by Jools Louise
“We just want to see them,” the first shifter said, tears trickling down his face. “We heard what happened to them, and to some friends of ours, Luther and Lomax, and their sisters. We heard their brothers died in that tunnel. We hate what our father did—he’s the one who told that cult where our brothers were. He even preached in our church about getting rid of bad seeds and the sins committed by his own sons.”
“I’ll take you along,” Mason said gently, placing a hand on the young man’s shoulder after wiping his hands on a tea towel. “Lex told me that Luther and Lomax were awake, and their sisters, too,” he said, brushing away the man’s tears with a tissue. “Come on,” he said and guided them out of the kitchen. “Stay here, Alfie,” he said just before he exited. “We need a calm head right now.” He winked and left.
Alfie looked crestfallen, his eyes downcast.
“You were right to ask them their intentions,” Lash said quietly, moving to the counter to take over slicing vegetables for their evening meal. “We didn’t really have a lot to do with their family, they were put there just before they blasted the tunnel and split us up.”
“I was a little harsh, wasn’t I?” Alfie answered tearfully.
“No, baby, you were defending those who are too helpless to protect themselves right now. After what happened with these guys’ families, it’s not surprising you’d be suspicious,” Jay replied, coming over to hug his mate. “I would have asked the same thing myself, but you beat me to it.”
“It sounds like they all had a tough ride growing up,” Rage said. “Being strict is one thing, but when you keep browbeating people over and over with your beliefs, they don’t stand a chance of thinking for themselves.”
“Like what we did to Ethan?” Charm added glumly. “We did the same thing, didn’t we? Being mean and rude all the time. It’ll be a miracle if he we ever end up mated to him.”
“It’s Cody you need to worry about,” Jay said, grinning at the young wolverines. “Ethan doesn’t look like he hates you anymore. I think maybe he’s just confused, wanting to like you but remembering what you said to him.” He grinned more when they flinched, flushing and looked ashamed. “Now Cody, he’s another deal altogether.”
“Yeah, he’d like to rip us apart and hide the remains,” Slug said glumly, scowling into his cup of hot chocolate.
“Or tie concrete blocks to your feet and throw you out to sea…or maybe drop you into a lake.” Jay came to help Lash at the counter, bumping him with his hip.
Lash growled a little, looking disgruntled. “Thanks for the pep talk, buddy,” he said with a scowl.
“Anytime, sweetie,” Jay retorted, smirking, firing up the flame grill and throwing a load of juicy steaks on top once it started smoking.
“You’re just like John, aren’t you?” Lash asked, sighing, a slight smile turning up the corners of his mouth as he eyed the crazy cat.
“No, sweetie, I’m far worse than he is.” Jay chuckled, looking proud of the fact.
“He’s not wrong,” Alfie said, smiling now. “The two of them together? Not worth thinking about—it’d give you nightmares.” He grabbed utensils, and began placing them on the table neatly, along with napkins and place mats.
“Ethan will come around,” Jay said more seriously. “He’s confused. It’s not long since you guys were released and given your freedom. It’ll take time to heal the emotional scars. At some point, you’ll have to share your own experiences—and be completely honest with him. No more of that bullshit aggression to hide your try feelings.” He sent the shifters a hard look.
“I’d just like to have a proper conversation with him,” Slug said, sighing heavily. “So far we’ve only spoken a few words.”
“At least you’ve made progress,” Alfie said, smiling. “It says a lot for your mate’s courage that he’s willing to move forward and forget the past, break new ground so to speak. “
A few minutes later, the steaks were cooked, the fries and salad were ready, and all were tucking into the piles of food hungrily. For dessert, courtesy of Café Anglais, there were three pies, one lemon meringue, one key lime, and one apple and blackberry with fresh cream. A fourth was kept in the fridge for when Mason returned, and a plate of food had been left in the warming drawer of the oven.
They began discussing the tattoo parlor, making plans. Jay got his laptop, once plates were cleared, and he and Alfie started with basic computer skills lessons. It was late before they finished, quite content with how the day had gone.
