“I will have you. Right-fucking-now. Turn around and bend over.”
Faolan opened his mouth, probably to protest, but Shayonn pressed his lips to Faolan’s, silencing him with a kiss so full of passion it was more brutal than tender. He needed this, so badly, and when Faolan responded to the urge of his mouth, Shayonn was close to fainting with lust. Well, maybe not fainting. Tilting his hips, he rubbed his achingly hard cock to Faolan’s groin. There was a matching bump, an exciting ridge of aroused male flesh, and Shayonn was ready to rip the man’s clothes off to get at it.
The sound of fabric being torn was loud in the silence of the room. Faolan’s chuckle followed it, sweet and alluring at the same time. “I’d tell you to suck it,” he whispered, “But the way you go at it tells me I probably shouldn’t.”
“No, probably not,” Shayonn confirmed with the last bit of coherency he could muster. “Turn around.”
He pushed at Faolan’s shoulder to make him move, but Faolan stiffened against his touch. “Nn-nn, sweetheart. Not gonna let you jump me like a five quid whore.”
Shayonn growled. He might have given it another try, but strong fingers were curled around his cock and brought his attention to where it counted. The hard length of Faolan’s erection was squashed against his shaft as Faolan lined up both hard cocks in his crushing hold.
Shayonn cried out as Faolan moved his hand, a first, violent yank that seemed to singe Shayonn’s skin. It was so good to have someone else’s touch there instead of just his own hand and Faolan set up a fast, merciless rhythm. He was clearly not going to make this last and every tug felt like he was willing to force the orgasm from Shayonn’s body if he had to.
Shayonn couldn’t have resisted it if he’d tried. He’d been turned on to start with, and this intense stimulation, rough and affectionless as it was, made him ache with the need for release, the need for this tormenting pressure in his groin, his balls, his cock to find its way out of him before he lost control. The tingle in his skull had already begun, that prickling sensation that told him his body was about to change. He didn’t want it to. Couldn’t allow for it to happen, not now, least of all now, when all he wanted was for the pressure to ease in that delightful moment when he shot his load over Faolan’s hand and stomach. He was so close, so ready, but Faolan didn’t let him.
Leaning in, Faolan whispered close to Shayonn’s ear, “Ever fucked in shifted form? If you think this feels good, you don’t know what an orgasm is when you’re in your true shape.”
Shayonn screamed. Or maybe he howled, he couldn’t tell. His world disappeared, swam out of focus and his body jerked, helpless in the grip of a powerful orgasm that tossed him around like a ragdoll. He felt Faolan twitch and shudder, felt the pulsing of the other cock against his own. Breathless, he sank to the floor. His legs had given out and he was shaking all over, weak as a newborn cub. He was vulnerable, and he hated it. Loved it. Strong muscles flexed next to him and something warm pressed to his back. Back? Why back? Faolan had been in front of him and he had been mostly naked and not—furry. Silky hairs tickled Shayonn’s bare skin. He had yet to open his eyes again but he reached out anyway, letting his fingers do a first exploration.
Faolan was big. There was no denying that. His flanks were huge and his legs… Bugger, was that one of his paws? It was massive, a lot bigger than Shayonn’s human fist, and Shayonn wasn’t a small guy.
He dragged an eyelid open.
“Oh, fuck.”
Faolan was beautiful, impressive and yes, almost a match for him if Shayonn had been in shifted form. Shayonn raked his fingers through the thick, silky fur. It was a deep grey, streaked with black and silver lines.
“I should have guessed,” Shayonn whispered. “It’s not just your name that gives it away. It’s in your eyes, too. It’s in your demeanour. Faolan. Wolf.”
Lowering his head, Faolan nudged him with his nose. It was an unexpectedly tender gesture and Shayonn smiled in spite of himself. He understood and while a mere two minutes ago he’d been fighting tooth and claw not to let the beast inside him out, a strange peace settled over him now. He concentrated on that part of his being that he usually kept so well hidden. Not this time. Now he welcomed it, invited it to spread out and take over until he could feel the changes happening. He kept his eyes closed, not wanting to spoil the strange magic of the moment by watching. The transitioning process took no more than a few seconds, but when it was over, Shayonn felt like he’d come a long way. Rolling on his belly, he pushed his head up and opened his eyes to look at the big wolf.
