Panthera Spelaea Ch. 41-50

I woke with the morning light, looking at the inside of the tent through my lion's eyes. The girls hadn't stirred, their heads using my front leg as a soft pillow.

I spent a few minutes just relaxing, trying to feel my lion in my head. He was content; he shifted his head slightly, scenting Svetlana before settling down again. "Let me take over again," I thought to myself. I pictured myself in human form, but nothing happened. Then I thought about the boat coming, and that did the trick. I shifted back in a quick moment.

"Ow," Anna said as her head dropped to the sleeping bag and pad below. My human arm wasn't long enough, so when I shifted, her pillow went away. She rolled onto her back, rubbing her eyes as I watched her boobs move around.

"Time to get up?" Svetlana was facing me, though no longer touching because my chest is nowhere the size of my lion's form. Her hot body was on display as she rolled onto her back and stretched.

"Sorry," I said. "I didn't want to disturb you, but my lion gave me back control without a fight this morning."

"That's good," Svetlana said as she rolled up to an elbow. "How much time do we have?"

"I don't know, maybe an hour?"

"That's enough. Anna, John's up. Rochambo for it?"

Anna won, paper to rock, and dove over to engulf my hardening cock into her mouth. Svetlana pulled on her clothes and headed out to get the fire going for breakfast. Anna gulped down her reward a few minutes later, and we pitched in to get breakfast going.

I made two pounds of bacon first, setting them aside to drain. Then I grabbed the two dozen eggs mixed with milk and spices in a container from the Igloo cooler and made up a mess of scrambled eggs. Meanwhile, Svetlana was slicing biscuits and stacking them with bacon. When the cheese melted on the eggs, I cut the eggs into pieces, and we made breakfast sandwiches.

The girls each had three, and I had the other twelve.

It was time to break camp. The girls took the dishes down to the lake to clean them while I put the fire out. I stacked our bags on the blanket, then took the tent down. By the time we heard the sound of the boat, we were waiting on the beach.

Marat pulled the bow onto the sand, then helped the girls board. I handed the gear over, then pushed us back out into the lake before jumping in.

It took about thirty minutes to get to the boat launch, most of that time spent going upriver. The brothers removed two tracking devices from under the car, netting them another ten thousand rubles. I did one last check of the car as we loaded up, and we were on our way. We headed west to the A-119 road running along the eastern side of the massive Lake Onega. Hunger and the gas tank had us stopping in Medvezhyegorsk, a town of about eighteen thousand at the lake's northern tip.

Lunch was at the Medvezhka Restoran, a log-framed place on the east end of town. Since it was a fishing town, it was no shock that fish figured prominently on the menu, but they also had wild game. We ordered enough food to make the waitress wonder where we put it! After I paid and went outside to see the lake, I wondered why we were in such a hurry to leave. After all, the cops would have an easier time finding us on the road than in a hotel room.

A quick inquiry led us to the nearby Charodei Hotel, another all-log structure built from the pines in the surrounding forest. The expansive grounds on the shores of Lake Onega looked fun, as well as the boats they had parked at the docks. I paid cash and used a false name to rent the only cabin with a King-size bed while the owner called around to see if any fishermen were taking charters.

I parked the car where it wouldn't be visible from the road or the lake. We took our bags and the camp dishes inside to give them a good washing after our trip. Showers were in order, as we still smelled like fire and lake water. By the time we returned to the Main Office, a weathered man in his sixties was waiting for us. Captain Daniil had fished these waters since he was a boy, and after handing over some cash, he led us down to the dock and onto his charter boat.

Svetlana sat with me and translated as Anna talked to him on the trip out to the first fishing spot. We would be trolling long lines for "pike-perch," which he said were the best tasting game fish in the lake. Soon we had four lines in the water, the boat chugging along slowly as he followed the depth line.

Anna reeled in the first one, the fish about as long as her forearm. I saw it was closer to a walleye than a northern pike, which was a good thing as walleye was the best-tasting North American freshwater fish. We fished all afternoon, coming back with two dozen fish ranging between sixteen and thirty inches long.