* * * *
Mason had a lump in his throat as he entered the clinic’s larger ward, viewing the six small shifters there, still hooked up to IVs even after two months. Being small, they’d had less body mass to sustain them and were in worse shape than Ethan and his comrades had been. Mason had heard from Thomas what he’d seen, the dead serval shifters in a corner, the other two terrified out of their wits, too afraid to shift—and too weak. The shift had nearly killed them.
He pressed a finger to his lips, not wanting to startle the patients. He didn’t know how the caracals would react to seeing their brothers. After what the two newcomers had said, their names Miller and Victor, he kept a close eye on them. He and his friends in town had visited Max, Harley, and the serval siblings often. They needed reassurance that they were free, that they were safe. He wasn’t going to upset them if they didn’t want to see these two who had once behaved badly.
Max, Harley,” he murmured as he strode over to the caracals’ beds. They were sitting up, looking rested and much better than he had hoped. A steady diet of healthy, nutritious food had built them up, and they were alert.
The serval family were either reading or talking quietly and smiled over at Mason as he waved hello. He loved the little guys, feeling protective of them all.
“Hey, Mason, got any treats?” Max asked, his golden eyes sparkling hopefully. From behind his back, the big jaguar shifter produced a large box, filled with an assortment of doughnuts, courtesy of John’s bakery. He’d called over, explaining what he intended to do, and John had met him, offering backup if he needed it. John was waiting outside with the caracal brothers. First Mason needed to explain things, find out how amenable Max and Harley were first.
“Hungry are you?” Mason asked, seeing everyone’s eyes light up. Gathering around, Luther, Lomax, and their sisters grabbed a doughnut each, munching happily.
“Have we told you lately that you’re our absolute favorite person?” Ruth said, batting her green eyes at him.
He chuckled, knowing the drill. “That’s what you say to all the guys bringing you doughnuts, isn’t it?”
She nodded cheerfully, then giggled. “Yep. Now why is John waiting outside the door? He’s not afraid of a bunch of little felines, is he?” she asked, nodding to the door.
John’s head peered around the door, and he waved. “Hey there, little girl,” he teased. “What’s this about Mason being your favorite person? Who provided the doughnuts? Me. I’d say that makes me the better person, don’t you?”
He winked at her, smiling when she nodded and laughed. “Yeah, but Douglas made his especially for us and iced them himself,” she teased. “Did you make these?”
He grinned, moving inside the room. “You got me there, love. I merely rescued them from the display,” he said, smiling. “I needed to offload them on some unsuspecting people, so lucky you.”
She paused, a second doughnut halfway to her mouth, looking at the sticky treat warily. “Offload them?”
“Ignore him,” Mason said, rolling his eyes. “He had these all ready for you guys,” he continued. “He was on his way over when I called him.”
“Why did you call him?” Harley asked timidly, his golden eyes curious.
“Because we wanted to visit you,” another voice answered from the doorway, and Miller and Victor stepped into the ward.
There was a moment of utter silence, everyone staring at the two visitors. Max’s eyes filled up, as did Harley’s. He looked dow
n at the bed covering, trembling like a leaf. Harley’s face hardened imperceptibly, and his gaze could have sliced through solid metal.
“Why are you here?” Harley asked, his jaw rigid. “Come to tease the butt sluts again?” He sounded bitter, his words slicing across the space between the brothers.
“We…wanted to tell you…that we’re sorry,” Miller burst out, looking as upset as his brothers. “Dad is dead. He picked a fight with the wrong person, and he died.” He looked down at his feet. “If you don’t want us here, we understand,” he added, looking miserable.
“Mom and Auntie Sylvia tried to stop us coming,” Victor said, his mouth trembling, looking as unhappy as his brother. “We needed to come. We needed to tell you for ourselves how bad we feel about everything. We didn’t know what Dad had done until it was too late.”
