by Isa Hunt
“Oh god…” she whispered.
The two men had removed their clothes and were now sprinting full on toward them.
“Run!” Coral cried.
Kalin had already come to the same conclusion. Soon the two of them were flying down the street, straight past her apartment. When Coral looked behind her again, her worst fears came true.
Two massive wolves were in hot pursuit.
Chapter Seven
Masses of heaving fur bounded down the street. Coral clung tightly to Kalin’s back. She prayed that he would get away, but she was scared. The wolves were gaining in speed. When she looked back, they seemed to be closer than the time before. Soon, she could see their teeth and their saliva. As they grew closer to Coral, they began to bite the air near her feet. Kalin could sense them. He could hear them and even feel them. He wasn’t scared for himself. Fights with other Shifters were interesting, to say the least. The problem was Coral.
Just then, he saw a small park. The grass area was located about 50 feet to the left. He felt he could make it, but the turn would be hard. Kalin had so much momentum that the very idea of turning seemed problematic.
No time to think.
The window of opportunity was closing. Kalin needed to act quickly if he was going to make the turn. The wolves were so close now that he had no other choice.
Hold on! he thought.
Coral screamed. The two were headed straight for a barber shop. The bottom floor was full of glass pane windows. The top floor was solid brick apartments. The wolves were about to close in when Kalin leaped up onto a parked van. In sequence, he left the van and leaped onto a sheet metal rain awning. The van was crushed beneath his weight. The awning fell as well. Coral had trouble holding on. Kalin had managed to distribute his weight between the brick wall and the awning itself. The brick wall held and allowed Kalin to leap toward the park. His momentum carried them forward and he hit the ground hard. Kalin nearly toppled, but he adjusted and Coral held on fast.
Behind them, the awning and one of the wolves who had been closest to them ended up in the barber shop. The other wolf skidded to a stop, slamming into the destroyed van. With no time to waste, Kalin kept up his sprint toward the open field. Within seconds, Coral and Kalin had arrived.
Kalin let out a warning growl, offering the only communication he had accessible.
He ducked his head down to a halt. He knew she would be thrown. She would have to figure out that part on her own. Kalin’s claws dug into the ground. He pitched himself forward on one paw, causing his own body to flip.
Coral had to trust her intuition. She released her hold of his fur when Kalin’s paws first dug into the open field. She knew her landing was going to hurt. Coral also knew that the landing was going to hurt less than concrete. She was glad and tried to curl her body up in a ball. When she hit the ground, she rolled. Coral clung to her knees and went head over heels for a solid twenty feet. She slid to a stop, opening her body as she did. Though she was dizzy, she looked behind her. Kalin looked like a large brown blur. He was crouched down toward the ground. The first wolf approached Kalin by the air. The gray blur and the brown blur met. The sounds of combat had begun.
Coral was totally exposed. She tried to get her bearings, but she was lost. While the fight went on, she crawled toward the nearby trees. Adrenaline coursed through her body. She knew that she needed to get out from the open. The nearest trees were not large, but she needed to go somewhere. Her body was bruised, but she was okay. She got off of her hands and knees and started to run. The first wolf was already engaged with Kalin. The second wolf had seen her run, but he figured her for an easy mark — besides, he had other plans.
Kalin batted the body of one wolf with a paw. The other wolf approached the battle moments later. Shards of glass jutted out from the second wolf’s body at awkward angles. The lust for blood had clouded the judgment of the second wolf. The mission had been to secure Coral, not to engage the Bear. Pride and anger swelled inside of the second wolf. He waited for a moment, circling the two other combatants. When Kalin was most vulnerable, the second wolf struck. Teeth flashed and tore at Kalin’s throat. The second wolf was cocky and was going for a quick kill. It didn’t understand the power of the bear.
