Sheeple Ch. 09

"Mom was still awake wasn't she."

"Yes. I figured she was when I saw the light on. There are days I just don't understand her. She was worrying about the car and schedules and work instead of resting."

"You're a fine one to talk. I've seen you up late on the computer trying to balance 50 cents or working on some client's computer at 5am. You both have this incredible drive to get things done or fixed. You wear me out some days. And to be honest, the two of you are so alike at times it's funny. So, if you were out here fussing over a carcass, I'm not surprised that Mom was inside trying to get everyone to work or school on time. Just be glad she hasn't figured out how you do the whole sleepy vibes trick. If she ever does, you'll loose your only weapon." Zach smiled and turned back to the deer.

Eric thought about it for a moment. "You're right Zach. I also suspect that if I had sat with her for a few minutes when we first got home instead of coming out to help you with the deer, she would have gone to sleep. There are days I just get too wrapped up in the oddball stuff and forget the more important things."

"We all do. We're guys." Zach chuckled. "Let's get Bambi cut up and in the freezer. It's nearly 11pm and we both have work in the morning."

"Sounds good to me. Oh, by the way,.... She has you doing all the driving until the Subbie is fixed." Eric picked up the boning knife.

"What!"

"Yep. Had it all written down. You get up an hour earlier than I do tomorrow for a change." Eric smiled at the thought of Zach being an early riser.

"Oh no! I'll give her the keys." Zach paused. The thought of letting anyone drive his new car gave him the shivers. Mom had him pegged. "Damn. You are so getting that car fixed tomorrow. I am not doing this two days in a row!" Zach shook the knife in his hand at Eric for emphasis.

"Fine! Just watch where you point that thing!" Eric ducked in mock horror from Zach welding the knife.

The both laughed and went to work butchering the deer.

*

Zach took his shower first while Eric finished packaging and then loading the meat into the deep freeze. He kept a portion of steak out for breakfast in the morning and put it in the fridge next to the liver. Eric was tempted to slice off a bit of liver, but knew if he started, there would be an empty bag left in no time. So, he closed the fridge and turned off the kitchen light.

Eric finished his shower and then crept into bed with Kate. She was warm and he snuggled up close to her. When he put his arms around her, she barely sighed. Eric kissed her on the back of the neck and was asleep in a few moments.

*

Kate woke to the sounds and smells of breakfast being cooked. She wrapped up in a flannel shirt of Eric's she had liberated earlier in the year. It hung on her, but was warm and comfortable. Walking into the kitchen, she found Eric at the stove and Jamie sitting at the table watching intently.

"What's cooking?"

"Bambi libber an unyuns," said Jamie before Eric could even turn to greet Kate.

"Liver and onions eh? That sounds good."

"Good morning sleepy-head." Eric reached over to kiss Kate.

Kate stood up on tip-toes and met Eric mid-kiss. "Morning." The kiss smelled of fried onions.

"How are you feeling today?"

"Sore and still tired. That was not fair last night,"

"No, what wasn't fair was staying up when you said you'd go to sleep," he said as he turned the liver and onions in the pan.

"I was going. Just not as soon as you wanted me to," she started in self defense of her actions.

"Next time, go to sleep when I ask, and I won't have to put you to sleep. From the look of you, you could use another few hours of sleep."

"I have work to do, so don't you dare."

"Don't worry. I know you have work to do. However, I will at least ask you to take it easy this week."

"I can try, but no guarantees. Why?"

"I just have this feeling that you will have a busy week."

"Great. Is breakfast ready? It smells wonderful."

"Yes, it is. Jamie, get some plates."

"Okay Daddy." Jamie bounced off the stool and climbed a second one to get out four plates. "Mark! Bambi's ready!"

"I'm not eating that!" Mark hollered from the dining room.

"U huh!"

"No way!"

"You are! You are! You Arrrrrre!"

"Enough you two!" said Eric in a loud voice. "Mark, if you aren't having liver and onions, get some cereal. And no complaints later in the day if you are hungry."

"Alright." Mark came in and got a bowl for cereal.

Kate just shook her head. That boy was still the oddest creature on the planet at times. She held the plates while Eric portioned out the liver and onions. She couldn't wait much longer as it smelled so good. "I'm surprised that you didn't eat this last night."She savored the first bite.

"I almost did eat it last night. I figured if I did though that I'd have a mutiny on my hands."

