Chapter Ten - Three's A Crowd

Chapter Ten -- Three's A Crowd

"Sakaki, this is nice of you, but Miyatsu and I would really rather just go home... "

"Nonsense! I went to a lot of trouble arranging this party at short notice." Sakaki gazed about the room with satisfaction. Despite Aiko and Miyatsu's protestations, the car that had picked them all up had gone from the airport straight to his townhouse, a large villa in one of the most affluent suburbs of the city. The huge room was packed with people, talking, laughing, sipping drinks and nibbling finger food supplied by suited waiters carrying silver trays. Music played over the noise of conversation.

"I decided to give Suzu a proper welcome home as my wife," Sakaki continued, and decided to play the "brotherly love" card that was so often used against him. "You two are family, you have to be here! And you can stop glowering at me, Aiko, just stay for the next hour, all right? Straight after dinner I'll have you both driven home. You won't even have to stay for dessert if you don't want to! Oh, there's Hideyuki! Hideyuki, wait a minute, I'd like a word. " And Sakaki plunged back into the crowd after his friend.

"Sakaki never considers anybody else," Aiko said resentfully. "You've been sick, you need to rest."

Miyatsu put one paw around Aiko's waist. "I rested enough on the plane."

"Well, it was still very high-handed of Sakaki to bring us here," Aiko grumbled. She looked about the room. "I don't know any of these people: they're all Sakaki's friends."

"At least they're giving us plenty of space," Miyatsu commented dryly. Nobody seemed to want to go near the tall cat and his human companion. For the most part they were being ignored. Now and then heads would glance in their direction warily, to make sure they were not coming too close. They wandered to a quieter, more dimly-lit corner of the room, where they could talk without the constant blare of music and other people's conversation swamping them.

"I wonder what would happen if I unsheathed my claws and yelled 'boo'?" Miyatsu said, gazing at the wall of human backs.

"General panic," Aiko assured him with a grin. "They'd all stampede to the door. You're the big bad Attack Cat from the circuit. Oh, well, I'm glad they're leaving us alone." She sighed. "What I'd give to be back home right now," she said longingly. "Just the two of us, in bed, under the blankets... "

Miyatsu gave a soft yearning growl. "I've been aching to make love to you ever since this morning," he said. "I'm pleased Sakaki wanted to spend time with me, but I wish he'd left it until later. We haven't had a minute alone together all day."

Aiko smiled, moving closer. "I thought you were supposed to be sick," she teased gently. "Are you sure you're up to it? With your sore leg and everything?"

Miyatsu grinned down at her. "If I could manage yesterday morning, trussed up like a roast turkey, I can certainly manage now! If we didn't have this audience, I'd show you."

Aiko smiled up at him; yesterday morning had been a wonderful, quick release. But they'd been apart for so long that now she really, really wanted a repeat performance.

His paw caressed the back of her neck, and their psychic connection made Aiko shiver with anticipation as she felt her mate's need matching and reinforcing her own. She brushed her hip against him playfully, feeling his erection under the fur, and giggled. "I believe you," she said, surreptitiously rubbing her hip against him.

Miyatsu drew in a sharp breath, closing his eyes for a second. "Don't keep doing that, or I'll have to take you right here on the floor."

"This is ridiculous!" Aiko said. "Why couldn't Sakaki have had his party tomorrow?"

"I stayed in this house for a week after leaving Shima. Would you like a tour of the rooms? Perhaps we might find somewhere -- more private?"

Aiko nodded eagerly. "Oh, yes, please! I have such an itch I need you to scratch."

"I know one place that's sure to be deserted. Sakaki has an indoor garden with a glass roof, he called it his con -- consy -- "

"Conservatory?"

"Yes. That word. It's full of trees and fountains and things. Sakaki doesn't like people going in there because the plants are expensive and people can be careless, so he keeps it locked when there's a party on. And it's kept warm all the time, for the plants."

"It sounds perfect," Aiko commented. "Except for that bit about the locked door!"

Miyatsu grinned at her wickedly. "There's a window high up in one wall. I can levitate up and open it. But I'll have to carry you, and it is very high. Do you still want to go?"

Aiko looked at him uncertainly. "Carry me? I don't know if that's a good idea. Do you feel strong enough?"

"I've recovered most of my telekinesis now. And you're only little, it's not like I'd be trying to lift an Orochi. But of course, if you're scared of heights... "

Aiko laughed softly. "Who's scared? Let's go."

"It'd be obvious if we left together. I'll light-shield so I'm not visible, then you slip out."

"All right. Where is this conservatory?"

"Go out that door over there. When we're out of this room I'll stop shielding. Then I can show you the way." Miyatsu gazed around the room quickly. "Nobody's watching."

