Promise Me Anthology (32 page)

“Ah!” Tasha said, a wide smile curving her
lips.

The door opened a crack behind her. “Ma’am,
please come inside. I’ve alerted the guards—”

“Open the door,” Tasha commanded. She strode
up to the door, then turned and beckoned to the cat, who came
bounding up, thrusting his large head under her slim hand. She
petted the large head with both hands, as she’d longed to for
months.

Nazdeha closed his eyes, a throaty purr
rumbling out.

The butler opened the door, his eyes scared.
“Ma’am, you can’t let that animal in the house—”

“He is my pet, and he goes where I go.” Tasha
took on a brazen attitude. “I am mistress of this house, Boris. Now
bring me my supper and a large bowl of raw beef. Nazdeha and I are
hungry.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Boris said, leaning back out of
the way as cougar and girl entered the house together.

* * * *

The next few months were magical. Nazdeha was
a perfect companion, following Tasha everywhere. They explored the
forest, her on horseback, and he in the trees shadowing her. They
spent hours lounging in the sun, Tasha reading to Nazdeha as the
great cat lolled with eyes closed, her head pillowed on his flank.
He slept in her bed, his bulk curled on one side of the great king
size bed, Tasha on the other.

The great cat communicated through nods and
shakes of his head. He purred when he was pleased or thankful, and
distanced himself from her when he was upset. Encouraged, Tasha
made an alphabet from large pieces of paper, and laid them out on
the floor, telling him to step on the letters, to spell out words
for her. “Tell me who you are,” she said excitedly, pencil and
paper in hand.

Instead of the expected grateful purr,
Tasha’s efforts instead got her a shake of the head, and the silent
treatment for the rest of the night.

Tasha was undaunted by Nazdeha’s refusal to
communicate beyond yes and no answers. She remained convinced he
was a man under a curse, like in fairytales. Several times, she
pleaded with him to change his form, to show her the man she knew
he must be.

But Nazdeha would only look at her, as if he
couldn’t understand. Afterwards, he always would retreat away from
her and curl into a ball for at least an hour.

Surmising he was trapped in lion form, Tasha
stopped mentioning it. Talk of what he had once been only upset
him. She had no way to break a curse. That he was here with her was
enough for Tasha.

* * * *

Late summer became fall. And with the winter
wind came a letter from Tasha’s father, telling her he would not be
home again for Christmas, but that she was welcome to meet him in
Moscow, if she wanted to make the trip.

Tasha tore up the letter. “He knows I hate
the city,” she said. “Besides, I couldn’t take you there, Nazdeha.
I’m not leaving you here alone for the holidays.”

The cougar nuzzled her shoulder, his loud
purr a vibration she felt through her thick sweater.

“Do you need to go out before bed?” Tasha
asked. “It’s close to midnight.”

Nazdeha nodded, then jumped up off the bed,
and walked to the bedroom door.

Tasha followed, opening the door so he could
leave.

The lion trotted out.

Instead of readying herself for bed, as she
usually did, Tasha paused, and then looked out the door, watching
the shadow of the lion as it traveled down the long hallway.

Nazdeha had headed for the kitchen, not
outside to relieve himself.

Curious, Tasha hurried after the cat,
creeping down the long hallway and into the kitchen. A naked man
was in front of the refrigerator, his scarred back to her as he ate
pickles from a jar. She let out a gasp.

The man heard her and swore, then grabbed a
dishtowel to cover himself. “Don’t look at me!”

Tasha turned away, her cheeks burning. “So
you can change form.”

“Yes,” came the hesitant reply. “Go upstairs,
Tasha. I’ll leave—”

His voice was rough, either naturally or from
disuse. It was the sexiest voice she had ever heard in her life.
“You’ll do nothing of the kind. Don’t you dare change back,
Nazdeha. I think I deserve some answers.”

“It’s Theo, actually,” the man said sadly.
“That’s my real name.”

“Follow me, Theo.” Tasha strode from the
room. “You can borrow some hunting clothes of my father’s. Hurry,
before you’re seen.”

* * * * *

A half-hour later, Natasha sat in her bedroom
at her breakfast table. Theo was across from her, fully dressed,
his expression distressed.

