The Guardian (8 page)

His hand moved to continue stroking her clit while his
tongue went back to fucking her pussy. A burning heat filled her body, adding
to the coiling pressure building in her. Cassie cried out at the sensation. She
was going to break apart at any moment if something didn’t give. He pressed his
thumb against her clit, and his tongue surged in and out of her. The heat
radiating from her pussy was almost more than she could take. The room went
white for a moment as her body melted. She heard herself crying out, and her
pussy
spasmed
around his tongue.
“Michael,
oh my.
Don’t stop,” she cried as he continued to thrust his tongue into
her channel and stroke her clit until the last ripple of pleasure had moved
through her body. Her body collapsed onto the bed, drained. She gasped for air.

Michael lifted his head,
then
crawled up her body. “Don’t worry, Cassie. I will not be stopping anytime soon.
This process has just begun.”

Michael hovered over her,
then
leaned down to claim her mouth in a brutal kiss. She tasted herself on his
mouth. It was strangely erotic instead of gross like she thought it would be.
He kissed her as if had been kissing her for years and knew what would make her
body burn even hotter for him. She felt the heat again, only this time in was
in her mouth and slowly making its way to her stomach. It was not burning her,
but more like hot pads after they had been used to pull pans out of the oven. It
was hot, but not burning. She tried to move her head away, but Michael moved
his hands and held her still. She felt a surge of heat move through her. She
gasped at the overwhelming feeling. She knew if it weren’t for Michael it would
have been bone shatteringly painful, but instead it was closer to a wave of
intense pleasure mixed with heat. She relaxed even though the tingling heat
moved through her. She moaned at the mix of warmth and pleasure. A wolf flashed
in her vision. She closed her eyes, but it was still there. She would have shaken
her head to try to clear her vision, but Michael was still holding her.

He broke the kiss and lifted just enough to look her
in the eyes. “That’s my
sweetling
. Let go, and let
the change happen. Do not fight it. It causes more pain if you tense and fight
against the essence is changing your body.”

Cassie nodded slightly. “Okay.”

Michael leaned down to kiss her once more. The head of
his cock stroked her clit while he ran his tongue lightly over her lips. His
broad shoulders and chest held her firmly while she writhed under him. Every
time she thought the pain would return pleasure would ripple through her body
and turn to that same tingling heat. The warmth of him was filling her body. She
felt too warm and turned her head to get some cool air. She opened her mouth to
draw in a deep breath, but it was a sauna type heat that filled her lungs and
spread through her. Michael moved to her nipple and sucked her gently into his
mouth. She moaned again at the pleasure. It was like there was a wire from her
nipple to her clit. Every flick and nip on her nipple caused her clit to send
out a burst of pleasure.

Her pussy throbbed with need. She had an ache that had
nothing to do with the pain she felt earlier. She wanted him inside of her; her
body was burning for him. She moved her hips to try to get the head of his cock
inside her pussy.

Michael lifted slightly. At first she thought he would
laugh at her, but instead he looked at her with his green eyes full of his own
need. “This is it,” he whispered.

This is what?
Will it hurt? Is this the pain he said would have me screaming so loud they put
soundproofing up? I bet they are worried I will scare the children.
She
didn’t have long to worry since he shoved the head of his cock into her. Her
pussy ached as he stretched her.
Goodness,
he is huge.
She gasped and would have shoved against him if her hands were
free. He was too big and would not fit.

****

Michael looked into her eyes and saw the nervousness
there. He could tell from when he had his tongue within her sex that she had
not had a man in a long time. How could any man resist such a luscious
woman?
 
He took her mouth again and
kissed her deeply. She had been shy at first, but as her body warmed she became
a fiery lover. His own body burned with need. He broke the kiss and moved to
her neck. His tongue moved slowly up her neck where her scent clung. She
shivered and whimpered as her hips jerked.

