Hunting the She-Cat

by Jacki Bentley

  As he walked out the door he was sure he heard her mutter, “Two more and I cannot even handle this one.”

  Chapter Eight

  Lugar morphed into a cat before he cleared the mudroom door. His muscles responded with power as he padded around the house. When satisfied no one lurked in the landscaping, he spiraled out in ever larger circles, patrolling the woods and rocky cliffs looking for threats.

  He soon found those he sought, what Matt spoke of. Two men. They camped on the bank of the river. The tents of his homeworld different from anything the natives had. Damn fools.

  “Enjoying the evening, gentlemen?” He failed to keep the anger and sarcasm from his words.

  They jumped up, hands going to their weapons.

  “Commander?” a man he knew to be named Zeff Harro said.

  “I understood you were to wait for my word. I have no need of your aid in this matter. The people of this area are not idiots. They may see you and if they do you may have some technology to explain. We don’t need that sort of complication.”

  “Pardon us, commander, my name is Chief Sneal. I saw no reason to maintain covert cover.”

  “You disregard my specific orders. I do not plan to tarnish this time and these people with our presence anymore than we already have.”

  Sneal shrugged and his eyes turned mean. “We have higher orders. We’re not to allow you far from our sight. This camp suits our needs, unless you want to invite us into the cabin.” He paused, daring Lugar to counter that statement.

  “Explain your orders.”

  “His honor, Gald, wants your mission completed and you safely returned home.” Sneal’s smile was more a smirk. “I don’t ask questions, he is above all others in his thinking.”

  “Hell,” he muttered. Gald. Lugar grew sick of his name. He had enough to deal with in working with one determined female, without the supercilious clown, Gald, his machinations and his henchmen. Gald exemplified the slick and dishonorable politician. He had no use for the man. But for this mission he could not show his full contempt.

  “I see. I thought Eliava had moved beyond a time when we measured one man to be superior to another.”

  “Unfortunately, it’s coming back into fashion these days, commander.” The second man spoke. He recognized him as Zeff Harro. They’d served the Prime Minister together before. “Zeff, how are you?”

  “Good enough, Commander Lugar.”

  “Investigative Minister Gald wants the she-cat destroyed. He believes there is no need to question her.”

  “I will question her. I will do nothing more before I hear her story.”

  “Yessir,” said Harro.

  Chief Sneal’s black eyes looked as if he’d argue the point more.

  “Get back to your plane and wait. I don’t want to hear word of any more big cat tracks around here. It’ll scare the locals.” He turned and left them.

  * * * *

  Misha stood in the cabin’s third story master bedroom and watched Lugar from the expansive window panels.

  Gix sat by her feet with his tennis ball in his large, out of proportion to the rest of him jaws. The mouth was the largest part of him for sure. He wanted her to play but she could not tear her eyes from watching Lugar.

  She’d planned the view for security reasons. The efficient room took up half of the A-frame of the cabin. The ceiling was heavy beams with tongue and groove cedar planks.

  ‘Judge me by my actions’, Lugar had said. “Excellent advice,” she whispered and leaned her forehead against the cool window pane. She would try to overcome her instinctive over the top defensive response to him. And moreover, she’d do well to fight and overcome her dramatic sensual response to him too. Her responses to him were anything but normal and tame.

  His actions since the day he walked into her office had been clear. He was determined she return to Eliava with him, to the home of her parents, but a place she knew nothing of. And her every instinct roared that she didn’t want any part of it. An old scary memory tried to edge into her mind but she banished it with long practiced mental words. I did the best I could. I was just a child. But she knew she’d been much more than the average child.

  And, Lugar, who said he came here to escort her back to their homeworld, scared her more than the memory, more than anything or anyone she’d ever encountered. How could she trust the rest of her life to a stark and brooding stranger?

