Harley:
I come awake with a start, the words and image echoing in my mind. I gasp, my heart beating a rapid tattoo in my chest. Already the words have faded from my memory, the image no longer crisp and clear but rapidly loosing colour and definition. All that remains is the empty ache deep within me. I clutch my pillow against my chest and face as I roll onto my stomach glad of the dark. I bury my face in the pillow as I try to swallow the sobs that rise in my throat. I feel so lost and alone.
The first indication I have that I am no longer alone is when my bed dips slightly beneath extra weight. I stifle my sobs and hold my breath as a warm weight settles against my back.
“Shhh, it’s alright Harley, it’s alright,” Drew murmurs softly.
I roll towards him reaching out blindly needing something to hold onto, someone to hold onto. I bury my face against his neck and when he kisses my cheek I turn my face towards his. His kiss is soft and light, little more than our lips brushing together. I open my lips inviting him to kiss me properly but he continues to brush light kisses against my lips, then down the side of my neck as one hand begins to explore from my waist up over my ribs. His touch is light but I give myself over to the slow build of desire.
I close my eyes as he begins to move down my body brushing soft caresses down my side as he goes. I concentrate on the gentle touches that seem to soothe more than inflame. His fingers find my most private folds and they dance lightly in the first traces of moisture there. Always teasing, moving lightly but never quite touching where I need. My needs build until I groan with frustration and push him away before rolling onto my stomach and getting to my hands and knees.
This time as he moves between my legs his fingers find my passage and I moan softly as he begins thrusting two fingers into me rhythmically. I feel the moisture that comes quickly to make my passage slick as his fingers glide in and out. He withdraws his fingers and I smother a moan of disappointment, then he is smearing my juices between my butt cheeks and onto the tight little bud there. I take a deep breath and relax as he spreads my cheeks and cold liquid dribbles over my butt crack. His fingers return and I open my eyes focusing on the way the sheet is crinkled on the corner of the mattress.
His fingers move continuously as he works with the oil and soon he is loosening my back passage. It’s slightly uncomfortable at first but that soon passes as I concentrate on my breathing and allow him his pleasure. I close my eyes and bury my face in the pillow as he moves into position behind me. There is pressure as he pushes against my back opening and then the head of his penis pops past my sphincter muscle making me yelp and flinch.
I can hear his heavy breathing as he stills waiting for me to relax, one of his hands slips across my hip and then he is reaching back beneath me to between my legs. His fingers find their target and the start of pleasure soon takes my mind off my discomfort. My hips buck against the hand that teases, never quite giving me what I need. I am aware of Andrew moving behind me and I am starting to find some pleasure as he plunges into my back passage time after time.
I grasp two handfuls of sheet as the pleasure builds and both Andrew’s hands move to cup the top of my shoulders as he begins to move faster. I hurriedly reach down between my own legs to my slick folds and find the hard nub within. A few flicks with my fingers before reaching for more moisture from my pussy has me close to the edge. Andrew grunts as he plunges hard against me as I feel him thicken and pulse within me. A moment and I find my own release as my fingers pinch my clit.
I am breathing heavy as I collapse onto my stomach. The weight of Andrew’s body presses me firmly into the mattress and I sigh with contentment as my mind and body drift in the haziness between awake and asleep. I feel him slip free of my body and I grit my teeth as nature stirs and I become aware of the pressure in my bowels.
“I got to get up,” I mumble as I scramble from beneath his body.
Drew:
I get to my feet reluctantly and head for the bathroom as Harley goes into the toilet and shuts the door behind her. I reach for a washcloth, hesitate for a moment before turning the shower on and stepping beneath the spray. I hear the toilet flush and the water pressure slackens slightly, I glance towards the bathroom door and see Harley as she hesitates just outside the door.
“Come join me,” I invite as I turn to face her, the water cascading down my back. I can’t see her eyes as she stands there for a second or two before walking in and stepping beneath the shower. I smile to myself as she ducks her face beneath the spray before turning around and backing under the spray. I step back letting her have the spray of the shower to herself.
“I feel really weird,” Harley says and I look at her taking note of the way she has one hand against the wall as if bracing herself.
I turn the shower off hurriedly and reach for a towel and wrap it around her gently.
“Are you dizzy? Feel like you’re going to pass out?” I ask as I scoop her up, one arm behind her back and one arm beneath her knees.
“No … I … I …” Harley mumbles uncertainly. I carry her towards her bed quickly, she had seemed slightly pale for a moment in the bathroom and I try to remember all I had read about head injuries.
“I feel like my skin is crawling!” Harley exclaims as I ease her down onto the bed. An annoyed sound comes from her throat as she pushes against my chest as she tugs at the towel. A jerk and a twist and she rolls onto her hands and knees, I step back as I realise her inner cat has decided it is time she changed forms.
I can only stand back and watch as she clutches her head and screams in pain. I bite my lip and hope the damage from being hit by a vehicle won’t interfere now it has almost healed. Her screams soon stop and I watch as she slowly transforms into a large dark cat. She lays on the bed almost motionless, her fur covered skin twitches now and then and her sides move as she breathes rhythmically. I head for the small kitchen corner and take two pieces of steak from the fridge. A minute or two in the fry pan on the stovetop and I put them on a plate before taking them to the bedroom.
