Bailey Bradford - Southwestern Shifters 07 - Revolution (10 page)

Jameson seriously thought he was having a heart attack, his chest squeezed so painfully tight. His kneecaps seemed to have melted and he swayed.
“Shit!” Luuk jumped up and grabbed him, catching him around the waist and shoulders. “Shit, honey, you scared the piss out of me!” Luuk rubbed at his chest, the touch calming Jameson’s pounding heart somewhat.
“I’m sorry. I’m such a wuss,” Jameson muttered, embarrassed by his almost panicked state.
Luuk kept up that soothing caress as he kissed Jameson’s brow. “Why are you afraid, Jamie?”
Why was he afraid?
Afraid? More like terrified
. Jameson sniffed, unaware until then that tears had begun to stream down his cheeks. “Luuk, I—I haven’t contacted Adam in over three years! He’s going to be angry, and hurt, and what can I tell him? What? ‘Sorry, didn’t mean to have to run for our lives and not stay in touch. There are these evil shifters out to get us…’” Jameson hiccupped and scowled. “Yeah, I can’t say any of that in an email, and even so—”
“And even so, as close as you and Adam were…” Luuk stopped and hissed.
“‘Were’. You said it.”
Luuk stopped stroking his chest and clamped his hand firmly around Jameson’s chin, making him look into Luuk’s eyes. “You two aren’t as close now, that is a truth I wish I could undo, but I will not lie to you. The friendship you shared—I saw it, Jamie. I felt the bond between you. Had I not been assured of our mate-bond, I would have been very jealous, and very unkind to Adam. I knew he loved you, and you, him. That kind of love doesn’t just stop. Adam, I can promise you, has known something went wrong those three years ago. He knows, even if he has to get past anger to realise it, that you would never have just blown him off. So stop letting fear keep you from finally,
finally,
rebuilding the friendship you’ve ached for.”
Jameson couldn’t stop crying, although he did so silently. He hurt inside, almost more than he ever had. Sometimes, when the depression tore into him, he felt lower, less, worse, than should be possible. But it wasn’t that dark evil tearing at him now. Now it was his own fear and shortcomings clawing him inside.
“Jamie, read it. I will be with you, always.”
Jameson nodded slightly and let Luuk lead him over to the laptop. Luuk sat and pulled him down onto his lap. The screensaver had popped up and Jameson’s finger shook as he reached for the keyboard. He tapped the spacebar and the picture of two howling wolves dissipated, leaving the stark inbox with only one email in it—and it was unopened. Jameson looked at Luuk. “You didn’t read it? You said I needed to read it!”
Luuk nodded. “You do. One, I would never read your email without you asking me to. Two, you need to read it. You need to see what Adam has to say. I will be right here with you, loving you.”
Jameson turned back to the laptop and opened the email before he could make any more of a scene about it. He was damned glad Luuk loved him so much that Jameson could let go and not worry about whether he had to be strong or not. Sometimes, he didn’t, and couldn’t, and Luuk never berated him for it. Jameson generally did a good job of that himself.
Tears sprang up anew and Jameson blinked then swiped at his eyes. A few seconds of that, and he was able to make out the reply from Adam—

Jameson, my friend, my brother—
You can’t know what a shock it was, to find your email waiting for me when I got home. The best, best kind of shock, but, I cried for ten minutes before Todd, my best half, calmed me down enough so that I could actually read what you wrote. All that mattered was that you did it, that you were able to contact me. Jameson, I have missed you, every day.
Every. Day.
And we missed you when we were in Amsterdam looking for you. Some things happened that made it necessary for Todd and I to return to the States earlier than we had planned. Maarten was an entertaining host, although I could gladly have strangled him more than once. Sorry, Luuk, but your brother can be quite a pest.
I have not given up on finding you. I know, we know, and there are others in positions of much higher authority who are also aware of what has happened. A new and very good friend of ours, Marcus C., has sent several of his men to assist you when they find you. Know that there are many of us who are intent on seeing you and Luuk safe and happy and back where you both belong.
I have never given up on you, Jameson. Don’t give up on yourself. You and I, and our men, our mates, will meet, soon. There’s so much I want to tell you, share with you, ask you, but the time will come soon enough for us to chase the moon and chat.
Love,
Adam & Todd
PS Pics attached.

