by Erin Kelly
At her encouragement his hands caressed her, explored her, caused her to arch up into his touch. He sat up and his mouth moved to her collar, kissed down her chest. She wanted… no needed more of him. Her fingers tugged and pulled his shirt up, breaking his mouth’s contact with her skin as she tore his shirt off him with a lusty growl. She tossed it aside and cupped his face in her hands, drawing him in for another passionate kiss. Her hands ran over his feverish skin and he wrapped his arms around her. The cool night air was a delightful contrast to his hot skin.
He rolled her beneath him suddenly, caused her to gasp in surprise. She found herself beneath him, her back sunk into the softness of the sleeping bag, barely feeling the hard ground beneath the material and the softness of the grass. His mouth briefly reunited with hers, before he began kissing and licking an erratic trail down her chin, throat, collar… his tongue trailed each soft pressure of his lips and she threaded her fingers through his short, dark hair, her body arching up to meet his questing mouth. She breathed in soft gasps, exhaled his name. Her heart pounded as his mouth captured her nipple and sucked on the hardened, sensitive nub.
His hands moved down her sides as he leaned in and kissed down her breast softly that evoked a cry from deep inside of her. It had been awhile, but damn she had never wanted it so bad in her life before. His yellow eyes were filled with primal lust as he took in her scent through his nose. Her breasts were bared before him, trembling as he leaned in, caressed the underside of her bosom with a light brush of his fingertips, his lips parted again and his tongue came out and teased her with a hot wet lick over her sensitive skin. She yelped and arched into his touch, her legs wrapped around his waist, her fingers dug into his hair. His scent was overwhelming and wonderful, his touch and tongue made her writhe against the ground. She’d wanted him so bad, perhaps as long as she had known him, and now to finally have him teasing her like this... it was a glorious victory, one she savored. She didn’t have long to think about this as his lips surrounded her neglected right breast and he gave her other side the same treatment which only left her panting and aching for more. When he pulled away the cold made her nipples tighten even more, and she pulled his face to hers and kissed him hungrily, her tongue darted to meet his in his mouth.
Her hands moved down his bare back, marveled at the tight muscle that moved with his every touch, every breath. His lips moved from hers then trailed back down her throat. She gasped as he nibbled lightly at the juncture of her neck and shoulder, that light scraping of teeth not painful but quite the opposite, the sensation sent tingles of pleasure all the way down to her toes.
Korban kissed down her body and sparked small fires where ever those talented lips touched, until he reached her borrowed sweatpants and gazed up to her. She stopped writhing and met those molten gold eyes, and she swore in that instant they were glowing, not just some trick of the moonlight above. He slid his fingertips beneath the elastic band of her pants and tugged the soft material down past her hips. When his eyes fell upon her jagged white scar against the pale skin of her hip she blushed. For a moment butterflies stirred nervously in her stomach as she felt embarrassed that she wasn’t perfect any more for his eyes. But those gold eyes never faltered, still smoldering with desire as he leaned in and licked the outside of her bite mark, the hyper-sensitive flesh near the scar caused that fiery tongue to ignite her senses all the more, the fire becoming white hot, almost electric as he dipped lower still before she knew it and then... his tongue was driving her wild, caused her to writhe against the sleeping bag, her hands moved to his head again, getting tangled into his hair as the pleasure became overwhelming. Something was building within her, and the pleasure became almost unbearable. Her hands shook, uncertain of whether to push him away or to pull him closer and let that pleasure reach that blissful climax she hadn’t visited in a long time.
She almost screamed when he suddenly pulled away, her body trembled and tensed as his mouth returned to hers. Soft whines escaped her throat, and she reached down, quickly removed his pants and found him, heard his moan against her ear as she wrapped her fingers around his length and tugged on him. He was so much hotter down here, so much thicker and longer than she had imagined. Sophie stroked him and his moans were a constant mantra in her ear. “Want you,” she purred into his ear, nipped his earlobe and caused his solid erection to jump in her hand.
