Five

The feel of his skin, the smell of him, the way his skin tasted as she kissed it, was all too perfect. When Genevieve murmured his name and he thrust, she knew it was a dream. There was a difference between being awake and having real, physical, messy sex and the smooth, sweet, oddly buttery feeling that she felt when she had sex in a dream.

As badly as she wanted it, she didn’t let that stop her from enjoying it. Here it could be perfect and guilt free. Here it was like heaven. So easy, so free. Wrapping her legs around him she kissed his throat and called him her grinning god and told him how beautiful he was even when he was annoyed. Radiant, angelic, Remiel.

Waking in the morning next to him felt like the dream hadn’t stopped. She thought for a moment how she might try to figure out if she was dreaming or awake. He kissed her shoulder and rubbed his very hard and very real c**k between her cheeks with only the fabric of her loose pajama pants between them. Definitely awake.

“You talk in your sleep, I don’t think I understood everything you were mumbling but I think you were dreaming of me.”

“Oh god.” Covering her face she started to laugh. “I did. I don’t know if I want to know what I said.”

“I was confused when you started talking about a grinning god but then you were calling me beautiful and ‘radiant, angelic Remiel’ came through very clearly.” His voice dropped to a delicious growl that raised the hair on the back of her neck, “The way you smelled when you said it, the way you still smell.”

“I was dreaming about you and I think, I think I want to show you.” As she turned to kiss his throat his hands went to the band of her pajama pants. “Can I?” She wanted to call him Remiel so badly she could taste it but she hesitated to ask.

“Yes, anything. Please.” The words were between a groan and a growl.

Against his skin she breathed, “Remiel, my Remiel.”

He was changing in the bed next to her, dark fur against her skin. It went away as quickly as it had come. “I need it too much. I’m not…” He growled in frustration rolling onto his back. 

“How can I help?” Genevieve kissed the side of his chest.

“If I try to let you do what you want, I'm not going to be able to control myself. I’ll mate you. I don’t think you want to meet the wolf yet.”

“Introduce us.” Lifting herself up she looked down at his grinning face and brushed his dark hair back off of his forehead. “You do look like a grinning god.”

“If you’re sure, I’ll show you.”

“I’m sure.” She tilted her head and looked at him hesitantly. His smile faded slightly. “You probably want to explain what you mean by ‘mate’ me. That sounded… specific.”

Remi began to laugh. “It’ll make our connection stronger. There’s so much I still need to explain to you. I don’t want you to be afraid.”

“Let’s start with introductions, I want to see the part of you that’s so eager to meet me.” 

His eye was golden as he rolled her carefully onto her back and then turned away to remove his prosthetic eye. He tucked it under the pillow almost shyly as he turned back. “I don’t want it to pop out and have you be concerned.” 

She leaned up to kiss him. “You’re very thoughtful, I think I might need a bedside table so you can take it out and have somewhere safe to put it.”

“I’m going to make you some.” He leaned into the kiss pushing her back down. Genevieve could feel the fur under her fingers as the kiss grew more toothy. Stroking it, she opened her eyes and watched as his face changed. Remi looked like a movie monster for a moment and then he continued changing, until a huge dark colored wolf was standing over her. 

Most of his fur was dark brown bordering on black but his belly and chest and even part of his scarred muzzle was lighter. Reaching up cautiously she asked, “Can I touch you?”

The long pink tongue lolled out and she thought he looked like he was laughing. 

His fur wasn’t as coarse as she expected as she rubbed his chest and then caressed the sides of his muzzle. Noticing a movement she glanced back and saw his tail waving excitedly. “Are you wagging your tail?” Genevieve started to laugh. “Do you have any idea how hard it is not to ask ‘Who’s a good boy?’ When-”

A shriek of laughter escaped her as he playfully pounced and started to lick her face. He hopped around her on the bed like an overexcited dog at play almost falling off as he sent the covers tumbling to the floor. 

“You are terrible!” She couldn’t seem to stop laughing. “Down, you rotten thing!” He was almost drowning her in slobbery kisses. 

