Jago

by Catherine Lievens

  He stopped only once they got in front of the white house. He’d lived there his entire life up until his father had sold him to the company. He couldn’t help but wonder if his parents had given his things away or if they’d kept them. Were they still looking for him? Or had his father managed to convince his mother it was no use? Were they used to not having Jago around, or did it still hurt when they thought about it?

  Jago took a deep breath and raised his hand to ring the bell.

  * * * *

  Corbin kept his eyes on Jago, but he was aware of the footsteps coming closer from inside the house. He knew the person who was about to open the door was a woman, and that she was light. She also didn’t hesitate to open, so Corbin was almost sure she wasn’t a danger. He still tensed in preparation as the door swung open.

  The woman looked at Jago but there was no recognition in her eyes. “Yes?”

  Jago’s shoulders sagged. “Um, hello. Is Marian Jensen in?”

  The woman looked up and down and her gaze lingered on Jago’s clothes, but she nodded. “Yes. Who do I have to tell her is here?”

  “Jago.”

  The woman frowned, but she didn’t add anything. She closed the door and Corbin heard her walk away. He squeezed Jago’s hand and Jago squeezed back. He didn’t look away from the door, not that Corbin had expected him to. He could feel just how nervous and worried Jago was through their bond. The feelings had never been so clear.

  A woman shouted somewhere in the house, then quick footsteps came toward the front door. Corbin readied himself, but he didn’t try to put himself between Jago and the woman who opened the door. He knew it was Jago’s mother and that she wouldn’t hurt him. And even if she did try, Corbin would stop her before she could.

  He let Jago’s hand go when Jago’s mother threw herself in his arms and Jago hugged her back. “Jago, oh my God. I can’t believe—where have you been? Are you all right? What happened?”

  She pushed Jago away and held him at arm’s length. She looked at him from head to toe, and Corbin frowned. He knew she was Jago’s mother, but he still didn’t like the way she looked at him.

  Jago briefly glanced at Corbin and smiled, and Corbin settled. “I’m fine, Mom.”

  She shook her head. “Fine? That’s all you have to say? You’ve been gone for two years, Jago. You didn’t call, didn’t write. I...” Her voice broke and she sobbed. “We thought you were dead.”

  Jago lowered his gaze. “I’m sorry. I should’ve called. I know that, but I—I couldn’t.”

  Someone else was coming toward them, as fast as Jago’s mother had come. Corbin looked past her and relaxed when he saw it was a young man with the same red hair Jago sported. His eyes were wide as he came to the door and looked outside. His gaze stopped on Jago and he pushed Jago’s mother out of his way to hug Jago. “What the fuck!”

  “Hey, Garth,” Jago said, his voice trembling.

  Corbin looked left and right and cleared his throat. There might not be immediate danger, but he’d rather not risk it. Jago leaned away from Garth and rolled his eyes, but he took Corbin’s hand again and looked at his mother. “Maybe we could go inside?”

  “Oh, of course. Come in, both of you.”

  Jago pulled Corbin inside the house and his mother closed the door behind them. “I have so many questions,” she told Jago.

  “I know, Mom. I’ll answer them all, or at least I’ll try. Just... it’s not going to be an easy thing to do for me.”

  Jago’s mother nodded and turned toward Corbin. He saw her eyes slide down and take in his hand clasped with Jago’s, but she didn’t say anything. She stuck her hand out and he shook it. “I’m Jago’s mother, Marian.”

  “I’m Corbin. Jago’s mate.”

  Her eyes went round and she launched herself at Jago again. “You found your mate? I’m so happy for you, Jago!”

  Garth rolled his eyes and offered Corbin his hand, too. “I’m Garth, Jago’s brother.”

  “Corbin.”

  Garth nodded and turned back to his mother. “Mom, let Jago go. He needs to breathe, you know.”

  Marian huffed and pulled away. She gestured at Jago to follow her, and where Jago went Corbin went, so he followed his mate. Marian led them to a living room. It was warm and full of the morning light, and it smelled of peaches. Corbin wrinkled his nose at the overpowering fragrance, but he couldn’t smell anyone under it. They were alone.

