Night Critters (Collection) (25 page)

Staci nodded. “I fell in love with the Shanxi district when we honeymooned there, Dad. Any time you want to visit us, we'll pick you up at the Xi'an airport."

"Then we'll see you there in April, if I can keep your mother away that long.” Lucky frowned. “I think I'd better cut in before that rogue you married dances her feet off. I'll send him your way.” Lucky marched over, simultaneously elegant and awkward in his tuxedo.

Jiao handed over his mother-in-law with a bow and came immediately to Staci's side. He leaned over on the pretext of kissing her cheek and whispered, “Have you got the tickets, my lotus?"

Staci giggled and snapped open her beaded purse, displaying for his view alone two airline tickets. Their plane left for China in six hours. “Let's blow this joint, Murphy.” She winked at him, teasing him about his chosen American name, symbolizing his status as a luck god.

"It is appropriate to have this name, since my honored father-in-law is named Lucky. Do you not agree?” Jiao steered her toward the exit, stopping to bow and chat with every dignitary as if they had all the time in the world, until they finally disappeared through the ornate double doors of the ballroom.

Then, they joined hands and ran out into the snowy winter of Jerhattan as if demons chased them. However, one demon remained to open their limo door. Their faithful kitsune secretary, Ngu Po, waited until Staci's skirt was gathered inside, slammed the door and dove into the seat next to the driver. He shifted into his natural form of a snow fox and put his delicate white paws on the back of the seat, happily wagging his tail. Unlike many shifters, he could talk as a fox. “I took the liberty of putting your bags in the trunk and checking you out of the embassy, Master. I leave this place with joy."

A coyote popped up his head from the front seat and imitated Ngu Po's position. He nodded his head and nuzzled Ngu's neck.

The chauffeur took the limo out of park. “You boys sit your furry butts down or I'll put you in separate doggie crates and make you fly back to China that way."

"You would not be so cruel!” Ngu Po spoke for both himself and his lover. “Bobby and I are on our honeymoon!” However, both small canines turned and planted their butts on the seat. They both fit in one seat that way, and served as the entire entourage of the ambassador and his wife.

Jiao and Staci laughed all the way to the airport.

Staci surveyed the Qinling Mountains from the open balcony of their new home built into the side of the cliffs above a tiny village. Its four flower bridges, so named because of their beauty, seemed like dreams in the mist. She vowed to take her daily walks there until her pups were born. Traveling up and down steep mountain paths would keep her in shape.

Jiao headed up to join her from one of the many staircases outside their home. His traditional loose clothing whispered silkily of luxury and peace, as did the softly sounding wind chimes positioned strategically along the roof soffits. He wrapped his arms around her lovingly and kissed her forehead. “I intended to use the mountains and the scenery as foreplay, but I see you've already discovered them for yourself."

Staci snuggled against his shoulder. She felt so warm and safe there, surrounded by his strength of mind and body. “Using the scenery as foreplay? Well, I admit it has seduced me as much as you have."

He just smiled and drew her through a doorway leading to their bedroom. Like the rest of the house it had been finished in a style that mirrored both the traditions and the ornate history of China as well as its place in the modern world. Simple, spacious, and beautiful with a panoramic view of the entire valley from the wide windows. The mountains dominated the view, just like the ancient art to be found in the Beijing Museum.

Their nest bed was wide enough to accommodate them both with room to spare for both sleeping and sex. Every bit of it was covered in black silk embroidered with Dragons and Foo Dogs in every imaginable color, including some not found in nature. A feng shui Master from the village below had overseen the construction and decoration to ensure luck and prosperity, right down to the candles on the big lacquered table. A matching lacquered cabinet hid their modern communications and dataport behind its carved doors.

The walls were adorned with framed rice paper artwork filled with Chinese poetry and paintings of the surrounding landscape. When Staci moved closer, she saw the signature in the lower corner. “You did these? They're beautiful."

