Cat on the Fence (5 page)

Her heart rate increased both from the buzz due to the drink
and Alex McClellan’s presence. Karabi heard and smelled him coming long before
she saw his reflection behind her on the glass. He remained on the observation
deck instead of coming onto the balcony with her.

“Wow, so this is The Ledge? Crazy!”

“Your first time seeing it?”

“Yeah, this is my first time really being in the building,
to tell you the truth. I’ve only been living in the Chicago area for a few
months.”

“You’ve been following me all night.”

He nodded. “I have.”

She turned around to face Alex. “Are you stalking me?”

“I am.”

“Why?”

“That’s what tigers do when they’re after prey, right?”

She laughed, already feeling pretty giddy. “Oh I’m your prey
now?”

“You always have been. You’ve been expertly evading me for
weeks,” he said. He eyed her empty champagne glass. “Now that you’ve had a
little to drink, maybe you’ll be easier to catch.”

“Then come and get me.”

He took another step forward and her belly fluttered in
anticipation. But then he eyed the transparent floor of the window box and
froze, eyes wide. “Wow—even the
floor
is glass?”

“Yup. Pretty cool, huh?”

“Hell no, not cool at all!”

Karabi raised both brows. “What? Are you afraid of heights?”

“When they involve see-through glass floors one hundred and
three stories high…shit yeah!”

She laughed heartily. “So the mighty Alexander McClellan is
not made of steel after all, huh?”

“I am. I just wish that balconies that are one hundred and
three stories high were made of steel too.”

She smiled and reached out a hand toward him. “Come on, tiger.
I’ve got you.”

He hesitated but he took her hand. She watched in amusement
as the tall man trepidatiously stepped onto the glass, moving forward one small
step at a time, light-footed, as if he were afraid he was too heavy for the
glass. When she couldn’t take it any longer she gripped his hand and yanked him
all the way inside. He tumbled into her, crushing her against the glass wall.

“Gah!” he cried out, his eyes as wide as saucers.

Karabi laughed out loud. “Big baby.”

He laughed nervously as well, looking around at the view
from the window. His arms were trembling a little and Karabi couldn’t help but
put her hands on his back and rub him in an attempt to give him comfort. Damn,
was she drunk already? She’d
just
gotten off the phone with her ex, a
man she wasn’t even sure whether or not she was in love with, and now here she
was rubbing on another man. When he stopped shaking he looked down at her, his
lips slightly parted, his eyes burning behind the mask. She stared up, way up,
into those eyes. Had he always been that tall? He felt so different tonight.
He’d always been sex in a suit but tonight he seemed especially… What was the
word she was looking for?
Feral
. She stared at those luscious lips that
seemed hungry for her, and she licked her own, acknowledging her echoing hunger
for him.

She knew at that moment tonight was going to be a
wild
one.

With Karabi wedged between his body and the windowpane, Alex
found it a lot easier to take in the frightening view of the city from the
giant glass box. Her hands were under his suit jacket and she was rubbing his
back, looking up at him. Although it was hard to make out her expression with
that mask on, the way her mouth was slightly parted and her breath had
quickened let him know that she was just as excited about the position as he.
But he needed to get clarification on something first.

“So… Was that your boyfriend on the phone?” He had only
heard part of the conversation but it gave him the impression she was talking
to someone she’d been intimate with.

“No.”

“Girlfriend?”

She smirked. “Not this time. Ex-boyfriend.”

“He’s calling to try to get you back?”

“Yeah, how’d you know?”

“I would if I were him,” Alex said. She smiled. “So you
aren’t seeing anyone right now?”

Karabi shook her head. “Unless Musaka counts. I’ve been
sleeping with him for weeks now.”

Alex laughed. “I kinda think that does count as a
relationship. But I’m willing to share you with Musaka, so long as he doesn’t
mind.”

“What makes you think I’m willing to let you have me?” Her
voice slurred ever so slightly. It was almost unnoticeable but for some reason
his ears seemed keen tonight.

“I’m single, relatively decent-looking, gainfully employed
and naturally charming,” Alex said. “I may not be as muscular or furry as
Musaka but I think I can compete. Plus, I believe you’re a little tipsy.”

She giggled. It delighted him to hear her laugh. “You’re
just trying to take advantage of me because I’m drunk.”

“I’m trying to take advantage of you because I think you’re
amazing.”

He took off his mask and let it fall to the floor, revealing
his face. He needed her to see him, to see the desire, the passion in his eyes.
Wanting to see her face too, he gripped the edge of her mask but she pulled
back.

“No, don’t. Someone might see us.”

“No one’s going to come up here. I told the elevator
operator not to let anyone else up here for half an hour.”

“Why?”

“I wanted some time alone with you.”

“How do you know he will comply?”

“Because I slipped him some cash to ensure he will.”

She grinned. “Okay, fine, so you’ve got me alone, Mr.
Stalker. What do you want?”

