Katarr males, upon reaching sexual maturity, had a small device implanted to prevent impregnating any females until they'd chosen one and been accepted. Having kittlings was a serious matter, and should never occur until there was a secure relationship in place. She wanted him to have the device removed as soon as they returned, which he was more than willing to do.

  Growling softly, he rubbed his cheek against hers. Her eagerness to bear his offspring filled Mrir with joy, and had since they'd discussed the matter one night not long after she'd become his. Cheerl had thought their species compatible enough that there was an excellent chance of natural cross breeding. Tria had informed him that she was willing to try medical intervention if they weren't able to conceive easily within a few years.

  The thought of his sesslin growing round with his kittling was enough to complete his arousal. Purring, he pulled her close with an arm around her waist to be certain she was aware of that fact. Tria responded with a low laugh followed by a lingering kiss.

  "Mm, the ledge, sesslin," she murmured. "So we don't drown each other."

  "Good idea," Mrir agreed, walking backwards and carrying her with him to the ledge that lay underwater at one end. He made a note that their new bathing pool would have a similar one while releasing her to lift himself onto it. The water was still a bit deep, lapping at the bottom of his ribs when Tria levered herself up next to him.

  Sliding a leg across his thighs, arms winding around his neck again, she grinned triumphantly. "Looks like I've caught you, sesslin. Now what should I do with you, hm?"

  "Whatever you wish," Mrir suggested, hands sliding up her back.

  Neither of them noticed the tiny spy eye hovering near the ceiling.

  ~

  Mike had returned to Talgas V two days before, after trying unsuccessfully to talk Jack into accompanying him. Jack had told him he wanted to talk to Tria one more time, so he was on his own.

  Hidden in a cluster of rocks on the deserted beach below the resort hotel, he watched the small screen with growing certainty that the cat had somehow brainwashed Tria. There was no other way she'd willingly let it paw at her.

  They were speaking in its language, so he didn't know what was being said, but what was happening was clear enough. Tria rose to her knees, the cat pulling her closer. The low growl that trickled out of it as she slowly settled against it again made Jack grit his teeth.

  It was his fault this had happened to her. His fault the cat had her in its power. Jack tensed as its claws sprang out to trace over her back while she moved, well aware he couldn't get there in time if its brutal nature took control.

  He’d learned that Katarrs were one of the most feared species in the known universe. The Dracs hadn't been able to take them, which told someone who’d spent years fighting the reptiloids more than enough. Once it had her on Katarr, a rescue would be impossible.

  That was why he was taking her tonight by stealth. Jack knew he didn't have a hope in hell of surviving a physical confrontation with the alien.

  Tria's cry of release turned his stomach. The cat's answering snarl made his blood run cold.

  ~

  Sated and content, Tria lazily stroked the arm Mrir had around her while they lay in bed. A memory rose, and she giggled when asking him, "Did I ever tell you about teddy bears, sesslin?"

  His voice was quiet and drowsy. "No."

  "They're stuffed toys a lot of human children have. Mine was my best friend and protector against all the things that went bump in the night. I took it with me, when we had to run after the invasion. I kept it until it fell completely apart."

  "Do you wish me to find you another, sesslin?" Mrir flicked an ear, pondering how to go about finding one of these 'teddy bears'.

  Tria chuckled. "I have you. You're like a giant teddy bear, Mrir. You’re my best friend that keeps me safe from scary things."

  Chuffing in amusement at being compared to a toy, the Katarr was nevertheless pleased by the comparison. Kissing her shoulder before closing his eyes, he twitched as something bit the back of his the neck, tail snaking out from under the covers to slap at the spot.

  "What's the matter?" Tria asked, turning her head slightly.

  "Nothing. A flying nuisance." None of the insect life on Devana was dangerous to either of them.

  "Oh." Relaxing, Tria let her own eyes close. A second later, she flinched as something stung her on the arm. "Ow. Stupid bug."

  Mrir pulled the covers up over their heads, too comfortable to rise and hunt the irritating insect down. Within in minutes, they were both sound asleep.

