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The Reckoning

By: Mygypsy



Smoke haze hung over the pool tables in the back of the bar and the faint sound of glasses clinking could be heard beneath the continuous hum of voices. The bartender glanced at the group of bikies spread out over various parts of the room and shook his head slightly. 

The group was unusually quiet and restrained with three Lieutenants present and the Leader absent. 

An angry murmur rose from one corner and the three Lieutenants stopped their conversation and looked towards the group, after a few moments one of them got to his feet and made his way over to the table. 

"Is there a problem?" Claxton asked in his rough voice. 

"Yeah! Why the hell should we give any territory to those bastards?" Dominic demanded as he got to his feet with a drunken wobble. 

"The Burg said we were going to share territory with 'em, not give it to them," Claxton said in a firm tone. 

"I don't like the idea of them slimy bastards lookin' at the skirts on our territory," Dominic shot back angrily. 

"Maybe they'll be bringing some fresh meat along with them," Claxton pointed out. 

"There a problem Clax?" Tiger Lily asked as she walked over from where she had been sitting with Claxton and Emery. 

"Dominic here is worried that all of our skirts are gonna get stolen," Claxton said dryly. 

"Is that right Dominic?" Tiger asked as she stopped beside him and leant against his chair as she looked up at him. 

Dominic frowned for a moment, he wasn't too bright at the best of times and the addition of excessive alcohol hadn't helped any. 

"Yeah, something like that ..." Dominic said slowly. 

Tiger smiled up at him and ran her tongue slowly over her bottom lip, "You think I'm gonna let skanks come into my territory?" she asked softly. 

Dominic swayed towards her slightly as he took a deep breath; all thoughts had been driven from his head at the sight of her tongue. 

"How about you buy me a drink?" Tiger said as she dropped her eyes to his chest before slowly lowering them to his belt buckle. When she raised her eyes to his once more he was breathing heavily as he stared at the swell of her breasts where her leather vest was unbuttoned low. 

"A drink?" Dominic mumbled as he stared at her breasts almost hypnotised. 

"Yes Dominic ... I'd like ... a drink," Tiger said softly in a breathless tone. 

Dominic turned away and headed for the bar, every few steps he glanced back at Tiger with a hungry leer. 

"I'll keep an eye on things," Claxton said quietly. 

"I can handle Dominic," Tiger said in a voice so quiet only Claxton heard. 

Dominic returned quickly with two glasses of beer that he sloshed over as he walked, he grinned at Tiger then frowned at Claxton who shrugged and headed back towards his table. 

"Leaving Tiger to Dominic's tender mercies are you?" Emery asked with a grin as Claxton sat down. 

"Tiger claims she can handle him," Claxton said with a shrug but his eyes strayed to the table where Dominic sat with Tiger on his lap. 

"Looks more like Dominic is 'handling' Tiger to me," Emery said with a soft laugh as he watched Dominic groping Tiger's breasts through her leather vest. 

Claxton turned his head and watched as Dominic groped at Tiger's breasts as he held her on his lap. Claxton felt a wave of anger rise and turned his attention back to his beer, it was none of his business if Tiger wished to find herself a man from the lower ranked members. 

Unable to help himself he glanced towards the other table again and looked away quickly at the sight of Tiger's black hair hiding her face as she bent over Dominic as he buried his face in her opened vest. 

Claxton gave a sigh of relief as Burg walked into the bar closely followed by his second in command and bodyguard Josh. 

Burg headed for the table where Emery and Claxton sat while Josh headed for the bar. 

"Where's Tiger?" Burg asked as he sat down. 

"Dominic is drunk and trying to stir up trouble about our new alliance with The Storm Riders," Emery said evenly. 

Burg glanced around and spotted Tiger where she sat on Dominic' lap as they both drank from large bottles of beer. He noted the dark stain where she was letting the beer run from the corner of her mouth and down onto her shoulder, the result was every few swallows Dominic would stop drinking and turn his attention to her beer wet breasts. 

Tiger would then offer him her bottle and he would take several deep swallows before pushing it aside to kiss her mouth hungrily. 

"He'll be passed out soon," Burg commented. 

"You want Tiger over here?" Josh asked as he placed a can of rum and cola in front of Burg. 

"Yeah, I aint having Dominic think he can take her anytime he wants." Burg said with a possessive glance towards Tiger. 

All the other men knew he was referring to the fact that several times in the last few weeks Dominic had lured Tiger into sharing his bed for the entire night. 

Josh placed his can on the table before heading to where Dominic now had Tiger half sprawled on her back on the table in front of him as he finished unfastening her vest. 

"What the fuck!" Burg roared angrily. He could see that Tiger was trying to stop Dominic but he was too strong for her. 

"Josh! Get my bitch over here now!" Burg ordered seething with fury. 

"You're in trouble now," Josh snapped as he grabbed Tiger by her wrists and pulled her across the table. 

"Fuck off! I aint finished with the bitch yet!" Dominic roared no longer pretending to be drunk as he caught hold of the waist of her jeans and hauled her towards him. 

"Get off me both of you!" Tiger demanded but Josh jerked on her wrists hard and pulled her from Dominic' grasp. 

Josh stepped back as he finished pulling Tiger across the table and let her fall on the floor near him, he moved clear of her and stepped forward to meet Dominic as he came around the table swinging his fists wildly. 

Tiger rolled away from the fight and got to her feet hurriedly as one of Dominic's mates got up to help his friend. She grabbed a pool cue and lifted it threateningly as she moved between Dominic's mate and the two combatants. 

"Back off!" Tiger ordered even though she was aware of the other two lieutenants rushing towards the trouble. 

"Yeah, back off," Emery said as he stopped one side of Tiger as Claxton halted on her other side. 

Tiger stayed poised with the wooden cue held over her shoulder ready to take a swing at the guy in front of her. 

"Right fine bitch you are not backing your man," he spat as he backed off several steps. 

"She's Burg's woman not Dominic's," Claxton said in a dangerously soft tone. 

Josh stepped away from Dominic where he was sprawled on the floor nearly unconscious and glanced at Dominic's friend. "What do you want done with 'em Burg?" 

"They can pack their gear and get the hell out of my territory," Burg said angrily before looking at Tiger, "And you, are you going to sneak off one night and join the bastard? Cause if you are pack your shit and go now!" 

Tiger blinked stunned for a moment then shook her head, "I want to stay here with you Boss," 

"We'll talk about that later then. Get back to the club house," Burg ordered. 

Tiger glanced his way wanting to protest for a moment but saw the angry set to his mouth and decided against it, she tossed the pool cue aside then headed for the front door with her head held high and her back straight. 

Outside she walked to her bike uncomfortably aware of those who watched her from the bar. She was sitting astride her bike pulling her riding gloves on when Dominic and his friend walked from the bar. 

"Want to throw your things together and come with us?" Dominic asked loudly believing he had a chance of luring her from the gang to ride with him. 

Tiger gave him a disgusted glare, kicked her bike to life and took off in a cloud of smoke as her back tyre spun violently. 

Inside the bar Burg, Josh, Emery and Claxton watched silently before returning to their drinks. 

"I don't think Tiger will be there when we get back to the house," Emery said evenly. 

"Don't sell her short, she's loyal to the club if nothing else." Burg said tightly. 

"I sure hope she's still with us. If you want her punished ..." Josh let his words trail off as Burg looked at him. 

* * * * * 

Josh heard the loud banging and yelling inside the house as he walked onto the veranda and to the front door. It wasn't until he stepped inside he could make out what was being said. 

"Come on! Open the goddamned door! You think that bastard wants you around? Stupid bitch!" Dominic yelled angrily, his words interspersed with loud thumps against a wooden surface. 

"Fuck off Dominic! This is Burg's room! Come in here and he's gonna kick your arse!" Tiger yelled over the thumping. 

"Open the goddamned door you stupid bitch!" Dominic yelled at her as he grabbed the door handle and rattled it noisily. 

"Oi!" Josh raised his voice enough to be heard over the noise Dominic was making as he walked up the hallway towards the other man. 

Dominic stopped his assault on the heavy door and turned to face the larger man. Josh was a large power house of muscles and well known for his fighting abilities. 

"Burg said to get your shit together and fuck off," Josh reminded him in a hard voice. 

Dominic glanced towards the locked door nervously then back at Josh, he paled slightly as Burg, Emery and Claxton filled the hallway behind Josh. 

"I'm going, I'm going ..." Dominic said before hurrying away. 

Burg waited until he heard the back door shut behind the receding boot steps and moved aside as Emery and Claxton moved past him to check that Dominic and his friends left. 

"Tiger open the door!" Burg snapped annoyed. 

There was the sound of a key turning in the lock and then the door swung open, Tiger stood in the doorway looking defensive. 

"What the fucking hell are you doing in my room?" Burg demanded as he stalked towards her. 

Tiger backed several steps into the room before she could stop herself and tensed as Burg stepped closer. 

"I wasn't letting him force me to leave with him. In here was the only place I could keep him out of," Tiger said defensively. 

"What the fuck are you doing in MY room?" Burg demanded again. 

Tiger glanced at him nervously then looked away without replying, she figured he wasn't finished with dealing with her about having sex with Dominic. 

"WELL?" 

"Dominic was trying to make me ..." Tiger started to try to explain. 

"Make you! From what I saw he wasn't MAKING you do anything you didn't want to!" Burg yelled outraged. 

"He wanted me to leave with him," Tiger said softly in the face of his anger. 

"Why didn't you?" Burg demanded. 

"I want to stay here with the gang," Tiger answered levelly. 

"What the fuck are you doing in my room?" Burg growled. 

"Dominic was trying to make me ..." Tiger started to explain. 

"Cut the bullshit! What were you doing in MY room?" Burg yelled aggressively and saw Tiger flinch away from him slightly. He forced down the sympathy he felt for her and refused to soften his stance, if he went soft on her it would look bad for him with the gang members. 

"It was protection for me?" Tiger offered uncertainly. 

"Why would I want to protect YOU?" Burg demanded. 

"I'm your woman?" Tiger said nervously. 

"My woman? I DON"T THINK SO! You been fucking Dominic and god only knows who else!" Burg yelled furiously. 

"You fucked Todd's little blonde bimbo! Right here in our bed!" Tiger shot back angrily. 

"WHO'S BED? This is my room! Get the fuck out you little bitch!" Burg roared. 

"I'll get my stuff and gladly get out!" Tiger snapped back at him. 

Burg grabbed her by the front of her vest and slammed her back against the wall; he lowered his head so his mouth was a hairs breadth from her ear. "I said get the fuck out of my room," 

His voice was whisper quiet and Tiger inched to the side carefully, once clear of him she hesitated a moment as she glanced at the wardrobe that held her belongings. 

"GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY ROOM!" Burg roared and slammed a fist into the wall beside her. 

"Where am I supposed to go?" Tiger demanded. 

"If you want Boss I can get her out of your hair and teach her what happens when she disrespects you," Josh said with a grin. 

Tiger shot a nervous glance at Josh; she never knew what he would do. She moved out of the room and turned to face Burg once again. 

"What do you want me to do Burg?" She asked quietly. 

Burg shot her an angry glare, hurt mingled unseen with the anger that seethed just below the surface. He had enjoyed the time he spent with her and had been hoping it would be a permanent arrangement but clearly she intended to fuck around. 

"You think long and hard about whether you want to remain a part of this group. I won't stand around for any bitch fucking around causing trouble among the men either," Burg growled. 

Tiger turned her face away as she bit back an angry retort about walking in to see him fucking the young girlfriend of one of the men. To throw that at him would only cause unpleasant repercussions for her. 

"I understand," she said evenly in a strained voice. 

"You want me to teach her not to disrespect you Boss," Josh asked as he watched her closely. 

Tiger pulled her lips back from her teeth in a snarl of self-defence as she glared at Josh before glancing at Burg nervously. 

"I made a stupid mistake 'cause I thought you were finished with me," Tiger said quietly. 

"Well I'm finished with you now! Get the fuck out of my sight!" Burg ordered and turned away to begin throwing her belongings out into the hallway. 

Tiger Lily hesitated long enough to grab her bike helmet and riding gloves as they were thrown out the door of the bedroom before she hurried away towards the front veranda. 

"Who's gonna keep the sheilas in line now?" Josh asked as he picked up a bra off the floor and looked at it with interest. 

"I don't know!" Burg snapped irritated as he glanced at Josh, "I don't even know if Tiger is leaving," 

"She just went out to her bike," Claxton said softly from the doorway. 

"Those bastards take anything that's not theirs?" Burg demanded angrily. 

"Doesn't look like it," Emery said calmly. 

"Tiger with 'em?" Burg asked coldly. 

"Nah, they already left. I aint heard her bike start yet," Claxton answered. 

"Keep a discreet eye on her and let me know if she follows them," Burg ordered in a strained voice. 

"Boss, please don't leave her out in the cold. She's made a big mistake in what she's done but she is a big asset keeping the peace and order with the sheilas," Claxton appealed. 

"You fuck her too?" Burg demanded coldly. 

"No Boss. I know my place," Claxton said quietly. 

"It's her choice, either she stays here or leaves with Dominic," Burg said savagely. 

"Boss," Claxton paused when Burg turned cold eyes on him once again, " You chucked her out of your room. She doesn't really have a place to walk back into the house to," 

"I got half a bed to spare," Josh said and licked his lips with anticipation. 

"You want her go get her but if she fucks around on you and causes trouble in my gang then I'm going to belt the crap out of her and kick her out," Burg said coldly. 

"I'll keep her in line Boss," Josh said levelly without any sign of emotion. 

Claxton frowned but didn't say anything; he knew Tiger had always been wary of Josh because of his size and strength. 

There was silence while Burg threw the rest of her belongings out into the hall. 

"Emery, Clax, go tell her I said to come in and move her stuff. It's a mess and I don't like messes," Josh said when Burg headed for the kitchen, he paused a moment to glance at both men then followed Burg from the room. 

In the kitchen Burg grabbed a beer out of the fridge and opened so he could drink deeply, nearly emptying the can in one go. 

"Has Claxton been chasing Tiger behind my back?" Burg demanded of Josh as the younger and larger man calmly helped himself to a can of beer. 

"Not that I'm aware of Boss. But you got to remember he was the one who bought her to the gang and initiated her. If I remember rightly, he also broke her in that night," Josh said quietly. 

Burg frowned thoughtfully as he remembered the night Claxton had turned up at an all night party with a young Tiger Lily in tow. As Burg remembered it Claxton had claimed she was something special and had asked that she not be initiated in the usual way, only the gang officers be able to fuck her. 

Josh glanced out the window over the sink and saw Emery and Claxton talking to Tiger; she had her riding gloves on and seemed about to put her helmet on. 

"Dominic is a bastard, this has really fucked things up!" Burg swore softly as he reached for another beer from the fridge. 

"Tiger Lily will stay, as you said she's loyal to the gang," Josh said quietly. 

"I don't doubt that but this will cause trouble with the sheilas, there'll be arguments for sure," Burg said darkly. 

"Tiger will earn her keep then," Josh said with a half smile. 

"If she can still walk after you have your fun with her tonight. The sheilas you fuck generally are bow legged the next day or worse," Burg said with an answering grin. 

Josh merely grunted a noncommittal answer and took a big mouthful of beer. 

"Looks like everyone has decided to come back here from the pub early," Emery said as he came into the room. 

Josh glanced past him but no one else was behind him. "Where's Claxton?" 

"Outside directing traffic. There are a few members who usually bunk else where turning up. Guess they've heard about Dominic," Emery said with a frown. 

"And Tiger?" Josh asked as if in after thought. 

"Claxton told her you said come inside ... she's still out there. She doesn't want to leave but she doesn't want to come in here to you," Emery said uneasily. 

"Where she at?" Burg asked. 

"By her bike last I saw her," Emery replied. 

"Stay here with Burg would you," Josh ordered and headed outside. 

It was dark outside but Josh had no trouble finding his way to where Tiger had her bike parked. He saw her start slightly and turn to face him as she recognised who he was. 

"Either you ride away now or you come back inside. You can go back inside the hard way or the easy way," Josh said quietly as he came to a halt beside her and looked at the numerous bikers who where milling around near Claxton. 

Tiger Lily was silent as she watched Claxton. Josh shifted slightly beside her and she jumped nervously. 

"Coming inside or do I have to carry you inside?" Josh asked after a few minutes of silence. 

Tiger straightened her back and pulled her shoulders back before heading inside silently. 

Josh followed behind her glad he hadn't had to force her to go inside; trouble would start soon enough when he demanded she obey his orders. 

* * * * * 

Tiger sipped her can of rum and coke as she circulated within the house. The extra gang members meant there where extra bikie chicks there and several fights had almost started among the outsiders and those who normally lived in the house. 

"I tell you Dominic was fucking Burg's bitch, that's the real reason he was kicked out of the gang. His having a go at Josh is only an excuse," 

Tiger heard the whisper from behind her but ignored it as she had numerous others over the last few hours. She knew Burg would make an example of her for sure once he heard the rumours or they were relayed to him by either Emery, Claxton or Josh. 

Emery and Claxton looked her way as she entered the main room and with a glance between them Claxton made his way over to her. 

"You heard the whispers going around?" Claxton asked quietly. 

"Yeah. And as more alcohol gets drank the whispers are getting louder," Tiger said tightly. 


The Reckoning



"Look ... I ... Burg don't want to kick you out okay, but he can't let this slide now. Just hang tough," Claxton said in a whisper then moved away. 

Tiger glanced around uneasily. There was no sign of Burg but Josh was standing over by the kitchen door watching her closely, he glanced towards Claxton then back at her. 

Tiger took an unsteady breath as she met his dark brooding eyes and almost flinched as he deliberately ran his gaze down over her body. When his eyes met hers again he licked his lips and smirked when she nearly dropped her can of drink. 

"Shit!" Tiger hissed and turned her face away. She could still feel his gaze on her as she moved around the room avoiding his corner of the room. 

Something about Josh didn't sit right with her, hadn't for a couple of years but she couldn't say exactly what it was about him that made her uneasy. 

The sound of giggling caught her attention and she turned her head to watch as Burg emerged from the kitchen with a pretty blonde sheila. She was hanging onto his arm and pressing against his side while trying to rearrange her shorts at her crotch. It was clear that Burg had fucked her in the kitchen while Josh had stood guard at the door to prevent any interruption. 

Kandy stopped giggling and halted in her tracks as she spotted Tiger watching her, reluctantly she tried to let go of Burg's arm but he pulled her hard against his body and looked to see what she was looking at. 

The sight of Tiger standing by herself watching them had him frowning; he glanced at Josh then pulled Kandy close and kissed her deeply. 

Tiger had a faint sneer on her face when he raised his head but because Burg knew her so well he could see the hurt beneath it. 

"I bet she's not as good a fuck as I was!" Tiger almost snarled. 

"You stopped being a good fuck when you started putting out to Dominic behind my back," Burg said. 

Tiger turned away but didn't say anything in reply. 

"Josh I believe you wanted her," Burg said lightly. 

