Authors: Jackie Nacht
Tags: #GLBT, #Gay, #Paranormal, #erotic Romance, #Shapeshifter
Brendan reached down and grabbed both their cocks.
Ripley pulled back and hissed in pleasure. So good.
“More. I want more of you,” Brendan growled before getting down on his knees in front of Ripley. Brendan took Ripley’s cock in his hand and licked the tip.
“Fuck!” Ripley shouted.
Brendan used his other hand to massage Ripley's balls as Brendan’s warm mouth encased his cock.
Ripley put his hands on the wall over Bren’s head and watched as Bren worked his cock in and out of his mouth. The sight caused his blood to boil, and he felt his control slipping.
Grabbing Bren under the arms, Ripley pulled him to stand in front of him. Pushing Bren against the wall, Ripley kissed him while gripping both their cocks, stroking them.
Bren broke the kiss, gulping into the air. “Want you in me, Ripley.”
Ripley jerked the curtain open and grabbed the lube that was sitting on the counter. Obviously, Bren had come prepared.
The bottle fell over into the sink. “Dammit!” Ripley finally got his wet hands around it and returned to the shower, going straight for Bren.
Turning him, Ripley uncapped the lube, pouring a generous amount on his fingers. His blood was pumping, and he didn’t waste any time as he circled Brendan’s entrance, loosening the muscle.
“More!” Brendan growled, and Ripley was sure the whole damn hall heard.
Ripley inserted a finger, and Brendan pushed back. “Ripley…you need to move faster. I’m…” Brendan heaved, and his muscles tensed.
Ripley knew exactly what was going on with Brendan. The same thing was happening to him. The blood was flowing, and his feral state was coming to the damn surface.
Trying not to hurt Brendan, he inserted two fingers, scissoring them until he worked in a third. Brendan was hissing in pleasure. Ripley found the gland and began rubbing over it.
Ripley was holding Brendan with one arm as Brendan lost it. Ripley wasn’t expecting it when Brendan turned, wild, and plowed Ripley out of the shower. They tumbled until they fell onto the stone floor, partway into the bedroom.
Ripley didn’t even have time to get his bearings before Brendan grabbed his cock and sank down on him.
A deep growl filled the air as Ripley's feral blood crested. He tossed Brendan to the bed, and Brendan snarled and started to go after him.
Ripley took him down with ease. They were both feral, but Ripley bested him in size.
Brendan spread his legs in submission, and Ripley grabbed his cock, working it in.
“Harder,” Brendan grunted as he grabbed onto Ripley's ass, digging his nails in.
Ripley bottomed out and wasted no time pumping his cock in and out. Their lovemaking was like their blood, wild and fierce, and Ripley was relishing every second of it. Brendan was right with him, moaning underneath him, grabbing onto the mattress until it ripped.
Brendan threw back his head, shouting as Ripley hit that spot within his mate. Brendan’s neck was bare, open, and Ripley struck without thought. He felt Brendan jackknife underneath him.
“Hurts but…gods, I need…” Brendan started to say more, but it was all garbled and incoherent words.
Ripley leaned down and licked the wound before he sat up, watching his cock moving in and out of Brendan. The sight had him close, too close, and he grabbed Brendan's cock, stroking it until Brendan screamed and came all over Ripley’s hand and stomach.
Ripley licked the cum off his hand, and the taste sent him over the edge. Pumping a couple more times, he filled Brendan up, going hoarse from his roar.
He was about to fall on Brendan when Brendan flipped him and bit onto his shoulder hard. Pain telegraphed from the bite, and it wasn’t necessarily hot but hurt like hell. The man sucked for a moment before he rose to stare down at Ripley, blood dripping down his chin. Ripley stared as Brendan’s wild eyes began to focus and then become wide in shock.
Brendan reached down and swiped Ripley’s chin before showing him blood-stained fingers.
Grabbing Brendan around the back of the head, he pulled him down, kissing him hard. The blood had him and Brendan still juiced, but they were coming down. The taste of copper filled their intense kiss.
Ripley pulled back, his mind started working.
Oh gods.
Bruising marked Brendan’s tan flesh, and in some places, deep scratches were welling with blood. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?”
“I’m good. Are you okay?” Brendan stroked the bite mark that was still bleeding on Ripley’s shoulder.
