Chapter 49

W aking up the morning after a night of wild and crazy, I gave a big, slow, lazy stretch, not only finding myself absent of a single ache or pain, but completely alone in the bed.

Blinking my eyes open, I sat up, got one look at the night dress I was wearing, the fat rock on my right ring finger, joining the ring Rek had given me previously, and frowned.

Calling this… exquisiteness a night dress was an insult. It wasn't revealing but didn't exactly hide anything. Celuk, I assumed, from the trademark shade of dark blue. I felt like I'd slept in a low cut princess gown. The material was breathable, warm, and soft as silk. I'd never seen anything quite like this before.

"She wake!" Rek called out down the hall. He sounded like he was speaking with something in his mouth.

My gaze kept going to the comfortably snug bodice of my nightgown and that insane rock on my finger. I lifted my hand and turned that sparkly motherfucker this way and that. Holy shit wow.

"Think she see? Find?" someone whispered.

"Shhh. Let see!"

"Dig in boobs!" Rek called out louder.

Jeh-kal made a noise that to me said he wanted Rek to shut it.

"Bossy," Rek growled right back.

Celuk's soft laughter had them both knocking it off.

"Dig in my boobs?" I mumbled, glancing down as my fingertips ran along the small, delicate chain necklace I felt encircling my neck. Digging in my boobs, as he'd so crudely but aptly suggested, my mouth dropped open and my eyeballs nearly popped out of my head as I pulled out an even bigger jewel dangling from the end of that chain. Bright green, bordering on a shocking lime, that rock was hella huge. Rek's eyes.

Lifting my hand, I noted the veins of grey in the blue rock shimmering on my hand.

"One more!" Rek garbled out, his voice sounding muffled. "Stupid Patrol has- Argh!"

"Jeh-kal say it!" Jeh-kal grumbled.

Shaking my head, I stood and glanced around. My clothes from last night were notably absent.

My feet curled in the thick rug beneath my feet. "One of you wouldn't happen to have my slippers or a pair of my socks lying around, would you? Or a robe?"

Jeh-kal growled, then Rek burst in with, "Rek get!"

A series of loud thuds issued, and a growled out warning from Celuk. "No run!"

"Rek no run!" Rek barked back, yet sounded like that's exactly what he was doing.

"There's no hurry," I pointed out, glancing around for something to cover up with. A small, secretly pleased smile tipped my lips as I noted all of my mating pelts on the bed. Even the fugly burnt up mess that was left of Rek's mating pelt. Of course that asshole had unearthed it, cleaned it, and from the looks of it even patched it up.

Knowing I couldn't wear all of them but if I wore one and not the others I risked upsetting one of them, I grabbed Jeh-kal and Rek's pelts to slip on over my shoulders, and carried Celuk's out to place in my lap when I sat down.

I felt like crazy, half feral, primitive Yeti bride royalty walking out dripping in sparklies, dressed like a queen, Jeh-kal's supersized pelt trailing behind me like a cape.

It was even stranger trying to use the bathroom dressed like this. One peek in the mirror and I laughed. I looked ridiculous and gave zero shits about it. Joanie the Glamazon was back and looking fab-u-lous.

Twin purrs rumbled to life the second I entered the room.

Celuk sat in a wide, overstuffed chair, examining one of my books. Jeh-kal was sprawled out along one of the enormous couch-loungers, that's how I thought of that monstrous piece of furniture fit for a beast his size. They looked quite cozy.

A half-eaten meal sat on the table, the eating utensil for it half way across the other side of the table in its discarder's haste.

The first thing that hit me was the smell of fresh bread. My mouth fairly watered.

"Rek find!" Rek bellowed, rushing in with his arms full of my slippers and what looked like every single pair of socks I owned.

"Easy," Celuk rumbled out softly to Rek without taking his eyes off of me. Closing the book he was reading, he placed it on the shelf and stood to make his way over to me.

Jeh-kal sat up and did the same.

Before I knew it I was surrounded by them, Rek in the lead.

"Sit," Rek insisted, waiting until I complied to dump my socks and slippers at my feet and kneel right there in front of me to start going through them.

"Any pair is fine," I started to say, but Rek grumbled under his breath, "Need be perfect."

Allowing him a moment to that insanity, Jeh-kal leaned over him to offer me a forehead nuzzle, a kiss that had Rek grumbling at him it was too long, to which Celuk reached out and tapped Rek once on the shoulder.

Like fucking magic, Rek grunted and got back to his sock sorting.

Jeh-kal straightened to his towering height when he was done, rumbled something at Rek that had him shaking his head, then batting Jeh-kal's hands away when Jeh-kal reached out to ruffle Rek's hair.

"Rek not baby," Rek grumbled.

"No, Rek not baby. Rek prinnedcess," Celuk teased, right before coming up to my side to take Rek's spot along the long bench table, and cuddle right up against me. Peppering small kisses along my neck, he rubbed my belly.

"Warm?" he purred.

"Yes, thank you." Turning, I offered him my lips, smiling as he took them with a soft growl.

"Feet be warm, too… Jo' bride stops ‘stracting Rek saying silly things," Rek muttered under his breath as he studied the pile of socks critically.

Celuk broke our kiss so he wasn't flat out laughing in my face, at Rek.

Holding a hand out, I waited for Rek to take it, urging him to get up off the floor and join me. He looked a lot better today. There was color to his cheeks and they looked more filled out than last night.

Glancing from his bowed head to his half eaten plate of food curiously, I gave a quick sniff and then immediately regretted it.

My hand clapped over my mouth as bile rose. Squeezing my eyes shut tight, focusing on breathing, nice deep, even breaths, the urge to puke slowly dissipated. It wasn't even like anything was wrong with his food. In fact, it all looked really good. I just happened to get a nose full of cooked eggs and my body said HELL NO.

When I opened my eyes again, the plate had magically disappeared.

Jeh-kal stood at the kitchen counter with his back to me, placing another plate, upside down, over Rek's food, then placing it in one of those fancy warming bins I'd seen at Dorothy's place before.

Jeh-kal glanced towards me from over his shoulder. "Goot?" he asked.

Nodding, I realized I had three sets of eyes laser focused on me and blushed. Why was puking or almost puking so damn embarrassing to me? Whatever. Fake it ‘til you make it, honey. Isn't that what I'm always telling myself?

"Jo wants tea?" Jeh-kal asked.

"Tummy tea and toast, no butters," Rek muttered under his breath as he held up a blue pair of socks with funky cats all over them and a black pair covered in chili peppers that read, "Spicy".

"What if I wanted butter on my toast?" I asked lightly.

Rek snorted and glanced up. Why did it amuse me so much that he chose the spicy socks? His lips slowly curved upward as if this too amused him greatly. "Jojomine wants butter on toast?"

Blech. Not really. Swallowing the bile rising in my throat at the thought, I shook my head.

Lifting the skirt of my pretty-pretty princess nightgown, Rek leaned in and playfully raked his fangs down my knee.

A sharp burst of raucous giggles pealed out of me as I slapped him away, but it was too late.

Jeh-kal and Celuk froze in place. Celuk paused in filling a cup with the pitcher of water on the table for me and leaned over me, curious as to what Rek had done to produce such results. Jeh-kal too completely abandoned what he was doing in favor of this new discovery.

"You bastard!" I gasped out, gaping down at Rek as he quickly stuffed my foot into a spicy sock. "You swore you'd never tell anyone!"

Putting on my last sock, Rek rolled away from me with a grin. "Rek no say nothing!" His grin was boyish, unrepentant, and I wanted to slap it right off of him and then kiss it back on. This. This was what I'd missed— the fun, playful side of him he'd only ever shown me before— the side of him I'd wished he'd let others see.

"Snitches get stitches!" I barked at him. Grabbing one of the abandoned socks at my feet, I chucked it at him.

Rek laughed and dipped behind the coffee table in front of Jeh-kal's L-shaped, supersized couch lounger.

"What the hell are you two feeding him?" I huffed and puffed as Celuk set my mug of water in front of me and wrapped his arms around me.

I had a sneaking suspicion Celuk was trying to make sure I didn't pop up and chase after Rek to brain him with a sock. I hadn't planned on it but, taking it easy notwithstanding, the idea held merit.

A deep rumble issued from Jeh-kal, who had turned back towards the toast he was working on.

Celuk's purr cut off, almost as if he'd suddenly choked on his own saliva.

Rek's face turned a funny shade and his mouth turned into a funny little o just shy of a pucker.

What the hell was I missing?

"Jeh-kal and Celuk not," Jeh-kal started to rumble.

Whatever he was going to say was cut off by the single courtesy bang on Rek's front door before Rosa started demanding to be let in and see me or she was going to stand out there screaming at the top of her lungs until she found a way in.

"Weird way to say she missed me but okay," I muttered, ignoring Celuk stating he'd answer the door as I popped up and rushed the door before he realized what I was doing and snapped out of the funny stupor he was in, to think to try and stop me.

Throwing the door open, I practically threw myself at my cousin.

She was still mid rant. My ear rang from the shouting it got as I clutched her to me. "Oh my god!" I babbled. "I missed you so much! I was so scared I was never going to see you again!"

I was already blubbering, squeezing the fuck out of her.

"Careful!" Rek snapped. "My Jojomine frag-jee-lay!"

Pulling back, swiping at her eyes as she fought to stave off a mad case of the weepies, she glanced from me to him pointedly. "Frag-jee-lay?"

"Baby. Girl," Celuk rumbled out.

Jeh-kal's lips were shut tight, muffling the warning rumble that matched the narrow-eyed stare he was giving Rosa.

Noyel stood behind her, his hand on her back comfortingly but the look on his face and the way his fur was all puffed up said he didn't care how big Jeh-kal was, if he touched his mate there'd be hell to pay.

Rosa's mouth dropped open and she sputtered for a moment. "I- You're- A baby?! OH- Oh, Joanie- Oh- Oh my god- I-"

Grinning, I reeled her back in. It felt so fucking good to see this bitch again. "Just hug me, woman."

Rosa trembled in my arms. I felt myself tearing up the moment the first soft sob shook her body.

I knew part of that shock was my new appearance— my fucked up face was kinda hard to miss— but the more it happened, the easier it was getting for me to dismiss. Or that was the shock, I supposed? Either way, I couldn't do anything to fix it. This was the new me.

"Are- Are you okay?" she whispered.

"I'm home." Pulling back to hold her at arm's length, get a good look at her, I gave her a little squeeze. She had dark circles under her eyes. I'd wager this wasn't the first time she'd cried today. If our reunion was any way to gauge things, it certainly wouldn't be the last.

"Do you- Do you know who the father is?" Rosa blurted.

As if she'd just realized what she'd said, how I could have taken it, versus what she'd actually intended— meaning, she meant which one of my guys before it had occurred to her that it might actually not be any of theirs at all, Celuk answered before anyone else could, "Mine. Jeh-kal's. Odix', Gopher's, Rek's, our Jo's Buu's."

"Buu?" Rosa blurted, looking both relieved and confused.

"Buu Jo' Yowie," Jeh-kal supplied.

Noyel's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "A Yowie? You're certain? Mama left that part out."

Rosa glanced up at Noyel sharply. "You mean you knew she was pregnant? And you didn't tell me?"

"Mama informed me, quite convincingly, in my defense, that it wasn't my place to say anything." Noyel cleared his throat repeatedly. Were he wearing a shirt with a collar, he'd be tugging at it right now nervously.

Rosa shook her head at him but let it go. Immediately, her focus was back on me. "I came by last night," another pointed look at Noyel, "as soon as I heard, but Celuk said you were, uh- erm," Rosa blushed as she hurriedly finished, "that it had been a long journey and that you all were, uh, getting ready for bed." Eyeing me, she smiled in relief. "You look good." Hugging me to her yet again, she whispered, "I'm so glad you're okay, and now you're home."

"Me, too." Hugging her to me, I rested my chin on her shoulder for a moment.

A tiny kick had us breaking apart to stare down at my belly.

"I felt that!" Rosa exclaimed excitedly. "Has she been very active?"

"That's a first like that," I whispered, staring down at my stomach.

Rek dropped the pair of socks in his hand, the very pair I'd thrown at him, and scrambled to beat Celuk and Jeh-kal to me.

Rek was doing better, for sure, but he wasn't even close to one hundred percent.

Celuk beat the others out. Noyel quickly picked Rosa up and set her behind him as Celuk dropped down to place his hands below mine.

Rek squeezed his hand in beside ours, and Jeh-kal brought up the rear, content to let them outrun him as long as he got to join in. His hand landed on the other side of mine and Celuk's.

A grin stole over my face as they all leaned in, eyeing my belly hopefully.

"Excuse me, ma'am, but you've got an audience," I joked to my stomach.

"Kirch is going to be so jealous when he hears," Rosa chuckled out as she peered at us from around Noyel.

"Kirch know," Celuk grunted out.

"My Jojomine's baby," Rek grumbled. "Kirch have to give baby back to my Jojomine. No' keep."

"Oh, I didn't mean- Of course he has to give the baby back. I- Am I the last to know?" Rosa spluttered.

"No," Jeh-kal grunted out, his gaze never leaving my belly.

