Wishes

by J. C. Owens

  “Good kitty,” Auri whispered desperately. “Nice kitty.”

  The purr deepened and the tongue began to thoroughly clean him, lovingly laving every inch, invading some very private bits indeed. The abrasion made Auri grit his teeth and some places made him squirm, too close to ticklish for comfort’s sake. He jumped as the tongue swirled over his cock, obviously enjoying the taste.

  He closed his eyes, a flush rising on his cheekbones. Okay, it had been a long time since he had had sex, but this was a cat, for gods’ sakes. He should not feel…

  Damn, that was rough! He flinched and the licking paused, a growl rising in the massive throat.

  Auri took a deep breath, then pulled one of his arms free and raised his hand to tentatively stroke the massive head, hoping to appease the beast, take its mind from molesting him. The purr intensified to the point where Auri’s whole body vibrated with the force of it.

  Great, now as long as he petted the thing, he was safe from being taken.

  It was going to be a long three hours.

  He almost fell asleep at one point, soothed by the purring, only to wake with a start as he was rolled to his stomach. He tried to lunge away, cursing his moment of inattention, but immediately teeth fastened on his nape and held him still.

  Great paws wrapped around his waist as he was mounted properly and he closed his eyes, shivering, seeing no way out of this but forward. It seemed the cat was done with petting and wanted to get to the main event.

  Something hot and wet probed at his entrance and he arched away, disgusted by the strange feel. Immediately the teeth returned to grip him and he subsided reluctantly. The pointed tip opened him, slid within, alien in its shape, probing into his depths. Narrow to begin with, it soon flared into huge proportions, and Auri whimpered as it plumbed his depths further than any lover ever had.

  His muscles shook with the need to protest, even if the taking seemed remarkably gentle from an animal. He only prayed it would continue that way, that the great canines would not pierce the back of his neck.

  Finally he sagged in his captor’s grip, submissive in defeat, and immediately the touch softened, the grip on his neck lightened, a tongue coming out to lick at the wounds, soothing. A small whimper escaped his lips despite his best efforts to be strong, and immediately the cat licked him, slow and with such care in the touch.

  The large beast slowly began to flex its hips, and Auri could not prevent a gasp at the girth that rubbed within him. Dear gods…

  If he had had a lover like this in the past, he certainly would never have let him go.

  But this lover was not even human.

  A tongue licked his ear and he flinched away, then lunged forward again. Immediately the teeth returned to his nape, the painful hold tightened.

  He went limp again and the punishing grip ceased. His body rocked with the force of the thrusts, then Kanar shifted slightly, changed his angle, and Auri’s eyes flew open in shock as his body jerked with sensation.

  His own body worked against him, his shaft hardening, leaping as Kanar’s shaft rubbed over some point within him, tormenting, not enough to give relief to the ache.

  He found himself leaning backward into the thrusts, moaning. It felt like sparks within his very being, like he was flying. He arched into the sensations, screaming hoarsely as he came, hard.

  He was weak and shaking by the time his thoughts came back. His faint hope that Kanar would have come also was soon dispelled as the thrusts continued, steady and deep, purrs of pleasure sounding beside his ear.

  Twice more Kanar made him come as time passed slowly, and his body weakened.

  “Call him mate, Auri. Bring this to an end. Submit.” The voice of Kaseer floated to him and his will faltered.

  Lie! his inner voice screamed at him. A pledge under these circumstances means nothing. Let him believe you have given in to him and then when the time is right, escape.

  He sagged utterly.

  He swallowed hard. “I submit to you, Kanar, my mate.”

  Kanar released his nape and plunged into the depths three times, then stiffened, a roar of triumph vibrating the very air, and Auri could feel hot seed pulsing into his body, claiming him, forever marking him. A surge of energy seemed to encircle them both, bonding, forging a link of some sort.

  As the hold left him, he collapsed to the ground, moaning as he felt Kanar pull out painfully. He lay there, curled into a ball, stunned. That had been some mind-blowing sex. Too bad he was going to have to leave this all behind.

  Chapter Three

  He woke to darkness and for long moments thought perhaps his wish had been granted and it had all been a wild dream.

