Chapter 24

A s if to grant me my wish in a very large go fudge yourself kind of capacity, I had so much free time as Boog was finally called home, Gopher and Odix prepared for the upcoming hunt on the horizon, and Rek flat out pretended I didn't exist, he was that pissed at me, I didn't know what to do with myself after chores were done.

My sleep schedule was all screwed up. I had my days and nights mixed, dragging ass through the day to crash and hard nap right after washing up from chores, then stay up all night regretting every fucking word that's ever left my mouth as I dissected my past transgressions and missteps all night long. Fun times.

Sleeping after dark all alone in my place was still a trying thing for me.

When the Sandman did deign to call and I found myself starting to doze off, the only thing I'd found to combat that, short of crawling into bed with someone else, was to climb under my bed, purse clutched to me, sheathed knife in hand, and have myself a little under the bed slumber party.

It wasn't ideal, or healthy— I should probably open up to someone about it— but knowing that might potentially create its own cascade sort of effect, I'd opted to deal with this on my own. If I told Rosa, she'd worry. Somehow along the way, letting Rosa have her happily forever fucking after without me shitting all over it, more than I already felt I had with my Rek shenanigans, had become more important to me than I'd possibly even realized, to the point I was kind of feeling like I was living a double life. Accepting I took this same approach with any other relationships as well, that double life was more like living quadruple lives simultaneously.

I knew, at the heart of it all, that pesky Negative Nelly in my head was to blame for it. Even as I pushed boundaries, seeking just how far I could nip and nag, how long someone was willing to keep me around, I kept all the real things I was afraid might push them away to myself, the broken parts of me I withheld or hid, I was protecting myself from them as much as I was protecting them from those broken pieces of me, if that made any fucking sense. Self-preservation as much as it was protecting my loved ones from ugly parts of me that might make them reconsider having such a pain in the ass of a person to deal with in their lives.

Seated by the fire, I pulled out the basket with my sewing things stashed away inside, and got to work with the hemming first.

There was a peacefulness to the sudden bout of solitude, isolating as it could be.

A curse left me as the bone needle I was working with snapped in half.

Searching out another and coming up empty, it took me a minute to work out what day it was, I was so discombobulated, then try and recall if anyone who would actually trade me sweets for bone needles would be roaming around the market place this day.

Needing the fresh air, I stowed my things away and bundled up for the cold.

If it turned out a bust, I could say I got in a good walk today, all things considered.

Gopher and Odix had yet to return for this proposed biweekly wick dipping they'd come up with. I was game, though the necessity of it felt moot with Rek giving me the cold shoulder, but I wasn't about to ask them to come over and fill ‘er up. It was just… I couldn't. Call me silly, the bold Joanie was feeling shy about it, but that's exactly what had me hesitating.

That, and a heaping helping of guilt.

I wanted to understand Rek's reasons for his actions, and while a smidge of me could, the scheming part of me, what he'd tried to do to me was fucking wrong, plain and simple. Bulldozing me was never going to work, or make us suddenly work.

Basket full of the last few treats to my name over my arm, purse on my shoulder, beanie tugged down tight over my ears, mittens on, I set out.

I didn't think I'd ever get used to walking the market without Gopher. I'd always think of it as our thing.

The place was bustling, filled with vendors today. Apparently I didn't get the memo.

Bypassing those I knew would snub me because I didn't have a man— I had to roll my eyes at that rubbish— I made a beeline for the old Lo denaii couple that traveled from a village they'd told Gopher wasn't too far from here. Mom and Pop, I called them. Mom was the first female adult Lo denaii I'd laid eyes on. She was as tall and robust as her male, with a curvy waist, long eye lashes to make a bitch jealous, and a surprisingly sweet disposition.

"Mom! Pop!" I called out, pleased as punch to see them.

Mom's head jerked up at the sound of my voice and she started gesturing excitedly to Pop. "Jo!" she greeted, waving an empty mug over her head.

I couldn't help but grin at that. That meant Mom had made her cocoa and coconut like tea. It was surprisingly thick, sweet, and oh so yummy. Warmed me right up.

Pop nodded at my approach. I couldn't help but laugh as he leaned over Mom, mid haggle with a customer over a batch of arrowheads he'd bundled, and gave a loud sniff.

Eh. What were a few less bone needles?

Pulling out a square of cloth and four treats, Mom poured a huge mug of mucclah and held it out to me.

There was a bit of a communication barrier beyond friendly hellos. Gopher used to help me out with that. My smile fell as I took a long, slow sip.

Finding Mom watching me with a frown, her gaze lifted, darting around me. Motioning, she grunted out softly, "Gofur?"

"He's not here today," I said with a half smile and shake of my head.

She nodded, though I knew she had no idea what I'd said.

I hung around long enough to finish my drink and get a thumbs up from Pops, who enjoyed learning the Earth gesture.

Several stalls over, I found exactly what I needed, but the male who had traded me needles for treats before seemed less inclined to do so now with the place jam packed with hunters roaming around trying to prepare for their hunts.

Frowning, I muttered, "Don't think I'm coming back here to trade with you after this. It's bull crap."

When he frowned, not understanding, I mimed this whole thing was poo. Offended, he bared his teeth at me and was just starting to lay into me when I felt someone come up behind me.

"Well, excuse you," I muttered, moving to step to the side as a warm body pressed into me from behind.

A mitt of a paw fell on my shoulder, Kooky's voice piercing the din as he rumbled quietly over at the male who flatly refused to trade needles with me, not even with the promise of more treats for just one stinkin' needle, holding me firmly in place in front of him.

Whatever they were saying, Kooky's voice took on a sharp edge, deepening to an unhappy rumble. Others around us took note as his eyes narrowed and the noise rattling his chest grew louder.

"It's fine. We don't have to trade. I'll find someone else," I insisted, not wanting to have to hear about how I was being a pain in the ass yet again, this time without doing a damn thing.

The male paused, glancing between us, a frown tugging at his brow. Moorauc, I thought his name was. As they spoke, Moorauc had started tipping his head to the side, until he was staring at Kooky through the corner of his eyes.

My gaze darted between the male and Kooky. Why did Moorauc look so damned spooked? Had they had run-ins of this sort before? Bad blood?

