Trouble Comes in Threes (14 page)

It did get so bad I threw the door open and went outside. No coat, shoes, or anything. I seriously thought about stripping. Needless to say, I wasn’t out there long before I had some very unhappy company. After a quick discussion of who was unhappier—Dolf or me—I joined them back in the house… and on the bed. In the space of two minutes after coming inside, I went from blazing hot to freezing cold… and Dolf was on my cell making calls, his knuckles white. He hid it, but I could tell he was worried.

And that worried me.

Tal sat on the bed, absently petting me and shooting looks at Dolf. Even with the one-sided conversation, it didn’t take long to figure out he was speaking to his dad. While the tone wasn’t submissive, it was definitely more… dutiful than I was used to hearing from him.

The conversation was short, and finally Dolf joined us on the bed. “So, it appears what you’re feeling is normal for a human. From what my dad said, your body is, well…. This is going to sound all sci-fi horror movieish, but your DNA is mutating. The hot-and-cold flashes signal the changes in your body. Mom got on the phone and said it’s like menopause, just a much shorter time frame.”

“Seriously? Well, damn good thing I have experience with menopause, huh?” I shivered as another chill chased over my body. “Shit, guys.”

Tal snickered. “You’re basically having hot flashes. And, well, cold flashes too. Are there such things as cold flashes?”

“You better fucking believe it,” I huffed, teeth chattering.

“According to Dad, the change shouldn’t last more than an hour. At least, that’s what he’s heard. Keep in mind we don’t have human mates in our clowder.”

“None?”

“No. You’re the first.”

Great, somehow that got past me. I’ll be the only nonshifter there.
“Oh. Well… I, ah, damn. The only one? Feeling a little outnumbered here, guys.”

“It won’t matter.”

Not believing that one either. Especially when I’ve heard both of you say humans aren’t well liked.
“Guess we’ll see, won’t we?”

“No one would dare say anything to you,” Tal added. “You’re the mate to the next Alpha.”

Maybe not to my face.
“Hopefully you’re right. So….” I glanced at Dolf, another chill shaking me. “An hour, huh?”

“So I’ve been told.”

I spent the next ninety minutes—not sixty, wouldn’t you know it?—alternating between burning my ass up and freezing my balls off. But sure enough, at the end of ninety minutes, my body leveled out. No more sweating or chills. The slight headache was finally gone, and my eyesight had improved.

Lord, apparently I’d been half-blind and didn’t know it. Everything was crisp, vibrant, and so damn clear now. My hearing was unbelievable. I was in the bedroom but could hear the wood burning in the fireplace. But the most amazing change was I felt better now than I had in high school. The energy coursing through me was incredible.

After a quick check on the road conditions and a quicker check in the attic for a plastic tub of smaller-sized clothes I remembered, Tal and Dolf dressed and we drove to town. We made a few stops at some local stores, looking for boxes. We actually got lucky and found several. After that, we went grocery shopping. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen so much food. God, the meat alone had to cost a fortune. But the amount of seafood they threw in the cart was astounding. They breezed right past all the sweets but loaded up on salty or sour snacks. They didn’t eat many fruits or vegetables, but they added some for me.

The amount the cashier quoted to Dolf actually left me faint.

This was supposed to be for a few days? Good God, I didn’t eat that much in a month.

We crammed it all in the backseat of my truck and drove to my house. We spent the rest of the evening packing, and later, Dolf cooked dinner. Now we were all in the den. The nights were still damn cold, so I had the fire going.

Since I was soon to be living with shifters, Dolf thought it would be a good idea for me to spend time with them in their cat form.

“Okay, just one quick question before you guys… ah, do whatever. You can really understand me in your animal form, right?” I sat on the couch. “You’ll know what I’m saying to you?”

“We can understand you,” Dolf said. “We can’t speak to you, but we
can
understand you.”

“You can understand me. Got it.” I blew out a breath, silently repeating that they could indeed understand me. “Let’s do this. I’m as ready as I’m going to be.”

I’d barely finished speaking before a black cat and a white cat sat near me. I made a mental note to be in the other room next time when they shifted. While I enjoyed watching them strip, hearing what followed sucked. God, the sounds of breaking bones made me crazy. “Just… ugh. That so looks painful, guys. Can I say how thankful I am I won’t have to do that?”

“Meow.”

