by Kris Norris
He rubbed his eyes, still not sure she’d really changed. But the animal just stood there, watching them as if it expected something to happen. Rogan drew a deep breath, catching a slightly wild scent in the air. It was the same Tayen essence, only darker and richer. He took a step closer, wondering if she’d dart away, when she padded over to them and circled their legs. A low, gravelly sound echoed through the room.
Rogan laughed. “Bloody hell. She’s purring.”
He bent down, scratching his lover behind the ears. Her fur was even softer than he’d imagined. He looked up at Quinn just as the man knelt beside him, his hands feathering through her coat.
Quinn smiled and returned his gaze. “Well, I’ll be damned. I think I’d half convinced myself we’d imagined the whole thing, but this…” He shook his head. “This is fucking amazing.”
The cat gave a yip and jumped, landing on the table with a graceful thud. She’d covered ten feet and it had appeared effortless.
Rogan shook his finger at her as he stood, crossing his arms over his chest. “Someone’s feeling a bit frisky. All right, darling. I think we’ve seen enough. And I, for one, would like to go back to the part where you’re naked when you change.”
The bobcat crouched low, hanging its head. Clicks and pops filled the air again, and it was as if Tayen misted into solid form kneeling on the table. She looked up, drawing him to her with a playful raise of her eyebrows.
Rogan moved, not quite certain how he arrived in front of her, his face slightly higher than hers. She looped one arm around his neck, beckoning to Quinn with the other as her lips met his in a heated kiss. Fire raced through his veins, searing him from the inside out. His heart tripled its speed, pounding against his chest as he tasted the depths of her mouth. It was warm and sweet, with a hint of coffee and blueberry muffin. He held her close, only releasing her when his lungs burned in protest. She gazed up at him, the vivid green of her eyes nearly hidden by the large, black disks.
Quinn shouldered up beside him, and Rogan shifted slightly to give the other man access to Tayen’s mouth. He watched the two kiss, his cock throbbing in protest. Seeing Quinn conquer Tayen pushed Rogan to the brink, and he had to squeeze his cock through his pants to keep his arousal in check.
The two finally separated, and Rogan bit back a chuckle. Quinn appeared to be having the same affliction, if the bulge in his pants was any indication. Fortunately, he knew a surefire cure, and the little minx was only a breath away.
Tayen eased back on her heels, giving them a clear view of how wet their kisses had gotten her. Their joint moans filled the room, but she tsked at them and shook her finger when they both reached for her.
“You’ve both denied me my turn to touch and taste.” She tilted her head to the side and somehow managed to look commanding, despite being the only one naked in the kitchen. “Now be good boys and strip. I have a few desires I’d like to try…if you’re still game after all you’ve seen.” There was a hint of worry in her voice, but it didn’t show on her features.
Rogan looked at Quinn, nodding when the man licked his lips and motioned to Tayen.
Rogan held out his hand and cupped her jaw. “Darling, we haven’t seen near enough of you. But sitting the way you are is a great start.” He reached for his pants. “But first…I believe you had a request.”
A genuine smile lit up Tayen’s face as both men shucked off their clothes and stood before her, hands at their sides, cocks pointing straight out.
She purred deep in her chest and slid off the table, holding their gaze as she knelt before them. “Close your eyes.”
The command was directed at both men. Rogan waited just long enough to show her he’d acquiesced because it’d been his choice, not her directive, before closing his eyes as she trailed one hand up his thigh and across his groin, purposefully staying clear of his shaft. He heard Quinn’s harsh breath and nearly came in her hand. Knowing she was mimicking her touch on Quinn tightened his sac until Rogan wondered if the damn thing had crawled inside his body. He was just about to open his eyes when he felt a breath of warm air pass over the crown of his cock.
He tensed, waiting.
Time stretched out, daring him to look, but he held firm, the anticipation keeping him on edge. The distant ring of the wind chimes in the yard filtered through, but he focused on the subtle sound of hushed breathing, tensing an instant before her tongue swept across his slit, lapping at the pre-cum he felt leaking from the tip.
