Masks of a Tiger Read online

  The trembling hand on his arm took him by surprise, and he looked up into Neeve's concerned gaze.

  "Does it hurt? When you do that?"

  He smiled in an effort to reassure her and covered her hand with his.

  "No, sweetheart, not really."

  Neeve narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips at his enigmatic response. An invisible weight lifted off his shoulders, and he squeezed her hand. She wasn't freaking out completely, so that was a good start. His smile deepened when she squeezed him back, and her eyes darted down to his groin briefly before fixing her eyes on a spot over his shoulder.

  "It looks as though it should hurt." She whispered the words, and Grisha used his free hand to cradle her face. A slight shiver went through her at the contact, and her heart rate sped up again.

  "So, let me get this straight? You've just seen the man you thought at your mercy get out of his restraints, shift into a tiger, and back into human, and your only concern is whether it hurts when I do that?"

  A slight flush crept over her cheekbones at his husky words. She worried her bottom lip with her teeth and shrugged her shoulders. Again her gaze briefly darted to his hardening cock, and his heart clenched with the rush of affection swamping him at that moment. She looked utterly adorable in her confusion, and good enough to eat. The fading mark on her shoulder called him, and he gave in to instinct and licked that spot. She gasped, buried her head in his neck and sniffed. His half erect dick roared into life, and his tiger roared.

  "Does it work like in the books? Is that why you smell so good?"

  "Do I?" He chuckled when she pushed against him, and he let her go. Her green eyes sparkled in anger.

  "You know damn well you do. What I want to know is whether you can turn that on and off at will and whether you've used it to lure me into here and do goodness only knows what?" She scooted back as far as she could before the door stopped her and pulled her knees up again. "Because I don't know why I'm here, and that would explain why you get me doing …"

  Her voice trailed off, and she flushed all over as she scanned the room behind them.

  "Got you doing what, sweetheart? We haven't really done anything, yet."

  That blush of hers deepened, and she attempted to glare at him, but quickly dropped her gaze, when he straightened up to his full height and simply looked at her, one eyebrow raised. Her breaths grew shallow, and he sensed her need to fidget, yet she didn't move under his silent scrutiny.

  He bent down and tapped her knees.

  "Kneel on those and put your hands behind your back, girl." She flinched at the hardness of his tone and threw him another of those cock-hardening, defiant glances, but she complied immediately. God, he hoped she never lost her inherent sass. Taming her was such fun, even when she grumbled under her breath.

  "I'm no fucking sub, I'm not."

  "Of course you're not. That's why even now you're doing exactly what I ask of you. That's why you got so wet when I spanked your ass that my jeans are soaked through with your juices. That's why I can smell your arousal, and if I chose to take you right now, I bet you're so fucking wet, my cock would slip in right to the hilt, filling you, pushing you. Is that what you want, my sweet not-sub? Or do you want me to punish you by tying you up and leaving you hanging?"

  She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood, and the keening sound she couldn't quite stop making was music to his ears.

  "Or do you want me to tie you down and let you feel the sweet burn of the fire, let it dance over your skin, until you beg me to come, until you tell me why it has such a hold on you?" He knew he was pushing her, testing her reaction, and he was not disappointed. Her whole body tightened at the mention of fire-play. A shiver went through her, of fear or need, he couldn't quite determine. And even though the mere thought had bile rising in his gut and he had to force the words out past his lips he had to ask. "Or, perhaps you'd like me to get Trikus, so we can take turns fucking you, using you we as we see fit until you can't see straight? Would you like that? Is that what you came here for?"

  Grisha bit back a curse as she went as still as statue. Fuck it all to hell and back. Why had he said that? He didn't want to share her. Grisha was no stranger to ménages. They were a fuck-load of fun with the right people, but the thought of another man's hands on his woman, made him want to gouge his eyes out. Grisha shook his head in disgust at himself. Did he need any more proof that his tiger had made his choice? He was so fucked. When had she become this important to him? And what the fuck was he going to do about it?