"How are the kids doing?" I asked Rosa, as if I didn't have my belly covered with hands ready to feel a kick and she wasn't looking a wee bit put out to be so far down on the baby news list.

"We tried to keep what happened from them as long as possible," Rosa kept starting and stopping. "We- We were hoping to hear good news first, you know, before we said anything, but news travels fast, people talk, sometimes within earshot of little inhuman hearing ears. After it hit a month, we had to tell them. The boys didn't quite understand what was going on. Kehko took it the hardest." Rosa was tearing up again. Noyel wrapped an arm around her, tucked her into his side, and placed a kiss to the top of her head.

"I'd like to see them soon," I croaked out, fighting not to get all emotional on her ass as she tried to do the same for me.

"They'll love that." Rosa nodded, her throat working convulsively.

A small kick tapped Celuk's hand. Celuk let out a surprised little, "Hoh," and moved his hand for someone else to have a turn.

Rek greedily placed his hand over the spot, shooting Jeh-kal a warning look.

Jeh-kal bared his teeth at him, a silent snarl, but let him have his way.

"Rek turn," Rek grumbled, though he glanced away. His free hand fiddled with the hem of my nightgown. Muffling a grumble in his throat, he slid his hand over a little to make room for Jeh-kal.

"Jeh-kal no make, but Jeh-kal baby, too," he grumbled.

Rek wriggled his nose, his face scrunching up as he gave Jeh-kal a funny look. "Rek no make neither. Why say silly things? Rek no care who make. Baby Rek's, all same."

Jeh-kal stared at him unblinkingly. "Hit face too hard, last sleep-fall?" he grunted out.

"Sleep fall?" What in the world were they talking about.

"Rek better," Rek grumbled, cupping his free hand over his nose protectively.

My gaze darted between them. I was so fucking lost.

"Rek was really, uh… feeling under the weather," Rosa mumbled diplomatically, instead of calling Rek weak, "and he passed out a few times. Mashed his face pretty good that last time," she admitted with a wince. "I heard he lost some of his sense of smell…"

"Bad. Crooked. Like this." Celuk mimed a horribly broken schnoz. "Snore LOUD ‘til Lukar fix," Celuk playfully added, giving Rek a look that dared him to argue the fact.

Rek ran his fingers down the bridge of his nose. "Not crook-ed now. Lukar fix good."

"Not smell goot, not know Rek make baby," Jeh-kal pointed out.

"Beg pardon?" I blurted, gaping down at them. Rek made the baby? Was I hearing him right?

Celuk grumbled something at Jeh-kal as Rek and I stared at him, stunned stupid.

"Rek make?" Rek's voice shook as he lifted his hand to place the side of his face to my belly.

Jeh-kal had a Fuck, I messed up look on his mug.

Slowly, Rek's arms wove around my waist. Turning his face away from Rosa and Noyel's view, he shook as he clutched me to him. "Rek make," he repeated, his voice cracking as his shoulders shook. "Rek make…"

Rosa glanced from Rek to me, her brow furrowed in confusion. Maybe this is a bad time. Sorry. We'll come back later. Love you , she mouthed.

The second the door was closed behind them, Jeh-kal became King Jabberjaw. "Jo say like Buu make baby. Smell Rek make baby. Not know how say to Jo, no' hurt Jo. No' know how Jo take."

He was babbling, garbling the words into one big, long sentence.

"It woulda been bad timing, Buu ditching me and then you telling me the baby wasn't his. I agree." Nodding along absently, I brushed my fingers through Rek's hair comfortingly. This was Rek and my baby. I could scarcely believe it.

"Rek ‘kay?" Jeh-kal asked, eyeing Rek's shaking form.

Loud sniffles sounded from my side, Rek's face hidden in his arm. "Rek happy," he burst out, then sniffed louder.

Jeh-kal looked like he didn't believe him. Reaching out, he patted Rek on the back. "Still have to share," he grumbled to Rek. "Jeh-kal no care who make. Still Jeh-kal baby, too." After a minute, he added, "No have share with Kirch."

Rek grunted in agreement.

I couldn't help but laugh listening to them. Glancing up, I met Celuk's gaze and smiled.

He closed the distance between us, leaning over the beasts at our feet to kiss me senseless.

"Heeello nurse," I breathed.

"What nurse?" Jeh-kal asked Rek quietly.

"See in my Jojo movies. Mean, like dog-tors. Jab-jabs. Pokes, hurt with needles. Not nice. Say can't do things. Make take bad medicine and lock in rooms," Rek softly replied. "Rek watch, have bad dreams."

Breaking Celuk's kiss, I stared down between us at the softly talking pair. "What the hell movies have you been watching on my tablet? Horror? I warned you about those!" I burst out. If you've hit my scif fi horror section and you're a too literal furball, you've officially gone too far. Had I not warned Rek about those multiple times?! Too many times to count, in fact. He acted like I had some kind of secret I was unwilling to share when it came to those but dropped it every time he said he wanted to watch them and I insisted he really wouldn't like them.

"Bad one," Rek grunted out. Shaking his head at Jeh-kal, he warned him, "Rek show Jeh-kal movie pictures square. No watch ho-rawrs. Jojomine say no watch them, Rek no like, but Rek want see, want feel close my Jojojmine she no' here, Rek no' listen. No feel close. Feel scared, sad, worried big head beasts take my Jojo. Sneak sleep in ‘Luk room."

Jeh-kal frowned but nodded. "Jeh-kal no want watch hello nurses and bad dog-tors. Not sound goot. No want need sneak sleep in Celuk room."

"Seriously, how many did you watch?" I spluttered.

A short grunt left Rek. "One all way..." His nose wrinkled in distaste. "Rek no need see more. Bad. Not nice. Not good movie. Why my Jojomine has the bad movies like that?"

"What freakin' movie?!" I spluttered.

"One with bad beasts like this," Rek paused to mime the shape of the creatures he was talking about, "in bad hut in sky. Humans mean, each other, mean to beasts. Beasts get out, kill all the humans, even good ones." Rek shuddered. "No want those here. Bad, like Krampus. No want long head beasts hurt my Jojomine. Like big head cuked-clumbers. Rek happy we not have sky huts and bad hello-nurse dog-tors and cluked-clumber heads. Humans need empty sky huts and stay empty."

"Did you watch the whole thing? How far down that rabbit hole did you go? I told you, if I call it horror, it's not for you." What other odds and ends would crop up from this?! "None of that is real. It's just make believe. It's supposed to scare you."

"How know not real?" Rek argued. "Humans think Lo denaii not real."

He had a point but… "It's not the same," I insisted.

Celuk chuckled softly at the vehemence in my voice.

"They aren't!" I sputtered belligerently.

The look Rek and Jeh-kal exchanged said they'd let me believe what I wished. UGH! "They are people in those suits!" I burst out.

"That what Rosa say, Celuk tell Noyel ask Rosa when Rek have bad night scares from it. Rek tell Kirch, Kirch say him Mina says also not real. Made up for mates to cuddle and kiss when they watch." Blue-grey eyes fanned over me appreciatively. "Celuk watch big head beast movie, hold my Jo she gets scared," my blue-grey eyed admirer purred.

"NO!" Rek burst out, scrambling to get between us. He moved too fast, wobbling in place as he shook like a leaf. "Jojomine no watch bad movie, have night scares like Rek!"

"I- Uhm, I don't have nightmares from those movies. They're fun for me, nostalgic, too old school really for me to be scared from it. The biggest thing for me is forgetting and jumping from the pop-outs, but that's about it. I've watched them so many times that rarely happens." Snuggling up behind Rek as he stood between me and Celuk, ignoring Jeh-kal's grumbles about Rek shoving his junk in his face as he rolled to his feet to stand with us and Celuk's warning growl that Rek had pushed in between us, I pressed a kiss to Rek's back, right between his trembling shoulder blades, and wrapped my arms around him tight. "We don't have to watch those together, okay? I'll save that for a movie night with just me and Celuk. Like the ones we used to have, just me and you, remember? Only happy movies."

"No have bad dreams?" Rek mumbled worriedly.

"I won't," I swore. I'd lived my own nightmare. Kinda hard to top that. Those movies would probably be laughable to me now.

Rek nodded, actually taking my word for it this time, the tremors racking him easing slightly. His hands slid over mine, tightening on them briefly as the growl in his chest subsided.

Celuk placed his hand on Rek's shoulder and leaned in, meeting him nearly nose to nose. "We have our Jo back. No one takes our Jo from us, yes? Never again, yes? We take care. Strong together. Our Jo has lots of mates. No beast take, no Krampus, no ‘tend big heads, yes? Jojo Rek's, Celuk's, Jeh-kal's, Odix's, Gopher's family. Family stay together. All. No one hurts, takes our Jo ‘gain, yes? Like Rothy and her mates. Mina and her males. All protect. Babies and mates safe."

Rek let out a deep breath and nodded. "My Jo- Our Jo safe. ‘Tected. We protect."

Celuk gently bussed Rek's temple with the side of his head and then let him go. "Sit. Rest."

"Only if my Jojo go," Rek grumbled, fidgeting in place under Celuk's unwavering stare despite his belligerent tone.

Celuk nodded and it was like everything in Rek relaxed. Turning to me, he gave me the most pitiful puppy dog look in existence. "My Jojomine sit with Rek on big seat?"

"If you can manage to get over there without passing out or tipping over like a falling tree onto me, then of course," I mumbled, eyeing him. He looked about ready to drop where he stood. It worried the shit out of me, just how easily he tired.

Rek nodded, completely unoffended by my words, and carefully made his way over to the couch to turn, sit, then sink into it with a soft sigh.

I'd barely made it over there and his body was already going lax, eyes falling shut. Peeking to make sure I was beside him, he took my hand, urged me over, then settled our joined hands in his lap. Leaning against me, he buried his face in my hair as his free hand fell to my belly. "My Jo-mine make Rek so happy." His voice was a soft, long sigh, like he was fighting to speak as he slipped into dreamland.

Literally moments later, a soft snore left him.

Jeh-kal hovered close by, eyeing Rek leaning against me, waiting for any sign from me that he was too heavy to swoop in and help me move him.

Celuk observed from the spot I'd left him, his lips tipping up as he watched his fellow mate-brother-husbands with something close to pride.

I held out until I found myself trying to support Rek's full weight.

Celuk and Jeh-kal hurried over at my signal.

Celuk rumbled something at Jeh-kal, took me into his arms, and headed down the hall, towards his room.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

Celuk gave me a look but offered nothing else.

Content to wait and see because I trusted him, I leaned my head against his chest as he slipped inside his room and quietly closed the door.

Laying me down on the middle of the bed, he placed a kiss to my forehead, nuzzled the spot, then kissed my lips. Finally, he placed a kiss to the bump where our baby girl was growing, and placed a blanket over my lap.

Studying his every move, a slow smile tipped my lips as he left to retrieve my toast, water mug, and tablet.

"My Jo needs rest," he whispered, opening my selection of movies to glance to me pointedly, waiting for me to choose.

"Why are we whispering?" I whispered back.

"Rek needs sleep," he said simply.

He definitely did. I worried if he'd ever be back to his old, crazy, drive me up a wall self. Thinking about that, I pursed my lips. "Are you going to tell me what you've been doing differently that's suddenly helping him, because the fella I came home to last night and the mobile male of this morning, the difference is crazy." Thinking this over a bit more, I wondered aloud, "Do you think it would be good for the baby? Like, for me too, this magical whatever he's been introduced to?"

A choking noise issued from somewhere down the hall.

Celuk cocked his head, eyeing me.

"What?" I mumbled around a bite of toast. "What, did I say something really dumb?" Nudging him gently, I sighed, feeling left out, but entreated, "Tell me."

Celuk reached out and cupped one of my breasts. His thumb brushed over my nipple. "Jo help Rek," he stated pointedly.

My gaze darted from his hand on my tit, ignoring the pleasurable sensation that produced, to the pointed look on his face.

"You- Oooooh." My face flamed. Okay. Got it now. Getting over the momentary embarrassment quickly as his hand fell away and he wrapped an arm around me to snuggle me close to him, I murmured as we settled in, "We should do that again then, you know, for him. Soon."

"Need be careful," Celuk cautioned, though he purred like a madman. "Want keep baby in my Jo." Kookypant's face pulled into a grimace. "Not think. What if Celuk not careful ‘nough? Hurt Jo and baby girl?"

"You wouldn't. You love us." Leaning towards him, I pecked a kiss to his cheek that had his purr rumbling to life so loudly I wouldn't be surprised if it woke Rek. Taking his hand in mine, I placed it over my baby bump, smiling when he got a little kick to the spot in return.

Looking unconvinced, Celuk smiled tightly at my words but his face lit up at that tiny little nudge from inside my belly. And I thought Rek was stubborn?

"You won't hurt us," I muttered adamantly, daring him to argue. Resting my head on his shoulder, I added, "If you think it somehow scared me, you need to ask yourself how I was reacting in the moment. Did I smell scared or worried? Kooky-poo, I fucking loved it, okay? It rocked my world."

Walking my fingers up his chest, a small smile tipped my lips as he hit play on one of my favorites right as my fingers brushed across a taut little pinkish-blue nipple.

