by Archer, Tia
“That’s why you didn’t come back, because you couldn’t. I am so grateful that you’re alive. It must be very scary not knowing who you are, or where you came from. I should explain,” He lowered his voice to a whisper, “but I think that you should send your doctor friend away, as what I have to say is not for human ears.”
“Andrew can stay.” My hand moved away from his cheek, and instead found it entwined in the fingers of Andrew’s. The mystery man’s eyes grew wide, and he tried to get up, only to find that he didn’t have the strength to move more than a few inches. “He was my doctor, and we’ve grown close over the last year…” I heard myself explaining
“You can’t…you can’t be serious…it’s an abomination to be involved with a…a…human. They would never understand. I can see why Sheila has turned on you like she did.” I must have made an expression because he quickly said, “I’m sorry if I sound harsh, but we can’t have normal relations like everybody else on this planet. I do appreciate everything that you have done for her, Andrew,” He said addressing Andrew, “and of course everything that you have done for me. Unfortunately, you don’t know who she is, not at all. This is not your fight, and this can only end badly if you continue to protect her.”
“Listen, I am not going anywhere, so I suggest you deal with it. Gail is with me, and I really don’t care if you think of her as this Tina person, because to me she will always be my Gail.” The mystery man was shaking his head back and forth, biting the bottom of his lip, which instantly turned into a small cut the dribbled blood down his chin. “Trying to dismiss me is not going to work, so you may as well just tell us what you need to say. Just for god sakes don’t move too much, or you’ll open those stitches and I’m not sure if I could help you if that happened.”
“This is none of your business. This is going to take me some getting used to, and we don’t have that kind of time. If I had the strength, I would stand up and…well let’s just say that it wouldn’t be pretty. If you are going to insist on staying, I’m afraid that you are going to hear things that is going to change the way you think of the world. You still have a chance to walk away from this, and it is my suggestion. Though, I see that that’s not going to be an option, so don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
I pushed past the both of them, putting my hand on Andrew’s chest, so that he wouldn’t make a scene. “I think the both of you are forgetting something; this is all about me. I don’t need these petty arguments, and it might be best for the both of you to stop bickering like old ladies. Now, if you don’t mind, I would really like to know what the hell you are talking about.” They weren’t even looking at me, staring right past me into each other’s eyes, in such a way that I thought for sure both of them were going to burst into flames.
“If that’s the way you want it, Tina, then so be it. For one thing, my name is Sean, and I am from the tribe of lioness.”
“So, I take it that the tattoo on your chest has some kind of significance. I’ve never seen anything like it; the eyes seem like they follow me wherever I go.”
“There aren’t too many males in the tribe, and when I turned of age, they marked me with the tattoo. It was burned into my skin by ink that was passed down from generation to generation. It signifies strength and puts me in line to become the next leader. Your tribe is called Shifters. Our people have been in a constant struggle for power for as long as I can remember. Then, you and I met by chance. Against all odds, we became friends, and then…lovers.” I could feel the fibers of Andrew’s muscles tightening, his body trying to move against my hand, most likely feeling threatened.
Out of nowhere, Sean and I snapped around, with our heads tilted to the side, like we had sensed something. “They’re here.”
*
We had said it at the same time, while Andrew was looking around confused, no doubt trying to figure out what we were talking about. “Who’s here?”
“Her sister and the twins are out there; they have easily tracked us here. You had no way of knowing they can smell our scent for at least a few miles. If we had gone out of the vicinity of where they were hunting, we might have been able to prepare for them. As it is, I am not exactly in the condition to fight, and Tina has no idea what lies within her.” He turned his attention to me, saying, “If you could harness the beast, then we would have a fighting chance. With you having no idea of who you are, I really don’t see us lasting very long. There is a way, but it means getting you angry and making you turn that attack towards those that are coming after us.”
“This is all very confusing, but I really don’t think we have any other choice. Like you said, it’s not exactly like you can protect us like you are now. Which means it comes down to me and Andrew.”