“Want you... too...” He was breathless, ready for her.
There was no more need for words as he positioned himself, Sophie emitted a low guttural cry as he finally made contact with her entrance, then that hot length was inside of her.
It no longer mattered that this was only the second man she’d ever been with like this. She let the forest, no, the world know her pleasure at that moment, and her cries filled the air and drowned out any remaining music of the night. His own cries were the only other thing she could hear, besides the racing of their hearts in time. When she climbed to the very peak of her pleasure she didn’t simply fall, but flew. A white-hot explosion that she never felt as intensely before suddenly wiped the world away and for a moment all she knew was ecstasy.
When the world came back into focus again, he was holding her close, his body pressed flush against hers. She clung to him, her mouth near his throat, his heart echoed in her ear. She could smell only him, feel only him, and taste him on her tongue. At this moment he was everything, and she loved him more than she could say.
“I love you,” Korban murmured to her as he nuzzled her throat and drew her closer into his warm embrace.
At his words she smiled, opened her mouth to say those words back, but they caught in her throat. His breathing had leveled out, his arm went limp alongside her as he nestled closer against her. Her own weariness set in, the adrenaline and exhilaration of their lovemaking faded to the blissful feeling of contentment to just cuddle up with him. She rested her head on his chest as the sounds of the night suddenly began to lightly crescendo once more around her, and the lullaby of the forest along with his steady heartbeat lulled her off to a sweet, dreamless sleep.
6: CAUGHT
The next several days passed by like a dream. An erotic, steamy dream that seemed more fantasy than reality, especially so distanced from the world they knew. Now that they had opened up to one another, there was suddenly not enough hours in the day to do everything they wanted together, or so it seemed.
She couldn’t get enough of him, and he couldn’t get enough of her. The morning after their first time was like a second honeymoon, followed by countless times after that. After a while it was almost as if they had become one person, one being. Even their scents intertwined long after their bodies had separated.
They lay together breathless and she smiled to him, ran a hand through his messy mane of hair. He leaned into her touch, looking extremely content and satisfied. Her heart was still racing, her body tingling and on fire, though the full moon was approaching now and her feverish skin was an everyday thing.
His mouth curved into his trademark lop-sided smile, his amber eyes bright and an array of golden hues. She studied him for a long, quiet moment as they caught their breath.
I love you.
He’d said those three words that made her heart soar. The way he looked at her she had no doubt that he meant them, no question about it. So why was she still afraid to repeat them back to him?
“Tomorrow night is the full moon, and we have one more direction to check out. I have a feeling we’ll find our way back home. Then after the full moon… we can rest, and when we’re ready we can go.” Korban’s voice is weary, but relaxed. Relieved.
She smiled and nodded to him as her fingers curled in his hair and rubbed his scalp behind his ear, the action causing his eyes to roll back in pleasure. His response pleased her; something about knowing him so well that she knew how to push his buttons just right… it made her feel good, empowered. “I don’t care where we end up, as long as I am with you,” she said softly.
I love you.<
br />
She tried but the words seem to get stuck in her throat. She leaned in and they kissed, which made her heart flutter anew. When they break away a few moments later, she caught a glimpse of worry in his eyes, and her hand moved to his cheek. “Tell me what’s wrong,” she said as her fingers curled to cup his face.
He flashed a nervous smile, but it faded quickly. He already knew he couldn’t hide anything from her. “I… I don’t really want to go back,” he confessed, his face crumpled with a mournful, apologetic look. “I’m afraid they’re going to put you… and me… in quarantine. They could separate us, perform more tests on us. Especially because of that… poison, chemical, whatever it was that forced us to shift.” He paused and took a breath, then continued with a hushed voice, filled with shame. “We have to go back, or they’ll throw RJ in jail, they’ll never let him out no matter what he says or does. It will be all my fault for leaving and not reporting in. The stupid law is clear on that. He will be punished as my legal sponsor if I’m not under his care. But the thought of us disappearing together like this… to never have to go back… it would be so easy to just vanish.” She pet his cheek with her thumb as tears welled in his eyes. “I just… I can’t do that to RJ and Alex, not after everything they have done. They’re my best friends, more like my brothers really. My family. I feel horrible just thinking about it, abandoning them like that. But I won’t lie to you, it’s so damn tempting.”