"Shit no!" Tiger exclaimed as she turned to look their way. A sense of horror filled her as she saw Josh had put his drink down and was heading her way with a wide smile. Claxton and Emery were moving over towards Burg making Tiger realise Josh had just been given the unspoken order to stake a claim to her. 

"I bet I can make the Tiger purr," Josh said as he moved closer. 

There was laughter from around the room and Tiger began backing towards the doorway but Josh shook his head and she heard movement behind her. She could hear her heartbeat roaring in her ears as she stopped; fear was Josh's biggest weapon and she was determined not to fall victim to it. 

"Smart move," Josh said softly as he halted in front of her. He reached out with one hand to cup the side of her face and only just managed to knock aside the can of drink Tiger tried to throw in his face. 

He shook his head sending liquid flying from his hair and neck as he grinned down at Tiger who had retreated several steps. 

"Fuck off! You're not ..." Tiger spat out but was stopped by his hand settling over her mouth. 

"Oh yes I am. And THAT is exactly what I am going to do to you," Josh grinned down at her. 

Tiger bit down on the hand against her mouth and found herself in trouble as Josh jerked his hand away and grabbed her around the waist. Instantly she began struggling but Josh lifted her with ease and then the air left her body with a whoosh as she hit the table top with a thud. 

"Hold her down for me would you boys," Josh commanded as he turned his attention to her belt. 

Tiger struggled to draw in a breath as she began struggling against Josh, he pushed her hands aside easily and then hands gripped her wrists and shoulders forcing flat on the table and pinning her down. 

"You bastard!" Tiger shrieked and kicked out viciously with her boot-clad feet. She had the pleasure of feeling her feet hit something and hearing Josh grunt before one ankle was caught and held while that boot was removed. The second boot followed quickly and then she was fighting to stop her jeans being pulled down her long legs and off her feet. 

"Hmmm, black lace," Josh murmured appreciatively and grasped her ankles to pull her to the edge of the table so her legs hung over the edge giving her no purchase. He forced her thighs apart and moved to stand between them as he eyed the scrap of black lace covering the triangle between her thighs. 

Josh met Tiger's gaze and saw the fear deep in her eyes, his fingers found the lace that covered her slit and felt the moisture that had soaked the material. 

"Dominic got you all hot and wet in the pub did he?" Josh almost purred as he leant over her to look into her face. He saw the guilty flick of her eyes as she looked away from him for a second and then his fingers slid beneath the fabric eliciting a startled gasp from her as she met his eyes fearfully. 

"Don't worry, I can finish what he wasn't man enough to ..." He let his voice trail off as his fingers slid between her slick folds. He heard her gasp as she flinched beneath his touch but then his fingers found her slit and he lightly traced the moisture there. His thumb found her clit and it began to slip from beneath its hood as he teased it, his fingers traced the moisture that seeped from her passage and then slid inside as he teased her clit. 

Tiger gasped and arched her back as Josh expertly stroked her body, pleasure built quickly in her lower stomach and she tried to bring the heels of her feet up onto the edge of the table. 

"No you don't," Josh laughed softly, a husky note to his voice. He lifted first one leg over his shoulder and when she showed no sign of fight he lifted her other leg to his other shoulder. 

His fly opened quickly and he freed his large rock hard shaft, he heard a soft feminine gasp somewhere behind him. 

"He'll tear her in two," was whispered in a female voice. 

Tiger drew a sharp breath and tensed as she realised his hand was no longer working it's magic in her dewy fold, "Hell no!" She gasped and arched her back as she braced her legs against his shoulders and pushed against his upper body forcing his to take a surprised step back. 

"Hell I gotta watch this!" Burg exclaimed and moved to grab one of Tigers thighs, "Clax, lend a hand here." 

Tiger found her hips pressed down onto the table, both Burg and Claxton forcing her legs up and apart so that Josh could move back into position. 

Josh smiled as he reached down and grabbed hold of the wet lace giving it a jerk that made the delicate material tear on each side where it joined to the waistband. He lifted the damp scrap to his nose and inhaled deeply before tossing it aside and reaching towards her mound once again. 

There was a lot of pressure against her opening then fingers found her clit and she gasped as pleasure shot from her pussy up to her nipples pulling tight in her lower stomach. Pain mingled with pleasure as she felt her passage stretching while Josh slowly pushed inside her. 

"Need the lube?" Tiger heard someone ask but she was too busy concentrating on the feelings Josh was causing to notice who had asked. 

"Don't think so," Josh grunted huskily as he watched the large mushroom shaped head of his cock slowly disappearing into Tiger's tight wet passage. 

The feeling of being stretched was quickly turning to more pain than pleasure and Tiger took a deep breath as her body tensed against his invasion, there was a sharp burning pain and Tiger gasped jerking her legs upwards. 

"Shit!" Josh groaned and grasped her hips, "Fuck she's tight!" 

His strong thrust brought another gasp from Tiger as he pushed in as far as her body permitted. She whimpered slightly and he groaned in response then began moving his hips in an ancient rhythm. 

"Oh fuck!" Tiger gasped and managed to jerk one hand free. She reached down to where their bodies where joined and her fingers touched him as he pumped in and out of her body, she felt herself where his cock slid into her wetly and raised her hand where she could see it. She was relieved not to see blood. 

Her wrist was recaptured and pinned down so she couldn't fight against what Josh was doing to her body. 

Pleasure was fast building past the pain and she gasped as she lifted her hips into his thrusts, she heard his soft chuckle of appreciation and then his pace increased as he pounded into her mercilessly. 

Tiger felt his cock swell and throb inside her then warmth rushed into her as Josh grunted loudly and thrust into her hard. She felt him pull his cock from her pussy even as it pulsed and something warm and wet spurted between and over her folds then across her hairless mound. 

Josh looked down at Tiger as he breathed heavily, the strength of his release had taken him by surprise and one glance told him Tiger hadn't been satisfied. 

"Fuck. I'm having me a piece of that!" 

The comment brought Josh's head up quickly and he glanced around the room. Emery, Claxton and even Burg stepped back looking around as well. 

"Who thinks they can fuck my woman?" Josh demanded savagely as he tucked his half soft cock away quickly, no one was willing to meet his eyes as he looked around the room. He looked down at Tiger where she had pulled herself further onto the table and he placed one hand on her knee; she glanced up at him and quickly looked away but not before he saw the resentment in her eyes. 

"Party's over!" Claxton called loudly, "Everyone find a bed for the night," 

Tiger half reclined on the table while the room cleared until just Burg, Kandy, Emery, Claxton and Josh remained. Her pussy throbbed with both arousal and discomfort when she shifted uncomfortably. 

"I expect you to keep her in line," Burg reminded Josh. 

"I think I can handle that chore," Josh said with a smirk as Tiger looked away from him. 

Josh stood by the table and watched as Emery and Claxton followed Burg and his new pussy from the room. Slowly he turned his head to look at Tiger only to find her watching him through narrowed eyes. 

"You're not touching me again tonight," Tiger snarled. 

Josh laughed as he moved closer and she scrambled along the table top away from him. "Don't be too sure about that. Unless you want to take on all the guys here," he told her evenly. He caught hold of one of her ankles and pulled her to the edge of the table roughly, he forced one of her legs up into the air toppling her onto her back and leaving her pussy exposed to his view. 

"I don't think I tore you. I tried to take it easy on you," Josh said after a few moments of silence. 

"Bastard!" Tiger snarled as she rolled away when he released her leg. 

"Go get in my bed woman," Josh ordered and headed towards the fridge. 

Tiger slid from the table and paused a moment by the table as her legs wobbled before supporting her. Glancing towards her jeans where they lay on the floor by the fridge she looked away as she avoided his gaze before heading to the doorway and making her way to his room. 

There was a faint light in the bedroom from the hallway and Tiger made her way to the bed only pausing long enough to grab a handful of tissues to clean the mess Josh had made. She quickly undone her vest and shrugged out of it before slipping between 

the sheets on his bed; she sighed softly in appreciation as the cool crisp material glided over her skin. 

Josh gave Tiger several minutes grace before following her to his room; he paused in the doorway as he made out the slight lump in his bed before pulling the door shut behind him. 

"If you want light I can turn a lamp on," Josh said as he sat on the edge of the bed and began to take his boots off. 

"I'm right," Tiger said tightly. 

"Suit yourself," Josh said evenly before getting to his feet and unfastening his belt. "What side of the bed do you like?" 

"What ever side you don't like," Tiger said between gritted teeth. 

"I like the entire bed," Josh said softly and chuckled, "but I think I can get used to sharing a bed with you." 

Tiger was silent was she listened to him undress, the bed dipped beneath his weight and Tiger held her breath as he settled in the middle of the bed. 

"No trying to smother me with a pillow in the middle of the night," Josh warned lightly as he closed his eyes. 

"Thanks for the idea," Tiger muttered under her breath and heard Josh laugh softly. She gasped as he rolled over and reached for her pulling her close, he moulded her body to his settling her buttocks in his lap with a sigh. 

The warmth of his body reached her chilled skin chasing away the coolness from the sheets. Tiger yawned and blinked, she was tired, exhausted in fact but she wanted Josh to go to sleep first so she could move away from him before falling asleep herself. 

A warm hard male body pressing against her back roused Tiger from a deep sleep as a hand cupped her breast and fingers toyed with her nipple. She moaned softly and rolled onto her back opening her legs to allow the hand access to her moist folds as it slid down over her lower stomach. 

Fingers found her clit and Tiger moaned softly as lips found her neck, warm breath raising goose bumps as it drifted across her skin. 

"Burg ..." Tiger murmured and whimpered with pleasure as she moved her hips in time with the hand. 

"Wake up and open your eyes!" A harsh voice demanded as the hand and mouth was removed from her body. 

"What!" Tiger came fully awake and closed her eyes as the harsh glare of a lamp came on. 

"Open your eyes and look who it is!" Josh demanded angrily. 

Tiger opened her eyes and saw the dark shadow looming over her, she flinched back against the pillow beneath her head but didn't fight him as he grasped her chin and forced her face up towards his. 

"Keep your eyes open so you know exactly who is fucking you!" Josh growled as he moved over top of her, his hips settling against hers leaving her in no doubt of his arousal. 

Tiger turned her face away as he went to lower his head. He grunted in annoyance as he thrust against her, his cock sliding between her slick folds and rubbing against her clit. 

"Look at me," Josh growled angrily. 

Tiger turned her head and fixed him with a resentful gaze as he moved against her; each movement caused friction between her dewy folds sending pleasure radiating through her body. She felt her breasts grow full and heavy as the pulsing need grew between her thighs, she lifted her knees and spread her legs wider as she began moving beneath him. 

Josh watched as Tiger gasped then licked her lips, she arched her neck back and shut her eyes for a moment as a moan of pleasure came from her lips. He wanted to lower his head and capture her moan of pleasure in his mouth but she showed no signs of being interested in kissing. 

Tiger opened her eyes reluctantly as Josh stopped moving, she panted softly as she moved restlessly for a few moments before moving her hips against his. When he remained motionless she ran one hand down his side until she found his flank and slid her palm across until she could feel the crispness of curls beneath her fingertips. 

Josh watched her eyes widen as her fingers found the hard shaft of his cock, carefully she moved it until he felt the warm wetness of her opening on the head of his cock. He pushed forward gently and she gasped, opening her legs wider and catching her bottom lip between her teeth. 

Wet warmth slowly engulfed the head of his cock and he resisted the urge to thrust into her hot tight passage roughly. He groaned with pleasure as he felt the top of his cock slide past the tightness of her entry and then she was pushing her hips up against his impatiently. He gritted his teeth and began moving slowly, each successive thrust moved deeper until he heard her whimper as his scrotum slapped against her bottom. 

Tiger clutched the bed sheets in frustration, this slow fucking was well and good but she could feel her climax building deep inside her pussy where the head of his cock was touching something and sending pleasure spiralling deep into her insides. 

"Look at me," Josh warned as Tiger closed her eyes and turned her head away. 

"I need to come," Tiger complained faintly as she glanced at him then looked away as she arched her neck back. 

Josh moved his arms closer to her shoulders as he began to speed up his thrusts, she gasped with pleasure and looked him in the eyes as she licked her lips. Her hands rose from the sheets to rest against his ribs and she pulled her feet up the back of his thighs until they rested in the small of his back. 

"Want to come?" Josh asked softly by her ear as he moved strongly against her. 

"Yes please," Tiger whimpered then grasped at his shoulders as he immediately picked up the pace of his thrusts. 

Josh grasped her hips pulling her hard against himself with each deep thrust, he could feel her inner muscles tightening and then ripple after ripple flowed through her pussy as she shuddered against him and buried her face in his shoulder. Josh eased his hold and slowed his movements until he was barely moving. 

Tiger became aware of his slow movements as her body slowly stopped it's convulsions of pleasure, his movements eased her past the intense pleasure of release and then encouraged her body to begin building towards climax once again. 

"Josh," Tiger said whisper soft because she knew it would please him. 

Tiger smiled to herself as she felt the slide of his body inside hers. He lowered his head and his lips found the sensitive skin just below her ear making her gasp and tilt her head to the side allowing him better access. 

Josh trailed his lips down the side of Tiger's neck, he could feel where her pulse beat just below her skin and he exhaled heavily. Tiger shuddered beneath him and pressed her hips hard against his as she tilted her head further to the side, he kissed the spot lightly before opening his mouth wide and sucking against her neck hard. 

"Don't!" Tiger protested as she tried to get her arms between their bodies to push against his chest, unable to manage this she began struggling and trying to escape from beneath his body. 

"That should leave a nice clear mark," Josh said when he lifted his head. 

"Bastard!" Tiger hissed savagely at him and managed to get her arms between them so she could push at his chest. 

"Now that's not nice," Josh said as he caught her by her wrists and pulled her arms up above her head to stop her struggles. "I made sure you cum and now you want me to stop before I squirt my load into your nice tight little pussy." He chided as he moved his hips in a circle making his pelvic bone rub against hers. 

Tiger gasped and turned her face away from his as her body jerked beneath his involuntarily. She clenched her jaw and tried to stop her hips from moving as Josh began pumping into her body with long thrusts that had the head of his cock pushing gently against her cervix. 

"What don't like me now you got your rocks off?" Josh taunted as he broke his rhythm to grind his hips against hers. "Don't like this?" He resumed his deep thrusts and Tiger almost moaned aloud with pleasure. 

"Or this?" He rolled his hips and felt her hips flex against his making him slip deeper then ever. "How about this?" He used one hand to hold both of her wrists and used the other hand to slide beneath her buttocks and probe her tight rosebud with his fingertips. 

"Bastard!" Tiger gasped as the invading digit had her convulsing around his shaft a second time. 

Josh grunted as he felt the ripples of her climax, he rolled hips once more then resumed the deep long thrusts from earlier. Her feet scraped against the back of his thighs and then he was thrusting into her hard and fast as he felt the pressure building low in his stomach and begin to move towards his scrotum. 




The Reckoning



Tiger whimpered and began to slow her movements as her orgasm spent the last ripples of pleasure deep within her. Her sensitive insides detected the swelling of the hard cock in her pussy and Tiger turned her face into the crook of Josh's neck as her body responded instantly with the beginnings of another orgasm. 

Wave after pulsing wave erupted through his hard cock and was echoed by ripples of sensation in her pussy, Tiger screamed with pleasure and grasped his shoulders as her body went rigid. Bright sparks exploded behind her eyelids and Tiger was aware of nothing but the pleasure flooding her body. 

Josh slowly raised his head as most of the tremors had stopped and his breathing began to return to normal. He was aware of Tiger beneath and around his body, her legs limp and her feet behind his knees. 

"You okay Tiger?" Josh asked quietly reluctant to destroy the moment. 

"Hmmm ... all my bones have dissolved," Tiger murmured and moved her feet as he eased from her body. 

Tiger was aware of him speaking as he lay beside her and coaxed her body into relaxing against him. She heard the soothing sound of his voice, as he made sure the bedclothes covered her but she feigned sleep to avoid facing him after what had just happened. 

* * * * * 

"Tiger Lily, wake up." Josh ordered firmly with a gentle shake of her shoulder. 

Tiger opened her bleary eyes and looked back over her shoulder at him, "I'm awake," 

"I'm off to do my morning rounds before Burg gets up. Go get some coffee on for me," Josh ordered before leaving the room. 

Tiger rolled onto her back and grimaced as she put her forearm across her eyes to shield them from the glare of the light bulb. She became aware of the soreness between her thighs and moved her arms from across her eyes to reach her hand down beneath the covers to the moist folds surrounding her pussy. 

Her fingers found her wet slit and she felt herself assessing her state after enduring Josh's attentions the previous night, sore from his large size and possibly a slight tear but definitely nothing incapacitating. She removed her hand from her pussy and pulled it from beneath the covers to glance at the slick coating on her fingers. 

"Err Yuck! Jitzum everywhere," Tiger groaned as she rubbed her fingers together. She tossed the covers back and got out of bed glancing back at the sheet covered mattress and rolling her eyes at the whitish marks left on the dark sheets from their fucking. 

It took some time to find clothes to wear because her belongings were in a heap in a corner where Josh had tossed them. Dressed she headed for the bathroom then the kitchen and had the kettle on for hot coffee when Josh walked into the room followed by Emery and Claxton. 

"Kettle boiled?" Josh asked as he got his and Burg's coffee mugs, he paused for a moment then reached for the mug Tiger always used. 

"Wow wee! You really left your mark on her!" Emery exclaimed and walked over to Tiger, he went to grasp her chin and turn her head for a better look at her neck but she ducked her chin and stepped back from him only to be stopped by the corner of the table. 

"Keep your hands off my woman," Josh warned in a dangerously quite voice. 

"No harm meant," Emery said as he backed away from her with a glance at Josh. 

"Is that the kettle I hear?" Burg asked as he walked into the kitchen. 

"Sure is," Josh said as he carried the three mugs over to the kettle, spooned coffee and sugar into them and added the just boiled water. 

Tiger kept her eyes on her mug as Burg stepped into her line of view, she waited until he had his mug and was sitting down before fixing her own drink. 

"Heard that bed of yours getting quite a work out early hours of this morning. She give you any trouble?" Burg asked Josh with a quick motion towards Tiger. 

"Nothing I couldn't handle. Considering you gave her to me against her wishes the night went real well," Josh said watching as Tiger's face went red and she pulled her lips back in a grimace of anger. 

Burg laughed with appreciation and watched Tiger, he recognised her anger and resentment in the way she held herself. 

"That little blonde ...what's her name, Kandy ... she'll be walking bowlegged today," Burg said and then gave a loud laugh. 

The other three men joined in and Tiger moved to the sink, she tipped her untouched coffee down the drain then headed for the door. The sound of laughter followed her from the room and she glared at several bikers who where heading towards the kitchen. 

"Coffee on?" One of the men asked. 

"What do I fuckin' look like? Maid service!" Tiger snapped angrily as she pushed past the biker who had spoken. 

Outside the morning air was crisp and clean, the chill of the night still evident as the sun tinged the eastern horizon. 