Kate smiled at him and ate her breakfast.

*

Eric and Zach had fixed the bumper and gotten a used tire to replace the flat. Friday they had to go do the big monthly shopping trip and as usual, everything took twice as long. The weekend came and went before Kate even had a chance to think. Kate realized that part of the problem was that her heart just wasn't in it. Still tired from the car wreak she tried to compensate by shuffling responsibilities. All it really did was get less stuff done and leave her just as tired.

As if to complicate things more, work at the shelter was becoming extremely hectic. Suzanne had called her in early on Monday. When Kate got there, she found a bus load of kids from Oklahoma and two families all trying to find a place to stay. It took three hours to find a mechanic to fix the transmission on the school bus. One of the families had a medical emergency and the last was a family of six very small children and an exhausted mother. Kate felt that she no sooner got one crisis fixed than three more popped up. Wednesday saw the arrival of both the father of the family with all the little kids and the grandparents. The ensuing argument over who was picking them up was finally settled by James and three sheriff's deputies. The father went to jail for the night and the grandparents took everyone home.

Kate sat in her office on Saturday and tried to get all of the paperwork in order. It was stacked up in piles all over her desk. She had two folders in her hands trying to figure out where she was going to put them for the moment when Suzanne stuck her head in the door.

"Hi Kate."

"Hello Suzanne. What can I do for you?"

"Umm, could you work tomorrow? The paperwork is up to my eyeballs and I can't do intakes as well as get all of the paperwork into the computer."

Kate thought for a second. "Yeah. Jody won't be in until Wednesday at the earliest, so I guess so." Jody was a temp in Suzanne's office that might eventually work out. She was just a bit scattered when it came to schedules.

"Thank you dear! I'll buy you lunch." Suzanne called over her shoulder as she walked back towards her office.

Kate put down the folders and called Eric. He picked up on the second ring. "Hello Eric, I'm fine. Can you pick up the kids for me today? Yeah, busy doesn't even begin to cover it. I have paperwork up to my eyeballs and Suzanne wants me to work tomorrow. No, I'll be okay. Thanks for getting the kids. See you this evening when I get home. Bye!" she hung up the phone and went back to sorting her folders.

The double books necessitated by the state intervention drove her nuts some days. Eric had streamlined it a bit, but it still meant hours of computer data entry. She managed to arrange the folders on her desk so that she could evaluate, edit and enter the information in about twenty minutes per folder. There had been fourteen folders to start with and she was down to three. Kate looked over at the clock and realized it was nearly 8:30pm. Another hours worth of work to do, and she decided she must be tired as she could swear she smelled barbecue sauce. She looked at the folders and almost put them in the drawer for the morning. Instead, she opened the next one and started to enter the data.

"Hey! You do exist!" came Eric's voice from the doorway.

Kate jumped and almost tossed the folder. "Gods! You startled me!"

"Well, when you didn't come home, I decided to bring you something to eat." He held out a take out box from Deke's.

"Oh my, I wasn't imagining things when I thought I smelled barbecue sauce."

"No, you weren't. And if you want, I'll enter data while you eat." He gestured for the two of them to trade places.

"Deal!" Kate said as she took the box. Inside were two pickles, barbecue sauce, a shredded pork sandwich and some chips. "A feast! Thank you Eric. I was just beginning to despair that I had another hour to go before I could get home."

"Well, you eat and I'll type. I'm a bit faster at data entry, so maybe we can get out of here in thirty minutes instead of an hour." He sat down at the computer and began to tap away at the keyboard in rapid strokes.

Kate sank into the other office chair and ate her sandwich. She added extra sauce and practically inhaled it. "This is so good. Thanks for the extra pickle."

"Don't thank me. That waitress remembered you snatching my pickle and gave you an extra one."

Kate just smiled and continued eating her dinner.

*

Twenty-five minutes later they were out the door and on their way home. Jerry, the new night desk guard saw them out and locked the door. They got home to a sleeping household. Not even the dogs barked as they came in. Kate and Eric took a quick shower and then snuggled into the bed.

"What are you going to do tomorrow?" They had discussed her plans in the shower.

"I have some computers to repair, and then I think I'll curl up on the couch and watch a movie with the kids for a bit until you get home."

"Sounds good. Wish I could be home with you."

"So do I. You haven't had ten minutes to yourself all week. From what you say, next week won't be much better."

