by J. E. Cluney
Fuck it, like he said, it was part of being mated.
I let go, only trying to lower my volume but not caring too much as I enjoyed the raw, primal pounding he was giving me.
He grunted and moaned as he drove into me, and I dug my nails into his back as an orgasm claimed me, my body twitching and bucking as I let out pleasurable moans.
He didn’t join me in my bliss though, and instead continued until he had me writhing beneath him with a second wave of sheer bliss as I whimpered and gasped.
He grunted as he buried himself inside me, right to the hilt.
“Allison,” he moaned as he shuddered and joined me in the orgasmic haze.
We held each other, gasping for air and covered in a thin layer of sweat.
I ran my fingers up and down his back as I held him against me, enjoying the connected moment between us and the pleasure coursing through our bond.
We lay like that for a short while, kissing each other softly on the neck as we caught our breath.
“Got tissues in here?” I asked softly.
“Nope, I’ll get some, just lay still,” he murmured as he kissed my neck.
Great.
I chuckled as he pulled out, and I quickly tried to hold my hand over myself to save everything flooding out onto the blanket.
He darted off into the hall, and I groaned at the fact that he left the door ajar.
Fingers crossed no one was up to go to the toilet.
I gasped as I felt him startle through our link, and I snuck into his mind.
Fuck.
Our luck had run out.
He stood at the toilet door, having just flicked the light on, when he realized someone was walking up behind him. He’d jerked backwards, trying to move out of the light and into the shadows of the hall, but gave up when his dad stepped into the light of the toilet.
Heat rushed to my face as I watched from his mind, but I forced myself to keep my hand over myself, feeling all the juices running onto my hand.
“Well…” his father tutted as he raised an eyebrow and glanced over his butt-naked son.
At least Skip was covering his junk with one hand.
He was lost for words as he stared at his dad in shock.
“You got good stamina, boy. Was wondering how long you were going to last. Thin walls,” he smirked as he stepped past him and into the toilet. “Clean-up is always a bitch, here,” he chuckled as he handed him a whole roll of toilet paper before closing the door to use the toilet.
Skip stood awkwardly for a moment, holding the roll of toilet paper while covering his dick.
He sighed, and I groaned as he headed back.
“What the fuck?” I hissed as he closed the door behind him as he returned.
“Sorry, senses were still in the clouds a bit, didn’t know he was there until it was too late,” Skip grumbled as he offered me some toilet paper.
I rolled my eyes before cleaning up our mess, but found myself chuckling at the poor timing.
At least his father had handled it well.
Doubt I could look him in the eyes for a while though.
Skip snorted at this, but our attention was yanked to something new as the toilet paper began to squirm in my hand and squeal softly.
Skip laughed softly as I focused on withdrawing my mischief magic. This was just always going to be a part of sex for me now.
Could be worse. At least I could withdraw the magic now.
Skip’s chuckles increased as he spied my thoughts of the flying vibrator, my first ever issues with it. The one I’d beat to death with a book. Ah, the memories.
We made the bed and climbed in, and I drifted off easily in the warm comfort of his arms.
The morning had been a quiet one. I’d woken up to an early morning kiss from Skip before he informed me he’d have to head out early to get started on the things he needed to get done while he was here.
He gave me another kiss goodbye, and I drifted back into a welcome sleep, before rising a few hours later at a little after eight in the morning.
I changed and brushed my teeth, too worried about my morning breath when I heard Lisa rummaging around in the kitchen.
“Good morning!” she greeted me enthusiastically as I joined her, feeling a little awkward without Skip, and hoping she was in the dark about last night.
“I made the boys bacon and eggs earlier, you want the same?” she offered as she bustled around the kitchen, wiping down benches. She loved to clean it seemed, something I’d noticed when we’d arrived.
The old Queenslander home was extremely clean, the wrap-around verandah devoid of any leaves or cobwebs despite the two large frangipani trees growing on either side of the house. The table and chairs on the verandah were clean and not a speck of dust on the glass-top table.
Inside, the house was even more polished and cleaned to perfection. Not a crooked photo-frame on the wall or a sliver of dust on any of the shelves. Everything had its place, and Lisa had made sure the house didn’t appear cluttered, yet it still had a homely, cozy feel.
“I can help,” I offered.
“Nonsense, bacon and eggs are easy, you just sit down. You’re our guest,” she waved me off as she set the already washed and dried frying pan back on the stove.
“Drink?” she asked as she opened the fridge.
“Juice please.”
She poured me a glass of orange juice then moved onto cooking up the eggs and bacon, making sure to ask how I liked my eggs.
I wondered if Samantha had eaten yet. Her bedroom door was still closed, so maybe she was still sleeping.
Lisa hummed softly as she moved around the kitchen, straightening and cleaning everything between checking the cooking breakfast.
Before I knew it, two fried eggs and a few perfectly cooked cuts of bacon were set before me.
I turned down the offered pepper and salt as I dug in.
“So, anything I can help with?” I asked between mouthfuls of food. I’d brought my textbook and assessment so I could work on that if I had nothing to do, but I felt like Lisa might enjoy some company.
