Freeing a Tiger's Soul (Tiger Series) (5 page)

How?

It is being arranged.  They will bring you to me unknowingly and I will help you when others fail, but you must be willing to look in the
most peculiar place to find me.  I fear it will take you many days and I will not seek you out for it is forbidden for me to do so.  You must trust yourself to find me.

I do not understand.

I am afraid I cannot tell you more, but you will know me when you see me.  The hardship will come in trusting in yourself to know.
  He felt a stirring as if she were laughing.
 

There will be one who will help you. 
I will stay with you as much as
I dare.  I will help you fight and I will help you to know when to flee.

Thank you.

He felt her mirth as she slipped from him.   Her?  He thought so, but he really couldn’t be certain.

His thoughts were averted when his door swung open and he watched as Balor, Liam, Darren, Deaglan, and Evan walked into his room wearing grim faces.  He sought out his brother’s eyes to see if there was anger there, but he was relieved to find none.

Liam braced his feet apart and spoke with the authority that made him such a powerful ruler.

“Darren tells us of the great darkness that you have fought now for so long.  We would like to help ye fight it.  We are not as strong as Darren, but we all have a measure of power and we would like to help ye shoulder this burden until we can find a way to release ye from its hold.”

The others nodded and looked to Euan.  He felt himself smile slightly at their concern.  He had tried to shield them from the evil that tainted his soul.  He feared he would somehow pass it to them.

“’Tis my burden to bear.  I would nay want to taint yer mind with it.”

“’Tis what ye’d do for me.”  Evan spoke quietly.

“Aye ‘tis, but I have dealt with it for many years now.  I will be able to handle it until we can find a way to leach it from my body.”

“Nay.  No man can live through that torture and be unaffected by it.  It has changed ye.
”  Darren insisted.  “It has changed me and I was only exposed for a few moments
, but I feel no taint from it
.”

“
We want to help ye rediscover yerself.”  Balor insisted.  “
M
y mate was lost to me
years ago
and I still live with less darkness inside me than ye possess with yer mate in the next room.  ‘Tis madness to refuse us.”

Euan took a deep breath.  “Aye I know I have been changed.  I grew up.  I would rather die than have this dark stain grow upon any of ye.  Darren said it changed him in only a few moments.  I will not allow ye to be scarred by its filth and pain.  Let me alone and I will handle this as I have done these fifteen years.”

“Atleast let me and Balor stay.”  Evan pleaded.  “We neither one have mates and we will be strong enough to shoulder some of your pain.”

“Nay.”  Euan insisted.  “Ye’ll find yer mate soon enough and Balor has had too much as it is.  I want to be rid of this and I want to be happy again, but I will not allow this wickedness to taint any of ye.  Darren I am afraid that means ye as well.”

The men all sat and regarded Euan with a mix of frustration and admiration.  They wanted to help him, but they understood that there could be a risk to them and even those who share a close mental link with them.  They could endanger their mates.

“I feel nothing different Euan.”  Darren insisted, but Euan only shook his head.

“We will travel with ye then.  We want to take ye to The Stewart and ask Lady Charlotte and
His Majesty
Karic what they ken about this darkness.  Are ye willin’ ta travel with us?”  Liam’s voice rang with resignation.

“Aye, I’ll go.”  Euan answered immediately.

“I’m going too.”  Krisi stepped into the open doorway.
  Her stance was strong and all knew she would not back down from them even in battle.  This was the warrior they faced now.

Euan felt the pressure in his mind hit him with a terrible force when he looked upon his angelic mate.  The compulsion to harm her was almost beyond his control.

“Nay!”  He screamed as pain seared his mind.
  He grasped his head as if he could force the darkness away.
  “Nay!  Ye must stay safe!  Leave me!”  He begged as his hold slackened on his control
and he fell to his knees
.

Krisi did not flinch away from the raging man.  Instead she stepped forward and placed her small hands on his naked chest and spoke in a
soothing lilting voice that flowed with power from her body.
  Even kneeling Krisi was only a little taller than Euan and she met his eyes evenly.

“You will not harm me Euan.  You are my mate, my heart, and my reason for living.  You will not harm me because I am all of those things to you.  I am your mate.
  I will be all that is steadfast and good to you.  I will give you sons and I will love you all the days of my life.
”

As K
risi spoke she pushed the knowledge deep into the darkness that surrounded Euan’s mind and felt him relax against her hands.  The darkness could not change what he was and a tiger could not hurt his mate no matter what happened.  He simply was not capable of harming her.

Krisi
fell to her knees in front of her mate and
allowed her lips to trace th
e hard contours of his broad chest.  Euan groaned
groaned in ecstasy
as her lips ran over his body
.   She ran her tongue along one large flat nipple and felt his large frame shutter.

“Love me Euan and complete the mating.
  Then you will have no doubt that there will never be a force strong enough to make you harm me.
”  She whispered into his crisp chest hair. 

Euan heard her whispered words and wanted to take her where she stood.  He wanted to sink into her welcoming heat and wallow in her silkiness, but he knew he should not.  He allowed his hands to roam over her pert body and pulled her flush against him.  He looked up to see the other occupants of the room staring concerned at the couple before them.

“Ye could give us some privacy lads.  I doubt my mate would like it if ye watched.”  He eyed Evan.  “I won’t share either so don
’t be givin’ me that look
.
  ‘
Tis not a lusty wench that seeks me out.  ‘Tis my mate and my heart.
”

He almost chuckled at the look of embarrassment that crossed Evan’s face and then he decided to let it go and he did chuckle.

