“What I always do. Steal.” Russell stuffed some paper plates into the bag. It was full now. “Later.”
“Wait!” Howard came to a halt at the pantry door. “I just heard the latest report. Rajiv is frantic. What happened to Jia?”
“She’s fine. I need to get back to her.”
Howard gave him a worried look. “Is it true what Xiao Fang told them? That Han is your brother?”
Russell’s jaw clenched. The news was out.
Howard grimaced. “Holy crap. What are—”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of him.”
“Listen, you’re not in this alone. Will you—”
Russell teleported back to the cave. The last thing he wanted to hear now was sympathy. He checked on Jia. Still dead.
He spread the food out on the table and soon had a paper plate stacked with four ham and cheese sandwiches. He was just opening the bag of potato chips when he heard a soft gasp.
Jia was waking to her second life.
Chapter Eighteen
Jia inhaled deeply as a feeling of euphoria swept through her. She was alive, but so much more alive than before. Every nerve seemed to tingle with heightened sensibility. Even the air she breathed was more refreshing.
She opened her eyes, and her vision was sharper. In spite of the dim light, she could see every crack and crevice in the rock ceiling overhead. Heat surged through her, igniting every muscle with extra strength and more flexibility. Her heart pounded so loud that it deafened her.
The tiger inside her growled, elated with the gift of more power. The heat increased, simmering in her chest like a fire. She kicked off the blanket and sat up.
“Jia, you’re back! Thank God.”
She glanced to the side. Russell was approaching her, a relieved, happy look on his face. He seemed to be glowing with a golden hue. Were her eyes doing something odd? No matter, for he looked more gorgeous than ever.
“Jia?”
Her heart pounded so loud that his voice seemed to be coming from a mile away. He was asking her something, but it was hard to concentrate, when the fire inside her was creeping up her neck. Sweat trickled between her breasts, and she rubbed her chest. What was she wearing? It looked like one of Russell’s T-shirts.
“Jia!” He raised his voice as he stepped closer. “Are you all right?”
Was she? Had the wound healed? She pulled the T-shirt up to look.
“Sheesh.” Russell spun about, putting his back to her. “I—” He cleared his throat. “I made some sandwiches in case you’re hungry. You should probably eat. Get your strength back. You’ve been through a lot.”
His words made her smile. He didn’t realize how strong she felt. She was naked underneath the shirt and fairly clean. All the blood was gone, so he must have washed it away. She felt along her rib cage. Her skin was intact. And tingling.
She recognized the feeling. Her skin was burning and itching, as if she needed to escape her human shell. Even though the moon wasn’t full, she was going to shift. From now on, she would be able to shift whenever she wanted.
What freedom and power! With a grin, she yanked the T-shirt off and tossed it aside. It landed by Russell’s feet.
He glanced at it, his back still turned toward her. “Do you want some new clothes? There are some clean ones on the drying rack. I can—”
His voice grew dim as her heartbeat thundered in her ears and the fire exploded in her head. She crouched on all fours, digging her fingers into the blanket. A cry escaped her mouth as her body shifted.
“What’s wrong?” Russell turned back to her. “Oh, shit!”
Her bones crackled, seeking a new shape. Fur sprouted from her skin. Her skull expanded, her teeth grew longer. Sharper. Claws shot from the end of her fingers as her hands transformed into paws.
“Damn.” He stepped back. “I didn’t realize you were going to—”
She threw her head back and roared. Power surged through her, fueled by the inner fire. Never had she felt so alive.
“Okay.” He watched her warily. “I guess you don’t need any clothes right now. How about some food?”
Her muscles rippled, begging to be used. She pushed off the bed with a graceful leap and landed, knocking Russell over with her front legs. She settled half on top of him, pinning him to the ground.
He grimaced. “That was impressive.”
She flexed the paw that rested on his chest, and when her claws emerged, she sliced open his shirt a few inches.
His eyes widened. “Nice claws.” He lifted a hand to pat her head, but when she grinned, he jerked his hand back. “Nice teeth.”
She growled low in her throat.
He gulped. “By the way, when I mentioned food, I wasn’t referring to myself.” He motioned to the table. “Sandwich?”
She eased closer to his face.
He stiffened. “Jia? You’re in there, right? Those are your eyes. They were glowing before, but they look more normal now.”
She butted her forehead against his, then turned to the table. Stretching up, she placed her front paws on the table and gobbled down the sandwiches.
He scrambled to his feet. “That was fast. I’ll make some more.”
The heat inside her ratcheted up till she felt she would combust. She ran into the stream and settled up to her neck in the cool water.
He smiled. “I’ve heard that tigers like water.” He moved behind the table to make more sandwiches. “You had me worried there for a second. I thought I might have to teleport away.”
Even in the stream, she was still on fire. Her skin tingled, signaling her body was ready to shift back to human form. She closed her eyes and let it happen. Maybe the fire would go away once she was back to normal.
The shift didn’t hurt this time. With a whoosh, her bones adjusted and her fur receded. Grinning, she opened her eyes. Was shifting going to be that quick and easy from now on?
“That was amazing.” Russell watched her with a stunned look. “How do you feel?”
She was still crouched in the stream up to her neck. “I feel wonderful. So strong and . . .” She sucked in a breath, suddenly aware of how the water current was sweeping across her skin. It felt so good. As if all her nerve endings were being caressed. The burning sensation receded from her head and moved down her body.
“The sun will rise in about twenty minutes. I brought plenty of food to get you through the day.” He motioned to the new stack of sandwiches he’d just made. “Are you hungry?”
“I’m fine.” She shivered as the rushing water sent tingles up her arms and down her spine. The fire burned in her belly, but her skin was pebbled with goose bumps. How could she feel hot and cold at the same time?
She unbraided her hair and leaned her head back to wash it. As she arched her back, the water tickled her breasts.
With a gasp, she sat up. Her nipples had hardened. The fire inside her moved between her legs, scorching her with a sudden need. A hunger.
She squeezed her thighs together, hoping to squelch the fire, but the flames grew hotter. What was happening to her? She crossed her arms, hugging herself, but that only made her breasts ache to be touched.
“Is something wrong?” he asked.
“I-I’m fine.” Was this what Rajiv had warned her about? An overwhelming desire to . . . Her breath hitched as she looked at Russell. God help her, she did want to mate.
He tilted his head, studying her. “You don’t seem fine.”
The sizzling sensation between her legs was growing stronger. The heat unbearable. Pressing her thighs together just made her more sensitive. More desperate. A whimper escaped her mouth.
“You look like you’re in pain.” He grabbed a towel and walked toward her. “Maybe you should lie down. Get some more rest.”
She stood up, the water waist high, her long hair concealing her breasts. “Russell.”
“Come on out.” He stopped at the river’s edge and stretched the towel out between his arms. “I won’t look.”
“But I want you to.” With a sudden move, she shoved her hair behind her shoulders.
He stiffened, his eyes flashing red before he turned his head.
A thrill of victory shot through her. He wanted her. And she needed him. He would know how to quench the fire inside her. But she needed to hurry. He would go into his death-sleep when the sun rose.