"Ah, Princess, your eye is watering. Here, let me wipe that.” Stepping forward, he wiped her face and eyes with a soft, damp rag. “Well, you are ready to go. Better get you settled in and on to the next horse I need to spiffy up.” He led her back to her pen were she waited for what seemed like hours before a different kid came to get her.
This time, Shayla found herself led to a small round arena where crowds of people stood along the railing. A loud voice boomed over the speakers, talking so fast she could barely catch but a few words in each sentence. People gestured wildly with their hands. Some held small pamphlets—at least that was what they looked to be—and as the voice over the loudspeaker spilled out, pamphlets and hands raised and fell in rapid succession.
By the time Shayla realized her predicament of being auctioned off, that very minute the word ‘sold’ rang out loud and clear. She'd been sold to whom?
Great ... just ... frickin’ great. Now, how could she get herself out of this? What a mess this whole thing had become, all because she stopped to shift, never thinking something like this could happen to her.
A handsome blond man appeared at her side. He must have been the one who bought her. Taking the lead line, he led her outside the arena to a big gooseneck horse trailer and truck not too far away and tied her to the side of the trailer. Something about him smelled and looked familiar, but for the life of her, she couldn't fathom why. She heard another person walking up and talking to the blond man.
"That didn't take you long,” said the blond.
"Nope. I sure hope big brother likes her, even without papers. She is a real pretty mare. Moves like a dream, too,” said a man she couldn't see.
"Coy, she is even better looking close up. Take a good look at her refined head, wide muscled chest and nice big ass. I bet she will ride like a dream under saddle."
Shayla would've cow-kicked him if he'd been close enough.
Nice big ass? Do I have a big ass? What woman wants to hear she's got a big ass? And that ride under saddle statement is not happening in this lifetime, buddy.
The other man came into view to stand next to the blond, and what a shocker that turned out to be. They were identical twins! Both had shoulder-length hair, parted in the middle, framing faces that could only be described as panty-wetting handsome and made for sinning.
Their unusual, light-green eyes reminded Shayla of translucent jade, sparkled with highlights of gold. They were tall, with hard muscled frames, easy to discern beneath their clothing. From their chambray shirts, sleeves rolled up exposing strong forearms, creased-front jeans, big silver buckles and western boots, those two were the epitome of heartbreakers. As that thought ran through her mind, two hot-to-trot young women, all decked out in western attire, came waltzing up to the twins, their hips swaying and eyelashes batting. Sexy smiles broke across the men's faces, turning up the volume of their charm to high.
"Hello, ladies. How are you two very fine looking women doing today?"
Oh ... yeah, they were definitely heartbreakers.
Yep, the twins certainly had gorgeous and unique looks going for both. Again, something about them nagged at the back of her mind and Shayla wished she could put her finger on it.
She needed to figure out how she could ditch the Double Mint Twins and get back to her car and...
My car! Everything she owned was in her car—her unlocked car.
Hell, how am I going to get myself out this chaos? She mentally crossed her eyes. She must've been out of her mind leaving a man that put her in a sexual delirium without working up a sweat. Yeah, the mate thing spooked the hell out of her. Yeah, domineering he'd been. But she wasn't a coward. Shayla had made it through too much in her life to turn tail and run. A lesson well learned, yet would it ever end? She should've stayed and at least faced him.
She wondered where exactly did the two droolicious hotties plan to take her.
Chapter 6
Dex could hear the crunching of gravel and the squeaks and groans of metal as the truck and gooseneck horse trailer pulled down the long driveway of the ranch and back toward the broodmare pens. Reece and Coy had phoned a while ago to tell Dex they would be home in about an hour, and they were right on time. He couldn't wait to see the new brood mares and his brothers.
He missed those two firebrands, but his heart was aching, too. Less than twenty-four hours had passed since Shayla had slipped away from him, but it seemed more like an eternity to him. He'd looked all over for her, yet she was nowhere to be found. Now that the twins were home, he'd be able to leave the ranch and seriously start looking for his mare—his mate. Dex plastered a smile on his face as he made his way toward his brothers. “Hey you two hell raisers, let's see what horse flesh you've bought."
