Devoured

  As it was, she felt just right. Floating along on the dr’gin was like riding in a warm car on a crisp fall day and putting down the windows to enjoy the cool autumn air in her face.

  Well, no, it’s not exactly like a car ride, Tess corrected herself. It was more like what she imagined a magic carpet ride would be like. The smooth, flowing of the dr’gin beneath her, the panoramic view of the natural beauty all around, the soft whistling of the wind…despite her continued anxiety about her fate, Tess found it enchanting. Seduced by the beauty of the moment, she almost felt like if she had to die, she was glad to have this as her last memory.

  Then the dr’gin made for a dark opening in the side of the mountain. Tess ducked her head just in time as they soared over the steep lip of a cliff and then went directly into a very big, very black cave.

  The dr’gin came to a halt at last, his long claws scrabbling against the rocky cave floor. Then it just sat there.

  “Um…” Tess wasn’t sure what to do. Should she thank him? Could he understand her? And when had she started thinking of the dr’gin as “he” instead of “it?” She didn’t know but it seemed right, somehow.

  The dr’gin shook impatiently, like a horse twitching to get rid of a fly.

  Oh right—and I’m the fly.

  Tess took the hint and got off quickly. It was easy since the dr’gin was low to the ground. It wasn’t like sliding off a horse—more like simply standing up and stepping over his broad back to stand on the stone floor beside him.

  “Thanks for the ride,” she said and winced when her own voice echoed unnaturally in the stone space. How big was this cave anyway? She’d been to Natural Caverns in Virginia and she knew that some cave systems could extend for miles and miles of convoluted, twisting tunnels and vast grottos inside the mountain. Just the idea of all that black, empty space at her back made Tess extremely nervous.

  She looked around but the light of the setting sun was almost completely gone and the darkness gathering around her was thick and impenetrable. In fact, she realized, she couldn’t see much of anything except the dr’gin’s eyes glowing hungrily right beside her.

  The euphoria she’d felt during the beautiful, silent ride abruptly leaked away to be replaced by a numbing fear. The dr’gin took a step towards her, its claws scratching on the stones, its eyes wide and glowing a brilliant turquoise.

  “Please…” Tess took a step back. “If you brought me here just to eat me…”

  The dr’gin cocked its head to one side, for all the world like someone trying to understand something spoken in a foreign language. Then it started to come toward her again.

  “Please…” Tess took another step back and nearly fell. Her breath was coming short now as panic took over. Maybe the dr’gin had brought her here just to eat her. She’d thought he was rescuing her from the wolves but maybe he was just making sure his dinner didn’t have any pieces out of it. “Don’t!” she begged as the huge beast flowed toward her. “Please, don’t.”

  The dr’gin gave her a long look and then, to Tess’s confusion and relief, he retreated swiftly to the opposite side of the cave. There he curled into a circle and turned his face to the stone wall. The gesture was strangely familiar and suddenly she realized that the dr’gin was very deliberately giving her space.

  Tess watched him for a while uncertainly. What was going on? Why had he stopped moving in on her and left so abruptly? Was he trying to tell her something? Was he really giving her space the way a person would or was he simply saving his supper for later?

  It was all too confusing to understand. Sighing, she sat down and leaned back against the opposite wall of the cave. A cold wind whistled in through the cave mouth but she drew her knees up to her chin and wrapped her arms around her legs, trying to ignore it. After awhile she closed her eyes and fell into a light, uneasy sleep.

  She was wakened an unknowable period of time later by a chorus of high, mournful howling coming from just outside the cave. Gasping, she sat bolt upright, her hands clutched to her chest. How had the wolves managed to find her way up here on the side of the mountain? Was the whole pack out there? Were they—?

  Suddenly a long, lithe white shadow flowed past her and out the cave mouth. Tess got a brief glimpse of the moonlight sparkling on its flowing fur and then the dr’gin’s unearthly claxon alarm-roar split the night air.