Celuk grunted and shivered, nearly dropping the tablet as he went to set it down between us so we could both see.

The look he gave me told me when he wasn't so worried about being extra careful with me I was going to get it, get it so good. Where was a fan to cool myself off when a gal needed it?

Taking my hand in his, he brought it to his lips and kissed my fingertips. He seemed reluctant to give me my damn hand back afterward. No teasing, fingers walking anywhere fun for me, apparently

Too bad for him, I was rather good at these little games and I was feeling a bit… how shall I say this? Needing to do a bit of claiming of my own.

Letting him have my trapped hand, I settled my free hand on his thigh. Celuk glanced down at my hand on his thigh but left it there when nothing else happened.

As the movie played on and Celuk found himself engrossed in it, his grip on my fingers slipped.

I timed it well, waiting until a particularly amorous scene cropped up to make my move.

Already sporting a half boner, it was rather easy to reach over as I leaned over his lap, grip his length and smooth his foreskin down his thick length, then dip down to take him into my mouth.

Celuk's soft growl as I took him deep was music to my ears.

One of his hands landed on my back, the other the back of my head to tangle in my hair.

"Jo," he choked out, between growls and grunts as his body responded accordingly. He fought to hold himself perfectly still as I did as I would.

It was really fucking hot, this strong, virile male, his pleasure in my hands, the reactions I was dragging out of him. I was so hot and bothered just from sucking him off, it wasn't even funny.

Celuk was so close. I'd swear he was trying to hold off as he fought not to take over.

Jeh-kal came storming into the room with a snarl, got one good look at what I was doing to Celuk, and rounded the bed so fast it nearly gave me whiplash trying to follow the movement.

Before I could take my next breath, Jeh-kal was hiking up the back of my dress, exposing my flesh to the cool of the room, and burying his face in my pussy to thrust his tongue deep.

I cried out, losing my rhythm with my mouth on Celuk's cock.

Jeh-kal gave several wet, harsh thrusts before pulling his tongue free to bark something at Celuk.

Celuk growled softly.

I didn't care what they were saying. I had one thing on my mind and one thing only.

Crawling into Celuk's lap, I latched onto his neck as I situated myself over him.

His hot, hard length pressed up against my nether lips and I rode him like that just long enough Celuk forgot what he was arguing with Jeh-kal for.

As if that was the final straw on his iron control, he grabbed me to him and had me flipped onto my stomach, sliding over my back, hips aligning, pinning me down to slowly slide home, before I could utter a peep.

Glancing up, my grin must have looked feral as I eyed Jeh-kal's thickness, so close to my face I found myself licking my lips, readying to ask for a taste.

A moan tore from my throat as Celuk pistoned into me from behind, his claws digging into the bedding as he snarled his heart out.

Jeh-kal stepped closer and took his cock in hand. The choice was up to me but he was more than ready and willing.

"C'mere, big guy." Reaching out, I clasped his thickness in my hand and brought it to my lips. A deep, rumbling purr left my wild mate as I took him into my mouth and worked as much of him as I could manage in one go.

Jeh-kal's thick frame immediately began to shake as Celuk fucked me and I fucked Jeh-kal with my mouth.

I had to pull back as Celuk started to tip over, dragging me along with him.

Jeh-kal started to come right then, as if it was all proving too much.

Reaching out, I gripped the fur on his thigh, urging him to dip closer, and then cupped his cock with my breasts, twisting to urge him to finish that way.

Catching on fast, Jeh-kal finished all over my stomach and chest, growling my name as he eyed my breasts and his dick sandwiched in-between them.

A grumbling at the door as everything started to settle and Jeh-kal stepped back to grab a cloth for me to clean off with, had me glancing up to smile at Rek.

When I would have reached over to my side to rub the scars along there, creating that happy tingles friction that sent the girls swelling, Celuk stopped me with a stern look.

"So we can play hide the sausage but dirty milkmaid is out of the question?" My eyes narrowed on him. "It's helping him."

"What helps who?" Rek asked sleepily, shuffling his way over to shove the messy pelts out of his way to flop down on the bed near my chosen spot, waiting for me to finish to snuggle up with him.

"Booby milk," I said simply, flopping down beside him to snuggle him. I faced away from Celuk. Perhaps it was a smidge petty of me, but Celuk just snuggled into my back, as if I wasn't feeling feisty and fight me about this.

"Booby milk?" Rek echoed.

Kissing the tip of his nose, I told him, "It's helping you. Just look at you, you're doing so much better than yesterday. Celuk thinks it's because you drank some of my breast milk when we were getting all frisky last night and the mate bite from Big Business had my knockers all cattywampus." Placing sweet kisses along his cheek, chin, making my way to his lips, I told him, "I want to help you, if I can."

"Rek ‘preciate my Jojomine cares, but Jo not ‘sposed to be having sex fun times all the times, even if makes Rek better." The grumbling rumble that left Rek and the glare he cast over my shoulder, said all that needed to be said. His expression softened as it landed on me. Thick fingers brushed the side of my face. "My Jo needs rest. Too much sexy times not good. My Jojomine rest, keep baby in. Rek sleep too, be better."

"But if it's really helping, you'll feel better even faster," I quietly argued.

Rek shook his head. "Rek already feel better," he said on a yawn as he buried his face in my hair and wrapped his arms around me. "Haves my Jojomine."

"I'll feel much better if you try it again and see how you feel tomorrow," I haggled.

Rek gave a grunt as he started to run his hand down my back as if to comfort me for his next words to come. "Jojomine sure she not just want Rek suck on boobs while Celuk and Jeh-kal give Jojomine big, explode-y-"

My hand slapped over his mouth and I gave him a withering look. "Finish that sentence, titty nibbler, and I'll help you sleep clear into next week."

Green eyes twinkled at me and I felt him smile into my palm. "My Jo feeling better." A soft chuckle left him.

"OH! Go to sleep!" I huffed and puffed.

Rolling away from him, I avoided eye contact with Celuk as I crawled right over him and stood.

Jeh-kal popped up from where he'd just settled in to catch the tail end of the movie behind Rek. "Where go?" Jeh-kal asked.

"Elsewhere," I grumbled. Then added with a pointed look, "Alone, by myself."

Celuk sounded ready to protest but I assured him, "I'm not leaving the house or the village. Enjoy your movie cuddle fest without me."

Jeh-kal grumbled at Celuk and Rek as I made my way down the hall, through the main living space, and right down into the opposite hallway. Once I reached it, though, I was a bit frazzled and lost on where to go.

Picking a door at random, I opened it and slipped inside. The light took me a minute to find but once I had it on, a slow smile tugged at my lips.

This had to be Odix's digs. I'd know those pillows anywhere. I'd stitched them myself.

Climbing into his bed, I sprawled out atop it. A weird lump had me reaching beneath his blankets to unearth one of my shirts. He must have taken it to sleep with it. Aww. My poor grizzly bear.

A pang of guilt tugged at me. There I'd been, snuggled up, cozy and safe in a cave with Buu, and they'd all been scrambling around looking for me, worried sick.

I'd thought about them constantly, but I'd also basically been living the cave life with Buu.

Feeling worse than sludge, I laid there, Odix's pillow shoved in my face, wallowing in his scent.

I really hoped they were okay out there and came home soon.

Needing to be useful but wanting to keep to this whole rest, take it easy stuff, I glanced from the girls to the door with a frown.

I could do it. Who were any of them to say what I could or couldn't do to myself? Right? And if it helped Rek in the process, I mean, I was a mommy in the works already, right? I've yet to master this whole manual breast manipulation thing. I could give it a go if I really wanted to, though. Practice makes perfect.

Under the guise of soaking in the tub solo, I grabbed a change of clothes and a book, a pitcher snuck in under my clothes, some of that healing cream salve with numbing stuff, and I had my supplies.

About an hour into my endeavor, feeling so keyed up and frustrated, I just wanted to scream and lop my boobs off.

Why the fuck couldn't I do this without assistance?! Why was everything like this so fucking hard for me?!!

With a seething hiss, I sighed, dropped my hands, washed up, and quickly dressed.

Slipping outside, bone dry pitcher in hand, I rounded the side of the house, intending to fill the pitcher with snow and try and freeze my titties into submission or at the very least numb these fuckers some, when I spied a bit of white pop up from the bushes.

A scream lodged in my throat and I dropped the pitcher in my hands. It clattered to the ground with a loud slap of pottery crashing onto rocks.

I'd only stepped out for a minute. Just one fucking minute! It had been done without thought.

Finding my voice, I screamed and turned to run but the furball in the bushes was way faster than me.

"Shhh. My Joalee. Shhh. It Buu, my Joalee. Shhhh."

It took me a full minute, fighting like a hell cat, for his words to register. "Buu?" Whirling around, I stared into those wild purple eyes set in a white fluff monster package. It was him, if in his Lo denaii looking shifted form.

"I don't- You left me," I blurted, gaping up at him. "You- You left us!"

Buu shook his head wildly, hugging me to him. "No. Buu no leave. Buu follow, whole time. Joalee mates take Joalee, bring home, like my Joalee wants, yes?" With a pointed look at my hands, he perked up. "My Joalee feels better? Healers help?"

"Jeh-kal said Rek helped make Bump, not you," I blurted as moisture filled my eyes.

"Bebeh Buu's. Never leaves my Joalee," Buu growled out softly, pressing a kiss to my forehead, his sharp breaths coasting over the top of my head. Tipping my head up towards him, his lips found mine immediately. "Bite," he growled against my lips, pulling back to bare his neck to me.

Loud growls sounded before the thundering of footsteps pricked my ears. Buu stiffened as he held me in his arms, but he held his ground.

"JO!" Odix rounded the corner, a large pack strapped to his back, snow covering his shoulders.

That loud growl continued but it wasn't far off.

"Odix!" Squeezing Buu, I let him go to launch myself at Odix.

Odix caught me up and I was kissing him before he could let out his next breath. His chest rumbled happily but his eyes remained open, narrowed, and trained on Buu.

Gopher rounded the corner, crashing into Celuk and Jeh-kal as they rushed out. I was sure Rek was mixed in there somewhere, pasted to someone's butt at this point in their traffic jam.

Gopher's nose lifted and he gave a loud sniff. With a growl, he snarled something and launched himself at Buu.

"NO!" Squirming to get free of Odix's hold, I sank my teeth into Odix's forearm when it looked like he meant to keep me from the danger.

Odix yowled but wouldn't release me.

I was screaming my head off at this point. A sharp breath left me when he went to band an arm around my belly and I cried out.

With a shocked gasp, Odix immediately let me go.

Gopher and Buu were slashing at each other. Gopher looked half feral swiping at him with his claws extended. He moved so fast he was getting the better of Buu. Buu growled but kept trying to dodge instead of fighting back.

The second I was free, Celuk nabbed me right up. "He's not hurting him! Make him stop!" I bellowed.

Celuk went to hand me off to Jeh-kal, as Odix was still standing there stupidly, gaping down at me, but Jeh-kal jumped right into the middle of it. Grabbing Gopher up by the back of his neck, he had to give him a few good shakes to get him to snap out of it.

Buu clutched his side. Stumbling back, he panted heavily.

He could heal super fast but he'd have to shift. Staring at him in stunned shock, my eyes screamed, Why aren't you shifting?! Shift! while my mind struggled to catch up.

Buu met my gaze and gave a small shake of his head.

What the fuck?!

"Buu," I snapped at him, pissed and confused as he pinned his hand to his side and red seeped through. Was he mental?

Rek squeezed past Celuk. Looking sleep mussed, he marched right up to Buu and slugged him right in the face. "Rek know you do! Wrong you?! You no leave my Joanie!" he roared at him.

Buu weaved on his feet, blinking uncomprehendingly, then collapsed in a fainted heap.

Another scream tore from me. "Shift, damn you!" I was screaming, bellowing, I didn't care who heard.

We'd already attracted quite a crowd.

Jeh-kal dropped Gopher, tossing him towards Odix.

With a snarl curling his upper lip, he threw back his head and bellowed. The roar my muscle bound mate let loose was insane. He went from roaring towards the skies to bellowing directly in Buu's incapacitated face.

Before my eyes, Buu groaned and was force-shifted.

Soft gasps echoed around us but it wasn't for Buu's shift. Several Lo denaii suddenly popped horns and fun colored fur. The fearful looks on their faces and the shock of those standing around them weren't lost on me.

Buu was worried about being the only Yowie in the village, but he was far from the only one. He was apparently one of several, a clan of them all their own, almost, I'd wager.

"Put me down now!" I commanded, but Celuk just adjusted his hold on me.

"Rek no' well to punch in face back," Celuk reminded me.

"I wasn't- I'm not going to punch anyone in the face! Would you just- God damn it, put me down!"

Celuk slowly, reluctantly, set me on my feet.

Rushing to Buu's side, I lifted his arm to check that his wound was healing. Looking to Jeh-kal and Celuk, I entreated, "Help me get him into the house."

Rek stood off to the side, arms crossed over his chest, glaring at Buu but made no move to attack him in the state that Buu was in.

