by Eve Langlais
He tried to protest. “We shouldn’t. They’re watching.”
I cupped his face. “Then we’ll make sure they don’t see anything hardcore. Trust me.”
“Claire.” He sighed my name as I kissed him. He didn’t push me away. Rather the palms of his hands cupped my butt, kneading the flesh.
I freed him from his pants—those evil things keeping us apart. Grasped him in my hand and he gasped.
But before I could move my panties aside for the main event, he was changing things up. He stood, hands still gripping my butt, and held me aloft. He moved until my back hit the wall.
It didn’t take a genius to catch on to his plan. I looped my arms around his shoulders, lifted my legs, and locked them around his waist.
The entire time we kissed, lips parted that our tongues might duel. I might have started out in control of the embrace, but he took over. Tasting me. Thrusting his tongue into my mouth for a sensuous exploration.
I’d never been so aroused. So…hungry. A part of me, a primal part I’d never seen before during sex, wanted me to bite him. To mark him.
Such an animal thing to do.
I chose instead to give him a hickey, sucking on the flesh of his neck.
His fingers pushed aside my panties, the bulk of his body hiding his actions from the camera.
He touched me, and I cried out. His fingers rubbed against my slick folds. I was more than ready for him.
He groaned. “I want to taste you so bad.”
“What’s stopping you?”
“An audience,” he grumbled, his finger sliding in and out of me.
“This might be your only chance to ever taste me,” I reminded.
He growled. “Fuck me, you know how to tease.”
“You’re the one teasing.” I nipped at his ear lobe. “Now I can’t stop wondering how good it would feel.”
“Fuck it. Let them watch and envy me.” He unhooked my legs, and I couldn’t believe it.
He dropped to his knees.
I parted my thighs, and he let out a sound as he said, “Smells so fucking good.”
He left my panties on. Some form of modesty, I guess. He pressed his mouth against the damp fabric, and I caught my breath. He sucked me, and I didn’t care if there was a thin layer of silk between his mouth and my pussy, it felt so good.
My fingers dug into his scalp as I held him close to me, panting and moaning, the only words coming out of me being, “Yes. Oh. Yes.”
When he finally pushed aside the fabric and truly placed his mouth on me I had a mini orgasm. My body shook, and I cried out. I continued to cry out as his tongue stroked my nether lips, spreading them that he might stab his tongue inside. To give him better access, I lifted a leg over his shoulder. In thanks, he paid attention to my clit.
I definitely shuddered hard at the touch, and I whispered his name, “Derek.”
As for him? In between licks and sucks and hot, blowing breaths, he growled, the rumble against my sex incredible.
My body quivered, and I couldn’t catch my breath as I got close to the edge. He stood, holding me upright. A good thing because I didn’t think my legs could support me. His erection poked at my belly as I looped my arms around his neck. He lifted me high enough that it ended up under me, and I could wrap my legs around his waist.
The tip of him probed at the opening of my sex. He slowly slid in, the width of him stretching my channel. It felt incredible.
I grabbed his cheeks and drew him near for a kiss, wanting to be as close to him as possible.
Slowly, he began to thrust into me, rotating his hips to push deeper. Filling me. Claiming me. This was more than sex. I’d had sex. This…this transcended it. We were joined. Our bodies moving in rhythm, our pulses racing in time.
In and out, he thrust and ground, bringing me to a peak. As my orgasm hit, I gasped into his mouth, a sound he swallowed.
My climax rolled through my body, making me tense and pulse at the same time. He came with me, his hips driving deep one last time, his body going still as he came inside me.
Our bodies joined together.
As for our hearts… I leaned my forehead against his and said, “I think I love you more than chocolate.”
Derek never got a chance to reply. The door to our cell was rudely yanked open.
My lover dropped me and turned to face the threat—with his penis hanging out. As for me, I was feeling kind of dazed. Not that being alert would have made a difference.
