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The tiger regarded me with big green eyes. He would be impressive except for the whole 'trying to kill me' thing.
He took another step toward me, then whipped his body around and lunged at Bain.
Evidently right now, he decided Bain was the greater threat.
That might be true, except I was still right beside my chest of drawers. I whipped open the top drawer and yanked out a bag. Hands trembling with the need to hurry, I tugged on the knot, which held it closed.
"Fuckin' come on!" I muttered. Finally I got the knot free, wrenched the bag open, and stuck my face inside. I inhaled the scent of dried roses and lavender. The power I drew from the dried petals was heady. I wanted to pull in more and more. If I pulled in enough, I could tear the Vault apart, tigers and all.
Instead, I focused as Helene taught me. I made a thin rope of power and wrapped it around the tiger's hind legs.
Teeth gritted, I wound it tighter and tighter. I left enough slack on my end so I could grab hold and pull the power, and him, back, away from Bain.
The tiger yelped and wriggled. He snarled and fought to get free.
I just yanked him harder.
His front paws scrabbled to find something on the floor to grip onto, but they found nothing.
I pulled him up until his legs lifted off the ground. With a tug, he hung, his face a handspan from the tile.
"I get it," I said slowly. "You thought you had all the bases covered." I cocked my head. "But you didn't. Sucks to be you."
He grunted at me.
I shrugged. "Sorry, not sorry." I turned to Bain as he shifted from wolf to ripped naked guy.
Focus, I told myself.
He rolled his shoulders and shook out his arms. He ran his tongue over his teeth and grimaced.
Presumably shifter blood and fur wasn't tasty. Good to know.
Bain approached the tiger and leaned sideways to look him in the face.
"Shift back," he ordered.
The tiger bared his teeth.
Bain punched him in the side of the face.
"Shift," he insisted again.
The tiger writhed on the end of his rope. Even with the bag held to my face, I was becoming tired. It reallywasan exhausting journey back and I was feeling the effects more and more.
"Let him down," Bain said without glancing at me. "But keep him bound if you can."
With a sigh of relief, I lowered the tiger to the floor and even loosened the rope of power slightly. Enough to give him space if he retook person form.
Bain picked up his knife and held it in his hand. His grip was loose, like he wasn't intending to use it.
I knew better than to think that couldn't change in a heartbeat.
The tiger grunted, but shifted into a man several years younger than me. So young, in fact, I wasn't sure I could call him a man.
"Who sent you, boy?" It seemed Bain couldn't either. "What's your name?"
The guy looked toward the window, chin raised.
