by Joyee Flynn
“I’d shift into my half and half form and take you while on your hands and knees. When we were close to coming, I bite you on the shoulder and claim you as my mate. Once we do that, you’ll be able to feel my emotions when I’m around you and vice versa.”
“Can I see you in that form first?”
“Seriously? That matters to you when we’re talking about Shem’s life?” Curtis snarled.
“I just want all the facts, okay? He’s saying he’ll be able to sense my emotions, leave a permanent mark on me, and tie us together forever. I’m simply asking to see what he looks like when he’s in that form! What if I can’t get it up when he looks like a cat? I’m not into animals!”
Curtis started to talk again, but I held up a hand to stop him. Diets’s request was reasonable given the shit we were dumping on him. I stripped back off my jeans before shifting into my half and half form. I turned in a circle to show him what he’d be getting into to, tail and all.
“Okay. You can claim me, but I walk out that door afterwards, and you give me time to think about all of this. No pressure, no more loopholes or bombs to drop, right?”
“No, that was it.” I nodded as I shifted back.
“Why did you do that?”
“I–I can’t kiss you when I’m in that form,” I whispered, suddenly feeling vulnerable.
“Does that matter?” He snickered, and I reached for my jeans again. “What are you doing now?”
“I can’t do this,” I sniffled as I yanked them on. “You don’t want to even kiss me. How can I be intimate with you?”
“You mean fuck me,” Diets growled as he took a step towards me. “I don’t normally bottom, Shem.”
“And I’ve only had sex with Curtis,” I yelled, spinning around to face him. “I saved myself for my mates, okay? It’s like being married in our world. Curtis took me first since I found him first, but I’ve never given him oral sex because I thought my other mate should be my first for that. So just go. I can’t do this as some emotionless one-night stand. I don’t know how to not care about someone and have sex.”
“Cut me some slack, would you? I’m trying here,” Diets sighed. “When did you meet Curtis?”
“A week ago.”
“Christ on a stick,” he groaned at my answer. “You’ve only been having sex a week? No wonder you can’t separate sex and making love.”
“You make it sound like there’s something wrong with me because I can’t!” I ground out, getting tired of his shit. Yeah, we’d dumped a lot on him, but I was done feeling like a freak for so many different reasons. “All humans can’t do it either. Some of them save themselves for marriage, too. Any other reason you think I’m a freak?”
“No,” Diets replied as he reached out and grabbed my arm. He yanked on it so I fell into his lap. Before I could say anything, he crushed his mouth down to mine. I couldn’t help myself. I moaned and opened up for him as I touched every inch of his skin I could reach. “You’re not a freak, Shem. You’re amazing. I wasn’t picking on you, okay? I’m sorry, I’ll stop being an ass.”
“It’s okay. You’ve got a lot to process.”
“That doesn’t ever excuse being a douche.” He chuckled and brushed his lips against mine. “Is there somewhere we can be alone, with, like, a bed? Maybe get a chance to make out for a while before you claim me?”
“Will you ever come back after tonight?” I asked, desperate to know if we’d only have this one time.
“I don’t know, Shem. If I knew the answer to that, I wouldn’t need to leave and take time to think.”
Chapter 6
Twenty minutes later, we were in Curtis’ room without Curtis. It felt weird that Diets and I had invaded his bedroom, but my mate had assured me it was mine as well. And while this wasn’t the ideal situation, he didn’t want me in a strange spare room bed.
“How come Curtis doesn’t need to bite me like you do?” Diets asked as we lay in bed and traded gentle caresses. He’d undressed me before getting naked and climbing into bed next to me. And while I wanted to jump his bones and be over with this so I could deal with him leaving, I was enjoying this calm leisure time with him.
“He feels the need, but I guess vampires can control it better than shifters can. Werewolves don’t have a timetable like cats do. But I hear they get ultra aggressive and have trouble controlling their shift until they claim their mate.”
“What if I have other questions while I’m thinking? Who do I ask?”
