1 comments/ 17869 views/ 3 favorites Shifter By: sylverwolfe I stood in front of the mirror for a good long while. I was in a small bathroom in a two star hotel; somewhere in Kentucky. There were two small beds with hideously patterned bedspreads. The air conditioning unit clanked and hummed over in front of the one window. The window was covered with those cheap vertical blinds. I had been in enough of these hotels to know those blinds would have cracks and bends in them from getting stuck on the tracks. My eyes were fixed on the reflection. Pale face framed by long black hair. Normally my eyes were blue. Blue this time anyway. They've been brown, green and grey. Now the orbs staring back at me had taken on that yellowish golden color. I'd have to keep the lights off. She might see and get scared. In that case, I'd have to go another damn night. Find another girl. Fuck, how long have I been doing this? That's me but it's not me. The voice in my head screamed. "Shut up!" I whispered to the reflection. But this isn't yours! These arms are mine, those eyes are mine. These tattoos are mine! God, I'm going insane. Time to do this, I told the other voice in my head. I opened the door and flicked the wall light switch off. The room on the other side of the bathroom door was dark. The neon hotel sign was bathing her in light as she stood by the one window. It lit her up a bluish purple color. I took several moments to just stare at her body. She was wearing some crazy mixed matched outfit. I think they called it Japanese street fashion. Her lime green shorts were very short. I could see the soft skin from her bum right below the hem. Her butt was nicely rounded. The breasts beneath her top were plump and generous. I would enjoy having her body. Two strides across the room and I was at her back. My lower half pushed against her bottom. There was a little squeak that caught in her throat. The skin beneath her shorts was very warm to the touch. She must really want me. A grin split my face before I could stop it. This was going to be good. For now, that other voice was drowned out. "You want me bad, don't you?" I whispered against her ear. My lips brushed the metal jewelry in her ear. "Hai." Her head tilted back onto my bare chest. "Err...yes." Her hair was very soft on my skin. She had taken it out of the messy ponytails; making the tresses thick and wavy. I loved how she had pink and purple dye through some of those soft strands. I looped my hands around her slim waist to undo her shorts. My head tilted down to kiss along her neck. Some of my long hair slipped around my shoulders making a curtain over our faces. Her shorts fell to her ankles and she stepped out of them. Now she wore a pair of panties, a black tube top and a thin neon pink vest. Her boots had been removed and placed by the doorway. Roughly I flipped her to face me and crushed her against the wall. My mouth was on hers. She was hot and open with her tongue eagerly seeking mine. I pulled her head back by her hair. The jeans I wore were becoming very tight in the crouch area. She hadn't even touched me and I was already rather hard. I stepped back to dispose of the jeans and threw them off into a corner. I was nude now except for some jewelry. The monster between my legs grew even harder as I stared at her. It was impossible to not look at her. The panties she wore were white with cute pink hearts. Her tits with their large pink nipples were peeking out from the unbutton vest. The lips that were so soft were now bruised and puffy from my assault. I took a couple steps back till the bedspread brushed against my calfs. Unconsciously my hand wrapped around the thick shaft I had freed. The bed springs creaked as I sat down. Very faintly the voice in my head was talking. Oh my god. Please. I want to fuck her. I have never had a woman like her. With this images of past sexual experiences were brought to my attention. I saw quick, hasty matings in the backs of cars or on sofas. Shut up and remember this, I replied to the other voice. "Come here." I said to her. I watched her come toward me. She was standing between my legs with my sex very hard and very noticeable. She was looking at that piece of me with wide eyes. "Never had big like you." She slurred. Her accent was very thick and Japanese. My hands caressed her hips. A very feminine sound escaped from her. I love that sound. With my hands on her hips, I pulled her body down and against mine. This time her mouth sought mine. I pulled her down until she was on her knees in front of me. The two soft globes where brushing against that hard member of mine. I leaned back on my elbows and watched her. She squeezed her breasts around the length of my maleness and slid herself along it. Some primitive growl came out of me and my head fell back. There is nothing like soft skin on your cock. When I felt her warm breath on the tip, my head lifted back up. I wanted to watch her do it. Her lips still puffy from our kissing brushed against the rounded dome of my shaft. I sucked in a deep breath. That voice in my head was screaming how good this felt. The breathe was slowly drawn out of me as her lips slid over my swollen member. My legs spread wider as her hand came up to cup my testicles. Those wonderful lips slid up and down me slowly. In her mouth, her tongue was making little circles around and around my cock. Each time her lips made the trip up my shaft she paused and gently squeezed the sack in her hand. When my cock was as far in as possible, she sucked very softly. This drew very load groans from me. I watched as my very thick cock disappeared in her lovely mouth. "Fuck!" I screamed with my head tilted back again. "Suki?" She asked me. "Suki!" I answered. "Fuck, yes." I couldn't stand her sucking me anymore. Actually I would have loved to blow in her mouth. Just thinking about her face and lips splashed with my cum thrilled me. I had to get her to stop though. I didn't think this body could take much more. Besides, I had more important things to do, like finding another host. She looked hurt when I threw her away from my throbbing manhood. There was a dresser against the wall where the TV sat. Grabbing her up I deposited her on the dresser. This put our lower parts directly in line with each other. Her bottom sat on the very edge of the wooden dresser and her head was against the wall. Her legs were splayed on either side of my hips. While watching her face, I slowly cupped the front of her panties. A grin spread across my face as I discovered how wet and hot she was there. Her eyelids came halfway down in the expression I love to see most on my partners. Those puffy lips opened slightly and her tongue darted between them. I pushed the cotton material out of the way and touched her bare skin. She whimpered in the back of her throat. I slid my finger up and down the folds of her sex. I pushed slightly inward and those folds parted easily for my digit. Her hand shot up against my hairless chest and her nails dug slightly into the flesh. As my finger pushed upward, entering her, those nails clawed into me and she bit her lower lip. The pathway into her was warm, slick and very wet. My finger slid out and I inserted two into that heavenly opening. "Hai." She whimpered. "You are much big though." Her face contorted as my fingers disappeared and my knuckles hit her outer folds. I withdrew my fingers and made quick work of removing her panties. "I know. It will be okay though." I couldn't stand this any longer. She was wet and ready. I backed away so my cock tip rested against her folded opening. Putting my hands on either side of her sex, I spread those folds as wide as I could. She was going to be very tight around me. She moaned as I did this. Very slowly I pushed the swollen tip against her. I tilted my chin against my chest to watch myself entering her. The neon signs from the parking lot glistened off her sex. The lights bounced off her puffed up clit. My hips pushed forward until the head was snugly between her wet folds. The word tight was not even close to how she felt around me. Glove-like was more it. Her bottom began to wiggle away from my hard member and she gasped. With my hands still spreading her as wide as possible, I bought my right thumb up against her clit. I stroked the swollen skin there. After a few caresses her hips relaxed. While making soft circular motions on her clit, I began to invade her body with my cock. I pushed in slowly. She cried out and squirmed again. Using the strength in my arms, I pushed down to hold her in place. She had put her hands behind her on the dresser. Her knees had come up and spread widely for me. She made a sad whimper noise again. "This too much." I glanced up at her face, meeting her eyes. "Shhh. Give it time." With that her eyes closed and her breasts lifted as she drew in a deep breath. I gave her a few moments before looking back down at our joined bodies. I felt her draw in another deep breath. When I heard her start to let it out, I plunged the rest of my shaft into her. Before she could wiggle her bottom away from my onslaught, I grabbed her and held her still. She began to cry out in Japanese. Much of it I didn't understand. I leaned into her body as close as I could get and found her lips. She was speaking even while I was kissing her. I didn't move my hips. I just buried my cock in as far as possible. Her head slumped back against the wall and I let my mouth cover a pink nipple. I toyed with her luscious globes for several minutes as her pussy melted around me. My finger gently started circling her clit again with the free hand holding her steady against me. She started squeaking in her throat and then began to moan loudly. When her hips began to grind against mine, I brought her face up close to mine. "You must look at me. You understand?" I commanded, staring into her brown eyes, the pathway to her soul. "Hai, err yes." She replied in a husky voice. Still watching her face I slid my cock out. I grunted at the shock of removing it from the tight sheath. Her eyes were huge as I did this and her mouth opened into a large O. "Ready?" I asked her. "Ok." She answered quickly. As soon as I head that I pushed my shaft all the way back into her. Picking her up, with my cock as deep as it could go, I moved us over to the wall. Her slim arms circled my neck for support. Her eyes were wide and bright, staring into my face. I grabbed a handful of her bottom and began to move my hips. Slowly I inched the engorged part of me from her. Having to go slow was difficult. I wanted to just fuck her hard and fast. I wanted her to scream. For several minutes I slowly humped against her. She was moaning loudly and wiggling her hips against mine. I felt it was time to really get to it. I gave her a couple of very powerful thrusts that invoked cute squeaks from her. At this point, there was no more slow and gentle. I could feel sweat forming all over my body. She did well and continued staring into my eyes. I took fleeting moments to glance at her tits as they bounced with my thrusting. My monster of a cock was tearing into her. I could faintly hear the slapping of our skin over the pounding of my heart. Her gorgeous hips were thrusting in time with mine. I squeezed one hand down between us to play with her clit again. This really sent her over the edge. The pink nub was swollen and seemed very sensitive to my touch. I rolled it between my thumb and finger. I could feel her slick walls tightening on my shaft. She was going to cum quickly. I focused my eyes on hers. A few more seconds and she would be mine. Her brown eyes were glazing over now. I felt her body stiffen against me. I pinched at her clit and drove into her deeply causing my own orgasm. My seed exploded inside her. Her tight, little pussy convulsed around me and seemed to be sucking more cum from my cock. I continued stroking her clit to bring her to orgasm. It was close. Very close. I prepared myself, letting my mind slowly drift. She screamed as she came and that doorway into her soul opened wide. ** I pushed him off of me and he landed on his back on the floor. His eyes were shiny and blue and staring up at the ceiling. A stranger might think he was dead but I knew he was just in shock. He would wake up several hours from now and wonder where the fuck he was. My bare feet against the carpet felt very strange. I could feel his cum starting to drip down my thighs. I crossed the room and entered the bathroom. I needed to shower. I stood in front of the mirror for a good long while. The bright fluorescent lights burned my eyes. I was in a small bathroom in a two star hotel; somewhere in Kentucky. There were two small beds with hideously patterned bedspreads. I could hear the air conditioning unit clank and hum over in front of the one window. The window with those cheap vertical blinds. Faintly in the back of my head I heard her voice. This time my eyes were brown. They had just a hint of that yellowish golden color but it was fading away quickly. Fuck, how long have I been doing this? Shifting "That'll be $31.23. Cash or card?" The cashier asked. "Oh, gosh, card. Debit card." The young woman answered. Around her, customers browsed and laughed and made lewd comments to each other while holding up various outfits. Tara blushed as she watched them from the corner of her eyes. It was her first experience in a Halloween store and she'd had no idea how many skimpy outfits were available. The cashier handed Tara a large plastic bag with a smile. "Here you go, miss. Your receipt is in the bag." "Th... thank you. Have a good Halloween!" Tara said, shyly. "You, too," the cashier beamed. Halfway to the bus stop, Tara's phone buzzed in her purse. The young woman juggled her bag and purse with a small 'eek' as she tried to fish out the cellphone. "Hello?" "Tara! It's Steph! Hey girl, did you get an outfit? You're still coming, right? You promised this year." "I- Hey Stephanie. Yes, Yes, I'm still coming." The girl on the phone squealed. "Yes! I finally got you to do it! Did you get a costume? Please tell me you got a good one?" "Stephanie. There were so many. Did you know there is such a thing as a sexy bee costume? I thought it was a cute little bee thing but it's just tight black panties and a black and yellow bra with wings. They're all like that, Stephanie!" Tara's cheeks blushed as she remembered a woman stepping out of the fitting room while wearing a 'sexy fox' costume. She'd yelled out 'What the fox say?!' and her friends all laughed and giggled with her. It was even more skimpy than the bee costume. Laughter echoed over the phone. "Girl, you should see what I'm going to wear. Sexy secret agent. No bra and all the way open down the front to show off the girls. And tight enough to show the freckles on my ass. If I don't get laid tonight then there's something fucking wrong." "Stephanie, that's not funny. What happened to Rick? Aren't you two still going out?" "Rick? We broke up last week. He's nice and all but a dud in the bedroom. I invited Jonathon over. Do you remember him? He used to go to high school with us but then he moved away. I found him on Facebook and he said he'll be in town to visit his parents and, damn, he's looking good these days. I'll tie him to a chair and interrogate his sexy ass." Stephanie's laughter bubbled over the phone again and Tara blushed. "So, what'd you get? Tell me you got something good, Tara. " "Hold on," Tara answered. The young girl stood as her bus stopped in front of her. Mouthing 'hello' to the bus drive, Tara made her way to the back. "I... Stephanie," Tara whispered. "I couldn't do it. You know me. It took everything I had to agree to go." "Oh my god. Please tell me you got something sexy. Please, Tara." "I, well, no. Yes? No. I got a onesie. A mouse onesie. It's so cute, Stephanie. And I think it fits me and my personality. Mousey? Quiet and out of the way. Oh gosh, it has little ears and a tail and everything!" "A onesie. You got a onesie for a Halloween party. Does it show off- no, it wouldn't. This is Tara I'm talking about. Tara, sweetheart, you're not ugly. If you wanted a guy, you'd get a guy. Why don't you let loose once in a while?" The exasperation in Stephanie's voice was clear over the small phone as Tara rode the bus back to her house. "Oh, Stephanie. I don't- I'm not ready yet." Tara pushed her glasses up with the tip of her pinky finger. "I don't want to rush into anything and I'll eventually find someone. I'm just-" "Shy. You're shy, Tara. I know. The mouse costume fits you and I'm sure you'll look really cute in it. It's just that we're not going for cute here. Look, the party starts in a couple hours. I'll send Jonathon over to pick you up early and you can grab a drink or two to relax." "I can get a bus-" "No, Jonathon will get you. He's a nice guy." "But-" "No. Jonathon." "Stephanie, come on. And you know I don't like to drink." "Tara, sweetheart, you're drinking. I'm not going to have you in the corner sipping juice in your mouse onesie while everyone gets all stupid drunk. You promised." "But-" "Gotta go! Jonathon's here! Don't worry - no naughty stuff until later. Too many people around right now. I'll send him off to you soon. Mwuah!" Tara sighed, laying back against the bus seat. I shouldn't go. Oh my gosh, it's going to be terrible. So many people. I won't even know them. Why in the world am I going? Briefly she considered canceling but a promise was a promise and she'd sworn to go. Tara pulled the small handle to signal her stop. The bus squeaked to a stop as Tara made her way to the front. The girl smiled at the bus driver, thanking him for the ride. The bus kneeled with a hydraulic hiss and Tara clutched her purchase to her chest as she exited. The moon lay fat and full on the horizon, murky yellow and dim of light. Tara shivered as her breath steamed in the air. She hated this time of year - the scary movies and decorations always made her uncomfortable. Usually she would curl up in bed with her outside light off and read some happy little novel. Her current book was about a woman's experiences in college. It was both hilarious and sweet and she was even able to make it past the semi-steamy parts without blushing too hard. At least the party will be bright and full of laughter and fun, she told herself. Not gloomy and scary or anything. With a turn of her key, the door unlocked and Tara let herself in. The woman dropped her purse before turning her heater on for the evening. Glancing at the clock, she muttered under her breath at how little time she had before the party started. With the store's bag in hand, Tara made her way to her bathroom, turning lights on as she walked through the house. The young woman placed her bag on the edge of the bathroom sink. "So much to do still," Tara told herself. The young woman stepped to the bath tub to turn on the water. It took the old water heater a while to work and she wanted it nice and hot for her shower. Kicking off her shoes, Tara reached down to pull off her white and blue Doctor Who themed socks. She smiled at them - her favorite pair. The new season had just started and she missed Matt Smith already. Capaldi just seemed so serious. But, she was just a few episodes in to the new season and she felt like she needed to give him time to develop. She'd thought Matt Smith was goofy and weird when he first showed up but then fell in love with him over the seasons. The young woman fingered the small silver TARDIS on her necklace as she pulled her costume from her bag. She wished she'd been brave enough to buy a cat costume - she'd briefly considered dressing up as one of the cat nurses from Doctor Who. But, the only cat costumes were Tigress bikini ones and she had no idea how to sew or make her own clothes. Holding up the light gray mouse costume, Tara smiled to herself. It is perfect. A mouse costume for a mousey girl. I'll sip a single glass of wine the entire night and say hello to Stephanie and then she'll forget about me with all those other people there. And that's just fine by me. I'll have my phone to play with and then I'll just sneak off without a sound. She set the costume down to stare in the mirror, checking for any obvious pimples. Tara gathered her shoulder-length black hair into one hand, moving it to her back before releasing it. Her simple brown eyes flicked over her round chin, smooth cheekbones and slightly pointed nose. And it'll give me a good chance to watch everyone, she continued. Staring at them. In all those shorts and panties and outfits. Showing everything off without shame. Mmmmm. Tara brushed a loose hair back behind her ear and then winced in pain. Something had cut into her and she gingerly touched the side of her head. She felt blood but nothing hiding in her hair that could've caused it. The young woman leaned in closer to her mirror, pulling her hair away from the side of her head. Blood seeped from a thin line cut in her skin. Absent mindedly, she brought her finger to her mouth to suck the blood off and a quiet growl purred low in her throat at the taste. There's nothing there. That's weird. I was- Sharp pain lanced into her ear and Tara gripped the bathroom sink as the world titled before her eyes. The woman's stomach protested the sudden shift in her reality and a cold sweat broke out on the back of her neck and her forehead. And then, as suddenly as it appeared, it was gone. Tara groaned as the vertigo fled from her head and stomach. She pressed her hand on the back of her head as she breathed slowly in and out through her nose. She felt cold and clammy and... fuzzy? She wondered. Tara glanced at the back of her hand. Fine black hair lined her knuckles and the area around her wrist. What the hell? She thought, the curse slipping unnoticed through her mind. A dog barked in the distance and Tara felt her ears twitch in response. The shower suddenly roared with the volume of a waterfall and the woman twirled, her heart racing. The sound abated, lowering to a louder than normal 'shushing' sound but the girl stared at it. Around her, the house groaned. The heater warmed the cold wood in the floor and walls and it shifted around her, croaking and moaning like an old pirate ship hiding in the mist. The dog continued to bark and another joined in as Tara's eyes flicked around the suddenly unfamiliar house. It'd never sounded like this. Everything had a high-pitched edge to it and a volume she couldn't understand. Glass windows screeched minutely and she heard the sound of every single car that passed. "Will someone... will someone make that dog be quiet?" She said, her voice loud with fear. The tips of Tara's ears pushed away from her head. Slowly, cartilage and skin moved, opening her ears to allow for better hearing. Sounds whistled and groaned and roared and screamed around her as the skin of her ears thinned and grew until they were inches longer and tipped with a fine point. Tara felt her hair move around her growing ears but the steadily increasing volume of the world around her held her complete attention. "The... the dogs," she said. "Someone, please, the dogs! It's too loud!" Goosebumps rode along the length of the woman's spine, raising flesh all the way to the base of her neck. In response, more small black hairs pushed through the flesh at the back of her neck and around her spine. One or two hairs became three and five and ten and more. Tara nervously scratched at her neck, barely noticing as two black claws scratched bloody marks into her skin. While she scratched, three more fingernails fell away as deadly claws pushed through the suddenly empty nail beds - long and curved and tipped with a razor sharp point. The timbre of the dog's barking changed. They sounded frantic to her ears now. No longer just barking but emoting, telling the world they were mad and scared and something was wrong. "Somebody... somebody! SOMEBODY SHUT THOSE GODDAMNED DOGS UP!" Tara screamed. Blood dribbled from the edge of the woman's mouth. With a sickening crunch, she felt her throat seize up. Tara's eyes widened in fear as breathing became impossible. Air whistled from her throat and she fell to her knees, fingers around her throat while she tried, in a panic, to force air into her lungs. Something popped in her neck. Flesh slid through her fingers as her neck lengthened. Another popping followed a crunch as muscles in her neck continued growing, pushing her head further from her shoulders. Vertebra and veins and nerve endings attached themselves to her spine as it lengthened. With a third pop, Tara's throat relaxed and air flooded her throat. She tasted blood and spit and her tongue unrolled from her mouth as she panted in the warm air. Long and flat and thick, her tongue made a circuit of her mouth and then lolled out again, laying against her chin while she gasped for the warm, moist air. The fine hairs along her neck continued to sprout, more and more growing up the new expanse of flesh until a black mane ran from the base of her hair to between her shoulders. The change in perspective from the longer neck was subtle but noticeable; everything seemed slightly further away and a little off. Her long, flared out wolf ears twitched in fear. The black fur on the back of her neck crept up along the side of her hair to her jawline and then up to her larger ears. Tara suddenly cried out in pain as her lower back cracked with a sickening, bone breaking sound. Falling to the ground, she weakly picked her head up to look back. The longer neck allowed her to watch as her hips slowly pushed away from her body. She could see the bones of her spine pressing against her skin. Wincing in pain, she closed her eyes and laid her head on the ground. Something moved on her hands and she looked at them. "What's, oh god, what's happening to me?" She cried. Tara's necklace came free from her thickened neck with a snap of the faux silver chain. Trace amounts of blood leaked from under the fingernails of her left hand. With a faint 'click' noise that tickled her sensitive ears, she watched as claws as black and sharp as the ones on her right hand tore through her fingernails, pushing them aside. The bones of her hand were twisting, shifting, moving under the skin. She could feel muscle tearing within her hand as both of them stretched, pushing her fingers away from her thumbs as they lengthened into long paws. Underneath the fingers and on the palms of her hands, skin darkened into a dull black. She could see the callouses forming under that dark skin as she lay, listening to her back pop and grow. "It hurts," she whispered through the pain. Tears leaked from her eyes. Small slices of yellow coloring speckled her irises. Like dawn rising over the hills, the yellow bloomed from the center of her eyes until they nearly glowed in the light. "It fucking hurts," she cursed between breaths. The hair on the back of her hands was thickening into black fur. Tara gasped as her entire body suddenly flushed with warmth. With the heat came an odd sensitivity. Her clothes rasped harshly against her skin. Her teeth felt on edge from the way they fit and touched her. Tara sat up, groaning as unfamiliar back muscles held her longer body erect. The bottom of her simple top lay high above her waist and she curved her longer neck to look down at the taut flesh of her belly. Tara groaned, hooking her sharp claws into the top of her shirt and, pressing down, she felt her bra. The woman pulled and her claws tore through the fabric. Pulling harder, she sliced and yanked, throwing both bra and yellow shirt away from her. Tara purred, rolling her long neck as she exposed herself to the air; it was almost sensual in the way the moist air caressed her naked body. Her small pink nipples hardened suddenly and she groaned in appreciation. The thick tuft of fur along her neck crept down her naked back and again, the sensation was incredibly erotic to her suddenly over-sensitive body. With little hesitation, Tara fumbled at the zipper on the side of her short skirt. Her long hands were awkward on the material and she couldn't work the zipper carefully. With each try, an unfamiliar anger burned hotter and hotter deep in her chest. "Stupid... stupid...." she growled. "Fucking... Goddamned zipper... FUCK!" Tara tore, slicing both flesh and fabric with her claws. She hissed at the pain and then leaned over to lick at the wounds with her thick wolf's tongue. The same deep growling purr resonated through her body at the taste. Grabbing the tattered skirt, she pulled and threw it to the side. The heated, moist air of the shower tickled the fur growing along her back and Tara shivered in return. She looked to the living room with her golden eyes. The heat within her rose higher and she panted again. I need something cooler. Too hot. It's too hot here. The human side of her told her to stand walk to the living room but the emerging wolf scoffed. Tara went to hands and knees and slunk into the living room, long body swaying with each movement. Stopping near her couch, she sat back, leg tucked behind her. She looked down again. Breasts. Small breasts, her mind said. Two? Two breasts? Why... hard to... think...She hefted her small, slightly drooping breasts and then explored the long expanse of her stomach. Something felt wrong to her but she couldn't place it. Tara's feet were a sudden bright point of pain. Like her hands, the bones within her feet felt like they were melting, reforging into a longer mold. She watched with her teeth gnashed together as her toes pushed out. Bone screeched in her feet as the skin stretched to accommodate. Her small toe on each foot stayed in place as her feet lengthened into paws. As the front of the foot moved, three spots of black appeared in a triangle shape at the ball of her foot. Slowly, the spots puffed out and grew into thick black padding until all three touched and merged into a wolf's padded paw. More black spots appeared on the bottom of eight of her toes as her wolf's claws sliced through the delicate flesh behind her toenails. Her little toes shrunk on her feet until they were barely exposed. Smaller claws pushed through as her dewclaws grew into place. Something cracked mid-foot as the bones adjusted to allow her to stand properly, on paws rather than feet. The heat from her core pulsed down and Tara moaned, feeling the muscles within her pussy relax. She felt the liquid within her pool in lazy excitement. With each deep throb in her lower belly, her nipples ached in return. Tara reached a paw down to the soft wetness between her thighs. Carefully, she dredged a thick clawed finger between her folds, shifting and groaning as her lips parted wetly. As if in response to the sensation, six black points appeared along her stomach. Tara's fading intelligence made her rub harder in hopes it would bring the six developing nipples faster. The new nipples pushed forth from her body and the woman felt pinching pain beneath each of them as her milk came in. Two of the six leaked a drop of pink milk, blood mixed with the white. Fine hairs grew among her short, spiky pubic hair. The soft black hairs sprouted quickly, covering her pussy as she grunted, rubbing herself harder and harder. Pussy juices made the growing fur slick, holding her scent and flooding the room with the smell of her sex. The fur around her pussy grew thicker and thicker before racing up to cover her hard, lithe lower belly. She could feel the fur along the smooth skin of her wrist and the way she pulled at it with her dense, clawed fingers as she masturbated. The folds of her pussy darkened while she rubbed, the engorged lips growing denser and larger to accommodate a possible mate and his knot. Tara plunged her finger insider her dripping wet hole in sudden excitement at the thought of a mate mounting her. The black fur along her spine reached the base of her back and, suddenly, flesh bulged out into a point. Muscle and tissue dimpled out to a furry black tip as the beginning of Tara's tail grew in. She could feel the way everything pulled and pressed and a deep aching pressure made her leg go numb as nerves rearranged themselves on her spine. The tip of her tail wagged slowly back and forth as it grew. The rough black padding of her finger pressed on Tara's clit and she smiled. As she did, her teeth cracked and her four canine teeth pushed further from her gums. All four teeth came to deadly points and Tara pulled her hand from between her legs, clenching it as intense pain suddenly bloomed in her head. Her damp black hair hung loosely to the side of her head. She opened her mouth with her eyebrows knit, whining in pain. It. Hurt. Hurt. Pain. Human thoughts faded slowly as the changes reached deep into her head. Tara growled, slowly working her long neck back and forth. The woman's lips blackened over her white teeth. A gentle crunch sounded from the bridge of her nose as It bulged and then flattened, drawing down into the lips of her mouth. Black flooded up into her nose and she licked at it, feeling the cold, pebbled texture of it. Fur from her jawline grew along her cheeks, disappearing into her hair as it slowly covered her face. Shifting Fortunes Ch. 01 1. Freedom Sam edged closer to the door. Her chest ached from holding her breath quiet, but she was scared enough that it was only registered as a tiny part of the mix of her current emotions. Fear mostly. Anger. Confusion. Hate. More fear. She edged another step, freezing as the floorboard beneath her creaked softly. Every sense was on end. Sam let out a steady breath as she heard no other sound, continuing to the door. Once she was out and on the darkened landing she felt a little more confident. Down the stairs she crept, terrified of waking him. Waking him and being caught. Again. Her left hand found her right shoulder, held it and winced. She knew it was purple, black and swollen, having been dislocated twice in the last week by his cruel hands. Somehow, somehow, she made it to the front door and opened it. Scared sick at the sound the click made, her fear amplifying the small sound into a deafening racket. She froze again, waiting for the shifting in the bed upstairs, to hear the sound of his feet shuffling, then his muffled roar of rage as he found her empty bindings. But it never came. She reached down and fumbled gently in the dark, groping for some shoes - any shoes - and grabbed them without looking. She pulled a dark coat off the peg and wasting no more time, she fled quietly out the door. She paused in the yard to look up at the darkened house, expecting to see a light click on, but it remained black. Sam roughly pulled on the coat over the ragged t-shirt and panties she was kept in, and shoved her feet into the too big shoes. Then she ran and she did not look back. She ran down the dark road lined with big trees and frost, no moon tonight, so no shadows, no glint of light that could give her away. And as she ran, she shifted. God it was painful, especially her shoulder, especially while moving, but now was the time to do it, and she was not going to stop. Her appearance gradually took that of her captor's. Her feet swelled until they fit the shoes she had been stumbling in, her shoulder screamed as it filled in the jacket so it no longer hung off her. Big, brawny hands replaced hers, with a sprinkling of dark, wiry hair on the backs. She tried not to look, but she was grateful when she realized her stride had lengthened as she had taken on his huge ones, which got her further away with every second. Her breath came in hoarse gasps as the final shift changed her face to have a large hook of a nose, dark beady eyes and a turned in mouth with two front teeth missing and a scar down the left cheek that ran into the corner of the mouth. She loathed taking on his form, but as she gasped for breath and kept running, she knew it was a necessity, that the big shoes would have slowed her, that she was too small to take the big strides needed to get away faster. STOP! A light appeared in front of her, a car coming toward her. She quickly ducked into the dark trees on the side, stepping into the protection it could provide her. The car rumbled past without slowing and Sam gulped deep breaths of gratitude, waves of relief pouring off her. After taking deep, trembling breaths, she resumed her running until she could run no more. Sam had turned off the road miles ago now, turning deep into the forest, and had spent the last half hour laying three false trails. Now, hunched over and breathing hard, gasping breaths under the cover of a large spruce tree, Sam shifted back into the shape she had been born into. Her own pale, straw-coloured hair appeared, lengthening to just past her shoulders, tangled and matted, lank and dirty. Her own small nose appeared, the harsh beady eyes lightened to almond shaped green orbs and her heart shaped face replaced the man's square one. Suddenly she was swamped in the big jacket again and her feet loose in the big boots. Now that the adrenalin was fading, Sam started shivering in shock. She had made it! So far, she amended in her head, trying not to get her hopes up too much. To get her mind off the cold and the situation, she resumed her escape, this time at a fast walk, rubbing her hands up and down her arms as she tried to catch her breath. With her breath fogging in front of her face and lungs burning, Sam inhaled what she thought of as freedom. Too long had she been held against her will in the dark old house. Too long had she been made to pretend she was something other than herself. Shifting after all this time had felt liberating, and it felt especially rebellious that she'd shifted into her tormentor's shape. She stifled a dark chuckle as she remembered that his penis had felt very small inside her pants when the change had been complete. It was so tiny that her cotton underpants hadn't even stretched too much. Sam let the chuckle bubble out into a giggle, and then into stifled laughter. God it felt good to be rid of him. It felt good to want to laugh, no matter how serious her situation was. She was a shifter. It meant that she could change her appearance to be anyone she touched, right down to the last freckle. There were quite a few shifters in the world since the Reveal, but she was one of the rarest kinds. She could also shift into animals. No one else knew that, not even her captor, and it was a secret she knew she needed to keep. She also needed to find shelter before daybreak came. The thought subdued her once more and clutching her shoulder, she hurried forward in the direction she knew a highway to be, farther enough away that he wouldn't think to look there. Sam knew her path would be quicker if she shifted into a wolf, but she wanted to keep her clothes. She paused a moment in the dark woods and had a think. The wolf she'd touched had been a big black fellow, surely big enough to carry a jacket with shoes and shirt in his mouth. Quickly now, she stripped off until she was naked and shivering, her nipples puckered and standing painfully erect in the cold, the swell of her ample breasts quivering, her shoulder throbbing. Her waist narrowed in delicately and curved into soft hips and rear. Large purple and yellow patches littered her skin - new and old bruises, healing scabs and several cigarette butt burns. She knew she was painfully thin. Shivering and feeling much too exposed, Sam quickly packed all the clothes into the jacket and tied them off with the sleeves. Task complete, she fell onto all fours, exposing her nether lips to the cold for the first time. It sent a tingle through her as her legs spread a little to aid her transformation. Her shoulder stabbed at her, but she pushed it out of her consciousness. Closing her eyes, she focused on the big, black wolf and felt the change begin. First her shoulders prickled with hair sprouting, and she fell onto her elbows clenching her teeth, a sharp gasp as her hard nipples delved into the snow, her arms shortening into legs. Sam took her last breath from a human mouth as it elongated into a snout and her sense of smell suddenly heightened exponentially. She felt her pussy close over and a large male organ take its place where her belly had been. A tail sprouted, her hackles grew and she was changed. Taking a moment to revel in the wolf's shape, Sam howled joyfully and ran about in a small circle, the change as natural to her as flying was to an eagle. Recovering her senses, she sniffed carefully, her lip curling back at the jacket's scent - the stench of her torturer strong in the wolf's sensitive nose - and distastefully took it in her strong jaws. Then she started running. Ignoring the jacket's taste, the speed started to exhilarate her as she tore through the woods, dark as the night around her. She tested her paws as she leaped over a fallen tree effortlessly. A suppressed giggle burst from her, but came out as a wolfy growl. Sam pricked her ears at the sound in surprise. Her tongue lolled out in a grin as she gamboled to and fro effortlessly. After a while, she settled into a good pace and knew she was making exceptional time, faster than any human form she could have taken. He would never guess that she could reach this far - not as a human - and he did not know she could take animal form. He never would. Her wolf lips curled back again, this time in a snarl, her teeth gnashing on the bundle of clothes as she thought of him. Earl Rutherford. The reason her shoulder ached, now greatly lessened in this wolf shape. Just a twinge as she raced forward, only letting her pace dwindle as her sharp wolf ears let her know the highway was close. Her keen nose lowered to the ground as her pace dropped from a lope to a swinging walk, hackles raised. Reassured all was well, Sam relaxed and allowed herself to shift straight into another shape, not her own, but not Rutherford's either. All of a sudden she was a middle-aged woman with soft brown hair, dark eyes and a rose bud mouth. Her rounded shape suggested that she had borne children, and her worry lines about her eyes suggested strained living. It was Sam's mother's shape. She took it when she felt most lonely, most desperate for the gentle woman who was no longer on this earth. It was the only way she could feel close to her. It would also be the most non-threatening, non-memorable shape to take when hitching for a ride this time of the night. Quickly now, Sam pulled on the only clothes she had, pulling the long coat around her and belting it. She bent to tie the too-large boots onto her feet, her heart skipping as she saw her mother's birth mark - the sun shaped mark - on her left inner calf. She took a second to touch it and spared a thought for her gentle mother. Tears blurred her eyes for a moment as she remembered her swift passing, but she grew resolute, swiped them away and stood. The wolf ears had told her that a truck would be approaching soon. They did not let her down. ************** Two hours later, Sam thanked the truck driver who had kindly taken her over the state border, three hours and many miles from her torturer, and stood in the truck's wake at the neon-lit diner in front of her. Still in her mother's shape, she strode towards it and tried to look like she belonged. It wasn't hard, much to her relief. Most of the people sitting at the bar or in booths were all in clothes as dirty as her own, hardly anyone spared a look for the middle aged woman who looked cautious and tired. Tinny music was playing through tired speakers, the waitress was a buxom black woman in her fifties, in sensible shoes, her eyes flicked onto Sam and then onwards again as she poured coffee into a diner's cup. Sam slid into a booth at the back where she could watch the door but not be seen immediately by anyone walking in. The red leather creaked as she shuffled her body into the booth, and pushed the used cup away from her. She closed her eyes for a moment to refocus, and felt her body relax just a fraction. In this way, ten minutes later with her face semi-hidden behind a steaming cup of black coffee, Sam noticed, then felt, who next entered the diner. She saw him stiffen the same time she did, and he looked around quickly. Startled, Sam averted her eyes just in time and continued sipping her coffee. She had the bonus of knowing what he was but luckily he did not know which of the customers in the diner was her. To be honest, Sam had thought she was the only one with the gift of sensing other shifters - it had proved useful many times. It appeared that this shifter had the same gift. But apparently not as honed as hers - she could have told exactly what person in a crowded bar was a shifter, but this man obviously could not. She felt his eyes on her, taking in her position in the corner booth, and she could feel his eyes curious on her middle-aged face, but just as quickly he was studying the next person. She took the moment to surreptitiously study him back. He was handsome and young, but older than her nineteen years. Probably mid-twenties. Dark, curling hair reached his neckline and framed his brown eyes; stubble dusted his cheeks and chiseled chin. She suddenly was very aware she was naked under the long coat, and fought herself to cinch it a little tighter at her waist. Stop that, she scolded herself, wanting to roll her eyes at her reaction to the first good looking man she'd seen in a long time. And he was a shifter. And he could be dangerous. He was definitely a bit of a rookie, giving away so much with his actions; he obviously hadn't been hunted much. If it was her, she would have walked into the bar and kept walking when she sensed the other, taken a seat somewhere and over a cup of coffee checked each diner out for suspects (well, luckily she would know exactly who it was), but this guy could learn a lot from her. She gently arched an eyebrow as he then took a seat with his back to her in a booth by the window. In plain god damn sight of anyone and everyone. He really didn't know the first thing about hiding. Or maybe he wasn't hiding. A sudden panic gripped her. Maybe he was looking for someone; looking for her. She forced herself to look away and put the mug of half-drunk coffee down. When she looked up she saw the dark haired shifter get up and head to the toilets. Relieved, and taking her chance, Sam threw down the dollar bill she'd found in the coat pocket, the only money currently to her name and stood up, and casually walked outside. It was only a minute after she'd done so that she cursed herself as the door flew open behind her. Of course he'd know when the shifter had left the bar wouldn't he? Dammit she was stupid! 'Hey!' the low voice rumbled behind her, full of honey tones and caramel tenors. Jesus! Sam didn't stop walking towards the highway, and completely ignored him, her heart starting to pound in her chest. 'I said hey!' a rough hand gripped her arm and pulled her around. Sam came around swinging, adrenalin bursting in her veins, and struck him upside his face. He staggered, unprepared for the magnitude of her blow. His grip loosened and Sam took advantage of it. She bolted for the forest on the other side of the highway instead. Her feet clattering in the big boots across the tarmac, she didn't wait to see if he was following. Cursing herself for her stupidity again, she started stripping her clothes from herself the moment she hit the trees but kept running. The black fur erupted from her back again, and just as her shape completely changed, she flung the coat in front of her, picked it up in her jowls and bolted. The wolf ears heard the man cursing and running across the road, hesitating when he saw the boots that she'd had to leave behind. Maybe she could come back and get them later. Then something happened that she did not anticipate. She felt a strange shift in the atmosphere behind her, something which was vaguely familiar, but not known to her. Then the wolf ears picked up another sound. Another animal racing after her in the forest. Shit! What the hell was in this forest that would chase a wolf? She soon she got her answer as a huge white tiger leapt ahead of her and twisted so it threw itself across her path. What the fuck is a tiger doing in the damn woods?! Unable to slow down in time, Sam braced herself and hit him with all her spectacular force and was thrown ten feet in the air, landing heavily on her side, winded and bruised. Her eyes blurred, but she stayed conscious long enough to see the snarling white and black face of the tiger above her. It shimmered in the moonlight. Pretty, Sam thought before blackness met her and she was gone. Shifting Fortunes Ch. 02 I hope you're all enjoying my first ever story, made and submitted especially for Literotica fans :o) I'd love to hear your comments on how I can make this better! - SS 2. Confusion Jake laid the little female shifter on his couch as gently as he could, still wrapped in the coat he'd found thrown near her when she'd fallen. He'd been expecting a woman to emerge from that big wolf shape, but he hadn't expected this young girl. Had to only be sixteen, some twelve years younger than his twenty eight hardened years. I'll be, he still reveled in drinking her blonde hair and soft features in. Another like him. He'd never come across a Were shifter like himself before, not since his dad. After she'd blacked out, the huge black wolf had shimmered and shrunk until it revealed her small shape - and a pitiful sight it was. Skinny and beaten, ribs showing, bruises old and new all over her body, she carried marks of one who is outcast and hated, just like him. No wonder she'd run. Averting his eyes as much as he could, he'd shifted back to his human shape and grabbed the coat she'd dropped and quickly covered her in it. He wanted her to trust him, and she wasn't going to do that if she woke up buck naked in front of a strange man. It only took ten minutes to get her to his cabin in the thick of the forest. Once she was safely on his couch, he covered her in a blanket and slipped some rough woolen socks on her near-blue feet. She didn't even stir. He bent to start a fire and his stomach growled. Time to fix something to eat. *************** It was warm and cosy, warmer than she'd felt in a long time. A fire was crackling in the hearth across from her. Sam looked sleepily around and stretched her arms, the rough blanket that had been covering her falling back to reveal her captor's stolen coat beneath it. Holy shit! Sam thought and threw the blanket off her, noting the thick grey socks on her feet. What the fuck? No one was in the room, she wasn't tied up, so Sam took the opportunity amidst her hammering heart to scope out an escape route. But gosh it was nice in the warmth. Her stomach snarled and it was then she noted the smell of bacon cooking in the next room and she heard the shuffle of soft feet on the floor and a deep, rough humming, full of honey tones. As quietly as she could, Sam crept up, belting the coat tighter around her and quickly grabbed the fire poker from its stand beneath the hearth, whipping around in time to see a man carrying a plate full of bacon, eggs and toast into the room. He looked startled to see her, but he quickly held his one free hand up to her in surrender. "Hey, it's okay. I just want to talk," he said in a low gravelly voice. It was the handsome guy from the diner. He looked very unthreatening, she remembered his rookie mistakes, but looks can be deceiving as Sam well knew. She knew he was a shifter, but she was pretty sure this was his proper shape. It looked...it felt...right. Sam scoffed silently at her thoughts, refusing to answer him. She just flicked her eyes about, looking for the way out. "Hey, really. My name's Jake, and I just wanted to meet you - being a Were like me and all, I haven't met-" "A what?" Sam swiftly cut in, shooting him a glare, still holding the poker at him but her curiosity peaked. Were? What the hell was he talking about? "A Were. You know - you can take animal form as well as other human forms. I've heard of others but I've never actually met one before." He gave her a sideways look. Obviously neither had she. Sam didn't lower the poker, but her eyes flicked to the plate of food and her stomach snarled again, this time more angrily. And louder. He heard it. "Hey, I made this food for you, I honestly mean you no harm, I just wanted to talk. It gets a little lonely sometimes being on the move all the time. But I like it here, no one's ever found my cabin, and it's great to test out new animal forms. Did you like the tiger? A real beauty, huh? Managed to get close to one in a New Jersey zoo," he chuckled, absolutely enjoying being able to talk about taking animal forms with someone. Also something he'd never done before. He watched her stance soften a little. "It was pretty cool," Sam reluctantly admitted. Honestly, she thought this guy was nice, a little naive perhaps, and definitely inexperienced with the whole being-on-the-run stuff, but nice nonetheless. She put the poker carefully back in the holder by the fire and waited to see what he would do. Jake watched her, relieved to see she was backing off. He set the plate of food down on the table and watched her green eyes flicker dark as she thought about something, moving slowly towards it. "Tell me more about Weres." *************** Several hours later, it was nearing dawn, when Sam finally relaxed. Jake had provided her with a full stomach, warm clothes and easy conversation about their Were abilities, and he'd not made one wrong move as far as she thought. That still didn't mean she trusted him, but it was a start. He was sitting on the couch across from her, and as she sipped a hot cup of cocoa, curled up at her end, she was noticing more and more how attractive he was. Christ, she thought to herself again as she flushed. Get a grip, Sam! Can't fall for the first person who's nice to you, where will that get you? She needed a stern talking to, that's what. Jake noticed her flush, giving her face some colour and making her look prettier than she had since he'd first seen her in the woods. The firelight was flickering on her face, and she looked so battle scarred and scared that he wanted so badly to reach across and brush his fingers across her cheek. A dark bruise that was starting to turn yellow had taken root there, just under her left eye, and the eye was half closed. There was another around her neck that looked scarily like thumb prints. He knew there were score of others under those clothes she now wore. He offered her a genuine smile when she looked back at him and was heartened to see her smile back and flush lightly again. "What?" she asked. "Just wondering what you'd look like if you weren't covered in all those bruises," he said gently, quirking the corner of his mouth in a tiny smile. They hadn't touched on where she'd come from or who she'd been running from once so far. He'd decided he needed to try and broach the topic now. Maybe he could help her. He watched in amazement as she flushed now an angry red, then suddenly the bruises faded clear off her skin and her eye formed a normal one so now that the deep green was reflected in both eyes. He just about spat his drink out. "How the hell did you do that?" Now it was Sam's turn to look amazed. "You never shifted yourself over to hide stuff before?" "Shift yourself over?" Jake was truly puzzled. "You know, shift bits of yourself," Sam replied uncomfortably. "You mean you can change parts of your appearance too, not all of it?" Sam started getting a little impatient and rolled her eyes. "Hell yes, and I'm sure you can too. You never tried?" "Never thought to," he replied honestly but now feeling like an idiot. He thought of the scar down his left arm that went the whole way down from his shoulder to his wrist. He always kept it covered - it was ugly, red and huge and an awful reminder of something he'd rather forget. "How do I do it?" Sam looked at him intently, not sure whether to share this information, in fact she was a little alarmed that he hadn't known and she'd unwittingly exposed this talent of hers. What the hell, he knew now, might as well show him too, he'd figure it out on his own anyway. He looked thoughtful all of a sudden and she knew that look well - he wanted to hide something; that made her curious. This was also a good diversion from telling him where she'd got all her bruises from. Her shoulder was still very sore and was a hateful reminder of where she'd been only hours ago. She turned back to Jake. "Well, all you gotta do is concentrate on what you want to change, then picture what you want it to look like, and you'll feel the shimmer. It won't hide you from the pain you're suffering but no one else will know." "Shimmer?" Jake asked curiously. "That's just what I call it, it just feels...all wavy or something as you change your appearance," Sam flushed again as she stumbled to explain something she'd never told anyone before. God she needed to stop blushing, unfortunately shifting her appearance did not include blushes, that happened in any human form she took. She tried to cover it up with a quick line. "Don't forget the bruise on your face," she smirked, indicating the fresh bruise on his chin that she knew she'd delivered when he'd first grabbed her outside the diner. He pulled a face at her, then closed his eyes briefly as he digested the information. She wondered what he was changing; she noticed nothing outwardly. Then she saw his right hand twitch and hesitantly reach over to his left where the shirt was buttoned right down to his wrist. She curiously watched him fumble with the buttons and pull it up just a centimeter, then his expression turned rapt as he pulled it higher. He excitedly yanked it even further, pulling it up over his elbow as far as he could. His expression was incredible. All of a sudden he jumped up and Sam was on guard in a split second, leaping off the couch with him and placing herself near the door. He didn't pay even a scrap of attention to her however, he just started ripping his shirt off! Jesus Christ Almighty, she internally fanned herself as he pulled the whole damn shirt off and started excitedly looking over his shoulder and feeling up and down his arm and back. "You're a bloody genius!" he laughed, still running his hand up and down his left arm, his eyes never moving from their inspection. She wondered what had been there that made him so happy now it was gone, but she wasn't going to ask. Heat had started pooling low in her belly. He was a gorgeous specimen. Absolutely ripped, finely muscled, a man in peak condition. Broad shoulders, a chest sprinkled lightly with curling hairs that shot like an arrow down his concave belly, with lean hips where his jeans were belted loosely and hung low. Her mouth was dry and she couldn't have spoken or looked away even if she wanted to. God she was glad he was so interested in his arm. His whole upper body was bronze and tan from working outdoors, muscles rippling as he walked away from her now over to a mirror on the far wall. He twisted to look over his shoulder at his back, marveling at the smooth skin. Sam finally tore her eyes away from him, trying to compose herself. Jake was ecstatic. That scar had been the bane of his existence. To think he had never known that he could just hide it like this - he was a shifter for Christ's sake, and he'd thought the only way to hide it was to shift into another form. He shook his head ruefully at himself in the mirror, a big smile still plastered across his face, when he looked back at the girl he could thank. She was over by the door looking distinctly uncomfortable, not looking at him, in fact looking everywhere but at him. That was curious. Was she- Oh. He started grinning now, but he tried to hide it. He was half naked after all. He took a moment to enjoy her reaction, he hadn't enjoyed a female's company in a long, long time. It was then that he smelled her arousal. It was just softly glinting under all the other smells, but it was there. He was halfway hard in a second. He knew that she wouldn't have a clue that he could smell her scent, it was something he kept to himself. He was sure she was under age, but that didn't stop him from enjoying her reaction. He reluctantly walked back to the couch and pulled his shirt back on arranging himself so the bulge of his growing erection wouldn't show in his jeans. He thanked her all the while, smirking at her relieved reaction when he had started buttoning the shirt up. "How old are you anyway, Samantha?" "Sam," she automatically corrected him. "I'm nineteen, twenty in a few months." She was glad there wasn't a crack in her voice to point her arousal out. She was a little annoyed that he'd only bothered doing his shirt up half way. An expanse of tan, muscled, hair dusted skin was still tantalizingly on show. She watched his eyebrows shoot up into his curly bangs, and he let out a low whistle. "What? So surprised?" How old did he think she was? She asked as much. "Sixteen," he said, rueful again. She burst out laughing, all tension dissipating and he marveled at the change in her, the gorgeous texture and sound her laugh had. It was about the best sound he'd ever heard. Her arousal was dimming and his erection thankfully started to subside. He breathed in relief. He waited until her last chuckle turned into an amused grin, green eyes sparkling, before continuing. "Well you look about that young, all small and hurt, scared and alone." That wiped the grin off her face. Oops. "I am not scared," she said fiercely, the bruise suddenly reappearing on her cheek. She noticed his look, and he touched his cheek briefly to explain. She flushed and the bruise immediately disappeared again. "That happens sometimes if I...lose control. It's never happened during a big shift, but it happens sometimes if I'm shifting myself over..." Sam trailed off. Why did she feel the need to explain herself to him? She noticed his eyes softening at her, looking at her like she'd never been looked at. She found herself blabbering on. "It's more difficult to maintain as it's not a full shape to relax into. That's why I prefer to shift fully, it's easier to get caught out with a partial shift-" "How did you get them?" Jake cut in and asked her softly, not sure if she would answer. She hesitated, and he watched her think over her answer. "He thought he could beat it out of me. That I could be beaten into 'normality'," she said softly, the green eyes darkening and turning into empty wells. Jake scowled. "It's happened to me before too. My uncle. Thought if he broke a few bones it would prevent me from shifting." Sam darted a glance at him. So maybe he did have some experience after all. "So how old are you, Jake?" she asked, changing the subject. She watched his face crease easily into a smile. She wondered how he could do that. Jake chuckled. "How old do you guess?" Sam flashed him a teasing grin. "I better not guess too old, huh? Well I reckon about twenty six give or take." "Give a little. I'm twenty eight yesterday actually," he grinned back at her. "Happy birthday to me". Sam found herself smiling reluctantly. "Happy birthday to you." She smirked suddenly. He quirked an eyebrow at her in response. "Good thing you didn't shift over the bruise I gave you on your chin after all. My gift to you." Sam ducked with a shriek as a cushion flew across at her. Shifting Fortunes Ch. 03 3. Friends..or more? Sam was doing the lunch dishes a couple weeks later while Jake was outside the cabin splitting wood. She didn't mind the domestic duty at all, because it meant she had a fabulous view of him working with his shirt off. Okay, she still lusted after his body, she admitted grudgingly to herself. More to grumble about though was that he'd never made a move on her. It frustrated the hell out of her but it also scared her to pieces that she even felt that way. Especially since she'd caught him looking at her oddly a few times - coincidentally it was normally when she was thinking about him and how he made her feel. Sometimes it was like he knew what she was thinking and alarmingly at one stage she thought he could be a mind reader. She'd heard of those. One of the captor's men had mentioned killing one to the others, while they beat her and laughed. She'd tested her theory out multiple times though, taunting Jake in her head when he looked at her, making up things, even once picturing her going down on him (which, maddeningly, just made her blush crimson as usual), but she never got a flicker of recognition from him and so she finally gave up on that theory. No one could be that good an actor. It was just...she sighed. The way he looked at her when she was thinking those things about him...it got her so hot- Christ, Sam! She angrily scolded herself, turning back to the dishes and looking away from his sexy form. He's obviously just not into you like that. She was usually in control of her emotions and feelings; it was a shock and a surprise to be thinking about someone so often. At first it was depressing, then it was just damn annoying, so she'd tried concentrating on other things, like keeping the cabin tidy and cooking meals as she was a pretty handy cook she'd found out. She even enjoyed it. He said her venison stew was the best he'd ever tasted and came back for thirds. It had made her unnaturally pleased. That definitely confused her, but then again she'd never really had the chance to cook for anyone before. She placed a clean cup upside down on the drainer and thoughtfully reached for the next dish. There was that one day though, when she had first worn her hair completely down after having washed it carefully and luxuriously in the shower. She hadn't felt safe enough to take the time to do so in a long, long time. God, it ranked as one of the best showers she'd ever had. Eventually she'd come out of the bathroom, still wrapped in a towel, her gold and straw coloured hair fluffy and dry, looking healthier than it had in a long time. Sam paused with the dish in hand as she remembered, heat pooling in her belly at the memory. He had been standing in the lounge with a polishing cloth in one hand, his rifle in the other, and he'd just stopped and stared at her. Sam hadn't known what to do, she momentarily froze and blushed, their eyes locking. It was only a couple of seconds, but it felt like forever before she tore her eyes away and kept walking. She had held the towel close to her and continued across the hall to the room he'd given to her while she stayed; she'd felt his eyes on her the entire time. She'd closed the door quietly behind her, then leaned up against it, breathing heavily, ridiculously wet between her legs and not from the shower. Heart hammering, she'd pressed an ear to the door and didn't hear him move for a long time, but she was sure she'd heard a quiet click as the front door closed behind him. Anyway, Sam thought restlessly, washing the final dish and leaving it to drain on the sink, he's obviously not that interested, she repeated. Her eyes fell on her hand, the bright red scar across the knuckles screaming at her; it was like a slap to the face. She had purposely kept herself shifted over so she wouldn't think of it, think of him, but with her sudden slip, it was now at the fore front of her mind again. As she watched, the scar disappeared, but the damage had been done. All of a sudden she was back in the dark house, in the small, dark room he'd kept her in. Her hands rubbed at her wrists, eyes now unseeing. It was so cold, so cold all the time. She started to shiver. The leather bindings rubbed her wrists and ankles, making them bloody and raw, arms suspended above her all the time. She shuddered as she remembered hearing the echoing heavy footsteps coming up the stairs. It was the same time every night, spelling out the next round of torture he had planned for her. Maybe another would be with him. She prayed that it wouldn't be the blade again. She squeezed her eyes shut and put her hands over her ears. "No!" she said angrily out loud. Suddenly she snapped out of it. The heavy footsteps weren't steps at all. It was just the axe Jake was wielding, thumping down on each piece of wood. She was trembling as she looked around in a daze. The dark haze cleared from her eyes and she looked around. Slightly panicked and shaken, she hesitantly moved her feet and sunk down onto the couch in front of the fire place. Stunned, she realized she hadn't thought of Rutherford in nearly two weeks. She'd blocked him out, or thought she had. It was a shock to feel him come back to the surface; it had felt so breath-takingly real. Her heart thumped and her palms were clammy, hands kneading each other to stop the shaking. Was she really safe here? He hadn't found her so far. Maybe she needed to be on the move again. It just felt so safe here, but she knew she couldn't hide out in a cabin in the forest forever. Something would have to be done. But not right now, the peaceful side of her countered. Soon, though. With a deep, shaky breath, Sam wandered over to the book shelf to see what he had there. It seemed like a good plan to distract herself, and so determinedly picked out a book on animal wild life. It was obvious why Jake had it here, and it interested her just as much. Taking it over to the worn couch, Sam started flicking through the pages, ignoring her trembling fingers. She experimented with just touching the picture and seeing if she could shift. The idea had her curiosity peaked as she turned a page to a zebra. She stifled a rueful laugh at the thought of Jake coming back in to see a zebra in his living room; it also felt like flipping the finger at Rutherford for telling her that shifting made her a freak. She hadn't shifted since the night she'd run from Jake. Still smiling a little, heart starting to steady now, she closed her eyes, touched the picture and thought of the change. Nothing. Slightly disappointed, she went to put the book back on the shelf. Worth a try, she lamented. As she placed it amongst the other bindings, she noticed that its neighbor was a book on human anatomy. Interested again, an idea humming in the back of her mind, she pulled the book out and settled on the couch again. It opened instantly to a page of a particular piece of the male anatomy. Instantly she flushed, thinking of Jake, thanking God that he wasn't there to see it. She determinedly kept looking at the picture though, It's just a damn diagram. The idea that had pushed at her sprung to the forefront. Could she? She mused it over, the inkling of a smile starting to tug at her lips again. What was the point of being a freak shifter if she couldn't use it for her own amusement? It turned into a wide grin, teeth biting on her lower lip at the sly thought. Then her smile faded. Actually she couldn't. She'd never touched one before, so how could she, er, grow one. Well, unless she took an entire male form of course, and when she took a male form, she usually didn't go groping in her pants. That particular thought finally burst through her defenses and she started giggling at herself as she remembered once again Rutherford's tiny penis. Dumb idea anyway, she smirked to herself, starting to feel more in control and like herself again, but it didn't stop her thinking about maybe one day getting her revenge. She needed a distraction and too late she realized that looking at parts of the male anatomy was not helping. She snapped the book shut and got up, leaving it on the couch as she drifted off to the bedroom with the vague coy thought of perhaps taking the edge off herself. The door on Rutherford had securely been sealed shut again in her mind. *********** Jake suddenly turned from splitting wood and marched into the forest, his erection straining against his jeans once again. He had nearly finished the job, but he could smell her from outside. She was soaking wet. Jesus! he cursed inwardly, she really was testing his restraint and control. He knew her shoulder was almost healed but he knew she was still suffering emotional damage. She was just starting to trust him, and if he walked in there and threw her over his shoulder while he marched her to his bed, she'd never be able to trust him again. He managed a wry grin as he thought that she'd also not be able to walk again. Humor soon lost out to frustration as he paced back and forth among the thick trees, well away from the cabin now and trying to cool down. He pondered her arousal. She had no idea he could smell her. He had no idea why he could either to be honest. Since glimpsing her arousal that first night, he had played with the idea that it was because he was a male and it was how he could find a mate. He'd only ever noticed one other girl's scent before, and that girl had been a shifter too. Hell if he knew really, but he wished that he couldn't scent this girl. It was driving him nuts. His mind flashed to that day where she'd come out the bathroom only wearing a towel, her hair streaming like spun gold around her flushed face and green, sparkling eyes... God, if she knew how close she had been to having him pounce on her and take her on the floor in the hall, she would have been scared out of her mind. He'd had just enough control to get himself out the house and shift instantly into the tiger so he could run the hell away from her. He was shredding clothes at a ridiculous rate, he was going to have to go into town soon. His breathing and heart finally calmed down from the vicious pounding against his chest; he realized he couldn't scent her from here and it was a relief and at the same time an ache. He wondered what she was doing. Probably finishing the dishes, or cleaning something else - she was forever cleaning since she'd arrived. His cabin had never looked so bloody clean. He hated it; he loved it, God he didn't know. She was making him crazy, and it was getting worse. His heart rate had picked up again and he cursed. Time for a run. This time he carefully peeled off his clothes and after changing into a small grey wolf, he scented them so he would remember where he'd left them; then he took off. A wry thought briefly flicked through his head that he'd never known the forest so well. Soon the effortless thrumming of his paws turned into a soothing mantra in his head. The familiarity and freedom he felt whenever he shifted always calmed him. It hadn't always been like this, he remembered blackly. There was a time in his life when he had been scared of even trying to shift. His father had been like him, a Were shifter, but for some reason he had hated the fact that Jake had inherited that particular gene. Over the rhythmic pounding of his feet, Jake thought back to the day he'd last seen his dad. Had to be at least ten years ago now. It was the middle of the night when Jake heard the commotion downstairs. He woke up with instant clarity and his instincts had told him to get the hell out of the house. He had quietly slipped out of his bed, hurriedly pulled on a jersey and track pants, before escaping out the second story window. As he landed with a quiet whumph, Jake snuck around to peer in the kitchen window. The lights were on inside, and he saw some black shapes standing on the floor. Instantly he ducked back down. Shit, they're all Weres, he thought, heart pounding. There had been five animals that had no business being in someone's kitchen unless they were originally human. A big, brown wolf, a cougar, a panther and a completely buck naked man, obviously just shifted back from whatever form he had been in. The man's dark, stringy hair was down to his shoulders, so it obscured most of his face, but he had a distinctive tattoo on his right shoulder blade. He was holding a knife to his dad's throat. The others remained snarling, surrounding them both. What could he do? He was basically still a kid, his dad had never let him practice his shifting, and he certainly wasn't skilled enough to take down four-SMACK! Oof! Jake slammed into something. Hard. Jesus! he cursed, so shocked he'd actually fallen out of his wolf form and sprawled on the ground in front of the tree he'd hit as a human. Well that was embarrassing, he rued, running a hand over his right arm which had taken the brunt. It really just made him angrier, but at least it had stopped him going down the path that led to nothing but bad things. He stood up, wincing, taking in the huge, resilient pine and glaring at it. "Why couldn't you be another foot to the right?" he yelled at it, then immediately felt like an idiot. His temper was resuming at full tilt, and he suddenly remembered why. Sam. It was already pitch black out, and he'd been deep in thought, no wonder he'd hit the damn tree. He better get back, no doubt she'd have something to eat ready for them. His stomach snarled happily at the thought, but he just determinedly shifted into the wolf again and started loping back the way he'd come. Carefully