by Tamsin Baker
“Tyler needs to stay overnight, and I’m going to stay with him. Then we can transport him home tomorrow and I’m happy to move into the house for a few days to look after him.”
Brandon’s cock twitched again. Yes, that was a very good plan.
Laura’s eyes swung over to him and stared, trying to communicate something he didn’t understand. “If that’s okay with you, Brandon?”
He nodded, clearing his throat before speaking. “Absolutely.”
Laura looked back at his mother and for the first time he saw the pallor in her cheeks, and the slump to her shoulders. Maybe she hadn’t handled that surgery as well as she said she did.
“When will he be able to shift back to human, Rosalie?”
His mother shrugged. “I’m not sure. As soon as he is strong enough. A day, two maybe. Shifters heal very fast.”
Laura’s shoulders sagged even further and the protector in Brandon took over.
“Laura, get your assistant in to watch Tyler tonight and you can come home with me. You’re exhausted.”
Laura’s eyes went wide and she shook her head with a grim frown. “No, if something goes wrong, I need to be here.”
Brandon walked over to his woman and took her hand.
“No. I’ll pay. Bring in whoever you want and tomorrow we’ll both come to take him home. You need sleep.” He leant forward, his heart in his throat as he whispered into Laura’s ear. The woman who had broken up with him this morning and then saved Tyler’s life this afternoon. “And I need to make you come so many times you forget your own name.”
Laura pulled back abruptly and stared at him, her eyes concerned and shiny with tears. She didn’t actually speak but Brandon took her silence for acquiescence.
“Do you need to make some phone calls?”
Laura nodded slowly, a tear slipping down her cheek which she quickly swiped away.
“All right, I’ll wait for you.”
Brandon squeezed her hand and stepped away from her, his lion raising his head and growling at the idea of leaving her. We’re taking her with us. Don’t worry.
Brandon shook his head and headed back over to his parents. He’d never really identified his lion as a separate part of himself, but today he was talking to the shifter for the first time like he was.
“Laura’s going to call someone else to come in to watch Tyler, and she’ll come home with me for some rest.”
His dad smiled knowingly and his mum clung to her husband’s arm.
“Should I stay? I could sleep here overnight.”
Laura walked over to him, standing by his side with her back straight and strong. Brandon’s lion purred with pride as she spoke.
“No, Rosalie, I think we all need to go home and have a break. I’ll get the other vet in and she can call me if anything goes wrong. I’ll stay at my house so that I’m closer to Tyler if anything goes wrong.”
Brandon smiled at her plan and nodded. He didn’t care where she wanted to sleep, but he’d be right beside her all night.
“Mum, Dad. Take Nae home and we’ll see you guys tomorrow.”
They waved his parents off and Brandon took Laura into his arms, not caring when she was stiff and unresponsive. They had a few things to work out. “Go get organized and I’ll wait for you here.”
He leaned forward and kissed her, not sure if she’d turn away, but not caring either. When their lips connected, Brandon moaned and pulled her closer. They locked together for several moments, Laura’s hands gently touching his face before they pulled apart. Brandon ached everywhere and Laura’s cheeks were slashed with color.
“Ah, I’ll go call Claire. I’d prefer not to go home with you, if that’s all right?”
She looked away and Brandon shrugged.
“Your place, mine, I don’t care. I’ve gotta make a few phone calls too, so you’ll let me know when it’s time to go home?”
Laura stared at him again with that searching look that made him wonder how she was really feeling. During the week, they’d forged a connection that had surpassed anything he’d ever experienced or felt. Then in one night, he’d lost her. He didn’t understand and she certainly didn’t seem to know how she felt either.
Laura finally nodded once and headed into the clinic.
Brandon pulled out his phone and called his boss to let him know he needed the week off. He would find out exactly what had gone wrong and fix it.
****
Laura checked on Tyler once more and heard the front door open and close.
“Laura, its Claire.”
