 |
0.00
(0 votes)
You must login to vote
|
|
|
“It’s good to see you too, Tala. I’m so glad you invited me into your home.” Dallas said as he pushed his way past Tala and into her home. She raised a brow, but, as was normal, she let him in. Dallas knew if she wanted, Tala could stand firm against his strongest attack without any effort.
“Why don’t you come in, Dallas.” She said, biting her lip as she closed the door. “What are you doing here?” Tala asked and Dallas didn’t respond, tossing himself onto the couch. She heard Rodolfo stand as she made her way back into the dining room for her wine. Rodolfo raised a brow as he stood patiently in front of his chair. “Be calm, wolf. There will be no fighting in my home. Finish your meal, you need the strength.”
“I will wait.” Rodolfo said and she sighed, rolling her eyes. He placed the plates in the microwave and followed Tala into the living room. Rodolfo sat in a large chair and she tossed him a pillow before sitting down and hugging Dallas.
“Tell me, Dallas, what is the occasion for this impromptu visit?” Tala asked and Dallas smiled, hugging her in return and leaving his arm around her waist. Rodolfo said nothing, but felt a strange possessiveness at the sight. He wanted to lunge at Dallas, but he did not know why. He didn’t understand the feeling. She wasn’t his. She was a cat for crying out loud, but seeing her wrapped in the bear’s arms was an irritant to him.
“I decided to surprise you, my kitten.” Dallas smiled down at her and she smiled back, her face childishly playful. Dallas’s short brown hair was spiked up, out of his bright brown eyes and handsome face. “My mother is pregnant and will soon have cubs. Would you be opposed to becoming the god- mother?” Dallas said and Tala sat up, stalk straight.
“What do you mean, god-mother?” She asked and Dallas shrugged, smirking. “Pamela wants me to be godmother to her cubs? Why? I have been nothing but a burden to you, Pamela, and Ivan. I could never accept that honor. Surely there is a bear that is better suited to this.” Tala said and Dallas laughed. Dallas laughed for a long time as Tala looked at him.
“Tala, there is no more suited person than you. You have never been a burden. Ever since mother found you, you have been an asset to our family. You know David would not be here without you. Even when all of us had given up in the fall, thinking we would starve during hibernation, you would go out every night and hunt for us until each of us were fed to excess. You are the only person whom mother can give her full trust with the cubs, should anything ever happen.” Dallas said and she sighed and smiled gently, tears in her eyes.
“If Mother Pamela so wills it, I will be the godmother.” Tala said, voice soft and humbled. She had never imagined she would have the honor of being godmother to a litter of Pamela’s cubs. Shifters created the idea of godparents and it had a slightly different meaning for them than it did to humans. For humans it was a legal thing, should the parents die or some such, the godparent is the appointed foster. For shifters, godparents are literally a second set of parental figures, guardians. It was a massive honor to become a godparent and for a godparent to be of a different species than the children was an even greater honor.
“That’s good to hear, Tala because you didn’t really have a choice. Mother already filled out everything and the forms are awaiting your signature.” Dallas said and Tala shook her head. Mother Pamela was known for taking these kinds of actions and simply expecting things to fall in her favor. The upsetting thing about this was that they normally did, so rationally speaking, there was little fault to her logic.
Tala smiled and stood from her chair and Dallas followed suite. “I assume this means our visit is concluded and you will be on your way back to Mother.” Tala said and Dallas shook his head laughing.
“Actually, I was hoping to stay here tonight. You know the distance to Mother’s house and I would rather not travel it tonight. I have been traveling for days now, driving from Albany to get here, to you.” Dallas said and Tala shook her head, waving at him. He started towards the steps, then stopped. “One more question before I retire. Why is there a wolf in our presence?”
“Dallas, go to bed.” Tala demanded and Dallas threw up his hands in a sign of surrender, climbing the stairs. Rodolfo stood, a bit slower than she had, and watched her. “Shall we finish our meal?” she asked and he nodded. Rodolfo returned to the kitchen and pulled out the plates once more. As he ate, he watched the cat. She was silent in her elegance and enrapturing because of it. He admitted to himself that she was a beautiful, well built creature, a creature he would always have to admire from afar, but an exquisite one, none the less.
“Rodolfo.” she called gently as she took another fork full of her steak. He snapped back to himself and looked into her eyes, raising a brow. “You’re starring. It’s impolite to stare.” She said and he lowered his eyes to his plate, surprised by how off guard she must have thrown him for his to let her catch him starring.
“I don’t mind, really.” She said, quietly. The soft, provocative tone of her voice forced him to look up. Her deep ebony eyes instantly caught his icy ones and held him there as she swirled the wine in her goblet. A small smirk touched her lips as she looked at him through half lidded eyes. “I just wanted to be sure you were aware. It’s not nearly as satisfying if you’re not.” She said, and he bit his cheek trying to control himself.
He wanted to pounce on her and she knew it. She was playing with him and he was letting her. It was hard not to when she was sitting before him in little more than a layer of cloth and looking at him with a fire in her eyes that burned hotter than any he had ever witnessed. Even though he thought this was all a game, to her, he was convinced that somewhere in her was a real desire. Somewhere in her, this game was real.
“Then be assured I will leer at you intentionally next time, and any other subsequent times after that.” Rodlfo said, trying to match her blow for blow, but knowing he could not do to her what she did to him. She gazed at him, her eyes gently roaming over him, inch by inch, bandage and flesh, leaving his body hot, tingling and ready for her. He was entirely in her control.
Tala smirked at the hungry look in the wolf’s eyes he could not quite contain. She wanted him to pounce across the table, make a spectacle of himself in some way so she would snap back to her senses and stop this foolish game. She was not that lucky. His words were perfect, a threat and a promise. She knew he would not fall from grace so easily, but she had begun the game and he was playing along.
Now that this game of competing predators had begun, there was no stopping it. One of them would become prey to the other, it was simply a matter of time and strategy before the victor was decided. Tala sat up a bit straighter and took a delicate sip from her goblet. This would be a long and taxing war, but she was sure her victory would be sweet enough that she was willing to endure it.
The rest of the meal went on in near silence as they played their dangerous game. Tala finished her dessert of chocolate moose and stood to put her plate in the sink. Before she could do so, the wolf was at her side, retrieving the plate. His body pressed against hers for a moment as he stole it. She forced herself not to react and made her way to the living room. She sat down in front of the television and sighed, trying to find something to watch.
“Why is there never anything on when I’m home?” She asked herself as Rodolfo sat on the couch and exhaled deeply. She turned to look at him, momentarily, then back to the television. “Well, Im bored, so it’s time to sleep.” Tala announced and the wolf slouched in his seat until he was lying down. She laughed quiet and darkly. “What are you doing?”
“I am going to sleep” He said, shocked by the shivers that ran through his body at her laughter. She shook her head and rolled her eyes.
“My cushions will go flat if you sleep there. Come on now, you need to go to your bed.” Tala said and he was shocked. He stood slowly and looked down at her. She turned around and made her way up the steps. He followed her, watching her lithe body move and not trying to conceal his interest. She led him into a darkly painted room and opened the door. He moved past her into the room and sat down on the bed.
“What price do I have to pay?” He asked and she laughed.
“Don’t mess up my couch.” She said and he smiled. She turned away from him, surprised by how his smile made her want to do the same. She left the room and went to her own to nap. Tala curled up on her bed and sighed, imagining the sleeping wolf that was only a room away. She couldn’t banish the image from her mind and soon gave up.
|
Related Items
|
|
|
|
BloodWings ~~ Chapter 6
