8. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

I zzy settled deeper into her dream of the dazzling, handsome, totally irresistible man.

“Isabella.”

His sensual whisper made her shiver.

A loud scream jerked Izzy awake.

“Criminy sakes!” She sat up with her hand against her chest, her heart racing. “What in the world?” Her eyes widened at the chaos in the large cave.

Pardalions of all shapes and sizes, ages and sexes, were running around like a bunch of cats in a room of rocking chairs. There was an unsettling symphony of hisses and guttural growls that echoed in the large chamber. Her groggy senses made it hard to understand why they were acting like that.

She caught sight of young Zolune running on all fours, her ability to walk on two legs long gone. Age didn’t seem to cause this change.

One guard did the same, galloping on all fours with the silky fur on his back bristling.

Several of the cat-people were hiding under tables and chairs, their ears back. Some hissed, some shivered, not uttering a sound.

“Hurry, human!” The mature female cook, Tivessa, rushed to her, still on her two hind legs. “We must hide before it finds us!”

Izzy jumped out of her nest of warm furs and soft blankets. “Who? Are the zaltrixan attacking?” Another horrible thought occurred to her. “Or is it that yellow crystal lady coming to kill everyone?”

“No, worse!” The feline put her paws in the air. “It’s some kind of evil demon, a drur’az, coming to steal our souls! Ay-eee! Run for your life!” She hopped and turned to run out of the cave.

“Goodness me.” Izzy watched the cat-people run around howling, with no coordination.

Several of them in thick guard uniforms sprinted to the cave entrance, their weapons ready for action.

She narrowed her eyes. That’s where she needed to go.

The guards lined up, their fur bristled, and their tails puffed up to twice their normal size. The primal fear in the air was thick with the electricity of their collective terror.

Keeping a respectful distance from the sentries, she reached the edge of the cave and dared to step outside. Below her, the verdant forest stretched into eternity, a canopy of colorful whispers. The crisp air smelled of pine as well as a hint of rain. Her gaze lifted skyward, caught by an unusual shadow. In the distance was a silhouette cleaving the air with unwavering purpose. Placing the edge of her hand against her forehead for shade, she narrowed her eyes, hoping to see better.

She glanced at the female guard next to her. “Is that what all the fuss is about?” She glanced at the incoming… plane? “Don’t you have some kind of flying machines here?” These folks might be living in a cave, but the technology she’d seen them use so far was beyond what they had on Earth. Air flight had to be something they’d conquered a long time ago.

“That’s not a machine.” The hissing words from the guard's mouth told Izzy how terrified the female was. “Our sensors tell us it’s organic. And there’s nothing on CeluriaVO like that. The damn thing has a wingspan that would rival any aircraft we or the zaltrixan have!”

The figure approached, gliding and rolling on a wingspan that blotted out the sun, casting a copper hue over the land below.

Now that it was closer, Izzy’s eyes widened as her heart thrummed in her chest, a rapid drumbeat of excitement laced with a touch of fear. She stood rooted to the spot as the pardalion next to her hissed and growled, rushing back into the cave.

It was a dragon.

A dragon as magnificent and awe-inspiring as any fabled creature could be. Copper scales shimmered with a fiery palette of a blazing sunset in the rising sun. Each beat of its vast wings sent ripples through the air, a display of power that was as terrifying as mesmerizing.

The creature drew closer, and its massive eyes were clear to see. A sense of déjà vu struck her. Those captivating orbs of hazel carried browns and greens with shots of gold flecks that teased her memory. She couldn’t look away from those deep pools of wisdom and mystery now locked on hers.

Time froze.

In one fell swoop, the dragon landed on the cliff’s edge in front of Izzy. The creature’s breath heated the air, bring with it the smell of smoldering embers. It landed with a grace that defied its size, the ground silent beneath it. The magnificent beast raised his head with a bellow of fire, then lowered it.

Before her astonished gaze, the dragon transformed. Scales melded into skin, wings folded into arms, and the massive beast reshaped itself into the form of a naked muscular man resting on one knee with his arm over it. Long, wavy, earth-brown hair covered his features. He slowly raised his head, his hair parting like a stage curtain.

She gasped.

He was the man she’d dreamed about.