The sting in my thigh caught my attention, and I reached down to grab the tufted dart sticking out of my skin.
“Ah, fudge nuggets, not again.” I slumped over.
Chapter 15
Going from catching his breath after an intense orgasm to waking in a puddle of his own drool proved jarring. Especially since Claire was no longer straddling his body or touching him in any way, shape, or form.
The stone floor was gone, replaced by something smoother, and there was a slight vibration along with the hum of an engine.
I’m being moved.
Shit.
Derek lifted his head and noticed he currently resided in a cage, one of many stacked inside the transport truck, and not a big cage he might add. He couldn’t even stand upright in it. It was made of metal bars welded into a rectangle that was taller than it was wide. The door was chained shut and held closed by a thick padlock.
Not exactly the most promising situation. The good, if disturbing, news, though?
He wasn’t alone. More cages surrounded him—left, right, and across—plus he was in a second row. His metal pen sat perched on top of another, the occupant below him not visible due to a plastic tray lining the bottom. He fingered the smooth surface.
Over the rumble of the truck’s engine, he heard a rough voice say, “It’s in case you make a mess.”
Looking across the aisle between his cage and the next, Derek saw a man…if someone covered in hair, hunched with his knees up to his chin, sporting apish features could be called a man.
“Before you ask, yes, I am Sasquatch. No, my name’s not Harry, and I don’t know the Hendersons.”
“Well shoot, there goes our whole conversation,” Derek couldn’t help but drawl. The situation wasn’t humorous, but that didn’t mean he had to turn to doom and gloom. “And I am a werewolf who stupidly went poking around a secret lab and got caught. Guess I’ll be a contender for the Darwin Awards. Name’s Derek by the way.”
“Ethan,” replied the other male. “Everyone told me to not leave the valley. Humans are dangerous they said. Guess I should have listened.” His lips turned down.
“Do you know where we are going?” Derek asked, glancing around, doing more than a cursory inspection this time.
The cages to his left and right each held bodies, the occupants sleeping, their faces slack, eyes closed. Those that didn’t rest crouched and rocked. Except for the thing in the large tank at the very back of the trailer. It floated. A man-like upper body replete with long, flowing beard and white hair. Below the waist? Pure tail. The scales dull and dark.
I think I just found Neptune.
Which meant… He glanced around until he saw a woman with a gag in her mouth. She sat with her head leaning on the bars. Had to be Bella the siren. But what of Claire? He didn’t see her in any of the top layer of cages. Nor the lower ones that he could see.
Gripping the bars, he realized he could barely get his hand out, which meant no breaking the lock. He couldn’t reach it. He pressed his face to the bars and craned to see. “Enny? You there, Enny?”
“Yes, I’m here. Where else would I be since they stuffed me in a cage and stole my stash of chocolate,” she exclaimed.
He wasn’t surprised by the fact she sounded more bothered by the theft. “I might have a protein bar tucked in my pocket.”
“Is this an invitation to grope?”
He knelt since it appeared she was below him. “You don’t need an invite,” he said in a low voice.
Someon
e gagged.
He didn’t care. Hearing her voice relieved his mind. They were both alive, which meant they just had to escape.
“I will definitely take you up on that offer once things settle down,” Claire remarked.
An odd thing to say. “Are you hurt?”
“No. But I am craving a chocolate bar. Or some carrot cake, extra cream cheese icing. My skin’s also getting itchy, which means the moon is about to rise.”
“You can feel that?” He usually needed direct moonlight to sense anything.
“It’s almost here, and I don’t think it will be pretty.”
With her ominous tone, he had to wonder what she was talking about, and then it hit him. Was she talking about her period? “Are you bleeding?” he whispered. Did she worry about setting off some of the people in cages? Although, people might be generous. A few were much more messed up than Ethan and Neptune. He spotted a few hybrids that probably had a scientific helping hand.
