by Kate Hill
For several moments he accepted congratulations before he was able to slip away.
“I need to cool down before I burst,” he murmured to her. “I can’t take these tropics.”
“Apparently you can take it better than those nineteen other Highlanders.” She grinned.
Zach winked at her as she helped him unfasten his harness. The blacksmith approached, still muttering about losing his free labor, and collected the harness. Zach paid him from the prize money, as promised, and that seemed to ease the man’s complaining.
Zach knelt for Sophia to mount and she slipped onto his bare back. He did feel incredibly hot, but she didn’t mind. Moments after he took to the sky, his coin bags in hand, they landed near the lake close to the place where they’d set up camp the night before. A quick glance revealed none of their belongings had been touched from where they’d stored them in a rocky nook near the ledge where they’d slept.
Sophia slipped off his back and sat next to the coin bags in the grass. He knelt beside her, cupping her face in his hand and kissing her. Sophia unwound his braid and ran her fingers through his damp hair.
“Go cool off,” she whispered against his lips.
After another quick kiss, he did as she suggested and strode into the lake. Though on the warm side, the water felt good on his heated body. He ducked under and wet his hair. After a few moments, he felt much better and stepped out, flicking his tail. Sophia joined him as he walked around the field until his equine coat and human hair were dry. All the while, her hands strayed from his arms to his beast-back to his wings. Nearly recovered from the contest, Zach felt more than ready for her. Desire twisted his gut.
He tugged her into his arms and rubbed his nose against hers. “I’m going to change to Huform,” he said. “I want you. Right now.”
“Then take me!” Her breathing quickened. “I’m yours, Zach!”
Zach placed Sophia on her feet and concentrated on his Turning Point. He shuddered as the change ripped through him, leaving him momentarily drained. His strength rushed back. He bent and picked up the bags of prize money. “I’d better take this, even though at this moment I’d rather be carrying you than the bags.”
She giggled. “Hold onto the bags. Once we get to camp, you can have me in your arms for as long as you want.”
He kissed her. “That’s the best prize I’ll ever win.”
Together, they walked to the ledge.
The afternoon had grown unbearably hot, and they were grateful for the overhang that shaded them from the sun. Miles from the city, they were completely alone except for the occasional bird flying overhead.
Sophia stretched out on the blanket and Zach loomed above her, supporting his weight on his forearms. His beautiful golden gaze held hers. With her fingertip, Sophia traced his eyebrows and trailed his cheekbones. At that moment, they needed no words. Their love encompassed them, almost tangible in its intensity.
Her eyes slipped shut and she shivered as the tip of his tongue circled her ear then swept down her throat.
Warm lips closed over one of her nipples. Zach tongued the tight little peak while slipping one hand between Sophia’s legs. His callused palms swept her inner thighs. His fingertips tickled the joining of her legs and pelvis.
Sophia moaned, threading her fingers through his hair. His cock, rock-hard yet velvet-skinned, thrust against her leg.
“Gods, Sophia,” he said breathlessly, “I want…”
She opened her eyes and gazed at him. His expression was so carnal that her entire body went weak.
“What?” she whispered. “What do you want?”
He raised himself to his hands and knees, his back brushing the craggy overhang. His thick cock dangled almost to the floor. Sophia had the sudden urge to taste every marvelous inch of it. She turned a bit awkwardly in the cramped space and lay on her back, his cock hovering over her face.
“Ahh.” Zach released a deep breath. “You’ve read my mind.”
“Umm.” Sophia grinned before grasping his cock in both hands. She pushed back his foreskin and guided the swollen head between her lips. Her tongue flicked it and traced the ridge before she began sucking.