Alex touched her face again and slowly lifted the mask up
over her head, as if unveiling his bride. When it was completely off he dropped
it on the floor next to his. They stared at each other for a long moment, not
saying anything with their tongues but saying everything with their eyes, their
emotions fully unmasked.

“I want you.” He waited for her response but she just looked
at him, emotions he couldn’t read swirling within those big brown eyes of hers.
“Is that okay?”

“I’m not sure,” she said. “I like that you want me. I want
you too. I’m not so sure whether or not I want to want you, though.”

He smirked. “Still on the fence about me?”

“Yeah.”

He put his hands in her hair, stroked it for a moment. “Can
I give you something to help you make up your mind?” He lowered his face to
hers, his eyes wide open, watching her watching him. When their lips were a
breath apart and she was still staring at him he laughed softly and she laughed
back, their breaths intermingling, the awkward humor actually making the moment
a little less tense. She pushed up on her toes to press her mouth against his
and he pressed back. A soft, testing caress of each other. Her lips were so
soft and moist, and really did taste like strawberries. He tightened his grip
on her head and kissed her a little harder, sliding his lips back and forth
against hers fully, the friction of their skin rubbing against each other’s, so
wet, so hot it was creating a fire and putting it out repeatedly. When she
finally sighed and closed her eyes, he closed his as well and gave fully in to
the kiss.

She parted her mouth and he dove in, taking her tongue in
his. He tasted the chocolate-covered strawberries and rose champagne on her
breath, and he sucked and kissed at her as if she were his dessert. She felt so
right in his arms. Soon she was holding him by the ears, pulling his face down
lower to her, dragging the kiss deeper, much to his approval. Her hands pulled
at his neck, then pushed off his suit jacket so they were free to roam over his
back, then downward, all the way down until she was kneading his ass. He opened
his eyes briefly to look at her and glanced around them at the tiny glass room.
It felt as if they were literally floating above the city, making out amongst
the clouds.

She unbuttoned his pants and quickly slid her small hand
down his boxers. He hadn’t been expecting that but he welcomed it. Just the
feel of her fingers against his skin made him shudder. When she took his
erection into her hand and adjusted it upward so she could fondle it he groaned
into her mouth and gripped her breasts, maneuvering one of them out of its bra
cup and up out the top of her dress. He bent down to suck the stiff, caramel
drop of a nipple while she expertly stroked his cock to its absolute max.

A low rumble started in his throat that was so gravelly and
deep it surprised even him.
What kind of noise was that? Don’t come yet,
Alex, don’t come yet!

Damn. This woman had him strung out
bad
.

Alex hitched up her dress in his fists, lifted her against
the glass and pinned her there with his pelvis between her thighs. When she
lifted her legs, wrapped them around his waist and positioned her crotch right
up on his erection he groaned aloud and closed his eyes. The moist heat of her
sex burned him as he realized she’d already slid off her satin panties. Every muscle
in his body was urging him to take her right then and there but the one iota of
logic he had remaining told him that it wasn’t like him to be so anxious, and
that this was unusual. Was he drunk too? No way. He had the tolerance of a frat
boy. When he opened his eyes he was taken aback. Karabi looked blurry, like an
apparition. Was he dreaming? He looked around.
Everything
looked blurry
and then his eyes began to hurt as if he were looking into bright lights. But
when he blinked a few times his vision returned to normal.

“Are you all right?” she asked.

He chuckled. “I’m fine. You’ve got me on cloud nine, I
think.”

They kissed again, long and hard and deep, while Alex
fumbled in his pocket for the condom he’d stashed there. When he opened his
eyes the next time, the whole world looked different. Instead of blurry or
normal, everything looked high-definition-TV crystal clear. He glanced out the
window and almost swore the buildings outside looked closer, the snowflakes
bigger.

He looked down at Karabi. She appeared the same but her
scent was even more enticing than ever. His nostrils flared as the knowledge
suddenly came to him that not only was she just as excited as he was right now
but she was actually ovulating.

Now, how in the fuck did he know that?

Karabi took the condom out of his fingers and ripped it
open, obviously eager to keep things moving forward. But Alex felt a sensation
take over him and his body couldn’t wait for the condom. He humped against her,
the underside of his cock rubbing furiously against her labia and grazing her
clitoris, which had them both moaning and groaning in pleasure.

“If you don’t stop, I’m going to come like this,” Karabi
said.

Alex felt as if he could come like that too. He was dripping
pre-cum already as it was. “Go ahead and come,” he said.

“I want to feel you inside of me,” Karabi said and she
slipped the condom onto the head of his penis and rolled it down. All the while
he was still grinding against her.

