Corviticus University: Family Ties

by J. E. Cluney

  Allison gave me a hopeless look, and I knew she wanted to fade from existence right about now.

  I’d happily join her.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry,” my mother fussed as she stood up.

  My sister just shot me a dirty look before striding off, still taking her serving of the pudding as she grumbled about her shirt.

  My father, on the other hand, looked a little embarrassed and awkward as he cleared his throat.

  “Sorry, Allison…” he managed to say, which took me by complete surprise.

  “You should be. There’s no need to have a screaming match in front of her, she’s our guest. Samantha is at fault, yes, but you also could’ve just ignored her,” I said sharply, not allowing him to speak when he opened his mouth.

  My mother shot me a look as she pulled out the paper towels and spray.

  ‘Skip, stop, don’t make it worse,’ Allison mentally begged me as she just stared at her plate of half eaten pudding.

  “She’s my mate, so you all need to treat her with some respect,” I spat out, not caring that I had been hoping to keep it from them. This would send the message straight home and really punch my father in the gut for his behavior. I doubted Samantha would care in the slightest.

  My mother gasped as she spun around, dropping the spray bottle as a grin spread across her face.

  “Your mate?” my father blurted, looking both shocked and delighted all at once.

  Allison mentally groaned into my mind.

  “Yes,” I said firmly.

  “We don’t get true mates,” my father pointed out.

  “But other supes do, Allison did, and I became one,” I explained. Kangaroo shifters were not bound by mating bonds with other kangaroo shifters, they could change partners like humans did. But we could be caught up in the mating bonds if we fell for a supe that had them. It was a strange way the supe world worked, but I was bound to her now.

  “What’s it like?” my mother asked, momentarily forgetting that she was in the midst of cleaning.

  “So you two are really bonded?” my father murmured as he tugged his sticky shirt off and hung it over the chair. He had a sprinkling of greying hairs on his chest, and he wasn’t as perfectly toned as he’d once been. Age was catching up on him, clearly.

  “Yes, we can sense one another’s emotions, even communicate telepathically,” I said, smiling as I reached over to rest an arm on Allison’s shoulders, grateful that my father’s rage had been distracted.

  Allison gave me a small smile before glancing at my parents.

  “Well, I’m glad you’ve found each other,” my mother smiled warmly.

  “Yeah, I just want my kids happy and healthy,” my father sighed.

  “I am happy.”

  My father gave me a small smile at this. “I’m sorry I blew up at your sister. I just feel like she’s drifting from us. She lives under the same roof, but… well, you saw her. She’s barely a part of this family.”

  “She’s also sixteen. She’s at that rebellious age,” I reminded him. Sure, there was rebelling, then there was being a spoilt, bratty little cow. But I couldn’t help them fix that issue. That was all on them.

  “I know, maybe she’ll grow out of it,” my father nodded.

  “Everything will be fine. Maybe she’ll meet some shifter or something who’ll bond with her too and help sort her out,” my mother said hopefully. I could see she was already thinking about how amazing a true mate would be. But she’d accepted my father, flaws and all. Even his narcissistic tendencies.

  “I’ll get this cleaned up, you three finish your dessert, then go shower, I’m sure you both would like to get into some pajamas,” my mother said as she bent down to clean up the mess.

  Allison offered to help, but my mother was having none of it, just commanding her to finish her dessert instead.

  I found myself smiling softly at how well my parents had taken it. And my father had calmed right down now, and was asking Allison more about herself, clearly more focused on her now.

  ‘As long as we don’t mention the multiple mates thing,’ she reminded me mentally.

  ‘Definitely keep that to ourselves,’ I agreed.

  Chapter 11

  I managed to relax after the episode at dinner, and I apologized to Skip’s parents profusely about the moment, mainly his mom, but she just laughed it off, saying it had helped alleviate the tension.