The men looked at Euan in fascination.  They hadn’t seen him smile much less laugh in fifteen years and now he was like the same young man again.
  His hair had lost the dark tent that had covered it for so long
, as if grease had stained it,
and they all marveled at the man before them.

Liam grinned.  “Well I can see that this is going to get steamy.  I think I will go and find my Cara and make my own
bit ‘o
steam.” 

Euan laughed then and eyed Liam.

“I heard that ye’d been doin’ a lot of that.  How many bairns does one man need?”

Liam grinned broadly.  “Just one more lad, always one more.”

All of the men laughed.  It was a great joke that Liam and Cara were trying to c
orrect the population shortage of
their people.  They had three sons and two daughters.  One was mated to Deaglan and the other was yet to be mated
.  Euan was glad to see his friend so happy, but he wanted to be alone with his little mate.

“Get out of here all of ye.  There are a few things I need to discuss with Krisi.”

Evan let out a loud snort and left the room.

Darren stood and searched Euan’s mind.  “I will stay outside if ye think it will help.”

“It has been a long time, but I hope it will come to me how it is done.  I hope I will need no help from you.”

Darren’s cheeks went ruddy, but he shook his head.  “You know what I mean.”

“Aye I do and I am grateful for yer friendship, but I am fine.  I need this to make sure she is safe and she needs it too.  Ye ken well the torment of needing yer mate and being denied.”

Darren nodded and walked out of the chamber. 
The others filed out too leaving Krisi alone with Euan for the first time.

7

Euan stared in fascination at the tiny creature he held in his arms.  She had pushed the darkness back enough for him to control it.  He knew that she held it and that it would tire her soon, but she was willing to try.  That meant more to him than he could express.  He closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of her
.

“I know what ye are up to lass and it’ll nay work.”

Krisi looked up startled to find mirth dancing in Euan’s eyes.

“I ken you want my body
lass, but I hardly know
a thing about ye and I am not as easy as all that.”

She let a breathless laugh escape her lips.

“You are
an
impossible man!  Can’t you see when a woman is in need?”  She smiled up at him and wallowed in his touch.

“Aye.  I can see that ye are sufferin’.  I suppose I could ease yer sufferin’ a bit.  What would you like me to do with ye lass?”

Euan heard his voice roughen and he felt a wave of desire crash in on him.

“I want all of you Euan.
  I want all you can give to me.
”

He groaned.  “Are ye sure lass.  ‘Tis true that we ken very little about one another.  I can wait for ye lass.  I will do anything ye need me to do, but I don’t want ye to feel rushed in our passion.  We have countless years to love.  There is no rush in the starting.”

“I feel a need to have it done Euan.  I want to belong to you heart and soul, body and mind.  I want you to finish the mating.  It will strengthen our bond and make it easier to help you with your burden.”

“Nay!  I’ll not do this because of my illness!”

He released her and paced away.  He ran his hands through his hair and froze when he caught sight of the fiery color.  He looked up astonished and saw the smile on Krisi’s lips.

“You do have the look of your brother with that shade atop your head.”

Euan was amazed.  His hair had been as dark as night for fifteen years.  How could it have changed so quickly?
  His eyes met Krisi’s again and he saw that hers were glowing with desire.

“You are a very handsome man Euan.  I would like to love you now.  Will you let me?”

He walked to her and gathered her in his arms.

“Aye.”

He could say no more as his lips devoured Krisi’s.  He felt his manhood pulse with need and he pressed it firmly to her soft belly.  She moaned and he began divesting her of her garments.  In moment she stood before him gloriously naked and shivering with her want.

“Please Euan.  I am afraid.”

He pulled her in close again and spoke against her neck.

“There is naught
to fear in loving lass.  I’ll love ye
so well that ye’ll feel naught
but bliss.”

He laid her on the bed and quickly removed his own simple garments.  She gasped when she saw him in all his glory standing by the bed.  She moved over so there would be room for him on the mattress and he sank down beside her.

Euan pulled Krisi into his heavily muscled arms and kissed her lips.  Then he worshiped her face.  He planted small tender kisses on each eyelid and then her nose. 
His hands explored the glory of her body as he continued to taste her flesh.  She moaned as his callused hand rubbed over her breasts and down to her soft belly.  He pulled away and met her eyes as he probed her core and found her soaked and burning hot.

He smiled and kissed her lips.  He spoke gently between kissed as he pushed his thick digit into her most private place.

“Ye’re ready for me already Krisi.  Can ye feel your slick cream coating my hand?”

“Yes!”

“I want to feel it on my shaft love.  Are ye ready for me to love ye now?”

Krisi’s rounded fingernails dug into Euan’s shoulders as she tried to understand what he was doing to her.

“I need yer answer Krisi lass.  I’ll not love ye if ye do not want me to.”

Krisi pushed her hips against Euan’s hand and moaned when his finger was forced deeper within her
. 
His hot mouth traveled to the pale column of her neck and laved the mark he had made earlier. 

Krisi shuttered as Euan’s tongue traced the mark on her neck.  When his teeth bit down again she screamed
her assent
in ecstasy and began to twist in his hold.  She felt rather than heard the low rumbling growl that vibrated in his chest and she quickly found herself pinned to the bed by his massive weight.

Euan nudged Krisi’s knees apart with his own and settled himself between her slim thighs.