by Sasha White
She threw the truck in gear and headed for her home. There she’d examine him further to ensure he wasn’t a hoax. Katy didn’t really have a place for a large cat, but it wasn’t like she’d take him out of the cage. That cage was the only thing keeping him from ripping her arm off. Well, the cage and the dart in his muscled flank. The tension in her neck eased a fraction. With the drugs in the animal’s system, he was no danger to anyone—at least for a little while.
Katy drove, trying to ignore the choppers following her down the freeway. The last thing she wanted was for people to camp out on her lawn in hopes of catching a glimpse of the cat. Katy took as many side streets as she could.
She’d just about given up trying to shake the pesky reporters, when a broadcast concerning a high-speed police chase on the 405 freeway interrupted the music. The choppers veered off in search of the next hot story. Katy’s shoulders slumped and she let out a long breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.
She glanced into the back of the truck, unable to see the animal. “You and I finally have a little privacy,” she murmured, then continued home.
Chapter Two
Forty minutes later, Katy pulled into her driveway and drove straight into her garage. She pressed a button on her visor and watched the door slowly lower, before killing the engine. Katy leaned down, resting her head on the steering wheel for a few moments as she considered the ramifications of this discovery and her departure from protocol.
She knew she could be fired over this incident and in all likelihood would be. It didn’t matter that she was the best tracker this side of the Rockies or that she’d dated Roger for a time. The latter would only hurt her chances of keeping her employment. And today, she’d inadvertently given Roger the excuse he needed to terminate her.
So why did she feel so compelled to see this through? It made no sense. Yet, she couldn’t ignore the little voice inside her head, driving her on, telling Katy that time was almost up.
She straightened. It was too late now. Katy thought about the animal in the cage. People from all over would come to study this cat and take blood, along with sperm samples. They’d want to know where he came from and if there were any more cats out there like him.
The last question brought Katy up short. Where had he come from? It’s not like they’d been living in the Hollywood Hills and no one had noticed them until now. Did someone dump him off? That made no sense either. How would you transport a cat that size without being seen? It wasn’t possible. And if someone had managed it, why hadn’t they come forward with their discovery? It would be worldwide news.
These were all good questions, with no easy or obvious answers. Nothing made sense. The find of the century hadn’t just dropped out of the sky.
Everyone knew that saber-toothed cats had disappeared thousands of years ago…at least all scientific data had pointed to that conclusion. Until today that is. This discovery would put zoological study on its ear. The history books would need to be rewritten.
The big cat’s discovery also opened the possibility that other creatures the world considered extinct were still around. Katy smiled. This was too good to be true. With that thought, the nerves at the back of her neck prickled with unease. Katy looked around her garage to ensure she was alone.
“You’re being ridiculous,” she chided.
She then plucked the keys out of the ignition and gathered her tote, before sliding out of the cab of the truck. Walking to the door that led to her kitchen, Katy slipped the lock and dropped her bag inside. She shouldn’t need it. She’d given the cat enough tranq to keep him out for at least five more hours. That should be ample time to examine and photograph him in the cage, before turning him over to Roger Sylvan and the Bio Tech facility.
Katy strode toward the back of the truck and opened the tailgate. The hatch groaned in protest, before she dropped it with a loud bang. She cringed. It was a good thing the cat was in a deep sleep. She smiled, then carefully loosened the ropes to remove the tarp. Her gaze swept the steel cage and her mind froze, refusing to believe what her eyes were telling it. Katy pinched the bridge of her nose and looked again.
A naked man lay inside the cage, sleeping soundly, with a tranquilizer dart sticking out of his juicy rump. His deceptively long brown lashes accentuated his chiseled cheekbones and near-perfect mouth. The man had lips that were made for… Katy tore her gaze away from his mouth. She didn’t want to think what those sensuous lips could do to a woman's commonsense.
