A Lost Kitten Page 23

The first thing he was going to do when he reached home was locate his personal escort. His computerized, freethinking car could fly on overdrive, a speed greater than a White Star. He was determined not to stay away from Jasira for too long.

  John neared Jasira’s home. He made a detour and went to the school. He did not care if she was working. He was leaving for war that evening, therefore Jasira was going to take the day off and spend those last few hours with him.

  John paused at the school’s entrance. He cracked the door open and stuck his head through the opening. “Excuse me.”

  The young woman by the blackboard paused in her writing and turned around, as did all the students in the room. The second teacher who sat at her desk looked up from her papers.

  “I’m sorry to intrude like this, but I’m looking for the headmistress Jasira.”

  “The headmistress is on a leave of absence,” the young woman by the blackboard replied.

  John scowled. “A leave of absence?” He opened the door further to stand underneath the archway. “Since when?”

  “This morning.”

  “Did Jasira tell you this?”

  “King Yudit did,” said the second teacher.

  “Yudit?”

  “Yes.”

  John gaped at her, unsure of what to think. “Do you have any idea where Jasira is?”

  “No,” they jointly replied.

  John scanned the many faces staring at him. He looked at the young women. “Thank you. I’m sorry to bother all of you.” He closed the door.

  John paused at the top of the stairs. Why did King Yudit neglect to tell him? He viewed Jasira’s house from where he stood. He reached out with his senses. There was no one inside. Growling, he pulled the collar of his jacket closer together and stomped back toward the castle. He spotted Gorwin and Kenner exiting the large double doors.

  “Where is Yudit?” he asked them.

  “Lord Yudit is in his office,” replied Kenner.

  “Thanks.” John entered without saying another word. He went straight for Yudit’s office. He banged his fist on the door.

  “Enter.”

  John did. He paused just inside the room. “I would have appreciated it if you had told me Jasira was on a leave of absence.”

  Yudit regarded John cautiously from his seat behind the wooden desk. “It did not take you long to find out for yourself.”

  “I went to the school. She wasn’t there.”

  “No surprise there.” Yudit switched his attention back to the parchment in front of him.

  “What do you mean?”

  Yudit sighed. “If she’s on a leave of absence, she’s not going to be at work.” He wrote on the parchment.

  “Then where the hell is she?”

  “Do I look like you?” Yudit scowled at him. “I’m not her permanent mate.”

  “You’re the king. Her boss. It stands to reason that you would know where my wife is.”

  “Did you check her house?”

  “There’s no one there.”

  “Then I cannot help you.” He returned to his papers.

  “What do you mean, ‘you cannot help me?’”

  “I am not her keeper. I have work to do. Good-bye and good luck, Seacat.”

  “I want to know where Jasira is!” demanded John.

  Yudit pointed to the door. “Then I suggest you start looking outside of this office!”

  John roared at him, then whirled around and slammed the door behind him. Taking Yudit’s advice, he searched everywhere for Jasira. She was nowhere to be found. He asked everyone he came across if they had seen her. No one had seen Jasira that day.

  It was nearing ten o’clock. John was extremely worried that Jasira was not within the city grounds. He paced the length of the kitchen, wondering where she could be.

  Earlier, he had thought that perhaps Jasira went to visit her parents. Borrowing Fluffy from Rau, he went in search of her. John found her parents’ home, but not Jasira. He tried to communicate with the two life forces he detected in the small house, to no avail. They did not, or could not answer his questions. He had left more upset than when he arrived.

  He returned to the city and searched some more. Jasira had not returned. He went back to Rau, again to borrow Fluffy. This time, John went to Bogdan’s home. Bogdan was surprised to see him. He insisted that Jasira had not come back. He had no idea where she could be.

  John was reaching panic mode. Bogdan and Sirius tried to reassure him that Jasira was all right. The men even returned to the city with John to help him search for Jasira.

  There was a knock on the door.

  John rushed to the door and swung it open. “Jasira!”

  “I’m sorry.” Bogdan shook his head. “It’s just us.”

