black facial hair with pointy beard at the chin held by a gold band that was strange but it was also cool. Hair pulled back in a thick braid that probably went nearly to his waist but was now dangling over his massive shoulder, also held by a gold band. Strong brow that jutted attractively over his eyes. Heavy, black eyebrows. Fabulous cheekbones. Deep set piercing dark brown eyes. Full, grooved lips surrounded by his beard.
Totally hot.
And the look he was giving me was totally ferocious.
It was clear to see he was not best pleased he’d been interrupted in whatever kings of savage hordes did during the day and called to the marketplace because his new bride had fallen in love with a baby tiger.
I took another step back.
Then I remembered who I was.
In my world, I was Circe Kaye Quinn, the office manager of her father’s moving company, unlucky at love (something I tried, twice, had long term relationships with guys I thought were the ones that ended (twice) so I knew I was unlucky in love) but beloved by family and friends.
Here, I was not an office manager. I was the Golden Warrior Queen and The Tigress and I was wearing a kickass outfit.
So I needed to suck it up and not be so scared of this guy. He could hurt me, he already had, more than once, and I survived.
So… fuck it.
I pulled in a deep breath and lifted my chin at the same time I lifted up the cub an inch.
“This is Ghost,” I introduced her. “She’s our new pet.”
Lahn scowled at me.
“Erm,” Diandra stepped forward then said a bunch of stuff I didn’t understand but my guess was, she was interpreting for me.
His eyes didn’t leave my face and his glower didn’t leave his.
“I’m bringing her home. You’ll need to give this man some… um, coin,” I jerked my head back to indicate the tiger man.
Diandra spoke again and Lahn kept scowling.
“She’s sleeping in bed with us,” I declared, Diandra translated (haltingly this time), the scowl grew dark or, I should say, darker.
I endured his scowl for a long time. Then I sucked in another breath, felt the thick fur and warm body of the cub growing heavier in my arms as she drifted to sleep.
Jeez oh Pete, a white baby tiger was sleeping in my arms and she called me Mama and I heard her.
I stepped closer to Lahn, reached out from under the cub, curled my fingers around his hard thigh and tipped my head way back to look in his fierce eyes.
“Please?” I whispered.
He glared at me and he did this for another long time.
So I squeezed his thigh.
He glared another second then he jerked the reins of his beast, it sidestepped twice, Lahn reached way down, scooped me and Ghost in his arm and swung us up, planting my ass in front of him on the horse.
Was he…?
He barked something at the tiger man, the tiger man smiled and bowed his head, then Lahn wheeled the horse around and we were galloping back through the marketplace.
He was! He was letting me have the tiger!
Yippee!
I turned and, peering around his big body, I carefully waved at Diandra and Sheena as best I could while still keeping tight hold on my new baby.
They waved back. Both were smiling and both smiles were huge.
Then I straightened and looked up at Lahn who was staring impassively into the distance. He must have felt my eyes for his dropped to me and he pinned me with a glower.
I smiled at him.
His glower deepened when his eyes narrowed on my mouth.
I turned to face forward, settled on the horse and cradled Ghost.
He wanted to be in a bad mood, so be it.
Whatever.
I had a new baby tiger who could talk to me and thought I was her Loolah!
Not to mention some fun new bangles.
Yippee!
Chapter Seven
The Games
The tent flaps slapped open, I jumped, Ghost’s head came up, Teetru, Jacanda, Packa, Gaal and Beetus (who, every last one, even the reserved Teetru, squealed in delight at the vision of me and Ghost earlier when we rode up with Lahn to the tent, he dismounted, yanked me down and then remounted without a word or look and rode off), all surrounding me on the bed and playing with Ghost who also jumped and looked to the tent opening where Lahn was bending low to enter.
He stepped a step inside. Ghost jumped off the bed and scampered over to him, all furry white body and big paws. The baby tiger made it to her new Daddy, jumped up with two paws and clawed his hides.
Lahn stared down at the creature, crossed his arms on his chest, lifted his head and skewered me with a glare.
Oh hell.
“Vayoo,” he growled at me, I had no idea what that meant but Teetru and Jacanda started to push me off the bed.
It was night, I’d had dinner and I was guessing it was time for the games.
I got off the bed, sauntered over to my husband and bent to pick up Ghost who was now clawing at the rugs. She was heavy so I lugged her up and got eye to eye with her.
“Be good,” I warned.
She shoved forward, rubbed my jaw with her head, made a purry noise I knew was Loolah and I laughed and brought her close to give her a hug.
Then she was pulled from my hands and my head turned to Lahn to see him drop her on the ground.
“Lahn!” I snapped but his big hand came out and engulfed mine.
“Vayoo, Lahnahsahna Circe, boh,” he bit out, pulling me toward the tent flaps.
“Oh, all right,” I muttered then turned to the girls and called while waving, “Goodnight ladies. Take care of Ghost.” I pointed at the cub and got a bunch of smiles with waves and nods.
Then the tent flap slapped back and I followed Lahn through it. Or, more accurately, was hauled through it.
“I’m coming, I’m coming, slow down,” I called as I raced to keep up with his long strides.
“Mayoo,” he replied.
“I can’t mayoo, Lahn, jeez, you’re, like, six foot seven. You’ve got a whole foot on me. Every stride you take is two of mine at least,” I said to his back, he stopped abruptly and I nearly slammed into him.
He turned and glared down at me then said a bunch of stuff I didn’t understand but I’d been around guys long enough to know that when the end of what he said went up in a question, he was likely asking me something about females that even if I could understand him, and he me, I could never explain.
So I put my hand to his chest, leaned slightly into him, tilted my head way back and said softly, “That’s just the way it is, big guy, so,” I took my hand off him and pressed it palm flat toward the ground, “slow down.”
His eyes were riveted to my hand and he looked beyond unhappy. He looked, weirdly, pissed off.
Uh-oh.
