John dropped the rag beside the basin filled with dirty water and jumped underneath the covers naked. Even with a fire blazing in the hearth, he could not get warm, so he pulled the covers over his head. It was another restless night.
.
Chapter 3
The following afternoon, an excited Bogdan revealed that a grand feast was planned for the next evening in John’s honor. Everyone was invited. John thought the party was unnecessary. Bogdan told him that King Yudit insisted. Not wanting to insult the king, John agreed to attend.
During the feast, Bogdan introduced John to several lords and ladies who resided in the castle. The number of people who attended the feast did not match up to what John’s senses were telling him. He decided the cold was the culprit. He would not be able to rely on his senses during his stay on Surreal.
John was seated at the king’s table, which was at the furthest end of the room from the entrance, raised on a wooden platform. Beside him sat a married couple who were indulging too much in alcohol. They giggled and flirted unabashedly with each other.
The middle-aged man turned to him, raised his wine goblet, and asked, “Would you like a drink?”
“No thanks,” he replied.
John looked around the room. Plenty of oil lamps and candles lit the large area. It was a step back in time. The ‘Great Hall’, as Bogdan called it, was sectioned off into three parts by tall wooden pillars that supported the high timber roof. In many areas, the stone walls and mortar were in need of repair. Narrow, elongated windows were scattered along the outer walls. The wooden shutters were wide open, allowing a slight breeze to enter. For the feast, the stone floor was swept, and the eight long wooden rectangular tables were covered with white linen.
A lovely young maiden appeared in front of John with a large kettle in her dainty hands. “Would you like some more tea?”
John smiled. “Yes. Thank you.”
The young maiden peeked at John while she slowly poured the hot liquid into his metal mug. She had shoulder-length brown hair, pouty lips, and brown eyes. Her generous breasts and hips made her waistline appear tiny. She spotted him staring. She drew from her apron pocket a small bag of herbs. She intentionally tilted forward to give John a better view of her bosom as she placed the bag on the small dish next to the mug.
John smiled. He enjoyed when women flirted with him, especially the pretty ones. Being part feline had its privileges. He had a high libido and was more than willing to share it with a beautiful woman. The scent of lilac reached his nose. It was pleasant, but not his favorite scent. His gaze followed the young brunette across the table.
Jasira stopped by the hall entrance. She had decided at the last minute to attend the gathering to please her parents. She was not keen on meeting another stranger and have him turn out not to be the one for her. Therefore, she had waited until she noticed the celebration was nearing its end to make an appearance.
Her attention was immediately drawn to the stranger who sat at the king’s table. His aura was like a magnet, drawing her to him. She could not pull away. She approached him just as a maiden carrying a large kettle shifted sideways to serve the other guests. Jasira paused in front of him. He was handsome and powerfully built. What was it about him that called out to her? He seemed to radiate energy, strength—and something more.
Jasira intently studied his face, his eyes. He glanced at the married couple beside him. She watched him watch them. She saw it then. It was in his eyes. Sadness. She was compelled to move closer. She phased through the table and stood beside him. She was careful not to touch him.
The scent of vanilla reached John’s nose seconds before warm air surrounded him. He was grateful for the respite from the cold and enjoyed it more than the food and drink. It was the first time since he had arrived that he felt warm.
John scanned the table in front of him, searching for the source of the vanilla fragrance. He found no new desserts that could be the cause. None of the empty platters was the source. He looked at the maiden who had flirted with him. She was nearing his seat again. Perhaps it was she who smelled so good, and the lilac scent was from the many flowers decorating the room. As for the heat, John hoped it lasted. He hated the cold. He was more of a summer-all-year-round person.
He noticed King Yudit and Bogdan were speaking. At intervals, they paused to look at him intently. Were they talking about him?
“Do you see that?” asked Bogdan.
“Of course I do,” Yudit whispered.
“It seems Jasira is the one.”
Yudit nodded.
“We must now give her time to win his heart and trust.” Bogdan looked at Yudit. “Any ideas? He is anxious to return to his empire, to war.”
“You are a busy man,” suggested Yudit. “You have packages to deliver, a permanent mate to visit.” He turned to Bogdan. “Disappear.”
“He will go to you then.”
“Let him.” Yudit stared at John. “I am the king. What can he do if I have no ships to spare? He will remain on Surreal until we are sure about their future.”
“He may get restless and use his wristguards.”
“I doubt it. He strikes me as a man of honor. He would not condemn us to death.” He glanced at Bogdan. “I will instruct the guards to remind our citizens to remain silent. No one must speak a word about the peepuhl of the mist. If he learns the solution to our problem, it would sever the mists’ connection to the planet’s core. We could lose them all.” He returned to staring at John. “I will not allow that to happen.”
Bogdan saw John staring back at them. “He is curious and observant. He will ask questions.”
“Let him. Say nothing. I will deal with him. If I must, I will tell him what he needs to know.”
After a while, their behavior made John feel so uncomfortable that he felt it was time to leave. He said goodnight to everyone at the table and thanked the king for an excellent feast. He tried not to rush as he headed to the door. Before exiting the large room, he glanced over his shoulder and spotted Yudit and Bogdan still watching him. What was going on? Did he do something that made them suspicious of his intent? Did he make a mistake coming here? He would have to tread carefully.
