I hope you enjoy this mid-week update of Lost Inside! I think it helps set the story a little more for those who haven't read the other Carthera stories. I'll be back with more on Wednesday with the Briefers!
Lost Inside Chapter Three
Benny didn’t expect to thank Velaku in person, but he had to
find out what Brad told the Falcons. The safety of Ellis, Davis’ mate, as well
as the other Carthera that worked at the bar, was at stake. A meeting with the
leader of all the Carthera clans wasn’t something Benny could refuse to attend
when they’d been invited, even if his boss had. At least they discovered the only
surviving members of Mishtar’s band of traitors who tried to take over Velaku’s
territory were small players. Thugs and outcasts with little brains or sense,
they were unlikely to be a large threat.
Each Carthera clan knew their identities and were on the
lookout. They’d never manage to hide forever. By now they’d probably already
fled Velaku’s territory in fear of him and his mate. No one else would make the
mistake of underestimating the young leader. His mating, and rise to power
after the murder of his father, at such an early age meant nothing. He was a
deadly Falcon and his mate, a handsome lynx named Natham, were firmly in
control after the attack on Davis’ safe house failed.
The cross-species mating was rare, but Ellis’ change from
pure human was even stranger. He’d even taken on many of Davis’ Snake
characteristics. Velaku and Natham discussed the situation, in-depth. All Benny
wanted to do was go home and sleep. His ears twisted and flattened.
“I’m sorry, Benny. I know you’ve had a long day.” Velaku
leaned back in his chair. “It’s been a crazy week or all of us.”
Natham stood behind his mate between his snowy white wings
and kneaded his shoulders. “Hopefully things will settle down. The smugglers
are being put down by the government, Mishtar—the fucking traitor—is dead. The
Falcons will nominate a new leader soon.”
Benny sat forward. “Really? How do they decide that?” He,
like every other Carthera, had heard of the legendary Falcons. They were elite
fighters. Not much was known of them other than that. They were a secretive
sect, a holdover from the time the Carthera clans fought amongst themselves and
were hunted by humans.
“A competition open to all the senior Falcon fighters and
the battle group leaders. They will compete both in combat and in strategy
games.”
“Sounds simple enough.” Benny shrugged and then smothered a
yawn.
“Not really. Sure, the strategy isn’t physically dangerous,
but contenders for the title have been known to break wings and limbs. The
battles are fierce.”
Velaku patted Natham’s hands. “Thank you. I’m sure we’re all
tired. For now, we’ve done all we can do. Please, thank Davis again for us.”
“I doubt he and Ellis will come up for air for a while, but
I’ll pass it along when I see him next.” Benny pushed his chair back from the
table.
Velaku stood up and leaned against his mate. Natham wrapped
an arm around his waist under his wings. “You’re welcome to attend the
gathering when the Falcons compete, as our guest. I know you fought against
Mishtar’s men at great risk to yourself. I know my father allowed you and your
brother to enter our territory without a clan, but for my part, I disagree. If
you wish, we would welcome you as the Tiger Clan Alpha for our territory.
Benny blinked. He fought to keep his jaw from dropping open
in shock. “I’m not an Alpha, and the only other Tiger around is my brother.”
Natham snorted. “You’re not? Coulda fooled me.” He flicked
one ear and smiled, taking the sting out of his skeptical comment. “You don’t
have to decide anything now. Go home and get some rest. The competition will
take place sometime next week. We’ll send you message when the time is
determined.”
Benny nodded. He saluted Velaku and his mate. They left out
a separate door. Benny walked out of the house on the edge of the eyrie in a
daze. He barely remember the trip home, which wasn’t safe for the other
motorists on the road, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care.
Flopping down on the center of his bed, Benny closed his
eyes. He’d take his shoes off and shower after a few minutes. He just needed to
gather the chaotic thoughts darting through his mind so he could get a few hours
of sleep.
Benny yawned.
Yuri
shoved him down on the bed. Benny stared up at him, then tipped his head back
slowly. He could barely see Yuri’s smug grin, but he could feel it through
their bond. His mate hovered over him, and Benny waited, his cock slowly
filling. As big as he was, as dominant outside their bedroom, Benny enjoyed
submitting to his mate when they were alone.
Sometimes.
Yuri’s
hot breath puffed against his exposed neck. Benny shivered. The looming Tiger
licked a warm, wet line up his throat. Yuri completed the submission ritual
with his jaws stretched wide and clamped down on Benny’s throat. When Benny
didn’t move, Yuri began to purr. He ran one hand down Benny’s chest, his claws
tearing the white t-shirt into ribbons from the neck to hem.
Yuri
released Benny’s neck and leaned back to kneel between his legs. He stared down
at Benny with a smug grin. “I’ll never get tired of that. Who’d have thought
you’d become my mate?”