this time. ************ Later that evening after enjoying another delicious meal she'd cooked, Sam excused herself early to bed. She wondered what was wrong. Jake had hardly talked to her all evening. He'd returned from his time away in the forest acting absent and distant. He barely made any eye contact with her. What had he been doing out there? Had she done something to make him angry? Had he found something out while he'd been away? He'd been gone nearly four hours and it was dark when he'd returned. Sam had nervously cleaned up after the dinner dishes and when they were all dried and put away, she made her excuse of being tired and took off to her bedroom. She found her thoughts drifting blackly again now towards Rutherford and her hand absentmindedly flicked over a cigarette burn on her arm that she'd shifted over. Jake's mood was catching. She needed another distraction. Jake sighed moodily at the fire, wishing he could follow her, feeling bad for his behaviour at dinner. He knew she'd noticed, but he worried that if he said anything to her, the resolute wall he'd built would come crashing down. He frowned. He needed to stay focused. He needed to go into town the next day and for that he needed his wits about him. He didn't stray away from his cabin too often, but they needed supplies, they were burning through them twice as fast with double the occupants. And I need clothes, he reminded himself, looking down at his last remaining pair of jeans wryly. He stayed up past midnight before retiring to bed, long past when Sam had moved from the bathroom to her bedroom. He had refused to look in the direction lest he be tempted again by her wrapped in a towel, his temper smoldering. He'd finally gotten into bed before remembering he'd left his shirt and his last fucking pair of jeans in the bathroom. Normally he would leave them there, but seeing how he had company now, he didn't want to make her uncomfortable if he came out of his room the next morning in his boxers. Damn fucking sensitive man I am, he grumbled to himself. I should get a fucking medal. Sighing, and thinking that his temper was really starting to get out of hand, he got back up and quietly opened his door again. As he padded quietly down the hall to the bathroom, he almost had a heart attack as he walked past her room. Was that-? He could hear tiny moans; the thick, concentrated wash of her wetness almost floored him. Unable to help himself, he incredulously pressed his ear to her door, hearing the bed creaking gently, her muffled cries starting to come a little faster and suddenly he realized she was touching herself. Shocked and instantly harder than he'd ever been, his fingers had started to elongate into claws, wanting to rip the door off the hinges and storm into her room and take her. Instead he'd held onto his sanity and bolted quietly outside to her window so he could look in. He could still hear those quiet moans, coming in tiny gasps now, as he looked guilty into her window. He was behind her, looking down onto her. The covers were thrown off and she was wearing a tank top and panties, one hand thrust deep between her legs, fingers moving frantically. Fuck! he silently screamed, his cock throbbing for attention. Her head and neck were arched back, her eyes closed, while the other hand alternatively flicked, twisted and tweaked her hard nipples through the thin cotton of her top. He was only wearing boxers himself, and he instantly slid his hand down inside them began to stroke himself hard and fast, matching her pace. Jesus she made him want to explode. He watched her tense suddenly, gasping, her last moan louder than all the others but still quiet, her legs instantly clenching shut on her hand, her hand stilling on her breast as her fingers dug into sensitive flesh. He watched her shudder, toes curling into the bed and he yanked his cock out of his boxers and shot his seed into the bushes against the house. His eyes stayed glued to her as he felt faint and hid his growls of pleasure. He watched her remove glistening fingers from her panties, eyes wide as he saw her hesitantly bring them up to her mouth to taste herself. God help him. He turned away then and bolted into the woods, shifting into a lithe mountain lion, boxers tearing from him as he pounded away. *********** Sam sighed contentedly and rolled over, pulling the bed covers back up over herself and snuggling into them. She hadn't masturbated in the longest time and it had felt liberating and delicious, feeling the orgasm snaking up and down her body. That was the second time in one day, she grinned to herself, remembering her earlier encounter while he was away. She had fantasized both times about Jake of course. She closed her eyes as she relived moments of her fantasy; he'd come bursting into her room, half naked, and without a word he'd thrown himself on her. She stifled a smile into the pillow thinking how barbaric she was. She'd imagined him going down on her, something she'd never had done before. She'd also tasted the juices of her orgasm afterwards, feeling extremely naughty, imagining him coming up and kissing her, making her taste the orgasm his mouth had made her have. She squirmed just thinking about it, her panties pleasantly damp and the sweat on her body cooling, making her draw the covers around herself tighter. She cocked her head up for one brief moment to make sure the cabin was still quiet and she hadn't been discovered, but all was well. Sam drifted happily off to sleep, in the back of her mind hoping that Jake hadn't heard her, and dreaming more delicious dreams about her newest fantasy. Tomorrow though, was her last thought before blackness enveloped her, I'll have to make a plan. Shifting Fortunes Ch. 04 4. Questions The next morning Sam thought Jake looked really tired. And tense. And...dirty. Is that a leaf in his hair? she wondered incredulously, looking at the back of his head as he sleepily and crankily ate the eggs and beans on toast she'd made for him. She knew he was grumpy, because he'd snapped at her when she asked if he'd slept well. Well! Mr. Cranky Pants it is then, she thought waspishly. She slammed the old fridge door shut. He hadn't even said thank you! Crap... She immediately felt bad - he had taken her into his home and shown her kindness unlike anyone else. He hadn't needed to do all that - he could have left her where he'd found her, or killed her - or any other number of things. She instantly softened, but it didn't stop her feeling a little tart towards him. Funnily enough, him being in a foul mood made her trust him a little more. Warped, but true, she thought wryly, probably because it made him seem more normal, apt to have bad days like everyone else. She went to go take a seat and eat her own portion. "Where's the damn pepper?" Jake growled from the table. He knew he was being unreasonable, but he'd been awake all night prowling the woods to keep himself out of her room and out of her soaking wet panties. "Saying please never hurt a person," Sam snarked back at him, turning back to the pantry to get the pepper off the shelf. Suddenly she felt two hands on her hips and was spun around. She nearly lost her balance and her hands shot out to catch herself. They landed on two well muscled arms. Shocked, her heart starting to race, she realized she was in his arms and he was scowling down at her. She opened her mouth to squeak that she was sorry, but instead his mouth came crashing down on hers and took advantage of her open mouth as his tongue swept in and lashed against hers. Too stunned to do anything, Sam just stood there. Her eyes wide open, she braced herself against him, shock working its magic. However, the second time his tongue stroked against hers, that familiar pool of heat started to gather at her core again. Sam's eyes started to close before she knew what she was doing, her hands softening against him. She slowly started to lose her mind. God, if she rejected him, Jake thought desperately as his animal took control, thoughts screaming through his head that yes, finally, this is what he wanted. With relief, then pleasure, he felt her hands gradually gripping his arms instead of pushing against him, and sliding upwards almost of their own volition, her tongue tentatively winding with his. Triumphant thoughts started flashing through his mind, as the animal in him reveled in the conquest, in having her submit to him so easily. Her mouth tasted so sweet, her tongue so soft. The little whimpers she was making were delicious. If he'd only knew that it would just take a simple kiss. He ignored the part of his sub-conscious which said that this wasn't just a simple kiss. He growled gently into her mouth as he shifted his stance to tuck her in more securely into his arms, one hand staying on the small of her back, the other shifting up to tangle in the gorgeous honey toned hair he'd been desperately dreaming of touching. Jake drank her in, his eyes fluttering open gently to look at her while they kissed. Her eyes were shut, her long lashes resting against her cheeks, her brow furrowed in the cutest little frown of concentration, he could see she had the lightest dusting of freckles at this proximity. He closed his eyes again and softened the kiss. The animal was starting to lose to the more human side of him. He loosened his grip on her now, giving her the opportunity to pull away if she wanted. It was incredibly pleasing when he heard her make a noise of dissent as she moved with him, staying in his arms. He couldn't help it; he chuckled. Oops again. That snapped her out of it. Her eyes shot open; they were cloudy and black with desire. Her mouth stilled as she pulled back a little, her breath coming fast and shallow. Uh oh, he thought, as he could see her starting to become more aware of what was happening. He started to panic a little. Jake knew that Sam had wanted it, she'd been kissing him back, but he knew there was a possibility of- "Shit!" Sam hissed, untangling her hands from his hair and using them to shove Jake away from her; hard. He stepped back, his eyes pleading wordlessly, his hands falling away from her waist to his sides. "Sam, I'm sorry for grabbing you like that," Jake finally managed to say, his own heart pounding, blood roaring in his ears. He watched her put a hand to her kiss-swollen lips as she stared at him. The animal in him curled in satisfaction, seeing her look so perfectly kissed by him, before Jake stamped him down again; geez, he needed to put damn his animal on a leash. But she'd never looked so sexy, he thought, her cheeks all flushed, glassy eyed, blonde hair disheveled around her. "It's -," Sam couldn't finish. It had felt so good, but for some reason panic was now building up in her. She needed to get away. She bolted for the door. "Sam, wait! Where-" She heard Sam, but the rest of his question was lost as she bolted out the door and into the startling daylight. The cold wind bit at her cheeks, whipping her hair around her. She knew she had lost control of her shift and all her scars and faded bruises were back on show. Refusing to look down at her bare arms and hands, she just concentrated on making it into the trees. Safe, her sub conscious whispered to her as she ducked under the low branches, but she kept running. Instincts kicking in, she couldn't control the panic, and she felt a shift ripple through her, and without even breaking stride, she had burst out of her clothes and turned into the big, black wolf. As soon as the ears formed atop her head, she realized she was being followed. Run! The wolf in her took over and bolted, the human in her strategizing a winding, twisting path, sticking to the deep shadows. Her confidence gathered as all familiar running tactics took over. Jake had already turned into the grey wolf, but as soon as he had, he realized she'd shifted into the big, black bastard he'd seen her in that first time, and he knew that his small, grey one would never keep up. He concentrated harder than he ever had and felt the shimmer, as she called it, and his strides suddenly lengthened, his pace more graceful and loping, and without looking down, he knew he'd been able to shift directly into the mountain lion. He stifled the victorious feeling he'd felt; he'd never perfected the direct shift from one animal straight into the next, but he pushed it aside for musing over later. The lion's sharp senses kept him on her tail. Where was she going? It wasn't safe out here. Within a few minutes, they'd already gone miles away from the cabin. His human senses made the cat wary and he streaked along with hackles raised. The path twisted and turned repeatedly. Jesus, what the hell is she doing? he thought, occasionally losing the path, causing him to backtrack and realize she had suddenly shot off sideways. He realized his tracking ability was severely lacking, and it was now becoming increasingly obvious that she knew what the hell she was doing; she was getting as far away from him as she could. His pace slowed at the thought. The scent disappeared again. It was about the fourth time he'd lost the trail in as many minutes. Finally, he decided to stop. His cat was heaving, tongue lolling out in a pant, breath misting up in front of him. He listened but he couldn't hear a damned thing. He was in the middle of fucking nowhere; and he'd lost her. It was going to be a long trek back to the cabin. Jake looked up and through a gap in the heavy bows, he could see the bright sun glistening. He shifted directly back into the wolf and let out a deafening howl, a plaintive plea to her. He sat and cocked an ear, but heard no response. With a heavy heart and dread looming in his heart, he slowly got up and started padding back towards the cabin. He hoped she had heard him. ************* Far off in the distance, a howl wound up into the sky. Sam's wolf flicked an ear back and her pace slowed in response. The wolf in her wanted to howl back, but she shushed him down as she finally slowed. Sides heaving, lungs bursting, the panting wolf stood stock still, listening. No other howl sounded. Her mind was clearing, the panic fading. All of a sudden she realized she was out in the middle of nowhere, and that the howl had been Jake. Holy shit, she thought suddenly, a different panic bubbling to the surface along with a new feeling; guilt. Her wolf started pacing. What the hell had she done? Why had she flown like that? The dark answer was smoldering in the back of her mind but she refused to address it. She was so used to running, so used to good things turning bad. Why should this be any different? She had just been starting to trust him. She barely flinched now when he raised his hand toward her; she had been so pathetically grateful when he pretended like he didn't notice. God, Jake had been the first person to treat her like she was just normal, in years. How could he just go and kiss her like that - exactly how she'd imagined the kiss to be. Better, her mind taunted her. She'd been wanting him to kiss her, so why did she react the way she had? Things have changed now, was the ringing realization in her ears. Her safe little bubble where no one could touch her had burst. It should never have been formed in the first place, Sam thought blackly. She'd let her guard down for the first time in years. Not since her mother- Sam's breath caught in her throat, a big misty puff billowing in front of her in the frigid air. Her beautiful mother. Annie. She had been so stupid! Sam thought angrily, a loud, coughing bark erupting from her throat, surprising her. If she hadn't always needed a man, if she hadn't always- Sam's heart started breaking at the thought, and realized the funny choking noises she was hearing were coming from her wolf's throat. She wanted to cry and the damn wolf couldn't even do that! She was a freak! She wanted to scream, she wanted to throw herself on the ground and sob. Suddenly the wolf took over and let out the most heart-wrenching, soul-deep howl. Over and over again. She couldn't stop. The sobs that wanted to wrack her body, were bursting from her in ear-splitting howls. Her whole body was shaking with the effort, she could barely catch her breath, but she couldn't stop. Couldn't bring herself to turn back into her stupid, weak human body with all the scars to remind her of her past. She wished she could stay in animal form forever. Hell, why couldn't she? She was pathetic. Sam howled again. Preparing herself for another soul-searching cry, she cut off mid breath as her ears twitched and she heard a rhythmic thrumming as other footsteps came towards her, only meters away; no time to run, her wolf leapt to his feet, hackles raising, loud snarls and growls starting to rip from her throat. Suddenly, a small grey wolf leapt from the underbrush and poised in front of her, growling in triumph. Her snarls cut off. Jake! her heart thumped with adrenalin. For one crystal moment, she stared at him with the wolf's eyes, seeing the glistening silver figure in front of her as beautiful and mysterious. She wanted to change back, but with no clothing at hand, it would just be another embarrassing moment, when she already felt mortified for running from him. What he must be thinking of her... His form started to shimmer softly. She cocked her head in surprise. What was happening? His edges softened and the grey fur started to turn-Uh oh. Immediately she averted her gaze. Naked Jake was not good for her right now, but he didn't seem shy. She kept her wolf head turned, eyes focusing on the rough bark of the tree next to her. "Sam, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have grabbed you like that," Jake said softly. He listened to her huff out a little sigh, slightly amused that she kept her head blatantly pointed away from him. Well, he couldn't help it, they needed to talk and one of them was going to have to get naked. He thought he understood a little now why she'd run. "I don't want anything to change either. It..it makes me a little panicky as well to be honest. I wasn't myself-" Damn it! he cursed. This wasn't coming out right. Sam let out a little whine. She knew what he was saying, she wanted to reassure him that Crazy Sam had been locked back in her cage for now. "Forgive me?" Jake asked. She could hear the smile in his voice. She nodded and huffed out her assent. For God's sake, stop being naked. It was now extremely hard keeping her eyes averted, and as soon as she felt the shimmer in the air, she looked back at him. The light grey wolf now stood where he had. It coughed out a strange bark at her. She wanted to roll her eyes. He took a half step back in the direction from which they'd come and cocked his head at her. Her black wolf totally dwarfed his she noted smugly. They started padding along side by side in companionable silence. Suddenly feeling a lot happier, glad to be back with Jake, she nudged him hard with her head and darted away. Instantly he was after her. She danced here and there, always towards the cabin, always just keeping out of reach but hanging back enough so that his smaller wolf wouldn't lose her. They played most of the way back; it was exhilarating to have fun in animal form like this with another like herself. Something neither of them had ever done before. Their tongues lolled out happily. It was coming on near midday, they'd stopped at a small stream and lapped voraciously to quench their thirst - it was so simple being an animal, their needs were so easily met. It was then that Sam heard it. The muffled snap of a twig, not too far off. Instantly, every fiber of her was aware, her very low growl alerting Jake to the danger. His own head snapped up, ears twitching. Water and saliva dripped from their jaws, both noses scrunched up in silent snarls, hackles raised. Sam felt a shimmer next to her and barely had time to be impressed that Jake had slipped straight into his mountain lion. Good choice, she thought absently, glad that he'd had the sense not to change into the giant, white tiger. He'd stick out like a sore thumb. Both heads snapped to the left now as they heard some very faint murmurs from the direction of the cabin. Jake started to slink forward, but she instantly grasped his neck in her jaws none too gently, halting him, but not prepared for the rabid snarl that instinctually leapt from the cat's mouth. If there was a way that a cat could look guilty, Jake managed it. Any other time she would be amused, but not now. Jake cocked his head at her, wondering what she was waiting for. He suddenly remembered her experience in losing him and his inexperience in tracking. He was definitely letting her take the lead on this; this was no time to be macho and play games. Fear speared into his heart; something was definitely up. *********** It was morning, he thought with disgust, shielding his eyes from the crack of bright sunshine daring to pass the threadbare red curtains, penetrating the dirt smeared window panes. I fuckin' hate mornings, he thought to himself as he threw off the moldy throw rug. He'd fallen asleep in his clothes again. Too drunk to give a fuck. And proud of it, he grinned blearily, scratching his chest through the dirty once-white singlet he wore. Pulling on the filthy checkered shirt he wore most days, he grinned again, his eyebrows furrowing down as he remembered the little freak. She'd be wanting something to eat, he was sure. After the way she screamed for him last night, she deserved something. Gotta keep the fuckin' little freak alive just enough so he could hear the screams which made his blood rush headily through his veins. And when her blood spilled at the same time...he felt the familiar stirring of his cock as he pictured how he'd sliced her hand open last night. After he'd made her scream to high heavens, he'd jerked off in front of her and shot his seed onto the floor next to her. She wasn't worthy of his seed - he didn't want his precious seed anywhere near that filthy cunt of hers - fuck knew where that filthy whore had been. He shook his head in disgust as he stumbled out of his room, still half pissed from the bottle of tequila he'd downed after he'd jerked off. He made it to the top of the stairs and his beady eyes fell on the door across the landing. "Hey freak! Thanks for the good time last night!" he laughed raucously, ending in loud hacking and spluttering coughs. Shit, he needed his morning fag. He fumbled around in his pockets until he found one he'd rolled the day before. Locating the lighter was more of a problem. "Fuck!" he swore out loud and tried to remember where the fuck he'd put it. Looking down at himself, he noted the dark, crusted blood on his hands and suddenly remembered. It had fuckin' fallen out of his pocket as he'd sprayed his cum all over the floorboards next to her. He waited until another round of coughing and hacking passed before grumbling cuss words under his breath as he staggered over to the door. "Can I come in?" he knocked politely, laughing his head off at his own wit as he opened it. He looked blearily in, his eyes still a little sleepy. What the fuck? Leather and chain bindings dangled loose from the ceiling. Matching ones were empty on the floor. The fucking freak wasn't in the room. Stunned out of his stupor, all his rage mustered itself to the surface at once and he flew into a rage, picking up the empty tequila bottle from the floor and smashing it over where the freak should be. The lone table and chair were smashed into splinters and thrown into the walls. "CLAY!!" He roared, spit flying from his mouth, punching his fist through the wall. He heard footsteps pounding up the stairs as he watched in cold, murderous fascination, his own blood started to mingle with the freak's. Very soon, he would have her blood again and he would bathe in it. All of it. *********** "Clear here, boss," the smaller man with the greasy hair said, his thick southern accent obvious even in those few words. He sauntered out of the cabin holding up a light blue tank top. "Found this, though. Definitely hers." Rutherford's eyes glowed in fury as he stared at the shirt. He ripped it out of the idiot's hands. "Fucking little freak whore!" he roared. "How she fucking thinks she can get away from me- When I find her, I'm going to make her beg for her life as I rip her god damn filthy throat out. Scout the damn forest you fucking idiots before I rip your throats out instead!" His hands tore the blue top to threads as he spoke, dark beady eyes flashing, screaming at the men in his anger. He felt the fear of the three idiots as they scattered into different parts of the forest. He looked at the cabin furiously. There was someone with her; a man from what he could tell. Fucking little freak whore, he thought. Sick fuck who would stick his cock in her, damn bitch was a freak of nature, probably catching. He's going to pay for keeping her from me. They're both gonna pay. His mind reached into the deep, dark place in which he was most comfortable as he imagined what he would do to her when he caught up with her. Her damn human shapes wouldn't work on him. He was putting up with the fucking moron, Drake, for that very reason; he'd find her soon enough. Fucking son of a bitch better. Drake was an ass and the sooner he got rid of that freak too, the better. Shifting Fortunes Ch. 04 Rutherford imagined getting his blade into that soft flesh of hers, peeling back the skin as she screamed, fresh warm blood coating his hands. His thin mouth curled up in a frightening smile as he imagined skinning her alive like the fucking piece of shit freak she was. He almost barked out a short laugh as he thought about mounting her head as a trophy up on his wall. He cast his eyes over the forest around him, passing over the cabin and the shiny black 4x4 they'd arrived there in. She had to be close. He went to move the car into the trees; no sense alerting her to their presence. He radioed the men to tell them to damn well keep quiet. He paused and grinned, lips pulling back to reveal yellowing, crooked teeth. This just might turn out to be a fun hunt after all. *********** Sam watched from the slight uphill angle they had, fear paralyzing her. He'd found her. The slippery, familiar feeling of dread was creeping up her spine. With it now, though, was a new sensation. White hot anger twined with the dread to make a volatile combination. Her wolf started trembling at the effort of keeping her from bursting out into the open to tear the bastard's throat out. It made her want to snarl with pleasure. The emotions came thick and fast, blinding her with the force of them. Her stomach clenched into a hard pit as nausea shot through her. Too many to handle; fear, thick fear; furious anger; shock at him finding her so fast. The wolf almost slipped away from her as she was caught up in the broiling pool of emotion. Too much for an animal to handle, but she hung on, her fear giving her a wedge for her to cling to. Her thoughts started whipping past her now, scenes of the past. Rushing to her mother's aid as she was beaten with a cast iron pan by the huge man she'd thought had loved her; being beaten back herself in return. The huge, frightening hulk turning towards her and stopping in shock as she'd shifted for the first time in front of him into her mother. It was an accident. She hadn't meant to - she just always took her mother's form when she most needed her. His confusion and anger as he looked at two identical women now cowering and crying on the floor. That's when Rutherford figured out what she was. The realization and narrowing of his eyes had made her vomit on the kitchen floor. That's when it all ended. When he'd grinned maliciously at her as he'd grabbed a carving knife from the kitchen bench and made her watch as he'd stabbed it deep into her mother's heart. Just to cause her pain. Then he'd dragged her into the other room and beat her until she'd changed back into herself. The son of a bitch had kept her locked up ever since. It had taken her weeks of screaming for help, weeks of screaming for his mercy, and weeks of beatings to quieten her down. Until finally she stopped screaming apart from when he wanted to make her. Until she stopped recoiling in horror as he jerked off every time she did. Until she stopped caring about food or life or the outside world. She'd caused her mother's death. He did it because of her. Because she was like she was. She had closed herself off from every emotion. Only the pain could pierce through her cocoon. Somewhere inside her she felt that she deserved it. Replaying over and over in her mind her last memory of her mother, turning the dark, dank room into her own personal hell. Her mother's eyes shining brightly at her, so desperately as the blade sunk so easily into her soft flesh. Sam's vision swam and for a second she thought she would pass out. A soft foot fall behind her. Snapped out of her painful haze of memories, she twisted quickly, ready to leap, twist, fight, red distorting her vision, making her nearly blind with anger. The mountain lion behind her paused in mid-step, its yellow eyes questioning, and it took her a moment to remember it was just Jake. They were in the forest. Then she really did start shaking. She took a paw step backwards. Then another. And another. It was all the momentum she needed. Turning tail, she bolted. Far away from the man who had held her captive for so long that she could barely remember the sun. Far away from the man who had killed her mother. Eight months he'd kept her barely alive in the small, cold, windowless room. Eight months she'd had to listen to his cruel laughter and endured his new torture methods. Eight months to cement her hate against him, and finally eight months to escape away from him. She would not be held captive by him again. Jake flashed along easily at her side, the lion matching her wolf's steps easily now, confusion and anger roaring in his mind at the men inside his cabin safe-haven. No one had ever found his cabin. Who the hell were those men? And how the hell did they find them? Wolf form or not, he recognized the flurry of emotions that had swept through her before causing her to bolt in terror. The fear dripped from her scent, making his cat wary. Miles and miles they covered. The sun drifted westward above them. The ground was a blur beneath them, trees whispering as they whipped past, the adrenalin and panic feeding their pace. On and on they went, climbing now, pace never checking as they bolted down a rocky precipice and continued across a wide, flat clearing. More trees, thinning now. River rushing somewhere nearby. Getting dark. Jake's entire body ached, the cat was slipping from him. Soon it would be inevitable that he would be too tired to keep this form. He had to stop. Sam showed no inclination of slowing her pace. As his final strength was ebbing from him, he finally he put on a burst of speed and placed himself in front of her, causing her to crash into him, flipping her over until she finally landed in a tumble of black, heaving fur amongst the dense trees. Dazed and confused, Sam finally took stock of her surroundings. She saw Jake, human Jake, lying flat out on his back, huge pants wracking his frame as he struggled for breath. Instantly concerned, she leapt up and went to his side, ignoring his nudity, determinedly keeping her eyes on his face. Tentatively she licked his face, but he was too out of breath to say anything. It was night, she realized suddenly. How long had they been running? Hadn't it been midday when they left the cabin? Her own sides were heaving, but she had managed to retain her shift. She noticed their breath fogging out in front of them rapidly. It was a freezing cold night. Would they be far enough away for Rutherford to find them on foot or by car? Would they even come in this direction - or even this far at night? A million thoughts rampaged through her mind all at once, echoing soundlessly.Feeling her head would burst, she finally, finally forced herself to relax. She started to shiver in shock as she laid down next to Jake. It had to have been twenty minutes later before Jake's pulse had come down, and had started shivering violently enough for him to force him to switch back into his small, grey wolf. The dense coat instantly warmed him, and he huddled up next to the big black one. Tomorrow I get answers, he thought determinedly, casting a tired glance at Sam's alert face. No more running. With her as his last thought, he placed his heavy head on soft paws and unwillingly fell into an exhausted, deep sleep. The big black wolf watched on through the night. Shifting Fortunes Ch. 05 Chapter 5. And then there were two In her dream she was eight years old and her mother had just made her breakfast. Steaming scrambled eggs piled high on her plate alongside toast scraped with butter. Her mother Annie had shaped the toast into love hearts. Her favorite. She happily took a bite, smiling at her mother who was doing the washing up. Someone else entered the room, and a shrill chirp sounded behind her. Sam twisted in her seat curiously. Steve, Annie's current boyfriend, was standing in the kitchen doorway, beaming. He was holding up a big gold cage with a gorgeous, blue budgerigar in it. Sam's heart skipped a beat, a huge smile forming on her still innocent face. "What do you think, Sammy?" Steve asked with a laugh as he came and placed the gold cage on the table beside her. Annie clasped her hands together in pleasure, a big smile on her face as she watched her daughter's reaction. Sam's eyes never left the pretty blue bird sitting inside the cage, chirping happily. She turned her big green globes onto Steve. "What kind of bird is it?" she asked tremulously. She'd never, ever had a pet before. Steve squatted beside her, ruffling her hair gently with one hand, his brown eyes twinkling at her. "He's a budgie, Sammy. He's yours - you can name him anything you like. Happy birthday." Disbelief flooded her young mind, even at that age, Sam had never felt she ever really deserved anything nice. She knew her eyes were shining with tears. She looked back at the blue budgie. So blue. Blue as the sky on a clear day. "Sky. Can we call him Sky?" Fast forward two weeks later. Samantha ran screaming from her room, away from Steve. He tried to touch her while she slept. She'd woken with one of his hands up her night shirt. He stumbled blearily after her; drunk. "Come back, Sammy! Don't you know how much I love you? Don't run away from me, sweetie." Annie had woken to find the man missing from her bed and ran out of her room. She took in the unbelievable scene unfolding in front of her, her own green eyes staring in shock at the man she had allowed into her home. Sammy dove into her arms, sobbing, but her mother told her to run down the stairs. And so Sammy had run, even as she heard crashing sounds coming from upstairs. The first thing she saw as she ran into the living room was Sky. In his golden prison. Racing towards him, she flung his door open, and gently scooped him out like she always did. The bird had gently cooed at her, rubbing his head on her hand, bobbing up and down happily at the attention. Not really thinking, she took Sky over to the back door and opened it. Raising her hand high, she sobbed heavily as the bird sensed freedom and took off. She watched him fly away into the night, wishing that she could too. That was where her mother had found her, frantically sobbing in the doorway; then she was pulling her child into the car, hands trembling. Sam finally sunk into shock and she watched with emotionless detachment as her mother hysterically backed the car out, knocking over the trash cans that the neighbours had neatly stacked the evening before. Tears drying and streaked across her face, she just continued looking upwards, the street lights blinding her. She never saw Sky again. ************ The sky was so blue. The bird flying above her was so high, she couldn't tell what it was. She wished she could join it. She dozed fitfully, half asleep, half awake, toying with the idea of shifting into the budgie she'd set free so many years ago. It was the only bird she'd ever touched, but she knew that the blue budgerigar would never make any distance. It was too conspicuous, too out of character for a forest, and too small to make it far. God, if only she'd had the opportunity to touch an eagle or a falcon. Even just a seagull. She mumbled lightly her disappointment, stretching her limbs carefully, enjoying the sunshine and heat warming her body. She rolled over and snuggled back into a firm, warm chest. She stilled immediately. What the-? Instantly wide awake, Sam leapt out of her dreamy thoughts and snapped her eyes wide open. They were looking at a strong chin dusted with stubble. Her hands were resting on a hard stomach coated lightly with a sprinkling of hair, her breasts pressed into a lean rib cage. Oh God, she whimpered as she realized that she'd actually thrown a leg over his. Shit, shit, shit, she cursed frantically as she refused to look lower than his stomach. She refused to even think where her suddenly aching pussy was pressed against, her traitorous leg draped over his, forcing her close. Her eyes whipped straight back up to his face, relief washing through her when she realized he was still soundly asleep. Gently now, with extreme care, Sam extracted her leg from over his. Her eyes warily watched his for any sign of him awakening. Every flutter of his eyelashes sent mortification crashing through her. Her heart was thudding in her veins, she was sure it would wake him up. Easing her upper body away from his side, she had successfully removed all contact with him, when his eyes suddenly flickered open. Fuck! In an instant she had shifted. Jake was pleasantly warm, he was snuggled against something soft and sweet smelling, but it had gone. He opened his eyes and blindly reached for it and was greeted with a handful of fur. Fur? Confused, he sat up on his elbows and realized that he'd inadvertently grabbed Sam. Only she was a wolf. Damn, had she never once shifted back from that form? Had she been awake all night? Groaning, he started to sit up, then realized he was buck naked. And he had an embarrassing morning condition. More worried about her than himself, he immediately stood up with his back to her without saying a word, and walked off behind a tree to relieve himself. Plenty of time for good mornings when he wasn't so, well, indisposed. His muscles ached from the blinding run last night. Sam watched Jake walk away, suddenly mesmerized. Unlike the day before, this time she was unable to avoid looking at him. All of him. Oh Lord, he was stunning. He had been so hard and...Sam's mind groped for the right word. Huge. Thick. Hot. Fuckable, her sub conscious taunted her. No, no, no! Sam desperately stamped that other voice down even as she watched his gorgeous, tight butt disappear around the trunk of a large old pine. She desperately hoped he hadn't noticed her wolf's eyes leering at him. Distraction. THINK, she demanded herself. Instantly she was gratefully rewarded with the sensation of incredible thirst. They needed water. She vaguely remembered hearing a river not far off last night, and she turned away from Jake's direction. She sat carefully, ears flicking about, nose twitching, grateful for this task. Sure enough, a faint rushing reached straining, sensitive ears, and she immediately marched off in the direction. She had no idea where they were. As she followed the sound, she kept her foot falls light, the pads of her feet treading softly on pine needles and bracken. The trees were much thinner here than near the cabin. Spots of sunlight seeped easily through the branches. She looked curiously around her and viewed the forest as the wolf saw it. Lots of possible areas to find prey, faint animal trails leading across her path, but water was their main priority. They needed to drink. They had run so far yesterday and for so long. She didn't want to think why right now. The warm sunshine was a pleasant change from the recent, frigid weather. Her wolf reveled in it and she took the time to halt and lengthen her front paws out in front of her in a quick stretch. Sinuous muscles flexed languidly in the sun, the light causing her thick coat to turn almost cobalt. Sam could feel the wolf's senses enjoy the brief respite before continuing on. It didn't take long. The rushing sound became consistently louder. The racket then becoming deafening and it became apparent why; a waterfall dropped from a short cliff face in front of her into a deep pool, stilling briefly before morphing into a rushing river thirty or so yards to the right. The waterfall itself was small, but the sheer amount of water dropping over its edge was incredible. Sam stood in awe, taking in its rugged beauty. The rocks were washed black with its force. Small ferns dotted here and there. Sunlight filtered easily through the thinned out pines surrounding the pool. The water was so clear and tantalizing. A light spray from the waterfall misted upwards, causing the sunlight to flicker iridescently through it. Sam knew Jake hadn't followed her yet, and her human desires quickly won out before she got too chicken. The pool was far too tempting, and she was so dirty, her muscles needing a soak. Quickly she shifted back to herself and dove into the deep pool, careful not to get too close to the quick rapids off to the right. A laugh bubbled up as she resurfaced. It had taken an instant to realize that although she'd once had a pet fish, she had never thought to actually touch it. One of the primary schools she'd attended had even had a resident turtle, but she had been too cautious of it to pick it up like the other children had. It would have been fun to try swimming like a fish in the water. She'd have to itemize all the animals she could change into, she thought briefly as the cold water made her shiver a little. The wolf was the only useful one she had in her current situation. A dog or a cat wouldn't cut it out here, but maybe when, and if, they hit suburbia they could be useful. She slicked her blonde hair back out of her face as she tread water in the deeper water, different thoughts flickering through her mind. It was tempting to just stay out in the wilderness and live as an animal. She briefly wondered how Jake had got close enough to touch a mountain lion. It was a beautiful creature. Submerging herself again in the crisp water sent a thrill up her spine, raising goosebumps on her skin again. For now, she pushed the dark thoughts about her pursuers that were threatening to rise down again. She had never skinny dipped before. Sam stifled a chuckle as she realized that's definitely what she was doing. She swallowed great gulps of water down, the clean, crisp taste only serving to make her feel even happier, effectively quenching her raging thirst. In this moment she was happy. The sun and the cool water were just the right combination, and her initial shivers dampened as her body adapted to the sensation. She became lost in languid strokes as she drifted closer to shore and her toes dug into the soft, sandy bottom of the dark pool. ********** Jake stayed in the edge of the trees. He had had a moment's panic when he'd returned and found her gone. He immediately thought she had run away from him again, and instantly changed into his wolf. Fear licked at his heart, and he didn't take time to question it. He'd found her trail straight away and as he quickly traced it, he relaxed as he had realized that there was no twisting and turning, no indications that she had moved faster than a walk, and certainly no panic to her scent. A few seconds later, when Jake heard the rushing water sound, he'd felt relief when he figured out her intentions were just to find water. At that thought, his throat immediately felt like it was on fire with thirst. He'd raced ahead to the river, heedless of her trail now. Then he'd seen her in the water. He'd had to stop short before he burst out onto the shore. She was stroking effortlessly through the water, and he inhaled a quick gasp as she rose far enough out of the water for hard, pink nipples to appear, the cold water teasing and lapping at them. If his mouth was dry before, it went even drier. He turned instantly back into human form, his cock harder than it had been when he'd woken up. Hot claws of desire scraped up his spine and shivered down it again. He jealously watched the water flicker over those nipples the way his tongue itched to do. Finally, he wrenched his eyes away from her, even as her nipples ducked back below the water and she swirled around, completely unaware of his heated gaze. She was like a goddess, and he fervently thanked whatever fate had led her to him, no matter how dire the consequences. He had to physically force his body to turn and take a step away. Then another. Finally he thought himself far enough away out of view before he shouted out of the trees. Feeling guilty for the ruse he was about to create, but knowing it was necessary, he tensed himself. "Sam? Sam!" ************ Sam instantly ducked herself into the water, her chin even dipping under. Shit! She'd waited too long before getting out. She supposed her wolf could tread water but she'd never tried, and she didn't want to get swept into the rapids while she was figuring out the doggy paddle. Maybe she could make it to the shore before he made it there. No suck luck. She quickly averted her eyes again as Jake came out the trees. She heard his low whistle and his excited laugh, then a huge splash as he dove into the water as well. Startled, she whipped her eyes back onto him. Christ, she hadn't been expecting that. She was fucking naked and they were in the water together. Naked. Both of them. Good one Captain Obvious, the annoying sub conscious irked at her. Frantically, she looked down and realized the water was dark enough and murky enough that she couldn't see past her shoulders. A part of her relaxed marginally as she watched him come up for air. "Holy shit, this is incredible!" he yelled excitedly, letting out a whoop of glee as he flicked his wet hair back out of his face. Sam cautiously raised her chin out of the water as she realized he was maintaining a good few meters distance between them. She couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm, his brown and gold flecked eyes reflecting his joy. The water dripped down his shadowed cheeks, stubble dusting his chiseled chin, his mouth a warm, pink slash to break up the hard features. Sam's heart stuttered. He really was gorgeous. Jake swept mouthfuls of the pure, fresh water into his mouth and felt his body adjust to the temperature. He was grateful that the initial blast of cold water had dampened down his raging erection. Looking over at her though, he felt his cock twitch again. Her green eyes were sparkling, her blonde hair slicked back as rivulets of water cascaded down her face. She was absolutely stunning, a little smile suddenly quirking one side of her mouth up. He was so caught up in looking at her, that he didn't notice her subtle movement until a slew of water suddenly hit him square in the face, interrupting his view of her. Shocked, he coughed and spluttered, blinking water out of his eyes, only to hear the tinkling sound of her laugh. A big grin stole upon his face, and he felt a huge, satisfying smirk rise up in him. So it was like that, was it? Sam laughed as she practically drowned him with the spray of water. It died out when she saw his eyes narrow and the big, evil smile reaching across his gorgeous face. Uh oh, Sam caught her breath, her heart leaping within her. She hadn't really thought about the consequences as he started swimming toward her. "Oh no, you are gonna get it," he growled. Sam shrieked and turned tale as the first onslaught of cold water hit her on the back of her head. Laughing, she turned back. The surface of the pool was rippling slightly from the waterfall. No Jake. What the-? she thought for the second time that day. "Jake?" she asked cautiously. Just what was in the pool anyway, did rivers like this one have alligators in them? The thought speared fear into her. "Jake, don't fuck with me!" Suddenly something grabbed at her legs and she screamed as she was pulled under the water. She kicked violently as she swallowed a mouth full of water, freeing herself and kicking back to the surface. She rose spluttering, ready to head straight for the shore when Jake popped up, laughing uproariously right next to her. Still trying to blink the water from her eyes, she looked at him incredulously. Then her own eyes narrowed. He noticed. He struggled to contain his laughter. "Aw, Sam, I was just playing. I'm sorry if I scared you," he chuckled, trying hard to suppress his grin. He was also trying to suppress the sudden urge he was having of slipping his hands through the water and wrapping them around her waist. She was so close. She didn't even say anything, and aside from sending him a mutinous glare, she just turned away and started to swim away. He stifled another laugh. It had felt so good to play with her like this, though he admitted he may have got a little carried away. He followed her, eventually catching up and swimming by her side. "Come on, it was funny. You gotta admit," he teased her gently, the corner of his mouth pulling up in what he thought was his most charming smile. Sam had to force her mouth not to reciprocate, and she turned her head from him. Damn him. He had actually scared her, and she didn't need scared from him right now. Mostly she just felt bloody stupid and like a fool for thinking the thoughts she had. Alligators indeed. She felt her cheeks heat up a little and she frowned at herself. A hand tentatively touched the small of her back and it felt like an electric shot had zapped through her. She stilled instantly, toes digging into the soft bottom, shoulders just level with the water's surface. Jake was really close, and his closeness was doing confusing things to her. He was taller than her, so his pecks were out of the water and his dark pink nipples were tight and hard, the light dusting of hair that surrounded them damp, and beaded with water. Her tongue darted out to wet her suddenly dry mouth. Jake had been surprised at how she had stopped at his touch. He hadn't meant to do anything more, he just wanted to tell her he was sorry for obviously scaring her. Stupid prank. But then she'd stopped and she was looking at him like that, and it was making it really hard to restrain himself. Then that little pink tongue darted out onto her lips as she stared at his chest, and his cock leapt against his stomach. There was no way he could stop his hand from snaking around her waist this time, and that's exactly what he did. His blood started to pound as it headed immediately southward. He felt like he was on fire, even in the cool water. The sound of his heart accelerating started to drown out the sound of the waterfall. Did she feel it too? Jake's hand blazed a trail of fire wherever it landed, and as it started to draw her gently toward him, Sam found she couldn't look away from his gold flecked eyes, like she was hypnotized. There was a roaring in her ears that wasn't the waterfall. How could she feel so hot in the water? His dark hair was shaggy and long, starting to curl at his neck as it began to dry. Her fingers itched to thread themselves through it. Both his hands were on her waist now and she was facing him, staring into his eyes tremulously. The second his eyes slipped to her lips, she knew she was in trouble, and she unconsciously darted her tongue out again to wet them. Jake groaned and finally surrendered to his needs; her tongue flicking out again like it had before splintering the last of his resolve. His mouth came down on hers, slanting against her own, taking advantage of the parted lips and forcing his tongue in against hers. He heard her moan gently at his possession and it only stoked his desire more. She was definitely on fire, Sam acknowledged hazily. Her eyes closed as his mouth claimed hers and all she could do now was feel. She wanted this badly. She didn't want this at all. God, she ached for him. The flurry of emotions and confused feelings swirled around and around in her head, but all reason was immediately lost the second on of his hands swept up her side and brushed against the under side of her breast. She was a goner. Shifting Fortunes Ch. 05 Jake felt the second she surrendered to him, and he pulled her body closer until her thighs were barely touching his, and his erection was resting heavily on her soft belly. His mouth continued to assault hers, lightly nipping her bottom lip, nearly losing all coherent thoughts at her little moans and whimpers. His thumb nudged up over the curve of her breast until it flicked over her hard nipple. He felt her gasp into his mouth and a feeling of deep satisfaction welled up in him. He flicked the hard bud again, then twisted it gently, heart speeding up at her little moan of need. He pulled his mouth away gently, wanting to watch her reaction as he experimented with her hard little nipple under the water. Her eyes half opened as she looked up at him. She felt drugged. The spasms of pleasure spearing straight to her hot center were like nothing she had ever felt before. It sent jolts of electricity up and down her each time he thrummed her nipple. She arched back instinctively as another spark of pleasure ignited her body and arrowed straight down between her legs again. Nothing prepared her for him lifting her out the water, and wrapping her legs around his waist. Nothing prepared her for him to instantly take the hard bud into his mouth and lave his tongue across it. Oh Jesus! she screamed silently, the sudden heat of his mouth against her cool nipple shattering any shred of control she might have had left. Somewhere in the back of her mind she realized she could feel his erection, which had been pushing against her stomach, now resting between her cheeks under her bottom. Unconsciously she ground her pussy against his hard belly, feeling the scrape of wiry hair drag erotically past her clit and down her searing hot lips. She felt the erotic, silky hardness of his cock sliding against her bottom with the same movement. It all felt so incredibly...free, her mind whispered to her, and she reveled in it. Jake just about came in the water the second he felt her grind her pussy against him. He fought not to take her right there and then, even as his mouth started to assault her other nipple. The feel of her hands digging into his hair as she clenched him to her was already doing incredible things to him. Her soft rear wriggling against his raging erection was dealing his control blow after blow. Hot, ragged gasps were being drawn from his body, and as one hand steadied her lower back against him, he slid his other hand down between them. Yes! Sam hissed in shock as thick fingers stroked themselves up and down her wet slit. Part of her was still saying that this was a bad idea, but the rest of her, the winning part of her was egging her on, encouraging her to indulge in this one pleasure as threads of lightning zinged through her body until she was burning alive. Feeling a man's fingers - Jake's fingers - delving between her hot pussy lips was an incredible, unknown phenomenon she had to experience. Jesus, she was slippery, even in the water, Jake realized, drawing his mouth back away from her gorgeous breasts to look at her again; her head thrown back, eyes closed in delicious agony as his fingers teased her swollen lips below the water. Her breasts were stunning - dusky pink nipples capped fleshy, creamy mounds that filled his huge hands perfectly. They were heaving with the desire that thrummed through her body. His whole body felt so hot, he wanted her so badly. A shiver ran down his spine. She looked so god damn free and glorious and beautiful in his arms, water sliding in tiny rivulets down her gorgeous skin, mouth pouting, top teeth biting down on her lower lip as she concentrated on what his fingers were doing to her. He experimentally flicked her clit gently with his thumb, nudging the little nub out of its hood, and was rewarded with her instinctually arching against him again, eyes opening, revealing black dilated pupils with a thin ring of brightest green around them. The guttural moan that came from her mouth was almost feral. Jake could wait no longer, and he gently pushed one thick finger into her slick opening. Watching her eyes, he watched Sam's mouth drop open in a silent moan as he nudged the finger in a bit further. Jesus, she was so tight. He worked the finger in further, then started sliding it back out again. He was rewarded with her bucking her hips against him, trying to push down on his hand. His own eyes narrowed in triumph at her pleasure, sliding the finger back into her, starting a rhythm. Then he leant forward and sucked a hard nipple back into his mouth. He wanted to taste her so badly. Sam didn't know what was happening. The pleasure was all around her, the lust was all consuming, she wanted more. The feel of his finger inside her maddened her, she rode his hand, deep moans wracking her body as he assaulted her. Another loud gasp as his mouth latched back onto her nipple, causing another electric arrow to spear straight down to her clitoris that was already being flicked and pressed. She knew she was going to reach her orgasm soon. She was going to crash hard, she wanted to savor it, but her body demanded that it have its release now. She started thrusting her body harder against him, careless of the splashes they were now starting to make in the water. He responded to her need and roughly pushed a second finger into her depths and rubbed his thumb over and over her swollen nub as he switched to the other breast, suddenly aware of the tight contractions of her pussy on his fingers and the wave of extra slickness coating them. The thought of her honey drenching his fingers was his weakness, and his body thrilled in pleasure as she moaned his name at the peak of her orgasm. She was coming undone in his arms and the curve of her soft bottom sliding back and forth on his erection was far too much for him. He stifled his deep moan as his cum exploded into the water, staggering a little to support them both as she continued to buck and tremble on his hands. Finally, he slipped his fingers out of her warm depths, and gently rubbed them up and down the swollen lips of her pussy, before sliding her down past his softening cock, and settling his mouth over hers in a tender kiss. He continued rubbing her soft, lower lips, reveling in the silky feel of her juices before the water washed them away. Sam couldn't stop trembling. Unable to support her own weight, she clung to Jake, surprised by his soft, gentle kiss. She was starting to come out of her desire-filled haze, when his hand finally pulled out from between her unsteady legs. A little shell shocked from the experience they'd just shared, she felt him pull away from her and dazedly watched him lift his hand straight to his mouth and suck the fingers that had stroked her inner walls. His eyes held hers as he tasted her, causing another flush to brighten her already pink cheeks. Her inner self acknowledged that that was the most incredible orgasm she'd ever had, and the most erotic thing she'd ever done. His eyes continued to bore into hers, and suddenly she pressed the side of her face to his chest, her arms slipping loosely around his waist, not wanting to acknowledge what she'd just seen in his eyes. Too many things to think about, her heart still thudding, her breath still coming fast from her lungs. She couldn't look back at him right now. She felt embarrassed; she knew she'd completely let go of herself, given herself over to him in total abandon. She wondered if she'd made a fool of herself, but then she heard the fast, hard pounding of Jake's heart and something in her curled in satisfaction knowing that she was not the only one who had been affected. She remembered the erotic feel of his hard length under her bottom as she ground down on his hand. A light blush tinted her cheek again and she buried her face a little further in his chest. She felt his lips on her hair and smiled a little, wanting to savor this moment a little. Jake heard her small sigh, and noted the way she turned her face into his chest. He would give her a little time, he knew she could possibly be regretting what they'd just done. He knew instinctively that it wasn't because of him, but perhaps because she had been so free with him. One thing he was beginning to learn about her is that she didn't feel she really was free at all. Cuddling her close, his strong arms wrapped around her shoulders, he was so very glad he hadn't just gone ahead and impaled her on his cock as she came. His animal half, however, was furiously agonizing that he hadn't taken his chance when he'd had it. Damn, he needed to beat his animal down with a freaking stick! Jake knew that she needed to realize that he wasn't going to hurt her, that all he wanted to do was give her pleasure and make her happy. And God, she was so tight, he marveled, remembering the tight contractions of her inner walls as she had cum on his fingers. He imagined how her tight pussy would feel sheathing his cock, milking him, contracting as she came around him. Jesus. The thought caused a little shiver to flick down his body straight to his cock. The last time she'd had sex must have been a very long time ago, unless...could she be a virgin? He sucked in a breath of male pleasure and ego at the thought that no other man had possessed her, and he unconsciously held her a little tighter, his mouth stilling on her gorgeous, honey locks. The human side of him realized that if that was true, he would need to be even more careful with her than he'd initially thought. Jake relaxed again and resumed the soothing strokes his hands had been administering up and down her back under the water. "You're amazing, Sam," he finally whispered into her hair, placing another kiss on her crown. He felt her tremble a little in his arms, and he shifted a hand up to gently twist her face to look at him. His breath stole away at the glistening, green orbs that stared up at him. It almost broke his heart how timid she looked, like he was going to hit her or something. "Baby, you are incredible," he soothed, trying to tell her with his eyes how much that had meant to him. Jake tried not to notice how her breasts were crushed up against him; it was a work in progress. She blushed and tried to look away again, but he nudged her chin until she looked back. He gently lowered his mouth down onto hers and kissed her again, so softly it was like butterfly wings fluttering against her mouth. Then he sighed and pulled away, knowing he needed to do this before he got hard as a rock again. He turned in her arms and put his back to her. "If you need time to get out and shift back into your wolf, I'll give it to you," he murmured gently, facing away from her resolutely. Sam still hadn't said a word since their lovemaking, and she was blown away by his thought. He had just turned his back for her. Her heart swooped and leaped in hopeful delight at the gesture. She tentatively put a hand on his back. "Jake. I- thank you," she said breathlessly, flushing crimson again before swimming for shore, wading out and changing instantly into her wolf. True to his word, he stayed with his back turned until she sent a little howl out to him. ******** Later that morning, Jake left to see if he could find them any food. His hunt had given Sam the time to try and start a fire. She'd collected the kindling and sat for a good hour, trying to rub one piece of wood against the other like they did in the movies. Finally, she threw the damned smoking piece of wood into the water in fury. Hopeless, this is beyond a joke! How was I planning on surviving as an animal out here again? She got up and paced about angrily, hands on her hips. Her hands were sore and red from rubbing on the wood, so she squatted down at the water's edge to clean and sooth them. At least they had water, she thought ruefully. The second she heard the rustling sound, she had changed into the wolf. Senses on overdrive, she calmed down as she recognized Jake's cat scent and something else. Her wolf salivated. Fresh meat. Maybe they could eat...as animals, she thought curiously. The thought of tearing raw meat strips from a dead animal made her human side recoil in disgust. The animal side of her encouraged Sam to recognise that the painful grumblings of her stomach would eventually cripple her strength. When Jake finally pulled the deer into view, Sam had queasily made her mind up. They needed to eat. She couldn't start a fire. She would eat the damned deer raw. She pulled the wolf forward and let herself drown in his senses. As Jake tugged the small animal up onto the shore line, Sam had calmed herself enough that she could start to really feel the wolf's instincts come into the fore. She struggled not to take control back, knowing how necessary this would be. Jake was tired. The small deer was harder to take down than he had thought. He had found the small herd easily enough, he thought it would be as simple as creeping up, jumping, sticking his claws in and taking it down. Wrong. The things were fast! God he wished he'd been able to grab his rifle. He'd face planted his cat about five times into the dirt when he finally decided for a regroup. The five proud looking animals had stopped to face him across the end of the clearing, their tails lifted up in fear. Time for a strategy change. He thought back to how he'd been able to even touch the mountain lion. He'd been out hunting with his dad, for deer just like he was now. He would have only been thirteen, his dad had given him his first rifle, an old .303. They'd snuck up on a young stag and two hinds, and he'd carefully placed his rifle butt snug into his shoulder, excited to take his first shot. But then his dad had suddenly clamped a hand on the rifle, pushing it away from his eye abruptly. When he looked up at his father, he felt a chill of fear. The big man had turned into a statue, and that normally meant he was on high alert. Following his father's gaze upwards, his breath caught as he saw the beautiful cat balancing on a thick bow above the deer, readying itself for its kill. The grace as it leapt downwards was breath taking. Jake's father had wordlessly reached for the rifle, and lined his shot up. The cat had looked startled as it fell off the back of the deer. The deer sprang up gratefully and shot after the others, but the cat didn't move to chase it. Jake and his dad slowly moved towards it, aware that it was still alive. His own heart was pounding in his chest as he darted forward past his dad to lay his hand on the twitching tail before the cat died. He'd paid dearly for his act, a black eye and a dislocated knee. His dad had roared his anger at Jake's actions. He really had hated that Jake was a Were shifter, and any reminder that he could change into an animal angered him deeply. Jake never did find out why. Still though, Jake had gone home a happy boy, his first impressive animal that he couldn't wait to try out. Jake smiled even now at the memory, as he slunk back into the shadows and crept silently away from the frightened deer. It had taken a good hour more before he'd found another deer, this time stalking his prey from above, sticking to the trees. The method was quick and effective and he'd taken down the young spiker easily. But that wasn't what excited him the most. On his way back, he had found something, and he couldn't wait to tell Sam. As he pulled it the last few yards back to camp, seeing Sam there waiting for him sent a primal thrill through him, making him feel proud, bringing food back for her. As he dumped it at her feet happily, he noticed she hadn't succeeded with the fire. He was just about to shift back into his human to talk to her about his find, when she startled him by snarling and ripping into the soft belly of the young deer. Stunned, he watched as she chewed a strip of raw meat, blood staining her muzzle and dripping to the ground. His human side recoiled at the site. Um, he thought. There were no words. Then he realized the absolute disgust in which she was chewing. If a wolf could look disgusted, then her one definitely looked it. It made him want to laugh. The bubble of humor wouldn't go away and so he fell onto human knees out of his cat, snorting with laughter. As he looked up, tears starting to gather at the corner of his eyes, he took in her disgruntled look, head cocked to one side at him and he doubled over again. Was he laughing at her? Sam wondered incredulously. She was just doing what she had to. And it wasn't so bad, she thought, choking down the small piece of meat she'd taken. The second it went down her throat she wanted to hurl it back up. Suddenly she felt her wolf's stomach tense with a distinct human reaction. Oh God, she moaned inwardly and raced into the forest to the sound of Jake's choked laughter. The second she was out of site, she transformed and vomited the disgusting meat up. When it was over, she switched back and padded back out to Jake with narrowed eyes, who was crouching on the pine needles, one knee up to uphold his modesty for her sake. His laughs quietened down to chuckles when she reached him. Sam looked at him furiously, feeling utterly foolish once again. She was so glad that her effort to figure out a way of surviving the mess she'd got them into was so hilarious to him. He looked up at her as she lay her wolf down, noting the way his dark eyes lit up and danced when he laughed. Sam was still was a little uncomfortable around him since their interlude earlier in the morning, and his gorgeous butt and toned thighs perfectly on display weren't helping. Jake quieted his chuckles and took pity on her, she looked so put out. He knew what would cheer her up. "I found something today," he told her, eyes shining. It was hard not to have her interest piqued when he looked at her like that. "It's a small hunting hut, a few miles to the north. I didn't want to get close in case hunters were in residence and they wanted to take a shot at me, but the scents around it were old." He grinned as she sat up quickly, an excited whine escaping her. "I thought we could head over there now together to check it out. They may even have matches or clothes." He couldn't help but laugh at her excited yelp as she leapt to her feet, tail wagging frantically, tongue lolling out. It was clear as day what she wanted to do. Golden fur erupting all over him once again, Jake and Sam took it in turns dragging the small deer with them. Finally Jake dropped it and butted his head against her the way only a feline could, signaling that this was as far as they should take the deer. Sam and Jake edged closer to the small building. It was tiny, just a summer hut, and Jake was right, the scents surrounding it were months old. No human had been here recently. Taking the chance, Jake paced right up to the door and shifted, his hand grasping the knob and pushing it open. No cot beds, but there was three or four threadbare old rugs piled in one corner. The fireplace dominated the one roomed hut, assorted cast iron pots and implements littered the floor. Dust coated everything, and a musty smell filled the dank air. His keen eyes picked out a flint and even an old box of matches amongst the litter. He moved in, sorting through the pots, grinning with triumph as he uncovered a rusty old knife. It would do just fine; not very sharp but good enough. Grabbing the rugs, he wrapped one around his waist, and sauntered out of the tiny hut, and threw one towards the black wolf who was only now just approaching. He turned his back for her. "Oh man! This is brilliant," Sam breathed happily as she wrapped the rug under her arms and tucked it in between her breasts. Shifting Fortunes Ch. 05 "Wait 'til you see what's inside," he grinned, happy to see her smiling again. Together they quickly sorted through what was useful, and came up with a small pile of things that they could use. An old pair of man's sweats, chewed by rodents, but still wearable; Jake immediately donned those, draping his rug around Sam's shoulders. There was also the rusty knife, the flint, six matches left in the box Jake found, along with two half-used candles, a tin of salt, a decent, hole-less pot, a couple of lengths of old rope and the two other blankets. Not talking, the both quietly set to work on their jobs; Sam setting up their beds for the night on the floor of the hut and readying the fire, while Jake retrieved and expertly cut the hind legs and back steaks from the deer. It was nearing late afternoon when the pleasant smell of salted venison was searing over the crackling fire. It was a gorgeous smell, Sam thought, her stomach snarling viciously, mouth watering as she watched the tender meat cook. Jake watched the firelight flicker over her face, highlighting golden strands in her blonde hair. It made his heart ache how beautiful and vulnerable she was. He vowed to kill the bastards who were so hell bent on chasing her. Mine, he thought fiercely. ******************* Hey all, thanks so much for reading and voting on this story. I'm sorry this post is a little late coming, had a few distractions enter my life (including a wee puppy who is a little terror and a complete time waster! hee hee) Please vote and comment, I just love to read what you all have to say. Thanks for being patient while I set up the story line - I didn't want to rush Jake and Sam together, but get ready for it to heat up in the next chapter which is already under way ;o) SS xx Shifting Fortunes Ch. 06 Thank you for being so patient, Im sorry this has been a while in coming - I wanted to make sure it was how I wanted, but I hope you enjoy it. It has been a lot of fun developing their characters and seeing their stories unfold. Please comment and rate :o) - SS Chapter 6. Some hard truths are learned. Jake watched Sam lean in towards the crackling fire. She was nibbling almost daintily on a piece of perfectly cooked venison, knees tucked up inside the blanket she was shrouded in, seated as he was, on the floorboards of the small hunting hut. A tiny furrow between her brows marred an otherwise perfect complexion. He knew she wasn't shifting over any more. The bruises on her face were almost completely healed, but a tiny yellowing shadow of the last one on her neck was the only clue. If the blanket moved a bit though, it would reveal the pattern of cigarette burns that dotted up and down her arm. Just the thought was enough to bring a raging anger up within his soul. A small sigh startled him out of his study of her. She was looking at him, licking her lips and he was instantly mesmerized by her mouth. He struggled to lift his eyes up to meet hers. "Thanks for cooking that, Jake. I didn't realize just how starving I was," she frowned again, then quirked a corner of her mouth up as she realized she hadn't even gotten to breakfast the day before seeing as how Jake had suddenly grabbed her in the pantry. A quick ache in her loins distracted her and she tried hard not to look at him. Jake wondered at the mischievous glint in her eye all of a sudden as she shifted her emerald gaze back to the flickering light of the fire. He actually wondered a lot about her, and it was definitely time to find out what was really going on. He needed to know everything so he could best figure a way to help protect her. "Who is he?" Jake asked her gently, drawing his own blanket over his shoulders and crossing his legs in front of him. The old sweats he wore were brittle and protested at the stretch. Sam darted a glance over at Jake and nervously wet her lips. She knew exactly what he was talking about. Her heart instantly jerked and started thudding in her chest. Locking it away in a corner of her mind had enabled her to function all day, and she had been hoping it would last a bit longer, but she knew she owed him an explanation. He was waiting patiently, sitting across from her just looking gorgeous and heart breaking. She longed to lean against him, but she needed to gather her own strength for this. Furrowing her brow even more, she wondered how to start. The beginning, a thought whispered to her and she flinched inwardly. Yes, there was no help for it. She would start at the beginning. She began to speak, and as she spoke, she re-lived each painful detail. ********** When Samantha was born, her mother told her that she didn't even know who her father was. It could have been any of a handful of men. Watching her mother flit from man to man as she grew up, it wasn't