Wolf Tales V (2 page)

With that thought in mind, his soul filled with the fear, the love, the frightening vulnerability of having given his heart to this woman, Anton took her once more over the edge.

Crying out, thrusting hard and deep, he followed her into oblivion.

Chapter Three

Keisha shoved the last of her clothes into the bag and zipped it shut. She turned around just as Xandi knocked lightly on the doorframe.

“You okay? Should you be carrying that much weight? You’ve barely had a day and a half to heal.” She touched Keisha’s shoulder, near the bandage. “How’s it feel?”

“Hurts, but it’s shallow. The arrow just grazed me. It didn’t penetrate. No permanent damage. I have to admit, besides shifting, one of the nicest things about being
Chanku
is that we seem to heal really fast.”

“You scared Anton half to death.” Xandi slipped into the room and closed the door behind her. “I’m sure he’s told you he and Stefan are worried the poachers may somehow be connected to Carl Burns. We’ve had so many of them this year. They’re all focused on wolves, not deer or elk, and not one of them seems like a real hunter. They’re just thugs.”

“We can’t continue to live our lives in fear, Xandi.” Keisha plopped down on the bed. “I’ve lived that way far too long. Being
Chanku
is giving me a strength I never knew before. I will not be a victim again. Anton has to understand that.”

“He does. He’s also very much in love with you so he worries.”

Xandi sat down on the bed next to Keisha and took both her hands in hers. “Do you have any family in San Francisco? Someone you can stay with? You’ve never mentioned parents, siblings or…”

Keisha shook her head. “No. My mother was killed by a hit and run driver when I was just a kid. My father died of a heart attack a couple of years ago. I was an only child, so there’s just me.”

Xandi squeezed her hands tightly. “Never just you, sweetie. Not anymore. We -- Anton, Stefan and me -- we’re your family. I didn’t know that about your mom. How awful!” She reached up and brushed Keisha’s hair back from her face. “Let me come with you. That way you won’t be alone and Anton won’t worry so much. It’ll give me a chance to get back to the city and shop and do girl stuff. Would you mind?”

Keisha turned and looked deeply into Xandi’s gray eyes. “You’d do that for me? Leave Stefan here so you can baby-sit me in San Francisco?”

Xandi’s laughter was free and totally uninhibited. “Baby-sit? You? The Alpha bitch? You’ve got to be kidding! You want the honest truth? I want to go to a play, eat out in really expensive restaurants and go back to your place for some totally kinky sex. We haven’t gotten together, just the two of us, for weeks. The guys keep barging in.”

Keisha snorted. “So true. I never realized how much it turned a guy on to see two women having fun. It’s like shooting them with a sex gun. KaPow! One look and they’re both naked and panting.”

“So true. Deal?”

Keisha smiled at Xandi. “Even though I know Anton put you up to it, yes, it’s a deal. I’d love to have you come with me.” She grabbed Xandi’s hand in hers. “Don’t tell Anton, but I was scared to death when the poacher shot me. It hurt so much, at first I didn’t realize how badly I was injured. When I left the house, I was mad at Anton and didn’t pay attention to my surroundings. I’m lucky they didn’t kill me because I stumbled over their hiding place before I ever saw it.”

Xandi laughed. “Well,” she drawled, “I think he’s figured it out, but you know I’d never betray a confidence. I’ll pack some things and be ready as fast as I can. Shouldn’t be too hard for me to get a ticket once we arrive at the airport.” She stood up and headed for the door, then turned and struck a pose against the frame. “Oh, I need to thank you. Whatever you and the guys did yesterday certainly put Stefan in the mood! I’m almost glad I got home too late to join you.” She brushed her hand over her heart. “Talk about hot! Wow… he wore me out last night!”

Laughing, she turned and headed down the hallway. Keisha just shook her head and grinned. Suddenly, this trip was beginning to look a lot more interesting. She’d be doing the work she loved, seasoned with a girls’ night out… or two.

She’d have four days with Xandi before Anton showed up… four days to play with her best girlfriend ever.

* * *

They unpacked after the taxi dropped them off at Keisha’s townhouse late Tuesday afternoon. The place seemed so empty and cold. Keisha had found peace here before the assault, but it hadn’t truly felt like sanctuary to her since. No, that peace was strongest in the deep forests of Montana when she ran with her pack mates.

Feeling a gentle sense of loss over her once beloved home, Keisha reached for the thermostat and turned the heat up a notch. She sensed Xandi’s concern.

