Bailey Bradford - Southwestern Shifters 07 - Revolution (6 page)

Jameson looked up from the pile of clothes Father Norbert had brought in for them to go through. “I’m not sure.” He held up a hand and glared at the clothes. He hated taking the charity, but they had little choice right now. If he ever got back to some semblance of a regular life, Jameson would be able to make a nice donation to this church. He would find a way to repay them one way or another regardless.

“I’d like to think so. I told you about the odd scent in the woods.” Actually Luuk had asked him the same question before, and Jameson knew it was because Luuk wanted to believe but was afraid to. Jameson could understand that. “I want to think…” He huffed, blowing at a hank of hair on his brow. “Who wouldn’t want to believe there was someone who had enough power and compassion to help us? Not that you aren’t powerful yourself— ”

“I know what you meant,” Luuk said, giving him a small smile. “But even my power isn’t enough to overcome a hundred traitors ambushing us. I know we are lucky just to be alive. When I think of what could have happened…” Luuk shuddered and a wave of sorrow rolled from him. “I could have lost you—more times than just then, when we were jumped.”

Jameson came and sat beside Luuk. His side was still not healed up enough in Jameson’s opinion. “We’re together, so let’s not dwell on that.” If Jameson thought about it too much, that black mood inside him might well creep into his head and he didn’t want that. Strangely enough to him, as he wasn’t the least religious, these few days with the priests had been some of the best days he’d had. Maybe it shouldn’t have been a surprise, but Jameson would never have believed he’d find a measure of peace in a church.

“It’s comforting here because of Piotr and Norbert,” Luuk murmured. “They make me want to believe in the basic goodness of humanity, and shifter-kind.”
But he was afraid to, and Jameson got that, since he felt the same way. There was only one person he would trust besides Luuk, and Adam would probably want to kick his ass first for not contacting him for all these years. Of course, how could he explain the absence? He wasn’t supposed to tell Adam anything about shifters.
“You could tell him.”
Jameson frowned at Luuk. “I thought—”
Luuk shook his head and touched Jameson’s lips. “No, I know I told you, you had to keep shifters and our world a secret, but I truly didn’t understand that you and Adam were like brothers. If you believe he would keep our secret, I would have no issue with you telling him. It might keep him from being so angry.”
Jameson snorted out a laugh even as tears burned his eyes. “Oh, he’ll be mad anyway. That’s kind of how love works, right? You get hurt when the person who you love doesn’t trust you. But he’ll be glad, too, once he’s done being mad. I’d feel the same way, really. I’d have wanted him to come to me for help regardless of everything else.”
“Lay by me?” Luuk asked, and Jameson settled beside him, calming the inner turmoil that had started to build. Luuk could soothe him with an embrace, most of the time. “I miss my brother.” Luuk sighed, his breath gusting over Jameson’s hair. “He could be annoying, and makes the worst jokes, but I love him and know he will always be loyal to me. I hope…I hope he’s still alive.”
“He is.” Jameson snuggled closer carefully. “You’d know if he wasn’t. And the last we heard, he was holding his own. He was very angry when you told him not to fight for you.”
“I didn’t want him dead.”
“I think Luther just wants him, period. I don’t understand why he’s left Maarten alive.” Jameson had wondered. “I don’t mean it bad.”
“No, I know. I think you’re right about Luther, but also, what great pain he causes Maarten and I both by keeping us apart and fearing for one another’s life.”
Jameson tipped his head back and looked in Luuk’s dark eyes. “I think Luther is scared to hurt Maarten.”
Luuk huffed, his chest rising and dropping, jostling Jameson. “Right. Scared of what? Pissing Maarten off?”
“No,” Jameson said softly, “because he knows, if he killed Maarten, nothing,
nothing
would stop you from tearing him to pieces.”
Luuk shook his head. “No, I don’t think Luther fears me at all. Otherwise—”
“Of course he does,” Jameson interrupted, exasperation making him borderline shrill. He took a breath and got himself under control. Sometimes his emotions read like the seismograph from hell. “I mean, if he didn’t fear you, he wouldn’t be so intent on killing you. He’d have fought you the right way, with the whole Alpha Anax challenge thing, but he was too much of a coward. A man who didn’t fear you wouldn’t have tried to ambush you.”
Luuk grunted. “I knew Luther hated me. He had since we were boys and he realised I would be the AA, as my father was. When I won every challenge brought before me, his hatred only grew, but I never thought…”
“I know.” Jameson rubbed Luuk’s stomach, his chest. He couldn’t imagine the pain of having someone you’d grown up with, shared blood with, wanting you dead. Maarten and Luuk had always been close, but their older half-brother had resented them from the time they were born, according to Luuk. Or at least, resented Luuk. It seemed Luther had other feelings for Maarten.
“I never understood it. His father left them, then my father met Stelina. He treated Luther just as he did us. Just because Luther had a different father didn’t mean he wasn’t loved by mine and Maarten’s. I’m just glad he didn’t live to see Luther’s duplicity. The same for our mother, it would have killed her to know her sons were battling one another. Perhaps it was a blessing for them to have passed together.”
A chill ran through Jameson. He had his doubts about that. He didn’t think their deaths had been an accident at all.