hard to see why. Sam never tried to find her father, she simply accepted that he wasn't around - she never had a shortage of male role models, no matter how appalling and contemptible some of them may have been. Oh, they weren't all bad - there was Alex the delicatessen owner, always buying her large print books and teaching her how to read when she was five. Then there was Richie, who had taken her out for ice cream whenever her mother had been on a late shift. Unfortunately those always seemed to be the relationships that fizzled out the quickest. Her nutrition had certainly dwindled between men - some would allow her lots of healthy things to eat, some wouldn't even give her a scrap. In those times, Annie would always sneak her food to her room in the dead of the night, whispering apologies and stroking Sam's hair while her daughter had hungrily wolfed down whatever she had brought. Sam had been painfully thin more times than she could count on one hand. The relationships, however, that lasted the longest were always the worst. Even now, Sam couldn't fathom why her mother chose the men she did or why she stayed with them. Eventually it had led to her death. Earl Rutherford had definitely had the meanest streak out of all of them. He wasn't content with just physically beating Annie, he also spent every minute of his day thinking of ways to tell Annie how she was so worthless that no other man would even dream of taking her, how he was the best she'd ever get. It killed Sam that Annie had died with such little self worth, when she had been so much better than that. Samantha didn't blame her mother for the way she'd been brought up - she'd always been the one looking after her mother, not the other way around. This balance of care had unequivocally shifted the night Sam had first found out what she was. The first time she shifted, she had shifted from human to animal form. Sam had known that she could shift into animals before she ever dreamt that she could take on other human forms. That first time, she hadn't even known what happened. One minute she was sobbing her heart out, crushing her face into the neighbour's golden labrador as her mother was being beaten by another abusive partner, and the next minute she was experiencing the strange sensation of panting. The dog she'd been petting had yelped in fright and raced away into the night, while Sam was dumbstruck at how she was suddenly naked on the front doorstep, her clothes in rags around her. She'd grasped those scraps against her and ran around the back of the house, hoping no one had seen and wondering what the hell had just happened. So scared and so afraid, Sam had been too shocked to even think about it. It took her several weeks before she was brave enough to touch the labrador again. She had been only ten. The next few weeks after her second shift, she gloried in it, relishing the opportunity to melt away in the middle of the night, taking on the labrador's form, and padding around the neighbourhood. She quickly learnt that clothes couldn't shift with her, she'd even experimented with lycra but it still fell away every time. The next few years followed the same pattern, only this time she had figured out she could touch any animal - a cat, dog, mouse - and she could change into any of them any time she wanted. Her awe started to subdue into despair as she knew she could tell no one of her second nature - who would understand? Who would welcome her? She'd watched enough television to understand that she'd be experimented on, pointed at, laughed at - a freak. And then, a few months after she turned sixteen, The Great Reveal was announced to much confusion and hysteria worldwide. Sam had watched wide-eyed as a man on the local news team shifted his appearance to a blonde woman of about twenty. She immediately noted that his clothes stayed with him during his transformation, and was curious. So many thoughts raced through her mind. She had thought she was a freak, that she was the only one - but there were others! Others like her! And she rejoiced, knowing she wasn't alone, and she was almost bursting with fear and excitement to tell her mother. But her plans were shattered. For as soon as the news bulletin faded away into another one, sounds of screaming and smashing glass erupted in the neighbourhood around them. She had looked across at her mother, and saw deep fear welling in the green pools. She gathered Sam to her and took her upstairs, while Gareth, the current man of the moment grabbed a baseball bat and went to investigate. In the ensuing weeks, much violence and unrest occurred across the world - some wars were started - and ended violently, due to the expected backlash and fear that drove people to such extremes. Politicians vied for rights for the dual natured, some vied for them all to be lined up and catalogued and some vied for them to be put down as unnatural freaks of nature. All had some support. And Sam knew there was absolutely no way she could tell her mother, there was just no way she could allow her to be persecuted or hurt because of what her daughter was. The only good thing to come out of it, was that Sam had realized she could shift into human forms, too. And that the clothes she shifted in stayed with her too, so long as they weren't too small for the new shape she took - she mostly experimented with her mother's figure, and it comforted her. The animal forms were just not made for human clothes. The interesting thing, was that out of all the types of shifters out there (some could just shift appearances such as hair and eye colour and even skin colour, some could produce scales or a diamond-like coating that made them bulletproof), there were none that came forward claiming to be animal shifters. Sam read everything she could get her hands on at news stands and second hand papers lying in the street, she'd even snuck onto a computer at an internet café where someone had left one unattended, but there was nothing to be found, and so she wondered. Not long after the shifters revealed themselves, the others started to come out of the woodwork - telepaths, people who could turn invisible, some who could fly. It was incredible that these people had been living silently amongst the world for so long with no one noticing. Of course, that's why most people were so furious about it - some of their work colleagues had been able to turn invisible or fly, and here they were typing away at their computers all day and sharing a beer at the pub after work. Sam had only heard of the mind readers when she had been captured. Sam watched and waited for another year, hoping that someone would come forward about animal shifting, to no avail. Then on the weekend before her seventeenth birthday, she heard a whisper that a woman had seen a man change into a wolf right before her very eyes. It was announced on a small local news channel, but with no evidence and much speculation, she was deemed to have been too inhibited by alcohol for her report to be accurate. Most just thought she was crazy, and the story melted away. Of course Sam instantly knew it must be the truth. The hysteria in the woman's voice as she related the incident was just too real. Many emotions flooded through Sam as she read through the tiny write-up the following day in the local newspaper. Eventually her eyes flickered over the words, not really seeing any more as she sifted through them. Shock, fear, elation, curiosity, revulsion and a clear, euphoric rush of relief. The description of the wolf had also set a smoldering thought within her mind. It had her wondering if she had been playing it too safe with her animal choices - all domestic pets. The following weekend, her mother had asked her what she wanted to do on her birthday and Sam's immediate answer was to go to the zoo. Surprised, but always agreeable, Annie had asked Brendon to take them. Brendon had been one of the good guys. She'd been seeing him for a month and Sam was waiting for the moment when Annie would get bored and leave him. Sam never got too attached to any of the men Annie saw - it never ended well. When they'd arrived at the zoo, Sam's eyes had lit on the welcoming poster that she had been looking for - a few weeks ago some wolf pups had been born, and the zoo was holding a promotion for a chance to hold one of the fluffy cubs. Sam hoped desperately that the mother would be there with the pups. She didn't want to change into a tiny, baby wolf - she would be defenseless - there was just no point. The line to see the wolf pups rounded around the corner of the hall where the pups were, and so she impatiently lined up while Brendon and Annie had wandered away to look at the siamangs nearby. Eventually, with a thudding heart, Sam finally made it into the hall and strained to look around the shortening queue to look for the wolves. Her heart sank as she took in the zoo staff holding just one little cub, while his litter mates slept in a heated enclosure at their feet. The little black wolf pup was endearing and sweet, but just not big enough for what Sam wanted. She sighed - it had been a long shot anyway - but she resolved to stay to pat the cute thing. She had waited in the line for so long anyway. When her turn finally came, she gingerly stretched a hand out towards the small black thing, smiling as its small jaws opened in a loud yawn. A few people in the crowd tittered and murmured at its cute-ness. Sighing again, Sam reluctantly moved away and met up with her mother, unsure if she would get another opportunity to touch another animal here at the zoo. Spending another couple hours at the zoo was actually rather pleasant, and she found herself relaxing and laughing with her mother like she hadn't done in a long time. She felt comfortable there, amongst all those animals. It was only later that evening in her bedroom, that she stripped down in front of her mirror and grinned to herself as she willed the little black wolf pup to mind. When her eyes opened, she leapt back in surprise and let out a sharp whine. She instantly snapped her jaws shut, but taking an incredulous step forward towards the mirror, Sam discovered something stunning. Her reflection showed a full grown, huge black wolf in the prime of his life. His glossy coat glowed the deepest ebony in the dim lighting of her room, and a slight lifting of her lips showed long, sharp, well-developed teeth. Sam went to laugh in delight and was startled when a chuffing noise erupted from her instead. This caused a few more quiet chuffs to occur before she calmed her excitement down enough to remain quiet. Turning this way and that, waving the long, bushy tail, Sam couldn't get enough of this exquisite wolf's features. It was unbelievable. Thoughts flickering slower now, Sam thought back to the first labrador she'd touched - he had been older and frail - but her labrador was strong and young, and she made her second huge discovery. No matter what the age of the animal she touched, she believed she would absorb only the animal's strongest traits, becoming what they would in their prime of life. Finally, she just sat in front of the mirror and gazed at the wolf that was now her own. And not long after that, was when her life changed for the worse. Brendon disappeared as she knew he would, but as soon as he had gone, one was in his place. This time his name was Earl Rutherford, and the second Sam met him, she was alarmed and watchful. He treated her mother kindly at first, but Sam noticed how his smile never reached his cold, black eyes. There was something wrong with him, with his demeanor that she couldn't pin point, but it sat like a pit in her stomach for the first few weeks. Exactly two months to the day that Annie had been with Earl, her mother came home one day without his favourite brand of bacon - the store hadn't had any in stock. He gave her a black eye for that, and Sam's horror story came to life. Annie had been beaten before, worse than just a black eye, but still Sam couldn't fight down the feeling that they needed to just get out right now. She begged and pleaded with her mother to leave him, but of course Annie said that she had deserved it, that she'd do better next time and this wouldn't happen again. The next time however it was a couple weeks later and Annie had been seen talking to the local pastor. Earl was furious that she was talking to another man, no matter how innocent. He gave her four broken ribs and a dislocated shoulder that time. And still, Annie would not hear anything of it. Sam stayed low, keeping out of his way, always begging her mother to leave. She desperately wanted to run away, but she couldn't leave her mother there alone. Earl was also quite clear on one point - that any of those freaks of natures should be shot dead on the spot - and he kept a loaded gun on him at all times in case he met one. Sam had shivered as he'd pulled his jacket open to show her. He had seemed to enjoy her discomfort, leering at her and chuckling as he closed his jacket again, patting the bulge it made. It terrified her that he might find out. And so for months it went on, past Sam's eighteenth birthday which had no celebration, it was not even mentioned. And then one day, Rutherford hit Sam, quite by accident. He had been moving towards Annie to lay into her, and Sam had been unable to see it happen again. She moved into his way, to protect her, to do something - anything. He didn't even notice. Blind in his rage, he just stumbled past her, knocking her out the way his fist connecting with her cheek. Sam herself stumbled back away from him, holding her hand to her cheek in shock. She could feel her face already start to swell, still numb with shock. Everything blurred and dulled - she wanted to remove herself as he placed a hard kick in Annie's side. Racing up to her room, unwilling to witness her mother's beating and unable to stop him, she couldn't even shed a tear. Locking her door swiftly behind her, she turned and looked straight in the mirror. She brought her fingers back up to the swelling on her face and for the first time felt the pain. She winced as her fingertips dusted over her cheek bone, redness already flushing it out, closing her eye up. Panicking, she stared at herself, willing it away, wanting it not to have happened. She had never been hit before. Not even with all he abusive people her mother had been with before. Tears finally welled into her eyes as she glared at her reflection, hating it, wanting to look like she had before. And then suddenly she did. Astonished, the tears instantly evaporated in shock. She took a step closer to the mirror, incredulous. The throbbing and pain was still there, but her reflection was the same. The fingers probed and were met with a lancing of pain so sharp that she winced, but her skin felt smooth, her eye felt whole. She felt a shimmery feeling cross her skin where the bruise had been spreading. She experimented, and let it fall away - her injury instantly reappeared. Startled, she concentrated and willed it back to normal, marveling at the light fluttering whispering across her skin, and she was whole once more. She noticed that it was silent downstairs - the beating had obviously stopped - perhaps he had passed out drunk in the middle of it. Sam quietly tiptoed to her door, unlocked it and peeked out. Only the low buzzing of the television on downstairs could be heard. Creeping down the stairs back into the living room where they had been before, she saw Rutherford lying face down on the sofa, snoring softly. Her mother was curled in a ball, shaking silently with soul-wrenching sobs. Her own eyes filling with tears for her mother, she gently placed a hand on Annie's shoulder, prepared for the wince and the expected whimper. She helped her to the bathroom where they washed away the blood and placed an ice pack on the worst of the bruises. It didn't look too bad this time, but he'd kicked her in the ribs again and she had barely healed from the last kick he'd placed there. The next week, Sam had come home early from the latest school she'd been enrolled in, only to hear loud cursing, muttering and angry crashing noises coming from in the kitchen. She knew that her mother wasn't home - her car wasn't in the drive. Instantly alert, she went to the side of the house where no one could see her. She stripped quickly and quietly, shivering in the frigid air, eyes on the alert for anyone who could come round the corner. Folding her clothes up neatly and putting them under a paver she'd found to be very handy, she shifted into a ginger tabby cat. Quickly she padded around to the kitchen window and gracefully jumped up onto the ledge, looking in. Shifting Fortunes Ch. 06 She didn't know what shocked her the most - the fact that things were floating around the kitchen, or the fact that Earl Rutherford was boiling over as he thunderously smashed cups down out of the air on the kitchen floor where they broke into a million pieces. It took a moment for Sam to understand. Earl was a telepath. He could move things with his mind - obviously it wasn't in his control - but Sam couldn't understand. He absolutely loathed the dual natured, loathed them with all his heart, she had seen the deep hatred in his eyes whenever he spoke of them, if he deigned to let them pass his lips. No wonder he hated them so much - he hated himself. She watched as he grasped a floating plate and threw it at the cupboard where several other plates were hovering. Then she was ducking for cover as he spotted the tabby cat staring in, and with a roar of fury he launched a coffee mug at her, smashing through the window, narrowly missing her and shattering the cup against the letter box. Adrenalin pumping through her veins, Sam raced back to where her clothes were stashed. A week after that, her life had never been the same. ********** "And you know the rest," Sam told Jake dully, hunching closer to the fire. Jake was frowning, lost in thought. She was unable to complete the story - it was only the next week that Sam had witnessed her mother's death, when she had shown him who she really was and when he'd locked her up out of spite and anger. She'd never once revealed to him that she knew what he was, she had valued her life a little more than that. There was no telling what he could have done to her if he knew. And then she shuddered to think what he would do if he actually wanted to use his powers. Jake had been patiently quiet throughout her tale. He'd winced when she'd winced, had burned for her when she spoke of her mother's ill treatment and had felt the excitement of discovering all the things she had about herself. But he had let her tell her story uninterrupted. Now all he could think about was how broken she looked right now. He wanted desperately to take that away, wanted to mend the hurt. The depth of his feelings for her suddenly surged out of his soul and sent his head awash with them, reaching almost dizzying heights as he struggled to control them, his heart leaping uncontrollably in his chest. Powerless to beat them down this time, his breath shortened as his pulse quickened. The next thing he knew, he was leaning across, a hand steady on the floor either side of her, pressing his lips to her startled, luscious ones. He watched her green eyes flicker wide open, and then his heart leapt as her pupils dilated and they started to smolder. Heart racing, he kissed her harder until she was responding with equal desperation. He heard her happy sigh as she leant in toward him and he felt a surge of triumph as he plundered her mouth. He wanted her to forget the past, to focus on how good right now could be with him, knew she wanted this if she would only let him in. Her little moan as he gently pushed her back onto the floor set his pulse thudding. He knew she could feel how hard he was through his grey sweats. They hid nothing. His cock was pressing into her stomach as he pressed her onto the floor. The blanket wrapped over her shoulders had fallen back and now she was only protected by the wrap she'd tucked in at her breasts. Jake pulled away for a moment, to make sure this was what she wanted but she just determinedly wiggled closer. He groaned as she pulled his mouth back down to hers. This was no time for games. In a second he'd pulled the blanket away from her breasts, his hands finding what his eyes could not yet see. Jake's mouth quirked upwards in a predatory smile against hers at her little gasp of surprise right before his mouth took hers again. She immediately molded back into him, back arching up, legs parting as he drove his knee in between them. His left hand molded her left breast and kneaded gently while his other hand stroked the side of the other. He started tweaking and pinching the nipples like he'd seen her do to herself the night he'd caught her masturbating, knowing she liked it; the thought set another wave of fire clawing through him. He was rewarded with loud moans and gasps, her body starting to writhe under his. Her fingers gripped and bit into his arms. "Jake," she gasped as he pulled his mouth away so he could see what his hands knew. Two gorgeous breasts, dusky pink nipples, little hard buds ready for his tongue to lave them, the firelight bathing them in warmth and flickers. Too mouth watering for words, perfect. He lowered his head to them. Sam saw Jake's dark eyes stare at her breasts and watched through the heavy haze of desire as his mouth came slowly down. The anticipation almost killed her, but when he finally took a nipple in his mouth, Sam lost it. She bucked, unable to stand how hot he was making her until his other hand steadied her hip, then stroked her concave belly. The feeling of skin on skin contact was incredible, his rough hands on her smooth belly and then breast...Oh God. She moaned his name and gasped as his hand moved up and started tweaking and twisting her other nipple, sweat starting to shine on her skin. Head thrashing now against the floorboards as his hands now worked their way down to her waist as his mouth set to work on the other breast. Totally out of control, Sam felt his hands slide around her hips and she didn't care. She wanted him to. Her lust was out of control, and as he raised his head from her breasts, she whimpered, naked under him and desperate for more. Her fingers which had been occupied with the back of his head and twisted in his hair now frustratedly scratched over his chest and down to his waist band. He chuckled darkly before pulling away. "Is this what you want, kitten?" he asked, kneeling away from her, taking in her naked body. Bathed in fire light she was a vision of beauty. It made him ache to see how vulnerable she looked. He nudged his other knee between her legs so he was kneeling at the apex of her thighs. His vision swam as he took her in. Sam reached out for him in her desire filled haze. Why had he stopped? She needed to feel his naked chest on hers again; she'd dreamt of it. Her vision cleared and she froze the second he started lowering his sweats down over his hips. Breathless, she watched as his cock sprang free. It stood proud and tall, nestled in dark curls. God he was gorgeous. And big, she mentally gulped. How would he fit? Dazed, she watched him kneel a little closer, his impossibly hard cock bouncing gently as he began to lean back over her. "Is this what you want?" he repeated, halting his progress, his hands once again supporting himself either side of her shoulders, just out of reach. His cock teasingly hung an inch away from her soft belly and now exposed pussy. Mesmerized, Sam hesitantly reached out to touch him. Her eyes flicked up to his for assurance as she traced a couple fingers from the base of his cock up to the tip. She watched his eyes closed and his jaw clenched in pleasure. She marveled that she had given him that pleasure. It made her feel powerful. A little more confident and feeling a bit more in control, she wrapped her hand around his cock and slowly pulled it down then back up again, experimenting. So silky but so hard, she wondered in lusty fascination. She heard him growl and before she could blink she was flat on her back again; he hooked one of her legs around his hip and leaned over her. She was driving him crazy! Jake squeezed his eyes shut again as he guided his cock tip against her slick opening. Fuck she was wet. He'd wanted to prepare her more, to lick and suck on her juices until she screamed his name while his face was between her legs, but there was no time any more, he couldn't wait. He wanted her so much. Dammit! he screamed inwardly at the first wet touch of her pussy against his cock. He pressed his cock tip against her a little harder and opened his eyes to look intensely down at her. Heart skipping a beat, Sam felt the head of his cock against her wetness. It made her heart hammer even louder. Surely he could hear it. She raised her emerald orbs to lock with his and her heart skipped into overdrive, a new rush of wetness dampening her thighs. With his eyes staring into hers, he shifted a little and the head of his cock pushed inside her. Sam bucked again under him, stunned at how he filled her. God she was tight, Jake thought as he pushed inside her slick passage. He could feel it clenching and trembling around the head of his cock already as her hips bucked against him. He watched her face, wide, innocent green eyes staring into his in wonder. She was biting her pouty bottom lip. Jesus that was sexy. He wanted more. He nudged himself in a little further, inch by inch, gently rocking back and forth to ease into her tightness. He felt the sweat slide down his temple as he looked deep in those gorgeous eyes, now nearly black with lust for him, a ring of blazing green around them. The triumphant feeling hit him again. Unable to control himself any longer, he thrust hard, sheathing himself completely within her. With his final thrust, he felt his cock push past and break a frail barrier and was stunned as he heard her pained gasp. Instantly he was still. What the fuck? She was a virgin! Christ! What have I done? His first instinct was to get the hell out of her, but the second one said that would cause her more pain. He stayed still, frantically whispering to her softly that he hadn't known, he was sorry. Her eyes were squeezed shut, teeth clenched. Jake felt her trembling around him and he struggled to keep his control in check. She felt so damn good, the animal in him wanted to take his pleasure from her anyway, but he fought against it. He watched her open her eyes as he kissed her jaw, apologizing over and over. He cringed and shut his eyes; she must hate him, and he cursed himself for not putting her needs ahead of his own urges. He wished he'd taken the time to suck her swollen lips into his mouth and make her rise to orgasm first. He didn't know exactly when it all suddenly changed. He felt the leg he'd slung around his hip curl into him tighter. In fact, it pressed down on his lower back encouraging him in further. Decisively. "Sam?" he asked questioningly, his voice quavering. Green-black eyes met his, golden hair piled on the floor around her head like a halo. He felt her deliberately pull her hips away from him, then push back up. He hissed out a breath, the walls of her pussy caressing his pulsing cock. The fire flickered suddenly and sparks flew out onto the floorboards next to them. "I want this, Jake," she breathed as she tried to wriggle her hips into him again. He stilled her hips with a hand and looked down at her. Then he carefully pulled out of her. "No, Jake! I want-" she was cut off, all her breath expelled from her body as he thrust back in. None too gentle, either. It was incredible. Fuck! she screamed inwardly. He didn't pause again this time, he withdrew and thrust once more, a little more firmly. He smiled in pleasure at the little expelling of air she made from her mouth at the pressure. He felt her leg press him tighter and the other raised to his other hip, encouraging him further. Sam moaned; loudly now as his cock filled her over and over again, the sharp pain a distant memory as new emotions and sensations snaked through her body, all beginning and ending at the point between her legs. She clawed at his back with her fingernails, drawing him closer, she was so deliciously full. Jake gathered her to him, breasts crushing against his chest as he began to drive himself in earnest into her over and over again, sweat slicking both their bodies. The pace quickened, she heard his breath coming faster in her ear as his tongue flicked deliciously against it. Her desire was making her delirious, it was the most excruciatingly wonderful sensation she'd ever experienced; she clenched her pussy harder on him and heard him groan as she hit her orgasm quickly. He couldn't hold out, he felt her climax on his cock like he'd never felt another woman do - her hot passage was quivering and spasming and sucking on his cock with abandon; his cock erupted and he felt his seed shoot deep into her, her pussy still milking him for all he had. ChristI Jake thought blearily, his world tumbling and crashing around him; she was all around him, it was all he could think of, all he could see, touch, smell, taste. Her skin on his was all he could think about. Then she was slowly releasing her death grip around his neck, her mouth coming away from where she'd been making mewling, gasping noises in his ear as she came on his cock. His breath still coming fast, he lowered her back onto the blanket, holding himself above her as he slipped his now softening member out of her. Panting, he lay next to her, pulling her to lie on top of him, dragging a blanket over them both in the same movement. Sam was in awe as she looked tiredly down at Jake. They'd just had sex...glorious, incredible, fucking amazing sex! She giggled suddenly, it was just so maddeningly brilliant. He looked up at her, heart still pounding, still sweaty. "What?" Jake asked, twirling a lock of her golden hair and tucking it behind her ear. God she was beautiful. She'd been so responsive to him, it made him want to do more things to her just so he could see how she'd react. He felt his cock stir again at the thought. She blushed at the way he was looking at her. "Just...that was amazing," she said into his chest, green eyes flickering downwards while she traced a pattern around his nipple with a finger. He tipped her chin back up to look in her eyes again. "Better, kitten," he said simply with a crooked smile and leant up to kiss her soft lips. Sam smiled back shyly and cuddled into him. She felt a delicious soreness between her legs as she felt his seed slowly seep out of her pussy and down onto his belly. She clenched her legs together to stop it, but he nudged them back apart again by raising a knee. "I like knowing that I came so hard in you," he whispered in her ear with a sexy smile. Sam blushed at his loaded words and placed her cheek on his chest to avoid looking in his eyes. It was then she saw it, and a shocked gasp escaped her. "Jake!" she cried, propping herself up on his chest and staring at his left arm. She saw his confused look as he followed her gaze, then instantly clammed up, the long, wicked scar disappearing in a heartbeat. He gently slid her off his chest and sat up in front of the fire, his back to her. Shit. He hadn't wanted her to see that. Sam didn't know what to say, she reached an arm out to him but the second her hand touched his back, he stood up. So that's what he was hiding from her. Hurt, but heart aching for him, she pulled the blanket up around her, acutely embarrassed to see a blaze of red blood in the midst of them. She sat up and curled her knees into her chest, hugging them to her with the sheet. "Jake?" she whispered. He was still beautifully naked, standing with his back to her, cast in silhouette. He let out a sigh and all the tension in his shoulders evaporated. Suddenly the red, gnarling scar reappeared over his shoulder, but he still didn't turn toward her. "I didn't want you to see it. I...was...ashamed," he struggled to explain, his voice catching for a second. "There's things you don't know about me either." His fists curled into balls then relaxed, his muscles tightening and relaxing with the movement. Sam instantly rose from the ground and wrapped her arms shyly around his waist, pressing her soft form into his back. Her lips brushed the part of the scar she could reach and he shuddered. Finally he turned to her and cradled her, resting his chin on her head as her hand now explored the horrible length of the scar from wrist to shoulder. Sam felt sick that someone could do this to him - for she had no illusions about how he had go it; she understood why it had been done. Anger built in her and threatened to envelope her. Jake felt her shaking and looked down at her, shocked when his eyes met her empty ones. They were black and filled with hatred. What-? "They can't get away with this, Jake," she said quietly, anger laced in each word. "They won't." Jake looked down at her, all her own scars suddenly back on show too, his heart unable to stop racing as he felt how soft and warm her naked body was pressed against his own. At once he understood how she felt, as his own anger reached for the surface at the treatment she'd suffered. He drew her into his chest again, and kissed her sweet smelling hair. No one would be laying another finger on her. Ever. "No, they won't." Shifting Fortunes Ch. 07 Hi guys, well, here we are again :) I owe you all an explanation - not long after the last chapter was released, I left New Zealand and went home to Australia to visit family. Unfortunately, I was involved in a bad car accident there which left me being emergency medi-vacced to the closest hospital. My skull was fractured and crushed and I had an extradural haematoma pushing inwards on my brain. Seriously, you couldn't write my story worse. I nearly died, but a talented neurosurgeon was able to remove it in time. Of course my hair was all shaved off, I got 3 titanium pins holding my skull together, 27 staples in my scalp and 12 sutures, including one in my eyelid which had been torn. I spent about two months in Australia recuperating, then was cleared for flying back to NZ. It took a long time to be back in front of a computer for long periods. After the accident however, of course writing was put on the back burner, and what time I could spend in front of the computer was focused on earning much needed moolah, being a web designer by trade :) I also lost my muse for Jake and Sam, and spent many a night struggling to think where their story was going next, but it was a total blank. Until very recently! I hope you like the turn of this story, I feel it is the right way to go. I love these two and I hope you do too! This chapter isn't especially long, but I thought it was a good length to get the feel for the story again. Enjoy, please comment and rate, I'd love to hear from you, and again so sorry for the massive hiatus :) Kristin (SS) ************************* The next morning, after one of the best night's sleep Sam had ever had while snuggled into the side of Jake, she watched him pull his sweats on and prepare to collect some more firewood. From the floor in the pile of blankets, she watched his fluid movements. He hadn't bothered putting his shirt on yet and she could still see on his back bright red nail marks where she'd clung to him as he thrust into her over and over. Sam warmed at the thought, and Jake instantly looked over at her, a low growl on his lips. Oops. She looked away, suddenly flushing crimson. They had talked late into the night, and one of the things he'd told her (somewhat ashamedly) was that he could scent her arousal - which definitely explained a lot. She felt faintly mortified at all the times she'd been thinking about him like that, when she'd...pleasured herself. His bad temper was suddenly crystal clear, too. A blush lit up her entire body just at the thought. A flash of movement caught her eye, and she watched alarmed and excited as he swooped back down to her where she was lying on the floor. He seemed to surround her effortlessly, his mouth claiming hers in a crushing kiss. Would she ever get used to this? she thought giddily, hands clinging to his shoulders. He made her crazy world suddenly right; more bearable. They broke apart breathlessly a few moments later, and she recognised the predatory smile he'd developed overnight whenever he looked at her. She gasped, laughing a little, leaning her forehead on his. "Jake - wait-" she was cut off again with another breath-taking kiss. She moaned into him and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth and slide it against hers. She sighed happily into him again, and wrapped her arms around his neck, already drowning and losing herself in him. Everything about this man made her happy. The way he'd told her last night that her relinquishing her virginity to him had made him feel honoured and lucky, had been downright sweet and heartwarming. Especially heart warming was the way she'd climaxed hard around his extremely hard cock, Sam thought coyly. She flushed again into his kiss. He pushed her properly down to the floor and laid next to her, still kissing her with abandon. His hands had started to wander. She felt her heart rate speed up and her breath hitch as his fingers fumbled to push the blankets away and instantly delved between wet lips. She gasped as his calloused fingers pushed against her slit, immediately coating themselves in her already copious juices. She was sore and ached a little, but for some reason it suddenly didn't matter. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she was faintly embarrassed at how wet she was already, but when Jake growled his approval and nudged the tiny bundle of nerves, the embarrassment disappeared completely. Sam whimpered into his mouth as one finger circled her entrance while the thumb nudged up into her folds and started circling the little hooded bundle of nerves that lay there. She started panting on his lips, almost unable to concentrate on kissing him any more as her head fell back and gave in to what his hand was doing to her. Jake dropped his head and made her jump as he sucked a tightly hard nipple into his mouth. The combination of his mouth and his circling thumb and finger was starting to make her body ache. She wriggled her hips, encouraging him to press a thick finger inside her. He just clucked against her nipple and drew his finger away again, sliding it back up and down her now soaking lips, while his thumb still circled her now swollen clitoris. Sam closed clenched fists on Jake's hair as he switched to her other nipple. A surge of pleasure shot down from her nipple and straight to the bud he was circling. It was almost painful how stunning it felt. "Jake-" she begged him breathlessly. He was keeping her on the edge, not allowing her to fall. God she wanted to fall. "Tell me what you want, kitten," he growled, his desire making his voice rough. He stilled his fingers so one rested again at her slick entrance and the other pressed gently and fully on her button. His cock leapt with her as she bucked in pleasure against him. "Jake..." she murmured again, eyes unseeing, not understanding, completely lost in the moment. God he'd stopped again. She wriggled her hips again and heard him chuckle darkly. "Tell me," he demanded more smoothly. Fucking male on a power trip, the thought drifting across her mind vaguely as she squirmed, definitely losing the battle as her body screamed for its release. "Do it, Jake," she gasped haltingly. "Make me...come." And then everything in her world splintered as his rough finger pushed effortlessly up into her while his thumb flicked her nub over and over again. She felt her tight pussy contract and pull on his finger, gasping as he forced a second up beside it. She welcomed it as she came crashing down again. Jake kept stroking softly, bringing her down from her high, murmuring soft things in her ear, his whole body shaking, barely able to contain himself. His cock was aching to fill her again, it jumped against his taut abdomen as he felt her shudder naked in his arms, wet on his hands. And suddenly it wasn't a want, it was a need. He flipped her over suddenly so she was face down, pulling her hips upwards, and slipped between the legs of the still breathless girl beneath him. He watched as her eyes opened like slits, blearily watching over her shoulder at him. He watched her weakly struggle to push her hands beneath herself, to help prop herself up against the floor and rest her cheek against them. God this had been a fantasy of his for weeks. He kept eye contact as he pressed the soft, spongy head of his cock against her entrance until he felt it pop inside her. He took a moment to breathe, not wanting this to be over too quickly, and was again wracked by the sensuous moan that elicited from her lips. His eyes traced lovingly over the curve of her spine as it reared up towards the stunningly soft globes of her ass. She was exquisite. He ran a hand over the cheeks, exploring the incredible softness. "So big," she murmured, still dazed from her two orgasms already. His eyes snapped back to hers at the words she uttered, focused once more. She was weak from pleasure, but he supported her hips with his hands as he knelt over her from behind, and nudged her legs apart a little more. Jake's breath hitched at her words. It really turned him on when she made the sounds that she did, proud that he could fill her the way she liked it. He looked down at how the tip of his cock was already buried inside her, and watched as he slowly slid another inch in now, relishing the tight, throbbing walls of her pussy as it spasmed around his cock. "Jesus!" he hissed as her inner muscles suddenly clenched on him, and he was unable to keep the slow pace he wanted. Instead he thrust into her up to the hilt, moaning loudly. Samantha cried out with him as his balls slapped against her swollen pussy lips, her eyes squeezing shut as he was pushed deeper insider her than she had known was possible. In this position, she realised quickly, she was utterly helpless, but for some reason fear didn't reach her. Instead, it turned her on unbelievably to be taken like an animal...their inner animals coming out. God, it's hot, she thought as a head to toe flush lit up her body at the thought, heat infusing her face and she could hear a ringing in her ears. Trembling and sweating, Jake watched her writhe, her back arching into the floor, buttocks meeting him wordlessly as her eyes clenched shut. He looked down to where they were joined, looked at his scar which was quite suddenly back on show, then started to grin. He was going to blow her mind. Concentrating, ignoring her wriggling ass and protests that he move, he held her hips tight and thought about what he wanted to happen. He knew it was working when all of a sudden Sam tried to push bolt up right, gasping in shock, spasming and nearly coming on his cock. "What the fuck, oh my God, Jake!" she screamed, her hands thrusting beneath her as she tried to sit up, but Jake was in complete control and quietly shushed her, pushing her back down gently, trying to ignore her pleas. He propped her hips even further up, so her gorgeous ass was pressed into his belly as he kept himself nested deep, deep within her. He needed to concentrate for this and her pussy was already milking his now engorged cock almost more than he could handle. He took a breath and withdrew his cock almost all the way and looked at it wondrously. He had thought that it would work, but this was incredible. And he slammed it back into her, loving the way she shrieked and hissed and writhed with pleasure. His own cock had been replaced - it had grown at least by two inches and had thickened in diameter. It was now a big, thick black cock and he wanted to give it to her. He pulled it out of her again and wetly thrust back in. And again. The second Jake's cock had lengthened and thickened in her tight pussy, Sam felt it. The sensation of the shift, the shimmer as she called it, stimulating her already well-stimulated walls and clitoris was almost too much. She didn't think what Jake had done was possible, but as he pulled it out, she looked over her shoulder and caught a glimpse of a fat, dark cock that wasn't Jake's start to push its way back into her. Was it possible to be turned on even more than she already was? Is this happening? All the air was huffed out of her at the next thrust and the thought drove from her mind. It was almost like allowing another man to fuck her while Jake watched. Her pussy protested at the stretch, then welcomed it and she started to move with him more, started to meet him again and again until suddenly she was flipped around again, and they had swapped positions. Startled, Sam realised she was looking down on Jake, speared on the huge cock. His eyes twinkled up at her, she nearly missed the mirth so dark were his eyes with lust, but it was there and she could see the challenge he issued her. Every other thought pushed out of her head, she balanced on her knees and carefully, slowly pulled herself up off his engorged cock, then closing her eyes, she quickly impaled herself back on it. Sam fell forward onto him in shock, hearing Jake's grunt of pleasure. It was overwhelming. He heard him talking to her, encouraging her to take it, to take it over and over again, not to give up. His eyes were half closed as he watched, filled with lust at the sight of this beautiful girl taking her own pleasure from this dark cock. The lusty being within Sam rose up and took over after the first thrust. She raised herself back up, and impaled herself again, nearly wincing at the pleasure pain. She finally managed to get a good rhythm going, working the cock deeper and deeper until finally her labia met his pelvis fully. The feel of her pussy lips scraping on his soft curls, and then finally her clitoris grinding against them was her undoing. Sam wanted to hold her orgasm off so badly - she wanted this feeling to last forever - but as she looked into his eyes, her world folded in around her, with flecks of black and silver circling her vision. Her climax was intense, she didn't even notice him bucking underneath her, didn't even notice the shimmer as his cock morphed back into his own as the jet of hot seed was shot up into her. In fact, it was some time later that she realised she was lying on top of him, with Jake's proof of desire seeping back out her swollen pussy again, back onto his stomach. Sam's eyes fluttered open and this time she didn't bother clenching her legs closed to stem the flow. She looked blearily down at Jake's closed eyes - his brow creased in a tiny furrow between his eyes, sweat beaded and hair mussed - and she thought he had never looked so utterly sexy. She happily snuggled back into him and drifted back off into a dreamless sleep. ******* The mountain lion in front of her halted suddenly, and her wolf let out a silent snarl. Not at the lion, but at the sound the lion had frozen at. The highway they'd found a couple hours west of the cabin had led them another few hours north west again until they'd now suddenly reached a busier section. They couldn't see it, but they knew they'd arrived at another intersection. This time there were a few scattered houses nestled in amongst the trees and a small general store with a diner attached on the side. The old neon sign out front had seen better days. 'Ca's Diner' in fact was actually 'Cat's Diner', as they found out when they eventually got close enough for a look. Sam waited on high alert while Jake scouted the area and then arrived back with some clothes that roughly fitted them both. She didn't even ask where he got them from, she just quickly pulled on the red hoodie sweatshirt and size too big women's jeans he'd found with pleasure. It was great to be wearing clothes again. No undergarments, but another quick scout produced two pairs of reasonably fitting shoes for them both. A late night truck hitching in shifted forms without even visiting the diner got them into the next town. They had both agreed it was better to go hungry than have them linked to the closest diner to the cabin. Earl would look there first. It wasn't something Sam approved of, but Jake insisted that they needed to steal some money in order to stay somewhere warm and safe the following night. It helped that they guy Jake chose was an abusive drunk who took a swing at Jake first. His measly $50 still helped cover the expense of the seedy motel they stayed in and paid for a couple of cheese burgers. They both scarfed them down hungrily then slept soundly in each other's arms. It was another three days of stressful hiding and hitch hiking in different forms before they began to relax, especially when they had found their way into a big city. It would be much harder to track their movements from here on out. "I know someone here who could help us," Jake mumbled through his fifth toasted cheese sandwich, as he looked over at Sam who was just happily finishing her second. They were at a backpackers, and had bought a cheap loaf of bread from the local store a couple blocks over, then found some cheese in the backpackers communal fridge. The hallelujah discovery of the sandwich toaster in one of the cupboards had actually been one of the best moments they'd had in the last few days. Sam looked at him mischievously. He had a long strand of cheese attached to his plate, and the other to his chin, and he just didn't seem to notice as he kept stuffing mouthful after mouthful in. "Oh really?" she grinned, wiping her own face surreptitiously. They may have had sex a few mind-blowingly amazing times, but she was not ready for him to see bread stuck between her teeth. She hid another smile at his predicament. Jake bobbed his head eagerly, eyes alight, the cheese bobbing up and down with him. Sam smirked. "Yeah! His name's Derek and even though he's a bit of a weirdo, he's a total whiz with computers and I think he'll be able to get hack my accounts so I can transfer it into another account with a new name so we can withdraw it without being tracked." By this stage, Sam could barely concentrate on what he was saying, the string of cheese was so mesmerizing as he talked. She barely muffled a laugh as she leant across and grabbed the end that was attached to his plate. Jake looked at her quizzically until he realised the piece she was holding was attached to his own face. As Sam finally burst out laughing, Jake just shrugged and threw the strand into his mouth with the rest of it. Sam rolled her eyes, still chuckling. Men. She would never understand them. "Okay, Romeo, let's go find Derek then. Do you know where he lives?" Sam grinned, in remarkably good spirits. This was the first break they'd had in days, she felt like Rutherford was days behind them, and she was desperately in love with this goofy guy sitting opposite her. Jake met her gaze and smiled back at her, the humour dying from his eyes. "I love you, Sammy," he told her softly, reaching for her hands over the table. Sam's breath caught. She kind of knew it, but it was the first time he'd actually said it. "I love you, too," she whispered back, clutching his hands tightly. "Let's go get some cash," he winked and leaned over for a kiss, before dumping their plates in the sink and turning to pull her to her feet. ***** 'Bit of a weirdo' was a gross understatement, Sam thought in bewilderment as she took in Derek's choice of home. It was a tree house...in his own backyard...where he had a house that he didn't live in. He actually had big cables hanging down from the treehouse, a generous term, and leading into the house so he could work in it. Now, she sat and watched him while he worked animatedly in front of a laptop that was plugged into three other screens. There really are no words for this, she thought, her mouth unashamedly hanging open a little bit as it had for the last hour they had been there, still taking everything in. Jake frowned at her from over Derek's shoulder and looked pointedly at her mouth, which she finally shut with a jerk. But...he was wearing silver foil on his head, shaped into a weird cap that extended down over his ears to his neck. In fact the whole inside of the tree house was covered wall to ceiling in more foil. It was like a creepy, reflective, silver room of weirdness. It didn't end there. Oh no. Derek only wore white Y-front underpants. Oh sorry, he also had knee high white socks on. Poor guy, his feet must be cold. Sam rolled her eyes and sniggered at her own thought, which earned her another reproving look from Jake. Derek didn't seem to notice, enraptured as he was at the lines of code and gibberish Sam had long ago given up trying to follow. Both Jake and Sam nearly jumped out of their skins when Derek suddenly gave a loud whoop and threw his hands in the air, narrowly missing Jake's chin. Jake shuffled back on his knees where he was perched on a big cushion near Derek's folded legs, and gave Sam a look. She hid her giggle with a cough. "Done! I've spent a while shifting the money into at least sixty other accounts before laying false trails and reaccumulating the amounts back into another account under the name of Denny Schwartz - your new credit identity. They'll never be able to trace it. I gave you a good credit rating too," Derek wriggled his thick black eyebrows at Sam from above his thick black framed glasses. It made him look like he had a monobrow, Sam thought, fascinated at the wriggling caterpillars on his forehead. She had never seen eyebrows so...bushy...or so much hair on a man's face. Snapping out of it and realising she was meant to be saying something, she quickly pasted a genuine smile on her face, for they did owe him a lot. And he had done it all in under an hour, he had even seemed pleased for the challenge. Shifting Fortunes Ch. 07 "Thank you so much Derek. It means a lot that you could help us. We've been barely surviving on scrap food and pilfering what old clothing we could to get by. Having Jake's accounts will help, I just wish I could contribute," she ended morosely. She didn't have a cent to her name. "You did contribute," he said, brushing non-existent crumbs off his hairy upper thighs. He smoothed a hand over his thick black beard, as he had done countless times during their visit. It was immaculately groomed, which was odd as the rest of him really wasn't. But he had peaked Sam's interest. "I did?" she asked, dumbfounded. "Well, technically your mother did. I transferred the lot in with Jake's," Derek said as he stretched and cracked his knuckles. Jake came to stand behind him, also stretching his legs. They had been sitting on the cushions Derek had piled over the floor of the treehouse the entire time they'd been there. Sam averted her eyes as Derek unabashedly straightened the contents of his Y-fronts, still trying to work over the fact that Annie had had some money left. She'd thought Rutherford would have emptied the accounts! "How much was there?" she asked slowly. "Forty thousand dollars, give or take a bit," the bearded man said, moving over to the other side of the treehouse where a bar fridge stood and cracked open a can of beer. He handed one to Jake too, while the two of them stood dumbstruck. "Did you just say-" "Forty thousand dollars?-" Jake and Sam just turned and stared at each other. Sam's mind was working overtime at all the times they hadn't been able to afford more than meagre supplies, food or clothing. And all this time, her mother had been hoarding away thousands! She wondered at the logic. It must have been for a reason, but it was lost on her at this time. A rush of relief poured over her as she realised that she suddenly had some security, and it threatened to overwhelm her. It was lucky she was already seated, but she still put a hand out next to her on the floor as she felt a wave of blackness pass in front of her eyes. Suddenly Jake was there with her. "Sam, bring your head down," he ordered softly, one of his hands gently pressing her head towards the floor. She did as she was told and was thankful to feel the blackness start to rush away again, leaving her with a prickling feeling and a cold sweat. "Are you okay kitten?" Jake asked anxiously. She leaned forward with her elbows on the floor, thoughts racing still. "I think so," she said breathlessly. "It was just a bit of a shock." His hand kept stroking over her back, and she was aware of Derek leaving the treehouse. Well, who knew it - Beardy had tact after all. She sat up and held onto Jake's arms as she looked into his eyes, but couldn't say anything. His warm honey eyes softened as he read her expression, and they crinkled into a slow smile. "We're okay now, Sam. We can make this work." He touched his forehead to hers. "We can buy you whatever you need to feel secure." She smiled reluctantly at the first thing that popped into her head. "Just don't buy me a foil hat." Jake laughed out loud then, sitting back from her. "Didn't I tell you why? Derek's a mind reader, he uses it to shield himself so he doesn't go crazy from all the stray thoughts in the neighbourhood. He wouldn't be wearing it if we weren't here, that's why his entire tree house is...foil-ised? Aluminum-ised. Silvered. Whatever." Sam stared at him dumbfounded as he rambled on. Well, I'll be. She had just met her first mind reader. She fervently hoped that hat of his worked, because some of her thoughts about him had not been cool. And at some stage during the hour, she had been thinking about Jake and her making love on the cushions on the floor of the treehouse. She was sure she'd even once imagined what it would have been like for Jake to go down on her with a bushy moustache and beard. She looked helplessly at Jake, her face turning red while he burst into uproarious laughter, knowing exactly what she was thinking. He pulled her close again and nestled her head into the crook of his neck while he dropped a kiss on hers. "Kitten, Derek is the least of your worries. Now we have a future. We have something to build it with, and it's thanks to your mother." Sam's eyes finally filled with tears. Her wonderful gentle mother, had inexplicably been putting money away for years, and it seemed now she was coming from beyond the grave to take care of her daughter once more. The thought was comforting and saddening, and she pulled back to look into Jake's sweet eyes with her now blurred green ones, running her thumb over his full lower lip, smiling as he gently bit down on her. "She would have wanted me to be happy. And with you, I am. Thank you Jake. I wouldn't be here without you." *************** SIX MONTHS LATER Jake high fived Sam with a huge grin on his face. That had been epic! Neither of them could wait to try this one out. The huge, golden lion yawned on the end of his chain, scaring some of the other lucky tourists who had paid for this up close and personal photo shoot with the big cat. Both of them had had their photos taken with the cat, placing their hands on its soft, velveteen fur. The tiny rush of energy that absorbed into them was more noticeable when they took a big animal's essence. The last few months had been spent experimenting with their abilities, until they were sharp and honed. Rutherford hadn't caught up with them and as the weeks and months flew by, their feeling of safety and relief grew a tiny bit more each day. They didn't talk about it, but they knew that eventually something would have to be done about him. Jake thought more and more about seeking out his father's murderers, too. They may not discuss it, but they had both made the silent agreement to start seeking out dangerous animals to absorb and build on their abilities. As they practiced, it became abundantly clear that their abilities were far greater than either of them had ever realised. Not only could they morph directly from one animal to another fluidly now in the blink of an eye, they had found that they could morph animal parts onto their human bodies. The first time Jake's claws had come out on his human fingers had been shocking; they had been making passionate love, the essence of a grizzly bear recently absorbed, and as he came, he clenched his hands into the pillows either side of Sam's head as his cock let thick ropes of seed into her. Neither of them had realised until they had come to and feathers were everywhere, the whole cushion shredded. Jake had reared back, surprised first, then Sam had noticed the claws. It had been pandemonium - Sam had screamed, Jake had leapt to his feet, roaring and the claws disappeared instantly. Silence ensued while they stared at each other, and at Jake's hands which were now perfectly normal again, until suddenly Sam breathed "That was so cool!" and had squealed, desperately trying to make the grizzly claws appear on her own fingers, unsuccessfully. Jake's mind was working overtime though. "I could have really hurt you," he whispered suddenly, sinking into a chair in the room across from the bed. Sam stopped looking at her hands and crawled into his lap, buck naked. The thought sobered them both and they were quiet for long minutes. "Then we'll have to get control," Sam suddenly said decisively. She looked at him, and nodded. And so they had practiced. It had taken weeks to perfect, the part-morphs coming more easily to Sam as everything to do with animal morphing did, but Jake achieved control too. Sam's favourite party trick which drove Jake wild was growing a long, sinuous panther tail and little silky panther ears as she padded naked away from him. They also learned some more interesting things. It seemed there were rules. No matter if one of them was morphed into an animal the other didn't have, touching the morphed animal would not absorb the animal's essence. It had to be from a real animal. An animal also had to be alive, even freshly dead did not work. To Jake, this was more annoying, as it could have been easier that way to shoot some of the more dangerous animals in order to gain their essence. Sam was horrified at his attitude, reiterating to him that the animals were gifting the best part of themselves to them, and they should be treated with respect and appreciation. Jake grumbled for a while, before reluctantly agreeing Sam was right. It just made their job harder was all. They travelled the country and visited all the zoos and sanctuaries that offered animals to touch. They didn't just choose the biggest, most dangerous animals either. They laid their hands on everything they could, sure that one animal or other would come in handy one day. Rats, alligators, birds of all kinds, and even a dolphin. The afternoon trying out the dolphin forms in the privacy of a sparkling, secluded bay was one of the most magical days Sam and Jake had ever spent together. The sheer happiness that radiated from the animal within as they learned how to move, breathe and dance like real dolphins did was incredible. They'd eventually burst from the water onto the white sandy shores as themselves, smiles splitting their faces, laughing and falling onto the sand to make delicious love in the warm sun. They'd never felt so high on life. And finally, they had experimented with the more sexual side of their natures. Finding the panther cubs at a zoo in San Francisco was a bonus, as they were able to cuddle one each - Jake held the male and Sam the female. The thought didn't occur to them to try mating in animal form until the day they were able to backpack into a forest and try out the panthers. Tongues lolling out of their cat's mouths after an ecstatic playful game of chase, they rolled together on the bank of a burbling brook, wrestling, claws retracted. Eventually the intentions had become more passionate than competitive, and without realising it at first, Jake's panther clambered up and over Sam's from behind with his erection and penetrated. Sam's panther was ecstatic, bowing down on front paws, purring and yowling as the male panther behind her thrust hard and fast like a jack hammer into her. It was quick, but explosive. Jake's panther finished and fell exhausted onto Sam, who fell out of her own panther into her own form, exhausted and bewildered about what had just happened. She pushed the silky black cat off to one side who was blinking lazily at her and took stock of what had just happened. Jesus that had been hot. She hadn't known female panthers could orgasm, but she was absolutely sure she had, her pussy was tingling, her lower lips swollen and sensitive. When Jake had gotten up and licked all the juices off her human pussy with his rough panther tongue, she had shattered into a million pieces all over again. She had remembered to ask him to do that to her again on more than one occasion. That experiment had morphed into others, the raciest being Sam staying human while Jake entered her from behind as his white tiger - the big cat engulfed her, and the cat's large erect penis filled her completely. The mating was incredible arousing and she had pressed a hand under her to stroke her own clitoris as the big cat thrust fast in and out of her, his weight carefully held off her by balancing front paws on the headboard of the bed. The feel of the silky, furry belly rubbing over her back, rearing over her combined with the panting and chuffing of a tiger set all of Sam's nerve endings singing and burning with a feverish heat. Afterwards the bedhead had been shredded by the cat's claws as he had shot his cat's seed into Sam's spasming passage. That particular climax had felt like it nearly been ripped out of her, so intensely it had come on. There were other experiences, but Jake's own favourite experience had been flying as a bald eagle alongside Sam, learning to use the thermals over the Grand Canyon - the incredible freedom it had brought with it, the awe-inspiring vision, skill and speed that gave him an intense respect for this great hunter. Leaving the lion's enclosure now, Sam and Jake wandered hand in hand over to an ice cream stand in the main zoo centre. Sam pushed the heavy digital camera around to her back as she thrust her hand into her pocket to come up with some change for their ice creams. She handed the coin to Jake and happily looked around her, seeing only the hustle and bustle of families, friends and even some school kids on a field trip. Everyone was smiling and enjoying themselves. She looked up and saw the siamangs high up in the trees to her left and breathed in a happy sigh. She wanted to join them. They had held a baby orang-utan and chimpanzee not too long ago, so the idea really was possible, and she giggled to herself. Maybe not, the zoo keepers would freak out if they saw an animal that didn't belong in the siamang's enclosure. Too bad. Sam took the chocolate dipped cone Jake proffered her and took a big bite off the top. Jake laughed at her. "Why can't you lick an ice cream like any other normal person?" She swatted at him playfully with her free hand. "Because I'm not normal," she grinned and took another bite while Jake chuckled again, licking at his own vanilla cone. "And that there's why I love you." He pulled her into his side happily and walked back to their hire car in the parking lot. Sam finished her last bite of ice cream and wiped her hands on the small paper towel that had been wrapped around the cone. She turned to throw it into the green bin provided by the zoo near the parked cars, but it never left her hands. Instead, she froze, panic seeping into every pore. She couldn't even move for a few moments, though all her old near-forgotten instincts were screaming at her to do so. Was that -? And suddenly, the man she was staring at turned around and shaded his eyes, looking out over the parking lot. The wave of relief was intense and she was glad Jake hadn't noticed. She hadn't thought of Rutherford in a long time, but she had sworn...from the back he had looked identical - hulking, slight hunch, tall, the hair, even the cap Rutherford used to wear. She turned quickly back to the car which Jake had unlocked and was only just clicking his belt in as she slid into the passenger seat next to him. He smiled warmly at her, and she did her best to smile back at him, but he knew something was off. "You okay, kitten?" he asked, concerned, using his favourite pet name for her. She nodded her ascent, then breathed out, not realising she had still been holding her breath. "Just thought I saw...him." Jake looked alarmed as she knew he would and he went to get out the car, but she put a hand on his tightly muscled arm to stop him. "It wasn't Jake. He turned around. He just looked like it from behind, it was just a shock. I hadn't thought about him for such a long time," Sam murmured, numbly tracing her hand up and down where the now pale white round scars were on her upper arm. The cigarette burns were a reminder, but she barely thought about them any more. They were so faded she didn't have to shift them over anymore. Life was good, Rutherford was gone and Jake was incredible. She could never have wished her life to turn out better than it was right now. But she knew she would never be able to fully relax into life with Rutherford still in the world. Jake eased back into his seat, his troubled eyes probing hers still, looking for answers and finding none. For months now, there had been no sign, no word of her tormentor. Sam hadn't mentioned him or had a panic attack in at least three months. Now this, completely out of the blue. He flicked his eyes forward unseeingly. It made him want to twist the steering wheel in front of him into scrap metal. That scum needed to be wiped from the face of this earth. He looked back at Sam and saw suddenly a fire in her eyes. The resolution. The unsaid promise. They were prepared, they were ready. It was time. ***************************** Hope you enjoyed this one, it was a little racier than usual, I wanted to spice it up and utilise some of their amazing abilities in erotic ways. I enjoyed writing it, even got my heart rate up a little as the words flew from my fingers ;) Shifting Fortunes Ch. 08 Sorry for the long wait, but it's time for some new characters to enter the fray and give this story new direction. Retribution is coming, but the plot will need a little time to build. No sex this time, but I hope you like meeting the new Weres just as much as I had creating them :) Huge shout out to Andi for editing and revising this chapter for me until it was perfect :) You're a gem! I tinkered a teensy bit after I got it back, so any mistakes are my own. ——— Katie and Connor gripped hands tightly. They had scented and recognised strangers of their own kind just in time. They were hidden neatly behind a fallen pine tree with debris from the branches scattered over, forming a shelter which hid them from view. Newly fallen snow over the branches helped shield them further. They were ready to change into their animals in a heartbeat, both calling their animals up to just beneath the surface, to lend them strength. Suddenly two Weres burst through into the clearing in front of them, fighting wildly. The two Weres, a male and a female, were attacking each other in full force and by default too distracted by their fight to scent them. Connor watched them through a small gap, saw them striking and chasing - using trees not just as shelter to duck behind and deflect a blow, but also to catapult themselves off of and onto the other in breath-taking style. It was incredibly impressive as they blurred around the clearing, he'd never seen anything like it. He and his sister would not be able to outrun them and they would not survive, so he pushed down the feelings that were screaming at him to run. Their best chance was to wait and hope that their fight would draw them away again. He squeezed Katie's hand again, feeling how icy cold her fingers were. They were ill-equipped to deal with this weather without shelter, despite being able to change into their shaggy beasts, and it had been folly of them to try. But, as elder sibling, he had determined that they should continue to travel while the snow fell. His need to put as many miles as he could under their belt could now end both their lives - not only from the fighting Weres, but also from the icy cold. Connor gripped his sister's hand tighter and gave her a penetrating stare; her fear-filled blue eyes stared back at him glassily and she shivered against him. She looked tired, hungry and scared. He turned his attention back to the two fighting. They were quite evenly matched, and now that his heart rate was coming back under his control, his curiosity was peaked enough to notice that while he most definitely scented them as Weres, they fought in human form. He couldn't see enough, but there was something odd about them - something animalistic though their human side remained in control. He wanted to move to get a better view, but he daren't make a sound. They had seen others of their kind rip each other apart - had nearly been killed themselves by them too. To rile two angry Weres...and yet...as he looked closer and let his senses drift out, he didn't feel any anger, no fury wafting off them, no waves of madness that he was used to as they athletically and gracefully danced around each other with determination. They made no sound, wasted no breath on such silliness and weighed each move before they made it. Tense minutes passed and they still didn't leave. It was then he realised with a jolt that the fighting Weres were only sparring! The thought filled him with a modicum of relief. But still, he kept quiet, waited and watched as their breathing became heavier, neither being able to one-up the other, until finally they both rested with their back against trees opposite each other. Now he could only see the girl's face, and he was overwhelmed by her beauty. Blonde hair, now damp with sweat and flyaway strands framed her face, the length obscured by the way she had knotted it at the top of her head. She was starting to smile as she panted and he noted that she no longer looked animalistic - she just looked like a soft, human girl and she was starting to laugh. He felt Katie twitch at his side as she heard the chuckle from the other girl, but he just squeezed her hand to stay quiet again as he strained to hear the other Were. "You've gotten faster. I couldn't catch you this time," the girl said appreciatively to the man out of Connor's vision. He heard his rich laugh though. "Or maybe you've just gotten slower," the male teased her and he came into view suddenly, leaning a hand either side of her head and leaning down to kiss the blonde. Connor found himself feeling a small spear of jealousy. Not necessarily for the blonde herself, but that these two Weres had found each other and had happiness - they appeared so care-free! How had they achieved it? Did they not know their kind were hunted by their own? Were they part of the faction of rabid Weres that sought the need to wipe every Were from the planet that didn't obey them? He and Katie had barely escaped with their lives, and he knew it was sheer luck that they had made it out unscathed. The two months they'd spent with the pack was the worst of their lives. It had opened their eyes to horrors and a hell they should have never seen. "Connor, I can feel your fear and anger, you're scaring me! We'll be found!" his sister panicked and blasted her thoughts into his mind. Shit!, he thought. He'd taken his eyes off the Weres as his thoughts wandered and when he looked back they were gone. A feeling of dread came over him. He did not think that they had just disappeared off from whence they came. He knew they would have immediately felt his fear that he'd been masking up until that point. His skill in masking wasn't as great as his sister's, but his mental lapse had been his downfall. "Katie, shift but don't run just yet," he whispered mentally to his sister, already lapsing into the brown bobcat that had served them well. His sister had the same bobcat, and they had found using the same animal to be useful more than once when needed. They were each other's double in the bobcat's form. With their ability to mask their scents, they were both able to allow only the bobcat's scent to show through - not their own. This unique skill had confounded the rabid Were pack members and had allowed them their escape - not knowing who to chase, and who was who had been too much for the least intelligent pack-members. The bobcat at his side was tense and prepared to run for her life at his word. He was mournful at the sight of their shredded clothes on the ground beneath them as he carefully wiggled out of the last scrap of his torn shirt. They would have to stay as animals until they found clothing, and that could be dangerous. 

