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9
"Looks like we're here," Kip said with a grin.
I couldn't help laughing myself. We had driven up a dirt road until the trees opened onto a clearing with a house guarded by a life size statue of a grizzly bear. There was a pickup truck, a Jeep, and a Harley parked out front.
As we parked the truck, a big, red bearded bear of a man came walking down the front steps.
"Jim!" I called as I climbed out.
His lips were warm against mine as my hands ran down his hairy back.
"Hey! Save some from me?" Kip said as he came around the front of the truck.
"Looking good, Kip," Jim said, pulling my cub into his embrace.
I looked toward the house where a dark haired bear had stepped onto the porch. I walked towards him as he hesitantly descended the steps. I closed the distance between us and stood looking into his face. He was startled when I wrapped my arms around him, burying my face against his hairy shoulder. He returned my embrace, gently at first, then with more enthusiasm.
"I missed you, Paul," I whispered, my eyes stinging.
"I missed you too," he replied thickly.
"Yeah, Brian made it," Jim was saying to Kip as they joined us.
"What?" I asked.
"The bear," Jim said, gesturing to the statue.
"And that's not all," Paul said.
He released me and gestured for us to follow him. He walked to the back side of the bear and twisted the tail. It lifted to reveal an empty hole.
"He kept the spare key there," Paul grinned proudly.
"Ingenious," I said, stepping forward to examine the mechanism. It was elegantly simple. "He did this, too?"
"Yep. He's not just a pretty face."
"Speaking of which," Kip said. "Where is he?"
"Yeah. I want to meet the man who finally landed you," I said, laughing at his blush.
"He's working," Paul said, nodding toward the house.
"So how did you...you know?" Kip asked as we walked to the house.
"Well, we met less than two-and-a-half months or so ago. I was only passing through to go see Jim when we met at a bar and I was head over heels."
"I thought you told me you were heels over shoulders?" Jim said, then held up his hands as Paul waved his fist at him with a mock scowl.
"You were careless?" I asked.
"Well, yes, but not in the way you're thinking. When I was on my way back, he said he had planned on bringing me here, but I got back sooner than he thought I would, so was going to meet me here. What I didn't know was he had left work early just to be with me. I thought I'd have most of the day before he got here. He got here and saw me shifting."
"And he freaked out?" Kip asked.
"Not really. He did wonder if he was going crazy," he said, smiling dreamily. "I told him everything. I tried to talk him out of it, but he was quite insistent."
It was a nice place. Open and airy. Shelves of books filled the livingroom interspersed with bear carvings and statues. Against one wall leaned a painting, apparently waiting to be hung.
"Oh my God!" I said, stepping toward it.
It was Paul, arm in arm with a handsome, bearish man. Above them was....
"Rick," I whispered.
"That was my first clue that I wasn't dealing with a...normal guy," Paul said. "The night after we met, this is what he dreamed about."
"How did...?" I stammered.
"Not sure. Don't think he knows for sure, either. According to Grandpapa, he's a...what did he call it?" Paul said, looking to Jim.
"He said he's an empath and a...soul keeper? He can feel what others are feeling. It allows him to be connected to all of us."
"That's what you felt last week when he changed for the first time."
"Wait a second!" I said. "Didn't you just say you've only known him a couple of months."
"Yep," Paul said, grinning at my confusion.
"But that's not possible...," I stammered.
"I'm learning that when it comes to Brian, just about anything is possible."
"It only took him about two months," Jim said. "That was why Grandpapa sought him out. Paul had called me and I was able to track Grandpapa down. He asked me to come out here with him. Didn't mind. Mike and Cliff aren't too far away. They're living in Brian's old house, actually. Hopefully, they can make it up here this weekend."
"I'd like that," I said. "So where is your cub?"
"Come on. I'll see if he's done," Paul said.
We followed them through the house.
"We're going to put you in here," Paul said, opening a door onto a spacious bedroom.
We tossed our bags on the king sized bed and followed him down the hall.
