Werewolves In The Kitchen (2 page)

“Night, Ellie.”

~* * *~

 “Was she running away from us?”

Jake folded his arms. “You scared her off.”

“Me? I’m not the one who was all, ‘Would you like some lemonade?’ No, that didn’t spook her.”

“You were about to force feed her pie.”

“I was just offering.” Kyle tugged his apron off.

“She does run away from us though.” Jake and Kyle headed outside. “Why do we scare her?”

“We’ve never gone feral in front of her.”

“We should talk to the old woman.”

“Why?”

“Well, she said it was all right to have relationships with other interns, so long as we let them take the lead. But Ellie runs.”

“I don’t get it. She’s giving all the signs. She watches us like a hungry—”

“Maybe just one of us should—”

“Oh, I’m sure you’re happy to volunteer,” Kyle snarled.

“Well, you could too. I think both of us hitting on her is intimidating.”

“It’s either both of us, or you and I are going to have to fight it out the old fashioned way.”

“Yeah, let’s not.” Jake shook out his dark hair.

“I mean, if she picks one of us, that’s different.”

“Of course.”

“All right,” Kyle sighed. “Let’s go talk to Moira. This is killing me. I can’t take another day of Ellie hanging out in here with us. She’ll give me one of those looks, and I’ll have her right there on the countertop.”

Jake nodded. “We need help. Well, not that this was ever in doubt.” He grinned wryly at his friend. “But we are here at Moira’s sufferance, and Ellie is one of her people. We need to ask her permission.”

“After you.”

~* * *~

Kyle knocked on the cabin door of the Moira’s office. “Come on in.” The old priestess was crouched by the printer, teasing out some crumpled paper. “Damn thing, need a new one.” She rose, her silver hair braided and pinned in a picture of elegance, but otherwise, she was dressed in a pair of cargo pants and a tank top that had seen hard use; certainly not the elegant garments she wore during rituals. “What can I do for you?”

Kyle rubbed his neck. “We wanted to talk to you about Ellie.”

She rolled her eyes. “You still sniffing around her?”

“Well, you said it was ok—”

“If we don’t pressure her—”

“Given our hormones, that’s damned hard.”

 “But she doesn’t seem to get that we’re flirting with her.”

Moira steepled her fingers. “Are you here for my permission to court her or what?”

“Would it be appropriate to approach her more directly? Or would that be like a teacher putting the moves on her?”

Sighing, Moira leaned back. “I can see you’re trying to let her come to you. Though…you have no direct responsibility over her, she knows you’re temp staff like her. Ellie knows the protocol here. She knows that she will not be kicked out just for turning down a sexual advance. She’s not even the newest staffer since Angel joined us. I appreciate your discretion, given that she’s dealt with sexual harassment. However,” she stood to stab a finger at Kyle, “you two are probably still intimidating the hell out of her.”

“We haven’t even tried to kiss her!”

She threw up her hands. “The girl has a gigantic crush on one or both of you. But she hasn’t been around threesomes and polytetrahedrons of complicated relationships. Have you thought about just one of you approaching her?”

They growled.

“That bad?”

“We’d have to fight each other. Hormones.”

“Can’t be helped.”

“I see.” She paced a little. “I think that you could be more direct with her so long as you are respectful. And back off if she says no.”

“Of course—”

“We’d never—”

“I know. But you likely do intimidate her.”

“How so?” Kyle scratched his neck.

Moira smirked. “I’m old, but I’m not dead. You two are…” She waved her hand. “She may not have been approached by strapping lads like yourselves.”

“Oh.”

Kyle muttered an oath. “It’s easier to seduce a wolf like us.”

“Of course it is. But she’s not, so you have to play by different rules. And she’s one of mine and if you hurt her, I’m going to snap both your necks, werewolves or not.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She glared at Kyle. “Don’t ‘ma’am’ me.  If she weren’t mooning after you, and if I didn’t think that you’d be good for each other, I’d have told you paws off.” Moira sat down again. “When the shaman of Uruz pack told me he needed space for two wolves in neutral territory for a bit, this wasn’t quite the kind of drama I thought I’d be fending off.”

Jake blinked. “We don’t want drama. We just want—”

“I know what you want. Go on.” She waved them off.

