The Tiger Within (7 page)
Authors: Amanda Anderson
“Or feared and scorned?”
“No. You do not understand. I am the leader of our people. You will be liken to a queen. Your beauty will be unmatched and our children will be greatly desired.”
“What should I do now?”
He met her eyes. Desire swirled in his as he looked at her. “I would like nothing better than to feel your hands on my body again. Would you be interested in exploring the man as you explored the animal?”
She blushed. “It is different with the man, I fear. I do not think I can be so bold.”
“I would ask you to try. After all I have seen and touched you in both of my forms now. You have nothing to fear from me.”
“But, Henry…” she trailed off as her stomach rumbled loudly.
“Ah yes, perhaps you should be fed first. Tonight then?” He kissed her and rose to dress himself for the evening meal.
Chapter Twelve
Did he expect her to be able to eat after that? They walked downstairs and greeted her parents. He father was still concerned and he probed her mind. She notices the angry looks that passed between the two men.
“What? Why do you glare at one another in such a way?” When no one answered she continued. “I insist you explain yourselves.”
Her father glared at Henry. “He is refusing me access to your mind. He is determined that only he should be allowed to comfort you in this way.”
She glared at Henry. “I will have you know, Laird Stewart, that no one will ever deny my father to comfort me. You will stop controlling my mind or I will shut you out permanently.” As she said it she closed her mind and saw both men wince. “I do not have to put up with it.”
Her father turned astonished eyes on her. “How did you do this?”
“I honestly do not know, Papa, but I am certain it will be most useful.” She turned and made her way to the dining hall.
Henry exchanged worried looks with Richard and followed Amelia and her mother into the dining hall.
Throughout the meal Amelia felt both men probing her mind. She finally grew too weary to block them and opened her mind again. She immediately noticed both men relax. Then she felt the familiar peace that her father instilled in her as well as the calm Henry gave her. She paused. There was another. It felt more demanding, but also familiar. There was now another mind reaching for her. She felt the overwhelming urge to eat her food. She looked around the room, but there was no one new. She knew it couldn’t be her mother for she lacked the talent. She continued to eat even though her stomach was full. She looked to Henry, seeking his help and he noticed her distress. He quickly pulled her weariness from her which allowed her the strength to close her mind again. She threw down her fork as if it had burned her.
“My Love, are you well?”
Amelia was shaking. “There is another. Who is it? Who was making me eat although I no longer feel hungry? I demand to know!”
“Do not be troubled, my dear. It is your Mrs. Chambers. She once lived with my family. Her mate was killed around the time you were born. She wrote to me asking if she could be of service, and I employed her as your nurse and later your lady’s maid. I felt more comfortable with her protecting you.” He father explained.
Amelia was astonished. “Can she change?”
“Yes. She had not change though for many years, before the night you were attacked. She changed when she realized he carried a knife and meant to use it on me. She was hit instead. She is fully recovered now though. We heal very quickly.” He smiled at her shocked expression. “There was no way to know if you were of our kind or not. I wanted to be prepared.”
“Well!” She threw up her hands. “I am going to bed.” When Henry started to rise she remembered the events that had taken place in her room. “You do not need to accompany me. You are not yet finished, my Laird.”
“I am quite satisfied, my Lady. I will see you to your room.”
“Of course.” She relented and heard her mother’s giggle. He looked exhausted. “Are you well, My Laird?”
“Yes. I took your fatigue to allow you to block us. You were angry earlier when I did it for you, so I only helped you this time. I didn’t realize the extent of your exertion. It will take me a little while to recover.”
She smiled. He had been considerate of her wishes. “Very well.”
By the time they reached her door she was extremely unsettled. He allowed the emotions. He wanted her anticipation, but she was also exhausted and he wasn’t certain he could reassure her anyway.
“Laird Stewart, about what was discussed earlier…”
He stopped her words with his finger. “It is time, Amelia. I will not allow myself the pleasure of your body, but I would have you touch me. You do not have to touch all of me.” He said with an understanding look. “I will even leave on my trousers. Would that make it better for you?”
“Yes. Thank you.” She visibly relaxed.
He chuckled at her relief. “My lady, you unman me with your relief.”
She was instantly repentant of her actions. “I beg your pardon, my Laird. I did not intend to insult your manhood…”
“No, you simply do not wish to explore it.” At her look of extreme distress he took her chin and kissed her gently. “I am teasing you. I love you, Amelia. I know that your feelings for me are not as clear as mine are for you and I will remain patient. I also understand that you have never been this close to a man before. It is to be expected that you would have some misgivings. It is natural. I will not ask anything that you are not willing and eager to accept. That I do vow.”
She was so relieved that tears leaked from her eyes to course down her cheeks. “Thank you, my Laird.
I will admit that I have been afraid. I thought you might… demand things.”
He simply took her in his arms and held her. “We have a very long time to take care of all of that. I admit, I would prefer to have it done tonight so the threat to you would decrease, but I want you to be ready. I want you to desire me as I do you.”
“Oh,I do, but even that frightens me. The intensity of my feelings for you steals my breath away.”
Hearing her words made pride swell in his chest. “You have made me very happy, Amelia. Would you now forgive me for our earlier squabble and call me Henry again?”
She nodded and threw herself into his strong arms. “I love you, Henry!”
He kissed her. This time it grew into passion quickly. They began to breathe heavily and when they began working to undress, he finally found his senses.
“Stop, my Love. We cannot.”
