strange blue eyes at me.
Im sorry if I hurt you, I said.
He smiled; it was a smile full of teeth that could have shredded my throat, but it was a smile. And Id learned through working with the police on serial killer cases that humans had teeth, too. I had so learned things about my fellow human beings that I did not want to know. It made me calmer around the monsters, because I knew scratch us deep enough and we were all monsters.
You fought your tiger. If you had just given it to me, then it wouldnt have hurt either of us.
It must have shown on my face, because his face looked curious, speculative. You didnt know that, he said.
I know that if a lycanthrope fights his beast, the change is more violent; I guess I just never made the logic leap.
Youve done this before with someone, Jason said.
Of course I have. Im an adult male of my clan. This is how we keep our pregnant females from losing our babies.
Jason and I both looked at him. I said it out loud. The weretigers do this routinely with their pregnant females?
Yes, Crispin said, and then he frowned, though his face made it more of a snarl. And you should know that. He frowned/snarled harder. Though your tiger was white, and were the only white tiger clan in the United States. You should be one of our females, but youre not. He rose up on one elbow, balancing with the other arm flat on the wet carpet as if he were still shaky. His face showed concern, all sympathy. You survived an attack, but it cant be one of our clan. We would never do that. Its against the law of every clan to bring someone over against their will. He went back to frowning. And when our master says to attack, it is for killing. We dont leave survivors. He said it easily, as if he knew he could confess all his sins to me.
I felt compelled to say, I really am a federal marshal, Crispin. Be careful what you say to me.
Do they know youre one of us?
I looked at Jason. What could we tell this stranger? What was safe to share? He seemed to understand the look, as he so often did.
Youre one of Maxs tigers from Las Vegas, right? Jason said.
Crispin moved his gaze to the standing man. Yes.
Max knows what Anita is, and isnt. If he didnt share that with you, its probably not something he wants shared with you. Nothing personal, but I think my master would have to talk to yours before we could explain.
Are you hinting that shes not a weretiger? Crispin asked.
The humans say a picture is worth a thousand words. We know a smell is worth a hell of a lot more.
Crispin just nodded.
Jason knelt in the damp carpet on the other side of me from the weretiger.
The beasts are quiet, I said. I really dont want you both to go furry on me, literally or figuratively.
Do you feel well enough to sit up? he asked.
I thought about it, explored my body not with hands but with thought. I hurt, but not as bad as Id feared. I started to struggle to sit up, and Jasons arm was there only seconds before Crispins longer one. They looked at each other over my head, and I had a moment to feel the testosterone rise.
Dont even think it, I said.
Among our people a female mates with only one male. Its all about competition.
Jason swallowed a laugh, which puzzled the weretiger and made me frown at him. Sorry, Jason said, but Im just thinking that tiger would so not be Anitas 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 hell get the idea.
I dont want to, Jason. Im tired, and I hurt, and I dont want this to get out of hand again.
He tried to hug me to him, but Crispins arm was in the way. Crispins long, clawlike hand curled around my waist, between my body and Jasons.
I leaned in against Jasons 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