“No,” I said in horror. “No!”
I feel a panel open just behind my ass and something lifts my tail out of the way as a tube comes around to the front of me.
“No!”
I fought the restraints off and stumbled away from…a bed? I was in a bedroom. Not a cell. No robotic arms held me. There were no probes here.
“Hamilton? Hamilton, are you awake?”
“Y-yes,” I managed, realizing I’d just had a nightmare while in bed with Wiley. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
My every muscle twitched as I watched him scoot across the bed and get up to stand in front of me. Only then did I realize I was in bat form, like in my memory. I shifted into my human form, worried I might hurt him. Worried that I already had.
“Did I hurt you?” A nightlight in the bathroom barely illuminated enough to let me see him as more than a solid shadow, and looking at him with infrared sight didn’t help.
“I’m not hurt.” He caressed my shoulders and down my arms to take my hands in his. “Whatever you were going through sounded real bad, though. Areyouokay?”
I wasn’t. I didn’t know if I ever would be. But I nodded because neither of us would solve anything tonight.
Wiley sighed. “Well, you’re all sweaty, so how about another shower?” He stretched up and kissed my chin, grinning when he dropped back down again. “I can wash your back this time.”
We’d showered separately earlier, just a perfunctory rinse-off from all the sex, but I was drenched in sweat now and shifting again wouldn’t help that. I nodded before following him into the bathroom.
The little nightlight gave the room a soft, golden glow that might eventually feel soothing. Wiley worked to get the water warm, and I stood there on the rug, trying to let the memories fade away. Taking a deep breath, smelling the warm scent of my mate, I curled my arms around myself and closed my eyes.
I flinched hard when he touched me.
“Easy,” he said. “Come on into the water.”
Keeping my eyes on him, I watched as he lathered a cloth and gently washed me. He moved me however he needed, and I let him. The level of tenderness brought tears to my eyes, the shower dashing them away. Wiley cared deeply about me.
His touch aroused me, and touching me aroused him, but a horrible sort of fear started building inside me. I wanted to lose myself in my willing mate…and yet the memories of my torturewere too close to the surface. I swore I could feel someone watching me, someone lurking just out of sight behind me. We were alone but…
I eased Wiley’s hand away from my cock and tucked us together, holding his hand. He looped his other arm around behind me, holding on, petting a little. How could I tell him I wasn’t able to have sex with him right now despite evidence to the contrary?
“Do you want me to blow you instead, baby?”
I scrubbed my face against his hair, shaking my head, before resting my cheek there. The hot water felt good on my skin, my mate in my arms felt even better, but though my cock was hard, I didn’t want to come. I’d never be able to finish without thinking of what had happened during the rest of that nightmarish memory. And I didn’t want my mind there when Wiley was here.
“It’s okay,” he whispered. He wrapped both arms around me, one hand gliding up and down my back, as he pressed us closer together. “Whatever you need is yours.”
Did I even deserve him?
That he was willing to stand there under the spray with me as the water slowly cooled meant everything to me. I’d never had someone hold me through the hurt, try to take it all away by sheer will.
“Thank you, Wiley.”
“Of course, Hammy.”
Oh, gods. We would discuss that nickname later. For now, I let him guide me from the shower and dry me off with a towel from the warmer. Neither of us were aroused now, and I was grateful that he didn’t seem to mind.
He held my hand and took us back to bed. The sheets were cool on my heated skin, and Wiley only pulled up the sheet to cover us both. He lay on his side next to me, his hand on my chest.
“You can be batty, if it makes you feel safer,” he suggested.
Batty… Sweet of him, but I didn’t hesitate to roll onto my back and pull him on top of me. He giggled a bit as I arranged him so that most of him covered me while his face was tucked under my chin. I felt him press a gentle kiss to my throat and hoped he understood thathemade me feel safer.