Anna was smart enough to bring a bottle of vodka along, and Daniil was a good friend by the time we returned. He called his wife to tell her about our good luck, and she invited us to their home for a traditional fish fry. When we pulled in, the girls went with Yana while I stayed with Daniil as he expertly filleted our fish and put them in a cooler.

Their home was near the docks, and the oil was already heating up outside the kitchen door. Yana was short and plump, very friendly, and an excellent cook. Anna had gone to the store to buy fresh vegetables and vodka, knowing how much our group would eat and drink. Yana had a traditional recipe for fried fish, and it was fantastic. We ate and drank the night away, polishing off almost all the fish. The story of my recent life came out over the second bottle of vodka, and the older couple was sympathetic. "The Communist Party may not be in charge, but the State is unchanged," Anna translated. "You need to get away from them all, not just for a day but for a month or two. Young love needs time."

"It isn't that easy to get away from them all," I responded. "We have to eat, drink, live."

He waved his hand as Anna told him my answer. "You wait here." He walked out into the village, returning ten minutes later with an elderly Russian man. "Pavel's family has a farm on Lake Khizohero, about twenty-five kilometers from here. His son died in Afghanistan, and Pavel is widowed and too old to work it now. He had to move to town because he can't live alone, but he can't let the farm go. It is all he has left from his father."

"I'm sorry," I said.

"It would be the perfect place to disappear from them all. The three of you with nothing but lake and forest around for tens of kilometers and no trail leading to you."

He had my interest. "How?"

"You rent the place for cash and stay there as long as you want. You're doing Pavel a favor."

"No, we eat a LOT. We'd have to come to town once a week and buy a LOT of food, and every trip is a chance for the police to find us again."

"You give me your list and money, and I bring you food. Pay in dollars, and no one will say anything."

I talked it over with the girls, and we figured it was worth a try. Every gas station, hotel, and restaurant we used was another chance to be recognized and tracked. "I don't mind hiding out with my man and my girlfriend," Svetlana said.

Daniil and Pavel would meet us outside our hotel at five in the morning. I know, fishermen and retired men and their early wakeups! We'd follow Daniil's truck to the farm, and they would return later with food if we liked it. We said our goodbyes and headed back to shower and get some sleep before we'd have to get up.

I was glad I had a guide because we were WAY off the beaten path. The last six kilometers were offroad, a trail winding through the trees and over the small hills. In the end, though, it was worth it.

The home was built from logs and sat on a small hill overlooking an undeveloped corner of the lake. It had a living area, dining room, and kitchen downstairs. In the center was a big iron woodstove with a cooktop and a baking oven. "They never ran electricity out here," Pavel said. "There is a windmill and solar panels, with batteries in the closet here. The diesel-powered generator will kick on if the battery gets too low. It's enough to run the appliances and well pump. The television works, but you only get three channels. Heat and hot water you get from the woodstove, and there is plenty of wood out back ready to split."

That's the joke about heating with wood. It heats you three times; when you cut it, when you split it, and when you burn it.

The main floor was about ten meters square and included the kitchen, living area, and dining room. Upstairs was a sleeping loft with a big brass bed and plenty of blankets and furs.

It was perfect. We made our lists and sent the men off with a handful of bills. I had enough cash in hand to live here for months, and the solitude would be fun, right?

As long as this didn't end up like The Shining, we were all good.

Ch. 42

The quiet life at the remote farm lasted until just before Halloween.

Daniil was more than happy to drive down to Moscow for us on days he didn't have a charter. We used him to pass messages to Marina, our lawyer, and get us things we needed from the big city. Mostly, that was meat. We went through a LOT, and Daniil spread out his purchases between stores so they wouldn't raise so many suspicions. If Marina needed to get ahold of us, she had Daniil's number. Since Marina could assure the Judge we were still in compliance with her order to stay in Russia, the police couldn't arrest me if they found me. After all, the order did not require me to check in or submit to invasive tracking.

As for us, the fall was a glorious time to spend together. We'd go a week between Daniil's visit and not see another person. During the cooling days, we'd work, fish, and play outside. There was plenty of wood to chop, constant Russian language practice, and frequent sex. At night, I'd call my lion forward to hunt and play. The local deer herd got thinned out as the big cat hunted for his fast food.

