Jay laughed, though it verged on the edge of hysteria. Robin pushed and pulled at Tim until he followed his lead.
“Your mate sure is self-confident,” Tim said through gritted teeth.
“He is,” Robin agreed. He seated Tim on the sofa, watching the energy lines closely.
Meanwhile, Jay tried getting past Peter, but to no avail. He was hurling obscenities when someone came up behind Peter.
Fifteen
“PETER! BEHIND you!” Robin warned. How none of them had picked up or smelled the intruder—the incredibly large intruder who somehow looked like a sheriff in an old western movie—was beyond him.
“It’s all right,” Peter said without looking back. “This is Will, one of my clan. I called him.”
Jay used this moment of confusion to duck under Peter’s arm and run from the room.
“No!” Tim shouted. “Stop him!”
Will whirled around, his long overcoat flapping behind him. Peter followed as well, while Robin hovered next to Tim, trying his best to keep him seated.
Robin jumped when Jay’s piercing scream rang through the house. Tim gasped before he bounced to his feet, then hurried toward the threshold. Robin had no other option than to follow him.
“Tim, why don’t you let Peter handle it?”
“The way he handled keeping Jay away from Walter?” Tim threw over his shoulder.
Robin’s mouth dried out at the memory of Walter’s body. Robin said, “You’re not strong enough; you need to rest. Your energy lines… they aren’t looking good.”
Tim stopped and turned his head to look at Robin. His eyes were glazed over in pain, and a fine film of perspiration showed on his skin. “My energy lines?”
Robin flushed and cast a worried glance at Peter. His mate’s expression seemed frozen and Robin mumbled, “It’s a long story.”
Right at that moment, the massive, coat-wearing man came back carrying a thrashing Jay over his shoulders. Tim had already partially shifted by the time Robin realized what was going on.
“Tim, don’t!” Robin snatched Tim’s right arm, drawing Tim’s attention and fury to him.
Tim growled at Robin and glared at Robin’s hand on him until Peter walked up behind Tim, clasped his neck, and squeezed. “I suggest we go after Will and Jayden. Your mate doesn’t seem to find his current position very comfortable.”
“Comfortable?” Tim ranted. “He just saw his dead father, and now an unknown man is carrying him away. Would you be comfortable?”
“Then it would be best to follow them immediately. Are you in need of assistance to get back in the living room?”
Jay screeched and cursed at the man holding him, demanding to be let down immediately or else he’d kill him. Tim’s eyes grew wide upon hearing Jay’s threats. “Your friend Will, he won’t hurt Jay if he loses control?”
“No. He’s well aware that Jayden is deeply upset. Will generally doesn’t hurt someone smaller than him if he can help it.”
“All right, all right. Robin, come on, help me back. I don’t know anything about energy lines, but I feel faint.”
Peter pressed his lips into a thin line and shot Robin a warning look. Robin swallowed and averted his eyes. He’d have to remember better not to talk about energy lines.
They hastened back to the living room where they found Will sitting in one of the armchairs, holding a writhing Jay between his shins and thwarting every attempt of freeing himself with ease.
Will sized Tim up with a concerned expression. “Will you be able to hold him?”
“Sure,” Tim replied without conviction.
Will got up, dragging Jay with him, and beckoned Tim to sit down on the vacated chair. In one fluid move, he lifted Jay from the floor and settled him on Tim’s lap.
“Stay there,” he commanded.
Jay blazed with fury. “You don’t get to tell me what to do in my own home!”
Will bent over Jay, who shrunk back under the withering stare. Tim wrapped his arms around Jay’s quivering body when Will said, almost conversationally, “You will listen to what I say, little pup, and you will obey.”
“Will”—Peter laid a hand on Will’s shoulder—“the body, that was his father.”
“Oh.”
“That’s all you have to say? Fucking idiot! Get away from me! All of you! I’m going back to my father!” Jay shouted, although he didn’t try to get up from Tim’s lap.
“Jay,” Tim whispered.
“You will not,” Will stated. “Seeing his body in this state won’t make you feel better.”
