Tiger Born (22 page)

She stirred, and his chest constricted. Was she more beautiful than the day before, or was he a lovesick puppy? He voted for the second reason and leaned over to kiss her plump lips. Her eyes fluttered open, and she grinned. “Hey.”

“Hey,” he murmured, his voice going thick with emotion. He hoped she hadn’t noticed, but from the look on her face—that thing she did with her lips and lowering her lashes when she was instantly turned on—told him she had. Well, at least the reaction was a good one.

She sat up and yawned, throwing her arms over her head. Her full breasts jiggled a bit, and his cock went hard.
Damn, they’re bigger. Why didn’t I see it before?
He cleared his throat. “Sleep well?”

“Yeah, but you promised me nookie last night. You didn’t deliver.” She pouted.

“I wanted you at full strength because I’m insanely horny. I’ve brought you breakfast to be sure you’re ready.”

“Aww, that’s so sweet, Heath.” A sheepish expression came over her face, and he wondered what he’d done wrong. Her gaze went from his face to his bulging crotch, and she ducked. “I’m so sorry, baby.”

“Deja, I don’t understand. Is it that you don’t like eggs and bacon? I remember you—”

“That’s not it.” Hardly finishing the sentence, she sprang from the bed and scrambled to the bathroom. Seconds later, Heath heard her retching over the toilet bowl. His spirits fell, and so did his hard-on.

He jumped from the side of the bed and hurried around it to get to the bathroom. Dropping to the floor behind her, he grabbed her hair and held it out of the way. “I’m sorry, Deja. I didn’t know. You’ve been suffering all this time alone?”

She moaned and raised her head, breathing hard. They both sat in silence for a while as she caught her breath. “It’s not so bad. At least it doesn’t last all day. I can’t eat big breakfasts anymore, and please do me a favor and don’t cook bacon in the house.”

He felt heat in his cheeks. “I promise. Come on. Let me help you get cleaned up.”

While he helped Deja shower and get dressed, Heath didn’t try anything. He felt ashamed of himself for not being there for her, for not understanding or sensing she needed him. Of course logic said he couldn’t have known, but guilt locked in anyway and spurred him to do anything for her.

When Deja was settled in the living room before the TV, looking mutinous, and he’d made her toast and juice, he kissed her and set out for city hall. His father wanted to get started quickly with his new position, and Heath agreed. The sooner they nipped all the town’s discord in the bud, the better. Then they could begin planning for a new location, a monumental task in itself.

Heath strolled into his father’s office a half hour later to find his father sitting behind his desk, poring over a list. “What’s up?”

Ward frowned at him, already in a sour mood from the looks of it. “Information gathering. This is the list of suspects. You can add to it and take away names as you clear them.”

Heath took the sheet his father handed him and perused it. More names than he cared for covered the sheet. “You’ve added the owner of Taavi Style?”

“Yeah, I would be irresponsible if I didn’t. Just talk to her, feel her out. I expect you to clear her off pretty quickly. She’s angry and lonely, but she’s not going to sell us out.”

“I’ll do my best.”

Ward stood up and opened a drawer. He tossed something he found in it to Heath. A shiny new sheriff’s badge glimmered in his palm. Heath raised an eyebrow to his father. “You’ve had this on your mind for a while, or you got somebody out of their bed last night?”

Ward chuckled. “I even had plans for the extra rooms on this place to be an office for you and a holding cell if need be.”

“Would have had to be strong.”

“Of course.” Ward ran a hand over his graying hair and sighed. “But all that’s changing. We can’t stay here.” He slammed a fist on his desk, and Heath heard a distinct cracking sound like wood splitting. How many desks had his father gone through before he arrived?

“Don’t worry, Dad. Joe and I will get the removal of the humans going, and I’ll root out anybody else that’s not for us.”

“I know I can count on you, Son. Without a doubt. How is Deja?”

The question came out of nowhere, and by his father’s expression, he guessed the man knew about her pregnancy. Anger and jealousy rose in Heath, but he tamped it down. “You knew she’s pregnant?”

Ward held up his hands, palms facing Heath. “Not because she told me. I sensed it when I saw her just before we went after you. I promised you wouldn’t learn the truth from me. We didn’t discuss the matter at all.”

Heath sighed. “She’s fine, a little sick this morning.” He grinned. “She’s having twins.”

Ward’s eyes bugged, and Heath had the gratification of knowing something his dad didn’t. “You’re kidding.”

