by Sadie Jacks
“Focus, man,” Taryk said quietly.
Right, Kiema. I needed to focus on finding Kiema.
Pushing all other thoughts from my mind, I brought her scent back into my mind. Berries and the spice of amber.
Found her. Across the room, over by the couch.
I made my way to the far side of the room. “Guys, this is the freakiest fucking thing. I feel amazing. Other than that stupid tail hitting everything in the damn room, I feel almost normal. But…better. Fucking amazing.”
“Kiema, Ransom. Find her,” Atlas sounded both determined and a little afraid.
“Right. Just reporting the findings, doctor. Her scent,” I swallowed, unsure I wanted to share it with my team. “Her scent is steady and…alive is the only word I can think of. I’m pretty sure she’s fine.”
“I’ll add that to my notes. Eyes on her, Ransom.”
“What the fuck is wrong with you, Atlas?” I asked.
“She used her magic on you, fucktard. What if she can’t live without her magic?”
The doctor had left the building. Only Angry Atlas remained.
Fuck. My heart pinched as I moved the last few steps. “I see her foot. Now her leg. How the fuck did she get under there?”
“Where is she?”
“She’s half-pinned under the couch.” I really studied the broken piece of furniture. The end I’d awakened by was smashed. It looked like a broken body with the upholstery acting as skin to the wooden bones. The far edge that Kiema usually sat in was tilted up.
“Do you smell blood?” Atlas asked.
I inhaled again. “No. But I’m not really sure if I would recognize it in this body.” I made my way around the couch. Kiema was splayed on the floor, her right arm and upper chest pinned under the couch.
I leaned down towards her body. Listened. Watched.
Just as my brain was about to explode with anxiety, she took a deep, choking breath.
“She’s alive,” I called to my team. “I’m going sign off and we’ll get this figured out.”
“Affirmative. I’ll start doing some research about your collection of animals,” Taryk said just before he closed his end of the connection.
“I’m going to go through your medical records with Xander. See what we can find,” Atlas added and then disappeared.
“We’ll be here for you when you get back to yourself, boss,” Saint said.
“Don’t kill her,” Asher said quietly, startling me.
“You sound almost scared, Ash. Saint hit you in the head too hard?”
“If she can change you into a magical animal, she’s stronger than anyone knows. Maybe she can help all of us.” The brash and irreverent man silenced the connection before I could reply.
Chapter 26 – Kiema
Something was moving around the living room. It sounded huge and kept knocking into everything. The memory of the animalistic sound I’d heard right before passing out smashed into my consciousness.
“Shit, shit, shit.” I opened my eyes. All I could see was the floor and the far side of the room. Whatever was in here with me was behind me.
I got ready to slide across the floor. Only my right side wouldn’t move. Turning my head, AKA smashing my face into the floor, let me know that I wouldn’t be moving anytime soon.
I was stuck. I was stuck and there was a gigantic animal in the house with me.
This would be a great time for me to have something other than healing magic. I needed to find Ransom and get the hell out of this cursed cabin.
Something touched my foot.
Shit, shit, shit. I stilled my breathing, going into a light trance. Maybe if it thought I was dead, it would leave me alone.
I could feel its breath on my back. Great gusts of wind that moved the tendrils of hair at my nape.
My lungs began to burn for air.
Go away, go away, go away.
It sniffed my hair, gently nudged my abdomen. After a few horrifying seconds, it lay its massive head against my back.
The extra pressure on my lungs had me gasping for air. Choking and wheezing, I tried to inhale.
The weight lifted from my back, allowing me to breathe a little more normally.
The beast nudged me again. This time it felt like it wanted something from me.
I stilled again.
Another nudge. This time with a huff of breath against my neck.
“Go away,” I whispered. My head was still tucked near the couch. I was terrified to turn my head back to the other side.
What if moving made it want to eat me? I’d never even had a pet; I didn’t know what animals did or didn’t do.
It nudged me again.
I tried to squeeze farther under the couch.
With what could only be a sigh, it moved away.
I took my first real breath since waking up.
I could have sworn I heard a huge cat before I passed out. But the sharp beat of its feet against the wood floors destroyed that idea.
Between one breath and the next, the couch was thrown across the room. Breaking into pieces against the stone fireplace, I was stunned into freezing by the noise.
I was free.
I burst from the floor in a flurry of movement, heading for my suite.
“RANSOM!” I screamed my head off as I bolted the short distance.
A snarl was my answer.
It froze me in place, hand on the knob of my door.
Another sound came from behind me. This one almost apologetic. It was if it knew it had scared me and wanted to be friends.
Slowly, I turned.
The room went black as I passed out again.
**
Something rough slid from my jaw to my hairline, pulling me from the depths of unconsciousness.
I winced as it repeated the motion.
My eyes fluttered open and I screamed my throat raw.
The winged lion/horse/dragon was leaning over me, its lips pulled back showing its mouthful of huge, sharp, pointy teeth.
One of its paws slapped over my mouth.
The resulting silence made the blood pounding in my ears that much louder.
I pushed at the paw. It would have been easier to try to push a semi truck.
