A Seacat's Love (Oceanan Trilogy Book 1) (7 page)

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 have to protect the orange –and-black striped tiger.

“I promise,” he reassured her.

What else could he do? Being the man that he was, Rick would not—could not—allow anything to happen to Tigif. Leonora thanked him with a smile that could brighten a room. Rick’s heart banged furiously against his ribs at the heavenly sight.

Looking everywhere but into her hypnotic eyes, he struggled to stay focused. “Leonora, do you…umm…think you can…aah… change your clothes if I…” He cleared his throat. “Help you sit up?” He noticed his hands shook. He hid it by making two fists.

“My clothes?”

“Yes, honey, we…umm…ahem.” His eyes rolled in disgust. “We have to get rid of your clothes. The bathroom is next door. I’ve… uh…brought you a shirt of mine. But I’m afraid we’ll…aah…have to buy you a pair of jeans later. We don’t have much time right now.”

He showed her the shirt and then placed it at her side. “I don’t know if I’ve been discovered yet, but I don’t intend on staying here to find out. We’re leaving immediately to my safe house. No one knows of its location but me. So how about it, darling? Do you think you can do it?”

“Of course,” she replied, already sitting up.

Rick smiled at her inner strength. He placed a supportive arm around a shoulder that trembled. “Here, let me help you.” Five sharp blades dug into his left bicep and yanked him from her side.

“She does not need your help,
human!”

“Tigif! What are you doing?” Leonora scolded in disbelief.

“If anyone is going to assist her, it shall be me.”

“Tigif!”

“It’s all right.” Rick raised his hand to assure her.

“No, it is not all right. Tigif—”

“Forget it, Leonora. Really, there’s no time for this. I need both of your clothes immediately.” Looking into her pale eyes had a soothing effect on him. “I’ll be in, in about fifteen minutes. Do you think you’ll need more time?”

“All I need is five,” she answered him just as softly.

This time Rick gave her his most dashing smile and wink. “That’s my girl.” He faced Tigif with a seething expression. “You can change in the bathroom, and you have two minutes.” He held up two fingers for emphases.

The cat opened his mouth. Rick figured he was about to protest. Leonora cleared her throat, stopping him. Instead, Tigif growled and stormed off to the bathroom. Rick followed him out. Before closing the bedroom door, he took a last peek over his shoulder. A glimpse of firm, young breast, trying to escape a blouse one size too small, caused him to exhale—sadly.

Man, get a grip
. Rick scowled.
She belongs to someone else. Besides, she’s not even human
.

He went back to his bedroom to put on his disguise. It consisted of larger clothes that made him appear thinner, a salt-and-pepper wig, black-colored contacts, a silicon face that made him look three times older, and some silicon fingertips. When he had rented the car, he had used an alias.

While he blended in the edges of his mask with makeup, he thought of Leonora’s deceptor device.
It would be much easier if I had one of those
. Rick stared at the older man in the mirror.
I wonder how I would look as a cat
.

Back in the guestroom, Leonora gingerly removed her torn, bloodstained denim pants and shirt from her aching body. She detected the sound of running water from beyond her closed door. Not about to wait in the nude for Tigif to finish, she put Rick’s black shirt on.

It was made of silk and fell to midthigh. His mesmerizing scent, combined with the shirt’s softness, soothed her frail nerves. Since she crashed into him in the research lab, he filled her thoughts. She had felt an instant attraction for the human, the likes she had never known with any male—feline or alien.

Everything about Rick pleased her. From the top of his golden crown and blue eyes, to his muscular built, down to the soles of his black booted feet. He showed signs of being a noble, brave, and honorable warrior. Those were qualities she found most appealing. Not many would place so much on the line for aliens. The only male she knew with those qualities was her brother.

I wonder
. Her fingers took their time to inspect a sleeve with admiration for the owner.
Could all this have happened for a reason? Onssa, are you trying to tell me something?

Leonora glanced around the room. It was a cozy room with yellow walls, a full-size bed, a wooden dresser, and a matching nightstand. She found no artwork on the clean walls. However, mounted on the wall opposite the bed was a medium-size, rectangular screen the humans use for entertainment and delivery of important news to their citizens. The humans called it a television.

Oceanans had similar monitors, but not as large, that were only used for communication not for entertainment. Entertainment was found elsewhere.

Her attention moved to the door. She thought of the decorator, and her stomach fluttered. It was too soon. Matters of the heart cannot be rushed. She must allow it to play out as Onssa wished.

An Oceanan would overcome any obstacle to obtain their desired mate. Nevertheless, most would not mate with someone who had a black heart or was already paired. Their honor would not allow it. There were many things unknown about Rick McCall. Until
she uncovered his secrets, his past, Leonora could not allow her wounded soul to be exposed.