  Now we sat in the living room, and I was stifling giggles as she showed me photo albums of Skip as a toddler. There was one with him carrying around a roast chicken triumphantly, and another of him sitting on the back of a chilled out cow.

  He was beaming as he sat atop the grey beast, one front tooth missing and his blond hair a ruffled mess. But he looked ecstatic as he waved at the camera.

  Skip and his father had headed to the shed to check out the Ford he was working on, as Skip had asked how it was coming along. I wondered if they were talking about us being mated too.

  “He was such a cute kid, I feel like I missed out on so much of his life when he lived with my mother,” Lisa sighed as she stroked a picture of him fondly. “We only saw him for holidays really, and that was only sometimes too.”

  “I’m sorry,” I said automatically.

  “Don’t be. He turned into a fine young man. When he came home to work on the farm with us, he was a delight to have around, especially since Samantha was starting to rebel already. He helped me with chores around the house and made life so much easier. Then he went off to study, and he’s only continued to grow. And he met you,” she smiled warmly at me, her blue eyes lighting up with joy.

  “I’m glad I met him too,” I murmured as my chest tightened. It was true. Meeting him and the others had completely changed my life for the better. It had come with an abundance of dramas, but also laughs, joy, and happiness.

  I’d found my mates, and my life felt more meaningful and complete now.

  “So, is it difficult being together in a house full of guys?” she asked, her mouth curving up at the thought of our possible difficulties.

  “They’re pretty good with it, we don’t hide it from them,” I said. No need to hide it when they were a part of it.

  “That’s good. I know Lucas can be a little out there, I used to think he had a thing for Skip, but I guess that’ll fade if it was there, now that he’s mated,” she mused as I reached for my glass of water.

  I nearly breathed it in, and I coughed as I tried to stop from choking. Yeah, I wouldn’t go there.

  “Oh, you don’t think he did?” Lisa frowned, misreading my shocked look.

  “I think he’s settling down himself now,” I said quickly as I turned the page of the photo album.

  “That’s good. I never had anything against him liking guys, and I felt sorry for him, the way his parents pushed him out. Last I spoke to Skip, he said things were going okay between him and his mother. That’s a good thing, every boy needs his mother,” she droned on as I eyed the precious photos of Skip in nappies. In one, he was strutting around the house with a heap of pegs stuck to the back of his nappy, and the other had him wearing a second nappy on his head as he laughed.

  “Ah, I remember those ones. He was such a happy, carefree child. Always up to mischief too. Broke both his arms before he was four, climbing on things. Healed quickly though, but he still needed a cast for a while. Our healing slows as we age,” Lisa sighed. “I sometimes wish his father would let go of the farm and move closer to the coast.”

  I glanced over at her, pursing my lips at the look of weariness and defeat in her eyes. She was tired of this life. And it was clear she really cared for Skip. He’d made it clear his home life had been a toxic one, but he was always closest to his mother.

  She obviously missed him, and I wished his father could see the pain the distance was causing his wife.

  I knew Skip could visit more, but he wasn’t overly fond of his father and sister, so he always put it off. I’d have to tell him to try to see his mother m
ore. He’d said she never visited because she had too many duties on the farm to do, but I also had a feeling it was his father being a bit controlling. I’d seen glimpses of his teen years at home in his mind, knew how ugly things had gotten over those years with his father. He’d been controlling and narcissistic, and when Skip’s grandmother had died and he’d nearly made his mother miss the funeral by being stubborn, that was the final straw.

  “This was when we took them down to Coffs Harbour for a holiday,” she murmured, indicating a photo set on the beach, with another beneath it of them posing with the Big Banana.

  We went through the whole photo album, and then I sat back, listening as Lisa told me all sorts of stories of Skip as a toddler, and then some of when he’d come home as a teen.

  Seeing the love and pride in her eyes as she spoke made my chest squeeze.

  There was nothing like a mother’s love.

  I lay in bed next to Skip, chuckling as the bed creaked while he shuffled closer.