“I still don’t think you get this, Andrew is just going to slow you down. At the very least, he might provide some sort of distraction before being ripped apart. I really don’t think you want to see him in danger. I myself don’t have any alliances with your…. lover. The very idea that you even touched him makes me a little sick to my stomach. I suppose others of our kind would probably think the same about the two of us getting together, so I will try to be more…tolerant.”
The crashing of glass could only mean they were here. “You say that you can do something to help us, Sean. Well, I don’t see a better time than right now.” Sean moved so quickly that I barely registered the movement of his hand, until it was smacking me across the face so hard that my head whiplashed to the other side.
I felt this boiling rage, and then felt my teeth begin to take shape into something animalistic, before falling onto my hands and knees with my back arched in the air like I had done so many times before on top of the kitchen counter or in other rooms of the house. This time was different, then I felt the feeling of a boot striking against my ribs, which sent me flying over a couple of tables, until finally landing on my hands and knees again.
The transformation was a little hard to take, but my hands and arms are now completely black, with claws where my hands were, and this very intense need to attack. “Honey…are you…. holy fuck.” I looked up into Andrew’s eyes, seeing the fear as he backed away with his hands outstretched in front of him. “Where is Gail, and how did this Black Panther get inside this restaurant?”
“You still don’t get it. Gail is the panther. Surely the mane of white on top of her head is a dead giveaway, and all you have to do is look into her eyes.”
Andrew hesitantly moved forward, getting down on his knees and looking into my eyes. “Gail…that’s really you…isn’t it? I can’t believe that this is really happening… arggghhhhhhhhh.” I watched as Sean put his arm around Andrew’s neck. I instinctively moved forward to protect him.
“I’m not hurting him, but we can’t have him interfering. I think you want the best for him, and the only way to do that is to make sure that he doesn’t get himself killed.” Andrew's eyes were bulging obscenely, and he was valiantly slapping his hands on to the forearms of Sean, until finally his lids dropped into an unconscious state. Sean dragged him back into the kitchen, while I turned and saw another panther like myself. She wasn’t alone, two white panthers were now sizing me up on either side of the one that was obviously in control.
They were growling, and now surrounding me. Shaking my head, I suddenly found myself in ½ transformation of both human and panther alike. I was now able to bring forth the full power of both sides of me, standing with claws outstretched and eyes glowing with indignation.
Chapter4
They backed away. That was when Sean came back in, saying, “They haven’t seen anything like you. You might say that you are an inconsistency within the tribe. Shifters are not usually able to become half of the other, always either human-shaped or panther. There is a legend that states that once every hundred years there is one that is able to bring about the full power of both sides at the same time.”
The Black Panther with the white mane turned back to human form, naked and peering at me w
ith fire and hatred within her eyes. “It can’t be, how is it possible that you can do that and I can’t?” My sister says, indigently. “This doesn’t change anything; my duty is still clear.” The other two white panthers have now jumped onto a table on either side of me, teeth bared and spittle flying from their mouths. “ATTACK.” Once the words were out of Sheila’s mouth, the white panthers jumped into the air with the express purpose of killing me. Snatching them both out of the air in mid leap, I now had them both by the throat with their eyes showing nervousness and fear for the first time.
My sister picked up one of the chairs and brandished it like a weapon. She gave off this mighty growl, running at full speed, until she finally came in contact with my foot. Doubling over, I had knocked all the air out of her lungs, making her look at me, confused.
Still holding onto the two white panthers by their throat, I snapped both of their necks with a twist of both wrists. They instantly transformed backed into the naked twins, their necks snapped.
Dropping them onto the floor at my feet, I then turned my animalistic rage towards my sister.
