“I’m all in.” Lynx met his friend’s gaze and let everything he felt show in his expression. “There’s no going back now, and I don’t want to.”
Shiloh gave a choked sound that held a hint of self-deprecation. “Thank phrull for that.”
Before Lynx could formulate a reply, Shiloh swallowed his cock down, taking him fast and deep, driving him into thick pleasure and a sphere of pure sensation. His hips jerked without volition. His hands gripped the blanket at his sides then he gave in to the urge to touch. Difficult though the maneuver was, he managed to sit and slide his fingers through Shiloh’s hair.
“Goddess.” Another tremor struck and reverberated the length of his body. “Lift your hair away so I can see. Yeah. Phrull, Shiloh. That looks so damn hot. Seeing my cock slide into your mouth.”
Shiloh didn’t take his mouth off Lynx’s cock, but his gaze rose, and what he saw sent Lynx spinning. Pleasure shone in his eyes. He lifted his head, stroking along the underside of Lynx’s cock. He tasted the broad head, the roughness of his feline tongue darting spurts of pleasure along Lynx’s veins.
Lynx watched avidly, mesmerized by the rugged masculinity of his friend’s face and seeing him in a different way. A new way. He caught the flash of tongue and the corresponding caress forced a groan past his parted lips.
Shiloh’s gaze met his again.
“I had no idea.” Lynx led with honesty. “Does it get better still?”
Shiloh winked, amusement simmering along with the lust glowing in his feline eyes. With one big hand, he pushed Lynx back to a lying position.
“What are you going to do?”
Shiloh didn’t reply. Instead, he started to use his hands and fondled Lynx’s balls, rolling them with callused fingers, tugging on them to a point shy of pain. At the same time, he increased his mouth action, taking Lynx deep. So deep, Lynx’s cock hit solid flesh.
If he’d thought Shiloh was giving his everything before, he’d been mistaken. The rush of pleasure tore through his body, the tight suction of Shiloh’s mouth almost more than he could bear. Good. So phrullin good.
Lynx’s eyes slid shut. Each breath came in a rough gasp. His hips lifted and he began to use Shiloh’s mouth as he’d utilize a woman’s pussy. Rapid thrusts that he couldn’t control. The pleasure built in thick, juicy layers until he didn’t think his body would hold together.
Another suck. A bump against Shiloh’s throat. A thrust.
“Shiloh!” His climax roared through him with the rapid propulsion of a spaceship thruster. Shiloh swallowed and continued to swallow, each movement of his throat inducing another series of aftershocks. Lynx came and came, semen pulsing from his cock in rhythmic contractions. Long moments later, he stilled, ceased his thrashing and every muscle collapsed in physical repletion.
Shiloh continued to lick him, gentler now, which Lynx was grateful for because his cock had become tender.
Finally, his limp shaft slid from Shiloh’s mouth.
They stared at each other, and Lynx swallowed.
Shiloh narrowed his gaze. “Anything to say?”
“Yeah. Why didn’t you tell me it felt this good? Women never use enough force. They treat my cock as if it’s going to break off. You…that was perfect.”
Shiloh lost his impassive expression, his grin blooming into one of pure beauty. “You weren’t ready to listen.”
“Maybe,” Lynx conceded with a shrug. “Can I do that to you?”
Shiloh’s smile slipped a fraction. “You want to?”
“Yes. Besides, I owe you. That was amazing.”
Shiloh moved off Lynx’s legs and frowned. “You don’t have to reciprocate. Don’t feel you owe me anything.”
Lynx sensed he needed to act fast. If he handled this wrong, Shiloh would back away, and he didn’t want that. “I want this more than anything. Giving always brings me just as much pleasure. I want to make you groan. Wanna bet I can do it?”
Shiloh barked out a laugh. “Not touching that wager with a long fishing pole.”
Lynx sat up. “Tell me what to do.”
“To start with, just do whatever you like a woman to do with you.”
“I can do that.”
Shiloh lay back on the blanket, and Lynx straddled his thighs.
His friend’s cock stood fully erect, the large head swollen with need. “If you feel as if you might choke, use your hands at the base of my shaft to control how much goes in your mouth.”