Jeh-kal slung Buu over his back and carried him into the house. Dogging his steps, I barked at him to be careful but then found myself rushing back towards the others. Buu was just a smidge shorter than Jeh-kal, and a bit slimmer but not by much. I'd always imagined Buu was somehow a lot smaller.

Celuk walked over to Rek and gave him the same sack of potatoes treatment.

"Eh!" Rek shouted as he dangled from Celuk's back. "What big ideas!"

Celuk paused. "Rek say not princess. Celuk not carry like princess no more."

"Nooooo." Rek harped. "‘Luk carry Rek like bag of tubers because Jojomine not happy Rek hurt Buu for leaving my Jojomine and baby."

Honestly, I wasn't the least bit fussed about it, because a part of me quietly agreed with Rek, full of what the fuck on myself and my unborn child's behalf, though the timing was fucked.

A loud crack sounded and Rek howled. "Quiet," Celuk grumbled warningly.

Rek lifted his head to gape, stunned as he wisely shut up and let Celuk carry him into the house, lest he end up with his other ass cheek smacked.

Odix and Gopher dogged my steps into the hut.

It was a fudged reunion if there ever was one.

Elle came upon us just as I was about to enter the house. "JO!" she bellowed, rushing up on me to nab me up in a hug.

"Easy!" Gopher snapped, swiping at his bloodied lip, the one and only punch Buu had landed on him.

Elle paused, looking about to spin me around, she was so happy to see me.

"I'm pregnant," I blurted.

Elle quickly set me down, making the same cute little noises her brother made when he was surprised and excited about something. "Baby?" she breathed. "My Carr-ree!" she bellowed suddenly, making me wince at the sudden shift in volume. "Come! Jo has baby!"

Rek's old roommate, that's what I'd decided to refer to her as from this day forth, if only in my head, came running up to us, Doogie hot on her heels.

Doogie pushed past Elle, ignoring her warning snarl to grab me up in a hug. "Jo! Jo and baby!" he cried out happily, then bumped his jaw against my temple, like I'd seen Celuk do to Rek every so often when it looked like Rek needed it.

"We're so happy you're back," a soft voice entreated from behind Doogie.

Doogie didn't move so I could see Carrie. I couldn't say I was all that fussed over it, either. Try as I might, I was still a little pinched when it came to her, but I was trying. Trying so fucking hard. It wasn't easy.

Elle squished up into our reunion hug, and I felt a small form squished up in there with her. The noise Carrie made said Elle hadn't really given her much choice in the matter.

I smiled at the idea, thinking of Elle's pushy but sweet big brother.

"You're protecting her," I realized after a moment when Doogie's heartbeat sped up a little. Pulling back, I glanced up, got one look at the smile fighting a grimace, he was happy but conflicted, and I found myself smiling in relief for me and happiness for him. With a laugh, I admitted, "I'm surprised Elle let you keep all of your limbs."

"Doodie sneaks. Sneaky male. My Carr-rie, she say no limb ‘moval," Elle grumbled. "Like her lump head one piece."

"He was never at any risk of losing a limb!" Carrie huffily argued.

"Say you," Elle huffed and puffed.

"You like him, you just don't want to admit it." Carrie let out a loud snort. "He's alive and that says it all."

"‘Xactly," Elle grumbled.

"Elle." Carrie's tone had me fighting not to laugh.

"What? What my Car-ree Elledeebean do? What you Elle say wrong?" Elle got out between loud grunts.

My eyebrows rose as my gaze darted from Doogie towards a space unknown the voices were coming from over his shoulder. "You sure you can handle all that?" I teased.

Elle snorted. "No. He not, but my Carr-rie wants Doodie. She wants, she has." A proud sniff from off behind Doogie had my grin widening. "Doodie no choice."

"Did you have to say it like that?" Carrie whispered.

"Jes," Elle said simply.

"Bully," I thought I heard Carrie laughingly mutter under her breath.

Elle's purr was so loud it nearly drowned out Carrie fussing over her.

"This turned out so much better than I could have imagined," I murmured.

"Quiet," Doogie grumbled, trying to sound annoyed but looking too happy to care.

"Happys. Talkies. Good now," Odix grumbled. Holding his arms out, he growled, "Give back now."

My big ol' grizzly bear of a male made the universal kiddies' sign for uppies. I doubted he had any clue of the fact. Odix's impatience was endearing, much as I wanted to brain him for once again interfering with me, well, interfering myself.

Ugh. I almost hated myself, as I truly understood it from his side too.

"Give me over to the big galoot if you know what's good for ya." Patting Doogie on the shoulder, I sighed like I was put out but snuggled right into Odix's arms as he took me and curled me into his chest.

"MINE," Odix growled out ominously as he toted me right past his best friend and straight into the hut without so much as a how-do-ya-do.

Marching past everyone and right down the hall, he left his bedroom door open behind him, taking me right to his bed to sit on it and situate me in his lap so he could bury his face in my hair.

"My Jo," he croaked out, his voice cracking on the words. Rocking a little where he sat with me in his lap, he smoothed a hand up my back, the other sliding cautiously over my belly. "Odix- Odix not-"

"She's just fine, Cake." My hand rested over his and I pecked a kiss to his cheek. "All is well, my hairy butt."

Sniffling quite loudly, Odix's head jerked up at the silly endearment.

Smiling, I brushed the tears gathering in his eyes away. "Missed you and that big old juicy booty of yours-"

I barely had the words out and Odix was curling his arms around me and claiming my mouth. "My Jo," he breathed, the moment we had to break for air, to dive right back in.

A soft grunt at the door had Odix growling viciously against my mouth. Bright, light blue eyes as warm as the sky narrowed as they popped open to glare at the interloper intruding on our moment.

Celuk rumbled something to Odix that had my big old grizzly bear of a beast tempering his annoyance.

Glancing down at me, then away, he grumbled, "No want to."

"Not ask Odix," Celuk replied silkily.

Odix's rumble started up but he was trying to muffle it.

Ugh. The power plays in this house.

Meeting Celuk's gaze, I leaned my head on Odix's shoulder. This seemed to mollify the big brute cuddling me so sweetly. "What's wrong? What's going on?" I asked. "Is it Buu? Is he awake?" Swallowing thickly, I popped out of Odix's arms, pushed past Celuk, and ran down the hall.

"No run," Celuk grumbled after me, dogging my steps.

"I'll run if I fucking want to! You ain't the boss of me!" I growled, yet slowed my pace to a speedy walk.

A choked noise left Odix, who was right behind Celuk.

Celuk just snorted at my obstinacy.

"Is he awake? What's wrong?" I babbled, rushing into the living room.

Rek sat at one end of the couch, arms folded over his chest, my purse snug to his chest, one of my shirts draped over his lap.

Buu was sprawled out along the other end, mumbling in his sleep.

Jeh-kal frowned at Buu from where he stood sentry, his big buns planted on the coffee table.

Listening for a moment, my nose scrunched. "Dace is his fellow clansmen, person, or whatever. She's human. She's in his Suns cave." Walking over, I knelt beside him, brushing that little puff of longer fur that got in his eyes if he let it go too long without a trim out of his face. "He's worried about her." Frowning, I murmured, "Perhaps he went to go check on her before coming back to me and she wasn't there."

"Left my Jo," Rek chuffed. "No care why. My Jo Buu a- a boob."

"Glad to see you're feeling more yourself," I muttered absently, eyeing Buu's deep frown as he slept.

Taking his hand in mine, I placed a kiss to his knuckles. "It's okay, Peekaboo. We'll check on Dace. I'm sure she's fine."

Buu's soft whimpering mumbles turned into a deep, sated purr. "My Joalee," he sighed dreamily, still dead assed asleep.

"Peaky-boobs. Name perfect," Rek muttered. "Him- OW! Why pinch Rek?! Want Rek listen? Rek needs ears to hear!" Rek glowered but it simmered down when he found Celuk glaring at him warningly along with Gopher, who'd just bitch slapped Rek upside the head.

"Waiting to smack Rek in stupid head." Gopher chuffed as he moved past Rek.

Rek made a face at him but kept hold of my purse, looking like he was worried someone might take it from him if he left it unattended.

"Rek ‘tect my Jo bag. Otherwise, Rek beat Goober up," Rek huffed.

Celuk, Gopher, Jeh-kal, and even Odix all snorted simultaneously.

Rek's glower turned into a pout. "See, my Jo? You males mean. Picks on Rek."

"Rek picks on self," Odix mumbled under his breath.

"Will he be okay?" I asked Jeh-kal, jerking my chin at Buu as I ignored the petty bullshit.

"Be ‘kay," Jeh-kal assured me. "Make shift. Hard."

"How was that even possible?" I sputtered in disbelief.

Jeh-kal's smile was all teeth. "Jeh-kal bossy, like my Jo."

Celuk rumbled out, "Jeh-kal Yowie, Ketire, like Buu, Lo denaii… more."

"No wonder you're built like a tank," I murmured, eyeing Jeh-kal with interest.

Jeh-kal puffed out his chest at my perusal.

Gopher came up beside me and flopped down on the floor near my legs. Wrapping an arm around my knee, he pressed the side of his head to my thigh. "Go' no know Buu my Jo's. Hear Jo scream. Think Jo's Buu hurt Jo." Peering up at me, pleading for understanding, his throat worked as he struggled to speak. "Gopher sorry. Jo forgive?"

Squeezing my ass down onto the floor with him, I smiled when he growled and immediately curled me into his lap, stood, walked over and plopped us down onto the couch between where Rek was sitting and Buu's feet.

Gopher would have pressed a kiss to my temple but I grabbed his mug and jerked his head down to me to plant one on him. "Baby ‘kay?" he worriedly asked the moment I broke our kiss.

"I must not be doing this right," I muttered, then grabbed his face to plant one on him all over again.

I kept this up, only letting him up for air when absolutely necessary, until his purr had gone guttural and one of his hands had found my ass to squeeze it.

Smiling against his lips, I whispered as I pulled back, brown eyes twinkling, "That's more like it."

"Missed my Jo," he breathed, once more quickly getting choked up.

Pressing his forehead to mine, nostrils still flared, throat working, he closed his eyes as he struggled to ease his rapid breaths.

"Missed you too, a fuckton, Gogo boots."

"Goober… boob," Rek mutteringly corrected while quickly throwing his hands over his head protectively and dropping to his side.

Gopher shocked the stuffing out of me, glancing up in time to spy that and bursting out laughing.

When I stared at him curiously, he grinned and shrugged. "Rek mouthy. All talk. Gopher no care no more. Rek say what he want. Gopher no have to listen."

"Goober listens. Just pretends not. Rek no care. Rek know," Rek grumbled, looking supremely perturbed by the idea that Gopher would ignore him.

Celuk coughed to cover up a laugh as he watched the byplay.

"Buu said he let you take me," I told Celuk. "He knew I needed help he couldn't offer." Glancing from Buu's prone form and back to him, I swallowed thickly. "He said I was his and he was mine, and demanded I bite him. He seemed really worried about it."

Celuk's gaze followed mine as it slid back to Buu.

"He tried something similar, getting me to bite him, before he left me by that log for you to find me," I muttered worriedly.

It was Jeh-kal who spoke up.

"Buu bite claim Jo?" he asked.

"Yes," I admitted, my hand absently going to the spot to rub it.

Jeh-kal nodded, like he expected as much. "Jo not bite Buu back, Buu think Jo not claim him."

"But I-" Frowning, stopping myself from finishing that thought, I stopped, blew out a deep breath, and nodded. It didn't matter what I said. In some ways very similar to me, Buu was an actions speak louder kinda being. My gaze shot from Buu to Jeh-kal. "I should wait for him to wake up first, right?"

"Wake first," Jeh-kal agreed.

"No want him wake by Rek, think Rek do it," Rek grumbled, making a face as he glanced Buu's way.

"Be nice," I warned Rek, who was about to lift his hand and fan his nose like he though Buu smelled bad.

With a grunt, Rek hugged my purse tighter to him and mumbled, half under his breath, "Him… fur looks… very soft," he finally finished. "Rek can see why my Jojomine let him dummy head talk my Jojo into trying to make Rek's baby girl." A loud grunt. I just waited for it. "But Rek's fur softer. Rek better." A loud harrumph followed.

"Rek head gets bigger, Rek ‘splode," Gopher muttered softly through the side of his mouth.

"Odix fur softer," Odix argued with a soft snort.

"Celuk think Jeh-kal's softer. Softest all," Celuk chimed in, fighting a smirk as Jeh-kal looked to him sharply with a What the fuck? Keep me out of this bullshit, asshole! look.

Smiling slowly, I nodded along thoughtfully. "Snow Patrol is plushy as a marshmallow fluff polar bear," I agreed sweetly.

"No," Rek barked. "Jeh-kal, Tor, Hyde, biggest penis. They not get softest too!" Glaring at Jeh-kal, he snarled, "Picks one!"

Odix scowled at that as Jeh-kal made an exasperated noise and walked off towards the kitchen, Celuk fought a smirk-smiling laugh, Rek bared his teeth at Jeh-kal as he left, and Gopher flat out laughed his ass off, not one single shit given, while I basked in the glory of this shit show.

"How him pick how big penis is?" Odix blurted, looking beyond perplexed. "Can't make smaller."

