SWNOVELS Chapter 23: I’m calling dibs!
Saturday came fast, and Dax was rushing to get the last of her work done by four so she could close down early. Her excitement was building not just for the carnival, but to see Kane. He accepted her, demons and all. He didn’t look at her like she was broken, he looked at her with adoration. Every touch soothed her, calmed her, his demanding ones ignited something in her she didn’t want extinguished. They did not instill her with fear or pain, but strength and courage. Though they spoke on the phone or texted everyday since he showed up at her warehouse on Tuesday in basketball shorts and nothing else, she hasn’t seen him since then. Wait! How did he show up on Tuesday? He didn’t bring his truck, and why was he only in basketball shorts? Super mountain man! Not helping! He is oddly tall, maybe he can leap great distances! Really not helping! Not trying too! It shows! Questions started forming in her mind, but she didn’t have time to think about them. She pushed them to the back of her mind for later, she would have to ask him. She ran upstairs quickly and hopped in the shower, swearing at herself for not letting the water warm up first. She had kicked Georgie home at two so she wouldn’t have to deal with her anymore for the day. She was in the process of getting dressed when she heard a crash coming from the warehouse floor. She froze in place listening, there was nothing at first then another crash followed by a muffled voice. She crept downstairs quietly and grabbed the crowbar to use as a weapon. She followed the sound of the voice to the office, taking a deep breath and clutching her weapon she walked in.
Georgie screamed which caused Dax to jump back into the door
“What the hell Georgie? What are you doing here?” Dax asked, putting down the crowbar.
“I can’t find my lipgloss” Georgie whined,
“So you’re trashing the office? How did you even get in?” Dax was trying to slow her heart beat.
“The door was unlocked” Georgie shrugged,
“For fuck sakes Georgie, I told you to lock the door after you left” Again Georgie just shrugged and continued looking for her lipgloss “Get out!”
“But I need my lipgloss” Georgie whined, looking at her like she was a fool for not knowing this. Just then the bell above the front door rang and in walked Justine.
“Oh fuck! Get out both of you” Dax yelled at them.
“Why? It’s not like you have anything better to do, you’re not even wearing pants” Justine remarked, Dax just ignored her, she didn’t want to get into it with Justine today.
“Don’t you have enough lip glosses? Does one really make a difference?” Dax looked at Georgie.
“If you ever wore one you would know that it would” Justine was in major bitch mode. What the fuck is her problem? Her subconscious asked, Dax just continued to ignore her.
Kane entered through the warehouse door and he was standing outside the office listening to what was going on inside.
“I have plans, now leave, both of you” he heard Dax demand.
“Oh really? And what plans do you possibly have?” Justine snarked back at her.
“That is none of your fucking business” Dax snapped back, Johnny and Lacey showed up about that time as well.
“Hey we never picked a meeting time so we came here instead of waiting at the diner….and what’s going on in there?” Lacey asked, her eyes lighting up a bit at the drama she was hearing, Kane just shrugged, hiding the wave of disgust he felt at his sister’s reaction to what was going on in the office.
“Or should I ask who your plans are with?” Her nasally voice was really beginning to get on Dax’s nerves
“Allow me to get this into your thick fucking head, my life is not your business now get the fuck out!” Dax yelled, Justine just ignored her and kept going.
“If it’s the mountain of a man I danced with the other day at the bar, then he is way out of your league, you’re nothing but a gutter trash street rat” Dax clenched her fists, Kane stiffened at that comment suppressing a growl.
“You mean that mountain of a man that ditched your skank ass on the dance floor, so what if they are? He woke up in my bed, not yours!” Justine’s eyes widened at that. He was drunk off his ass when he showed up here but she didn’t need to know that.
“How would a VIRGIN know what to do with someone like him?” Justine dug into her, Kane’s eyes rose at the word virgin. Dax was a virgin, this was a very pleasant revelation to him.
“I’m pretty smart I can figure it out and I would rather be a virgin than sloppy like you, tell me Justine when was your last STD test? Hell, everybody knows how you like to be stuck” Dax dug back, Johnny fought to suppress a laugh, things were getting good.
“Should we do something?” Lacey asked,
“No, Dax will take care of her” Johnny assured her,
“You’re just afraid that I could please him better” Justine huffed at her,
“Please him? You’d probably disease him!” Dax fired back,
“You’re just a jealous virgin!” Justine snapped back,
“You keep calling me a virgin like it’s something dirty, sounds to me like you’re the jealous one. What’s the matter, Justine lost it too soon, to the wrong guy on a dirty mattress in a back room somewhere?” Dax fought back. Lacey’s jaw dropped and Johnny was trying so hard not to laugh.
