Captive Moon

by C. T. Adams

  Matty held out his hand. “I’ll do whatever it was you’d planned if you want to start the game. What’s in the bag?”

  He handed the plastic over to him, briefly pulling it back with a caution. “This sponge is filled with a chemical compound I just created. Make certain you don’t get any of it on your skin.”

  Matty looked at the innocent-looking sponge askance. “Bloody hell! What is the stuff?”

  “You might call it liquid fear,” Tahira answered. “Trust me, the scent of this stuff is so powerful, it made me run out of the library to see if someone was being attacked in the kitchen. Spill it on your pants, and you might end up dinner.”

  He stared wide-eyed at the plastic for a moment and then hesitantly opened it. The potent scent nearly made Matty gag, but Babette instantly turned and sniffed, searching with suddenly hungry eyes for the source of the scent. Matty noticed and zipped the bag. “Strewth! I see what you mean, mate. Right, then. You go play ball with Babette on the other side of the room and I’ll douse the ’lope with this charming blend.”

  “What does it smell like to you, Matty?” Tahira asked. “Margo thought was rotting meat in bleach.”

  “Wish I could say it smelled that good,” Matty said with a grimace. “But I’ve actually smelled rotting meat cooked in bleach, and that had nothing on this stew.” At Tahira’s surprised expression, he shrugged. “Had to build a skeleton of a rabbit for a biology class, but forgot about the project until the night before. The bleach made the bones nice and white, but I’d forgotten about my mum’s dinner party that same night. It was a bit of a balls up, that!”

  “Well, then,” Antoine said, picking up the bowling ball and slipping in the tips of his fingers, “let’s get the game started.”

  Babette was at full attention as he heaved the ball across the floor in a blur. Babette leapt after the toy and batted it to the side before it hit the wall, sending it nearly airborne back toward them with a powerful swipe of her paw. He considered going into the back room and removing his clothes before changing, but the goal was to keep Babette interested.

  Ah, well. The clothes can be replaced.

  With a cougar screech, he leapt into the air toward the ball. When he landed, he was in cat form. The tattered remains of his clothing fluttered to the floor.

  Tahira’s hushed voice made him turn his head after he’d swatted the ball back to Babette. “My God! You’re huge! You can’t possibly be a cougar. Even my grandfather isn’t as broad across the chest.”

  He twitched his ears forward in amusement and flicked his tail. “I warned you that I inherited my mother’s size.” He nearly pushed her out of the way, but she noticed the ball returning and sent it back to Babette with a powerful stroke.

  “Hey! That is sort of fun. It’s not heavy as I would have expected. Are we playing catch or keep-away?”

  His lips pulled back from his teeth. “The only goal is not to break anything. We can play however you like. But you should know that I’m quite a good footy player, as Matty calls the game.”

  “No problem,” she said, diving into him hard enough to tumble him over before sending the ball back to Babette. “I’m a hockey girl myself, along with a stint as Rabi’s tackling dummy for rugby tryouts.”

  Minutes passed as they continued to increase the difficulty of the game. The cubs moved to the side once they decided the prey was too fast, and it hurt when it squished their paws. It became a race to see whether he or Tahira would first reach the ball to send it back to Babette. Tahira was very skilled, moving quickly and efficiently to cut off the ball before he could swipe at it. The longer they played, the more aggressive they both became, so by the time the scent reached their noses, they’d nearly lost the memory of where the scent of fear had come from.

  After a final swipe of the ball, Babette dropped into a slow stalk that made the cubs prick up tiny ears. Tahira joined her, instinctively moving to the side to trap the prey. “Tahira!” Antoine whispered, slapping his paw against her flank. “Let Babette find the prey.”

  She blinked golden eyes as the words filtered into her head. She stopped and sat down on her haunches. “Sorry,” she said quietly. “I got too wrapped up in the game.”

  “I nearly did as well. I see that Matty made himself scarce, but he seems to have done a very creative job of application of the scent. He’s placed individual drops on the floor, as though from the hind foot scent glands of a rabbit.”

  Tahira nodded. “I know. I can smell where they wander from side to side and double back—just like a real rabbit. He must be really good at tracking.”

