Exodus (16 page)

“Duh.” Rivvie rolled his eyes. “Once we get to wherever we’ll be calling home. And when we have a shaman again.”

“I can do the ceremony if you want, if Lanaka isn’t back by then.” Aaron ran over to the leather sack and picked it up. “I’ve got her ceremonial words and everything in here. I may not be a shaman, but it would still count if I did it, right?”

Rivvie and Valen looked at each other and shrugged.

“It’s not like I’ll love him less either way,” Rivvie finally said. “Catch you in a few.”

“I have a feeling things are going to get very strange in our pack,” Aaron muttered. “Very, very strange.”

Chapter Nineteen

All day long, Rivvie wanted to discuss the possibility of trying to turn Matt into a shifter—however that was done—and them having a mate ceremony. He could have done it with everyone eavesdropping, but didn’t think Matt would appreciate it.

To tell the truth, Rivvie wanted privacy as well. He yearned for his den and his carved table and chairs. Would any of it still be there if and when they returned?
No, not if a great wall of water came. The den wasn’t sealed shut. Everything I had is gone.
Except he had the really important things, still—the people and pack he loved. That tempered the loss of the physical items.

It was still a long, miserable walk.

The children seemed to be especially whiny, too, or else Rivvie was just extra sensitive to their fussing. He
was
a tad cranky. The heat had returned with a viciousness Rivvie couldn’t remember experiencing before. It wasn’t just hot, it was have-your-bones-melt-inside-you hot.

Which he told Mattie, and Mattie agreed. They slogged along right behind Aaron and Valen as the sun beat down on them. For once, Rivvie was glad he was wearing the short cloth around his hips and his genitals. Otherwise, those fun bits might have been cooked right off.

His face stung by the time night fell. He wasn’t the only one. People were sun baked, or sun burned, as Anita called it. The village women had fared better than everyone else. They’d had enough sense and experience to tie cloths around their heads and shield most of their faces.

Rivvie was going to pay more attention to those ladies. They were smart.

“Rivvie, come with me, Aaron, Jina and Kaia to hunt,” Valen said once he’d decided on where they were stopping. “It shouldn’t take us long. There was the fresh scent of deer urine that way.” He pointed.

“We could help,” Matt said, stepping up to Valen, but keeping his gaze turned down. “I know we didn’t do so well in the village, but I’m not the only one that’s learned from the pack.”

“You have a weapon?” Valen asked him.

Matt gestured to a tree. “I can make a crude spear and fish while you four hunt the deer.”

“And I can help Matthew,” Anita offered. “It’s well past time we started pulling our weight, isn’t it?”

Several people agreed with her, Walter among them. Rivvie had yet to sit down and talk with Matt’s father. It needed to be done, just to clear the air between them.

“We’ll be back soon. I hope.” Rivvie brushed his lips over Matt’s. He was so tired and needed some time with Matt to recharge.

“We’ll be here. With fish, unless the river’s out of them.” Matt seemed happier than he had been in while, with the exception of when he and Rivvie were able to be together.

Rivvie shifted. He should have traveled most of the day as a wolf, but he’d wanted to be able to talk to Matt.

Now he stretched his legs, bounding along besides his hunting partners. The deer was smarter than they’d thought. The buck was also a fighter. Rivvie just missed losing an eye on an antler.

It was a good kill, and plenty of meat for the pack. Everyone could have some food in their bellies, although no one would be getting full just from the deer.

“Look what we have,” Anita called out when they arrived, dragging the deer.

Anita pointed to the fire that had been built for those who needed their meat cooked.

A dozen filets were cooking on rocks by the fire.

Matt looked up after he turned a piece of fish. “Appears that a feast is to be had tonight.”

There was a dark, sexual undertone that Rivvie did not miss. He reminded himself that he and Matt needed to discuss something first.

As soon as Rivvie had the chance, he led Matt off to the edge of the trail they’d followed when going after the buck.

“You’ve been wanting to talk all day, but you haven’t said what it is you wanted to say.” Matt studied him. “Should I be worried?”

“I’m too busy being confused by what
you
just said to be decide the answer to that.” Rivvie rubbed his temples. “Don’t explain. It’ll just make it all worse, and I need to just get it out.”
On the count of three. One…
“I think we should try to make you into a shifter.” Wouldn’t Walter be cussing him now for tricking himself with the numbers?