“There will be blood. I’m sure they thought the cage would be enough. But then again, they probably didn’t know. They should have asked me. I haven’t yet seen a place that can hold me.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The full moon, Big. I probably should have mentioned it before. I tend to go a little crazy once a month.”
“Are you talking about PMS?”
“Worse than that.”
“You’re not making any sense.” Had someone drugged Claire?
“Don’t you worry, Big. It will soon become clear. I hope you’ll respect me in the morning.” She giggled. “Actually, it might be better if you didn’t. We’ll have more fun that way.”
“You do realize we’re prisoners.” He wasn’t sure if she’d spotted the obvious.
“Not for much longer,” she sang. “I’d say, within the next half-hour, you’ll be free. Everyone will be.”
“Are you referring to the Vikings you called in? They won’t find us. We’re being moved.”
“We won’t make our final destination. We are getting out of here, Big. As for the cavalry, they’ll find us. Lana always knows how to locate me.”
“Lana is in bed at home.”
“Of course she is, silly.” He heard a giggle. “She’ll send Jory. Which is probably better. He only decimates his enemies. With Lana, you gotta be careful because she’s a killer singer.” He heard a rustle.
“What are you doing?”
“Stripping.”
“Um, why?” Curiosity did much to curb his jealousy.
“Because I might need something to wear after I shift.”
“Why on earth would you shift?” How was being a bunny the best choice in this situation?
“I won’t have a choice. The moon thing and all.”
“We’re in a sealed trailer.”
“Won’t matter.”
“What do you mean won’t matter? Don’t you have control over your shifting?” Because most learned how to keep the change from happening in their teens.
“My bunny is special.”
“I’m going to try and get out of my cage.” Even metal bars could have a weakness. He gripped the cool rods and pulled. Pushed. Heaved his body against them, until Ethan across from him sighed.
“They’re titanium.”
“I just.” Grunt. “Need.” Grrr. “One.” Ugh. “Weak spot.”
“And do what if you escape?” Ethan reached out and grabbed the bars with long and thick fingers that barely made it through the gap. “The cages aren’t the real problems.” The Sasquatch barely seemed to strain as he yanked them apart. He did it with all the bars until he had a large hole. Ethan wiggled out and stood in the aisle, tall enough to look inside Derek’s cage.
“Damn, dude, those are some serious guns.” Derek admired the strength in the other guy.
Ethan misunderstood. “I have no weapon.”
“I was talking about your arms. Your strength. Mind helping a guy out?” He pointed to his bars. “Let’s blow this joint.”
“How do you plan to escape?” asked Ethan. “This truck is part of a convoy. Trucks ahead and behind us filled with armed men. If it’s like previous times, they’ll have a helicopter overhead sweeping our path. More than likely armed with heat sensors and machine guns.”
Hardcore shit. However, remaining a prisoner wasn’t an option. “It’s a chance I’m willing to take.”
“You’ll fail.”
“Won’t know unless I try, so why not help me out of this cage?”
“If you insist.” Derek stood back and waited for Ethan to heave the bars apart. Instead he crushed the lock overhead holding the door shut. The cage swung open, and Derek leapt out, landing on his feet and wobbling.
“Freedom!” Claire shouted.
A few more voices rose asking for the same chance, including Claire, who said, “You are da bomb, Ethan honey. You should seriously try entering some arm wrestling contest. And is it me or are your feet huge?”
“Claire,” Derek groaned, closing his eyes for a second. He faced Ethan. “Don’t listen to her. She is obviously under some kind of drug-induced delusion that her rabbit will save the day.”
“Because it will,” she exclaimed.
A scowl pulled Ethan’s lips. “Trying to leave is madness. Take it from someone who’s tried before.”
“You want to just give up?” The very thought was repugnant to Derek. “We can’t let them win. This is our best chance to escape, here and now, while we’re in transit because once they shove us in another mountain—”
“The experiments start anew,” Ethan interrupted. “As someone in their custody for almost twenty years, I am well aware of what they do.”
