Rav gazed down at him, those alien eyes gleaming with a soft amber light. Bracing himself on one arm, Rav trailed his fingers through the come splashed across Andrew’s hard pecs. Oh, my An’Ru. His lips quirked in a small, gentle smile. I have never felt anything… Anything…
Unaware he did so, Andrew covered Rav’s hand with his own. “Yeah,” he murmured. “I know what you mean.” Belatedly, he became aware of their fingers gliding over each other’s, slick with his come, exploring and interlacing in an intimacy which was somehow even more intense than what had just gone before.
There was some reason, he knew, why he should not be lying beneath the stars, his fingers intertwined with the man’s beside him. But for the life of him at that moment Andrew couldn’t remember what it was. Sighing, he let his eyelids fall shut, luxuriating in Rav’s warmth against his side, feeling the soft night breeze caress their naked bodies, letting his thundering heartbeat calm to a slow, easy pace.
I wish… The thought played through his mind, only half-formed, but Rav caught it anyway.
What do you wish, An’Ru Hunt?
I wish I could stay here. I wish I could be An’Shar.
He opened his eyes to see Rav gazing down at him, those soft amber eyes filled with a lazy, satiated warmth. Then you shall, if Sharra wills it.
Andrew laughed. That’s not possible.
For you to ever truly become like us? No. But maybe… The expression in his eyes flickered thoughtfully. Can you walk?
I’m not sure. Andrew chuckled ruefully. I can try.
As he tugged on his shorts and located his boots, Rav shifted again to cat form. Lean on me if you need to.
And Andrew Hunt, senior captain in the CEC Reconnaissance Space Fleet, buried his hands in the rich, soft hairs of Rav’s pelt, and allowed the cat to support him as they moved slowly through the darkness, savoring the night and each other’s company.
He was expecting Rav to lead him back toward the encampment, but instead they moved out farther onto the savanna, following the trail of moonlight shimmering along the grass. Rav? Rav, where are you --
Shh. Rav cut him short. Be patient.
They topped a rise, and before them Andrew saw hundreds, possibly thousands of the graceful, sleeping devi, their gloriously curved horns chased with silver. They were awe-inspiring. Andrew found his heart swelling with an emotion he’d never before felt and couldn’t easily identify. He stood looking out over the massed herd, Rav’s body warm and solid against his thigh, the night silent around them.
Then Rav whispered, She comes.
She? I thought you said females weren’t allowed here.
Only one.
At his words, Andrew’s eyes opened wide in abrupt understanding. He swallowed in a throat gone suddenly dry, and dropped his hand quickly from Rav’s back.
Sharra. Rav had brought him to meet his goddess.
Sure gives a whole new twist to meeting the family, he snorted, retreating behind his usual caustic humor.
Yes. Rav gazed up at him. Do not be alarmed.
You mean, she really is family?
She is Sharra. She is the mother of the An’Shar.
All of them? Andrew asked incredulously. Rav shot him an impatient glance, an expression he found distinctly odd on the broad, orange-striped face of a tiger. He bit his tongue, trying to restrain the questions which were tumbling through his head in panicked profusion.
The loudest one was the question of what he was going to do, face to face with a pissed-off tiger goddess. All the thousand reasons why he should not be there, why he should never, ever have made love to Rav, came crashing back with a sobering immediacy.
Earth. The CEC. The Recon crew.
Shit.
The look Rav shot him was one of concern. Do you regret our mating, then?
No. Yes. No. Rav, I… Oh, hell. Andrew stood thigh-deep in the rustling grass, feeling like the biggest ass to ever walk the face of the Earth. No, I could never regret it. But Rav, I shouldn’t have.
Do not reproach yourself, An’Ru. It was the will of Sharra.
No.
Yes, replied a new voice, whispering through his mind like the night breeze, seeming both sourceless and everywhere at once. Andrew jerked upright, half expecting to see another tiger come lunging at him, claws extended, this time with no mistake about its intent.
But when Sharra came, she came as a woman.