"Wha'zzup?" One biker asked as he half sat up in his sleeping bag, his woman curled up beside him, several others stirred nearby. 

"Nothin' just catching some fresh air," Tiger said as she walked past the sleeping bags under the shelter of an iron roof. 

"She's walking funny this morning," a female voice said very quietly, "Not actually bowlegged but not her normal long steps." 

Tiger chose to ignore the soft comment and smothered laughter that followed, she had become more aware of her soreness and jelly like consistency of her legs when she had walked outside. 

"Tiger Lily! Tiger the big stripe-et-tee cat!" 

Tiger stopped at the bird like childish voice and looked at where a dainty red-haired girl wearing an over sized mans t-shirt picked her way across rocky dirt towards her. 

"Hey there Hope," Tiger said gently to the pretty girl. 

"Josh didn't hurt you did he? Chance, him done told me not to tell Josh to stop being mean to you 'cause you was bad. Was you bad? Was that why that Josh fellow was being mean and nasty on you?" Hope asked with wide-eyed innocence. 

Tiger smiled at the simple girl, she was such a sweet caring little thing it was hard not to like her. 

"No he didn't really hurt me. I done something naughty and got into trouble for it," Tiger said slowly. 

"I don't think I would like Josh putting his ..." Hope broke off with an embarrassed giggle, "his ... thingy in my pussy. Only Chance doesn't hurt my pussy," 

"Yes your Chance is good to you," Tiger said quietly as she glanced around. Spotting Chance getting out of a small tent she turned her attention back to Hope. "Look, there's Chance. Are you supposed to out here?" 

"I was gunna get my cardie but then I seeded you," Hope said with a worried look at Chance. 

"Come on, I'll come say good morning to Chance," Tiger urged Hope encouragingly. 

Tiger walked slowly as Hope picked her way back over the gravel and rocks, once past all the obstacles she squealed and headed for Chance at a run. 

"She okays! She okays!" Hope told him excitedly as she glanced back at Tiger. 

Chance put his arm around Hope's shoulders and pulled her close to his body, "I thought you were just getting your jumper. You know better than to run off when others are about," he scolded gently. 

"I so-rree," Hope said hanging her head and pushing her toe into the dirt. 

"Good morning Chance," Tiger said as she walked up to the pair. 

"Ha!" Hope said with a loud laugh, "Tiger say'd she say good morning to Chance!" 

Tiger smiled at Hope's delight then glanced at Chance, "I told Hope how I was naughty but Josh didn't really hurt me," 

Chance nodded his understanding, he knew that Tiger was aware of the way Hope became afraid of anyone who hurt a woman, "That's good to know," 

"Now don't you be naughty 'gain or Josh might smack you!" Hope warned with wide-eyed concern. 

Tiger lifted her hand and motioned Hope close with her pointer finger, "I don't think he'd smack me. I think he might want to do IT again," Tiger whispered dramatically. 

"Oh!" Hope exclaimed with a startled expression then giggled, "Josh have him a boner!" 

"OI! Get back in the tent and in my sleeping bag! You're giving ME a boner," Chance pretended to scold Hope and patted her on the bottom. 

Hope gave a little squeal and giggled as she ran to the tent, she cast a sexy little pout back over her shoulder at Chance before crawling into the tent with her bare butt showing. 

Tiger laughed to herself as Chance hurried after Hope. She turned back towards the house, nothing like Hope's naive view to bring things into perspective. 

* * * * * 

Tiger yawned and rolled over expecting to come up against a warm male body in the bed, when only cool sheets touched her skin she opened her eyes reluctantly and looked around the room. Finding the room empty she got out of bed wincing at the soreness in the back of her thighs and the tenderness in her pussy. 

Slowly a rueful smile crossed her face and Tiger shook her head as she remembered what had occurred the previous night, it had only been the third night she had slept in Josh's bed so she wasn't too trusting of him. 

Josh had stayed talking gang business with Burg and Tiger had gone to bed. She had nearly been asleep when Josh had come into the room, undressed and got into the bed with her. One thing she had discovered on the second night in bed with him was that his sexual appetite was rather large and constant, and while he insisted she submit to his attentions he was considerate of her comfort during sex. 

When it had become clear to Tiger that Josh had wanted her legs up over his shoulders while he fucked her, leaving her completely under his control she had panicked and refused to co-operate. Expecting him to punish her she had been shocked when he had let her set the boundaries when he had over powered her. 

She had been terrified of him, his physical size and the strength he had if he wanted to hurt her. But he had been careful of how he used his strength, actually showing her without words that she could trust him. 

Tiger groaned and shook her head as she pulled her mind from the memory of letting him do as he had wanted and the ensuing pleasure she had received. It was no wonder the muscles in the back of her thighs were tender from the way he had had her ankles up nearly behind his head. 

The door of the room swung open and Josh hurried into the room interrupting her thoughts. 

"You're awake and out of bed, good. The Boss just got word that The Storm Riders' leader and several of his higher-ranking members will be stopping in today. Go have a shower, you'll be wearing one of my official shirts when you get dressed," Josh said as he pulled on of his gang shirts from a drawer. 

"Sure you don't want to piss on my leg as well?" Tiger sneered but her tone lacked a lot of defiance and resentment. 

Josh turned his head to look at her thoughtfully, he hadn't missed the fact that she was starting to loose her wariness and distrust of him. 

"I'll have to give it a miss. Too busy," Josh said calmly as he pushed the t-shirt into her arms as he walked past her and back out of the room. 

In the kitchen Burg, Emery and Claxton where sitting at the table sipping steaming mugs of coffee and Josh went to the kettle to make himself a coffee as well. 

"Tiger's up. I told her what's going on," Josh said as he headed to the table with his coffee. 

"Gave her the morning off dealing with morning wood did you?" Emery asked with a grin. 

Josh grinned but didn't answer as he sat down. 

"You had that big-titted blonde squealing pretty well last night," Claxton commented to Emery. 

"When I went for her arse she claimed no guy had broken it in, and she sure squealed once I got in." Emery said looking pleased with himself. 

The four men chatted, the talk going from the various women in the gang to motor bikes and speculation on exactly who would turn up for the meeting with the Storm Riders. 

"Kettle still hot?" Tiger asked when she came into the kitchen from her shower. Her hair was still wet and had dampened the t-shirt she wore making it cling to her breasts showing she didn't have a bra on underneath it. Her feet were bare showing how small and delicate they were just like her hands and face. 

"It'll have cooled down by now," Josh answered her. He got to his feet when she walked past him and grinned at her when she glanced his way cautiously but without the fear she had been showing. He walked up behind her as she switched the kettle on and reached around to the front of her body to pull the t-shirt from her jeans to slide his hand across her stomach then up over her ribs to cup one full breast. 

"Josh, sit down. Tiger Lily you sit up the other end of the table away from him and stop distracting him," Burg ordered. 

Tiger clenched her teeth in annoyance; Josh had been the one who put his hands on her. She hadn't tried to get his attention. She felt his hand leave her breast and slide down her body to cup her feminine mound before he released her and went back to the table. 

"Sorry Boss but I couldn't resist that wet t-shirt," Josh said with a smile in his voice. 

Tiger waited impatiently for the kettle to boil; every now and then she cast annoyed looks over her shoulder at Josh. The kettle boiled and it was as she was pouring water into her mug that she realised that for once her mind was occupied with Josh not with Burg. With a startled glanced over her shoulder at the four men she realised she wasn't dwelling on the hurt of Burg discarding her; in fact the hurt of that had faded a surprising amount. 

"Any idea of who is turning up or how many?" Tiger asked as she carried her drink to the table and sat where Burg had ordered. 

"Six including Cisco," Burg said naming the leader of the other gang. "You were involved with Guy just before he defected to them. Any ideas on who might be present?" 

Tiger frowned as she thought of the time she had been with Guy; he had included her in very few meetings with his new friends. 

"That's over six years ago," Tiger said distractedly. 

"Do you know who he used to meet up with or talk to?" Claxton prompted. 

"Mainly Cisco I think," Tiger decided, "and this other bloke was there a lot. About tall as Emery, but more heavily built like Josh. Black hair greying at the temples, and grey eyes like gun metal." 

"Did he have a scar down the right side of his face? Starts at the corner of his right eye," Emery asked. 

"Yeah!" Tiger smiled brightly, "Only back then it was barely healed, still pinkish." 

"Kye, Sargent at arms from some gang down south. Heard he's a real tough bastard," Josh said thoughtfully. 

"You know him from when you were down there?" Burg asked intently. 

"Yeah, and you can be sure he'll be there if Cisco is," Josh said with a hard edge to his voice. 

"Will there be any sheilas here?" Tiger asked levelly. 

"I want you there in case there is. If not you can get the drinks and any food if they're here any length of time," Burg ordered. 

"If there are one or two sheilas you having Kandy with you?" Tiger asked calmly. 

"I don't trust you not to try to have a go at her," Burg said with a hard look in his eyes. 

"There's a time and a place for everything and the time is not when 'others' are here. But you know I am still head sheila," Tiger told Burg calmly with a level look. 

"You won't touch Kandy," Burg ordered tightly. 

"Oh she's made it known you were fucking her before you tossed me out," Tiger's voice had dropped to a low almost pur as she watched him with narrowed eyes. 

Burg sat at the table silently fuming. He knew that by the rules that maintained order in the club members Tiger had every right to seek revenge against Kandy for sleeping with the man Tiger had been sleeping with. 

"You will act like you have no problem with Kandy while The Storm Riders are here ..." Burg started to order tightly. 

"NO!" Tiger refused as she sprang to her feet, she placed her hands on the table top and leant forward to glare down the table at Burg, "You can not ask me nor order me to do something that will make me loose face in the gang!" she snarled angrily. 

"Don't tell me no!" Burg said whisper quiet as he got to his feet and moved towards her, he saw her eyes go huge and then the back of his hand connected with the side of her face. 

The air left Tiger's body with a soft whoosh as she hit the cupboard behind her with a solid thud. She got up off her knees where she had stumbled to and turned to face Burg fully, her view of him was blocked by Josh as he pinned her against the cupboard with his body. 

"Let me go!" Tiger demanded angrily. 

"Behave! Look at me now! Tiger!" Josh ordered as he lowered his face towards hers. 

Slowly she stopped struggling and lifted her face to glare at Josh, he frowned as he saw the angry red mark marring one side of her face. 

"Calm down," Josh murmured softly at the rage in her eyes. He released one of her shoulders to raise his hand and brush the hair back off her face so he could see the damage better. "Calm down, sit down," his voice was soft as he watched her eyes. 

When he was sure she was in control of her anger he stepped away from her and calmly walked back to his seat. 

Tiger watched him sit down then glanced at the other three watching her intently. Deciding discretion was the smartest course of action she moved to her chair and sat down silently, she met Burg's glare for a moment before looking down. 

"Claxton, Emery, pick out a few members you know are trust worthy for backup. Josh I'll need you with me. Tiger you know your job but can I trust you to behave? I'm not having trouble while the others are here," Burg said firmly, once more the cool and controlled leader. 

"She'll behave Boss, I guarantee it," Josh said quietly with a hard look at Tiger. 

Tiger glared back at him, her top lip curled back from her teeth in disgust. 

"I'm off to get ready now," Burg said with satisfaction, "make sure she knows to behave." 

Tiger didn't stop glaring at Josh as Burg left the room. 

"I'll just be a minute or two Boss," Josh said as he stood up. He waited until Burg was out of hearing and then moved towards Tiger, she was on her feet facing him angrily before he reached her. 

"Emery, Claxton, I imagine you two will have your hands full this morning before the others arrive. You'll be too busy to ... make sure Tiger doesn't get hold of Kandy. I don't think I will have time to scratch myself let alone check up on Tiger,' Josh said softly with a half grin, "Burg gave us our positions for a reason. We can't do our jobs if he interferes." 

Tiger turned her head slightly as she eyed him suspiciously before glancing at the other two men. 

"Just be careful how much punishment you dish out to her and make sure it IS before they get here," Emery said. 

"Yeah," Claxton murmured. 

"Now put a cold pack on your face while you do a few things." Josh ordered softly. 

Tiger looked at Josh again before looking away from all three men, "I don't trust you," she hissed under her breath. 

Josh only just made out what she said, he gave a faint nod before he headed for the door, "Claxton, Emery, you've both got things to be doing." 

Tiger watched Josh leave the room before turning to the fridge for a cold pack. 

"You make real sure Burg aint nowhere around when you give Kandy her just deserts," Claxton cautioned before heading out the door. 

Tiger turned her head to watch as the two men left the room; she was smiling as she headed off to wake several of the women she liked and trusted. 

Tiger was checking the supply of cold drinks in the beer fridge when Kandy and her friend Sissy walked into the large room that was often used as a dinning room. 

Tiger straightened from what she was doing and looked across at Kandy, Kandy glanced her way and started nervously as she realised that Tiger was there. 

"Come on Sissy," Kandy said and turned to head for the door. 




The Reckoning



This story is entirely fictional and any resemblance of any of the characters to real people is purely coincidental.

Now it is up to the reader to decide if the fictional applies to the text above or below...

*****

I had put it off long enough. And her last voicemail had gotten to me. Something of "if you don't fix this, I will get a real painter to do this and short-pay the bill."

Even calling ahead was one interaction I wasn't up to. So I just showed up at the end of my day. 

Knock, knock. I rapped on the storm door. The loose door rattled in the opening. A light turned on and the door swung open. 

"Oh, you decided to come finish my painting project after all?" She said. She wasn't a bad looking woman. A few pounds too many but what was worse, she never smiled. I can't even think of being married to her. 

A witty thought came to mind and I considered playing hardball for a second. I thought better of it. All I wanted is this project to be over, and playing along would probably just be quickest. "Can you show me what the problem is?"

"I would be glad to" and without hesitation she turned around and stormed off to the bedroom I painted the week before. 

I watched her walk ahead of me. I took the opportunity to really check out her ass. She was wearing a button down long sleeve shirt and off-white pants. And yes, if she just lost a bit of weight, she might even be attractive. Naaah, I thought to myself. No there is no diet that would make her smile or improve her attitude so you would even want to be around her. 

In the bedroom she started pointing at some of the trim. "Now look at this!" she exclaimed. "This finish is soo uneven you'd swear you painted it using a dead chicken instead of a brush!"

Oh, I was already annoyed, and while this wasn't my best work, this was really going too far.

"If I had known you would just take this job for granted, and treat me this way, I would have never had you do this." "What a rip-off" she added.

By now I could feel myself trembling from anger. 

She pulled the drapes aside and pointed behind the radiator: "And look at this!" "Here the paint doesn't even cover!" "Were you trying to save on paint as well?"

"You bitch!" I yelled and shoved her. "You told me to do this project as fast and inexpensively as I could since you just wanted the room freshened up a little."

She stumbled backwards towards the bed and caught herself on the footboard. It was one of those Pottery Barn designs which looked more like a fence than a footboard.

My hand was on her neck while I pushed her down some more. Suddenly I was all smiling and said: "I think it is time for you to learn a little lesson."

With my other hand I grabbed the robe that was on the bed and pulled the belt out of it. I draped the belt over her neck and under the top rung of the foot board. In a snap, she was tied to the footboard, bent over forward with her face almost on the covers. 

"What in the world are you doing?" she exclaimed. She sounded a bit afraid. 

"Oh, this stuck up attitude, it needs some adjustment!" I said angrily, but with an air of triumph. "You fat cow, you are going to change your tune in just a second!" I added.

"Cow??" and before she could say more, I interrupted her. 

"Yes, COW!" I hollered, as I firmly smacked her ass.

"Ouch! Stop that!" she almost screamed.

Smack! Another flat hand landed on her ass. "That's not how cows sound!" "Cows go Moooo" I said.

"You are in so much trouble young man" She snapped.

Smack, Smack! "Wrong answer" I said. "Wonder how long you will keep this up?"

"Ouch! That stings!" she said with a sound of desperation in her voice.

Smack, smack, smack! "Go Mooooo" I said laughingly. 

"Mooo" she finally uttered, hesitantly.

"Good cow!" and I patted her ass, tapping, like you would a dog. 

"Now we need to get you more in the cow costume" I said as I started unbuttoning her shirt. 

"No way!" she yelled.

Smack, smack, smack! Was the result.

"Mooo, mooo" she said hastily.

I laughed loudly and got back to the buttons. In no time, I had undone the tiny buttons and took her shirt off. She tried to struggle, but with her throat on the footboard, I had quite the advantage. A little pressure on her neck made her breathing sound funny.

"Mooo, mooo" she tried to protest as good as she could. 

Her bra was next, the rear clasp was super easy to get to in this position I thought to myself. "Why stop here?" "Ever seen a cow with pants?" I said and I proceeded to loosen her button and zipper.

"When I get out, I am going to report you to the police" she snapped angrily.

Smack, smack, smack on her ass. It sounded much louder now it was bare skin. "That is not how cows go!" I added.

"Mooo, mooo" she said hastily, while trying to pull her pants back up. 

Smack, smack, smack it went as I said: "cows don't have hands or wrestle." "Only sometimes they kick."

"Mooo, mooo" she went after the last series.

Now, without clothes, she looked actually a lot better. Her tits were massive and hung down plumply. Her nipples were erect, even though it wasn't cold in the room. 

"There is one thing missing about this costume" I said. "Cows always have ear tags." I walked over to the desk and grabbed two yellow sticky notes and a marker. I wrote 69 twice and stuck them on her gaudy earrings. 

I laughed as I reached for my phone and snapped a few pictures. She looked very unhappy but didn't make a sound. 

"Ok, time for an udder check" I said as I reached for her nipples.

She tried to fend me off with her hands and in the process pushed on her own throat, making gasping noises.

Smack, smack, smack. I put some real effort into those smacks and even before the third smack landed, she went: "Moooo, mooo."

I laughed and went back to grabbing her boobs. "Udder check" I said while roughly handling her big tits and giving her nipples a very firm squeeze. 

She squealed loudly. I told her again, "that is not how cows sound!" and squeezed her nipples to drive the point home. 

"Mooo, mooo" she went quickly. 

There was the sound of a door downstairs. Steps came up the stairs. 

"Oh Ray!" the bitch went. I snuffed her from saying anything else by pushing on her head. She gasped.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" the guy said. He must have come home from work and was wearing a cheap suit.

"I will tell you what you are going to do, if you don't want me to hurt her." I hissed at him. 

The week before, while I was painting, I had plenty of time to rifle through their stuff. I had found some interesting items stored in the drawer under the bed. I opened it and fished out a pair of fur lined handcuffs. 

As I tossed them to Ray, I said: "Put these on." I added some pressure to her head and the gasping sound made him hurry. 

"Click, click" He closed the cuffs. 

I tossed him another pair and snapped, "Now lock yourself to the radiator." 

He hesitated. I leaned on her head. She gasped for air. 

"Click" and with a little delay and some light clinking, "click."

I let go of her. I found her undies and stuffed them in his mouth. I untied his tie and retied it around his head, so the gag wouldn't come out. 