  Tess clapped her hands over her ears but not before she noticed that the howling had abruptly stopped. Had Garron’s dr’gin chased away the pack? Had he killed any more of them? Would he be in a mood for more killing when he came back into the cave?

  The screaming roar was not repeated but her heart was still pounding minutes later when the dr’gin came back into the cave. He took a look at Tess, shivering with a combination of fear and cold, started to go back to his place on the opposite wall, and then stopped.

  “H-hey,” Tess whispered, her voice breaking on the word no matter how hard she tried to keep it steady. “Uh, did you scare them all off? Are they gone?”

  The dr’gin gave her another look and came towards her purposefully, flowing over the ground like a river of white silk.

  “No,” Tess begged softly, as she had before. “No, please…”

  But this time the dr’gin didn’t stop. Instead, he flowed around her, encircling her body with his own long form and nestled her securely in the curve of his side.

  At first she didn’t dare to move or even breathe. But the dr’gin didn’t seem to be offering her any harm—it was more like he was protecting her. Keeping her warm. His actions reminded her of what Garron had told her several times—that his dr’gin liked her and felt protective of her. Maybe he wasn’t saving her to eat later. Maybe he genuinely wanted to keep her safe.

  “Okay,” Tess murmured. “Okay, I guess this is all right.”

  Little by little, she allowed herself to relax. The dr’gin’s side was surprisingly comfortable and very warm. It molded itself to the shape of her body, reminding her of a high end armchair filled with memory foam or some similar material. Only memory foam didn’t breathe and it wasn’t covered in silky fur.

  Tess sighed and turned on her side, pressing her cold cheek to the warm hide beneath her. Unfortunately, it was the cheek Pierce had sliced open with his knife. Rubbing it against the dr’gin’s hard scales reopened the wound and shot a bolt of pain through her face.

  “Ouch!” She winced and sat up, her fingers going to her hurt cheek. They came away warm and wet. Was she bleeding again?

  Suddenly she became aware that the dr’gin had curved around to face her, so close that his huge head was almost in her lap. He sniffed her bloody fingers, his hot breath blowing across her hand. Then he licked her, his long tongue curling around each digit in turn, as though it was trying to get every last trace of blood from her hand.

  Tess froze.

  Oh my God, I’ve done it now. Now he’s tasted my blood he’ll eat me for sure!

  Sure enough, the huge, leonine head rose up, drawing close to her own until they were eye-to-eye.

  “Garron,” she whispered, looking into those glowing, turquoise orbs. “Garron, please…please, no.”

  The huge mouth opened and she closed her eyes tight, not wanting to see when the final bite was going to happen. Please, she prayed silently. Please, just let it be quick! Don’t make it long and drawn out and painful like it was with Pierce. Let it be qu—

  Her prayer was cut off when the dr’gin’s hot, wet tongue swiped over the side of her face. Oh God, it was tasting her! Getting the blood right from the source. The next thing she would feel was those massive jaws closing over her head and his fangs sinking into her neck, severing her carotids…

  But there was no final, fatal bite. Instead, the dr’gin just kept gently licking, bathing her face with its tongue.

  Gradually, her heart stopped pounding so frantically and the tension left her body. The dr’gin’s breath had the same wild, almost-cinnamon scent that Garron’s had. As it licked her, she fel
t the familiar tingle and knew what was happening.

  “You…you’re healing me, aren’t you?” she asked softly, daring to open her eyes at last. “You’re doing just what you did that first time, back in the hotel room.” She shivered, remembering the pleasure of his mouth on her then, his gentle touch, his comforting words that put her at ease and aroused her at the same time. “Garron,” she whispered. “Oh, Garron, if only you could come back to me, really come back to me…”

  And a voice inside her head whispered, He will, child…if you are brave.

  Chapter Forty-one

  “Huh? What?” Tess looked quickly around the darkened cave but there was no one there. And in fact, the voice seemed like it had come from inside her own head. Yet, it didn’t sound anything like the voice she heard when she lectured herself or the fun loving voice of Tess BP. It was stronger somehow, clearer, and much, much more powerful.

