Finding Trix (Felines of Furyne Book 3)

by L. M. Brown

  “What isn’t?”

  Farron realised he had spoken the words out loud. “Bondings between two swan avians have additional aspects.”

  “Such as?”

  “We’re not really supposed to talk about it outside of the clan.”

  Delta didn’t press him or ask him to elaborate. That more than anything helped Farron make up his mind to tell him.

  “True mates, between two swans that is, are bound not just by body, but by soul as well. That’s why we can’t survive the loss of our mates. We share everything, including the pain of death.”

  “But Trix isn’t a swan, or even avian for that matter.”

  “I know. But I seemed to be sharing his memory of that night, seeing it through his eyes.”

  “You think he was thinking about it at the same time you were having the dream?”

  “Maybe. Or he might have been asleep too.”

  “Then somehow you and Trix have a bond that is normally only possible between two members of your clan?”

  “I think maybe we do. It’s not just the sex dream either.”

  “What else is it?”

  “I think a lot of my desperation is coming from Trix. I’m not usually as panicky as I was when you arrived.”

  Delta nodded. “I must admit, it did seem a little out of character. You’ve only wanted me to take charge in the bedchamber before now.”

  “Exactly!” Farron leaned forward. “I’ve been worried about Trix and running out of time, but not to the extent that I’m on the verge of falling apart like that. It’s not that I mind you taking charge, but I’m normally perfectly capable.”

  “Do you think Trix can share your memories?”

  “I don’t know. He isn’t avian after all.”

  Delta leaned forward and rested his arms on his legs. “If he can, you could try to get a message to him. Let him know that we’re coming for him.”

  Farron frowned. “I don’t think it works like that.”

  Delta snorted. “Has anything about the three of us worked according to how it should?”

  “Not really.”

  “Not at all. Trix intended to take seeds to prevent a pregnancy, yet he carries a litter. You aren’t supposed to be able to have sex with anyone other than Trix, yet you’re hard for me. Is it entirely outside the realms of possibility that your bond with him is causing you to share his memories?”

  Farron stood and gestured towards the back of the ship. “You’re right. I’m going to lie down and see if I can try to send a message to him. No promises, but I have to try. I hate that he must think I abandoned him and our babies.”

  “You had no way of knowing he was pregnant when we left, neither of us did.”

  “I know, but I’ll be much happier when we’ve found him.”

  “At least we know where he is now, and according to his sentence, he won’t be released between now and the time we get there. He can only be let out early if someone can take custody of him, and he gave them no names of anyone who he thought would do so.”

  On the one hand, it was a relief that no one was going to get to the Cage before them and take Trix into their care. On the other, it made Farron immensely sad that Trix hadn’t been able to offer the name of anyone at all. He had no one to help him.

  Trix curled himself around his belly, trying to get to sleep and failing miserably. His back ached and no position he tried eased his discomfort.

  If that wasn’t bad enough, his mind kept straying to Farron. Every time he closed his eyes, he could picture the avian. He even imagined he could feel his arms wrapped around his body, which was just plain ridiculous since he was entirely alone in his cell.

  Life on the Cage was one of boring routine. There was nothing to do and the days and nights blurred together. Trix was almost sleepwalking through his days and the other prisoners had soon learned to leave him alone. He was thankful that none of them seemed to want to take issue with him, but he supposed the ever-present guards were something of a deterrent.

  “Just let me hold you.”

  Trix shivered at the words in his head, but kept his eyes squeezed shut.

  “You’re safe. We’re coming for you. We’ll be there soon.”

  Trix sighed and shook his head. He was losing his mind. He had heard about others who had lost their faculties due to pregnancy, but he’d never thought he would be one of them.

  “Hush, baby.”

  “Farron?” Trix whispered. He sniffled as a strange warmth spread over him, almost as though he were being wrapped up in the embrace of a lover. It had been so long since he had been held like this. Not since the night he had spent with Farron and Delta. That had been the last time he had felt truly safe too.

  He enjoyed the feeling for a few moments longer before shaking himself and sitting up in bed. The warmth vanished and the voice in his head went with it. The loss hit him, even though he told himself he was being stupid.

  “He’s not coming for you,” Trix told himself. “It’s just you and your litter, and pretty soon it’ll just be you again.”

  The reminder that his litter would be taken from him as soon as he’d given birth brought on another flood of tears. It wasn’t that he wanted his babies to have any memory of this horrible prison, but the thought of losing them tore his heart to shreds.

  A bell sounded outside, signalling the morning meal time. Trix yawned as he realised he had been awake all night. He was tempted to skip the meal and try to get some sleep, but he knew there would be no cream until evening if he did that. He could always come back to bed later, it wasn’t as if he had anything else to do.

  In a sleepy daze, he wandered towards the main room, took his portion of cream from the server, and found a place to sit away from the other felines. No one gave him a second glance. He lapped up the cold cream, which tasted as vile today as it had on his arrival, and when the bowl was clear he went straight back to his room and crawled into bed.

