Jack was finally able to lift his arms from the bed though his control hadn't completely returned. He grimaced as he flexed his hands feeling the numbness slowly fading. He looked at the clock and realized he was up an hour early. The cold, sick dread from his nightmare was still lingering so he didn't feel like trying to get more sleep. He decided to go for a run. Hopefully he'd be able to clear his mind of the remnants of the nightmare with exercise.
He pushed himself awkwardly off the bed and padded over to the washroom. He drained his bladder then quickly stepped into the shower to rinse his body. There was no real point in fully washing himself if he was going to run but he didn't want to start out looking and feeling like a drowned rat. He stepped out and quickly dried himself in front of the mirror.
He'd been able to get back to his routine of running in the morning. He'd managed to tighten up his muscles and lose the jiggly stuff that had begun to accumulate. He was back to his normal lean body... well, almost. He looked up.
Horns.
He stared at himself in the mirror and wondered if he would ever get used to seeing the large black horns rising from his forehead and curving back over his head. At least they'd stopped growing. Three inches wide at the base and ten inches from base to their deadly sharp points. He'd learned just how dense they were when he'd actually deflected bullets from them, leaving behind brilliant streaks of silver from the bullets. With the extra mass on his head the muscles on his neck, shoulder, chest, and back had grown to compensate and his skeletal system had altered to support the extra mass as well. He wasn't hugely muscled but he no longer had the slim runner's body he once did. He thought he looked a little top heavy but he was a little biased towards his original shape.
He'd been concerned the horns and the extra muscle mass would affect his running but so far it hadn't.
He walked back into the bedroom and heard two appreciative growls. He looked to the bed and saw green and gold eyes glowing back at him. Both licked their lips as they looked at his naked body.
"No! I'm going for a run. I need... to clear the cobwebs from my mind," he said sternly.
"Oh poo! You never want to have morning sex!" Diana pouted.
Jack looked at her incredulously. "Excuse me? What about yesterday when you had me take you on the kitchen table? And the day before that in the shower? What was the day before that...oh yes. We never made it from the bedroom until I was late for work!"
Diana was smiling now, recalling the delicious sex from the previous days.
SennLann was about to say something when Jack interrupted her. "For you it was when I got home from work last night. You're not a morning person."
The princess smiled and nodded.
He pulled on his running shorts, socks, and a tight running shirt. As he pulled it over his head he heard the telltale ripping sound of the fabric tearing as it snagged on the point of one of his horns. "Dammit! There goes another shirt!" he cursed. He pulled it off and sure enough there was a large tear down the back. He dug in his drawer and the only thing he could find was an oversized, stretched out t-shirt Diana had taken to wearing which he was NOT going to wear. He decided he'd just go without this morning. He'd need to do some shopping again.
He strapped his music player to his arm and put his ear buds in.
Jack looked back at the bed and the women were still drinking him in with their eyes. He grinned. "Have you ladies seen the Gun Show?" he quipped and flexed his muscles at them. Delighted giggles erupted and he headed to the kitchen with a grin on his face. He drank one of his energy shakes while he looked into the fridge to see what he'd make for breakfast when he got back. Then made his way to the front door, sat on the bench and put on his running shoes. When he stood up he was face to face with Diana.
"When will you be back?" she said running her finger over his muscles. She bit her lower lip as she gazed at his broad chest.
Jack took her hands in his and lifted her fingers to his lips. He sensually kissed the tips causing her to gasp. "I'll be back in about an hour." He slipped out the door as he heard her moan behind him.
He took the lift to the ground floor and started his music. He waved to the building's security staff as he crossed the lobby but he didn't see them staring at his body or hear the burst of giggles that followed him outside.
Jack loved his neighborhood. The building was within walking distance of work and was surrounded by seemingly endless walking and running paths. He could set off in any direction and run for hours without the scenery becoming dull or repetitive. Today he thought he'd go... right.
Before he did, he began his stretches as he was feeling a little residual tightness from his unusual start to the day. He rarely had nightmares and this one really disturbed him. He pulled his mind away from that and concentrated on easing his muscles into a better state. He leaned against a pillar supporting the building's front awning and bent slowly and deeply. He repeated this until he felt his muscles begin to warm and loosen. It was going to be a good run today.
His sandy blond hair fell forward over his face as he bent over. He pushed it aside with an annoyed swipe. He'd forgotten to tie it back with a rubber band when he left the bedroom. He really wanted to cut his hair short like he used to wear it on Earth but he'd have a mutiny on his hands at the Trade Commission and Embassy where he worked. The staff in both offices had let him know in no uncertain terms that as the Earth's Trade Commissioner for Altaria and Altaria's Ambassador he had to represent them by looking his best. ALL of his staff insisted this meant no haircuts though they understood his bangs got into his eyes so trimming there was allowed. He still had no idea where the clippings went... and he really didn't want to know.
He alternated mornings in the two offices and when he arrived one of his staff, the lucky winner apparently, got to braid his hair and tie it with a ribbon. He sighed with frustration. It now reached the middle of his back. He didn't feel like going back upstairs to get the band. He'd never make it past Diana.
He stood up and threw his hair back and glanced back at the building. He saw the three Altarian ladies from the security desk pressed up against the window watching him with rapt attention. He nodded to them and watched them scurry back to their station.
Altarians were... beautiful! Jack was always dazzled by their grace and gentle natures. They resembled the Satyrs of ancient Greek mythology. Petite with cloven hooved feet and hands with two strong fingers and opposable thumbs on both sides. Their bodies were covered with a felt like fur which ranged in color from blond to chocolate brown. The traditional garb was gossamer flowing gowns. Their heads were humanoid but their eyes were twice as large as a human's, had diagonal pupils, and the lids had long lashes. Their ears were long, pointed, expressively mobile, and typically projected horizontally. They had slim noses and wide, black lipped mouths. As a race of herbivores they had beautiful white teeth with a definite lack of fangs.
Males were rare with the birth ratio being ten females to every male. Generations ago the ratio had moved from eight to one and the subsequent upheaval in their society led to the males taking less of an active role in... well, just about everything. They were now creatures of leisure and Jack had little time for the 'self-absorbed loafs' as he considered them.
While they may have appeared shy and docile when it came to sex Altarian females were anything but passive. They had no bias towards Altarian males. Jack had discovered on his first meeting that they were very sexually liberated and energetic partners. He smiled thinking of Leffera and Karrel and his 'interview'.
Since his horns had grown in he was embarrassed to realize he'd become something of a celebrity for the female population who instinctively found them very attractive. Altarian males no longer had horns, the gene having become dormant.
He started jogging down the path to the right and took it slow at first. The little aches and pains surfaced and faded after a short time when his muscles smoothed out so he increased his pace.
This early in the morning the paths were mostly empty and it felt like he had the world to himself. After the nightmare he had this morning that thought wasn't as exhilarating as it should have been. He was actually kind of relieved when he saw three Altarian females crossing his path up ahead in a small cart.
One of the women noticed him running and frantically gestured to the other two. The cart wobbled as they altered their course to find a way back onto the path he was following.
