by Sky Winters
“Oh, Aspen,” she murmured, gripping his shoulders and throwing her head back.
“You know,” Aspen said, running his thumb along her clit as he continued to explore inside of her. “Lions are very good with their tongues.”
“Mmmm,” she managed in response.
He took that as a challenge and slid down the mat, running his tongue past her navel and straight down between her legs, where he used it to flick her clitoris until her hips were arched in the air. Then he inserted it inside of her, moving in ways she’d never experienced until the stars above exploded in pops of light.
Aspen kissed his way back up her body again until he was positioned over her. His lopsided grin told her he was unbearably proud of himself, but she didn’t care. He really was that good.
She laughed as he placed her other knee over his opposite shoulder and walked over her with his hands until her knees were level with her own shoulders.
“I’ll go slowly in case I’m too large for you,” he said, probing at her entrance, which was primed and ready for him.
“You wish,” she said, matching his grin.
He entered excruciatingly slowly, touching deeper and wider than she’d had before and sending electric thrills through her belly as he worked his way inside.
She couldn’t stand it any more.
“Fuck me,” she commanded. “Like an animal.”
Aspen growled low in his chest and thrust himself inside of her, making more stars explode overhead and all around as he increased his rhythm and intensity to an animalistic setting.
Each thrust filled her with sensations of pleasure beyond imagining, and she let wave after wave pulse over her body until she cried out, unable to hold back. Hearing her climax must have given him that final push because he too thrust hard one final time, holding his position and grimacing as he released inside of her. Then he collapsed to her side, spent.
Both of them lay there in the tiny tent, panting and covered in sweat.
“I think,” he said, pausing to catch a breath, “I did a pretty thorough job that time.”
“Pretty thorough,” she echoed. “But you might have to check again in the morning. You know, in case another scratch pops up.”
Chapter 4
De woke to sunlight streaming in through the top of the tent. She blinked and rolled to her side where she spotted Aspen, already sitting, one knee pointed upward, another pair of worn boots and pants on. She frowned.
“I’ve decided to accompany you to the Emerald City and the Resistance,” he announced, patting her leg.
“How far is it?” she asked, sitting up and trying not to look like she was waiting for her head to stop spinning.
“About three days walk unless we cut through the badlands. Then we can do it in a day.”
De crawled forward on hands and knees and threw her arms around his neck, pressing her naked chest to his.
“I don’t mind taking three days.”
He grinned. “That’s three days walking. I suspect it could take a month with your appetite.”
“Humph,” De pouted. “I didn’t hear you complaining last night.”
Aspen pulled her into his lap and kissed her deeply, his hand running up and down her back.
“I have no complaints, little witch. I felt your magic last night. You’ve put a spell on me, but I don’t think I mind.”
De smiled.
“But,” he said, setting her on the ground and turning to unzip the tent.
“But?” she asked.
“But we need to find the Resistance and get you there safely. The WWW is aware of you by now, thanks to your furry little friends. And she’s going to be after someone with your power.”
“She doesn’t know if I have any power,” De laughed, following Aspen out of the tent to stretch.
“She’ll want to know how you summoned and tamed me. I told you, she was unable to do it. She won’t understand it is because she is hideous and you’re beautiful.”
“Image issues?” De asked, hugging herself now that they were out in the open. “What happened to my dress?”
“It was destroyed.”
“You got your pants back.”
“I travel prepared.”
De balked. “I can’t just walk around naked!”
“I would enjoy it,” Aspen said, cupping her buttocks and pressing her close.
De’s mouth dried up. She was not going to walk to some city butt naked.
“You are adorable when you are frightened,” Aspen said. “Don’t worry. I have some extra clothes that should work. And extra boots if you would prefer something… flatter.”
“You probably just want my boots for yourself,” De snapped. “For a chew toy or something.”
“I am not a canine,” Aspen growled, eyes glowing.
De backed up a little. “Clothes would be fine, thank you,” she said quickly.
Aspen grabbed a leather pack and dug inside, finally tossing her something white.
De caught it neatly and held up a man’s tunic, sleeveless and ragged at the bottom. It looked huge. But once it was on, she adjusted it so the big neck opening slid off one shoulder and then tied a piece of cord Aspen offered her around her waist like a belt. About an inch of thigh showed between the top of the boots and the bottom of the tunic, but that was actually better than the other dress, De decided.
Plus, it smelled like Aspen – all musky and masculine.
“Take this,” Aspen said, handing her a wicked-looking knife with a thick leather hilt. “You need a weapon so you can defend yourself. At least until I reach you.”
De nodded and tucked it carefully into her belt.
“Drink,” Aspen ordered, thrusting the same cup at her she’d drunk from the night before. “It will refill itself as you drink. It is a magic gift from a friend.”
De followed instructions, wondering miserably exactly who this magic friend was, as he folded up everything, including the tent, and stuffed it all inside his satchel.
She guessed that was magic, too. From the same friend, she supposed.
“We should move,” Aspen said, sticking his nose up into the air like maybe he’d caught a whiff of something. Could cats do that, too?