"We're going to have to split up," he was already shushing down Katie's panic and disagreement at his words in her mind. He felt the reluctant agreement settle over their sibling bond and he was reassured she knew what she had to do. Time seemed to stand still, their breath frosting in the air around them. They were here! Connor heard his sister's mental scream and her bobcat's wild snarl as she tried to race out from under the branches. They had waited too long! One huge black wolf and a massive white tiger were blocking their only escape as they somehow dropped from over their position to land in front. Their snarling, snapping jaws were paralysing Connor with fear, ears pinned, paws strained out in front, ready for action. The black wolf seized his sister's bobcat by the scruff as she tried to scurry past and threw her back into their hiding place. **** Samantha's wolf was seized with anger and suspicion as it threw the small bobcat back next to its doppelgänger. The two were clearly animal shifters; their scent was identical, though she had no clue how that was possible. Each should have their own. Sam fought her humanity back to the top and tempered the wolf's hostile gaze down a notch - the impressive white tiger at her side was doing more than enough to frighten the two bobcats into collapsing against each other in a scared heap. Who were these two Weres? What were they doing here on their land? Were they a threat? Many questions filtered through Sam's mind, but logic prevailed. There was no way Rutherford would have sent them - they were untrained and unskilled. They had failed to protect their position, had allowed herself and Jake to get the drop on them, and one had tried to bail with its legs between its tail, while the other just froze in fear. She could feel the fear reeking off both of them. She also felt an odd excitement thrumming through her body at meeting two more of her kind. Jake was all she knew. Sam caught a movement out the corner of her eye, and turned to look back at the white tiger. She could see the question in his eyes as they both took in the situation. The tiger chuffed and quickly darted in to grab one of the small bobcats by the scruff of its neck. It clawed and hissed in anger, its clone immediately trying to come to its defence, only to be restrained in the same way by a big Sumatran tiger which had appeared in place of the black wolf. The bobcat blinked in shock as it tried to take in that this shifter had not only changed from one animal form to another, but it had done so in the blink of an eye. **** "Connor!" Katie screamed in her head as her brother was wrenched from her by the white tiger. They meant to rip them apart! In the blink of an eye, even as she leapt hissing and spitting towards the tiger, she found herself in the same predicament as her brother - in the jaws of a new orange tiger. She blinked in shock. The orange tiger had replaced the black wolf in a heartbeat. No Were she had known could do that - who were these Weres? It became abruptly clear the situation was hopeless. They couldn't fight them, she couldn't fight them - there was no way out, and she was done clawing for her existence. "I'm so tired Connor. I'm sorry," she whispered miserably as she slumped lifelessly in shock and withdrew into her bobcat, counting on her animal's feral nature to protect her from the worst of the pain she was sure to feel any minute now. She was oblivious to her brother's mental screams, muting their sibling bond as she gave in to what she was sure would be a brutal death. *** "Katie!" Connor screamed at his sister mentally even as he hung from the white tiger's massive jaws. The huge cats were loping fast, their weight not even seeming to hinder them as they were both carried away. Where were they taking them? Fear caught in his chest and threatened to cut off his breath as he looked over at his sister in the orange tiger's jaws. She just swung there limp and lifeless. Were they part of the pack? Were they taking them back for judgment and sure death? Their deaths would not be fast - that much he knew from living in the pack. It would be cruel and painful, screams ripped from their bodies in every way imaginable until they would sink blissfully into black oblivion and never awake. They would beg for death he was sure. And yet...his sub-conscious stirred and whispered, he couldn't ignore it. They hadn't harmed them yet - they were being gentle, if not careful with them in their mouths - their teeth had not punctured his skin. He felt no discomfort. His feelings of suspicion, betrayal and deception tried to brim up within him as he watched his sister sway limply in the orange cat's mouth, but he could spy no blood on her fur. The pack's enforcers would take glee in hurting them any way that they could. Connor resigned himself to wait. They would know soon enough. And sooner than he had thought. They abruptly slowed to a walk and the tigers were padding up to a wood log cabin. The windows burned bright and warm with the hint of a flickering fire within. He saw the neatly stacked wood and axe near the door under a small lean-to, protecting the wood from the snow. He noticed the welcome mat at the door and an empty boot rack beside it. He was confused. There wasn't even a scent of another Were around. He tensed himself and looked at Katie again, still withdrawn into herself. He watched as the orange tiger carefully placed her body onto the welcome mat, then used a paw to work the door handle down. He heard the lock click and the door swung inwards. The cat picked his sister back up and carried her into the cabin. He began to struggle again as he lost sight of her, but the cat that held him gave him a strong shake as they followed the orange tiger into the cabin. He gave up resisting at once - his sister was at stake, and so far they hadn't harmed them. If he could play nice, maybe they could get out of this unscathed. The two tigers placed him with his sister on a fluffy rug in front of the crackling fire. The orange one disappeared briefly while the white one kept watch. Connor leaned against his sister, trying to mentally prod her awake with no success. The warmth at his back felt so good and he was so very tired. He snapped out of it. He needed to protect his sister. Suddenly the pretty blonde girl reappeared in the room, very human and clothed. She looked troubled, but not angry. Connor was heartened slightly. He was beginning to really doubt that they were affiliated with the pack. Nothing made sense - not this cabin out in the middle of nowhere, the many touches he had noticed that named this place their home, not a lair. Could they really have just happened upon two isolated Weres? The white cat suddenly disappeared with a flick of its tail and reappeared shortly afterwards fully clothed, and armed with a gun. His fear hissed back into place and he leapt to all fours in front of his sister and spat at them, his bobcat's ears pinned back. He took a moment to assess them. The blonde was soft and not tall - but he'd seen her move in the clearing - she was agile and fast and could fight like hell. The male was big, well muscled and strong. He was at his peak unlike Connor. Despite his bulk, he also managed to move fast enough to keep away from the blonde - he was the one who had used the trees the most to help him launch through the air. And now he had a gun - no doubt he was a good aim, too. They were both highly skilled Weres and he wondered where they'd learned it all from. He wanted answers. "What do you want with us?" he projected loudly at them into their minds. He had the pleasure of hearing the girl cry out and the man blanch with shock at the touch of his mind on theirs. It was a very special ability, he'd learned, that he and his sister shared. Very rare. Only between siblings usually, but even rarer that they could project to others in either human or were form as well. He was glad he had something to put them off balance, because he was feeling very off balance himself. There was zero probability of success if he tried to attack them now - they would simply shift and decimate him or shoot him, leaving his sister unprotected and alone. The blonde was the first to recover. "You can communicate with us in animal form," she breathed. It wasn't a question, and her voice was saturated with wonder. Connor allowed a small moment of pride to shaft in, but immediately pressed it back. Was this a trick to disarm him? Lull him into thinking he was in control? Many emotions flickered over her face, and the man's gun was aiming point blank at his head. He had no doubt the man was a good aim and would not miss his target, moving or not. He let out another snarl. They still hadn't answered his question! "Who are you?" the girl asked as she moved closer to him. "I asked first!" Connor snarled, pushing his intent that he would attack if she got closer into her mind. His mind boggled that he scented no fear off her, only more wonder. "My name is Samantha—" "Sam!" the male hissed at her in shock. The blonde looked at him reproachfully and Connor watched the male roll his eyes. He flicked his own eyes back to the girl to see what she would do. She simply turned back to him with a smile and continued. "I'm Sam, and this is Jake. I've never met another Were before, aside from Jake of course," she said conversationally. Almost friendly. The man's gun was still cocked, and Connor didn't relax his position. Again, he watched the blonde look at the male, this time exasperated, and was surprised as the man sighed and slowly disengaged the gun and lowered it to his side. He felt himself relaxing slightly. He stopped snarling at any rate. "You've never met another Were before?" he asked the girl, still projecting so the male could hear too, interest and curiosity warring with his suspicion. He watched her shake her head. "Nope, you two are the first. Who is your friend? Are they okay?" The girl motioned towards his sister lying behind him and he looked over his shoulder quickly to check on her. He tried nudging her mentally again, but there was still no reaction. "She's my sister," he replied grudgingly, relaxing enough to sit down. His bobcat swished its tail about him, but his ears relaxed and he watched the two Weres intently. He didn't think they intended to hurt him and his sister. He was going to have to take a chance. He didn't want to keep conversing with them mentally either, it was giving him a headache and he needed his mind to be clear. Connor glanced between the male and female and sighed, felt the change surround him, and his human form appeared crouching naked before them both. His sister still didn't move. He stayed very still as he looked up at them from beneath his blonde wavy locks which had fallen over his eyes. It offered him a thin shield to observe them without his eyes giving too much away. He saw the way the male's hand tightened on the gun again, but didn't raise it. He let loose the breath he didn't realise he'd been holding. Abrupt movement to his left signaled the blonde leaving the room and he tensed, ready to shift back into one of his more dangerous animals if needed. The viper was very handy and threw Weres off balance - most of them tending to prefer the mammal variety. The female reappeared with a long coat in her hands which she threw at him. He caught it deftly with quick reflexes. He hesitated then rose quickly, tying it about his big nearly-six-foot muscled frame. He was uncertain what to do now. The small bobcat at his feet didn't even respond to the nudge his foot gave it. "Well, it's nice to finally meet you," the girl smiled over at him. Connor still didn't know what to think, but he tried a hesitant smile back at her, sure now that if he didn't make any rash moves that they would consider a threat, things would be okay. "I'm not sure I can say the same," he said ruefully, rubbing the back of his neck in emphasis where he'd been carried. He was startled by the male's quick bark of laughter at his comment and directed his attention back to him. He was a big male, bigger than himself even. "I was gentle," the male - Jake - grinned at him. The grin startled Connor too - both of the strange Weres had ready smiles now that they felt he was no longer a threat. He was perplexed. This was new. He and his sister hadn't met anyone of their kind who had been kind to them before. They hadn't even met any humans who had been kind to them recently - there was too much distrust in this new world since the Reveal. He wanted to crouch back down again and try and wake his sister, but was unsure if he wanted to give up his stance now he was standing and dressed. Crouching down would put him back in a weaker position. His eyes flashed between the two Weres who were still just watching him quietly at a safe distance and made his decision. Shifting Fortunes Ch. 08 Turning around with his back to Jake was the hardest, but he did. Crouching over his sister, he ran his hand over the bobcat's thick fur. He rubbed the head of the cat. "Katie," he called to her gently. "Come out now, we're safe." I think, he thought to himself, but didn't let his sister hear it. She needed to hear confident words to withdraw her out. She was so much gentler than he, her soft, fragile heart not made for this life. He finally felt her stir mentally and physically. "Connor?" she murmured in his mind. He smiled gratefully down at her as the bobcat's eyes opened and looked at him dully. "What happened? Are we dead?" He smiled at her perplexed expression, even in cat form. "Come back now Katie, it's safe. The two Weres seem okay and haven't harmed us. They're curious about us. The girl hasn't met others of our kind before, can you believe it?" He could feel the two Weres movements behind him as he communicated silently with his sister. He could tell that the female was really curious about their bond. He waited until his sister became fully aware of their situation and suddenly tense. She leapt to her bobcat's paws. Suddenly the shimmer that always appeared around them when the change happened wafted in the air and he was instantly thrown a soft dressing gown for his sister to don. He looked instantly to Jake, ready to growl at him to look away from his sister's nudity, but was surprised to already see him turned around. Connor had to grudgingly admit that was pretty good of him, and turned to his sister as she threaded an arm around his waist and pressed herself to him for support. She looked so frightened, her pale blue eyes staring with mistrust and fear, her unkempt brown hair flat and stringy against her cheeks. "Hi there, I'm Samantha," the blonde girl pressed again, and he watched Katie's eyes shoot to the other female and take in the encouraging smile and friendly position. He felt his sister soften instantly against him. He was heartened by this, Katie had good instincts about people. "Katie," his sister whispered quietly, unable to offer more than her name at present. She was still so unsure, her whole body radiating with it, despite relaxing a little. "And I'm Connor, her older brother," he offered grudgingly. His sister elbowed him stubbornly. "By only three minutes!" she protested, then snapped her mouth shut, the momentary defiance being immediately lost to her uncertainty once more. He watched Jake and Samantha's mouths quirk up in humour. She noticed his sister's glance at the male Were. "That's Jake. Don't worry about him, he's always a bit stuffy to begin with," she said happily, and moved into the kitchen to start preparing some food, not even bothered when Jake grumbled an oath and turned away from them. Connor watched as Jake walked to the front door and carefully placed the gun beside it. He felt his sister relax even more, and so did he. "You hungry Katie?" Samantha asked as she started some bacon sizzling in a pan. Both their stomachs instantly snarled at the scent, not even noticing the looks the two others exchanged. *** Sam sat and watched as Katie and Connor wolfed down their fifth helping of baked beans, bacon and eggs on toast each. They clearly hadn't eaten well in a while. While Connor looked quite fit and toned, he had deep black marks beneath his eyes, and they had that haunted look of having to be on guard for a very long time. They reminded her of her own beginning, when she was also first brought to another cabin in a forest far from here, by Jake. Jake was sitting beside her having finished his own meal, his arm around her shoulders, and she leaned into him. She wished she could communicate mentally with him like the siblings obviously could. She had so many questions! But it would have to wait until they had at least finished eating. Poor souls. They looked young, about eighteen, but she couldn't be sure. Connor looked older than his sister, but Katie had revealed they were twins. Sam's eyes switched to the frail-looking girl at his side. Her brother may look strong and fit, but she looked the opposite - skinny, pale and, well, bony. If she had to guess, Sam would bet that it wasn't just lack of food, but stress that had kept the weight off Katie. Her eyes had started off with that dead look in them, but now they were flickering wildly, and only focused on the food in front of her. Sam exchanged a look with Jake again for probably the twentieth time, and she could tell that Jake was beginning to lose patience. He needed to know the danger that they represented, if any. *** Jake fumed silently at Sam's side. Was anyone after them? Would they be able to trace them here? It was intolerable that his mate was making him wait to find out. They should have interrogated them immediately, but as usual his beautiful Sam was tempering his protective side and he trusted her on this. She had pulled him aside while the siblings were on their third helping with no sign of stopping and told him she'd thought they'd be more amenable to talking and being truthful if they showed compassion and provided them with nourishment first. Exasperated, but seeing the wisdom of her words, he'd tucked into his own meal instead and held his tongue. But now this was getting ridiculous. Five helpings? I mean seriously, where was the girl putting it? He was sure he could get both hands around her waist and overlap them she was so slight. "This isn't your last meal you know," he finally smirked out loud, having had enough watching them eat like animals. The girl looked up at him suddenly, and he saw recognition hit her eyes and he realised she had been miles away, so completely focused on her hunger and the food, that she had forgotten they were even present. His heart twisted and he felt Sam's hand tighten on his thigh where it rested. To be that hungry...they both knew what that was like, and he felt a kinship for the two Weres sitting across from him. Katie blushed and set down the bit of toast she had been tearing at. She finished chewing her mouthful more thoughtfully, her gaze lowered, obviously thinking hard - or possibly communicating with her brother. Connor on the other hand, hadn't even noticed - or cared - that he'd spoken and was still shoveling in food like there was no tomorrow. Jake shot a glance at the saucepan in the middle of the table. There were no beans left at least thank God for that. He focused on the girl who was now back in the moment. "Did anyone follow you here?" he asked the most important question first. This did snap Connor out of his maniacal hunger and the two siblings exchanged looks before the young man set down his own toast and finished chewing as he appeared deep in thought. Jake was just about to snap at him when he felt Sam's fingers flex on his thigh again. Wait, she seemed to be saying. He bit back a sigh. "No, we have been travelling for three weeks without stopping, there has been no scents and no sounds for days. We tried to hide our tracks where we could," he murmured softly, obviously not sure if this was the right answer or if it would cause trouble. Jake was surprised. From the way they'd caught the two out in the clearing, he'd assumed they were just plain stupid. Not so. The brother had tried to cover his tracks, had had the sense to scent and listen. He relaxed. He believed him. He wasn't sure why, but he did. Sam shifted next to him and leaned forward with her hands clasped on the table. "Who are you running from?" she asked curiously. They both watched Connor's eyes flicker with emotions. "The pack," he said gruffly, and his sister whimpered as he gripped her hand on the table. Jake was stunned. "What pack?" he demanded. He knew of no pack. He and Sam had been all over the country and they'd not heard a whisper of their kind and now there was a pack? It was the brother and sister's turn to look stunned. "You don't know of them?" Katie asked, her shock at this reeling her out of her silence. Jake's attention switched to her, his eyes narrowing. "Should we?" She blushed and aimed her eyes at her plate again. Connor cleared his throat. "It's only surprising to us as we have spent two months with them and their pack is large. Their secrecy is their biggest asset, but we didn't know the extent. Most of them are thugs, completely unintelligent. They think of only blood lust, death and power. Their rage is all-consuming." Connor's words were laced with contempt, disgust and rank fear. It was also the longest he'd spoken in their presence. Jake eyed him speculatively. "You were held against your will in this pack?" he guessed. The girl nodded. Connor also nodded ascent. "They seek to grow their pack so that they can eventually dominate the rest of the shifter world, even the humans. They found us and threw us in a dark room until their leader appeared. He gave us two options - join them or die." Jake growled and Sam closed her eyes briefly. "You joined them?" Jake queried, pressing the boy for more information. "Yes. Only to spare our lives. We looked for escape whenever we could, but they were vigilant, purposeful or not. They found out about our sibling bond and told us how rare it was. They treated us as prized possessions even as they spat on us, denied us food and made us sleep on concrete. We were used for communication against our will - they kept Katie with them as insurance in human form so she could relay instructions to me in animal form. They used us as puppets, knowing I would do nothing to endanger my sister." Connor's voice had become stony. Jake felt Sam flinching at his side, but he motioned for Connor to continue. "They made me rob or attack innocent people, incapacitate humans they wanted. I tried not to hurt them!" he burst out angrily, guilt and hopelessness clear in his tone. "They were so angry when I couldn't kill. They beat me and then beat Katie too." He went quiet for a while. "We escaped by using our bobcat. They didn't know about the bobcat - we didn't even think about them ourselves seeing how small and slow it is compared to their much more lethal animals." They watched Connor look Katie in the eyes as he seemed to consider his next words. They blinked at each other and Connor sighed. Jake didn't interrupt. "But one thing that we had kept to ourselves, was that Katie and I can mask our scents." Sam gasped and Jake tensed beside her. Mask scents? That was new. It explained the single scent of the bobcats. "We shifted to the bobcats in our concrete room and masked our scents. They came to fetch us and when they opened the door, we made our move. They always used Katie over me, always would grab her first to make me do their bidding, but they had no idea who was who. Our scents were exactly the same. We were on a more even footing. I darted out the door first and while they both turned to go after me, Katie ran out in the opposite direction. They didn't know who to chase and their moment of stupidity gave us our time. "We dodged and weaved and ran, staying in mental contact the whole time. Eventually we managed to join back up and kept running until Katie couldn't keep going any longer. We moved day and night resting when we could for only short periods, our animals helped us move faster - our skill at masking scents a bonus, they would just think we were coyotes or wolves. We managed water from streams and stole what food we could from the small towns we passed through. By the time we reached your forest we were getting desperate. We needed food, it was freezing and you caught us at our weakest," Connor said grudgingly. Jake sat back and sifted everything Connor had said, measuring his words quietly as he mulled it all over in his head. He felt Sam doing the same thing. No one said a word for what seemed like an age, and the two battered Weres started eating again. He knew there was obviously a lot more to the story, but without even talking to Sam about it, the decision was clear - he knew she would agree. "You are now under our protection," he said abruptly, making up his mind. "You may stay with us or you may leave. We will feed you and clothe you, we can even train you to help evade the pack. In return we just ask that you refrain from mentioning us to anyone that you may meet in the future. We have our own battles to fight and we'd rather stay low until we are completely ready." He knew the last little bit was a bit mysterious, but he certainly wasn't prepared to share. There was however a stirring in Jake at the mention of this pack. Memories of his father's death echoed in his head. He pushed them back down to pull out again when he had time to sift through his thoughts and what it all meant. The two sibling Weres were staring with utter shock, but remained quiet and exchanged looks with one another. Sam was smiling adoringly up at him, not even caught a bit offbeat by Jake's declaration. He had definitely earned brownie points. Maybe he could claim them in the bedroom later, he thought mischievously. He winked down at her and he caught the laughter in her eyes. *** Connor didn't know what to think. They'd been plucked out of the snow, brought into the warm, given clothes and food, he'd told them their story, albeit briefly, and now the two Weres were willing just like that to put them up. It was definitely too much to take in. Was it all a trap? He didn't think so. He was so uncertain. They were being so kind. He touched his sister's mind and was surprised. She felt warmly towards the other two, she was feeling safe and the beginnings of contentment. Her stomach was full, she was warm and sleepy and Sam and Jake felt like the first good people they'd met in years. "Are you sure?" he asked his sister mentally. He could feel her acquiescence but he had to hear it too. "Yes I'm sure Connor. We have to stop running at some stage. I was so sure we would finally die tonight brother. But instead I find myself full and content and feeling safer than I would have dared I ever would again. What is the harm in trusting them if only for a night? I can't run any longer. If we die here, so be it, but we will only die in the snow anyway. Let's discuss this more tomorrow." Connor mulled over his sister's words quietly as he pressed more toast into his mouth, hearing only wisdom. He was so protective of her, but he could also see sense. No separate rooms, though. They were used to sleeping side by side for warmth anyway, and he wasn't sure he'd be able to sleep without her there. He was too used to having one eye open, one hand able to reach out and check she was still safe. Their decision was made. They would stay and see what this new experience would bring. He was finally feeling hopeful, and curious too. Maybe they would learn something from each other. Only time would tell. Shifting Fortunes Ch. 09 Sorry for the wait, I have been thinking hard about where I wanted to take the characters and what the next steps of the story would be. So, to help me along, my question is to all my readers - what do you want to see happen over the next few chapters to these characters? Do you have any ideas or what you'd? Thanks as always to Andi Downs who is a talented writer and put eyes over this copy before I posted. I also want to take a moment to say thank you to the emails I get which send encouragement and also asking when the next chapter is going to be up! The next chapter won't be so long :) – Kristin ** The following few days after Katie and Connor's arrival were filled with cautious hope, thoughtfulness and a forging of friendships. The two girls grew close almost immediately, talking quietly by the fire, or going for short walks around the cabin where it was safe. It bridled Connor, although he didn't let his sister feel it, that his usefulness had come to such an abrupt end. Though young, he was used to looking out for them, for caring for Katie and making the decisions. It was irrational, but it was there. But he could not begrudge Samantha for bringing out a long-lost side of his gentle sister. In fact, he was reluctant to admit that he was more than half in love with Sam by now, as useless as it may be. And, he thought, kind of unavoidable. If he was logical about it, not only was he a red-blooded nineteen year old, but of course he would fall for the first girl who was like him and so sweet to both him and his sister. He knew that Sam and Jake considered themselves a mated Were couple and he respected that. The curiosity of the pretty blonde Were girl would dissipate with time, he was sure, and no-one would be the wiser. Even without all that, he would never endanger his sister that way. Jake was ferocious in protecting his mate. Connor was musing over these thoughts one afternoon while out splitting wood with Jake, amidst a comfortable silence. He liked that about the older male; he was never forced to talk. He was quite lost in his own world, rhythmically swinging the axe up and down, when he was startled out of his reverie by a most unfamiliar sound. Laughter, bubbling and pure from the two girls poured out of the windows of the cabin. He stopped mid-swing with the axe and snapped his head upwards in shock. He could sense confusion from Jake who was waiting for him to split the next piece of wood he'd placed on the block, but Connor pushed Jake's feelings out, only to be replaced by his own bewilderment. His sister was laughing! Laughing, dammit! When had he last heard that sound? Shock ricocheted through him. Connor quickly sent his senses further out to his sister and found their sibling bond. The laughter was genuine and her bond was filled with amusement, warmth and happiness. She felt his presence and without saying a word, she pressed love down their bond and a strong feeling of contentment and gratitude. That was all he needed; he withdrew and let his axe swing down. A slow smile started to drift across his face, lost once again in his thoughts. ** Jake was curious about Connor's reaction to his mate and the other female's laughter. He had been monitoring the feelings in the house nonstop since the twins had arrived, unprepared to leave his mate in danger by doing something so foolish as putting complete trust in the strangers. His mate could do that, but he would not. Her safety was his first priority. However Jake admitted freely to himself that the one thing that was missing from their lives was friends and family. Jake found himself enjoying Connor and Katie's company more and more as the days went by. Nearly a week had passed now since their arrival, and his guard was slowly coming down. Connor was a good companion. He weighed his words before he spoke, he didn't rush to judgement and had shown he could think logically under pressure. He also didn't mind the silence that Jake enjoyed; there was no need to fill it with empty words and conversations. Jake valued this quality in Connor. As he placed another piece for Connor to split, he glanced into the cabin window and saw his mate's shining face, surrounded by her halo of golden hair lit up by the hearth. His heart swelled with pride at how his mate welcomed the twins in without caution or care for herself, no matter what she had been through. She was obviously enjoying having another female around, and he was happy for her. He hoped that she wouldn't be too sad if the twins decided to leave. They still hadn't made a permanent decision either way. But as the days ticked on, and the twins showed no signs of leaving, Jake also grew more accustomed to their company. The cabin wasn't especially roomy with its two medium-sized bedrooms, but the twins preferred to share their room anyway. The wood now split, the two men finished stacking it against the cabin wall and stretched in the cool air, their muscles well warmed. "Still an hour or so of daylight left. Want to do some training?" Jake turned to Connor and quirked a brow, lacing his words with a playful challenge. "You bet," Connor grinned. That was another thing Jake had discovered about the younger male; he was always ready to train. They had started sparring on the second day when Connor had watched Jake training outside the cabin. Being fit and strong was a priority for Sam and Jake's preparation. They exercised daily. Connor started to crouch, then with a glint in his eye, he grinned wider. "Animal form this time?" Jake thought on this. They'd sparred over the last few days as humans, with Jake teaching Connor some new moves so he didn't rely on his animal form so much. Maybe they could do with a shake up, and he was curious about Connor's animal forms. Jake and Sam had travelled far to build up an impressive base of animals, however their human base was equally impressive. A casual touch here and a brush against someone there meant their carefully selected human arsenal included nondescript females and males no one would think twice about, as well as incredibly toned, bulked up and athletic humans. Body builders, lithe gymnasts, triathletes and sprinters were just a few of the stronger humans they had 'borrowed DNA' from, as Sam liked to call it. Another interesting note about human shifting, was that it was just the same as animal shifting - the entire body shifted, including bone structure, muscle tone, organs and tissue. This meant they inherited any athletic gift the human they morphed into had. This was especially helpful if they needed extra strength or extra speed whilst in human form. "Let's go animals today," Jake finally replied. They had tried out a few of Jake's human male forms so that Connor would gain practice on certain types - bulky but slower, or lithe and quick. As soon as he gave his answer, he sensed Connor's excitement ratchet up a notch. It gave away his confidence in his animal form. "Pick an animal and I'll choose a form that I think will work to my advantage against you and I'll explain why." The young man nodded his assent, already stripping his clothing unabashedly. He frowned momentarily before the shimmer appeared and a rather beautiful brown hawk appeared on the ground. It hopped up onto the wood pile so it could sit eye height with Jake. It cocked its head before projecting, "I'm ready, tell me what you would choose." Jake still couldn't wrap his head around the ability to use thoughts to converse in this way. He also hid a twinge of jealousy. But it was useful for teaching Connor things whilst in animal form. This would be a first however, they hadn't been in animal form together since the first night when Jake and Sam brought the twins back in their tiger's jaws, and no one had felt like talking then. Being in animal form and having Connor and Katie communicate them would be interesting. "You've chosen a hawk. It's small, quick and agile. You can use all those qualities to your advantage. It is not, however, a particularly strong bird. I have quite a few prey birds in my avian arsenal, but my choice against a hawk will be the golden eagle." Jake watched the small hawk tilt his head a little as he listened. "He is much bigger than your hawk, his wing span alone will dwarf you and his strength will weigh yours down if it comes to an out and out fight. Your best strategy when coming up against a bigger bird like this is to try and get above it, and stay above. Pester and dart, strike blows where you can, and fly as fast as you can." Jake pulled his jersey off and goosebumps immediately formed in the cold air. "Of course, with practice you can use any bird to your advantage in a fight. Sam and I have trained long hours in the sky. As you know, the main disadvantage of being in bird form during a fight is the height at which you would fall if you were injured. If you didn't have to stay and fight, I'd just fly as fast as you could for the ground and change forms." Jake had finished disrobing and was itching to change forms. "Okay. Ready?" "Ready." And just like that, Connor took off with a golden eagle following behind. As soon as they reached a high altitude, Connor halted his ascent. "It never gets old," he called giddily over to Jake. Jake, who couldn't respond, just hovered over a thermal, enjoying the view. They could see the cabin far below them and forest for miles. The stream that passed through it glittered when the sun poked out from the heavy cloud cover. It was cold up there, closer to the snow clouds, and the boys were thankful for the birds' insulating feathers. The day was getting old and they shouldn't stay up here for long. Jake looked over at the hawk who had his back to the eagle, still looking at the view. Jake flexed his strong claws and let his eagle rise up in him a little more, then swooped over to the hawk and gave him a firm bump to his side. The hawk fluttered wildly having been knocked from his balance, falling a few meters before regaining composure. If a hawk could give a dirty look, this one did. "Hey! I wasn't ready!" Jake's look was easy to read, too; always be ready. The Weres spent the next 40 minutes pitting their strengths against each other high in the sky until they started to tire. Connor's hawk wasn't made for a long battle, and Connor was starting to make some more desperate, strong moves from above on the eagle. Jake felt amusement rise up as he started a headlong dive to the ground. He had one skill that Connor didn't. Connor, seeing Jake dive, threw himself headlong into a dive after him and was quickly approaching. Connor could see the ground spiralling towards them at an incredible pace and he felt his confidence dimming. Was Jake going to pull up? He wouldn't have time to stop his heavy eagle soon. "Jake! You're going to hit you idiot!" But the golden eagle kept plummeting. Maybe he couldn't hear him! Shit! Connor started to panic. He pulled out of his dive as close as he dared to the ground, keeping his sharp eyes glued on the eagle, but all of a sudden it disappeared! He just vanished into thin air. Connor's hawk blinked. Another second later Jake was standing on the ground, calm as anything in his buck naked human form. What the hell?! Connor was astonished. He landed on the forest floor and returned to human form. "How the hell did you pull that off?" Connor cried in disbelief, adrenalin still pumping through his system. The look on his face was priceless and Jake chuckled. He knew he had just been a complete show off, but he still enjoyed the newcomer's reaction. He hadn't had someone new to show off to in an age. At Jake's laugh, Connor shoved him playfully, and Jake backed off, grinning. "Okay, okay. A few meters before the ground I changed into a simple white cabbage moth, then straight back into my human form." Jake grinned nonchalantly as Connor's jaw dropped. "Never underestimate the most unassuming of creatures." Jake shifted into his old faithful wolf form and started on a circuitous route back to the cabin. They were only about a mile away, but he wanted to scent the area around the cabin on the way back to make sure all was well. He was aware of Connor changing into a tawny wolf and following him, his thoughts clamouring into Jake's own head with a thousand questions Jake couldn't answer in his animal form. It didn't seem to bother Connor though, he just kept talking to Jake, finding answers to his own questions and reiterating 'how freaking cool' that had been. Mostly he was dead set on learning how to change animal forms instantaneously himself, while all Jake could think about at how odd it was to have someone else's thoughts in his own head without being able to communicate back. His wolf shook his head and sneezed, then sent up a howl for Sam to hear. Definitely weird. **** Back at the cabin, the two girls watched the young men change into birds of prey and launch themselves up into the sky. Katie and Sam dove to the doorway and craned their heads up to see the tiny specks for a moment before they ranged out of view. "Jake's eagle is pretty impressive," Katie murmured in awe. Sam nodded, lost in thought as she gazed up into the overcast sky. Katie turned to her and stepped away so Sam could close the door again. "How did you find a bird that size?" The girls went and settled back on the deep cushions of the ragged, but comfy couch in front of the fire. Sam took a moment to recall the time they were able to touch the golden eagle. "About 6 months ago. We were at San Diego zoo. A couple times a week they have an eagle demonstration where they fly the eagle between handlers across seated watchers. They always asked for volunteers. We didn't get picked the first three days we went, but eventually they saw us constantly showing up and both Jake and I got to stroke the bird's feathers and feed it some meat. It is always an honour to take on such a majestic bird's form." Katie was quiet for a moment, taking it in. Sam got up to put the kettle on to boil, leaving the young girl to think. Katie's persona had completely emerged over the last few days. She was, interestingly, incredibly talkative, which made up for Connor's usual tight-lipped attitude. The waif of a girl had obviously decided that Samantha was a kindred spirit and had imparted almost their entire life story onto her, as well as a few other tales. It was quite overwhelming. Sam was used to peace and quiet; Jake and her worked in sync, in harmony, they didn't always need to talk, but this was nice too in a different way. A confidante she could share womanly things with too and giggle over. "Do you have any birds, Katie?" Sam asked curiously, pulling mugs out of the cupboard and distributing tea bags between them. She looked over to see Katie leaning over the back of the couch, her nose scrunched up. It was pretty adorable really. Katie was quite childlike and sweet. "We have the hawk you saw Connor in. When we were younger we also had a similar experience to yourselves, although we were able to hold the hawk on our arms using a special glove and it was so tame we could touch its beak. Connor actually remembered we would have absorbed its DNA after we realised what we were. He has a good memory," she said appreciatively. "Also a couple types of canaries and a cockatiel," she added thoughtfully. "Pets," she added in with a telling look towards Sam. "But for all of that, I absolutely cannot stand heights and I hate flying. I only used the hawk once and I nearly fell out of the sky. I crash landed in the ground, feathers everywhere. I'm pretty sure I put a wing out, because my arm hurt for days afterward." Katie shuddered, but Sam grinned. "I have a few crazy stories like that!" They spent the next hour laughing and comparing shifter stories, until the boys arrived back at the cabin, clothes hastily donned in the chilly evening air. "I heard your call," Sam smiled over at Jake, her eyes greedily running over him, making sure he wasn't harmed in any way. Jake's gaze locked onto his lover's with intensity and Sam shivered. Seemingly oblivious to the couple, Connor passed by his sister and ruffled her hair on the way, which Katie hotly disagreed with. Connor just chuckled and continued to the bathroom where they heard the shower turn on. Katie might grumble out loud at the way her brother treated her like a kid sister rather than a twin, but she was thrilled to see her brother looking more relaxed than she had seen him in forever. She had been deliberately giving him plenty of space, showing him that she didn't need him 24/7. She could feel a bit of his resentment to her not needing him as much, but it was good for him. He needed to be his own person and think of himself too. He had looked after her too long because she had always been too weak. After meeting Sam now, seeing what a strong, confident Were woman she was, it made her realise she wasn't as helpless as she had thought. She had power too, and the new thought was thrilling. Seeing this Were couple also gave her more hope than that. She watched Jake and Sam give each other a look that gave even herself goosebumps. Wow! To love each other that much, to want each other that badly. Just the thought made her gut clench and heart twist. Would she ever have that? She had never thought so, being the way she was, being Were. Now, she was also rethinking that. Maybe her match was out there somewhere. And maybe he wouldn't even be Were - maybe he would be a normal human who would just love her the way she was. She lapsed happily into a small daydream that involved a house, a family and a loving environment. Later, as the two men cooked dinner and the girls set the table, the thought flashed back to her again. What enjoyment she could take just out of setting the table. Something so simple and urbane had seemed out of reach until now. Spontaneously, she grabbed Sam into a hug, grinning madly, making the other girl laugh and grip her back. She caught her brother's eye over Sam's shoulder and sent him a shaft of love down their sibling bond. Thank you brother, for getting us here. You saved us. Connor flushed with a mixture pride and embarrassment and shushed her over their bond and went back to stirring the venison stew over the oven, but the small smile that graced his features would not lessen. After dinner, Katie retired quite soon to bed. She was still regaining her strength and tired easily. Sam soon followed, dropping a kiss on Jake's head and using one finger to drift across his shoulders on her way out. Jake's gaze shot up to hers and caught the cheeky look in her eyes that briefly transformed into those of a cat's, before she bid Connor goodnight and left. They hadn't had sex in the 6 days the new Weres had been in their company. This wasn't Jake's fault - Sam had been quite prim about not scaring the new Weres in case they heard them, but this had now resulted with them both being incredibly horny. Jake could barely keep himself seated. The cat's eyes had been a signal. The alluring scent of her arousal wafted back toward him, and he shot a look at Connor. Did the other man scent it too? But the younger male was still talking about the deer they had hunted yesterday for the stew they had just eaten. Jake was satisfied. There was no way Connor couldn't ignore that scent, not even without a glance towards the bedroom, if he could smell it. Jake waited another hour, talking to Connor, watching the other male get more and more sleepy until finally he yawned and headed off to his room. Jake watched the door softly close behind Connor, before removing his clothes in the bathroom and transforming his feet and legs into his white tiger's limbs, stopping the shift at his upper thighs where skin melded seamlessly into white and black striped fur. It was a balancing skill Connor had perfected in case the need of stealth in human form was needed. Now he wanted to surprise his sleeping beauty. Shifting Fortunes Ch. 09 Creeping into their bedroom, Jake carefully closed their door and turned to look at Samantha. It was warm in the cabin, and she was sleeping in a thin white tank top and black cotton panties. Usually she slept in nothing, but her modesty was for the sake of the other Weres in case they bumped into each other on the way to the bathroom during the night. The room was very dimly lit with the curtains shut, but Jake turned his eyes into the tiger's eyes and the room instantly lit up to his view. He carefully manoeuvred over to her side of the bed and extending one finger, he let the tiger's claw grow out of it. Delicately, he used the claw to slowly peel back the sheet that was draped over her from the waist down. She stirred briefly, but did not wake. Jake's erection was straining now over her body, but still he was patient. He wanted very badly to slice his sharp claw straight down the middle of her singlet, but clothes were so hard to come by once they'd shredded them. At that moment, he promised himself and her that when they were truly safe, he would buy her closets full of clothes that he coulsd rip off her body whenever he liked. He smiled a quite satisfied smile at the thought, then continued his assessment of his sleeping lover. His gaze focused on her nipples which were very clear through the white top. His mouth went dry as he stroked over them with the claw, making the nipples harden and pebble beneath the top instantly. His kitten was so receptive to him, even when she was sleeping. He let the claw graze down over her belly, over the thin line of midriff revealed, then down over her panties. His breathing was getting more ragged, his cock twitching with his movements. Fuck it, they're just panties, he growled in his head and very neatly and quickly flicked the claw down each side of the panties, snipping right through. He carefully peeled back the piece covering her soft mound, feeling the saliva begin to pool in his mouth. His little kitten mewled slightly in her sleep and shifted her legs instinctively, parting them slightly, bending one knee outwards. Mischievously, he slid the tiger's claw between her folds and grazed it across her clitoris. Sam instantly flew awake at the sharp prick in such a sensitive place. Her hand flew up sheathed in lethal claws, but Jake was ready for it and caught it with a grin inches from his face. "Hello, kitten," he purred sensuously and kissed each of the claws until they retracted, Sam watching mesmerised. Her breasts were rising and falling fast with the shock of adrenalin, but they weren't slowing. His smile grew bigger as her arousal washed over him anew. "Jake," she whispered, but he shushed her and pushed his claw back between her folds, this time using the back of the sharp weapon to glide up and down her wet slit. She shuddered under him and he lowered his mouth to hers. The kiss was all-consuming. Jake was overwhelmed and staggered against her, trying to retain his balance on the tiger legs. His hands, now fully human came up and held her face to his as his tongue duelled with hers in her hot, wet mouth mimicking what he wanted to do to other wet and hot places. They were burning up. Sam suddenly shoved him off her, almost aggressively. The inability to communicate was fucking hot. Being quiet just made it sexier, and Jake suddenly had an appreciation for not being able to communicate via thoughts. He ran a hand through her hair and jerked her head back, exposing her neck. He felt her displeasure and he allowed a small chuckle. Her hair was suddenly gone from his hands and he fell forward to the bed over her, stopping his descent by planting his hands either side of her. Cheeky minx! She'd shifted her hair to a short, dark pixie cut, before back to her own honey blonde, effectively using her talent to free herself from his grasp. Her own soft chuckle sounded in the dark, quiet room. Her gaze was now wicked and she shoved him hard so that he stumbled back a few steps, the tiger's tail appearing behind him to help him balance. He narrowed his eyes back at her and advanced on her again. Sam held eye contact with him, the intensity in her eyes socking it to his lower plexus. Her gaze slowly ran down his body, over his engorged cock and taking in the tiger legs. He twitched the striped tail for effect. It had the desired response. Sam just about started panting. His little kitten dove down off the bed and knelt in front of him, running her hands up his silky, furry legs and grasping his erection firmly, without any further play. When her eyes met his again, he questioned the sanity of keeping the paws, using her shoulders to steady himself. His kitten obviously was turned on by his appearance, so he stayed with it. Her eyes stayed on his as she opened her mouth wide and took him in. His eyes clenched shut momentarily at the feeling of that hot, tight wet mouth around him like that. Then she started sucking and his eyes snapped back open. He bit back a moan as he watched her mouth sliding back and forth on his cock. The trail of saliva on his erection glistened brightly under his cat's eyes whenever she moved back. It was erotic and sexy and suddenly he was close to coming. Shit! Jake thought as he exploded. He tried not to moan, wasn't entirely successful, and nearly fainted as she opened her mouth while he was coming so he could watch the ropes of white shoot into her mouth. He transformed his legs back to human ones, staggered forward when she released him and collapsed onto the bed. Holy shit. He hadn't come that hard in ages. Maybe this waiting a week had something to it. Yeah, right, he thought to himself, knowing he could never go that long normally. He felt the depression of the bed next to him and his little kitten was smiling down at him, licking her lips like the cat that had gotten the cream. Which technically she had. The thought made him grin and his cock twitched, already starting to harden again. Sam noticed, and arched an eyebrow at him, very pleased. He pulled himself upwards on the bed, still lying on his back and watched as she stripped off her singlet. Her breasts really were stunning, and his hands instantly came up to cup them, weighing them gently, mesmerised as always by how soft they were and yet how hard her nipples were. He leant upwards and latched his mouth onto one, tugging and sucking and licking the nipple within his mouth. The pleasure he gained from hearing her sharp intake of breath and struggles not to moan was immeasurable. Her hands dug into his hair as she straddled him more fully, his now half hard cock tapping against her soft bottom. He switched to her other nipple, the cat's eyes he retained showing his own saliva glistening on her breast now, and it was just as arousing as seeing hers on his own skin. These were his breasts, this was his woman, and he was marking her as his own. He wanted to beat his chest and spear her with his cock immediately, but he held back. She had pleasured him, and now it was her turn. She could call the shots now. Detaching his mouth from her breasts, her mouth immediately found his again and his hands ran up her back as they kissed heatedly. Sam pushed him away again, and whispered in his ear. It was barely audible but his cock sprung to full attention at the request. They didn't do this very often, but he knew it drove her wild. Sam pulled away and smiled at him wickedly, then moved herself next to him so he could get up. Sam then took his place on all fours, her hands holding onto the bed head, legs apart. Jake took a moment to take this pose in, the dim light casting dark shadows all over her body. She looked like something off the silver screen, golden hair almost white in this muted setting. His breath caught in his throat and his lust was briefly tempered by something stronger. Love bubbled up into his heart and swelled it until he felt it would burst. Then he saw her bottom wiggle, and she looked over her shoulder at him, lust and need heavy in her eyes. The love for her lost out now to his need to slake his wicked kitten's desires. He got off the bed and stood at the back of the room, watching her reactions. He could clearly see her slit glistening with her arousal, her breathing was coming more laboured in anticipation, her breasts heaving. She didn't look back. He knew that was part of the fantasy for her, not wanting to know when it was he would touch her. Quietly, Jake felt the shimmer and brought the whole tiger forth. He felt the white tiger's instincts at a female in heat trying to overcome his humanity, and he fought briefly, promising the animal they would take her, but they could not hurt her. Jake eased the tiger back and brought his own lust forward. The huge animal quietly padded up to the bed and carefully, claws sheathed, put his front paws up on the bed. Through the tiger's eyes, he watched Sam shiver when the bed depressed behind her. The cat was so huge, he could easily reach her glistening pussy with his big head with only two paws up on the bed, and this was perfect for what he wanted to do first. Delicately, his big, rough cat tongue swiped up the outside of her slit from bottom to top. He watched her hips buckle and tremble, heard a tiny whimper, and did it again, only a little harder. The moan was a little louder and he gently head butted her to warn her. She looked over her shoulder at him and bit her lip. Her eyes were also cat's eyes now, and completely dilated. They were completely black, most likely mirroring his own, with a tiny ring of gold. No doubt she wanted to show him just how much this was turning her on. His cat's ears were pinned and he drew back his lips over sharp teeth in a silent snarl. Turn back around. Message delivered. Her head turned back around and she ducked it between her hands that were supporting her weight from the bed head in a white knuckled grip. He started to lick her juices in earnest. The big cat's wide tongue stroked over her pussy lips again and again, until he nudged her legs further apart with his head and he got his first real taste as the tongue pushed between the lips and made contact with her dripping cunt. He placed one heavy paw over a leg to steady her as she bucked under his touch and flicked his tongue through her again. He knew the rough scraping drove her wild and he deliberately kept the touch light over her clitoris to begin with, concentrating on firmer swipes closer to her entrance. Jake could feel the tiger's smallish cock rubbing against the edge of the bed as he licked up and down Sam's pussy, and knew he needed to be in her soon. The tiger's own cock wasn't suitable to mate with a human, so he shifted it to a hefty one they'd used before in this situation. As he pushed his tongue into her soaking hole deliberately, he felt the heavier cock press harder against the bed as he moved. Things were getting out of hand. She was making quiet weeping sounds, and he could tell by her contracting pussy she was going to orgasm very soon. He whipped the cat's tongue out her hole and started firm thrusts over her clitoris and after the third rough pass, she was coming. He could hear her muffling her cries into a pillow and as he smelt the fresh flow of juices, he resisted from licking them up, instead climbing up onto the bed fully with the tiger's weight. Without delay, he began to push the thick, meaty cock into her slicked heat. Sam, not expecting the invasion so quickly, bucked upwards in surprise, but it was too late and Jake followed her movement and he was in to the hilt in a heartbeat. The tiger wanted to roar at the ecstatic feeling of her tight, wet heat enveloping his cock, and he wanted to roar with it, but he shushed it back down and held very still, waiting for Sam to adjust. He could feel her cunt spasming around him, little shocks of her recent orgasm still running up and down her body. He balanced on his hind legs behind her, holding steady, and carefully placed his front paws up onto the bed head either side of her hands, giving him better leverage. Jake knew that the feel of the tiger's fur moving over her back and seeing the paws astride of her is what really thrilled her. The complete and utter dominance of such a large beast over her. The submissive side of Sam didn't come out very often, but she always gave in entirely to the tiger and other big beasts. Maybe it wasn't as hard to let go completely with an animal form as a human male form due to her past, but he liked this kinky side of her. It was hot and they both got incredible pleasure from it. It fed Jake's alpha instinct to protect and dominate. He bent his big head and licked her neck and shoulder while he waited for her to give him the okay. It nearly ended him, but he held quite still. Jake could feel Sam fully relaxing, the flood of new, slick juices around his cock easing his passage within her a sure sign she was blazing with ecstasy. He held his breath as he felt her flexing her inner muscles around him, testing how big he felt and how hard he was. He couldn't help himself anymore - he clenched his abdominals, pushed upwards with his paws, and nudged the back of her pussy with his cock; gently, but firmly enough to lift her knees off the bed and send her forward a little. Sam was now hanging off his cock from her pussy. She had to really push herself back onto his cock using the bed head to prevent herself going headlong into the wall. He felt her struggle and he let her briefly, knowing that this was part of the thrill, not being able to do anything but hang there off his cock, her toes clinging to either side of his tiger legs rather than try to hold her up. Sure enough her pussy started jerking and spasming and she was coming on him already. A hefty flash of pride flashed through him as he lowered her back to the bed before her arms gave out. Jake didn't give her much time to recover, he was past waiting now. He had waited all week long to be inside her and he started thrusting. Long, hard thrusts that she struggled to match, until she just gave up and let him fuck her to the tiger's content. All Sam could do was hold on and focus on the big white paws either side of her own hands. Mesmerised, erotic as hell, drowning in arousal, Sam felt the third orgasm swamp her body. Her eyes glazed over, she could barely hold herself up against him and her legs started to collapse. This domination, this experience with Jake as the big cat was the most erotic sexual play she had ever experienced. Being taken by a tiger, feeling the big animal over her, fucking her...it was still Jake, but it was surreal and otherwise unimaginable. Unbelievably, a fourth orgasm was ripped from her almost cruelly and she could take no more; her legs started to drop beneath her. Suddenly it was Jake, human Jake, behind her, holding her hips up as he knelt tight behind her and ejaculated deep into her slick slit. Sweaty bodies pressing hard against each other as they shook silently, both filled with so much pleasure it was all Sam could do not to scream into the pillow below her. When Jake pulled out of her, she struggled to turn onto her back to see him. She blinked and the big tiger was back and he was nudging his head between her legs to lick the combination of seed and juices from her weeping, used pussy. She closed her eyes and cringed as the sensitivity was too much and tried to close her legs, but the tiger's paws prevented her. Too weak to protest, Sam's whole body stiffened in shock as a final fifth, all-consuming orgasm jolted through her spent body, writhing and shaking on the bed until she finally and exhaustedly passed out. Jake, very pleased with himself, tiredly shimmered back into human form and stumbled about the room, picking up the sheets and bedclothes they'd thrown off during their tempestuous lovemaking. Technically, fucking, he thought smugly. Stopping for a brief moment to listen for movement within the cabin, he wondered if their guests had heard them. They had been silent but there were moments that had been almost too much for either of them. The thought took his mind back off the newcomers and back onto his sleeping kitten lying flat on her back where he'd left her after her final climax. The love that had swelled to bursting earlier returned, and he snuggled in beside her, gathering her close into him, his kitten not even stirring. Satisfied and extremely happy, Jake fell into a deep and contented sleep. *** Connor was in agony. He was in his bobcat form outside Jake and Sam's bedroom, masking his scent, but his heart was pounding erratically. Padding as quickly as he could towards the front door, he shifted back to human form to open it, grabbed a heavy overcoat and shoes, and went outside. The cold air couldn't even cool down his burning skin and he quickly pulled the overcoat apart to start masturbating. He'd heard whimpering cries coming from the room, and fearing an intrusion, he had changed to his bobcat. Connor had stalked to their bedroom door, and had been about to smash the door in, when he heard the cries change to a moan and heard a muffled cry. They were having sex! Holy shit! He'd stayed there, keeping his scent masked as he listened to their quiet tryst. He could smell the scent of sex seeping from the room and it made him horny as hell. Earlier, when he'd smelt Sam's arousal, he'd kept his face schooled completely so the bigger male didn't feel threatened by him. He'd learned to not let anything surprising like that show on his face while they were with the pack. A poker face was useful. But having Sam's arousal smack him in the face had been difficult to keep his body from reacting. Now, gripping his cock harder as he tugged it over and over, he pictured her undressed with Jake fucking her. Jesus, he hadn't come in fucking ages. His balls were huge and still swelling, he was going to come so hard. Fuck! He pictured Sam's breasts, then her mouth on his cock and with that last final thought, ropes of cum splattered out onto the leaf-littered ground outside the cabin. He buckled to his knees and put a hand out onto the ground to stop his fall while the other still gently coaxed the last of his orgasm out. He didn't want it to end. He looked down at his slowly softening cock, and ran his hand to the base of his penis and dragged out the last bit of milky sperm to join the rest on the ground. There had been a lot. He hadn't jerked off in what was most likely months. Too much stress, too much fear, and there was his sister to look after. Shuddering, he slowly gathered together the leaves on the ground where he'd shot his load, and tramped a fair way out to not only cool down, but to bury it. There was no way he was leaving his mark all over the ground outside Jake's own cabin. He'd be slaughtered or at least sent on his way, and he couldn't do that to Katie. He smiled wryly after he made it back to the cabin and did a last check. At least it was a good memory. Tomorrow was another day, and he wouldn't lose control like that again. Shifting Gears * * * * * Click Here to listen. (8.5 min/mp3) * * * * * A quickie isn't a bad thing. A fast-pounding breathless fuck that finishes with his shuddering, jerky growly come quite satisfies me. What I don't like is the pressure for me to have an orgasm during a quickie. It just isn't going to happen. Like most women, my body needs time to rev up--but I was made to fly long distances, once I get going. So my logic is, why spend the time and effort to start the engine, when I know we're only going to be making a quick jaunt? There are two things I can count on almost every morning. 1) he inevitably wakes up with an erection in desperate need of attention and 2) it's almost always a few minutes before the alarm goes off, leaving us very little time to play. It doesn't bother me. I love sucking him off, handjobs have recently become one of my favorite things to do, and getting up on top of him has never been a chore for me--watching his face twist and change as I work my pussy around on his cock, squeezing, milking him until he can't stand it and has to shoot up inside of me--what's not to love? There are lots of solutions to ease the ache of that insistent early morning hard-on, all of which are incredibly satisfying... at least, to me. I know, that sounds strange. He's the one achieving an orgasm, but I'm the one satisfied? The thing is--he loves it when I come. He especially loves making me come. Which I get, considering how much I love making him come. It's quite reciprocal. So when he gets to come, and I don't... that leaves him wanting more. Me, though, I'm okay with it. By the time the snooze goes off, I've usually gotten him there and my engine hasn't even done much more than begun to purr. It gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling, but I'm not left with an overwhelming need. It drives him crazy. "Let me lick you." He's still breathless from his climax, his cock slowly waning. "Nuh-uh." I pull the covers up, looking at the clock. I can taste his cum at the back of my throat when I swallow. "We've only got five minutes." "So I'll be late." "Then the kids will be late for school and they'll miss breakfast... not fair." "I wish you'd let me make you come in the morning." "We've talked about this." We have. Believe me, we have. "What's the point in even starting?" "We're just wasting time talking." He rolls over onto me, pulling down the covers. Sighing, I acquiesce. "You know, you can't force someone to have an orgasm." "Ha." He slides a finger into me, drawing out my juices and rubbing them against my clit. Sucking him always makes me wet--sometimes I forget how excited I get just from having his cock in my mouth. "You make me all the time." "Well..." I smile in the dark, my hips moving slowly in response to his touch. It's true, I love making him come, bringing him to the point of no return and pushing him over the edge. "You can't force a woman." "Let's find out." His mouth is soft, liquid heat against my flesh, fingers spreading me wide, tongue lashing. I can hear the kids playing in their rooms, awake already, and a glance at the clock tells me how late we're all going to be. "Please," I whisper, nudging him with my thigh, but my body has shifted gears while I wasn't looking. The engine is rumbling now, low and steady, a heat spreading in my lower belly as he buries his face between my legs. "God, baby, please..." Now I'm not even sure anymore what I'm asking for. Stop? Don't stop? I don't know. I'm hovering, indecisive, between wanting to fly and wanting to stay grounded, and he's pushing me, revving my engine with the thrust and suck of his hot, wet mouth. When his hands cover my breasts, it creates an instant spark between nipples and cunt and I suddenly can't tell the difference, the sensation filling me completely, sending me soaring. "Oh god," I whimper and I know he feels my takeoff, steadying me with his hands, his tongue never stopping it's delicious friction over my clit, focusing there now, fueling the fire, propelling me further into orbit. I can tell he's caught on to my sudden ignition, his mouth moving with even more enthusiasm, lashing against my clit again and again. I'm not paying attention to anything now but the feeling, the rising hum of my body as I coast higher, higher. There's no more ticking clock, no kids calling to each other from their rooms. I'm leaving it all far behind, down there on the ground, everything else growing smaller and unimportant compared to the ascending urgency taking me over. There's a moment of pulling back in my mind, a fear of heights, perhaps, but he senses my hesitation and intensifies his devotion, his tongue bathing me, the hungry, greedy sounds of him filling my head, the gentle pinch and twist of my nipples sending steady sparks down to my aching pussy. I couldn't resist anymore, even if I tried. He's managed to work me into a frenzy, my hips thrusting, my body twisting against the torturous pleasure, wanting to go higher, higher, almost there, god, almost... I don't know how he knows, but he knows. He has to move his hands to hold my bucking hips, and I lift my own breasts, resuming his work there, rolling, tugging, as if I could pull my orgasm right out of my nipples. "Oh fuck, oh fuck, baby, I can't--" I don't even know what I'm saying, but he knows I can, because he's not stopping, never stopping, sending me further over, over, until I can't hold on at all and there's a momentary sense of falling, and then I am, freefall, out into nothing and everything all at once. "Oh god I'm--" But he knows, eagerly devouring every inch of me, taking me there and keeping me there, shuddering in his arms, my cunt spasming again and again with my climax against the wet lap of his hungry tongue. There's no time, no space, no breath, I am simply feeling, flying, completely lost in that moment. "What were you saying about not coming?" He chuckles, kissing my thighs as I shiver my way down to earth. "Shut up." I squeeze his head gently with my thighs, flexing them, sticking out my tongue. "You know, it's not about forcing you..." He kisses his way up my belly. "Or making you..." "No?" He kisses my breasts, too sensitive now, making me gasp. "It's about surrender." I stop trying to look over his shoulder at the clock and meet his eyes in the early morning light. The dawning isn't just there, outside, over the horizon. "Well... learn something new every day." "Every day?" He grins and kisses me. "Promises, promises." The alarm goes off, the final snooze, and the day officially begins... Shifting Hearts Author's Note: Ok. One night I was lying in bed and suddenly this story came to mind. I honestly was thinking about my other series, but apparently my muse decided for me to give this one a shot. So hopefully we will see a positive outcome. "Ahhhhh, mmmmmm, ohhhhhhhhhh -- that's it, Alpha, oh yes, my Alpha, fuck me -- ahh ahh huh," a pixie blonde-haired girl screamed at the pussy pounding her Alpha gave her. Xavier Salvatore Russo responded with only pounding harder and grunting. Still being pounded by her Alphas big cock, the little blonde she-wolf that laid under him on his desk leaned, trying to kiss him in the mouth. Not too keen on the on the pack's females' activities with others, he roughly grabbed her chin, turning head her painfully to the side. "Oww, that hurts. Why do you have to be so rough?" "Why do you have to be such a slut, coming in here to fuck me after you fucked my brother, you filthy whore," he said as he pounded harder into her. Xavier would be lying to himself if he said he was mad; she was a slut. But he realized he could really care less: she was just a piece of ass to sate his lust for the moment. His reverie broke by the sudden urge to orgasm. Grabbing her around the neck, he forced her body back down onto his desk and really let loose, making them both climax into frenzy. "Oh, GOD, AHH YEEAAAAAAAAAAAAH, OH GOD, YES, OH, MY ALPHA," Helen screamed at the satisfaction of being well fucked by her Alpha. The thrill of climax overtook Xavier with harsh grunts and growls. He had to lean on top of his Beta as the hard waves of his climax passed. They both lay, sated in their bliss, for a long passing moment when a witch burst in the door. She opened her mouth to speak, but the sight of them clamped her mouth shut as her eyes dulled with quiet surprise. "Ummm, The Savannah pack called just not too long ago, and they would like to know if you are still on for the evening appointment at nine pm."the girl said. For a moment the girl forgot who she was intruding on and forgot who she was speaking to, until he raised his head. The angry glow of his amber eyes made her spine stiffen. Helen glimpsed at him, then over to the girl and watched realization's fear filter over the girl's face as her eyes softened and her jaw slackened. The girl's mouth worked to speak, but silence made the air feel like concrete. She did her best to turn around and leave but her commanding employer's voice had her rooted right in that place where she wanted to leave. "Have you forgotten who the hell I am witch, huh? Did you forget who the fuck's office you barged into? Or are you just fucking stupid?" "I...ummm... I didn't think, sir, I am sorry." "No -- of course you did not think. You just barged in here inexplicably like you are in charged forgetting your place here on my pack grounds," he said with a growl. Helen smirked at the preview of things flashing in her head. Her growing expression of worry stirred something deep inside as her knees weakened, weight shifting, brows furrowed -- she feared for her life. "I mean sir I was only trying to --" "To do what? AVERT YOUR EYES WHEN I AM TALKING TO YOU, WITCH, DON'T LOOK AT ME! YOU BARELY DESEVERE TO BE IN THE SAME ROOM AS ME, LET ALONE THE PRIVILEDGE OF LOOKING AT ME." He was now screaming at her. The sudden burst from cool calm rage into straight screaming at her always scared her. Part of her didn't know why she should be scared, she had become used to the verbal abuse her boss always inflicted upon her whenever she was around. When he finally began to yell she had no choice but to close her eyes and hold back the tears he was inflicting upon her. In a timid tone she tried to keep her strength and not to show fear: "Sir please I was not--" "Oh, now you are begging and pleading after another fuck up you have made. I tell you what: since you seek forgiveness for another fuck up you made, come clean up the mess we have made, and be grateful that I did not take more drastic measures for your punishment for barging in on me," Xavier said, rising up off of Helen. As she hopped off the desk, Helen's face fought, but ultimately relented to, giggles at the verbal assault the witch had taken. Having been already naked when she came in to seduce the Alpha, she had no problem with walking out naked and shifting to her wolf. Walking to the door, she got one last look at the witch before shaking her head to leave. Just like every other Werewolves that was out there, she despised witches with every fiber of her being. They were at the bottom of the food chain of the supernatural and they always pretended to be something they were not. Ever since The Alliance of the vampires, wereswolves, demons and witches every coven, clan, nest and pack was recommended to have a witch on stand by. This was suggested by each leader to put on an image of peace, harmony and tolerance. And the image before Helen was too pathetic for words. )*( In the corner of her eye, Sallie Mae Jenkins noticed the she-wolf's nasty look that reminded her how some werewolves hated witches. The wolf shifted and left the room. She was now alone in the room with Xavier Salvatore Russo her boss and the pack Alpha. She heard him gathering up his clothes. She could not help herself but to get a quick glance. Although Xavier was a certified asshole and very mean and cruel to boot, she still had to admit to herself that he was a handsome man and had a gorgeous body. She could feel a slight warming sensation forming inside of her. She shifted to her other leg, hoping that would divert the sensation from going to her pussy but by the way Xavier suddenly tensed up, it obviously did not work. "Shit," she said to herself when she felt his angry heated glaze As Xavier put on his last article of clothing, he and his wolf caught a whiff of the witch's arousal; he shook his head in contempt at the witch's quiet pining. He returned whatever the witch felt for him with total disgust. Almost every powerful supernatural such as vampires, werewolves and demons didn't care much for humans, so they sure in the hell did not care for witches. To them, witches were nothing more than humans playing with magic tricks to entertain their friends, but he had to admit they had their uses. Buttoning up the last button on his shirt he walked over to the witch. "I want this office spic and span when I return. There have better not be a single spec of filth in this room, got it?" he said in a low, menacing, cruel tone, and the look he gave her indicated she was nothing better than dirt. Maybe in his mind that's all she was: just pure filth. Releasing a long-held sigh, she responded, "Yes sir," and was grateful that he left immediately. When the door closed behind him, she released a torrent of sobs. She had to ask herself why is she constantly doing this to herself? Why put up with a race that hates you? Then the sudden image of her very ill mother and her coven's head priestess came into her mind. She was there for them -- well, mostly the head priestess -- and deep in her heart she knew her mother would pull through the illness that is taking over her body. She's a tough old witch, so this little mysterious cancer that just popped out of nowhere would be fought to the very end. Taking in a deep breath and letting it out, she went over to the mess they had left. She looked around to see more of a mess when she saw sweat stains on the walls and her boss's leather chair. She wanted hurl in disgust at the mess she was required to clean. "Okay, girl, pull yourself together -- think and feel your magic," she said, shaking her hands in front of her."Oh, look what a big mess I have. There is so much to clean, and I only have soap and water but that does not matter cause I am doing whatever I can to make this office spic and span." She smiled to herself as all the cum stains, sweat stains, loose paper, an overflowing trash can and a dusty bookshelf was all fresh, clean and put back into its proper place. A small smile spread across her face just. She gave the office one last inspection while walking towards the office door. Looking around, she was sure the Alpha would be pleased with her work. Everything looked clean and tidy -- why shouldn't he be? she thought to herself. With no other thought she turned and left the office. )*( Once she left the office, Sallie Mae did her usual work of filing, taking calls from big name corporations that deal with both supernatural and human affairs, and making potions for the pack. She glimpsed at the clock; it was almost time to leave. Which she was grateful for cause she tired. She sat there in her tiny cubicle and waited until six o'clock came around. Since she got everything done early, she hoped that she could get the hell out of Dodge and avoid Mr. Alpha Russo. She had only thirty more minutes to go, and then she would be out of here. If there was any way to hurry up and speed time to six o'clock, she would have. But that would mean she would use magic, and the whole pack would have noticed her using magic. They would cause a fit, and the Alpha did not like the use of magic unless it benefited him or the pack. Exhaling, she decided to use the rest of her time to go over spells and potions. The moment she pulled out her own little book of shadows, a dark, overwhelming shadow perched above her while the unmistakable scent of fresh earth surrounded her. "WITCH!" Sallie Mae jerked back at the sudden outburst of her employers tone. "Shouldn't you be working instead looking at that ridiculous spell book, huh? You are one useless, wasteful witch, you know that? You should doing something productive around this den, but yet you are sitting here reading." "But sir, have you noticed that I am finish with everything you told me to do?" "SHUT THE HELL UP, WITCH, AND YOU DON'T LOOK AT ME! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU?'" The moment he started yelling, Sallie Mae became instantly scared. She quickly adverted her gaze away from him, and shrunken back into her seat "SHUT –" "—THE HELL UP, WITCH! ... "Oh, my God, you are so lucky that my father does not pay you much, because your sorry, pathetic ass would be out of this compound long ago. The six dollars you make per hour you already receive should be cut down to half of that." "I ... I... um ..." "Don't speak when I am talking to you, blabbering idiot. There are a million things you can do around here besides just sitting here, reading this stupid book, and – speaking of which – give me this." He reached over and snatched the spell book out of her hands. "Ugh," he said in disgust as he flipped through the pages. After a moment, he finally had enough and tossed the book to the side. Her eyes started up to him, but his growl stopped her. Once she heard that, she grappled with her anger. If she did not control it, her shields would drop, and she did not want that to happen. "Hear my warning witch, and you better listen good, if I ever catch you doing anything else that is not require for you to do, then you can kiss your sorry ass goodbye off the compound, got it?" "Got it." After a few moments she still felt his heated, hateful gaze, but that feeling dwindled when two eighteen year olds came walking by in nothing but their birthday suits. The twin's cocks bounced up and down as they walked by. Xavier gave them both a nod of acknowledgement. "Good Evening my Alpha," they said in unison. )*( The girl walked down the street with a mixture of confused emotions. One minute she was sad and whining the next she upset and angry at something or someone. Roger could hear her muttering all the way in the sky where he was flying. He took notice to the girl the instant she cut through the woods walking on a path that usually serves as a nice little short to the other side of the city, for humans and supernatural alike. So he knew with the way she was going her job and her home wasn't to far from each other. Although they were both moving at a pretty rapid pace, he caught her scent from all the way above. She smelled of the earth and fresh flowers after a summer thunderstorm. Her scent was so intoxicating that he almost flew into a tree. When he finally came out of the daze of her exhilarating scent, he was able to keep a steady pace with her as she walked through the woods to her destination. When he saw that she was heading into the direction of what looked to be a magic shop, he flew quickly the remaining short distance and landed on a stair rail of the magic shop. "Hey there Sallie Mae how's it going" he heard the older shop lady asked. 