She needed a distraction. Since Rick had not returned for her clothes, she would take them to him. On opening the bedroom door, the sound of water stopped. She reentered the room and headed back to the bed. She decided to leave her garments on the bed for Rick, while she showered.

She waited by the bathroom door for Tigif to exit. It remained closed. Leonora became frustrated. She took that opportunity to scan the room beyond the small hallway. Perhaps a hint to who Rick was would reveal itself to her through his furnishings.

The hallway ended at a large room painted a rich yellow. This room displayed a colorful, yet tasteful, artwork over the fireplace mantel. Her sights landed on the brown leather sofa and loveseat. Her stomach rebelled. Unhappy with her discovery, she rushed back to her room.

How could Rick have seats made of animal skin? I thought he was honorable
. She sat on the bed.
How could he?
Her hands landed on her boney knees. She rubbed her eyes and forced her mind off the topic for now.

She looked at the bathroom door. It remained closed. By the time a dripping tiger sauntered out, her foot was tapping away on the wooden floor.

Leonora vaulted off the mattress. “Have you forgotten we are being hunted? Can you possibly go any slower?”

“I can, but I figured you would like to bathe.” He suggestively smiled and inched closer. “Do you require assistance?”

Leonora rolled her eyes and shook her head. “We have no time for this. Excuse me.” She brushed past his blocking form.

She locked the door and rushed to the stand-alone shower. What she really wanted was to soak in a hot tub. Alas, as she told Tigif, there was no time for it. As it turned out, it was the best ten-minute shower she ever had. When she exited, she noticed her clothes were still on the bed. She picked them up and headed in search of Rick.

In the living room, Tigif stood beside tan curtains. His focus was outside. An elderly male appeared from the hallway across from her. She tried to recall if Rick had mentioned someone else lived in his house. Tigif spotted the old male and prepared to pounce on him. That answered her question. She hurried forward to stop a catastrophe from occurring.

The old male raised his hands in the air and exclaimed, “Whoa there, tiger! It’s only me.”

Leonora and Tigif sniffed the air.

Tigif regarded the male closer. “McCall?”

Leonora could not believe her nose. How could two men be one?

“That’s right.” Rick’s smile showed he was pleased his disguise worked.

Tigif pointed to the old, wrinkled face and attire. “Why do you look this way?”

I had no idea humans could disguise themselves so proficiently without a deceptor device
. Leonora inched forward quietly.
Amazing
. Neither man knew she stood behind Tigif’s large frame.

“There’s no time for explanations.” Rick held out an aged, freckled hand. “Do you have your clothes ready?”

“Here you go?”

“Thanks.” He made to walk around Tigif. “I’ll go ahead and get Nora’s and—”

Tigif blocked his path and pressed an extended nail into Rick’s chest. “You stay the blazes away from
my
Nora, human. If I see you touching her again, I will kill you. Understood?”

The lines on Leonora’s face deepened in anger. She understood Tigif’s distrust for the humans at the lab. It was even acceptable for him to be suspicious of Rick. Nevertheless, Tigif comes from a planet far more advanced than Earth. She saw no reason for him not to know there are good and evil beings among all species. Etiquette dictated that he keep his misgivings silent and give Rick a chance to prove himself. She scanned Rick’s face for a reaction and spotted anger flaring in his black eyes.

Rick ignored that daring finger and took a challenging step closer. “I don’t recall giving you any reasons to believe I would appreciate being threatened.”

“Tigif! What in the blazes do you think you are doing?”

The irritation Leonora felt sounded clearly in her voice. Like two schoolboys caught placing a snake into their teacher’s desk, the men jumped and faced her. Rick bowed his head and began to fidget. Tigif stood ramrod straight.

“Nora, you should be in bed resting,” said Tigif, wiping the drool off his lips.

“Do not tell me where I should or should not be. I am
not your Leonora
. I asked you a question.”

Rick could not believe his eyes. Before him stood a pint-size woman, covered only in a dress shirt that reached to the middle of thin thighs. Two small fists placed upon her hips brought the shirt up even higher. Her chestnut hair, dripping from a recent shower, hung past her bony shoulders, and her once dull pale-blue eyes sparkled brighter as she effortlessly lectured the six- foot-three tiger.

Never had Rick seen a woman possess such fire, such courage, such strength, especially in a sickened state. Seeing Leonora so furious made him fearfully cognizant of how truly extraordinary she was. Guilt surged through him.

Mary had been his life. She had given him boundless joy and love. She had given him a daughter. Sadly, she had never displayed strength during a crisis. Her strengths were more of a spiritual nature, based in her faith in God. Unlike the woman before him, Mary had never been able to hold up during confrontations. She always depended on Rick to deal with troublesome situations.