"OK, where were we?" I said proudly. 

Ray looked bewildered. 

"Oh, let me bring you up to speed Ray" I directed myself to him. We are playing this game where she is learning how to behave like the cow she is. I grabbed her boobs again. 

"Listen, she even sounds like a cow" as I squeezed her nipples.

"Mooo, mooo" she went. I laughed. 

"Now we have gotten to the phase where the cow gets inseminated." I said while looking at her. 

The look on her face was priceless. I started taking off my clothes. My dick sprung out, it was already hard. 

I poked a finger in her crack. "Hey, what a surprise, just like a cow, the crack is already wet!" I exclaimed. I looked at Ray. He pulled some at his cuffs, but wasn't making much of a fuss. Not that he had much choice anyway. 

"I should have known" I continued while looking at Ray, "cows nipples always get hard when the bull gets near." 

"Ray, you look sort of out of place," I said. "You live with the cow, so you need to get in costume too."

I came over to Ray and quickly undid his clothes. His pants dropped to his ankles and I just left them there. Just like his wife, he was quite hairy. He was in better shape than his wife though. 

"OK, time to get this breeding underway," I said as I moved behind her. She was trying to squirm away sideways, but I got a good grip on her nipples and with my elbows kept her from squirming too far. 

"Mooo, mooo" she protested and tried to buck me off. 

I hung on and clamped down on her nipples. 

"Mooo, mooo, mooo" she said hastily. I laughed and positioned myself using my elbows.

My hard dick quickly found the way. It isn't difficult when you are this hard and she is that wet. 

We both gasped. My motivation might have been different than hers though. She felt really good, the soft lips slipped over my head and as I pushed in deeper, her muff just engulfed me. 

"I wonder what kind of sound a cow makes while breeding." I said it more to myself than to anyone else. 

Hastily it sounded: "Mooo, mooo."

Laughingly I looked around at Ray and said: "Looks like we got our answer."

Ray's face was distorted by the tie, but it was noticeable that he was interested. What was even more noticeable was his woody. 

I turned my attention back to her. I started to really plunge into her. Hey, if I am supposed to be a bull, that means I can be a bull. 

"Mooo, mooo" she said. It sounded different now, maybe I heard it differently now I had my own endorphins going.

I just went to town on her. The soft skin slipped and slid all over me. Her wetness was almost dripping. It even made my balls wet and the wind caused by my fierce motion actually made my balls cold! I didn't last worth a damn. And I didn't care. I shot off inside of her while firmly squeezing her nipples. 

She moooed loudly. I don't think it was an orgasm kind of moo.

As I slipped out of her, I looked at Ray. His dick was just jutting out straight! "Did you like the show?" I asked Ray. 

With his gag, he made some incomprehensible sounds. It almost sounded like Mooo.

While my dick was still dripping, I fumbled around in the drawer under the bed. I found a short rope with a loop that I put around Ray's neck. I pulled the rope tight and said: "too bad you don't have nose rings, I think that is how farmers keep their bulls under control." 

I fumbled in the drawer some more and found the key to the cuffs. While firmly holding onto Ray's rope, I unlocked him from the radiator. By the rope, I lead him to his wife. 

He needed no prompting. He went right on his knees and put his cuffed hands on her back. As she squirmed sideways, he slapped her ass and waited. 

"Mooo, mooo" she uttered, almost questioningly.

Ray smiled and took a deep breath through his nose. I loosened the tie and he pushed the undies out with his tongue. 

"Mooo, mooo you bitch" he went as he positioned his elbows to keep her from squirming away. Suddenly it was quite obvious who was usually wearing the cuffs... 

He was trying to find the entry. He was poking around wildly. Suddenly he smiled and moved much closer. He must have found what he was looking for. They both mooed. 

"This is good" I whispered to myself. I snapped some pictures and even recorded the scene on my phone. They looked at me and I got a couple of good shots with the ear tags. "This is to make sure you keep your mouth shut, or it will go viral" I said as I put my clothes on. 

She mooed, he mooed, and both of them got into it. 

As soon as he came, I took a few more pictures and left.

The next day, I found my check in the mail box. 

A few months later, I ran across them on some sidewalk. Ray was smiling at me, beaming really, and said: "Thank you."

She wasn't smiling. She never did before and didn't now neither. As she looked at the pavement, her face grew beet red.



The Reckoning



Hey there, lovelies! 

I just want to say thank you to everyone that is taking the time to read this story as well as the other submissions. This contest is about a lot more than just writers; our readers play a huge role in what we do, so I would like to thank each and every one of you for taking time to read and vote on these stories 

In regards to this story, I would just like to say that this is not something I would usually submit for a Valentine's Day contest, but I fell in love with the characters and storyline and decided, "hey, what the heck?" I think there's a little something in here for almost every type of reader, but people who like stories from the nonhuman category will really appreciate this one! Oh, and people that like scenes of forfeited virginity will enjoy the steamy scenes I packed into this work. 

As always, feel free to vote and comment. I love hearing from my readers; I know a lot of people just say that, but I really do love the interactions we have. 

Until later, 

Happy reading!

[[CC]]

Preface 

His eyes were the boldest shade of blue; I was relieved to find they didn't match his soul. Sebastian had warmth inside of him, a thirst to do good. That's why I trusted him with my virginity and, in turn, my life; for, it was becoming apparent he could not take one without the other. 

Part One: Sweet Dreams Are Made of These

It started with a dream that came to me in late January. To be honest, it was quite unexpected. 

That night, I had come home from my peer review group at school, dead tired. Damn things always ended late. I took a shower, ate some leftovers and went straight to bed; I had tons of errands to run early the next morning with my roommate and needed the rest. I was unaware that particular night, I would find none. 

I nestled into my bed and sleep found me almost instantly—so did he. 

"Finally. Come here, Riley," he said, crooking his index finger. 

If I didn't respond because of his silky voice, it was because of his eyes. The abnormal shade of blue beckoned to me, even as an orange-gold tint began to bleed into them. 

The man's face was a stranger to me, but I recognized his essence, like I had come in contact with his soul at a different time and that terrified me. My mother always said I had a strange relationship with fear; that I was more attracted to it than anyone she had ever known. It appeared I was no different in my dreams. I walked toward him as he commanded—what else could he make me do?—and I watched him, trying to solve the mystery of his identity. 

"There you are," he finally said. His eyes were almost totally that gold-ish orange tint from before, but the unusual color did nothing to lessen his attractiveness. His nearly-black hair was parted to the side and slicked back. He sported a masculine bit of stubble made even sexier by the pouty lips that were quirked into a half smile. Even with his angular face, he held a good measure of warmth and softness. I looked away, hoping he hadn't noticed my gawking, but there wasn't much to look at. 

There was no specific room surrounding us, no setting to speak of; it was like we stood on nothing. I would have believed we were floating in emptiness were it not for the single, violet couch in which the handsome man sat on.

"Let's have a chat," he purred, bringing my attention back to him.

My senses, finally, kicked in. "Why do I feel like I know you, and how do you know my name? Who are you?"

He, outright, smiled now. "So many questions, so little time. My name is to be withheld until a certain time; but for now, you may call me Sedo."

"Sedo?" I laughed. "You want me to call you a name that sounds like it was ripped from The Matrix?"

He shook his head. "Even in the face of death you endeavor to maintain your sense of humor. The Skies are cruel."

I smirked. "Death, huh? Right. What does the sky have to do with anything?"

"Everything."

I crossed my arms. "Why are you in my dream?"

He lifted his face and our eyes met. Too many emotions flittered around his blue orbs: excitement, fear, doubt...I had no idea what he was thinking to cause such a varying display of emotion. "I want you to know me before we meet in person. You have to see me as more than a monster...just in case."

"Just in case, what? You make no sense."

He rubbed his chin, his smile gone. "That's the idea."

I shook my head. I knew this dream man wanted to offer as little information as possible, but of one thing he was certain, and I sought to exploit it. "So, you're going to kill me? Is that in here, or in real life?"

His laugh echoed throughout the room, a soulful melody that rang through every cell of my body. "There's much more to it than that." He shook his head. "God, I hope I don't kill you," he chuckled. "I like you, Riley."

Despite his blatant threat, I found myself pleased with the fact this dangerously sexy, mystery man admitted to liking me. Too bad he's a figment of my imagination, I thought. I ran my fingers through my hair, chuckling. "And now, it's apparent you mean in real life. I always knew I'd go out in a strange way. I never imagined it'd be by vampire attack, though."

That's when he really lost it. His laugh was so hearty he nearly fell out of his chaise. "Vampire! You must be kidding!"

Heat made its way to my cheeks, likely showing Sedo my embarrassment. I crossed my arms. "What's so funny? You look like one!"

"How do I look like a vampire? I am intrigued."

"You're pale-ish...and attractive. I just thought with the killing and all...."

"I'm a little pale because I've spent much time in Washington," he laughed. "I enjoy the rain, but I've recently relocated to pursue some other...interests." 

I frowned. "Maybe if you stop laughing at me, we can get to why you're parading around my head. That's an interest of mine."

"I've told you. I want you to know me as more than a monster."

"And what kind of monster would that be?"

"I'm a Shifter."

"Like Jacob Black and the wolf pack?" He did say he lived in Washington. 

"God, no." His face screwed up in disgust. "My story is more complex and lacks the teenage, love triangle aspect."

"You are more than welcome to explain what you mean, then. I have time."

"No, you don't. Your alarm is set to go off in about," he looked at his watch, "three minutes." 

I rolled my eyes. "Right, and you orchestrated this so you'd have plenty of time to ensure I'd be left with more questions than answers. I'm not sure how much I like you, Sedo." 

A frown marred his features. "It's probably better if you don't like me. That way, when I end up killing you, it won't hurt as much—less of a betrayal, I guess," he shrugged and rose from his sitting position. He turned and walked away from me, calling over his shoulder, "I'll see you soon."

I woke up the next morning with a bad attitude. 

I knew Sedo wasn't real and that his threats in my dream were idle; but he still managed to annoy me. 

"Stupid, Sedo; Matrix rip-off," I huffed as my hand slapped my buzzing alarm clock. 

The better part of that day was spent stewing over the dream man and his cryptic death threats; the other part was spent looking for him. Everyone around me was a slightly pale, dark-haired guy that day, much to my annoyance. I thought by the end of the day I would have coached myself into knowing I would never see Sedo—that he didn't exist outside my dreams and he wasn't going to hurt me—but I still managed to peek over my shoulder at every opportune moment. It didn't go unnoticed. 

"Are you on the run or something?" my roommate asked. "You're looking like you expect someone to hop out of the bushes."

"Why would I be on the run, Abby? My record is spotless."

"Maybe you're just nervous about Lover's Week? I mean, I would be."

Ugh, Lover's Week. 

It's, apparently, not enough to force singles into celebrating a day meant for couples, but the school had decided to make the Valentine's Day festivities last for the entire week. The. Entire. Week. 

There was bound to be explosions red, pink, and white everywhere and I would have to endure the sight of frat boys dressed in diapers with feathered wings strapped to their backs that they purchased from Party City. 

And the idiots would most likely be handing out flavored condoms again. I rolled my eyes, recalling last year's incident when I punched one of them in the gut for being overly presumptuous with his particular cherry-flavored rubber. 

Though all this was nightmarish, I knew Abby was referring to my parents as being the reasoning behind my nervousness. The parental units, though, were the furthest thing from my mind. 

I waved a hand to exemplify my extreme nonchalance. "I'm legally of age to make my own choices; and, like I told them, being Jehovah's Witness was never a decision I made for myself."

"But you chickened out for the Halloween stuff...not to mention Thanksgiving and Christmas."

I huffed. "I told you, I'm fine."

"Well, quit looking over your shoulder, then. It's starting to creep me out," she shuddered. 

And that was the reason I decided against telling Abby about Sedo. A bloodless paper cut had the possibility of freaking Abby out; so, telling her about a man who was convinced he would turn into an animal and murder me was not an option—no matter if this man lived solely in my dreams or not. 

At first glance, you would never peg Abby for someone that struggled with anxiety. She didn't walk around wringing her hands, her hair wasn't all frizzy and unkempt like a lot of the girls I saw at the doctor's office that battled the same condition. Abby, in my opinion, was the poster child for traditional beauty: she had full, blonde waves that reached the middle of her back, doe-like brown eyes, lips the color of Snow White's poisoned apple. On the surface, she looked like a regular girl, but underneath her beauty was her issue—fear. Her fear of the unknown made her nervous...so nervous her parents took her to the same shrink I was forced to meet with. Abby and I met due to a receptionist booking error at Dr. Beatty's office and have been friends ever since; but, best friend or not, Abby had enough stress to deal with in her life, and I wasn't about to give her another unnecessary load to bear. 

Sedo was a secret I kept to myself until the start of February. He would've been a secret forever if he wouldn't have sent a few dozen red and black roses to the apartment. They sat on the snowy porch in pricey-looking vases, and were impossible to hide.

"I know the red ones have to do with love, but don't the black ones have something to do with death?" Abby asked.

"I think so." I knew so, but she didn't need to be reassured of that fact.

"So this," she pulled the card from my hand, "'S' loves you, but wants to kill you."

"Or maybe it kills him to love me?" I threw in for her benefit. Her guess was probably a great deal truer than mine.

"Ohh, maybe! Who is this 'S'? Why didn't I know about him? And why does this card say 'tonight'?"

I snatched the paper from her, hoping there was a mistake and I was the butt of a joke; but how could I have been? No one knew about Sedo; I had made sure of that. Even at my weekly psychiatric assessment meetings I made no mention of him, and I was, usually, brutally honest at those hour-long sessions. The last thing I wanted to mention to Dr. Beatty was my nocturnal beau because I knew what would happen. I would sit in that stupid red chair and tell him all about my dream and he would find the truth: I was attracted to the nonexistent nonhuman. 

It's one thing to have the figment of your imagination talk to you and tell you he has to kill you, but to say you are sexually attracted to this being goes beyond the pale. If I thought my psychiatric assessments were too probing now, I'd be in immense trouble later, especially if I let slip the feelings of familiarity whenever Sedo was around. 

The fact that my soul recognized Sedo's made me want him even more; but, it also put a desire in me to know why I would recognize him in such a way. Despite my reluctance to believe in his reality, I did believe I'd known him from another time—possibly another dream. Therein was my problem. 

I knew the doctor was sent—by my parents—to make sure I wasn't relying on my dreams to guide my everyday life. If the results from each doctor visit came back favorable—in that, I wasn't overly obsessed with my dreams— my parents continued to fund my schooling; if not, they would cut the furthering of my education until I learned to "behave appropriately", as they put it. Even though graduation was a few months away, I had to be careful about what I revealed in my sessions, especially now that Sedo was a factor. Any mentioning of my former, or current, dreams was bound to be reported back to my parents and that was an argument I did not want to face. 

"No," I shook my head.

"No...what?" Confusion marred Abby's features. 

"There's obviously been a mistake." At least, I hoped there had been. 

"Your face doesn't hint at it being a mistake. I think you know exactly who they're from. The question is, why don't you want me to know about him?"

I sighed. "You ask an awful lot of questions, Abigail."

"Well, you're my best friend and roommate! I want to know who's in your life!"

"He is not in my life." Just in a dream. One single dream; and, I'd be lying if I said I didn't hope for more. 

"So, there is a 'he'?"

I took my keys out of my coat pocket and unlocked the apartment door. "Help me carry these in, will you?"

She eyed me with deep suspicion but carried in as many vases as she could hold. "Where to?" she asked. 

"My room is fine," I said, leading the way. 

I tapped the bedroom door with my foot, letting it swing open before I went in. Everything looked to be in place, though I sensed I was not the last person in the space. I spread the vases between my desk and dresser—yes, there were that many—before turning to my bed. 

I gasped. 

"What?" Abby wheezed and almost choked as she turned around. 

Thankfully, I had snatched up and wrinkled the note I found sitting on my pillow before she realized anything was there. I knew someone had been in my room; and, I had a pretty decent idea of who it was. That didn't help my psyche at all. 

"Riley?"

I shook my head. "I forgot to feed Mr. Bubbles," I lied, moving toward my fish tank. I dropped a few pellets in and watched the brightly colored betta devour each waiting morsel. "Little pig," I mumbled. 

"Oh, good. That's all," Abby put a hand on her chest as she breathed a sigh of relief. See? Nervous case. 

"Yeah," I nodded. "I think I'm gonna hop in the shower and then call it a night. Class in the morning. You know how I hate Mondays."

"Uh huh," she said, suspicion creeping back into her eyes. 

I really was telling her the truth. I planned on taking a shower and getting to bed, but she thought I had a date to sneak out to; little did she know, my date was in the comfort of my own head. 

Man, I need help. 

My shower was thorough but quick. I brushed my teeth and ran a comb through my hair before jumping into bed. I tugged out the second note I hid under my pillow earlier and read it another time. It said:

Pleasant dreams, I hope. 

~S~

I hoped so, too. 

I had to get to the bottom of this thing. Were Sedo just a man in my dreams, the solution to this problem would have been simple: forget him; but, with the perfectly-timed delivery of these notes and flowers, I was unsure of my prior assessment of these events. 

As much as I hated to admit it, the only plausible explanation to the happenings of this day was that Sedo was a real person. No one else knew about my nocturnal beau besides me, so the flowers and notes couldn't be a coincidence or joke. "How could they be?" I whined as I pushed myself out of the bed. I wrung my hands as I paced in front of my bed. "They have to be real—he has to be real— or none of this makes sense." 

But what part of any of this makes sense? 

Shifters, orange-gold eyes, a nonhuman character being able to show up in my dreams and reality...how could any of that be sensible? These series of events brought back a contemplation of the world around me that I'd long since pushed toward the back of my mind. 

"There's no such thing as magic! Or-or vampires; werewolves, or Shifters! There are people and animals, that's it," I threw my hands out to my sides, slapping one of the crystal vases. Thankfully, the thing was sturdy enough not to be knocked completely over. My hand, though, was not as sturdy. "Ouch! Damn expensive vase!" 

"Riley, are you okay?" Abby's voice came through my door. 

I huffed. Was she waiting outside my door this entire time? I sighed, realizing that was probably the case. "I'm good. Just having trouble sleeping. And this stupid vase attacked me."

"The vase attacked you.... Are you sick?" 

"Yeah," I lied. "I think I'm gonna take something." 

I opened the door and was met with brown eyes filled concern—I would take that over suspicion any day. I went straight to the medicine cabinet in the bathroom and took a healthy dose of NyQuil before bidding Abby goodnight. I snuggled back into my bed and turned on the television. In my haste to quicken my transition into sleep, I put on one of the movies I knew every line to. I didn't make it past the opening scene before I sensed his presence. 

I breathed a sigh of relief as Sedo's silky voice found my ears. "NyQuil and The Mummy. You are a piece of work."

I wasted no time. "You sent the roses? A-and the notes?"

He circled me like a vulture would his prey, his eyes assessing. "Did you enjoy them?"

I squeezed my eyes closed, hoping I didn't hear what I thought I'd heard him say; but, I knew I had, so I answered, "Kinda."