"Rek no know! No care! Rek say, him can't have both!" Rek snapped.

"Rek softest then," Celuk offered.

"Yesss," Rek hissed out.

"The softest princess husband brother in Yetidom," I just had to go and add.

Rek's hiss died a very abrupt death. The look he gave me said I wasn't funny, not at all. "Him bride," Rek snapped.

"Jojo give Celuk ring," Celuk added helpfully.

A sputtering laugh left me.

"Jo give ‘Luk ring? Like Rek's? No! Rek know she no give ‘Luk ring! Rek want see," Rek demanded as he unearthed the ring on the necklace he was wearing.

Celuk tilted his head. "Rek sure Rek wants see?"

"Ohmyfuckinggod," I blurted between sputtering laughs. "Kookypants! Shut to the up, bossy boo!"

Celuk lost it then, laughing as I snort-laughed my ass off, all over Gopher.

"What?! Why laugh?! Rek know better! No funnies! Rek prove! Rek show!" Rek began digging through my purse and pulled out the special items I'd had made, right before I'd been taken.

Celuk's laughter died as Rek held the rings out to him with a SEE, BITCH?! What now?! glare.

"My Jo?" Celuk moved in closer, his eyes widening as he took in the sight of all of those shiny pretties I'd put to good use. Well, most of them, not all of them. Each ring had a set of stones that made me think of them, my favorite pieces of jewelry melted down for the settings, mixed in so it was extra special. I had enough sparkling pretties extra to have a ring commissioned for Buu.

"Rek careful," Rek grumbled, "make sure no one get my Jojomine's purse. Keep my Jo's special things safe."

My purse, his stomach.

Kissing Gopher one last time, I slid out of his lap. "You don't have to do that anymore," I told Rek, holding my hand out for my purse.

Rek looked rather loath to be separated from it but his skin needed the break.

"I was thinking about asking Celuk to make me one and he told me about how you two made my beautiful dress-"

"Dresses," Rek cut in. "Rek make my Jojo lots of beautiful dresses. For my beautiful Jojomine."

Nodding, grinning at the conviction in his voice, I went on. "I thought about asking you two to make me a new purse, just like that one but in a much… softer, nicer material. You are the princess of softness, right?"

"Pfft! Think butter Rek up, Rek let my Jojo use stupid silly lovey names and ‘stract Rek with new purse idea…"

Cutting the shit, I smirked. "Is it working?"

Rek grumbled, smoothing his hands down my purse. "Maybe… Little."

Sidling over to him, I took the rings he was holding out for all to see from him, pecked a kiss to his cheek that had him purring, scooted my purse towards me until he let that mangled, seen better days thing go, and rested my head on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Rektal, you'll always be the softest princess in the land to me."

Rek's purr had Celuk shaking his head as he squished in on the other side of me.

"Rek still want know what ‘Luk mean, Jojomine gives him ring that Rek know she not," Rek muttered under his breath.

Fiddling with the rings in my hand, I stole a peek at Celuk to find him eyeing me like he was more than willing to put on a repeat performance, he didn't care who saw me "put a ring on it".

"What they do ‘fore we go into wash room?" Jeh-kal barked at Rek.

Rek's face pinched like he'd just sucked a lemon. "That not count." Rek lifted a hand to wave Celuk off. "That counts, Rek's Jojomine puts ring on Rek lots of times."

"Rek!" I spluttered, yet laughed.

"What?" Rek shrugged his wide shoulders. "What Rek say? Joanie claims Rek with sex all the times. Lots of times. Rek claims Rek's Jojo with sex lots of times, too." Thinking about it for a moment, Rek conceded, "Celuk Bride, Jeh-kal big penis, but Rek claims Jojomine most out of all."

"What Gopher do?" Odix asked, looking wary of asking about himself.

Rek lifted a hand as if to fan the question away. "Goober stupid, Odious fat head."

"Rek!" I snapped. My hand lifted and I swatted at him much gentler than I used to.

"What?" Rek barked right back. "Him head is big. It huge!"

"That what my Jojomine says," Odix snarked back smartly.

"OOOO. Odix comin' in hot with the slick burns," I cackled out.

"Who stupid now?" Gopher chortled out, pointing a finger at Rek.

"No point at me. Goober still biggest stupid," Rek muttered as he snatched me up and hugged me to him. In my ear, he whispered, "Rek feels naked without my Jojo's purse."

Eyeing him, I waggled my eyebrows. "You do look rather dashing with the man bosom out on display," I whispered softly back.

Rek blushed, from the top of his head clean down to his belly button, the flush of his skin visible without all that fur hiding it. "Quiets, you," Rek grumbled, making me laugh harder. "Think you funny? Hmm? Rek make my Jojo laugh," he threatened.

A soft gasp left and I began to squirm in his lap. "And in front of my purse and everything?! You wouldn't dare!"

Rek nodded, a calculating look on his face as his arms tightened around me and I struggled for freedom. Weak as he was, he was still a hell of a lot stronger than me. "In front of all Jojomine's mates, purse, my Jo's god she talk to, her Buu, EVERYONE."

"You bastard!" My softly gasped exclamation was met with a feral grin. My gaze darted around the room frantically. "What are you all sitting around staring at us for?! One of you save me!"

Gopher and Odix glanced to Celuk, who was watching Rek with a questioning look.

"What are you looking at him for?! Hello, your mate is right here!" I caterwauled.

Gopher leaned around Rek to ask Celuk, "What him do she no want us see?"

Celuk's grin matched the one Rek was leveling on me. "Rek knows all the spots our Jo tickles-ish."

"Fuzzsticles! Rektal!" I warned. "I'll get you back, both of you, for this!"

Celuk's feral grin slipped into concerned innocence. "What Celuk do?"

"Fuzzed-sickles?" Odix grunted out. His expression pinched as he said it.

"Mean him fuzzy balls," Jeh-kal helpfully put in.

A laugh burst out of me, just listening to them.

"Gopher likes Go's balls were they are," Gopher wisely muttered, bowing out of this one.

"Tickles hurt my Jo?" Odix waffled, wavering as he grimaced at the idea.

"Help me, Griz! They mean to torment me!" I mock-pouted.

Odix made a noise that said he wanted to, he really did, but he also wanted to respect the boss of the house. Sadly, I was not considered top dog in this pack. Pfft! A true shame!

"Fine," I muttered, between fake sniffles as I crossed my arms over my chest. "Tickle me and I'll pee. See if I care."

"NO!" Rek barked. "No pee on Rek!"

Odix moved closer, snatching me up the moment Rek's arms flew up.

Rushing across the room with me in tow, Odix cuddled me to his big old fluffy chest.

Glancing at Celuk over my shoulder, I stuck my tongue out at him.

The crazy fool grinned and began to purr as if in answer.

"No flirt my Jojomine like that after ‘Luk try and get Rek to make Jo pee on Rek. No do that." Rek waggled his finger at Celuk but pulled his hand back at the last moment when he waggled too close to Celuk's mouth and Celuk snapped his jaws at him. "MEAN!" Rek burst out, curling his finger protectively to his chest.

"Excuse me!" a small, squeaky voice called out from outside. "So sorry to bother you! But, uhm, if I might have a word with the lady of the house?!"

Everyone froze, glanced at one another. Like they were all in agreement, Odix's grip on me tightened, Celuk stood and made his way to the door. Gopher followed closely behind. Jeh-kal threw a knife at Gopher with a grunt that Gopher easily caught, nodded, then grabbed one up himself.

"Who there?" Rek called out at a signal from Celuk. "We not home. Having the sex my Jo! You go way now! Come back laters! Bye-byes now!"

Rek, I mouthed, scowling in his direction.

Odix's hand slowly came up to slide over my mouth, preventing me from saying anything out loud.

"What?" the woman squeaked.

"Wace?" I blurted between Odix's fingertips.

Celuk cocked his head as he leaned in close to the door. "Dace?" he called out, glancing between everyone pointedly.

"You know of me, then?" the woman squeaked.

"What you want?" Celuk called out, motioning for everyone to move away from the door.

"I- Look, I know you have Buu in there! You can't- I won't let you hold him prisoner!"

With a growl, I clamped down on Odix's palm until he let go of me with a pained yowl.

"We aren't keeping him against his will!" I bellowed at the door. "He's mine- Ours," I stressed, "and fuck if I'm handing him over to anyone!"

"Then why did you kidnap him?" she squeaked out reasonably. After a beat, she added, "I saw."

"You saw what?" I stalled, glancing from Buu's prone form to the door.

"I saw him being carted off!" Her voice got higher pitched, the louder she tried to get.

She was like a living cartoon.

I was so focused on her talking and arguing back, I missed when Gopher and Celuk slipped out the back.

A loud squeak, a shout, the sounds of a struggle, and finally a gunshot rent the air, had me scrambling for the door, ignoring everyone warning me to stay back.

Rek beat everyone to me, throwing himself at me, catching me up to curl himself around me protectively.

"Gopher?! Celuk?!" I cried out in a panic as I smacked at Rek to let me up.

"Okay!" Gopher called out, as the sound of Celuk snarling rent the air.

A louder, longer snarl followed.

It took me a full minute to realize it was coming from inside the hut as opposed to outside of it.

"Let Jo go," Jeh-kal advised Rek, eyeing my purple eyed mate as he popped to and then shot up, pissed off and ready to protect his female.

"No," Rek grumbled. "No let Boob hurt my Jojomine, my baby."

Buu's snarl tapered off into a gurgling sound. "Buu no hurt my Joalee! My bebeh! YOU hurt my Joalee, squish and roll, hold down!"

"Rek not hurt! Rek ‘tect!" Rek shot back, lifting his head to glare up at him from where my bleachsquatch was tangled up with me on the floor.

"What the hell is going on out there?" I cut in as I listened to the signs of a struggle.

"She small, squirmy. Like slime worms," Gopher called out.

"Did you- Did you just call me a slimy worm?!" the squirrel outside squealed.

A yelp sounded and Gopher groaned.

"Put snow on it," Celuk muttered as a soft growling noise pricked my ears.

"Dace?" Buu sputtered. Running to the door to throw it open, we all gaped as we spied Celuk finishing off hogtieing a human woman.

Gopher glared, curled up on the ground a short distance away, cupping his sausage and giblets. Aww, poor Go' got kicked in his fuzzsticles.

Instead of snarling at Celuk and trying to help her, Buu bellowed, looking exasperated, "What you do?!" at the woman.

A pretty, if grime covered face, large blue eyes set in a small, round face scowled up at him. Her long blonde hair stood out, loose from the two French braids she'd had it pulled back in, getting in her eyes as her piercing blue eyes met his. "I'm- I'm rescuing you!"

Buu sighed, hands going to his hips, and eyed her curiously. "Not goot," he said simply.

"Am so!" she spat back.

"Try to shoot ‘Luk!" Gopher growled at her. "Bad female."

"I didn't! I just wanted to scare him, make him listen! I wasn't expecting him to lunge at me! I panicked! It was an accident! I saw! You were unconscious and they dragged you off!" she insisted.

Buu looked about two seconds from rubbing at his forehead. Beneath all that annoyance, I recognized a similar begrudging brotherly affection similar to that between Carrie and Rek. "Dace… Buu want my Joalee mates want to keep Buu," he pointed out.

"Yeah but…" The woman's oddly full lips pulled into an overdone pout. With tears filling her doe-like blue eyes, she glanced from me to Buu. Her frown deepened as her gaze snagged and held on Rek pinning me down. "Does… does she want to be here, too?" the woman finally squirrel squeaked out uncertainly.

"Believe it or not, I do," I grumbled from my tangle with Rek.

"Rek protect my Jojomine from crazy face," Rek grunted out, though his grip on me loosened.

I nearly lost it at his unkind, if apt, description of Buu's Dace. The face she was making, her large lips and super-sized eyeballs, that tiny chin and rather small head with all that hair, those skinny limbs better suited to a twelve year old. She looked like a strange anime character come to life.

Pinching Rek's hip, an action that caused him to momentarily lose his grip on me as he yelped, long enough I could elbow him and get free, I rushed the door. Making my way past Buu, I glanced around for this weapon she used to shoot they mentioned.

Spying a small gun nearby on the ground, I grabbed it and marched right back to her. Checking it first, I put the safety on but pointed it at her head. This Dace gasped, winced, then slammed her eyes shut. She waited. Nothing happened.

"Buu is mine ," I got down to snarl right in her face, "and we're keeping him. Alright? That's it. That's the end of it. Celuk may run things behind the scenes but I'm the starring lead in this shit show." I glanced up, waiting for my mates to all nod, say something close to being in agreement with me, before I continued. "You tried to shoot my mate!"

"It went off! I panicked! I'm sorry!" she whispered. She looked about ready to piss herself as she trembled on the ground.

Lowering the gun, I grimaced, held it away from myself, and held it out to Celuk. Not exactly fair, her all tied up like that, then threaten and point a gun at her all willy nilly but, damn it, she coulda unalived my man!

"My Joalee?" Buu croaked out.

Glancing over at my sweet, unassuming Kehr-a-boo, I met his gaze squarely. Ignoring Rek squished in next to Buu, glaring at him as if daring him to just try and leave his Joanie once more, see what happened, their height differences comical, Buu absently wrapped an arm around Rek as he leaned out the door towards me. "No hurt Dace, my Joalee. She no mean hurt my Joalee Celuk."

