Blood Noir - Laurell K. Hamilton [94]
“Don’t even think it,” I said.
“Among our people a female mates with only one male. It’s all about competition.”
Jason swallowed a laugh, which puzzled the weretiger and made me frown at him. “Sorry,” Jason said, “but I’m just thinking that tiger would so not be Anita’s animal.”
I frowned harder at him.
“Just think about your wolf, just enough to bring it to smelling depth.”
“Smelling depth?” I made it a question.
“Trust me, Anita, just a little thought, and he’ll get the idea.”
“I don’t want to, Jason. I’m tired, and I hurt, and I don’t want this to get out of hand again.”
He tried to hug me to him, but Crispin’s arm was in the way. Crispin’s long, clawlike hand curled around my waist, between my body and Jason’s.
I leaned in against Jason’s body as much as that furred and muscled arm would let me. Jason cradled my face against his chest, pressed me to the scent of his skin underneath the T-shirt. I got a glimpse of dark gold eyes surrounded by white and dark fur. My body reacted to it, and the wolf simply started trotting up the metaphysical path inside me. I thought, No. Back.
She hesitated, the wolf, then looked at me. There was suddenly something in her eyes that said No right back at me.
“You smell of wolf now,” Crispin said. He leaned in, snuffling along my hair and face. It brought the scent of tiger again. Tiger should have been quiet, but there were still tigers inside me. Still striped faces to move in the dark.
I clung harder to Jason, but the wolf wasn’t cooperating either. The wolf gave me that flat look, as if to let me know that she obeyed me because she had to, but she still wanted out. She still wanted freedom.
“She can’t be both wolf and tiger,” Crispin said.
“You have no idea,” Jason said.
Crispin snuffled against my neck, tickling with fur and almost nibbling. It made me shiver, made my body react low and hard. It wasn’t a fear reaction. The wolf started trotting harder, and the tigers trailed behind, not too close, but coming. The only thing that made it not an absolute complete clusterfuck was that leopard and lion were still in hiding. But we didn’t need them to have it go horribly, horribly wrong.
“You have to feed the ardeur, Anita, now. That’s part of what’s wrong.”
“We fed the ardeur before the party.”
“You’re acting like we didn’t, like you need to feed again.”
I pushed away from both of them, trying to breathe in things that didn’t smell like either animal. God, it was like I almost needed someone who wasn’t furry to quiet the beasts tonight.
“The ardeur was the talk of everyone who came back from St. Louis after the big meeting. That you have to feed off sex like a real succubus. I thought it was just rumor. Are you saying it’s true?”
I got up on all fours, debated on whether I could stand, thought I could, and tried it. I was a little unsteady but I managed. Away from the two wereanimals the beasts had slowed, but they hadn’t gone away. I could still see them behind my eyes like a waking dream.
“If it’s true,” Crispin said, “I volunteer to help in any way you need.”
I shook my head without looking back at them.
Jason said, “I’ve got it covered, thanks.”
“I don’t think you do.”
A low growl came from behind me, and I didn’t think it was Crispin. “Get out,” Jason said.
“I think if it comes to a fight, you won’t win,” Crispin said.
“Let me be clear here, tiger. I’m grateful for the help, but don’t threaten Jason. He’s my friend, my lover, and my master’s pomme de sang.”
“He wants to kick me out, but I can feel your tiger, Anita. I can feel it. It’s not gone. I’m the only weretiger within a hundred miles or more. You need me tonight.”
“I need his wolf, too.” I finally turned and looked back at them. Jason was standing, but the weretiger was on the floor. He’d rolled away from the wet spot we’d made on the carpet, but he was lounging