by Angela Foxxe
“Shit!”
That was all her gear, gun, sleeping bag, extra food. I’m dead if we don’t get there. Carver leaped past her onto the rocks, his paws scraping for traction as he hit. He made it, though. The wolf took a tentative step and then headed for the other side. One thing she was certain of, she couldn’t stay here. Any second a bullet would hit her in the back. Not wanting to risk her bow she pulled it over her head. Turning around to go feet first she knelt down and dropped her legs over the side.
A cloud passed in front of the sun and she could make out Scarface. He was close, only seven hundred feet away now, he raised his rifle. She dropped. The bullet sparked off the stone where her head had been a moment before.
She hit the ground hard. Her arms pinwheeled as she fell backwards scrambling for traction. She couldn’t find purchase as she felt herself sliding over the edge. Kirk jumped out of her jacket as she went over. At the last second her fingers found a ledge and she grabbed it. Everything stopped. She hung off the stone bridge by one arm. Kirk’s little fur-covered face above her, and a nearly two hundred foot drop to the icy water, below her.
“Okay, you can do this,” she grunted as she swung her hand over to find a hold. Something jutted out she couldn’t see, but she felt it. Her fingers wrapped around it and she didn’t let go. Sweat beaded in her hair and temples. Her arms ached from the strain of holding her up. With nothing to push off of with her feet, she had to rely entirely on upper body strength to get to the top. Inch by gruelling inch, she pulled herself up. Each second that passed she knew brought death that much closer.
Finally, she was up high enough to put her whole arm over the top, and one foot grabbed hold of the bridge itself. With one last heave she rolled on to the flat surface, her bow digging painfully in her back. Heaving, but unable to rest, she dragged herself up. The narrow rocky bridge wasn’t meant to be walked on. Only inches wide in the middle, it stretched across the ravine like a horizontal stalagmite.
Kirk trotted away, deftly walking on the ridge seemingly unaware that he could fall. Monique followed after him. Her boots fought for traction with each step. The closer to the middle she got, the less surface area she had to walk on. Carver was already on the far bank, waiting for them. She dare not take her eyes off the stone lest she fall, and she didn’t think her arms had it in them to pull her up again.
She tried to stifle the terror she felt, to push past the thought of the cold death that waited for her below. She wanted to scream, to cry, to curl up in a little ball and forget this was happening. But she couldn’t. Years of living just to survive ingrained in her a desperate need to soldier on. And even though she felt she could have more to live for now, that urgent need to survive wouldn’t simply go away.
The center of the bridge loomed. She knelt down to cross it on all fours. Sliding her weight along without breaking contact with the ground let her cross without falling. Behind her, she heard the sound of a bolt being cycled. Brass clinked off the stone.
“That’s far enough lady.”
Without moving her body, she turned her head. Fifty feet behind her, and on the ridge, stood Scarface, his rifle pointed right at her.
*
“Bring me the pup and I’ll let you live,” the Scarface man behind her growled. Kirk hid, just inches from her. Carver couldn’t reach them without being shot. It was all on Monique. If she relaxed her legs, even a bit, she would slip and fall. All that held her to the thin piece of stone was her thigh muscles. She looked down again. The river wound down the ravine below them. It wasn’t deep though, if she fell from this height she would hit the bottom with enough force to kill her.
“I’ve no problem shooting a woman. You’d be the second this week.” He laughed.
Her eyes shot up to Carver. Even at this distance, she could see the sorrow fill his yellow eyes. Why didn’t he say anything? A wave of guilt swept through her. After all, she practically seduced him. And he was still mourning his wife.
No, she said to herself. There was only one thing to do.
“Kirk, come here boy,” she made little kissing noises with her lips. Carver jumped up, but Scarface shot off a round at him, forcing him back into cover. Kirk trotted to her, his little face trusting of her.
She pushed back the guilt she felt for what she was about to do. The hunter left her no choice though.
“You want him...” she held him up above her head before stuffing him inside her jacket. “Come get him,” she looked to Carver, smiled, and let herself fall off the bridge.
