Werebears and Water

by Caitlin Ricci

  Chapter Three

  Maia looked at their joined hands and felt her heartbeat slow. "Sorry," she said quickly. Her face pinched. She hated having to apologize. "I didn't realize you were together." Rooming with two gay guys wouldn't have been so bad.

  The cute guy looked up at her and she caught something in his dark-brown eyes. It wasn't much, but there was absolutely something there. His lips quirked up into a smile, and the scruffy guy nodded. "Yeah, we're together," Scruffy said. "So, does that change your mind?"

  Smiling, she nodded and stepped toward them. "Maia," she said, offering her hand to the one with the beanie. He shook it gently, his fingers barely curling around her palm before dropping away. Scruffy gave her hand a good shake.

  "I'm Vince," he said. "And this is Rayce."

  She shifted her weight, her long turquoise dangle earrings falling against her neck as she moved. "So, about that room..."

  Rayce's gaze widened and he looked back at Vince. She waited, wondering what they'd say. She wasn't used to having to ask for help. Add that along with apologizing to the list of things she needed to get better at. Sometimes her social skills sucked. Like right now.

  She glanced around the crowded lobby, relieved that most of the guests had gone back to doing their own thing even after her unfortunate outburst. Really, these guys had to be practically saints to still be even talking with her after she'd accused Rayce of wanting to sleep with her. She had to be the biggest idiot in the room. Her gaze caught on a couple guys dressed as Big Bird. All right, so maybe she wasn't that far off, but she was definitely lacking in the brains department at that moment. And in the room department as well. She sighed as the guys whispered to each other. She'd thought hotels only lost reservations in movies. Apparently not. And her simple vacation was turning into something decidedly worse.

  She needed to relax, take a nap, and get in the water. No—scratch that. She had to be in the water first. It'd been too long since her morning bath. And of course Phoenix was seriously lacking in salt water. The pool would have to do. For now, at least. Maybe she could find enough salt at the grocery store she'd passed on the way to the hotel to make the bathtub into a mini ocean. Probably, but even if she did, it wouldn't be exact. The pool would be a better option, but somehow she doubted the hotel management would appreciate her doing that to their pH-balanced water. Still, it was an idea.

  When Vince turned back to her, he was smiling. "So, we've decided."

  Her heart jumped. "Oh?"

  Rayce nodded. "The room has two beds. You can take the extra one. Even though you did think I was trying to get you naked."

  She blushed and giggled. "Yeah, sorry about that." The clerk handed her an extra keycard for their room, and Maia grabbed her suitcase. She settled in behind them as they turned and started down the hallway. "So how long have you two been together?" she asked, trying not to look at how well their jeans fit their butts. She was a butt kind of girl, and it wasn't fair that not only were they both well shaped in that department, but that they were also completely off-limits. For touching, anyway. Now that she knew she was safe with them, she intended to stare all she wanted. At least WereCon was nearly a full week. She licked her lips. Five days of that view wouldn't be a problem at all.

  "Four years," Rayce replied. "Since junior year."

  Maia nodded and did the math. "Are you in college?" she asked as they came to the room.

  Vince nodded and opened the door. "Yeah." He stepped aside, letting her go in first. "Colorado State."

  Her breath caught and her mouth fell open. "Me too!" she squealed, rushing past them. "I just started last fall, but yeah, I'm there too."

  Rayce and Vince shared a grin and he tossed his backpack onto the bed closest to the door. "Interesting coincidence," Vince said.

  Maia laughed. "Or fate." She placed her bright-blue suitcase on the other bed, the one by the window, and shrugged off her cardigan, leaving her in a thin tank top and a loose skirt. She plopped on the bed, pulled her legs under herself, and watched them as they started unpacking. "I'm an environmental sciences major, and I joined the swim team. I'm kind of a really great swimmer."

  Vince snorted. "And so modest, too!" She shared his easy grin. "I'm in engineering, and Rayce is lazy."