'Sallie Mae' he repeated her name over in his head. Such a sweet country bumpkin name for a girl these days, he liked it. Hopping off the stair rail he landed on the shop's window seal to look in on the girl he was lusting after. The image he observed was outstanding. She was made of smooth flawless coco brown skin, a heart shape face, big black eyes, fanned with long lashes, pouty lips and what looked to be a nice big rump all put together nicely in a five foot three package. He even liked the idea that she had stylish cornrows. "I am doing just fine ma'am. Do you have any more panda lily root and orchid candles?" he heard her sweet voice asked. "Yeah, we sure do, we just them in last week. But, they are running out, so you are in luck, we have only a few left." Then the older woman turned and headed towards the back to retrieve the items the girl needed. "Thanks, Ms. Maggie" When the woman stepped away that gave time for Sallie Mae to roam around the shop to look at the shipment. At that moment the girl turn towards him and he saw the startled, shaken look in her eyes. )*( When Sallie Mae turn to her right "Aaaaahh" she let out a scream when she saw a black crow setting on the windowsill l of the magic shop. Her heart galloped in her chest but she was transfixed. They stared into each other's eyes. A pair of swirling, amber eyes stared back at her. Those eyes held so much depth she could have sworn this being had another half to it. It had so much soul in its eyes that could have belonged to a human "Hey, Salle Mae, I heard you scream. What happened?" the voice snapped her out of her trance . Maggie emerged from the back. "Oh, I, um ... was startled by that crow on the windowsill," she said, indicating to the crow with a with her eyes. "Oh, God, I have never seen a crow around these parts, and definitely have not seen one up so close before. I wonder what's its doing here up so close and personal? Oh, my God, look at those eyes!" "I know, right? They are so freaky." Sallie Mae turned her head back to stare at the crow "Well, anyway," she said with a dismissing wave, "this is ... is the last of the orchid candles. And here is the last panda lily root you asked for. You know what – just take them – free of charge." This delighted Sallie Mae all to much. "Thank you, Ms. Maggie. I really appreciate this and everything you do for me." "You take care now, you hear?" "He-he-he ... you know I will Ms. Maggie. See ya." When she grabbed the two items from Ms Maggie, Sallie Mae turned around to look at the crow one last time. His haunting eyes scared and excited her at the same time.She shook her head, like a cat shaking a blow; the demanding boss flashed in her head – so did her sick mother – all stresses she decided had given these eyes deeper relevance in her mind. She left the shop and headed home. )*( The moment the girl left, Roger remained right on her tail. He sensed a trail of fear and unease riding her. He knew he had something to do with her fear; her pace quickened with every block she passed. Her pace became a jog as she neared a cottage that sat far off to the end of her block. The overwhelming feeling of guilt creep up on him when he saw the fear in her eyes as she glanced over her shoulder once more before she ran inside of her home. )*( Fear was all over her body as she walked home. She felt the eyes of an entity that hid in plain sight, but refused to make its existence known. When she made it to her home, she jogged to the door, hoping to be rid of this unseen assailant. She threw a quick glance over her shoulder and saw that her fear could be just part of her overactive imagination. She saw that her front yard – in desperate need of maintenance – and then a squirrel running up her big tree. Using her magic she chanted a spell to unlock her door and stepped into her home. Slamming the door shut with her back, she was finally able to feel the tension easing away. She felt her heart beating at a regular pace now that she was in the comfort of her home. Leaning away from the door, she used a quick magic trick to lock her door, and keep her home protected from uninvited visitors. )*( The moment she turned her head before stepping in her home, Roger ran up the tree and got a good opening on a branch where he was able to quickly shift back into the crow and take flight. I shall make my appearance known, my sweet, just you wait. )*( "SALLIE MAE, WHAT THE FUCK IS TAKING YOU SO DAMN LONG?" Her boss yelled from his office. "I am sorry, sir. But what you are requesting is a near impossible feat and I am the only witch working today." Sallie Mae said while working to mix a brew for him. "Oh, my God, can you get even more pathetic, you fucking witch? Making spells and potions should be your knack -- instead you can't even do a simple potion for my men. What kind of witch are you? A sorry ass one that does not how to do a fucking potion, for Christ's sake." He was now standing behind her looking over her shoulder. She had to stand there mixing a potion that required a lot of energy, time and certainly more than one witch, but Xavier had gotten rid of the other witches that were employed by in the pack because they refused to give blow jobs to a few of the betas. So now she was the only witch working which meant that she worked 24/7. That in itself did not mean the potions were not possible for her to make, it just meant it would take more time to complete them properly. "Can you please be patient, sir, I am trying—" she was suddenly cut off by a yank of her neck pulling her body back very painfully. With a face very ugly with rage, lips snarled, saliva hanging off his lower lip, eyes raging he growled with anger. "You have some nerve talking to me like that. You are nothing but a worthless human that plays with magic tricks, and you are not even good at that. You are wasting my time. I have asked you to do one simple thing but, you came up short like always. Hell, if I didn't find your species so disgusting, the only thing you would be good for is fucking, but I am pretty sure you can't you that right either. You have wasted my time and energy for the last time. I no longer have any use of you. From this moment on, you are FIRED." Sallie Mae landed on the ground with a hard thud. "You have five minutes to leave the property before my betas come and handle you themselves". He said spitting to the ground next to her. Sallie Mae lost all sense of reality and all sense of her being; with that loss, everything turned for the worst. One moment she was on the ground with a hurt neck and throbbing knees, and in the next moment heated rage consumed her. Her vision was clouded with red hot anger "You have wasted one minute by being on the floor too long. Hurry up and get the fuck off my property". At those words, heavy footsteps rushed up the stairs. She knew his betas raced to force her off the compound. She did not care. She just wanted to rip his face off. Shifting Hearts Ch. 02 Author's Note: Can I just say: WOW that I am surprised with such strong feedback, I mean Oh my god, WOW. And with that being said I am hoping that this second will live up to the first chapter with my readers. Let me just say in advance that I am sorry for the delay, and I hope everyone enjoys it. Until next time, happy reading. "You have attacked my mate. You have attacked my mate! How COULD you?!" Xavier felt his wolf come to life at the most wonderful scent known to man But yet he felt disgusted with himself and his wolf because they both knew who his mate was. "I am sorry, I did not know she was your ma...te"He and his wolf raged together, and his wolf demanded control. He's already out. It's his wolf that wants out. "Where ... is she?!" "I ... I ... I --" "She's... she's ... Alpha please ... you are hurting ..." "THIS IS NOTHING COMPARED TO WHAT I WILL DO TO IF YOU DON'T ANSWER ME. TELL. ME. NOOOW." His wolf slipped harder and harder from his control like a wild dog tearing away on a leash – they both hungered for their mate – but the blood's scent carried the unexpected. It occurred to Helen that Xavier did not know what little tricks the witch pulled in order to go undetected for her short time here, not that it would matter though, because witches were no threat to werewolves, so her trying to harm them were laughable. He shifted weight, took a deep breath and widened his eyes with a new calm that still hinted deep tension "Helen I will ask you more time where the hell is my mate? My wolf is getting restless at your hesitance." Locked in the moment, she stared into his eyes. The Digging fingertips grew sharper, piercing her skin with a deep sting, and slice through her skin. At the signs of blood trickling down her neck she knew she had to tell him something quick. "Alright, alright. I tell you please let me go, I promise you whatever punishment you have for me I will take it,but please release my neck. But I must warn you will not like what I am about to tell you," she said mentally to him. "Ow oh ugggggghhh." Helen fell to the ground gasping for breath. She put her hand to neck and felt the painful bruises and gouges that he left behind. "Speak to me now." With tears dripping down her face she spoke in a sobbing, in a hurtful voice. "Last night, after we talked about the witch, I was so angry at what she had done, that I wanted revenge -- for you and this pack. How dare she do what she did? She is beneath us in every way -- she should have not gotten away with it. So I took it upon myself to teach her a lesson." He clutched her hand the hand with which she had attacked Sallie and he inhaled once more. "Did you kill her?" he asked with a mixture of pain small disdain in his voice. Realization dawned on Xavier and his wolf of what they had done to their mate. "No. But as you can see, I did attack her. Look, Xavier, listen to me, I -- ahhhh ugh." She landed with a hard painful thud, leaving her immobile across the other side of the room. She wanted to cry out in pain, both emotional and physical, but the emotional was much worse. How can this low- life, non-deserving, fifthly human be his mate? I don't understand this, this should not have happen to me, she thought to herself. Xavier and his wolf knew they did some more collateral damage upon his beta [when] she came in from being attack by some unknown entity. They both knew they were wrong, but yet they could not hold on to that anger any longer. When she came in from being attacked by an unknown, Xavier and his wolf knew they damaged his beta. They felt wrong, yet they released the anger. He stepped to her and sensed her pain. He stepped to her, his angry face softened with tenderness/understanding. He looked upon the mess he made out of her he almost felt shameful, but when he inhaled the witch's blood again he and his wolf felt more disgusted then shameful. She watched him survey her injuries in hurt glimpses, his face low in shame, but his shame changed like he tasted something foul when his nose twitched at the smell of her blood. They were disgusted because of the way he treated her during her time at the compound, they were disgusted because of what she was, but most of all, and they were disgusted with themselves because they wanted her. This feeling would not go away; they felt sick to their stomach because they wanted her in every way possible Remembering the woman in the office he turns to her with an angry glare. "You have been accepted into this pack. But do note that if you even mention this moment, or the fact that a witch might be my potential mate, the consequences that will befall upon you will be dire. I strongly suggest that you keep your mouth shut about this. Got it?" The she-wolf stared back at him as she witness everything unfolds before her very eyes. In a timid voice she spoke up: "Got it. Is there anything I can do you my alpha?" "Yes. Take her down to the infirmary to get her healed. If anyone asks about what happened, tell them the alpha wishes to not disclose any information. Is that simple enough for you?" "Yes, sir, it is." She rose from her sitting position to cross to Helen and slide her arms under Helen's knees and back to hoist her up. Before leaving she turned back to her new alpha and employer. "Thank you so much for this opportunity, my alpha. I am very grateful." "Yeah, yeah ... whatever. Just do what I ask." She turned and left Xavier alone with his thoughts in his office. "What the fuck are we going to do?" he asked his wolf. His wolf gave a confused whimper in response. )*( When Sallie came to, she felt the pain she experience earlier before drifting away She moaned as she felt her left side numbing from the dissolving pain. When she turned over on her side, she let out a startled yelp as a naked man stared back at her. "How are you feeling darling?" Everything flooded back to her then: Helen, this morning's attack, and the fact that there was a large tiger in her front yard that suddenly disappeared. But then she remembered what he said and put two and two together. "Physically I am ok, I am doing better than this morning, but emotionally and mentally I am still reeling over the attack, and the fact that Helen attacked me out of nowhere." She said, struggling to sit up. Roger came to her side. "Hey, hey, you need to take it easy. You still need to time heal, after that vicious scratch that wolf gave you, and if you keep moving around my salvia won't do any good." She recoiled at that statement. "Saliva? Why is your saliva on my arm, nasty?" "It has healing abstracts in it. I did it so your arm would heal." "I could have healed it on my own with a spell or something. I did not need you." She said with a slight frown on her face. Roger can sense her unease, and slight anger towards him. They both felt it and both knew what it was about. With a slight smirk forming, he easily brushed off her emotions towards him. "That could have been true, but with the way you were loosing blood and slipping into unconsciousness, I doubt it, so I helped you. Although I can tell that you are a witch, and your spells are useful, you could not [have] healed your arm the way I did. So you did need me, Miss Ungrateful," he said with some sarcasm in his voice. She realized that "I did not need you" comment was a total bitch move, so she apologized. "I am sorry if I came off as ungrateful, which I am not. I am very grateful that you were there to save my life today. Which brings me to my next question? Why were you here this morning anyways? What were you doing here, anyways?" Roger cursed to himself at the question. He knew he had to think of something quick, either that or just tell her the truth. Taking a deep breath in, he tried to calm his nerves in order, to let them not get the best of him. "Well, if you have not noticed yet, I am a shifter," to, "Well, if you haven't noticed yet, I'm a shifter." He paused at the expression on her face. Realization spread over her features "Oh, my god, you were the rabbit, too. Ooh my – oh, my god," she repeated. Then something else dawned on her: The crow, she thought to herself, and as her lips parted to ask he volunteered: "Yes, I was the rabbit. And since we are on the subject of honesty, I might as well tell you that I was also the crow you saw that day at the magic shop." Shock plastered across her face, and then anger took over. "Oh, my god, you sick, crazy, psychopath assh -- oww." She wanted to lean up and finish her rant but a sharp stinging pain shot through her arm. "Hey what did I tell you about that arm? You want it to heal quickly now do, ya? With the way you keep moving around, it will take more than thirty minutes to heal." "Fuck. A Caring sympathetic stalker ... who would have guessed." "Well, I would not call myself a stalker." "Then how do you explain your actions of knowing where I live? That's pretty stalker-ish to me, buddy." Let out a laugh realizing her point "Hahaha, I guess you are right. From the moment I scented you out from above, I could not help myself. That day, you were so full emotion that I almost flew into a tree, trying to get a clear understanding from you. One minute you were sad, then the next you were angry. You gave the air one hell of tongue lashing that night, but it did not matter, I wanted to know more about you, but it was not only your emotions tat drove me to you, but your scent as well. She gulped at that statement. From the time she was a little girl, her mother and high priestess always put up shields whenever there came a time to interact with another supernatural species. This not only applied to her, but to all witches, to guarantee their safety. Shields not only protect the witches' scent from a stronger predator, but kept said predator from intruding on their minds and emotions. When they are no longer in said company, they are free to take them down. This reasoning of method was enforce when rumors speared of witches getting murdered, just because an accidental slip up, of letting down their shields for only a few minutes. Whether they were thinking ill thoughts about their employers, having negative feelings about them, or if their scent was too intolerant to bear, for reasons of their own they would got murdered for it. No matter how big or small. Roger sensed this fear and immediately comforted her. "There's no need for you to panic, sweetheart. Unlike most supernatural creatures that you have been around, I actually like your scent. Every time I get an inhale, I always picture myself running in a field of flowers after a summer's thunderstorm. You smell so magnificent, love, and if you allow me, I would love to get know more about you other than that scent of yours." When he stood back up she couldn't help but to stare at his nudity, and get a pleasant eyeful. He stood well over six feet tall, and very lean, but yet extremely muscular. Her eyes traveled down to his stomach, and she had to let out a gasp of surprise. This man had what people called washboard abs, so perfect, and they looked so utterly delicious that she wanted to lick them. And apparently, like he said earlier, he was definitely attracted to her, because just within a few minutes of staring at his perfect body, the head of his cock touched his eight pack of abs. 'OOOhhh, my goddess, that's a big cock. This man is perfect'. Her thoughts were interrupted when he spoke. "You like what you see, sweetie?" She stared back at his face and took note of the huge grin he wore on his face. "I ... ummm ... I guess I do, actually, I really do, and for that reason can you please look inside my closet? There's a black robe with peace signs on it. Can you please out that on for me?" He let out a hearty laugh and turned to her closet. It didn't take him long to find what he was looking for. "Is this little thing supposed to cover me all the way up, sweetie?" he asked, holding the robe up in front of her. "Just tie it around your waist so I can't see your cock. It's distracting me," she said, rolling her eyes. He let out a few chuckles and did as he was told. "I don't understand: how can someone like what they see, but yet they want to cover it up? It's like going to an art museum. People like a pretty painting, but yet they want to cover it up because it makes them feel good. That's a thought process I don't understand about humans." "Oh, whatever. Do you want to get to know me better or not, stalker?" "Alright, Miss Bossy." He walked over and sat down on the bed as they began their interlude. )*( "That little cunt. Of all the bitches in the world does that little vindictive lying cunt have to be my mate? She has no business being in this pack other than to be a fucking slave, but yet Luna has other plans. Why Luna? Why send her to me? Why make me love her no matter what she is?" "Wow, cuz, that little cunt sure is making you hostile. I will feel sorry for her when you take her to bed." His attention was broken by the familiar intruding voice. He thought he asked everyone to give him space, but somehow his cousin Ermanno always undermined his authority like he did now, but he could do that. They were thick as thieves -- always have been, always will be. "Yeah, no kidding. It's just that no matter what I cannot stop thinking about this girl. And not only that, I just feel awful for wanting her." Ermanno came around to face Xavier. His cousin held the punching bag, and Xavier really let loose. "Oh, my sweet Luna's pussy, you find your mate, and she's not what you expected is she." "No ... I mean -- yeah. Shut the fuck up and hold the bag. The little cunt is not that important anyways." Xavier said, punching the bad harder this time around. "Oh, she has to be important for you to be punching the bag extra hard, man. Either that, or she got some good pussy. Tell me her name and where she lives -- maybe I should try it out sometime." As soon as that sentence left his mouth, Ermanno was instantly knocked on his ass with a powerful punch to his face. "Ohhh, man -- what the fuck?" he said holding his bloody nose. "Don't you dare talk about my mate like that, you disrespectful piece of shit. You will not lay a hand on her head." Xavier said, standing over his cousin. Rage overtook him when he looked at the person that threaten their mate. "Jesus, cuz, you can't be serious! I was just kidding is all! Why are you getting so butthurt?" "Because she's our mate, you fucking dick." His wolf was coming out now in full swing, and he did not have any control over it. Everything happened so fast. Ermanno sensed this and admittedly turn into his hybrid form before Xavier could. "Don't you even think about it, cuz. I am older, faster and stronger than you are. You only caught me by surprise with that punch." "You had no right disrespecting our mate like you did. Now I am going to kick your ass." "Ha! I would like to see when that day comes. I am older, stronger, and faster than you are, but, X, you have listen to me. I was--" Xavier attacked. He avoided the painful looking claw that Xavier threw his way and gave him a good right hook to the face. With supernatural strength and age, Ermanno easily pushed Xavier across the room, making him crash into the concrete wall, and causing it to break and crumble down with him. This did not faze him one bit. Knocking big concrete blocks off him, Xavier was back on his feet, ready to go. Being half a century older, and being the general of a supernatural army, Ermanno had more than an advantage on Xavier, despite being Alpha of his pack. The only problem he faced he just did not want to hurt his cousin like he knows he can. But if Xavier wanted a fight he will grant him one. When Xavier charged him, he took him by the neck, shoving him against the opposite wall with ease and causing cracks throughout the wall. "Listen to me, you fucking idiot. I was only joking because I thought you didn't give a damn about this girl. You are the one talking shit about her, remember? I was only joking to see what will happen, and I know for a fact this girl is your mate. Which, I have to say, is no way to speak about your future bitch. Why would a wolf say such things about his mate?" Xavier's struggling died down. Ermanno wasn't the problem, it was him, he realized it was him and Sallie Mae. After he calmed down he shifted back into his human form and gave his cousin an earful. "I am sorry Ernie. It's just ... that ... it's just ... that, I am conflicted with my mate." Ermanno saw the confusion on his cousin face and shifted back into his human to talk to him. "What's wrong with her?" Xavier made sure everyone in the pack couldn't hear their conversation. "She's a witch," he said in a low whisper. Ermanno's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, X, how can that be?" "I don't know. All I know, this morning, when Helen came in from a run, she had the witch's blood all over her paw. The scent had to be the most intoxicating scent that ever came my way. Every time I think about it, I imagine my self running in a field of fresh blooming flowers of all different kinds after a summer's eve thunderstorm. It's so sweet, yet so aggravating, that Luna would stoop so low to give me a human mate, and not only that she's a witch. But you know what upset me the most is the fact that she hid it from me all this time while she was working for me. I didn't know a witch was my mate until Helen attacked her." Xavier so conflicted, and revealed at the same time. He was conflicted because no matter how much he wishes it was not true, a witch is his mate, and then he felt relief because he finally let out all his frustrations. He looked over to his cousin, to get an answer. Ermanno sat there one minute, he wanted comfort his younger cousin for the pain he was visibly in, and in the next, he wanted to congratulate him for finding his mate. But how can he congratulate him when his mate is human -- and a witch? They both sat in silence for awhile, until he broke the ice. "I am very sorry to hear that X, oh, my god, that's awful," he said, shaking his head. "Yeah, I know. And do you know what the most fucked part is? No matter what she is, I can't help but to want her by my side, no matter how hard I try to fight it." "That sucks. No matter what you do, you cannot deny your mate. My best advice would be to kill her, but that would be so difficult to handle in the long run. Oh, man, this is not good at all. What will your father think?" "Nothing, because I will not tell him anything, and I am hoping you won't tell, either, right?" he said, looking up at his cousin. "This is too big, X, I mean a fucking human is your mate. How any lower can it get—?" Ermanno stopped himself from saying anything else degrading. Just like the rest of the supernatural species, he did not view humans all too highly at all. But his girl was Xavier's mate, she was important to him, and his cousin was in obvious turmoil. 'Fucking human. Why, Luna, did you send a human?' He said mentally. "Because Luna is trying to punish me, Ernie. That's why." They both laughed, realizing they forgot they could listen in on each others thoughts. Once the laughing subsided, Ermanno spoke up: "Hey, how about we get dress and head out to Club Naughty by Nature to get your mind off this whole ordeal, huh?" Xavier looked up at him with a half grin. "Yeah I guess so," he said, getting up. "And who knows, maybe you will find some hot little vampire or she-wolf to ease your mind." "I don't know. Maybe." Shifting Hearts Ch. 02 "Oh cheer up, Little X, and let's paint the town red to tonight." )*( Sallie Mae finally let out a breath of relief. She was relieved she would never see her boss again. and, found it strangely relieved that a supernatural create like Roger understood of her situation. Not only did he understand he seem easy to talk also, as well, as to being very tolerant of witches,. She appreciated that the most. But still she only gave few bits of information about her life. She had kept in mind that she just met this man this morning. Plus, he was stalking her. But then again he saved her life from Helen, but she did not feel comfortable with letting this man know everything about her. "Wow that man has really given you a lot of troubles and headaches." "Yeah I know, in fact all of the wolves treated me like some second class citizen. When I went to my high priestess about this, her advice to me was to stick in there and tough it out. Now, I love my priestess dearly but half the time I think she is talking out of her ass." He could not help but to chuckle at her little comment. She was smart, funny, compassionate and very kind. She was everything he had dreamed of in a woman to have by his side for the rest of his life. He wanted to see if he could take things further and ask a few more personal questions but, he don't want to seem too aggressive. He knew he had to take it slow with Sallie. She was cautious and after she had been attack earlier he understood why. She looked at her arm and realized how much time had passed. Her arm was now healed and felt better than ever. She began to roll over until Roger stopped her. "Hey, I know this is sudden and maybe even too early for me to ask... but I was wondering will you go out with me tonight. I mean that's if you aren't busy." She looked up at him surprised at his question. She took another moment to analyze him and debated about her possibilities. After a short pause she finally gave him an answer. "Ok, but I have to do something about my hair. And you have to do something about wearing clothes." "No worries, sweetie. I will dress to impress." He said getting up and heading towards the window. He took her black peace robe off from around his waist then threw it to the side. He opened the window to let the summer breeze hit him. He was going to leave until Sallie stopped him. "Hey where are going and what time are we suppose to meet up?" "Hmm, it's twelve now and I have business to take care of, so how about around nine p.m. we are going this bar and restaurant called The Onyx." "The Onyx?" "Yeah It's on Monroe, Ave. next to Naughty by Nature." "OOOHHHH ok, across the way from the coffee shop," she said excitedly. "Alright then it's a date." Sallie thought that was the end of it until Roger came right back over to give her a quick peck on the cheek. She was confused by his kiss. "Umm what was that for?" "For agreeing to go on a date with me and ... I just wanted too. See you, at nine sweetheart, I'll come by and pick you up." He stood up and quickly shifted into the crow she saw a few days ago. With In the next moment he flew out the window with such ease. She sighed to herself thinking what she should do to her hair before her date. She went over into her bathroom and looked into the mirror. "My hair is a hot fucking mess." She said grabbing the few cornrows. "One side is braided up, and the other I am rocking the afro, but not a hot Pam Grier afro." It only took a few seconds, to realize who could solve her problem. "OHHH MY GOD Pam Grier, black beauty, my girl Jojo." Now feeling happy about her hair she stripped all her clothes and hopped into the shower. )*( It only took her thirty minutes to arrive at the home of her best friend and hair stylist. She called her ahead of time so she that she was coming. A smile spread across her face as she saw Jolenna standing outside on her front porch with her baby on her hip. She had not seen them both in such a long time. Getting out of her car with new found excitement she ran over to her best friend and her baby Ezekiel giving them a big hug. "Hey there little fat baby, how are you?" she said tickling his little tummy. Baby Ezekiel let out a few giggles. "Bitch, don't you see the lady holding the little fat baby?" rolling her eyes she stood up. "Good lord, Jojo you have not seen me in months and that's how you speak to me?" "Of course, honey you should know me about now, hell you weren't born yesterday. And yes it's good to see you too sweetie. Now c'mon let's do something this hair of yours." Her friend quickly turned on her heel and went into the house with Sallie right on her heels. Once she stepped into the home she felt herself relax. The scent of lavender, and chamomile filled her nostrils "Who put up a relaxation spell?" Sallie said aloud as they walked through the house until she finally reached her friends bedroom. Just like she expected a Pam Grier picture set there on her dresser, right next to wonder woman. "I did. I am working my way to become a yoga instructor and getting my own studio. How do you like it?" "I love it. I had no idea you were trying to be a yoga instructor. The hair business is not working out for you anymore?" "Sit on the bed. The hair business is ok but I am getting bored with it. I want something new and fun. Plus I have always liked fitness and health so yoga, will be my dream job. I love helping people and healing them so why not." Sallie Mae sat on the bed facing a tall mirror. In the mirror image she saw Jojo who sat little Ezekiel on the bed. She turned around facing the mirror behind her. She watched Jolenna play with her hair as she took in both their reflections in the mirror. She took note of the beautiful black skin both of them had and noted the different complexions of it. Where Sallie had the smooth coco brown skin, Jolenna was a lighter complexion having smooth light skin like a honey color or caramel. She also took note that her friend was a gorgeous woman with the same heart shape face like hers, big lips, big dark brown eyes with voluminous eye lashes. She looked like a cross between Lauren London and Megan Good but, embodied her inspiration Pamela Grier. "You know you are a gorgeous woman Jojo. I could have never understood why Carlos left you like he did." "Well he did honey, he left me and Zeke so abruptly. He didn't say why, he just did not come home one day." "But you said he was the biological father of Ezekiel and you had the DNA test to prove it although you really did not need it. What happen to you guys?" Her friend let out a painful trying to repress the pain that was swelling inside of her. "Carlos was a good man, and still is but I could never understand why he would suddenly disappear on us like he did. I mean, I was not in love with him, but I did love him because he's a good friend, and was a wonderful father to Zeke." This caused Sallie to gasp in surprised. "Wait a minute you said that you were in love with him, and wanted to be with him for the rest of your lives? You called 'That Pure Black Love'." Sallie said. "Oh hush up girl; I was confusing that with lust. I was young, and simply thought if I masturbated to a guy I thought was attractive it was love. Then when it came time to do the actual deed my fantasies with Carlos went from 'OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH', AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH, to oh is that it? So yeah, I was not impressed within those five minutes, and believe me they were actually five minutes. But those five minutes were worth it now because of that little fat poochie pie lying in my bed." Sallie threw her glance to see the sleeping form of little baby Ezekiel. She thought it was such a shame that Mojo would have to be the stereotypical black single mother. Having a baby by a man that disappears, and does not want to be a father to his child is so common among the black community. She kind of felt bad that she would have to endure raising a fatherless child. "So, what do you want me to do to your hair?" "Umm just make it nice, and sexy. I have a date later on so, I want to look flawless." "Well sweetheart just hold tight. I have been working on hair care spells for a while now, and I got just the thing. Just hold still." She saw Joelenna walk over to her dresser and picked up her spell book. She quickly schemed through the pages, and stopped at the page she was looking for. "Ah ha, here it is I have just the thing. Alright girl, sit back, relax, and let me do all the work. How about a braided up afro? Does that sound good?" "You are the stylist honey, do what you do best." She felt the energy pouring into her as Jolenna touch her scalp. "A woman's hair is her crown, as to what a car is to man. She shall wear it with pride, and will never be snide. You my sistah gal shall be pro with a nice afro." Sallie looked in the mirror astonished at how quickly it was to make her beautiful with just a simple spell. She had neat five braids on the left side of her head that stopped mid way, and the rest of her hair was in a stylish afro, just like Beyonce had in the ending scene of Austin Powers Gold member. "Oh wow, Mojo I love it. Oh my God I am going to be so hot when I go on my date tonight. You are truly amazing thank you." Sallie said getting up to hug her friend. "You are welcome you sexy bitch. Now, don't do anything I would do, or you would end up with something nasty or an unexspecting blessing." She said leaning her head to her child. "Oh please I just meet this guy I am not getting down and dirty tonight. Plus this might be a one time thing between us." "Oh whatever you say honey, you can do whatever you want. Just promise me this, lets meet up later on this week to do some roots, and work on our magic, and spells. How about Friday does that sound okay?" Sallie could not help but feel excitement because she knew she gain something of magical use whenever her, and partner practice their magic together. In Joelenna's case they both would gain something because she knew her friend needed some tighten up in some of her own magic. "Friday is fine, you can show me some of them Hodo magic you do." "And you show all them nifty tricks you pull off to go undetected by other supernatural creatures. I have been having problems lately with some assholes, from a neighboring demon clan in the city." "Oh girl we are in the same boat, I can go on and on about my boss, but we can save that for Friday. Anyways I have to stop by the mall to find something to wear for my date." Sallie said as she made her way to the front door. "Alright, sweetie pie, have fun on your date." )*( "Damn I look good, if I say so myself." Sallie said looking in the mirror at her image. She bought a tight fitting red and black stripe dress at the mall. The dress hugged all her curves in the right places. To add the finishing touches to her outfit she put on black sandal high heels, and she even stopped by the beauty supply to pick up a fake black and red flower to go in her hair. She turned herself around a second time when she heard her doorbell ring. She quickly went to open the door to see a dashing Roger standing on her front porch. Once he got a view of her, she saw that his eyes widen in lust. She treated him with the same reaction she saw how handsome he looked with creased black jeans, nice dress shoes, nice clean white shirt and a black blazer to add the finishing touches. "My God, you are gorgeous, baby." She laughed at his reply, it made her fell good. "Thanks you, you look pretty damn sexy yourself in that outfit." "Alright sexy, ready to go?" "Sure. Just let me grab my hoop earrings, and car keys." The moment she turned around, Roger took the moment to study her body in that tight form fitting dress. She had the perfect body for his cup of tea. Although she was on the thin side, she still curves in all the right places that he would like to squeeze. "Ok I got everything. Let's go." )*( Sallie could not stop smiling. She was hoping she was not looking like a doofus with a goofy grin on her face as Roger kept talking about his life, and what he do. "I can tell by that look you aren't even paying attention to me." "Huh, what? Why would you say that?" "Because of that pretty smile of yours. Normally I would be upset but seeing you smile at me like does not matter. And plus I love the small spot of whip cream, just under those pretty full lips of yours." "What. Oh my god. I am so embarrassed." Sallie said trying to lick off the whip cream off her lips. "Oh baby, please don't be embarrassed. I actually like seeing you smiling at me, and licking whip cream off those luscious lips of yours." "Oh wow what a pervert you are." She said giggling. Her giggling died down when their waiter came over. "Alright you guys I see that you are all done with desert, so here is your check, and is there anything else I can do for you?" "Yeah, you can keep the change." Roger said pulling out a hundred dollar bill to pay for their sixty dollar check. He stood up extending his hand to her, and she gladly took it. "Thank you, so much. You guys have a lovely evening." "You do the same." They both said in unison. They both walked out the restaurant hand in hand. Sallie could feel the callous Roger had from hard work over the years. She had always thought a man with strong manual labor working hands was sexy as hell. She love the feel of roughness rub against her body. "Judging by your hands I can tell that, you work with your hands lot. What do you do for a living?" "I work with planes. I am a mechanic, and I am working my way to be a pilot, in fact I even got my license from Red Wing aviation just yesterday, so as of now I am officially a pilot." "Wow that's pretty cool. Is that why you mainly shift into a bird? Is it because your love of flying?" "Yep. Ever since I was a kid, I have always wanted to fly. I love being in the air in both forms, so I figured why not get my license to fly, and get my own lot of jets and planes." Sallie's breath was caught up for a moment. 'Does this man really have a lot full of planes and jets. I wonder how much money he have to afford that?' she thought to herself. "Wow I can't believe I might be in the presence of a rich good looking guy that is actually interested in me. It feels like I am dreaming, but I know I am not because I wouldn't be feeling this buzzed from two glasses of screwdrivers." "Hahaha. I can rest assured that you are not dreaming sweetie. I am very much interested in you, and I agree with you that do seem a little buzzed after a few glasses of orange juice and vodka. But not to worry we are almost to my car." "Mmmm that's good." She said wrapping her arms around her shoulders. Roger took notice, and took off his jacket, and handed it to her. "Here, you seem cold." "Thank you. You are so sweet." "I can say the same thing about you. Thank for agreeing to go on a date with me." "You are welcome." They finally made it to his car, and Sallie felt relief that she could finally relax herself, but she didn't want this date to end. She was having to much of a good time. "I had no idea The Onyx was this popular, for us to get a parking spot to damn far from the restaurant. It almost felt we walked a mile." She said hoping onto is car. "Well, we are downtown, and it's a Saturday night, so of course this place will be packed." He said sitting next to her. She let out a sigh as she rested her head on his shoulder, and looked up at the stars in the sky. They sat there in silence for a while, until she spoke up. "I really had a nice time this evening. Thank you so much." She could feel him put his arm around her as he bought her closer to him. Out of her peripheral vision she could see him staring at her. She could sense that he wanted to ask something. "Sallie I know what I am about to ask is strange, and might be a little inappropriate, but I can kiss you?" Sallie was taken aback. She would normally not kiss on the first date, usually because most of her first dates were assholes, and that was not the kind of girl she was, but looking into this man's eyes there was something different about him. She really liked him, and he has been so sweet to tonight, and not mention she was really attracted to him. 'So why not let him kiss you girl.' she was about to say yes, but he already beat her to the punch when his lips landed on hers. Sallie was feeling butterflies in her belly, at the exhilarating kiss Roger was giving her. 'Damn this man can kiss.' She let herself go, when she felt the kiss deepen. She let out a little moan when he squeezed her closer to him. When she put her hands on the back of his head to get more of him she was granted with a deep groan of his own. She could feel herself getting more excited, and could feel a big heat of lust coming over her, until everything suddenly changed for the worse, she started screaming. )*( Xavier could feel himself getting excited as the shapely brunette female vampire grinded up against him. But his mind and heart were still conflicted of this morning's revelation "Ohh, baby why you so said? Am I not doing a good job making you happy? I think I am, your dick tells me so." "Yeah X. you have a hot vampire grinding on you, and you got a mean mug on your face. Are you still thinking about that witch?" Xavier shot him a nasty look, indicating that he did want to talk about her. "Alright I'll shut up, in fact I leave for a moment, c'mon baby let's go to the V.I.P." Ermanno said grabbing his companion. Xavier took note that she was also a shapely vampire, with nice generous breasts, but Xavier was not interested in her, in fact he was not even interested in the vampire that was grinding on him as well. He let out a frustrated sigh. He had enough for the night, and needed a cigarette badly. Standing up he looked down at the vampire. "Look sweetie, I am going to take a smoke. Now you are more than welcome to come along so you can get some blood or you can just stay here, it's your choice." "Alright." They moved quickly through the throng of dancing bodies towards the back exit door. Once outside Xavier wasted no time pulling out a lighter, and a cigarette from its carton and started smoking. The vampire was on him the moment he took a few puffs He leaned against the wall letting the nicotine relax him, and the euphoric venom the vampire was injecting inside of him through his neck as she took her fill. He took another drag of his cigarette debating whether he should take her home or not. 'She's hot as hell, her friend and her got nice tits, and by the way she's sucking my neck I bet she could suck one mean dick, preferably mine.' He smiled to himself. When he put his cigarette to his lips for another drag, he stop when the wind pick up the scent of a witch bringing to his nostrils, and this was no ordinary witch, this witch was his mate. And this time the scent was strong. His wolf began to stir awake. Throwing down his cigarette he leaned off the wall and began to follow his primal instincts. "Hey I was not done. Where are you going?" the vampire was instantly a distant memory as he followed the witch's scent. They were so close, they could literally feel her in his veins, and they wanted her now. It did not take them long to find their mate, but when they did they were pissed at what they saw. Xavier could see nothing but red as his mate was being pawed by another man. He lost all sense of control as his wolf finally took over. His goal was to kill, and killing is what he was aiming to do. Shifting Hearts Ch. 02 The moment he grabbed the man around his neck, and flung him off the screaming began. "AAAAAHHHHHH OOOOOOOHHHHHHH My Mr. Russoe what the fuck are you doing?" Shifting Hearts Ch. 03 Author's Note: I did not mean for this chapter to come so late. There were a few complications that got in the way, and one those was me loosing the first draft, so I had create this chapter all over again, with little drive or motivation, cause so upset with myself. Well anyways enough about me please enjoy this very short chapter. "AAAAAAHHHHHH OOOOOHHHHHH! Mr. Russo, what the fuck are you doing? What the fuck is going on?" Sallie found herself screaming at the top of her lungs at the sight of her former boss flinging Roger off her. It had happen so unexpectedly and random that she in a state of panic. ~/~ "Mmmm, she tastes so divine," Roger said to himself as he was engrossed in the kiss Sallie returned. He let the sweetness of the kiss overtake him, and did not realized that another predator was fast approaching. The moment he was flung off her, he immediately centered all his focus to his very core and shifted into an eagle in mid air, leaving his clothes behind. He had not the slightest idea on how he will attack his rival but he will do to the best of his ability. ~/~ His anger raged beyond control. He wanted to murder this guy and watch his eyes pop out of the eye sockets as he squeezed the life out of him through his neck. He was not surprised when the shifter quickly transformed into an eagle. But whatever that thing can transform into he knew for a fact that shifter cannot transform into werewolf hybrid form, so he could easily take this guy He watched the shifter fly away, retreat, before he turned to stare at his mate giving him a spine numbing look. ~/~ This fucking asshole -- he's got to be kidding me. Who the fuck he think he is, firing me, treat me like complete garbage, worked me like I was some Hebrew slave, and now attacking my date? Who the fuck he think he is? And another thing, how in the hell did he get here in the first place? I am so sick of this beast bullshit that I want to scream. He has made my life nothing but miserable since the day I stepped onto his compound and what he just did is the final straw that broke the camel's back. I refuse to let this bastard ruin my happiness. For all that is holy, in the great goddess Isis's name, please give me the strength that I so desperately need.' When she found her inner strength, Sallie felt the divine power the goddess granted her at that very moment Letting her powers guide her, she stared back at the face that made her life miserable for the last few years, and let the powerful energy flow through her, to her hands, and strike out towards Xavier. He was hit with such force that he went airborne for a short distance. The power's strike sent him airborne and then he landed on his back with a loud crack. His howls reduced to whimpering that sounded through the air/echoed into the distance. She sent up a silent thank you to her great goddess, because she knew she would have not been able to conquer her former boss on her own, with her abilities. She needed a small amount of assistance to take down a powerful werewolf like Xavier Salvatore Russo. She also sent a silent thank you to ViVi Green, a shoe designer, as she slipped off, the five inch high heel black sandals when she slid off the car When her feet touched the ground, her pace grew determined as intent flourished up from deep inside -- an intent to hurt ... maybe even kill." As she neared, one step flowing after another in a dance to the music of his short, shallow, hard breaths, while he struggled onto his hands. Every time he rolled to his knees, he collapsed into labored breathing. When she finally approached the crumbled, immobile human form of her boss, she remembered her thank you to Miss Vi Vi Green, and turned the shoe's heel over to the base of the footing, leaving the spiky sharp five inch heel exposed. She stared down at him with utter hatred smoldering in her heart, until it rose like bile; she popped in a left foot into his ribs. He grunted through semi-conscious fog. "Hey asshole ... how does it feel to be pushed around? How does it feel to finally get the shit end of the stick? Huh? You don't have an answer now, do ya? You big bully. And another thing: what were you doing following me, huh? Answer me," she said, giving him another hard kick. This time he let out a more painful grunt. She bent down to turn him on his back to drive the spiky heel into his face. "You are a real piece of work, you know that? First you treated me like garbage, fire me, and now you are stalking me, and you ruined my date with a decent guy, because you are nothing but a monster that like to see others miserable? What's wrong with you?" She paused for a minute to get a good grip on the shoe and get a good angle. "But you know what? That won't matter anymore, because I am going to put an end to this right now." Sallie finished him off with her heel, but when her heel was just a quarter of an inch away from Xavier, she was suddenly grabbed from behind in a tight grip. Whoever this person was, their energy came was pure black and smelled of sulfur. She thought it would be another witch that plays with Hodo magic, but this was magic slightly different. This one was demonic. "Fuck," she said before she slipped into unconsciousness. ~/~ Xavier was in unbearable pain. His insides burned. Powerful electrical bolts ran though him every millisecond, making jump in shock while in mid air. He recalled the straw that broke the camels' back landing hard on the concrete pavement. Whatever the witch hit him with was something powerful. It left him paralyzed all over with pain. He shifted to his human form hoping that would make things better, but that only made things worse. He relaxed and wondered if the pain would ever end through his pain, his ears perked at the soft footsteps of his mate coming towards him. He scanned her, but he found himself staring at her bare feet. The moment she reached him she gave him an earful: All of the things she said to him -- calling him an asshole, asking him how it feels to be pushed around, getting the shit end of the stick, and finally calling him a big bully. He felt her turn him over so they faced each other, and the look in her eyes stunned him. He saw nothing but pain hatred in them -- that and the intent to kill -- as she continued her rant. He smelled the hatred and vengeance that radiated off her in waves, and hear pain the in her voice. He called out for Ermanno, but he did not get a reply. The moment she bent at her knees to be closer to his side, he took notice of a five inch sharp spiky heel she was holding at the base with the other end accessible for damage. He watched as she raised the shoe inches away from her head, and he felt the inevitable was on it's way, but it did not happen. Right at the moment she decided to take a swing at his head, assuring him that he would be permanently brain dead, Ermanno was right there. He watched as Ermanno bear-hug her from behind and simply let his powers do the rest. She struggled to not let Ermanno's essence overpower her, but she fought fighting a losing battle with Ermanno. Her head finally dropped towards her chest, and her body went limp, dropping the shoes she aiming aimed to kill him with fell to the ground. "Damn. How did this little lady knock you on your ass, X?" "Shut up, not now, just help me get off this concrete and use your demon skills to heal me." "What about the girl? Should I throw her over a bridge, or do you want to kill her yourself?" He examined her unconscious body with a smile. "I, for one, would love to torture this little human." He leered up and down. "Make sure she knows her place in this world ... like all humans should." "You would not harm her in any way, shape, or form. If you do, I will kill you myself. In fact, put her down -- NOW." "Oh shit, this is your mate? If she knocked you down on your ass how are you going to tame her? What kind of Alpha would you be if you let your little mate run all over you?" "Would you shut the hell up and help me up -- and help me do something with her?" "Fine, but you really need to think things over with your mate." With a wave of his hand Sallie suddenly vanished out of sight. "What the hell did you do with her? She better --" "Calm down cousin, she's fine. I just teleported her back to my bedroom, where she will be locked up safe and sound. No one will bother her, my servants know not to go in my bedroom with out my permission. Now enough about her. Let's get you healed up." Ermanno bent down, lifting Xavier with such ease by one of his forearms. It did not take long for whatever the witch hit him with to be easily subsided, and for him to get back up on his feet feeling like he did before he got hit with a ton of lighting. "Are you going to tell me what happen now, or am I going have to wait?" "You are going have to wait 'til later, but until then, be thankful that no one saw us, or if they did, they know better not to report us, and help me get some clothes." Ermanno rolled his eyes, and shook his head. ~/~ Roger had no idea how he was going to back his revenge on the werewolf. Not only did he have to figure out get his revenge, he also had to get back to the woman he courted He really did not mean to fly away like he did, but he had no other alternative. He had no idea how to defeat a werewolf in its or his warrior form, and he had no idea what animal he could shift into that was bigger than a werewolf, that he physically saw and could duplicate. He watched everything unfold before his very eyes from a far distance. One moment, excitement came over him when he saw Sallie blasted the werewolf on his ass, and within that same moment, he felt his heart leap into his throat at the sight of Sallie aiming her high heel to kill the werewolf. In the nick of time, another wolf grabbed her from her behind, and everything went downhill from there. He sat there and watched as this new were.put Sallie under a sleeping spell of some kind, and then in less than five seconds, with a wave of his hand, she was gone into thin air. It didn't take long for Roger to put two and two together when he sniffed the air to find brimstone radiating off the second werewolf. Demon blood. He has to be a half-breed. Letting out an angry sigh, he had no other choice but head home and figure out the rest later. ~/~ When Sallie woke up, she still smelled the fire and brimstone around her. She still had a hard time coming out of the cloudy haze the demon left upon her, but she eventually came through. She rolled over in the giant, unfamiliar canopy bed. She rose up to get good look around the room to realize she was in a different a setting. She hopped off the bed to pace the room frantically. She took in all the unfamiliar things around her. She was in a large room, that was decorated with black, red, and dark brown. The walls were painted in a dark brown that, it almost looked black. She scanned the unfamiliar room of black walls that made her stare hard to see their true dark brown hue. Red throw pillows punctuated a black leather sofa in the farthest left corner before her gaze lingered across to a giant mahogany desk. She let out a startled scream when she felt something funny against the bottom of her foot. When she looked down silliness came over her as she realize it was nothing but a pair of dark fuchsia pink panties. She flung them aside and let her confusion at the new place linger. When she spotted a window, she ran to it, putting all of her energy into opening it or break it, but someone, had a strong ward on it. She finally giving up in defeat, she sighed. "Fuck. This would happen to me. All because of that asshole Russo. Why is this happening to me?" "I should be asking you the same thing." "Ahhh!" She jumped in fear at the familiar voice she grew to hate. She turned around, seeing her former boss naked, and a man tall man with reddish brown hair, with a crazy looking tattoo on the right side of his face, and a scaring looking scar on his cheek. She took a good look at both of them before setting her sights on Xavier with an angry glare. "That's pretty funny coming from the monster that caused all this. Tell me, Mr.Russo, are you going to rape me first, then kill me just to prove a point of how much of a monster you are, because somehow you think me being captured like a rodent is my fault? Typical of you monsters." "Yes I do. Being what you are caused all of this from the get go. Now sit down, we need to talk." "Ha! Talk about what? How are you going to kill me in this sleazy ass bedroom?" Ermanno felt himself getting upset at witch for her attitude. "Watch who you are speaking to, witch Her eyes shot up in fear at the deep, resounding voice of the man that stood next to Xavier. His voice alone sent shivers down her spine in the most terrifying way. It was like James Earl Jones with a harder edge. Although she was afraid, she thought she could stand her ground, at least for a little while. "Or what? I will punish? For standing up for myself against two werewolves that view me as nothing more than dirt at the bottom of their shoes? Are you serious?" Xavier saw pained the expression on her face as she said this. Somewhere deep inside, he regretted all the things he put her through. He really needed to speak with her, but with the way she was smelling, she would be too afraid to speak with Ermanno in the room with them. "Ermanno -- can you please step out for a minute, please?" His cousin gave him an unsure look at his request. "Are you sure?" "Yes. You are terrifying her." "Ha. Good. Call me if you need anything."With that Ermanno vanished. "Which one of his parents is the demon?" when Ermanno dematerialize before her very eyes. Just judging by the power he oozed, he was not the demon or wolf to mess with. "Not that it is any of your business, but his father is the demon. In fact, both are very powerful demons that you would never want to cross ever in your life." "Umm ... have you heard what you just said? I should know as much as possible about him. I need to know the person that will bring harm against me." "He would not do. Despite being what you are, he wouldn't betray my trust like that. As I mention earlier, his father is a powerful demon lord, but his mother -- my aunt -- and my father have a close knit bond that siblings have. So, no, we are as thick as thieves, so he would not lay a hand on you without my permission. Now since we got that out of the way, we need to talk about us," he said, coming closer to her. "There is no us, crazy. I have no idea why you keep saying that. Do you know what you put me through all those years working for you? Now you want to talk? Are you delusional?" "Yes, maybe, but would you at least sit down so we can talk things out? Look at it this way, the quicker we finally speak to each other, the sooner you can go home." "Alright, I might as well hear what you have to say. Hopefully I will get an apology. But before we talk, do you think you can put some clothes on? You nudity is distracting me," she said, sitting down on the leather sofa. "No," he said, sitting down next to her. "You need to get use to it in the future, which brings me to this difficult subject about ours together. Believe it or not, my great goddess Luna has decided that you are my mate." "The look on her face spoke a thousand words, but confusion proved the biggest one. "You what? You can't be serious. This has to be a joke." "Even if I was the joking kind, I would not waste a joke on you. Hell, in fact, I would never have wasted my time speaking to you in the first place. So, no, I am not joking. We are destined to be mates. I know this information now, the morning I caught a sniff of your blood. And to be honest about it, this whole ordeal, and the way I have mistreated you over the years, would have been avoided if you would have revealed yourself to me earlier on." "You are a sick fuck to think that me covering my scent by putting up my shields is the reason. You are an evil, egomaniac jackass. Do you know why I had to put my shields up? It's because monsters like you would not think twice of murdering a witch because of it. Do you honestly believe that I would put myself in that much jeopardy just so you can fuck me on the spot and throw me to the side like some garbage? And another thing: even if this mate stuff is true, there's no chance in hell I would mate to a selfish, dickless monster like you. Whatever that pull you wolves talk about it, I will fight it to the core of my being, so you, and your goddess, and this mate garbage can go straight to hell -- ahh." Sallie's head flung back with a sharp stinging sensation. She reached her hand up to feel the area where Xavier smacked her at. She felt the tears well up in her eyes, but she forced them back, refusing to show weakness to this man. She felt heated energy rise up inside her and lashed out at Xavier face. She had enough heat, and her nails were long enough to leave a bloody scratch on his face. He turned his gaze back to her, and his eye glowed to the wolfish amber she grew to fear. Within those few seconds he could retaliate; she jumped up and ran into the bathroom she saw earlier. In a panic, she slammed the door, locking it with her magic. She eased her way back from the door, hoping this would be a safe haven from her captors. "Oh, dear, sweet goddess Isis, what am I going to do? How am I going to get out of here alive? How ca -- I AHh!" Her fear intensified at a sudden loud banging. "Sallie, open up this door. Now." She could feel her heart pumping in her throat. Panic consumed her mind, and sweat formed on her brow, beyond terrified. "A witch's abilities ties in with her emotions. Don't let one emotion get the best of you. It could be disastrous in the long run." She help but to run her high priestess warning in her head, now that she was in a terrible situation. "No. Oh, damn it, Isis, please don't abandon me now!" Sallie was not too surprised at not getting any reply. "Sallie, you are trying my patience. Open this door now." "Go away. I am not coming out of this bathroom." "Honestly Sallie, do I have to get Ermanno in there?" Damn it, not the demon, oh, my god, I have to think of something quick." She felt herself getting more frantic, and her powers slipping. She was about to give up when she saw the mirror over the sink. She hopped on the sink, touching the mirror, to contact her only salvation. "Alright. Demon. Dark magic. Jolenna." She finally felt hope in her heart, when the mirror changed into soft matter, and her best friend's bedroom came into view. There was no time to waste, she had to act fast. ~/~ "Freeze sucka. Don't make any sudden movements." "Oh god, how are going to take him down on your own?" Joleena said watching Pam Grier take down the crooked crime lord that killed her brother for the tenth time. As she watched her favorite Pam Grier movie, she reached over to her night stand to retrieve a gummy worm from her big bag of gummy worms, when she heard her name being called from a distance. She raised up in her bed trying to pin point the source. She knew it could not been her mother because she was upstairs feeding Ezekiel supper. "Jo." There it was again, but this time her suspicions were answered when she looked towards her mirror to see her friend Sallie in it. "Oh, thank goddess. Jo, listen, you have to help get out of here." "Oh my god, Sallie, what's going on, what happened to you? Oaaah, what happened to your face?" "Please, Jo, I will explain, just please help me get through before they come back. Here, take my hand." Shifting Hearts Ch. 03 Jolenna cuffed her hand with Sallie, helping her get through. She felt her friend's anxiety and panic the moment they touched hands. When Sallie was halfway the mirror she screamed at the top of her lungs. She looked up inside the mirror to see a pissed off werewolf shifting forms, and a scary looking man coming towards her. Before she could say anything Sallie knocked her down on her ass, pushing her down trying to escape. She looked back up to see the man charging at them with glowing amber eyes, and a vicious look on his face. When she thought he would eventually break through, his image shattered into pieces and fell to the floor followed behind her six inch Jimmy Choo heels. She raised her hand to her chest, trying to calm her pounding heart. With her drop open in shock she looked up to see Sallie breathing hard, and all sweaty. Sallie turned her gaze to her friend after witnessing what happened. "Oh. My. God," she began. Sallie turned to her friend, giving her a look filled with emotions. "You, broke my damn mirror, and fucked up my Jimmy Choo's." Sallie rolled her eyes "Whatever, I"ll buy you another one. Now help me figure out a way to kill, an alpha werewolf without getting caught." Shifting Hearts Ch. 04 Authors Note: Let me just start by saying that I apologize for the delay. Being with school and caretaking has done a number on me. Also, I am trying my hardest to bring the chapters at a quicker pace. Another thing I would I like to say is that, if my readers have not noticed that Xavier is bisexual. So, there will be some man on man sex scene in this one, and I typing this message as a warning for those who are not into that. * Xavier just stood there perplexed, disbelieving that his mate would want to run away from him. "From me, why would she do that?" He could feel a slight pang of hurt swell up inside his heart. It spread like wild fire as he felt the pain of rejection. A strong hand was placed against his shoulder for comfort switched his emotions from hurt to anger in no time flat. 'That little bitch disrespected me in front of my cousin,' he thought to himself. "Look X, I know that you are--" "UGGGHhhhh Ahhhhhh. How fucking dare she do this to me? This is not right. She's not right for me but I can't help but to want her, and she doesn't want me back. Then she has the nerve to run away from me like a coward. Fucking flighty witch." Ermanno could feel the rage vibrate off his cousin. Xavier began to pace the room seeking release from his inner torment but it was not working. "Do you know how frustrating it is to want someone so bad, but hate them at the same time? Do know how painful it is to crave the very person that you have nothing but contempt for? How can you love someone that you hate Ermanno? Can you please tell me how?" Ermanno just stood there and hunched in his shoulders. He could not really give his cousin a good answer because the only answer Ermanno could give him was not what he wanted to hear. Xavier continued to pace the bathroom with anger still riding him. Finally, when the anger was too much to hold in, he balled up his fist and punch a wall leaving behind a huge hole. "Fucking hell, man I just don't know what to do. Man, I am so fucking angry right now I could kill something. Ughhh. Look I have to run, I have to kill." His voice turned gravelly as his wolf began to surface. Ermanno stepped back to give his cousin some room. Seeing his cousin so angry over a little witch made Ermanno want to help to make this situation better. He could remember when he was in a bad situation and Xavier came to his aid. Although they were cubs, his cousin still helped him out. "Look X, go take a run and when you come back we will find your witch. Ok?" Xavier turned to look at his cousin, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "You would really do that man?" "Yeah. You are my cousin and I hate seeing you hurt, emotion wise. Now go get some clarity before I change my mind." "Thanks. Mannie. I don't know what I would do without you." "You're welcome man." ~*~*~*~*~* Once Xavier was out of the room Ermanno went to his office to do a little research on the witch his cousin was pinning for. "Angeline!" He yelled the moment he sat down in his office chair. Moments later a tall redheaded woman appeared in the doorway. "Yes milord?" "Xavier just went out for a run. As soon as he gets back, send someone out to clean up his mess.Got it?" "Got it, sir. Is there anything else I can do for you?" "Yes. There is a pile of dirty clothes in the corner of my bedroom. Take care of it. That will be all for the night." "Yes milord I will do that right away." "Thanks Angie." The moment she left Ermanno turn to his office computer. Giving it a tap, the screen came to life. He knew he should not pry into his cousin affairs and part of him really did not want to. However, the simple fact Xavier's mate was a witch changed things. And he was stand by and watch his cousin self-destruct over some woman. He typed in the girls name and got a hefty dose of information. For starters she's a member of the Morgana coven along with her mother. They are both grey witches which means they get their magic from the earth. Their powers can be used for good or bad, but one should not overpower the other. He looked though articles of her childhood, which seems to be a pleasant one. Got everything she wanted as a child, went to good schools, participated in sports and other school activates, all the while practicing her craft. The search continued until he stopped at a group of pictures of and her friend. He stared into their eyes, looking into their souls to get a better feel of the two. Especially the one who helped Sallie escaped. Staring at her picture, he could tell that she had a complex nature. He knew just by looking at her that she had a little few tricks up her sleeve. He was also certain that she would be no problem for him. He moved the arrow and clicked print in the left side of the computer for the results of the inevitable. ~*~*~*~*~* "Oh my goodness gracious girl! Are you going to tell me what happened and who's chasing you?" "You don't want to know." "Uhh yes I do. If I am going to help you, I need to know whom you are running from. Come on girl tell me. Who is the big bad that's after my friend?" "You promise you won't blow a gasket if I tell you who it is?" Jolenna just stood there and rolled her eyes in bafflement. "Sallie, I promise I won't blow into a fit. Now tell me who the big bad wolf is?" Sallie took a deep breath, and let it out calmly. She knew her friend very well, knowing what her reaction will be once she told her about Xavier. "I need you to help with putting a hex on my boss, Mr. Xavier Salvatore Russo." "WHAT!?! Sallie, are you out of your fucking mind?" Jolenna could feel her heart go into overdrive with panic. She knew she would not make a big deal out of this, but her friend was trying to kill Xavier Russo. He's one of the most powerful Alphas in the world both human and supernatural." "See, I knew you were going to react like this. That's why I was scared to tell you in the first place." Jolenna put her hand over her heart to steady its rapid pace. "Ok look, I am sorry, for keeping a promise and breaking it, but Sal! You are trying to kill one of the most powerful Alphas in the world. Do you honestly think his pack will allow you to get away with this unharmed?" "I don't know.I mean, I just wanted to give him a taste of his own medicine for treating me like garbage over the years. And I also wanted to teach him a lesson about ruining my date." "Ah, he did what?" Sallie looked up at her friend to see a shocked expression. "Yes he scared off my date Roger, kidnapped me, slapped me across the face, and tried to force me to be his mate. I mean----" "Wait, wait,wait--what!?" Jo said with big bugged eyes in shock. "Yes. He claims that we are supposed to be mates. I don't see how that could be when I hate his guts after treating me the way he did when I worked for him. Not only that, he is a complete major whore. I mean this man is a slut to the tenth degree. Look Jojo, you don't understand what I am going through right now. This man is fucking intolerable at best. He hates me for what I am, for what I do, and his pack hates my very existence. I have to teach this dog a lesson, or kill--." "Wait Sallie teaching him a lesson that I can do, but to kill him is a whole another ball game, baby." "Jo, ain't killing people your thing? Isn't hexing people, giving them curses your thing? Hell any other time you are more than willing to causes a young girls death. How many times have some woman suffered from your hands, Jo? I am surprise you are hesitant about killing a monster than some innocent girl." "Is that what you really think of me, Sal?" Malice coted Jolenna's voice. In all their years of being friends, she would have never thought Sallie would think of her as cold-hearted evil person. Even though most of her dark magic comes from her great grandfather, she and her mother always tried use their talents for good. Sallie Mae looked up at her friend when she heard her voice changed. "Look Jo I did not--." "Sallie in of our years of being friends have you ever known me to purposely hurt someone that did not have it coming?" "Well Xavier---." "I said Xavier is a powerful Alpha that has powerful connections. When I say powerful, I mean these people come from something you do not want to mess with. I should know, Sal my linage comes from the Abyss just like theirs. By the way, those young girls you speak of asked me to cast a spell against someone's freewill. In case you did not know, a love spell is a very dangerous spell and rarely anything good comes from it. Those three girls wanted love where they should not get it. They knew the consequences and repercussions of forcing someone to fall in love with them. Hell, I even I printed it out so they can read it, but no, they wanted someone they weren't meant to have in the first place. In the end, there was nothing I could do when someone is offering a large sum of money to bring harm to themselves." Jolenna finally took a breath from her rant. "Look Jo, I did not mean it like that. I just thought with you being into the dark magic, and you cast spells for vengeance and assassination, you would have no problem taking out Xavier." "OK, Sallie please understand that what I and my mother do is a shady business. We cast spells and do hexes for people at a hefty price. Also, keep in mind that whenever we do those things, we always run a background check on the people involved. We just don't hex people for the hell of it. We actually look into these people's lives before we do anything serious, and even then, the people who wish death on someone, we never kill them ourselves. That's not how we roll, honey." "Ok I said I am sorry. I just thought you were this shady person that doesn't mind making someone swim with the fishes is all, especially someone like Xavier." "No. Like I said early what we do is shady, but we are always careful with all parties involved. Besides, Xavier is not the wolf I want to mess with. I am sorry, Sal but all I can do is help a little with this. I will not risk the safety and well-being of my mother, my infant child and myself. To be honest about it I am concern for your well-being as well. Do you know how dangerous the consequences can be for you if those dogs ever found out? Do you know what damaged you can do to your loved ones if he ever catches you? Sallie you really have to think about this now. Think about your mother. I mean, yeah sure she's sick, and paralyzed, but think about the day she eventually will get better, and not see you there standing by her bedside, because you are six feet under and pushing up daisies." Jolenna took another breath from her rant and stared at her best friend. They both just stood there staring at each other, letting the rant take its full effect. "AAAAAHHHHHHHHH" Standing there for what seem like forever, the girls jumped at hard thump at the door. "Is everything ok in here? Oh my god what happen Mojo?" Jolenna's mother wore an expression of concern, and shock on her face as she took in the scene before her. "I think I can answer that for her, Mrs. Dawson." Sallie said turning to Annie Jean. "I was in some major trouble, and I needed an escape route, so I did an image spell. I am sorry Mrs. Dawson, will you please forgive me?" "Oh girl of course I will. So are you going to tell me what happened?" The older woman asked coming into the room with Ezekiel on her hip. She handed him over to his mother turning her lips up in disgust. "He needs a diaper change." "How come you can't do it? You were more than happy to take him away and feed him?" "Because I said I'll give you a little break to watch your Pam Grier movie for the fifteenth time and eat gummy worms. We also just received three orders for hex spells and I have to do a thorough background search on everyone involved. So I might be up all night." Sallie's head shoot up. Jo looked in her direction shook her head, mouthing the word 'no' to her. "Mrs. Dawson can I ask you something?" She stopped the older witch in mid step from leaving the room. "Yes anything, baby." "Have you ever heard of a werewolf named Xavier Salvatore Russo?" "Oh baby, of course. Everybody has heard about him. Why are you asking?" Sallie stared at the older wizened witch with hope and curiosity. "Well, ummmm a man like that have a horde of enemies. Enemies that want him dead, right?" "I am pretty sure that man has enough enemies to build an army, sweetie. And as for people wanting him dead that's an understatement, but it's also very stupid. That wolf has allies and connections that most wolves are scared to speak of. It was rumored that someone in that pack is so powerful that with a flick of his wrist he can instantly kill someone from the inside out. So in short it's not very wise for someone to make Russo or his pack angry. And with that Sallie I hope you won't do anything stupid, right?" Annie asked giving her a stern look. "No ma'am. I just asked a question was that bothering me is all." "HMMM!' Sallie knew whenever Annie or her mother made that noise, they did not believe her.By the look on her face she could tell that Annie only took Sallie's explanation with a grain of salt. "Well whatever you do, sweet cheeks make sure it's not something very stupid that can hurt your loved ones or yourself. Be careful, honey and don't tread harsh waters. Ok?" "OK." "Jo, make sure that boy gets a fresh diaper. When you feel like it, and I only mean when you feel like it-you know you can twist my words-come up stairs and help me with these hexes." With that, Annie left the room. Jo waited until she knew her mother was far away from her room as possible before she began talking. "See you heard it yourself Sal. It would be very idiotic to do something bad against Russo. Look, all I'm saying is, don't cross this man unless you have a serious death wish, which I hope you don't have Sal. I love you baby and I would hate to see you get kill by some evil selfish beast." "Ugh ugh, saa awwwwwww." Their attention drop down to the baby in Jolenna's arms. "See. Even Little Ezekiel thinks it's a bad idea. Don't ya, baby? Come on let's get you cleaned up." She watched as her friend went over to her bedside table and pulled out baby wipes, a diaper. She laid the baby gently down on the bed. "If you feel uncomfortable staying by yourself, you can always sleep in the guest room, Sal, and I have some extra clothes you can wear." "Uh, yeah that would be fine. Thanks for everything Jo." "You are welcome, Sal, but please reframe from doing anything stupid or dangerous, ok?" Putting her hands behind her back, Sallie crossed her two fingers, and put a big smile on her face. "Ok, I promise. Now where do you keep your towels, I need to bath badly." "They are in the hallway closet; take your time in there." "I will." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Xavier woke up the next morning with a newfound energy. Although his mate was not what he expected and had thrown a hissy fit when he told her about their would be relationship, he woke with confidence this morning knowing his loyal cousin will find a way to retrieve his disrespectful little concubine. "Concubine, that has a nice ring to it." he said at loud. "Yes it does. I cannot wait to chain her up in our dungeon, and give her the spanking she deserves." his wolf chimed in. Xavier grinned at the thought. His little chocolate mate would be the perfect sub for his Dom, and just the thoughts of her screaming and shaking in pleasurable pain gave him instant morning wood. He reached down to his straining cock, to relieve some pain, when there was a sudden knock at the door. "Come In." In peered a lovely pale-skinned, dark haired vampire. "Hello Mr. Xavier. I was order, to come in service all of your needs. Is there anything in particular you need me to do?" "Yes there is." He said releasing his eleven-inch cock, standing proud and tall. He looked up at the vampire and could tell that the mere sight of his penis aroused something inside of him. "Come on get to work, and use your fangs for a nibbling." "Will do sir." The vampire came with a big fangy grin on his face and seven-inch cock swinging mildly between his legs. He ease himself on the bed above Xavier and he slowly leaned down for a kiss. "No kissing. Save that for pleasing my cock. Now get down and get to work. And make sure you get my cock nice and wet. I am planning on taking your ass nice and hard." He felt the young vampire cool tongue tickle his cock head, slowly easing his mouth around his cock. It didn't take long for the vampire starting to pleasure Xavier. "Ohhh yeah, just like that mmmmmm." Xavier stated moving his hips at the up and down rhythm. He could feel the using his fangs to nibble at his ball sac, jerking his cock up and down. "MMM oh boy you are good at this. Come here, keep your mouth open wide." Grabbing the young man around the neck with one hand, and grabbing a fistful of hair in the other, Xavier forced his cock into the vamps mouth, and started moving the young man's head at an extra fast pace. "UGHhchkk." was the only sound the young man could make while being gagged. "MMMM. That's good. I am so glad you vamps don't have gag reflexes, mmmm. Stop moving so damn much, boy." The young man listened and relaxed. He could feel his arousal growing as Xavier gave his mouth a good work out. Placing his arms behind his back, he just finally let the wolf do his bidding. What felt like forever finally ended and Xavier came at last. Jet after jet shot into his mouth as he tried to swallow some of it down in the position he was in. "You better swallow it all, boy." Heeding his command, the vampire swallowed every last bit of what Xavier had to offer gladly. Letting go Xavier leaned back in the bed feeling the tension going away, but was still hard. "My name is Marco by the way." He said feeling the sweet sensation of soreness in his jaw. "Whatever. Come over here and get on all fours." Marco crawled up at the head of the bed and rested his head on the big comfy pillows with his ass sticking high up in the air. He could feel the bed shift behind him as Xavier readjusted himself behind getting ready for the fucking he knew, both would enjoy. Marco paced himself taking in deep shallow breaths as he felt the tip of Xavier's cock at his entrance. "UMMMMMM." They moaned together at the sensations they were both feeling. Xavier enjoyed the tightness of Marco's asshole and Marco enjoyed the feeling of a large wolf cock stretching him wide. "OHHH please make me your bitch. Fuck me hard." "Ha, silly boy you will never be my bitch, but you are a nice fuck. Now hold on tight." Without any further notice, Xavier started pounding into him at full speed. "OHH dear god yes, that's it." Marco was in pure heaven. Once Xavier slipped in, he felt himself getting harder. He grabbed the young vamp around his waist for leverage. He was getting lost in the pleasure of things. "OOOHHH." He heard the boy moan as he began to pound more into him, but it echoed away from his ears. He was losing himself as thoughts of his mate filled his mind. Opening his eyes and looking down he saw the familiar puffy head of hair he was growing to love. The sweet scent, of his mate scent assaulted his nostrils, and the sweet ethnic calming sound of her voice filled his ears. "OH Mr. Russo. MMM. Please keep going. Fuck me harder. Make me yours and yours alone." "Mmm, don't worry Sallie, baby I will. God I cannot wait to turn you. Oh dear sweet Luna, you are so sweet. Come here." Letting excitement overpower him, he flip his bedmate onto their back, grabbed a fist full of hair and really worked in on them. The smacking sound of flesh smacking against flesh filled the room. Shifting Hearts Ch. 04 "I want watch your face as you scream sweetheart." Then without any notice, Xavier ejaculated himself inside of Marco, and pulled his hair extra hard. Making him scream until he felt his lungs would give out. His eyes rolled in the back of his head as his orgasm over took him, and his talons elongated scratching the sheets as he felt another coming up. He could feel Xavier slowing down as his erection softened and the tension he felt earlier eased away. Marco laid down on the bed in euphoria. This was the best sex he had ever experienced in his sixty years of living. Sex with werewolves was always amazing, but sex with Xavier Salvatore Russo was unbelievable. 'Whoever that Sallie person is, she is one lucky woman to have him as mate. God only knows I would I love to have him warm my bed every night and having great sex.' He thought to himself. He felt the bed shift again. He looked up to see his werewolf lover standing off to the side. "Thanks for the sex. I needed it." "You're welcome. Good luck with your mate." Xavier was just a step away from the door, when he heard that. "Thanks." Xavier felt a glimmer of relief at the support of the young vampire. He hoped to the great goddess Luna he too would find his mate. Also praying for the blessings that she would bring Marco when does. ~*~*~*~* Sallie Mae woke up the next morning feeling like the same ole same ole. But, this time she had more darkness and dread within her. Not only was she out of a job, but the man that fired her, after treating awfully all those years, claimed to be her mate. To top it all off, her best friend refused to help her with a hexing spell. Now she got something to be even sadder about as she walked through the halls of the hospital to visit her mother. She always hated coming here once her mother got sick. It always depressed her and the hospital always had a very strange smell that she could not stand. That was beside the point. She promised she would visit today and so here she is. Walking to room 626, she knocked on the door with a gentle tap. "Come in" a nasally voice said within the room. She entered in the room with a smile a on her face. Every time she came here she would always try to be positive, reassuring to her mother everything will be okay in the end. That she will make it all in one piece. "Hey there, Sal Pal. How's it going?" "Umm pretty good. I got fired." She said sarcastically. Sallie walked in the room and sat at her mother's bedside. "Ohh honey, I am sorry to hear that. Are you upset about it?" "Naw, I mean yeah kind of. I guess I am more upset that I let my boss treated me the way he did after all those years I worked so hard. I was the only witch working long hours and overtime but received chump change, more heartache and disrespect." "Honey, I told you to quit that job a long time ago. There was no purpose of you working there any longer." "Yes I know, but you were sick, the house needed its bills paid until I could rent it out to someone, and on top of that Morgana--." "Ha Morgana, that bitch is delusional at best sometimes." Sallie sat back with shocked perplexed on her face. In all her life, she never heard her mother talk ill of anyone much less the High priestess of their coven. She was going to say something but her mother beat her to the punch. "Yes. I called our High Priestess a bitch. You can be shocked all you want too." "But mom, why? I thought you loved her? I thought you would do anything for her? What made you say that?" "Sallie, darling you have to learn in life that although you love someone, they are not good for you at times. I realized that with Morgana. I am sure she means well most of the time but sometimes that woman is off her rocker. She gives ass backwards advice as well, but that does not take away what a wonderful teacher she is. How you think I got so good at my craft?" She said with a chuckle "Well I have never been around the woman long enough to notice." "Of course not. She is very selective with who she show her true colors too. Hey, I can say the same thing for myself." "What? Mom I known you all my life, you have already shown your true colors to me. You are a good witch, and I aspire to be like you one day." She reached her hand out to her mother's hand rubbing it. Her skin was soft and warm, but her energy was very low. "Sal, what I am talking about is, I got a call from Annie and Jo telling me you were thinking about taking a path that a gray witch should not take." "Ugh, those snitches, I can't believe they would do something like that. I thought I could trust Jo, with everything, that bitch." "Hey, hey. You bets cool it, while you are in my presence you will not use any curse words. Now sit your ass back down and let me explain myself. And release that frown, you don't want to look an old hag by the time you are thirty." Sallie instantly felt bad that she reacted the way she did. "Now let me explain myself. They did not go into grave details. All they told me was that you thinking about doing something you should not do, well, Annie did. She told me that you were thinking about putting a Kiss of Death on someone, is that correct?" "Yes, but mamma you have to understand my former boss is nothing but a terrible monster. If anybody deserved to kick the bucket it's him and his damn pack. I can't believe they can be so hypocritical by not getting rid of that asshole, but yet have no qualms of getting rid someone else." "Hey, how many times do I have to tell you to cool it? They have every right to call me with this crazy ass bullshit you're thinking about doing. I will not let you go down the path that I went down. Now I understand your need for revenge, trust me Sal, I understand that. Actually the old me would have encouraged it, but once you get a taste of the dark magic it's hard to turn away." "But what about Jo and Mrs. Dawnson? I find it pretty ironic they can play with dark magic and they have the nerve to warn me about that mess." "Sal, this is a whole new side to you, and don't call their nature a mess. They can do those things because it's what they are. You and I on the other hand are not like them. I tried and look where I ended up." "What are you talking about? I grew up with Jo, she's just a witch that her mother turned to dark magic." "Sal, you have a lot to learn about being a witch and practicing the craft. As well as the life styles of white magic and dark magic and where they come from. Sallie, I am still surprised after all these years you have not noticed, or at least read about it, but I understand it's partly my fault, but Jolenna and her mother are demons. Well, partly," she amended. "They are still human but they have demon blood running through their veins. That's the difference between them and us. They can do things without suffering the consequences us grey witches face." Sallie sat there in silence as she listened to her mother speak. Her mother took a breath and closed her eyes as she was trying not to let something bother her. She could clearly see something was bothering her mother, something that she did not want to tell, but she pressed on anyways. "Sallie, I did a lot of things that I am not I am proud of. In fact, the things I did in the past is downright shameful and I am disgusted with my actions. I did things that even Annie and Jo would not ever imagine doing. I have to say I somewhat admire them for being decent human beings." She could hear her mother's voice straining as the feeling of sadness, regret, shame and despair crept up on her. Her mother was upset about something, that she did not want to tell, not yet anyways. Sallie wanted to push whatever it was she holding back out into the open. "Sall I--." "Hi Ms. Jenkins. How are you doing today?" Their attention quickly turned to the nurses walking in. "Are you ready for therapy right now?" The sadness they were both feeling instantly dropped and they put the fake mask of happiness on their faces. "I sure am. Sal I'll talk to you later, honey. And remember, honey please be careful. Don't do anything you might regret later. I love you." "I love you, too Mom. See you later." She didn't leave until she saw them rolling out her mother in the hospital bed for therapy. When they finally left she quickly made her way out the hospital. She did not want to stick around, and get more depressed. ~*~*~*~*~*~* "So little X, how was your run last night? Did it help? Angie told me you left a mess last night. What happen?" "The urge to kill came at the right moment. A few humans got in the way when I was hunting some deer., and by the scent of them the world would be a much better place without them." "Oh X, who knew you, had a heart?" "OHH, shut up you. I might be an asshole and a monster but never in a million years I would do something like those humans did, even to a human." "They were that bad huh?" "Awful. Sick Monsters. And for me to say that is saying a lot, but enough about them. What did you dig up on my mate? How can we find her?" "You ain't going to talk about Marco? How was he?" "What's there to talk about? He was a great fuck, gave a decent blow job, but at the end of the day I prefer women. So what about my mate?" "Yeah, Marco is nice to fuck from time to time. Anyways, moving on to your mate." Ermanno said grabbing papers off his desk. "The things that I found should have already been common knowledge to you, since you were her boss and everything, but sadly she went undetected by you for so many years." "Hey it was not my fault I could not get a scent on her. It was hers. If she hadn't hid it from me all these years maybe the outcome of her situation would have been different. Sneaky bitch." "Really? Do you really think that X?" Ermanno gave his cousin a quizzical look. "What is that supposed to mean?" Folding his arms over his chest "Well, if she did reveal herself to you, what would happen if your father found out, or hell even your pack? Do you think they would have accepted her and you?" Xavier had to sit there and think about it for a minute. He had never thought about it. Up until that moment "Well they now have to realize that I am the alpha and my word is law. Any disrespect that befalls my mate or me will have drastic consequences. I don't care what my parents or my pack say she's is my mate and no matter how much I hate it, how hard I try to fight it, she is what she is." Ermanno just shrugged his shoulders. He knew what would happen when his uncle met that girl, and is was not going to be pretty. He just hoped that when that time comes his cousin would be ready. "Anyways. I found out a lot about her, that you apparently did not know, or cared to know. She has a mother." "I knew that." "She's a part of the Morgana coven." "I did not know that." "She went to private schools and was the captain of the chess team." "A woman that plays chess, don't get many of those." "And she has a friend named Jolenna Dawnson. Do you know anything about her?" "Ummm, I didn't even know she had any friends let alone one. But whatever, let's not talk about her friend, let's talk about Sallie. I am getting antsy." Getting frustrated at his cousin urgency Ermanno finally relented. "Fine, jackass let's find your mate. Get your impatient ass up, come on." "Wait, are we using your spooky demon magic or are we going do the normal way?" Ermanno looked at his cousin, and then outside. The sun was out and fall had just begun. "You know what let's take the Jag. I feel like letting wind run through my hair as I ride." "Are you serious? I am in a rush to meet my mate and you want to set around and cruise?" "Yes I am dead serious. Plus I am hungry and I am in the mood for waffles and French toast." At the mention of food, Xavier's stomach began to growl. "Aww, what the hell? I can't find her on an empty stomach and I am the mood for Perkins." "Hell you won't be able to find her anyways, because she is not at home at the moment. And stupid, you didn't put a track on her." "Hey I admit I was wrong. Ok,stop beating the dead horse." "Whatever X. Hurry up. My wolf is getting pissed off, at you lollygagging." "Hahaha shut up, asshole." Xavier playfully punching him in the shoulder. Shifting Hearts Ch. 05 A/N:Hello readers. Let me just start off by saying that I am really sorry for the delay. Everything in my life have been so busy,and chaotic. But now, everything seems calm, and cool. I will try my best at posting chapters faster, but I cannot make no promises, and I will more than likely will be posting more on my blog more often,cause I am trying to get published. Hopefully people will buy my books.LOL. And another thing I would like to say I am sorry if this chapter is lacking. For some reason I felt like this was not my best, but hopefully someone will like it. Anyways, happy reading.And thanks REX # She let out a breath of relief. Hospitals always made her uncomfortable, and whenever she visited her mother it was always a roller coaster ride of emotions. "How did it go?" Jolenna asked her from the couch where she sat breast-feeding Zeke. Sallie let out a sigh of confusion and bitterness. "Different, very different. This time around, she looked sicker, but oddly enough had strength to scold me about what you guys told her. Which by the way, was so uncool, and uncalled for. Why would you guys do that?" Jolenna gave a sidelong glance at Sallie. "Girl, are you serious? We had every right to tell your mother what a stupid idea it is for you to kill one of the most powerful men in this country, not to mention the supernatural world; bitch, you have to be crazy! Besides it was my mother who suggested it, not me, and it was her doing, not mine. If we could not talk sense into you, we were hoping that your mother could." Sallie sat down in a huff. Part of her did not want to admit that Jo was right, but after speaking with her mother at the hospital, she thought she might need to put things into perspective. But another part could still feel a fiery rage running through her at the thought of her former boss. "I hope you are sitting there thinking about how stupid and dangerous it is to play with fire. That wolf may have wronged you, but you cannot do something as drastic as kill him. If you want any type of revenge there are better ways to go about it, instead of drawing attention to yourself." Sallie gazed at her friend. "How?" "I don't know. You mentioned that he was your mate, so I take it that you can make him beg, like a little bitch, and say sorry for the things he did; or ... hell ... be creative and do something else that does not require killing, Sal. I am serious, do not do anything stupid." Sallie leaned back on the couch and stared up at the ceiling, deep in thought. ''You're done Zeke-Zeke. Here, let me burp ya." The light patting sounds, as Jo burped Ezekiel, brought Sallie out of her reverie. She watched the two, musingly. Jo was a natural mother figure. Ever since she could remember, Jo had had that mothering trait. When the High Priestess was not around and the girls had needed advice, Jo was the first person they would run to. The baby let out a loud burp that echoed throughout the living room. "Oh my goodness, that was a big one, little man," Jo chuckled. "Come on let's go to beddie-bye." She stood up with Zeke in her arms, then turned to look at her friend inquiringly. "Are you coming up now, or are you going to sit here and watch tv for a while?" "Naw, I am going to stay up for a bit and work on a spell for my hair. I am going job hunting tomorrow and I want to look my best." "Hmm ... okay, then. If you can't come up with nothing, there's a spell book over there on the bookshelf. It's the purple one called Home Necessities and Mundane Spells." She raised her head to look in the direction Jo was pointing, and smiled. "Thanks. I'll see what I can do without your help. Good night." "Good night to you too, honey. And sleep tight." Jolenna made her way upstairs. *vVv* Xavier sat in the booth next to the window, watching the world pass him by. He shook his head at the happy faces, and the happy couples walking down the street, and eventually let out a heavy sigh. Ermanno, seated across the table from him, rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Cuz, stop with your damn moping please, it's getting fucking annoying. We will find your mate, and hopefully we can tame her." Xavier just hung his head and let out another sigh. "It's not what you think Mannie ... well it is, but there are other heavier things on my mind about this girl. As I am sitting here right now with my heart aching to be with her, my mind is hating the fact that I love her. And just seeing all these happy couples walking around, all smiley and having fun, is sickening ... because I want to be able to do that." "Oh Good Lord, who knew that the big bad X was a big ass softy, who wants love, and is jealous of the little puny disgusting humans, at the love they share. Who would have thought?" Ermanno chuckled just before shoveling a mouthful of waffle into his mouth. "Hey, it's not funny! I am in an utter shambles over here, while you're out fucking anything that moves, be it human or supernatural. My mate hates me, and wants to see me dead!" Ermanno chewed, growing thoughtful. "How can you be so sure about that that?" "She said it, and I can smell it." Xavier looked down despondently at his own plate of half-eaten food. They sat together in silence for a few moments, roused from their thoughts when they sensed the approach of the waitress. "Alright gentlemen, here's your bill, and two cups of water to go. If you do not need anything else, you can pay up front." The pretty blonde waitress spoke tiredly. Ermanno inwardly laughed. Her annoyance with them had been more than obvious; she'd had her fill of them and all customers like them. Reaching out with his right hand he gently took the waitress by her wrist, looked into her eyes, and gave her a dashing smile. "Brenda, such an ordinary name for an extraordinary girl, that you are." "I.... Umm ... umm... thank you sir." The girl stood there, transfixed. The moment he had touched her, all thoughts of making the two men hurry up and leave so she could meet up with her husband, vanished. She wanted to fall into his arms, and worship the ground he walked on. He was such a big frightening man yet he was drop-dead gorgeous, all at the same time. Xavier sat back and watched his cousin do what he did best; which was being Ermanno, the psychotic, demonic, werewolf lord from the reigning echelons of The Abyss. The scent of heated arousal wafted around them now, and he knew the little human Ermanno had compelled would be easy pickings, and would have the time of her life ... husband be damned. "Cuz ... do me a favor and head out to the car? I will take care of the bill." Rising up, Xavier let out a chuckle. "Mannie, you are a mess. Go easy on her, you don't want to blow her back out too much, now do you? Save some for her hubby. Be generous." "I don't give a fuck about either human. I just want to play for a while." "Well whatever you do, please hurry, my mate is still out there somewhere." He made his way to the door. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. So Brenda, my darling, what are you doing for the rest of the day?" Ermanno said with a smooth dark voice. "I ... umm ... was going home and...." She tried hard to keep her personal life her personal life, but in thrall of the voice of this sexy dark stranger, she found herself saying everything a girl like her would have never said. What the hell is wrong with me? she thought. "You were going to go home and were going to do what, my darling? Spit it out." "To get fucked by my husband." "Ummm, that's a girl. Now, sweetie does your husband fuck you well enough?" He already knew the answer just by reading her emotions. She looked away very sheepish. "Umm ... yeah, I guess ... so. Why did you ask?" "Because I just wanted to be nosy. So, how about you and I skip the check, and you come with me for a little while?" She looked at him with an overwhelming series of emotions. Any other faithful, newlywed woman who loved her husband as she did, would have said 'hell no'. But the more this man locked eyes with her, and the more he gently padded his thumb across her wrist, she felt compelled to do whatever this man wanted; an urgent sense of needing something her husband couldn't fix, was dawning. "Come on, let's go." "Where are we going?" "It doesn't matter. Just shut up, and let's go!" *vVv* "Hmmm ... what should I go with? Cornrows again, maybe some dreads this time around? Hmmmm." Sallie sat at the dining room table writing down beauty spells, mumbling softly to herself and smiling slightly. Being a witch had its share of problems, yet one of the many good things about it included having spells at hand that allowed her to look like a supermodel for a time, if she so chose. "Hmmm ... I might just go with the classic professional look," she looked at her reflection in the hand mirror on the table. Taking a deep breath, focusing all of her energy and creativity into the palms of her hands, she began stroking her hair. "Okay. Straight as a broad and smooth -- " A loud pounding at the front door broke her concentration mid-way through the incantation. She looked up for a moment, waiting to see if Annie needed her to get the door. The knocking came once again, and she heard Annie run down the stairs, then walk fast paced to the door. When she opened it a tiny, timid voice spoke from the doorstep, "Is this Dawson Manor?" "Why yes it is. Can I help you, my darling?" "Yea ... ummm ... I'm ... kind of nervous, and scared to be here at the moment, but ... ummm ... is it true that you hex people for a living?" Annie smiled. "Well, I do have a day job, darling, as a secretary; but yes, I do hexes to make extra cash." "Oh, that's good to hear! Well, I need you to put a hex on someone for me, and I would like it to be done soon." "Honey, I am letting you know right now that we do not put hexes on children, or the innocent; and our starting price is five hundred dollars." "Yeah, yeah ... I have the money right here, right now. I would like for this to happen to tonight." There was a long pause in the air, as Annie stood there looking down at the money in her hands. "I even have more money, on me right now. So, money should not be an issue." "Alright, come in," Annie said, stepping aside to let the woman enter. "Thank you." Sallie gazed at the newcomer's face, and the first thing that came to mind was the phrase, 'drug addict'. This woman looked like hell, and smelled liked it, too. "Please sit over there at the table." The woman sat down at the dining room table in front of Sallie, who then caught a glimpse of her hands as she placed them on the tabletop. She looked young, yet her hands were those of an old lady: the veins popped out like crazy. "Jo, can you please come down stairs? We have a customer!" She heard Annie yell throughout the house. Sallie had always wanted to see what exactly Jo and her mother did as black witches. She watched as Annie walked over to her potions and spice cupboard, and began to retrieve vials of liquid and jars of dried herbs. After a few minutes she heard Jo come running down the stairs, carrying a huge black book. "Hello. How are you doing this evening?" She asked the woman, a little breathless from running. "God awful, but hopefully with the help of you guys it will be better." "Oh. I am sorry to hear that," Jo said. She paused for a moment, and turned to Sallie. "Ummm, Sal, do you want to go upstairs or something, and maybe watch over Zeke while he's sleeping? I mean, with you being a grey witch and all, I wouldn't want to you to be uncomfortable." "Girl are you crazy? I have always wondered what exactly you guys do for people who come to you. And plus, I have not actually seen the dark side of magic fully anyways." "Oh Jo, go on, let her see. We've known her for years, and I am pretty sure she won't freak out on us, not now anyways. Plus this could be a fun little learning experience for her." Sallie's huge smile spread wide across her face. She looked up at her friend, who now had a 'whatever' expression on her face. "Oh, well, okay ... whatever. I just don't hope we don't scare you too bad." "You can never scare me! I am your true friend, doll, and I love you." "Sal, you are my only friend," Jo said, rolling her eyes. She turned her attention to the drug addict at the table. "So ... what do we have going on tonight? Who pissed you off enough for you to come to us, darling?" The woman looked up at them with bloodshot eyes. "My drug-dealing boyfriend, that's who. He has fucked me over one too many times, and has done me such wrong that it's getting to the point where I just want to murder him for all the misdeeds he has done ... not only upon me, but to others. He is a sick, psycho freak, and it's time that he got a taste of his own medicine. 'Cause lord only knows it's long overdue." "Well if that's the case, how come you didn't go the police?" Annie asked, walking over to join the others. "It's no good. I have tried, but he has too many connections in the police department. Too many friends, and family, so going to them is a no go. That's why I came to you guys for help, and make that asshole pay for what he does." The room fell into silence as Annie and Jo stood there for a moment, giving each other a knowing look. "Hmm, alright, we can do it. Within a few days our hexes will take affect. But be mindful, darling. I don't like being a played a fool. Whatever you are telling us now about this man better be the truth. If not, then you, my dear, will have some heavy consequences to pay. Got it?" Annie leaned in closer to the woman, as she spoke. Sallie could tell the woman was scared out of her wits. "Yes. I got it. You can even do a background if you want. Everything I am telling you is the truth." Annie gave the girl one last glare, then returned to her former stance, once she was sure her message had gotten through loud and clear. She looked over at Jo, and gave her a slight nod. Jo hunched her shoulders, and sat down at the table. "So, Ma, what kind of spell do you think we should do? Should we do something way drastic, or keep it nice and simple?" Annie came around the table next to her daughter, and stood in front of the lady."How about we let the book decide?" She reached over and tapped it lightly three times. "Show me what I seek." And without any more effort the book came alive in a flash right before their very eyes. Sallie's eyes went wide with surprise, as she watched the big black book fly open, and the pages flip at a rapid pace. In all of her years as a witch she had never seen a book just open on its own with a few simple taps, and the scene took her back to her golden days of watching tv shows like Charmed, and Hocus Pocus. She turned her attention to the woman across the table, and saw the visitor's mouth drop open in disbelief. When the book finally stopped moving, the only word that could be heard was a 'wow' from their client. "Alright, what do we have here? Ah. The Black Fog spell." "What's the Black Fog spell?" Sallie asked. She felt herself getting excited more with each passing moment. Her friend turned to her with a slight smirk. "The Black Fog spell is basically a mental mind-fuck spell. It will fog up his mind so that he won't know what's real, and what's not. It will eventually drive him to the brink of insanity ... to the point where he'll just want to off himself, and call it a day. But that won't happen until our fates decide." "So basically you are casting a spell to torture him, before he dies?" They heard the woman ask. "You got it. Alright, let's get this show on the road. Give me your hands, sweetie," they requested of the woman. Sallie saw the woman oblige willingly, a blank expression on her face. "Take a deep breath in, and hold it there for a few seconds.... Now, slowly release it." "Whewwwwwww." "I call upon the dark forces of the abyss, hear my plea! I am calling you now for your dark wisdom, and guidance. So moot it be." As soon as Annie began to chant, the air in the room grew very thick. The lights went out, and the candles at the table grew alight with dark flames. A black metal bowl sitting in the center of the table sparked, and a big bright flame cascaded around its interior. Sallie's heart began to race, as her curiosity grew. Gazing at Annie, Sallie gasped. "Oh!" The whites of Annie's eyes and her irises, had turned completely black. Annie took the piece of fabric that had belonged to the man and ripped it in two, handing Jo one piece, and keeping the other. "Will you do the honors, or will I, darling?" Annie turned to her daughter with a dark voice that did not match her normal one. "I'll do it." Jo responded. "Give me your hand, doll." The woman stretched her hand out to Jo over the bowl. Jo gently took her in her left, and pulled out a dagger in her right. In one quick movement, the woman cried out in pain as Jo sliced her hand. "What's that for?" "It's your signature on our invisible contract. You came to us looking to hex someone, you gave us the details of this person you want to be hexed, and you paid us in full. It represents that you did not do anything against your own free will." "But wait, I did not agree to get cut." "Oh, but you did. The moment you came through that door, and read that scripture over there with the warnings, you did agree. Plus, this is good evidence just in case you turn on us." Jo said with a smile, and finished by throwing the piece of fabric into the bowl. "That will be six hundred dollars,love. You can set the money on the table near the door on your way out. Thank you for your custom, and tell your friends about us, please." "But, how do I know you guys won't turn on me?? How will I know for sure the blood, and piece of his shirt that I gave you, won't become evidence to convict me?" Sallie heard the fear in the woman's voice as she spoke. "Look on the bright side! We hexed the guy, and more than likely once he finally goes crazy, he will kill himself! Neither you nor anyone else will have to worry about him ever again. Happy now?" "I guess.... Thank you for your services. Have a blessed evening." "You do the same. Bye!" They responded in unison. Sallie waited for the woman to leave before she could say what was on her mind. "Oh my God, you guys! Wow! That was freaking intense. I still have goose bumps. See?" "Mmm hmmm. Well, it was nothing special. In fact we were pretty mild tonight. Usually when someone comes to us with a case like this, the spell book pulls out an even harsher hex! This little hex tonight was child's play." "Child's play?! Girl, are you crazy?? You guys scared the crap out me, and excited me ... all at the same time! You were amazing, and I ain't saying that 'cause you are the only black witch I know of; I am saying because, hell, it's true! And I bet your work can cross over to other beings besides humans." The air in the room grew cold, and intense. It was no longer the hot heavy air she had felt before. "Sallie, how many times do we have to go over this with you? We only dabble in spells for humans! We cannot and will not dabble with other more powerful supernatural forces, that are too much for us to handle! I know you mean well, and I know you still feel the hurt from your mate, but as I keep saying: the Salvatore family is not a family to mess with, especially since they have connections, and are allied with The Abyss!" Sallie knew she would get on their nerves by bringing up the topic again, but she couldn't seem to stop herself. She had an axe to grind with her ex-boss ... and his whole God-forsaken pack. "But aren't you guys connected to The Abyss, or hell as you would call it? Don't you have powerful connections as well?" Shifting Hearts Ch. 05 "Look!! We are not going to help you Sal; not with this! Jo's a mother! And Zeke needs his mother in his life! You are being extremely selfish, and I hate to see that since you are such a sweet girl. Please do not bring this topic up again. Okay?!" Jo now sat dumbfounded along with Sallie; she had rarely heard her mother ever raise her voice, especially to someone whom she cared about. Even as a child, whenever Jo'd gotten into trouble – which had happened only rarely – her mother had not raised her voice even then. It was a sign that she had finally become fed up. Sallie stood up slowly, with an expression of resignation. "Fine. I understand. I am sorry that I angered you." "You did not anger me, Sal. I care about you immensely, and I worry about you, and I am telling you, you trying to kill Mr. Salvatore is a bad idea! And not only that, but please take in consideration for us, your second family. Have you ever thought about us, and the price we would pay for helping you?" At this, she couldn't do anything but hang her head in shame. They had repeatedly warned her about the dangers they might face, as a result of her actions; but until now, their warnings had never sunk in. She'd known she could be worrisome for them at times. And now she knew full well just how worrisome she was. "Like I said ... I am sorry for being so worrisome for you. Please forgive me?" She looked up at them both. "Honey there is nothing for us to forgive. You really need to forgive yourself, darling. You are one hardheaded little brat, that does not believe fire is hot until you actually touch it. Just listen to us, darling; we have known a few black, and grey witches, that have gone to their glory for doing what you are so damned determined to do. Just listen, be mindful!" "I will, and again I am sorry Ms. Annie ... and Miss Mojo! I think I'll call it a night, and head on back home." She quickly made her way over to the door, hoping to ease the tension she'd caused. "Sal, you don't have to go if you don't want to ..." She heard Jo say. "No, I need to. I'll talk to you guys later. Bye." Once Sallie had closed the door behind her, Jo let out a deep sigh. "Why do I have a feeling that Sal is going to do whatever she wants to do? And that she's going to end up in a world of trouble, that'll require me to get her out of?" "Because you know her better than she knows herself. She's a silly skeptic; I will give her that. Hmmm. Anyways, I am going to bed. I did enough spell work for the day. Make sure you check on the baby, and check his diaper." Jo rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Mother, I am going to check on my baby! You act like I am incompetent at times, with Zeke." "You are not incompetent with Zeke, you are just forgetful. Make sure that baby gets a fresh diaper. Anyways I am heading off to bed. Sleep tight." "You do the same." When her mom closed her bedroom door, Jo let out another breath of tension, and rested her head on the table. "Damn it, Sal! Damn you to hell. What the fuck am I going to do? Dear Circe, help me with this." vVv Xavier had become truly agitated with his cousin. Every chance he'd had to get close to his mate, his cousin had always done something to distract them. Like what he was doing now: fucking this human he'd picked up at the diner! He knew his cousin was an egotistical, self-serving son of bitch, but he hadn't gotten a good dose of his personality until now. "Fucking idiot. Why does everything seem like an eternity when you are in a dire need for something? Why can't this asshole hurry the fuck up?" He'd been pacing around the living room, and now dropped down on the couch in a huff, eyeing the bedroom door, through which he could hear his cousin's grunts and the human's pained and pleasured moans. "God, I hate having to depend on others, especially on family, to get a job done!" Their moans continued to get louder which further pissed him off. "Boy, I tell ya, family can be a pain in the ass. If the situations were reversed I would be eager to help him with his mate." It seemed like his cousin was going to fuck that human forever, yet finally the moans and screams subsided. After a few moments more the door slowly opened, and the scent of hot, sweaty sex emanated from the room like a strong thick haze, as his cousin and the human, emerged. "Have you gotten your fill yet, cuz?" Xavier could not keep the anger out of his voice. He exchanged glances with his shirtless cousin and the naked human. His gaze lingered over her. She looked like hell. She had claw marks all over her, bite marks, and bloody whip marks as well. But what really caught him off guard was the look in her eyes. Dark circles had formed under her eyes that were not there before, and as she looked up, her gaze looked unfocused, tired, yet it showed ecstasy as well. "Damn, Mannie, what the fuck did you do to her? Hmmm. You could have taken it a whole lot easier!" "Easier?! Boy, what I did to her was easy. I normally don't fuck humans because they are so weak, and fragile. I like my sex hard, and kinky, but with this little honey I could not resist. She's a hot piece of ass. Do you want a go with her before I drop her off? Her pussy is still warm, and juicy." Xavier rolled his eyes in irritation. "No!! I don't want to fuck that human, and no, you will not go and drop her off now. You will find my mate, like I have been begging you to do for the last day or two! I am growing impatient, Mannie. Help me get my mate!" "Alright, alright. No need to get all fussy with me. Just give us a minute. Abigail!" Seconds later, a tall demon appeared out of thin air. She looked up at her master, and slowly bowed her head in acknowledgement. "Yes, sir? How can I assist you?" "Take this human, clean her up, dress her, and then drop her off at the corner of Monroe and Wilburn." "As you please, sir. Come on missy. Let's go." She grabbed the human's hand gently, and they shimmered out of the room. Xavier could not wait any longer to speak his piece. "Why you got to be so damn egotistical when it comes to others' needs and wants?" Ermanno gave his cousin a bemused look. "Egotisical? Have you met me just yesterday? You know who, and what, I am. We have been stuck to each other since the time you were born. Now, I promised that I will retrieve your mate, and I am, but first things --" "Oh God, more bullshit from you." Xavier cut him off. "First things first. I need to scope out the room she was staying in; that way we can finally get a lead on her, and I am going to need you to think really hard Xavier, give me everything you know about this girl. She is your mate, and instead of you yelling at me to find her, you need to assist me. Now, please, is there anything you can think of that will lead to this girl?" Ermanno straightened his back, and raised his head a little higher, and looked him straight in his eyes. Xavier stared back at him for a moment before averting his eyes. Ermanno had asked him this question before. He had found it hard to remember much about the one he loved, given that he had hardly taken notice of her before, and in fact had treated her like shit. Leaning back on the couch, he began to focus on memories of his mate. But images of what had just happened in the adjacent bedroom kept flashing before his eyes, in rapid sequence. He finally realized that he could come up with nothing, and let out a sigh of sadness. "Okay ... I guess, ummm. Try to think of your mate this way. Picture her in your bedroom ... think of her scent, her natural scent, the scent that you love, X. You are going have to stop thinking like a human and let your wolf take over. Feel her energy, feel her presence, envision her as yours." Xavier did exactly as his cousin directed. As he delved deeper into his inner thoughts, he sensed his cousin moving closer to him. Ermanno's fingertips brushed against Xavier's temples, and an electric shock went through him. It was not painful, but instead felt exhilarating. Ermanno could feel his cousin's thoughts pour into him through his fingertips. His hands grew warm as the thoughts flowed. Sifting through the river of images, he finally found one of Sallie that he could use; and he was ready. "Roscoe!" His voice suddenly resonated throughout his home. Xavier's eyes flew open at his cousin's booming voice. "Did it work?" "Hold your horses, X. Roscoe, come here, boy!" "Who are you calling?" Xavier got his answer, when seconds later he heard a low, vicious growl rumble from within the room. "Oh my god, what is that?" "Ha ha!" Chortled Emmano. "You are going have to spend more time with me in The Abyss! This is a hellhound! They were originally humans on earth, who have done unkind or unjust things to humanity, so when the time comes for judgment day their soul goes to hell, and they either get tortured, become a slave to a demon, or work for a powerful lord or a king, as a hellhound. This is one of my favorites. Say 'hi', Roscoe." Xavier looked at the tall, skinny, black creature with mingled disgust and awe. It was as tall as a wolf, but was very thin, and smelled god-awful. How his cousin could endure the smell was beyond him. He watched his cousin reach over and caress the dog between its ears. "Ew," said Xavier. "Roscoe, this here is my cousin. He lost his mate, and he misses her a great deal. Would you be a good boy enough to fetch her for him? You would be rewarded greatly. Do you understand? Do you know how to find her? Do you have a feel on her scent?" When the hound nodded in affirmation to all of his master's questions, Ermanno wasted no time sending him off. "Good! Now, go. And remember: don't hurt anything in any way, shape, or form. Just grab her and bring her back here." Xavier watched the hound growl in response, and disappear. He waited a few moments before allowing his worry to set in. "And how is he supposed to find her?" "By her scent, silly. Hellhounds are awesome trackers, maybe even more so than your average wolf. Trust me, X, I love you like the brother I never had. I would not try to hurt you in any way, shape, or form, and the same goes for your mate. So, please calm down and be patient. Roscoe will be back shortly, with your mate in tow." Xavier let out a huff. "Thanks Mannie. Thank you for everything." "You're welcome, X. You know I would do anything for you. Anyways, sleep tight. And if you want a quick fuck, just call on one of my servants, or tell Abigail to bring the human to you." "Naw, I am good though, but thanks anyways." "Well suit yourself. I am going to make a few calls, and head to bed." "Alright, then. 'Night." vVv Sallie woke up feeling a pang of sadness. "Well, well; another miserable day. Hopefully today I'll get lucky, and get a damn job." She eased herself out of the bed wearily, and padded to the bathroom for a shower. The moment she stepped in her tub, she willed lukewarm water to cascade all over her. "Mmmmm. This feels better." She could feel the tension washing away, as she ducked her head under the spray of water. "Pine, pine, let me smell pine," she chanted. The delightful scent of pine slipped into her nostrils. "Ah, thank you, Isis," she murmured. She had stayed under the shower so long that the skin on her fingers had become wrinkled from the excess moisture. She stepped onto the cold tiled floor, then turned and looked at herself in the mirror, touching her face. "Ugh! I look like shit this morning. Hopefully a beauty spell will be able to change that. Or maybe, a good strong coffee with a hint of vodka, will do." Reaching for a towel, she slowly wrapped it around herself, trying to smile. Back in her bedroom, she sat on her bed facing the window, and stared into space, letting the residual water droplets evaporate on her skin. As she watched the sky, a flock of black birds flying by caught her eye. She opened the window, hoping one of the birds might be her lover. Letting out a sigh of disappointment, she turned to her bedroom mirror to get a good look at herself. Her hair was wet, and matted, so she wasting no more time and conjured up a beauty spell for her hair and makeup. It was a simple incantation, requiring her to apply both of her hands to her hair to straighten it, and then to her face to apply a small amount of makeup; but it could not completely erase the tired look in her eyes. "Well, I at least look somewhat better. Now, what to wear?" With a snap of her fingers she opened her closet door and willed a pair of pants to come to her. She held them against her chest and looked in the mirror. "Hopefully, you'll help me land a job today. Alright let's get this show on the road." vVv "Well Ms. Jenkins ... everything looks good: your resume is impeccable, and you came dressed to impress. Everything looks fine ... in fact, everything is too fine. I can't have you working here," the woman said. "Come again?" "Ms. Jenkins, you might be a little too much for this company. I mean, good lord, you seem almost like a Wonder Woman of the working world!" "Are you saying that I am overqualified?" The woman leaned forward in her desk chair, and gave Sallie a stern look. "That's exactly what I am saying. A person like you is too much for this position! Hell, if the CEO and directors got a look at your credentials they might put you in my position, and I cannot have that. I am sorry, darling but you did not get the job." Sallie sat back, flabbergasted. How in the fuck can someone be overqualified ... to work in a damned cubicle? She thought to herself. Her eyes darted over at the woman. "What a jealous stupid bitch you are! I just need a fucking job, to pay bills, and survive ... but evil, cold-hearted, jealous bitches like you make it so damn hard out here for women like me, just because of your egos. Kick rocks, bitch." She stood up quickly, snatching her things from out of the woman's hands, in her haste. Just as she was about to leave she threw her head back over her shoulder, and focused her mind on the fish tank behind the woman. "By the way, your breath smells like rotten fish. Bye." She stepped out and slammed the door behind her, then paused outside the office. Five seconds later she was rewarded by the cracking sound of glass shattering, followed by loud screaming. A smile spread across her face at what she had done. She couldn't help but snicker a little bit. "Serves that bitch right." And with that, she was off to her next destination. }*{ By the end of the day, Sallie had inquired about jobs at every establishment there was. She had even tried getting hired as a waitress, but at every one she had found that they weren't accepting applications because they could not afford to hire anyone at the moment. Her feet were getting tired from all of the walking. Finally, she neared her last stop: the mall, and found herself praying that someone would give her a job. While side-stepping other pedestrians on the busy sidewalk, she'd thought she'd felt a prickly feeling at the back of her neck. However, when she'd glanced behind her she'd seen nothing there. When the entrance to Oak Ridge Mall had finally come into view, the sight had put a pep in her step. Suddenly she heard low, subtle, growling sounds coming from behind her. This time when she looked back over her shoulder, she got the shock of her life. A big black dog was following her. She glanced around at the other pedestrians to see if anyone else had noticed it, or was running away in alarm at the sight, but no one seemed to have noticed. "Oomph." She felt her body bump into a soft yet hard body. She looked up to see that she'd run into an older man with salt-and-pepper hair, wearing horn-rimmed glasses. "Are you okay, miss?" "No! There's a dog chasing me! Look!" They both turned to look in the direction she was pointing, but neither saw anything there. "A word of advice, sweetie: hurry and get yourself out of the sun. This heat might be too much for you." "What? Oh, ugh." She watched the man walk away, and thought about what he had said. Maybe the sun is getting to me. But as she took a few more steps, she heard the growling again. This time it was louder. She looked behind her again, and felt her heart pounding in her chest. Whatever this thing was, it looked bigger, meaner, and even more frightening than before, and yet people still walked on by like they did not see anything. When the thing began to move toward her at a faster pace, she began to run. She tried to avoid everyone as she ran from the thing chasing her. "Oh dear lord, help me, please!" She ran faster until she spied an alley ahead, and ducked into it. "Oh goodness gracious of life!" She put her left hand over her rapidly beating heart, and slid down the brick wall to rest her bottom on the ground. After a few moments her heartbeat eased, and some of the fear had subsided. Her sweat had started cooling on her skin and she remained in place a few moments longer, trying to steel herself to get back up and continue running ... when she heard the growling again. It was right next her ear! She looked up in time to see vicious yellow teeth, evil red eyes, and big human-like paws. Her nose caught wind of an awful smell. With what little energy she had left, she looked at the face of her attacker with fear, and hatred. Hatred enough to summon magic to kill him. But the hatred was short-lived when the beast disappeared, enveloped in darkness into which she too found herself; and then she was out like a light. )*( She closed her eyes and felt herself floating, drifting within a grey void. As she moved in slow motion, flexing her fingers and toes, moving her body, suddenly hers met with another body, this one hard, and rough. Her eyes shot open, only to see her former boss and the bane of her existence lying on his side, on what looked like a bed, gazing at her with a funny expression on his face that she couldn't read. "Hello, my lovely." He was just laying there, watching her scramble up on the bed with him, and didn't seem at all surprised to see her. The initial warm smile on his face faded, however, when a wad of spit suddenly landed on his face. With a quick movement he grabbed her and pinned her down on the bed. She thrashed about furiously, but was unable to move. "Nice, real nice. But no worries, I am going claim that tongue of yours, in more ways than one." And without further words, he kissed her. Shifting Hearts Ch. 06 A/N:Let me just say thanks to Rex, he is awesome. And if it seems like I am jumping the shark a bit, let me say sorry, cause sometimes my fingers seem to have a mind of their own.LOL. But other than that,enjoy, and happy reading. The kiss that he forced upon her, stilled her where she lay, pinned down underneath him on the bed. She'd tried so desperately to not give in to the kiss, but his advances were just too damned hard to resist. With a little additional persuasion, she had become lost. A sensation of warmth grew within her as he deepened the kiss. She arched into him, her chest rising up off the mattress, and the tingle of arousal flooded her breasts where her skin pressed against him. She felt a light nudge against her inner thigh and heard a deep growl which, when mixed with the sound of quiet whimpering, forced her back to present reality. She turned her head to the side fiercely, hoping to avoid any further intrusion, yelping when she felt a light nip at the nape of her neck. "Get off me, now. Please get off ... offfafafafa of me," she said, her voice less adamant, tinged with weariness from her internal struggles. His fangs and bearded kisses continued to consume her. Whatever he was doing, it was hard for her to say no. Luckily, she got a break when a scary, deep, dark voice boomed throughout the room.... *** Xavier was in heaven: pure, absolute, heaven. He could never have imagined in a million years that kissing his mate would feel this wonderful; especially after having discovered she was a witch – and a human one, at that. When it came to discovering and accepting his mate, all of his prejudices against witches and humans dissolved. He deepened the kiss after hearing her moan, and could smell her arousal growing. When she had turned her head to resist, it had only excited him more. He licked and nibbled at her neck knowing she'd soon stop all resistance, despite the contradiction of her mouth expressing one thing while her body said another. They'd arrived at a truce; he had finally succeeded in stopping her protests and she'd begun succumbing to the enjoyment of what he was doing to her, when his cousin's booming voice had suddenly interrupted them. He raised himself up and looked back in the direction of the presence that had suddenly appeared. "Damn it, Mannie." "Ha! Maybe, instead of a 'damn it Mannie' ... maybe a 'thank you' is in store. After all, I did fetch your mate; you should be grateful." He stepped into the room and affected a cocky posture, grinning. "Hold the fuck up. You are the cause for that thing that was chasing me? You are one sick bastard," Sallie turned her furious gaze to her boss, "and you allowed this?" "Why yes, of course, how else would I get you? What else do you expect me to do?" "Ummm.... I don't know; how about not get your stupid, scary friend to send nasty-smelling dogs after me? And by the way, what type of dog was that anyways?" "What type of dog it was should not matter. You are here, now, and we have some things to work out." "That dog was a hell-hound," Mannie informed her. "If he roughed you up a bit, and scared you, then that's your fault, and not my problem. Anyways X, I would stick around and see you and your mate bicker like catty bitches, but sadly I have business to attend to in the Abyss." Xavier's exasperation changed to concern, having finally realized that Ermanno was dressed in his general's uniform. "Why? What happened? Is everything okay?" "I don't know, exactly, but apparently some warlocks are attacking the King's Gate." "I thought you have handled those sons of bitches before! What's going now?" "I had ... well, the warlocks' rebel's original leader: I killed him, along with his right-hand men; but now the warlocks have a new leader that goes by the name of Carlos ... some shit anyways, I don't know," he averted his gaze and tried to sound off-hand, then sighed. "But anyways, I have to go and handle it. The King and the leaders are demanding that I show up immediately." He turned to go. "So you are on your own for now. See ya." "Wait! How in the hell are we supposed to get back home? You teleported us here, remember?" It was Mannie's turn to look exasperated. Rolling his eyes, he turned back to look at his cousin. "Oh X, stop being a baby. I have three garages full of cars, hogs, and more. Take your pick and drive yourself home. Anyways that mate of yours talks too damn much; you better tame that mouth of hers. I am out." With that, Ermanno vanished right before their very eyes. Long moments of silence had filled the room, before Sallie finally spoke. "That man gives me the creeps." "He gives everyone the creeps. But enough about Mannie, let's talk about us." "There is no us, you fuck-wit." "Oh honey, yes, there is. It will take some time for you to see, but you will love me, just like I love you." "You don't love, Mr. Russo. You just think you do because of your stupid goddess Luna. What you are feeling for me is not real. So please let me go and live my life the way I see fit, without your presence." "Listen, darling I know you have a very low opinion on me especially since the way I have treated you, and for that I am trying to cope, but the truth remains: you are my mate, whether you like it or not. I refuse to let you go; wolves never let their mates go. Never. So I am telling you this now: you need to get adjusted to your circumstances." "Circumstances?! Dude, are you serious? Look – mmmmmmph – " In the midst of giving him a piece of her mind he stopped her with a sensual kiss. She tried to fight at first, but Xavier could feel her relenting into his embrace. This made his wolf howl. Once he sensed that she had calmed down a little, he gave his final directive, "Now, let's go home, my darling." }*{ Sallie sat in the passenger side of the car, feeling dazed. She looked out the window blankly, watching tree after tree go by at a rapid pace as Xavier sped down the deserted highway. He had chosen one of his cousin's fancy sports cars for the drive. She felt a rough hand come to rest on her thigh, and turned to meet his gaze. "Ugh," was all she said before yanking her leg away. "Ha ha. You will not be saying that for long, doll; trust me." She let out a pissed off sigh, and rolled her eyes, rage boiling inside her. She wanted to hurt him so badly, but she could feel her magic all over the place. Just give me a spark, Isis, just one spark of power, she prayed. Feeling no response from Isis, she grew disillusioned. Xavier spoke up. "I know you are praying to your goddess for the power to kill me, love, but I am glad to say my cousin put a little damper on that." "He did what? What the fuck did he do?" "How the hell should I know? I don't get into his demon business that much." "Ugh!" was all she could muster in response, turning to look out the window and resume watching the parade of trees. They had been driving for what felt like forever. His deep, husky voice broke into her daydreams. "We are here. Welcome back to your new home, mate." He slid out the car and walked around to her side with what looked like a wolfish smirk on his face. The inside of her tummy was doing flips and her skin crawled at the thought of being back at the place she hated the most. "Please stop calling me that, and I refuse to get out of this car," she huffed, folding her arms across her chest. "Well ... fine, I guess I will snatch you out." "You ain't going to do – Ahhhhh! Put me down, you sick bastard! Put me down!" "No can do sweetheart, not with that attitude of yours. Upsie-daisy," he threw her over his shoulder like the cave man that he was, and walked up the shallow hill of the driveway. He could smell the acrid scent of her anger raging inside of her. "Put me the fuck down, you fucking dog!" "Watch your fucking mouth. If my father or any of the pack hears you talking like this, I am going have to chop off heads. So please, calm the hell down."
 "Who gives a shit about your pack, and your damn daddy, asshole? Put me the fuck down now!" She started flailing against his backside. When his wolf suddenly growled, she stopped, and then stood swaying dizzily where she'd landed after being snatched off his shoulder and set down on her feet. "Well, since you refuse to shut the hell up, let me just shut you up." Before she could find a rebuttal, Xavier placed his strong arm around her, and covered her mouth as he lifted her up once again, this time positioning her in a carry not unlike a parent with a crying baby at the supermarket. "Shut the hell up. Now come on." }*{ Thus he reached the great doors to the entrance, Sallie tucked firmly under his arm, muted and goggle-eyed. A young Omega opened it, bowing his head. Xavier looked down at him and spoke forbiddingly, "If you have something worthy to say, you may speak up, pup." He strode briskly through the halls of his home. The Omega struggled to keep up with him. "Alpha Russo, you are back!" he managed to say; then jabbered on excitedly, unable to keep quiet despite his Alpha's prohibition, "the pack has been worried sick about you, and was curious about your whereabouts, and your father is extremely pissed if I do say so myself." "About what?" "Well, you leaving of course. All the while you were gone, your father has taken on the Alpha duties again, and Helen has been going crazy with finding a new witch to replace the one you just fired." As the Omega had said this last, he'd glanced over at Sallie. "Uh huh. Well, did he have any trouble while I was gone? I have only been gone for a few days." 
 "Actually, my Alpha, you have been gone a whole week. But, regardless of which, everything seems to be fine." "Well then, why are you bothering me?" Xavier got his answer when a booming voice shouted within his head, Xavier, meet me in my office now. "Aw, fuck." The high level of aggression in his tone echoed in Xavier's mind; it was a very bad omen just before meeting with him. "Take her to my room immediately, and close the door." He set Sallie down in front of his Omega, one hand still over her mouth. "Don't piss me off, darling. I will be right back. So set tight, and be a good little girl until I return. Okay?" She returned his stare, huffed, and rolled her eyes. "I take that as a yes, then." Turning to the Omega, he commanded, "Remember: watch her, and don't try anything funny." "Will do, sir." }*{ Damn ... have I really been gone for a whole week? It seemed like it was only a few days, Xavier wondered, as he made his way through the mansion. Finally, he came in sight of his father's office door and approached it with a sense of purpose combined with dread: part of him wanted to run and leave, while another part wanted to prove to his father that he was not just some fuck up. "Xavier, stop hovering around the door and get in here." Giving way to the inevitable, he opened the door. He stepped inside and closed the door, then turned to his father who was seated by a curtained window in his favorite armchair, a cigarette in his right hand, and a graphic novel in the other. "You yelled, father?" His father shifted his gaze away from the novel and looked up into his son's face. "Don't get sassy with me, boy. You fucked up. Now sit down, I have something to tell you." "Not until I tell you something first." He slipped into the chair opposite his father, then sat up straight and tall, and looked him dead in the eye; his wolf, too, stood at attention. "Oho! Little Alpha going up against the elder. Are you challenging me, my boy?" he asked, as he took a drag from his cigarette.
 "No father, I am not challenging you. I am standing my ground just in case what I'm about to tell you leads us into a duel." Xavier leaned forward, never breaking eye contact. "I found my mate: my human, witch, mate." And there it was, out on the table. He watched his father's expression change from that of 'grumpy asshole' to 'mean ole grumpy asshole'. His father took a longer drag of his cigarette, then leaned forward and blew the smoke in his face. "Boy, are you fucking with me?" Xavier did the best he could to hold his wolf at bay. "No. No I am not, sir." His father eased back into his chair, pulling smoke out of his mouth. "Oh boy, you have to be fucking with me in order for you come here, after all the shit you just pulled on me. Are you lying, my little pup?" "No sir, I am not. She's a human witch, and I have her in my room as we speak. I am telling you this because at first I could not believe it either; in fact, part of me is still in denial, and hates myself, but Luna apparently likes to play practical jokes. The fact remains, she's my mate. My one and only, true mate." "Oh god, you are fucking serious, aren't you? I mean, you are actually serious with this human mate shit!" Suddenly, he shot up onto his feet and began pacing around his chair, stopping to stomp on his cigarette after throwing it on the floor. Xavier eyed his father warily. "I am, father. I am dead serious. As much as I hate to admit it, she's my mate, and will become the future alpha bitch of this pack." "No! She will not be. No shit-infested human will ever become a member of this pack, let alone Alpha bitch. Boy, you are out of your fucking mind if you think this is right." "I don't think this is right; Luna did, when I got a whiff of her scent. Please Dad, you have to understand what I am going through right now." "I don't have to understand shit, and I certainly I do not have to accept that disgusting human of yours that you call a mate. Just the thought of you, my only son, shacking up with a human, and not only a human, but a witch at that, is making me sick to my damn stomach. It's disgusting, and you should be ashamed of yourself. Get out. I cannot even look at you right now." "But Dad, please." "But nothing! Get the hell out of my office! Now!" Xavier sensed his father's wolf raging and wanting out. He had known the news of his mate's characteristics would disappoint his father, but never have imagined he would be angry to the point of wanting to hurt him. He quickly got to his feet, his eyes glowing grayish blue in hatred and despair. He now wanted so badly to give him what for, as did his wolf; however the son in him – and Alpha in him – could not allow the initiation of such aggression. Instead, he walked out of his father's office. }*{ "Ugh; I seriously cannot believe this shit. I am stuck back at the place I hate the most, with people I hate the most. This is sick, and so is that asshole," Sallie fumed, pacing the room angrily. "Well, hey ... you witches ain't so great either." She stopped pacing and looked at the Omega standing the corner by the door. "Of course 'us witches' ain't so great to you fucking dogs. Y'all made my life a living hell ever since I stepped foot through those doors. As far as I am concerned, we are on even ground, so shut the hell up, talking Fido. And by the way, don't you have Omega shit to take care of? Run along pup, while I figure out a way to escape." "My name is not 'pup', or 'dog'. It's Mario." "Dog, pup, Mario. I could really care less, and neither should you since I am a witch. You are nothing to me. So please get the hell out of this room." "My alpha ordered me to stay, and I only do as he commands. So you are stuck with me." "Oh god, you wolves can be so pathetic, to the point it's almost sickening. If your alpha tells you to jump off a cliff would you do it?" "You know, I am getting kind of tired of your insults." "Well I am getting tired of your presence. Have you dogs ever thought about how awful you guys are towards us witches and humans? And now you have the nerve to be a jackass to me." "Hey. You cannot fault me for whatever my alpha does, or whatever else the werewolves you have encountered, have done over the years. I know us werewolves and witches have our tensions, but right now you are just being a major bitch for some unknown reason, and I know what I am about to say will fall on deaf ears, but werewolves are not evil racist assholes; some of us have no problems with witches or humans, until one of them opens her damn mouth." Sallie stopped dead in her tracks, and looked at the Omega with an arched eyebrow. "What the hell did you just say to me?" "You heard me, I am saying more or less that you are acting like a real brat, right now." "Ha!, Oh my god, I cannot believe you actually just said that. How the fuck else do you expect me to act, after I have just been kidnapped by that overgrown asshole who tried to force me to be his mate?" To say the look on his face registered pure shock, was an understatement. "Oh don't give me that look. I will do everything in my power to prevent that from happening. Ain't no way in hell I could be mated to someone like him, and forever live in this hell-hole." "And why not?" "Oh!" Sallie jumped at the sound of the deep, husky voice behind her. "Damn, could you please stop doing that?" "Doing what?" "Sneaking up on me. That shit ain't cool, man." "Well, if I don't, I cannot eavesdrop on my mate like a proper mate should, just in case she might be bad-mouthing me," Xavier drawled. "Mario, you may now leave." "As you wish, my Alpha." He bowed and walked briskly out of the room. 
He turned back to face her, with a questioning look on is face. "So answer the question." "Answer what question?" "Why? Why don't you want to be my mate?" "Are you serious? You damn well know why I am not going to be your mate. You just expect me to forget all the shit you put me through all those years, working as your harpy witch. No. I can't, buddy boy. Until you do right by me, and crawl, and grovel at my feet, and you beg for my forgiveness, even then I may consider you as a strange associate." "Hmmm." He pretended to scratch his chin in thought. "Crawling, and begging huh? Alright then, I can do that," he said with a chuckle. He slid down on his knees, and folded his hands in cuffed like fashion. "Please oh please, forgive me. I have been nothing but, a big bully to my sexy chocolate mate for all these years. Even though it's kind of your fault, to begin with, but baby please let me show how much of a wuss I can be." "God, even when you ask for forgiveness you are still a jackass. Are sure you are a Werewolf, instead of a Weredonkey?" When those words flew out of her mouth, Sallie had expected Xavier to be upset, but he only laughed. "A Weredonkey? Ha! That's a good one." "Oh you think that's so damn funny, do you? I guess laughing at my expense could be a Broadway show." Xavier shook his head and grinned, clearing his throat to stifle more laughter, trying to regain a little composure. "I am not laughing at your expense, I am laughing at your commentary, and it makes me think I cannot wait to see how our future together will be." "Oh god, again with this future deal. There will be no us, lunatic, no matter how hard you try." "Are you sure about that? I can be pretty damn persuasive at times." "Persuasive? I don't see how that is possible." "Oh, it is. Here, let me show you." "No no no, don't – " before she could object further, Xavier had already shifted into his wolf. Catching her off-balance as she backed away, he playfully herded her and then pounced on Sallie like she was his prey. She landed on the bed, with Xavier in his wolf form on top of her, staring right back at her with those stormy bluish-gray eyes. "Wh ... wha ... what are you doing?" she said, heart pounding, as fear plagued her voice. She had not expected to get a verbal response, and got a shock when she heard the growl he gave her, clearly in response to her question. It was not menacing or scary; it was clearly lustful instead. Shifting Hearts Ch. 06 * He could tell that she was scared, pissed off, and aroused, all at the same time. He could not help but snicker as his mate tried to deflect his affections. To further prove his intent, he leaned down and started to nuzzle the crook of her neck. Inadvertently, she let out a soft moan as he began to dispense little nips up and down her neck. When, with his long wolf's tongue he started to lick her neck, her arousal heat went up, the scent of which started to drive him mad. Her moaning stopped, changing into panting, as he proceeded down along the rest of her body. As he neared her nether regions he swiftly shifted back into his human form, all the while ripping off her pants and underwear. "Black, and red lace. Nice! But sadly, these have to go. "Is raping me your idea of trying to persuade me?" "Mates don't rape their mates. They either fuck them or make love to them, you silly goose. Now hush up. I am trying to concentrate." She wanted to find a sharp rebuke of some sort, so badly, but the feel of Xavier's lovely hot tongue taking a long sensual lick, ceased all thought of that. "You like that, sweet pea?" When she shook her head no, a chuckle escaped his mouth. "Don't lie. I know you do." And he was right she could not hide her feelings, but she could fight them. Concentrate: this man has no effect on you. You will zap the shit out of him given the chance. Steady, and focus.... She tried to find her center, tried hard to find her magical power to contradict her feelings, but all attempts to summon anything that would counter the effect of his ministrations fell flat as Xavier worked his own magic on her. Deep down she could not fight this man and what he was doing to her. "Awww," she heard herself cry despairingly, "what the hell?" "Stop trying to fight me. You are only going to give yourself a heart attack. I refuse to have my mate die on me during sex." He smiled lustfully at her, and continued in between licks and kisses, "Just hush up, and relax. The sooner you comply, the sooner I'll get off you, doll. Trust me, you will like what I will do to you, just like this morning." "I did not like what you did this morning. You assaulted me, and---Ohhh God what did you just do?"All words failed. Sallie felt icy-cool hot sensations tingling from her clit up to her spine, and the feel of his hungry lips suckling her left breast. Her breath got caught up in her throat when he put pressure on her breast. The sensation was both painful, and soothing all at the same time. Xavier smiled to himself knowing that his hateful mate would more than likely yield to him. "You like that, don't ya?" She couldn't she lie ... she did. She enjoyed it so much, that she wanted to fight it. He continued to massage her pussy in an up and down rhythmic motion with the tips of his fingers, while nibbling at her breasts. "Oh hell. Xavier, I fucking hate you," she said with stumbled breaths. "I know. This is so much fun. Now calm yourself, I want to breed with you." "What?!" She got her answer when he suddenly grabbed a handful of her ass and plunged deep into her, causing her to scream and claw at his shoulders. "Just relax darling," he grunted ecstatically. "The sooner you accept what's going to happen to you, the better. Now relax." She did just that. She felt herself trying adjust to his girth, and width, and heat. She closed her eyes and chanted a silent pray for strength as he began to pump into her slowly. She felt herself hum as Xavier did as promised. Once adjusted to him, she found herself enjoying him physically; but mentally and emotionally she still could not let go of her conflicted sensibilities. He started to pick up the pace, moving his hips and a quick rapid motion. Her breath grew deep with arousal, and her nails dug into his skin. That only seemed to drive him on faster. "Oooh, yeah, that's it, sweetie. I love it kinky," he said as his fangs extended. Panic grew inside, and her heart began to race. Her eyes widened in fear as his fangs grew longer and deadlier. "Xavier? Please...." He quieted her by placing a finger to her lips, and without further notice he leaned down and bit her hard at the crook of her neck. She let out a piercing scream that could have been heard throughout the compound. She felt pain at first, but soon that pain turned into pleasure, and she dug her nails deeper into his skin, as all the while he kept pumping into her at a merciless pace. "Oh shit, damn it," she said as she tried to focus on not climaxing too soon. She wanted to be the dominating one. Or at least get some type of control, but that proved to be a waste when she felt him bite her harder, and whatever vestige of control soon evaporated, in its place an all-consuming sense of desire came over her as she let out another piercing scream as shivers went up her spine. After she reached her first climax, it did not take Xavier long to follow with his own; he let out little rough grunts as he reached his peak, and shivers went up his spine. When they finally released they lay there for few moments trying to catch their breath. They laid there for what seemed like hours until Xavier rolled off onto his side with his back to Sallie. Feeling drained Sallie turned onto her side with her back facing him,, and let out a breath of sadness, pain, and relief. She stared at nothing until she finally fell asleep. >~ He woke up the next morning with a huge smile on his face and turned over to gaze at his woman. "Gods you are beautiful, and you are all mine. Despite you being a witch, and a human." With one big hand he reached out to touch her, lightly stroking her skin and playing with her hair. When she began to stir awake, he played with her some more, until she finally turned around to face him. "Get your hands off me, asshole." "Why?" he asked with a wolfish grin. "You know very damn well why. Get off me," she said as she sat up quickly. "Where are my pants? I am getting the fuck out of here." "Your pants and underwear are over there, but retrieving them will not do you no good cause you are not leaving." "Are you so sure about that?" "Oh yeah, I am damn sure. Baby, whether you like it or not you are not leaving this compound, or my side. You are my mate, and you will have to deal with it. And don't try to do any of your magic hocus-pocus. That's not going to work. I made sure of that the morning I bit you." "What?!" she asked in shock. "I am surprised you witches don't know. Once a werewolf and a vampire get a hold of you and bite you, you are forever bonded to that wolf. So it was in your case, my little witchypoo. Your trying to use your magic on me, or against me, is useless. Honestly, I am surprised you have not tried to use your magic again since yesterday morning, which led me to believe deep down inside you like me, or like what I have been doing to you." "Dude, what the fuck? You did what to me, how can you be so freaking vile?" She felt tears well up in her eyes as she stood there in disbelief "I am sorry, sweetheart, well really I am not. But I am a wolf, an alpha wolf to boot, and you are my mate. Whether we like it or not, or whether my father likes it or not, you are the one for me, and I am the one for you. Maybe in due time you will realize it, but you are what you are. My little witchypoo." Sallie threw her arms up in the air in disbelief, and started to pace the room. Oh god, I am stuck with this fucker forever. How can Isis betray me like this? Please Sal, don't cry, you will not cry. Stop it you pussy. But before she knew it, tears were running down her face. She fell on her knees as the hot tears took over her. With each breath she let a harsh sob of pain, and sadness. Seeing her this upset broke his heart a little. He wanted her to be happy with him. Sliding out of bed he padded toward where she'd fallen in a tearful heap. But the moment he reached her, a loud knock sounded at the door. "Not now!" he called in a booming voice. He reached out to touch her as she wept. "Get the fuck off me, monster." She yanked her arms away from him. The knocking came again, and this time it sounded more urgent. "Alpha Russo, please, it's an emergency." He rolled her his eyes in frustration. "It cannot be that big of am emergency, pup. I am busy with my mate right now." Suddenly they heard a new, deeper voice from behind the door. "Boy, if you don't get your ass out here and address pack issues, you will no longer have a chance to get busy with your mate." Xavier's attitude and mood changed upon hearing his father's voice. "Damn ... I guess it is important," he murmured in surprise, then raised it to respond to his father. "Alright here I come, hold your damn horses." He looked back down at his crying mate with a great urge to say something before he could leave. "Please just leave me alone, and go take care of your business. I cannot stand to even be in your presence right now," Sallie managed between sobs. He looked at her, his gaze sad and wide-eyed. At any other time he would have done something, anything to calm her; however with both a crying, hateful mate and a bitching, overbearing father banging on his bedroom door about oversight of pack issues, he had no other choice but to leave. "I will be right out. Look, Sallie, I am sorry that I lied to you, and I know that you hate – "
 "Could you please leave! Just leave me alone. Go handle your god-forsaken pack." Hearing the pain in her voice, he felt his heart drop to his stomach. Letting out a deep sigh he rose up from where he knelt by her, and headed toward the door. >~ Xavier stood gazing at the scene before him. How in the hell had the body gotten up there, in that position ... and up so damn high? he wondered as he watched his beta try unsuccessfully to retrieve the dead, bloodied werewolf from the tree. "John! Johhhhnnnnnn!" His thought process was broken by the screaming wails of John's mate, raining down with ear-shattering impact. He looked up to see her running in her human form toward them. "Who did this?" she screamed loud enough to fill the woods with her cries. When no one gave her an answer, he finally pursued it himself. "What the hell happened?" he asked one of the betas in front of him. Before either could respond, his father interjected from a few paces behind him. "Well, ain't it funny that you finally asked, lover boy. While you were playing with that damn human, one of our own was murdered last night in the woods." Hearing his father voice made his eyes roll in the back of his head. He wanted to turn around, but could not bear to look at him. "Was it our own that killed him?"
 "We don't know yet, that's why we came to you. You, as alpha, need to handle your alpha business, pup." The sarcastic condescension was too much to bear. He turned to face him with an angry glare. "Maybe if you were a better teacher and father, I would be the best that I could. But I guess you failed at both, just like you failed at keeping my damn brother alive." The air grew silent and heavy between them as they stared each other down. Everybody quietly stepped closer to watch. "Ha ha, boy, you got balls, you know that?" "Hmmm. This is the first time you have ever said something nice to me." "Hey!" They both turned their heads toward John's crying mate. "Stop it, please. My mate has been killed, and all you two can do is argue." Shock registered on both their faces: no lower-ranking wolf had ever rebuked them during an argument. "Look. I am sorry for yelling at my superiors but please, you have to understand ... a wolf has been killed. A Salvatore Russo pack wolf has been killed. Now is not the time for bickering. Please." "She's right, you know. As a member the pack and as your beta, I know you two have your differences, but please, can you put those aside so you can get to the bottom of things? Again this is a simple request from a mere beta, not a demand," said one of Xavier's betas. Xavier took a breath. Both wolves were right, and to have them bickering like two cats right now, while a dead body hung from a tree, was asinine. "Okay. You are right. Okay, let's start with the basics. What happened, and who did it?" "See, that's the thing. We don't know. We don't know who killed him. All we know is John said he needed to run last night, and this morning we found him hanging up in the tree," the beta elaborated. There's no scent, no trails, no nothing." 