The man’s handsome features transcended mere male beauty, teasing the foundations of legends and fables steeped in human history. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from his stunning face. His strong jawline, high cheekbones, and piercing gaze created an allure that held her spellbound. Each chiseled feature, as sharply defined as the ridges of the mountains surrounding them, was awe-inspiring. His hair gleamed with dark browns and copper, and his eyes…

Izzy sighed.

His eyes remained the same as the dragon’s, with their depth and intensity.

Izzy couldn’t move, just stared like a starstruck fangirl.

With the grace of a man in touch with his masculine bulk he stood, his skin morphing into dark-brown leather pants tucked into thick biker boots. His tan cotton shirt was covered by an open vest of soft leather that matched his pants. Around his neck hung a small leather pouch cinched on a thong of the same material.

The transformation complete, he stepped toward her. A smile played on his full lips, hinting at secrets as ancient as the stars. The air between them crackled with an unspoken understanding, a connection that transcended words.

Izzy grappled with the congruity of reality, meshing with her dreams. Just being this close to him pulled at something low and deep inside her. As he came nearer, his heat wrapped around her. A sense that her life was changing stirred within her, insistently whispering that their fates were now intertwined.

Standing on the threshold of the unknown, Izzy did something she’d never thought she’d do in a million years. Especially to someone she’d just laid eyes on.

Narrowing the small gap between their bodies, Izzy stood on her toes and wrapped her arms around his muscular neck. With an aggressive confidence she never dreamed she had in her, she put her hand on the back of his head. Threading her fingers through his silky hair, she pulled his head down and demanded a kiss.

Asmodel's gaze locked onto Izzy’s as her delicate fingers stroked under his hair and cupped his head. He shivered, mesmerized by the dilation of her stunning amber-colored eyes. Her hair cascaded in a soft, dark curtain that framed her face which radiated warmth and quiet strength.

As she moved closer, she brought with her a subtle scent that enveloped him—a delicate blend of jasmine and vanilla. A captivating essence of a serene, warm summer evening. Being near her produced a surprising surge of emotion so intense it bordered on reverence. In that moment, his heart recognized hers with an unshakable certainty. This woman belonged to him.

Asmodel’s eyes lowered at the first touch of her mouth on his. Time stood still as the electric stroke of her lips made everything around him blur into an insignificant haze. Her hands moved to the sides of his face, and her thumbs caressed his cheeks with a tenderness he’d never experienced before. Drowning in a world of pure feeling, the unfamiliar sensations threatened to overwhelm him.

He had to have more… much more. With a tentative touch, he stroked the seam of her mouth with his tongue, desperate for her to let him in.

She opened. Her warm breath bathed the cavern of his mouth with unbridled passion. He took her offering and exchanged his heat with hers. She moaned and jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his thighs. Her dangerous tongue tangled with his in a dance of pure, erotic pleasure.

His blood burned and pounded hard, creating a booming thunder that echoed in his ears.

The kiss deepened. His cock rose and thickened, growing with a heavy ache. His mind blurred with every swipe of their tongues as the passion rose. Her mouth was unlike anything he’d ever experienced before.

Her taste was addicting.

Slipping his hand down her torso, he pushed up the edge of her shirt to claim the quivering, soft flesh of her breast under her bra. He encircled the hard pebble of her nipple between his thumb and forefinger.

She pulled back with a gasp.

He opened his eyes and gazed into her amber ones, now softened with a vulnerable glow. Her very essence beckoned him to go deeper into the bond they had just sealed. Striving to control himself, he took in a deep breath. Her heady feminine scent wrapped around him with an invisible thread, making his head swim with a sense of completeness. The powerful, overwhelming knowledge of finally finding a part of himself he never knew was missing.

“Hello, alma gemela .” Asmodel cradled her luscious bottom with his hands. He celebrated Izzy’s heritage by calling her his soul-mate in Spanish. “I am Asmodel.”

He didn’t need his psionic abilities to tell him she experienced the same thing happening between them. Her smile, shy yet radiant, told him everything he needed to know. She was as aware of the profound connection between them that transformed the impossibility into reality.

“I am Isabella Pilar Ramirez Torres.” She tilted her head, and her soft hair framed the smooth golden porcelain skin of her face. “But I’d love it if you’d call me Izzy.”