“Why would I ever be jealous of you? He’ll come to his senses and come find a real woman to show him a good time” Justine sneered at her, when she looked out the office window that led to the warehouse she saw Kane standing there.
“Even drunk that man has better senses, and knows to avoid the smell of a dirty street whore” Justine’s eyes snapped to her.
“Say what you want Dax, that boy is mine, it’s just a matter of time” she snapped at her.
“No he’s not!” Dax shook her head,
“Why are you calling dibs?” Justine snarked at her,
“He’s a person not a thing, you can’t call dibs on people”
“Well if you won’t then I will” She pushed Dax to the floor and out of the way. She lowered her top to make her breasts stick out more and started walking towards the warehouse. Kane’s eyes widened and he shook his head backing away from the door.
“OH FUCK NO! I’m calling dibs, that mountain is mine and you can’t have him” Dax got back to her feet and stood in front of her.
“Oh Dax sweetie, you can’t claim someone if you’re not willing to put your mouth on him. And I am ready to climb that mountain, may the best woman win” she pushed Dax again hard enough to cause her to stumble backwards out of the office and started walking towards Kane.
“I plan to” Dax sticking her foot out she tripped Justine and ran over to Kane grabbing the front of his shirt pulling his mouth to hers. The second their lips connected electricity ripped through them and everything around them disappeared. Recovering quickly from the suddenness of it all Kane slid his hands down her hips and lifted her to his waist wrapping her legs around him. She wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him closer to her.
“She really doesn’t wear pants” Lacey commented looking at Dax’s backside, where TEASE ME could be read in black letters across her grey panties “Those are really cute panties though”
“I didn’t see anything,” Johnny said, finding the roof of the warehouse really interesting all of a sudden.
When they finally broke apart, they both were breathing hard and smiling at eachother. He pressed his forehead to hers.
“Now that’s a nice welcome” he chuckled, placing her back on the floor.
“I guess she’s ready to climb that mountain too,” Lacey said to Justine.
“She practically screwed him in front of us, the little slut! At least I have standards” she spat. Dax glared at her.
“I have had enough of your shit. You’re just a spoiled rich bitch, with daddy issues. Boohoo!! Daddy didn’t buy me a convertible, better screw the debate team. I may be a gutter trash street rat, but at least I don’t spend my days on my knees or my back in hopes that someone will pay attention to me. NOW GET THE FUCK OUT!” She was right in Justine’s face. Then she turned and started to walk away.
“Told you Dax would take care of her” Johnny said Lacey could only nod. Maybe there was something to this little imp after all! She thought.
“Hey Dax! Someone should have finished cutting your freaky little ears off” a pin drop could have been heard with how silent the warehouse became. Dax turned and looked at her, but it wasn’t fear or hurt in her eyes, but anger, fierce anger.
“What did you say to me?” She growled,
“Baby, you need to stay calm.” Kane said, moving towards her.
“I am calm! What did you say?” Though she was calm, her face was red, her fists clenched. She heard what Justine said, she was just wondering if she was stupid enough to say it again.
“I said, someone should have finished cutting your freaky little ears off” Justine repeated herself, with a pleased smirk. Before anyone could react, Justine made a horrible gagging sound when Dax’s fist shot out and connected with her throat, and she hit the floor. Yup stupid! Her subconscious growled.
“Let’s go feisty pants” Kane scooped her up and threw her over his shoulder and started towards the stairs. Dax yelled obscenities and tried several times to escape Kane’s tightening grip.
“Yup, calm” Johnny lost his battle and just howled with laughter.
“JOHNNY!” Kane yelled,
“WHAT?” He choked out between fits of laughter.
“Get rid of it” Kane referred to Justine.
“You really are a stupid girl” he said as he picked Justine up off the floor. “Time for you to leave”
“I’m going to press charges, you all saw her hit me” she gasped out holding her throat.
“You threatened to cut her ears off” Johnny said, her panicked eyes looking at him.
“N...no...I...di...did...didn’t” she stammered,
“But that’s what we’ll tell them,” Lacey added. Justine started crying loudly but it didn’t stop Johnny from throwing her out. Lacey grabbed Georgie by the arm.
