Waking the Beast(29)

“Was that a fucking purr?” Reno asked with a grin and started laughing.

“I love that purr,” Abby stated, and there he went, purring again, making Logan laugh as well.

Tah sat and watched as Abby spoke, sharing the legend about the paka watu or whatever it was she called them. Cat people. She believed they existed, and so help him, he was starting to as well. Nothing else could explain what was happening to him. He watched Logan’s and Reno’s faces, searching for reactions to her words.#p#分页标题#e#

He could feel the beast crouching inside him. It felt like a constant battle lately just to keep control. He swore there were times when it reached out and took over. Those moments, that loss of control, terrified him more than he’d ever admit. And he was scared. Not for himself, which was the funny part. Whatever was affecting him was working on Abby as well; now that he’d bit her.

His senses had always been good. He’d often had to pretend otherwise just to keep people from acting differently around him. But now, they were so far off the charts he couldn’t pretend if he wanted to. He could see clearly for a distance no man should ever be able to, especially at dusk or early morning. His night vision was damn good too. His hearing was to the point he could listen to the newscaster on the television in the room six doors down from them. He was fairly certain he could hear further if he wanted to.

And the smells. He loved the smell of Abby, like sunshine and sex. He could live on the taste of her and be a well-fed man. He admittedly enjoyed the ability to scent the smell of deceit and rottenness on people, knowing instinctively who he could trust. Who knew such things had scents? But they did, and he was learning all of them.

When the sales lady had hit on him when he went shopping for clothes for Abby, it had disgusted him. He’d almost gotten violent the second time she’d rubbed her breasts against his arm. It had sickened him, made his skin itch and crawl with the desire to tear her scent from him. He’d almost taken Abby in the parking lot of the library in his need to feel her, to smell only her on his skin.

She belonged to him. As odd as the idea was to the man, he accepted it, knowing it was true. And he belonged to her. That was just the way it was. She fit him as if she were made for him. Physically, mentally, and emotionally. She understood and accepted him at a primal level no one else ever would.

He stroked his hand through her hair as her fingers made lazy circles on his arm. They just fit. Perfectly.

“So, Tah’s the descendent of this lion guy of the paka watu and his lion’s emerging?”

Tah focused in as Logan voiced his question.

“Yes,” Abby answered with absolutely no hesitation. God love her, she didn’t care how crazy they both probably sounded.

“And you believe this, Tah?” Reno asked, though both he and Logan turned to Tah, waiting for his answer.

Slowly, he nodded. “I’d be crazy not to believe it.” He flashed the canines again and let the growl rumble up in his chest, not minding in the least when the smell of Abby’s pussy scented the air around them. She really did like that growl. He bet her panties were damp with desire, and it was all he could do to keep from kicking his friends out of the room and finding out.

“Well, okay then.” Reno nodded. “What do you need us to do?”

“You believe me?” Tah questioned, his gaze darting back and forth between them as he squeezed Abby closer.

“You’ve saved my ass more times than I can remember with things you heard or saw or sensed that none of the rest of us did. I’ve always known there was something different, something unique, about you.” Reno shrugged his shoulders. “You’re a lion. I’ve always liked cats.”

Logan snorted. “I always thought I was more of a dog person, but whatever. I’m here for you, Tah. Whatever you need.”

Tah’s body stilled as he tilted his head to the left, lifting his right ear as he zoned back in on the television newscast several doors down.

“They found his body. The police are searching for a person of interest in the case.” He glanced down at Abby. “You.”#p#分页标题#e#

“Why me?” She sputtered and he could see the fear in her eyes.

“Because Harlan’s not a stupid man.”

“Well, that’s debatable,” Abby countered. “But why have them looking for me. It’s not me he wants. It’s you, though I’m still not sure why.”

“Because if they take you, they’ll have me. And I’ll do whatever they want to make sure you’re okay. Don’t you know that? I’d do anything to protect you.”