The length of Ethan’s stay proved sobering, but Derek couldn’t stop now. He wasn’t about to become a prisoner for life. “You want to endure twenty more?”
Ethan gave him a hard stare. “Do you have a plan?”
“Depends. How good are you at ripping off arms and using them as weapons?” Judging by Ethan’s wide eyes, nope.
“I can do it!” Claire insisted.
“Where are you, Enny?”
“Right behind you, admiring your ass.” He whirled and caught her big smile and wave. She wore the T-shirt and panties of before.
“Mind giving me a hand?” Derek pointed, and Ethan grasped the lock. It cracked open.
The truck slowed down.
“Shit. They must have cameras watching.” Derek glanced up and down the aisle of cages. Some with faces peering curiously. No weapons in sight. “Ethan, open as many cages as you can. Go after the ones who are awake first. They can help.”
“Or you can all sit down and let me handle this.” Claire placed a hand on Derek’s chest. “It will be all right. I can do this. I feel the panic attack coming on now, which means it won’t be long.”
She wasn’t the only one panicking. His heart raced, too, as he realized what he’d have to do. “Listen, Enny. We won’t have much time when that door opens. Soon as it does, I’m going to distract any guards waiting outside. Once I do, I want you and Ethan and anyone who can run to take off in opposing directions.
“How are you planning to distract them?” she asked with a furrowed brow.
“You let me worry about that.” Because he already knew she wouldn’t like his plan.
The back of the trailer clanked and rattled as someone unlocked the door.
“You won’t need to do a thing, Big. The moon’s almost here,” she murmured, staring overhead. “I just need a minute.”
The doors at the back of the van creaked as they began to swing open. “We don’t have a minute.” He turned to her and pressed his mouth against hers. A hard embrace that had to say everything he’d never had a chance to say before. “I love you, Claire Mahoney.”
Then, before he could change his mind, he ran for the doors, tearing at his clothes, letting his wolf burst free with a howl that roused the others in the cages.
He didn’t look back. Couldn’t
afford to stumble.
The guns aimed inside the open door—hopefully with tranquilizers, but probably bullets too—didn’t stop his charge as he hit the ground with four feet. An ululating battle cry emerged from his muzzle as he leaped. The first few gunshots went off and missed. He slammed into the first mercenary he saw and might have hesitated at the human form pinned under him until he saw the eyes, slitted and a malevolent yellow.
Not human.
He grabbed it by the throat and bit down hard. Managed to kill the hybrid before turning to another. Before he could pounce again, crack!
The bullet hit him in the shoulder. The second in the leg.
He couldn’t stop the whimper at the sudden shock and pain. He slumped, muzzle hitting the ground.
The barrel of a gun was placed between his eyes.
“Don’t you dare hurt him,” Claire screamed as he snarled.
He didn’t want to die, but his leg wouldn’t support his wolf. So he changed back, hoping it would startle the gunman enough he wouldn’t shoot.
It worked; the barrel pulled back as he writhed on the ground in agony. The pain of the change rolling into that of his wounds. But the agony of failure hurt more.
Sorry, Enny. Derek rolled onto his back hoping for one last look at her and thus saw the massive furry body that leapt from the truck.
White-furred. Long-eared. With enormous saber teeth and claws.
“Claire?” he mumbled before passing out.
Chapter 16
A Cavalry Intermission
There was jostling on the helicopter, the ragtag group of Vikings unused to actually having to fly anywhere. Usually they could simply use a portal to get places, but the Rockies were an exception.
After a few ales, Sven got scientific and explained it as a glitch in the force. In other words, the portal magic was disrupted by something radiating from the mountains. He theorized it had some kind of super-metal inside them. Even had a fancy word for it that the Vikings all mocked.
In a nutshell it meant esoteric stuff like portals were out. Even scrying didn’t work.
The lack meant using human methods to travel. Such as helicopters, which were made for smaller people. Vikings tended to be a strapping bunch.