by CatNip (lit)
“We would’ve been back earlier, but the storm was so bad we didn’t want to risk it,” Drake explained in an expressive drawl.
“That was probably for the best,” Leo agreed. “None of you would be much help laid up in the hospital, or worse.” Leo took a sip of his coffee. “We’ve been fine here,” Leo said. “So far, at least, nothing unusual has occurred.”
The men nodded, looking relieved.
Colby spoke up. “We’re really glad to hear that, Leo. We hoped that was the case, and we made it back before any real trouble arrived.”
Leo was about to ask what had tipped them off that Adonis might head back when Craig and Lynx rounded the corner and walked into the kitchen. Craig had a sheepish, satisfied smile on his face. Lynx, he noted, still glowed.
Leo waited. He could see the questions on their faces now, but before Colby could drop the zinger Leo halfway expected, they heard the back door close with a click. Roberto strode into the room and headed straight for the coffee pot. He grabbed a cup and gulped the hot liquid down.
Leo asked softly, “How’s Felice holding up, Roberto?”
Roberto leaned back against the counter. “She’s resting right now, naturally. Trey says she’ll be fine physically. Otherwise, she’s still pretty shook up, and who knows what the long term effects will be?” Roberto let out a sigh. “Overall, though, Felice is doing about as well as can be expected. Right now, she just wants to sleep. A lot.”
The connotation wasn’t lost on Leo.
Roberto continued. “Trey left Felice some good meds. Right now, she certainly needs them. I think she’ll be okay once the shock wears off and she realizes she’s safe.”
Roberto’s eyes gleamed. Leo could see the anger and frustrated vengeance burning there. “So, do we have any idea where that bastard is yet?” Roberto asked the question almost casually, but his expression hardened. Roberto took another long sip of his coffee.
“No, not yet, Roberto. Hell, I hate to report in with no news,” Daniel responded.
Drake looked at Roberto and murmured. “Trey will take good care of Felice, Roberto. Trey’s the best doctor around, and Felice does trust him.”
“I’d hate to think of Felice having to deal with an unknown doctor at a time like this,” Colby added in agreement, looking at Drake.
“I would, too,” Lynx agreed. “I liked Dr. Trey,” she added.
Leo caught Daniel’s shrewd look at the twins. Daniel seemed to be catching on. Sooner or later, he was going to have to explain Imatu telepathy. And sooner or later, Drake needed to just make his move on Trey. He didn’t understand what the hold-up was. Trey certainly seemed interested.
“Sounds like this Dr. Trey’s a good friend to have around these parts,” Daniel interjected. “So, when will he make his rounds again? I’d like to meet this Trey after hearing Drake and Colby sing his praises.”
Drake’s look of surprise amused Leo. Leo turned away, hiding it. Drake’s response seemed affected. “I’m not sure, Daniel. Roberto, when will Trey be coming back to check on Felice?”
Roberto cleared his throat. “Trey will be calling with the results of Felice’s blood test as soon as the lab returns them. I plan to run a few of my own.”
“What exactly are you looking for with your tests, Roberto?” Daniel asked curiously.
Roberto cleared his throat again. He looked away, almost distantly, before answering, as if scanning the room for answers.
“First, I’ll catalogue the individual components in CatNip, the drug Adonis gave to Felice and Lynx. We need to find out what it is comprised of.”
Looking at Leo this time, Roberto added, “So far it looks to be one hell of a chemical combo. But I haven’t been able to isolate all of the drug’s components, yet. I’ve been spending more time with Felice since she’s been home than in the labs,” Roberto admitted.
Daniel shrugged and nodded. “That’s for the best, Roberto. I’m sure they’ll run a complete analysis at COBRA’s labs, too. We’ll just have to wait and see what they find when they get the samples.”
Roberto continued. “The new drug seems to be a powerful date rape cocktail. But the caveat is the victims don’t get the luxury of unconsciousness, unless the drug is combined with a sedative. Instead, they experience heightened awareness. They also seem to suffer a short-term paralysis which may affect certain abilities. The paralysis may possibly interact with or affect an Imatu’s other senses as well, in ways we’re still trying to figure out.”
Roberto grimaced.