Jiao shrugged. “In the fifty years since I was awakened from my sleep as a stone statue, I dreamed of returning here. Guarding the imperial family and palace took no effort, and I was bored. Sometimes the paintings weren't half bad, so I kept them and had them stored for the day I could return to my beloved mountains."

"These are a lot better than half bad. You're such a contrast, Jiao. All the ability to cause chaos surrounded by peace and soft words. You surprise me and challenge me to find that inner peace and be content with what I am and what I can do. At the same time, there's something between us that makes me think it's possible to reach for the stars and find them within my grasp. I'm so happy I could burst."

Jiao smiled and drew her hand up for a kiss. His jade eyes glowed with the light of love and joy. He nibbled on her knuckles playfully. “I am so happy I need to fly. Before the weight of our children keeps you ground bound, perhaps you will fly with me and make love on a cliff top in the clear mountain air?"

Staci let out a war whoop and raced to the edge of the balcony. She stood poised on the edge, and laughed with a come hither glance over her shoulder. “You've got to catch me before I'll submit to outdoor sex!” She was in the sky a moment later.

Jiao followed her skyward with his laughter booming down to the valley below. He was more powerful with a wider wingspan, and the cool mountain air would only slow him down a little despite his greater bulk. He flew in lazy aerobatic patterns as if to say that catching her would be an easy task.

To slow him down further, Staci raced for the thinner air at higher altitudes and loosened the drawstring of her red silk pants. They were so loose, they fell to her ankles, and she kicked them off and let them fall to where Jiao could catch them.

To her surprise, he ignored the fluttering material and let it continue to fall to earth. He caught a thermal and rode it in a lazy spiral and called out to her. “I will not be distracted by such tactics."

"Those were my best pants!” Staci hovered for a moment wearing just her embroidered jacket and panties. She couldn't decide whether to be aroused or annoyed. Arousal won by a thin margin. Childishly she stuck her tongue out at Jiao. “I'm still not that easy to catch!"

Instead of answering her, Jiao surged upwards and almost caught her ankle in a surprise move. Damn, he was fast!

Staci squeaked and almost made it to her goal of a rocky outcropping at the top of the cliffs before he caught her again. This time there was no escape. His arms gripped her thighs like bands of iron, and his face rubbed just above her pubic patch of hair. Instantly, Staci moaned and folded her wings, allowing him to carry her to the cliff.

Jiao landed them both, taking her weight as if she were one of her feathers as he lightly touched down. Gently, he let her slide to the large volcanic rock until her toes brushed the surface. “You're my mate, but not as swift or strong as I am."

She let him have his triumph, since it happened to coincide with her desires. One day, she'd make him work for his prize, but today was not that day. Just for effect, she wriggled and pretended to seek escape.

Jiao whirled her around until she was dizzy and lightheaded. He buried his face in her neck and bit lightly. “Mine. I win."

"Yeah, you win. This time.” Her blood fired, blasting lust straight to her pussy. Little tremors ran through her whole body. She looked around at the sparse trees and rocks. “Are we really alone up here?"

"Yes. Anyone who wanders up the mountain is bent upon his own task. Besides, let them see how beautiful my mate is, and they will envy me.” He pulled at the strings holding her jacket on until it parted, exposing her full breasts.

"Jiao!” Her exclamation was half-protest, half-plea. His licks alternated with tiny nips, moving slowly down past her collarbone until she weakly bent backwards to give him what he wanted.

Jiao let her bend, easing her down to the rock at their feet without actually coming anywhere near her swollen nipples. When she reclined fully on the rock, he slid his arms from beneath her. Once again, he opened her jacket as if unwrapping a present of great delicacy. Then, he knelt beside her and feasted on the tender nubs, licking and nibbling without causing pain. His erection created a tent of silk and steel in his pants.

Staci reached up and pulled on the string of his pants until they fell off, revealing her treat. She grasped the length firmly, and gave a tug. “Come here, big boy. Mama wants a present, too."

He growled softly, but moved to kneel so her head was between his knees, so they could sixty-nine, and gave her what they both wanted. He moaned when she took as much as she could into her mouth and let her take control of his cock. Instead of her sensitive breasts, he now nibbled an inner thigh.