“No, I sensed it as clear as I sense Deja herself.”

“That’s my boy!”

Heath chuckled and shook his head. “I didn’t want this, I admit, but I’m…I’m thrilled now. I’m going to be a father.”

Ward came around the desk and slapped him on the back. “And you’ll find it’s the most gratifying feeling in the world. Trust me on that. Now, let the knowledge that you have a family depending on you spur you to take care of this nasty business. When you’re ready to escort them out, call me. I want to be there to let them know…”

“I know, Dad. Will do.”

* * * *

The exodus of humans wasn’t a mass one. While Siberia had grown over the last thirty years, there weren’t that many people, and some of the shifters had mated with each other rather than bring a human into the mix. Others chose to go outside the town for sexual exploits and to leave it there. Too many, though, had brought their partners home. Heath and his men stood on the road out of town and tensed at the tears and shouts to write. The latter were just words, of course because no communication would be allowed in or out of Siberia from former human residents.

Carter drove along the street in his pickup and stopped in front of Heath. At his side, sitting silent and stiff with red eyes was Melanie, his human girlfriend. Carter tried grabbing her hand, but she ducked away as if afraid. Heath wondered just how long they would last. Melanie was obviously smart enough to understand the threat from Carter if she ever talked about Siberia. Even if he loved her, Carter would protect his people.

“He’s not coming?” Carter asked, emotion making his voice rough.

“He’ll be here,” Heath assured him, and sure enough, his dad’s pickup pulled into view seconds later. Carter’s jaw tightened, and he turned off his engine to step out of the truck.

Heath hung back to let Carter and Ward chat. They said only a few words and then embraced. Ward slapped him on the back. “I know you’ll be fine, and if you need anything…”

Carter’s face reddened. “I’m not going to compromise all of you. We’ll be okay. I have skills. I can get a construction job.”

Ward nodded. He had arranged for all the shifters to receive a stipend that would be enough to get them into an apartment and provide all of their living expenses for three months. That had almost tapped out the town’s finances, so Heath knew they would have their work cut out for them with the move.

Too soon, the road started to empty, and Heath turned to Joe. “Is that everyone on your list?”

Joe shook his head. “Not everyone.”

No sooner had he spoken, another vehicle ambled along the road. Heath frowned. He recognized the car, and he sensed his mate inside it. He moved forward, but the vehicle stopped not far away, and Jake, the bartender, stepped out with Deja jumping from the other side to run around to him. She got less than a foot from the man and turned to Heath, a question in her tear-filled eyes. He clenched his jaw but nodded, and she threw her arms around the human.

“Take care of yourself, Jake. I’m going to miss you.”

Jake patted her back lightly, his frightened gaze on Heath. “I will, and I’m going to miss you too. I really am.”

They chatted back and forth some more until Heath cleared his throat. Then more good-byes were said before the man was on his way. “That’s the last,” Joe said behind him, and Heath walked over to Deja. He opened his mouth to speak to her, but she turned without warning and threw herself sobbing into his arms.

“How will he take care of himself?” she cried.

Heath grunted. “He’s not a child, Deja. He’s a man, and he’ll be fine.”

“But Spiderweb will try to get him. They’ll kill him. I know it.”

Heath held her close. He considered telling her he had a man watching her friend but decided against it. Right now her emotions were out of whack. He had to remember that and be patient. “Come on, honey, let me get you home.”

She looked up at him, a frown on her tear-stained face. “You are not going to baby me until I give birth, Heath. I’m going to tell you that right now.”

He leaned down and pressed his lips to her ear, hopeful no one would pick up his voice. “What about fucking you?” Her breasts against his chest made concentrating on his next task impossible.

She grinned. “Well, I guess I can take care of you real quick.”

He smacked her ass, not caring at that point who saw. “Quick is not what I had in mind.”

* * * *

They burst through their front door moments later with Deja in his arms, her legs wrapped around his waist. He had his tongue down her throat as he greedily kissed those luscious lips. Still he had a different hunger pushing him to go so much farther. He kicked the door shut and pressed her against it. Her ass in his hands, he squeezed the rounded cheeks and stroked below them at her heat. She moaned into his mouth and arched her back.

“Ward’s not going to get you for leaving early, is he?” Her gaze dropped to the badge on his chest. “You’re a lawman now, and it’s making me really hot.”

