Uncaged

by Candace Blevins

  I stopped at the edge of the woods a few seconds, wondering why he was there… and then wondered how he’d known where I was.

  My brain supplied the response as soon as the question arose — he’d put a tracker on the bike. He had every right to do it, of course. It was his bike.

  It hit me wrong, though. If he’d told me it was being tracked, it might’ve been different, but maybe not. I’d felt so fucking free, and now I felt tracked. Like an animal let out of the cage but electronically leashed.

  I immediately started considering what I could afford to do. Buy my own bike? Move into my own apartment? If I wanted to stand on my own two feet then I should stand on them.

  I walked past him and to the bike. I was putting my helmet on when he asked, “Why are you mad?”

  “It’s your bike. You can track it if you want. No reason for me to be pissed.”

  “And yet you are.”

  “Yep.”

  “I’ll take it off.”

  “Okay.”

  He’d been sitting in his car with the window down, and now he got out.

  “Keesh. Hey, I’m sorry. I put it on back in the beginning. I trust you now. I can’t even remember the last time I checked it before today.”

  My hands didn’t even shake as I finished putting my helmet on. More skills learned in prison — how to look confident when you’re shaken up.

  “Okay.” It was either give him one word answers, or all of my mind… and he wasn’t getting all of my mind. I swung my leg over the bike, started it, and pulled out. I’d backed into the space so now I could just go, but I didn’t drive like a bat out of hell. I just drove.

  I didn’t want to go home because Darnell would insist on talking, but I wasn’t sure where else to go. Plus, while I was on his bike, he could easily follow me wherever I went.

  If I had enough funds, I’d get my own cellphone, my own apartment, and my own car. I needed to hold off another six weeks before getting a car — longer if I moved out and got my own cellphone. Until I could do those things though, Darnell was my keeper.

  I didn’t know if he was following me or not, but I turned right to go north instead of south to go home, and I headed towards Signal Mountain. I chose the W Road, and then was frustrated because I had to slow down so much to make the turns. Once I got past the tightest hairpins though, I had fun on the rest of the road. I rode across the mountain, down the other side, up another mountain, and then followed it north. Eventually, I ran into the interstate and realized just how far I was from home.

  It was late and I was exhausted, and I didn’t have to work the next day. I didn’t have money to burn, but I found a cheap hotel for forty-five dollars a night. I also found a grocery store, and I spent ten dollars getting enough food to fix myself dinner and breakfast in the hotel room’s microwave. Just because I had more money didn’t mean I could blow through it.

  I expected Darnell to show up making all kinds of demands, but he merely texted me.

  I’m trying to give you space but I need to know you’re okay.

  I’d gone and worked myself up over him being my fucking keeper, and he had to go and give me space. Yes it was what I wanted and needed, but part of me wanted him to keep pushing me so I’d have a reason to run. I didn’t realize it until I sensed my disappointment that he wasn’t chasing me.

  I’m okay. I’ll be home tomorrow but it might be late.

  Look at me, being all grown up.

  I’m leaving for a job tomorrow. You’re on your own a few days. Please be safe.

  Well fuck. Was it possible I’d inflated this all in my head? Was he just being a caring boyfriend, and not my jailor?

  The bathroom was in decent shape, considering the price of the room. I undressed and stood under the shower, the water as hot as I could stand it in hopes of washing off the grime of the road. I’d gone off the deep end fifteen years ago, thinking Darnell controlled me because he wouldn’t let me buy super expensive shoes. Was I going the other direction now, wanting to stand on my own two feet?

  I sighed as I realized it was possible. Darnell was trying to help, and I was being a silly brat. Again.

  I took my time drying off, and wished I had clean clothes. I got into bed naked and called Darnell.

  “Thanks for giving me some space to think. I needed it.”

  “Does this mean you aren’t mad at me anymore?”

  “Why did you follow me?”

  “There’s a barbecue place close to where you were. I thought it’d be fun to surprise you and then buy you some of the best barbecue on the planet.”

