A Cougar's Fantasy Page 4

  Abby squeezed his arm. “I’ve seen that in a few of the warriors. One big one was Akaos. It’s one of the reasons Maya and he have had so much trouble. Even today, she has to remind him that she is not a robot, that their family unit must come first.”

  Lan cringed inside. “Abby, we were taught always that a warrior must protect. It’s our job, it’s what we were created for. Yes, our family unit is one of the most important things in our lives, but so is serving our king, protecting the balance, making sure a planet isn’t destroyed by others.”

  Abby frowned. “So, you believe a warrior’s life, the king and your world, are more important than our family unit? What about our children, if we have any? Would your duty come first before our children? Answer wisely, fearless leader,” she snarled, glaring at him.

  Once more she was stiff in his arms and again he had angered her with his words. “I would protect our children with my life, but if it meant saving thousands…” He looked away and sighed. “I guess I am just like my fathers.” He turned back to stare at Abby.

  “Tell me, would you sacrifice yourself for your sisters, for us? How can we not always put the greater good of others before us, even if it is to lose a child.” Lan said the words that were hanging there, expecting Abby to explode, jump out of his arms, but she sat there saying nothing.

  By the expression on her face, Lan knew she was thinking through everything he had said.

  “I can see giving my life for my sisters and for you four. Also, for the greater good, but my children, that I don’t know.” She looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

  “Abby, why do you think there are three, well four, of us? Because if one of us does pass, the others are there to pick up the pieces, to hold our family together. Another thing to consider is if one is placing himself in danger, the others are protecting our children and woman. If we are protecting the whole, you and our children are part of that whole,” he explained.

  He smiled. “But our family does have something we give to our women. From what my mother has informed me, her fathers passed this onto her mother. A gift from her men.”

  “Well, aren’t you going to tell me?” Abby asked and he smiled.

  “No, it is meant to be a surprise and it will be when the time is right.” He reached up and tweaked her small cute nose. “Will you share your blood with me, Abby?” Lan asked.

  She sighed, glancing at each of them, then up at him again. “Give me your blood, Lan, but the last step will wait. The four of you have two days before we reach the island to show me why I should commit fully to you. Not, warriors, Lan, just us.” She leaned down and nipped his arm. “If you bring up one more time the warriors or your king, I will bite your ass.”

  “Aww, little Kitty, but I bite back,” he said, against her skin, kissing her neck before sinking his fangs into her, drinking from her. The taste of his mate was not like anything he had ever had. She was sweet, but with a touch of something else.

  He took just enough for the exchange, before retracting his fangs. On a thought, his shirt disappeared and Lan opened a hole in his chest, urging her to it. Would she experience what so many of her sisters had during their change? He hoped not.

  Abby kissed, then licked his skin before sucking his blood into her mouth, drinking from him. His cock exploded in his pants. It was the first time ever that he had done that and the little vixen in his arms knew what had happened and smiled up at him when the exchange was finished.

  “Interesting,” she said.

  He lifted her up and handed her over to Quinn, mumbling as he jumped up to move to her bathroom to clean himself, needing time to think. If her lips on his skin did this to him, he was in serious trouble.

  Lan stripped out of his clothes, the old ones disappearing as he opened communications with his family, informing them of everything that had happened. Ten minutes later dressed in his. new garb, black leather pants he rejoined his mates. He had seen that Abby had scheduled herself to take the night shift watching the waters and they would be right there with her.

  He frowned as the ship shifted suddenly and shouts could be heard. Lan glanced back into Abby’s quarters and watched as she jumped out of bed, running to the door. “We’re being attacked,” she shouted, before disappearing.

  “Attacked? Who the hell would attack my mate’s ship,” Lan growled and appeared upon the deck with the rest of his mates, just as the ship seemed to split in half. Women were cussing, as they ran, jumping into the water. “Quinn!” he snarled.

