2 comments/ 52967 views/ 1 favorites Peace and Quiet By: Sean Renaud The look of undeniable satisfaction was etched onto Gwen's face. A Long Island Iced Tea rested in the cup holder of the dragon shaped floating chair. The opposite holder held a walkie talkie but there was no chatter emerging from the black box next to the gorgeous nude woman. Gwen couldn't remember the last time that the house had been silent. It was rarely even quiet but silence was something she'd started to believe was a myth brought to you by the same people who'd invented the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus and Peace in the Middle East. Actually the last two were decidedly more realistic than silence in that household. If she'd known that the only thing she had to do to get enough peace and quiet to brew a pot of tea was to fuck them to exhaustion she would have done it months ago. It was why they'd hired her after all. They could make whatever lies up they wanted but there was no real question as to why twenty four year old had been hired. It wasn't her credentials; she'd only just finished getting her nursing license. This was her first job and she hadn't finished top of her class. She wasn't dumb or even sub-par it was just a simple fact that nothing about her resume qualified her for the job, certainly not by comparison to the competition. What she did have was mocha hued skin evenly distributed over five and a half feet of flawless female form. Most men had a hard time deciding whether her best feature were her enormous breasts, bordering on too large for her tiny frame or her equally proportioned ass evened out her Coke bottle frame. She wasn't shy about wearing outfits that drew attention to her body. Her face was proof that the blend of Pilipino blood and African American was something so beautiful it might be called perfection. High cheek bones with nearly hypnotic green eyes combined with the fuller lips. Gwen's jet black hair ran just past her shoulders when she let it. Usually she kept it up in a bun out of the way. Today was special and she had them up in twin pigtails bobbing slightly with each step. When the Novak brothers, thirty year old Forrest and twenty two year old Hunter decided to use their father's disability check to hire a full time nurse to help care for the aging man they hadn't been looking at the resume. What they called an interview was really some light hearted flirting and the two men testing the waters. They were both reasonably attractive so Gwen really didn't mind the attention and she'd always had a bit of a foul mouth. The benefits weren't a turn off either. They were offering seventy thousand a year. Because she was expected to be there twenty four hours a day she got a free room to herself. Actually she was given her choice of the two guest rooms and she chose the one with the better view of the mountains. Her food was covered too and if she was willing to cook she got to pick what was on the menu. Liquor too which a while it was only a minor selling point was a plus for Gwen who didn't mind the occasional nightcap, or mimosa for that matter. All in all if the price she paid were two men constantly flirting with her it wasn't a bad deal. There were guys hitting on her every day since she'd developed into a woman. This was the first time she been paid nearly six figures for it. The first months had been difficult. Gwen had grown up as a single child so suddenly having two more roommates was tough. Forrest was home more often than not, a Marine who'd done four years and never done much with his life after that. If you had to guess what he was doing at any given moment he was playing World of Warcraft or Call of Duty constantly shouting at allies and enemies. Even a full year later Gwen wasn't sure if the lay about even had a job of if he was simply living off Daddy's money. What she was sure was that by himself he could raise the dead. Hunter was a local DJ on the edge of making real money. He was already the Friday night DJ at a major club in Los Angeles. Between that and working parties for his friends he was out of the house a lot, but when he wasn't out of the house he was practicing in the house. While Gwen didn't hate rap she did have a daily limit and Hunter could hit her monthly limit in a little over two hours if he was putting in any effort. Then of course was her actual job. Remington's accident left him close to helpless. The doctors didn't think he was ever going to be fully mobile again though he could walk for short distances. Gwen was his arms and his legs fetching whatever he wanted, helping him to use the bathroom even bathing him. He could probably have handled that on his own but the risk of him hurting himself was too high so she was there for that as well. She had a walkie talkie clipped to her hip that connected one that Remington held and also to what amounted to a baby monitor encase he ever had an accident. Between the three men the house was never silent. The best she could hope for was that that only one of them was keeping her from getting just moment of silence. She wasn't asking for a day, or even hours silence. A half an hour so she could do her yoga in silence, get her chi realigned was all she really needed and now she had it. Her plan had worked better than she could have hoped. The only question now was if this was really the life she wanted. The plan that was responsible for the blissful silence Gwen was enjoying had started almost on a whim. She knew the men were watching her so she decided to tease them a bit. Gwen drove down the La Sex Shoppe, the local naughty place, and picked up a work uniform. She figured she was a nurse; she might as well dress like one instead of just looking like a random girl off the streets. Starting at the floor she chose a pair of white platform heels that she actually had to practice walking in for nearly a week before she felt comfortable in them. They did their job though of making her already toned legs look amazing, which was important because the skirt she purchased, white vinyl with a red trim didn't cover her legs at all. It didn't even fully cover the white panties, just two triangular patches with a red cross etched across her crotch. The skirt was so short that the only time that cross would be concealed was if she was holding perfectly still and leaning forward just a bit. The top was a matching corset of the same shiny material. It pushed her already impressive cleavage up and together for a proud display with red crosses like targets over her nipples. She even had the silly little hat resting on her head. Her day had started rather predictably with Remington waking her just before six o'clock in the morning. He needed help getting to the bathroom so she roused herself out of bed, not yet in her uniform, instead in a less flattering set of flannel pajamas and helped the elderly man from his bed to the bathroom. "You know Mr. Novak