Tiger’s Destiny (26 page)

The queen overpowered me, pinned me with her muscular legs, and wrapped her claws around my throat. The tips pierced my neck, and I could feel her poison entering my body.

“What have you to say now, tiny queen?”

I bared my fangs and smiled. “How about some rain?”

Her eyes narrowed in confusion. I whispered to the Pearl Necklace to rain only on the Rakshasi queen. I could smell the water before it touched me. It gathered in the air above us as a white mist. The cloud darkened and rumbled, then a light rain shower began to fall. The queen screamed as the drops hit her back and arms. It hissed when it touched her skin and her tattoos faded.

I punched the demon queen in the face and pushed her aside. Rolling away, I stopped the rain shower and whispered to the Scarf to tie her up and gag her. Threads shot out from the Scarf and wrapped Desecration’s legs and arms. She used her claws to break the threads several times, but the Scarf just thickened the ropes.

I blinked, trying to clear my vision and bring all the shapes around me into focus. I felt for one of the stone altars and bumped into human flesh.

Ren spoke proudly, “You make a beautiful demon.”

“Thanks.” I smiled weakly and raked my claws across the stone. Sparks flew, and the tight ropes binding Ren fell away from his body. He freed himself the rest of the way while I stumbled to the other altar to cut Kishan loose. My blood was boiling from the venom, and I knew it would soon overpower me.

The fallen queen struggled on the ground. I slashed the ropes holding Kishan and stood as tall as I could. “Lightning. Come forward.”

The powerful demon strode into the clearing boldly and prostrated himself before me. “My queen,” he said and lifted his head. “Let me dispose of those weakling warriors who couldn’t protect you and then take my place at your side.”

I placed my hand on his shoulder and smiled almost lovingly at him. “I have other plans for you, great hunter.” I could feel Ren and Kishan standing at my back. “I would not have you kill these two warriors, for they are special and far from weak. I promised you a demonstration, didn’t I?”

The Rakshasa demon lifted his head. I staggered slightly, and Ren reached for my elbow.

I pushed him away, not wanting the Rakshasas to see me weakened, and shouted, “My hunters, come to me.”

Ren and Kishan positioned themselves at my side. With a dramatic flourish of my arms, I declared, “Your queen commands you to show this clan your claws.”

Ren tilted his head and Kishan studied me quietly for a second. Then both men morphed into their tiger forms. The Rakshasas who had since stepped into the clearing collectively gasped. Ren growled menacingly and Kishan roared and slashed the air before they began pacing protectively in front of me. A few demons immediately prostrated themselves on the ground. Even the queen stopped struggling and watched us though she lay tied and gagged.

“Lightning,” I continued, “My wish as your new queen is that you hunt the creatures from the cave no more. You will dine only on the flesh of animals found in the forest and you will leave the Phoenix alone.”

“Yes, my queen.”

“The Qilin shall be freed and instead of eating your infirm, you will allow them to heal.”
So much for the Prime Directive. Sorry, Captain Picard!

He inclined his head. “As you wish.”

“We shall celebrate with a victory feast.”

The demon stood and smiled. “Yes! We shall eat the former queen!”

“No!” I called out. “You will treat her with respect, but you will no longer bow to her wishes.”

He responded with confusion. “If that is your desire.”

“It is, and I have decided to appoint you, Lightning, the new leader of this clan.”

He hesitated, and then said, “But our clan has had a female leader since the time of my grandfather.”

“You told me that once it was led by a male, correct?”

“That is true.” He paused, then stood taller and shouted. “I
will
lead. Are there any here that challenge me?”

No one stepped forward. He hissed smugly and then approached me and boldly ran his claws down my arm. “Venomous one, stay here as my queen and rule by my side,” he offered. “Share with me your power, and you shall want for nothing.”

Both tigers growled and crouched to pounce, but he completely ignored them.

I raised my chin haughtily and brushed his arm away. He smiled at my hostility. Brashly, I answered, “I must return to care for my own clan, but I will produce a feast for you before I go.”

I swayed on my feet and sucked in a deep breath. Closing my eyes, I wished for a meat-lover’s feast and was rewarded with suckling pigs, rare beef roasts, and fat turkeys. Dishes appeared all around us, and any of the demons who were still standing knelt on the ground and bowed before me. Only Lightning stood, and he directed the hunters to take the queen and the food back to the camp.

When he looked to me for approval, I smiled at him and promptly collapsed into his arms. I heard a terrible roar from one of the tigers, a variety of hisses and calls of distress from the Rakshasa, the throaty laughter of the bound queen, and then heard nothing more.

qilin

W
hen I finally came to, I blinked and tried to lift my head—only to lower it again carefully when I felt an excruciating pain explode behind my eyeballs.

Kishan knelt next to me and touched his palm lightly to my cheek and neck. “How are you feeling?”

“Like the Kraken chewed me up and spat me out,” I mumbled and tried to rub my aching forehead.

Kishan caught my wrist before I made contact. “Hold on there. You’ve got to be careful with those things. You might put your eye out.”

Confused, I glanced at my hand and groaned softly when I saw that I was still disguised as a Rakshasi queen. My fingers sported deadly black claws dripping with venom. I placed my arm at my side. “Lovely. How long have I been out?”

“A few hours.”

“Where’s Ren?”

“He’s supervising the feast and distracting the warriors while I use my considerable magic to heal you.” Kishan tapped the
kamandal
at his throat and then readjusted my pillow. “You have no idea how many demons are absolutely enamored with you. He has to keep them at bay, in fact.”

I snorted. “They aren’t interested in me. It’s my power they desire.”

Kishan raised an eyebrow, looked me up and down in my Rakshasa disguise, and then grinned. “I think you may be underestimating your appeal.”