“Ugh, it’ll be fine. I’m sorry. I lost control.” Ripley got up and ran to the bathroom, grabbing a cloth and wetting it. Fuck, way to make love to a guy he was falling for. That wasn’t making love; that was a hard fuck. And out in the open, too. They didn’t have a damn door, anyone could have walked by.
He hurried back and began wiping Brendan down, almost too hard. There was so much blood on his shoulder. Shit, Ripley was going to need another cloth to clean his cum off Brendan too.
“Hey,” Brendan said, and it stopped Ripley in his tracks. “Don’t worry.”
“This wasn’t how I planned to have our first time.” Ripley was so pissed at himself.
Why the hell can’t I get myself in check? Why did I turn feral? Is it a weakness on my part?
He hated that he couldn’t even show the man he loved he could take care of him. Quite the opposite, he had hurt him.
Brendan kissed him before he spoke, “I loved this, and I think you’re being too hard on yourself. We both have feral blood in us now. When our emotions get involved, our wildness comes out. I’m glad I could evoke that from you with passion.”
“I was too rough,” Ripley protested.
Brendan swiped at his arm then showed Ripley his red fingers. “I did quite a bit of damage to you, too. Look, I’m not complaining…I liked it.” Brendan glanced away, a flush spreading over his cheeks.
Ripley had loved it, too, and guilt was swamping him. He shouldn’t have liked it so rough, but he did, and it seemed Brendan was right. They were loving their harder lovemaking.
Ripley grabbed and hugged Brendan tightly. “I loved it,” Ripley murmured against Brendan’s hair.
“There is nothing wrong with the way we just made love, Rip. We just have to be careful we don’t get too carried away. You need to tell me if I go too far.” Brendan reached up and kissed him.
“You need to let me know, too. I’ll listen.”
“I know you will, and I’ll listen to you, too, mate.” Brendan smiled up at him.
“Should we go and take a shower again before we head to breakfast and class. I’ll scrub you down.” Ripley waggled his eyebrows, making Brendan laugh, and that was what he set out to do.
The last couple of days had gone well with Ripley. Brendan felt himself falling harder every day. The two spent every moment together and had made love again the night before. Brendan was still feeling the effects. Sitting on his yoga mat, he squirmed, unable to find a comfortable position.
Looking under his lashes, Brendan sought out Ripley who was meditating on the mat in front of him. Ripley kept rolling his head, adjusting his neck, but his mate seemed entirely uncomfortable.
Brendan tried to focus, but his thoughts kept veering, thinking about Sloan and Colin, whose shifting was coming up. Would Knox's shift be better than last month? And Dalton was going to have his first shift…would he be okay? And poor Oren who had been moved to his room but was still ill and having nightmares.
Then, there was Ripley. Would he be okay this coming full moon? What would happen to him? Brendan glanced down at his mat and all but gave up on meditating. It just wasn’t in the cards that day with his thoughts on the people he cared about.
The class ended, and Brendan watched Ripley shoot up to put his mat away. The full moon was getting closer, and in a couple days, they would have to go into lockdown.
Brendan glanced down, not getting up. He could feel his wolf inside him, stirring and moving. He remembered the previous night, feeling his wolf at peace after they had made love, but now, it felt like his wolf was pissed and ready to make an appearance.
Getting up, Brendan went to put his mat away. Ripley was already waiting for him by the door. After placing his mat at the top of the others, he ran over to where Ripley was growling at an Alpha passing by. Nice.
“What’s going on with you?” Brendan glanced up at Ripley’s gray eyes and almost took a step back.
They were too wild for the number of days left until the full moon. “Your eyes, Rip.”
Ripley tugged on the ends of his dark hair. “I know. I need to go talk to Malach.”
They left in search of Malach and found him near the cafeteria where they were starting to serve lunch.
Malach turned and got one good look at Ripley before he said, “Come.”
Brendan followed; the two wondering what the hell was going on.
Malach led them to Ripley’s room. “How long have you been like this?”
“Since this morning and it’s getting worse.” Ripley rubbed at his arms.
“You’re still forty-eight hours out. I’ll have someone get you lunch while you try to calm down in here. If you can't, I’ll talk to Elder Lewis.” Malach left, leaving Brendan and Ripley alone.