"I don't want to trade with him anymore," I stated firmly.

Shoving off Kooky's hand, I slipped into the crowd, swallowed up by lumbering furballs coming and going.

A Pretty Woman moment, this was not. I didn't want anyone feeling intimidated into trading with me. Like the incident with Gopher, it left a bad taste in my mouth.

Bypassing that very stall in question quickly, I hung back as I eyed each merchant and their wares.

Without a word, Kooky came up to me and placed a fat bundle of wrapped needles into my basket.

"You didn't need to do that," I told him softly.

"Not buy from Maroumak. ‘Nother," he rumbled in reply.

Oops. Maroumak. I was shit with some of these names. The butchering of my name in kind just made me think the feeling was mutual.

"For a fair price?" I pressed, staring up at him, watching for any signs he was holding out on me.

"Fair," he said with a smile that made my insides feel all gooey and warm.

"Soooo… looking for anything in particular? A ginormous ax, a bow, arrows? A knife as big as muh arm?" My eyebrows waggled playfully at the tease.

Kooky laughed, grinning from ear to ear. He didn't smile all that often but when he did it felt like a present.

"Bug treats for the road?" I muttered as casually as I was capable of, but then had to bite the inside of my cheek not two seconds later to stop myself from letting out a witch cackle at the face Kooky made.

Kooky mock shuddered and made an ick sound.

With a sniff, I stuck my tongue out at him.

A squeal of a noise left me when he acted like he was going to grab my tongue. My hands clapped over my mouth and my eyes widened, but I laughed. Nudging him, I muttered, "Turd," on a laugh.

Realizing we were just standing here in the middle of a bustling market and I was probably keeping him from things he had to do, I quickly bid him happy hunting and parted ways.

"Ey! Jo!" Pop called out.

Dragging my attention from that fine behind as Kooky lumbered off, I glanced over, blanching as Pop held up two thumbs up, as if to congratulate me on a good job, and Mom, nodding along, awkwardly held two thumbs up along with him.

Mortified, feeling like my grandparents were encouraging me to hit that, I quickly tossed them a thumbs up back with a red face and spun around, eager to disappear into a sea of Yeti men.

"Oops. Sorry!" I called out as I bumped into someone.

"Jo? Jo!"

"Jo? Joadnee?" Odix's head snapped in my direction as Gopher called out a greeting, sounding super happy to see me.

"Wow. It's like everyone is here," I muttered, wriggling, elbowing, and excusing myself as firmly as needed out of this shopping mosh pit.

Odix growled as I cursed and ducked an elbow, shoving his way forward. Gopher, pressing in alongside him, formed a protective barrier around me.

Popping clean out onto the other side of that mess, I fanned myself. "Was it just me or did it get warm in there? It was like hanging around stoves with limbs!"

"Hot," Odix agreed.

"Big. Many." Gopher gestured at the crowd.

"Are- Are you guys going on the hunt coming up? Is that why you're here?" I asked, motioning at the stampede waiting to happen we'd just escaped from.

They nodded in unison.

I'd admit to a pinch of green jelly, even as much as I was happy that Gopher had found a new buddy. I couldn't help but grumble in my head that he'd been my market buddy, once upon a time. It made me a little sad.

"Looking for anything in particular?" I asked as my gaze unerringly searched out Kooky.

The male stood out. There was something very… commanding, confident, empowering, to him. It made you sit up and take notice. So did, ahem, other attributes.

Catching myself watching his ass once more, I quickly glanced away.

"What Jo look for?" The humor lightening Gopher's voice had my cheeks pinkening but I remained otherwise straight faced as I glanced at him, resting-bitch-face-mode in full swing.

Staring at him dead on as if I hadn't the faintest what he was smirk-smiling about, I shrugged. "Needed more sewing needles. What are you two in search of? Best friends forever tattoos? Rope and a fun wig? A big fat candle made for dripping wax? A human without a big mouth? C'mon, Gogo boots, cake-baby, what's the dealio?"

Gopher shook his head at me, chuckling, but it was cut short as he spotted something at a stall and reached out to tap Odix and point.

Odix made an ah-hah! noise and turned to stalk off towards the seller, my cake-baby comment lost on him. Spinning back around to find us turning back to each other to heckle some more, Odix grunted, waiting for me to pay attention to grumble, "Odix go."

"Okay. Have fun." My hand lifted in a little wave and I would have gotten right back to the smack talk at hand but Gopher cleared his throat loudly and jerked his chin in the retreating Lo denaii's direction.

Turning my head, my brain was having trouble processing watching this big bad beast of a male with an ass I could bounce a quarter off of sticking his butt out and practically duck waddling away from me.

"What the hell is he doing?" I whispered to Gopher, who was grinning, eyes dancing, more than a bit amused by his new market buddy's ridiculousness. "Odix want Jo watch him walk ‘way, too," he surmised through choking laughter.

Swatting at him in a backhanded smack, I muttered, careful to keep my voice low, "That's not funny."

"Little funny," Gopher muttered between sputtering laughs.

"He looks like he's got some kind of personal problem going on…" I was all but clapping my hands to my face and gaping, or cracking. Or both.

Clearing his throat, all traces of humor leaving him, he rumbled out softly, "Him do."

Looking to Go' askance, his soft blue gaze bore into mine. "No come," he said simply, but it didn't need any further explanation.

Folding my arms over my chest, I muttered, "Didn't see either of you coming to me, either." Several chuffing huffs left me.

Was this all as exciting as it was awkward for them, too?

Curling an arm around me, eyes slowly closing, Gopher pressed his nose to my temple and inhaled deeply. "My Jo," he murmured gutturally. His grip tightened before loosening completely and then he was taking a step away from me.

It shouldn't hurt me— I knew what was going on— he was feeling it, perhaps a bit too much so— but that prick of pain and hint of rejection was still there.

Without looking his way, staring straight ahead to watch Odix straighten, giving up the weird duck with a wedgie walk, and start haggling with a seller, I shrugged. "Maybe I missed you… both of you." Forcing words past the lump in my throat, I confided, "Maybe I'm not as… brass and bold as I might act, in all things."