I felt my face go hot at the compliment, and my tattoos flared red. Kishan’s smile widened. He softly traced the outline of the tattoo on my cheek.

“The light flickers under your skin, especially when I touch you.”

Uncomfortable with the attention, I shifted slightly and hissed in pain.

Kishan pulled back to examine my healing shoulder. “Just lie still and let the elixir work until you fully heal. The scratches weren’t mortal wounds. I wonder why they affected you so badly.”

I took the cup of water he offered and sipped while he helped me lift my head. “It was the poison in her claws,” I answered between swallows.

I twitched my dangerous digits and concentrated to retract the claws. Kishan then took my hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss and said, “The most beautiful creatures are often the most deadly. At least the mermaid’s elixir is healing you.”

I closed my eyes and leaned into his broad chest. Kishan massaged the back of my neck to help with my throbbing headache.

A short time later, Ren ducked his head into the tent and frowned. “You are supposed to be healing her, not taking advantage of her weakened state.”

“Her shoulder is healed,” Kishan explained, “but her head still hurts.”

Ren crouched down across from me, and his expression changed to one of concern. The pain was so sharp I had to squint at him though the tent was lit by only firelight.

“What is it?” I asked.

Ren studied me quietly for a moment, and then said, “I won’t be able to hold them back much longer. They want to see the new queen. Apparently, your victory is not complete unless you prove to them that you are alive and well and that Desecration’s venom didn’t kill you.”

I nodded slightly and was grateful that the motion didn’t hurt. “Can you buy me five more minutes?” I asked.

He leaned over and pecked my forehead. “I will. She’s hot, Kishan,” he said as he ducked out of the tent.

“It’s okay,” I explained to Kishan. “Hot is my natural state as a demon.”

He laughed softly and continued massaging my head with his fingertips. “Hot is your natural state all the time,
bilauta
. Just relax and breathe. Focus on your heartbeat.”

The quiet crackling fire in the tent soothed me. I concentrated on inhaling and exhaling, and little by little the pain diminished. I peacefully drifted in Kishan’s arms until we were disturbed by a clamor outside the tent.

Ren’s voice was raised. “I promise you that she is alive. She has been resting these last few hours.”

“We want to see her!” a demon insisted.

“Let her walk among us,” another shouted.

“You monopolize her. Shut her away from the clan.”

Ren threatened, “She has provided you with a sumptuous feast. She has expended much energy on your behalf. Allow her time to recuperate.”

“
Recuperate
? What does this word mean?”

The uproar outside drowned out Ren’s reply.

I whispered to Kishan, “They don’t understand him. Their way is to speak spitefully, derisively to one another. They don’t show kindness. They only know weakness and strength. You’d better help me up.”

“Are you sure?”

“I think I can manage.”

I stood on wobbly legs while Kishan took my arm and escorted me outside. A hush fell over the crowd as I made my appearance. Narrowing my eyes at the demons, I hissed, “I trust your feast was satisfactory?”

Several demons murmured, “It was, my queen.”

“Then why have I been disturbed?” I shouted.

Lightning approached and inclined his head. “We are . . . confused.”

“Perhaps these others with more simple minds are confused, but surely you, Lighting, are not. Please explain this confusion.”

He quirked the side of his mouth in a small smile then explained, “A clan lives for its queen. If the queen is injured, then so are her hunters. They simply wish to reassure themselves that you are well.” As he lustily studied my body, he added, “I can see that you have recovered sufficiently from your wounds.”

Ren and Kishan growled.

“Yes, I have,” I replied.

Lightning smiled suggestively. “Then it is time for you to choose your consort for the night.”

“My consort? Very well. I choose to remain with my warriors.”

“You may not choose them. Another night, yes, but on the night of your victory celebration, you must select a man from our clan.”

“Why?”

“This man will journey to your new clan with you. He will become yours. It is the way of all Rakshasa. Surely you know this.”

The demons murmured quietly at my strange reactions.

Thinking quickly, I laughed mockingly, approached Lightning, and extended my claws again to run them down his arm. “And were you hoping that you would be my choice, newly made king of the Rakshasa clan?”

He grabbed my arm and squeezed, causing me to utter a cry of pain that I somehow managed to turn into a snicker. Lightning smiled and replied, “Of course you would choose me. Who else here is as worthy?”

I looked up into his eyes and licked my lips. His attention moved to my mouth and he growled appreciatively. He ducked his head to kiss me but, before he made contact, I shoved him roughly away and announced, “Any of you who wish to be my consort will have a fair chance to . . . capture my attention. Tonight you will hunt.”

Murmurs of excitement spread through the camp.

“You will not hunt for flesh, however. Tonight you will bring me a,” I paused while I racked my brain trying to think of something, “a white fire flower. The first man to do so may be my companion this evening.”

One by one, the men doused the light of their bodies and slunk off into the woods. Lightning remained behind, studying me.

“Well?” I asked. “I thought you were interested in becoming my consort.”

“I am.” He cocked his head. “I was just wondering why your two warriors didn’t leave with the others to seek your trophy. Have they no interest in pleasing their queen?”

Kishan strode forward boldly, shoved Lightning, and spat, “Do not presume you understand the wishes of our queen.”

I intercepted. “Of course they will hunt. I expect nothing less from them. But first they will escort me to the tree where I will watch for the first hunter to return.”

Ren and Kishan each took an arm and walked me over to a stand of fire trees that were darkened in sleep. I handed Ren a handkerchief that I’d had the Scarf make. He read the embroidered message and handed it to Kishan. Both men changed to tigers and trotted out of camp. Lightning gave me a suspicious look and then dimmed his light and left the camp as well.

Dawn would come soon, and I had a lot to do while everyone was gone. Using the Fruit, I filled a goblet with firefruit juice and drank it down. After two more cups I felt much better.