He looked her in the eyes again to gauge her arousal.
His cougar wanted to just bury his cock in her and take her hard. His human
side knew he needed to take this slow. The change would be a slow process, and
if he wore them both out now, she would be in pain and exhausted. Her eyes
flared like they did when her pain grew. She had very subtle signs that she was
in pain, but he had learned them quickly. His mouth covered hers, and he gathered
in a breath and held it so his essence could infuse his breath. Very gently so
she would not even notice he let it go as his hand moved down to her clit. Her
body relaxed as his essence and the pleasure eased her pain.

She was gasping for air and fighting the fleece straps
he’d tied her up with as he moved slow circles around her clit. She was ready
for him. His cougar roared with approval. At last, he would bury his cock deep
in her heated pussy.
 
She would be his,
all his. “Mine,” he growled.

****
 

Cassie had never felt so on edge before. He body was
coiled tight and ready to go off yet again. She was on the brink of another
shattering orgasm. She fought the bonds that held her so she could either shove
him away from her or pull him closer.
Anything to end the
torment.

“Mine,” he growled at her.

“Mine,” she repeated fiercely. Something in her
clicked, and she felt joined to him.

Michael reached over her head, and in one strong
motion he untied one strap then the other. With her hands free she moved them
to his muscular shoulders and stroked his smooth skin.

“That’s it. Touch me. I am yours, all yours.”

Cassie eagerly complied. She felt his wide chest, then
his arms and then ran her hands to his strong back. His muscles rippled under
his skin as he moved. He circled her clit again while bracing on his knees and
one elbow. He slowly lowered his mouth to hers, while keeping his penetrating
gaze locked with hers. She had never felt so exposed to anyone before, and she
tried to look away from him.

“No. Do not look away from me,” Michael said while
keeping his eyes locked on hers.

Cassie tried to look away, but an unseen force held
her in place, forcing her to obey his command. Her eyes widened when she felt
the head of his cock slid into her slick folds. She cried out at the intense
pleasure, and he hit every sensitive nerve. He pulled out slightly and thrust
in a little farther.

“You’re too big.” She whined even as she felt the
ripple of a mini eruption of an orgasm.

“You can take me,” he assured her. He pulled out until
only the tip of his cock was still in her pussy then pushed in.

With every pass of his shaft she felt her pussy clench
around him, making him groan. She wrapped her arms around his waist and dug her
nails into his back as she cried out.

Michael’s mouth sought hers out again as he moved
faster and harder. She moaned with every thrust and felt another orgasm coiling
tighter in her belly. Heat was filling her almost to the burning point, but the
pleasure was so intense she barely noticed.
 
His mouth tore away from hers, and he roared like a wild animal as he
pounded into her. Cassie screamed as pleasure erupted from her pussy and
shockwaves tore through her body. Mixed with the exploding bliss was the pain
she had felt, but the ripples of her orgasm washed out the pain.
 
Michael pounded into her hard while he held
her in his iron grip so she couldn’t move.

“Mine. You are
mine
forever.”
His mouth opened, and she saw fangs growing. Before any fear could form his
face buried in her neck and she felt the prick of his teeth, but no pain. She
felt another climax coursing through her.

Cassie’s hips bucked as she met his thrusting pelvis.
Her upper body was held completely still until his face lifted. The look on his
face was that of a feral animal. He roared as he stiffened, and his cock pulsed
spilling his seed and essence deep within her body.

He fell to her side and released her legs. He pulled
her onto him. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?” he asked.

“No. That was intense, but it didn’t hurt at all.”

He kissed the top of her head. “Good.”

“You bit me though,” she said still feeling tingling
from where he bit her.

“I marked you as mine. We are mated now.”

“Mated as in we had sex?” Cassie asked.

“Not exactly.
Mated as in you
are mine and I am yours forever. Almost like marriage, except there is no
divorce.”

“Really?
You want to put up
with me forever?” she said with a short laugh.

Michael looked at her intently. “What did you think
mated meant? I told you this was very far from meaningless sex.”

“I know you did. I just thought … I am not sure what I
thought.” She sighed. “I was planning to go home later this week.”

