Apparition

by C. L. Scholey

  “I love you,” she whispered. “I can do this for all of us.”

  Caveat moved forward and bumped her shoulder. Zoe stepped back and called Aether to her. She pushed Aether at Caveat. The stallion pranced and pawed the ground. Zoe moved away. Caveat shoved Aether aside and raced in front of Zoe. Zoe patted his muzzle and kissed him. Again she called Aether. Aether rubbed against Caveat. It was apparent to Zoe the mare knew what was happening. So did Caveat, but he wasn’t about to allow it.

  Caveat again bent a knee and whickered at her. He tossed his head in a yes motion. Zoe was sobbing at his persistence. She pushed him back and stepped around him. Panicking now, Caveat reared up in front of her and stomped down. Zoe stood quietly as his hooves came within inches of her head. Aether went to the large beast when he landed and pawed the ground. Zoe walked to Doss. Caveat screamed in agony. It took everything Zoe had not to turn around or respond to his cry.

  Doss picked her up in his arm, cradling her to his chest. The stallion charged them, but Doss was soon high in the tree. He was moving at a swift rate from tree to ground to tree. For a while Caveat followed. He called to her, but she didn’t answer. She was sobbing too loud. Her arms were wrapped around Doss’ neck and her face was buried into his armored throat. Doss was hard as steel, it was how Zoe’s heavy heart was feeling listening to her baby cry. Caveat continued to scream for her. Like a bewildered child.

  “Stop, stop,” Zoe pleaded.

  Doss stopped and set her on her feet. Caveat came at her like lightning. He stopped right in front of her. His chest hit her across the shoulders but his head and neck was pressed across her back so tight in a hug she didn’t fall. Zoe again hugged him and then shoved him away. Caveat pranced back. The other horses were calling from a distance.

  “Go, Caveat,” Zoe commanded. “Go.”

  Caveat snorted then lowered his head. He spun around and took off. His tail was arched high; he bucked his strong powerful legs off to one side away from Zoe. The wind he created flapped his mane across his thick neck. He stopped short, wheeled, returned and she told him to go, pushing at him. Caveat raced off. He stopped and turned, but he didn’t come back. He nickered. Zoe nickered back. Caveat trotted away, head lowered. Zoe collapsed into Doss’ arms.

  Chapter 4

  Zoe’s heart was in agony. Doss not only sensed it, but because of his natural ability to feel emotion so highly, he felt some of her pain. She looked lost and alone, defeated and resigned. Once again too many emotions bombarded his senses. This time Doss just sat beside her on the bed and felt with her. He realized that when she became his mate he would better understand how she was feeling, but right now he just needed to listen to how she felt.

  Doss reached for her hand. The second he touched her he inhaled deeply. Secretions formed immediately to calm her. Soon her head was pressed to his chest. Doss pulled her closer to connect her cheek to his skin. Tears dripped from her eyes to his flesh, absorbing into his skin. Each one sent a shock to his system to try harder. He knew why humans cried. There was a taste to her tears. Bitterness, hurt, suffering. Grief needed to be expelled; humans had no shield to regulate emotion and so they needed an outlet. Doss felt each tear. And with it came the erratic pounding of her heart.

  Sorrow assaulted him. It was like feeling the death of his mother through Zoe. Every emotion he had controlled the day she died was now awash within his body. All he could do was pull her tighter. He kissed the top of her head, stroked her hair. Her bared breasts were crushed against him. She was feeling so alone within her emotions, abandoned. She felt she had betrayed and Doss knew she had been betrayed. All of the humans had, the Tonans were bastards.

  But she wasn’t alone. There was no one more loyal than he. “Zoe,” Doss whispered. “Belong to me forever. I won’t leave you. I would never betray you or abandon you.”

  “Not the cheating boyfriend type, huh?” she muttered.

  Doss frowned. “Humans cheat on their mates? How is that possible?” The idea alone was incomprehensible to him. “I would never cheat on you, either. I promise to love you. I will protect you with my life. Maybe in time you will love me.”

