by Smith, S. E.
He strode forward and up the platform. As he entered, he tossed the depleted rifle to the side. Nastran’s death was an inconvenience, but it would not affect their mission. He could repair the ship, but the first thing he had to do was warn Raul and Airabus about Walkyr d’Rojah’s presence.
Ranker stepped into the small confines of the bridge. He had also lost his communicator and would have to replace it. At the moment, he wasn’t sure of the other two men’s location. Flipping on the communications console, he opened the channel.
“Airabus, receive,” he growled, wiping his hand over his face when the snow in his hair melted and ran down his cheek.
Airabus’ face appeared on the vidcom. “What is it?” he growled with annoyance.
“Have you found the Heart of the Cat yet?” he asked.
“Not yet, why?” Airabus impatiently demanded.
“You need to find it soon. Walkyr d’Rojah is here. Nastran is dead, and the ship was buried under the snow,” he tersely replied into the vidcom.
The screen tilted, revealing tall trees amid a white landscape. A second later, a different face appeared. He returned Raul’s icy stare.
“Where is he?” Raul demanded.
Ranker impatiently wiped at another droplet of melted snow running down his face. “I don’t know. He was gone by the time I dug myself out from under the snow,” he replied.
“Was he alone?” Raul coldly asked.
“We only saw him. No one else,” he replied, not bothering to mention the alien child.
There was a chilly pause before Raul continued. “I want you to find his ship and destroy it. He must not have a way to get off the planet,” he ordered.
“What about Walkyr?” Ranker inquired.
“Airabus and I will take care of him. Out,” Raul responded.
A shiver ran through Ranker at the harsh reply. He stared at the console for a moment before he switched everything off. He couldn’t help thinking that the cold, harsh voice of Raul made the snow feel warm.
He had been in the chamber when Princess Mia had refused Raul’s demand to join him in ruling the Sarafin people—as well as the Curizan and the Valdier. Instead, she had used the power of the Heart of the Cat to disappear with their newborn cub. Raul’s life almost ended that night centuries ago, but his quest to harness the power of the Goddess through the gem had not.
They had barely escaped before the remaining palace guards regrouped and fought back. As they fled into the forest, an eerie, unnatural mist had descended. Since that night, they had never returned to the place they had once called home. The few who had joined them in their escape and tried to return had perished. Not even those who had once called the forest home dared to enter the malevolent woods that now seemed to be alive with an unnatural presence.
A grievously wounded Raul had ordered his followers to spread out and blend in until he called for them. The cooperation between the three royal houses of Sarafin, Curizan, and Valdier made it too dangerous to fight back just yet. Raul had gathered a small band of faithful followers and continued to covertly search for the Heart of the Cat. The only way to defeat the allied three royal houses was with the power of the Goddess.
The last few years, their search had become more and more hazardous. Raul had grown harder, colder, and crueler to those who defied or disappointed him. Many of those who had once followed Raul had drifted away, believing he was either dead or insane. Now, only a handful of his followers on Sarafin still fought and believed in what Raul had shared with them. Even Ranker had begun to question Raul’s message—until they intercepted a signal that Raul prophesized would show them where the Heart of the Cat was hidden—a unique signal that had led them to this world.
Ranker curled his fingers into a fist. “We will not be denied any longer. The d’Rojah family will be the first that we destroy—then the Ha’darra followed by the Reykill. The power of the Goddess will be ours, and the Sarafin will rule over all the worlds, including this one,” he quietly vowed.
He rose from his seat and looked around. Walkyr must have somehow been able to track them. He needed to search the ship and destroy any tracking devices. A slow, devious grin curved his lips.
“Perhaps I can use your technology against you. If I cannot find your ship, then I will find you,” he murmured to himself.
He exited the bridge and headed for the engine room. After several minutes of searching, he located the device he had purchased from a Curizan. Now all he needed was to locate one of the tracking devices that d’Rojah must have attached to the ship. If the device did what the Curizan promised, Ranker should be able to use the signal to locate the Sarafin Prince.
“And I will take your ship for myself,” he chuckled as he picked up a new laser rifle and set it on a wide beam to clear the snow around the ship.
* * *
Trescina strode through the small laundry room and past the sitting room before entering the kitchen. She listened to the soft sound of the door closing as her visitor walked in behind her.
She placed her cold mug of tea in the microwave, selected the reheat button and started it. Thirty seconds later, the chime drew her attention away from the man surveying the interior of her house. She turned to retrieve her cup while making sure to keep the tall man in her peripheral vision. She pulled out the steaming mug and placed it on the counter.
“Would you like a cup of tea?” she blurted out.
He paused with a wary expression on his face. It wasn’t hard to interpret what he was thinking. He was worried she might drug it. As tempting as the idea might be, she didn’t currently possess any sedatives. She left that to Heather and the rescue center. She reluctantly smiled.
“That would be… nice,” he finally agreed.