Dolf paced back and forth in front of me, rubbing against my legs. I couldn’t help myself; I had to pet him. His fur was so soft. He arched into my hand, those loud purrs filling the room. Tal jumped on the couch, head-butting me. Dolf joined him, and the two of them soon settled down. I liked having them beside me; their body heat was relaxing. I took turns petting them, listening to the noise they made. It was nice. It was… just like before. But at least this time I knew what they were.

I was close to dozing off when Tal yawned, stretched, and stood. Then the shit leaped across me and landed on Dolf.

“Hey now!”

Dolf growled, Tal made a strange purring chirp, and off they went. Both tore across the floor, nails clicking on the hardwood as they ran toward the kitchen. Tal tried to stop, his backend sliding around. Dolf swiped at Tal’s hind legs. Tal made an odd chuffing sound, almost like a laugh. Or maybe a taunt.

“You missed, Dolf.”

Another growl, and this one was aimed at me.

Dolf narrowed those bright blue eyes of his. He might not be able to speak, but I sure understood that look. I stood and wandered into the kitchen. Hell, I had to see what they were doing, now didn’t I? Tal jumped up and hauled ass across the kitchen table, Dolf right behind him. Tal dropped to the floor, weaving his way in and out of the chairs as he led Dolf away from the table.

I found myself laughing.

Another swat, and another strange chuffing sound. I never thought to ask if they could understand each other, but I was willing to bet they could. I watched as they raced through the den, into the bedroom, and back out to the den. They were coming at me full speed, so I leaned over slightly and threw my arms out. Tal yowled, tripped over his feet, and slid past me, turning as he went past. Dolf, that evil fucker, leaped at me. Straight up leaped in the air and flew at me.

“Oh shit!” I ducked and landed on my knees, facing Tal. Dolf sailed over me.

“Meow, meeeeow, meooow!”

“Well, meow right back to you, Tal.” Could a cat smirk? Because I’d swear this one was. I leaned a little closer to Tal, really looking in his eyes. There was human intelligence in the eyes looking back at me. “How… how in the world did I miss this before?”

“Meer.” Dolf came up beside me, purring softly.

I scratched Dolf under the chin, looking in his eyes. I could see it plainly now. “Wow, guys. I guess we really do see only what we expect to see. A damn good thing for your species, I’d say.”

A very good thing, but I felt foolish. Now that I knew, I couldn’t understand how I could be so blind. But then, there’d been something about Dolf that had stirred my most primitive instincts. I’d even joked about being careful or the black cat would end up bossing me around too. Little did I know how right I would be. Well, at least he was going to try. I’d already warned him that I didn’t boss well.

“And the next time you jump at me like that, Dolf, I’m going to catch you, not duck. Just so you know.”

Dolf licked my finger, and I jerked. Wow, scratchy tongue. Thank goodness that hadn’t transferred to his human self. Dolf licked me a few more times, then nipped my finger.

“Meeeer.” Dolf whacked me with his tail, then took off after Tal again.

For just a second—just one long, drawn-out second—I wondered what it would be like, but shook the feeling off. I’d never know since I wasn’t a shifter. And… I was okay with that. I sat in the middle of the floor and watched them play. There was something so… freeing about them. Playful, yes, but there was more to it. There was a joy to their play that I envied.

Tal flew through the room, looped around me, and jumped into my lap, that funny chuffing sound coming from him. I jumped because his claw sank into my jeans and pierced my leg. “Ow, cutie, watch the claws.”

Dolf peeked around me, his whiskers twitching as he aimed a paw at Tal. He swatted Tal, and Tal hissed.

“How’d I get in the middle of this?”

Tal whined. Oh man, that was such a sad little sound. “It’s okay, pretty kitty. Just be careful.”

Dolf purred at me. And just like that, the envious feeling was gone. Cat or human, it didn’t matter. I was part of them.

“Mmmrreee.” Tal sniffed where he nicked me, then rubbed his face against the spot.

“Scent marking me or apology?” I asked.

“Meoooow,” Dolf meowed at me.

“Both, maybe?”

Dolf placed his paws on my leg, boosted himself up, and… licked my cheek.

“No tasting the human, Dolf.”

Tal rolled on to his back, leg kicking.

“Good grief, are you a dog?” I got a tail in the face and a mouthful of fur for that one.

