"What was that?"
"If I had to guess, I'd say that was your sexual awakening."
They walked to the river, Dylan leaning against him seemingly unwilling to let go. He was pleasantly dazed with only the slightest hint of embarrassment that Cal easily erased with a kiss and a heartfelt thanks.
"You were amazing," he told Dylan as they stood up to their waists in the water and washed, their hastily cleaned clothes drying on nearby rocks.
"It felt like I was going to shift, but I didn't."
"I felt that too. Sexual energy and shifter energy are tied together. I think because you haven't shifted, the energy found another way to escape."
"Through an orgasm?" Dylan said, as if testing the word in his tongue.
"Exactly so. And you brought me along for the ride."
He'd never come so hard in his life and certainly never with that many clothes on.
"Will that happen again?"
"Many, many times I hope," Cal replied with a grin. It would if he had any say in the matter.
That night they curled up together under the stars. More and more, Cal was seeing hints of Dylan's cat nature. In how he moved, in how he slept. Most especially in how he reacted to Cal's touch. He didn't purr, but he came close.
Cal knew this journey was more than just about Dylan finding his father. It was about Dylan finding himself. Who he was as a Wiccan, as a shifter, as Cal's mate. As a person. He'd buried it all inside him for so long that they were pulling it up piece by piece.
Chapter Twenty Two
It was growing dark two days later as they finished their traveling for the day. They'd just reached the larger of the two rivers they had to cross.
"We should cross tonight," Cal said, standing at the bank and staring across to the other side. "That way, we can light a fire and dry off. Instead of spending tomorrow morning in damp clothes."
Dylan stepped up beside him. "It doesn't look too deep."
"It's not. In fact, over that way, there are stepping stones we can use to cross. But the river is a little deeper there."
"Let's go," Dylan said, heading in the direction he'd pointed.
The last river had been narrower but deeper, the nearest bridge miles out of their way. They'd waded across, the water up to their necks at times. Dylan hadn't enjoyed it, but Cal felt certain he'd never truly believed he was in danger with Cal at his side.
They reached the crossing, and he could see Dylan eyeing the stones uneasily.
"Best to cross in bare feet, you'll have a better purchase on the rocks."
While Cal had no problems traveling barefoot, Dylan had worn shoes most of his life. Cal didn't want to hobble him by encouraging him to go barefoot too soon.
Cal went first, testing each of the stones. Dylan was right behind him. Halfway across, he heard Dylan murmur, "wow," and turned to see him staring upstream. They had a clear view of the path the river had taken down the mountain and in the late evening light, the sun glinted off the water as it wound its way toward them.
"It's beautiful," Dylan said, then made the next jump toward him. Only he mistimed it, and in slow motion, Cal watched as his foot slipped, and he stumbled backward and into the water. Cal dived in after him, grabbing a tight hold of him as the current caught them and dragged them along. It began to ease a little further downstream, and Cal kicked hard to get them both to the surface and swam toward the far bank.
Dylan was coughing and spluttering next to him, one hand holding tight to Cal, the other treading the water trying to help them reach their destination.
They reached the bank, and Cal helped Dylan up before pulling himself up, the two of them lying on the grass, panting.
"A refreshing interlude," Cal joked.
"Let's do that again sometime," Dylan said back.
Between the two of them, they gathered a large pile of firewood and found a sheltered area next to an outcrop of rocks to light a fire.
As Cal got the fire going, Dylan lay their things out to dry on the large, flat rocks.
"Ow," he said suddenly, and Cal's head whipped around.
"What is it? Are you hurt?"
"No, I'm fine. The rocks are hot, from the sun I guess. I just wasn't expecting that."
There was the slightest tremor to Dylan's voice. They were still both wearing water-logged clothes. The fire took hold, and Cal fed more wood into it, listening to the dry crackle.
He went to help Dylan, noticing immediately what he meant about the rocks. They radiated a delicious heat. It gave him an idea, and he found the flattest rock he could, leaving it free from their belongings.