  Be careful of our kind if you ever meet them, Misha. Those were her mother’s words of warning, long forgotten before now but maybe she’d remembered on some subconscious level. Maybe that accounted for part of her stark raving fear of Lugar. That and what he might mean to her in bed … a threat of a very different kind.

  Lugar made a thorough job of his rounds, working harder than he had to do. Narrowing her eyes, she saw him loping easily as he prowled the hills beyond. Even though he was in big cat shape, his attitude reminded her of the secret servicemen, the ones who guarded the president and other dignitaries -- alert and all-seeing individual ready to die to carry out their duty. As she watched, he crouched and leapt to a high rock ledge then surveyed the valley below. From there he could see miles around. The leaves had fallen weeks ago affording her a good lookout over the valley. If he had the keen eyesight she possessed in cat form, then absolutely nothing, no movement would be beyond his sight.

  Every line of his conformation was unadulterated sex appeal. In that moment she knew she wanted him more than anything. She could have him once. Tonight. Then send him back to his alien world without her. Just once, that’s all she wanted.

  He stalked his way back to the cabin now. She soon saw him disappear around the cabin and heard him enter the mudroom. Within minutes of that, she heard the shower in the guest loft just below her. Her breath froze in her chest.

  As soon as she lay down in her large comfy bed her cell rang. “’lo?”

  “You said call if I can’t find something.”

  “Yes, I did.”

  “I can’t find you, megisha,” he rumbled the words, low and thrilling, inflaming her more.

  She closed her eyes as her entire body reacted to his voice from her phone. From her house. “I’m here. Straight up above you.”

  He laughed softly. “Of course you are. You would be. Do you have a magnificent lair up there, sweet one?”

  “Pretty magnificent. Great bed. Great panoramic views.”

  “You watched me prowl the night?”

  She gasped. He guessed. He could not know it.

  “You did. I felt it.” He laughed again a delighted masculine chuckle. “Your eyes burned me the entire time. Distracted me like hell.”

  He clearly enjoyed that she’d watched him. Crazy male, er, man, she meant man, of course she did. In spite of the fact that she’d been a cat shifter for most of her life, albeit she’d always fought the temptation to shift more often, when she thought herself the only cat that took human form, she could pretend it had all been a dream.

  “Why haven’t you mated with Brandon?”

  “Bronson, his name is Bronson. Nosy beast. That is so none of your business.”

  “I make it my business.”

  “Who says I haven’t?”

  “I say it.”

  “Hmpf.”

  “Sleep well knowing I am here to defend you.”

  “Hnnh,” she gave an inelegant snort at that. But she realized he spoke the truth. She would sleep well. She pushed the little red button cutting him off. Yep, no denying she would sleep now, knowing he was safely back.

  As if driven she dialed him back, calling her own land line. “Lugar?”

  “Yes?”

  “Come join me. Up here.”

  Silence.

  “Is that what you want, my she-cat?”

  “Yes. I’m sure. I can’t agree to go back to your world but while you’re here in mine … I want --”

  “You will use me for your own devices?”

  She smiled at his joke. “A female has needs. Y
es. I admit I will use you.”

  “I will allow it.”

  Without so much as a goodbye from the man, she heard his footsteps on the ironwork spiral staircase.

  Lugar threw open the door and entered her sanctuary. God in heaven, he was stark naked. Tonight she found his profoundly arrogant walk way more attractive than seriously annoying.

  At a run, she met him half way across the room, her arms opening wide to him

  “Megisha,” he whispered. “G’Ran, megisha. Fet t’ian daz v’erta.”

  “I hope that’s as good as it sounds.”

  “What?”

  “You spoke in your other world language. Sounds a little like French.”

  “I was not aware of it. You fog my mind. But I will teach you the words. Later. Someday.” He held her gaze with his, his eyes very serious. “Never forget it is your language too.”

  He grabbed her up in his arms and swung her around, then carried her to her big bed.

  “Tell me what you said.”

  His eyes became wary. “Nosy beast. I have said too much already. Another time I will tell you, when you are ready to hear.”

