Daddy Protector: MC Romance (Pythons MC) by Sadie Savage (23)

Zak’s motorcycle thrummed underneath her, making her excited all over again. Her long hair flew out behind her under her helmet and whipped around in the air. She gave Zak a tight squeeze as he rounded a corner and then yelled a loud “Woohoo!” when he sped up on the straightaway. She loved riding his motorcycle and thought about having her own on a daily basis. How much would her dad freak out if she brought home some old, second-hand bike and let the gang fix it up for her? They’d eat all the bologna in sight.

The two of them went back to Joy’s house, where her father was watching TV. He looked up briefly when she walked in, but then went back to his cop series.

“Hi. How are you?” She could never be sure if she was Joy or Brenda these days, so she always made sure to test the waters before giving him a kiss hello.

“Fine, Brenda.” He emptied his water glass and then held the empty cup out to her, a silent directive to go and clean it. “Don’t know why you need constant updates when I’m clearly fine.”

“Just wanted to make sure. Can’t hurt to check.” She took the glass and stood looking at him for a long time, missing the father who was right in front of her. “Any word from Joy?”

“Is that any of your business? She’s my daughter, not yours.” He shifted in his chair and let out a big sigh. She sighed too. Lately, she was Brenda more often than not. As much as she loved Zak, she missed being someone’s daughter.

Joy walked into the kitchen and started washing up. Dad had apparently made himself several sandwiches during the day. She checked the fridge to see if they had any more lunch meat. All out. That meant she needed to make a quick trip into town and it would be dark soon.

Her father was starting to forget if he’d eaten or not, a common side effect of Alzheimer’s. She worried he was going to have horrible stomach aches, but he never seemed uncomfortable. She decided to get some antacid too, just in case.

“Steve,” she said, putting on her jacket, “I see you’re low on food. If you don’t mind, I’ll take your car to the store and stock up.”

“Why do you need my car? Just go to the Quick ‘n Save. You can walk there.”

“Yes, I could but it’s nearly dark and there’s wolves out. If I drive, I can make it to the grocery store before it closes.” She picked up his keys. “You don’t mind, do you?”

He looked at her blankly. “Nearly dark, you say?”

She checked her watch. “Yes, it’s almost eight in the evening. Did you think it was earlier?”

His jaw fell open. “I… I swear it was noon just a minute ago. What happened to the day?” He looked at her with tears welling in his eyes. “I’ve always kept track of time. Why couldn’t I do it today?”

She ran over and kneeled next to him, brushing his hair back and smiling up at the father who didn’t know her. “You just had a bad day. I’m sorry, I should have stayed at the house longer. Helped you a little more.” Grabbing a nearby notebook, she jotted down a note, then wrote the current time at the bottom. “Here,” she said, handing it to him. “I’m going to leave you with this. I want you to consult this if you forget where I’ve gone or when I’ll be back, okay? It should take me about an hour to get there, shop, and then get back. I’ll go as quick as I can. Sound good?”

He nodded silently, looking down at the note. Two big tears stained the page. “I’ll wait for you.”

“Okay Steve. When I get back we’ll have some ice cream and then go to bed.” She gave him a quick hug and then ran out. He didn’t say anything as she shut the door behind her.

Joy sped down the road, slowing down as she passed the cop hideout the gang had showed her, then floored the gas pedal again to get to the store as quickly as possible. When she got there, it was only moderately busy and she parked and ran in without any holdups.

Keeping her shopping basic, she got up to the front and started unpacking. The cashier sent a glare in her direction and Joy just smiled back. What was her problem? She moved up with the others, but when she got to the front, the girl just crossed her arms and stared at her.

“So, your friends aren’t here with you today.”

Joy stepped back in surprise, friends? What did she mean? “Sorry, I think you have me confused with someone else.”

“No I don’t.” She leaned down on her elbows, not even looking at Joy’s loaf of bread or slowly melting ice cream. “I know exactly who I’m talking to. You’re dating that asshat Zak, the guy who thinks it’s fun to come in here, tear up my store, and leave without paying a dime.”

“I’m here to pay for all of this. I’ve never stolen from you.”

“No. You just watch while your man does it.”

The two women stared at each other, not moving. Joy struggled to find the words to turn the situation around. Yes, Zak was a hell-raiser and yes, they were together, but she was a paying customer. What was she supposed to do?

“Look,” she said, leaning in and lowering her voice, “I am dating Zak. Maybe I could talk to him about taking it easy on this place. You know, pay for the stuff and not block the door. He’ll listen to me.”

Her checkout foe looked doubtful, but she picked up the bread and scanned it anyway. “Yeah? You’d do that?”

“Sure.” Joy prayed she wouldn’t hear the doubt in her voice. She actually had no idea if Zak would hear her out on taking it easy at the stores.

The woman finished and then just shook her head at Joy. “What I don’t understand,” she said, “is what on earth a nice girl like you is doing with that awful man. Don’t you want someone a little more… you know, a little less…”

“Dangerous?” Joy bagged her own groceries while her counterpart scrutinized her, trying to figure her out. “You know,” she said, throwing the bread on top of her purchases, “I don’t think I do. As crazy as he is…” She picked up the bag and turned to go. “I think Zak is the only one for me.”

Chapter 6

The next three days were a bit slow and lonely for Joy. She still hadn’t received the divorce papers from Aris, though her attorney was calling him every day and demanding he sign. He’d also pleaded with Joy to press charges, but she explained that no cop in his town would pick him up. They were all too buddy buddy; he had the advantage.

On top of that, her father had fallen into a horrible depression. She had called several specialists, but none were less than an hour drive out of town and she couldn’t persuade him to get in the car.

He met her suggestions for a psychoanalysis with boiling rage. “I’m not going to some head-shrinker!”

“Dad, it’s to help you feel better. I’ve never seen you so down.”

At that he would stomp off into his room. “You try gettin’ old and let me know how you like it.” Then he’d slam the door and not speak to her for hours.

The only upside of the argument was that it somehow helped him remember that she was his daughter. She wasn’t sure how to take that, but she decided it was all she could ask for right now.

To make it all worse, she hadn’t seen or heard from Zak in a while. She wasn’t worried; he’d let her know the group was going on a run outside of town. “We want to go up to the lake,” he’d told her, stroking her hair. “We just want to get away from modern society for a while.” He kissed her forehead and then whispered in her ear, “You can come too. If you want.”

“I have to stay with my dad.” She smiled and gave him a kiss back. “Behave yourself. Don’t go falling in love with anyone up at the lake.”

“No promises.” She gave him a smack for that and then a big, deep kiss goodbye.

“I’ll miss you.”

“Not as much as I’ll miss you.” He climbed on his bike after that and signaled for everyone to get on and roll out. She stood and watched them go, waving goodbye to the whole group, most of whom were too excited to do more than a quick, behind the back wave to her as they roared off.

So, here she was: no boyfriend, a depressed father, and a town that would barely speak to her because everyone knew she was involved with Zak. Not her best weekend. To top it all off, she had nausea and felt a bit dizzy. What was wrong with her?

“You alright Brenda?” She looked up to see her father was out of his room and curious as to what was going on with her. She nodded.

“I’m fine, Steve. Thanks for checking on me.”

“You’re looking a little piqued. Go lie down if you need to.”

“I will. Don’t worry.” She eased herself into a kitchen chair and put her head in her hands. Did she have a bug? She checked the time and was mortified to see that it was only six. She was anxious to go to bed.

She forced herself up to fix a few sandwiches for her dad. His Alzheimer’s disease was now completely messing up his eating habits and made him forget he was full. She was making ten sandwiches a day because any withholding of food sent him into a rage that couldn’t be quelled. She’d quit fighting with him immediately. How could she deny her own parent food?

Once the sandwiches were prepared and wrapped up in the fridge, she checked on her dad. He was snoozing peacefully in his armchair, the remote wrapped up in his fingers. She gave him a little kiss on his forehead and then felt a horrible swoon as she stood again. Whoa. She did need to lie down.

Finally, she decided to throw the day out and headed into her room. As soon as her head hit the pillow she started to fall asleep. Her whole body seemed to be begging for rest and a soft, smooth mattress and the weight of her old, nubby blankets.

As soon as she was asleep, she dreamed. In her dream, she walked between ominous, black trees that towered above her. Pine cones fell from their branches, but not in a threatening way. They were like big, gentle raindrops plummeting to the ground. Under her feet was a soft layer of long, luxurious pine needles that almost felt like a springy mattress. The smell of wet bark and moss was everywhere and she felt a little drunk as she breathed it in.

Ahead of here were some dark, vague figures. Who were they? She squinted through the trees, but she couldn’t seem to get any closer to them. She ran a little bit, pushing the trees aside and knocking pine cones to the ground. She opened her mouth to call out a big, “Hey!” but found she had no voice at all. She ran faster, opened her mouth wider and wider, but nothing seemed to work. Her own body fought her and grew heavier with every step, her throat seemed to close as she tried again and again to scream out to the familiar figures ahead of her.

Finally, she made a big, heavy lunge forward and the motion sent her straight down into the earth. She fell past tree trunks, through webs of worms and beetles and down into darkness. When she hit the ground her eyes opened and she found herself gasping and sweating in her bed.

She sat up. Behind her, on the mattress was a pool of sweat and her pajamas were soaked through. She peeled the blankets back and got up. Her digital clock on the nightstand informed her that it was five in the morning, far too early to go out and make breakfast. Her dad would be furious if she woke him up now.

She pulled her sweaty clothes off and stood naked in the center of her room. The gray light of dawn hit her body and illuminated her for a moment with an eerie softness. She looked down and was startled at the sight of her breasts. They had grown overnight. She smoothed her hands down her now very tender chest and continued down to her stomach and hips; both were substantially bigger. Joy had always had a slim frame and an active metabolism so she usually maintained a rather skinny silhouette. This new, extra curvy figure she had felt completely alien. Whose body was this?

Joy pulled her sheets off the mattress and balled them. Even the mattress pad under her fitted sheet was ruined. She sighed and wondered how early she’d be able to do any laundry. Her stomach growled and she nearly slapped it. No eggs and bacon for you, pudgy, she thought. You’re going on a diet starting today.

After the mattress was stripped and her skin and hair grew chilly from her sweaty nightmare, she pulled on fresh pajamas, now much tighter over her big hips and ample chest, and laid on the bare mattress to close her eyes for another hour or so. If she dreamed again, she didn’t remember the details. All she knew was that when she woke up there was bacon frying and coffee brewing in the kitchen. Her dad was cooking? The smell made her mouth water so much she had to wipe the drool away.

She looked at herself in the mirror. Her new body didn’t look bad, it just looked different. Maybe Zak would be into it. Besides, she told herself as she ran into the kitchen, she could always start her diet tomorrow.

She’d been right about Zak’s enthusiasm for her new shape. He and his crew returned the next day and she greeted him in a tight pair of jeans, a white T-shirt, and her leather jacket. Now it was his mouth that was watering. He walked up to her with wide eyes, taking in every new, curvy inch of her.

“What happened to you?”

She feigned innocence. “What do you mean?”

“I mean.... your… and then your… You’ve got a whole new body.” He took her hand and stepped closer to her and she breathed in that familiar scent of his that she loved so much. He smelled extra wild today, now that he’d spent some time out at the lake.

She pulled him in a little closer so she could whisper in his ear. “I gained a little weight. Do you mind?”

