Chapter 13
Marguerite quickly learned that life as a Were-Tiger wasn't easy. For one thing, her appetite quadrupled almost instantaneously. And as she was searching the deserted kitchen for chocolate to consume, since her new metabolism would burn through gross amounts of calories, Wren warned her that it was eternally off her menu. Apparently too much of it could kill her.
So could Tylenol.
The Tylenol she could take or leave, but the chocolate... that was a cruel blow. No more Easter bunnies for her.
But the good news was that her body quickly acclimated to the changes and within hours she was able to maintain a human form again with ease.
Wren explained that during the daytime being human wouldn't be a problem for her since that, was her "base" form. His was technically that of the tigard, which was why whenever he slept or passed out he reverted to tigard form.
She also learned that it would be easier for her to change into a tiger at night. Being a tiger in the daytime would be a little tricky for her until she grew more accustomed to her powers.
Until she mastered them, during a full moon her human form would most likely change even against her will. The magnetic pull of the full moon would play havoc with her powers-this was where the human myth of the werewolf came from.
Under the light of a full moon, all young Were-Hunters were at the mercy of their powers. They were also much more likely to attack an unwary human, since the animal in them tended to take over their human rationale.
"All human myth is rooted somewhere in reality," Wren said as he showed her how to control her ability to change.
The change from one form to the other wasn't painful. It was the struggle to hold on to the form that caused mental and physical stress.
But as her body settled down, Marguerite began to feel ferocious. Intense. Everything was more vivid now.
Her sight. Her hearing. Smells-another thing she could have done with less of.
At least for certain things. For others, such as the way Wren smelled when he was near, it wasn't so bad.
She leaned her head against Wren's neck so that she could inhale the unique scent of him. It was more intoxicating than a fine wine.
And it made her salivate.
Always timid in life, she was now possessed of something else. Something feral and wild. She was still the same Marguerite, only now she was much more confident about her place in the world.
Wren smiled as she gently nuzzled his neck. "You're feeling the tiger's pull, aren't you?"
"The what?"
"The beast that shares your body. It's different from being human. It sizzles inside you like another person. Calling to you."
She nodded as she crawled into his lap, then pushed him down on the bed. She rubbed her face against his, delighting in the sensation of his roughened cheeks scraping the smoothness of hers. Her body was on fire.
And the animal inside her craved him with a need born of madness.
She stared at his shirt, then wished it away.
It vanished instantly.
It was good to be a magical tiger. Marguerite smiled in satisfaction.
At least until her own top and bra vanished. "Hey!"
"Turnabout is fair play," Wren said an instant before all of her clothes disappeared.
For the first time in her life, she wasn't self-conscious. The beast inside her knew nothing of modesty. It only knew desire. Hunger.
Wren.
And it wanted a taste of him.
Wren leaned back and watched the fire that burned bright in her dark brown eyes. He was already hard and aching for her as she lashed his chest with her hair. Grinding his teeth, he had to force himself not to take control of this.
But it was part of her coming into her own. She needed to experience the new aspect of herself. Needed to come to terms with the hunger of a tiger's soul.
Lying there while she explored him was the hardest thing he'd ever had to do. Her soft body brushed torturously against his. As she nibbled his ear, the crisp hairs at the juncture of her thighs brushed against his hip, reminding him of his own hunger for her.
Her desire set fire to his own.
Wren hissed as she teased his ear with her tongue. Her breath on his neck blistered him and caused chills to run the whole length of his body. There was something inside him that calmed to her touch, and yet she excited him more than anything else ever had.
He ran his hands over her smooth back to cup her bottom in his hands. She moaned in his ear before she moved so that she was straddling his body. Wren reached up to cup her face as he deepened their kiss.
All he'd ever wanted in his life was to belong, and with her he found that special place. It was why she meant so much to him. Why he never wanted to lose her. She was everything to him.
And he couldn't keep her.
It was so unfair and yet he refused to let himself think of that. For the moment, they were together and that was all that was important to him. Sighing in satisfaction, he gently nuzzled her cheek.
Marguerite growled at the sight of Wren's defined muscles straining as he held himself in check and allowed her to have her way with him. What was it about this beast that made her entire being burn?
Really, no one should be so irresistible. Her heart pounding, she pulled back from his lips and growled ferociously. His scent and taste ran through her, making her drunk with need. She had to have him...
Unable to stand it anymore, she impaled herself on him.
They growled in unison.
Wren lifted his hips, driving himself even deeper into her. Marguerite bit her lip in satisfaction as she reveled in the hard thickness of him inside her body. There was nothing better than the feeling of him buried there as they made love furiously.
Her body shook and burned, demanding more and more of him. Biting her lip, she watched as her pleasure was mirrored in his eyes. Oh yeah, this was what she'd craved from him and she had no doubt that no man would ever be able to make her feel this way again.
He was everything to her.
And both she and the tiger within intended to keep him. Unable to stand it anymore, she quickened her strokes until she found the release she needed.