“A dark night.” The cool voice greeted him from the shadows of the side of the building.
Daniel’s killer turned his head to find the man he’d been waiting for leaning there. He strolled past an old oak that had been cross-bred with a nyca tree. It was a Barrian shrub and bush with thick limbs and plum leaves, but this tree had green leaves.
“How does it look?” he asked, knowing his companion had just glimpsed the constitution and bill of rights. The grim look on his face, told him it wasn’t good. They hadn’t planned for it to be that good.
“He nailed it,” his companion said. “It’s better than Brad’s.”
Daniel’s killer shook his head. “Jarvis couldn’t find any copies of it.”
“There are only a few things in it the public won’t like,” the older man said in a tone filled with tension. “I don’t think they’ll outweigh the documents as a whole.”
“What won’t they like?”
“The gay and bisexual rights are stellar, equal with the northern and eastern parts of Barria. It’ll be just like living there.”
“We can’t have that here,” he murmured.
“No,” his companion agreed. “I don’t care what they do behind closed doors or even in their own communities, but not in the town proper.” He clenched his fist. “But they outnumber us. So, we’ll have to continue with the rest of our plan. We’ll have to turn the townspeople against Jaxon, but the only way to do that is to ensure Jarvis is against him.”
“That won’t be a problem,” Daniel’s killer said. “He wants to lead, to control this town, bend its residents to his will.”
“Then, he might lose some of his own people,” the older man said. “They have nothing to complain about with Jaxon’s work. It’s the perfect compromise.”
“Jarvis is a strong ally, and all within his rank give us even more leverage against the others.”
“Cats make up the biggest group. Without them, the other pure-breds won’t be able to stand against us,” the older man said.
“We’d have to kill someone close to Jarvis and set someone else up for that murder as well as Daniel’s and make the public think Jaxon is behind it because they know the articles the council saw tonight are just for show. Jaxon plans to replace those articles with more restrictive ones that give gays and bisexuals all the power.”
“Not to mention how they’ll subjugate women,” his companion said with a diabolical grin. “Their human women are so hungry for power and independence yet their politics is still a boy’s club.”
“Exactly why rumor will create a revolt and leave the door wide open for Jarvis and then for us to kill him off and take control.”
“Son of a bitch.” The whisper floated on the wisp of street lights that reached long fingers into the shadows.
Both men turned to find a figure in shadow peeking from behind a tree trunk.
“Shit. Tom,” Daniel’s killer said. “He’ll tell the others about me.”
Tom strode toward them, body vibrating with rage. “How the fuck dare you?” he snarled. “We trusted that you wanted what we wanted. Daniel knew better, but the rest of us—Jarvis convinced us you were with us. Just wait until he finds out you’ve been playing us all along.”
“Tom—” He reached to grab the other man. He could talk him down but that wouldn’t last. Tom would go running to Jarvis as soon as he left.
“Let go of me,” Tom said and jerked out of his hold. He took a step and let out a gasp. His body went rigid and Daniel’s killer turned and saw cold fury in the older man’s gaze.
His fist clenched and thin streams of silver-gray energy drilled into Tom’s back. Blood began to trickle down the elder’s nose. He was using a skill common to Southern Barrians called rock beam. He was crushing the bones in Tom’s back but from the looks of it, the ability wasn’t as strong on this planet as it typically was on Barria.
He caught Tom as he staggered forward. “Help!” The word was weak, but could draw the couple he could hear. He hit him in the back of the head.
“Fuck.” The elder sagged. “Is he dead?”
He felt for and found a weak pulse. “Yes.”
“Get rid of him,” he ordered. “Make it look like Daniel’s murder. I’ll take care of them.”
“Is everything okay?” Keyos called.
“I just caught a cramp,” the elder said. “Could you help me to a bench in the square?” He stumbled forward just as Daniel’s killer dragged Tom behind the building.
