“And you hate coffee and cats,” he said with a grin.
“Yeah, there's that too,” I agreed, glad that he didn’t seem to mind. “Anyway, like I said, it was great for couple of years, several actually. But our employees were usually seasonal, so a lot of the regulars who knew all of my mom's recipes started leaving. About five years or so after she died, I realized that none of my employees were the original once. And a lot of the previous ones would leave without ever thoroughly training the ones that came after them.
“Suddenly, I had a shop full of people who had learned my mother's recipes third, if not fourth-hand. Nobody knew how to repair anything, not even me. And... things just started to kind of go downhill. People complained more and more, stuff started breaking, and I’d do more harm than good by repairing it... and the more people complained, the less kept coming back. And all of a sudden, all the old regulars were gone, and the only people who would come to get coffee were tourists who would never been here before. And they would only come once during their trip. Instead of the locals directing them here, they sent them somewhere else. And the less money I brought in, the less I could afford to repair equipment, and get new ingredients, and buy higher-quality beans... it's just all been adding up over the years,” I finished with a sigh. “I heard that people are calling it the Black Cat behind my back now.”
Cambry’s eyebrows furrowed. “Instead of the Caffeinated Cat? I don’t get it.”
“Because black is the only way the coffee is drinkable,” I said dryly.
“Assholes,” he spat. He turned and looked around. “Well, we’ll show them.” I’m sure he intended it to be somewhat dramatic, but he yawned and ruined the effect.
I couldn't resist yawning as well. ”It's early afternoon,” I grumbled. “I shouldn't be this tired.”
“Some days I’m in bed until now,” Cambry laughed.
“Why is that?”
He shrugged. “Most shifters tend to keep later hours.”
That would take a little bit of getting used to. I was normally an early riser, as were my customers. “What do you do at your shop if you aren’t up early?” I asked.
“I have humans who work the morning shifts.”
He said humans so casually, I wondered if I would ever get used to that.
“And don't worry about being tired,” added Cambry. “You probably didn't get much sleep last night, what with me yowling at your back door.” He smiled at me affectionately. “You did also stay up quite a bit later to make sure I was okay.”
“I did,” I conceded. “But you were awake and trying to get out of here for quite some time while I was sleeping. You must be exhausted. Not to mention you almost froze to death.”
“You know, I could definitely use a nap,” he admitted.
“Shall we?” I offered, gesturing to the upstairs. “There won't be any customers with the snow. And it's not as if we have anything better to do.”
“I hate to take the bed if you're tired, too,” he said. “Unless…” Cambry trailed off his, cheeks reddened.
Well, it wasn't as if I didn't think this would happen sooner or later, being soul mates and all. And the idea of climbing into bed with him and falling asleep together was incredibly appealing.
“I'd love to share it with you,” I said shyly.
He seemed almost relieved and I laughed. I felt just as awkward but at the same time, I didn't see any reason to postpone getting close.
“I am going to let you change me into a cat and claim me as your mate,” I reminded him. I think getting a little cozy is hardly going to be the end of the world.”
Cambry stood almost eagerly. “Let's get up there then.”
We went up to my bedroom together. I was oddly nervous as we climbed the stairs. I mean, it had been a while since I was intimate with anybody. Not that I was expecting to be intimate with him before we napped, but for some reason, my mind kept going there. My dick was semi-erect as we reached my room. I adjusted my boxers to make it more comfortable, hoping that Cambry didn't notice.
My room seemed smaller than ever, as I sat down on the bed. He joined me and, for a moment, we both just sat there.
“Do you feel nervous and awkward?” he blurted. “Because this is horrible!”
I laughed. “Oh, thank God. I thought it was just me!”
He laughed with me, and I became aware of just how close together we were. The way his fingers on the bedspread were just brushing against mine. Before I knew what I was doing, I was leaning closer to him. He met me halfway, his lips warm and soft against mine. He smelled of coffee, and tuna sandwich, and some sort of earthy musk. It reminded me of the sandalwood incense my mom had been so fond of. I never liked the scent, but now I couldn't get enough of it.
My hands moved of their own accord to his head, tangling in his hair, and I pulled Cambry closer to me. He kissed me back eagerly, his mouth parted and his tongue met mine. I could feel his hands on my shoulders, fisted in my shirt, pulling me even closer.
I moaned involuntarily and his answering moan sent a chill straight through me. It was unlike anybody I had ever kissed before. Whatever awkward feeling I had leading up to this moment was gone. I couldn't even remember that it was awkward. Hell, I could hardly remember anything before this moment. The taste of Cambry, the smell of him, the feel of his hands against me… One of those hands slipped beneath my shirt. His fingers ran over my back, leaving goosebumps where they passed.
We moved together, inching up the bed until I leaned back and felt my head hit the pillow. Cambry climbed on top of me, his weight pressing me down. He looked lithe, but I could feel the muscles under his skin as I ran my hands down his arms to his chest.
“I thought you wanted to take a nap,” he teased against my mouth.
I smiled. “Only if you'd like to.” My lips never left his as I spoke.