He stepped back and looked her up and down one more time, then shook his head appreciatively. “You’ve never looked hotter. In fact…” He glanced over at his crew, all of whom were winding down and settling into the grass around their bikes. “Can we go somewhere? I need you right now.”

She pulled his hand and led him, giggling the whole way, off to a little spot she’d found while he’d been away. He ran after her, already pulling off his jacket. They quickly shed their clothes and threw them into the grass as soon as they reached the little patch of soft grass next to a grand old tree standing tall in the forest. The two of them stood together in the shade, Zak regarding Joy once again, but this time taking in every beautiful curve as she stood there, nude and lovely in the forest air. His heart raced as he took in the rise of her hips, her rounder and softer ass, and her heavy breasts.

He moved to her, his cock already standing straight up in the air as hard as ever, and wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her neck, gathered her long hair in his hand and twisted it into his fingers. She tilted her head back as he worked his way down to her big, round breast and took her nipple into his mouth. She gasped as he sucked on the little pink circle; it seemed to be attached somehow to her clitoris. She was instantly excited, pumping her hips back and forth as he took her hard nipple between his teeth for a quick love bite.

“You want it?” He moved to the next breast, giving it the same treatment and sending volts of electricity through her whole body.

“Oh my god. Yes, yes I need you. I need you right now.” He lifted up and she threw herself into his arms, wrapping her legs around his chest. He reached down to grab her big, curvy ass with one hand and the feel of it seemed to spark a fire in him. He felt more wild than he had ever been with her before. He gave it a loud smack and the sound rang out in the woods along with Joy’s loud, enthusiastic moan. She’d grown to enjoy his spanking over time.

“You just need it, don’t you?” He turned so that tree trunk was behind her and he could prop her up against its rough skin. “Tell me. Tell me to fuck you.”

Joy put one foot down and kept the other wrapped around him. She bucked against his hips and the biting tree bark. Her eyes were wide and desperate. He had never seen her pupils so big and the sight of them made his blood pump even harder.

“I want you to fuck me. I want you fuck me harder than you’ve ever fucked me. Do it right now. Take me right here. I can’t wait. I need it. I need you inside me. Do it. Fuck me, Zak. Fuck me!”

Zak shoved his hard, straight cock up and into her slick, wet pussy and the both of them cried out in relief. Then he worked his body up and down, driving himself deep into her as she balanced against the tree and on the gnarled ground at its roots. She grabbed onto his shoulders and let herself ride him like the animal he was, loving the friction and the heat and the sweat they created together.

Their bodies moved in a steady rhythm, building up to a faster speed. Zak’s eyes blazed a deep yellow and low, rumbling growl came up from his toes and out his open mouth. For a moment, Joy thought she saw a great, gaping jaw full of curved and dangerous teeth in front of her, but it was gone as soon as she saw it. She kissed him and bit his lip and their speed increased, the two of them melded together with the heat they created. Joy felt little sparks flying off her skin and briefly worried about the forest around them; surely no tree could stand against the force of their fire.

They hit their climax and the sky was suddenly filled with birds, flower buds opened and queen bees devoured their faithful bee servants deep inside their sticky palaces. Ripples of their lovemaking shook the earth so strongly that the rocks rattled and the rivers swelled. They rode the dark, undulating orgasm between them with their eyes closed. Joy had a brief vision of Ursa Major blazing in the sky and laughed at the memory. That had been back when they were so hesitant and gentle with one another. Look at us now, she thought. We’re so happy to tear each other to shreds.

A moment later, they laid in the grass and stared up at the sky. Both were still naked and still reeling from their lovemaking. She had ever been so hungry, so desperate for someone’s touch and the effect had left her both a little shaky. Zak propped himself up on one elbow and looked at Joy, sweaty and spent on the soft earth, and smiled.

“You look like a goddess. You know that?”

She snorted a little laugh. “Come on. I’m no goddess.” She picked a nearby flower and drew across his face with it, but he moved it away.

“I’m serious.” He touched his nose to hers and she could feel his eyelashes on her cheeks. “You represent life, love, sex. Everything. That’s what a goddess is; she’s an inspiration and a symbol. I’m using the right word.”

She turned to him and gave him a big, long kiss. His lips tasted like cold well water, something deep in the earth that was waiting to be released. The taste of it stirred her again and she pulled him on top of her. The two lay in the grass and just held one another, kissing in the warm sun. The scents of soft grass and black earth reached her nose and she could feel the variations in the earth beneath her. The rises and dips and the blades of long, soft grass made the perfect bed for them and she never wanted to get up from that little spot.

Zak sat up and cocked his head. “You hear that?”

She propped herself up on her elbows and listened as well. It sounded like an argument. “I think two of your guys are just having a disagreement.”

“One of those voices isn’t ours.” He jumped up and listened again. He walked over to find his clothes and quickly pulled them on without looking at Joy. She popped up to join him and found her pants on top of a thorny bush. She had to pull it off carefully so it wouldn’t rip and he got a bit of a head start. Dressed already, he walked off to see what could be happening and left Joy behind him.

“Hey,” she called out, “don’t leave! I’m right behind you.”

“I have to, babe. Stay here, I’ll come back for you.”
He left Joy naked to stand and wait at the trees. Gingerly, she peeled her jeans off of the thorns and then found her shirt just below it. She held them while she scoured the ground for her bra and panties and then something made her stop.

The voice that reached her was familiar. The calm tone that implied threats rather than issuing them; it made her hug her sides with her trembling arms. It couldn’t be. There was no way.

Please, she prayed, please don’t let it be who I think it is. Please don’t let it be Aris.

 

Chapter 7

 

After Zak left Joy in the clearing, he walked out of the woods to the road and immediately saw the strange, tall figure he had heard while he’d been with her. He stopped and watched the scene for a moment. His group was holding their own, as he expected them to do. Two of his men were standing with girls flanking them on either side while the rest of the group lounged on the ground, feigning disinterest while keeping a sharp eye on the situation.

The stranger, Zak realized, was Aris, his old enemy and Joy’s ex-husband. He wasn’t losing the love of his life to this loser again and he walked casually across the street to make sure Aris knew it.

Aris and Zak’s fellow biker Gary were having a stand-off. Aris had his hands balled up but down by his sides and was trying to stare Gary down. The biker, meanwhile, was standing in an almost floppy style. His knees were a little bent to keep his legs loose and his gaze was just barely on his challenger; he was making sure he had room to attack if necessary and that he had two points of backup close by. He and his gang got into the occasional fight, sure; but they were smart about it. They never fought in an enclosed space, always made sure to have at least two other people behind their target, and got it over with as quickly as possible. They weren’t scared of the police, they just saw no reason for them to be involved. To have the cops show up to break up a fight was considered highly embarrassing for this group.

“I know she’s here.” Aris ran his fingers roughly through his hair as he took in the lounging bikers in front of him. “You can all drop the act. Trust me, she’s trouble. Just give her up now and I won’t cause any problems.”

“I think you should,” Zak said, stepping forward. “Cause a problem, I mean.”

Aris did a surprised double-take at Zak, where had this guy come from? “What? What the hell are you saying?”

Zak stepped closer to his adversary. Aris was a half-head taller than Zak, but the short leader stood confidently and flipped his hair out of his face with a cocky head snap. “I’m saying we like problems. You think I got this crew to join my gang because they like things safe? No, you’ve got it all wrong.” All around him, gang members were standing slowly and positioning themselves at different points of attack about a foot away from Aris. “You see Petunia over there?”

Aris looked at the skinny blonde with faded purple in her hair. She was staring at him as if she wanted to know his face intimately, to know exactly how each of his cells lined up.

“I’ve seen that pretty little thing snap the necks of three different men. All of them former wife beaters and, to a man, much bigger than you. Now, I would love to see the famous Aris go hand to hand with Petunia here. So please,” he concluded, “make some problems.”

The circle of bikers advanced a few steps towards their target and Aris whipped around in every direction as the circle closed in on him slightly. “Or how about this,” Zak continued, his eyes bright as if he were offering a choice of ice cream flavor to a customer as opposed to ways his enemy could die. “Take on Greg. Greg here spent most of his life in and out of institutions. See, he killed his dad after he witnessed his father spitting in his mother’s face. He knew a beating was on the way and he decided there was no reason to wait until it happened. He just cut the possibility for more violence out as soon as he could.”

Aris turned slightly towards the tall, spiky-haired man on his left. Greg was flexing his fingers and grinning. He looked ready to take Aris out at the knees.

“Choose someone,” Zak said. “Heck, you can even choose to fight me. But if you don’t choose anyone, well then.” He shrugged as if highly disturbed. “You’ll just have to fight the whole group.”

Again, the circle closed in on Aris. He wordlessly opened and closed his mouth and looked from member to member. The stared right back, each prepared to be the one to do battle with this new enemy.

“Alright, I choose you.” Aris’ breathing was incredibly fast and he desperately tried to keep his composure, but his voice wavered and he had sweat all over his forehead. “Come on, tough guy. Let’s dance.”

The whole group laughed as soon as he said it. Each of them turned to one another in a mocking stance. “Let’s dance. Come on, dance with me!” Their laughter was so intense and disturbed Aris so much that he didn’t see the giant claw as it came in for a swipe at his face.

Aris fell to the ground and a huge, brown bear stood over him. It opened its giant maw and let out a huge roar. Aris opened his eyes to see a row of yellow, wet fangs rising from black gums and promptly wet his pants.

“Help! Help!” He scrambled back as the bear batted at him, destroying his pants and scraping a huge scoop of flesh from his leg. Blood began to stain the grass below him. “Someone help me, please!”

There was no one else there; all the other gang members had disappeared and left him to his fate. He turned onto his stomach and began to crawl away. The bear put his front legs on Aris’ back and pushed him down into the ground, then stood on him, pushing again so that his head bucked up a little.

In that moment, Aris thought he saw Joy standing just a short distance in front of him. He started to call her name when suddenly a horrible pain shot through his head and everything went black.

When he came to, he was on the sidewalk in front of a hospital. A nurse ran up to him and began asking questions, but Aris couldn’t focus. He had dried blood holding one of his eyes partially closed and his head was pounding. He was weak from blood loss and had to be carried into the emergency room.

“Sir, did someone attack you? Do you know what your name is? What’s the date today? Is there anything you can tell us?”

Question after question was thrown at him as he was rushed into an operating room. All he could say was one word over and over. “Bear. Bear. Bear.”

 

That night, at the weekly bonfire for the gang, Joy stood by herself. Zak was nowhere to be seen and the whole group was doing everything they could to keep her spirits up.

Petunia came over and patted her on a shoulder. “Look,” she said, “I know you’re worried, but you have to remember that Zak knows these woods better than anyone. He can read the wind, the stars, the tracks of any animal. He’s just hiding out so that bad old bear doesn’t come for him. He’ll be back.” Joy smiled at her and nodded, but didn’t say anything. Petunia handed her a bottle of whiskey and Joy took a swig.

Petunia scrutinized her for a moment, a hand on her hip as she looked Joy up and down. “I can understand why you’re so sad,” she said. “I would be too if I had to give up some quality dick.” Joy laughed and a little bit of whiskey came out her nose.

“Whoa. Careful. I know that stings.” The two friends laughed and stared into the flames. Joy imagined all the different places Zak could be: stuck up a tree with a bear beneath him, safe in a cave where he had fresh water for a few days, or off in some abandoned cabin fast asleep. Petunia, meanwhile, was wondering if Joy had guessed the truth about Zak or any of them. She assumed the answer was no.