Luuk heard the priests before they made it more than a couple of steps up the stairs. It was the middle of the night, and he could hear their low whispers, hear the urgency in their tones, and the fine hairs on the back of his neck prickled.

“Jamie, sweetheart, wake up,” Luuk breathed into Jamie’s ear. He suspected their time of rest was coming to an end.
“No, I felt safe here—”
Jamie’s sleepy thought was a painful spike to Luuk’s heart. He should be the reason Jamie felt safe, not scared. The familiar guilt rose in him as he ran a hand over Jamie’s chest. “They’re coming, the priests. They sound worried.”
Jamie’s eyes popped open and he was instantly alert. He sat up and whipped the blanket off them.
“Let me see your side. I need to see if you’re up to running, or if we need to use subterfuge more than speed.”
“We can be fast and invisible. I feel better.”
Luuk was surprised to find it was true. When they’d gone to sleep earlier, he’d still been hurting, and upset by that fact. He should have healed in hours from that wound.
He glanced at his side when Jamie did and nodded to himself. The open, raw spot was now almost healed over. The skin was pink, shiny, but it wasn’t open anymore.
“Amazing,” Jamie whispered before rolling his lips in between his teeth. He cocked his head to the side, listening as was Luuk as the priests came closer.
“Listen.”
Luuk held up a hand when Jamie scowled at him.
“There are more voices, down stairs, perhaps in the…nave?”
He wasn’t sure if he had the right term, but it sound to him like there were people down in the centre of the church where the pews were.
“I don’t know, either. And maybe they have nothing to do with us…”
Luuk gave Jamie an incredulous look before catching himself and turning away. He didn’t want to hurt Jamie, at all, but sometimes his naïvety still surprised Luuk. He loved Jamie’s ability to just…have faith, he supposed, even while it caught him off guard. And in this instance, it could have deadly consequences.

“Jamie, it’s after three in the morning, and the priests’ worry smells like acrid fumes, does it not?”
Jamie sniffed and jumped up, grabbing at the few clothes they had, along with the money found in the woods. Jamie wanted to leave some of it, Luuk could tell. They really needed to be careful, but Luuk wouldn’t stop Jamie from doing what he had to. In the end, Jamie sighed and stuffed the money in their bag.
“We will make a big donation to them.”
“Yes.”
Luuk saw no reason to argue about it. He was too busy getting dressed and holding out Jamie’s clothes. In less than two minutes, they were ready. Luuk pressed an ear to the door. It didn’t sound like the priests were coming to their room, but he got the distinct impression they wanted Luuk and Jamie to hear them. They were sure making more than enough racket for two normally quiet priests.
Then Jamie joined him. He placed his palms on the door, much like Luuk. Father Piotr coughed and mentioned his family, and Father Norbert brought his up as well as it sounded like the two men fumbled around with something.
“It’s a warning. I don’t know if they know the ones downstairs are shifters, or if they aren’t sure. But them mentioning their families—we need to leave.”
Jamie raised his head and looked around the small room. It was rather barren, but it had been a safe haven for them, Luuk knew. Jamie nodded and swiped at one eye, then he took the bag and followed Luuk to the window. They had checked this before, and the priests had actually suggested it as an escape route. Now it looked like they would be using it.
The window didn’t make a sound as it was raised. Luuk took the bag and tipped his chin at Jamie. He would not go until his mate was out. Luuk was still the same man he’d always been, had the same alpha nature even if Jamie tempered it perfectly.
Jamie didn’t argue. He put a foot on the battered dresser and levered himself up and out of the window. Outside was a thin ledge that Father Piotr swore would hold them. Luuk hoped he was right. While a fall wouldn’t kill them, short of one of them landing absolutely freakily, it’d still hurt like a mother.
Luuk climbed up and leaned out of the window. He handed the bag to Jamie then joined him on the ledge before turning back and pulling the window shut. He wondered if the priests would be able to cover their scent in time. Bleach had removed their traces from the interior of the church and the steps, but how would they sterilise the room?

