A Forgotten Kitten (Sea-anan Saga Book 2) Read online

  On the planet’s surface, Sev was sitting in the control room in front of a giant, blank monitor. His thoughts were not on his citizens or on the planet’s safety. Two days had passed since his wretched nightmare, and he could not get it out of his mind. His phantom lover had not returned since that morning. His heart ached for her. His body longed for hers. Each night his soul searched for hers and cried out in anguish when it could not find its mate.

  It was difficult to believe the emptiness he felt since her disappearance. It had never occurred to Sev how much he had looked forward to seeing her, to being with her, until she was gone.

  He covered his face while his cruel mind relived joyful walks through a park, picnics on a beach, and flights through the heavens on a Starship. It all seemed so real. Sev had awakened many times feeling unsure if the life he led in his dreams was the real realm and the world without her was in fact the false one.

  Sev’s stomach tightened at the possibility of never again experiencing those intimate moments. At the same time, he feared for his sanity. How could a person become so attached to a faceless being? He knew of no woman who could arouse such devotion in him. Many had tried, but he had never felt inclined to pursue any courtship. He was set on waiting for the right feline to become his queen. He had never guessed that ‘the one’ would be a ghostly creation of his imagination.

  A familiar loud roar ended those hurtful memories. The Sword of Power was alerting him of a Seacat in danger. Sev leapt from his seat and ran to the weapons chamber without saying a word to those in the control room. He knew they would use the computers to locate the Seacat in trouble.

  The Seacats kept their armaments secured behind a locked door. The enormous weapons room, located on the sixth level of the ten-story castle, had no decorations and was painted in blue, red, and gold. Once inside, it took Sev two minutes to reach his weapon if he was running.

  The sword, placed on an elegantly carved wooden stand, lay in the center of the room under a bright spotlight. Its handle was made of the purest gold. A large sapphire was situated in the center, near the blade. The gem was magically altered to display a feline’s dilated red iris with a small black dot in the center. The blade itself was made of white gold and magically reinforced to be indestructible. The sheath, also of white gold, was studded with priceless jewels.

  Sev wrapped his fingers around the cool, smooth handle and raised the mystical sword before his eyes. “Sword of Power, let me see what is there to be seen.”

  The round pupil began to shift in form. At first, there was nothing but a black and red swirling column of mist surrounded by royal blue. Soon, shiny objects materialized. Sev recognized them to be stars. Shortly after, a small spacecraft was visible. It drifted just outside Oceanica’s gravisphere. Painted onto its silver side was a deep-blue elongated circle surrounding a red oval with a black dot in the center.

  The sword’s eye took him in for a closer inspection. The outline of someone slouched over in the cockpit caught his full attention. The sound of the alarms overhead startled him. Sev dashed out of the armory and headed back to the control room on the seventh floor.

  Upon reentering the room, the margay who sat at the main controls updated him. “Whatever the sword picked up triggered the motion detectors we placed in sector four.”

  “Someone’s in trouble out there. Can you get a visual?”

  “Afraid not, they are too far,” answered Miko. “Our scanners do indicate that the ship is drifting toward Oceanica and should be within range in thirty minutes.”

  Sev faced the blank screen. The image he had seen within the cat’s eye demanded a speedy response.

  “Miko, a Mayday signal is being sent. I believe it is from the ship in question,” informed Uma, a fellow Seacat. She tried to home in on the signal, turning knobs and flipping switches on her communication panel. She pressed her earpiece closer to her ear.

  “A distress signal?” Sev asked a bit confused. “But the sword showed that the being on board was unconscious.”

  “Not any longer. Listen.” Uma switched the signal over to the main speakers.

  Everyone in the room listened in earnest to the weak, barely audible voice. It was obvious the woman was in severe pain and extremely frightened. Sev’s gut tightened at the sound of it. A long pause followed, then the woman started up again.

  Sev could not stay idle. “Theo, prepare the Feliner for immediate liftoff.”

  “Right.” Theo jumped from his seat and made use of his cheetah speed.

  “Uma, find Serena and prepare your lab. There’s no telling how severe her injuries may be.”