  “My ship is coming, but right now we have more problems. Our woman is gone,” Quinn snarled. “I can’t reach her at all, and Lan, she was starting to have the pains.”

  Fear pierced his heart as all four of them searched until the ship started to sink. Lan jumped into the cold water, searching inside for the connection to his mate. He would not lose her.

  Chapter Five

  Abby hurt everywhere. She had managed to save four of her crew before the stupid pains of the exchange took over.

  The water was cold. She curled up in a ball, trying to stay afloat, but the pain had been too much. That had been the last thing Abby remembered before she started to sink.

  Not moving, Abby took in the fact she was not at the bottom of the ocean floor, but in a bed that was warm as hell, and that there were two bodies next to her, holding her.

  “Relax, Abby, you are safe,” Lan whispered to her on the left side. “But you will tell us who the hell would did this to your ship?” he said and nipped her ear.

  She sat up quickly, as the room started to spin, but she ignored it, moaning. “My crew?” she asked.

  “Safe, every single one, and they are not saying a damn word as to who attacked you,” Quinn snarled.

  “They won’t say anything until they know it’s okay. I need Tasmin, please.” Abby glanced over where she knew Quinn was, from his voice. “What the hell is wrong with my vision.” She closed her eyes and opened them back up, still not seeing well at all.

  “You took a nasty hit to the head, Abby. You are still healing and you weren’t breathing when I found you,” Lan said, pulling her back into his arms, and that is when she noticed she was also very naked.

  “We’re on Quinn’s ship, aren’t we,” she asked, relaxing against Lan’s chest, his warmth wrapping around her.

  “Yes, but answer the question, Abby. Who destroyed your ship and almost killed you?” Lan growled.

  “Easy there, big guy, that is why I need to see Tasmin, to confirm something. Please bring her here.” She patted his arm, trying to focus, but still, she was having trouble. “I need to shift for a minute, maybe that will help,” Abby said, right before she did. It hurt like freaking hell. Her cat snarled as she stood on the bed, looking around.

  Sure enough, her vision was now back to normal and Abby could smell Tasmin coming. She shifted back, pulling the blanket back up over her body right before her friend walked in.

  Right behind Tasmin was the one-man Tasmin did not want to see, Quinn’s second in command, Damin. “How are you doing?” Abby asked her friend, glancing behind her.

  “Ignore the asshole. What I want to know is how the hell is he still alive? We sank his damn ship two years ago,” her friend said, confirming her suspicions.

  “Well, it would seem our friend Black Bart hasn’t gotten the hint to stay the hell away from us. He has to be something other than human to have survived our last round, but where did he get the new ship? He shouldn’t have been able to sneak up on us like that, either.”

  Tasmin glanced down at the ground. “I’m afraid that is my fault, Abby.” She glared at the man behind her. “I was distracted and wasn’t paying attention to the sea.”

  “It was not your fault, it was mine,” the man next to Tasmin turned and looked at Quinn. “I had to find her. I’m sorry.”

  “She is yours?” Quinn asked, moving away from the wall.

  “Yes, even though she refuses to admit it,” he growled and glanced at Tasmin, but
what he wasn’t expecting was Quinn’s right hook, hitting him in the jaw. The man would have flown backward into Tasmin, but Quinn grabbed him by the neck and shook him.

  “You’re damn lucky you are my best friend. Do you know how many women could have been killed, including yours? Our woman was technically dead when Lan found her,” Quinn snarled.

  “But I’m not. Quinn, release your friend. I need a map,” she said. “And some clothes.” She glanced back at Lan who shook his head.

  “You are not getting out of this bed, Abby.” Lan scowled. “As Quinn said, you were dead, but the blood bond saved your life. You will stay right where you are at,” he said, but a few seconds later she was wearing her favorite sleep T-shirt.

  “Pants?” she glanced at him, but when he didn’t budge, Abby smiled and threw back the cover. “Quinn, take me to where you have all the maps and such. I need to find something.” She went to crawl away and give everyone a great shoot of her ass when her sweat pants appeared to cover her.