  Once again, as soon as he closed his eyes the ghost of a presence behind him reappeared. This time he went with it. He was too tired to do anything other than accept it for what it was. If it was his mind playing tricks then so be it. He would take all the comfort he could get, even if it wasn’t real.

  * * * *

  Farron gripped the pillow he had wrapped himself around and concentrated on Trix as hard as he could. He thought he could sense him, but he couldn’t be sure it wasn’t just wishful thinking.

  “We’re coming for you,” he whispered, over and over, hoping against reason that his message was somehow making it through to Trix.

  Delta popped his head through the door to his cabin. “How are you doing?”

  Farron smiled up at him. “I’m not sure whether I’m getting through to him, or whether I’m losing my mind.”

  Delta chuckled. “Well, I hate to tear you away from him if you are getting through, but I need you to take over the deck for a while, if you don’t mind?”

  “Not at all.” Farron got out of bed and let Delta take his place.

  “Thanks. I’m going to get some sleep while we’re in an area with few other ships. Come and get me when the alert sounds.”

  “What alert?”

  “A loud buzzing. I’ve set it to go off when we’re about to enter the next busy area. I’ll come and take over again then. We should reach it in around eight hours.”

  “You’re trusting me with your baby so soon?”

  Delta chuckled and winked. “You’re my baby now. And yes, I trust you, with my life. Now go monitor the scanners while I get some sleep.”

  “Yes sir.”

  Delta laughed. “I like the sound of that.”

  “You aren’t expecting me to bow to you too, are you?”

  “No, Farron, as much as I enjoy seeing you on your knees in a sexual sense, I don’t need subservience from my crew mates.”

  Farron gave him a mock salute and hurried to the flight deck. Delta was trusting him and he wasn’t going to let him down.
/>   With one eye on the scanner, Farron loaded up the holo-projector and searched for information about bondings between avians and other species. He wanted to know if what seemed to be happening to him had happened to others before. He wasn’t anyone special or unusual, so he surmised that there must be others who had experienced what was happening to him.

  He passed the next few hours reading story after story about bondings between true mates, but the more he read, the fewer similarities he found.

  There were reports of avians from his clan who had taken mates from other species, but there were only ever two in the relationship. Any who formed a nest, like other avian species were prone to do, gathering numerous lovers and increasing their power base, didn’t form a true bond with any of their lovers. Such nests were all comprised of species of the same gender.

  Yet Farron was able to find release with Delta, even though he had formed a bond with Trix.

  The thought crossed his mind that maybe the reason he could still have sex with Delta was because he had not completed the bond with Trix yet. He wondered what would happen when he had. Would he still be able to find pleasure with Delta, or would the completion of the bond prevent him from betraying Trix, even with their shared lover?

  He pushed the thought aside. He would deal with that when the time came. It wasn’t a question of choosing between the two of them, it never had been. Trix carried his litter, which meant his decision had already been made. If completing the bond with Trix meant giving up Delta, then so be it. His duty was to his young and the one who carried them.

  Turning his attention to the clan chronicles for signs of a true bonding, Farron searched for anything he could on the sharing of thoughts between mates. In this he was a little more successful, finding plenty of tales of those who had heard calls from their mates who were in danger, even across the vast expanses of space. A true bond could be felt across any distance.

  He also read one story that told of two mates who were able to communicate across space, even though their bond had not been completed. Like Trix and Farron, they had accidentally bonded through an unplanned pregnancy. The female had then been kidnapped by another suitor who had taken her off-world. The bond between the mates had enabled her lover to track her and rescue her. Admittedly, both of them were of the swan clan, but it confirmed it was at least possible that he could communicate with Trix. He resolved to make sure that he attempted to connect to Trix at every opportunity he could until they caught up with the Cage.

  Chapter Eleven

  The contractions were coming closer together now. Trix knew he couldn’t put off telling the guard he was in labour any longer. He had stalled as long as he could, hoping to avoid being in the presence of the healer who had examined him on his arrival.

  It was late at night and the feline quarters were quiet. Trix knew that even at this late hour there would be a guard stationed in the main room. He got to his paws and went to find whoever was on duty.

  The male on the door took one look at him and called for an escort to take him to the healer. Trix didn’t need to say a word, which was a good thing because the next contraction took away his ability to speak.

  His escort arrived within minutes and Trix found himself swiftly marched to the same room he had been shown to on his arrival. Or at least he was taken there at as fast a speed as he could manage, which at six months pregnant and in labour, wasn’t that fast at all.

  * * * *

  The pain tore through Farron as he stepped off the ramp of the ship and onto the Cage.

  “Farron? What is it?” Delta held him steady and prevented him from falling over.

  “I’m not sure. I’ve never felt anything like that before.”

  “Do you want to wait on my ship? I can go and make enquiries about Trix alone if you’re not feeling up to it.”

  “No, it’s passed now. Let’s go fetch our feline.”