“No!” Scarface screamed as she fell.
The wind rushed past her face. She curled up into a ball, hoping that when she hit, her body would at least protect Kirk and let him live. Accepting her fate she closed her eyes. Air flowed around her, she felt at peace, and strangely light as she rushed through the air.
A long moment passed and nothing happened. She didn’t impact with the ground, there was no sharp, watery death. Afraid to open her eyes lest she do it a mere second before she hit the ground, she squeezed them even tighter. She could still feel Kirk in her arms, the wind rushing by her. The sound of the river faded below her. She opened her eyes.
The water rushed by underneath her. But not toward her.
“What,” she said, startled. Words didn’t reach her ears. The sharp cry of a hawk drowned her out. Air rushed around her. She looked left and right. Her body was gone, white feathery wings with brown tops were to her sides. Where she had feet, she now had talons, which held Kirk tightly by the scruff. She screamed.
The hawks piercing cry filled the canyon. I’m a hawk... this is a delusion, the kind you get before you die. Instinctively, she beat her wings. An updraft caught her and she rode it above the canyon. Leaning to the left, she banked to the east and felt her body respond. A sharp crack echoed up. She looked down at the source. She could see Scarface in brilliant detail. Even though he was hundreds of feet away. Another crack. He’s shooting at me!
She tucked her wings in and dove for the ground. Carver ran below her, almost in slow motion compared to her. She passed above him, her wings folded and her beak pointed at the tree line to the south. Without thinking she spread her wings wide. The air caught her feathers. The wind break brought her to a stop and she dropped to the ground. No longer a hawk, but a woman. She cradled Kirk in her arms. The cold wind sliced through her naked body.
Everything felt different. The wind felt like home to her, it pulled at her to go up. To soar among the clouds. Kirk yipped as Carver came to a halt. He licked his son before turning his yellow eyes on Monique.
“What happened?” she said, still breathing heavy from her flight.
The wolf didn’t answer.
The sun sank below the mountain to the west, and they were out of time. With no other options she headed for the cabin. Naked and freezing, she made her way across the rocky ground, step by step.
Crossing the ravine shaved hours off their trip. Despite the dropping temperature, Monique managed to keep walking. She knew the cabin couldn’t be far. Her hands shook with each step. The numbing cold spread in from her extremities. Her teeth clattered and she couldn’t make them stop. I’m going to die out here. Carver growled ahead of her. She couldn’t focus on him, everything seemed hazy and indistinct. Warm fur pressed against her legs, she hadn’t realized she’d stopped moving. He pushed until she put one foot in front of the other.
The darkness enveloped her. Without a moon, the night seemed black and forbearing. Every few seconds Carver would stop and push her, she couldn’t feel her feet. She stumbled, and tried to reach out to right herself. Her face slammed into wood with a jolt.
The cabin. Get in.
The ranger's cabin opened before her. She knew she needed to get warm, but she couldn’t make her body respond. A blanket-less bed stood empty in the corner. The fire was unlit. She managed to stumble to the bed before she collapsed. Carver hopped up with her, carrying Kirk by the scruff of the neck. His body generated a tremendous amount of
heat. The wolf draped his body on hers, resting his head on her neck. Weakly, she reached out to him to hold his fur in her hands.
“Good boy,” she murmured before darkness claimed her.
CHAPTER SIX
The sky flew by above her. Clouds so close she could reach out and touch them. She looked down to the ground, it moved in a blur beneath. Other birds chased her, but none could catch her. She was pure speed. Her piercing cry filled the sky. Up in the heavens, Monique felt invincible. She closed her eyes and let the wind ruffle her feathers. When she opened them the sky was gone, and she smelled bacon.
“You’re awake! I was starting to worry,” Carver said from behind her.
Monique pulled the warm blanket up to her chin. Did she have to move?