  “I’ll ask Meg to bring something to drink,” Marian said before stepping out of the room.

  Jago looked at his brother. “Meg?”

  “The housekeeper,” Garth answered.

  “Since when do you have a house keeper?”

  Garth sat on the couch and Jago sat next to him. Corbin stayed beside him, on his feet, just in case. Jago smiled softly at him and a wave of gratitude flowed through their bond. It made Corbin happy, because he knew he was doing the right thing.

  “Dad’s firm started doing well sometime after you disappeared. We’re—well, I guess you could say we’re rich now.”

  Jago’s smile disappeared, but Garth didn’t seem to notice. He kept on talking, so Corbin leaned forward and squeezed Jago’s shoulder. Jago didn’t turn to look at him, but he put his hand on Corbin’s and kept it there.

  That Garth noticed, and just as Marian came back in the living room, he asked, “How long have you been together? Are you already mated?”

  “Oh, we’ll have to do a small ceremony,” Marian exclaimed.

  Corbin didn’t even have to tell Jago how uncomfortable the idea made him. Jago pressed their hands together and shook his head. “No, we don’t want one. Corbin... he’s had a hard life, and he’s not used to people and situations that require him to be sociable.”

  Marian sat in front of Jago and frowned. “It can’t be that bad. We could invite just the closest family.”

  “Mom, please. Can we talk about it later?”

  “Oh, of course.” She leaned forward and grabbed Jago’s free hand. “Come on. Tell me what happened to you. We woke up one morning, and you were—you were gone. There were no signs someone had come in, and the police said you’d probably run away. I didn’t believe it, but...”

  “I didn’t,” Jago said. “I didn’t run away. I was sleeping in my elephant shrew form on my bed and someone stuffed me in a bag.”

  Marian opened and closed her mouth. “What? But how did they get in? And why did they take you?”

  Jago looked down. “They took me to a lab. They experimented on me, and they kept me locked up. I was... we’re rare shifters here in the States, you know that. That’s why they wanted me.”

  “Well, yes, we’re rare, but I don’t see...”

  “They wanted to make more of us, Mom. That’s why they needed a male. They already had a female, and they tried to—to make us... But I couldn’t.”

  Marian looked as horrified as Corbin suddenly was. He and Jago had never talked about what Jago had been through. Corbin had been in the labs. He knew what happened in there, and he’d waited for Jago to be ready to talk. He hadn’t realized he’d actually met Jago before arriving in Gillham—in the lab.

  Corbin used his training to dampen his emotions. He knew he had to tell Jago, but now wasn’t the right moment.

  “They forced you to...” Marina said, her voice trembling.

  “They tried,” Jago answered. “But I couldn’t, so they took, you know. I really don’t want to go into details, Mom.”

  “So you could be a father?”

  Jago shook his head. “No. I’m not. I was rescued, and I live in Gillham now.”

  Marian’s eyes widened. “Gillham? As in the town where one of the council members lives?”

  “I live with Kameron and his mate. They made sure I didn’t have children after I was rescued.”

  “When were you rescued?” Garth asked.

  Jago looked down again and Corbin heard him swallow. “A year ago.”

&n
bsp; Marian shot up from the couch. “Why didn’t you call us?”

  “Sit down, Mom,” Garth told her. She looked like she wanted to protest, but one look at Jago was enough for her to sit again.

  “I didn’t call or come sooner because of something that happened the night I was taken from my bed,” Jago told her. Corbin felt despair and anguish through their bond and sat beside his mate. Jago needed him.

  He put his arm around Jago’s shoulders and pulled him closer. Jago looked up at him and smiled, and Corbin nodded at him. Jago sighed and looked at his mother again. “I heard the man who took me talk to someone. It took me a little while, because I didn’t want to believe it, but I... I realized he was talking with Dad. He—Dad sold me to the company to protect our family,” Jago said, looking around the room. “He opened the door to that man, let him in to take me from my bed. Dad sold me.”

