“I wanted to thank you for agreeing to let me stay, us stay.” She stepped closer and put a hand on my arm. “I know I don't bring much to the table like Miranda and Tabitha, but I am willing to do whatever it takes to make sure you never regret letting me stay,” she said.
Cassie was a beautiful woman, but everything about her in that moment made me want to through her down and fuck her right there in front of everyone. Her scent was sweet like a cinnamon roll and every whiff made my pants just little tighter. Her eyes were half closed making her look like she had just woken up and she had her hip cocked to the side with her hand resting on it showing off her ample curves.
I swallowed to give me something to focus on besides my desire. “Cassie, you don’t have to do anything to show me gratitude. I’m just glad to help,” I said.
“You say that, but I can feel what you want right now, Terry. This thing,” she pointed back and forth between the two of is with her open hand. “This link let's me feel some of what you feel. The closer I am the stronger the sensation. And right now,” her eyes lowered to my crotch and her magnificent smile widened. “I know exactly what you want.” She leaned in until I felt her warm breath on my cheek and whispered. “I want that too,” she said.
“I um … we can talk about that later. We really need to get going,” I said.
She pulled back to look me in the eyes with that smile fixed in place. “I guess we should. But once we’re safe, I will be revisiting this conversation.”
“Okay,” I said because I didn’t know what else to say. The fact that beautiful women wanted to fuck me still boggled my mind.
“So when are you going to invite her into your pervy mind space?” Miranda thought to me?
“Pervy mind space?” I thought back.
“What is the deal with that anyway” Tabitha asked. “I mean why can’t we wear clothes there? It's just weird and makes Terry look like a serious perv.”
“Hey! Miranda started it. I mean she was clothed, but she…”
“A gentleman doesn’t share,” Miranda thought.
“I wasn’t … wait! You are all already in my head. Just being here means they know.” I thought. “This is so not fair.”
That brought a chorus of chuckles in my head. I shook it off and joined the others. “It’s time to go,” I said.
Miranda, Tabitha, and Cassie were clustered together and rose to their feet first. They passed by all smiling at me. Doctor Nguyen followed them with Izzy taking up the rear.
“Come on, Perv,” Izzy said as she passed. She was also smiling.
“I’m so glad everyone is having so much fun,” I growled.
Seeing my Tua smiling after the mad science dungeon crawl put a little extra pep in my step. Once again I was reminded of the power gained by not being alone.
“We are never alone,” Miranda thought to me. “Never again, my love.”.
“Never again,” I echoed.
Chapter 37
Unlike our little hike to find the so called abandoned building we ran into no opposition on our way back. Well, for most of the trip. A hundred yards from where we parked I picked up a variety of scents. Chief among them was the suited douchebag from underground, Claude.
“Come out, Miranda!” Claude shouted. “I can smell you and your friends!”
“Awe shit,” Miranda thought. “It had to be this ass hat. How do you want to play this, Terry?”
“I say we go down there and rip his fucking head off,” Tabitha hissed.
Izzy, Miranda and I all turned our heads to look at the normally mousy woman. She shrugged.
“Some people just need killing,” she thought to us.
“Come now, I haven’t got all day! Besides, if you come out now I can offer you a deal that will work for everyone, mostly!” Claude shouted.
“We should hear him out,” Miranda said.
“I agree,” Doctor Nguyen said. “I worked a lot with Claude, and while he is an ass he is an honest ass.”
“Let's go then,” I said. “Let's see what he has to say before we cut off his balls and feed them to him.”
With me in the lead my group walked out of the clearing and stopped just outside the tree line. Claude stood in front of Izzy’s car by himself. Amazingly enough I smelled no one else close by. Confidence filled me at our chances of beating him while he was outnumbered.
“Claude is no hero. He would only be alone if he felt he had the upper hand. Be careful, Terry,” Miranda thought.
“What do you want?” I asked.
“This boy speaks for you now, Miranda?” Claude asked.