“Well, I was going to pick some fresh fruit and make a fruit salad for morning tea, then put on some lamb chops for lunch. I have a few things to do out in the yard too, if you’re really looking for something to do,” she suggested. “But don’t feel like you have to if you have other things you could do!” she said quickly with a cheery smile.
“I’d love to help.”
I finished up breakfast, and Lisa refused to allow me to help with the dishes as she quickly cleaned up everything.
Then the morning chores began.
I found it rather relaxing doing the odd jobs around the place. Picking some fresh fruits from the fruit trees out the back which took up about half an acre of their house yard.
I reached out mentally while plucking some fresh oranges from the tree, finding Skip was off in a far paddock fixing fences while his father supervised. Today would be fixing fences mainly, then drenching the cattle in the lower paddocks after lunch. Then tomorrow would be drenching the rest of them before we’d head home late afternoon or after dinner.
We moved onto feeding the chickens and collecting the eggs, then cleaning out their nesting boxes and letting them out for a run.
Lisa also pegged out some washing, did some weeding, and watered the veggie patch before we headed back inside to begin setting up morning tea.
The boys returned right on time once the salad was made with some freshly squeezed orange juice and some biscuits and dip.
Skip had worked up a sweat, alongside his father, who hobbled to the dining table and slumped into his seat.
“Where’s Sam?” he asked as he glanced around the kitchen.
“She’s only had breakfast recently,” Lisa said, which resulted in a displeased grunt from him.
She’d come out while we’d been preparing the morning tea, serving herself some cereal before slinking off to her room and closing the door. Lisa had just sighe
d and apologized to me for her behavior, but I shrugged it off.
The boys dug in instantly after thanking Lisa, who made sure to point out I’d helped. Skip smiled affectionately at this, and I sat down next to him, relaxing when he squeezed my thigh and kissed my cheek before downing his juice and topping it up.
“All fences down the back paddocks are done. After this, we’ll get the one sorted down by the creek and over along the boundary. Then we’ll be back for lunch, so probably around one-thirty or two this arvo,” William stated as he coughed, and the stench of cigarette smoke wafted into my nostrils, making me scrunch my nose up.
A peek into Skip’s mind revealed he’d smoked the whole way back in the ute while grumbling about the heat.
I hadn’t thought it was too hot really.
I enjoyed the fresh fruit with them, and Lisa seemed delighted to have everyone at the table as she flicked her glittering blue eyes around with a soft smile. Minus Samantha.
All too soon, Skip was off, giving me a kiss, as his father did to his mother, leaving us to tidy up in their wake.
I found myself back in Skip’s room and working on my assessment as Lisa did chores around the house, informing me she’d put the chops on then have a break and read one of her true crime novels until it was ready. That was her personal time each day it seemed.
Was this routine her usual? I had a feeling it was, even if we weren’t here.
I heard Samantha’s door open, but I didn’t bother to go out. It was unlikely she’d acknowledge me anyway. I’d just focus on getting through this assessment.
Lunch had been uneventful, although Samantha had joined us, although she spent most of it on her phone between eating. We all ignored this as we spoke, and then they were off again after William had drunk a few cans of beer and asked what was for dinner, which Lisa had said was steak, veggies and chips.
The afternoon saw me finish my assessment, then I found Lisa and helped her finish up some odd jobs. Locking the chickens back up in the coop and giving them the scraps from lunch, then repotting some plants outside before helping her fold the washing.
We chatted about farm life and the books she had loved. She loved talking about the crime stories she read, filling me in on some gruesome serial killer cases that she’d enjoyed learning about.
And then we settled into a comfortable silence as we folded up the clean washing and set them in piles on the table. It was easy enough to pick out what belonged to who, so I only had to ask Lisa for guidance once or twice.
“Hey, Lisa, what was Selena like?” I found myself asking as my mind moved to Skip’s old girlfriend. I’d spied a photo of her in his room when I’d been making the bed, and for a moment, I thought she reminded me of someone, but I couldn’t place her. Skip still had the odd pang of pain from the loss of her, and I understood it.
“Oh, she was quite sweet, very polite. Honestly, you remind me of her a little, although you are more down to earth and spirited, whereas Selena, well, not to speak ill of the dead, but she was a little more airy. Sorta… hippyish, if you know what I mean. She was good to Skip though, made him happy. But it’s not the same as how he is with you,” she added quickly.
I nodded as I continued folding. “He still gets a little sad about it. I know he loves me, I’d never doubt that, but death is far different to a break-up. You can’t move on as easily, and even when you do, it still hurts you.”
Lisa nodded in agreement as she folded up a few singlets for William.
“Her death was a horrific accident. Broke Skip so badly. He’d been talking about moving to Maple Grove with her to study, and he left not long after. I think it was painful being here, too many memories. Her family still live in town. It was hard to talk to them. I remember running into her mother at woollies, she was crushed by the loss of her daughter, and she hated me. I think a part of them blamed Skip for it. If it weren’t for him, they wouldn’t have been out on that hiking trip. But accidents happen,” Lisa murmured.
My chest tightened at the thought of Skip feeling guilty. I knew he sometimes did, but he’d been able to accept that it was just that, a freak accident, with the help of his friends and family.