"Dylan," he called, and his mate appeared at his side a moment later.
"While we're waiting for the fire to take, how about we take advantage of the heat from these stones."
Before Dylan could answer, he grasped the hem of his mate's shirt and lifted it off over his head, wringing it out before flinging it over another rock. Pants were next, and then Cal lay Dylan down on the rock.
"Don't worry. It's not hot enough to burn."
Dylan rolled into his side, cuddling into the rock as he watched Cal undress. Cal climbed up behind him, pressing against Dylan's back and wrapping an arm around him.
The warmth from the rock soaked slowly through them as the fire heated the air around them. Dylan shivered again, but it wasn't from the cold.
He pressed back against Cal, seeking closeness, and Cal pulled their bodies tighter together, until they every inch of them was touching.
"There's something I want," Dylan said, his voice a husky whisper.
"What's that?" Cal's whispered back.
"You. In me." Dylan wriggled his hips, closing the gap between them, and Cal's anatomy was very much at attention.
"You're sure?" he asked already knowing the answer.
Dylan turned to lie on his back, blue eyes staring up at him.
Cal's breath caught at the beautiful sight in front of him, tracing Dylan's body with his eyes, then with just the tips of his fingers, starting at Dylan's face, his eyes, his nose, his mouth and moving downward. He felt the bob of Dylan's Adam's apple as he swallowed hard at Cal's touch. Down his chest, skimming across hard nipples, and along the flat plains of his stomach, lean and taut, then down between his legs where Dylan lay hard and ready.
"Are you sure?" he asked again, stroking gently. Dylan's hips jerked as if in answer.
"I'm sure. I know what I want." The 'you' went unspoken.
Dylan rolled onto his side again. "Like this. I want to feel you all around me."
Cal pressed a kiss to his shoulder. "Okay, we'll need something to make this a little easier."
He climbed off the rock and went to his backpack, searching out the little bottle of oil he'd packed.
Returning to Dylan's side, he carefully coated his fingers and pressed against Dylan's back once more, letting his fingers slip between his cheeks. Dylan bent one knee, drawing it up to his chest. He mewled when Cal's finger pressed inside him, one hand grasping tightly to the rock he lay on. A second finger had him gasping Cal's name, head twisting, hand reaching backward seeking him. Cal wrapped his free hand around the top of Dylan's shoulder, holding Dylan's flailing wrist in a tight grip. It worked, his mate calming at his touch, chin rubbing against his arm.
"That's it, Dylan. God, you're amazing, every inch of you." He slipped a third finger in as he spoke, pulling out and pushing back in slowly, over and over, each time drawing a different sound from Dylan's throat. He withdrew his hand, running his fingers along his own hard shaft, then inched forward until he was just pressed against Dylan. Dylan moved, resting his head against the crook of Cal's elbow, his body the picture of readiness.
Cal pushed in with slow thrusts, inching his way into the tight space. Dylan shuddered at the sensation, his mouth closing over Cal's arm and biting down gently.
"You're so tight," he murmured in Dylan's ear, feeling Dylan's body constrict around him.
He waited until Dylan
's body relaxed around him before he moved, pulling out shallowly and thrusting back in with a roll of his hips. Dylan's teeth released him with a gasp of pleasure, growing louder as Cal repeated the motion. His third thrust, harder and firmer as he got into a rhythm, forced a cry from Dylan.
"Fuck, Cal, please don't stop," Dylan begged, erasing the concern from Cal's mind that he'd somehow hurt him.
He resumed his thrusts, reaching down to press kisses to Dylan's shoulder and neck. Dylan moaned, arching his neck and back, and reached one hand back cradle Cal's face.
"Faster," he demanded, and Cal obeyed.
He hit a spot inside Dylan that sent a shudder through his whole body.
"What is that?" his mate wondered out loud, before demanding of him, "do that again."
With a huffed grin, Cal angled himself carefully so that the next thrust hit Dylan's prostate, and the next and the next.
