Seized & Seduced

by Shelley Munro

  SEIZED & SEDUCED

  Shelley Munro

  Table of Contents

  Blurb

  Note to Readers

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  About Shelley Munro

  Excerpt – Interplanetary Love

  Other Works by Shelley Munro

  Copyright Page

  Blurb

  During a routine stop en route to Viros, Jannike Hondros is kidnapped and incarcerated, her destination a planet she’d hoped to never, ever visit again—Manx Two, the planet where she was accused of murder.

  Prince Lynx Leandros of Viros, second-in-line to the House of the Cat, and his bodyguard, Shiloh Tetsu, are caught in the same trap as Jannike. Destined for sale as a breeding pair and a spare, escape seems impossible, and now Jannike informs the feline shifters they’re showing mating signs. Impossible. Neither Lynx nor Shiloh believe her, yet they can’t deny their relationship has turned strangely touchy-feely.

  A lucky break sees them fleeing for their lives, but danger lurks over every sand hill in their race for safety. The two men are becoming even closer. Jealousy and yearning stalk Jannike. She can’t fall for either feline and certainly not for both, then nothing matters when she comes face-to-face with her past and death stalks her with its beady eye.

  Contains two headstrong alpha shifter males and their female match, enough kitty cats to make a leap and some hot lovin’ in the great outdoors, the indoors and places in between.

  A Note to Readers

  For those of you who have wondered about the mystery prince and his bodyguard—meet Lynx and Shiloh. At long last, the characters of the first book, Captured & Seduced, and those mentioned in Claimed & Seduced and Stranded & Seduced travel paths that cross and they come face-to-face. The results, I think, are interesting. There is angst and humor and adventure. And love. We mustn’t forget love since this is a romance.

  I hope you enjoy reading about Lynx, Shiloh and Jannike and their journey to a happy-ever-after.

  If you’re interested in learning more about my books, don’t forget to join my newsletter to receive book news, contest details, and to learn when new releases are on the way.

  Shelley xx

  Chapter One

  A shrill cry echoed through the arid valley. Unexpected, it set a shudder rippling the length of her body. Jannike Hondros, second-in-command of the Indefatigable, came to an abrupt halt, her stomach twisting even as she grabbed her blaster from her hip holster and flicked off the safety.

  “Tracker lizards.” At her side, Ry Coppersmith, captain of the space ship, confirmed her fears. He edged his petite mate behind him, but Camryn O’Sullivan wasn’t putting up with his overprotectiveness.

  She neatly sidestepped him, wincing at a repeat head-splitting shriek, closer this time. “What are tracker lizards, and why are they making that infernal noise?”

  “Trackers are the best available means of trailing an object or person. They never fail to capture their target. Never. The cries mean they’re on a scent,” Jannike said, her voice terse as she scanned the far end of the valley. Not a single tree softened the landscape, the sparse grasses, the same beige brown as the rocks and dust. The lizards’ screeches bounced off the rocky walls of the valley again, pulling a wince from Jannike. She’d experienced their tenacity and hadn’t emerged on the winning side.

  “Us.” Ry glanced at Jannike and with the ease of long friendship, they came to a decision without words.

  Jannike gave him an imperceptible nod.

  “We need to split up,” he said, attention on the horizon.

  In the distance, maybe four or five clicks, Jannike caught the swirl of approaching dust. “You need to shift, change your scents.”

  “But Mogens said shifting might be dangerous.” Camryn cupped her slim belly in protest.

  “We’re gonna have to risk it.” Ry didn’t hesitate. “It’s either that or capture.”

  “Capture? What’s going on? This sort of thing doesn’t happen on Earth. Usually,” Camryn added, obviously thinking about her own kidnapping.

  “I’ll keep going away from the ship.” A lump the size of a rock closing up Jannike’s throat, making her words gravel-rough. She swallowed, silently cursing both the situation and this god-awful heat from the planet’s sun. The dry temperatures sucked the juice from everything, animal and vegetable. “Go.” It was surprisingly difficult to force out the order.

