Squirrel circus, p.6
Squirrel Circus, page 6
“I’m Amir. I work with Gideon. You know Gideon, right?”
Luckily, squirrels didn’t talk, so he didn’t have to reply. He didn’t know Gideon, and yet Gideon was his.
“Eh…I think we should get a move on. There is a car coming.”
Crap. Jyran moved quicker, and right as he started his shift, there was a short burst of a police siren. Amir went to meet the car, buying him a few seconds. He managed to get his slacks on before a stern-looking woman in a police uniform neared the mangled car. Behind her walked a man who couldn’t have many days left to retirement and who didn’t look like he wanted to spend the night dealing with a wrecked car.
Jyran stepped away and raised his hands. It would be a tragedy to get shot now when Adara had saved him.
“There was a bear on the road. I lost control of the car when I tried to avoid hitting it.” Please don’t ask about the lack of clothing, please don’t ask. He pulled in a slow breath and glanced at Amir, who walked closer.
“We wanted to see what the bruising from the seat belt was like.”
The woman frowned. “Who are you?”
“Jyran Pechman.” His words got mixed up with Amir’s, “Amir Kaplan.”
She shook her head. “And there was a bear on the road? Another one?”
“Eh…another one?”
She nodded. “We were called here because a bear is blocking the road south of here. When we got here it was gone, but I think it’s too far between for it to be the same bear being on the road at approximately the same time.”
“Oh…” Jyran widened his eyes. “Is it bear season?”
She huffed. “No, bears hibernate, and there isn’t a big bear population this far south.”
Right then, Adara walked out of the woods. He guessed he should be happy she walked out at a human pace and didn’t appear in front of them in a whirl of wind.
The woman stiffened as she noted movements, and Jyran played out a whole scenario where Adara got shot since cops were trigger-happy and fired before asking questions. “Did you see where it went?” He called louder than he normally would have, hoping it would make Gideon stay away and Adara play along.
Adara shook her head.
“You chased after a bear?” The man stared at Adara as if she had a screw loose—she did, several, but he wouldn’t know.
“Oh.” She glanced at Jyran, who nodded to confirm that yes, they’d gone with a bear story.
“I wanted to make sure it wasn’t hurt.”
The policemen exchanged a glance, then the woman focused on Jyran again. “Can you tell us—”
“I’m sorry, but is this important? I understand you might not have realized it, but this is Adara Queen. I’m her driver, and Amir is her bodyguard, and we’d appreciate it if this didn’t make it to the press.”
The woman’s gaze jumped between them as if she suspected it was a joke, but she kept coming back to Adara. Jyran wished she’d worn normal clothes and not something fit for the 1920s, though maybe it fit the idea of an eccentric artist.
“We have a concert in a few days, and we wouldn’t want to cause any worry among the fans.”
Silence settled over the area, and Jyran tried to come up with something else to say, something to make them leave and not ask any questions. Shivering, he sent his shirt a longing look, but he didn’t know if he dared reached for something in the car. “Can I…erm…get dressed?”
* * * *
Gideon cursed where he stood, hidden in the shadows of the trees. He had a clear view of the road, and his eyes roamed over Jyran’s bare chest and face. The last time he hadn’t seen his face. He was nothing special, and yet he was the most handsome man Gideon had ever seen. It was hormones and magic and whatever else went into a mating doing it, but he couldn’t stop staring.
They needed to get out of there. The wolves and the human had been gone by the time Gideon and Adara had returned, and while there was a chance they’d be able to catch up with the human before they managed to get into a car and disappear, they’d opted for returning to Jyran and Amir.
The three wolves matched up with what had happened with Valerie. The human did not.
How were they planning to get Jyran down from a tree? Unless they had something to bargain with? He rubbed his neck. What could they offer Jyran to make him betray Adara?
The cops went back to the car, and Gideon watched as they talked to someone on the radio while Jyran put on a shirt and shoes. He flung more clothes over his arms and grabbed a folder from inside the car. He muttered something to Adara too low for Gideon to catch, and then they moved toward his car.
