Page 20 of Sticky for You

The Crimsonesses and Ricky dragged me to a seat, and she sat down beside me.

“Run, Ricky. Now!”

As he bolted down the street, I squinted at her. “What’s wrong with you? There are so many of you.”

“I’m fine, Twirlie. You’re just giving us a little scare.” She smoothed the hair back from my forehead. Her hand felt as if it burned against my skin. I leaned against one or maybe three of her.

“Am I sick?” I asked.

“A little,” she agreed.

“What’s wrong with me?”

“You should have mated by now, Tim. You’re going into wilt.”

That couldn’t be right.

“We have mated. We’ve mated in every way possible. I sang my mating to the whole town. Do you want me to describe the ways he mated me? I can show you because it was epic.”

I remember all of it. Although some of it was a little fuzzy by now. That was a shame. I never wanted to forget how we made sweet desserts together.

Maxi, I need you to talk to Crimson. You remember what we did together?

But there was only silence along our link and in my head. All the songs were gone.

Chapter Eleven

Maximus

Listening absently to the excited chatter around me, I wiped the countertop as the pride collectively tidied up the kitchen post Tim’s culinary skills test on how best to cook the rhubarb, and make it tastier than him. I didn’t believe he’d succeeded, but I wasn’t prepared to let anyone’s lips near him to test the theory. I stopped mid-wipe as it dawned on me that something was wrong.

“Why are you standing like someone told you to pose like a statue?” Randy asked as he walked past and looked at me up and down.

“I…” I tilted my head and banged on my ear with my empty hand.

“What is it?” Apollo had his back to me, but he had always been more attuned to me than the others. “Did you get cum in your ears, too?”

“I can’t hear Tim,” I explained slowly, repeating the action.

“That can’t be a bad thing,” Burke muttered. “All that singing could drive a bull nuts.” He chuckled. “See what I did there!”

“Whatever,” Apollo said distractedly as he turned and walked over to me. “You look a little pale.”

“Something is wrong, Apollo.”

I got an icy feeling at the base of my skull, which sent a wave of goosebumps over my body. My stalk needed me. I roared as I shifted into my lion and shook out my mane. I charged towards the front door before I could register what my intention was.

“Clothes, Maxi! Clothes would be good if you don’t wanna scare the neighbors with your impressive cock,” Leonidis yelled after me.

I snarled at him. I didn’t care about clothes. Something was wrong with my stalk, and I had to get to him. He needed his alpha lion.

“You… mon… hey you.” A bobbing figure running towards me, all arms and legs, shouted, “Yes, you. Are you Tim’s lion?”

If I was human, I’d have rolled my eyes. Of course, I was his lion. What the hell did he think these four legs, sharp teeth, and huge mane were about? I wanted to bolt past him, but he knew Tim. I stopped and inclined my head. He wasn’t part of my pride. I couldn’t talk to him in this form, but that didn’t seem to bother him.

“He’s not right,” he panted as he reached me. “He’s wilting. You’ve got to save him.”

I had no idea what wilting meant. Couldn’t they just stick him in water or something?