“How do you expect me to go back to work when you’re saying that to me in that throaty tone of voice?”

She offered him a sultry smile and tilted her head to the side. “Oh, I wasn’t suggesting you leave, Sheriff.”

Heath growled and took most of her weight across his thighs while he ripped her blouse open. Buttons pinged every direction, but when he got a load of her breasts, heaving and straining again her bra, that’s all he could concentrate on. Heath leaned in and rested his face between her two big mounds and breathed deep. He pressed his lips to the soft, creamy chocolate skin and kissed her gently. A taste for her nipples took hold of him, and he snatched her bra down to free one. The breast bounced, and he paused just long enough to take in the stiff peak, the dark areola surrounding it, and the swell of her breast. Surely, she must be a size D now, or close. Would she stay that way? His cock twitched in his excitement. A man could only hope.

A small sound issued from her lips drew him back to her need. He ran the tip of his tongue over her nipple, and she cried out. Heath slid his hand up her back to drive her forward. He caught the tiny bud between his teeth but didn’t bite down. Rather, he drew it deeper between his lips and sucked. Deja pushed her pussy toward him. Even through her jeans, he felt her heat, burning his mocha beauty up. She had to have him, and he didn’t plan on making her wait long to be satisfied.

He carried her to the couch and sat down with her on his lap. “Take this off so I can get a good look at those nipples. Damn, Deja, are they thicker? What are you doing to me?”

She had closed her eyes, but at his words, she opened them and stared into his. He watched in fascination as she removed what was left of her blouse and tossed away her bra. She took off her jeans and then played with her breasts for him, skimming her palms over the nipples and squeezing the big globes. His cock, bound behind his pants, strained painfully.

“Lick them,” he demanded.

Deja had a nice long tongue, and she’d turned him on plenty of times, lifting a breast to tease her own nipple for him. She did it now, and he hissed in pleasure. Her moans drove him insane, along with the way her dark, brown gaze challenged him. She knew he could throw her down and take her, but she dared him to hold off.

“You play dirty, baby,” he murmured.

Heath ripped his own shirt open, but when he went to slide if off his shoulders, she stopped him. “Keep it on, just take off everything else. Please?”

“Anything for you.”

After carefully raising her up, he set her on the couch and shed his clothing and shoes, all except his shirt. Guessing she liked the badge and wanted him to stay in character, he found he was right when she ran her hand over it. His cock jumped, hard and rigid, and strained toward her. Deja slid her hand from the badge to his chest. She teased his nipples for a brief moment and then explored lower to his abs, then lower still to his cock. A cry was wrenched from him when her fingers encircled his shaft, but he covered her grip.

“Not yet, honey. You’re killing me.” He tugged her hand away against her protests, but when he laid her on her back and inched down her body, she arched her hips, knowing what he intended.

Heath spread her legs and paused. Her dark pussy glistened with come, and hunger licked at his consciousness until he couldn’t stand it. He bent down and breathed her essence. “Fuck, yes,” he growled.

“Heath, lick it please. I feel like I’m going to fall apart.”

“You will,” he promised, “as soon as I take you there.”

He swiped the tip of his tongue across her slit, and she screamed and writhed. Heath pressed a forearm over her thigh. She bucked against him. He licked once more, and a second time she cried out, this time with his name trembling on her lips. He couldn’t help himself. She tasted good, and he needed to reward her for wanting him and only him. He was her man and no other.

He stuck his tongue into her moist channel and tasted the goodness. Laving up every drop, he moaned. When it was all gone, he craved more, so he moved to her clit. The bud seemed to know he neared, as it swelled as he watched. He caught the stiff little nub between his lips and tugged. Deja tangled fingers in his hair, threatening to rip it from the scalp. He didn’t let up but sucked hard, and her hips rose from the couch. He forced her down and licked some more. She writhed and screamed, pleading for what he didn’t know. Her words jumbled together in her desperate pleasure. Heath ate her faster, alternating between sucking on her clit and sticking his tongue deep into her pussy. She almost wept in delight. Soon, her thighs quivered, and he knew she drew near to explosion. He concentrated only on her clit, keeping the steady rhythm he already knew would bring her to a head. She shook faster and clenched her thighs around his head. When her orgasm slammed through her being, her shouts reached a new level and her hips never touched the cushions. Wonderful come flooded her channel, and when he knew his baby had eased down from her climax, he ate to his heart’s content.