His tall form seemed to flicker for a second and then vanished. Aiko could just make out an opaque shimmering effect in the air if she looked out of the corner of her eyes, but apart from that, it was if he had quite simply become invisible. Suddenly she felt his body behind her, his paws on her shoulders. His warm breath tickled her neck as he nuzzled and bit gently. Aiko closed her eyes and sighed as he thrust his hips against her.

"Oh, don't!" she implored. "People will see!"

"They can't see me," Miyatsu breathed.

He moved one paw down her body caressingly, lingering on her breast, grazing over the nipple gently and drawing a heated gasp from Aiko. His hand continued on down her stomach, further down...

Aiko hurriedly took a step away, glancing at the crowd apprehensively. "They'll think I'm having a fit," she whispered. "Let's get to that conservatory now!"

She felt Miyatsu's laughter in her head as he followed her out the door.

*

Sakaki wasn't listening to his guest. He made the right noises now and then as if interested but he didn't hear a word. He'd seen Aiko and Miyatsu's interlude in the corner when they thought nobody was watching, and it had driven everything else from his mind.

That look on Aiko's face, just after Miyatsu went invisible! The dress she was wearing had moved slightly as if a ghostly hand had run over it, and Aiko's cheeks instantly flushed and her eyes grew hot. At that moment, she had looked incredibly wanton, unbelievably desirable. And then she had slipped out the door, holding it open an instant longer than was needed so that Miyatsu could follow. Sakaki knew exactly what the pair were up to, and now he was burning with a strange mixture of envy and lust.

Cutting his chattering guest short he said, "Would you excuse me? I have to pop out for a moment. I need to go and check on something... "

And he made for the door Aiko had just left by.

The corridor outside was empty, but this section of the house did not lead to any bedrooms. Puzzled, Sakaki wandered what they meant to do. Surely they weren't intending to go at it like a pair of animals out here in the corridor? This hall only led to the conservatory; maybe Miyatsu didn't know Sakaki kept that locked...

Sakaki heard low voices and hurried to the end of the corridor. Cautiously, he peered around the corner. It was getting dark outside as the sun had just set, but there was still enough light coming in through the high windows to see by. Miyatsu was holding Aiko in his arms, and Aiko had both arms about his shoulders.

Miyatsu's feet left the ground, and glancing up, Sakaki saw that they were heading for one of the windows. Suddenly he understood. That window could be opened. The pair intended to enter the conservatory that way. He smiled grimly; Miyatsu had more cunning than Sakaki gave him credit for, obviously! But two could play that game, and a human could always outthink an animal, even an unnaturally clever one like Miyatsu.

Turning quickly, he hurried back the way he'd come. There was another room housed along this corridor, Sakaki's "security network". Hastily he unlocked the door with his thumbprint and entered. The room was small and dark, but a bank of television screens flickered on the far wall. Most of the screens reflected empty rooms, apart from the hall full of guests, and the kitchen, where concealed cameras in the roof showed staff busily preparing dinner. One or two of the bedrooms showed occupation; Sakaki screened out the frantic coupling going on within. The two in the conservatory were the only couple he was interested in.

This room had proved invaluable to Sakaki in the past when he had invited friends, and competitors pretending to friendship, to his house. It was very instructive what people would say to each other when they thought they were speaking privately. Shares bought and sold, legal loopholes found in tax laws, impending business transactions and wheeling and dealing of all sorts had been eavesdropped on by Sakaki from this room and acted upon. This was just another reason he was so wealthy – he was forewarned of any deal, on the frontline of every new technology.

Sakaki had never thought of himself as a voyeur before, but he couldn't get Aiko's beautiful face, flushed with desire, out of his mind. Seating himself in the room's single chair, he switched all channels in the house to the conservatory camera. The entire bank of televisions flickered briefly, and then steadied, to show a single big view of the conservatory, with its ferns, logs, rocks and fountains dim and surreal in the dusky light.

He turned up the sound. Miyatsu and Aiko were already there, but they were not doing what Sakaki had expected. The couple wandered hand in hand about the huge room, pausing here and there to look with admiration at the many beautiful plants and fountains. As they walked along the paths, sensors turned on small garden lights so that they could see the various features clearly. The lights winked off again as they passed on by.

Sakaki frowned. He had thought from their previous actions that they would go about sex with the frenzied lust of cats in heat as soon as they got into the room; he hadn't expected this quiet appreciation of nature first.

Finally however, they stopped under one of the spreading evergreen trees that reared almost to the top of the glassy ceiling. The floor under the tree was thickly layered with soft leaf litter. The moon had risen by now, and its light bathed everything in a silvery glow.

Aiko turned to face Miyatsu, her lips curved in a little smile. Miyatsu let his erection emerge as Aiko languorously began peeling off her clothes.