“NOOOOOOO.” HOW CAN YOU KILL ONE OF YOUR OWN?” The look on her face was bringing to the surface her own claws, but she was nothing compared to the beast that she was now standing in front of. I was bigger, stronger, and if need be, I could kill without mercy. “I will kill you sister, and then I will cut off your head and bring it back to the tribe as proof. You are only delaying the inevitable.” Her hands began to move with lightning speed, emerging with several small knives that began to fly into the air towards where I was standing.
Once again I was under attack, but unlike the previous times, I was now letting the animal takeover. I didn’t even know how I was doing it, leaping from table to table with ease, my eyes concentrated on Sheila. Each time one of those knives came close to hitting me, I was batting them away like mosquitoes trying to bite my skin. I could feel the blades slicing against my hands, but my animal skin was almost impervious to this kind of attack.
As each blade came flying out of various places on her body, she was backing away. “Tina, we’re sisters. You know our ways need to be upheld. There’s no way that they can allow you to be with Sean, as this will be considered an act of war. Both of our tribes have been coexisting, but with you both flaunting against our ways, I can now see that the very thin peace is not going to last very much longer.”
There was a bright flash of light, blinding my animal retinas so much so that I could only see patches of yellow light in my vision. Shielding my eyes with my half animal hands and claws, I was only able to see after a couple of minutes.
Sheila was no longer there and the door to the Chinese restaurant was now opened by her escape. Going over to the door, I held it in my hands and ripped it off the hinges, sending it backwards into the restaurant. My teeth were gnashing against each other, my tongue stabbing out into the air, and my hands gripping the frame of the wood of the door.
“Calm yourself down…breathe deeply…and concentrate on just my voice and nothing else.” I was all keyed up, wanting to lash out with everything I had, and not really caring at all about the consequences. Licking my lips with satisfaction, I felt this new self of mine trying to take over, almost as if the instinct of the animal was more prevalent. “Just listen to my voice, breathe deeply, and let all of that anger wash away. They will be back and in greater numbers, but for right now you are safe…you are safe.”
I turned with fierce determination, leaped across the table and landed on Sean. Looking at him, I suddenly found myself ripping his clothes off, leaving behind tattered pieces of clothing floating around us. This need to mate was too hard to resist, and I think we both knew what was going to happen next.
*
I looked up and down his body, licking my lips and waiting for the opportunity to ride his massive monument of manhood. It felt totally natural to sit astride him, my clothes ripped strategically in places where my animal muscles had ripped through. His eyes were yellow and drawing me towards him, until we were kissing madly. My tongue moved incessantly in and out of his mouth, and then I pulled away nipping at his lip with my teeth, causing him to struggle underneath me and a small trickle of blood to come to the surface.
Licking it off his lip, I found the salty flavor to be incredibly intoxicating, blood lust running through my veins. He was now taking off my clothes, at least what was left of them, until we were rolling around on the floor completely naked and at each other’s mercy. Putting my hands on his chest, I dug my fingernails into the skin and felt his sinewy muscles fighting back against the attack. He tried to roll me on to my back, but I was steadfast on staying exactly where I was, so that I could look down at his features, and those glowing yellow eyes peering into my very soul.
“I’ve missed this more than you could ever know, Tina.” At this time, I really didn’t care what he was calling me, only having this intoxicating need to make him submit to my will. “We shouldn’t do this, but I’m not going to stop you.” At least he was being honest, and my animal instincts were already at the surface and I needed him more than he could ever know.
“Shut up.” His mouth began to move, until I smacked him across the face with the back of my hand, essentially shutting him up and leaving only a physical connection between the two of us. “All I want from you is what’s between your legs, and you are going to give it to me without question or hesitation.” I found him surging to new heights, and I took a hold of him to see how hard and demanding he really was, only to hear his intake of breath as I squeezed him with my animal hands.
“AHHHHHHHH.” I liked the sound of that, and I moved down his skin with my tongue leading the way, until I was dipping into his belly button, before moving towards what was now projecting from his crotch. I had both hands on it, steadying it and looking at it from all angles, while sniffing the air and licking the small pearl drop off the tip. “Jesus, I had forgotten…ahhhh...what this feels like.” I wasn’t listening, tasting him and swirling my tongue around the glands.