Henry stood before her wearing only his trousers. She looked down at the state of her own clothes and gasped. She stood in only her shift. The thin garment did little to conceal her aroused body. She reached to cover herself and Henry stayed her hands.
“I have seen you already. There is no need to hide from me. I will not take advantage, but I would like to look at you,” at her gasp he went on, “just as you are.”
“As you wish.” She stood before him and felt the heat of his gaze burning her body.
“Touch me, Amelia. I beg you. If you will not have me in the flesh allow me to change so that I might feel your hands on my hide.”
The anguish in his voice broke through her apprehension and she reached her hand out to him. The springy matt of dark hair tickled her palm as she ran her hand over the hard plains of his chest and felt the muscles ripple under her hands. She felt emboldened by his sighs and groans and became bolder. She led him to her bed and pushed him down upon it. She then ran her lips across his chest where her fingers had been. He arched to her. She was mesmerized by his warmth and the difference between their bodies. She ran her hand down his trouser clad thigh and back up. Before she could touch his manhood though, he grasped her hand.
“No. I am not strong enough for you to touch all of me yet.” He sighed in frustration. “I need to change. I am afraid that if I remain as I am that I may take you in the night. I would like for you to watch me change. Do not worry. It is not painful. I want you to know what to expect. You will see it so often that you will soon think nothing of it. I am more alert in that form as well as stronger. I will be more able to protect you.”
“If you insist.”
She shivered, but did not look away as he removed his trousers. She thought she saw a slight reddening in his cheeks as he revealed his lust for her. His manhood stood proud and she was fascinated. She licked her lips, wanting to taste the pearl of liquid that seeped from the head. She stared at him with a hundred questions running through her mind.
“You may ask me anything. You know that, do you not? There is nothing that is not appropriate with us. What are you thinking?”
“Do you mean you cannot read my mind?”
“I want you to ask me. I want you to feel comfortable with me.”
“Alright. I was wondering, how it will taste and,” she smiled sheepishly, “how it will fit. It looks rather imposing. I was wondering if we will be together only in human form or will our animals desire one another as well?”
“You shall simply have to taste to be sure.” The lust swirling in his eyes stole her breath. She licked her lips nervously and was rewarded by his agonizing groan “I assure you that it will fit perfectly well and I look forward to proving it to you very soon. To answer your other question, I am not sure. It is usually so that both forms will mate, but you are different in many ways. We will see. It is no matter to me one way or the other. I will love you in any form.”
As he said it he began to change. He fell to the floor. She saw his fur cover him even as she heard the popping of his bones. She was frightened, but unable to turn away. She watched the strong lines of his face grow and be covered with hair. Then he opened his mouth and she saw his teeth. They were huge and sharper than a sword. She began to quake with fear. Then he turned those beautiful eyes on her and her fear seeped away to be replaced by love and acceptance. She smiled at him and ran her hand over his wide face. She lay down beside him on the rug and remained there the whole of the night.
Chapter Thirteen
Her parents had made only token arguments about their departure from London. Everything had been arranged and within two days they were riding along on their way to Stewart Castle. It would take them several days to reach their destination and Amelia felt more uncomfortable with each passing mile. They stopped at an inn for the second night and Amelia became so ill that she was unable to eat. Henry sat with her, but offered no explanation to why she was ill. He knew though she could see it in his eyes, he knew.
“Henry, will you not tell me what is wrong?” She asked weakly.
“I cannot.” He raised anguished eyes to her face.
“Why? It is me who is being affected. I have the right to know!”
“You will ask me to fix it and I cannot do that here.” He said and began to prowl the room.
“Can you fix it?”
“Yes.”
“It has to do with the mating doesn’t it?”
“Yes, we have waited too long. Your body is demanding that we finish it.”
“Then do something! Who cares where we are? I cannot live like this.”
“I know my love.” He took her in his arms and stroked her back. She was shivering so hard her teeth began to chatter.
She sent her pain and her pleas to his mind and he wept.
“Please, do not ask this of me. I do not want to do this here. I would wish for more private quarters. Ours will not be a quiet loving. Every one here will hear us. I do not wish to bring that on you. It would not be safe in a place such as this. I want you safely my wife before I take you.”
“I do not care. At this point is it not more dangerous to continue as we are? We are to be married upon arriving at your home. All will be well. Henry, please help me.”
“You do not understand. Your body wants to be mated. It is demanding this for a reason. You are ready for the mating. You will be with child before the morning.”
“And you do not wish to have children so soon?”
He turned tortured eyes on her. “I wanted to do this right. It seems nothing I have ever done has been right. I wanted this.”
“So, there must be a parson around somewhere. Go find one and we will be married.”
“You are an amazing woman, but I do not wish for you to be wed in a tavern.” He wiped his hands over his face. “You are to be likened unto our Queen. You should have a wedding suited to you.”
“All that matters is that it is official. I care not at all for ceremony and frills.”
He kissed her then and she felt a wave of relief at the contact. Her shivers lessened as he continued to kiss and touch her. “Are you quite sure?”
She nodded unable to speak.
“I will do it right now. I will bring someone back as soon as I can. Will you be well without me here?”
She smiled and nodded, not knowing why she dreaded his departure so grievously.
“I will return to you as soon as I can. I hope you will not suffer during my absence.”
He left her and came back with a disgruntled looking priest who had agreed to perform the ceremony. Her mother had tended her during Henry’s short absence, but Amelia had grown weak and was wracked with agonizing pain. Henry quickly arranged for everyone to meet in the downstairs sitting room and hurried them out of her room.
