Pets in Space: Cats, Dogs, and Other Worldly Creatures

by S. E. Smith

  Jana turned quickly and stared up at him when he stepped closer. She started to lift her hand and push her hair away from her eyes when the breeze blew it, but Matrix was already doing it for her. Her breath hiccuped as she stared up at him.

  “This is…,” Matrix started to say when he stopped.

  “Just like in my books,” Jana finished in a barely audible whisper. “I thought it was all made up.”

  “What was made up?” Matrix asked in a deep voice, running his fingers down along her cheek.

  Jana’s lips twitched. “… The heat was pooling down low between her legs and her pulse raced as he stepped closer. That she would want him to kiss her, even though they had just met,” she murmured, thinking of some of the lines from the books she’d read.

  “I think I can make it come true,” he muttered, taking a step closer and threading his fingers through her shoulder-length hair. “I will have to do more than just kiss you to relieve the heat that is pooling low between your legs, though.”

  “Holy…,” Jana’s shocked exclamation was cut off when he pulled her forward and covered her lips with his.

  Fireworks exploded in her brain and she clung to his broad shoulders when he deepened the kiss. The books she’d read might have talked about this, but it was nothing compared to what it felt like. Her body was on fire!

  Jana’s lips parted and she eagerly wrapped her arms around Matrix’s neck. A sense of excitement burst through her when he released a soft moan and ran his hands down her side and over her hips. A responding whimper escaped her and she pressed against him. There were some things a guy couldn’t fake and Matrix was definitely not immune to her either, going by the state of this cock pressed against her.

  She gasped when his hands slid a little lower and he cupped the rounded curve of her ass. For a moment, all of her self-consciousness flooded her. Would he think her fat? Was he one of those stupid guys that didn’t appreciate a woman with some curves? Her fear rose when he broke their kiss.

  “I swear, Jana, I could never get enough of holding you,” Matrix muttered as he brushed a line of kisses along the curve of her jaw before returning to capture her lips again.

  Joy and a sense of triumph coursed through Jana. Finally, a guy who understood that a woman with some extra curves was a good thing. Her fingers tangled in his hair and she deepened the kiss that he had started.

  This is way better than any book boyfriend dream, she thought as she lost herself to the heat.

  Ten

  Matrix’s hands had a mind of their own. Jana’s soft form was nothing like the hard, unforgiving muscles of the women he had been with before. He ran his hands down over her hips, pulling her closer to his aching body before bending just enough to gently squeeze her lush, rounded buttocks.

  His body appeared to have forgotten his recent release, since he was as hard as a rock again. He muttered a curse when he felt Jana’s hand slip down from his neck to run along his chest before moving lower. If they didn’t stop now, he would be taking her on the front porch.

  His body stiffened when his hearing picked up an unusual sound approaching them. Breaking the kiss, he pulled back and stared down the road. He turned his head when K-Nine suddenly appeared on the steps.

  “A transport approaches,” K-Nine warned.

  “A transport? Oh, you mean a car?” Jana asked, trying to get her mind working again. “You guys better hide in the house.”

  Matrix looked down at her and scowled. “Zion warriors do not hide,” he bit out.

  Jana smiled nervously up at him. “Yeah, well, since you aren’t from around here, it might be better if you weren’t seen. You know, less questions.”

  “She is correct, Matrix,” K-Nine responded. “I need to check the woods. The Crawler started tracking the emergency beacon as soon as it was activated. Since we do not know how far out it still might be, it would be best to establish a perimeter warning system.”

  “I’ll help you,” Matrix reluctantly agreed. “We will be close enough to hear you if you need assistance.”

  “I’ll be fine, Matrix,” Jana assured him softly before stepping back. “Go on. I can hear the car now.”

  Matrix grunted before reluctantly following K-Nine down the steps, across the yard and into the nearby trees. He paused at the edge of the woods. Waiting in the shadows, he watched as a large, black transport slowly pulled up in front of the house and stopped. A moment later, the engine shut off and the door opened.