  Rayce stuck out his tongue and blew him a raspberry. "The term is liberal arts major. Not my fault I have no idea what I actually want to do. How am I supposed to decide what degree I want when they all look interesting? I could be a veterinarian. Or a physicist. Or a doctor. Or—"

  Shaking his head, Vince shoved a shirt into the drawer by his hip. "Or a lazy bum rereading a novel you read in high school because that's what the professor assigned. Seriously, how many times are they going to tell you to read Through the Looking Glass? Clueless girl goes into crazy world and has a drug-induced adventure. There. Paper done. Moving on to something worth reading."

  Maia giggled. "I haven't read it."

  Rayce looked up, appearing surprised. "You should. If for no other reason than that it's a classic. But I got assigned it in middle school, then again in high school, and first semester in freshman year of college I had to read it again. It got old really quickly. And I couldn't even just pretend to read it. This teacher gave weekly quizzes on specific events in the chapters. No way to skip through it with a teacher like that."

  She shuddered. "That doesn't sound like fun at all."

  "Seriously wasn't," Vince confirmed, sitting on their bed across from her. A moment later, Rayce joined him, grabbing a pillow and stretching out behind him. "So, WereCon, huh?"

  Maia fidgeted with the hem of her skirt. "Um. Yeah." She giggled nervously and bit her bottom lip. "I like all things fantasy. Like Tolkien and Anne McCaffrey. I devoured her entire Pern series in mere weeks one summer. Totally divine. Do you guys like fantasy books too?" She frowned, feeling stupid for asking such an obvious question. Of course they did. Why would they come to what amounted to a fantasy convention if they didn't?

  Vince's easy smile instantly put her at ease. "Yeah, we're pretty big on certain things like that."

  She returned his smile. "Really? Like what?"

  Rayce spoke up. "Werebears, for starters." Vince laughed and gave his boyfriend a light shove that turned him over onto his back. His tee rode up over his stomach, and Maia caught sight of something he wore underneath, but what it was, she had no idea. It almost looked like a bandage.

  "Are you hurt?" she asked.

  Vince's smile died on his lips. "Huh? Who?"

  Maia pointed to Rayce's stomach. "You have a wrapping or something. On your belly. Are you okay?"

  Rayce tugged his shirt down, and though he smiled as he sat back up, it looked forced. "Naw, it's just a shirt." He moved behind Vince and laid his cheek on his boyfriend's shoulder.

  Maia didn't understand what had happened, but she slowly nodded, knowing something had changed between them already. And worse, knowing that was her fault.

  Chapter Four

  Vince reached behind himself and squeezed Rayce's thigh. Maia hadn't really seen anything, so there was no reason for Rayce to shut down around her. This had to be a big step for him, though.

  "Would you guys mind if I took a bath?" Maia quietly asked.

  He shook his head no. "Go for it. We'll probably just rest for a while. Driving here was pretty draining."

  She nodded and rose from the bed. "Yeah, I can imagine. Which is why I flew. But I do hate flying too. I can't stand heights."

  Vince chuckled. "I absolutely get that." He watched her go into the bathroom and waited until the sound of water filling the tub echoed through the small hotel room before turning to Rayce. "Hey. She's gone. You're okay." He kept his voice low, unsure of how much she could hear even with the water going.

  Rayce shook his head and hid his face in the pillows. "She saw my thing."

  Vince shrugged. "So? It's a shirt. She doesn't have any reason to think it's anything else. You're fine." He pulled the pillow out from under Rayce's
head, refusing to let him hide. Before Rayce could argue, Vince was on top of him, his mouth pressed fiercely against Rayce's as his hands went to the buckle of Rayce's jeans.

  "She could hear us!" Rayce hissed, pushing on Vince's chest.

  Vince sighed. "If she gets out of the bath, we'll hear her, and we'll stop. If you tell me you don't want this, then I'll let you go right now and we can do that cuddling you're so fond of. Even without the sex, I still want to touch you and be around you. This is your call, furball."

  "I want to…"

  "But?" Vince looked to the bathroom door. He could hear the water running, and Maia singing to herself. She probably wouldn't hear them if they were quick, and quiet.

  Rayce pursed his lips. "You have to be as quiet as you possibly can. I'm serious."

  "I can do that." Vince kissed him and moved just enough to get Rayce's pants completely off before covering him again.