“Why are you here?” Harley asked for the second time, looking from Miller to Victor and back again, more puzzled than anything now. “If Dad’s dead, why do you need to see us? We’re nothing to you. You said we were not your brothers if we continued to be gay. Max still wants to be female. Nothing’s changed here, so why don’t you go back to your safe, secure little world? Maybe you can take up where Daddy dearest left off and preach poison to the masses?”
He turned to the side, his back to the room, and ignored his brothers.
“Are you here to take us back with you?” Max asked, sobbing. He looked up at his brothers, long lashes spiked with tears.
“No!” Victor cried, taking a step closer. “We heard what happened here, with the cult and everything. We did what we were told, because we were too scared to defy father. We’re cowards, too afraid of him. We never believed those things we said, but didn’t want him to punish us as he did you. We’re stupid. We want to make amends. We tried to find you, after you left, but he told us you were dead.”
Victor began to cry now, his fists clenched as he stared at Harley’s unyielding back. “He told us you’d been killed because you were sinners. That you defied him, and if we did the same, we would be killed, too. Then he whipped us into a coma and locked us in the coal cellar for a month to “consider our options.”
Harley turned slowly, his eyes teary as well. “He whipped you?” he asked. “He beat you until you were unconscious?”
Miller nodded, sniffing hard.
“I guess he hurt all of you,” Mason said quietly, swallowing hard. “It’s probably a good thing he’s dead, so you can be a family again—one who loves each other and doesn’t judge.”
“Our parents died a while ago,” Sian said, coming over to place an arm around Victor’s shoulders, hugging him and stroking his back soothingly. “They never really judged us and were happy with however we turned out. It didn’t matter who we loved, as long as we were happy. I know friends of ours didn’t fare so well. Some people are angry about those things they don’t understand and expect everyone else to be angry as well.”
Ruth came over as well, squeezing Miller’s shoulder gently. “Honey, I can imagine it being difficult defying a bully. If you saw what he did to your brothers here, no wonder you were so scared of him. He brainwashed you, terrified you, and then when you dared to question him, he beat you. Mason’s right, he’s better off dead.”
“Are you staying?” Max asked tremulously. “We’ve been invited to go live above the bakery when we’re well enough. “I’m not sure about Ernest, though, he’s still pretty sick.” Max looked at one bed, where a young man lay, not looking at anyone, totally silent. His eyes looked vacant, as though he was in deep shock.
“Who’s that?” Miller asked in a whisper.
“Ernest’s four brothers died in the tunnel,” Mason said in a low voice, his gaze wandering to the silent young ocelot shifter. “He hasn’t spoken since we freed him. I’m not sure I blame him. He’s suffered a terrible loss.”
Miller looked at the man in the bed, wiping his eyes. “He lost his whole family down there?” he asked in horror. The man turned his head slowly, dark brown eyes staring at him with such desolation in them, that Mason let out a soft cry of distress.
Without thinking he went over to the bed, gathering the man in his arms and holding him, trying to offer comfort. He felt the trembling in the slight body against his, then thin arms went around him, holding on tightly. “I can’t bring them back,” he said, choking back tears. “I’m sorry I can’t do that.” He stroked Ernest’s back gently, felt the trembling increase, then the man began convulsing as great, wracking sobs ripped through him. “Ah, Ernest, you cry, baby. Cry it all out.”
Mason held on, as though he held a broken child. He couldn’t even begin to contemplate how much pain the man must be in. To wake up, after so much suffering, then find out you were all alone in the world. He didn’t know how Ernest kept going.
Luther padded across, getting onto the bed and holding Ernest as well, murmuring soothing words to the man. “You beat those cult bastards,” he said, laying his head on Ernest’s trembling shoulder. “It means you get to live life exactly how you want to, without anyone else telling you how to do it differently.” He pressed a kiss to Ernest’s moist cheek. “I’m so sorry your brothers didn’t make it. I’m sorry we lost two of our brothers. But you have a family here, if you’d like to join us. You can be our honorary brother.”
