by E A Price
Zane placed a hand on her head, tangling his fingers in her hair. She looked up briefly giving him a sensual smile.
“I really need to go home and get some new clothes.”
He was fine with going commando, but his t-shirt really needed a good wash, and perhaps an exorcism. Paint and sweat were not good smells. Plus as he’d already discovered, wearing Sky’s yoga pants and one of her vest tops left very little to the imagination. Did give her a good laugh, though.
Sky ran a hand over one of his pecs, circling his nipple. “Why? I like you naked.”
Zane ran his fingers down her cheek. “I doubt anyone else would agree.”
“Hmm, I’ll bet some of them would, and actually I don’t want that. I want this body all to myself.” She tweaked some of his chest hair.
“You got it. You want me to wax this?”
“Nuh uh. I like it. Sexy.”
“What? You don’t like Ellie’s plucked chicken chest?”
“Erik, and god no. He spends more time waxing than I do. I prefer shaving.”
“I know.” He reached under the covers and cupped her mound, running his thumb over her shaved heart.
She squirmed against his hand, whining, and then mewling when he stopped his caresses.
“Is anyone else in your family a unicorn?”
“No, just me. I’m a freak.”
“Mmmm hmmm.”
“Oh no, don’t correct me,” she giggled.
Zane lifted her face to look at him. “You ever been in danger before?”
She hesitated.
“You can tell me. You can trust me.”
“I know.” She let out a long breath. “When I was a kid I hurt myself at school. The teacher took me to the hospital before my parents could stop them. They took some of my blood, and someone must have realized I was different. A couple of guys tried to abduct me outside my school.”
His bear awoke at that, snarling in fury.
Sky patted his chest. “Easy, bear. Once they got me, my unicorn took over and she dealt with them. I don’t really remember what happened; I allowed her to take over, and she took care of it. She’s usually pretty docile, but when it comes down to it, she does protect me.”
“Good.”
“You know, you’re a lot like my dad.”
“Ah, gee, thanks. That’s what every guy wants to hear from his girl.”
“I meant because you want to protect me. Nothing else is the same about you; I swear on my unicorn.”
He stroked her hair. “Thank hell for that. You think someone else might be after your beast?”
“The thought had crossed my mind.”
“I won’t let anything happen to you. God help anyone who tries to hurt you.”
“I know. I got that when you made that boy eat dirt earlier when he shot me.”
Zane’s eyes flashed indignantly. “He deserved it.”
“He was sixteen,” Sky told him mildly.
“Hey, I was stealing cars when I was fourteen – kids grow up quick.”
“Knew you were a bad boy, through and through.”
“Damn straight.” He slipped her onto her back and covered her body with his. “Guess I better start showing you how bad I can be.”
“Yeah, you better.”
*
“We don’t have to go everywhere together,” said Sky. Even though her unicorn loved the attention.
Zane flashed a quick smile. “Trust me if we didn’t, my bear would go apeshit.”
“Bearshit.” She ran her fingers up and down his thigh.
“That too,” he gulped.
They were driving to Zane’s apartment to pick up a few essentials. She told him not to bother with underwear. He told her not to look in his bathroom – the words he used were ‘horror show’.
“I don’t feel scared anymore,” she said.
“Good loving will do that,” he told her more than a little pompously.
Sky slapped his shoulder. “I’m serious. I don’t feel like I’m being watched. Maybe you scared them away. Maybe it was Ethan.”
“I hope so.” Although he didn’t sound very convinced.
“But you’re not going to let up are you?”
“Nope, if I have to live on top of you and sleep on top of you until I’m satisfied you’re safe, I will.”
“So selfless,” she sighed. Her unicorn agreed, ignoring Sky’s sarcasm.
Zane nodded thoughtfully. “It is a sacrifice - sexing a hot unicorn shifter every day and night - but I will do it, in the name of the law.”
Sky leaned over and nipped his earlobe, then smoothed her tongue over his skin, making the car swerve ever so slightly.
“How about in the name of pleasure?” she teased.
He pulled up outside his building. “That works too. Aww, shit.”
“What’s wrong?” she said, her voice muffled as she nibbled on his ear.
“Wait here,” he snapped.
Sky mewled as he slipped out the car and stomped towards a curvy brunette currently staring daggers in her direction. Her unicorn snorted in fury as the brunette threw herself at Zane. What. The. Hell?
*
Zane growled as he tried to disentangle himself from Melissa. His bear howled, and Zane felt fur bristling out of his skin.
When her lips brushed his neck, he roared and slammed her on the ground. She staggered back, calculated hurt quickly replacing fury. Her lower lip jutted out, and Zane felt… nothing.
No pull, no desire to make her happy, no need to obey her. Nothing. His bear was delighted. Less so, when he glanced over his shoulder and saw the tight expression on Sky’s face.
Yep, time to get rid of Melissa once and for all. Her hold over him was gone. No more detentions for pulling fire alarms. No more nights in jail for stealing his dad’s car because she desperately wanted to go to a party two towns over. No more getting fired for beating up her husband because he wasn’t giving her enough alimony – meaning, enough for her to live like a freaking socialite.