"Celuk fine," Celuk rumbled out from directly behind me. Where- How- That sneaky kooky pants!

Frowning over my shoulder, then down at Dace, who was trembling so hard in place she could barely hold still, I had to question whether Dace was piss her pants scared of Celuk and reacting to that, or whatever he might be doing behind me to freak her out, or if any of it had to do with the crazy pregnant lady that'd held a gun to her head was spouting crazy shit. It was sort of odd that I had to question that.

Sighing heavily, I stood, allowing Celuk to help me to my feet.

"Dace- Dace save my Joalee from Krampus," Buu blurted.

"She what now?" That was news to me.

Swallowing thickly, Buu nodded. Miming bashing something until it was no more, his head bobbed eagerly, so eagerly he looked like a wild bobble head for about two seconds.

"You saved me?" Now I was the one squeaking.

Dace shot a look at Buu. "You weren't supposed to tell," she squawked, sounding oddly alarmed.

"Buu no choice. Buu have to tell," he softly argued.

"You don't understand…" Dace swallowed thickly. That terror tremble of before was nothing compared to now.

Celuk paused, glanced between the pair sharply. "Buu clan Dace save my Jo?" he grumbled out curtly.

This once more activated Buu's bobble head impression. "Kill Krampus. Dace save Jo."

"He was a very, very bad beast man," Dace whispered. Her gaze stayed on the ground and she'd started blinking rapidly. It was like she was remembering the whole thing and it too had traumatized her in unexplainable ways.

There was something oddly childlike about the woman. I couldn't put my finger on it. Maybe it was the baby voice, how ridiculously malnourished she seemed, or quite possibly how young if I was gauging things right… something was just definitely off.

"I didn't mean to interrupt a hunt but… he was hurting her." Dace's voice cracked and she choked on whatever else she was going to say. "It wasn't right," she got out finally.

Buu let out a long, beleaguered sigh. "Dace…Buu tell, yes? Tell Dace all the times, Krampus not Lo denaii."

Dace's gaze darted to meet Buu's briefly before sliding away. Whatever she'd smeared all over her face, tear tracks sent it cracking as wetness rolled down her cheeks. "You're the only nice beast man I know of," she croaked out hoarsely. Her nose crinkled as she added, "That doesn't want… something from me."

"Buu never want from Dace," Buu assured her.

Dace smiled as if Buu had just given her the best compliment, the greatest present. "I know," she replied softly.

I supposed she missed that barely perceptible half shudder he let out. It definitely put any and all worries I'd ever had about Buu harboring an anything for Dace to rest.

Rek started to grumble something as I made my way over to Buu that had Buu shoving one of his lower hands in Rek's face, gently mushing it into his mug to nudge him out of the way, as his other arms spread open wide, waiting for me.

The soft chuckle that issued from inside matched the one Odix, Gopher, and Celuk collectively let out at Buu's handling of Rek. My Buu caught on fast.

I ran-walked to my big old cat-man-beast as fast as my thick legs could carry me without Celuk barking at me to be careful. "You heard them, right? You're ours and we're keeping you," I whispered as he scooped me up and began nuzzling my face. His click-purr was everything as he cradled me to him, rumbled that I was his and he was mine, and buried his face in my neck.

"My Joalee," he purred.

A soft grunt issued from beside us. "Buu softest," Rek called out, angling towards Jeh-kal just inside the house as he pulled his face free from the death grip Buu'd had on his furry mug.

"Rek sure? Maybe Rek need check ‘gain," Gopher called out, ever the king of snark.

"Jeh-kal can keep biggest penis, Celuk Bride, Odious big butt, Goober big mouth dummy head, but Rek not softest prinnedcess no more!" my demented sock monkey bellowed back towards the house.

Gopher snickered at that, even as he gathered snow to cradle it to his aching testicles.

"Can- Can I be untied now?" Dace called from the ground, where she was wriggling around like a worm. "I'd like to go home now."

"Dace tell Buu Suns caves grow too snowy, cold, like Moons caves," Buu pulled away from nuzzling my throat to rumble down at her. His brow puckered up into a frown. "Where Dace go home, no one there help Dace?"

"I- I can do it," Dace stubbornly grumbled. "I did for this long, all by myself!"

Buu gave her a look that said he'd beg to differ but he wasn't going to.

"Yeah… Okay… Fine…" she conceded quietly. Lower, she mumble-muttered, eyeing him pleadingly, "But I can't stay here. I can't."

"Why not stay Lo denaii village?" Odix rumbled out, eyeing her curiously.

Dace's blue eyes darted around, the action nearly frantic. "I just- I can't," she squeaked out, then winced at her own voice.

"Dace not welcome Lo denaii village," Buu said for her.

A hiss left the small woman and she glared at Buu.

Buu gave her a funny look. "Where Dace go, she not stay? Nowhere go. No choice."

"I don't have a choice!" she fairly growled. She sounded like an angry chihuahua. "Now untie me and let me go! Before-"

"Dace do bad things," Buu admitted. "Lo denaii no want. Dace go home, no want there neither. Come through ported hole, into woods. Dace find Buu-"

"Buu!" Dace fairly wailed.

More than a few of us grimaced at the awful keening sound she let out that followed.

"Joanie!" As if to save us from Dace, Mina came scrambling up the walk, Kirch and Tarnk in tow. "I came as soon as I could! I-" Mina's steps slowed as she approached. "Uhm…" She got a good look at me, Buu, the chaos around us, the gun in Celuk's hands, Gopher cradling his nuts, Rek slapping away Buu's hand on his chest.

"Nothin' to see here, folks, just a lil squabble between clansmen," I joked, hoping to diffuse the situation.

Mina's gaze shifted from me in my big old Buu boy's arms, settling on the woman on the ground wriggling like a worm on a hook towards us, panting with her squeaking efforts, and a loud gasp escaped her. "Candy?!" she screeched.

Dace's eyes widened and she rolled to jerk her head in Mina's direction. Those peepers popped until they nearly bugged. "They took Buu! I only came to help him!" she squealed, then began inch-worming her way towards the hut's door. Butt up in the arm, she used her head and knees to hop-crawl over to Buu and cower at his feet.

"Candy?" I barked, incredulous. I'd heard about a Candy. She'd hooked up with Mina's ex while they were together. She was, like, brainwashed in love with this guy kinda crazy, and the ex was his own special kinda crazy himself. Hadn't she gone back to Earth? Wasn't she the woman that had been institutionalized for a while? Candy was Dace?

"What the hell is going on?" Mina demanded to know as the males flanking her urged her back as they bared their teeth at Candy/Dace.

"Uh… funny story. Heh-heh." Dace swallowed thickly.

"Dace save my Jo? Truth?" Celuk asked Buu.

"Dace save Joalee. Kill Krampus. Come get Buu, ask Buu to ‘tect my Joalee. Ask Buu let my Joalee think Buu save from Krampus. Dace hides. No want no one know Dace not in Dace wor-eld. Scared Lo denaii come find, kill Dace for help bad hoodman that hurt Lo denaii," Buu admitted, glancing between all parties worriedly.

"Your tail is dragging," I thought I heard Dace mutter under her breath.

Buu glanced down at her, then at his tail. "No, it not," he said simply, her comment going right over his head.

"She meant because you're blabbing everything about her, her business," I elaborated.

"Oh." Buu let out a soft grunt. "Jes. Buu tail drags then."

"She's his best friend. Like Odix and Doogie. Like family," I chimed in quietly, for Buu as much as the fact Dace had apparently been the one to come to my rescue initially. I owed her, big time.

"Dace Buu clan. Dace nowhere else go. Dace stays. Celuk protect," Celuk announced. Walking over to step in front of Dace, me, and Buu, he crossed his arms over his chest.

Tarnk let out what sounded like a curse, and Kirch flat out snarled. "She no goot. Bad. Bad female," Kirch growled out. "No want here."

Mina began rubbing at her forehead like she had a headache coming on. "You don't understand," she said simply.

"Celuk know. Understand. Dace save my Jo, too. Buu clan. Celuk protect," he reiterated firmly. With a glare down at Dace, he growled out softly, "Dace be on best ‘haviors."

"Y-y-yes sir," Dace splutteringly answered, shaking in her boots at the look Celuk leveled on her.

Maybe he looked scary or crazy to others but that look, to me, whoa, mama . It made me all warm and tingly in fun places.

Buu gave a soft sniff, followed by a grunt, no doubt picking up on my reaction.

"Believe me, I don't want to be here either! The cave had a cave in, Buu dug me out, and practically dragged me here along with him. Then the skinny one beat up Buu," she jerked her chin at Gopher, "and that mean looking one with fluffy hair," she jerked her chin at Rek, "piled on. They dragged him away! I- I just came to save Buu!" Dace cut in as she frantically wiggled.

"Stop moving, blondie, if you know what's good for ya," I hissed down at her through the side of my mouth.

Dace wisely stilled.

"Rek hair not… fluffy," Rek muttered, taking offense. He quieted as Buu let out a comforting warble and patted the spot his hand was still splayed out across his chest.

Kirch barked something at Celuk in Lo denaii that had Celuk nodding as he listened, to then rumble something back that had Kirch blinking, lips parting in a soft little o, to eventually nod his understanding as Celuk finished.

Kirch turned to Tarnk, and Tarnk, though reluctant, nodded.

"What the hell's going on?" Mina asked.

"Kirch and Tarnk tell on way home," Kirch promised her.

"Look, I dunno what the fuck's going on or why the walking tits has seen fit to come traipsing back into our lives, but just keep her the fuck away from me and mine," Mina barked. Shaking her head, she allowed her males to turn her around and lead her away from this wild ish. "I swear! One thing, I don't care what- I'm gonna bury her ass!" Mina ranted.

"Someone pissed off the Meanie," Rek mumbled, frowning as his gaze darted from Dace's bug-eyed face to Mina's retreating back. "No more piss off Kirch's Meanie. She no like you." A loud harrumph left Rek. Lower, he muttered as he turned to enter his McMansion. "Mina scary… like my Jojomine. No piss off my Jojomine… She get you…"

When Rek turned to find Buu still standing here, staring at Rek as he fidgeted in place, still cuddling me close, Rek walked back, snagged Buu by the fur on his wrist, and led him inside, making the choice for him.

"Bring Crazy Face," Rek grumbled, pausing to wait for Buu to collect Dace and follow him in. "Leave it out… no know what happen."

"I'm right here," Dace squeaked indignantly.

"We knowed," Rek informed her with a dirty look aimed right at her.

She cringed and would have cowered away if Buu wasn't holding her up by her tied hands. "He's scary," Dace whispered to Buu.

"Rek not scary." My sock monkey let out a loud snort. "Celuk scary, you hurt our Jojo, do bad things in Lo denaii village. No hear him say Kirch. Wish you not, you know."

"I want to go home," Dace whispered.

"Suns cave broke," Buu pointed out. "Dace stays with Buu clan. Be goot. Stay safe."

Buu set Dace gently down in the middle of the living room, walked over to settle me next to Rek on the couch with a nuzzle and a kiss, then walked back over to Dace to work on the ties on her hands and feet.

Dace grimaced as she sat up and began rubbing her wrists. "They hate me here," she softly whined.

"No talk like that," Rek grumbled. "Use high, squeak voice, more squeaky. Crazy Face not baby. No cry whine like baby."

"Why do you keep calling me that?" she mumbled dejectedly. Her hands lifted, one brushing what I hoped was mud off of her person. Looking to Buu, she did the lower lip jut thing again. "See? They hate me."

"Rek no hate Dace," Buu gently argued. Joining me on the couch, he scooched in, mashing me in between him and Rek.

"Rek no like Dace neither," Rek huffed and puffed out under his breath.

"Quiet you," I ordered, wiggling a finger at him warningly. "You're not helping the sitch any, bleach-squatch."

Instead of getting upset at my mouthy retort, a purr began to rattle his chest. Reaching out, his hand closed around my finger. He brought it to his lips to kiss the top, then settle our hands together and placed them on his furry thigh. "My Jojoknee needs nap." A pointed glance at my filled to aching breasts told me he had more on his mind than just helping me catch a couple winks.

Pretending I wasn't getting all jelly goo insides at that look, I pursed my lips and raised an eyebrow at him. Rek's grin was all fang. The male was unrepentant. Ugh, I fucking loved his crazy ass.

"No leave. No be bad. Stay ‘way from Meanie and Meanie mates," Celuk ordered Dace as he closed the door behind him and made his way past her.

Gopher limped along beside Celuk, accepting his assistance over to the couch.

"Least they not fall off," Rek graciously offered.

When Gopher gave him an incredulous look, Rek shrugged. "Gopher tall but skinny. Babies with my Joanie not hurt like big fat head babies from Odious or monster babies from Jeh-kal."

Gopher laughed and shook his head at that. "No know why my Jo loves you but she does." With a look at me that begged me to explain the phenomenon that is my love for Rek, he told me on a blustery sigh, "Makes for funnies, him ‘round. Rek easy."

