A Stay at the Masked-Fox

It took a few minutes to find Johanna's phone. At some point in the struggle with the monster, it had gotten kicked well away from the splintered door and into the kitchen, where the dislodged counter had fallen partially onto it.

Dane winced as he brushed the splinters and dust off the screen, which was now split into three distinct sections by a forked crack. “I guess I should be impressed that's the extent of the damage," he sighed, tapping the screen once to confirm it still lit up before bringing it to his sister. Her whole family knew how much of her life revolved around this little device, so it would surprise none of them that it was housed in the most rugged, damage-resistant, nigh military-grade case she could afford. The marketing materials swore she could drive a dump-truck over it and still place a call afterward.

Johanna accepted it silently, but caught Dane's shirt with her other hand and pulled him in for a heartfelt kiss before gently pushing him back toward Gemini and their baby. She leaned against Ares' sturdy chest while she unlocked the little device, then reached up to pat his cheek affectionately. The Dalmatian also silently swore to leave a review and buy another of these cases when she replaced the phone inside: true to the ads, in spite of the crack, all of her apps still opened and the phone dialed out without issue. “Leave this to me. You guys should start stuffing the suitcases," she suggested quietly, turning toward the hole that used to be their front door, “I'll be right back."

Stepping out onto the front porch, she gave G.D. a distracted pat on the head as the dog followed and sat beside her knee, like he was keeping watch while she leaned her back against the railing. “... Hello, Lua. Is Kita around by any chance? I just learned something important, and she's going to want to know about it. ... Thank you."

She took a couple of quick photos of the broken wall and interior while she waited, listening as her family cleared a comfortable path through the splintered furniture and Dane carefully climbed the ruined steps to start fetching necessities from the higher floors. Kita's voice greeted her curiously through the phone. “Kita, the monster is dead," Johanna stated flatly, “We met someone who can kill them, and they just so happen to be our neighbors. Better yet, at least one of them is still unemployed, and might appreciate a job that pays for violence. ... I understand, but consider that fair warning about his attitude. Regardless, I'll send you their contact info in just a minute... but first I need to ask a favor."

Johanna took a deep breath, still reluctant to use that phrase in spite of all of Kita's reassurances. “Our house is a wreck right now. That thing broke in on us. So we need a place to stay, and I was wondering how much of a discount my neighbors' contact info would be worth for some rooms at the lodge." The answer to that made her bow her head (a gesture unseen by the Fox, needless to say, and not because she was blind). “Thank you. That's very generous. Alright... three rooms, then, if you have that many to spare. Just two would do, though. We also have a large dog. Will that be a problem? ... No, we don't need — ... Yes ma'am. Thank you again."

Hanging up the call, Johanna sighed a long exhale, staring through the hole in the wall at her family. Dane was handing things from the nursery down the unstable steps to Ares in the living room, while Gemini collected bottles she'd already filled with her milk from the fridge and put them into a cooler. Johanna's tail wagged once. “To all the gods that we've forgotten: thank you for these unsought blessings," she whispered quietly, possibly the first (and likely the last) sincere prayer of her life.

Marching back into the house, she began documenting the damage in photos, grateful that her phone's camera had not been cracked. With Dane's help, she got up to the second floor and even managed to climb into the attic, where she could record the hole in the wall that Oro had come through and the huge gap the beast had made in the floor. With all her evidence prepped for making the insurance claim, she began handing down as many clothes as they could stuff into their suitcases, then the whole family squeezed into Ares' truck, with G.D. riding with the luggage in the bed, and headed off to the Masked-Fox Lodge.

A Redbone Coonhound in a button-down shirt and tie was leaning casually against one of the supports holding up the vestibule when they arrived, accompanied by a younger Raccoon in a valet uniform. He started strolling up before Ares could even put the truck in park, and opened the passenger-side door. “Welcome to the Masked-Fox, Mr. and Mrs. Gritpaw. You can just call me 'Richard'. I'm the head of guest services, and I'll be taking care of you this evening," he explained with an easy smile.

Gemini blinked as she slid out of the seat, carefully cradling Orion against herself, and Johanna scooted out right behind her. “Oh, are you short-staffed? We can manage ourselves, if—"

The Hound shook his head slowly while the Raccoon dropped the tailgate to let G.D. down and began unloading their luggage from the bed. “Not at all, ma'am. When Mrs. Peakwood tells me she has friends visiting, and what sort of day they've already endured, I will naturally consider their comfort a personal responsibility. My pride in my position demands it," he insisted with a small bow. Richard finished loading their luggage onto a cart while the Raccoon accepted the key from Ares and went to park the car for them.

