by Sadie Jacks
A male sigh came from the computer. “I apologize, Kiema.” The audible pout had me biting back a laugh. I liked Asher’s brashness. He might not have a filter, but I’d never have to guess where I stood with him.
“Thank you, Asher,” I said without turning around.
“She already recognizes my voice, motherfuckers. Suck it.” Asher let out a whoop of victory.
“Don’t encourage him, Kiema.” It came in surround sound, from the computer and the man holding me.
“We’re running out of geosync time. Let’s get this animal circus on the road,” Xander called. He seemed to be the tech guy of the group.
Ransom set me away from him, a brush of lips against my forehead. He lifted me up onto the countertop before stepping back into the empty space of the trashed living room.
“In case I charge you. You’ll have a little bit of a head start.” His eyes were pinched in the corners, his mouth tight. He was really scared about the possibility of hurting me.
My heart squeezed.
Ransom bounced up and down on his toes a couple of times, leaned his head to either side in a stretch, swung his arms up and around his body like he was getting ready to run a marathon and needed the adrenaline boost.
“First attempt at forced change,” Xander said through the computer.
Ransom nodded. He closed his eyes, his fingers bunched into fists.
Nothing happened.
“What’s going on, Kiema? Is anything happening?” The slower pace told me who the speaker was.
“Not yet, Saint,” I answered quietly, not wanting to interrupt Ransom’s concentration.
“Okay.”
Everyone got quiet and watched. Waited.
Waited.
And waited.
Beads of sweat had broken out over Ransom’s forehead. I hadn’t noticed the temperature rising, but I wasn’t the one in the hot seat.
Then I felt it. The ripple of magic.
“Something’s happening, guys,” I whispered. “I can feel the magic gathering in the room.”
“What does it feel like?” Saint asked. I had to lean down towards the speakers to hear the words clearly.
I cast about for a good analogy. “It feels like someone threw some rocks into a still swimming pool.”
“Check.”
Silence.
After about ten minutes, the eddying magic vanished as if it had never been there. Ransom stumbled forward.
“Ransom!” I launched myself from the countertop. I caught him right before he hit the floor.
Right before he turned to a gargantuan lion in my arms.
Chapter 34 – Ransom
Her scent filled my nose. Berries and amber. It was so thick it coated my tongue. Her scent was almost as delicious as her taste.
Shouting from the computer warned her away from me. Must have managed the change. I felt like day-old ass, so I probably had shifted. Opening my eyes, I came face to face with the woman who’d stolen my heart.
I could see tiny flecks of blue in her pale gray eyes. Something I’d never noticed as a human. I nuzzled my nose into the space between her neck and shoulder. I could fucking live drenched in this woman.
Her small hands ran through my fur. I just hoped to Gaia that I wasn’t that awful collection of animals like the first time. I’d been focusing on the lion alone.
Pulling back from Kiema’s neck, I looked down at my paws. Weird, how easy I was with being part animal. Like finding comfort and belonging I’d been missing my entire life. I hadn’t even known to wish for something like this. Hadn’t known it was possible.
“Ransom, you’re hurting Kiema. Up and off her, man,” Saint’s voice rushed through my head.
I backed up immediately. Sitting back on my haunches, I saw that Saint had been correct. Her ankle was twisted at an obscene angle. I growled my apology.
“I know, Ransom. I’ll be okay.” I bumped my nose against her outstretched hand. Licked her palm.
“Can you come closer to the camera, Ransom? We need to get some full shots of you for Atlas.” Saint called through the computer.
I huffed, but got up and paraded in front of the lens for the guys on the other end of the line.
“We’re going to be talking to him through our implants, Kiema. Give us a couple of minutes,” Saint called.
“Okay. I’m going to try to get some ice for my ankle.”
I snarled as she winced. I padded over. Putting my head under her hand, I helped her get to her feet. Even standing, I was huge. My head was on level with her shoulders. She leaned against me as we slowly made our way to the refrigerator.
