Phantom Warriors: Saber-Tooth (5 page)

slip his tongue inside her mouth. He slanted his head and began to explore in earnest.

She matched his movements her tongue tangling as he rode her gently at first,

waiting for her body to adjust. She was perfect in every way and she was his. He’d

gotten her agreement, perhaps under duress, but he wouldn’t let that little detail deter

him.

Put your hands on me. I want to feel your nails score my skin as I take you.
He rocked his

hips and she gripped his shoulders.
That’s better. Do not hold back. I want everything. I will

try not to hurt you, but know that it’s my people’s way to inflict pain, while bringing pleasure.
He

threw the last words out in challenge.

Katy’s narrowed gaze met his. “You’re not going to hit me, are you?”

Never!
Affronted, he shook his head.
My hands will only bring you enormous pleasure.

She searched his face, then seemed to come to some kind of decision. “Then I can

take it.”

Kegar smiled.
I knew you could. I’d expect nothing less from my mate.

“Mate?”

He didn’t answer, instead he nipped her lower lip and drove into her. He caught her

gasp, while plundering her mouth. She shifted her hips to better accommodate his size.

Kegar took the opportunity to grasp her legs and bring them up over his shoulders. The

angle allowed him to penetrate her soul. Katy broke their kiss, her head thrashing from

side to side as his hips began to piston. Her nails tore at his flesh, leaving streaks of

blood behind. The coppery tang scented the air, along with their lovemaking. Kegar’s

grip tightened as the fleshy nodes on his cock rose, stroking her internally like a

thousand tiny fingers.

“Oh my goodness, what is tha—”

Katy came apart beneath him, before she could finish her question. Her pussy

clamped down on his shaft hard enough to send him over the edge. Kegar bellowed,

convulsing as he pumped his seed into her fluttering channel. Her body milked his life

force, drawing it in until he collapsed. Their lungs strained as they reached for air. He

forced himself to roll, taking Katy with him. She lay on top his chest, her body soft and

sated, dripping over his length like warm honey.

They didn’t stir, each content to lie in the other’s arms. Kegar stroked her back,

cupping her bottom to bring her closer to his face.
You are all I’d ever hoped to find. I am

pleased and honored that you’ve chosen to be my mate.

Chapter Three

Katy’s drowsy mind came awake instantly. Kegar had mentioned something about

being his mate earlier, but she’d been too distracted to respond. Now she wasn’t. Mate

was a term used most commonly when referring to animals. What was he talking about?

Even as the question formed in her mind, she had bad feeling that she already knew the

answer.

“Kegar, I can ignore the fact that you talk directly in my mind. I can even accept that

I was a willing participant during sex. But, I have a problem with this whole ‘mate’

business. Especially, since I know you’re part of some elaborate hoax, concerning the

saber-toothed cat. Want to tell me what you mean by mate?” She sat up onto her elbows

so she could look into his face. If he lied, she’d know it.

He took a deep breath and released it.
You are not going to like the answer.

“Try me.”

I am not involved in any deliberate deception. It is against my nature to do such a thing.

Katy wanted so badly to believe him. He looked genuinely sincere. Was it possible

that Kegar was a pawn too? That still didn’t explain the whole mate business. “You said

mate,” she prodded for him to continue.

My people are different than yours. We mate only one time. Our women grow fewer in

numbers. Due to this anomaly, our males have been forced to seek mates outside our clans. Earth

holds our best chance at defeating extinction.

“Earth?” Katy felt the color drain from her face. Why did she always pick the jerks

and the crazies? She sat up and swung her legs over his chest, pulling their joined

bodies apart so she could stand by the side of the bed. “The least you could’ve done

was tell me the truth. I’m all for a good gag, but this is pathetic.”

Hurt, Katy turned to walk out of the room.

Kegar leapt from the bed and landed on Katy, bringing her to her knees. He held his

weight with his legs to keep from crushing her.
I have never lied to you. I would never lie to

you. That is not how mates behave.

“Get off me.” She dropped to all fours and tried to scuttle away, but the warmth of

his body seeped into her, causing her knees to wobble. The scent of his skin surrounded

her and Katy’s head spun. Her body flushed, coming alive instantly.

She took another step and Kegar’s teeth clamped onto her shoulder at the base of her

neck, then he growled. The warning was clear. He didn’t want her to move. Well too

fucking bad. Katy crawled forward and Kegar entered her in one thrust, nearly lifting

her to her feet. She gasped as he reached beneath her to pluck at her nipples and thumb

her clit. Everywhere he touched, fire erupted. She tried to squirm, but his teeth sank

deeper, piercing the tender skin at her nape.

“Ouch,” she gasped. “Okay, I won’t move.”

He didn’t answer her as he pulled his cock out of her pussy until only the tip

remained. Katy whimpered and she rocked back to capture him, but he held her firm. It

was a sheer act of dominance and damn if it wasn’t turning her on. No man had ever

handled her this way. Maybe that had been the problem all along. She wasn’t frigid. She

simply needed a firm hand.

As if to confirm that fact, Kegar stroked her clit. Katy flinched, then moaned as her

pussy flooded, drowning his cock in her juices. His tongue lapped at her neck, while his

teeth kept her in place so he could take her the way he wanted her… which was hard.

Kegar’s hips bucked and pounded, driving into her until Katy was convinced she’d

choke on his cock. She lifted her butt higher to meet each frenzied thrust. He grumbled

something, raking his nails along her legs until he held her waist. Katy’s nipples

bounced and her body quivered as he slammed into her again and again.

She heard whimpers coming from somewhere and realized she was the one making

the noises. The suctioning sound intensified as he rode her toward completion. It wasn’t

just sex, it was possession. Kegar was trying to absorb her body and soul in this feral

mating. Something inside Katy shifted, locking into place like a puzzle piece.