And it was just in time too because Alex couldn’t stop himself
from doing what he did next. Without hesitating for even a moment he pulled
back, lifted her up higher in his arms and plunged deeply into her with one
hard, smooth thrust. They both cried out at the contact and they stayed like
that for a minute, merged together and reveling in the sensation of their
bodies joining as one. Then Alex pulled all the way out of her and thrust
deeply back in, hard and slow, grunting loud and heavily once he was
balls-deep, only to pull all the way out and thrust back in again. Karabi
panted in rhythm with his movements, gripping tightly at the top of his arms to
hold on. After four hard, slow, deep, full strokes Karabi’s vagina exploded on
his cock with her orgasm, clutching and sucking at him as she whimpered in
pleasure. By stroke six Alex was cursing under his breath, almost ready to come
as well.

But then he felt something sharp in his mouth prick the
inside of his lip and he tasted blood. It was his own tooth that had pierced
him. He opened his eyes again and Karabi looked different—the world looked
different. Everything was sharper but the colors were slightly off. He could
hear Karabi’s heartbeat, smell his semen even through his condom. Even though
his penis was still throbbing he pulled out of Karabi and let her fall to her
feet.

“Excuse me,” he muttered as he stuffed himself back into his
pants—still erect and with the condom on. He snatched up his suit jacket and
backed away from her. She tilted her head at him with a worried expression.

“What is it?”

“I’m… I’m not feeling well.”

“What’s wrong? What are you feeling?”

“I think… I think I need to—” Something felt heavy in his
stomach. Had he eaten something bad? He thought he was going to throw up. But
it didn’t seem right to say that to Karabi right after having sex with her.
“I’m so sorry, I need to run to the men’s room,” he blurted out as he was
already turned around, dashing out of the box, sprinting down the hall.

There was a strange vibration in his chest. It was strong
and loud and it felt as if some creature was going to come bursting out.
Something huge. Alex could barely navigate himself down the hall, his senses
were all off. Everything seemed too bright, too loud, too close. He didn’t need
to go to the bathroom, he needed to get some air.
Right now
. He had no
clue what was wrong with him but he knew he needed to leave the building. Fast.

He ran to the elevator and pushed past the guard at the
door, knocking him down. By the time the guy got to his feet the doors were
already closing. Alex pressed the button for the ground level and as soon as
the elevator started moving, the entity pushed its way out of his throat,
forcing him to throw his head back and open his mouth wide.

What came out was a roar. Alexander literally
roared
,
like one of the lions in the zoo.

Whoa, I’m really taking this masquerade thing way too
far…

Anxious to get outside, he pressed the button repeatedly, as
if doing so would make it reach ground level faster. Then he watched in horror
as his hands began to tremble and fur began to fully cover his fingers, palms
and wrists. Their shapes were changing too, as if he were morphing into
something else.

What the hell was going on? Had he developed some crazy
disease?

He felt his arms and legs go unsteady and he dropped to the
floor of the elevator. Then his muscles were as stiff as a statue’s and he
cried out in terror. His limbs pulled him up on all fours, the hair on his body
elongated and turned to orange, white and black fur, and sharp claws began to
protrude from his newly formed paws.

When the elevator reached the ground level and the door
opened, he lunged out, a full animal.

* * * * *

Karabi stood there for a minute or two, completely confused.
What had happened? Was Alex drunk? The frightened look on his face, the way
he’d bolted off, worried her. She racked her brain through all the possible
things that could have just gone wrong. It was on the tip of her thoughts but
she couldn’t quite grasp on to anything.

Concerned, she finally gathered her composure and
straightened herself up. She stuck her feet back into her shoes, grabbed her
purse and both of their masks and went to the nearby men’s room to check on
Alex. But when she opened the door and called in there, she didn’t get an
answer. She quickly slipped inside and peeked into all of the stalls. No one
was in there. She checked the other men’s room on the floor. That one was empty
too.

She went to the elevator. “Did you see a man with a tiger
tie go by here?”

“Yup,” the guard said. “He went down in a hurry. Pretty much
knocked me over to get on the elevator.”

Huh.
Karabi traversed back to the ninety-ninth floor
where the party was and checked the restrooms and break areas there. No sign of
Alex anywhere.

Figuring he might have gone all the way downstairs, she
descended to the ground level. Alex wasn’t in the lobby. At that point she
figured he must have left the building. She went outside and looked up and down
the block, shivering and teeth chattering without her coat. No sign anywhere of
the man who just took her over the edge on The Ledge. She traveled all the way
back up to the observation deck, checked the entire floor and then the floor of
the party again. A half hour passed and still no sign of him.

Shit.
Karabi didn’t know what to think. Did he get
food poisoning? Did he pull something while he was banging her? Did he remember
a wife he’d forgotten? What if he was really, really sick somewhere, needing
help? Nah, she concluded. Truly sick people didn’t go bolting down hallways
like Olympic runners with erections. Perhaps this was a sign she should go
home. The party was almost over anyway. This was the universe punishing her for
getting so intimately involved with someone else so soon.

She grabbed her coat and took the other elevator to the
ground level, taking off her shoes to give her aching feet a much-needed break
for the ride down. While on this one she noticed a pair of men’s black dress
shoes left there haphazardly. Some guy was in as much of a hurry to get out of
his shoes as she was, apparently.