  The tigress stood from her place at communications and headed for med lab.

  Sev remained next to Miko. He quietly listened in as the margay answered the distress call. There was no reply from the woman, so Miko tried again.

  “Oceanica replying to Starfighter Seven. Can you hear me?”

  “Yes, I hear you.”

  Sev released his held breath and quickly snatched the receiver from Miko’s grasp. “This is Sev. I’m on my way. You need to hold on. Understand?” He turned to his friend when the woman did not respond. “I repeat. We have your location. You need to hold on. Please acknowledge.” She did not. “Can you hear me, Starfighter Seven?”

  “Did you say…Sev?”

  Her voice sounded small and fragile over the speakers. Sev feared that if he delayed any longer, she would die. “Yes.”

  “Oren’s son, Sev?”

  Sev shared a questioning look with Miko. “That’s correct,” he spoke into the receiver. “Listen. There’s no time for this. You need medical attention. I’m on my way.” Miko caught the receiver Sev threw at his head. “Keep her awake,” he commanded.

  When the castle plans were being drawn up, Sev and Theo had insisted it be large enough to accommodate all the Seacats and servants who would one day live with them. But as he ran through its many corridors and up two flights of stairs at full speed, Sev regretted the enormousness of his home.

  He burst through the doors out onto the docking bay. The roof was wide open and the engines on the small cruiser were fired up and ready to go. He boarded the Feliner from the rear and closed the door. Theo sped off to sector four as Sev dropped into the seat beside him. Theo piloted the ship with one hand and plotted the spacecraft’s coordinates into the computer banks with the other.

  Sev remained quiet during the trip, pondering the woman’s words. He stared out the window, leaning his elbow on the frame and fingering the spot between his nose and upper lip.

  How did she know my sire’s name? Did she have feline features? The sword’s image was unclear. Her ship did have an altered design of our insignia, so she must be a cat.

  “Once we get there, I will activate the claw so we can tow the ship back,” spoke Theo.

  “There’s no time for that. We have to get her back to the castle first. We’ll concern ourselves with her ship later.”

  “But if we do not grab a hold of the ship now, we might not reach it again before it enters Oceanica’s gravisphere.”

  “So what?” Sev replied gruffly. “Contact the castle and have Miko use the tractor beam to guide it safely down. We can’t afford to lose any more time.” He searched outside the window for the crippled ship. It was eerie to see the spacecraft drifting, tilted to one side. Nothing about it spoke of life.

  Sev headed to the lower part of the Feliner to put on his space suit. He secured his sword belt around his waist, then went to the door and pressed a button on the adjacent pad. A loud hiss confirmed the doors locked in place.

  Sev jammed his white helmet on. With the quick press of a button, he activated the oxygen pressure actuator on his suit. He rushed to the opposite wall, to the recessed computer panel, and swiftly adjusted the atmospheric pressure within the sealed room.

  Located in the center of the room was a circular floor hatch. Sev tilted his head up and located the steel rings directly above it. He latched his safety tether o
nto one of the rings and switched on the helmet’s microphone. “Testing. Testing. One. Two. Theo, can you hear me?”

  “I hear you loud and clear.”

  “OK. Position the Feliner above the ship so I can retrieve the woman.”

  “Affirmative.” Once the Feliner was in place, Theo gave the go-ahead.

  The round door opened with a soft hiss. The dead ship was directly below him, rotating to the side. Sev’s lips thinned. Everything about the strange ship made his stomach knot up, but he jumped without hesitation, landing on one side of the glass-encased cockpit. It was then that he noticed the pilot had lost consciousness. Her motionless body was slumped forward in her seat.

  Sev pulled the Sword of Power from its sheath. It began to vibrate with energy. A dazzling white glow emanated from the blade. It grew brighter than the stars that glittered around him. Sev took aim and burned a large circle in the safety glass. He kicked in the severed piece, then shielded his face when it exploded outward.

