Mary and the Bear

Chapter Seven

"Mary Beth. Mary Beth.” She heard a voice calling her name. “Mary Beth.” That was Babs! Only one person called her by that name. “Babs, where are you?” Her eyes snapped opened, but still she couldn't see. Her bed and room had both disappeared. There was a heavy fog blanketing the place where she stood.

"Mary Beth, where are you? Mary Beth!” the voice cried out.

"Babs, I'm here. Where are you? I can't see. The fog's too thick.” She twirled around in a circle, trying to pinpoint the direction from which Babs’ voice was coming. Fog was everywhere. She could barely see two feet in front of her.

"Mary Beth, I needed you and you let me down. It's all your fault. I'm dead now because of you. Why didn't you stop me?” The voice came again, this time to her left, its cry more urgent.

"I tried. You wouldn't listen. It's not my fault.” As she stepped to the left, hands held out in front of her, something shadowy went by on her right, disturbing the fog. She spun around in that direction, only to find nothing there. “Babs! Where are you, Babs? I'm coming."

"You were supposed to protect me, Mary Beth. You let me down. Failed me when I needed you the most."

Something shadowy went by on her left, and she spun in that direction, trying to see what it was. “You made your own decision. You didn't listen. You never listened."

"You're supposed to watch over me. Mother told you to protect me.” Babs’ face appeared out of the fog. It was gray and freakish-looking, like something out of a horror movie. Mary Elizabeth flinched and jerked away, falling on her behind. In the background, like an evil voiceover, she could hear her mother. “You're such a failure, Mary Elizabeth. Can't even do the simplest things. Now your failure's cost your sister her life."

"It's not my fault. I'm not responsible for Babs.” She backpedaled, trying to get away from the ghostly apparition masquerading as her sister Babs.

Babs and her mother's disembodied heads spun around her in a circle, cutting off all avenues of exit, their voices chanting, “Your fault. Your fault."

Mary Elizabeth jerked awake, gasping for air. Tears ran down her face and her heart pounded like it would jump out of her chest. Their words echoed in her mind.

A light clicked on, causing her to blink rapidly as her eyes struggled to adjust.

"What's wrong? Are you sick again?” Hugh's voice was groggy with sleep. He sat up and rubbed his hand across his face, like he was trying to wake up.

Mary Elizabeth shook her head. She lay down and turned her back toward him, hoping he would go back to sleep. Her throat was too tight for her to give him a verbal answer. There was a heavy silence. She could feel him watching her. She hunched her shoulders defensively, resisting the urge to wipe the tears from her face. She really didn't want him to know she was crying. Let him think she was drifting back to sleep.

She could feel his eyes, boring a hole in her back like he had x-ray vision. It was causing her nerves to draw up tight. She could feel the tension in her neck and shoulders.

"If you're not sick, what's wrong?"

Silence.

"I know something is wrong. You're body's too tense for you to be sleeping."

When she refused to respond, he gave a long, drawn out sigh, like she was vexing him. She slid her legs off the bed, needing to get to the bathroom where she could have some privacy. Before her feet touched the floor, Hugh's arm reached out and snagged her by the waist, dragging her across the bed and into his lap. “If you're not sick, it must be something else."

She kept her face turned away from him, still not answering. She was doing all she could not to break down and cry. If she opened her mouth, it would all come out.

"Alex told me about what happened to your sister. Must have been rough. Want to talk about it?"

At his words, she jerked and shook her head rapidly, and a sob escaped before she could choke it back. She was not going to cry. She hated to cry.

Hugh wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder. “It's okay to cry, you know. You need to grieve. Let it out. Don't hold it in. You'll only make yourself sick if you do."

She pushed against him, trying to get away. He held her tight. “Let go."

"Not until you release those tears you're holding back and get it out of your system."

"I'm not crying. I detest crying. There's nothing to cry about. She's dead and gone and crying won't bring her back. I tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen. She wouldn't listen and now she's dead. Oh God, Hugh, she's dead. Why didn't she listen to me?” With that, the dam burst and she began crying in earnest. Fighting Hugh, she tried to free herself and get away from him, not wanting anyone to see her like this.

