Taming the Cat Ch. 01

Alex was backed as far up against the wall as she could get. She dimly felt Rider still against her breathing in her ear. Her mind was reeling. "Get the fuck off me Rider." She had assumed it was the fact that she had come into her Changer abilities before her older brothers her older half brothers signalling that the female line was strongest, something that had never happened before in the royal family. She had never realised the true extent of the issue. 'Even Jeremy' oh hell Rider was right, how could he not hate her?

She felt like she had been punched in the gut, and was dimly aware of Rider moving away. "Alexia..." He started. Alex couldn't focus on him, so instead she turned and headed for the stairs aiming for her room.

Rider felt like shit "Alexia..." He turned to go after her, she hadn't known? Of course she hadn't she was banished at 13, Jeremy wouldn't have told her, he loved her too much to burden her with that. She did have a temper but the girl also cared far too much about other people. His bedroom door opened "Rider?" Oh hell Candice was still here.

After sending the woman on her way Rider started up the stairs after Alexia.

Alex had showered and was standing at her windows lost in thought - still shell-shocked from Rider's revelation. Her mother had slept with a member of the Theris Family. Alex was part of a family that had been causing civil war between Shape shifters for centuries. the Theris Family had risen up after her exile to challenge the Devon's for power of he throne, and leadership of the Changers' Council.

She had caused war. she had been responsible for hundreds of Changers deaths, including in a roundabout way, Rider's intended Mate. At the time Shayla was discovered stabbed in the palace public opinion had been that he had done it. Later in the trial it had become clear that she was killed by an enemy spy. It was too late for Rider though, rumours still spread and he was outcast from the court, and eventually sent away to join Jeremy and Alexis.

She heard Rider coming up her stairs. He was probably ready to tear her throat out.

I can't deal with this right now Alexia thought. She flung open her window and stripped from her clothes. She then swung out the window clinging to the side of the house, nimbly dropping from ledge to ledge. The rain soaked her, and by the time she was on the ground her hair was plastered to her body. She stripped from her underwear leaving it in a puddle beside the house and began to run, willing the Change to come.

"Alexia!" She hear Rider roar angrily from her window. "Get your arse back in here!" He watched absolutely livid as she continued running. She was terrified of storms, and it was gearing up to be a huge one. As her bodyguard he should have been protecting her against these sorts of things. Rider growled and dropped the jeans he had thrown on hurriedly after Candice had left onto the ground next to Alex's clothes. He then began to make his way down the side of the house.

Alex raised her hands up feeling the bones and muscles pop and change inside her shoulders and back. Her hands extended and thick claws curved dangerously from her fingers before retracting into big golden paws. She grunted in pain as her knees popped backwards, and her muscles reshaped themselves around her powerful hind legs. She dropped down to all fours seeing the world go fuzzy and then sharpening unbelievably. She could almost hear each individual raindrop, and Rider dropping from the side of the house behind her. She could smell him, a rich blend of male, anger, cat and sex.

The remainder of her muscles elongated and thickened, and she felt her tail extending from tailbone until finally she was a Leopard, rich golden-orange with neat black rosettes covering her body.

She had always loved running as a cat, the perfect symmetry and flexibility of her muscles extending and contracting within her body, the agility and balance that having four legs gave her. Feeling her wickedly sharp teeth and strong claws inside a beautiful but deadly package, it gave her a huge power-rush ever time she changed.

She burst into the forest, knowing it like the back of her paw she let her instincts take over and her nose lead her through the familiar scents of her territory. The rain slowed and then stopped as chill winds began to blow shaking the forest around her. She heard Rider crashing into the forest behind her in cat form, and increased her speed using her incredible eyes to negotiate her path, avoiding slippery looking patches and trying to stay as quiet as possible. Rider was not worried about making noise he just wanted speed, he worked overtime picking her scent from the rain muted forest and tracking her path, desperate to catch up with her before the storm hit and she got really crazy.

Alex could hear Rider gaining on her, so turned abruptly to head for higher ground, hoping to lose him on the rocky slopes leaving her free to shelter in one of the caves dotted along the hillside. She never got that far as the storm broke right above them. thunder rolled above her closely followed by lightning arcing down to her left.

The female cat's eyes widened, and her ears pinned back against her head. She swung to the right running wildly towards the rain swollen river, intent on crossing it to escape the lightning.

Rider dropped in front of her blocking her path. He was bigger than her in cat form, slightly taller and heavily muscled with a darker muzzle.

She rose on her hind legs ready to fight her way free of him. Rider rose higher and used his heavier body to drop her down and finally pin her on the wet ground. She struggled and fought under him as Thunder continued to crash around them. Finally Rider closed his jaws around her throat growling into her ear to get her attention. She continued to fight and he tasted blood before she finally stopped, exhausted and terrified.

