Read White Tiger (A Shifter's Unbound Novel) Online

Authors: Jennifer Ashley

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White Tiger (A Shifter's Unbound Novel) (9 page)

BOOK: White Tiger (A Shifter's Unbound Novel)
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CHAPTER NINE

K
endrick kissed Addison with fierce need. The craving sprang up inside him, making him drag her closer, press her body the full length of his. Her softness called out to him; her breasts crushed against him and heightened his longing.

She tasted of sweetness and bitter coffee, loneliness and joy. Her body moved under his, the thin T-shirt catching in his hands. Kendrick hid a growl as he swept his tongue into her mouth, opening her farther to him.

She filled him. He’d wanted her from the moment she’d smiled at him when he’d slid onto the stool at her counter. Her open friendliness had caught at him, her entire being seeming to embrace him. Even her name tag had invited him in—
Hello, My Name is Addison
.

Kendrick knew he’d returned night after night only for the flash of her blue eyes, the curve of her smile.

He kissed the mouth that smiled so readily, locked his hand behind her neck to pull her harder into him. Addison’s fingers sank into his arms, her body curving under his. She made a small noise in her throat, which turned up the flame inside him.

Want this woman. Want all of her.

Pouring out his story had seemed natural. She’d put so much on the line helping him—she deserved to know what she was getting into.

Kendrick’s hand found the curve of her waist, the warm flesh under the shirt. The loose fabric let him slide up under it to the smoothness of her back, which was bare, she having removed her bra for sleeping.

He could have this shirt off her, catch the weight of her breasts, taste them.
Basic and raw
, he’d thought before. Yes, it would be, and it would be the most pleasure he’d ever known.

Kendrick deepened the kiss, liking the little start she gave, tasting her surprise in his mouth. She flowed against him, not fighting, not shoving him away. His hand went to her stomach, up to the firm round of her breast, the nipple tightening against his palm. Kendrick stroked the hardening tip, loving the little sound Addie made in her throat. He scented her rising need, the dampness that would be beginning between her thighs.

What he wanted wasn’t tame and tender. He wanted to take Addison to the bed and climb into her arms, thrusting into her welcoming body. Harder and faster he’d go, until his burning need for her was sated. If it ever could be.

Addison . . .

A yowling cry shattered the silence. The sound was like a fall of ice on Kendrick’s heated skin.

He fought his way back from drowning in Addison and took a sharp breath. The only thing that could cut through mating frenzy was his cub’s cry of distress.

Kendrick released Addison, but she was already backpedaling from him, then ducking around him, hurrying from the room. Kendrick dragged in another breath, the absence of her warmth like a slap, and followed her.

Addison was across the hall and running into the boys’ room before Kendrick could leave their bedroom. He stifled a growl of admonishment—she didn’t understand that she should wait for him to assess the danger.

He scented no danger, however, nothing in the room but
his cubs. Zane and Brett had become their tigers and were on the upper bunk. Brett was sitting on his haunches blinking at Zane, who was howling a small tiger roar, the sound filled with anguish. Brett, watching his brother, whimpered.

Robbie was clinging on to the ladder, trying to pet Zane. He looked as though he wanted to cry as well but he was holding it in to comfort the younger ones.

Addison went straight to Robbie, lifted him from the ladder, and gave him a big hug before setting him down. “What’s wrong?” she asked him.

Robbie shrugged his slim shoulders. “They’re scared.”

Kendrick reached to the top bunk and scooped up his cubs, one in each arm. “Hey now,” he said softly. He rumbled low in his throat, a wordless sound that made the cubs snuggle into his bare chest.

Brett recovered first, nuzzling his father and then licking his cheek. Zane shivered, still mewling.

Addison gave Robbie another hug. Robbie usually disliked anyone but Kendrick touching him, but he didn’t shrug off Addison’s touch. He clasped her in return, his small body trembling.

When Addison finally released Robbie, he looked calmer, less likely to give in to tears. Addison, her hair mussed from Kendrick furrowing it, her lips wet with his kiss, reached for Zane. “Let me hold him.”

Zane continued to cry. Kendrick quietly relinquished him to her, and Addison lifted the cub into her arms.

She staggered a little as she discovered that a baby tiger was heavier than he looked, and very squirmy. Addison got Zane firmly into the crook of her arm then stroked the top of his head.

Zane opened his eyes, realized Addison held him, and quieted down. Brett remained with his father but watched Addison with watery green eyes.

“There you go,” Addison crooned at Zane. “Feeling better? Want to sleep now?”

Zane squeezed his eyes shut again and let out a little yowl. Kendrick knew exactly what he was saying—he didn’t want to be left without Kendrick or Addison.