~* * *~

Jake fidgeted. He knew that Ellie would pass by the chairs near the back deck on her way to the dorm after her shower. He felt like a stalker, but he wanted to catch her alone. “Ellie,” he called.

“What’s up?”

“Just enjoying the last of the sunset. Want to join me?”

“It is beautiful.” She sat.

Jake struggled to find something to say; Kyle was always better at this sort of thing. “Good to be clean I bet.”

“Definitely. I’m always amazed how dirty I get. I love the showers here.” She fidgeted.

He watched her watching the sunset, and he just wanted to lean over, pull her into his arms, lap at her neck and scent her. Her scent was muted after her shower, but still he craved her; he knew she would taste divine. He wanted to kiss her until she couldn’t stand it, pull her clothes off, then work his cock into her until she shivered in pleasure.

She yawned. “Sorry. I’m exhausted. I think I’m going to pass out.”

“Sweet dreams, Ellie.”

He raked claw marks into the wooden bench. It took everything in him to not lope after her, kiss her. He had to be patient.  Kyle growled from the trees, and Jake sighed, moving toward him.

“Any luck?”

“No. Ran away again. Maybe we could invite her out. On a date.”

“A date?”

“Like to a movie. Get her off the property. Take her to dinner.”

“That’s a little dangerous right now.” Kyle sighed. “With Hagalaz pack wanting our blood at the moment.”

“Shouldn’t be too terrible a risk. Just one night.”

“Maybe. The Hagalaz wolves are…”

“You don’t have to tell me. I was in that fight too, picking them off your back.”

“Don’t remind me.”

“Well, it is why we’re exiled here for the moment.”

“We’re not exiled.”

“We can’t go away from neutral turf or the Hagalaz will eat us, Kyle. All because you had to shag—“

“I know, I know. I’m sorry.”

“You’ll have to keep apologizing. You know, I’d like to be able to leave here someday.” Jake glared.

“I’ll make it up to you. I swear.”

Jake looked longingly at the dormitory cabin.

Kyle gritted his teeth. “Is that what it’ll take? Me giving up my claim?”

Sighing, Jake shook his head. “I think about you with us. All of us together. It’s been a long time since you and I have been together, but…you’re part of the fantasies too.” Jake shivered. “I’m going to run the woods.” Scenting the air to ensure they were alone, Jake snarled and shifted. He needed the wild, needed to run and work off some of the tension so he wouldn’t pounce on her.

Kyle envied the ease with which Jake shifted. It was always more traumatic for him. Plus he usually lost his clothes in the deal. “Damn metaphysics,” he grumbled.

Kyle wished he could take a day off of kitchen work to join Ellie at the creek. Then maybe pull her into his arms, kiss her. He could just imagine sliding inside of her, watching her head tip back in bliss, licking her, biting her…

Dammit, no, not that. He didn’t want to scare her. But gods did he want her, wanted to feel her pulsing around him in pleasure, wanted to make her scream.

He was feverish and about to split his skin. He knew it was rare enough for wolves like them to be that enamored with a human, but her scent drove them both crazy. When she had started avoiding them, it was all they could do to not pursue her. He felt his claws extend and shuddered; he’d have to go running too. All he could think about was pleasuring her, about he and Jake both making love to her until she was shaking in delight.

~* * *~

Days later Ellie groaned, knowing she had to get up for her morning chores. She laughed. Her hand was still in her pajamas, as she’d fallen asleep before she could bring herself to release.

Too often she’d pass out asleep before she could come, and then she’d wake up too late to do anything about it. Dressing, she noticed her laundry basket. She needed to do laundry tonight or she wouldn’t have clean work clothes tomorrow.

Ellie wondered if the days went slower or faster because of all the hot, dirty fantasies flowing through her mind. It was certainly diverting, even if the ache drove her crazy.

Once again she found her muscle strength gone by dinnertime. Her light lunch hadn’t been enough. Making one more try at the rock she was dragging, she fell right into the creek. The water was cooling, but the creek was sometimes rank.

“Ugh,” she muttered, picking up her now-soaked hair-band. Well, she had to wash everything anyway.

She stopped at her room for her laundry. “Maybe I’ll get out of there before the wonder twins drive me crazy.” However, they were in the kitchen when she arrived, despite it being hours after dinnertime. She blinked.

Kyle was bare-chested. “Hey, Ellie.”

