cosmicshifts Page 6

  “That made quite a bang. I wonder if they detected it. I’m sure someone felt the earth shake. It would be noticeable with all the equipment they have at the campsite.”

  Alika agreed with him. It had been a large risk by blowing up the boulder, but it had been the only way to go onward. They came to a narrow outlet that Phillip slipped into. She would have missed it if she was not following him. She went after him slowly and felt her way around the rocks. They were wet. Water was moving swiftly near them.

  The air grew light while they ascended. When they finally emerged, she saw the night filtering through small holes in the cave ceiling. There was a waterfall at the edge of the cave. Some plants grew along the side of the walls. This was a lush spot that she could see them staying in. Phillip did not stop. Her guide steered her further into the mountain. They wound around a path that led behind the waterfall. She hefted the bag over her shoulder, and they still tramped upward. After what seemed to be hours, they stopped. She shone her light into a hole.

  “We must climb through there. About twenty feet, and then there is a ledge you drop onto. Wait for me there.”

  He lifted her up and she shimmied through the hole, crawling on her belly. The passageway was large enough for Phillip to get through. She came to the end of the duct and found the sill she landed on. After a moment, she heard Phillip coming through. When he came down onto the shelf, he jumped from there to the cave floor.

  “Jump. I shall catch you.”

  Alika shined the light down to the floor and saw that it was quite a drop. She stared at the creature before her, more animal than human on the outside, but his heart was pure. She did not hesitate and leaped into his strong arms. His fur pressed against her flesh and made her itch, along with the dirt she had on her from the explosion. All she craved was for some water to bathe in. It would make her feel so much better. Phillip set her down and took the light. He led the way around a corner and stopped a little way down. The cave they came to was even more beautiful than the last. Several holes in the cave ceiling let the light in so she could see the crystals embedded in the wall. Large quartz grew along the cave walls. Their power blasted against her flesh. Crystals held energy. Her people had harnessed it ages ago. This whole cave was a conductor. If she had the right equipment, she could use the energy in the crystals to boost her signal. First she had to be sure that she had the right equipment to get it all done.

  “We’ll stop here.”

  Alika trailed her fingers along one of the crystals and felt it vibrate under her touch. Such raw and untapped power was an amazing find. With the right equipment, there was hope that her distress call would get someone’s attention. Now all she needed was the machinery. Phillip set the bags down, laid out a layer of silky fabric, and then dug into his bag. He pulled out containers of water, food, and some clothes, which he handed to her. She had no qualms about being without garments, but it bothered him so she slipped on the shirt and shorts so she was no longer naked. From there, he leaned against the wall and motioned for her to sit down.

  She took one of the containers of water, broke the white strand around the lip, and twisted the cap off. She took a sip and then offered it to Phillip.

  “No. You need it. I can get more.”

  “This place, are you sure no one will be able to find it?” Alika asked.

  “It has not been disturbed by any humans since I’ve been coming here. It was considered a sacred haven to the tribe Kaylana was part of. She brought me here because she thought this was the place one of their gods had captured the stars in. We are safe. You stopped bleeding a long time ago.”

  She nodded and dug into the bag, looking for the pants that she pulled out earlier. When she did, she laid out what he had brought back. Most were the bits of metal from her ship that she might be able to use, and there were a couple of instruments from her ship. She held them up in the little light she had. One of them was part of her communications system. It was an integral part she might be able to use. From everything she had heard and read about Earth, their science was still in its infancy. She picked up the battered part and poked at the frayed ends with the exposed wires.

  “Can you use that?”

  A sigh slipped from her lips. “I think so, but I’m going to need more equipment to get it going. Do you have the things you took from the encampment? Or any tools?”

  “You were being attacked. I threw the bag into a tree. I was going back to retrieve it tonight.”

