Page 115 of Strays
“Jay and I will stay with her,” I say. “Do what you gotta do.”
He’s gone in seconds, holding his breath and pulling on his clothes like he can’t get them on fast enough.
I get it. I never thought it could be this hard not to lose control. All those women who were afraid of us, who looked at us like we could snap any second, like we were mindless animals driven by lust, I always thought they were ignorant. Victims of stupid rumors.
And the others, the ones we slept with, who were disappointed when they realized we were in control the whole time. Who wanted us to lose it and go feral. I thought they were just chasing a fantasy, wanting a thrill.
But right now, I feel exactly like the aegis they all imagined.
I hear Shane’s boots hit the street outside. He’s running.
Jay shifts suddenly, rising from the center of the nest and stumbling back, careful not to brush her. He passes the wall of pillows she built, and sits on the floor, cross-legged, fists to his knees, breathing deep through his nose. He’s not doing well either.
“You okay?” I ask, voice tight.
“No,” he replies. “But I’m managing.”
I nod, eyes back on Jo.
She shifts again. And her scent — fuck, her scent — spikes so hard it feels like it cuts through my skin. My whole body jolts. I bite down on the inside of my cheek until I taste blood. I can’t stay this close anymore. I get up, cross the room to the closet, and press my palms against the door. The wood is cool against my skin. I close my eyes, trying to breathe through it.
Jay stands too. “I’m going for a shower,” he mutters, already halfway to the door.
Now it’s just me and her in the room, and it’s even harder to fight my body.
After a while, Shane comes back. He doesn’t approach the nest, just stands near the door, muscles locked.
The second Jay steps into the room, towel wrapped around his waist, Shane walks past him, straight to the bathroom.
I can’t take it anymore. I nod at Jay and head downstairs. I sit on the couch and try to breathe, counting seconds between trembles, waiting for the shakes to ease. When the sound of the shower cuts off, I take the stairs. My turn for a cold shower.
When I return to our room, Jo’s moving again.
Both Jay and Shane are outside the nest, sitting on the floor with towels wrapped around their waists, eyes locked on her. Their pupils are a little too wide and I’m pretty sure mine are too. We’re all halfway into a rut.
Jo moans, and my head snaps toward her.
She opens her eyes.
My heart stops. Her eyes have always been dark, but now they’re black and unfocused, like ours get when we’re fully gone into rut.
She parts her lips, breathing hard through her mouth. Then thrashes, tossing the blanket off her completely. Her skin’s damp, a fine sheen of sweat glistening on her forehead, upper lip, neck. She shifts, pressing her hands low on her abdomen, then lets out a whimper that makes my stomach twist.
She looks like she’s in pain.
We move, crawling through the nest, pillows and blankets forgotten, just trying to reach her. She lifts her head and looks at each of us. Her lips are trembling and her whole body’s shaking.
She says one word: “Please.”
That’s all it takes; we are all on her.
The air tears apart. My towel is gone, yanked by her with a ferocity that doesn’t match her usual softness. Her fingers grip, pull, throw. My head spins, my cock aches so badly it hurts, pressure building like it’ll rip me apart if I’m not inside her right now.
I try to take off her clothes, Shane and Jay trying to do the same. It’s messy, but in the confusion of limbs and hands, we manage to strip her naked. She’s so wet her panties are soaked, a wet patch beneath her on the blankets.
Then Shane is kissing her, her hand on his cock, stroking him up and down. Jay is behind her, his hands gripping her hair and pulling hard as he sucks her neck and presses his cock against the curve of her ass.
I can’t wait any longer, no time for kisses now. I position myself at her side and slip my arms between her and my brothers until I can wrap her waist and pull her to me, snatching her from them. I slide my hands behind her thighs, spread her legs, and lift her onto my lap. We both groan as I lower her down onto my cock.