John walked along corridors lit by oil lamps. His feline genetics allowed him to see well in the dark, but they did not help him locate his room. He growled. He looked at the time on his wristguard. He had been walking in circles for fifteen minutes. He felt foolish doing it, but he stopped to ask a maid for directions.
He entered his room and found the maiden who had poured his tea at the celebration preparing a fire in the hearth at the foot of his bed. “Well, hello.” He felinely approached her.
The maiden stood. “Hi.” She smiled and nervously wiped her hands on her apron.
“What’s your name?”
“Dena.”
“Lovely name.” Her cheeks turned pink. “I’m John.” He reached for her hand and kissed it. “Nice to meet you.”
Dena’s cheeks darkened. She quickly returned to her work.
John sat on his bed. His gaze traveled over Dena’s curves repeatedly while she prepared the fire. “Do you live here in the castle?”
“No. I live outside the kasuhl. My pairunts own the meat market in toun. I work here to earn extra money to help them and my siblings.”
“How many siblings do you have?” He enjoyed listening to her sweet voice. It was a distraction from the cold. However, her strange words made it a little difficult to understand.
“I’m the eldest of five. I have three bruhders and one sisder.” She finished her work and stood. Her eyes met his and stayed. “Where are you from?”
John sniffed the air. She did not smell like vanilla. Her scent was that of lilac. “I’m a Seacat from the Sea-anan Empire.”
“Where is that?”
“Far from here.”
There was a knock at the door. A dark-haired man stood in the doorway. “Dena?”
“Yes?”
“Sir Ekin’s tray of food is getting cold. It must be delivered immediately.”
“Of course.” The man left. Dena addressed John. “I must go. It was a pleasure meeting you.”
“Same here.” John’s eyes followed her out. She closed the door.
John glanced at the fire Dena made. He shivered and placed another log into the flames; it did little to rid the room of the chill. Tired, he dunked his face in the water, but skipped the hand wash. He then swiftly removed his boots and clothes and jumped into bed naked. With the heavy quilt pulled all the way up to his nose, he settled in for the night. As he drifted off to sleep, he thought he detected the scent of vanilla filtering into the room.
Jasira phased through the closed door. She found John already in bed. She spotted his clothes on the bench. The thought of him naked beneath the sheets piqued her interest, but she remained where she stood, at the foot of the bed, and watched John fall asleep.
Her attention remained on John for hours; finally, her curiosity got the best of her and she approached him. With a wave of her hand, the quilt and sheet lowered to John’s knees, exposing the man underneath. She had never seen a more magnificent specimen of a warrior.
Her jaw tightened. Her heart spasmed. Her eyes filled with tears. Jasira desperately wished she was solid. She wished she could feel the steeliness of his sculptured body and the silkiness of his skin. It pained her that she would never know how any man felt. She was destined to remain a phantom until truelove came her way. Only then would she become solid.
Jasira could not remember the color of her eyes or hair. She doubted she would ever see her reflection again. Unwilling to endure the torment of being near John any longer, she decided to leave—but not without touching him first. She knew she would not be able to feel anything. She was setting herself up for more pain, yet she could not help herself. The longing was the greatest she had ever felt.
Jasira reached for John’s hair, expecting her fingers to go through him. Instead, they encountered a wispy resistance. Jasira gasped. She tentatively gathered a short lock between her forefinger and thumb. A tremor began in her chest as the soft sensations registered in her mind. It was impossible. She was told the only person she would be able to touch was her kindred spirit. Did that mean John was him?
Hesitantly, Jasira reached for his handsome face. Again, she encountered solid mass. Her heart banged in her chest. John’s skin was smooth and soft. Tears filled her eyes. This time, they were tears of joy. Overwhelmed by her discovery, Jasira re-covered John with a wave of her hand and floated out of his room through the nearest wall.
John woke up early the next morning, sleepy and moody. The quilt he used was not enough to keep him warm, even with the fire going. He swore he felt cold even in his dreams. The chill seemed to be in his bones. John got up from bed and quickly washed his face and body. He dressed in the warmest clothes he had. Fully dressed, he still shivered. He did his best to ignore his discomfort and left the room to explore.
From the castle’s main entrance, John noticed that a lot of small homes and businesses were built within the stone wall. Yet not many people lived in the area. So who ran the businesses? And why was he the only one shivering? The few people he saw did not seem affected by the cold. He made a note to put on two layers of clothes tomorrow.
John climbed one side of the wall and looked out into the land beyond. He saw dry, cracked earth with scattered patches of greenery. The mountains in the distance reminded him of home, making him homesick.
He climbed back down and passed each business and home a second time. He came across Dena’s siblings playing outside. Their parents heard a male’s voice and exited the small home to investigate. John greeted them with a good morning and told them he had met their eldest daughter at the castle. He could tell they were proud of her working at the castle. According to them, not many were allowed to do so.
He bid them farewell and continued with his exploration of the area. The need to know his surroundings was Basic Survival 101. He mentally mapped out the area and tried to commit each new face to memory.
