Wish Upon a Tiger: A BBW Weretiger Shifter Romance (Fountain of Love) Read Online Free

up.
    Looking out the window
next to me, I laughed. How had things turned into an exhausted stay
at a dopey little resort so damned fast?
    “ What's
so funny?” he called across to me.
    “ Nothing.
Guess it's just a little giddy excitement at being free.” I
shrugged. “I've had way too much excitement for one day.”
    “ It's
behind you now. Tonight, you can sit back and relax. I'll show you
the town in the morning.”
    I smiled. It felt like a small eternity since I was
really looking forward to anything. Then Erik looked up and stared at
me across the sizzling meat, eyes narrowing like a big cat on the
prowl.
    “ Look,
I hate to bring up bad memories. But before we turn in tonight, I
really need to know what those guys were up to. Anything you can tell
me. Making sure Tiger Tree's protected is my job, and I take it
damned seriously.”
    Tiger tree? Was
that the name of this place?
    I flushed, hot and red and sweaty. A million dizzying
emotions flashed through me. Memories too new to be blunted by time
and passing danger burbled up.
    His request wasn't unreasonable. I just hoped I'd be
able to spill my guts without passing out or having a total spaz. I
didn't answer him, trying to gather my thoughts.
    The stove clicked off. Erik joined me at the table,
carrying two plates of steaks.
    I'd never eaten caribou. Just now, anything would've
tasted like a slice of heaven, but this meat was truly divine.
    Across the table, his kind, strong eyes watched me dig
into my dinner with gusto. I was too hungry to even worry about
looking like a glutton digging into something scrumptious, a fear I'd
always carried on my sparse dates.
    This isn't a date, I
reminded myself. This is a weird sympathy stay at a strange
man's house after were you used as bait by a pack of criminals.
    “ I'm
glad you like it,” he said.
    I looked up, blotting the edge of my lips. “It's
very good. Tender and tasty. A little more wild than beef...it's
nice. Also nice to see you guys aren't eating possum or rabbit stew
all alone out here.”
    “ I
happen to like snowshoe hare. Seriously.” Erik smiled with his
eyes, keeping the deadpan expression on his face.
    I laughed. Much as I wanted it to, the kind and carefree
tone couldn't go on forever.
    When my food was down to a few last pieces, I put my
fork down, folded my hands, and looked across at him.
    “ You
made me a good dinner and probably saved my life back there. I'll
tell you whatever you think will help your people. I owe you that
much.”
    Erik leaned back in his chair and folded his arms,
waiting.
    “ Where
do I start?” I pursed my lips. “I first met Doctor Hal
Tarken a little while after my mother died. He was the only one
around who knew about my heritage.”
    “ Your
tiger side?” Erik looked at me, quirking an eyebrow.
    I nodded. “Yeah. He's a folklore professor at a
university in my area. I guess he's more than that, but I didn't know
it until recently.”
    Stupid, stupid, stupid. I
clenched my jaw, pushing the angry thoughts from my mind.
    “ At
first, everything went well. I didn't realize he was playing me the
whole time...feigning research interest, looking for answers,
anything to get to me and use me. I shifted for him, and then his
questions picked up, like he was in a hurry to do something. He took
my amulet when he captured me. The professor's convinced there's some
kind of special tiger treasure up here.”
    “ Amulet?”
    “ Something
my mother gave me. I know it's from Alaska. She met my father near
Fairbanks when she was a nurse in the air force. The amulet looked
like a tiger's tooth forged from silver...it was all she kept after
he disappeared. When I got old enough, she passed it along to me.
Told me it would always protect me, the same as it did for her. The
professor took a keen interest in it...Gods, I was a fucking idiot.
Young and stupid. I should've seen something evil coming.”
    Erik smiled at the curse. I eyed him hopefully,
wondering if he knew more