  His gaze flickered from the old man who rose from the transport to Jana. Once again, her expressive face displayed her thoughts. From her pursed lips and raised eyebrow, she wasn’t impressed with the man. Satisfied that she could handle this situation on her own, Matrix turned back to K-Nine where he sat with an evil grin of delight on his furry face.

  “Don’t say a word!” Matrix warned under his breath.

  “You have it bad,” K-Nine replied, ignoring Matrix’s sharp words. “You have imprinted on her.”

  “Enough already with the imprinting,” Matrix growled. “In case you’ve forgotten, we have a Crawler to kill. Must I remind you that we are just as likely to end up dead? You saw what they did to the Triterian forces.”

  “We can’t. If we do, this planet, which includes Jana and the kittens would perish,” K-Nine stated. “We will kill it and take Jana and my kittens home with us.”

  “‘My kittens’? Did you just say ‘my kittens’?” Matrix asked in disbelief.

  K-Nine stood up and shook. “Every Despairing Wolfhound needs a pack. I have mine now,” he retorted.

  Matrix watched as K-Nine trotted away. He shook his head in disbelief. The cyborg mutt had lost the few brain cells that were not replaced during his cloning. Since when had his life become this confusing? he wondered. He shook his head as he took off after his partner. They would both be lucky to get out of this mission in one piece. The thought of what would happen to Jana if they weren’t successful was enough to put a little more urgency in his step.

  “Hello, Jana,” Herman Marker greeted as he stepped away from his car.

  “Mr. Marker,” Jana replied. “What can I do for you?”

  Herman glanced over at Jana with an easy grin. He had been thinking more and more about her since his wife, Mary, had died almost three months ago. He found that life was lonely without a woman in it.

  Unfortunately, there weren’t a lot of eligible women in Glennis, at least none that he hadn’t known for forty years. He reached up and straightened his tie. He was looking for someone new, someone fresh, and preferably someone young enough to care for him. He knew from listening to Mary that Jana was a sweet young woman who had old fashioned values.

  “I was just stopping by to see if you needed anything,” Herman replied, sniffing the air. “It smells like you might be preparing dinner,” he added with a hopeful smile.

  “Lunch – and we just finished,” Jana replied, leaning against the post holding up the roof.

  “Oh,” Herman replied with a downward droop to his lips before he frowned. “We? You have company?”

  Jana straightened and pushed her hands into her pockets. Herman couldn’t help but admire the way it pulled her thin, cotton shirt tighter across her bosom. He might be old, but he wasn’t dead. During the last three years of Mary’s life, she had been too frail to want any type of physical comfort. Herman had missed that. There was nothing like holding a woman in your arms and having a little fun.

  “The kittens,” she said.

  “Oh, yes, pets. I remember you asking if you could have them here,” Herman replied with a look of distaste, pulling out a handkerchief from the front pocket of his button-up dress shirt. He wiped away the sweat on his brow before replacing it. “Would you have a nice glass of tea or water…?”

  He watched the uncertainty flash across her face before it was followed by a sigh. A smile lit his face when she turned and waved her hand for him to follow her. He climbed the steps with a renewed bounce.

  “I don
’t have any tea, but I have some iced lemon water,” Jana said, opening the front door and stepping inside. “Be mindful of the kittens, they like to pounce on you when you least expect it.”

  “Thank you for the warning,” Herman replied, looking warily around the room. “How many do you have?”

  “Three,” Jana replied with a grin. “Biscuit is the gray one, Honeybun is the golden one, and Butter is the cream-colored.”

  “You named them after food?” Herman asked with a puzzled expression as he stepped into the kitchen. Almost immediately, his eyes lit on the apple dump cake. “That looks good.”

  The grin on his face grew when she motioned for him to have a seat at the table. Now, he would turn on the charm. If she played her cards right, she might not have to pay rent for a while, he thought appreciatively as she reached up for a plate and glass, his gaze locked on her full breasts.

  Jana sighed heavily and motioned for her irritating guest to sit down. She opened the cabinet and pulled a small plate and glass out before walking over to the refrigerator to get the pitcher of chilled lemon water. She calmly poured a glass of the refreshing water and scooped a generous serving of the apple dump cake onto the plate. Placing both in front of him, she moved around the table and sat down.