Heart pounding, she drank in the rest of him. A thin line of hair swirled around the flat discs of his nipples before trailing down his chest to his… Her eyes rounded and Katy gulped as awareness spread through her body. Parts that hadn’t seen any action in months began to tingle and throb. Her cheeks flamed in embarrassment and she quickly glanced at his face to make sure he hadn’t caught her ogling him.
The man took steady breaths in and out, his muscled chest rising and falling evenly. Lucky for her, he remained blissfully unaware of her indiscretion. For a second, he’d made her forget all about the saber-tooth, but thankfully, the moment had passed.
It didn’t matter to Katy if she had Adonis himself in that cage and from the looks of him it could very well be the legendary Greek god. Right now, her only concern was finding out what had happened to her prized cat.
She’d watched the Bio Tech team load the cat into her truck. Heck, she’d even helped them and secured the cage afterwards. Katy hadn’t imagined the weight beneath her palms or the snuffles the animal made from its drug-induced sleep. It had only taken a minute to get into her truck and pull out of the lot. There was no way anyone had time to remove the cat or switch the cages. Yet, that’s exactly what had happened.
It was either that or…
Had she somehow been drugged? Had they all been given a mass hallucinogen? One that made them believe they’d captured an extinct cat, when in fact, it had been a man the whole time. The thought horrified Katy, but how else could she explain the loss?
Even as the questions crossed her mind, she realized Roger would never believe her. Had her boss wanted her gone so badly that he actually planned this whole thing? Katy wouldn’t put it past Roger, but she didn’t think he had the brains to pull it off. There was only one way to find out for sure. She had to wake up sleeping beauty and find out who’d hired him.
She hoisted herself into the back of her pickup and pulled the key to the cage out of her pocket. Katy slipped the key into the lock, watching the man carefully, even though she knew he’d be out for close to twenty-four hours given the dosage of the tranquilizer dart sticking in his flesh. Whoever was behind this elaborate hoax or theft had thought of everything.
Katy licked her lips as she admired the rounded fullness of the naked man’s bare behind. Her fingers quivered as she pulled the latch that opened the cage door. It made a loud creak, shattering her nerves and the silence in the garage.
“You’re being silly. It’s not possible.” She shook her head. “This is someone’s idea of a sick joke and this guy’s in on it, even if he’s out cold.”
She scolded herself for hesitating as she threw the door wide, slamming it against the side of the truck. Pistol in hand, Katy dropped to her knees and slowly crawled forward, straining to reach the dart. She needed to do this quick, so she could wake the guy and find out his part in this charade.
Without the saber-tooth, there would be no scientific journals, accolades or job offers. She’d be just another out-of-work tracker on a job hunt.
What job do you think you’re going to get without references? Katy’s heart sank. In all likelihood her next job would require her to ask, ‘would you like fries with your shake’.
Damn it, she wasn’t going down without a fight. This guy was going to help her whether he wanted to or not. He may not know it, but he owed her.
Her fingers closed around the dart and she pulled. The man didn’t move. Katy tugged harder and the dart slipped out of his skin. The naked man’s
hands were on her so fast, removing the pistol from her grip, that Katy didn’t have a chance to blink much less pull the trigger.
He came to life like the dart was a mere mosquito bite, not something designed to take down a thousand pound cat. The man pushed her out of the cage and onto her back across the tailgate, keeping his hand firmly locked on her wrists the entire time. His warm muscled body blanketed her before she could even take a breath.
Shocked by the riot of sensations taking place inside her, Katy forgot to struggle. Her sole focus remained locked on the feel of the man above her. It took a moment for her adrenaline kicked in.
“Let go,” she said, then fought and scratched him, while her hips bucked against his solid weight in an attempt to dislodge him.
The man didn’t seem to notice.
Katy kicked out again and he took the opportunity to settle himself between her thighs, effectively pinning her to the tailgate. Warmth spread through her body and Katy fought harder. “I mean it. Get off me,” she snarled.