Dane leaned in to whisper to Johanna. “Not looking a gift-horse in the mouth... but can we really afford a stay here, on top of the repairs? I'm guessing you called in a favor, but the celebrity treatment...?"

“I didn't ask for anything like that," Johanna promised just as quietly, still working on the insurance claim around the crack in her phone, “I didn't even select the rooms. I only asked for a discount, and she gave us one-hundred percent, so I wasn't about to make stipulations. We can afford whatever package she decided to throw in with that, though."

Richard gave them both an affirming nod and a quick wink. “Speaking of which, these are yours," he handed each of them a silvery key-card from his shirt pocket, with 'VIP' printed in large, golden letters on the front. “This way, please," the Coonhound gestured, pulling their cart full of luggage along behind him.

They had the three rooms at the very end of the hall. The longer walk was the price of a quieter corner and more privacy, since guest reservations usually started as close to the elevators as possible. Richard unloaded Dane and Gemini's bags, along with everything that had clearly been brought for Orion, into the room with the king-size bed on one side of the hall. “And which of these will the lady be taking?" he asked, opening the first of the two rooms on the other side of the hall, each hosting a queen-size bed. G.D. trotted right in like he owned the place, sniffing curiously around the spacious room.

“You can put the rest in there," Johanna insisted, to Ares' mild surprise, “I asked for three so I can use one as an office. I can't afford to be off work for as long as they'll need to rebuild the house. Sorry if that was selfish."

Richard chuckled, already placing their bags inside. “My business is making sure your rooms are accessible and comfortable. How you choose to use them is not," he smiled, “Please call our desk if you require any accommodation for your work. And if whoever answers is not helpful, you can find my direct number on the back of your keycards." With that bit of assurance, he politely excused himself, taking the cart back to the lobby.

As soon as he was in the elevator, and Ares had set out a bowl of fresh water beside the balcony door for G.D., the four Dogs gathered in Dane and Gemini's room. “Little guy's famished," Gemini giggled, cradling Orion against the breast she'd slipped out from under her shirt and bra.

“He's not the only one," Johanna sighed, tapping her screen a couple more times and finally sliding her phone into her pocket, “We'll hear something from insurance by morning. You should get some rest," she suggested specifically to Dane, “I'll pick up dinner from the diner for you."

Her brother chuckled. “I'll come along to help carry it," he smiled, and turned to ask Gemini what she'd like, when Johanna surprised him by taking his hand and giving it a firm squeeze.

“Don't you dare," his sister muttered quietly. Her usually apathetic face twisted up into a grimace, like she couldn't decide if she was angry or disgusted, and her whole family was just a little shocked to see that clear an expression cross her face. “You... almost... died... today," she hissed through a tightening throat, “And I... can't..." Her head began tilting to the side as she spoke, and she didn't even seem aware of that until the angle started to hurt her neck.

Johanna shook her head briefly, but wildly, like she was trying to sling something inside it out through her ears, then took a deep breath as Ares stepped up against her back, letting her lean against him as he put a comforting arm around her. All three of her family were staring at her in varying degrees of concern. Johanna recomposed herself quickly, at least, and reached out to give Dane a gentle push toward the bed Gemini was sitting on. “Just... go hold your wife and child for a little while. You've done enough today. I can do this much, at least."

Not wanting to risk setting her off again by arguing, Dane simply nodded and leaned in to give her a comforting kiss on the cheek. Then he backed away and did sit down beside Gemini, putting her arm around her as she fed their Pup.

Johanna took Ares' hand as she left the room, subtly pulling him along with her. But instead of turning down the hall toward the elevator, she quietly crossed the hall to the room they would be sharing tonight. As soon as the door closed behind him, she turned to press her face into his chest. “I'm sorry," the Dalmatian whispered, “Just give me a minute, please."

“Take all the time you need, sweetcakes," her boyfriend answered, wrapping both arms around her again, “It hasn't exactly been an easy day for you, either."

“I don't want to hear that from you," she argued in a muffled tone, her face pressed against him and her arms around his hips, “Everything I said to brother goes for you, too. I don't know how those potions work, but you must be exhausted. You should rest. I'm not so weak I can't carry a couple of take-out orders."

