Tempting the Tiger (23 page)

“It is.” His voice came from directly behind her. “She’s been following you, and then us.”

“Why?” Amia asked as she turned around with fresh clothes in her hands.

“I guess we’ll find out in ten minutes.”

She glanced at the clock. “Eight.”

“Can you get dressed in four?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said with a nod and tossed her stuff on the bed. “Why? What’s up?”

“Me.” And he bent her forward until her hands braced on the mattress. “That gives me four minutes to pleasure you again.”

“Reno,” she moaned as his cock nudged her, but she was already wet and ready for his possession. He slid in deep and fucked her fast and furious while she buried her head in the covers to muffle her cries.

He hooked one arm around her waist and dipped his hand down between her thighs. He rubbed his thumb against her swollen clit as he leaned over her back and bit down. Within seconds, she was coming and only knew he joined her when he growled against her skin.

Her legs wouldn’t have held her up if she wanted them to, and she collapsed against the mattress as he pulled out.

“I can’t get enough of you,” he grunted. “I have you and feel drained. Then I look at you, and I feel the need rising inside me again.”

She moaned as she rolled over and looked up at him.

“Are you okay? Did I hurt you?” The concern he always showed for her was etched in his face.

“I’ve never felt better in my life. I swear.” She glanced at the clock. “We now have three minutes, and I don’t think I can feel my legs.”

“That good, huh?” He grinned down at her, looking cocky and arrogant and way too full of himself.

And she loved it, loved him. “Yeah, that good.”

His chest puffed out as he bent over to grip her by the waist and haul her up to her feet. “Get dressed, woman, before you tempt me again.”

She laughed and groaned as she dressed. Who would have thought she would be here, with him? So blissfully happy? Not her. Never her. She buttoned her jeans while she watched him sit and pull his boots on.

“What?” he asked her when he looked up and caught her staring.

She stepped into her own shoes before answering. “I was just thinking how much I love you.”

And he was there, before her, pulling her close and kissing her breathless.

“I’ll never tire of hearing you say that,” he whispered as he broke away. “Or of saying those exact words back to you. I love you.”

Amazing the power words had. They could either fill you up until your heart felt so full it might explode, or tear you down, leaving you ripped and broken on the inside where no bandages could hold you together.

“Ready?”

He held his hand out to her, and she took it. It amazed her how one person could come into her life and change it so completely. She was no longer the woman she’d been when she’d gone into the barn to save him. She was more, so much more, now that he’d touched her life and become a vital part of it. He was hers, and she would never be alone and afraid again. Knowing that, accepting that, changed everything for her.

They didn’t say anything as they headed down to the main floor. She expected him to direct them toward the office they’d used before, but he veered toward the front of the house and the large living area just to the side of the front door. The room was filled with people. She knew most of them. Diane sat on a couch with the Professor, but Amia could see her casting glances over her shoulder at the man who stood behind her, the one who’d stepped between her and Reno.

Finn and Murphy stood over by the windows. Finn met her eyes briefly before he looked down and away, but it was long enough for her to see the regret there. Two women sat on another couch deep in conversation with another man. She didn’t know who that trio was. Abby sat in a chair with Tah looming larger than life behind her. Logan stood off to the side, back to the wall, arms crossed as he fixed his gaze on the woman standing all alone. Clara. The room was practically lit up with the amount of golden glow being put out.

Amia left Reno’s side and crossed to Clara, taking the other woman’s hands in hers.

“It is you. I thought… And then Reno said… But I couldn’t be certain. You made it to safety, and you’re here. Why are you here? Reno said you’ve been following me, that you followed us? Why?”

“I think we’d all like to know that,” Tah interrupted, drawing Amia’s attention back to him and the rest of the group.

“Amia.” Reno stood by the only empty chair in the room and held his hand out to her.

She crossed to him before she thought about it. He pressed her into the chair with a kiss then took a stance beside her, and she realized how they were positioned. All of them on one side of the room, facing Clara, who stood alone.

Amia knew what it was to stand alone. Though her heart clenched for Clara, Reno’s solid presence beside her was a reminder that she would never know such a feeling again. She was no longer alone. She was with Reno and a part of this group that surrounded them. Besides, she was just as eager for answers as anyone else. Clara had apparently been following her. Why? And for how long?

