by Sasha White
“Oh my goodness, what is tha—”
Katy came apart beneath him, before she could finish her question. Her body clamped down on his shaft hard enough to send him over the edge. Kegar bellowed, convulsing as he pumped his seed into her. She milked his life force, drawing it in until he collapsed. Their lungs strained as they reached for air. He forced himself to roll, taking Katy with him. She lay on top his chest, her body soft and sated, dripping over his length like warm honey.
They didn’t stir, content to lie in the other’s arms. Kegar stroked her back, cupping her bottom to bring her closer to his face. You are all I’d ever hoped to find. I am pleased and honored that you’ve chosen to be my mate.
Chapter Four
Katy’s drowsy mind came awake instantly. Kegar had mentioned something about being his mate earlier, but she’d been too distracted to respond. Now she wasn’t. Mate was a term used most commonly when referring to animals.
What was he talking about? Even as the question formed in her mind, she had bad feeling that she already knew the answer.
“Kegar, I can ignore the fact that you talk directly in my mind. I can even accept that I was a willing participant during sex. But, I have a problem with this whole ‘mate’ business. Especially, since I know you’re part of some elaborate hoax, concerning the saber-toothed cat. She sat up onto her elbows so she could look into his face. If he lied, she’d know it. “I think it’s time to come clean.”
He took a deep breath and released it. You are not going to like what I have to say.
She glowered. “Tell me anyway.”
I am not involved in any deliberate deception. It is against my nature to do such a thing.
Katy wanted so badly to believe him. He looked so sincere. Was it possible that Kegar was a pawn, too? That still didn’t explain the whole mate business. “You said I was your mate,” she prodded for him to continue. “What do you mean by that?”
My people are different from yours. We do not marry. We mate. Only one time. Our women grow fewer in numbers. Due to this anomaly, our males have been forced to seek mates outside our clans. Earth holds our best chance at defeating extinction.
“Earth?” Katy felt the color drain from her face. Why did she always pick the jerks and the crazies? She sat up and swung her legs over his chest, pulling their joined bodies apart so she could stand by the side of the bed. “The least you could’ve done was tell me the truth. I’m all for a good gag, but this is pathetic.” Hurt, Katy walked toward the door.
Kegar leapt from the bed and landed on her, bringing her gently to her knees. I have never lied to you. I would never lie to you. That is not how mates behave.
“Get off me.” Katy dropped to all fours and tried to crawl away, but the warmth of his body seeped into her, causing her knees to wobble. The scent of his skin grew stronger and Katy’s head spun.
She took another step. Kegar’s teeth clamped onto her shoulder at the base of her neck and he growled. The warning was clear. He didn’t want her to move. Well too fucking bad. Katy tried to get out from under him, but before she could take one step Kegar entered her in one thrust. The power behind it nearly lifted her to her feet.
Katy gasped as he reached beneath her to pluck at her nipples and thumb her clit. Everywhere he touched, fire erupted. She squirmed, but his teeth sank deeper, piercing the tender skin at her nape.
“Ouch,” she gasped. “Okay, I won’t move.”
He pulled out of her until only the tip of him remained. Katy whimpered and rocked back to capture him, but Kegar held her firm. It was a sheer act of dominance and damn if it wasn’t turning her on. No man had ever handled her this way. Maybe that had been the problem all along. She wasn’t frigid. Katy simply needed a firm hand.
As if to confirm that fact, Kegar stroked her. Katy flinched, then moaned as her sex flooded, drowning him in her juices. His tongue lapped at her neck, while his teeth kept her in place so he could take her the way he wanted—hard and fast.
Kegar’s hips pounded her flesh, driving into her until Katy was convinced she’d choke on his shaft. She lifted her butt higher to meet each frenzied thrust, taking him as deep as her body allowed. He grumbled something she couldn’t make out, then raked his nails along her legs until he held her waist. Katy’s breasts bounced and her body quivered as he slammed into her over and over, again and again.
