“Ouch,” she gasped. “Okay, I won’t move.”
He didn’t answer her as he pulled his cock out of her pussy until only the tip remained. Katy whimpered and she rocked back to capture him, but he 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. She simply needed a firm hand.
As if to confirm that fact, Kegar stroked her clit. Katy flinched, then moaned as her pussy flooded, drowning his cock 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 her… which was hard.
Kegar’s hips bucked and pounded, driving into her until Katy was convinced she’d choke on his cock. She lifted her butt higher to meet each frenzied thrust. He grumbled something, raking his nails along her legs until he held her waist. Katy’s nipples bounced and her body quivered as he slammed into her 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.
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. Kegar pinched her clit and sent Katy into the abyss, before she could give it any more consideration.
He released his grip on her. His tongue laving the spot he’d bitten. 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.
We need to talk.
“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 the man whose body currently blanketed her. Katy refused to admit that she’d like to get to know him better. It was bad enough that she was starting to develop feelings for him.
The phone rang two more times. “Kegar, you have to get off me, so I can answer that.”
Dread filled Katy as she saw the number on her caller ID. Shit! She didn’t need this right now. She picked up the phone. “Manfred speaking.”
“Where in the hell are you? 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 and not surgically enhanced, that we have the find of the century in our hands, don’t you?”
“I understand,” she said, realizing Roger wasn’t part of the hoax, if he’d been waiting this whole time. 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.
A groan of frustration sounded in the background before Roger Sylvan spoke again.
“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. I took you in after your parents died, when you had no job and nowhere else to turn. This is how you repay me?”
“I… ”
“Save it. You know what this means.”
“Yes, sir, 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?”
She 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.
“Katy, are you listening to me?” he asked, shuffling paperwork.
“Yes, I hear you.”
“I expect you to have the cat ready for transport in thirty minutes.”
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 getting a recommendation from Bio Tech and it was a long shot. She refused to believe there was no hope.
Katy strode back inside her bedroom. Kegar lay in the middle of the 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, indicating to his erection.
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. So are you going to tell me where you hid him or not?”
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 livelihood?
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? What’s a Phantom Warrior and what’s a Zaron? Oh, forget it. I have to throw some clothes on and try to 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 few seconds, absorbing his magnificence. She couldn’t allow him leave like that. The women of L.A. 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 the boss was a stupid move on my part. It’s not one of my proudest moments.”
You’ve lain with this man. Is he the one who caused you to doubt yourself as a woman?
“No, yes, no, it’s complicated.” 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. There had to be something here he could wear. She found a pair of cutoff shor
ts that she’d bought when she’d been a size sixteen. “Here,” she said, tossing 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.” She grabbed some clothes for herself and dressed quickly. The doorbell rang as she tied her last shoestring. Damn, Roger was early. Katy rose, glancing in the mirror at her reflection. Her lips were kiss swollen and her hair looked as if she’d just gotten out of bed. Pretty accurate all in all.
She took a step toward the hall. Kegar reached out and stopped her. Before you go, I think 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.
Katy rolled her eyes. “I didn’t tranquilize an illusion.”
No, you shot me.
“What are you saying?” The doorbell rang again, followed by a loud knock.
Kegar reached out and 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 glance 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 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, followed by a command to break down the door. “Wait right here,” she said, racing 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?” Katy looked past his shoulder and saw two Bio Tech security team members waiting in the wings. “Why did you bring them? Don’t you think that’s overkill?”
Roger wore a belligerent expression on his face. “Someone had 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.”
“Stolen property? You have to be kidding me? I’ve never stolen anything in my life.”
He pushed his way into the house, leaving the security team outside. “Then you won’t mind if I take a quick look around.” He glanced over his shoulder into the front yard. “This will only take a minute,” he said, shutting and locking the door behind him.
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.
Instead, she prayed that Kegar had found a good place to hide. He’d claimed to be an expert at it. Let’s hope he was telling the truth.
Roger stormed into the bedroom, then suddenly turned on Katy, his gaze narrowing as he took in the rumpled sheets. He sniffed repeatedly, making a show of flaring his nostrils. “Have we been having a little afternoon delight?”
“W-what are you talking about?”
He took a menacing step toward her. “Drop the act, princess. I can smell sex in this room.” He pointed without looking. “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 had reduced it to sounding like a vulgar act truly pissed her off. “You know better than to accuse me of animal cruelty and it’s none of your business who I see.”
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. It was a guy, wasn’t it?”
A growl sounded in the other room. Katy’s eyes widened and she sent up a silent prayer that Kegar would stay put, but she knew that would be too good to be true. A flash of movement was the only warning Roger got when the giant cat leapt for him.
Claws extended and mouth open ready to eviscerate, the saber-tooth brought Roger down, slamming him onto his back with a loud crash. Its ears were pinned and its teeth exposed, daring the man to move. Roger shifted a shoulder and the cat growled, slapping one enormous paw onto Sylvan’s chest. It flexed its claws just enough to draw blood.