Sakaki watched as Miyatsu enfolded her in his arms, bent his head and gently licked her neck with long swipes of his tongue as Aiko's hand slid downwards. Wrapping her fingers around her mate's engorged penis, she began to stroke the shaft lovingly, and Miyatsu gasped and closed his eyes, throwing his head back in pleasure. Aiko was murmuring endearments, and their breathing was loud over the speakers.

Sakaki's breathing had quickened as well. With a shaking hand, he unzipped his trousers...

*

Miyatsu stood with his back braced against the tree trunk, his tail lashing the ground in great sweeping curves. His front paws supported Aiko's buttocks as she clung to him, panting and whimpering in pleasure as she rode his body, moaning his name desperately.

A familiar low yowling sound began in Miyatsu's throat, a rolling counterpoint to his ragged breathing and Aiko's cries, growing steadily louder as the jerking of Aiko's hips became ever more frenzied.

Aiko could feel the awesome tsunami poised on the verge of crashing over them both, making every nerve in her body thrum in anticipation. Miyatsu's yowling filled the air as he thrust hard, his whole body shuddering with pleasure. She quivered, trying to hold it in, but it was too late. With a last desperate cry, she felt her orgasm wash out of control in hot rolling pulses that seemed to go on and on, her body jerking and thrashing uncontrollably as the intense pleasure surged through her. Vaguely, she heard Miyatsu's yowl rise to a harsh peak, choking off in an almost human cry as he let go deep inside her in a great spasm of release.

Still clinging to each other, they sank slowly down onto the thick layer of leaves and lay together, catching their breath. The physical echo of their shared pleasure washed around them like a wave ebbing and receding back into the ocean, leaving them spent on the shore.

Aiko cuddled close, smiling at the vibrations of Miyatsu's rumbling purr under her cheek. "I love you, my Miyu," she murmured contentedly.

Miyatsu's telepathic voice stroked her mind like warm fur. I know it, he said smugly. Aishiteru, my heart.

*

The party had gone on into the small hours of the morning, but Sakaki was in no mood to enjoy it.

He had cleaned up and slipped away from the security room while Aiko and Miyatsu were still cuddling, wrapped together in their afterglow, but Sakaki felt none of the blissful euphoria he usually enjoyed after orgasm.

Instead he felt bitter, angry that it was Miyatsu holding Aiko in his arms, envious that when Aiko murmured, "I love you" it had not been Sakaki she meant. That creature, the freakish doppelganger Sakaki's money and genes had spawned, now lay with her, sated and purring, while Sakaki burned for her still, his physical release no outlet for his emotional state.

Marrying Suzu had been a huge mistake, he thought bitterly. Aiko was the true gem, a precious stone whose real value did not need to proclaim itself vulgarly; while Suzu was all flashy glass and glitter, sharp-edged and brittle.

Aiko should have become Sakaki's fourth wife, he thought enviously. No, she should have been his first, his only, his to love forever. But Miyatsu had her. What sort of psychic spell had that monstrous cat cast over her, to make her believe she loved him? Life was truly unfair.

Miyatsu and Aiko slipped back into the guest hall perhaps ten minutes after Sakaki returned; he saw Aiko enter apparently on her own, and Sakaki's breath caught at the sight of her flushed cheeks, her tousled hair and the languorous look in her eyes. By the time she had crossed the room to the corner by the tables, Miyatsu had subtly reappeared beside her. He was again walking on all fours, limping slightly on his injured leg as if he had overstrained it, but the smugly satisfied look on his face made Sakaki clench his fists in impotent anger.

After dinner they approached Sakaki and insisted that they still wanted to go home.

"I can't tempt you to stay in any way?" Sakaki asked. "I've been wanting to introduce you to some of your fans among the guests, Miyatsu," he added. "I know they'd love to hear all about your fights on the circuit."

"No thank you, Sakaki," Miyatsu replied.

"But you can't drag Aiko away yet!" Sakaki said desperately. "She hasn't seen the rest of the house! Let me show her around at least, before you go... "

Aiko and Miyatsu exchanged amused glances, and Sakaki felt his heart lurch enviously.

"Thank you, Sakaki, but I think I've seen enough of it for one night," Aiko said with a little smile. She stepped forward and kissed Sakaki on the cheek impulsively. "And thank you for agreeing to let Miyatsu come home," she said softly. "I'm sorry I was so hard on you last night. I know you mean well."

Sakaki smiled sadly back at her. "I'll organize the car for you, then," he said resignedly. "If you're really sure you won't stay."

Miyatsu rose up onto his hind legs and enveloped Sakaki in a hug. "We love you, my brother," he said warmly. "But now we should go home. I need to rest this leg. I've done something to over-strain it."

