Chapter Twenty-seven
Leah clapped along with the pounding drums while Howard and Phil attempted the Tiger Dance. They'd resisted for the first hour of the celebration, but after a few cups of Tiger Town's homemade liquor, they were raring to go.
Most all of Tiger Town and the guests from the zombie village were in the courtyard celebrating. Torches lined the perimeter, and a half-full moon glowed in the starry sky. Each end of the courtyard was lined with tables bearing grilled fish, rice, fruit, and what Rajiv called Tiger Juice.
In front of the palace, large drums were being pounded in a compelling rhythm that was almost hypnotic. It certainly made everyone want to dance. That and the homemade liquor. After drinking half a cup, Leah was feeling much less nervous about Dougal. Then when she heard the news from Rajiv that the Vamps had safely completed their part of the mission, she jumped for joy and tried the Tiger Dance, too.
It was simple enough to do. Face a partner, pound your right foot four times, crouch and leap with a half spin in the air, then repeat facing another partner. Then link elbows and spin, ending with a hiss and fake showing of claws. Of course, the were-tiger men were trying to outdo each other by leaping the highest. Other men donned giant tiger masks and were leaping so high that they sailed over people's heads. Every now and then there was a drunken collision, but everyone laughed it off and went back to the table for more Tiger Juice.
"Is that Howard dancing?" J.L. yelled over the noise. "And Phil?"
Leah looked up to see that J.L. and Angus had arrived. Her heart lurched but quickly settled down when she didn't see Dougal with them.
J.L. set down an ice chest. "Whoa, they just hissed at me."
With a grin, Angus handed J.L. a Bleer from the ice chest. "Ye did a great job," he told her.
"Thank you. I heard everything went well for you guys, too."
Angus nodded and helped himself to a Bleer. "We have six more prisoners in stasis."
Leah couldn't wait any longer. "Where is Dougal?"
"He had to keep a promise to the Grand Tiger." J.L. took a sip of Bleer. "He promised to wear a skirt and play the pipes for him. You'll find him in the palace."
"Okay, thanks." Leah dashed up the steps to the palace.
Once she closed the thick double doors behind her, the pounding noise outside quieted to a dull throb. Instead, the air was filled with the plaintive, lyrical sound of pipes.
The guard nodded at her, allowing her to enter the throne room. She eased forward, keeping to the side, behind the columns. And then she saw them. Dougal was sitting on the edge of the dais, his head bowed as he concentrated on a slow, sad melody. Rajiv's grandfather was sitting on his throne, his eyes closed, his body swaying to the music.
Tears filled her eyes. How could she not spend the rest of her life with Dougal?
When the music ended, she stepped out from behind a column.
Dougal set his pipes down and stood. "Leah."
Her heart squeezed at the expression on his face. So much tenderness and love.
"Ah." The Grand Tiger watched them closely. "Have you found love again, Dou Gal?"
"Yes, Your Eminence," he said, never taking his eyes off Leah.
She glanced at Rajiv's grandfather, wondering what he meant by again.
"True love," the Grand Tiger whispered, his eyes glistening with tears.
Dougal bowed. "I apologize, Your Eminence. I did not mean to make you sad. I can play only slow music now."
"It was beautiful." The Grand Tiger waved toward the door. "You may go now. I wish to be alone with the memories of my wife, who passed before me."
"Yes, Your Eminence." Dougal grabbed Leah's hand and led her toward the double door.
She glanced back to see a tear running down the Grand Tiger's face. He must have loved his wife dearly.
Dougal pushed open the doors, and immediately the pounding drums filled her ears. The courtyard was teeming with life, people laughing and dancing. Tears crowded her eyes as she realized how blessed she was.
"Life is an adventure, lass," her grandfather had told her. "Live it to the fullest, and never look back."
I will, Grandpa. She blinked back her tears and smiled at Dougal. "Did you want to dance?"
He pulled her to the edge of the courtyard. "I have another activity in mind."
She followed him down an alleyway between two buildings. "Where are we going?"
"I have a room in the guesthouse."
"Wait." She dug in her heels.
He pressed her up against a stone wall. "Why should I wait? I've hungered for you every night."
"I have something to say."
He nuzzled her neck. "Then say it before I rip this pretty robe off you."
"It is pretty, isn't it? Rajiv's cousin, Jia, lent it to me. She's a lovely girl."
Dougal leaned back to give her an impatient look. "Is that what ye wanted to say?"
"No." The pounding noise from the courtyard grew louder, and her heart thundered along with it. "I was really worried about you."
"I was worried about you, too." He grabbed her hand to take her toward his room.
"Wait." She halted. "I was so worried that it made me realize something really important."
"What? That ye worry too much?"
"No. That I don't want to live without you." She touched his cheek. "I'm all yours, Dougal. One hundred percent."
His eyes glowed red. In a matter of seconds, he had swept her up in his arms and carried her to his room. In a few more seconds, he had lit the candle from the lantern hanging outside the door. She took the bedding off the dresser and spread it on the floor.
His shoes, socks, and sporran hit the floor.
"Wait," she said as he flung off his shirt.
"What now?"
"There's something I've been wanting to do. Actually a few things."
"Aye, me, too." He unfastened his kilt.
"No, wait!" She motioned to the bedding. "Lie down."
With an impatient huff, he sprawled on the bedding. "What now?"
