by Dara Tulen
He jerked away. “Please don't.” He turned his face. “I don't want to hurt anyone.”
“Judah,” I spoke slowly, unable to believe I was just about to ask this question. “It's been three years since you were cursed. When was the last time anyone touched you? Hugged you?”
The tear that rolled down his cheek told me more than words. It wasn't just the physical pain of what happened when he changed. He'd isolated himself rather than risk hurting someone when he changed. I reached for him again. I understood isolation, though mine was only emotional and not physical. This time, when he started to pull away, my hand followed. My fingers curled around his chin and forced him to turn his face towards me.
“It's okay.” I could barely recognize my own voice. I hadn't spoken that gently to someone since Liam had died.
“I can't...I don't want to hurt you,” he sounded like he was pleading with me.
With a start, I realized that he was trembling. My stomach clenched in a way that was both familiar and unfamiliar. I'd been attracted to him from the moment I'd seen him at the bakery, but there was something different about the heat coiling in my belly, something that said I didn't want just a fuck. I wanted this as much for him as I did for myself. I should have tried to talk myself out of it, I knew, but something inside me overrode that part of my brain.
“You're not going to hurt me,” I continued speaking to him in the soothing voice that people usually used on a frightened child. “Let me touch you.”
I could see the war raging on his face. It wasn't about sex. He wasn't even thinking it, I was sure, but he wanted whatever physical contact I would offer. No, it was beyond want. He craved it. That raw hunger was what made me act.
I captured his mouth with mine before he could react. He stiffened at first and I wrapped one hand around his neck to keep him from pulling away. My lips moved slowly against his and when I parted them to let the tip of my tongue trace along the seam of his mouth, he sighed, his body relaxing. My fingers curled into his thick hair as my free hand began to explore the tanned expanse of his back and shoulders. The muscles beneath my fingers rippled and then his arms were around me, pulling me to him. His mouth opened under mine and my tongue slid into that wet heat to meet his. The sound that he made went right through me and my pussy throbbed.
Then, suddenly, he was pulling away, his face flushed, his hands shaking. “No.” He shook his head. “I can't.”
My eyes dropped to where the blanket had opened, revealing a thick, swollen cock. It curved up, bobbing against one of the hardest sets of abs I'd ever seen, and that was saying something. A quick guess put it at about ten inches and I bit my bottom lip to keep from groaning. It had been too long since I'd had something like that between my legs.
“I see something that says you can,” I gave him a saucy grin and grabbed the bottom of my t-shirt, pulling it over my head in one smooth motion.
“If I lose control, I change,” Judah pulled the blanket over his lap, hiding himself from view.
“Have you been with anyone since you were cursed?” I used the question as a chance to kick off my boots and strip out of my pants. I wasn't planning on being talked out of this.
Judah shook his head.
“Then how do you know?”
His face turned an even deeper red. “I just do.” He mumbled.
“Oh.” I didn't need an explanation as I put two and two together. I really hoped he hadn't been in his dorm room when it had happened. I wasn't about to ask though. It didn't matter. The realization that he hadn't even masturbated in three years just solidified my decision to help him. I knew that the way to keep Weres from shifting at random moments was to take them to their limit and then let them regain control. Fortunately for me, one way to do that was with sex. “Do you believe that I'm as good of a hunter as everyone says?”
Judah looked up at me, a puzzled expression on his face. I could tell that he was trying very hard not to look at my body and the knowledge that he wanted to look at me made me smile.
“Do you?”
“Yes.” He nodded.
“That means I know about Were triggers and how to help with them.” I took a step towards him, closing the distance that he'd put between us. I was still standing, clad only in a pair of black cotton panties and a matching bra, and I looked down at him. “And you're going to let me help you. No more arguing.”
He opened his mouth as if to protest and I put my finger over his lips, shaking my head. “No more arguing.” I repeated. “Rule number one, the only time you can talk is if I ask you a direct question, if you're expressing your enjoyment of something, or if you feel like you're going to shift.” He nodded, his eyes wide. “Rule number two, you do whatever I tell you to do, even if you don't understand it. Got it?” He nodded again. “Good.”
I took the edges of the blanket in my hand. “No more covering up that amazing body.”
His fingers opened as I pulled the blanket away. I felt his eyes on me as I spread it out on the floor. It wasn't really much of a cushion, but my knees would be grateful for all the help they got. As I stepped over to my pants, I instructed Judah to lay down on the blanket. After I pulled my belt out of the loops, I turned and found that he'd done exactly as I'd asked. I walked towards him, ignoring the voice in the back of my head that said I should stop, that he was a Were. I just kept my eyes on his, letting the fear and desire in those green depths drive me. It had been a long time since someone had truly needed me and it was a heady aphrodisiac.