  She glanced back at Lan, smiling. “Thank you, my Orak,” Abby wiggled her butt and scrambled off the bed before he could lunge at her. But she had heard his snarl.

  “Come on Kitty, let’s get you your maps, then back to bed,” Quinn said, coming over and sweeping her up in his arms. He took her further below the deck, into another room, but what impressed her the most were the windows all around them.

  You could actually see out into the water. “I love this. I so wanted to do this to my ship. Why didn’t you do this to your personal quarters?” she asked as he placed her on a chair, pushing it up to the desk.

  “This room is smaller. It couldn’t be done to a larger room the pressure to the hull and such. I didn’t want to risk the crew. So, when I need to just think, I come in here.” He nodded at the desk. “You will find every map I have here.” He placed a kiss on the top of her head. “You scared the shit out of all us, Kitty.”

  “Believe me, I scared the shit out of myself.” She glanced up a Lan who stood in front of the desk. “When those pains came, I knew my only hope was you. It was the first time I’ve completely opened myself to anyone.”

  Lan reached over and cupped her cheek. “That is how I found you. What are you looking for? Maybe we can help?”

  “I need the map from where we are now and the Caribbean islands.” She looked around and found her friend had followed them. “Get over here, Tasmin. I need your help. Quinn, do you mind if I mark up your map?” She looked up at him and smiled.

  He snorted handing her a pen. “Only you, Abby.”

  She spread out the map. “Black Bart hit us here today, on our way to the island. He also hit us over here two years ago when we got another tip that a few women were being held captive. Then another here, when we were searching based on another tip. Tasmin, where was the first one? I know there was another one.”

  Tasmin came over and pointed to Key West. “It was here. We picked up Lucy and a few others that day. He was waiting for us when we left port, if I remember correctly.”

  Abby snarled. “That day we almost didn’t make it home.” She glanced up at Lan. “He knows where we are and I have no idea how Quinn,” she looked over her shoulder at him. “You might want to alert your men because this man has a personal grudge and I have no idea why. He might aim his next attack at this ship.”

  Quinn glanced over at his first mate. “Find out everything you can about him. Also warn the others and double the watch. We will not allow this to happen again,” Quinn ordered.

  Damin only hesitated once, glancing towards Tasmin, who laughed. “Relax alien man, I’m on your ship. I can’t, well I can, but I won’t leave,” her friend promised her mate.

  “Abby,” Lan called her and she glanced up. “I am going to call in River and the others. Maybe they can help us here.”

  For the first time, Lan, her soon-to-be-Orak, informed her of what he was planning. “You are right, maybe they would know more. Akaos has been on Earth a while. Maybe he knows of the Black Bart.”

  * * *

  Lan nodded to Quinn, knowing that Abby was tired and still sore from her ordeal. Quinn scooped her up and took her to his cabin.

  “Is she going to be okay?” Tasmin asked, her gaze locked on the door behind which Quinn and Abby had disappeared.

  “We have started the bonding process, and I’m afraid when this thing attacked, she was at her weakest. The pains of the change had started,” Lan informed her while reaching out to River, Akaos, and Isaac.

  “And she saved four of her crew?” Tasmin shook her head. “I should slap her silly. She’s always yelling at us for putting ourselves at risk.” Tasmin walked to the door. “I better go check on the dark man before he comes searching for me. Will you let Abby know when she is rested? I would speak with her.”

  “Of course, and Tasmin you are part of our family. She considers you a sister and in my book, that means you are under my protection,” Lan said, earning a moan.

  “Great, another over doming alpha bound to protect us, weaklings,” Tasmin muttered, going out the door as River, Akaos and his brother Isaac appeared in the room, along with their king Talhrn.

  The brothers nodded to each other, turning to him and approaching the map on the table. “Akaos, have you heard of this man, Black Bart?” Lan asked, showing them the map.