The beast leaned down, his face close enough that I could see its dark blue irises. They reminded me of Ransom.
Ransom. With my head immobile, I frantically looked everywhere I could. Had this monster eaten him? Where was he?
Another fact tickled the back of my brain. It took a couple of seconds for it to seep through the terror of being grounded by an animal in my own house.
I could touch it. I could touch it and there was no fire. No pain. No falling away into the beast’s spirit. Nothing.
Tears sprang to my eyes. I reached out. My hand shaking so much it looked like I had palsy of some kind. Gathering my courage, I put my left hand on the beast’s front leg.
Nothing but warm soft fur.
A giggle rose from my throat. I added my other hand. Sliding my fingers through the short fur on its legs, I marveled at the heat that pumped from the limb.
The beast’s face dropped to mine.
I stilled, my breath caught in my throat.
It rubbed its face against mine lightly.
Tears gushed from my eyes as if someone had turned on the water faucet. The gentle monster pulled back and lapped the tears away with its tongue.
I curled into myself between the front legs of the beast. I could hear clacking and felt the monster’s body moving around me.
Soon, I was tucked under the monster’s head, safe between its arms that were longer than my legs. My lower body was curled under its rib cage.
I don’t know how long I cried. How long I reveled in the ability to touch another living being and not feel pain. To feel nothing but the heat of that other body.
I marveled as I pushed my face up into the lion’s mane, luminous joy infused my body making me feel lighter than air. The rough silk of his mane was
like a balm to my abused and aching heart. The scent of wild nature exuding from its warmth guided the lost child inside me to the brilliant spark of full life.
The shriveled part of my soul that longed for contact, for touch, for connection broke from the shell of my chest and pushed toward the heat and light like a flower searches for the sun.
Eventually, I fell asleep. The purr of a cat gently rumbling against my body.
Chapter 27 – Ransom
For the first time since laying eyes on her, I held the beautiful woman in my arms. No grimaces, no winces, no pinched eyes, or taut body. She slept peacefully in my arms, her body soft and pliant. Warm.
If I could just get back to my own body, I’d be in heaven.
With that thought, pain ripped through my body. But this time, immense pleasure sprinkled through the agony, dulling the edge into something awfully wonderful.
I must have woken her, because she was now rigid, and her chest was moving too fast. Her pale gray eyes were wide enough I could see white all around the iris.
My body knit itself back together. Bone by bone, muscle by muscle. I felt myself emerging from the hide of the animal I had been.
Thank Gaia I’d already been laying on the floor. I still fell the last couple of inches into the softness of Kiema. The loud OOMPH exploded from both of our mouths as I landed.
“Ransom?” Her breath tickled my ear.
“Yeah.”
“But…l-l-ion…d-d-dragon…”
“Yeah. Pretty sure I have you to thank for that.” I rose up on my elbows over her. Our lower bodies slipping and sliding against each other.
The heat of her body drew me like a moth to the flame. Every part of her was silky smooth. The feel of her yoga pants against my cock had me gritting my teeth.
“Are you in pain?” I asked, my throat almost locked down tight.
“What? No.” She shook her head.
“Any fires? Burning of any kind?” I slid my arms up and cradled her head in my hands.
“No. Nothing like that.” She turned her face into one of my palms, kissed it.
“Thank Gaia.” I didn’t say anything else. I couldn’t. I was too busy kissing her. Sipping at her lips. The mouth I’d been fantasizing about for the last week was finally under mine.
I licked into her mouth. The wet heat of her tongue twined with mine, wrenching a moan from my chest.
She pulled her legs up, cradling my hips with her own. Linked her feet behind my ass and pulled me into the haven of her sex.
I growled. Pushing my cock forward, I snarled at the barrier that kept me from feeling her.
Kiema pulled her mouth away. “What’s…what’s wrong? Am I that bad?” Her hands fell away as her cheeks went pink.
“Fuck no. You still have clothes on.” I leaned my forehead against hers. Our panting breaths filled the intimate space. “I need you naked. Now.”
A small sound came from her throat at my remark.
I smiled at her. Pushing up from her body, I unwrapped her legs and sat up. “Come on. You’re going to want a soft surface for the first time.” I got to my feet, offered her a hand.
“First time?” she asked with a laugh as she grabbed my hand and climbed to her feet.
“Yeah. I’m not finished with you until neither of us can walk.”
“What about—”
I covered her mouth with my hand. “We’ll get to that. I can’t think of anything else but being inside you right now. Okay?” I searched her gaze, needing to know she felt the same way. I’d reel it in if I had to, but Gaia, I needed to know she needed me as badly as I needed her right now.
“Okay.” She smiled at me, a dimple appearing in her right cheek.
I leaned forward and licked it. I couldn’t stop myself. Grabbing her by the hips, I tossed her up into my arms, carrying her to her rooms.
While she dealt with the codes, I pushed my face into the space between her neck and shoulder. I’d been dreaming of biting her there. Feeling her body still as she felt the promise in my bite.
“Ran-Ransom.” Her voice was shaky as her head tilted to the side, giving me better access.
The soft click of the door lock had me turning the knob and pushing into the room.