I've really enjoyed being your nurse. It's been a pleasure living in your home." Gwen had handled Remington's penis hundreds of times before but she'd only noticed it for the first time right then. It was nothing fantastic or anything, just average. For some reason she'd expected to find it shriveled from lack of use of something. Remington's lips curled into a smile probably equal parts relief from emptying his bladder and from the girl's words. "It's been good to have you. It's been too long since we'd had a woman in this house. Neither one of my knuckleheaded sons are any good at getting or keeping women." The sixty year old shuddered slightly leaning his weight against the young woman for a moment before righting himself and letting her help him back into his clothing and escort him back to the bed. Gwen always suspected that the majority of those were just an excuse to cop a quick feel. He'd certainly kept his hand on her breast longer than was generally considered polite. "I'm sorry for the way they behave." "It's no problem sir. " Gwen responded honestly. She genuinely enjoyed the attention and had most of her life. "Is there anything else I can help you with?" Gwen knew right then that she was going through with her plan. "No. Not right now. Just make sure I'm up at ten, I have to take my medication on time." Remington yawned slipping himself back beneath the sheets. Gwen would have told him that she didn't need to be reminded what her job was or how to do it but he was already far enough gone that he wouldn't have heard her so she returned to her room silence. Gwen snuck in the last nap of the night like she had been since she took the job and then put on her new uniform and strode into Remington's bed room. She wasn't even in the room with his Dixie Cup of assorted pills when she heard him moving around. It was the first proof Gwen had that a woman in high heels will wake a man faster than any alarm clock. "Gwen?" Remington called as she opened the door. "Up all by yourself?" Gwen felt her skin flush as his eyes traveled over her body. She'd expected to be frozen in place until he spoke or something but the opposite was true. The look in his eyes excited her and she found herself pumping her thighs fighting the urge to dance. The old man was frozen in place. Slack jawed and wide eyed. "I-I hea-." He stammered maybe a half dozen time before he managed to speak clear enough to be understood. "I heard you coming. Why? Wear? Boys bet?" He was still stammering. Even from across the room Gwen could see that Remington was trembling. She recognized those twitches, she'd caused enough men to tick that there was no doubt he was okay. That was made even more obvious by the one part of his body moving steadily. Growing steadily would be more accurate. Gwen strode across the room to her patient feeling that power that a woman gets when she knows beyond any doubt that she is in complete control of the situation. The poor man could barely form words at the moment. "What? No I didn't lose a bet with your sons Mr. Novak; I just decided to try this on." She set his pills down on the night stand careful to make sure she leaned in close enough for him to smell her cinnamon and honey body wash. "Do you like it?" She spun away from him to the wet bar to get the glass of water and mix in the fiber powder. It normally took her just a few seconds but she was letting him enjoy the broad belt she was trying to pass off as a skirt for a moment. Remington nodded. "Breathe honey. Breathe." Burning lungs hadn't been enough encouragement alone. Remington Novak wasn't even aware of the fact that he'd been holding his breath since spotting her ripe round ass leaned over sink. If she hadn't reminded him he might have passed out before realizing it. He had to pinch himself twice to assure himself this was really happening. The uniform wasn't shiny in his dreams. In his dreams he was less than half his current age and he was just getting over a minor wound he'd gotten in the line of duty. Aside from those details this was far too close to his dreams to be reality. "C'mon Mr. Novak. I need you to take your medicine now." Gwen loved the way his eyes lit up when she emphasized his title. She sank down to her knees so she was close to eye level with him and helped him get to a sitting position then handed him the glass with one hand and the paper cup seemingly filled with brightly colored candies in the other. The elderly man eagerly gulped them down and finished his water almost immediately. What came next was always Remington's favorite part of the day. "Let's get you up Mr. Novak. It's time for your bath." Of course being bathed by the beautiful woman was always pleasant. Usually she wasn't quite so covered up when she washed him. It was a bit of irony they both had to smile about. Normally because she didn't want to get her clothing wet she was would wear one of Forest's undershirts and the inevitably he managed to splash some water on her. That made her usual choice of garment for the activity nearly transparent. Neither of them could remember the last time Novak moved as quickly as he did right then nearly leaping out of the bed. Normally he'd lean on her, or grab his walker, or at least one of several canes to help him hobble over to the edge of the bathtub nearly as large as the average spa. It was actually filled simultaneously by eight separate jets so it only took a few moments to get it filled and to the exact temperature that Novak wanted. While the spa was filling Gwen had a different job to take care off. She was staring directly into her Employer's eyes with the most smoldering expression she could muster as she hurried to unbutton his pajamas. She'd didn't normally make any effort one way or another with physical but today she made certain that her French tipped nails grazed his nipples when she pulled the top open. It was no mistake that she let her breasts brush against his chest as she finished removing his shirt. She normally would have sat on the toilet to remove the bottom half of his pajamas, instead she squatted down lewdly spreading her legs and pull his pants down. When his newly freed cock sprang out it's confined it slapped directly against Gwen's cheek. She meekly cried out in mock surprised and before finishing what she'd set out to do and strip her employer. The tub was chiming to inform her that it was nearly finished filling. Gwen dramatically snapped her hair back tangling her hair around his shaft and dragging across the sensitive flesh as she moved. Gwen stayed close enough to Remington that he felt her breath from her lips and heat from her skin as she rose. Her hair and breasts grazed his chest until she was as close to face to face as she got to the nearly six foot veteran. "Please get in the bath Mr. Novak." It wasn't normally difficult to get the elderly man into the tub but his added enthusiasm almost had him tripping over