“Don’t worry about it now. We have to go.”
Jamie wasn’t an alpha, but he wasn’t a wallflower, either. Luuk couldn’t keep a small grin from tipping his mouth as he scooted along the ledge beside Jamie, who balanced himself and the bag with an ease that should only belong on a feline shifter.

They reached the corner and Luuk’s brow broke with sweat despite the chill night air. By the time they made it to the opposite side of the church where it was possible to climb down rather than jump, Luuk’s nerves were jangling. He wanted to go first but Jamie was already moving so he had no choice but to follow.

From inside the church, he heard a shout, and Luuk’s gut twisted. It didn’t sound like a pained shout, but angry, yes. Father Norbert was laying into someone. Luuk wanted to go back inside, but the priests might have claimed not to know they were there, or what they were. Returning could lead to their deaths as well as Jamie’s and his. If there were shifters in there, and they were looking for Luuk and Jamie, they’d come hunting them instead of spending time on the priests.

It felt wrong, leaving the church, specifically the priests, but Jameson told himself even the evil bastards who’d been after him and Luuk wouldn’t hurt the old men. And if they did, there’d be hell to pay.

The night sky was clear of clouds and lit with stars, the moon bright and exposing them more often than not. It was cold, but Jameson was used to that. He kept his mind firmly linked with Luuk’s, monitoring his pain and strength.

For whatever reason, Luuk had suddenly recovered like he used to. Jameson was grateful and whether it was the priests’ prayers or their medicines or a combination of both, he didn’t care. Although it might have been handy to know for future purposes.