  “Right now, no, but that does not mean much. I have my assistant running the name through our records now. He won’t take long. Do you notice how close the attacks are? Why are they all in this area, when we know the women have traveled the world in their ship?” Akaos asked.

  “That is what I was thinking about. Then I had another thought. River, what if instead of places, this man somehow incorporates his ship for the purpose of opening gates? It would explain why we couldn’t lock down any coordinates if it’s always on the move. It also might be used to take these human women as slaves to the other worlds.”

  “What? Human women are slaves on other planets? When were you going to inform us?” Maya and Lacey said, appearing in the room with them.

  “And you are here why?” Isaac and Akaos stated at the same time.

  “Our sister was hurt and almost died. Where else would we be?” Maya snarled. “You, of course, will be telling us what is going on right?” Maya glared at River, who smiled.

  “Yes, as soon as we find out what is going on at this island, but it is time we start to map out some kind of plan. With this affecting so many, we are going to have to enlist humans. Dan has asked his brother and family to gather a list of high-ranking officials we can speak to about these problems. Go visit you sister, ladies,” River said, once more turning to the map.

  Lacey snorted and Maya growled. “Don’t you just love when we are dismissed like we are nothing.” But both women went out of the room as Quinn came back in.

  He looked up at Lan. “There was no way I was staying in there and getting the third eye from those four.”

  “Four?” Lan asked.

  “Opal appeared in the room with us,” Quinn said, drawing River’s attention.

  “Really, hmm, it seems my leash needs to be a bit tighter. Lan, I have a feeling you are onto something here. This man might have a door through which he could be gathering women, there are so many possibilities. But one thing is for sure, he shouldn’t be here. He’s not human and he’s not a warrior, that is for sure. I would have detected him since he was so close when we appeared on Abby’s ship.” River glanced up at him.

  “After we take care of the island, I would request you and your family search for this ship. Since Abby loves the water, it would give all four of you something to do together. I’m also speaking with my superiors and they have agreed. When we do free these women, it would be best to take them to your city, Quinn. We need to see what condition they are in. Have they been altered somehow? Do you have a way to notify your city to get ready for us to bring them there?”

  Quinn nodded. “I know for a fact my people will help any way we can. Only a
few thousand survived. My mom was a child when she came here and met her mates. There are about , warriors in the city also,” he informed them, which had River glancing at Akaos and Talhrn both.

  “It would seem we have a number of issues we are going to need to discuss and in this area, I believe the women might be able to help us more. If we are losing warriors, we are failing them and that is a huge problem,” River stated and glanced at Lan. “I don’t like leaving you here on this ship without others.”

  “That will not be a problem. When my fathers heard what had happened, they sent two other ships out to help us,” Quinn smiled. “It would seem my mother and fathers are on one of those ships. They can’t wait to meet my family.”

  Lan moaned and everyone laughed. “It is good that you have the help arriving, but until they get here, stay alert. Talhrn has already ordered additional warriors here to help out, so use them. Teach them what to do. We must be knowledgeable in every aspect if we are going to stop this.”

  “Ohhh, crash course?” Quinn said, and Lan reached up and slapped him upside the head.

  “No, now let’s go inform the ladies what is about to happen. I have a feeling our Kitty is not going to be thrilled with parents popping up,” Lan said, as they all turned, going to join the ladies in Quinn’s quarters.

  “River, I would ask that other humans not be told about our city, aside from the people we plan to rescue. The ones in our city that did survive are still not ready to face the outside world. Many of them lost so much. My family was lucky that my mother was younger when coming here, but many were not,” Quinn said.

  “Agreed. There is no reason to inform anyone. It might be a safe place for those that have been hurt and have need to recoup, away from the dangers that are plaguing Earth,” River said, stepping into the room to suddenly be covered in what appeared to be maple syrup.

  Lan glanced around River and sure enough, Opal and the others were furious. “Opal,” River snarled.