She felt him tremble as fear rolled off him. Fear of quarantine, which he still seemed uncomfortable to talk about. A place of untold horrors. Fear of losing his humanity, of betraying his Pack that waited back home for him. She understood those fears, hell, they were hers as well. They could return home only to be tossed into some asylum and never been seen or heard from again. “I’m scared of going back too,” she said as she held his gaze. “We will face a lot, but we will do it together. When we go back we can set things right. It won’t be the end of the world. We are survivors.”
He smiled then, the light returning to his eyes again. Just as he was her rock, she knew in that moment that she was his too. Still, those three words evaded her lips, so instead she did the next best thing and leaned in to kiss him again.
His hands slid to her hips and she was lost in their kiss, and any doubts are chased away for now. Soon enough they would be back to reality, back where they couldn’t hide from the past. For now it was okay to get swept up in this delightful fantasy.
~*~
A couple hours before the full moon they parted ways from their camp just in case someone decided to return that unfortunate night. They hiked through the forest, around the lake’s edge, and up over rocky paths that crumbled under their feet. The clearing they finally stopped at was peaceful, the scents purely wild here. Earth, water, and musky animal. No one human had set foot up here in a very long time.
Korban set down the backpack he’d found and gazed to her, the sky behind him a series of pinks and purples, from lavender to the rich royal purple. The colors complimented the vibrant yellow glow of his eyes. It was almost time; the churning inside her body had already begun. The feeling was akin to menstrual cramps, only it spread deeper through her bones, all over her body. She slipped her hand into Korban’s and his touch soothed the ache. It still hurt like hell, but having him next to her made the pain at least somewhat bearable.
They stripped off their clothes then packed them into the borrowed backpack and hung it up on a low hanging tree branch. The air was cool but her skin felt hot, then comfortably warm as his skin made contact with hers again. It wasn’t sexual as she held him this close to her while naked… it wasn’t completely platonic either, but something much deeper in between. She felt safe, even as those first agonizing spasms took hold, her bones snapped, and molten lava took the place of the blood in her veins. She felt his body shuddering as his own Change took hold... there came a time when their hands stopped holding, their skin stopped touching, but he was still right there beside her and it was as if he still did have his hand in hers.
~*~
When the pain had subsided, leaving his muscles and body trembling in its wake, he slowly opened his eyes. The forest was even more vibrant; the smells more intense than before, but of everything in the fragrant air around them the one familiar scent remained familiar. His Mate, his home. He lifted his head and saw her panting there beside him, her soft golden fur speckled by the moonlight that slipped through the thick canopy of trees up above them. His legs quivered when he got up on them, adjusting from two legs to four. His tail held his balance, and he managed not to fall flat on his face. He slowly moved over to her. She was already on her feet by the time he made it over to her, shaking herself. Those familiar yellow eyes gleamed, and her tail gave a small wag. It was his Mate, and while the familiar scents of the garage weren’t around, her presence made him feel at home. The breeze suddenly shook through the trees, sending an array of new smells, things unfamiliar and new.