“Okay. I’ve no objections to that. I’d have brought it up myself, but didn’t want you to think I was only after that.”

Rivvie held out his hand for Matt. “I’d do anything to make sure you’re safe, even if you didn’t want me.”

“But I do want you, very much.” Matt came right into his arms. “So how is this supposed to work?”

Rivvie frowned. “Well, Valen wasn’t biting Aaron when he shifted. He was fucking Aaron, though. There has to be something about those two things, the biting and sex. I just don’t know if you have to be on the receiving end of my seed, or if it makes any difference who fucks whom.”

“I think it does,” Matt said. “Something in the semen would be my guess. And in saliva. So bodily fluids. I think when you ejaculate in me, you’ll begin the process of planting your seed, literally. When there’s enough seed that it takes root, I’ll be turned into a shifter. The biting, too. You sink your teeth in me like you’d be doing with your dick, and fill me with liquid pieces of you.”

He backed Rivvie up a few steps, putting more distance between them and the pack. “Then I get to do it to you. I
really
want to do it to you, Riv. Do everything to you. You’ve opened my eyes up to what sex can be like, yes, but I know it can only ever be like this with you.” Matt reached under the cloth Rivvie had put on and cupped his balls. “I want to get you somewhere we can play.” He began to squeeze, so subtly that at first, Rivvie didn’t catch on to what he was doing.

“I want to explore how this link between pleasure and pain works, for both of us, because I’ve got to tell you—” Matt licked Rivvie’s left nipple, then he bit it. “I loved it when you made my ass ache, and I loved smacking your ass. Love this.”

That was when Rivvie began to feel it, the pressure around his nuts, the threat of pain more intense than he could handle.

Except he wasn’t repulsed, he was turned on and scared, and he liked both of those things when they applied to sex with Matt.

“You tell me if it’s too much,” Matt said in a quiet voice. “If you have to scream. I don’t want to harm you, just—” He tightened his hold even more. “Make you feel. You can return the favor sometime.”

Rivvie had to close his eyes and concentrate on dispersing the pain slowly spreading out from his nuts. He found a way to ride it, to take the hurt and turn it into something that left him on the border of deliriously orgasmic when Matt went down on his knees and began sucking his cock.

Rivvie shoved his hand against his mouth. The pain was deep, deep in his gut, and it fed the pleasure in such a way that he felt like he was flying, soaring above everything on a sensuous cloud of bliss.

He came fast, when Matt stopped tugging and squeezing his balls. Rivvie barely kept from toppling over as he shot his spunk down Matt’s throat.

Matt jacked off kneeling at his feet. His hot cum hit Rivvie’s left leg and foot.

“Tonight, we’ll do the other,” Rivvie said once he’d caught his breath.

Matt agreed. “Yes. I’ll fuck you and you can bite me. I want you to hurt me.” His eyes gleamed as he tugged on Rivvie’s sac. “Like this. I’ll tell you if it’s too much.”

Rivvie was trying to figure out what position it’d be possible to get fucked in while he was torturing Matt’s balls. He was flexible, and a lot taller than Matt. Maybe he could reach between their legs while Mattie fucked him from behind.

Or he could ride Matt, facing him or turned away.

“Whatever you’re thinking, I like it,” Matt said.

Rivvie waggled his eyebrows at Matt. “You’ll like the actions more than the thoughts.”

* * * *

Dinner was delicious, and a direct counterpoint to the stressful day. People relaxed, the children were in good moods, and the weather cooled enough so that it didn’t induce misery.

And Valen put them on the first shift. “I know you’re both tired,” Valen said, “but so is everyone else. I need my beta in place for a few hours. That’s all. Then you rest, and I’ll take the next shift with Aaron.”

“Sure, of course.” Rivvie didn’t question Valen. “We’ll be out and patrolling in a few minutes. Who else is on first shift?”

Valen told them then left to deal with some pack issues, namely two men who wanted the same spot to bed down.

“So much for everyone calming down,” Rivvie muttered.

Matt scoffed, “Men. Phthp.”

They both laughed at that.