The back of Gopher's hand brushed mine where I was gripping my basket a little too hard. Back and forth, the flat of his hand gently caressed mine, until he reached out and fingered the gems on the bracelet he'd given me.

His fingertips would smooth over my skin every few brushes, gooseflesh pebbling on my skin in its wake.

A low rumble built in his chest as we stood there, side by side, staring straight ahead, barely touching, that electric current between us zinging and zapping at the littlest, the lightest touch.

"Ey!" Holding up his find, some weird doodamahickey I had no idea as to what it was for, waving it about happily as he spoke in Lo denaii, it wasn't until Odix got all the way up to us, right up on us, that he realized anything was off.

His gaze darted between us and his nostrils flared. "Go' finds things," he muttered, separating us completely with a sharp nudge at Gopher's shoulder.

Taking his place beside me as Gopher leaned in and snuck a quick nuzzle that was silly and overdone and made me laugh, Odix bared his teeth at him and grumbled something in Lo denaii that had the slimmer beast snickering at him and walking away chuckling.

"Think him's funny," Odix grumbled, looking like my own personal bodyguard as he stood next to me and his gaze darted around. Looking at me sharply, he grumbled, "You watch? Jo watch Odix go?"

Taking a page out of Pop's book, I nodded enthusiastically and gave him two thumbs up. "Oh, yeah. Totally."

"Goot." With a satisfied grunt, he just stood there quietly beside me, content to take in the chaos around us.

Growing interested in a loud bidding war for a very large knife, I heard it before I felt it. Slowly, a teeny bit at a time, Odix was moving closer, and closer, towards me, until my jacket covered shoulder was brushing his thick arm.

And that sound, it started off small, spiraling into a poorly contained purr.

A knowing smile tipped my lips. It was kinda cute how hard he was trying to stay in badass mode, despite the happy kitty purr at something as simple as a light, innocent touch.

Swaying a little from foot to foot, humming under my breath, I'd just switched from my left foot to my right when an ominous squelch issued from inside my boot. Crap on a dirty cracker.

"Do you think he'll be long?" Lifting a dirt encrusted snow boot, I grimaced. "I think one of these bad boys has finally sprung a leak. "My sock is starting to get soggy."

"Odix see," the large male rumbled, leaving my side to shove his way deep into the crowd.

I knew when he was close. I could sense it, feel his eyeballs boring into the back of my head.

When I turned, I found him glaring at me like he hated me from a short distance away. Kirch nudged him, examining something in his hands he wanted Rek to get a good look at.

Unsettled by that hateful green stare, I turned back around. Yet, I felt it on me once more, almost immediately.

Unwilling to stand there and just take it, I moved closer to the big crowd, searching the tops of all those tall beasts for two in particular. Standing on tiptoe as I thought I spied Odix, I tried to wave him down but he wasn't looking my way. A Lo denaii exiting the crowd accidently hip checked me on his hurry past me. I stumbled but caught myself, getting my shoulder checked by another as he stumbled back a few steps and almost fell on top of me.

A snarl sounded behind me and then he was there, growling what sounded like a back off to me as I was jerked to my feet. "No belong here," Rek snarled.

Blanching, gaping as if he'd just slapped me, it took me a moment too long to realize he'd meant at the market and not here-here in general.

"I can handle myself," I snapped at him, but stalked out of the market place, all the same.

I felt his eyes on me until I rounded a bend and disappeared out of sight.

Back at my place, I'd just started to take off my boots when I got two knocks and a barge in from Odix.

"Where go?" he grumbled, walking in, setting his wrapped trades down at the table, to walk right over and kneel in front of me. Plucking my boots off to examine both of them, then set them by the door, he looked as if he meant to start in on my socks when I protested.

Ignoring me, he peeled off my damp sock, pausing for far too long as I wriggled my toes. My rainbow painted tootsies glittered quite literally in the fire light.

"So small," he marveled, flopping to his butt at my feet to lean in and, pinching a little painted piggy between his fingers, gave one a wiggle.

With a squeak, I tried to jerk my foot out of his hold, but it was too late. Odix had figured it out.

Gripping my ankle with an evil grin, he boldly brushed a claw down the middle of my foot. The sounds that came out of me, between cursing his existence and fighting him for freedom, had the bully of a butthead belly laughing as he tormented me so.

"No! Stop! Please! I'll do whatever you want!" I squealed between laughter.

"Whatever Odix want?" he purred.

"Yes! Yes! Just stop! EEE!"

Releasing my foot, he grabbed the other one and released it from its sock, to toss the soggy bits of cloth away from him.

Turning towards me, he hooked my feet on his massive shoulders, rainbow toes dangling over either side of his fluffy head, told me to hold on, and lifted me up like I was nothing.

Walking me to a wall, he pressed me up against it, eyeing my pants for a long moment before grunting as if to say Fuck it , and reaching between my legs to run a claw down the crotch of my pants.

"Do you know how many times I've had to sew those?!" I burst out.

My panties were next, yet another pair sacrificed to a randy beast.

Purring as his prize was exposed, he wasted no time burying his face in my pussy and eating me out like I was his last meal.

My hands gripped his head, burying in his hair as he worked me. His snarls into my heated flesh at the taste of me, thick tongue stabbing deep, the vibrations aiding in dragging me towards the edge, it drove me that much closer. So fucking sexy.

At the last moment he pulled back, dragging me down his length to impale me on the thickness ready and waiting, hard as a rock, standing to attention between his thick thighs.

"Jo," he choked out, as he found my pulsing heat and slid right home.

Stumbling towards my bed, his hips jerked awkwardly as I climaxed, hard, stuffed to the brim and then some, my channel clenching him in a death squeeze.

Tumbling us onto the bed, he fell over me, the movement rocking him deeper into me.

Gripping my bedding on either side of my head, he pulled his hips back, until just the tip remained, to slam home hard enough to make my teeth rattle.

"My Jo," he hissed out above me, humping deeper and deeper into me, until I was sliding up the bed and my hands shot out to press into the wall above my head, offering him leverage to screw me into next week.

He came with a silent shout, jerking wildly atop me as he shoved deep one last time. Baring his teeth at me, thwarted from reaching my throat as he eyed it, his gaze locked with mine and he held it as his big body jerked and his cock swelled, locking inside of me as he gave me all he had.