“How about if I sleep in here with them?” Addison asked, turning her violet blue eyes to Kendrick. “You’re beat—you take the bed and get some rest, and I’ll bunk down in the trundle bed.”

Kendrick tamped down his need and disappointment. He’d assumed the night would end with him inside Addison, but his sons came first. Not trusting himself to speak, he gave Addison a nod.

Zane clung to Addison, but Brett climbed down from his father’s body, leaving a few light scratches on Kendrick’s bare flesh. Brett scampered across the room to the trundle bed that rested against the wall and leapt onto it. Robbie, more quietly, moved after him and sat down on the bed’s edge.

Addison jounced Zane as she went to join them. Kendrick watched in silence, feeling cold.

Addison looked up at Kendrick as she sat down with Robbie. “Go away now. You sleep, and I’ll tell stories.”

Kendrick felt no incentive to turn and leave the room. He wanted to linger, to curl up in the tiny bed next to Addison while his sons draped around them, and Addison’s clear voice told bedtime stories.

“If you start, they won’t let you stop,” he warned.

“Yes, we will,” Robbie said. “Good night, Dad.”

Kendrick didn’t move. Addison waved a hand at him, as though reassuring him that all would be well.

It would be, he knew. Addison had no treachery in her. Kendrick would have sensed it, scented it. The cubs liked her, and they were in a strange place, alone and cold. Addison, right now, was their beacon of warmth.

Kendrick made himself turn away. Stiffening his resolve, he walked to the door.

His resolve hadn’t been the only thing stiff as he’d kissed her. Even now, his cock was ready to resume its hardness, wanting to ease itself inside her.

“Good night, then,” he said without turning.

He took the last steps out into the cool hall, and closed the door firmly behind him. On the other side of the wood panels, he heard Addison say. “All right, then. I’ll start. Once upon a time . . .”

There was a beautiful waitress and a fugitive white tiger Shifter . . .

Kendrick had no idea how that story would turn out.

*   *   *

K
endrick stood a long time in the middle of the empty bedroom he was supposed to share with Addison, his body throbbing, before he climbed up into the bed.

Addie’s warmth lingered in the nest she’d made, and her scent. Kendrick knew he should leap up, walk out of the house, shift to tiger, and sleep under the stars somewhere over the rise.

Instead, he pulled the covers over him and lay with his eyes open, letting her surround him.

He needed her with terrible fire. Kendrick had lived so long suppressing his libido, that its awakening had him in impossible pain.

Kendrick’s mate, Eileen, had passed bringing in Zane. Females dying in childbirth was much rarer these days but it still happened.

The problem with being Guardian was that Kendrick had been the one to send her to the Summerland. He’d kissed Eileen’s cold lips, smoothed her hair, and closed his eyes as he’d driven the sword into her chest.

He’d risen and walked away, not opening his eyes until he’d been far from the pile of dust that had been his mate. He’d walked for days, trying to shake off the pain that clung to him like fog.

He never wanted to be in the position to do that again.

Kendrick drifted into a half slumber, his exhausted body forcing him into shutting down.

Addison stood six feet from him on a sunny, flat stretch of ground. She was so real that Kendrick reached for her, but he couldn’t quite touch her. There seemed to be a barrier between then, like a soapy film in the air.

“What are you doing out here?” he asked. “Are you all right?”

“Of course,” Addison said. “The boys are fine too, Kendrick. What about you?”

“They like you.” Kendrick reached again, his fingers sinking into the spongy barrier. “
I
like you.”

“I’m glad.” Addison gave him that sunny smile again. “What is it you want?”

Kendrick narrowed his eyes, confused at the question. Who was he speaking to? Addison in a dream? Coming to him because he knew he needed her? Or someone in her guise?

Kendrick said nothing. He was standing in his underwear, wanting to go to her, enfold her in his arms again, but he couldn’t move.

The barrier broke. Kendrick had been leaning on it, and he stumbled through. Addison turned and ran from him. Kendrick easily overtook her, sun warm on his back, and he caught her in his arms. She was laughing when he kissed her.

Down to the warm grass, her clothes and his underwear melting away until they were body to body. Addison tilted her head back, her face softening as he slid straight into her.

The sensation shot his heartbeat high, his body squeezing in triumph. But it wasn’t enough. Something kept him from feeling it all the way, kept him pumping into her in a desperate quest for it.

This was a dream. It would never, ever be as satisfying as being with the real Addison, and everything within him knew it.

Addison touched his face. “Kendrick, I lo—”

She broke off, and her mouth opened in a sudden scream. The scream was muffled, as though the barrier had descended over both of them again.