Rider moved off her intent on getting her to the safety of the house,but now that Alex had stopped she was not interested in moving again. She huddled on the ground, distressed, her ears down and her tail tucked against her body. Rider snapped and growled at her forcing her off the ground and herding her towards home.

He stayed on her flank the entire time not letting her get away from him until finally they reached the mansion. They entered through the laundry door, which was always left open to avoid the problem of opening doors when changed.

Alex collapsed onto the floor and concentrated on sucking in breath. Rider dropped down beside her protectively, close enough for his ribs to brush hers as they recovered from their run.

He could feel her shivering beside him so changed back into human form, grabbing a towel to wrap around his waist. Rider felt very aware of his nakedness around her. Alex sat up and he stroked the top of her head before dropping a towel around her shoulders and turning away to give her privacy to shift.

He rummaged through the clean washing before finally finding a pair of jeans for both of them, and one of his sweatshirts for her. Alex almost dropped the towel as he flung the clothes at her, and saw his eyes flash with something unfamiliar before he turned away again to pull on his jeans.

His sweatshirt smelt like him even after being washed and she felt surrounded by his scent. Her jeans clung around her still damp hips, and put pressure on interesting places without underwear. She watched him dry his long hair then run his hands through it combing the long strands back and securing it with a black tie he had found somewhere. Alex could imagine his hands on her hair, she was uncomfortably aware of her nipples against his sweatshirt.

Thunder broke her out of her reverie, and a flash of lighting sent her brushing past him for the door to the rest of the house. She ignored the way her stomach contracted as her shoulder made contact with his still bare chest. Rider turned surprised at her sudden movement remembering the storm. That small contact with her had him hard in his jeans, he followed her to her storm hide-out willing himself under control.

Alex curled herself into a recliner on the second floor T.V room. This was her favourite spot in the house to wait out storms. The room was in the centre of the building, so there were no windows, and it was insulated enough with the floor above to mute a lot of the noise from wind, heavy rain and thunder. It was on Rider's floor but so far he had not said anything about her use of it. Rider. She would have to apologise - unfamiliar ground for her and Rider, she had never apologised for anything to him before.

He entered the room behind her "Rider..." She turned to watch him stop, resting his hands on the back of her chair and looking down at her. He was still shirtless, and he looked serious.

"I'm sorry, I was stupid and out of line. I was really out of line, I know you didn't kill her, I just wanted to hurt you and that was the first thing that came to me, so, sorry. And thank you for before... the storm." She finished awkwardly.

Rider was still gazing down at her, his deep blue eyes meeting her green ones. "I'm sorry too Alexia. I shouldn't have pushed your buttons like that, I was trying to get a rise out of you. And I did..." His mouth quirked up "We don't hate you Alex, far from it, You're like a daughter to Jeremy, he didn't tell you because he would be crushed to see you hurting. And the storm, I'm your guard and its my job." Rider reached down and ran his fingers through her hair, working out some of the tangles with his fingers.

Alex half closed her eyes. The simple touch was meant as comfort but her body was interpreting it a different way. His big hands running deliciously across her scalp and his fingers combing through her damp hair gave her chills. She let his hands soothe her tattered nerves while trying to distract herself from the tightening of her stomach.

Alex hadn't been aware how much she had isolated herself from contact with others. After being cast out of the palace she had withdrawn into herself, her body's reaction opened her eyes to what she had been missing out on.

Rider smiled at the blissful expression on her face. "You're a hair person then? And here I was thinking you didn't like to be stroked." He tugged gently on the ends of her hair.

"I'm definitely not the stroking type of cat Rider" She said.

He grinned and said nothing. She was lying. She most defiantly was the type of cat to enjoy being stroked, but Rider was not stupid and knew better that to contradict her. He was willing to bet she would be purring if she could. Alex let out a soft disappointed sigh as he moved away to stretch out on the couch. "So what are we watching Red?"

In the end they decided on a romantic comedy. Rider managed to get through the opening credits before he stopped paying attention and instead drifted in and out of sleep.

Alexia huddled on the recliner regretting her choice of movie. The focus seemed to be less on comedy, and more on romance Lots and lots of romance. She shifted uncomfortably on the chair. Her jeans shifted with her, tightening closer around her exposed body.

Her body temperature had dropped since the run in the forest, and she was beginning to feel really cold with the exception of her pussy which was beginning to feel warm. The on-screen couple began to heat up again. Alex got up intent on finding herself a blanket to curl up in, there were usually several dotted around the room.

Rider drifted back awake again to the sounds of sex and watched with great interest as the woman was bent over a chair and entered by the man on screen.