"Are you sure?" "We are positive we have checked everything, and every lead." Hearing that only made matters worse for John's mate as she fell in a heap on the forest floor, unable to stop shuddering and sobbing. Seeing the crying woman made Xavier's mind grow cloudy with distress. Shaking his head he commanded, "Cut him down. I don't care how long it takes; get him down, and then send the body to the morgue to have an autopsy done. And if anyone sees anything funny, sketchy, or weird, let me know. If anyone needs me, I will be in my office." >~ "My life is shit, right now. Just complete, and utter shit." Staring up at the ceiling, Sallie finally wiped the last tear from her face. She had cried until she had no more tears left to shed. Now all she just lay in the middle of her kidnapper's floor, wallowing in her pain. She heard a light knock on the door. "Go away, you asshole, and if you are a fucking dog, your ass can fuck off too." The knocking came again but this time it sounded more persistent. "Young lady, I can assure you I am not your tormentor, nor a dog. I am a fellow witch come to check up on you. Is that too hard to understand?" Sallie shot up on the floor with a shocked look on her face at the sound of the sweet Southern voice. "Umm ... who are you? And what the hell are you doing on this compound?" "I can assure that I will explain everything if you just let me in. Trust me, I won't bite." Sallie opened the door, and there stood a woman in her 50s, smiling and holding what looked like a basket loaded with ... all kinds of snacks. "Hello, my name is Francine. I assume your name must be Sallie Mae?" "You can assume right. Um, may I help you?" The woman threw her head back in laughter at the question. "No, sweet child. The question is: can I help you, doll? Please, may I come in? I brought you snacks." At the mention of food Sallie's tummy did a summersault. She forced a smile on her face. "Oh what the hell. Come on in, my new friend. Have a seat wherever the hell you want." She noticed her limp as she walked into the room and over to the bed to perch on one end. Closing the door, Sallie turned to face the woman with a hungry grin, unable to disguise that she was famished. "So ... what type of snacks are in the basket? And what can we talk about?" "I am so glad you asked, dear. I have Slim Jims, Nutty Buddys, Crunch'n Munches, Cheetos. Take what you like." The woman sat and watched as Sallie grabbed a bag of Cheetos, ripping it open. "Wow, you must have been starved." "Yeah, I was. The bastard who kidnapped me, was neglectful enough to not feed me, and I have been stuck in this room all day and night. Thanks." She finished the first bag and reached for another, perking up a bit. "So, how did you get here? And why are you here?" "Wow, so soon with the interrogation, dear. By the way, slow down when you eat." "Oh sorry, I am just so hungry." "It's okay, dear," the witch responded amiably. She thought for a moment. "Okay, where do I begin ... ummmm." She scratched her chin. "As you can see I am a witch, just like you. I came from a very small town, and belong to an even smaller coven due to the size of the town. It's in Texas. My mother and father are both human witches, and as to why I am here ... I just needed a change of events. Living in that old small country bumpkin town became a little dull, so I decided to come here to Georgia for a new life and new surroundings. And came here to this compound because they needed a new witch, and I got hired right on the spot." "Ha. Well, I can tell you there is nothing much going on here expect for asshole dogs, and evil batty vampires. Us witches here, along with the humans, virtually get no type of respect. The vampires, werewolves, and even some demons run this city." "Honey, it's like that all over America. But I will say that, I'd rather be here than back in Texas, for reasons of my own. I mean ... yeah vampires and werewolves hate our damn guts, and the century of witches before us kind of screwed us over with limited and wacky powers, but if you try to look on the bright side of things, things do not seem that bad, dear." Sallie stood there, and rolled her eyes, while shoving a Cheeto in her mouth, scarfing it down. "Bright side? What Bright side, lady?!" She spewed out Cheeto crumbs as she talked. "Take me, for instance. I have been treated like complete shit for the last six years, by my sick, son-of-a-bitch, werewolf boss. I quit; then the next day, this man claims I am his mate and kidnaps me. I escape again, just to get kidnapped by some big, fat, smelly, dog, owned by his equally sick, twisted, demonic, werewolf cousin who scares the living shit out of me. That's one scary bastard. And did I mention the fucker hit me? Uh huh. There is no bright side in my situation, lady." "Well if you keep thinking negative like that, then there should be no bright side, dear. Yes, when I first came here have been treated like shit, but that soon passed as some of the wolves got to know me a little better, and I did everything they told me to do with a big bright smile on my face. Whatever jokes they did throw at me, or whatever insults they spoke at me, I either threw back a nice witty comeback, or just shrugged it off." "So you are the witch version of an Uncle Tom?" "A what? Aha!" the woman let out a harsh laugh, evil-sounding enough to scare just about anyone who heard it. As she burst out laughing, Sallie stepped back and sat down in the middle of the floor away from the woman, thinking Damn, I think this old bitch is crazy. What I said was not that funny. The woman came down from her laughing tirade. "I had no idea being called an Uncle Tom of witches was such a compliment," Sallie observed. "Oh sweetie, with any other witch it will not be, but with me I guess it is. On the surface of late I don't think of things like that in such a negative manner. I try to stay positive, and think positive. These werewolves are not going to change anytime soon, so I figured I'd make it the best way I know how. You can too, if you just try." "But lady, either you are oblivious or deaf. That man kidnapped me, bound me to him, and lied about it. He treated me with disdain, and is forcing me to be his mate. I don't know how many times I have to explain it." "Oh, you can explain as many times as you want, but what I am saying to you is this: stay positive. Trust me dear, everything happens for a reason. Me being here at this compound is for a reason, and I trust it's a damn good reason too." While Sallie sat there pondering her words, the woman stood up and limped over to her. She bent and kissed her on the forehead. "Trust me when I say I am here for a reason, and hopefully in due time you will know what that reason is. Okay?" The woman was making Sallie uncomfortable with her nearness and overpowering aura. "Okay. Let's just say I believe you, Uncle Tom," she said, trying to bring a little defiance back into her voice. "You are here for a damn good reason." "Good." Shifting Hearts Xavier ordered the betas to seize her. Two huge betas grabbed her on either side, easily lifting her off the ground, withholding her powers from being activated. Although she was a witch and had quite few abilities, she knew she knew these men outmatch her in their size and numbers. When he stared into her normally black eyes, were raged flaming red. She spoke in a deep, dark tone. "This will not be the last you hear or see of me, Russo. Believe me when I say we will come in contact again, you will drop to your knees in agony, with all the pain you caused me. Believe me when I say this whole fucking compound will fall with agony due to your atrocious ways. And you can bet your fucking life, career and well being will be turned upside down and inside out in front of the ones you mistreated the most. You will get tenfold the despair from those you harmed for your own specisim. Watch your back you cowardly bloodsucking excuse of a dog". "Yeah, yeah, bullshit, witch. Your warning falls on deaf ears. You are such a joke. Get her the fuck out of here." "You are a fool Russo." And with those last words she was removed off the compound with a new found attitude. )*( "I seriously cannot believe this shit. How dare he do this to me after all the hard work I put into that compound, all the spells I made, all the potions I had to brew that took days to finish, and having to put up with the disrespect from those fucking bloodsucking dogs while doing it, just really makes it even worse." Sallie Mae stomped her way home shouting to no one but herself at the worse day she ever had. She was furious more so than upset. She could not believe she willing put up with their shit for the last three years and had nothing to show for but a bruised, beaten up self-esteem, and a scared knee. "I should have listen to my coven sisters, and my mother but oh no, I had to listen High priestess Morgana and go to work like a fucking slave for those fucking assholes. Yep, that's what they are evil, no good assholes. All of them dogs can go to hell and get fucked by the devil himself for all I care." "WHOOOOO." Without thinking consciously she answered "The Salvatore Russo pack that's who." "WHOOOO." snapping her head up, she felt a trail of fear running up her spine. "What the hell?" she looked around frantic searching wildly for the terrifying wacko. Her heart pounded in her chest, as she tries to gather enough energy to summon a quick spell. The moment she finally turned around to face whatever it was, her high level energy subsided when she saw a black and gray owl in her big tree. "WHOOOO." it said again while moving to it's left on a big branch. Still feeling that sickening fear, and a little silliness, she quickly stepped into her home and shut the door turning in for the night. )*( He sat in that very spot and waited for her to return home for at least thirty minutes. He was so mesmerized by her presences their first encounter that he had to see her again; he had to get a glimpse of his black beauty. He didn't have to wait long when the sweet scent of flowers after a summer thunderstorm filled his senses. He could feel his need to make love to her wash over him as he saw stomping angrily on her way home. He could tell that she was upset about something with the way she spoke at loud to herself. The moment she reached the door, he made his presences known. "WHOOOOOO." She answered unknowingly. It was the second time that he caught her off guard. She looked around frantic trying to place the unseen noise. A small pang of satisfaction settles inside of him as she realizes he was nothing but owl setting in her big oak tree. She gave him one more glance before running into her home. "Mmm, Sallie Mae, my black beauty." He repeated this over in his head as his thoughts ran rapid of her. But his thoughts were suddenly interrupted when the squeal of a hawk circling above him caught his attention. "Goddamnit Regan. What the fuck are you doing following me?" he mentally said to his younger brother. Regan landed on a branch above him all in his golden feathered glory. "I just came to here to be the nosy little brother you know and love. Who's the girl?" "No one in particular regarding to you, now get the fuck away from me." "OOOHHHhhooo this might be serious. I asked a simple question and you are already being a major dickwad." Roger knew he was being a little to sensitive at the moment. He always got like this whenever something he wanted really badly was just right in his grasp, and people always find ways to try and stop him. "Look, she's just a girl that really interest's me, that's all. Why does it matter to you anyways, that you have followed me all the way here from the manor? You have plenty of sluts falling at your feet. Now go away and play with one of them" "Well dear brother if you weren't so caught in some girl, watching her for the last these few days, or better yet this past hour you would have been at home when Red Hawk's Aviation called about your pilots license. Such a shame really they said you aced everything, but since you weren't present they had to reject you." "WHAAAATTT!?!" that really ruffled Roger's feathers. "Hahahaha I am only teasing brother, you are too easy sometimes. You were accepted thanks to me of course. After years of practice I finally nailed your voice down the max." Regan had always liked to poke fun at his brother, and the same can be said for Roger. Regan mood switched from playful to predator the minute they caught scent of a girl that smelled like fresh pine coming their way. Looking out onto the sidewalk they spotted a tall redheaded woman walking her dog. "Catch you later brother, I am off to play for a while, and I hope you do the same." Spreading his wings Regan flew into the air, made sure the woman was a good distance away before landing and shifting into a little puggle. Both Roger and Regan had doubt that the woman would look behind her and see what happen due to the fact she was so engrossed in her phone conversation. Roger turned back looking into the house where the beautiful woman reside, and was sad he had to leave. If he could he would stay the night sleep in her tree, but he decided he did enough witch watching, and he needed a nice warm bed. "I shall see your beautiful face in the morning my sweet. Goodnight for now, my darling." And with no other words Roger took to the sky. )*( Meanwhile, Sallie Mae was in the mist of trying to magically take down her cornrows, when she heard the distinct cry of a hawk nearing her home. Stepping away from the spell book, and a small pot of potion she was trying brew, she walked over to the window and got a sneak peek. Looking out the window she saw that the owl now had company in which came in as a hawk, a big golden hawk. The hawk was on a branch above the owl, and it looked liked they were almost communicating with each other by the way they stared at each other. "I am just fucking paranoid is all. They are just two birds in a tree." Easing her way from the window, she made her way over to a mirror on a wall and took in her mess of a hair. "What am I going to do with you?" she said grabbing a piece of her hair. On the left side of her head, was outdated cornrows that needed repair badly, and on the right side, was a big, bushy, kinky, nappy mess of hair. She mange to take half her hair down, until she got tired and decided to think of creative spells or potion to handle the rest. "Hmmmmm I bet, if I could make a spell book on how to style and fix a black witches hair I would make a killing." She said staring back at her reflection. Turning away she went into her bedroom strip off her clothes rested her head on her pillow. "But tonight, I am bone tired." )*( 'That fucking witch will pay for what she did. How dare she threaten the pack that brought her in, when everyone else refused?' 'That human will know her place, when I am done with her, all humans will. They are nothing but fucking prey to state our hunger for food, they are our food, so to think this witchy, skinny; bitch of a human think that she is better than us to threaten us with a stupid course is ridiculous. The Alpha would be proud that, I am willing to do what he suggested last night, when he came to my room and complain about that rotten human. Yep, I will rough her up real good. You will be so proud of me Xavier." Helen stalked through the woods hell bent of trying to get rid of the pack's thorn. Thanks to today's technology she was able to locate where the witch lives. When the witch's house came into view through the edge of the woods murderous thoughts ran through Helen's head. "This ugly little bitch will regret the day she ever stepped foot on the Salvatore Russo pack lands." )*( Opening up her eyes to the morning sunrays, she could hear the morning birds chirping near her window. Slipping out the bed, she padded her way to the window, and threw back the curtains to get a better dose of sunshine. She looked out her window to see little birds playing around in her flower bed just below her window. She got a closer look at her flower bed and realized how terrible it looked. She definitely had to do something about it. Stepping away from the window she went to out on some raggedy work out clothes that she could easily get dirty in, and grabbed her garden tools to go to work in her garden. )*( Roger contemplated which form he should take on next the moment her footsteps and scent neared closer to him. Thinking quickly he shifted into the animal that whatever came to mind. )*( "Hey there Sallie Mae, how are you doing this morning?" her next door neighbor asked. The older woman looked at her strangely as she was getting into her car. "Umm, Sallie is everything ok, I mean your hair looks like.....are...feeling....fine?" the older white woman could not help but to ask and stare. Living in a predominately white area, and only handful of blacks living in her neighborhood Sallie knew why the woman looked at her so strangely. She couldn't help but to laugh. "Hehehe, everything is fine Miss. Lent. Have a good day at work now." "Ok, honey I was just trying to make sure, bye." Walking over to her flower bed, she saw a cute little brown bunny in her daisies'. It was so darn cute that she couldn't send it away. "Hey there little guy what are you up too this morning?" she bent down to pet it and was amazed at how soft it was. She began to work in her garden the normal way since she had nothing else better to do, and she liked planting and growing things with her own two hands. Working in her flower bed and garden gave her a peace of mind to herself, it relaxed her. She was so preoccupied with her flower bed, she did not hear a vicious growl from a wolf and its claw slicing her arm until it was too late. Her screams sliced through the morning air of pain. )*( Pain, pain, pain, pain I am in so much pain it's unbearable. Tears of pain poured down my face as I turn to see a blond wolf staring at me, grinning. I did my best to collect my thoughts, I even tried to call on the great goddess Isis for help, but my head is clouded. I grabbed the nearest weapon I could to defend myself from this wolf the best I could, but the pain is searing through my arm and all over my body. The canine reveled sharp fangs with salvia dripping from it, as it neared me. I waved my miniature pointed shovel at it as a weapon but all the wolf did was just grinned more as if, it knew I was as good as dead. and I was. I am going to die at the claws of a wolf and I don't know why. Closing my eyes out of fear thinking this was the end of me, a very frightening growl of a large cat echoed through my ears before I opened up my eyes again seeing a large tiger hoping on the wolf and gave it a few good scratches. The wolf was easily outmatched by the tiger in so many ways, but it did try to put up a fight. Taking it's large paw the tiger smacked the wolf across my lawn, leaving badly wounded. I wanted to run inside my house but my pain was too much for me, and I felt myself getting weaker by the moment. With heavy eye lids I glance over to the wolf, and was shock to see it turn into a pixie cut blond haired human named Helen. That bitch, and after all I did for that heifer why would she do this? Wait a minute, there's a tiger in my yard, what the hell? "Sallie Mae are you ok, sweetie? Can you speak?" Glancing up I saw a beautiful light brown skinned man with long straight jet black hair talking to me. "Tiger" I said weakly. "Among others. Just please let me help you, sweetling." He lifted me in his big arms and carried me into my home. "But I---." "Shhhh, I will take care of you. Just please let me." )*( Helen walked through the compound walls with shame; she was shamed that wasn't able to kill some little weak human. And was shamed that she couldn't sense the shifter that attacked her out of nowhere, she was one of the top Betas in her pack, and the mere fact that was defeated so easily by an unexpected shifter was very painful to mention. She reached the office door of her Alpha to deliver the bad news of her shameful attack, and let him know that shifters are in the area. When she opened the door Xavier was right in the middle of a conversation with a pretty Asian she-wolf. He abruptly stop the moment she walked through the door all bloodied and beaten. He sniffed the aromas, and was instantly by her side. His eyes glowed a blazing amber as his wolf came to surface. A look of concern swept over his face. Helen couldn't help but to feel the pain he was going through as he took in her condition. He grabbed her bloody right hand and held it up to his face as silent tears leaked from his eyes. Lifting her other hand to his face she swiped away the tears. She looked at him with caring loving eyes as she felt tears of her own slipped from her eyes. She had a feeling that Xavier always loved her, had always wanted her to be by his side as Alpha Bitch. She just never thought it had come to the point where she bloody and scared up to do it. "Xavier I know what happen to me was awful, and I know looking at me in this condition is going to make you do crazy things to get revenge. But you should know something. I was- "My mate." "Yes I might be your other ha—." His voice now was filled with anger; she felt her bones being crushed under her Alpha's hand. "Oww ahh." "You have attacked my mate." Shifting Illuminations Dr. Aine stood in the dim hallway, smoothing her navy blue suit skirt over her pale thighs and bent to pick up her soiled, tattered lab coat. She held it up to the fluorescent light, tsk-ing at the shreds down the front. She sighed, before balling it up and tossing it into the trash can on the opposite wall. She pulled her messy red hair back into a tight bun and placed her chic, safety goggles atop her head. She was thankful for the indestructible construction of them. She rounded the corner, alarmed at the sound of crashing glass and noted the shrouded moon outside the tall window before her. She blinked and frowned at a low lying shadow that hovered beneath the window. When she hesitantly walked over to investigate, only moonlight remained. Her stomach growled in hunger. She silently slipped into the lab, grabbed a fresh lab coat off the door hook, and threw it over the arm of her wrinkled suit jacket. No one was supposed to here tonight. He was standing in front of the metal lab table, his back towards her. She could see his gray slacks peeking out from the lab coat and imagined what type of ass her sensible, studious colleague was hiding. She grinned to herself and smoothed her features when he turned to her. His almond shaped brown eyes blinked in surprise, seeing her. Was it because she was not wearing her lab coat, for once? Or that the glasses she always wore, were pushed up on top of her head? Something was different about her, tonight. She glanced down at the floor, noting the broken glass, and the small droplets of blood, before flicking her green gaze to his hand, which was bleeding pretty badly from a deep wound. She subtly licked her lips and took a few steps forward. "Are you OK, Dr. Le?" She questioned him. He grabbed a few paper towels out of the dispenser and wrapped his hand in it. "Dr. Aine. What are you still doing here?" He paused. "I thought I was alone." She stood before him, reaching her hand out. She loved the way her ancient name flowed off of his tongue. He exaggerated the "Aw" part of her name so it sounded like a song: Awwn-ya, rather than "Awn-ye." "Never alone, friend, with so many mice around." She chuckled and he relaxed, as she nudged his hand away and removed the paper towel. She was a powerhouse in a tiny package. She had climbed her way up with her dissertations and research articles. Le had great respect for her and was slightly, he admitted to himself, intimidated by the woman. It was whispered around the lab that she was cold and calculating. But in the five years they had worked together, he had never seen that side of her. Of course, he had never taken a step further with getting to know her; always kept things professional and out of lab-coats, genial. He was an intelligent, brilliant, quiet, steadfast man; not one to approach a woman, not even a woman more on his level. It was what his conservative Vietnamese-American upbringing had required of him. His fist was clenched. Her soft, hot hands eased his hand open. Her touch was gentle. She used her knee to shove a rolling stool over to him. "Take a seat and I'll fix you up." She offered. He nodded and sat down. He was pale and his hand trembled in hers. "You aren't squeamish of your own blood now, are you?" She quirked an auburn eyebrow up. The blood rushed to his face. "Only my own." He admitted. "Please don't spread that around." She patted his hand and nodded, as she took a needle and a pack of sutures off the cart behind him. "Relax. I've had a lot of practice." She was about to enter the needle into his skin, when she remembered something: pain. "Are you going to need an anesthetic?" "I'll be OK." He assured her. She wasn't convinced, but shrugged. Her chest rising with the motion. "I won't tease you if you do. How about at least a topical solution?" He agreed. She went to work, removing the shards of glass and expertly sewing up the wound, after cleaning it thoroughly. He avoided looking at his hand and looked away. But the act of looking into the dimly lit lab caused a wave of dizziness to seize him, and he thought he saw a shadow wavering against the lab's autoclave sterilizer. He divided his attention between his coworker's face and her chest. Her pink tongue slipped out as she focused on the task. The swell of her breasts were pressing against the blouse she wore and Le began imagining. When she finished, she looked down at his black hair and ran a hand through the gray flecks, down to his chin. She brought his eyes up to meet hers. His eyes were glassy. She was staring at him. Her body was situated between his legs, to make the stitching up easier. "Di-did you hear a howl outside, just before?" He wasn't sure what made him ask. Something flashed in her eyes, before she took a step away from him. "No. Probably some dog though." He thought about that a moment. He knew there were no dogs in the neighborhood. But didn't remind her of that. "Thank you." He sat for a few more minutes, before standing up. He wavered and her arm was there for him to hold. "Again." "My pleasure." She smiled sweetly. "By the way, I love your tie today." He looked down at his tie. He had worked with kids today and always wore Disney ties on those days to help ease his young patients' nerves. They were too busy looking at and talking about the tie and the characters to be upset, usually. Tonight he was wearing Beauty and the Beast. His tie was yellow. Beast wore his navy ballroom tuxedo, the scene he is about to dance with Belle to the title song. The red rose of Beast and Belle's destiny was glowing the background. Dr. Aine approved. "I need to clean up this mess." He spoke up. She stepped away, leaving the space empty and cold, devoid of her presence. "I'll help." They picked up the broken glass, wiped up the blood, and deposited everything into the hazardous materials wastebasket. He finished up and wiped down the lab table. "Are you done for the night?" He questioned. She was over at her lab table, writing in a chart and tidying up. She turned to him, her safety glasses perched on her small nose. "Just about. You go on ahead. I'll shut the lights off and lock up." She turned back to her chart. He flicked off the lights on his side and squinted in the dark lab. An indistinct shape seemed to drift across the linoleum floor. A chill tingled up his spine. He walked over to Aine. "Let me walk you out. It's late and dark." She put her hands on hips and huffed at his suggestion. "I am quite capable. Being on my own, late at night, is nothing new to me." She asserted. "I know. But it will make me feel better." He stared at her expectantly. "Or maybe you are the one needing protecting?" She winked at him, he thought, in a playful manner. His jaw dropped open as a gathering of darkness formed behind the petite woman, overshadowing her form. She gasped as she felt something slam into her body. She held herself rigid before advancing with a gleam in her eye. Gold sparks seemed to flash in the depths of green. He took a step back, suddenly feeling uneasy. She tugged the pony tail out of her hair and shook the red tresses. They cascaded down her back to rest at the bottom of her spine.. He never realized she had such long hair! She always kept it in a tight bun. She kept coming at him. He bumped against the counter, fumbling with beakers and test tubes behind him. "Aine, what?" Her supple body was pressing into his and her fingers crawled up his silk tie, loosening it from around his throat. "I don't think." Her nimble fingers were unbuttoning his long sleeved white shirt. "Stop thinking." She growled. He gulped and swallowed a mouthful of saliva. This part of the lab was dark. A sliver of moonlight shone through the high window, illuminating her face. Impatient with the tedium of the buttons, she gave up and ripped his shirt open. Her face was contorted and she seemed almost in pain to him. "What's happen..." He was unable to finish his sentence. One moment her face was changing, her eyes glowing gold, her hair seeming a living flame, her skin stretching, and her body growing. And just like that, she looked herself. Only, she wasn't. He yelped, feeling a sharpness pierce the skin of his chest as she tore the shirt to shreds with claws. Claws? What the hell?! "Oh God, oh God." He stammered. "Don't hurt me." He pleaded as her still normal hands moved down to his gray slacks. Fur brushed against him and his eyes widened in shock, seeing burnt sienna fur all up and down her arms. The softness of it startled him. He found himself touching it in wonder, and then her hands were stroking him through his pants and he found it hard to focus on his precarious predicament. A low growl emitted from deep in her chest. She swept her arm out, knocking him to ground, before leaping away from him and over to her lab table. He was sweating and trembling and bleeding a little. He sat frozen, his dark brown eyes watching her, in awe. A primal, anguished howl tore from her throat and she slammed her body into the table, knocking everything off of it, in a panic. His senses began returning and he crawled towards her. She was curled on the ground, her body shaking. He reached out a tentative hand to her fevered brow. It was obvious she was in pain. He searched for something, anything to help her and found a syringe filled with neon green liquid sitting on top of her charts. Praying this was what she needed, he stabbed it through the thick skin of her thigh, which was now covered in downy fur. A high pitched whine came from her. The shadow scurried away from her. Her clothes lie in tatters on the floor beside her. He did the only thing he could think of; pulled her into his arms. He covered her with his lab coat and held her until the tremors wracking her body subsided. He stroked her hair away from her face and leaned his face down to kiss her cheek. "It won't last." Her voice whispered, as she turned her face to look up at him. She sat up and hugged her knees to her chest, the lab coat slipping down her body. She didn't seem to notice, but his eyes traveled her body. All but her eyes had returned to their normal state. She was paler than normal. Her energy was zapped and she sagged against him. "How?" He asked, pulling the lab coat up to her chin. "I can't speak of it. I just, it's been awhile." "How long?" "Years. I have been working on an antidote for years. I'm missing something though. It doesn't last. The next morning, I wake up with the metallic taste of blood and meat in my mouth and I hate myself. I scan the police blotter for any unusual vicious animal attacks." She turned from him, her eyes to the floor. He reached his hand out and took hers in his. She looked down at their hands then back up at his face. "I'm a monster." She intimated and tried to yank away. But his grip was firm. Firmer than he had any right to be. "We'll run tests. We'll do research." His voice determined. "I have. I can show you the research and results I have done. It is no use." She stared down at his hand holding hers. She remembered how her claws bit into his skin. "We can work on it together." He tipped her face up to his and saw tears swimming on the surface of green. He leaned his head forward and touched her lips with his. She closed her lips into a tight line. "Did I hurt you?" Her fingers soothed the scratches on his chest. "No more than the glass did to my hand." She sighed. His fingers stroked through her soft hair. "May I kiss you?" His eyes were hopeful. "I don't think it's a good idea." She looked down at her watch. "I haven't a lot of time. I need to head into the woods, get away from civilization." She felt a twinge in the pit of her stomach as his fingers touched her. "Have there been attacks?" He asked quietly. "Not on humans, thus far. Small relief." She laughed bitterly. "What is the problem then?" It was an innocent question and yet, she bristled. "You don't understand. I'm a vegetarian." She groaned, thinking of the poor animals that she'd be eating tonight. Each and every lab rat or mouse she experimented on or watched die in agony, she said a small prayer for it's tiny soul. Her colleagues would think her mad if they knew the truth. He blinked at her, thinking for a half minute, that she was joking. He wanted to laugh, but she looked so miserable, he just dipped his head down and caught her lips with his. Now or never, he figured. She responded by softening her lips and making a small whimper sound as she felt his tongue coax her lips apart. She would only take a sampling, she promised herself, as she deepened the kiss. She murmured as her lips moved against his. "I have always wanted to do that." Le confessed, as he traced his finger along her collarbone. "Then, why haven't you?" Aine questioned, captivated by his eyes. She leaned forward and gave his broad nose a playful bump with hers. "I respect you." He mumbled. "And I you. Nothing wrong with a kiss, though. You have lips meant for kissing." She whispered. "But we work together." He reminded. "Hm, you have a point." She pushed the lab coat down her body and took his injured hand in hers, placing a kiss on the wound, and then placed it on her left breast. With her hand over his, she began massaging it. His face flushed. With her encouragement, his thumb moved against the peaked flesh. She pressed her naked breasts against his bare chest, encircling his shoulders with her arms. "I have to go." She stood up and before he could protest, fled the lab, naked. He stumbled a bit and ran after her, standing in the doorway. His eyes widened as a dark shadow stalked her and pounced. She was knocked down, writhing on the ground. Her head shot up and she stared straight at him with amber eyes, soft red-brown fur covered her body. She let loose a mournful howl. *** Dr. Le wanted to go to her, but some inkling of intuition warned him to let her be. So he turned around, after casting one last glance over his shoulder, and walked back into the lab. He looked over to where she had been crouched. She was gone. He fired up the lab's laptop and typed the word "Shapeshifting," into his favorite search engine. He was flabbergasted at all the websites and articles that came up. He clicked on the first one: it seemed promising, with the website's main image being a man's face overlapped by that of a wolf's. He browsed through article after article, even finding obscure scientific research, which intrigued and pleased him. But nothing seemed to stand out that could help his friend. He scrolled through page after page of: lycanthropy, werewolves, were-cats, were-bears, were-rabbits, skin walking, lupins, kitsune, coyote, trickster, raven, selkies, even the medical condition hirsutism (excessive hairiness). Still nothing that resembled what had happened to Aine. Le had a sneaky suspicion, but he needed his hypothesis grounded in facts, before he presented it to her. He bookmarked and transferred the web links to his flash drive and then shut down the laptop, the lights, and locked up. He climbed into his car and gunned the engine, speeding down the road towards the local book store. He had 15 minutes to browse before it closed. He stepped foot into the book store and looked up at the subject signs hovering above the aisles of books. He headed for the metaphysical section. There had to be someone out there who wrote a book about what he had just witnessed. He recalled the non-distinct black shape that hovered around and eventually attacked Dr. Aine. He shivered in response to the image, yet again. He was determined to help her overcome the adversity which had overtaken her life, or fight the anomaly, should that be the case. Either way, she was clearly vexed by her situation, as was he. He saw a woman standing in front of the shelf marked "paranormal" and took a deep breath before venturing, "Excuse me, ma'am." He tapped the woman's shoulder. She turned her head, retying her colorful silk scarf around her neck and pinned him with a frosty look. "You shouldn't sneak up on a person." Her gravelly voice said. "I apologize. It is just that there are only a few minutes left until closing and I need to get to the section you are in." He explained, calmly. She looked him up and down. "What subject matter?" She queried. He blinked at her. Could he really tell her what he was seeking? Would she be able to help him? She'd probably laugh at him. "Shapeshifting." He said under his breath. Her gray eyes sparkled and a lovely smile broke across her face. She lifted her glasses from the chain around her neck and put them on, as she honed in on the section. "Shapeshifting you say. Are you wanting to try to shapeshift yourself? It can be a dangerous business. Only those who are prepared should be trying." She tutted. "No, no." He hurried in. "It is for my friend." "And? Is this friend interested in learning the art?" She pressed. He groaned inwardly. The scientist in him wondered, did people really think a book could teach them that; without scientific proof? "It is for research." He amended. She nodded her head. "That's fine then. Are you looking at the history? The culture? The types?" "There are different types?" He gave her a hopeful look. She patted his hand, congenially. "I have the perfect book for you then. Books and movies often delve into physical shifting mostly. But, there are more ethereal kinds of shapeshifting. This book.." She pushed a book into his hands entitled The Magic of Shapeshifting, by: Rosalyn Greene. The front cover's illustration was of a full moon, with a wolf/human face, surrounded by various animals. "...all you could ever want to know about the history, the culture, the characteristics, the types, and the magic of shapeshifting." She gave him a considering look, before continuing on. "Because I think that you are serious about the research aspect," she thumbed through the titles and tugged out a thicker book, entitled The Art of Shapeshifting, by: Ted Andrews, "this book goes into a more practice/ritual-oriented look at the art of it. The author has since died, but his books are a definitive guide to the animal world and other metaphysical areas. Otherwise, I would have suggested you get in touch with him. I highly recommend him." Le nodded his head and thanked the woman. "You've been most helpful." He stated. She acknowledged him with a smile, before she turned in a swirl of skirts and disappeared around a corner. He held the two books and headed for the front counter, intent on making the unusual (for him) purchase. A hand shot out and grabbed his arm, dragging him into the stacks. "I would have your friend study the chapter on mental shifting and guides." The same woman hissed at him, enigmatically, then released his arm. "Gain control." One moment she was there, the next she was gone. He shook himself and clutched the books to his chest protectively. *** When Dr. Le entered the lab in the morning, he half expected Dr. Aine to be a no-show after the draining night she undoubtedly had. He was half-tempted to call out sick today himself; a thing he rarely, if ever, did. But he was too anxious to see her and share with her what he'd learned. Today she wore a peach sweater that complimented her green eyes and the light sprinkling of freckles over the bridge of her nose. Her lab coat hid her legs, so he wasn't sure what pants or manner of skirt she was wearing. Her heels were a tan color. Her cheeks were paler than usual, not the typical rosy cheeks he had become fond of seeing. He became concerned, as there were also dark smudges under her eyes. He was about to walk over to question her, when he remembered that they weren't typically overly friendly with each other, like some of their cohorts. Shifting Illuminations She looked up from the petri dish in front of her and caught his eye. She gave a small wave and smile, before resuming her work. Maybe he could catch up with her at lunch, he thought. The morning went as routine and regimented as always. He discovered nothing earth-shattering, nor very helpful for their research. She seemed to also plod along at a slow, but steady pace. When 12pm came around, Dr. Le removed his safety goggles and headed for the lunch room. Aine spied him heading out and followed him. He paused at the doorway to the Men's room and looked back at her. He pointed to the door. She mouthed. "OK," and slipped past him into the bathroom, wrinkling her nose up at the terrible smell. "Would you prefer the Ladies' room?" He asked her, seeing the gesture. "No. The Ladies' room is more likely to have people dawdling about. How about one of our cars? I had told Elisa that I needed to get some Advil from my car for this raging headache. Meet me at my car?" He nodded and she left first. He followed shortly after. She was standing on tiptoe, rummaging around in her trunk. He could see the curve of her bottom and remembered the feel of it against him last night, when she had lain in his lap. He stepped close to look over her shoulder. She spun around and knocked into him. "How are you?" His question a loaded one. "Recovering. I wish I could tell you that last night didn't happen." She began, quietly. "No. Please. No regrets. It is over and done with for what, another month?" He calculated the exact date of the next full moon. She shook her head. "It doesn't work that way, Le. I wish it did. If it worked that way, I could have a little more control in at least getting myself somewhere safe. This thing happens to me without warning, whenever. It's the reason I disappear so often during the day, only to return to work late into the night." She explained, as she sat on the bumper of her car. He joined her. "Is there an impetus, an emotional connection that you have noticed with these attacks?" He delved in with questions that seemed pertinent to what he had learned. She shrugged her shoulders. "I've never really thought of it. I guess, well..." She let her words hang in the air. "Yes?" He encouraged. "Sometimes during menstruation when I'm really hormonal." He gave her a look. "I can be a real bitch, in the literal sense." She tried a little laugh, but it failed to lighten the mood. "When I am, um, in an aroused state." She stood up and opened her car door and sat in her driver's seat. He opened the passenger door and climbed in. "And, well, how often does the aroused state happen? When was the last time?" This time, his normally non-plussed colleague blushed. "Last night." She confessed. "Last night. But you were in the lab nearly all night with me." She shot him a look and he snapped his mouth closed. "It doesn't matter. You are asking if I've noticed any patterns. Yes, I have. I'd rather not get into the specific dates and times. Is that really required?" She quirked her eyebrow. "Yes and no. Alright, for now we'll leave that one alone." Le tried to force his mind away from last night. "What has got you so excited, anyway?" She grumbled at him. She was exhausted and dreaded reading the morning newspaper. It lay, like a hang-nail on her back seat, irritating her with its presence. She didn't know why she was being so bitchy. He had seen the transformation, not run, stayed at her side, and kept her safe. She should be thanking him. But, she couldn't bring herself to do that. She had to stay strong. Her hands were gripping the steering wheel and he took one of them, lowering it to her lap. She was on the verge of damnable tears again, and she was getting tired of it. She needed to gain control, somehow. Le's soft touch steadied her and she let the steering wheel go with the other hand and placed it in his. They sat silently for a moment. She took a deep breath and turned to him, looking into his worried brown eyes. "I'm fine." She told him. "Did you have something to tell me?" "Last night, after I reluctantly left you outside, howling." He forced the word out and he saw her wince. "I went back into the lab and did a websearch on shapeshifting." "Did you find anything?" She did not let the glimmer of hope show on her face, rather she kept a poker-face on. "Nothing helpful." He answered. "Oh." Her shoulders slumped as she let out the breath she had been holding. "But, then I went to the book store. I found a few books that might be helpful. A few chapters seem to be along the lines of what has been happening to you with the shadows." He continued. "Shadows?" Her expression was lost. "The shadows that were stalking you right before your change?" Le hadn't considered that she might not know the source of the force plaguing her. "Back up." She held her hand up to him. "I observed a non-distinct shadow on a few occasions last night; while you were stitching me up, when you were standing at your station, and then again outside in the darkness. I thought it was my eyes at first and the wave of dizziness from the blood. The image is burned forever in my mind. This shadow seemed to hover around you, then it stalked you, and finally it attacked. It was during this attack that you fell to the ground each time, writhing in pain. Shortly after was when the transformation started to begin." He reached for her hand again, which was cold and Le automatically brought it up to his mouth to blow warm breath across it. Now she felt dizzy. She was glad that they were sitting down. "A shadow?" She asked. He put their hands in his lap and he gave hers a reassuring squeeze. "Have you not seen it? Have you not felt the force overtake you?" He urged. "Of course I've felt it!" She snapped at him, yanking her hand from his. She slammed it on the steering wheel in frustration, her head following the motion and imitating it. "But what does it mean?" She took a few deep breaths, and lifted her head up, recalling the events of last night. "The only shadow I saw was when I was in the hallway. When I looked under the window again, it was gone. I figured it was a trick of moonlight." Confusion evident in her eyes. "What do you remember?" He prodded. "About last night." "I remember the pain mostly. The look of horror in your eyes. I remember waking up in your arms. You kissed me. I had no clothes on. I kissed you back. Blood down your chest." She caught her breath. "The kiss was nice. It really was." She paused and saw him blush. "After that, I remember going outside. I woke up in my bed, naked, alone." Le was remembering that nakedness all too vividly. She had lovely feminine curves in all the right places. He knew it probably wasn't the best time ask, but he needed to know. "Do you remember anymore from that kiss?" She did in fact remember more and the core of her tingled at the memory of his thumb skating across her breast. "That was right before I left the building." She was annoyed feeling the heat of a blush coming on her. "I think that is what prompted the changes." "Yes, energy." He smiled at her then, his mouth curving up. "You do remember." He said softly, leaning towards her, framing her face in his hands. She wanted those lips on hers. "Not a wise decision, considering." She tried to explain. But her words were lost as his lips caressed hers. "Shh. It will be fine. It's just a kiss. You said so yourself." He promised her, as he gently tilted her face, his lips running along the curve of her bottom lip. "A kiss that could very easily lead to more." She protested. "In the middle of the day, on our lunch hour, in the parking lot?" He grinned at her. "Again, you make a sound case." She let her arms wrap around his neck, but the center console prevented much more closeness. She idly glanced behind him at the back seat and laughed silently to herself at the silliness the thoughts were taking her, both of them. His eyes had also traveled back there. "Tell me more?" "Ah yes. Well, mostly the werewolves and other shapeshifting stories that are popularized and immortalized in our lexicon and brains, are of a more physical shifting. Did you know there are several types of shapeshifting?" She shook her head no, intrigued. "There are. Anyway, I've been reading about a couple of those types in particular. Physical shifting: This is when the molecular structure of the body actually changes and transforms. The body morphs into the animal. It is a rarity. Bilocation shifting: This is when your soul/aura/essence, what-have-you, separates from the physical body, allowing the shifter to be in two places at one time. In that case, their soul takes the shape of the animal they transform into. Psychic shifting can be where possession can come into play." "Possession?" She interrupted, not liking the sounds of that word, at all. "Do you think that is what is happening to me with the shadow?" Her voice rose a pitch. "It is a possibility. But wait, there are other possibilities as well to still explore." He tried reassuring. "Possession sounds sinister." A high pitched beep startled the two and they froze, then relaxed and laughed om relief. "It's my watch. I knew we'd get caught up in the conversation. Lunch-time is over." Le said. He gave Aine's hand one more squeeze. "Are you working late again?" He released it. "Yes. Shall we continue this after-hours?" Her words hung in the air. Did he sense a hint of more, in the after-hours part? He would put it aside for now. He got out of the car and came around, but she beat him to the door and opened it herself. He took her hand, like the gentleman he was, and helped her out. "After you, my lady." He winked, his hand resting on the small of her back, as they walked back into the building. *** Dr. Le was pouring over the chapter entitled "Familiars and Spirit Guides," when a shadow dashed across his peripheral vision. He slowly lowered the book and turned around on his stool, so he was facing the lab. "Aine, are you there?" His voice calm, soothing. When they had returned from lunch, she had told him she had a meeting to attend and that she would see him that evening. She was going to head home for a bite to eat, before returning. After a few hours alone, Le began to wonder if she needed more time to process the new information. Maybe she would stay home and return with questions in the morning. A plaintive whimper came from the corner of the room. Le cautiously walked over to investigate. He wasn't worried for himself, but he remained concerned for Aine. They still did not know what they were dealing with, yet. Very likely they were dealing with a malevolent force of some kind. He knew he had to be street smart in approaching. He held his hands up in a gesture of surrender and peace. He could see a form crouched between the wall and counter. He reached his hand out. A warning growl had him taking a few steps backwards. "Aine, it's me. It's Le. Don't be afraid. Come out sweetheart." The russet furred creature cowered and howled, before uncurling herself and lunging forward, knocking trash cans and stools out of her way. She made it to her refrigerated case and pawed at the lock, whining. Le unlocked the the case and saw the glass vile of green fluorescence. He knew she wanted him to inject her again, but he had a hunch. He squatted beside her. As a wolf, she was slender and had a small stature, much like her human form. His brown eyes gazed into hers. "Aine, I am not going to give you the antidote. It won't last, as you said yourself." The growl rumbled through the room and he hardened his resolve, where a lesser man may have fled. Her white fangs were bared and sharp claws were digging into the linoleum. "You need to try and overcome the changes without the drug. I am going to try and help you. Do you understand me? If you understand, lift your paw up." He watched her still form and thought she could not comprehend his words in the shifted form. But then, slowly she lifted her paw in the air, resting it on his knee, tilting her head in understanding. "Good girl." He stroked her ear with one finger as she butted her head against his hand, wanting him to touch her. "I'm going to just touch you. Do I have your permission to do that?" The other paw came up and rested on his other knee. She balanced on her haunches, thumping her tail. His tanned hand gently stroked her head, pausing to rub her ears between his thumb and fingers. Her tongue lolled out and she leaned up to lick his face. He smiled at her and tickled under her chin. "That's it." He encouraged. This made her happy, she stretched up on her feet and pushed him onto the ground. He laughed and tried to roll away from her. She stood over him, two paws on the sides of his head and two paws down by his legs. She licked his cheek again. He lifted his arms up to give her the kind of bear hug you would give a big dog. She let out a happy sound. "Your fur is so soft." He told her, rubbing her flanks. "Such a beautiful creature." He murmured. "You don't have to fear this part of yourself, you know." She arched her back and stretched her body. "It is best to embrace the beast within, to come to peace with her. There is plenty of room for you to reside together." He said, thinking through the passages he had been reading. If a malevolent spirit held her captive, he was pretty sure that it would not allow him to show her this kind of affection; unless, that is what it craved. But, he doubted it and was rewarded with his answer as the creature standing over him merged and disappeared. She was swept off her feet. In place of a wolf, a warm woman's body was laying on top of him. Her naked, lithe form pressed against him. Long coppery locks feathered against his cheek. Her eyes were closed, as if she were in repose; her breathing slow, but steady. Le wrapped his arms around Aine and held her close. Her heart beat was rapid, like a frightened butterfly that threatened to fly from her chest. Her hair smelled of sunshine. He kissed her neck and when a whiff of earthiness tickled his nose, he let his tongue trace where his lips had been, up to her ear. He took the lobe between his lips and sucked gently. A gasp came from her and her vivid green eyes blinked into his. "Le." Her skin was flushed and hot. "How did you do that?" She tried to lift herself off of him, but was too weakened by the energy drain. She lay still and kept staring at him. "Thank you." She whispered and lowered her head to take his lips in a soul-searing kiss. Her tongue slipping inside his mouth, tasting him, consuming him. Her teeth grazed against his bottom lip, tugging it into her mouth to caress with her tongue. Le returned the kiss with equal passion and slid his hands up into her hair. A fire burned within her, spurred on by the lingering nature of the beast. Her pussy was wet. She pushed herself off of his chest and to her knees, dragging his body up with hers. She unbuttoned his striped blue shirt. The defined muscles of his chest urging her on. She used her teeth to untie his Lightning McQueen tie, briefly grinning at him and tossing it aside. He had worked with the kids again today. He wore the tie specially for one five-year-old patient. The boy had an obsession for "Cars." The thought he put into his patients were part of the charm that had been drawing Aine to him, ever since she first started working with him. She yanked the shirt free from his black slacks. His firm hands came down and stilled her movement, moving her hands aside and finishing what she started. He then lowered his pants down. His black boxer-briefs were straining, barely about to contain his erection. Aine grew wetter at the sight and skimmed her hands over the bulge. Le's cock jumped at her touch. Little glimpses of her breasts were tantalizing him and he finally brushed her long hair off her chest, and over her shoulder. He caressed each perfect pale globe, holding and molding them to his hands. Her rosy nipples pebbled up, and he found his fingers squeezing gently, watching them elongate slightly; and then releasing, watching them settle back to their normal shape. Aine arched her back, pushing her breasts back into his hands. He cupped and squeezed them, his thumb brushing against the sensitive peaks. She pushed against his chest, until he lay back down and rearranged herself so that she was sitting with her legs on either side of his thighs. His cloth covered hardness teased at her folds. She slipped her hand down to play with her lips. Seeing this, he took the initiative and replaced her hand with his, sliding a long finger against the slickness. Her fingers trailed the muscles of his abdomen to his slim waist, moving to his waist band. She slipped her hands into the waistband and pulled them down, freeing his cock to her view and her touch. She teased and stroked the length of him, being sure to use her other hand to cup his balls and manipulate them in her hot hand. His fingers were doing magical things inside of her, and she panted as she felt herself building up. "Aine." Le lifted his head up to look at her flushed face. She growled at him and let him go. He was afraid he might have awoken the beast and lay still, watching her. "Control yourself." He instructed her. "Embrace the wolf, but don't let it consume you." Her eyes flashed gold and she lifted up and moved up his body to sit on his chest. Her pussy was inches from his face. He stared into her heat, touching a finger to a drop of moisture that dripped down. He rubbed it between his fingers. The musky fragrance coming off her had his head in a whirl. Aine tried her best to tamp down on the wild energy. She groaned, as she felt Le's hands on her thighs, coaxing her further upwards. "Not a good idea." Her voice coming out in pants. "Focus on something else. Focus on work. Focus on the article we are working on. Don't focus on what I am doing to you. Don't focus on the pleasure." His fingers eased into her heat, exploring her folds, his thumb stretching up to massage the small nub nestled there, as his fingers delved deeper seeking her G-spot. "I can't." She whined. Her body pitching forward when his fingers found and stroked the sensitive spot. "Try." He said gently, as he looked between her thighs at the pearl nestled there and let his tongue flick out and touch it gently. She nearly jumped off of him. "This isn't working." Her voice husky, her body trembling. "You can do this." His gaze held hers, surprisingly commanding. Her amber eyes bore into his and claws came out, as she held his head in her hands. "No, you don't understand. I can't." She snarled, lurching away from him. "Then don't." His hands clamped down on her, his tongue dipped into her core and she shuddered. Her muscles clenched and a red haze filled her vision. His tongue fluttered inside her. "I believe in you." A voice said from somewhere in the darkness. When had it become dark? Aine cried and reached out blindly, her heart beating a mile a minute and her hands sweating. She shook with such force that she was afraid she would collapse. She felt a steady lapping against her lips, a flicking against her clit, a humming vibrating her being. "Where am I?" She asked the darkness. She startled when she felt something wet on her face and turned her head to look. She was staring into golden eyes. They belonged to the most beautiful creature she had ever seen. A long body, softest, thick red-brown fur, a black nose, large teeth. "Are you me?" Her voice asked the creature, unsteadily. "I am part of you." A lilting voice, with a hint of a gravelly tone replied. "But how?" She questioned, moving closer. "I am your within animal. We animals have been guiding you throughout your life." Aine spun around and gasped when she saw a bear in the background, a lion, a hawk circling over her head. There was even an elephant stomping around with trunk raised. Several more animals appeared. Her head swam with it. Shifting Illuminations "Who are you, all of you?" She questioned. "We are your guides, dear one. We guide and protect you." The wolf answered. "Why me?" The wolf seemed to smile at her, lifting one corner of its lip. "Everyone has guides. More particularly; everyone has animal guides, spirits, totems. Whatever word for it you humans choose to label us with. We are part of your essence. You have been able to sense us for a long time, but your analytical mind has not let you open up enough for us to communicate with you. I have much to teach you, young one. Let me in and I can take you places you've never imagined. We can give you the access you need to help in the healing work you do, the research you toil away at." Aine did collapse then. A majestic lion stepped forward seeing this and dropped to the ground before her. It curled its warm body around hers. "What about the changes?" She needed to know more. "You will become used to them. Once you have accepted us into your waking life, you will have more control. You can learn to set boundaries for us so that we do not disturb your everyday life so much. You can ask us to only come to you when you are doing soul work, while sleeping." The wolf continued. "But.." She was trying hard to understand what she was being told, but felt a tugging on her consciousness from a distance. Something wonderful was happening to her body and she was torn between wanting answers and wanting to come, hard. "Have I harmed any people?" The animals were fading into the background, all but the gorgeous wolf. "It has all been in your head. You have not harmed anything other than woodland creatures. That is not really necessary for you to do, either." "How so? I have to eat. Don't I?" She wondered. "That is what your body demands of you. Your mind and spirit does not need nourishment, in this form. You are to follow where that form takes you and we will lead you where you must go." The wolf leaned forward and butted her with its nose, before connecting its forehead with hers. She felt an intense tingly between her two eyebrows and cried out, as she felt herself burst into flame and her body fall into an endless abyss. "Awn, Awn." A voice was speaking, she felt her shoulders being shaken. "Aine, wake up." The voice from below was concerned and edging on panic. She opened her eyes. Her head was against the cold floor and her body contorted in a weird position. She pushed herself up and back and realized she was sitting on Dr. Le's chest. She had been doing more than sitting there, hadn't she? Something in the back of her mind told her. His mouth was glistening and wet, and she remembered. A furious rush of embarrassment flooded her face. "Oh my God." She breathed. "Where did you go?" His voice asked softly, from behind her. She shifted her gaze to the torn clothing beside him. "Do you have an extra lab coat?" Goosebumps rose on the surface of her skin. She put her arms over her chest in a protective gesture. Le stood up and walked over to a closet, removing a spare lab coat and his own jacket. He walked back over to where she was standing and held the white coat up to her. She slipped her arms into the sleeves and pulled it tight around her body. "I have more clothes in my car." She stated, ignoring his question. He nodded and held the jacket out to her, but when she turned to leave, his hand on her upper arm stopped her. "I'll walk out with you." When she wasn't watching, he licked his lips one last time, savoring the taste of her and then wiped the wetness on his sleeve. He took her arm in his as she grabbed her purse. They rode the elevator in silence and exited the building. She popped her trunk and rooted through it. She came out with a pair of worn jeans and a brown turtle-neck sweater. "Will you guard the door so I can put these on?" She opened her back door and crawled into the car. "Yes. But Aine?" He pulled her against his body. "What?" She turned her head to look at him, a look of exasperation on her face, heat suffusing her cheeks. "We have to talk about what happened." He said gently. "When you are ready." She turned away and Le gave her some privacy. She quickly threw the outfit on and hopped out of the car. "I don't want to stay here any longer. I'm tired and hungry." She was exhausted and her mind almost on the verge of shutting down. "Will you call me when you get home?" Le asked, knowing she needed time. "No." She forced herself to say the words, words she promised herself she would never say to a man again. "I need you." She hid her grimace with a yawn. "You do?" Le's heart was hopeful. "I don't want to be alone. In case it happens again." She rushed on to say, so she sounded just a little less desperate. Le moved closer to her, so they were eye to eye, his hands rubbed up and down her arms to warm her up. "I'm here for you." He stated, before tenderly kissing her lips. She sighed and leaned into the kiss, before breaking it and pushing him away. "We're in this together now. I know you might not be comfortable with that. But, it is what it is. I know that asking for help is not an easy thing for you." "You know?" Her eyes hardened slightly. "What makes you think you know?" Her hands were on her hips, and she was in a defensive stance. "I don't know. But, I know you have a hard time letting people into your personal life. I am sure a lot of that has to do with this current situation, but I sense there is more to it than that." He remedied, reaching for her again. "You sense?" She scoffed and bit back a bark of laugh. Le focused on remaining calm for her and rubbed his forehead, just above the arch of his eyebrows, not wanting to show the frustration he was experiencing. "You know what? I've changed my mind. I think I am better off alone." She whirled around and stalked to the driver's side door, throwing it open, angry. "I want to know." Le said, hurrying to her side. "Please don't shut me out. You're my friend and I want to help you." "We're coworkers, nothing more." She said, coldly. "What just happened between us was more than that. You know that and it scares you. It's OK to be scared and to have a hard time letting yourself be vulnerable." "That wasn't me back there!" She raised her voice to emphasize her point. "That was some, some creature. I had no control over what was going on. Even if I did, that was not something I would have done with you." Her eyes bore into his. Despite knowing that she was hurting and confused, her words wounded him. He wondered if she really believed what she was saying or if this was the only way she knew how to cope; to shut down. He was torn. Part of him thought it best to give her some space, let her work things out on her own. But, another part, the part that was winning out, didn't think she should be alone right now with her thoughts or the shadow. Making a decision, he stepped forward and took her hand in his and brought it to his lips. He stroked back her hair from her face and lightly brushed his nose against hers. No reaction. It gave him the chance he needed to reach into her car and pull her keys out of the ignition. Her fingers bit into his wrist, as they held it. "What are you doing?" She glared at him, her blood boiling. "I am making a decision for you. You are not thinking clearly right now. It is not safe for you to drive in this state." His voice firm. "I'm not drunk." She clenched her teeth, annoyed at him and annoyed at herself for privately agreeing with him. "And this decision of yours, what does it involve?" "That's up to you. I can either drive you home and tuck you into your bed." Her face visibly relaxed a bit at his words. "Or I can take you home with me and tuck you into my bed." "So either way, I end up in bed." She yawned widely. "With you." She surmised, making it a statement and not a question. He reached behind her and shut her door, then locked it with the keyless entry remote on her keychain. It beeped and she jumped into his arms. "That is entirely up to you. But yes, you will end up in bed, either way. Your decision." He said, giving her a choice. But all along, they both knew the decision was out of her hands. "Doctor's orders?" Her lip lifting slightly in a half smile. "Doctor Le's orders, yes." He grinned at her. "In that case, take me home." He took her cold hand in his warm one, and she allowed him to steer her to his car. He opened the door for her and she climbed in. *** The first thing Aine noticed about Le's home was that it was very neat and tidy. She expected it to be, based on the way he organized his work space. While she managed to keep it together at work, at home she was more comfortable with organized clutter. Le led her to his couch and sat down with her. She looked around at his home. It had a modern style to it. There were framed Ansel Adams photos hanging on the crème brulee painted walls, along with other nature scenes; these photographs in color. She also noted some Asian inspired accents, which probably reminded him of where he had come from. She was about to get up and explore, when his face came into her line of vision. "Aine, can I offer you something to eat or drink? You need to replenish your energy." The doctor in him took over. "Only if you have raw meat." Her face showed no expression. When she saw the shocked look on his face, she pecked him on the cheek. "Le relax. I'm kidding. I told you I'm a vegetarian." "But the wolf?" Le was picturing her wolf form tearing into the flank of a deer and winced. "The wolf and I are both fine. I will take some tea if you have it though. My stomach is too jumpy to eat right now." While Le got up to put the kettle on the stove, Aine glared at the shadow that lurked in the corner. "I don't know how to accept you into my life." She whispered a hiss at it. She heard in her mind the answer of "Trust us." She threw her hands up in frustration. "I don't know how!" She complained. "You can start with opening your heart again." The female voice answered. "No. I'm not going there. Not with him. Not with anyone. My heart is closed. End of discussion. Now please, leave me alone." The shadow leaped at her and knocked her against the cushions of the couch. The wolf's paws were on her shoulders. "Sooner or later you will have to concede. It's part of your path." The shadow receded. "What's that?" Le called out to her, when he thought he heard her ask him a question. "Nothing." Her clipped voice replied. Le took up the two mugs and flipped a switch on his way back to the living room. The smooth sounds of jazz music floated on the air. He knew it relaxed him and hoped it would do the same for her. She was strung tight about now. When he returned with the mug of tea, Aine was staring intently at something. Her face was red and her fists were clenched at her sides. Le rushed forward, almost toppling the hot tea on top of her. Her reflexes were unnaturally quick and she righted the tray. "That was close." He sat down beside her. "Listen, after we talk about what happened and I finish this tea, I'm going to ask you to drive me home. I do need to be alone. It's nothing against you. I really appreciate the interest you are showing, even if it scientific." She muttered the last words. But he heard them. "If that's what you need to do." He agreed. "But Aine, this isn't about science. It isn't even about my curiosity. It's about you and." He started. She stood up and held her hand up to stop his flow of words. "Regardless." She started. His fingertips brushed against hers. The shock of the gentle touch had her forgetting momentarily what she was about to say. Le saw the opportunity in the distraction and with more strength than he realized, leaned forward, placed his hands on her trim waist, and pulled her towards him. He looked up into her eyes as he lifted her shirt up, and pressed a kiss to the soft skin of her stomach, moving his lips back and forth. Aine's heart started pounding. Something inside her told her that the shadow was waiting for just such an opportunity, as well. Le let the sweater slip back into place and walked his fingers up her arm to her shoulder. He brought her down to his level, nudged the collar of the turtle-neck to the side and buried his face in her neck. She smelled like vanilla and with a hint of something fruity. A curtain of red caressed his face, as she moved her head slightly to glare at the shadow. It crouched in waiting. "Stop denying yourself." The voice in her head urged. She closed her eyes as his lips sought her earlobe. "You should wear your hair like this more often." His hot breath whispered into her ear. A shiver ran through her at the change in his normally serious tone. "I like it." He said playfully, as his lips finally closed over her earlobe and sucked it into his warm mouth. He ran a tendril of her hair between his thumb and forefinger, relishing the silken feel of it. She felt her body moving of its own volition to perch on the edge of his couch. "I wear it like this all the time when I'm not at work." She told him, enjoying what his mouth was doing to her ear, but more so the soft stroking of her hair. Memories of what his mouth did to other, more intimate places, had the blood rising to her cheeks. Le felt warmth heat up her cheek and looked at her, seeing the blush sitting there. God she was even cuter, blushing! "I do believe you are blushing, Aine. Might I ask what has caused the color to rise to your cheeks?" He smiled at her. Damnable pale skin, she thought to herself. She took a deep breath to steady herself. "I think we should probably talk about what happened to me back whe-when you know, when I blanked out." She finished with a huff. Le straightened up, recognizing that she was evading again. "Yes, of course. You are right." His tone once more became serious and analytical. "Tell me what you experienced. Leave no detail out." She was staring at him with wide green eyes. Would he think she was insane? At the very least unstable? A tear slipped out and before she could angrily dash it away, hee gently caught it on his thumb, which was rubbing against her cheek. "I'm not sure why I'm crying." She told him. "Your body is releasing the stress of the situation. It's a natural thing to be happening." He told her, as if she didn't know the mechanisms and reasons for crying. She meant why now. She sighed. He handed her a tissue from the side table beside the couch. She took it. "Where's your bathroom?" She questioned him, hiding her face behind the tissue. "Down the hall, second door to the right." He pointed. She got up and walked slowly to the bathroom. She looked at herself in the mirror and admonished herself. She let out a scream, when she saw her reflection. The face of a red-brown wolf superimposed itself over her own drawn face. The eyes were golden and the snout long. She lifted her lip up in a mock smile and gasped, touching the glass with her fingers, seeing large white canines sticking out from her lips. A pounding sound came from the door. Le had heard the scream. But she was paying him no mind right now. Let him keep pounding. She was mesmerized by the image in the mirror, her image. Or her image and the wolf: A guide? A demon? A piece of herself? Her true self? What did it matter? She was exquisite. She flipped her long red hair and watched the image respond with fur bristling and flowing, as if on a breeze. She let out a hysterical little giggle. "Aine, are you alright? Please let me in. I heard you scream. Aine." The pounding continued. Le's voice was frantic. "I'm going to pound this door down." He yelled. "At least just say something, so I know you haven't fallen or something." She responded with a low, guttural growl. Upon hearing the animal sound, Le stopped pounding, and lowered his voice. "Aine. I'm going to go back into the living room now. You take your time. I didn't mean to upset you further." All the while, backing slowly away from the door. He heard scuffling and banging and an anguished cry. What had he gotten himself into? His sense was at last returning and he snapped out of a momentary trance. Within the bathroom, the wolf woman swung around, smashing against the sink. It fell off the wall, the porcelain shattering. She swept her tail up in her half hand/half paw and pet it, with wonder. "A tail?" The human part of her mind questioned. She stalked forward, stood on her hind legs and pushed the door. It fell off its hinges and smacked to the ground, cracking in half. "Do I look awful?" She asked him. She was only half-way transformed. The wolf legs merged back into human legs and she walked down the hall, her imposing presence pushing the man back. Le's back was against the door. He grasped the handle and pushed it open, slipping inside the dark room, stumbling. The wolf woman kept coming. "Aine." The named barely registered in her mind. Her golden eyes burned into his; he felt like a deer caught in headlights. Her human hands were edged with claws; sharp, dangerous looking claws. He had encountered them once before and he knew they could do major damage, given the chance and circumstance. He didn't want to give her that chance. He skirted around his bed, putting the bed between himself and her. She put one leg on the bed and climbed onto it, crawling across it, her eyes never wavering from his. Le's adrenaline was pumping, palms sweaty and there was fear in his eyes. Where last time he was able to see Aine in the wolf's eyes; this time only the animal stared at him. She crouched, looking ready to spring at him. Le quickly grabbed up a blanket from the end of his bed and threw it over her. She thrashed around. He climbed onto the bed to tighten the blanket around her body, trying to keep her still. She howled and slammed against him, knocking him to the ground. But the constraints held. When he had thrown the blanket over her, the woman disappeared, leaving only a slathering she-wolf in his room. She looked hungry, judging by the drool dripping off her muzzle. He grabbed two more blankets and repeated the same action. He didn't want Aine to hurt herself or to hurt him. He just wanted to slow her down. He needed to think. He needed to get through to her. He knew it was only a temporary fix, but he wished he had had the forethought to bring the antidote from the lab with him. He hadn't. He placed his hand on the blanket and felt trembling and fighting. He smoothed his hand up and down, trying to soothe. The last time, he hadn't actually seen her shift completely. This time was different and he wasn't quite sure how to handle it. He sat down beside her, continuing to rub, as you would do to soothe a child, or a frightened animal. It seemed to be working. The thrashing had stopped and her heaving breath was slowing down too. "Aine." He said. "I'm going to unwrap you now. I'm hoping you can understand me, like the last time. I'm going to unwrap you and then walk away so you can get your bearings. I'm not going to hurt you, so I need you to not hurt me. OK?" Movement ceased, but the soft rise of the blanket let him know she was OK. He carefully began to untangle the blankets from around her. When there was only one fold left to un-tuck, he got off of the bed and took a step back, stretching his arms to finish the job of pulling the blanket off. He backed up towards the door. "Le, help me," The voice pleaded in his head. "I don't know what to do." Aine felt torn in two directions and it was painful. Every nerve ending in her body seemed lit afire, and she was afraid the pain of it would kill her. She begged the animal part to release her. But, at the same time she reveled in the new found freedom and sensations, especially the acute sense of smell. She could smell Le's scent on the pillow that she was resting her head on, and a few feet away she smelled Le himself. She sniffed the air. Beyond that she could smell the scent of wood, the hardwood floor she guessed, and maybe the wood from the fireplace she had seen in the other room. She liked that smell. The herby, minty scent of her tea, with a hint of milk. She sniffed deeper and looked across the room at him. She could smell the blood under his skin. That would not satisfy her hunger, she knew. Shifting Perspective Disclaimer: This story does include aspects of cuckolding and humiliation. If that is not your thing, please don't bother reading or commenting. This is just a fictional story and while things like STDs and 18 years of responsibility for a child exist, the story focuses on the moment, not the future. If you are considering entering the lifestyle in real life, please use protection and common sense. You only have one life. * Mary thrust back as Tim began to cum inside her. He grunted loudly and she admonished him, "Shhh, the kids are in the other room!" "Sorry, your story really got me going," he replied. "I still don't understand why me talking about having sex with other guys turns you on. I know we have always had an honest relationship and have both been open to others being sexually involved, but wouldn't you prefer to fantasize about fucking another woman?" Tim sighed, "I've told you this over and over. You are the only woman I really want and the idea of seeing or hearing about you being pleased sexually really turns me on. I know I am not exactly well-endowed, but I know you will always come home to me because we love each other." "But, it is the same for me. I only want you and I love your dick because it is part of you. I mean obviously we both find others attractive, but part of being your wife is suppressing any urge to sleeping with those guys," Mary proclaimed, becoming exasperated. "Who says that is part of being a wife? Why should you suppress that drive? I just don't have that drive to compete for any other woman. You know in your mind that society's focus on monogamy is incorrect. I always thought it was hot in college when you had guys falling all over you and I won the honor of being your husband. That was a hell of a sexual spark in our relationship that I wouldn't mind having again," Tim reflected. "We hadn't gone steady by that time and I was impetuous back..." she stopped suddenly. Knock! Knock! "We'll be right out," Mary replied loudly and then turned to her husband, "We have taken too long. The kids' show is probably over. You go deal with them and I will get cleaned up. Thank you for he quickie." "Why don't you take a bath and relax for a while? I'll take the kids for a walk. Even with the cold, they need to get outside for a bit." Tim kissed her and went to the restroom before going out to get the kids ready. After he left, Mary went into the bathroom and ran a hot, steamy bath. She was still turned on as she had not cum and was also a little bothered by her husband's words. Were her views about marriage truly a product of society's views of women and their roles in relationships as her husband claimed? Prior to marriage, she had been much freer sexually. After getting married, she had focused only her husband because she wanted children and that desire drove her sexual desire for her husband. Before Aidan was born and to some degree right before Isabel was conceived, she and Tim had sex quite frequently, often multiple times week. While pregnant with Aidan and for about a year after his birth, she had very little desire for sex. They had even gone a month without sex for the first time ever. Mary had cleaned herself up and climbed in the hot bath and tried to get her mind off the conversation she had with Tim. He had originally been very disturbed by Mary's lack of sex drive for the year after Aidan was born, but he got into reading some weird erotic stories and had even convinced her to let him buy a chastity device, a plastic cage-looking thing that prevents Tim from getting hard and masturbating. Since Mary had not really wanted sex at that time because of the baby, she obliged his desire to role-play with some teasing and orgasm denial. She shook her head and closed her eyes as the heat of the water seeped into her muscles causing her to relax. Tim pulled Aidan's jacket on him as he shuffled him and Isabel out the door. "She doesn't ever understand!" he thought to himself. After years of trying to explain himself and why he enjoyed the thought of Mary enjoying herself sexually with other men, she still only merely humored him. He took a deep breath and turned his focus to the kids. He talked to Aidan about school and what games they might play that evening. Isabel occasionally interjected with some commentary about her or her brother. Tim laughed and his frustrations left his mind for now. Mary, on the other hand, did not have an easy time letting go of their earlier conversation. She had begun thinking about her sexual desire for her husband and its wax and wane cycle during her pregnancies. Then she started to think about her children. She loved them immensely and she wanted a third. Even Aidan and Isabel had recently asked for a new brother or sister, which bothered Mary immensely because though she and Tim had spoken frequently of having three children, he had gotten a vasectomy after Isabel was born. She had distracted her kids instead of addressing the issue that they couldn't have another brother or sister because they could still adopt. After the surgery, Tim had explained that he was done and that he preferred to adopt. Mary felt the anger rise in her once again about Tim not considering that she wanted to go through the whole process of having a child again. When she confronted him about it, he shrugged and said she could use a sperm bank. She shuddered in disgust when she thought of the idea. She had to get her thoughts on another subject. Mary slowly touched herself and tried to think of the quickie, she just had with her husband. She stopped and something dawned on her. That had been the first sex they had in nearly a month and she was not really into it. Why? She realized that she had not been into sex with Tim since he had the vasectomy. Her sex drive had become so focused on having children that now that he could not biologically father another child, he was less desirable, sexually. This explained her being turned on, but still not really wanting sex with Tim, as well as her dreams which usually included various sexy movie stars rather than her husband. She still loved Tim, in fact, her love had continued to grow as their lives progressed. She looked down to see she was still touching herself. She felt a bit conflicted and as she tried to get her mind off her lack of sexual desire for her husband. Suddenly, a scene from earlier in the week flashed into her mind. She was walking to the car in a parking lot and a black guy whistled and hollered at her from a passing car. She wasn't even attracted to black guys, but she imagined sucking his large dark cock in the back of his car. Within seconds she was cumming so hard she almost passed out in the bath. Could Tim's approach to their sexual relationship be headed in the right direction? Mary thought of the possibilities and started to think that while she might have different reasons for considering what he asked, it might help them both be sexually satisfied. Mary also told herself that it would still be fair because Tim could technically fuck another woman, even if he doesn't go through with it. After finishing her bath, Mary got herself dressed and noticed that the Tim and the kids were not back. They were likely at the park. She went to her dresser and took an envelope out of the bottom of her underwear drawer. It was the letter that Tim had written her to explain how serious he was about her sleeping with other guys and also to describe the different kinds of cuckolding relationships where the women slept with who she wanted and the guy was monogamous. She had read the letter several times and knew exactly what it said, even though she never had understood his thinking. She was not retrieving it to read again. It also had the measurements of Tim's penis on it. He had always complained that his plastic chastity device did not fit right and had requested a custom one for teasing. The cost had been too high for a custom one for the infrequency of teasing she did to him. She had never been into it because she really had preferred to just fuck Tim. Now she was thinking that it might be time to give him a little of what he asked, since his cock was not as satisfying without the possibility of another child. Before the vasectomy, even using a condom was okay because there was still a possibility that just wasn't there anymore. Mary turned on the laptop and searched for a custom male chastity device. She read through reviews and chose a steel one and put in the order. Then she went to prepare a dinner for Time and the kids. Three weeks later, Tim came into the bedroom where Mary was folding clothes and said, "Here