Hugh locked her in an iron grip, refusing to release her. Instead, he gathered her even closer to his body, rocking her and making soothing noises. Still, she fought him even as she fought against the grief, until she'd exhausted her strength. Giving in, she slumped against him and let it out—all the sorrow and the conflicting feelings she felt for her sister that she loved yet now could admit that she hated with equal passion. She cried for years of mistreatment by her mother, but most of all she cried for what should have been and never was.

The tears went on and on, until all that was left were the hiccups. Hugh lifted her off of his lap and went into the bathroom. She curled up on her side, facing away from him. He climbed back under the covers and pulled her close before handing her the tissues. She wiped her still streaming eyes and blew her stuffy, clogged up nose. Her face felt hot and swollen, and her body sore.

Hugh curved around her back like a spoon, with her head tucked under his chin and his arm around her waist, holding her tight. She closed her eyes and tried to stop the flow of the tears tracking silently down her face. They wouldn't stop. Memory after memory, of good times and bad, flowed through her mind like a river. With each memory came a fresh flood of weeping. She needed to stop crying. She had to do something get her mind off of the past. Enough was enough.

She turned in his arms, shifting to face him, and pushed steadily against his chest until he was half lying on his back. Then she threw an arm around his waist and began to spread kisses all over his chest.

"Uh, Mary Elizabeth. What are you doing?"

It should be obvious. If he had to ask, she wasn't doing it right. She pushed him again until he lay completely on his back. Her hand slid down to stroke his rapidly hardening cock.

"Honey, that feels good, but I don't think this is a good idea. Let's wait until you're feeling better."

Mary Elizabeth ignored him. She threw her leg over his and straddled his thighs. Sliding backwards, she worked her way down his torso with her mouth.

"Mary Elizabeth, stop. Let's discuss this. Baby, please. I don't think you know what you're doing."

Why won't he shut up? She didn't want to talk. Couldn't he tell?

Hugh had a decision to make. He didn't want to take advantage of her fragile emotional state. It might jeopardize his long-term objective, but he couldn't allow her to continue with her current course of action.

His body jerked in reaction to the feel of her hot, moist breath on his penis. She grabbed his cock with both hands and was frantically sucking the head. This was nothing like before. Her head was bobbing up and down like she was in a race to finish him off as fast as possible. He reached down and tried to pry her off of him. She fought against him, tightening her teeth on his cock in warning when he persisted. Hands in the air, he surrendered and let her have her way.

This wasn't right. He wasn't sure how he'd envisioned their first night together, but this wasn't it. How to stop her without hurting her or worse, inflicting pain upon his most valuable asset? While he was strategizing the options available to him with the least amount of collateral damage, she abruptly stopped.

Rising above him, she positioned her body and tried to impale herself on his cock. It didn't work. One, the woman obviously didn't know what she was doing. Two, she was tight and dry. She was not forcing him inside, no matter how hard she tried. Finally, she gave a shriek of frustration and slapped him on his stomach. “Help me!"

He casually reached out and caught both of her wrists in his hand and pulled until she lay flat on top of his body. Then he rolled them until he was on top. “If you want me to help you, you have to tell me what it is you are trying to do.” His tone was utterly reasonable, but there was a hint of steel underneath.

She held his gaze for only a moment before her eyes to slide away in shame. Tears once more filled her eyes. She was such a failure, just like her mother stated. Here she was, naked and willing, and she couldn't even seduce the man into having sex with her.

"Unh, unh, unh. Look at me."

She gathered her courage and then raised her eyes to meet his, which immediately drilled into hers. “I'm sorry, Hugh. I just wanted a distraction, something to take my mind off of Babs and all of the memories. I just can't deal with them right now."

He studied her for a moment, gauging her sincerity. He was quiet for so long that she began to squirm. “I can help you, if that's what you want. But know this. This won't be a one-time deal. You will not use me tonight and then toss me away tomorrow. Understood? Know what you're asking because if we do this, it's just the beginning. There won't be any turning back. I won't let you go. Do you accept my terms?"

She blinked at him while nervously chewing on her bottom lip. He could almost see her mind churning as she cautiously examined his words, looking for the trap contained within. He watched her like a predator with his prey, willing her to agree to his terms. One simple yes, and she was his.