His lips perked up. "Understandable."

"Look, Sedo...what aren't you telling me? How did you send that stuff if you're in my head?"

"I have my ways...can't really disclose that, yet."

I huffed. "What can you disclose?"

"I'm not even supposed to be here. It's somewhat against the Code."

"The Code? So you're a pirate now?"

"Shiver me timbers," he said with a wink. 

I grabbed the hair at the crown of my head to hide my reaction to his wink. "You're so damn annoying."

"And you're crazy."

"I don't disagree. Why else would I look forward to disappearing into my own mind to spend time with a figment of my imagination?" I sat on a crimson couch, assessing my surroundings. 

Unlike my last dream, Sedo and I were in an actual setting—an old, Victorian-style room. By the looks of the layout and furniture, we were in a parlor of sorts. The space was older, but with a few modern pieces that helped to build an eclectic blend. 

"You still don't believe I'm real?" I detected humor in his voice, but I chose to ignore it. 

"How can I? You could just be a part of my psyche that is made up to mask the fact that I'm on my way to a mental collapse."

His forehead creased in his confusion. "Mental collapse?"

I shook my head. "You didn't grow up in my household." 

He shrugged before sitting next to me on the couch. "Well, I can assure you I'm real. You'll see in a short while."

"Why does it even matter if you're real? If you are, you'll just kill me, right? You are still leaning toward the 'kill Riley' side of this equation, aren't you?"

His eyes flashed that familiar, dull orange color. "Leaning toward? You think I have a choice in all this?"

"Isn't every happening in life based on decisions we make?"

He snorted. "Not where the animal side is concerned."

"Animal side?"

He sighed. "I shift into an animal. After February fourteenth, I could become all animal. It depends."

I swallowed. "On?"

"If that side of me decides to take over."




The Reckoning



I was growing tired of playing his game. I stood, crossed my arms and planted my feet, letting him know I was not going to tolerate his elusiveness tonight. "And why would that happen?"

He huffed. "Because I'd be taking your virginity. The act brings out the animal in us...literally." 

My mouth dropped open. "I'm sorry...you'd be doing what, now?"

He raked his fingers through his hair. "Never mind. We can discuss it later."

"No! No, no! We're going to discus this now. How do you even know I'm a virgin?" I thought I'd hid that little nuance well—apparently not. 

"You already know too much, Riley!"

"Yeah, in your mind! What do I really know besides you're a part of my imagination that wants to take my virginity and kill me; oh, and on occasion you turn into an animal?"

"Look, Riley, I came to have sex with you, not argue."

"Wait...wait!" I threw my hands in front of me as if they could ward him off.

"I understand your hesitation, but I think this is the only way to see if the Reckoning will end well or not."

"What the hell is a reckoning? And who even said I wanted to have sex with you?"

His blue eyes glinted in the light from an antique lamp, that tell-tale orange and gold bleeding through. "I'm not human, Riley. I can hear and smell your reaction to me before you even realize you've had one. This is meant to happen."

"You're not even real!"

"Oh, come now, love. You have to admit these circumstances are a bit too exact to be counted as happenstance."

"Of course this isn't real! You aren't real! My parents probably spent a fortune on a secret way to monitor my dreams and found out about you. Now they're sending notes and flowers to play games with me and see how I'll react so they don't have to pay for my college anymore."

Sedo's face drooped. "You really believe all that?"

"It's more plausible than you being anything more than a figment of my imagination! I mean, I'm dreaming, for crying out loud!" 

"Of course you're dreaming; but, why couldn't a dream become a reality? Come," he said, leading me back onto the couch. "If it helps, I will tell you about how I sent the flowers and notes, okay?"

"I guess."

His hand traveled up and down my back in a smooth, steady rhythm; too bad it didn't have that affect on me. My pulse quickened and my flesh heated. I felt my body respond to him in ways it never had for anyone else. It was as if my body craved his touch. I didn't want to explore that particular nuance at the moment, so I pushed it to the back of my head. 

"Right now, I am not allowed to, physically, see you per Code rules, otherwise, I would have hand delivered them myself. I watched and waited until you left this morning, then my friends and I left the flowers for you."

"What about the note on my pillow?"

His answering laugh was light. "That was a little trickier. I didn't want to break down the door or anything like that, so I searched for a way in. Your window was unlocked—which, you should not do, by the way—so I climbed in and set the note on your pillow."

"You're still not taking my virginity. You can forget it."

Sedo's laugh was light. "You can stop me in here, but when we're out there...it's a whole different world. You'll feel the fullness of my touch, see me with real eyes...your senses and emotions will be overloaded. You'll offer yourself to me, willingly, despite the warnings I've given you about my hidden nature. As if either of us have a choice," he added bitterly. He rose from the couch and began to circle me again. "I will tickle and tease your body until you beg me to enter you, then I'll graciously oblige. I am a gentleman, after all." He came to a stop behind me and ran his fingers through my hair. "I'll be gentle until the animal in me surfaces. My fangs will elongate, my muscles will grow and after the transition, I'll either give you an affectionate nibble," he whispered, trailing his finger up and down my neck, "or I'll take a chunk out of you and drain your blood." 

I gasped as I wheeled around to face him. His once blue eyes took on that tell-tale, fierce orange-gold tint and his canines hung over his bottom lip. "I thought the animal only came out when my virginity was forfeit," I whispered.

"These are just signs of him. When the animal comes out, you'll know." His hands massaged the junction where my neck met my shoulders. "Let me make love to you, Riley. It's only here in your mind—you can hold onto your physical virginity for a few more days...I just have to know. I have to know if we'll ever have a chance."

I shook my head. "You're crazy. This is crazy."

"But you excel in the crazy."

I had to give him that. Whether he knew it or not, my life had been nothing but one big batch of crazy ever since birth. We had the papers to prove it. 

"I don't know...."

"Tell me you've never had a sexual tryst in a dream before and I will tell you you're lying."

"But this is different." I sounded whiny and undecided. I wanted to be firm in my assertion against him taking my virginity, but his voice...his eyes...his proximity; he was a heady concoction sent to destroy me. 

He rubbed his chin, looking off into the distance. "You're correct. This is different; but, that's not necessarily a bad thing, love." He turned his gaze back toward me. "You won't lose your virginity tonight, but you will feel as though you were. That's why I came to you in your dreams. It will feel real for me, too, and that will help me see if there's any chance of you making it out of the Reckoning alive. We have to try."

"If that's true, why didn't we do it last time?"

"Come now, Riley. Were you really going to let me fuck you on our first date?" 

I gasped. "Date? You call that a date?"

He cocked his head to the side, assessing me. "Interesting." His lips quirked into a half smile.

"What's so interesting?" I huffed. 

"No matter. Come. We have to try," he told me again, the conviction in his voice not wavering. "Please, Riley."

"I don't even know what to do," I sighed, planting my hands on my hips. 

He came up behind me and pressed his lips to my neck, brushing them up and down. The movement sent tingles rushing through me—he didn't fight fair. "Just relax ...do what your body tells you."

"I need more answers. I...I don't know enough about you or this Reckoning thing." My excuses sounded puny even to my own ears. 

"Why do you need answers if I'm not real?" I could feel him grinning against my neck. 

"Oh, shut up."

He chuckled. "I will explain everything in a few days. Trust me."

I shook my head. 

"Riley." My name on his lips sent butterflies darting around in my stomach. "Arms up." He pulled my shirt over my head, tossing it to the floor.

And just like that, I was lost. 

I did what he asked without thinking, and we continued in that way—he commanded and I followed—until I was naked before him. He stood with his arms crossed, assessing my body. 

"How is it possible to want to thank and curse the Skies at the same time? I've never seen anything so...breathtaking." He took my hand and led me to the couch before telling me to lie down. I complied, of course, and was rewarded with him sliding his index finger into my warmth. I groaned and he cursed. "I knew you'd be ready. The wetness is alluring," he said before latching his mouth onto an already-erect nipple. 

"Oh!" I squirmed as he took turns licking, nibbling, and sucking at my breasts, making the pulse between my legs grow stronger. I never knew sexual desire until that moment. Sure, I thought guys were attractive and I had the urge to kiss one or two, but with Sedo, I wanted so much more. He was right, I was going to beg for him to enter me. 

"Sedo, please."

"Please, what?"

What was I supposed to say? Do me? Put it in? "Umm...."

"I'm not certain what 'umm' means," he said before crawling down my body until his face hovered over the apex of my thighs. 

"No! No, please."

"You don't even mean that. Look at you, Riley. You spread your legs for me as soon as you realized what was happening. I need them a little wider, though, love. 

"I can't. It's...weird."

"But you want it. Spread them, please." 

I did as he asked and barely had time to inhale before Sedo's tongue was buried in my folds. 

"Oh, God!" 

He licked and sucked; taking my body to unexplored heights. When he inserted his finger back into me I came with such violence I nearly knocked him off the couch. 

"Truly amazing," he muttered while righting himself. He stood above me, his eyes glowing amber, as he removed his pants. "I'm not going to ask if you're ready. I know you are," he whispered. 

"You're going to keep your clothes on?"

"I'm thinking it may help with the...uhh..." he made a biting motion with his mouth before climbing on top of me. "Relax, Riley." 

I released a breath I didn't know I was holding and waited for him to enter. He pushed through my folds and hit my entrance, but didn't proceed. 

"Sedo? What's wrong?"

His eyes met mine. "You can call me Sebastian," he said, pushing forward. "Oh, hell," he gasped. "Are you okay?"

I gripped my bottom lip between my teeth to hold in the guttural exclamation that wanted to break through my lips. 

"Riley?"

"It's fine," I lied.

"I'll be gentle for as long as I can," he said, easing himself further into me. Each inch he pushed into me made my body ache. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the pain to go away. It didn't. 

This is it, I thought to myself. This is what Cash was singing about. My crotch is the ring of damn fire. 

It seemed like ages before he had pushed every inch of himself into me. Mercifully, he waited before easing out and moving back in, but with each push and pull, the pain lessened and was replaced with pleasure. Little moans escaped my lips as he ground into me. 

"Riley," Sebastian crooned, "are you okay?"

I nodded. 

"Tell me you're okay."

"I'm okay. It feels good." My cheeks heated at the admission of my pleasure. 

Sebastian let out a groan as he quickened his pace. "Tell me again."

"It feels good."

"Touch me."

I ran my hands up and down his back, feeling his muscles lengthen and contract under his shirt as he buried himself in my warmth. 

He groaned with each passing of my hands. "How long I have waited for your touch...for this moment with you, Riley. God, you feel...." He let the rest of his sentence trail off as he quickened his pace again. 

He rocked our bodies into the couch and I met him thrust for thrust. I felt the pressure of an impending orgasm building. I squeezed my eyes shut, focusing on the sensations I was feeling. 

"Oh no, you don't. Open your eyes, Riley. I want to see your pleasure."

His carnal words were my undoing. My eyes burst open to see flares of color and light. "Sebastian," I crooned as my hands gripped his rippling biceps. 

Our eyes met—my green to his gold—as his fangs protruded. "It's happening," he gasped. 

"What? What's happening?" I asked, my post orgasm glow extinguished. 

"The change," he groaned. "I thought it was okay. We...we were doing okay."

"We can stop," I said, releasing him from the grip of my arms and legs. 

A low growl came from his lips as his muscles grew under my hands, telling me it was too late. "Sebastian?"

"Don't say my name. It's making the transition go faster."

Part of me was satisfied I had to the power to make the animal in him come out; the other part was petrified. 

I kept my mouth shut as he growled and flexed his growing muscles—that was until I felt him growing inside of me. He stretched me wider and his cock lengthened—to where, I didn't know. I was sure there wasn't any more vertical space for him to expand to. My groan was a testament to the pleasure-pain combination I felt from the change of his size—and it was a groan I should have held in. 

Sebastian's eyes darted back to mine and the cryptic, sarcastic jokester I knew vanished. He said I'd know when the animal came out, and he was right. His excessively hairy, yellow-taloned hand gripped my neck as he began to piston in and out of me. Knowing my cries of pain and fear would do nothing but excite the beast, I stayed as quiet as possible. Sebastian was not quiet. Snarls and growls ripped from his chest and left his mouth with every thrust. 

I prayed for the end. 

I sent up a litany to whomever was listening that Sebastian would find his release and let me go—but it didn't happen. Sebastian plowed on, burying me into the velvety, crimson couch. His eyes blazed an abnormal fiery, gold as he stared blankly at me...or was it through me? I couldn't stand the sight, but I couldn't look away or shut my eyes. It was like an awful car wreck that you just had to watch even though you knew nothing good would come of it. 

It's just a dream, I told myself repeatedly to no avail. It all felt too real. Even as his fangs scraped down my neck, I just knew I'd have marks when I woke up. 

If a few marks are all I wake up with, I'll count myself lucky. 

But, of course, I spoke too soon. 

Sebastian let out a fierce growl that made the hairs all over my body stand on end; that was my only warning before he plunged his teeth into my neck. I felt, and heard, something snap as blood gurgled in my mouth. I tried to scream, but I only choked on the blood. Sebastian continued to plow away as he ripped his mouth from my neck, a piece of my flesh dangled from his jaws. The hot, sticky evidence of his release coated my insides as I faded into darkness. 

Part Two: Lover's Week

"NO!" I shot out of bed and headed straight for my vanity. 

"Riley?" Abby's voice came through the door.

Why was she always around when something happened and I didn't want her to know about it? 

"Riley! What is the matter?"

I moved my hair to the side to assess my neck. "Nothing," I traced my fingers down my neck. "It's nothing. I just had a dream."

I couldn't, necessarily, call it a "bad" dream, because I already had faced the fact that I enjoyed most of it. I sat back on my bed and recounted my meeting with Sebastian, my flesh heating at the remembrance of his touch, his words...if he was as real as he said, I had a lot to look forward to in a week; but, also much to fear. If the dream from last night, somehow, manifested into reality, I would not have woken up this morning, but I couldn't talk myself into running or hiding. 

When Sebastian took my virginity, I had never felt closer to anyone. Our bodies were entwined, yes; but, it was more than that. I had no reference to form a reasonable explanation but I knew he had to have felt it, too—the longing beneath the surface of the skin, the feeling that we would never be fully sated and we'd be trapped in bed for hours upon hours. The feeling I had known him before all this only intensified with his touch. Him killing me, though, was an issue. 

"Riley, you okay?" Abby's voice came through the door another time. 

I knew she wasn't going to leave me alone until she knew, for sure, I was okay; especially, after some of the dreams she'd walked in on in the past. I took a deep breath and let it go before swinging the door open. I was ready to give her my full on "I have a bad attitude voice" until I saw her eyes. They appeared to had doubled in size and were darting from me to my room, and back to me again. Man, I hope she can get her nerves in check. I shook my head. "I'm fine. Just an intense dream."

"Was it the guy again?" 

"What?" My pulse quickened. 

"The guy with the dreads and face paint? The one that would be chanting and stuff."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "No, I haven't dreamt about him in a while. It, really, was nothing. I gotta get ready for class."

"Are you dressing up at all?"

I was going to ask what she meant, but it hit me... "Lover's Week," I sighed. The festivities surrounding this five-day period felt even less appealing after last night, but I played along anyway. 

I donned a black and white striped skirt with red tights and a red blouse to match. I wore lipstick as red as blood and a smoky eye shadow to complete the look. I definitely looked more festive than I felt. 

"You may not have a Valentine today, but you'll have your pick from dates by the end of the week," Abby told me as I donned my coat. "You look hot."

"Thanks. I just want this week to be over." Though I was glad to see Abby had recouped from her recent panic about me and my dream, I still couldn't find it in me to be anything more than tolerant of the school week ahead. People always said it, but I found it was true: I had more important things to worry about. 

Like Sebastian.

The name suited his human side; a polished name for a polished guy. Sedo was a good name for the beast that fucked and killed me. 

The argument about his reality was coming to a close, I found. His logic made sense to me; his retelling of how he slipped me the notes and left the flowers was sound...it was just...challenging. For most of my life, I had believed in a world apart from this one where vampires, werewolves, witches, mermaids, and other creatures shared our planet with us; but, I had to put those beliefs away when my parents offered up their funding-shrink ultimatum. Since then, I had repressed every dream, every sense, and every intuition I had about that other world. I became good at it; but now, I couldn't deny what was so blatantly staring me in the face. 

Sebastian was real, and so were Shifters. 

Abby's voice brought me out of my contemplation. "What? Why?" she asked, her voice too high and eyes too wide. She was overcompensating, which she always did after an episode. "This is your first time celebrating a holiday! You might as well have fun."

She was right, in a way. I did need to enjoy the holiday, especially because it, apparently, was due to be my last. If I would have known earlier that a guy from my dreams was set to kill me, I would have taken the holidays more seriously last year. 

I pulled into the student lot on campus and put my car in the "park" position. The too cold, too dry air of February blew against my cheeks and face as I exited the Taurus. I hated winter. Some people thought the snow and ice were beautiful—I saw them for what they were: a nuisance. To me, winter symbolized a time of death.

"How fitting," I mumbled as I trudged through campus. "The trees die, the plants die, the flowers die; I die." 

Winter was the opposite of spring; the opposite of everything I enjoyed. I loved coming into the warmer months when everything that was once dead came back to life. The birds returned and sang their intricate songs with one another, the grass would sprout up; the flowers would poke out of the ground and grow into blossoms of every hue, making waterless rainbows in the grass. Spring represented a time of hope, in my mind. 

I hoped springtime would come in Sebastian's and my relationship...if you could call it that. In truth, I had no idea what label our situation deserved. Could I call him mine? He did come to my head and take my mental virginity; but, did that let me make a claim on him? The fact I was even entertaining the idea of claiming a man I met in my dreams threw me for a loop. 

No, I'd never physically seen Sebastian, but the evidence of his presence was around me; he sent me the flowers and notes, and even as I walked to class and sat my things down, I could feel myself being watched. I wanted to believe it was him. It had to be. 

My answer came in the form of messenger. 

I was removing my coat and getting settled into my second class of the day when I was interrupted. 

"Riley Tenor?" 

My head popped up and I was looking into the groin of an overly-muscular man. I stood upright and came to this man's neck. I wasn't a tiny girl by any means—closer to five foot seven with my boots on—but this guy made me feel like a dwarf. 




The Reckoning



He peered down at me and I gasped. He had abnormally blue eyes...just like Sebastian's; but, he definitely wasn't Sebastian. This man's hair was light brown and long, unlike Sebastian's short-ish and dark locks. This man's face was rounder and rather boyish for a man of his stature. 

I knew what he was. 

Another Shifter. 

I took a step backward. 

"I am not here to hurt you. I just came with a delivery." He handed me two roses: one black and one white.

Despite my qualms, I smiled. "Innocence lost."

"You're as bright as he says," the man smiled back. "There's also this." He produced a note from his back pocket and handed it to me. "I hope the Reckoning goes...favorably. I, very much, would like to formally meet you."

I shuddered. "Thanks."

He nodded and took his leave. 

