by Savage Rose
“I know.” Cheri pressed her lips together, but remained silent. “Guess I should have made up my mind to come before everywhere else was booked.” The large woman adjusted in her seat, glancing at the motel and then back to Lara, working herself up to something. Lara simply clutched her bag to her chest and waited.
“They’ve given me an entire suite at the Sheraton. Would you want to stay with me instead?” Cheri asked, her soft, Southern voice making the offer sound as silky as the sheets that suite probably had. Sheets Lara would dearly love to find the two of them between. She shook her head, short black hair whipping gently against her broad cheeks.
“Thanks for the offer, but I already paid for the room, so I might as well make use of it.” Cheri’s face fell for a moment, but then she brightened again.
“Can I at least pick you up in the morning? I can show you around before my panel.” Lara felt her mouth tugged into a genuine smile.
“That’d be great. See you then. And thanks for the ride.” She made to exit the SUV, but suddenly found herself swept into Cheri’s arms, her face pressed into that generous, warm, satiny cleavage, her heart pounding a thousand times a minute.
“It’s so good to finally see you in person!” the woman squealed, hugging Lara tight. She released her and beamed. “I’ll pick you up at nine!”
Lara nodded, swallowing hard, focusing all her energy on removing herself from the vehicle and remaining upright. Cheri gave her a cheery wave, which she did her best to return, feeling as though her bones were melting her into a puddle of giddy hormones. It took her several minutes after the black SUV pulled out onto the street and drove off before she could trust her legs to walk.
The older man at the front desk had a fatherly kind of charm, and didn’t ask too many questions or look too hard at Lara, making her feel more comfortable than she expected as she checked in and got the key to her room. As for the room itself… it was far less charming. It looked clean enough, but in that peculiar way of stains that never really lift no matter how one scrubs. The bed was small and pressed up against one short wall, and Lara threw herself onto it, her back protesting the hard, less-than-comfortable mattress.
She couldn’t bring herself to unpack just yet, her mind, heart, and body all fighting tooth and nail for her attention. Cheri flooded her senses until she was near senseless. She was engaged. Not that there was much of a relationship there, but there was certainly an expectation. Still, she wasn’t married yet. And it wasn’t as if she had run off before her arranged marriage to bang someone else. A very friendly, very attractive, very straight someone else.
With her heart and mind locked in that bloody battle, her body made its needs very clear. SLEEP. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, SLEEP. She closed her eyes, pulling the comforter that looked decades old but smelled like fresh laundry over her, shoes and all. Sleep was just beginning to drag Lara into its dark embrace when a nearby door slammed loudly, startling her back into the conscious world, amber eyes wide in alarm. She sat up, silent and slow, realizing from the drunken-sounding giggles coming from the other side of the wall her bed was pressed against that an extremely amorous couple had just entered the room beside hers. A loud thump sounded as their headboard hit the wall Lara’s room shared. Ohhh fuck no…
“Yeah, baby, like the sign says, ‘Come on in!’” a slurring female voice declared from the adjacent room. Lara groaned, covering her face with her hands. Now that is inexcusably terrible. She scrambled for her mp3 player, staring with dawning horror as the display flashed a low battery warning and powered down. The traitor. No no no! Not now, you piece of shit!
The Pun Drunk Lovers in the next room were grunting and panting like they were going for Olympic gold in Ruining Lara’s Night. She gritted her teeth, throwing the comforter off and pacing. With everything warring within her currently, the last thing she needed was an inescapable reminder of sex. She needed a better stress relief than the one currently whispering in her ear and making her thighs clench. The solution settled into her bones, bringing with it a sudden sense of calm.
She undressed in a hurry, ignoring the insistent wetness between her legs. Standing naked in the dark, cheap room, she threw the deadbolt and chain, knowing the risk of being caught doing what she fully intended on doing would have heavier consequences than those of being caught masturbating in a public library. She’d be smarter this time. The Pun Drunks were still going at it, headboard slamming haphazardly against the wall as the woman’s voice wailed in obnoxiously loud moans of intoxicated pleasure.
“Oh God, yes! Give it to me! Harder! Harder!”
Hurry, Lara. You need this.