  Disappointment and fear filled Alika. She did not want Phillip to get hurt or captured because of her. He had already uprooted his domicile so the government would not catch her. Now he had to put himself in jeopardy again to retrieve the instruments he had stolen. “I can’t ask you to go back and risk being captured. I won’t let you go.” She got up and paced. He touched her shoulder. His claws scraped against her flesh, but she knew it was supposed to be gentle by the emotions that rolled through his mind. There was also conflict too because he did not want to leave her, but he also wanted to make sure she got done what she needed to.

  “You know I have to go back. You need the computer so you can you use it to send out a distress call. I’ll be okay.” He curled his fingers along her cheek and ran his thumb over her bottom lip. She turned her cheek into his palm and stared into his deep brown eyes. She saw the compassion and the man inside of him and knew that he was going to go no matter what she said.

  “At least let me…”

  He shook his head. “No. You’re staying here. Promise me.”

  She nodded.

  “Good. I’ll be back.”

  He backed away from her and then slipped into the darkness, leaving the cave without a sound; even she could not detect him.

  While he was gone, she went through his pants and the bag. She found some wrapped food in the bottom of the bag, sniffed it, and decided that it was edible. It tasted more like sand, but it was something to stop her stomach from growling. Alika then found something wrapped in a brown wrapper with silver clinging to it. She broke into it to find that it was quite appealing. After she finished the treat, she laid down on the sleeping bag. Stars shone brightly through the holes in the ceiling. Some of them she could name, but others were some she had not seen. They all made her homesick.

  Alika did not know how long she stared, but she heard a shuffle and sat up in bed. A large shadow moved, and Phillip appeared in the cave. The sky was cresting with the golds and oranges of the sun coming onto the horizon. The man before her bellowed and dropped to his knees. A bag was slung over his shoulders. As he fell, his form shrunk and became the man he truly was.

  In the light, she could make out scrapes and scratches along his flesh. He did not move except to remove the bag from over his shoulder, hand it to her, and then crawl into the sleeping bag that she had been sitting on. Phillip’s back was all gouged up. Maybe he was in a fight with another animal. It appeared that his left leg was hurt because dried blood streaked down it. She went over to him.

  “Are you okay?” she asked.

  He forced a smile, but she noticed the pain in his eyes. “I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me. The wounds will heal. I’m doomed to live eternally…”

  She ran her fingers over his leg, and he winced when she came to his knee. Something had happened to Phillip. She grabbed the water and tore off a piece of the shirt she wore. Alika used the water and the fabric to clean the wound. When that happened, he grimaced and howled in pain. The intensity of it flashed through her mind, and she knew that he was only putting her off. When the wound was cleaned, she discovered something lodged in his knee. If I had my ship, this would not be a problem. “Griqnak…”

  Phillip started laughing.

  “What?” she snapped, not seeing what was so amusing.

  “I assume that’s some kind of curse in your language because I didn’t get the translation.”

  Alika smiled. “Yes. It is also related to coupling, a very crude form of it.”

  “We h
ave one like that too. It’s called fuck.”

  “F-f-fu-ck.” Alika wrapped her tongue around the strange syllables and found the sound and the weight of the word on her lips pleasing.

  “Yes.” Phillip sucked in a large breath when she took off her shirt and tied it around the wound to staunch the bleeding.

  “You can walk. So what happened to you?”

  “I retrieved the bag, and one of the army guys caught me jumping down from the tree. They called for backup and chased me through the woods. Even with my abilities, it was troublesome to lose them. Sometimes not even the power to cloak my presence can hide a seven-and-a-half-foot-tall creature if they’re looking hard enough. I tried to go back through the entrance of the cave, but it was swarming with soldiers. So I had to take the long away around. I finally lost them. When I jumped down from a ledge, I landed wrong and broke my tibia. It pierced my skin. It has already started to heal. Don’t worry; accelerated healing goes with part of who I am.”