"Brian?" Paul called, knocking on one of the doors before easing it open.
"He's almost done, Paul," a voice came.
We entered a large studio, brightly lit by the afternoon sun. A huge man was sitting on the floor in front of a drafting table, a graphite stick in his large hand. His hair had been pulled back into a long, curly ponytail, splitting his broad, furry back. The front of the table was dropped down and a pad of paper held against it. He seemed to be working on a portrait of two dark skinned men.
"That's Ben!" I said in surprise.
"And his...partner, Sanjay," Jim said, nodding.
"Who?" Paul asked.
"Ben's one of Grandpapa's cubs. Surprised you never met him," Jim said.
Paul just shrugged.
"So how does he know what they look like?" Kip asked.
"When his mind...expanded...when he changed, he touched all of you," that voice came from Brian's direction, but he didn't pause in his drawing. "He became familiar with all of you."
"I'd like you to meet Joe," Paul said with an amused grin.
Brian turned his head, but continued drawing.
"Hello."
I took a step back. He looked a lot like the man from the painting, the one hugging Paul, but there was also something of Paul to his features. What was unnerving was the overlay of another's over his own.
"What the hell?" I whispered as Kip grabbed my arm.
"Joe was...is Brian's first husband," Paul said, trying not to laugh at our expressions. "When he died, Brian...caught his spirit without realizing it."
"How?" I asked, glancing at Jim.
"He's like Grandpapa," Jim said. "Though Grandpapa says he only holds the spirits of werebears who have...passed."
"Like Rick?" I said, glancing at Brian, who had turned back to his work.
"Yes. He's spoken to both of us, through Grandpapa," Jim said.
"And apparently, Joe can...travel between Brian and Grandpapa," Paul said. "I'm assuming it might work the other way as well."
"Not to sound cliché," Brian rumbled, "But those we love never really leave us."
He raised his arms above his head, groaning as he stretched. With a grunt, he rose, turning gracefully to face us.
"Holy crap!" Kip said as we looked up at him.
"Is everybody going to say that when they meet me?" he said, grinning at Paul.
He had to be at least seven feet tall. His dark hair and bushy beard were lightly streaked with gray. Tattoos were barely visible through the thick pelt covering his entire body. He was a lot leaner than most of our kind, but no less massive.
"My eyes are up here," he chuckled, and I realized I was staring at his crotch. Even soft, it was a heavy piece of uncut meat hanging in front of a pair of tennis ball sized nuts. "Sad thing is, I'm a grower, not a shower."
I looked up and saw his somewhat embarrassed smile. Sparks of light seemed to flicker in his eyes before settling into a deep, rich brown.
"Fuck!" Kip breathed. "You sure you're not both?"
"Nice to meet you, Mark," he said, extending his hand. "In person, that is."
I took his hand and a sense of warmth flowed through me. It was like what I had felt last week, but more.
He eyes unfocused for a second but then he smiled at me.
"Physical contact strengthens the connection," he said enigmatically.
There was something familiar about him. Yes, he resembled Paul a bit, but there was something else....
"Is Grandpapa still here?" Kip asked suddenly, making my eyes widen.
"No. Once he made sure Brian as all right, he headed out West. Something about wanting to meet some guy who's writing werebear porn," Jim said.
"Bjorn?" Brian asked.
"I think that's the guy's name. Why? D'you know him?"
"Well, we've never met, but I've read his stuff," Brian said with a blush. "What?" he said, looking at Paul. "It's hot. But now that you mention it...."
His eyes grew distant for a moment, then he smiled.
"Could have just asked me and saved himself a trip. He's one of Sam's."
"How do you know that?" Kip asked.
"Just do?" he said with a shrug and a secret smile.
"That who you remind me of!" I said suddenly. "You remind me of Grandpapa."
Jim and Paul looked at each other, then at Brian and the three of them burst out laughing.
"Well, there's a reason for that," Brian began.
Then his stomach rumbled.