With delicate care, Asmodel released her bottom to let her stand on her own. He cupped her face, keeping his touch reverent but firm. After all, he held something sacred in his hands. His heart beat with a new rhythm, one that sang of hope, passion, and a future where every moment of his life would now intertwine with hers.

“Izzy!”

A hissing female voice interrupted the isolation he enjoyed with Izzy. Glancing up, he watched a female scikvak racing towards them, brandishing a long pole with a spiked ball at its tip.

“Back away from her.” The female growled, facing Asmodel. She waved the weapon between them. “Who are you?”

Asmodel relaxed his stance and forced himself to let Izzy go. He took a step back and put Izzy behind him. “I am Asmodel from Earth.” He placed his hand over his heart with a small bow of respect. “Here to take Izzy back to Earth.”

“It’s okay, Talira.” Izzy moved to stand in front of him. “He’s the one we were going to rescue from the zaltrixan.”

Asmodel grinned. As if he needed her protection. He placed a hand over her shoulder, giving her a slight squeeze.

Talira glanced from him to Izzy. After a few heartbeats, the female warrior took a step back and planted the end of her weapon on the ground.

“I see.” She looked behind her as the sound of rustling feet burst out of the cave opening.

A group of scikvak came through, a conglomeration of civilians and soldiers by the looks of their clothing.

“Stand down, Talira.” An imposing male scikvak rushed to the female and faced her. “Izzy is right. He is the emissary from Earth.”

Talira narrowed her gaze at Asmodel, her ears flattened backward. “As you say, Praetor Vorlok.”

Asmodel took a chance and sent a slight psychic probe her way. What he got back didn’t surprise him. An unyielding sense of right and wrong mixed with the profound need to protect her people. His eyes widened when he got a little tidbit he didn’t expect. Oh, this was the female who Jaltaar, the lead guard from Panterion Prime, was deeply in love with.

“Welcome to Nekojin, man from Earth.” The praetor thumped both arms across his wide chest. “Come, we have much to discuss.” He gestured toward the entrance to the cave, now blocked by a crowd of pardalions watching them.

“Everyone, get back to your business! Let the praetor and our guests through!” Talira waved her arms to shoo the crowd back into the cave. Several of her fellow guards mimicked her and encouraged the group to break up. With murmurs and nervous laughs, the group headed back into the cave village.

Asmodel put his arm around Izzy’s slender shoulders. The praetor couldn’t have been more right. There was a lot to discuss. Glancing at the pouch hanging from the leather thong, he lifted it up to his open palm to let JR13 out.

“Contact your father and give him an update,” he told his spybot. “Be sure you let them know the Krystalii here is female and has a human male she plans to take back to Lord Baelon.”

JR13 shook his bulbous body, and the matte black of his torso contrasted with the shiny silver in the bright sunlight. “Already done, organic man.” The bot snorted. “You’d think this was my first rodeo or something.”

Asmodel had no clue what a rodeo was, but he trusted the droid did what he said.

“Oh, my gosh!” Izzy bent to get a better look at JR13 in his palm. “He’s so cute!”

“My dear woman.” JR13 turned to her and spoke in his snootiest tone. “I am not cute.” He pranced on his six legs to shuffle closer to her. “I am the epitome of masculine handsomeness.”

Asmodel snorted. With an exasperated look at Izzy, he lifted his hand to stare with narrowed eyes at JR13. “Let’s concentrate on what we should do next. Agreed?”

The bot blinked as if he was running more than one program. “Sure, whatever you say. But we can’t do that until you follow the cat-man back inside, now can we?” With that last shot, he scuttled to sit on his favorite perch at Asmodel’s left shoulder.

Izzy chuckled. “You sure have your hands full with that one, don’t you?”

Asmodel put his arm around her shoulders with a slight hug. They walked together behind the pardalions.

He chuckled. “You have no idea.”

Izzy glanced at the tall, holy gosh, seriously swoon-worthy man walking next to her. Even his profile, as he spoke with the praetor, made butterflies dance in her tummy. She admired his sharp jawline with its cleft chin devoid of any facial hair. His deep, fascinating hazel eyes, with their striking blend of chestnut brown and leaf green interlaced with gold flecks, lit up when he smiled. And the way he moved! She yearned to lag a few steps behind, just to admire the effortless grace in his movements, the way his muscles shifted beneath those tight leather pants.

