Shifting Currents (5 page)

“Gods,” he said in a guttural voice. “A rudimentary laboratory. Where they imprison and experiment on Shifters.”

“Who’s in the lab?” Shock froze her. Daniel? Could he have made it across the country only to have been captured?

“No,” he said, and her mouth went back to him. She deep throated him with a satisfied growl and played with his balls.

“Tell me,” she said, stopping again.

His body shimmered as if he were going to shift. For a moment a slight patina of fur dusted over his body before he wrested back control. “Friends of mine. And if you tell anyone, I’ll snap your neck,” he bit out viciously.

It popped her out of the haze, and she looked into his alien, predator eyes. Shivers danced over her spine. He would. She should throw him out for threatening her. But instead she denied him his release—at least with her mouth. Bethany slid up his body, never taking her eyes off his. She straddled him, easing his hard cock inside her.

Lucas let out a breath. “Say something,” he said.

“Fuck me.”

And he did, holding on to her hips. They didn’t look away from each other’s eyes. His gaze was wild, lost and desperate. Bethany felt detached, like she was drifting away as waves of pleasure filled her with each of his thrusts.

“Damn you,” he said, arching harder. “Damn you.”

His fingers found her clit, and the bubble of protection she had encased herself in popped. The blood roared in her ears, and she cried out. Satisfaction made his face even more beautiful, and his shout nearly deafened her.

It became a race then. Who was fucking who? Who was going to come first? It was a contest she didn’t want to lose, but the driving thrusts satisfied like nothing she’d ever felt. Keith’s fucking had been adequate, enough to scratch an itch. Lucas made love like a tornado, stripping her of inhibition. Bethany cried out as his hard body drove her over the edge. Sagging, she felt boneless as he held her in place while he exploded inside her. His primal grunt of satisfaction made her shiver.

She slid off him and laid her hot cheek on the cool pillow. He gulped ragged breaths. She floated in a pleasure cloud, even as his threat still poisoned her heart.

“I’ll keep your secret,” she said, coming to a decision about her life.

“Bethany,” he began.

“But you’re going to owe me.”

“Six months,” he said between heavy breaths.

“No.” Bethany slid under the covers. “We’re going to look for my brother in that lab.” Even a long shot to find her brother was still a better future than the one facing her if she remained in the Bluffs.

“We? You don’t even know if that’s where your brother is. It’s a long shot.” Lucas welcomed her against his chest with open arms. It was hard to think he was capable of snapping her neck.

“Part of the bargain for keeping your secret is I’m going with you to California.”

“That is up to your chief.”

“No, it’s not,” Bethany said. “I am not owned by my tribe. They provide me with meals and a home, and I provide them with Tech.”

“And they give you a bed partner that you no longer have.”

“I didn’t know about that being part of the bargain.” At his look, she said, “Yeah, I was naive to think Keith wanted me for me.”

“If you mention his name in my bed again, I will erase his name from your memory.” He tightened his hand on her hair and forced her to look at him.

“That’s not a Shifter power.”

“I wouldn’t shift,” he said.

Bethany quivered a bit. “Anyway, I never signed a contract, and I don’t owe anyone anything.”

“It’s a dangerous journey. Lisa and I are better off doing this alone.”

“Only one night and already eager to be rid of me.” The bitterness chased the sweet out of her veins.

“That’s not what I meant.” He pulled her leg over his. “And the night’s not over yet.”

“Your afterplay really sucks.”

“You’re the one who wanted to have a deep conversation during the best blowjob of my life.”

Bethany grinned. “Okay, maybe you’re not a total asshat.”

“Your brother. My sister. There is symmetry in it that I like. What I don’t like is the coincidence.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I find it very odd that you bought a strange Shifter.”

“Look you’re hot. My boyfriend just married someone else. I told you I don’t normally do this.”

“Not me. My sister. You bought my sister.”

“And freed her,” Bethany said.

“How did you know she was a Shifter?”

“I wasn’t sure. Daniel’s favorite form was a dog, though. She seemed to have some human reactions for a dog. In the end, I took a chance.”

He shook his head. “No one takes chances. You could have ended up with just an intelligent dog.”

“Why are you so suspicious? Do you think I bought your sister and set her free just so I could use it as leverage against you?”

“Did you?”