Zach lowered his torso, holding his weight on his forearms. Sophia mewled when he began licking her clit. His lips tugged and tongue flicked over her moist, passion-swelled nub while she continued lapping his cock. The excitement of simultaneously stimulating each other heightened her passion to a level she’d never dreamed of. Wanting to pleasure him as much as possible, she grasped his balls in one hand, tenderly squeezing the sack. It felt so warm, covered in the faintest down of sparse hair. She shivered not only from the heart-pounding pleasure of his mouth on her clit, but from the thought that she held such raw masculine vitality in her hands and between her lips. His enormous cock, so stiff and potent, and his weighty balls were just for her, quivering for her touch and so ready to drench her with his essence.
“Oh, Zach,” she panted, her breath fanning his cock head, “I want you inside me. I want to feel you so deep inside me!”
“Turn around.” He raised himself on his arms.
Sophia gave his cock one last lick. Zach groaned, a shiver running through him. She positioned herself beneath him, closing her eyes as he entered her with a long, slow thrust. Sighing with pleasure, she ran her fingertips up and down his sides, tracing his ribs and marveling at the hardness of his entire body. No matter how often she touched him, his power amazed her. It was like stroking steel beneath skin.
“Take me faster, Zach! I can’t wait!”
He groaned, pounding into her, his breath rasping in her ear as she clung to him so tightly her arms and legs ached.
“Oh! Zach! Oh, don’t stop! Don’t!” she gasped, her hips shoving against his, her heels sinking into the backs of his thighs as she erupted in pleasure. Her grip loosened as her orgasm waned, but he gave her no moment of rest. His movements hadn’t slowed a bit. His big, heated body pounded into her. Suddenly his mouth clamped over hers, his tongue thrusting in time with the frenzied motion of his hips. Sophia gasped into his mouth as another orgasm shook her from the roots of her hair to the tips of her toes.
Zach tore his mouth from hers, his breathing ragged. Sophia could scarcely believe it when his thrusting actually increased. Her pussy and clit ached with passion. Between the fury of their movements and the tropical heat, their bodies were drenched in sweat. Their slick skin slid against each other. She tasted salty perspiration on her lips. Above the pounding of her heart, she heard his moans and growls of passion. His powerful body tensed. With a cry of pleasure, another orgasm broke over her. This time she felt him join her in perfection. He roared her name, every muscle in his big body tight as he came.
His breath caressed her shoulder and neck as she cuddled closer, a smile of pure contentment on her lips.
Chapter Six
Just Married
To Sophia, the next three months flew by. Though nightmares about the mines still plagued Zach, they had finally started to decrease and his guilt appeared to fade. Probably because he was so busy with competitions that he had little time to dwell on the past. With consistent affection and reassurance from Sophia, he seemed to have realized that he had acted in self-defense. Other than allowing the slavers to kill him and the other workers in the mines, he had no choice but to fight for his freedom. Zach competed in every pulling contest he could find from north to south, placing first in each one. Word of his amazing strength and endurance spread faster than the Plague without Rock Blood. At the fairs, strangers approached him, calling him by name and asking where his next competition would be. Highlanders from every part of the world traveled to face him. Where Zach appeared, other pullers no longer competed against each other, all sought to beat him.
Sophia had to admit she enjoyed the attention surrounding him. It was good to see him recognized. Zach, however, never seemed comfortable with his notoriety. Only during the actual pulling itself was he completely focused and at ease.
She knew people’s awe flattered him, but he wasn’t fool enough to think it would last.
“Someday I could lose,” he said one morning after winning a competition in a town called Lost Hill.
He and Sophia stood by a lake miles away from the fairground. Since the first competition away from home, it had become their habit to camp out whenever possible. During colder weather, he made a point to find a clean inn for Sophia’s comfort, but they preferred the beauty and privacy the outdoors offered.
Zach had just finished cooling off and Sophia was rubbing him down and brushing his equine coat. She’d been worried about him that morning, since he hadn’t been feeling well for the past few days. He told her it was just a cold, but she knew anything that impeded breathing placed a greater burden on him while pulling. The stuffy head had annoyed him, but he argued that a little cold wouldn’t keep him from his work. He and the last remaining puller in the contest reached the halfway mark when a coughing fit nearly incapacitated him. Zach’s momentary weakness seemed to give his tiring opponent added strength. For several tense moments, onlookers thought Zach might lose for the first time in his pulling career. By the three-quarter mark, Zach caught up with the other Highlander and managed to win. Still, the near loss reminded both Sophia and the crowd that Zach was not a machine, but a living, breathing creature. His reputation and strength hadn’t been handed to him, but earned through hard work and determination.
