The Baby Of The White Tiger (BWWM Shifter Romance) (2 page)

“That would be nice, once the vampires stop trying to kill us.” Dom smiled at him. She thought that it would be interesting to see exactly what they’ve collected over the years.

Gregor cleared his throat. “I think we’ve done well so far. Let’s meet next week to see what everyone has found out.”

The wolf and coyote excused themselves, eager to leave and let people know about the plans they had made. “When can we expect the piece to be brought over?” The wolf and coyote started making plans to have the beaded leather looked at by the wolf historians.

After the other two had been shuttled off, Gregor walked up to Dominique. “I think they like you more than me.” His smile revealed the fact that he didn’t seem to mind.

“I guess they do. I don’t think they find me as threatening as you.” She was referring to his nature as a tiger, and both parties knew it. He often found that his nature had an effect on the people that he worked with, especially when they were shifters as well. “That baby however, if it’s true, it’s going to scare them.”

Dom laughed a little as they climbed into the vehicle that was waiting for them. They were delivered back into the waiting hands of the guards of their safe house. Dom sighed as they walked inside the large house. “This is really a nice place, but I miss my home.”

Gregor walked up behind her, hugging her around the waist, his hands over her stomach. “I know.” His whispered words echoed into her ears. “Soon, as soon as these talks are over, we can get you back in your own house.”

Dominique nodded in agreement. “I just don’t like it very much. I want to be home.”

“I understand, I had hoped that you would be home by now as well, but from what we’ve been hearing the vampires have been hanging out around your house.”

“Do you think that someone is in charge, that there is someone specific calling the shots?”

“They do have a very specific hierarchy. Vampires thrive on order, so there has to be someone giving the orders, but we probably will never know who it is.”

“They’ve got the vampire people looking into it.” Dom explained to Gregor. “The vampire division specializes in dealing with them when they start causing trouble. I just wish they would do their job a little faster, because I don’t like these beds very much.”

“Is your back still bothering you?”

“A little.” Dom admitted.

“Let me give you a back rub.” Gregor led her into the back room, and started to rub her back, convincing her to take her shirt off. She lay there, allowing the pressure to bring relief to her body. He kissed her back, touching her up and down her spine softly with his lips.

It didn’t take too long for her to turn around to face him. “Can you believe how hard I used to work to avoid you?”

“Eh, I liked the chase, not as much as I like this though.” He kissed her gently on the lips.

“What was I, some kind of ball of string?” He didn’t answer; instead he lowered his head to her breast and fluttered his tongue against her nipple. She moaned a little in response and clothes started to be removed with well-practiced speed. They didn’t wait for long, he pushed himself into her and she gasped in pleasure.

He started to thrust over and over, bringing her to the edge of release several times before slowing down and finally allowing her to finish at the same time he did. When they finished, they slept in each other’s arms.

Chapter2

“It’s been quiet lately, hasn’t it?” Dom said, looking out the window at the starry desert sky. They were a few miles outside of El Paso, at an undisclosed location, where the next meeting was supposed to occur.

“Yes, after these talks, I have to go back north to arrange to get moved down here. You should be safe for a while.” Gregor’s eyes were elsewhere at the moment. He was thinking. “I don’t like leaving you alone, but this is as good a time as any.”

“I’ll be fine here.” Dom said, her voice was equally far away. She was thinking about her house, the home her family had grown up in.

“I think they should move you while I’m gone.” Gregor finally confessed her. “I think that they’re planning something soon.” They continued their lunch in silence. Chinese take-out was a rare pleasure since Dom had started insisting on the fresh food being brought in so that they could cook.

They were putting up the trash, carefully sorting into recyclable and compostable, when Dominique found it necessary to respond. “I hear they’re almost done cleaning up my place.”

“That was nice of the coyotes.” Gregor noted. “I wonder how much they were able to save.”

“They are master recyclers, in case you haven’t noticed.” Dom reminded him. “I’m sure it’s going to be great. From the pictures, it’s starting to look pretty nice.” Dom pulled out her phone and showed him the greenhouse that the coyotes had started to rebuilt.

“That’s going to look pretty nice.”

They went to the next set of talks. They were productive; the coyotes had managed to find a few more things to trade for the land.

“Is the pottery going to be enough?” The coyote was practically panting with excitement.

The wolf examined them. “It’s pretty close, how many of these artifacts do you have?”

“We’ve run across a few pieces.” The coyote started to play his cards very close to his chest. He didn’t want to give his entire advantage away.

“We would definitely be interested in any pieces like these you come across. We’ll give you a fair price and allow your people access to anything we come across about them.”

“That sounds really fair.” The coyote seemed really surprised, but he didn’t quite trust the wolf’s words. He had been fooled enough before to not fall for it again. “We’ll see if we can get some more stuff for you, but we can’t make any guarantees. Is there anything else you might be looking for?”

“We have a list here. Would you like a copy?” The wolf pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and unfolded it. It was a typewritten list that looked like it had a good number of items on it. “We’ll discuss price depending on what you find and what kind of shape it’s in. Does that seem like it would work for you?”

“We’ll take look at it and see what we can find. We need to discuss how much is going to be enough to make you happy. You never seem to be giving us a price on anything we bring you.” The coyote reached across the table for the paper and glanced at several lines before folding it up and carefully tucking it away in his shirt pocket.

“From what our appraisers tell us you have about thirty thousand dollars worth of stuff here and the land is worth one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, so we’ve got quite a bit more to go.”

“I’m sure that if we sold the beaded leather to a non shifter it would be worth more, maybe the entire one hundred and fifty thousand, if we could find the right collector.”

