A Seacat's Love (Oceanan Trilogy Book 1)

by Kong, Jessica

  “I have no intentions of leaving her behind again.”

  This time Rick’s eyebrow went up. Indeed he and Challen resembled each other when they did that habit of theirs. “What do you mean?” he asked suspiciously.

  “She may come as well, if she wishes.”

  “I can’t force my sister to leave this planet behind, nor can I go with you and leave her.”

  The young man shrugged his right shoulder indifferently. “The choice is yours.”

  Rick stared at him. “Are you telling me that I must choose between my wife and my sister?”

  Challen had a hooded expression. He did not answer him.

  “You son of a bitch.”

  It was Challen’s turn with his eyebrow. “Your sister will come with us. I am sure of it.”

  “How the bloody hell can you be so sure?”

  “Nora said your relationship with your sister is the same as that of mine with Nora. In that case, Carol Ann will not allow you to part from her side. She will come with us.”

  “If only I could be so sure. You don’t know Carol Ann as I do. She can be real stubborn sometimes.”

  “No different than Leonora. Do not worry. She will come.”

  “How? She’s not even here.”

  Challen frowned so severely his eyebrows connected in the middle. He grinded his teeth while he glowered at Rick. Balling up his fists, he hissed in a low, barely audible whisper, “Then we will go for her.”

  “How?”

  “You will see, only if you have decided to part with your world and your way of life.”

  Rick surveyed the beauty Earth had to offer its inhabitants. He compared how he would feel never to see his beloved planet again to how he felt—and would feel again—about living without Leonora. He faced another life-altering decision. This time, he was positive it was the right choice.

  “I need to see her.” His voice held a silent plea.

  “Then you have decided?”

  “Yes.”

  “I am glad.” Challen held out his hand with a genuine smile. “Welcome to the family, my brother.” Rick extended his hand. They clasped each other’s forearms. Without letting go of Rick’s forearm, Challen ordered, “Transport.” They both disappeared.

  Once aboard the ship’s Transporter Room, Challen impatiently demanded, “Give me Carol Ann’s location. Now!”

  Up went that eyebrow again. “You seem extremely anxious in finding my sister. Why?”

  “Because I have been away from my planet for over two seasons, and I am quite tired of it.” He growled. “Now if you do not mind,” he said, taking a menacing step toward his new brother-in-law, “give me the information that I require so that we can retrieve your sibling and leave this insufferable planet!”

  Challen did not know, but Rick was not one to take orders well, least of all from strangers. He challenged the taller feline, gesture for gesture. “Who the bloody hell do you think you are? Have I given you a reason to think that you can speak to me in such a tone?”

  “That does it!” Challen lunged for Rick.

  Rick and Challen engaged in fisticuffs. Each intended to vent his own frustrations out on the other. Neither saw Jugar rush into the transporter room.

  “Challen! Challen!” Jugar stopped beside the two fighting males. “I just saw Tigif in the corridors. He seemed to be headed to Leonora’s chambers.”

  Both males stopped in midswing of their next move. Their heads whipped toward the Seacat. “What?” they injected together. Rick and Challen stared at each other.

  “Tigif is headed to Leonora’s bedchambers. I do not like the look he had in his eyes.”

  A warning signal went off in Rick’s head.

  “I will take care of you later,” Challen sneered. He was the first to run toward his sister’s quarters.

  “I’ll be looking forward to it,” replied Rick. He was one step behind Challen, and Jugar was close behind him.

  Exiting the bathroom, wrapped only in a towel, Leonora entered her dark bedroom. She went to the opposite end of the room. Switching on the small wall light located beside her bed, she then opened the sliding door to the closet and searched for something to wear.

  She was unaware that Tigif had blackmailed a feline on board into getting her access code from the ship’s computers—again. The tiger stood silently in the dark corner next to the main doors, watching her.

  Tigif had not seen Leonora in two tides. Leonora had kept her doors locked and had allowed no one but her brother to enter. He missed the sight of her. He loved the glow a hot shower placed on her features. He would have to strike fast before she detected his scent.

