"Mya?"

My ears swiveled before I could stop them. Turning to look over my shoulder, the sound of my name filled the empty lobby for one brief moment before the burbles from the jeweled fountain greedily lapped it up. Amidst the mixture of splashes came the soft squeak of Karen's shoes, growing louder as she approached. She'd switched to tennis shoes lately, having complained that maneuvering in heels while being in her condition was just plain silly.

As I moved to greet her, my eyes dipped momentarily to her swollen belly, the rich purple shirt she'd chosen to wear making it look like the end of an overripe eggplant, swollen and plump. Breathing in through my nose, my eyes moving to meet hers, I found her scent unchanged. While she looked to be due any moment her scent told no secrets as of when.

While the occupants were likely of Bug origin (given the "father" who laid them), Karen's body made no distinction of breed. Her breasts had gradually swollen, the faint trace of milk mingling with her fragrance, preparing to feed children who'd have no use for it. Her ankles had swollen as well, making it an odd occurrence for her to be seeking me out like this, rather than merely summoning me to her. Perhaps she'd found something else that needed correcting before the opening? In addition to her physical changes, Karen had started becoming as fussy as a Kangaskhan, trying to make sure her surroundings were "just perfect." Granted, this was something she'd been focused on before her pregnancy... but when she'd taken to adjusting every rock and shell even Zane had opted for finding a suitable hiding spot...

Less she ask him to move the boulder from Mt. Obsidian back to Garnet Forest again.

"Yes?" My voice kept its natural chill, barely freezing the sensation of dread hanging around my shoulders, wondering what task she'd found that not only required her moving but apparently seeking me out specifically.

Her head tilted slightly, her purple bangs framing the left side of her face while her brown hair remained in a messy ponytail. The motion caused the eight varying stones she had on each ear to stand out, almost distracting me from the wrinkling around her eyes and the slight frown tugging at her lips. Her eyes had darkened to a worrisome shade of cobalt, as though she knew the dread was there without actually hearing it. Cold pricks of tension dug into my back like spikes of ice, a breath holding somewhere between my nose and lungs. As if a temperamental storm had passed by without shedding a drop of rain, her eyes grew lighter and her soft laughter made me blink, feeling as if a Confusion attack had spun my senses of the world around like a Spinda.

"That bad, Mya?" she asked, her playful smile dislodging the spears of concern from my back, reducing them to a snowball's worth.

"I'm certain I do not know what you mean, Karen."

She peered up at me through the top rim of her glasses, a slender frown forming. "So your shoulders just naturally tense up like that when you see me?"

I... hadn't even noticed.

Seeing my expression, her frown lifted into a small smile, apparently gathering as much. Reaching to touch my arm, she shook her head.

"I know, I've been far more Krabby than usual." The warmth of her fingers left all too soon as she moved her hand to her belly. "As grateful as I am that they're not kicking and squirming, I'm done with being so tubby!" She gave her stomach a light pat while huffing. "Not to mention the backaches, sore ankles, and my inability to keep a reasonable body temperature!"

I felt myself relaxing, making a guess as to what she wanted.

"Too warm again?" I asked, recalling when she'd come to me two days ago, completely in despair about being unable to cool off. She'd asked me to lend her a hand... Literally. I had to sit and type office reports with one hand while the other remained on the back of her neck, steadily channeling a subdued Icy Wind to help her cool down.

"Not today," she said, her grin wide and bright like a Mareep's coat. "I was going to ask if you could make sure we'd gotten everything cleared up from the storm while I convinced these," she gave her stomach a sweep with her hand, "little ones to come out."

"Are you sure?" My words came out quicker than I'd intended. "The opening is in three days. Would it not be better to wait?"

"I thought about it," she admitted, her brown and purple hair swaying as she shook her head, her earrings glittering as the light touched them. "But while I could hide 'Mistress Pearl's' pregnancy with a Psychic illusion... I wouldn't be able to hide going into labor."

The image of Karen dressed as the Mistress of Space, Palkia, while Zane stood by her side as the Master of Time, Dialga, suddenly going into labor before the virgin body of island's guests would certainly pose a threat to our reputation, resort, and even the island itself!

Especially if someone noticed eggs and not children coming from her womb.

"While I can see your point..." I hesitated, trying to think of an alternative to her needing to conceive early or delaying the ceremony. "Perhaps if you did not attend?" I finally offered, not liking it any better but finding it preferable to the other two options.

Her smile was as soft as a Bellossom's petals.

"And leave Zane to deal with that many people?" Her words were as gentle as her smile, with no thorn of mockery or despise. "No... Pearl and Diamond work as partners, just as the beings they represent."

I thought of reminding her that Palkia and Dialga had not been on the best of terms, according to legend, but she looped her arm through mine, speaking before I could.

"Will you walk with me to the pier?" she asked. "I'm taking the Aqua Marina to L. L. Isle."

"By yourself?!" The words were a sharp bristling of frost and ice, knowing such a thing would be forbidden by Zane if he had a Joltic sized speck of knowledge about what she was planning.

From the signs of her tightening smile, Karen knew that too.

"Elfrida will be going with me."

"Karen."

Her eyes moved to look at me from the corner of her glasses. "I can't bring Aiden with me because he's a male, even Sachio is too fine a line." The fingers of her free hand reached to touch the neck of her shirt, one I only realized now was truly just a shirt and not the Ditto in disguise. "Efrida will be enough." I felt her spine slowly straightening, even with all that extra weight she was carrying. "I trust her as I do you."

