by Clara Cody
I felt my eyes stinging. I stood before I started to cry, busying myself with clearing the dirty dishes. I needed something to do. Some kind of distraction.
Jason came in after me, wrapping his hands around my waist. “You don’t have to do the dishes, Elise. You’re our guest. Besides, I’m pretty sure it’s Sean’s turn.”
“I don’t mind.”
He shut off the faucet and handed me a towel. “I do. Besides, I have something better to show you. Come with me.”
I cocked my eye brow, drying my fingers. “Where?”
“It’s a surprise.”
I followed him out the back door and onto the deck. A cool breeze kissed my face.
“We have to keep off the roads, in case there’s someone out there, but we should be good on the four-wheeler.” We went to a shed alongside the house where three big four-wheelers were stored. He climbed on one and tossed me a helmet. “Hop on,” he said, tying his chin-strap.
The first time I rode on the back of his four-wheeler, I had been irritated, but this time, I was torn. Deep inside, the only thing I wanted was to press my entire body against his, to feel him close to me. That would only make things harder later, though. Eventually, I would have to leave, and the more I let myself pretend, the more I played into this little happily-ever-after fantasy of mine, the worse it would be. For both of us.
So I climbed behind him, but leaned back, away from him, holding onto the iron rack behind and touching him as little as possible.
We sped through the field, over bumps and along the river. I had to admit, the countryside was beautiful. I wished I had visited more since my Dad and Carolyn moved here. I doubted I would be back much after this trip. I didn’t think I could bear running into Jason, or any of the Thorne family for that matter, in town. It would hurt too much. Twenty minutes later, we arrived at a small, square looking building.
“What is this place?” I asked, climbing off.
“You’ll see.”
There wasn’t much to tip me off. It was a white building with gray windows and doors. It looked like a clinic of some kind, but I couldn’t think of a reason why he’d want to bring me to a clinic.
“Come on,” he said, trying to suppress a grin. We walked in and the smell hit me instantly. Animals. I caught his eye, a smile spreading across his face. “I guess it’s kind of obvious as soon as you get in. Hey, Ellen,” he said to the thin, gray-haired woman behind the counter.”
“Hi, Jason. Go ahead, Mike’s back there.” She waved us towards a swinging door.
“Thanks. It’s a rehabilitation center. For wildlife.”
“Oh, my—I mean, wow.” I had to admit, I’d never been to a place like this before. Most of my work was theoretical, and mostly involved observing rather than actually interacting. I definitely never had a guy take me somewhere like this. It wasn’t typical date material.
We walked past a few kennels with dogs and cats, and then into another section. We found Mike standing at a table. I gasped, clutching Jason’s arm when I saw what stood on the table. “A Great Horned Owl!”
Mike smiled, reaching out a hand. “Mike Hall, local vet.”
I shook his hand. “Elise Brunner, out-of-town professor. Uh, he’s magnificent. Or is it a she?” I knew that the male was smaller than the female, but having never seen one up close, it was hard to tell. Its wing was wrapped in light blue. It cocked its head to look at me.
“You were right the first time. This guy has a broken wing, I just finished changing his wrap. You’re just in time for his feeding.” He pulled out a dead rabbit out of a bag. The owl was already turning his head, cocking it side to side, as Mike lay the animal before him.
“Trust me, this isn’t going to be pretty,” Mike said. “Ellen?” he called. She appeared in the doorway. “Can you finish up in here while I give Jason and Elise the tour.”
“Sure thing. Nothing I like more than watching an owl eviscerate a little bun-bun.”
“She doesn’t mean that,” Mike said, taking us to a row of small cages. Inside were all sorts of wild birds of prey. A juvenile red-tailed hawk, a barn owl, a peregrine falcon.”
“Wow,” I murmured. “They’re beautiful.”
“Yeah, we get a lot of calls about broken wings. We’re the only clinic in the area that’s equipped for birds of prey. It’s a lot of work though. Too much for just Ellen and me.”
“Oh, so what happens when you’re at capacity?”
