by Kallie Frost
I let out a shaky sigh. It felt almost as if I had just orgasmed. Cambry shifted his weight, and I felt his erection pressed against my thigh. I suddenly felt young, impulsive. I reached down between us and ran my hand over the bulge in his pants. Well, my pants technically, seeing as he was borrowing them.
Cambry gasped and pressed into my palm. I rubbed it and was rewarded with another gasp. He fell back against to me, then nuzzled my neck and began to kiss gently, returning from my collarbone to my mouth.
He moaned again, then I realized that his body was vibrating. He was purring! Cambry rocked against my hand for a moment, before I pulled it away and slipped it beneath his waistband. Under the fabric, his skin felt like a million degrees. I wrapped my hand around his dick and he cried out as I began to stroke.
One of his hands snaked into my pants to return the favor. I groaned as his hand wrapped around me, and he began to stroke at the same pace I was. He kissed me again, then playfully nipped at my lower lip. I nipped back, catching his lip in my teeth. I opened my eyes to meet his; they seemed darker, hungrier.
He pulled his lip free, and then drove his tongue into my mouth. As we kissed, he pulled my hand out of his pants, pinned my wrist above my head, and then grabbed for the other one, doing the same to it.
I couldn’t ever remember being held down in any way during foreplay before, but suddenly I couldn’t imagine him not doing it. Strange as it was to give over control to the younger man, it felt right. I tried to tug my wrists apart, not enough to actually break his grip, but enough to let him know I wanted this. A hiss escaped his lips and his hand tightened around my wrists. His legs clenched on either side of my thighs as he began to grind our dicks together. Even through two pairs of pants, the friction felt incredible. It felt like I was going to come just from this.
He sped up and I cried out, throwing my head back. Almost before I could register that he had moved, his head dropped down and his teeth latched onto my throat, with an almost feral growl. Some part of my mind that was still capable of rational thought realized that exposing my neck was a submissive sign, at least in dogs. Although I supposed it would make sense for shifters to be the same way. Even though Cambry hadn’t explained it thoroughly, I suddenly had a pretty good idea about the sexual dynamic between an alpha and an omega. And I liked it.
I arched my neck up to him, encouraging him. He growled again. One hand left my wrists and grabbed a fistful of my hair, tugging my head even further back. For a moment it hurt, then I found myself straining for more. I tried to force my head forward, increasing the pain in my scalp that was no longer pain. I pressed my neck up to him, reveling in the feel of his teeth digging into my flesh. I twisted my wrists again, his hands clenched tighter in response. And when I finally brought my hips up to meet his, he rocked down again. He ground his dick firmly against mine, rolling his hips and partially thrusting. I writhed beneath him, and soon nothing else in the world mattered. This was heaven. This was ecstasy.
Chapter Seven
Cambry
“Thank you, thank you so much.” I hung up the phone and set it down on the counter. My heart was pounding. “Okay,” I said to Louis. “Apparently, we're actually really close to the Alpha Parliament. They said someone can be here in just a couple of hours. They want us to meet them down on the beach.”
“There's like two feet of snow on the ground,” Louis said skeptically.
“I didn’t really want to argue with them,” I admitted with an embarrassed shrug. “The beach is the best place, since there won’t be anyone else there.”
“Because there's two feet of snow on the ground,” Louis repeated.
I hesitated. “We could ask them for a little more time?” I offered. “You can get another chance to make up your mind, and be sure about this, and maybe the snow can melt…”
“No,” Louis said. “I'm sure. I’m ready to be changed.” He flashed me a shy smile and I assumed he was recalling our little pre-nap tryst. “I’m just trying to figure out how to trudge through two feet of snow and down to the beach. I actually have a pair of cross-country skis, but only one.”
“That won't be a problem. We won't be meeting them until right after the sun sets.” I waited a moment, but it became clear he didn’t understand. “Meaning,” I went on. “That unless you have four tiny skis, I won't need them.”
