Michael crossed his arms and sat up on the bed. “If he’s your pet, what’s his name?”
“Chad.” It was the first thing that came to his mind but when he glanced into the shiny eight eyes, he couldn’t feel disgusted or afraid.
“Chad? Your spider’s called Chad?”
“Yeah, ‘cause he’s so handsome. Just look at him!” Jack grinned and approached Michael, but laughed out loud when Michael squealed.
“I don’t want to look at him!”
The tiny spider must have gotten spooked by all that noise, because he—Jack chose to call it ‘he’ until proven otherwise—crawled up Jack’s neck and settled there as Jack punctured the lid of the jar with one of his daggers a couple of times. “Yeah, yeah. Just make sure he’s out of direct sunlight,” he said and offered his fingertip to the tiny arachnid. In the mirror, he saw it tentatively touch the nail with one of its legs before eventually transferring to the digit.
Jack gently put it inside the jar, shocked when Chad jumped off halfway and crawled onto a piece of meat. “Poor thing. He was so hungry.”
Michael raised his eyebrows. “I guess. As long as it’s in the jar.”
Jack playfully wagged his finger at Michael. “It’s my child you’re talking about, so watch it.”
“What?”
Right. No one apart from Roux knew this. “Just kidding.”
Michael gave him one more kiss before they parted, and Jack was pretty sure the guy would be falling back into bed to nurse his hangover. He, on the other hand, pulled out his brand new high-frequency sound detector, and turned it on as soon as he left the inn.
The air still smelled of yesterday’s bonfire, but he was too excited to waste time on breakfast. As soon as the device activated and the cogs started moving, he followed the direction suggested by the little arrow, surprised when it led him away from the lake. Since no one had ever managed to capture Nessie or find the portal she came through, the general consensus was that both were likely hidden deep underwater.
Instead, the arrow pointed away from the water, toward the hills descending to Loch Ness. Jack’s instincts told him to walk along the shore to find the lost signal, but his sister was a brilliant inventor, and he chose to trust her creation instead.
With his trusty sword on his back, and the pistols at his sides, he would accomplish what others hadn’t been able to. Drake had never told anyone how the creature looked, so his boasting about having stabbed the monster were likely only that--boasting. In the worst case scenario, if the thing really was too large for Jack to handle, he’d retreat, but no one would witness him fleeing. But, as his father had proven by slaying the kraken, a well-aimed stab was sometimes all it took.
The instrument led Jack uphill, along an easy yet narrow path, and while he needed to button his jacket due to the cold, the crisp air made him aware of his surroundings. Whatever happened, thanks to the device, he would at least know where the danger was coming from.
Ten minutes into the hike, the path diverged from the direction indicated by the prototype, and Jack sighed, faced with thick bushes forming a new barrier between him and Nessie. He could follow the comfortable way and hope that the device would eventually adjust, but getting to places in forested mountains wasn’t always straightforward.
He was still making up his mind when a bird flying high above squawked so loudly that Jack followed its rapid dive between the trees. The eagle’s wings were spread wide, creating an imposing image as it plunged, only to lift again following a commotion in the bushes. A loud shriek echoed through the air, and no one other than Roux Chat-Bonnes bounced into the autumn leaves.
Jack, who’d instinctively closed his hand on the hilt of his sword, uttered a curse and let go of Gouger. “Are you following me?”
Roux jumped up from the leaves, brushing them off in a hasty manner. “Someone has to make sure you don’t die.”
Jack rolled his eyes. “No. You want to be recognized as the slayer of Nessie! How about you work for that yourself instead of trying to drink cream from my plate?”
Roux started walking his way, so Jack hid his device, just to be on the safe side. “Really? Milk puns? Shall I ask if you’d like to make an omelette with all that cream?”
Jack squinted at Roux, wondering if this was some French thing he was missing.
Roux waved his paws in the air. “Omelette. Because of the eggs? The spider eggs…?” He hissed in frustration.
Jack scowled. “Not funny. I offered you a truce last night, and you pushed it away. I can’t see why I should allow you to hunt with me today.”