He shrugged. “We have to evaluate what we have. If we get a call about a golden eagle, coming in, and we have a red-tailed hawk…well—”
“A golden eagle is endangered,” I told Jason. “So, you have to take the eagle and let the hawk go.”
Mike nodded. “We’ll choose the one that’s on the mend, that has the best chance of survival, of course. But it’s still a tough call.”
The hawk in the cage in front of me stared, without blinking. At the moment, there was room for another ten birds, at least, but what about in a week, or a month? This hawk was lucky, but what if he’d been here when it was full to capacity? Would he have had the chance to heal? Would he have gotten a second chance?
Mike pointed to the very hawk I was looking at. “This guy’s ready for release, actually. We were going to let him go yesterday, but then I got a call from Jason, and he asked me to wait. Want to see?”
“Really?” I looked at Jason who just stood there, arms crossed and looking pleased with himself. “I would love to!” I couldn’t believe he’d done all this for me. No one had ever done anything even close to being so absolutely perfect. Most guys just settled for chocolates or flowers.
Mike donned a pair of thick gloves and took the hawk out of the cage carefully. The bird let out a powerful cry as we walked down the corridor to the back door. My stomach was fluttering as we stepped out into the bright sunlight. “Ready, buddy?” The bird took a look around, seemingly assessing his surroundings before stretching out his wings and launching himself into the air. The sight stole my breath away. My hand found its way into Jason’s as we watched the bird grow smaller in the blue sky. One more mighty call, and I breathed again.
“Best part of the job,” Mike said.
I nodded, gripping Jason’s hand as the bird disappeared. He was free.
“That was amazing,” I said to Jason as we left the clinic. “Thank you for that.”
He shrugged. “I figured you’d do stuff like that all the time, considering your line of work.”
“My work?” I scoffed. “I don’t do anything like that, not even when I’m in the field. I research migration patterns, beg and grovel for grants, and teach privileged kids about animals they barely care about. Not exactly humanitarian work.”
He pulled a confused look. “I thought you loved it. The way you talk about it, at least.”
“I do. I mean…love might be a strong word.” I made a face, thrown off guard. “It’s work, it’s what I do. It’s all I do. I love the birds I study, though.”
“But shouldn’t you at least enjoy what you’re spending your days on?”
“Easy to say when you’re a bartender.”
“Ouch.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant that it would be easy to love a job like that. What’s there to hate?”
He shrugged. “The hours, I guess. Drunk locals are particularly annoying. Why don’t you do something else, then?”
“What else can I do?”
He slipped his arms around me. “Work here. Like Mike said, it’s too much work for just him and Ellen. You could really do some good here. And I saw the look on your face when that hawk flew away. You were in love.”
“I don’t know. I mean…my life is there. Everything I’ve ever worked for.”
“But are you that attached to it? I know you’ve accomplished a lot, but does it really make you happy?”
“I—I don’t know.”
He kissed my lips. “Do I make you happy?”
I nodded, smiling.
“You do.”
“Just…think about it. Okay?”
“I’ll think about it.”
Jason
Elise straddled the back of the four-wheeler behind me. Not leaning away like before. Her arms were wrapped around my middle, her breasts pressed into my back. I groaned, shifting uncomfortably when my cock twitched. Even with the wind whipping through my hair, my nose was filled with her scent. Whatever her perfume was, it made me crazy. Slightly floral, but sweet and totally intoxicating.
I drove along the river on a path that had been well worn from years of the Thorne clan’s four-wheeling. No one else really used this path but us, and as a result it wasn’t in the best shape.
We went over a bump and were jolted out of our seats momentarily. Maybe I was going a bit fast. To be honest, since the second I kissed her outside the clinic, I was desperate to get home and bury myself inside her. I laid off the gas, and she inched herself closer, pressing her whole body against mine. I bit my lip. This woman’s gonna kill me.
