Lynx Northern Shifters 3

the sun, blinding himself perhaps. “He killed my first love.”
Jonah blinked. He hadn’t known Trey had a first love. In his stupid ignorance, he’d thought he was the first, like he was the first one Trey had called a mate. The jealousy that arose in him made him ashamed. Because there was a broken note to Trey’s voice.
After Jonah’s non-response, Trey added, “I can’t really talk about it.”
“What was his name?”
Jonah wasn’t sure Trey would answer but he reluctantly said, “Quinn.”
He had too many questions, from what was Quinn like to why Trey hadn’t already killed Gabriel.
Trey guessed something of Jonah’s thinking. “At first, I thought Gabriel could be rehabilitated. That he’d fallen in with the wrong crowd, that he was young, that he hadn’t realized who Quinn was to me. All sorts of excuses and rationales. Inexcusable, foolhardy. Then later, when I realized what he really was—a vicious killer—he disappeared, avoiding me. He’s been hard to corner.”
A desire was growing in Jonah to stalk and kill Gabriel. But now he understood that if he told Trey about this urge, Trey would freak, given what had happened to Quinn. Trey could not withstand his brother killing another lover. So instead Jonah asked, “Was he kind to you?”
“Who?”
“Who else? Quinn.”
“Yes.” The word was said on a sigh. “Patient too, because he didn’t know what I was or why I disappeared periodically.”
“At least I know.”
Trey threw an arm over his face. “At least you know.”
Jonah crawled over to rest his head on Trey’s other arm and place a hand on Trey’s chest. “I’m glad you had someone else. It’s always bothered me that you’ve been alone for so long.”
Trey pulled Jonah close. “Not anymore.”
“Not anymore.”
~ * ~
    Jonah shouldn’t have been surprised when that winter Trey came home a mess. Gabriel was dead, shot in the head, and if Trey hadn’t pulled the trigger, he believed himself responsible for his brother’s death, and his miserable life.
    All he could do was hold Trey and try to heal him. They talked about the future, and that seemed to help. Neither of them wanted to stay up here in the Canadian Shield forever, as much as it was a kind of cocoon away from the rest of the world.
    One evening, Trey floated the idea of Jonah meeting his extended family—eventually. The suggestion made Jonah nervous. He wasn’t used to people or being judged by them. On the other hand he liked the idea of meeting people who were important to Trey. Well, he had time to get used to the notion, given Trey’s desire to hide Jonah away from humanity indefinitely.
    “Once we make things safe,” added Trey, ever vigilant about Jonah’s safety.
Jonah sighed. “And you’ll know when that is?”
“Well.” Trey looked down for a moment, grief and anger still within him. “Gabriel’s out of the way.” Jonah held his breath, waiting for Trey to withdraw into himself, into the self-hatred that arose when
    Gabriel’s name was mentioned, but Trey moved on, keeping it matter-of-fact.
“It’s Kingley I worry about now.”
Kingley, the man Trey had worked most closely with over the years. Jonah was developing a deep
    dislike of the man. “But you’ve had no contact with him for more than a year. Can he find you?” “That’s what I don’t know. I sometimes feel paranoid using this satellite phone. That he’ll track me
with it.”
“What would he need to be able to track you?”
“He’d need to know this signal is mine. I don’t think he can, given where and when I bought it,
but…it’s hard to be one-hundred-percent sure.”
Jonah felt angry, for Trey’s sake. Kingley’s arm had such a long reach that Trey was always looking
over his shoulder. “I wanted to kill Gabriel, you know.”
Trey stared at him, shaking his head. “In the oddest way, you are more bloodthirsty than I am.” “I’m only bloodthirsty when it’s warranted. But I’ll admit it. Stalking the one who needs to be killed
gives me, gives the cat inside me, intense satisfaction. You think I am so vulnerable, because you met me when I was more ignorant and naïve than I am now. And I will always be fifteen years younger than you.
But I have the patience to kill those who need it. Gabriel needed it.”
“I couldn’t have stood the idea of you two in the same place and time.”
“I know. He killed Quinn. But he didn’t kill me.” Jonah stroked a hand up Trey’s arm. “I’m here.” Trey