I put one foot on either side of his waist and lowered myself to my knees, careful not to touch him. Without saying a word I looped my belt and then reached for his right hand. He watched me, eyes wide, as I lifted his other arm to join the first and tightened my belt around his wrists. I leaned forward and put his hands over his head. My breasts brushed against his face and he mouthed the soft cotton of my bra. I made a sound halfway between a groan and a moan as my nipples hardened. Reluctantly, I sat up.
“I want you to give yourself over to the sensation of my hands on you,” I kept my voice low and even as I ran my hands over Judah's chest. His heart pounded against my palms and I could read the fear on his face. “Your hands are tied, you are under my control and I will not let anything bad happen to you.”
His breathing hitched as my fingers passed over his nipples. Ah, a sensitive area. I returned to them and scraped my nails over the caramel colored flesh. Both hardened instantly and Judah made a noise. I could feel him fighting against it, fighting his body's natural response.
“Let go,” I leaned over him and flicked my tongue over one sensitive nub. His entire body was still tense. All right, maybe he liked something a little different. I switched to his other nipple, but this time I didn't use my tongue. The instant my teeth touched his skin, he whimpered. There it was. I took my mouth from his nipple and spoke, my breath hot against his skin. “I've got you.” I returned to worrying at the wrinkled flesh with my teeth until I felt him shudder.
“Please,” he gasped the word and I stopped.
When I straightened, I saw that the pupils of his eyes had changed into the cat-slit of a dragon. I placed my hands on his stomach as he closed his eyes. “It's okay. Breath. Just breath.”
While there was nothing I could do for the three-day change, this one, I could teach him to fight. He would still need to be careful, but at least he wouldn't go all fangs and scales when he fucked. After a minute, he let out a lungful of air and opened his eyes. They'd returned to normal.
“What were you thinking?” I began to trace patterns on his skin with my fingertips.
He blushed, his eyes sliding away from mine.
“Judah,” I flexed my fingers and he hissed as my nails scraped his flesh.
“I just focused on the belt around my wrists and kept telling myself that you had me so I wasn't going to change.”
A rush of pleasure ran through me at his words and only part of it was because he'd done as he'd been told. Despite what I w
anted to believe, my dominate side was only partially in control of the situation. There was a deeper connection here than I wanted to admit. I pushed the introspection aside. This wasn't the time or the place.
“Very good.” My praise brought a smile to his face. “Let's try it again, this time with something a little harder.” I stressed the word as I slid down his body.
“Shit,” his hips jerked involuntarily as I brushed over his cock.
For a moment, I wished that I had my hair down so that it would hide my face as I looked at him. I was sure he could see the desire on my face, my own need as raw as his own, and though I was still partially covered, I felt as if I were the one naked and exposed. I fought against the strange feeling and focused on the task at hand. I wasn't going to get to explore as much as I wanted right now because, as important as this was, I did need to get back and tell the Feds that their wendigo was dead. They didn't need to know about the dragon...or this. I needed to savor the time I did have. And speaking of savoring...
The second my tongue touched his cock, Judah swore again. I stopped and looked up the length of his body to find him watching me. His eyes were dark, but his pupils were human. I lowered my head again and ran the flat of my tongue along the underside of his cock. His skin was impossibly soft and he tasted of salt and spice. I'd never tasted anything like it and I had a brief moment to wonder if all Weres tasted like that before I took him into my mouth. His hips bucked up and I had to stop moving or risk him going too deep. I had to work up to taking more than a few inches and there was no way I was getting this entire thing in my mouth. As it was, I could already feel my jaw starting to ache from my mouth being open so wide. I waited until he stopped moving and then took as much of him as I could, hollowing my cheeks as I used my hands on the part I couldn't get into my mouth.
“Stop, Siobhan, stop, please,” Judah cried out.
I could feel the heat radiating off of him as I let his cock slip from between my lips. I should have been afraid, I knew. Weres' temperatures went up before they shifted, the bigger the shift, the hotter they got. Instead of moving away from him, however, I moved back up his body and placed my hands on his stomach again.
“Shh,” I murmured. The heat on my palms was nearly unbearable. “Just breathe. Remember, I've got you.”
Judah nodded, panting with the strain of pushing back the beast that wanted to come forward. His eyes locked with mine and I watched the dragon recede. He was so much stronger than he believed himself to be. It was time.
“You are in control of who you are,” I straightened and reached beneath me to take his cock in my hand. “I want you to visualize locking that dragon in a cage so big and so strong that it can't break out.” I ran my hand up and down his full length. I'd never been able to understand how something so hard could feel like the softest velvet. “Have you done that?” I waited for him to nod. “Very good. Now, I want you to let go, completely.”
His eyes opened wide and I saw that the fear had returned. I continued stroking him as I spoke. “You're not going to fall. I've got you, remember? Can you feel the belt around your wrists?” He nodded. “If you feel the dragon trying to break out of that prison, I want you to focus on the belt and let it remind you that I've got you and you're not going to shift.”
