Page 58 of Tiger's Dream
She glanced back and a delighted smile lit her face when she saw how far behind I trailed. My mind flashed again to racing Ren on a very different kind of beach and how I’d demanded a kiss from Kells as my prize. I hadn’t negotiated anything with Ana prior to racing her, but the idea of such a boon should I be the winner invigorated me.
Redoubling my efforts, I blazed a path behind her, and when it became clear that she would win, I cheated. One second, I was Sohan Kishan Rajaram, and the next I was Damon, the black tiger, the companion of a goddess. In my tiger form, I raced down the beach, stretching my legs out and eating up the short distance that separated us.
Finally, I overtook her and leapt in the space in front of her. She cried out, trying to stop herself before barreling into me, and ended up falling over me and tumbling in the sand. Worried, I went over to her and nudged her shaking back with my nose.
Ana, I said to her in my mind,are you all right?
Her quaking became worse, and then she quickly turned toward me and tossed a fistful of sand at me. After I shook it away, I realized she was laughing, not crying, and her laugh was amazing. It was the tinkling of bells, dulcet and all things happy and free.
Growling playfully, I crouched down, my tail twitching, and pounced on her, being careful not to land on her body. She squealed and threw up her arms but she was too late. With my legs trapping her, I leaned down and licked her cheek, leaving a shiny trail.
“Kishan!” she cried, rubbing her face with her closed fist. “That was disgusting!”
I moved as if to do it again, and she shrieked and shifted her head side to side, laughing and trying to thwart my efforts. When she tried to wriggle away, I crouched down, putting only as much weight on her as I thought she could handle. She beat halfheartedly against my shoulders and begged me to move, complaining that she couldn’t breathe. I repositioned myself just enough to make sure she was comfortable but still trapped.
When her struggling subsided, I huffed, shifted over, and fell onto my side. Sand clung to my fur and bunched between my claws, but I didn’t care. She lay back in the sand, stretched out her arms and legs, and let out a deep sigh. Though she’d changed her form, she still wore the green bikini. The cover-up was bunched up underneath her, and a happy smile of contentment remained on her face. It was strange seeing her now with my old memories mingling with the new ones. As a boy, I’d been infatuated with her.
If I’d met her before Yesubai, before Kelsey…but then,I did. It was so confusing. I still loved Kelsey. Didn’t I? I was loyal. I was never the type of man to seek out a variety of women. I wanted just one woman to love. One who was completely mine. A life mate who was as devoted to me as I was to her. I’d hoped that Kelsey would be that girl.
I peered at the goddess through a half-closed eye and quieted my thoughts, a much easier thing to do as a tiger than a man, and just enjoyed the moment. The sound of the waves lulled me, and the earthy smell of the nearby grass mixed with the scent of the woman at my side was heady. Ana turned toward me, cradling her head on a hand, and extended her other to me.
She buried her fingers in the ruff of my neck and stroked my fur. We stayed like that for a long time, just looking into each other’s eyes and feeling the strength of our connection. The moon rose over the waves and the sand glistened with the blush of moonlight. A slight breeze kissed my fur, bringing with it the scent of the trees, flowers, and the ocean. If paradise existed, then I was in it, I thought. There was only one thing missing.
I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew, Anamika was shaking me awake.
“Sohan,” she said. “Sohan,” she repeated a bit more loudly.
“What? What is it?” I mumbled thickly, getting a mouthful of sand. I blinked and stared down at the glittering grains covering my arm. I must have shifted back into human form while I slept. That had never happened to me before. The idea that it could occur without my knowledge left me feeling a bit cold and uncomfortable.
Sitting up, my legs stretched out opposite of hers, I saw Ana was wrapped in a blanket. She must have made one using the scarf while I dozed. The sun was just peeking over the horizon. We’d slept on the beach all night. My stomach rumbled.
“Is there something wrong?” I asked. “Does someone need you?”
She drew her legs up and wrapped her arms around them. “There is nothing pressing. I just wanted to stop you from snoring.” Ana was smiling again.
I bumped her shoulder with mine. “I don’t snore, Ana,” I said, smiling back.
“Oh, you do. You sound like a bear.”
“Well, then you sound like a dragon.”
“A dragon?”
“Yes, and they’re the worst of all.”
“I do not think so, Sohan. My tiger is the worst of all.”
“Yourtiger?” I said, teasing her. “When exactly did I become yours?”
Her smile faltered and I regretted that the light jesting had taken such a turn. Trying to ignore the tension, I got to my feet and offered her a hand up. “Since I’m apparentlyyourtiger,” I said, “I’d suggest you feed me before I decide to bite off one of your arms. I’m famished.” Squeezing her arm as if testing for tenderness, I added, “On second thought, I’d better eat your leg. Your leg would satisfy me at least until lunch.”
I kept her hand in mine after she was up and was gratified to see a blush brighten her cheeks. “Then perhaps I will have to put stewed tiger tail on the menu as revenge,” she said as I unashamedly eyed her long legs. “It’s only fair.”
Tucking her hand on my arm, I led her away from the ocean and up to the tree line. “Tiger tail would provide very little sustenance. You’d need a large hunk of meat.” I thumped my chest, puffing it out deliberately.
She poked me in the ribs and pursed her lips. “I am afraid your chest meat would be too muscular and stringy for my taste. Maybe if I roast it over a fire, it will pass as edible.”
We casually joked with one another as we made our way through the trees. Then, as she took hold of the Rope of Fire, I touched her hand to stop her. “Ana?” I said.
