Mine to Take (5 page)

He gave her an innocent look. “I never said I would not seduce you.”

Jenise snorted. “You certainly can
try,
Familiar.”

A roguish dimple curved his cheek. “Same thing.”

Chuckling at her outraged expression, he took her hand and led her through a maze of corridors, his innate tracking ability serving him well. Nothing felt as good as the taste of freedom! He looked over at his companion. Well, almost nothing.

“How do you know the way out?”

“I am a Familiar.” He glanced down at her out of the corner of his eye. “You had best remember that,
taja.”

She was too excited by the prospect of finally gaining her freedom to be annoyed with the arrogant thing.

“Quickly, this way.” He pulled her into an alcove just as a contingent of guards passed.

“I did not even hear them approaching! I cannot believe—”

His mouth seized hers in a sizzling kiss. “I am Gian,” he purred against her lips. “Remember that, too, Creamcat.”

Before she could respond, he grabbed her hand once more and darted down another hidden corridor.

The Familiar stopped so abruptly that Jenise bumped into him. His arm came out to steady her as he pulled her back against the wall of the corridor.

“What is it?” she asked worriedly. “Why have we stopped?”

He placed a tapered finger against her lips, warning her to be silent. Then he cocked his head to one side, listening for something Jenise could not hear.

“There is a male guard up ahead, around this corner. He is alone…not so tall as I am, but of a size. I may be able to utilize his garments.” His voice was very, very focused. “I will take him down.”

“How do you know all of this?” she whispered back.

“My senses tell me. By his footfall I can ascertain his size… He is not very alert at the moment—that I can tell by the rate of his breathing. He is relaxed, almost bored.”

“That is amazing; I am impressed, Familiar.”

He gave her a crooked grin. “You have not yet seen how I can impress you, Creamcat.”

Jenise flushed as his meaning became clear. He laughed quietly at her telltale reaction.

“You may keep such impressions to yourself!” she hissed indignantly. “That is
not
part of our bargain.”

The firm lips twitched beguilingly. The tip of his finger stroked the side of her face. “It will be your choice,” he purred.

Jenise stiffened, pulling away from his touch. “Yes, it will be my choice.”

A flash of white teeth gleamed in the darkened corridor—a hint of amusement. The Familiar lifted her chin with the same finger, bringing her face up to his.

“Exactly,” he whispered, brushing her mouth with his own.

Before Jenise could respond, he was already gone.

A few moments later she heard a brief scuffle, followed by the sound of a body falling to the floor.

His hand signaled to her that it was safe to come forward.

When she rounded the corner, he was already stripping the man’s black leather breeches off.

“Is—is he dead?” Jenise nodded in the direction of the fallen guard.

The Familiar seemed affronted. “Of course not. We only kill when we are forced to—unlike Karpon.”

He pulled the thigh-hugging
tracas
on over his own lean hips, fastening up the rawhide laces in front. Jenise watched him, for some reason fascinated by the effortless action.

The Familiar glanced up slowly, catching her in his glinting regard. There was a very knowing look in those dark green and gold eyes. It was the first time Jenise got a true sense of just how experienced the man was…in everything.

She began to wonder about this captive she had released. Who was he? Did all Familiars have such a compelling presence or was it he alone? Already, she’d had glimpses of his control, his mastery, and his resourcefulness. Perhaps he was more than what she imagined?

He did not seem to be one who would allow himself to be persuaded into anything unless it was his desire to do so. And yet he had repeatedly told her that it would all be her choice; that she would be the one in control. At least, it
seemed
he meant that.

Jenise decided to take the Familiar at his word—for the time being. So far, he was living up to his side of their bargain. However, if he proved himself difficult, they would be parting company very rapidly.

Gian bent over the prone guard, lifting his foot to pull the man’s boots off. He stopped suddenly. Dropping the man’s foot abruptly, he jumped up, grabbing Jenise’s hand. “Hurry; there are many coming! They seek us—our escape is already known.”

No sooner had he said this than a contingent of Karpon’s men came into view yelling for them to stop.

Bare feet slapping against the stone floor, Gian swiftly pulled her along, turning into a room on an upper level. He threw the bolt on the door to gain them a few precious moments.

Jenise scanned the room in dismay. No other door led from this chamber. “There is no way out!”