  John stepped back to allow Bogdan and Sirius entry. “Did you find out anything?”

  Sirius entered first. “No one has seen or heard from Jasira since last night.”

  “What about Yudit? I know he knows something.”

  Bogdan closed the door. “Why do you keep saying that?”

  “Because he’s her boss! Jasira wouldn’t leave without telling him where she was going! She’s not that irresponsible!” John pointed to the door. “What about the midwife? Did you find her?”

  “Yudit and Nadia both said that the last time they saw Jasira, she was fine.” Bogdan informed him. “She asked for a leave of absence. They granted her request. She then left. That was the last time either of them saw her.”

  “I don’t believe them.”

  “They would not lie about something like this, John.” Sirius paused in front of the fireplace. “They have no reason to keep Jasira from you.”

  “Where is she, then? Why hasn’t she returned? It’s been an entire day. It’s almost ten o’clock!”

  “I know.” Sirius glanced at Bogdan. “We are sorry.”

  John returned to his pacing.

  “You can always stay,” suggested Bogdan.

  John’s eyes ignited into a fiery brown glow, causing Bogdan to flinch in surprise.

  “It was only a suggestion,” he quickly amended. “I’ll continue to search for her. I’ll notify the ship once I find her.”

  John paused in his pacing. “What are you suggesting now? That I leave without saying good-bye?”

  “Unless you decide to stay, there is no other option,” returned Bogdan.

  John growled in frustration.

  “Bogdan is right.” Sirius picked up his bags from beside the fireplace. “The fleet will be leaving in ten minutes. We have to board. Now.”

  John’s glowing gaze froze on the Medlothian. Sirius did not flinch like Bogdan had.

  “The choice is yours, Seacat. Only you know what you must do.” Sirius walked to the front door and opened it. “We did what we could to find Jasira, but there is a war to win.” He looked at John. “Jasira knows your heart. She knows you are a warrior. And she knows you will return.” He stepped in front of the open door and waited for John to precede him.

  John’s eyes dimmed. He looked at Bogdan. “You say you will contact the ship as soon as you locate her?”

  Bogdan nodded. “Of course.”

  “You promise not to leave the city until you find her?”

  “I promise.”

  John clenched his jaw while he struggled with his final decision. Swallowing deep, he exited Jasira’s home. Without looking back, he boarded a Space Guardian vessel.

  .

  Chapter 16

  Aboard the ship, John and Sirius were escorted to their individual rooms by an alien canine. John sat on the medium-sized bed. Was he really leaving his wife? His soulmate? The woman he had searched for for years?

  The ship started to rise. A cold developed in his core. John thought of never seeing Jasira again—of never experiencing her touch. He jumped from the bed and rushed to the only window in the cramped quarters. John could no longer see the planet’s surface. All he saw were clouds as the ship made its steady climb into the a
tmosphere.

  His eyes fixed on the clouds. They were made of mist, like Jasira. A sharp pain slashed his midsection. His lips pulled over his teeth as he made two fists. John was torn between his wife and his family.

  He fingered the material above his scar and felt his soul cry out for Jasira. His eyes closed tight. John had thought he had no soulmate. He had thought he would never feel complete. Meeting Jasira had proved him wrong. And now he was leaving her.

  John recalled the faces of his family members. They needed his help. He could not forsake them. He wished he could be in two places at once, but he knew it was impossible. What he was doing was right. He had to remain strong.

  John leaned his head against the glass. Why did it have to come to this? He took a deep breath. Vanilla. He carried Jasira’s scent with him. How was he going to endure the distance?

  John straightened. He was a Seacat. He would remain strong, find his car, then return to his beloved’s side and apologize for leaving without saying good-bye. He would visit Jasira as many times as need be. She might be dead, but she was his soulmate. His place was by her side. Not even the war was going to take him away from her for too long.

  Needing a distraction, John decided to explore the ship. He removed the top two layers of his clothes and placed them inside the drawers he found mounted to the wall of the bedroom. He then headed to the front door. Perhaps he could contact Sea Base Nine and find out more about the war. Before he opened the door, the bell rang. He pressed a button on the keypad to the right to open it.