is a package addressed to you. Did you order something?" "Yes, I did. Are the kids busy?" Mary replied. Tim looked out the bedroom door, turned back and said, "Yeah, I have them set up drawing in the dining room. I covered the table with butcher paper." "Good, then I want you to go into the bathroom and shave your pubic hair," said Mary. "Why is that?" Tim replied, "You haven't asked me to do that in over a year." "Well, there is something I want to try and it requires you to be shaved. Get going!" demanded Mary while shoving her husband into the bathroom, "Before the kids get bored." Mary opened the box and took out the device. She quickly figured out how it worked and said, "Tim, when you finish, I want you to close your eyes when you come out." Mary checked on the kids and gave them a little snack and went back to the bedroom. Shortly after, the bathroom door opened and Tim stood there with his eyes closed. Mary squatted down and started to put the device on her husband. Tim peeked right before Mary finished and gasped, "What? You got me a custom one? I thought they were too expensive." Mary stood up and said, "Well, ever since you had that vasectomy, I have not had a real reason to have sex with you other than to please you, so I thought I might try to really please you by using chastity. When we experimented with this before, it seemed to please you even more than sex with me did. Instead of me pleasing your dick with my pussy, you will please my pussy with your hands, tongue, or a dildo until I really feel like letting you get off inside me again." "Wow! I didn't think you understood my desires at all, but it seems you do. Are you going to fuck another guy?" replied a shocked Tim. "I don't know yet. I have to trust the guy and I need to want to have sex with him. We will see. I want to try this out for a bit." "I can accept that. Let me know if there is anything you want me to get for you. Are you going to order birth control pills? How often do I get out of this?" asked Tim. "You don't get out unless you really earn it. Then I will let you out to jack off. I won't be going back on birth control because the hormones mess me up. If I fuck someone, we will have to use condoms. Perhaps you should order some normal-sized and large condoms just in case," said Mary. "What if the condom breaks and you get pregnant?" "Then we deal with the consequences. We have a third child and you can adopt the baby," Mary replied. "That works. Mary, I am really glad you reconsidered doing this. I know it is weird, but the thought of sexual competition for my wife turns me on so much that I am getting hard inside this thing." Tim pulled his pants on and wanted to show Mary that he was very happy with her decision. He started to clean up the house while she tended the kids. Life went on for a few weeks with Tim wearing the steel chastity device. He only had one scare at work where he nearly forgot he had it on and nearly took out his locked penis at the urinal. A couple of weeks later, Tim was wondering if Mary would actually follow through with having sex with another guy. They had discussed that he did not have to be involved since he would likely have to watch the kids. He had told her that he just wanted a picture or two and maybe a phone call. It was Saturday and Tim was watching the kids, while Mary worked at her part time job. He was straightening the living room, when his cell phone buzzed. Mary had texted him. It read, "It might happen tonight. You will need to get dinner ready for the kids and put them to bed. Tell them that I have to work late." Tim got hard in his chastity device and grimaced as it pained him slightly. Did this mean she found someone? He quickly texted back, "Who is it?" She replied, "A friend of mine that I chat with online is in town for work. I had started flirting with him few weeks back, so he is taking me out to dinner." Tim was so excited, he had a hard time hiding it from the kids. Later he got the kids fed and put in bed. He laid in bed, unable to jack off, and all he could think about was his wife. Every cell in his body pulsing with both excitement and doubt. Would she stop loving him? What if he couldn't deal with the reality? Would she really go through with it or is this just a ploy to make him back out? He could almost not believe that his fantasy of having a slutty wife was possibly coming true. Hours later, Mary walked into the bedroom looking like she had been having sex. She was wearing a skirt and tight top. She laid in bed next to her husband and slid off her panties and threw them onto the floor. Tim exclaimed, "Have fun?" "Shut up and come get me off with your tongue. I need to cum," Mary said sexily. Tim moved over into position between her legs and replied, "Ok baby." Tim began to lick her wet pussy as Mary began to talk about her evening, "I met up with him at the restaurant and we had a wonderful dinner. He bought me lobster and it was delicious. Then we went back to his hotel room. We made out for a while and I started to get nervous, so he gave me a little massage. After I took off my shirt and bra, he started sucking on my breasts and playing with my pussy with his hand through my panties. Finally I slid my panties off and he licked me much like you are now. It was so erotic to have another man eating me out," she let out a moan and pulled Tim's head into her pussy as he licked furiously and then continued, "I was so wet he was able to slide his very large cock into me without much effort, even though he is considerably bigger than you. My pussy stretched to accommodate his size and it felt so wonderful. He fucked me for over an hour before cumming. I must have cum at least ten times on his hard cock. After a bit, I went ahead and gave him a blow job as a thank you for an excellent evening. He even took a couple of pictures for you." Tim looked at Mary's phone and saw a thick dark dick half way inside his wife's pussy. A second photo was of her sucking on the large rod. "What race is he?" asked Tim. "His family is from Mexico. Do you like what you see?" "Yes, I do," replied Tim and then he gasped, "Did you use a condom?" "He didn't have any and I had forgotten ours," Mary smiled, "so I hope you did a good job licking me out because he came deep inside me." "Oh my," replied Tim, "Too late now to second guess ourselves about it. I better eat you out some more to try to get out more of his cum." Tim began to eat Mary out with a purpose and she began to moan, "Oh yes, baby! Make your slutty wife cum. Suck that cum out of me," as she began to cum hard. After coming down from her orgasm, Mary let her husband out of his chastity cage and sucked his small penis until it began to pulse. She pulled off and he came all over his belly. She wiped him off and gave him a kiss. Tim smiled and said, "I love you." "I love you too," replied Mary as she locked the steel cage back on her husband's dick. They then fell asleep, both comforted by the fact that they had each done this without changing the love they felt for each other. Mary woke up before Tim the next morning and got a cup of coffee. She thought about the night before. She had a lot of fun and wanted to do it again, but with a different guy. Her friend was nice and he treated her to an awesome night, but she was not as turned on by sex with him as she was when she got herself off in the tub the day she had decided to try this. She also wanted to involve her husband a little more, so she texted a friend of theirs who had kids about the same age as Aidan and Isabel about watching the kids the following weekend. Later, she got a positive reply, so when she had a chance, she told her husband she was going out to Starbucks and asked if he wanted anything. "I'd love a coffee and another night like last night," Tim said as he winked at her. Mary drove to Starbucks and was glad that Andre was there. Andre was a young black college student who always flirted with her and occasionally gave her free drinks. She had never been attracted to black guys, but she was turned on with the idea of him being so different from her husband. She asked to talk to Andre outside, so he took a break and brought her drink order out to her and asked, "What do you want to talk to me about, Ma'am?" "I was wondering if you were being serious in your flirting. If so, would you like to follow through next Saturday?" "I thought you were married?" "I am, but we have an open marriage. He'll be there but he won't be involved. Are you interested?" asked Mary. "Of course," Andre replied, "You are one of the hottest women I have ever met." Mary handed him a slip of paper and said, "Here is my address. Have yourself some dinner, then come over at 7pm next Saturday." Mary leaned in and kissed him on the cheek and rubbed his crotch with her hand. She could tell it was a good size. She smiled and returned home and asked the kids if they wanted to have a sleepover at their friends' house the following Saturday. The kids got very excited and everyone was looking forward to the next Saturday except Tim, who had no idea what was planned. Mary was turned on all week and teased Tim incessantly. When he asked if he could fuck her, she replied, "You know that your dicklet is too small to satisfy me after last week. I will need to find someone else to fuck." She did not know if she was going too far, but Tim would kiss her and tell her that he loved her. On Saturday morning, she told Tim what she had planned and they went through their day until the kids went over to their friends' house at 4pm. Mary got dressed up and had Tim eat her out once before dinner. They had a wonderful dinner that she had cooked and chatted about things. After dinner, she asked Tim if he preferred to be tied in a chair in the room where he could see or in the other room. She was surprised that he chose the chair. At 7pm, the doorbell rang. Mary had Tim answer the door with no pants or underwear on. Andre looked down and exclaimed, "That is small. I can see why Mary invited me over. You must be her husband." Tim replied, "That would be correct." He led Andre into the bedroom as Mary had requested to find her laying on the bed with her skirt pulled up and no panties on. "Andre, tie him up to the chair," Mary ordered. Mary moved to the edge of the bed and after Andre finished tying Tim to the chair, she handed him the key to Tim's chastity device, and said, "This is for you to decide if I will let him out after we are done here." Then she grabbed at Andre's pants and unbuttoned them. She pulled out his massive black cock and began to lick it right in front of her husband. Andre groaned as his cock grew to a great size. After he was hard, Mary backed off and scooted up the bed and opened her legs. Andre dove in and began licking her wet pussy. His tongue was thick and he aggressively ate her and she thought the style differed greatly from Tim's more caressing style. Andre then began to kiss up her body and after he got to her tits, he asked her if she was on birth control while he shifted from sucking on one nipple to the other. Mary was going crazy from him sucking on her nipples, but she had enough presence of mind to tell him no when he asked about birth control. Shifting Perspective Andre replied, "Do you have any large condoms?" Mary thought it should be up to Tim, so she asked, "Tim, you ordered the condoms. Where did you put them?" She was a bit surprised by his response, "I never did order any condoms, so I guess he will have to bareback you." She looked at Andre and he assured her that he would pull out. He slowly began to slide his massive black cock into her pussy. Mary could not believe how much Andre filled her up and stretched her pussy. It felt amazing. She began cumming on Andre's cock. She found herself talking dirty to her husband as Andre's big cock slide in and out of her. "Andre's cock is so big and fills me like yours never could, Tim. I am so glad you asked me to do this because this is how I should be fucked. Maybe that vasectomy was for the best. I need to be filled and stretched. Oh....I can't stop cumming." After what felt like forever, Andre started to tense up and pull back. "Don't stop," Mary begged. "I have to pull out because I am close to cumming. You might get pregnant." "I don't care. I never want this feeling to stop!" Mary exclaimed. Andre pulled back and looked at Tim, who said, "Just give the woman what she wants." Mary felt Andre breathe a sigh of relief and pushed back into her. She kissed him on his mouth as he thrust into her. Andre had come down a bit from the brink during the exchange between the three of them. He fucked her for another few minutes before unloading deep inside her unprotected pussy. Mary felt fulfilled and after they all recovered, she kissed Andre before he left. "I'll see you again," she whispered into his ear. Andre got up and got dressed, then untied Tim. Andre turned back to Mary and tossed the key to her and then left. Mary turned to Tim and said, "If you do one more thing for me, I'll give you a very special treat. No eating me out yet. Go get my dildo and fuck me with it until I cum again." Tim did as she asked and as Mary got closer to cumming again, she asked Tim questions about how he felt about what he saw. She could tell he was super turned on and she screamed as she came yet again. She unlocked him and said, "Come here and fuck me, like a good husband." As Tim slid into here, Mary thought she could barely feel it and that she would certainly need bigger cock in the future. Tim came harder than he had in years, knowing full well that if his wife ended up pregnant, the baby would be half-black. Shifting Sands by Philip Johnson Chapter One It wasn't totally unexpected and yet, Lee still couldn't believe it. His sweet aunt had died. Aunt Amalie Hansen was born in Norway and came to the U.S. as a child, and she was a long legged beautiful blonde her whole life. Even as her health left her, he couldn't help but admire her regal fair skinned beauty. He was the only nephew, but she did have a niece, Anna Grierson. Aunt Amalie had a claim to fame of sorts. Many years ago she and Uncle Mathias had bought a very large and stately home just north of Davis, North Carolina on North Harbor Road. They were within walking distance of the Atlantic Ocean, and could easily see the Cape Lookout National Seashore. It was nearly ideal for them. Uncle Mathias had been a very successful businessman, so when he died unexpectedly Aunt Amalie turned the huge home into a bed and breakfast that she named the Sand Castle. She was successful almost from the beginning, adding two more bedrooms and bathrooms along the way. She now had six bedrooms to rent, all with their own bathrooms, a real rarity in those days. Word spread and she would occasionally get very well known people staying there, and people wanting to hide from prying eyes, or just savoring the sweet quiet and home like atmosphere that she was noted for. Four of the six bedrooms faced the ocean and there was a long second floor porch that ran the length of the house. People staying in any of those four bedrooms had ocean views and could walk out onto the porch, and if it wasn't too hot, bask in the North Carolina sunshine and feel the ocean breezes. Aunt Amalie's bedroom was on the ground floor, not far from the main kitchen and there was a smaller servant's bedroom down the hall from hers, but that was seldom occupied. Grace was her maid, friend, and helper and she came to her when she was still in her teens, staying in the bedroom for a time until she got married and moved into a house about three miles inland. Aunt Amalie paid her better than any maid in the area and Grace was devoted to her. Of course, there was always the off season, but even then, there was rarely a time that more than four of the six bedrooms were empty. In season, if you didn't have reservations well in advance, you were out of luck. Aunt Amalie ran the B&B as much for fun as anything else, but it was truly profitable because she could charge outlandish rates and still keep the rooms full. It was a combination of her social skills, Grace's wonderful breakfasts, and all that the Hansen estate had to offer. Not long before he died, Uncle Mathias had added a small swimming pool and a double tennis court. Curt Jenkins was the groundskeeper and had been with Aunt Amalie for some ten years. It was all of those details that filtered through Lee's mind as he walked the grounds the day he moved into Aunt Amalie's bedroom to take over the bed and breakfast. It was in the will. It was his to run as he saw fit for ten years. After that it would be his free and clear the same year he turned forty eight. She had endowed him with fifty thousand dollars as a reserve fund as well, but beyond that it was up to Lee to succeed or fail. She knew her nephew. He was the only one in the family that had the drive and the steady, happy, and outgoing personality, which would be required to succeed. The main floor of the home was a typical large show home for its day, with tall ceilings, and a number of modest sized rooms. Off of the south end, Uncle Mathias had built a solarium that soon became a combination solarium and sitting room, where people loved to gather, sip a brandy, or whatever, and talk or read. Against the wall between the solarium and the house, was a bar of about twelve feet long and guests were welcome to bring a bottle of their favorite libation or a six pack of beer. Lee even took to keeping a case of Michelob in the cooler. There was also a computer at the end of the bar for the guests to use. The front driveway curved up to the front door and then on around to connect to the drive to the parking area in front of the carriage house. Now the carriage house was another matter. It had been made into a very plush three bedroom home complete with stocked bar that would rent for two thousand a night in season. At least sixty percent of Lee's guests were regulars that he could count on to return again and again. Maybe not every year, but rarely did two years pass without him seeing each and every one of them. It took him a long time and a good computer to learn and memorize the names of his regulars, but he managed. For Aunt Amalie, it had been natural, but Lee had to work at it. He learned that if he had guests that were too demanding, he would be sure to be slow about seeing to their needs and they just wouldn't come back again. Regulars that stayed at the Sand Castle knew that it was somewhat isolated, and very slow paced and their only bet for lunch or an evening meal was one of three restaurants within ten miles of there. Of course, they were welcome to buy things and put them in the refrigerator and even use the kitchen as long as they cleaned up after themselves. The butler's kitchen and pantry were off limits to the guests however. Grace or her sister Eunice were there every morning by six thirty to prepare breakfast, and then stayed until three making beds and cleaning rooms as needed. It things got too busy, they could call on Irene to help out as well. It went to Lee to work the desk, visit with the guests, and do general light maintenance. It was a good, but somewhat lonely life for Lee. He had people around him, but it was unusual to have guests his age, and he was usually too busy to stray too far from home. Morehead City was about twenty two miles northeast of the Sand Castle, and that was the closest true town for him. If he wanted a large city, Wilmington was a one hundred and sixteen mile drive. Lee had his favorite guests. There was Max and Wanda, for example. He was a little stuffy and full of himself, and he had to be certain that his cell phone would work at the Sand Castle before he would agree to stay. He also had to have access to high speed Internet which Lee provided via satellite. But Wanda was as sweet as they came and easy to look at even though, she was a good ten years older than Lee. Wanda spent a lot of time at or in the pool or sunning in her bikini as she read, and Max pretended to be busy. Then there was Grant and Edna. They were in their fifties, but both of them acted like they were still in their thirties and kept Lee laughing. Grant and Edna always requested the south bedroom, and often as not, she would slip out and sun on the deck topless. That was one thing that would get Max off of his ass and out onto the deck. Each person came with their own set of needs and hopes, but if they had been there more than once, they knew that when they left, they would feel rested and glad they had come. Don Blake came with his son and they would spend days in the Croatan National Forest or out at the National Seashore exploring. Every year without fail, a group of six younger couples would take over the place and it was bedlam, and Lee loved every minute of it. The six couples were still older than he was, but not by a lot, and after five years of having them around, he almost felt like one of the group. Most of them would end up just shy of drunk, some of them would end up in the pool with their clothes, on and on several occasions, the women ended up in the pool with nothing on. It was almost expected that there would be a lot of skin showing with that whole group. Watching the women play tennis topless would keep Lee from getting anything done for hours and the women loved knowing they were teasing him. With the six couples holding the keys to all the bedrooms, they didn't have to worry about offending other guests and they sure didn't offend Lee. Even mild mannered Grace got used to them and enjoyed having them come. There were a lot of couples that Lee considered among his favorites, but his one very favorite couple was Gil and Kala Armstrong. They were his age and were an effervescent couple. It always seemed incongruous that such an outgoing and cosmopolitan couple would find it enjoyable to do very little beyond loafing, reading and visiting with the other guests. Gil was a successful business man as was Kala, but they made it a point to spend at least a week or ten days a year at the Sand Castle. Gil was prone to spending time on the computer as he continued to conduct business, but Kala said if she was on vacation, she wasn't going near a computer. Gil was also prone to leaving in the morning and be gone all day, not to be seen until late in the evening, and he'd do that two or three times during their stay. When that happened, Lee broke the rules and invited Kala to have lunch and dinner with him so she wouldn't have to go to town and eat alone. She was a good looking woman, very conversant on a number of topics, and she seemed to enjoy his company. Times like that were about the closest thing he had to a social life. When Lee went into the front room where the receiving desk was, he looked at the reservation book and noticed that both Max and Wanda and Grant and Edna were arriving Saturday afternoon. This would be the first time that the four of them had been at the Sand Castle at the same time. There was no real significance to that other than Lee was sure the four of them would enjoy each other's company, plus Lee knew that it was going to be a good week for him. Lee wandered into the dining room and made the rounds of the four couples having breakfast before they checked out. "Good morning Lou, Martha, how's breakfast this morning?" "Wonderful as always, Lee." "And how was your stay with us this time?" "No complaints at all, but I have a suggestion", Lou added." "I'm all ears." "How about having a shuttle to the ocean? You know, maybe one of those electric six seaters. Take us down to the ocean and pick us up say four hours later." "That has potential Lou, let me think about it." Lee patted him on the back and moved on to talk to the other guests before going to the kitchen for coffee. "Morning, Grace." "Morning, Lee." "Grace, could you stay a couple of hours extra tomorrow. We have four of our best guests arriving and I'd like to give them that extra touch." "Of course," he told her who was coming and she smiled. "Yes I'd be glad to; they all leave very good tips." "And you deserve them." Chapter Two As Lee waited for the arrival of his guests Saturday afternoon he took a call. "Sand Castle, this is Lee." "Hi Lee, this is Kala Adler." "Well hi Kala, how is my favorite guest?" "Doing well thank you, Lee, we have reservations for the end of August. Well, in two weeks actually." "Yes, I remember." That wasn't exactly right. He only knew they were coming so he had flipped the reservation book until he found them. "Lee, I know I'm asking a lot but...is there any way you could add a week to our reservation?" "Let me see what we can do, Kala." He knew that they had openings, but he wanted the world to think that they were very busy. "Gil just informed me that he is going to have to do more work than usual during our stay, and wants some extra time to make up for it." Lee quickly flipped pages back and forth and then said, "Thanks to a cancellation, I think we can cover that." "Thank you." "My pleasure, I'm glad we could help." "We'll see you soon then, Lee." "I'm looking forward to it." If he had to, he was even considering giving them his room to have an extra week of his favorite guests. He could always move into the unused maid's room down the hall, but now that wouldn't be necessary. Grant and Edna Exeter arrived first and since Lee didn't have a license to sell alcohol, gave them the royal treatment complete with a complimentary glass of wine in the solarium. Before Lee could even sit down with the Exeters, he went to sign in Grant and Edna Lockland. Before long, they too were in the solarium having a glass of wine and the five of them talked for the next hour. Before Max and Wanda went to their room, Wanda said, "Max has worked so hard over the last few weeks that rest is what he needs." "Then he's come to the right place. If we do our job right we'll send both of you home well rested and refreshed." Wanda smiled and with Max in tow, went up to their room where Grace had deposited their luggage and opened the windows to let some fresh air in. There was a soft breeze coming in off the ocean and the thin lacy curtains at each end of the windows drifted and rolled gently as though to wave a welcome to them. Then with Grant and Edna going to their rooms as well, Lee went back to see that Grace was going home to her family. There was one couple staying in one of the non ocean view rooms, and they came in from Morehead city about seven o'clock deposited some leftovers from their dinner in the fridge, and went to the lower back porch to rest and read as they enjoyed the rocking chairs, shade, and ocean breezes. The next couple of days went smoothly as people checked in and checked out. Lee was having a good season. Not a record year, but a good year just the same. About mid day Sunday, Lee was walking around the grounds as he often did and found Wanda sunning herself at the pool. Wanda was a number of years older than Lee, but she still looked great. After availing himself of her good looks he retrieved a glass of iced tea and walked out to her. As he latched the gate behind him she looked up and he said, "I took the liberty of bringing you some refreshments." "Oh Lee, you darling thank you." "Don't tell the other guests or they'll all expect the same treatment." "You are such a sweetheart." "I'm selfish, I want to make certain that you are contented so you'll be sure to come back." "Oh you needn't worry about that, Max and I will be back." "Where is Max by the way?" "You know him, swimming pools don't interest him. I'll bet he's up on the deck asleep with his book across his belly." "Good, then both of you are relaxed. Well, I'll leave you to your sunning then." "Thank you again, Lee." "My pleasure," and with one last admiring look at her Lee went back to the house. On Monday, Lee was presented with a problem he had never had before. Grant came to Lee and said, "I have a complaint about one of your guests." "Oh I'm sorry to hear that." "That Max guy keeps ogling Edna. It's so bad that it's spoiling her tanning at the pool." "Have you or Edna talked to him?" "No, I was hoping you would see to that." "Grant, Edna is a very attractive woman and you should be proud of her, but this puts me in an awkward situation. If I don't talk to Max, you'll be upset with me. But if I do talk to Max he'll be very upset with me. Remember that it's going to be a he said this, and he or they said that, and I've not witnessed any inappropriate behavior. Perhaps you should mention your concerns to him, Grant." "I was rather hoping you would see to it." "I can't unless I witness Max acting poorly, I'm sorry." Grant just made a grunting sound, turned on his heel and headed toward his room. Lee was pretty certain that Grant was over reacting and that Edna hadn't said a thing to him. Lee heard no more complaints from Grant and by Tuesday he was sure there was no gawking issue. Lee would soon find out what the real problem was when Edna called down and Lee answered, "Front desk." "Lee, this is Edna in five. Our sliding door to the deck has been sticking a little." "I can fix that, when could I come up?" "Now if you'd like. Just come in, I'll be on the deck and Grant is out and about somewhere." "I'm on my way then." Lee picked up his spray lubricant and a rag and went up to room five. The sliders could cause a problem once in a while, but he was almost certain he had cleaned and lubricated them earlier in the season. He opened the door and called in, "It's Lee" and closed the door behind him. Going straight to the sliding door he tested it and it seemed fine, but he knelt down and gave the rollers a shot of silicone and tried it again. Then stepping outside to see if Edna was out there and tell her he had fixed it, he stopped and stared a moment. "Oh Lee, I hope you don't mind." Edna was lying in the lounger with no more on than a tiny bikini bottom. Lee made no pretense to look away and said, "Now how can I mind seeing as beautiful a sight as you are?" "Oh thank you, Lee. I just love to lie out here like this. It's something that just isn't possible at home." "I understand." Lee casually sat down near her and asked, "Now Edna, you aren't teasing poor Max next door are you?" She just smiled and said, "Well, maybe a little bit." "Edna my love, you'll give the poor man a heart attack." "Oh, he's much younger than I am." "I'm much younger than you are too, but I can't help but stare and get flutters." "You are such a sweetheart." Standing up he said, "I'll leave you to your pleasures, but take pity on poor Max and only let him see you in small doses." Edna smiled and Lee headed back through the sliding door and escaped. Edna was showing her years, but it seemed to please her immensely to have Lee look at her and flatter her. That had to be Grant's problem. Edna was showing herself to Max and Grant didn't appreciate it. Or perhaps, he did appreciate it, but it was his way of bragging that men might still stare at his good looking, but aging wife. The next time Lee saw Grant he said, "Lee, Edna said she called you about the sliding door." "Yes, I went up and cleaned and lubricated it, I hope it isn't acting up again." "Uh no, it seems fine now." "I'm glad. I told Edna that I thought I had it fixed." "Oh, so you saw her then." "Yes, she was sunning on the deck actually." Grant didn't mention the fact that his wife was almost nude and Lee didn't mention it either, but both now knew that Lee had seen Grant's nearly naked wife. Edna got to flash herself, Lee got to look at her and Grant could puff out his chest knowing his sexy wife had showed Lee she was still good looking. That made three happy people. Chapter Three Wednesday afternoon Lee was on the front porch watering the plants when Wanda appeared. "Lee, have you seen Max?" Shutting off the hose he said, "No...no, I don't believe I have." "I was out on the deck outside of our room reading and I guess I nodded off for awhile. When I woke he was gone and I can't seem to find him." "He can't be far. Have you looked out by the pool?" "Oh, you know he never goes out there." Lee smiled and said, "He might if Edna is out there." "Oh, so you know about that." Lee smiled in acknowledgement and said, "You go check by the pool and I'll take a walk around the south side of the house. He might be down there in one of those shaded chairs." Lee went out the backdoor and around the small porch and went toward the small stone patio at the far south corner of the house. Sure enough he could see Max leaning back and it appeared he was asleep. As he approached he put his hand on Max's shoulder and said, "Wanda is looking for..." and stopped. Max was as cold as stone to the touch, and as Lee moved in front of him he could see that Max's complexion had a definite blue cast...and he could tell that Max had soiled himself. Lee shook him just to make certain, but Max was dead and had been that way for some time. Lee moved quickly and after calling the ambulance ran in and caught Wanda coming through the house. Stopping her he quickly pulled her into the butler's kitchen and let the door close. "Wanda, I found Max." "Oh good where is he?" Shifting Sands "Wanda...Max is dead." Wanda stared at him blankly. "What do you mean?" "It appears he died while taking a nap." "But that can't be." "The sheriff and ambulance are on the way Wanda, I'm so sorry." "Where is he, Lee?" "He's...Wanda, he soiled himself I'm afraid." "I don't care, take me to him please." Lee took her hand and led her out the backdoor and down to where Max was. When she saw him in the lounge chair her grip on Lee's hand tightened, but she didn't stop. When she touched Max and felt the chill in his bare shoulder and glimpsed the blue on the side of Max's face, she broke down and buried her face in Lee's shirt as he held her close. Wanda and Lee were still near Max when Lee heard the siren and left Wanda with Max and moved toward the front of the house to meet the sheriff. The ambulance was right behind the sheriff's car and Lee led them all down to where Max was. Wanda was on her knees in front of Max crying, so Lee went to her to get her back far enough for the paramedics to see to Max. In minutes, Max was on the gurney and being carted up to the ambulance as Mel the sheriff stepped over to Wanda. Mel looked at Lee and just shook his head. Max was indeed dead. With the sheriff on one side of Wanda and Lee on the other, they went up to the house and Lee led them all into the empty maid's bedroom so they could have some privacy. When the sheriff came out from talking to Wanda, he went over to Lee just as Edna came wailing down the hall. "Oh my God, I killed him. I didn't mean to...oh God, I'm so sorry." Lee stopped her and held her close as he said, "Edna, it's okay you didn't kill Max." "But you warned me about his heart and about me teasing him." "Edna, I was just teasing you. Believe me the only thing you have done is give poor Max pleasure in his last hours." The sheriff was watching and listening closely as Lee said, "Edna, go into the solarium and get yourself a stiff drink and I'll be in there in a minute." Mel waited a second and then asked, "What was that all about?" Lee explained it all to him and Mel said, "If this wasn't all so tragic, it would be funny. So that poor lady thought she had killed him with her flashing." "That's about it." "The wife said he had a bad heart, but neither of them realized it was that bad. Lee, I better get to town and see what I can learn there. Good luck Lee, and I'm sorry all of this had to happen." "Thanks Mel. Needless to say, I'll be here if you need me for anything." Wanda came out of the maid's room where Lee had sent her to rinse her face, and went straight into Lee's arms again. For the next hour arrangements were made to get Wanda and their car back north, and Grace came racing down from home to help. Then Lee and Grace moved Wanda's things down to the maid's room away from the other well meaning guests. Before Wanda left the next morning, she and Lee went out to sit on the back porch and talk. Things were settling down a little bit but Wanda understandably was devastated. "Lee, thank you for everything you have done." "I'm so sorry this had to happen. But Wanda, I'm so glad it happened while he was asleep." "Do you really think that's what happened?" "Yes, I'm sure of it. His book was across his belly just as you have described before. Had he been in distress the book would have been on the ground I'm sure." True or not, that seemed to help Wanda a lot. "Thank you for telling me." "When things settle down a little please call me. I like to think you are a friend and I'll worry about you until I hear from you." "I will Lee, I promise." Grace stuck her head out and said, "Wanda, your friend is here" and before long Wanda was on her way home to bury her husband. Grace stayed with Lee just a little longer and said, "Poor Lee, you sure have had a time of it too." "I have to say I've never experienced anything quite like that before. I just hope Wanda will be okay." "She'll be fine in time, but it's going to be pretty tough for her for awhile." It was a good thing that it was almost time for Grant and Edna to leave anyway, because not surprisingly that tragedy put a damper on the last day of their stay. As they prepared to leave Friday morning, Edna went up to Lee and said, "Lee, thank you for being so understanding. I feel a little foolish about what I thought now." "Don't worry Edna, we were all in a state of shock and not thinking very clearly. Please come back again." "Of course we will." Lee leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "And feel free to enjoy your freedom on the deck. Oh, and don't hesitate to call me again if you have a problem." Edna gave Lee a small cute smile and turned to Grant. "Let's go home dear" and the two of them left. Grace was watching and as Lee went inside Grace said, "You know Lee, you're almost as good with the guests as your aunt Amalie was." "Thank you Grace, that's quite a compliment." "It's because the old ladies love you." "You really think so?" "I know so." "Too bad we don't get some younger ones in here more often." Grace just smiled in understanding and returned to her work. Things settled down at the Sand Castle for the next couple of weeks. The guests that came and went were pleasant and easily cared for, but Lee found that he was looking forward to December and January when the Sand Castle would be closed. Chapter Four Wanda finally called Lee and said, "Lee, it's Wanda." "Wanda, I'm so glad you called, you have been on my mind so much." "Thank you for caring and thank you again for all that you did for me." "How are you getting along now?" "Oh you know, one day at a time. Max and I had talked about things after his last doctor's appointment, but none of us, including his doctor, expected this to happen for some time." "Is there anything I can do for you?" "I don't believe so. Maybe after time has worked its magic I can come down and see you and the Sand Castle." "I hope you will. I just told Grace it was you and she sends her best as well." "I'll be in touch again I promise." "I hope so, take care of yourself." Lee hung up and just looked at the phone for a second. What would it be like to lose your loved one like that. How would he handle it had he been in her place? Then he shook his mind clear of those thoughts and almost laughed. By staying at the Sand Castle all of the time, there was little chance of that being a problem what with the majority of his guests being twenty years older than he was and almost all of them married. Gil and Kala arrived quite late Saturday evening and Lee got them settled into room six, or the south room. When Kala looked around she smiled and said, "You know Lee, I think I like this room even better, it's more private being on the end." "I think it's our best room actually and the outside steps take you down almost to the pool." "I like that." "Plus, the folks that had reserved the room next to yours for your second week won't be here so that's one week of even more privacy." "Unless you get new guests." "I doubt that will happen this late in the year. We don't get many last minute bookings now." "Business going okay", Gil asked. "Going very well thanks, and from the sounds of it you're very busy as well." "You know how it goes, the wheels of commerce keep turning, and if you're not careful they'll crush you." "That is true I'm sure." "Listen we don't have much but can I offer the two of you a nightcap?" Kala kissed his cheek and said, "We'd love one, in the solarium?" "Of course. Take your time and I'll see you down there." Lee was at the bar pouring himself a glass of wine when they appeared and sat at the bar. There was one other older couple sitting near the west windows but that was all. "Really quiet in here this evening." "Most of our guests right now are of the older set and bedtime comes early. Now I can offer red or white wine, but not a lot of choice other than that." "Oh red by all means" Kala said. The three of them talked for about half an hour and then Gil slid down to the computer and logged on. "Gil can't that wait until tomorrow at least?" "I just have to check my email and the stock market, it will only take me a minute." She shook her head and said, "I guess that tells you what kind of vacation it's going to be this time." Lee topped off her glass and the two of them talked for another ten minutes while Gil clicked and mumbled and ignored the other two. Lee raised his glass to her and said, "I'm glad to have the two of you back again." "Thank you Lee. You always make it feel like we're coming back to see an old friend." "You two make me feel like an old friend Kala." Gil finally logged off and moved back over only to say, "I'm ready to go upstairs and get comfortable." Kala tipped her glass back and took the last of her wine and said, "It's pretty early, but okay." After they left, Lee went over and talked with the other guests for a short time and then went to walk his rounds. He found a couple in the pool just standing there and talking in the near darkness. He waved to them and continued his circuit around the house. Lee saw them again in the morning at breakfast and he talked to them as he made his morning rounds of the three couples. Then about ten o'clock Kala appeared alone and went to the kitchen in search of coffee. She reappeared with cup in hand and wandered out to the solarium and dropped into a chair to read. Lee appeared and asked her, "Where's Gil?" She looked at her watch and said, "He's probably close to Raleigh by now." "Not even one day's rest?" "He said he'd be around tomorrow and the next day, but today he had to take care of business." Lee didn't even know what kind of business he was in and didn't ask. "Sorry to hear that. Anything I can do for you?" "I guess not. Is the pool heater fixed?" "Brand new one and it works great." "Then that's where I go next. I overheard at breakfast that you had a death here not long ago." "I'm afraid so, a heart attack." "That's so sad." "It is. They were a nice couple. He had heart trouble, but it was still quite unexpected." "That's why we should do what we can to enjoy life while we can." "I couldn't agree more." "What do you like to do for enjoyment, Lee?" "Talk to you." "Thank you, but I'm serious." "So am I. In the winter while we're closed down, I go to Florida for a couple of months and regenerate, but then it's back here to get ready for the next season." "At least you get away, where do you like to stay?" "I always rent a place in Palatka on the St. Johns river." "Sounds nice." "I like it" "I've always thought that you must have a lot of stories you could tell about guests past and present." Lee laughed and said, "Well for the most part, they are older and a little more subdued, but yes on occasion, things get lively around here." "Can you share any without violating confidences?" "Oh, we've had marital spats where one of them would take off and leave the other one stranded here, we've had two couples arrive and then they would swap and leave as different couples. They have been back a couple of times." "Older?" "I'd guess fifty maybe." "Curious." "The first time really knocked me back, but after that I just shrugged my shoulders." "And the most outlandish?" "That would have to be when six couples rent all of the rooms and for about five days go crazy." "Oh, tell me more." "How about more coffee first." "I'd love some." He grabbed her cup but she said, "No I'll come with you" and followed him to the kitchen. He filled their cups and she sat down at the kitchen table. "Lee I'm anxious to hear about the antics of the six couples because my life is so boring, isn't that sad." "I think it's a safe bet that most of us have lives that get boring and certainly almost all of us have lives more boring than those twelve people." "Do they swap too?" "That I don't know but I wouldn't be surprised." Kala put her hand on Lee's and said, "Okay, give me an example of one of their days." "Well one time they played some kind of game at the pool. I couldn't watch them all the time but one by one the women were thrown into the pool." "That's not bad." "Naked." "Oh my God, really?" "Really." "And you watched them?" "Yes, well I was discreet or at least I hope I was." "Are these older people too?" "No, they're more our age. I guess they really like the privacy here, especially with all of the rooms being rented by their little group." "So it's the same six couples every year." "For the last three years now." "I'm glad they're having fun while they can. What else?" "Oh, I've seen them naked many times, play tennis either naked or topless, play cards, and of course that involves different penalties. It's hard not to eaves drop, but I behave for the most part." "So it's one big sex party." "Actually I think it's one big tease party, but like I said, they might swap or whatever once they're in their rooms." "I envy them in a way." Lee smiled and asked, "Because they get naked?" "No, because they have a lot of friends and they have found what works for them. They're enjoying life." "They do enjoy themselves." "I'm glad you don't...you know restrict them." "As long as they don't damage things, or cause me trouble, I don't care what they do. Like you I guess, I kind of enjoy their antics. It's a vicarious thrill I think." "I can understand that. I don't think I could get naked with five other couples though." Lee let his hands slip from hers as he leaned back. "Depends on how much you've had to drink." Kala laughed and admitted, "That would make a difference." Lee emptied his cup and continued. "Like I said, most of our guests are older to a lot older. But that said, you would be amazed at the number of older women that like to sun topless, swim topless, and even tease other male guests." "I'll bet that can get humorous." "It can. But just a couple of weeks ago there was a woman of about fifty three or more that looked very nice and she called me up to her room to fix something and she was about one ounce shy of being nude." "Lee, you devil, now I see why you like it here." "Like I said though, it's a vicarious thrill only. So what do you like to do for fun?" She looked at him for a long moment and then said, "I'm not sure and that's sad. I mean I love to come down here, but we both know that doesn't qualify as thrilling or exciting." Lee laughed and said, "No, it is not thrilling around here as a rule. You live in Chicago, so I assume you go to plays and so forth." "Oh once in a while, but that's not exciting. It's pleasant as a rule but pretty stuffy sometimes too. Believe it or not it sounds like you have more excitement in your life than I do. Gil is gone so damn much." "Now that is sad. Well, if there is anything we can do for you while you're here to make it more pleasurable, let us know. Exciting might be a little beyond our reach, however. Now I guess I better go be a host and so forth." They both stood up and a moment later Kala put her arms around him and held him close. "Lee, I hope you never give this place up." He held her and smiled as he said, "I'll make you a deal. If you'll never stop coming to see me I'll stay right here." "I just may start coming twice a year." "If you do I'll name a room after you." She gave him a quick kiss and said, "Now maybe I'll go try your new pool heater." Chapter Five Lee needed to go to town for some groceries, but he just wasn't in the mood for it, so when Grace mentioned wiping down the furniture on the second floor deck he said, "I'll make you a deal. You go get the groceries and I'll clean the furniture." "Now that's a deal I can't pass up, but you better change your clothes first." He looked down and nodded as he said, "Yeah, I guess I better" and he headed to his room. He tossed his Dockers, shirt and socks on the bed, and put on shorts and a ragged tee shirt and then some old sandals and headed for the utility room. Then with his pail of soapy, water, and sponge, he headed for the second floor deck. Starting at the north end of the deck he made his way past the rooms and down the line, washing tables, chairs, lounges and railings. When he reached the south end, he emptied what little water he had left over the railing and squeezed the sponge out. Then he noticed Kala at the pool. She was standing near the edge and lifting her arms over her head she pulled her wet hair back giving Lee a perfect display of her form. He was entranced and stood there staring at her. With her hair wet it seemed longer than he thought it was, but what caught him the most was how the sun seemed to sparkle and dance over the pool behind her and form a nice arc around her. He didn't even realize he was almost holding his breath. Then she moved to one of the lounges and lay back as he watched her. Her bright fiery red bikini jumped out against the white pool lounge and her medium tan seemed much darker now. He realized that he was staring hard at his favorite guest and stepped back. But his eyes defied him and stayed focused on her until he could see her no longer. He shook himself out of his fog and retraced his steps taking the pail and sponge back to the utility room but he was too late. Her image was burned into his mind now. It was another hour before Grace returned and started to fix Lee some lunch. Want me to fix enough for Kala?" "Yes, if you would. I'll go find her and invite her." He stopped and looked at Grace. "Now what made you ask me that?" "Well that's how it was the last time they were here. If Gil was gone you two had lunch together." "You have a pretty good memory." "And you are pretty predictable." Lee knew Kala wouldn't still be at the pool so he checked the solarium and the lower deck to see if she was reading, made a pass through the living room and den and then went upstairs. He knocked on her door and waited a second before knocking again. He heard her ask faintly who it was and Lee said, "It's the caterer." "Come in Lee, and I'll be out in a second." Lee let himself in and feeling just a little funny standing there waiting for her to emerge from the bathroom moved on to the deck. He was standing just outside of the sliding door when she emerged and said, "Sorry, I had to do something with my hair." "Sorry to intrude, but I wondered if you would join me for lunch." "Lee you don't have to feed me. Gil left me the rental car and I know how to get to town." "But then you have to eat alone and so do I." "Then thank you of course I'll join you." They stood there looking around and she said, "Looks like it might rain later." "They're calling for it." "God, I love it here, Lee. I just wish the town wasn't so far away and so small." "Well there's Morehead City and that's not as small." "But how far away?" "About twenty miles." "Not too bad I guess." "I've gotten used to it." "Anyway I love to be out here and enjoy the sun and the view." "It is nice. In fact, you can look down on the pool from this end." "Yes, I know." He looked at her and she smiled as she said, "I saw you up here washing the railings." "And looking down at you." She smiled as she asked, "Were you?" "I'm afraid so. Not very professional of me was it." "I'm flattered, not offended." She looked down at the lounge near them and asked him, "Is this where the woman was almost naked for you?" "That's the one." Shifting Sands Kala smiled and said, "I wish I could have seen your face right then." "I'd like to think I was calm and cool, but I don't know." "But she wasn't flustered?" "Not at all. She was in her glory I think." "Like maybe she did that sort of thing a lot?" "I don't know. They've been coming here for years and that's a first for me, but like I said she also teased the guy in room five." "I'll bet you were so cute standing here looking at her and trying to be calm." He started to say more but stopped and said, "I guess we better go down to lunch." With her leading they made their way to the kitchen and sat at the table while Grace served them. Kala asked her, "Aren't you joining us, Grace?" "Not this time. I ate a few minutes ago, so I can get my chores done. Lee doesn't know, I'm leaving a little early today." Lee just shook his head and smiled at Grace. Kala then said, "Well thank you for lunch, Grace it's perfect." "You're welcome, Kala. Will Gil be back before dinner?" "I wish I knew." "Well if not, I've made enough for both of you and it's in the fridge." "Thank you again for taking such good care of me." Grace smiled and then left them alone as she went to change the bedding or make the beds. They ate in silence for a minute and then smiling at him Kala asked, "Did I make you uncomfortable asking you about the almost naked lady?" He returned her smile and said, "No, not at all. Actually it was fun remembering that event. It was awkward for me, and yet it was fun and I really do remember myself as keeping my cool. I even sat down next to her to say something." "I'm impressed that you had so much control." "Like I said she was a number of years older than me, but she still looked very nice and she made my day." They finished their lunch and were rinsing the dishes when she asked him, "Do you ever get a chance to use the pool or the tennis courts?" "Not very often." "That's too bad." "It wouldn't be right to be in the pool when guests are here and the same for the tennis courts." "Sad, but I can see your point. Besides I'm sure it's better watching naked women play tennis anyway." "Too bad it happens so rarely." She smiled gave his arm a squeeze saying, "You poor thing. I hope you charged them a lot for teasing you." "On the contrary I was tempted to give them a discount" and they both laughed. "Okay Lee, if we get a chance when no guests are around I'll either challenge you to a game of tennis, or a dip in the pool, or even both. A quick try at tennis and then cool down in the pool." "I accept. Now with that I better go tend to my chores." Kala kissed his cheek and said, "Thank you, Lee." "My pleasure. I'll plan on dinner about, say six o'clock ,and if Gil is still among the missing please join me." "If Gil doesn't reappear before then, you can count on me." Chapter Six Gil didn't reappear and in fact called about four to tell Kala that he wouldn't be back before eight or later, so Kala found Lee and told him the news. "Lee, are all of the guests out?" "As far as I know they are. I know the couple from room one are at the national seashore and I believe two other couples went up toward the Outer Banks. You are here with me and that's it for a few days." "Okay then, I challenge you to tennis and a swim." He couldn't help but smile. "I better warn you, I'm totally useless at tennis, but I'll try." "Then we should be a good match. Meet you on the court in fifteen minutes." They each raced to their rooms to change into light cool shorts and tops and headed to the tennis court meeting on the path. She looked at Lee's legs and said, "Pretty sexy." He returned the look and said, "Now, you are totally sexy. How am I to keep my eye on a tennis ball." "I will need that advantage." For the next half an hour the two of them tried to play tennis, but spent more time laughing and chasing the ball. Lee finally gave up and joined her saying, "Damn, I was worse than I thought I would be." "It was like I said, we were a good match." As they walked back toward the house Kala said, "Now had I been smart I would have brought my suit with me and changed down here." "Let's stop at the pool and check the water temperature." It was a set up right from the start and as soon as Kala was near the water he pushed her in. She squealed until she hit the water and then he jumped in next to her. They came up together and she splashed him as she laughed and said, "You had that planned." "Only since after our game." "That was so sneaky." "But it saved us from having to change." She looked down and then smiled at Lee. "Yes, I guess it did." She checked her top to be sure the water hadn't rendered her top too invisible but all that could be seen was her white bra. Looking down she saw her tennis skirt floating out in a flare so she didn't worry about that either. Lee peeled his shirt off and did a quick lap to the end of the pool and back to her, not to show off, but to get his mind away from where it was going. She watched him move in the water and then stepped in front of him at the last second causing him to bump into her. His hand only touched her lower belly, but he stopped abruptly and stood up saying, "Sorry." "You swim pretty well." "But not very far. That shows you how out of shape I am." "I think you looked very virile and handsome." "Thank you for that. I like you best in your red bikini, but you look very sexy as you are too." "You know we have a problem now." "What's that?" "How will be get in the house now that we're soaking wet?" "I have a plan. Shall we go in?" "Maybe we better." When they reached the backdoor near the kitchen she stopped and asked, "So what is your plan?" He didn't really have one so thinking quickly he picked her up in his arms and pulled her close to him. "I'll carry you in." She put her arms around his neck then and said, "But we'll still drip all over the kitchen floor." "I guess I don't really care now" and they looked at each other as they stood there sharing the bond through what few wet clothes they were wearing. As she looked at him closely he carried her through the door and into the kitchen, stopping about mid way. "Okay now what?" "Well, I could get us towels or we could dine in a couple of my dry robes." "Dry robes would be wonderful but...what if some of the others return and pop into the kitchen." "Good point. I guess dining naked, which was going to be the third option is totally out then." She laughed and said, "Yes, I'm sure that could cause an awkward moment or two." He let her slip until her feet were on the floor, but her skirt was now pulled up well above her waist. They looked down and her tennis panties were fairly transparent causing both of them to stare for a moment before she tugged her skirt down. "Oops, I guess tennis outfits weren't designed for the pool." He was speechless. He hadn't really seen anything he shouldn't but at the same time it had given the illusion of her being naked under her skirt. She stepped back quickly then and said, "I better go change. I'll be right back." When she returned he had changed as well and had music playing softly in the background. It wasn't anything that he hadn't done a number of times in the past, but under their current circumstances the music took on a different meaning. The two of them had a private dinner at the kitchen table with that soft music continuing to play while the other guests were out and talked about at one restaurant or another...and they still had the house to themselves. Lee poured some wine without asking and handed her a glass before sitting down again. "Lee, you take such good care of me." "I feel so lucky that you're here and that we have time to spend with each other." Kala felt suddenly nervous and awkward and even caught herself chewing her lower lip a little. She quickly took a long drink of wine, but her eyes kept going back to his. Lee knew it wasn't smart for him to make that last comment. It seemed right in his mind and he meant it, but when he actually spoke it sounded so much different, so much more powerful. He could have just held her and kissed her, and it wouldn't have been much more significant. Both of them knew they were walking on thin ice, but both of them knew that they didn't want the moment to end either. Kala said almost too quickly, "I guess the rains didn't come after all." Lee straightened up and said, "I guess we were lucky." "Lee, I've felt lucky ever since I got here." Now she had done the same thing and wanted to bite her tongue and take back what she had just said. "I mean..." Almost jumping up Lee said, "Kala, let's pick up this mess and...I don't know go to the solarium or something." As they stood next to each other at the sink she stopped what she was doing and turned to Lee. "I'm sorry I said what... and," he put a finger over her lips. "Shhh. Kala don't apologize for what you said please, it meant so much to me." "It just didn't...I mean I can't..." "I know, you don't have to explain." "I can't explain." "I know what you mean. I think we must have been caught up in the moment or something." "Yes, that must be it" and she turned back to the sink. They dried their hands then and went to the solarium but Kala said, "I think I better go read or something." Kala..." She turned to face him and he looked at her for several seconds. "Thank you. For the...well, for everything. Thank you for being here." "Thank you for being you, Lee. I'll see you tomorrow." After Kala left, Lee wandered around until the other guests started to filter in from town. He didn't feel like it, but he joined them in the solarium and carried on mindless conversation for the next hour before disappearing into his room for the night. Lee was up early and went down for breakfast in the kitchen while Grace served the guests in the dining room. As usual Lee ate quickly and then went in to circulate and say good morning to the guests. He made it a point to go to the tables of people that had never been there before and see that they were having a good experience, moved on to the table where Calvin and Bonnie were sitting and talked to them for a few minutes, thanking them for coming back to stay at the Sand Castle. Then he moved to where Kala and Gil were sitting. "Good morning you two." "Morning", Gil said. "I wanted to thank you for taking such good care of Kala yesterday. She said you saw to her every need." "I did my best and it was my pleasure. Kala makes it very easy to want to please her of course." "The two of us are off to see the sights today." "Wonderful, have a good day then. Kala, make him buy you something nice, you deserve it." They all smiled and before Lee left them Kala said, "I want to add my thanks as well, Lee. I really enjoyed yesterday." "It was my pleasure, Kala." He was afraid he might say something out of context or inappropriate so he stepped away saying, "I have some errands to run but I'll see you back here for a drink later perhaps." Lee retreated to the kitchen and poured himself another cup of coffee and went to his bedroom. He wasn't even sure what he was going to do with his day and that wasn't like him. He drank his coffee quickly and went back to Grace to say, "I'm going to Morehead City do you need anything?" "No, I don't think so." "Call me if you need me but I'll be back by three." "Oh, an all day trip?" "Yes, I need to check on some things." He had nothing to check on and he had no idea what he was going to do to pass the time, but he did know he had to get out of the house for a few hours. As soon as he got to town he found a place to get a custom tee shirt made, placed his order and left. He spent most of the day just wandering through stores that he cared nothing about, picked up a few things for the two of them to share at lunch and dinner, and then went back to the tee shirt shop. The clerk held it up for Lee's inspection and then put it in a bag. With that purchase made Lee headed back, arriving right at three as Grace was preparing to leave. "I wondered if you would make it before three o'clock." "Everything okay?" "You tell me. You feeling okay?" "I'm feeling fine." "Well none of the guests are here so it's quiet as a tomb." "Good. I bought a few groceries so don't be surprised when you see them." "Well leave me a list if you want me to do anything special with them." "Okay, see you tomorrow Grace." None of the guests were back when six o'clock rolled around so Lee ate dinner alone and then when the guests returned he spent part of the evening visiting with them off and on. Kala and Gil appeared about eight o'clock and Lee talked to them for ten or fifteen minutes and then they went to their room. Chapter Seven In the morning, Lee made his usual breakfast rounds and learned that Gil planned on being with Kala all day again. Lee was disappointed but also knew that wasn't all bad. He was almost afraid to be alone with her again in fact. The rains that had been predicted for the last couple of days finally appeared in the form of light drizzle and dull half foggy skies. About all a person could do was sit around and read, play cards, or go to Morehead City shopping. For Lee it was a good time to do some paper work and get caught up on his financial records. When he came out for yet another cup of coffee Grace was sitting at the table working on menus so he asked her, "Anybody still here?" "Kala and Gil are in the solarium, but that's all." "They didn't go anyplace?" "Nope." "I'm surprised." He wandered in and found Kala reading and Gil on his laptop. He was going to just slip away and not disturb them but Kala saw him and asked him, "Is it supposed to rain all day, Lee?" "I think it's supposed to stop before noon actually and clear off." "Good, I'd like to get some more sun." "I think you'll get your chance. It could actually get pretty steamy before the end of the day." Before anything more could be said Gil's cell phone rang. He answered it and listened for a minute and then said, "That can't be, are you sure? But I thought..." Gil closed his laptop as he listened and then said, "Yes okay damn it I'll be there" and hung up. "Sorry Kala, I have to go to Raleigh." "Raleigh?" "Yes and I won't likely be back until late tomorrow." "But Gil..." "I know, but it can't be helped." "What's going on?" "Oh...a very dissatisfied customer." "But that's why you have people to take care of those things." "Yes, well this customer could cause trouble so I better be in on it." "But for that long?" "It will take me three or four hours just to get to the other side of Raleigh and it's almost noon now. I'll be lucky to be back here by bedtime tomorrow night." "Will you call me?" "I'll call you tonight before you go to bed." "I'll go up with you and help you pack a bag." Lee could say nothing, so he just went back to the kitchen, got a fresh cup of coffee and went back to his room. Two couples would be checking out in the morning, so that left just one other couple in room one and Kala in room six. This situation was turning into a perfect storm of temptation for him now and it scared him. Even now he worried because the other couples were out exploring, so he and Kala would be there alone except for Grace and she would be gone at three as usual. Then not long after he had gone to his room, Grace came to him and said, "Lee, I'm done with everything so I'll leave now okay." "Really?" "Well yes unless you want me to stay for some reason." "Well...no, I guess not." "After the guests check out in the morning I'll thoroughly clean those rooms of course, but right now there's nothing for me to do." "Okay Grace." "I overheard Gil, so I made lunch and dinner for you and Kala and it's in the fridge as usual." "Thank you." "Listen, call me if something comes up and I'll come back." "No, don't worry Grace, go home and enjoy the time off." "Yeah, some time off, now I'll go home and clean my own house." When Gil came back down Lee said, "Good luck, Gil." "Thanks. Damn what a mess," and left. By noon Lee was done with his office work and came out of his room to find the place empty and silent. After looking around he went upstairs and knocked on Kala's door and waited. "I'm coming" and Kala opened the door. She was standing there in her bikini. Lee's eyes were all over her before he could catch himself. "Sorry Lee, I was getting started with my sunning." "I was going to tell you that lunch is ready if you're hungry." "That sounds great. Let me get my cover up." He watched her ass as she moved away and then she returned as she tossed a short terry jacket affair over her shoulders. "Will this be okay, Lee?" "It's fine. It's just you and me anyway." "And Grace." "No, she left early today." "Oh. And the other guests?" "Out doing whatever." "Oh." The two of them went down and Lee pulled two taco salads out of the fridge, grabbed a couple of sodas and that was their lunch. "I hope this is okay." "This is wonderful, Lee." They were unusually quiet as they ate. Lee made a comment about Gil's mess and Kala said, "I think he's overreacting. My God, you'd think he held the future of the world in his hands, but it's his call to make." "You doing okay?" "I'm doing okay." With lunch over they rinsed their dishes as usual but this time he kept catching glimpses of her bikini as she moved. Even as they ate her cover up didn't cover much and his eyes wouldn't behave. As she turned around she held her wrap about half closed and asked him, "What are you up to this afternoon?" "I haven't decided yet. I finally got my office things done and most of my repair chores are caught up, at least for the moment, and it's getting hot out so I can't see me doing much outside. You going back to sunning?" "I guess for a while anyway." "Don't go away I'll be right back." When he returned she was standing there with her cover up gaping open. He stopped and said, "I have to say it again Kala you take my breath away." "I'm glad you approve, Lee." He handed her the tee shirt and said, "I had this made for you yesterday." "Oh Lee, thank you." She held it up and it said, The Sand Castle, where friends and lovers meet. She held it up to her and then smiled at him. "Which are we?" His voice changed a little as he said, "Well friends, to say the least." "But not lovers." "I wish we were Kala." She stepped forward then and his arms went inside of her cover up as they came together. A moment later they were sharing their first kiss. His hands felt nothing but the warm soft skin of her back, butt, and shoulders, and the thin string that held her bra in place was barely noticeable. The kiss lasted a long time. Not a frantic lip bruising kiss, but an exploring all consuming kiss. When he could talk Lee said, "Oh God what are we doing, Kala?" "I'm sorry Lee, I just couldn't help it." "I want you so much" and they kissed again. Kala stepped back then and said, "This is all my fault Lee, but I love to feel your arms around me. And now I love to feel us kiss, and I love to feel you press against me. I'm sorry I better go back to my room." "Kala, you can't just stay hidden up there." "Lee, why don't you come up in about an hour. We can sit on the deck and talk." "I'll be up." The next hour seemed to drag on forever. Lee changed into shorts and sandals and put on a shirt. It was in the upper eighties outside, and even with some shade on one area of the deck, it was going to be warm. He checked the time yet again and then retrieving a bottle of wine and two glasses, he headed upstairs. He knocked on her door she told him to come out to the deck. She was still in a bikini, but a different one. A hot pink one that was no larger than the red one, if as large. Shifting Tara shuddered, whining and growling in pain as her face pushed away from her head. She watched her nose appear in front of her yellow eyes. Her black, flat wet nose glistening in the light as fur marched down the long muzzle to cover the naked flesh. Tara gnashed her jaws together, yipping in pain as more teeth pushed through her gums until her muzzle was lined completely. She grit her new, flat molars together and then shook her head, feeling her long human hair play against the thick mane of fur at the back of her neck. The young woman froze as someone knocked on her door. She could smell the other person now that she focused. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, taking in the scent of the male, feeling drool pool at the corner of her mouth. With a lazy, wolfish smile, she touched her furred clit and wondered what to do. Fur continued to grow from her crotch down her smooth legs. The knock came again and Tara huffed, dropping to her hands and feet. Her short tail wagged behind her, five inches from the base of her spine, covered in thick black fur and still growing. She padded to the door, sniffing along the way, feeling the texture of her fur on the naked, fleshy parts of her body. Pausing in front of the door, Tara cocked her head. "Hey, hello?" The man's voice called out. "It's Jonathon. Stephanie told me to come out. Are you there?" The doorknob turned slightly as the man tried to open the door. Tara's foggy mind was trying to tell her something but she sat back on her haunches, confused. Her sex leaked, aching to be touched. She sniffed the air again as her growing tail thumped the ground quietly. The male would mount her but how to get him in? The foggy thought came again and Tara whined. Reaching with an awkward paw, she gripped at the doorknob. No. Not. She looked up. Fur sprouted around her shoulders while she reached up, pushing the deadbolt. Her tongue lolled out and she growled slightly in frustration. Once, twice, three times she pushed at the deadbolt until it clicked open. Tara let out an excited, happy huff and then stared at the door again. Thankfully, the male on the other side worked the doorknob and she moved behind it as it opened. Jonathon stepped through the door with a cautious "Hello?" Tara pushed the door closed with her shoulder and the man turned. His expectant smile turned to fear as he looked down to see Tara sitting back on her furry ass. His mind impossibly saw a very black dog but the furred human breasts and pieces of skin with no fur made him stumble back. Tara leapt; tail wagging as she crashed into the male. He yelled as his head slammed against the carpet and his eyes became unfocused. Tara lay astride him on her hands and knees, her tail wriggling happily in the air behind her. She could smell him. He was excited. From before. She could smell a bit of his scent on his cock. The smell of his seed. Tara whined and pressed her hips down on his crotch. The woman buried her muzzle into the man's shoulder, nipping and licking at his flesh. Harder she rubbed against him as the urge built within her. She was incredibly riled up and the male excited her. As she rubbed, she felt him grow harder and his cock pressed against her clit. Tara gasped, pressing her hips down until she found the right angle. She humped the male, panting with her need as his erect cock pressed on her engorged, furry pussy through the rough material of his blue jeans. A growl escaped her lips and she lowered herself, pressing her small, furry breasts against the man's shirt, clawed fingers flat on the ground beside the man's head. In her passion, she bit at him, drawing blood that she quickly lapped up. "Wha.. what's..." The man moaned as his eyes refocused. "What the fuck!" Tara growled, gripping her claws into the man as he tried to get away from her. The sharp nails made the male instantly freeze as her pace quickened. Grunting and huffing, her rhythm became erratic the closer she came to her orgasm. Tara pressed her lips to the male's neck as the heat raged through her body. Her orgasm came suddenly and the woman gasped, as it poured into her, filling her gut with electricity and heat. She bit at the male again and he cursed at her. With her body temporarily weak from the orgasm, she relaxed and the male scrambled away. She sat up on her forearms, watching him, licking her black lips at the bulge pressing against his pants. The entire front of the man's pants was soaked with her cum and she could smell both of them - her juices and his excitement from earlier and now. Despite his fear, he couldn't help but be roused. "I- ugh!" The man's stubble erupted into brown fur along his face. She watched as he clenched his hands, tendons standing out as his hands lengthened into paws. The man pressed his hands against the side of his head, howling in pain while his canine teeth lengthened into proper fangs. Black claws pressed through his fingers, shoving fingernails aside as they grew in. "No! No!" The man screamed, drool flinging through the air as his face pushed forward into a hairless muzzle. The brown fur on his jaw ran up to cover the lengthening muzzle, reaching his suddenly black nose. With a roar, the male tore his t-shirt apart, exposing his chest. Patches of brown fur sprouted along his body and he fell to his hands and knees. Tara's sensitive ears picked out little pops and the sound of bone against bone as the man's neck lengthened. Brown fur quickly covered his neck as it lengthened. Further and further it pushed until he opened her eyes to look at her, pain and confusion and dwindling human intelligence plain on his animalistic face. "Wrrr... Wrrrr?" The man tried to ask. More cracks sounded along the male's furry back and he howled, scratching at his pants with now awkward claws until he was ripping and shredding the material, leaving long strips of denims on the floor along his legs. The sweat soaked scent of the male's cock flooded the room and Tara growled in approval. Her heat rose again, forcing her to her knees. The woman spread her furry thighs to rub herself while she watched the male change. The slightly pointed, reddened tip of the man's cock pressed above the man's underwear. Tara's fingers rubbed harder as she watched Jonathon's underwear swell over his manhood. The male whined, growling as he pushed at the underwear, exposing his developing knot and throbbing wolf's cock. Veins stood out on the man's dick as it swelled, growing thicker and longer above a brown furred sheath. Jonathon rolled his head, pushing at the ground with his paws while vertebra and muscles grew at the base of his spine, forcing his body longer. Tara sighed as another, smaller orgasm rolled pleasantly through her body. The changing scent of the male was driving her wild. She wanted him and he was almost finished. The woman turned, falling to her hands and knees, spreading her thighs. She lowered her chest while raising her hips, arching her long back as she offered herself to the male. Tara turned, using her longer animal neck to look back, her eyes clouded with need. The male stood on shaky, furred legs, sniffing the air. When his eyes focused on her, Tara whined and spread her legs further apart. The fur along her upper thighs and ass was thick but her scent was strong. The male's member was huge and red - angry looking in the light. She desperately wanted him inside of her. Jonathon dropped to his hands and feet to walk over to Tara. The young woman closed her eyes in a slow sigh as the male pressed his muzzle between her legs, pressing his cold nose against her wetness. She rocked her hips back, encouraging him and then purring when his thick, raspy tongue licked up her swollen, soaked sex. Over and over the male licked with neither grace or delicateness. Pressure built quickly within her but she knew it wouldn't be enough. Reaching under herself, she tried to touch her clit but couldn't reach. Tara hunched her longer frame, reaching further and further until she yipped in pleasure as her thick claw pressed against her clit. Pressing her muzzle against the ground, the woman rubbed herself in furious circles as the male licked and bit at her swollen lips. His strong hands pressed into her inner thighs through her thick fur as he held her open for his tongue. Tara felt his hot breath behind her but a sudden white hot orgasm crashed into her and she howled as her body shook from it. Wasting no time, the male came up and behind her. Again, she felt heat rise in her as Jonathon's thick cock pressed against the base of her tail. He fumbled, holding himself by his knot, pressing himself into her and she felt his tip seeking her pussy. Tara raised her hips just as he found her asshole and the male's tip slipped down between her wet folds. Her wolf's enlarged pussy opened completely for the male and she pressed back, feeling the muscles just inside her opening stretch to take the baseball sized knot. Tara's slick vaginal muscles gripped around the male's cock, clenching and tightening around him. Tara pushed her up to her elbows as she pushed back, forcing the male deeper into her, growling in pain as her pussy opened wider and wider, threatening to split. More, her simple mind told her. More. More. With a shriek of pain, mixed with pleasure the male's knot pushed past her opening. Tara's pussy immediately closed behind it and she gasped at the feeling of being nearly completely full. The knot pressed on her clit while his entire cock filled her tight, virgin pussy. Her eight nipples ached to be touched and kissed and licked and bitten but all she knew was the pleasure and need consuming her. The male bit at the back of her neck and Tara went back down to her chest, her body relaxing automatically in response to the show of dominance. When he bit harder, she felt herself grow even wetter. The male grabbed Tara's tail and she yelped. Just as she began to whine for the male to fuck her, she felt him push. All thought, human and wolf fled as he moved. She felt her stomach bulge around his girth and she couldn't even think to whine or beg or breathe as he pulled out. The muscle around her opening bulged around the male's knot but he stopped before coming completely out of her. With a growl, he shoved harder, forcing himself deep inside her wolf's pussy. Out again and then harder back in. Tara flexed, arching her long back as she pushed in return, panting at the building heat and orgasm. The male rose up to his hands and feet and her hips raised to follow him as his knot pulled her up. Her mind knew what was about to happen. Tara dug her claws into the ground and held on as the male began pummeling her, slamming into her again and again, each motion spreading her slightly open as the male's knot bulged, pressing against her clit from the inside while she stretched around him. Tara's mind went white with static as the male properly mounted his male, huffing and groaning and moaning and growling as he neared his own orgasm. Tara howled as a massive orgasm roared through her. Suddenly, she was overly sensitive but the male kept pounding, straining to cum inside of his mate. Tara tried scrabbling away, whining from the way her body screamed: 'Too much!' Another orgasm hit her and she sprayed, squirting the male with her cum. Tara gasped, trying and failing to catch her breath. Her movements stopped as the male's canine teeth closed around her shoulder. Her instincts forced her to be still as the male jerked. The orgasm that pushed her over the edge earlier paled in comparison to the one that struck her when the male came. His knot swelled along with his cock and every single point inside her vagina became a livewire. Tara's ears filled with a static hissing noise as fireworks bloomed in her darkening field of vision. It was too much. It was all too much. The pleasure of it all closed over her and Tara blacked out. Less than a minute later, the young woman gasped awake. Her entire body ached. She tried to move but felt a heavy weight against her. The male lay next to her, breathing heavily. She could still feel his swollen knot against her stretched pussy but when she thought of it, she could feel the heat threatening to build again within her body. Tara trembled and licked the male's furry arm before pressing herself back against him. She was incredibly full, even with the male's shrinking cock still inside of her. His knot kept both of their cum locked deep inside of her and she could feel the liquid moving slightly against her insides. Around them, all of the dogs of the neighborhood were silent, hiding in fear from the two mated wolves. Tara huffed at this small victory, long pointed ears twitching to catch every small sound around her. They lay together contentedly, the male lazily playing with Tara's small upper breasts, flicking and twisting her nipples carefully with his claws. She groaned, pushing her hips against him as his knot slowly shrunk. Outside, they both heard the rumble of a car engine followed by the car's breaks. A car door opened and closed and they both swiveled their muzzles to follow the (female, the scent told her) as she stepped out of the car. The female knocked on the door. "Tara? Hey, it's Stephanie. You still there? You okay?' Jonathon slowly stood above Tara. His cock glistened in the air above the prone woman. With the male pulled out of her, enormous amounts of his cum dribbled out slowly between Tara's black pussy lips. The young woman growled with greed as the male's cock grew erect again. Walking to the door, Jonathon fumbled at the doorknob until it opened. Stephanie stood before him, her face quickly turning pale in the moonlight. Before she could turn to run, Jonathon grabbed her, pulling her inside. The door slowly closed behind them as Jonathon shoved Stephanie down. Stephanie turned around, kicking backwards in an attempt to escape but Tara stopped her and Stephanie looked back at the she-wolf, her mouth opening and closing in shock. Tara gripped the woman, forcing her to turn around, to present her properly for the male. Jonathon dropped to hands and feet to pad over to Stephanie and his long tongue licked at Stephanie's crotch. The woman wore thin black yoga pants and she gasped at the attentions. "No! Oh please god, no! I... I... I..." She stuttered. Jonathon gripped Stephanie's pants and pulled, exposing the woman's sex. With a feral growl, he shoved his face between her folds and licked deeply within. Stephanie tried to move away, moaning despite her panic but Tara held her. "Please... I don't... Please...." Tara grinned as Jonathon knelt behind the new female. His claws gripped her waist, blood running down where the tips cut into her. With one paw, the male guided himself into Stephanie's smooth-shaven pussy. Her pussy wet from Jonathon's tongue, the male's cock slid easily into the woman and her eyes widened as she took Jonathon's enormous girth. Stephanie's pink little pussy lips bulged around Jonathon's knot and she pleaded for him to stop. The male pushed but growled when he couldn't force himself into her completely. "I... what... oh... oh... oh yes... no, please... noooooOOOOWWWWLLL!" Stephanie howled through suddenly sharp teeth, head held back. The woman closed her mouth, looking up at Tara with panicked eyes. "T... Tara...? Please... Oh god, no. It's... it's starting to feel good, Tara. It's... I'm starting to want it, Tara... Please... Please, Tara, if that's you, please make it stop. Please... I... Oh fuck. Oh fuck. Oh fuck me. Fuck me harder. Furrrr... hrrrrr.... wrrrr... make me yourrrr bitch..." Stephanie growled, pushing back harder. The lips of her pussy darkened to a deep black as they stretched, growing to take in the male's cock. Blond fur sprouted around her smooth pussy as bones shifted along her spine. Her head pushed away from her shoulders as hairs grew on her jaw. Stephanie howled again. The male and female's cum mixed into her, infecting her. Changing her and soon, the woman was no more. All three howled together in joyous pleasure. A pack made new under the full moon. ----- When morning came, Tara woke first. The house was a ruin. Every single piece of furniture was broken. She could hear the sound of the shower coming from the bathroom and she wondered if it'd been on all night. The young woman felt bruised and her entire body ached tremendously but her skin was white and smooth and unharmed. She felt warmth behind her and, turning, she saw a naked man pressed against her. As she became aware of her body, she felt the man's dick on her leg. Vague memories tugged at her and she knew it was sticky with more than just the man's cum. Turning further, she spotted Stephanie behind the man. As Tara watched, Stephanie groaned and opened her eyes. She gasped in sudden panic and then calmed. Her eyes found Tara's eyes and they stared at each other. Emotions and memories flashed between them. "I... I remember... I remember some of it, Tara. Oh god. I remember and..." I liked it, she couldn't say out loud. Tara reached for her friend's hand and they held hands together, both unwilling to move as the memories of the night washed over them. "I feel a piece of you in my head, Tara. I can... ummm... smell you. You. Not the cum and everything. I can smell you. And feel you in my mind. What..." "I'm here," Tara answered. "I'm here and I feel you there, too. And him. I don't... I don't know what to do. But, stay with me. At least just for a bit, just stay with me." "I will, Tara," Stephanie said. "I will. I can't do anything else because...." ... we're pack now, a hidden piece of her mind told her. The three lay together in a pile until all were awake. Slowly, feelings and emotions were discussed, plans were made and a new family was born.