  He saw Rayce's resolve falter a moment before he quickly nodded. "We don't have time for anal." He reached for him, his long fingers going to Vince's pants. "You don't mind?"

  Vince shook his head. "I'll give you whatever you need. However you want it. You know that."

  Smiling, Rayce slid his warm hands over Vince's hard cock, and he bit back a low moan at that familiar sensation as it worked through his sore muscles. "Shh," Rayce warned him.

  Vince grinned down at him. "Oh, I'll be quiet all right. It's you I'm worried about." Rayce blushed deeply, and Vince took his hands and pinned them above his head. Though his jeans weren't much farther down than his thighs, he lay against Rayce's body and pressed himself against the warmth of Rayce's core. He still had his boxers on, but Vince had long gotten used to them staying on for quickies. He covered Rayce's mouth with his own and rubbed him.

  His beautiful Rayce was stiff at first, but like the boxers, that was just par for the course where Vince was concerned. It took Rayce a minute to warm up. He smiled as the first low moan fell from Rayce's lips. Vince reached behind him and wrapped Rayce's legs around his waist, then rubbed him harder, pressing his thick cock against the soft material of Rayce's boxers until he could feel them getting moist against his head.

  Rayce whimpered and trembled underneath him, and Vince covered his mouth with his hand, muffling the moans he knew would soon come. He kissed Rayce's neck and sucked on his sensitive skin, easily leaving bruises on his pale flesh. Vince rolled his hips, bringing Rayce the pleasure he sought as he trembled against him, until he went still and a barely muffled cry fell from his lips.

  Smiling, Vince held him until his pleasure subsided and his trembling eased. It was only then that he dropped his hand from Rayce's mouth and replaced it with his lips. "Told you she wouldn't know," he whispered, lifting his head.

  Rayce chuckled and gave him a short nod. "True. But we're not done yet, are we?"

  Heat ran through Vince and landed right in the middle of his cock at the sight of the dark heat warming Rayce's gaze. He licked his lips and reached between them to stroke Vince's cock with both hands. Vince moved up Rayce's body, balancing himself with one hand on the pillows beside Rayce's head as he thrust between Rayce's hands.

  With a low groan, he buried his face in Rayce's hair, and barely managed to grab a tissue off the nearby nightstand before he came in Rayce's hands.

  *~*~*

  Maia's breath caught at the sound of the very masculine orgasm. She licked her lips and brought one hand to her small, pert breast while the other dipped between her legs. She hadn't heard much, not nearly enough, but she'd been able to piece together the basics. And the guys she was rooming with sounded freaking hot in bed together. Too bad they were gay. She'd have loved to get in between them.

  She sank lower in the tub, letting the warm water come up to her chin as she spread her thighs as much as possible in the small space. Her clit was already hard, the sensitive nub begging for her attention even as she stroked it. Though she had no idea how the guys had sex, or who had been on top and how they looked naked, she imagined it all, letting her mind wander as she teased her clit until she was panting.

  Then her fantasy took a decidedly different turn. She was all set to think about the guys together until her mind decided to place her with them. Vince's scruffy beard tickling her shoulder, Rayce's long hair draping over her breasts...She moaned softly and inserted a single finger between her folds, then inside her tunnel. They both interested her for very different reasons. Vince was strong—his large muscles barely fit inside his tee. And the unshaven look had always done wonderful things to her.

  But then there was Rayce. She sighed just thinking about him. He was lean and lithe. Like the ballet dancer she'd dated once. He'd been a demanding prick. But the body structure was similar. And gawd, Rayce's lips were like nothing she'd ever seen on a guy before. They were full, sensual, and looked incredibly soft. No wonder he and Vince had jumped in bed together the moment she'd been out of the room. If Rayce had been hers, she would have jumped him too. Damn.

  She bucked against her hand just thinking about those lips on her breasts, trailing down her stomach, finding her clit. Maia pictured Vince behind her, stroking her back, his big hands cupping her breasts. She wasn't sure whom she wanted to enter her first, or where she wanted them to go. The fantasy was more than perfect just thinking about being between them and feeling their hands on her body.