Luuk began muttering, reading the message aloud, his voice low and tight. Jameson read the message again too, his pulse skittering at parts of it. “Adam—they came to Amsterdam. Marcus C—”

“Criswell,” Luuk said, holding Jameson tightly. “Has to be. He was the original reason I came to the US. I had intended to meet with him, but there was some kind of trouble, and he was inaccessible. Then I met you…”

“Who is Marcus?” Because Luuk hadn’t explained that.
“The North American Alpha Anax. Possible the most powerful of all of the AAs,” Luuk murmured, leaning towards the laptop. Jameson peered over his shoulder at him, and saw a flare of hope in Luuk’s eyes. “Jamie, love, I—” Luuk frowned and Jameson turned to the laptop again. He moved the cursor to the attachment symbol and clicked just as Luuk said, “It sounds like Adam is one of us, or mated to one of us. Todd—”
“What?” Jameson almost shouted. “I don’t want Adam to be a part of this world! No!” Oh God, his Adam, so happy and trusting, would be torn to shreds by the shifters!
“Jamie, not all shifters are monsters like Luther and his followers.” Luuk’s hurt bled into Jameson as he spoke. “Not even most of them, or many. But evil uses tactics the good ones won’t. We don’t go and slaughter entire shifter packs that disagree with my rule. I would never. You should know that.”
The chastisement made Jameson feel about an inch tall, but it wasn’t unjustified and he knew it. Sometimes his head just…just didn’t seem to work right. Luuk was a good, good man, and Jameson tried to be. He knew, too, that not all shifters were evil beasts, or more animal than human. It just didn’t feel like that was the case, when they were running for their lives.
“My fault. I should have fought,” Luuk told him. “Not right at first, because we had not a chance of surviving if we didn’t run, but…” Luuk sighed. “I should not have waited three years, Jamie. That doesn’t make me a good man, or a good AA.”
“Yes it does,” Jameson argued, although he didn’t have anything more than that to use as proof, and just then the attachments finished downloading. “Luuk, I love you. I know you have always done what was best for me. Always, Luuk. You have taken care of your mate, first. How does that make you anything other than a good man?” Jameson clicked on the attachments then, done arguing as he blasted Luuk with as much love and respect as he had in him.
Luuk’s attempt to refute it crumbled—Jameson felt his walls give, then Jameson gasped as he stared at a pic of Adam, looking just a bit older, but no less handsome than always, in the arms of the attractive redheaded sheriff. The caption read, ‘
Me and Todd, 8/3/12. I just finished writing to you
.’ Adam’s dark eyes were a little red-rimmed, a little wet looking, and Todd was watching him, a tender expression on Todd’s face.
But Adam’s smile, that brought more tears to Jameson’s eyes, because the last time he’d seen Adam, it had been a farewell, and neither of them had been happy about that. But Adam was beaming, his joy shining right through the laptop screen at Jameson, and it warmed him to his soul.
“He looks happy, very much so,” Luuk said, the words barely given sound. “And his mate, Jamie, I don’t think I’m wrong.”
Jameson wasn’t sure how he felt about that, even with shifters being basically good. He just hadn’t seen much of that so far, but they had been running, hiding, so what did he know? Mem, Jaq, the Fathers, they were all pretty damned amazing, shifters or not. He clicked on the next picture, and any doubt he or Luuk might have had about whether or not Adam and Todd were shifters was laid to rest.
“Look at them,” was all Jameson could say as he took in every detail of the two beautiful wolves frolicking together.
“They are lovely. Happy, too.” Luuk stroked Jameson’s cheek, then touched the screen. “How odd that circumstances—no, Fate—has seen to bring us all to this point.”
Jameson nodded, unable to look away. Adam and Todd—they looked healthy, their coats shiny and thick. Then Jameson saw the tag. ‘
Soon, we will be with you and Luuk, and we will run and hunt and play
.’

“Oh,” Jameson sighed, no longer angry over his friend’s changing. He was curious as to how it came about, but the idea of running together, all four of them, filled Jameson with anticipation—and happiness. He was smiling fit to be tied as he minimised the pictures. His inbox showed another email, also from Adam. “He’s on now!” Maybe they could chat or…or something?

Jameson clicked the message, and read it eagerly, only to have fear slam up his spine again. “No! Luuk, no!”
Luuk held him and shook his head. “Jamie, I can’t stop them. Adam and Todd are coming, and there’s nothing we can do to stop that. He says as much in the message. We must decide where to meet them, how to do so safely, because I am thinking your friend, and his friends, aren’t going to worry about stealth this time. I think they might just tear this continent apart looking for you.” He tipped Jameson’s head up again, stared into his eyes until Jameson’s fear eased under Luuk’s calm, sure nature. “We haven’t got much time to come up with a plan before that jet lands. Let’s figure out what we can do to keep all of us safe.”
Jameson hoped that was possible. He didn’t know what Adam’s intentions were, honestly. It’d be just like the man to come all this way only to make sure Jameson was really okay. But surely Adam didn’t understand the risks, not truly. Jameson hoped that innocence didn’t cost any of them their lives.