“Oh,” Louis said. “You're going to do the cat thing again. That's right.” He nodded slowly, obviously still coming to terms with my ability to shift. “Did you need to make some other calls?”
“I did while you were in the bathroom,” I said. I saw no reason to not tell my mate the nature of the call. “I sort of panicked in the storm and left all my things on the beach, so I was setting up a new credit card and arranging for a phone. And letting my family know I made it here safely.”
~~~***~~~
As the sun finally set, I undressed and set my clothes out on a chair. I could feel my mate’s eyes on me and shot him a smile. He smiled back, flushing a bit at being caught.
“Like what you see?” I purred.
Louis swallowed nervously, and nodded once. I playfully pivoted in place, then rolled my shoulders.
“I’m changing,” I warned him. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and pictured what I looked like as a cat. I felt itching, something that wasn’t quite burning, and then the uncontrollable urge to stretch. I felt a shifting in my knees and fell to the ground. Not that it mattered, my hands, and shrinking fingers, caught me. I felt needle-like poking before my whiskers erupted from my cheeks.
When it was over, I felt my cat looking around. I could feel just a bit of panic, as it remembered the place from the night before and my frantic attempts to escape. Then, a surge of curiosity and joy as it scented Louis. I nudged my inner cat aside and stretched, taking control back.
‘What do you think?’ I asked, projecting my thoughts to Louis.
He looked caught off guard by my voice in his head, then relaxed and smiled. “You’re beautiful,” he said softly.
I swished my tail and strode to the door. ‘Shall we?’ I tried to hide that I was nervous as hell. Sure, he said he’d let me change him. But would the Parliament agree? He had agreed so quickly after all…
“Let’s go.” Louis bundled up into a nice big jacket, pulled on a hat and gloves, and then grabbed the skis that he had placed by the door earlier.
As it turned out, the snow was the perfect consistency for cross-country skiing. Louis shushed easily along the top, back and forth, testing it. When he was ready, he picked me up, and I balanced carefully on his shoulders.
We moved along at a nice pace, but it was chilly in the early evening.
‘Can you put me down?’ I asked.
“Sure, are you cold?” Louis asked, as he set me carefully on the snow.
‘A bit,’ I admitted. ‘I'd like to try moving a bit to see if I can warm up.’
I took a couple of experimental steps and was pleased to discover that the snow was hard enough to hold my weight. Although it was quite cold on the pads of my feet. I sped up a little and soon I was moving at an easy trot while Louis skied along beside me.
Despite the chill, it was a beautiful evening. There was no wind to speak of and stars were appearing in the slowly darkening sky.
“So, why the beach?” Louis asked.
“Well, they probably want a private meeting. And I believe the Alpha Parliament is actually on the water. So, they're probably just going to come right up the coast.”
We reached the beach and I promptly fell down through the snow that had settled differently on the sand. Louis quickly rescued me and brushed some of the snow off my fur.
‘Thank you,’ I said with a shiver.
Louis noted the unzipped his jacket and held it open. “If you don’t mind…”
I realized what he was offering, and climbed out of his arms and into his jacket. I curled up, warm and content. I was tucked in so close I could hear his heart beating.
Louis carefully zipped it back up, leaving just my head exposed. I hooked one paw over the edge of the zipper, so I could watch where we were going.
‘I could get used to this,’ I laughed. I hesitated and then added softly. ‘You smell nice.’
“Thanks,” Louis chuckled.
As we walked, I felt myself start purring. ‘Sorry. I forgot you aren’t fond of cats.’ I made myself stop purring.
“Why are… oh the purring? Don’t worry. That actually felt nice,” said Louis. “You can uh… keep doing it, if you want.”
I happily returned to my purring. It was easy to purr with joy as I snuggled against my true mate.
“What happens if you have to change back?” Louis asked. “Will I have time to get you out?”
I chuckled. ‘I can stay like this until sunrise, don’t worry. We’ll be back long before then.’
We went along for a while. The snow on the beach was harder to navigate, and I could feel my mate’s heart pounding as he worked.