“We also did a pregnancy for Felice. The bastard raped her in the middle of her heat cycle.”
There was gravity-laden pause at the table.
Daniel’s face was a study of confusion. Craig looked surprised, momentarily.
Daniel was the first to speak up. “Heat cycle? What do you mean by that, Roberto?”
“Yes, what exactly do you mean by that?” Lynx asked, puzzled.
Roberto shot a quick glance over at Leo. “Some back-up would be nice here.”
Leo took Roberto’s telepathic but large hint and spoke up. “Okay. Let’s just say that the heat cycle is just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. The information I’m about to share is not something many people know about us. People are not always accepting of differences, especially concerning things they don’t understand. I say this because what I’m about to trust you with could mean the difference between life and death for our kind.”
Daniel looked more confused than ever, but Craig’s face held a placid look of expectation.
Leo continued. “Daniel, do you recall when I left COBRA on an extended break years ago?” Daniel nodded.
“Well, around that time I discovered I had these unique abilities, genetically inherited abilities, actually.” Leo stopped to take a sip of his coffee.
Daniel still looked confused. “So, you have some unique genetic abilities? But you mentioned implications for us. Who exactly do you mean by that, Leo, and what?”
Lynx just listened quietly.
Leo shrugged and set his cup down. “Daniel, you, Lynx, and Craig are whom I refer to. The three of you have a similar genetic marker. Naturally, Daniel, if you have it, so does Lynx.”
Leo looked at Craig and said wryly, “But apparently, so does Craig.”
Craig moved restlessly in his chair.
Leo looked at the three of them waiting expectantly, and laid the facts out.
“Your bloodlines are all very similar to mine. Your parents were descendents of an ancient race known as the Imatu. They’re also referred to in legends as ‘the cat people.’ The Imatu have blended, melded really, into human society since the beginning of time. They have shared the same space with humans, but they are different. The Imatu are gifted with some unusual abilities. Because of this, and the superstitious nature of humans, the Imatu conceal the nature they were born with.”
“So,” Daniel asked impatiently, “what are these unique abilities you keep referring to? If Craig, Lynx, and I have them, how come we didn’t know anything about it?”
A subtle, knowing look passed from Craig to Leo. Craig cleared his throat as if about to say something, and then took a swig of his coffee.
Leo’s eyes pierced into Daniel’s. He was just thankful that as an alpha, leader of the pride, his telepathic skill as a sender was better than average. Although telepathy was innate to anyone born Imatu, not everyone born Imatu could do what he did.
Leo opened the telepathic channel to everyone at the table.
“This is one of our gifts, Daniel. You’ll find other innate gifts as circumstances or timing demands them. At some point,, you’ll even be able to shift form. Old Indian legends speak of men with the ability to shape-shift. You are cat, like us, as is your sister, Lynx. Craig, you share our heritage. Everyone here is descended from the Imatu. Fate has given us another gift. Our kind have scattered through the years. We are doubly blessed that so many of us have converged here.”
Daniel’s face was a co
mic study in shock. He shook his head as if still not sure of what he’d heard.
Leo spoke out loud, confirmed Daniel’s suspicions. “Yes, I was speaking to you telepathically before, Daniel. More importantly, you were able to hear me. You have the same abilities as the rest of us. Only you just haven’t been made aware of them.”
Leo could see the light of understanding finally start to dawn in Daniel’s eyes.
Daniel, curiosity piquing, just had to ask. “Leo, what did you mean by ‘cat like us’?”
“We can shape-shift into cat form,” Leo answered. Daniel seemed at a loss for words, momentarily.
Craig took advantage of Daniel’s shocked silence to ask a question. “What exactly precipitates the shift, Leo? Does it just happen involuntarily every time, or can it be controlled in time?”
“I’d like to know that, too,” Lynx said quietly.
Leo didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he probed with a question of his own. “Craig, you sound as though you’ve already experienced the change to some extent.”
“Yeah, to some extent, I guess. It was one night early on, here at the ranch. I’d had some whiskey. I was almost dozing, you know, zoning out in my room. It just happened before I even realized what was going on.”
Leo looked at Craig bemusedly. “Hmm, would that, by any chance, have been the same night you took Lynx for a walk in the garden?”
