Lynx Northern Shifters 3

and Jonah’s cock, while he groaned under Trey’s mouth and in his arms.
They collapsed on the cot, Trey under Jonah, who was laughing again.
With his dry hand, Trey cupped his cheek. “Okay?”
Jonah’s eyes were bright. “I didn’t think it would be so easy.”
“ Easy? ” repeated Trey in disbelief. These past few months had been far from easy. Rewarding perhaps, not easy.
“Well.” Jonah flopped his head down on Trey’s chest so he couldn’t see him anymore. Which was a shame. He kissed Trey’s nipple, sucking it briefly before he lay still.
Trey stroked hair off Jonah’s face and a whole-body shiver ran through him. At that Jonah lifted his head, expression now solemn. “Why do you keep doing that?”
“Missed you,” Trey said in a low voice.
“Oh.” Jonah ducked again, but not before Trey caught his smile. He traced Trey’s biceps with a blunt finger. After a lengthy silence, he said, “You’ll be gone longer next time, I think.”
“Probably,” Trey admitted. “I should do more than make phone calls, especially since I can phone from here.”
“What would you do if I asked to come with you?”
Something like anguish twisted inside Trey. It was too dangerous. He couldn’t afford to put Jonah in danger, not so soon after the near-starvation at the hands of Horton. But he couldn’t say no either. Words strangled in his throat as Trey hesitated.
“I see,” Jonah said quietly against Trey’s skin.
“I can’t have them get you again.” The words came out hoarse, pleading for understanding.
“We could protect each other. Maybe I don’t want them to get you .”
Trey knew Jonah had killed Horton, could kill when necessary, and the knowledge was reassuring. Jonah had more resources than Quinn had had, after all. But Jonah was not invincible, not by a long shot.
“I’m glad you don’t want them to get me.”
“Jesus, Trey, you’re impossible.” But at least Jonah hadn’t stiffened in his arms. In fact his entire body felt malleable under Trey’s hands, and Trey thought about what else they could do together.
Jonah noticed and shook his head. “Uh-uh. We’re going to finish this conversation first. Don’t distract me.”
Trey frowned, trying to find the words to talk his lover out of this. “Are you actually ready to go back to a town, to a city?”
Eyeing him, maybe guessing his game, Jonah paused before he admitted, “No. Not yet. I’m talking more about the future.”
Relief flowed through Trey. The future, he might be able to make safer for Jonah and himself, might not feel this overwhelming need to prevent Jonah from coming with him. But for now, Jonah could stay safely here, away from Gabriel who would kill him or Kingley who would dissect him.
“I don’t want a lifetime of me waiting for you to return.” Jonah rose above him, gazed at Trey, his expression willing Trey to understand. “It’s too difficult.”
Trey cradled Jonah’s face in his hands. They kissed, chaste at first, then deeper, warmer, stronger. Trey broke it off to say, “I don’t want that either. We’re not going to make that our future.”
~ * ~
     
The next time Trey left, they made frantic love the night before, as if they couldn’t get close enough to each other, Trey insisting Jonah fuck him and Jonah only too eager to oblige.
    In the days that followed, Jonah missed Trey, but his heart had grown accustomed to absences and in some ways it was easier when he acknowledged to himself that he missed Trey and wanted him to come back.
    Then summer was upon them, Trey had returned, and they simply enjoyed each other, forgetting about the future, although Jonah knew about the shadow Trey carried—that Trey was working himself up to tracking down Gabriel and killing him. It was necessary in order to keep the boy Ira safe. Jonah found himself wishing he could take that burden off Trey but didn’t know how. During the two times Jonah had mentioned he could help, Trey had become almost panicked about the idea. Not that he showed it. His face turned impassive and his body went still. But Jonah had learned how to scent these things.
    So one morning, as summer was ending, Jonah said, “You’re going to have to tell me what Gabriel did.”
Trey had been relaxing in the sun, and the way his body tensed had Jonah regretting his words, and yet it was something he couldn’t help but demand they share. This was eating Trey up inside.
“Gabriel likes to prey on humans. Kill them.” Trey stared at