Linx looked at Taylor for a long moment, his thoughts churning. "There is only one place I can think of that will be safe and will go unnoticed."
"Where?" Riot asked.
"The Dark King's caverns."
"Hades will never allow it," Riot said.
Linx looked at him. "He will not have a choice."
* * * * *
Chapter Nine
Tabitha was having the most delicious dream. Her phantom lover was kissing her inner thigh, his lips teasing her flesh into alertness. A moist tongue glided along the edge of her panties, nibbling along the crease of her leg. Tabby's eyes sprang open as a warm breath cooled the liquid trail.
She jolted up.
Linx was perched between her thighs, his dark blue eyes glazed with passion. "You taste like Zaronian wine. So sweet. Tangy. Deliciously heady. You make my head spin."
"Your eyes," she whispered. "They were different." Tabby looked around, expecting to see her house. Instead, she found herself sitting in the middle of a bed inside a small cabin of some sort. "Where am I?"
“Someplace safe,” he said.
She frowned. “Are we on a cruise ship?” She’d always wanted to go on a cruise, but she would’ve preferred doing so, when she was feeling more up to sightseeing.
Linx gave her a lazy smile. "Not exactly." He leaned down and ran his tongue along the crotch of her panties.
Tabby's eyes nearly crossed. "Stop that!" If he didn't, she wouldn't be able to carry on a coherent conversation.
He kissed her again, lingering above her clit.
"You're distracting me," she said.
Linx worried her thigh with his teeth. "Would that be such a bad thing?"
No. "Yes!"
Linx ignored her. One long finger slipped inside her underwear and pulled, tearing them away. “I thought I lost you. I don’t ever want to experience that level of fear again.”
Her heart raced over the sound of conviction in his voice. "We need to talk," she said.
"Later," he murmured, returning once again to the moist seam running between her legs. He nudged her with his nose and inhaled, his eyes fluttering closed, a look of sheer ecstasy on his face.
Tabby tried to push him away, but he was having none of it. Instead, Linx buried his face between her thighs and began to feast. Tabby dropped back onto the pillows and groaned.
The man had the most talented tongue. Abrasive enough to be stimulating, yet soft when he probed her depths. Linx grasped her thighs and spread them wide.
"I've missed this. I’ve missed you." He swirled his tongue around her entrance. "Once was not nearly enough."
Tabby curled her hands into the sheet and arched her hips. The move brought him closer, drove his tongue deeper. She gasped as he took advantage and plunged inside.
Linx made little growling noises as he at her flesh. Every flick, every nibble brought a fresh wave of moisture, until she dripped down his chin.
Tabby bucked, needing to get closer, while wanting to pull away.
Linx reached out and held her in place as he lapped at her aching entrance, then slowly glided to her throbbing clit. He didn't immediately pounce. Instead, he kissed her, gently sucking her swollen nub until stars exploded behind her eyelids.
"Linx, please."
He released her long enough to ask, "What do you want, mate?"
The emphasis on the last word wasn’t lost on her. When Tabby didn't respond immediately, he pressed down on her clit. She cried out in ecstasy. Her orgasm so close she could taste it.
"I want you." She gasped.
"Oh my dearest, Tabby. Don't you know that you already have me? You had me the moment that silly hat fell off your head." Linx rose above her, positioning his hard shaft at her weeping entrance. He flexed his hips, then took her mouth in a searing kiss as he drove forward inside of her.
Tabby felt him surround her, take her, claim her. His thrusts took on an urgency that hadn't been there the first time they made love.
She stilled as the realization hit. They had made love. She'd tried to convince herself that it was just sex, but Tabby had, had sex before and it had been nothing like this. Each thrust brought him closer to her heart. Each glide of skin branded her soul.
Tabby wrapped her legs around his hips and pulled him close, locking him inside of her. Linx grunted, but didn't slow his hard and steady ride. Each downward stroke hit her clit, making it harder and hotter, until Tabby thought she'd burst.