* * * *
Faolan could hardly believe what he saw. He’d tried hard to figure out what Shayonn was and he’d come up with some ideas, but he never would’ve guessed that.
The sight was awe-inspiring. Before him lay the most magnificent animal he had ever set eyes on. Shayonn was exquisite. His snow white, glossy fur was streaked with a delicate pattern of jet-black stripes, but the most fascinating asset were his eyes. Huge and bright green, they gleamed like two emeralds in front of a candle. Faolan’s throat had gone tight. “Oh my goodness, you are something else.”
The huge white tiger opened his mouth a little as if he was smiling. Maybe he was but Faolan was too busy staring at the massive fangs to focus on the details of Shayonn’s facial expression. “You are gorgeous.”
“Thank you.”
Shayonn’s thoughts were not easy to understand. They were inarticulate, like a person’s voice that hadn’t been used for too long.
“When was the last time you shifted?”
Shayonn hesitated. “It’s been a while.”
“How long?”
“A month. I think. Maybe a little longer.”
“A month? My goodness, that’s long. Why? Why do you do this to yourself?”
“I… I don’t know. It’s safer.”
“For the people around you? Or for yourself?”
Shayonn didn’t meet Faolan’s eyes. He shifted his weight. Then he lowered his head and licked his massive paw. He was obviously way out of his comfort zone and Faolan didn’t know if having this conversation in shifted form was making it easier for him or just added to the pressure.
Shayonn gnawed at one of his claws, gingerly as if he wasn’t all that well acquainted with his own body, and maybe he really wasn’t—not with this version of it. “Both, I guess,” he replied at last.
“Why? You are one of the most powerful kinds of shifters. There isn’t much you have to fear.”
Shayonn let out a snort. Well, it would have been a snort had he been in human form, but in his tiger shape it was more of a growl. “Is that why we’re nearly extinct?”
“No, that’s because you’re genetically rare and don’t reproduce well—oh, gosh, that’s your problem, isn’t it?” Faolan stared at Shayonn, watching his features rearrange as the pieces in his own head fell into place.
Shayonn didn’t meet his eyes. He licked his paw again.
“You’re not registered, are you?”
Shayonn froze. His huge jaws were parted to reveal his big, lethal fangs. “What do you think?”
“Shit.” Faolan sighed. “You don’t shift because you don’t want authorities to know that you exist, right?”
“Right.”
“I can’t believe you managed to escape for so long. How old are you? Twenty-five? Twenty-six?”
“Not quite. I’m twenty-one.”
“Hmm. Still, that’s a long time to stay under the radar.”
“I know. And I intend to make it last even longer.” Stubbornness rang in those words and Shayonn lifted his chin defiantly.
Faolan’s heart ached. He was well acquainted with the rules of the tiger shifter community. Shayonn was a beautiful beast. His fur was perfect, thick, long and glossy with those black stripes on an immaculate white sheet. And at only twenty-one, he had just come of age. He was at his sexual prime. The females who were due their turn would fight over him. Not that they’d have to worry. Shayonn’s stunni
ng emerald eyes were a promising feature. He possessed a different gene pool and that meant fresh blood. As soon as his ancestry was sorted out and his pedigree evaluated, he would almost certainly get to service at least half of this year’s females. It was just a matter of time until the tiger colony would be flooded with beautiful, green-eyed cubs.
“Why?” Faolan asked.
Shayonn glared at him with narrowed eyes. “What do you mean, why?”
“Why are you hiding? Why aren’t you registered and contribute your part?”
Shayonn shifted so fast he seemed to have surprised himself. Lying on the floor, naked and still in the same position, he blinked. His confusion didn’t last. He pushed to his feet swiftly, already reaching for his clothes.
“Contribute my part?” he spat. “You mean fuck a lot of women to get them pregnant?” He let out an angry huff and snapped the elastic waistband of his shorts over his hips. “What do you think?”