  The sound of low voices drew him back from that fantasy and he cringed as he realized Kanar loomed over him, food in his hand, back in his humanoid body.

  Auri must have betrayed himself by that tiniest of movements, for the large golden eyes looked down at him, and Auri could not help his reaction. He shrank back, trembling, and turned his face away, his posture submissive.

  Kanar purred, stroking Auri’s face, and it took everything in Auri not to jerk away.

  A piece of cooked meat appeared before his eyes, an offering, and after the smallest of hesitations, he accepted it, his stomach clenching with hunger. He rolled slightly, curled in on himself so he did not have to face Kanar. It would do no good to starve; if he wished to escape, he needed to have the physical strength to do so, and already he was shaking with the lack of food since his bid for freedom. He ate slowly and carefully, never looking up, his skin twitching as Kanar stroked it possessively, purring.

  Pieces of meat came regularly then, and each time Auri accepted one, Kanar would practically vibrate with satisfaction, his purr deepening, his touch softening even more.

  Once one of the others came too close and Kanar crouched over Auri, snarling, claws extended. Auri curled in more tightly, eyes clenched shut, heart pounding, but after a few moments the incident passed and Kanar’s possessiveness died down, though a growl rumbled through his throat every now and then.

  Auri shook his head at more food and simply closed his eyes and pretended to sleep. Kanar stroked his hair gently, then he lay down behind his new mate as the darkness in the forest became complete and the group settled for sleep.

  Auri tensed, fingers curling into claws as he felt a nudge at his opening, then Kanar slid into him, giving a low moan of pleasure as he was fully sheathed. Teeth gritted against the tenderness of his earlier takings, Auri stared blindly ahead, his body spasming as it tried to expel the intruder.

  Kanar thrust lazily, slowly, into the young Auri’s body. He took his time, angling his thrusts so he brushed over the spot that made Auri cry out softly, unable to control the tremors of pleasure that shook him. Auri bit his lip until it bled, but despite all he did, his shaft hardened at the stimulus, and Kanar took it in hand. Alternating between gentleness and firmness, his grip learned the feel of Auri’s shaft, explored the sensations that made him squirm and moan and finally, when he thought he could take no more, brought him to a shattering orgasm that left him gasping and limp.

  Beyond exhaustion, he fell asleep or passed out, he knew not which, but Kanar did not stop, purring in his throat as he held Auri close and continued his gentle assault.

  * * * Auri opened his eyes blearily, mind sluggish and dull, wishing he could pretend he was safe in his cabin on the Hagan Fell, having just woken from a crazy dream, but the pretense could not withstand the reality of Kanar’s shaft still deep inside him.

  His body throbbed, the worst being the results of the wild ride down the river. His throat and neck itched and burned where Kanar’s teeth had scored him and bruises mottled the length of his arms, but he dared not move in the slightest to see more, for any movement might wake the Felin and start the mating anew.

  Thoughts of escape seemed very far at that moment, and despair overwhelmed him so that weak tears came to his eyes, though he dared not wipe them away.

 
The camp began to stir around him, and he closed his eyes to block out the sight of the other Felin beginning to rise from their sleep and prepare for the day. He could not face their stares, their amusement no doubt at his treatment and plight.

  He tensed as a voice sounded near, calling Kanar’s name gently, but he still did not open his eyes, even as he felt his “mate” waken and heard him respond with a voice still roughened by sleep.

  Auri recognized the first voice as Kaseer and he listened as they spoke, though he could not understand. Kaseer seemed to be telling Kanar something that displeased him, but the first Felin seemed determined and finally Kanar gave a huff of sound that seemed to indicate reluctant agreement.

  Auri gritted his teeth and tensed with pain as Kanar withdrew from his body, then his eyes flew open as Kanar spoke in Auri’s language. “Come, Auri. Kaseer the worried here says I must bathe you, and he will tend your wounds.”

  Auri looked up to see Kanar towering over him, hand extended. With everything in him he wanted to refuse that hand, but his ruse must hold. They must think him beaten, submissive.

