A Cougar's Fantasy Page 3

  She smiled. “He looks like a pirate,” Abby whispered.

  Lacey laughed and nudged her. “You going to forgive your pirate?”

  “Forgiving is the easy part Lacey, but the trust isn’t there now. I’ve seen what your men do. Them not telling you things is just another form of lying, to me. I would rather be told than have them hiding things,” Abby said.

  “With that, I agree,” Lacey said. “We all do and maybe in time, they will see this. I know Isaac sees it and now River is recognizing the error of what they are doing. We need to go down there before they come up after us,” Lacey looked at her, wiggling her eyebrows. “Or we could make them play the pirate part and have them…” her words were gone as Lacey disappeared to appear below in Isaac’s arms.

  She slapped his chest frowning at him. “You were supposed to climb the rope thingy, you big lug.”

  Abby smiled, but stiffened a few seconds later as Lan wrapped his arms around her from behind. “I’m sorry I hurt you, Kitty.” He kissed the side of her neck. “Have I lost you?”

  “No,” she said and turned in his arms to look up at him. “You haven’t lost me, but I will be honest, I don’t know if I’ll be able to trust you for a while, Lan. This was too important to me. You didn’t even ask before you did what you’ve done.” She sighed and glanced down at her crew. “You not only ruined what was important to me but to them too, my sisters.”

  “We haven’t finished talking about this, Kitty. I haven’t turned this ship around. No one has done anything yet. But, will we allow any of your friends to be hurt, no. If this is to be done, it must be done together,” he said, holding onto her.

  He leaned down and whispered into her ear. “I will have your trust again, I promise you this, Kitty.”

  “Let’s go see what they have decided,” Abby said and started to swing her leg over the box, but before she could climb down, Lan lifted her up and transported them to the deck. “You know I’ve done that a thousand times and will do it again,” she said.

  Lan grabbed a hold of her braid and pulled her head back. “Don’t think I didn’t see you almost fall earlier,” he growled.

  She smiled. “Cats always land on their feet.”

  Lacey laughed and so did Opal as she came forward, then they hugged her. “Girl, we so have to have the other ladies and the kids come on here. They would have a ball.”

  Lan released her hair, and Abby hugged Opal. “We will, but first, there are other things we must do.” Abby glanced at Opal’s mate. “Well, what is the verdict?”

  “It’s a trap that I am sure of, but your family members may be there. I believe that to be so, for so many of you to have this dream…” River said, reaching out and pulling Opal into his arms. “What about a compromise?” River glanced over her shoulder at her crew-sisters. “

  “What kind?” Abby asked.

  “Those being held there are going to need time to adjust to being free. Use your ship and, if I’m not mistaken, Quinn you have a ship close by also?”

  Abby glanced over at Quinn. She had to admit the man was hot and when he set his gaze on her, Abby swore her cat wanted to raise its tail and allow the man to do whatever he wanted to do.”

  “In other words, you don’t want us fighting?” Tasmin growled, stepping up to her side, wrapping her hand in hers and squeezing it. “We’ve waited, trained for this day for over two years and you come here trying to dictate to all of us?”

  Abby glanced down at the floor, smiling. If it was one thing, Tasmin didn’t care who or what. If you interfered with her plans, watch out.

  “I do believe I like your friend,” Lacey said. “Ouch, damn it, Isaac stop it.”

  “I have to agree with Abby’s friend, River. Like us, we were trained as all of you found out last night, or have you forgotten the battles already?” Opal growled.

  “Kitten,” River just said that one word and even Abby could feel Tasmin shiver.

  Tasmin leaned over and whispered. “Who the hell is he?” she asked, worried.

  Abby smiled. “Think, Alien man, who created the warrior race around us.”

  River looked up and smiled when Tasmin stepped back. “Well, shit.”