himself to get into the water. "Thank you." Gwen was almost purring. She wasn't surprised at all that he was so enthusiastic. Any man with eyeballs in his skull would be equally cooperative. What surprised half black half Asian was that she was so excited. Even though he was too busy noticing the parts of her body that jiggled to notice, Gwen's hands were trembling when she reached for the wash cloth and liquid soap. Every day for the last year Gwen had seen and personally bathed Remington's body. It was something he could probably have handled without her help, as sick as he was he could stand on his own. The first time Gwen had volunteered he'd stared at her, much the same way he was looking at her tonight, like she was some kind of miracle. She'd just assumed that it came with the territory. She didn't think she was going the extra mile. She didn't see his body any more than she'd seen the bodies of the men in the nursing homes when she'd been apprenticing or the bodies of the cadavers she'd worked on in school. Right then Gwen saw his body and it felt like the very first time. Gwen didn't understand how she'd never fully realized that there was a nude man separated only by the slightest bit of cloth. She could feel his body and his reactions as her hand moved over his chest down his belly. She'd never shied away from his manhood before. It was just one more bit of him to be cleaned of no more interest than his toes. Today Gwen hesitated for a moment and then started cleaning down his thighs. The tactile feel of his flesh beneath her fingers was nearly as arousing as the sight of his fully erect cock. She'd seen it earlier and it wasn't special. It wasn't as thick as Ryan, her boyfriend, probably soon to be ex-boyfriend's cock was. It wasn't as long as her first, John's had been. It wasn't freakish and uncut like Mark's had been. It was utterly normal, maybe a little over six inches but probably a little less. Still at that exact moment it was far and away the most beautiful cock in the entire world. Gwen had never seen anything like it before, Remington's cock was practically glowing. It was hers. This erection belonged to her and she wanted to enjoy it. So the rest of his body was cleaned and rinsed before she turned her attention there. "Mr. Novak. I need you to relax while I clean your penis." Just saying the word made them smile. She didn't wait for him to respond before she wrapped her bare hands around his cock slowly stroking it with her soapy hands. Gwen tried to keep the illusion up that she was cleaning it, not worshipping it but that was a more accurate term for what was happening. She was worshiping Remington Novak's cock. Every single inch was being etched into her memory. Gwen loved it. She hadn't known it was possible to love a cock before but that was how euphoric it was making her. Remington's cock was somehow hard and soft at the same time. Even in hot bath water it was warm to the touch singing itself over her fingertips. Gwen realized she was nearly panting while she let her thumb trace the veins of his cock. "It's beautiful Mr. Novak." Gently using Gwen guided her employer to his feet by tugging his cock. Still sitting on the edge of the tub she leaned closer. "Would you mind sir? I've never seen anything so beautiful and I want . . . no I need to taste it." The words just poured out of her mouth and in some way felt almost foreign, like the words weren't coming out of her mouth. There was no way that she could possibly have said those words. It simply wasn't possible so the voice she'd heard was someone else speaking. The only problem with that theory, with that train of thought was that voice was thinking the same thing she was. She did want to taste him. "Of course." Remington was trembling again. Gwen doubted the man could even remember the last time he'd had a woman. It certainly wasn't in the last year and probably was far longer than that. It made her feel special. This was the first time in years that any woman had been with Remington Novak. When her tongue brushed the tip of his swollen member it lurched. "Oh my!" Gwen's smiled like the cat with the canary and she leaned forward flicking her tongue against it again and watching as it reacted bouncing slightly. With any other man she would have made him beg at this point. With Remington she was suddenly happy he wasn't going to make her beg. She would have begged him, promised him anything he wanted if only he'd let her taste him but the old man didn't realize the power he had. The only thing he did when her lips wrapped around his cock was grip her shoulder with one hand and the reinforced towel rack with the other. This was the first time in Gwen's life that she'd ever truly worshipped a cock. She'd sucked cocks before sometimes to get a guy off, sometimes to get him ready for her but this was the only time she'd done it for sheer pleasure. It was a singular experience she was having, the slightly salty taste of his cockhead. The way it felt so smooth against her tongue. "It's perfect." Gwen whispered gliding his cock deeper. Each time she went down Gwen took him a little farther down her throat. There was a sudden craving. She had to take him all the way. She had to have him as far inside her as possible. Every part of him that she could devour she had to. It was some kind of mandate and she had no more control of it than she did her own breathing. It was something she had to do. Remington Novak wasn't the first man to experience the back of Gwen's throat, just the first old enough to be her father. "Huh." Gwen's chest heaved with each breath she dragged in. She didn't understand what he was saying. There were words pouring out of his lips and they had meaning but she couldn't figure them out because the only thing that mattered at the moment was the flesh between her lips. He had to say it twice more and nearly topple over before she realized that he couldn't keep standing any longer. Gwen let him lean on her all the way back to the bed quickly throwing a towel beneath him. Somehow through sheer desperation she'd managed to keep her lips sealed around his cock for all but a few brief seconds of it. Peace and Quiet With Remington on his back his rigid cock pointed straight up at the ceiling Gwen felt her priorities shift. She was still driven to devour him, but now she wanted to feel him inside her. "Mr. Novak, sir, I-" There were butterflies swarming in her belly. As strong as the need was she was terrified somehow that he'd reject her. It was a stupid thought and what little part of her was still capable of rational thought knew that she was the one with the power here but she didn't feel powerful. She felt desperate. "I would like." He consented. Gwen already couldn't remember the words he'd spoken. She only heard him for a moment. When she climbed onto the old man and felt him slip into her the world fell away. There was just his cock and nothing else