Chapter 9
Elvin had driven to his house, where he'd handed Franklin the keys, and gone inside after having told Franklin they'd have to come up with a plan once they'd gotten some sleep.
Franklin drove home in silence. Axar appeared to be a mile away, and he didn't want to interrupt if he was thinking. Once he parked the car outside, he sought Axar's gaze in the rear-view mirror. "Okay?"
"She knows where you live. She said your address is listed online."
Ah, explained how they'd found Axar the last time. "I'll lock the door and keep you with me at all times. No guest room for you." He winked then chuckled at Axar's stunned expression.
"Come on. Let's go inside." He wanted to check Axar over. He was still smelling of blood, nothing life-threatening, but Franklin suspected there was a need for band-aids.
They got out of the car, but as they neared the stairs, Franklin remembered the cuff around Axar's ankle. He pulled him into the garage where he had his tools. What to use? Hacksaw. Perhaps not the safest method, but it would be quick work.
"Do you trust me?"
Axar grimaced, then nodded slowly.
"Great. Sit here." He patted the workbench and waited. When Axar neared it, he helped him up. How injured was he?
Then he grabbed the hacksaw, positioned Axar's leg, and got to work.
Axar didn't say a word. It only took a couple of minutes before Franklin put the saw down and grabbed the cuff.
It snapped without too much trouble, but it left a ring of wounds in its wake.
Franklin showed teeth, then he helped Axar to the floor. "Let's go inside."
They left the garage, closed it behind them, and walked up the stairs to the door. Franklin unlocked it and gestured for Axar to enter. "Head to the bathroom."
Axar did, but his fingers were moving nervously by his sides.
"Strip."
His gaze flew to Franklin's. "What?"
"I smell blood."
Axar grimaced. "It's nothing."
"Honey, I will not have blood on my sheets."
Axar's eyes slid away, so Franklin moved closer and carefully gripped the hem of his snowflake pajama T-shirt and gently moved it upwards.
"Why Christmas motifs?"
"Huh?"
The skin was covered in bruises in various stages of healing. Franklin swallowed a growl and continued in a calm voice. "Every time I've seen you, you've worn something Christmas-themed. Why?"
Axar gave him a wobbly smile. "They're from Addox.
He loves Christmas. We used to write letters to Santa together, wish for some miracle to take us away from Foolshope, but it never happened.
Some years, we got a present or two, but never anything fun.
" He sighed. "It's become a thing. He always wanted Christmas sweaters when we were young, but he can't wear the fabric, so he buys them for me.
He has a few pajamas for himself, but the knitted sweaters are too abrasive. "
Franklin liked Addox a little better now and forced himself to smile at Axar despite seeing what was hidden underneath this particular Christmas pajamas.
This damage couldn't have been done today. Some of it was, but psychics didn't get to yellowing in only a few hours. There were cuts, places where the skin appeared to have been broken by a ring, perhaps.
"Your brother did this?"
"Mom either tells him to do it or has me do it to myself."
"And your brother can't disobey her order." And Axar couldn't stop himself from hurting himself if she ordered him to. He shuddered but froze when Axar winced.
"He can disobey her order." But chooses not to. Fucker.
"Their skills are similar. Mother controls through her voice. Axton through his touch. If he holds onto you, you have to do what he wants. But it also means they're less susceptible to each other."
So they were working together. Had he been faking when he'd said sorry to Axar when he'd gone to get him at the bar? Either way, he had to be wary of Axton. Since he could break Axar's mother's demand, he didn't think Axton was a threat to him, but it would be foolish not to be careful.
Franklin pulled the T-shirt all the way off Axar and found a few cuts still bleeding. They broke open when Axar moved, and there was one on his back the fabric had stuck to. It made Franklin grit his teeth. "Shower, then I'll patch you up."
"What?" Axar looked ready to bolt.
Franklin tugged lightly at his pajama pants. "Come on."
"Not while you're watching me."
Franklin wanted to hug him, but he was afraid anywhere he'd touch would be painful. He took a step closer, almost touching. Then he dipped his head and brushed his lips over Axar's. "If you want me to go, I'll go, but I'll insist on checking you over later."
Axar huffed, but his gaze jumped between Franklin's eyes and his lips.
"Okay?" Franklin's voice wasn't louder than a whisper.
Axar didn't reply, so while he made up his mind about what was okay and what wasn't, Franklin dipped his head and nuzzled his neck.
A shiver went through him. He'd wanted to do that for months, breathe Axar in, feel him close.