“I
did, the first moment I saw you.” Benny felt his face heat up. Yuri laughed,
then leaned down and kissed him. He nipped Benny’s bottom lip with his fangs,
then licked off the tiny drops of blood with the tip of his tongue. He broke
off their kiss when Benny tried to pull him down.
“Slow
down.”
“Why?”
“Because
I want to.” He rocked back on his heels. “I want to see you.”
“Is
that why you ripped my shirt? I liked this one, you know.” Benny sat up and
pulled it off, tossing it to the floor. Yuri pushed him back down.
“Then
next time don’t work out with a shirt on if you don’t want me to rip it off
when we get back home.”
Benny
grunted when Yuri his rolled nipples between his fingers. “Then you’d pounce on
me in the gym. Don’t think”—he gasped when Yuri pinched and tugged on the
sensitive tips—“oh damn. Uh, I don’t think we’d be let back in if you did that.”
Yuri stroked the abused flesh softly and Benny resisted the urge to squirm.
“That
tickles!”
“Well,
we can’t have that.”
The
first lick across his right nipple sent a shiver down Benny’s spine. The soft
sucking and sharp bite wiped his mind of rational thought. Yuri kept changing
the sensation. Soft licks mixed with small nips and soft kisses became strong
sucking pulls. Benny’s balls began to ache.
Benny
stroked his hands down Yuri’s back. He shoved at the damp waistband of his mate’s
shorts. “Off.” He needed more. He squirmed under Yuri when his mate sat up.
“Just
this.” Yuri pulled Benny’s shorts down. His cock smacked against his stomach.
Benny gasped and tensed when the elastic band on his shorts smacked against his
balls. “Oh yeah, look at those ridges.” Yuri stroked the sides of Benny’s six
pack, so close to his dick but not touching it.
His
mate was evil!
A
pool of precum gathered under the head of his cock as Yuri teased him. Benny
finally growled, unable to stand it. He reached for his cock, but Yuri shoved
his hands away.
“Damn
it, Yuri!
His
sexy Tiger looming over him laughed. “Waiting is good for you.”
Benny
might combust before then. His balls ached under the tight band of his shorts. “Getting
me off is good for you.” Benny’s claws snagged on the blanket under him. “I
want to feel you.”
Yuri
appeared to give his demand some thought. Benny was about to roll them when his
mate finally slid his shorts down. Benny reached and Yuri swayed back.
“No
touching.”
His cock
was fatter than Benny’s with a thick cap already flushed purple. Benny didn’t
know how his mate stayed so calm. Yuri leaned forward and braced himself just
above Benny’s body. “This what you want?” He pumped his hips, barely grazing
their cocks together. Benny arched up.
He
hated it when his mate was in a teasing mood, especially after he’d had to
watch the massive Tiger’s muscles flex and shine with sweat as he worked them
on the weight machines at the gym. Benny’d had been half hard, his jock barely
able to keep his bulge from becoming obscene, for at least an hour. “More,” he
growled.
Yuri
flashed his fangs. He reached between their bodies and grasped their cocks
loosely in one hand. Benny shuddered. He thrust into his mate’s hand, working
against the rough palm on one side and Yuri’s cock on the other. The weeping fluid
eased his rough thrusts into Yuri’s grip into smooth glides. Yuri froze,
crouched over him, as Benny grunted and thrust. He controlled the sensation,
tightening and relaxing his fist. Benny wanted to make his mate lose control,
but Yuri was a rock. It was maddening. He was so close!
Benny
snarled as someone slammed the door open. Yuri shouted as he was ripped off the
bed. His dad stood over him, his face a mask of rage, his ears flat to his
head.
“You
fucking ingrate!” He slashed his claws across Yuri’s chest when his mate tried
to get up. Yuri collapsed in shock, staring at his father with his mouth gaping
open. Benny fought off his shock. His mate was hurt! Benny yanked up his shorts
and flew off the bed.
“Leave
him alone!”
He
shoved the Alpha aside and bent to help his mate up. Blood dripped from the
five slices across Yuri’s chest and upper stomach. They were deep but not
fatal.
The
hair on Benny’s neck stood up. Yuri’s eyes widened and then…
Benny rolled, trying to avoid
those phantom claws that had raked down his side and laid him open deep enough
for bone to show. The vicious boot to his head when he fell left Benny dazed.
But it wasn’t a boot. He wasn’t
bleeding.
Benny lay on the floor beside the
bed in his lonely apartment, cursing the nightmares that haunted him. Clammy
sweat coated his skin. He rolled over and slowly made it to his knees and then
his feet. A shower was first on his list. The stench of his fear saturated his
room. Even Benny could smell the acrid odor.
Then he needed a drink. Or maybe
two.
TBC