“That cannot happen.” His look was apologetic.
"While older shifters can manage to live outside of shifter territories if
they have a strong mate and some cubs, young and unmated shifters must stay
with other shifters. It is painful otherwise.” Michael paused. “New shifters,
such as you, have little control. You will need to stay on shifter lands for a
while.”

“I can’t go home?” she asked with her voice breaking
as well as her heart. “What about my grandparents? I can’t just leave
them.”
 

“I am sorry, but you will have to learn to build a new
life here,” Michael said while tenderly wiping a tear away. “I will make you
happy.”

Cassie knew she could easily be happy here, but what
about her grandparents? Sure they could take care of themselves, but she still
liked to see them. Did this mean she couldn’t?
 
She chewed on her lower lip as she worried about what she would do.

Chapter Seven

Cassie didn’t have long to worry about how her life
was changing. Michael was holding her and watching her as if he was expecting
something when it hit. The burning she had felt from earlier hit again as well
as the searing pain. She arched her back and screamed. “Michael, it hurts.”

He kissed her. “Don’t fight it, Cassie. Relax and let
yourself
change.”

She shook her head, crying. She could not let it
happen. It was ripping her apart. She was dying, she knew it. Wave after wave
of bone breaking pain lanced through her. She cried until her throat hurt and
her voice cracked. “Make it stop, please.”

“I can’t, baby. I wish I could take this part away
from you.”

She looked up and saw tears in Michael’s eyes. She
raised her hand to brush his tear away, but she could barely move. It felt like
her body was twisting itself inside out. A wolf appeared before her, staring as
if it was waiting for her. She reached out to touch it, but she couldn’t reach
it.

Michael pulled her to his body, but it no longer
helped soothe the pain. “You are changing now, and no matter what I do it will
hurt. This is the worst of it, I promise. Try to relax and allow your body to
change.”

Cassie looked up at him feeling more afraid than ever
before. “Michael,” she cried.

She felt like her skin was too small for her body, and
she couldn’t breathe. Panic hit her, and she thought something had gone
horribly wrong. She heard snarling. Was there another wolf in the basement with
them? The same wolf flashed in her vision, and it was demanding she change. She
wasn’t going to change. She was going to die. “Michael, help me!” she screamed.

Michael lifted her in his arms then placed her on the
cold, wood floor. “Change,” he ordered.

Cassie shook her head no. She rolled over to her back
and felt her limbs growing weak. She stared up at the ceiling wishing she could
take a breath. She was only twenty-seven years old, and had never had a chance
to do so many things she had wanted to. It was all going to end here in a
basement, on the cold floor.

Michael took her head in both of his hands, looking
her in the eyes. His green eyes flared, and she swore she caught a flame in
them for a moment.
“Change.”
His voice had an
undercurrent of power that made her whole body shiver.

His grip remained strong on her as his eyes stayed
locked on hers. “Change now.”

She couldn’t look away from his penetrating gaze, and
she felt power flow through her body at his command. Her body shook, and she
screamed out of fear it would consume her. Then she was falling uncontrollably.
She was on the floor already, so how could she be falling? She grabbed Michael
in terror, and held on tight, as if he could protect her from this awful thing
happening to her.
 
Her body twisted in
unnatural ways. She felt bones snapping and her skin growing hair. All of her
pain and terror fled in an instant, and suddenly she was warm, very warm for
lying on the floor.

“Michael?” she asked, but her voice was gone and in
its place was an animal whine.

Michael crouched down next to her. “Cassie, you are so
beautiful,” he whispered, stroking her silky fur and smiling. “You did it. It’s
over. It will never hurt like that again now that you have completely changed.”
He helped her to stand on all four of her legs.

She looked at herself, and saw that she had tan to
brown fur and four paws. She blinked in fascination. She saw a mirror and
stumbled over to it. Walking on four legs would take some getting used to.
Michael laughed a joyful sound and changed into his cougar next to her.

She approached the mirror slowly and stared in
disbelief. There staring back at her was not the brown haired and brown eyed
girl she was used to seeing. Now there was a brown haired wolf. She had to
admit she made a cute wolf though. If she had seen herself on the street she
would have been tempted to pet herself.
Now
I am just being some kind of strange, thinking about how I would pet myself.