  Camryn still frowned, not understanding. She squinted at her husband, shifted her attention to Jannike. “But—”

  “Change. Now,” Ry ordered. “Jannike, if you’re captured, we’ll come for you. We will not give up. That’s a pledge.”

  “Same goes.” Secs later, she started running, veering around the pile of rocks and sprinting down the rolling sand hill, away from Ry and Camryn. It had to be the cargo ship they’d seen earlier, but why had they set tracker lizards on them?

  A thought sprang into her mind, and she stumbled before regaining her balance. Holy fukk. No, it couldn’t be her. No, that was impossible since Jannike was far from her home planet.

  Behind her the baying shrieks of the lizards intensified. Sweat trickled down her forehead, stinging her eyes. She slipped in the shifting sand, arms flailing before she toppled, hitting the ground hard enough to punch the breath from her lungs.

  No time to baby ouchies. Had to move. Had to give Ry and Camryn time to get to the ship. Faster. Faster. Her blue tunic clung like a second skin. A skin wet from sweat. The dry rocks in her throat closed her windpipe. She panted, a painful wheeze.

  Goddess, she had to keep going.

  She twisted, rolling and pushing to her feet. She lurched her first steps, only her fitness and determination propelling her forward.

  Concentrate on running. Forget the trackers. Don’t think about the past.

  The landscape stretched in front of her—one big, inhospitable sandpit. The planet’s sun beat overhead, frying everything in its path. And still she kept trying to run. One foot in front of the other, leading the trackers farther from the Indy. Faster. The Indy’s crew were her friends, her family. She’d do anything to keep them safe. Faster.

  Determination gave her a burst of speed, but a glance over her shoulder told her the trackers had closed the distance margin. Their brown-blue bodies glinted in the bright light, strangely beautiful despite their ferocity. Their baying cries filled her head, lent panic to her adrenaline-fueled flight. She rounded a corner and came to an abrupt halt. A box canyon. The wall of rock stretched into the distance as far as she could see.

  Trapped.

  Nowhere to go.

  Slowly, chest rising and falling in uneven gasps, she turned to face the four snapping trackers. Their bulging eyes blinked, their wicked teeth white against the brown blue of their skin. Their stubby tails shifted lazily from side to side, strong muscles in their haunches poised to spring should she attempt evasion. She edged along the rock wall, and they advanced with her. She’d heard their bite was nasty and some people were allergic to their saliva.

  But she refused to go without a fight. She reached for a handhold on the rock wall, dug in her fingertips, attempted to lever her body upward.

&
nbsp; “Ho, my beauties. What have you caught me today?” The mountain of a man rode up on a cyberbeest—a combination of machine and cheetahbeest by the look of the tawny coat and spots. The cyberbeest snorted, pawing at the ground, restive under the firm restraint. The large rider wore a tight, light gray suit shaped to his body. The man was all muscle with no fat. With his left hand, he controlled the cyberbeest while his right rested on a coiled whip.

  Jannike glanced left, speared a look right. A tracker bite or the nip of Mountain Man’s whip. Both would hurt.

  “You won’t escape,” Mountain Man said with almost a kind smile. But the smile didn’t reach his wintry-blue eyes and she knew, deep in her gut, he wouldn’t hesitate to act in order to capture her.

  Fukk, her past had come back to bite her in the bum. There was no other explanation. “Why are you chasing me?”

  “Why did you run?” the man countered.

  Jannike gritted her teeth, not relaxing a bit. She sidled to the left and one of the trackers snarled, the snap of its teeth returning her to the spot she’d vacated.

  The man cocked his head, gaze wandering her body in lazy insolence. “Yes, I think you’ll suit our purposes. The boss will pay handsomely for you.”

  “What purposes?” Jannike tried to ignore the faint stirrings of fear. They’d need to drag her kicking and screaming the entire way. Besides the more trouble she caused, the more time the Indy crew would have to escape.

  She hoped.

