Prey by Shoshana

could feel him behind me...his very presence raising the hackles on my neck. His growl only made me want to run even more. I knew,

though, that if I ran, I would become prey in his mind. I had been taught that at an early age when I was nearly attacked by a cougar. The stable master had rescued me, although I didn't remember all of what had happened. He had told me then that all carnivorous animals would take anything running from them as prey. I remember running and him catching me, but that is where my memory gets blurry. The cat was right behind me, I could feel it gathering to pounce when rough hands thrust me behind his back. I don't remember anything from them on, until he told me that I should never run from a hunter, shaking me hard as he did.

On this night I knew I was being stalked again. Not a cougar, this time, though. I wasn't that lucky. I knew what was behind me ... somewhere. He was one of the "accidents" that had come out of the illegal genetic research labs. They were safe during daylight, usually holding jobs down and often with families. It was only after dark that they went hunting. And woe anyone they caught. Many of them locked themselves away when the night came, and one could hear their pitiful howls, hisses, and cries throughout the night.

I had always felt a little sorry for those people. They had never chosen the lives that had been thrust upon them. I could even feel for the hunter behind me. Somehow I knew it was one of the Catz. The same feelings were coming over me as when I had been stalked by the cougar, only stronger. The Catz had been genetically engineered using the DNA from both ancient and modern cats, giving them a hunting instinct that was previously unknown. Many of them became soldiers for this reason.

I had never been hunted by a Caz before, though. I felt his presence long before I ever saw him and that only out of the corner of my eye. As I traveled deeper into the darkness, I could almost feel his senses sharpening and the blood rushing through his veins as he realized that I would be going deeper into the shadows in which he thrived. I had no choice but to go to the House, as I still lived there with the Family, such as it was. The House was my only protection.

I kept my pace as slow as I dared, not breaking into a run as I so wished to do. I didn't want to arouse his hunting instincts any more than they were already. I could see the lights in the distance, the House was near finally! I could sense his excitement as I neared the house, thinking I would be safe within its walls. Finally, I couldn't hold out any longer and I began to run pell-mell for the gates of the House, believing I would be safe there.

As I broke into a run, his growl became louder and he sped up, dropping to all fours, as was more natural for him in hunting mode. I had read of Catz enough to know what to expect, I thought. As I reached the gates, I could feel his hot breath on my neck. I knew I would never get the gates closed behind me before he got in. The only thing I could think of was to run for the stable. Maybe the stable master might be able to help and protect me as he had once before. There was also the thought that the stables were closer than the main House.

I continued running as fast as I could, but could feel fatigue beginning to drag at my muscles. I knew I was slowing down, even as I worked harder. I couldn't figure out why the Caz didn't pounce already. I was completely vulnerable to him here. No one at the House would be able to hear my screams. After what seemed an eternity of his chasing me, I finally reached the stables. They were dark and I realized that I had no real idea where the stable master lived. Whilst running through the stable, I remembered a door at the far end that didn't lead to a tack room. I would have to trust that I could make it that far, hoping against hope that I would be safe there.

I could hear the horses behind me as the Caz passed. As they smelled his musk, they began kicking and rearing wildly in fear, knowing instinctively that they were also prey to his kind. Finally, I reached the door and burst through it. I had guessed right in there being an apartment back here, but there was no stable master here. Instead I saw my serving maid, standing calmly, welcoming me into the room with grace, as always.

"Have no fear, my lady, please come in. There is nothing to fear here," she whispered softly as I panted, looking over my shoulder, then returning my gaze to her. She seemed somehow more than she ever had as my serving maid. I could not drag my eyes from hers, even as I heard the footsteps closing behind me and felt his presence close.

I heard the door shut and lock behind me, but I was lost in her eyes. I could not turn away from her, even though I knew there was danger behind me. Suddenly she blinked and I was able to turn around. For the first time, I see a hunting Caz. I knew that they changed when they were hunting and that the change was rather drastic. Standing before me was a tall, muscular man-cat. His face was distinctly furred with whiskers, his shoulders broad and heavily muscled, and his legs were powerfully muscled as well, for the gigantic leaps I had heard reported, I assumed.

Even as I watched, though, the musculature became less defined and the facial features slowly more and more human. Suddenly, I recognized the man before me; it was the stable master, Cuaid. I had only ever known him by his last name, as that had been all he had given when he was employed by the Family.

"W...what's going on?" I whispered. Cuaid stepped forward and took my hands in his, saying gently, "Somehow I always knew this day would come, although I had hoped you would be older, little one. I have protected you these many years, tracking you through the city as you went to and from the library each night. On the nights I could not be your protector, Triestia was there." I had completely forgotten my personal maid was also in the room.

I turned to her and saw the wings coming from behind her and the golden fur growing on her body. Now I knew she was a Basilyre, her DNA crossed with the extinct basilisk and certain other furred animals like the mink. That was why I had not been able to take my eyes off of her, she had hypnotized

me. I knew that she fed off of blood, while the Catz were reported to eat of any flesh, some being very indiscriminate in what they ate, while others were very fastidious, almost.