After hours of sitting and staring at the fire, of politely accepting drinks and listening as the group told stories and sang songs, Joy was drunk and depressed. She lounged with her head on a rolled up jacket, her arms and legs splayed open. Greg walked over to see how she was doing.

“Take you home, Joy? I’m sure you need some sleep.”

She shook her head groggily. “Just leave me here. My boyfriend’s been eaten by a bear, my own father keeps forgetting who I am, and my ex is probably dead by now. Do yourself a big favor and leave me here. Keep your distance before you catch my curse. It’s fatal.”

“Come on.” Greg quickly reached down and flung her up onto his shoulder so that she hung down towards his butt. “I can’t let Zak’s girl freeze all night. He’ll kill me. Besides,” he said moving down the ladder back down to the bikes, “you’re my friend. Even if you are cursed.” He descended the side of the boulder and set Joy down. She was a bit wobbly, but she didn’t fall.

“Stay here. I’ll bring my bike around.”

Joy stood and felt the earth rock under her feet like a ship. She tilted her head back and yelled up to the stars, “Ursa, you have to find him! Come on, you big bear in the sky. Bring him back to me! Bring him back to me!”

As she yelled to the stars, she staggered around in a circle and watched them spin in the sky. Ursa Major shined the brightest and she could almost see the outline of a bear made of light walking through the sky.

Her spin was stopped abruptly when a hand grabbed her elbow. She was so dizzy and drunk that she couldn’t quite make out who it was; the form swam in front of her as it moved closer. The earth tipped again and she pitched forward, right into the mystery figure’s arms. After that, everything went black.

When she opened her eyes, Joy was back in her room at her father’s house. She was snuggled under the usual blankets and staring at the same ceiling she always had. She blinked her eyes open but promptly closed them again once the light hit her retinas; she was very hungover.

Joy listened for her father or anyone in the house, but everything was quiet. She could live with that. She pulled the covers over her head and settled in for a late sleep, thrilled to be able to relax for a morning.

She was just slipping back into sleep when a soft knock came at the door.

Joy meant to call out a greeting, but all she could manage was an annoyed groan. The door opened and her dad stood there, looking down at her.

“Hi Joy.” He leaned in the doorway. “Feeling a little rough?”

She nodded from under her blanket shelter.

“Well, from what Zak tells me, you had a tough night. You take it easy for today. I’m going to make you my guaranteed hangover cure, okay?”

From under the covers, Joy managed to produce a shaky thumbs up. He left and she quickly pulled the covers down and consulted her ceiling. Wait. Did he say Zak?

Slowly, gently placing one foot in front of the other, Joy made her way out of her room and into the kitchen where her father was cracking a raw egg on the edge of the blender. Just the sound of the egg shell breaking was unbearable and she stopped to lean against the wall for a moment. She tried again, straightened up, and took a few more wobbly steps until she could see the kitchen table. As soon as she did, she had to grab the door frame for a moment to keep from passing out.

There, sitting in the breakfast nook, was Zak. He was neat and clean, not a scratch on him, and had a new catalogue that had come in the mail on the table. He flipped through the pages slowly as if he were genuinely considering a new comforter or dust ruffle. A small noise came out of Joy’s throat and he looked up.

“Joy!” Zak ran over to help her to a chair, guiding her slowly. She eased into a seat and panted for breath. She couldn’t remember what all she had drank last night, but she silently vowed to never take so many liberties with alcohol again. Ever.

She propped her head up on her hand and smiled at Zak as he sat across from her. “You’re back.”

“Yeah. I couldn’t leave you alone.” They held hands across the table as the blender whirred for a few minutes. She had no idea what awful concoction her father was making for her, but Joy told herself to drink it down, no matter the taste. She had to get this hangover out of her system.

The blender stopped and Zak sent a soundless little kiss across the table to Joy. She made a kissy face back to him and the two of them laughed. She wanted to lean across the table and kiss him for real, but she wasn’t sure how it would affect her father. Would he even remember who the two of them were?

“Alright, my darling daughter who likes to drink,” Steve said in a sing-song voice, “this is just for you. Drink it all in one go; don’t sip.” He set down a tall, grey mixture flecked with red dots. Her stomach turned just at the sight of it. What on earth was this? Her dad stood waiting. “It’s this or be sick the rest of the day. Your choice.”

She took a deep breath, let it all out, then raised the glass to her lips. The thick, heavy grey liquid slid down her throat slowly. The feel of it brought to mind the way garbage slid down a chute or snot came out of a nose. She wretched a little as she drank it, but she didn’t stop until she got to the bottom.

“Oh my god, Dad!” Joy shoved the glass away from her and gasped for breath. “What the hell was that?”

“Hey, language. I’m not a fan of this new hard-living, biker chick persona you’re cultivating. I miss my sweet girl.” He picked up the glass and washed it. “Besides, it’s just eggs, tomato juice, tabasco, protein powder, and green tea. You’re fine.”

The list of ingredients and the feel of her father’s disgusting cocktail in her stomach was more than she could bear. Joy jumped up and ran to the bathroom, barely upright and bouncing off of the walls the whole way, then flung herself in front of the toilet to puke.

Back in the kitchen, Steve dried the clean glass and put it in the cupboard. He raised an eyebrow at Zak. “It’s my grandma’s recipe. Works every time.”

The rest of the day was a bizarre one for Joy as her father joined her and her boyfriend for a day at home. While they usually spent their time running off to, well, anywhere, that day they all stayed close to each other. Joy marveled at her father’s sharp mentality; he didn’t call her Brenda once. When Zak stepped away to use the bathroom, she moved closer to her dad.

“Dad, how are you feeling today?”

“Hm? Me? Oh fine, dear. Just fine. You know that nice boy Zak gave me some vitamins that really got me going today. I can’t remember the last time I felt this good.”

“Vitamins? What kind of vitamins?” She looked around the living room but didn’t see any new medications. Her dad was busy flipping through TV channels looking for his courtroom drama and couldn’t be bothered.

“I forget the name. I’ll have to ask; they’re great stuff. Oh, here’s Judge Hunter.” He settled into his chair, not intending to move for the next hour at least. Joy stood up and moved into the kitchen where she opened all the cupboards and checked every inch of counter space for any sign of any kind of vitamin. There was nothing. What had Zak done to help her dad?
“Hey beautiful.” Hands smoothed down the front of her dress and Zak’s head peeked over her shoulder. “What are you looking for?”

“The vitamins you gave my dad. Where are they?”

“They’re around here somewhere.” He kissed her neck and for a moment she gave into the familiar feel of his full lips and hungry touch, but snapped out of it just as quickly.

“Hey, I’m serious.” She turned around stepped back from him, out of kissing range.

“You think I’m not?” He moved in for another round and she stopped him with a finger to his chest.

“Stop it. I need to know what kind they are. I’ve never seen him with it. He’s usually confused most of the day. If you’ve found some miracle herbal supplement, I want to know what it is.”

“It’s my dad’s old recipe. He swore by it. Now come on, just give me one kiss before we go sit with your dad again…”

“One more thing.” Zak sighed and fell against her like a rag doll. “Come on,” she said, picking him up by his armpits. “I need to know.”

“Yes, of course. Whatever you want. Shoot.”

She smoothed his hair back out of his face. It was nice seeing him so combed and put together. She was used to the untamed, rumpled version of Zak she saw outdoors. She flashed back to the day he disappeared and all she saw was a bear standing on her ex-husband and tears came to her eyes.

“I just need to know,” she said, the tears falling onto her dress, “where did you go? When the bear came, where did you run to?”

“Hey.” Zak pulled her into a hug and smoothed her hair. “Why the tears, huh? I’m okay. I made it back. Don’t cry.”

She took a big, shuddering breath and closed her eyes. She breathed in the smell of Zak’s skin and told herself he was right, the important thing was that he was alive and here with her. “I know. I was just so scared I’d never see you again.”

“Never? Come on. That’s such a long time.” He kissed her head and squeezed her tight. “If you must know, I holed up in a little abandoned house for a day and a night, then I had to go and fish for something to eat or else I would have starved. As soon as I was strong enough, I headed back to town.”

She pulled back and looked at him in his gelled hair and church-appropriate clothes. Joy put her hand on Zak’s cheek and leaned in for a kiss, a real kiss, on his soft, welcoming lips. He tasted like wine late at night, like water from the creek, like a warm lover who had already waited for her a long time.

“I love you, Zak,” she whispered.

He pulled her in a little tighter. “I love you more.”

 

 

Chapter 8

 

The next few days were quiet, but a week after Zak had returned Joy was feeling particularly odd. “Oh no,” she thought, “I’m sick again.” She could feel that her stomach was extremely bloated and her breasts were so tender it hurt just to shift a bit under her blanket. What was going on?

She threw back the covers and flung her arm over her eyes. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so tired, and after going to bed early, too. She thought of what she wanted for breakfast, but as soon as she thought of actual, solid food she felt a rush of acid coming up from her stomach. Jumping up from the bed, she ran to the bathroom and stuck her head in the toilet just in time. She retched and heaved for a few minutes, not throwing up a lot but enough that it dripped out her nose and made her stomach jump up and down a bit.

“No more drinking for me. My system just can’t handle it.” Joy flushed her sick away and leaned her head on the toilet, grateful for it’s cool, smooth surface against her cheek. She took a deep breath. She’d have to go and make her dad some breakfast; he needed a cup of coffee less than five minutes after waking up. Shakily, she stood and turned to face her reflection in the mirror.

There, in the reflection, was a big pregnant belly hanging off Joy’s reflected frame. Her heart stopped. She couldn’t be pregnant, could she? She’d had her period at least two months ago. When she’d skipped one, she had just shrugged it off as stress. It was right around Zak’s disappearance, after all. This belly was big enough for a fully-formed baby, not a newly-made fetus.

Joy’s hand smoothed down the front of her body, feeling the tight stretch of skin over her abdomen and the lump underneath. What was going on?

Quickly, she dressed in a big, baggy sweater and loose jeans. Even the big, unbelted waistband was tight around her new frame and the middle of her top stretched over her belly. Would Dad notice?

She went out into the kitchen quickly and got the coffee machine started. She threw some bread in the toaster and set out the eggs. Still rushing, she penned a quick note.

Woke up ill. Ran off to see the doc. Be home soon. Joy. She put it on a plate where her dad would be sure to find it, grabbed her purse, and ran out the door.

Even though it had been about a week since she’d seen the gang, she had a feeling she knew where they were. Anytime they wanted to be outside of town, they liked to hang out at a little campground not far from where they had their late-night bonfires. Joy headed that direction; she wanted an explanation from Zak and she wanted it right that moment.

She pulled up to the campsite and saw that yes, she’d guessed correctly; the whole gang was there and sleeping soundly. Their feet were sticking out of randomly arranged tents and there were remnants of their latest party all over the place. Joy walked out into the grass, kicking aside empty beer cans and flattened chip bags until she reached the biggest tent. Zak’s bike was parked outside.

He was there, snoring blissfully away as if nothing in the world could affect him. She reached down and shook him rudely awake.

“Morning, Zak.”

“Huh? Wha—hey, Joy.” He smiled sleepily at the surprise, not fully awake. His hands reached up for her to pull her down into the sleeping bag with him but she yanked herself back. “Come on, sweetie, come lie down…” She could see him drifting off into a dream again and clapped her hands close to his face.

“Zak! You have to wake up right now.”

He snorted and shook his head in a big no from side to side. Joy shook him again. “Zak, come on! This is important!”