Remiel changed back grinning, “How was that for an introduction?” 

Still giggling, she tried to wipe the slobber on his chest, “That was fun. You are so beautiful.” She kissed him feeling almost giddy. 

Breaking the kiss with a groan he murmured, “I heard a car pull up. It’s probably Brandon, what are the chances he’ll leave quickly and I can spend the rest of the day mating you?”

“Slim to none, but you can sleep over again tonight with much less sleeping if you want to, I think.” Genevieve kissed along his jawline.

“I’ll take it.” He kissed the side of her neck as the front door opened. “I don’t want to get out of bed yet.”

“Mm, but we need to. I’d say you could cook breakfast like you cooked dinner but Brandon might have something to say about that.” 

His laughter came from low in his chest. “I’ll cook every meal naked if that’s what you want.”

“I imagine that was something to see.” Brandon said archly from the doorway. “From this angle it’s a fantastic view.” Remi’s pants landed on the foot of the bed. “I’m more concerned with why both of your cars have four flats.”

Wincing, Genevieve muttered, “F*****g Nate. I should have known he wouldn’t just leave.” 

“Tires can be replaced.” Remiel kissed her cheek and got up to put on his pants. He stepped past Brandon as she got up and grabbed a slightly ratty Tool shirt from her basket. 

“You’re wearing pants?” Brandon leaned into the room.

“Yep. Have been all night.” She smiled wryly at his dubious look. “There was no sex not even oral, just kissing and cuddling. He wants me to be sure.”

“I just got a good look at him, I think I’d have been sure enough last night.” He almost smirked.

“He is beautiful isn’t he?” She grabbed socks, underwear, and a pair of jeans and started toward the bathroom when he asked.

“So what happened to his eye?”

“OH!” She’d forgotten he’d taken it out. He’d probably forgotten. Darting back into the bedroom she fished it out from under the pillow and dropped her clothes on the sofa as she went outside after him. “Remiel! Don’t forget about this!”

He looked up from where he was scowling at his tires and smiled. “I wasn’t going to.”

“Things have a tendency to get lost around me. There’s not really any organization to my chaos.” Genevieve grinned at him. “There’s not a lot of places for it to go yet but you’d be surprised.”

Pulling her into a kiss before he took it, Remiel watched her face as she stared in fascination at the way he put the piece back in. “It doesn’t bother you?”

“It’s actually kind of awesome. I always thought they were round, that’s like a giant oddly shaped contact lens.”

Shaking his head he asked, “Are you going to shower?”

“Do I need one? I was just going to wash my face and get dressed.”

“No. You smell good to me.” His eye was glowing gold for a moment.

It took a moment for her to realize. “I smell like you, don’t I?”

“Yes. You’re covered in my scent.”

Her cheeks were flushing, “I wish I knew what you smell like. But I’ll trust your judgement that I smell good.”

The wolfish grin on his face made her tingle again. With his low delicious growl he stepped forward, “You smell very good. You smell like desire and my scent.”

“I can’t help it, when you stand there like a grinning god it makes me tingly.” Genevieve whispered as he started to grin again. “That’s what I remember telling you in my dream. One of the things I remember telling you.”

He slid his hand down under the waist of her pyjama pants and squeezed her a*s cheek. “I liked the way you said Remiel. The way you say it. Keep calling me that.”

She blushed and rose on her toes to kiss him, murmuring teasingly, “Radiant, angelic, Remiel?”

His answering kiss was deep and insistent, she wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her slightly off of the ground. 

“I’m going to put a water hose on the list of things you need, Vivi.” Brandon called from the doorway.

“Ugh, I love him and I hate him,” Genevieve grumbled as Remiel put her back onto her feet.

“A water hose wouldn’t be enough to distract me.” He growled quietly as he smoothed her hair back.

“It would distract the crap out of me.” She grinned and headed back toward the house. The bare dirt and patchy grass underfoot felt good. If it wasn’t cooling off for fall she’d be making a point to come out barefooted more often.

