She lined up the gun again. She was a farther away than before, but aiming the gun, she thought she could shoot at least two of the shifters, if not three. It would be up to Derrick to do the rest. She couldn't get a clear shot on Ramsey with Derrick in the way, so she settled for those closest to her. She took a few deep breaths. This was the time that would prove that they were important. Or it wouldn't, Cheryl thought, and pulled the trigger.
The first bear dropped immediately. Cheryl aimed at the second bear, but he was moving fast and was ready for her shot. She fired and his lumbering form dodged out of the way, faster than she thought would have been possible. She fired again, and missed a second time. And he was shifting back to a human, climbing the ladder to her location, knowing exactly where she was.
She pulled the trigger, but nothing happened. Shit! she thought, realizing she forgot to reload. Behind the man climbing the ladder, she caught a glimpse of Derrick. He had shifted, as had Ramsey, and the two were grappling on the floor. The other two shifters were closing in on them.
The odds aren't in his favor, Cheryl thought, but realized she had to focus on her own problems. Then she would help him. The man was sprinting at her down the catwalk. She took a couple of steps backwards, fumbling with extra darts, trying to reload the rifle.
And he was on her. He lashed out, his hand striking her in the side of the head. She dropped to her knees, ducking under his next swing. There was no time for her to reload the rifle. He came at her again, and she swung the rifle like a bat. Unprepared, the shifter only had enough time for a look of surprise to cross his face before the stock crashed into his temple. He tumbled over the railing, dazed.
Cheryl turned to look at Derrick, and was pulled from her feet as the man latched onto her ankle. She lost her balance, sliding between the catwalk flooring and the railing, striking her chin on the catwalk as she fell. She reached a hand out, blind with pain, her fingers managing to catch the edge of the metal as she screamed.
She felt her fingers slipping, so she kicked out, her foot colliding with the shifter's face. With a scream of pain, he fell, screeching as he fell onto the hard concrete floor. Cheryl looked away right before he hit the ground with a sickening noise. She reached up, trying to get a grip, but it was pointless. She was too weak, too tired, and too far down to pull herself back up.
She looked over at where Derrick had been fighting the other shifters. She hoped to catch one last glance at him before she died. Bodies were strewn across the ground, but she couldn't make it out what had happened. At least we gave it a good shot, she thought, and slipped.
She didn't scream as she fell. She didn't have time to. She fell for a split second before a hand reached over the edge of the catwalk, gripping her wrist with surprising strength. A face peered over the edge, bloody, yet smiling.
Derrick.
He pulled her up onto the catwalk, holding her close. She kissed him, hugged him.
“I was sure I was going to die,” she said.
“You still are,” a voice growled from their side. Ramsey stood next to them, striding forward. He looked even worse than he had before. “You should have finished me off when you had the chance.”
He grabbed Derrick by the throat, lifting him up over the railing. Derrick reached out, grabbing Ramsey's arms, flailing and coughing. And Cheryl reached into her pocket, grabbing the only dart that hadn't fallen out and picking up the rifle. She reloaded and pulled the trigger.
The dart caught Ramsey in the chest. He looked down, surprise in his face. His grip weakened. Derrick grabbed the railing, holding himself unsteadily, trying to catch his breath. Cheryl had expected Ramsey to drop immediately, but for whatever reason, he didn't.
He stumbled forward, moving back towards Derrick, ready to push him off the ledge. Cheryl took two steps forward, pushing his large form from behind, and watched as he tried to catch his balance. In his severely sedated form, however, it wasn't enough. His hand gripped her arm but slipped. He let out an ear shattering roar, tumbling over the railing. He made a weak attempt to grab Derrick next, who simply shrugged him off, and he was gone.
Cheryl pulled Derrick over the railing, dropping to the catwalk. Tears were rolling down her face. She ran her hands through Derrick's hair.
“Don't cry,” he whispered. “We did great.”
“I know,” she whispered back. “I'm just so happy.”
The next day, Cheryl found herself a different woman. She couldn't quite pin what it was that made her feel different, but she was certain she was. Was it that she'd been forced into a life or death situation, and had proved herself, saving everyone else? Or was it finally that things were finally going her way? Was it Derrick himself?
After the ordeal late last night, everyone in attendance had agreed that the wedding should not be postponed. Sergeant Franklin had called in backup immediately after Derrick had undone the cage. The few surviving members of Ramsey's Clan had swiftly been taken into custody. Cheryl didn't think they would be causing any problems anytime soon.
Marcus had run off after he made sure her and Derrick were okay. As the Clan Leader, he'd had to assess the damage to the Clan and handle the burnt down headquarters. Emma helped her fellow officers with the arrests and paperwork. Most of the others had moved off to get a few hours of much needed sleep, with the exception of Russ and Zoe, who fussed over Derrick.