  Her orgasm crashed through her and she cried out, only after that realizing the guys she'd fantasized about were right next door, barely a wall away from her. She sank into the tub, hoping they hadn't heard her. Her embarrassment was quickly brought to life, though, as the bathroom door slammed open and Rayce came rushing in, Vince right along with him.

  "Are you okay?" Rayce gushed. They both looked freaked. "Holy shit." Rayce lifted his hand and pointed, and a heartbeat later Maia realized he was seeing parts of her that should never be shared with a human.

  She screeched and pulled the shower curtain closed. "Get out!" she shouted, wrapping her arms around her naked body as she sat up. Embarrassment made her cheeks go red and brought hot tears to her eyes.

  "You had fins..." Vince whispered, his shadow coming up against the shower curtain between them.

  To her horror, Maia looked down to see brightly colored scales covering her arms and small fins sprouting from her wrists. "Did not!" she shot back even she lifted her hands to find her gills out in full force on her neck. With a groan, she let her forehead fall onto her bent knees. "Just great," she muttered darkly.

  "Yes you did," Rayce said, coming up next to Vince. "And it's okay."

  She snorted. "Sure it is. Now you can go sell me to the circus. Go ahead. Call the FBI, the CIA, every tabloid in the country..." Her words ended on a loud sniffle as she tried to hold back the tears.

  A towel appeared above her head, and she looked around the edge of the shower curtain to see Vince against the wall across from her with his back to her and Rayce above her, a hand covering his eyes. "Wha..."

  "You're not going to a circus. Not unless you want to," Rayce said, still keeping his face covered. "But we would like to talk. So if you wouldn't mind covering yourself..."

  "Yeah, okay, I'll hide my bits from you. I'd hate for you to have to see them. Being gay and all." She snatched the towel from his hand and covered herself.

  Vince spoke up across from them. "Huh? You want us to look? 'Cause I'd be happy to stare at you all day long."

  Rayce laughed as well. "Me too. We're not gay."

  Feeling more confused than ever and thankfully starting to see her fins disappear back into her skin, Maia rose out of the bath and stepped out, trying not to brush against Rayce as she did. "All right, I'm out and covered. So you're not gay and you're not going to call anyone to have me carted off?"

  Rayce dropped his hand from his eyes and Vince turned around. "Nope," Vince said. "To both, actually. We're both pansexuals."

  When she frowned, Rayce stepped forward. "Neither of us care about sexuality or gender. Oh, and about th
e fins, you don't have to worry about that, either."

  Maia tilted her head, considering them both. "You two are being oddly accepting of the fin thing. If you're planning to sell me to science, let me tell you I don't think you'd like to hear me scream."

  "Unless it's from having me in you," Vince muttered. Rayce choked and Maia stared at him.

  Rayce shook his head. "Um, so yeah, we're also polyamorous too, so..." He finished on a shrug. "And Vince, that was lovely. Truly. Stuff of roses and chocolates right there. The girl is naked in a bathtub, just thought that we were going to sell her to science or something, and you're talking about having sex with her? Let her adjust. Please."

  Vince rolled his eyes. "Thank you, sweetness. But no, Maia, back to your fins. You see, I want to know what you are. But not because I want to sell you. See, we always thought we were pretty much alone. We read stories online and stuff, but most people who claimed to be shifters were full of shit. But now you're here and you probably know others and boom, just like that it's a whole big group of freaks all together."

  Her mouth fell open. "Thought you were alone... Others... What the hell?"

  Vince took a few steps forward, and both Maia and Rayce watched him closely. "Just try not to scream, okay?"

  She slowly nodded and watched, wide-eyed and clutching the towel tightly to her chest, as dark-brown fur sprang up over Vince's arms and neck. Then, as she kept watching, it covered his face and his teeth began to grow.

  "Vince, stop, that's enough, we can explain the rest from here," Rayce said, stepping in before he completed whatever it was that he was trying to do.

  "But I want to see," Maia weakly said as she went toward Vince, her outstretched hand ready to touch his thick fur. "Is it safe?" she asked Rayce.

  He nodded. "Perfectly. We retain both parts of ourselves. The bear and person work together as one regardless of our form. It's just painful going back and forth, so I had him stop."