Finally, he blinked his eyes open and, through his blurred vision, looked at Joy as she slowly took shape in front of him. She looked weird; something about her was bigger. She had on big clothes and her face was panicked and pale. He rubbed the last of the grogginess from his eyes and looked at her again. This time, he put his hands on her belly.

“You’re pregnant.”

“Yeah, no kidding. You want to explain how I entered my third trimester in just a few months?” She started breathing quickly and pacing back and forth in the tent. “I mean, how is this even possible? I know it’s yours; it has to be, but, but, we’ve been dating for like, two months. Two months! And look at me!”

She lifted her shirt to show him her big belly and he took it in, smiling just a little. “What are you so happy about,” she demanded and his smile instantly disappeared.

“Joy,” he said, reaching out for her hands, “come here.” She sat down facing him and let him take both of her hands. He massaged her fingers and she breathed a little easier. He hung his head for a moment, then looked at her with a serious expression.

“There’s something I should have told you a long time ago,” he began. “Do you remember my father; how odd he was? He actually got kicked out of the three restaurants in town because he ate so much. And he had to be outdoors all the time, do you remember?”

Joy thought back. Zak’s father had been just like him: restless, an outdoorsman, a heavy drinker, and huge eater despite his medium build. There had always been something different about him, something in his eyes that set him apart from everyone else. She couldn’t quite recall the last time she’d seen him, either. Like Zak, he had just up and left one day.

“He was an outsider, your dad. Kind of like you.”

“An outsider,” Zak said, letting out a big breath, “yeah. That’s one way of describing him. You see Joy, the men in my family, they’re different. My dad, me, my uncles and grandfather; we’re not entirely human.”

“What?” Joy felt a strange, cold sensation creeping along her skin. “What are you, then?”

“Maybe,” Zak said, setting her hands down in her lap and standing up, “maybe it would be better if I just showed you.”

Zak stood above her and closed his eyes. Slowly, he began to work his jaw back and forth. His face seemed to extend while his nose shrank and his ears lifted to the top of his head. His shoulders became big and rounded and his hands changed to heavy circles with long claws. Joy didn’t move, she couldn’t have if she’d wanted to. She watched Zak sprout thick brown hair all over his body. His legs became heavy and his hips spread to a wide, round shape, making him stand on all fours.

Still sitting on the sleeping bag, Joy found herself face to face with the same, large brown bear that she had seen attack Aris. The bear breathed it’s heavy hot breath onto her with loud, labored breathing. The two of them watched each other, not moving.

Trembling, Joy reached up and touched the bear’s face as gently as she could. His eyes became soft and the bear’s massive head leaned into her touch, enjoying the feel of her hand. She barely breathed as she focused on her reflection in his big, glassy eyes. “Zak? Are you in there?”

The bear stared at her, then gave her a small, almost imperceptible nod. The air in her lungs came rushing out and tears came to her eyes. “Am I pregnant with someone like you? Is that why it happened so fast?” Again, he gave a small nod. With tears sliding down her face, she tilted her head forward to touch her forehead to his. They stayed like that for a moment, bear and human together, then Joy looked up.

“Can you turn back? I need to be able to talk to you.” The bear lay down and covered his head in his massive paws. She moved back, uncertain how another transformation was going to go. Starting with his feet, his hair began to retract and his shape slowly returned to that of a human male, but it took a long time. When his transformation had finally completed, the sun was high and other members of the gang were up and wandering around, grumbling about the lack of food.

When the last trace of bear was gone, Zak looked up at her. He was naked and lying on his stomach and his face was white with exhaustion. She lay next to him and kissed his cheek. “Shh. Don’t move. Get your strength back. I’ll tell the gang you need the morning off, okay?”

He shook his head no. “They. Need. Me.”

Joy got Zak dressed and then helped him up. He was horribly weak and could barely stand, but he insisted on leaving the tent. So Joy, pregnant and in shock, walked with her arm around Zak, her faint boyfriend who was not entirely human. They stepped out into the sunlight and found the gang waiting in a loose collection outside the tent. They didn’t look surprised or confused at the sight of their leader looking so rough. They just gave a little nod to Joy and glanced down at her big belly.

Carefully, Zak sat on a big rock and took in the group. Petunia brought him a bottle of orange juice and he gulped it down.

“Thanks.” He wiped his mouth and looked around. “As you can all see, Joy is pregnant. This means she’s going to need our protection until her babies are born. I want a security detail around her twenty-four seven. These babies are definitely part of the brown bear line. That means they’ll be very powerful,” he looked to Joy, “and very important. We can’t let anything happen to them.”

The group nodded, still unsurprised. Joy looked over at Petunia who gave her a big grin.

“Congratulations, mama bear. You’re definitely having at least two.”

Joy touched her stomach and felt a shift under her skin. She thought of two little forms inside her tumbling over one another, somersaulting around like bear cubs. Her shock set in as she realized that was essentially what she would be having: two baby bears.

“I want five of you out getting some food. I transitioned this morning but I didn’t get a chance to recover so I need some extra. Get back as soon as you can. Joy, you’ll have to stay here until we can organize protection for you.”

Five bikers roared off and the rest came up to hug Joy and tell her congratulations. She accepted it all graciously, but out of the corner of her eye she kept tabs on Zak. He looked extremely weak, like he might fall off of his perch at any moment. After a little bit of small talk, she joined him again and put her arm around him.

“Sorry,” he whispered. “I usually transition slowly. That’s why I went off into the woods, so I could stay in bear form for a couple of days and then take a few hours to go back to human. I’ll be okay.”

Joy gave him a kiss on the cheek and wrapped her arms around him. “You’ve worked really hard to hide this from me, haven’t you?”

He leaned his head into her. “I had to. I wanted you to be safe. This isn’t an easy life, Joy.”

She lifted up out of their hug and looked at him. “Why are you in so much danger?”

Zak looked up to see Petunia standing with fast food bags and a cup of coffee. She handed it all to the lovebirds. Zak took it gratefully and started ripping into the paper. “Petunia,” he said to her, “tell Joy what happened to you when that hunter saw you transition.”

Petunia sucked the air in through her teeth. “Oh, that’s a rough story. Let me get a cigarette.” She slipped a smoke out of her carton and then cupped her hands over it to get the flame. After she’d taken a long drag, she dove in.

“I was in the woods. We’d all transitioned together a few days before and everyone was going back to human one by one, but I was taking my time. I always love my time in the woods; I fish, I sleep, I walk forever. It’s the best. But, I knew I was lagging behind and I needed to move on. So, I found a little clearing and lay down. To shift back to human, we have to go inside ourselves and really focus. I’m on the ground, I’ve got my head covered, I’m about halfway through the change and then I felt something on my neck.

“It was the butt of a shotgun. A hunter had been just out of sight and I wasn’t as careful as I should have been. Now, I was caught. This guy didn’t want to shoot me, he wanted to keep me in one place. I heard him call out to someone that he’d found something crazy. He probably thought he could sell me to some lab or a TV studio, who knows. All I knew was, I had to get out of there. I stopped changing; uncovered my eyes, focused on keeping my bear form and, well…”

Joy leaned forward. “What did you do?”

She shrugged and let out a big cloud of smoke. “I had to kill them.” She turned and walked away to sit by herself for a moment. Behind her, Joy was frozen in panic.

“Zak!” She grabbed his shoulder. “What is this? Why did she have to kill them?”

He balled up the paper of the food he’d finished and took Joy’s hand. “Listen, we don’t want to kill anyone. She only took those guys out because they’d seen that she was something different. She’s not wholly human and she’s not entirely animal. People can’t deal with that.”

She moved closer to him and spoke in a whisper. “Have you ever killed someone?”

He shook his head. “No. Never. I specialize in scaring people away. I find it’s much more effective.”

“Like you did with Aris?”

“Exactly like that. He’s alive, but I’d be very surprised if he ever bothered us again.”

They spent the morning together, lazing around in the sun while Zak got his strength back. Joy relished the opportunity to relax in the grass. Pregnancy was surprisingly exhausting and she dozed for a couple of hours at least.

By the time she woke up it was late morning and Zak was back to his old self, joking around and play fighting with his crew. She propped herself up on her elbows and motioned to Greg to help her up. “Quick,” she said, “I have to pee like you wouldn’t believe.”

A little later, Zak and three other crew members were ready to escort Joy home. They explained to her that they would be camping out near her house and available to take her wherever she wanted to go, day or night. She wondered how her dad was going to like having a faction of bikers across the street from them. Maybe his memory problems would kick in and keep him from paying too much attention to them. A girl could dream, anyway.

They went down the street as a group, Joy sitting in the sidecar of Petunia’s bike. Her big belly made it impossible for her to hang on to Zak and she was a little sad to see the empty space behind him as he drove in the front. A kick to her insides reminded her why safety was tantamount. She put a hand where she felt the baby’s foot and rubbed it. It was probably her imagination, but she could have sworn she felt its toes wiggle under her hand.

At her dad’s house, everything looked quiet. She needed help getting up from the sidecar and once again she was desperate for a bathroom, but she was smiling. Zak took her by the arm and led her to the house, making her laugh.

“I’m not going to break! I can walk.”

“I know,” he said, leaning in to nibble her neck, “but I want to spoil you.”

They approached the front door and Zak’s face twisted up for a moment. He stopped Joy. “Something’s wrong in here.” He leaned forward and smelled the air. “Joy, we have to go.”

“No!” She quickly opened the door, still looking at Zak. “If something’s wrong that means we have to get my dad and—”

“And what, Joy?”

The sound of his voice made all of Joy’s happiness and confidence dissolve. There, sitting in her living room with a pistol aimed at her father, was Aris. He was banged up and bandaged, but otherwise still the same old Aris she remembered. He sat stock still and let his eyes do the talking. Joy took stock of the situation; both men were seated directly across from one another. Her father was clearly terrified but Aris was calm. He loved making other people scared; it was what he did best.

He pulled back the hammer of the gun and looked at Joy’s father. “Tell your daughter to stop being so rude and join us. Her boyfriend can go.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” Zak stepped into the living room with his hands balled into fists. He was already breathing hard. “I won’t let you terrorize the mother of my child or anyone close to her.”

“Terrorize?” Aris sneered at the word. “Who on earth is terrorizing anyone? You think I want to shoot him? I can’t imagine a worse outcome. All I want,” he said, affecting an innocent tone, “is for everyone to come to their senses. And that means you, wifey.”

“You know I don’t want to be with you anymore.” Joy kept her hands on her belly as she spoke. Her babies had gone completely still, sensing how scared she was. “I’m with Zak. I’m pregnant with his baby. Just sign the papers and move on. There’s no reason for you to keep after me.”

Aris let out a sad sigh. “Well, I’m sorry to hear you say that, Joy.” He lifted the gun and pointed it at Steve’s head. “Cuz now your dad is going to die.”

A loud bang rang out. Joy screamed and Zak dove across the room straight at Aris. Steve fell out of his chair and onto the floor as a horrible fight broke out. Joy couldn’t look. Instead, she pushed herself against the wall and did everything she could to be invisible. She could hear the TV shatter, the lamp crash against the wall, and fists smack into skin. The wall began to bend and fold under her and the floor came up to meet her. As soon as it did, Joy’s vision went black and she drifted off into the void.

 

Chapter 9

 

It was several days before Joy would let Zak hold her again. The shock of seeing Aris, the shot in her dad’s shoulder, and their days visiting him in the hospital all kept her from his tent. He didn’t say anything, just waited patiently for his love to return to him. She could feel his eyes on her any time he was close, but she couldn’t return his gaze. It was just too much.