  A woman looked up at him. John’s heart skipped a beat. He swiftly scanned her face and petite figure. She wore a short-sleeved, tan shirt over a long, solid brown skirt. Her nut-brown tresses flowed about her shoulders. Her lips were full and pouty. Her nose, small and delicate.

  She looked exactly like Jasira. She smelled exactly like Jasira. How was that possible? No two people looked exactly alike. The woman smiled. John’s heart accelerated. What was going on?

  “John.” Her voice was smooth, silky, and completely feminine. Her daring gaze bored into John, touching his soul. He swallowed. No woman except Jasira had that power over him.

  “You do not recognize me?”

  Of course he recognized her. She looked like his soulmate. John scrutinized her features. This woman had to have some sort of marking or blemish that his Jasira did not have.

  “I thought you would recognize me if you saw me. You should at least know my scent. You enjoy it so much.”

  Slowly, awareness dawned on him. Her smile widened at his growing eyes. “It can’t be…Jasira?”

  She stepped closer. “The one and only.”

  John’s heart beat painfully. “That’s…not…possible. Jasira’s dead.”

  “I was not dead—just not solid.” She pressed her body to his. She reached up to touch his face. “Each time we were together, your soul gave me its life energy. It drained you, but it restored me a little each time. Now I am solid again.”

  John tentatively touched her arm. The woman was indeed real. “Jasira?” His eyes begged her to assure him it was not a dream.

  “My love.”

  On a strained cry, John snatched his soulmate from where she stood. Embracing her tightly against his body, he hungrily kissed her. Her response confirmed it. She was Jasira. John released her shoulders to touch her back, arms, bottom, and thighs. Jasira was indeed tangible enough for him to touch. His passion exploded.

  He released her lips to look down at her through glowing eyes. “I expect you to explain everything. But right now…” He quickly lifted Jasira into his arms, turned around, and dropped her onto the bed.

  His bulky frame covered hers like a blanket. He found her mouth immediately. The room filled with the sound of material ripping as he tore her shirt apart. He seized Jasira’s breasts. He admired the pale globes as he molded and caressed them. Their pink nubs pointed up at him, begging to be kissed.

  On a growl, John closed his mouth over one hard pebble, tracing a circle with his tongue. He nipped the tip, then soothed it with long strokes. He did the same to its twin. Jasira’s moans inflamed him. John quickly drew both mounds into his mouth and suckled each in turn.

  Jasira arched her back and held John’s head in place. John ripped off his shirt and rubbed his torso against Jasira’s, scenting her his. His soul trembled. His need intensified. He did not waste time removing his boots or his pants. Instead, he lowered his pants to his thighs and hiked Jasira’s skirt up to her waist. He found her entrance instinctively.

  He paused to look into her eyes, brown like his own. He held her gaze as he tilted his hips forward. Jasira’s familiar heat and tightness greeted him, along with something new. Moistness.

  John’s features crumbled. “I can feel your need for me.”

  “You have no idea.”

  Jasira’s wetness beckoned him. John inched forward, answering her body’s call. He stopped when he encountered resistance.

  “You’re still a virgin. How?”

  “I was mist, remember?” Jasira squeezed his bottom. “I was able to claim you, but you were unable to claim me.”

  Her words made John desperate to possess her. “I claim you now.” He closed his mouth over Jasira’s and swallowed her cry.

  John felt Jasira stretch and give way to his size. Her sheath covered him like a snug glove. John’s urgency escalated. For too long he had wanted to touch her. For too long he had longed to show Jasira how much he cared for her. Finally, it was coming true. His beloved spirit was solid, beneath him, accepting him as her lover.

  John clasped Jasira’s hips and raised them to greet his steady force. “Jasira…” He drew a nipple into his mouth.

  He knew he should go slowly, but his core was on fire, forcing him to respond to its demands. John knew what it wanted, what it craved. His soul had searched the stars for its other half. Now with it being so close, it sought to fuse with it, to become whole.

