by M. D. Grimm
Josh blushed fiercely and turned his gaze away.
“Jesus, Ryan. Get some fucking clothes on, you idiot.”
A deep chuckle came from the bull shifter.
“Sorry ‘bout that.” Caleb scowled at his lover. “He’s still more animal than human.”
“Just keep sweet-talking me like that, baby.”
Josh was sure there was a cocky grin on that broad face as he said it. But he wouldn’t know, he was currently staring over Caleb’s shoulder, through the open door, and at the opposite wall.
Caleb sighed heavily. “So, what model of truck?”
Josh stuttered a little as he told Caleb the make and model. He glanced at Caleb, who now seemed convinced Josh wasn’t a threat.
“You’re in luck.” Caleb smiled. “I have a tire that’ll work. It might not be the exact kind you have, but it’ll get you where you’re going.”
“Thank you.” He let out a relieved breath. “Thank you so much.”
Caleb nodded. Then he looked over Josh’s shoulder and scowled again. He assumed it was at Ryan.
“Either shift or get in the house, Ryan. You’re making the kid uncomfortable.”
While Josh didn’t like being called a kid, he wasn’t going to argue with Ryan doing something other than standing behind him naked.
“I’ll get dressed. I can help. I’ve gotten good at changing tires.”
“No!”
Caleb stared at him, wide-eyed, and he was sure Ryan was staring at him too. Nervous, he clasped his hands together. His face heated.
“I mean, thank you, Ryan, for wanting to help, but… look, I can’t tell you everything. But I have a shifter with me, and well, he’s not the friendliest toward other shifters.”
Caleb frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Well.” How much can I say? “He’s been harmed and….” He fidgeted some more. “Do you know who the Knights were?”
Caleb’s eyes darkened. His jaw clenched. “We’ve met one of their lackeys.”
Josh nodded. “The shifter I’m with, well, he was taken by them. They, um, hurt him. He’s not completely in control of his actions. Ryan would be safer if he stayed here.”
Caleb nodded slowly. “Ryan.”
“Then you’re not going.” Ryan climbed up the porch steps and stood beside Josh. He moved a little away from the naked shifter. “If that maniac attacks shifters, who’s to say you’ll be safe?”
“Caleb will be safe.” Josh forced himself to meet the fierce bull shifter’s eyes. Ryan stared at him, eyes narrowed. “I promise. He’s safer than you’d be. The shifter I’m with only attacks shifters. I’ve been with him for nearly a week now, and he’s never harmed me.”
Ryan didn’t look convinced.
“Ryan.” Caleb’s voice was gentle, soothing. Intimate. Josh walked down the porch steps, keeping his back to the mates. Caleb was speaking in a low voice, and Josh made sure he couldn’t hear what was being said.
He tried to ignore the pang in his heart, and yet it remained, slowly drilling a hole inside him. He couldn’t stop himself from wondering what it would be like to have a mate, a home, and to have that easy banter, to know that person’s thoughts without him speaking.
To run with him as he shifted into a wolf.
His eyes widened, and he pinched himself. Stop it!
“Josh?”
Caleb approached him. Ryan wasn’t in sight.
Caleb gestured to a truck parked near the barn. “Let’s go.”
Chapter Nine
Xavier waited impatiently. He made it back to the truck, furious with himself. He should be able to control the damn voice by now! He slammed his hand against the steering wheel, impotent. Useless. He’d left Josh all by himself. What if something happened to him? What if the people who owned that house were actually shifters of the sketchy sort? Just because he’d only smelled one shifter didn’t mean there weren’t others. His senses were dulled in human form.
The long run had done well to diminish the voice. The farther he’d gotten from the shifter, the quieter the voice had become. His wolf had responded as always, but instead of clawing like a psychopath inside of him, it had whimpered at the pain as well. That gave Xavier hope. Hope that he could beat the voice, beat the Knights. Regain some semblance of a normal life. His mind should be his own, damn it!
Even now his wolf was as anxious as he was for Josh’s return. At least that was something he and his wolf could agree on. Josh. They would both protect Josh, either from themselves or others.
Xavier laid his head against the steering wheel, exhausted. He didn’t want to do this anymore. He didn’t want to fight anymore. He simply wanted the voice to go away.