Laura bent down and kissed Tyler’s head, closing her eyes for a moment to inhale his scent. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She headed out into the waiting room and smiled at the woman whose skill she trusted almost as much as her own.
“Thanks so much for coming in, Claire. I removed a bullet from a mountain lion’s shoulder a few hours ago and I need you to watch him overnight.”
Claire’s eyes widened with shock. “You have a mountain lion in recovery? I hope he’s doped out so he won’t move until tomorrow.”
Panic fluttered through Laura and she rushed to explain.
“He’s on 100 mg. of xylazine and 100 mg. of romifidine every four hours. Tyler is the pet of a family friend. He’s been raised by humans since a cub, so he’s no danger to you. If something happens to him, I’ll never forgive myself.” Laura’s voice broke and Claire rushed forward.
“Oh Laura, don’t worry. I’m sorry. I’ll look after him like he was my own pet, I promise.”
Claire stroked her hand down Laura’s arm and she took a long, shuddering breath. She was holding onto her tears like a starving woman to food.
“I…need to go home, but if you need me, if he even struggles to breathe for one moment…you call.”
Laura blew out a breath and wiped at the tears sitting on her lashes. What a fucking long day.
“Of course I will. No problem at all.”
Laura nodded and grabbed her bag, numbness beginning to steal through her body. She made it out her front door and headed toward her car.
Brandon snagged her as she walked past him and pulled her into his body. “I’ll drive, jump in.”
She couldn’t look at him, but allowed him to guide her into his car and drive the few minutes back to her home. When they arrived, she struggled out the door and started up the footpath.
Brandon’s strong hands wound around her arms like roots of a tree, giving her strength when she needed it. He took her keys when her hands shook too much to open the front door, and led her into her bedroom when she stumbled on the carpet.
She pulled at her clothes, wanting to be rid of any evidence that today existed. When she was down to her underwear, she fell toward the bed, pulling back the covers and climbing in. She rolled over, and hot flesh pressed against her back.
“Thank you for saving my brother.”
Pain slid through Laura’s chest, shattering the cold cloud that had consumed her.
“He wouldn’t have…” Her voice cracked and she stopped talking, raising her hand and pressing it against her mouth in hopes it would stem the sob she felt rising.
“Wouldn’t what?” Brandon probed, running his hand up and down her arm in a move that was both reassuring and devastating.
Oh God, what have I done?
Sobs rose and escaped from her lips. Tears rolled down her cheeks and her nose blocked up so that she couldn’t breathe. Laura let it all go. The devastation from last night, the breakup that morning. Then the horrendous ordeal of having to operate on a man she loved. There was a reason she became a vet and didn’t go into medicine, and that was because she didn’t like cutting people open.
“Shh, baby girl. You’re okay, I’ve got you.” Brandon held her tight and didn’t stop her from crying. His arms were like a tight band around her and she kept crying, unable to put the brakes on once she’d released it.
“Oh sweetheart, please stop. You’re only hurting yoursel
f.”
She let the pain descend and consume her. She deserved it after all. The tears finally subsided and she wiped them away with fresh tissues Brandon handed her and let him pull her into his arms. It was nice to be held, though she didn’t know why he was bothering.
“How are you feeling now?”
He seemed to be holding his breath and Laura shrugged, wiping at the tears that gathered and fell once more. What was wrong with her eyes?
Brandon squeezed her tight against him and asked again.
“Seriously, Laura. You okay?”
She hiccupped and blinked a few times, her eyes sore and dry.
“I just feel numb.”
And she did. There was little else going through her body now. She could barely even feel her arms as she raised them to wipe at her cheeks. Her tear ducts seemed to be the only ones in tune with her pain. The rest of her had shut down. Even her brain was moving clunky again she realized, as she closed her eyes tight and willed sleep to take her.
“No. I can’t allow that, sweetheart.”