Ares quirked a brow at that, thinking that 'weak' was not a word that applied to her, even on her worst day. Curling one arm up to his shoulder, he flexed the thick muscle to the point of testing the integrity of his sleeve. “Truth be told, the last time I felt this fit and healthy we were all still in middle-school, I'm pretty sure. You saw what that stuff did for Dane's arm. We're in good shape, sweetcakes," he smiled.

His girlfriend continued to cling to him for a minute. Finally she sighed, and nodded her head against his chest. “Okay. In that case... change of plans," she declared softly, pulling her phone from her pocket again. Ares tilted his head curiously as she sent a short text and quickly tapped through a few pages in the browser with her usual acumen. Then she slipped her phone back into her pocket and took his hand in hers. “Alright. Let's go."

Ares chuckled, giving her hand a little squeeze as he opened the door behind him...and was pleasantly surprised when she didn't let go even after they got into the hall. “So what was the change?"

“I ordered some room-service for Dane and Gemi. We'll be out for a bit, and I don't want them getting hungry while they wait for us," she explained.

Her boyfriend tilted his head curiously. “Then where are we going now, if not to pick up dinner?"

Johanna answered that by letting go of his hand and stepping in closer to his side, putting her arm around his hip and coaxing him to put his around her shoulders. With her cheek resting against his shoulder, she said, “Still to the diner, just not for take-out. You are long overdue for a date, and I am desperate for something to distract me from what happened this afternoon," she admitted, running her free hand lightly over his chest. Her fingers traced a large half-circle, where the monster's teeth had left deep wounds in him earlier that afternoon, as if checking to be sure they were really gone.

As they stepped into the vacant elevator, Ares pulled her around in front of him, holding her against his chest and giving a light kiss to her forehead. “It's okay, Johanna," he told her in a low, calm tone, “I understand where you're coming from, I think, but you might be underestimating what it took out of you, too. Just remember Dane and I are fine now. Really. You don't have to push yourself."

She leaned into him, resting her cheek on his chest while they quietly descended to the first floor of the lodge. “You can say that because you're very brave, Ares. You could do what you did today because you're brave. You and Dane both," she added, looking up into his eyes, “But I'm not. I'm going to have nightmares tonight, and really need you to hold me. So... it's almost insulting to say you deserve this, when I'm doing it just as much for myself... but you really do deserve it, and a lot more, and have for a long time already. Please accept it."

He hugged her tight for a second, and nodded. “Eh, speaking of that, are you going to need to go to Dane's room tonight?" he asked quietly just before the elevator door slid open.

Johanna put a finger over his lips, taking his hand so they could clear the elevator before it closed again, but pulled him aside into the nearby corner. “We can't talk about that anymore while we're here," the Dalmatian whispered reluctantly, “There will be far too many eyes and ears. I'm going to have to mind myself. For this stay, I'm your girlfriend... and just yours." She lifted the hand she was holding to her lips and kissed the back of it, then cleared her throat and looked up into his eyes. “So... should I enjoy it? Or should I be embarrassed? Or maybe bossy?" Shaking her head briefly, Johanna admitted, “My head is all over the place right now. I can't guess what you'd like with any confidence."

It was the first time she'd ever asked him that. It flattered him a little, but also made him pity her just a bit. He ran his fingers through her long hair gently. “Alright, but only so you have something to focus on," he agreed with a gentle nod, “Enjoy it as much as you can. I love you, Johanna."

“I love you too, Ares," his girlfriend answered sincerely, “Now come here." Reached up to cup her hands against his cheeks, she tilted his head down and her own up so their lips could meet in a soft, lingering kiss. She held him there for a surprisingly long time, seemingly without even breathing. And when they finally parted, she did so with a soft smile on her lips. Ares' tail wagged at the sight. Then her belly growled, and Johanna chuckled quietly. “Let's eat," she suggested, clinging to his arm...

They had a leisurely dinner in the diner, and Johanna gazed at him fondly throughout the meal with that smile still in her face. They perused the gift-shop, picking up some snacks and drinks to store in the room, and a nice card to give to the Ironhearts as an invitation for Deep White. All throughout this short “date", Ares noted, Johanna never once reached for her phone until they were back in their room. Even then, she only sent two short messages to wish Dane and Gemini goodnight before setting the device face-down on the nightstand.

“... I wonder if that potion did something else to you," Johanna mused curiously as she lifted her shirt over her head and dropped it into the chair beside the balcony door, “You look more handsome tonight than you used to."

