by Ashlee Price
They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Lionel looked up to find Alicia standing there, dumbfounded. “What is this all about?”
“Oh boy,” it came from Mike, “you’ve got your work cut out for you now. I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me.” The older man nodded to Alicia as he left.
“What is this all about?” Alicia repeated.
Lionel sighed. “I think you had better sit down for this.” His gaze on her was steady. “Please?” he added, once again as an afterthought.
“You,” he began, “are my woman. Promised to me by your father. Marriages are arranged for our kind, especially in our cast.”
“Whoa, big boy, roll that back a little. Arranged marriage? Cast? What the fuck are you talking about?”
“You, Alicia, are in fact Alice Von Haultzen, and your father Hans, was indeed a marine who was killed in battle, but he was more than that. He was of my cast, and you, as his first born daughter, were promised to me in marriage when your mother fell pregnant with you. We know the sex of our children before they are born, you see, our kind has this ability, and a marriage between us would not only tie our families closer together, but at the same time strengthen the bonds as well. Our children will be immensely strong, with the genes of both our families flowing through them.”
“Marriage? And what the hell do you mean about children and genes? I don’t get this, any of it!”
“Have you never felt that you were different from the people around you, Alicia? Never felt as if you were not really a part of them? Felt that somehow, you were different? That something was different?”
“Well, yes,” Alicia said, remembering her childhood, of always being alone, never being able to really fit in, and the fact that she would rather be by herself and much preferred her cat’s company than people’s.
“And as to the marriage part, Alicia. I smelt you while you were in your mother’s womb, and I knew, even as a child, that you were my Kona.”
“Your what?”
“Kona, it means woman. My mate, my other half. Do you not feel the attraction?”
“Well…”
Lionel laughed. “Of course you do, just like I feel you as well! You are a shifter, Alicia. The thing is though, what kind of shifter are you? Those who are of true blood tend to stick to the line of our fathers, whereas those of mixed blood, such as you are, tend to be able to morph into an animal of your choosing, depending on the animal you have the most affinity with. What is your favorite animal?”
Alicia started to laugh and back away from him. “Okay mister, look, I’ve listened to you! I mean! You are telling me you are a werewolf or something? And that I am as well? Please, spare me! What do you think I am? Thirteen years old and an avid science fiction junkie? Do you think I am crazy, believing all this nonsense? Pahleez!”
Lionel sighed. “I’ll just have to show you, won’t I? Whatever you want to believe, Alicia, the attraction is there, you can’t deny it!”
“I can and I do! I think I need to leave! You are obviously not in possession of all your faculties and in need of some serious counseling, Lionel! You need help!”
“Come here, Alicia!” His tone was commanding once more, and Alicia found herself obeying before she could stop herself. She stood in front of him, her head bowed.
What the help is wrong with me! He crooks his finger, okay, his proverbial finger, and I jump up and do his bidding?
“Come sit on my lap, woman. Now. Please?”
Once again Alicia did as she was asked, sitting on his one knee, her legs dangling between his. Lionel put his arms around her and pulled her closer. Again his scent assailed her and she found herself involuntarily nestling against him, the need to touch and taste him once again overtaking all coherent thought. Then her senses were overwhelmed once more, and, without thought, she moved even closer, and closed her eyes, her arm lifting around his neck as if by itself. His arm around her tightened, as if he, too, needed closer contact.
“I know it sounds crazy, but you are what you are, as I am what I am. And we share the same ancestral history. You are my mate, and there can and will never be anyone else for me, as is the same with you. Not now, not anymore. We were destined to be, whether you wish to believe it or not.”
Before Alicia could refute what he was saying, he tilted her head up to his and kissed her. She found herself moving in closer, wanting more, and opened her mouth to his questing tongue. As their tongues made contact, a flame seemed to grow inside her, overwhelming her with need, so much so that she pressed closer still, wanting, needing more. Her free hand went to his shirt and undid a button, and her hand slid in between the material, and stroked his chest. He was hairy, but not unduly so, his light intake of breath at her touch causing a deep seated satisfaction that she had that effect on him.