"No, it won't Eric. This time of year is just crazy. You remember how it was when you got here."

"Yes, I do. Hard to believe it was a year ago."

"So much has happened."

"Yes. Some of it wonderful and some of it enough to give you nightmares."

"I'll agree with you there. Oh. Before I forget. I asked for Monday and Tuesday off."

"Oh? Because you're working tomorrow?"

"That, and it's Beltaine!" A smile played over her face.

"Gods! I'd almost forgotten. Have I told you I love you lately?"

"I think you just did." Kate turned and kissed him. "I love you too."

The two of them snuggled up again and were soon fast asleep.

*

Andy watched the kids so that Eric and Kate could celebrate Beltaine with a bit of privacy. They indulged in dinner at the Firefly and then came home for a long bath. Eric got out of the bath first and said he'd go make sure the dogs were out of the bedroom while Kate soaked for a few more minutes. Kate didn't mind as she stretched out in the tub. She soaked for another ten minutes and then realized that Eric hadn't come back. She figured he must have laid down on the bed and fallen asleep. So much for some playtime. She got out, dried off and wrapped up in the flannel shirt she had come to use as a nightgown. She piled her hair up on her head with a clip and headed for the bedroom.

When she got to the bedroom door, she found a sign that said: Please Turn Over. Curious, she turned it over and stuck it back on the door. The reverse side said: Do Not Disturb. So, she left the sign and opened the door. Kate was surprised to find the room awash in candlelight. Eric was sitting on the bed amidst the pillows. On the nightstand was a bottle of ginger beer and two glasses. Next to that was a plate of their favorite peanut butter cookies.

"I was beginning to wonder if you'd fallen asleep in there."

"I thought the same of you when you didn't return to the bathroom. I certainly didn't expect this."

"I don't see why not. It is Beltaine. We have a babysitter and a Do Not Disturb sign on the door." Eric stood up and Kate could see that he was nude.

"Oh my. Am I overdressed?"

"While a Montana nighty is a sexy item, I do think you are a bit overdressed for the occasion." He walked over to her and began to unbutton the shirt.

"Montana nighty?"

"Yes..... a man's flannel shirt on a beautiful woman is very sexy for those from my neck of the woods. We call it a Montana nighty or negligee." He finished unbuttoning it and slipped it off her shoulders.

"I'll have to remember that." Kate smiled at the idea of a flannel shirt being sexy bed attire.

Eric smiled and poured them each a glass of ginger beer. Kate took her glass and a cookie off the plate. Anne had been baking. She knew that Eric loved peanut butter cookies. Pregnancy had really brought out Anne's sense of domesticity.

"So, how do you plan to have your wicked way with me?" She had a giggle in her voice.

"Once I've intoxicated you with ginger beer and peanut butter cookies, I think I'll see if you're edible. I didn't eat enough supper and you may just have to suffice." Eric smiled and finished off his cookie.

Kate giggled. Finishing off her ginger beer and dusting the cookie crumbs off of her skin, she got up on her knees and crawled towards Eric. When she got to him, she sat astride his legs.

"Oh? You do? And just how will you manage that with me sitting on your lap?"

"Well, I'll just have to use my superior intelligence to overcome your sneak attack." Eric put his arms around her and rolled them both over onto the pillows. Kate squeaked as they went over and then dissolved into giggles as he began to kiss her neck and shoulders. She couldn't keep from wiggling as the kisses tickled the lower down Eric went.

Eric let go of her and moved so that he could get to her breasts and stomach. When he got near her ribs, he nipped them gently.

"Oh! Hey!" Kate squeaked, more from surprise than pain.

Eric grinned at her and she realized that his canines were beginning to show. His kisses began to move over her stomach and down to the cleft between her legs. His breath tickled as he slowly began to lick the soft skin.

Kate opened her legs more as Eric began to nibble up and down the inside of her thighs. He stopped at that point where her legs joined her body and began to slowly lick, kiss and nibble the sensitive skin. Eric's tongue moved to the outside of her lips and slowly drew across them. Kate gasped and her hips started to arch towards his face. His hands held her hips to keep her still. Then his tongue slid between her lips and touched that button of flesh at the very top.

"Ohh," Kate moaned.