Fat chance of that.
The sound of a vehicle met his ears. He snapped his head up. It was late afternoon, flowing into evening now, and the sun glinted off the windshield, momentarily blinding him. He blinked rapidly and squinted at the truck as it pulled up right in front of him. Josh got out. Xavier breathed a sigh of relief. He got out of the truck and eyed the other man. The other man eyed him back.
“Xavier,” Josh said, his undertone laced with warning. “This is Caleb. He’s going to help us get back on the road. Caleb, this is Xavier.”
Caleb gave him a nod. Xavier jerked his head in a cautious hello. The man was slim and trim, well-muscled through manual labor. He’d rolled up his sleeves, showing off defined arms tanned by the sun. His face bore evidence of sun exposure as well, but it enhanced, instead of detracted, from his beauty.
He was beautiful. Xavier got the sense he was also a goody-goody. Not that he was complaining, considering their situation. While he might look the type Xavier once went after, Xavier had always searched out the bad boys.
And yet… now he found his interest lying elsewhere. Xavier glanced at Josh, who stood beside Caleb as the man got out a jack and was struggling with the large tire. Xavier walked over and helped him. Caleb gave a smile of thanks. They managed together to get the tire on the truck. It looked like it would work. The sun beat down on them, and Xavier leaned back and wiped his brow.
“Thanks so much, Caleb,” Josh said again.
Caleb chuckled. “Enough, Josh. I get it. You’re both welcome. Anything I can do for the Agency.”
Xavier frowned deeply. “How do you know?” He glared at Josh, who wouldn’t meet his eyes.
“Don’t get your boxers in a bunch.” Caleb stood and wiped his hands on his jeans. “I’ve nothing but respect for the Agency. They saved my mate from being kidnapped and possibly experimented on.”
“Did they?” He heard his own voice grow cold.
“Yes.” Caleb’s voice grew cautious. “I mean you no harm, Xavier. Your business is none of mine. I just came to help.”
“Xavier,” Josh said softly and touched his arm. Xavier felt the slight pressure, the warmth of his hand. He forced himself to relax.
Then he noticed the strange look Caleb gave the two of them. A knowing smile came to his lips, and Xavier didn’t like it. Before he could do anything about it, a scent hit his nose that made the voice sweep up and pound in his head.
“Argh!” He gripped his head.
“Xavier!” Josh clasped his shoulders.
“Josh, what―?”
“Run, Caleb. Get out of here!”
The voice commanded him, his wolf torn between answering and fighting it. Instinct dragged his gaze away from Josh’s terrified face to a spot far in the distance. A large bull stood there, staring, threatening. He was a threat. If Xavier didn’t shift now, Josh might be harmed.
No! Xavier squeezed his eyes shut. No, that was the voice talking, not him. His wolf was confused; it didn’t know which one to listen to. The scent kept filling his nostrils, making the voice louder, more violent. Protect, it said, protect and guard. Josh is in danger. Kill. Kill!
Kill!
Xavier screamed as his wolf lost the struggle and pounced. It clawed to the surface, and he lost himself to the mindless bloodlu
st that suffused him.
Josh leapt back as the air shimmered violently. He watched, half fascinated, half horrified, as Xavier shifted into a wolf. He looked around frantically for the reason and found it quick enough. Fury fought for dominance over his fear.
“Ryan!” Josh said. “Get out of here!”
But the bull didn’t move. Josh swung toward Caleb who stood beside his open truck door, staring in shock.
“Caleb! Get Ryan out of here!”
Caleb jerked and then swung his head toward his mate. His eyes widened. “Ryan! Damn it!”
Now there was a ferocious wolf in front of Josh, clothes strewn around him. He froze. The eyes were dark, the gold gone, and the green held a malice that made Josh’s heart jitter in his chest. The ears lay flat on his head, his lips were pulled back, and the growls that issued from deep within his chest made Josh’s insides turn to ice.
“My God,” Caleb whispered.
The wolf swung his head toward Ryan, who still stood, as if frozen from fear. Everyone was silent for only one heartbeat before the monster was set loose. The wolf howled. It was loud, piercing, rattling Josh’s eardrums. Then the wolf was gone, running at full speed at Ryan.