“I’ve got breakfast here for you if you’re hungry.” Okay, she did have to move. Her stomach threatened open revolt if she didn’t. Wrapped in the blanket, she was still naked underneath, she moved to the small card table that served as the cabin’s dining table. Carver laid out a plate with eggs, bacon, bread, and cheese, along with orange juice.
“Where did you find all this?” She asked as she took a bite of the bacon. Her mouth watered from the taste.
“They have a freezer out back that runs off solar power; everything we need was in it.” He smiled as she ate. She couldn’t help but notice something in his eyes. Suddenly, she felt very under-dressed as he gazed at her. The memory of their passion sent little shock waves on her skin, and made her moist in all the right places. But there was something else in his gaze, something reverent.
“What?” she said finally after a long drink of juice.
“Do you remember?”
Of course she remembered. She could hardly forget falling to her death only to be saved by shifting into a hawk.
“Yes, but I’m not sure what happened. It’s like a dream, or a memory of a dream. Did I really turn into…?”
“A hawk?” he finished for her.
Kirk licked her ankles. She reached down to pick him up, feeding him bits of bacon off her plate as she worked on the eggs.
“Yeah, I did, didn’t I? Did you do that to me when we...”
“No. Even if I wanted to I couldn’t make you a wolf, let alone a hawk. Up until yesterday I thought us wolves were it. We...” he paused. She could tell he wanted to say something more, but he was holding back. She finished her breakfast in silence. Interrupted only by Kirk whining for food. She gladly shared her bacon with the little pup. She needed Carver to trust her, to believe in her. Also, she admitted, she needed to know what he knew. Was it permanent? Could she do it again?
A sigh escaped her lips as she glanced over at him. He’d found a pair of sweat pants somewhere in the cabin. She admired the way his muscles rippled together as he walked, stood, talked. Everything. He took her plate to the sink. There were dishes from before they came. She watched while he worked. The rough fabric of the blanket rubbed painfully against her swollen nipples. Her flesh tingled with desire as she daydreamed about their night together.
Kirk leaped off the table to hide under the bed. What’s wrong with me? She didn’t know. Her stomach ached from desire, her thighs wet from her need. She cast the blanket aside. He froze when she ran her hands over his shoulders and down his sides, around his waist. As her hands moved down under the pants she pressed her tits into his back, while her hands found his cock. She purred as it stirred to life beneath her touch. Gently, she pulled on it, coaxing it to full size. He moaned under her touch.
“Monique...” He tried to speak, but she ran her fingers down the length to the crown before twisting them to the side. His hands gripped the counters. He was a big man, and she easily slipped around under his arms to face him. Her lips brushed against his, she opened her mouth letting her tongue out to trace the corners of his lips. She slipped her hands down to rub his erection through the thin sweat pants. His hips moved ever so slightly. She couldn’t help but smile.
Her tongue slipped into his mouth and he moaned into hers as she worked his cock. He trembled under her. She broke their kiss and moved her lips down his neck. His hands still held a death grip on the counter, even as she sunk down to suck one nipple in her mouth. He hissed. Lower still she went and as she descended she pushed his sweat pants down around his penis.
On her knees, and face to face with it, Monique gasped. She hadn’t dreamed such a thing existed. Not only was it massive... it’s beautiful. She lifted it to lick the underside, sending Carver into a fit of grunts. She ran her tongue down to his two large balls. Gently, she sucked one into her mouth. His hair was fine and sparse like a Native American’s. His red tinged skin and high cheekbones suddenly made sense to her.
Her hand moved up and down his shaft, twisting at the head to stimulate it. She opened her mouth to suck the side of his cock and ran her tongue all the way to the tip. She let out a breath, it was a moment of panic for her. This was new territory and she didn’t want to disappoint him. Forming an “o” with her mouth, she gently slid the tip of his cock between her lips. He groaned so loud she worried he was hurt, until his hand grasped the back of her head and pushed her down. The head of his cock slid between her lips. She swirled her tongue around it before sucking on it to pull it in further.