I was trapped with two of the people I trusted most in the world, just now learning that they were both special humans with capabilities and needs far beyond my own. I knew that Triestia needed to feed. I had read enough about the Basilyre to know that it only used the hypnotism when it wanted or needed to feed. The Catz were more of a complexity; some of what I read said they only pounced on prey to eat. Other sources said that the adult male Caz would also pounce as part of the mating ritual, establishing his dominance over the female. I also remembered reading that the Basilyre came in both male and female forms, as did the Catz, but there was one significant difference between the two. A Caz could mate with a human and produce young, whereas the Basilyre were unable to in any form.

I looked between these two people I knew and had trusted for most of my life, knowing in my soul that I could trust them still. I slowly turned my back to Cuaid, knowing he would take it as a signal that I was once again prey, facing Triestia and looking deeply into her eyes.

I could feel the heat from their bodies as we stood there, his hot breath on my neck, drowning in her eyes. As her wings spread further, Triestia's clothing fell from her body, revealing a slim, athletic build and a body lightly covered in a golden fur. I couldn't help but admire her beauty, reaching a hand out slowly to touch her cheek to see if she was real. She pushed into the caress, stepping closer and bringing her wings around to cup my body. At this, Cuaid growled behind me, and I felt his nails rake down the seam of my dress, tearing the clothing from my body.

I shivered a bit, revealed in a way that I never had been before bare not only physically, but emotionally as well. Triestia broke our gaze and I looked past her and into a mirror that was slightly canted to us. I could clearly see the three of us: Triestia, soft and golden with steel beneath; Cuaid, strength and power under rigid control; and myself, shyness covering a huge desire to please and be pleased. I watched myself in the mirror as I took a step closer to Triestia, pressing fully against her, our aroused nipples brushing. I shivered in longing, but could still feel Cuaid behind me, feeling his low growls through my entire body. He hadn't stepped forward when I did, and I didn't know how to get him to touch me. I had wanted it for so long, it seemed.

Even as the thought formed in my head, a frown creased his brow and Cuaid stepped forward, pressing his rough fur against my back and allowing me to feel the arousal he was experiencing. I looked into Triestia's eyes, wanting her to kiss me, long and deep, before she fed on me in the same manner. Her wings enfolded the three of us and her lips met mine, pressing hard as her tongue plunged beyond my teeth and deeply into my mouth, where I toyed with her, flicking her tongue with mine and trying to keep mine away from her.

My mind was chaotic with feeling, but I knew that I wanted both of them, Cuaid and Triestia. Even as I thought about what I wanted, Cuaid was pressing our bodies even closer while Triestia ran her hands over my body lightly. The contrast of softness and roughness was arousing things in me that I had never known before now. Cuaid ran his claws lightly up my back until he reached my hair and pulled it back, sniffing at it as he bared my neck to both of them. As he took in my scent, his body hardened and he let out another low growl, licking and then closing his teeth on the back of my neck.

As his teeth met my flesh, Triestia broke our kiss, and I felt her fangs on my neck as well. Without thought, I knew that I wanted to be joined to both of these lovers at the same time. I felt Cuaid's hard cock enter me as Triestia's fangs pierced my skin, both drawing the blood of a supposed innocent. The glory that filled me as they took me as their own made me realize I wasn't innocent and had no desire to be. Cuaid hesitated, realizing that he had hurt me, but I pushed my body back against his even as I pulled Triestia's head down, holding her to my neck.

"Make me yours," I cried out, ecstasy filling me as he began thrusting deep within me and she drew deeply on me. I felt something on my leg, then my thigh, and higher. It was hard and soft at the same time. I realized it was Triestia's tail when she began caressing my clit with it, teasing my nipples with her fingers. Cuaid's hands had enveloped my hips and he was thrusting deeply within me, growling behind me, keeping his teeth lightly locked onto the back of my neck. As his thrusts grew harder, so did his bite, linking one with the other, shivers ran up and down my body, from one to the other.

Triestia was drawing deeply on me now as her own passions were rising with ours. I ran my hands over her soft pelt, teasing her hard nipples as she teased mine. Then I allowed one hand to roam lower on her body, soon finding her clit and rubbing it gently at first, but then harder as she showed me with her tail on my own body. Soon I was panting, light-headed with passion and loss of blood. Cuaid's growls were getting louder and his thrusts harder and deeper while Triestia's moans and my own followed. Soon my fingers were buried inside Triestia as I teased and rolled her clit with the other hand.

I felt a fire beginning to rise in me and knew that I might not survive this mating, but knowing it was everything I had ever wanted. I felt my muscles begin to ripple in time with Triestia's. I screamed in pleasure as I was taken by both of them, Cuaid's cock filling me and his thrusts driving me mad with lust. As my body rippled around his, Cuaid's teeth tightened on my neck and his plunging cock began to get a little larger. His growl deepened and I could feel its call to my soul.

Screaming out their names, I fell into a whirlwind of emotion, desire, passion. Shuddering heavily, I came, again and again. I wrapped them in my heart as they had wrapped me in their arms. I could feel Cuaid's seed enter me just as Triestia drew on me for the last time. The intensity of both giving and taking and being taken driving me into darkness.