“I want you, woman. Will you come with me?”
Alicia had no way of answering, as her body was drowning in sensations she had never known before with any man. He took her silence as assent, and lifting her, made his way up the stairs to what she later realized was his bedroom. Once inside, his hands made short work of removing her clothing, his scent an aphrodisiac against which she had no defense. He pushed her backwards with his body, as intent, it seemed, on keeping contact, and speedily divulged himself of his clothing. She fell back as he knees hit the side of the bed, and had her first chance to look at him. He was magnificent. He had the kind of body which was not the result of working out in a gym, but which is gained from hard labor. Every inch was hard muscle. She ached to touch him and lifted herself, stretching out a hand to slide across his stomach, downwards, until it made contact with his jutting erection. It was smooth, veined, and silky to the touch, with a hint of pre-cum on the tip. Not able to help herself, she lowered her head, and licked the tip. It was the most sensual thing she had ever done in her life, and the taste of him, she found, was addictive. She wanted more, her body screamed for it.
She opened her mouth and let it slide over his shaft, and pulled up on it, her lips making a popping sound as she reached the end.
“That’s enough for now, woman. I need you. We can play all you wish later.”
Taking her by the armpits, he pulled her up the bed and rolled on top of her, centering himself between her legs. His cock was at her entrance and she squirmed, wanting more. Lionel smiled into her eyes and pushed, entering her in one warm deep thrust. Her eyes widened at the realization that he had filled her with nothing to spare, his girth stretching the walls of her pussy like none other. Then he slowly began to move, all the while keeping her eyes prisoner with his own. It was if they were both entranced. He started to pick up the pace, his breath quickening, as if keeping pace with hers. Alicia was a mass of sensation, aware of her heartbeat, his, and of something else, a fluttering deep within her womb, spreading throughout her body, and finally centering on her sex, until she came with a scream, heedless of who might hear, all coherent thought having left her, leaving her a mess of jumbled nerve endings and feeling. Lionel came in her, his seed shooting into her, his only outward show of having come the deep sigh and shudder of his body as he lay over her, his arms baring most of his weight, and he struggled to gain his equilibrium once more. “Mine,” she heard him whisper in her ear, and she realized that indeed she was; totally and completely. She fell asleep cradled in his arms.
Alicia woke a while later, a feeling of wellbeing encompassing her. She snuggled closer to the warmth that seemed to be cocooning her, and the smell that was filling her with its richness. She felt safe; cared for and cherished. Her eyes snapped open and looked directly into a pair of eyes that were such a light icy blue they seemed almost to be grey. Her hand reached up to his hair and brushed aside a strand of his hair that had fallen across his forehead, and which, of its own volition, stroked the side of his cheek.
“Hi,” she managed, shyly.
He smiled at her, the motion causing the sides of his eyes to crinkle slightly.
“Hi yourself, bea
utiful. Calmer now? Rested?”
Alicia nodded, feeling his shaft rubbing against her thighs.
“Good. Because I want you again.”
His mouth swooped in on hers, capturing it in a kiss. It was slow and tender, their tongues dueling playfully. Alicia’s arms went around his neck and she pulled him in closer, her senses assailed by smell, taste and touch. She had to have him inside her again. Every pore in her body screamed for it. Lionel, unpredictably, turned onto his back, pulling her with him so that she lay on top of him, his hands roving over her as if he needed to commit each and every soft curve to memory. His hands went for her breasts, kneading them, his thumbs and forefingers finding the sensitive nipples and pinching at them slightly. The sensation served only to heighten her desire, and she felt her need pool at her apex, her pussy hot and ready for him. He broke off the kiss, causing her to moan against his mouth.
“Ride me, woman, take what is yours! Show me you want me as much as I want you.”