"Rek not easy! Goober easy!" Rek was huffing and puffing, glaring at Gopher.

"Gopher only easy for my Jo," Gopher egged him on with a smirky smile and a shrug of his wide shoulders.

"Bah!" Rek waved him off. Looking to Buu for support when it looked like no one else was going to entertain his delusions of grandeur, he grumbled, "See what Rek have to put up with?! ‘Diculous!"

"‘Diculous," I happily chirped in agreement, making Celuk snort, Odix chuckle, Jeh-kal snort-grunt, and Gopher laugh.

"Makes fun of me," Rek mock-grumbled.

Nabbing me up, he acted like he meant to bite me, going right for my throat. Rek played it up, pretending to snap his jaws at me, snarling, and dove right in.

Buu let out a shocked shout but it cut off as Rek blew an enormous, sloppy raspberry on the spot, and an ear piercing squeal, followed by a peal of laughter left me. A surprised noise and a relieved sigh followed.

It was the squeak and loud thunk that had us pausing to glance towards that loud thump simultaneously.

"Dace do that, some the times," Buu admitted as we all leaned forward to study her prone form.

"He wasn't really going to do it," I mumbled.

"She cocked-eyed," Rek noted with a frown. His head canted to the side as he studied her awkward slump.

"Hurt, she wakes up," Gopher agreed.

"Someone should probably move her," I hedged, glancing around the room to settle my gaze on Buu.

"She wake up. Think bad. She try bite," Buu warned everyone, shaking his head to lean back.

Speaking of biting… Crawling into Buu's lap, snuggling up against him, I nuzzled my way to his shoulder, and whispered, "I love you. You're mine. You know that, right?"

"Buu choose Joalee. Joalee Buu's," he agreed.

"Good, because I choose you too, Peekaboo." Tightening my grip in his fur, I sank my teeth into his neck, right then and there in front of everyone.

Buu's grip on me tightened and he stiffened where he sat cuddling me and cried out. His large body shook and soon every one of his hands had found some part of me to grip and knead.

The soft growls leaving him turned to guttural moans.

"My Joalee," he choked out, twitching and trembling in place. Fingers fumbled with my clothes. This was hardly the place or time but he'd already gone right for my scars and I was all fired up.

The faint sounds of arguing pricked my ears, Rek cutting in above the rest. "No be near face, then! She wakes, go to bite, blanket over face while move! She bite that! Time run away!"

"Move," Celuk ordered moments later, followed by a loud scraping sound.

A metallic thunk pricked my ears.

I glanced up in time to spy Odix, Celuk, and Jeh-kal joining all of us on the couch. It was knees to knees, all lined up like a serving line.

I was so hopped up on sexy time juju I could probably go a round with each and every one of them.

To help make sure that was possible, I released my teeth from Buu's freshly marked flesh to nip at his cheek and inform him, "I need a new love bite, too, my Buu-berry love muffin."

Rek snorted at the silly nickname but otherwise refrained from any further commenting. His snort was barely audible over all the purrs humming to life around us anyway.

"My Joalee," Buu choked out, shivering as I raked my short, blunt nails down his chest, and then he eagerly complied.

A harsh cry left me as Buu's fangs sank deep.

A grunt left him and a soft snarl started up. It tapered off as the hands that fell to my waist began assisting me out of my clothes.

I knew it was Celuk immediately, the scent of him thick as he kneeled behind me.

"Help Buu," he offered quietly, then pressed a kiss to my shoulder, opposite the shoulder Buu was marking up, to pull back.

It should be odd, shouldn't it? Sitting here butt assed naked, ready to get rowdy with Buu, surrounded by onlookers. But these weren't strangers. They weren't just anybody. These were my mates. MINE.

Buu cupped one of my breasts as his tail slid up between us.

A strangled noise left someone else in the room as Buu lifted me up, adjusting me across his lap so his tail could tease at my slit.

"My Joalee," he purred. "My Joalee… mine. Take."

His tail began to breach my channel, slowly tunneling its way in. I rode it for a moment, digging my fingernails into his shoulders as my hips moved in time with his tail.

I knew when Buu was ready to take things further, the head of his cock starting to emerge from its genital pouch, he was so worked up.

Before he could pull his tail free, I dropped down, enveloping his cock as well as his tail. The second the head of his cock pressed to my heat, it shot out, slid deep, and all bets were off.

The initial sting of taking both of them so quickly was worth the tight fit, his cock pulsing, sending my pussy spasming around him.

Buu let out a loud shout, followed by a creaking, clicking keening sound. His hands gripped me everywhere, my ass, hips, shoulders. Head thrown back, he continued to make strange, strangled noises I found rather flattering as I went for broke and rode him until I was making silly sex noises along with him.

When he came, he found his release with a howl of a shout followed by that rush of heat bathing my channel.

"My Joalee," he panted out over and over, urging me to continue to ride him as he gave me all he had.

His tail slipped free then, slapping to his leg wetly. His cock remained engorged, impaling me to the hilt and pulsing in time to my channel rippling around him.

Dipping his impossibly large frame, he bent, stole a toe curling kiss, the tang of blood still on our lips, and bent his head, careful of his horns, to work on the lil chesticle problem I was experiencing.

"No take all," Rek grumbled to my right. A grunt rent the air and then Rek hissed. "Stop pinching Rek! I say more? NO! I say Boob has to share! S'all!"

Wrapping his arms around me without pausing as he leisurely rolled his hips, still gently pumping up into me, and drained my left breast, he growled low, a deep, rumbling warning that vibrated my breast, but didn't care enough to stop to make sure his point got across.

Rek growled as I felt him there one moment and gone the next. "What THAT for?" Rek yowled.

"Case Couch Prinnedcess opens big mouth, tell my Jo Buu him has to share." Aww. My sweet, cake abundant grizzly bear to the rescue. I made a mental note to thank him later as I felt up Buu's horns and clutched his furry head to me.

"Couch Prinnedcess," Rek grumbled. "You big butt… butts head," Rek muttered. "See who couched prinnedcess… Rek better."

A chortle issued from the opposite side of the couch. "Couch Prinnedcess. Go' likes that one."

"Course Goober does," Rek snottily sassed. "Odious always say the things like Doogie, things make Goober laugh." More huffing puffs. "Jeh-kal has Celuk. Goober has Odious. Who Rek have, Rek not have to share? Hm? Not my Jojomine. Stupid… big butt… booger brains. Rek no need special brother friend. Jojomine likes Rek best."

Buu paused, distracted by the conversation going on around us as Rek mumbled on.

Gopher let out a long sigh. "You make them stop."

Rek gurgled out a noise. "Rek no make them stop. Boob stopped because him tail dick go floppy! Not Rek make it flopsy tipsy. My Jojomine makes the best sex. She makes it go all floppy, wear it out! No blame that on Rek!"

Buu released my breast to lift his head. He ground me down on him as his hips slowed, taking his time bringing our sexy shenaniganry to a halt.

Glancing from Rek to me, he leaned in to nuzzle at the side of my face affectionately. One of his hands lifted and Rek made a squawking bark of a noise.

I turned my head just in time to watch Buu drag Rek close enough to grab him by the scruff of his neck, jerk him close enough to mash his face into the breast that was still in need of a bit of help, and hushed him with a loud grunt and a, "Take."

Looking up to glance between us in surprise, Rek waited for a nod from me for permission.

One of Buu's arms wrapped around Rek, holding him in place as the other held tightly to his scruff. Rek couldn't have escaped him without a fight and Buu was like a furry octopus.

That small show of strength should tell the others just how much he was holding back on them earlier.

"My Joalee," Buu rumbled out sweetly, his click purr so loud Rek squinted the eye mashed up close to Buu as Buu's thick chest began to vibrate.

Dark lips found mine, taking them hungrily. If he wasn't starting to soften inside of me, I'd have assumed he was ready for round two.

Buu's hands on my ass and hips continued to rock me into him as his free hands roamed. Rek's mouth closed around my breast and he took a long, make-your-toes-curl, dragging pull. My body responded instantly.

Buu groaned as I clenched around his softening member. Loud squelching sounds rent the air as his essence started to slip free.

"Buu better next time," my cave dwelling lover promised with one last kiss and a guilty look, as if he thought he was disappointing me somehow.

"You were perfect," I assured him as he lifted me up off of him.

Buu leaned into my kiss, angling his body as he held me up higher and played pass around our mate , settling me into Rek's lap.

Giving Rek's scruff a gentle shake, Buu told him on a yawn, "No more ‘plain. Buu Rek special friend. Rek no need be sad no more. Buu friend, clansmen. Buu help Rek. Rek fam'ly. No more." Another shake that Rek continued to growl at distractedly jostled him. Rek smoothed his hands up my back and urged me to hop right on and continue the fun. "Please our Joalee," Buu demanded, to kiss me one last time before releasing his hold on Rek completely and slumping down beside us.

"MINE," Rek garbled out gutturally.

Buu looked half asleep already as he settled his hands over his chest, leaned back, and closed his eyes.

I was anything but sleepy as I took Rek inside me and began to move.

"Ride Rek," Rek growled out softly, baring his teeth and hissing as I lifted up to glide right back down. "My Jojo perfect," he hissed. "Beautiful. Rek's."

"All yours," I whispered, burying my fingers in that wad of hair he calls a mane to jerk his head to the side and bite at his furry nape.

Rek growled but let me do as I would. His hands fell to my ass and he gripped both cheeks, taking charge of the depth, angle, how fast, hard, deep he wanted me to fuck him.

"My Jojo- knee," he groaned out with satisfaction as I bit down on his throat, just hard enough he felt it and his body responded.

His growls and groans turned to loud, panting moans punctuated by a snarl slipping in every now and again if I slowed down or fought his hold.

Whenever I acted as if I meant to take control, he'd growl at me, do something worthy of me relinquishing said control, and torment me all over again.

By the time I started to climax, he was done fighting me for dominance.

Rolling us so I was beneath him, my head near Gopher's legs, he hooked my leg on his forearm, pinning me beneath him, and began pounding into me.

"My Jojo- My Jojomine- Oh. Rek- Rek loves- Rek loves," he garbled out between guttural growl speak as he rode me through my orgasm and right into the next, tipping over the edge right along with me with a shout of my name.

"My Jo… My Jojo…" Rek slumped down half over me, his head falling heavily to my shoulder. He shook from head to toe, as if our wild romp had thoroughly exhausted him.

"Two down, four to go," I joked between panting breaths beneath him.

Celuk walked over, got a good look at me, caught the wink I shot his way, and a slow smile tugged at those perpetually unsmiling lips as he assisted Rek off of me.

Rek slumped into the couch, sliding down until he was right up against Buu, who had apparently checked out and was softly snoring, and possibly had been through the second half of Rek's performance.

Walking over to me, Celuk scooped me up, urging me to wrap my arms around him, before toting me down the hall.

"And where are we going?" I dared to ask.

"Wash. Eat. Rest. Fuck rest of mates later," he informed me.

"So bossy, yet eloquent," I sassed.

His palm clapped to my bare ass in a tap of a slap that had me laughing in the face of his mock ire. "Mouthy, big boobs."

"Aww, fuzzsticles, you say the sweetest things," I cooed.

"Why Rek not use fuzz-stinkles ‘Luk dummy name?" Odix wondered aloud, talking so loudly his voice carried throughout the house.

Jeh-kal rumbled something at him that had Odix snorting and Gopher chuckling.

"He no like it," Odix argued after a short pause, though he sounded unsure of the fact. "He no like that word our Jo use. Fuzz-stinkles?"

Celuk paused and bent to kiss the tip of my nose. "Celuk no like it," he agreed. I could hear the big but in there, so I waited.

When he didn't answer, I did it for him. "You LURV it."

We were just inside the bathroom and Celuk was setting me inside the shower. His laughter was deep and rich, his smile in his eyes as he stared down at me. Curling a lock of my hair behind my ear, he told me, "Celuk loves my Jo."

"I love you too, bossman," I murmured as I wrapped my arms around him and urged him to lay one on me.

Celuk groaned as our lips met. My hands slid down his pecs. I pinched his nipples as I nipped his lip.

Celuk growled and jerked me closer. Nuzzling his way to my nape, I called out as his fangs raked down my throat, teasing, pricking skin. "Jeh-kal! Hey, Big Business! You're needed on aisle twelve! About to have a big ol' mess of Joanie to clean up without your assistance!"

"What mean," Odix started to ask, but I called out over it as the sounds of Jeh-kal hurrying his large behind down the hall sounded off, "Bring my Cake and Gogo boots with ya while you're at it, yeah? This is gonna be an all males on deck available and willing kinda deal!"

When Celuk let out a sound saying just what he thought about having to work with three other males to please me, I assured him, "Don't worry, Monster Bait, I have every intention of enjoying each and every one of you, one by one. Even if it takes all night."

"Need be careful." Celuk growled into my flesh.

"Then I guess we better make sure we take our time," I quipped as he pulled back to scowl down at me. Grinning in the face of his supposed wrath, I nipped the tip of his nose.

"MINE," Celuk snarled as Jeh-kal filled the doorway, Odix and Gopher bringing up the rear behind him.

Reaching behind him, Celuk slid the shower door shut and closed the latch.

