Page 72 of Tiger's Destiny
“We want to see her!” a demon insisted.
“Let her walk among us,” another shouted.
“You monopolize her. Shut her away from the clan.”
Ren threatened, “She has provided you with a sumptuous feast. She has expended much energy on your behalf. Allow her time to recuperate.”
“Recuperate? What does this word mean?”
The uproar outside drowned out Ren’s reply.
I whispered to Kishan, “They don’t understand him. Their way is to speak spitefully, derisively to one another. They don’t show kindness. They only know weakness and strength. You’d better help me up.”
“Are you sure?”
“I think I can manage.”
I stood on wobbly legs while Kishan took my arm and escorted me outside. A hush fell over the crowd as I made my appearance. Narrowing my eyes at the demons, I hissed, “I trust your feast was satisfactory?”
Several demons murmured, “It was, my queen.”
“Then why have I been disturbed?” I shouted.
Lightning approached and inclined his head. “We are . . . confused.”
“Perhaps these others with more simple minds are confused, but surely you, Lighting, are not. Please explain this confusion.”
He quirked the side of his mouth in a small smile then explained, “A clan lives for its queen. If the queen is injured, then so are her hunters. They simply wish to reassure themselves that you are well.” As he lustily studied my body, he added, “I can see that you have recovered sufficiently from your wounds.”
Ren and Kishan growled.
“Yes, I have,” I replied.
Lightning smiled suggestively. “Then it is time for you to choose your consort for the night.”
“My consort? Very well. I choose to remain with my warriors.”
“You may not choose them. Another night, yes, but on the night of your victory celebration, you must select a man from our clan.”
“Why?”
“This man will journey to your new clan with you. He will become yours. It is the way of all Rakshasa. Surely you know this.”
The demons murmured quietly at my strange reactions.
Thinking quickly, I laughed mockingly, approached Lightning, and extended my claws again to run them down his arm. “And were you hoping that you would be my choice, newly made king of the Rakshasa clan?”
He grabbed my arm and squeezed, causing me to utter a cry of pain that I somehow managed to turn into a snicker. Lightning smiled and replied, “Of course you would choose me. Who else here is as worthy?”
I looked up into his eyes and licked my lips. His attention moved to my mouth and he growled appreciatively. He ducked his head to kiss me but, before he made contact, I shoved him roughly away and announced, “Any of you who wish to be my consort will have a fair chance to . . . capture my attention. Tonight you will hunt.”
Murmurs of excitement spread through the camp.
“You will not hunt for flesh, however. Tonight you will bring me a,” I paused while I racked my brain trying to think of something, “a white fire flower. The first man to do so may be my companion this evening.”
One by one, the men doused the light of their bodies and slunk off into the woods. Lightning remained behind, studying me.
“Well?” I asked. “I thought you were interested in becoming my consort.”