Instead of trying to bite the wolf in return, Kalin gave him a deadly hug. Two huge arms wrapped around the body of the wolf. The huge muscles of the bear caught the wolf in his attack. Kalin also weighed significantly more than the wolf. The bear used this to his advantage. Leaning forward, he crushed the second wolf beneath his body. Glass crunched, and dove further into the wolf’s body. Kalin took some damage from the glass as well. However, the thick hide of the bear provided resistance against penetration. The glass shards slid more easily into the body of the wolf since they were already stuck.
The pain of the glass was sharp. Kalin found it difficult to breathe while the wolf attacked his neck. However, Kalin knew he had an advantage. As long as he committed, he was fairly certain that he could crush the wolf beneath his body. The fact that there were additional glass shards in the wolve’s body made Kalin’s attack more powerful. Kalin strove to place his entire weight on top of the wolf. He smothered him with pressure. Kalin’s body drove the pieces of glass into the wolf’s body. The glass shards found their way to the wolf’s arteries. A thick warm pool of blood formed between Kalin’s body and the wolf’s body. The wolf knew that he was doomed and tried to escape.
Meanwhile, the other wolf raked Kalin’s back with his teeth and paws. The wolf’s claws were nowhere near as proficient as the bear’s claws. Kalin’s back ended up scratched. He also took a few severe puncture wounds from the wolf’s teeth. The first wolf gripped Kalin by the muscle. He tried to rip a hole in Kalin’s body. Kalin tensed up his back and focused, dominating the wolf underneath his body. After far too long for comfort, the wolf stopped struggling. Kalin was furious at this point. He was also covered in blood. The front part of his body was mostly the blood of the second wolf. The blood on his back was his own.
On the ground, the body of the dead wolf transformed. Within moments, the wolf was human once more. As a Shifter, he had a remarkable ability to heal. However, if the man did not get medical attention soon, he was a goner. He had several broken bones and his shards of glass were lodged deep in his body. The glass went so deep that if anyone were to have pulled it out, he would have bled to death on the spot. The broken man gasped for breath. The light dimmed in his eyes.
The first wolf now had a choice to make. He didn’t like his options. He backed away from the bear and growled a warning call. Wolves tend to attack in packs. Kalin was injured, but he was still stronger than the wolf. Kalin also retained his mobility, which meant that the wolf couldn’t out maneuver him. The wolf had orders to acquire the girl, but at the moment, she was high up in an oak tree. If the wolf didn’t have the bear to contend with, he probably could have gotten her down. The wolf’s mind ran quickly. There was only one reasonable decision. The wolf charged.
Responding to the movements of his adversary, Kalin leaped up into the air. The first time the two had clashed, Kalin had taken the low ground. With the knowledge that he could use his weight in his favor, Kalin had a new approach. He planned to connect with the wolf in midair. He spread his legs out as he prepared to land. Kalin wanted to take the wolf in his arms and squeeze the life out of it too. The wolf had other plans.
A quick bluff maneuver allowed the wolf to dive low and skid on the ground beneath the bear’s body. With one swift motion, the wolf snatched up the dying Shifter in his mouth and sprinted away from the park. The wolf knew that the move was risky. The Shifter could die in his mouth. The wolf figured that was a preferable option to dying on a field in battle. The wolf knew that they had made a new adversary, both a personal and a professional enemy. The knowledge that he now had an adversary gave him strength.
Lose the battle. Win the war, the wolf thought as he fled the Bear Shifter. “Besides, now we know who he is.”
Kalin charged after them, but he stopped when he got to the edge of the park. His reason for attacking was not as strong as his reasons to stay. Kalin let out a final growl and snorted. He looked around the park and saw that the place was completely abandoned. There were no people in sight. If there were, they were hiding. Kalin padded over to the tree and scratched at the bark of the oak. Coral climbed down and stood next to Kalin. Stretching out, Kalin shifted forms.
Coral saw that he was hurt and helped him to his feet. Together, they walked toward the wilder area of the park. The grass began to grow taller and the trees grew more densely together. Little pockets of untamed landscape like this grew more common in the slums. Major development had to do with industry and commercialism. Nobody wanted to develop in the slums. The only people who wanted to live in the slums had nowhere else to go. What ended up happening was that huge blocks of land ended up going uncultivated. Buildings would atrophy. Parks would expand. The landscape was changing into a more feral version of itself.
