Shifting Priorities 3: Mating Call

by Anne Kane

  “How very clever of you.”

  Cali and Darien both whirled to face the doorway. Yanik sauntered in, the blaster in his left hand raised to cover both of them. His cold eyes flickered over Cali’s naked breasts and she quickly grabbed her clothing, scrambling to get dressed.

  Darien moved to place himself protectively between her and Yanik, tension in every line of his body. “Throw down the blaster and give up, Yanik. You can’t win.”

  The navigator’s eyes flicked to the video display. “Yes, it looks like our attack failed.” He smiled coldly. “We hardly expected to find a full pride of Imperial were-panthers on a Lintec Security shuttle. Lucky for me, I’ll have a hostage to use when I negotiate my escape. Get over here.” He gestured at Cali with the blaster.

  Still shielding her, Darien shook his head. “No, she stays with me.”

  Yanik lifted the blaster. “Sorry, pal. Very touching and all, but I need a hostage and you won’t do.”

  “Darien, don’t. He’ll hurt you.” Fear laced Cali’s voice. Yanik was serious; he’d kill if it suited his purpose. She couldn’t bear to see Darien shot. Darien ignored her, taking a step forward. Cali watched in horror as Yanik aimed the blaster at her lover, his finger squeezing the trigger.

  Darien pivoted to the left and the blaster beam struck a glancing blow off his ribs, an ugly burn mark tracing its path. The door’s access panel sizzled as it took the brunt of the beam. He crouched low to the ground and a shimmering cloud of multi-colored mist surrounded him, obscuring him from view. Seconds later, a sleek black panther exploded from the cloud, launching itself straight at the startled Yanik and knocking the blaster out of his hand.

  The panther swung its massive head toward Cali, and she found herself looking into Darien’s eyes in the split second before he knocked her backward with a careful shoulder check. He wanted her out of the way, she realized, backing up slowly until she felt the sleeping platform behind her knees.

  Darien lashed his tail from side to side, his eyes warning her to stay safely out of range. He turned his back on her and stalked toward Yanik, snarling softly.

  The pirate was desperately working to get the door to open, but the access panel remained stubbornly unresponsive. The blaster fire had fried the circuits on this side of the door. The pirate swore loudly, attempting to force the door open manually.

  Darien stood in the middle of the room, his lips lifted in a snarl that exposed long white canines as he roared out a challenge to the intruder.

  Yanik turned to face the angry panther, pulling a wicked-looking energy blade from the scabbard strapped to his thigh. Gripping the weapon in one hand, he sneered at the enraged beast. “Come and get me, Imperial were-panther. Your days are past. It’s about time someone took out the rest of your pathetic race.” He crouched low, balancing on the balls of his feet as he waved the blade hypnotically back and forth in front of him.

  Darien paced forward with a fluid grace, eyeing the knife with contempt. Head held low, ears flat against his skull, he circled to the right, drawing the pirate away from Cali. He roared again, both a challenge and a warning.

  Cali stared at her lover, her pulse racing with fear for him. Over two hundred pounds of corded muscle and sleek black fur, he flowed across the floor with an innate grace, his dark eyes fixed on his prey with deadly intent.

  Yanik waved the knife again, and Darien sprang. Ignoring the energy blade, he launched himself directly at the pirate. His powerful hindquarters sent him hurtling onto his opponent so fast Yanik had no time to use his weapon. The knife spun out of his hand as the weight of the big cat bore him to the floor.

  Cali gasped, her hand going to her mouth as a sizzling burn mark traced the blade’s path across the floor.

  Yanik screamed, hitting the floor hard with Darien’s weight pinning him in place. He brought his arms up to pummel the panther with his fists as he attempted to twist free.

  The were-panther grunted and shifted his weight, lips drawn back in a furious snarl inches from Yanik’s face. The pirate swung again, aiming for the panther’s sensitive nose. The blow glanced off Darien’s skull as he swung sideways and brought one huge paw down on the pirate’s outstretched arm. His claws raked down Yanik’s arm, tracing bloody furrows through the spacer suit.

