Happy summer solstice one and all! Thanks for joining us on this Sexy Summer Solstice Hop. If your wondering where to begin here's the link http://justromance.me/
Sit back and enjoy a bit of flashing from our lusty characters in Talbot's Peak.
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Lusting from afar...
Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, a moment of magic if you believe such things, and the most fertile time of the year, according to everything Greely’d read. This she could easily believe based on the ache between where her thighs would have been had she been in human form.
Fertility rights went on all around her which was typical for Talbot’s Peak shifting population. Sex, foreplay, and more sex—even post sex flourished around the bonfire. Most couples, groups and what not remained hidden in the tall grasses and behind trees, but to the sensitive animal hearing all around it was a wave of delight for the ear.
“Slower, Daniel, slow…right there, my penquino, oh gawd, Burgess, right there!”
“Heal! Niiiick, ah, he-heal…Good boy…”
“Dom…Dom…yessss.”
Greely smiled, deep inside her little frog body, happy for the lovers enjoying their solstice trysts. It was far better to love wildly then from at a far was her current predicament. Who knew lusting from afar was such a difficult task with all of the staying hidden while tracking his movements—every sensual, twisting, flexing movement.
“Ribbit.”
Not wanting to be left out of the fun an actual frog sat, giving her the, hey baby, eye. Yes, frog’s had moves, but she was only interested in one set of eyes. The glittering green orbs attached to the towns newest and most secretive blacksmith.
He was here tonight, presiding over the fire. His tall frame was lined with muscle upon muscle. Black leather kissed skin which lay taut over each hill and valley defined by said muscles—not a single inch of him jiggled. What would he look like in nothing but chains, his lips pouty and steam puffed from his nostrils.
“Ribbit.”
Gah! Greeley kicked out with her, hasn’t been to the health club enough, hind leg and kicked at the horny bull frog disturbing her stalking time. He didn’t move, only flicked his tongue in her direction and licking at her eyeball. Gross.
She looked once again at the object of her lust and wondered what he looked like in his dragon form. How would it feel to be his size and strength? She’d be able to fry the little sucker next to her with one little spit of fire…
“Riiibbiiit.”
…and attract the man of her dreams, not the slime ball of her nightmares.
~~~
She was watching him again, this time from a log in the underbrush. Her emotions screamed out to him, yet she kept her distance. As she hopped away from the amorous bull frog next to her he longed to call her back, but knew not her name. He would find out though and once he did, she would be his. He would whisper it into the night and the day; he would bring her to his side…
Erol bent and picked up the long tongued intruder and placed him on the palm of his hand. “She’s mine.” Smoke plumed from his nose, surrounding and scaring the little green amphibian. “Come near her again, splat mark, and I’ll barbeque those legs for my dinner.”
Serena
~~~
Solstice Anniversary Celebration
Josh stood back and admired his handiwork. Another sign placed within five hundred feet of where Shape Shifters’ Haunt beach started. The county had granted their exemption after Anthony and Tory explained why beach needed to be marked. Along with the pictures of the bear shifter hanging out of his thong after he shifted making front page of the local rag sheet, the popularity of their stretch of sun and surf quadrupled when word got out about another local nude beach. Soon hordes of shifters and their families would descend upon them.
Anthony waved as he rode toward him on an ATV. He pulled to a stop short of the sign. He cupped his hands to his mouth. “Tory says dinner’s ready. We’ve got another problem to see to before we eat.”
Josh sighed and tossed the hammer in the open toolbox at his feet. He’s been up since sunrise working without more than a half hour break for a lunch followed by a quick swim. He’d love to strip and swim back along the shoreline before he headed up to the house. It’d taken a week to calm things down after the photos hit the street. Now what idiot had descended upon them?
“What nincompoop are we dealing with now?” Josh shook his head.
Anthony smiled as he reached the ATV. “Not that type of problem, hon.” Anthony puckered his lips and blew Josh an airborne kiss.
Anthony wondered if Josh remembered what today represented, if he knew why today mattered more than any other date on the calendar. He’d know soon enough. Josh’s steps ate up the ground separating them. The closer he got the, the dryer Anthony’s mouth got. He could feel those luscious lips pressed against his. The taste of Josh rolling over his tongue and exploding in his mouth sent thrills of excitement and anticipation deep into Anthony’s groin. Anthony reached down and adjusted his shorts. Riding the ATV nude on a hot sunny day wasn’t a risk he took. The feel of Josh’s sweat chest rubbing against his back as they rode back to the house would fuel the heat bursting inside Anthony already.