Eric's tongue licked her again and again, until Kate arched her back in orgasm. He looked up at her and smiled to see the closed eyed smiling face. Eric slowly started kissing his way up her stomach. As he neared her breasts, her hand reached up and grazed his thigh. He moaned as her fingertips brushed his head and shaft.

Kate felt how hard he was under her fingertips and moved to get out from under his arms. She got half way there when he nibbled her ribs and made her twitch.

"Not fair... you had your fun, let me kiss you." She moved her lips towards his hips.

"Fair? We play fair? When?" he asked in playful tones.

Kate thought about it for a few seconds and then before she spoke, she reached up with her hand and cupped his balls, pulling him towards her. She moved her head forward, licked the very tip of his head and then blew air across the wet flesh. Eric bucked forward, the intensity of the sensation taking away his motor control for a moment. Kate smiled.

"Okay, I won't play fair." She slid her mouth over the hard flesh and took him in as far as she could.

Eric groaned. He had nowhere to brace against other than Kate's side. She was laying on her side and propped up on one arm to kiss him with those wonderful lips and tongue. He couldn't help but want to thrust against her mouth. It felt so good as she slid the roof of her mouth across the top of his head and then ran her tongue all over the shaft. His hand landed on her hip and from there, he slid his hand down between her legs and found that her cleft was soaking wet. Warm and wet. His fingers delved in and began to stroke and play with that soft flesh. Kate moaned against his shaft, almost undoing what little control he had left.

"Kate.... I," he started.

Kate knew that he was close to orgasm, so she slowed her tongue down and slid her lips off of his shaft. It was left quivering in the air next to her nose. At the same time, he took his fingers from her cleft and pulled her to her knees. Kate knew what he wanted and turned so that he could slide into her from behind. She braced herself against the pillows on the bed.

Eric took a breath and then guided his shaft into Kate where his fingers had been a moment before. She was so hot, wet and tight all at the same time. He began to thrust slowly, hoping he would last as her kisses had almost melted his reserve a few moments before. Kate moved with him and in spite of good intentions, their hips began to move faster and faster. Eric could feel the hair along his spine prickle and itch. He knew in the back of his mind that he was beginning to shift and at the same instant, didn't care. It all felt so good. Eric's hands tightened on her hips and he realized that the backs were covered with soft gray fur. His thrusts increased in intensity.

Kate was wrapped up in the deep pleasure of Eric's strokes when she realized he was getting heavy. His hands became hotter and more insistent in their grip on her hips. She pushed back against him more and felt him push deeper inside of her. It sent waves of pleasure across her whole body. She was almost to orgasm when she felt him lay across her back. His thrusts were faster and deeper if that was possible and then his teeth bit into her neck where it joins her shoulder. The waves of orgasm rocked over her. Eric orgasmed as well and the two of them shared the intense emotion, almost freezing them in place for a second.

Eric shuddered from the release and did his best not to fall on top of Kate. He wrapped his one arm around Kate and rolled them to their sides on the bed. Still engaged, the orgasms slowly played over their senses. Eric moved his one arm from around Kate's waist and let his fingers find that sweet button of flesh between Kate's nether lips. Before he lost all control of his hands, he worked his fingers so that Kate orgasmed again and again. Each time her body constricting around his shaft it sent waves of pleasure up his spine. Kate arched one last time in orgasm that shuddered across to Eric. They collapsed against the pillows and slipped into sleep.

*

Kate was the first to wake up. Something didn't feel right and she couldn't put her finger on it. Literally. When she raised her hand to rub at her eyes, she realized that it wasn't a hand with fingers that she was seeing, but a rather large paw covered in silver white fur. She turned to Eric to say that she shifted and all that came out was a yip.

Eric opened his eyes and saw what his ears had told him was next to him in bed. He blinked and then bumped noses with Kate. They exchanged tongue kisses and then Eric stood up and shook all over. He turned back to see Kate tentatively standing up on the bed. She stumbled and then walked off onto the floor. Kate had a sheepish grin across her face and her tail was slowly wagging. Eric turned towards the door and pawed the lever so that it opened. He left the room hoping that Kate would follow. He went down the hall, turned into the kitchen and pawed the back door. It swung open and Kate shot through. He nosed the door closed and followed her down the steps.

Kate loped down the back stairs, marveling at the rich scents in the night air and how bright it all seemed to her. Especially as she knew somewhere in her mind that it was a new moon. She turned to see Eric come down the stairs and then motion for her to follow him out of the yard.