“I want to heal him!” Jay cried, then turned to Tim. “Tell him I can heal.”
“You can’t heal the dead, baby. I’m sorry, I really am. I wish you could. Your dad has been gone for hours already,” Tim said.
Tim’s voice sounded so steady, yet compassionate. How could Tim do that? Robin had a hard time swallowing down tears.
“No! I can heal him. If there’s the slightest trace of life within him, I can.”
“There is no trace of life within him, Jayden. Your father is dead,” Peter said in a soft voice.
“No!”
Tim leaned his forehead against Jay’s right temple. “I’m sorry, Jay, I’m so sorry.”
“But it’s only been a few minutes….”
Tim sighed. “Hours, Jay. It’s been hours. You were unconscious for a while after you healed me. Maybe that’s why you feel so confused.”
“The mind is a wondrous thing. To protect his sanity, his mind stashed away some of the worst memories for later exploration. It’s really fascinating.”
Jay, Tim, and Robin stared at Will, all at a loss for words. Peter cleared his throat, then nudged the big man aside. “This is not the time to delve into psychological explorations. Do what you have to do, and I’ll try to get us upstairs so we can sleep. How many men will stand guard?”
Will straightened up, a businesslike expression settling on his plain face. “Eight altogether.”
“Good. Do your job.”
Will inclined his head, then strode out of the room, the long black overcoat rustling as he went. Peter gestured with his hands to the staircase. “Shall we?”
Jay jumped from Tim’s lap, his fists clenched at his side, and his face contorted in rage. Robin took an involuntary step backward and slid his left hand into Peter’s right.
“No! I will go back to my father and heal him, and after that I’m going to hunt down the men who did it”—Jay made a sweeping gesture with his arms, his voice growing weaker and at the same time more shrill—“and I will kill them. That’s what I will do. What you do is up to you!”
“Jay, that’s enough,” Tim said. He pulled at the waistband of Jay’s jeans, but Jay planted his feet on the floor, glaring at them.
“Enough? Enough! I’ll blame you, all of you, if I really can’t heal my father, now let go!”
Tim released his hold on Jay, and Jay walked toward the door.
Tim thwarted Peter’s immediate reaction of cutting Jay off with a weary “No. Don’t.”
“What? Are you crazy? Do you want to let him see Walter like—” Robin gulped. “—like that?”
“No, I don’t want that, but he’s beyond reasoning.”
Robin studied Tim. His blue eyes had turned gray, giving him an old appearance. With a jolt of surprise, he discovered streaks of gray at Tim’s temples. When did that happen? Robin tried to recall whether the gray had been there a few days before, but it seemed like a lifetime ago since he had left.
He’d changed so much in such a short time; everything had changed so dramatically in only a few days.
Peter stood very still, his head cocked to one side, seemingly listening. Will stuck his head through the open door. “He’s with his father. Do you wish me to get him for you?”
Tim shook his head. “No, but thank you for the offer.”
“He’s trying to heal him, Peter. He’s very weak, and if he keeps this up, he’ll lose consciousness again,
” Will said. The open concern for Jay’s well-being made him more sympathetic in Robin’s eyes.
“I know.” Peter sighed.
Tim pressed his lips together in a tight line while he clenched the armrests. Robin shuffled closer to Peter, then chanced a glance at Tim’s energy lines. The web that was uniquely Tim and Jay seemed to be unraveling. As soon as it started, Tim’s breathing accelerated, and he cringed in irregular intervals as if someone had slapped him.
“Peter!” Robin tugged at Peter’s hand.
“I see it too,” Peter replied.
“What does it mean? What’s happening?”
“Jayden is in a deep state of shock. It seems he’s undoing the bond with his mate.”
“What?”
“That’s impossible!” Tim said.
“It’s a rare event, that’s for sure. I’ve only seen it happen once,” Peter replied, his voice trembling.
Tim tried to push himself off the chair but aborted his attempt. Doubled over, he wheezed. Tim hurt, and Jay hurt as much, if not more. Robin darted a glance between Tim and Peter, then squared his shoulders. “I’ll get him for you.”
