Free Shifting Changes (The First Shift) by Sage Marlowe Page B

her
body seemed to know exactly what to do. Her inner
muscles twitched in anticipation and warmth spread between her hind legs. The
gorgeous white came closer on his way along the line of females. Her chances to
be chosen by him were poor. Like the females, the white males were capable of
detecting the ideal mate for themselves, the one among hundreds of others that
allowed them to produce the much-needed offspring to save their rare breed from
extinction.
    He
passed the first two of the golden tigresses, then stopped in front of the
third. He sniffed the air around her, distrustful at first, then with obvious
interest. A low rumble started in his chest as he walked a slow circle around
her. She barely turned her head but watched him from the corners of her eyes.
When he had completed the circle, he stopped in front of her. He sat on his
haunches and still the gaze of his striking green eyes rested on her. The
tigress held her breath. She lowered her head, offering him her submission but
instead of accepting and resting his chin on her the way everyone in the room
must have been expecting him to do, he stood and walked away. The tigress
watched him go with narrowed eyes and a curled lip.
    He continued his way along the line of females. Tarina’s heart
sped up as he approached her but the excitement lasted for all of one second,
then he was past her.
    It
was almost a relief. What could she have offered him anyway? She had never been
special in her entire life, just another plain brown tigress and the fourth of
five daughters in a family full of plain brown tigers. Her mother was the
special one, the rare white, but she hadn’t passed on her gene to any of her
children and Tarina’s unruly spirit and independence had often earned her her
parents’ scorn. Suddenly there was a buzz of excitement around her and she
looked up. The tigresses who had been perfectly quiet so far started to move,
which meant that the gorgeous white must have found his mate. She didn’t turn
to see who the lucky one was, probably the one he’d checked out so thoroughly
earlier.
    Staring
at the ground, she made to leave until she felt someone blocking her way. She
stopped to let the other one pass. It must have been one of the other females,
she thought, and since they were all bound to be cranky with disappointment,
she knew it was better to steer clear of her.
    When
the big bodied tiger in front of her didn’t move, she finally raised her gaze.
And froze. It wasn’t one of the other females. Before her stood the glorious
white, close enough to touch her with his nose if she moved so much as an inch
forward.
    She
felt his breath on her face, the slow exhalation of air as he held her trapped
in this fascinating green gaze of his. It was as if he could look into her soul
and something deep inside her answered. Something she hadn’t even known
existed.
    She
lowered her head, breaking eye contact with him. She didn’t even have to think
about it. It was the right thing to do.
    He
tilted forward a bit and she got a first impression of the solid mass of him as
he rested his chin on top of her head. Neither of them moved as they waited for
the others to leave the room although Tarina’s thoughts were spinning.
    When
the other tigresses had left, two servants approached them with big robes.
Prince Shayonn shifted instantly and slipped into the garment that was being
held out to him. Tarina did the same, enjoying the lush fabric that clung to
her much as her own fur had done just seconds ago.
    Prince
Shayonn turned to her and another shudder rocked her. Her legs were about to
turn to jelly. The prince wasn’t only exquisite and impressive in tiger shape.
He was one of the tallest men she’d ever met, and quite possibly the most
beautiful one, too. He could have easily been threatening, but he seemed to be just
as nervous as she felt. Toying with the buckle that secured his robe at the
front, he stared at the ground. Then he heaved a deep sigh,