I sat back in my desk and unfolded the piece of paper. The note was simple, but held so much promise. 

I'm sorry. 

Would you like to try again tonight? 

~S~

I grinned and shook my head. Sebastian was the only person I knew who could seduce me with such a simple note. I tucked the piece of paper into my backpack, knowing I'd be tempted to reread it throughout the class period. 

I cursed and blessed the day. I hated that my school schedule was longer today. I wouldn't be home until late; but, on a positive note, I could go to bed right after class and Abby would have little reason to be suspicious orwork herself into a nervous frenzy. 

My peer review group was my last meeting of the day, and it dragged. It was as if Father Time was setting the hands back himself, laughing at me whenever I looked at my watch. Everybody had questions about their work and everybody wanted to argue the feedback they received. I was going to make an excuse to leave when the leader, Mark, closed down the discussions. 

"We can continue our talk next week, but I advise all of you to take the suggestions given and really ponder them. This peer group is not set up to hurt you, but to give you an idea of how your writing is being seen through the eyes of your readers. Don't squander this opportunity because of pride."

Everyone stood and packed their things, but none faster than me. I had my coat on, bag over my shoulder and was nearly to the door when I heard Mark call my name. 

"Damn it," I whispered. I put on a fake smile and turned to face him. "Yeah, Mark?"

"I was wondering if I could have a word with you." 

I walked back toward him with reluctance. "What's up?" 

"I just wanted to talk to you about your piece."

I shuffled from foot to foot. "Is it that bad?" 

He laughed. "No. I find it intriguing. Where did you come up with the idea?"

My heart thudded in my chest. "Oh, just something I dreamed up."

"This, Sedo, character seems like quite the piece of work. I'm interested to see how this story pans out." 

Hearing Sebastian's nickname made me jumpy, but I knew no one had any idea he was real. That's what led me to write my experiences with him into a short story. It was like he was hidden in plain sight. I could ask my classmates to decipher our interactions in relation to my writing, but they wouldn't even know they were giving me real life advice. It was, basically, free and useful therapy. 

"It's still a work in progress, but I hope I can get it polished enough to enter into the literary magazine this spring."

"I don't think you'll have an issue there," his smile was genuine and put me at ease. 

"Well, thank you," I said, turning to leave. 

"Actually, Riley, I wanted to talk to you about something else." 

"Oh?" I turned to look back at him. 

Mark fiddled with the buckle on his briefcase, looking at everything except me. "I was, uh...wondering...if you had any plans for Sunday." 

"Sunday?" Why would Sunday make him...? Shit. Valentine's Day. I actually have a date with the Grim Reaper and a Shifter. "I have plans, I'm sorry."

His face fell a little. "Some other time this week? Maybe we could have coffee? You're not seeing anyone, are you? Perhaps the Sedo from your story is real," he laughed. 

I forced a laugh. "This week...." I pretended to ponder. 

It wasn't that Mark was a bad guy or anything. In the past I would have dated someone like him with his deep, brown eyes and orderly hair. Yeah, he looked nice enough; but, these days I was looking for something a little more edgy. And what could be edgier than a nonhuman male with dark, sexy hair and a thirst for my blood, who was eager to explore my lady bits? 

"You know, I'm trying to go over my schedule for the week in my head and it's just not working. Writer's brain," I forced a laugh, "can I get back to you on that?"

"Okay. You have my number," he said, smiling. 

I smiled and strode toward the door, knowing I would never contact him. Honestly, it was for his sake more than my own. If he was one of the last people seen with me before they—the cops or whomever—found my body, he would be questioned by the authorities. I didn't want that for him.

It, then, occurred to me that I probably needed to set a few of my affairs in order; but, not too many. The last thing I wanted was for my family to think this was premeditated and go searching for my killer. 

But, isn't it, though? An, unbidden, voice in my head asked me. 

I had to agree. Of course it was premeditated; but, no one needed to know that fact. I sighed as I pulled into my assigned parking space at the apartment complex. 

Would I even be given the chance to tell everyone goodbye? Did I want to? To be honest, I was unsure if it would help anything. I was on good terms with everyone at the moment, and that could've been spoiled with one simple conversation, especially when it came to my parents. I wanted them to remember me with fondness; and, any discussions about my activities for the week would put them right off. It'd be the same old discussion: "Why can't you just see the truth laid out before you, Ry? God is not pleased with your selfish need to celebrate things that don't even celebrate Him!" No, it was better to let my parents think the best of me and keep their Witnessing to themselves. 

I closed my eyes, breathing in and exhaling out a deep sigh. I switched the car lights off and exited, knowing the longer I sat outside, the more frantic Abby would become. 

I, often, wondered what it would be like to live in her head with her severe anxiety; but, I was sure she wondered what it was like to live in the mind of someone like me. The doctors said I was so depressed I had to make up imaginary worlds and live in them to cope with every day life; that the pressures of life had caused me to create a world in which witchdoctors and creatures of the night roamed free. I would admit, sometimes, I even found myself a little off, but my dreams were as real as me opening the apartment door and hooking my coat over the rack. 

I looked at Abby and she visibly relaxed. It helped me relax, too. We were good for each other in that way. I helped her get through her issues, and she helped me by telling me she believed in my dreams. Whether she did believe or not was not the point; just hearing someone say the words, "I believe you", could do wonders for the psyche. 

"I told you you'd have admirers," she nodded to the flowers in my hand. 

"Yeah, Mark asked me out." I said to hide the fact the flowers were from someone else. Someone I was very eager to see. 

Her eyes widened. "What did you say?"

"I kinda told him no, but I left it open-ended. He, initially, wanted to go out on Valentine's Day, but I refused that one straight off."

She repositioned on the couch. "Why?" 

"Going out with him on Valentine's Day might give the wrong impression. I'm not interested in him in that way. He asked me to go for coffee with him sometime this week, which I'd be more willing to do...as long as he realizes it's nothing more than a friendly coffee."

"You're shooting him down as if there's someone else."

"I'm shooting him down as if he's the leader of my peer review group and it would be weird to date someone that is indirectly employed by the higher learning institution I attend."

"He's not even really a teacher," Abby sighed. 

"Well then, you go out with him."

She shrugged, making me laugh. "I'll put in a good word. I'm gonna head to bed, it's been a long day." I grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator before heading toward my room. 

I set my bottle of water next to one of the black rose bouquets before undressing. My heart raced as I envisioned what things Sebastian and I would be...up to...in this dream. I knew it was considered "abnormal" to look forward to meeting my killer, but that did not stop me from diving into the bed and counting sheep. 

"You refused the suitor. Why?" were his first words to me that night. 

My eyes assessed him. The boyish light in his eyes was gone; he seemed more contemplative than anything.

When I didn't answer him, his eyes met mine. 

"What's wrong, Sebastian?" 

"If the Skies weren't aligned for us, you could have gone out with the instructor. You could lose your virginity to someone that won't kill you...someone that isn't part animal," he sighed. "You deserve that much."

I cocked my head to the side. "You can't help what you were born, Sebastian. All you can do is make the best of it, learn to see the good in who and what you are." 

"There is no good. I killed you last time."

"And, yet, here I am." 

He shook his head. "You know what I mean, Riley."

"Why did you come to me, then?" I thought back to the note that he sent earlier in the day, asking if we could try again. I hoped he hadn't changed his mind. 

"I watch you, a lot, Riley. Probably more than I should. I like you, probably more than I should, especially given what happened last time. Not only would it kill you if I lost control, my heart would, literally, be turned to nothing. I would lose all human parts of me and become a monster. I know you do not know me that well, but I know you, Riley. I don't want to hurt you. I can't hurt you. It would break me if we couldn't make this work." 

I rushed to where he sat and took his hands in mine. The gesture felt so easy, so natural. "Just tell me what I need to do. I want to help you." 

"I don't know if there's anything you can do. Everything you do...everything you are excites the beast in me. I can feel him stirring beneath the surface, itching to claim you. I want you so bad; but I know you deserve better. You deserve to live." 

"What brought all this on? Was it just Mark asking me out?"

"I've just been thinking today as I watched you. So many people like you. The men, definitely, have a soft spot for you. The Skies are cruel."

"The men?" I scoffed. 

"It is true," he rubbed his chin. "Some of them don't know how close they came to death today." 

I gasped. "Only one guy talked to me today besides your friend."

"Just because their mouths weren't moving doesn't mean they weren't talking. Their arousal was heavy in the air. Of course, your little outfit didn't help much."

My mouth fell open. "I was sufficiently covered!" 

Sebastian shrugged. 

"If you didn't want them looking, why didn't you just come out and stop watching me like a creeper?" 

"This is the watching period, I am not permitted to come to you in the physical, yet." 

"Who makes these rules? "

"The shaman that cursed us." 

I gasped. "What?" 

"That's how this," he motioned to himself, "started. I wasn't born this way. Our kind originated from a band of travelers—"

"—Gypsies?"

He smiled. "Yes, gypsies. We came across a tribe of natives in Turkey on our journey to find a new place to settle for a while; their leader was Aki Mata, a shaman. Aki Mata had a daughter who, secretly, fell in love with one of our people. Lakita Mata was betrothed to another, of course. She was due to wed the prince of the neighboring tribe so the two could fuse and take more land from smaller groups of natives. Gotta love the politics of those times," Sebastian shook his head. "I told Rey to leave the girl alone, but he couldn't help himself. She could not help herself, either. Reynard took the innocence Lakita willingly offered and though they endeavored to keep it all a secret, the spirits had other plans. 

"Aki was granted a vision of the union and rallied us up, tying us to posts and getting ready to burn us alive. I cursed Rey the entire time, saying his loins were to blame," he laughed at the memory. "Come to find out, an Elder of Aki's tribe had a vision that night, as well. She saw the constellations shift and show Rey and Lakita's names. They were separated in the skies at first but they came together, an earth-shattering event that left their names bonded in the Skies. The Elder, Kemala, told the shaman what she saw and vouched that their actions were out of anyone's hands. Who can contend with forces of nature such as these?

"Well, though he could not deny the vision, Aki was still wroth because he could not give his daughter away blemished. He would lose the treaty with the neighboring tribe and he could not let that go unpunished. He attached a curse to our new found need to be with our mates. Each male that shared in the Blessing of the Skies was to be cursed by it as well. Aki cursed us to turn into the animals he thought we were. He believed Rey killed his daughter that night, so he made it part of the Curse that when we find our mate, we shift into the animal side and mark her with our teeth in order to claim her. That's what the Reckoning is. The day we go to our mates and try to claim them. If we succeed, they are our mates forever; if we fail, they die and we become all animal. 

"Altogether, he wanted us to have little chance in securing our other halves, that's why he set up the Code and the stipulations of the Curse. Tricky old bastard, he was. We are not allowed to directly approach our mates until the Day of Reckoning, which is always on the fourteenth day of February—that was the night Rey took Lakita's virginity and all of us were cursed. The media has made February fourteenth a commercialized holiday, not knowing the real history behind the day at all," he laughed. "It was our colorful band of Shifter gypsies that started the whole gift-giving institution, not that saint guy. St. Valentine was, actually, quite the philanderer when he wasn't offering up Hail Mary's in the temple. He saw our practices and used them on his own conquests. We thought the gifts were a good way to soften the hearts of our mates toward us. We send them flowers, precious stones, and candies from the turn of the day all the way up until the time of Reckoning. By then, they know our names, at least." 

I shifted in my seat. "Did it work?"

"In the beginning, it was a lot easier to convince the women of the relationship. Their hearts were a lot softer back then. Women today are too hard. They're wearied from the troubles of the times...they have to work, manage children, keep the household intact; they go and get degrees now," he motioned to me. "Women have come to not need men as they once did; but even still, the mating bond is impossible to deny, unless innocence is lost before the day. A great deal of women are losing their innocence a lot earlier."

"So, if I had sex before the Reckoning, we wouldn't be...mates?"

Flecks of gold and orange buzzed in Sebastian's eyes. "I would kill any man that touched you."

I shivered. "Wasn't it you that just said I should find someone else?"

"You should, but that doesn't mean I want you to. You're mine."

His words heated my flesh, despite his domineering tone. I figured it was just part of the animal side and let it go. 

"Okay, so, if you're not allowed to meet me before the Reckoning, why are you here in my dream?"

"Ah, a very nice loophole in the Curse," he grinned. "I'm not supposed to physically meet you, but in here, it's fair game. I wasn't so sure in the beginning, but I reread the scroll and found that any breach in the Code would make the Shifter turn into his animal form, permanently. But, anyway," he shook his head, "how it works is by the mating bond. A Shifter's mind links with their mates' as the time of Reckoning draws nearer. In the physical, I can pick up on most of your emotions; but during your sleeping time, your mind is at ease and easier to penetrate, so I just put a little twist on our mating capabilities and entered your dreams." 

He seemed so proud of this accomplishment that I had to grin right back at him.

He continued, "I always speculated it could work, but I never had anyone to test it on until recently."

A thought occurred to me. "Well, shit!"

"What?" Sebastian shot up into a formal sitting position. 

"Valentine's Day started becoming a 'day of love' in the 1400s...you said you guys branded the idea. How old are you?"

"I lost count at like three hundred. From time to time, I do the math. The way I figure it, I'm about six hundred."

"At least six hundred and sixteen!" I gawked.

"The Curse was meant to stay with us until eternity; consequently, we live forever."

"But, what about the women picked for you? They don't live forever, do they?"

"After we bite them, they do...unless we bite too much. The change is slower, but it does happen."

I felt my eyes widen, my hands gripped the velvety fabric of the chair I sat in. "I'm going to become a monster?"

Sebastian's eyes tightened. "A monster? No. You will carry the Shifter gene. Some of the women experience the more pleasant Shifter qualities like the strength, speed, agility...the sexuality. Some women are imparted with more...extravagant... gifts, too. After Rey claimed Lakita, she gained the ability to move objects with her mind. She's a powerful Shifter."

"Do any of the women...turn? Like, into animals?" 

"Some. But all of the women get a set of extended canines to mark her mate; you know, if she makes it past the Reckoning." I had another question on my lips but he stopped me before I could even part my lips to ask it. "While I am glad you know more about me and what I am, I did not come here to give you a history lesson. I came to make love to you, Riley. If you'll let me." 

He stood and the room changed. We were no longer sitting in a living room; but, now, we stood in a bedroom. Outfitted in deep reds, oranges, purples, and blues; I knew this had to be Sebastian's room. 

"Old habits die hard," Sebastian winked, confirming my suspicions. 

"How did you do this? Isn't this my dream?"

"It is, but I can stream my consciousness into your dream. That's how I got you into my house and into my bedroom. Now, if I wanted, I could change your clothes, or have you wear nothing at all. I could give you a different haircut...the possibilities are, truly, endless; but, I am not in the mood to play today. I need to have you, now." 

"Um...okay," was my witty response. 

~

Our interactions for the next few nights continued in the same way. He came to me, told me more about himself, we had sex, and I died. Soon, I stopped freaking out when I woke up; but, Sebastian grew more and more morose with every encounter we had. 

"I don't understand," he grabbed a lamp and chucked it at the opposite wall. The shatter reverberated through the empty parlor, reaching into my gut. 

I watched as his eyes blazed orange and gold, his breathing heavy. He was scared and angry, but I was just scared. I'd never seen him act so...just plain angry. His canines extended over his bottom lip and he paced in front of the red couch. I tried not to admire his physique as he walked, but that was like telling a kid not to touch any of the candy in a sweets shop. I loved Sebastian's body and all it's hard planes. He was a man that took care of himself and didn't rely on his animal side to keep him fit. 




The Reckoning



"Don't look at me like that, Riley," he warned. "I'm not totally in control." 

My heated body and aching pussy made me bold. "And we're just in a dream."

"Tomorrow we won't be! He threw his hands into the air. Tomorrow is the Reckoning and I still haven't found a way to spare your life. It doesn't help that you're all too willing to let me have you."

"Well what am I supposed to do? Not want you? It's not a reaction I can control." 

He pounded his fists against a cherry wood table. "I wish Aki was still alive. I'd kill him. I've tried everything! I tied you down to lessen your reaction to me. I held my breath to keep your scent out of my head...I made love to you instead of fucking and commanding your body. I turned you over so I wouldn't be tempted by the face you make when you come," he shook his head. 

My cheeks heated. "Do you ever think it's just meant to be this way?"

"I refuse to believe that. Not with the way I feel about you."

"Have you considered starting off as the animal? I mean, if he's already out to play, maybe he won't get so riled up."

"I'm not going full beast on you, Riley. You wouldn't survive the fucking."

I gasped as heat traveled in new waves through my body. 

"Do you have a hybrid form?"

He stopped pacing to look at me. "What an idea." He grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the couch. With a wave of his hand, my clothes were gone. "I just have to make sure enough of the animal is there...yes...it could...perhaps. But I don't want the beast to be in full command," he said more to himself than me. "It might work, but I have to warn you...the animal is not attractive."

"What, and you are?" I scoffed. 

He slapped my butt, playfully. "Got you naked, didn't I?"

"Yeah, with shaman magic," I rolled my eyes. 

"This has nothing to do with the shaman. Us gypsies had many tricks up our sleeves before he came along, remember that," he said before pulling me in for a kiss. 

Our lips and tongues danced erotically as the air around us became heavier. I wrapped my arms around him, feeling his muscles lengthen and bulge. I broke the kiss to look at him; I had to fight the gasp that threatened to give away my fear. Sebastian's face was overly angular, his eyes were now past the orange and into their full gold state; the way they were sunken in made it look like he seriously lacked sleep. His hair grew wilder and scraggly from his face and the crown of his head. His fangs hung, now, to his chin. 

What was he? A werewolf? Some type of blend of saber tooth tiger and wolf? 

The hair on his exposed chest puffed out even more than before, tickling my sensitive nipples. He laid me on a white, shaggy rug and the feeling of him pressing into my body made me groan. 

A growl built in his chest. "Please, Riley. I can't concentrate when you—"

"—I'm sorry," I said, breathily. 

He shook his head. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," I mumbled. 

He fucked and bit me. Blood poured out of my neck and onto his rug. "Fucking damn it," he roared as his seed shot into me. "WHY?! This should have worked!" He snatched up a pillow from the couch and held it to the wound on my neck. 

"'S not your fault, Sebastian. It'll be fine. We'll be fine. Y-you'll see. We got this." 

"How the fuck are we gonna be fine when I can't keep from killing you?"

"Sebastian," I grabbed for the image of him closest to me. 

"I'm over here, Riley. Riley? Riley! Damn it! How the fuck am I going to do this tomorrow?" Were the last words before I slipped out of the dream. 

Part Three: The Reckoning

I would either end the day dead or be well on my way to becoming an immortal. I hoped it would be the latter, but I did not let my hopes soar too high. 

Sebastian and I had had sex more than a handful of times and, with each encounter, he killed me. Though each bite wound was smaller than the last, the fact remained that he was still killing me. Sebastian was beside himself, and I felt for him. 