“Xavier!”
“Ryan!” Caleb said at the same time. They both sprinted after the shifters. Ryan changed his stance and braced his body. He lowered his head, his horns wickedly sharp and pointing right at the wolf. He snorted and dug his front hoof into the ground before kicking up dirt.
Fear and adrenaline propelled Josh forward. He didn’t want anyone hurt. He needed to stop them somehow. He needed to stop them from fighting. He couldn’t lose Xavier. Not now. Not ever.
The wolf was swift, his lithe body far faster than anyone on two legs. He reached the bull within seconds. He skirted around the horns and tried to come at his back. Ryan, anticipating him, kicked out with his heavy hooves. The wolf barely managed to dodge the deadly kick. Despite his girth, the bull was quick and agile. He watched the wolf carefully, dodging his attempts at pouncing on his back. The wolf wouldn’t be deterred, however. He dodged those deadly horns and powerful kicks and managed to rake his wicked claws down the bull’s sides.
Letting out a roar of his own, the bull swung his head, clipping the wolf’s shoulder with the point of his horn. The wolf limped away slightly, without any indication of backing off completely.
Josh and Caleb ran side-by-side until they gained on the shifters’ positions. Caleb was pale and sweaty, both of them panting.
“We have to do something,” Caleb said, his voice pitched higher than usual. “We have to stop them. By Christ, what kind of monster is that?”
“It’s not his fault,” Josh said instantly. “Don’t you fucking blame Xavier! I told you to keep Ryan away. It’s his fault!”
Caleb glared at him. “We don’t have time for this! We have to stop them. Can’t you control your shifter at all?”
His shifter. He was, wasn’t he? Josh watched the life-or-death fight for several moments, his mind whirling, not coming up with any good ideas. Neither he nor Caleb could just walk in and try to push the opponents away from each other. Josh needed to incapacitate Xavier somehow, and then Caleb could push Ryan away. Xavier wasn’t in his right mind, and he couldn’t be reasoned with.
Josh glanced at the vehicles. His mind landed on an idea. He hoped to God it would work, because he couldn’t think of anything else.
“Caleb! I have a plan.” He spoke quickly and concisely. Caleb nodded sharply and moved nearer to the battling shifters. Josh focused on the jack that lay next to the truck. With steady breaths, and after shoving his fear aside, he lifted the jack with his mind. It flew through the air, and he held it above the shifters as he dropped his gaze to Xavier.
The wolf tried to get under the bull’s defenses, but the bovine was too quick. He swung his head around and nearly clipped the wolf again. The wolf howled. Josh used his hand to focus his movements. The jack fell and smacked the wolf on his side, flinging him through the air. Josh actually felt the impact shudder up his arm as if he’d physically hit Xavier himself. Cringing, hating himself, Josh rushed after Xavier. He glanced behind him as Caleb stood in front of Ryan, keeping the bull from trampling the wolf into the ground.
Caleb had a hold of Ryan’s horns. “Stop, Ryan! I said stop!”
Josh returned his focus to Xavier as he staggered to his feet. He shook his head and growled, gaining his footing. Josh’s legs turned to lead as he stood right in front of the deranged shifter. Dark eyes stared at him. Muscles bunched underneath shaggy fur.
“Xavier,” he said calmly, clearly. “Xavier, I know you can hear me.”
The wolf simply growled. Then Josh noticed it was trying to sneak around him and return to the bull. Strange energy and hope surged back into him. His legs no longer felt like lead. He moved to block Xavier’s sight of Ryan. The wolf’s eyes met his but still, the wolf made no attempt to attack him. He appeared to be attempting to get away from Josh, only seeing him as a barrier to his real target.
Josh held out his hands. “Xavier. You don’t have to listen to the voice. Neither does your wolf.” The wolf’s ears twitched. Hope fluttered in Josh’s stomach. He took a step closer before stopping when Xavier crouched to the ground, his muscles bunching as if getting ready to lunge.
“Easy there, easy.” He knelt in front of the wolf. He kept his voice calm and steady. The rest of the world vanished and became unimportant. The only thing that mattered was Xavier and getting his mind right. “No one’s going to hurt you here. We aren’t a threat. Fight against the voice, Xavier. Please, fight against it. For me.”