She placed the taser by the sink and picked up the electric kettle. She filled the kettle with fresh water and placed it back on its base. Pushing the on button, she reached up, opened the cabinet, and pulled out a mug. She blinked when she saw that he had moved to the other side of the bar.
“What… kind of tea do you like?” she mumbled, reaching for the taser and stepping back a little.
She didn’t miss the way he stiffened—or the way he forced himself to relax. She watched as he placed both hands flat on the bar before he slid onto one of the bar seats. The click of the electric kettle sounded loud in the quiet room.
“I’ll let you choose. I’m not familiar with the plants on this world. Riley said it might be advantageous for me to eat certain types of mushrooms or a five-leaf plant called marijuana while I was here to help me chill out. I am still trying to understand how a fungus or leaf can cause my body to become cold,” he stated with a perplexed expression.
She tried to stifle a giggle which caused it to sound more like a snort. She shook her head at him and reached for the canister of peppermint green tea. Her amusement grew when he leaned forward to curiously watch what she was doing. She carefully placed the hot mug of tea on the bar before she stepped back and picked up her own cup.
“Well, you’ll have to settle for something a little less… calming,” she informed him before she studied his face. “You have spots.”
He looked at her with a startled expression before he shrugged. “That is not unusual. Most Sarafin retain the markings of their cat in this form,” he said.
“You said that you came from another… planet. Tell me about it,” she encouraged.
“First, I need to know how many people the boy told about my presence,” he stated in a serious tone.
Trescina frowned. “Boy? Which boy…? Do you mean Zeke?” she cautiously asked.
He impatiently nodded and waved one of his hands. “Yes. He must have told you that he saw me shape-shift. That is how you knew about me. From his mother’s reaction, I do not believe he has told her yet. I am not sure if he told the human male. I sensed that he was unsure. Perhaps he did, but the male did not believe the boy’s wild tales. If that is the case, why would you?” he demanded.
&nb
sp; Trescina’s mind raced as she tried to understand everything he was admitting. He thought that Zeke had told her that he was a shape-shifter. That meant that Zeke must have seen him when he snuck out yesterday. From the little that she had noticed, she thought Zeke must have not shared the story of his wild adventure. If he had, either Heather or Chad would have mentioned it. Granted, Chad had been hesitant about her taking Walkyr, but that was mostly because he was only relying on the little he knew of her and her work with large cats. It was obvious both Heather and Chad had believed her tale of Walkyr being a rare Siberian cat.
“I don’t think Zeke told anyone… else. He didn’t tell anyone about seeing you shape-shifting—except me, of course. I tend to believe the more… unusual things in life. It’s one of my quirky habits,” she hastily added.
The frown on Walkyr’s face relaxed, and he nodded in satisfaction. “It is best if neither he nor you tell anyone of my presence. Both Riley and Tina were very adamant that no other humans should be aware of my presence because they would panic,” he stressed.
Trescina nodded in agreement before she frowned. “Who are Riley and Tina?” she asked.
Walkyr looked over the rim of his mug. She could see his nose move as he tried to sniff the drink without being obvious. He crinkled his nose at the strong peppermint scent and looked warily at the almost clear, steaming liquid.
“They are my new sisters. Riley is mated to my brother, Vox, while her sister, Tina, is mated to my brother, Viper. Pearl, their grandmother, is married to Asim. He is a Valdier. The three women come from your world, though my brother, Vox, met Riley on the Antrox mining station he was imprisoned in,” he explained, still unsure of the drink she had handed him.
She released an impatient sigh. “Let me,” she said.
She placed her cup down on the counter and reached for his mug. He paused for a moment before he handed his drink to her. She lifted it to her lips, gently blew to cool it a little, before taking a sip. She repeated her actions once more for good measure before handing him the mug again.
“Why did you do that?” he questioned.
She lifted an inquiring eyebrow at him. “I wanted to show you that it is perfectly safe to drink,” she stated.
“Thank you,” he murmured, before turning the mug and placing his lips on the spot where hers had been.
She followed the movement with her eyes. A shiver ran through her at the romantic, almost intimate act. She swallowed and began to wonder if she might have been better off just dumping him somewhere far away.
“You were going to tell me about your planet. How did you get here? You said there were others, only you were fighting them. What happened to them?” she asked, leaning against the counter.
We in danger and you flirt with him! her cat huffed.
He is like us. We need to know, she argued.
No, we don’t, her cat snorted before withdrawing again.
“You do not have to worry. I promise I am not here to harm you or any other human,” he asserted.
Trescina blinked, trying to follow what he was saying. It took a second for her to realize he was studying her hands. She looked down and grimaced. Her knuckles were almost white from her grip on the mug. She was lucky she hadn’t crushed the blasted thing.
“I’m not worried, and I’m definitely not afraid,” she lied.
His lips twitched at her obvious fib. “In that case, I better answer your questions, since you are not alarmed. My home world is called Sarafin. We are a species gifted by the Goddess Aikaterina with the ability to shape-shift into the powerful form of a feline. Our cat is a part of our primitive side. I have the power of the leopard. My skills as a warrior match those of my leopard,” he stated.
