Page 3 of Tiger's Destiny
“A smart woman uses all the tools at her disposal to obtain what she desires.”
Lokesh narrowed his eyes, meeting my verbal volley. “And what is it that you desire, Kelsey?”
Channeling a brazen Scarlett O’Hara, I laughed throatily. “Surely you don’t expect me to give away all my secrets during our first meeting. I’m not that naive. But . . . if you wish to put our cards on the table now, tell me. What do you want from me?”
“Ally yourself with me instead of the tigers.”
“How?” I asked, trying desperately not to shudder at the thought.
Suddenly, I felt a tingling sensation creep over my skin. It didn’t hurt, but it was intimate, invasive. A slight breeze lingered over my bare arms and circled my throat. Invisible fingers slid up my neck and into my hair and then trailed down to my collarbone. Although he hadn’t moved a muscle, I was sure Lokesh was to blame. I did my best to ignore it.
The sorcerer leaned forward and chuckled portentously. “My purpose here is twofold: It gives me pleasure to steal you away from the princes. Imagining their distress is gratifying. But the real reason is to combine our powers in every way possible . . . with a son.”
“A son,” I replied smoothly, despite the fact that my stomach was doing flip-flops. “Why me? I mean, why after all these years? I suppose I’m just shocked that you haven’t already found the Bonnie to your Clyde, the Morticia to your Gomez. Wasn’t hooking up with Yesubai’s mother enough?”
Lokesh hissed, “Yesubai’s mother was a simpering idiot. She was beautiful but she cowered before me. She wasnotmy equal.”
“It probably didn’t help that you killed her either.”
This time he didn’t bother to hide the angry blue crackles at his fingertips.
“Careful,” I warned, “If you show me yours, I’ll have to show you mine, and we would spoil this lovely conversation we’re having.”
He closed his eyes and got himself under control.
“Suppose I agree to your proposal, give you an heir, and share my power with you. I want something in return. You once said that if I stayed with you willingly, you would allow the tigers to live. Will you keep your word?”
“Whether or not you agree is immaterial.”
Time for Act Two: Mysterious girl shows off her powers.I pulled the Scarf out from my sleeve. Holding it in my palm, I asked it to change colors. It obliged, changing first to red and then to blue when I pressed it to my cheek. Lokesh stared at the Scarf with fascination. I raised an eyebrow, and the Scarf shot threads across the room, creating a large web. Then it shrank back down into a white handkerchief, which I folded and set next to my plate.
“What if I shared this power with you?” I asked nonchalantly.
If he was impressed, it was only for a moment. Lokesh narrowed his eyes, tossed his napkin onto his plate, and approached my side of the table. Roughly, he took my arm to yank me to my feet, smiling when he saw the look of terror on my face.
“I will consider allowing the tigers to live if you do what I ask willingly.”
As if to seal the deal, Lokesh stroked my cheek and leaned close to whisper in my ear. “Tell me, Kelsey, what amuses you? What,” he breathed heavily, “frightens you?”
When I didn’t answer, he chuckled—then yanked me closer and viciously kissed me, biting my lip hard. As he finally let me go, I wiped my bruised lip with a thumb and glared at him.
Lokesh laughed happily. “And still you are defiant. You will give me much pleasure, Kelsey.”
“Glad you think so,” I spat, now more angry than afraid.
“You see, my dear, I care nothing for the tigers except to get their amulets. If you give me a son and help me gain the power I seek, I will leave the tigers alone. Now that the terms have been settled, I will show you back to your room so you might reflect on your decision. I look forward to getting to know you better,” he declared with a leer that made me shiver.
Taking a deep breath, I snatched up the Scarf, gingerly placed one hand on my pocket, and let Lokesh escort me back to my prison.
“We shall talk more of alliances tomorrow, my pet,” he whispered breathily in my ear. “And do return the knife you took from the table.”
The comment took me by surprise, but I tried to maintain an even expression. Smiling, I took the butter knife from my pocket and pressed the tip lightly against his chest. “You can’t blame a girl for trying.”
Delighted, he wrapped his fingers around mine and tugged the knife out of my hand, harshly scraping the blade against my palm. Seeing that he drew blood, Lokesh brought my stinging palm to his mouth. I watched vile ecstasy overtake him as he kissed my palm and licked the red droplets from his lips.
At last he let me go with a final threat. “I’ll be watching your every move, my dear. I look forward to our . . . exchanges in the future.”
The door closed behind me, and I heard the click of a heavy lock, happy for a change to be separated from him by dozens of thick, metal bars.