“I speak for my pack,” I snarled.
“Very well, boy. Here is the deal Arnold is offering. Miranda comes back into the fold, you give back our property,” he pointed to Cassie, “and we let the rest of you go. Nice and easy bargain I think. What say you, boy?”
There wasn’t even a need to think about it. “Get bent! There is no way I’m handing anyone over to you!”
“Talk some sense into the boy Miranda. I will forget what he just said and allow you to make the right decision. Talk to him, Miranda,” Claude said.
“Terry,” Miranda said. “Maybe you should consider his offer.”
“What?” I turned and faced my wolf. I was surprised to see that my usually confident Miranda looked concerned and wouldn’t look at me.
“Okay,” I said. After all, Miranda has never steered me wrong so far. I looked up and to the left for a second then back at my wolf. “Considered and rejected. Fuck Claude and fuck Arnold.”
Miranda looked up at me with her eyes wide. Fear radiated from my wolf and I had to wonder if maybe I made a mistake, but I shook that off.
“Terry, you don’t understand how strong Arnold is. And there is no way Claude would be here if there was a way he could loose. We have to give in, I have to give in so that you and the rest can go free,” Miranda said.
I walked up to my wolf and put my hand on her shoulder. “Look around, Miranda. Since you and Tabitha came into my life we have overcome one challenge after another. We came close to being beaten so many times and yet we are still here. Do you know the one thing I learned from it all?” I waited for her response which came as a head shake.
I gave my wolf a smile. I understood why she was afraid. I remembered the fear I felt when Arnold changed and came after me. If he decided to charge me I would have died, but he decided to play it like Jason and I was a teen camping at Crystal Lake. While the slow and stead walk-chase worked in horror films it didn’t work for Arnold. But I am not that scared little guy anymore.
“I learned that as long as we are not alone we can overcome. And you know what, Miranda?” She shook her head again. “We are never alone,” I thought to all my Tua.
“So what’s the plan?” Izzy asked.
“I was thinking I would go over there and kick his ass,” I said.
“I like it,” Izzy replied. “But we might want something a little better. How about the girls and I go kick his ass and you support us?”
“Yeah,” Tabitha said. “I wanna mop the floor with his bitch ass!”
Miranda, Izzy and I all looked at my serpent who turned beat red. We laughed which only made the red spread from her face down her neck.
“What?” Tabitha asked.
“Nothing,” I said. “So we have something like a plan. Should we hash it out more?”
“It’s simple,” Izzy said. “Tabby and Miranda follow me. I’ll tank this fuck while you two dps away. We should knock him out for the count in no time.”
Miranda laughed. “Yeah, I can get on board with this plan. You in Tabby?”
“I am so ready to fuck shit up. Let’s do it!” She threw her fist up into the air.
“You heard the woman, let’s go put some boots up that ass.” Izzy spun on her heels and marched toward Claude.
Miranda and Tabitha followed a few feet behind and I hung back. I wasn’t really sure what my support role was supposed to be but I knew
one thing I could do. I opened all three gates and set them at ten percent. Not enough to drain me, but a boost for my Tua.
“What should I do?” Cassie asked. I turned my head to look at the beautiful blond and saw Doctor Nguyen place a hand on the woman’s arm.
“You will stay here,” Doctor Nguyen said. “This is not your fight, dear. You must remain safe.”
Cassie pulled her arm free and sneered. “I am not your dear,” she snapped.
“No, I suppose not,” Doctor Nguyen said as a pained look crossed her face briefly. Then she was stoic business once more. “Never the less, joining them would be folly. Besides, do you see them. They are not normal lycans.” Her gaze shifted up to me. “I suspect there is more going on here than I could fathom.”
I looked back to Cassie meeting her stunning green eyes. “She is right about you staying here. Let us deal with him. You are too much of an unknown right now. I’m sorry.”
Cassie looked down at her feet. The large yellow rubber booties looking comical on her slender frame. “I understand.” I felt a hint of shame through a link with Cassie that shouldn’t exist.