  “Relax, Tasmin, I only beat on my mate’s cute butt. But as to your question, yes. Wait,” River snarled at Opal who was going to say something. “I want my warriors to go in first. Make sure the traps are taken care of. Then the group of you can come in, with the rest of our men. I’m sure there will be plenty to do for all of us.” River frowned. “From what I can tell there are over bodies on that island in question. I can’t tell who or what is what right now.”

  “Damn, he’s good,” Tasmin said and Abby nodded.

  “So, what do you think, ladies?” Abby turned to look at her crew, and she swore a few of her friends actually sighed.

  “Not everyone wants to fight, Abby.” Lan said.

  “You think I want to fight?” she turned to glare at Lan. “Just because this was important does not mean I wanted to fight.” Abby shook her head. “You’ll never understand,” she sighed and glanced at Lacey.

  She reached over and squeezed her arm. “Give them time. Each family has to work past their own hurdles and I’m afraid you, little sister, with four men, are going to have more than usual.”

  Abby glanced behind her at Lan, seeing the intense emotion in his gaze, but he wasn’t the only one. All of them were waiting.

  “Ladies, it’s up to you,” Abby said. “I promised you we would do this last journey,” Abby said, as she moved away from her mates to join her crew with Tasmin next to her.

  * * *

  Lan had to admit, Lacey was right. There would be major adjustments with the four of them, but right now he couldn’t be prouder of the way Abby took control of her crew.

  “You are right, we do have issues to work out, but I believe with her by our side we can do much,” Quinn said, moving to his side. “I have to say, her crew are smart and good,” he laughed.

  “I really don’t want to admit it, but they got one up on my crew a while back,” Quinn said, for the second time.

  “Is your crew going to have any problems with our mate’s crew?” Lan asked. “You know she considers each of these ladies’ close friends,” Lan glanced at Quinn.

  “They better not or I’ll tear them apart. I have a feeling each of them has been through too much as it is,” Quinn said, nodding to the group.

  “On that issue, I have to agree. It’s one of the reasons why I believe they should be able to go. It will give the ones we find time to adjust as well,” River said. “I’ve sent the others home to prepare. It will take this crew about three days to arrive at the island. We’ll have the warriors move in two days,” River shook his head. “I have a bad feeling this is not the only location where people are being held. I’ve heard that there have been sightings of human ladies being sold off into slavery on a few planets.”

  Lan snarled. “Have the others been told? I just can’t understand how they are jumping from planet to planet. There must be other doorways that we are not finding.”

  “That is what we are working on. If we can find the doors, we can close them. But as you have seen, they can pop up anywhere. I’m afraid more strange things are starting to happen here on Earth. This planet and the humans on it are not prepared for what is out there.”

  “Then shouldn’t we start informing them? Teaching them?” Abby asked, coming over. “You keep us all locked up, maybe we can help inform them, or have them come to us.”

  River smiled. “It is an idea. I will speak with Dan about this. He and his family would be a great help with this. The only thing that worries me about it is that humans have a tendency to go overboard. Already their nuclear problem is troublesome.” River shook his head. “So, what have you and your crew decided?”

  “We have agreed, but there really was no choice was there?” she asked.

  “Abby!” Lan snarled, but she ignored.

  “There is always a
choice, Abby. It’s what you do with the choices you are given. Would we allow you to go without us, no? Would you expect any less?” River asked.

  Abby sighed and glanced up at Lan. “No. I have a lot to think about. Thank you, now if you’ll excuse me, I have some work to do.” Abby spun around and started shouting out orders.

  “You, gentlemen, have your work cut out for you. You have three days before they get to the island, I suggest you use them wisely,” River said, leaving them with Isaac.

  “We will also need to know if they are coming back with you four, or if you will be going to Quinn’s city? If I were a betting man, I have a feeling River will also go with you when you do get back. He and his son need to know how many of our warriors are there.” Isaac sighed. “Like humans, our warriors have become lost. It’s time to change that.”