Feeling a bit like a Joanie sandwich, mashed up with my legs practically kissing his ears, I wiggled my toes simply to see if I still had feeling in them.

Breathless, he would have collapsed atop me but I yelped, forcing him to pull back or break my damn legs. The Joanie was just not that bendy, my friend.

Turning his head, he jerked down my pantleg and kissed my hairy as shit leg.

"Always," he rumbled, struggling to get the words out as his cock continued to jerk deep inside me. "Jojo always watch Odix walk ‘way," he muttered, swallowing thickly.

"Is that an order from the big grizzly of Lo denaii?" I teased.

Scowling instantly, he grumbled, "No. It from Odix."

My eyebrows winged upward, even as I laughed. "Are you saying you're the boss now?"

Shaking his head, he had to pause for a minute as a low moan of a groan left him. Fighting to collect himself, he closed his eyes and muttered. "Jojo boss Odix, but Jo watch Odix leave, always."

A sputter of a laugh left me. "Is that so?"

Sky blue eyes opened and bore into mine. Dead serious, he rumbled out with a hint of grit in his voice, "Odix always want go hunt. No want go now." Leaning back, he peeled my pants from my legs, tugging them and my ruined panties free so he could settle my legs around his hips and properly smoosh me.

With a mock pout, I nodded. "You'll miss Gopher too much?" I guessed with a silly smile.

"Bah." With a roll of his eyes I was gonna bet hanging around with Gopher so much had lent him, he leaned in and nuzzled the shit out of my face. "Miss loud, crazy female who eats poop."

"She eats poop, huh?" My eyes widened and I gasped like an old maid. Tapping him on the nose, I tsked, "She should really stop doing that."

Burying his face in my throat, I realized a minute too late as he grinned against my skin and started to speak, the move was to protect his face. "Odix has something Jo put in mouth ‘stead. Jo beed careful, though. No want choke."

I cackled as hard as I smacked at him, just losing it beneath him.

When he felt it was safe to come up for air, he smoothed the hair out of my face and leaned in. Slowly, cautiously, he pressed his lips to mine, testing the waters before boldly going.

My hands slid over his and I stared up at him as he pulled back. "I thought I eat shit and I'm mouthy and loud?"

"Odix no' say him has something Jojo puts in mouth, no needs eat poops no more?" he purred. Taking my lips again as we waited out that monster locked inside me, he broke our kiss to nip my chin. "No mind loud." His purr grew tenfold as he rocked his hips and moved them in a slow, circular motion as he nibbled and tasted his way down my jaw, past my throat.

"Jo be loud," he growled into my throat, his fangs pricking my skin as soft, silly noises left me. "Odix like loud."

"Ooh. Oh god…"

Odix cupped my ass in one hand, lifting it up, angling us until he rocked forward and hit just the right spot, and I saw fucking stars.

His mouth closed over a spot where my neck meets my shoulder, sucking on the spot until I was sure I was going to have the mother of all hickeys.

I heard the punch of my flesh being punctured more than I felt it, right as I found release once more.

Odix's chest rumbled, his purr fighting to be heard over that pleased sound, as he laved the bite marks he'd left behind.

Panting for breath, limp beneath him, he could consider me speechless.

Even as he growled softly on the other side of the door, Gopher knocked and waited for Odix to lift his head from where he was making out with my throat to grant him entry.

"No wait," Gopher grumbled. His market items joined Odix's.

He sounded annoyed more than anything. It wasn't directed at me.

With a grunt, hunched over me, Odix's big shoulders lifted in an unrepentant shrug.

Gopher made an unamused sound. Hands on his hips as if he was imitating me, he quirked an eyebrow, gaze darting between us, and unsheathed his claws as he demanded to know in a high falsetto, "What Jo haves say for self, hmm?"

Odix grinned, picking up on his imitation quickly. Slapping at his shoulder, I pointed at him warningly. "I do not sound like that," I muttered with a sniff.

Folding his arms over his chest, Gopher sniffed, "No sound like that."

Odix gave up trying to keep a straight face, burying his face in my shoulder. His big shoulders shaking and the snorts muffled into my skin were proof enough of his amusement.

"What say self?" Gopher kept on, staying in character.

Reaching over, I smoothed my hands down Odix's ass, a move that had him jerking up with a manly squawk as if I'd goosed him.

Grabbing a cheek in each hand to squeeze it, I growled, then rumbled out in a mock beast-boy voice, just as one of them would, "Joanie no have say shit!"

Gopher gave it up then, pointing at the look on Odix's shocked mug, falling over himself laughing.

"Odix no' sound like that," he choked out, his cock jerking and thickening once more at the grip I had on all that cake.

"Don't you, though?" I purred, playing it up.

Sitting up, leaving us connected, pointing a finger down at me, Odix's eyes narrowed. "Next time, Odix eats the piggies."

"You wouldn't dare!" My laughter said it all.

Swiping at his eyes as he picked himself up off the floor, Gopher glanced at us in confusion. "What piggies?"

Odix glanced from me to Gopher. "Gopher no know piggies?"

Gopher shook his head.

"No," I barked, wrapping my arms around Odix's neck to hold him in place, cupping my feet under his ass protectively.

Gopher's head cocked to the side as he eyed us.

"Odix! Don't you dare!" I squealed as he reached around behind himself as if to unbury one of my feet from under his butt.

My toe lifted, poking him in the gooch. Trapped in my arms, he risked hurting me if he fought me, leaving him at my mercy if he really wanted to play this game.

My toe wiggled a little. "I'll do it. Right in the giblets, buddy. Try me," I threatened.

Odix stilled and swallowed thickly. His gaze darted from me to Gopher.

Angling his body, watching where my foot had wandered off too, Gopher snorted with laughter the second he realized why his friend had locked up.

"These toes were made for pinchin'," I growled.

Gopher glanced from the situation at hand to me, then rumbled something at Odix that had him relaxing fractionally.

My grip on his shoulders tightened. That wasn't good.

They spoke in unison, sounding like they were counting down or something.

"Odix, we're still connected!" I cried out as he sat up, hooking my knees under his arms, to hold my feet out and away from him.