Were they leaving? No way in hell he’d remain here if they drove off.
Amir raised his hand in a wave to the cops and opened the door to the driver’s seat. Jyran slipped into the backseat and Adara walked around the car, first opening the back door, then the front. Gideon took it as his cue, crouched as he ran toward the car, and more or less dived into the backseat. Adara closed the back door behind him and then the front door behind herself. “Go.”
Amir nodded at her and got the car rolling.
Gideon breathed in deep and almost groaned as Jyran’s scent wrapped around him. It pissed him off, so he growled. Jyran pressed himself against the door, and Adara whirled around in her seat and hissed. “If you can’t behave, I’m throwing you out of the car. Are we clear?”
“It’s my car!”
“Do I look like I care?” She flashed teeth, and Gideon would have to go with no.
Content with his lack of reply, she turned to Jyran. “What the fuck happened, Jyr?”
“I was leaving the hotel, and when I drove out of the parking, another car started up. I didn’t notice anyone in the parking lot when I got into the car, so I found it weird.”
Gideon grunted. He didn’t know why, but Jyran’s voice made him want to move closer to him, but he would not.
“I hoped I was imagining it, but whenever I looked in the rear-view mirror, there was a black sedan. I feared it was the eagle—”
“Wait! What eagle?”
“The wolverine.”
“The wolverine is an eagle?” Adara scrunched her nose. “Damn, I wanted it to be a wolverine.”
“He might still be. I have no idea. I was thinking I should have focused on his scent instead of trying to get him to leave, but I didn’t want Justin to get hurt, and—”
Gideon cut him off with a snarl and Jyran, if possible, pressed himself closer to the door.
Adara slapped his thigh hard enough to leave a bruise without taking her eyes off Jyran. “But he’s fine, right?”
“He was then. He walked off to his room, and the wolveagle said he’d wait for your assistant in the bar, or maybe I told him to wait for me in the bar, I can’t remember.”
Wolveagle? Gideon had always known squirrels were crazy, but this was ridiculous.
“Yeah, okay, so black sedan?” Adara didn’t bat an eye at the insanity.
Jyran nodded. “I figured since there were humans around, I’d be safe, and drove toward Doson.”
“But?”
“There was a bear. It let me and the black sedan through and then blocked the road. Since there was no oncoming traffic, my guess is something blocked the road on the other end too.”
Gideon gritted his teeth. Jyran had been alone in what appeared to be an entire operation. This would be his life if he mated with a squirrel.
“And then?” Adara moved her hand to get him to continue.
“Then I’d figured they’d either eat me or torture me, and it didn’t seem like something I wanted to be part of. When the grove came up, I increased the speed, opened the passenger door, shifted, and jumped.”
“Out of a moving car?” Amir looked at him in the rear-view mirror.
“Yeah.”
“Are you hurt?”
Gideon wanted to snarl at him not to look at his mate, but Jyran wasn’t his mate, and jumping out of a moving vehicle could generate some serious damage.
“Nah, I tumbled around some, but I was prepared to roll.”
“Cool.” The admiration in Amir’s voice made Gideon huff.
Adara ignored them both. “And they chased you up into a tree?”
“I jumped up in the trees before they stopped their car. I figured I had a better chance of surviving there. I needn’t have worried. They were only wolves.”
Adara grinned. “Yeah, and a human.”
“The woman?”
“Yeah.”
Gideon stared at them, and when Adara opened her mouth to say something else, he cut in. “What do you mean you needn’t have worried? Wolves eat squirrels.”
For the first time, Jyran looked into his eyes and Gideon forgot how to breathe. “Yeah, but only if you catch us on the ground. You can’t climb trees for shit, and let’s face it, buddy. Jumping isn’t your strong suit.”
Amir chuckled in the front seat, and Gideon wanted to hit him.
“But we’re stronger.”
“Absolutely, but you can’t climb, you can’t fly, you can’t balance on twigs. I don’t mean to bruise your ego. I know you wolves think you’re the universe’s greatest creation, but if there are trees, there is no way you can catch me. Get me on the ground, attack me in human form, find my home, and you’ll win without a doubt, but the forest is my habitat.”
