Chapter Three
Tarl was on a mission. Sienna could see that. He was working his cock with industrious movements, not speedy and not slow, clearly just the pace and tension he enjoyed the most.
His belly was taught and his breaths were coming fast and shallow. His eyes flashed as he stared at her breasts, practically unblinking as he watching her tweak her nipples and arch her back.
“It’s all for you,” she murmured, wondering if he was the sort who liked dirty words. “My tits are for you, come on them, I want to see you come, Tarl.”
“Ah, fuck, yeah…” He sped up, sliding his thumb over his deep slit.
“Don’t stop,” she said, “come on me, spurt your cum on me. Fuck, yeah, come, Tarl.”
He groaned and gritted his teeth and then he sped up, as though having decided not to hold off his orgasm anymore.
Her heart rate was tripping along, the shadows basting his body made him all the sexier, like some kind of Roman God—a statue of Romulus she’d seen once.
“Ah, fuck, yeah, yeah.” He closed his eyes, tipped his head back, the tendons on his neck straining, and came.
Pearly cum spilled from his cock, landing on her breasts and coating her right hand.
“That’s it,” she murmured, rubbing the warm fluid over her right nipple. “Come like that, more.”
He did, another slap of cum accompanied by his deep primitive groan of satisfaction.
“Mm, fuck, that’s hot.” He opened his eyes and looked down at her. “You look amazing like that … covered in my spunk.”
“You’re a tits man, huh?” She grinned up at him.
“When it’s your tits, yeah, seems that way.” He flopped down next to her. “You have a great body, Sienna. The fucking best.”
A flush of pleasure went through her. Tarl didn’t seem to notice their age difference. Her breasts weren’t quite as perky as they had been and her hips a little wider than when she’d been in her early twenties, but what the hell. He clearly liked what he saw.
“But I’m not done with you,” he said breathlessly. “I’ll have you orgasming again before morning.”
“I’ll hold you to that.” She reached for a Kleenex and wiped her chest. Then she pulled the duvet up over them. “But I need a few minutes to recover first.”
“Me too.” He chuckled and hugged her close. “But come here and let me hold you, you’re warm and soft and smell so damn nice.”
She allowed herself to be scooped into his strong warm embrace and breathed in the hot scent of his skin. She sighed, enjoying their connection, flesh on flesh, the absolute maleness of him.
When she awoke it was to the sound of her alarm.
“What the fuck?” She sat and blinked. Had it all been a dream?
No, to her left was Tarl. He was flat on his back, mouth slightly parted and his hair messy over the white pillowcase.
He blinked open his eyes. “Damn, is it morning?”
“Yes.” She switched off her alarm by banging the top of it.
“Fuck, we never got to go for another round of fun.” He reached for her. “But no time like the present.”
She giggled and pushed him away. “It would be great, but I have to get to work.”
“They can wait.”
“No, I have animals relying on me. I can’t be late. Never have been and never will be.”
“Animals?”
Sienna wriggled from his eager arms and flicked back the curtain that screened the bed from her tiny living space. “I have to shower.”
“Want company?”
“I’d love that … another time maybe.”
“Spoilsport.”
“You make coffee.” Quickly she shut the bathroom door and flicked on the shower.
Within minutes she was clean and dry and pulling on her combats and a fresh black sweater with the Central Park Zoo logo on the front. She then dragged a red hoodie over her head and eased out the knots in her hair.
“Caffeine.” Tarl handed her a mug as she reappeared.
“Perfect, thanks.” She walked to the window.
He’d opened the curtains and came to stand at her side holding a steaming mug of coffee.
“You have a great view of the park.”
“I know, it’s one of the reasons I took the apartment. I gave up square footage to be able to see the zoo.” She pointed to the few dark structures poking above the tree line.
“The zoo?”
“Yes.”
“You like the zoo? You know the zoo?” He turned to her with a frown.
She laughed. “Sure, I work there.”
His mouth hung open a little. “Fuck.”
“Why fuck?”