at all. She was hardly aware of his hands exploring her body. Where Remington's hands were or what babble was emerging from his lips didn't matter to one bit. The only thing that mattered was the rod buried inside her cunt. Gwen was certain somehow that it was searing her insides; it was that hot inside her. "I'm gonna cum! Oh my God, Mr. Novak!" Gwen's orgasm slammed into her so hard she nearly gave herself whiplash when her back snapped to arch. It kept slamming into her over and over again for nearly a minute. The orgasm freed Gwen from the trance Remington Novak had somehow put her in and brought her back to her focus. Normally it was a good thing when she got off before her partner but the plan here was to get the old man off so maybe he'd sleep through most of the morning before Forrest woke up. She was lucky he'd been drinking well into the early morning if she was lucky he might not wake until noon or later. If she could knock Remington out she could get two whole hours of silence. While she was awake no less. "Oh Mr. Novak you still haven't given me your cum." She purred in her best porn voice. Between Forrest and Hunter there was a near constant din and Gwen knew this would solve if only for one day. It was worth even before the mind shattering orgasm she'd gotten but that orgasm wouldn't quite be worth if she was just tired and the noise was still there. Two hours of quiet would be worth any indignity she had to face. "Please. I want it." Gwen got to her knees with her face right against his cock the smooth head against her smoother cheek as she spoke. "I want to taste it. Please give me your cum, please!" She felt him pulsing when she locked her lips around his cock head greedily slurping. As soon Remington's slightly salty flesh delighted Gwen's flesh she felt that hunger return. When Gwen woke up that morning if someone had asked her if she liked cum would have said no. If they asked if she hated it she would have said no. She was indifferent about it to be honest. It was like mucous, maybe a little gross but it didn't have enough flavor to be a problem. It was a pain to get out of your hair but the boys loved doing it so much that it was usually worth, least on the ones you wanted to keep around. She kind of enjoyed the look that boys got when you let them give you a facial or swallowed it but over all she just didn't care. Then she felt her mouth swell as it was flooded by Remington Novak's semen. The warm cream flooded Gwen's mouth in great spurts. It was more than she could handle at once and it started oozing out from the corners of her lips before she could swallow it. Her tongue quickly snaked out to recover the cum that attempting to escape. That moment was life changing. If someone had asked her as she rolled onto her stomach careful to let her body tan evenly she would have shot them for breaking the blessed silence she'd worked so hard to obtain. Then she would have said yes. "Thank you Mr. Novak. You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that." She smiled and stood up. It was surprising; her legs were still trembling beneath her. It made getting her boss back into his clothing a little more complicated than it normally was. "Is there anything else I can do Mr. Novak?" His eyes were fluttering slightly. He shook his head. Gwen returned to her room just long enough to strip off her uniform. For a moment she'd considered pulling on her bikini but she was probably going to have to get Forrest to quiet down sooner than later so she just went out to the pool. To think about the kind of life she wanted to live. Peace and Quiet This is the sequel to "A Full Moon" and is still being written...very slowly. I hope you enjoy it. *** "You'll come back, kitten! They always do!" he yelled as I stalked away with a back pack of clothes. That cocky attitude had not changed in the slightest after all these years and I was tired of it. Tired of the names, tired of the hitting, tired of seeing him every day...tired of living this life. The one he gave me no choice in living. I flipped him the bird. I knew I had a long way to go and very little to get there in the way of money. I had five hundred dollars in my account that I would be pulling out and thirty-five in my wallet. I could maybe get a plane ticket to Montana for that, but I hated to fly now. I hated crowds now, really, all thanks to that fucking asshole I was leaving. I hated to swim when I use to love it. So many thing he ruined... "Stop thinking about him, Quint, he's nothing but a memory." I chided myself. The walk to town was an easy one for me when I had marched for hours longer when I served in the Army. Most people around the town knew me very well and they knew by the look in my eye that I was in no mood for idle chatter small town folks were known for. Even the sheriff took a few hasty steps back when he came to see why I had a black eye and a fresh busted lip. "Want me to talk to him?" was all he asked. "I want you to put a bullet in his brain. Of course you'll have to aim below the belt and you still might miss. Since you can't do that, sheriff, I don't want nothing from him." "This time for good?" I knew Jim was just being polite. Few people liked my now ex boyfriend. I nodded and just walked on to the bank. I closed my account, the one that my small income came to from my odd jobs around the area, and then left to go to the store for some basic things I would need, the main one being a bus ticket to the airport. Susie Mae just looked at me and shook her head. "'Taint right what he done to you, sugar." I avoided her look and paid for my ticket and some snacks. "You goin home to Montana?" I nodded. "Good. I'm sure your Mama will be right happy to see you after all this time." I gave her a small smile and went out to the bus stop to wait. I knew I would have a long time to wait too, so I had grabbed a book and curled up on the bench with my nose buried in it. I don't know if people were just staring at my face or at my book, but I got a lot of looks from anyone who glanced me long enough. I know a gay guy ain't too common in my little town and I think I was the only one who made no secret of it. Not that I swished and swayed like the ones in the movies. I was masculine enough that no one could find fault in the way I acted other than me being antisocial. So they should not have been surprised I was reading a gay romance novel. The cover art wasn't even graphic, just two guys holding hands on stage while the crowd cheered them on. A nice love story set out west in California. I ignored all of the looks and just went on reading until the bus pulled up. At the airport I found out some very bad news. The ticket would cost me nearly twice what I had left to leave today but if I waited two months I could get it for half that. All because I hadn't booked in advance. "I'm really very sorry, sir, but this is company policy." "Thank you. Next time I get my boyfriend's