She moved closer to him, brushing against his side, her shoulder touching his. He lifted his head and sniffed the air, tensing alongside her. He relaxed when nothing dangerous caught his attention, then moved and sniffed her over, making sure she was all right. She stood still as he did, her heart racing. Playfully, she nipped at his ear, and he jerked his head up in surprise. She chuffed heartily at him and bounced back, suddenly remembering and nimble on her feet once more. She bowed and wagged her tail, getting comfortable in her new skin. The primal part of her finally freed again from its prison of human skin and two-legged rules. She yipped playfully, and suddenly tore off, giving him a quick glance as she raced off into the forest. The chase was on. He could hear her heart, felt the rush of wind through his fur as he rushed after her, his foot falls nearly silent on the soft forest floor. She sped up, the thrill of the chase sending adrenaline through his body, leaping over fallen logs, splashing through the small creeks they passed.
She slowed when the sound of water rushing grew louder, and he caught up, licking her ear and giving her fur a series of playful nips. She nudged him and bowed her head, sniffed the water and found nothing foreign in it, nothing that smelled dangerous to her anyway, and she began to lap up the cool water. He moved alongside her and joined her in drinking from the river. It tasted wonderful.
A very two-legged idea suddenly bubbled from her mind. She waited and suddenly leapt at him and knocked him unexpectedly into the water with a huge splash. She fell in after him, laughter coming out in chuffs as she emerged from the water and dripped along the bank.
He got up and shook the water from his fur, blinking as he jerked his head to her in surprise. He gave a small playful yip and growl, and then took off after her, causing her to turn and run. The chase was on again.
The freedom of the forest, of running free with his Mate... it was so exhilarating. Here they had no worries, only the here and now. Sudden bursts of speed made him leap forward, moving faster. His muscles ached and burned from the run but it felt so amazing, so liberating, he didn’t want to stop. She was incredibly fast, and as always her stamina seemed to burst past him. She is like lightning again, one foot away from him, then two, then more, and as fast as he chased she is faster.
They reach a small clearing where she bolted ahead, him rushing to keep up with her. There is a snap beneath him and a sudden dip in the earth, and before he can help it he found himself falling as the ground beneath him gave away and caved in. With a loud yelp he vanished from her heels, the rush of leaves, grass and mud collapsing beneath him as the ground vanished beneath his paws. The next thing he knew he is yanked hard as thick ropes surround him, stopping his fall and tangling around him like snakes.
The dirt and foliage fell around him in a whirlwind of debris that stuck to his still damp fur. He tried to get to his feet but the ropes tangled even more around him, and when he tried to push off the ground he found only air. Another few feet remained below him as he hung from this web of rope. He lifted his head up. Above him now are tall, spread out
stone and brick walls, and beyond that the clear night sky, dotted with bright stars.
He grunted and struggled to get some sort of foot hold, but instead swayed pathetically, the net groaning under his weight but not giving way, not budging down even an inch. A soft whimper came from above and his attention moved to his Mate, who peered down worriedly at him. Somehow she had made it across this pit he now dangled over. She began to pace along the edge of the trap, carefully treading along the edges, trying to find a way to help him out of peril.
There suddenly came a series of howls nearby... a chill ran through him. Those were not wolves. Korban struggled more violently, but found it useless and barked to her, Run!
~*~
She lurched to run, but hesitated. She pleaded with him, not wanting to leave him there, a long whine escaped her. Not like this, not where he was vulnerable and alone and-
RUN! His gaze was on her as he barked sharply, and despite her will being so strong- he was her Mate, but his wolf was her Alpha, and with a whimper of protest she took off, whining with every step. Her two-legged brain was trying to understand, to figure a way to free him, but at the urgency of his tone she could not disobey. Her only option was to run, to get help. To come back and rescue him.
She had to hurry; she had to get help as fast as possible. Those howls came again and they were closer now, and made her freeze in her tracks. That urgency grew inside of her still, stronger with every moment that passed- she had to run. She doubled back the way they came, splashed through the river, back up the path... the river rounded back here, and she became disoriented... this wasn’t the right way. This couldn’t be right. The scents here were new, and she couldn’t find the trail she’d blazed with her Mate. She circled around, sniffing... but the water had erased her path, and she’d been running so fast she couldn’t place where she’d come from anymore.