Finally, after a couple of weeks, Steve was back home and only a little worse for the wear. His shoulder was stiff but, as he put it: “What am I, some athlete? I can do everything I need to do.” A physical therapist came by every day to help him move his stiff joint and Joy sat with them, participating in all the same exercises.

One night they sat watching a trashy reality show and Steve suddenly clicked off the TV. “Joy,” he said, “how much longer are you going to keep this up?”

“Whuh?” She had a mouth full of popcorn. Her pregnancy was in its final stages and she was constantly starving.

“Don’t give me that.” Steve took the popcorn from her hands and pointed at the phone. “Go call that bear of yours and spend the evening together. The two of you will be parents soon and won’t have the strength. If you two want to go out ever again, now’s the time.”

Joy started to protest but her father just pointed at the phone. She heaved herself out of the chair and went over to call Zak. She knew the gang had a couple of phones they shared and she had both numbers memorized, but she was reluctant. She just wasn’t sure how she felt about her future as a mother. Couldn’t she just stare at the TV and forget about it for a night?

“Hello, Rick’s Roadkill Cafe. You kill ‘em we grill ‘em.”

Joy laughed. “Hi Greg. It’s Joy. Is Zak around?”

Greg called Zak over and told him who it was.

“Joy? Joy, sweetheart, are you there?”

“Yes, I’m here. I’m wondering if I can see you tonight.”

“Tonight. Yes. I’m coming to get you. Don’t move. I’ll bring the sidecar.”

A little while later, Joy was zipping down the road in the little car next to Zak’s bike. The trees and power lines whipped by and her hair streamed behind her. The air smelled incredible; it was full of pine, late summer, and rain on the horizon. She smiled over at Zak; she had missed him. She was glad her father had pushed her to go out. She’d really missed the craziness that came with being Zak’s partner.

They pulled up to the campground and everyone walked over to Joy.

“Oh, look how big you’ve gotten! Any day now.”

“I remember my first pregnancy. I couldn’t leave my partner alone. Remember, baby?”

“Joy, your boobs are enormous. Ow! Hey, sorry.” Zak shoved the last visitor away and yelled for someone to bring over the thermos of hot tea.

“She’s our guest of honor. I better see you all act like it.” Everyone grumbled and wandered away, back to their beer and their bonfire. Someone handed Joy a thermos but she didn’t see who it was; she was too busy looking at Zak.

Had his shoulders always been so muscular? And his jaw, was it always that square? He was absolutely stunning. When he turned to her with a smile she melted and leaned in to give him a kiss. “I missed you, Zak.”

He pulled her in tight, covering her head with kisses. “Joy, I felt like I was dying without you. I know you were upset about what happened, but Aris is in jail. No one touched him. And I want to tell you—”

“Shh. Tell me later. Can we go to your tent?”

Zak looked out at the group; they seemed sufficiently distracted. “Yeah, let’s go.”

The two headed off, Joy waddling a bit while Zak kept his arm around her shoulder. He kept checking to see how she felt, would it be soon? She just laughed at him and told him to stop worrying.

“Just get me to your tent, babe. I need to be with you.”

They ducked inside Zak’s little abode and zipped up the entrance behind them. Joy laid down carefully and Zak hovered above her, kissing her face and neck.

“Baby, will you take off my pants?”

He reached down and pulled off the black leggings she had on, revealing her high, rounded belly. “Oh, wow.” He touched it gently and lay his cheek against one side. “I can feel them in there.”

“So can I.” Joy laughed. She propped herself up on her elbows. “I hope they’re both as beautiful as you, Zak. You really are just,” she ran her hand up his arm, taking in his muscles, “so, so sexy.”

He looked at her a little surprised. “You think so? Check this out.” He pulled his T-shirt off, revealing his defined muscles. They were bigger than she remembered and she reached up to touch his pectorals. They were like carved wood.

“Oh my God. Sweetie, I’m really, really,” she twisted and squirmed underneath him, “horny. I need you right now.”

He didn’t respond, instead he pulled up her shirt and helped her get it off over her head. Then he unhooked her bra from her large, swollen breasts so that they could rest freely on top of her chest. Her dark nipples were hard and small and Zak gave them a little flick.

“Don’t tease me! I need you inside me, baby, please.”

He took off Joy’s panties and then stood to undress himself. She sat up to take in the view as he pulled off his clothes, smiling at the sight. “God, you look good naked.”

Lowering down to his hands and knees, he started kissing her again. “You remember when I called you a goddess?”

“I remember.”

“You’re even more of a goddess now. Carrying my children, full of love and magic.” He slipped his arm around her back and let her arch backwards a little, raising her chest for him to taste. “Let me worship you properly while you’re like this; at your most feminine. Your most magical.”

Gently, slowly, the two maneuvered into position on all fours. Joy was up on her hands and knees while Zak kneeled behind her. He entered her cautiously, a little scared he might hurt her, but she moaned as he moved inside, loving the way he felt.

“Oh yeah. Oh, keep going.”

“You’re okay?”

“Yes. I’m okay. Don’t worry. It feels so wonderful.”

He reached under her arms to feel her heavy breasts and played with her nipples as he slid in and out a few more times, still not rushing. Her pussy had taken on a new, softer texture and felt amazing against his hard, excited cock. He went a little faster.

“Oh! Oh yes. Yes, Zak. Like that.”

“You want it that way? Like this?” He slid into her hard, pausing between each penetration to torture her just for a moment. Each time he re-entered she let out a high-pitched cry of surprise. After a few minutes, she reached back for his hand.

“Stay inside me for just a moment. Let me just feel you.”

Zak didn’t move, just maintained his position deep inside Joy. Her wide, curvy hips went around in a little circle and started rocking up and down in a little tilt. The movement made her pubic bone rub up against his shaft and the sensation was one he’d never known he loved so much.

“Oh, Joy. Oh, babe.”

“Don’t move.” She looked over her shoulder. “Don’t do anything. Let me.” He nodded and she went back to her own pursuits against his hips. She slid herself along the length of his cock, then bucked against him, working harder and harder. Zak kept his hands behind his head while his eyes rolled with the insane pleasure she was giving him. He’d never had any sex like this before.

Joy was working harder and harder against him and he had to put his hands on her hips to keep from falling over. The two of them began to climax together, climbing up, up into the stars above them as they rode their orgasm higher and higher.

“Zak, I’m coming. I’m almost there.”

“Oh, me too. Don’t stop. I’m right here with you.”

She worked her hips harder and harder, squeezing her eyes shut as she began to crest. Inside her, she felt Zak pumping back and forth and then exploding just as she did. They rode through their intense pleasure together, Zak holding her tightly as she reached back and grabbed his neck.

“Yes! Yes, oh my god. Oh. Oh yes. Yes. Oh, wow.”

“Oh, Joy. My darling.” His breath came fast and hot into her ear. She turned so she could kiss him up on her knees but he insisted she lie down. He joined her on the sleeping bag, the two of them naked together in the tent and completely exhausted from their lovemaking. He stroked her face and stared at her, fascinated.

“My Joy. Mother of my children.”

“Damn straight.” They laughed and kissed again, then Joy had to lie back and caress her stomach. “They hear you. They’re tumbling around like crazy right now.”
“Really?” Zak reached over and put his hand on her stomach and, just as she’d promised, felt his babies moving under her skin. “Wow. Those are our kids.”

“Are you ready to be a father?” She looked at him seriously, her eyes wide. He propped himself up on one elbow and stroked her hair.

“As long as you’re with me,” he whispered, “there’s nothing else I’d rather be.”

 

Chapter 10

 

The day Joy’s babies were ready to come into the world, her eyes snapped open and she sat up straight. “It’s time.”

Zak carried her out of bed and into her father’s truck, which Greg drove. She had to be in the woods in order for the babies to be safe and Zak wanted the crew nearby to help. They were about to pull out into the road when Joy’s father ran out and stopped them.

“Wait! I’m coming with you.” He ran to the truck bed and jumped in with Joy. “You weren’t going to do this without me, were you?”

“Of course not.” Her words came out in little huffs as she kept breathing in a rhythm like she’d learned from the other girls in the gang. “Hold my hand, will you?” Steve took his daughter’s hand as they sped off towards the woods outside of town. It was early so the light was soft and traffic was minimal. It seemed like only minutes by the time they reached the spot Zak had picked out a few months earlier. They parked and several people eased Joy out of the back.

She had to walk with them to the base of the old oak and the walk was incredibly uncomfortable. She had to stop for contractions every few seconds and let out a horrible scream as the pain tore through her. Zak, Greg and a couple of the biker girls rubbed her back and encouraged her to go on, go into the woods.

Little by little, the group fell back until Zak was the only one left walking with her. They entered the clearing together, just like they had that first night, and he helped her lie down with her head pointed east.

“I want you to look up into the sky and focus on the colors there,” he said, pulling off his shirt. “All of my ancestors, all the shifters in my family, are there watching over us right now.” He wiggled out of his pants and then his underwear. He sprawled out on the grass with one hand on Joy’s belly and covered his face. She watched the sky as Zak’s form changed and he became an enormous brown bear lying on the ground.

He’d explained to her a few days before that changelings need to see both forms when they come into the world; the human female and the animal male. This way, no matter state they were born in, they had a parent to go to. He warned her that she may have two baby bears, which would be very intense and painful, but also a much faster birth. Now that the moment was at hand, she felt certain the two creatures inside her had claws and giant teeth.

The pain was so intense that her vision blurred and then left her entirely. Her bones softened and separated and she felt her hips spread across the ground. Bear Zak reached over with his hand and hooked a claw into her dress to rip it off. She’d worn it specifically to give birth in, but it felt good to have her skin on the grass.

Just as she started to catch her breath again, the pain inside her doubled down and took her over. She twisted and screamed, opening her legs in hopes that whatever was inside her would find its way out. Bear Zak stood and paced around in front of her. He came up and nuzzled her but she grabbed his ear and screamed with another contraction. He stayed away from her hands after that.

“Zak, the babies are coming!” She sat up halfway and pulled her knees in towards her chest. She bared down and felt the horrible sensation of her body ripping open, only to look down and see no baby below her. Daddy bear kept pacing, more agitated now that they were so close.

She went in for another round of pushing. She told herself to be strong. She thought back to several weeks before when she’d come home to find Aris sitting with a gun pointed at her dad. The crew hadn’t backed down that day; they’d bombarded the place from all sides, taking out Aris and protecting her and her dad. She had to be strong; this was her family now and weakness was not their style.

“Hrrrrreeemmmmmgaaahhh!” This time she felt a form slid through her. She looked down. It was a bear cub. Zak ran over and began to lick its fur. It was so beautiful to see him caring for a baby, but she couldn’t enjoy it; the second baby was right behind the first.

Another big push brought out number two. This one came out screaming in a little human voice. Shaking, Joy reached down to pick up her child and saw immediately that it was a girl. The sight of her little daughter made her heart jump up to her throat.

She’d had no idea she could love someone so profoundly. The level of her devotion to her bear cub and daughter shocked her. She would kill for them if she had to; nothing bad would ever happen to these children, not as long as she or their father was alive.

Zak picked up their bear cub by the skin on its neck and brought it over to her. The little baby curled up next to her on the grass. Zak touched his big, wet nose to her forehead and she reached up to feel his face.