"Odix found something for Jo put in mouth," Odix purred, shoving me back down on the bed to sit up.

Gopher straddled my chest, lifting up so as not to squash me. Odix rocked that cock of his into my honey hole, grunting with every spasm of my pussy around that monster.

Gopher leaned forward, giving me the option to take his dick into my mouth, if I so choose, or leave that thing waving in front of my face. His head pressed to the wall as he shoved his hands behind his back. A low growl left him as Odix took hold of his wrists and Gopher automatically jerked in his hold.

Reaching out for him, I pumped his length, then brought the tip to my lips to suckle the head.

Growling softly at nothing, Gopher's hips jerked as I had a taste. Chest rumbling so hard it mangled his purr, his eyes were glued to my lips wrapping around his dick as he pressed the top of his head into the wall.

Alright… this was kinda fucking hot.

Odix grumbled at him from behind as Odix's cock softened and slipped free. Scooting back, he urged Gopher to do the same when he was ready, content to referee Gopher's turn on the chance Goph couldn't contain himself.

When Gopher's hips shot forward a little too fast, too hard as I took him down my throat as far as I comfortably could and he pushed farther then, I gagged and then Odix's free hand slapped to Gopher's hip and he jerked him back with a harsh reprimand.

Odix dragged him farther down my body, until Gopher got the picture and I wrapped my legs around his lean hips. "You okay?" I murmured, pressing my hands to his chest, brushing my fingers through the thick mat of fur covering his pecs.

His breathing was heavy, teeth bared, pupils blown to hell, but he wasn't all snarls and incoherent words.

"‘Kay," he panted out, squeezing his eyes shut tight for a moment as he fought to get ahold of himself.

Odix rumbled something at him in Lo denaii that had Gopher's eyes shooting open, head snapping up in his direction to snarl at him. Things grew tense for a moment, Gopher stiffening like a board, but then he let out a groan of a snarl and lifted up to flop to his ass, leaning back and away from me.

"Jo?" Odix motioned for me to hop on up if I was ready.

The second I sat up a rush of wetness dribbled down my thighs. Twin rumbles filled the air. Gopher's sounded impatient, not that contented purr mixing in with Odix's.

"Giddy up, cowgirl," I muttered to myself, straddling Gopher's thighs, eyeing that beast jerking urgently between his legs. "Be a waste…" I tsked. Peeking up at him, I batted my lashes coquettishly. "You sure I can't have another little taste?"

"Mine," Gopher growled out, starting to fight Odix's hold.

Right. Don't play with the unhinged side of your lover.

Odix's free hand reached up, gripping Gopher under his chin as he nodded at me to proceed.

Leaning forward, I nuzzled Gopher's chest as I rocked my slit along the underside of his shaft. Wet, squelching noises filled the air as mine and Odix's combined juices coated Gopher.

Gopher hissed through gritted teeth, eyes wild, hips bucking, as I slowly started to sink down on him. Once I was fully seated, he made a strangled, gurgling sound as he fought Odix's hold and the larger Lo denaii's hand tightened.

My claws dug into his chest, lightly raking down his pecs as I began to ride him.

Those gurgling growls turned into gruff, grunting groans.

My hands slid to his shoulders, tightening, to use him for leverage.

It felt good, so damn good.

Soft gasps and moans escaped me as I rode him harder and harder. My lower belly coiled tight, so close but just not there yet. So damn close.

"My Jo. My Jo," Gopher panted out, his big body starting to tremble all over, teetering on the edge, just like me.

Changing the angle, I leaned forward as I worked him, biting down lightly on his chest at first. One loud, Don't you dare fucking stop growl and I bit down hard enough I tasted blood on my tongue.

Gopher shouted the roof down, breaking out of Odix's hold at the last moment to slam me back on the bed. Odix scrambled to pick himself up off the floor as Gopher boxed me in, growling loud enough to rattle the bed, and then dipped his head, buried it in my shoulder, and bit down over the mark he'd previously left.

Driving deep, he hit just the right spot as his fangs sank into my flesh.

I screamed, part ecstasy, a little holy shit and that's gonna leave a mark mixing.

Pulling his fangs free, he growled at Odix warningly to back the fuck off as he lapped at my broken skin, hips pumping all the while. Heat bathed my channel as he purred and tended to the bite on my shoulder. Each lapping lick sent my sheath spasming again and again, as if the bite mark was tied to my clit.

My claws dug into his back as I held on for dear life, meeting him thrust for lazy growing thrust.

When the rush of the moment ebbed, Gopher curled himself around me, loath to give up his prize.

Standing across the room, cleaned up and leaning against the far wall, Odix grumbled something at Gopher that had him lifting his head and baring his teeth at him. He sounded right pissed, but his eyes were their pretty, clear white-blue.

Odix cocked his head, and sounding like he was reciting something from someone else, murmured, "Have to share."

"Mine." Gopher flashed fang at him but eased his hold.

Tearing his gaze away from where he was warning glaring at Odix, he stared down at me for a long moment, as if to assess where I was at, and then leaned in, pressed his lips to mine, and proceeded to nuzzle my face like a crazy wildman.

"Ack! Enough of that! Pleh-pleh-pleh. I think I got fur in my mouth." Turning my face side to side didn't seem to work. He was too fast for me.

When I turned my head far to the right, thinking to thwart him, he dove for my throat, making me squeal as he playfully bit down.

Odix jerked to attention and moved closer.

"It's okay,' I assured him, smiling as I tried to scrunch my shoulders to make it harder for Gopher to torture the already sensitive flesh.

Still frowning, he grumbled softly, "Have to share."

Patting Gopher, I motioned for him to sit up.

Holding my arms up, fingers wriggling, I got one look at the mess we'd all made as Gopher reluctantly slipped free of me and it uncorked an even bigger mess to rival what Odix and I had accomplished, and I cringed. "You sure you want to snuggle up with me right now, big bad Griz? It's a bit…" How did I put this? "Sticky."

Odix was on me, scooping me up to cuddle me in his lap. I made an ew sound as he sat right in the wet spot.

"You're going to be getting a lot of funny looks if that shame of dust concoction fails or a super sniffer catches a whiff of you," I pointed out with a cackle.

