Page 21

Chapter Twenty-One

Y ael couldn’t believe he was looking at his yard. It was no longer covered in fallen branches and dead leaves. He didn’t even know he had flower beds next to the house.

But his shock was short-lived when Skippy came over. His face was serious when he drew Yael to him. "Leave the stuff in the back, including the dogs."

They'd stopped at a pet store on the way back to Wingspan and bought everything they needed for Lola and Bitty, including some little puppy pads, just in case they had trouble adjusting. Yael's biggest worry was not understanding when they had to go to the bathroom. With the puppy pads, if Yael didn't understand, and an accident happened, it would be okay since the pads were something the shelter used sometimes. The dogs were familiar with them.

Yael had the back door opened and had a hold of Lola's leash when Skippy pulled him into his side.

"Leave the dogs and their stuff in the car," Skippy whispered, repeating himself. His body was tense. With all his muscles he was already hard, but with the tension he felt like granite against Yael.

"Why? What's wrong?" Yael met Simon's gaze. The suspicion he'd worn like clothing the last few days had turned knowing. But what exactly he thought he knew was in question.

"I'll tell you later. For now, just pack a bag for you and for Eryn."

Casper took Bitty from Eryn with a smile. "I'll keep an eye on the dogs while you pack."

Packing implied leaving the house. And Yael wasn't sure why Simon and Casper thought he'd do that. "Wait a minute."

Simon growled. "We don't have a minute. Not anymore. You should have been out of here and somewhere safe days ago."

"I'm not leaving my home unless you give me a good reason to do so."

"Andre Joseph." Simon growled again. His eyes shifted to his dragon’s and his hands turned to claws. Anyone driving by would see him partially shifted. Thank the gods they were in Wingspan or Simon would be in trouble with the council.

Yael sighed. "You know about my brother."

"Okay. He's your brother. That's more information than I had before." Simon didn't know everything, but he had a lot of things figured out.

"I'm sorry for not telling you. It's not something that was a problem before."

Eryn sighed. "He kept sending letters to us demanding money and threatening us if we didn't send it. Yael finally gave in and literally the next day Andre escaped."

Yael narrowed his eyes at Eryn. "Go pack."

Eryn crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Yael right back. "I told you not to give him money. And then I told you to tell Skippy. You didn't listen each time."

In hindsight, Eryn was the most sensible of the two of them. That much was becoming obvious, but Eryn didn't have to shove his bad choices down his throat. "Go pack, Eryn. Or I swear to the gods, I'm going to ground you."

"We literally have to leave our home now. I'm scared out of my mind. I don't give a shit if I'm grounded." Eryn shook his head and started toward the house.

"Eryn." Yael yelled.

"By the gods, what now? I'm doing what you said and packing my fucking shit. Give me a fucking break." Eryn had always shown anger when he was really scared. He didn't know how to channel his fear well.

"It'll be okay."

"You don't know that." And with that, Eryn slammed the door behind him.

Yael sighed. "I suppose I deserved that."

Simon growled. "No, you don't. None of this is your fault. It doesn't matter what you sent to your brother."

"I'm pretty sure he used the money I put in his commissary to pay off a guard. I'm not sure how he did it, though." That made Yael a complicated mate, didn't it?

"Did he say he would use it to escape in his letter?"

"No, but I knew something was going on. He hasn't tried to contact me in years. Most of the time he's been in prison, actually. But I never thought he'd escape. That wouldn't have crossed my mind as a possibility."

Simon patted Yael on the ass. "Go pack, baby."

Yael nodded and handed the leash to Simon. "Her name is Lolita, but I call her Lola."

Emotion gathered in his throat. Fear gripped him the same way it did Eryn. Yael responded differently. That was all.

"The little one's name is Bitty." He tried to keep the tears at bay as he spoke, but couldn't toward the tail end of the sentence. He ended up sounding like a lunatic, drama queen. Only the drama was warranted.

"Yael." Simon saying his name made the tears flow harder.

"Come here, baby." Simon was already closing the distance between them.

Yael wrapped his arms around Simon. His tears soaked Simon's jacket. But eventually he calmed down enough to speak. "Andre's going to kill someone else. An innocent person. It's going to be like before."

"How was it before?"

"I felt helpless. I couldn't do anything to help those women." Emotions lodged in his throat again. "He…he enjoys hurting people who he thinks are weaker than him."

"Did he hurt you?" Simon tightened his hold.

“He lived in another state when I was born and was an adult by then. We were never close. But Andre thinks everyone is weak if they don’t take what they want. He values impulsiveness in some ways. He considers me weak.”

"Look at me." Simon growled every word.

When Yael met his gaze, he said, "You're not weak. And neither am I."

****

They pulled up to a heavy iron gate. A metal dragon wove itself around the iron bars, blending in nicely and probably scaring people who didn't know about dragon shifters, or Wingspan being a dragon shifter town.

The house was on the outskirts of town in the opposite direction of the club. Yael had wondered who lived in the rich part of town. He wouldn't have imagined Simon as being one of those people. He'd pictured doctors and lawyers. Or maybe a few business owners. Not a biker gang member landscapist who moonlighted as a vigilante justice warrior.