Jeh-kal barked something at Celuk that had him pausing, his growl easing as he took a deep breath, and reaching for a small jar set on a shelf above one of the shower heads.

Recognizing it for what it was, the stuff that Jeh-kal milked from his fangs, I began biting at Celuk's jaw as he dipped his fingers into the jar, set it on a lower shelf along the wall, to immediately bring his fingers to my sex and breach me two fingers covered in healing secretions deep.

When a whimper of a noise left me and my hands fell to his biceps to tighten on them, he grumbled, "My Jo ‘kay? Hurt?"

"No," I whispered, shivering in place.

Leaning in to sniff at me, his deep, happy rumble had my skin prickling with gooseflesh. "I love it when you get all big daddy on me," I purred softly as I stared up at him.

His fingers pulled out to press back in. His thumb got in on it, brushing my clit until I was grinding into his hand. Those smoky, blue-grey eyes held me captive the entire time, studying, watching, waiting, plotting to make me scream in all the best ways possible.

When I was all but clawing at him, he scooped me up and pressed my back into the wall.

"Fuck me, please," I outright begged.

"MINE," Celuk snarled, right as he grabbed the thickness jutting between us, lined us up, and slammed right home.

The noise I made must have proved too much for other occupants of the house.

As Celuk showed me exactly why he was the boss of this household and I happily let him, we were just coming down from that high, Jeh-kal impatient to steal me away from Celuk under the guise of helping me, a soft tap, like someone was knocking on metal, sounded off towards the living room.

"Hello? Is anyone still alive out there? It's dark in here and I'm scared!" Dace called out.

"How Buu live with Crazy Face long time, not go bald?" Rek grumbled from the living room.

"HEY! I heard that! YOU!" Dace squeaked out.

"Dace not all times like this," Buu offered in her defense.

"What like other times? What Buu do, ears not hurt, fall off?" Rek kept on.

Dace's affronted, indignant squeaks were too funny not to laugh. "I'm still right here, wherever here is! I can hear you!"

"Under bath tub, so not wake, see my Jojomine beautiful body, she claims her males," Rek informed her, Mr. Big Mouth.

A soft curse left me and I clapped a hand to my face as Celuk slowly lowered me to the floor.

If Dace and Rek weren't distracting everyone, I was sure Odix and Gopher wouldn't have gotten the jump on Big Business the way that they did.

"One… two," Gopher counted down.

"What one two?" Jeh-kal asked too late, turning towards Gopher with a frown. This gave Odix the opportunity to jump on Jeh-kal's back and slap his hands over his eyes. "NOW!" Odix bellowed.

Gopher pressed on the shower door, causing the latch to move, pop off, and the door to slip and open. "‘Pologies," Gopher called out to Celuk as he shoved him and sent him flying. Grabbing Jeh-kal's jar to shove it into my spluttering hands, he grabbed me up and was running down the hall towards Odix's room with me before he called out, "NOW!"

Jeh-kal bellowed and Odix came crashing into the hall. My biggun's eyes were wide as saucers but the grin on his face was shit eating. "We go!" he barked, scrambling after us.

"You crazy fools!" I called out as Gopher shot off into Odix's room and Odix followed. Locking the door behind him, he pressed his big body against it.

Jeh-kal came running down the hall, banging on the door until it shook, not long after.

"Mine," Odix and Gopher growled out simultaneously as Gopher set me down, turned me around to face Odix, and then lifted me up between them.

"You could have hurt someone with that stunt," I pointed out, but Gopher was a bit busy greasing up his meat with the goo in the jar to then rub the excess on his fingers into my labia.

"My Jo," he growled softly as he came up behind me and nuzzled at my nape.

"No hurt. Careful," Odix warned Gopher as Jeh-kal cursed them out and sent the door shuddering. A heavy fist slammed back against the door. "Jeh-kal had turn! Gopher and Odix next! Go ‘way! Give back, our Jo has her Cake and Gogo boots!"

Celuk rumbled something at Jeh-kal that had my big, bad Snow Patrol beastie letting out one last vicious growl to stop trying to break Odix's door down.

"Hurt my Jo, my baby, Odix, Gopher misappear," Jeh-kal growlingly threatened.

Odix let out a soft, annoyed chuff. "No hurt my Jo." Glancing down at the state of the enormous erection he was sporting, I thought I heard my bootylicious Cake baby grumble, "Odix worried for Odix cock. Hurt so much for my Jo, might fall off."

"Aww, Cake, I can fix that for ya." With an overdone wink over Gopher's shoulder, I wriggled between them until they set me on my feet.

Odix let out a barked shout as I bent over and wiggled my ass at Gopher, a fact my skinny bean appreciated as his hands fell to my hips and he gave them a squeeze, and my fingers encircled Odix's angry looking erection to give it a pump.

Bringing Odix's thickness to my lips, I laved the tip, then took as much into my mouth as I could.

Gopher opted to dip behind me, spread my legs, and bury his face in the promised land and eat me out like nobody's business, semen seeping out of me from several other depositors be damned.

My hands slid around to Odix's backside. I grabbed two handfuls of ass and kneaded all that glorious thickness as I urged him to allow me to try and take him deeper.

Odix's moans, groans, and alternating growls over my head were everything.

"Take. Take now," he urged Gopher.

Summery sky blue eyes eyes narrowed and Odix bared his teeth at Gopher as my slender male came up behind me, his cock in hand and searching out my heat, to find it and slam right home. Our bodies literally made a clapping sound as he bottomed out but the growl he let out above me drowned it all out.

"MINE," Gopher snarled viciously. Dropping down over me, one of his hands slid to my throat, the other banding around my breasts, to lift me up, forcing me to let go of Odix's cock, then whirl us around and drop us down atop Odix's enormous bed, bending me over the side of it.

Gopher immediately began pistoning into me from behind, taking me like a male possessed.

"Oh- Oh- OH- OH- HOH!" That was about all he could get out as he took me and I met him thrust for bodies slapping loudly thrust.

I needed this, the wild abandon Gopher reined in so tightly.

Odix looked about to intervene, but I shook my head and warned him off.

"I'm fine," I assured him.

That was about the last coherent thing I could manage as Gopher man-handled me, maneuvering us to sink fangs into my shoulder deep, snarling all the while, taking me more roughly than any of my other males could have without hurting me.

Despite the feral taking, it was still tempered. He might not think so, but Gopher was still in there, in control. He'd never hurt me or Bump. He loved us, and I knew this with every fiber of my being.

Gopher came with a roar, driving deep one last time to grind into me as his cock jerked, fighting the grip my already pulsing channel had on him as I milked him dry.

"My Jo," he panted out breathlessly. Smoothing my hair out of my face, he sighed in relief as the black left his eyes, leaving only the blue, to find me smiling up at him, blissed out and sated.

Odix let out a plaintive noise to see that look in my eyes.

My smile widened as Gopher reluctantly lifted up and helped me to my feet.

Sauntering over to Odix, my smile remained as I grabbed the jar and swiped two fingers through it. Once I was right in front of him, I made sure I had his full attention and dipped my fingers inside of me.

"What do," Odix breathed, his gaze fixed on those fingers pumping two deep.

"Getting ready for a soda can cock to lock deep inside of me like it never wants to let go," I purred as I met his gaze.

Odix looked like he was trying not to swallow his tongue as he watched my fingers slowly saw in and out of me.

"My Jo," he choked out. A drop of semen pearled at the tip of his shaft.

My fingers slipped free of my depths. I used that same hand to wrap around his cock and fist it as I dipped to taste the tip of him.

Odix let out a shout that sounded more like I was hurting him than pleasuring him. When my head popped up, he grabbed me to him, dragging me up his body, and jerked my legs around his thick waist.

Instead of going to town on me and fucking me senseless, he buried his thick fingers in my hair, grabbed my ass with his free hand, and took my lips in a kiss so sweet it made my teeth ache.

"My Jo." The words sounded like they were being tortured from him. "No want hurt my Jo, my baby."

Reaching up, I slid my fingers through the back of his furry head to grip it and drag his mouth back down to meet mine.

His guttural groan at finding himself handled was sexy as fuck.

Wriggling my hips, pressing my slit against the cock trapped between us, I relished the sounds he was making, encouraging me to keep going.

"Mine," I growled against his mouth, then bit at his lower lip.

Notching his cock at the mouth of my pussy, I slowly, carefully slid down, taking him inch by torturous inch, until there was nothing else separating us.

Choked noises left my Griz, my name a hoarse whisper on his lips as I began to move.

If there was ever anything to recommend Odix as a lover, besides the meat he was packing, it was just how enthusiastic he could be, how appreciative.

Garbled growl speak interspersed love words in English and pure nonsense. I ate it all up.

And when it all grew too much for him and he took me down to the floor, blanketing himself over me as he took me like he'd been wanting to all along, he sent me over that sweet precipice screaming my release.

By the time Odix's cock's swelling had eased up, I was drowsily cuddling him, Gopher boxing me in to nuzzle the top of my head.

Jeh-kal busted the unguarded door open on the first hard shove.

Storming in, looking ready to breathe fire, everything in him died as I glanced up, a sleepy but sated smile on my face, and blew him a kiss.

"No do that ‘gain!" he warned the pair. Leaning over Odix, he examined our bodies, noted Odix's cock was just starting to soften enough to slip free, and plucked me from between them with a sound of such utter annoyance I couldn't help but chuckle at it.

The look Jeh-kal gave me, dark red and black flushed glowing eyes blazing, could peel paint. I kissed the tip of his nose, his cheek, then his lips when none of that proved to calm him.

"Mine," he growled out against his lips.

"Yours. Always," I assured him, smoothing my hands down his furry mug.

The tension in him eased and he let out a long sigh.

Glancing at the jar on the floor, he let out a hard grunt and left it.

"They careful?" he asked as he stomped down the hall.

"Very," I murmured, peppering kissing down the side of his face.

"No business funnies," he warned me. "Need make sure my Jo ‘kay."

Sifting my fingers through the back of his head fur, I nodded and changed my expression to match his dour glower. "Of course," I deadpanned. "You should check very carefully."

"Serious," he grunted out.

My smile slipped free a little but I covered it up quick. "Whaddaya know, me, too."

"Hornies little thing. Like Rek say," Jeh-kal grunted out, though his fingers began to smooth up and down my back.

Tapping my lip in thought, I let out a soft tsk. "I suppose that's good for you all, considering there are six of you," I pointed out.

I had no clue what to make of the soft grunt he let out at that.

With a shrug, I frowned and glanced off over his shoulder. "Hm. Maybe you're right. Maybe we should be extra careful. You know, for the baby."

Rek's loud snort from the living room had me nearly breaking.

Jeh-kal stumbled a step. His gaze darted from me to the hall he was headed for.

"She no mean it!" Celuk translated the Joanie speak for him.

"She doesn't mean what?" Dace squeaked out.

"No need know," Rek rumbled out at her. "Mates things."

"I don't think I wanna know," Dace mumbled in answer.

"Dace not," Buu agreed.

The sigh of relief Jeh-kal let out had me cackling in his arms like a mad woman. "No scare like that," Jeh-kal bitched at me over my fit of the funnies as he stopped in front of a door that looked like it was carved from his tree home.

"A frightening thought," I paused laughing long enough to agree.

Words left me as Jeh-kal threw the door open and strode inside. It was like walking into a studio sized version of his tree home, if more homey and comfortable than his tree home had been. His shelves and big chair, the things strewn all over Tor's place were sprinkled throughout, a big mishmash of both sides of him.

"Are you okay, being Jeh-kal and not swapping back and forth between Tor and Hyde?" I questioned. My gaze darted away from his, fixing on the large bed he was headed for.

Placing me with utmost care into the middle of the bed, he quickly shut and locked the door behind him to join me. Curling me into his arms, he tucked my head under his chin. Thick fingers began smoothing up and down my back comfortingly. "Jo ‘kay, Jeh-kal stay? Jeh-kal Tor and Hyde together, no fight, no feel be separate. Work together. No fight over turns. We share."

"I want you to be yourself," I murmured softly, slipping my arms around his waist to wriggle in closer. "Love you, Big Business."

"Loves our Jo, too," he happily purred right back.

My hand smoothed down a thick pec, pausing to tease the hardened bud my fingers skimmed across. A soft growl mixed in with that purr and the big male holding me shivered. Leaning in, I nipped at a thick pec, rewarded with a soft growl and a very distinct thickness between his legs jerking, trapped between us.

"Sometimes… I'm very naughty," I informed him.

"Jo not naughty. Jo goot female," Jeh-kal grumblingly argued. Pulling back, his fingers slid beneath my chin, forcing me to look up and meet his swirling, mismatched irises. "My Jo strong, smart, beautiful." Thick, clawed fingertips carefully brushed down the side of my scarred face. "Jeh-kal Jo goot."

Biting at my lip, I reached down between us. "Being bad isn't always a bad thing," I teased as I wrapped my fingers around that monster between his legs and I started to work the furry foreskin covering it down his length.

Cottoning on, Jeh-kal let out a noise that said just what he thought about this side of his mate, then he captured my hand, my lips, rolled me to my back, and showed me in every way imaginable just how much he enjoyed Naughty Joanie.