And his hands! So wide and elegant, and his copper-hued skin spoke of strength and artistry, all at the same time. She yearned to reach over and grasp his hand to cover her chilled skin with his. As he spoke with the praetor, his warm, inviting tone drew her in. It took a moment before she tuned in to what he was saying.

“I’m afraid that’s right, Praetor,” Asmodel said. “The female Krystalii now has a human man and is planning on taking him instead of Izzy.” He stopped and faced the scikvak with crossed arms and leaned toward the pardalion elder. “The only reason she hasn’t come here to destroy your village is because she had to go underground to recharge. I’m not sure how long she’ll be out, so we only have a small window of opportunity to act, to get the human before she wakes up. Between her extensive psychic powers and her advanced technological abilities, she won’t need the zaltrixan to help her.” He stood straight. “And if she wakes up at full strength, I’m afraid she’ll be unstoppable.”

The elder tilted his head, and the long fur wisped around his face. “I agree. Come.” He put a paw on Asmodel’s arm and tugged him to the opening of the massive communal cave. “The chancellor of the Federation contacted us earlier and made us aware of your arrival, so we’ve begun plans to infiltrate Panterion Prime.” He grunted. “But now that the Krystalii already has a human, we’d better act quicker than we thought.”

He led them back into the large cave opening and into the interior conference room where Izzy had first arrived.

Asmodel smiled and a single deep dimple peeked out on the side of his luscious lips. When he reached over to cover her hand with his, Izzy caught her breath and gripped his hand back. Her grin had to be as goofy as heck. Not that she cared.

Once again, Izzy sat at the massive u-shaped rock table. But instead of being weary and starving, she was wide-awake and ready to take part. She gave the man next to her a quick glance. Just being next to him with her hand in his ramped things up to a whole different level.

Across from her, Talira took a seat next to Praetor Vorlok. The previous participants filed in and joined them.

“Esteemed colleagues,” Praetor Vorlok stood and gestured to Asmodel. “It is my great pleasure to introduce the emissary Chancellor E’etu spoke of. This Earth man’s name is Asmodel. As you can see, there’s no need to rescue him from Panterion Prime.”

Laughter and chuckles mixed with murmurs of welcome from around the table.

With a gentle squeeze, Asmodel let go of her hand and stood, with a regal nod to the room. “Thank you, Praetor Vorlok.” He shifted his shoulders back and clasped his hands in front of him. “While I appreciate that you’d let me and Izzy leave CeluriaVO, we have a bigger problem than keeping her out of the Krystalii’s hands.”

His concerned glance at her made her warm. She beamed and nodded her encouragement with a smile.

“The Krystalii by the name of Prisma-Solara already has a human male and has threatened to come and not only eliminate you here in Nekojin, but will destroy all of CeluriaVO.”

Angry growls and hissed filled the air.

“How could you possibly know that?” Madam Fexa crouched, the fur on her backside raised.

Asmodel expelled an audible breath. “I know you all witnessed how I came here. Correct?”

“You mean as that massive beast?” Calin’s gold eyes narrowed. “How could we miss that?”

Asmodel sat and grabbed Izzy’s hand under the table. “Just as I’m able to do that, I can get a sense of what others are thinking.”

The group’s angry growls grew louder.

“You can read our minds?” Calin stood, his claws extended as he leaned on the rough rock table surface.

“Believe me, I don’t go around reading people’s minds.” Asmodel’s tone was smooth. “It can be annoying and painful.” He rubbed his temple and closed his eyes. “I usually have to fight to keep everyone out.”

For some reason, Izzy could feel his unease. She rubbed his upper arm with her free hand.

“Calin, sit down. Let the human speak,” Praetor Vorlok commanded.

With a low snarl, Calin sat, his bright eyes fixated on Asmodel.

Asmodel opened his eyes with a confident look at the Praetor. “As I was saying, the last thought I picked up from her was that as soon as she had the human man in her ship, she planned on eliminating all life here on CeluriaVO.”

At once, Izzy saw what Asmodel did, in her mind. It was a violent image of the lush jungle planet under volcanic flames and massive earthquakes that no one on this planet could survive.

