Page 51 of Only Human in Strangeville

Katsuro kissed my forehead. “Yes.”

I very briefly allowed myself a fantasy of my own version of a puppy pile with the men I was beginning to care about, then banished it. There was no way they’d ever want anything like that. I supposed they’d all have to be okay with Nimbus, however. No way would I kick him out of my bed for a man. Not unless we were having sex, and the nimbus had already shown that he would leave the room for that.

“What about Oliver?”

“I believe shades are quite physical, as well, if significantly more reserved than werewolves. I don’t know about Bridger’s preferences.”

I returned my head to his shoulder and held him tightly. “How long until the sun goes down?” A little sunlight filtered around my dog’s rump where it blocked the entrance to the cave.

“A couple of hours.”

Shifting around, I rose up on my hands and leaned over Katsuro so I could look at him.

He gazed back at me, one eyebrow arched curiously. “Yes?”

Screw it, I thought, and pressed my lips to his.

Katsuro’s eyes widened, and he went still for a moment, as if he’d not expected me to make any sort of move right now, possibly ever. I stayed where I was, giving him a moment to decide how he wanted to react. After a small eternity, his lips curled, and his eyes crinkled into a smile. He ran one hand up my arm, fingers tickling along my skin before cupping my shoulder.

He gently cradled me with his arm, applying just enough pressure to let me decide if I was going to let him change my position. I yielded to his strength and let him roll me until I lay on my back on a bed of Nimbus’s tail fluff with the vampire over me.

“Are you sure?” His voice roughened.

“That I want to kiss you? Yes.”

He touched his lips to mine, hesitantly at first, but more confidently as I responded. His lips were smooth and firm. I opened at the press of his tongue, his hungry groan going all the way to my core and sending tingles of heat through me.

“Your skin tastes like apples smell,” he murmured as he kissed along my neck. “Sweet, crisp, delicious.”

“I’m sweaty and gross,” I protested.

“Also that,” he agreed, barely pausing as he continued to examine my available skin.

I laughed, but my humor didn’t ruin the moment and, clearly, he didn’t mind the sweat. I dared to slide my hand up his arm. His muscles were firm under his silky shirt and the contrast felt good under my palm. He rumbled in appreciation and worked his way back up my neck with his kisses until his lips found mine again.

For a time, we simply kissed, exploring each other. I enjoyed the feeling of his weight pressing me down, and the almost delicate way he touched me. It was as if he savored a fine wine.

It could have been only minutes or maybe hours of us touching and kissing and holding each other, before Nimbus huffed and shifted his tail. As I was lying on top of his tail feathers, this got my attention. Katsuro smoothly rose to his feet and helped me to mine so we could free Nimbus’s tail.

Once unrestricted, he stood and shook.

I covered my face as dirt from the forest floor that had caught in his fluff pelted us.

“Okay, so some disadvantages to having a giant dog. I swear he got bigger.” I shook off the dirt and peered out into the twilight.

The sound of rushing water, then the pungent aroma of urine made me wonder what exactly he was drowning in giant-sized dog amounts of pee. I almost felt sorry for whatever it was.

And then the trees groaned, and the underbrush crackled as he trotted farther away, and after another moment an even more pungent smell wafted back toward us.

“I can’t decide if my eyes are watering because I’m trying not to laugh, or because I need a gas mask.”

Katsuro chuckled, though it sounded a little pained. “It is a good thing he didn’t fart while we were sleeping. Perhaps we can get him to shrink down again before we have to feed him?”

“Yeah, he’s probably starving.” I scrubbed at my face, trying to figure out how we could even feed a giant cloud puppy.

Katsuro put his arm around me and pulled me close. “If we have to, I’ll take down a deer for him. I also need sustenance before we rejoin the others. I’m sure Nimbus would share.”

It took me only a moment to understand Katsuro was talking about the blood. He could drink deer blood, good to know.

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