Her breath came in gasps and growls as she let herself shift, bones stretching, fur growing, fangs forming… Caught up in the transformation, she didn’t realize she was fast becoming loud enough to drown out even the drunken humping next door until there was a quick, decidedly unsexy knock on the shared wall.
“Hey, keep it down in there!” Pun Drunk Lady hollered, then giggled. Oh yeah, you’re hilarious. Lara rolled her eyes and refocused on shifting, quieter this time. It only took a moment before she stood in the same room feeling very much not the same, her body having taken on her favorite of shapes. Being fully human had pros and cons, as did being fully wolf. But this, halfway between those worlds, was all strength, dexterity, and power. It was easier to be in control of herself like this, and control was something she felt desperately in need of. She flexed her shoulders and grinned, long wolf tongue stretching out and curling back in as she yawned. Now I can finally get some sleep.
She returned to the bed, its hard mattress posing no threat to her thickly furred back that was so accustomed to sleeping on cold, hard, Alaskan ground. Throwing a muscular arm over her ears, she attempted to block out the idiots still steadily banging their headboard into her wall like a poorly designed sex-powered battering ram. It didn’t exactly silence them— like anything COULD! —but it was enough to let her drift off, one leg twitching gently as sleep finally claimed her.
* * *
Cheri was murmuring in her ear. She couldn’t understand the words, but it didn’t matter, because Cheri was pressed up close to her and murmuring in her ear, her plump, dark, naked body entwined with Lara’s muscular, furry, werewolf one, adorably pudgy fingers stroking through the cream-colored fur of her belly, making her wriggle and whine for want of more. “Sugar,” Lara could finally make out. “You alive in there?” Uhhh… What is THAT supposed to mean?
Taking in a sharp breath, Lara’s fiery amber eyes opened, her senses immediately bringing her to the here and now. Which was in her cheap motel room, sprawled out in werewolf form on her narrow, otherwise empty bed as morning light tried desperately to stream in through the blinds over the small windows. Cheri’s sweet vanilla scent lingered, as if she truly had been lying with Lara until her dream had broken. A tentative knock sounded at the door, and her ears pricked, her body freezing as she realized why she could smell Cheri. Oh holy shit she’s right outside! She glanced down at herself in panic. And I’m a naked werewolf! SHIT SHIT SHIT!
“Lara?” Cheri asked, sounded noticeably concerned, though for a long moment all Lara could do was melt at the beautiful sound of her name in that honey-sweet voice. “It has occurred to me that someone may have up and murdered my beloved writing partner, and I will have no choice but to kick down this door unless I hear proof she is alive and well. And I don’t know what that will do to these rather expensive shoes.” The werewolf couldn’t help but laugh. She’s just adorable!
“Sorry, I overslept,” Lara called, her voice a bit deeper and harsher than she’d expected. Right! Still wolfed out! Gotta fix that. She focused on returning to her human form, the task becoming more challenging as she continuously found her thoughts returning instead to the beautiful woman outside her door.
“You alright, sugar? You sound like you’re coming down with a cold.”
“Just waking up,” she assured in a broken grumble, doubling her efforts to sh
ift, her tongue preoccupied as her muzzle smoothed into a more human shape. She shivered as the cold of the unheated room hit her newly furless body. “Sorry, I still need to get dressed.” She glanced around the room for her duffle bag, unzipping it and digging through in a hurry.
“Ooh! You’re cosplaying today, right?” Cheri asked, the pitch of her voice raising in excitement. Lara dropped the t-shirt and yoga pants she’d grabbed, a soft blush rising to her cheeks. There was no way she was going to disappoint Cheri. Even if it meant committing to the last-minute impulse she’d thrown into her bag, a remnant of a bygone Halloween party she had meant to attend before chickening out.
“Uh, yeah. I mean, as much as a first-timer like me can, I guess.”
“Don’t worry, sugar,” Cheri soothed. “There’ll be plenty of virgins like you attending.” Virgins like me. Oh God. Her blush deepened, her mind spinning on an entirely different sort of virginity than the one Cheri was referring to. Her fingers brushed against plastic, and she pulled the pre-packaged costume from her bag. The bright red, blue, and gold vinyl peeked at her from behind the label declaring ‘DC’s Wonder Woman – Adult Size M.’
