Cat's Pajamas, page 1
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
About This Book
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
Chapter 16
Excerpt from Cat’s Cradle
About Arsenic in the Azaleas
Author’s Note
About the Author
Copyright Page
About This Book
The future—where protocols must never be broken—is a very dangerous place indeed…
To save herself and her new lover, Lani Summerland agrees to marry Liev Blackburn. If not for the fact that the two of them are pawns in a game with no rule book, this might be a good thing for both of them.
Liev can’t believe how lucky he is. But someone is after Lani, and, until he finds out who that is, there can be no honeymoon bliss.
Lani is targeted with not a clue what the stalker wants. The bodies begin piling up behind them. Luckily, they’re not alone in their fight for survival. Lani’s talking, super-intelligent cat, Charming Marvin, intends to save the day and his mistress so he can get back to his own chosen bliss—a much-needed cat nap.
Books in This Series:
Cat’s Meow
Cat’s Pajamas
Cat’s Cradle
Cat’s Claus
Broken Protocols 1-4
Sign up to be notified of all Dale’s releases here!
Protocol 2:3:5. You will in no way use force to damage the life of another—particularly if those actions are to selfishly enhance your own.
Chapter 1
Married? To Liev Blackburn? Just like that? Lani Summerland’s sense of humor kicked in. How typical of her crazy life. She couldn’t find a man on her own in her twenty-first-century world, but was already married after a couple days in the twenty-third century. That was some matchmaking trick.
And not by choice.
Well, technically that wasn’t true. The marriage part was by choice. At least it seemed like a great idea at the time. All of five minutes ago.
Lani Summerland stared suspiciously at the odd-looking adornment on her finger. It looked like a ring. It didn’t feel like one. In fact, it had almost no weight to it at all. And, given the size of the deep purple rock on top, she thought she’d have noticed. Even the metal was soft, comfortable to wear.
She held her fingers splayed wide and shifted her hand in the age-old movement of women ever since rings were invented.
“Is it all right?” Liev Blackburn, her new husband, and yet still a stranger in many ways, stepped a little closer to her. The clear glass cube, or what stood in for an elevator of this time period was almost normal—but there was no way she’d become accustomed to it as it disappeared into thin air when they arrived at their destination. Not to mention it didn’t follow normal pathways or tracks. In fact, it went where it was ordered to go by an invisible technology all its own.
She flashed him a quick grin. “Sure. I’m just not used to wearing big rocks that appear to be made of nothing or that adjust automatically to any size.”
“It’s the new alloys,” Milo, Liev’s brainy younger brother, piped up. “Gold fell from grace when the shortage came about ninety years ago. This was the answer. It’s no different than the clothing you are wearing. It adjusts naturally to the size of the wearer.”
Well, that explained the perfect fitting clothing she wore that never constrained or tugged at her or pinched her skin. Amazing. “And the supersize rocks?” she asked, playing with the rock to make it twinkle in the light.
“Most are synthetic.” Milo judged his brother in a joking manner. “But not this one.”
She frowned, pretty sure that the rocks in her day came in a synthetic variation as well. But they still had weight.
Then she had no time to wonder as they arrived at their destination. Her heart beat faster as she realized this was it. “Now remember. Just smile,” Liev said. “Hold out your arm when requested to do so, but don’t say a word unless asked a question.” He shoved his arm outward to demonstrate.
She imitated his actions.
With a nod, he said, “If anyone asks where you’re from, tell them you’re from Felonia, and you arrived a couple days ago.”
“Felonia,” she repeated dutifully, dread congealing into a nasty ball in her stomach at the thought of anyone speaking to her. “Are you sure I can’t just go home?” And back to Charming Marvin, who was even now resting in the pod at Liev’s place.
“I wish you could. But, after this, no one will question your presence or your absence in the future.” Liev wrapped an arm around her shoulder and led her forward. From all appearances, he looked like the doting new bridegroom. She shivered inwardly at the remembered passion they’d shared. Now if only they could head off on a romantic honeymoon.
But apparently not. She managed a warm glowing smile. He was her lifeline right now. And had quickly become the love of her life.
And, for that, she’d even put up with his brother Milo. Whom she had yet to forgive for dragging her into this century. Using an amazingly advanced computer program, he’d gone back in time, snatched her up, and brought her here as a gift for his brother, Liev.
Talk about a mind-bender.
That he’d also brought Charming and had accidentally enhanced his communication abilities, which were originally intended for her, was beyond anything she could have imagined.
The cube disappeared, and Liev, his arm still wrapped around her, led her forward into a large room with a clerk standing at the ready. “Good morning. Lani Summerland Blackburn,” Liev said, “Liev Blackburn, and Milo Blackburn reporting in as requested.”
The clerk frowned. “Only your presence was requested. Not your brother.” He glanced up, saw Lani, and his frown deepened. “Not your girlfriend.”
Lani straightened in outrage. Liev squeezed her shoulders. “My wife and brother are here because everyone living in my house was requested to attend.”