He shoved his hand through his hair causing it to stick up. “I knew I was drawn to you … wasn’t sure if … but you work there? At the zoo?”
She tipped her head and studied him. “Yes, why?” This was a most unusual reaction.
“Have you seen the direwolf?”
“You heard about that?”
“Hell, yes.” He set down his coffee and took her hand. His eyes flashed with urgency. “Have you seen him?”
“Yes. He’s in my care.”
Tarl swallowed, his Adam’s apple dipping low on his stubbled neck. “In your care.” He paused. “He hasn’t eaten, has he?”
“How do you know that?”
“I just do.” He glanced at the door. “Are you going to work now?”
She took another sip of coffee. “Yes, if I want to be on time.”
“Can I come with you?”
“What? To my work?”
“To the zoo, to see the direwolf.” He squeezed her hand tighter and stepped close. “Please, Sienna. Please.”
“But why?”
“Doesn’t everyone want to see the creature that was considered extinct?”
“Yes, they do. And I have a press conference to prepare for, and more importantly, ensure the direwolf isn’t stressed any more than he is. Everyone around the world wants to see him, everyone wants a piece of him, literally.”
“A piece of him?”
“A strand of hair, a few cheek cells. His DNA is highly prized.”
Tarl crumpled up his face as though in pain. “That’s disgusting.”
“That’s what happens with a find of this magnitude.”
“But the poor creature…”
She sighed and cupped his cheek. “I agree, and it’s why I’m glad he’s in my care. I have the power to protect him, to be his advocate, make sure he isn’t treated like some test tube laboratory experiment.”
“I’m so glad it’s you.” He set his warm hand over hers. “Please, let me come with you, to see him, just for a moment.”
“It’s important to you?” She could see it was, hear it was.
“More than you can ever imagine.”
“Then get dressed, I’m leaving now.” She finished her coffee and set the mug in the sink.
As she put on her boots, Tarl dragged on his sweater and stamped into his boots.
Soon they were crossing the street and heading down the alley that led under two park tunnels and toward the zoo. Autumn was encroaching and the first of the leaves had fallen and collected in small piles along the way.
“You have gray wolves at the zoo, right?” Tarl asked as it came into view.
“Yes. You saw the photo. You don’t like them, do you?”
“No, and neither will the direwolf.”
“How do you know that?”
“I have an interest in wolves and I know that different species of wolves, foxes, coyotes, avoid each other. They find their scents and their howls repugnant.”
“Really? I didn’t know that.”
“It’s a fact.”
“Gosh, I learn something every day.” She used her pass to swipe into the staff entrance. “Hi, Ted, hope you had a good night.”
“Huh.” He stood. “I’ll be glad to get home for some peace. Your wolves have been at it all night. Kept half the city awake I should think.” He looked at Tarl. “Who is this?”
“A friend, and a visitor. I’ll sign him in.” She reached for the logbook and a pen. “He’s not staying long.”
Ted shrugged.
Tarl, without a word, wrote his name in the book, his first name only, and no contact number. She frowned at him.
“I don’t have a phone,” he said, “never had the need.”
She paused. “Really?”
“Yeah.” He shrugged.
“Fair enough.” But it was odd. How would she contact him if she wanted another round of fun? “This way.”
She led him into another room where they stepped through a footbath to clean the base of their boots, and then she collected her keys from the locker.
Tarl was straining to look through a window. He was clearly very keen to see the direwolf.
The moment they stepped outside the howls of the gray wolves pierced the air with more gusto.
Tarl winced and downturned his mouth. “Bunch of whiners.”
“It is a noise,” she agreed. She opened a large metal gate that allowed her to access the backs of the enclosures. “No wonder Ted has had enough.”
Tarl overtook her, walking fast, his paces purposeful and urgent. “He’s this way.” He hadn’t said it as a question.
Soon they were at the direwolf’s enclosure. Tarl stepped straight up to the wire caging, hooked his fingers through it, and pressed his face to the metal.
“Hey, step back,” Sienna said, scouring the shadows for the creature. “He’s dangerous. He might lunge at you.”