Faolan shifted to his human form too, keeping an eye on Shayonn who paced the room irritably. “Because you prefer men?”
Shayonn spun around, lips curled in a snarl. “Well, yes. Obviously.”
“Are you saying you never had sex with a female?”
Shayonn’s gaze flicked across the room before he answered. “No.”
“Oh. Not even a human one?”
“No,” Shayonn repeated with narrowed eyes. “Why is that so hard for you to understand? You like men, too.” His expression changed. “Ah, fuck,” he groaned. “You wouldn’t understand. You’re a bloody wolf. Your species is all over the place. It doesn’t matter who you prefer as you can fuck anyone you want.”
“Not quite,” Faolan snarled and clenched his fists, struggling not to shift back and fight. Oh, how he hated to be reminded of his poor pedigree. “I don’t qualify for fatherhood so I’m banned from mating with another wolf shifter.”
Shayonn raised his eyebrows. “I get it. You’re not gay, are you? You fuck guys because you’re not allowed around the females.”
“Again, not quite. As a matter of fact, I happen to be bisexual. I enjoy sex with both men and women. I just don’t get to make babies, but you do. It’s your duty to keep your kind from extinction.”
Shayonn made a face. “For someone who’s not part of our community you’re well informed.” He let out a humourless chuckle. “Know your enemy, right?”
“Your enemy? Is that what you think we are? Your enemies?”
“Everyone who thinks I ought to do something I don’t want to do is my enemy.”
“Huh. Why is it all about what you want? Why don’t you see that in the larger scheme of things, you have a duty to fulfil?”
A growl vibrated low in Shayonn’s chest and Faolan was prepared to shift in an instant, but Shayonn kept a grip on himself. “A duty? This is my life and I want to live it on my own terms, not as some community’s whore!”
“Being allowed to pass on your genes is a fucking honour!” Faolan snapped. “It hardly makes you a whore!”
“Easy for you to say that,” Shayonn retorted. “You don’t have to fuck someone you’re not attracted to!”
“Arrogant bugger. Who do you think you are? Your genetic heritage might make you special, but there is only one purpose a stubborn, selfish jerk like you could ever serve.”
“Oh, and what would that be? Make babies?”
“Exactly. Glad we agree on that.”
“We sure as hell don’t—” Shayonn started but he broke off. His eyes widened and what had been indignant anger so far turned into fear. Faolan could smell it, even in his human form, and he realised that Shayonn had figured him out even before he himself had made the decision.
“You’re going to turn me in, aren’t you?” Shayonn whispered, turning pale. “You’re a hunter, right?”
Faolan took a breath. He let it out in a sigh, then he smiled. “No. Well, I’m not a hunter and I’m not going to turn you in. I’m going to take you with me and bring you in because incidentally, I’m a guard of the colony. It's not my job to go after the stray ones, but when I find one, I have to bring him home.”
A shudder rocked Shayonn’s body. For a moment Faolan thought he might try to shift and fight, but it seemed that Shayonn understood that resistance wouldn’t help him.
“It’s not that bad,” Faolan soothed. “You’re beautiful, even by wolf shifter standards. I’m sure the women will like you, adore you, even. They will probably fight over you. If you behave well you might be lucky and get to live in a group.”
“Live in a group?” Shayonn repeated tonelessly. “That's not gonna happen. Not even if you could drag me back to Atraya, which I doubt you can.”
Taking in the pale skin, wide eyes and tense shoulders, Faolan felt a wave of pity. Shayonn was indeed scared. Nervous. His fear was a sharp tang in his scent now, impossible not to notice but Faolan ignored it. He’d get used to it. They all did, even the most fiercely independent ones. When they came to realise how much pleasure their lives as breeders entailed, they became astonishingly mellow and willing to settle. Shayonn would be just the same. He was young and untamed, had probably never learned the rules of his community, but once he had been taught, he would fit in.
Faolan noticed the flicker in Shayonn’s eyes a fragment of a second before Shayonn started to shift. It wasn’t much of a warning, but Faolan was trained to react instantly. Before Shayonn had completed the transitioning process, Faolan had the shot ready and applied. The big, proud white tiger sank to the floor like a bag of potatoes.