As if feeling her tits against my back wasn’t enough, she slipped a hand underneath my shirt and dragged her nails against the taut skin of my stomach. I gripped the handle bars, my hands feeling suddenly moist and slick. My cock throbbed, stretching up against my jeans. My fingers burned with the need to turn and touch her, to pluck her nipples, to plunge them into her warm and wet entrance. Damn the bumps, I thought, going faster. I couldn’t get home quickly enough.
Elise had another idea. With light, skilled fingers, she unfastened my jeans and slipped her hand inside. My breath caught in my throat as her delicate hand wrapped around my heavy shaft. With a gentle tug, she pulled me free, the air sending a sinful chill through me. I felt her teeth in the flesh of my neck as she stroked my needy cock. The sound of the engine along with the thumping of my own heartbeat roared in my ears. “Elise,” I moaned.
The pleasure and pain at not being able to touch her was unbearable. With a rough curse, I stopped the four-wheeler in the middle of the path.
“I wasn’t finished yet,” she purred, swinging into my lap.
“You’re playing with fire, woman.”
“Is that why you make me burn?” she asked, reaching down between her legs to grab my cock again.
“Come on,” I begged, reaching for the button on her shorts. I was desperate to touch her, to stroke her pink little bud with my thumb.
“Nah-uh.” She swatted away my hand. “I want to see you come first.” Her skilled fingers slipped over the glistening head of my cock, pulling a growl deep from within my chest. I ran my hands up her thighs and waist to clutch her heaving tits. Mmm, I could smell her arousal, mixing with her perfume. Fuck, that alone could make any man come.
I yanked down the shoulder of her tank-top and her breast tumbled free, nipple pink and begging to be sucked. Gripping her ass with one hand, and her tit with the other, I took her delicious little nipple in my mouth. A moan fell from her lips as I drew her nipple into a long, hard peak. She worked my cock harder, faster, as I circled her nipple with my tongue, and occasionally dragging my teeth against it.
“Oh, God, Jason,” she moaned. “That feels so good.”
“Fuck, Elise.” I felt it building. My fingers dug deep into her thighs. “Jesus!” Her eyes were locked on mine, hot and excited. She bit her lip in anticipation. I exploded, hard and fast, spilling my seed.
“I love seeing you come,” she giggled.
I returned the grin. “My turn.” Gripping her ass, I stood, lifting her off the four-wheeler. I climbed off and set her back down on the seat, sitting sideways. In seconds, I had her shorts off, casting them aside. She had a hungry but nervous look in her eye.
“I’m going to devour you,” I growled in her ear. She glanced around, biting her lip and looked back. I pulled her shirt over her head and snapped away her bra. She sat, reclining back on the four-wheeler, naked except for her white lace panties. Her rich, intoxicating scent filled my nostrils, making my bear roar and claw trying to come out. I hooked my finger around the dripping crotch of her panties and pulled it aside, exposing her tender, pink flesh. My member stiffened again, rising out of my jeans. I had to force myself not to drive my cock into her glistening pussy. She moaned, writhing on my four-wheeler. It was by far the sexist sight I’d ever seen. “Please.”
I rolled her nipple hard between my fingers, making her cry out. “You can beg better than that. I’m going to make sure you do. I’m gonna make you whimper and plead for satisfaction.”
Her legs quivered as I slung them over my shoulders and knelt down to honor her glorious mound. I started, slowly, teasing her tight, cherry-red clit. Her thighs gripped me, hard, and I ventured a longer, sweeter taste, drawing my tongue up through her. She tasted like heaven. Her delicious juices coated my tongue as I pushed her towards climax. “Yes, Jason! Yes, don’t stop!” I slowed, drawing it out. “Oh god!” she screamed. “Yes! Yes!” Her body tensed, her legs clamping down on my shoulders, her back arching. Goddamn, that is my favorite sight in the world.