Paul and Jim snickered at his sheepish expression.
"What?" he said, glancing out the window. "It's been a couple of hours since I ate."
"You guys hungry?" Paul said with a chuckle. "Better get some before this bottomless pit gets to the kitchen."
"Hey!" he said plaintively. "I am not bottomless. Been bottoming plenty lately."
"Yeah, but that's because we've been having trouble finding enough bottoms for you," Paul said, casting me a challenging glance.
"I don't know," I began uncertainly. "Been getting reamed more the last week than I have in a long time, but don't know if I'm up to that."
"That's okay," he said with a wink. "Always had that problem. And that was before gaining nearly half a foot."
"Didn't say I wasn't willing to try," I admitted. "Just worried my eyes might be bigger than my ass."
"Don't worry. I won't aim for your eyes," he smiled, sliding his arm around my shoulders.
The scent coming from him was intoxicating, pure male musk mixed with bear.
"Let's get something to eat and I'll try to explain...why I remind you of Grandpapa," Brian said, steering us out of the studio. "It's a long story and I'm still a growing cub."
"So you're saying you're actually descended from Grandpapa?" Kip asked as we watched them fixing lunch.
"Literally," Brian said as he mixed chopped bacon and diced cheese with ground beef. "And more so than usual."
"So are we all...?" I began.
"Not necessarily," he said, forming the meat into patties. "From what I gather, he's not the only were who has...had actual children. It's not like we can all be completely gay. If you're changed by seed, I suppose it's likely you are, but if you're changed by blood...? I would guess, if you were straight before, you'd be bi afterward."
"You know, I don't think Rick ever bred anyone," Paul mused.
"Well, if anyone would know, you would," Jim said.
"He did have cubs before me, you know," Paul said, nudging his cub. "Not too much."
"Oops. You get my hands near meat and they've got a mind of their own," Brian chuckled, handing the plate of burgers to Paul.
He dropped them onto the grill as we continued to talk.
"So none of you have ever been with a woman?" Brian asked.
"No way," Paul said and Kip shook his head.
"Don't look at me," I said.
Brian turned to look at Jim.
"Well, I don't really remember my life before Rick and Paul found me, but I have a few times since," he admitted.
"I didn't know that," Paul said with surprise.
"I have been on my own for a long time. Don't always have a cub to take care of my needs."
"And?" Brian asked.
"I'm here talking to you, aren't I?" Jim replied with a grin. "Never had a woman give as good head as a guy can."
"Ever fuck any of them?" Brian pressed.
"A couple of times," Jim answered sheepishly.
"So it's possible you have children out there somewhere," Brian said.
"So you could really be a papa," I teased.
"Suppose it's possible," Jim said contemplatively.
"You wouldn't be the first and I doubt you'd be the last," Brian said. "I assume a 'normal' human could be changed, but a...were-kin? might have an easier time of it."
"Still doesn't explain why your change was so quick," I said.
"Grandpapa told me I was basically half way there my whole life, so once we...did it, I kicked into over drive. He said it was because I have were blood from both sides of my family," he said, then his expression went strangely blank for a moment. "Hmmm."
"What?" I asked.
"He said I had were blood from both sides, but that my mother was the...scion of two werebear lines. Did he mean my father had only one werebear?" he asked, looking to Paul.
"Actually," Jim said hesitantly, "I'm not sure he had bear blood at all."
"What do you mean?" Brian said, shaking his head.
"We're not the only kind of weres out there, you know," Jim said.
Brian looked taken aback, then turned an accusing glance at Paul.
"What?" he said, holding out his hands. "I didn't know that, either."
"He never met Ben," Jim said with a grin. "You were just drawing him and his lover, Sanjay."
"So they're not bears?" Brian asked, shaking his head.
"Ben is. Jay is a weretiger."
"A weretiger?" Brian exclaimed, his eyes aglow.
"I'm guessing your father had cat blood at least. I've seen the way you move. We tend to lumber," he said with a grin. "You're a little too graceful. Usually."