  She pouted. She wanted to declare herself ready now but he distracted her with another soul-melting kiss.

  Laughing, he playfully rolled them over and over in the bed a few times. The rub and tangle of their legs aroused her mercilessly. He landed solidly between her thighs.

  “Much better than the hard floor of your mudroom,” he said, smiling and devouring her nape now. Then he worshiped her left ear with his hot tongue and she moaned a long, rumbling cry.

  “Megisha, megisha, megisha.”

  “Misha.”

  “Hmm? What?”

  She snarled a little. “My name is Misha, dammit. Say it for me. Now.”

  He gave her a slow sexy grin. “If you wish it.”

  “I do.”

  “Misha.”

  “Nice.”

  “Again, please.”

  She gasped as he began a trail of kisses across her belly, ever lower, whispering Misha as he went.

  “Okay,” her breathing came ragged and fast now. “That … works.”

  “Now? I cannot wait longer for you,” he whispered urgently. “To love you.”

  He came slowly back up her body, aligned his erection to the heart of her aching feminine core and sank forcefully into her. She welcomed him with a gasp of delight, opening for him, wrapping her legs around his waist, coaxing him to begin the movement she craved.

  “Lugar, Lugar.” She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feel of him surging and throbbing inside her in the most intimate connection between a male and female. Wild for him, she undulated her hips to his.

  “Wait, little she-cat, wait. If you rouse me too far, I will be unable to satisfy you.”

  She was not used to anyone calling her little. But next to Lugar, she was indeed.

  “I arouse you?”

  “More than any other woman ever has.”

  “Cool.” She allowed her hands to stroke his back, enjoying the bulge of strength and smooth masculine muscle in her hands. She slid her hands around the curve of his shoulders down to his elbows and back upward. Then she traveled back to his chest. He growled a satisfying sound, echoing in her ears. With her hands, she found the thrust of his hips, gently clawing him, pulling him closer to her.

  He groaned deep in his chest. “That’s it. Yes, love. You are learning fast, Misha, mine.”

  “It comes natural.”

  “Ah, yes, but you are gifted. The female assurance of your confidence calls to me, sings to me.”

  He smoothed one of his hands over her hair. “So soft, so silken. The scent of you is perfect to my senses. You are made for me.”

  Misha knew she should tell him this was not forever, not about being made for only each other, this was about hot sex and the drive to finish it. But the look of amazement in his eyes and a particularly deep thrust, pushed her over the edge to the most amazing, reverberating orgasm. “Lugar, please,” she yelled. “Easy, I … may fly apart in your arms. I … cannot … breathe.”

  “That’s exactly the idea, Misha.” He kissed her long and hard on the lips. “Love your lips.” Then he followed her to completion, his growling sounds of triumph exulting.

  She stoked his back, holding him to her, not wanting to part from him. He leisurely kissed her neck, her shoulders, her breasts.

  “Next time we do this as cats.”

  * * * *

  “Tell me all you remember from your childhood, your earliest memories.” Lugar hated to rush her but he had to know soon, had to have evidence of her innocence. The morning sun filtered into her kitchen windows.

  She stiffened as she stood at the sink rinsing a melon. She laid it down and turned slowly to face him. “Is it important that I dredge through my past?”

  “More than you realize. Or I would not ask. I do not want to bring back pain. We know something violent happened. The homing locators the other two wore disappeared from our view abruptly.”

  “You tracked us.”

  “Standard travel procedure. They each wore ID.”

  “Do I have ID?”

  “The necklace you always wear. Yes.”

  Her eyes pooled with tears. “My mama told me never take it off, not even to bathe.”

  “And you obeyed Ladia. Good.”

  “You know my mother’s name.”

  “I know of her. Well known glaciologist.”

  “She studied the glaciers?”

  “On many worlds. Yes. Tell me what happened to her, Misha.”