Lynx nodded.
“And tuck your hair behind your ears so I can see what you’re doing. I enjoy watching.”
“Me too.” Lynx listened to his friend’s instructions. “If you want me to do anything different, spit it out. Touching you doesn’t disgust me, Shiloh. The prickles under my skin have subsided since you touched me.”
“In me too.”
Lynx grabbed the lace he used to fasten his tunic and used it to tie back his hair. That done, he reached for Shiloh’s cock. Not much different from his own. Hard and hot to the touch. He ran his hand up and down the shaft, then used his mouth to follow the same path.
Shiloh hissed, and when Lynx lifted his gaze, he found Shiloh gritting his teeth. Not a shred of horror or distaste filled his expression. This was something different—a combination of lust and expectation. The need to hold back in order to savor a treat.
Remembering Shiloh’s advice to do what turned him on, Lynx explored Shiloh’s balls with his lips and fingers, just following instinct and letting Shiloh’s breaths guide him as to what to do next.
He licked up Shiloh’s shaft, breathing in his friend’s musky scent. Taste. What did Shiloh taste like at the tip of his cock? Curiosity and an odd sense of hunger propelled him onward. When he took the entire head into his mouth, Shiloh’s big body shuddered. His hips lifted into Lynx’s mouth, pushing his cock deeper. A musky, salty taste filled his mouth. Not unpleasant or off-putting. He wriggled his tongue back and forth and the taste intensified. He sucked, lapped, slid his mouth up and down. He coughed when Shiloh went too deep, his eyes watering as he fought his gag reflex. Then he remembered Shiloh’s advice to use his hands. He pulled back a fraction, gripped the base of Shiloh’s cock and combined tugs and drags with mouth suction.
“Goddess, Lynx. Lynx. Whatever you do, please don’t stop.”
Lynx smiled around Shiloh’s shaft. He took him as deep as he could and swallowed. Shiloh jerked, pushing his cock that much deeper. Their gazes met as Lynx lifted his mouth while keeping the tight seal around Shiloh’s cock. He upped the pace and soon tasted more beads of liquid.
Whenever Lynx reached this point, his orgasm hovered in the background like an aggravated feline prepared to pounce. With this knowledge in mind, he sucked harder, tried to take Shiloh deeper.
“Lynx. Goddess. Lynx.” Shiloh kept repeating his name in a litany, his big body quivering, trembling, shuddering.
Lynx tried to take Shiloh deeper into his mouth, partially succeeded. Shiloh let out a roar, taking Lynx by surprise, then his friend was coming, spurting into his mouth. Lynx tried to swallow, but the sheer amount of fluid shooting down his throat took him by surprise. He pulled back. Semen dribbled from his mouth. Another blast of semen got him in the face. In the chest.
He gaped at Shiloh, watched the amusement transform into a guffaw once Shiloh’s orgasm began to trail off.
“Feline, you should see your face,” Shiloh spluttered between chortles.
“I didn’t expect…goddess…” He swiped at his chest, fighting the urge to grin in return. It was kinda funny.
“Stop.”
Lynx’s hand froze on his chest. “What?”
“You look hot. I enjoy seeing my mark on you.”
Lynx snorted. “I thought it was the wolf boys who marked their territory.”
Shiloh cocked his head. “So you admit it. We’re partners in the fullest sense now.”
Lynx sucked in a breath, waited for trepidation and fear, maybe disgust to trot to the fore. None of that happen
ed. A sense of rightness and belonging assailed him. A sense of wonder. “That’s right.” His gaze remained steady on his friend.
Shiloh’s smile lit up his entire face. Lynx caught his breath, and something in his chest tightened.
Shiloh grasped Lynx’s biceps. Without breaking their gaze, he wiped the splatters of semen into Lynx’s skin. The laughter transformed, trickling into something darker and needy. Shiloh’s lips met his, the contact bringing comfort even as desire sparked through his veins again.
When Shiloh lifted his head they were both breathing hard. “Soon,” he promised. “We’ll do this properly once we’re sure of our safety and have supplies.”
“All right.” Words that a rotation ago might have terrified him. Now the idea of doing something so intimate together seemed right, and he held not a single regret.
