Race
1067 Words
They were not perfect, he and his mate, Conley mused, stroking Aleida's hair while she slept. She had her back to him and was nestled into Conley's arms. She was cold everywhere except where Conley was touching her, which suited Conley just fine, since he usually ran hot.
'Are you asleep?' Conley murmured into her hair.
'Not quite.' came the quiet response.
'Should you be?'
'No, I'm good. Just meditating.'
'Really?'
'Mhm. Keeping myself relaxed and comfortable, since I don't need to sleep.'
Conley didn't know what to say to that, so he said nothing and continued to stroke her hair.
They were not perfect, he and his mate, but this moment felt pretty damn good. Even if he did feel like they were missing something.
**
Aleida kept her eyes closed while Conley played with her hair. She wasn't tired, having had so much sleep recently, but being a vampire didn't mean she didn't know how to relax. And this was certainly the most relaxed she'd possibly been since she'd changed. But she couldn't shake the feeling she'd forgotten to do or say something.
'Would you like a proper tour of the community grounds today?'
'Sure!' Aleida wriggled a little closer to Conley, 'In a little bit, I'm too comfortable right now.'
The chuckle that reverberated through Aleida's body was warm, and the gentle squeeze that followed was comforting. If Aleida could just remember what she needed to do, she could relax entirely.
**
'The forest!' Conley gestured grandly with one huge hand. The smell of pine and moss filled every airway and gap in the community, but right here, just behind the pack house, the smell was cleanest. Conley breathed slowly and deeply to properly allow his favourite smell entirely fill his senses.
'You don't get out here often enough, do you?' Aleida asked softly. Conley turned to meet her eyes, and promptly lost his train of thought.
Skin, sweat, groaning, and moaning and skin and sweat and ...
'Hey!' Aleida tapped him on his nose with one finger. 'We can do that again later.'
'Promise?'
'Only if you actually show me the forest.' Aleida laughed.
'Isn't that what I'm doing?' Conley pulled himself up to his full height, winking at Aleida when her eyes clouded over slightly. Conley tapped her nose with his finger. 'We can do that again later.' he teased.
'Cheeky.' Aleida grumbled, her eyes clear again. 'Are you going to change, or stay like this to show me the forest?'
'Oh, you wouldn't be able to keep up with me if I changed.' Conley took Aleida's hand, which looked tiny in his own.
'Is that what you think?' Aleida challenged, pulling his hand to turn him towards her so they could stand chest to chest. Or chest to upper stomach, with their height difference.
'Do you want to race, little vamp?' Conley teased - immediately wondering if that would be an adequate nickname.
'You're on ...' Aleida hesitated, and Conley was worried for a second about the new nickname, until Aleida made his knees weak by throwing him the cheekiest grin he'd even seen, 'Pup.'
Conley raised an eyebrow. 'Did you just call me a pup?' his voice had lowered to that Alpha level without any conscious decision, but it didn't seem to scare Aleida.
'Yup. Whatcha going to do about it ... pup?'
Images of pulling her over his lap and spanking her until she cried for mercy filled his mind.
'Sure, if you win.' Aleida surprised him by saying. He was still standing in shock when Aleida let go of his hand and took off running.
'Hey!' He cried, stumbling to take off his clothes before shifting.
The initial crackling of his bones and intense vibrations of his muscles made her stop and watch him change. He felt every muscle, every ligament, every bone and hair fiber alter, lengthen, crackle, pop and vibrate until they settled on his wolf form. A quick shake of his fur settled everything into place.
Aleida was gazing at him in wonder, and he felt his chest swell in pride. Slowly, as if he were a wild animal, Aleida reached her hand out for him. Conley leaned into her hand, his tongue lolling out. Aleida giggled and scratched behind his ears. 'Are you still there?' she whispered.
'I don't lose control of myself.' Conley responded dryly, through their minds. 'But this is why it's so important for werewolf mates to communicate via their minds.'
'That's why you're worried that I'm not communicating that way?' Aleida murmured. Conley nodded, nuzzling his face into her shoulder.
'I've been brought up to believe that's the only way my Luna and I can be strong for our pack. But first, I need to be a better mate.'
Aleida smiled and kissed his snout.
'If you want to improve for yourself, you will improve. I believe in that.'
'I'll need your help...'
'Of course you will,' Aleida stepped back and flicked her hair over her shoulder, 'I'm amazing.'
Conley snorted and licked Aleida's cheek.
'Cheeky.' she gently pushed him aside.
'Come on, I thought you wanted to prove how slow you are? Or are you too taken by my wolf?'
Aleida grinned and gestured to the forest. 'Where are we going?'
Conley showed Aleida a map of the forest in his mind with their pack lands outlined. They would do a typical sweep of the outer land and back to where they'd begun.
Being able to check on all the sentries during their race would be an added bonus, not that Aleida needed to know.
'Ready?' Aleida grinned.
'On your mark...'
'Go!' Aleida took off. Conley blinked, and she was gone.
'What the f**k?' Conley torpedoed off after her, following her scent. She was perfectly following the route Conley had laid out for her, and by her scent Conley could've sworn she was right in front of him ... but she was nowhere to be seen!
Conley passed each sentry point one by one, with no sign of Aleida anywhere. Each of the first three sentries greeted him as he flew by with a brief, 'Alpha. You just missed the Luna.'
The final sentry surprised Conley with, 'Alpha, the rest of the vampires for the community just passed the border.'
'Good work. All accounted for?'
'Yes, Alpha.'
Conley picked up the pace, Aleida's smell heavy in his nostrils.
- Writer
