by Lyra Fawn
She was stuck. It would be impossible to choose between the men. And she couldn’t abandon them after knowing how important her role would be in uniting the Dolphinae to stand against the Mordentes. The only solution would be to somehow find a way to allow both of the princes to claim her. Had it been done? Could it be done? She didn’t know. After she brought Lucan his lunch, she would start doing more research. Her curiosity about the Dophinae had already been piqued. A general internet search turned up legends of men with the ability to change into dolphins, called the 'encantado'. However, these supposed shape-shifters lived only in fresh water. She couldn’t find any information about dolphin shifters in oceanic waters.
As a librarian, Mona also had access to the Jstore catalogue. Therein, she found an entry for ‘Fragments from the Papyrus of the Dolphinae’. Apparently, archaeologists were in the process of piecing together this work from one of the thousands of partially preserved scrolls found during the dig at Oxyrhynchus. New imaging techniques had allowed them to decipher scrolls which had been in storage for decades. The catalogue entries were relatively recent, so Mona assumed the translation was a work in progress. Perhaps there would be more information to come? In any case, she would spend the evening reading the incomplete translations to see if she could learn anything.
~ ~ ~
EVERY TIME MONA CHANGED Lucan’s moist bandages, she was surprised at how quickly his wound was healing. In three days, it had become completely sutured and was now a smooth and fresh, pink scar. She couldn’t help running her index finger along it. Miraculous.
“Just as dolphins can recover from a shark bite, we heal rapidly as long as we are in contact with salt water,” Lucan said.
She reached across the bed for the bottle of salt water and a sponge on the night table. As she did so, her breasts came into contact with Lucan’s erection under the sheet. Lucan let out a sigh of aggravation at the brief contact. Her heart skipped a beat as well.
For the past two days she had been trying to ignore the presence of his very insistent hard-on. But as he healed, he was regaining his vitality in more ways than one. The thin sheet betrayed its generous size. And although he remained courteous in his manner, his eyes betrayed an undercurrent of desire.
“If only I had been the one to claim you,” Lucan said with an uncharacteristic twinge of sadness.
“Claim me?” Mona scoffed. “What makes you think that Dario has any particular claim to me?”
“Such was our pact.”
“I thought I heard Dario say that the first who laid eyes upon the Descendant would lay claim to her. Weren’t you the one who smiled at me upon the beach while Dario completely ignored my existence?”
The significance of her statement was not lost upon Lucan. He raised an eyebrow. “Indeed. I found you a rare beauty.”
“Now that’s something I don’t hear often enough. Take a look at the average magazine cover and you’ll see that I’m a few sizes beyond what the general populace considers to be an example of beauty.”
“How stupid.” Dario shook his head with disgust. “We Dolphinae adore the curves that define an individual. In the ocean, your natural grace would be most evident. In my dreams, I have swum alongside you.”
Mona blushed. He was so earnest with his compliments, she couldn’t help feeling flattered. “And why only in your dreams? Who says that we shouldn’t swim together?”
“Because only he who gives you his seed shall be your partner. This same seed that allows you to live under the waves.”
“And why haven’t you offered me yours?” Mona smiled coyly. “I did some research on the internet last night and discovered that dolphins mate with more than one partner. Sometimes several males make love to the same female at the same time. Are the Dolphinae’s sexual habits so different than regular dolphins?”
“Except in the case of the Descendant, our sexual practices are much the same.”
Why is it so hard to get through to him? How much more of an open invitation does he need? As much as Mona admired Lucan’s forthrightness on most occasions, it was a real pain at this particular moment. She knew he was an alpha, but he was too wrapped up in tradition to see the obvious solution. He had to take her. It was the only way.
“So you’ve already shared a female Dolphinae? But never a human?”
“Both. With the Dolphinae, there is a period of time when the female makes her readiness known to us males. ‘Ovulation’, I believe you call it. It’s irresistible for us. We also spend a lot of time on land where human females often find us attractive. We have occasionally had women who enjoyed being pleasured by both of us at the same time.”