De set one hand on the hilt of her dagger and hurried along beside Aspen as he moved smoothly and quietly away from the path she’d so foolishly followed the day before.
“I should have listened to you,” she said, slightly out of breath from trying to keep up with his ridiculously long legs and quick stride. “When you told me not to go that direction.”
Aspen grunted, sniffing the air again before changing course slightly so that they moved across some fields with sad-looking crops of corn and wheat.
“This place is depressing,” De muttered, noting an old barn in the distance, dilapidated and partially demolished with the roof caved in like something had hit it from above.
“Tell me about it,” a man’s voice answered, familiar, but not deep enough to belong to Aspen.
“Who said that?” De asked, hurrying to catch up to Aspen’s side again.
She searched their surroundings, concentrating on the overgrown wheat billowing in rows. It could be a hiding place for flying monkeys or other horrible things.
“I did,” the man said again, and Aspen’s hands closed on her shoulders so he could angle her toward the barn.
All she saw was an old scarecrow stuck on a wooden post with half his stuffing hanging out.
“Don’t tell me…” she said, narrowing her eyes at the scarecrow’s face.
“No. Not the scarecrow, little witch,” Aspen breathed over her ear. “Look toward the building.”
De’s gaze trailed along the overgrown grass and crops until she spotted something glinting in the sun. Cautiously, she moved toward it until she could make it out better.
A metal man stood in the tall grass. He was a beautiful statue made of some kind of silvery substance. The likeness of the perfect man. Well, human man. A
spen was far more perfect as far as De was concerned.
“He’s beautiful,” she said, relaxing a little.
“Thank you,” the statue answered, its eyes swerving in its head toward her.
De screamed and backed right into Aspen’s hard chest.
“I didn’t mean to scare you,” the statue said. “It’s just that I rarely get to interact with anyone and well, there you were saying exactly what I was thinking about how depressing this place is.”
De was speechless. Why would someone create a beautiful piece of art, bring it to life and then abandon it in a corn/wheat field no one used?
“You look familiar to me,” she said, trying to see past the shiny metal surface.
“Maybe we were meant to meet,” the statue said in a British accent.
“Cheesy pickup line,” De said, “Fake British accent. What the hell, Patrick? Did you paint yourself silver and chase after me?”
Aspen’s chest rumbled behind her, and she felt him tense.
“I beg your pardon,” Patrick said. “My name is Brett, and I have not painted myself. I can’t even reach the frickin’ wind up on my back so I can move again. Fine joke on the part of the witch that did this to me, putting it out of reach.”
De rubbed her temples and tried to work things out. It made no sense that Patrick would even be able to find her, let alone paint himself silver and pose outside a broken-down barn, waiting for her to show up with a half-man/half-lion.
“You reminded me of a friend of mine, Brett. My apologies.”
“No need to apologize to the metal man,” Aspen said. “But I do smell food in the barn behind him. I believe someone’s been stashing supplies. I will go check it out and get us something to eat.”
“Should I come with you?” De asked, not wanting to separate from him.
“No. Wait here. I don’t know whose house this is and where they are. Metal Man, you will watch out for anyone approaching and warn this witch. If you do so, I may see fit to wind you up on our way out.”
“Yes, sir,” Brett said, following Aspen’s stealth-like movements with his eyes. “I’ll just wait here then,” he called after him. “So you’re a witch, huh?” he asked, switching to a much more pleasant tone.
De grimaced. She didn’t want to perpetuate the lie, but she also didn’t want to admit anything to Brett, who she wasn’t sure if she should trust.
“Not in the mood to talk? That’s a shame,” Brett continued with a sigh. “I sure could use the company. Honestly, I could use a lot more attention than just conversation, if you know what I mean.”
“I’m sure I don’t,” De said, walking around to his backside to examine this so-called wind up mechanism. As expected, it was centered between his shoulder blades. What she hadn’t expected was the view of his tight metal ass.
“Enjoying the view?” he asked.
How did he know? “Deciding whether I should wind you up or not,” De answered, glancing toward the barn in the hopes that Aspen would be quick.
“It would be a good idea. If someone does show up, I won’t be able to protect you without being able to move.”
“I don’t need you to. I can protect myself.” De stayed behind him because she didn’t feel like looking him in the face. Or worse, accidentally looking down when he might notice.
“That’s right. You’re a witch. I forgot. A good witch, I assume?”
“You hope,” De said, staring at the barn door and willing Aspen to come back out.
“I know who’s been using the farm house,” Brett said. “Neither of you asked, so I thought I should volunteer the information.”
“Who is it then?” De asked.
“Wind me up and I’ll tell you,” he said.
De was about to say the hell with it and follow Aspen into the barn when Brett hushed her.
“Excu—” she started, but he shushed again.
“I think I heard something,” he whispered. “Stay behind me. Stay quiet.”
De ducked back behind him and knelt low in the grass, heart beating hard against her chest.
“Well, if it isn’t the old Gnome,” Brett said loudly.
“Well, if it isn’t the broken toy,” a gravelly voice answered.
“Find any tender young flesh today?” Brett asked lightly.