Reno stared at the girl. He could see through the brave facade she showed the room. She was nervous and scared. He watched the frantic beat of her pulse at her throat as she swallowed.

“You came here for a reason, Clara. What was it?” Reno asked. “I think you purposely tripped the sensor. Why?”

“I wanted to see you,” she admitted and crossed her arms defiantly across her chest, chin angled up in challenge. “Just you. I didn’t expect the whole circus.”

Tah’s growl rumbled through the room, and Reno literally saw her tremble and fight the urge to bow her head.

“Watch yourself,” Tah reprimanded.

“I…” She broke off what Reno was sure was going to be an apology and cleared her throat instead. Then her glance went to Amia, and something about looking at his mate seemed to ground Clara, and he had a feeling she was planning to use Amia in some way.

“Amia saved my life,” she confessed.

Tah’s head turned to Reno and Amia, and Reno nodded. “The first girl? When you were sixteen?”

Amia nodded.

“I’ve never forgotten that, or her,” Clara told them.

“I’ve never forgotten you, either,” Amia admitted.

“So you’ve been watching her since she saved you? How long ago was that?” Tah asked.

“I was only sixteen then,” Amia said and shook her head. “There’s no way you could have been watching me that long. I would have known.” She looked at Reno. “God, I should have known.”

“I was sixteen too,” Clara stated.

“I thought you were close to my age,” Amia said with a nod. “But we went our separate ways. You were free and safe. Why would you risk yourself again by checking on me?”

“You said you were leaving them. I kept wondering if you’d made it.” Clara shrugged. “So I went looking for you. You were back with the Blanes then. I’ll admit I was disappointed. I thought you’d meant it when you said you couldn’t stay with them.”

“You left and then went back?” Diane asked, looking confused.

“It wasn’t what it seemed,” Amia said softly.

Clara got a sad look on her face. “I managed to escape their radar for almost two weeks waiting for you to make an appearance. I planned to kick your ass myself.”

“What changed your mind?” Tah asked Clara.

“The little fact that she wasn’t there by choice,” Clara said.

Amia scooted to the edge of the seat as she faced Clara. “I tried to run,” she cried out, and Reno growled that his mate felt as if she had to defend herself. “I had nowhere to go, and no idea how to hide. I was easy for them to find.”

“I couldn’t take you with me,” Clara said, and Reno could hear the regret in the woman’s voice, see it in her eyes. “You were a Blane. That’s all I knew.”

“Blood will tell,” Amia said, and Reno saw Clara’s eyes widen with surprise for a moment. It was as if she’d heard that phrase before. In relation to the Blanes or to Amia?

“Bullshit,” Tah stated. “You’ve already said she saved you. I’d say that should have earned your fucking trust.”

“You’re right,” Clara agreed. “I was young, stupid and scared. I thought I was invincible right up to the moment the hunters grabbed me.”

“Did you know who they were?” Abby asked.

Clara smiled for the first time. “I’ve always known about the Blanes. They’re not the only hunters out there, but they are the largest contingent and the most well trained.”

“How do you know all of that? Where did you learn that information?” Abby asked, sitting up straighter in her chair.

“I grew up learning about them,” Clara answered.

“Where was that? Who told you?” Tah asked.

Clara looked cautious, as if she were debating something with herself, then shrugged and answered.

“My father at first.” And sadness filled her eyes. “Then I learned from my uncle, from my adopted mom.”

“What happened to your dad?” Amia asked.

Clara’s eyes were hooded when she answered, and Reno knew she was hiding something. “He died when I was eight. Killed by hunters.”

“Jesus,” Tah uttered with a weary sigh.

“Blanes,” Amia said, and Clara nodded in confirmation.

“So you’re a shifter then,” Diane said. “Like them? And you’ve always known?”

Clara’s gaze flicked to Tah but didn’t stay. Instead, she met Reno’s gaze. “I’m no tiger, but yes, I’m a shifter. I’ve always known who I was, what I am, and that there were those out there who made it their mission in life to try to kill me.”