The shaman that cast the curse was cruel. He had to have been to put an entire people in such positions of despair. So much death and destruction over a stupid treaty. Did he even, for a fraction of a second, take into account his own daughter's happiness? 

"If he had, the asshole wouldn't have cursed all those gypsies that day," I said with a yawn. 

I rolled out of bed and went to stand in front of my vanity. I wasn't sure what I was expecting to find; every other time Sebastian and I did the deed in my dreams, I didn't come back with evidence of my death—this time was no different. I turned away from the mirror and set my attention on the "inspirational quotes" calendar I'd hung on the wall. 

"Live every day as if it is your last," I read before scoffing. "And here I thought they'd want to say something about love." 

I showered, groomed meticulously, and waited. Abby left the apartment after I was out of the shower, saying she was going to meet Mark for coffee. That made me grin. Mark was a gentle soul. He was calm and reflective; exactly what Abby needed to combat her nerves. I knew what I needed...who I needed. The answer was right there all along; in my dreams and in reality. It was Sebastian. I'd tasted of his essence in dreams past, always knowing someone was out there waiting for me. I didn't put it together until late, but I was glad I made the connection. 

My parents never put much stock into my dreams—in fact, they came to fear them—but I always knew they were too sensory to mean nothing. His dream walking and my imagination led us together. The Skies had aligned for us, I knew the truth in my gut and heart, but it took a little bit for my head to catch up. I cursed my shrink and my parents' fear for that. As hard as I fought them, I ended up succumbing to their insistence that my dreams were just vivid imaginations. When I met Sebastian for the first time, my years of therapy had won what reaction I would have toward him. If I would have waited and listened to what my heart and soul were saying, I wouldn't have delved into the "is this real, or is this not" argument. There would have been no argument at all. 

Sebastian, whether he knew it or not, taught me to believe in myself again. To see with my real sight, and not through the smoky film everyone else saw through. Even if he killed me today, I would at least die being true to my nature and feelings for him. 

Yes, I fully admitted my feelings for Sebastian to myself; when I did, I felt lighter. It was as if a backpack full of bricks was taken from me. It wasn't merely a sexual attraction anymore, though that aspect of the draw was still in full swing. Through all the doubt and confusion, I knew it all along. I was his and he was mine. 

"Riley?" His voice broke through my internal contemplation. 

I turned to find him standing in my doorway. Oh my god...he's here. For real...here. 

My dreams did him no justice, and he was right, my entire being would want him—I would offer myself willingly. 

"I just let myself in. I was knocking and ringing the doorbell for a while."

"I'm sorry, I guess I didn't hear it."

His lips quirked into a half smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Understandable." 

I cleared my throat. "So, we finally meet in the flesh."

"I had to leave the Matrix for this event, but the journey was worth it," his smile peeked into his eyes momentarily. 

"I'm glad Morpheus let you go. It's a pleasure to see you in person."

His smile faded. "For now."

"Hey, hey." I rose from the bed and cupped his face in my hand. The insignificant gesture caused a jolt to run from the contact point to my groin. I stifled a groan. "It's not over yet, okay? We got this."

"How can you be so sure of me, Riley? You only just met me in your head. You hadn't even seen me in person until just a minute ago."

"I know I've known you much longer. I trust you." I slid my hand down his cheek to his neck, and then down to his chest. "Let's get on with the day," I moved to grab my coat, but he stopped me. 

"Wait," he huffed. "This is fucked up! You shouldn't be parading off to your death like this. I should be able to claim you without the need to rip your throat out. This creature in me... I hate him." 

The pain in Sebastian's face and voice pierced through me. I dropped my coat and pulled him into a hug. He towered over me, but he let me hold him just the same. "You were so cocky in the beginning. So sure you were going to have me ripping my own panties off for you to deflower me," I forced a chuckle. 

"I'm still that guy, Riley. He's just hiding under all this grief. I meant what I said that first night. I want you to see me as more than a monster, Riley. Please tell me you do."

"Of course, I do. Look at you! You're strong, attractive, funny, compassionate...you can be a little full of yourself but we can work on that."

He tilted my head up so he could look into my eyes. "What did I ever do to be matched to someone like you? What a blessing and a curse. Can I kiss you?"

I snorted. "Why are you even asking?" 

He arched a dark eyebrow at me, his lips quirked up in one corner of his mouth. His mouth touched mine and my body reacted. Heat pooled in my belly, my extremities tingled, my head swam in the swarm of his masculinity. His tongue lapped at my lips, coaxing them open so he could lick inside my mouth. I moaned, snaking my fingers into his hair, pulling him closer to me. Sebastian wound an arm around my waist and pulled me against him. I gasped into his mouth. 

He broke the kiss. "Oh, come now, Riley," he breathed into my hair. "Surely you're not afraid of that." He ground his hardness against my stomach and I stifled a groan. "It's nothing you haven't felt before."

"It...it didn't feel as big last time...in the dream." 

"Being here, with you, changes things. Your scent...the smoothness of your skin," he sighed. "Dreams are funny things. Sometimes they exaggerate, and sometimes they do not do their subject justice. Your hair, for instance," he lifted a lock between his fingers. "It looked more brown in your dreams, but out here it's auburn. Your lips are rosier...your eyes are a lovely shade of green."

"Maybe it's the lighting," I whispered. "The dreams were always so dim." 

He shrugged, still staring down at me. 

"You know, maybe we should go...before we end up getting caught up here all day." It was a strong possibility with the way he was reacting to me.

He blinked in rapid succession as if I had brought him back to reality with my words. "Right, then. Much to do before I deflower you tonight," he grinned and gave my butt a firm swat. 

"There's my boy," I sighed and smiled. 

The last date of my life was dream-like. Sebastian was his normal self throughout the morning and into late afternoon. He asked me questions about my life and how it went before he came along; he wanted to know a lot about my past boyfriends. 

"Obviously those didn't pan out too well if I'm out here with you," I told him as we walked hand in hand through the mall. 

The collection of shops was filled with men running around, frantically, in their attempt to convince their female counterparts that they didn't forget the holiday. 

"Just asking," he huffed. 

After traipsing about the mall and laughing at the swarm of nervous, cursing men, Sebastian offered to take us back to his place. 

"Already?" I asked, my voice higher than I intended. 

He shook his head. "No, love. I made us a dinner reservation and I thought you might like some time to relax before...tonight. I can draw you a bath. But we don't have to if you don't want...if there's something wrong."

"No, no. There's nothing wrong. I just...there's so many sides to you. I never would've imagined you were so...I don't know." I laughed. "I thought you were just the type to drag me off to bed by my hair." 

His lips quirked up in one corner. "Multifaceted, love. Don't worry, we'll get to that," his eyes heated as he looked down at me. 

"Maybe we should hold off on the caveman sex, you know...with the whole," I crooked my index and middle finger over to resemble fangs and tapped my neck with them.

"Yes, that. It always comes down to the bite." 

"I'm sorry," I sighed. 

"Not your fault. Come, my house is not far." He pressed a button on a little, black remote and the lights to his Audi flicked on. 

He drove us all the way to the Colfax town line, where there were no houses except for one I recognized. It belonged to him. It was an older Victorian home with trimmed ivy and hedged bushes. I was certain the rest of his yard was well-kept, too, but it was hard to decipher with the snow covering the ground. 

I watched as he pressed his thumb to a keypad. The front door clicked open revealing a foyer that belonged on an episode of MTV Cribs. An oversized, golden chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting little dancing rainbows onto the white and gold tile of the floor. He placed his keys on a table that stood beneath an antique mirror. 

"Just up this way," he took my hand and led me up a sweeping staircase. 

"Your house is beautiful," I said as he led me through the upstairs rooms. 

"Thank you. I'm glad you enjoy it." He led me toward a set of wooden, French doors. "My bedroom is through here," he said, pushing the doors open. The scene was similar to the last dream we shared. Rich, bold colors surrounded us as before, but I noticed the room had acquired a gold chandelier, a twin to the one I'd just seen in the foyer—but they couldn't be real gold, could it? 

I followed him into the bedroom, eyeing the antique furniture and paintings on the walls. I wanted to say something smart-mouthed about this being the room where it all goes down, but Sebastian was fragile and I was still attempting to come to terms with this side of him. When I first met Sebastian, he was cocky, arrogant, and sexy as hell. He was still sexy, but he was a man grieving—grieving a loss that hadn't occurred yet. 

Many losses would occur that night if the taking of my virginity did not go well. My parents would lose a daughter, Abby would lose a best friend; I would lose Sebastian and my own life. Sebastian would lose much of the same and become a full monster, losing his very essence. For that reason, we had to succeed. We had to make this night work for him. 

"If you'll follow me this way, I can show you to the bath," Sebastian took my hand in his, leading me toward another set of French doors made of glass that had a gold trim with matching handles. 

"You like this type of door."

He smiled. "I like grand entrances. It is my opinion that the French door allows for the best entrance." 

I shook my head, smiling. 

He pushed the doors open and led me through the bathroom. Everything in it was oversized: the double sinks, the jetted tub, the walk-in shower. 

"My, how the other half live," I murmured. 

"You'll live like this, too. You know...if things go..." he let the sentence trail off. 

"They'll go fine. We will do just fine."

He closed his eyes and exhaled. "There are several types of bubble bath and girly scented stuff for you to choose from just there," he pointed to a glass table holding small and large vials of different shapes and colors. "Towels are in the linen closet, there."

Sebastian started the bath water and tended to the temperature as I stood behind him, watching his every move. The muscles in his back and arms flexed with every movement he made and I was transported back to the times we'd had sex—I wondered if his muscles moved the same way when he was pushing himself into me.

His voice snapped me out of my ogling. "Do you wish for me to choose your scents?" I could hear a hint of joking in his voice. He knew I was staring. 

Damn those Shifter perks. 

"No, I got it, thanks." I stuck my tongue out at his back. 

I walked to the little table he pointed out to me and began to uncork the different scents. There were oils, perfumes, and bubbles; I had to wonder if he had these lying around for other female companions to use, or if he solely went to purchase them for me. I made note to ask him about it later. 

I decided on some floral scents I felt went well together and dropped them into the running water. The bathroom became permeated with the sweet smells of lavender, freesia, sweet pea, rose petals, and something else I couldn't quite name. 

"You chose one of my favorites."

"Which one?" 

"The Rare Rose. It's exactly as it sounds. It was a rose so rare, it could only be found in certain parts of the world at very specific times and seasons. I took the pleasure of taking some and growing them here in my greenhouse. I made this particular oil myself, actually. And to answer your question, no, I did not have these lying around for other females to use. While I admit, in the past I was no saint in regards to the ladies, I have never brought another girl in this house—apart from Shifters that were already mated. I bought and made these when I found out I was matched to you."

"Oh," was all I could come up with for a response. Even though I thought the concern was genuine, I still felt foolish for even thinking Sebastian was that type of guy. Just because some of my past boyfriends were jerks didn't mean he would be. 

He turned to knobs to the "off" position and stood. Closing the distance between us with a few lengthy strides, he stood before me and trailed his fingers down my cheek. His hand cradled the back of my head as he spoke. "If I would have known there was someone out there for me, that I would be destined to find my other half, there would have been no one else. But, my younger gypsy years...well.... As soon as Kemala told us we all would find our matches in the Skies, I swore off all other women. There is, and never will be, anyone else but you."

It felt like my eyes were going to pop out of my head. "You were celibate for all those years?"

He nodded, his gaze not leaving mine. "Lots of masturbation. Especially when I found you. It took the edge off, but I was never fully sated." He gave me a heated stare before releasing me. "Your bath awaits." I watched as he exited the bathroom without a backward glace. He closed the doors and there was a snapping noise that caused me to jump. 

Was he locking me in?

I heard Sebastian laugh through the doors. 

"It's smart glass, Riley. No need to be afraid."

I placed a hand over my heart. Shit, I'm becoming Abby. 

"Very funny," I shook my head. "I hope you feel better now, after laughing at me." It was the truth, though. I did want him to feel better, and not just in little spurts like he'd had today; but, I wanted him to be truly happy. I had to face the realization that that may never happen for Sebastian if things did not end well tonight. 

I took my clothes off and climbed into the tub, closing my eyes and sinking deeper into the warm water. I had always loved baths, even as a child. My parents put a stop to them until I was old enough not to fall asleep in the tub anymore, though. I rarely took baths at the apartment because the bathing area was a little tight for my liking, and Abby was scared I'd slip, get a concussion, and drown. Sebastian's bathtub was just the right size and shape for the ultimate bathing experience. If this was to be my last bath, it would go down in my records as the best one I'd ever taken. 

No, I told myself internally. You can't think that way. This won't be my last bath in this house! Maybe I'll even take one in the morning after everything is done. I'll pick a new batch of scents and I'll keep picking through them until I use them all! 

I washed my body with care, knowing all of it would be exposed to someone else's eyes for the first time this very night. After draining the tub, I walked to the linen closet at the opposite end of the bathroom. My hand reached toward the handle but did not make it there. Sebastian was at my side in no time. 




The Reckoning



"What's happened? What's wrong, Riley?"

My heart assaulted my chest. "This painting," I continued to stare at the piece to the left of the built-in closet, "where did you get this?"

"I painted it. Why?"

"I've been here before," I traced my fingers over the landscape. There were little, stone cottages spaced throughout a field of grass and flowers. Toward the top of the painting was a shoreline and waves. 

"This village no longer exists, Riley. I was born here over six hundred years ago. I lived here before my parents died. This was before I joined the travelers."

"I'm telling you, I've been here. In a dream. It was so long ago, but I remember it like I dreamt it last night."

He whispered so low I had trouble hearing him. "And our souls are deep with dreams." 

"What?"

He shook his head. "Part of an old gypsy saying." 

"What does this mean? It has to mean something."

"It confirms what I told you last night. The Skies were aligned for us." 

"How would you know that from me recognizing this place?" 

He opened the linen closet, pulled out a towel, and wrapped it around me. My cheeks heated at the realization I had been standing before him, naked, and gawking at the painting. 

"Come," he said, leading me back to his bedroom. He led me to lay on the bed, face down. I was going to ask what he planned to do but he beat me to it. "Do you mind if I oil your skin? The Rare Rose goes so lovely with your natural scent."

"Um, sure. Yeah," I said. 

He removed the towel from my body, and I heard it drop to the floor. The sound of him uncorking the oil and rubbing his hands together were the only warning I received before his ministrations began. I groaned as his adept hands massaged the sweet-smelling oil into my skin. 

As far as Valentine's Days went, this one was looking like it would be crowned the best—and the fact I would most likely die tonight said a great deal about my past experiences with the holiday. I recounted all the years I secretly celebrated the "day of love" and the years I had been "found out" by my parents. I tried, on numerous occasions, to smuggle in gifts past boyfriends gave me to no avail. I remembered the occasions I spent the holiday alone, and I recalled the times I spent the night with Abby when we were both dateless. 

Yeah, this one definitely won out, Shifter doom day and all. 

Sebastian's strained voice brought me out of my reverie. "You keep making sounds like that, love, and I'm going to be forced to take you right now."

"I'm sorry," I gasped. I had no idea I was making any noises, much less noises that would turn him on. "Tell me what you meant earlier...about the painting and us being a match," I blurted out, hoping to quell the obvious fire burning in his loins. 

He cleared his throat before speaking. "When two people are meant for each other, something transpires between them that no one else knows about. It can be something mundane, or something pretty significant. One couple I'm acquainted with saw the assassination of Kennedy, one through a mirror and the other in a teacup; they lived on opposite ends of the planet at that time. Another couple saw each other's eyes in a book—"

"—And I saw the place you lived as a child."

"What you saw transcended time and space, Riley. This village was gone long before you were born. Was the dream exactly as you saw the painting?"

"Down to the very last boulder on the shoreline." 

He stopped massaging oil into my skin and pulled me onto his lap, placing his hands on either side of my face. "We are meant to be. Ugh. I cannot mess this up tonight. I have to find a way to let you live." 

"How many women live through the Reckoning?"

His eyes tightened. "Some. Not nearly enough. Our line will die out if we do not figure out a way to keep our women alive."

I sighed. "No wonder you have so little hope."

~

I took my time getting ready for dinner, trying to find ways to remain positive. I had to admit, as the time drew nearer and nearer, I had become increasingly nervous, especially with the news I received about the Shifter numbers dwindling. If we didn't figure this thing out, I was bound to become another Reckoning Day statistic. I wanted to know what the future held; I had to know. I perused my brain for older dreams I had tried to lock away, hoping for any indication of what was to come. I came up with nothing. 

What am I going to do? 

What could I do? The time was set before us and so many things were in motion that could not be undone. 

"I just have to make the most of what time we have left," I said, looking in the mirror. I wiped a stray tear from my cheek and assessed myself. I'd tried to stay strong for too long, and tonight was no different. My shoulders were squared, my head held high; the only giveaway of my fragile mental state was the red rings around my eyelids from tears I'd shed. "We don't have much time left," I said to myself, smoothing the sparkly, form-fitting dress Sebastian purchased for this night. "But if we live through this, I will let him shop for me whenever he likes," I half-smiled. 

A knock sounded at the door before he entered. Despite my sadness and tears, heat pooled in my belly at the sight of him. Sebastian cleaned up well. His dark hair was in the same style as always; parted to the side and slicked back; but his facial hair was a little more groomed. He wore a suit that looked made specifically for him—the black getup hugged his muscles in ways I had no idea a suit could. I cocked my head to the side as I assessed him. Black did him justice. The only other color he wore that night was a tie in gold. 

He crossed the room in a few strides and cupped my face in his hands. His eyes said what his lips could not. 

I gazed into his blue orbs, hoping he saw the emotions I was trying to convey to him. He leaned his forehead against mine and sighed before releasing me.

"We match," I sniffled as we faced the mirror. 

His answering smile did not reach his eyes. "That way, everyone will know you are mine." His eyes flickered orange at his declaration. "I knew this dress would look stunning on you," he whispered, using a finger to trail along my exposed cleavage. "It will look even better on the floor after I peel it off you." His fingers traveled over both of my bosom swells, sending a tingling sensation through my body. "Shall we?"

"What? You can't just tease me and then act all gentleman-like."

"Do you want to stay in for the night? I can think of many ways to keep us entertained. I have tons of little games we could play." He reached into my dress and squeezed my breast before pulling it out. With expert fingers, he tweaked my nipple. 

"Sebastian," I groaned when his mouth connected with the hardened peak. 

After one last swipe of his tongue, he placed my breast back into the confines of my dress. "You taste even better on this side of your dreams. And you smell lovely, by the way. Come." 

The restaurant was packed, but it didn't matter since we had a reservation. Sebastian led us to a secluded table toward the back of the building as if he owned the place. For all I knew, he did. We were served wine and bruschetta upon our arrival, of which I gladly took part. An appetizer of stuffed mushrooms was brought out next, which I took with gusto. 

"Hungry?"

I smiled sheepishly. "A little."

As if on cue, the waiter brought out the main course. "Spinach and Ricotta Gnudi in a house tomato-butter sauce," he sat the plate before me with excessive flourish. As he walked away, I chuckled. 