Kendrick looked up to see the Shifter, Ivan, whom he’d sent to dust in the diner. The man had an automatic pistol in his hand, great sorrow in his eyes.

“I’m sorry, Guardian,” Ivan said. “I failed you.”

Addison was still under him. Kendrick looked down and saw blood on her chest, her eyes vacant, her face gray. She was in her waitress uniform again, scarlet blood on the salmon pink material.

Feral rage rose up inside Kendrick, blotting out every other thought, ever other sensation. He leapt to his feet as Addison shimmered and fell away to dust.

He grabbed Ivan, yanking the pistol from him and breaking it into many pieces. Then he threw Ivan to the ground and spun around to find Addison standing behind him, alive, in the jeans and pretty shirt she’d put on in his hotel room.

“Live your life, Kendrick,” Addison said. “You have so much. Live with every ounce of strength you have. Live it for your sons—for
you
.”

Kendrick gave her a look of anguish. “
This
 . . . isn’t . . . life.”

Addison cocked her head. “Yes, it is. You’ll figure it out. Look around you, white tiger.
Live.

The dream was ending. Kendrick felt himself swimming toward awareness, reality kicking in.

The light that surrounded Addison grew brighter and brighter until it stabbed into Kendrick’s eyes. Kendrick screwed up his face and turned away . . . and found himself waking in the guest bedroom, sunlight streaming in through the uncovered window into his face.

The digital clock said it was nine, he heard the voices of his cubs on the other side of the fireplace wall, and smelled frying eggs and bacon.

Kendrick rubbed his face, finding it wet. He groaned a little as he came off the bed. He was sore—he must have lain in one position, muscles rigid in his dreams.

He was straightening up when he heard Addison’s voice, muffled but sharp with fear. “Whoa. Who is
that
?”

CHAPTER TEN

K
endrick was in his jeans and pulling on his shirt, racing barefoot through the giant living room and into the kitchen on the other side before Addison said another word.

He found her at the sink, staring out the uncurtained window. Charlie was at the stove and the cubs were at the table, human and clothed, each drinking a glass of milk.

Kendrick stopped close behind Addison and peered over her shoulder. “Who is who?”

Addison shook her head, her newly shampooed hair brushing his nose. She still wore his T-shirt, tucked into her jeans. In spite of his worry, Kendrick wanted to slide his hands around her waist and find the warm woman underneath. The memory of being with her in the dream stabbed into him.

Addie continued to stare outside. “I thought I saw someone. But he’s gone now.”

Kendrick didn’t relax. Shifters could fade into shadows quicker than anyone, were masters at hiding. He didn’t scent any Shifters from here, not that it would be easy with the sharp bacon smell in the room and Addison filling all his senses.

“I’ll check it out,” he said for the benefit of his cubs, who were watching with worry.

“You’ll wear shoes, I hope,” Addison said, glancing at his bare feet. “That’s Texas out there.”

Charlie gave a chuckle. “She has a point.”

Kendrick conceded, though he knew he’d only take them off again if he had to shift.

As he ducked back to the bedroom for socks and boots, he heard Addison say, “If you didn’t have any electricity, Charlie, how did you keep the food so fresh? The milk was good and cold and so were the eggs.”

“I have an icebox,” was Charlie’s good-natured response. “A real one, with ice. A big old tin-lined wooden thing in the cellar—it was my granddad’s. I just drive into town, buy a mess of ice, and keep it going. It’s as good as a real refrigerator and doesn’t use any power.”

Addison turned as Kendrick came back into the kitchen.

“Be careful, now,” she said, concern in her eyes.

The admonition, spoken in her fine Texas accent, warmed him all the way through. He gave her an acknowledging nod, opened the door, and slipped outside into the growing heat.

*   *   *

K
endrick knew it wasn’t a Shifter. Shifter scent was distinctive to another Shifter, no matter what form he or she was in.

That left human, Fae, animal, and other.

Humans were harder for Kendrick to distinguish but he was familiar enough with them to know it wasn’t human. Fae could be tricky, so he’d hold that idea in reserve. Animal—no.

That left
other.

The host of supernatural creatures that populated fiction mostly weren’t real. Vampires existed, but they weren’t the Boris Karloff type or the modern take of Anne Rice,
Buffy
,
True Blood
, or the host of popular novels that had poured out to be eagerly devoured by Jaycee, one of his trackers. Real vampires were creations from an ancient time, who’d
survived by being extremely elusive. They didn’t form communities, like Shifters, and kept their lineage a deep secret. In fact, Kendrick wouldn’t be surprised if they’d died out over the centuries.