She heard whimpers coming from somewhere and realized she was the one making the noises. The suctioning sound intensified as he rode her toward completion. It wasn’t just sex, it was possession. Kegar was trying to absorb her body and soul in this feral mating. Something inside Katy shifted, locking into place like a puzzle piece. Instead of fighting the onslaught, she softened and her body readily submitted.
Kegar threw his head back and roared. The hair at the nape of Katy’s neck stood on end. The only time she’d ever heard that primal sound was when she’d camped in Kenya. The native guides had told her the lions were mating. Before she could turn to see what was happening, Kegar pinched her clit and sent Katy tumbling into the abyss.
He released his grip on her, but his tongue continued to lave the spot he’d bitten. He was back to making those purring sounds deep in his throat. I’m sorry if I hurt you, but I couldn’t allow you to leave.
“I wasn’t going anywhere.” But you will be, was left unsaid. As mind-blowing as the sex had been, Katy knew there was no way they could stay together.
We need to talk.
She glanced at him. “What do you think I’ve been trying to do?”
The phone’s shrill ring interrupted their conversation. Kegar slipped from her body, leaving Katy feeling empty and cold. Their combined juices ran down her legs, coating her thighs, making them sticky.
It was amazing how fast sex could turn into something else. Not love, but something. Which was odd since she didn’t really know this man. Katy refused to admit that she’d like to get to know him better. It worried her that she was already starting to develop feelings for him. Where could a relationship that started out as lust really lead? Nowhere.
The phone rang two more times. “Kegar, I have to answer that.”
Dread filled Katy as she saw the number on her caller ID. Crap! She didn’t need this right now. She picked up the phone. “Manfred speaking.”
“Where in the hell are you?” Roger’s voice boomed. “I’ve been waiting at the facility for over three hours.”
She glanced at the clock on the wall and cringed. “I’m at home, sir.”
“I know you’re home. What I’d like to know is what you’re doing there?”
Katy pictured Kegar’s naked body and blushed. “Nothing, sir.”
“Where’s the cat? You do know if he’s authentic. Have you examined him to see if he’s been surgically altered? Do we have the find of the century in our hands?”
His rapid-fire questions made it clear that Roger wasn’t part of the hoax. Damn, that meant the only person who could locate the cat was Kegar and he hadn’t exactly been cooperative in that regard. She glanced back toward her bedroom.
Roger Sylvan let out a groan of frustration. “Why did you break protocol?”
“The site was compromised and I was worried that we’d lose our find.” Which wasn’t a total lie, but certainly not the truth.
“I don’t want to hear your excuses,” he said.” I took you in after your parents died, when you had no job and nowhere else to turn. This is how you repay me?”
“Excuse me?” How dare he pretend that she was a charity case. “You hired me because I’m the best tracker west of the Mississippi.”
“Save it,” he snarled. “You know what this means.”
“Yes, I do.” It meant she was out of a job. It had been one thing to think about it in the realm of possibilities, but now that it was certain, the reality was disheartening. How was she going to be able to keep her house? Her car? She’d barely gotten by on her Bio Tech salary. Katy couldn’t afford a pay cut with the cost of living in
Los Angeles being so high.
“I’m on my way over now. I expect you to hand the saber-tooth and your resignation in at the same time. Do we understand each other?” he asked.
Katy closed her eyes and took a deep breath. What was she going to do now? Tracking was her life. She didn’t know how to do anything else.
“Are you listening to me?” he asked, shuffling paperwork.
“Yes, I heard you,” she said.
“Have the cat ready for transport in thirty minutes or getting fired will be the least of your worries. Bio Tech doesn’t take theft lightly.”
There was a click and then the dial tone rang in her ears. She needed to find out where the saber-tooth was before Roger arrived. That was the only chance she had of staying out of jail and it was a long shot at best. She refused to believe there was no hope. Katy hadn’t had the cat long after she left the Tar Pits. All she had to do was prove it.
She strode back inside her bedroom. Kegar was propped in the middle of her bed with his hands behind his head. His magnificent cock rose like a fist in the air at the sight of her. “Don’t you ever get tired?” she asked.
