David: The Whitfield Rancher – Erotic Tiger Shapeshifter Romance Page 3

  “She’s the leap leader, I heard.” The man’s chest puffed out and he smiled. That was something she’d never seen anyone display…pride in something she’d done. “I’m not going to go into hiding and not publish this story. The paper that got him shut down, they didn’t have all of it. There is a great deal more to this picture.”

  “I’m sure there is. And no one wants you to not do what you’re good at. I, for one, hate that the man is still walking about like he didn’t do anything wrong. But that’s not my department, to take him down. You’ll do fine by him.” She hoped so. “Okay. Now, I have a grandson that is gonna help us out. He’s got him a lot of house and no one sharing it with him at the moment. He and I talked, and he’ll allow you to plant this rig of yours in his barn and stay in his house until we can get a few things figured out. Like how safe you are for now, and a place you can be in permanently.”

  By the time the old man had left her, she had an address, a burner phone as well as numbers, and the time she was to go to the other house. In the middle of the night seemed sort of over-the-top, but she said she’d do what he wanted. At midnight she was in bed. It had been a long few days.

  Chapter 3

  David put his paperwork away, along with the few items that he’d been given to use as a reference. The book was the most helpful. There were other things as well, a few items that he was going to have pictures taken of to put in the book. He wrapped the Bible up and put it back in the safe. Not that he thought anyone would steal it, but he wanted to preserve it as much as he could.

  The noise outside had him checking his clock. “Right on time.” He moved through the house toward the back door. His grandda was being very cloak and dagger about this whole thing, and he was having fun himself. Looking around the rooms as he made his way to the kitchen, he was glad that he’d had someone come in and clean up after him. The place hadn’t been dirty, but there was dust everywhere, as well as papers. He wasn’t a slob, but when he was into a book, his research would take him all over the house. Smiling as he opened the door, he wondered what his new houseguest would think of him.

  The camper was big. And while not new, he could see that it was well taken care of. The woman that he could see at the front of the thing waved at him, but she moved toward the back rather than getting out of the door near her. He figured she was going to be getting her things, and he went to the door to help her. The bullet holes in the door startled him. And when she came out, he looked up at her.

  “Are you all right?” She frowned and told him she’d been better. “Did someone shoot at you while you were coming here?”

  Confusion covered her face and he pointed to the door. “Nah, that was there when I got this thing from my parents. They’re not real. I think one of my sister’s kids put them on here, and I’ve never been inclined to take them off. I think they actually superglued them onto it. I’m Sunshine Davis, but everyone calls me Sunny. You must be David.”

  “I am. Do you have things to take out of here? I can help you if you do. Grandda said that while you’re on the mend, you’re still hurting a little bit.”

  He stepped up on the step that moved out for him, and nearly fell back when the thing shifted under his feet. Grabbing for the first thing he could, Sunny’s hand filled his and he knew they were going down. He didn’t want to hurt her or for her to be hurt, so he shifted his body and took the brunt of the fall. In seconds he was under her, and she was nose to nose with him.

  That was when her scent hit him.

  Pushing her hair out of her face, he wondered if she’d gotten her name from the color. It was as bright yellow as the sun, and softer than anything he’d ever touched before. Carefully—he could feel the gun in the front of her pants—he ran his hand down her back to her bottom. There his hand filled with the firm flesh, and all he could think about was rolling over and taking her. Instead, he tried to make a little conversation.

  “You’re my mate.” She only stared at him, and it was then that he remembered her wounds. “I hurt you. I’m so sorry.”

  “I need a minute.” Her forehead touched his and David laid still. To move now would relieve some of the pressure on his cock, but it would also hurt her more. “Just so you know, I’m not looking to be anyone’s mate. I’m sort of in a pickle, your grandda called it, and taking on a mate would be very dangerous to us both.”

  “Yes, I can well imagine. But it’s true.” She looked up at him. “I would love to roll you over, strip you down, and taste every inch of you. But I would imagine that you’re hurting.”

