Lynx Northern Shifters 3

irrelevant. Jonah had something to tell Trey and he needed to do it right. Time seemed to move slowly as Horton leaned towards Jonah and angled the computer up so the screen left Jonah face-to-face with Trey.
“Hello, Trey,” said Jonah, and his words, betraying him, sounded eager.
Trey’s only reaction was to blink, once. He was unable or unwilling to return the greeting.
There wasn’t much time, and Jonah’s lynx could smell Horton’s blood now, flowing under the thin surface of his skin. Jonah’s jaw seemed to move, lengthen, and his skin rippled with the power of the shift, fighting the shackles that held his human in place.
Words first. He realized Trey had already spoken his name once. “Jonah,” he repeated, “are you all right?”
“Tell him you’re fine,” Horton said calmly as if Jonah were a simpleton who didn’t know how to respond to such a question.
Trey winced then, surprising Jonah by breaking the mask he wore. His voice was low, the words anguished. “I am so sorry, Jonah.”
The emotion behind the words shocked Jonah. After all this time, he’d trained himself to expect Trey not to care, to believe the caring had only ever been on Jonah’s side. It might have been lopsided, but Trey was pained by Jonah’s situation. And, he had to be warned. Jonah blurted, “Horton wants your blood.”
Horton snatched the computer away and stepped out of range of Jonah. A mistake, his lynx seethed, fearing Jonah would not get another chance to attack.
He heard Trey demand, “Put Jonah back on, Dan.”
“He’s confused. I didn’t make him that way either, though it doesn’t matter if you believe me or not.” Horton was pacing with the laptop now, his words coming out quick, unsettled that his plan was not going as he’d expected.
“I’ll do fuck all if I don’t see him again,” Trey warned Horton.
“No. You’re done. He’s alive, as I promised, and I’ve given you proof.”
“I said unharmed.”
“I didn’t harm him.” Horton was leaving the room.
“Tell him I’m fine,” Jonah called out, sounding rational, calm. He needed to reassure this new, uncertain Horton who clearly felt he was losing control of the situation.
His captor eyed Jonah, considering, while Trey again insisted he see Jonah, again warned Horton he wouldn’t cooperate if he didn’t. Directing his gaze back to the computer, Horton said, “There’s nothing else to see, Trey, that’s it. A more empty-headed young man, I have yet to meet.”
“It’ll go easier if you have my cooperation, Horton.” There was an urgency to Trey’s words and Jonah wondered at them. What did Trey want to see or say? Jonah might never know, because he was going to act, not wait.
Horton glanced over at Jonah, weighing his options. “I’m feeling generous. One minute left. That’s it. I don’t want to waste more time on this.”
Once more, Horton walked over and Jonah’s desire to see and talk to Trey again, even briefly, was stronger than he’d anticipated. He ruthlessly pushed it away, let his lynx pull forward, not trying to shift, because he would have blacked out, but putting lynx instincts ahead of all else.
Horton bent over and Jonah looked at his vulnerable neck, slightly protected by the way his head fell forward.
“Jonah,” said Trey, and Jonah let his name wash over him, possibly for the last time. He didn’t look at the screen though, too distracting, and Horton lifted his face to Jonah, impatience in his expression.
Never mind that his wrist held his body back, Jonah pounced, jerking his head forward. His teeth made contact, with skin, tendon, blood, and he bit into the soft tissue as deeply as he could.
They were his human teeth, yes, but sharper than a normal’s and fueled by an anger that had been building during the months of his imprisonment.
Horton twisted, his scream strangled in his throat as Jonah pierced an artery. In this form he wasn’t capable of crushing Horton’s windpipe. But he had seized hold and he didn’t let go as the blood began sliding down his throat. Horton fought back, kneeing him viciously in the groin. Pain swept through Jonah, almost cleansing, but he did not lessen his grip on his prey’s neck. Horton’s thumb found Jonah’s eye, applied pressure, and Jonah steadfastly ignored the pain. His eye tore from the gouging, his vision went wonky, and blood started to wash down Jonah’s cheek.
Jonah held on like he’d never let go.
It didn’t take long before Horton’s body