Downhill was great. He loved downhill. Climbing out of washes and crossing over foothills with a concussion… not so much. He kept up with the others and never complained, determined not to show weakness or slow the team down, but by the end of the first day he was wrecked.
When they made camp for the night and had the first tent up, Max took one look at him and Tiger, who was sharing in his misery, and told them to go lay down. Remi collapsed on the sleeping bag that Tiger laid out for him and was almost instantly asleep. Tiger took care of pulling off his boots and making sure that he was covered up, then set about making sure their gear was organized for the night. Max showed up with meds for Remi and checked him over to be sure he was okay.
“Stay put,” he told Tiger. “I’ll bring some food when it’s ready. He’ll need to eat before he takes these.” He handed the bottles to Tiger. “How are you holding up?”
Tiger shrugged. “I’ll be okay. Just feel a little rundown.”
“Uh-huh.” That seemed to be Max’s go-to response when dealing with Tiger.
Tiger knew that if he made the mistake of lying down, he wouldn’t get back up again that night, so he sat cross-legged next to Remi holding his hand and trying to will strength into his body.
TJ was the one to deliver their food. It wasn’t much but at least they had a hot meal. He sat and ate his own food with them, wanting to assess their condition for himself. Much as he wished he could give them a day of rest, snow was due in another four days and, if they didn’t make it to Oberon before then, they’d be snow bound and unable to handle the rough terrain in the snow.
Surprisingly, he was sympathetic and showed more respect for Remi than he had in the past. Tiger figured it was partly due to the way Remi had performed during their night raid and partly due to the fact that he was now mated to Tiger. Like it or not, Remi was now family.
“After tomorrow, the trail should level out more. Once we’re clear of the foothills, there’s less likelihood of washouts too. Try to get a good night’s sleep. Max will check on you in the morning.” He picked up their mess kits and ducked out the flap of the tent.
Tiger opened his sleeping bag, then crawled into Remi’s and pulled his up over them. He cuddled into Remi’s side tightly, running his hand up under Remi’s shirt and resting it over the mate-mark on his chest. Remi groaned at the skin-to-skin contact. “Just sleep, babe. I’ll protect you.”
Remi snorted and Tiger pinched his nipple as punishment.
“Fuck! That hurt!” he yelped.
“Hey! I said get some sleep you two! We don’t need to hear that shit!” TJ called out.
Tiger chuckled and burrowed his nose against Remi’s chest. It wasn’t long before he heard a gentle snore coming from his mate. He dropped off a minute later.
*****
Sometime during the night, they had both rolled over and Remi was spooning Tiger. Tiger woke when he felt Remi’s hand slip beneath the waistband of his pants and begin stroking his cock. He gasped, but Remi clamped his other hand over his mouth to keep him quiet.
Keeping up a slow even pace, Remi worked Tiger’s cock as he squirmed and panted into his hand. Soon his back arched and he made a strangled sound as warm cum seeped over Remi’s hand. Removing his hand from Tiger’s mouth, he continued to stroke his cock a few more time while Tiger gulped for air. He gently bit the shell of Tiger’s ear and chuckled.
Tiger shuddered. “Jerk!” Tiger hissed.
“Sorry babe. It was either that or fuck you. You kept grinding your ass into my dick and moaning my name.”
“Liar! I was not moaning your name!”
“Hey, you got me so hard I’m about to come in my pants,” he whispered.
“So, you thought the solution was to make me come in mine?”
“Well, consider it quid pro quo in advance for taking care of the state you put me in.” He gave Tiger what he thought was a sultry look, but to Tiger it was the same look as his puppy dog face.
Tiger grimaced and pulled his pack over, fishing out some wipes to clean himself up. “Okay, but you’re sleeping alone tonight.”
Remi gasped, looking hurt, but it didn’t last long as Tiger reached under the sleeping bags and unzipped Remi’s pants. He tugged his cock free and crawled under the bags, taking Remi’s cock into his mouth. It wasn’t his first-time giving head.