The kitties and I played and romped for another hour. When I started yawning, they changed back. We took turns showering, then having a rather large snack before settling on the couch to watch TV. Since I was running the heat now, it wasn’t as cold in the den. They had borrowed my night pants again, but both were shirtless. I had a T-shirt on, but Tal was slowly working it off, Dolf helping him.

I knew they wanted me in the middle for a reason.

Tal pulled my shirt off. He tossed it to Dolf when shyness got the better of me, and I grabbed for it. Tal clasped my chin and turned me to face him, slowly licking at my lips in a silent plea to open. Dolf eased the top of my night pants down just enough that the head of my cock was free. He blew across the top, making me shiver, before sucking the crown in his mouth.

Pinned against the couch, I let them do what they wanted. Tal kept kissing me… fucking my mouth with his soft lips and agile tongue. Dolf teased me with long licks across the head of my shaft. That was, if he wasn’t trying to dip his tongue in the slit to drive me insane. No one spoke as they finished stripping me, then undressed each other. Dolf was at one end of the couch, Tal at the other. Dolf held his hand out to me, and I went to him.

“Suck me,” he whispered.

I heard the command… and found it damn hot. I wanted to obey him. I dropped down on the couch and reached for Dolf’s cock.

Dolf grinned and grabbed my hand. “Hands and knees.”

Ahh, I got it now.

Hands and knees it was, then. I had Dolf’s shaft down my throat in nothing flat and was waiting impatiently for Tal to ease a finger in me. Instead, what I got was Dolf reaching behind me and lightly slapping my hole.

Holy fuck, I’d just thought I’d gotten it. I was wrong.

“Go get the lube, Tal.”

The couch moved under me as Tal stood.

“Going to slap this tight hole a little harder. Can you take it?”

I nodded my head—no way was I releasing Dolf’s cock—and flexed my ass as I opened my legs as much as possible. Dolf must have understood because the hits landed harder. How had he known I’d like this? My shaft was dripping precome.

Tal returned and sat on the couch. “Mmm, that’s hot. I can see his hole flexing every time you hit it.”

If they kept talking like that, I was going to come. I sucked Dolf, using every trick I knew.

“Oh fuck.” Dolf stopped smacking my hole, wrapping both of his hands around my head. “Get his ass lubed, stretch him with two fingers, then plow his ass.”

“Yes, Dolf.”

I whimpered.

Dolf face-fucked me, gagging me every couple of thrusts, and I was loving it. Tal was indeed stretching me with two fingers… a finger from each of his hands. I was going to completely come unglued if Tal didn’t hurry it up and get in me. I grunted around Dolf’s cock.

“Do it, Tal. Now. Fuck him.”

And did he ever. It burned when he entered me, but wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle. Dolf slapping my hole had me so wound up it wasn’t going to take much to get me off. Tal grasped my hips and started slamming into me, burying his length as far as it would go. He rubbed my hotspot on every thrust. He filled me so good, and for someone who hadn’t topped much, he sure knew how to work what he had.

“Oh, oh… tighten up like that again.” Tal gasped. “That’s… holy cow, your ass feels so good on my cock.”

Dolf’s shaft thickened in my mouth.

“I’m close. Tal, reach around and stroke Kirk off. I want us to come together,” Dolf growled.

I moaned when Tal touched me. This wasn’t going to take long at all. Wasn’t sure Dolf was going to get what he wanted as far as the three of us coming together, though. Tal did something cool with his wrist, and that was it. I came. Came as if my life depended on it. Dolf snarled and shot down my throat. Tal hissed and filled my ass with his come.

I’ll be damned. Dolf got us to come together. Amazing.

“Wow,” Tal gasped, falling back against the couch arm. “I’m really beginning to love that word.”

“Me too,” Dolf said.

Laughing, I made my way to the shower to clean up.

F
OR
THE
next two days, we packed, ate, and made love. I finished the one car I had to work on, then closed down my shop. It was hard to believe how nice the weather was for January. I hoped the good streak would continue.

My packing was coming along nicely. What I considered junk, we took to the dump. I didn’t have much, so there weren’t many trips. I donated things of decent quality to several charities around town. The rest, such as it was, I kept. My bed, my desk, my TV, a few lamps, computer, printer, and a few pieces of furniture—that was it. The most important thing I owned was the equipment in my shop and my endless amount of tools. That was where I’d invested the bulk of my money.