Knight Shift (34 page)

Using their map as their guide, the travelers headed out of the hotel toward their first stop. Along their path was Penny’s home town of Charlottesville but, instead of the scenes bringing her comfort, the familiar sights made her nauseous. As they drove through the town she grew up in, Penny closed her eyes tightly. She wasn’t emotionally or physically prepared to take in the surroundings that her family had called home.

Once Jax drove out of the city limits, he said, “It’s okay now. You can open your eyes.”

Although Penny did as requested, she didn’t look back at the road behind her. She knew if she did, Jax would have to deal with another scene of her crying hysterically. While keeping her eyes on the road ahead, she took in several deep, slow breaths, trying to calm both her mind and stomach.

Several hours later the lingering ache returned when they passed into the borders of the Shenandoah National Park—their first official stop on their journey. Penny whispered at the familiar woods affectionately, “My family climbed and camped here more times than I can count.”

“If this is too much for you—”

Penny interrupted him and said, “I need to do this.” She directed him where to go and, after arriving at the designated spot, Jax pulled off the road. Before heading up a trail into the woods, he tucked four small colored silk pouches into his backpack. Each pouch carried a small amount of ash from each of Penny’s family members. He had filled them the night before to help ease Penny’s burden.

After hiking several hours, Penny found herself standing where she had once slept with her family at her side. Jax handed her the first pouch. After taking in the wonderful view of the mountain side her family loved, Penny whispered a quiet good bye as she emptied the contents of each bag into the air. The ash reflected the sunlight and the air instantly filled with a cloud of sparkling diamonds. As they watched the remains carried away on the wind, Jax stood behind Penny with his arms wrapped around her—an act of comfort that she gratefully accepted. They stood silently until the air was once again clear. They buried the pouches under a nearby tree and then Jax took many pictures and marked their location with the GPS before they headed back down the trail.

Half way down the hill, without warning, Penny veered off the designated path and headed into the trees. Jax followed her, unsure of what she was doing. Once she found a small clearing tucked in next to a large boulder, Penny turned to Jax and, while unbuttoning his shirt, she commanded, “Distract me.”

“What?” he asked.

She demanded more forcefully, “Get naked, now.”

“But I thought you said…”

“I know what I said, but I need to feel something other than pain.”

At that moment he would have done anything for her in an attempt to take away the agony in her eyes. He looked around and said, “Although this location is somewhat secluded from the main trail, we could be seen by anyone who takes one of the side paths.”

“Frankly, I don’t care who sees us.” She switched her attention to removing her own attire. Moments later she stood against the boulder naked and motioned him to her, commanding “Get over here.”

Accepting his additional role, he quickly added his clothes to the pile. Since there was no place to lay down comfortably, he picked her up and pressed her back against a smooth section of the stone. Even though their intertwined bodies caused her to fill the nearby woods with her sounds of pleasure, his genuine concern for her made him fear that the stone might be too hard for her back. In a flash, he flipped positions so that his back was pressed against the rock. While using the stone behind him to help keep him upright, his strong arms held her in position, allowing her to use his body for her pleasure.

When they heard voices nearby, Jax instinctively went into his stealth hunter mode. The change made an intense tingling sensation flash through Penny’s body, causing her to cry out followed quickly by a loud, deep moan.

Penny’s reaction didn’t register immediately to Jax, because he was temporarily distracted by the hikers. Although he expected them to shriek when they saw a naked Penny being magically suspended in mid-air, to his surprise, they glanced his way but continued to talk without offering any reaction.

Jax whispered, “I don’t think they see us. Interesting. You must be invisible as well. It seems that when we’re physically attached, my magic thinks of us as one body.”

Penny was oblivious to Jax’s words. She was completely lost to the quickly growing needs the tingling was causing. To get Jax’s attention back on her, she bit his chest hard.

When he jumped and looked at her, he was taken aback by the uninhibited desire now filling her eyes. She squirmed against him hard and begged, “Please Jax. Ignore them. I don’t care if the whole world can see us.”

Feeling the heat as her flames of passion ignited, he said, “Forgive me,” and gave her a deep kiss in apology. Soon their bodies were again completely lost in their need for each other until they cried out and her body shivered, cooled internally by the end results of their shared need.

With a growl, Jax said, “That’s another wonderful first to add to my list.”

While panting hard, she stared into his eyes and exclaimed, “Wow! And I thought Casper’s tingle in the air felt good. That’s nothing compared to what I just felt.”

“What do you mean?”

“When you’re Casper, every inch of your body seems to give off a slight vibration. It’s as if an electric current is coursing through your veins. And when I say every inch of you…” She glanced down at their intimate connection before looking up again. “I mean every wonderful inch.” The smile she gave him made him catch his breath.

Using her legs, she forced their bodies to press even tighter together, while her lips kissed her gratitude to every body part her mouth could reach. Jax closed his eyes and enjoyed the trail of fire she created with her touch.

Although Penny attempted to calm her reaction, the sensations their intimate connection was still causing quickly ignited her desires again. While her pulse started to rise, she said, “I know how Casper can try to make it up to me for his part of the deception.”

Jax replied honestly, “I’ll do anything.”

While tightening her legs around his waist, she said, “Please, give me frostbite again.” Her words were almost pleading.

Jax laughed and said, “With pleasure.” Seconds later the woods were, once again, filled with the sounds of their shared passion.

Once the overly enthusiastic couple were panting from another workout, Penny looked up and noticed that the sun had moved further in the sky. She reluctantly said while trying to catch her breath, “That was the last time.” She feared that it was a promise that she wouldn’t be able to keep. Being physically intimate was exhilarating and, like a child with a new toy, she really didn’t want to put her new obsession away.

