by Kira Stone
She unlocked the door to the freezer. “How many bags do you want?”
“Two.” He wanted more, but since he had to walk home, two was all he could carry.
“Rex, no!”
The cry came from behind him. The girl fell sideways, pulling out the bags of ice as she did. Both she and Chase turned in time to see the sheriff shake his arm free of the woman, Luna, who was trying to hold him back. He slapped her across the face hard enough to send her sprawling onto the dirt.
Alexis scrambled to her feet. “Mom!”
By the time his brain registered the decision to fight — what he had yearned to do all along — his feet were already moving that direction.
Until he spotted the black Mustang convertible swinging into the parking lot. The car was common enough, but the woman driving it was as unique as they come. His sister, Jackie. Somehow, she’d managed to track him down.
He froze, reason warring with instinct. The woman needed help, the sheriff needed a lesson in manners, and he needed to hide. Once again, Jackie jumped in and did the right thing while he and a few other passersby on the street did nothing. She was out of her car and beside the woman, her car engine still running.
He thought about taking her car, that’s how low he’d sunk. He couldn’t do it, not to Jackie. However, if he was going to be a coward and a thief, he might as well start earning the title. He grabbed the ice from the ground where Alexis had dumped it and took off running, back into the swamp with the other low-life creatures.
Where he belonged.
Chapter 4 — Blood Brothers
Half a bag. That’s all the ice Chase had left by the time he’d made it back to his home away from home. Lot of trouble for so little reward, but since he had it he was damn well going to use it. He ripped a hole in the plastic with his teeth and dumped the remains of both bags into the muddy pit he’d dug earlier. It had to be near noon. Best time for a soak as far as Chase was concerned.
He stripped off his clothes, not even bothering to carry them into the house. Just shedding that much of his humanity made him feel better. Sinking into the muddy water was even better. It wasn’t cold, by any means. But it was certainly cooler than the humid air around him.
At peace for the moment, Chase closed his eyes and tried to relax despite the shock of seeing his sister again. Jackie was in town. That worry was hard to let go of. How had she found him? He didn’t think she’d seen him, or recognized him if she had. Still, he’d have to find some way to keep tabs on her. If she didn’t leave soon, he’d have to.
He’d hate to do it. The thought of leaving the bayou and his little shack for good made him nauseous enough to retch. Okay then. Not for good. Maybe for a few weeks, days. Whatever it took to create a false trail that would convince Jackie he’d moved on, gone elsewhere. Then he could come back and spend all his days wallowing in the mud pit, happier than a pig in shit.
Maybe he wouldn’t have to leave at all. No one ventured this deep into the swamp without a good reason. He’d have to give up going into town for supplies, but that was no hardship compared to leaving the swamp. He’d dine on boiled crawdads and fish cooked over an open fire. Eat leaves and berries. And stay the hell out of everybody’s way.
Satisfied he had a plan he could live with, Chase scanned the area, looking for anything out of place. Finding all as it should be, he closed his eyes and let his mind wander where it would.
The gentle breeze. The water lapping at his belly. The sounds of the swamp critters going about their lives in peaceful harmony. These elements worked together to lull Chase into a dreamy sort of trance. His fantasyland, as Jackie called it. The place he could make dreams come true.
Images rose within his mind. Sculpted steel molded into the shape of mangroves choked by Spanish moss. The wolf balanced on a long limb reaching out over the water. A most satisfied look stretched across his furry face. Chase tried to push the image away, but time and time again his mind brought him back. He knew just how to twist the rods of steel to get the flowing lines, where to burnish the surface so the creature’s muscles would appear to ripple. How he would capture the swaying wooden limbs as if they’d just been tugged by an evening breeze. It wouldn’t be his most challenging project to date, but he knew it would be among his best.
That is, if he had access to his drawing board to create it, and to his sister’s welding skill to give it life…
So much of his humanity seemed to be slipping through his fingers day by day. He didn’t know how much longer he could count on remembering his own name, let alone the exacting art of design.