“What are you doing here?” he demanded gruffly.
“You haven’t replied to my texts,” she whined. Her lip jutted out even further.
“I’ve been busy.” Boy, would he have loved for this a few weeks ago? Now it was just damn irritating. But no so irritating that he was going to give into his bear and claw her – that would probably be going too far. Right? Right?!
“Busy with her?” sneered Melissa, flicking her head at Sky.
“She’s a client.” Mate interjected his bear angrily.
“That why she had her tongue in your ear?”
“We’re not discussing this.”
Melissa scowled at the car. Sky, although clearly annoyed, gave her a friendly wave. Zane hid his smile as steam almost shot out of Melissa’s ears.
“You’re together then?” she squealed, actually stamping her foot. She was more exaggerated than a cartoon character.
“It’s none of your business but yes. And by the way, I know that guy wasn’t your cousin. You want some male attention, go jump on him.” Zane ran his plate, and yeah the naked guy in her house was no one to Melissa – she was such a liar. He couldn’t believe he actually fell for her lies. Neither could his bear – damn animal was pretty smug about everything.
“So this is payback?” she pouted.
“No, this is me telling you that I met someone so I’m not going to ask ‘how high’ the next time you tell me to jump.”
Melissa rearranged her expression into something more cajoling and then pushed out her immense bust. Possibly to entice him, but after seeing Sky naked, it was a waste of time. He could wax lyrical about Sky’s breasts for hours – perfect, perky white orbs with dusky pink nipples and... oh right, Melissa was talking or something.
“But, baby…” She reached out to him, and he flinched, but she still put her hand on his arm. His bear snarled.
“You’re just trying to make me jealous, why else would you be interested in her?”
“Get the fuck out of here, Melissa.”
He was proud of himself. He didn’t scream or break something. Although holding back was hard work. Sweat trickled down his brow as he tried to control the inner bear, clawing to get out. Melissa better leave quickly.
Now she looked confused and tried to stroke his arm. “But…”
He grasped her wrist and propelled her backward as gently as he could, which admittedly wasn’t all that gentle. He didn’t approve of violence against women, but he sure as hell didn’t want her touching him. “Go. Now.”
Melissa huffed and puffed (no houses fell down) and she looked like she wanted to argue more, but she didn’t. She screeched and stalked away. His bear wasn’t happy, but that actually went better than he was expecting.
“Ex-girlfriend?” asked a sweet voice at his back.
Her small hands snaked around his stomach, and she pressed herself against him. He placed his hands over hers.
“Yeah, sorry.”
“Hey, I have dumbass Ethan for an ex. I can’t complain because you have touchy-feely skankarella… Not that I’m jealous or anything.”
“Nothing to be jealous of,” he rumbled with feeling. No contest between the two women huffed his bear.
“I guessed so considering what you did to me last night... and this morning, and in the shower, then on the kitchen table and perhaps in five minutes in your apartment.”
Zane let out an unintelligible sound as her hand dipped and brushed over his hardening sex. It had wilted somewhat while talking to Melissa – skanky exes would do that to a guy – but it was now becoming painfully big again. He wasn’t kidding; he’d never been so hard before. If he didn't know better, he'd say Sky enchanted him.
“C’mon, stud,” she cooed. “Let’s go get you some clothes, or not; I’m fine with naked. In fact, let’s get you upstairs and naked now.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Two weeks later
Zane pulled Sky closer while nuzzling her shoulder.
“You have to go,” she murmured. “Mrs. Driver’s puma won’t come home on its own.”
“Ugh, I know. What is with that woman? What happened to house cats and goldfish?”
Sky cupped his ass, very aware that her horny student, Shira was watching. Her unicorn tossed her head smugly. She saw Shira trying to get Zane’s attention so she could mouth her phone number to him. Keep trying kitty. My bear crooned her beast.
The last two weeks had been great. They’d been together constantly. For sex, talking, sex, eating, sex and then more sex – all amazing. Yeah, it was a good job she was in great shape otherwise she wouldn’t have been able to keep up. Her bear had a huge amount of stamina.
He wasn’t even bothering to use the excuse of protecting her anymore, although she knew that didn’t leave his mind. They were just together. Plus, his anger issues had kind of abated. The other day, a guy cut in line in front of Zane at the coffee shop, and he didn’t even blow up. His lips were attached to hers at that moment, but all he did was flip the guy the bird. He wasn’t angry enough to break their lip lock. Progress!
Zane had been busy; a few more potential cheating spouses came in, and he worked them diligently, but he hadn’t really been thinking about trying to return to the SEA. At least not until a woman called Jessie called, demanding he return the bug detector he borrowed a while ago and never returned.
Sky nipped his butt cheek.
“Hey!”
“You’ve gotta let me go, big bear. I have to get to work. All my class members are now staring at us through the window.” She nodded her head to the row of smiling, lust-filled faces. “And I think Erik is too, and he’s probably getting off on this.”
Zane growled.
“You have to go to work.”
“I’d rather stay here and watch you bend into a bunch of impossible positions.”
“Didn’t I already do that for you this morning.” Yes, the leg over the head while they had sex in the doorway had been a big hit. He told her it opened her pretty sex right up to him – hit spots she didn’t even know existed too.