  When she looked up at him his heart melted. Her dark eyes were wet and overflowing. Her cheeks were red and stained with her sorrow. Doss had never seen such dark depthless eyes. No wonder she was filled with emotion, it was as endless as her intensity. She curled her arm around his neck and pulled him closer. Doss had no idea what she had in mind, but when she pressed her lips to his, Doss thought he would lose his mind with the taste of her. Her full rosy mouth was soft and warm. Their saliva mixed and Doss felt like he was inside of her.

  Zoe’s tongue caressed his and he sucked her into his mouth. She was like a drug, Doss knew what drugs were. Long ago, his kind had experimented with certain things to enhance their sexual drive. Doss was startled; the idea was over fifty thousand years old. Doss had no idea his memories stretched back that far. But one taste of her and he knew the memory was true, her scent and saliva triggered the thought. Tonan and Castian, had experimented a great deal to become the race they were now.

  Doss groaned when their kiss broke and his flexible pants were strained across his cock. What the hell? Doss knew it was an erection. When he had last gone into must four hundred years ago, it had happened once. A white substance sticky like tree sap had sprayed up like an eruption. What it meant he had no idea. No one talked to him. He had been considered young when his mother had died; she had explained nothing of mating. Perhaps she had thought since he was a hybrid he would never have one. There was something the female needed to do to trigger the memory.

  “Zoe, I need to take these off,” Doss said as he struggled from his pants.

  To his surprise she helped him. When he sprang free, her hand was on him. She wrapped her fingers around his huge maleness and he heard her sharp intake of breath. Her gasp and the scent of her breath drew a deep memory. Once his organ was inside her, somewhere, he would need to bite her to relax her. He would grow much larger. He would hurt her if he didn’t secrete his venom first. Never was he to harm her.

  “You have to be careful,” Zoe said. There was a tremor to her voice. “I’ve been with a man before but you weigh so much.”

  “I’m going to be on top of you?” he was incredulous. He couldn’t even ride Caveat, how was he to ride her?

  “Sooner or later I imagine you will,” she replied.

  “How is that possible?”

  She looked at him in confusion. “Have you ever had sex before?”

  “No.”

  There was definite surprise radiating from her. “How old are you? We heard that Castians and Tonans go into must about every four hundred years to create first a female child then a male. Is this your first must?”

  Doss was feeling uneasy. What if she didn’t want him? She would realize when he said his age he was in his second must but had never had a female. They spurned him. Would she? What was he to do if even human females despised him for being a hybrid? But Doss was no liar; he wouldn’t start by lying to her.

  “I’m eight hundred years old.”

  Her eyes widened in stunned surprise. Doss waited for her to laugh at him. When she smiled Doss almost panicked.

  “Wow, do you ever look hot and sexy for an old fart.”

  Doss frowned. Farts stunk. Did he smell? He gave a cautious sniff to an armpit.

  Now Zoe did laugh. “You don’t smell. I meant you’re very handsome.”

  Doss relaxed. She looked like she had no intention of leaving. “I’m a Tonian. Not Castian, nor Tonan.” He figured he may as well leap right in.

  “That’s good considering I hate both Castians and Tonans. Why don’t you lie on the bed?” she suggested.

  Doss was filled with elation. She wasn’t going to spurn him or hurt his feelings. He always damned his Castian emotional side, it was so hard to control, now he reveled in it. He reveled in the emotion of acceptance, his first in seven hundred years. They shifted position
and Doss stretched out before her wondering what she would do. At first she just gazed upon him. She looked from his head to his feet. Of course she would need to see if he was acceptable. He had and was still seeing her nude, she was more than adequate. Those round breast globes moved slightly when she did. Doss lifted his hand and hesitated.

  “Go ahead,” she said. “They won’t bite you.”

  Bite?

  Before he could think about that her hand was wrapped around his cock again. Doss shuddered. She moved her fingers up and down his long erection. Zoe was bent over her knees and blowing on his arousal. When she closed her lips around him, Doss thought he would scream. An odd thought for a powerful warrior. Back and forth she rocked. Secretions from her wet warmth slipped into his flesh. They were absorbed and flowed to his brain allowing him to scent what she was feeling. She was deriving almost as much pleasure as he was.