"Nice choice of movies." He looked around to find her shivering and looking through a trunk, probably in search of a blanket.

"Yeah I don't know what happened to the comedy part. I'm not finding this particularly funny." She hoped he couldn't smell how the movie had affected her. "Its freezing in here, how are you not cold?" He grinned and shot her a look she couldn't figure out.

As far as she could tell he was paying attention to the movie again so she gave up her search for a blanket and eased back past him to her chair. Rider's arm shot out, curling around her arse ending up under his sweatshirt resting on the swell of her hip and pulling Alexia towards him.

"I'll keep you warm" he murmured. With that he slid his other hand between her thighs and lifted her over himself so that she was straddling his stomach, knees either side of his body on the couch.

Alexia gasped and stared down at him, in disbelief. His hand was still between her thighs and the other arm was preventing escape still twined around her arse. Rider grinned up at her and slowly increased the pressure of his fingers. She could feel him touching her pussy through her jeans. When he began to slowly slide his hand upwards she buckled forwards grabbing the back of the couch for support.

Rider slid his hand up to her flat belly, pushing the sweatshirt up as he went. Then he curved forward leaning his forehead against her stomach, and lipping the soft skin near the waistband of her low slung jeans.

When Rider licked the exposed skin, then gently scraped his teeth across the sensitive flesh she couldn't hold in her whimper. Rider sat up, lifting his sweatshirt over her head and sliding his hands back down over her shoulders and across her breasts, pausing to pinch her nipples hard enough to buckle her forwards. Alex felt a rush of dampness between her thighs.

"Rider please." She gasped "That feels really good" Rider grinned wickedly at her and ran the tips of his fingers over her breasts lightly in stark contrast to the force he had used before, the new touch left her shivering above him.

Rider hooked his arms around her body again and twisted out from under her. Alex was then lying in the warmth of his body heat, with him holding himself above her, his long legs either side of hers and his hips pressing down into her.

Alex reached up to put her hands on his broad shoulders, and Rider lowered his head and kissed the base of each breast before snaking down her body, kissing and licking a trail to her belly button. Alex remembered the woman from before. He had been having sex with her less than four, no three hours ago!

"Rider stop, we can't do this." Rider showed no signs of hearing her. He had abandoned her belly button and was gracefully repositioning his body further down. Alex's breathing quickened again, he meant to... Rider crouched over her holding himself up with his arms, and dipped his shoulders lower dropping his mouth to her exposed hip and teasing the skin with his sharp teeth.

"Rider. No" Alex reached down and grabbed him by his hair. She pulled his face back from her body. "We're not doing this here, or now, or ever."

Alex twisted her hips buckling her body upwards and using the back of the couch for leverage trying to unbalance him and throw him off the couch. Rider grabbed her hips trying to pin her to the couch below him. She saw the confusion in his eyes be replaced by determination. She was beginning to panic, so employed a technique that rarely worked against him, she relaxed. Rider paused a second that then loosened his hold above her which was her cue to give a huge shove. He was still holding her hips and ended up dragging her with him to the ground.

The had a moment of winded silence staring into each others eyes before she tried to sit up off of his chest. Rider grabbed her long hair twisting it around his wrist and burying his hand deep into the tangled strands.

"You want this as much as I do Red." She was lying on his chest his voice vibrated through her.

Alex didn't want to make eye contact but this close to his face she had little choice about where she looked, she chose his mouth. "Stop calling me that" she growled trying to move her head back again. She hated being teased about her temper. Rider licked his lips and Alex was momentarily distracted by the movement. She switched her attention to his forehead.

"What, Red?" his eyebrows raised and his head tilted slightly to the side.

"Yes I have a temper, now stop teasing me about it and let me go." She was quickly getting upset, and didn't want to have to struggle with him to get free, she wasn't particularly good at close hand to hand combat without a weapon.

"Alexis, I don't call you Red because of your temper, I call you Red because of your hair. It glows red in the sun, sometimes it looks like a halo of fire at sunset. Of course your temper did help it stick." He loosened his hand in her hair until he was caressing the strands.

Alex swallowed. That didn't sound like something a bodyguard that disliked her would say. She lowered her eyes to meet his. She had partially expected to find him laughing at her. There was a little amusement, but his face was mostly serious. His eyes were guarded, as if he was waiting for her to hit him. When that didn't happen he drew her head down and touched his lips against hers.

Alex sank into the kiss momentarily before abruptly realising his hand had loosened on her hair. She slammed her fist into his solar plexus, swung off him and headed for the door without looking back.

"Well done, you've just made her very very angry." He groaned to himself once he could breath again. Truthfully he had been expecting much worse. Realisation dawned "She's not angry, she's scared. You've managed to finally scare the unshakeable Alex." He grinned "Well that's a change."