fist upside my head I'll plan for a ticket in advance." I just grabbed my stuff and went out to the street wondering what I would do. It was a long way to Montana and I might be able to afford a train, but I would never be able to last the trip without killing some poor guy for snoring while I was trying to sleep. I decided to do something I would only have done if I was crazy or desperate. Hell, I was probably both. I hailed a cab and told him to take me to the nearest Walmart. I bought a tent, small cooking pot, utensils and a tumbler to drink out of. I bought a sleeping bag and a new pair of hiking boots. Then I bought food that wouldn't spoil. Last was something I probably could have done without: a GPS device and enough batteries to last me the trip. A small mirror and razors. If I couldn't fly home, I could walk. Being alone was something of a joy to me. Not having to answer when he called my name, not having to endure the stares of folks who probably meant well, not having to worry if my behavior gave away my shame. I knew I could never escape my shame, the one he inflicted on me, but at least now...now I could see if I couldn't use it. "Quintin Marshall?" I stopped and turned back at the surprised tone. I saw Mary Beth Sutter, the school teacher from my former town. "I almost didn't recognize you with that gear on and no Amos around to keep people from you." "I left him, Mary Beth. For good." "About time you started thinking 'bout yourself." She looked me over critically. "I would ask where you're going, but I don't think I want to know the answer. Here," she said an reached for her wallet. "I can't..." "You can and you will." She handed me a fifty. "It won't get you far, but at least you can save it for when you absolutely need it. You never were one for charity, Quintin, but this...this is a gift from one survivor to another." I met her eyes, which was rare for me unless I was angry at a person. I saw that she knew what I must have gone through to get this far. "When you get where you're going, gimme a call. Just let me know you're okay." I looked back down at the fifty in my hand. "I will. You take care of them kids back there. Teach them right, so they don't have to be in our shoes." I just turned and walked away. "You might consider getting a haircut. Show off those pretty green eyes." I scoffed and kept walking. My eyes...they used to be blue. And my hair used to be black. Now...pale green and blond...because of him. Because I believed him when he said he loved me and let him... ...I forced my mind away from that day and looked at the road ahead. I knew I could cover a hundred miles a day if I had to. I was in good shape and few people could match my endurance unless they were like me. I looked ahead, knowing I could not simply walk straight to my home town. I would have to meander through towns and territories, stopping some places and avoiding those I didn't want nothing to do with. It would be hard as sometimes the territories were mighty close together and I would have to pay my respects to those I had to pass through. "Well, Quint, ain't no time like the present," I said to myself and began walking. * * * I had gone a few days without incident, eating sparingly of the food I bought and living more off of what I could hunt and gather. One good thing about my Pop was he taught me to live off the land. My diet was lean, yes, but it was better than eating fast food. By day I would walk as far as I could until the sun was just touching the horizon. Then I would make camp and prepare for the night...and the hunt. Out there, in the middle of nowhere, I could see if my shame was useful. I had always loved the night and now even more so. When my camp was set up I took a few deep breaths. I hadn't done this enough to get use to it. I slipped out of my clothes and got down on all fours. It happened, that thing that I always kept in check just happened. I whimpered in pain as I felt my bones crack and my body change. Hair sprouted like wildfire and whiskers grew. My hand and feet became heavy paws and my muscles became more solid. My whimper became a growling hiss as the last part, my stubby tail, grew. Then I was able to curl up for a few moments to rest. My shame...I'm a Lycan. Not a wolf either. Nope, I got a lynx. A big one, else my ego would never let me change ever. That asshole, all those years ago, had bitten me during sex. We had been dating for four months and when he finally was able to get me in the sack he bit me and the next moon I changed. He started calling me kitten and I began to really loathe him. I didn't have a choice in the matter. I was never told he was a fucking Lycan... Getting to my feet, I stretched and looked around at the lightly wooded area. I had seen deer tracks earlier so I knew they lived around here. Now, to find one. It wouldn't be hard. Hunting had always been easy for me even before this...change. It was only easier now. Finding the trail, I padded off. I did mark my camp in case anything wanted to be sneaky behind my back. I was in neutral territory here and no wolf pack claimed these lands...yet. I smelled them though. The night was alive with scents that my animal side longed to chase after. A raccoon running off nearly pulled me from my hunt but I stopped after two butt wiggles and remembered where I was going. The tracks led towards a small creek I smelled and I knew I would find the down there for a nightly sip. They would probably be more wary of wolf scent so I might be able to get closer for the pounce and kill. I didn't have long to wait to find the deer and I was thankfully down wind. It was a doe, not too large, and should be able to bring her down myself. My steps were as silent as possible and she didn't hear me at all, but I stopped in my tracks as I smelled a territory marker...and she was just inside it. Dammit, I wanted that kill. Frustrated, I turned to go...and saw a Lycan man standing there with his gun. I froze when he sighted and hoped he wasn't a good shot. I heard the gun and waited for the pain, flinching. I had gotten too close to their territory. But the pain never came. When I opened my eyes he was looking at me. "Go ahead." He gestured to the deer which was now dead. A good clean kill, one only a famed Hunter could make. Every Lycan knew of the Pack Hunters. "One deer won't mean much to our pack." I backed towards the deer slowly, keeping my eyes on him and my other sense open for anything that might be a trap. I grabbed the kill by the throat and started back to my camp. I did turn to look at the Hunter. "Want me to come with?" I nodded. "Okay. Beats walking the perimeter for a few minutes." He slung his rifle over his shoulder and fell in step beside me. He never offered to help me carry it, even when I struggled to drag it back. He knew I would have refused. "I don't speak Felis, so we can talk in a bit." I growled an assent, glad he wasn't expecting anything