  “Agreed on all counts. We will inform you as soon as we figure out ourselves what we are going to do,” Lan said and growled as Abby started to climb the main mast. “I swear I’m going to tan her hide.”

  Quinn placed his hand on his shoulder. “Would you allow me? I am familiar with the ship and can help out?”

  “Will you share this knowledge with us too since it’s obvious our woman loves the water as you do?” Lan said and nodded, keeping his eyes on every move Abby made.

  “Of course,” Quinn said, smiling.

  “What the…Quinn,” Lan snarled, grabbing his head, as a load of information filled into his brain so fast he almost fell to his knees.

  “I’m going to kill him,” Ramiro growled, going after Quinn.

  “No, not while Abby is on that thing. I won’t have her distracted, which she seems to get, a lot,” Lan sighed, watching as Quinn, followed after Abby until he was below her.

  She stopped and frowned, then glanced down at him. Abby pointed out something on the mast up top. Lan was about to go up there when she placed both hands on it and started climbing down.

  Abby jumped off the mast, looking up at him, and shook her head, before turning and shouting out a few orders. She then headed down into the hold of the ship. She was not happy at all. Lan was going to have to come up with some compromise or their joining was not going to take place as fast as he wanted it to.

  “We will help too. Our mate is a complicated one. But she is ours, Just as the others are learning to do, so shall we, even if it goes against everything we have been brought up to believe, because our women are fighters also,” Cedric said, walking beside him as they made their way down to her quarters.

  Yes, Cedric was right, but Lan knew he had screwed up calling the others before talking with his woman.

  Chapter Four

  Abby climbed up on her perch in her quarters, staring out a portal to the sea. In her cat form, she placed her head on her paws just staring but not seeing anything. She knew her men would follow her here, but honestly, she had no idea what to say to them. Lan had done the one thing she didn’t want him to do. Did she harbor any ill-feeling about it now? No.

  She knew she needed their help getting onto this island, but the fact that he didn’t even speak to her beforehand could not be allowed to happen again. Abby needed complete honesty, which these warriors seemed to have a problem with. At least that’s how she saw it.

  Hearing the door open, Abby didn’t even bother to turn around to acknowledge them and that hurt. Why was it so hard for her to trust? Was she so messed up in the head and heart?

  “No, Abby, you are not messed up,” Lan said, reaching up and petting her. “Your cat form is so stunning, but would you please change so we can talk and hold you,” Lan asked.

  Lifting up, Abby jumped off the perch, shifting as she did. “You want to start the bonding, don’t you?” she asked, going over to her little couch, but Lan swept her up into his arms, taking her to the bed.

  “You are tired and I know you haven’t slept. There is no reason you can’t be comfortable while we talk,” he said, climbing onto the bed. With his boots gone, he rested back against the headboard. Cedric and Ramiro climbed up next to them.

  “You changed the subject, Lan, and I was comfortable in my cat form,” she said, rubbing her cheek on his chest. “Yes, I’m tired both mentally and physically, but this ship and the water usually regenerates me.” She smiled. “Kind of odd, being a cat, you’d think I’d hate the water, but every time I stare out at the water, I see my father on his boat, going out to sea.”

  “I think you and Quinn have a lot in common. He is finishing repairing your mast for you. A few of the warriors are helping out above.” He smiled. “I’m getting the impression your crew is getting annoyed with them.”

  Abby couldn’t help but snort and look up at him. “When we usually set sail, we all need to work off the burdens of being on land. The work and the sea air seemed to blow off the worries. I don’t know how to explain it better.”

  “The sea is calming, it rocks you, yet it’s dangerous and hard work. All of those things soothe the soul like nothing else,” Quinn said as he entered, and then joined them on her bed, which seemed awfully small now with four huge warriors on it.