The loyalty, and love, Jamie’s friend Adam had for Jamie was humbling. Luuk had met Adam years ago and thought the man nice enough, but he hadn’t
known
him. Over three years after telling Adam goodbye and wishing him well, Luuk felt he knew Adam almost as well as Jamie did. Jamie loved his friend, and had talked about him often at first.

Once the hardship of surviving had drained Jamie of most of his energy, he’d stopped talking about Adam—but he’d dreamed of him, and many times memories of things Jamie and Adam had done would slip through the mental link Luuk shared with his mate.

Jamie was afraid for Adam and Luuk got that, but one thing he’d picked up on about Adam through Jamie was this—Adam was a tough man. He wasn’t going to break any more than he’d given up searching for Jamie.

Then Luuk was pole-axed with the sudden question—would Adam hate him for the danger he’d brought to Jamie? Maybe he didn’t know Adam after all, because he couldn’t answer that with any certainty. He
thought
Adam was a good man, as well as a potential badass, but he also loved Jamie, and look at the situation Luuk had put Jamie in.

And, what made him worry even more, though he wouldn’t let Jamie know—was he somehow responsible for Adam and Todd being shifters? There was almost no possible way that wasn’t tied to him in some manner. Luuk wasn’t a believer in coincidences. He needed to see how happy—or not—Adam and Todd were with being something other than human, then deal with the guilt he felt.