I tried not to let the warmth of praise thaw my arguments. "That does not say much when you trust everyone, Karen."

I realized at the last moment I might have gone too far with my words.

Shaking her head, Karen merely gave a glance that showed she'd noticed my apprehension and a quiet sigh.

"One day," she said, giving a slight pat on my arm. "You'll discover Zane and I aren't the only ones you can trust, Mya."

Finding we were already walking through the door of the resort, heading towards the docks, I tried to speak coldly to her but my words were like a summer snow fall...

Warm rain.

"You really have to do this?" The caress of golden sun didn't change the chill of the air around me, though Karen seemed to be breathing a little heavier, either from the sudden warmth or exertion.

Stirring the air around me with a gentle Icy Wind, she gave a slight smile and a nod of thanks as the breeze enveloped her, cooling her.

"Could you imagine a protective Zane and what he might do if I suddenly bent over with pain, giving birth in front of another male? A crowd of men? Men and women?" she asked in return, her eyes and tone telling me she had given a Snorlax worth of weight to those very thoughts and found the answers to be displeasing.

...they weren't ones I liked either.

Reaching the check station, which all guests and even those living on the island needed to go through to get to the docks, I was wary upon noticing a male with dreadlocks so thick a Tangela would be envious already waiting, opening the door and motioning us inside with a wave of his hand.

"Do you know what he'll do if he finds out we helped you?" I glanced to the male, guessing that was what he was doing since Karen showed no signs of alarm at seeing him. I didn't particularly care what happened to the male (if he did this and Zane punished him, he had to expect it coming) but I knew Karen and she would hold more weight to that concern if I mentioned a form of "us" rather than "I."

A series of buzzes made the fur along my neck bristle, my eyes lifting above my glasses to see a yellow as rich as the beach sand and a flicker of emerald green along the rafters of the building. Looking directly at me, the creature turned its head towards its owner, apparently having made many of the same arguments as her irritated hums went along the lines of "See?!" and "I told you so!" before letting go of the ceiling.

Spreading her wings, the Vibrava glided to stand on the desk nearest to us, twin sets of wings buzzing once in annoyance before stilling. Mouth closed in what might have been the Bug form of a frown, her eyes squinted under their protective green shielding, first looking in my direction, then to Karen, then to her owner again.

Her wings trembled, the buzzes closer to a hiss as they gathered speed, papers lifting but not quite flying. The male shot her a frown, gesturing sharply with his hand. Apparently, the message was received because the Vibrava's wings abruptly stopped (though she did continue glaring at him).

"I already left word for Zane on how to find me once I'm there." Her eyes turned from me to the male, as if trying to bind us into not running to Zane sooner. "I'm not going to ask you to lie for me but, if he comes to you, tell him I left word with Aiden." Encompassing the Vibrava into her gaze, she firmly said, "I swear to you, as Mistress of the Island, nothing Zane does will fall upon you."

I felt the Confusion attack sensation I'd suffered earlier suddenly kick in, leaving me as though I'd hit myself in the head.

He knew?

Frowning, letting my eyes focus more prominently on him, no longer dismissing him as some human who happened to work here, I reevaluated him as one of the few humans who know of Karen and Zane's identities. I ran through a quick list in my head, reasons why they might have chosen to trust him. Every anthro and feral here knew... but there was only a rumored handful of humans knowing, ones even I knew next to nothing on, to keep the secret as quiet as possible.

Still, I couldn't find anything extraordinary about this one, that he would have gained such important trust.

"I'll hold you to that," he replied, his words spoken slowly with a trace of an accent flavoring the words but so sparely sprinkled among them that I couldn't determine the region. It pulled at his words, lengthening them as though once he spoke they clung to his mouth before slipping free. "Are you sure you'll be okay travelling, though?"

"Elfrida will be with you?"I asked, still displeased but finding no true way to dissuade her. As she'd stated, she was the Mistress of the Island, whose only equal was Zane. If he wasn't here to stop her, what could I do?

"Elfrida should already be onboard." She glanced at the male who gave a grim look but nodded. "I'll be fine with her help, you know she's one of the best doctors we have."

I tried to suppress a grimace, thinking of the anthro Chansey who was well known for her love of black leather and restraints. Her competence was unmatched but it still did me no pleasure to recall the bitch in her short leather skirt, leaning down to show her full breasts straining at the laces that bound her in, shoving that bland wooden depressor against my tongue and asking me to "say 'Ah!' for Mistress Frida" in a way that sounded like she was cumming.

I was reluctant to place Karen solely in that woman's care but it was clear that she wasn't intending to allow me to accompany her, nor would she see reason and take someone else. I could only hope her words proved true and she really did remain safe...

Because not even Arceus in all his fearful glory could stop Zane if harm befell his chosen.

"Keep in contact." I kept my voice clipped, wanting no argument. "If not you directly, Eflrida. Once you reach the island, every hour, up to the point Zane reaches you."

Karen's eyes darkened again, as though the storm had returned stronger than before, the smile on her face suddenly growing sharper around the edges.

"I will take your words as they are meant," she said, her voice soft but easily conveying the image of a Persian slowly rising and unfurling its claws. "Rather than how they could otherwise be misconstrued."

Her head lifted only slightly but the message was clear.