Coy was the first to pipe-off, “Hay's for horses, dude.” His infectious smile and smart-ass greeting gave Dex a chuckle. Yep, he missed his brothers.
Without missing a beat, Dex barked right back, “Yeah, and talk is cheap. Show me what our hard-earned money bought. You really didn't go into detail about the mares you picked up, so I am very curious to see how well you two knuckleheads did without my help."
"Bro, I think Coy and I did really well. You should see the gorgeous palomino mare we picked up at our last auction,” Reece said as he walked to the back of the trailer to lower the ramp. To look at all three, one would never know that the twins were Dex's brothers by their coloring. Where Dex was dark, Coy and Reece were fair and sexy sweet, their hair always messy, as if they'd just gotten out of bed after a night of wild sex. They also had their dad's light green eyes that never failed to reel in the women. They made other men look like candidates for the Swan.
A multitude of horses nickering and snorting, their hooves stomping, echoed the sentiments of the mares inside the trailer as if they knew they were home and wanted out. As Dex walked up to the trailer, his nose filled with a familiar scent and his cock hardened.
"Well, I'll be damned.” He quickened his pace and looked inside the trailer, and sure enough, there stood his golden mare—his runaway mate. He was so happy to see her, and at the same time, he wanted to wring her pretty neck. She was eyeballing him, too, with those big, brown, doe eyes of hers. He could tell she was nervous as she stomped and shifted in the trailer away from him. In the shadowy confines of the horse trailer, he caught glimpses of her glistening golden coat as slivers of light filtered through the slats of the trailer. The pale forelock between her eyes accented her movement like raw silk as she tossed her head about.
"Oh, yes, my pretty, you are now all mine,” he said as he tapped the side of the trailer before stepping away.
Reece had made his way over to Dex to see what had snagged his attention. His thumbs tucked around the front loop of his jeans and his manner spoke of confidence. “You like the palomino mare, don't ya? It's the darnedest thing about her. The Quarter horse ranch we bought her at didn't have any papers on her, said she'd been bought in a lot of other mares, yet when we saw her, we just had to have her. You do like her, don't ya? You aren't mad we bought an un-papered mare, are you?"
Dex turned away from the trailer. “Nope, I couldn't be happier. Boys, unload the mares into the broodmare pens, but let the golden mare out in the large pasture."
"But Dex—” Coy stopped mid sentence by Dex's raised hand.
"Just do it, okay?"
"Fine!” Coy snapped.
The brothers watched as Dex started back toward the house. “Where're you going? Don't ya want to see the mares as we unload them?"
He stopped in his tracks and walked back over to his brothers. Dex took a second to gather himself together before speaking. He was mad as hell and it wouldn't be fair to take it out on them. “Meet my mate, boys.” He pointed to the palomino mare in the trailer.
Both brothers stood in stunned silence until Reece finally spoke up, “I'll be damned, Dex. Coy and I just had to have her, even without her papers. Now we understand why."
"For the love of God, couldn't you smell
another of our kind?” Dex couldn't help the anger that crept into his voice.
"Bro, you know this time of the year our allergies are bad, and neither one of us had our allergy medication. You know we can't smell the backside of a dog when our noses are all messed up. We finally stopped on the way here at a drugstore and grabbed some over-the-counter stuff because it had gotten so bad. Instead of biting our damn heads off, you should be kissing our asses we brought back your mate."
Running his hand back through his hair, Dex apologized, “Damn, I don't mean to take it out on you both. It's a long story and I will explain everything later. I need to get a few things from the house and then teach my dear mate a lesson in running from her stallion."
The twin passed a look between them that said, ‘Oh, shit, she is in trouble.’ They both congratulated their brother on finding his mate before they started to unload the mares.
"Way to go, bro,” Coy said as he slapped his brother on the shoulder.
"I guess you weren't losing your mind.” Reece winked at Dex. “Congratulations, old man.” He laughed as he led a nice-looking bay mare away. Dex's reply was to flip him off, which only caused the twins to laugh even harder.
Dex looked forward to what was coming up next. The thought of what he'd do to her when he ran her down went through his head and straight to his cock, and he quickened his pace back up to the house. Oh, he was so looking forward to this!