  “No fun stuff, they’ll hear us,” I hissed as he leaned in for a kiss.

  He groaned and rolled his eyes, but kissed me anyway.

  “Spoil my fun.”

  “Sorry, but I don’t want them knowing what we’re up to,” I whispered with a chuckle.

  “We’re mated. They’ll know it’s part of it,” he smirked as he kissed me again, this time dragging it out as he stroked my lower lip with his tongue.

  Heat rippled through me, and I groaned softly as he moved closer, jabbing me with his arousal to set me off.

  “It’s too… weird,” I murmured once we broke apart. Too bad my body was coming to life as his hand ran down my arm and rested on my hip.

  “How was your dad?” I asked softly.

  “He was okay. We mostly just spoke about cars, had a beer each from his garage fridge, then he started to ask about you. He’s grateful I’ve met you, found someone suited for me. He admitted he’s started taking some antidepressants to help with his anger streak. Magically enhanced to actually work on shifters though. He said it’s been helping, but things are tough with the farm, and he’s not sure how much longer he can last doing this,” Skip sighed.

  “Your mom wants to move closer to the coast, give up the farm,” I informed him.

  He just nodded sadly. “She’s tired of the farming life. It’s no longer enough to support them, they’ve struggled for years to make ends meet. My father is just too stubborn.”

  “You should visit her more, she likes seeing you. I can even come along,” I offered as I stroked the side of his face, circling my thumb over his cheek in a soothing manner.

  “I know,” he murmured as he cupped my face. “You have a heart of gold, you know that, right?”

  I just smiled at his words, touched that he thought that. I couldn’t help that I cared about others, it was just normal for me, and I felt for his mother.

  “They’ll be fine. They’ll figure it out. They’re adults, and they need to make their own decisions. With my dad on meds, maybe he’ll see what’s the best choice to make soon. If not, I’ll still help them and be there for my mother. I’ll visit her more,” Skip whispered.

  He was right. We could feel sorry for them and their struggles, but it was the choice they’d made. Just like with anyone in life, you can educate them and guide them, but you can never make choices for them.

  That’s completely up to them.

  “You seem to like helping my mother out. I’m glad you two get along so well,” Skip said as he moved in closer to brush his lips against my forehead.

  “She’s very lovely, so cheery and keeps herself busy.”

  “Mom’s always been like that. She puts on the brave face for the rest of us, always has.”

  I just stared at him, at the way his blue eyes gleamed slightly in the darkness with his shifter side.

  He truly was beautiful, and just staring at him right now, taking in the curve of his jaw and his sweet smile, made my heart squeeze. I traced my finger along his cheekbone and ran it into his hair, playing softly with his short blond locks.

  “You’re even more beautiful,” he murmured as he leaned in to claim my lips sweetly.

  I relaxed as a sweet tingle rippled through me as his tongue teased along my lips.

  I parted my lips, and he drew my lower lip in, sucking on it gently and sending a spark of heat coursing through me.

  ‘We can’t go any further than kissing,’ I mentally groaned as the bed squeaked under his weight.

  ‘We can transfer to the floor?’ he suggested, his voice a low rumble in my mind.

  His length prodded my stomach as he pulled me into him, and I quivered at the thought.

  He deepened our kiss, his hands exploring my body and slipping under my singlet to fondle my breasts.

  I could feel all my willpower to hold off draining away with each soft pinch of my nipples which sent a wave of heat right down to my growing arousal.

  Damn.

  Floor it was.

  Skip chuckled as the bed squeaked while he threw the pillows and blanket to the floor. At least the white shaggy rug would soften it, but he moved down to the floor and spread the blanket out too as I slid down to join him.

  And then he was kissing me and carefully laying me down on the blanket and pillows, tugging my singlet off and ravishing my chest with soft, sweet kisses.

  A soft moan escaped my lips as he licked my pert nipple, swirling his tongue around it before gently taking it between his teeth.

