Children of Steel (11 page)

"Now that's something we can all relate to!"
Laughed Gabe.

At this point the waitress came by, and we
all ordered another round. I was quite surprised when she asked the
girls to show proof of their age.

"What was that about?" I asked Kathy

"Oh, you have to be eighteen to drink alcohol
legally, and I guess I look a little young. I'm only nineteen."

I thought about that a couple of seconds, I
was after all only fifteen.

"Does this law apply to animen too?" I
asked.

"Actually as far as I know it doesn't,
why?"

"Oh, just curious." I noticed she had nice
green eyes.

"Oh, really?" she said slyly, "And just how
old are you Raj?"

"Did anyone ever tell you what a lovely green
your eyes are?"

"No, but you're changing the subject. I get
the impression you're under eighteen."

"Does it matter?" I was getting a little
concerned. I mean I really liked Kathy, and was getting definite
ideas about getting to know her better. I didn't want to blow it
now.

"Well, if you were human it might, but Karen
say's that you guys tend to mature a lot faster. So I guess it
really doesn't. I don't think they'd trust a child with a shuttle,
would they?" She gave me a hug.

"Definitely not."

"So how old are you?"

"I'll tell you later." I smiled at her,
"There is a chance of a later isn't there?"

"Oh I think so," and smiled back at me.

The six of us spent the next hour talking
mostly. Karen told what law school was like, it sounded kind of
boring to me. I answered a few questions about some of the training
I had gone through, and despite Gabe's remarks I left out the more
gruesome details.

By the time we were into the third hour,
quite a few beers had been consumed, and the conversation had died
down quite a bit. Everybody was getting pretty personally involved,
and Gabe finally suggested we go some place more private.

"My place would be good," Said Karen.

"I don't think I can take Raj back to my
dorm." Kathy said shyly.

"That's okay," said Karen smiling at Gabe. "I
don't think Terry or I will be using the living room. You can come
too."

So we all got up and headed for the door.
Karen said it was only a few blocks, so we decided to walk. It was
a beautiful night outside, warm with clear skies. We had gone most
of the way there when we suddenly came across a group of young
human males. Five actually.

"Uh oh, trouble," said Karen.

"Hey animals, what are you doing with our
women?" Said the leader. He looked to be about 6' 5", maybe as
heavy as I was.

"We're not
your
women," said Terry
hotly. "So why don't you just take a hike!"

"Well now," he continued putting his hands on
his hips "can't these animals talk for themselves or are they too
dumb?"

I noticed he was squaring his weight off and
so were his friends. I looked them over while I disengaged myself
from Kathy and moved her behind me; none of them appeared to be
holding themselves like they had any serious training. I could feel
the thrill of the adrenaline starting to run through me.

"We talk rather well," said Gabe, "But I
think you children should go home, back to your mothers' skirts
where it's safe."

"At least I have a mother, you scazzing
animal."

"You know," said Gabe slowly with a real big
smile, "I think I had her too!"

"Why you lousy…" Big and tough reached into
his jacket. I didn't know why Gabe's remark had pissed him off so,
but I decided to remember it. I had leapt at him as soon as his
hand had started to move for his jacket of course and as it got
there, so did I.

As I pulled it out I bent a little to the
side and kicked one of his friends in the groin. When he bent over
I brought the heel of the same foot down hard on the back of his
head. He dropped.

I then looked at what Mr. Big and Tough had
in his hand; it was a gun so I grabbed his arm with both hands and
broke it. He screamed and dropped the gun. I clipped him on the
back of the head and dropped him.

This had all happened in only a second, and
the other three were just now starting to realize what was going
on. Two of them were going for belt knives, but none of them were
really experienced. It lasted another couple of seconds and they
were out as well. The whole thing had taken five; maybe six seconds
at the most. I had to admit I still enjoyed it though. That was
probably why I had been first in my class.

I looked at the others; the girls were a
little shocked.

"Remind me never to piss you off," Gabe said
quietly.