Harriott had used him that way, but he certainly wasn’t going to tell Remi that, although it was in the court transcript Remi said he hadn’t read. He’d had to testify in graphic detail about every sexual act he’d been forced to endure. At least this time he was a willing participant, so he put his heart into it. When Remi came, Tiger swallowed it down and licked him clean, then tucked him away and zipped him back up.
“There, problem solved. At least I didn’t make a mess,” he mocked. They’d finished just in time because a few minutes later Max showed up to check on Remi. He cleaned his wound and applied a fresh dressing, then checked his vitals and pupils.
“Headaches? How bad?”
“Not too bad, just enough to be a distraction. I can handle it.”
“Your heart rate is a little fast, but you look better this morning. Feel up to sitting by the fire while we fix breakfast?” Max smirked as he turned away.
Remi and Tiger exchanged a look, then Tiger pulled Remi to his feet. “Sure,” Remi replied in a subdued voice.
Remi really did feel better with another night of rest under his belt and another full day of the bots working to repair his head. The big head, the little one worked just fine. He was still wiped out at the end of the day again, but not as badly as the night before.
Tiger made good on his threat to make Remi sleep alone that night. Remi pouted all the following day, but they had cleared the snowline and made better time to Oberon without getting caught up in any more snowstorms.
His wound was finally healed, and he didn’t need any more meds, his headaches mostly gone. Max told him to avoid any more strenuous activity for at least another two weeks and to come to the hospital for a more complete checkup when they got home, but everything looked good. Tiger could sense that he was much better, so he stopped worrying about him.
Instead of taking a public shuttle at Oberon, TJ called in a military transport. They were able to fly back to Aurora on the military’s budget and without creating a public record of their departure from Oberon or having to answer questions about their weapons.
Now that the issue of Tiger’s infection was resolved, they didn’t need to keep their movements a secret. They knew they’d probably have to deal with Dominic sometime soon. It wasn’t like he didn’t know they all worked at the fort.
Since they’d all been declared on leave or assisting in a humanitarian effort, their reports would be sanitized, not mentioning the eighteen mercenaries they’d killed. Dominic certainly wouldn’t be reporting it, since he and his men had gone there with the intention of murdering a man who hadn’t even killed his brother. The bodies would never be found. Lucius had assured them that the natives had disposed of them in a place no human would ever set eyes on.
They split up when they landed in Aurora. TJ and his men headed to the fort to report in and clean up, and Remi and Tiger headed for Remi’s house. No sooner had they stepped through the front door than Remi was practically knocked off his feet by Jake’s warm body slamming into him.
“Remi! You’re back!” He glanced past Remi and saw Tiger standing there, grinning at his enthusiasm. “Tiger! You found him!” He ducked around Remi and hugged Tiger cautiously, not sure if he was completely healed yet. “Don’t ever run away again,” he chastised. You scared the heck out of us!”
“No, never again,” Tiger promised. “We have a lot to tell you, but first we need to clean up and get something to eat. It’s good to be home Jake.” ‘Yes, this is my home now.’ He smiled as he made his way down the hall to his room. Until he and Remi could explain everything to Jake, they would shower and sleep separately and keep their hands to themsel
ves.
They all gathered around the breakfast bar once they’d showered and donned fresh clothes. While Remi moved around the kitchen preparing their lunch, Tiger and Jake sat at the counter talking about what all had transpired on Jake’s end while they were gone.
He prattled on about the tricks he was teaching Midnight, who sat at his feet watching Remi prepare the food. He licked his lips. He was teaching Jake some tricks too… like how to feed him scraps when he performed for him. Humans were just too gullible.
“Oh, I almost forgot. You got some letters and a package.” Jake jumped up and scurried over to the small table near the front entry, coming back with some letters and a small, heavy package wrapped in what looked like some kind of treated animal skin and tied off with a silken cord. He laid it all on the counter in front of Tiger.