Of course. They can share every other woman or dolphin on the planet, but not me! That would be too freaking easy! Nobody would have to die. Mona wanted to scream from frustration. She couldn’t bring herself to blurt out her plan because she wasn’t even positive that she wanted to have sex with both Dolphinae at the same time. Not because she didn’t fantasize about it. The truth was she couldn’t get the possibility out of her head. Her main worry was her complete lack of experience. Sex with Dario had pushed her to the limit. Her passage had been stretched farther than she believed capable. Making love with the two Dolphinae at the same time might drive her past her physical and mental boundaries. It was as frightening as it was titillating.
Mona poured some salt water onto a gauze pad and then stretched over the bed to put the bottle back on the nightstand. This time she did it as slowly as possible, deliberately letting her breasts slide upon the hard bulge in the sheet.
“Aaourrrgh,” Lucan grumbled with restrained passion. “Are you trying to tempt me?”
“Oh, you finally noticed?”
“For what good? You know of our pact and I am a Dolphinae of my word.”
Mona couldn’t help adopting a sassy tone. “The pact. The damn pact. Well, didn’t your pact state that the first to see the Descendant could lay claim to her? If I remember correctly, you were the first one to spot me on the beach. Remember?”
“Point taken,” Lucan said with the corners of his lips forming into a deliciously wicked smirk.
Finally he gets it! She had broken down the barrier, and now she could see the bull inside him about to break loose. There was a wild fire in his eyes that gave her a shiver of anticipation. And his seductive grin gave her a touch of wetness.
Lucan reached out gallantly and pulled her onto the bed with him. As she came beside him, his lips joined with hers causing her pent up desire to implode. His powerful hand slid down the contour of her body. He caressed every curve as he took his time to kiss her, communicating the passion which possessed him. She felt high on the endorphins that his embrace released within her.
She lost control of her will as he began kissing her neck. His tongue found the outline of every muscle, and he alternately kissed and sucked her flesh. He deftly unbuttoned her blouse as his tongue slid into her cleavage. Her mind was drifting like a breeze. He didn’t bother removing her bra. He pulled the lacey cups low enough so that her bountiful breasts were exposed. Then he dived upon them, sucking at one nipple while he coddled the other breast teasing the areola with his finger.
Her nipple grew hard within his mouth. He had a method of swirling his tongue while he sucked that redefined her concept of ecstasy. She was impossibly wet and ready for him. As he gripped her breasts in both hands, he descended upon her torso, kissing his way down to the hem of her skirt. A little ticklish, Mona couldn’t help giggling. But it was too good to ask him to stop.
Lucan unzipped the back of her skirt and pulled it off her legs. As he pulled back, she got a view of his impressive cock. It was as beautifully formed as the rest of his body, but the size wowed her. It had to be even larger than Dario’s! She ached just thinking about it. Before she could worry any further, Lucan was rolling the sides of her pink, lace tanga down her legs. And as he pulled it off her ankles, he knelt and bowed his head into her crotch. The flick of his tongue against he
r soft folds made her soul feel like it was bursting out of her skin. She was dripping and he was lapping it up. Just when she thought it couldn’t get any more intense, he found the bulb of her clit and applied his same technique. She clawed at the bed sheets as he swirled his tongue around her tiny bud of pleasure.
It was too intense. Usually, she was never able to allow herself to feel completely free during oral sex. She had too much self-awareness. For the first time, she felt as if she were breaking into a transcendental state. Her body went into convulsions as she tried to get a moment of respite. But he had his arms wrapped under her thighs, and there was no way to pull free. And devilishly, he found the answer to push her over the edge. As he continued with his relentless tongue, he began to slide his index in and out of her silken passage. Every nerve in her body frayed from the sensory overload. She felt her mind slipping away into the void of orgasm and heard herself screaming. And then a moment of pure bliss swept over her.
