Free Fugitive by Cheryl Brooks Page B

in exchange for her little tidbit?"
       Cat smiled again. "A lock of my hair."
       "You guys just kill me," Jack grumbled. "Did you give it to her?"
       "Yes, I did," Cat replied. "You are angry with me?"
       "I'd only be angry if you gave her some of your joy juice," Jack said frankly. "Give away any of that, and we'll have to talk!"
       Cat began purring as he took her in his arms. "I would not do that," he said. "That is only for you, my lovely master."
       She never could resist Cat once he started purring. He could have gotten anything from her but only wanted her love. "I think we need to get back to the ship," she whispered, "—and soon!"
       Inhaling the intoxicating aroma of her desire, Cat smiled mischievously. Pushing a stray lock of hair back from her eyes, he kissed her softly.
       "That Larita wasn't pregnant, was she?" Jack asked suddenly.
       "I do not believe so," Cat replied. Zetithians were known for their occasional "visions" and Cat's claim to fame was in knowing when the women of his acquaintance were pregnant—especially if another Zetithian was the father.
       "God, I hope there's nothing wrong with him! What if he's like Lynx?" Jack shuddered with horror at the thought. Lynx had been a harem slave, and the women there had literally worn him out. This had caused Jack a great deal of concern—a surviving Zetithian who couldn't reproduce was something that she couldn't stand the thought of—and though he had recovered, Jack didn't ever want to go through that again.
       "Larita knew he was on the run from the Nedwuts but didn't mention that he'd ever been a slave," Cat said soothingly. "Perhaps he managed to escape that fate."
       "I certainly hope so," Jack said roundly. "But if the Nedwuts ever catch up with him, he's dead meat."
       "But they have not caught him yet," Cat reminded her. "He could be very elusive and was an excellent hunter himself."
       "Yes, but could he smell Nedwuts a kilometer away?"
       "Perhaps not so far as that, but he did have an excel lent nose."
    "Better than yours?"
       "Yes," he replied. "If you will recall, when you left me in the slave market, I thought you were gone forever."
       "No chance of that," Jack said wryly. She'd seen his cock in full bloom during the pre-auction inspection and wouldn't have left before seeing where he wound up, even if she hadn't bought him herself. Of course, if she hadn't been there, he wouldn't have been sold at all because the level of restraint he seemed to require made him less attractive to other bidders. Jack had been the only one bidding on him, getting him for a paltry five credits. "I know a bargain when I see one."
    ***
    They arrived back at the Jolly Roger and boarded, only to discover that Leo and Tisana had taken all of the chil dren on an outing to the local zoo.
       "Cat!" Jack whispered excitedly. "Do you realize this means we have the whole ship to ourselves?"
       "It has been a long time since we have had such freedom," Cat agreed. "We should not waste it."
       Since Jack was already unbuckling his belt, this encouragement was completely unnecessary. Sliding her hands inside his breeches, she reached down to grab his buns and pull him closer. "My sentiments exactly."
       Taking her face in his hands, Cat kissed her, the sensa tion of heat already beginning to grow inside him. His cock became hard as he inhaled her scent and he reveled in the feel of her hands on his skin. Licking first her neck and then teasing her earlobe, he began purring in her ear.
       "Mmm, Kittycat," she said. "I just love it when you do that."
       "And I love it when you call me Kittycat," he returned. Purring might be one of a Zetithian male's surest means of enticement, but his lovely Jacinth knew all the ways to entice him as well.
    ***
    It was tedious work, but Jack and her friends managed to trace each ship that had left the spaceport within a few days of Manx's