  Alika ran her fingers over the place where the bone had broken. She pressed the flesh, and he jumped. The bone had already set into place. Healing was not one of her specialties. There were other positions on her planet that focused on the healing arts. She was more of a scout to seek out other life forms and evaluate whether they were compatible with their species. Earth had been far from her list. Phillip bellowed when she pressed on it again.

  “Stop. Please!”

  An idea hit her when she saw the pain in his eyes and the sweat dripping from his brow. She ran her fingers over his cheek, feeling the bone structure, and pressed the center of his forehead where the implant was. He began to speak, but she placed a finger over his lips. Alika focused on the circular piece of metal and the subtle ridges along it. Small tendrils stayed embedded in Phillip’s flesh. The main apparatus glowed a subtle green when she pressed along the outer edge. Sometimes the translator could be used to ease pain. There was a built-in pain inhibitor that could last a few hours if used as a last resort. She just had to remember what buttons to push. After she slid her fingers around the translator, it glowed orange and then green again. Alika poked Phillip’s leg by the bandage; he did not jump or flinch. She smiled and pushed the translator back into the middle of his forehead.

  “Do you feel any pain now?”

  Phillip shook his head. His warm hands cupped her face. The small gesture ignited the lust inside of her. This time it was not for the rushed encounter she had with him as a Bigfoot, but to be with the man inside. Phillip took in a deep breath and slid his hands down her sides. The smooth gesture made her squirm. She breathed in his masculine scent and also caught the musk that was part of the beast. Her hearts beat double time with the slight touch, and she was aroused even more than she had been with him as a beast. It was a strange sensation because she had not felt anything similar since her original mate had died.

  “You never answered my question. Are you in pain now?”

  Phillip pushed a stray hair from her face. “No pain. I’m just realizing how amazing you are. The light plays off your skin, and the way the crystals flash across your face makes you so ethereal.”

  Alika was not sure what the last word meant, but from his tone of voice and expression she assumed that he was a little mad. She reached up to touch the center of his forehead again and adjust his translator. Phillip caught her wrist.

  “No, it has nothing to do with the device you implanted in my head. Being a Bigfoot, there are things I feel that I can’t put into words. While I am a man, there are other things that I yearn to say. It’s been so long since I’ve felt something for another person, since I’ve had someone real to talk to. It puts things into perspective.”

  She felt the sides of her cheeks sear at what he had said. If someone else had found her besides him, she did not know what she would have done. He probably would have sold me off to the highest bidder. “Phillip, you have no obligation to me. You’ve gone beyond any bond of chivalry or debt you think you owe me. I’m the one who is in your debt. You saved my life and risked yours on more than one occasion for me when you didn’t have to.” Alika forced a smile and stared into his brown eyes. For the first time, she considered not calling for help and maybe settling down with Phillip. Maybe I could make a life here. Maybe I could learn to fit in on this planet. He cares for me, but could I stay here?

  “You are worth all the time and all the risks. I wish...” He shook his head.

  She saw the unfinished thought flash across his face and in his mind. Normally, his thoughts were guarded while he was in his human form. This time Alika caught the depth of his emotions. Alika pressed her lips to his and did not bother with rational thought any longer. It was easier just to let her feelings take over. It was wonderful just to be able to feel and not think. There was no need to run. She could just be with Phillip, and he made her feel as if she were truly the only one in the universe. Phillip returned the kiss with a hunger that reflected his yearning for her. It was clear that he was lonely from all the time he had spent by himself.

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” Phillip broke the kiss.

  A cold chill passed down Alika’s spine. She wondered why he was asking her when clearly he desired her. “Of course I wish to do this. Unless you don’t.”

  He chuckled. “Oh, I do, but I thought you might enjoy it more if I was a Bigfoot. I’m average like this.”

  She understood now. All men, no matter what species, were enthralled with their manliness. Alika trailed her fingers over the firmness of his chest downward until she cupped his cock. “There is nothing average about you.”