Michael walked up behind her and nudged her with his
head with such a cat-like manner she would have grinned, but instead her tail
wagged and she danced playfully around him. She saw the essence shimmer around
him. Seeing him shift as a shifter was completely different from when she was a
human. The air around him came alive with fascinating colors as he began to
change. For a moment his human form and cougar form were both visible before
his human form materialized.

“Okay, now change back.” Michael stroked a hand down
her back.

Cassie shook her head and growled playfully.
 
Now that she was pain free she felt full of
energy, and she wanted to play around a bit.

“Come on, change back. We will go up to town and grab
some food, and then we can go out in the woods and run for a while.” He knelt
down and stroked her. “Goddess, you are beautiful. Now close your eyes and
concentrate on your human form. You will feel yourself falling as you change,
but that will be all.”

Cassie decided that she was hungry, and while she was
a beautiful wolf the idea of hunting rabbits was still a bit too much for her.
She closed her eyes and concentrated on her human form. She saw it appear
before her floating as if it was a spirit. She had the overwhelming urge to
embrace it. She leaned forward, and then she was falling, but with none of the
stomach flip-flopping she usually felt. Then she was opening her eyes again and
looking at her bare legs as she crouched on the floor.
 
“Wow.” she breathed. “That was amazing.”

“It is exhilarating. Just wait until we go on a run
together.
The freedom and the ability to run without tiring.
I can see why some shifters choose to live in the wild.”

She knew her face registered her shock, but she
shouldn’t be surprised. It felt amazing to be a wolf. Even though she couldn’t
talk to Michael she felt so connected to him and had a peace she had never
imagined possible. “Was that you making me feel all happy?”

Michael shook his head. “No.
Ilithyia
can be felt more strongly in our animal forms. Many shifters choose to change
into their shifter forms after a difficult day.”

“I can see why.” She felt a bit odd standing around
talking with no clothing on. Michael seemed completely at ease though. He
walked over and opened a drawer. “Myra and Lana were able to get some clothing
that was close to your size. Myra keeps clothing at the motel in case a shifter
needs a quick change.”

Her words from when she first got the motel made
sense. “So, what is going to happen to me now? Do I go home? What about—” Grief
hit her hard, and she covered her eyes before she embarrassed herself by crying
in front of Michael. “What about Marcy? She had no family that she spoke to.”

Michael walked towards her while looking into her
eyes. “We will take care of it. Wade has her body at the funeral home. I will
tell him to prepare it for burial.”

“What about the man that murdered her?” She felt
hatred growing in her as she thought about him murdering her friend for nothing
more than his own enjoyment.

“He is being tortured. I could have given him a death
decree, but I sense there is the possibility for change in him.”

“How is he being tortured? He seemed to just limp away
to me.”

Michael gave her a sympathetic look. “I know this is
hard for you to understand. In time you will. When
a shifter
is cast out, not only are
they allowed not to live among us, but any
other shifter they come across will refuse him shelter or peace. Shifters are
pack dwellers, not in their animal forms alone but any shifter. To be parted
from other shifters is physically painful.”

If he had not killed Marcy then she would have felt
sorry for him, but he was getting what he deserved. “So it is like prison, only
he is free?”

“It is far worse than a prison. In prison the convicts
are taken care of. Lucas will have no one willing to give him food or shelter.
Even humans will be wary of him. He will have many nights sleeping in the open,
and he has no food, and even shifting will bring him no comfort.
Ilithyia
has removed her peace from him. ”

“For how long?”
Cassie asked
breathlessly.

“Until he somehow atones for the crime he committed.”
Michael leaned over and opened a canvas bag. He pulled out some jeans and a
light sweater as well as undergarments that were still sealed in store bags.
“These are the clothes Myra brought over for you.”

Cassie looked at them and was impressed. For just
throwing them together they looked very close to her size. Now she would get
dressed and see what her new life looked like.