  A few seconds later, the first kitten appeared in the doorway. It didn’t take long for the other two to follow. Jana leaned over and scratched Honeybun between her ears as the kitten rubbed against her leg.

  “Those look just like the kittens I found under the shed out behind my house,” Herman commented, taking a bite of the still warm cake. “This is very good. You know how to cook?”

  Jana warily picked up Honeybun, keeping an eye on the other two kittens as they played with one of the cat toys she’d bought for them. She cuddled Honeybun against her and stared at Herman Marker with a frown. Could the guy get any fuglier? she wondered.

  “I do alright,” she muttered. “Is there a reason for your visit? I paid the rent last week and haven’t been late.”

  Herman scraped the plate and licked his fork clean before setting it on the table. He picked up the glass and drank almost half of the water before he finally set it down. Jana was about to scream when he picked up his napkin and wiped his mouth. She wondered if he would need to use the bathroom and take a nap before he answered her.

  “I was thinking…,” he finally began.

  Jana’s mind immediately went into overdrive. Those three words had warning bells ringing like the church bells on Sunday morning. She warily sat back and stroked Honeybun while she waited for him to continue.

  “About…?” She grudgingly asked.

  Herman sat forward and placed his elbows on the table. Jana wished she could push her chair further back, but this one was up against the wall so she was stuck. Instead, she continued to stroke the kitten and hoped this didn’t get as bad as she thought it would.

  “My wife has been dead three months and I find that I miss the company of having a woman around. I’m still a relatively young man. I just turned sixty-six. I think we would be a good fit,” Herman stated.

  “A good fit? I’m twenty-four,” Jana said with a wrinkled nose. “Don’t you think you should look for someone closer to your own age?”

  “No, no. Think about it, Jana. I have a little money saved up, and my kids are grown. Hell, my youngest is older than you!” He laughed for a moment before he drew in a deep breath and leaned back. “This could be a good chance for you. You’d have a place to live rent free. I could come over a few nights a week. You could fix me some of this fine food and we can enjoy each other’s company.”

  Jana knew her mouth was hanging open. It had to be. For a second, she was speechless as her mind replayed what he’d just said. The disbelief soon turned into outrage. He thought she would just jump on his offer of free rent for this crappy place that was falling apart in exchange for feeding him and….

  “Are you saying what I think you are saying?” She asked, placing Honeybun on the floor and rising to her feet. “You think I would be interested in feeding you and… and… and….” Her voice faded.

  “A man has needs, Jana,” Herman stated, rising to his feet as well. “Mary always used to say if you lost a few pounds, you could find a man who would be interested in you. I’m willing to ignore the fact that you are overweight. You obviously have an eating disorder if you name your pets after food.”

  Jana’s mouth snapped shut and she slowly counted to ten, curling each of her fingers until two tight fists formed. Only when she felt some measure of self-restraint did she speak again. The low, hissing breath she took should have been his first warning that she was royally pissed off.

  “Get out,” Jana ordered in a barely audible voice.

  Herman grimaced, but didn’t move. “It’s the truth. I’m sorry if you don’t like it, but someone should have told you a long time ago. I’m willing to ignore it. Think of how much you would save each month on rent. I’ll even throw in Mary’s car. It is in better shape than that thing you drive.”

  “GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!” Jana yelled, pointing to the front door. “I would sleep in my old car before I’d ever sleep with a slime bag like you. According to the law, this is my house until next month’s rent is due. I won’t tell you again.”

  Herman’s eyes flashed with anger. “You can consider this your eviction notice then,” he said, turning on his heel. He stumbled when one of the kittens ran in front of him. “I swear that looks like one of those damn kittens I put in a pillowcase and tossed in the trash.”

  “Wait a minute! It was you? You’re the one who took those poor kittens away from their mother and put them in a pillowcase?” Jana demanded in a harsh whisper.