Craig, looked slightly abashed, but he nodded at Leo.
Leo could see the color rise on Lynx’s cheeks.
Daniel finally forgot his shock enough to ask questions. “So, I take it Felice and my sister are Imatu as well, then? Roberto, you said something about a heat cycle and possible pregnancy with Felice because she was raped during it. How long before you know whether or not Felice is pregnant?”
Leo understood Roberto’s need for control. Roberto answered calmly. “The test results I ran came back this morning.”
The silence in the room was so palpable it had a pulse of its own.
“So, is Felice pregnant?” Leo asked.
Roberto put his head in his hands briefly. He straightened. “Yes, Felice is pregnant. The bastard got her pregnant when he raped her.” Roberto shook his head as if to clear it before carrying on with a slightly strangled voice. “Felice doesn’t know yet. She was still asleep when I left. I plan on telling her the results this evening. Demar promised to keep a close eye on the bungalow in case she wakes up so she won’t be frightened or alone.”
Leo caught Roberto’s eyes sympathetically.
Roberto quickly added, “I’m going to tell her as soon as she’s able to hear it. Unless Felice wants an abortion, there’s no way I’d ask her to have one.” He uttered the last sentence, looking a bit defiant, as if waiting for disproval.
Leo nodded approval instead. “Good. I know how long you and Felice have been hoping for a child. I think it could tear Felice apart if you asked her to have an abortion, to lose that chance, even now.”
Roberto’s eyes grew moist. “Thank you for the support, Leo.” He wiped his eyes furtively.
“Okay, change of subject here,” Daniel said, “Going back to Craig’s earlier question, what exactly precipitates this so-called shift you’re talking about? Is it the same for everyone or is it entirely individual? Can it be controlled or not?”
Leo stood up, stretched, and gave a half-growl. He strode purposefully towards the large sunken living room. He removed his clothes so swiftly no one even had time to comment. He walked back towards the group, and mid-stride, so fast it was almost a blur, Leo shifted. The massive lion took a few more steps toward them.
Daniel flinched in reaction. Leo could hear that Daniel’s heartbeat had accelerated significantly at his transformation.
“Well,” Daniel managed to choke out dryly, “guess that answers that question.”
“I’d say,” Lynx retorted.
The lion moved forward a few more feet. Before Daniel even had time to react again, Leo, the man, stood there naked as a jaybird.
“So,” Lynx asked, to Leo’s great amusement, “every time you shift you get nekkkkkid?” She stretched the word out humorously.
“Basically,” Leo rejoined as he slipped his jeans back on and over the equipment he’d noticed Lynx was eying greedily.
“Well, the nekkid part will sure keep things interesting,” Lynx quipped. Craig let out a whoop of laughter. Colby and Drake grinned ear to ear.
Daniel, looking flustered, got up with his cup, and went to the pot for some more coffee. He gulped it fast, too fast. He nearly choked. He coughed and sputtered. Colby jumped to his feet and quickly started thumping Daniel on the back until finally, Daniel’s coughing eased.
It would just take some time for Daniel to come to terms with being Imatu. At least, that’s what Leo hoped. Leo put the rest of his clothes back on and sat down at the table again.
Daniel sighed. “That was some demonstration there, Leo, but warn me next time, would you?” he said, looking rueful.
Leo barely contained his grin. He didn’t want to embarrass Daniel further. The man had sustained a bit of a shock.
He slapped Daniel on the arm. “I’ll try to remember that. But there will come a time when I might not have time to warn you, understand? If we went face to face with Adonis again, it would be wasted time. Adonis wouldn’t waste the time, I guarantee it.”
Craig didn’t ignore that one. “What do you mean Adonis won’t waste time, Leo?”
“Well, much as I’d like to say that all shifters are created equally good,” Leo explained wryly, “they’re not. Just like with humans, shifters can be good or bad people, and Adonis is just one example of that fact.”
Craig sucked in air. “You mean to tell me Adonis is one of us, he’s a shifter too?”