“You okay?”

“Yeah.” Keisha turned and leaned back against the wall. “It just feels really weird, coming back here. It’s not home anymore.” She swept her fingers slowly across the textured wallpaper. “I decorated every inch of this place, made it into exactly the space I wanted. Now I realize it’s not what I want at all.”

Xandi nodded as if she understood completely. “Maybe it’s time to sell. Move on. It was a positive step for me when I resigned my job, gave up the apartment… gave myself to Stefan without any ties holding me anywhere else.”

Keisha stared at her friend for a long moment. Xandi had never seemed happier, more content than she was now that she’d permanently moved with Stefan to Anton’s Montana home.

Keisha wanted that same feeling -- the solid foundation of Anton’s love -- but what of her hard-won independence? Her need to control the direction of her own future? Would Xandi understand?

Would she have any answers?

“Xandi, do you ever feel as if Alexandria Olanet has become lost in Stefan Aragat? Do you worry about losing
you
in
him
? Losing your identity?” She held her hand up, giggled and shook her head. “Now I sound like my shrink!”

“No you don’t. You sound like a very serious-minded woman who is still a bit unsure of this whole life-changing set of events.” Xandi drew Keisha into a brief but loving hug. “I finally decided, just like Popeye,
I yam what I yam
. I’m not merely human. I am
Chanku
. I’ve had to reevaluate my feelings about a lot of things. Being mated to a hard-headed shapeshifter is only one of many adjustments.” She laughed. “Try not to worry. You will always be Keisha Rialto, even though you are Anton Cheval’s mate. It works. Trust me.”

Trust. That’s really what it’s all about, isn’t it
?

Xandi nodded, smiling.
Exactly. C’mon. Let’s go eat. I’m starving
.

They went out just after dusk and found a popular restaurant and bar combo in the Castro district. It was near a small restaurant just like this one where Keisha had been kidnapped so many months ago. Would she ever totally get beyond that random act of violence that had changed her life in so many ways -- both good and bad?

A shiver ran along her spine, following the memory. She grabbed Xandi’s hand at the crowded entrance and held on tight.

A massive bouncer blocked their way. His arms were folded across his broad chest and he looked the women slowly up and down, as if assessing their attributes. His gaze lingered a bit too long on Xandi’s full breasts and there was a curl to his lip as he took in the women’s tightly linked hands.

Xandi returned his insolent gaze. “Hello, big boy. Seen enough, or do I need to strip for permission to enter?”

Blinking in surprise, the man jerked his head in a quick nod for them to go inside. Xandi still held tightly to Keisha’s hand but she burst into giggles once they got past him.

Keisha jabbed her in the ribs. “You’re not supposed to taunt the help.”

Xandi laughed. “Have you ever been tempted to just say to hell with it and shift, right in front of everyone? I bet that big jerk would have peed his pants.”

Still grinning, Keisha glanced over her shoulder as Xandi found them seats at a table near the back. The bouncer watched them.

A waitress brought menus. Xandi studied hers, but Keisha couldn’t concentrate. She felt the hair on the back of her neck standing on end. A shiver ran over her arms. She shuddered.

Xandi looked up, obviously sensing Keisha’s discomfort.
Is something wrong
?

“I don’t…” Keisha turned slowly and looked across the crowded restaurant toward the bouncer. He was leaning over, obviously in deep discussion with a small, dark-haired man. Suddenly he looked directly at Keisha and Xandi and pointed. The man looked up, hesitating as if giving his eyes a chance to adjust to the dark.

Keisha felt her heart skip a beat.

“C’mon. Act like we’re going to the restroom.” Keisha grabbed her purse in one hand and Xandi’s wrist in the other and dragged her to her feet. “Get your bag.”

Walking quickly, fighting the urge to run, she found the narrow hallway to the restroom and from there a door that led through the kitchen. Ignoring the cook’s orders to go back the other way and Xandi’s questioning looks, Keisha dragged her friend through the small kitchen and out a door that led to a dark alley.

What’s going on
?

Carl Burns. I’m positive that was him talking to the bouncer, and the big oaf pointed directly at us
. “Hurry.” Keisha hiked up her calf-length skirt and took off at a run down the alley. She heard Xandi’s footsteps just behind her.

She heard her thoughts as if Xandi had spoken aloud.

We’d move a lot faster if we shifted
.

