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She nodded, still shaking. Tears fell from her eyes, and she reached over to throw her arms around his neck to wrap him in a hug. “You have to be careful, okay? That tiger is serious business.” She clung on for dear life, squeezing him tightly.
He chuckled and hugged her back just as tightly. He couldn’t always be sure how the tiger in him would react to his fated mate, but he knew it would never hurt her.
“There are people in the mountains, right? Strange people living around here?”
He nodded, brushing his cheek against hers. There was no use in outright lying. He would have to pepper in a little bit of the truth to keep her from getting too suspicious.
“I think there’s something supernatural going on. When I saw the giant tiger, it purred at me, and it stepped into the torch light. I thought, ‘It’s not going to hurt me.’ And it didn’t.”
She waited for a beat for him to answer, but answers escaped him.
“Kirsten, I don’t think ...”
“I’m going to get to the bottom of this,” she said, interrupting him. “Sooner or later. You can’t stop me, okay? I need to know.”
He nodded again. She smelled sweet, like lilac perfume, and he buried his nose in her neck to scent it more. She pulled back to kiss him, and they sank into the bed together, feeling each other’s warm bodies and the physical, corporeal, tangible presence of their love.
He wondered how different his life would be if he had met Kirsten first. Would he still have Zara? Maybe not, but he might have another wonderful baby, this time with Kirsten, who was a better mother than he could ever hope for. She was warm and loving even to children who weren’t her own.
Kirsten was loving in ways he didn’t know people could be. She made sure he was not just physically sated with food and a warm bed but happy too. Even if they hadn’t said it just yet, he knew the love they felt was real. She was the most caring woman he had ever met, and he would do anything to make her stay, which included keeping her safe from all the dangerous creatures in the mountains. Surely she would be happy knowing Zara was safe?
But there was a wild streak to her, as well. She had a habit of diving headfirst into situations that were dangerous ... too dangerous for a human, especially one looking after a baby. Who knows what could have happened if he hadn’t been there the other night? Anything could find her in these woods, including bears, other tigers, and dragons.
She was right about the strange people in the mountains. They tended to keep to themselves, but he had seen creatures he could not have dreamed of roaming the woods outside his house. As curious as she was, it seemed like she wouldn’t rest until she got to the bottom of this mystery ... but what would that cost her? Her life? Or something else?
Could he keep her safe when she was hell bent on running into danger?
As curious as she was, he hoped that once she had all the answers she wanted, she would find being with Henry and Zara exciting enough to stay.
THIRTEEN
KIRSTEN
The last few weeks were the most amazing of Kirsten’s life. She not only met an amazing family but also came to enjoy the Rocky Mountains and the lush green life of Denver. Her life as an early childhood teacher was always full of ups and downs, and while she did not mind it at the time, she grew irritated at the rut her life was stuck in.
Now, however, she managed to get something more out of it.
Strolling through the woods, the autumn leaves fell around them like something out of a fairytale. The ground was covered in lush mulch, and the whole forest smelled like vegetation loosening its grip on the world. The first real touches of winter were coming, felt in the slight chill in the air. Soon autumn would give way to a cold, so freezing they would not want to leave the house.
Kirsten bundled baby Zara into her stroller with two blankets and a hot milk bottle. She wore a casual jacket over athletic gear for a jaunt around the property, feeling the stretch in her legs as soon as she left. Henry stayed behind, working away in his shop, which meant Kirsten was free to roam with just herself and Zara, enjoying the wonders of being ... relatively ... alone.
Zara looked so cute in her outfit that day. She wore a bonnet that tied under her chubby chin and a crocheted jacket that Kirsten picked up at the market the last time they went. It was perfect for mornings like this.
Henry told her about a river that ran through the lower level of the land, and she set out to find it. Given that they were in the mountains, the walk was surprisingly smooth because of the rough path hewn trampled into the ground, possibly from the number of people who had walked over it. Although Kirsten had a sneaking suspicion that Henry had hewn this path himself. He was good like that with his hands.
She pushed the stroller down the path towards the river, singing as she did. Her voice carried out through the mountains, coming back to her as it bounced off the rocks. The sound of the river crept up on them, first a light trickle and then gushing when she reached it. As she laid eyes on the water, she gasped.
It was beautiful. Crystal clear blue water and smelling as fresh as the morning rain. The water was so clear that the fish swimming under the cusp were visible from the bank. Some jumped free and splashed back down, seeming to be having the time of their short lives. It was picturesque in a way she did not know something could be. Even the rivers back home were not like this. It really was a fairytale.
She pushed the stroller closer to the water. “Look, Zara,” she said, pointing. “Fishes!”
Zara gurgled sleepily in reply, and Kirsten laughed. That was about all she could expect in terms of conversation, but she had grown to love hearing baby Zara express herself in various ways.
She had also grown fonder of Henry. He was unlike her other boyfriends. He was open, honest, and accepting of everything about her. When she wanted to change up their routine, he was happy to. When she suggested different ways to cut down on their carb consumption, he went with it. Everything in their little world was perfect. And best of all ... he didn’t have any secrets. Or did he? Maybe she would never know what he was doing when he disappeared, and maybe she needed to accept that.
Her job before she came to Denver had been hectic, mostly due to bureaucracy, but she loved the kids so much that it was a hard decision to give it up. Now, though, she had everything she wanted: a great job with a great kid and father for whom she would do anything. Even the lingering fear that it would all be taken away in an instant faded as she watched the water.
Her peace was broken by a low growl to her right. She whipped around to find a bear the size of a small truck standing on its hind legs, snarling at her and Zara. She let out a scream as the fear struck her faster than she could blink. She pulled the stroller towards her and started up the path, but the bear was too quick. It jumped in front of her, swiping at them with its giant paws.