Roux huffed and rubbed his paws over his cheeks a few times, slicking back the fur that looked out of place. “You did say I’m an attractive chat…” He glanced at Jack with those massive green eyes and smiled, showing his sharp teeth.
Was this… an attempt at seduction just so that he could get a better shot at Nessie? Unbelievable.
“I’m horny, not stupid. You think you’re gonna make big cat eyes at me, and I’m just gonna go with whatever you want? And just so you know, I do not actually sleep with creatures, okay? I’m just a curious guy.”
Roux’s lip curled over his canines and he folded his arms across his chest. Why had Jack even propositioned him last night? Had it been the alcohol? He most definitely didn’t want his dick between pointy teeth.
“Let’s just hope curiosity doesn’t get you pregnant again. I’m done here.”
“That’s right. Go hunt some mice and let men handle the monsters!” Jack yelled as soon as the chat turned on his heel, presenting that agile, soft tail.
Roux didn’t walk, but sped up as if he wanted to show off how fast he could go.
Jack sighed and once again looked at the thick bushes ahead, then along the curve of the safe, comfortable path. He followed the arrow on his device.
It wasn’t as if he wouldn’t find his way back to the inn later. He did have a compass, after all.
His initial steps told him that he wasn’t up for an easy hike. The undergrowth was so thick and tangled that it grabbed at his shoes, so he adjusted his gait to prevent getting stuck and wasting energy on ripping tall, tangled grass out with its roots. He could hack his way through the wall of greenery with his sword but decided against leaving such obvious tracks for the other venators. After all, if he was to get Nessie’s head on his trophy wall—which at this point only contained a bundle of necrorat tails—he couldn’t have anyone claiming the monster first.
He would do this on his own terms. Alone.
The woody stems of the shrubs gave him a hard time, but at least none were thorny. Yet.
After an exasperating few minutes of pushing his way through the thick flora, he was surprised to find himself on a carpet of damp moss, surrounded by trees that grew farther apart, thus making walking easier. He marked one of the trees with a JA cut into the bark and followed the arrow on the device again, delving deeper into the ancient woodland. It might have taken fifteen, maybe twenty minutes, but he saw a clearing ahead, only to realize he was approaching a narrow valley. Hoping to see something from higher ground, he continued until he reached the steep fall.
When he reached the top of the gorge and took in the view, he wasn’t sure what he was looking at. In the freezing water of a stream heading toward Loch Ness, a man was taking a bath. And not just any man. Even from his spot far away, Jack recognized the beauty of wide shoulders, pale skin, and, most extraordinarily, blue hair. Long locks in different shades of blue went down the man’s back, over his shoulders, and in the early morning sun, they glowed with an iridescent sheen.
Jack took a deep breath, his feet frozen to the ground, but as he leaned forward and a branch broke under his foot, the stranger glanced straight at him.
Chapter 4
Jack’s feet moved down into the gorge on their own accord. Whatever this enticing man was, his eyes called out to Jack. For help maybe? Was he lost? What if he’d fallen through an interdimensional crack and was confuse
d, didn’t know what to do?
Jack would gladly offer him a hand.
Or another body part.
The slope was steep so Jack’s feet ended up sliding over the mud too fast for his liking. He grabbed at small trees and vines, and with the penetrating gaze of the stranger watching his every move, he absolutely needed his descent to be graceful. By the time he reached the bottom of the ravine and stepped on the damp moss, his skin was flushed with heat, but he was proud that he’d managed to avoid embarrassing himself.
The sun barely reached the peaceful spot protected by thick woodland and steep walls, but its rays made the young man’s skin glow as if it had been covered in morning dew. The cool air managed to penetrate Jack’s clothes, but the stranger seemed unmoved and smiled at Jack from the little pool formed in the winding creek. He rested his elbow on the shore while keeping most of his lithe form submerged in the icy water, and while his body language didn’t betray fear, his deep blue gaze didn’t stray from Jack.
Its intensity burned Jack’s flesh as he approached with careful footsteps, the addison trembling against his hip completely forgotten.