I stayed while she got some ice and then helped her back to the living room floor.
“She okay?” Asher asked in my mind. His voice much gentler than usual.
“I think she’ll be fine. Once we get out of here, we’ll be able to get her to Atlas.”
“Good.”
“First item of note: you’re fully lion. No other animals in the mix.”
“Thank fuck,” I said.
“Damn right.” Saint cleared his throat. “Now, the first change took fourteen minutes and twenty-seven seconds from initiation to completion. I stopped the clock as soon as you became a lion. It was almost four minutes for you to respond to my call about hurting Kiema,” Saint informed me. The man loved his numbers.
“Kiema told us about the magic gathering at two minutes, fifty-five seconds. I tagged it on the screen capture for later diagnostics. I wanted to be sure we had a firm marker for any magical activity from a non-biased third-party observer,” Xander added.
“I’m not sure Kiema counts as non-biased,” I said.
“I meant for my team. We’re going to put the image through all kinds of testing,” Xander said. He sounded very excited about the prospect.
“How do you feel?” Saint asked.
“Like I could sleep for a year. I want a steak as big as an elephant and an ocean’s worth of water.”
“Any muscle soreness?”
“Atlas give you these questions?” I asked with a grin.
“He sure did. Answer.”
“No. Physically, I feel fan-fucking-tastic. I’m just tired as fuck.”
“Changes in any of your senses?”
“Vision and smell are leaps and bounds over high definition. Touch…I would say a little higher than human, but that’s big picture. I don’t know if I could explain the difference in a way that would make sense. Taste…I haven’t tried it. Hang on.”
I moved to the remains of my meal. Lifting my front paws up on the kitchen island, I cleaned my plate of pork steak and veggies in a couple of bites.
“I’d say my tastes are heightened. The spices and sauces make me want to vomit. They were pretty tasty as a human.” I knocked over my water glass and lapped up the resulting spill from the counter and floor.
“Ransom.” Kiema whined at me from her spot on the floor.
I snorted at her.
“He says he doesn’t have any hands, so he’s making do in his new body,” Saint answered for me through the computer.
She sighed.
“Ready to turn back?” Saint asked through the computer for Kiema’s sake.
“I can try. I’m still exhausted, but I’ll give it my best shot.”
Saint delivered his message to Kiema.
“First forced attempt at recovery shift,” Xander announced.
Kiema scooted back from me just a little.
I want to be human. I focused on the thought, made it my mantra. After what felt like forever of nothing happening, I changed it.
I want to be human so I can be with Kiema.
Pain ripped through me in a burst of agony and pleasure.
“Fuck if you’re not the key to all of this,” I said right before I passed out.
Chapter 35 – Kiema
“Kiema, honey, I need you to check his vitals,” Saint said.
I nodded before crawling over to the fully naked man. H
is dark blond hair covered his face. “His coat is the same color as his head hair. His mane the color of his pubic hair.”
“I’ll make a note of it. Can you give me his pulse?”
“I don’t have a watch, and can’t see a clock.”
“I’ll run a timer. Ready?”
I nodded.
“55 beats per minute. Is that good?”
“That’s fucking amazing, Ki-Ki. Before, he was running around ninety, ninety-five at rest,” Asher rushed to answer.
“Is he running a temp?”
I laid the inside of my wrist against his forehead. “Maybe a little one. He feels slightly warm to the touch. But dry, there’s no sweat or dampness.”
“Good, honey. You’re doing great. Open his eyes for me. Do his pupils look normal?”
I checked. “They seem a little bigger than normal, but I wouldn’t say they look abnormal. Does that make sense?”
“Sure does. He was saying his vision and smell were off the charts. It would make sense his human eye had to change to accommodate the increase in acuity.”
“You sound like a doctor.” I smiled back at the camera.
“Atlas is on the line, honey. I’m just using his words.
