WILD SHORT READS - PARANORMAL ROMANCE FLASH FICTION

LONELY KITTY

My life was a balancing act. Each action—like a worn river rock found on a lonely hiker's trail—stacked delicately on top of the other. A cairn, of sorts. Or a shrine. Built to a childish ideal gathering nothing but dust.

Tiger shifters are solitary creatures. We don't crave purpose found in packs like some preds. Nor do we need protection found in burrows like prey. We take pride in our wanderlust. At least, that's what my mother taught me. She never could explain why I ached.

The door swung open with a crash. The sort who came through our shop didn't bother to hide their strength and I didn't bother to hide my smirk. We were a tattoo parlor who specialized in not asking questions as long as our clients paid cash. Up front.

The guy looked like death poured into road gear and ate up the air as if he owned the place. Unfortunately, my kitty agreed with him. That hussy liked a guy in jeans and leather who—by the throaty purr of the machine he'd ridden up on—took care of his ride. His eyes were tucked away behind a pair of sunglasses but the scruffy beard did nothing to hide the snarl on his lips.

Bear. Dominant. Alpha, my tiger purred, kneading the faded carpet at our feet. A second figure appeared. Wolf. His mate. Beta.

She snarled not liking the idea that Mr Sex-on-legs was already claimed. Still, the newcomer was fine. As the bear stuttered to a stop, the clean-shaven wolf with a jagged scar down his cheek took a deep sniff and whistled. My animal shot the lean male a dangerous smile. His answering smirk said he understood the danger my predator posed. And liked it.

My tiger stilled. Less dominant males usually threw their weight around, wanting to prove their place. It was a fun game my kitty liked to play until she showed them her claws. But this wolf bared his neck as he sauntered up to my counter.

Color my kitty impressed, the wolf has manners.

"Hey, sweet cheeks. Name's Jasper and he's Tobias. Tiny to his friends," Jasper continued with an eyebrow waggle. "Care to squeeze us in?"

"Nope," Tobias replied already stalking for the exit.

"Sure," I smirked freezing Tobias' hand on the handle. "If he can keep his animal in his pants. No losing your shit in the cubicles, Tiny. Says so on the sign."

"Not a problem," Tobias grit out, eyes flashing at me in challenge.

My animal slow-blinked, basking in the male's dominance.

"That remains to be seen, doesn't it, mate?" the wolf drawled, shooting me a panty-melting wink.

"What?" I replied as my animal let out a ragged purr.

I worked double time to choke off the mortifying sound as Jasper waved an airy hand at his mate. Tobias growled back, sending goosebumps over my skin.

The fuck? I narrowed my eyes on the wolf. Did the guy just pee on his territory?

"It'll be eight hundred a piece. Each session," I spat, stomping off to my cubicle. "Leave it on the counter."

I heard the thump of a wad hitting touchdown. I'd eyeball it on their way out. My boss was a real fire breather if folks shined us on. I got out fresh needles and some wipes, routine soothing my jangled nerves, and forced a congenial smile.

"Know what you want?"

Jasper's eyes were hooded as he leaned against the wall. "Sure do. Tiny?"

With a rumble, Tobias dropped trou. It took every ounce of will power I had to hold the wolf's gaze as Tiny got on the bench. Jasper leaned a knuckle on the table and scratched his fingers in an intimate gesture from his mate's hip to the crease of his ass.

"Claiming mark," he growled.

My breath came in ragged and my heart tried to climb out of my chest. "What kind?"

"Tiger's claw," Jasper smirked at the same time as the shifter beneath him snarled again.

I was suddenly one hundred per cent sure that the animal laid out on my table intended to take a chunk out of my naked ass. Muscles bunching, I glared at the cocky wolf.

Fight, fuck or flee? That is the question.

Tobias' hand whipped out, catching my wrist. The hold wasn't inescapable but it was insistent. "Please, mate?"

The bear's ragged voice was a gun shot, all throaty and needy, as my tiger roared in approval.

Mate? This—can't be happening. I—I must not have heard him right.

I was standing again. Shivering. My arousal—a deep inexplicable burn—filled the air. I squeezed my thighs but a whimper clawed its way out. Tobias released my wrist, flipped himself on the table and hauled me across his waist. My hands landed on his pecs as I straddled his torso like a homecoming.

The table groaned as Jasper climbed on behind me. Grinding his cock at my back, the wolf swiped the hair from my neck. "Gotta say it, sweet cheeks. Can't do what we want to do to you if you don't say it."

"Wh-what?"

The wolf's teeth ground down on the tender flesh of my exposed shoulder.

"Say you're ours," Jasper replied, letting go of my tortured skin as I cried out. The bastard had left a bruise but I wasn't crying out because he'd marked me. I was crying out because he hadn't marked me good enough. I needed more. "Claim us, mate. Who do we belong to?"

"Me," I rasped. Fisting a hand in his hair, I kissed the prick. "You're mine."

"That's right, Kitty," Jasper replied. Tobias surged upright with a jubilant roar. One greedy arm pinned us both in place as he grabbed my jaw in a meaty fist. He crushed my lips to his own while Jasper whispered hot and heavy in my ear. "Gonna make sure you never forget it."

And that's when the river rocks came tumbling down.