A roar from my wolf let me know the battle had started and there was no more time to consider Cassie.
Izzy stood in front of Claude swinging away with well thrown punches. Claude remained in place but rotated his torso to move out of the way of her blows. Then Miranda joined.
My wolf raked her claws down where his side should have been. Claude side stepped and dodged both attackers. Tabitha joined in striking out with her tail. One step and a torso rotation and Claude remained untouched. I felt confusion coming from all three of my Tua.
“Is he supposed to be that fast without shifting?” I sent to my Tua.
“No,” Tabitha replied.
“He is faster than a shifted wolf and impossibly fast for a man in human form,” Miranda thought.
“I don’t like this,” Izzy added.
“I don’t like it either,” I thought. “I’m coming.”
I took off at a sprint. The distance between us seemed to vanish as I moved at top speed. I leapt into the frey and threw a haymaker at Claude. My fist connected with his jaw. My momentum carried me through and passed him. I hit the ground and rolled several times before getting my tumble under control.
Miranda appeared next to me and helped me to my feet. Immediately I moved to Claude who lay on the ground unmoving. The dirt staining his suit stood as a stark contrast to the crisp creases and shimmering dark material. As I closed in he looked up and I saw the damage I caused.
Claude’s jaw hung at an odd angle as if the hinge on the left side of his face broke off. His eyes didn’t match his broken appearance. Combined with the upturn at the corner of the right side of his lips and it looked like he was smiling.
Claude’s jaw moved back into place with a pop and he was indeed smiling. I stopped pulling Miranda to a halt with me. Claude stood and brushed himself off.
“Well that was entertaining,” He said. “I was waiting for you, Mr. *Terry*. Now that you have joined us we can begin.” He frowned and looked down at his suit. “It’s a shame that I won’t have time to disrobe, unless…” he looked at me with an eyebrow raised. “I don’t suppose you would allow me the time to remove my suit, would you?”
“Not a chance in hell,” I said. The urge to ask how he knew my name was strong, but I fought it back. I didn’t want to let him know how much he unnerved me with that.
“I didn’t think so. Oh well. Stage one, activate,” he said.
“Say what now?” I asked.
The answer came in the form of his suit ripping while Claude inflated. He also grew a couple feet taller and hair sprouted from his pores. His face elongated with a series of pops and snaps then his teeth did the same. In just a few seconds Claude had changed from a man to a werewolf as big as Arnold had been.
“Now we get serious,” Claude growled as the shredded remains of his suit hit the ground.
The large werewolf knocked Izzy down with a backhanded swing. He spun and caught Tabitha by her throat stopping her aerial attack then tossed her aside like she was nothing. Miranda left my side and rushed the much larger werewolf. She slashed at his midsection over and over. Blood flew from her claws at the end of each arc. Claude stood his ground staring at me while she struck. Then he struck with a slash of his own opening Miranda up from neck to hip.
“NO!” I screamed as he knocked my wolf aside. I charged the monster with my fingers open like I too had claws.
Claude lashed out with his claws when I was in range. I ducked under his attempt and moved in close. His reach was much farther than mine, but It seemed like I was faster. My left hand slashed against his abdomen but there was no effect. I punched as hard as I could with my right hitting him square in the sternum.
Claude stumbled back a couple steps as the air whooshed out of his lungs. His head jerked up as he tried pulling in air. I capitalized on his moment of weakness. Jumping forward I raised my knee hitting him in the gut then jabbed him in the snout. When my feet hit the floor I went to work on his midsection raining down blow after blow.
Claude sucked in air and swung his arm. I raised my arm and activate Shell with a thought. The plates spread over my arm a second before his forearm connected. I lashed out for another punch. I was sure now that I was faster and since his blow was easily blocked and barely hurt I thought I might be stronger.