A lamenting sound escaped his throat. Not too far off in the distance, an answering call came back. Chase modulated his voice to better mimic the call. Low and throaty, he growled. Again the call came back to him, closer this time. He wasn’t at all surprised to open his eyes and find the wolf standing a few feet in front of him.
“Hello there, boy.” Chase ran a wet, lazy hand down his own chest as the wolf stared him down. “Why’d you do it, boy? Why’d you keep me from chasing off those men last night?”
The animal’s head dipped in apology. At least that’s the impression Chase got. Feeling the need to further press his point, Chase added, “Don’t let it happen again. I may not be the type of creature you’re used to seeing around here, but I do know how to handle myself in a fight.”
A few men had thought he was a pansy because he was an artist, and a gay one at that. His scarred hands and arms should have given them a clue that he was tougher than he looked, but sometimes bullies were determined to be stupid. Chase learned to fight quick and dirty. Nothing good ever came from a prolonged boxing match. But given a choice, he’d rather be a lover than a fighter, especially when it came to men who wore a few battle scars of their own.
His rising cock broke the surface of the water. He couldn’t help it. It seemed to take nothing more than a stiff breeze to make him hard these days. Not that he’d had any problems in that department before. His libido had always been as healthy as the rest of him.
But a wolf making his dick hard, that was something new.
And troubling.
The animal padded closer. His feet made no sound on the freshly dug earth as he approached. He sniffed the air, as if he could smell Chase’s arousal. Well, he probably could. Dogs had an excellent sense of smell. He imagined wolves weren’t all that different.
Or maybe it was the fresh water the animal wanted? Not that it was all that fresh after mixing with the dirt, but the sediment Chase had stirred up by sitting in his “tub” had finally settled, leaving a relatively clean layer on top. “Go on then,” Chase invited.
The wolf lowered his muzzle to the surface between Chase’s bent knees and lapped up a tongue-full. He paused and cocked his head at Chase, as if asking permission to continue.
“Sure, buddy. Have as much as you like.” After all, how much could the creature really take? The water would eventually drain into the packed soil under him, but they could both enjoy it as long as it lasted.
Except as his tongue snaked out for another drink, Chase found himself imagining other things that long, agile tongue could do. He closed his eyes to block out the image, but it only intensified his need for sexual satisfaction.
Raw, hard fucking. That’s what he craved. It had been awhile. After clawing his last lover so deeply the man required a few stitches to close the worst of the wounds, Chase knew he couldn’t trust himself to be intimate with someone in his current condition. Fortunately, he had a vivid imagination and for a short time he could fool himself into thinking that he wasn’t entirely alone whenever he jerked off.
He closed his mind to everything but the sensations reported by his body. The water now warmed by the afternoon sun cradled him from the waist down. The bottom of the shallow pool had shifted under his weight to form the perfect cushion for his body. A lazy breeze occasionally blew across his chest, teasing his nipples into sharp points. He hadn’t yet shaved today, and the stub
ble scraped his palms as he brought a bit of water to his face and scrubbed.
His hands slid down his neck, then across his chest. He tugged on his nipples, hard, liking the biting pain such rough treatment brought. His cock flexed with a bone-deep craving to rut like the wild beast he feared he was becoming. It seemed the most natural thing in the world to slide further down into the water, almost lying down now, and start stroking his cock in a tight-fisted grip.
He’d temporarily forgotten about his guest until a cold nose softly touched his balls. Chase flinched, then forced himself to hold perfectly still. The wolf was just drinking, right? No need for alarm.
Still stroking himself, although now with more reserve, Chase propped his feet up on the sides of the tub to give them both a bit more room. He wasn’t entirely surprised when the wolf brushed against him again. His soft head tickled the inside of Chase’s thighs. He could easily fool himself into believing it was a man’s thick pelt of hair.
“Lick me,” he urged his imaginary lover.