  “He is. I don’t worry at all about him completing his walkabout. He has a natural affinity for the wild.” He stared into her gleaming eyes as she watched Babette follow the trail to one of the rabbits in the stream and felt a thrill of excitement pass through him. “What are you doing for dinner tonight, mon chat du feu?”

  Every muscle in her hind legs tensed as Babette’s tail began to flick frantically at the edge of the cattails. The big cat leapt into the plants with a series of splashing grabs before coming up with one of the rabbits. She carried it proudly over to the cubs and they all trotted back to Babette’s enclosure to share it.

  Tahira was salivating from watching the hunt, and it took her a moment to answer. “I think Giselle was going to broil some steaks from the freezer, along with some vegetables. Why?”

  He leaned his face near her ear and breathed in the scent of her adrenaline-laced musk. “I don’t believe I’m in the mood for home cooking tonight. Fast food is more what I have in mind.”

  Her gaze turned wicked with humor. “You’re thinking we should find a run-through for something fresh and warm?”

  “Exactly.” He licked a slow line along her furred muzzle to the point of her ear and felt her shudder. “I want to hunt with you tonight, Tahira.”

  Her chuffing growl was close to a chuckle. “Why is it that everything you say sounds like a come-on?”

  He turned and deliberately bumped her as he walked toward the door. “Perhaps because it’s what you’re hoping to hear.” He growled in surprise as she leapt over his head and reached the door first.

  “Or,” she said slyly, “perhaps it’s because it is a come-on. But I can take anything you can dish out, Antoine, so bring it on.”

  Chapter Nine

  “WE’RE BEING FOLLOWED.”

  Tahira slowed her steps and let her eyes adjust to the starlight. The moon was hidden behind thick clouds, but at least the snow had finally stopped. The cold, still air burned her lungs as she held her breath. She opened her senses, concentrating on any sound, any scent that would confirm Antoine’s statement. The only movement was the twitching of Antoine’s tawny ear as he stood equally silent beside her.

  “How do you know?” she asked in a low whisper.

  He turned his head to her with what was as close to a look of disdain as a cougar could manage. “I know because I can smell them. There are at least two, but possibly more. They’re very far away but moving in concert with us, so probably using scopes or binoculars to track us. They’re shifters, but they are too far away for me to know what sort of animal.”

  “Are we in danger?”

  “Something is hunting a pair of apex predators in the woods in the middle of the night. They’re keeping to the shadows and staying upwind. What do you think?”

  “Should we turn back? We’re not far from the house. I don’t need to hunt tonight.”

  Antoine took a step, letting his massive, furred paw settle into the deep snow. She had never seen a cougar of his size. He was even larger than Rabi in animal form. He let out a low chuffing sound that was close to a chuckle. “No, neither of us needs to hunt tonight, but isn’t it nice that someone has given us a reason to? With any luck, they’ll stay in human form. I do so hate trying to get fur out from between my teeth.”

  A snort of air, combined with a bright citrus scent, told of her amusement, and he shared the joke for a moment, b
ut then turned serious.

  “Keep in mind that it’s quite possible that someone out there is trying to finish the job they started.”

  “Finish the—” Tahira’s eyes widened as she finally understood what Antoine was implying. Could Rabi’s kidnappers have returned? Oh my. Yes, I would definitely enjoy finding them again, and to hell with fur in my teeth.

  Her voice lowered to a threatening rumble. “What do you want me to do?”

  He moved his muzzle so close to her that his whiskers tickled the sensitive hairs inside her ear. His breath was warm and his power played over her fur like a stroking hand. The combination of sensations caused an involuntary shiver deep inside her.

  “First we need to draw them closer, force them to come to us. If we keep to the undergrowth, it will still appear that we are hunting, but they won’t be able to see us well enough to risk a shot that would put us on defense. Then, we rely on our strengths. My nose is my best feature, and you apparently have excellent ears. With the moon hidden, sight won’t be our ally, so stay close. Our goal is to find their position before they know ours.”

  “Do we try to capture them to ask questions, or—” She wasn’t sure whether she should finish the question. Perhaps the Sazi showed mercy when it came to hunters. Her kabile did not.