“Let me clean you up,” Shiloh whispered, and Lynx blinked at the tenderness coming from his friend. Part of him wanted to tease but he hauled back the impulse. Time and place.
Shiloh wiped away the sticky residue with the corner of his tunic. “We’d better try to grab some rest. We’ll need to travel some distance before the worst of the heat.”
“The ship owner went to some trouble to collect us and the other specimens. They’re gonna want us back. They’ll send more tracker lizards after us.”
“The specimens that manage to survive this heat,” Shiloh said.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought, but we have to try to get to the dome. I have no intention of making this easy for them.”
“I thought about splitting from the others—”
“No, not a good idea. We’re better off together,” Lynx said.
“You didn’t let me finish. I discarded the idea because it didn’t feel right. We’re not leaving anyone behind. Together, we’re stronger.”
“The next couple of cycles aren’t gonna be easy. That floris dragon is still out there with its injured mate. And there were other dangerous creatures on the ship.”
“Cross your fingers we make it to the dome,” Shiloh said. “If we make it that far, finding a means of escape from the city will be as easy as tugging a kitten’s tail.”
The severe cold woke Jannike. Invisible, chilly fingers pinched her nose, her cheeks, her fingers, her toes. She wrapped the blanket more tightly around her body and covered her face. The reshuffling and rearranging didn’t make a bit of difference and succeeded in waking Royal. He grumbled and chattered at her while she tried to get comfortable.
“Can’t sleep?” Kelvin asked.
“I’m cold. How long have I been asleep?” It wasn’t as black as before, and she could make out Kelvin’s expression when she turned toward him. She settled Royal on her shoulder and sat up. Yawning, she rubbed gritty eyes, every muscle in her body screaming for more rest. After stretching her cramped limbs, she clambered to her feet. Maybe if she paced she’d get warm. Where were her boots? Ah!
“You had a few portions of the cycle in slumber,” Kelvin said.
Her eyes began to stream, tears flowing as she laced her boots. Not tears, but her eyes attempting to compensate for the dryness. She knuckled the moisture away and blinked several times.
“What’s up?” Shiloh asked, appearing from behind the rocks in the same stealthy manner Ry and Camryn used.
“I can’t sleep because of the cold.” She tried not to gawk at his bare chest. Evidently felines, or this particular feline, didn’t feel the cold.
“We’ve rested long enough. We can move out now and eat the last of our supplies when the heat forces us to stop.”
“It’s still dark,” Jannike said.
Lynx—also bare-chested—appeared beside Shiloh and laughed. “We can see okay. Same line formation as the previous cycle. I’ll pack up our stuff.”
Lynx disappeared, and Jannike expected Shiloh to follow his friend but he remained in position, his hands on his hips.
“What?”
“Lynx and I have been talking. We think we should head in the direction of the dome.”
“Our captors won’t stop looking for us,” Kelvin boomed, speaking in his normal voice now that everyone had woken.
“That’s what we figured. Our best chance of escape is finding transport at the dome. Go on the offence rather than running.”
“Don’t you mean steal?” Jannike asked.
“That’s what I mean,” Shiloh said without inflection. “Do you agree?”
“We don’t have an alternative. Long-term survival in the desert is impossible. We have enough food for one last snack and not much more water. The dome it is.”
The two markowls tweeted and cooed and made clicking sounds at Kelvin. He clicked and tweeted back and nodded, his branches vibrating with the sharp shift of his head.
“The markowls have good blacklight vision,” he said. “They offer to scout ahead. One will fly in front to discover possible danger. The other will check for the floris dragon.”
“That would be much appreciated.” Lynx appeared to stand at Shiloh’s side, fully garbed and carrying their belongings.
Kelvin communicated with the markowls. The birds lifted into the air, their wings extending as they disappeared into the gloom. “They intend to hunt before reporting back.”
When Lynx halted by Jannike, she caught a whiff of sex. She gulped, and silently battled the bloom of craving in her achy body. Stay away. Don’t give in.
She managed to hold her ground, but her knees shook like saplings in a strong breeze. Her gaze shot to her feet. Fight. Fight. Fight.