Those pointed ears rose into the air, straightening from his head. The growls stopped, and his lips covered his teeth once more. The wolf tilted his head, first right, then left, as if trying to understand. Giddiness filled Josh, though he managed to not let it affect his voice.
“Fight the voice for me, Xavier,” he said again. “I need you to. I need you. You don’t have to listen to it. Don’t listen to it anymore. Listen to me.”
He stressed that word. He put as much urgency into that one word as he could. The wolf started to tremble, and then a whimper escaped him. Lying on the ground, the wolf put his paws on his ears, whining. Concerned, Josh scooted a little closer. When the wolf didn’t do anything, he came closer. And closer. Soon, he was kneeling right beside the wolf, near enough to touch. Swallowing hard, Josh slowly reached out. He brought his hand to the wolf’s nose. The shifter sniffed, and then a long pink tongue came out and licked his hand. Shuddering, his eyes burning with tears of joy, Josh rubbed his hand over Xavier’s head. Then he scratched those long ears. He bent over the wolf, laying his cheek on top of the wolf’s head.
“It’s going to be okay, Xavier,” he whispered. He closed his eyes, still rubbing those ears, heart breaking with the wolf’s whines. “I promise it’s going to be okay.”
Xavier awoke with a headache. Considering the pain he was used to, it was endurable. He moved slightly, opening his eyes. He blinked away the blurriness and realized he was in the cab of their stolen truck. He was covered with a blanket… and nothing else. He vaguely remembered the voice taking control and sat up quickly. The other truck was gone, and he didn’t see the shifter or his mate anywhere. Had he killed the shifter?
Xavier flung the blanket away and looked down at himself. There was some blood, and he quickly realized it was his own. Both of his biceps were wrapped in bandages, and they were incredibly sore. He didn’t remember much of the attack. Just snatches of images, sounds, feelings. His side ached. He tenderly touched his ribs and winced. What hit him? Did the bull get a kick in?
The driver’s door opened, and Josh climbed up into the seat. He smiled upon seeing Xavier.
“Good, you’re awake. How are you feeling?”
More memories came back. That voice. Josh’s voice. His touch. His warmth.
“You stopped me,” he whispered.
“I had to, Xavier. You were goi
ng to kill that shifter. I’m sorry about the jack, but I had to split the two of you up somehow.”
Xavier frowned, confused. “What jack?”
Josh looked a little guilty. “I, um, hit you. With the jack. On your side.”
Xavier looked down at his ribs again. He could see it bruising already. “Oh, so that was you. Well, good thinking.”
Josh blinked. “You’re not mad?”
Xavier laughed. It hurt, but he couldn’t stop. He didn’t know why it was funny, but something about it was. He looked at Josh to see the man frowning at him.
“By the heavens above, Josh. I nearly murdered another shifter. You stopped me, and you expect me to be mad? I’m grateful. I owe you so much.”
Josh smiled and shook his head. “You don’t owe me anything.”
“Yes, I do,” Xavier said firmly. And he was going to pay his debt, some way. Sometime. “Where is Caleb? The shifter?”
“Caleb helped bandage you, and then they both left. Ryan’s okay.”
“Who?”
“The bull shifter.”
Xavier nodded. Good. That was good. He didn’t need any more blood on his hands. His mind started to wander as he stared at Josh in silence. Perhaps it was time to do something he’d started dreaming of doing.
Before Josh could react, Xavier pulled him into his arms and kissed him passionately. Josh froze at first, though Xavier never stopped. He smelled Josh’s arousal, it filled the cab and was the sweetest scent he or his wolf had ever encountered. Gradually, Josh’s arms came up and locked around his neck. Then Josh was kissing him back. Xavier devoured Josh’s mouth, his body reacting predictably. He hardened under the blanket, tensing with need. Josh had stopped him from killing. He’d pushed back the voice and allowed Xavier to think again.
Josh had given Xavier back his mind.
And he loved him for it.
Warmth bloomed in his stomach, rushing through his veins, throbbing through his heart. Giddy and overwhelmed, he crushed Josh to him, deepening the kiss. He thrust his tongue inside Josh’s mouth, tasting him, needing him.