Chapter 7
The brother named Coy led Shayla down the ramp of the trailer and toward a gate that opened up to miles of green, rolling pasture.
"This is your lucky day, Sunshine,” Coy said as he patted her soft coat. His hand felt good gliding down her neck. “I am sure you already heard my name, but let me introduce myself. I am Coy, Coy Legend, and my other half is Reece, and we are sure happy to meet ya. We are glad to have you in the family.” Leading her through the gate, he unbuckled the halter, letting it slide down off her muzzle and then stepping back. “Oh, and by the way ... don't think badly of Dex. He is a great guy. Now, run like hell, Sunshine.” And with that last parting shot, he gave her a hard slap on the ass.
He didn't have to tell her twice. Leaping forward, Shayla ran full out, kicking up her heels, snorting and bucking. With her head held high and her tail arched like a flag whipping behind her, she galloped away. What did he have planned for her now? Why did they let her go instead of letting her shift in privacy? She had a feeling a whole lot of trouble would be quickly galloping her way, and trouble had a name—Dex. By his body language alone, she could tell the man was pissed. As excited to see him as she was, she'd been around enough angry men before to know the experience might not be a pleasant one. The fear factor took over and the natural urge to flee from her mate once again sent her running.
Damn, it was weird thinking of him as her mate, but for some unexplainable reason, it seemed to be growing on her and it wasn't as scary anymore. Could she be that woman deep down inside with heart and drive enough to control a stud like Dex? Shayla knew she would soon find out.
* * * *
After going into the house, Dex retrieved one of his robes and a pair of socks. He didn't have any slippers that would fit her tiny feet, so socks would have to do. As he passed by his brothers, he quickly spoke to them, steel lining his words, “Will be back after I take care of my mate. If I am not back by early tomorrow morning, start worrying."
Reece gestured with his hand to his forehead in a soldier's salute. “Gotcha."
"Smart ass,” Dex mumbled under his breath.
Going into the pasture Shayla had been let loose in, he made his way to the lone stall. Undressing, he shifted effortlessly into his equestrian form, leaving behind the robe and socks for her when they returned, and he wasn't returning without her right beside him.
Emerging from out of the stall, a black stallion with his neck arched and his large body tensed, he drew in a deep breath, filling his lung with Shayla's unique smell, reminding him of a fresh summer day with fragrant flowers. With her scent firmly ingrained within every cell of his body, he lunged forward, eating up the ground with his long stride. His cock, hard and full, bounced against his underbelly each time his forelegs struck the ground. Her scent filled his nostrils, getting stronger as Dex made his way to the back of the expansive pasture. Not far ahead, he spied Shayla galloping toward the fence line off in the distance. Lengthening his stride, he bore down on her, easily overtaking her. Dex let out a deep, bellowing cry that split the air and left no doubt he was coming for her, claiming her as his mare, his mate.
Shayla tried cutting back, but his powerful stride proved too much for her, and he quickly caught up with her. Baring his teeth and nipping at her neck, using his size to lean into her, turning her into a circle, he tightened each turn until they came to a standstill.
* * * *
Dex took her breath away in his stallion form. With his nostrils flaring as he drew in her scent, he tossed his majestic head and flicked his flowing black tail in a show of stud-like irritation—dominance over his mare. His large, round dark eyes were radiant and wild. Shayla squealed, striking-out with a front hoof, showing her own temper. She wasn't a pushover, and if he wanted her, he'd better damn well start proving his worth right now. She made some mistakes, but she didn't deserve his wrath either. To be truthful, arousal rocked her to the core as well as her feeling a little intrepid at seeing him, but this was like a mating ritual, one she'd seen enough with domesticated horses to understand the different nuances between the interactions of a stud and mare. He'd show dominance, and she'd play hard-to-get. In the end, the stallion would get the mare to be submissive.
As he pranced around her, his sex rode long and stiff along his underbelly. Stopping, he pressed his muzzle up against hers, blowing and snorting, using it as a gauge to her temperament to let him mount her. This time Shayla didn't strike out or squeal. Raising her tail, she surrendered over to him. It was the single most erotic experience of her life, the thought of coming together as equestrian shifters, joining one body to another. Her tail shifted up to display her sex opening and closing as he courted her. Her wet desire ran down her hocks to pool on the ground.