Her body responded to him. His other hand roamed down to her hard nipples, twisting and pulling on them, sending little bolts of pleasure to her brain. Her pussy dripped with need. Deciding to go for it, she pulled him into her mouth as far as she could. His cock pushed against her throat. She pulled out to the very end then slid it back again. Each movement followed by one hand, while with the other she squeezed and tugged on his balls.
His grip on her head tightened, the cock in her mouth swelled and he pushed her down hard. The tip hit the back of her throat and wedged itself in. He pushed her up against the counter and groaned as his body tensed. Monique let out a soft moan as his cock exploded. Hot semen gushed forth. She gulped down the first wave of the salty fluid, and the second, her cheeks billowed on the third, by the fourth it leaked out between her lips but she worked hard to swallow it all.
She felt the last bit flow down her throat. He slowly slid his cock out of her mouth, she kept her lips pressed tightly around it to drink up all of his cum. It popped out of her mouth, a line of his semen stretched from her lips to his dick. She looked up to him and smiled, his eyes beamed back love.
Suddenly, he lifted her up. A squeak escaped her lips as he pulled her into a kiss. She wrapped her legs around his waist. His hands explored her back as their tongues fought in a mock battle that both were willing to lose. She moaned into his mouth as his cock rubbed against her wetness. They couldn’t contain their lust as he pushed her up against the wall. He found her pussy and groaned with pleasure as he forced the head past her lips.
“Oh fuck,” she moaned. His cock filled her, more than that, it fulfilled her. He expanded her insides and touched every inch of her. Tears of joy rolled down her cheeks as he pulled out, then pushed in. His rhythm ignited her desire as it forced her nipples to rub against him. She moaned and thrashed as he fucked her against the wall. Their wails of passion filled the air when she finally came in a thunderous scream of ecstasy.
As she shuddered and came down off her orgasm, Carver continued to pump away inside of her. His breathing picked up with his speed. She whimpered from the pleasure with each thrust. She felt his cock expand inside her. He grunted and thrust one last time with all his strength. Semen burst forth to fill her warm pussy with its hot juice. Carver continued to thrust with a primal need to sink his cock as far in her as possible. And to pump as much of his cum into her.
They moaned together as they slid down the wall to sit on the floor. She rested her head on his shoulders as she recovered her breath.
“Oh wow, can we do that again?” she whispered sleepily.
“As many times as you like. Forever and ever,” he murmured.
*
Carefully, as not to wake him, Monique disen
tangled herself from Carver’s limbs. Her own legs were unsteady as she tried to stand. What is wrong with me? Seven years she lived on that mountain, not even so much as thinking of men. Now, she slept with a stranger twice in two days. And not just sex, her whole body ached from the fucking he gave her. Saliva filled her mouth at the thought of the orgasms that dotted her memory. Never in her whole life had she imagined sex could be that good.
She downed a glass of water. Followed by another. Outside, the weather beat against the cabin in a relentless gale. The people who were after him certainly couldn’t move in this weather. The snow swirled from the wind, she couldn’t even see ten feet out the window. Still, something tingled between her shoulders, something not right.
Kirk’s whining snapped her head around. The little pup crawled out from beneath the bed toward her. The lights in the cabin flickered. No, not the lights, my vision. Kirk was closer now, sitting on his haunches looking at her. Pain sprang from her gut so fast it dropped her to one knee.
“What...” she panted. Carver stirred from the bed. Sweat dripped down her face to pool on the floor. The pain in her stomach spread to her limbs. She gagged as bile built up in her throat.
“Let it happen Monique, trying to fight it will only make it worse,” came his soothing voice.
Fight it? Fight what?
“It... HURTS,” she screamed. Her hands slipped and she collapsed on the floor. Convulsions racked her body; she couldn’t see, couldn’t breathe.
“I’m sorry, Kirk needs a protector, and he chose you. I should have warned you this would happen. But... I thought you might run,” he whispered to her.
The world fell into blurry, pain-filled sections. Spasms sent her tumbling on the floor. Her skin burned and felt tight. She screamed again as her back convulsed. The terrible sound of skin ripping reached her ears, and she realized it was her skin.