Her hands grasped his shoulders and she sunk her blunt teeth into his neck.
Linx jerked, then bellowed. He reached between their bodies and pressed down on the bundle of nerves, throwing Tabby over the edge and into the abyss. She cried out and her body spasmed. Linx thrust hard twice, then slammed forward, locking himself deep inside of her. Warmth splashed her cervix as he found his release.
They stayed locked together, breathing hard, bodies drenched in sweat. It took a while before either had the energy or the inclination to move.
Linx cupped her cheek and pressed his lips against hers.
"What was that for?" Tabby asked, feeling exposed and strangely embarrassed.
He caressed her face. "You are an amazing woman. I am forever grateful to the goddess for opening my eyes to allow me to see you as such."
Something inside her took flight. "Thank you."
He kissed her again, then shifted, taking his warmth with him. The loss was palpable, but they needed to talk. Tabby pulled the covers around her and took a good look at the room they were in.
It was a cabin of some sort. The walls were painted silver and the floors were a deeper shade of gray. There wasn't much in the space beyond the bed, a small table, and what looked to be a bathroom of some sort. If they weren’t on a cruise ship, then where were they? And who thought decorating in silver was a good idea? They'd obviously never seen a DIY show on television.
“Are we in Vegas?” she asked.
Linx shook his head. “No.”
The last thing Tabby remembered was being at the club. Panic hit as images flashed before her eyes. Sergei had come to her house. Taken her and Taylor. He'd beaten the bottoms of her feet, broken her ribs, and Linx... Her eyes widened. "Where is Taylor?" Her gaze skittered around the room as she searched for her sister.
"She is safe," Linx said.
Tabby glared at him. "That's not what I asked."
Linx rolled onto his back, so his head was resting in her lap. His dark hair felt like silk as it touched her bare thigh. Tabby brushed a lock off his forehead, but resisted the urge to sink her fingers into it. Linx made a sound suspiciously like a purr.
Tabby froze. Her mind worked overtime to sort through her memories. She'd been upside down. She glanced at her ankles. The bruises were yellowed and faded. How long had she been asleep?
She concentrated, desperate to remember. There'd been a cat. No, not a cat. A wild animal. It had been big. Huge actually. And there'd been a bear. A bear? Then Linx had appeared...and disappeared.
Sergei had obviously hit her harder than she realized because nothing made sense.
But if that were the case, then why wasn't she in a hospital? Shouldn't she be monitored?
"Where is Taylor?" For some reason, it was vitally important that she see her twin. Tabby needed to know that she was alive and that she wasn't going crazy.
"She is nearby. I can take you to see her after we've talked." Linx sat up.
Tabby's heart tripped as the weight of his tone settled heavily upon her shoulders. "What happened?"
“How much do you remember?”
“More than I wish I did,” she said.
Linx looked her in the eye. "You were hurt. Dying." His jaw clenched. “I saved you, but I had to take you someplace that you’d be safe. I picked the one place I knew Sergei’s men could never reach.”
Tabby frowned. Blood. Bodies. Claws. She shook her head. "Sergei is dead."
"I know," Linx said grimly.
Tabby sat up straighter.
"You killed him."
"He hurt you." There was no inflection in his voice, only the cold calm of resolve that said he'd do it again without a second thought. "He left me little choice."
"They tortured me." Flashes of pain and waves of nausea followed as she remembered exactly what Sergei and his men had done to her. Tabby held up her hand and wiggled her fingers. It had been broken. She knew it had been broken. She'd felt the bat, heard the bones crack, experienced the breath-stealing agony. "I don't understand."
Linx reached for her hand, but Tabby pulled away.
"Where are we?"
"On a ship like you guessed." His gaze grew wary now.
"You said it wasn't a cruise ship," she said.
"It's not," he said. “At least not the kind of vessel you mean.”