Izzy had a hard time getting the image of CeluriaVO being destroyed by massive earthquakes and volcanic eruptions out of her mind. She shivered and gripped Asmodel’s hand tighter under the rock table. She blinked and took a moment to get her bearings. Glancing around, she took in the now-familiar scene of the council chamber of the pardalions. The first time she was here, she hadn’t bothered to notice much.

It was an awesome sprawling, circular room with intricate murals depicting the lush jungle of their home planet. A soft glow from the luminescent lights gave the place a spacious feel, as if they weren’t in a cave deep inside a mountain.

The heated discussion of the pardalions drew her attention. They were discussing where the human called Raxx might be at Panterion Prime. Some argued he was in their maximum-security facility. While others, including Talira, believed they put him in a stasis pod for the Krystalii to take to her ship.

“Yo, organic man.”

For the first time, Izzy didn’t have any trouble hearing JR13’s sotto voce as he spoke to Asmodel on the man's shoulder next to her.

“Yes?”

Asmodel's absent tone told her he wasn’t listening. Instead of looking at the bot, his eyes narrowed on Praetor Vorlok. Izzy tilted her head and checked out what the praetor was saying. Right now, he wasn’t saying anything. Just letting Calin argue with Talira about who was going to lead the small group they’d agreed on.

“Excuse me—” JR13’s impatient tone was obvious. “—I have something to say here that might ease this ridiculous guesswork you organics seem to enjoy.” Now the bot’s irritated voice came out high enough to grab Asmodel’s attention.

Asmodel’s dark eyebrows rose as he glanced at the bot. “Oh?”

JR13 wiggled his rotund hind end and tapped a foreleg as if to emphasize his importance. “Yes! I know where Raxx is.”

“How can you know that?” Izzy leaned to the bot and made sure she whispered.

“Easy. I asked Echo.”

“You echoed?” Izzy searched the room. How could an echo tell them where someone was?

“No, my baffled friend.” JR13 huffed. “Echo is a self-aware artificial creation that can process an unlimited amount of data and perceived emotions. She is a discerning system, not a sound.”

Izzy scratched the side of her head. “Huh?”

“Echo is the name of Raxx’s AI system.” Asmodel chuckled with a playful glimmer in his dark eyes. “And JR13 has interfaced with Echo to keep the lines of communication going between us.” He shook his head. “I can’t believe I’d forgotten that.”

JR13 snorted. “And that’s why I’m here. To pick up your slack.”

“Well, golly gee JR13. That’s a little harsh, don’t you think?” Izzy’s face flushed. Oh lordy. How arrogant of her to step in and defend Asmodel like that. It’s not as if the man couldn’t take care of himself.

Asmodel squeezed her hand as he leaned over and placed a light kiss on her neck. JR13 squeaked and scuttled out of the way.

The feel of his lips on her skin created a sudden flush of warmth spreading outward from deep inside her. Oh my stars , he was one dangerous man.

“Don’t worry about him.”

Asmodel’s low rumble ramped up the goosebumps on her arms.

“But I appreciate you standing up for me.” His gaze lingered on her before he pulled away. “Okay JR13. What did Echo tell you?”

Izzy swore the bot muttered “organics” under his breath as he moved back to his place on Asmodel’s shoulder. His six legs orchestrated a complex ballet across the hilly surface of Asmodel’s body, his joints flexing like tiny hydraulic pistons.

“Echo has informed me she and Raxx are fine but are in some kind of holding cell. They’re waiting for you to ‘hurry your happy ass up and rescue us’.”

Asmodel chuckled. “Reassure Echo we’re working on it.”

“Already did. I’m going to keep the line with her open so she can hear what’s decided here.”

Asmodel nodded. “Good idea.”

He turned his attention back to the council, sitting back as his brow furrowed.

Izzy shifted in her seat and did the same. She rested her hand on his firm thigh, and his warmth eased the tension gripping her since she’d witnessed the destruction in his vision.

“The zaltrixan are notoriously secretive and well-fortified,” Calin pointed out. His tail flicked in irritation. “Penetrating Panterion Prime won’t be easy.”

Madam Fexa raised a paw for attention. “We must consider stealth over sheer force. The zaltrixan might respect strength, but they are vulnerable to cunning.”

