Mated to the Jaguars - Paranormal M/F/M Menage (14 page)

**** ****

*** ***

** **

*

It was dark outside when they headed out.
 
Maximon drove while Votan held the battering ram on his lap.

“What if he’s not at his condo?” Maximon said.

“Then we keep searching.
 
We hunt until we find her.
 
We search the whole city.”

“I’m betting he went to his home.
 
He thinks he can see us coming, and he has helpers.
 
Besides that, there’s not many other places for him to take an unconscious woman in the city.
 
If he tries to carry her into a hotel he’ll get the cops called on him.”

“I have faith in Caquix’s arrogance.”
 
He felt the leather collar on his throat which had the B’alam runes burned onto it.
 
A matching collar graced Maximon’s neck.
 
Since they’d donned them as jaguars they had them in both forms.
 
“And I trust Ixchel.
 
She knew just what we needed.
 
She’s wiser than her human years.”

 
“She’s amazing,” Maximon said.
 

There was a touch of emotion in his voice.
 
Votan’s insides were clenched by the same dread.
 
He realized there was no one he’d rather have by his side now than one who loved his mate just as fervently as he.

Votan placed a ski mask over his human form before shifting.
 
They placed the car a street away, so the
Columbus Square
parking lot cameras wouldn’t catch them.
 
Such precautions were at Maximon’s insistence, and Votan obliged him.
 
He cared less about becoming a murder suspect.
 
He was unknown in this city and planned to leave it soon anyway.

When they exited the car they took their cat forms and then crouched together before the battering ram.
 
Each jaguar took a handle in his mouth to carry it as they walked side by side.
 
It was after dark, and few people had to be maneuvered by.

They’d cooperated when donning the collars.
 
Maximon put his collar on him, and then Votan secured Maximon’s collar around his furred neck.
 
Now they cooperated in carrying the tool they would use to break into Caquix’s home.
 
Could either one have vanquished Caquix alone?
 
Votan couldn’t speculate, however prophesies were never wrong.
 
Though nothing they relied on each other for so far seemed that dire (though, he couldn’t imagine he would have gotten the collar on in his jaguar form without help) it was likely the sum total of their collaboration that would destroy Caquix and save Ixchel.
 
They acted in concert now, as though it were natural to them.
 
Couldn’t they truly be brothers at this moment?
 
Male jaguars never strode beside one another except when they were brothers who shared a territory…or a female.

Votan’s mind was too addled to completely decipher the prophecy’s implications.
 
Still, with Maximon strong beside him he felt certain they were realizing it.
 
Caquix’s reckoning was nigh.

They got through the lobby via a child holding the door for a following parent.
 
Then they had the foolish challenge of hitting the button for Caquix’s floor in the elevator.
 
Maximon’s paw caught the two floors above it also.

‘Maximon,’ Votan said with his spirit voice.
 
The other cat looked at him.
 
‘We should not kill Caquix’s servants.
 
They are likely possessed mortals.’

‘What if they have guns?’

‘Then be careful of them.
 
His servants will be unable to see us—that’s our advantage.’

Maximon bowed his feline head in a nod.
 
‘I don’t want to kill anyone except Caquix.’

‘Should either of us die in the process, remember, life is fleeting.
 
We’ll be reborn again.
 
This is a worthy goal to sacrifice ourselves for.
 
If we fail we’ll have to face him again in the next life.
 
He’ll have grown even stronger.’

Maximon looked at him.
 
‘If I die, take care of Michelle.
 
Be good to her.’

‘If I die, make her your wife.
 
Give her lots of beautiful babies.’

Maximon blinked slowly at him.
 
‘I will.’

The elevator opened.
 
They took the handles of the battering ram in their mouths and proceeded.
 
Two men who had the stink of underworld demons on them were flanking the elevator doors.
 
They noticed the elevator door opening, but didn’t make a move.

‘Caquix’s servants,’ Votan said.
 
‘They would see us if not for the collars.
 
The demons possessing them are too weak to see past the runes.’

‘If these are his guards then he definitely brought her here.’

Two more guards were by the fire exit at the end of the hall.
 
Only one man stood near the door to his condo.
 

‘Knock him down,’ Votan said.

‘Shit.
 
Here we go.’
 
Maximon let go of the battering ram and sprinted toward the man.
 

Votan transformed when the shocked man hit the floor.
 
He slammed the battering ram into the door with all his strength.
 
The guard on the ground reached for a holster below his arm.
 
Maximon bit his hand.
 
The other four men ran toward them while drawing the guns.
 
Votan broke through the door.

He transformed.
 
