Tracking Kat, page 1
Tracking Kat
Piper J. Drake
Copyright © 2022 by Lalana Dararutana
All rights reserved.
Cover art by Piper J. Drake
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-951821-11-1
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This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Any actual places, products, or events mentioned are used in a purely fictitious manner.
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Previously published under the pseudonym:
PJ Schnyder, by Carina Press by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
Also by Piper J. Drake
Triton Experiment series
Hunting Kat
* * *
London Shifters series
Bite Me, Sing for the Dead, Survive to Dawn
* * *
True Heroes series
Extreme Honor, Ultimate Courage, Absolute Trust
Total Bravery, Fierce Justice, Forever Strong
* * *
Stand alone titles…
Siren’s Calling; Red’s Wolf; Finding His Mark; Gaming Grace; Evie’s Gift; Keeping Cadence
* * *
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Contents
Content Warnings
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Excerpt: Fighting Kat
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Content Warnings
Past Trauma for Heroine (captivity, torture, rape, death of friends/loved ones), murder, violence, human trafficking, threat of rape, explicit consensual sex
Chapter 1
“Unless you are burnt, broken, or bleeding, take yourself out of my medical bay.” Kaitlyn didn’t bother to turn as the footsteps paused in her doorway.
“No follow-up threat?” Dev’s voice surprised her. The footsteps hadn’t matched her captain’s usual swagger, and the air circulation carried scent up and away too quickly for it to reach her. Considering the multitude of aromas her enhanced sense of smell forced upon her when someone appeared in her doorway, usually shot and bleeding or in some stage of infection, the powerful circulation could be a blessing. Even if it did allow her captain to surprise her.
She didn’t turn away from the observation window. “The only people on board are crew. They all know I won’t hesitate to tear a person apart, even if I do have to put them back together again.”
They’d seen her do it. Course, it hadn’t been a crew member, and that particular fugitive had tried to kill her. The bounty on the man required him alive so she’d still had to stitch him up afterward.
“Convenient, you being ship’s medic and all.” Dev stepped into her space anyway. “Course, this is my ship and I am captain, so I could make the point that it’s my medical bay and you are one of my crew.”
“You could.” But it’d be for a reason. Her captain didn’t play territory games without one. With her, territory meant a lot more than the average humanoid. Still, she had human logic, she could use it. “In response to your hypothetical point, I’d say you gave me this position when I became part of your crew and thus ceded this territory. Still my facility and personal space. Besides, you put in this window specifically for me.”
“We had a particularly good haul from before I got that installed, made a fair chunk of cred from almost dying. Made sense to invest it in the ship.”
She raised an eyebrow and watched his reflection in the window. “Modification to the hull of a spaceship never comes cheap and a window isn’t an upgrade to the ship’s structural integrity unless you invested in extremely high-quality materials.”
“Which I did.”
“It’s got a perch perfect for sitting and staring out into whatever.” She turned from the window and let her legs dangle over the edge as she faced him. “Too high for any normal human to get up here and enjoy.”
And she needed this space, needed this window. The view into infinity eased the pent-up frustration of the beast within. Lately, she needed peace however she could find it. The panther aspect of her lurked, restless and irritable, beneath her skin. Ready to break loose.
She planted her hands on the ledge, then hopped off for a drop of several meters and landed on her feet with ease. The distance was farther than a human would willingly jump too. She hadn’t had to worry about that for years now.
She straightened, then looked her captain up and down before locking her gaze with his. Her predator aspect rose in a wave as the force of her personality crashed into his. Confidence, charisma, command presence—people defined it in their own way. It wasn’t something limited by words or descriptions. It was something a person experienced, a gut reaction, in any interaction with anyone else.
Her captain had won her respect and her trust years ago, but she still tended to . . . no, enjoyed butting heads with him on occasion.
“I’ve also invested a decent amount of cred.” She waved her hand toward the cozy alcove containing her bunk and a neatly organized set of storage cubbies. “None of this was here before, and the separator with adjustable opacity settings wasn’t cheap either.”
“Skuld has the engine room, but the engine and the room are still mine. You and your medical bay are still mine.” He believed in what he was saying as truth. No dissembling there. Her captain never bothered since she could identify a lie. Heartbeat and scent were easy giveaways. “This is my ship and my crew is safe on it, every one of you.”
Also truth. But why? Why was he pushing her buttons? Especially when he couldn’t stand toe-to-toe with her in a physical fight anymore.
“Sit down before you fall down.” She snapped the words out, aware that her movement toward him took her in a slow half circle. She couldn’t help stalking him. “Please.”