“Get in here, you hussy.” Brandon teased, “Go get some clothes on and see if you can impress him with a breakfast that doesn’t give him food poisoning.” 

“That was only once! How am I supposed to be able to tell if the eggs are bad if I can’t smell them?”

“The way they look!”

“They looked like eggs!”

“Oh my god, I am making breakfast, you obviously cannot be trusted.”

Genevieve feigned offense and managed to contain her amusement until she got into the bathroom. Doing all she needed to do and washing up before pulling on the rest of her clothes, she came out still smiling. 

Brandon was making eggs in one skillet and bacon in the other. 

“I don’t know how you can do that at the same time.”

“I’m gifted.” He shrugged. “Go ask tall, dark, and handsy if he wants his eggs scrambled.” Remiel’s laugh made Brandon jump. “Oh my god, make a noise!”

“Sorry. Scrambled is fine.” Remiel ran his hand over her ponytail. “You keep it up like this all the time?”

“I like it, it’s easy and if I let it get long enough I can smack people with it.” She poked his side.

“I used to tell her she needed to wear it down or do something cute with it,” Brandon said, half turning from the stovetop. “And then I heard one of the awful guys she dated telling her she wasn’t allowed to wear it up like that and that she owed it to him to try to be pretty… I started telling her to wear her hair however she wants it, she can shave it if she wants. She doesn’t owe anybody s**t, as far as her body is concerned.”

Remiel’s jaw was tight. “I agree with that.” He touched her face gently tracing the curve of her eye socket. “I was very proud of the way she stood up for herself last night.”

“I would have been terrified if you hadn't been here. You made me feel safe.” She leaned against him as he wrapped his arms around her. “I’m still in awe that you made him back down, you didn’t even raise your voice.”

“He still slashed your tires though.” Brandon reminded her pointedly. “That wouldn’t have happened if you lived where I suggested. We have cameras and a landline is already set up. The phone actually comes with the apartment, you can sign up for twenty dollars when you get the apartment and it’s on when you move in.” He plated the food and set three plates on the counter. “You’d have been able to call the cops and maybe gotten that psycho locked up.”

“There should be a landline hook up here. I didn’t want to pay for one and I hoped I wouldn’t need one, but I’ll get one.” Genevieve conceded.

“I think he might be right. I’d rather you lived closer to people who can help you.” Remiel squeezed her, she could feel that he wanted her to live with his pack.

“I like this one, Vivi, he has sense. Now get over here and eat.”

“He’s the one that stocked the fridge.” It came out a little bit too excited and she bit her upper lip. 

“I know.” She saw the playfully exasperated look Brandon gave Remiel. “She’s not used to me liking one of her choices. Every good thing you do I’ll hear about, I’m sure.”

“I’ll do my best to give her something to talk about often.” Remiel’s hand moved over her back. 

She blushed and started eating before the eggs got cold.

“Did I hear her call you Remiel? I thought she introduced you as Remi?” Brandon leaned with a smile picking up a strip of bacon.

“Everyone calls me Remi, but I like it when she calls me by my name.” He was standing with his leg touching hers as he started to eat.

“What do you call her? I’m always fascinated by the names some people come up with when she says she hates Ginny.”

“Genevieve, it’s too pretty to shorten.”

“I really like this one, Vivi.”

“I like him too.” Genevieve smiled at Remiel and rubbed her leg against his.

“I did a reading after leaving last night, it was hopeful.” Brandon took a bite of egg, “Ace of Cups, Wheel of Fortune, Three of Cups.”

“What does that mean?” Remiel asked curiously. 

“It depends on what he asked, but the Ace of Cups is joy, happiness, my cup runneth over. The Wheel of Fortune is a little more ambiguous but usually read as good beginnings and transformation.” She looked at him and tried not to return his grin, “The Three of Cups is the coming of a cause for celebration, lasting joy.”

“I’ll take it.” Remiel leaned in to kiss her, still grinning. The knock at the screen door made her jump. “It’s just Vic,” he whispered reassuringly, giving her a gentle kiss on the cheek before turning to call out, “Come in.”

