Chapter 10: Dragon’s Breath
Garth parked his Ducati outside his candy shop, dismounted and staggered his way to the front door. He fumbled with the key in the lock, opened the door, and stumbled inside. He took a few steps before collapsing onto the floor.
He’d been shot full of holes that night. A lot of the bullets were still inside of his body and Garth could feel his immortal body pushing the bullets out with his regeneration ability.
It hurt like hell.
Garth tried to stay conscious, but fell into a restless sleep. He dreamed of the past once more.
FLASHBACK
The day of the full moon had arrived.
This would be Garth’s first experience dealing with the effect the full moon had on shifter-type demons. According to his friends, Lachlan and Leslie, shifters went into heat on the night of the full moon, and their ‘inner beasts’ would try and take over, forcing them to shift into their animal forms.
The shifters that were unmated would sleep with each other during this time, and participate in meaningless sex, the only purpose of which was to sate their lusts.
Garth was currently inside of a cell down in Castle MacWulver’s dungeons. His friends, Lachlan and Leslie, were securing thick, metal shackles to his wrists and ankles that had chains attached to them that were secured to the back wall. A thick metal collar had also been put around his neck in case he somehow broke through the other shackles and chains. A long chain was attached to the collar and secured to the wall.
The shackles and the collar around Garth’s neck were enchanted with Druidic magic so that in the event that Garth shifted into his Hellcat form the shackles and collar would increase in size magically.
Garth didn’t like this one bit. Apparently, the full moon would make him go into heat and make him want to shift into his Hellcat form. His ‘inner beast’ would want to take over and he would lose control of his senses. He’d turn into a mindless, horny animal that just wanted to mate. He didn’t like the perverse thought of that at all.
Garth flushed at the embarrassing thought. He liked to be in control of his life and especially his body. “Are these shackles really necessary?” He frowned. He felt like a caged animal, and was beginning to feel claustrophobic.
“You’ll be thanking us for them later.” Lachlan assured him in a dire tone. “You’ve never felt the pull of the full moon before. It takes shifters months sometimes years to learn to control their inner beasts during the full moon.”
“If we didn’t have so many human female guests at the moment, it might not really matter that you’re going into heat, and we’d let you roam free. I’m sure there are several shifter girls here at the castle that would like to spend their moon time with you. I’ve seen the desiring looks the lasses give you when you’re not looking, Garth.” Leslie gave Garth a teasing wink.
“Human females.” Garth shook his head at the thought of those delicate, fragile creatures.
“If you were left to run free you’d pounce the poor human lasses and eat them up.” Lachlan joked with a dark chuckle.
Garth frowned darkly. He didn’t find that funny. Not at all.
Leslie hit Lachlan over the back of his head with a whack! “That’s not funny, Lachlan.”
“Ow.” Lachlan rubbed the back of his head. “Well, once you learn to control yourself during the full moon and can stay in your human form…you’ll be able to choose a lass to mate with to spend your moon time accompanied.”
“A human lass…?” Garth asked, confused.
Lachlan and Leslie shared a look. “Shifters who aren’t mated - meaning those who haven’t found their Judges yet - usually find temporary mates in the clan to pass their moon time with.” Leslie explained in a bland tone.
“Ah, then are you two…?” Garth blurted out, before he could stop himself.
Lachlan gave Leslie a heated look. He was obviously on board with that idea.
“Nay.” Leslie spoke up. “Not this time. Sleeping with Lachlan would be ‘complicated’ because he has feelings for me. I’ll find someone who isn’t so complicated and be with him tonight instead.”
“I’m standing right here.” Lachlan grumbled as he crossed his arms over his chest.
“The point is to sate our lust. Nothing more.” Leslie gave Lachlan a stern look. “Not until we find our Judges.”
“And what if you never find your human Judge, Leslie? What then?” Lachlan demanded hotly.
“I have faith that I will one day. And I’m willing to wait as long as it takes for him to appear.” Leslie said passionately, a far off look in her eyes.
Garth figured she was probably imagining what her human Judge would look like.
“Bloody hell.” Lachlan ran his hand back through his slicked-back black hair in a frustrated gesture. “You’re making a mistake, Leslie. You know how much I care for you, and yet you still cast my feelings aside like garbage. I could love you, Leslie. If you’d let me. We could be together. We don’t need our Judges!” He waved his hand angrily through the air in Leslie’s direction.
Garth stiffened in his restraints. He didn’t like Lachlan showing his temper in front of Leslie.
However, Leslie’s expression softened and a sad look came to her blue eyes. “I don’t mean to hurt you, Lachlan. But I will only ever see you as a good friend - not as a lover. I love you…but like a brother.”
“A brother! Ha!” Lachlan exclaimed in a bitter tone before turning on his heel and stalking angrily out of the cell, leaving Leslie and Garth alone together.