Roger yelped and then glanced at Katy for help. “Are you nuts?” he asked, his voice coming out in a strained whisper. “This thing could’ve killed you.”
Katy shook her head, her gaze seeking the creature’s face. Green eyes met blue.
I told you I wasn’t like your people.
She gasped. “Kegar?”
Your heart knew the truth all along.
“But how?”
“Who are you talking to?” Roger hissed as the cat brought his nose down to his throat.
“I’d be quiet if I were you, Roger.”
He whimpered. “If I scream, those two men will burst through the door and kill this thing on sight.”
Katy shook her head. “If you scream, that saber-tooth will gut you from neck to groin.”
He paled, his gaze going back to the seven-inch serrated teeth.
“I asked you a question, Kegar.”
I answered with the truth. I am not from this planet. I came here seeking a mate and I found her in the guise of a huntress. You will be worshipped and cherished on my planet, Katy. You will never have to want for a thing. You have my vow…and my heart, if you want it. We can leave immediately.
“I can’t leave L.A.” She wrapped her arms around her and felt tears burn her eyes as she glanced at the quiet emptiness of her home. He was offering her love—or at least the chance of it. That was something Katy hadn’t experienced since her parents died. Kegar couldn’t be serious. She barely knew him, yet she wanted so badly to believe.
What do you have here? This home? A job? I have a home. It is in need of your touch, but it is comfortable and I know you would like it. You could continue your work there unimpeded.
“You need a tracker?”
No, but my people do. What I need is you.
Could she leave? He was right about there being nothing left for her here. It would be a miracle if she managed to avoid jail time. Katy watched Kegar for a few moments, then glanced at Roger. A year ago, he’d convinced her she was frigid. He’d told her she could keep her job because he felt sorry for her. She’d swallowed his words like a tonic and allowed them to poison her self-esteem until she was afraid to move, to change her circumstances. He wouldn’t be giving her another chance at the job and she didn’t want one. Kegar had opened her eyes to new possibilities. It was time for her to shore up her courage and strike out. This time she wouldn’t be alone.
“Kegar, let him up.”
The cat hissed.
“Please, Kegar. If what you say is true, then we don’t need him anymore.”
The cat eyed her warily, then stepped back, retracting his claws. Blood sprang to the front of Roger’s shirt. The saber-tooth walked across the room to stand by Katy’s side.
She dropped her hand onto its head and began to stroke his soft fur. A strange rumbling purr ensued. Definitely not a sound a lion would make. She smiled, glancing up in time to see Roger stumble to his feet.
“I plan to notify the authorities about this incident. Once they prosecute you, that animal will be destroyed.”
She tilted her head. “You’d destroy the find
of the century?”
He tugged at his watchband. “If it meant that I’d get the first cut on the dissecting table, damn right. Now be sensible for once in your life and step away from that beast before it kills you.”
Katy’s blood ran cold. She couldn’t allow Roger to harm Kegar. She tried to step in front of the saber-tooth, but he wouldn’t cooperate. “I can’t let you do that, Roger. What started out as the find of the century has become the love of a lifetime.”
He laughed. “Love of a lifetime? That’s a bit dramatic, don’t you think? What are you going to do? Run away? I’d find you no matter where you’d try to hide on this planet.” Roger started toward the door, his intent clear. He slipped the lock and threw the door wide. “Security come quickly. The animal attacked me. I’m lucky to be alive,”
he shouted, pulling his crimson-stained shirt out for emphasis.
The Bio Tech team burst through the door with their guns drawn. Katy cried out, blocking their shot. Suddenly, everything began to move in slow motion. A gun went off, the sound reverberating throughout the room. Katy closed her eyes and braced, expecting to feel searing pain. When none came, she cracked one lid. Instead of the bullet hitting her, she saw the guard no longer pointed the pistol at her chest. The second man fired a shot. Plaster rained down from the ceiling as Katy screamed and turned to find Kegar. He was gone.
No longer in cat form, he appeared briefly behind the two men, only to disappear again. She blinked, unable to believe her eyes. Kegar wrenched their guns out of their hands and threw them across the room. She heard bones breaking as the bodies followed with sickening thuds. The glass frames holding her pictures on the wall exploded. Katy turned to see one man rising in the air, held by invisible hands, his feet flailing beneath him.
“Please don’t hurt them anymore.” Katy pleaded, rushing forward even though she wasn’t quite sure what she was going to do to stop Kegar if he chose to end their lives.
He was a force like nothing she’d ever encountered. “They’re only doing their jobs.”
Kegar materialized. And I am only doing mine. He dropped the man onto the floor.
The other lay unconscious a few feet away.
Phantom Warriors: Saber-Tooth Page 4