“I don’t even know you. Didn’t even know for sure you were a Shifter until you knocked your beak on my window. You were the one following me all this time.”

“I saw you looking at me, like you knew me. Knew who I was. Did you recognize me?” He lunged for her then and pinned her beneath him. Bethany thought she should be scared, but she felt that he was hard again, and her body wanted more of him.

“I was wondering if eagles make good eating.” She opened her legs, and he settled between them. Almost inside her. “You’re a paranoid idiot. I’m not saying you don’t have reason to be paranoid. But you’re an idiot if you think I planned for this to happen. I bought the dog to piss Keith off.”

“That’s right,” he said, propping himself up on his elbows. “His new wife wanted puppies. And I made you a promise about mentioning that man, didn’t I?”

“Do your worst.”

“Not for you,” he said. “Only the best for you.” He slid down her body so fast the sheet was on the floor in a blink.

His hands were on her thighs, spreading them wider.

“Lucas, you don’t have to…”

He kissed her sweetly again, and she sighed. It was her turn to drag her fingers through his hair as his tongue flicked over every inch his fingers and cock had already explored.

This. I’d follow him across the country just to feel this.

Burying his face between her legs, Lucas concentrated on keeping his promise. With her thighs pressed against his cheeks, his tongue whipped her into a frenzy that had her hips slamming up to meet each thrust of his tongue.

“More.” The pleasure just out of her reach, Bethany burned for him. Wanted him, even as a tiny part of her begged for sanity.
Do not lose your head over him.

Pushing his face deeper, she ground into him when she came. Sex, that was all it was. The best damn sex ever. Bethany grinned in the aftermath. Her soul was free and happy. It had been time for a change.

She barely had time to catch her breath when he flipped her onto all fours and plunged into her from behind. Rough and hard, Lucas took her. His hands on her hips were bruising in their intensity, but he felt so good. So hard and thick, and each thrust made her nipples drag on the bedsheets. Bethany arched up, allowing him deeper, smiling because she was going to have this every night for months. Fuck. Yes. The slap of his thighs against her ass made her grunt and thrust back at him.

“Forget him. There is only me.”

Bethany had to agree. Had no choice when he grabbed her hair and pulled her head up. “Say it.”

“No,” she ground out, loving that it made him take her faster and harder. She felt him so deep in her, hitting all the right places. He was dangerous and a stranger. Yet he was so handsome and compelling. Bethany was overlooking all the warning signs. He was one heck of a rebound, even if that was all it would ever be.

“Stop thinking.” His voice was hoarse, desperate, and just a little pissed-off.

Bethany let herself go. No matter what happened tomorrow, tonight was all hers. She came apart into little jagged pieces, so sensitive that her breath kept catching on her inhalations. At last, she tightened around him and gave in and gave up. Keith’s memory blew away into the breeze like a leaf in autumn.

“Mine,” Lucas grunted.

And she sighed happily, “Okay.” She felt dopey, a little sore, and really satisfied. Her eyes were half-shut. Lucas gathered her close and feathered her temple with kisses until she fell asleep.

Chapter Three

Lisa

Lisa watched the leather vendor for a bit. She did a brisk business, and her goods were high quality. But more important, at least for Lisa, was the fact her eyes kept straying to the new bride. Even more interesting was that one time the bride looked back and seemed almost apologetic. But then she laughed at something that idiot Keith said and pointedly turned her back on the vendor. Lisa saw a quick look of pain cross the vendor’s face before she stoically went back to folding buttery-soft blankets. Lisa thought the bride was crazy. The leather lady was hot.

Lisa sauntered across the road as a ferret, hopping toward the back of the vendor’s pavilion. Seeing a curve in the tent flap, she slunk in and then shifted into human form. The noise was enough for the storekeeper to push aside the flap that separated the back of the tent from the selling table. To give the store owner credit, she merely raised an eyebrow at seeing a naked woman in the back of her tent.

“Can I help you?” she said, staring at Lisa’s body.

Lisa liked how the leather lady looked close up. She had short black hair and dark blue eyes that made Lisa shiver a bit when they lingered on her breasts. She wore a leather halter and matching black leather pants. Lisa stared back and smiled.

“I hope so,” Lisa said. “I need some things.”