Harley turns her head slightly and blinks at me several times as if her sight is blurry, finally she lifts her muzzle and sniffs with interest. I put the plate on the bed and slide it close to where she lays prone. A few moments of suspicion in her eyes and then she leans forward to take one steak delicately between her teeth. I move back to the doorway as she eats slowly, I shut the door even though I know it will not stop her if she wants to leave the room. The old recliner chair squeaks slightly as I sit down on it, I stop moving and listen intently. I can hear faint sounds of a cat eating in the bedroom and settle down on the chair for what remains of the night. In cat form she may be irritable due to the pain of her transformation and I intend to give her plenty of room for the moment.
I sit in the chair unable to fall asleep as I listen to Harley prowling the room behind the closed door, I can only wonder how this change will affect her. Will it trigger further healing to the brain damage she suffered when the vehicle struck her or is all she was, all she had, lost forever in that split second? Unable to sit around any longer I slip outside, shed my clothes in the cover of the old garage and drop to my knees as I begin my change. When I finally stretch the last tingles of my change out of my muscles I trot out of the building and head for the tree cover behind the house. Being several kilometres out of town certainly has its perks, there are half cleared paddocks all around and plenty of small game to catch. Wallabies and hares are abundant along with the slow moving wombats.
I lope in the dark shadows beneath the trees, I’m not in the mood for hunting tonight. I just want to run beneath the moon and stars, I want to forget about my concerns over Harley’s health for the moment and just enjoy the night. I pause at a small stream to lap at the cold water and stand for a few moments letting the water drip from my chin. The faint sound of a bell tinkling catches my attention and I turn my head to listen. My ears turn as I try to locate the distant sound. I move along the edge of the stand of trees as I follow the sound, soon I hear the occasional stamp of a hoof and a slight snort.
Finally I distinguish two pale shapes near a fence line, one stands while the other, much smaller one lies down. The scent that comes from them is enticing and I drop into a crouch as I sneak closer. Long ears twitch as the large donkey drops its head to the small form at its front feet. The warm, rich enticing smell of birth hangs in the air making my salvia run. My tail twitches and I can’t help myself as I inch closer, the smell is rich and overwhelming. A twig snaps beneath a paw and the mother donkey flings her head up as she looks around in alarm.
Kill, kill
I can’t help myself as I launch myself at her front shoulders, one paw catches her across the front of her face and I pull her head around as I hit her front shoulders. I hear the crunch of breaking bones as she goes down, her bray cut off before it leaves her throat. The baby scrambles to its feet awkwardly and takes several ungainly leaps away from the commotion. I raise my head from the lifeless form and eye it with interest. It snorts and tosses its head fearfully, its immature brain fails to tell it to run and I am on it in two leaps. It goes down beneath my weight struggling wildly as I adjust my bite so I can sever its spinal column.
I release my hold and lick my lips clean of the warm tasty blood. I hesitate a moment before lowering my head and beginning to eat the small body.
The first light of dawn is illuminating the room as I step out of the bathroom still damp from my shower. The soft pad of footsteps and the faint noise as the doorknob turns tells me Harley is once again in human form. I watch her as she steps into the room and pauses as she looks around. I wait silently, anxiety churns in my stomach as I wonder if her past is unlocked.
“Why did you go out?” Harley asks softly after a few moments.
“I wanted to give you some space,” I say evenly as I meet her eyes. “Changing can be a bit painful after an injury.”
“Will it be that bad every time?” Harley asks as she looks away from me.
“It’s never entirely painless,” I admit. I watch as Harley walks to the window facing the east, she stands staring out into the brightening morning for a few minutes before I clear my throat.
“Is something bothering you?” I ask quietly almost loath to break the silence.
“Do you remember something?” I coax when she remains silent and motionless. Harley starts slightly as if she had been in her own world before she turns towards me and shakes her head.
“No,” she says and heads for the stove and fridge. “It’s all gone. Its just one big void. My life before, my family, every thing …”
Harley falls silent as she stands in the light of the open fridge, she rests one arm on top of the door as she bends forward slightly to peer at the contents. The light accentuates the angles of her face, the slight unevenness of her features. The scar that starts at the corner of her eye and cuts up across her temple and into her hairline still has the pinkness of a fresh scar. Her teeth worry her full lower lip and she crinkles her nose as she turns away as she pushes the door shut.
“There’s nothing in there that looks appetising,” Harley says as she heads for her favoured chair. She sits down flopping back, folding her arms across her lower ribs and stretching her legs out in front of herself.
“How about I treat you to breakfast in town?” I ask brightly. “How does a day or two camping sound?”
“You can’t just waltz off camping,” Harley says startled. “What about your job?”
“Not much work around besides you need to be out bush for a few days,” I tell her with a grin. “Don’t you want to be able to go exploring in your cat form? You’ll probably need to change at least once a day for a few days.”
“There’s something I need to do first,” Harley says worrying her bottom lip with her teeth as she looks away from me. I walk over to the drawer where I keep the first aide kit and open the drawer. Behind the kit I find the small box I had picked up several weeks before when I had first suspected Harley might be pregnant. I turn around and lift the box up for her to see, most of the colour leaves her face and she looks away but she holds her hand out towards me silently.
I place the test kit in her hand and watch as she walks towards the toilet. The door closes silently behind her and I turn towards the fridge and take a beer from the shelf. I am on my second beer when Harley finally emerges from the toilet, the box in one hand, and the test stick in the other. I place my half empty bottle on the top of the fridge and walk over to Harley. Gripping her hand I turn it gently so I can see the place the result is displayed, and there it is, in the small space. +
I grasp the back of Harley’s neck with my other hand and kiss her. Her lips open beneath mine and I deepen the kiss firmly as I let go of her wrist and slip my other hand into the middle of her back as I pull her hard against my body.