  The man smiled again, calm and sympathetic, but underpinning the friendliness was amusement and cunning. Determination. The perfect attitude to increase her unease. “You’re female. You’re strong and appear healthy. And even better, you’re fetching to the eye. Yes, you’re perfect for our needs.”

  She still had her weapons. One hand slid behind her back and her fingers closed on the hilt of her knife.

  The creak of wheels and the roar of an engine fighting to gain purchase on the sand grabbed the man’s attention. He glanced over his shoulder, and Jannike threw her blade with a precise flick of her wrist.

  He let out a grunt, turned back to her and beamed, despite the weapon protruding from his chest. “Ah, the transport has arrived. It was fortuitous we noticed you out for a walk this morning.”

  The man was part machine, the same as his mount. “And I’ll just be moving along,” Jannike said, her hand slipping downward to grab the dagger in her right boot.

  “I don’t think so.” His good humor never faltered. “You’re going to walk into the transport so we can ship out.” He clicked his fingers, and the trackers closed in, teeth snapping at her heels.

  Jannike edged along the wall of rock. A second snap didn’t miss, the tracker nipping her calf. She cried out and clutched her leg. Damn, he’d taken a mouthful of her black trews along with skin. Blood smeared her fingers.

  “Come along,” the man said in a brisk manner. He jumped off his mount to grasp her arm, the knife still jutting from his chest. “I’ll take the rest of your weapons.” Big hands frisked her efficiently. “I don’t have all cycle. Damn hot out here. Quicker we return to the ship, the sooner the medic can inspect your leg. Use this cloth to stop the flow of lifeforce.”

  When she balked, he gave her a hard shove, and she stumbled onto the sandy floor, the pad of fabric he’d offered her striking the back of her head. Secs later, the doors of the transport locked, the high barred window letting in heat and minimal light. The vehicle lurched into motion, a bump-and-shudder across the hostile terrain.

  Frustrated with her capture, Jannike slammed her hand against the wall. Outside, the trackers snarled and started baying. The ghostly howls made the hair at the back of her neck stand to attention. With a low curse, she rubbed the sudden chill from her arms and lurched to her feet. Her breath hissed out in a sharp exhalation.

  Damn, that hurt. She probed the wound, wincing at the red blood that coated her fingers. She wrapped the cloth Mountain Man had given her around her calf, gritting her teeth at the dart of pain. The seepage was sluggish, but the wound throbbed, the jabs of sensation relentless pinpricks in her flesh. A harsh laugh rippled up her throat. She just had to be one of those who were allergic.

  The transport hit a rut, jogging her back to commonsense. She needed to see where they were going, had to watch the ’scape and note the landmarks. Goddess, she hoped Ry and Camryn were safe. They’d be back at the ship by now. A pained groan escaped when the vehicle hit yet another rut. Her friends would come for her. All she had to do was survive whatever Mountain Man threw in her direction.

  A whimper from the far corner had her whirling. “Bloody fukkin’ hell.” One of Camryn’s colorful curses croaked free as agony in her leg almost felled her.

  Someone was in here. Panic tore shreds in her before her mind jerked into gear again. They wouldn’t lock her in with anything dangerous.

  The whimper repeated, the creature—whatever it was—transmitting fear not danger.

  “Who’s there?” Jannike’s voice was a rasp, not a show of confidence. She swallowed, tried again. “Come out. I won’t hurt you.”

  Despite the light coming through the window, she couldn’t see into the far corner of the transport.

  A scuttling, scraping noise sounded, and a black missile sprang at her before she could react. Violent pain swept from her calf, radiated upward, shoving blurry edges to her vision. “Bloody hell.”

  Strong, skinny arms wrapped around her, a long tail anchoring a furry body at her chest. She braced for teeth. Instead, the creature whined, snuffling loudly as it took in her scent. The beat of her heart settled to a fast jog as she and the creature stared at each other. Big fluffy ears, a little on the pointy side, swiveled and twitched while its furry black body trembled.