  He tugged it softly before moving to suckle it, and I arched into him as his hands moved down to tease along my waistband.

  I returned the torment, sliding my hands up his bare chest, grateful he’d not bothered to wear a top to bed.

  And then I danced my fingers down and teased his length that strained against his boxers, caressing it through the satiny fabric as he moaned and sucked my nipple a little harder. This drew a small hiss from me as my body throbbed in response, and he moaned again as he drew in a deep breath, loving the scent of my arousal.

  He slid down my boxers (a pair I’d stolen from him and claimed for my nightwear) and began to shimmy down my body, trailing hungry kisses on my flushed skin.

  I closed my eyes, biting my lip as he kissed my hip, his hands pressing into the soft skin of my inner thighs as he spread my legs.

  My breath came in short bursts as he kissed lower, trailing down from my hip to my inner thigh.

  God, he was torturing me with these slow kisses, and I knew I was a soaking mess already in anticipation.

  ‘You smell amazing,’ he moaned into my mind.

  I arched as he dove right in, his tongue sliding right over my wet folds and flicking up against my clit.

  I gasped and gritted my teeth, not wanting his parents to hear me as he began working his magic, his hands massaging my inner thighs as he enjoyed his desired dessert.

  I could feel his mischievous delight at the fact that I was already struggling to be quiet. A part of him wanted to see if he could break my silence.

  I cursed mentally at him, and deep, throaty laughter rung out in my mind as he began to suckle my clit.

  I threw my head back, fighting the urge to buck into him. He was holding me down anyway, but he moved one hand to tease my folds.

  I gasped softly before clenching my teeth again as he slid one finger in with ease.

  ‘You’re so fucking wet for me,’ he grunted.

  ‘Can’t be helped, you just have that effect,’ I gasped.

  ‘Makes it hard to control myself, smelling you all needy, looking so fucking hot,’ he growled.

  I jerked with delight as he flicked his finger inside me, caressing my sweet spot with expert skill.

  He chuckled into my mind as I made soft sounds of joy, struggling to remain quiet as he inserted a second finger.

  I couldn’t help myself as I began to softly buck into him, his fingers working away inside as he teased my clit, swirling his tongue over it and taking small breaks to kiss
my thighs and keep from overworking my sensitive little pearl.

  It didn’t take long before I was straining against him, gripping the pillows as my breaths came out quickly, fighting the urge to moan and beg him to finish me.

  My core tightened, and I rolled my head back, biting back the cries as my body bucked and spasmed.

  Skip moaned into my mind as my climax hit, and I savored the waves of pleasure that coursed through me as I drew in ragged breaths.

  I jerked as Skip dove his tongue inside me, enjoying my honeyed orgasm and making sure to clean it all up. No need for some mischief magic to crash this sexy session.

  He climbed up my body, kissing me all over before holding himself over me.

  I stared up at him, still drawing in gasps of air as my euphoria slowly wore off.

  He just smiled down at me, and pushed his thoughts into my mind.

  To him, I looked like a divine beauty, hot as all hell and everything he desired. Everything he loved.

  I pushed back my own adoration and love for him, and found our lips meeting in a passionate, loving kiss.

  “I’m going to show you how much I love you, Bee Sting. How much you’re mine, and how much I want you,” he rasped as he kissed down my neck.

  I wrapped my legs around his waist, ready to have him, and he eased inside me, moaning as my tight walls wrapped around him.

  I quivered, loving the feel of him inside me.

  He began moving with me, kissing me and murmuring sweet words.

  Sweet words were nothing compared to the pounding that soon followed when his shifter side kicked in.

  That second head sprouted and rubbed my sweet spot, forcing soft moans from me.

  And he sped up, thrusting into me quicker and quicker, gripping my hips and guiding my movements.

  I rocked back and forth on the blanket, loving how he was in complete control, all the pleasure tingling through me as I clawed at his back.

  He hammered into me, and I couldn’t keep the soft gasps and moans from escaping.