Page 94 of Body and Soul

Keres swallowed around me, milking every last drop from my spent cock. The muscles of his throat rippled and massaged the sensitive head, prolonging my release until I was babbling incoherently, begging him to stop, to keep going. I didn't even know anymore.

Finally, the pulses of cum slowed to weak dribbles and my cock softened between Keres' lips. He released me with a filthy pop, licking his lips like a satisfied cat as he rocked back on his haunches.

I sagged against the wall, my legs giving out as I slid down to the floor in a boneless heap. My chest heaved with ragged breaths as aftershocks twitched through my muscles. I felt utterly wrecked, my mind a static buzz of white noise in the aftermath of the intense climax Keres had wrung from my oversensitive body.

Keres loomed over me, his eyes still dark and wild, that predatory gleam undimmed. He licked his lips, savoring the taste of my release. “Look at you,” he rumbled, his deep voicethick with lust. “My perfect little rabbit, all fucked out and dripping with my seed. Marked inside and out, so everyone will know who you belong to.”

I could only whimper in response, my throat raw from crying out. Tears still leaked from the corners of my eyes, carving hot trails down my flushed cheeks. I felt flayed open, exposed in a way that went beyond the physical.

Keres scooped me up effortlessly, cradling me against his broad chest as he carried me to my bedroom. I curled into him instinctively, seeking his solid strength and warmth. As overwhelmed as I was, I still craved his touch, needing that connection to ground me.

He laid me gently on the bed, his large hands arranging my limp limbs with unexpected tenderness. I felt the mattress dip as he climbed in beside me, gathering me into his arms. I nestled against his bicep.

“Keres?” I whispered into the darkness. “Can you tell me a story?” I wasn't sure why I asked. Maybe I needed something softer than the rough claiming fuck. Maybe I just needed to hear his voice.

There was a long pause. “I don't know many stories.”

“Tell me about when you were younger. A good memory?”

Keres was quiet for a long time, making me think he wouldn't answer. Then he spoke, his words slow and measured, as if choosing each one carefully.

“There was a little stream behind our house,” he began. “Nothing to hunt but tadpoles and snails. Warrick and I would go there every afternoon, pretending to fish with sticks and leaves. It was one of the few times I saw dirt on Warrick during those lazy afternoons between school and supper—a rare time I could be myself. I was only hunting leaves then, but still.”

I smiled. The silence stretched long enough for me to put my head back down. I thought he was done, but Keres surprised me by continuing moments later.

“We took Xander, Xavier, and Xion out there a few times,” he said. “By then, Shepherd was in an adult body, and the triplets were toddlers. Watching them stomp through the creek and wrestle in the mud where Warrick and Shepherd used to play made me feel…something warm and happy. I haven’t thought about those days in a long time.”

I listened to Keres's quiet words, picturing a younger him splashing in a creek with his brothers. It was hard to see the fierce, battle-hardened man beside me as a carefree child, but a wistful note in his voice made my heart ache.

“That sounds like a nice memory,” I murmured. “I'm glad you have it.”

Keres hummed, a low rumble in his chest. “It was long ago. Things change. People change.” He paused, shifting, the blanket rustling. “But some things stay the same: the need to protect those you care about.”

The words caught in his throat, as if unfamiliar on his tongue. I wondered how often Keres allowed himself to care, to feel anything beyond the vigilance and aggression that drove him.

“Thank you,” I said softly. “For protecting him.”

Keres was quiet for a long moment. Then he nuzzled against my cheek. “Go to sleep, little rabbit. I’ll watch over you.”

The next morning, Istretched and rolled over, expecting to find empty space but instead colliding with a solid form beside me.

My eyes flew open to find familiar brown eyes inches from my face. But instead of their usual intensity, they sparkled with something bright and unfamiliar.

“Hi!” The voice from Shepherd was higher pitched and younger. “I’m Dex!”

I blinked, my sleep-fogged brain struggling to catch up. Dex? Right, Shepherd's child alters I’d never met, only heard about.

I pulled the blanket over my naked body and frowned. Dex had managed to put on pajamas. “Um, hi Dex,” I said, my voice raspy. “I’m Eli.”

“I know. Azreal told me. He knows everything!”

Azreal. Another vaguely familiar name for someone I hadn’t met. How many alters were in Shepherd's head? Every time I thought I had a handle on them, a new one popped up, dizzying to keep track.

A huge grin spread across Dex's face—Shepherd's face, but softer, more open. “I like your hair, Eli. It's so white and fluffy, like a bunny!” He patted my head.

Before I could respond, Dex shot off, words tumbling out in excitement. “Do you like dinosaurs?”

“Dinosaurs are pretty cool,” I said, sitting against the headboard.

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