Dave just smiled. I walked over to Kathy and
gently put my arm back around her.

"They aren't dead are they?" she asked me
quietly.

"No, but that guy with the arm may wish he is
when he wakes up in a couple of minutes. Shall we continue?"

We walked off leaving our assailants
behind.

"I never saw anybody move so fast in my life.
Gabe wasn't kidding about you, was he?" she looked up into my
eyes.

"Ummm, actually he probably thought he was."
I looked down at her, "I didn't upset you did I?"

"A little shocked maybe, but not upset."

We had come to the front of the apartment
building by this time.

"Actually," she continued quietly, looking
shyly at me, "I'm pretty impressed."

We stepped into the foyer and while Karen
unlocked the door, we shared a long kiss, and then followed the
others up to the apartment. Once in their apartment, Karen made
everybody a drink, grabbed Gabe and disappeared into her
bedroom.

"There's some blankets and pillows in the
closet." she said as she left. Dave and Terry disappeared shortly
afterwards as well.

We snuggled on the couch for a while, kissing
and making out. I didn’t want to push it myself and I could tell
that Kathy was a bit hesitant as well.

It was an interesting study in contrasts for
both of us I think, she was very interested in my fur, her hands
explored quite a bit of it, and I think she found my muzzle
interesting as well as we kissed for a very long time.

I found her smooth skin to be interesting as
I’d never really encountered anything as smooth or soft before, and
her long hair was also something that I spent a lot of time
exploring, as I was entranced by it. We didn’t talk much, just
spent the time nuzzling and kissing, teasing each other a little
here and there and just getting used to each other’s company.

I went and got the blankets then, Kathy the
pillows and we spread them out on the carpet. I then took her in my
arms and any reservations I might have had, were no longer there
and I could tell that she was as interested as I was at this point.
We started by kissing slowly, and as I worked my way down, I
undressed her. When I got to her breasts, I lingered for a while.
Leopard women do not usually have large breasts and Kathy's were a
very nice size indeed.

"Umm, you like?" she asked as my lingering
elicited little moans of pleasure.

"Oh, yes,” I purred, “very much indeed."

I continued on moving down. Her pubes were
the same as a Leopard's however, and my attentions there had a very
positive effect. After a while she turned her attentions on me,
removing my clothes.

"Umm, I like this fur." She whispered as she
ran her hands over my chest and arms. "Nice buns too!" She smiled
up at me, continuing her trek.

"Ohhh, I think I found something not covered
with fur." It was my turn to moan then.

When she came up for air, we kissed again as
I moved over her. She spread her legs and helped guide me as I
slowly entered her.

"Ohhh, yes. That feels so good."

We rode a slow rhythm, enjoying each other as
we built to our final release. When it came I had to remember to be
careful with my claws, and she shook and gasped with me.

"I really enjoyed that." she sighed later,
when we had got our breath back.

"Me too. I've never made love to anyone who
wasn't a Leopard before." I felt a little shy admitting that. "And
I didn't think it could be that good."

"Well,
I've
always wanted to, and I'm
glad I did."

"Why? What's so special about me? Or is it
us?"

"It's you dear," and she kissed me then,
"You're beautiful, very sexy looking with all that lovely fur. And
dangerous." she started rubbing her body against mine when she had
mentioned fur, "The way you took care of those guys earlier, that
was something."

"Well, I'm glad you finally got your chance."
I smiled, "How about doing it again?"

"Ahhh, that would be fine by me."

We didn't fall asleep that night until the
morning sun started to come through the curtains, and from what I
could hear through closed doors we weren't the only ones up late
either.

I woke up in the morning feeling quite
refreshed. I woke Kathy up and we both took a nice long shower
together in the 'fresher. We then dried off and I stretched out on
one of the couches while she insisted on combing my fur. I was in
seventh heaven and just lay there basking in the attention.

When Karen came out with Gabe to take a
shower, she lent Kathy a robe and then asked her if she needed to
borrow any clothes. Kathy just pointed to the overnight bag in the
corner and said smiling, "I left that here last night, just in
case."