“You too, warehouse is closed”
Up in the loft, Dax was still wiggling to get out of Kane’s grip
“Put me down, I’m gonna kick her bleach blonde ass” he just gripped her tighter, who knew she was a scrappy little thing. I did! Ky gushed he was so proud of her. Kane pinned her between his chest and the wall and crashed his lips down on hers. She fought for a second, then her mouth moved with his, electricity surged through them, she wrapped her arms around his neck threading her fingers through his hair and her legs around his waist securing herself to him. He squeezed her bottom, and pushed into her. He had to stop, he knew he had to stop, but he didn’t want to. He wanted all of her, he wanted to claim every inch as his. His instinct to mark and mate was pushing him, driving him to push harder into her. She matched him move for move, he’d push and she would arch into it. It wasn’t until they needed to breathe that they broke the kiss. Panting hard, sucking in deep breaths of oxygen that his brain started to function and one word popped into his mind. VIRGIN. This was not the way to do it, up against the wall, rough and greedy. No, her first time, should be slow and gentle, passionate and pleasurable. He would wait, it would kill him, but he would wait.
“Feel calmer” he asked, her face flushed and she nodded “Good, I’m so proud of you” He kissed her again.
“So fucking proud” he said against her lips. He moved his lips hard against hers and she matched him, when he broke the kiss again he pressed his forehead against hers.
“But, what did I say about this?” He asked, smacking her ass with a sexy grin. She gasped at the sudden sharp contact. Her red swollen lips twitching into a sinful smile. He smacked her ass again and she arched against him “What did I say?”
“I don’t remember,” she whispered wryly, taunting him.
“No!” She shook her head, and he smacked her ass again just a little harder and she sucked in her breath.
“This. Is. Mine!” He growled at her squeezing her cheeks, she moaned arching into him again. “And no one else is allowed to see, next time the consequences will be worse” and he claimed her mouth one more time, with force and demand. When the kiss broke, she looked him in the eye and smiled.
“You lost, mountain man” he smacked her ass one more time before he placed her on the floor.
“Oh! I might have lost our little game, but I still won in the end. Now go put some pants on, before I lose my control and take you right now” she laughed and ran into the bedroom. He is possessive!
They went to the diner for supper, with the bell above the door ringing Glenda looked up from her order pad, everyone in the diner looked up and watched the four of them walk in.
“Sit anywhere, I’ll be with you in a minute” she said and waved to whatever free table was available. They chose a booth on the far side, Kane and Johnny stood and waited for the girls to slide in first before they sat down beside them. Finding it hard to keep his hands off of her, Kane slipped one hand to the inside of her thigh and started rubbing small circles with his thumb. The butterflies in her stomach were stirring like crazy at the movement, but she did her best not to show it. Kane knew he was affecting her, she would take small sudden intakes of air when his thumb would venture higher.
“Can we talk about the big elephant in the room?” Lacey said, needing to clear the air. Dax’s eyes went wide, oh god what is she gonna say? Kane’s hand is on her thigh, throat punching Justine, she probably saw the kiss….
“You really just walk around in your panties, until it’s time to put pants on?” Dax flushed red to the tips of her ears. What is it with this family and my panties? They’re fascinating! Kane stiffened, giving Johnny a hard glare, but managed to suppress the growl that pushed for release. MY MATE! Ky snarled.
“I didn’t see anything” he said using the mind link and held up his hands exposing his neck slightly in submission.
“Um, yes?” Is it really so bad that she felt comfortable enough to do that? Though this conversation was making her uncomfortable. I’m not sure she cares! Her subconscious chimed in.
“And no one has ever seen you?” Lacey went on ignoring her discomfort and her brother’s glare.
“Aside from Kane! No one, I usually wait until I have closed the warehouse for a bit” Dax replied, she was resisting the urge to touch her ear. Kane gently squeezed the inside of her thigh, trying to give her something else to think about. He was trying to give himself something else to think about as well.
“Wait! What?” Lacey looked at her brother wide eyed, then a huge grin broke out on her face. Now it made sense to her why he was enamoured with the little imp, he was hoping to get laid, and when he did he would reject her. Humans were weak and had no business in the werewolf world.
“Shut up Lacey!” Kane was trying to keep calm, but that was his mate and only he was supposed to see her like that. OUR EYES ONLY! Ky raged in his mind.
“Are you trying to get me killed sweetheart? If you keep talking about her panties that is what will happen, seeing how he can’t kill you” Johnny asked her.
“No he won’t, stop being a baby, just one more question, where do you get them?” Lacey turned back to Dax, she squirmed a little at the question.
“Um….Pam’s Adult Shop, it’s not sketchy like some, it’s quite nice actually” Dax replied, masking her discomfort with indifference. Lacey clearly was not seeing that she was uncomfortable talking about her panties openly. What else could she do? So she just shrugged and placed her hand on Kane’s thigh giving it a gentle squeeze calming him immediately. She wasn’t sure why she did it, but something told her she needed to.
“You have to take me” Lacey squealed excitedly,
“Um….what?” Dax blinked, she wasn’t sure that was something friends bonded over.