Suddenly she spotted two blue eyes, and then the direwolf emerged. He was as huge as ever, his every movement controlled and strong.
“There you are,” Tarl said, his voice softening. “What the fuck happened back there, eh?”
The creature’s attention was locked on Tarl. It kept walking toward him, his shoulder bones rolling with each step.
“Tarl,” she said again. “Please, step back.”
Once more he ignored her.
And then in a sudden movement, the direwolf bounded forward. It reached Tarl and stretched up against the cage so its head was higher than Tarl’s.
Sienna gasped and rushed to him, tugged at his waist, trying to peel him away. But it was no good, he was too strong, too fixed into position.
“Tarl, he’ll…”
“He won’t hurt me,” Tarl said, poking his fingers through to touch the direwolf’s chin. “He just wants to get out of here. This isn’t where he belongs.”
Sienna froze and watched the interaction. The direwolf certainly seemed to have made an instant connection with Tarl. It couldn’t stop staring at him, its intelligent eyes almost pleading for help.
Her belly tightened and once again she felt guilty that she held the keys to this creature’s captivity. If only he hadn’t been caught by that ranger and had continued to live in the wild. His discovery was great for science but it wasn’t great for him.
“I know you’re not eating,” Tarl said. “But you must, you’ll need your strength.”
The direwolf bared its teeth and growled.
“I promise, eat something.”
The direwolf lunged backward and landed on all fours again.
“Please,” Tarl said. “I absolutely promise, on my life.”
“What do you promise?” Sienna asked, setting her hand on Tarl’s shoulder. He seemed genuinely upset and anxious.
He shook his head, stepped back, and looked at her. “He shouldn’t be in here. It’s a crime, a terrible crime. He needs to roam free. You have to help him.”
She frowned. In the past she’d come across zoo protestors, and most of the time she agreed with their arguments. But some animal captivity was to protect the species. The greatest good for the greatest number.
“I can’t help him be free. He’ll live out his days in captivity.”
“No! That can’t happen.” Anger and frustration flashed in Tarl’s eyes. “I beg you.”
“It’s not up to me, Tarl.” She glanced behind herself, wondering if the new shift of security guards were about to do a round. “And he’s been brought here for his own good.”
“How is it for his own good? Last week he was wild and free, happy. And now he is depressed and starving and—”
“I’m sorry, Tarl, but you need to go now. I have things to do, plus the vet will be here soon to check him over before the press conference and…”
“Okay, okay.” He scrubbed his hand over his stubbled cheek. “I get it. I get it.” He turned back to the cage. “I’ll figure something out. I will.”
The direwolf sat and stared at him with his chin tipped. Almost as if saying, “I’ll be here waiting, go get on with it.”
“I’m sorry, I can see you feel passionate about this and—”
“Sienna.” Tarl’s voice had quieted. “You have no idea how I feel about this.”
And with that he strode away, back past the cages and to the gate. Then he was gone.
She looked at the direwolf. “You have quite the fan there, don’t you?”
He tipped his head, his attention on her absolute.
“And get ready for a whole load more,” she said. “The entire world wants to see you.”
****
Sienna’s day was a whirlwind of activity. There was the vet who was concerned about weight loss, then the press conference in which she’d been nominated as speaker, and a bunch of local dignitaries to meet, then the zoo’s board members who were full of questions and a crowd of excited schoolchildren.
Although she’d been polite and engaging, her stress levels had gone up as the hours had gone by. The direwolf was very unhappy and not enjoying the people and the cameras. The howls of the gray wolves were a constant background noise and a few times she’d seen him hang his head as though utterly despairing of his situation.
When it came time for her to go home, Ted was back on duty.
“I am sorry about this noise,” she said. “I gave them extra dinner to shut them up.”
“Didn’t work, did it?” He pulled out a couple of earplugs and dropped them on top of his book. “But I have come prepared.” He sat at his screens. “So, all good.”
“Very sensible.” She touched his shoulder. “See you in the morning.”
“You be careful out there, it’s dark already now the clocks have changed.”
“I haven’t far to go.”