Chapter 11 Abby

This was so much better than digging out of the apartment complex. She wondered if building management had knocked on the door yet to recruit “volunteers”, and if her father was grumbling right now because he’d been roped into helping. Served him right.

There was a tranquil stillness in the air as the snow absorbed all the sound around them. There was nothing but her and her shovel, the snow, and her thoughts. Of Grogen.

She was falling hard for him and found herself really hoping that a mate bond would form between them. But what if it didn’t? What if this was just something casual for him? She wasn’t sure she could handle that. What if she fell in love and he found his mate in someone else? That was one of the problems with human-Tallean relationships: if you weren’t their mate, you weren’t their mate. End of story.

Most Talleans in partnerships of convenience tried to stay away from the opposite sex to avoid starting something that could ruin their existing relationship. Others in those kinds of relationships were luckier and ended up forming mate bonds with each other later in life. The process of getting a bond to form by spending tons of time with someone was called “forcing a bond.”

It was clear that Grogen hadn’t found his mate yet, but then again perhaps he simply hadn’t been looking. There was a chance that Abby was his mate, but there was equally a chance that she wasn’t . Not wanting her brain to go anywhere near that particular black hole, she focused completely on her task.

Scoop and throw.

Scoop and throw.

Scoop and throw.

She was at the front of the building when she heard it: the soft chuffing sounds of dragus snouts scenting the air. Abby froze, dread seizing her belly. Perhaps they wouldn’t know she was here if she stayed very still.

Who was she kidding. They knew she was here; she’d just been shoveling. They were scenting to know what she was and if she was worth pursuing. In the past few years, they’d learned it was better to attack humans and Tallean females and youngsters rather than full-grown Tallean males.

She decided to run. Shovel still in hand, she ran back down the pathway she’d just made. The dragus, realizing they were in danger of losing their prey, gave chase. At the corner, Abby had two choices: run to Grogen, or into the shop. The large bay door stood open, but she would be able to close the door to the staff room. Would that be enough to stop them?

“Grogen!” she shouted. “Dragus!”

A blur of brown had her whipping around just in time to see one of the creatures leaping over the hill of snow they’d created digging out the parking lot. She wielded the metal shovel in front of her, and when the dragus lunged she swung as hard as she could, putting her entire body weight into it. She had hoped to swat the creature away, but all she managed to do was stop it for a split-second.

“Run! Get inside!” Grogen bellowed.

She did, with the dragus following close behind. At the door to the staff room, she glanced behind just in time to see it lunging for her. She ducked quickly, hoping the creature would slam into the door. But something plucked it out of the air instead.

Grogen heaved it out of the garage. As it landed in the freshly plowed parking lot, Grogen changed, sliding into bloodlust. His cheek creases unfolded and his fangs descended from their usual half-retracted position. Then his jaws unhinged impossibly wide and he let out a roar that could only be described as a challenge.

Abby took the opportunity to duck into the staff room but kept the door open a crack so she could peek out to see. She was worried for Grogen despite trusting in his strength and fighting abilities. There were more than a half dozen dragus now.

The creatures paced back and forth and chuffed at each other, as if planning out their attack. Two of them leaped at Grogen, and the fight was on. She expected him to fight with the claws on his feet, but instead, he made every effort to dodge and fling them away. It became clear that he didn’t want to hurt them; he was only trying to deter them. Grogen really did have a soft heart, for an ex-mercenary, though Abby would never say it to his face.

But this particular dragus pack didn’t get the hint and kept attacking.

One of the beasts turned and noticed her in the doorway. It charged at the door, and Abby pulled it shut, glad that this door opened outward into the garage rather than inward. There was a loud thud as the dragus slammed into the door.

Grogen couldn’t hold them off forever. He’d tire eventually. Bloodlust only gave the Talleans heightened senses and improved energy for a short period. Abby had to do something.

The deterrent!

She had invested in one for the shop two years ago after yet another fencing outage. It worked by emitting a sound the creatures couldn’t stand. It wasn’t always effective, especially if they were extremely hungry, but this pack looked well-fed. Unfortunately, it was at the front desk in the other room.

She listened by the door, then tried to peer underneath it for any signs of dragus claws. She saw none but was still too scared to open the door. But the sound of one of the shelves being knocked over and everything clanging to the ground reminded her every second counted.

She cracked open the door and peeked out. The dragus were all focused on Grogen, who had stopped tossing the creatures and was now just evading them. Several of the dragus had noticeable limps.

She ran for the other door and scrambled to her desk.

“Where the hell is it?” she asked as she rifled through the drawer.

Her hands wrapped around the palm-sized unit just as a dragus showed up at the door. It snarled at her as she fumbled with the device, praying to any deity who’d listen that there was still a charge in it.

She pressed the button. Nothing happened.

Fuck!

She looked around for a weapon with which to defend herself, only to see that the dragus was no longer advancing. It was backing away from her, pawing at his ear. Oh! It was working!

Abby brandished the deterrent in front of her and stepped toward the creature, making it back further away. When she reached the garage, it was to see the whole pack acting similarly. Several of them were even whimpering. They really didn’t like this sound.

Grogen wasn’t too fond of it, either. He was covering his ears. But when he saw her with the device he instantly understood and took the opportunity to charge at the dragus, tossing two of them outside. The rest followed, and the pack retreated.

The moment Grogen got the bay doors closed, Abby turned off the deterrent.

He stalked toward her, still stuck in bloodlust and looking positively feral. Every instinct told her to run, but she knew that this was still Grogen and he wouldn’t hurt her. She knew what he needed now. The wires between violence and sex were a little crossed in the Tallean species, and a fight, regardless of whether blood was shed or not, often resulted in the need to satiate other more carnal urges.

Abby was the only female around right now, and she was more than willing to help. She unzipped her coat and tossed it aside just as he lunged for her. He gathered her into his arms and carried her into the front room. After sweeping everything on her desk to the floor, he lifted her up onto it. Then he was nuzzling at her neck and throat, his fangs extended and his jaws still unhinged. The tips of his fangs drew two lines down her decolletage.

A hand shot out to grab her by the throat, lying her back on the desk and pinning her in place. Her slip didn’t make it, as he hooked two fingers into the neckline and tore down, the sound sharp in the room.

Fuck! That was sexy. Grogen was always so in control, and it thrilled her to see this wild, unrestrained side of him.

“Yes!” she hissed, her arousal spiking.

Her leggings were shoved down next. He had already removed his coat for the fight and was now only wearing his tank top and pants.

“Fuck!” he swore.

“Yes!” she replied, not caring which way he meant it.She wanted this. Wanted him.

He cupped her mound in his palm and she bucked her hips, wanting more contact.

“I need to get you ready for me,” he said through gritted teeth.

He pumped two fingers into her, and she was already so wet for him that they slid in easily. His movements were a bit jerky, like he was trying so hard not to devour her whole. She moaned and rolled her hips, wanting him to know just how badly she needed him right now.

“I already am. Please,” she begged.

His other hand flew to his pants, unfastening and shoving them down. His huge length bobbed heavily in front of her, the tip glistening with precum.

God! She couldn’t wait. She was burning up.

As he pulled her to the edge of the desk, she wrapped her legs around his hips, pulling him closer with her heels.

He slid the thick head through her juices, lined them up, and pushed in.

At first, Abby almost regretted telling him she was ready. He was huge, and it felt impossible. He grunted and rocked his hips, each movement taking him deeper into her. When it felt like she’d burst he stilled, fully sheathed inside her.

“Stars, Abby,” he groaned.

Then he was fucking her, and words were no longer possible. All she could do was scream.