But the Familiar was already racing to the single small window in the corner. Pushing open the hinged panel, he glanced down to the courtyard below. Far below. The distance was too high for any man to jump without breaking several bones. Or worse.

Nonetheless, Gian was not any man; he was Guardian of the Mist.

“Listen to me,
taja,
for we do not have time to debate this.”

“Debate what?” she asked nervously. Jenise was well aware how high up they were; surely he was not thinking of jumping that distance? He would fall to his death!

“I am going to jump.”

She gasped aloud. “You cannot! You will be killed!”

He smiled faintly, moved that the creamcat cared. “Hopefully not. I will transform into my other self; it will aid my landing. Listen carefully; after I touch ground, I will
metamorphose back into my human form. You must jump to me then. Do not be afraid; I will catch you.”

“Are you mad? What if you miss? It is too risky!”

He gazed at her evenly. “It is your choice.”

Jenise bit her lip. Already the guards were pounding on the door. If she didn’t try…

“Are you sure you can catch me?”

“If I survive the jump, yes.”

Jenise wasn’t sure she’d heard him correctly.
“What?”

“I have not jumped from such a distance before.”

Jenise threw her arms up in the air. That settled the issue for her. She would not have his broken body on her conscience. “No, I cannot allow it!”

Gian raised a dark eyebrow. Whoever heard of a woman proclaiming she would
allow
a male Familiar to do anything? He would have grinned if the situation wasn’t so serious.

Jenise read his expression very well. It was a universal male look, which said clearly,
oh, really.

“It is too dangerous,” she emphatically stated.

“Ah, but that is
my
choice, Creamcat. And I choose to escape. I will wait for you below.” He slid out of the leather breeches and tossed them out the window.

He started to turn from her, then hesitated. “You are about to see what few outside our own people have witnessed: the transformation of a Familiar. It is an experience we do not share with many.”

“I understand. You may trust me.”

Satisfaction brightened his eyes. His palm cupped her cheek, then fell to his side. “What is your name?” he inquired, an unexpected tenderness lacing his smooth voice.

“Jenise.”

He nodded as if he liked the sound of it. “If I fail, Jenise, then you will remember this Gian Ren…”

It seemed as though he wanted to say more, but his words trailed off as a glowing light began to pulsate from him. Streams of photons flowed around him, gaining in number and strength. His entire body began to shimmer, seeming to melt into light itself.

Jenise had never seen anything so beautiful.

In the next instant, a large, multi-colored cat was standing before her. There was a majesty about him that invited awe and respect. Broad areas of vibrant bronze and black and gold formed patches in the long silken fur. The animal’s stunning eyes were two different colors. Deep green and lambent gold.

Gian!

Tossing his head in an action she had seen the Familiar make in human form, the proud feline gave her a haughty stare.

It was nothing less than Jenise expected.

The powerful cat jumped onto the windowsill. Looking over its shoulder at her one last time, he leapt bravely into thin air.

Jenise ran to the window, afraid to look out but knowing she must. The great cat had landed far below in the stone courtyard. He lay there, not moving.

The pounding on the door grew louder. Was he simply stunned or…?

A slight movement alerted Jenise. He was alive!

Somewhat dazed, the beast awkwardly got to his feet. In the moonlight, Jenise could discern the odd angle of one of his paws. She winced. He had broken a leg. A hind leg.

Not only must he be in terrible pain but he would never he able to catch her. Her spirits plummeted.

She turned away, missing the flash of light from the courtyard below.

Just then the door to the chamber crashed in and Karpon’s men filled the doorway, led by Karpon himself. His
thin nostrils flared as he viewed her. Clearly he was furious at her rebellion.

Mayhap he would even kill her. She glanced out of the window, thinking she might be able to signal to Gian to go on without her. At least he might be able to save himself.

She was shocked to discover that he had already donned the
tracas
and was motioning for her to jump. Not only that, but he was standing perfectly on two legs. Jenise’s hopes lifted; somehow the Familiar had repaired his injury when he had changed his form. A handy ability, indeed.

Unfortunately, while she was watching him, Jenise’s mind registered exactly how far the fall was. Her fingers clutched the sill. How could she find the courage to make that kind of jump?