As Kalin and Coral walked together, they grew closer. Soon their steps were timed with one another. Their breath rose and fell at the same pace. Her hands wrapped themselves around his waist. His naked arm pulled itself around her shoulder. They stopped walking when they arrived at the far edge of the pocket of wilderness. Any further and they would run into a thicket of trees. Beyond the thicket of trees was a tall barbed wire fence. Beyond the barbed wire fence was a water treatment facility. Nobody was around.
“How bad is it?” Coral asked.
She ran her hand up along his side.
“It will heal,” he replied. “That other wolf might even heal. The regenerative rate of Shifters is pretty impressive.”
“A bit Promethean,” she commented.
Pulling her hands up along the front of his body, she felt his penis beneath her palm. He responded at once to her touch. Kalin’s body grew warm with arousal. He pulled Coral in toward him and the two kissed. Unlike their earlier kisses, there was authenticity in their connection. Coral felt a spark in her chest that set her on fire. Her desire rose inside of her. Coral’s hand pressed more firmly in between Kalin’s legs. The two exchanged tongues and saliva. Their kisses were wet but had definition. When they connected, it was like fireworks. A series of small explosions went off in a chain. His hands pulled at her clothes. Soon the two of them stood naked together in the wild.
She knelt down in front of him and admired his hard body. Kalin’s abdomen was firmly chiseled. His thighs were full and powerful. His hair was thick and coarse. The brown color of his pubic hair reminded her of the thick fur she had held onto earlier. Coral ran her hands through Kalin’s pubic hair. Holding one hand on either side of his penis, she kissed him.
When her lips touched the head of his penis, he moaned. She could tell he was aching with desire. Her own desire rose up inside of her. Leaning forward, she opened her mouth and brought him inside. Her mouth was warm and wet. Kalin felt like a small part of his body was entering heaven. He dug his hands into the back of her hair. His fingers clenched the hair at the base of her skull. He wanted to fuck her so badly. The way her hands wrapped around his shaft felt delicate. Her tongue stroked just below the head of his cock in a way that felt soft. Even Coral’s breath was a miracle for Kalin.
Even though he was injured, Kalin was overwhelmed with desire. He lifted Coral up from his cock. His hands were still firmly gripping the roots of her hair. He kissed her passionately. His teeth were grit. He turned her around and bent her over in front of him. Coral wrapped her arms around a tree. Her caramel colored legs were spread for him. Each foot planted firmly into the ground.
Kalin spread her vulva with two fingers and dipped his middle finger into her sex. She was warm and wet. His entire body relaxed, knowing that she was offering herself to him. Kalin’s shoulders dropped and he lowered himself to his knees. With one hand on each cheek, he spread her ass. Her eyes opened wide as he licked her body. She clung to the tree. Her hips were tilted into the air. At a subconscious level, her body knew exactly what it wanted. Kalin’s tongue entered her vagina. All he wanted was to taste her body.
Reaching a hand underneath her body, Kalin rubbed her pubic hair. Kalin’s finger found her slit and dove in once more. He brought out some of her arousals and rubbed the side of her clit. Coral began to gasp. Her arms clung tighter to the tree. She wanted to spread her legs even wider. She wanted to give him complete access to her body. Coral wanted anything he would offer her.
Kalin hungrily licked Coral’s crotch. A thumb found its way inside of her cunt. He began to apply pressure on the front of her insides. Massaged from the inside and on the outside, Coral’s knees buckled. When Kalin brought his tongue up toward her ass, she could only cry.
“Oh God..” she moaned.
Her voice was encouraging for him. Kalin slapped her firmly on the ass. His cock was hard and she was ready to go. He stood up and gripped Coral’s hips. Without much pressure, Kalin entered Coral’s vagina. One hand held onto her hips. The other reached out toward her shoulder. He pulled at her shoulder while fucking her. He wanted to see her face. She turned for him.