“Oh. Hi Atlas. And Tar…I don’t know how to pronounce his name. Sorry.”
“It’s Taryk, like Derek.”
“Thanks, Saint. Hi Taryk.”
“They both say hello, Ki-Ki.” Asher winked at me. “Atlas wants to know if Ransom’s nose is cold.”
I felt my face screw up in confusion. “Um, okay.” I felt his nose. “Nope. Just feels like a normal nose to me.”
The guys started snickering. I looked over at the computer, glared. “Did he really ask that?”
“He did, but he was joking. It was his first joke, cut him some slack,” Xander said.
I chuckled as movement started out of the corner of her eye. “Um, guys? I think something is wrong with Ransom.” His body broke out in goosebumps as his muscles began to twitch heavily.
“Is he having a seizure? Does he have seizures?” I could hear the fear in my voice.
“Roll him onto his side, honey,” Saint ordered, his voice calm. “And we need to get him some blankets.”
“Shit, shit, shit.” I got him rolled over. There was nothing to cover him with in the living room. I wasn’t strong enough to rip the fabric off the destroyed couch. It would take way too long to crawl to my room and then I didn’t know how I was going to get the blankets back to him.
“You can do it, Kiema. Slow and easy. He’ll be fine until you get back,” Saint said.
“You don’t know that, Saint. This has never happened before.” I slammed my hands down on the floor. “I’ll save him for you, you guys. Don’t worry.” I crawled to the island, scrabbled my way into a standing position.
“Do not put weight on that hurt foot, Kiema,” Saint said, authority ringing in his tone.
I shivered at the sting of command in his voice. “I won’t put more on it than I have to, Saint. But thanks for looking out.”
“Damn it.”
I turned and started hopping to Ransom’s room. It was a lot closer than my own.
“She shut you down cold, bro,” Asher said.
“I’ll let you order me around next time, Saint. I promise,” I called over my shoulder.
Gasps and inhales filtered from the screen.
Shit, what had I just gotten myself into?
“Um, I don’t…I didn’t…” How does one apologize for saying what she wants, but saying it at the wrong time?
“I understand, honey. Just be careful,” Saint said, bailing me out of my own idiocy.
“Damn, girl, your ass looks good when you jump,” Asher called after me.
“Thank you, Asher. You know how to make an injured girl feel good about herself.”
“Damn straight, baby.”
I smiled. I finally made it to Ransom’s door. Using my override code, I let myself into the room. I jerked back in shock, almost dropping to my ass.
The man was a slob of epic proportions. Shredded clothes dotted every available surface like his suitcase had blown up. It took me a couple moments to even find the blankets that had been on his bed in all the mess.
Gathering up the duvet and two large bath towels, I hopped and hobbled my way back out to the living room.
My last hop had me landing on the shivering, twitching man. He groaned under the assault.
“That’s one way to make sure he’s still alive, Ki-Ki,” Asher said with a chuckle.
I glared at him over my shoulder. “Not the time, Asher.”
He winced. “Sorry.”
He looked so sad.
Ransom groaned again, pulling my attention before I could comfort the other man. “Ransom? Ransom, can you hear me?”
“’etof.”
“He’s trying to speak, you guys.” I moved off his chest and leaned down to put my ear by his mouth. “What did you say, Ransom?”
“’et off.”
I fell back laughing. I laughed so hard tears gathered in my eyes. Soon, I was balling my eyes out. Male voices crooned from the computer. I couldn’t understand anything they were all saying, but I understood well enough.
Ransom’s arm moved slowly, as if it was weighed down with an anchor. His hand found my thigh and rubbed.
I smiled, tears still streaming down my face.
“Blankets, Kiema. He still needs the blankets,” Saint said, his voice low, almost purring.
I nodded, embarrassed by my emotionality. I straightened the towels over his body, one over his top half, the other over the bottom.
I might, or might not, have wiped my dripping nose on the towels before covering him with the duvet.