  Antoine pulled his lips back, showing impressive fangs. “It will depend on the situation. If they are armed, defend yourself any way you must. Have you ever handled a rifle?”

  She nodded. “My father occasionally shoots a rifle and shotgun at a club. He fought against the Russians when they tried to slaughter our kabile, and he taught me. I can handle one if it comes to it.”

  His voice was still hushed, but there was a fierce intensity in his eyes that made her shiver. “No, that’s not what I meant. We’ll do our best fighting in animal form. But I want you to concentrate as we lead them into our trap. You need to listen for the whisper of metal on metal if they load a shell or another dart. There should be no human hunters in these woods tonight, so any metallic sound will be a threat.”

  Antoine took another step, and a sudden rush of breaking branches in the undergrowth caused them both to turn. Deer musk, pungent with fear, made Tahira’s heart race and she struggled not to follow her first instinct and start the chase.

  But Antoine apparently decided to take the opportunity the fleeing prey presented. She heard him murmur, “Perfect timing!” just before he disappeared into the snow-covered brush.

  ANTOINE HOPED THAT Tahira would realize his plan as he ran into the forest after the deer. They needed to get far enough away from their pursuers to set their own trap. But for a few moments he allowed himself to revel in the chase. It was the third night of the moon. The animal inside him was desperate to be free of human conventions. His lungs filled with cold air as his paws found purchase in the snow. His tail moved in unconscious reaction to the balance of his body as he loped after the prey. The chase felt natural and so right. Here in the woods there was only the snow on his fur, the rush of wind pressing against his eyes and nose, and the power of the moon as slivers of light parted the clouds. Tahira’s natural scent was heady, and combined with wet vegetation and frightened prey, it was nearly enough to make him forget his purpose. How long had it been since he hunted with abandon, just given in to his instinct? Hearing Tahira running beside him, seeing the powerful muscles play under her orange coat, made him want to take down the deer, to share meat with another cat who was a worthy hunting companion.

  But not tonight. They had other things to consider. It was becoming a challenge to get deep enough in the forest. The lone stag was old and wily. He tried to double back more than once. Antoine was pleased that Tahira pounced quickly, cutting off its escape. She forced the deer forward into the deeper trees while Antoine kept watch around them. She kept stride with him easily, not attempting to overtake the deer. As they neared the mountain face, Antoine allowed himself to slow. The snow was deeper here, piled against fallen trees and large boulders. As they passed a small stream, he dug in his claws and slid to a stop. It took Tahira a moment to realize he had split off, but she quickly returned to his side, letting the deer continue to race into the distance.

  “Did you smell something?” she asked in a whisper right next to his head. Her breath was deliciously hot against his chilled skin.

  Without warning, something changed. He was suddenly, acutely aware of her—the sensation of her flank against his side, the adrenaline musk that drifted on the breeze, the golden eyes that held his with intelligence and powerful intensity. He couldn’t seem to get the memory of their kiss out of his mind—the scent of sandalwood, cherry jam, and thick sweet musk was making his heart race and his head spin.

  “Yes.” The word came out almost without thought, but Tahira took it the wrong way. Her neck fur rose and her head dropped defensively. She was instantly on alert, scanning the surrounding forest for their foes. It made her even more attractive to him, but it also reminded him that they had more pressing business.

  He shook his head to clear it of more personal thoughts than he should be thinking right now. “No, what I meant was, this is a good location for the plan I have in mind.”

  She was staring into the distance intently, and he could barely hear her whispered reply over the rising wind. “Good thing, because they’re coming.”

  Antoine looked around quickly, searching for a place to ambush them. Yes! That would be perfect. The rock ledge was some distance away and about twenty feet above them, but it was nearly hidden behind a massive snow-covered spruce. From any angle other than where he was standing, he would be hidden. “We need to get you out of sight.” His eyes took in the details of the small clearing. The running stream would cover small sounds, and the piles of snow might be an excellent hiding place for her. But she wouldn’t be able to see. She would have to rely on scent and hearing for her attack.