“Not today, but there are rumors of a newcomer. Wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”
Brett snorted. “Yeah, someone dropped randomly out of the sky while you were out.”
Silence.
De put a hand on the hilt of her dagger and peered around Brett’s knee. The Gnome was about four and half feet tall and bulky, covered in some sort of makeshift armor. His head was oversized with pointed ears and an enormous nose that twitched as it sniffed the air.
“I smell something delicious,” he said finally.
De ducked back behind Brett’s legs.
“Why, thank you,” Brett said. “It’s a new cologne.”
“Who are you hiding?” the Gnome asked, stepping close to Brett’s face.
“How the hell would I hide someone when I can’t fucking move?” Brett asked, all polite pretense gone from his voice. “Now if I could move, I could defend someone from the likes of you, since I know how.”
De got the message loud and clear. But what if it was a mistake? What if he was on the Gnome’s side?
“Tell me or I’ll dismember you and make a scarecrow out of ya.”
“In the barn,” Brett said quickly.
Bastard! He gave up Aspen so fast he never even paused.
“Sure. You’d love it if I ran off into the food stores while whoever’s here escapes.”
“Okay. Stay here. You know I love the company.” Brett began to whistle.
“If it’s a female, you know what I’ll do?” the Gnome asked.
De peered around Brett’s knees again. Her stomach turned as she watched the Gnome mime lewd hip movements as he spoke.
“I’ll cut off her arms and legs and eat ‘em while I—”
De had enough. She grabbed hold of the winder on Brett’s back and turned with all her might. It resisted at first then slowly creaked into action, becoming easier and easier to turn with each twist.
“Well, well, well,” Gnome said with a chuckle. “She’s just as pretty as they said. And I bet just as tasty. Come over here, girly.”
“Fuck off,” De said, jumping back as he hobbled forward.
“Oh I like ‘em feisty,” he said and wiggled his fingers at her, lust written all over his face.
De’s weapon flew from her belt and into the Gnome’s old hand.
“Next is that dress. Then the boots. Then you!” he shouted with a cackle, wiggling his fingers again.
De’s tunic pulled forward like invisible hands were trying to rip it off of her body, but she held tight to the bottom and screamed.
“Aspen!”
“Oh ho ho!” The Gnome laughed. “You have a friend? Let me guess, he went to the barn to look for food? That’s exactly what I expect greedy little thieves to do. I doubt he made it through my traps.”
De’s face fell as she pictured him caught in a cage or a net of some sort.
Brett turned with an enormous squeak toward De, standing next to the Gnome, who handed him De’s dagger.
“What?” she asked. “You’re working with him? But he left you unwound!” She fought to keep her feet on the ground as she was pulled toward them by the same invisible force, sliding across the surface of the ground and kicking up gravel.
“But he pays so well!” Brett said. “And we had an innocent little bet to see if I could talk the next one into winding me up. I believe you won me twenty rubies. Thank you, dear.”
De dug her pointed heels in the dirt and looked for anything she might be able to hold on to.
“Stubborn little thing,” the Gnome grumbled. “I should be sinking my teeth into her tender flesh by now.”
“She’s a witch,” Brett explained, taking a few heavy ste
ps forward to reach her.
De struggled to run, but was forced back an inch or so toward Brett, who grabbed her wrist with his cold, metal hand and held out the dagger.
“You trusted me,” he said.
“I’m an idiot,” she answered.
Brett smiled and threw the knife. De watched in shock as it flew back and slid in the Gnome’s forehead right between his eyes.
Dee leaned over and vomited as Brett waited patiently.
“What the hell?” she finally asked, trying unsuccessfully to tug her hand away from his grip.
An earth-rattling roar made both of them stumble in place and De looked past Brett’s shoulder to find Aspen flying toward them in lion form. She barely ducked in time as his massive jaws closed around Brett’s torso and he was dragged ten feet away from De, who was left rubbing her wrist.
Aspen shook his enormous head and tossed Brett across the field about twenty feet. But Brett was made of metal and though a human would have been chomped in half, Brett stood shakily and ran a hand over the row of indentations on his torso.
“Asshole!” he shouted. “That’ll cost money to get fixed.”
Aspen roared again, nearly causing Brett to fall over.
“In case you didn’t notice, I saved your little girlfriend from the Gnome. The food stores are yours now. You’re welcome,” Brett shouted.
“You had something else in mind,” De shouted back, stalking through the tall grass toward Aspen. The closer she could get, the better. “You weren’t letting go.”
“I didn’t want you to run off to the barn to try and save Kitty here. I was trying to prevent you from falling into a trap.”
De stopped as Aspen finally reached her and nuzzled her outstretched hand. Brett waited in the field, still examining his wounds. One minute he was on her side, the next he was an enemy. What was she supposed to believe?
Aspen morphed back into his human form and pulled her into his side. “There were several traps set. Luckily none anticipated a lion’s strength or agility. Thank you for protecting the little witch, Metal Man.”
Brett snorted. “You’re welcome. Now you can pay for my trouble and my buffing.” He wiggled his fingers.