The groan he’d been trying to stave off broke free, echoed by Quinn when the sensation abruptly stopped. Rogan cursed, loving the game, but wanting more despite it. A few more heartbeats passed before her mouth returned, this time surrounding the head in a fleeting caress. He arched into the pressure, only to pull back when she withdrew. Frustration and excitement warred in his head, and he wasn’t sure whether to growl or beg. A disgruntled huff to his left told him Quinn shared his mixed feelings. Rogan mumbled under his breath, when Quinn’s rough voice sounded next to him.
“You know, sweetheart. You’re not the only one who has a wild side. I suggest you don’t push us too far.”
Tayen’s husky laughter sent warm spikes through Rogan’s chest. “That almost sounds like a threat, baby. But I’ll take it as a promise, instead.” Her nails scratched gently across Rogan’s skin. “But seeing as you asked so nicely…”
Her small hand wrapped around his cock, squeezing the length of the shaft as she slowly descended to his groin, then back again. Colored bands streaked behind his closed eyes, increasing in intensity when the next pass was mirrored with her mouth. Warm, wet lips surrounded his flesh as she bobbed down his erection, taking nearly all of his cock to the back of her throat. She swallowed once around him, and he lost it.
Rogan moved, thrusting into her hand and mouth as she switched it up, pushing him toward the edge, but never taking him over. He threw his head back, clenching his fists at his side in an effort to keep himself from twirling her hair around his fingers and holding her still so he could fuck her mouth. While he’d loved coming inside her the first time, there was something primitively hot about having her suck him to completion.
“God dammit, Tayen. You’re killing me.” His voice sounded harsh and thick, and he knew she couldn’t miss the desperate quality in it.
Tayen took him deep again then released and kissed the tip. “Sounds as if I’m hurting you. Perhaps I should stop.”
He lost it. Rogan opened his eyes, instantly pinned by the sassy smile on her face as she continued to fist her hand up and down Quinn’s erection. The man’s face was contorted into a snarl and Rogan knew Quinn was fighting off the same sensation. Quinn must have sensed the game had changed. He turned to Rogan, opening his eyes as he nodded at Tayen. Rogan smiled back and threaded his hands through her hair, pulling her close to him as Quinn worked himself free and fell to his knees behind her.
Tayen huffed and scowled. She obviously didn’t like that they’d interrupted her play, but there was only so much they could take.
Rogan shifted his thumb so he could trace the outline of her mouth. “Sorry, darling. But you’ve pushed us too far. Now be a good little kitten and finish what you started while Quinn shows you how hot you’ve made him.”
Tayen started to protest when Quinn slammed his groin to her ass, morphing any words she might have formed into one, long shout. Rogan could only guess that his friend had taken her pussy in a single stroke. Quinn’s back arched as his hands gripped her hips. His face was a mask of pleasure, and he only waited a moment before setting up a steady rhythm that had Tayen rocking back and forth in Rogan’s grasp.
Rogan didn’t wait any longer. As soon as Tayen looked up at him, he clenched his jaw and drew her face back to his cock. She took him eagerly, engulfing his shaft with a swift stroke. Rogan let his head fall back, fire erupting throughout his body as Tayen took him deep, paused then retreated. Her technique had devastating effect, and it wasn’t long before a sharp tingling sensation crept
down his shaft and into his sac, purging every thought from his mind but the need to finish. He conceded, matching each thrust with one of his own, pushing his shaft a bit deeper. Tayen took all he had to offer, increasing her efforts as Quinn grunted behind her. Rogan could see her muscles clenching in response to Quinn’s constant thrusting, and he sensed they were both close.
“Damn, you look so fucking hot, sweetheart.” Quinn smoothed one hand down Tayen’s back. “I’m not going to last much longer. Come for us. Now.”