The two made eye contact while he slammed his cock into her body. He varied his thrusts. Sometimes they went deep and slow. Other times, he dug down at an angle. Kalin moved his core into hers. His fingers clutched at her frame. The two of them stared into each other’s souls. Their mouths were completely open. The depth of their breath matched their pace.
Kalin grew wilder. He reached a hand out for her cheeks. A finger probed into Coral’s mouth. Coral’s eyes rolled back with desire. Her lips sucked at Kalin’s finger. She bit into him with desire. Kalin slapped her ass hard and pulled his finger out of her mouth. He gripped her by the hair and pulled her up from her position. Kalin moved in on her. He lifted one leg up and took her from behind. Her breasts were pressed up against the tree. Her mouth was opened wide. They kissed and he shoved his cock deep inside of her. The pressure and intimacy were too much for her. Squirting out all over his cock, she came. Her fingers dug into the tree. Her lips were locked with his. He bit her lip while her muscles tightened around his penis. Each contraction milked his cock. He finally gave and ejaculated inside of her. The two of them convulsed with pleasure. They clawed and pulled at each other like animals. When it was all done, they licked each other clean and kissed once more.
No words were spoken after their union. There were none that could describe what they had gone through. They only knew that they were closer now and that their troubles were not over. The gang would show its face again. Likely they would seek out the Bear Clan. Kalin knew that there would be more blood by the time this was over. For now, he held Coral and breathed. His body needed to heal. The warmth their hearts shared for one another would help. That much was for sure. Coral pulled her clothes over the two of them. Her jacket and skirt forming a blanket. Their mattress was the fallen leaves. Exhausted, the two found rest at last.
Chapter Eight
Waking up next to one another, both Coral and Kalin felt more rested than they had in months spent apart. The strangest thing about spending time with a new person is that even when there are trials, the sweet feeling of respite is always more than each party was expecting from the onset. The simple act of feeling refreshed upon first rising in the morning is one of the unspoken hallmarks of falling in love.
There was a light misting of dew on the leaves in the morning and even though Coral woke up feeling cozy and safe, Kalin knew that his work was not yet through.
“We need to get moving,” he said while he looked up at the sky.
The atmosphere held a purple and pinkish hue, indicating that the time was just before dawn. Coral had just been spending time in a wonderful dream and though she felt well rested, Kalin’s words brought the gravity of their situation down on her psyche. She remembered the night before — both the beauty of their union and the chaotic discord brought about by the fight in the park.
The t
wo rose and walked out from the park. Kalin was naked and Coral’s clothes were damp and cold. The sun was not yet up and the only heat she could rely on was the warmth of her own heartbeat. The emotional context of the environment grew more and more dire as the two walked toward the end of the block. The police had actually been called the night before and the area around the barber shop was taped off like a crime scene. The car that had served as a launching pad for Kalin’s shifted form looked as though it belonged in a junk heap.
Fortunately, most of the people of the block were not yet up, but there was one man who approached the two. He had a long trench coat over his shoulder and he carried a sawed-off shotgun in his hand. Kalin was the first to see the man and he hid Coral behind his body.
The man put up a palm and scowled at the naked man in the street.
“Don’t think I don’t know what you are, or what happened to that car over there,” the man said, guardedly. “This weapon here is more for my safety than to hurt you, I’m sure of it.”
The man took the trench coat from over his left shoulder and threw it at Kalin. Kalin caught the coat with one firm hand but did not relax his stance until the man lowered the weapon to his side.
“Some may not be able to tell a beast from a monster, but I know the difference,” the man continued. “Saw you got one of those wolves good, but if I know my history — which I do — they’ll be back.”
The man sniffed and frowned. His eyes looked over at the barber shop and he was obviously crestfallen.
“Been in the family for years,” he said. “My daughter is the one who operates it these days — or at least she did until you came along and trashed the place.”
Kalin’s stance relaxed some, but he continued to guardedly position himself between the man and Coral.