Her skin sprang to life with a thousand nerves while his lips kissed and his teeth nibbled closer and closer. He bit her lightly, like a man helping himself to a tiny sample of a delicacy, and she flowed like sweet cream. A fog settled over her brain, obscuring coherent thought.

Then his mouth was on her sex, hot and greedy. Hard, rough hands explored her legs and pushed her open wider, exposing her to his oral explorations with both skill and desperation.

Her nerve endings exploded in electric jolts far hotter than the sun warming the black rock beneath them, or was that her flesh warming into the fire element? She didn't know or care. Desires she'd never known she had blazed to the surface and screamed into life. She dragged her tongue and teeth along the length of his cock, determined to give as good as she got.

He found her clitoris, and had her arching her back in delicious pleasure as he teased and suckled to tantalize her. Those strong hands lifted her ass for his access, and one finger teased her asshole with the promise of entry to come.

Her senses awakened in an edgy tangle of need, and she gave herself over to yearning for the promised release to come. She craved like an addict the heat washing over her with every possessive stroke of his strong hands, the demands of his lips, and cried out around Jiao's cock, half-choking and refusing to let go of any part of him.

He rose with her arched back, meeting flesh to flesh, moving with her. He drove her toward delirium with the gentle thrusts of his tongue, and teasing flicks of his finger on her ass, deliberately taking his time to bring her to the exquisite edge of madness.

Impassioned heat radiated from her, warming the smooth, dark rock beneath them until it pulsed in time to every crest of her waves of pleasure. She wanted to give him more, much more, and take more from him until they both drowned in the ecstasy they caused in one another. The crest rolled over her without warning, a long and seemingly endless swell of lava heat. She arched up again and screamed his name.

Jiao held on, riding the peaks and waves of her orgasm until he trembled, too, with need. His balls lifted, and Staci prepared to receive his pleasure. Instead, he withdrew from her mouth with a cry and knelt above her, quaking. He wiped his chin proudly with the back of his hand and smiled. “I cannot love you any more than I already do, but I can bring you all the joy you can stand."

Staci held out her arms for him. “You already do. My turn. Don't make me tackle you and hold you down while I fuck
you
into submission."

He gave that big, booming, draconic laugh to the sky and clouds. “No, we must not have that.” In a move that only a martial artist could understand, he put his hands on the rock and flipped his legs so that he lay beside her on the rocks. “Come up here, my lotus in bloom, and ride until we both cry out in pleasure to the mountains. I fear to damage our pups if I ride atop you."

She dove on top of him and impaled herself. She cried out once more in both shock and triumph when he slid all the way inside, filling her completely and utterly.

He moved with her, pistoning his hips, and his hands came up to steady her and hold her breasts as tenderly as he would hold their pups. His green eyes clouded, his breath harsh and rasping, as they rose and fell together. Only in this, their pleasure, was he ever even the tiniest bit violent, unless she was threatened.

She knew no harm would ever befall her with him there, and their differences would be melded into hybrids of the new world, where all creatures lived in contented prosperity. Her happiness rose again in time with her orgasm, and they rode together and let their hearts go flying into the atmosphere.

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Lena Austin

"
'Twas the night before Christmas
..."

JR Thornton seeks redemption for his many unwitting evil deeds by dressing up in a Santa suit to deliver gifts to an orphanage, but the angry wood fairy guarding the house is more interested in blowing his head off.

Phaedra hates JR for destroying her home forest and the lives of her family. Now a caregiver putting herself through college, she's determined to give the most evil and handsome man she knows a piece of her mind.

So why does she want so badly to sit in Santa's lap?

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JR Thornton pulled his Mercedes to the side of the road long enough for him to check his newest delivery at the construction site just down the road from his destination. Yes, the huge truck was there, waiting for his crews to return after the holiday. One repayment on the long road to his redemption. He smiled to himself. Despite what his sister-in-law had advised, JR just couldn't seem to let go of his lists and plans.