“I’ve never been through a shift. Should I be feeling this way?” Ripley paced his room, steps aggressive.
“Everyone shifts differently in the beginning, but feeling agitated this early is unusual. Tell me what you’re feeling.” Brendan leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. He was beginning to feel that his shift was going to be a train wreck.
“I feel like I want to fucking hurt anyone that’s near you. I wanted to go after everyone in that damn meditation class. I don’t want anyone near you. You’re mine.” Ripley voice dropped an octave on the last word.
Brendan came off the wall and approached Ripley. “Hey.”
Ripley continued to pace.
“Hey,” Brendan said more harshly. It worked. Ripley stopped and began rubbing his chest. “Whatever’s going on, we’ll get through this together.”
Ripley wrapped his arms around him. “You feel like this?”
“A little.” Brendan was feeling something, but it was clear that Ripley was far more aggressive at the moment.
Elder Lewis walked in, and Ripley growled.
The Elder just stood there, assessing them with his arms behind his back. The silence continued for several minutes and even Brendan was ready to shout out,
What?
“I think it would be best if you both went into lockdown as of right now. We’ll make sure we have a guard bring you everything you need.” Elder Lewis turned to leave.
“Wait a damn minute,” Ripley snarled. “What the fuck is happening to us?”
Elder Lewis turned and lifted a brow. “That’s what I’m trying to figure out.” He turned and left the two of them alone.
Ripley went over and slammed his fist against the wall several times until his hands were bloody and bruised. Ripley slumped to the ground, and Brendan rushed over to him.
“I hate this. This has been one hell of a month. I’m trying to adjust to a fucking world I never knew about, but every damn time I turn around, there’s a curve ball coming my way. I hate this cell with a passion.” Ripley tilted his head back, staring at the ceiling.
Brendan didn’t know what to say. He'd always known he was an Omega, a shifter and one day he would come here. He couldn’t even imagine how hard it was to be in Ripley’s shoes, to find out after you went feral, to wake up to a mate.
He had been doing so well but now…was this the final straw? Would Ripley turn his back on me and wash his hands of the whole situation?
That night, they stayed locked up, but Ripley was in his own world. Ripley never said a word to him, and Brendan couldn’t take it anymore.
“Malach,” Brendan called down the hall.
Malach approached the bars. “You guys need something?”
“Can you take me to my room, please?” Brendan glanced back to see that Ripley still wouldn’t even look at him.
“You sure?” Malach asked, getting the keys out.
“Yes,” Brendan murmured as he left the cell, walking across to his. Malach locked him in, and Brendan walked over to his bed, falling upon it and curling onto his side. The room had never been so cold.
* * * *
The night of the full moon, Brendan was snarling at anyone that passed his cell doors. He felt like his whole body was working on another wavelength, and his composure had taken a vacation since he woke up that morning. He wanted to scream at Ripley who had yet to say anything to him. Pissed, hurt and confused was one hell of a way to go into a shift that night.
He was about to snarl at the next person but changed his mind when it was Malach that approached the cell. “Come with me.”
Malach gripped Brendan’s arm and pulled him toward Ripley’s room. “No fucking way!” Brendan roared, and all heads in the hall turned to look at him.
“Ripley wants to see you, and you have ten minutes before we lock you both up. Now, get in there,” Malach all but tossed him in.
Damn guard!
Brendan shook the bars a couple times before giving up and leaning his head on them.
A warm touch to his shoulder indicated that Ripley was right there. Brendan wanted to slap it away. He was hurt, but this was the first time in twenty-four hours that he had felt warmth.
“Bren, turn around, please.” Ripley turned him and wrapped his arms around Brendan.
“I’m sorry. It’s just…I’ve had so much come at me and I just needed to think about everything that’s happened. I’ve been thinking how this last month has been a nightmare and that I wish I could go back to the way things were before, but then, I stop myself. I think of not having you and somehow going back to that world seems unbearable. I love you, Bren. I just wanted to let you know before we have to shift tonight. I love you, and when tonight is over, I’m going to make it up to you.” Ripley huffed into his hair.
Brendan understood where Ripley was coming from. His whole life had changed in the last couple months, and if he needed time to figure things out, well, Brendan had to give him time. But…
“Just let me know next time you need to think. I thought you didn’t want me anymore.”