The other supernatural creatures that were real kept to realms like Faerie, a place where they were considered more or less normal. Everything else—ghosts, demons, and other hellish types— didn’t exist.

So what was it?

One thing Shifters were good at, Felines in particular, was waiting. Kendrick slid into the shadows and did so.

He could hear Addison inside the house chatting to their host, making him laugh. The cubs cheered when breakfast landed on their plates, Addison’s voice joining them.

Like a real family. A real life.

That was all Kendrick wanted, why he’d fled the humans who were passing out Collars twenty-odd years ago. The dream he’d had—was it a warning that he’d never have a real life? Or had it been a simple manifestation of his needs and fears? Just his brain blowing off steam?

Kendrick didn’t deny to himself that making love to Addison would be deeply satisfying. Dream Addison had also been right that he had been resisting living his life. Taking care of his Shifters had always been his first priority, having a life of his own second. His mate, Eileen, had known this and Kendrick had always considered that he’d failed her because of it. Would he fail Addison too? And his cubs?

These thoughts poured through his head as Kendrick waited but they didn’t interfere with his watching. He’d had a hundred years of experience at seeing without being noticed.

Then a man walked out of nowhere, up to the back porch, and knocked on the door.

Kendrick swarmed up the porch steps, grabbed the man by the neck, and pulled him back down.

With surprising strength, the man wrenched himself out of Kendrick’s grasp and swung to face him. He had buzzed short black hair and dark brown eyes, looked Native American,
and had a broad, hard-muscled body, like a Shifter, but lacked Shifter height. He was tattooed on his neck, arms, and hands but not all over as Dylan’s tracker Spike was.

“Before you go all Shifter on my ass,” the man said. “Dylan sent me. And before you panic, he doesn’t know exactly where I am.”

“Good,” Kendrick growled, “then when I break your neck, only the coyotes will find your bones.”

The man raised his hands. “It might be
your
bones, so don’t mess with me. I’m trying to say that Dylan might ask me to do something for him but that doesn’t mean I work for him.”

“What does it mean then?” Kendrick asked in a hard voice.

“It means I like to find things out for myself. What are you doing out here?”

“What are you?” Kendrick countered. “
Who
are you?”

“You can call me Gil if you want. Dylan’s looking high and low for you, but I like to assess a sitch for myself before I decide what to do.”

*   *   *

A
ddie watched out the window while Kendrick faced the unknown man. She remained poised, ready to grab the kids and hide them—maybe in Charlie’s cellar with the icebox—until Kendrick finished with the intruder.

The man wasn’t very tall, only reaching Kendrick’s shoulders, but he was bulky with muscle. The tatts on his neck and the ones cupping his elbows were the kind men gave each other in prison, at least as far as Addie knew. One of Bo’s dishwashers had been in prison a while and he’d explained what his tatts meant to Addie one slow night.

The tension between the two men crackled. Addie held on to the lip of the sink and watched.

Kendrick’s hand flashed out and gripped the man by the neck again. The man did nothing this time, didn’t fight. Kendrick marched him up the steps and into the house.

“Another for breakfast?” Charlie asked without surprise.

“Yeah,” the man Kendrick had captured said. “Eggs over
easy if it’s not too much trouble. Lay off, Kendrick, I’m only being hospitable.”

“Do you know him?” Addie asked Kendrick, her eyes widening.

“No,” Kendrick said sharply.

The man turned to Addie and looked her up and down with appreciation. “Hel
lo
, pretty lady. I’m Ben.”

Kendrick didn’t release him but steered him to a chair he pulled well away from the table and his cubs. “You said your name was Gil.”

“It’s Gilbenarteoighiamh, but I’m not sadistic enough to make people say that. Pick a syllable, I’m fine with it.” He sat down before Kendrick could push him down and winked at the cubs.

The three boys stared at him, openmouthed. Addie noticed that they kept quiet, cautious, unlike other children who might relax under Ben’s friendly wink and smile. The cubs had been almost gregarious with Charlie, but in Charlie they recognized harmlessness, while this man could mean danger.

“Coffee?” Addie offered. She picked up the pot, which she could also use a weapon. Scalding liquid could be distracting.

“Don’t mind if I do,” Ben answered. “Dylan is not happy with you, my friend,” he said to Kendrick.

Kendrick remained in place behind Ben’s chair. Addie plucked a coffee mug from the cupboard and carried it and the pot to the table.

She poured a cup for the stranger then stepped back, clutching the pot. “You have it tattooed on your fingers.” She gestured to Ben’s hands he’d wrapped around the cup. Letters on the first three fingers on the right hand spelled out
Ben
; on the left,
Gil
. “So you won’t forget?”

