7
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Tekil
As she walks away, he deflates. The smell of her anger fills his nostrils
I do not know what to do, he thinks.
About what? Vid’el answers.
Tekil smiles; he hadn’t realized he was projecting, which has happened a few times now. This is still all so new to him—to all of them.
I have made Myla upset and I do not know why.
The female?
Yes.
If only he knew how to talk to her, how to gain her trust, but he found it difficult to find the right words. Perhaps if he spoke to her as he did the others—be open and ask what he wants to know? Perhaps then…
I cannot help you, brother.
Looking over his shoulder, he watches as she crawls inside the canopy made tent and wonders if he should join her. Indecision is a terrible monster that’s alive and well, so he tarries a little longer outside.
The sun peaks over the horizon, sending streaks of deep yellow across a dark blue sky. Knowing he cannot take much sunlight, Tekil stabs a stick into the ground, pushes up from the rock and heads to the canopy. The tree is large, its thick, drooping branches offering the perfect escape as it completely encloses the area. Although it is almost completely dark inside, he can see fine.
When he parts the branches, Myla wearily glances his way. He is torn…does he lay next to her or find his own space? The area is big enough for four, perhaps five people.
Maybe.
Deciding to take a chance and crawl over next to Myla, Tekil stretches out alongside her. To his surprise, she rolls over and snuggles against his side. Instinctively, he wraps an arm around her, and she moves her head onto his shoulder, her arm wrapping around his middle.
“I like your fur. It’s warm.” She doesn’t sound angry anymore.
“It bothers me to always remain in this form,” he begrudgingly admits.
“It does have its advantages though,” she replies as she rubs her cheek over it. Against his will, his cock starts to harden.
“Sometimes, yes.”
The tension is thick; even in his aroused state he is unsure of himself and what to do.
“How did they take you prisoner, if you do not mind my asking?”
He feels her shoulders briefly tense just before she starts drawing tiny imaginary circles on his chest with her finger.
“Mom and Dad never wanted me to leave home, always claiming it was too dangerous and that they needed help on the farm. I always dreamed of traveling, seeing new places, but even at my age, I found it difficult to disappoint them. My Aunt Viv, Mom’s sister, came for a visit last summer. She knew I dreamed of exploring, and after talking about the added security measures, explaining how safe space travel is now, she convinced them to let me visit her at work.
“Aunt Viv bought me a ticket, and I was headed to the Skau Space Station when the shuttle was attacked…after that all I have is just bits and pieces of memories. I don’t know why they took me, and I don’t know what happened to the others that were on the shuttle with me.”
“And your parents?”
“I doubt Aunt Viv told them I never made it. She wouldn’t want to worry them, even though she is probably a wreck thinking that I died…or worse.”
“And this was the first time you had left your Earth?” This could account for her strange dialect and defensive attitude.
“Yes.”
“It is puzzling that the Acradidia are now interested in Humans. The Hi-Cas of the Galactic Council is Human; this incident will surely gain his attention.”
“Maybe.”
Her hand treads through the fur running across his upper chest and his cock springs to life. Taking slow, deep breaths, Tekil closes his eyes, willing it to go down. What would they think of him back home? What would Zeno and Vi’del think?
Zeno’s thoughts slide into his mind . I would think that things have changed, and you need to embrace your primal side.
If I was there, I wouldn’t hesitate , Vi’del chimes in.
As much as Tekil tries, his cock hardens almost painfully, and a low growl boils up from inside. Without thought, Tekil quickly flips over, pinning Myla underneath his hard body. Using his knee, he spreads her legs wide to accommodate his large frame.
She tilts her head up, eyes locked, and meets his growl with one of her own. The air is thick with primal need before she leans up and nips his lower lip. The coppery taste of his own blood explodes inside his mouth just before he devours her plump, soft lips, exploring her mouth with his tongue, tasting the delicious raw meat, his hips pressing down into hers.
Roughly, he grips her thigh, opening her even more. Her unique scent smacks him in the face and a blinding primal need to taste her, a need to caress her skin, a need to—
“Ow!” She jerks her leg, snapping him out of a lust-filled haze.
Rising up onto his knees, he glances down her body and sees that his partially extended claws have pierced her thigh, blood trickling down from the scratch on her leg.
“I am so sorry,” he says in disgust. It is an easy reminder of how different he is now. Holding up his hand, blood coats one claw tip, reminding him of the monster he has become.
“It’s okay, really. It just surprised me, that’s all.”
“I can help. Let me…” he bends over, his mouth inches away from the scratch on the inside of her thigh. Without a covering over her crotch, her smell and desire are almost overwhelming. Not wanting to lose control again, Tekil holds his breath and licks the inside cut, giving her the healing nanonites.
Her hips arch and it’s all he can do to contain himself. Letting go of her leg, Tekil shifts to his knees and reluctantly, painfully, crawls back up beside her.
“We need to get some rest,” he says, turning away to lay on his left side and hide his still-erect cock.
She turns, her breath brushing across his back, fingers treading through the fur on his shoulders.
“Tekil, it’s okay. Really.”
He feels exposed, but he knows he must be honest. Until Zeno and Vi’del can be rescued, it is just the two of them. Who knows where Andred has jaunted off to?
His cock deflates somewhat and he rolls over onto his back. Myla immediately snuggles into his side, her head laying on his chest.
“I don’t like being in this half-animal form, and I am a little self-conscious,” he confides quietly.
Her fingers continue to tread tenderly through his chest fur.
“I can see that,” she says, and pauses. “The Acradidia changed me somehow, and I’m also a little unnerved.”
“You are beautiful.”
“Thanks,” she scoffs. “To be honest, I watched you in the cave. Every time they took you, I only got glimpses from behind, even though I desperately wanted to see your face.”
“Your scent drove me insane.”
He feels her smile against his chest. “You paced constantly.”
“I wanted to rescue you.”
“And, so you did.”
“Only after you interrupted them in the lab.”
She laughs, the sound easing something coiled deep inside him.
“We can do this all night. Let’s just say it was a group effort.”
After a few seconds of silence, Tekil asks hesitantly: “Why were you angry with me?”
She’s quiet—too quiet.
“You said it was difficult to understand,” she finally replies in a small voice. “I took it as an insult.”
“I did not mean…”
“Let me finish. I haven’t explored space, never had some savvy job. I stayed home and helped my family out on the farm. My best friend was a dog named Henry. That doesn’t mean that I’m not smart. Granted, I’m not as smart as you, but I learned as much as I could! But when you say things like ‘it’s difficult to understand’, maybe I take it the wrong way, but it’s one of my insecurities.”
“I understand. I will be more careful with my words from now on.”
“It’s not your problem, Tekil, it’s mine.”
He wants to smile. Not once did he consider Myla uneducated. All he has worried about is how she sees him —as a man, or as an animal. Perhaps they both have much to overcome.