  Delta kept hold of Farron’s arm and they hurried towards the guards stood at the entrance to the main ship. They carried no weapons, but each of them was an insectoid and their antennae could drop both of them with little effort at all. No one got inside the confines of the Cage without permission, and there was certainly no way to escape. If they were going to get Trix, it would have to be through official channels.

  They came to a halt in front of the insectoid at the main doors.

  “We’re here to claim one of the prisoners and take custody of him.”

  “Name?”

  “I’m Delta of Lupalia, and this is Farron of Cygon.”

  The guard gave him an annoyed sneer. “The criminal’s name.”

  “Trix isn’t a criminal,” Farron replied. “He’s been imprisoned here most unjustly.”

  “Look under Trixi,” Delta added. “He’s a feline.”

  “Ah, here we are, imprisoned for engaging in sexual acts in a public area.”

  “Excellent,” Delta said. “Bring him to us.”

  “There are procedures that need to be undertaken first.”

  “Then get on with them so we can leave. We have important and urgent business to attend to.”

  The guard shook his head. “Whatever your business, it will have to wait. The feline is unavailable at the moment.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Farron asked, right before another wave of pain washed over him.

  “The feline you have requested is in the healing wing, giving birth.”

  Delta held Farron steady again. “You’re having sympathetic labour pains, aren’t you?”

  Farron nodded. “I think so. It means he’s close by and our time is running out. I have to get to him before he gives birth.”

  “Visitors can’t go into the healer quarters,” the guard said. “You’ll have to wait here.”

  Farron glared at the guard and gave a loud honking cry of rage. “You will take me to my mate immediately, or I will not be held responsible for my actions.”

  “Is that a threat?” The guard pointed his antennae menacingly.

  Delta hurriedly stepped between them. “No, not at all. What Farron is trying to explain is that he has bonded with Trix, but the bond is incomplete. It must be finished before Trix gives birth. Time is of the essence and we must get to him now.”

  “I don’t know anything about avian bonds, but surely it can wait until he’s had the litter?”

  “No, it can’t,” Farron insisted. “If we don’t complete the bond, it will break and can never be repaired. I have to go to him.”

  He bolted for the door, but the guards blocked his way. “Let me through. I have to get to Trix!”

  The next contraction knocked him off his feet and he fell to his knees.

  “He needs a healer,” Delta shouted.

  “This is most irregular.”

  Farron was dimly aware of Delta grabbing one of the insectoids by the neck and using the guard’s own antennae to fend off the others. He had never seen a canine move so fast.

  “Open the door,” Delta demanded.

  Farron recovered enough to rise to his feet. Trix’s contractions were coming far too close together. He had to reach him. “Please! I’m begging you, please let me go to him.”

  Although the guard Delta held still spluttered and shook his head, one of the others opened the door and gestured for Farron to step forward.

  Through the door was a desk where an avian guard sat. Owl Clan if Farron was not mistaken. He would have preferred to see one of his own clan, who would understand what was at stake, but if that wasn’t to be, the owls were the next best thing. They prided themselves on their knowledge and he hoped this one would know that Farron spoke the truth about the mating bond and the consequences of failing to complete a bond in time.

  He rushed to the desk, with Delta right behind him, thankfully no longer holding onto guard, who he appeared to have shoved aside.

  The avian raised his hand and stopped Farron speaking before he had even formed a single word. “The feline may be your mate, but he did
not offer you—either of you—as potential custodians.”

  “I know, but that’s only because he wouldn’t have known we were coming for him. Had he known us better, he would have put us forward.”

  “Be that as it may, I cannot allow you to go through there and claim him against his wishes.”

  “I would never!”

  The avian considered him for several long moments. “If you don’t seal the bond, you’ll be incapable of intimacy with anyone else for the rest of your life.”

  “I’m well aware of that.”

  “I’m sure you are, so you’ll forgive me if I’m a little sceptical about whether you have the ability to walk away if he refuses you.”

  “I wouldn’t force him,” Farron whispered. “But you have to give me the chance to see him before it’s too late.”

  “If Trix refuses, I’ll remove you from the room by any means necessary,” the avian warned him as he rose to his feet and pointed the way.

  Farron and Delta followed him. They had only gone a few paces when the next contraction hit Farron. Everyone came to a halt as he leaned on Delta until the pain passed.

  “Better?” Delta asked, once they were moving again.

  Farron wished he could say yes, but each contraction was another sign that they were running out of time. “We need to hurry.”

  The guard escorting them waved his wrist over the panel to open the next door. He didn’t seem to be in any rush to get them to Trix.

  “Can’t we go any faster?” Farron complained. Another wave of pain hit him and he staggered at the top of a spiral staircase. Only Delta’s firm grip kept him from falling head first down the stairs.

  Delta held him until he was able to navigate his way down. “Let’s not go so fast that you break your neck before we reach him.”

  Farron nodded, but as soon as they were on the next level he increased his pace, at least until he and Delta reached the next door and had to wait for the guard to catch up.

  When the next contraction came, Farron tried to run through the pain, but even with Delta’s help, he could do little more than stagger a few paces.