Dylan's cries grew louder and less coherent, both his hands now reaching for Cal as if trying to pull them impossibly closer. Cal wrapped both his arms tight around Dylan, angling them so he was on his back, with gravity pressing Dylan against him. With one hand on Dylan's hips, he gave one last thrust and Dylan came with a cry, Cal right there with him. As before, Dylan's orgasm came on a wave of energy that caught Cal in its wake and pulled them both to new heights of pleasure, their voices rising in sync, reaching a crescendo and falling slowly silent.
Dylan twisted in his arms, Cal slipping from him, and let his head rest against Cal's shoulder, his eyes on Cal's face.
They lay there together as they caught their breath, the crackle of the fire the only sound audible beyond their breathing.
Dylan raised his hand to Cal's chin, dragging his fingers across Cal's lips and cheek.
"You are so fucking sexy," he murmured with a tired grin.
Cal grinned back. "Where did you learn that kind of language?"
"Detective novels," Dylan replied, surprising a laugh from Cal.
"Those must have been some novels," Cal said, feeling his eyes start to drift shut. He roused himself long enough to clean them both off and deposit Dylan on the ground in front of the now blazing fire.
He threw more kindling on to keep it going and settled down against Dylan to sleep.
Chapter Twenty Three
Dylan couldn't take his eyes off Cal as they continued their journey north. It wouldn't have been a problem, only he spent too much time watching his mate and not enough on where he was going. After the third near fall, Cal caught hold of him and kissed him soundly. He pulled away slowly, pressing his forehead to Dylan's.
"I'm not going anywhere, but you need to pay attention to your surroundings, especially if we're going to climb this mountain. It's steep, and it will be hard going."
"I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm like this."
"Love is funny like that. Sneaks up on you, grabs hold and won't let go. Don't think it isn't as hard for me to take my eyes off you. Especially when you're falling head first over your own feet every time I glance over."
Dylan smiled at Cal's words and did his best to give more attention to their path.
"I didn't know love would be so… strong."
Cal slowed to a stop in front of him, glancing back.
"It's the strongest emotion there is after hate. And I'm not truly sure which of the two is more powerful. Especially when you take the love of a parent for their child into consideration. There's not a lot a mother or father wouldn't do."
They continued on in silence for a while before a new worry surfaced.
"Are you sad we won't be parents like Thane and Fionn?"
They were side by side, Cal scanning the forest ahead of them.
"It isn't the be-all and end-all of a relationship. If it wasn't meant to be, then who am I to argue? And yes, maybe a little sad. But that's not your fault." Cal's hand found his, holding on tightly.
They reached the foot of the mountains that night and decided to camp there until morning and make the climb at first light. Dylan was restless, unable to settle even with Cal's calming presence next to him. He turned to see the Alpha was still awake.
"What if we don't find him?"
"Then we put the word out among all the other shifters that we're looking for him, and we look further afield."
Mollified, Dylan settled down again. Minutes later he was sitting back up.
"What if we do find him?"
Cal took him in his arms, settling them both back down on the ground.
"I recommend starting with hello and taking it from there."
"But what if…"
Cal silenced him with a finger across his lips. "Let's worry about things as they happen. Otherwise, we're just wasting energy, energy that could be better spent—" He leaned in and kissed Dylan's neck, "elsewhere."
"Oh." Dylan let his head fall back against the soft earth as Cal's mouth teased along the sensitive skin of his neck. "How do you always know how to do that?" he murmured, moaning softly as Cal sucked gently over his pulse point.
Cal's nose nuzzled just below his ear, and Dylan let his eyes close.
Cal woke him just before dawn.
"I've been scouting the mountain trying to find a good place to ascend. I think it would be easier if we shifted for the first half of the climb. It looks to be easier going once we get past the second ridge up there."
Dylan followed where Cal was pointing. It did look steep, lots of sheer cliffs and shale scattered across the sparse landscape.