That drew a laugh from Paul.
"I thought that was just because of the kind of bear I ended up as," Brian said speculatively.
"You are an unusual bear, but I've seen you jump nearly straight up. Just like a cat."
"Wait," I said. "So what kind of bear are you?"
"I'm a short faced bear," Brian said absently.
"A what?" Kip asked.
"It was a prehistoric ursine," he replied. "Apparently, I take after Grandpapa's papa."
His sharpened gaze fell on Jim.
"How many other kinds of weres are there?" he asked.
"Don't know. Have known a few cats. Not all of them were tigers, though," Jim said. "The bar Mike and I met Cliff in is owned by a wereboar. And yes, he's a real pig, to boot. I've heard a rumor about a bear couple who...adopted a lone wolf."
"So there are werewolves," he said, turning to glare at his papa.
"I told you I've never met any and I haven't," Paul said, holding his hands up. "Honestly, this is all new to me, too."
"He's telling the truth, Brian," Jim said urgently.
"I know," Brian said after a moment, the tension flowing from his massive frame.
"I only know Jay because I've met Ben," I said. "As far as I know, none of the other bears we know back home know much about them."
"I've met a few over the years," Jim said with a smirk. "Know most of them tend to have...more of a pack mentality than we do. We tend to be loners."
"Present company included?" Brian said, looking around the room.
"Well, you all are a little odd," Jim said with a grin, then ducked away from the round of raised fists. "I don't mean completely alone. Other than Papa and cub pairings, some of us have a loose knit society."
"Yeah, there are several pairs back home. We tend to keep an eye on each other," I said. "Of course, it's sometimes nice to have some other playmates."
They laughed as Kip slapped my shoulder.
"You know what I mean," I laughed back. "Sometimes you have to know what's out there to appreciate what you've already got."
Kip grinned and leaned back.
"I must say you're taking all this well," Kip said to Brian.
"I've had a couple of weeks to deal with it," he said with a pained smirk. "Trust me, when I first met Grandpapa, I was like...Error! Error! Does not compute!"
His eyes crossed and he began twitching.
He grinned at our laughter.
"Though, let me tell you, if I knew then what I know now," he said, turning his eyes to Paul, "I'd do it anyway."
Paul stepped close to his cub, growling deep in his chest. Brian lightly ran his fingertips across Paul's shoulders.
"Don't let the burgers burn, Jim," Brian said, as Paul began pawing at the thick fur covering his pecs.
Jim chuckled and turned to flip the burgers while we watched the show.
Paul found Brian's tits and gave them a savage twist. Brian groaned, his back arching. Paul tugged harder on his nips, pulling him down into a sloppy kiss.
"Did I mention he likes it rough?" Paul said when they broke apart.
He stepped aside, exposing Brian's jutting bear cock.
"Just make sure to ask him first," Jim chuckled as he saw our mouths hanging open. "You might not like how you'd wake up."
"That only happened once," Brian grated as Paul began chewing on his tit.
"Mikey thought he could just have his way with Brian," Jim explained. "Afraid he learned a hard lesson. Paul's cub could take care of himself even before he changed. Not sure I'd want to see what he could do now."
"You mean you don't want to watch?" Paul said archly, turning to Jim.
"Would rather participate this time," Jim shot back.
"That can be arranged," Brian said, licking his lips.
"Maybe we better eat first. I think we're going to need our strength."
"Nice set up you've got here," Kip observed.
After lunch, they showed us the basement. It was a better equipped than a lot of gyms I'd seen. What was interesting was the...configuration they had it in.
"This is nothing. Mike and Cliff's place has a more extensive play room," Brian said with a shrug. "But it doesn't have the workout space. Always just went to the gym in town."
"You've been to their place?" Kip asked.
"Suppose you can say that," Brian laughed. "It's actually my house. Didn't see any point in hauling all that stuff up here. Not like they're loath to share. Besides, this works just fine."