Bowing my head, allowing my gaze to look at the floor, I kept my head lowered as a visible acknowledgment of her status before letting my eyes lift. At her nod of acceptance, I lifted my head as she turned her attention once more to the male.

"Nuri... if you would see Mya to her office?" She moved her hand towards the Vibrava. "Amanda can keep watch for now so both of you may attest to not being here to stop me and it can't be brought into question that the post was left unattended."

Nuri shook his head, his dreadlocks shaking like a timid Bellsprout.

"I still don't think you ought to be going out like this," he muttered, bringing a hand up to scratch the light speckling of hair that might be called a "beard" by some. "But I'll do as you ask."

Karen smiled, nodding once more to both of us, apparently waiting till we left before she would set out on her way.

Giving a sigh, I turned to find Nuri having already moved to open the door. As we walked out, I tried not to think of how STUPID this idea was and if Karen could really keep Zane from seeing this as a betrayal when I realized Nuri was following me.

"You do not really need to go to my office with me," I said, feeling the corners of my lips pinching in annoyance. "As long as you're not at the checkin you could probably go somewhere else."

"I suppose that's true but Karen asked us to go together, didn't she?" The "r" in together was transformed by his accent into a softer, almost absent sound. "You wouldn't want me to be lying even more than I might have to, right?"

The smile within his eyes made my tail twitch, not particularly enjoying the thought of him following behind me like a newly hatched Psyduck chick but finding no other way around it. Once Zane found out about this whole mess Nuri'd be in less trouble following Karen's orders to the letter than going off and doing something else.

"If you must," I said, moving forward with just enough speed to open the door to the hotel before he could do it for me, leaving him to raise his brow at me and shrug, walking in.

I still could not derive what prompted Karen's trust in the male.

The beard and mustache I'd noticed before was not overwhelming in the sense of one of those dreadful Hiker's beards (which resembled more of a Swellow's nest or bush than anything) but was more of a fine shadow along his face. Those dreadlocks, on the other hand, might as well have been shriveled Ekan's tied to his scalp. His "uniform," if one could call it that, consisted of a pair of swim trunks (a mix of tan, white, and brown camo with dark blue splashes here and there like flower petals) and a sleeveless, unbuttoned shirt of the same blue that had "Security" in red along the right pocket and the upper back. Beads hung around his neck like blushing Cherubis, the two rows hanging atop another necklace made of black leather with a golden, flat disc hanging off of it. Cut from that gleaming gold was the shape of a sun, leaving naked skin under the design. Similar bands of leather hung from his left wrist and right ankle, though brown instead of black, with bits of beads and charms flashing but too small for me to make out.

It was apparent no one had taken the time to inform him that girls were the only ones to wear such things...

"Is that really an official uniform?" I asked, having a hard time imagining Zane or... well, alright, Karen would have probably approved of it but I couldn't see Zane going along with it.

"More so than my 'Female Body Inspector' shirt, I imagine." His blue eyes squinted, examining me, a small smile tugging at his lips, as if inviting me to laugh at him.

"That would be a correct assumption," I said instead, my heels clicking lightly against the floor, the fountain's splashes masking them far more effectively than the squeaking of Karen's rubber shoes. His own shoes (boots, actually, odd given the rest of his wardrobe) made muffled thumps as they followed.

Walking past the empty lobby, along the right side of the entrance desk, this particular hallway was one of my favorites. Painted light blue with white trim, I could almost imagine a cool winter day when walking down here, especially when the air conditioning kicked on.

Passing the maintenance office as well as the break room and supply closet, we finally arrived at my personal office. Slipping the key out from my skirt, I opened the door, giving him a glance to let him know I was still modestly displeased with his decision to follow me, and granted him access.

Designed with a blue the shade of midnight, the majority of it was hidden away by bookshelves, the spines more popularly displaying titles of law, business, and biology. The wall with the window had such pale blue curtains they were nearly frost colored, chosen at Karen's insistence in an attempt to bring light to the otherwise dark room, and the trim was similar in color (though perhaps a smidge darker). The rich, dark oak desk was a personal pleasure of mine, one I'd been reluctant to ask for but that Karen had provided anyway. It was a solid piece, crafted by the famous wood carver Hiroyuki in this very room.

Designed in the shape of a right angle, providing me with more desk space than I could have imagined, the Scyther had gone out of his way to incorporate intricate carvings into the wood. Stained a far lighter color, the caramel carvings stood as a stark contrast to the darker, almost red coloring of my desk. Images of mountains with crested peaks and slender trees sprinkled the base, leading into a forest around the bottom of the desk where wild Pidgey hid amongst the branches or were captured in midflight. Within the carved wood was a Buneary, Teddiursas, a Heracross or two, and even a Sneasel peering out from behind a boulder. It was... more frivolous than I typically warranted (as could be gathered from the lack of decorations in the rest of the room, bookends non-withstanding) but admittedly a part of me always warmed to see it upon entry.

Nuri made a soft sound, like a hum or a "huh" as he entered, shutting the door quietly behind him. Motioning for him to take one of the two chairs I kept in the room for business (namely for Zane and Karen till the island was officially opened), I moved to take my own chair behind my desk, turning to face my computer.

Bumping the mouse with my hand, the  computer screen flickered away from the electric Mareep screensaver Karen had so thoughtfully installed on my computer before I could get her away (something about what computer's dream about?) and to the login page. Prompting for a password, which I entered in a quick succession of keys, the screen pixilated momentarily as a Porygon  popped into the lower right corner of the screen.