Once they had agreed he was fine, Derrick lead Cheryl out to his truck. They climbed inside, driving to Derrick's house, the closest place they could crash for a few hours. Neither had bothered to change out of their dirty clothes before collapsing on his bed. Cheryl had managed to wrap her fingers through Derrick's, but then exhaustion took over, and she was out.
She found herself standing in Derrick's bathroom, steam fogging the mirror after a much needed shower. She felt a little guilty: she had a bad feeling she'd used up all of the hot water and she felt bad for Derrick, who was downstairs in his basement bathroom.
Cheryl wiped the mirror, getting a good look at herself. She had a few bruises on an arm from where she'd been grabbed by Ramsey, and her ankle was sore, but other than that, she looked and felt fine. She was surprised to find that despite being exhausted, she didn't look it. Today is going to be a good day, after all, she thought.
The door to the bathroom opened and Derrick stepped in. He had a towel wrapped around his waist, his toned body still wet. Cheryl took a few seconds to admire his form, watching as his muscles rippled across his body.
“Don't you knock?” she teased. His golden eyes moved over every curve of her and she could see him imagining what she would look like if she dropped the towel, right now.
“Don't you lock the door?” was his response. He came to her, his huge body pushing against hers, and she could feel his warmth radiating off of him. She leaned against the counter, leaning back as he leaned forward, keeping his lips an inch from hers. When she could lean back no further, she smiled and he smiled, and she knew it was something she could grow used to.
He placed his lips against hers, softly and perfectly. She remembered their kiss last night, but it had been full of uncertainty, danger, and worry. With this kiss, every worry had been lifted and Cheryl let herself be drawn completely into it.
She trailed a finger along his spine and he shuddered in pleasure, goosebumps breaking out across his perfect body. Placing her lips against his neck, she kissed and sucked, listening to his moans echo in the small bathroom. Her lips kissed up his chin, his cheek, finishing on his ear lobe. When she bit gently, he reached his hands up, undoing her towel. It fell to the floor with barely a sound.
Derrick pulled his head back, admiring her form. Cheryl wasted no time in undoing the towel wrapped around his waist, and soon, they were both naked, skin pressing on skin. Cheryl could feel the stiffness between his legs pressing against her stomach, growing hard and thick. She wanted to reach a hand down and grab it, doing whatever she wanted, but she managed to resist – for a few seconds at least.
He was down on his knees, kissing and sucking, moving down to the special place between her legs. Cheryl ran her hands through his hair, closing her eyes and leaning back against the sink as his lips left a wet trail down her stomach, stopping for a split second at her navel, before moving on.
Derrick's mouth kissed just above her wetness, his tongue dipping into her, and Cheryl bucked forward in pleasure. His lips moved off, kissing down her left thigh, down to her knee, and then jumping to her other one before moving back up. His lips would get inches from her slit before dancing away, leaving her begging for more.
Finally, after what seemed like ages, Derrick's lips closed around her, his tongue sliding against her clit. Moans rushed out of Cheryl's mouth, her hands grabbing Derrick's hair and holding him in place. His lips were hitting all of the perfect places, his tongue moving exactly where she wanted, dipping deep into her and tasting her before sliding against her place of pleasure.
Bliss was washing over Cheryl. All of the problems from the previous day had been washed away, leaving nothing except for happiness. Between her legs, Cheryl felt her orgasm approaching, a warmth blossoming from deep within her. She focused on it, the pleasure the only thing on her mind, letting it take over her body.
“Keep...going...” she begged. Derrick obeyed, his tongue working magic between her thighs. Her breathing became quick and ragged, and she knew there was nothing else she could do but let the pleasure wash over her. When it finally hit, she screamed out, body wracked with pleasure and going weak. Derrick held her up, wrapping his thick hands around her ass.
Breathing hard, she leaned back onto the counter, letting it support her weight. Without it and Derrick holding her up, she was sure she would have collapsed to the floor, lost in pleasure.
Derrick stood up, grabbing her by the inside of her knees and sliding her over to him. She looked down, seeing his massive cock rock hard between his legs. She reached out and grabbed it, barely able to wrap her hand completely around it. She stroked him gently, watching him close his eyes as he let out small moans of satisfaction.
Empowered at bringing him happiness, she pulled him closer to her, placing her lips back on his. He reached around her again, his hands closing in on her ass, and dragging her to him. She felt his thickness pressing against the wet slit between her legs. Reaching down, she grabbed him, angling him perfectly into her. He pressed himself against her, and she felt herself stretching around him. Their moans filled the bathroom as he pushed against her, pushed against her tightness, and then finally sank into her.
She felt the head of his member spread her wide, sinking deep into her warmth. She bit his shoulder to keep from screaming in pleasure, unable to think of anything but the feeling of his thickness filling her up. She leaned back against the wet mirror, grabbing onto a towel rack to give herself some leverage. She pushed her body against his, feeling him sink deeper into her.