  She stretched out a careful hand and ran it over the black fur on its back. When the animal didn’t bite, she settled into a series of strokes and low murmurs. The creature—she had no idea what it was—relaxed against her chest, the whimpers fading to low sighs of pleasure. Jannike’s hand stilled, and its tongue darted out to lash her cheek.

  A surprised chuckle escaped, and taking the animal with her, she limped to a position at the window. None of the ’scape appeared familiar. They hadn’t seen the cargo ship after landing the Indy, had never considered there was a threat.

  The transporter lurched around a corner and a gasp escaped Jannike before she could bite it back. The cargo ship loomed over them, big and solid and black, even bigger than she recalled and far more menacing now that she’d become a captive. Panic slipped back in force, and the creature clinging to her cried out, picking up on her fear. Ry wouldn’t get here before they departed.

  Their hauler ground to a halt. Mountain Man whistled shrilly and the trackers trotted up the ramp after him and his cyberbeest.

  She couldn’t let them take her onto the cargo ship. She’d lose her mind if she landed back in jail. Now that the trackers were gone, maybe she’d have a chance. Of course, they could free the trackers again, and she had no idea where she was in relation to the Indy.

  Maybe Ry—no. There was no point endangering all of them. When Ry and the rest of the crew came for her, they’d take a clandestine route. And until then, she was on her own.

  Plodding footsteps sounded outside the transporter. The rear rattled as someone unlocked the door. Jannike sprang out low, before the door was open. The animal clinging to her screamed in surprise but didn’t let go, tiny claws piercing her tunic and digging into her flesh.

  Someone hollered. Jannike didn’t look back. She sprinted across the sand, off-balance because of the creature but not stopping to fling it off. It, too, was a victim. She ignored the wash of pain, the agony darting the length of her leg.

  Behind her another shout roared through the air. Mountain Man.

  “Stop running,” he hollered.

  Not bloody likely. Jannike dug for energy, knowing this was her last chance.

  A weapon fired. Something hit the ground beside her right foot
. Zigzags. Run zigzags. A difficult maneuver, given the weight of the clinging creature and the soft sand. Her breath sawed from her throat, her lungs cried out in harmony with her leg. She kept running. Another weapon fired. Something sharp hit her shoulder. Another struck her butt. Numbness spread across her shoulders, crept around her chest, down her legs.

  Must keep going. Keep going.

  Someone grabbed her and her fists flailed. She whacked a face, a nose. Heard a vicious curse, then one of her captors thumped her. Hard. Blackness surged around her vision, and she felt herself falling, falling, falling.

  * * * * *

  “How long do you think she’ll sleep?” Lynx Leandros stared at the unconscious blonde female the guards had dumped in their cell.

  The small creature clinging to her hissed when he ventured too close, the calibore’s black fur fanning around its skinny body, long tail flicking a secondary warning. A rare animal that would fetch a large price in the collector market.

  Lynx backed up a fraction. “Do you think she’s gonna be all right?”

  “No idea, but I’m sure she’ll be happy to find herself incarcerated, bound for auction.”

  “The guards could be messing with us.” Lynx glared at his business partner. Keeping a careful eye on the hissing calibore, he crouched beside the woman and touched his hand to her grubby cheek. “Shush, fella. Not gonna hurt her.” He removed his hand and the calibore closed its mouth, hiding sharp teeth. The long tail stilled. “We don’t know the ship’s destination for sure.”

  “If it squawks like a crow.” Shiloh Tetsu shrugged as if he didn’t care but his gaze remained watchful, his muscles tense. He looked like the fierce feline warrior he was, a man Lynx trusted to protect his back. His friend, albeit testy at present. Neither of them enjoyed feeling helpless.

  “Shut the phrull up with your whining. She has a temperature. Feel her forehead.” Lynx scratched his chest.

  Shiloh stayed across the other side of their cell—a square room with three plain sides and a front wall of strong bars. Bars made of a substance too sturdy for them to break or bend. “Feeling a little guilty, my prince?”