Phantom Warriors: Saber-Tooth (6 page)

here he could wear. She found a pair of cutoff shorts that she’d bought when she’d been

a size sixteen. “Here,” she said, tossing the clothes at him. “They aren’t pretty, but at

least they are loose and should provide you with a little cover until you can get to the

clothes you stashed.”

Kegar caught the shorts.
I’m quite comfortable the way that I am.

“I bet you are.” She grabbed some clothes for herself and dressed quickly. The

doorbell rang as she tied her last shoestring. Damn, Roger was early. Katy rose, glancing

in the mirror at her reflection. Her lips were kiss swollen and her hair looked as if she’d

just gotten out of bed. Pretty accurate all in all.

She took a step toward the hall. Kegar reached out and stopped her.
Before you go, I

think there is something you need to know.

She whirled her hand to indicate he should hurry up.

There was no cat. It was an…illusion.

Katy rolled her eyes. “I didn’t tranquilize an illusion.”

No, you shot me.

“What are you saying?” The doorbell rang again, followed by a loud knock.

Kegar reached out and stroked the side of her cheek with the back of his hand.
So

beautiful.

“Kegar, focus.” Katy snapped her fingers and gave him a warning glance that she

hoped said she wasn’t up for playing any more games.

I have not lied to you. I am a Phantom Warrior from Zaron. Planet Zaron. I am not human, so

therefore the rules of this planet do not apply to me. I can run with the beasts by changing my form,

walk through your walls and hide myself from prying eyes.

Katy stared for the longest time, unable to say a word. Her mind replayed the day’s

events with extreme accuracy. Could what he was saying be true? As much as she

wanted to believe him, there was no way. The pounding grew louder, followed by a

command to break down the door. “Wait right here,” she said, racing for her front door.

She couldn’t afford to fix it if she were unemployed.

She slipped the locks and opened the door. “What in the hell is the matter with you,

Roger?” Katy looked past his shoulder and saw two Bio Tech security team members

waiting in the wings. “Why did you bring them? Don’t you think that’s overkill?”

Roger wore a belligerent expression on his face. “Someone had to carry the stolen

property. Besides, you’ve been acting so bizarre that I couldn’t take the chance that you

might refuse to hand the cat over.”

“Stolen property? You have to be kidding me? I’ve never stolen anything in my life.”

He pushed his way into the house, leaving the security team outside. “Then you

won’t mind if I take a quick look around.” He glanced over his shoulder into the front

yard. “This will only take a minute,” he said, shutting and locking the door behind him.

Roger started his search in the kitchen, then made his way back to the living room. “I see

you haven’t bothered to make any changes to the place, even after I gave you all those

wonderful suggestions.”

Katy wanted to tell him just what he could do with his suggestions, but she didn’t.

Instead, she prayed that Kegar had found a good place to hide. He’d claimed to be an

expert at it. Let’s hope he was telling the truth.

Roger stormed into the bedroom, then suddenly turned on Katy, his gaze narrowing

as he took in the rumpled sheets. He sniffed repeatedly, making a show of flaring his

nostrils. “Have we been having a little afternoon delight?”

“W-what are you talking about?”

He took a menacing step toward her. “Drop the act, princess. I can smell sex in this

room.” He pointed without looking. “Who have you been fucking? Is that why you

rushed home, instead of bringing the cat to the facility? I can’t believe you’d endanger an

animal that way, not to mention the public.”

Katy’s face flushed as she forced her anger down. She’d never, in all her years of

tracking, endangered an animal or civilians. To say otherwise was an insult. What she’d

experienced with Kegar wasn’t mere fucking. The fact that Roger had reduced it to

sounding like a vulgar act truly pissed her off. “You know better than to accuse me of

animal cruelty and it’s none of your business who I see.”

He snorted and walked back into the living room. “You’re right. It’s not like he’ll be

around long now that you’ve lain like an iceberg beneath him. A guy can only take so

much cold. It was a guy, wasn’t it?”