“Hi there. Can you understand me?” he asked softly, raising his hands to show that he didn’t mean any harm. As he came closer it became clear that the man wasn’t human. His features and body shape were roughly similar to a slim man’s, but his irises consumed the entirety of his eyes, and his long iridescent hair moved in gentle waves despite there being no breeze.
Only then did Jack notice that he couldn’t hear any birds or insects, just the gentle whisper of the flowing water. He tensed when a snake slithered out of the creek, but quickly realized the viper-like form was the stranger’s tail.
“Yes, I can,” said the man with a smile, surprising Jack with his French accent.
Jack would definitely not want him to be kicked back into his own dimension.
Was it a species that lived only around here, so deep in the woods it came in contact with humans too rarely to be discovered by the rest of the world, or had an interdimensional hole only just opened and spat out this single creature, putting Jack on the forefront of discovery?
Michael would suck his cock so hard if Jack let him in on this.
But that could come later, because right now Jack was way too intrigued to think about fame and glory. “How long have you been here? Are there more of you?” he asked, watching the smooth tail seductively glide its way along the stranger’s thigh.
“No. Only one of me.” The man stepped forward, moving that bit closer to Jack. “Don’t be scared. I mean no harm.”
The creature was hairless, and Jack tried not to stare where the tail moved, but it was a losing battle. He did see something under the surface of the water… A blue dick? That would be something else.
Jack licked his lips, feeling his addison tremble so hard it was starting to distract him from the tempting creature. When he moved, his wet body glinted in the sun, without even a trace of gooseflesh.
“Aren’t you cold? Do you need help?” he asked, somewhat uneasy about the stranger’s calm demeanor.
“I am a bit cold actually. Will you hold me?” The lapis lazuli eyes mesmerized Jack with their vivid color.
Fuck yes, he’d hold this creature. Whatever he was, in terms of shape, he was basically human. So he had a tail, big deal. “Sure, come over.” He opened his coat and spread his arms.
The man had an irresistible smile. “Silly. I won’t get warm with all that fabric between us.” He walked Jack’s way, revealing that his dick did indeed have a pale blue color. If it was even a dick. Its shape reminded Jack of an elongated cone, darkest at the tip. But who was he to judge? If the creature was otherwise human-ish, and craved warmth from Jack, it wouldn’t hurt to give him what he wanted.
“Oh... yeah, I guess you might be right,” he said, offering a toothy smile and already getting rid of his jacket and scarf. He was a big boy, and he could stand a bit of cold if he was to get a body this fine as a reward. As Jack undressed, he was puzzled when he noticed that the arrow on his addison twirled in circles instead of showing direction. Then again, it only was a prototype.
Nessie could wait.
It didn’t escape his attention that marble-sized bumps appeared on the creature’s cock. Was he into the hug? Jack sure hoped so. They seemed to understand each other without words, because the guy touched Jack’s face with smooth, gentle fingers. They weren’t cold at all, which was fortunate since Jack wouldn’t have been able to get turned on if caressed by ice.
“Is it very hot where you’re from?” he guessed, quickly removing his remaining clothing and stacking it all on top of the leather jacket, so nothing would soak up the moisture from the damp moss.
“Very much so. I find this place refreshing.” Without shame or uncertainty, the creature slid his arms under Jack’s and hugged him tightly, not even wet anymore. His cock was definitely growing against Jack’s, making all his preconceptions of sex with non-humans melt.
Was it just because he was caught off-guard, or because no one would know what happened next? Or was it the way the stranger showed no inhibitions whatsoever, eager to touch and caress a human?
Jack licked his lips and slowly moved his hands to the creature’s back before sliding them down, all the way to the base of the tail. The skin under his fingertips was incredibly smooth and delicate, even if cold, and he found himself completely entranced by the deep shade of the man’s eyes. Something at the back of his mind reminded him of the events that had landed him in a hospital a year ago, but he chose to ignore that nagging voice, because what could a creature so friendly possibly do to him?
“What’s your name?”