“You have to take me,” Lacey repeated with a little more force.
“O-o-ok” Dax wasn’t sure she wanted to do that. Johnny looked at Kane, seeing that he had control over himself finally relaxed. Glenda came and took their orders, and Lacey told Dax all about herself.
“You good? He’s good?” Johnny asked through the link
“I don’t know, what the fuck is wrong with me? I just feel so possessive over her” Kane replied back
“I might know, remember the first few weeks after I found out Lacey was my mate?” Johnny asked
“What about it?”
“Lacey and I were talking about your parents death and how it affected her, she was so upset, she said she was terrified about the whole thing, I remember feeling possessive after that, like extremely possessive, I damn near took Charles’s head off when he said ‘bless you’ after she sneezed”
“You never told me this” Kane looked at him
“I was embarrassed, anyway I talked to my dad, he said that sometimes strong feelings of vulnerability from your mate can drive our already over protective nature into an extremely possessive one, where our other half views everything as a threat, including innocent comments about their panties, which I did not see.” Johnny added the last part quickly for reassurance
“So this is coming from Ky?”
“Would be my guess. As a species we are possessive over what’s ours, but when someone hurts or breaks what’s ours then possession is not a strong enough word. It might be worse in your case because of who Ky is, her past and because she’s a virgin”
“What did your dad say?”
“The only way to stop that kind of possessiveness is to mark them.”
“FUCK! Lacey was only 14”
“I know my wolf eventually calmed down. But Ky is not an ordinary wolf”
Their food came and they ate and talked. Kane tried to push the conversation he had with Johnny out of his head and enjoy himself. But with Ky hyper aware in his mind it was not easy. He had to tell her, before he ended up doing something he would not be able to take back. They finished their meals, paid and left for the carnival. It was bigger than Dax thought it would be, she thought maybe a few games and food vendors, maybe a ride or two, but this looked like a full scale amusement park just on the outskirts of town. They played games and Kane won her a stuffed midnight blue wolf, they ate fair food, Kane stole kisses from her all night, on top of the Ferris wheel, in the fun house, standing in any line they had to wait in. If Glenda was right, this evening was going to be the talk of the town for a long time to come, they had given people more than enough to gossip about. They were waiting in line for the roller coaster, Kane had his arms wrapped around her kissing on her neck. People would look then look away and whisper to others around them. He would whisper in her ear to just ignore it. They are staring at her! Ky hissed. Of course they are, we are lucky, she is the most beautiful one here! Mate! Ky whimpered. They were standing at the front of the line, waiting for the next round when Dax got a good look at the roller coaster
“Are you fucking kidding at me? I am not going on that!” She saw the turns, the drops, the loops, the twists.
“You’ll be fine,” he assured her. It was their turn and he led them to the front car and helped her in. Johnny and Lacey took the seats behind them. The operator came by and locked all the seat restraints down checking to make sure they were secure. He gave a little lecture about keeping hands inside the car. Dax was too busy trying not to cry.
“Shhh baby, I’m right here” He reached over and grabbed her hand, she clutched it for dear life. When the ride started, she began breathing hard as the car went up and up and up. It kept climbing almost like it was never going to stop.
“Open your eyes baby” she didn’t even realize they were closed, when she did she saw the whole town, the forest that surrounded it, it was beautiful, and then she saw the drop. Her eyes widened and she shook her head.
“No, no, no, no” she said trying to push herself away from the front, and then the car dropped, there was screaming, it might have been her screaming she didn’t know. She closed her eyes as tight as she could covering them with her hands. She felt like she was being thrown around, she could feel her body turning all over the place it seemed to go on forever and then the ride was coming to a stop.
“You can open your eyes now,” Kane said as they waited there for the operator to come and release them. She peeked between her fingers and they were safely back at the platform.
“Who wants to go again?” Johnny asked laughing from the back
“FUCK NO!” Both Lacey and Dax said in unison. When they were finally released Kane picked her up out of the car and held her in his arms, if the town was going to gossip then he would give them something to gossip about.
“Such a brave little mouse” they were standing on the exit platform and Kane could feel all eyes on them, he pressed his lips to hers softly at first but increasing the pressure and demand for the kiss, he held her tighter to him with one hand on the small of her back and the other tangled in her hair. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stood on her tippy toes trying to get closer to him. The need for air broke the kiss, and when Kane looked over her shoulder he was right, everyone was watching. Most were shocked, but the ones with knowing smiles were members of his pack. They all know she belongs to us! Ky seemed satisfied with this, for how long Kane didn’t know. They moved off the platform and away from the prying eyes of the people.