“Have you found one yet?” The wolf asked calmly. He was calling the coyote’s bluff, and the other leader at the table didn’t look very happy about it.

“We need to work together, accusing and threatening isn’t going to get us anywhere.” Gregor reminded both of them. “Let’s take a moment for all of us to calm down before we sabotage what we’ve already accomplished here.” He excused both parties for ten minutes before he walked to the other end of the table. “What do you think? Will it be OK if I go home for a few days?”

“I don’t think they’ll go to war while you’re away. If not, I might be able to put a stop to it.” Dom told him, she didn’t sound that confident about the last part however. “If you’re not gone for long it should be fine.”

“How will you be?” Gregor perched himself on the edge of the table and crossed his arms.

“I’ll be just fine.” She smiled at him, hoping that would make him feel a little better. “All you have to do is arrange some movers, right?”

“I’ll have to pay my early termination fee on my apartment.” He explained carefully. “I have to tell my mother about the baby.”

“You haven’t called her yet?” Dom asked, curious about the situation. “Are you afraid of her?” It was a joke, but from the look on Gregor’s face it was obvious that it was at least partially true.

“I thought that it would be better to tell her in person.” Gregor admitted with an unspoken nervousness in his voice. 

The wolf and coyote came back into the room and Gregor took his seat at the head of the table. “I’m going to be leaving this evening.” He told them, trying to keep his voice calm and metered. “I have to take care of a few things before I move down here.”

The coyote got really excited. “Do you need someone to guard your mate?”

“That might be useful. If we do that, I would like both of you to take part in her protection.”

“I think that could be arranged. The question would be how we do it.” Gregor was unsure of how it would be arranged. All three men at the table looked at each other, trying to find a way that all parties could provide equally.

After a few moments of silence Dom spoke up. “Perhaps I could stay with one group and be guarded by the other? As much as I don’t like the thought of being guarded, I have to think about my child right now.”

“You should stay with the wolves, they have better facilities.” The coyote said. “We can provide guards and food. We’re good hunters.”

“There might be a little problem with that. Dom doesn’t eat meat.” Gregor told the people at the table.

The wolf spoke up, surprising the others around the table. “The coyotes grow some beautiful fruits and vegetables; you should love to eat their food.”

“That sounds really nice.” Dom smiled at her soon-to-be hosts. “I also like the way you two are complementing each other. It shows how much progress we’re making here.”

While the coyote beamed at the compliment, the wolf continued to make plans for them. “We’ll get her things moved over, if there is anything else she needs, she can count on us.” He was serious, making sure that they would have everything prepared. “We’ll be sure to keep her safe and as happy as she can be without you there.” His promise meant a lot to her.

“That’s going to have to change. You can talk to me. I don’t belong to him.” Dom’s voice was firm. She didn’t like the fact that she was considered Gregor’s mate and not an individual person.

“Of course, I apologize.” He bowed his head toward her in a symbolic gesture. She knew that it wasn’t going to change anything, but she wanted to make herself very clear.

“I’ll arrange for one of the women to stay with her in the house, so that she can have some company.” The coyote was already thinking about whom to send. “I will also hand pick three shifts of outside guards. Do you think that five on each shift will be acceptable?” He was careful to pose the question to Dom, looking at her face, hoping for an affirmative response.

“I don’t think that I’ll need that many, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.” Dom wasn’t exactly happy about the entire situation, but it made it a little better to see both of the shifters working together so well.

“Wonderful. When do we need to have everything ready?” The leader of the wolf asked, his eyes shifting from Gregor to Dom halfway through his sentence. It was obvious that something she had said had gotten through to him, but he still had to get used to regarding her as an equal to Gregor.

“I leave a little after midnight, so if we could have everything prepared by ten tonight that would be for the best.” Gregor made the decision, carefully checking with Dom to see if she found it acceptable. When she nodded in agreement the two other shifters started to eagerly make plans for transport and how they were going to handle the joint operation.

“I can make sure there’s some food for her when she arrives.” The coyote volunteered carefully. “We have some lovely green onions and tomatoes in our gardens.”

“I love tomato sandwiches.” Dom volunteered. “With mayo and salt and pepper. It’s best if they’re on potato bread or in a fresh tortilla” Her cravings started to assert themselves as she made some more suggestions. “Oh, and don’t forget popsicles. I love popsicles, especially the red, white and blue ones; you know the ones that are shaped like rockets. I also love pickles.” Her words were getting more and more excited, she hurried through a list of things that she had been craving recently. “Sweet pickles, queso blanco, fresh tortilla chips, make sure we have all of those things.”

The wolf looked knowingly at Dominique, his face warm for the first time in ages. “I’ll make sure there is someone to get whatever you want to eat when your mate is gone. I remember my wife’s cravings when she was pregnant with our oldest. I would have to leave in the middle of the night to get her new pickles and ice cream.” He pulled out a small notebook and started to scribble down a shopping list. When he finished he wrote it down again and passed it to the coyote. “Can we arrange to get all of these things?”

“One of the women in my tribe makes the best pickles. You will love them. I’ll make sure she has a couple of jars for you. My sister makes excellent tortillas and she’ll make sure that you have fresh ones every day. My sister loved sandwiches from this certain place, and they had to be made a certain way.” The coyote explained. “She could tell by tasting it which employee was making the sandwiches and we would have to buy three or four at a time.”

“I’m sure this is very amusing to all of you, but sometimes the morning sickness is so bad that I can’t keep down anything solid. That’s when I like to have the popsicles. Oh, please make sure you have nutella and asparagus to put on the tortillas.”