  “If we buried you under the snow near that spruce—” he began, but she interrupted.

  “There’s no need. Find your place. I’ll isim and we’ll take them by surprise.”

  Antoine glanced away when the smell of the attackers, there were three of them, reached his nose. He shook his head and whispered, “You didn’t explain what that means…I…Tahira?” When he looked back, she was gone. He could still smell her, but she was nowhere in sight. When he heard her voice next to his ear, he flinched.

  “You are the first non-Hayalet who has ever seen the isim, and you must swear to keep the secret. We are called the ‘ghost tribe’ for more than one reason.”

  “Merde! Your people can become invisible?”

  The low chuffing sound made his heart beat faster. “Not precisely. It’s sort of bending light. I can’t really explain it very well. It’s still new to me. But they’re nearly here. We can talk later.”

  Antoine raised his nose to the breeze and realized she was right. He felt a rush of wind as she used supernatural speed to leap. He heard a small thump behind him and could now very faintly smell sandalwood on the bare spot under a large spruce. Without another word, he focused on the ledge. He would have to make a single leap. It was a longer jump than he’d accomplished in a very long time, and from a cold stand. He couldn’t afford to take a running start since the tracks would give away his location. It was the same reason Tahira had leapt to her spot.

  Training with his cats had increased his precision in the past few years. It was much easier to show the cats what he expected than to project the image into their mind through his Sazi gift. But he hadn’t practiced any distance jumps. It had been more than a year since he’d trained with Fiona at the Wolven range. Still, a pulled muscle or two was a small price to pay.

  His ears flattened as he crouched down low, being careful not to leave any impression in the snow. The tracks should just end without any hint of their position.

  He wiggled his hindquarters, seeking just the right angle. He felt his heartbeat slow and the world disappear from his sight, except for the small
rock outcropping.

  With a low grunt, he threw himself into the air, pushing off from the earth like a rocket. He spread his front paws and extended his claws as the rock wall quickly approached. But he realized that the jump was going to be short by a fraction. He might be able to grab on to the ledge with his claws and pull himself up, but that would make noise. Plus, the sand and small rocks that would be dislodged in the process would be obvious on the undisturbed field of white below.

  With only microseconds left, he turned his head, changing his flight toward the sheer cliff face. He pulled his rear legs under him and twisted so his head was pointing nearly down. With an impact that shook his bones to the core, he careened into the rock wall with all four feet. For a moment, he was suspended against the wall and gravity was pressing against him like lead. But then he pushed off, using his own momentum to propel him forward.

  He threw his body sideways once more and landed on the ledge with barely a whisper of sound. Every muscle in his back screamed from the effort. He took a moment to catch his breath and tried to ignore the stab of pain in his hip.

  Merde! I’ll heal, but I won’t enjoy it much. I’m just glad that playing so many games of pool with Lucas made me think of a bank shot to reach the pocket.

  A rustling of branches below caught his attention, and he flattened himself against the rock, backing up so his head wouldn’t be visible from below. Three men wearing black knit masks walked slowly into the clearing. Two were armed. One of the rifles looked like the dart gun that he had seen in the police station. The tallest of the men, a viper in his animal form, was wearing black goggles and was scanning the area slowly. Even heat sensors wouldn’t detect him through the icy rock, but Tahira wouldn’t be so lucky. Night vision might not spot her, but she couldn’t hide her warmth.

  TAHIRA WATCHED THE men slowly move around the clearing. The man with goggles smelled strangely like fresh asphalt. He slowly turned his head, and she held her breath. He must know he was looking for cats, because he spent as much time looking up into the trees as scanning the forest. Something caught his eye in a nearby tree and he raised his hand to focus the binoculars. The other men looked to him for a sign, but then he shook his head and returned to scanning the area. Tahira looked up and saw an owl, nearly hidden against the tree bark. She held her breath and froze as the man scanned right next to the tree where she stood. She suddenly realized that she’d been foolish and nearly swore under her breath. Even using isim wouldn’t hide her from some technology. She hadn’t considered heat signatures. She should have stepped behind the snowy branch right next to her. But it was too late now. If she was spotted, she’d just have to pounce.