Hovering a moment, tottering as though to orient itself, it swam up towards the blotted circles that held my password. There was a soft chime as it circled behind the password interface, presumably to verify it, before spinning back around to nod at me. Words formed along the screen, just under where my password had been typed:

User Mya Blackburn has passed verification and facial recognition. Full access granted. Please have a nice day. 8-)

The emote was new and I almost missed the digital being giving a bob of its head before the password screen flashed white, leaving my standard screen behind.

Clicking on the Skylight logo at the lower left corner, I was about to bring up Minirough Access to check on my emails and see if the special order Karen had made had finally arrived. With the opening three days away, we really didn't have time to delay. The majority of those items would be used for the Safari Zone and some of the "special" guests services offered on the upper floo-

My hands paused in mid-type, my head jerking to the right.

Nuri sat, silent. I had forgotten all about him, thinking instead of the work I'd have to complete in Karen's absence. Meanwhile, he lounged in the chair, right leg folded over the left, hands sitting across his lap, fingers lightly entwined. He was watching me, his eyes like a field of snow as night settled, rich blue with hints of dark grey.

"I'm sure," I said slowly, trying not to shift in my chair. "You could leave now and be fine."

"It would have taken Karen about five minutes to board the ship, all things considered." He continued looking at me, neither frowning nor smiling. "Likely another ten to cast off, giving the safety checks." He leaned back in the chair, moving his hands to fold them behind his head. "I'd say twenty minutes before they're well enough away that I couldn't see them to sound a warning or something like that."

"Oh?"

He gave a laugh which was only expressed by the slight ripple along the top of his shoulders. "That being said, it only took you and I ten minutes to get to where we are now." His eyes drifted to the bookshelf, as though my books could somehow provide him the time. "Means I got another twenty-five minutes left now."

"Fifteen," I corrected shortly, giving a smile that shared the tips of my fangs with him. "Given the walk back."

"Do you treat all your company this warmly or is it just me?" he asked, tilting his head expectantly for an answer.

"I never treat anyone warmly." Several sharp splinters from childhood memories past prickled against my words, causing them to sound brittle and icy. "It's not in my nature."

"Bull."

"Excuse me?" I tried not to let my words drop to an even colder degree but I could feel the vapors of frost curling along my throat.

He gave a slight snort, shutting his eyes.

"With your ears, I thought you'd be better at hearing than that."

I found myself standing, the chair rocketing back to slam against the bookshelf behind my desk, the air thickening with chill around me.

The smile slipping onto his face stopped me just short of launching an Ice Shard attack.

"There," he said, his voice a soft sigh against his lips as he unfolded his legs. "You see that? No one who gets that worked up over a slight insult could be completely cold through and through."

"That doesn't mean I treat others warmly." My hands rested on the wood of my desk, the papers nearest to them curling away from the chill radiating outward from my body. "It just means you're a dick."

"Now, now, Mya..." He stood slowly, moving closer to my desk. "While it's true I do have one, it by no means defines who I am... Though..." His grin grew along his face, nearly as wide as a Sharpedo's. "I am very good with it."

Finding it hard to believe he was taking the conversation where he was, his fingers reached to touch mine before I could yank my hands away. The last person who'd touched them when I was this angry had been that neighborhood brat, Suzanne, from when I was six. She'd teased me about being her "pet Pokemon" and had gotten second degree frost-bite as a result. Suzanne had recovered but it meant we had to leave our home at the edge of Snowpoint when the residents realized I wasn't "just some kid going through a 'Pokemon dress-up' phase."

I could still remember the shame.

Trying too late to move, his skin touched mine, brushing the fur along my hand and grabbing my fingers when I tried to pull away.

He kept my hand in his and I wondered if it was too late, if the blood in his hand had frozen and locked it around mine, damaging it beyond repair. Images of blood, amputation, and banishment from Lazuli flowed like a sudden rush of snow, burying me in an avalanche of panic.

That was when I realized...

I felt heat.

Unlike the soft warmth of spring that Karen's touch brought, this was like a scorching summer the likes of which snow held no chance.

Trying to yank my hand away, I almost fell backwards when he suddenly released it.

"Wh-what?!" I cradled my hand, feeling the heat dancing away like an elusive Mew.

Seeing him smiling at me, I took a step back.

"You can't tell, can you?" His voice sounded pleased rather than hurt, the smile on his face almost impish. "Well, most people can't but you... I'm surprised."

"Can't tell what?!" I snapped, keeping my legs locked in place to keep from backing up further and stumbling on my chair.

Rubbing his chin, the hairs of his fine beard scraping his fingers, he muttered to himself, "I guess Karen was right, she figured you'd be too distracted to notice." He grumbled for a moment. "Then again, given the situation, it's no wonder..."

He trailed off, the Icy Wind I sent at him with a wave of my hand slamming into his chest hard enough to knock him back but not over... which it should have! I put enough power behind it to have knocked the air out of him and caused him to topple over like a drunk Spoink but he was still standing!

Why the hell hadn't it worked?!

There was a grunt as he rubbed his chest, the smile on his face dropping into a snarl as his eyes locked with mine.