He saw her in the distance, gliding toward them, dressed in nothing but moonlight. She moved soundlessly between the sleeping devi without them reacting to her presence by so much as a hoof stamp or the flick of a tail. As she came closer, he could make out the thick, wildly striped hair which fell to past her hips, trailing down over her full, lush breasts and soft, womanly belly. Andrew, who’d seen dozens of naked women in his life and never felt so much as a twitch, was shocked to find his cock lengthening against his thigh. He heard Rav chuckle beside him, but couldn’t tear his gaze away from her as she approached.
As she reached the crest of the slope, he saw she was as tall as he was, her firm, solid thighs and broad shoulders rippling with muscle. But the curve of hip and belly and breast was all woman, and Andrew swallowed again as saliva pooled in his mouth. His gaze dropped for a moment to the swell of her sex, hidden by a nest of curls as wildly colored as the hair on her head. Then, realizing he was staring at her crotch, he yanked his attention back upward, and found himself lost in her smoky amber eyes.
Welcome, Andrew Hunt. And yes, it is by my will that you are here.
Goddess. Yeah, right. Andrew snorted, fighting for some defense against the potency of her presence. I suppose it was you who told Zheri to bring me, then.
Surprisingly, she laughed. The sound of it was wonderful, as untamed as the whinny of a wild horse or the cry of an eagle. If she had not, you would have been drawn here all the same, Captain Hunt.
Her words aggravated him, but the scent of her was overpowering, a lush, heady fragrance like jasmine and musk. Andrew’s head reeled, and he reached for sarcasm the way a drowning man would snatch at a rope. And how exactly were you planning that? Just wave your magic wand and magically transport me?
Her mouth curved in a sly, amused smile. Something like that. Andrew flushed as Rav laughed again, and Sharra’s attention swung to the cat, dismissing him. And how do you fare, Rav An’Shar el Sharra? Is it well with you?
It is very well with me, Sharra. You grace us with your presence.
I heard your call, and I am here. What would you ask of me?
The cat paused, and Andrew felt a tendril of thought whispering deep in his mind. I cannot ask for this unless you truly want it.
Do you want him so badly then, Rav? Sharra asked.
I do, Andrew was stunned to hear the cat reply.
“You can’t!” The protest burst from him, and the conflicting emotions roiling through him found their vent in fury.
Why are you so angry? Rav asked, but it was to Sharra that Andrew looked as he snarled, Don’t you get it? My people are going to annihilate you!
Pacing, he tore at his hair. He couldn’t believe he was telling them this -- he was betraying every precept of duty, every oath of loyalty he’d ever spoken. Sharra’s words, though, yanked him to a halt. We know.
Andrew stared at her. How?
She shrugged negligently. I could hear your thoughts when you arrived.
You should have slaughtered us then. You should have wiped out the entire landing party the second we landed.
Is that how you deal with a problem on your world? You simply kill it?
Yes, he wanted to snarl. And we killed our planet right along with it. Clenching his jaw, he didn’t reply.
Sharra regarded him coolly. Tell me, Andrew Hunt. Would it have made any difference if we had? Would it have stopped your people from invading our world? Is it not more likely that, had we killed you, more would have come, and more, until we could no longer hold back the tide? At his silence, she nodded. That is why I did n
ot choose to do so.
Then… Andrew’s head spun. Then why did you bring me here? What do you want?
Aah. The question is, Captain Hunt, she said, twining toward him, what do you want?
She stood mere inches from him, the scent of her dizzying, intoxicating, alluring. How could she arouse him so? Already, his cock was rigid inside his shorts, as hard as if he hadn’t already climaxed twice tonight. The memory of the things he and Rav had done together only stirred him further, and he felt Rav circle behind him, his soft fur brushing the backs of his thighs. He was trapped between them, surrounded by the rich, wild aroma of cat. His blood thundered in his ears and the world swam before him.
Baring her teeth, Sharra grinned in challenge. Do you want to conquer us, Captain Hunt? Do you want to conquer me?
Yes. Sweet Jesus, yes. But not in the way she meant. Reaching out blindly, Andrew dragged her to him, crushing his mouth down upon hers and finding under his lips not a goddess, but a woman.
He moved his hands slowly down her sides, caressing the curves of her, the soft indentation of waistline, the firm flare of her hips. All the while his mouth moved over hers, demanding, tasting, taking…
It was so different than kissing a man. Her body yielded to his, the fullness of her breasts pressed against his hard pecs, and her arms twined around his neck as she sighed into his mouth, her mind-voice heavy with desire as she whispered, Yes. Oh yes, Rav, I see why you want him so.