  I’m going crazy, she told herself. There’s no one here but me and Garron’s dr’gin.

  It is not simply his dr’gin—it is HIM. Garron himself. He longs to come back to you, to be with the female he loves.

  “Oh my God,” Tess muttered aloud, sitting up straight. “That time I know I heard it. Unless I’m going crazy.”

  Be assured that your sanity is not in question, my child, the powerful and somehow feminine voice murmured gently. I have simply come to give you guidance.

  “Can…can you help me? Whoever you are?” Tess asked uncertainly. She spoke quietly and stopped looking around the darkness. The voice was definitely coming from inside her own head though she had no idea how that was possible.

  All things are possible for me, child, the voice murmured. Even returning this male to his rightful form. But you must help and you must not be afraid.

  “I’m not afraid of him—not anymore,” Tess whispered. “I…I love him. Love him so much. Even in this form as a dr’gin. Although I wish…wish so much I could have him back the way he was.”

  You can if you are brave.

  “But…how?” Tess asked.

  You must draw him to you. Embrace him. Call to the true Garron, locked within the body of his beast. Already he is attuned to you, understanding your words and emotions. But you must use more than words to bring him back—it will take action, bold action on your part to break the power of D’fex.

  “What kind of actions?” Tess protested. “Just tell me what to do and I’ll do it! Anything—I’ll do anything at all!”

  You must discover that for yourself, the voice murmured. Think of the ways you soothed him when his dr’gin rose to the surface before. Remember the things he longed for, the things that kept the beast at bay. These same things are what will bring him back to you at last.

  Thoughts filled her head, memories of Garron speaking about what he had longed for all the years he had lived on Pax. His forbidden dreams and desires…

  Tess swallowed hard. “Hey, you don’t mean I should, um…”

  Act quickly, my child. This window of opportunity I am able to offer you is narrow and soon to close. Be brave.

  “Brave how?” Tess protested. “What are you talking about?”

  But the voice didn’t answer and somehow, though she couldn’t say exactly how, Tess knew that the speaker was gone.

  “At least give me a hint,” she muttered but only the wind whistling through the cave mouth answered her. She already gave you a hint, her own inner voice—the voice of Tess BP—whispered back. You know what you have to do. Now do it.

  Tess supposed she did know, but the idea made her nervous—extremely nervous. Still…be brave, the voice had told her.

  “All right.” She lifted her chin. “I’ll do it. I can be brave. I can.”

  Carefully, quickly, she slipped out of the oversized sweatshirt and sweatpants. Then, completely nude and shivering, she cuddled back into the dr’gin’s embrace and pressed herself against its hot side.

  The dr’gin snorted in apparent surprise and looked at her from those glowing eyes.

  Tess just hugged it harder.

  “It’s okay,” she whispered to it. “Everything is going to be okay.” I hope!

  The soft feather-fur felt ticklish against her bare skin and the heat of his body seemed much more intense without her clothes. She could feel his breathing more clearly too and the warm, spicy scent of his skin—so exactly like Garron’s own scent—made her feel almost dizzy.

  Are you crazy? whispered a pessimistic little voice in her head. Or just perverted, hugging the damn thing in the nude like this? What’s wrong with you?

  There’s nothing wrong, Tess told it. Nothing at all. I’m doing what she said—whoever she was. I’m being brave.

  The dr’gin snorted again and licked her cheek as if he could hear her thoughts and agreed with her. The dr’gin—

  No, not the dr’gin, Tess told herself sternly. Garron—it’s Garron in there. And you have to draw him out, just like she said.

  “Garron,” she whispered softly, looking into those large, glowing eyes. “Garron, I know you’re in there. Come back to me.” She hugged him tighter, feeling the soft fur rub sensuously against her bare nipples. “Come back to me.”