‘This is far enough,’ I said, hoping I was right. If the dragon was coming over the water, I knew we’d spot them sooner or later.
“Okay. Now what?” Louis asked.
‘Now, we wait.’ I wiggled down a bit further, aware that I was still purring like a motorboat.
Louis shifted his weight back and forth, obviously slowly growing impatient. I could feel him turning this way and that, looking up and down the beach. Just as I was starting to worry about him getting cold, I spotted a distant, growing spot in the sky. Somehow, I knew.
‘Here they come.’
“Where?” Louis turned his head back and forth again.
‘I should probably warn you…’
“Warn me?”
‘Well, I suppose at this distance, you'll get a little warning anyway.’ I pushed up on his jacket and extended a paw out to the horizon. ‘Out there.’
“A pointing cat,” he chuckled. Nevertheless, I could tell he was looking where I was pointing. “I don't see a boat.”
‘Look higher.’
“Where am…” he trailed off. “What is that in the sky?”
‘That is the representative from the Alpha Parliament.’ I squinted, but still saw only shadow. ‘I'll be able to tell you who it is when they get a little closer.’
“Is that a bird?” Louis asked, as the shape move closer.
It was clear now that the shape had flapping wings.
‘Not exactly.’ I was getting nervous now. Not just because I hadn’t seen a dragon in person before, but because said dragon was going to read my mate’s mind and determine his fate.
“A really big bird,” Louis said slowly, as the shadow drew closer. “With a… is that a tail?!”
I cleared my throat. ‘It's not exactly a bird.’
I could feel as Louis lowered his chin to look down at me, before raising it again. “Well, then what…” He trailed off.
The shadow turned to the side and rolled, giving us the perfect view of the unmistakable silhouette of a dragon.
“That’s… is that a…” Louis stammered
‘Yep That’s a dragon.’
My mate gasped quietly as the dragon righted itself, flapped its wings a couple of times, and curved gently the other way, soaring closer and closer, growing larger as it did.
“How big exactly…”
‘I don't know,’ I confessed. ‘I've never seen one. Carrick said they’re huge.’
“You've never seen one?!” Louis demanded.
‘Well, there are only two.’
“In the Alpha Parliament?”
‘No, two in the world. Total. So, this is as incredible for me as it is for you. Although I've always known about their existence.’
“Why are the only two?” Louis asked.
The majestic creature leisurely dipped closer to the water, practically skimming over it.
‘That's a long story. We're responsible for hunting them to near extinction. I’m afraid. Shifters, I mean.’
“Why?” Louis asked in surprise.
‘Dragons… well, I should probably hit you with all of it. Dragons are psychic.’
“Psychic,” he said flatly.
‘Yeah, that's why the last two work with the Alpha Parliament. Basically… this one is going to read your mind to see whether or not you'll betray us. And if the answer is no, I'll be permitted to turn you into a shifter.’
“And if I am considered a threat?” His heart was pounding again, but I knew it wasn’t from exertion.
‘Our minds will be erased. Which is why,’ I continued, ‘Shifters hunted them. That and they're kind of obvious. They say we were afraid we'd be discovered more easily by humans if there were dragons flying about so… Rather like your shop, I suppose. By the time we realized we were making a mistake hunting them, it was too late.’
“That’s a shame,” he said softly. “Can’t they just make more dragons? Like turning them or having babies?”
I shook my head. ‘One is a male omega, the other is a female beta.’
“So? They can both get pregnant then.”
‘Not from each other. Omega’s cannot impregnate anyone,’ I reminded him. ‘Nor can female betas.’
“And only alphas can turn someone,” he said. “Are we sure the baby wouldn’t be a dragon if they get pregnant?”
I nodded. ‘A child is whatever the sire is. Always. An omega and a female beta cannot be sires, so neither one can ever have a dragon as a child. Not without an alpha dragon. Or at least a male beta.’
Louis shifted his weight. “Was that deliberate? Kill off all the ones who can make more dragons, but leave these to serve a purpose?”