“No,” Leo hastened to explain, “not one of us. He’s a rogue. He has Imatu blood, but he uses his gifts for criminal activities and his own selfish gains. Unfortunately, he followed in his father’s footsteps. What’s worse, somewhere in Adonis’s bloodline runs the ancient and formidable line of saber-toothed Imatus.”
Leo could see an identical expression on Daniel, Craig, and Lynx’s faces. It was a look that plainly said, “What the fuck?” Daniel and Craig both spoke up at the same time, incredulity in both their tones. “Saber-toothed Imatus?” Both men’s shock reverberated through the room.
Leo held up a hand. “Yes, saber-tooth tigers do still exist, but they’re rare, even for the Imatu. But back to your original questions, Daniel. The shift is a very individual experience. Yours could come at anytime. It depends on you and your reactions to circumstances. Females, however, are more likely to have their first shift precipitated by a true heat cycle. It’s not always the case, but very often that’s how it happens.”
Leo slowed to give Lynx, Daniel, and Craig time to process the information. “For instance, I’ve heard of some male and female shifters learning of their abilities only after coming into contact with their mates.”
“Why is that?” Daniel asked, sounding surprised.
“Best we can figure,” Leo answered, “is that nature intends for the bloodline to endure, for our kind to survive, and with our gifts relatively intact. That’s why pregnancies are so prized with us. There are small groups of shifters scattered far and wide, but it’s not as easy for us to procreate. Pregnancies are rarer than they should be. The number of Imatu has steadily declined in the last decade because of it, too. Full-blown shifters are becoming rarer to find.”
“Oh,” Daniel said. Leo knew Daniel had a lot to digest.
“Well, that’s a lot of information for you three to absorb, I know,” Leo said dryly. “Unfortunately, some of it was definitely necessary at this point. When it comes to Adonis, I don’t want to have to stop and explain anything to anyone during a confrontation. We just can’t afford it.”
Leo looked over to Roberto almost guiltily, but Roberto shook his head knowingly. “Don’t go there, Leo. I can’t afford to, either. We did th
e best we could. We both thought Felice would be able to signal distress sooner or break away long enough. She’s a powerful female shifter, for goddess’s sake. But what we didn’t count on or realize was how powerful the drug was. We had no way of knowing. But next time,” Roberto sucked in his breath and vowed, “next time, Adonis won’t have the element of surprise. It’s good we’re all on the same page here, now.”
Leo reached over and gave Roberto a fierce, brotherly hug before shoving his chair out. “All right, we’re all good then. We need to get this show on the road and our asses into gear. We’ve got women to protect.”
Lynx chuckled. “Right,” she said, “the nekkid knights ride again.”
Craig hooted with laughter “Damn, Lynx can sharpen her little tongue on my cock anytime.”
Leo just rolled his eyes back at Craig. “Yeah, we’ll show the little minx some ‘nekkid’ nights,” he thought back.
~ Of Felines ~
Lynx felt a lump come to her throat, seeing Craig and Leo goof around and witnessing the group’s agreement and determination. She was glad to see it. She had a lot to think about now. She still hadn’t wrapped her head around all the Imatu information. But, Lynx knew it was time for her to check in on Felice. She needed to make a certain phone call first, though.
Chapter 25
The formerly deserted warehouse in Auburndale was currently a beehive of activity, getting busier and fuller by the minute. Parked inside was the Honda Pilot Adonis and Chamber had stowed there, and alongside it sat a sleek black Jaguar that Pasqual and Ahmed had arrived in shortly after dawn. But the bulk of space was occupied by the helicopter Samuels had arrived in.
After breakfast, which Pasqual had stopped for on their way in, Samuels got down to business. He was methodically devising a course of action for their intended ambush at the Lascaux Ranch. In Samuel’s mind, Adonis had gotten sloppy when he’d let Minx’s sister go. Now Adonis was convinced he’d bred the other bitch. Who knew? There might already be a new Cervantes on the way.
“Family,” Samuel muttered to himself. If the other bitch was going to possibly have a litter, perhaps even of Cervantes blood, well, hell, what choice was there? He would just have to make sure Adonis didn’t screw this one up. They had to have a plan that would ensure they managed to get both the females. This factor naturally would make it a slightly more difficult operation for them. Coordination would be a key element to their success.