Chapter 4
Shayonn woke from the chattering of his own teeth. He was cold. And strangely numb. He opened his eyes but closed them quickly. It was bright around him, and strong overhead lights blinded him.
“He’s awake,” a voice announced. Shayonn assumed that the man was talking about him and tried to wriggle away from the sound. But I don’t want to be awake, he protested mutely. If I’m awake I will have to face reality, and I can’t do that.
“Awake and disoriented,” the man said. “Doesn’t know what shape he’s in.”
Cold fingers touched Shayonn’s forehead and his wrist. They dug into the soft inside of his arm, then lowered his hand back onto a mattress. By now he had figured out that he was lying on some sort of bed. Naked, that was why he was so cold. It didn’t take much to put two and two together. He was being examined. Assessed. He winced. His head was sore and his throat felt like he’d swallowed barbed wire, but he forced his dried-out tongue around his mouth anyway.
“What…” he croaked and broke off, shocked at the sound of his own voice.
“Shh, don’t speak yet. You’re dehydrated. Drink this.”
A straw was shoved into his mouth and he sucked greedily. Warm, soothing liquid poured over his tongue and down his aching throat. He drank some more before raising his hand to indicate that he’d had enough. Except he couldn’t raise his hand. Something strong and unyielding held it down. A leather wrist cuff, from the feel of it.
“Don’t fight it,” the man told him. “You’ll only wear yourself out and we don’t want that to happen, do we?”
Another voice joined in the man’s cackling laughter. “Indeed, better save your strength. You’re gonna need it soon enough.”
Shayonn kept his eyes closed. He would have loved to just fall asleep again, but he couldn’t, no matter how hard he tried. But he could feel that part of his mind that allowed him to shift. He tried to focus on it, to welcome it. He would be stronger in his tiger shape, so much stronger and—
“Don’t even think about it,” the second man said. “You can’t shift right now.”
Shayonn winced. He wanted to simply ignore the words, but the wish to know was stronger. “Why?”
“Meds. Keep you from shifting and make you happy and mellow. Can’t risk a pretty boy like you putting up a fight and getting hurt. The ladies would be mightily pissed off if their toy got damaged.”
“You’re making a big mistake,” Shayonn choked out.
“I don’t think so,” the first man replied and both laughed. “You’re going to make some lucky ladies very happy.”
“I’m not breeding material,” Shayonn snapped. His head still pounded with a dull ache and his vision, when he finally forced his eyes open, was blurry.
A rough hand patted his thigh and he tried to shrink away from it, but he didn’t get far. His ankles were bound, just like his wrists. Again, the man chuckled.
“You’re not going anywhere, pretty. Not until you’re summoned. Might as well save yourself the trouble.”
There was a nasty tone in his voice and his fingers dug into the soft flesh on the inside of Shayonn’s thigh. Shayonn bit back the pained yelp. He wasn’t going to let the guy have the satisfaction of witnessing his pain.
“Garrid,” a third and familiar voice called out. It sent a shiver down Shayonn’s spine. Faolan. His captor. The traitor. He turned his head to see.
“No need to abuse him, okay?” Faolan sounded angry and made a meaningful pause before he added, “And there’s no need to touch him either unless it’s for medical reasons.”
“I wasn’t—”
“Just leave him alone, will you?” Faolan snapped.
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. Now go get him some food. He’s bound to be hungry, and I don’t want to starve him. He needs his strength.”
The hesitation was minimal. “Yes, sir.”
“And you can go with him,” Faolan ordered, glaring at the second man, who hurried to obey and followed Garrid out of the room.
“What are you going to do to me?” Shayonn asked as soon as the two men had left. “Take me to the colony? I’m not going to—”
“Shut up,” Faolan said. “No need to worry, okay? You lucked out. You’re too precious to be wasted in the colony. You’re going straight to Queen Janiah’s Court. Apparently she’s looking for a new mate and you are perfect for her.”
A chill shook Shayonn’s body, and it had nothing to do with the temperature in the room. “The queen? You want to take me to Queen Janiah’s Court?”
Shifting Changes (The First Shift) Page 3