Mason felt a tear trickle down his cheek then, seeing all the serval siblings gather around, nodding in agreement. Ernest’s head was buried against his big chest, his thin body still far too slender. Mason didn’t think he’d been too interested in eating.
“You can join our family, too,” Harley said gruffly. “Maybe we can all make one big family. Strength in numbers and all that.” He looked at his brothers. “I’d like you to stay,” he said, sighing and wiping away tears. “Family’s important, and I understand why you didn’t want to go against father. We never thought he’d attack you as well.”
“I’d like to be part of your family,” Ernest said, in a hoarse, raspy whisper. The room went silent as he spoke.
“Of course you do,” Ruth said with a grin. “We’re the absolute best family,” she said with a wink at John who stood quietly watching events unfold.
“You’re the absolute best family who doesn’t bring fresh doughnuts to its friends,” John replied gruffly, his eyes bright with emotion as he looked at Ernest lying in Mason’s arms. Mason got to his feet, letting the serval family surround their friend and gather him close.
“How long can we stay at the inn?” Miller asked quietly. “We have a little money set aside, but we’d like to stay longer.”
“I can ask at the ranch,” John replied. “Or, if everyone agrees, there are three bedrooms above the bakery, on the top floor. I bet, with an extra sofa bed or two, it could accommodate all of you. Why don’t you discuss it tomorrow, once you’ve had a good night’s sleep? For now, I think it’s time Miller and Victor headed back to the guesthouse, and we’ll talk tomorrow.”
Harley gestured from his bed, beckoning his brothers over. Immediately, the two penitent brothers went to him, hugging one another tightly, and Max as well, murmuring over and over again how sorry they were.
Mason waved good-bye and left with the caracal brothers and John, wiping his eyes as he went.
Chapter Seven:
Spirit Ink
Alfie had his eyes closed, trying not to wince, as the tattoo pen skimmed over his chest. He had volunteered to be Spirit Ink’s first customer, wanting a permanent mark on him, showing his devotion to his two big shifters.
Slug had been reluctant at first, but Alfie was persuasive. Alfie’s request had been a simple display, a banner, including the names Jay and Mason, with his in between, and some kind of artwork to show the love between them and their forever bond. Alfie had left it up to Slug to design the thing, and now the bald-headed, blue-plaited wolverine was two hours into his task and Alfie was wondering what in hell he’d let himself in for. He should have stuck to an eternity band around his finger.
“All
done,” Slug suddenly said, sitting back and stretching the kinks out of his shoulders. Alfie heard the crack as bones realigned.
“Really?” he asked and flushed at Slug’s dry look.
“No, I just thought I’d say that for kicks, to get you all excited,” Slug retorted in the same vein.
Alfie stuck out his tongue and then sat up. Looking down, he tried to keep the worry off his face about what Slug might have done. He wanted something special, something amazing—and wasn’t sure a badass former guard of an evil cult had the sensitivity to understand what he wanted to convey.
He gasped, his mouth parting in awe, and breathed in deeply. The tattoo was everything he’d been hoping for. The sun, moon, and stars were inscribed in gold and red and black, creating a never-ending circle that mimicked Earth’s never-ending transition between light and dark as it rotated on its axis. In the center, three shifters’ faces looked out, a snow leopard, a black jaguar, and a small gold-and-black leopard in the center. Around the tiger’s neck a collar displayed the words “I’m with him” with an arrow pointing to the right and left, to the other two shifters. The jaguar and snow leopard each had collars also, which declared “I’m with them.” Alfie laughed aloud, loving the quirky, amusing design, which still represented how each of the three lovers considered the other. Jay and Mason were his sun, moon, and stars. They were everything—and the big shifters felt exactly the same.
“Thank you, this is amazing,” Alfie squealed, grabbing Slug in a fierce hug and kissing his cheek, then hugging him again.
“Okay, okay, no need to get all emotional on me,” Slug replied, rolling his eyes. Alfie grinned at him, seeing the pleasure in the man’s eyes and the slight blush on his cheeks. Slug may act the tough guy, but he was still pleased by Alfie’s compliment.