She tilted her head and studied him. “What are your skills?” she asked.
He grinned. “Power, stealth, cunning, and I’m an excellent lover,” he added.
“Really? I’m sure that goes over well on your resume,” she teased.
“I am not sure what a resume is, but Pearl once said that I was full of shit. She has a very colorful vocabulary. I have learned a lot from her,” he replied.
His sheepish grin made her chuckle and filled her with warmth. She pulled her eyes away from his. He could add ‘very good at distracting’ to his list of accomplishments as well.
She cleared her throat. “So, everything you’ve said so far sounds pretty unbelievable. I mean, I know the shape-shifting part is true. I’ve seen you do it. The thing you used to heal your leg is pretty awesome too, so I’ll give you the alien technology part. The other items you listed—well, I’ll wait to see if those are true as well. After all, if you are so cunning and stealthy, I’m not sure jumping in front of a truck was a good demonstration of that,” she observed a bit sarcastically.
His expression sobered. “I was trying to protect the boy. I have to find out if those men I was tracking were killed in the explosion. It is possible they weren’t. They know about the boy and will kill anyone they come across. These are traitors to my people. They are responsible for many atrocities over the centuries. It is important that I make sure they either died or stop them before they harm anyone else,” he quietly explained.
Trescina looked over his shoulder and out the windows at the forest and mountains. The area was pretty remote. It was a thirty-mile drive into town. The majority of the land belonged to Paul Grove. She looked back at him.
“Why would they come here? I mean, why come so far across space to land here? I would think there would have been planets closer to yours where they could have escaped,” she reasoned.
Walkyr turned and slipped off the stool. He walked over to the window that looked out over the mountains. A light snow was falling.
She had an insane impulse to walk over behind him, wrap her arms around his waist, and hold him close. It was crazy to even think such a thing. If everything he was saying was true, then she couldn’t help wondering if the faint memories that had haunted her all her life were actually real.
Are we aliens? Papa said that Katarina couldn’t shape-shift because she was half human. That Mama had never changed him because it would have been too dangerous. I always thought it was because we were a different species native to this planet. But, is it possible we are not? she silently wondered.
I remember pain, her cat stubbornly stated.
Trescina straightened when he turned. His face was hard—distant. This was a man used to fighting. Yet, even with the change in him, she did not feel threatened.
“There must have been a reason they came here, to this exact location. Whatever brought them here, I need to find it first—or at least prevent them from leaving the planet. I have to return to the location where I was struck. Their space ship was not far from it. From there, I can determine if the two men survived before I track the other two on this planet,” he said.
“I could take you,” she volunteered before wincing at her cat’s rebellion.
“I do not want to put you in danger,” he started to say.
“I don’t think you need to worry about that. I come with my own security force,” she reassured him.
He turned to look in the direction that she waved. Trescina chuckled at his baffled expression as he studied the two tigers lounging on the rug by the thick, double-paned doors. Cinnamon was lying on her side while Spice was sprawled out with his back legs stretched out behind him. Spice looked up and yawned.
“Is it normal for humans to have such pets?” he asked in a suddenly puzzled voice.
Trescina laughed. “No, but then, I’m not your typical human,” she teased. “Come on, space man.”
12
Walkyr surreptitiously studied the woman driving the vehicle. There was something about her that continued to perplex him. It didn’t help that all he could think about was burying his hands in her hair and pulling her close. Those long curls were driving him crazy.
She make beautiful tiger, his cat purred.
We are not here for a mat
e. We are here to save our people, he reminded his cat.
We do both, his cat stubbornly argued
Walkyr shielded his thoughts. He wasn’t about to get into an argument with his cat. That usually didn’t end well, because one of them had to lose. His cat was known to pout for weeks and cause disruptions when he least expected it. His theory was that the Goddess had a wicked sense of humor because the Valdier had the same issues, only in duplicate except theirs were twice as bad, since they had to deal with their dragon as well as their symbiot.
He shuddered. He couldn’t imagine not having another voice in his head all the time. For a brief second, he was almost envious of the Curizan. They must have it easy compared to their shape-shifting allies!
“What?” Trescina asked, glancing at him as she navigated the icy driveway leading away from her home.
He shot her an apologetic look. “I was thinking,” he replied.
She looked at him with an amused expression. “So, you can add talking to yourself as another fine quality to your resume?” she teased.
“What is this resume that you talk about? Is it a disease?” he asked.
“No, it’s not a disease. It is a document citing your qualifications when you are looking for a job,” she explained, slowing to a stop before looking both ways.
“I do not need to look for a job. I am a Prince. My position is to protect my people,” he answered with a wave of his hand.
“Oh, I forgot. You’re a Prince. Of course you already have a job,” she muttered under her breath. “So, killing people is part of your Princely duties I take it.”