  “And how do you suppose that is helping? Just be quiet and let me think beyond hurting right now.” He moved then and felt her shiver in response. “Look, buddy. We’ve just met, like seconds ago. I am not going to jump into your bed and fuck the life out of you, just because you’re cute and sexy. Now behave yourself while I try and get my feet under me.”

  “You think I’m sexy and cute? That’s wonderful. Because I think you are too. Who named you Sunshine? They deserve a medal, as far as I’m concerned.” She growled low and he laughed. “You know, that was pretty good. But my tiger is much better at it. You let us have our way with you and we’ll show you.”

  “Behave.” She moved then and moaned. Not in pleasure but pain. He knew this because she paled just a little more before rolling to her back and not moving. “I hurt in places that you cannot believe. Who knew a few bullets to the body could take so long to heal? And as they did, the sometimes pain is almost enough to take a person to their knees. Or lower.”

  “You become a cat with me and you’ll heal much faster. Also, and many don’t know this, the sex is incredible.” She glared at him. “We don’t have to move. Just wait until you feel like you can.”

  “Then what? Are you going to jump on top of me and make love to me? I don’t want sex. I want a bed, a real one. A shower that has lots of hot water. A kitchen that doesn’t require me to stand in one place and cook in shifts. I need a clean towel. Fluffy slippers, and a robe that isn’t older than me.” He moved the strand of hair from her cheek and told her they had all that and more. “Mr. Whitfield, you aren’t pulling any crap on me. I’ve been around men like you for most of my life. You’d say whatever you thought the woman wanted to hear, then leave her broken and shattered on the side of the road. Please, just don’t do this right now.”

  When she frowned, he watched her face. This time she was thinking, and hard. Touching his fingers to her cheek again, he watched her as she struggled to work whatever it was out. He was sure that she got it when she looked at him.

  “The man that shot me. I know him. His name isn’t there, but I know his face. He said that he was working for Alfred James.” He waited, for some reason knowing that she worked things out verbally. “He didn’t like me snooping around in his business. Said that he was there to tell me why he was shooting me and to kill me because of James.”

  “Don’t think of him, but his face. Tell me what he looks like.” She closed her eyes and he had the most profound need to kiss her. “Just start with his eyes. What color are they?”

  “This guy shot me, and you want me to tell you what color his eyes are?” He nodded at her when she looked at him. “You think this will help? Because, I have no idea why, but I think knowing this jerk would go a long way in finding him easier.”

  “Sometimes not thinking of something will help you think of it. Now, his eyes. What color are they?” She told him they were brown. “Okay, his hair. Straight? Curley? Bald?”

  “His hair was grey, cut short like he’s very particular about it. He has a scar on his forehead that he got from playing in a tree that he was not supposed to be in.” David said nothing. That was a memory that he was sure she’d not realized that she had. “He has thin lips. Like he didn’t have any, they were so thin. He grew a mustache to cover it up, but it did little good since he’s so.... Christ.”

  When she sat up, he did as well. David didn’t push. As much as he wanted to, he didn’t try to get her to tell him who this prick was. Because as surely as he was sitting there, the man was going to die. She turned to him and he watched her fall apart.

  “My brother. He shot me. He…well, he killed me. I knew that he hated me, my sister does as well, but he actually had no trouble killing me.” David stood up, helping her as gently as he could. He could smell the fresh blood on her. “I need some things out of there first. Then...I guess we need to talk.”

  “Yes, but not until you’re ready. What’s his name? Your brother and your sister too?” She told him she’d let him know when she got the things she’d need out of the camper. “All right. But I’m helping you. I can smell that you’re hurt again, and I don’t want you to be in pain.”

  While she gathered a few things, mostly clothing from the camper, she was quiet. It gave him the opportunity to contact Evan. He was a surgeon, but a doctor first. He knew he had awakened him the moment he asked him what was wrong.