“Wife?” Now the clerk’s frown deepened. He clicked madly away on his weird tablet computer. Lani couldn’t help but be fascinated as the lights flashed and pages shifted in a wildly erratic pattern she suspected was anything but erratic. She’d always loved computers. She hoped that she’d learn how these worked soon.
“Why do I have no record of that? I should have been notified.” His voice rose slightly.
Control freak much? Lani eased out a shaky breath, trying to appear natural. As if showing up before a futuristic Council to answer for something she had nothing to do with was completely normal. She’d wanted to bring Charming with her for comfort, but both brothers had shot down that idea instantly.
Charming hadn’t liked the idea much either. “Nope, this is a human thing. I’m going to do the cat thing and sleep the time away. Have fun though and ta ta till later.” And he’d walked away from them, head held high, his tail straight in the air and the tip flicking in their direction.
Even now she wanted to go back and hug him. He was her only link to her old life. Then he’d always been special to her. The two of them only had each other for years. Now it seemed their family had unexpectedly grown.
The clerk finally looked up and studied her. Whatever he saw made his lips curl. “Don’t tell me. She’s from the outer areas. From a fringe group.”
Cutting words bubbled up on Lani’s tongue, but she bit them back. She had no idea what the outer areas meant, but she didn’t deserve to be treated as a lesser person because of it.
Liev nodded comfortably. “She is.”
The clerk rolled his eyes. “Whatever. I’ll put her down.”
Liev nodded his thanks politely and led Lani into a huge chamber room where the ceiling appeared so high up she couldn’t see the top. “Wait here. I shouldn’t be long.”
She reacted instinctively, reaching out to grab his hand. “Are you sure you can’t sit here beside me?”
He leaned over and dropped a kiss on her forehead. “You’ll be fine.” He looked up and nodded his head at someone. “Here’s my lawyer. Hahn Driscoll.”
Lani turned as the stranger approached. He wore a uniquely tailored suit in glowing blue patterns. The styles might not have changed a lot, but the colors of today sure had. She smiled a polite greeting and shook his hand, charmed at the old-style greeting.
“Liev. Are you ready?”
Liev nodded. “I was just settling Lani here, where she’d be comfortable.”
Hahn smiled at her, and damn if one of his teeth didn’t wink out at her in the same color as his suit. Wow. Tooth jewelry. Her gaze widened, and her breath caught in the back of her throat. It was all she could do to not say something. Instead, she turned to look around her to see the room filling up. Several people took seats. She decided the best thing was to do the same. She watched one man sit down on a black pole that instantly widened to accommodate his butt.
Taking a deep breath, she promptly sat down on the closest pole, her breath whooshing out when it opened successfully into a seat to support her butt. Thank heavens. She took a shaky breath and smiled up at the brothers. “Go on. I’ll be fine.”
Milo gave her a weird finger salute she guesstimated meant something similar to Right on and turned and bounced forwa rd. He’d certainly dressed up for the occasion, wearing a black-and-white striped skin suit. She shuddered at the jailbird look. It didn’t matter how long she lived here; she would never wear a skin suit like that.
As if understanding her thoughts, Liev bent over and whispered, “You’d look better in that than he does.” He kissed her cheek, winked at her, and walked away.
The lawyer, thankfully not sporting painted-on skin pants, waited a few steps ahead for Liev to catch up. Heads bent deep in discussion, they strode out of the room.
And left her alone.
Leaving Lani in the waiting room was one of the hardest things Liev had ever done. She knew no one, knew nothing about the world she found herself in, or the pitfalls that awaited her every time she opened her mouth to speak. But he had no choice. He quickened his pace to catch up to Milo, who was strolling on ahead. His brother’s flagrant disregard for the rules had put them in this situation. Only Liev had compounded the situation by using his friend’s healing pod to help repair the damage done to Lani and Charming from time-traveling.
Liev could only hope that his friend’s attempt to destroy the pod Liev had used to heal Lani in would make today’s Council visit more of a maintenance checkup than an actual investigation. He’d had his lawyer meet them here just in case, but Liev hadn’t had time to brief Hahn.
The legal fees that his company paid to keep Hahn’s law firm available for times like this were exorbitant. As they were checked at the door and led into a smaller chamber, Liev spotted his old friend Stephen Cavendish on the Council dais. Relief swelled inside Liev. This might have started as a witch hunt, but it wouldn’t end up that way. Stephen, young, only a junior Council member, was on Liev’s side when it came to government meddling. And played the game well.
Liev smiled at his friend, relaxing even more when Stephen winked at him. This would be just fine.
Stephen opened the discussion. “I hear congratulations are in order, Liev?”
Liev beamed. “They are, indeed.”
Milo bobbed at his side, his headset in his ear. He rarely spoke at these meetings. Probably just as well. What came out of his mouth usually didn’t bode well for Liev or Milo.
