Kierra

I clench my eyes shut, hearing the tiger get to his feet. Bengal tigers are known to be the largest of the felines in the world today. Have to say I agree, from the glimpse I'd gotten before hiding. At least twelve feet worth of cat is in front of me and probably not happy.

They've been known to kill other bigger predators like crocodiles, bears, other big cats, and even wolves. Known to turn a hunt back on poachers and hunt them down. I'm in so much trouble. This ability was only thought to work on Weres, but I'm guessing it works on anything that has an inner animal.

Hell of a time to find out.

The deep chuffing, which acts like a regular cat's purring, is startling before a large skull headbutts me. I open my eyes slowly and gape at Benjamin, who stands around the same height as Xavier in his animal form. That would make Benji here about four and a half feet tall, just at his shoulder.

The massive head rubs against my middle. Yeek, amorous kitty.

"Uh, Benjamin? I am so sorry. I didn't know that would work on a Vampire. You did mention before you're part of a feline bloodline, but I didn't know Werewolf mojo would work on you. I didn't even try to do this. Please, please don't eat me. That would put a major crimp in my plans."

I get a grunt in response. Not sure if Vamps have the telepathy that the Weres and Shifters do, but so far I'm guessing not. I'm not caught up on my big cat speak, so this outta be interesting.

Hearing the upper door open, I push at the large feline to back up. Wouldn't do to be seen, can't very well eat the boss, as fun as that would be. By the scent reaching my nose as I inhale, it is in fact, Gary.

Crouching down behind a stack of papers, I listen hard. Getting headbutted so hard I almost fall over, I wrap my arms around his massive head and hold it close to my chest. Fingers tap at his velvety nose to quiet him as my heart speeds up next to his ears. Does that count as music to an undead's ears?

Hard footfalls come closer, but before I can move to intercept, Ms.Granite calls for him, telling him that Mr. Thomas went out for lunch and has yet to come back. Bless that woman. My fingers sink deep into white fur as I hold him to me while the sounds of Gary's glomping feet head back up the stairs, complaining about anything and everything he can.

Blowing my held breath out, I try to stand, but I'm unable to since like a typical feline, this one has become lazy. Having laid down at some point, front legs reach past my bent legs and his back legs are laid out to his side. A very long tail thumps across wooden boxes making a hollow sound, the damn thing looks to be about five feet long all on its own.

The heavy head lays on my legs, tucked close to my body. My right hand goes into the longer fur around his neck and head while the fingertips of my left rest on his wide nose. Turquoise eyes open sleepily and look at me.

"You're heavy, you do know this, yes?"

I get another grunt before his chuffing purr picks up again, but he doesn't move an inch. I growl as I lower myself onto my butt and cross my legs under his head.

"This better not be like it was with Xavier, I'm not going to stay here with you all night."

His tail thumps against the boxes again.

"Well I'm not, I got shit to do. Can always tell the nice receptionist that you came down with the sniffles suddenly and went home."

I nod absently, fingers at his nose rubbing the softer short follicles. I get another tail thump in answer.

"You know, you better be glad I sort of understand you. Can thank my cat later."

It's now that I realize my hat is across the room. Probably coming off when my head went back.

"My sister will not be happy if you messed up her hat."

He moans. Not the type of moan you'd get from a human, this is something deeper, more primal. His mouth opens wide as his lips go back in a yawn-moan. Picture a cat yawning while in the middle of meowing at you and you've got what he's doing, just with killer teeth that are very much larger. Try about four inches larger.

He's not exactly quiet about it either. We should be fine as long as he doesn't start snarling, growling, or roaring though. With my having sat down, his front legs went off to the side as well. He's pretty much just laying on his side, period.

"I'm not impressed. I'm pretty sure my teeth are bigger than yours when in Were form."

He drops his head back into my lap, lips pulled back all fierce-like. Get the feeling I'd have to do something pretty awful before he'd hurt me though. I trace a finger along his lip as I think on things. With a hand buried in his fur, I think over what we had been talking about.

"Again, I'm sorry this happened. I'm not very good at controlling my inner animal yet, and she gets riled fast when certain things are brought up. Otherwise, it's mostly the eye flares. Thank you for whatever you did that calmed me down. Need a pocket version of you to take with me to calm me with other problems."

I scoff, playing with his whiskers.

"This has only happened once before, last night with Xavier. I was asking him questions and when I touched him, I saw his animal, and next thing I know he's shifted in front of me. Guess that's one way to get people not to touch me; I bring out their animal. Xavier had mentioned when he tried resisting it, it became painful."

Looking around, his shredded clothes are on the floor about me. Wincing, I reach out for what's left of his shirt. Big animals don't do well in a lean man's clothing. Both his shirt and slacks are in pieces. A frown crosses my face.

"Is it a thing with men nowadays to not wear underwear? I can understand not wearing the tighty-whities but boxers are a thing, you know."

His eyes glitter at me in laughter. Getting real good at reading animal eyes. I hear someone coming down the stairs again, footsteps soft and light. Pulling out from under the huge cat who also sits up, I stick my nose into the air.