“Our little bear is a boy?” He moved his head no. “A girl?” A big nod this time. “Oh, Zak! We’ve had two beautiful girls. Oh my goodness. As soon as you’re back to human we’re going to name them, okay?” Another touch to the forehead let her know that he was happy with whatever she wanted.

She kissed her little human daughter and smiled down at her bear baby. This was her family. Zak went up to a high point on a boulder and let out a loud bellow to announce that his children had been born. A little ways off they heard the human cheers of the crew. Zak looked back at her and then ambled off into the woods. He would stay out there the rest of the day and return the next morning so that he could be in his original form again. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

 

A while later, Petunia came and joined her with a bottle of baby formula for her bear baby. She showed Joy how to nurse the little cub.

“Now, she’ll be hungry most of the time. And she may keep this form for a long time. Some changeling babies don’t learn how to shift until they’re one year old and that first change can be traumatizing. You’re little pink baby on the other hand could just wake up in bear form one morning. Shifters will keep you on your toes. But,” she added, tickling the little bear as she pulled on the bottle, “we’ll help with all of that. We’ll show you how to help them sleep outside and in, what foods are good for them, all that.”

“Thank you so much.” Joy fell back onto the ground, completely spent. “I don’t know what I would do without all of you. I could never raise these little hellians all alone.”

“And I wouldn’t want you to.” Petunia watched the human baby on Joy’s stomach let out a big, squeaky yawn. “She’s so beautiful. You know what you’re going to name her?”

“I’m waiting until Zak’s back. I’m sure he has some ideas.” She kissed her little daughter and shifted her over to one side so she could nurse. The baby went right for her nipple. Her little lips latched onto Joy and began sucking all the milk it could out of her breast.

“Oh, wow.” Joy’s eyes popped open at the feel of her milk flowing out of her so fast. “She’s starving.”

Petunia nodded. “Yeah, they’ll both be big eaters, I’m sorry to say. You’ll want to get them on formula. Otherwise, you’ll have to breastfeed constantly.”

Without looking Joy could feel the little bear teeth extending from her daughter’s human mouth. Maybe she would transition overnight. The clamp of her bite got to be too much and Petunia helped her transition the little one to her bottle before she tore Joy’s nipple off.

Joy held human baby and Petunia took the little bear baby. The poor thing was so sleepy all it could manage to do was curl up on her stomach. Her silky fur was deep brown and reflected the bright sunlight beautifully. Joy hoped Zak would hurry back. She didn’t want him to miss any of this.

After a day and a night in the woods, Joy was led back out with Petunia’s help. The crew came up to help carry the babies and sang an old song as they led her and her family back into the world.

And with the rising sun

We shall walk this world as one

Like my father and my mother

We will live beside each other

With strength and pride…

Joy showed her children to her father who held his human granddaughter proudly. “Oh, you’ve got a little pistol on your hands, here. And as to this other one,” he looked down at the bear baby who was chewing on his pant leg, “well, I just hope she’s smart.”

Steve had gotten the whole story after the crew had saved him. Joy was passed out during the conversation, but Zak told her he’d taken the news of their true state very well.

“I remember your father,” he’d said, pointing at Zak. “He was always wild, always making it impossible for me to teach my kids. One day he ran out of school and a few minutes later this big grizzly bear was seen walking across the school baseball field. Everyone else was shocked but I knew. I knew it was Chet, my class clown, playing the ultimate prank.”

Zak had pressed him with a million more questions about what his father had been like in school, but Steve refused to continue. “It doesn’t matter, boy. You’re the father now. I just hope you know what you’ve gotten yourself into.”

By the next evening, Zak had wandered back, naked and sweaty. They had his clothes waiting for him at the camp and everyone jeered at him and teased as he pulled them on in front of everyone.

“There’s the daddy! And there’s his favorite toy. Put that thing away!”

Laughing, he got himself dressed and went into his tent where his family was settling down for the night. He snuggled up to Joy and gave her a kiss, then took his human baby in his arms. Their little bear baby walked up to him with her tiny tail wagging behind her. She pulled herself up on his knee to better see her sister.

“Well,” Zak said, cradling one baby and petting the other, “what are we naming these two troublemakers?”

Joy snuggled into her sleeping bag and considered the two babies in front of her. “I was thinking Clementine for our little human,” she said, “and maybe Jasmine for her bear sister. What do you think?”

He looked down at his baby girl. “Clementine. Is that your name? Is it?” As he spoke, she reached up a tiny, shell-pink hand and he caught it and gave it a kiss. Her tiny fingers wrapped around his giant one and squeezed mightily.

“Okay, I think she likes it.”

He turned to the baby bear. “Jasmine. You like that name? You have to have it for the rest of your life.” She sniffed his face and jumped up and down on her front paws. He put a hand over her muzzle and let her gnaw on him for a moment. “Okay. Oh, ow!” He took his hand away and baby Jasmine was quick to put an innocent expression on her face. “Careful baby girl.”

“She’s her father’s daughter.” Joy put a hand on Zak’s leg. “So, you like their names?”

“I love them. I knew you would give our daughters the perfect names.” He leaned down to kiss her and she managed to raise herself up slightly to receive it.

“You look exhausted, babe. Let me get us a babysitter so you can sleep.”

He stepped out of the tent, Jasmine right behind him, and Joy tried to protest but even yelling out for him to wait a moment was far more than she could manage. Every single one of her muscles was exhausted and refused to move.

That night, she and Zak slept with their limbs entangled in a sleeping bag. Their babies slept with Petunia and Greg under the stars. In his sleep, Zak reached out for Joy’s face, turning her towards him. She looked at him while he slept; her wild, strange lover and now the father of her children. She couldn’t imagine a more perfect being existing anywhere in the world. That night, Joy slept soundly and deeply knowing that she was loved and not wanting for anything other than the life she had.

 

Summary: Joy wanted to believe her difficulties were behind her, but the day she saw her old high school boyfriend Zak pull up on a motorcycle she knew they had just begun. Back together after decades apart, the two pick up right where they left off as teenagers, but something is off about Zak. His motorcycle gang seems a little different, too, but she can’t be sure what exactly it is that sets them apart. Her father doesn’t know who she is half the time but, even when he isn’t sure if he’s talking to his daughter or his nurse, he always knows Zak is trouble. The rest of the town seems to agree with him and everyone she meets assures her she’s made the wrong choice. Joy tries to resist, but she’s drawn to his beautiful face and wild lifestyle over and over again.

After a beautiful romance with Zak, Joy’s ex-husband Aris closes in to let Zak know that he doesn’t like seeing his wife in the arms of another man. The two have a stand-off that ends with Aris in the hospital and Zak vanishing. Joy sees a bear running off into the woods and her ex beaten and bloody. Sure that Zak has fallen victim to a bear attack as well, she falls into a deep depression and pines for the man she loves.

Just as Zak returns, Joy’s body begins to change and she’s worried she may be pregnant with Zak’s baby. It’s time for him to tell her his secrets so that she can finally know; what is it that makes Zak so different?

Biker Bear’s Baby

“Dixie! Can we get another round down here, doll?” Harlan Simmons called out from the table where he sat with his fellow bikers.

“Sure. On the way,” she called back, turning to grab a tray and start pouring their drinks. It was a typical Saturday night in As the Crow Flies, a dive bar she had just started working in for the summer. The Crow, as the locals called it, was usually full of bikers and truckers that called her pet names and touched her inappropriately. It wasn’t exactly her dream job, but it would net her some extra cash over the summer before she returned to college in the fall.

“Thanks, cutie,” Harlan told her as she balanced her tray on the table and passed out the drinks.

Her large breasts brushed the arm of one of the bikers sitting by Harlan and he smiled at her, but said nothing. She was used to it. Different men reacted differently to her due to her size. She wasn’t slender, athletic, like many of the girls that worked here. Unlike their more stickish figures, she had curves that flowed wickedly in a true hourglass fashion. She was more Anna Nicole Smith than Kate Moss, not everyone’s cup of tea. She could never be sure if the smiles like his were interest or a nonverbal declination. It didn’t really matter much either way to her.

In her high school years, she had been sensitive about her size, but college had opened up a new world to her. College guys seemed to take much more interest in her than high school boys ever had. Of course, she had quickly learned that many of them were more interested in a physical relationship than anything more meaningful. It had led to a general disinterest in dating after a couple of years. Now, entering her junior year, she was fairly impervious to the advances of the opposite sex. Her disdain was only accented by Harlan’s usual slap on her backside as she walked away.

“Harlan, cool it,” she heard one of the guys tell him. It was the same one she had inadvertently brushed against as she had served their drinks.

“What? You can’t just ignore an ass like that, man,” Harlan replied with a laugh.

“If she had wanted your hands on her ass, she would have asked you to put them there. Did she see her flirting with you? No. She is just doing her job and has to put up with jerks like you touching her. Keep your hands to yourself when you are out with me,” the other man growled at him.

“Alright, man. Fine,” Harlan said sullenly.

“Glad we got that straight,” the other man replied, taking a drink of his beer.

Dixie pretended she hadn’t overheard, continuing her walk toward the bar as if nothing had happened. The next several rounds of beer served during her shift went by without further manhandling, at least not from that table. She was vaguely aware of the reputation of the men that sat there, members of a local motorcycle gang known as the Thunder Bears. She assumed it was a nod to the loud sound of their Harleys and the overabundance of bears in this neck of the woods.

“Dixie?” a man said from behind her, disrupting her thoughts as she cleaned the bar back in preparation to leave for the night. She turned around to find herself looking at the man who had called Harlan out for touching her inappropriately.

“What can I get for you? Another beer?” she asked.

“No. I’m good. I just need to take care of our tab and we’re going to get going,” he replied.

“Okay. Let me get that for you,” she replied, taking in his deep brown eyes and dark lashes for what was probably a few seconds too long.

It had been hard to see him well in the dimly lit corner where he and his guys had been sitting, but standing here by the bar shed new light on him. He was tall and muscular, easily six four. She guessed he was in his late twenties, no more than seven or eight years older than her. His jet black hair hung in loose curls to his shoulders. A chiseled jawline set off high cheekbones and full lips. He was insanely attractive and rugged looking.

“Thanks,” he replied, pulling some cash from his pocket and waiting for her to bring him a total. She could see his friends already filing out of the bar behind him.

“Here you go,” she said, laying the check down in front of him and waiting while he shelled out several hundreds to cover their bar tab.

“That should do it,” he told her with a smile.

“I’ll get your change,” she replied, noting the large amount of overage.

“No. The rest is yours,” he replied.

“I appreciate it, but that is too much,” she replied, unsure of accepting an almost eighty dollar tip from the likes of him.

“Consider it an apology for Harlan’s poor behavior, not just for tonight, but for whatever other nights he has been a jackass,” he told her.

“That is not necessary. I’m used to it,” she replied.

“You shouldn’t be. Just because you work in a bar doesn’t make you the property of a bunch of miscreants. If you have any trouble from anyone here, you just let me know. The name is Luke Roberts,” he said.

Dixie knew the name. He wasn’t just a member of the Thunder Bears, he was the leader, and well known in the community as the best mechanic for miles. She had heard of him, but they had never met before now. If his reputation was true, he was a real badass. He might be pretty, but definitely someone she should steer clear of if even half of what she heard was true.

“I really appreciate it, but still, it is too much. Let me get you some change,” she repeated.

“How about you keep it and give me your number instead,” he replied.

“I rather give you your change,” she replied with a polite smile, feeling uncomfortable with the way his eyes drew her in and made her want to do unmentionable things with him.

