The Beast Lover's Anthology: Vol. 1 - Colby [Giant Bat Shifter x Reader] M/F

Part Two

"I love you..."

Soft words were spoken against my bare shoulder, murmured with emotion so strong they sounded surreal.

"... so much."

Strong arms encircled me, and I was pulled closer - held tight like I was as paramount to survival as oxygen or water. Colby was speaking, but he didn't have to, his emotions surging on the surface of his projected atmosphere. I read him like a book, and he let me, hiding nothing; I offered everything in return. Our relationship was the epitome of both healthy and happy, and as time evolved, so did our unshakeable connection.

"I don't know what I'd do without you."

Another whisper tickled my flesh, and I pressed my lips to his pulse. I was pleasantly charged with endorphins, and my skin was flushed and tingly, partly because of the way Colby had just fucked me up against the shower wall and partly from the relaxing torridity of the water and the steam curling around us.

"That's not something you have to worry about," I promised, wrapping my arms around his shoulders and nuzzling my face into his tattooed neck. "I love you, Colby; I want to spend my life with you."

It had only been two months since we'd met, and Halloween was just around the corner, but I was more than comfortable admitting my commitment to him. We talked every day, even if we could only do it through text, and I'd grown more attached to him than even those I had spent years with. He was - in every sense - perfect for me, and our compatibility was nothing short of magical.

He smiled against my skin, pressing a kiss to the throbbing puncture marks he'd left with his needle-pointed teeth. "You have no idea how happy that makes me."

I hugged him tighter in response, and we stayed there until the hot water bled cold.

Around the end of September, Colby suggested I start sleeping at his place so he could see me more often, and by that time, my belongings occupied a few bedroom drawers and a corner of the bathroom sink. Colby didn't mind; in fact, he beamed each time I added something of mine to his home.

It was late by the time we finished with our shower, and not ten minutes after drying off, we crawled into bed. Falling asleep in Colby's arms was nothing short of wonderful, but falling asleep tucked beneath the warm, leathery wing of his alt with my face nuzzled into his silky fur, was so much better.

I spent hours running my fingers through his coat that night, my nails drawing soothing lines across the top of his head and nape, his whisper-soft chitters of approval lulling me into a state of serenity I'd never experienced.

"Love you," I pressed a kiss to his snout, and he nosed at my neck, tucking his muzzle into my warmth to show me his reciprocation to my admittance.

I hugged him close, happily inhaling as I closed my eyes. For lack of a better description, he smelled like fur - like the comforting scent that tickles your nose when you smoosh your face into the belly of a sun-warmed house cat. Those moments were invaluable to me, and I cherished each one, brimming with joy each time I drifted off to sleep in his embrace.

Though our schedules were almost opposite, we'd both managed to get Halloween and the following day off so we could attend a party that Mirabelle was throwing. Colby and I went as a couple from the nineteen twenties, and I cannot put into words how good he looked in a suit. I grew hot when he backed me up against the side of his truck before we headed inside, stockpiling kisses to get him through the night.

"Colby..." I breathed his name. "... if you don't stop, I'm going to change my mind about coming here."

"Fine by me," He murmured, taking my face in his hands and nipping gently at my lower lip. "We can go home, and I can take you on the kitchen counter again."