  His tiger snarled his anxiety, and he almost didn't hear her whispered denial.

  "No, Sir, please. I don't want Trikus?”

  ****

  Blood rushed in her ears; her cunt clenched; her muscles coiled in anticipation, and every fiber of her being was drawn to the timbre of his voice like a moth to the flame. The cold stone floor dug into her knees, reminding her of the ridiculous position she was in, but she could no more not listen to those, deep, accented tones than she could breathe. Some part of her, that strange part that craved his approval like a drowning man craved, needed, air to survive, made her say those words.

  No sooner had they left her lips, than Grisha yanked her to standing. He slammed her body against the door with such force that had it not been padded, she would have been bruised all over. She swallowed nervously at the fierce expression in his eyes, as they bled to his tiger’s and his claws ran out on his hands. They dug into her skin as he held her up by the shoulders. His nostrils flared, and he looked every inch the lethal predator.

  A flutter of fear made her stomach tighten in need and anticipation. The fact that he looked so close to losing control shouldn't really have her so excited that wetness trickled down the inside of her thigh, should it? The tiny pinpricks of pain where his nails dug into her skin, the heavy musk of aroused male, the heat of his cock digging into her lower belly, the knowledge that she was at his mercy, mixed together with the wicked images his growled words had created in her mind, had her more turned on that she had ever been.

  He was a shifter. He could crush her in an instant, and no one would be able to stop him. Yet, the fact that he turned into that beautiful animal had reassured her instead of frightening her. The control it must take to shift had been a miracle to witness. His dismissal of it all, and the tender way he'd made sure she wasn't frightened out of her wits, had made her feel cherished and protected. Even now, pinned against the door, she knew instinctively that he would never hurt her. How she knew that she couldn't even begin to explain to herself. From the first moment she'd met him, he'd kept her on edge, her body responding to him in a way her rational side just couldn't explain.

  "What did you say?" The barely concealed emotion behind those simple words took her breath away. She lost herself in his gaze and gave him a tentative smile.

  "I said, I don't want Trikus … Sir."

  Grisha blinked once, and said something in Russian that sounded suspiciously like a curse, and Neeve's impish side took over.

  "I would prefer someone else, a woman perhaps?" She suppressed a grin at his incredulous look. "Of course, if you're not man enough to handle two women, then maybe I should find Trikus after all…" She let her words trail off, and excitement curled low in her belly at Grisha's tiger's answering growl. It vibrated through her, and every female cell in her body sighed in submission at the possessiveness of that sound.

  He ran his claws slowly down her sides, digging in just enough to hurt, and her knees buckled when he reached her soaked thong. She clung to his shoulders for support and spread her legs automatically to give him better access. He murmured his approval and took her mouth in a branding kiss of possession that left her breathless and wanting.

  "Not man enough you say?"

  She swallowed hard at the determined expression in his dark eyes. With a wicked grin and the flick of one clawed finger he ripped the delicate fabric of her underwear. His other hand settled on her throat pinning her against the wall. He lif
ted the remnants of her underwear to his nose and inhaled deeply.

  "Sweet, I can't wait to eat you."

  Her stomach clenched, and a renewed gush of moisture coated her pussy at the whispered threat? Promise? His fanged smile was her undoing, and she would have slid to the floor had he not pushed his thigh between her legs.

  "Oh no, you don't, and that sassy mouth of yours needs to be occupied." He slid his hand up to her lips and pushed his fingers inside. She sucked the digits, loving the feel and taste of him under her tongue. He groaned and withdrew them only to replace them with her thong. Neeve gagged and tried to spit the fabric out, but he grabbed her jaw and forced her mouth open with a growl. She had no choice but to accept the gag, and her mouth full of her own taste, mixed in with his, she glared at him.

  "Don't even think about spitting that out, or I'll use a ball gag. Do you understand me, sub?"