“Playing hard to get. Okay. Just know that I don’t give up that easily,” he replied, walking out of the bar.

“Wait. Your change . . . .” she called after him, but he only laughed and tossed up a hand in a backwards wave as he disappeared out the door. She heard the roar of motorcycles cranking up as she made change and tucked it in her tip stash. Finishing her work cleaning up the bar, she cashed out and left work, digging in her purse for her keys.

“I knew you would come out eventually,” a voice said as she stepped out the front door and began walking toward her car. She jumped, startled, as she found herself looking up at Luke Roberts towering over her. Looking around, she saw that the parking lot was empty except for the two of them. Her heart beat wildly in her chest as she stood facing him in the near darkness outside the bar.

“What do you want?” she asked, fiddling with the keys in her hand so that several of them protruded from between her fingers in case she needed to defend herself with what she had at hand.

“You aren’t going to have to stab me with your car keys,” he laughed.

“That’s what all the stalkers say,” she said, trying to make light of it, despite her continued nervousness.

“Listen, we’re going for a ride down Bayou Bluffs tomorrow. How would you like to ride with me?” he asked.

“Me? On a motorcycle? I don’t think so,” she replied.

“Come on. I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” he said.

“I appreciate the offer, but I really just don’t know you that well,” she replied.

“Isn’t that the whole idea behind going out somewhere with someone? Getting to know them?” he asked.

“I hardly think I’m going to be able to get to know you roaring down some winding highway on the back of your bike,” she replied.

“Well, you’ve got me there. It is a bit difficult to carry on a conversation. I tell you what. How about I meet you at Mabel’s Diner for a nice breakfast for starters. We can talk a bit, get to know one another and then, if you feel comfortable with it, you can ride with me down to the bluffs. The boys are going to be grilling up some food and tossing back a few beers, maybe kick up a bonfire later. You’ll have fun,” he said.

“Okay. I will agree to breakfast and we’ll see how that goes first,” she replied.

“Good enough. You drive a hard bargain, Dixie Andrews,” he replied.

“I don’t recall giving you my last name,” she quizzically said.

“You didn’t have to,” he replied with a wink before slipping a black half helmet on his head. “I’ll see you in the morning, say about seven?”

“I’ll see you at seven,” she replied.

“You bet that sweet ass of yours you will,” he replied.

Dixie watched as he cranked his bike and roared out of the parking lot. He was a striking figure, even more foreboding in the near darkness of the parking lot where the little lighting that existed cast his shadow across her shorter frame. She wasn’t sure why she had agreed to go to breakfast with him. He and his sort were the last thing she needed in her life. She was the only girl in her family to make it to college rather than getting knocked up by some local nobody and she wasn’t about to give it up for a small town mentality now.

Heading home, she still found herself thinking about him. His good looks and chiseled physique were hard to resist. It wasn’t like she was a virgin, though she would be the first to admit her experience with men was limited. She was a smart girl who knew how to take care of herself. Why couldn’t she have a little fun with a local while she was home for the summer? No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than so did the answer. He was bad news and somehow, she knew that it would end with more chaos than fun.

 

 

 

“Good morning, gorgeous,” he said as she entered the diner the next morning.

“Good morning,” she replied in a much cooler tone. “I’m sorry, but I just came by to tell you I couldn’t have breakfast with you. I would have called, but I didn’t have your number.”

“So, you drove all the way across town from your mama’s house on Eldorado Parrish Lane to tell me you won’t eat with me?” he said with a half grin.

“Pretty much. I didn’t want to be rude and just not show up,” she replied, not really surprised that a man with his contacts knew where she lived.

“I believe they have a phone here at the diner,” he told her, an eyebrow raised in her direction.

Dixie blushed a crimson red color. It seemed that the fact that she could have called the diner and had a message given to him rather than coming down here didn’t escape him at all. He might just be some sort of biker gang leader, but he was a smart one. She tried to think of a reason she chose to come down here instead of calling and finally stammered out an explanation.

“I had to come into town to pick up something for my mother, so I thought I would just stop by,” she told him.

“Your mother is in Mississippi with her sister. I believe she is attending an old friend’s funeral,” he said.

“What? How do you know that?” she replied, looking at him with large eyes. Now, she was a bit surprised and a little frightened.

“I know everything. Just like I know you are here because you want to eat breakfast with me. You are just scared that you might actually like someone like me,” he replied.

“That is ridiculous,” she replied, trying unsuccessfully to will her feet to turn and walk out of here to prove her point.

“Then why are you still here? Just have a seat and eat breakfast with me, Dixie. I won’t bite you . . . right now,” he said with a smile. His teeth were nearly perfect, not at all what you would expect from some big biker thug. Then again, when you really looked at him, he didn’t look much the part other than the jacket and riding boots. Put Luke Roberts in a suit and he could pass for any professional you could name.

Dixie didn’t bother to argue. Instead, she sat down at his table and looked at him. The waitress came over and took her order before returning behind the counter to bark orders at a cook that looked like he had been out all night and rather be anywhere else but here cooking on a flat top diner grill. Luke never took his eyes off of her as she waited for her orange juice to arrive. She shifted in her seat a little, beginning to feel uncomfortable. The arrival of her drink was a welcome distraction.

“So, Dixie Andrews, tell me what it is you are studying in college,” he asked.

“Mechanical Design,” she replied.

“Wow, very impressive. You are just the sort of girl I need to know,” he replied.

“How’s that?” she asked, momentarily turning to thank the waitress as she brought their food. The way the young lady looked at Luke didn’t go unnoticed by her, but he seemed completely oblivious. No doubt he was used to women looking at him appreciatively. Dixie found herself wondering how many of them he had taken home with him.

“Well, I own a mechanical shop here locally and I have a few idea that I’ve been toying with but some issues with working out the designs. It might be something you could help me out with, if you were so inclined,” he said.

“Why would I do that?” she asked.

“Because you find me interesting and want to spend more time with me in close quarters,” he responded bluntly.

“Very sure of yourself, aren’t you?” she said a bit sarcastically.

“Usually, I am. You are a little hard on a man’s ego, though,” he replied.

“I don’t mean to be,” she told him. “It isn’t about you. You seem like a pretty decent guy, really. I’m just not interested in getting into a relationship when I’m going to be returning to school in a couple of months.”

“I guess I will just have to settle for a couple of months of mind blowing sex, then,” he told her, his eyes locked on hers. The intensity of them was almost too much. Not only did she find herself unable to look away, she felt herself becoming highly aroused merely by his presence.

“How about we just stick with breakfast for now?” she replied, having a hard time breathing evenly while speaking.

“That will be fine, at least until breakfast has ended,” he replied.

Their conversation settled into the innovations he was trying to work out in his garage and her studies. Somehow, their two different worlds seemed to find a lot of common ground in that they knew the same people and places. They laughed about some of the local drama and recalled their childhoods growing up here in the bayou. By the time breakfast was over, Dixie found that she was drawn to him in a way that she couldn’t deny.

“So, how about a ride down to Bayou Bluffs?” he asked as he took care of the check, still barely registering the rather attractive waitress that was ogling him.

“You talked me into it,” she replied. “Just let me step out to my car a moment.”

“Perfect. I’ll meet you out there in just a few minutes,” he told her. “I need to hit the head and make a couple of quick phone calls before we take off.”

Dixie nodded and made her way to the car. Dropping her sandals in the trunk, she slipped on the socks and boots she kept there for hiking at the state park nearby before dropping her entire purse into the empty backpack that also resided there. She grabbed an elastic band from the front of the car and twisted her long hair into a low ponytail and dabbed on some lip balm to combat the wind that would hit her on the back of the bike.

“You’re pretty prepared for a girl who had no intention of riding with me today,” Luke said with a smirk as he approached the back of her car.

“Don’t flatter yourself Luke Roberts. I always have this stuff for when I decide to stop by the park and go for a hike,” she told him.

“A likely story,” he teased. “The sooner you admit you want me, the sooner we can get to that whole unbridled passion I mentioned earlier.”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, shall we?” she replied, blowing him off as she closed the trunk of her car. While she might have appeared calm and collected, her heart beat wildly and her nerves tingled along every extremity.

“Get on,” he replied, straddling his bike and waiting for her to get on behind him. The way he said it was extremely suggestive, but she pretended she didn’t notice. Instead, putting on the helmet he held out toward her and waiting while he fastened the straps for her. Once she was helmeted up, she climbed on the bike behind him and sat with her hands resting on her legs.

“Alright. I’m ready,” she said.

“I know you don’t think you can ride like that,” he laughed, reaching back for her hands and wrapped them around his waist. “Hold on tight. I wouldn’t want you falling off.”

Dixie did as she was told, feeling a little more unsettled between being wrapped so closely around him and on this death machine of his. The loud roar of the chrome pipes was a little frightening, to say the least. How in the world had she let herself get talked into this insanity? Her heart pounded loudly as Luke pulled away from the curb and began making his way down the side street that led away from the restaurant. She held on to him for dear life as they turned onto the main highway and picked up speed.

Her fear slowly faded into contentment as she watched the passing trees and lakes scattered on either side of the highway. The wind blowing across her body felt oddly liberating. She could see why people enjoyed riding so much, something that she had never understood before. A moment later, she became aware of Luke’s hand on hers. He had taken it off the handle long enough to squeeze her on as if to silently ask if she was okay. She returned the favor in order to let him know that she was doing fine. The truth was that she felt much more than okay. She had to admit that this day was turning out far better than she had anticipated. She found the feeling of Luke’s boy pressed against hers exhilarating.

Before she knew it they had been riding for hours and she was starving, her breakfast long worn off. Luke must have been feeling the same way as he pulled into a combination diner and gas station a few minutes later. Parking at the pumps, he motioned for her to step off. He stepped off behind her, putting the kickstand out and removing his helmet. She watched as his rough hands tussled his thick hair before smiling down at her.

“Surviving so far?” he asked.

“Yes, so far,” she replied. She wasn’t ready to commit to telling him she was actually enjoying the ride.

“There is a little place down by the river I want to eat dinner, but I thought we could grab a little snack here to hold us over. I just need to fill up the tank while we are stopped. If you want to grab us a table in the diner, I’ll take care of the bike and be right behind you,” he said, pulling the nozzle out of the pump.

“You aren’t planning on dumping me in the middle of nowhere, are you?” she joked.

“Depends on how the snack goes,” he said with a wink. Dixie laughed and headed into the diner to find them a table. By the time Luke joined her, she had ordered them a sampler plate and a couple of waters.

“I didn’t know what you like, so I just ordered one of the mixed appetizers,” she told him.

“Sounds perfect. Should be enough to take the edge off while we finish the trip,” he said.

They sat enjoying their food over a conversation about Luke’s innovations he was working on in his shop. Before Dixie knew it, she was agreeing to come to the shop on her day off the following week so that she could look at what he was doing and see what she could do to help him work out some of the kinks. It was hard to believe how quickly she was warming up the him, but she didn’t seem to be able to stop herself. He had a certain animalistic charm to him that spoke to her basic instincts in all the right ways.

“Alright, we best get back on the road,” he told her once they had finished.

“Alright,” she replied. The two of them headed back out to where he had moved the bike after his fill up and climbed back on. This time, she didn’t hesitate to wrap her arms tightly around him before he took off down the highway toward their destination.

 

“Here we are,” Luke told her hours later as he pulled into the parking lot of what looked a bit like a dive to her. The rustic posts that surrounded an outer deck looked like they had been harvested off some old, rotten ship. Everything looked dank and dusty from out here. He helped her from the bike and hung their helmets on the side.