“I can see that,”

“I’d like an outfit like you’re wearing, boots, pants, and a jacket.”

“Do you want it tooled along the side?” the woman said and showed her the pattern going up the leg of her pants.

Lisa walked closer, the smell of leather thick in her nostrils making her a little wet. “That’s very pretty,” she said and ran her fingers up the pattern.

She felt the woman take a breath.

“But I like it plain and serviceable.”

“What have you got to trade?”

Lisa smiled. “As you can see, I’m not carrying much. How about for an hour you can do anything you want to me.”

The woman swallowed. “Is this some kind of joke?”

“I never joke about sex,” Lisa said. “It’s all I’ve got to trade.”

“And you want to do it on your back?”

“If that’s how you want me.” Lisa leaned in so her breasts touched the soft leather of the woman’s top. “I can also spend it on my knees.”

The woman held herself rigidly still, as if she was afraid to touch her. “Why me?”

“I like leather,” Lisa said and ran her hand up the woman’s leg again.

“What makes you think I like women?”

“I’ve been watching you. I saw you looking at that Tech with the gorgeous white dog. And Keith’s new wife.”

The woman’s eyes narrowed in pain, and she grabbed Lisa’s chin roughly, “You did, huh? You want the pants, shirt, and the boots? I get an hour doing anything I want to you. And then for the jacket, another hour of you doing anything I want you to do to me.”

“Deal,” Lisa said breathlessly. She loved getting stuff for things she would have done for free.

The woman kissed her roughly, bringing her hand hard on Lisa’s bottom. Lisa slid her hand up to the woman’s breast and kneaded it just as rough.

“You’ll do,” the leather worker said and kissed her again. “Go through the back flap over there and lie on the furs. I’ll be right there.” The woman went out to the shop front to close up.

Lisa pushed her way into the back of the leather tent, rubbing her body against the soft leather flap. She nearly squealed in delight as she lay on the soft fur. She writhed on it, letting it tickle her stomach and breasts.

“What’s your name, sweetheart?” the woman asked from the door flap.

Lisa told her as she flipped over and spread her legs. She idly brushed the tip of a hard nipple.

“I’m Karen,” the leather lady said. “I want to watch you play with yourself.”

Lisa smiled and spread her legs wider. She used both hands to open herself and began to massage her clit. Karen knelt between her legs.

“Faster,” she ordered.

Lisa’s breath caught when Karen leaned in and kissed her stomach. She moved down to lick Lisa’s fingers.

“That’s good,” Karen said.

Lisa saw that Karen wore leather gloves and moaned a bit when Karen rubbed her hands over Lisa’s thighs.

“I’ve got a thing for blondes,” Karen said brushing her leather-clad hand over the curls on Lisa’s lower abdomen. “Especially natural ones.”

Lisa gave a slight groan and raised her hips.

“Mmm, and you’re a wild one too.”

Karen dipped a gloved finger inside Lisa and observed her reaction. Lisa gasped and raised her hips again.

“Nice and wet for me.” Karen began to push her finger in and out of Lisa, staring at her with lowered eyes.

“Yeah, I was wet watching your tits in that halter,” Lisa said and moaned “Yes!” when Karen shoved another finger inside her. She fucked her with two fingers while Lisa shamelessly raised her hips.

“Play with your tits, gorgeous,” Karen said. “Play with them while I make you come.” She rubbed her thumb against Lisa’s clit.

“Ungh.” Lisa was incoherent as Karen played with her. Lisa cupped her breasts at Karen, pushing them together, squeezing them, and making them bounce more, in time with the fingers that were penetrating her soft, tight hole.

Karen grinned at her. “Yeah, you’re a hot little one, aren’t you? You want something? You want to come?”

Lisa writhed. “Oh yeah, your fingers are incredible.”

Karen picked up the pace, and Lisa’s hips went wild.

“That clit looks so tasty.” Karen grinned.

Lisa thought she would go crazy. The burning pressure in her pussy was building. The shock waves from Karen’s thumb as she relentlessly stroked her clit were bringing her over the edge. When Karen replaced her thumb with a flick of her tongue, Lisa came.

Lisa threw her head back and closed her eyes. Karen’s tongue began to work more magic. When Karen buried her tongue inside Lisa, she responded by wrapping her legs over Karen’s shoulders.