  ~

  They were out. Good.

  Jack packed up the surveillance equipment and hiked up to the small transport he'd leased. The remote for the 'bug' that had delivered heavy doses of sedative to both was carefully tucked into a pocket. He might need it later on, depending on how difficult Tria became.

  Directing the vehicle to his goal - a hover just above the balcony of their room, Jack arranged things to make room for Tria. He'd always had a knack for finding the right people to supply his needs, and it had come in useful the past two days.

  Climbing out, he quietly entered the hotel suite and walked to the bedroom door. The pre-programming sent the spy eye and 'bug' zooming past as soon as he opened it. Ignoring the still figures hidden under the coverlets, he went through their belongings, packing some clothing and necessities for Tria. Carrying the bag to the transport, he put it away before returning.

  Neither had stirred, which they shouldn't. The dose was guaranteed to keep Tria out for 24 hours, and the cat for at least 12. Uncovering them, Jack scowled at the way it lay curled around her. It took some effort to move the heavy arm from over her. He froze when claws sprang out, flexing very slowly into the bedding.

  Even unconscious, the damn thing was trying to keep her.

  Angry and disgusted, Jack grunted with the effort of moving the arm and shoving the alien over on its back. Tria didn't move, her breathing slow and even. Picking her up, he carried her out of the room and to the transport.

  He spent some time arranging her so that she'd be as comfortable as possible, and wished he didn't have to restrain her while tying her wrists and ankles. She’d be dangerous, until he repaired the damage the brainwashing had done.

  Covering her with a soft blanket, Jack paused to brush hair from her sleeping face. Despite the scene he'd watched earlier, nothing had changed his feelings for her.

  She was the most beautiful thing in his life, and the love he felt made almost choked him as he bent to lay a gentle kiss on her cheek.

  Leaving the transport one more time, Jack steeled himself for the necessity of what came next. The blaster pistol hummed as he powered it on and disappeared into the suite.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Cold.

  A feeling of deja vu overcame Tria as she grew aware of her surroundings. The room was dimly lit, and there was a hygiene closet in direct view when she opened her eyes.

  How did I get on a ship?

  Wanting to rub her eyes free of the gritty feeling they had, she discovered that her wrists were tied. The first wash of fear made her eyes shut, willing Mrir to be looking down at her when she opened them again.

  No such luck.

  Where is he? she wondered as another wave of fear flooded her. What the hell happened?

  The door slid open, and Tria's mouth fell open as an all too familiar figure came through it. "Jack. What the hell…"

  "Hush, Tri. I'm taking you somewhere safe." Jack crossed to sit on the edge of the bunk. "Everything will be okay, baby."

  "I suggest you let me go right now, or Mrir's going to . . .”

  "He's not going to do anything." Jack's expressionless face and confident tone shocked her.

  Staring into his blue eyes, Tria refused to believe what she saw in them. Her voice was a hoarse whisper. "What did you do, Jack?"

  "Only what was necessary, baby. You're safe now. He won't be coming after you."

  Tria closed her eyes as they began burning then snapped them open as Jack touched her hair. "Get the fuck away from me!" She snapped with bared teeth, struggling against the restraints. "Don't touch me! Fucking murderer!"

  Jack stood up, staring down at her. "Everything will be okay, Tri. I promise. It'll just take a little while, baby."

  With that, he turned and left the room. Tria stared at the door then gave vent to her grief with a scream of agony.

  He'd killed her sesslin. The bastard had killed Mrir.

  ~

  Jack landed the transport outside the small dwelling. For several minutes, he sat and stared, wondering what he'd find once he ventured inside. He had to leave for a few hours every couple of days, to gather more supplies.

  Sighing, he let himself out and collected the bags. Shivering at the blast of cold, he keyed the transport's door shut and voice locked it before hurrying to the door.

  The place had been a lucky find, high in the largest Kellestraen mountain range. The cold was something he'd been learning to deal with in the three weeks since they'd come here.