He wanted Jamie to have his friendship with Adam. That was important. Luuk would do whatever he had to in order to ensure Jamie and Adam didn’t lose each other again.
“You’re thinking awful hard.”
Luuk lifted his head. He’d been staring blankly at the floor as he ran things over in his mind. He hadn’t even heard Jamie come out of the bathroom, a rare lapse of attentiveness on his part. Jamie stood nude and beautiful, his lean form a little healthier-looking than it had been, thanks to a few days of regular meals and rest. Luuk tracked his gaze from the top of Jamie’s dark head to the elegant arch of his feet and the thin, almost too-long toes, before returning to Jamie’s heavy-lidded eyes.
What had he been thinking about? Luuk blinked, unable not to see the thickening cock pointing almost right at him. He tried to maintain eye contact but his gaze was inexorably drawn down to that hard length.
“I happen to know a very good way to quit worrying, which is what you were sitting here doing.”
Luuk might have nodded, he wasn’t sure. Jamie ran his thumb over a fat vein on his cock and Luuk gulped.
“In fact, I’d say what I have in mind will blow yours.” Jamie closed his hand around his cock and slowly began to stroke. “You take too much on your shoulders,” he murmured, and some little voice told Luuk he hadn’t shielded Jamie from any of his worries.
“You aren’t responsible for everything that’s happened to us, or to Adam and Todd,” Jamie continued, dancing the fingers of his other hand over his balls. “We all make decisions, and unless you’re God and have predestined us on what to choose, then you can’t really accept the blame for anything anyone else does, can you?”
“Uh.” Luuk blinked again. His cock ached from the awkward angle it’d reached as he grew hard and Luuk squirmed a bit as he tried to rectify the situation. “Yeah?” he guessed, since Jamie was looking at him expectantly. And snickering at him. Luuk shook his head. “You can’t expect me to have a serious, philosophical discussion when you’re naked and playing with yourself!”
“Sure I can.” Jamie grinned and pushed the fingers that had been on his balls further back behind them. “Ah, that feels so good. Not as good when you do it, but…” A bead of moisture glistened in his slit.
Luuk’s mouth watered and he gave up being comfortable, at least clothed. He unfastened his pants and was rewarded with a hitch in Jamie’s breath as he watched Luuk.
Luuk shoved his pants down far enough to free his cock and Jamie’s strokes faltered, his pupils dilating. Oh yeah, Luuk could do a bit of distracting himself.
“Do it,” Jamie uttered, the words almost indecipherable as he grunted.
As if Luuk needed to be told—though he did like it when Jamie went all bossy on him. His cock felt huge and hard in his hand, hot, and the veins seemed to stand out as if backed up with pressure. Considering how turned on he was, he’d likely shoot a twelve-foot stream of cum once he climaxed. Luuk smirked at the idea and Jamie snorted.
“Dunno about twelve feet, Luuk, but you
can
put on quite an impressive show when you’re inspired.” Jamie thumbed the bead of pre-cum on his tip and smeared it around.
Luuk had been as…inspired, as he could tolerate being. He stood and pushed his pants the rest of the way off then tipped his head down, growled, and watched the way that made Jamie’s cock twitch.
Luuk pulled his shirt off then, and dragged his hands down his bare chest, stopping to scrape his nipples with his fingernails. Jamie sucked in a sharp breath, and Luuk shot him a wicked look as he played with his tits for a few more seconds, enjoying the way every twist of them sent heat hurtling down to his groin.
“Luuk,” Jamie rasped as Luuk slowly caressed his abs, still hard and lean even if he’d lost a bit of bulk. He moaned and let his eyelids drift almost completely shut, knowing he had a smouldering expression going on that Jamie was getting off seeing.
“Want to touch me like this, Jamie? Make me shiver and need?” Luuk stopped with his fingertips just touching the first of his curls. “Or do you want to watch me touch myself, like I was doing while you were stroking that cock of yours?”
Jamie squeezed his dick as he stared at Luuk’s. “I…I want…” And that was all he said, closing his eyes and gasping as he began stroking himself again.
Luuk knew Jamie was too close to last long. He took the three strides necessary to reach Jamie then grabbed him at the hips, and with a pivot, pinned him to the wall. Jamie just moaned and gave himself up to Luuk’s command.
Which turned Luuk on unbearably. He sank to his knees and pulled at Jamie’s wrist. Jamie let go of his thick cock and Luuk took over. He ringed the base of it with his thumb and finger and brought it down enough the he could suck that fat wet tip right into his mouth.
Jamie bucked and grabbed at his head.
“Do it, Jamie. Fuck me until you come.”
Luuk inhaled through his nose, basking in the scent of his mate that was so much better-smelling than the flowery soap he’d used. He tapped Jamie’s thighs and when Jamie spread, was able to cup his balls. Jamie tightened his hold and pushed in slowly at first, but as soon as Luuk flicked his tongue, and used his hand to push Jamie’s balls up closer to his body, Jamie lost it.
“Fuck!” he spat out just before he thrust deep, breaching Luuk’s throat.
Luuk’s dick liked it as much as the rest of him did. There’d be a puddle under it at the rate he was leaking pre-cum. He groaned happily at the way Jamie’s cock filled his mouth, his throat, and Jamie made a sound that was almost like a screech. Luuk rolled Jamie’s balls and swallowed, and Jamie shook so hard Luuk expected him to fall over.
But he didn’t. Jamie pulled back and pushed in again, and again—no steady rhythm, just the frantic chase for release as Luuk pleasured him. Luuk wedged his hand back further and scraped the tender skin of Jamie’s hole, and Jamie almost pulled his hair out, he fisted Luuk’s hair so forcefully.
And he came, in a beautiful blend of sound, scent, taste, feeling—Luuk could have wept with the perfection of it as he greedily swallowed Jamie’s spunk. He wished he could have seen Jamie, too, but Luuk’s eyelids seemed too heavy to open. He moaned and sucked, and wanted to stay right where he was forever, with Jamie coming apart for him over and over again, but Jamie was moving, and Luuk was too, Jamie’s cock slipping from his mouth as he was nudged back.
Luuk plopped gracelessly on his ass and opened his eyes just in time to see Jamie dropping to his knees. Luuk started to speak but Jamie put a hand to his chest and pushed.
Catching himself on his elbows, Luuk moaned as Jamie dragged his nails down his chest to his belly, marking him with light red lines but doing no true damage. Jamie tugged on his pubes enough to send sparks of need to his balls, then Jamie licked him from his balls to his leaking slit.
“Fuuuuck,” Luuk sighed shakily just before Jamie’s mouth enveloped his tip. Luuk jerked like he’d stepped on a livewire. Jamie bobbed down and, without warning, pushed a finger into Luuk’s ass.
Luuk howled, the intrusion burning his hole even as Jamie’s talented mouth surrounded his cock. Jamie took him deeper at the same time he set that finger as far in Luuk’s ass as it’d go. Silky wet throat muscles rippled around his cock, and Luuk struggled to hold back. But Jamie crooked that digit and massaged his gland and Luuk lost it, shouting as his ass contracted and his cock spewed.
His climax felt endless and yet all too brief, and when it ebbed, he collapsed on the floor, the impact to his head muted by a thick rug. He couldn’t seem to catch his breath— Jamie had sucked it right out of him.
All in all, it was the best distraction he’d ever had.