I licked the last drop of her feminine nectar from my lips and lifted her off the seat. “I can’t,” she said breathlessly and giggled, as I carried her to the shore. I laid her down on the soft grass, and brushed the hair from her face. I kissed her lips softly, exploring her mouth until she began to moan. When I felt her nails digging into my back, I knew she was ready. We made love in the grass, driving one another to climax again and again, until we both collapsed in a sweaty, panting pile on the soft ground.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Jason
We sat on the porch, Elise in the wicker chair beside me, sipping on a glass of iced tea. Cold condensation ran down the bottle of beer in my hand. It was a quiet evening, but not nearly as quiet as it would have been without her.
She caught me staring. “What?” she giggled, the white straw clamped between her teeth.
“Nothing. You’re just—”
Suddenly, a roaring engine drew my attention away. I stood, body tensed.
“What is it?” Elise asked, her voice thick with worry.
Three black SUVs swung into the lane, flying towards us. “Get inside,” I growled. I leapt down the stairs, landing ten feet from the steps. Annie and Sean were at my side in an instant.
“Who the hell is it?” Annie asked.
Sean’s knuckles cracked. “I gotta hunch.”
The truck stopped just short of us, kicking up a cloud of dust. Both side doors opened and out came Gina and another man in a black suit. He wasn’t a shifter either, I could tell by the smell of him, but he wasn’t completely human either. There was a power radiating off of him like heat.
“You’re on private property,” I snarled. “I suggest you get back in your truck and get the hell out of here before we destroy you.”
Gina laughed, a high-pitched cackle which now sounded like nails on a chalkboard to me. “You think we came here to have a pow-wow? Please, I could snap my fingers, and you’d be dead before you could even sprout a hair.”
“What the hell did you come here for?”
“Lucas. My name is Lucas.” He said it as though we were meeting at a cocktail party. “We might as well be cordial, no?”
“Get to the point, Lucas,” I snarled through gritted teeth. “What do you want?”
The man smirked. “A peaceful resolution, believe it or not.” He spread out his hands as though he were making an offering. “That’s all I want.”
“A resolution? To what?”
His face grew serious. “A problem you don’t even know you have. That’s lucky for you. We’ve allowed you to live in ignorance these past years. You should be grateful for that. Agree to our terms, and you can keep living the same way. You can have your little river cook-outs, chat with your little old neighbor lady, even fuck your pretty little girlfriend on a four-wheeler.”
Anger flared up inside me. I clenched my fists. “You motherfucking—” I launched myself forwards, throwing a punch at his face, just waitin
g for it to connect with his jaw and wipe that smirk off his face. But it didn’t. He batted my arm away like it was nothing, and jabbed me with an open palm to my solar plexus, sending me flying backwards five feet. I landed with a crunch that knocked the wind out of me.
“Jason!” Elise cried from the doorway.
“Stay inside!” I shouted with the little air I could get. Sean and Annie exchanged looks, wondering what they should do. I held up my hand, telling them to hold.
“Like I said, Jason, you were lucky before. But I want the amulet. You’ll give it to me in two days, or suffer the consequences.”
Gina cackled, dragging a long knife out of her side pocket. “I might like to see that. Especially since me and your little girlfriend have outstanding business.”
“I’ll kill you,” I spat.
She just grinned. “Ta-ta till then!”
The man in the suit tossed something on the ground before turning on his heel and getting back into the truck. “If it’s not in my hand by noon,” he shouted from the window. “He’s dead.”
Annie went and picked it up. “It’s a ring.”
She dropped it into my palm. It was a heavy, gold band on a silver chain. A wedding ring. “I don’t recognize it.”
“I do.”
I turned to see Elise standing behind me. She stepped forwards and took the ring and chain from me. “It’s my dad’s wedding ring. From when he married my mom.” Her eyes met mine. “He has my dad?”
My arms wrapped around her shoulders as her racking sobs bubbled forth. “We’ll get him back. I promise.”
Elise
I pushed Jason away, wiping the tears from my eyes and ran inside. I had to get away. Away from them, away from other people. I ran to the bedroom and threw myself across the bed. Tears burned my eyes. Jason’s footsteps came behind me. His presence only made it worse. I didn’t want him to see me cry.
“I’m going to fix this.”