"I understand. I accept your terms,” she said solemnly.

His beast roared in triumph, but the man was more subdued. He wouldn't pass up this opportunity, but it wouldn't be the fierce claiming his nature demanded of him. That would have to come later, and there would be a later. She was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. She didn't really want sex. What she wanted and desperately needed was sleep. She sought a way to shut her mind off so she could rest, and he needed to mark her, claim as his. He would give them what they both desired.

He repositioned his body so that his legs lay on the outside of hers, his erection heavy against her mound. He braced his forearms on either side of her head and resting his weight on them. Then he lowered his face until they were eye-to-eye. Her eyes immediately shied away. “No, look at me. Look me in the eye."

His eyes were two inches away. She didn't she'd ever been this close to anyone in her life. Eyes were such strange things. From a distance, his appeared to be black. Now that she was close, she could see there were specks of gold in his eyes. She felt her eyes losing focus.

"Hey, keep your eyes and your mind focused on me."

She snapped back to attention, unaware that her mind had drifted. This was so uncomfortable. If the eyes really were the windows to the soul, she wondered what hers revealed. Could he see what a failure she was? Did all her disappointments show? Maybe her mother was right. Maybe she was too old and too fat to be trying to attract a man's attention now. What did she have worth offering?

"Mary Elizabeth.” He cupped her face, and put the tip of his nose right against hers. “Look at me. Not through me. I need you to focus, honey. Don't let your mind wander. Breathe with me. Inhale when I exhale. Focus your attention on me. Can you do that for me?"

"I'll try."

"Good girl."

Mary Elizabeth concentrated on matching her breathing to his. She focused on the feel of his chest, rising and falling; the soft caress of his breath against her lips, all the while staring deep into his eyes. When he inhaled, she exhaled and when he exhaled, she inhaled. On and on it went—inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale—until his very essence permeated her body.

It was the most intimate thing she'd ever done. She never realized just how rarely she gave complete eye contact with anyone. Mary Elizabeth saw him, really saw him, like she was looking into his soul.

Their breathing synchronized on its own and she no longer had to keep track. She felt his body surrounding hers. Felt the heat of his sex, nestled against hers. Felt his breath upon her face as they breathed the same air. She inhaled deeply, trying to breath in more of his scent. She could feel her body softening under his, the tension leaving it. Her nipples began to tighten into little buds that brushed against his chest with each inhalation. Moisture began to pool deep within before leaking out to dampen her mound and run down her thighs.

Slowly, their breathing increased, his keeping pace with hers as arousal coursed through her body. Yet he did nothing more than looking at her. Look into her, like he could see her soul and was entranced by what he saw. She moved restlessly, seeking closer contact.

"Be still,” he whispered. “Be still and feel."

"I'm trying.” She could feel something building inside of her. Something strong. She wanted, no, needed something that she knew he could give to her.

Slowly, oh, so very slowly, he closed the distance between them and laid his lips on top of hers. He didn't move. He didn't try to kiss her. He just lay there with his lips pressed against hers, forcing her to breathe through her nostrils, his eyes maintaining contact the whole while. She forced herself to lie there as he instructed and follow his lead. Finally, as though rewarding her for good behavior, he gave her more.

He gently licked at her closed mouth, first one lip, then the other. He outlined her lips with his tongue, starting with the seam between her lips. Pulling her bottom lip into his mouth, he suckled and nibbled on it, before switching his focus to the top lip. He brushed his lips back and forth across hers softly, never once losing eye contact. Extreme pleasure caused her eyes to fall to half-mast.

"Keep your eyes open. Let me see you,” he instructed and went back to suckling her top lip, biting it gently and teasing it with his mouth.

Unable to take it anymore, she raised up, trying to capture his tongue. She wanted to taste him. At her urging, he slowly deepened the kiss. He licked the inside of her lips before plunging inside for a deeper taste. He kissed her thoroughly, leaving no part untouched. The whole while he kept his eyes opened, his gaze piercing hers.

Taking things to another level, he began to rub his erection against her mound, working his way between her cream-dampened, thighs. She tried to open her legs, but his legs blocked her. She spoke into his mouth. “Hugh, let me open my legs."