The near loss might not have been his best exhibition, but it did endear him even more to the public.
“Zach, even if you lost, it wouldn’t matter. You’ve earned the respect of so many people. “
“Crowds are fickle.”
“But I’m not.” She gazed at him with all the love she felt.
Zach coughed and took a swallow of water from his pouch.
“How are you?” she asked, running a soft cloth over his freshly brushed coat.
“Fine, but I think I can use a couple of days off.”
She smiled, stepping in front of him and slipping her arms around his waist. “I never thought I’d hear you utter those words, but I’m glad you did.”
“I was thinking.” He slipped an arm around her and used his free hand to brush wisps of hair from her forehead. “I’ve earned quite a bit of money from all these contests.”
“That’s true.” While not wealthy, Zach was certainly well-off. He had more than enough to begin farming and support them both, should any problems occur during the first year or two. Sophia still worked as a seamstress, often taking her work with her while they traveled. Since Zach had been winning so much, he’d taken over most of the cottage’s upkeep and Sophia didn’t need to work nearly as much as before. He told her she didn’t have to work at all, other than in the house, but Sophia enjoyed sewing and creating with her needle.
“Let’s get married,” he said.
Sophia’s belly dropped at the same time her pulse leapt. “Married? When?”
“As soon as possible—if you want to marry me, that is.”
“Oh, Zach!” She squeezed him tighter and laughed as he swept her into his arms. “I’ve wanted to marry you since the first dream we shared!”
“I love you, Sophia.”
“I love you, too.” She kissed him. Still smiling, she used her fingertip to draw tiny circles in the hollow of his throat. “You know, I think it’s long past time you met my parents.”
“Your parents.” He appeared a bit uneasy. “What will they think of me—of us together?”
“I think they’ll love you, but it doesn’t really matter what they think. I love you.”
“When we get home, we’ll send a message and plan a visit.”
Sophia nodded, kissing him again.
He tugged away. “Keep kissing me and you’ll catch my cold.”
“I’ll take the risk.” She touched her lips to his temple and squeezed his neck.
* * * * *
Feeling like an ox in a bird’s nest, Zach sat at the small, round table in the tiny cottage. In spite of the cool autumn day and the open windows sending a breeze through the room, sweat beaded on his forehead.
Sophia’s father, Mel, a human of medium-height but with an expression more intimidating than half the Highlanders Zach had met in competition, watched him with a discerning expression.
“Been hearing a lot about you,” Mel said. “They say you’re a pretty decent puller.”
“Oh, Mel!” Sophia’s mother, Loretta, a small, slim woman with Sophia’s pleasant expression, playfully slapped her husband’s shoulder. “You know he’s considered one of the best pullers in the world.”
“Hasn’t been at it long enough to say that,” Mel stated. “He’s good, but the real pullers need a year of fairs under their belts.”
“He’s been pulling in the mines, Pa,” Sophia said. “That’s more work than any of these fair Highlanders have ever done. It just so happens he couldn’t win prizes as a slave.”
“I admit, you have courage to have survived in the Vertue Mountains.” Mel nodded. “And you led a rebellion, so you’re not afraid to fight for what you believe in. You seem to be the kind of man I’d want for my daughter.”
“Thank you, Sir,” Zach said, wishing he was outside, plodding through a field or soaring through the sky with Sophia on his back. As if sensing his discomfort, she reached for his hand beneath the table and squeezed it, offering him a slight smile.
“I just don’t understand this whole dream situation,” Mel continued. “Never did.”
“You don’t have to understand it.” Loretta placed cups of tea on the table.