“Back late again?”

“Rocks,” she stuttered. “Hauling them.”

Jake grunted. “How many does Kerri need?”

“Um. All of them?”

Kyle laughed loudly and tossed something in the washer, then looked at her. “Oh, you have laundry?”

“It’s ok. Mine can wait.”

“Nonsense, there’s plenty of room.” She sighed. She’d planned to wash the clothes she was wearing too, but no way she could change clothes with them here. Though that seemed like exactly what Kyle had just done.

“Here, put that down. Eat. We saved you some.” Jake produced a heaping plate.

Ellie blinked again. “I can’t eat all that.”

Jake handed it to her. “You need to eat more. I saw your miniscule lunch.”

Both men watched her. She felt as if she needed to back up. “Are you guys conspiring to make me eat?”

“Well, it
is
our job to feed people,” Kyle grinned that lady-killer grin of his. She felt her insides clench. Kyle took her laundry basket from her. “Eat.”

Her stomach grumbled and she gave in, leaning against the counter to eat.

“All this is a little different from paper pushing in the city, eh?” Jake laughed.

“Yeah,” she grinned. They were so nice to her, she wished she could be around them for five minutes without imagining them tearing her clothes off.

“How long do you think you’ll stay here? Do you like it here?” Kyle asked.

“I do. I want to finish my degree, but I’m not sure how. I have to claim my parents’ income on my financial aid for another year. My stepfather has money, but he won’t even loan it to me for school.”

“Total jerk.”

“I like it here, though I suppose I need to start making plans for what comes next.”

 “I’m glad you’re here. This place can be healing in strange ways.”

She looked at Jake. She didn’t know why, but he often said such quiet, surprising things. “It is. Who thought hauling rocks could be therapeutic? Though I was hoping there would be more spiritual work here.”

“How so?” Kyle asked.

“I guess I thought there would be…I don’t know. Classes. I mean, I’ve read books, but I feel like I need to learn more.”

“Ah. That stuff happens here more during retreats, though I think they’re starting up the evening devotional chanting next week.”

“They try to make space for directly connecting to spiritual mystery. But there are classes too.”

“You two have been here what, a year?”

“Almost,” and it sounded like Kyle growled it.  She almost choked on a bite of roasted peppers when he began putting her laundry into the washing machine. She set down her plate.

“Oh, I’ll get that.” Blushing, she took the basket from him. He gave her a strange look. “You don’t want to smell my dirty clothes.” Kyle was close enough to her that she could feel the warmth coming off of his body. She tried to not stare at his chest and the tribal tattoos curled around his bicep and shoulder. She dropped her clothes into the washer, her hands shaking, she wanted him so badly. She started the washer.

“Ugh, this got dropped in the creek too.” She sniffed her silk hair band. “You should smell this thing; I don’t know if it smells more like creek water or my sweat.”

She looked up, surprised by the sudden silence in the room, and her jaw dropped a little. The two men were suddenly looking at her like hungry wolves. Ellie felt like a cornered deer and actually backed up against the washer.

Kyle stepped closer and drew the silk up to his nose. “Hmmm, not sure,” he said, and moved in to her side, scenting her hair. “Seems to smell more like you. Jake?” He looked up, and the men shared some look between them.

Ellie was tongue-tied. They had to be teasing her.

Jake moved in front of her, and she trembled as he sniffed her hair band and then her hair. “Yes, definitely like you.”

“Yes,” Kyle murmured, nuzzling her neck. She was panting. Kyle growled and pulled back. “I don’t want to pressure you.”

“We don’t want you to feel like you have to.”

Ellie made a soft sound. Words wouldn’t come.

“Are you ok?”

“Do you want us to stop?” Jake murmured. She shook her head and then gasped when Kyle kissed her neck. Jake stroked her cheek and kissed her lips gently at first, and when she moaned he pulled her closer. Kyle lapped at her neck, nipping now, slipping his hands over her breasts, and Jake was making love to her mouth with deep velvet strokes of his tongue.

She moaned weakly feeling Kyle behind her, his hard heat rubbing against her buttocks, and felt Jake in front of her, pulling her close against his hips. Kyle slipped his fingers into her shirt to tease at her nipples, and she leaned back against him, bucking into his touch. Kyle drew the straps of her cami-top down even as Jake started dragging her shirt up.