Drawing in a sharp breath, the cold I expelled nearly burned within my lungs. Raising my hand again, the air around it solidified, forming a lethal sized Ice Shard, capable of puncturing flesh and breaking bones. Before I could pull my arm back to launch it, send it as a warning to drive him out, Nuri was suddenly on this side of my desk.

Grabbing my wrists, slamming me back into the wall, my Ice Shard shattered as my concentration faltered. His body pressed tight to mine, leaving me no room to kick or twist free. Lunging out with a Bite, his head jerked to pull his neck out of my range, his forearm quickly moving to pin my neck and prevent another attack.

Struggling to breathe, I pulled at my hands again, wanting to reach to claw his arm off my throat, but he held me firmly.

"Shit... do you attack everyone who surprises you?" There was a light hiss to his words, like a kettle set on the stove for too long. The gleam in his eyes worried me more than the tight press of his lips giving way to a grim smile. "No wonder you haven't gotten laid."

The choked sputter that came past my lips wouldn't have formed words even if his forearm hadn't been pressed against my windpipe. Trying to push off the wall one more time, he kept me pinned with such ease I had to fight the Spinarak legs of fear climbing up my back.

"You shouldn't have attacked me," he whispered, leaning closer so that his breath stirred the fur along my cheek. "I could have been fine, watching you work for those fifteen minutes... leaving with only that. Attacking me though..."

His grip around my wrists tightened suddenly, the only warning I had before his lips assaulted mine.

His lips burned. I could almost hear them hiss as they touched my cold ones, his tongue forcing its way past my startled lips and curling around my tongue. It was like the split instance of warmth a cup of hot chocolate gave me before turning into cold milk within my mouth... yet this heat didn't die. It grew warmer and spread, my skin growing taunt as his chest brushed closer to mine, my nipples suddenly aching in a way I didn't understand. The grip of his hands lessened but held me still, his forearm searing against my neck, drying up the air in my throat.

Mouth parted, I felt droplets of saliva drip against my fur as he pulled away, his words near a growl as he spoke, not to me, but as if voicing his thoughts.

"Attacking me... challenging me..." He spoke slowly, his words like soft hisses and pops from the logs of a fireplace. "I have only one way to answer that."

I tried to bring enough focus to my mind to summon a Barrier, intending to push it between my skin and his, expanding it quickly enough to throw him back. His forearm moved and I thought I had a perfect chance...

Until his teeth suddenly dug in where his arm had been.

My body arched without warning, a keen cry breaking through me like a crack down a poorly frozen lake. He pressed his swollen, heavy hardness against my thigh, the thin material of my skirt and his swim trunks offering no resistance to the harsh heat lancing from that spot up along my spine. Trying to lunge forward, slip away from him, my back only moved an inch or two away before he yanked at my wrists, lifting them above my head and forcing me back against the wall and on the tiptoes of my heels. I tried to form the Barrier again but his touch burned through the cold aura that surrounded me and made my thoughts pool uselessly within my head.

"What..." Tensing as his mouth moved over my neck again, his tongue started at the bottom of the marks he'd left and trailed up, leaving me to shudder quietly in the wake of those gentle touches. "What are you?"

"Would you like a hint?" His teeth touched lightly on my skin, not biting exactly... more like a soft pressure.

He pulled back when I didn't answer, his eyes narrowing for a moment as he looked past my skewed glasses and into my eyes.

"Oh shit... you seriously don't know, do you?" At the abrupt shake of my head, his hands loosened from my wrists and he took a step back. "Shit... that's awkward." He gave a laugh that sounded pained. "In more ways than one, I suppose."

I tried to ignore the way he was adjusting his swim trunks, crossing my arms over myself to try and fight off the heat I could still feel against my skin even when he was only a few feet away.

"You blocked my attack without even trying. That's..."

"Something only a Pokemon could do?" Half of his mouth lifted in a grin, his body leaning to rest against my desk. "I can't say I've got all the looks, but we're more alike than you think."

I wanted to argue that he had none of the looks that I had to deal with my entire life when I saw his foot move. Bracing the heel of his boot against the toe of the other, he slipped his right foot out and wiggled his bare toes at me.

Toes that were blue and elongated, looking closer to a hand in shape than what belonged on a foot.

"Want another hint?" He asked, his head tilting as he casually slipped off his other boot, revealing toes much the same as the first. I thought that was the hint (and not much of one at that) when I saw something moving under his swim trunks. My first obvious conclusion as to the twitch along the front vanished into vapor when I saw not only the front moving but the upper edge of his trunks. A wiggling, twitching motion later and he reached down to pry the material away from his abs with his thumb, a brown tail rising out and providing a whole new meaning to the term "trouser Ekans."

I shivered -from warmth, as inverted as it seemed- and frowned. It took only a second, even in my off-balanced state, to realize exactly what this meant.

"Oh."

"Yep. Infernape, specifically." His grin was apologetic but there was still an edge of cockiness to it that made my ears twitch back. "I'm guessing you weren't brought up in tune with the whole 'hybrid instincts' bit. Especially our little dance. Male makes a pass, female tests his mettle, male..." His eyes moved from my face, down along my breasts and hips, the warmth of his stare permeating and settling within my body. "Well... argues his case, shall we say."

Pushing my glasses back in place, I merely gave a dumb nod. It was the sort of thing I should have known but after Snowpoint I hadn't been entirely open about learning every aspect of my heritage... just the parts I'd deemed useful.

After all, before meeting Zane and Karen, I'd never even considered the likelihood of others.