  She wrapped her arms tightly around herself. “No. No. No!”

  Each word became louder, like a talisman against the truth. “What of the male, Tryth?”

  Her lovely, sad hazel eyes lit with speculation. “You don’t call him my father?”

  “He was not your father. He stole your mother away.”

  She sagged back against the counter. “Thank God.” Suddenly great sobs racked her frame.

  He jumped from his seat to take her in his arms. “Shhh. Let it out. You have suppressed this for many, many years.”

  After allowing her to sob several long minutes he forced himself to prod her, “Tell me.”

  “Mama was dead, blood in her hair. He … the man named, Tryth -- ” She turned, her face carried a pained expression. “… murdered her. He killed my mama. I don’t know why.”

  “Oh. God. No.” He pulled her tighter in his embrace, stroking her back. She allowed it for only a moment before pulling away and facing him, composed now.

  “I killed him back!” she said this as a child might, spat it savagely. She drew back and looked at him with eyes that were looking back through the years, reliving, almost speaking as the child she’d been. No doubt she’d deeply buried and repressed the memories until now.

  Her tear-filled eyes searched his own. “When he returned from taking her away -- I waited for him. As a cat. I crouched, hidden, in the trees. A big cat. Big enough. I was so happy to be bigger than a five year old child. We lived near here. The woods were the same, a sanctuary. He walked home as a human. No time for him to react. I killed him. Oh God, I killed him.”

  “Baby, baby,” he crooned, rocking her in his arms as she sobbed.

  She swiped her curls from her face. “After … after that I stayed in the woods for days, lonely and frightened -- hungry – I could not even kill squirrels to eat them but I had killed a man. I wandered lost until the other cats, the bobcats, found me.”

  “Uncle Joe and his pride.”

  “No, no. They’re not, you’re mistaken.” She shook her head violently. So violently, he folded her head to his chest to stop her.

  “Doesn’t matter, baby. You needed to feel you were the only one in existence. So you didn’t have to face the death of your mother she-cat. Or that you had to kill to protect yourself and others to avenge her from an evil male.”

  A part of him was awed that a child had ended an evil m
an that so many good males had died trying to stop.

  “You’re a psychologist then?” Pulling back a bit, her expression challenged him.

  He grinned. She’d stopped sobbing so pitifully and her sass was returning. Good. “There was much speculation about the outcome of your landing here. No one on the mission sent a report. For years we thought you’d died too. The signal from your locator was weak. Some thought you lost to us because of where you lived. That the influences were known to be great, the risk of searching for you and bringing you back to live among your kind too great.”

  “They thought I would contaminate them?”

  “Not precisely contaminate.”

  “Bull. I’m not sure I want to see your Eliava.”

  “Leadership has changed. We no longer leave our people behind anywhere.”

  “Why come for me now?”

  “Recently our detection equipment has become more advanced and we heard your damaged beacon. Perhaps it repaired itself over time as well. The old senders were not reliable over space distances either.” He lifted the locket into his fingers, caressing it.

  “Take it off me. I want it off.” Her eyes were wild with remembered pain sand disgust for the locator.

  “This has been sending a message as long as I’ve had it on?”

  “Yes.” He took her hand and placed the oval of the necklace in her fingers. He pressed a hidden key and it popped open.

  She gasped in shock. “I never knew it opened. I’ve tried and tried.” She looked briefly to him as if he’d just given her a great gift. She pulled the long chain outward so she could see better. “My mother. This is an image of my mother. Who is the man with her?”

  “Your real father.”

  “They look younger than I am now.”

  “Yes. They would’ve been. They mated young.”

  “Mated.”

  “Yes. Perhaps too young, some would say. Before they had full control of their feline natures.”

  “They look like they loved each other. That’s all that really matters.”

  “True.”

  “How did Tryth come to have my mother?”

  “She’d been promised to him as his mate. By prior arrangement with her adopted parents. She was an orphan -- with less protections and rights.”