Waking the Beast(59)

“Exactly.” Jess nodded. “The bushmen we spoke with in Africa had more insight into the story, but we never thought to ask what if.”

“What if?” Tah asked.

“What if she found you? What if the great Tau of the cat people awoke?”

“What does it say?” Abby pulled papers toward her and started skimming over them. “Oh, my God.”

“What?” Tah demanded.

Abby glanced up at him. “It says that when the Great Creator smiles down on the chosen descendent of the alpha lion, he will send someone to wake the beast and bring his people forth once more.”

“So you were sent to me.” Tah smiled down at her as his fingers toyed with her hair. “I like the sound of that.”

“There’s more here, Tah. It says that once you accept who you are, all of who you are and the beast is allowed to fully awaken, others will follow.”

“What does that mean?” Logan wanted to know.#p#分页标题#e#

“It means his pack will awaken and one by one find their way to him,” Cody answered as he and Reno stepped into the room.

“I don’t have a pack,” Tah stated.

Derrick laughed. “Even as a man, it seems you have a pack following you,” he said as he pointed to Reno and Logan.

Abby couldn’t help but agree with him. She had her own feelings about that.

Logan lifted a hand and started rubbing against his teeth.

“What the hell are you doing?” Tah asked with irritation.

“Just checking to see if I’m getting those freaky teeth like you,” Logan quipped. “Being part of your pack and all.”

Tah turned to glance at Reno who just shrugged his shoulders.

“You’re the one who took Logan in. I always told you he was an idiot.”

Tah laughed. “I left. I believe you’re the one who brought him back.”

Reno did that shoulder roll again. “He reminded me of a dog. They always need a keeper.”

Growls filled the room as Cody laughed.

“You are most interesting, my friend.” Cody nodded his head as he met Reno’s eyes. “We’ll talk before I move on. First, I must see what I can do to help your friend.” He turned to Tah. “Perhaps now that you’re awake we can walk and talk. See if I can help you to embrace the other part of yourself.”

Tah sighed. “You guys really think I’ve got a lion in here?”

“Even you believe it,” Cody countered. He moved his gaze around the room. “Adrian. Michael. Come with me. I want him to see how it is to be one with the spirit inside him.” He glanced back to Reno. “Come with us, my new friend. Perhaps you will learn something as well.”

Reno grunted but stepped away from the doorway. “Let’s get on with it then.”

Tah turned to look at Abby.

“I’ll be fine,” she promised, leaning close to kiss him on the lips. “I’ll sit here with Jess and go through all this. Plus, I really need to write down everything I can about what I’ve noticed change in you and me.”

“Everything?” he asked, making her blush.

“I think it might be important,” she offered with a nod. “Especially if there might be others coming this way. We need to find as many answers as we can, so maybe the next member of your pride won’t be as clueless as we’ve been.”

“I’m still dealing with the fact I have a lion in here,” he said, patting his chest. “I’m not sure how I feel about having a whole fucking pride depending on me.”

She smiled. “I have faith in you.”

He kissed her again, sliding his tongue between her lips and making her toes curl before he pulled back and stood. “I’m glad, since you’ll be with me every step of the way. It’ll be your pride as much as it’s mine.” He turned to Logan. “Come on, Logan. You might as well go with us too.”

“Well, don’t I just feel the love,” Logan pouted.

They were all laughing as they left the room and headed outside. Abby felt her stomach flip with nerves as she watched Tah disappear.

“He’ll be okay,” Jess assured her.

“If anyone can help him, it’s Cody,” Derrick told her as he came over to sit beside Jess.

“I hope so,” Abby said. “I just have this really bad feeling.” She shook her head as if she could dispel whatever was making her uneasy.

She glanced at Jess. “I want to read all of this.” She motioned toward the papers now scattered between them. “And any other research you or the Professor have come across that might help us.”#p#分页标题#e#