  Damn the man! Why was she putting up with that? But even as she thought that, her body betrayed her with another gush of wet liquid between her thighs. He rubbed his hair roughened leg over her cunt, and she ground her hips to deepen the contact.

  He stopped moving immediately, and she moaned her frustration.

  "I asked you a question, sub."

  She nodded and dug her fingernails into his skin, and Grisha laughed. A deep, dangerous laugh that pitched her arousal sky high. He stepped away and yanked her with him by her hair. The sharp pain zinged along her nerve endings, and she blinked away tears. Everything focused on him, and she whimpered when he tied her wrists together with the length of rope she'd been admiring earlier. It cut into her skin, and with one swift tug her arms were raised high above her head until she stood on her tiptoes.

  "Eyes on me, sub."

  She complied immediately with the harsh command, and she shivered when Grisha showed her his once again clawed hand. Using just his index finger he traced a path from her nose over her lips and chin, down her throat into the valley of her breasts. With a few quick flicks of that clawed digit he freed her breasts, and bits of her bra fell to the floor like lace confetti.

  He circled her slowly admiring his handiwork, and her skin heated under his quiet assessment.

  "Wriggle your fingers for me, and make a fist."

  When she did so, he smiled, and stepped so close his body heat branded her. She leant into him as far as she could, and he ran his hands slowly down her arms. He massaged her shoulders and then cupped her breasts, flicking the nipples with his thumbs. She moaned and yanked on the ropes holding her up. The swat to her ass stung, and Grisha shook his head.

  "Don't try and rush me, sub. Or I will leave you hanging there for a long time indeed. I may even get Mistress Scarlett to come and join us. I do believe you've seen her in action when you came in."

  Shiiiiit! The mere thought gave Neeve palpitations. The heavily made up raven haired Domme she'd seen fucking the sub over the spanking bench? Sweat broke out all over her body at the thought of being at the other woman's mercy, and she frantically shook her head, imploring Grisha with her eyes.

  "No? Did you not say mere minutes ago you'd like another woman?" His grin was sin itself when she shook her head again so fast she felt dizzy.

  "Did you think I would bring in another sub?" He stepped closer again and traced a figure of eight over her quivering abdomen with the end of the rope. A shiver went through her when he threaded the rope through her legs and pulled it tight against her slit. He repeated the action until she was spread wide, with her legs lifted off the floor, the rope sitting either side of her clit, exerting delicious pressure. Looped around her thighs and waist it helped to take the strain of her shoulders.

  "Hmm beautiful, sweetheart, but we need to do something to show off your tits. Just like this." He fastened another length of rope around her breasts like a harness, until they were squeezed together, and jutting out. Her nipples ached and puckered, as the wicked burn spread across her skin. Like the lick of a flame, the familiar rush spread through her veins. Fear of the unknown heightened the experience, and her muscles went slack. Her breathing deepened, and she shut her eyes to give herself up to sensation. The rough feel of his tongue against her aching globes made her whimper, and she could feel his smile in the butterfly kisses he delivered along her skin down towards her cunt. He pulled on the piercing there and blew his hot breath across her labia. Neeve moaned long and hard around her gag, and Grisha's tongue created more sweet magic. She gushed her juices, and he lapped them up, tunneling into her core with animalistic growls as his hands dug into her ass cheeks.

  Her body contracted, and stabs of raw need travelled from her clit out in waves of sweet, spiraling torture. Just as her orgasm threatened to erupt, Grisha bit down on her sensitive lips and pinched her clit. She screamed, and he laughed into her belly.

  "Not yet, my sweet Neeve. When you come this time I want you splintering around my cock, milking me dry, while you scream my name and know that you're mine. Mine to do with as I please. Mine and only mine."

  His voice had dropped an octave with those words of ownership that settled dangerously close to her heart. She could almost believe he meant them. But this was just a scene. She had to remember that. This is what he did. What had Estelle said? Grisha is very good at fulfilling your fantasies. She couldn't afford to get lost in the illusion. This lifestyle wasn't for her, it wasn't. It couldn't be.