Gideon searched for something to say, something that would put Jyran back into being inferior to him, but he was right. He’d never be able to catch a squirrel in a tree and to claim otherwise would only make him look like an idiot. “So, what did they want?”
The small tug at the corner of Jyran’s mouth had heat rushing through his body. Fuck, he wanted to kiss him.
“Hey.” Jyran leaned forward. “You’re driving in the wrong direction.”
Amir glanced at Adara. “I am?”
Adara shook her head, but Jyran nodded. “We have to get to the hotel. The woman said they’d hurt my boyfriend if I didn’t come with them. I think the wolveagle has Justin.”
Chapter 7
Jyran did his best to ignore Gideon, but he was too big. It was as if he filled the entire backseat. His big body loomed over Jyran even though all he did was sit there, and his scent was filling Jyran more and more with each breath. It wasn’t good.
He’d managed to keep Gideon out of his mind for the most part due to him being some distant fantasy. Now he knew what he looked like up close, what he smelled like—he’d known before, but now it was more intense. He feared he’d never be able to put himself back together after having to leave him this time.
“Jyran, we can’t go back.” Adara’s gaze was soft as she looked at him. “Not until we know what this is about.”
“But Justin.” Justin didn’t deserve to be tortured or whatever they had in mind. He didn’t have a clue what was going on. And they’d broken up.
“I know, but hopefully they’re bluffing.”
He gasped. “Hopefully they’re bluffing? Are you kidding me? He’s human. He knows nothing—”
“I know, and hopefully they know it, too.”
“I don’t think it matters. If they want to get to me, they’ll—”
“Yes, but he’s nothing to me, and it’s me they want to get to.”
Jyran gaped. “He’s nothing to you? How can you say that? He’s been working for you for…” Huh…Not long. Two-three months maybe. He narrowed his eyes at Adara. “Why did you hire him?” Normally, they discussed all positions, but one day she’d introduced Justin and had told Jyran she’d hired him. He helped out around the set, but they’d managed without him.
She shrugged. “He was cute, and you were miserable after Michael the ass—”
“He wasn’t an ass.”
She ignored him. “So I figured you needed some eye candy.”
“You hired him so I’d hook up with him?” Jyran hadn’t meant to shout, but damn, now he felt dirty. “He’s not a prostitute, is he?”
Adara laughed. “No. And no, I didn’t hire him for you, at least not only for you. I saw him and thought he’d be good for you, and he has been.”
Jyran turned his stunned expression to Gideon. “This is sick.”
Gideon looked like he was ready to turn into a wolf, which wasn’t good, not good at all. He might eat him if he shifted. “Hey.” He touched Gideon’s hand and almost yanked away at the electric current shooting through him. “Deep breaths. We don’t need a wolf in the backseat, okay?”
Gideon growled, and Jyran went back to pressing himself against the door. Freaking wolves.
“We still have to get him. Whore or not—”
“He’s not a whore! You were depressed. The asshat here—” She slapped Gideon’s thigh. “—didn’t seem to be getting his act together anytime soon, and I wanted someone with you. You didn’t have to fuck him. He could’ve been your friend.”
Jyran opened his mouth to shout at her, but she was right. He hadn’t thought about Justin in that way until he’d flirted with Jyran. They could’ve been friends if Jyran had turned him down. Justin would’ve accepted that. He was a reasonable man—kind and caring.
“I’m sorry you broke up, Jyr, and I know you worry about him, but we’re not going back. The wolveagle might be watching him, but I think the best we can do is to not rush back there. If we don’t come running, he can’t be important to us, right? So they’ll leave him alone.”
“They called him my boyfriend. They already know—”
“That you let him do you? Snuck out through the window, and came back from another room?”
Amir choked on air, and Jyran glared at him through the rear-view mirror. “It wasn’t what happened. I had a nightmare and woke up in squirrel form. I had to get out of there.”