The three of us grew incredibly close during our time in hiding. Looking back, it was the best thing for us; we were able to work out our unique relationship without outside influences. Svetlana, Anna, and I bonded together at all levels, and we were happy.

Like all fun things, it couldn't last. Four things conspired to force our return to Moscow.

First was the weather. Pavel had been honest about the remoteness of the home we'd rented; once the heavy snows of the Russian winter hit, we weren't going anywhere until spring without a snowmobile or a helicopter. I didn't want us snowed in, and I wasn't a fan of winter.

The second was our health. We were in fine shape; I was stronger than before, after weeks of cutting and splitting wood, swimming, and running in the woods. The girls were far more athletic now, with defined muscles and excellent stamina. Both had not had a period since we were in Moscow, and my lion could smell the life blooming inside them. Yes, both were pregnant, despite their Depro-Provera injections ten weeks earlier. The shot was supposed to last three months, preventing the release of eggs and thickening the cervical mucous to keep sperm out. "No defense could withstand your Super Sperm," Anna said as we talked about their budding pregnancies. "So much else has changed in our body. Is it any surprise that making us fertile would be one of them?" It didn't matter now. Both carried my babies, and we were thrilled about it.

The third was my desire to propose and marry before their bellies swelled with obvious pregnancy. They were MINE, and my cat and I wanted something to ward off other men's advances so I wouldn't have to kill them. I wanted the blessing of Lana's parents, as old-fashioned as that was. I also wanted to sneak out to buy the girls their engagement rings. I had to hope I'd be able to bring the girls home to meet my family sometime.

And that led to the fourth. Daniil showed up on Friday evening during our post-dinner romp, forcing us to scramble for clothing before he arrived at the door. "I have news from Moscow," he said. "Marina has a hearing before Central District Judge Vitali Shemkov on Monday morning. The police have made no progress in their investigation, so she has petitioned the Court to return your passport. You need to go to Moscow, John."

We invited him in for coffee and quickly decided we were leaving and not coming back. We left the keys with Daniil and had our car loaded two hours later. I wanted to travel at night, making it less likely to be identified on the drive home. Since the police were likely tapping her parent's phone, we didn't call to warn them. We all knew they'd find us eventually, but we wanted as much freedom as we could get.

I drove the first leg of the eleven-hour road trip, with Anna riding shotgun and Svetlana sleeping in the back. We rotated through the driving overnight, each getting a few hours of sleep overnight.

Svetlana's parents were eating breakfast when we arrived in Rybinsk early the following day. Nadezna screamed when she saw our car pull in and rushed out to greet us. "LANA! ANNA! JOHN!"

The girls ran forward to hug her, and I joined them soon after. It took a few minutes for everyone to settle down and go inside. We eventually sat at the table and told them about the court hearing.

When the girls went out to retrieve the food we'd brought home, I was finally alone with the parents. "There's more than just the court hearing, isn't there," Nadezna said.

"Yes. I love Svetlana and Anna, and the three of us are committed to making it all work. We have agreed Svetlana will be my legal wife. They will be sister-wives in private, and I will love them equally. I ask your blessing of this before I propose to them." I was going to get engaged before they found out I'd knocked their daughter up, THAT was for sure. The girls would see their OB-GYN in Moscow as soon as they could get an appointment, and after that, we'd tell her parents.

"I still don't know if your love triangle can work," Sergei said warily. "Anna deserves a husband of her own."

Nadezna was more supportive than I had hoped. "Anna seems more than happy with the arrangement. Look at the girls, dear! Have you ever seen our baby so happy?" She turned back to me. "That's not all, is it?"

Svetlana must not have gotten away with anything as a child; Mom didn't miss a thing going on in the house. "No, but the rest will wait. I still have court hearings and murder investigations hanging over my head, after all." I was expecting the police to show up any time now. "I was hoping to propose tomorrow, so we need to drive to Moscow today in time for ring shopping. Do you know their ring sizes?"

"You are already engaged, aren't you," Nadezna said.

Awkward? Party of one? Your table is ready. "I pledged my undying love to Svetlana and Anna, and they pledged their hearts to me, but I didn't get on a knee and ask for Lana's hand in marriage."