But at her words Andrew pulled back, fighting against the lust which curled like smoke through his mind. This was wrong, wrong! For all the reasons being with Rav had been wrong.
No, Andrew Hunt. It is exactly as I wished it.
How could you want that? he snarled. How could you want me?
Precisely because you pull away now. Smiling down at Rav, she dropped one hand to the tiger’s head. Because you are honorable. Because you do your duty. The only question is, Captain, where does your duty lie?
Sharra raised her head again, her amber eyes piercing into his very soul. Andrew flinched, feeling the question batter at his already strained defenses. They will die, he started weakly. They will die if they do not come here.
Yes. Sharra nodded solemnly, acknowledging his distress. And we will die if they do.
Faced with it that bluntly, Andrew could only look away, feeling his throat tighten as he gazed at the sleeping devi, the broad, moon-dusted savanna, and heard somewhere in the back of his head the easy, comfortable rumble of laughter around a fire. He could feel Sharra’s eyes on him, remorseless and yet compassionate.
That is why I allowed you here, Captain Hunt, so you might come to know our world, our lives… So you might, perhaps, come to value them. Her tone grew crisper, weighting him with the responsibility she was placing upon his shoulders. I felt your mind when you first arrived, and knew there was no one else to whom I would rather entrust the lives of my people. You are an honorable man, Captain Hunt. Now choose.
Is there no middle way? His plaintive question was almost a cry of despair. Sharra shrugged, her gaze turning as his had done to look out over the sleeping devi.
We can give refuge to a small number of your kind. The few who, like your Zheri, may make a home among the clans. Andrew jerked in surprise at his words -- was that how Zheri had known about… Sharra’s stern words cut his speculation short as she continued. But I have seen your world in your mind, Captain Hunt. I have seen what your people do. Left to themselves they would hunt the devi into extinction. They would destroy the forests which are home to the An’Rath. They would, in time, make this world into another wasteland -- or will you tell me they have grown too wise for that?
Andrew paused, everything in him wanting to say yes, they had learned their lesson. Yes, they would know better this time… but he couldn’t. He remembered Zheri’s tart words on their landing -- Congratulations, Captain. Our first scar on the planet.
She was right, he realized. Left unchecked, humans would destroy Terrana III just as they had Earth. But you will give homes to some of them?
She eyed him sharply. ‘Them,’ Captain Hunt?
And in that moment, Andrew knew he had chosen. Resting his hand on Rav’s warm back, he lifted his head and met her gaze squarely. Yes. I would be An’Shar, if you’ll allow it. I would give my life to protect your people.
Her answering smile was both brilliant and terrifying.
Chapter Five
Tell me, though, he couldn’t help asking, are you truly a goddess?
Sharra’s chuckle rumbled deep in her throat. And what is a goddess, Andrew Hunt? Will I live forever, do you mean? No. One day I will give birth to a daughter, and when that day comes I will know my time is near. But as for the rest of it…
She approached him slowly, her smoky amber eyes holding his, hypnotic, compelling. He swallowed a rush of saliva as her scent enveloped him, bringing his cock instantly back to erectness. His mouth opened slightly and his eyelids fell shut as she brushed her lips gently across his. As for the rest of it, open your eyes.
He did, and found his vision filled with the sight of her oval face, her eyes huge, warm, luminous with firelight… Hearing the crackle of flames behind him, he spun -- and froze in shock.
They were back in the encampment, standing near the fire pit. All around them, the members of Rav’s sharra-va sprawled in positions of arrested lovemaking, some of them in cat form, their gazes turned up worshipfully to the tall, feral goddess in their midst. Andrew gave a strangled sound of protest and shock, and heard Rav chuckle behind him.
Did I not tell you, An’Ru, that Sharra is wherever she wishes to be?
Turning, Andrew saw Rav standing there, once again in human form. He smiled, his hand lifting to caress Andrew’s cheek, his mind-tone dropping to an intimate rumble as he pulled Andrew toward him. And it is still An’Sharrat, my brother.