In a genial let’s-get-this-over-with-so-I-can-get-back-to-my-honeymoon tone of voice, Liev asked, “What is the problem that you needed to disturb me during my time of celebration?” He kept his face curious but amiable—at least he hoped it was. One sign of fear and these vultures would pounce.
“It’s your friend Johan Strand,” said one of the senior Council members. “He’s wanted by the Council. When his request to appear was ignored, a team was sent to retrieve him. Unfortunately he’d set up some self-detonation on several of his equipment centers. Suspicious behavior at best.” Some of the Council members nodded. “As your residence is known to be associated with him, we requested everyone there to appear here for questioning.”
That’s not quite the way Liev understood events to have gone down, but it wouldn’t be the first time that the Council had twisted things to suit themselves. “First, Johan is an acquaintance, not a friend,” Liev said in a what-has-this-got-to-do-with-me voice. “Second, I don’t know anything about his equipment. Nor do I know where he is, if that is what you are looking to me for answers about.” He stood tall and straight. “And my wife knows even less.”
The Council stared at him. Even Stephen. Then again, Liev had always been good at playing the Council game.
Liev waited patiently. Ever since Milo had gotten them in hot water a year ago, whenever the Council wanted a question answered or needed to collect information, Liev and Milo were dragged down to appear in person. As if they couldn’t lie or cheat their way through these sessions in person, like they might through a HoloKomp. He suspected that the Council ran illegal scans on every person who entered these rooms. Hence the reason for keeping Lani out. She might not pass the scans.
He needed the Council to find nothing wrong for a few more months. Then he would start asking them to back off before he involved the lawyers at a more in-depth level. As it was, today was one step from harassment. And Hahn had brought that up more than once. But Liev needed to keep a low profile while Lani settled in. No one could take a closer look at her right now.
He couldn’t imagine the shock of what she’d been put through. He didn’t think he’d have handled it half as well as she had if he’d been in the same situation. In fact, he knew he wouldn’t. He looked around, seeing Milo and his lawyer, … his extended family only a call away. He’d lose everything familiar and dear.
Just like Lani had.
For the first time, he had a little insight into all that she’d lost.
And how little he could do to make up for it. He’d done his best to protect her, but he could never replace everything.
“Liev?” Hahn nudged him. With a startled look at his old friend, he realized the Council was talking.
“We need to know any information,” the elder Councilman, Carlson, said in a tone that demanded obedience. “Any names or locations that you may have heard Johan mention to track him down.”
Liev frowned while he stopped to consider the request. “In truth, I’m not sure I ever heard him mention anyone or anyplace in particular. He was notorious for his parties, and serious talk didn’t happen then, nor were any partygoers willing to engage in serious talk either.”
“And yet, he mentioned the two of you going out for coffee after your last appearance here.”
Liev’s eyebrows shot up at the reminder. However, he answered smoothly, “He did invite me, but the coffee never happened. He wanted to see his lawyers instead, so he asked for a rain check.”
That, at least, was the truth. He suspected the Council members already knew what he’d done that day. A drone would have noted his and Johan’s actions at the time and would have promptly submitted a report on both men, to be filed away for future reference.
The Council muttered among themselves for a long moment. “Your answers have been recorded. Should you have any further information to offer regarding the issue, please contact the office.”
A different Council member spoke. “We notice that Milo has not added anything to the conversation.”
Liev shrugged. “He has nothing to say. He had nothing to do with Johan.”
“Not one of the regular partygoers?” Eyebrows shot sky-high, and amused twitters rippled through the Council members.
Milo was an anomaly to them. He lived in his own world and wouldn’t have attended one of Johan’s parties if Milo’s life had depended on it. Milo’s parties were always private with his other geek friends. Liev highly suspected they played more computer games than sex games when they were together. Milo’s whole group was more active sexually in VR than in real life.
But that might also be his age or his perspective on other people. Milo was light-years ahead of others. While normal people looked into their coffee cups, wondering at the pretty pattern the cream made as it was poured, Milo had already analyzed its composition, calories, health detriments, and health benefits for everyone in the damn room, as well as who could tolerate that level of fat and who should be running in the opposite direction.
No one was like his brother.
Councilman Carlson said, “And the other occupant in your residence?”
“My wife, Lani?” Liev hated the way Carlson spoke about Lani. “You know her name is Lani. She isn’t an occupant.” She was so much more, but in their arrogance, they tried to dehumanize her that way.
“Is she here?” The speaker ignored Liev’s comment, choosing instead to stare at him in a cold manner.
“She is waiting in the outer chamber.” Liev curled his upper lip, his tone even but hard. “I speak on her behalf. All documents have been filed as per protocol.”
After a moment where the men clicked away on their comps to verify his statement, the men nodded. Stephen smiled at Liev as they were dismissed.
Liev promptly turned and silently let his breath whoosh out. So they’d skated by safely again.
But for how much longer?
He pushed Milo ahead of him as they walked out. Now to collect Lani and get her home, safe and sound.
As he walked back into the anteroom, she no longer sat where he’d left her.
