “She’s safe now, because Raja went after her. The kidnapper is dead. Unfortunately, Raja wasn’t able to get to her before some damage was done to her. Her captor took a steel pipe to her knee to ensure she wouldn’t escape. When Raja brought her here, Doc performed surgery to save her knee. She’s recovering and doing very well.” Ty slid another photo across the table. “This is the man who kidnapped Bethany. Do you know him?”

  James shook his head. “No. What’s this about a statement from the video?”

  “In the video Pierce said ‘tonight the family will have to face the beast their uncle created.’ Has Pierce made any contact with you?”

  “No. I haven’t heard from him. After I became aware of what J.J. did, I dealt with the issue. I went to Pierce all those years ago and tried to teach him the ways of our kind. I wanted to help him adjust. He was angry and didn’t want anything to do with me. I didn’t create him.”