I had cycled my clothes through the cleaning
unit in the hall, as I really didn't mind wearing the same pair of
shorts again. Hell, I didn't mind wearing nothing at all for that
manner, but humans have strange customs.

Eventually we were joined by Karen and Gabe
as Terry and Dave took their place in the 'fresher. I was lying on
my stomach with Kathy sitting astride my buttocks as she worked on
my neck with the comb, I had lazily wrapped my tail around her
under the robe and the tip was twitching just below her chin.

"Well I see you've got him well under control
Kathy." Gabe laughed, and I made a rude gesture in his
direction.

"Actually I'm beginning to wonder if it isn't
the other way around," she said with a grin, "every time I stop
this tail starts to tickle my face."

"When Dave and Terry get out of the shower,
how about we go get some food?" asked Karen, "I'm starved."

"Sounds good to me and I can feel Raj's
stomach growling, so I know he's hungry."

"What do you want to do after breakfast, or
is it lunch time now?" said Gabe looking around for a clock.

"I would like to do a little sightseeing
myself." I said, my voice muffled by the cushions.

"We could rent a copter and fly out to the
mountains." Gabe suggested. I gave him a thumbs up.

"Sounds good to me," said Kathy, "but what
about some food?"

"There's a cafe around the corner, we can eat
there." said Karen, when suddenly the door chimed. "Who could that
be? I'm not expecting anybody."

I heard her go over to the door and open
it.

"Oh, Good morning officer. What can I do for
you?"

"Seems we had a little problem with a few
youths found unconscious in the street last night. They claimed
that they were attacked by a couple of animen. A black leopard, a
wolf, and a fox."

I looked up from the couch, the officer was a
bear so I felt a little better. However he was looking straight at
me.

"You wouldn't be able to enlighten me on what
happened now, could you?" he continued.

"I'm not sure I know what you're talking
about officer," answered Gabe from the other couch.

"If a Wolf walks out of that bathroom before
I get an answer, I'm afraid I'll have to drag you all down to the
station. You see, we found a gun there, and those boys were all too
young to be possessing one."

"Self defense," I said sitting up on the
couch. Kathy had slid off me while the officer had been
talking.

"Oh, do you mind explaining please?"

"Well, they attacked us and I beat them
up."

"Just you?" he asked looking skeptical

I stood up turned around and picked up the
couch, Kathy and all.

"Do I look like I need any help?" I asked
setting the couch, and a surprised Kathy, back down.

"I guess not, but what about the gun?"

"If I had needed it would I have left it
behind? Anyway if he hadn't pulled it, I wouldn't have broken his
arm."

"Well as we only found his prints on it and
no traces of Leopard, Wolf, or Fox. I'm inclined to believe you."
He smiled, "Plus he was wearing a holster, that was a big hole in
his story. But there is this matter of the broken arm."

"Officer," put in Karen, "It was self
defense, and he did draw a weapon. The law does give Raj here the
right to defend himself. Furthermore as there were three humans in
the party, a rather convincing argument could be made that he was
protecting us from the gunman."

He gave her a sidelong glance, "What are you
a lawyer?"

"Third year law student," she said
smiling.

"Hmmph, it figures. But we still don't like
to have these kinds of things happening around here. I'm still
going to have to get your names, and ID's. I suggest you keep out
of trouble."

"What's the big deal?" I asked as I handed
him my company ID tag, "So I broke his arm, that can be fixed in a
day or two. I didn't kill him."

"He just might get a lawyer and sue you,"
said the officer.

“He could try and make the argument that
breaking his arm was an excessive use of force against him.”

"But I thought we were allowed to defend
ourselves here?" I was definitely confused.

"Oh, you are. But he can still try to sue you
for assault, excessive use of force or whatever. And there ain't a
thing you can do about it. If say he was dead and you can prove
self-defense, then you're pretty much safe."