A growl sounded in the other room. Katy’s eyes widened and she sent up a silent

prayer that Kegar would stay put, but she knew that would be too good to be true. A

flash of movement was the only warning Roger got when the giant cat leapt for him.

Claws extended and mouth open ready to eviscerate, the saber-tooth brought Roger

down, slamming him onto his back with a loud crash. Its ears were pinned and its teeth

exposed, daring the man to move. Roger shifted a shoulder and the cat growled,

slapping one enormous paw onto Sylvan’s chest. It flexed its claws just enough to draw

blood.

Roger yelped and then glanced at Katy for help. “Are you nuts?” he asked, his voice

coming out in a strained whisper. “This thing could’ve killed you.”

Katy shook her head, her gaze seeking the creature’s face. Green eyes met blue.

I told you I wasn’t like your people.

She gasped. “Kegar?”

Your heart knew the truth all along.

“But how?”

“Who are you talking to?” Roger hissed as the cat brought his nose down to his

throat.

“I’d be quiet if I were you, Roger.”

He whimpered. “If I scream, those two men will burst through the door and kill this

thing on sight.”

Katy shook her head. “If you scream, that saber-tooth will gut you from neck to

groin.”

He paled, his gaze going back to the seven-inch serrated teeth.

“I asked you a question, Kegar.”

I answered with the truth. I am not from this planet. I came here seeking a mate and I found her

in the guise of a huntress. You will be worshipped and cherished on my planet, Katy. You will

never have to want for a thing. You have my vow…and my heart, if you want it. We can leave

immediately.

“I can’t leave L.A.” She wrapped her arms around her and felt tears burn her eyes as

she glanced at the quiet emptiness of her home. He was offering her love—or at least the

chance of it. That was something Katy hadn’t experienced since her parents died. Kegar

couldn’t be serious. She barely knew him, yet she wanted so badly to believe.

What do you have here? This home? A job? I have a home. It is in need of your touch, but it is

comfortable and I know you would like it. You could continue your work there unimpeded.

“You need a tracker?”

No, but my people do. What I need is you.

Could she leave? He was right about there being nothing left for her here. It would

be a miracle if she managed to avoid jail time. Katy watched Kegar for a few moments,

then glanced at Roger. A year ago, he’d convinced her she was frigid. He’d told her she

could keep her job because he felt sorry for her. She’d swallowed his words like a tonic

and allowed them to poison her self-esteem until she was afraid to move, to change her

circumstances. He wouldn’t be giving her another chance at the job and she didn’t want

one. Kegar had opened her eyes to new possibilities. It was time for her to shore up her

courage and strike out. This time she wouldn’t be alone.

“Kegar, let him up.”

The cat hissed.

“Please, Kegar. If what you say is true, then we don’t need him anymore.”

The cat eyed her warily, then stepped back, retracting his claws. Blood sprang to the

front of Roger’s shirt. The saber-tooth walked across the room to stand by Katy’s side.

She dropped her hand onto its head and began to stroke his soft fur. A strange rumbling

purr ensued. Definitely not a sound a lion would make. She smiled, glancing up in time

to see Roger stumble to his feet.

“I plan to notify the authorities about this incident. Once they prosecute you, that

animal will be destroyed.”

She tilted her head. “You’d destroy the find of the century?”

He tugged at his watchband. “If it meant that I’d get the first cut on the dissecting

table, damn right. Now be sensible for once in your life and step away from that beast

before it kills you.”

Katy’s blood ran cold. She couldn’t allow Roger to harm Kegar. She tried to step in

front of the saber-tooth, but he wouldn’t cooperate. “I can’t let you do that, Roger. What

started out as the find of the century has become the love of a lifetime.”