“This doesn’t look like it came in the post. What makes you think it’s for me?” Tiger didn’t open it right away; just examined it with curiosity.
“It didn’t come in the post. A man dropped it off at the door. I just assumed it was for you since he looked like he might be a friend or relative of yours.” Jake squinted at Tiger like he was second guessing his assumption.
“What? What did this man look like?” Tiger cast a worried glance at Remi.
“He was tall, dressed like… I don’t know. Maybe like a mercenary?” Tiger jerked his hand away from the package like he’d been burned.
“No, that’s not right. Kind of old fashioned, like a pirate maybe? Kind of elegant. He had long white hair and carried a sword like yours.”
Remi choked on the coffee he’d just taken a sip of. He ran to the security console and pulled up the recording for the time they were away and fast forwarded until the image of a man with long white hair appeared. Tiger wandered up behind him and watched over Remi’s shoulder. He played it back at normal speed.
The man wore a cloak with a hood. Remi couldn’t see his face, but long platinum hair spilled out of the front of his hood and the cloak was hooked back behind the hilt of his sword. He placed the package carefully down on the steps, then stood up and looked directly into the camera lens, smirking.
Violet eyes peered back at Remi. The man flipped a two-fingered salute at the camera, then turned and walked away like he hadn’t a care in the world.
“Laoch!” Remi and Tiger both exclaimed
Remi shut the video off and turned toward the package on the counter. He and Tiger regarded the thing as if it were a viper poised to strike.
“Oh, for crying out loud! Open it! What’s the worst that can happen?” Jake poked the package with a finger, pushing it closer to Tiger.
Tiger looked at Remi, all sorts of “worst” things running through his mind, then started to carefully open the wrapping. Inside lay an old book, large and heavy, bound between thin silver plates that were covered with Fae symbols and locked with an intricate latch. It fairly glowed in the sunlight streaming through the windows.
Tiger opened the front cover and there on the first page, written in delicate English script was the name Enya Yamano. Tears sprung to Tigers eyes as he ran his fingers lightly over the name.
He flipped the page and there was a note to him from his mother, which he read out loud.
My Dearest Son Toro -/- Light of My Life,
If you’re reading this, it means I no longer walk the earthly plane of Corvan and you are nearing your time of acquiring the Fae abilities of my line. I have entrusted this journal to my brother Liam to protect and pass on to you if I am no more. Your father and I were forced to flee Old Earth to escape the intrigues of the Fae courts. I’m sorry we’ve kept you ignorant of your heritage, but it has been done to protect you. I have documented herein the information that I would have passed on to you myself when you come of age. I’m so sorry my beloved child that I cannot be at your side as you face the future as a warrior and royal of the Fae. Your father will guard you and give you the skills you need to survive and embrace what is yours.
Be well my son and know that I am always at your side, even unto death. Your Loving Mother, Enya.
Tiger closed the journal and scrubbed his hands over his face with a heavy sigh. His father had died not long after his mother and had not been there to guard him or pass anything on, except his mother’s personal possessions and his signet ring. As his hand rested on the cover of the book, his bracelet vibrated lightly in sympathetic attunement to the latch. In his emotional state he didn’t even notice it.
He sucked in a harsh breath. “Wow. I really can’t deal with any more right now. I’ll look through this later. Do you have some place where I can lock this up?” he asked Remi.
Remi squeezed his shoulder lightly. “Sure. Come with me. We can put it in my gun safe.”
When they came back Remi finished fixing their meal and they chatted while they ate. They decided to go ahead and fill Jake in about the circumstances of the virus that Tiger had left to deal with and the fact that they were now mated. The details of the confrontation with the mercenaries was left out.
Jake’s eyes bugged out when they showed him their mate marks. “Holy fuck!” he exclaimed.
“Jake! Language!” Remi admonished.
“I’m sorry Remi but that’s just… unbelievable!” Jake said breathlessly as he stepped closer and examined the detail of the markings. He reached out and rubbed his fingers over the pattern and marveled at the glittery silver. “It doesn’t rub off or fade? I can’t even feel it. You say it just appeared? You didn’t get inked?”