  Phillip’s lips spread into a wide smile. From there he laid his hand over her breast. His thumb brushed over her nipple. It hardened. A moan slipped from her lips, and her stomach quivered with anticipation. Phillip’s lips slid over her throat, and his other hand slithered up her inner thigh. A giggle tumbled up her chest, and she squirmed.

  “You’re ticklish.” Phillip nibbled her throat.

  She nodded. “We call it something else.”

  Phillip ran his nose along the side of her neck. “What do you call it?”

  His musky scent enveloped her. “Vgfyrin.”

  “Vgfyr…”

  Alika knew that he tried to say it the way she did but he swallowed the last of the word, garbling it. Phillip tried again, but she pressed her fingers to his lips. He flicked his tongue over her fingertips. He sucked in one finger and then wrapped his tongue around it. Her hearts sped up, and her breath caught in her throat. She gripped his thigh and squeezed. Phillip released her finger and nipped her neck.

  His fingers subtly pushed against her legs to open them further. Alika fought against it at first. What was it that he had in mind? Did he truly know how to pleasure her? Was he going to try and titillate her?

  “Lie back,” Phillip urged.

  “But you don’t know...”

  “Shh…let me savor you.” The ache in his voice tugged on her heart.

  Alika closed her eyes and laid back. His lips swept over hers in the lightest kiss as he planted more along her throat and chest, taking a moment to lick her stomach and stopping at the bottoms she wore. His eyes glistened with excitement and anticipation. Her stomach was alight with trepidation. He slowly pulled down her bottoms, taking one leg at a time until she was completely naked. Phillip kissed the top of her feet and flicked his tongue over the top of her six toes. She squirmed again.

  “Ticklish again?”

  She shook her head. “No. I’m all dirty, but you don’t seem to mind.”

  Phillip flashed a smile at her. “Dirt doesn’t bother me. All I see is your beautiful body.”

  Alika’s cheek seared at his compliments. Some of the males she had been with in the past had been fastidious about cleanliness. Others wanted her just in her animal form. Even though she had lost her mate ages ago, this was her first time with another male. She felt loved and wanted. Her lover straddled her. His fingers trailed up her calves, and his light
touch stroked her inner thighs. His teeth replaced the lips on her leg. Phillip bit down on her skin. Alika arched off the sleeping bag and screamed. Wetness gushed from her pussy. He pressed his fingers into her hips while his body nestled between her legs. Kisses trailed from her abdomen until he found her buried clit. Once his lips encompassed her throbbing bud, a groan loosened from her throat.

  Phillip slipped a finger inside of her depths and pushed against the sensitive walls. She raised her hips, trying to set a pace for their coupling. Phillip continued to pump into her and then added another finger while his tongue flicked over her clit, manipulating her faster and faster. The pleasure she experienced burned her to the core. Her canis form struggled to be let out, but she kept it in check. A cry left her throat that was part scream, part howl. Her hearts hammered against her chest. He was driving her into a frenzy, coaxing her higher and higher until it seemed that she would join the stars. Her skin burned from the passion he instilled in her. White light appeared behind her eyes. It grew brighter and brighter, increasing with the ecstasy he imparted into her.

  He drove his fingers deeper into her until he had three fingers inside of her pussy. Phillip stroked her clit with fierceness as he redoubled his efforts. Alika tried to focus on her breathing to slow down the rising tide that would sweep her away, but it was nearly impossible not to give in.

  “P-please,” Alika pleaded.

  Phillip didn’t relent. She ran her fingers over his muscled arms and slipped them over his shoulders. She raked her nails along his spine, and it did not deter him. No man had ever driven her crazy the way he was doing to her. Alika writhed under him. Sweat had broken out on her skin. She was so close to ecstasy, all that was needed to send her over the edge was a small push. And Phillip gave her that little nudge when he nibbled on her clit once more and then trailed his tongue along her moist slit, replacing his fingers with his tongue. Once he did, Alika cried out and felt her muscles lock up as stars burst in her mind. Her pleasure flooded her and she basked in the glory.