"Your relationship is different, and the girls have tastes of their own. Let them pick their rings with you; maybe they will want them to be the same, maybe not. Get your rings and propose properly, with us watching."

It was good advice. "Thank you, Mom," I told her as she pulled me into a hug. Sergei embraced me as well, his daughter's happiness being more important than his reservations about our relationship.

We were back on the road an hour later. We'd left much of the food with the parents; we didn't have an apartment in Moscow now, so it was back to hotel rooms. We turned our phones on as we left, seeing the police car stationed down the road and knowing our time in the shadows was over. The police car started following us, but at least he wasn't riding our tailgate.

I scrolled through the hundreds of missed calls and text messages, but I had other calls to make as Svetlana drove us away from her childhood home. The first was to my lawyer, Marina, asking for an appointment early on Monday. She'd see me at eight to go over strategy for the ten o'clock hearing. The second was to my Mom, letting her know we were heading back to Moscow for the hearing. She wanted to know about the girls and how things were getting along. "Do I need to start planning a wedding and baby shower yet?"

"Mom!" I wasn't going to talk about that yet. "Things are going well with Svetlana, but we've only known each other a few months."

"Oh, please. Love has no time limits. Let me talk to my future daughter-in-law."

That was not happening. "Svetlana is driving, Mom. We will call you again when we get to our hotel in Moscow."

"Fine. Don't screw this up, John. She's a sweet girl."

I wasn't going to. "I won't. Love you, Mom."

Anna had reserved us a room for a week at the Metropole Hotel, the hotel near Red Square we'd stayed at on the night we saw the Bolshoi Ballet. While we drove, I talked to the girls about engagement rings. "We've got a few hours on the road, so look through the designs and think about what you want," I told them. "There's one part of the design I won't compromise on, though."

"What is that," Svetlana asked.

"The rings will have three diamonds, a big one in the middle with a smaller one on either side."

Anna got it first. "The Lion and his two girls." We all smiled, and Anna started looking at websites.

Ch. 43

Our hotel downtown was within easy walking distance of a half-dozen jewelry stores, and it did not take long to find the perfect rings for them. Svetlana picked a white gold wedding band set with thin bands bracketing each side of the engagement band. Anna didn't want a wedding band set, only the gold engagement ring. "I plan to marry you as well, even though it won't be official," I had argued with her as we talked in the first store.

"It is better for us this way, John. I can be engaged to an imaginary person living far away from me, maybe in the military? Having a wedding ring implies living together and will make people wonder why I live with you instead of him. It's enough to keep other men away, and it is a sign of your love. That's all the ring I need."

"This is why we love getting to choose," Svetlana asked. "I'd hate to take back something you picked for me, even if it wasn't what I would choose for myself."

She was right, Mom had been right, and I was smart enough to admit it. Anna's engagement ring had roses engraved around the band separated by smaller diamonds, and it looked great. Both of my ladies were happy.

I had plenty of money in my account to cover the rings, as we'd been living low It would take a few days to get the selected stones mounted in the settings we'd picked. We'd return to Rybinsk soon, and I'd do the whole bended knee thing.

I took a picture of Svetlana's setting and the loose stones and texted it to my Mom. Yes, it was the middle of the night there, but it didn't stop her from calling me less than a minute later. "YOU BOUGHT A RING?"

"I like it, so I'm putting a ring on it," I told her. Then I told her about talking to her parents and getting their permission, and my plans to ask her next weekend.

"I'm just sad I didn't have more time with her when I was there," Mom said. "And the rest of the family hasn't even met her!"

"Hopefully, after tomorrow's hearing, I'll be able to bring them home." That was the best-case scenario. I propose in Rybinsk, and then we head to our property outside Houston to meet my family. Ideally, we'd bring her parents along and get married shortly after. I sure as hell wasn't coming back to Russia with Viktor still looking to lock me up.

"Let us know, and I'll get you tickets. Is Anna coming?"

"Of course, Mom. We'd never leave her behind."

"That's perfect. I can think of a half-dozen young men I'd like to introduce her to while she's here."

God, save me from the meddling Moms! Anna's ring was a must. "Anna's got a boyfriend, Mom. It's getting serious."