He groaned. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. Call me if you need me. And don’t go anywhere without Mercy. She’s here today, right?”
“Yeah, teaching a pole dancing class to seniors.” Apparently, they loved it and having Mercy around was a relief. She was much more equipped to deal with Erik’s pervisms than Sky. Mercy, well, she didn’t show any mercy when shooting him down.
“Don’t go too far from Mercy.”
“Zane…”
Zane gave her the serious black bear eyes – the ones she really couldn’t say no to. How else could she explain the make-out session in the Hola Sunshine parking lot? “Humor me sweetheart. I need you safe.”
Sky nodded while her unicorn simpered. “You be careful too.”
He puffed his chest out. “Aren’t I always?”
“You almost drowned last week trying to retrieve that crocodile again.”
Zane shrugged his huge shoulders. “I made it sound worse than it was. You know - for the sex.”
She doubted that – he didn’t need to lie to get that from her. “You humor me. Be careful.”
He kissed her one last time. Then once more, and then another for luck. “I’m gonna pick up some more clothes from my apartment on the way home, okay? Wait here for me.”
“Sure. I… I’ll see you later.”
Sky watched him go, enjoying leering at his taut butt. Damn, she had an obsession with that thing.
She’d almost said love. Not the first time she’d had to catch herself. Her unicorn pouted, but she would just have to suck it up. The time wasn’t quite right yet for that word, but it would be - soon.
*
Sky shuffled from foot to foot. Where was Zane? How long did it take to pick up a couple of t-shirts and a pair of tube socks? She’d seen his closet, and it was barer than the turkey freezer at the Speed-E-Mart on the day before Thanksgiving.
She waited another half hour and then steeled herself. She was being silly. She managed to get herself home on her own long before she met Zane – she could manage again. Her unicorn disapproved – the beast was drippily smitten over the bear. But tough luck sister. She was a grown woman; she could take the bus on her own.
Maybe she’d just send Zane a quick text to let him know what she was up to. She waited a minute for a reply – his texts usually taking less than ten seconds – but none came. She took that as a green light and strode towards the bus stop. What’s the worst that could happen?
*
Damnit Sky! His bear yowled in annoyance on reading Sky’s text. Nope, she was not getting on a damn bus. She was sitting her ass down and waiting for him to collect her. No question.
He flipped through his contacts until he found her – now down as sexy lover, something she’d recently changed on his phone. He was about to hit call when a familiar scent attacked. An overwhelming floral scent mixed with nail polish and far too much face powder.
“What are you doing here?” he snarled as his beast fumed.
Then, darkness.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Sky leaned against her front door. See, she made it home, and the world didn’t end! Everything a-okay! Amazing!
She grabbed her phone, and her unicorn huffed. No messages, no missed calls from Zane. Okay, that’s a little weird. She expected him to at least text her a threatening yet loving message about not going anywhere without him. But no, nothing, nada, zip. How odd.
Maybe he was busy. Except he stopped mid-crocodile wrestle to text her a reply about what kind of takeout he wanted last week.
Maybe he wasn’t worried… Okay, that didn’t sound like him. Her beast was a little worried.
Maybe this was all leading up to some punishment for disobeying him. Like last week when she went to the store without him for olive oil. He tied her to her bed and tor
tured her with his tongue until she promised never to go to the store alone. She shivered just thinking about it. She almost passed out from pleasure overload that night.
Perhaps he was leading up to something like that. Whatever it was, the suspense was killing her.
She called him, trying not to overheat as the possibilities of what he was going to do to her ran through her mind. He didn’t answer so she called again and again and still no answer. Her arousal withered as she worried for her bear.
Perhaps the puma ate his phone. Okay, yes, that was a possibility, but it didn’t ease her concern.
She brought up the app to find his phone – something he insisted she have so he could find her phone – but hey, it worked both ways.
“Huh. What the heck are you doing there?” she muttered aloud.
He was in the park. Was the puma in the park or something?
Oh lord, maybe the puma ate him!
*
Zane woke up tied to a tree. For a second he actually hoped this was totally some kind of sexy game thanks to his kinky unicorn. Oh, he couldn’t wait to pay her back for this! Then sanity returned, followed by a swift kick from his bear.
He was tied to a freaking tree!
He growled and pulled at the chains. The last thing he remembered… crap. Melissa.
She kneeled in front of him, a smug look on her face. “Careful now, lover. The chains are silver. Save your strength. You’ll need it later.” She winked, and he snarled.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
“Hush now. You won’t be confused for much longer.”
She walked away leaving him struggling uselessly. A memory flashed before his eyes. Him years ago, less stubble, fewer muscles, wearing a letterman jacket and tied to another tree, writhing as Melissa flitted around him.
His bear paced impatiently. “What the hell is happening? What are you doing?” He scowled at her suspiciously. “You’ve done this to me before.”
Melissa flashed him a patient smile. “Ah, it’s coming back to you. Sweetie, it’s nothing personal. But back in high school, I needed someone to take care of me, and you fit the bill. Sadly, you barely knew I existed so I had to move things along.”