  Once inside, he set the bags down and checked the small screen. The spy eye showed Tria sitting in the nest of blankets, her tangled hair hiding her face as she picked at the smooth, metal cuff around her right ankle with bloody fingers.

  The chain attached to it was welded securely to the wall behind her. It was long enough to allow her to use the hygiene closet and pace the center of the otherwise empty room, but not long enough to let her reach the door or the spy eye hovering in the corner.

  After a couple of close calls, Jack had learned the wisest course was to keep her mildly sedated. The sedative took her coordination and kept her from the rages - he hadn't been able to take the screaming and threats, her face contorted into animalistic fury.

  Unfortunately, keeping her sedated also meant that she fell a lot, leaving her covered in bruises. Being Tria, she refused to crawl in order to prevent injury.

  Five years' of conditioning and her natural toughness was making it difficult to break the hold the cat had over her. She was convinced it had loved her, no matter what he said to her. It both broke his heart and fueled his anger to hear her crying for the alien at night.

  Her head came up, pale green eyes narrowing as she gazed at the spy eye. Jack repressed a shiver at the deranged look in them. If she got loose now, he was dead. He had no doubt about that, but it just made him more determined to repair the damage done to her during her captivity.

  Preparing a meal, he added the regen rod he'd stolen to the tray before checking the screen again. She was still staring, fingers absently digging at the edge of the cuff. Wincing at the blood dripping from them, Jack took a deep breath before entering the room.

  "Dinner time, baby," he said, as cheerfully as possible.

  "Piss off," was her slurred answer. Jack ignored it, setting the tray down out of reach and picking up the regen rod and hypo. She lunged at him as he neared her, but the drug did its thing. Catching her, Jack quickly pressed the hypo to her arm. A growl crawled out of her in response, and he propped her up against the wall.

  "Tri, stop picking at the restraint," he said, examining her fingers.

  Eyes half-closed, she mumbled in the alien's language. The low hisses and purrs of it grated down his spine as he turned the regen rod on. Trying to ignore her, Jack began tending to her injuries as gently as possible.

  It hurt too bad to pretend otherwise. Tria was certain the only way she'd ever get free of the damn chain was by pretending to forgive him. Making him believe that she loved him.

  The drug he kept dosing her with didn't affect her thinking in any fashion, just made her body a traitor to her orders. Studying his face, she promised in Katarran that she would get loose, and that she was going to eat his heart once she was, for killing her sesslin.

  Even thinking it made tears prick her eyes. Letting her head loll to the side, she tried to ignore Jack's presence as he ran the regen rod over her fingertips. Mrir was dead.

  The smart thing to do would be pretend. She was going to have to give into the idea, sooner or later. If Jack could trade her off, if he could murder Mrir in cold blood, there was the possibility her continued resistance would push him into believing putting her out of her misery was the right course of action.

  No one would ever know it had been him, and he'd get away scot-free for all his crimes. She couldn’t allow that to happen.

  The buzzing discomfort of forced healing made her grit her teeth. Jack still talking, but she ignored him. Nothing he had to say was of interest to her. She wished she had enough strength and balance to bury her teeth in his neck right now, with him so close.

  The buzzing paused, then he was examining her leg. More buzzing as he began running the regen rod over the blackened skin. She'd fallen in the shower earlier in the day, landing against the toilet. Rolling her head back to look at him, she watched his face as he continued speaking.

  Why doesn’t he realize this isn't the way you treat someone you love? When exactly had he gone completely insane?

  Jack met her eyes, and smiled as he raised a hand to stroke her cheek. Tria wished she could bite him as he whispered that he loved her, and everything would be all right for the thousandth or so time. When his eyes dipped to her shoulder, she growled again. Another smile stretched his lips thin as he met her eyes for a few seconds.

  The regen rod's rays seemed to burn as he removed Mrir's claiming mark from her skin.

  Chapter Seventeen

  The small surface runner landed in the designated section.

  Rising from the pilot's seat, Greth checked the draw of her blaster, the move echoed by her two younger brothers. Her deep golden eyes studied their grimly set faces, taking in the half-flattened ears and raised, stiffened fur at the bases of their necks. She knew her appearance wasn't any different.