Josh strapped the toolbox on the back of the ATV and mounted up behind Anthony. Sliding his arms around Anthony’s waist brought Josh within inches of his back as he settled himself on to the narrow seat. “Damn this thing is like riding a banana seat on your junior high bicycle.”
Anthony smiled, holding himself upright until he turned the ATV around and headed back the way he came. Three bumps and a short run up an incline plastered Josh skin to skin with him. Anthony relaxed and leaned back. Humming, he down shifted and slowed the ATV. “I think we’ve found our problem.”
Josh looked where Anthony pointed. A sunshade canopy stood three feet from them. Under it, a blanket laid spread out with an ice bucket on it, a picnic basket with one end open, and two beach towels next to it. As the breeze blew in off the ocean, Josh noticed the lettered sign hanging from the canopy flapping. He blinked twice as he dismounted. He walked up to the sign,catching it with his hand.
Anthony’s arms slide around his waist, fumbling with his belt. “Happy Solstice Anniversary, Dear. Let’s start our celebration.”
Happy Solstice Everyone! Keep those celebrations smexy and full of heat!
Solara Gordon
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Sun Dance
When it comes to their holidays, the folks of Talbot’s Peak pull out all the stops. In tune with the earth, they celebrate the summer solstice the way humans do Thanksgiving: a day-long party with plenty of family and food, just without the football.
Observations start at sunrise. People drift in and out around the water-dish fountain, to catch up on gossip and sample the tasty foodstuffs at the stands that have popped up like mushrooms overnight. At irregular intervals groups come together in spontaneous flash mobs for the part of the party known with typical shifter literalness as the Sun Dance.
It always helps if the sun cooperates. Some celebrations have been dubbed Cloud Dances. People still talk about the year the high school drama club, undeterred by Mother Nature, put on an impromptu version of “Singin’ in the Rain,” complete with umbrellas. A couple of kids caught cold, but the video on YouTube racked up over a million hits.
No chance of that today. The sun is up and blazing bright, the smell of grilled meats and veggies has everybody’s nose twitching and mouth watering, music from a dozen boom boxes fills different sections of the square, and the dancing has already begun. Come have a look—
This year it starts with the line dancing. This is cowboy country, and Merry and Dash have come down from the dude ranch to show everybody how to scoot a boot. Gypsy joins in, and if she brings a few extra shakes and wiggles to the movements, nobody comments. Perhaps they would, the male wolves in particular, if Sergei weren’t standing off to one side glowering at everybody. This is not a dance for him. He’ll let Gypsy work this out of her system, then claim her later for a waltz. He is Russian, and patient.
Suddenly there’s a blast of pink, and out of nowhere a dozen flamingos launch into a vigorous jazz ballet. The music’s from some Broadway musical. No one can remember which, but it’s a snappy tune. Lamar, in his sinfully tight chinos and slit-to-the-navel shirt, leaps in and joins them. He doesn’t know the moves, but you can’t fault his enthusiasm. His partner Jamie shrugs and wanders off to join the line dancers.
Of course Guri’s here. He never misses a holiday. He and his brother Sanjay have brought their dates, their sisters, their cousins and any member of the household they could coerce and turned the lower portion of the square into the set of a Bollywood musical. The explosive color of their gaudy garments threatens to eclipse the flamingos. The ballet troupe, of the if you can’t lick ‘em, join ‘em school, simply blend themselves into the Bengali chaos. The fusion is—well, it’s loud and it’s confusing, but it sure looks like fun. Lamar is having a blast.
At the edge of the square, away from the grownups and asserting their independence, the school-age kids have clustered around Ray Nardo and his garage band, who keep the party jumping with Metallica and Zeppelin covers. His girl Callista belts out the lyrics in a voice that would do James Hetfield proud.
As the day goes on the groups break, reform, merge and morph as the mood and energy strike them. Somebody cranks up the old Saturday Night Fever soundtrack and starts a (mercifully) brief disco revival. Gypsy approaches Ray’s garage band. Money changes hands. The band moves closer to center square and launches into classic rock and roll. Within minutes the jitterbugging crowd has drowned out the discoers. Over in the Indian section, Guri tries his hand, and feet, at ballet, between two lithe, handsome flamingos. Nobody’s told him about pink flamingos. Sanjay considers the situation, shrugs, and jitterbugs with his date.