Rogan saw Quinn’s hand disappear around her hip. Tayen’s motion faltered, a guttural moan escaping around his invading cock, as Quinn undoubtedly found her clit. Her eyes closed and her body tensed, then she moved faster, sucking harder as her release raced through her body. The image was too much. Rogan came with a shout of her name, the sentiment echoed by Quinn as they both stiffened and groaned, filling her until their strength waned, and they collapsed in a heap on the floor.
Tayen sighed against Rogan’s chest, making it squeeze tight. God help him, but he’d already fallen far too fast for the green-eyed beauty, and if the wide-eyed look on Quinn’s face told Rogan anything, it’s that his friend had just arrived at the same conclusion.
Quinn nudged him and Rogan untangled his limbs from Tayen’s, smiling at the disgruntled pout that graced her lips. He kissed it away, collecting their clothes as Quinn lifted her off the floor and headed toward the bedroom. Rogan glanced outside. The sun still blazed beyond the mountains, but he had a feeling it’d be long gone by the time they recovered.
Chapter Six
“You know, for someone who keeps claiming we’re your mates, you have a nasty habit of running off. This isn’t the forest, Tayen. Don’t play the part of the frightened cat.”
Tayen cringed as Quinn’s voice echoed down the hallway, effectively stopping her in her tracks. It was quickly followed by another set of padded footfalls, and she knew Rogan had joined him. How the hell had they heard her leave the room? She’d used all her cat-like abilities, short of shifting, yet they’d snared her in less than a minute.
She turned, her breath leaving her on a long sigh as her gaze clashed with theirs. Though Quinn was a master at masking his emotions, there was no mistaking the frustrated furrow on his brow, or the way his arms flexed across his chest as if holding in some hidden anger. Rogan’s expression was just as telling, and she cursed the impetuous thought that had sent her scrambling from the bed.
Tayen took a fortifying breath and attempted to keep her voice even. “I wasn’t running off. It’s late, and I have to work tomorrow. I do have animals in need of my medical assistance. I’ve been gone for three days. My assistant is starting to wonder if I’ve been abducted by aliens.”
Quinn gave her his signature look, the one that said he knew she was lying. “You talked to your assistant last night when she called here in a panic, afraid someone had kidnapped you, so perhaps you should try something more convincing.”
She attempted not to let the tone of his voice fluster her. “Yes, I did, but I also told her I’d be at work on Monday.” Tayen tapped her wrist. “It’s nearly midnight.”
“The clinic doesn’t open until nine,” said Quinn. “That’s plenty of time for us to drive you home in the morning before anyone shows up on your doorstep.”
“I need to shower and dress.” She tugged at the clothes the boys had loaned her. “You thought being naked for the weekend was sexy, remember?”
Quinn clenched his jaw then released a harsh breath. “Come on, Tayen. You’re running, and you know it. A person doesn’t spend three days making love to her mates, only to sneak out without saying goodbye.”
“And you were sneaking,” said Rogan. “You get these lines across the bridge of your nose when you’re trying to talk your way out of something. Believe me, we know the look well…six months worth of well, actually.”
Tayen sighed and leaned against the wall. She hated it that both men could read her without missing a beat. It made holding back virtually impossible. To make matters worse, they were right. She had been sneaking out. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I should have woken you both up to say goodbye.” She ran a shaky hand through her hair. “But it wasn’t for the reason you’re thinking.”
Rogan smirked and palmed one hand on the wall. His muscles flexed from the simple movement, making her blood pressure soar. Damn, just one look, or touch, or word made her want these men more than the time before. But she was out of chances. Her body was ready to bond.
He cocked half his mouth into a sly grin. “Oh, so this isn’t your way of telling us that after three days of not leaving each other’s side, you’ve decided we aren’t mate material after all? That’s good, because that’s sure as hell how it looks.”
She huffed and stomped one foot on the floor. It wasn’t the most mature tactic, but it helped calm her nerves slightly. “Why is it, you boys always jump to the most negative conclusion?”
Quinn stepped forward, making the hallway appear as if it were made of skin and muscles. “Maybe because you speak in riddles and have a penchant for keeping secrets.” He sighed and shook his head. “Okay, we’re sorry. So maybe you can tell us the reason? From your response and the furrow in your brow, I assume it has something to do with the mating aspect of our relationship, otherwise you would have explained it by now.”