  Tigif noticed she chose an outfit. It was time. He carefully approached her. “There is no need for you to dress up.”

  Startled, Leonora gasped, turned, and glared at him.

  “I prefer you just this way.”

  “How in the blazes did you get in here? Get out!” She grabbed the towel around the top edge, pulling it more securely around her. The clothes she held covered her swollen belly from Tigif’s view.

  Tigif shook his head. “There is no need for shyness, my pet. We will soon be sharing quarters.”

  “The blazes you say!”

  “Challen has returned from Earth. And as I had predicted, that human has chosen his planet and career over you.” He laughed. “I told you he would get tired of you. It seems that you overmated with him. He has had his fill of you and desires you no more.” He inched closer to her. “So now to save your honor, Challen has given you to me. And I am anxious to brand you mine.” Tigif seized her upper arms and pulled her close. His mouth slammed against hers.

  Leonora had no chance to respond. Tigif quickly pushed her onto the bed and did away with her clothes and towel. Once she was naked beneath him, Leonora felt his arousal. His hands firmly touched her breasts. They slid down her stomach to her thighs and back up.

  He growled in her ear. “I have wanted you for so long.” He went still. Tigif glanced down to where his hands were.

  Leonora read the shock on his face. She snatched her chance to escape him. “Get off me!” She shoved Tigif off her body. She tried to hurry off the bed, but her belly made it awkward for her to move quickly. Tigif grabbed her arm and flung her back unto her back. He stopped her protest with another brutal kiss.

  He swiftly positioned himself on top of Leonora. He forced his legs between her thighs. “I have watched you with him. Each time I swore to myself that you would regret the day you laid with that human. Now I will make you pay for your betrayal. I will make you pay for hosting that cur’s kittens!”

  Planting another of his hurtful kisses, Tigif’s hands scanned Leonora’s thighs, searching for the perfect place to place his mark. He came across the unevenness of her otherwise smooth skin. Breaking the kiss, he examined where his right hand froze. He saw Leonora’s soulscar for the first time.

  His face transformed before her eyes. “Who?” was all he could get out.

  “The Predator,” she declared proudly with a grin. “Now get the blazes off of me!” She pushed against his chest.

  Tigif’s eyes ignited. He smacked Leonora hard against her left cheek. “Blast you!” He back smacked her on her right. “Blast you, you wretch!” He hit her again. “I will make you pay for this.” And again. “I will make your life a living nightmare for giving yourself to another male!” Tigif continued to beat Leonora, ignoring the blood that poured from her nose and mouth.

  Leonora’s thoughts were solely on her unborn litter. She worried about them being maimed, or killed. She managed to fling Tigif off her. As quick as she could, she got off the bed and ran awkwardly toward the front door, uncaring of her state of undress.

  Tigif ran after her. He grabbed her by the hair, spun her around, and banged her head into the wall. Leonora lost consciousness for a few moments. When she awoke, Tigif was leaning over her, opening the front of his pants.

  “You will be mine.”

  Feeling the c
at’s naked hips settle between her legs snapped Leonora out of her daze. She fought with renewed vigor. “No!” She felt Tigif’s manhood seeking entrance. “No!” Her hips jolted away as she released a blood-curdling scream. She extended her claws and made a grab for his erection with the intentions of cutting it off. Tigif evaded her attempts and stilled her hands over her head. Leonora closed her eyes tight and screamed from the top of her lungs.

  Outside Leonora’s chambers, Challen, Jugar, and Rick arrived from the transporter room.

  Challen looked at Rick. “For a human you run fairly quickly.”

  “You’re not too bad yourself,” replied Rick.

  They heard her scream from within the room. It paralyzed the men. Rick regained his senses first. He burst into Leonora’s chambers, followed by a pale-looking Challen and a concerned Jugar. What greeted Rick was the one thing he had swore he would never allow: another man was trying to take his Leonora from him.

  The gates of hell opened. Challen’s eyes ignited. He reached out with his right hand, and Tigif went flying across the room, crashing into the far wall by invisible hands.

