Tiger Born (12 page)

Heath couldn’t say his decision was a conscious one. All he knew was that he needed help, and the best person to be at his side was Deja. Some sense opened up inside him. He recognized it for the same ability that called to her the night he ached to have her in his arms. Like a radio wave or maybe a mental one with a homing beacon, it went out to her and pulled her to him. He felt the connection and the tug. He knew she gave into it and heard her bounding up the stairs even though her paws made almost no noise.

Heath timed his attack on the man holding Tina with the moment Deja burst through the doorway. He didn’t have to look at her to know she’d assessed the situation immediately. He leaped into the air and sank his teeth into the man’s wrist as he pushed the needle deeper. A howl of pain curled his lips, and his hand went slack. The needle fell to the floor, and Tina sank after it, going unconscious.

Maybe it was the taste of blood in his mouth, although he’d tasted it before. Maybe it was that at that moment, Deja cried out, and when he looked over his shoulder, he caught sight of red staining the beautiful white-and-black fur on her side. He’d heard no gunshot, but the man standing over her held a knife, dripping with blood. Rage was all Heath knew from that second on.

While he’d taken down each of the men who attacked him, he hadn’t killed any. Now he slaughtered one after another—the man near the bathroom, the one over Deja. He ripped him to shreds and only let up when another man raced in the door, weapon drawn. Heath disposed of him, sinking his teeth as deep as they would go into his neck, until he heard the crunch of bone and the breath of life stopped. He moved to the next and the next, racing from room to room. His next target out on the street, he headed that way.

From a long way away, it seemed, he heard someone shout, “Stop him. He’s lost control. Heath!”

Hands grabbed at him, but he shook them off. One of the shifters—in his delirium, he couldn’t tell who—stepped in his path, and he didn’t hesitate to attack. The cat yelped in pain when Heath bit him. The animal scurried out of the way, and Heath started for the door again. This time a bigger cat moved to block the door, one that seemed blacker with stripes of white. He knew who it was. Coltrane.

They circled one another, and then Coltrane leaped at him. Heath caught him along his throat with his claws and sent the black man flying. Coltrane slammed into the wall, and Heath followed, ready to rip his throat to ribbons.

“Heath!”

Across his clouded mind, Deja’s voice stopped him cold. When he stilled, Coltrane dragged himself from the wall, unsteady on his paws, but he looked like he would attack again. Deja appeared between them and held up a hand. “Don’t you even think about it,” she snapped.

Coltrane fell back. She turned to look down at Heath, and he paced back and forth, waiting for his chance. Deja, tight-lipped and eyes narrowed, pointed a finger in Heath’s face.

“Did you forget about Tina?” she demanded.

Dread ran over him. All anger drained away, and he found the ability to shift. Someone handed him a pair of jeans. He noticed Deja had found a long shirt that looked like it had belonged to a man. While she appeared to move with care, he realized she hadn’t been hurt as badly as he’d thought. He bounded up the stairs to the second floor and found Tina somewhat coherent, leaning over her cousin’s body and sobbing.

He stepped into the room. “I’m sorry, Tina.”

She raised tear-stained eyes to him. He felt sorry for her and like a failure for promising her he’d save her cousin. Tina scrambled up from the floor and threw herself into his arms. He patted her back with an awkward stiffness. Her grief and the scent of death and dying all around them weighed down his mind.

Deja stepped into the room. He noted the anger flashing in her eyes to see Tina, naked, in his arms. Claws formed from her fingertips. Heath shifted Tina away from him. “Joe, take her. Everyone, outside the town limits.
Now
.”

Joe led Tina away, and after a sweep of the house, Heath followed everyone out. In silence, they slipped out of town back into the darkness. He’d arranged for them to meet at a designated location, and when he arrived, the others stood around waiting for orders. Some didn’t meet his gaze when he looked at them. He’d screwed up bad. He’d attacked his own.

Deja strolled toward him and dropped his phone in one of his hands and his gun in the other. Shame made him mute, but he got what she meant to say. He needed to report in to Ward. He dialed his dad and waited for him to pick up.

“Talk to me,” Ward grunted.

Heath sighed. He glanced over at Tina where she sat on a fallen log, shaking. Someone had given her clothes and a blanket to wrap around her shoulders. Heath turned and strolled several feet away. “The boy was dead when we got there. They’d done something to him. No sign of his foster parents. I assume they’re dead or—”

“At a lab,” Ward interjected. “Spiderweb?”