“Everyone’s fucking, it seems,” Matt said that night as they stood guard around the perimeter of where the pack was sleeping.

No. Not sleeping. Fucking. Sheesh.
Rivvie was going to have a hard-on throughout their shift at the rate he was going.

Matt knew it, too. The smug look on his face gave him away. Not that he attempted to hide it.

Eventually, after checking in with the other people watching over the pack, Matt and Rivvie leaned against a tree. Matt sighed heavily.

“What is it?” Rivvie asked, careful to keep his voice soft.

“Mom and Dad,” Matt said. “If this works, and humans can be reborn a shifter, or whatever you’d want to call it, what about them? What about the other committed couples who could be at risk?”

It made Rivvie’s gut clench to say it, but Matt was asking for his opinion. “Then they’re going to have to decide what’s more important to them, and if their definition of fidelity should be re-examined.”

Matt didn’t like the answer, Rivvie could tell by the look on his face.

“I guess it’s better than them dying,” he finally admitted. “Sex doesn’t have to mean anything, and it’s been a survival tool since mankind existed.”

“Our sex means something,” Rivvie said. “And I can’t wait to lock ourselves away in my den to prove it. When I even have a den again. When
we
have a den, I mean. Shit.”

“We’ll work it out,” Matt assured him. “Somehow, we’ll work it out. Tomorrow we’ll be back at the original pack lands. Once we know what’s going on there, that’ll help.”

Rivvie hoped so. His head was a mess, his fear for Matt growing every hour, it seemed. “Tonight, when we’re done with our shift—” He stopped talking when he heard someone approaching.

“Matthew?” Anita called out.

Rivvie caught her scent at the same moment she spoke.

Matt sent him an apologetic look. “Yeah, Mom?”

She was silent until she found them, then Anita smiled brightly. “Here you are! Would you come speak with your father when you’re done with your shift? He’s insisting that he’s fit to help out and I think he needs a few more days to recover. He wouldn’t be any good in a fight right now.”

Her worry was evident as she waited for an answer.

Matt told her he’d be there as soon as possible.

“Thank you.” Anita left them alone.

“Do what you have to. Family’s important,” Rivvie said before Matt would apologize or feel bad about delaying their time together. “Walter really shouldn’t be overdoing anything right now. Valen would say so himself. Guess Anita didn’t want to bother him.”

“I guess.” Matt stood on his toes and rubbed his nose against Rivvie’s. “I really want to do everything we talked about. Tonight might not be good if I can’t get away from my parents quick enough. I know you’re tired, and I’m dragging, too.” Then he stepped back and grinned. “But you know, my mom has this stuff she puts on her skin to keep it soft. I bet it’d make great lubricant, and I bet she’d give me some for my dry skin. Then you could fuck me.”

“That’d work.” Rivvie was going to be standing guard with a hard-on for the rest of the shift, thanks to that.

Chapter Twenty

The heat woke Valen before the sun rose. It was odd, considering the night had cooled off nicely. He sat up, his paws curling as he sniffed.

Every hair down his spine went up as alarm shot through him. The wretched scent that heralded the humans that kept attacking them was in the air.

What the hells is happening?
Valen yipped to awaken Aaron.

Aaron sat up immediately, alert, alarmed. His nose twitched then he laid his ears back and growled.

Valen tipped his head up and howled, sending out the call to his pack to get up and prepare to fight. Soon others joined in.

From a short distance away, the shifters on guard came bounding through shrubs, barking and snarling.

At least they were alive. Valen was up and running, snapping and getting his pack into position. He wanted the humans in the center, the shifters fanning out around them. It was a plan he should have discussed with his pack, but it’d only just come to him. If whatever the soon-to-be attackers had was contagious to humans, Valen wouldn’t let those susceptible members of his pack be exposed to it.

He had shifters forming circles around them, four wolves deep. Unless there was a great swarm of the murdering humans, that should be enough. Valen didn’t think they’d be grossly outnumbered—the stench on the breeze wasn’t too overpowering.

“Hello?”

At the cautious call-out, Valen bared his teeth. Whoever was approaching wasn’t more than a few dozen yards off.

“Hello?” the man called out again. “Is a-anyone out there?”

“There’s no one, you fool,” another man yelled. “You’re farther gone than you think!”