He laughed and pressed a harder kiss to my mouth, then pulled back and began to trail kisses down my neck and across my shoulders. The sore spot on my collarbone was practically throbbing, but as his mouth brushed across it, I swear it sent a jolt of electricity through me. I gasped and he chuckled, pressing another kiss to it. Then he bit me, right there. I arched up against him. It didn't hurt anymore. It was nothing but pleasure. Sheer, almost blinding, pleasure.
“Was that it?” I gasped, actually shaking. “Did you just mark me?”
“No,” he laughed. “Not yet, but that might be what it feels like when I do.”
I let out a shaky sigh. It felt almost as if I had just orgasmed. Cambry shifted his weight, and I felt his erection pressed against my thigh. I suddenly felt young, impulsive. I reached down between us and ran my hand over the bulge in his pants. Well, my pants technically, seeing as he was borrowing them.
Cambry gasped and pressed into my palm. I rubbed it and was rewarded with another gasp. He fell back against to me, then nuzzled my neck and began to kiss gently, returning from my collarbone to my mouth.
He moaned again, then I realized that his body was vibrating. He was purring! Cambry rocked against my hand for a moment, before I pulled it away and slipped it beneath his waistband. Under the fabric, his skin felt like a million degrees. I wrapped my hand around his dick and he cried out as I began to stroke.
One of his hands snaked into my pants to return the favor. I groaned as his hand wrapped around me, and he began to stroke at the same pace I was. He kissed me again, then playfully nipped at my lower lip. I nipped back, catching his lip in my teeth. I opened my eyes to meet his; they seemed darker, hungry.
He pulled his lip free, and then drove his tongue into my mouth. As we kissed, he pulled my hand out of his pants, pinned my wrist above my head, and then grabbed for the other one, doing the same to it.
I couldn’t ever remember being held down in any way during foreplay before, but suddenly I couldn’t imagine him not doing it. Strange as it was to give over control to the younger man, it felt right. I tried to tug my wrists apart, not enough to actually break his
grip, but enough to let him know I wanted this. A hiss escaped his lips and his hand tightened around my wrists. His legs clenched on either side of my thighs as he began to grind our dicks together. Even through two pairs of pants, the friction felt incredible. It felt like I was going to come just from this.
He sped up and I cried out, throwing my head back. Almost before I could register that he had moved, his head dropped down and his teeth latched onto my throat, with an almost feral growl. Some part of my mind that was still capable of rational thought realized that exposing my neck was a submissive sign, at least in dogs. Although I supposed it would make sense for shifters to be the same way. Even though Cambry hadn’t explained it thoroughly, I suddenly had a pretty good idea about the sexual dynamic between an alpha and an omega. And I liked it.
I arched my neck up to him, encouraging him. He growled again. One hand left my wrists and grabbed a fistful of my hair, tugging my head even further back. For a moment it hurt, then I found myself straining for more. I tried to force my head forward, increasing the pain in my scalp that was no longer pain. I pressed my neck up to him, reveling in the feel of his teeth digging into my flesh. I twisted my wrists again, his hands clenched tighter in response. And when I finally brought my hips up to meet his, he rocked down again. He ground his dick firmly against mine, rolling his hips and partially thrusting. I writhed beneath him, and soon nothing else in the world mattered. This was heaven. This was ecstasy.
Chapter Seven
Cambry
“Thank you, thank you so much.” I hung up the phone and set it down on the counter. My heart was pounding. “Okay,” I said to Louis. “Apparently, we're actually really close to the Alpha Parliament. They said someone can be here in just a couple of hours. They want us to meet them down on the beach.”
“There's like two feet of snow on the ground,” Louis said skeptically.
“I didn’t really want to argue with them,” I admitted with an embarrassed shrug. “The beach is the best place, since thee won’t be anyone else there.”
“Because there's two feet of snow on the ground,” Louis repeated.
I hesitated. “We could ask them for a little more time?” I offered. “You can get another chance to make up your mind, and be sure about this, and maybe the snow can melt…”
“No,” Louis said. “I'm sure. I’m ready to be changed.” He flashed me a shy smile and I assumed he was recalling our little pre-nap tryst. “I’m just trying to figure out how to trudge through two feet of snow and down to the beach. I actually have a pair of cross-country skis, but only one.”
“That won't be a problem. We won't be meeting them until right after the sun sets.” I waited a moment, but it became clear he didn’t understand. “Meaning,” I went on. “That unless you have four tiny snowshoes, I won't need them.”
“Oh,” Louis said. “You're going to do the cat thing again. That's right.” He nodded slowly, obviously still coming to terms with my ability to shift. “Did you need to make some other calls?”
“I did while you were in the bathroom,” I said. I saw no reason to not tell my mate the nature of the call. “I sort of panicked in the storm and left all my things on the beach, so I was setting up a new credit card and arranging for a phone. And letting my family know I made it here safely.”
~~~***~~~
As the sun finally set, I undressed and set my clothes out on a chair. I could feel my mates eyes on me and shot him a smile. He smiled back, flushing a bit at being caught.
“Like what you see?” I purred.
Louis swallowed nervously, and nodded once. I playfully pivoted in place, then rolled my shoulders.