“Operatives everywhere. The place crawled with them.” For now, he couldn’t bring himself to admit how he’d lost it. “The lab might be in the area. We can sniff around.”

“No, get back here. We need to take care of this other issue. Son?”

“Yes?”

“Good work. See you soon.” Ward disconnected.

Heath’s world crashed down around his ears. He tossed the phone on the ground and followed it with the gun. With quick movements, he shed his clothing and glanced at Deja. “Get everybody moving. We’re heading back to Siberia at daybreak.”

Deja grabbed his arm. “Heath, they’re looking for guidance from you. Where are you going?”

He pulled free of her hold. “I have to get away. I’m sorry.”

After shifting, he ran with everything he had into the trees and let the darkness swallow him whole. Within seconds, their sounds, their scents faded into the background, and he was left with his own guilt and shame. Alone.

Chapter Nine

Deja didn’t have to think twice about following Heath. She knew what he felt and knew it was her mistake in letting that fool get the better of her while they fought. Her wound was superficial. A quick patch-up, and she was good as new.

She approached Joe, who sat near Tina. “Hey, Joe, we leave at daybreak. The best everyone can do is get some sleep. Is she okay?”

Joe peered at Tina. “She’s fine. Listen, no one blames him. You got hurt. That would send any of us into a rage, watching the one we love attacked.”

“You mean Tina got hurt,” Coltrane interjected. “They threatened to kill her, and Heath snapped. Deja’s not with him anymore. Tina is.”

Deja had been considering going out with Coltrane just to test the waters, but his claim pissed her off to the point that she didn’t know if she could speak to him long enough to date him. “I’m going after Heath. Joe, can you take care of everything?”

“I’ve got it.” Joe stood up. “Deja, tell him we understand, okay? Tell him I don’t hold anything against him.” She watched him pat the wound where Heath had attacked him when Joe tried to stop Heath’s rampage. She didn’t know what Ward’s reaction would be, but as far as she was concerned, Heath was still on edge. He needed her, and she’d be there for him.

Deja shifted and took off into the trees in the direction that Heath had run. She breathed deep, taking in the scent she knew so well. From its concentration, she judged him far ahead of her. The man could run, and if he didn’t stop, she might never catch him.

After what felt like hours, she was getting winded, but it seemed like Heath’s scent grew stronger. With the moon high in the sky, she slowed down to a walk and padded along on silent paws. He came into view standing in his tiger form before a beautiful lake. The water rippled with gentle waves and seemed to glow in the still night. A breeze stirred her fur, ticklish. Who would not find peace amid this scene?

When she stepped up behind him, Heath spun around and growled at her. Deja shifted to human form and put her hands on her hips. “Fucker, I know you didn’t just growl at me. I will kick your ass out here.”

She waited for him to change, but he just stood there, confusion and anger in his eyes. Now she realized the danger of him being out here alone. Instead of the secluded setting giving him peace, it fueled his guilt and probably made him replay everything that happened over and over in his mind. He hung on the edge, and if she didn’t do something, he might not come back.

Deja dropped to her knees in front of him. He continued to growl, but she ignored the sharp teeth bared to her and wrapped her arms around his neck. “It’s so not that serious, Heath. Okay, you screwed up. So what? No one really got hurt. You saved Tina’s life. She’s fine by the way, sitting there with Joe and soaking up all the attention everyone is giving her.” She tried for a chuckle, but Heath didn’t respond. “Change so I can talk to you.”

At first she thought he would ignore her, but slowly his body began to grow and morph into that of a man. Instead of the tiger’s head on her shoulder, the man lay there. Her pulse quickened. They were both naked.

Heath pulled away from her and sat on his ass, facing the water. She scooted in beside him, allowing her hip to brush his. Desire began to curl in her belly, but she didn’t make any other moves. He needed to get out the thoughts tormenting him.

“I was supposed to protect everyone. Instead, I put them in danger.”

“Okay.”

He glanced at her and then sighed turning back to the water.

“I attacked one of our own. Supposed to be the alpha’s son. What the fuck does that mean anyway?”

“Nothing.”

He frowned. “Deja, are you trying to make me feel better or worse?”