  There was a movement of air, and then a million little beestings erupted on her tummy. She screamed and her eyes flew open to see Grisha flick the flogger again. With deathly precision it skimmed across her breasts, and she sucked in her breath at the heat that spread over her skin. Her pussy clenched, and tears pricked the back of her eyes again. She hadn't been this emotional since her parents died. She never cried, damn it, yet here she was reduced to the edge of tears again by this man, and the myriad of emotions he unleashed in her. A few more well aimed swats followed until her entire torso was a mass of stinging, sensitive skin.

  "Show me your fists, sweetheart. Let me know you're still with me."

  She clenched her hands obediently, and he smiled. He removed her gag, and the kiss that followed shocked her with its tenderness. It was a slow exploration of sensual bliss that started a gnawing hunger inside her belly and left her aching to be close to him. Tears rose again, and he broke the kiss and rested his forehead against her.

  "Let it go, sweetheart. Let it all go. It doesn't matter anymore."

  The sob came deep from within her soul and shocked her with the violent intensity of it all. She tried desperately to hold it in, but cradled against him, with his hands massaging her scalp and him whispering Russian words into her ear, the sweet burn of the ropes into her skin adding to the ache in her soul, she couldn't.

  Neeve broke down and cried. Tears of hurt, frustration, wonder, grief, sorrow, and hope all mixed in together, until she was hoarse, until she couldn't cry anymore. When she finally had herself back under control she was back on the bed, cradled in the protective cocoon of Grisha's arms.

  "Now, that wasn't so hard was it, sweetheart?"

  Chapter Seven

  Grisha held his woman in his arms, his tiger for once quiet. He breathed in her scent and willed his body to behave. She needed tender after care right now, not hot sex, even if his balls were in danger of falling off. He ground his teeth and counted backwards, but with her soft curves pressed into him, he had a hard time holding onto his composure. She stirred, and he brushed her hair off her face better to see her expression. With her face all blotchy from crying, her eyes red rimmed and moisture still clinging to her lashes she still looked the most beautiful woman ever to him. Her delicate skin carried the marks of his claws and the rope, and his balls grew tight. His cock twitched against her leg, and he groaned when she touched the grotesquely swollen head of his dick with the tip of her finger. That light touch was enough to have his pre-cum spill, and he closed his eyes and breathed in and out of his nose.

  The bed dipped as she moved, and she pressed an o
pen mouthed kiss on his abdomen at the same time as she grasped his shaft.

  "Jesus, woman." The curse hung between them, and his hips bucked off the bed. His eyes flew open to see her smile. A shy, tender smile of uncertainty, that was his complete undoing, as were her whispered words.

  "Please, Sir, let me?"

  Did she have any idea what she was doing? How sweetly submissive she was being? He groaned and cupped her face in his hands.

  "You don't have to do that. I didn't bring you here to service me." Her eyes widened in surprise, and he rubbed his thumb over her full lips. An image of those lips wrapped around his aching cock made him groan. His thighs shook with the effort to contain himself. He couldn’t remember ever being this desperate for relief.

  "You didn't?" Her voice sounded terribly small and unlike her usual self. Another reason not to take advantage of her current vulnerability.

  "No, sweetheart. I brought you here to help you, to show you what you're capable of. To show you what you need. To show you a better way of dealing with all that hurt you carry around inside of you, than injuring yourself."

  She swallowed and dropped her eyes to his chest. Fresh tears glistened on her eyelashes, and Grisha kissed them away. She made a strangled sound in the back of her throat and wrapped her arms around his neck, straddling him, until she was as close to him as it was humanly possible to be, without actually joining their bodies.

  "Remember what I said about honesty?" She nodded into his chest. "It starts with you. You need to be honest with yourself, first, truly explore what you need to be happy, to let go of whatever demons haunt you. I think, I hope, today has been a first step in that direction for you. And I'm humbled that you trusted me enough to help you take that step. You have a lot to think about, sweetheart, before we can take this further."