Ares chuckled, already shirtless and unbuckling his belt, and would have made some quip about how handsome she thought he used to look... except Johanna had just opened her jeans to slide them off, and Ares was frankly a little surprised at how wet the panties underneath were. He'd thought the small gap between her thighs was darker due to uneven wear, but now realized she'd actually spent most of the evening with part of her pants visibly damp. “Wow. Is there that much difference?" he quirked a brow, taking a glance at himself in the bathroom mirror.

Peeling her soaked panties down her thighs along with her jeans, Johanna shook her head. “No. I've been like this since we got into the truck, basically. My head really has been all over the place today, and half of them are entirely inappropriate, even if it's gratitude driving me there. I can't seem to help it. That's not for you." This last was spoken to G.D. as the dog trotted up to push his broad nose curiously between her thighs, and Johanna pushed his head away firmly. G.D. didn't move far, but did sit down and keep his nose to himself.

Ares made a sharp whistle and pointed to the floor in front of the nightstand. G.D. obediently moved to the spot and sat himself there, at a much more polite distance from Johanna and the bed. Then Ares flashed a sheepish smile to his girlfriend. “Ah, that's probably my fault. The only times he got to come into the camper was when I... felt lonely," he put it tactfully, “Maybe we should put him in the other room tonight. He might associate 'being inside' with 'getting some' now."

“No," Johanna argued, crawling onto the bed while Ares finished undressing, “He's a good boy, and was right there with you and Dane today. He shouldn't be left alone anymore than you should." Centering herself on the bed on her hands and knees, the Dalmatian lifted her tail and let her hips sway invitingly. “Something changed today," she confessed quietly over her shoulder, “Come here, and let me prove it to you. Not you," she added quickly as G.D. started to climb up with her, shifting the bed a little with his weight in the process. She pushed him back down, and the hefty dog huffed in disappointment and laid his chin on the edge of the mattress, staring at her with soulful eyes.

Johanna remained unphased by the pitiful look, but Ares couldn't resist a sympathetic chuckle. “Poor guy probably never expected to watch me wuff someone else," the Doberman grinned, “I should have brought some treats for him."

As he positioned himself against Johanna's rump, rubbing her back appreciatively, the Dalmatian rocked her head in that way she had when considering options she didn't find particularly appealing. Arching her back an little more, she crossed her arms on the bed, hugging the pillow loosely against her cheek and looking back at him over her upturned tail. “I'm in the sort of mood that would let you talk me into just about any kind of kink. But I really want to do this first. Please."

Ares' face turned hot, though he had no intention of coaxing her into that. Taking a gentle grip on his girlfriend's hips, Ares bent over her as low as he could, kissing the back of her head as he drew her backward onto him. Johanna sighed, and spread her knees a little wider and stretched them back, subtly forcing him to follow suit and lower his body until he was practically lying on top of her. Her insides were so wet that Ares could hardly feel it as the walls of her garden swallowed his bone, but the twitch her tail against his hip said she could feel something even more pleasant than usual.

“Good boy," she murmured as he began to rock inside her, nudging her entrance with his growing knot, “Now hold me down, please."

Her boyfriend smirked, and lowered his chest onto her shoulders to wrap his arms around hers. Sliding his strong hands along her arms until they reached her wrists, he took a firm but gentle hold on her, not too dissimilar from the grip she had on the pillow. It was more like a hug than a hold, but she definitely couldn't move unless he allowed it.

Ares' tail wagged slowly. It wasn't all that long ago that she struggled just to be in a separate room with him, and only a handful of months since she'd started letting him be on top regularly. He still had to be careful of how he held her, usually, but every once in a while she invited him to “restrain" her like this. Ares wasn't sure if that was to express her trust or test her own progress, but she'd never yet resorted to using her safeword, and Ares took that as a good sign.

He kissed the back of her shoulders, pressing deeper into her, and his knot popped through her entrance as though they were on their fourth round already. “Wuff, you really are excited tonight, huh?" he blinked, trying hard to remember if she'd ever managed that without some sign of strain before.

Her tail wagged against his hip again. “Gods forgotten, I would have climaxed already if Dane was in my tail," she sighed, patting the hand holding her other wrist, “But I'm trying to hold out... to show you this." Lifting the shoulder he'd just kissed a little higher, Johanna instructed quietly, “Now bite me."

Ares stopped moving, and his head tilted incredulously. “Now...what?" He always had to be a little careful with her when they were alone, but he'd quickly learned a handful of things that would set her off hard and fast. Top of the list was anything that put his mouth close to her throat. She could hardly be kissed there without tensing up and her heart-rate spiking. He didn't dare let her feel teeth anywhere on her body without Dane in the room.