The next touch he felt was a broad, long tongue flicking over his balls. Chase groaned and arched under the erotic caress. It was more abrasive than he was used to, but it suited his desire for rough treatment.
“That’s it, baby. Lick me again.”
Alarm bells were going off in the back of his brain. He knew this was wrong in almost every way. He was no animal, and taking advantage of one went against every moral fiber left in his body. His libido, however, didn’t particularly care. The wolf was getting him off and he needed that release almost as much as he needed to breathe. Maybe if he just kept his eyes shut and just thought of him as a really hairy guy…
The agile tongue slapped against his tightening sac. A cold nose nudged his hand out of the way. Chase couldn’t figure out what the creature was after, but he moved anyway. He slipped his hands under his thighs and parted his butt cheeks so he could reach the tiny, empty opening there. A moment later, he slipped one digit inside, up to the first knuckle, stretching himself open.
The wolf whined softly, then ran his tongue up the length of Chase’s full, pulsing shaft. The head glistened with pre-cum. It was soon licked away, thoroughly. As if he’d done it before and knew what would pleasure a man the most.
Wrong, wrong, wrong, the insistent voice in his head chanted. Chase knew that, and still he couldn’t quite bring himself to shove the animal away.
The whining grew louder, almost shrill. He was so fucking close to coming that he almost didn’t notice. If the wolf wanted to howl, that was just fine with him. He might even join in. But the sound hurt his ears and he finally opened his eyes to see what was causing such a fuss.
The wolf was poised between his legs, now alert. Reality came crashing down on Chase like a ton of bricks. The cops were coming, with sirens blaring.
And he was getting a blowjob from a wild wolf.
“Oh, fuck, no.” Panic made Chase kick out wildly.
The wolf was unprepared for the sudden attack so Chase’s heel connected solidly with the animal’s chest. Although the beast was a lot heavier than Chase anticipated, the wolf went flying back to land on a fallen log. He let out a surprised whimper then whirled around on Chase, his ears back and fangs very much in evidence.
“Get the hell away from me,” Chase screamed at him. “Leave me the fuck alone!”
He got to his feet and picked up a good-sized rock. He let it fly, hitting the animal on the shoulder. The wolf shied back. His head tilted, confusion swam in his amber eyes. He took a step forward, but Chase armed himself with another rock. He wasn’t playing around.
The wolf seemed to get the message and backed off to the edge of the trees. The siren was so loud now that Chase’s head was ringing with the noise, creating a monster of a headache. The wolf shook his head as if his ears too were bothering him. He barked once. Chase heard the warning in it, but didn’t really give a shit what the wolf was trying to say. He’d gone way too far this time, and it scared the hell out of him. As far as he was concerned, he never wanted to see that furry face again. “Leave, and don’t come back. You hear me?”
Sick bastard. Chase wasn’t sure if he was referring to himself or the wolf.
He didn’t really have time to think about it. The siren ended with an aborted chirp and he heard the sound of a car door slam.
He had company.
At least one rib was broken from slamming into that stump, and his shoulder stung like a bitch, but Casper wasn’t willing to retreat to lick his wounds yet. He was in no shape to confront the sheriff or one of his goons, but he was pretty sure the man-pup wasn’t aware of the danger they represented. If he’d known, he’d never have tried to go charging after them last night.
Not that his own behavior had been much better. The foundling had offered himself up like an erotic buffet. It appealed to the animal in Casper and, he was surprised to find, the remnants of humanity in him. On a soul-deep level, the man-pup called to him. Once he’d begun his seduction, Casper had been blind to everything but the taste and feel of the man.
Dumb ass.
He knew better. He really did. And smelling the girl on the man-pup’s body should have cued him in that trouble was coming. Instead of pouncing on him like he was a raw steak, Casper should have headed straight for Martin.
And now that the foundling had drawn O’Grady’s attention, things were only going to get worse. Fast.