  I have a mate. The silence at the other end of the connection between them was funny. The woman that Grandda told us was coming. She’s hurt, as you know, but when she fell out of her camper, she landed hard. Can you come over and have a look at her? I know nothing of her gunshot wounds yet, but I also don’t want her to be in pain.

  I’m coming now. David thanked him. Dylan is as well. She wants to talk to her about who shot her.

  She remembered who it was. Her brother. Evan asked for his name. She hasn’t told me as yet. She’s being very safe, I think. Why should she trust me already? Sunny is going to come into the house with me and talk. I figured that with you here, helping her out, you’d hear it as well. Sunny said that he and her sister have hated her for a long time, so you know.

  Evan said they were on their way and that Dylan was ha
ving the leap keep an eye on things for them. After thanking them, David helped her carry the things into the house. She was bleeding enough that it had soaked through her shirt, so he had her have a seat on the couch while he took her things to the spare bedroom. As much as he wanted her in his room, he didn’t want to push his luck. The gun she had on her lap didn’t make him feel very welcome right now.

  Evan was in the living room with her when he came down the stairs. And Dylan was asking questions in her usual, not so gentle manner.

  “What the fuck do you mean, you’ll get around to it? I’m the sort of person that you don’t want to fuck with. I don’t care who you are.” Sunny stood up when Dylan did. “You don’t scare me.”

  Sunny reached out to push Dylan back. It was something he might have done to one of his brothers had they been all up in his face. But the moment that her hand connected with the skin on Dylan’s shoulder, both of them cried out as they were tossed away from each other. He rushed to Sunny just as Evan did to his mate.

  “What the fuck was that?” Dylan sat up as she spoke, but didn’t move. Not that it looked like Evan was going to let her. “You zapped me. What the fuck did you do that for?”

  “I saw them. All your men. They’re dead.” No one moved as Sunny spoke softly. “They were there when you were killed. The fact that you’re alive and they’re not, it bothers you badly. They’re gone and you’re alive.”

  “Who the hell have you been talking to?” Sunny stood up with David’s help, and he led her back to the couch. “That’s the crazy shit you can do? What Ollie told us about? That’s how you figured you know so much about me? Well, I got news for you, you don’t know shit. And I’m all right.”

  “Of course you are. And I don’t want to know shit about any of you, but it seems like I’m stuck here. Can someone please, for fuck’s sake, give me something to knock me out? I’ve been banged around enough today.”

  Evan moved, but David stepped in front of him. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do, but Evan wasn’t going to hurt his mate.

  “I’m going to give her something for the pain, then have a look at her wounds.” David tried reasoning with his cat, but he wasn’t having it. “Look at me, David. I’m not going to hurt her. Move, please, so that I can make her pain go away.”

  Moving, he sat down next to her. Taking her hand in his, he was glad that she didn’t jerk away from him. He was having enough trouble as it was, holding his cat at bay. When he looked at Dylan, she was sitting down too and looked concerned. He asked her if she was all right.

  “Yes. I’m sorry that I hurt her. While I knew about her ability, David, I didn’t know that it would work on people.” He nodded and looked at Sunny. She was looking a little shell shocked herself. “Evan, see about her, okay?”

  He let his brother look her over, and found that she wasn’t hurt as badly as he’d thought. The blood was from a wound she’d gotten in the barn when they’d fallen. It didn’t need any stitches, thankfully, but Evan did offer to wrap it up.

  “However, if you let his cat clean it, it’ll heal in a matter of seconds.” David winked at him, then back at Sunny. “You should be as healthy as you can be, what with the shit you have going on around here.”

  “I know what you’re doing. Trying to get him to bond with me. I have no wish to hurry things along in that department.” Sunny looked at him, and he felt like he was a bug pinned to a wall. “You will behave. We’ve talked about this before.”

