A Seacat's Love (Oceanan Trilogy Book 1) by Jessica Kong Read Free Book Online Page A

and tightened his embrace.
    The thought of them as lovers made Rick’s stomach churn more viciously. He considered, more than once, stopping by the roadside to toss the cat out. He knew it was crazy. He had no business thinking along those lines. Nevertheless, he was unable to keep from wanting to skin the cat alive.
    Tigif had revealed the bag carried several bracelets he called wristguards. The scientists had taken the wristguards from the Oceanans when they first arrived at the lab. The humans had tried to figure out how the strange bracelets worked. When told of the instability of the devices—and how one can blow a hole in the ground the size of two football fields if mishandled—they immediately gave up trying and placed the large bracelets in the safe.
    Tigif had explained it was not true. They simply did not want the human scientists to learn about their technology. The wrist-guards were normally worn only by the Seacats—the warriors of his race. His king, Oren, had made a onetime exception. He had allowed the scientists to use the wristguards because built into the bangles was a deceptor device, which allowed them to look humanby removing the feline markings on their skin and adjusting their skin pigmentation.
    Rick secretly watched Leonora against his better judgment.
She must’ve been a looker once
. His jaw tightened, and he touched his scar.
I have to remember my promise
.
    He pulled into the two-car garage. They entered through a small office. The dining room was across from it. Turning right in the hallway, they passed the kitchen on the left and entered the living room at the end.
    Rick pointed to the right side, to the short hallway that led off to two more doors. “Through that hallway is a guest room. You can place her in there.”
    He made a left, continuing through a third hallway that led to the master bedroom. The room was big enough to host a king-size bed, an armoire, and two side tables. No light filtered through the heavy drapes that covered the bay window. The room was painted tan. No pictures or artwork hung on the walls. Rick had donated everything Mary had touched and sold his old house.
    Lance had bought the minimum furnishings and accents to keep the two-bedroom, two-bath house from appearing too empty. Lance had said Rick was depressed as it was and needed something to cheer him up, so he had his mother decorate the house for Rick. Rick had never told either of them that it did not work.
    He returned to the guestroom with extra clothes for both aliens. “Here.” He rudely tossed a pair of black jeans and a plain shirt with buttons down the front at Tigif’s face. He missed his target, for the feline caught the garments before contact.
    He pointed to the hallway, to a closed door beside the bedroom. “The shower is behind that door. I won’t guarantee the clothes will be a perfect fit, but they will have to do. Give me your clothes, and I’ll dispose of them.”
    He examined Leonora’s flushed cheeks. Her feline features were limited to skin tone. His opinion was settled. With or without the device activated, underneath all the dirt and bruises, the woman had the potential of being a beauty to behold.
    What was he thinking? Rick shook his head. “How is she doing?”
    “Not good.” Tigif wiped his sneer with his dirty sleeve. “Her fever will not cease. It continues to worsen each time it flares.”
    “McCall?” Leonora’s raspy voice interrupted them.
    Rick dropped to her side. “I’m here, sweetheart.” He saw that Tigif stiffened at the endearment. It pleased him to give the cat a dose of his own medicine.
    “Do not let them hurt him. Please. Promise me, you will get Tigif off this planet.”
    There was an unexpected twinge at Rick’s chest. He clenched his jaw. He had to admit that he was impressed. Not many people would consider placing someone else before themselves when faced with death. It was an honorable act, and Rick commended her. Still, it irritated him to