"I… I haven't changed since…"
"I know. But I think it's worth a try. You just have to focus, and take it slow."
Nodding, Dylan shed his clothes and knelt on the ground as Cal talked him through a change.
"Try to keep your breathing even and reach down inside you for your shifter energy. You need to catch hold and bring it to the surface."
Dylan tried, but every time he reached for it, it seemed to elude him, pulling just out of reach.
"I can't do it," he said, shoulders slumping.
Cal took off his own clothes and knelt next to him, taking Dylan's hands in his.
"Maybe I can help."
Dylan kept his eyes on Cal as the other man closed his—his focus turned inward. Dylan felt the energy rising within Cal, earthy and ancient. It spilled over onto him, called to him, and he felt the energy inside him rise to meet it.
Cal backed off as his body began to transformation, fear warring with anticipation. And then he was changing, skin and muscles rippling, bones snapping until he was standing on four large paws, his tail swishing behind him.
Cal was standing in front of him, still in his human form.
"That wasn't so hard, was it?"
Dylan tried to reply, but all that came out was a low growl.
Cal packed their belongings into the backpacks. "I'll need to carry these up. You just focus on getting used to moving around on all fours."
While he worked, Dylan paced back and forth, looking up at the path that awaited them. He could feel the power in his own body, the strength in his legs, his jaw, the sharpness of his claws.
He looked back to Cal as he caught the strong scent of bear on the breeze. His mate has shifted, the huge brown bear next to him. He should have felt frightened, but instead he was drawn to Cal's bear, approaching cautiously. Cal lowered his head, his coarse fur brushing against Dylan's.
Then Cal carefully picked up their backpacks by their straps with his mouth and began to climb the mountain. Dylan followed, taking his time finding places his paws could easily get purchase. Cal was right, this was much easier as a tiger that it would ever have been as a human.
They reached the first ridge and stopped there for a few minutes. A glint caught his eye, the early morning sun reflecting in a pool of water left over from the previous day's rain shower. He was drawn to it, partly from thirst and partly from the urge to see what he looked like. Lapping at the water, he then had to wait for it to still again before he saw what he was looking
for. Even though Cal had told him, he was surprised to see the white striped fur that covered his body. Not to mention the bright blue eyes staring back at him. Cal made a noise, drawing Dylan's attention. It was time to get going again.
He was breathing hard by the time he scrabbled over the second ridge. Here the ground flattened, the view of the valley below them breathtaking. Cal shifted back to human form, quickly pulling clothes from one of the packs and dressing.
He then approached Dylan with slow, careful steps, his hands outstretched. Dylan greeted him eagerly, rubbing his cheeks and chin against Cal's body.
Cal said something, but the words were drowned out by the wind. Dylan could guess what it was though; it was time for him to change back.
Becoming human again was easier, and he was as quick as Cal had been to go for his clothes, pulling them on as the wind whipped around him.
"It's getting late. We'll rest up, and camp here for the night. Then tomorrow we'll see if we can find anyone up here."
Cal managed to find them a more sheltered spot to rest, but the ground was rocky and bare, not enough to scrounge up a fire. They curled close together for warmth.
"There's someone here."
Cal's voice was the merest whisper in his ear but enough to wake him from his deep sleep.
In a moment, Cal had pulled away and was shifting, brown fur sprouting across his skin as his form grew larger.
There was someone or something just out of sight beyond the rocky outcrop they were sheltering behind. Cal moved forward to confront them. Dylan suspected whoever or whatever it was would balk at the sight of a huge bear looming over them. But as Cal stepped forward, a loud roar carried through the air. It vibrated through every fiber of his being, and he rushed forward just as he heard Cal's answering growl.
Cal's bear was facing off against a tiger with striped orange fur. Dylan could see the power each shifter held, feel the strength in them. If they fought, they'd tear each other apart. He pushed his way in front of Cal, his mate trying to push him back with one large paw, but he was determined.
Bound by Fate Page 12