After a series of rights and lefts Claude jumped back. He tried hitting me but got nowhere. What I expected next was for him to flee, or give up. Maybe even apologize for his shitty offer before he left. None of that happened.
“Stage two activate!” He shouted.
Chapter 38
This second transformation took a few seconds longer. Claude grew taller and wider. His snout and head thickened until it look more bear than wolf. His claws went from being pocket knifes to machetes. Hair fell off of his shoulders and elbows and spike bone grew out of his skin. Once he was done he leaned forward and pelted me with the loudest and deepest roar I had ever heard.
“Oh that is just not fair,” I said. “I’m fighting the lycan version of Cell. Where is Gohan when I need him?”
“Take everything we have,” Miranda’s weak voice came through our link.
“You need it,” I thought back.
“We need to survive, which means we need you to win, Terry,” Tabitha added.
“Don’t argue and just fucking take it,” Izzy thought.
“Okay fine!” I said when I meant to think it.
Claude was stalking toward me and he stopped when I spoke. His head tilted to the side very much like a dog. He shrugged and took another menacing step.
I focused on all three gates and opened them up to ninety percent just as Shell timed out. I know they wanted me to take it all, but I couldn’t get the image of Miranda being filleted like a damn fish from my mind. So I left them with what I hoped would be enough to recover while I fought.
That was the first time I pulled so much and it was amazing. Power flowed through every part of me and I just knew there was no way anything could stand in my way. It was time to shut up and put up.
I waited while Claude came closer all the while fighting the urge to power up DBZ style. I had a theme going, why not roll with it. Then Claude was right in front of me swinging his hubcap sized paw at me. It was a half hearted swipe so I just stepped back to avoid it and the massive claws.
I got this, I thought to myself. Then Claude struck so fast I didn’t realize what happened until I was flying through the air. Twenty feet later I was on course for a collision with the ground until a massive paw struck my midsection and slammed me into the ground. Dirt and rocks flew up all around me as more bones than I cared to think about cracked or broke. Blood and air burst forth from my mouth as pain exploded through me.
Claude was not finished. He lifted me up with his claws and they dug into my skin. The good news was that I hurt so much that I barely noticed the cla
ws. He swung his arm out wide sending me on another flight courtesy of Douchebag Air. This time I hit the ground and rolled to a stop a couple feet later.
With the power draw I was getting from my Tua the damage to my body began healing right away. In the time it took me to climb up to my feet most of the damage was gone. Standing hunched over I swayed on my feet to give the impression of still being hurt. Why let Claude think I was good to go when he would assume I was pretty beat up.
“You are a tough son-of-a-bitch,” Claude growled.
“Funny,” I replied. “Your mom said the same thing last night.”
Claude let out a series of rumbles I assumed was a laugh or chuckle and I received several groans from my connections to my Tua. At least Claude thought it was funny.
“So Juvenile,” Claude said to which I received agreements from my Tua.
While everyone was judging me for being juvenile I considered the situation. Before Claude went all Cell stage two on me I had him. I was faster and stronger. Now it seemed he was faster and stronger by a large margin. There had to be something I could do that would give me the edge in the current match up. There was also the probability that the Cell want to be had another transformation or two up his sleeve.
Claude let out another gut wrenching roar then dropped to all fours and charged. I answered his call by screaming like a little girl and running away from him. Turns out, I could run really fast and even managed to maintain the distance between us.
Once again the benefits of my Tua came to light. My legs were going strong and I felt like I could run forever, but I doubted that was the case. So I looked for an alternative by pulling up my skills list and checking over the skills I purchased for myself.
I found nothing to help beyond what I already had, but there had to be a way. It would have to wait though, because Claude was not waiting.
The giant werebear monster hybrid had picked up his pace and was now gaining on me. I pushed with all I had remembering a Marine saying from a movie that escaped me. Mind over matter. If I don’t mind, it don’t matter. I chanted that mantra in my head as I pushed myself till my thighs felt like they were on fire.
Shiftless: Tuatha Series Book 1 Page 23