I lay my hand over Benji's head as I shake my own, standing up and stepping out to see Xavier looking around with narrowed eyes. Think I mentioned to him before that Benjamin was a Vamp, but I can't remember. Guess I'll find out in a second.

"Xavier? What's up? Gary didn't see you, did he?"

He shakes his head before it cocks and he smells the air.

"Yeah...I had a bit of an accident. Remember what happened to you last night when I touched you? Apparently, it works on Vamps to."

Surprise covers his face, then he sees the very huge cat come out from behind the wall of paper. He takes a step back and I can see him tense up, ready to half shift. I point at him with narrowed eyes.

"Don't you dare. Now is not the time for a dick measuring contest. You two want to come to blows, you do it away from me. I want nothing to do with it. That means you too, Benji."

I was catching the cat's ears going back, lips raising. Looking back to him, I tap at his nose again, hand really close to very large teeth.

Tigers are very strong to begin with, you add that to a Vampire and it's a serious killing machine. Just from the one fight I had with one, I know they have augmented strength. I would really not want to be between two male animals right now if they start going at it.

"I mean it. Both of you calm the fuck down. I have too much on my plate right now, and let's not forget that whole thing about exposure. Being seen is bad, remember?"

Looking back to Xavier, he backs down, the extended claws receding and facial features smoothing back out. He looks at me with amber eyes that are still wary, but calming. I send him my pleas with a calming, peaceful feeling.

He bows his head to me, so I look back to the tiger. Benjamin grunts at me as his eyes hold mine for a moment, then his body starts changing.

"Oh shit."

My sentiments are echoed from behind me as the long white body goes upright and forms into a man. The whole process is very fast and almost like a melding instead of shifting.

Within seconds I'm standing in front of a wonderfully nude male that is not even a little bit shy. My face flames as I turn away, eyes going yellow from my burst of embarrassment.

"Uh, you have extra clothes down here, right? Please tell me you do. Clothes are good. Very good."

I start babbling, and when I notice, I shut up. Biting my tongue as I look at Xavier, he has a smirk on his face. I scowl at him, which just makes his smirk turn into laughter.

"You're adorable when you do that."

I cross my arms and glare, then hear the nude male behind me moving around. My blush refuses to dampen when I have images dancing in my head.

Sweet Goddess, make me blind. I cannot handle anymore yummy looking males around me.

Both men here share a lot in common when it comes to long, lean, muscled, and just downright ripped bodies. Benji's upper body, however, is covered in tattoos. A few lower too but I'm trying not to think of those.

Once again in a room where the males can smell my reaction, I want to start bashing my head into the wall.

"Are you dressed yet? Now that you can speak, we need to get back to awful real-life problems."

I'm a master when it comes to ruining a mood. Still works for me now, as it calms my libido significantly. There's still a smirk on Xavier's face, but it's tempered.

A tap on my shoulder has my head turning to see that most of the nudeness is covered. Sweat pants hang low on his hips, and right back up my libido goes. Blood rushes back to my face so fast I get dizzy.

"I swear the Gods are torturing me from some past life wrongs I've had to have done. Stolen sheep...robbed a king...offended some Greek deity's dog. Something."

My hand had gone over my eyes and I spoke under my breath, but both of them are laughing at me.

"I hate you guys."

That just makes them laugh harder.

Le sigh.

Although, I must say I now have some great details for future characters in my books. Since it seems it's not just Weres that have that whole 'animal magnetism' crap. Must be an overall male supernatural thing.

"I think I have some old workout clothes in a box over there if you think I need a shirt."

Benji's teasing voice plays along nerve endings that are highly piqued right now. To be honest, I don't want him in a shirt, but that's the only safe thing for my sanity. I nod since I'm not sure if my voice will come out right, would only make things worse if I started talking all breathy-like, croaking, or sounding disappointed.

He walks past, his scent washing over me. Light cologne, old sweat from his sweats, and his cat. That one is the most interesting since it literally smells of green things and water, mixed with the dryness that I've connected to be the Vamp part of him.

I can feel my brow furrow. The same thing had happened with Xavier. I'm smelling them, but also the area their animals originate from.

"That is so weird."

"What is?"

My eyes fly open as I step back, Xavier having come closer to me.

"This, whatever it is, ability. I'm able to smell where your animal has come from. Originally. You smell of dry grasses and sunshine, Benjamin smells of greenery and water."

He looks interested, so apparently it's from the ability and not just a Were thing.

"I smell of greenery?"

The Vampire comes walking up behind the other animal, who turns to keep him from his back. A plain white T-shirt being pulled down over his abdomen as he looks at me. I nod.

"There's a dryness that I've come to recognize as Vampire, the added smells of the body itself like sweat and colognes, then there is the animal, which is a dual scent. The animal, and where it's from. I think that may be why Asher had so much trouble in teaching me to track by scents, I'd be picking up more than just the every day scents of supernaturals. I smell the outside like everyone else, but I also smell the inside. Not sure if I'm describing it right, but that's how it feels."

Both of them are looking at me contemplatively, so I start fidgeting, feeling like a bug under a microscope. Clearing my throat, I step away from both of them, grab up my hat, and sit back onto my perch at the desk. Too bad I haven't developed a damn compass to lost family members, you know, something actually useful.