Kegar threw his head back and roared. The hair at the nape of Katy’s neck stood on

end. The only time she’d ever heard that primal sound was when she’d camped in

Kenya. The native guides had told her the lions were mating. Kegar pinched her clit and

sent Katy into the abyss, before she could give it any more consideration.

He released his grip on her. His tongue laving the spot he’d bitten.
I’m sorry if I hurt

you, but I couldn’t allow you to leave.

“I wasn’t going anywhere.” But you will be, was left unsaid.

We need to talk.

“What do you think I’ve been trying to do?”

The phone’s shrill ring interrupted their conversation. Kegar slipped from her body,

leaving Katy feeling empty and cold. Their combined juices ran down her legs, coating

her thighs, making them sticky. It was amazing how fast sex could turn into something

else. Not love, but something… which was odd since she didn’t really know the man

whose body currently blanketed her. Katy refused to admit that she’d like to get to

know him better. It was bad enough that she was starting to develop feelings for him.

The phone rang two more times. “Kegar, you have to get off me, so I can answer

that.”

Dread filled Katy as she saw the number on her caller ID. Shit! She didn’t need this

right now. She picked up the phone. “Manfred speaking.”

“Where in the hell are you? I’ve been waiting at the facility for over three hours.”

She glanced at the clock on the wall and cringed. “I’m at home, sir.”

“I know you’re home. What I’d like to know is what you’re doing there?”

Katy pictured Kegar’s naked body and blushed. “Nothing, sir.”

“Where’s the cat? You do know if he’s authentic and not surgically enhanced, that

we have the find of the century in our hands, don’t you?”

“I understand,” she said, realizing Roger wasn’t part of the hoax, if he’d been

waiting this whole time. Damn, that meant the only person who could locate the cat was

Kegar and he hadn’t exactly been cooperative in that regard. She glanced back toward

her bedroom.

A groan of frustration sounded in the background before Roger Sylvan spoke again.

“Why did you break protocol?”

“The site was compromised and I was worried that we’d lose our find.” Which wasn

’t a total lie, but certainly not the truth.

“I don’t want to hear your excuses. I took you in after your parents died, when you

had no job and nowhere else to turn. This is how you repay me?”

“I… ”

“Save it. You know what this means.”

“Yes, sir, I do.” It meant she was out of a job. It had been one thing to think about it

in the realm of possibilities, but now that it was certain, the reality was disheartening.

How was she going to be able to keep her house? Her car? She’d barely gotten by on her

Bio Tech salary. Katy couldn’t afford a pay cut with the cost of living in Los Angeles

being so high.

“I’m on my way over now. I expect you to hand the saber-tooth and your resignation

in at the same time. Do we understand each other?”

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. What was she going to do now?

Tracking was her life. She didn’t know how to do anything else.

“Katy, are you listening to me?” he asked, shuffling paperwork.

“Yes, I hear you.”

“I expect you to have the cat ready for transport in thirty minutes.”

There was a click and then the dial tone rang in her ears. She needed to find out

where the saber-tooth was before Roger arrived. That was the only chance she had of

getting a recommendation from Bio Tech and it was a long shot. She refused to believe

there was no hope.

Katy strode back inside her bedroom. Kegar lay in the middle of the bed with his

hands behind his head. His magnificent cock rose like a fist in the air at the sight of her.

“Don’t you ever get tired?” she asked, indicating to his erection.

Not where you’re concerned.

“Listen Kegar, we have to talk. My boss is on his way over here to pick up the

saber-tooth. I need to know where you put him or I’m sacked.”

Sacked?

“Fired… unemployed…
finito
. Get it?”

I understand, but you won’t need the job where we’re going.

“Where we’re going? We aren’t going anywhere. I have a job here—or at least had a

job. My life is in L.A. I don’t know how to do anything else and in thirty minutes my

boss is going to knock on that door and expect to see a saber-tooth. So are you going to

tell me where you hid him or not?”

I cannot.

“Cannot or will not?” Katy planted her fists on her hips and glared at him. Didn’t he

realize he was playing with her future livelihood?

Kegar sat up.
It is not that simple.

She threw her hands up in the air. “Men!” She snorted. “It is that simple. Either you

know where your buddies hid him or you don’t. It’s not like you could’ve moved him

on your own.”

You’d be surprised what I can do, but as you said, we don’t have much time. So I’ll have to

show you once we get to Zaron.

“Grr… you are impossible!”

No, I’m a Phantom Warrior.

“A what? What’s a Phantom Warrior and what’s a Zaron? Oh, forget it. I have to

throw some clothes on and try to come up with a plausible reason for the cat’s

disappearance. Emphasis on plausible. If you aren’t going to help, then just get your

things and get out. The last thing I need Roger to see is a naked man hanging around.”

As the words left her mouth, Katy realized how ridiculous a notion that was. Kegar had

arrived naked. He had nothing to take. She stared at him a few seconds, absorbing his

magnificence. She couldn’t allow him leave like that. The women of L.A. would riot. The

thought of Kegar with another woman sent an unexpected spike of jealousy through her.

Who is Roger? And why do you wish to avoid his discomfort?
His voice was deceptively

calm.

“He’s my boss.” Katy shrugged. “And my ex-boyfriend.” She raised her hand to stop

him from speaking. “Before you say anything, I know dating the boss was a stupid

move on my part. It’s not one of my proudest moments.”

You’ve lain with this man. Is he the one who caused you to doubt yourself as a woman?

“No, yes, no, it’s complicated.” Kegar was way too perceptive for his own good.

Katy opened her drawers and began to dig through her clothes. She didn’t want to

discuss Roger or their crappy relationship. She wasn’t about to touch their sex life after

what she’d just experienced with Kegar. She dug deeper. There had to be something