Chapter Thirteen
Jaxon’s lips curved into a smile as the first rays of sun whispered across his skin the next morning. Kel was snuggled against his back with his hand resting lightly on his stomach. There wasn’t a single ounce of tension in his body as he just lay there enjoying the feel of his man against him.
Last night had been hot as a flash fire and wild as a tornado. He looked forward to being shared by the two men again, but right now, this was a perfect moment that he’d been living for.
“I love you, Kel,” he said softly. “Right here with you is where I was always meant to be.”
Kel’s lips brushed his neck. “Now, this is the way life was meant to be,” Kel said. “Me waking up with you.”
“I agree.” He grinned, happy, relaxed.
Kel stretched against him and his fingers drifted down to rub against the front of Jaxon’s briefs. Jaxon laughed softly. He could feel Kel’s need pressing into his back. “Looks like someone’s—” He broke off with a startled gasp as Kel tumbled him onto his back and moved over him. As he did he covered Jaxon’s mouth with his own, claiming a long kiss.
Jaxon sighed arching into him, tangling his legs with Kel’s. Their tongues dueled.
“Mmm.”
Kel rolled them over so he lay beneath Jaxon. Jaxon looked down at him. “Do you want me?” Jaxon asked.
“Always.” Kel gave him a lazy smile.
“I burned you last night.” He straddled Kel and looked down at him. “You’re comfortable with my power knowing I could kill you?”
Kel sat up and closed his arms around Jaxon. “You said you loved me. I trust that,” he answered.
Jaxon kissed his jaw and trailed kisses to Kel’s ear to murmur, “Thank you.”
Kel hugged him and lay back. Jaxon look down at him with a smile playing on his lips.
Jaxon kissed him softly. He sighed into the kiss and then moved slightly. His erection brushed Kel’s, setting off sparks in his groin. His ass was sore after last night, but he wanted—Kel thrust up against him, holding Jaxon’s hips as he deepened the kiss.
Jaxon groaned and rubbed against him. “That feels so damn good,” he whispered.
“Don’t stop,” Kel said and stretched, grabbing the tube from the top of the nightstand where it had been tossed last night. With his other hand, he tugged Jaxon’s briefs down and squeezed lube down his crack. He stroked a hand down the curve of his ass as Jaxon ground their cocks together.
“Don’t make me wait for it, Kel.” Electricity crackled on his skin. “You make me so damn hot.” He traced Kel’s bottom lip with his tongue.
Kel’s finger slipped inside him. “Your ass is so fucking tight.”
“Is it tighter than Zier’s?”
“Yes.” His tone was tight as he drew his finger out. Kel thrust his finger deeper into his lover and drew it out and added lube.
“I like that more,” he crooned and ground against him. He braced his hands on Kel’s chest and moved faster. Kel drove his fingers into him and Jaxon clenched on them.
“Sweets,” Kel murmured. “Faster.”
Jaxon obeyed driving them both to a quick climax. He shuddered and collapsed on Kel’s chest. Jaxon kissed his shoulder.
* * * *
An hour later, Jaxon stepped into the diner with Kel on his heels. He immediately felt the eyes of some of the breakfast crew fall on them as they made their way to a table. His father was there having breakfast with Trek, Julian Bridger and Julian’s grandfather. Jaxon glimpsed dis
gust in his father’s eyes before he turned away.
“Brought your boyfriend to breakfast, Jax?” Trek called and the entire dining room went still.
Jaxon stopped in his tracks. His ears felt hot, and his stomach dropped. Jaxon heard a bird tweeting and a car in the parking lot outside. He swallowed convulsively as his worst fear sprang to life and he turned his head to meet his brother’s triumphant gaze. The judge’s words played across his mind.
“You’ll earn the respect of the people of this town if you show them you’re willing to lead them.”
“Actually—” Jaxon paused, about to deny it, then tilted his chin up. “Actually, that’s exactly right,” he said and reached back for Kel’s hand feeling his heart slam against his ribcage. Was he really doing this? He hoped Judge Logan was right. If he wasn’t, so what? He wasn’t going to have to hide anymore.