  John clasped Jasira’s inner thighs, spreading her wide for his onslaught. He glanced at where their bodies met. His tool was slick with blood and Jasira’s need. John moaned and pushed deeper, harder, making Jasira cry out his name. Her body willingly offered itself to him. Her face expressed ecstasy, satisfaction. It placed tears in John’s eyes.

  Now he understood what the others were saying. To mate with one’s soulmate was indescribable. He had thought he would never experience any of it with Jasira. He had feared their misty relationship was all they would ever have. He was wrong. And he thanked his God for it.

  John closed his lips over Jasira’s breast. She whimpered his name. He peeked up at her eyes. They expressed fear, wonder, and confusion. They begged him for an answer. John knew what was happening. He gripped Jasira’s thighs tighter and pushed harder. Deeper. Faster. His own passions soared skyward. Retaking Jasira’s mouth, John greedily absorbed her powerful, orgasmic cry.

  John’s eyes grew brighter. Jasira’s first climax fueled the fire in his core. He pulled his head back just as a mighty roar escaped him. Shockwave after shockwave rocked his convulsing body. Like before, his claws dug deep. Unlike before, they left their mark on his soulmate.

  John slowly returned to reality. He was still conscious. He immediately looked at his hands. There were no torn sheets, nor claw marks on wood. He held Jasira’s legs apart. Blood flowed from two sets of five long, vertical cuts that reached from the tops of her inner thighs down to her knees.

  “What have you done?” Jasira breathlessly asked, pain etching her beautiful face.

  John figured he must look sadistic, but he could not keep his smile hidden. “What I have longed to do since the first day you touched me.” He carefully released her legs and lowered his torso onto hers. “I marked you mine.” He lovingly brushed his lips against hers. “Forever.”

  John pushed inside her sodden shaft, swallowing her surprised yelp. He knew he should take care of her legs, but Jasira had tormented him for too long. It was his turn to make love to her. And
he intended to do so as often as Jasira allowed him that evening.

  Jasira was in bed with her eyes closed and a wet, cool rag on her forehead. She touched her stomach and groaned. Covering her mouth, she snatched the rag, vaulted off the bed, and rushed into the bathroom. She knelt before the toilet and immediately vomited.

  She had developed airsickness within hours into their journey. It refused to go away. She had taken to eating smaller, more frequent portions. It did not help. By the third month, her stomach was unable to hold food, leaving her weak and dizzy. She spent a great deal of time either in bed or with her head hanging over the toilet.

  John entered the bedroom carrying a tray of food for two. He immediately heard her familiar retching. He quickly placed the tray on the bed and rushed into the bathroom. Jasira was throwing up the tea she had recently finished.

  John grimaced. The situation was not good. Jasira could barely keep any food down. She had lost too much weight. He feared for her health.

  He entered the small room to help Jasira keep her long hair away from her face. “You’re not getting any better, are you?”

  Jasira wiped her mouth with the wet hand towel she held. “How can I get better when this ship will not stop moving?” she snapped.

  “But you can barely feel this ship moving.”

  “Maybe you cannot, but I can.” Jasira dropped her head over the bowl. Barely any fluid fell from her lips. She coughed. “I want off.”

  “We can’t get off. We’re nowhere near Sea Base Nine.”

  Jasira stood. She spared John a glower before she went around him toward the small sink. “I have been on this ship for three lunar cycles. I want off!” Jasira reached for the faucet to turn it on.

  John watched her brush her teeth and wash her face. “Jasira, you know the plan. After a quick check on Oceanica, we’re heading to the empire with Andros.”

  Through the mirror, Jasira flashed him an icy glare. She spit into the sink. “Leave me there.”

  “On Oceanica?”

  She nodded.

  John scowled. “Are you crazy?”

  Jasira rinsed out her mouth. “I’m tired of throwing up, John.” She washed her toothbrush. “I’m obviously not made for flying. I need to be on solid, unmoving ground.” She washed her hand towel with soap.