bright golden flame, the most popular girl in school. Nonetheless, she had fal en for him, and once she did, he was lost—to both her and his superiors in ASP. Having to eventual y betray her trust had gone against everything he thought he stood for, but at the time his al egiance to authority had been unquestioning and his rage against Stewart Kedar unwavering. Now he realized what blind loyalty and the thrist for vengeance had cost him.
She’d changed. The woman she was today was much more reserved and cautious—until he kissed her, at least. For those few minutes while they were physical y connected, he’d col apsed the wal s she’d built around her heart and mind. But what excuse did he have for courting her trust?
She was why he was here, of course, putting his career and his life on the line.
It wasn’t just fear of the Consortium’s plan that moved him. With both ASP and ELF
out gunning for Shyanne, it was only a matter of time before something terrible happened. Even if she was truly guilty of the crimes she was accused of committing—which he found impossible to believe—he wouldn’t al ow her to be kil ed or captured. He owed her a life. Too bad that life could never be with him. No matter what happened, ELF was going to be extremely angry he’d disobeyed his director. He’d end up in prison, but it would be worth it.
Though her life was a crucial consideration, his motive went deeper than Shyanne. As he’d told her, if C.O.I.L. got involved in the cleanup, human life on the outer worlds would be total y eliminated. His adopted father had told him of it, and of the enforcers C.O.I.L. would use. No one knew for sure what these creatures were. They operated out of their ships, never making physical contact. Very few planets survived their arrival. And if Earth objected they could be destroyed as wel or expel ed from the Consortium, left fair game to any greedy C.O.I.L. member.
Maybe it was foolhardy of him to attempt to capture Dempster on his own, but Greyson saw no other choice.
Shyanne murmured something in her sleep and curled closer to him. Thoughts of Dempster, the director and C.O.I.L. faded from Greyson’s mind as her body brushed against his. Soon enough he’d have to deal with his lies and deception, but selfish or not, for now he’d grab what he could.
His intent was interrupted as the door slid suddenly open. Greyson tensed, sensing another presence enter the room. Turning to look, he nearly bolted upright in surprise.
Beautiful and deadly, its sleek body covered in silvery fur, a hundred-pound cat crouched on the floor just inside the door. Its tufted ears lay flat against its head.
The tip of its tail twitching, its body was bunched and tense, ready to attack. Almost unnoticed at the creature’s feet crouched six normal-sized cats. They also watched Greyson, their shoulders hunched, eyes piercing and tails swishing.
Greyson blinked, meeting the creature’s gaze. This was no ordinary cat; intel igence gleamed out of those sea green eyes. He searched for a weapon.
Pound for pound, cats were the most dangerous predator. He and Shyanne wouldn’t stand a chance against this one’s teeth and claws, especial y naked.
He shifted until his body blocked Shyanne’s. The movement woke her. “Don’t budge,” he whispered.
Shyanne rose on her arms and peered over his shoulder. Her soft chuckling made her breasts rub against his back, and the cat snarled, showing its long, gleaming canines. Greyson tensed.
“Go away, Silky,” Shyanne told the cat. “Take your friends and find another bunk for the night.”
The cat hissed and rose on its hind legs. Greyson watched the outline of its body blur and begin to change shape. His stomach roiled at the impossible sight.
Dizzy and unable to watch, he closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the cat was gone. In its place, instead of a four-legged animal, there was a bipedal humanoid. Only the silvery fur that covered its body and the
She’d changed. The woman she was today was much more reserved and cautious—until he kissed her, at least. For those few minutes while they were physical y connected, he’d col apsed the wal s she’d built around her heart and mind. But what excuse did he have for courting her trust?
She was why he was here, of course, putting his career and his life on the line.
It wasn’t just fear of the Consortium’s plan that moved him. With both ASP and ELF
out gunning for Shyanne, it was only a matter of time before something terrible happened. Even if she was truly guilty of the crimes she was accused of committing—which he found impossible to believe—he wouldn’t al ow her to be kil ed or captured. He owed her a life. Too bad that life could never be with him. No matter what happened, ELF was going to be extremely angry he’d disobeyed his director. He’d end up in prison, but it would be worth it.
Though her life was a crucial consideration, his motive went deeper than Shyanne. As he’d told her, if C.O.I.L. got involved in the cleanup, human life on the outer worlds would be total y eliminated. His adopted father had told him of it, and of the enforcers C.O.I.L. would use. No one knew for sure what these creatures were. They operated out of their ships, never making physical contact. Very few planets survived their arrival. And if Earth objected they could be destroyed as wel or expel ed from the Consortium, left fair game to any greedy C.O.I.L. member.
Maybe it was foolhardy of him to attempt to capture Dempster on his own, but Greyson saw no other choice.
Shyanne murmured something in her sleep and curled closer to him. Thoughts of Dempster, the director and C.O.I.L. faded from Greyson’s mind as her body brushed against his. Soon enough he’d have to deal with his lies and deception, but selfish or not, for now he’d grab what he could.
His intent was interrupted as the door slid suddenly open. Greyson tensed, sensing another presence enter the room. Turning to look, he nearly bolted upright in surprise.
Beautiful and deadly, its sleek body covered in silvery fur, a hundred-pound cat crouched on the floor just inside the door. Its tufted ears lay flat against its head.
The tip of its tail twitching, its body was bunched and tense, ready to attack. Almost unnoticed at the creature’s feet crouched six normal-sized cats. They also watched Greyson, their shoulders hunched, eyes piercing and tails swishing.
Greyson blinked, meeting the creature’s gaze. This was no ordinary cat; intel igence gleamed out of those sea green eyes. He searched for a weapon.
Pound for pound, cats were the most dangerous predator. He and Shyanne wouldn’t stand a chance against this one’s teeth and claws, especial y naked.
He shifted until his body blocked Shyanne’s. The movement woke her. “Don’t budge,” he whispered.
Shyanne rose on her arms and peered over his shoulder. Her soft chuckling made her breasts rub against his back, and the cat snarled, showing its long, gleaming canines. Greyson tensed.
“Go away, Silky,” Shyanne told the cat. “Take your friends and find another bunk for the night.”
The cat hissed and rose on its hind legs. Greyson watched the outline of its body blur and begin to change shape. His stomach roiled at the impossible sight.
Dizzy and unable to watch, he closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the cat was gone. In its place, instead of a four-legged animal, there was a bipedal humanoid. Only the silvery fur that covered its body and the
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