  He reached for it and Kanar pulled him up, wrapping powerful arms around him when he grunted with pain and wavered where he stood.

  A sound of concern came from the tall Felin, and he swept Auri up into his arms. Auri stiffened in shock and began to struggle, then subsided tensely.

  “Sssh, little tiger. I will take care of you.” Auri wanted to scream at the possessive tone, but only clenched his jaw on the words that wanted to escape. He turned his face against Kanar’s shoulder to hide from the other Felin, but it made Kanar chuckle and kiss his hair.

  “So shy. I was pleased with the submission of your body, my little mate. It was a great gift.”

  Auri bared his teeth silently.

  * * * Yet another misconception disproved, Auri thought with tired resignation as Kanar waded into the cool waters of the pool. Obviously the Felin were not afraid of water, at least in their more human form. He gasped at the cold as Kanar sank down into the clear waters, positioning them both on a stone ledge near where the water cascaded down from above, cutting into the rock as it went.

  Auri tried to sit up, but Kanar held him down, arms wrapped easily around his much smaller form. Rather than struggle when it was patently useless, Auri subsided reluctantly, a flush on his cheeks as he stared into the distance, anywhere but at the one who held him.

  There was only the sound of water around them, and Kanar relaxed back against the rock face, a small sound of pleasure coming from his lips as the cool waters ebbed and flowed around them.

  When Auri saw his tormenter had his eyes closed, he finally snuck a look at him. His impressions of Kanar up to this point in time had been vague, but having spent all his time trying to avoid looking at him, now Auri was morbidly fascinated by the Felin.

  His fur was almost golden, unlike any other Felin Auri had seen so far, and black stripes were interspersed in a pattern over the whole of him except for his face, where two thinner stripes ran, one on either side, from nose to ear, through and around his eyes. Even at rest, the tips of his huge canines glinted menacingly just past his lips, and Auri swallowed hard. His eyes slowly traced down the heavily muscled chest. There were no nipples as on a human male, only sleek fur. His stomach was all sculpted muscle, and Auri could see the edge of the bandage where he had stabbed the Felin. Viciously, he wished the wound had been mortal. Maybe then they would not have come after him.

  From the initial impression back at the ship, Auri knew the Felin’s shaft was not visible, tucked up into the body, so different again from a human. The legs he rested on were pure power, hard even at rest. The hands holding him were long fingered, the claws now retracted, resting gently on him as long as he did not resist.

  His lips twisted.

  “I would wash myself…please.” The last word came hard. Kanar opened his eyes lazily, then traced a finger down Auri’s cheek, smiling. “As you wish, my mate.” His eyes searched Auri’s for a moment. “Kaseer has told me what happened. I would that our mating had been more gentle, little tiger. I would have wooed you until you wanted me as much as I wanted you.” He traced a clawed finger close to one of the scratches, his expression repentant. “I would never hurt you in such a fashion, little one, when I am in my right mind. Please believe that.” He laid a gentle kiss on Auri’s lips, then seemed to wait for an answer.

  Auri could not meet his eyes; he only nodded in response, hoping that was sufficient.

  Kanar sighed, kissed his forehead, and then released his hold. Auri sat up and slid into the water, having to half swim being so much shorter than the Felin. He found a shelf more to his own height preference and there he washed vigorously, scrubbing at himself again and again, wishing he could remove every trace of Kanar’s touch from his smarting skin. He tried to remain low in the water, feeling the Felin’s interested gaze.

  He bent into the water, scrubbing his hair, then straightened with a yelp as he felt Kanar behind him. The Felin pushed him up to the shelf, lifting him to sit at the water line, holding him with one hand on his neck. Auri tried to squirm away, unable to stand the thought of yet more pain.

  “Please Kanar…mate…don’t hurt me more.”

  His mate froze for a long moment, then gently caressed his cheek, eyes holding a certain sadness. “I have no intention of hurting you, my mate. I only wish to give you pleasure.”

  Auri thought he would be sick, and he shot a look up at the stern face above him, hands braced on Kanar’s thighs, ready to resist.