  Her little tongue roamed over the tip making him want to strain his hips at her, but he knew it was important to let her set her own pace. He wasn’t to scare her. When she sucked his cock deeper and deeper into her mouth Doss thought he would expire. His hand settled onto her rump and he squeezed ever so gently. Her skin was so soft, she was so much smaller. Doss felt his power build as he hardened. Doss groaned.

  “Is this sex, Zoe?” he whispered and couldn’t keep the tremor from his tone.

  Zoe lifted her head and smiled at him. She looked pleased, she smelled very strongly of desire. “Part of it.” There was a change in her tone. More throaty. Doss wanted to pounce on her.

  Ah yes, he would be on top of her, she was right.

  When Zoe lifted her leg across his middle Doss immediately put his hands on her waist. He rubbed her tight ass as she rose over him. A delicious aroma was coming from her opening where her female mound was. Doss thought he would go wild when his cock tasted her. His long hardness was secreting juices as she slid him inside of her. Fluids met and mixed. Doss knew her, he knew her body and she was his.

  Doss had seen other females who were marked, but that was long ago. Zoe would wear his tattoo across her shoulder blade. That meant she would need to be under him. But not yet. Right now he just lay back and enjoyed the rhythm of her hips as she rode him. Her hands were planted firmly on his glistening chest. Her breath came out in quick tiny puffs.

  “Doss, you feel amazing.” She gasped and moaned the words as she moved faster.

  Not all of him entered her. She was being cautious, but his cock was slick with need and she was aroused and ready. Her heady scent of wanting him made his heart hammer. She wanted him. Doss needed more. Zoe squealed when he flipped her under him. His hips plowed against her making her scream when every inch of him found its mark. Doss remembered to keep his weight from her. He not only wasn’t to crush her, he couldn’t have. Though his shield was down it was working furiously on his insides to regulate what she could carry.

  His must was high and if not for his shield, she could have been hurt. Now Doss understood why his Castian half would give a child of his a shield. If Zoe were impregnated with his babe, her musky scent would put her in danger. Doss shrugged off the Tonan selfish half immediately that suggested for a few days he would be vulnerable if a babe were conceived. It meant giving an actual piece of his shield that would need to regenerate. From deep inside, Doss knew a Tonan could stop his armor from filling his cock with a piece of shield if he chose. Doss wasn’t certain if his body could do the same thing or if he was more prone to a Castian’s way of mating. It was his desire to mate. Part of mating was to give her his protection always. Even from himself. He felt his shield physically lift his arms and legs higher from within and force his forearms and knees to hold more of his weight.

  She feels so incredible.

  Zoe wrapped her legs around his waist and clung tight. She cried out and Doss felt the most amazing secretion absorbed into his cock. Waves of desire rushed through her into him. He had done that to her. She flowed like warm flavored water invading every ounce of his entire being. Doss was moving harder and faster. His hand gripped her behind holding her in place. He felt her tire beneath him. She was supposed to. A warrior had great stamina to wear out his opponent. Zoe wasn’t his opponent, but he needed her completely exhausted and relaxed for his bite. She wasn’t to move when he marked her.

  Doss felt his seed begin to move up into his cock, expanding him further. His other hand tangled in her hair. Zoe was groaning and gasping, struggling. Doss scented her emotion. She was afraid. He heard her say something about the size of the Castian prisoners who weren’t allowed to bite their victim. Zoe had heard their screams of agony. She tensed beneath him; her wild eyes looked up at him imploringly. The thought made Doss furious. Deeper hate of Castians raged. They had frightened his female to their sex.

  As Doss grew larger he thrust slower. “I’m going to turn you around, don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you, Zoe. I will be very gentle.”

  Remaining buried within her Doss turned her onto her belly and pulled her hips up, he continued to pump as he filled. He pulled Zoe’s behind higher but left her on her hands, her face pressed to the sheets. Doss leaned over her and bit her neck. Zoe cried out but settled immediately. The venom worked almost instantaneously. Her entire body relaxed. Doss wasn’t ready to come yet. He knew his seed was to be inside her. He wanted her to be calm; his secretions went into overdrive invading her skin with the need he had to make her feel safe in his arms.