  The door opened with a quiet swoosh, and Darien’s attention shifted to the new threat. Yanik took advantage of that split second to twist his leg free and kick up into the soft underbelly of the cat.

  The panther reacted immediately, slapping the pirate hard across the side of his skull with his immense paw. Yanik’s head snapped sideways, his eyes glazing in disbelief as he slid into unconsciousness.

  “I see you found the point man.” Gord lounged against the doorframe, arms crossed on his chest. “The remnants of the pirate crew are in the brig, and Kyle and Pier are hooking a tractor beam to their ship so we can haul it into port.” His glance flickered over Cali. “You two okay?”

  She nodded dumbly, her gaze glued to Darien’s side. The bleeding had already stopped, but she needed to reassure herself that his injury wasn’t serious.

  “Well, then, I’ll just take this bit of trash and throw him in the brig with his buddies.” Gord grabbed Yanik by the collar, throwing him over his shoulder with an ease that betrayed his own were-panther blood. His eyes danced with mirth as he regarded Darien and Cali. “You two probably need some time. I’ll close the door on my way out.”

  He turned, whistling cheerfully as he strode out the doorway, the unconscious pirate hanging limply from his shoulder. “Don’t be too easy on him, Cali,” he called over his shoulder. “We’ve been waiting a long time for someone to come and put him in his place.”

  The panther turned to glare at his departing teammate as the door slid shut.

  Cali jumped off the bed and ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly, reassuring herself he was all right. The big panther nuzzled her neck, rubbing his soft fur against her face, his tongue as rough as sandpaper when he licked the sensitive hollow of her throat. She ran her fingers down the wound on his ribs, amazed that the blaster beam hadn’t cut deeper. The wound was already beginning to heal. Her hands trembled as she stroked them through his sleek, dark fur.

  “I could have lost you.” She buried her face in his thick pelt. “I was terrified.” She trembled violently, tears streaming down her cheeks. She didn’t know what she would have done if he’d been badly hurt.

  Darien sat quietly, letting her get it out of her system, letting her run her hands over him repeatedly. Eventually, her sobs trailed off and she looked up into his beloved eyes. As if he’d been waiting for just that signal, Darien padded over to the middle of the floor. She watched as the cloud of mist surrounded him, colors sparkling brightly. She waited patiently, knowing her lover would return.

  He strode out of the mist, his magnificent body half naked, male and very much aroused. His eyes glowed with a fiercely protective light as he strode over and wrapped his arms around her. He lowered his mouth to sear a kiss across her lips before he buried his face in the silky fall of her hair, inhaling deeply. “I’m sorry you had to see that. I thought we had more time, that I could leave you safely here in the stateroom while we dealt with the pirates.” He kissed her again, his hands roaming over her body as if to memorize every square inch.

  Cali eagerly returned the kiss, tilting her face up for his attention. “I’m sorry too. I should have told you about Yanik right away.” She lowered her eyelids shyly. “I was afraid you wouldn’t want me if you knew the truth about me.”

  Darien ran his hand down her spine to grasp her ass cheeks, pulling her in firmly against the hard length of his shaft. His voice was softly teasing. “Does it feel like I don’t want you?”

  Cali wiggled her hips against him, grinning happily. It felt like she’d finally found a home and someone to love her.

  Anne Kane

  Anne Kane lives in the beautiful Okanagan Valley with a bouncy Jack Russel
l terrier, a cantankerous Himalayan cat and too many fish to count. She has two handsome sons and three adorable grandchildren. By day, she’s a respectable bean counter, but after hours her imagination soars and she writes romances that span the galaxy and encompass beings of all sizes, shapes and origins.

  She first started telling stories as a toddler and she just can’t seem to stop. In 2007, she decided it was time to get serious about writing and see where it would lead.

  Her hobbies include kayaking, hiking, motorcycles, swimming, skating, playing guitar, singing and of course, reading.