I inhaled deeply, savoring the aroma of sweat and cum that permeated the room.
"Smells like it's been getting a lot of use," I said.
"Oh, it has," Paul assured me with a leer.
Brian actually blushed. He saw me and gave me a sheepish grin.
"Only the last couple of months," he said. "I didn't have this all put in until after I lost my family."
His expression darkened.
"We only got to use it a couple of times before Joe got sick."
"If you don't mind," I began hesitantly. "How did...?"
"How did Joe come to be with me?" he said, turning toward me. "According to Grandpapa, I am like him in many ways. We can be a...vessel for bears who have died. Their spirits live on within him, and I assume they can within me."
"Was Joe a bear?" Kip asked.
"A were?" he laughed a little sadly. "No. He was furry as a bear, but he was leaner."
"You're pretty lean yourself," I said, running my hands through the thick furry covering his belly.
"The change was pretty rough on me," he said, then smiled as Paul snorted. "With it happening so quick, I didn't have the chance to build up as much...fat as I needed."
"Normally, that would have slowed down the change, not hasten it," Jim said.
"Normal has never been an adjective used to describe me," he replied with a shrug.
"I can believe that," Paul said. "He could barely stand afterward."
"Hey! I had gained nearly a foot in height," he countered. "Took a while to get used to my new center of gravity."
"You were worn down to a thread," Paul said, reaching out to tweak his nipple. "Had to wait for a few days to get my first fuck."
"You went that long without?" I asked with a sly grin.
"I wouldn't say that," Jim chimed in.
"Had to keep broken in if I wanted to get that monster up my ass," Paul said innocently.
"You don't fool me," Brian said, grabbing his papa by the neck. "Jim plows very well. I should know."
He pulled Paul to him, their tongues dueling as their hands explored each others bodies. Their groins ground together, humping frantically.
"Damn!" I said, observing the pucker of skin hanging from the ends of their rods. "It must be fun docking with him."
"What?" Brian said, breaking from their embrace.
"Don't tell me you haven't done it," I said. "That was one of the first things you showed me when we first fooled around."
"Well, up until a week ago, he was cut," Paul chuckled.
"You're kidding," Kip said.
"Nope," Brian said. "Was surprised as you that it grew back. So what's docking?"
"Guess I shouldn't be surprised you don't know about it. You said you'd never been with an intact man before you met me. Pull your skin all the way back," Paul said with a grin.
Brian followed his instructions, revealing his swollen, sticky head. Paul followed suit, then pushed their heads together. Brian groaned at the contact, his thick sap seeping from his slit. Then Paul slid his skin down, covering both heads.
"Now stretch your skin over the top of mine," Paul hissed.
"Oh fuck," Brian groaned as he complied.
"Feels good, don't it?" I chuckled, watching Paul stroking their encased organs.
Brian clamped his hands onto Paul's shoulders as he shuddered and began cursing...or at least I assume it was cursing. I think I caught some Spanish, a little French. The rest...well, it may have been actual words, but none I recognized.
I began caressing his fuzzy ass, feeling it flex beneath my questing hand. Kip knelt, his face caught between two bear hips while Jim pressed in on the other side, their tongues flicking against the pounding flesh. I dropped down behind him, nipping at his ass cheeks, tasting the sweat that was beginning to mat his fur. I spread his buns and dove into his steamy crack. My tongue pressed against his puffy ass lips, feeling the pucker quiver beneath my assault.
"Papa!" he cried and I thought his ass was going to tear my tongue out by root.
He shuddered, Paul's groans adding to his own. I scooted around and saw their overlapping skins swollen by the captured spunk. His body spasmed uncontrollably and he stumbled back, breaking the connection, their combined loads spraying from the released heads. Jim's mouth clamped down onto Paul's dick while my cub swooped down on Brian's.
"Hey! Save some for me," I laughed.
"Don't worry," Brian panted, then gasped as Kip nursed on his sensitive head. "There's more where that came from."