“What was that all about?” Johnny inquired when he and Kane went to find food.
“I can’t just mark her Johnny, what am I supposed to say, I have a possessive wolf in my head let me bite you to shut him up?” Kane replied “This way I staked my own claim, and by tomorrow morning the whole town will know that she belongs to me”
“Belongs to you?” Johnny raised his eyebrow “Tell me you heard yourself say that”
“DAMN IT KY!” Kane growled SHE IS OURS! CONTROL YOURSELF! WE PROTECT WHAT’S OURS! Kane grabbed his head at Ky, thundering in his mind. Johnny shoved him into a secluded area, before anyone could see. Goddess bless werewolf speed! Kane hit his knees, grabbing his head and he could feel Ky pushing for dominance.
“Forgive me brother, but this is for the best” Johnny fastened a silver bracelet coated in plastic around Kane’s wrist and stepped back. The plastic would protect Kane from being burnt while still allowing the silver to weaken him.
Ky was fighting the silver but he was losing, Kane could feel him backing down and whimpering in the back of his mind. He stayed crouched on the ground as a shudder ripped through his body. He looked at the bracelet, then up at Johnny and before he could ask.
“Since the day in your office” Johnny said,
“Thank you!”
“Anytime brother!” Johnny helped Kane to his feet “You need to tell her, and you need to tell her now”
“I will” Kane dusted himself off, Mate! A distant cry came to his head. It killed him to see Ky weakened like this, but he knew it was for the best. Had Johnny not put the bracelet on him, he would have ripped through the carnival.
“Stop scratching at it” Johnny scolded,
“It’s itchy!” Kane couldn’t help it, the thing itches like crazy.
They headed back to the girls in a hurry, it was time for them to leave. Kane didn’t know how long he would be able to wear the bracelet, before he yanked it off.
“What are you gonna call him?” Lacey was asking Dax when the boys rejoined them.
“Um….I think I am going to call him….Kai!” She said, hugging her stuffed wolf close to her chest. They all looked at her, then at each other
“Why Kai?” Lacey asked, scrunching her face up.
“I don’t know. Kai just seems to suit him” Dax held the wolf tighter to her.
“I think it’s a great name,” Kane said, wrapping his arms around her. Lacey scowled at him, then turned her attention away.
“Where’s the food, I’m starving?” Lacey asked, looking at Johnny.
“About that” before Johnny could continue Dax noticed the bracelet Kane was wearing.
“What’s this?” She asked, looking confused at the piece of plastic around his wrist. Lacey’s eyes grew wide, when she saw the silver bracelet.
“You silvered him, why?” She asked Johnny, shocked.
“I had to sweetheart, it was either that or he’d tear through the carnival, so now we have to go” Dax looked back and forth between Johnny and Lacey then up at Kane, she was really confused.
“What’s going on?” She asked. Kane took his arms from around her, his head was hung down and he looked sad. “Why would you tear through the carnival, and what’s with the bracelet?” He let out a deep sigh. “Kane?”
“We have to talk!” Was all he said, he went to pull her towards his truck but she stayed rooted in place.
“Do you trust me?” He looked at her, his grey eyes almost black. She searched his face for anything, any sign, any reason not to trust him, when she found none she nodded her head.
“Then come with me, and I will explain” she nodded again and let Kane guide her away from their friends, she looked once over her shoulder to see the smiling faces of Lacey and Johnny nodding their heads in reassurance. If he eats me I will haunt them for the rest of their lives!
****
He had followed them around the carnival watching the way the tall one interacted with her. His hands were all over her, tugging at her, pulling her into his embrace. He wouldn’t keep his mouth off her. How could this be happening? She was created for him and another man was touching her. Another man was kissing her. His anger surrounded him, clouded his vision, he was seething with hatred towards the tall one. But what he saw fueled his anger even more. The other girl they were with, was glaring at her when no one was looking. Glaring at her, glaring at his angel. That stupid whore. How could she glare at her like that? Did she not see how precious his angel was? Did no one but him see? Were they all fucking blind? The disgust he saw on the whore’s face enraged him. How dare she look upon his angel with contempt, what could his angel ever have done to her? She was superior in every way to that whore, she should be bowing at her feet, and grateful to just be in her presence. He would make her pay as well, he would make them all pay. Feeling the pull on his arm, he looked over at the woman he was with, he hated the bitch, but he needed to keep up the ruse he had going on right now. She had her uses, she found out lots of information, but the only thing he was truly interested in was his angel. Letting the vile wench pull them in the opposite direction he watched her walk out of the carnival with the tall one and disappear into the parking lot.