  Rick raced up to the fallen cat and lifted him by the neck. With every punch and kick, Rick recalled each time Tigif had made a pass on his wife. He remembered the mutilated aliens he could not save. He thought of how Leonora was experimented on, how close she had come to dying like the others. All of it happened because of Tigif. Tigif was also responsible for the army storming his beach house, jeopardizing Carol Ann’s life. Rick was going to make the tiger pay with his life.

  Challen also wanted to kill Tigif, but since the Predator had reached the cat before he could continue, he instead directed his attention to his little sister. Leonora was on the floor—naked, bleeding, and still. With a swing of his left hand, the bedsheet flew off the mattress and onto Leonora. Challen carefully covered his sister’s body. He then gently lifted Leonora into his arms. In a soothing voice, he telepathically told her everything was going to be all right.

  He spotted Jugar. The cougar stood transfixed. Challen could see Jugar was shocked by what he had done to Tigif and the bed-sheet. Upon hearing the commotion, several other Seacats rushed into the room. They stopped next to Jugar and stared at the human beating a fellow feline. They turned to their commanding officers in question.

  “Jugar!” barked Challen. “Contact the infirmary. Have Dr. Bengali ready for my arrival.” He headed for the door with his sister. He would talk to Jugar later.

  Jugar called after him. “What about Tigif?” The door closed.

  Waking up in the infirmary, Leonora’s mind was instantly alert. She recognized her surroundings. Only one thought popped into her mind. “My babies!” she cried, wild-eyed and full of terror.

  “Calm down,” instructed a male from her left side. “Everything is going to be all right.”

  “My kittens! What about my kittens? Are they going to be all right? Are my kittens all right?”

  “Your kittens?” The doctor nodded. “Yes. Your kittens are fine. So, please, calm down.”

  “Are you sure?”

  The snowy white tiger patted her arm. “Calm down, Leonora. You and your little ones are going to be fine. You have a broken nose, cuts, and bruises. You also have a concussion. But all you require is bed rest,” informed Dr. Bengali.

  “Really? Are you sure? Are you absolutely sure?” She was on the verge of hysteria.

  “Yes, Leonora. I am positive. Please, try to control yourself, or we will have to sedate you. I am sure you do not want me to do that, being that it may have some harmful effects on your little ones, correct?”

  Leonora shook her head. She closed her eyes and willed herself to do as the doctor ordered.

  “Good then.” The young doctor patted her shoulder. “Relax. Everything will be fine. I promise you. Take a deep breath and let it out slowly.” He watched her as she did as instructed. “Good feline. Again. This time more slowly. That is correct. You will soon feel relaxed and a lot calmer. Continue to take deep breaths. Slowly exhale. Good feline.”

  For the first time, Leonora did as she was told. It was not long before she felt the calmness flowing within her anxious body.

  “Good feline,” Dr. Bengali repeated. “I will leave you, so you can rest. I will be back in a little while to check on you. Is there anything that I can get for you before I go?”

  “No. Thank you, Dr. Bengali. I am all right now. Thank you.”

  “Very well then, I will speak to you later.” He squeezed Leonora’s shoulder once before he left.

  Leonora continued to breathe deeply. She gave thanks to her creator for sparing her little ones. Commotion taking place outside her section of the infirmary drew her attention. She could hear lots of muffled yelling, going back and forth between parties. However, she could not distinguish the voices. Her door swooshed open unexpectedly, and she jolted in her bed.

  “Get out of my way! No one is going to keep me from Nora again. No one!”

  She recognized that voice. A bearded man stormed into her room with a very red-faced, white bangle tiger behind him. He froze beside the foot of the bed. Rick and Leonora stared wide-eyed at each other. Each feared if they moved the dream would be over. Neither was ready to feel the pain of losing the other again.

  Leonora could not believe the male who stood before her was the male of her dreams, the one and only Rick McCall. The Predator. Her brows wrinkled at his bedraggled appearance. His expressive eyes touched her features. His body jerked once and grew rigid. She knew he noticed her injuries. She spotted his eyes darkening. It made her tremble. She was immediately afraid of her husband. She was even more fearful that Rick would kill the doctor if the white tiger lay his hands on him again.