Okay. Walking in without challenging her would’ve been a bad idea. His tactic forced her to think in human terms, to confront him on a battlefield of words. Her territory was only hers because she was his. Because she’d made the decision to give him her loyalty almost four years ago.
And this was why he was her captain. He always did what it took to help her keep herself in check.
“Temper, temper, Kat.” Dev shook his head. He took his time about it, but he still hooked a stool with his foot and pulled it over to have a seat. “You’re running on a shorter fuse these past couple of days and I need you to put a leash on it.”
“And I need you hale and whole to hold the leash.” She shot back the truth as she took a scanning device from her worktable and began to run a diagnostic. Ever since her first mutation, he’d always been the one to talk her back to finding the human part of herself. He helped her control the beast her torturers had burned into her DNA. “This latest injury to your knee isn’t healing as fast as it should. You’re putting too much strain on it.”
As mercenaries, their missions tended to be varied and challenging. Every one of the crew maintained a high level of physical performance no matter what their special skill sets might be.
“No time to be lounging with my feet up, twiddling my thumbs.”
She snarled. “Do the right thing to heal properly.”
More than half their missions came from high up in the Terran military chain of command, engaging confidential ops when official troops couldn't be assigned. Dev’s team did well when going through the proper channels would have taken too much time. Without Dev and the trust those ranked officers had in him, the connection would be lost and they’d be just another merc team looking for a job.
Besides, she needed him to be a-hundred-percent. The entire crew needed him to keep her under control.
Memories surfaced of Triton Moon Base, of the invasion and her capture. Young faces contorted with fear as she’d raged, trapped inside the tiny room they’d put her in after her escape from their attackers. Her fellow cadets—the ones that hadn’t been captured—hadn't recognized her at first, couldn’t handle her. The stink of their terror only enraged her further, inciting the prey drive in the beast she’d become. It’d been Katzer who’d had the presence of mind to lock her in and stay at the door until Dev could arrive. Until Dev talked her back to coherency and human thought processes.
“You’re my captain.”
And the only person still alive who could call her back to herself when she went feral. Katzer was gone.
“I’m not the only man with a portion of your trust.” Dev’s voice might have been gentle, but the quirk at the corner of his mouth betrayed the mischief.
With an effort, she let go the darker worry riding her. “It’s only been a few months and Rygard hasn’t witnessed that side of me yet.”
“He’s fought beside you, seen you go furry, and come out of it still a rock-solid companion.” Her captain ticked off the good points on each finger. “Those things aside, I do believe you’ve let him put a smile on your sweet face. I owe the man a debt for bringing a bit of light to one of mine.”
His.
Okay, a part of her had shifted and settled into place when he’d claimed her as one of his. She recognized the need, but he’d recognized it before her. The need to belong, be accepted.
“I’m also assuming he helped you past a few other key obstacles in your social development.” Dev raised an eyebrow at her. If he wiggled his eyebrows, she’d toss all respect to hell and rip him to shreds out of embarrassment.
Just no. No need to discuss any further details of her liaison with Rygard. She retreated to a safer course of discussion.
“He’s seen me in cat form . . . when I was in control.”
“Ah.” He nodded. Singular knowledge lived behind those eyes. He’d been there as the changes to her genetic code ripped through her body cell by cell, back when her shape-shifts hadn’t been as smooth. They might be quicker and easier these days, but they still caused her seven hells worth of agony.
Silence.
Diagnostic scans complete, she went to her dispensing units and brought back a small bottle. Pills rattled inside it as she slapped it down on the table beside him.
Unruffled, Dev stood, his weight evenly distributed on both legs, as if the one knee wasn’t a swelling mess. “As it happens, I’ll have some time on ship to give this a bit of tender care.”
She shot him a glance before fussing with her equipment on the table. As a predator, she could sense his weakness, wanted to take a swipe at him, test him. Part of her needed reassurance he could still handle her, wanted him to counter her attack—and another part of her crouched deathly still.
Prey.
Dev didn’t step away. He stood taller, weight distributed over the balls of his feet. The air of authority around him crystallized and became unmistakable. “Put a leash on it.” He looked her directly in the eyes, and his will stood up to hers through that direct gaze, driving out any misconceptions about his status as prey. Relief flooded through her as he continued with his informal briefing. “We’re taking on passengers. Military. They’re a special team put together to provide support to your soldier’s unit for the next phase of Rygard’s mission. From the intel packet I was sent, the orders are escalating from reconnaissance to decisive action. These won’t be your average grunts. Each will have special skill sets and every one of them is trained to look and listen, observe and think. I want you in control, not a hiss or a snarl out of you. Not a single hint that you’re anything but a merc unless I give my say-so.”