Garth was left feeling embarrassed and awkward in the heavy silence that followed. He felt like he’d just witnessed something he probably shouldn’t have. Lachlan was Garth’s friend and so he was secretly rooting for his friend to win Leslie’s affections. He just wanted his two best friends to be happy, and maybe they could truly find that happiness with each other. Even if that meant giving up their chance at redemption.
Leslie let out a heavy sigh and turned to look at Garth. “I just wish he’d understand.” Her blue eyes were teary.
“I’m sorry.” Garth said, not really knowing what else to say. He grew nervous when a female was crying or about to cry. And he’d never seen the strong, fiery Leslie cry before so it unnerved him.
“Ah.” Leslie wiped the tears from her eyes in a frustrated manner. “This isn’t like me. Well, I guess I have to go and choose myself some strapping male shifter to spend the night with. This, I think is the hardest part of our curse to deal with…having to sleep with someone you don’t really care for. It hurts.” She wrapped her arms around her torso. “I hope I find my Judge soon.”
Garth’s heart went out to Leslie. He wanted to comfort her. It must have been hard. Harder because she was a woman. “I…I…er…I hope you find him soon too.”
Leslie quirked her head at Garth, and gave him a pensive look. “Aye. I’ll return in the morning, and let you out of there then. Good luck.” The she-wolf exited the cell, closed the barred cell door behind her, and locked it with a large key.
“Thank you, lass. I have a feeling I’m gonna need it.” Garth rumbled as he looked up at the only window in the cell. It was a small narrow window that was ten feet above the floor. He could see that the sun was already beginning to set.
Leslie waved goodbye, and started off down the hallway towards the stone steps, which led back up into the castle.
Left alone in the cell, the cell felt much smaller. The air was dank and smelled of mold. There was a chill in the air that caused Garth to shiver.
The Hellcat had nothing else to do, but wait for night to fall and for the moon to rise. He watched warily as one by one twinkling, silver stars began to adorn the blackness of the night sky. Then the full moon began to rise, coming into view in the small window of the cell. An impressive, enormous, glowing ball of white luminous light.
He could feel its power. Garth’s heart began to pound loudly inside of his chest, thumping a
gainst his ribs, his pupils dilated, and his blood began to burn in his veins.
The shifter strained against his heavy chains and they rattled as he felt the overwhelming desire to shift into his Hellcat form. He resisted it.
Normally, Garth was able to control when he shifted into his Hellcat form for the most part. Although anger was a trigger for his transformation a lot of the time. He had a bit of a temper.
Garth could feel himself grow incredibly aroused. Holy crap! All the blood in his body seemed to rush to his crotch. He’d never been so turned on before. He moved slightly, felt his crotch rub against his plaid, and let out a strangled groan.
The shifter strained against his chains and wished the chains were longer so that he could pleasure himself with his hand. This state of arousal was incredibly painful. Almost unbearable. Sweat broke out over his body and his breathing became ragged. Orange fur began to sprout out of his face. Crap. He was losing control of his inner beast. He was going to transform into his Hellcat form.
The sound of a key turning in the cell lock grabbed his attention, and his gaze snapped to the front door of his cell. Leslie was entering his cell. Her pale face was flushed. Her blue eyes were shiny and had a slightly glazed look to them. She was panting slightly and was obviously incredibly aroused.
When Garth took a deep breath he could smell her arousal and shuddered with longing. “Leslie…what are you doing in here? Get out of here, lass! I can’t control it any longer. I’m going to shift.” He warned in a growling voice.
However, Leslie fearlessly approached Garth. “Fight it. You can control it, Garth. You told me that anger was a trigger for your transformation, so…it would make sense that the opposite of anger would stop your transformation. And the opposite of being angry is being at peace. When have you felt most at peace, Garth?”
“At peace…?” Garth questioned, and thought about it.
“At peace, safe, calm, happy?” Leslie insisted in her low, husky voice.
For some reason he found himself remembering the pink-haired angel who’d tended to his wounds after his battle against Gabriel. He’d felt at peace then. Calm. Safe. Garth, take care of yourself. She’d whispered in his ear. She’d smelled so sweet, like sugarcane.
The orange fur disappeared from Garth’s face, and his claws turned back into normal nails. His slit pupils returned to being round. The vision of his pink-haired angel had stopped his transformation like magic.
A wolfish smile curled Leslie’s lips. “There, you see? You managed to stop your transformation. You can control it. What did you think of?” She asked curiously.
Garth glanced away from Leslie and kept silent. It didn’t feel right telling her about his pink-haired angel.
Undeterred by his silence, Leslie sashayed over to Garth, and stood directly in front of him. She looked down at Garth’s crotch pointedly and could tell he was turned on. “Mmm.” Leslie licked her lips at the sight. The she-wolf dropped to her knees in front of Garth, and began to undo his belt with eager movements.