Her legs began moving, sliding against each other softly. The soft scratching of fabric against fabric as she moved pitched my heart rate higher.
I let her go, but only far enough that I could rip the clothes from her body.
Naked, she was a goddess. Curves for days with the long lean lines of a body constantly in motion. I almost didn’t know where to start. I sure as fuck knew where I wanted to end though.
I looked at her face. Pink rode her cheekbones; her eyes and mouth were heavy with arousal. Her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm near the bottom of my field of vision.
“Get on the bed.” My voice sounded hoarse to my own ears. I couldn’t help that either.
She scrambled across the room and up onto the oversized surface. Her honey skin a stark contrast to the white of the bed covers.
“Are you going to kiss me again?” she asked as she looked back at me over her shoulder.
“I’m going to do a lot of things to you, baby. I promise you’ll like them all.” I squeezed the base of my cock as she crawled across the bed, her ass up in the air. Not yet. Not until you’re inside of her hot fucking body.
I strode to the bed, no longer content to watch her. I needed to touch her. Taste her. Mold her body. Capture her heart.
Where the fuck had that come from? I shook the last thought free. This was about bodies. Nothing more.
I leaned down and ripped the covers off the bed. Pulling her towards me. They would be warm enough without the blankets.
She ended up directly in front of me, even with my chest.
I watched as she raised her hand. My abs jerked as she raked her nails down the ridges. Her lips followed her nails, laving away the stings.
A long groan poured from my throat.
She moved her hand to my cock. It jumped in her palm, causing her to giggle. A smile pulled at my mouth when she looked up at me, incandescent joy in her face.
“What are you going to do with it?” I asked.
“Can I play with it? I’ve never seen one before.” She wasn’t looking at my face any longer.
I didn’t know if I’d survive her exploration, but damn would I be willing to die while she learned my body.
I nodded, unable to find any words.
Using my cock like a handle, she pulled me onto the bed with her.
“Here. Lay down.” She patted the sheet covered mattress.
I lay on my back. Twisting my head up, I looked for pillows. I was going to enjoy watching her as much as I was going to enjoy feeling her touch me.
Bunching the pillows under my head, I lay back, prepared to endure agonizing pleasure.
“Play away, baby.”
Chapter 28 – Kiema
I started by his side. My chest almost burst with the joy spearing through my body. My gaze focused as I ran my hand lightly up and down his cock. It was a lot softer, almost silky, than what I’d had thought it would be.
His powerful thighs moved restlessly on the huge bed.
The texture of his skin was so different in different areas: rough, but soft on his legs. Soft as heated silk on his cock. Smooth and firm on his abs. Hard pebbles for his nipples. He was a smorgasbord of textures and tastes. And I intended to learn and memorize every single one.
I leaned down, ran my nose up the length of his cock. The natural scent of his body made me clench my thighs together. I stuck my tongue out, following in my nose’s wake.
“Mm. I like the way you taste,” I murmured, more to myself than to him.
“Take me in your mouth, Ki. I want to feel your mouth.”
Turning my head, I looked up at him from under my lashes. His face was stark, his eyes a little wild.
I settled myself between his legs on my belly. Leaning forward, I
licked the tip of his cock, swirling the bead of liquid up with my tongue. As the taste infused my senses, I opened my lips and sucked him inside the damp cavern of my mouth.
His cock was so long that I could only make it about halfway down its length before the head jabbed at my throat.
His hands sifted through my hair as he ground his hips up, pushing his cock a little farther in my mouth.
Not having any idea what I was supposed to do, I went with instinct. Curling my tongue around the length of him, I sucked like he was my favorite candy. Running my tongue back and forth over the bottom made him moan.
I was running out of air. I pushed against his hands.
He groaned, holding my head down.
I fought to lift my head as my lungs screamed for air. Pressing against the hands in my hair, I had a moment of panic that sent my teeth into his cock just the tiniest bit.
His hands vanished and he almost ripped me off his cock. “No teeth,” he said in between gasps.
“I couldn’t breathe.” I slapped his thigh. “I’m not going to suck it if you won’t let me breathe.” I glared at him.
“Sorry. Sorry.” He rubbed his hands up and down his face. “You’re right. I got a little carried away. Your mouth feels fucking amazing, angel.”
Narrowing my eyes, I studied him. Nodded. “Show me what you like.” I still had my hand wrapped around him.
His fingers came around mine to show what kind of pressure he liked. Then he guided my hand in a rhythm that had him growling low in his throat.
With his other hand, he led my free hand lower. He hissed a breath. “Gently.”
I rubbed his balls together, astonished at how fragile they felt in my palm. Not to mention the new texture I got to explore. “Can I suck them?”
“Fuuuck.” It came out as a groan. “Yes. You can do whatever the fuck you want with them as long as you’re gentle.” He flopped back on the bed, his chest heaving.
I scooted down a little farther on the bed. With one hand, I massaged his cock. With the other, I massaged his balls. I started with kisses. The texture of his skin tickled my lips. I licked the sensitive orbs. Once I started feeling a little braver, I sucked one into my mouth like I was a vacuum.