Izzy thought of the man they were supposed to rescue. They had to get him back, not just for his sake, but to prevent the potential destruction of the entire race of scikvak. “What if we used a diversion?” Her voice cut through the murmur of the council. All eyes turned to her. She met their stares head-on, her heart pounding. “If they’re stronger than us, wouldn’t it be best if we create a disturbance outside the city limits—something to draw their forces out?” That type of scenario was quite popular in Earth literature throughout the ages.

Asmodel nodded in support. “Excellent idea.” He brought her hand up and applied a brief kiss to her knuckles. “That way, a small team can slip into the city under the cover of the chaos. Grab Raxx before they know he's gone.”

Talira sat back and put one of her paws over the other on her stomach. “I like that idea. We have enough ammunition and weapons ready to create a massive decoy just outside the city parameters that I and my team can detonate. Now who do you propose goes into the city to rescue the human?”

Before Izzy could respond, Asmodel spoke up. “That’d be Izzy and me. Since I’ve an open communication with Raxx, it’ll be easy enough for us to get him.”

Izzy suspected he had other tricks up his sleeve but wasn’t willing to share it with the group. Hopefully, he’d fill her in when they were alone.

Asmodel’s proposal hung heavy in the air. Every second stretched as the pardalions exchanged glances, communicating in their silent, feline way. Finally, Praetor Vorlok nodded.

“Very well.” He pounded his fisted paw on the table. “And just how are we to stop the Krystalii from destroying our planet when she finds the human gone?”

“As usual, Echo and I have already come up with a viable solution to that.” JR13 spoke with a raised voice so all in the chamber could hear.

Murmured growls filled the air.

“If I may?” JR13 leaped off Asmodel’s shoulder and landed on the rocky table in front of him. “Since that alien contains a crystalline alloy, we can create a disruption device with a precise frequency to immobilize her. Lucky for you, we’ve developed a schematic of what we propose could do that.”

Izzy sucked in a breath when a third eye opened on the bot's forehead and a holographic image appeared, ten times bigger than JR13.

The blueprint for building the special machine the bot mentioned lay before her. It looked like a flowchart, detailing how different parts connected and interacted. Multiple symbols, some type of hieroglyphics, covered the entire diagram.

“Can you organics do something with this?” JR13 asked.

Madam Fexa stood and leaned on the table as if to get a better look. Her fluffy tail rose into the shape of a question mark. Her eyes blinked as she took in the image.

As those around the table examined it with the elder pardalion, servers brought in food, placing platters of meats and root vegetables in front of everyone.

Izzy’s stomach rumbled in appreciation. She offered Asmodel a sheepish smile, then dug into the simple yet sumptuous meal. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him eating as well. A quiet sense of satisfaction settled over her.

Just when Izzy took the last bite of her meal, Madam Fexa jumped back and exclaimed, “Of course!”

The elder straightened with a triumphant gleam in her cat eyes. “My team and I already have something similar. We’ll have it completed before morning.” She nodded to the others who’d been absorbed with her in talking about the device. “Let’s get this done, my friends.” With a whistling whoop, she skipped out of the room, speaking excitedly with the small group that followed her.

Dang, Izzy hadn’t seen anyone that excited about making something since she’d led a group of kids in the library to play with modeling clay.

“That thing reminds me of the Lumiview Prism Jaltaar had.”

Talira might have spoken under her breath, but Izzy didn’t have any trouble catching it.

“I wonder if it works the same way.”

“All right, people.” Praetor Vorlok wiped his snout with a napkin and stood. “I think it’s best if we all get some rest. We’ll meet up here before dawn to complete our plans.”

As the meeting adjourned, Izzy glanced at the cavern entrance. Holy cow, it was dark outside! She couldn’t believe how the hours had slipped away like that.

“If you’ll come with me, I have a place prepared for you.”

Izzy jumped when a soft feminine voice spoke next to her. It was a young female pardalion, with a shy smile and a slight bow.

“I’m Dahl. If you both will follow me, I’ll take you to a private place we’ve prepared for you to rest.” She turned and proceeded out of the chamber.

Her downy dark-blue tail with delicate orange stripes swished behind her.

Izzy looked up at Asmodel. The fluttering in her tummy made her catch her breath. Was she brave enough to be alone with this stunning man?

His warm, inviting gaze reassured her there wasn’t anywhere else she’d rather be.