“Doesn’t matter. We’re going to Gideon’s, and we’re going to figure out what the hell is going on before we risk going back to the hotel.”
Jyran groaned. Figuring things out could take ages, and all he wanted was his hotel room. He hadn’t brought his things, and he did not want to stay at Gideon’s. He glanced at him and found him watching him with a frown.
“What?”
“Nothing.” He sounded calm, so maybe he wouldn’t eat him the minute Adara turned her back.
* * * *
Amir parked behind The Howling Moon, and they went inside. The bar was as they’d left it, and Gideon sighed. He wasn’t in the mood to clean up. He was tired, and it was in the middle of the night, but they couldn’t leave it till morning. Or they could, but then he’d have to come in early to clean only to see it all get dirty again.
“Do you have room for them?” Amir kept his voice low. Gideon’s apartment was above the bar. It wasn’t big, but he had a guest room with a single bed. Amir had a house, though. Maybe he could take them, and Gideon wouldn’t have to worry.
“Can they stay with you?”
Adara was by Amir’s side before he could form a reply. “I’ll stay with you.”
Amir smiled at her. “I only have one bed.”
The way they locked eyes made Gideon groan.
“Awesome. Jyran will stay with Gideon, and I’ll stay with you.” She hooked her arms with his. “Let’s go.”
“The dishes.” Gideon would not be left alone with the dishes.
Adara huffed. “His shift is over.” Then she looked out over the tables. Jyran stood as far away from the bar as he could come. “You’re with grumpy, Jyr. I have my phone should you need me.”
The defeated look in Jyran’s eyes made Gideon growl, and he wondered if she often did shit like this or if it only was where he was concerned.
“I promised to help.” Amir looked at Adara as he gestured at the empty and half-empty glasses on the tables.
“And it was kind of you, but Gideon will manage.” Adara tugged at Amir while giving Gideon an evil grin. “If there is one hair out of place on him, I’ll drain you. Are we clear?”
Gideon nodded and gathered some of the dirty dishes behind the bar and carried them into the kitchen. It didn’t take long before Jyran followed, hands full of dirty glasses. “I can go back to the hotel if I can borrow your car.”
Gideon shook his head. “She would kill me. Let’s gather the dishes, wipe the tables, and head upstairs.”
“Upstairs?”
“I live upstairs.”
Jyran glanced at the ceiling and nodded. Then, without another word, he went back into the serving area. Gideon filled the dishwasher with the dishes he had, and soon Jyran was back by his side with more glasses. They worked in silence. Gideon filled the plastic trays, rolled them into the dishwasher, and hit the button to start the wash. Jyran fetched dirty dishes, silently walking back and forth. When his arm brushed against Gideon’s as he placed the glasses, Gideon almost moaned.
When Jyran moved away, Gideon listened for him to return. When he was near, Gideon could hardly breathe. If Jyran had the same reaction, he didn’t let it show. He worked methodically and efficiently. It clashed with Gideon’s view of a squirrel. He’d believed he’d run around in circles, not knowing where he was or where he was going.
“Where are you heading next?”
Jyran jumped as if Gideon had scared him by talking. “After Ordbury? Willowdale and then Stamtown.”
“And then?”
“Then it’s time for a break. We’ve been on the road for a year.” Exhaustion shone in his eyes, and something tugged at Gideon’s heart. He tried to ignore it.
“You’ll stay in Doson during the break?”
He shook his head and walked toward the serving area again. Gideon ground his teeth. Where would they stay if not here? This was Adara’s home, and when Gideon first met him, he’d stayed with her.
The next time Jyran entered the kitchen, Gideon turned around to look at him. “Where will you be staying?”
Jyran shrugged. “I don’t know. We’ll buy a house somewhere.” His eyes grew distant. “Knowing Adara, we won’t stay long after we’ve unpacked our things. We haven’t got any concerts planned, but once she grows restless, she doesn’t care where she plays, small places will do, and I can normally fix a mini tour within a few days.” A bleak expression slid over his face, and Gideon had to fight the urge to reach for him.