Not where you’re concerned.
“Listen, Kegar, we have to talk. My boss is on his way over here to pick up the saber-tooth. I need to know where you put him or I’m sacked.”
Sacked?
“Fired…unemployed…finito. Get it?”
I understand, but you won’t need the job where we’re going.
“Where we’re going? We aren’t going anywhere. I have a job here—or at least had a job. My life is in L.A. I don’t know how to do anything else and in thirty minutes my boss is going to knock on that door and expect to see a saber-tooth,” she said. “If I don’t give it to him, he’s going to have me arrested for theft. So are you going to tell me where you hid him?”
I cannot.
“Cannot or will not?” Katy planted her fists on her hips and glared at him. Didn’t he realize he was playing with her future?
Kegar sat up. It is not that simple.
She threw her hands up in the air. “Men!” She snorted. “It is that simple. Either you know where your buddies hid him or you don’t. It’s not like you could’ve moved him on your own.”
You’d be surprised what I can do, but as you said, we don’t have much time. So I’ll have to show you once we get to Zaron.
“Grr…you are impossible!”
No, I’m a Phantom Warrior.
“A what?”
A Phantom Warrior, he repeated as if that should mean something to her.
“What’s a Phantom Warrior and what’s a Zaron?” She waved her hands in the air. “Forget it. I don’t have time for this game. I have to throw some clothes on and come up with a plausible reason for the cat’s disappearance. Emphasis on plausible. If you aren’t going to help, then just get your things and get out. The last thing I need Roger to see is a naked man hanging around.” As the words left her mouth, Katy realized how ridiculous a notion that was.
Kegar had arrived naked. He had nothing to take. She stared at him a moment, absorbing his magnificence. She couldn’t allow him leave like that. The women of Los Angeles would riot. The thought of Kegar with another woman sent an unexpected spike of jealousy through her.
Who is Roger? And why do you wish to avoid his discomfort? His voice was deceptively calm.
“He’s my boss.” Katy shrugged. “And my ex-boyfriend.” She raised her hand to stop him from speaking. “Before you say anything, I know dating my boss was a stupid move on my part. It’s not one of my proudest moments.”
You’ve lain with this man. He sat up. Is he the one who caused you to doubt yourself as a woman?
“No, yes, no, it’s complicated,” she said. Kegar was way too perceptive for his own good.
Katy opened her drawers and began to dig through her clothes. She didn’t want to discuss Roger or their crappy relationship. She wasn’t about to touch their sex life after what she’d just experienced with Kegar. She dug deeper, throwing clothes over her shoulder onto the flow. There had to be something here he could wear. She found a pair of cutoff shorts that she’d bought when she’d been a size sixteen.
“Here.” She tossed the clothes at him. “They aren’t pretty, but at least they are loose and should provide you with a little cover until you can get to the clothes you stashed.”
Kegar caught the shorts. I’m quite comfortable the way that I am.
“I bet you are.” Katy found clothes for herself and dressed quickly.
The doorbell rang as she tied her shoes. Roger had given her thirty minutes. He probably lied in hopes of catching her red-handed, except the laugh was on him because she didn’t have the cat.
Katy glanced in the mirror at her reflection. Her lips were kiss swollen, her make-up was smudged, and her hair looked as if she’d just rolled out of bed. Pretty accurate all in all. She stepped into the hall.
Kegar stopped her before she went any farther. Before you go, there is something you need to know.
She whirled her hand to indicate he should hurry up.
There was no cat. It was an illusion of sorts.
Katy rolled her eyes. “I didn’t tranquilize an illusion.”
No. He shook his head. You shot me.
He was telling her something important, but she wasn’t following. “What are you saying?”
The doorbell rang again. Someone pounded on the door before the chime died.
Kegar stroked the side of her cheek with the back of his hand. So beautiful.
“Kegar, focus.” Katy snapped her fingers and gave him a warning glare that she hoped said she wasn’t up for playing any more games.