And Sakaki had to clutch the rags of his temper as that secret, satisfied look passed between Aiko and Miyatsu again.

*

Dawn was breaking when the last of the guests had left or been put to bed in guest rooms. Sakaki entered his bedroom to find Suzu sitting by the window, admiring the play of the early morning light on the jewels she wore.

"All my friends are just green with envy," she said as Sakaki entered the room. She smirked. "Especially Takara. Her fiancé could never afford this engagement ring." She held up her hand, letting the light sparkle off the big chunky diamond set around with smaller emeralds.

Sakaki forced a smile. Suzu was his wife now, he might as well make the best of it. He began to undress. "You enjoyed yourself then, Suzu?"

Suzu turned to him in surprise. "What are you doing?"

"Going to bed. I'm dead... "

"But it's daybreak, or nearly. I wanted to go out."

Sakaki yawned. "You go. I need to get some sleep."

Suzu pouted. "You're no fun." Then a delighted smile lit her features. "I'll ring Takara! She can come with me. I love watching her seethe when I buy anything I like, while she's scraping away on a secretary's salary!"

"That's right. Off you go and enjoy yourself," Sakaki agreed, sitting down to take off his shoes.

"I will then. I'll just slip into something less formal."

She walked to the full-size dressing room which passed as a wardrobe in Sakaki's master bedroom. "I love being married to you!" she exclaimed, as she opened the door, revealing row upon row of clothes. "I have such a lot of stuff now, much more than I could afford before. I must have looked like such a pauper back then!"

She grinned suddenly. "Speaking of researchers and paupers, I thought Aiko looked dreadful at dinner. Did you see her hair? It looked like a hedge!" Suzu patted her own carefully-coiffed hair appreciatively.

"I really didn't notice," Sakaki said with a shrug, as a vivid mental image of how lovely Aiko had looked naked in the moonlight appeared in his mind's eye. Her hair had been like a silvered waterfall flowing down her back as she arched and shuddered in orgasm...

Suzu sniffed disparagingly. "Oh, well, I suppose she can't help looking like a street urchin. She still has to manage on her own wage. Miyatsu doesn't earn anything." Suddenly she sniggered. "He probably brings her a dead mouse now and then!"

Sakaki nodded. "I know what you mean. She'd do better with a human, not a monster of mixed genes. You should have seen her tonight, when she -- " He stopped, biting his lip, suddenly aware that he'd said too much.

"When she what?" Suzu asked alertly. She walked back to sit on the bed beside him. "What did you see?"

"It was nothing; nothing."

"No, come on." Suzu grinned. "They got up to hanky-panky, didn't they? Tell me!"

Sakaki considered. She didn't seem shocked. Indeed, she looked fascinated. "All right, yes. I... had to go check something in the conservatory, and I saw them fooling around in there."

"They left the door open?" Suzu said in mock horror.

Sakaki nodded. He decided against telling her about his security room, realizing his new wife would probably be less than enthusiastic knowing her every move could be seen on television wherever she went in the house.

"Oh, well, Miyatsu is just a big cat, he probably doesn't understand about doors and locks," Suzu said. "And Aiko is just the sort of exhibitionist that she'd enjoy the attention if someone walked in on them."

Sakaki was remembering Aiko's frenzied movements and lustful eyes. He imagined himself rather than Miyatsu, with his back against the tree, thrusting deeply into that sweet hot body, making her moan and cry out in pleasure, urging him to go faster. He felt himself growing hard again at the thought.

"They didn't know I was there," he said, his voice suddenly husky with arousal. "They were really enjoying themselves. You should have seen them, Suzu, Aiko was going nuts... "

Suzu had a fascinated voyeuristic look on her face, but she shook her head. "I don't want to hear about Aiko. She's kinky. Tell me about Miyatsu -- "

Sakaki chuckled. His hand traveled to his wife's breast and he squeezed gently, leaning forward. "You little hypocrite," he observed with a grin. "You love hearing about what they got up to, don't you?"

Suzu frowned. "Of course not," she protested weakly, allowing him to press her down onto the bed. Then she smiled. "But you have to admit, it is wickedly kinky, having sex with an animal. Was he... big?"

"Enormous. And he yowls when he's screwing," he hissed in Suzu's ear, hating Miyatsu as he said it. "He caterwauls like a tom-cat in heat."

Suzu shivered. "Ooh, yes!"

"He bites and claws," Sakaki continued heatedly, his imagination adding details that he hadn't seen. "And Aiko moans and cries out and gets off on it... "

He was on top of Suzu now, pulling her clothes aside frenziedly. She lifted her legs above his back to accommodate him as he entered her roughly.

"Oh, Sakaki!" She murmured in his ear as he began to thrust frantically. "Growl for me," she whispered. "Bite me. Bite me -- and caterwaul. "