  * * * *

  Jago was afraid to look up. Would Garth and their mother believe him, or would they try to defend Jago’s father? Would they kick Jago and Corbin out and tell Jago to never come home again?

  “Oh, honey,” Jago’s mom said, her voice trembling.

  Jago was suddenly wrapped in arms, her arms, and he clutched at the back of her shirt, tears stinging his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

  “About what? It wasn’t your fault, Jago.”

  “I know, but I didn’t... this is why I didn’t come back earlier. I didn’t want to hurt you.”

  A hand smoothed over Jago’s shoulders and he looked up to see his brother. Garth’s face was serious, but he gave Jago a small smile. “Listen to Mom. You know she’s always right.”

  Jago chuckled through the tears. “Right.”

  Jago could feel Corbin was worried, but he still moved sideways, letting Jago be surrounded by family. He and his mom cried while Garth tried to shush them.

  They were interrupted by a loud shriek, then Jago was pushed backward on the couch and his lap was suddenly full of teenage girl. He saw Corbin move toward him from the corner of his eye and shook his head, then hugged his sister close.

  Emily sobbed on Jago’s shoulder, her arms locked around his neck hard enough that he found it difficult to breathe. Still, he didn’t even try to push her away. He’d missed his little sister more than anyone else. They’d been so close ever since she was born and a five-years-old Jago had decided it was his duty to protect her.

  The housekeeper cleared her throat and put a tray with glasses and two jugs on the coffee table. “Mr. Jensen called.”

  Jago gave his mother a sidewise glance. He saw the way her eyes hardened, and even though he was sorry he’d had to tell her what his father had done, he was relieved she was on his side.

  “What did he want?”

  If the housekeeper was surprised by Jago’s mother cool tone, she didn’t let it show. “He said he’d be late tonight.”

  Jago’s mom grunted. It was a very undignified sound Jago couldn’t remember ever hearing coming from her. “I’ll call him back. Thank you.”

  The housekeeper nodded and started to leave, but Jago’s mom stopped her. “These are Jago and his mate, Corbin. Can you please give them a copy of the front door key?”

  “Mrs. Jensen?” the housekeeper asked, frowning.

  Jago’s mom smiled at him. “Jago is our oldest son. I want him to be able to come here any time he wants to.”

  Recognition sparked in the housekeeper’s eyes. Someone had probably told her about Jago, and she nodded before leaving. Jago’s mom held her hand out to Garth. “Give me your phone.”

  “You’re calling Dad?”

  “Yes.”

  Jago closed his eyes and hugged his sister closer. He listened to his mother while she made her call and told his father to come back home right away. She didn’t tell him why or what had happened, but she made sure he understood it was urgent.

  Once she hung up, Emily asked her why she hadn’t told their father about Jago. Mom looked at Jago. “Do you want me to tell her?”

  Jago nodded. “Of course I do. She should know.”

  Emily looked confused, but their mother quickly told her about what their father had done. “Jago didn’t run away. He was taken from his bed, and it was your father who allowed it to happen. He sold Jago.”

  Emily’s face was a mask or horror. “What? But why?”

  She looked at Jago and he sighed. “I heard him talk to the man he let in, and I know he was trying to protect you, Mom, and Garth, but after Garth told me about his job, I guess he also did it for money. He could’ve looked for me when the company was dissolved if he was only trying to protect you.”

  “He sold you for money?” Emily looked down at herself as if she wanted to rip her clothes off, and Jago smoothed a hand down her back. He squirmed, because she’d gotten heavier since the last time he’d held her like this, but the last thing he wanted was to ask her to climb off his lap. He’d waited two years to be able to hold her again.

  “I’m not sure, but it’s fine. I’d never have met my mate if he hadn’t.”

  Emily glanced at Corbin, who was now standing by the couch, guarding them. Jago smiled at him and Corbin only nodded in acknowledgement, but Jago felt his affection through their bond. He knew it wasn’t an easy situation for Corbin, so he didn’t push.

  Jago briefly explained what had happened to him during the year he was in the lab to Emily—editing a lot of it. She didn’t need to know the exact reason why they’d wanted him. But he did tell her about the examinations, about the times they strapped him on the cold metal table to poke at him.