“Hey.” The blonde man nodded almost shyly, barely stepping into the house. “How are you feeling?” He looked at Genevieve as if she were likely to fall over at any moment.

“I’m a lot better, thanks. And I’m sorry about last night, I know it’s creepy-”

Vic cut her off quickly, “Mr. Germain said if you talk like that I should fuss at you. I don’t like to fuss.”

She blinked at him, opening her mouth and then closing it again. 

“When you don’t let her apologize she gets confused.” Brandon sounded smug. “But you did it exactly right, she won’t because you said it would put you in an uncomfortable position.”

“You are such an a*s.” She turned to give him a dirty look.

“I thought he was being helpful.” Remiel teased, “But then I don’t think you should apologize for things you can’t help either.” He breathed into her ear, “And you're not creepy.”

“She is a little.” Brandon grinned teasing. “But it’s part of her charm.”

Remiel kissed her again before going outside with Vic, and she watched him go with a fluttering in her insides. 

“So, let’s get your dishes washed and you can come into work with me. We can call a tow truck to come get your car and see how much it will cost to put new tires on it.”

“Is that place that does the retreaded tires still in business? I remember your mom used to go there.”

“That’s where I was going to send it. I’ll advance you the money from your check but I don’t know how many times you can afford to replace tires and still make rent. You might consider staying with me or Sage for a few days.”

“I really don’t want to do that. Remiel offered to stay with me again tonight, maybe I could just leave my car at the tire place overnight or if you have visitor parking I could use?” Genevieve asked hopefully.

“And let his truck take the hit?” Brandon’s accusing tone made her rub her face and pull her ponytail tighter.

“No, you’re right. I’ll have to figure something else out. If there’s still the air mattress at the shop I can park at your place and sleep there. It has an alarm, a phone, and you're close if I need you.” She really wanted to spend the night with Remiel but letting his truck get another round of flats wasn’t acceptable.

“I can put the air mattress in my bedroom floor. I don’t want you all by yourself if the a*****e is running around.”

By the time the dishes were washed and she’d grabbed some of the folded clothes from the bedroom, Remiel had come back in and was talking quietly to Brandon. The thought of not sleeping next to him was bad enough, the thought of telling him was worse. “Remiel?” 

He looked up with a faint smile. “You can come home with me tonight if you want to. The security is better where I live, but I need you to bring everything you need to make the room quiet.”

“I can do that.” Genevieve heard the relief in her voice and saw the relief in his eye. He’d been worried that she would rather stay with Brandon. “I’ll buy what I need when I go in with Brandon.”

“I’ll pick you up when my tires are done.” He was beaming.

It took a lot not to bounce as she walked over to hug him. “You won’t mind driving me to work tomorrow?”

“Not at all. I’ll have to go to work too. I have things to work on for Mr. Germain and things to work on for you.” Remiel kissed her hair and squeezed her tightly. “I’ll take your clothes if you want, so you don’t have to carry them.”

“How did you manage to go from painfully uncomfortable with each other to sickening sweet in such a short time?” Brandon rolled his eyes.

“I don’t quite understand it myself but I’m happy close to him.” She closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling as he rubbed his chin over her hair.

“I’m going to be sick if you two don’t stop. Come on Vivi, let’s go in and get your things so that Sage can make his jewelry in peace and go to lunch.”

Stepping out of the door under Remiel’s arm, she noticed her car was gone, and his truck still sat in place. “Um. Where did my car go?”

“To get new tires and be checked over. They’ll be back for my truck soon.” 

“You can’t put new tires on my car too, Remiel. This is getting to be too much.” 

“Mr. Germain says you can work it off by doing stained glass for us.” He smiled down at her before stealing a kiss and seeing her into Brandon’s car. 

“I’ll look forward to that.” Genevieve could feel his satisfaction with that answer. He wanted her to be part of his pack and working for Mr. Germain was a step in the right direction. She decided to start sketching out a few things to make if she had long to wait at the store after getting her things together.