  “Now that we are all here, as to your question. Yes, I want to start the process, the blood exchange, Abby. I know we have…well, I have done something that hurt you and I’m sorry. But this does not change who I am or what you mean to me, to all of us. We would give you anything, you know this, but we won’t do anything to harm you. Your safety is our first priority, we can’t lose you, Abby,” Lan said.

  “Don’t you think I know this?” she growled and slapped his chest. “Lan, you are making excuses. There is not one damn reason you couldn’t have just said, ‘Abby, I have to inform the others that we need help to plan this out,’ something like that.” She shook her head. “You’re smart Lan, but when it comes to your chain of command, you think to report to them first.” Abby held up her hand when he started to say something.

  “No, let me finish. You know I’m right. Look at the time Cedric came to you about his family. What did you do? You called them without even speaking with any of us. Did you ever think maybe we could have found a solution without involving someone else? Tell me, did you inform them too about what you were planning for the next three days?” she asked and at once Abby knew he had.

  “I’m sorry, Lan,” she squirmed out of his arms and jumped off the bed. “I will not have them between us when we FUCK!” she snarled, shifting into her cat and once more jumping up onto her perch, furious.

  But Lan wasn’t having it. He lifted her up in her cat form, taking her back to the bed with the rest of her men, holding on to her. “No, Abby, I didn’t inform anyone of what I planned this weekend. River suggested that we get to know each other better and I had to agree with him.” He ran his cheek against the top of her head. “We won’t fuck, Abby. We’ll never fuck as you have said. But we will be making love to our mate as many times as we can.”

  The big cat didn’t move as Lan petted and whispered to her. Abby knew he was trying to calm her down. It was working. “You allow them too much into our lives. I want to be mated to my mates, not to an army. I need honesty, not hidden lies,” Abby whispered in her head, knowing that each of them heard her. Their connection was growing stronger with each day and soon she would need them to keep her alive, once they brought her over.

  There were three stages of their mating. Abby was going through the first right now, needing their touch ever so often, the connection between them growing stronger, so that they could speak to each other in their minds. The second stage was the blood bond where she would take from each of her mates and then they would take from her, sealing the mental connection between them.

  She rubbed her head against, Lan’s hand. The third stage, the final one, was their pledge to her. With their seed inside her, marking her as theirs, which would be almost as if they were branding her.

  “How crude, little Kitty. We are not branding you, we are giving you our hearts,” Quinn reached over and ran his hand over her back. �
��Now, in my city where my people have chosen to stay, some men and women agree on a tattoo-like image placed on each other, showing their love for each other. This is an extra step, something different from the warrior’s way.”

  Abby lifted her head and glanced at Quinn. There was so much hidden in his eyes that she had a feeling it would take a while to learn every part of what was him.

  “Silly woman, you are our mate and I have nothing to hide. I would show you anything you asked of me,” Quinn said.

  “Quinn is right, we would share anything with you. If I’m not mistaken each of our families has in their time added or changed the mating process, making it more personal,” Ramiro said. “In our family, the males present the female with a gift of the heart.”

  Cedric reached over, scratching behind one of her ears. “My family also has a different custom. Much like your humans we take our female to a special place, a planet that is known for romance, spending a few weeks there.”

  She glanced up at Lan, who smiled. “I will tell you, but would you please change for us?” he asked.

  * * *

  Lan watched the play of emotions in Abby’s eyes. He knew she was clinging for some hope to connect to them and Lan wanted to give this to her. But first, they needed the woman there in his arms, not her cat.

  Abby shivered, right before he felt the bones snapping under his hand. Her skin was cool and soft, replacing the fur. Cat eyes gone, Abby glanced up at him, waiting.

  He placed both of his hands on her face, holding her there. He lowered his head, placing a kiss on her full lips, before wrapping his arms around her and just holding her.

  “I think this is part of my problem. Our family has always been military-like. Our lives centered around the warriors. I guess you could say the warriors were our family.” Lan frowned. “You know, come to think about it, I can see why mother was so quiet.”