  “Fuck. I’m sorry. It just hit me wrong.”

  “I haven’t checked the map in a long time, Keesh. It isn’t about trust anymore, now it’s just about making sure you’re safe.”

  When I didn’t say anything, he added, “The easiest way to hurt me would be through you. I don’t come up against the bad guys as often now as I used to, but it’s still important for me to be able to find you if someone should decide to take off with you.”

  “Where are you going tomorrow?”

  He was quiet, and my stomach dropped. “You can’t tell me.”

  “I’m sorry. I’ll usually be able to tell you, but not this time.”

  “When do you leave?”

  “Early. Aaron had given me the option to take it a few days ago and I declined, but it felt like you needed some time without me around, so I called him and told him I could go now if he still needed me. I’m going in early to get caught up on the game plan before we leave.”

  “Okay. Please stay safe.”

  “Always, Keesh. I love you.”

  “I love you, too. I’m sorry I overreacted.”

  “I’m glad you figured it out. I should be home Thursday or Friday.”

  Chapter 18

  Keisha

  My vibrator arrived Tuesday, and I had every intention of having orgasm after orgasm when I got home from work.

  I made myself a huge salad with three kinds of lettuce, spicy croutons I made from old bread, and torn up pieces of leftover fried chicken. I drenched it in blue cheese dressing and considered it a feast as I read a racy romance.

  I’d finished eating and was upstairs in my bed when I got to the good parts — new vibrator plugged in and ready for action. As the alpha-male in my book went to town on the woman, I moved the vibrator to all my best spots, expecting to have a simultaneous orgasm with the characters in my book… but as I neared the climax, I heard Darnell in my head telling me he wanted something in my ass.

  Of course, the girl in the book had a damned butt plug in while the seriously-alpha dude pounded her pussy. Of all the books to read right now, it had to be this one.

  Darnell had put a little container of coconut oil with the plug, so I got them both out and looked at them for several long moments before I rolled my eyes and lifted the fancy-assed plug from its velvet cradle.

  It was big but it wasn’t huge, so I hadn’t expected it to weigh so much. It would spread me open going in, but the part between the plug and the outer ring wasn’t very thick.

  With a sigh, I stuck my fingers in the coconut oil and coated the plug. I didn’t want to stick my finger in my ass, so I just put a glob on the outside. Yeah, I should probably work myself up, but I’d taken cocks much larger than this in prison without being made ready.

  I gasped as the slick, cool metal went in, and then groaned as it seated itself inside me. I’d been right about it not holding me open once inside, but I hadn’t expected the weight of it to push on my muscles from the inside. I wiggled around a little, and paged back several times on my phone until I found the spot where he picked her up and carried her to bed.

  This time, I’d had three orgasms by the time the characters in the book came in their own explosive orgasms, and I had another overwhelming release as they did. I turned the vibrator off, put my phone to the side, and lay in bed like a lump of overcooked spaghetti, my body totally relaxed and sated.

 
I couldn’t even be grumpy with Darnell about the plug. In fact, I kind of liked it, and decided to leave it in for a bit.

  I awakened to the alarm the next morning, my vibrator still beside me and the plug still inside. I groaned as I shut the alarm off, grateful the phone’s battery had lasted through the night since I hadn’t even thought to plug it in before I crashed. Hell, I didn’t even remember crashing.

  Damned good orgasms.

  The plug hurt now, though. My muscles were tired from having to hold the weight, and I was pretty sure the lube was gone. Thank goodness for the outer ring to grab onto, because it was a lot harder to get it out than it’d been to get it in.

  Note to self: don’t leave a plug in so long the lube is gone.

  Chapter 19

  Darnell

  I’d known she was thinking of something that might destroy us while she’d ridden north, but I’d also instinctively known I had to give her the space to do it. My wolf had railed against me, but I’d pulled away to see what Keisha would do.