Then he was pulling out of her until his entire length was free. She felt strangely hollow, as if she had always needed him inside of her. Derrick gave her a devilish grin. Cheryl reached up, grabbing a toned ass cheek in each hand, and pulled him back towards her. He slid into her wetly, easier and deeper than the first time. She leaned her head back, breathing hard.
Derrick pulled himself out of her, pushing back in deeper, providing her with the utmost pleasure. Then, before she knew what was going on, he reached his hands around her waist, lifting her up and twirling her around. Now, he was leaning against the counter and supporting her. She put her feet on the edge of the counter to the sides of his body, grinding herself against him. He pushed against her, hitting all new places.
He worked against her, pumping hard and deep, his breathing becoming short and harsh. She knew he was going to cum soon, and that was all it took to push her to the edge. Her own orgasm started to build, rushing to a crescendo, and hitting her when it reached its peak. She screamed, feeling herself tightening around Derrick, and then he came.
Inside of her, she felt his cock jumping, spraying his hot seed deep into her. She pushed herself down on him, letting him go deeper than ever before, their cries of passion filling his bathroom. She pushed herself against him, grinding, gratification taking over both of them until there was nothing left but happiness.
After what seemed like minutes, it was over. Carefully, Derrick lifted her up and slid out of her, their juices sliding out of Cheryl and dripping onto the floor. Derrick placed her onto the floor and she leaned against him, letting him support her. They stood like that, arms wrapped around each other for a couple of minutes, enjoying what they'd just brought each other. Cheryl never wanted the moment to end. Then, she looked at the clock, seeing the time.
“Is that the right time??” she yelled. Derrick looked at it, his golden eyes going wide. They were going to be late for the wedding. Both of them started pulling on clothes, each barely half dressed as they ran out of his house.
Cheryl stood in the line of bridesmaids, waiting for Beth and Clive to finish up their vows. The wedding was truly beautiful, but Cheryl was finding she couldn't keep her eyes off Derrick, who was standing only a few feet away. To her credit, he couldn't keep his eyes off of her, either. She would catch him stealing glimpses of her, which would cause her to smile, and then he would be smiling. She hoped no one noticed.
Afterward, no one said a word about how much they had been eying each other during the ceremony. For that, Cheryl was thankful. Clive and Beth had been called outside to take pictures, so the rest of the wedding party had some much needed time to relax. At the front table, Russ was snoring, his feet kicked up on the table with Zoe curled up next to him, also asleep. Emma was laid back in Jace's arms passed out. Jace looked sleepy eyed, but he had managed to stay awake. Out in the crowd, Cheryl saw Sergeant Franklin dozing off. Jeff Kastner smiled and waved from his position in the crowd. She found herself waving back, knowing he had been vital to saving everyone last night.
The rest stood in a small circle near Jace. Marcus had an arm wrapped around Addy and another around Derrick. When Cheryl came back with some drinks, Marcus was saying, “No one at the headquarters was injured. It was some kind of miracle. Without Derrick's and Cheryl's help, we would still be in that cell. At least sitting in that cell gave Addy and I some time to think of what we could do to really help our Clans. Things are going to change.”
Derrick looked embarrassed, but Cheryl could tell he was appreciative of the praise and happy with the news. She handed him a drink and Marcus released him, moving off to talk to Addy. Cheryl buried herself in his chest.
“We did good last night,” Cheryl told him. Derrick nodded.
“I know. You did even better. We make a good team,” he said, kissing her on the lips. At that moment, thunderous applause erupted across the reception hall. Clive and Beth were coming in, waving to everyone. They made a beeline straight towards Cheryl and Derrick.
“I haven't had a chance to really get to thank you, little bro,” Clive said, immediately embracing Derrick. “If you hadn't come and rescued us, none of us would have been standing here. I know I've doubted you before, but I was wrong to do so. And I'm sorry, from the bottom of my heart. You and Cheryl saved us and I'll never be able to repay you.”
“What you did was braver than anything I've ever done,” Beth said, hugging Cheryl. “We owe you two everything. Thank you.”
And then Derrick and Cheryl were pulled into a hug between Clive and Beth. The crowd was clappin
g. Even Russ, Zoe, and Emma had awoken from their slumbers to cheer for them.
Everything felt right in the world for Cheryl. Looking across at Derrick, she could tell everything was right for him, too. Beth and Clive broke the hug, taking a few steps back, but Derrick never released Cheryl. He placed his lips on hers, and everything was right for her, for him, and for the Clan.
Bearly Apart
Big Paw Security Book V
by
Becca Fanning
It had been a long time since Addy had found herself sitting in the meeting room. The room was like a sanctuary to her father and the shifters closest to him. Normally, the room was dark and full of her adoptive father's trusted lieutenants. Today, only her father was present when she arrived.
“This is an important job, Addison. It's more than just brokering a deal between two Clans. There are those who hate shifters. This will go a long way towards proving that we can be successful members of society.”
Luke (BBW Country Music Bear Shifter Romance) (Bearly Saints Book 3) Page 16