right now. Back at camp I set the deer down by the fire and slipped into my tent to change back and get dressed. It was almost more painful for me to change back than to. As much as I hated my animal side, I loved the feel of the night. "Thanks," I said as I came out. I set about to gut, skin and preserve the deer meat for later. "Not a problem. I was trailing you along the border for a few miles and saw you change. When you stopped after tracking the deer I knew you weren't a threat. Couldn't let you go to all that trouble for nothing." "I meant for not shooting me." He laughed. "My name is Tommy." "Quintin." We made small talk and I have to admit that I had missed simple talks like this. Nothing was expected other than being polite and we both knew that we would never see each other again once I moved on. Reminded me a bit of my Dad and me before I shipped off. Just easy conversation about safe things. "If you want a place to stay for a night or two, there is a town just about ten miles west. Got a nice hostel that puts nomads up for simple house chores. Might make it easier to take more meat for traveling. Might even earn some cash if you sell the parts you don't want." I knew he was just being polite, but towns made me uneasy now. They had people in them, people who may not take kindly to me. "I'll think about it." "Caution is good. I don't want to tell you what to do, but you're one man alone out here. There have been Ferals attacking the outskirts of the territory since the Split and the Leader has his hands full keeping his pack safe. He won't spare a thought to protecting a nomad." That was bad news. I had heard that the Pack had split a few years ago. Another alpha had challenged the Leader and won. Instead of killing him, the other alpha took some territory and broke away to have his own pack. The Leader must be having a tough time of it if he can't keep his border safe. "Ferals? Lupus?" Tommy nodded. That was no good. I couldn't take on a Feral werewolf. I was too weak even in full form for that. Too small and they could do some serious damage to me before I could run. I could not run far enough either as they could run for far longer than I could. "Just think about it. I'll let the town know you're coming through either way." He stood and picked up his rifle. "Stay safe, Quintin." He nodded and stalked off for his rounds. The idea of a town was nothing I wanted to think on, but the reality of Ferals was something I was too smart to ignore. I would have to stay in the town until I could save up some money to get home. I could do odd jobs around, maybe. I finished my work and curled up next to the fire in case I needed to run. The town was larger than I had hoped, but smaller than I was afraid of. When I passed into the territory I had felt like a thousand eyes were on me, but it wasn't that bad. I wasn't shot or even looked at funny when I came to the hostel. It was called the Lone Wolf...har har har. When I entered, the woman behind the desk looked up and I could see her sniff. "You must be Quintin. Tommy said you might stop in." "Yeah." She stood and towered over me. She was huge and when I sniffed I could smell werebear. Tall, muscular, blonde...she could beat any other Lycan I had seen in brute strength. "I got a room set up for you. And some drying racks for whatever meat you got left. My name is Brigid Whitebear. My husband and I own and run the hostel. Always looking to find helpers for a few nights." I nodded as she led me to the room. It was next to the back door and across from the bathroom. I was glad of that. Had Tommy said I was cautious? If so, she was a great hostess. The room was twelve feet by fifteen feet and had a bed, a small dresser, a mirror and a desk with chair. There was a fresh towel on the bed already and I got the subtle hint that I should bathe first. "Thanks. Need any help before I take a shower?" I was tired as I hadn't slept last night, but I would work as much as I needed. "No. You go ahead and relax. Drop your meat off out back and then take it easy until supper. That's at six o'clock." Her smile was kind as she went back out to the desk. I set up my meat for drying, glad to see I was the only one using it, and grabbed the rolled up hide to sell along with the hooves and whatnot. I had passed a tanners on the way here and figured I could sell them the stuff. I got a decent price for it all too. Not enough to get home, but I could save up more if I did a few odd jobs over the next few days until the meat dried. Hopefully it would be enough because I wanted to live to see home again. Out of the shower I felt more human than I had in a very long time. I shaved my face from the days of stubble and I looked at my face in the mirror. Where had this person gone? I looked more my age instead of years older. I wasn't a huge catch but I would turn some heads. That thought made me sick. I didn't want to turn heads. I wanted to go home and live on the farm away from everyone else. I backed away from the mirror and dressed quickly. I should have kept the beard. I hung the towel up in the room and stepped out back to look at the fading day. I was in a strange town without a single friend in the area and I was oddly at peace. No Amos around to make my waking hours hell and to even plague my sleeping ones with nightmares. No gunshots waking me for a combat situation. It was quiet...I missed this. A mountain of a man entered the back gate. That had to be Brigid's husband. No smaller man could handle her. He was thickset around the waist, but it fit the rest of his enormous bulk. He wasn't fat so much as just plain old big. Beard with some gray, flannel shirt with no sleeves, jeans and huge boots, he carried a massive double headed ax. Something told me he wouldn't hurt a fly until provoked and only then would he be dangerous. Trotting on his heels was a smaller, leaner version of the man. He was still beefy, but he would never be as big as his old man. Maybe nineteen, he was almost pretty, looking too much like his mama. I could still see the man in him though. The way he moved, mostly. Like a lumbering bear. "Howdy," said the man, "I'm Jessup. This is my boy Zeke. You must be Quintin." I stood up and shook his big mitt when he offered. He topped me by over a foot easily, but he didn't loom like some guys did. "Yessir." "Brig get you all set up?" I nodded. "Ain't one for conversation?" "Not much." I wasn't. Talking led to bonding and I didn't want that right now. "Then skirt wide of Zeke. He never shuts up." The lad grinned and gave his old man a shove. "Only because you encouraged me to talk when I was a kid. Not my fault your raised a chatterbox." I liked the sound of their voices. Big, rumbly, and gentle. "Don't let my Dad fool you. I can be quiet...if I can concentrate." "Therein lies his problem. Go wash up for supper, Zeke. Your Mama will want some help in the kitchen with a guest here." The kid nodded