“I’m changing,” I warned him. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and pictured what I looked like as a cat. I felt itching, something that wasn’t quite burning, and then the uncontrollable urge to stretch. I felt a shifting in my knees and fell to the ground. Not that it mattered, my hands, and shrinking fingers, caught me. I felt needle-like poking before my whiskers erupted from my cheeks.
When it was over, I felt my cat looking around. I could feel just a bit of panic, as it remembered the place from the night before and my frantic attempts to escape. Then, a surge of curiosity and joy as it scented Louis. I nudged my inner cat aside and stretched, taking control back.
‘What do you think?’ I asked, projecting my thoughts to Louis.
He looked caught off guard by my voice in his head, then relaxed and smiled. “You’re beautiful,” he said softly.
I swished my tail and strode to the door. ‘Shall we?’ I tried to hide that I was nervous as hell. Sure, he said he’d let me change him. But would the Parliament agree? He had agreed so quickly after all…
“Let’s go.” Louis bundled up into a nice big jacket, pulled on a hat and gloves, and then grabbed the skis that he had placed by the door earlier.
As it turned out, the snow was the perfect consistency for cross-country skiing. Louis shushed easily along the top, back and forth, testing it. When he was ready, he picked me up.
We moved along at a nice pace, but it was chilly in the early evening.
‘Can you put me down?’ I asked.
“Sure, are you cold?” Louis asked, as he set me carefully on the snow.
‘A bit,’ I admitted. ‘I'd like to try moving a bit to see if I can warm up.’
I took a couple of experimental steps and was pleased to discover that the snow was hard enough to hold my weight. Although it was quite cold on the pads of my feet. I sped up a little and soon I was moving at an easy trot while Louis skied along beside me.
Despite the chill, it was a beautiful evening. There was no wind to speak of and stars were appearing in the slowly darkening sky.
“So, why the beach?” Louis asked.
“Well, they probably want a private meeting. And I believe the Alpha Parliament is actually on the water. So, they're probably just going to come right up the coast.”
We reached the beach and I promptly fell down through the snow that had settled differently on the sand. Louis quickly rescued me and brushed some of the snow off my fur.
‘Thank you,’ I said with a shiver.
Louis noted the unzipped his jacket and held it open. “If you don’t mind…”
I realized what he was offering, and climbed out of his arms and into his jacket. I curled up, warm and content. I was tucked in so close I could hear his heart beating.
‘Oh, this is cozy,’ I told him.
Louis carefully zipped it back up, leaving just my head exposed. I hooked one paw over the edge of the zipper, so I could watch where we were going.
‘I could get used to this,’ I laughed. I hesitated and then added softly. ‘You smell nice.’
“Thanks,” Louis chuckled.
As we walked, I felt myself start purring. ‘Sorry. I forgot you aren’t fond of cats.’ I made myself stop purring.
“Why are… oh the purring? Don’t worry. That actually felt nice,” said Louis. “You can uh… keep doing it, if you want.”
I happily returned to my purring. It was easy to purr with joy as I snuggled against my true mate.
“What happens if you have to change back?” Louis asked. “Will I have time to get you out?”
I chuckled. ‘I can stay like this until sunrise, don’t worry. We’ll be back long before then.’
We went along for a while. The snow on the beach was harder to navigate, and I could feel my mate’s heart pounding as he worked.
‘This is far enough,’ I said, hoping I was right. If the dragon was coming over the water, I knew we’d spot them sooner or later.
“Okay. Now what?” Louis asked.
‘Now, we wait.’ I wiggled down a bit further, aware that I was still purring like a motorboat.
Louis shifted his weight back and forth, obviously slowly growing impatient. I could feel him turning this way and that, looking up and down the beach. Just as I was starting to worry about him getting cold, I spotted a distant, growing spo
t in the sky. Somehow, I knew.
‘Here they come.’
“Where?” Louis turned his head back and forth again.
‘I should probably warn you…’
“Warn me?”
‘Well, I suppose at this distance, you'll get a little warning anyway.’ I pushed up on his jacket and extended a paw out to the horizon. ‘Out there.’
“A pointing cat,” he chuckled. Nevertheless, I could tell he was looking where I was pointing. “I don't see a boat.”
‘Look higher.’
“Where am…” he trailed off. “What is that in the sky?”
‘That is the representative from the Alpha Parliament.’ I squinted, but still saw only shadow. ‘I'll be able to tell you who it is when they get a little closer.’
“Is that a bird?” Louis asked as the shape move closer.
It was clear now that the shape had flapping wings.
‘Not exactly.’ I was getting nervous now. Not just because I hadn’t seen a dragon in person before, but because said dragon was going to read my mate’s mind and determine his fate.
“A really big bird,” Louis said slowly, as the shadow drew closer. “With a… is that a tail?!”
I cleared my throat. ‘It's not exactly a bird.’
I could feel as Louis lowered his chin to look down at me, before raising it again. “Well, then what…” He trailed off.
The shadow turned to the side and rolled, giving us the perfect view of the unmistakable silhouette of a dragon.
Espresso for His Omega Page 5