“Lavaan.” And while saying his name, Lavaan kissed the side of Jack’s neck. For the first time, Jack pondered that, to other creatures, humans could be strange and interesting. Would hands seem fascinating to someone who only had err… paws?
The hair at the back of Jack’s nape bristled with excitement, and he rubbed the base of the tail with the utmost gentleness. Lavaan’s eyelids fluttered shut, and the whole seductive body pressed against Jack, suddenly tense.
So that was a good spot to touch. “That’s a... nice name.”
“Yours is too. Very strong.”
Wait. Had Jack introduced himself? Maybe he had. It was hard to think with Lavaan licking his way to Jack’s jaw. For once, he’d met a creature who shared his dislike for wasting time. They could figure out where Lavaan was from and how to get him back once they were both sated.
Lavaan’s hands glided up Jack’s back, making him tremble with excitement. As a venator, wasn’t he also an explorer in many ways? And what better way to explore the customs of different creatures than to communicate with them in the most primal way?
Or was he just seeking excuses to bang any male he came across?
Would he actually fuck the chat if given the chance?
Lavaan smirked and pressed closer to Jack, so close that their lips aligned. That was Jack’s hint. He leaned in and pushed his tongue in, exploring the smooth insides of Lavaan’s mouth. It was hot as a cup of tea on the verge of burning, but he couldn’t bring himself to pull away when Lavaan’s strange cock moved against Jack’s balls. Stiff but somehow flexible, covered in the marble shapes, it made Jack desperate to look down.
Instead, Jack grew more comfortable petting the scaly tail. After all, what was it but just another body part? Touching Lavaan was nothing like the awful experience with the tarantoid. The creature in front of Jack was sentient, eager, and oh so fascinating in its differentness. Lavaan playfully rubbed his tail around Jack’s wrist, making him chuckle into the warm mouth.
No one needed to know that Jack enjoyed the way Lavaan wrapped his arms around Jack’s neck and petted his nape. He could explore in secret, indulge without making a big deal out of it. Didn’t people do weirder things to each other than this completely consensual encounter with an alien being? It wasn’t as if he was about to fuck a helpl
ess goat, Lavaan was frank about how much he craved company.
Jack smiled into the deep, scorching kiss, unbothered that Lavaan’s hair did in fact move on its own and now caressed Jack’s arms. In fact, it felt great. Unusual. Delightful.
Lavaan’s agile tail lifted, as if Jack’s new strange lover was inviting him further into the heat of his body, but he took his time, teasingly kneading the tail while they kissed, the hunt and the reality beyond the ravine long forgotten. The silky hair that had fascinated Jack from the first glimpse now tickled his bare shoulders and arms, trailing over skin.
Lavaan’s tongue seemed to swell, and Jack considered if it was possible for a creature to become erect in other places than just the cock. Why not after all? Different dimensions held endless possibilities.
I want to touch you everywhere, Jack, Lavaan said, but Jack wasn’t sure where the voice came from, because Lavaan’s tongue was now deep inside his mouth, massaging it, hot and covered in the same bumps as his cock.
Jack didn’t have the brainpower to question any of it. The voice of reason was getting quieter by the second, shut down by the addictive scent of Lavaan’s body and the taste of his hot, long, nub-covered tongue. Jack gave a choked gasp when Lavaan’s dick wrapped around his and started pumping back and forth. Before he knew it, Lavaan’s tongue forced his own down and dove deeper into him, pushing at the entrance to Jack’s throat.
The sense of panic was only brief, and Jack sank into Lavaan’s cozy arms, oddly calm despite the tongue blocking his air flow every time it sank inside him.
There was no violence in Lavaan’s moves, but Jack was itching to look down between their bodies to understand what was happening, no matter how pleasant the slippery motion was.
Lavaan’s arms were growing the little bubbles as well, but at this point Jack could only wonder what amazing pleasure he’d be getting out of that. They were stroking his back in the same loving motion that mimicked the movement of Lavaan’s tongue and his cock-thing.
Jack Addison vs. a Whole World of Hot Trouble - The Complete Series Page 5