Simon punched in a code at the gate, and it opened.

Casper and Eryn drove Simon's truck. Yael could imagine Eryn's expression at the sight.

The landscaped yard spoke of Simon’s skill level. Even outside the gate, the plant life looked as if it belonged because Simon told the plants they did. And the plants were too afraid to contradict him. The inside was no different. Huge rock beds were home to plants Yael couldn't name. Winding paths ran through them.

The house itself wasn't huge. It might have been a couple thousand square feet, but it wasn't more than that. It seemed as if it should have been in England because it seem more like an English cottage. The house would have fit into them rather than in Wingspan. The only difference being the house was painted green. Not that houses weren't green in England, but none of the pictures Yael had seen had green houses.

Next to the house was a garage with big bay doors. Casper pulled the truck up to it. The bay door opened and then Casper drove inside, disappearing.

Both buildings blended into the natural landscape as much as manmade things could.

"You live here?" Yael had a difficult time picturing Simon frolicking down the paths through the gardens.

"Do you like it?" Simon sounded hopeful.

"It's beautiful." Yael got out of the truck. "Will you show me around?"

"When I get back. Let me get you settled inside, and we'll make the dogs feel at home. I'll be back in a couple of hours. I'll show you around then." Simon came around the truck and pulled Yael to his side.

"This doesn't seem like your house." As soon as Yael said it, he wanted to take the words back.

Skippy sighed. "This is a calm space, baby. And safe. The fence goes all the way around the property. With cameras everywhere and motion detection devices hidden throughout the property."

"Okay." So, the flower beds were strategic. That was good to know. "Will you be watching every move I make?"

Simon wiggled his eyebrows. "There's a bench behind the house. The camera's aimed right for it."

"Why?"

"So you can jack off while I watch. Why else?"

Yael laughed.

Simon kissed Yael's temple. "I moved it a couple of days ago. I also wanted to see if you wanted to make a video of us making love."

"So, you hoped I got the urge and then ask me about making a video with you?" As disturbing as that should have been, Yael found the idea kind of hot.

Simon grinned. "Yeah. You can see how hot you are when you cum."

Yael chuckled. "You have it all planned out, don’t you?"

"All I need is you, boy." Every time Simon called him that, it made Yael's insides tingle.

"Why are you leaving when we just got here?" Yael wanted to find a quiet place, maybe on the bench Simon mentioned, and make love. He didn't care if Simon recorded it or not.

"I wish we could do what you're thinking about, but I need the gang to help keep you and Eryn safe." Simon tightened his hold.

Eryn and Casper finally caught up with them. They obviously heard what Simon said.

"One of the guys will be here for guard duty. You won't be left alone while I'm gone."

"I'm staying too." Casper cuddled Bitty. She was a little timid, but she loved cuddles. She'd probably be a lap dog if given half the chance.

Yael's eyes widened when he noticed the way Eryn's gaze got all soft when he looked at Casper.

Simon raised his eyebrows and then glanced at where Yael had been looking. He shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal, which it wasn’t. Eryn wasn't old enough for a romantic relationship yet, and Casper was older than him.

"I might have some of Jonik's clothing here from when he and Wren stayed with me, if you want to borrow them, Cas. You know where everything is to shower and stuff." Simon didn't seem bothered by it.

"Can I spend the night? I want to play with the puppies." Casper seemed a lot younger with the dogs around. Happiness was a little less elusive.

"You don't want to hang out with me?" Eryn's bottom lip poked out a bit.

Casper shrugged. "Sure. I guess."

Yael tried not to smile, but he couldn't help the relief he felt at Casper's indifference.

And then Eryn’s eyes shifted, and Yael sighed.

Shit. Did that mean Eryn would shift into his dragon soon, because he wasn't ready. And he definitely wasn't ready for Eryn to have a mate, if in fact that's why his eyes had shifted. Hopefully, Yael was wrong.

Casper narrowed his eyes at Eryn, but kept his thoughts to himself. Instead, he said, "I'm taking a shower and going to the Zen Garden. Alone."

And then he headed inside.

"Zen Garden?" Yael and Eryn spoke at the same time.

"I'll show you later." Simon led them into the house. He showed Yael around, which took all of twenty minutes, and then headed outside again to the garage.

Watching him ride away on his motorcycle was just about the hottest thing Yael had ever seen.

Eryn stood beside him. "I'm pretty sure Casper is my mate."

Yael met his gaze. "That's bad timing."

"No shit." Eryn frowned. "What am I supposed to do about it?"

"Nothing. You're seventeen and he's--"

"Twenty-four. I asked in the truck. I'll be eighteen in two months."

"Which doesn't matter because you probably won't shift until after your birthday." Yael worried about Eryn being so young. “You start college in the fall, Eryn.”

Eryn got a hockey scholarship at a university in the eastern part of the state. He hadn’t chosen anything yet.

“Casper doesn’t want a mate. He told me as much.” Eryn sighed. He hung his head and rubbed his chest as if Casper had ripped out his heart.