She smiled, and just as she knew he would, he smiled back. His hand came up to caress her cheek. She kissed his fingers. “You’re not a god. I want to say you’re only human, but you’re not. There’s human in you. Ordinary. Makes mistakes. You also have tiger in you, and he knows to fight to survive or to protect. He knows instinct. A tiger can’t say ‘hey, Joe, get out of my way so I can kill all the enemies threatening my family.’ He only knows biting and scratching to get his point across.”

Heath shook his head. Now, the beautiful blue eyes were filled with amusement. “That simple, huh?”

“Yeah, that simple.” She wrapped an arm around his and leaned closer. “We are complex creatures. We reason and we live on instinct. The two sides can work in harmony, but often they war against each other. Each side has its own way of doing things, so sometimes there’s an argument about who is in charge.”

“Hmm, so you’re an expert now, huh?” His words held no bitterness, just calm acceptance.

“Yes, I’m the expert. Didn’t you know that?”

“I know you’re driving me insane with your breast pressed against my arm, and if you don’t want me burying my cock between your legs, you’d better get up.”

She didn’t move a muscle.

“Deja,” he said, a note of warning in his tone.

She found herself flat on her back with Heath looking down at her. His hot gaze roved her body from her breasts to her belly to her pussy. The raw need echoed her own, and she lay her arms out to the side, palms up. When she raised her chin and turned her head slightly to the side, he growled low. His tongue touched the pulse at the base of her throat, and her pussy clenched. She gasped, arching her back.

“Heath.”

“You’ve got to want this, Deja,” he murmured against her skin. “I can’t stop myself this time.”

“I’m not asking you to.”

“I pushed you.”

She looked into his eyes when he raised his head. “What do you mean?”

A feeling she couldn’t describe came over her, as if he tugged at her with an invisible cord. She leaned up to run her tongue along the column of his neck. Whimpering, she nipped his skin and rubbed her breasts back and forth over his chest. Then the pull was gone, and she fell back down. Her eyes wide, she stared at him.

“I didn’t have control.” The reality of it took her breath away. “You can…you can make me do whatever you want, whenever you want?”

Shame registered in his face, and he moved away. She sat up. He ran a hand through this hair. “I don’t know.”

“That night when it was raining, I came to the house in my nightie, barefoot.”

He nodded.

“I remember thinking I needed to go to you. My body felt so hot, I couldn’t stand it. I craved you inside me like I would die if you didn’t take me, and when you did, it was as if it fulfilled my purpose in life!” She stood up and paced. “I loved it, every single minute of it. You were rough, and the next day I was so sore, but I
loved
it. I couldn’t get enough of you.”

“I’m sorry.”

“That’s what you have to say?” she snapped. “What else can you do? Did you force other women too?”

“Deja!”

“What? I’m just asking.”

“Damn it, I don’t want to fuck any other woman.”

She stopped pacing, but she didn’t look at him. “What about Tina? I hear you’re dating her now.”

“Fuck Tina,” he growled.

She jumped at the ferocity of his words.

“I did pull you to the house that night, but I didn’t force you. You wanted it as badly as I did.”

“You’d like to believe that, wouldn’t you?”

He stood up and grasped her arms. She struggled to get free, but his strength went far beyond any she had, even as a shifter. Anger rolled off him in waves, and then all of a sudden it dissipated as if it were never there. He locked gazes with her, and while she wanted to blame it on his ability, she knew she didn’t look away because of the man, not the beast. Her heart beat a ragged tattoo in her chest, and every nerve ending in her body vibrated with electricity.

“I pulled you to me, but I didn’t force you to open your legs. You wanted it, and I’m going to prove it right now.”

She had scarcely a moment to challenge his claim when he dropped to his knees and swiped the tip of his tongue over her clit. A curse fell from her lips, and she sagged into him. Her little bud swelled on impact with his mouth and seemed to strain toward him.

“M-more,” she mumbled, embarrassed. He was right, but she wouldn’t admit it. The power that dragged her from her bed that night released her just outside the house. That was why she stood there, confused and frightened that she’d come. Myriad thoughts ran through her mind at that moment, chief being that he would run her off and not want her. All of her being had ached for the man, even before she left his parents’ place. In fact, she’d been trying to bring herself to an orgasm thinking about him.