Out of nowhere Lamar suddenly reappears and snatches Jamie out of the group and hauls him into a tango. If done correctly, Lamar always says, by the end of the dance the woman should be pregnant. Lamar twines around his partner like he wants to test the limits of Jamie’s male biology. Jamie’s having too much fun to care.
The band, meanwhile, has had it with bland ‘50s rock and gone back to heavy metal. Sergei has likewise lost patience and captured his gypsy red wolf. They waltz together, wrapped contentedly in each other’s arms. Several partiers stop to gape: no one has ever tried to waltz to Ozzy’s “Bark at the Moon” before. And yet it works. It’s not about the dance steps; it’s about joy. Music and moves are an afterthought.
As the sun sets the dancing takes a different turn. Mayor Link lights the traditional bonfire. As the flames leap and the shadows grow thicker, the face of the crowd begins to change. A red she-wolf and a white tiger lope into the nearby forest, their movements suggestive of a waltz. Two foxes, one red, one fluffy and white, shed their guitars along with their human form and snuggle close to the fire. A boa constrictor changes his tango to tangle, while the red wolf he’s squeezed around growls at him affectionately.
Over in “Bollywood” saris flutter to the ground like autumn leaves as tigers prowl in search of tea. The tiger surrounded by the breathless flamingos looks confused, but content.
In pairs and packs the inhabitants of Talbot’s Peak leave the dancing behind and slip into the woods. This is the shortest night of the year, after all, and they intend to make the most of what hours of darkness they’ve got.
Summer's here and the time is right for dancing in the streets.
Posted by Pat C.
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She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Dan, at the Midsummer’s Eve bonfire, with another woman—and that woman was wearing a wedding ring that matched the one he told her had been from his dead wife. Tami had been disappointed when he told her he would be going to the bonfire with his family and that she shouldn’t come, that his family would be shocked if he showed up with another woman. Gee, she thought acerbically, could it be because his ‘dearly departed’ wife had not actually departed yet? Men were dogs. They were less than dogs;they were boils on the testicles of dogs. She smiled as the seed of an idea began to percolate. She knew just how to get back at him for tricking her into helping him cheat, too.
She was still smiling the next morning as she sat out on the patio at Java Joes, enjoying a double tall iced chi. She’d been up all night making and hanging flyers. Her revenge had been perfect. Dan was a possum shifter,a very rare type up here in Montana. And he was a very shy type, too, which ment only someone he was very intimate with would have seen his animal form,let alone gotten a picture of him in that form. The fact she’d put Dan’s cell number on the flyer meant that he would know very quickly what she’d done. The confusion and hilarity of a “found dog” poster with the picture of a possum meant everyone in Talbot’s Peak was going to be talking about it for weeks,which meant even if he managed to get every one of the fifty flyers down by the end of the morning—which he wouldn’t, someone was going to keep one as a souvenir—he’d still never live it down. Yep, men were dogs. But Tami was a bunny and bunnies could be devious little shits when you pissed them off. Just ask the editorial crew at the Guts & Butts Gazette.
Right on cue, her phone started ringing.
"Hello?"
"Tami, that was not funny," Dan said without any preamble.
"Depends on your sense of humor, Mr. Fake Widdower," Tami shot back.
"I told you not to come to the bonfire-"
"You did, but you know what? I figured there would be no harm in me going with my own family since you wanted to spend the time with your family. Guess what I saw?"
"Baby, let's just talk this-"
"No, I don't think so. I told you how I felt about cheaters. And you lied to me. Tricked me into helping you cheat. Guess what, Dan? Karma's only a bitch when you are."
"Fine. But did you have to say I was a female on the poster?' he whined.
"What part of 'bitch' did you not get?" she asked. "Oh, and after your not-so dead wife gets a load of it, I have a feeling you will quickly be missing your 'nads, lover girl. bu-bye!"
I hope you enjoyed that nice little bit of revenge, inspired by the above picture I found on the interwebs.
~ Rebecca L. Gillan
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The Unicorn Mirage
Shay stubbed her big toe for the second time. "Oww!" burst past her lips, but only as an embarrassed whisper. As more excruciating pain shot through her, she compressed her lips to keep from crying out.
Damn. What was it...maybe ten minutes ago she'd run into a small boulder with the same big toe. Now it was a sapling she hadn't seen. With pain crossing and watering her eyes, Shay leaned against the outcropping of rock.