She kicked off her shoes. "Enjoy the show." She slowly untied the ribbons that held her robe in place. The floor vibrated beneath her bare feet from the pounding drums in the nearby courtyard. She was naked underneath the silk, and it made her feel deliciously decadent. Her nipples hardened as she slipped the robe off her shoulders. She let the robe fall in a puddle at her feet so she stood naked before him with only the jade dragon around her neck.
He inhaled sharply, his eyes glowing a deeper red. "Ye're so beautiful." He made a grab for her. "Come here."
With a smile, she stepped out of his reach. "I'm not done. There's something else I've been wanting to do."
"What?"
She knelt at his feet. "This." She grasped the hem of his kilt and tossed it up to his chest.
His mouth twitched. "Ye wanted under my kilt?"
"Yes." Just the sight of him made moisture pool between her legs. He was gloriously hard and full, but she dragged her gaze away from his erection and skimmed her fingers up his muscular calves to his thighs.
"Lass, if ye want to molest me, ye're a bit south of the target area."
She smiled. "Are you complaining?"
He smiled back. "Aye, ye're too slow."
"Where have I heard that before?" She cupped his balls, and he hissed in a breath. "I demand compensation."
"Take whatever ye like," he growled. "But get on with it."
She circled a hand around his erection and squeezed. "I'll take this."
A drop of moisture seeped from the crown, and she leaned over to lick it, then take him into her mouth. She closed her eyes, concentrating on the feel and taste of him while the drums from the courtyard continued to pound faster and faster. She'd never felt so primal, so free.
"Enough!" He tossed her onto her back and dove between her legs.
The feel of his tongue and lips drove her wild. She thrashed, and he clasped her hips, lifting her to deepen the torture. A fierce orgasm struck, making her jolt from the power of it. As shudders racked her body, he plunged into her, and she came again. She was in a whirlwind of pounding drums and throbbing muscles as he pumped into her faster and faster. With a shout, he climaxed, then fell beside her, holding her tight.
She clung to him, rubbing a hand over the dragon tattoo. His heart was pounding as fiercely as the drums in the courtyard.
"Leah." He stroked her hair. "Ye're mine. Forever."
She smiled. Her life was so beautifully perfect. With a contented sigh, she closed her eyes.
But how long can it last? a small voice in her head warned her, and her eyes opened. They'd burned down Darafer's precious field of demon herb. It was the same as declaring war on the demon. And no doubt, he would retaliate.
The next afternoon, Leah was back at work in the lab. The Vamps had teleported her and the shifters back to the school shortly before dawn, then they'd headed down to the basement for their death-sleep.
Leah was exhausted, too, from a night of lovemaking, so she'd grabbed some sleep before waking around one thirty. After taking some blood samples from the newly captured soldiers, she went to the lab to process them. Abby had the results from the first two prisoners, and it looked like they were making progress.
"What can you tell me about Laser?" Gu Mina asked, sitting on Laszlo's empty stool.
"He's a sweet man," Leah replied as she prepared a slide.
Mina waved a hand. "I already know that. But what else do you know?"
"He's Hungarian, I believe," Abby said, peering through a microscope.
"I know that, too." Mina swiveled impatiently on the stool. "But why is he so nervous around me? I keep telling him how cute he is, and that I would never hurt him, but he keeps fiddling with his buttons."
Leah smiled. "He always does that."
"Why?"
Leah shrugged. "I guess he's nervous."
"Why?"
Leah sighed. It was hard to get any work done with a curious fox in the room. "I don't know. I guess you'll have to ask him."
"I did, and one of his buttons popped off."
Smiling, Leah looked into a microscope.
The sudden screech of a sword being yanked from a sheath made her look up. Mina had her sword pointed at a strange man. He was dressed all in black, with shoulder-length black hair and sparkling green eyes. The same characteristics as Dougal, Leah thought, but he'd always looked wonderfully handsome. The way this man glared at her was cold and mean.
Abby gasped and scrambled to her feet. "Darafer."
He gave her an annoyed look. "I haven't come for you." His gaze refocused on Leah, and he stepped toward her. "You're the fool who's pestering me, aren't you?"
"Stop!" Mina charged toward him, but with a flick of his hand, Darafer sent her flying backward with so much force that the plaster cracked when she hit the wall.
She crumbled onto the floor, unconscious.
"Mina!" Leah started toward her, then hesitated. Her gaze fell to the dagger on her table. She would have to defend herself.
Abby pulled a gun out of a drawer just as Howard and Phil ran into the room, leveling their pistols at the demon. Rajiv followed them, wielding a sword. With a bored look, Darafer waved his hand, and they all froze.
It took a second for Leah to realize what he'd done. Marielle had warned her that he could stop time. He'd frozen everyone in the room but her.
She grabbed the knife and threw it hard. It froze in midair.
"Dr. Galileah Chin. The brilliant disappointment of her family." Darafer strolled toward her and plucked the dagger from its frozen state. "They never appreciated you like I will." He tested the sharpness of the blade. "I wonder if your parents will grieve for you like they would your brothers?"
She swallowed hard. Marielle had warned her that the second Darafer saw her, he would know which wounds to pick at and which fears to manipulate. She looked frantically about for another weapon. A scalpel? She eased toward it.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." In less than a second, Darafer had zoomed over to Abby. He pointed the dagger at her belly. "It would be a shame to slice her up when she's pregnant, don't you think?"
Leah clenched her fists. "What do you want?"
"Revenge, of course." He tossed the dagger on the ground. "And you're going to give it to me."
He zoomed toward her, morphing into a black cloud. She ran, but within seconds she was engulfed in darkness, choking for air. Panic seized her, freezing her with fear just before everything went black.