"What?" Sebastian asked. 

I shrugged. "I find it funny when waiters introduce food. It's like," I raised my nose in the air, scrunched up my face, and in the snootiest voice I could muster, I said, "cow meat with bacon, topped with an imported bun, cheese, and garden dressings. Enjoy." 

Sebastian's laugh filled our area, causing other patrons to look in our direction. He shook his head once he sobered. "Eat your food, Riley." 

"Why? Am I going to need my strength?" I spun my fork around my plate, looking squarely into Sebastian's eyes.

He shifted in his chair before answering, "You're going to need all your strength, and then some."

"Then you should eat yours, too."

His eyes flashed as he looked at me from across the table. "Oh, don't worry about my strength. I have plenty of pent up energy saved for you." 

I liked the game we played, so I continued it for the remainder of the meal. Our sexual banter kept fire in his eyes, which was what we both needed. After we refused dessert, Sebastian handed a bill to the waiter and told him to keep the change. He made haste in his pursuit to the car; his hand on the small of my back the entire time, propelling me forward. 

"I'm sorry we don't have time for more formalities, love. Right now, I just need to taste you, then bury myself into you. Any qualms about that?"

I shook my head, unable to speak from the rush of heat that took over my body. 

Sebastian was still a gentleman; he opened my door as he had earlier, and closed it before moving toward his side of the car. For the first time, he showed part of his other nature by using excessive speed to get into the driver's seat. I hadn't even buckled my seat belt by the time he had the car moving toward his house. 

"In a hurry?"

"You have no idea. I would have taken you in the parking lot, but there were too many other men around. They would have seen you, and I would have had to kill them."

"Sebastian!"

"Well, it's true. When it comes to our mates, we get territorial. Even some women could be subject to our jealousy if they're not careful." 

"I'll keep that in mind," I said. 

We arrived to his house in ten minutes, which was funny because it took us almost thirty on the way to the restaurant.

"Where are we going?" I asked as he pulled me through the downstairs portion of his house. "Your room is up there."

"Never mind that," he said as he brought us to a stop in the living room. He spun me around and took my lips into a kiss. When he released me, my head was swimming, my body overheated. 

The sound of tearing fabric brought me out of my stupor. "Hey! I really liked that dress!" 

"I'll order you another."

He took a few steps backward and crossed his arms. The only indications of my effect on him was tented pants and the gold-orange tint of his eyes. 

"Are you afraid?" he asked. 

"Of what, specifically?" 

"Everything."

"I'm not afraid of you."

"You should be." He closed the gap between us in a single stride and his lips found mine again. 

Our mouths danced with fervor, responding to the urgency we felt in the air around us. His touch was electrifying, sending currents through me. I tried to press my body closer to his, but there was nowhere else I could go, nowhere else for me to touch. 

He broke the kiss. "Lay down." He stepped backward, giving me space to lay myself on the familiar, white, shaggy rug beneath us. With deft fingers, he removed his cufflinks, placing them on one of his wrought iron-glass end tables. Next was his jacket which he deftly unbuttoned and tossed over the couch. He removed his tie and then his shirt, not taking his eyes off mine as he plucked apart every button. He dropped to his knees before laying next to me. 

"You still have your pants on."

"I do." 

"...Why?"

"I'm not going to fuck you down here, Riley. I just need to taste your lips," he said, rolling over. 

I readied my mouth to be kissed, so it came as a surprise when he traveled down my body instead of upward. 

"I thought you said—oh! Hey!"

He looked up from my mound, his gaze hooded. "Yes?"

My chest moved up and down in rapid succession. "You said lips."

"I did not specify which pair. Forgive me," he said before returning his attention to my aching folds. 

He licked, kissed, and nipped at my wetness, eliciting sounds from me I'd never dreamed I'd make. I was brazen in my pleasured state, grinding my cleft against his mouth and muttering his name. The orgasm of a lifetime built in every cell from my body. Everything in me ached for release, and the event was imminent. Or, so I thought. 

"Oh no, you don't," Sebastian said, flipping us over so I sat astride him. 

"What? Why?" I almost wailed. 

"Come here, come here," he motioned to his face. 

I shook my head. "I can't do that."

"You can, and you will." 

I looked at him, trying to gauge his level of seriousness. His eyes were blazing gold, his jaw was taut; and his fangs were slightly protruded. Yeah, he meant business.

"Put those daggers away, Dracula," I sighed as I positioned myself over his waiting mouth. He placed his hands on my hips and pulled me down onto his tongue. I groaned so loudly it hurt my throat. "Sebastian!" 

His response was to smack one of my butt cheeks. I groaned again and he smacked the other cheek. 

I was, again, reaching the precipice. Sebastian had to have sensed it because he changed tactics. He removed his tongue from me and replaced it with a finger, using his mouth to play with my swollen clit. I rocked against him, hoping the motion would bring me to the release I'd been waiting to experience. 

"Open your eyes, Riley. Look at me." 

I obeyed Sebastian's voice and met his heated gaze. "OH!" I bellowed into the air as I reached my peak. I felt the rumble of Sebastian's growl in my folds, pushing me toward another wave of orgasm I wasn't expecting. 

"Well, damn," Sebastian muttered, flipping us over. He rested above my mound, sitting lackadaisical on his heels. He slid a finger back into me. "Tight. Very tight."

"Virgin," I said breathlessly. 

"Not for much longer. I'm not certain I can hold off. I want this...I want you." 

His words, his finger moving in and out of me, and the intense gaze of his gold eyes sent a fresh wave of heat through my body. "You already have me," I told him, not looking away from his stare. "And look," I placed my hand on his cheek, "your fangs are out and you haven't even made a move to bite me."

His tongue traveled over the sharp peaks of his canines. "Tempting." 

"All right, Lestat, put those away."

His laughter shook his body, but he never removed his finger from me, never lost his rhythm of moving it in and out. "You know I'm not a vampire, but I do prefer Lestat to that Cullen kid." 

Sebastian took advantage of my laughter and slid a second finger into me, causing my innocent chuckles to turn into brazen moans. How could this man know how to push my every button and the perfect time to do it? Even when we had sex for the first time in a shared dream, he knew exactly how to work me over. I was still having trouble figuring out how to work myself over! 

His fingers started to stroke the front wall of my sex and clit in an erotic rhythm, causing fire to burn in my lower belly. "Oh...god. I can't—Sebastian." I had no idea what words were coming out of my mouth and what order, but I knew what I wanted to say. He did, too. 

His voice was warm but gravelly from his arousal. When he spoke, it was as if his words dripped gasoline onto my fiery body. "I know," he took one of my nipples between his thumb and forefinger and rolled it, "so much pleasure. What will you do with it all? How can you handle it?"

His words toyed with me, but the tone behind them and the incessant stroking of his fingers told me he meant business.

"I feel it building. You might as well let it have you," he whispered into my ear. He increased the speed of his fingers as if by some silent command, pushing me closer to the edge. 

My hips moved of their own accord, mutterings and groans spilled from my lips and permeated the air around us. The room grew warmer with every thrust of his fingers; and, just when I felt like I couldn't take any more, my body gave in. My euphoria came out of my mouth in the form of a scream-moan combination. Sebastian rode out my orgasm with me, his hand ministrations not forgotten as he growled beneath me. The sound was not menacing as it was in the past; but, now the gravelly uttering turned me on. I loved the fact I could make the animal in Sebastian come to life—that I could make him want more. I felt powerful in my shameless state.

"I can't do it anymore. Come," he lifted me off the floor in one fluid motion, as if I weighed nothing more than a porcelain doll. We made it to his bedroom before I could blink. "Your scent is driving me fucking mad. You looked so damn sexy spread out for me on the floor. No, I cannot wait any longer. I hope you're as ready for this as I am," he said as he lay me on the bed. "Tell me you're ready."

"I'm ready." 

"Good." He unbuckled his pants and let them fall to the floor. His boxer briefs came next. He slid those down his legs, causing his manhood to spring out. 

Fear hit me for the first time since he got me naked. 

What have I gotten myself into? 

Part Four: The Beginning of the End

Sebastian ran a hand through his hair. "Of all the things to scare you off about me...the size of my dick is what's gonna make you try to run?"

"You call that thing a dick?! It's more like a fucking elephant trunk!" 

"Oh, come on," he laughed, "it doesn't even reach my knees!" 

"That's because it's curving up toward your throat!" 

His laugh was hearty, making his cock jump and sway. Although his size was a notable concern for me, my mouth still watered at the sight. I'd never seen a real penis before this point but beyond the fear it caused, I liked what I saw. 

"Don't be afraid, Riley. I won't hurt you, if I can help it. Are you still ready?"

"No," I shook my head as I reach my hand toward his cock. He hissed as I made contact. I apologized. 

"You don't have to be sorry. It's fine, just unexpected."

"You didn't think I'd touch you?" I moved my hand up and down his shaft. The feeling was alien to my virgin hands; it was like a heated, metal pole covered with velvet. 

"After that reaction? No. I really thought you were going to try and run. I didn't want to have to chase you. As much as I love a game of cat and mouse, that's not something you want to play with a predator...not while you're human, anyway."

"Duly noted," I said, smearing a drop of precum around the head of his cock. 

"You're going to ruin me, Riley. I only have so much self control."

At that moment, I wanted to see him come undone; so, I did something I never thought I'd ever do. I took him into my mouth. 

His cock jumped, but I held it between my lips. 

"Riley! What—"

I eased him in as far as I could, but there was still shaft exposed. I slid my mouth back and forth around his girth as my hands took over the rest of the shaft. Sebastian's growl was outright, but I didn't fear him. I wanted this reaction, I had to see him come undone. 

"Riley. Please," he said. 

I set to put him out of his misery. I took one of my hands from his shaft and used it to massage his balls. Sebastian cursed in ways I never knew possible before pulling out of my mouth. His seed spurted onto my chest and neck in hot, sticky torrents. I rose from my sitting position and made a step toward the bathroom, but I was stopped by a hand on my arm. 

"Not a chance," Sebastian said, pulling me back toward the bed. 

"But I'm all messy! Don't you have to rest for a few hours or something?" 

The look in his eyes stopped my protest. His molten, gold orbs pinned me to the bed as he climbed up my body. He parted my legs with his thighs and positioned himself at my entrance. My breath came in short tufts. "What the fuck? You're still hard!" 

Sebastian looked down at me, stroking my face. "It's gonna hurt. I'm sorry." He pushed forward and entered where no man had ever been. His canines extended just below his top lip, making me gasp. 

How could I have forgotten? This meeting was about more than just me losing my virginity—this was about my life that hung in the balance. It was about Sebastian's partial humanity that he would lose if he killed me. I wrapped my arms around his back, hoping it would hold both of us together. 




The Reckoning



He pushed forward a couple more inches and I took my bottom lip between my teeth to hide my scream. I knew he would hear it, regardless, but I didn't know if the full out sound would excite his animal—better safe than sorry, as they say. 

His breathing was heavy as he strained to be careful with me. "Riley, are you okay?"

I nodded, but we both knew I was lying. My eyes stung from unshed tears; my pussy felt like it was tearing from the size of my lover. 

How did I get so lucky to experience the ring of fire twice? I thought petulantly. 

"It's not going to do us any good if we stop. I'm going to push forward, okay?" 

"O-okay," I sniffled through the tears. "Ow," I wailed as he pushed more of himself into me. "Ow, ow, ow." My chest rose and fell in rapid succession. I heard breathing was one of the keys to passing children, maybe it would help with the loss of my virginity. 

"Almost there," he grunted. 

"Almost?! No. No," I murmured. 

"I'm so sorry, Riley. One last push should do it. You can do it. We got this, remember?" 

I nodded, frantically. "Yeah. We got this. Okay."

"Okay." He pushed the rest of his rock hard shaft into me, his head dropping into the space where my neck and shoulder met. "Fuck, fuck, fuck," he whispered again and again. 

Once our breathing slowed, he lifted his head and stroked my face and hair. There was a strange expression on his face, but I knew what it meant. It was a look that normal couples would never have to see; an expression filled with fear, lust, longing, and love; but mostly fear. There was a dread of the unknown, apprehension that this would be our first and last encounter...the terror of what was, inevitably, to come. We were powerless to stop the effects of the Curse, but we had to try. We, like other couples, deserved a chance, too. 

I wrapped my legs around him; though the feeling was biting, I wanted to have him as close as possible for whatever time we had left. I had to savor all of who he was because I could very well lose him. My dream man.

He said this was meant to happen, and I believed it. Why else would I fall for him so soon and so hard? Why would I meet him in the flesh one morning and give myself to him the same night? Everything about us just...worked. If this was the end I was faced with, then I would go out enjoying myself. 

"Sebastian," I muttered, tightening my hold on him. 

He groaned. "You're ready?" 

"Yes."

"I don't know if I am," he sighed. "This could mean—"

"—Hey. Hey," I interrupted. I settled my gaze on his gold eyes and stroked his face with my hand. "We got this."

He nodded and caressed my hair one last time. "We got this." 

With a push of his hips, he rocked himself into me. The movement hurt, but not as much as the initial entrance. Back and forth he rocked, his thrusts gentle. The pain waned with every movement of his hips and soon I met him thrust for thrust. Delicious was the way he filled me, carnal were the praises of his lips as he told me how good I felt...how good I made him feel. I was set to respond until I heard his voice, clear as day, in my head. 

I'm so glad you're mine. 

"Sebastian?" 

Mating bond. It's getting clearer. 

I knew what that meant. I held on tighter. 

Sebastian's thrusts went harder and faster, his moans turning into deep-chested growls. The animal was surfacing, but I couldn't find it in me to be afraid. I took what time I had left to tell him how good his cock felt buried so deep in me, how glad I was I waited for him. He lowered himself onto his forearms; that's when he stopped making love to me and began fucking. 

Growls and snarls ripped through the room as he plowed into me. He pushed my body into the mattress with his pounding of my weeping core. His control waxed thin as he became more animal than man, but I didn't stop hoping. I talked to him through our mating bond. 

Sebastian. I know you can hear me because I heard you before. We can win this thing. You don't have to kill me. It doesn't have to be this way. We can be together and we can fight this. We have to b-because I love you. 

He stopped stroking his cock in me and met my gaze for the first time since the change. His eyes were all gold, his face hairy and angular and jaw taut. His head cocked to the side and his eyes softened as he peered at me. 

I love you, too. He thought before sinking his teeth into my neck. 

"Sebastian!" I cried as he started pumping in and out of me again. He used his animal speed to plow into me, I was powerless to stop him. Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't have. The act would have been like slapping a reared up bear—unwise. 

Despite his animal going feral above me, I felt my orgasm building. The situation I was in was meant to end my life, but I couldn't stop from groaning and trying to fuck him back. His teeth sank deeper into my throat, but I could not lie still. Even as I felt the warm and wetness of blood trickling down my neck and breasts, I could not stop. 

As if Sebastian were still in control he lifted himself from me, not taking his teeth out of my neck, and snaked a hand between us to toy with my clit. In seconds I was falling over the edge. I cried out my pleasure and I immediately regretted it. Sebastian let out the loudest, fiercest growl I'd ever heard from him and his teeth impaled me even deeper than before. His hot, sticky seed flooded my insides and he continued to pump in and out of me as I felt that tell-tale tug on my neck. 

I didn't kick, I didn't scream, I just let death take me. 

Part Five: Epilogue

"Riley."

"No," I muttered. "I want to go back. Send me back." There was no way I could be in heaven and have my core aching so bad. I had to be in hell.

"You're not in hell, Riley."

"Sebastian!" I popped up, causing my head to swim. 

His hands held my shoulders so I wouldn't fall over. "Slowly there, love. You lost a lot of blood and you're still out of it."

"I'm alive?" I placed my hands on my neck, then my face. I felt alive; there was no gaping hole in my neck like in times past. I opened my eyes for the first time and was met with Sebastian's obscenely blue orbs. "We did it?"

He nodded, his face full of elation. "I told you, we got this." 

I sat up, this time my head did not spin. "What's this?" I asked, picking at the sweater that clothed the top half of my body. 

"I bathed and dressed you. I figured you'd want to see your roommate. She's been calling nonstop since this morning."

"What time is it?

He checked his watch. "Around six."

"Six?! At night? I slept for that long?"

"Well, love, you lost so much blood and we were in bed for quite some time. Come," he held his hand out for me to take, "we'll get some dinner and go to your apartment."

I did not hesitate in taking his hand, I did not hesitate in taking him into my arms, either. I hugged him tightly, and he returned the embrace with ferocity of his own. "We did it. I knew we could," I whispered. 

"I wasn't so sure. When you came that last time, I thought that was it."

"I hoped it wasn't. Even when I accepted death, I hoped you would find a way not to tear my throat out."

"It was you. Your voice stayed in my head as I was tugging. I wanted to take a chunk out of you, but even more than that, I wanted to have you wake up next to me in the morning. I wanted the chance to have you in my bed without the fear of you dying or me becoming a rabid monster. The prospect of the future outweighed the bloodlust of the animal, and now...here we are," he grinned. 

"Here we are," I smiled back. 

~

The next few months were hectic. 

Abby and I graduated from college. I had to meet the rest of the Shifters and recount the entire process of the Reckoning—even the sex. They wanted to know how we did it so they could try to put our practices into work to save their race. I introduced my family to Sebastian and they liked him about as much as they believed in my dreams; they especially had a cow when I told them how we met. I wasn't going to lie about who I was anymore. They could not accept me and Sebastian, so with a heavy heart, I told them goodbye. I also gave my shrink a long gaze at my middle finger before ending his useless sessions. 

I moved into Sebastian's house and a few months later and Abby moved out of our old apartment in favor of Mark's place. They were getting along quite well and I anticipated a call any day with the news that they were engaged. 

Much had changed, but all was well.

Do you regret any of it? Do you like this new life? Sebastian asked through our bond. We took a run together in the woods—him in his full animal form, and me in my human form. I could not make the full transition until my canines grew long enough to engage in a blood exchange with Sebastian. His blood would mingle with mine and we would be bonded, then I would receive immortality. 

"I only regret not knowing you sooner," I said, stroking his fur. I loved the texture of his multi-hued fur. He reminded me of a dark colored wolf, but with the face of a bear; but his gait was purely feline in nature. "If the dreams came sooner, maybe I would have been more receptive to you in the beginning. You wouldn't have had to waste time trying to convince me you were real."

It wasn't that long. I've seen girls still not believe all this even after the Reckoning. Your mind was tightened then...probably due to your parents' intervention about your dreams, but once you believed, your mind soared. I've never met anyone with a consciousness quite like yours, Riley. 

"Good. It will keep you interested in me after we've been together for eight hundred years," I laughed. 

"I would be interested in you after eight million years, love." 

I looked up at the sound of his voice. He had changed into his human form and stood in front of me, gloriously naked. My body instantly heated and my pussy ached, making room for his cock. I'd never get used to the sight of him naked, even after all the months we had been together. 

I licked my lips. "You promise?"

"We got this." 

I smiled, knowing that was the truth.