As she unconsciously wiggled into their connection, he chuckled and said, “Whatever you say.” No matter what she said out loud, he would be ready and waiting if she required his services again. He was thrilled to know that he had found a way to comfort Penny that made her smile again and distracted her momentarily from the task of the day.

After they were dressed and made it back to the Rover, they headed south out of Virginia towards the Smoky Mountains. Since they had spent more time than they had planned at their first stop, they decided to stay at a historic bed and breakfast in Charlotte, North Carolina. The place was run by an older couple that wore clothes appropriate for the 1800’s. The room they were given was filled with vintage furniture and cluttered with delicate knick-knacks. Everything that could be covered was draped in lace and floral patterns. Although it was beautiful in Human terms, Jax would have been more comfortable in the Rover. For Penny’s sake, he kept his opinions to himself.

Much to his dismay, the large, overly stuffed bed was too squeaky for Penny to indulge in her new favorite intimate activities. Regardless, she did insist that he take his daily Penny snack which, this time, managed to calm him to sleep.

The night left both parties unsatisfied and left Jax on edge. Although they joined the rest of the guests for breakfast and the southern hospitality was over the top, Jax squirmed uncomfortably. When he growled at a server when asked for the hundredth time if he wanted more to eat, Penny discretely excused him to go gather up their things. When they were once again heading down the road, Penny mentally crossed off bed and breakfasts from the sleeping arrangements list.

After driving several hours, they reached the base of the Smokey Mountains. Seeing the familiar forest brought comfort and she recalled the excitement she and her brothers experienced every time they drove through this particular park entrance. Jax was thrilled with the idea of spending the day in the woods. He desperately needed time away from Human civilization.

They hiked for most of the day to find just the right spot to sprinkle ashes. Once she found the right location, Jax marked it with the GPS and then took pictures while Penny sprinkled ashes as she walked through the trees.

When she was done, she found the process less painful than the last time and, as she looked out into the forest her parents loved most, she turned to Jax and said, “My mother told me that when she and my father were dating, they used to play hide and seek in these woods. Want to give it a whirl and see how well that blood connection of ours works?”

Although Jax had already memorized her scent and taste, when his mouth watered, he took her wrist and nipped. After licking the resulting drop of blood off her skin, he said, “Better run, Prey.” He gave her a low predatory growl.

Over the next several hours, the two played in the woods. Penny repeatedly tried to find places to hide, but Jax found her easily, saying that her scent trail lit up for him like a neon rope. He wondered if he could find her even if she was miles away.

When the sun was setting, they rented a cabin for the night. As Jax walked in and saw no sign of lace or frills, he announced, “Now this is much better! The only lace I want to see is on your nightwear.”

The cabin was small and rustic, but inviting, with a large fireplace tucked into one of the walls. After he started a fire and Penny dressed for bed, he stared out the window into the shadows of the trees. The day of hunting had stirred his shifted nature. It had been quite some time since he fully shifted and he longed to let loose and release his true hunting instincts.

When Penny emerged from the bathroom, Jax decided to distract himself by continuing their day of play. Seeing Penny in one of his t-shirts, he growled at her and asked in mock anger, “Where’s the lace?”

“What do you mean?”

“Casper misses seeing you in your collection. Go put on one of those beauties I’ve seen in your suitcase.”

“But you’ll just try to take it off me. Besides, you’ve already seen everything underneath. I think at this point you know my parts better than I do.”

He wouldn’t argue that point but he said, “It’s all about the unwrapping. I’m in charge tonight and I want my present.”

Penny liked that he was still being playful with her so she teased, “Are you sure? Do you think you can handle it, Iceman?”

He puffed out his chest and said, “I’m the most feared Changeling on the planet. I can handle anything.”

She giggled, knowing a challenge had been set, and said, “Just a minute.” While Jax waited for her on the bed, she dug through the bag, pulled out the target item, and disappeared into the bathroom. Moments later she returned, spread her arms and, while turning slowly, she asked, “Is this one acceptable?”

His eyes opened wide as he stared at pink silk and white lace. It was the one on his favorites list just below her being naked.

Feeling the lingering effects from a wonderful day together, she crawled onto the bed and stalked toward him, saying “Look out prey. This time I’m the hunter and I have you in my sights.”

Although he thought that the view was beyond words, when she let out a snarl, he laughed at her feeble attempt and said, “I think you need some hunting lessons.”

She sat back on her legs and said, “Then teach me.”

“Okay, I will.” He directed her to sit in the center of the bed and, once in position, he instructed, “Don’t move.” He crawled off the mattress and turned off the lights so that the room filled with the light from the flickering flames in the fireplace.

While giving off a constant low, guttural growl that caused the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end, he stalked toward her. She remained unmoved while he crawled silently back onto the bed and slowly circled her.

He leaned in and sniffed, occasionally rubbing his cheek on her body. Once he was in front of her again, she was trembling and panting, but not from fear. He chuckled at the state he had put her in and, with a proud grin, he motioned her to him and said, “Now come over here so I can unwrap you.”

She was determined to wipe the smug look off his face so she asked, “May I have a second try?”

Jax was intrigued. “By all means.”

After he took her position in the middle of the bed, she commanded, “Now don’t move a muscle.”

She crawled off the mattress and stood directly in his sights. She started a new growl that was low and constant while she began to untie her top. She let her shirt drape open except for one ribbon that prevented him from seeing all the wonders that were hidden underneath. Even though he was already very familiar with her body, her teasing was making his need to see all of her build quickly.