"Anyway," he said, his voice slow as he glanced down, rearranging his pants... or trying to. The still visible bulge caused the warmth and coldness within me to mix, a spattering of goosebumps racing just under my fur. "I might be a dick but I don't go where I'm not invited."

As much as I wanted to blame my body for my next words, they were a conscious effort.

"And... if you were invited?"

I found myself leaning closer, wanting to rekindle the heat I'd felt pooling off of him before. He gave one quick blink, his smile having gone slack for a moment before spreading slowly, like a Feraligatr realizing its prey was walking towards it.

"Like I said." His nostrils twitched and his tail curled behind him, his blue eyes tugging and pulling me closer. "I know how to use what I've got." His muscles jumped when my fingers touched his shoulder, a pleased rumble toying with his words, giving them a deeper, huskier sound. "And,  not to brag, but I've got a fair bit."

Closing the gap, I couldn't even acknowledge his words with a nod.

My lips touched his, warmth flooding my mouth as his tongue slipped in and grazed my own. I felt his arms move around me, encompassing me with his heat as his hands pressed against my lower spine and shoulder blades. I could almost make out the individual presence of his fingers as they pressed and rubbed against my fur, making small circles like a comet chasing its tail before darting to unexplored areas along my back.

When one hand slipped under my skirt, the tips of his fingers splayed on either side of my tail's base, I could feel myself shamefully pressing into the warmth of his hand as my breasts pressed tighter to his chest.

"You know..." He let his teeth graze my lower lip, his breath cutting into his words and leaving them ragged yet, somehow, a laugh still shone through them. "If you're still not sure-"

This time, it was my fangs at his neck, his body arching into mine as I hissed around my teeth.

"Shut up and fuck me."

He needed no second invitation.

I could only piece what happened after the fact. One moment, I'd been leaning up against him, his body propped up against the side of my desk. The next, I heard the sound of papers fluttering and pens bouncing off the floor, the wind almost knocked out of me from the solid oak now under my back. My glasses were just barely hanging on to the edge of my nose, meaning I had to look over them rather than through them to see anything. Tendrils of my hair had pulled free from my bun, brushing the sides of my cheeks and tickling along my fur in a most infuriating manner that I couldn't straighten with his hands pulling my arms above my head and gripping around my wrists again. A coil of heat was latched around my upper thigh, pushing my skirt up in a way that must have revealed the lacy periwinkle thong I wore, decorated with silver snowflakes that matched the bra under my blouse (though his attention didn't seem to be on that). A second or two later and I realized it was his tail just as I felt his covered cock pressing tight against my thigh.

"I... don't see how you'll get our clothes off like that." 

"If you're not careful," he growled, nipping the bottom of my chin a little harder than I thought he would. "I'll burn them off of you, snowflake."

So... perhaps he had noticed after all.

"I would prefer not to have to walk out of my office naked."

"You're sure?" His grip changed, only one of his hands now keeping my wrists in place while the other lightly brushed against my right breast. "You wouldn't want anyone to see you afterwards, with frozen sweat along your body and cum between your legs? It would kill the idea of you being a frozen bitch."

Pulling my lips back in a sneer, I lunged to try and place a Bite along his collarbone but he yanked back just enough and kept such pressure on my wrists I couldn't get far enough up.

"You and I both know differently though, don't we?" His fingers glided with less presence than a Haunter over my right breast to the buttons that kept my blouse closed. "We both know how much you want this..." His index finger slipped under my blouse, tugging upward causing the first button to give. "How much you want me."

The second and third button came undone before I had a response.

"Maybe you're just a warm body," I replied, turning my head so as not to watch as the next button slipped and the material parted to expose my half covered breasts. "A convenience fuck."

He bent down, his body so close it almost touched mine as he whispered in my ear.

"I'd conveniently fuck you any day of the week, Mya."

The wet warmth of his tongue made me jump as it traced the outer edge of my ear before he leaned back with a grin, reaching his hand to grab and tug the right side of my blouse, yanking it so hard that the remaining buttons either yielded or ripped and went spinning into the air.

Now, merely loose cloth without purpose on either side of me, my blouse was left to cover only my arms from his sight. Nuri's breath caught as I watched his tongue dart along lips, his necklaces hanging but not yet touching my skin. His eyes were already stroking my breasts, weighing them and fondling them long before his thumb caressed the material along the outer edge of my bra.

"Soft," he said, perhaps not even meaning to say anything at all.

My hips moved upward, his tail squeezing tightly before relaxing again, apparently realizing I wasn't trying to escape. He pressed his still hidden cock against my leg, bumping and pressing into me while his thumb glided along the border that marked cloth from fur against my breast before cupping and squeezing.

"I'm going to make you so wet for me, like a million melted snowflakes." His hand massaged the heat into me, forcing me to accept it rather than fight. Kissing the side of my neck, his fingers reached and pinched my hardened nipple with such force I barked, flushing shortly after I realized what I'd done. "A spring of water flowing from your thighs every time you see me, smell me..." This time, he pinched and tugged, making my eyes tear up even as I wiggled my hips towards him and whimpered. "Whenever you sit at this desk and think of me."

He rolled my nipple between his index and thumb and I thrashed, trying to kick or push away but his grip remained unbreakable. When he suddenly let go, my nipple throbbed, matching the pulses coming from between my legs.