Odix just shrugged. "No mind."

"Worf it," Gopher muttered, wetting two cloths and tossing one at me and Odix.

Odix caught it and would have just yanked my legs spread eagle and started to swab my deck if I didn't snatch the cloth from him, wriggle from his arms, and stand to take care of business myself.

"So… any other plans for today?" Small talk like this wasn't my forte but I wasn't averse to spending the rest of my down time with either of these two.

"Ready for hunt," Odix grunted out, not catching on I was inviting him to stay if he wanted to.

Gopher's eyes widened comically as he gave Odix a funny look.

Odix frowned, staring at him curiously. "Go' eyes funny. What wrong?"

"Nothing," Gopher huffed out, flat out scowling at this point.

"We could have a movie night- well, day and maybe into night, but you know what I mean." My hand lifted to wave. I was trying to be casual, cool.

My stomach dropped when Gopher hesitated at the invite. "You know what, it's okay. I've got stuff to do too. I just thought it would be kinda fun. No big."

Busying myself getting dressed, I gave them my back as I quickly changed my clothes. Avoiding eye contact with Gopher, more or less waiting for them to leave, I shooed Odix off the bed and pulled the comforter free to give it a quick spot clean for now, and cleared the table to hang it over it to dry.

Gopher dragged Odix to a corner while I worked, the pair quietly grumbling at each other in their language.

Snapping my fingers, I made a noise. "You know what, I totally forgot I had something to do!"

Going to grab my boots, Odix walked over and closed his hand around mine over them. "Broken," he rumbled out softly.

"I'll wear two pairs of socks. It'll be fine for now," I assured him. Reaching out with my free hand, I gave him a pat that might've come across as patronizing.

Frowning down at me, he slowly lifted his hand away.

"Jo?" he rumbled out softly as I slipped on several sweaters and my favorite hoodie in lieu of my coat, and then snatched up my sewing basket and purse.

Looking to him askance, his brow knit with confusion as he glanced from me to the awkwardly squirming male beside him. "Jo ‘kay?"

"Yeah. Fine. Peachy." My hand lifted and I flicked my wrist on my way past them out the door.

Gopher's eyes looked a little buggy at that but I was lost as to how.

Gopher hissed something at Odix that had the large male clearing his throat as he followed me out. "No… no go Rek's, yes?"

Something like a curse left Gopher.

"Scuse me?" Turning towards him, my eyes narrowed shrewdly.

Odix grunted and shook his head.

"Huh?" My lips pursed, claws tapping unhappily across my basket handle.

"No thing. No thing!" Gopher growl-hissed at him. "Say no thing!"

"No thing?" Odix repeated stupidly, looking so confused it was sad.

With a long, measuring look, I muttered that I hoped he and Gopher had a nice trip and left, walking stiffly away from them.

The stream of curses erupting from Gopher's lips followed me as I hurried off.

No real plan or place to go in mind, I thought of someone who wouldn't necessarily mind my company and headed that way.

???

E yeing the pile of mud and muck and god knows what all else he was using to mix up some nasty in a large hole in the ground, I set my things down and rolled my sleeves up.

Doogie glanced up at me in surprise.

"Your mama said you were out here." Hands on my hips, I gave a low whistle. "Nice place you've got here. It's… airy."

Doogie snorted at me but motioned me over, just as I'd expected.

"So how come you aren't going on the hunt?" I asked as he handed me a large metal trowel looking thing and pointed at the sandy muddy stuff he was mixing up. "If I break a nail, I'm painting your toes in your sleep."

"Catch me sleeps first," he quipped, then got started smearing gunk all over one of the outer walls. "Not hunter," he rumbled out finally, walking over to check my work.

"What's the real reason why?" I prompted, catching something off in his voice.

"No want leave mama ‘lone. More protection village."

I could understand that. He was worried as most of his brothers and dads would be off on the hunt.

"What do you tell everyone when they ask why you aren't going?" Lifting the trowel from the gunk, I stood and would have walked out of the middle of his project to find a spot off to the side to watch and comment if he didn't immediately give me another job.

Ugh. The things I do to avoid others.

"What say I not say?" he grunted out.

"Because they think you simply don't care, not that you're worried or anxious about leaving a loved one unprotected. Those are two entirely different things."

"Jo tell?" Doogie's eyes narrowed.

I laughed at his attempt to intimidate me. That ship has sailed, honey. My hand lifted and I flapped it at him. "I coulda blabbed about a lot of things a long time ago. Cottontail crushin', for instance, but did I?"

"No." He let out a loud grunt.

"Exactly." A beat passed. "For a very observant lot, you all sure do miss some of the important things sometimes," I muttered.

I had to laugh when he motioned for me to grab something, I wasn't sure what, and bring the bricks he was having me shape and set over the coals to him. Those were hot as shit. Was he mad?! They couldn't possibly have cooked, baked, whatevered, long enough.

Sure enough, he grabbed one with the large spatula and set it into place. It hissed as it sank into the sandy muck but looked good and stuck as it cooled.

This isn't Earth, I had to keep reminding myself. I'm on a weird, alien world I now call home. It's allowed to defy my limited human world logic.

"That almost smells like… cookies. Kinda sweet and a little… nutmeg-y." My gaze darted from the muck to the bricks.

"No eat it. Not good," Doogie warned.

My gaze continued to dart from the bricks to the muck. I couldn't believe I was seriously about to say this but it actually looked kinda fun.

"Can I try?" I blurted, to a surprised look from Doogie.

"Jo want help build Doogie's house?"

My shoulders lifted in a shrug as I held my hand out for the spatula. "Yeah. Why not?"

His head tilted as one of his eyebrows quirked.

"Smell me, bitch, I ain't lyin'," I huffed impatiently.

Doogie sniffed once, grimaced, sneezed, then laughed.

"What?" I muttered, but he just laughed, motioned me over, lips quirking, unwilling to let me in on the joke, and walked me through what to do.

???

S everal hours later, I felt like one of those people on those hands on design shows. "It's perfect," I muttered, eyeing our handiwork.

"Too big," Doogie mumbled skeptically.

Holding my hands up, framing the bones of his house with my fingers, I gave a loud chuff. "Don't poop on my vision, mud boy."