Feeling all tension and resistance fade from her body, Lucan crawled up onto her. She had no will to resist no matter how large he was. She wanted to be filled by him. At this point, she would give him everything, every ounce of her being.
And then she felt him slide in.
Lucan stared into her eyes as she gasped for breath. He went slowly at first and gauged her every reaction. He had that same beautiful, wicked smirk she had seen earlier. Mona knew he would be kind even as he gave her a touch of pain. Every movement he made adjusted something inside of her body and mind. It was as if they were melding into one. And just as she was getting used to the steady rhythm of his coming and going, he put his powerful arms behind her legs to improve the angle of entry and then ramped up the pace. Her previous orgasm now seemed superficial in comparison to the fury of the tempest within her. She moaned and wept a few tears of pleasure as he pounded deep into her.
Lucan brought her past the breaking point and when her orgasm was at a fever pitch, she felt him pause and convulse in unison with her. The warm flow of his seed felt like a primordial tide rising, taking her back to the dawn of life.
Rolling onto his side, Lucan pulled Mona into a huddle. His muscles were hard as a piece of oak and yet somehow she never felt more comfortable. She remarked how neither of the Dolphinae princes seemed to have much body hair except for a small tuft just above their cocks. It was as if nature had done a perfect job of manscaping them just to flaunt their perfection. While her mind wandered, Lucan’s hands caressed her. She had guessed that he would be a cuddler. And feeling herself drifting to sleep under his tender touch, she wasn’t disappointed to find out she was right.
SEVEN
[MONA WOKE WITH A START. She regretted her delicious dream of riding upon Lucan’s back in his dolphin form as he plowed through the ocean waves. Why did I wake so suddenly, she wondered. Strange. She pulled herself out of Lucan’s sleepy embrace. Still slumbering, he made very little noise while he slept. Awesome! Dolphinae don’t snore. Her boyfriend had snored so loudly that she was forced to give him kicks in the middle of the night so she could get back to sleep. That relationship didn’t last long.
Needing to relieve herself, she rose from the bed and headed to the toilet. Then she heard a noise outside the sliding glass door to her balcony. She froze as a black shadow rose in the sheer curtain. Who’s climbing up to my balcony? She immediately remembered the attack of the Mordentes and became paralyzed with fear. She knew the sliding door was unlocked and before she could bound over to hit the latch, she watched the figure’s arm reach for the handle.
She wanted to scream but sheer terror had left her breathless. She barely managed to whisper, “Lucan… someone’s here.”
Lucan’s eyelids flicked open. His reflexes were honed for protection even during sleep. He was up and on his feet just as the glass door slid open. Both of them were relieved to find out it was only Dario.
He stared them down with a furious glare. Mona and Lucan were stark naked in her bedroom. Dario reached the logical conclusion as to the reason why within a few seconds. From the look on his face, Mona began to ask herself if she wouldn’t have preferred that it were a Mordentes. This was not how she had imagined breaking her concept for uniting the Dolphinae to him.
“You broke our pact. I should kill you now,” Dario snarled.
“As usual, you twist everything to your own advantage,” Lucan responded equally enraged. The alpha in him was coming out. Although he had a good natured temperament, it was clear he would bow to no one. “I spoke to you of this girl first upon the beach. And then once again after she visited our hotel room. You knew I had an interest in her first. And yet, you deceived me in order to steal my rightful mate. It will be my pleasure to teach you a final lesson in respect. I demand satisfaction.”
The men were coiled to spring upon one another. Mona could see the muscles tightening in their thighs and backs as they prepared for confrontation. She wondered if she shouldn’t jump between them and risk being injured.
“I would be happy to oblige your challenge if the Descendant were not in danger,” Dario said with contempt. “I climbed up to the balcony because there is a Mordentes in human form lurking in the shadows out on the street. He may be waiting for others to arrive before launching an attack. Somehow they tracked you here. I wonder if they have a spy among the Orcae?”