“Something wrong, Jannike?” Shiloh asked.
Her gaze flew upward to study him. As usual the man held his true feelings close to his chest. “Not a thing.”
With minimal possessions to pack, they were soon on their way.
Her belly rumbled, protesting the lack of sustenance. Sheer willpower kept her placing one foot in front of the other and propelling herself along. The coldness receded from her limbs, yet the chill persisted on her cheeks. Her eyes continued to stream tears, and she had to keep brushing them away. She knew she wasn’t crying but others might jump to conclusions.
One of the markowls returned and perched on Kelvin’s right shoulder. It fluffed its wings before beginning a report.
Jannike focused but heard nothing except indecipherable clicks. She’d recommend to Ry that they update their translator databases with more languages. The inability to understand little known races could place their lives in danger.
“He didn’t see the floris dragon,” Kelvin said. “He flew over the area where we saw the tracker lizards. The dragon’s mate wasn’t there either, but there was much lifeforce coloring the sands. Many bones. He saw humanoid people approaching on two-wheel motors.”
“Lifeforce?” Jannike asked.
“Blood,” Shiloh said. “I’m more concerned about the motor things.”
“Motor-skids,” Jannike translated. “The rich hold weekend parties in the dunes not far from the dome. They use these vehicles for recreation and have races. The fat tires make travel over the sand easier.”
“Anything else?” Shiloh asked.
The markowl chirped.
“The rat-pygmies are tasty.” Kelvin chuckled, the humor raspy and hoarse. “He suggests we try some.”
“Ugh, no,” Jannike said. “During the cold months the creatures infested the slave quarters. They have nasty bites. I still have a scar on my leg where one bit me. Ugly damn creatures.” She tripped over a rock obscured by sand and cursed under her breath. No excuse for that one. Pearly light suffused the landscape, and even she could see without difficulty.
Her tongue darted out to lick her lips, the moistening relief temporary. She needed to drink from her dwindling water supply. Jannike ignored the urge just as she avoided acknowledging the never-ending prickle beneath her skin.
The portions of the cycle ticked over and the chill of the early morn gave way to extreme heat. She arranged her blanket over her head and fashioned it so
Royal rode out of the direct light.
“We’ll walk to that outcrop.” Lynx indicated the skyline.
Jannike focused gritty eyes on the distant rocks. They perched in piles at the top of an incline. Not far. She could make it that far. One step. Two steps.
The second markowl arrowed through the sky before them.
The one perched on Kelvin’s shoulder shrieked.
“What is it?” Shiloh demanded.
“Something is chasing the markowl,” Kelvin said.
Jannike squinted into the brightness, saw a larger bird. No. “Raptor,” she said after taking in the streamline black reptilian shape, the gleaming ebony talons and the black leathery wings. “Must’ve come off the ship. Distant relation of the dragon. They’re not native.”
“Bad?” Lynx asked.
“We should run to those rocks. They’re powerful enough to take down a humanoid.”
“We won’t make it. Not in this heat.” Shiloh studied the raptor. “Suggestions?”
“Collect rocks to chuck. Their bellies are their tender spot. Keep away from their talons. The tips are poison-coated. Kelvin, what are you doing?”
“Giving you a chance.” He did a rapid shift into a tree, his branches bare of leaves this time. When he finished the transformation, his branches reminded Jannike of gnarly roots.
She ripped her gaze away and scooped up fist-sized rocks, piling them at the base of Kelvin’s trunk before darting away to gather more.
The markowl arrowed toward them, zigzagging to evade capture.
The raptor’s irritated screech echoed across the expanse of sand. Large jaws snapped, talons extended and the markowl faltered.
“Come on.” Jannike placed Royal in a fork of Kelvin’s branches and dumped her belongings.
To Jannike’s relief the markowl discovered a new spurt of speed. He dived straight for Kelvin’s branches.
The sec the raptor came into range, Jannike lobbed a rock. At this point it didn’t matter where they struck the creature. Anything for distraction. Missed. She fired another and clipped the raptor’s wing.
The markowls squeaked while she, Lynx and Shiloh lobbed rocks. The raptor screamed and rose out of range. As if wanting to taunt them, it circled above.
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