"If it's not a cruise ship, what kind of ship is it?" She supposed they could be on a tanker. Just because Sergei was dead didn't mean that she and Taylor were safe. Far from it. Sergei's boss would look into his death. There was no doubt that once the remaining staff was interviewed the mob would know all about her and Taylor.
Linx stood and walked over to the far wall. "The ship we’re on is a Bender series."
"A what?"
"Perhaps it would be easier to show you." Linx held out his hand.
Tabby climbed out of bed and debated whether to take his proffered hand. She knew she was being childish. After all, they'd just made love. But she couldn’t ignore the warnings going off inside her head. She approached slowly. When she was within reach, he pulled her close, wrapping her in the warmth of his hard body.
With his free hand, Linx reached out and touched a spot on the wall. The metal shimmered and appeared to fade. Less than a second later, Tabby found herself staring out a window at a sky full of stars. No, not a sky. She looked down and didn't see land...but she did see planets.
Tabby took a step back, but didn't release Linx. "Whe-where are we?"
"On a ship." He watched her closely.
"What kind of ship? And don't you dare say Bender because you know that doesn’t mean anything to me."
Linx's lips quirked. "I think you know what kind of ship we're on."
She shook her head. "No, I don't. Because that would be impossible."
"For the human race, perhaps, but not for my people," he said softly.
Tabby staggered back. "I think I need to sit down."
Linx helped her.
"This can't be happening." She clutched the bed. It felt real beneath her fingertips. He felt real. "I saw a cat," she said, trying to make sense of things.
"Yes," Linx said.
Her brow furrowed. "And a bear?"
"You mean Riot," he said.
"What?" She looked at him.
"That's his name. The bear."
Tabby touched her head, searching for lumps. "The bear is named Riot?"
“Yes,” Linx said.
"What about the cat?" she asked, grateful that she hadn’t imagined it after all.
This time Linx didn't answer. He just stared at her in that unblinking way that predators had, when they focused on prey.
Tabby stared at him, her heart pounding in her chest. "Does the cat have a name?"
He nodded slowly.
"What is it?" she asked, afraid of the answer.
Linx sighed. His blue gaze dimmed and he swallowed hard. A second later, his form began to shimmer and blur, when it stopped a large cat sat where Linx had been standing.
Tabby gasped and scooted back. She closed her eyes and opened them again, but the cat was still there and it hadn't moved. It's not possible. It's not possible. It's not possible. The mantra played in her head like a broken record, but there was no denying what her eyes were telling her.
"Linx?” she asked. “Is that really you?"
The cat blinked, then let out a ear-splitting yowl. It's red eyes glowed as it stared at her. She caught a flash of fang as it lifted one leg and licked its massive paw.
Memories came rushing back. There'd been fangs. Claws. And blood. Copious amounts of blood. And now Tabby knew why.
The cat's image wavered and a few seconds later, Linx appeared. This time he was sitting in the exact spot the cat occupied.
"What are you?" she asked, even though a million other questions swirled in her mind. That seemed like the most important one. The others could wait.
* * * * *
"I am a Phantom Warrior." Linx made no move to approach Tabby. He was afraid if he did, he'd scare her to death. He knew this was a lot for any human to take in.
"What exactly is a Phantom Warrior?" She watched him closely, almost as if she expected him to leap at her.
He scratched his head. "I suppose to you and your people I'd be considered an alien."
"Are we talking Mars and little green men?" Tabby’s eyes widened until they nearly took up her whole face.
Even scared she looked adorable to him.
"I have met little green men, but they did not come from Mars. That planet is inhospitable for anything other than bacteria," he said.
Tabby blinked, then blinked again. "Oh my god, you're serious."
He nodded. "Of course. Aren't you?"
She shook her head, sending her long burgundy hair, flowing over her flushed nipples. Linx stared at the tempting flesh, poking through the silken strands, and remembered the taste of her upon his tongue. He wanted more. Even now his mouth watered in anticipation.