Be silent!
The command pummeled her mind, knocking the breath from her lungs. Katy gasped. She was losing it. She had to be losing it. People didn’t talk to each other using their minds. It just wasn’t done outside of the movies and sci-fi-fantasy novels. Didn’t he know that? If not, somebody should tell him. She wheezed, drawing in a shuddering breath.
“Who are you and what do you want?” she asked, wiggling her hips until she came into contact with a long, hard ridge of flesh. Katy froze, her eyes rounding as she felt said flesh begin to grow impossibly thicker. She remembered the size of the cat, then unconsciously glanced down, before meeting his gaze once more.
Feral green eyes locked with hers.
Katy felt herself falling into their emerald depths. His breath came in pants, but she doubted it had anything to do with trying to keep her still. The man’s jaw clenched and his muscles tightened as his hips moved of their own volition, making a small thrust forward.
She whimpered, as his shaft slid over her cleft, leaving an ache behind. For a moment, Katy couldn’t move or breathe as her body responded to his heat, then she panicked. “Get the hell off me!”
She shoved against his hands and he actually had the audacity to grin at her. It was then that she noticed the sharp points of his incisors. They weren’t fangs exactly, but they were close.
Will you cease your struggles?
“Fuck you!”
His grin spread wider, flashing more of his unusually white teeth. If that is an invitation to enter your body, then I accept.
Katy’s eyes bugged. “I-I…” She growled in frustration. “It is not an invitation! Now get off me or I’ll scream.”
Please don’t. I’d hate for you to accidentally harm yourself.
“The only one about to get hurt here, buddy, is you.”
His brow shot to his hairline and his sensual lips quirked. She got the distinct impression he was trying not to laugh. He tightened his one-handed grip on her wrists. With his free hand, he brushed the strands of hair away from her face that had come loose in the struggle.
Such an unusual color. He fingered the strawberry blonde tresses for a second, before burying his nose in the side of her head and inhaling. Your scent is unfamiliar, but I like it.
“Th-thank you.” What in the hell was she saying? Had she really just thanked him for the compliment? Katy was not having a conversation with this…this…man. She refused to think of him as anything more.
He grinned again and her heart fluttered in her chest.
“Are you a mind reader? Is that how you’re sending me your thoughts? I’m not psychic, but I’ve always been a little sensitive.” She left off the fact that her sensitivity only extended to animals. Was this really any different? Katy waited for him to respond, but he never did.
He continued to play with her hair, twirling it around his thick fingers. So soft, he murmured in her mind.
Any other time, Katy would kill to have this kind of attention from a man who looked like him, but under the circumstances…
“Are you going to let me up?” she asked.
No, he answered softly.
She snarled in frustration. “You can’t keep me here.”
He glanced down at her body and rotated his hips. Her head dropped back and she bit her lip to keep from whimpering. Damned, if that didn’t feel good.
I prefer your current position and it appears you do, too.
* * * * *
Kegar felt her soften beneath him and nearly groaned. Her arms remained tense, but the rest of her accepted his weight as if they’d been joining for centuries. His hips rested between her firm thighs, his shaft cradled by her softly rounded stomach.
He loved the fact that she wasn’t small and brittle. Strength was prized by him and his people. A weak mate was useless. He needed someone who’d fight by his side and bear strong babes. Someone who’d stand up to him, despite his great size.
This woman seemed more than up for the task. Sure, it would take some convincing, but he had a little time. Kegar wished he had more, but unfortunately he’d left the ship without permission, which meant he had to work fast. His people were already orbiting this planet. As soon as they located his position, they’d retrieve him, whether he was ready to go or not. Kegar knew he could always contact them, but what fun would that be?
A smile flittered over his mouth as the woman pushed against his hands. She reminded him of the ancient stories he’d heard about a pack of female feral cats that had lived on Zaron long before his people had settled the planet.