  I hadn’t expected her phone call Sunday night, but it’d made me feel a lot better about leaving.

  However, there was no time to think of what I might be going home to while we handled our mission. People’s lives depended on us being at our full potential, and my mind was focused on the job. This task was right up my alley. When I’d worked for the military I’d had to hide my shapeshifter status. Now, though, when Aaron contracted to do a job for the military, we all made the best use of our skills, and Aaron made sure humans were either situated so they couldn’t see, or he had a vampire on staff who could rearrange their memories, if necessary.

  We rescued the hostages, turned them over to a SEAL team who’d get the credit for the rescue, and finally headed home. My team members mostly slept on the long plane ride home, but I considered what I might be going home to. I hadn’t received another trigger that warned she was doing something stupid, so I hoped I’d go home to a calm, rational Keisha.

  There was a chance she was still pissed and I’d walk into a fight, and I tried to come up with the best way to explain why I need to intrude on her privacy a little in order to keep her safe. Would she believe me when I assured her I wouldn’t look to see where she was unless I was worried about her? And did I even want to make the promise? I liked knowing a quick glance could tell me where she was anytime. Between the tracker on her phone, the one on the bike, and the one I’d snuck into her purse… okay, maybe I needed to rethink this.

  I looked around and noted Ranger was awake. “Ranger, how many ways do you have Bethany tracked?”

  He lifted an eyebrow. “Why are you asking?”

  “Just trying to figure out if I’m going too far.”

  Mac laughed from beside him. “Her phone, every damned purse she owns, her car, the dozen or so shoes she most frequently wears, and a dongle on her keyring. She was already being tracked before us, though. The RTMC control room kept track of her because she’s Gen’s best friend. They still monitor her car, and we just make sure we don’t take it if we don’t want them to know where we are.”

  “Does she know?”

  “Yeah,” Ranger answered. “She isn’t aware of every single tracking device, but she knows we have her covered, and why. She was adamant we not be able to see or hear her though, to respect her patients’ privacy, and we’ve honored that. It’s possible to turn the audio and video on her phone on, but we’ve never done it.”

  “So, if I’ve gone too far, I’m not alone.”

  “Just be honest with her,” Mac said, his voice sober. “Bethany rolls her eyes at us when we confiscate a new purse or shoes long enough to install the trackers, but she doesn’t argue. If we snuck and did it, though, I’m pretty sure she’d have our nuts.”

  Of all the things I expected when I arrived home, a naked and plugged Keisha hadn’t made the list.

  I wasn’t aware of the plug yet, when she opened the door without a stitch of clothing on. I was all prepared to talk, but the blood meant for my brain surged into my cock, and I closed the door behind me and pulled her into my arms as my mouth landed on her in a soul-shattering kiss. I felt her love and trust through our bond — her need for me, how much she’d missed me — it all came across in a split second and overwhelmed me emotionally.

  Physically, though — she was on a different wavelength altogether. Keisha kissed me back without submitting, which pushed my wolf to want to dominate her. I held her in place with a fistful of hair and deepened the kiss until she relaxed into me. My other hand went to her cheek, caressing it, almost petting her as I lightened the kiss.

  When I finally let her go, she looked like she’d been thoroughly kissed — her eyes glazed and dilated, her hair messed up, the skin around her mouth a little raw from my five o’clock shadow.

  She turned and climbed the stairs and the plug reflected the light from between her cheeks. My cock pulsed impossibly harder and heat shot through every nerve ending in my body. I didn’t know I was going to groan until I heard it, and Kiesha gave a low chuckle in response.

  “Damn, woman. I hope you’re prepared to handle the fire you just started.”

  “Bring it, big boy.”

  Keisha

  I’d screwed up and made things awkward, so it was my job to fix it. Sure, we’d have to talk eventually, but I missed him and wanted this side of him before we had to get serious again. Maybe I needed the reminder of who we are to each other, or maybe I thought he did. Either way, it felt important. I wanted his arms around me, I wanted him inside me, looking into my eyes. And perhaps I needed those few moments at the end, where he-who-never-loses-control actually let his wall of self-control fall long enough to enjoy an orgasm. Long enough to let me in.