“Robin, I’m not sure that is a wise decision. Do you remember your reaction to Walter’s body?” Peter asked.
“I will not just do nothing!”
“If Jayden is able to cut their bond, maybe it wasn’t strong enough anyway.”
Tim bristled and hauled himself to his feet, swaying precariously on the spot. Robin lifted Peter’s hand, laid it on Tim’s shoulder, and said, “That’s bullshit. You stay with Tim, and I’ll get Jay.”
Peter stared at him for a moment, then sighed. “Since I always demand of you to trust me, I shall do the same for you. I will stay with your brother.”
“Bring him back to me, Robin,” Tim whispered.
Without another word, Robin turned on his heels and raced out of the room.
ROBIN FOUND Jay kneeling next to his father’s head, tears streaming down his face onto Walter’s corpse. Robin swallowed hard and concentrated on Jay, who held his hands over his father, swaying back and forth and muttering to himself.
Robin’s stomach twisted, and he inhaled sharply, hoping to ease some of the queasiness. He didn’t count on the taste of blood to permeate everything. He dry heaved several times, and his eyes streamed as he struggled to keep his composure.
He locked his eyes on Jay’s face, then reached out with both hands, tenderly cupping Jay’s face in his hands.
“Jay.”
Jay closed his eyes before abiding the light pressure of Robin’s hands. When he finally looked at Robin, he said, “Help me.”
“Jay, Walter is dead.”
A heart-wrenching sob erupted from Jay’s throat. Robin knelt down next to Jay, shivering when hot tears soaked through his jeans and sent his stomach plummeting into unknown spheres.
After he pulled Jay into his arms, Jay pressed his forehead against Robin’s chest and clutched the fabric of Robin’s shirt. Jay made almost no sound as he cried.
“Jay, we have to get back to Tim. You’re… you’re cutting your bond.”
“What?” Jay jerked his head up. “That’s impossible. Everyone told me werewolves mate for life. You only have to establish the bond, and after that it’s a done deal.”
“That’s what I thought too, but I could see it in Tim’s energy lines. I can see it in yours now. Everything is unraveling. A few links have already been severed.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Jay, there’s no time to explain it now, but you have to stop whatever it is you’re doing, or you’ll lose Tim. Haven’t you lost enough already?” Robin replied, hating himself for saying the words.
“How can you be so cruel?” Jay whispered.
Robin pushed and pulled, bringing them both to their feet. Jay darted a longing glance at his father’s body. “I want to try one more time. Just one more time, Robin. You could help me, maybe if we combine our power we can—”
“No.” It broke Robin’s heart to deny Jay’s wish. “Peter killed off most of the men that are responsible. They didn’t get away.”
“Most?”
“One or two might have survived. We didn’t wait because we wanted save you.”
“Save us, huh?”
Robin stiffened and reminded himself of Jay’s state of mind. This wasn’t the levelheaded friend he’d known; this was a grieving man beyond rational thought.
He allowed himself a trifle of coldness and asked, “Would you have rather we made sure to kill everyone and then come here to find you mourning your father and Tim? Because you couldn’t have kept Tim alive for much longer.”
Jay flinched as if someone had slapped him hard. “I did everything I could for him, and I would have kept on for as long as it took!”
“Don’t overestimate your healing powers. Tim was dying when we arrived.”
Jay shook his head. “No. I had everything under control. I would have healed Tim, and I would have been able to heal my father.”
“No, you wouldn’t, and I wish you’d stop lying to yourself. But you know what? If you’d rather try to revive your dead father, I won’t stop you. Just be aware that you might lose Tim, your mate, who is still alive.” More gently, Robin added, “Even if it doesn’t look like it now, you still have a future ahead of you. A future filled with the love of your mate. Are you really willing to throw that all away?”
“My dad isn’t dead!” Jay cried out.
“You’re a hybrid,” Robin said.
“How awesome to remind me of that fact. None of this would have happened if I were a pure-blooded werewolf. Didn’t you know?”
“That’s not what I meant. You should be able to see the energy lines too. Look around you, there should be something like… like an aura around me.”