“I still have to get dressed, but you can wait in here if you’d like,” Lara said, grabbing a fresh pair of black lace panties and shimmying into them as quickly as she could. She shoved her clothing from the night before into the bag to keep it out of sight.
“Well, it is a bit chillier than I am used to out here,” Cheri replied with a laugh. Seattle is a far stretch from Louisiana. She’d probably hate Alaska. Lara pulled her sweatshirt on to cover herself and waited a moment, lost in her thoughts. She let out a soft snort as she realized she still had the door locked. She dashed to the door, pulling back the deadbolt and unfastening the chain.
“Sorry. I’ll just be in the bathroom. Make yourself comfortable,” Lara said in a rush, running into the tiny, cramped bathroom and shutting the door, blushing furiously at the idea of Cheri seeing her wearing so little. Not that the cosplay outfit she’d brought would be covering all that much skin. Hardly any, really.
“Will do, sugar.” Lara tried to keep her attention on opening the plastic costume package and not on hearing Cheri enter, wondering what she was wearing, what she thought of the dingy décor, if she would be unimpressed with Lara’s store-bought costume. The task was a considerable challenge, but eventually Lara managed to squirm into the tight red vinyl bustier and blue starred… vinyl granny panties? At least they fit better than the corset, which restricted her breathing just enough to be uncomfortable and yet gapped a bit at the top where her small breasts didn’t quite fill the space. “My word!” she heard Cheri gasp, and immediately froze in her body image critiquing. Uh oh… “Uh, Lara, sugar?” came that lilting voice, and her heart thumped obnoxiously loud, though she couldn’t tell if it was because of the endearment or the woman’s wary tone.
“Yeah?” she asked, gripping the edge of the porcelain sink, fingernails slowly becoming harder and longer as they subconsciously began to transform.
“Did you know there’s dog hair all over the bedding in here?” she asked with a slight note of disgust. Uhhh… that’s not dog hair!
“Ah… yeah. It’s fine.” What else could she say?
“I just hope you didn’t pay too much. This isn’t such a nice place, sugar.” The genuine concern was touching, even if it made Lara feel even more awkward, unwittingly being compared to a dog and all.
“I know. I’ll be out soon.” Lara tugged red vinyl boot tops over her battered Converse shoes and slid the headband into place before regarding herself coldly in the small mirror over the cracked sink.
Okay. I look pretty ridiculous. Nobody is going to buy a half-native, short Wonder Woman. But then, what the hell else do I have for cosplay? She took a deep, bracing breath, and stepped out of the bathroom, unaware that she was holding it as she awaited Cheri’s reaction. All the air left her in a quick whoosh as she registered the deliciously curvaceous woman standing by her bed wearing an incredible sparkly blue dress cinched tight with a black satin corset. Her violet curls were pinned into impeccable victory rolls. Delicate black eyebrows arched and that perfectly painted red mouth dropped open, dark eyes sweeping over Lara’s outfit. I guess we’re both stunned into silence.
“I know, it’s a cheap Halloween costume,” Lara said, shrugging self-consciously, “but it’s the only—”
“You look wonderful, sugar!” Cheri exclaimed, splaying her hands out to emphasize her astonishment. “I’ve seen thousands of Wonder Women at these things, but you’re the first who looks like she could really kick criminal behind!” Lara blushed. “My, but you’ve got some serious muscle on you, Lara. What do you do all day? Bench press tomes of fan fiction?”
“Heh,” the young werewolf laughed, wishing she could think of a witty response. Her eyes swept over the astonishing woman before her. “So which Cheri are you today? Bouchard? Van Pelt? Or Flambé?” Cheri’s thick-lashed eyes went wide, a shocked smile on her dark, pretty face.
“You know about that?” she asked, a note of pleased surprise in her voice. Lara fought against the blush wanting to heat her cheeks to radioactive levels. She’d forgotten that they had never talked about that particular discovery of hers… for rather specific and embarrassing reasons.
“Uh, yeah,” Lara answered, struggling for composure, crouching down to lace up her black Converse sneakers. “I may have Googled you.” Cheri’s smile broadened, making the corners of her eyes crinkle in a way that was ridiculously adorable. Lara cleared her throat as she rose to her feet again. “So, I thought the convention wasn’t open until 10.” Thankfully, Cheri took the topic shift in stride.