I have not lied to you. I am a Phantom Warrior from Zaron. Planet Zaron. I am not human, so therefore the rules of this planet do not apply to me. I can run with the beasts by changing my form, walk through your walls and hide myself from prying eyes.
Katy stared unblinking for the longest time, unable to say a word. Her mind replayed the day’s events with extreme accuracy. Could what he was saying be true? As much as she wanted to believe him, there was no way.
The pounding grew louder, then she heard Roger order someone to break down the door.
“Wait right here.” Katy raced for her front door. She couldn’t afford to fix it if she were unemployed. She slipped the locks and opened the door. “What in the hell is the matter with you, Roger?” She looked past his shoulder and saw two Bio Tech security members waiting in the wings. “Why did you bring them? That’s overkill even for you.”
Roger wore a belligerent expression on his face. “I needed someone to carry the stolen property. Besides, you’ve been acting so bizarre that I couldn’t take the chance that you might refuse to hand the cat over.”
She snorted. “Stolen property? I’ve never stolen anything in my life.” Katy wasn’t sure what had gotten into her. She should be trying to keep her job, not baiting the boss.
He pushed his way into the house, leaving the men outside. “Wait out here. This won’t take long,” he said to them, then shut the door. It locked automatically, but Roger didn’t seem to notice or maybe he didn’t care.
“I have nothing to hide,” Katy said.
“Then you won’t mind if I take a quick look around.” Roger started his search in the kitchen, then made his way back to the living room. “I see you haven’t bothered to make any changes to the place, even after I gave you all those wonderful suggestions.”
Katy wanted to tell him just what he could do with his suggestions, but she didn’t. “You’re not going to find anything.” Except the naked man in her bed. She prayed that Kegar had found a good place to hide. He’d claimed to be an expert at it. She hoped he was telling the truth.
Roger stormed into the bedroom, then suddenly turned on Katy. His gaze narrowed as he sniffed and took in the rumpled sheets. “You’ve been having sex,” he hissed in disgust.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Katy rub
bed her arm and casually looked around to see if she could spot Kegar, but he was nowhere in sight.
Roger took a menacing step toward her. “Drop the act, princess. This room reeks of sex,” he snarled. “Who have you been fucking? Is that why you rushed home, instead of bringing the cat to the facility? I can’t believe you’d endanger an animal that way, not to mention the public.”
Katy’s face flushed as she forced her anger down. She’d never, in all her years of tracking, endangered an animal or civilians. To say otherwise was an insult. What she’d experienced with Kegar wasn’t mere fucking. The fact that Roger made it sound like a vulgar act truly pissed her off. He had some nerve given their history.
“You know better than to accuse me of animal cruelty and it’s none of your business who I see,” she said. “We broke up. Remember?”
He snorted and walked back into the living room. “You’re right. It’s not like he’ll be around long now that you’ve lain like an iceberg beneath him. A guy can only take so much cold before he gets frostbite.” He paused. “It was a guy, wasn’t it? If not, that would explain a lot.”
“You’re such a jerk,” she muttered
A roar came from the other room. Katy’s eyes widened. How had the cat gotten into her house without her noticing? A flash of movement was the only warning Roger got before the giant cat leapt for him. Claws extended and mouth open ready to eviscerate, the saber-tooth brought Roger to the ground, slamming him onto his back. Its ears were pinned and its teeth exposed, daring him to move. Roger shifted a shoulder and the cat growled, slapping one enormous paw onto his chest. It flexed its claws just enough to draw blood.
Roger screamed, then glanced at Katy for help. “Where’s your gun?” he asked, his voice coming out in a strained soprano. “You need to kill it.”
Katy stared at the creature’s face. Green eyes. It had green eyes just like…
I told you I wasn’t like your people.
“Kegar?” It couldn’t be.
Your heart knew the truth all along.
“But how?” Logically, Katy knew it wasn’t possible. There was no such thing as magic, but she couldn’t deny the instant recognition when the cat had looked into her eyes.