I rose up on my knees, still holding him with one hand. The other hand moved to the now-soaked crotch of my panties. I pulled them aside and saw Judah's jaw drop. I want to laugh and ask him what he'd been expecting, but I didn't. I knew that he was shocked that I was going to do this because a part of me was just as shocked that I wanted it. I didn't just want to help him. I wanted to feel every inch of his cock inside me, stretching me, reaching places inside me that would make me scream.
“Protection?” The word was strangled and I could see the effort it had taken for him to say it.
I gave him a half-smile, pleased that even though it had been at least three years since he'd had a release of any kind, he wanted to be the gentleman. “It's one of the benefits of being a Were.” I positioned him at my dripping entrance. “You're pretty much immune to every type of disease and illness out there.” I knew what he'd ask next, so I answered it first, anxious to get going. “And all female hunters are on the pill from the moment they hit puberty. Let's stop the small talk because I have a feeling this isn't going to be very long.”
Judah's hands closed into fists as I began to inch my way down his cock. Shit, I'd been right, he was huge. I placed one hand on his stomach to balance myself and moved the other one between my legs. I wanted relief as well and I knew Judah wasn't going to last very long. Not after three years of nothing. I shivered as my fingers found my clit.
“Fuck,” Judah breathed and I looked up to find him watching me.
I wasn't usually into eye contact during sex. It was too intimate, but I found that I couldn't look away. His skin slid against mine as I dropped lower and lower until I came to rest against him. It was only then that I realized my breathing was coming in pants, and my muscles were shaking. I'd never been so full. It felt like he was reaching every part of my insides, as if we were merging into the same person.
“I've got you,” I whispered as I began to move.
As I watched, the fear in Judah's eyes melted away, replaced by something that I didn't recognize at first. It wasn't until my name began to fall from his lips that I realized what it was. Trust. Not the trust of someone being dominated in the bedroom, but the complete and total trust of someone who knows that their partner will never let them fall.
Judah's body went rigid and a near-scream ripped from his throat and I felt him pulse inside me. My fingers moved faster and I exploded a moment later, crying out as my climax tore through me with an intensity that shocked me. My entire body went numb as I slumped down onto Judah's chest. His heart thumped in my ear, a strong, steady sound that made me smile. His skin was warm and slicked with sweat, but it was far from the heat of a pre-shift. He'd done it. He'd controlled his beast.
I opened my eyes when I felt him put his arms around me, his bound hands resting on my back. I looked up at him and he grinned at me, relief written across his face. “Good work.” Okay, I knew that sounded silly, but it was all I could think of. After the best orgasm I'd had in a while, I was happy I could remember how to speak at all.
“So,” Judah suddenly looked shy. “What do we do now?”
“Well,” I rolled off of him, another shiver of pleasure going through me as his cock slid from my body. Even soft, he was impressive. “You and I are going to find the person who cursed you, and to do that, we're going to go back to the beginning.” I unbound his hands. “We're going to college.”
Chapter Seven
“Can I ask you a question?”
Judah's tone was so hesitant that I had a pretty good idea of what he was going to ask. I kept my eyes fixed on the road ahead even though he was the one driving. “Sure.”
“How did you know that would work?”
“You mean, do I make a habit of fucking Weres?” I translated.
“No – I – that's not...”
I laughed and glanced over at him. His cheeks were red and my stomach twisted. I kind of liked it when he blushed. “It's okay. It's a fair question.” I looked away again. “When I was sixteen, I ended up getting caught in a storm and taking shelter with a were-leopard. We started talking and the subject got around to how Weres learned to control their spontaneous shifting. She explained to me how her prowl did it for their members.”
“So you'd never...”
“Not with a Were,” I shook my head, feeling my own cheeks fill with heat. I still couldn't quite believe I'd fucked a Were.
“We're here,” Judah pulled into the parking lot being the library.
I'd never been to Georgetown before, though I had made my way onto college campuses in the past. Granted, I'd always been tracking something at the time, but it was all the college experience I was going to get. As we got out of Judah's car, he pointed towa
rds a line of trees to our right.
“Can I ask something else?” Judah's ears were bright red.
“I'll tell you what,” I ducked under a low-hanging branch. “You stop asking for permission and you can ask whatever you want.”
“All right,” Judah nodded as he stopped. He looked around and then nodded. “Here.”
As I began to examine the area, he asked another question.
“You said that all female hunters went on birth control as soon as they hit puberty. Why?”
Right. I'd forgotten I'd said that. It was common, though unspoken, knowledge among hunters, but we rarely shared it with outsiders. Just the thought of it made me uncomfortable, but I decided to tell him. After all, I'd been the one who'd brought it up. “Killing and eating aren't the only things that Paranormal Beings do to humans. Sometimes it's just pure instinct. Some of them, however, they find it...amusing to take a female hunter or a hunter's daughter for...entertainment purposes.”