  “Am I hurting you?” he asked.

  “No,” she whispered on a tiny breath. “Oh you feel so amazing.”

  Doss was almost ready. He bit Zoe again and trailed his venom-dripping fangs across her shoulder into her yielding flesh. He was mating with her. She was his. Doss could hardly contain the feeling of desire; the overwhelming need to protect her engulfed him. Every ancient memory of mating a female bombarded him. They were one. When he finished, the tattoo on her back glowed like a streak of white while smeared with her blood. Doss wasn’t concerned. The healing waters were right in the cave. He sensed no distress from her.

  Zoe groaned. Doss knew she felt him. Their connection was stronger. Doss let her feel his power. She was his now and she needed to know how strong he was to protect her. His muscular arms were wrapped tight around her. The shield still regulated his strength but allowed him to grip her until she could barely breathe. Doss listened for her emotions to fill him. He stopped moving and felt her stretch to accommodate every inch of him. His seed exploded into her when the emotion of her secretions of total submission, understanding and safety, absorbed into his cock. Doss bellowed louder than he ever had in his life.

  My mate.

  She cried out and again that amazing secretion mixed and flowed through his veins. Their loving essence combined. Doss was in love with her; he knew it would happen, but his heart near burst with the thought. Nothing was more important than Zoe. Her body trembled. Doss could tell Zoe was exhausted. When he pulled from her, she collapsed to her side. Her eyes closed and she was asleep. Doss was full of his own power. He had a mate, a companion. He would never be alone again. Love for her flooded his being. He had gifted Zoe with eternal life. He picked her up and cradled her against his chest for a few moments and just gazed down into her serene features. There was wetness on his arm from her wound and smiling to himself, Doss took her to the healing waters.

  Chapter 5

  Zoe woke in Doss’ arms. She almost screamed. Caveat’s muzzle was so close his breath was ruffling her hair. She felt a little concern for the other horses until she heard Winsome whinny a short distance away. Caveat had moved the herd closer. Zoe’s heart almost burst with happiness. If she wouldn’t go to him, Caveat would come to her.

  “If that horse bites my ass again, it’s so totally on,” Doss mumbled.

  Zoe peeked at him, his eyes were closed. “How did you know?” she asked.

  “The second you felt scared I was awake. But because you calmed right away I knew something familiar had taken you by surpri
se,” he said. “Nothing is more familiar than that damned horse.”

  Caveat whinnied loudly. “I think you offended him,” Zoe said and chuckled. Caveat nuzzled her forehead and pulled a ringlet of her hair across her eyes and worked it in his lips.

  “Tough.”

  Zoe kissed Caveat on his velvety muzzle and disengaged her hair from his loose grasp. Aether called to her stallion. She sounded a bit distressed. Zoe guessed she was too afraid to enter the cave. Caveat turned and walked out down the long corridor. Zoe watched him leave. His tail swayed with his rump. The urge to ride him was strong. Doss grabbed her and pinned her under him. She groaned when he settled a substantial amount of weight onto her. She would have to remember her mate had a predatory look that could freeze her in her tracks.

  My God, he’s hot.

  “The only stallion you need to ride right now is me,” Doss informed her.

  Doss lowered his head and kissed her until she was breathless. When their kiss ended, Zoe was hard pressed to take in air.

  “Wow!” She gasped. “You learn fast. But it still would be nice to spend some time with the horses.”

  Zoe felt something for Doss; she could feel a new longing toward him. It was astounding. She wasn’t in love with him and yet he stirred so many overwhelming emotions in her. She wanted to be near him, the pull was strong. Their mating had definitely affected her. But it was confusing; maybe some time spent with Caveat, something familiar, would help her sort out her feelings.

  Her chin was captured in Doss’ huge hand, compelling her to meet his stare. Zoe looked deeply into his eyes. They moved like clouds, forming images surrounded in light grays. Zoe looked deeper. She would swear she saw Caveat in one of the clouds. As she watched, the stallion began racing through the heavens. Faster and faster he went and Zoe gasped to keep up with his plight. Somehow Doss sensed her need.