  There was no time to waste on checking for a pulse, so Sev swiftly cut the seatbelt with one clean slice of his sword and lifted the small woman into his arms. His sights made contact with her bloody clothes. His dream entered his mind, but he pushed it aside. A quick press of the retract button on his belt caused his safety tether to pull them aboard the Feliner.

  Sev carefully placed the woman on the floor beside the hatch and wildly spun the wheel that seals it. “OK, Theo, get us back to the castle fast!” He unhooked himself from the overhead rings and readjusted the room’s atmosphere before kneeling next to the unconscious woman.

  He threw his helmet and hers over to the side. Sev’s anxiety grew as he took in her delicate features smeared with blood. He unzipped her space suit and parted the sides. The black jumpsuit underneath was torn and soaked in blood. Sev swallowed and reached for the right side of her neck. Several long seconds passed before he detected a faint pulse. He released his held breath.

  Sev did not like to see anyone die. He knew this woman’s death would cause someone terrible pain. She was someone’s daughter, someone’s sister, perhaps even someone’s wife. What if she was a mother? Her child would lose someone irreplaceable. Moreover, she was young. She had her entire life ahead of her.

  He resolved to do everything in his power to save the little female. He lifted his left arm and pressed a button on the small pad built into his wristguard.

  “Theo!”

  “Theo here.”

  “How far are we from the castle?”

  “E.T.A. five minutes.”

  “Shorten it! She’s near death! Have Uma ready to act the second we touch ground.”

  “Sev, we are already at full speed.”

  “Do it!”

  At last, the ship touched solid ground. Sev lifted the woman and held her close to his heart, unaware that his white space suit turned a bright red. Her ashen complexion and lightweight concerned him. While he waited for Theo to open the door, he studied the delicate curves of her face. They seemed familiar to him. He searched his memory for any recollection of her, but all he found was a dark void.

  The ship’s door finally opened. Sev hurried down the gangplank and was relieved to see Uma waiting with a stretcher a few feet away.

  “Uma, she’s barely holding on.” As he placed the woman on the portable bed, a peculiar sensation of handing his life over into Uma’s care flooded his being.

  The red-and-black-striped tigress felt for a pulse and then requested assistance in transporting the female to med lab. With Serena’s help, she rapidly examined the woman. Theo left to take his shift in the control room. Sev could not think of a more important place to be at; therefore, he remained alone in the corridors, leaning against a wall, deep in thought.

  The woman’s injuries had immediately reminded him of his nightmare. Had the dream been a forewarning? If so, then that meant the ghost was this woman. In his dream, she was also his lover. Did that mean she would become his lover in this realm as well? Was that why he felt as if he knew her?

  Sev pushed his fingers through his dark brown hair and released a long breath. He had no answers. None of it made any sense to him. He was not known for having the ability to receive or interpret visions. Besides, the woman had no feline features, which meant she was not a cat. So how did the sword know she was in danger if she was not a Seacat? Was there more to the Sword of Power that he was unaware of? Possibly, since he was still uncovering its secrets. He shook his head. What did it all mean?

  Uma exited the room twenty minutes later. In three long strides, Sev stood in front of her. “How is she? Is she going to be all right?”

  There was sadness in the tigress’s light-green eyes. “I am afraid there is nothing I can do for her. It will not be long now.”

  Uma’s words left Sev feeling numb. Without saying a word, he went around Uma and entered the room, which hosted twelve wooden beds lined against opposite walls, six to a side. He looked left and saw the woman on the furthest bed from the door. He hurried to her side.

  Uma had cleansed the female. Her youth was now more apparent. It pained Sev to see how fragile and innocent she appeared on the oversize foam mattress. In a kind gesture, he clasped her left hand in his. An unexpected jolt of electricity raced up his arm. Yet, it paled in comparison to the shock his heart endured when the female’s dark eyes popped open and met his gaze.

  Sev watched her take in his features. Her mouth moved, but he heard nothing; his focus was on her scent. The acrid stench of blood no longer overpowered it. Sev recognized it in a heartbeat. It belonged to her—the faceless female from his dreams.

  His eyes rounded. “No,” he whispered. The dream could not be a warning. If it was, then she was meant to be his mate. His body began to tremble. He could not lose his own mate.