"Muds boy?" Doogie laughed, making sure to clap me on the back with a muddy hand.

"Ugh! Foul!" Following him over to the rinse bucket he had ready, I washed my tools, then my hands. I hadn't realized how late it had gotten. I'd been too busy insisting any woman he drags home is going to need a kitchen area big enough for a stove. Do not skimp and just have the fireplace, man! Give that woman the stove she deserves! The spot for the stove was perfect. His future missus could thank me later. And now he had two extra rooms for when the nieces and nephews he was going to godmother me into arrived. Whenever that was.

Men. Pfft.

He'd have been happy with a bed and small water closet for future indoor shitter. NO. Just… no.

"Odix… ask Doogie look out for Jo when him's gone on hunt…" Doogie let the words trail off.

Pretending I wasn't feeling cornered, I lifted my shoulder in a nonchalant shrug. "Oh? That was nice of him. After that stupidity at Daisy's dinner party, I'm not surprised."

"Jo… likes Odix…"

If that was supposed to be a question, it didn't sound like one. Lifting the wet trowel, I pointed it at him. "What do you know and what aren't you saying?" I barked at him. More importantly, "Who have you told?"

Doogie's hands shot up but his grin was unrepentant. "No say thing no one. Not Doogie's to tell."

"Really?" My glare hardened. "Because you don't strike me as the keep it to themselves for long type."

"You Kooky know you… cuddle Odix?"

My eyes widened as my nostrils flared. "What business is it of his? He doesn't own me."

Doogie didn't know what to say to that. His mouth moved, hand lifting, but he just kept flapping his gums like a fish out of water.

"Next time before you ask a woman something, I want you to pretend it's one of your mother's mates asking her that, and if you think she'd brain them for it, maybe don't ask it!" Chucking the trowel at his feet, I collected my things and left.

"No go mad, Jo!" Doogie called after me.

"Not mad. Just prickly and feeling poked, prudence!" I tossed back.

"Pru-dence?" he muttered in confusion. "What prudence mean, talk making babies Odix?"

My cheeks reddened as I wondered just how many folks had heard that one. We were far enough out, hopefully none.

"Hey! Where go?! Mama makes tubers and sloppy meats! Comes back! Doogie no mean it! Puts foots in mouth!"

"I'm tired," I lied, waving him off. "Send my best to Dorothy!"

"Jo… Jo no tell Jo's Kooky, yes?"

He was worried I was going to tattle to his uncle? "Not unless you bring it up again."

"Doogie shuts lips," he swore.

Walking the back way, behind hunts, instead of through the center, right through the market place, I bumped into one of the males who'd meeting-ambushed me.

"Oh, hey. Cogomi, right?"

Cogomi nodded his head vigorously, clasping his arm with mine, so we were each gripping the others forearm, like they'd shown me comrades in arms did. I supposed we were kinda like comrades in arms. War buddies. Love is war. Love is hell. A snort sounded in my head. Love is effing complicated.

"Jo know next meet? Movie night?" Cogomi asked.

"Oh, uh, I hadn't thought about it." It was the farthest thing from my mind right now, actually.

"Gone on hunt, next movie night come," he pointed out.

"Uhm, do you all want another meeting thingy before?" I blurted.

"Jes!" The male was surprisingly enthusiastic about the idea of telling me how he screwed up, getting mocked for it, then receiving suggestions on how he might remedy his fuck up. Pfft. Maybe I should attend my own meetings.

"It doesn't have to be a night meeting. Right after midday, day before the hunt kicks off?" I suggested.

"Cogomi be there," he enthused, offering me one more forearm handshake before hurrying off.

Huh. Go figure. I'm a Yeti love guru.

It took me longer than usual to get back home but the walk cleared my head. It did nothing to save my fingers from feeling frozen or my messed up boot from letting wetness seep in, but I wasn't in the mood to complain.

A smirk of a smile tipped my lips as I spied two hearth pots with lids on them, steaming beside my front door.

"Jo loves Doogie now, too? Him not good male. Jojoknee no want him." Rek huffed and puffed behind me like a good little pain in my ass sneaking up on me.

"I'm not into Doogie. We're… friends, kinda. Frenemies." Shaking my head, wondering why I was taking the time to explain myself to him, I opened my door, dropped my things off inside, and would have gone out for the pots if Rek hadn't scooped them up and brought them inside himself.

"I could have done that," I muttered drolly. Standing by the door, I motioned for him to make his way out.

Rek chose to set the pots on the table and lift the lids. He took one sniff and grabbed two plates and bowls.

Looking over at me like he hadn't been a gigantic asshole, he grunted out, "Jo want tea?"

"Jo wants you to get out of her hut," I gritted out, feeling very short tempered with him right now.

"Rek want tea," he muttered, putting a pot on.

"Are you deaf? I asked you to leave," I called out a little louder.

Sniffing the teas, he caught a hint of something, stilled, a snarl filled him, but then he shook himself out like a damned wet dog, his snarl tapered off, and he lifted shaking fingers to reach for one of the containers of tea.

"Fine. I'll fucking leave!" I snapped, grabbing up my purse to march out the door.

Slamming the door behind me, I stood outside, seething. Honestly, where the fuck was there for me to really go?

It would be too weird to just show up at Dorothy's. It would be obvious something was up. Things had grown awkward with Gopher and Odix earlier, fast, and they had the hunt to prepare for. Boog and Khri and Mal were honeymooning. Rosa would totally be wrangling kids at this hour and this close to bedtime it felt kinda intrusive. Standing there shuffling from foot to foot, I fumbled as to what my next step should be.

Turning around to eye my door, a thought occurred to me. It wasn't the best thought but…

Stalking off towards a certain sock monkey's recently renovated abode, I was a bit shocked it opened right up. He hadn't even bothered to lock it?

The door creaked as I stood there in the doorway, hesitating. Did I dare?

When it came down to it, I found I couldn't.

There was already so much going on between us, I just couldn't add fuel to the fire, or the rumors already possibly circulating about us no thanks to him.

Closing the door, I grabbed a few pine needles from the tree in his backyard and swept them over my tracks.

My gaze kept darting to that stump out back.

It was still our lil love shack, wasn't it? That made me partial owner.