She could have sworn...except she knew it was a hallucination...it had to be...that a nude purple fairy flitted by. The full-sized, obviously a man by his dangling goodies, had even given her a quick jaunty wave.
After shaking her head to clear it, Shay tested her foot. Nope. Pain radiated past her ankle. Just her effing luck she'd probably broken her poor toe.
On the bright side, if it could be called a bright side...and Shay always preferred to look on the bright side...the upshot, however she injured herself these days, it healed rapidly...that is, ever since the majorly covered up incident at the lab where she'd been delivering supplies...and had been bitten several times by animals with razor sharp fangs, animals she never even saw.
Shay only heard them crashing through the lab like that cliche, bulls in a china shop...well, those puncture wounds had healed right before her eyes...and with the enormous amount of hush money she'd been given, she'd grabbed the check, and run...straight to Talbot's Peak on the whispered advice of the lab's security head.
That is, after she'd been officially told, there was a one in three chance she could morph into a beast...be both human and animal...like a shapeshifter. Big fat load of shit, though. The mucky-muck, important biotech scientist, whose face had turned red as a ripe tomato, hadn't been able to tell her what kind of beast.
But then, her life had always been crazy-assed in one way or another. Several moments of hysterical laughter gurgled past her lips. Goddess, what now?
Hiking up her toga with one hand, Shay hopped on one leg, and hobbled toward the well-used trail she'd been trekking over for what seemed like at least an hour. The beam from the flashlight she'd actually remembered to bring, bobbed around highlighting thickly leafed trees and brambles, and...
Shay froze, standing on one leg. Did she dare believe what was caught in the bluish beam? No, she didn't...but it looked like...
A freaking unicorn. A real one. Like from a fairytale...with shiny horn and all. But not white. It's coat gleamed, a rich shade of mahogany.
She would have thought it was a wood carving...there were so many oddities and unique animal statues in downtown Talbot's Peak...but the beautiful thing swished its super-long tail like some stallions she'd seen.
Shay alternately stared and blinked her eyes while ignoring the throbbing ache of her toe.
She watched as the unicorn mirage arched its long powerful neck and stared right back.
Transfixed, she didn't realize until it was too late. Shay toppled over, ending up in an ungainly heap. "Ouch!" she shrieked. "Ouch, ouch, ouch. Shit!"
With any pretense at decorum gone, Shay rolled back and forth in the loose dirt and mostly mulched pine needles, attempting to find a way to stand without causing more injury to her toe.
Oh, right...with her big toe in sheer agony, now she so wished she hadn't worn the gold sandals that seemed so perfect for her 'on-the-sheer-side' toga. Her no-doubt filthy toga. The one that now twisted around her with a vengeance.
With the movement of her legs hampered, Shay screeched an unladylike curse, and stilled. Huffing out breaths, she managed to sit up. After impatiently brushing back strands of her curly hair, Shay maneuvered enough to begin unwrapping herself.
Who in the hell got lost going to a Summer Solstice party anyway? Especially with the towering bonfire illuminating the night sky. Even now, Shay could hear the faint roaring of the flames. Yet somehow, the path through the thin woods eluded her, and she'd circled the area three times at least.
As Shay ignored her frustration and carefully pulled the delicate, lilac-colored fabric from around her ankles, the playful notes of the hedonistic music mercilessly teased her. But what now, once she finally made it to her feet?
Limp back in defeat to her SUV, parked with the other revelers' vehicles? Yeah, she'd arrived late because her wild springy hair had refused to cooperate...she blamed it on the current bad, cycle 24 behavior of the sun...anyway, there'd been no one to walk with, and Shay was still learning her way around this part of Montana.
Plus, by agreement, no one had brought any electronic devices. Just fine with her. Hell, the gov biotech company tried to track her everywhere. Shay had soon realized she was one big 'what would happen?' experiment to them.
She reached for her flashlight since by some miracle it had landed close to her. For weeks now, Shay had been madly anticipating this Summer Solstice 2012 celebration with her new friends -- all her 'anything outrageous goes on the dance floor' buddies at the Pleasure Club.
Rolling over, Shay pushed herself upward. Gingerly, she put her full weight on the foot with the severely stubbed toe. Okay, she could tolerate the dull ache.
But, should she persevere, find the pathway leading to the celebration? Her hands were covered with dirt despite briskly rubbing them together. No doubt she looked like a complete mess and likely smelled like the forest floor.
Why had fate lined up against her tonight of all nights? Goddess! Horror of horrors. Did this mean she was about to morph into some monstrous creature? Was the summer solstice a trigger?