  “You’re not Sev?”

  Having his hand released snapped Sev out of his momentary panic. “What?” He retook her hand. “What did you say?”

  No one heard the doors to med lab open or noticed the older cougar who had slipped inside. All attention was on the couple.

  “Are you Sev?”

  Sev read the pleading in her eyes. “I’m Sev.” He inched closer. “Lord of Oceanica. What’s your name?”

  The woman closed her eyes and began to cry. Sev was instantly worried. Feeling out of his element, he called to Uma for help, but the tigress did not move from her spot.

  “I’m Areo.” The woman sniffed. “Areo McCall.”

  “Areo,” Sev murmured. He finally had her name.

  “Sev, thank Onssa I’ve found you. I’ve finally found you.” Her lids fluttered. “Now…now I can die in peace.” Her voice tapered off.

  “No! Areo!” Sev grabbed her shoulders and roughly shook her. “Areo, don’t die on me! Do you hear me? Don’t you die on me! Do something!” he shouted to Uma, who stood three beds away.

  “There is nothing else I can do. She was badly beaten and has lost too much blood.”

  “You can’t just let her die!”

  “I am sorry, Sev. I wish there was something else I could do.” Uma’s eyes lowered in shame.

  “No,” Sev whimpered. “Not again.” He caressed her pale cheek. “Dear Onssa, please, not again.”

  “Sev, use the sword.”

  Sev, Uma, and a leopardess named Serena turned to face the Seacat who had quietly entered the lab.

  “What?”

  “The Sword of Power,” repeated the cougar. “Use it on her.”

  “The sword? Why?”

  “You know how powerful it is. You have seen and used its magic. You also know that it’s the source of the Seacats’ true strength.” “Yes, I know all that, Jugar. But—”

  “What you don’t know is that it can heal a Seacat if used properly,” informed Jugar.

  Sev frowned. “She’s not a Seacat.”

  He shrugged. “Then you won’t hurt her if you use it on her. Either way, she has nothing to lose.”

  “Nothing to lose?” Sev’s voice
rose in anger. “She’s dying!”

  “And she’ll be dead if you keep arguing with me!” shouted Jugar. “Now use the sword before it’s too late!”

  The cougar was presently the eldest Seacat at the castle, and well respected. The younger cats often sought him out for advice and guidance, but at that moment, he made no sense to anyone. Especially not to Sev, who wanted desperately to save Areo’s life. But Sev figured that Jugar knew much due to his years, so he decided to place his faith in his longtime friend.

  Sev moved a step backward, raised his weapon, and took aim at the tiny figure on the bed. Drawing in a deep breath, he forced his body to relax. He focused his energy on the sword’s power and the sword responded, purring with energy. Its blade ignited into a bright-white glow. A large beam of light shot forth from the tip straight into Areo’s form. Her entire body was soon encased in a white glow.

  Time passed eerily slow as everyone waited anxiously. Jugar paused beside Sev and placed his left hand on his leader’s shoulder. “That should be enough,” he said in a tense voice.

  The sword’s purr gradually subsided. Sev lowered his arm to his side and slowly approached the bed.

  Sev stared out from the ninth-story window to the dockyard next door, where Areo’s ship hung from one corner of the ceiling. He was unsure how the Sword of Power had saved her. Jugar refused to answer any of his questions. That had been a month ago.

  Areo looked so small in the large bed. Sev silently made his way to her side and sat down gently beside her. She had lost weight, and her pallid complexion worried him. He was not used to seeing anyone with this coloration, except for Angel—but he had the genetics of a snow leopard.

  Sev traced her left cheek with his forefinger. He became aware of what he was doing and smiled. “This can’t be good.”

  He could not be near Areo without touching her. To feel her softness and smell her sweetness was like a mother’s soft kiss on her child’s wound. It soothed him, reassured him of her presence. Sev lowered his head to a mere inch from Areo’s and slowly inhaled her fragrance. A warm, sultry feeling flowed over him, and his tensed muscles relaxed.