  For a moment she felt something strange. It was almost as though the body she held in her arms had changed shape just for a split second. One moment it was lithe and sinuous and covered in the soft, downy feather-fur and the next it was smooth and hard and muscular. Then it was back to being furry again but that one split second was all Tess needed. She felt a surge of hope and an equal surge of determination.

  I can do this! I can bring him back!

  “Garron,” she whispered, rubbing herself sensuously against the long, hot body. “Do you remember the first time you healed me? How you healed my breast by sucking my nipple?”

  A soft, almost human growl was her answer. He was listening and he was understanding her words—Tess was certain of that. She felt another surge of determination.

  Feeling bolder, she went on.

  “Do you remember the first time you touched me? God, I came so hard on your fingers…” She lifted her hand to touch one of the dr’gin’s paws and felt it change in her hand. Just for a moment, she was holding a big, warm hand, its finger enfolding her own. Then it changed back to a paw again but Tess wasn’t deterred—she went on.

  “Remember when you tasted me?” she whispered. “I was so scared but you were so gentle. You just kissed me at first…so softly, so tenderly. You were kissing my pussy almost the same way you kissed my mouth.” The memory made her heart start to pound and her breath come short. “It made me so hot and wet the way you tasted me,” she admitted in a low voice. “I loved being open for you…loved feeling your mouth on me down there.”

  She was rubbing against Garron with reckless abandon now, enjoying the feel of the soft fur against her bare skin. It tickled her nipples and made her naked pussy tingle with anticipation…

  There was that sudden flash of movement again and again she was holding Garron in his true form against her once more. His nude body was warm and smooth and hard against her own and his arms encircled her, holding her tight.

  “Gods, Tess,” he croaked, his deep voice sounding rusty. “Don’t stop. Please…need you…your scent…your taste…”

  This time when he shifted back to the dr’gin Tess gave a little cry of frustration. Why couldn’t she hold him to his other form? His true form? But she was determined now—she knew what to do and she wasn’t giving up.

  “Garron,” she whispered fiercely. “Come back to me.”

  There was a flicker again and then the body she was holding started shifting back and forth, so quickly it was hard to keep track of. One moment it was long and furry, the next hard and smooth and muscular.

  “Garron,” she said desperately. “Please…” Need a way to keep him with me—to keep him in his true form! But how?

  The big Kindred’s hoarse words echoed in her head.

  …need you…your scent…your taste. r />
  Of course!

  With trembling fingers, Tess reached between her legs and spread her pussy. She was wet down here, wet from remembering his soft, gentle kisses and the tender way he had tasted her here. Something told her that tonight wasn’t going to be quite so gentle but she didn’t care—she just wanted Garron back and she was willing to do anything to get him.

  Pressing her fingers deep into her well, she gathered her juices, moaning as she rubbed her swollen clit. God, she needed Garron! Needed the big Kindred to come back and ease this fire inside her, to make her his completely.

  Then bring him back, whispered the voice of Tess BP in her head. Bring him back and claim him…so he can claim you.

  That was exactly what she planned to do. Slowly, she lifted her fingers and pressed them to the dr’gin’s mouth. A hot, wet tongue lapped at them, cleaning the honey from her hand hungrily.

  “Taste that?” Tess murmured, fearlessly thrusting her fingers between the razor sharp fangs. “That’s me, baby—all me. Come back and taste me again. Come back and make love to me.”

  Suddenly the fangs melted away for good and her fingers were engulfed in a different, much smaller mouth. At the same time, she felt the big body flicker…and hold.

  “Garron!” she moaned, pressing harder against him. His broad chest felt wonderful against her naked body and she could feel the hot, hard length of his shaft rubbing against her belly.

  “Tess,” His deep voice was ragged and filled with desire. “Gods, need you so much…”

  “You can have me,” she assured him eagerly. “Please, I want you inside me now.”

  “Not yet…” He leaned down and took her mouth in a hungry kiss. Tess moaned as she felt his tongue invade her mouth, bringing her own secret taste as well as the sweet, hot cinnamon flavor that was at once and entirely Garron.