Crawling around him, I tucked the blankets under his body.
“Get under the blanket with him, honey. Atlas said it will help keep him warm,” Saint said.
I was exhausted, but I crawled around to Ransom’s front and slid under the blankets with him. Wrapping the blankets around my front, I scooted back against Ransom as tight as I dared.
I fell asleep as his body settled against mine.
Chapter 36 – Ransom
Gaia, my body hurt. I felt like I’d been run over by a fucking semi. I stretched and became aware of the warm body cradled next to my own.
My cock shot to full alert as she wiggled her ass back against me, a low irritated moan rumbling through her chest. Running my hands over her hot little body, I wished I had the strength to do more than just feel her.
“Mm.”
I felt the moment she woke. Her body stilled as if assessing her surroundings. Once she realized where she was, she sank into my body like she’d melted. This time when her ass pushed against my cock, she reached back and grabbed my ass, pulling me tighter into her body.
I groaned. “Ki.”
“Let me take care of you.” She rolled over in my arms. Pushing the blanket and towels off my body, she gently rolled me to my back.
I felt like my body was about to explode, in both good and bad ways. Drawing in a shaky breath, it caught in my chest when she rose above me like a goddess. Her honey skin dark gold in the morning light.
Taking her shirt off, she plumped her breasts for me. She lifted her breasts from her bra, like an offering to some forgotten god. With my help, she got her pants off. I’d forgotten about her ankle until she winced as the fabric caught on the joint.
“Ki. No. We can wait.”
“Maybe you can, besides, it doesn’t hurt as bad now. I’ve been waiting to take you in my mouth again since the first time.” She threw the pants across the room as she crawled down my body. “I’ll do all the work, Ransom. I’ll take care of everything.” She kissed my abs, nibbled on my belly. Ran her nose through the light brown hair that began under my belly button and continued in a narrow path towards my cock.
“Ki.” Her name was a sigh.
The fast spark of teeth against my hip bone had me jerking my hi
ps. I growled, low in my throat.
Tangling my hands in her hair, I felt her run her tongue from base to tip. She blew a cool stream of air across the wet trail, making my skin pebble in delight.
“Oh, fuck.”
Her snicker was dark and sexy. Her tongue explored all of me. The thin skin over my hip bone. Head of my cock. The silky vein under my shaft. The rougher skin of my scrotum. The too sensitive perineum. She shocked me when she delved towards my ass. A quick lick, a soft nibble, and she was moving back up my quivering body.
“Inside you, baby. I need to be inside you.” All I could do was beg.
“When I’m ready.”
I grit my teeth at the tease.
She loved my cock, worshipped my balls. Holding me at the edge of release for what felt like an eternity, she didn’t leave one inch of my sex untouched. Gagging a little, she even took me to the back of her throat.
Thank Gaia I didn’t embarrass myself this time.
Just as I was about to explode, she dropped me from her mouth. Her lips began an expedition up my body. My heart rate returned to normal, my body still rock hard with the need to claim her.
“Ki.” I growled it this time. I was almost done playing.
She must have understood, because as she bit my left nipple, she grasped my cock in her hands. Guiding it to her entrance, she sat up as she thrust down on me. In one swift slide, I was seated fully inside her.
Circling her hips, she rubbed her clit against the base of my cock. Her breath began gasping, her chest heaving. Without any direction from me, she reached up and pinched and rolled her own nipples.
Yanking and tugging on them far harder than I’d ever attempted, her core liquified as pain and pleasure coalesced in her tight body. “Rans-Ransom,” she begged me, her light eyes pleading me for help.
Summoning my strength, I bent my knees, giving her a ledge to lean on. As I shifted inside her, a rise of color filled her cheeks. “Up and down, baby. Use your knees and hips.”
Anchoring the top of her body away from mine, she began a jerking up and down motion. It was too shallow, rubbing almost exclusively against the head of my cock.