This innocent man-pup had to shift. Casper didn’t think they could afford to wait for nature to take its course. Keeping Martin out of this was no longer an option. Not that the scientist would mind. Casper just didn’t like subjecting him to further risk. His situation was precarious enough as it was. But someone had to talk to the man-pup. Someone who wouldn’t scare the hell out of him. Casper knew even if he shifted to human form he’d be the stuff of nightmares come to life. The foundling would have enough to cope with. He didn’t need Casper’s ugly, scarred body to remind him of all the things that could go wrong with his new life.
O’Grady’s voice drifted through the jungle to his ears. It was a struggle to suppress the low growl building in the back of his throat. Fight or flight? The age old war flared inside him, but the answer was pretty damn clear. He had to involve Martin. Now.
Though it went against every protective instinct in his body, Casper turned his back on the man-pup. If he moved fast enough, perhaps Martin could get to him before O’Grady did him any permanent damage.
Chapter 5 — Truth and Dare
“Trouble?” a lazy drawl asked from behind him.
Chase spun around, his still-erect shaft slapping his pelvis as he did. He found himself facing the sheriff he’d seen at the convenience store. “Rabid dog. Ran him off.”
Since there was nothing he could do to cover his nakedness, Chase didn’t bother trying. This seemed to earn him a grudging amount of respect from the man who wore his khaki summer uniform as if it made him bulletproof. “There’s a few of ’em around here. I wouldn’t let them get too close, if I were you.”
Too late. “Thanks for the warning.”
“Just doing my job. I’m Rex O’Grady. I’m the sheriff around here.”
Chase nodded, but didn’t offer his name or his hand.
“You know why I’m here?”
“Doin’ a little fishing, I expect.”
The sheriff smiled. “Could be, could be. There’s some nice crappie in these waters.”
“Some nice gators in these waters too,” Chase pointed out. “Or there would be if the damn poachers would leave them alone.”
The sheriff’s eyes narrowed, and Chase immediately felt the chill wind rolling off the man in waves. Apparently poaching wasn’t a subject he discussed lightly. “You’ve seen poachers around here?”
“Just last night,” Chase replied. “Took a gator, smashed her nest.” Rage boiled through him just thinking about it. His fists clenched at his sides.
“Did you get a good look at them?”
“No.” Damn
it.
The sheriff’s position subtly relaxed. “I wouldn’t get too close to them either. The locals around here don’t take kindly to strangers butting into their business.”
Was he actually protecting those guys? “You mean I should just ignore them and they’ll go away?”
Rex laughed and shook his head. “No, of course not. I’m saying you should call me to deal with them.”
“I will, next time I’m near a phone.”
“You could always tell Lexi whenever you come to town.”
“Lexi?”
“Alexis, the little blond you were talking to at the store today.”
Oh, shit. Well, Chase couldn’t say he was surprised that the sheriff had tracked him down after the way he’d run off. But he couldn’t prove a thing. The ice was gone. The bags they came in had been melted down in the small fire he kept continually burning.
As for hitting the woman, Chase had no plans to admit he’d seen a thing. Jackie, of course, would take care of the situation. He didn’t need to be involved at all.
“She’s a bit upset with you,” the sheriff said conversationally.
Since he couldn’t incriminate himself if he didn’t say anything, Chase merely raised his eyebrow.
“Says you ran off before she could give you her number.”
Huh? Chase thought fast and furiously, then leapt on the most logical answer and prayed he wasn’t making a huge mistake. “No, I got her number. Got it and lost it, well before I left the city limit.”
“You sure? Pretty girl like that can make a guy lose his train of thought. Like forgettin’ to pay for stuff he had in his hands when he left.”
Chase didn’t question why he was so protective of the girl that he’d drive all the way out here to make a point. He also didn’t think it was a good idea to admit he had no interest in her because he was gay. That could just stir up trouble of an entirely different kind. Instead, Chase said, “Accidents happen. Nothing to get upset about, right?”