  Herman grunted as he turned to frown down at her. “Of course. They were a nuisance. I poisoned the mother, but she had already had the seven damn kittens. I put them in one of our old pillowcases and placed it in the trashcan. One of the garbage men must have found it and dropped it off at Wilson’s office!” he snapped in irritation. “I hate animals.”

  Jana had never been so angry in her life. She turned, reaching for the fly swatter hanging from the hook by the back door. Gripping it, she turned back to Herman and waved it at him menacingly.

  “Get out of my house,” she hissed. “Don’t you ever, EVER, talk to me again. If you do, I swear I will tell every old biddy within a thousand mile radius what a horrible, horrible ass you are, do you understand me?”

  Herman’s lips tightened and he took a step toward her. Jana didn’t stop to think. She didn’t want to. She wanted to beat the crap out of Herman Marker, then pick him up, and do it all over again. Instead, she started smacking him with the fly swatter.

  “Ouch! That hurt!” Herman exclaimed, stepping backwards in surprise. “Stop that!”

  “Never!” Jana growled, hitting him again. “Out! Out! Out!”

  Jana followed Herman, smacking him anywhere she could reach until he was forced through the front door. They were almost to the edge of the porch when Herman turned and grabbed the fly swatter out of her hand. He raised it to strike her. A flash of blue fur sent him careening backwards off the porch and onto his back on the hard ground.

  “What… What the hell is that?!” He choked out, terrified.

  “This is my newest pet, Linguine!” Jana growled, rubbing in her use of food names. “He’s named after one of my favorite foods. He’s big. He’s mean….”

  “And he loves to rip out the throats of those he does not like,” Matrix added, stopping next to Herman where he lay on the ground.

  “Who… Who are you?” Herman demanded in a barely audible voice.

  “He’s my boyfriend,” Jana boasted, glancing at Matrix with a pleading look of entreaty.

  “I am more than her boyfriend,” Matrix stated in a quiet voice filled with conviction. “I am her life mate. Do you want us to kill him, Jana? No one will ever find his body.”

  Jana’s eyes lit with amusement when she saw the teasing twinkle
in Matrix’s gaze. She fought to keep her lips from twitching. Her gaze dropped to Herman as he turned and started crawling frantically across the ground.

  “No, just throw him out with the trash,” she instructed.

  “Thank you,” K-Nine muttered. “I hate dealing with garbage.”

  Herman jerked around and stared at K-Nine in disbelief. Jana couldn’t help the grin that curved her lips. She tilted her head and looked at Matrix.

  He reached down, grabbed Herman by the arm and jerked him to a standing position. When Herman took a swing at him, Matrix caught the other man’s fist in his left hand and squeezed it. Jana bit her bottom lip when she saw Herman pale.

  “Did she also happen to mention that we are aliens from another world?” Matrix asked in a soft, menacing voice.

  “Oh, shit!” Herman choked.

  “He’s peed his pants, Matrix,” K-Nine drawled.

  “I can smell it. Get out of here before I change my mind and kill you,” Matrix ordered, pushing the man toward his transport. “If you say a word to anyone, we’ll hunt you down.”

  “I might add that I always find what I’m hunting,” K-Nine called out as Herman wrenched opened the car door and fell inside.

  Jana walked down the steps to stand next to Matrix. Warmth flooded her when Matrix slid his arm protectively around her waist and pulled her close. She didn’t resist. There was something that just felt so right about the way he was holding her that she didn’t want to question it. There was always time for a reality check later. At the moment, she just wanted to enjoy this amazing, incredible, and totally unpredictable day.

  They both watched as Herman started his car and put it into drive. Loose gravel flew out from behind the vehicle as he sped down the long driveway. Jana wrapped her arm around Matrix and casually scratched K-Nine behind his ear when he came to sit down next to them.

  “That was absolutely the coolest thing that has ever happened in my life,” Jana whispered before bursting into uncontrollable laughter that quickly turned into tears. “He was the one who put the kittens in the pillowcase,” she sniffed, turning into Matrix’s arms when he gently wrapped them around her so that she was facing him.