“Aren’t you worried that someone will take those?” she asked. It didn’t seem like a particularly good spot to leave anything.

“Not if they know what is good for them,” he laughed. Dixie could only imagine what Luke Roberts would do to someone that had the audacity to steal from him. They walked into the dockside place, named unimaginatively, “The Wharf”. She was surprised to find that it was much cleaner and more modern inside, though still a fairly simple home-style type restaurant. The server greeted Luke by name, looking appreciatively over the muscles that rippled beneath his leather riding jacket before casting a look of disdain in Dixie’s direction.

“Your usual table?” she asked him.

“If it is available,” he replied. Moments later, they were settled into a couple of beers and a large basket of fried oysters. It wasn’t exactly haute cuisine, but it was apparent that it was a delicacy at this locale and Luke was the resident food critic.

“How is everything, Luke?” an elderly man asked as he approached the table.

“My compliments to the chef,” Luke replied with a nod. The old man tipped his head toward him and moved on to another table. Luke turned his attention back toward her. “That’s Arnie Compton, his family has owned this place for as long as I can remember.

“It’s very cozy,” she replied, finding that she actually meant it. This place actually did have a sort of comforting feel to it. You could come in here and just relax. She could get used to it. They finished their meal over chatter about how he came to own a mechanic shop and how she came to pursue mechanical design. They had covered a lot of territory as far as sharing their stories during the course of the day and the sparks between them glowed the deep red of desire that was common between those that found a passion for one another so quickly.

“Let’s get out of here,” he offered, leaving cash on the table and slipping free of the booth in which they sat. She nodded and stood up, once again marveling at his size compared to her own. Though she was not a thin girl, Luke towered over her and was broad and muscular. He even made her feel petite. A tingle ran through her as she started in the direction of the bike, thinking about being curled up against him again as they rode again.

 

 

 

“What are you doing?” she asked, suddenly aware that he was walking past the bike.

“I thought we were going for a stroll along the river?” he said with a slow smile. The restaurant was set up on a cliff overlooking the water. No way could they get down to it from up here.

“Is there a lift or something?” she asked, confused.

“A lift? To the river? This isn’t snow skiing, babe,” he replied. Whether she was thrilled about being referred to by such a sweet term of endearment or just liked the way his mouth moved when he said the words was unclear, but she was quite certain she would follow him down the steepest slope in that moment. Of course, she had no idea that climbing down a rock face was exactly what they would be doing and in the dark, to boot.

“Are we going to be able to get back up this thing?” she said, looking back up the steep incline after they had dropped onto the small bank area below.

“I don’t know. I guess if we can’t, we’ll just have to sleep together on the river bank,” he replied with his sly smile. He was looking up at the rock facing as if he, too, were concerned, but she suspected that he had done this many times over.

“I guess so,” she replied, refusing to let him get anything over on her. He reached for her hand and led her down the bank, dimly lit with the lights that spilled over from the nearby restaurant parking and the houses built along the cliffs overhead.

“Did you ever imagine that you’d be spending your evening with a backwards biker when you met me last night at work?” he asked.

“Not in a million years,” she replied, not bothering to correct his self-assessment.

They walked quietly for a while, just holding hands and enjoying the night air along the water. A large fish jumped nearby, causing Dixie to startle a bit and stop in her tracks. Luke laughed and pulled her toward him. “It’s just a fish, babe.”

His own words were cut off by his mouth on hers, dancing a slow tango to a tune unique to the two of them as they clung to each other beneath the stars. The rest of the world faded away while she was in his arms. She was quite content with the thought that it might never return. As long as she was lost in him like this, there was nothing else she needed. Everything about him felt so right. If there was such a thing as love at first sight, then this was it.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered against her ear as he pulled away from the kiss and held her closely to his chest. She cooed against him, allowing herself to just enjoy the moment while it lasted. They stood there for what seemed like only moments, though it was probably much longer. This all felt so right and yet, she was scared out of her mind. Finally mustering the gumption to break away, she pulled back and looked up at him.

“I need to go home now,” she said, willing her voice not to falter.

“Are you sure?” he asked, brushing some loose hairs caught by the wind away from her face.

“Yes, I’m sure,” she replied.

“I guess all good things have to come to an end,” he said quietly, leading her around a corner where she found a long wooden ramp that led back up to the restaurant.

“You knew this was here and you made me climb down those rocks?” she blurted out as they made their way up the sloped wooden dock.

“I’m sorry. The view from the rocks was better,” he told her.

“How could you tell? We were looking down, not up toward the sky,” she replied.

“You were looking down. I was looking up at you climbing down the rocks,” he replied with a cocky grin.

“You are awful!” she replied, laughing as they topped the path and made their way back to the bike.

“I know. What can I say?” he laughed, helping her into her helmet and onto the bike. The cool night air felt even more amazing than the warm summer day had on their way up. Dixie couldn’t imagine feeling more content than she did in the time it took to arrive there. Pulling into a strange driveway, however, shattered every bit of peace she had claimed on the ride home.

“What are we doing here?” she asked, thinking it must be his house and wondering how he could be so presumptuous as to assume she’d just come home with him.

“Don’t panic. I just need to grab something and I’ll be right back. It’ll give you a chance to stretch your legs,” he replied.

“Actually, do you mind if I use your bathroom for a moment?” she asked as he helped her out of her helmet again. She knew she should probably just stay outside, but she really did have to go and the restaurant would be closed by the time they got back there.

“Of course you can. It’s right down there on the right,” he told her, pointing down a hallway on one side of the house. He turned and walked into another room on the other side, leaving her to find her way.

It was apparent to her that whatever this chemistry was between them was only going to get stronger the moment they stepped inside. There was a good chance that she might not be able to say no to this man and sleeping with someone on the first date was something she had never done. A small voice inside her head responded to her thoughts, asking if she really minded so much if she lost control with him. Making her way back to the living room, she waited for him to return. He did a few minutes later with a small leather case in one hand.

“Ready to go?” he asked. Dixie looked at him, how gorgeous he was standing in his dimly lit living room. His dark hair and eyes were calling to her in a way she could explain.

Then, it was if the flood gates opened and every bit of what she was feeling, all the longing, the hunger, the passion . . . it all spilled forth and she refused to try to hold it back. She moved in closer to him and began nibbling at his neck softly. He feigned being non-responsive but quickly gave it up as her hands began to roam across his leather clad arms and her kisses grew more urgent. Sliding onto his lap, she kissed him hungrily, aching to have him inside of her. Something that sounded oddly like a growl escaped his lips.

“What are you doing?” he whispered. “What makes you think I’m this kind of guy?”

“If you aren’t, I think I am getting to you,” she whispered in his ear.

“Nope. I’m a rock,” he replied.

“Perhaps you are as hard as a rock,” she replied provocatively, sliding her hand across the rapidly rising bulge in his jeans.

“You are a very bad girl,” he told her.

“Guilty as charged,” she responded playfully, massaging him through the course denim that covered his zipper.

“Well, I guess we are just going to have to cart you off for your crimes of passion then,” he told her, suddenly pulling her upward with his strong arms and tossing her over his shoulder. He walked to the bedroom with her, as she giggled loudly.

“Now, let’s just see who is in charge here,” he told her, pinning her down across the bed and kissing her. His body hovered over her own, taking his time with her. Their passion got the best of them as they tugged at each other’s clothes, eager to feel skin against skin. It had been an eventful day and tomorrow looked even brighter as they lost themselves in each other’s arms.

Dixie’s body arched gently forward as Luke expertly found his way to her clit with a talented tongue. He knew exactly what to do to bring her to a series of orgasms like she had not experienced for quite some time. She moaned loudly as he licked and tickled her most private places, leaving her squirming and moaning beneath him in complete ecstasy. His abilities far exceeded even what she could have imagined. He was like an animal with a treat as he lapped furiously at her dripping pussy, eagerly teasing her until she was squirting wildly into his hungry mouth.

Having satisfied her needs for the moment, he began to slowly drag his magnificent lips across her bare skin, traveling her body with feather light butterflies of lust. By the time he had completed his circuit and made his way back up to her lips, she was ready for more and he certainly didn’t disappoint. Their moans were almost simultaneous as he entered her, pushing his erection deep inside of her, stretching her until she felt full. Full of him. Full of lust. Full of contentment. It was beautiful being with him and she hoped it would never end.

They made love slowly as the moon rose outside, shining through the window of the otherwise dimly lit room. There was no doubt that she had made the right choice as he traveled endless highways along the curves of her body, taking his time with every nuance of her flesh. Her hips rose to meet his again and again, a perfectly time waltz between two new lovers. This could very well be her destiny if she allowed it. It was too soon to think in those terms, she knew, but she had never experienced chemistry like this with anyone. Her moans filled the room as he brought her to yet another intense orgasm and then followed her into bliss with his own.

Afterwards, they lay there in the darkness, just listening to one another breathe. Dixie was sure that this was just about as close to heaven as a girl could ever hope to be. She reached for him, laying her head on his shoulder as she fell asleep in his arms. Whatever tomorrow might bring, it would be nothing she could not handle with this man by her side. Once again, the world outside of him faded away and she was content to just let it all wash away.

 

 

She awoke the next morning to find herself alone in the bed. It was just before twilight and, for a moment, she wasn’t sure where she was. Her body felt stiff all over, like she had been ravaged by a wild beast. A smile crossed her lips as she remembered the way he had awoken her after their first encounter with a repeat performance that had made the first one look tame. He had fucked her with such force that it had felt like he might tear her apart and she had loved every moment of it. His skin felt like he was on fire as he sank into her again and again, scratching her skin with his nails and biting her back as he plunged deep inside of her.

“You’re awake,” he said from the doorway.

“I am,” she replied, looking at him sheepishly. She pulled the sheet up over her body and smiled at him, noting the scratch across her breast as she did so.

“Don’t cover up. I love looking at you,” he replied.

Dixie smiled, letting the sheet drop. Her nipples stood erect in the cool air conditioned bedroom as she tried not to be self-conscious while he studied her intently.

“I’ve got to get to the shop. Do you want to stay here or should I take you back to your car?” he said suddenly.

“I have to go to work later, so my car would be good,” she replied, getting out of bed and beginning to get dressed. He stood watching her with a smile. Finally walking over and kissing her in a way that just made her want to get back into bed.

“I’ll be in later for a drink. Maybe we can find a quiet place to make your break a little more exciting,” he told her.

“You’re an animal,” she said.

“Oh, you have no idea,” he told her, slapping her playfully on the backside as she bent to retrieve her boots from the floor by the bed. She slipped them on and then followed him out to the bike. Fifteen minutes later, they were pulling into the restaurant where she had left her car. He kissed her, squeezing one of her breasts lightly as he leaned in.

“Get out of here before we get arrested for public indecency and lewd behavior out here in the parking lot,” she replied.

“It would be completely worth it. I’ll see you tonight,” he told her, getting back on his bike.

She watched him drive off before slipping behind the wheel of her car and heading home to shower and change for work. All she could think about beneath the steam of the shower is how he had felt. Her fingers drifted lightly over the scratches he had left behind and she wondered how he had managed them. His nails had seemed pretty clean cut when they were eating dinner and she had noted them, but she had numerous scratches nonetheless. Shrugging it off, she finished dressing and left for work. The bar wouldn’t open until two, but they had inventory this morning before the usual clean up and restocking they did before opening.