Slurping my lips over the crown, I easily took everything he had, and for the first time in my life, I found I was able to deep throat something of this magnitude. It was at least 10 inches, as thick as a beer can, and was stretching my jaw to capacity. There was nothing that I wanted more than to feel his hefty piece of equipment sliding back and forth across my tongue and into my tight and demanding throat. He was squirming, his fingernails digging into the wood floor, leaving behind scratch marks. I sucked him like a madwoman, driving my head back and forth in his lap, so hard that my mouth was slapping obscenely against his body.
Grabbing his balls, I heard the scream of anguish coming from his lips “OWWWWWW.” It was like an aphrodisiac that I couldn’t get enough of, as his body trembled and shook with the fierce demanding hands strangling his nuts. Coming off of him, I left behind a trail of spit, holding him by the base and rising up to hover above him. “Yes, please…do it…do it.” He was begging for a piece of me, and I smiled before driving him deep inside me.
Pounding on his chest with my fist, I started to ride him with hard and long strokes, while putting my hands on his and making sure that he couldn’t move, while I had my way with him. “You are mine. Come for me little one.” He looked at me like I was hurting him, and at that very moment I didn’t care if I was or not. Each time that I slammed back down, I grinded into his crotch so hard that I could actually feel that I was giving him a little bit of discomfort. I fed off that feeling, putting him through his paces and riding him like a runaway bull. “This is mine…this is what I want…and this is what I will have.” He was trying to match me, but my strength was overpowering, so all that he could do was look up at me with his mouth wide open in shock and pleasure.
He looked a little afraid, and his fear was a scent that was causing me to dig my fingernails into his hands. “Stop…stop this…I won’t be able to hold out…slow the fuck down.” His words were like fingernails on a chalkboard, and I did
n’t care what he was saying; only that he was giving me what I needed the most. I was not the same woman, and this time I was fully in control and able to set the pace anyway I liked.
“Stop…stop…why the hell would I do that…GRRRRRRRRRR.” The sound coming from my throat was feral, and I could feel my body squeezing down on him with so much force that there was no way that he was going to be able to stop himself from going off.
This was what I was waiting for, and I had this need to feel him ejecting his bodily fluids into my womanly sheath, and I was coming so intensely that it felt like my entire body was being torn apart from the inside. His shaft was swelling, and it was just a matter of time before he gave up what I so desperately wanted. As his balls were rearing up, I suddenly felt dizzy, and I looked over to see that a needle was projecting from my arm. Through blurred vision, I saw myself being pulled off of the piece of pipe between my legs, watching as it went off like a volcano and I wasn’t able to feel it for myself.
“NO...I WANT IT…I NEED IT…GRRRRRRRRR.” Blackness enveloped me, and I suddenly found myself lying on the floor with my eyes peering up into those of Andrew’s
“I gave you a sedative, and it appears to have brought you back to human form. Sleep, because I have feeling you’re going to need all the rest that you can get.”
Chapter5
I don’t know how long I slept, only that I woke up to find that day had turned to night, and I had this overwhelming headache, like a pounding drum against my skull. Getting up, I bring my hands to my forehead trying to quell the pain. I look around to see Sean handcuffed to a pipe. His head bowed down, hair dripping with perspiration, still completely nude, and not exactly in any condition to do anything.
“I don’t care that you didn’t have any control. Deep down you must’ve wanted to do it, or you wouldn’t have done it in the first place. I don’t think either of us had any idea what we were, and to be honest, I am still trying to wrap my that you’re a shape shifter!” I saw how disappointed he was but everything that happened in the last few hours was a jumble of images, like my nightmares “We can’t stay here.” I was trying my best to bring back those memories from last night, only to find them just out of reach.