to me as he went inside. "How long you staying?" "Until I can either earn enough money for a bus ticket home or until it's obvious I ain't gonna be able to." "Good philosophy. You got the look of a soldier." I nodded. "US Army." "Good. Means you know what work is. I'll tell ya that most the town is Lycan and those that ain't know what we are." I know my shock showed on my face. An entire town of Lycans and humans who knew they were? I never heard of something like that. Amos pretty much told me I would be killed if a non-Lycan found me out. "It's a shock for them to know, but safer. So don't feel like you have to hide it unless you want to. Ain't no one's business but your own." I nodded. It was a scary thought to let other people know I could change into a furball whenever I wanted. Supper was simple yet it filled me faster than I thought. I knew I was on a leaner diet but not that lean. Still, the entire thing was tasty. Conversation was light and most of it flowing from Zeke. I had never met a person who talked that incessantly. It was like a never ending flow of thoughts that seemed entirely random until the end of it all when everything clicked. Brigid tried to get a word in edgewise to tell the boy to shut up, but she couldn't. Jessup just let a quiet wuff out and Zeke went quiet. Only then did he realize that he hadn't stopped to take a breath for a long time. He colored a bit. "Sorry." As we were cleaning up I took the plates and cutlery to the kitchen and started the water. Brigid didn't even ask what I was doing, she simply went to have her evening of rest. Jessup went out back and I could hear him chopping wood with the last light. Zeke came to help me with the dishes. "You don't talk much, do you?" "Not really. I was always told to be quiet." "That bites. I mean I talk a lot, but Dad only wuffs at me when I need to take a breather. I heard you were Army." I nodded as I started the pans to soak. "Dad has a lot of respect for our servicemen. I was thinking about joining. What are your thoughts?" "Loaded question. If you don't mind being yelled at and told what to do about everything in your life, then you only need to work hard. If you don't mind being stark naked with other guys and dealing being alone and then with the same people for months on end, then you only need to work hard." Zeke laughed. "Sounds like being at home and in high school. And being naked with guys doesn't bother me at all." I got the inferred meaning as this close I could smell that he was attracted to me. It was a bit scary, but he wasn't trying push his attentions on me. I guess he got that the feeling was not entirely mutual and shook his head. "Do you think they would take me?" Peace and Quiet "If you ever learned to shut up, maybe. You got the build for it, but I ain't heard of one of us going in after they was..." I just let it go, realizing I was getting a bit heated already. "You can tell me to stuff it, but you didn't get turned by choice, did you?" He was genuinely concerned. Kid had a good heart. "Stuff it," I said, although I smiled enough to let him know I wasn't really upset, it was just a touchy subject. "I'm stuffed," he said and for the first time in a good long while I laughed. He grinned back and we finished up our work. The rest of the days I spent at the Wolf were probably the best time of my life since I got home from the service. I was up at dawn with Jessup doing chores, helping Brigid around the place when I saw a hand was needed, helped Zeke repair a roof a few doors down cause he was just too big to do it. Just simple living, nothing complex and nothing asked for that was too much. And slowly I began to find a bit of peace again. People hired me for odd things here and there. Shopping for an elderly lady who was convalescing after minor surgery, wood cutting for a family who just got a new wood burning stove and wanted to try it out, even walking dogs. Those were funny because dog normally avoided Lycans but they seemed to like me. So my savings was increasing. As was my smiling. Zeke was the main source for that. I could sit and listen to him blather on all durned day and just marvel. He never did take a breath. It had to some sort of super power cause he could natter on about this person from high school who was dating this other person who was cheating on them with this other person. The ladies in the beauty parlor had nothing on his gossip and I just sat there in awe. Times he would just say something stupid to get a reaction out of me or pull a funny face and it would always make me laugh. I hadn't laughed like this in years. And then, all of a sudden, I had saved enough to buy a plane ticket home. I would be finally going home. To forget my past, to forget about being in society, to keep safe my shame. Yet I had found a place here at the Lone Wolf. A place I would always have fond memories of. Zeke and his chatter, Jessup and his ability to get everything across with so few words and knew when words were not needed, Brigid and her little things. Things that said I was welcome here as long as I liked. Things my mom would have done. Mrs. Jenkins and the her prized Pomeranian who'd be walked by no one but me. Here was a place I would come back to and know I would have smiles waiting instead of pity in their eyes. Jessup saw my bags were packed one day. "Finally leaving." "Yeah. I got enough to get me home on a plane." He nodded and for him that was that. He didn't need to say goodbye. He didn't need to say he liked having me there. I knew it. Brigid was a bit more open. "You've been a saintly guest, Quintin, and you'll be sorely missed around here. If you're ever in the area look us up." Zeke seemed to take it the hardest. "You really gotta go? I mean, I know you do, but I hate to see a friend leave." He ran his hand through his hair and toed the dirt of the drive. "I have to go or I'll never leave. You 'n your family have been great. Just what I needed to get a bit of peace back." "You could stay. I know the folks agree with me. Heck the entire town likes you. No one has said one wrong thing about you and I been listening." I know he had too. Like I said earlier he loved to gossip but not the evil kind that hurts. "I know, but my mama ain't getting any younger. High time I went home." I would have gone on but what I saw made my blood run cold. Amos was stalking up the road and I could tell he was pissed. How the hell had he followed me here? I had used multiple forms of public transportation and my trail was a month gone cold even for the best nose. His face was hard and his fists clenched as he spotted me. "What's wrong, Quint?" He looked to where I was looking and I smelled him get wary. "That's the one that turned you." It was no question. "Dad!" he called and something in his tone brought the man out with Brigid beside him. "Kitten, I have spent a month looking for you. It is time for you to come back home now." Amos's words