Johanna tossed her head to shake her hair off to one side, exposing the back of her neck. “Somewhere back there," she insisted quietly, “Put your teeth on me. It's okay to break the skin." She patted his hand again, and continued to lay comfortably relaxed underneath him. When he still hesitated, the Dalmatian tossed him a quick glance over her offered shoulder. “Would it help if I play the dom a little more? Do what you're told and don't question me."

It was suddenly Ares' heart-rate that spiked, and his dark face took on a mild pinkish hue across the cheeks. “Wuff, sweetcakes," he whispered, leaning down close to her again, “You sure know how to yank my leash in just the right way."

“I have to do something right as your girlfriend," she shrugged, laying her head back down and continuing to offer her shoulder to him. Ares kissed it as he hunched closer, then kissed her a little higher, on the side of her neck. At last, though still a little reluctantly, he opened his mouth enough to lightly scratch at her back with the tips of his canines. Her tail thumped lightly against his hip, simultaneously a praise and an admonishment that he hadn't followed his instructions to the letter yet.

Firming up his grip on her wrists just slightly, in case of the worst, Ares very slowly placed his mouth over the ridge of her shoulder, just a little below her neck. His tongue slid over her like an apology before he started to bite down. Johanna sighed like he'd just started a fine backrub.

“... Ouch," she winced quietly as the pressure mounted enough for his teeth to start digging into her skin. Ares immediately let go, but Johanna's tail started wagging a slow beat against his hip as she looked at the faint indentations on her shoulder. “Do you see? The panic isn't coming," she pointed out softly, her body staying loose and comfortable under her boyfriend's weight. Laying her head back on the pillow, she clenched her walls around his knot, encouraging him to start moving again. “You protected me today, Ares. Like Dane always did. You stood there beside him, between me and a monster. I think... you might stand beside him somewhere else now, too. I love you... finally... for the right reasons."

She twisted her neck to an almost painful degree, lips puckered for a kiss. When Ares's lips met hers, he could practically taste the adoration on her tongue as it reached in to caress the sharp tips of his teeth. “Now breed me," she demanded when they parted, bucking her hips against his, “I don't want just any Pup anymore. I want yours."

“Wuff, Johanna..." Leaning into her with all his weight, Ares began going at her in earnest, spurred by that plea and her heartfelt declaration of trust. Johanna kissed the hand holding her wrist, then lay there patiently as he thrust into her with enough strength to send ripples through her hips and partway up her back.

It took longer than it should have, given how his bone was already throbbing when he started. Though she stayed quiet and undemanding after that one demonstration, Johanna remained uncommonly slick inside, a testament to the bizarre arousal she'd be under ever since they left the house. Ares grit his teeth with the effort, laying his head beside hers as he teetered on the edge without quite being able to crest it, and Johanna rubbed her cheek affectionately against his. “Mm, should I let the dog dry me out a bit?" she asked quietly while G.D. stared at them with what she could swear was an envious expression, “His tongue's long enough to clean me pretty deep, and I'd definitely cool down — oh, you like that idea after all?"

Ares was wheezing out that long, tight-throated exhale he made when choking back his howl, and Johanna could feel each forceful spurt pushing his cream into her womb. Johanna continued to rub her face against his, her wrists still trapped in his tense grip, and whispered little praises in his ear so softly he couldn't really make out the words over the thunder of his own heart. “Gods... forgotten," Ares panted when he could muster up a quiet voice again, “No... I'm not... gonna share... with anyone... after all that..."

The Dalmatian pinned under him nodded quietly, and kissed his cheek. As soon as he'd softened enough to untie from her, she pulled her wrists out of his grip and dragged the sheet between her legs to dry herself as much as she could... then rolled over underneath him, hugging his hips with her knees and his broad shoulders with her arms. When Ares lifted his head to gaze down at her, he found her gazing back with that subtle, un-affected smile she usually reserved for her brother alone. “...Round two?" Johanna asked hopefully.

They went three more times, Johanna idly scratching G.D.'s head while Ares rode her (mostly to make sure the dog stayed off the bed), before she fell asleep in Ares' arms. Johanna clung to his chest unconsciously when Ares pulled her on top of him, covered them both with the blanket, and kissed her goodnight. Their disappointed pet finally got to climb onto the bed and curl up at their feet.