John rubbed his arms in frustration. He did not understand why he felt so cold when it was a beautiful sunny day. At times, the cold would intensify. It was unlike anything he had experienced in the past. He shivered and continued walking.
He passed another two-room house. Like the others, it seemed unoccupied. He looked through a window beside the front door. The interior was clean and tidy. Apparently, he was wrong. Someone did live there. He opted to leave before he was labeled a Peeping Tom.
The sound of children’s laughter drew his attention next door. The towering building looked like an old country church with faded white chipping paint. John noticed there were children playing in the fenced backyard. He climbed the small porch and peeked through a front window. He saw rows of small tables with seats, two large desks at the front, and three large blackboards. It was not a church, but an empty classroom.
John leaned his head on the glass and thought of his family—his younger siblings in particular. He feared for their safety. It was the main reason why he desperately wanted to get back to the Sea-anan Empire. He needed to locate his family. He needed to know they were safe.
Desperate to get out of the cold, John tried the front door. It was open. He entered and closed the door behind him. The fragrance in the room placed a smirk on his face. He made his way down an aisle. The wearer of the perfume must have been there before him. Who was she? What did she look like? Was she as attractive as the scent?
John sat in the seat between the two teachers’ desks. He compared the large room to those in his culture’s past history. He felt like he had stepped back in time. The entire city had an Old World appearance, except for the sectioned-off area outside the walls that was designated for spaceships.
While he sat on the small bench, the coldness that plagued him gradually subsided to a cozy warmness that wrapped around him, as did the pervasive scent of vanilla. The warmness grew as a new sensation gripped him. It felt like someone was combing her fingers through his hair.
John passed his fingers through his short hair. He rubbed his scalp. The sensation continued. He glanced around. There was no one in the classroom. He stared at the clean blackboards. He knew he should feel afraid, but strangely, the invisible fingers had a soothing affect on his tight nerves.
John closed his eyes and deeply inhaled the aura in the room. One by one, his coiled, aching muscles relaxed. Those magical fingers lowered to his shoulders, pressing into his muscles. His head dipped forward while they massaged the tension from his shoulders. John felt the stress leaving him—a first since the attack. He sat there enjoying the massage.
Jasira was beside herself with joy. She could not believe she was able to touch this beautiful man. To be given a mate was more than she had dared to hope for, but here he was. Solid and real. And extremely stressed, by the look on his face.
It was recess. Two teachers were outside with the class of sixty while Jasira remained indoors, preparing for the next lesson. When she had glanced up from her papers, she had been startled to see John’s face by the window, peering into the room. She had watched him enter. She could see the strain on his handsome face. She wished she could speak to him, learn of his problems, ease his suffering. But for now, all she could do was try to ease his tension by massaging his shoulders.
She heard an odd sound. Jasira realized it was coming from John. She smiled. It seemed he enjoyed her touch. She leaned her hips against his back and placed more force behind her hands. The sound coming from John intensified.
He could not help himself. The purr escaped him. The feeling was enjoyable. There was a slight pressure and increased heat against his spine. It felt like a body. John again glanced behind him. No one was there. Weird, he thought.
Since the classroom was the only place he could find that was warm, he decided to stay for a while. Taking a deep breath, John placed his arms on the desk. He lowered his head onto his
forearms.
The pressure on his spine indeed felt like a body—a woman’s body. His purrs deepened. His thoughts drifted off to another place, a more pleasant place. A place where there was no war, only a beautiful woman massaging him.
Strong fingers traveled along his spine. John clenched his jaw and curved his back slightly, hoping to press her more firmly to him. If it were not for how soothed and relaxed he felt, he would think the classroom was haunted.
Ten stress-free minutes passed before his mind considered the possibility more seriously. His slow-paced heart picked up speed. His closed eyes opened. He stared at the wooden desk beneath his arms. He focused his senses on the pleasurable feelings. It definitely felt like a small body was pressed against his back while small, strong hands rubbed and molded his shoulders and upper back. It felt real. Very, very real.
John jumped from his seat, knocking the bench over. It dropped onto its side, going through Jasira’s legs. He whirled around, thinking there was actually someone behind him. He saw no one, only a large empty classroom. He scanned the room while he tried to calm his racing heart. It dawned on him that the massage had stopped. Something was not right.
Jasira looked at John with sadness. If only he could see her, then perhaps she would not have to see the fear in his eyes, placed there by her need to soothe him. Unexpectedly, John moved through her and hurried to the front doors.
Jasira watched her kindred soul exit her classroom without opening the door. She released a soft cry. She raced to the front doors, through them, and paused in the middle of the dirt road. She spotted John rushing toward the castle. How did he go through a solid door? He was not mist. She knew he was special, but this went beyond anything she had expected.
Jasira wanted to go after him. She understood why John ran off. She did not blame him. If their situations were reversed, she would have done the same. If only she could speak to him, she would explain everything. Unfortunately, she could not. The only thing she could do was be more careful. She did not want to scare him away permanently. However, what she saw him do demanded answers. She knew of only one person who could uncover them. Herself.
A Lost Kitten Page 4