  When Dr. Bengali intended to do just that, she immediately protested. “Dr. Bengali, no! It is okay! He is my soul mate."

  “Your soul mate?”

  She would have laughed at the doctor’s shocked expression, if it were not for Rick’s countenance. “Please, leave us.”

  “Are you sure about this, Leonora? I can have security here in two seconds.”

  Leonora nodded. “Yes.”

  “Very well, then.” Doctor Bengali gave Rick a look of disbelief and left.

  Leonora watched him leave. She looked back at Rick’s bearded face. She saw the savage fury in his eyes. She wondered what made her tell the Doctor to leave her alone with this male. She realized she did not know Rick McCall when he got this angry. She swiftly recalled the warning Carol Ann gave her, tides ago, about his temper.

  “Rick?” she timidly called out his name.

  Rick did not speak. He continued to glare at her facial injuries, at the bandages on her head.

  She hesitantly smiled. “It is not as bad as it looks.”

  “That’s a bold-face lie,” he said in a tone that would make anyone shiver.

  “Really, I am okay.” She paused for a brief moment. “How did you get here?” She tried to act the innocent. She knew all along that once Challen saw her mark, he was going to confront Rick about it. It was exactly what she had hoped he would do.

  “That’s not important,” clipped Rick.

  But it was important, especially after what Tigif said to her when he attacked her. “What are you doing here?”

  “I’m here because my wife is here.” Rick added with a cold snarl, “Tigif will pay with his life for touching you.”

  Leonora caught her breath. She instinctively knew he meant it. “I do not want you to kill him.”

  Killing someone in an honorable battle was one thing, but killing someone out of revenge was not honorable at all. She could not allow the male she loved to commit such a disgraceful act.

  “What!?” Rick’s shocked expression changed to a scowl.

  She knew he questioned her sanity, but she chose to ignore it. “He will pay. I promise you. I will see to it.”

  “No!” he barked. “I will see to it. I do not want him near you… ever…again!”

&n
bsp; Leonora’s eyes grew wide. Rick’s behavior was shocking and a bit frightening. She wondered if he had always been like this. How had she missed it before?

  Rick closed his eyes. Lowering his head, he took a deep breath. He went to sit beside her and reached out with his left hand to gently caress her hair. “I want him dead,” he said softly but icily.

  “I know you do. But killing someone out of vengeance is not an honorable deed. You know that. You are a male of honor. Try to understand.”

  “But there’s no punishment worse than the one I have planned before killing him. Please, Nora, let me have him,” he begged with his words as well as his eyes.

  Leonora stood strong. She was doing it for both their sakes, as well as for their unborn kittens.

  Shaking her head, she looked him straight in the eye. “No, Rick. I prefer that you did not.”

  Rick felt like hell. He was so riled up that he desperately needed to vent. He was hoping to vent on the cause of his anger. Tigif.

  “Ah man!” He looked away and whined. “Bloody hell! What the bloody hell am I supposed to do now? I can’t let him get away with this!”

  “Of course not.” She tried to calm him down by placing her hand on his. “We will have him arrested.”

  Rick rapidly shook his head. “Nope. Not good enough.”

  Leonora pressed her lips together as she fought back a smile. “It will have to suffice.”

  “Never! How could it? That bastard has, and is, getting away with murder!” He began to shout again.

  “Rick.” Her eyes and voice held a “do not dare” to them.

  “He could have killed you, Nora! Twice! He was going to rape you!” Hearing his own words fueled his fury.

  “How did you know that?”

  “How did…Challen and I stopped him. That’s how!”

  Her mouth fell open as realization struck. “So that was why he did not violate me.”

  Rick’s eyes changed again. “If he had…” He could not go on. He abruptly placed his head on Leonora’s chest. His left arm draped over her midsection.

  Rick stayed in that position until his body stopped trembling. He closed his eyes, so he could absorbed the feel of her nearness. The beating of her heart took him back to the first time he had lay in that same position. Four months of loneliness, his anger toward Tigif, his concerns for Leonora’s health and safety, gradually eased from his body.