“I can give you my older brother’s number,” I whispered and pulled my hand away. “It would be too hard to talk to you and not know if you were ever coming back.”
“But maybe talking would be what we need to get to know each other while I get used to all of this,” Diets replied after a moment. “I mean we’re already skipping the dating part of our relationship. Why can’t we talk for a while and see how I deal and where this goes?”
“Okay.”
“Can I kiss you, Shem?”
“Yes, please,” I groaned, and he rolled over on top of me. I opened my legs for him, whimpering when his hard cock rubbed against mine. The kiss was soft, his lips moving over mine as if exploring and committing them to memory. When he licked his tongue across the seam of my mouth, I opened for him.
“You really are the most breathtaking man I’ve ever met,” he whispered before kissing me again. There was a lot more heat in it this time. I purred and wrapped myself around him as his tongue ran over mine. This is what I’d been hoping for tonight, this closeness that two people could only have when being intimate. “How fast do you recover, angel?”
“I’m young.” I snickered as his hands ran down my hips. “Do you want to take me first?”
“Y–You’d do that? I thought you needed to claim me?”
“I do, but this is about more than just that. As long as you’re touching me, loving on me, I’m not overheating or uncomfortable. I want you, Diets—all of you. I want to feel you inside of me, connected to me.”
“Where’s the lube?” He groaned, and I gestured over to the night stand. He moved away for a moment, and I heard some rustling as he fished in the drawer before he came back. I really hoped this all boded well for him coming back after he had time to think. “Are you sure, angel?”
“Gods, yes. Fuck me, Diets.” I purred as I pulled my legs to my chest. “I’m yours, my mate. You own my body, heart, and soul. I give myself and everything I have to you willingly.”
“It’s like insta-marriage,” Diets grumbled under his breath as I heard the cap of the lube snap. I chose to ignore the comment since this was a lot for someone who didn’t grow up in our world to process. “How do we even know we’re going to like each other? Maybe all we have is this strong attraction.”
“We don’t,” I gasped as he rubbed his fingers over my hole before easily sliding on in. “But I doubt fate would stick three people together who would end up hating each other. My parents were the happiest people I’d ever known. Curtis and I know some other mates from a tiger shifter family. They all love each other so much it’s almost like you can reach out and touch it.”
“Were? Your parents were happy?”
“They died recently,” I answered, turning my head away when he stopped moving. “Can we talk about that later? It’s still painful for me to think about and this isn’t the time.”
“Of course,” he whispered and kissed my collarbone before moving again. “I’m sorry though, angel. I’m glad you have Curtis to lean on at least. He seems to really love you.”
“Yeah, he does,” I sighed as he pushed in another finger. “I admit I’m not always easy. Being blind is really hard. And shifters are stronger than humans, so it’s like I have all this power but in a broken body.”
“You’re not broken, Shem. I think you’re amazing. Anyone who’s so open and willing to love after all you’ve been through, and I’m sure I don’t even know the half of it, has my respect.”
“Thank you,” I whispered
and pulled his head down to mine. He kissed me sweetly, gently before I nipped his lower lip. It seemed Diets liked that. He growled and started kissing me fiercely as his fingers moved faster inside of me. “I’m ready. Fuck me, Diets. I’m getting too close and I want to come on your cock.”
“Dirty mouthed angel,” he groaned and pulled his fingers from my ass.
“You like it when I talk dirty to you?”
“Oh yeah. You look so innocent, and when you talk like that, it makes me think there’s so much to you that I want to explore.”
“Well, I’m very flexible. So there are a lot of positions I know I want to try,” I said with a purr as I felt his cock push against my hole.
“Right now?” Diets asked, swallowing so loudly I could hear it.
“How do you want me?” I panted, leaning up on my elbows so he could see the desire on my face I knew was there. “I trust you to make sure I don’t fall or get hurt. If there’s something you want, Diets. All you have to do is ask.”
“Do you like it hard and fast?”
“So far I’ve loved all of it.” I giggled and squirmed so his cock pushed against me again.