"You'll sit here and try to do your work, of course." His fingers had slipped under my bra, flipping it over my breasts so he could see my storm blue nipples for himself as they stood traitorously above my fur. "Talk to Karen or Zane about this and that... all the while you'll be remembering this."

Both of his hands moved to cup the undersides of my breasts and I tried to kick myself upward, somehow still finding my hands restrained. Frantically looking above my head, I found what looked to be a clawed hand made of dark fog clasping my wrists together, having more density than any vapor should.

"Shadow Claw... it's not just for battles anymore."

His fingers splayed to encompass as much as he could, his hands not quite large enough to hold all of my breasts within them. Kneading my breasts, my nipples getting pinched between his index and middle finger every time he squeezed, his tail moved from its position along my leg. Travelling upward, I jerked as I felt the furry limb slipping even further past my skirt, brushing against the only source of near-warmth my body had.

His tail pressed tighter against my entrance, barred by the thin barrier of my thong. My hips rolled up as he pressed himself tighter to my leg, the heat of his cock burning through material of his trunks. When his fingers moved to pinch my aching nipples between his thumb and index again, yanking them forward and up, my body shook and arched, leaving me twitching and gasping.

"Not yet, Mya..." I heard him whisper, twisting my nipples painfully between his fingers. "Not yet."

Almost whining when he released my nipples, my hips still rocking as his tail wiggled and pressed closer to my entrance, I could just barely see his hands moving to slide his swim trunks down, his cock bobbing free as the trunks fell to the floor...

He wasn't kidding about having a fair bit.

While I had not had the experience of an anthro, feral, or human mate in the flesh, I did have several high quality toys that boosted equal or greater pleasure to the real thing. Varying sizes and shapes from "human" to "Dragonite," I had thought they were enough to satisfy me.

Perhaps they would have been had I never met Nuri.

His own cock was larger than my average sized human toys though not quite as thick as some of the feral Pokemon designed ones. A darker coloring than his skin, more red, the head of it was almost human looking but fatter. I could make out the gleam of his pre along the tip and length, his cock twitching to smack his stomach as I watched.

"I think I'll fuck you with your panties on," he said, a smile in his voice as his tail moved around my thong and tugged it, leaving my dripping petals for him to see once he pushed my skirt higher up along my hips. "I want you to remember this, after all."

Keeping his right hand on my left breast, his fingers tracing along my fur, circling but not touching my desperate nipple, he let his left hand slide down my belly, over my skirt, and allowed it to hover just over my sex.

"Do you want this, snowflake?" His voice was almost a hoot, teetering on the edge of something wild as one of his fingers slipped between my chilled petals without dipping in. "To know that every time you walk through that door and see this desk that you're going to think of me, spreading you open and putting my cum inside of you." His hand moved from my entrance to stroke the fur along my belly before spreading his fingers to try and cover all of it. "That Arceus might bless you with my child after I fuck you."

"F-fire and Ice don't mix," I just barely rasped out, trying to convince myself it was panic and not eagerness in my voice.

"You forget," he said, his body moving to cover mine, his lips touching my own, gentle and fleeting like a Beautifly hovering over a flower. "We're not just Pokemon, Mya..."

His lips pressed harder to my own and I felt his cock tip brushing against my entrance, its throbbing matching with my own.

"But, either way," he continued, staring down at me with that same, self-assured smile he'd worn since coming into my office. "I think you and I will mix just fine."

Unable to take any more of his teasing, I lifted my legs around his own, gripping him by the waist and tugging him closer to me. His cock was forced forward by the motion, entering me with one fluid motion, my hands and back jerking even though the shadowed hand kept them in place. I heard him grunt once before his fists slammed against my desk, his hips shoving me forward as my back slid against the top of the desk, causing my head to drape down while the shadows kept my hands suspended.

There were tiny but sharp bites placed along my neck and throat, his body crawling so that his knees were on the desk to push deeper within me. I felt myself being stretched like none of my toys had done, the warmth of his cock so much more than the false, coolness of rubber. While I rocked back against him, his tail had moved away from my panties, the material not quite out of the way but just enough so it wasn't a distraction. That furry limb of his was now stroking the sides of my left breast, wrapping around it and squeezing in time with his pumps while I could only try and keep pace with him, my mouth opening to give mixes of barks and pants.

His concentration must have failed somewhere along the way for my hands suddenly fell, free of the Shadow Claw. Instantly, I had them around his neck, tugging his mouth forward to meet mine, our teeth clacking in my haste but not slowing us down. I could feel his soft hoots against my lips, grunts mixing in as his speed would suddenly hasten for a moment or two before dying down and then picking up again.

With a burst of Strength, I kept my legs clutched tightly around his waist before flinging my body to the side, rolling with him so that he was now the one on bottom. My arms moved to pin his wrists near his head, the sudden shock in his eyes fading while his hips never stopped pumping and his lips never stopped kissing. I could feel my breasts shaking, the fabric of my blouse flapping loosely against their sides while my bra dug in along the top. My bun was almost completely undone, the tight pressure along the top of my head now fading as my hair kept pulling free. I almost reached to push my glasses up further along my nose but doing so would mean relinquishing one of his hands and I had no desire to do that.

Rotating my hips, I felt his cock stirring the juices within me, my cool, liquid desire dampening my fur and the hair along his balls the longer we went.  Slurping, lewd sounds came from my grasping, greedy pussy as it tried to grip and keep him within me, a sudden bounce making him hit the very bottom of my core. His hands tried to reach upward, to grab me, but I continued to keep him pinned with the remaining Strength I had till, suddenly, his own Strength overwhelmed me and he broke free.