‘Maybe,’ I said, surprised. I hadn’t thought of it before.
The dragon drew closer and the light glinted off the massive purple scales. I knew who the dragon was now, not that it helped, I still had never met her. Worse, she wasn’t the dragon who met with Rion and Carrick. My ears drooped. I had been hoping to deal with Chandler, both of my cousins were surprised by how easy-going he was. Just my luck to end up with a different dragon. I hoped she wouldn’t be more difficult.
‘Elara,’ I said.
“What?”
‘The dragon. Her name is Elara.’
“How can you tell?”
‘Her scales look purple. My cousins said the dragon they met was red.’
Elara circled lower and lower, growing larger with every second. Louis turned, shielding his face as a storm of stinging sand whipped up from her landing. Even though his jacket and my fur protected me, I was touched to see he was making sure to block me as well.
And then, all was still. Louis just stood, gaping.
‘Go on,’ I encouraged. ‘She probably won’t shift back.’
Louis made his way across the snow and sand to the dragon. She was breathtaking, huge, incredible.
‘Good evening,’ said a feminine voice in my head. Louis jumped slightly and I knew she was talking to him too. ‘I am Elara, and I represent the Alpha Parliament.’
“It's nice to meet you,” Louis said. I felt him take a nervous swallow.
I slid out of his jacket and dropped down on the snow and sand. It was more packed down here and I landed neatly on top, and shook myself off, before nodding in greeting.
‘It's an honor to finally meet you. I’m Cambry.’
Elara laughed. ‘And you are the third Silvanus this year, yes? My, your clan is dropping like flies.’ She snorted and I was sure tendrils of smoke come out of her nostrils. ‘And this is Louis?’
‘Yes.’
Louis nodded.
‘Very well.’
Louis stiffened as Elara’s neck extended in his direction. I felt my hair stand up on end. I knew she wouldn’t attack him or anything, and yet I hated feeling to helpless to defend my mate. Elara stopped with her head just inches from his face. She sniffed, the curled her neck back away from him, and turned to me.
&
nbsp; ‘Have you explained our laws to him?’
‘Yes.’
Elara nodded in satisfaction and turned to my mate. ‘Do you agree to be changed?’
Louis cleared his throat. “Y-yes, I do.”
‘And you swear you will uphold our laws?’
“Yes, I swear.”
‘Very well. Congratulations.’ She dipped her massive head down to me. ‘You have my permission, Cambry. This is your only turn,’ she warned.
‘I understand.’
Elara nodded, then sniffed at me. I felt my fur flatten from the warm, almost hot wind. Her head twisted and she blinked eyes the looked bigger than me. ‘You are not alone.’
There was no specific way to tell if someone was broadcasting or speaking privately, but I knew her words were directed just to me. ‘No. Not anymore.’
She snorted, sending up another wisp of smoke. ‘No, young cousin. You have never been alone.’
With that, she settled back on her haunches, as if she were ready to take flight.
“Would you like some coffee or anything before you leave?” Louis asked, as I processed the exchange he didn’t even know had happened.
‘I appreciate your offer,’ she said. ‘But this was a simple flight for me, and it's nice to get out and stretch my wings.’
She flapped and I turned away, bracing myself against the wind and sand. I cracked my eyes open and turned back just enough to watch as she lifted straight off the ground, the force of her wing beats erased the strange, massive footprints she left behind in the snow.
With just a couple of beats, she propelled herself out over the water. She lowered her wing tips to the waves; water sprayed up as she touched them. Then, she flapped again and surged a little higher. In mere moments she was a speck on the horizon. Just before she went out of sight, I could tell she was turning, no doubt following the coast back to the island that housed the Alpha Parliament.
“That was it?!” Louis asked. “I thought it was going to be so much more intense. Not to mention daunting.
I shrugged. ‘I wasn't really sure what to expect,’ I confessed. ‘But I guess she liked whatever she saw in your mind.’ I lashed my tail. Not to mention whatever prompted her advice to me.