Mate Claimed

“Well, now, I thought I’d take him home with me,” Liam said in answer to Iona’s question. “There’s room in my Shiftertown, and he needs somewhere to go. I’m also good with introducing Collars.”

“Will he have to wear a Collar?” Iona asked in trepidation.

The tiger Shifter was calm enough this morning, sunlight glistening on his tiger-striped hair. He’d showered and learned how to shave, courtesy of Eric, and Iona was struck with how handsome he was. Whatever unfortunate Shifters and humans had donated DNA to make him, they’d been fine-looking people.

“I think he’d better wear one,” Liam said. “They help keep us from going feral, and he’s going to need help. I hate to do it, but ’tis temporary.”

“The Goddess go with him,” Cassidy said softly. Diego, sitting on the wide arm of her chair, leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

“He needs a name,” Iona said. “We can’t call him Twenty-three or Tiger Man.”

“What name do ye want, lad?” Liam called to him.

The tiger Shifter looked up, but Iona had no doubt that he’d heard every word of the low-voiced conversation.

“I don’t know yet,” the tiger said.

Now that he’d had a chance to sleep and eat in a place he didn’t have to be driven by rage, the harsh throatiness of his speech had calmed somewhat.

“Don’t be in a hurry,” Iona said. “The perfect name will come to you.”

“She’s a generous lady,” Eric said.

Tiger Man, watching Iona, didn’t respond.

Eric still looked tired after the fight, his struggle with pain, and the charge back across the desert, but he kissed Iona with as much skill as ever. He’d been able to make love to her fairly robustly early this morning as well.

“And you,” Liam said. “We need to be fixing your pain problem.”

“About that.” Eric looked through the open patio door into the house, where Xavier sat at the kitchen table with Neal the Guardian, both of them taking advantage of another of Diego’s hearty breakfasts. “Xav, did you track down Murdock?”

“He’s standing by,” Xavier called, not looking up from his chilaquiles.

“Neal, what about that other thing?”

“Got it,” Neal said.

Iona gave Eric a questioning look. Eric leaned back on his elbows, his body as relaxed as ever, but something eager sparkled in his eyes.

“Can I know what that’s all about?” Iona asked him.

Eric closed his eyes and tilted his face to the sun. “Not yet.”

“Eric.”

Eric’s green eyes were warm when he finally looked at her. He touched her cheek, the slow caress heating her blood. “I have a couple of things to take care of before the full moon ceremony tonight. Then I’ll tell you everything.”

Iona wasn’t the least bit content with that, but Eric traced her lips, and Iona kissed his fingers. She liked the way heat flared in his eyes when she ever so gently bit his fingertip.

Dr. Murdock was retired, living in a small house in Boulder City, the only town in Nevada that didn’t allow gambling. Eric arrived at his house, accompanied by Xavier and Neal, and scared the man half to death.

Eric interrogated him for a couple of hours, until he knew everything he needed to know. Then he went to an airstrip out in the desert, well hidden from the humans, and asked the pilot called Marlo, who owned the place, to fly him to Idaho.

In a Shiftertown near Sandpoint, Neal led Eric to the house where one Ross McRae lived. The Shifter was unmated with no family, but he shared a crowded little house with another pride of Felines.

Eric talked to him for a time, then he helped the Shifter pack up his meager belongings. Eric met with the leader of the Shiftertown—a Lupine from Alaska—explained the situation, and got the leader’s blessing to take McRae with him back for a visit to Las Vegas.

Marlo, the thin man as cheerful as ever, flew them back the long way south, getting them home in plenty of time for the full moon to rise.

The full moon ceremony, Iona saw, was even more of a celebration than the full sun one had been. The entire Shiftertown was there, Iona once more wearing a flower garland and standing with Eric in the backyard.

Graham now stood in the front circle, which was reserved for family and friends of the pride. He’d brought a date, a human woman with dark brown hair. He had his arm draped over her shoulders and glared defiantly at anyone who dared give him a surprised look. Graham, who’d claimed he wasn’t interested in any females but Lupines—interesting. The woman gave him wide smiles, obviously seeing something in Graham past the blustering anger.

Iona had seen more to him too, as he’d helped Eric out in Area 51. Graham was aggressive and didn’t hold back his opinions, but he was smart, decisive, and knew how to take care of people. His Lupines trusted him, the little ones running readily to him without fear. He and Eric still needed to work things out, but Iona had stopped doubting they’d be able to.

Tiger Man was there too, he who still didn’t have a name. Liam would take him home with him tomorrow before the construction crews came. In Austin, maybe Tiger could start a new life.

Tiger Man looked uncertain, standing among so many Shifters, but the constant feral rage had gone from his eyes, to be replaced by a hope that maybe he could find more in life than mere survival.

The circles closed around Eric and Iona in the cool, white moonlight. Liam and Kim performed the ceremony, blessing Eric and Iona under the sight of the Mother Goddess. Her presence was here, Liam said, and the mating was now complete.