“I don’t think we should go too far. I want to check on the Fathers, even if it’s just a phone call, once morning comes.”
“Me too, Luuk. I wish we could call now, but that would probably seem suspicious.”
“Possibly.”
Luuk tugged on his hand and Jameson stopped trying to sneak to another building. They were further into the city now, but could still see the church.
“We could circle back,” Jameson began.
Luuk nodded. “The church across from it looked like it had roof access. If nothing else, we could watch and see who comes out. Unless they’ve already left.”
Jameson frowned and leaned out, peering back from the direction they’d just come. “Shit. I don’t know what to do. If they were searching for us and didn’t find us, then they wouldn’t hang around.”
“Which would mean they’ve probably already left.” Luuk nodded. “And if they weren’t hunting us, then a phone call shouldn’t rouse suspicion.”
“Unless they are waiting for us to come back.” Jameson’s head throbbed with the whatifs. “I don’t know what to do. If there’s shifters at the church and we do call, and Piotr or Norbert even smell suspicious…”
Luuk tipped his head up, eyes towards the stars even though he wasn’t seeing them. Jameson knew that look, and he left Luuk to it, taking a moment to enjoy the finely chiselled profile. Everything about Luuk screamed strength, from the broad, square jaw to the firm chin with the divot in it. A long, slightly bumped nose suited Luuk’s face just perfectly, and the thick brows arched over his eyes could be more expressive than most people’s faces. Luuk knew how to use every one of his features, including the wide mouth Jameson was still infatuated with.
“You’re distracting me by making all the blood rush down here,” Luuk tapped his zipper even as he kept looking up, a grin tugging his lips. “But I think you helped me reach a decision—if you agree with me.”
“You know I’d just about agree to anything when you touch yourself like that.” Because Luuk was trailing his fingers over the growing bulge in his pants, and Jameson couldn’t look away.
Luuk huffed and moved, tangling his hand with Jameson’s and nuzzling his neck. Luuk’s nose was cold on his skin but his breath was hot, and the contrast made Jameson whimper.
“We need to move, one way or the other. Standing here—smelling like we’re in heat, no doubt—is not a brilliant idea,” Luuk pointed out.
“What was your suggestion?” Jameson asked.
Luuk rubbed his face against Jameson’s neck, then he straightened up and glanced back towards the church. “The priests took a very big risk for us. I don’t want to repay them by having them outed as our hosts, if they haven’t been discovered at it yet. But leaving them is wrong, too. We can double back and keep alert, see if we catch wind or sight of any shifters. If not, let’s aim for the roof across from the church and see if a few hours of monitoring it gives us any clues. We can decide between now and that time whether or not to return to the church, or call and check on Piotr and Norbert.”
It was the best they could do, short of going in and attacking, which would likely get them killed and the priests in trouble, if not injured or worse. “Okay.”
Luuk stopped Jameson when he would have started moving, and cupped his cheek. His dark eyes burned into Jameson as he leaned closer. “If I could have my way, we would go to the Regency. It was the most luxurious hotel here at one time. I would wrap you in warm blankets, and bathe your soft skin, and make love to you until neither of us could move.
That
is what I would wish to do if we knew the Fathers were in no danger.”
Jameson’s knee joints, the traitorous things, turned rather gelatinous and he clutched at Luuk’s hips. “I—” was as far as he got before Luuk’s mouth was crushed to his. Jameson mewled and curled closer to Luuk, everything in him going tight and hot. Luuk’s tongue speared into him, finding every one of his favourite spots. Luuk jerked him closer with an arm around his back, and he pushed a hard thigh between Jameson’s. Jameson rutted and whimpered when he couldn’t hold it in, then he tore his mouth away and panted as he tried to keep from coming in his pants.
“Sorry,” Luuk murmured, kissing Jameson’s temple. “I didn’t mean to get carried away.”
Jameson nodded, not trusting his voice yet. He’d open his mouth and squeak like a mouse, he just knew it.
Luuk held him steady until Jameson trusted his legs wouldn’t give out on him. Another few minutes and he was ready, able to run without pinching off a part of himself.
They began making their way back, cutting across several blocks before turning down a street parallel to the one the church was on. It hit Jameson then, and he knew Luuk, too, when they were across from the church. The alley was dark and grungy, but the scent of garbage couldn’t quite obliterate the hint of shifter carried on the wind.
“Goddamnit.”
Luuk’s fear wrapped around Jameson like an arm, squeezing his chest and adding to his own concern.
“Goddamnit, Jamie. I can’t leave the priests with them. But if we go in—”
“We could get them killed. That is true. Like it or not, we’re going to have to observe, and I do think that’d be better done from the rooftop. As close as these buildings are on this side of the street, we could probably make the jump from one to another if it became necessary.”
Jameson could picture it, like a scene from an action movie. Probably, though, it’d be a heck of a lot scarier in real life, but he’d already faced some pretty terrifying things.
“Right. Okay. Up you go.”
Luuk brought them to a fire escape and hooked his hands together for Jameson’s heel. Rather than argue that he didn’t want Luuk straining himself, Jameson accepted the leg up and quickly scaled the ladder to the rooftop.
Luuk was right behind him, and they settled between two large exhaust fans encased in brick on three of four sides. They could just make out the steps and door to the church. The night was mostly silent, a few vehicles rattling past but overall, Jameson thought they would have heard any sounds of abuse with their acute hearing. Unless the priests were gagged—
“Stop!”
Luuk scolded, hooking a hand behind his neck.
“Don’t think the worst, Jamie. Let’s try and have some faith. If nothing else, Piotr and Norbert would want that of us.”