Without slowing her pace, Keisha shook her head.
That’s the last thing we want to do with a tabloid reporter on our tails
.

Within minutes, the two of them rounded a corner across from Keisha’s home. Breathing hard, they ducked behind some shrubbery. Keisha studied the street in front of her house. “Looks clear. Let’s make a run for the porch and get inside. I do not want to talk to that man!”

They raced across the street and up the stairs. Gasping for breath Keisha fumbled with her keys.

Hurry, hurry, hurry
… Xandi’s frantic mantra echoed in Keisha’s mind.

Keisha jammed the key in the lock and twisted, then ripped the door open. Stumbling over the threshold, Xandi slammed the door behind them. Keisha twisted the deadbolt and both women leaned back against the door, gasping for breath.

Xandi turned to Keisha and burst into nervous sounding giggles. “You sure know how to show a girl a good time.”

Keisha slumped against the door and sighed. “That wasn’t exactly what I had in mind. Why does he keep following me? At least he’s so familiar to me now, I can sense when he’s near.” She shoved herself upright. “C’mon. I’ve got some stuff in the freezer we can heat up for dinner. Hanging out in town has suddenly lost its appeal.”

Chapter Four

“You need to call Anton and let him know what’s going on.” Xandi sipped her glass of wine and tried to look relaxed. She couldn’t pull it off. Her actions felt jerky and her veins practically sizzled. She’d been running on adrenaline ever since they’d fled the restaurant and the slimy reporter. If she didn’t find an outlet soon for all her pent up energy, she knew she’d explode.

“I know. I’ll wait and call him in the morning, before his meeting.” Elbows resting on her knees, the wineglass clasped in both hands, Keisha turned her head to look at Xandi. She sighed and her shoulders slumped. “At this point, I think we can charge Burns with harassment. Anton wanted to call the newspaper and complain last time he followed me, but I wouldn’t let him. My mistake, I guess. Anton worries so much about me. He’d want to fly out here immediately, and he can’t do that. Let the man at least get a good night’s sleep. There’s nothing he can do tonight, anyway.”

She set her wineglass down and rubbed her hands up and down her arms, as if warding off a chill.

“Agreed.” Xandi gave Keisha a sideways glance. “You look as wound up as I feel. Obviously, with Burns following you we can’t shift and run, but there’re other ways to burn off excess energy. Might take our minds off of things.”

Keisha’s smile was her answer. She took a final sip of her wine, then both women set their glasses down and headed for the bedroom. At the last moment, Keisha leaned over and whispered softly into Xandi’s ear, “I’m the Alpha bitch, sweetie. Remember?”

“Like hell you are.” Laughing, Xandi swatted Keisha on the butt and chased her through the door.

They kissed, briefly. Xandi could kiss Stefan for hours and never grow tired of the feel of his lips on hers, but for some reason, when she was with Keisha, Xandi wanted more direct, more physical contact than mere kisses. She slipped her sweater over her head as Keisha removed hers. Their bras landed on the floor and Xandi moved into Keisha’s embrace.

There was something immensely erotic about rubbing their taut nipples together, standing breast to breast, hips thrust forward, their hands grasping one another’s buttocks and kneading firm flesh through fabric.

Keisha was the first to pull away and slip out of her skirt and underpants. Xandi didn’t waste a minute. Naked, trembling with need as much as the adrenaline rush still coursing through her body, she pulled Keisha back into her arms, this time bending down to take one of Keisha’s firm nipples in her mouth.

Xandi rolled the turgid flesh between her lips, drew it in and pressed the nipple tightly against the roof of her mouth with her tongue. She sucked hard, drawing a soft moan from Keisha and a hard thrust of the other woman’s hips against her own.

Xandi arched her back, releasing Keisha’s nipple with a satisfying
pop
. She felt the scratchy brush of Keisha’s pubic hair tickle her recently shaved mons and moaned. Breath rasping in her throat, Xandi caught Keisha’s rhythm and tilted her hips even closer, rubbing her sensitive pubes back and forth across Keisha’s coarse thatch of hair.

Keisha palmed both of Xandi’s breasts, then quickly slipped her hands lower to grab Xandi’s buttocks once again. With her hips rotating slowly against Keisha’s, Xandi scattered wet, open-mouthed kisses across her friend’s throat, along the line of her jaw before covering Keisha’s mouth and breathing in her soft, moaning breaths.