“Are the Orcae willing to join our people?” Lucan asked.
“The Orcae outpost made contact with their main Pod. The response was that they don’t believe we’ve found a Descendant. The only way to convince them is to bring her to their leadership.”
As the men talked icily, Mona peeked out the curtains and saw three enormous dark forms coming up the front steps of the apartment complex. It could only be the Mordentes.
“They’re coming,” she whispered. “We have to get away.”
“We could retreat by climbing down from the back balcony and then make it to that waterway that flows out to the sea. It appears to be only about a hundred yards from here.”
Keeping an eye on the Mordentes, Mona noticed them doing a very strange thing. Each time they came to the entrance of an apartment, they stopped and leaned forward, pressing their faces very close to the door frame for about two minutes. There were only five more doors before her apartment.
“What are they doing?” Mona asked.
“Like sharks smelling blood in the water, the Mordentes have a very keen sense,” Lucan responded. “That is why we must take a stand and fight them here. If we flee to the water, the chances are that they will be able to track our scent. When they get to your door, it will only take them a minute to zero in upon us. They are like the hounds of hell.”
Dario nodded. “Yes, we stand a better chance here if we can surprise them. Mona, go to the bathroom and lock yourself in. We can’t risk you getting hurt. You’re obviously the one they want.”
All this trouble just for me? The thought of letting Dario and Lucan face three Mordentes alarmed her. Although she admired their bravery, she wasn’t sure they could manage. The outcome of the fight in the garage had been very close when there were only two Mordentes. She took one more peek out the window and saw a sliver of light glinting off an enormous knife.
“Why don’t they use guns?” Mona wondered aloud.
“Good question,” Dario said. “Maybe it’s because most have a criminal record. That probably makes it difficult to obtain one on short notice. But, I imagine the real reason is because they absolutely love slashing apart their victims. Blood puts them into a feeding frenzy. If they had won our previous battle, they would have filleted us. Now get in the bathroom. They’ll be here any minute.”
Mona didn’t need another reminder. She grabbed her clothes and scampered to the door. On the way, she saw her cell phone and snatched that as well. As she shimmied into her clothes in the bathroom, she left the door cracked open. She could always slam and lock it shut if needed. But for now her concern was too great. She had to watch her two alphas defend thems
elves.
The two alphas took up a position near the front door. They stood ready to pounce on whoever entered. Now dressed, Mona dialed 9-1-1. The operator answered just as the three dark forms passed along the curtains in her window. They were coming to the door.
“Hello… hello… are you there?” the operator asked.
The chill that passed through Mona’s bones gave her a moment’s pause. Then she whispered as low as possible, “Please send the police. Men are coming to invade my home.”
“What men? Can you tell me where you’re located? Why are these men coming into your home?” The operator sounded concerned but had a clinical distance as she asked the questions.
At that instant the door burst open. With one enormous kick, a Mordentes had knocked the door from its frame, sending splinters flying across the room. Startled, Mona screamed as she dropped the phone to the floor.
The two waiting Dolphinae leaped from the shadows, greeting the first Mordentes to enter with a simultaneous head-butt on either side of his skull. The concussion made a thwack like a baseball bat hitting a barrel, and the Mordentes fell face first onto the floor with a thump. Mona scooped up her phone and stammered as she gave her address to the operator. She kept her eyes on the fight the entire time.
The element of surprise had allowed the Dolphinae to even out the odds, but the remaining two Mordentes still posed a serious threat. Seeing their companion go down so easily made them red with rage. The hatred between these two races of shifters was undeniable. The two Mordentes charged into the room, slashing out with their knives.
Even though the Mordentes moved with lightning speed, the Dolphinae were born with an innate dexterity that allowed them to twist and dodge from every slash of the knives. Provided they had enough room to maneuver, the deadly dance was evenly matched. But the Mordentes were pushing forward in an attempt to box the Dolphinae in. When there was no place left to go, Dario grabbed a chair and swung it in front of him to deflect the knife.