He laughed. “Love of a lifetime? That’s a bit dramatic, don’t you think? What are

you going to do? Run away? I’d find you no matter where you’d try to hide on this

planet.” Roger started toward the door, his intent clear. He slipped the lock and threw

the door wide. “Security come quickly. The animal attacked me. I’m lucky to be alive,”

he shouted, pulling his crimson-stained shirt out for emphasis.

The Bio Tech team burst through the door with their guns drawn. Katy cried out,

blocking their shot. Suddenly, everything began to move in slow motion. A gun went

off, the sound reverberating throughout the room. Katy closed her eyes and braced,

expecting to feel searing pain. When none came, she cracked one lid. Instead of the

bullet hitting her, she saw the guard no longer pointed the pistol at her chest. The

second man fired a shot. Plaster rained down from the ceiling as Katy screamed and

turned to find Kegar. He was gone.

No longer in cat form, he appeared briefly behind the two men, only to disappear

again. She blinked, unable to believe her eyes. Kegar wrenched their guns out of their

hands and threw them across the room. She heard bones breaking as the bodies followed

with sickening thuds. The glass frames holding her pictures on the wall exploded. Katy

turned to see one man rising in the air, held by invisible hands, his feet flailing beneath

him.

“Please don’t hurt them anymore.” Katy pleaded, rushing forward even though she

wasn’t quite sure what she was going to do to stop Kegar if he chose to end their lives.

He was a force like nothing she’d ever encountered. “They’re only doing their jobs.”

Kegar materialized.
And I am only doing mine.
He dropped the man onto the floor.

The other lay unconscious a few feet away.

“Will they be okay?” she asked, peering at the men who served as Bio Tech’s hired

muscle.

They will live, but they will not soon forget their encounter with a Phantom Warrior.

“You could’ve been hurt.” Her voice cracked at the thought.

My only concern was your safety. They were going to harm you.
He indicated to the two

men on the floor.
I could not allow that.

They wouldn’t have drawn their weapons if… She looked around the room for her

boss. A chair in the corner quaked. She took a step forward to get a better look. Roger

cowered behind her recliner.

“You can come out now,” she said, unable to hide her disgust. “You’ve caused a lot

of trouble.” Katy gathered the photos of her parents and her off the floor, brushing the

glass away.

“Who in the hell is he?” Roger asked, gaping at Kegar’s naked form.

Katy glanced at her warrior. “That’s the man-beast I shot earlier at the La Brea Tar

Pits. You know the one I brought home to fuck. Kegar meet Roger Sylvan.”

Kegar turned his red gaze on the man, measuring him without saying a word. His

presence filled the space like a black hole, sucking all light and life toward him. When it

was clear that Roger did not meet his assessment, he turned away to face Katy once

again.

“That was quite a show you put on,” she said, smiling.

You would not have believed me without the…demonstration.

She laughed. “Is that what you call it? A demonstration? You’re like a ghost. Remind

me to take your word for things in the future.”

His eyes glittered like rubies in the fading sunlight, then he vanished. Katy felt a

slight tingling as Kegar passed through her. It was an odd sensation that didn’t quite

diminish when he reappeared in front of her a second later.

Are you saying we have a future?

Heat radiated from his body, surrounding her in loving warmth. “I’d say there’s a

pretty good chance,” she said, touching him to ensure that he was real.

What would it take to persuade you?

Katy pulled his head down and whispered the suggestion in his ear.

Kegar grinned.
That can be arranged.

“Hello, I’m still in the room,” Roger said, his fists clenching at his sides.

Kegar tapped a spot on the side of his neck, then turned to face the man. “Ah, you

may be, but we are not.”

Katy gaped. Those were the first words Kegar uttered aloud. They were followed by

a loud popping noise and then Roger, the security team and her living room were gone.

Katy blinked several times to get her eyes to focus, then looked around. She stood on

the deck of a ship, still holding her family photos. At least she thought it was a ship’s

deck, given all the sci-fi movies she’d watched in her lifetime.