“There’s something I’ve always wanted to try,” he moaned as he moved me around on the bed. “Just for a little while. If you don’t like it, just say something, okay?”
“Okay,” I squeaked out as he folded me in half so my knees were by my ears. Then Diets turned around so his legs were on either side of mine, his feet by my head. I was trying to visualize how this would work when he started to push inside of me. His thighs were brushing the backs of mine as he worked his cock in deeper.
He said something so quietly I couldn’t even hear it with my shifter hearing. I swear it sounded like, “my own fantasy angel.” And the thought he saw me that way made me smile. I groaned when his balls sat on top of mine, his cock all the way in me.
“Does it hurt?” Diets asked through clenched teeth. It warmed my heart to know he was restraining himself until he knew I was okay.
“No, just different. You’ve got a huge cock, Diets. Ram it into my tight ass.”
“Oh fuck,” he groaned and started pounding into me. It was a little hard to take deep breaths in this position, but it was worth it. “You feel like heaven, angel. It’s never been this good before.”
“Harder, Diets. You’re not fucking me hard enough if you can still talk,” I said, egging him on. He grunted and picked up the pace at a punishing rhythm. I knew I’d feel this for days, and I loved it.
“Kinky-hot-angel,” he gasped as he got closer. Then suddenly he froze.
“What’s wrong?” I whimpered.
“I forgot a condom, fuck,” Diets cursed as he pulled out of me. “I’m so sorry, Shem. You trusted me to not hurt you, and I didn’t protect you.”
“Diets, wait. Come here,” I panted, holding my hand out to him as he moved away. I lowered my legs with a groan as he took my hand. “It’s okay. I knew you weren’t wearing one. I’m a shifter. We can’t get sick. I can’t get a human disease or give them. You’re safe with me, and even if you’re not clean, you can’t hurt me.”
“I am clean, for the record,” he said as me moved back over me. He kissed my neck, latching on and sucking hard so I’d have a mark. “I get tested all the time for my job. And it’s been over a year since I’ve been with anyone.”
“I trust you,” I replied softly as I ran my hands over his back. “I should have told you about the condom thing. My bad.”
“Does that mean we can keep going? Because I’m so hard it hurts,” Diets whimpered as he rubbed his cock over mine.
“Yes, gods, yes. Fuck me. I need to come,” I begged as I lifted my legs over his hips. He growled and slid back inside of me easily. I gasped and arched my back as he hit my prostate.
“Oh, my angel likes that, does he?” He did it again, his cock nailing my sweet spot. I purred and nodded, knowing he’d see it when I couldn’t voice the words. “What do you want, Shem?”
“You, I want you, Diets!”
“I’m here, baby,” he whispered in my ear before nipping my lobe. “Do you want to come, Shem? Beg me to let you come on my cock.”
“Yes, please, Diets. Please, I need so badly.”
“Come for me, angel,” Diets demanded as he fucked me hard and fast. He reached down and ran his thumb over the slit of my cock. That’s all it took. I screamed out his name as I came so hard lights flashed behind my eyes.
Seconds later, I heard Diets groan my name as he flooded my spasming passage with his seed. He collapsed on top of me, and I relished in the feel of his weight as I wrapped myself tighter around him. I swallowed my fear and grief that this might be our only time together, but he must have noticed a change in me.
“What’s wrong, angel?” He panted in my ear as he ran his hands down my sides.
“Nothing. I don’t want to put pressure on you. What you’ve asked for is reasonable.”
“Tell me anyways,” he said gently as he leaned off of me and cupped my cheek.
“I’m just scared this will be the only time you take me. That I’m going to lose you.” I shrugged and started to pull away.
“I have a feeling I’ll be back for seconds.” Diets chuckled but let me go. “I’ve never come so hard in my life, never wanted someone the way I want you. And the idea of being with you and Curtis… well, that just makes me ready to blow without even touching my cock.”
“Does that mean you’re ready for me to claim you?” I asked, trying to taper down my excitement at his words.