Tiny, fragile, porcelain cups. Zach’s belly tightened so much it ached. Why couldn’t she use those big wooden mugs arranged on the counter over the sink?
Everyone reached for their tea and the vegetable pies piled on the tray in the center of the table. Though small, the pies were bursting with carrots, potatoes, peas, and corn, and there were plenty of them. They smelled delicious, but Zach wondered if he could choke any down. Never in his life had he been too nervous to eat, but this meeting with Sophia’s parents just might kill him where the slavers had failed.
“Sophia’s always been too independent for her own good,” Mel said between bites of pie and swigs of tea.
“Pa!” Sophia scolded. She took two pies, taking a big bite from one and placing the other in front of Zach. A nudge of her foot under the table told him to stop worrying and eat the damn thing. “Pa wanted me to stay here and marry our neighbor’s son.”
“David’s a very nice boy,” Loretta said, “but I don’t think he was right for Sophia.”
“To you, no one was right for Sophia!” Mel growled. “That’s why the girl’s so headstrong, because you always let her do whatever she damn well pleased!”
“Will you two stop it!” Sophia snapped. She glanced at Zach. “Now you know why I moved to Hornview!”
Rather than comment, Zach reached for his teacup. It was next to impossible for him to comfortably grasp the fragile handle between his thumb and forefinger. He folded his hand around the cup and it seemed to disappear. Mel cocked an eyebrow and stared as Zach raised it to his lips and sipped.
“Ain’t got much of an appetite for a big Highlander, do you, boy?” Mel said. “Eat!”
Zach didn’t want to eat. He wanted to drop dead right there. There was no way he was going to survive this visit.
Loretta stood and filled one of the wooden mugs with water. She placed it in front of Zach. “Here, dear.”
“Thank you.” Zach gratefully drained the mug.
“So when do you two plan to get married?” Mel asked.
“As soon as Sophia wants,” Zach said, meeting his lover’s eyes.
“I want to make sure you both can be there as well as our friends from Hornview,” Sophia said. “Would you and Ma be able to come and stay with us next week?”
“Let me see.” Mel leaned back in his chair. “I need to let Errol know he’ll be in charge of the fishing
boat by himself for a couple of days, then I have to arrange for Pete to take care of the horses and goats. Yes, I think next week should be fine.”
“Good.” Zach sighed. Now that it was settled, he and Sophia could head for home.
“Zach and one of our friends from Hornview said they’ll fly you over,” Sophia said.
“No, thank you.” Mel held up his hands. “We’ll take the rig. I’m not made to be flying through the skies. My feet are staying firmly on the ground.”
“I’ve always wanted to fly,” Loretta said dreamily, “but if your father goes in the rig, I’ll travel with him.”
“If you’d like to try flying, ma’am, I’d be honored to take you up,” Zach said then glanced at Mel, “with your permission?”
Mel grunted and lit his pipe. “If she wants to do a damn fool thing like that, it’s up to her.”
“When can we go?” Loretta asked Zach.
“Right now, if you want.”
Sophia smiled and tugged her mother out of the chair. “Ma, you’re going to have so much fun! It’s wonderful up there!”
Zach stood, grateful for any reason to get out of the little cottage. “I’ll go outside and change form.”
Zach ducked his head to keep from striking it on the ceiling as he left the house. Outside, he drew a deep breath of clear autumn air and wiped a hand across his forehead. Gods, he never imagined meeting soon-to-be in-laws could take so much out of a man.
He walked to the barn where the animals watched him curiously as he shifted shape. As the floor shook, the horses neighed loudly. He adjusted his saddle and stepped outside where Sophia, Loretta, and Mel stood a short distance from the house.
“I’ll never be able to climb on you!” Loretta giggled when she saw the height of Zach’s beast-back.
Zach knelt and Sophia helped Loretta get on.
“Now whatever you do, Ma, don’t panic and let go of him,” Sophia said.
Mel’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t you usually have a strap or something to hold? I thought it was bad manners to hang on to a Horseman.”