“I know. It’s around everyone.”
“You know?” Robin gaped at Jay.
“Yeah. I’ve always seen those auras. I thought it was just another weird thing about me.”
“No. No, it’s not. Peter explained to me that all hybrids can see these energy lines, or auras if you prefer. He said it gives hybrids a certain advantage.”
Jay’s eyebrows furrowed, and he looked at Walter’s dead body again. He asked, “What has that got to do with my dad?”
“What do you see around him?” Robin asked. As soon as the words left his mouth, a painful knot filled his throat.
Jay stared at his father, glanced up at Robin, and looked back down again. The shivers turned into full-body shudders, rocking Jay’s lithe body from side to side. “Everything’s a mess, nothing’s intact. Oh my God! Robin, he’s really dead.”
Sixteen
ROBIN’S VISION blurred from too many tears. He didn’t want Jay to hurt; he never wanted anyone to hurt like this.
He started when several links between Jay and Tim burst with soft plopping sounds.
“Jay….” Robin trailed off, not knowing what else to say. He’d told Jay about the energy lines to prevent his and Tim’s bond from unraveling further, but instead their connections seemed to rupture even faster. Wasn’t there anything he could do?
A sudden change in air pressure around him caused him to open his eyes again.
Jay stood there in his animal form, his whiskers trembling. He had his tail tucked so tightly between his legs that the tip of his long bushy tail touched the pristine whiteness of his breast. He mewled, and Robin held out his arms for him. Jay leaped into his arms, pressing his small, quaking body against Robin’s.
He carried Jay in his wolf-fox form away from Walter’s dead body and into the living room, closing the door behind him with a kick of his heels.
Tim’s teeth were chattering when they approached. Peter murmured soothing words to Tim while he kept both hands on his shoulder. Tim didn’t seem to realize that they were back.
Jay wiggled in Robin’s arms, and he put him onto the floor. Jay jumped onto Tim’s lap in a smooth move, reminding Robin of a
cat. Tim flinched, and for a moment his gaze seemed void of any thought or emotion. Then Jay nudged his nose against Tim’s chin, and his eyes focused again. He lunged at Jay and wrapped his arms around him.
Jay smeared Walter’s blood all over Tim’s clothes, and then Robin looked down at himself. The desire to get rid of his clothes, to get rid of the coppery scent filling his nostrils had him panting.
Peter left his seat on the armrest, watching intently as Jay stood on his hind paws, his whole body stretched along Tim’s torso. The small red-furred head nuzzled at Tim’s face, licking and emitting keening noises. Tim stroked his hands over Jay’s body, his breathing coming in strained puffs.
Peter came over to where Robin stood in the middle of the room, mesmerized by the change in energy lines surrounding Tim and Jay.
“Behold, my angel, we are witness to something special,” Peter said, pulling Robin into his arms.
In awe, Peter and Robin watched as the links in Tim’s and Jay’s energy lines that had earlier been destroyed sought themselves out again, merging with sparks of cascading lights.
Robin didn’t know how long they stared at the spectacle in front of them. A strange sense of timelessness engulfed him, held him captive, and urged him not to miss a second of it.
When all energy lines were mended again, sparkling in a brilliant pink meshed with brown, Jay slid down Tim’s torso, yawned, and curled himself up on Tim’s lap. Tim’s hands rested on Jay’s head and behind, caressing him. Jay sighed in contentment before he closed his eyes.
For a moment Robin gaped. “Did he just fall asleep?”
“Shh,” Tim hushed him.
“After all that happened, he just falls asleep? He almost untied your bond!”
“Our bond is now stronger than it was before,” Tim whispered. “I can feel it here.” He pointed at his heart.
“That’s all you have to say? I saw how much you hurt just minutes ago because of him, and now you’ve forgiven him?”
A tiny smile appeared on Tim’s face. “He’s been through a lot in the last few weeks. Only a few weeks ago he didn’t even know he could alter his shape, and now he has lost his father. It would have been inhuman for him not to flip, don’t you think?”
Secret Energy (Shifters Book 2) Page 11