  “We have, yes, but I don’t want to.” Kissing her on the mouth, he moved away before she could retaliate. He was sure she was planning it, but for now he’d gotten more than he’d hoped for. “The camper is buttoned up. And I’ve called in a friend, Nate Briggs, who is going to have one of his men go over it to see if there are any bugs on it. Tanner said that he had already, but we want to make sure nothing got on it between then and now.”

  “Also, so you know, there are a number of leap around the property. Tigers for the most part, but also some wolves. When you have a moment, you should let one or two of them sniff you, or have a little taste of your flesh, so that they can know your scent.” He wasn’t surprised by what Dylan said, but he was that Sunny agreed so readily. “And for my information, could you give me the names of your brother and sister and anything you might have on them that will help? I’m assuming that you don’t want them to know where you are.”

  “No. I don’t. My brother is Sam, Samuel Davis. He’s my twin, and about an hour older than me. Madeline Richards, or Maddie to most people but her, is our older sister by about eighteen months. Our parents are gone. Died some years ago when they both were in a hotel that was swept away by a current in another country.” Sunny got up to pace as she continued. “My sister is a horrible person, and Sam isn’t all that much better. They’d both steal the pennies off a dead man’s eyes and not think a thing about it. While they both have money, not a lot but some, they somehow think that I should be giving them more. As in paying for their kids to go to camp. Supplies for the special classes they make them take, as well as any sports. To their way of thinking, since I have no children, I should be spending my money on theirs. I don’t, but that’s what they’ll say when they see me.”

  “I see.” Evan laughed a little before he spoke again. “And do they hurt you when asking, or is it more of an annoyance sort of thing? Either way, they’re not going to touch you again, not while we’re here.”

  “Nah, they don’t hurt me. Or at least they hadn’t done it on their own. They’ve paid to have me hurt in the past, but they cut that shit out until recently. I’ve learned to fight back, and that usually costs them more when the other party needs to be patched up. I take a lot of pleasure out of making sure they have to be patched up a great deal.” She began walking faster, taking harder steps. “I’ve just figured out from some memories coming back to me that Sam is the one that shot me. I know that he was working for James. At what capacity, I was never clear on. Not in an office setting, nor did he have a real title. Sam didn’t know my part in bringing his boss down, at least I don’t think he did, but he lost his job too when the company went down. He could be holding that against me, I suppose, but Sam shot and killed me. It was dead only for a few moments, according to Tanner, but long enough that I got this freaky touch thing.”

  “And this freaky touch thing, does anyone besides us and Tanner know about it?” Dylan looked at David when Sunny told her no. “If this gets out, even to one or two dicks, she’s gonna be in deeper shit than she is now. Not just for her ability, but what else someone might think she can do. Like, can she talk to the dead? Does she know things about the dead that they don’t want out there? People won’t let that shit go, you know this.”

  “Yes, I know.” He stood up and picked up one of the few things that he’d not put away from the chest that Bailey Hutchinson had left to him when he died. “I’m not asking you to show off, but I would like to know the extent of what you can do. You touched Dylan and that gave you some insight on her, but what about this? What can you see on it?”

  He knew that she didn’t want to touch the small cup. It was part of the set that he’d unearthed when he’d been digging around in the sublevels of Evan’s home. The rest of it, all twelve place settings, were being carefully cleaned and cataloged. Dylan had donated it to the women’s circle that was going to be in charge of the historical center when the remodeling was finished.

  There were other things as well. Books with handwritten notes in them. There were curling irons that had to be heated on the stove. Handstitched linens that were still as beautiful as they had been all that time ago. And they’d found furniture too, some of it older than the house itself.

  “What if I break it?” It was a good question, but he didn’t think she would. He thought that the power that they both held, she and Dylan, was what had made the snap between them. “All right, but just so you know, I don’t know what this will tell you. This is new to me as well. And though Tanner told me to use it to get used to it, I’ve avoided touching things for just that reason. It scares me.”