  He kept his eyes closed for the entire time, not wanting to see the looks in the eyes of his family members, or worse, the look in Corbin’s. He’d never told his mate about what they’d done to him, but he knew Corbin had had a good idea even before now. He’d grown up in the labs, after all.

  Then Jago heard the front door open and opened his eyes. Corbin stepped in front of him so that whoever was coming in couldn’t see him, and Emily launched herself out of Jago’s lap. He heard his father say, “Marian? What happened? What’s—”

  Jago’s father didn’t have the time to finish his sentence, because Emily was shrieking at him. “How could you? How could you do that to him?”

  “Emily? What’s wrong? What are you talking about?”

  Jago felt his mother get up from the couch and he pressed his hand on the back of Corbin’s thigh. He didn’t particularly want Corbin to move, even though he knew that the sooner they got this over with the better it would be for everyone.

  “We know what you did to Jago,” his mom said.

  Jago heard his father’s breath hitch. “What—what do you mean?”

  Jago’s mom moved and there was the sharp sound of flesh hitting flesh. “How could you sell my baby?”

  “Marian...”

  “How could you!”

  “I didn’t want to do it. You have to believe me.”

  She slapped Jago’s father again, and Jago finally got up. He put his hand on Corbin’s waist to keep him still and stepped to his side. His gaze went straight to his father, who was holding a hand against his reddened cheek. He looked at Jago when Jago moved and his eyes went wide. “J-Jago?”

  “Hi, Dad.”

  Jago’s father let his hand fall and took a step forward, but Corbin growled and he stopped. He looked from Corbin to Jago, to the arm Jago had around Corbin’s waist. “Is this your boyfriend?”

  Jago’s mom punched his father’s arm and Jago’s eyes went wide. He’d never seen his mother punch anyone. Well, he’d never seen her slap anyone, either, but still. A punch looked so much worse.

  “Are you done? Tell me why you did it,” she demanded.

  Jago’s father sighed and rubbed his face with his hand. “I didn’t want to.” He looked straight at Jago. “You’re my son. Do you really think I wanted to do what I had to do?”

  Jago swallowed. “I don’t know, Dad. You tell me.”


  Jago’s’ father sat heavily on the couch, a defeated expression on his face. “I got into business with Rayford Glass about three years ago. Everything was normal for the first six months, but then he told me he knew what I was, and that he could make our lives hard. He could make me lose everything, including my family.”

  “And you decided giving him your son was a good idea?” Jago’s mom asked.

  “He said he would get what he wanted one way or another, and what he wanted was a member of our family. He knew we’re elephant shrews, and that there’re only a handful of us in the States.”

  “Then why didn’t he find one in Africa?”

  “It was much easier to get one that was already here.”

  Jago’s mom shook her head. “Now I wish my grandparents had stayed in Africa.”

  His dad reached for her hand, but she took a step backward and he let his hand fall. “I know. I tried to be smarter than him, but... in the end I had to choose between my entire family and just one member. It was the hardest decision I ever made, and I’ve hated myself ever since. There isn’t a day that passed that I didn’t think about what I did, Marian.” He looked at Jago. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

  Jago wanted to yell at his father, maybe to hit him like his mom had, but he understood why he’d done what he’d done. Jago didn’t even want to imagine what could have happened to his baby sister if Glass had taken her instead of him.

  It didn’t mean it made it easier to accept, or that it didn’t hurt.

  * * * *

  Corbin growled again. He didn’t usually do that—it was a trait he’d clearly taken from the shifter DNA in him, and his instructors in the lab had tried their best to make him lose the habit. But in times like this, when he had to listen to what Jago’s father had done to his own son, Corbin couldn’t help it. He didn’t want to.

  He liked seeing the fear on Jago’s father’s face. He knew the man was scared of him, and he gave him a toothy grin.

  “So, what then? You gave me to him, and he gave you money and left the rest of the family alone?” Jago asked, his fingers tightening on Corbin’s hip.