Standing next to her, he made her feel small. He was a mountain of muscle, sculpted and carved beneath the sheen of his midnight black coat.
Dex ran his muzzle down her neck, sniffing and blowing hot bursts of breath across her body, disturbing the fine hairs of her golden pelt as he worked his way down her side, past her flanks and up over her hips until he reached her hot opening. Taking in the smell of her sexual arousal, he raised his head and curled his upper lip in the air, expressing his pleasure in her desire for him. Theirs was a wordless language, one demonstrated through sounds, smell and touch.
Suddenly rearing up on his hindquarters, he mounted her from behind. His massive bulk had her widening her back legs to accommodate his weight as he wedged his front legs on either side of her flanks. Shayla trembled, waves rippled beneath her coat and her heartbeat rose in anticipation of being mounted.
As he entered her moist opening, softened by her arousal, it parted, melting around his large cock, swallowing him inch by thick inch, until he was fully seated deep inside her. She could feel his breath along her neck as he arched over her body, nipping her in time to his powerful thrusts. Shayla was overwhelmed by the sensations of being taken—mastered in the most primitive way. Low grunts and snorts filled her ears. The exquisite pleasure of being filled so completely had her bearing down and pushing back to take him even deeper into her body.
They were joined together in the ultimate way of their kind, becoming one as their sexes merged into the other, linking them, binding them. Their coupling was primal and fierce, yet beautifully natural. His large body covering her from behind, nipping at her whithers and neck with his teeth, called to her in ways she couldn't have ever imagined. It was as if a dam of long-ago intrinsic knowledge broke open with the joining of their bodies, unlocking feelings and intense emotions, leavin
g her with an understanding of who she truly was for the first time. The tinges of her lonely past faded, and in its place, a burst of recognition filled the void she'd always had. Now she understood the importance of being with a mate, having the comforts of a real family, a herd to call her own. She felt silly now, acting scared, running away from the one man who made her feel whole.
The powerful rhythms of Dex's thrusts grew more frenzied as his muscled hindquarters bunched and gathered, flanks heaving as he deepened his thrusts. Shayla braced her legs, taking the pounding, using her own weight to counterbalance, matching his forward thrusts with backward momentum of her ass end. Her sex started milking his cock, sucking him, as her orgasm fired through her blood, igniting one spasm after another.
A low grunt of satisfaction and one last, hard thrust told her Dex had also found his release. Gently, he slid down off her hindquarters. Back on all fours, he nuzzled her sex, as if worshiping their combined essence that slowly trickled out of her swollen sex. For a few moments, they stood next to each other, his neck draping lovingly over hers. Together, they enjoyed the soothing sounds of nature. Bird's twittered from above, insects buzzed in the air, and a soft breeze blew through the landscape in perfect harmony with its surrounding elements. The blue of the sky dabbled with fluffy white clouds.
Acting in tandem, they turned, making their way back toward the house. It was time to talk about their future and to share their dreams...
Chapter 8
After their leisure gait back, stopping to shift in the privacy of the stall, they walked hand-in-hand toward the house. “Thank you for remembering to have something for me to wear.” Shayla ran her hand down the soft texture of the fluffy robe, picking up one foot and holding it out in front of her, wiggling her toes. “And the socks, too."
Shayla stopped a little ways from the house, pulling back on Dex's hand. “When you called me mate in the throes of passion, it spooked me. I know running away was not the answer. I should have faced my fears, but I didn't. I was having a moment, so sue me, okay. I did things with you I haven't done with any other man.” A smile crossed her face. “And, I liked it. I craved it to the point nothing else mattered. I lost control and that scared me. Even now, after what we did, I still feel the need to touch you, be close to you. Needy almost.” Shayla paused before continuing, thinking carefully before she voiced her next words. “I honestly cannot say I love you. I hardly know you, but what I do feel is an intense emotional connection to you—at peace for once in my life, which I didn't really understand until I left you, and then when we coupled in the ways of our kind, it unlocked something inside me. Sexual attraction is definitely something we have. You will have to be patient with me and try to give us time to develop our relationship."
Rearing Heat Page 4