“No, it doesn’t go away. It’s permanent. We didn’t have it added, the marks just appeared after we….”
“What?”
“Um… we pledged ourselves to each other and made love. Like being married. The marks are like exchanging rings with each other.”
Jake eyed him, then laughed hysterically. “Oh man! How old do you think I am? I’m not a little kid any more Remi. You guys had wild sweaty sex, didn’t you? You can say it. I’m happy for you… and that means Tiger is staying!”
Remi’s jaw dropped. “Who are you and what have you done with my innocent baby brother?”
“Yay! I have a new brother! Hey, does that mean Tiger will change his name to Tiger Styles, or are you going to be Remington Yamano?” Jake was getting more and more into the name game. “Or Remington Styles-Yamano, or Remington Yamano-Styles!”
“That’s your take-away from all this?” Remi side-eyed Tiger. “See what you’ve bought into? Welcome to the family, Tigger,” he said dryly as he walked away.
“Or Toro Enya Yamano-Styles, or Toro Enya Styles-Yamano, or….” Jakes voice faded as Tiger followed Remi out of the room.
Chapter 23
After things settled down, Tiger remembered that he still had unopened letters to go through. One had just come the previous day. There was no return address. It was short and to the point. Don’t think you’re getting off so easy. I know where you and your friends are. I’ll be back and you’re going to pay for murdering my brother and my team.
He crumpled the note furiously. It wasn’t signed but it wasn’t necessary. Dominic was a personal problem that wasn’t going to be resolved in court. Tiger grimaced at the reminder that Dominic was still a headache that needed to be dealt with quickly before anyone else was hurt. He’d had enough of being bullied by that family. If he could lure Dominic out in the open, using himself as bait, he could challenge the man to a duel.
Dueling was an acceptable method of handling personal grievances on Corvan, if specific rules were followed. The one challenged wasn’t required to accept the duel but once accepted it was unheard of to back out. Even mercenaries and assassins adhered to the rules once a challenge was publicly issued.
As long as a duel was held in an area where innocents were not at risk, it was seen as a way to expedite a resolution and save the courts money. The winner just had to pony up the money to dispose of the loser’s remains. Tiger would be only too happy to do so.
*****
&nb
sp; Even though TJ had verbally cancelled Tiger’s sick leave, he was still on personal leave. He and Remi made sure that one of them, or one of the other Rangers, was always with Jake. They couldn’t let him go back to school until they knew for sure that Dominic couldn’t get to him.
Remi still had to go to the fort daily to finish up the security upgrades. He’d followed up with Max at CGH and cleared his physical and scans. During his free time, he was working on a permanent transfer to Fort Yamano. If that fell through, he’d resign his commission and retire, or start a new business.
He’d already considered starting his own security company. His parents had left enough money and he had enough investments that he didn’t need to work. If he’d realized how unhappy Jake was, he’d have done something sooner.
In the meantime, TJ was trying to think of a way to keep Tiger assigned closer to home so he didn’t have to be separated from Remi, at least not until they could work on extending their link to allow longer absences and greater distance. One possibility was for them to get married.
Even though they were mated, that wasn’t something they could reveal and wouldn’t be recognized legally anyway, but if they were married the military had to guarantee that they could stay together in the same town or military facility.
As far as they were concerned, marriage wasn’t necessary but if it meant keeping them together, they might go for it. TJ didn’t know yet if there was any downside to it.
He knew Tiger wasn’t a great proponent of marriage. Considering how easy it was to break the contract he felt like it wasn’t worth the paper it was written on. He wasn’t going to change his name and he wasn’t going to wear a ring, so what was the point?
Remi didn’t have such qualms. Marriage or no marriage, he was updating all his documents to be sure Tiger had access to everything and legal custody of Jake if anything happened to him. Tiger was listed as his legal surrogate in all matters. He trusted Tiger with everything.
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