“That’s right, but I thought you and I could grab a little breakfast beforehand.” Lara looked down at her bright, shiny vinyl costume, her brow knotting. “Oh, don’t worry, sugar. I thought we’d eat at this little French restaurant at the Sheraton. There’ll be lots of folk dressed up there today, so we won’t stick out like sore thumbs.” The young werewolf smirked softly at Cheri’s accurate read of her concern. “Are you ready? I’m positively famished!” Lara grabbed her duffle bag, thinking better of trusting her few belongings in the room. Best to keep them close.
“Après vous,” Lara said, gesturing to the door, trying not to be so outrageously pleased by the giggle it elicited from the woman.
“Merci,” Cheri said, the French rolling off her tongue with an ease Lara had no hopes of attaining. Okay, can I stop being infatuated with every little detail about this woman yet? She watched the jiggle of that sparkly blue-clad backside as they walked to the SUV. Well alright, not just yet.
The short ride to the Sheraton made one thing abundantly clear. Well, two things, but Lara was already fairly aware of her growing attraction to her chauffeur. The second thing was far more directly upsetting. Vinyl outfit and leather seats are a STUPID bad combo! Sitting still was becoming more and more difficult as the material bunched at her abdomen uncomfortably, but every movement sounded like a very painful and aggressive bout of flatulence. Thankfully, Cheri either hadn’t noticed or had enough manners not to show it. Regardless, it was a relief to get out of the vehicle and end the noisy humiliation.
Cheri hadn’t been exaggerating; the restaurant was full of colorful characters enjoying a quick brunch before heading to ECCC. Talk came more easily as the two women ate together, turning to discussions over their characters and potential plot points, just like the majority of their online conversations, only with the delightful added benefit of changing facial expressions and vocal tones that just cemented how utterly likable Cheri was. The large woman ate her eggs Benedict with the quiet grace Lara had always suspected she possessed, while Lara herself couldn’t help but tear into her steak, eating more out of residual nerves than actual hunger. Cheri paid their bill when she wasn’t looking… or rather, when she was too preoccupied looking at the intricate way those shining purple curls had been styled and pinned into place with such artistry. Lara
gave a flustered, inarticulate protest when she realized her meal had been covered, to which Cheri simply giggled and replied, “You flew all the way out here just to see me. I can buy you a steak.”
In all of Lara’s life, she had never been treated with such generous, unassuming, genuine kindness. Cheri always seemed so at ease around her, so happy to be in her company, regardless of its dubious quality. As they walked to the convention center together, it was impossible not to notice the way people would turn to stare at the woman, her curves near popping out of that sapphire dress, her chocolate skin, purple hair, and six-inch silver platform heels making her look more like a pop star than an author. Any worries that the Wonder Woman getup might draw odd looks were neatly squashed as the gazes of everyone around them were continually fixed instead on those bouncing breasts, that thick backside, and her confidently beaming, stunning, round face. Lara fought back the urge to snarl at the gawkers, simultaneously jealous and proud. It was an unsettling combination.
“Are you ready for this, sugar?” Cheri asked as they reached the entrance to the Washington State Convention Center. Lara bit the inside of her lip, staring down at her event pass. She shot Cheri a hapless grin.
“Not even slightly.”
“Good answer. I would also have accepted ‘Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.’” Lara laughed, stiffening quickly as Cheri put a hand on her shoulder and escorted her into the sudden hustle and considerable bustle of the Emerald City Comic Convention. “Stay close for now. I’ve got to check in for my panel, and after, we can see the sights for a bit.”
Everywhere Lara looked, strange characters, very few of which she recognized, stood waiting in line at various booths to purchase merchandise or get a photo with a celebrity… most of whom she didn’t recognize either. She was able to pick out a few here and there… a Bilbo Baggins ready for adventure, a Darth Vader and Boba Fett that were wearing black dress suits and ties for unknown reasons, a steampunk vampire slayer with a wooden sword, but a lot of the costumes just made her feel more out of touch than usual. It was easy to get caught up in the heat and crush of humanity all around her, and suddenly Cheri’s hand on her shoulder wasn’t so much an inadvertent turn-on as it was an incredibly welcome anchor.