Xandi held Keisha close with one hand tightly clenching her taut buttock in a bruising grasp. She kissed her deeply, nipping at lips and tongue, then slipped her fingers between their bodies and found the crisp nest of curls covering Keisha’s pussy.

So much heat, so slick and ready
. Xandi felt the first trickles of moisture along her own inner thigh and knew Keisha hovered on the brink of orgasm, just as she did. She let her fingers creep slowly through the tangle of wet hair, probed slowly, carefully at the swollen, weeping mouth of Keisha’s pussy, then gently circled her protruding clit with the tip of one finger.

Keisha’s legs buckled and she cried out. Xandi forced her fingers deep inside, deep, where firm muscles danced, clenching, releasing, clenching once again. Together, the women tumbled onto the wide bed. At the last moment, Xandi shifted, twisting her body so that she landed on top, her lips now firmly compressed once more about Keisha’s nipple.

Xandi quickly rediscovered Keisha’s pussy with her free hand. Her fingers slipped easily into the slick, hot channel, first one, then two, finally four fingers buried deeply, with her thumb resting firmly against Keisha’s clitoris.

She felt Keisha’s hands frantically rubbing, touching, grasping, sliding across her breast, then slipping down between her legs to skim lightly over her sensitive clit.

Xandi wanted to laugh but didn’t dare release Keisha’s nipple. Their sex play had become a battle of Alpha bitches, with each of them trying to bring the other to orgasm first.

Keisha’s fingers clenched tightly around Xandi’s buttocks, pulling her cheeks apart, finding the sensitive sphincter muscle, probing none too gently until she gained entrance with her middle finger.

She pressed hard, sliding her finger in and out, then adding a second and going deep.

Moaning, panting with rising excitement, Xandi released her tight suction on Keisha’s nipple. She shoved her fingers deeper inside Keisha, now using her palm to rub back and forth across her friend’s clit, finding her rhythm, thrusting in counterpoint to each of Keisha’s deep strokes.

Keisha twisted, leaned forward and caught Xandi’s nipple between her tongue and teeth and sucked hard. At the same time, she speared Xandi with two fingers deep inside her anus and pressed down on her clit with the pad of her thumb.

Xandi threw her head back and howled. Wave after wave of pulsing heat, shimmering sensation and pleasure verging on pain swept through her. She tried to bring Keisha with her but her hands wouldn’t obey. Gasping, giggling, her mouth opening and closing like a fish on dry land, she collapsed beside her friend.

“Okay. Alpha bitch. You win that round. Just let me get my breath…”

“And then?” Keisha leered at her.

“And then you…” Xandi took a couple of deep breaths and rolled over on top of Keisha, slipped her hand down between her friend’s legs and found her hot, wet center. Suckling her nipple tightly between her lips, she tongued the sensitive tip while her fingers tangled in the nest of curls between Keisha’s legs. She slipped between the pouting lips, dipped into Keisha’s moist heat and stroked slowly, deeply, in and out.

She felt the slight rise and fall of Keisha’s hips as she tried to hold back and slowly lost the battle. Heard her soft moan, felt the fluttering muscles deep inside as they tightened imperceptibly around her fingers.

“Then it’s your turn.”

Xandi found Keisha’s clit, ran her thumb over the hard little bud, faster, harder, her fingers thrusting deeper. She sucked hard on the nipple still caught between her lips, tightened her lips about the tip and pressed them together hard.

Keisha arched her back and screamed, her hips pumping against Xandi’s thrusting fingers, her hands clutching at the rumpled blankets beneath her.

Xandi brought her down slowly, stroking Keisha’s quivering flesh, finally just rubbing her slick, engorged labia with the palm of her hand. Keisha’s body shuddered, she sighed and lay still.

“Damn. I think I’ll sleep well tonight.” She giggled. “Wow… we haven’t done that for ages.”

Xandi lay down next to her. “I know. I’m still not sure if it’s better sex or just different, but I like it.”

“It’s all sensation and sharing. Touching someone and knowing exactly what parts to touch, where to taste, how hard to apply pressure.”

“Sensation without the emotional intensity.” Xandi laughed. “Sometimes when Stefan and I make love and I realize just how
much
I love him, it scares me.” She turned and touched Keisha’s shoulder, running her fingers over the bandage. “I love you, too, but it’s not so intense, not as frightening.”

“I know.” Keisha looked soberly at Xandi. “I’ve felt exactly the same way.” She leaned closer and they kissed. “G’night, hon. Sweet dreams.”