  Or, maybe most of all, I needed the connection we got through our relationship bond. I needed the reminder and the reassurance he loves and cherishes me, and as long as I don’t hurt the other people he loves and cherishes, we can work anything else out. Hell, we’d even worked out the time I’d nearly destroyed our son — okay, it’d taken fifteen years, but we’d worked it out.

  There’s also the fact I’d had about four dozen solo orgasms with the plug in while he was gone, and I very much needed one from Darnell. I didn’t just need it, I craved it.

  And he didn’t disappoint. His eyes drank me in as he undressed, and I leaned back on the bed and rubbed all around my clit, teasing myself.

  “Good girls get rewards, and it looks like you’ve been very good.”

  “I’ve done what you asked, if that’s what you mean.”

  His body lowered over mine, his lips landed on my mouth, his tongue pressed inside, and I lifted my hips towards him with a groan. His hand trailed down my body, quickly heading straight where I wanted it, and I lifted towards him as two fingers entered me.

  “Foreplay later,” I gasped as I pulled my mouth from his. “Need you now, please Darnell.”

  I’m pretty sure I got what I wanted only because I made him lose a little of his iron control, but I haven’t pressed him to make him admit it. Whatever the reason, mere seconds later his cock filled me, pushing against the plug as I knew it would when his hips thrust that wonderful, thick, hard, magical cock into me. And today, he was actually using magic because I’m sure he was a lot wider and a little shorter than he usually is, but I wasn’t complaining as I pulled my knees up and gave him as much room to work as I could. I’d missed him so much and it seemed impossible to get close enough to him. I arched my back and wrapped my arms around him, luxuriating in his weight, his heat, his cock.

  “Open your eyes. Want to see inside you. Want to watch you come apart.” His voice was short, gruff, but not because he was grumpy, because he seemed to be just as overtaken with raw emotion and passion as I was.

  Darnell’s kisses are overwhelming on their own, and today they chased all thoughts from my mind and sent me soaring on wild spirals of lust and desire. His cock is perfect no matter how he adjusts it, and he knows how to move to keep m
e overwhelmed with bliss. By the time he moved me to all fours, he’d orgasmed with me once, and then used his mouth and shapeshifting tongue until I didn’t think I could possibly come again.

  “Didn’t think you’d be ready for this so soon,” he said has he gently pulled the plug from my ass. “If you aren’t, we’ll just play a little and then get you off some more another way.”

  “Want you,” I gasped, my hands grabbing for the edge of the mattress. I needed an anchor, because my heart was racing and every drop of blood in my body seemed to be throbbing between my legs.

  “You have me, Keesh. You have all of me.”

  I don’t know what I was going to say next, because a lubed finger slid into my ass and all I could do was groan and arch my back, begging for more.

  Darnell

  I’d prepared myself to switch gears in case I smelled conflict, but I was up to three fingers and she was still wanting more, her body undulating and begging for my cock.

  I wasn’t going to make her ask for it. Not today, anyway.

  I fit the stereotype of the black dude with the huge cock, and I’ve never apologized for it. However, I’ve always been thankful my werewolf status allows me to make myself a little thinner, for the women who had trouble taking all of me.

  Keisha had not only been able to take my cock with no alterations decades ago, but she’d loved it when I went even wider and hurt her on purpose. I admit to having a bit of a sadistic streak when it comes to anal, because while I may want the woman to enjoy the things I do to her — I kinda like hurting them a little too.

  I’d assumed she’d need me to be all gentle and shit for her first time, but as I slid my thinned down cock in and she pushed back to take more of me a lot faster than I intended, I realized she needed what only I could give her. The guards hadn’t been able to shift the size of their cocks. She wanted to remember what she’d liked before? She needed what I’d given her before.