Ben rumbled with laughter. “Exactly. I like her, Kendrick. She’s funny. Where did you find her?”

Kendrick only scowled. “If you work for Dylan, why don’t I know you? He’s had me running errands for him for six months.”

Ben shrugged. “Dylan has fingers in many pies. You’d be surprised at the number of people he controls. He
compartmentalizes. We don’t always know about each other. He says he’s worried about you and asked me to find you.”

“He’s worried he’ll lose control of me,” Kendrick said.

Ben gave another shrug. “You aren’t wrong. He doesn’t control
me
, and he knows it, but he thought I had the best shot at running you down. I wouldn’t have found you at all if you hadn’t gone back for
her
, but hey, I don’t blame you.” He pointed at Addie then raised his cup to his lips.

Addie set the heavy pot back on the coffeemaker. “All right, let’s be clear about everything. Who is Dylan, who are
you
, and Kendrick, why is he trying to find you? Does this Dylan have anything to do with the shootout at my diner?”

Charlie broke in, surprised. “Were y’all involved in that? I heard on the radio about a shooting up in Loneview. One reason I don’t live in a big city. They were shooting at
you
? I’m glad you’re all okay.”

Ben fixed Kendrick with a hard stare. “This is news to me. Who shot at you?”

“Some of my own. Long story.”

“Story I’m going to need to hear.” Ben gripped his coffee cup as though prepared to settle in for a tale on a long winter’s night.

“Not until I know whose side you’re on.”

“My own side.” Ben glanced at Addie. “Hers, actually. She’s prettier than you. And the cubs. I’m as protective of kids as Shifters are. More, probably.”

Addie widened her eyes at Ben. “We weren’t going to use the
S
word,” she said in a frantic half whisper. She’d told the cubs not to mention Shifters in front of Charlie.

“Oh,” Ben said. Charlie was cooking at the stove, back moving as he flipped eggs. “I thought you’d found refuge with a friend or would have won over his loyalty by now.”

“Stealth,” Addie said, leaning to him. “That’s what we were going for.”

“Stealth is an
S
word,” Ben pointed out. “I can make it so he doesn’t remember, or has a compulsion not to talk about you, or something.”

Charlie turned around and marched over to the table with
the frying pan and spatula, an irritated look in place. “I don’t know who you people are, but you can trust me to keep your secrets. I respect the privacy of my guests—that’s why all those celebrities were happy to stay here. So say what you like. It’s not like I’m not burning with curiosity.”

So speaking, he slapped eggs, perfectly cooked, to the plate in front of Ben. He slammed a couple pieces of bacon beside the eggs and stalked back to the stove.

“There you go.” Ben made an expansive gesture with his coffee cup. “Tell us everything, Kendrick.”

“How about this instead?” Kendrick said tightly. “If you’re working for Dylan, go back and tell him I’ll stay out of his territory if he stays out of mine. I’m done working for him, and he can keep up his end of the bargain. And tell him to send my trackers to me. The ones he has—Seamus and Francesca. The others if he’s caught them too.”

Ben’s brows climbed. “Seriously? Me give orders to Dylan, the biggest badass in South Texas? In the world maybe?”

“I’ve done what he asked. He knows that.”

“I haven’t hung out in the Austin and San Antonio Shiftertowns very long,” Ben said. “But I know that Seamus has shacked up with a human woman. Lives in her house somewhere south of Austin. Francesca, the Lupine, is living in the Austin Shiftertown with a bunch of bears, taking care of a cub. I haven’t heard about any others that were yours.”

Kendrick had already known about Francesca, a bear Shifter, and Seamus McGuire, a lion, even if he hadn’t been in contact with them. Dylan had told him their story. Kendrick worried, though, about Dimitri and Jaycee—he hadn’t heard a thing from them since the compound was destroyed.

“Find out about the others,” Kendrick said. “And send word to me.”

“So, what, now I’m
your
errand boy?” Ben thumped down his coffee. “What makes you think I’ll do all that?”

Kendrick leaned to the table, resting his fists on it and looking into Ben’s face. His black T-shirt stretched over his large biceps as his muscles tightened.

“Because you tried to come into this house where my
cubs were,” Kendrick said carefully. “I’m being polite not killing you.”

Ben looked hurt. “I told you, I’d never hurt the cubs.”

Addie broke in. “You have prison tatts.”

“You mean these?” He rubbed his hand over the Celtic-looking symbols on his inner arm and the spiderweb on his elbow. “I got these so I’d blend in where I lived. You’d be surprised how much people leave me alone when they see them.”

BOOK: White Tiger (A Shifter's Unbound Novel)
10.64Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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