nice enough but his tone said he would drag me there if he had to. "So you can hit me again? And I told you to stop calling me kitten. I ain't your kitten. I ain't even your friend anymore, so go home to Oklahoma and forget about me. Go find some other boy to whip on." I knew better than to turn my back on him because he would grab me and then I would be hurting. Problem is he scared the shit out of me like combat never had. Jess and Zeke were big but they weren't bad. Amos was big and mean. I was shaking with fear and anger. "You best not talk to me like that, kitten..." Amos stopped as Brigid took a step forward. They were the same height but right now she looked damn taller. "You get off my property before I call the sheriff. If he doesn't come within ten minutes I'm calling the local Hunter to put a silver bullet between your lynx eyes. You try and take one of my guests, you will see why they say never mess with a she-bear." "This don't concern you, ma'am. I came to get what is mine." "One," she said and Zeke grabbed his cell phone from his pocket. He handed it to her. Amos eyed it like it was solid silver. "Two," she said and flipped it open. "You will be coming home now or later, kitten," he said as he turned to leave. "There ain't no place you can hide from me." He didn't leave fast enough. For her. She hit a speed dial number. "Tommy, it's Brig. We got a Lycan here who is trying to take Quint without him wanting to go." She hadn't called the law, she'd called the Hunter. "Uh huh. Lynx. 'Bout six foot five and two hundred thirty pounds. Tawny hair, ugly look in his eyes." Brigid handed me the phone as Amos was walking away. "Hello?" "Do not leave the Wolf until I get there. If he tries to take you by force the Whitebears can use lethal force with permission. I know you hate being cooped up, but right now stay there." He hung up and I handed the phone to Zeke. "Looks like I'm staying until Tommy gets here." Brigid nodded sternly then her expression softened as she looked at me. "If he tries anything you call me. I like you, Quintin, and no one will hurt you while you're a guest here. You bought that train ticket to the West yet?" I was about to correct her but her eyes flicked to Amos's back. He was still in hearing range. "Yeah. Leaves Wednesday." I hadn't bought my plane ticket yet. "Good. Tommy will be here tomorrow likely and he'll stay to see you off. Now c'mon inside. I just pulled a pecan pie out of the oven." I was looking out the window that evening when Zeke tapped on the open door. "You got a minute?" he asked. I nodded and looked at him. He came in and sat at the desk chair looking at his hands. "You can tell me to stuff it, but he wasn't just the guy that turned you, was he?" I closed my eyes and shook my head. "He didn't tell you he was Lycan?" Again a shake. "I know you ain't part of the Pack, but infecting someone against their will is punishable under Pack Law, even for nomads. It's like rape and you can tell Tommy. He's ain't closed minded like some people and with Mom and Dad backing you it would not take much for that thing to be taken out back and removed." "I don't want him dead, Zeke, I want him gone." I looked back outside and could see my reflection on the window which meant Zeke could too. He could see the hurt I felt. It was more for the peace I had found. That was gone now. "I thought I could get away and start over and let the past stay there. I'm tired of being me, Zeke. I know you were born Lycan, but I wasn't. I don't see it as natural. It's a shameful thing what he did and it makes me feel like I'm a shameful thing. I don't feel human much any more. I feel like a caged thing too sorry to leave but wishing I could." "But you did leave. You left that shit stain." "Did I? Had I left he wouldn't be there." Zeke looked out the window and he could just barely make out Amos in the night. "He hasn't left yet for more than a few minutes. I never left my cage, I just changed cages." Zeke scratched at his head. "Tomorrow night is the moon. You one of those that have to get out?" I shook my head. "Then stay in. Dad and Mom have to be outside, but I can stay with you if you want." I looked at him with a small smile. "I may not be full grown yet, but I have never heard of a lynx, Lycan or not, that can take on a thousand pound polar bear." "You really are white bears then?" He nodded. "I thought it was tribal." "It was about ten generations back. Then we got hairy." I grinned and turned away from the window. "Look. You been here a month and I feel I can say you never deserve to feel like you've anything to be ashamed of. Being Lycan ain't so bad." I just looked at him. "Hey, I'm serious. I mean I don't get to play contact sports in PE and a few of the guys don't want me to sit with them during lunch, but that's their problem. I got a bunch of friends, human and Lycan, who don't care that I turn into a polar bear every month. I had a human boy friend who used to ride around on my back." That made me laugh just picturing it. "I mean we were thirteen so there wasn't anything more than kissing, but he didn't care. He didn't see it as something to hide from anyone. Folks around here don't care else they wouldn't live here. "I know what I'm saying won't change anything right now, but maybe you can think about it. Even after you leave us for home, maybe you'll look back and think about us here. Maybe you'll see being Lycan in a new light since you seen people who don't hide it. We don't find shame in being what we are. I mean I wouldn't go around some other town yelling I'm a werebear. They'd lock me up in the loony bin." I nodded and chuckled. Just having him here was pushing the blues away. "All I'm saying is think about what you can do since you can't undo what he did." Without much more he left me to think on it. And I did think. I thought real hard. I turned out the lights but I just lay there. I could still feel Amos outside, but it was more the thoughts in my head than anything he was doing that kept me awake. I was going home. I was not the same person at all, even before I got infected. I'd been places, seen things that would give nightmares to murderers, and come back from the military. I was a soldier who had seen combat. If that don't change you nothing will. Now I was Lycan. But was that who I was? Was I the trauma I had seen? Was I the screams in the night? Was I all that? Logically no. I wasn't all that, but it was part of me. Part of who I had become. All I had to do was take all of that and make something out of it. It would take awhile, but Zeke was right. Why should I feel shame? I didn't when I came home from the front and I had killed people. I ain't killed no one when I got hairy. "Say it, Quintin," I chided myself. "I'm a Lycan." I said it out loud and it made my stomach tie up in knots but when the knots left they took some of that shame with it. It might take years, but now is when I had to start.