The conversations started up again sluggishly, and Jaxon still felt some eyes on them as they made their way to a table next to a window.
“Dumbass move, but you’ve got balls,” Alicia, a friend of Travis and Keyos’s mate, Daisy, said after sauntering over to their table to take their order. “What are you having with courage?” She gave Jaxon a smile.
He gave a nervous laugh as he looked up at her. “Pancakes and coffee.”
“And you, gorgeous?” she asked Kel.
“Tea and steak and eggs.”
“Hashbrowns, boys?”
“That’d be good,” Jaxon said.
“Be back with your drinks in a few.”
“What happened with you and your family last night?” Kel asked quietly. “Trek knows he just cut your political throat.”
“They disowned me.”
“Why?” Kel asked carefully. “Because you’re gay or because you refused to toe the line.”
“Pick one,” he answered coolly and turned his gaze out the window. “Both.”
“Bastards.”
“They turned on me like a pack of rabid hyenas with my grandfather leading the way. I don’t have a family anymore.”
“That’s a lie,” Kel said softly. “You have me. You have three brothers.”
Jaxon met his gaze and reached across the table for his hand. “Thanks, baby.”
Kel smiled faintly. “For what? Loving you back?”
Warmth pooled in the pit of Jaxon’s stomach. “You love me?” he asked, surprise caressing his words and fear tightening his chest.
“Here you guys go.” Alicia returned right then with their drinks.
* * * *
Dade stared at the dead body sprawled on the living room floor of Tom’s home. Tom had been instrumental in helping them get rid of the feds who’d tried to expose the cat shifters a few months ago. However, he’d known Tom had fallen in with a small group called the Purists who were trying to prevent gay, bisexual and cat shifters from holding offices of power. The Purists wanted those three groups gone from this town, but not at the expense of federal government involvement.
“Someone cut his throat.” The brown-haired coroner looked up from his crouch next to Tom’s crumpled body.
“Cause of death?” Dade asked, and a clearing of a throat turned his head. He locked eyes with one of the deputies, clad in his police-issue brown uniform and a pair of gloves. Cosky was rumored to be part of that Purist group. “What is it Cosky?”
“I found a watch, his phone, and it looks like he traded a few messages with our mayoral candidate, Jaxon Dillon.” His expression pulled into lines of coldness.
“Give the phone to one of the techs. See if they can run it down.”
“Right.”
“Awe hell.”
“What?” Dade tensed.
“I thought the hand was just beneath the back, but it’s gone,” the coroner said. “The cut throat is more than likely the cause of death though. I think the hand was taken while he was still alive.”
“And no one heard the screaming?” Dade asked with a frown. “Any sign that he was tied or gagged?”
“None.” The coroner shook his head. “There are slight signs of a struggle, and I think there are a few hairs here that don’t match Tom’s.”
“Angie.” He motioned her over when she looked his way.
“Yeah?”
“Evidence bag.”
She brought one over and the doctor dropped in the hair. “This is turning into a real mess,” she murmured.
“Hey boss,” Alexa came into the living room. “I found something you might want to come have a look at.”
He headed to join her in the hallway of the single-story house. Tom didn’t live too far from Jaxon. They both lived on the southern side of town. “What is it?”
She held up an SD card. “Found this hidden in a tablet’s drive. The tablet was under the pillow on the chair. I can’t imagine why the doer would trash the room and not touch the pillow.”
He stepped past her and moved down the narrow hallway to peek into an open bedroom door. The master was spacious and it was indeed a mess with drawers dumped and the laptop shattered on the wood floor. He rubbed his jaw. The scents had all been muddied when he’d arrived, so he’d had no luck picking out any one person.
He didn’t like this. It was unlike the first two crime scenes. Where they had been mysteriously devoid of evidence this one was brimming with it. He smelled a set-up.
“Shall we have a sneak peek or wait?” she asked.
“Let’s check it out,” he said blandly and turned to her as he grabbed the tablet and popped it into the slot.