He groaned low and gently kissed the spot he wanted to bite.
He lingered. Nudged him with his nose. Fastened his lips to the spot.
His teeth throbbed with the need to sink through the skin, but he didn't so much as graze it.
Then Axar made a sound somewhere between a moan and a sigh and tilted his head ever so slightly to give Franklin more room. He growled and gave him a light nip.
Goosebumps erupted over Axar's upper arms. Interesting. Franklin breathed warm air over his skin, licked where he'd nipped, only to nuzzle behind Axar's ear.
When a hand tentatively caressed his shoulder, Franklin wrapped an arm around him and pulled him close, mindful of the cuts and bruises, but unable not to touch.
"Shower then bed." He walked them closer to the shower stall. When he tugged at Axar's pajama pants, he didn't object. His underwear followed shortly after, and Franklin groaned as he took in his straining cock.
He reached around Axar and grabbed the shower head. As he turned the knob to get the water started, he looked into Axar's eyes. "Okay?"
Maybe he should feed him before they went to bed. Did food help psychics heal the way it helped shifters? He didn't think so, but it couldn't hurt, right?
"Are you hungry?"
"Hungry?" Axar's pupils were blown, and there was a light flush on his cheeks.
"Food can speed up shifters' healing--"
Axar shook his head. Right, then. Franklin tested the water and deemed it good enough. He guided Axar into the stall and gently sprayed his body a little at a time. Some of the blood washed away, and he wanted to growl anew.
When Axar closed his eyes and let out a long sigh, his focus shifted. He had his mate. He'd gotten him out, and while he was a bit worse for wear, he was fine. The bruises and scratches would heal, and Franklin would make sure no one ever touched him again.
He handed Axar the shower head before reaching for a shampoo bottle and lathering Axar's hair. His clothes soaked up water, but he didn't care. He massaged Axar's scalp and got paid in moans. When he was afraid Axar would melt into a puddle at his feet, he moved on to soaping up his body.
He was careful around his injuries, and when he crouched to lather up his legs, he was pleased to see there were no cuts on them, no scars either. He had a few bruises, but bruises would fade.
As he moved his hands higher and higher on Axar's thigh, Axar opened his eyes and looked at him. Franklin tilted his head to the side and smiled.
"What...eh...are you doing?"
"Washing you." He slid his hand higher, his knuckles brushing against Axar's balls, making him hiss.
"I can...eh...do it myself."
Franklin grinned and gestured at his straining cock. "Go ahead. I like to watch."
He stayed on his knees, waiting to see what Axar would do.
After a moment's hesitation, he fastened the shower head in the hold and grabbed the bottle of bodywash.
He met Franklin's gaze for a second before widening his stance a fraction and running his hands over his groin. Soon his cock was pointing out of a cloud of foam, and Franklin grinned. Next, Axar glared at him as he reached behind himself and washed his crack.
Heat exploded inside Franklin, and he slid his hands up Axar's thighs before cupping his balls with one hand and curling the other around his shaft. "Slippery." He gave him a lazy tug, and Axar's breath stuttered.
"Are you sure you're all soaped up?" He moved his hand from Axar's balls over his taint, moaning at the slick touch.
"Ngh." Axar closed his eyes, his lips partly open, and he moved his feet to give Franklin more room. He slid his fingers farther back and brushed over his hole. Axar jerked but kept his eyes closed, and a small moan mingled with the steam from the water.
"Fuck, baby." Franklin kissed his hip despite it being soapy. Not the taste he wanted, but he did it anyway. He pumped Axar's cock while teasing his opening with soapy fingers.
"We should get you rinsed off and into bed."
Axar met his gaze. There were droplets in his eyelashes, and he still had foam in his hair. Franklin reluctantly removed his hands from Axar's body and got to his feet. He reached for the shower head and began the process of washing all the foam away.
"Do you know how shifters mate?" He put a finger underneath Axar's chin to tilt his head in a way to make sure he didn't get any shampoo in his eyes.
"I assumed it was like any other species."
Franklin grinned. "I meant how shifters have destined mates, not the act itself."
Axar's eyebrows shot up. "I thought it was a myth."
Franklin stilled, water washing down Axar's back. "No. It's not a myth. There is a mate."
"Oh..." Axar looked uncertain. "And yours is--"
"You."
Axar's eyes were so wide, Franklin winced. Damn, maybe he should've told him some other way.
"Me? But I'm not a shifter."
"It doesn't have to be a shifter. The Foolshope alpha is mated to a healer."