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would like.
That sounds good. I doubt it will be as good as I am used to, but it will
probably help relax you.
Rayne had nodded and taken the tray into the kitchen. Turning on the water
of the sink, she had let it drown out the soft clicking noise she made with her
tongue. The pantry door then opened and Mohan had walked toward her
silently. Holding the tiger s gaze, she had paused to pray for forgiveness. Softly,
her words distinct as she had practiced, she directed the wild animal that lurked
below the surface of the domesticated cat.
Mohan, intruder, she lifted her hand to point, and then gave the
command. Kill, Mohan!
She had run out the back door, unable to listen to the sounds. Exhausted and
stunned, she had collapsed onto the lawn, covering her ears with her hands.
How long before the dogs came, followed by a blood-covered Mohan, she had no
idea. Cradling the big cat s head on her lap, she had spoken softly, trying to
soothe its frazzled nervous nature. Her guilt was massive. There was every
chance Mohan might have to be put down after this. Once she d gotten the taste
of the kill, it might be impossible to keep her as a pet.
At one point, she had lowered her head to rest on the cat s bloody coat. Had
she done the right thing by risking her beloved pet s life to save her own? She
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had murdered a man in cold blood, even if it had not been by her own hand. She
would have to decide whether she was going to call the sheriff or take a chance
and bury Anton s body. And she would have to get rid of his skimmer as well.
Even though she had not seen it, she was sure it was parked only a short distance
away. Also he might have rented a room in town. What if someone there raised
an alarm and started inquiries? Or perhaps the council Anton had mentioned
would send someone to find him.
When Sean had shown up, she hadn t known whether to be relieved or
fearful. But then he had taken over and relieved her of any decisions. He had
brought a change of clothing out, and then together they had gone around to the
outdoor shower. As directed, she had gotten under the spray with her clothes on,
and then removed them. Mohan had wandered back with them and even stood
under the spray without any kind of fuss.
Colleen had made a fuss over her, but not asked any questions. She had
taken a few aspirins along with a glass of milk. The sound of the door shutting
on Sean s truck had awakened her. Quietly she had walked the short distance to
the room Colleen had discreetly pointed out when she gave her a brief tour.
Inside the room, she had heard the shower running and sat on Sean s bed to wait
for him.
* * * * *
I ll answer your questions now, if you want.
What the fuck! Sean spun around in surprise. He had no idea that he
wasn t alone in the room. Ever since he had met Rayne he d had reason to doubt
his own psychic abilities. Shaking his head slowly, he walked over to the bed. I
don t have any paper with me at the moment, Rayne.
She smiled and shifted up onto her knees on the bed. We could go down to
your office if you d prefer.
The only thing I prefer right now is my pillow and sleep. He stopped as he
saw that Rayne was wearing the top to the silk pajamas his mother had given
him last Christmas. I think you forgot the bottom half of that outfit. He sat
down on the far side of the bed.
Rayne shook her head. I didn t forget. Colleen only gave me the top. I think
your sister has matchmaking on her mind.
Sean considered the lighthearted tone in her voice for a moment, and then he
stood back up. He tugged the comforter and sheet down on his side of the bed.
Maybe. He pulled on the blankets until Rayne got up so he could pull her side
of the bed down as well. Without another word, he got into bed and pulled up
the covers. He put his hands behind his head as he leaned back on the pillows.
Rayne stood and watched him for a few seconds before she spoke. You
object?
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Nope. I am rather in favor of the idea myself. How do you feel about it?
Rayne slipped under the covers, turning on her side to look at him. I m not
opposed, but I don t want you to think that what happened today influenced
me.
Sean rolled over onto his side to face Rayne. The room was only very dimly
lit by the faintest of lights coming from the bathroom. You may think it is too
early, but I love you, Rayne. What happened last night and today didn t change
my feelings.
It is too soon for us to be sure, but I think I feel the same way.
Just think?
I m pretty sure, Sean. Today s events have changed things, or they will. I
could end up in jail.
Sean shook his head negatively. No, you aren t going to jail. We will have to
be careful about your kitty cat, though. He paused to shake his finger at her.
Rayne nodded and leaned forward to grab hold of his finger. She pulled it
toward her, closing her mouth around it. Sucking on it for a moment or too, she
then smiled. I feel very guilty about it all. I didn t do this without provocation.
Mohan never would have attacked without my giving the signal.
I wasn t planning on going over all of this until morning, but I am curious
about one thing. I didn t know you had a tiger living with you, by the way. He
paused to give her his mildest glare. How did you end up with a tiger named
Mohan?
It s a long story.
Go on, honey. There is no place else on Earth I d rather be.
White tigers are very rare any more. Very few in the zoos and captivity
survived the war, and on average in the wild, only one in ten thousand are born
white. No white tigers in the wild were found after the 1950 s in fact, and the
wild species, which is really just a sub-species of the Bengal tiger, only survived
in captivity due to inbreeding and crossbreeding programs.
They are albinos then?
Rayne shook her head. Not at all. The white tigers, which survived until
present times, are the result of the breeding programs using inbred and
crossbred mixes of the Bengal and the Siberian tiger. An albino would have pink
eyes, and there had been only one recorded instance of true albino tigers, Sean.
In Cooch Behar, which we know as West Bengal, in India, two albino cubs were
shot in 1922.
Rayne paused to shift slightly on the bed. The white tiger has pale blue
eyes, a mottled grayish-pink nose and is white with the dark stripes that can vary
from black to a chocolate brown color. White tigers are born only to parents who
both carry the recessive gene for the white coloring.
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What about the Siberian tigers I remember hearing about in history?
Actually, Sean, no wild white tigers have ever been reported in either the
former region of Siberia, or anywhere else in the world, except the one found in
Rewa. The Siberian White Tiger that existed in zoos were all cross-bred
production.
Sean reached his hand out and captured a lock of Rayne s hair. Slowly he
wound it around his finger. You are a fount of information, my love, but how
did you end up with something that is obviously on the endangered species list
and should be in one of the few remaining zoos?
At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the tiger Species Survival
Program reinforced its stand against the breeding of the white tiger in captivity.
The white tiger is a freak of nature, and obviously cannot survive in the wild. But
the popularity of the animal made it a money-maker for zoos, which was the
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