Brandon rolled her over and got up on his knees beside her. He pulled her underwear down her legs and Laura didn’t stop him. She just kept weeping. She opened her legs to welcome him and hoped he’d just fuck her like he did all those other women. She needed the distraction, to be punished for being so selfish, so stupid to not realize how good they could have been. If only she’d believed in them.
Sunlight filtered into her bedroom and she knew he was looking right at her, although she had her eyes squeezed shut.
“Fuck, you’re beautiful.”
Laura sobbed again, covering her wet face with both of her hands.
Brandon’s hands slid up her thighs and gently traced the flesh between her legs.
“Inside and out, you’re gorgeous. You did nothing wrong today and you are going to feel how much I care about you. I swear it.”
She nodded her head but didn’t really believe him. How could he make this pain go away with sex? The ache was so great she couldn’t help the tears that flowed down her cheeks still, but the sobs stopped as he lowered himself down and set his mouth to her clit.
Gentle sensations of pleasure lapped at her while Brandon gently licked her, running his tongue around the sensitive nub of flesh, then licking her closed entrance.
“You’re ours, Laura. Our beautiful lover. Never be sorry for what happened today.”
His wet, warm tongue slipped over her flesh again and something cracked open inside her as Brandon continued to love her body. She moaned and arched, not caring if it didn’t feel the same. He was touching her, loving her with his mouth. His hands tightened on her thighs and he thrust his tongue into her, over and over again. Pleasure filtered down on her like light rain.
Brandon hopped up and prowled over her, his huge frame blocking out the light, and Laura let her eyes close as he slid into her to the hilt. She gasped and let her eyes fly open, sparkles of energy and love exploding inside her.
“Mine.” He growled, the sound making her heart thump against her chest. She placed her hands on his huge arms but left her legs down on the bed.
He began to move, pulling back and seating himself again, the rhythm soothing, yet she let her brain shut down, almost drifting to sleep in a bid to get away from the foreign feelings.
Brandon dropped himself closer and spoke directly into her ear. “Do you know how much we want you, how we care for you like we’ve never cared about anyone before.”
A wounded noise escaped Laura’s throat and she lifted her legs to wrap them around Brandon’s hips. He surged forward harder, pleasure spiraling up through her pelvis. Flames burst up out of the dead embers and she gasped and bucked her hips up against Brandon.
“You are meant to be with no other. We will worship you forever more.”
His words sparked a connection somewhere between her cold body and her heart, each of them reaching for the threads that joined them together.
“Never leave us again, Laura. We won’t survive without you.”
Laura cried out and clenched tight around his surging body, sinking her teeth into his shoulder as she battled to hold back the flow of feelings. He hadn’t said it, but she knew he loved her. She could feel it like it was a tangible thing within her fingers. She dug her nails in and cried out as her orgasm took control of her body, sweeping her up in one long, intense moment of bliss.
Brandon pulled out and pressed his cock down toward the mattress, spurting over her ass cheeks in hot torrents that made her flesh ache for the moment he would leave his essence inside her.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Laura chanted, kissing his face, his shoulders, unable to contain the tears of pure joy that ran now.
Somehow he’d managed to drag her out of her despair by reaching into her body and finding her love for him, and his for hers. Brandon lifted his head and kissed her lips gently, trembling as he pulled away and tucked them both into a sleeping position.
His lips pressed against her shoulder and she smiled into the semi-darkness. Peace settled over them and she drifted off to sleep, waking later to more lovemaking from Brandon, and dinner in bed.
He didn’t leave her alone for a single moment and she knew that her love for this man was more than complete. But she wondered if she could accept them for who they were. She wanted to, but only time would tell.
****
Back at their own home, Brandon opened the carved front door and directed the men in who carried Tyler on a stretcher.
“Bring him in here.”
He gestured to Tyler’s bedroom that Laura had set up with equipment to keep him hydrated and out of pain. The men lay Tyler down and stepped back cautiously.