“Understood.” For now, she could give him that.
She would need more from him to keep her head clear and the predator locked down.
Chapter 2
Kaitlyn arrived in the cargo hold as the intercom announced confirmation of the ship-to-ship docking procedure. Dev’s merc vessel was a decent size, built primarily for intergalactic and interplanetary runs. The hull had some aerodynamics taken into design consideration for the odd atmospheric landing, but mostly it was meant to remain in orbit with shuttles to take teams planetside when necessary. Enough room for her to roam most of the time, yet not so big, they wouldn’t feel it as the significantly larger military cruiser extended its transfer tube and locked it into place over their cargo doors, hissing as the seals cycled and equalized air pressure.
Skuld caught sight of her as she stepped to one side, slightly behind the rest of the crew. Kaitlyn traded nods with a few, but for Skuld, she smiled. A little. The gorgeous brunette had changed into a clean ship suit, crisp with fresh starch. Normally, her gear was splotched with random oil splatter and grease from working with the ship’s engines. Skuld moved to join her and gave her a nudge with an elbow. “You think any of them will be cute?”
Kaitlyn shrugged. “Not too worried about it.”
“Well, you have a rugged officer and a gentleman by the name of Rygard.” Skuld bobbed her head, soft golden-brown waves bouncing. “But it’s been a while since we’ve gone into port at a decent space station, and I’ve got an itch to scratch. At least hope a couple of them will be cute, for me.”
A snort escaped before Kaitlyn arranged her features into a properly blank expression. Skuld managed to crack her mood every time. Dev might keep her in control, but it was Skuld who reminded her what it was like to enjoy random things. “I do focus on one partner at a time.” And she missed Rygard, a lot more than she’d admit out loud. “But I will hope at least one of them meets your . . . needs.”
The smile Skuld gave her dazzled. Then it was suddenly replaced by an uncharacteristically somber expression as delicate eyebrows drew together. “My last couple of choices haven’t been stellar. You’ll tell me if my hormones overlook jackass warning flags in favor of muscular prowess, won’t you?”
It took a minute to sink in. “Seriously? You’re going to rely on my opinion of the male side of the species?”
Did they somehow hop through a wormhole without her noticing?
“I’m always willing to give a guy the benefit of the doubt. You tend to assume all men are assholes, with very few exceptions.” Ah well, it was her Skuld after all. “The way I figure it, between the two of us we should be able to identify a candidate who might be worth more than a one and done for me.”
Kaitlyn pinched the bridge of her nose as she worked through Skuld’s logic. “I’m almost afraid to ask, but I will anyway. Why are we looking for a candidate?”
“You came back aboard after the mission on Dysnomia all soft and glowing. Didn’t yell at us much at all for leaving you there without warning. I figure Rygard had a lot to do with your good mood. Hell, it lasted for a solid week. That’s a lot of unwinding he did for you.”
Kaitlyn tipped her head to one side. “It was not all rest and hot sex.”
Skuld grinned. “I bet there was a lot of that though. Only other activity that relieves stress so well for you is beating people up and you don’t do that to crew. The courier run you did on station didn’t include an anticipated body count either. Besides, Cap’n said you made friends with his contact.”
Kaitlyn didn’t look away as Skuld glanced at her sideways. Wouldn’t hurt Skuld to wonder a while longer as to whether there actually had been casualties. Healthier to always assume there might be, actually. As close as they’d grown, Skuld shouldn’t ever forget what Kaitlyn could do, did do, on some of their more serious missions.
There’d been a bar brawl—and a body count, to be honest—from the little adventure on Dysnomia Station. None of it had fallen within the parameters of her original assignment. Still, Dev hadn’t had to cover her tracks with the on-station officials, and she’d saved more lives than she’d snuffed out. She’d lose no sleep over it. In fact, she’d not only managed to refrain from seriously damaging her contact for the delivery, she’d even made friends with Boggle. Bonus. And then there was Rygard.
“Let’s just, see who comes aboard, okay?” Kaitlyn tried for the cautious route. “I’m pretty sure the captain wants me to hang back and stay unobtrusive.”
Eyes widening, Skuld nodded. “Gotcha. We’re going to keep the warm fuzzy off the radar for now.”
Of course, her panther form wouldn’t be what Kaitlyn considered warm and fuzzy. If Skuld tried to call her fluffy next, there might be an issue.
Kaitlyn relaxed, letting her shoulders drop a touch and her hands fall loose at her sides. Skuld might be cheerful and bubbly, and there was a sharp mind behind those pretty blue eyes. She could be trusted not to let important things slip despite her tendency to babble in ways Kaitlyn never would.