“Nothing has to change,” she said finally. “I
always knew you were something more than you pretended to be. Stay
here with me.”

“I can’t sleep here in your room anymore,”
Theo snapped. “Your servants will notice me, if they haven’t
already. They’ll tell your father, who would be none too pleased,
I’m guessing.”

“They’ll say what I tell them to say.”

Theo shook his head. “Not for something like
this. You’re only seventeen, Tasha, and that’s only by a few
days.”

“My sister was married at sixteen,” Tasha
interrupted. “I’m not a child, Theo, so stop treating me like
one.”

“You don’t know me at all,” Theo spat out,
getting to his feet and pacing.

“I know you could have easily taken advantage
of me in the last six months,” Tasha said softly. “You didn’t. Now
I understand why you excused yourself in the morning and evenings,
when I was dressing. You were being chivalrous.”

Theo gave her a look. “I’m in my late
twenties, Tasha. You’re right that I’m a man as well as a cougar.
But I’m not going to hurt a young girl who doesn’t know better,
even if I am horny as hell.”

Tasha looked away, her face aflame, trying
to get control. He’d said that to shock her. That was all. “Where
will you go?”

“Home,” Theo said, his tone hopeless. “I’ve
been gone a long time. Close to a year now. God, I’m not looking
forward to that.”

What person wouldn’t want to go home? But
that was good, as Tasha wasn’t letting Theo go. Not now. Not ever.
“If you must go, let me help you, Theo. I can arrange passage for
you—”

“No,” Theo said. “You’ve helped me enough
already. I was planning to slip away in the night, but I’m glad you
found me instead.” He came over, and knelt before her, cupping her
face in his hands. Gently, he kissed her forehead. “I’m very
grateful to you, Tasha. Part of me wishes I could just stay here
with you. But I can’t. I’ve got to go back to the U.S.”

“Why?” Tasha asked, eyebrows drawn into a
frown. “You clearly don’t want to go back. You’re afraid of what
has changed since you’ve been gone.”

Theo nodded. “Yes. But I have to. Besides,
I’ve come to care about you. People I care about usually get hurt.
I don’t want you to get hurt, too.” He smiled briefly, his gaze
meeting hers. “Maybe it won’t be so bad.”

Tasha looked deep into Theo’s blue eyes, and
promptly fell in love in that magical split second.

“I have to go,” Theo said, moving towards the
door. “Goodnight, Tasha.”

“No,” Tasha argued, latching onto his arm.
“Change form if you feel you have to. But please stay with me.” She
hugged him tightly, delighting to feel his hard muscles under the
thick cloth. He was so solid...so comforting.

Theo didn’t reply.

“You haven’t spoken to anyone for so long,”
Tasha continued. “Don’t you want to tell me about yourself? You
listened to me for so many months. You know all my hopes, all my
dreams, practically my whole life story. Tell me yours, Theo.”

“You won’t want to hear it,” Theo whispered,
even as his arms slipped around her, hugging her close. “It’s ugly
and awful.”

I love you. I want to know. I have to know.
“Tell me, please.”

“All right.”

* * * *

The next morning, Tasha woke early, and lay
in bed, looking at Theo lying next to her. She pulled blankets over
them, and then cuddled close, pretending that they were married,
that they had just spent their wedding night together, and that
today was the first day of their life together.

Nothing had happened, of course. Theo had
been the perfect gentleman, making sure to sleep with all his
clothes on outside the bedcovers. Tasha had hoped for a kiss, had
even dared to kiss Theo on the cheek, hoping he would get the hint.
But he had been wrapped up completely in his story, his eyes
haunted as he relived the horrors of the past year, and before.

He had told her his past; his childhood of
privilege, his brief college days as an art major; his fights with
his parents, who wanted so much more for him; his fiancée Casey who
he’d lost after being attacked, his acclimation to being a
werecougar; and finally, his collusion with a vampire to become a
sort of bodyguard.

After that, things were hard to understand.
Theo had clearly been hiding something, if not several somethings.
He talked of witches and demons, vampires and werefoxes. He had
mentioned no names, just vague events. Only two things were
completely clear to Tasha. One was Theo’s life was in danger. He
had been sold into slavery by his enemies. Several people—powerful
people—still wanted him dead. The second was if Theo left here, he
would almost certainly be killed. He would never make it home.