When the Phantom Warriors had arrived, several of the women had trapped and captured the males for breeding purposes. Not that the males complained for the feral women were rumored to be beautiful beyond compare. Their offspring were said to be the start of the Claw Clan. Kegar knew it was only a story, but part of him hoped that this woman would want to claim him like those feral women had done to his ancestors so long ago.
“What if I don’t like this position?” she retorted, unable to hide the sudden rasp in her voice. He leaned down mashing his chest into hers. Her nipples pebbled on contact.
Kegar’s mouth watered at the thought of tasting her. Your body tells me otherwise.
“My body is lying whore,” she said. “You shouldn’t pay any attention to it.”
Your lips are lying, not your body. I can smell your feminine heat. It beats at me. Right now your entrance creams in anticipation of my hard shaft. He rocked his hips for emphasis. I have traveled far to find you. I will not have you deny our connection however swift. Not now. Not ever.
“What connection? We do not have a connection. I don’t even know you.” It didn’t matter if they were generating enough heat to melt the remaining polar ice caps. Katy was not about to do anything stupid with a complete stranger. This was L.A. after all.
She stared into his green eyes. The desire she saw sizzling in those emerald depths made her ache. The connection she felt was instantaneous. Katy wasn’t one of those New Age Californians who believed in destinies and karma, but there was no denying that something weird was happening between them. Something cosmic she couldn’t explain. Something she wasn’t sure she wanted the answer to at this moment.
I know you feel it. Every time you look at me, the blue of your eyes deepens. Your body heats and begins to ache in a way that only I can assuage.
“Yeah, right. You and any fifty-dollar eight-inch dildo. Rape is still rape, don’t try to justify it with some kind of ‘woo-woo we belong together’ crap.” Katy’s pulse raced as the words left her mouth. She knew this man would beat any dildo on the market, but the last thing she wanted to do was encourage him. Right now, if she could, she’d pummel him.
His cheeks darkened and his eyes narrowed to green slits. For some reason, his expression reminded Katy of the cat. She snorted. What was she thinking, that this guy somehow turned into a mind-reading saber-tooth? The music from that old-time trippy TV show played in her hea
d. Katy vowed that if she made it out of this alive, she’d go straight to the hospital and check herself in.
I assure you that a toy cannot replace the real thing. His cock throbbed against her stomach, searing her skin right through her shirt. In the end, you will come to me willingly. No force needed.
“Tell me what you’ve done with the cat and I promise I won’t prosecute you for theft after you’re arrested.”
In due time I shall reveal all.
“It has to be the drugs. This cannot be happening. None of this is real—that includes you and your, your mind-reading-speaking thingy.”
His nostrils flared and he smiled, then licked his sensuous lips like a cat cleaning its whiskers. His green eyes sparkled in the low light, showing promises of things to come. Think again, my pet. There is nothing foreign in your system to disrupt your senses. I’m real, very real and I shall prove it.
She shook her head. “That won’t be necessary. I’ll take your word for it.”
Oh, but I insist. He jumped off the truck, pulling her up suddenly, before tossing her over his insanely broad shoulder like a caveman. Katy found herself hanging upside down, staring at his perfect ass. And oh, what an ass it was. She pressed her lips together to keep from drooling. She should be screaming and beating at him in an attempt to escape.
Her mind stayed indignant, while her body had other ideas. It liked the feel of his muscles shifting beneath her palms, the hot glide of his skin as he walked to the door that led into her kitchen, and the supple cat-like movements he made when he stepped silently on the tile floor. Everything about the man screamed sex and sensuality.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked.
Somewhere more comfortable. Which way to your sleep paddock?
“My what?”
He paused, tilting his head from side to side as he scented the air. Then he moved unerringly to her bedroom.
“How did you?”
I simply followed your ripe scent.
“You can’t…I mean…” It wasn’t possible, was it? “I don’t stink!” she snapped.