I'd just pop down there for a minute. Eat, a quick dip in the hot springs pools, then I'd be off.

Bending to feel around for the stump latch, I jerked back and tumbled to my ass as a large shadow fell over me.

"What the fuck do you want?" I snapped at Bum-bum as he loomed over me, silent and frowny faced.

Dipping down, the fool grabbed my arm and slipped it over his shoulder, the rest of me swiftly following, and then straightened and started walking off with me hanging over his shoulder, like I was just going to go quietly into the night or some shit.

"Hey! What the fuck, asshole?! What happened to all that no want bullshit, huh? I no want you either!"

My shrieks went unanswered. My legs kicked at him and my hands beat his back, but he pinned my legs and took the pummeling to his back with ease.

As we drew closer to tightly clustered huts, he slid me down his chest, chest rumbling with the action, and easily clamped his hand over my mouth. He just kept walking, the image we presented reminding me a of a toddler throwing a tantrum in the middle of a store, sans the hand over the mouth thing, while their parent just calmly carried on.

My teeth sank into hard, calloused flesh. I tasted blood. Not even a wince!

Realizing there was no fucking point to any of this and, frankly, I already had a monster cramp in my ass and a hitch in my side, I slumped down defeatedly.

His purr of approval at my acquiescence had me shooting daggers at him.

Like there was no fuckery abound, he walked to his place, setting me down right in front of it to pop inside. Returning just as I started to run off, he grabbed me up by my hoodie, jerking me back to him to watch as I tumbled to my ass. "Fucker," I muttered, glaring at him as his eyes glinted off the light peeking in from inside his little hut.

Without a word, he shoved a long, wooden box at me.

It was either take it or drop it. My automatic reaction was to catch it and curl my fingers around it protectively.

"What the fuck is this? A sword?" I muttered skeptically.

Without a single fucking word, he stepped back inside his place and shut the door on my stunned face. A growl left me as I heard him turn the lock.

"What the hell is this?!" I shouted at the door.

A peek inside didn't tell me much in this lighting. It was too dark out here. Lugging that stupid thing all the way back to my place, cursing his weirdness to the other side of the village and back, I scowled at my door, paused in front of it for the longest time, but my hand finally reached out for the handle.

Like this nightmare just wouldn't end, Rek opened the door.

As if we had some sort of preplanned date, he grumbled, "You leave. It late. Where Jojo go?"

"Suck my left titty," I muttered, shoving past him to dump that stupid box onto the table with a thud that rattled the two place settings. Tea ready, food plated, it all sat there untouched. The fool had actually waited for me. My gaze darted from him to the table. "You're mental!"

Rek closed the door and retook his seat.

Ignoring him, I slipped out of my boots, paused to realize the blanket was back on the bed because at some point he'd remade my fucking bed, and peeled off my hoodie and several sweater layers.

"What this?" His utensil lifted to point at it.

"I don't know." My hand waved at it airily as I mentally said fuck it and took a seat. The food wasn't hot but it was good. "Bum-bum kidnapped me and dragged me to his house to shove it at me and lock me out." Thinking it over as I ate, I shrugged. "He's weird. Maybe it's an I don't want to mess with you anymore gift."

Rek glanced curiously from the box to me. "Joansie no want… see?"

Another shrug, another shovel of food. "Not really."

Rek stood, fiddled with the lid until it slid to the side and popped free. An unnerved grunt left him as he got a good look at what was inside.

"A weapon?" I guessed.

Scowling down at the contents, Rek muttered, "Jojoknee no need another Bob. Jojoanie plenty dicks already."

"You're a dick," I muttered, ignoring his growl as I joined him at the box. "That's not a-" Oh, it sure was. Lifting it up, I gaped at a blue and white swirls patterned replica of Bum-bum's monster peen. "What does he want me to do with that?!"

"Diddle self and think of Joansie many seemkret boydfriends she has," Rek muttered petulantly.

Two handing it, I waggled it at him like a bat. "Say that again, louder."

Rek shuffled back a few steps, grunting uncomfortably.

"That's what I thought." A sniff left me. "Get out." Pointing that monster towards the door, I jerked my chin.

"Rek leave. Hunt," he grunted out, suddenly having trouble making eye contact with me.

"So?" Adding fuel to the fire, I snarked, "I'll be so busy with all my other secret boyfriends you seem to think I have, and their dicks, who says I'll have time to mess with you?"

"Rek… Rek still Joanie- Joanie still want- Jo-"

Sighing defeatedly, my shoulders slumped and the peen I was wielding like a baton lowered towards the floor. "I'm mad at you, and there's a very real possibility that you will never learn."

"No want Jo keep Odix… Gopher, you Kooky," he grumbled. "Odix say him first." Glaring at the floor, trembling with anger, he growled, "Odix not first. Rek first."

"I said he could be first. He actually asked me." I kept my voice cool, calm. Rek was in a mood and I really didn't want to fight with him. There was no point in reminding him Kooky and I weren't really an item, as I'd previously told him. He was beyond reasoning with.

Rek's fist slammed down on my table so hard a chunk of the wood on the corner broke off. "Say be Rek's. Do Rek say," he demanded of me.

Clapping the monster dick into my hand, I dared him to stomp closer to me, just fucking try me. "I think you need to leave."

"Rek leave! Rek no come back! Joansie see! Want Rek, come back to Rek, say she miss Rek! Rek say no!" Storming out of my place, he let out an ungodly sound somewhere between a howl and a roar.

I suppose we'd just officially-officially-for-real-for-real broken up. Clearing my throat, wiping my eyes on my sleeve, I walked outside, toting that big blue swirling monstrosity to the river's edge, and dumped it right inside.

Dusting my hands off, I calmly walked back.

My face screwed up as I put one foot in front of the other but I forced it to straighten out.

Rek wasn't going to change. I had to accept that.

I had something a little closer to normal with Gopher and Odix. They weren't as pushy, and didn't seem to mind my quirks.

I had my friendship with Rosa and Mal, and Doogie and Kooky.

It wasn't perfect but it was enough, I told myself. I didn't need Rek. Nope. I didn't.

That stupid lump in my chest thought it did, but time, I was sure, would eventually prove it wrong.