  Before he could protest further, the Felin suddenly knelt in the shallows, Auri’s shaft pushing against his lips. Auri shuddered with shock, watching as Kanar slowly opened his mouth before lovingly swallowing Auri’s shaft. Hot, wet heat and a amazingly long, slightly rough tongue wrapped around his girth, bathed his length. He cried out in helpless pleasure, the very strangeness of it giving an illicit thrill. He arched backward, eyes rolling, whimpers of pleasure escaping his lips despite every attempt otherwise. The pleasure was almost too much, and when Kanar’s mouth opened wider, suckling Auri’s balls at the same time…

  He found his hands on Kanar’s shoulders pulling him closer, writhing at the incredible sensations.

  “You are so beautiful in your submission.” The voice was husky with desire. “My beautiful

  mate…my Auri…”

  He tried to jerk back then, defiant, but then Kanar began bobbing his head up and down, providing incredible friction, and Auri had no time to do anything but try to breathe.

  Auri whimpered as his shaft slid farther and farther down Kanar’s throat. He thought he could quite happily die of the intense pleasure. He could no longer think, only weakly flex his hips, trying to go even deeper. Then the great head lifted back up and the slightly pointed tongue dipped into the head of his shaft…and he exploded with such force his senses left him for long moments, only dimly aware of Kanar eagerly drinking down his essence and lovingly licking him clean. He was not able to resist when Kanar drew him up against him and kissed him deeply, tongue sliding over his, Auri tasting his own seed.

  Auri sagged into Kanar’s arms, barely realizing when the kiss ended and he could breathe freely again. He did not respond when the Felin swung him up into strong arms and, purring, began to wade through the waters, taking him back to the camp.

  * * * Upon arrival at the camp, Kanar set Auri down gently on the bedroll, then stood up to speak to Kaseer. Auri simply lay there, numb, not trying to understand what they spoke of.

  When he came back to reality, only Kaseer remained and Auri cast a relieved glance around, realizing that by some miracle, Kanar had finally left him alone.

  He sagged back to the softness, closing his eyes so he need not meet Kaseer’s gaze as the other Felin began to gently smooth some sort of ointment over the various cuts and scratches. Whatever it was, it soothed them almost immediately, and Auri felt himself relax a tiny amount in response. He tried desperately not to think
of what had just happened, tried to ignore the fact his body actually tried to harden again, just from the images alone.

  The gentleness of the one who called him mate was like an aphrodisiac to Auri, who had known so little care in his life. The slight softening in his thoughts terrified him more than anything else.

  He could not give in, he could not. He was not some plaything to live in caged comfort.

  What if the beast inside Kanar returned?

  Kaseer bid him roll over and he did so, cradling his head on his arms. Gentle fingers smoothed ointment over the back of his ravaged neck while Auri contemplated a future of imprisonment.

  Escape. He had to escape.

  * * * As the midday sun beat upon them, they left camp and began walking. Wearing garb far too big for him, Auri was kept in the middle of them, as though he were incapable of protecting himself, which in this world perhaps he was. Still it wore at him, this treatment, this refusal to see his own abilities. It was like they were trying to make him into what they wanted, not what he was. They had asked nothing of his life, as though it had not existed until he met them. Was this how they made humans accept life here? By eliminating all memory? Pretending the past did not exist?

  He tried to keep up to their pace, but his body hurt so much he found himself lagging, and it mortified him that they had to modify their steps to his slower ones. He was fit and healthy, used to being able to outpace most of his fellow shipmates. This was a new and unwelcome surprise to be the weak one, the one others had to accommodate for. To feel tiny, vulnerable compared to the sheer size of the others was a frightening revelation.

  He trudged along in Kanar’s wake, head down, mulling over this ability of the Felin to make him feel helpless. He was not helpless, damn it! He was as much a warrior as they were, and he was not stupid. His jaw firmed and his head came up, a surge of determination in his heart He would find a way to leave this damned place, he would.

  Strength of will. That was what would prevail… The shade of the trees enabled them to continue on in the heat of the day, though Auri found the humidity hard to cope with. His breath came hard and he knew the stops they made, though