Just to stay sane, Shay halted her runaway thoughts and inhaled a huge calming breath as she'd trained herself to do. Remaining still inside, she took stock of herself...that is, until she heard rustling, and moments later, the sound of someone large striding in her direction.
Panic seized hold of her. Dante, the owner of the Interspecies Pleasure Club, ran a tight ship from all she'd been told. Still, there were packs of werewolves in them thar woods, and a whole slew of predator shapeshifters. Not to mention, what if some human bloodthirsty killer had somehow...
With her heart racing a mile a minute, Shay jerked her gaze around looking for her best escape route. Yet her feet stayed rooted to the ground.
After all, what if by some miracle that she desperately needed, it was someone who could help her? Shay aimed her flashlight, ready to blind whoever...if...
"Are you lost?" The man's voice came out of the darkness. A voice with a deep sensual tenor that shivered her womanly bits and parts.
Dammit! That's all she needed, a sexy psychotic killer.
"Who goes there?" Shay challenged, even if it was rather ridiculous. But she might as well finish it. "Friend or foe?"
"Friend, of course. Don't shoot, lovely goddess." The man's tone was definitely way too amused. "Flashlights are deadly to my kind."
Taken aback, Shay sucked in a breath before demanding, "Is that so?"
A man emerged from between two of the taller trees, and not from the direction of the trail. From what Shay could see of him, he was tall, athletically built. And obviously bare-chested. The flashlight beam played over his glorious hard muscles -- and they weren't the 'workout at a gym' kind either.
Not wanting to anger him, Shay decided not to point the beam at his face. Instead, she lowered it searching for any weapon he might be carrying. Nothing.
He looked to be wearing only breeches, and Shay wondered if he was attending the Summer Solstice celebration. She knew one thing, she'd never met him before. Not with that long flowing mane. His hair appeared to almost reach his waist, and glinted with a deep reddish color.
"Lower that weapon, and I will assist you," he mocked in a lighthearted manner, as if they joked with each other.
.
Partly complying, Shay pointed the flashlight at his booted feet. "Have a name?"
"Several, my goddess." He spoke like a classic movie swashbuckler.
Again, Shay was taken aback. Before she could respond, a series of crashing-through-the-forest sounds had her whipping around. Having forgotten to lift her toga out of the way, she tripped.
This was so not her night. Shay wondered what in ever-loving hell she'd done to anger the solstice powers that be.
To save herself from falling face forward, she managed to tilt her body enough so she began toppling backward. Strong arms caught her. Incredibly strong arms then gathered her close.
A celebration all right. Her backside pressed against a man that felt more like an erotic fantasy than reality.
"Saved," she whispered, trying to get her mental bearings, and hoping against hope, he was a good guy.
"Revelers," he explained. "A lusty game of chase, I believe."
With gentle power, he turned her within his embrace. "I am Zephon. May I escort you to the Summer Solstice celebration?"
"Please." Where oh where had her breath gone? "Yes, please."
Easing himself from her, Zephon took gentlemanly possession of her arm.
"Uh, warning." She had to tell him. It was only fair, especially since his cock stood tall as a mighty oak, obviously interested in her womanly charms. "I, I can't...I mean I'm not dating now."
"Not dating?"
The unique quirk of his brow had Shay staring, then studying at his handsome features. Nobly carved, they were also exotic.
But what the...? Shay squinted to make certain. What was that faint glowy spot on his forehead?
A trick in the dim light from the stars above, she told herself, then rushed her words past her lips before she chickened out. "I'm afflicted with a terrible disease."
A slow, slow smile curved his tempting, very masculine lips. "No." He paused searching her face. "You're not, my goddess. I am a healer. I would know if that were so."
Could this really be happening to her? Little ole her? Shay could scarcely believe any of this at all. Still, this was Talbot's Peak. "You would?" she sort of squeaked out.
"Yes, however to answer the question clouding your beautiful eyes, Shay, you have been altered." He pressed two fingers tenderly against her lips to quiet her. "The change will take place soon. Not to worry, I will guide you."
"How in the -- how do you know my name?"
"That's an easy one." His easy grin invited her trust. "Your friend, Varlissa, sent me to find you."
"Varlissa...she's a...she's a horse shapeshifter. Oh..." Shay felt her eyes flash wide open with her sudden realization. "Unicorn?"
"Your unicorn, my goddess."
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Summer Solstice Kisses...
Savanna
Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
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