Below in the courtyard, Gian sensed her indecision, her fear. He willed her to meet his eyes as he inhaled a deep, calming breath.
{Come to me,
taja.
I am here for you.}

Jenise’s hand went to her forehead. Surely she could not hear him from this distance? She took a deep breath. It seemed to calm her. She made her decision. Better to die in the attempt at freedom than be caged with Karpon!

Guessing what she was about to do, Karpon hissed, “Do not, Jenise! You will be killed!”

Throwing her leg over the sill, she turned back to Karpon to give him a last insolent sneer before she jumped.

As she fell through the air two things crossed her mind at once; the sound of Karpon yelling “nooooo” and the hope that this Gian would truly be there to catch her. She had put all of her faith in him, a man she barely knew.

He caught her and held her fast.

The impact of the fall brought him to his knees but he held her securely in his arms. Jenise burrowed her face into his warm throat. She hugged him tightly in response.

Against the innocent press of her lips, she felt the
vibration of his strong heartbeat. The steady, sure beat comforted her in a way no words could. She thought his lips grazed her hair in answer.

“Come, we do not have much time.” The deep, smooth voice spoke gently in her ear. She nodded against him.

As they ran from the courtyard behind the keep, Jenise glanced up at the window she had jumped from. Moonlight silhouetted Karpon’s harsh features as he watched them flee.

Even from this distance she could see the look of fury stamped on his cruel face. It spoke of revenge.

Two pathways opened up before them. One led around the left side of the keep; the other straight into the fields. Had Gian’s senses not been partially dulled by the drugs they had given him, he might have discerned a faint, barely audible moan coming from a heap of flesh that had once been a vibrant young Familiar.

It came from just around the corner of the keep, not thirty paces away.

But fate, being the capricious riddle that it is, decided that Gian Ren would go on his way, unknowing. He guided Jenise not to the left but to the path that led straight through the meadows.

And so a page turned and one young man’s life was forever altered.

“We may rest here shortly.”

The Familiar finally released her hand. He had refused to do so numerous times as they raced across the countryside, Karpon’s men in close pursuit.

Taking in great gulps of air as she tried to regain her normal respiration, Jenise sank down wearily onto a boulder by the edge of a stream. “Did we lose them?” she panted.

Gian smiled inwardly at the use of the term “we.” It
appeared the creamcat had linked her fate with his somewhere along the way. Still, she had much to learn of him. And he of her.

“For the time being.” He, who was aptly named Guardian of the Mist, had led the pursuers on a false
circle hunt,
the likes of which he was sure they had never seen. Gian chuckled to himself. “It will take them some time to reorient themselves. You may rest awhile here.”

Jenise watched him in wonder as he squatted in front of a nearby stream, cupping cold water in his palms. He was not even winded, while she could barely catch her breath.

He stood in the moonlight, walking towards her. Truly, he was breathtaking.

The silvery light illuminated his burnished golden hair; the sculpted masculine features; the perfectly delineated physique. Even barefoot and shirtless—wearing nothing more than the black breeches which molded to his muscular thighs—there was an aura of uncommon sleekness to him. In everything he did, the man moved with an elegant feline grace.

He knelt before her, offering her a drink of cool water from his hands.

Jenise was touched by his attentive gesture. Cupping her hands over his, she greedily drank the sweet offering.

Gian waited until she had drunk her fill before he partook of his own refreshment. It did not go unnoticed by Jenise that despite his own thirst, he had seen to her comfort first. The revealing action said much to her.

He looked intently into her eyes before speaking. “There may be some
systale
gourds on the bed of the stream. I believe it is important for us to carry some water with us, for we do not know if we will have the time or the opportunity to stop later. They will have already sent word out; it will not be safe for us to go into any villages until we are
ready to leave this place or until we have no alternative but to do so.”

She nodded agreement.

Gian walked downstream a ways as he searched for the telltale yellow filaments of the
systale
plant.

Known to have saved many a traveler’s life, the
systale
was a gourd plant that grew underwater. The bulb-shaped fruit was filled with a unique healing mixture of water and minerals. No one was sure where it had originated. Found on many planets, presumably carried by travelers through the Tunnels, the plant was able to propagate itself from the discarded husks.

While Gian searched for the gourds, Jenise sat back on the rock, wincing slightly at the soreness between her legs. Even now, she could hardly believe what she had done. Oh, she had no regrets…yet she had been raised in a culture that put much value on her purity.