Clara said it so matter-of-factly that Reno wondered what it would be like to grow up that way. To always know that there are those who would hunt you, kill you. He glanced at Abby and the mound of her belly where her and Tah’s child grew. Would that be the life their child knew?

“Hmmm,” the Professor spoke as he stood up and crossed the room toward Clara. “What are you then? Wolf?” He was almost the same height as Clara and showed his usual fearlessness as he poked at her lips, his eyes going over her, checking for whatever it was he checked for.

“Lioness,” she said with a snarl and click of her teeth that had the man taking a hasty step back.

“Well, then.” The Professor took off his glasses, wiped them on his shirt and put them back on. “You’d be the first to show up then.”

“The first?” Clara asked.

“But it said they would awaken and try to find him.” Abby reminded them all of the legend that had been their guide so far. “It said when the Tah awakened, the rest of his pride would begin to awaken and seek him out.”

“Well, I didn’t come here seeking Tah,” Clara said. “I come looking for them.” She nodded toward Reno and Amia.

“And why is that again?” Reno asked. “Why follow us?”

“I just wanted to make sure you wouldn’t hurt her,” Clara said. “I’ve been powerless too many times when it came to her, had to sit back and pray she survived whatever they did to her. You were alone. I thought I might be able to take you, or at least distract you enough for her to get away.” She shook her head.

“You were the one in the woods,” Reno stated.

Clara nodded. “I was. And you put yourself in front of her to protect her. I was curious. So I followed you both here. I saw you kill the guy outside the store. That’s when I knew she’d be safe with you.”

Reno nodded. “I’ll protect her with my life.”

“She deserves that. You,” Clara said. “She’s given enough blood to the Blanes.”

“Don’t,” Amia said, and Reno could feel the tension growing in his mate.

“Why did you do it? Why not just keep running? Hiding?” Clara asked Amia.

“I tried to run. They always found me,” Amia replied. “Now we all know why. They put a fucking tracker in me. I couldn’t have gotten away no matter what I did.”

“Which means you’ve led them here now,” Clara stated.

Reno felt Amia shiver and felt the echo of pain radiating from her. He growled, and she looked up at him with sorrow in her eyes.

“I begged you to let me go. I don’t want to be the reason you die.” She glanced around the room. “Any of you.”

“No one is dying,” Logan said. “Trackers been jammed since you got here. Besides, I think we’ve proven just how capable we are when we faced down the last group of hunters who came here.”

“You had hunters here?” Clara asked.

“They’re dead,” Logan said.

His reply was short and clipped. He was mad as hell, which was not normal for Logan. Logan got pissed off, he vented, and he was over it. But this was a different side of Logan. One Reno hadn’t seen before. He wondered what that was all about.

“Nice,” Clara said as if they weren’t talking about death, about murder, no matter the circumstances. “She can tell you what they’re capable of.” She nodded toward Amia.

“I thought you weren’t trained as a hunter?” Tah questioned.

“I wasn’t,” Amia said, throwing a bewildered look at Clara. “I have no idea what she’s talking about.”

“You may not have been trained by them, but you were certainly taught by them. I know what they did to you, and I know how many times you were taken.”

“I made my choices,” Amia said.

“No one chooses what you’ve endured,” Clara countered.

“You have no idea what I endured,” Amia said, and her voice was filled with anger. His mate was finally getting as angry as he was. “You went your way, and I went mine. If you watched me at all over the years, it was from a distance.”

“You don’t know that,” Clara said.

“I do know that,” Amia told her. “How do I know that? Because I never pulled your ass off that wall a second time. And I would have. I would have gone in for you.”

Clara recoiled as if she’d been struck, and Reno could see his mate had struck deep and true with her words. Damn if he didn’t take pride in that.

Amia came up out of the chair, surging to her feet in one fluid movement. Reno caught her around the waist, preventing her from crossing the distance to Clara. Yes, his mate was fired up and pissed off now.

“Twenty-four people. That’s how many I’ve saved over the last eight years. That’s how many times I’ve put my ass on the line to go in and help someone. A stranger. And you’ve watched me for how long? How long?” She almost screamed the last words, her whole body shaking against the tight hold he had on her.