Garth’s eyes bulged. “Leslie…what are you doing?”
“What does it look like I’m doing?” Leslie asked playfully as she tossed his belt aside, and began to unwind the plaid from around his waist. “I’m about to pleasure you with my mouth.”
Garth flushed at her lewd words, and he groaned at the mere thought of her mouth on him, but then shook his head and frowned down at Leslie sternly. “What about Lachlan? We shouldn’t be doing this.” The last thing Garth wanted to do was to betray his friend.
“Lachlan?” Leslie looked up at Garth and her brow furrowed. “I can’t do this with Lachlan because he cares about me. I imagine he thinks he’s in love with me. Doing this with Lachlan would be complicated. But doing this with you…wouldn’t. You understand me, Garth. This is just about the two of us sating our lusts and experiencing pleasure together.”
I understand her? Do I? So doing this with me is meaningless? Garth wondered bitterly. She means I’m incapable of feeling something while doing this? Maybe she’s right. I don’t know anything about love. But I understand lust.
Leslie returned her attention back to Garth’s crotch. She reached out and began to pleasure him with her hand. Garth gasped at the sensation. Leslie was gentle at first, but then applied more pressure and speed.
Garth bucked against her hand. Leslie smiled as he gave into his lust, and began to pleasure him with her mouth. Garth shuddered as he watched what she was doing, his golden eyes intense. He’d never seen such an erotic sight. Garth groaned, clenched his hands into fists, and let out a masculine grunt when he reached his peak. “Leslie!”
Leslie pulled away, looked up at Garth, and licked her lips seductively. “Mmm. Yummy.”
Garth flushed at her lewd words. He was panting for breath, his muscled chest heaving. He felt sated but that only lasted seconds before Garth felt himself get turned on again. Bloody hell! He looked down at his crotch in disbelief and sent a fierce glare the moon’s way.
Leslie watched his body becoming aroused with interest. “Mmm. Ready for more already? Good. You have yet to sate my lust, Garth.” There was a mischievous twinkle in the she-wolf’s blue eyes.
Garth couldn’t believe that he’d grown aroused again, and so soon after already reaching his peak. Bloody full moon! He couldn’t control himself or his lust. He was completely at the moon’s mercy.
Leslie stood up, and began to take off her plaid dress. She removed the buckle that kept the plaid wrapped around her chest and bared her flesh to Garth. Garth purred low in his throat at the sight of Leslie’s beautiful bare flesh. The sight made him salivate. He wanted to lick her flesh and strained against the chains that had him pinned against the wall.
Leslie unwound the plaid from around her waist next, and let the tartan plaid fall to the cell floor. Garth looked down at Leslie’s special place and grew even more aroused.
The she-wolf approached Garth, and then turned around so her back was to him. She rubbed her body up against his. Garth growled and thrust his hips against Leslie.
Leslie bent over, and reached behind her to join Garth with her body. “Let me help you. Join with me slowly.”
Garth readily complied and pushed his hips forward.
Leslie’s eyes bulged and she panted as their bodies became one. “You’re so impressive, Garth.” She panted. “Give me a moment to adjust.”
Garth panted as he tried to keep himself under control. All he wanted to do was start moving, but he didn’t want to hurt Leslie. His affection for her kept his desire in check.
After a few agonizing minutes, Garth felt Leslie relax. “Now, Garth, move.”
Garth obeyed and chose a steady pace for their mating.
Leslie saw stars in front of her eyes. Garth was hitting all her sweet spots. “Yes. More. Harder, Garth.”
Garth quickened his pace, letting the mind numbing pleasure roll over him and consume him. He’d never felt anything so incredible before. “Och, Leslie, this feels so good!”
“It does, doesn’t it? You feel so good, Garth. Come on, then…claim me!” Leslie demanded in a lustful voice.
Garth could feel his body nearing his peak until he was pushed over the edge. “Leslie!”
“Och, Garth!” Leslie cried as she felt him claim her, “So good!” She trembled with pleasure as she reached her peak of pleasure against him next.
Exhausted, Leslie lay back, her back pressing against Garth’s chest and panted for breath.
Garth wished he could wrap his arms around Leslie. And then caught himself in the surprisingly tender thought. He wanted to show Leslie affection after what had happened between them, but that was exactly what Leslie didn’t want. The very reason she’d chosen Garth was because she felt he wouldn’t feel anything if they had sex together. I wish I were as hard-hearted as this lass thinks I am. He thought sadly to himself.
A few minutes later, Garth felt himself getting turned on again, and his
eyes widened in shock. “Again…? Bloody hell.”
Leslie felt Garth and smiled devilishly. “Looks like it.” She moved against him teasingly. “Let’s go another round then.”
Garth groaned at Leslie’s lascivious words. “Och, wicked lass…the things you say.”
Leslie giggled impishly.