“Her sister took it the worst I think. They were so close,” Lisa sighed as she finished up the last of the folding. “Practically inseparable. At least, until Skip came into the picture. Many times Skip invited her out too, which she took the offer on. But… well,” Lisa let the sentence hang as she loaded all the clothes into the basket and headed off with it.
Poor girl. She would have been shattered by the death of her sister. Skip had never really mentioned her sister, then again, he tried not to ever think of Selena. I know it hurt him, but he was also worried it would bother me.
I sighed as I stood up and stretched. I wondered how her sister was coping now?
I found myself feeling sorry for Selena’s family as I made my way back to my room. I could only imagine their pain. Clearly they’d been a close family.
But to blame Skip? That angered me. He didn’t need that on top of the pain he already carried.
I flopped onto the bed after flicking the ceiling fan on, and I stared up at the swirling blades as I tried to move off the worries of her family.
I couldn’t do anything about it. Selena had died years ago.
I closed my eyes, instead deciding to fall down into my void.
I hadn’t heard from Walter for a while.
I descended into my darkness, relaxing as the welcome sensation of my void embraced me.
I called out to him before reaching out to him through the darkness. I knew he was off in the spirit realm, but I did want to check in on him.
Walter materialized before me after a few moments, smiling warmly as he bowed to me.
“Miss Smoak, it’s good to see you. You’ve been doing well?” he asked as he straightened and tucked a strand of red hair behind his ear.
He carefully set his little top hat back on and smiled warmly at me. His blood-red suit oddly suited him, but I kind of missed his circus ringmaster outfit I’d first seen him in.
“Yes, things are good. How’s the spirit realm? Learning much?” I asked.
“Plenty. There’s so much to learn. But there are whispers of my father and his work. I’m trying to uncover the truth about why he created me, the wendigo version. I know there’s more to it than what I’ve been told and remembered. He was a calculated man, always thinking ahead. I’m starting to believe there was something much more sinister planned. But, like I said, it’s only whispers. I’ve been digging around, but it’s tedious, and spirits from back then are hard to find,” he sighed.
“What do you think he was planning?” The thought of something worse than a wendigo was not something I’d even considered. A chill ran down my spine at the thought. Was it just whispers? Or was there a truth to it?
“No idea. I didn’t mean to worry you, it could be nothing, just superstition. My father was known by other names I discovered, for his necromancy work. Nasty stuff that got him killed,” he murmured, but his jaw set as he stared off into the darkness with a perplexed look. He quickly masked it when he realized I was still staring at him. “I’ll keep you informed, I’m sure I’m just turning it into something. After all, there are always stories and tall tales about monsters in the night,” he said, giving me a dazzling smile. But it was for show, because it didn’t reach his eyes.
Instead, concern and uncertainty filled those golden brown eyes, and something more worrisome.
Fear.
“Be well, Miss Smoak.” He bid me farewell with a bow before fading into the spirit realm, his presence vanishing from my void.
Maybe he was just worrying. But I had a bad feeling about this. Even my banshee side was whispering to be wary.
Chapter 12
Skip and William returned early from the paddocks, and William declared that he had a surprise in store.
He’d invited some friends over, which meant Lisa’s dinner plans had to be c
hanged, but she was happy for the company coming over.
So now we sat under the stars, the warmth of the raging bonfire flooding through me as I sat in the camp chair beside Skip.
Laughter and drunken banter surrounded us, but I felt completely at ease with all the family friends that milled around.
Men laughed and whooped as they shared stories, and Skip informed me that they only all got together every few months, and very few were Facebook users, so they always had things to chat about.
“Wait until Matt there hits the vodka shots later,” Skip chuckled as he stood up, indicating to one of the men he’d introduced me to earlier. I was struggling to remember names after the first three people I’d met in the group of nearly twenty.
“Why? What happens?” I hissed.
“Nakedness and shifting, generally something goes wrong. The usual,” Skip shrugged before giving me a lopsided smile and heading over to the barbecue.
William was standing and chatting with the man who’d offered to manage the barbecue duties for him. Pete I think was his name.
“So, Allison, you enjoying yourself?”
I turned as Lisa took Skip’s seat with a glass of wine in her hand.
She sighed as she sat, a small smile playing at her lips as she enjoyed the small celebration.
William had invited all family friends around to greet Skip and catch up while he was here.
“Definitely, everyone is so friendly,” I said with a smile as I spied two men beginning to shove one another on the far side of the fire.
“They’re all shifters or supes thankfully. Mostly kangaroos, but Sharon and Burt over there are koala shifters, while Ben is a dingo shifter. Micah is a wombat, Chris is a platypus, while his wife is a witch. She’s helped us all out of the odd pickle here and there, and she’s helped us keep the feed going when drought times have gotten tough. But even magic can’t fix the cattle industry,” she sighed as she took a gulp from her wine.
“Is there any other farming you could do instead of cattle?” I asked. I knew only a little about farming thanks to Skip.
“William is stubborn. His father and grandfather were cattle farmers. He doesn’t want to let it up,” she said, her voice trailing off as she cocked her head with a tender smile and looked past me.