His hands went to her hips, lifting her, and in one motion, pulled her down onto his protruding shaft, allowing her body to slide down onto him so that he filled her completely. Alicia took a moment to adjust to his size once more, and began the age old dance of two bodies entwined, her movements causing her breasts to bounce, capturing his gaze and seeming to hold him in thrall. Lionel allowed one hand to move down to where they were joined, slipped his thumb in between her wet folds and started stroking her clit, the sensation causing her to up her pace as she fought for her release, while his other hand kept on working at her breasts, squeezing them and tweaking the nipples alternately.
“Cum, kitty cat, cum for me. I want to see it in your eyes, your mate wants it, do you hear?”
Alicia was not able to speak, her voice having taken on a life of its own, the only sounds coming from her throat those that attested to her need and the effect he was having on her once again. She put both palms onto his shoulders, and sped up the pace, his hands on her ass adding to the speed and pressure.
“Alicia! Cum for me now!”
The rawness in his voice tipped her over the edge and her pussy contracted around him, milking him, and his own release shot through his body. He wrapped his arms around her and held onto her as he came in shuddering sighs, each one, if possible, more intense than the last.
“You are my undoing, my mate, and the best fuck I have ever had. Go to sleep now. The day is short, but I want to spend it with you, show you who and what I am, and then, later, I want you again.”
She fell asleep wrapped around him. He was her bed, and she his blanket.
Chapter 4
Alicia woke to the smell of coffee and a cold spot in the bed next to her. Cracking open her eyes she noticed that is was still daylight.
“Good morning, sleepyhead. Sleep well? It’s time to wake up. You don’t want to waste all day in bed again, do you? And I have something to show you.”
She sat up and zoned in to the cup of coffee next to the bed. It was accompanied by a plate of warm croissants, with butter and jam on the side. She suddenly realized she was ravenous, and, after taking a sip of the liquid ambrosia, made short work of the food.
“So, what do you mean again? I only slept an hour or so.”
Lionel laughed, tilting his head up, his whole body heaving with mirth.
“No, kitty cat. You slept through the rest of yesterday and last night. It’s morning.”
Alicia could only stare at the laughing man. “Yep,” he continued, “that’s what happens when you meet your mate, my beautiful girl. You took in my essence, joined with me, in fact. We are one now, and every male of our kind will know you are marked, that you are mine and belong to me. Now come on, get dressed, before your mind takes over and you think up more arguments. I need to show you something outside, so put on some warm boots and a warm jacket. You might not feel the cold as intensely as you did before, but I prefer you to take precautions, okay?”
Alicia scrambled up, pulling the sheet around her naked body, and ran to the bathroom, his laugh following her at her attempt at modesty. After a quick shower, she peeked around the corner but Lionel had left, some of her clothing on the bed waiting for her. She dressed, forcing herself not to think on what had been said or what had happened, knowing only that in some strange way, Lionel was right. She truly felt as if she belonged with the big man. Why, she had no idea, yet being around him, with him, near him, just seemed so perfectly right, as if it was something that she had known her whole life was meant to be: a man to whom she could belong and who, in turn, would belong to her, at a deep, primal level.
She found Lionel downstairs, his voice drifting through from the kitchen. She made her way there, careful to keep her steps quiet.
“…and I dinna care what ye have to say ‘bout it laddie, but your scent is all over that poor wee bairn and ye dinnae give her a chance to fall fer ye even! Would be ashamed of ye that ye mother would be if she was home, it would! Yer just a big lumberin’ oaf, that ye are! Shamelessly takin’ advantage like that!”
“I didn’t have time to show her before we… Well it sort of just happened! It’s not as if I intended to sleep with her like that yet! I just couldn’t help myself! I’ll make it up to her, I swear!”
“Och, if ye weren’t such a big lumbering oaf I’d box yer ears, I would!”
“Give the man some peace, woman! He said he was sorry! Besides, you know how it is when you fall in love!”
“Aye, that I know all too well,” her voice seemed to soften as she spoke.
‘You can come inside, Alicia. I can feel you, you know.’