Brandon patted them on the back and smiled down at his brother. He couldn’t see how healed Tyler’s shoulder was through the bandages, but it wouldn’t be long now.
Laura re-entered the room and ran a hand down his arm.
“His breathing and blood pressure are normal. I don’t think it’ll be long before he wakes.”
Brandon watched in relief and wonder as his brother’s lion body transformed back into his human one. Cinnamon fur disappeared as skin reappeared. His limbs elongated and thickened as his head and torso reshaped and grew.
A groan sounded that was more frustrated than filled with pain. “Thank God for that. I've been wanting to shift for hours but they were watching me too closely.”
Tyler turned onto his back and grimaced, running his hand over his injured shoulder. Laura threw herself down onto the bed with a cry and wrapped her arms around Tyler.
“What? Laura? Oh, sweetheart, are you okay?”
Laura was sobbing her heart out and burying her head in Tyler's neck. Tyler looked up at Brandon with a panicked expression and a hand signal for help.
Brandon smiled and walked over to the bed, staring down at the two of them. Laura and he had mended their rift, now she had to reunite with Tyler. He knew he should probably leave them alone, do the honorable and selfless thing. Fuck that. He wasn't missing out on a chance to be inside Laura's hot body again.
“Good to see you, brother.”
Tyler looked up at him, confusion evident in his eyes as he stroked Laura's long brown hair. “You too, bro. Sorry about yesterday.”
Brandon nodded and placed his hand on Tyler's ankle for a moment. They’d said some stupid things, but nothing they couldn’t forget.
“Yeah, me too.”
Tyler shifted his attention back to Laura, forcing her head up by grabbing her chin.
“Hey, hey, what's with all the tears? The last thing I remember is you breaking up with us because we'd slept around a little too much before we’d met you.”
Laura sobbed once more and shook her head, snuffling like a seal. “I was stupid. It doesn't matter. If you want me now and you mean it, I can forget all the other stuff.”
Tyler chuckled and kissed her red nose. “Of course I want you. I've been waiting for you my whole life.”
A smile spread across Brandon’s face. Bloody suck-up.
Laura grinned up at Tyler like the sun had finally come out in her deep, dark world, then rolled away for a tissue, cleaning her face up before sliding back into her place next to him.
“So you want me, huh?” She smiled up at Tyler, and Brandon chuckled.
Tyler kissed her lips gently. “More than I’ve ever wanted anyone, beautiful girl.”
Laura let out the sweetest little giggle and Brandon grinned. He loved hearing her so happy.
Then she did the last thing he expected. She slithered down Tyler's belly and took his soft cock into her mouth, moaning like a woman who’d just discovered chocolate.
Hell, yeah.
Tyler gripped her head and gasped as she worked his flesh, similar feelings of pleasure engulfing Brandon's cock while he stripped off his clinging clothes. His skin burned like it did when he was about to shift. He was aching to bond with her, the ménage mating that his family had predicted he needed meaning more to him now than ever before.
He stood and watched Laura pleasuring his brother, and his own cock rose and tingled as though it were being done to him. They were linked. If…no when, they mated, Brandon knew that pleasure unlike anything he had ever known awaited him.
“Up on your knees, babe.”
He tapped Laura's ass and she pulled back off the bed with a wild look in her green eyes. She ripped off her clothes in a flurry of jeans and cotton. Then she resumed sucking Tyler while on all fours, bobbing her head in a hypnotic rhythm.
Brandon stared at his beloved and groaned as the erotic picture she made sent heat blazing through his blood. His cock throbbed, yet he waited to penetrate her, bending forward and setting his tongue against her already-glistening slit. Honeysuckle burst across his tongue as Laura squealed and pushed back against him.
He slid his tongue from ass to clit, tasting her swollen, hot flesh, and moaning as his cock swelled and hardened. God, how I lust after this woman.
“Beautiful, you need to ride me...”