  Tail beginning to lash, she led them to the hatch and keyed it open. Outside lay the spaceport of Talgas V, and somewhere, within the boundaries of the city surrounding it, there was an enclave of humanity.

  In that enclave would be a human who had the information they required to continue their hunt. Greth doubted the male they were after had been stupid enough to return with her sesslaan. It was too obvious a place to look for them, and surely Tria would have escaped if that were the case.

  Hissing out a breath, she bared her fangs while speaking to Sarss and Tresh. "Let's go."

  At the foot of the ramp, all three Katarrs paused to scan the beings nearby. No humans were among them, but as they began walking, every single being melted out of their way with fearful looks and hurried movements.

  You didn't get in the way of Katarrs bent on vengeance.

  ~

  Mike entered the bar with slow steps, wondering if there was any truth to his thoughts.

  He had tried to convince Jack just to leave the matter alone, pointing out that Tria seemed perfectly happy with her situation. Jack refused to believe that, and disgusted, Mike had decided to leave him on Devana and come home.

  Jack hadn't returned, and weeks had now passed by. Mike was certain he tried to see Tria again, as he'd said he was going to. Only this time, either she or Mrir had killed the idiot.

  Finding an empty barstool, Mike ordered up a shot of Sparion brandy. He'd developed a taste for the stuff, which was remarkably similar to the blackberry wine his grandfather used to make. Nursing the drink slowly, Mike admitted he'd expected Jack's death.

  The guy hadn't been the same since he'd traded her off to the Dracs. Jack had been all too willing to stop fighting when Earth’s surrender was declared, because he could start working his way off world and begin tracking Tria down.

  Poor Tria, Mike thought. The kid had been in love with Jack from the day they'd found her, and had worked so hard to get his attention. All she got from it was a lot of trouble.

  Mike winced, staring into the dark liquid as he remembered finding her watching Jack's cabin one night. Tria was about sixteen then, and if she'd had her way, she'd have been the woman inside it with Jack. Instead, her face had been tear-streaked and pained, eyes glued to the front door as she waited for Lucy to leave.

  Lucy had chosen to do her part by making herself available to the men, as well as tending to the growing number of orphaned children they collected. Despite the fact she was scared shitless of Tria, Jack was one of those men she spent time with. No one had any illusions about the matter, least of all Lucy herself. She was fond of those she offered her body to, and she liked sex, but that was all there was to it.

  Tria had never understood the situation. All she saw was another woman with the man she loved and wanted. The man who saw her as a kid, yet was always calling her 'my girl' and feeding her fantasy.

  *

  'Tria, why are you torturing yourself like this?' he asked, coming upon her sitting in the shadows of a tree. She answered without looking away from the cabin.

  'I love him. Sooner or later, he’ll realize that, Mike.'

  He sat down beside her, slinging an arm around her shoulders. 'Honey, one of the guys your own age would be a better choice. Jack's too old for you.'

  'No, he's not.' The door had opened, and he felt her tense under his arm as she zeroed in on Lucy's dark figure stepping off the porch. Jack was nowhere in sight, of course. He was probably showering in preparation for bed.

  Mike watched Lucy freeze as she caught sight of them under the tree. Glancing at Tria's face, he saw a feral looking grin appear on it while she glared at the older woman. Lucy visibly shuddered before hurrying off.

  'You know, he doesn't love her,' he remarked, not having realized how much Tria hated Lucy before.

  'No, he's just using her. He'd rather use someone he doesn't love, than be with someone who does love him.' All her aggression drained out, her shoulders bowing as she studied her hands. 'He thinks I'm just a kid.'

  'Honey, when it comes to age, you are a kid. Maybe not in anything else that matters, but it's the age thing that he's looking at.'

  'Yeah, well, this 'kid' could be dead come the next mission. And she really doesn't wanna die without knowing what it's like to be with the guy she loves. Just once, you know?'

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11