Brother. The word rang in Andrew’s head, as intoxicating as the mingled scents of aroused cat, wood smoke, and wine. Around him, he felt the rising anticipation of the An’Shar as they saw their goddess appear among them, come to share their night of mating.
Does she not always come, then? he asked Rav as their bodies moved together, Rav’s strong arms looping lightly around his back as Andrew settled his hands on Rav’s lean, powerful hips.
Rav smiled as he tilted his head slightly, claiming Andrew’s lips in a deep, hungry kiss, at the same time deftly undoing his shorts and sliding them downward. There are many sharra-va, An’Ru. Not even Sharra can be in two places at once.
But she is here now, the goddess spoke beside him, and Andrew turned his head to find his lips touching Sharra’s. Her eyes glowed with lust beneath the black curve of her lashes, and her tongue darted into Andrew’s mouth, teasing his out to twine against it.
Andrew leaned into her kiss, one hand rising from Rav’s hip to find her full, firm breast. Entranced, he played with it, cupping its weight, flicking his thumb over the hard nipple as she arched against him, almost purring. Rav’s hands tightened on his ass, and he could feel the An’Shar’s erection gliding against his own, skin against skin, the twin shafts rubbing together in a dance as intricate and intimate as Sharra’s tongue against his. When he felt Rav’s full, swollen balls brush against his own, he groaned, his fingers closing tightly on Sharra’s large, dusky nipple. For the first time in his life, the urge to suck a woman’s breasts tugged at him, making his jaw ache with longing.
Then do so, she murmured. You shall be one of us, Andrew Hunt. You shall be An’Ru of the An’Shar. Taking his arm in one hand and Rav’s in the other, she leaned back into their grasp as they lowered her to the ground. Rav crouched on the far side of her, his gaze rising to meet Andrew’s as he lowered his head, his tongue flicking over the warm, full mound of her breast.
Fire pulsed through him as he saw Sharra’s hand slide between Rav’s legs, wrapping firmly around his thick, straining shaft. Groaning, Andrew stepped hurriedly out of his shorts, kicking off his boots and dropping to his kn
ees. He watched avidly as Sharra worked the delicate skin of Rav’s cock up and down, stretching it tight so that Rav’s slit gaped, a first pearl of come gleaming just inside. Leaning across her soft belly, Andrew darted his tongue against the small hole, tasting the salty sweetness of Rav’s juices.
Yes, An’Ru, Sharra purred in his mind. Pleasure him for me. I enjoy watching.
Groaning, Rav closed his mouth around Sharra’s nipple, suckling it harder as Andrew opened his mouth, stretching to try and encompass Rav’s thickness. He lashed his tongue along the thick, velvety rim, straining forward as Rav’s cock slid deeper into his mouth, then gasped as Sharra’s other hand closed around his erection, claiming it. Her fist worked up and down, making the fire in his groin flare higher.
Take him deeper, An’Ru.
Releasing her nipple, Rav straightened his torso, giving Andrew easier access to his jutting cock. Sharra reached down farther, her claws raking lightly over the insides of his thighs as she cupped his balls, rolling them gently inside their furred sac. Andrew groaned and pistoned his head forward, feeling Rav’s shaft bruise his throat as it pushed in deeper.
Yes, Sharra panted, let him fuck your mouth. Drink him, An’Ru. Drink his come.
Andrew snorted, sucking air in through his nostrils as he relaxed his jaw, feeling Rav strain against him. His hands fisted in Andrew’s short blond hair as he pumped his hips forward, his entire body quivering as he fucked Andrew’s mouth.
Closing his eyes, Andrew could nevertheless see himself on his knees, Rav towering above him, hands buried in his hair. Startled, he jerked his gaze sideways, meeting Sharra’s heavy-lidded stare as she watched.
She smiled at his surprise. Watch through my eyes, An’Ru. Her fingers curled around his cock again, rubbing it harder. Andrew’s eyes almost rolled back in his head. His eyelids fall shut as the sensations washed over him.
He could see Rav’s ass cheeks tighten with each punishing stroke, could feel the sweet agony building inside Rav’s balls as clearly and distinctly as the need coiling in his own. Fumbling, he felt for Sharra’s breast, toying with it as she arched her hips upward, her juices slicking her swollen sex as she watched them.
Cat Tales 2: Eye of the Tiger Page 4