“What the fuck just happened? I heard you in my head?” Alicia was shocked, and Lionel laughed again.
“Yes. We are one now. You can talk to me as well, kitty cat. But that is neither here nor there. Come on!” Lionel was excited, like a young child, and Alicia could not resist taking the hand he held out to her. “We are going for a walk into the woods. I want to show you what I am, so don’t you freak out on me, okay? I won’t hurt you! Now, no talking, no questions, let’s go.”
Alicia stood back and sketched a mock bow, showing with her hand that he should precede her out the door. Not being able to help herself, she took a good look at his backside. Nice.
‘I heard that! Glad you approve!’
Her crimson blush drew a snigger from him. She kept her mouth shut and a grip on her thoughts, keeping them occupied with the surroundings and the view. They trudged along side by side and hand in hand, Alicia struggling to keep up with his long gait until he finally relented and walked slower to allow her to keep up without winding herself.
“I think this is far enough, kitty cat. Now, go sit on that boulder over there and look at me.”
Shrugging, Alicia acquiesced to his request and made herself as comfortable as she could on the hard, cold stone.
“Now, please, don’t get scared! I won’t hurt you.” He began undressing, giving her the opportunity to drool over his body as he took off one item of clothing after another. The surprise striptease was hot, she had to admit, and wondered whether it was why men frequented that kind of establishment, but kept her own council.
Standing naked in front of her, he captured her gaze with his once more.
“Watch me, Alicia.”
His body became blurred, shimmering, growing in bulk and size in front of her disbelieving stare, until, once the blurring stopped, she was face to face with an enormous black bear, standing on its hind legs, watching her intently. Alicia struggled to swallow down the knot that had formed in her throat and tried moving backwards, but the boulder on which she sat would not allow her any further movement. The bear went down on all fours and came closer.
‘Be calm, kitty cat. It is only me. I won’t hurt you.’
Lionel’s deep, rich voice was in her head once more, and, looking closely, she saw his icy blue eyes staring at her from the hairy face of the creature.
“Lionel?”
The bear nodded its
head and huffed, coming closer still.
“Is it really you?”
The bear sat in front of her and nudged at her with its head, as if encouraging her to touch it. She put out a hand tentatively, and lay it on the huge head of the beast. He closed his eyes and sighed, as if in contentment. Growing bolder, she scratched at its head, her reward for this was the huge creature turning on its back with its paws in the air as if he were a puppy with an itch. Her hands dug into the fur and she started petting him, as she had her cat as a child, tickling and scratching. The bear, it seemed, loved her touch, if his huffs were anything to go by.
‘See? I’m just a huge, overgrown teddy bear! No threat to you at all! But this is what I am, Alicia, besides a man. I am a shifter. Do I frighten you, disgust you?”
‘No, not at all!’ Alicia smiled. “No, not at all! You are so soft, and, well, cuddly!”
‘I heard you in my head, woman. We can speak like that now, you know, telepathically. We are joined, we are one. Mates!”
Suddenly, the blurring began again, this time with a little less shimmer, and Lionel lay on the snow at her feet, laughing up at her, her hands placed squarely on his chest. He took up a handful of snow and shoved it down her top, laughing as she jumped and started fishing it out.
“Still ogling me, woman?”
“Argh! Why did you do that?”
“A guy has to do something to get his woman’s attention, doesn’t he?”
“As if turning into a huge bear won’t do it? And I am not your woman!”
Jumping up, he grabbed her and held her against him. “Are you not? You know you are, don’t deny it! You feel it in every pore! You are mine, as I am yours. We cannot fight it, even if we tried. It is written in our very genes!”
“Then why is my birth mother not one of you?”
“You mean one of us! And there are very few women born of our blood. We are human, with a few chromosomal changes. We are both: animal and human. It’s the best way I have of explaining it. We can have children with humans, and the children will be able to change. Our genes are dominant. However, when we mate, it is for life, and no other will do, ever. You, my dear one, are stuck with me until the day we die.”