After getting the tablet up and running they looked through the sparse files on it. Deputy Alexa selected the second one entitled “Constitution.” They went over the few points and she selected the third one entitled “Real deal.” They studied them.
“Whoa,” she said and exhaled roughly. “What a son of a bitch! Jaxon looks so harmless.”
“Take it out,” he said. “Turn them in as evidence, but make sure that SD card is copied first.” His gut roiled with dread as he shook his head. He didn’t think Jaxon would pull something like this, but the evidence made it seem as if Tom had somehow found out Jaxon was planning a nasty surprise for the residents who might be won over enough to vote for him. “Fuck!”
“Yeah, shit’s ‘bout to hit the fan,” Alexa muttered in a tone vibrating with anger.
“Don’t fucking leak that,” he told her coldly. “If you do, your ass is fired. I’m going to head over to the law office and talk to Jaxon. You do your job and question Tom’s pals and try to find out how Tom might have gotten his hands on that.”
“Don’t shirk your duty, Dade,” she said quietly. “I respect you but if you let that son of a bitch get away with this, I’m quitting.”
He gave her a hard glare. “Do what you have to, but I’m not charging Jaxon without proof.”
“You didn’t need it when it came to killing Beets,” she snapped. “Believe me I understood that, but what about the lawyers? They didn’t attack. Where are they? There is no record of them being sent to any jail.”
He gave her a hard look. Beets had killed his female mate, and he’d attacked him. The lawyers had been co-conspirators in that murder as well as others. He’d done what had to be done and wouldn’t justify himself to her. Beets and those lawyers had been deadly threats to their town.
He walked past her without answering, but stopped with his back to her in the doorway. “Do your job, Alexa. Don’t fuck with me on this.” He strode out into the hallway finding two officers there who gave him a curious stare. He left the house with a bad feeling that this was about to turn into a war that would leave them all scarred.
* * * *
Jaxon ended a video call with a client in the city with a huge sigh. He hated to go back into town so soon, but there wasn’t going to be any way around it. He sat back in his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose. His head was killing him.
A rap on his door drew an irritated groan from him. “Come in,” he called, hoping it wasn’t
Jarvis again. The problem with a small town was space. They were sharing a building because it put them both in a prime location on Main Street in an old brick building that was a historical landmark. His office overlooked the side of town square.
Dade’s muscular body filled his doorway and the grim look on his handsome face turned Jaxon cold. “Dade? Have you found out anything about who attacked me?”
Dade closed the door and strode toward the desk. “Actually, I’ve found some interesting evidence at a crime scene that points to you as the killer.”
“I didn’t—someone’s been killed? Who?” Oh God.
“Tom—”
“Tom in my neighborhood?” He jumped in, feeling nauseated.
“Yes. When was the last time you spoke to him?” Dade asked tightly.
“Yesterday at the library,” he answered. “Travis was there. He can tell you all about it.”
“Did you talk to him or anyone who might be friends with him about the constitution and bill of rights rewrites you were doing?”
“No.” He shook his head. “I just finished last night, and sent out a copy to the council head.”
“I’ll talk to Junis.”
“Then, I went to my family’s for dinner before heading to the orchard.”
“What time did you leave?” Dade asked.
“I was with Kel all night,” he admitted with a faint smile. “He’ll vouch for that.”
“I’m sure he will,” he said. “You ever leave copies of the articles here?”
“No.” He shook his head.
“I’ll need a sample of your hair. We found hair that didn’t appear to match Tom’s at the crime scene,” Dade told him.
“Fine, but I’ll come by the station after work.” He had nothing to hide.
Chapter Fourteen
Kel watched the kids Zier had brought out to the orchard to pick fruit and nuts and learn about composting human and Barrian style. They’d managed to combine the two to create healthy trees and lands.
“How was he this morning?” Zier asked as he stood next to Kel, hands in his pockets.
Passion's Fire [Alien Passions 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour ManLove) Page 9