“I’m scared, Shem,” he admitted as he started shivering. “This is a big step. I mean you’ll be able to feel my emotions, and we’ll be tied together. But I’m more afraid of losing you before we get to explore whatever this is.”
“We’re tied together whether I claim you or not, Diets,” I said gently as I felt around for the lube. I heard him start to speak as I found it and held up my hand. “I know that’s hard to understand, and I get why you need time to wrap your mind around the idea. But it’s the truth, and I refuse to lie to you.”
“I appreciate that.” He took the lube from me, and I heard the cap snap closed. “You need me to get myself ready since you can’t see?”
“Actually, because I’m dying to claim you as my mate and I won’t risk my hands changing into claws when I’m touching you there.”
“I appreciate that, too.” Diets chuckled and then moaned. God, I wanted to watch him stretch himself for me. I let the change flow over me so I was in my half and half form. “It’s you, but it’s not when you’re like that. And I still want you. This is going to take some getting used to.”
“I know.” I nodded as I focused on what little I could see of his fingers in his ass. “You started with more than one finger.”
“I’m not much for being the bottom. I’m too much of a control freak for that. But I do like to play with my ass and have toys at home.”
“I’ve never played with toys,” I moaned as I started stroking my cock which was getting hard again. “Curtis and I haven’t gotten that far.”
“Will you wait for me? Can I be there when you do?”
“What if you don’t come back?” I asked, voicing my greatest fear.
“We’ll have to cross that bridge when we get to it. But right now, I plan on coming back, Shem. I just need to take things slowly. I want to get to know you and Curtis before just announcing I’m in and sign me up. Doesn’t mean I’m not open to dating and taking baby steps to get to where you guys are. This is a lot, but what you guys are doesn’t scare me or make me want you any less. I just don’t know how I can fit in your world.”
“I have a friend, Avery Donovan, who’s mated to two humans. Would you want to talk with them? Maybe that would help you?”
“Yeah, I think that would be a good idea,” he answered after a few minutes. “I’m ready for you, angel.”
“On your hands and knees, Diets,” I snarled as my cat was ready to claim our mate.
I saw enough of him to see when he was in position and moved behind him.
“Will it hurt? The bite?”
“It might for a second, but Curtis loves it when I bite him,” I answered as I ran my hands down his back, careful of the claws. “And when he bites and drinks from me, I can come just from that. It’s so intense that I just explode.”
“Okay, then.” He snickered and then took a few deep breaths. “I’m ready, Shem.”
“Thank you for giving yourself to me,” I whispered and kissed his back as I pushed inside of him. “I know this is hard on you, and I know the chance your taking. I swear I’ve not lied about any of this.”
“I believe you,” he gasped as I thrust in gently. “Oh god, I’ve never liked being taken before.”
“Before?” I asked, wondering what that meant about now. We both groaned as I bottomed out inside of him. “What about now, Diets?”
“I–It feels r–right.”
“I’m so glad,” I sighed and rubbed my cheek over his back. “I don’t want anything to ever be bad for you. I want you to be happy.”
“I know that. You were willing to die instead of forcing this on me. That kind of selflessness can’t be ignored, angel.”
We lay there together for a few moments before he snapped his hips, letting me know he was ready for me to move. I knelt up and grabbed his hips as I started to pull out. When the head of my cock was all that was left inside of him, I thrust right back in.
“Oh shit, Shem. Give it to me, baby. I want you to fuck me like the animal I know you are.”
“As my mate wants,” I snarled and pounded into him. I loved the feeling of his strong, muscular body shaking with desire for me to please him. I wasn’t about to fail him. Riding him hard and fast, I ran my cheetah tongue over his neck and shoulders.
I was in heaven. Diets was taking the leap of faith enough to be with me after everything he learned. Even more so since he trusted me to top and claim him.
“Gonna come,” he grunted as he reached down and stroked his cock. “So fucking good, Shem.”
“Glad you like it because I’m loving being inside of you,” I hissed in his ear. “I’m going to claim you now, Diets.”