Would he ever tire of having her or experiencing this? Linx snorted. Never. The need just continued to grow. He looked forward to their bond strengthening. He no longer felt confined, choked by the idea of having a leash around his heart. Instead, he welcomed the restriction because with it came true freedom.
What would Tabby look like after her first change? Would her hair remain red? Would she become brindle? He had no doubt she would hiss at him and swish her tail in his face. Just the thought of taking her in her other form made him hard. He ached to have her again, but mating would have to wait until Tabby understood exactly what had happened.
"This is a spaceship." Her voice held both shock and awe. “A real live spaceship. Like the ones in the sci-fi movies.”
"Yes," Linx said. “This ship is one of the finest in the galaxy.”
"Why take us on a spaceship?" she asked, looking around the room like she was just seeing it for the first time.
"As I said, it was the only place I knew for certain that you'd be safe. You didn't expect me to leave my mate behind did you?" He was shocked that she’d even consider such a thing.
* * * * *
Mate...
He'd used that word earlier when they'd made love. Tabby hadn't thought anything of it at the time, but given the circumstances, the word now took on a whole new meaning. Was it getting hot in here? She fanned her face with her hand.
"What exactly do you mean by the term, mate?" She vaguely remembered him mentioning being bound, but now that she knew the truth about him, those words took on a whole new meaning. Were ropes involved? If she never saw another rope in her life, she’d be happy.
Linx's blue eyes flashed red for a second, but he didn't move. "You know exactly what I mean." His tone left no room for argument.
She was afraid that she did understand all too well, but Tabby still wanted to hear it from him. "I know what the word means on Earth, but what does it mean to a Phantom Warrior?" Given the differences in cultures on her planet, she didn’t want to assume anything.
"Unlike humans, Phantoms mate for life," he said, all but daring her to disagree. "There are many sentient beings in the universe that have similar customs."
Her eyes bugged. "You mean there's more than just Phantom Warriors floating around in space?" If there were aliens everywhere, then why hadn’t they found them? He made it sound like you couldn’t throw a rock without hitting one.
"Of course. You didn’t think you were alone, did you?" He gave her an incredulous look that made her feel silly for even suggesting such a thing. "
There are many beings and creatures throughout the universe. Just because you have been unsuccessful in locating the ones in your own solar system doesn't mean that they do not exist."
Tabby glanced out the window at the blanket of stars. There were so many of them. It was overwhelming to think about. "Where are we going?" And would she like their destination when they arrived? All she knew was Earth.
"We are on our way to Zaron. That is my home planet," he said. “It is larger than your Earth, closer to the size of Jupiter.”
"Oh." She was trying hard to imagine it, but her brain wasn’t cooperating. The thought of never seeing Earth again made her sad and more than a little homesick. She’d taken so much for granted while she was there. Tabby wished she could go back and have a ‘do over’. She’d never look at Earth the same way again. But Linx was right. They were safer here than they would've been on Earth. Thanks to her sister's lousy taste in men, the Russian mob would never stop looking for them. Speaking of which, "I want to see Taylor." She needed to see her twin with her own eyes to know that she was all right.
Linx stood, the movements silent and graceful, just like a cat. How she hadn't noticed it before she'd never know. Like most people, she hadn’t been looking.
"I'll take you to her now, but there is something I must tell you before we go," he said. The seriousness of his tone brought her up short.
"Is she hurt? You said she was okay." Had he lied? Oh god, she should’ve demanded to be taken to her immediately.
Linx touched her shoulder. "Taylor is well, but she shouldn't be here."
"What do you mean she shouldn't be here?" Tabby crossed her arms over her chest.
Linx took a deep breath. "There are regulations for transporting humans. Stringent rules that must be followed."
"What rules? And what do they have to do with my sister?"
* * * * *
Linx didn't know how to explain to Tabby why the Phantoms were on the planet without upsetting her. He knew the second he told her that they were there looking for mates, she was going to get angry. He'd learned that much about her in the short time they'd known each other.
Jordan Summers Page 10