His hands were on my breasts again, squeezing so hard I could feel his nails dig against the skin under my fur and wondered if I'd find bruises the next day. Pulling back, his hands remained on my furry mounds and squeezed my tight teats while I was now in the position to ride him fully, his cock now hitting my core with every thrust in a mix of pain and bliss.

"Arceus... I almost want to flip you and take you like a feral but that look on your face is just so fucking hot, snowflake."

His cock pushed in and lifted me almost up off my knees as I gasped, having to balance myself by putting my hands on his chest while his tail moved to wrap around my waist and squeeze, keeping me in place.

"Think if I asked to fuck your tight ass right now, you'd say yes?"

His hands were moving from my breasts down along my sides to my hips, forcing my skirt up so high it now resembled some kind of cloth belt before they moved back along my ass, prying my cheeks apart as he bounced me even harder against him while my thong fought to try and give me some decency. That thin bit of cloth was no match for the cock pressing into me, pushing it aside like a curtain, drenching it with proof of my need.

I tried to open my mouth to say "no" but his fingers dug tighter into my ass before the word came out, two of them grazing my tailhole and making me buck hard against him, yipping and cumming in the same instance. There was a muffled curse from him before his thrusts sped up, lifting us both off the desk, his cock spasming and pumping liquid sunlight into my tepid lake. 

"Sh-shit..." The words were soft, almost lost among the quick, frantic breaths he was drawing in. "I-ice succubus... I wanted to go longer than that with you."

Letting my body slump against him, our frantic heartbeats mingled and bled into the other so that telling them apart was impossible. The rise and fall of his chest was soothing as an ocean's tide, my hands still on his chest as he moved his own to wrap them tighter around me, his tail stroking my lower back.

"Infernape aren't well known for their stamina."

My comment only got a short laugh out of him.

"You came before I did, snowflake."

The soft sound I made was something of a laugh and a sigh.

"Well-"

A sudden knock at the door made me bolt upright, my left hand grasping for the remains of my blouse and trying to pull them over my chest as I realized neither of us had seen fit to lock the door...

Not that it changed the fact that both of us were on my desk with Nuri's cock still semi-hard within me.

"Mya...?" Zane's voice was loud enough to be heard from the other side of the door, though his words had the same calm tone that I tried to imitate, the kind capable of freezing spines.  I was reminded of just how powerful it was now.  "I hate to interrupt your team-building exercise with Mr. Ashmore, but could you perhaps direct me to where Karen might be?  She's not in her room, and it's no good for her to be wandering in her condition.  It's... dangerous."

"Kuh..." I swallowed hard before shaking my head 'no,' as if that burning gaze of his could bore holes through the door. "Karen said to have you speak with Aiden."

There was a quiet, weighty moment  where I thought Zane might come in after all but two quick raps of his fingers were the sound that answered, rather than the turn of a knob.

"I see.  How curious, not leaving the message with you." His words curled; a slow, thick growl along the edge of them. "I will speak to Aiden then."

I lowered myself back atop Nuri, both of our bodies as still as a winter morning.

"Thank you, Mya." He gave a sigh that sounded more like a snarling hiss. "Though... might I suggest you schedule these appointments for a time when neither you nor Mr. Ashmore have security duties?  You'd be surprised what sort of things can... slip by if one doesn't keep a watchful eye." There was a light snarl weaving along his words. "Someone could get hurt.  I would hate for it to be any of us...Wouldn't you?"

The growl dipped deeper and I felt myself shaking against Nuri's chest, wondering just how long the Master of the Island had stood outside the door, waiting for us, before a shuffling sound indicated Zane had moved away. My heart started beating a little stronger, now that it was sure that the trouble was over and the danger had passed.

For now.

"I'm glad I'm not Aiden..." Nuri mumbled, kissing my throat while his fingers stroked my back, easing the stiffness from me. "Now... what were you saying?"

It seemed silly to say now, with the interruption, but his smile and the warmth within his blue eyes made me bend to gently kiss him.

"Maybe... you'll have to show me more about these 'hybrid instincts' of ours." I let the corners of my lips tug downward, narrowing my eyes slightly. “After you apologize for messing up my work area.”

His chuckled for a moment before stopping.

“Wait... You're serious?” He tilted his head, moving a hand to run through his dreadlocks. “You're straddling my hips after ordering me to fuck you... and you want an apology?”

“Just for the desk." At the slight roll of his eyes my fur bristled and my lips curled to show my fangs. "Do you know how hard it is to manage every aspect of this island?!"

He stared at me for a moment, then shook his head.

“Snowflake, you are a real piece of work, you know that?" When my frown deepened he finally gave a sigh and smiled. "Alright. I'm sorry.” His hand moved to cup my cheek, his thumb rubbing slowly against my fur. “But only for the desk.”

“Good.” I allowed my tail to give one solid wave of happiness. “We'll have to work on the rest of that fiery attitude of yours later.”

“I think you might melt before that happens,” he replied, the wide grin on his face matching the impish look in his eyes.

I pushed my glasses up on my nose and leaned forward. “And I just might surprise you.”

My lips claimed his, despite my own grin, and I let the warmth –his warmth– envelop me once again.