Damn, she hated it when he used logic against her. “Has anyone ever told you, you’re a real pain in the ass?”
The devilish smile that swept across his lips nearly took her to her knees.
He nodded at her. “I don’t believe pain was the word you used earlier. But it definitely was all about your ass.”
His mention of their first encounter heated her already hot flesh, making the clothes she wore feel heavy and cumbersome. God help her, but she might as well be a cat in heat. Everything about the men went straight to her pussy, leaving good sense and consequences on the floor.
She tugged at the neckline of Rogan’s shirt. “The whole mating issue isn’t as simple as it sounds.”
“Good.” Quinn crossed his arms on his chest again. “Because we aren’t simple men.”
“Damn, but the two of you are frustrating.” She hitched out one hip, tired of dancing around the truth. Better she laid it all on the line now, while they still had a choice, than later, when she was bound for life. “Fine, you want to know the real reason I was sneaking out of the house…I knew that if I woke either of you up, we’d end up making love in the shower, or on the kitchen table, or maybe in the car on the way to work.”
Rogan frowned and looked at Quinn. “So? Isn’t that a good thing? I thought you enjoyed being with us?”
“It is and I do, but…”
“But,” said Quinn, a hint of fear in his voice. “Did we hurt you? Push you too far, too soon?”
“No, it’s not that.” She groaned and leaned more heavily against the wall. “Remember how I told you that I couldn’t get pregnant until we’d bonded?”
Rogan shrugged. “Yeah. But you never really explained what that meant, and we kind of got the feeling you didn’t want to talk about it. So we didn’t push the subject.”
“But it obviously has more serious ramifications than we thought,” said Quinn. “Or you wouldn’t be standing there, looking like you want the floor to open up and swallow you.”
“You don’t always have to be so observant,” she said. “But you’re right. It’s got long-lasting effects, at least on me.”
“Riddles, sweetheart. Rogan and I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“It means that my body is ready…it wants to bond. It’s chosen the two of you as its mates and the next time we make love, it’ll link your genetics to mine.” She stared at their blank faces, and huffed. “It means that I’ll be bound to you for the rest of my life. If in a week, or a month or a year, you decide having a girlfriend who can claw at the furniture isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be, you can walk away…but I can’t.” She sighed, f
eeling more exhausted than after three days of sex. “It’s a lot to ask of anyone, and we’ve only just started to really get to know each other. I didn’t know if you both were ready for that permanent of a relationship.”
Quinn pursed his lips, looking over at Rogan for what seemed like forever before running his hand through his hair and meeting her gaze again. “From the sounds of it, you’re not all that sure, either.”
Tayen snorted and threw her hands in the air. “Now who’s talking in riddles?” She waved a hand at him when he moved to speak. “I’ve been drawn to the two of you since you first moved here. Why do you think I fought you so hard? I knew this would happen, and I knew you’d both have reservations. I suppose I thought that if I just stayed away, the feeling would eventually pass, and I’d spend my life having the occasional, casual encounter—forgo the whole bonding aspect. But that’s not possible, anymore.” She backed up, opening the door with one hand as the other balanced against the frame. “I know how I feel, and what I want. I was leaving to give you a choice, while we all still had one.”
She sighed when neither man spoke, dreading each tick of the clock as it marked out the growing distance between them. Finally, she nodded and motioned out the door. “I have to go home.” She turned away as a single tear dropped and shattered on the floor, talking back over her shoulder. “Oh. I’ve been meaning to tell you. That poacher’s license plate was all letters, starting with B. I’m sorry, that’s all I could get. The rest was splattered with mud. But at least you know it’s a vanity plate.”
She gave one last look as she closed the door, then she bolted forward, ripping off Rogan’s shirt and shifting mid-stride. Quinn’s sweatpants billowed to the ground with a flick of her hind legs as she headed for the forest, her only thought to see how far she could run before she collapsed to the ground.