"No. Keep them closed.” He took her mouth again in another bone melting kiss. He kept up a steady rhythm with his hips, slowly working his way between her thighs. It was a slow, sensuous motion, applying steady pressure against her clit.

"Hugh, come inside of me.” She tried arching against him, to move him closer to her opening, but he was too heavy.

"No, not yet. There's no need to rush."

"But, Hugh...” She couldn't find the words to tell him what she needed. Her mind was blank. Her body had taken over.

"No, buts. You're tired. Trust me. I'll give you what you need. Just let go and let me take care of you. All you need to do is lay here and let your mind relax. Feel me. Feel what I do to you.” He was determined to make this last as long as possible. He was taking his time, overwhelming her with sensation. He kissed her to keep her from speaking.

As the pleasure built, she dragged her mouth away from his, panting, trying to get more air. She couldn't move. Her head was gripped solid between his palms, preventing it from twisting from side-to-side. She needed to find an outlet for the pressure building inside of her but there was nowhere for it to go. He held her tight enough to prevent her from moving but not so tight that it would hurt.

"Hugh, let me go. I need to move."

"No, moving. Just feel."

He kept up the sensuous pressure, stroking his cock steadily against her clit. It was making her crazy. Every nerve in her body went haywire. Her toes curled, her calves and thighs hardened and the muscles in her butt clenched. Her stomach contracted. Her arms, trapped against the sides of his body, tightened until she could feel each individual muscle.

"Harder. I need more pressure."

"No. Slow and steady, just like this."

"Hugh,” she complained. She opened her hands, the only part of her body she could move, grabbed a hold of his waist and dug her nails into his flesh. She was right on the edge. She could feel the climax hovering just out of reach.

He grunted at the small pain and kissed her again. Watching her closely, he saw her eyes dilate, signaling her approaching orgasm. When her eyes began to close, to better capture the sensation, he spoke. “Open your eyes. Let me watch you come.” He lowered his head until his forehead touched hers, forcing her to keep her eyes on his.

She should have felt self-conscious, knowing he was watching, but she was too far-gone to care. Her orgasm built and built, until like a tidal wave it crashed over her. It went on and on as Hugh kept up the steady pressure, pushing her past one orgasm and into another. As the last one faded, Hugh pressed a meaty thigh between hers and maneuvered her legs open.

Changing angles, he drove deep into her pussy, until he was embedded to the hilt. Instead of immediately thrusting as she expected, he rotated his hips in a circular motion that put continuous pressure on her clit, both inside and out, hitting all of her g-spots.

"Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod! What are you doing to me? Stop! Wait, don't stop. Stop! I can't take anymore. It's too much. Wait! Hugh! Ohmygod. It's coming! If you stop now, I'll kill you! Harder, Hugh, harder!"

Her next orgasm, when it hit, was fierce. It shook her from head-to-toe. Her mouth opened in a silent scream and her eyes rolled back into her head. Tears coursed down her face. She saw spots and everything faded to black as her body struggled to handle the intensity of it.

As her sheath rippled around his cock, Hugh widened the opening between her legs. He hooked her under the knees and lifted her legs until she was almost bent in half. With her body wide open, he thrust heavily, trying to reach the opening to her womb. Instinct demanded he plant his seed and bring forth new life, claiming his mate in the most basic of ways. He felt his eyes change and his teeth lengthening into fangs as his beast came to the forefront. He hid his face against her neck so she couldn't see his partial shift. His teeth locked on the curve of her neck and shoulder as he strove for his own release. When it struck, he bit down hard until he drew blood, marking her as his mate for eternity.

Mine! At last he had a mate. He held her tight, crushing her in his arms as his body shook with his release. When it lessened, he rolled onto his back to keep from crushing her with his weight, dragging her with him. Her body lay limp like a cooked noodle on his. He'd totally drained her. His cock, still embedded inside, was hard as steel. He ignored it. This little taste of her would have to be enough.

"Go to sleep.” He rubbed his hands up and down her back.

"'Kay,” she mumbled, already halfway asleep.

He held her while she slept. Mentally, he reviewed his battle plan. Phase One of his plan was complete. Tomorrow would be soon enough for Phase Two. Objective met, he allowed himself to sleep.