Tasha had to find a way to make him stay, no
matter what. But how?

She would talk to Alexey. He was her only
real friend here, plus he was a man himself. He should be able to
give some insight.

Leaving Theo sleeping, Tasha dressed quickly,
and hurried down to the stables.

* * * *

“That is the craziest story I’ve even heard,”
Alexey scolded, when Tasha finished.

“You don’t believe me?” Tasha crossed her
arms over her chest, her eyes flashing.

“I do,” Alexey said, nodding. “But only
because I know you, Tasha. You would never make this up—”

“What should I do?” Tasha interrupted. “I
have to stop him. He’ll leave and be killed!”

“You can’t make him stay here against his
will.” Alexey shook his head. “He’s not a character from a fairy
tale, Tasha. He’s not a prince in disguise.”

“He mentioned supernatural beings,” Tasha
said quickly. “They will kill him if he leaves. I have to save him,
Alexey.” She paused then blurted, “I love him!”

“I can see that, child,” Alexey murmured
gently. He touched her check with his callused hand. “So much a
young woman, yet still so much a girl. These things can’t be
forced, Tasha. He must do what is right for him.”

“He’s too scarred by what he went through to
know what’s right!” Tasha said, her anger rising. “Why won’t you
help me save him?”

“I couldn’t, even if I wanted to.” Alexey
pressed his lips into a firm line. “I’ve never met a supernatural
being. I have never wanted to. Your best bet is to convince Theo to
stay with logic, not with emotion.”

Furious, Tasha stalked out of the stable, and
then ran up to the house. Dark clouds were coming across the
mountains in the distance, lightning flashing.

Tasha hurried inside and went down the
hallway to her room.

Suddenly, a shadow appeared before her,
blocking out the light.

She let out a cry, cringing backward.

“Don’t be afraid. I mean you no
harm...Tasha.”

The voice was raspy, like dry paper
crackling. “How do you know my name?” she challenged. “Who are
you?”

“A friend,” the figure said. A wrinkled hand
held out a paper. “Call me when you are ready.”

Tasha didn’t take the proffered paper. “Ready
for what?”

“To save your love, of course.” The figure
disappeared as suddenly as it had come.

The paper lay on the floor, testament she
hadn’t imagined the figure. Leaving it there, Tasha ran to her
room, sure Theo would somehow be gone. But he was as she had left
him, asleep in her bed, snoring slightly.

He was so handsome...

The phone rang shrilly. Tasha bolted to it,
grabbing it up. “Hello?”

“My daughter,” her father’s voice said with a
loving note in this voice. “You are up early.”

“I was hoping to go riding,” Tasha answered,
her words tumbling out. “Alexey is saddling Sasha now.”

“Your ride can wait. I have some good news.”
He paused. “I have arranged for you to be married this coming
Christmas.”

All the blood drained from Tasha’s face.
“What?”

“He is a doctor at a university of veterinary
medicine. He will make a wonderful match for you, with your love
for animals—”

“What about my college plans?” Tasha managed
to speak around the lump in her throat.

“You will never need to work,” her father
said, his words were clipped and sharp. “There is no need for you
to attend college, Tasha. Don’t be afraid. Arkady is an older man,
and he will put few demands on you, save for children—”

No. Not now. Especially not now! She was in
love. If she was going to marry anyone, it was going to be Theo.
“That sounds lovely, Father,” Tasha said quickly. “Alexey is
calling me from outside. Let me call you back this evening. I want
to hear all the details.”

“Tasha—”

She hung up on her father then raced to the
piece of paper. On it was just a phone number. She crossed to the
phone and dialed.

The voice that answered was the same. “You
waste no time. That is good.”

“How much to help me?” Tasha said. “It must
be tonight. There is little time.”

“I want nothing but Theo’s safety,” the voice
said, followed by an amused chuckle. “He is safest staying with
you, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Yes,” Tasha said. “But he won’t stay.” Say
it. “He doesn’t love me as I love him.”

“He will,” the voice said with surety. “He
already is affectionate with you. It is not hard to give that
affection a push to make it blossom into love. I will give you
something to help that happen.”