A guard from inside lunged at him with his gun raised.
 
He looked around him baffled a moment, then ran out of the condo.
 
The men yelled to each other.

“Where’d he go?”

“Something bit me!”

“They just vanished!”

Votan saw Ixchel, fully dressed, and lying on a couch.
 
On a massive perch beside her was Caquix with his head tucked behind his wing.
 
Votan lunged for him with a growl.

The men continued yelling in the corridor.

“It’s clawing me!
 
Shoot it!”

“I can’t!
 
I’ll hit you!”

“I’m waking the boss!”

Two men ran into the condo.
 
Maximon leaped on the back of one, knocking him face first to the floor.
 
The other man looked around him in a panic.

“He’s not on his perch!”

Votan sunk his teeth deep into the neck of Caquix.
 
With one violent movement he tore off his head.

The man still standing fainted.
 
Votan ignored him to chew and swallow.
 
He tore out Caquix’s breast next.

Maximon looked into the hallway.
 
‘They all passed out.’

‘Caquix is dead.
 
I’m eating him.
 
Drag his men in here before any neighbors see.’
 
He bit off Caquix’s wing.

Maximon used his teeth to pull the nearest man in by the back of his jacket.
 
‘So we won?’

Votan licked his chops.
 
‘We did it, my friend.’

*

** **

*** ***

**** ****

**** ****

*** ***

** **

*

Michelle’s eyelids fluttered open.
 
She saw Max’s face smiling at her.
 
Panic rose up in her and then subsided just as fast.
 
She was draped over Max’s lap in a strange home.
 
He cradled her shoulders with one strong arm.

“Hello, beautiful,” Max said.

She leaned up and gave him a kiss.
 
Then she realized Votan was beside her legs in his jaguar form.
 
Past him she saw six men lying unconscious on a lushly carpeted floor.
 
She looked back at Max.
 

“I was in the underworld.
 
Caquix was trying to force me to break the seal.
 
He flew away to get his wife and then never came back.”

“He’s dead,” Max said.

Michelle leaned back again with a sigh of relief.
 
“Thank God.”

“Votan ate him, that’s why he can’t transform.”

She fixed on the big spotted cat.
 
“You ate him?”

“He was in bird form,” Max said.

“Oh right.”

‘Did he hurt you, Ixchel?’

Her eyes widened.
 
Votan’s spirit voice sounded like it came from inside her own head.
 
She wet her lips.

“I don’t think so.
 
I was unconscious the whole time.”
 
She surreptitiously felt the side of her leg to make sure her underwear was still on.
 
“I don’t think he did anything to me.”
 
She looked at Votan.
 
“Can we get out of here?”

‘Ixchel, these men were possessed by underworld demons.
 
Now they’re vacant.
 
Their spirits are buried deep within their bodies.
 
You need to heal them, or they may never wake up.’

Her eyes went back to the men.
 
“Aw, crap.”

“I told him you wouldn’t know how,” Max said.
 
“He seems to think you would.”

She stood and transformed.
 
Then she tested out her own spirit voice in the mortal world.

‘I can give it a try.’

When she got to the first man her instinct was to lick him.
 
She considered that a moment, then she went for it.
 
When she connected she felt the man’s cringing spirit.
 
Warm pink energy spilled from her face into him.
 
She licked his eyelids, nose, and lip, and then he started to groan.
 
She went to the next man.

‘Transform, Maximon,’ Votan said.
 
‘They’ll wake up wanting answers.
 
We don’t owe them that.’

“I don’t have any answers to give them.”
 
He transformed.

The two male cats waited at the door until she was done, then the three felines left together.

‘Let’s stay in our true forms until we get to the car,’ Maximon said.
 
‘I don’t want to get caught on a surveillance camera.’

‘There needs to be a body for a murder charge,’ Votan said.

‘What about trespassing?
 
Breaking and entering?’

‘Are you worried?’

He looked back while they waited for the elevator.
 
‘No.
 
I’m really not.’

Michelle bopped her head under Max’s neck, and then nuzzled against Votan’s chest.
 
‘It’s all over then.
 
I’m so happy I feel like crying.’

Votan licked her cheek.
 
‘It was over before it started.
 
Caquix never saw us coming.
 
It’s all thanks to your collars.’

She finally noticed them.
 
‘They’re adorable.
 
You look like someone’s pets.’

‘When we get back the first thing you’re doing is getting this off me,’ Max said.

‘They served their purpose,’ Votan said.

‘I’m just glad you figured it out in time.
 
He was threatening to cut my legs off.’

Votan snarled.
 
‘That disgusting monster.
 
I look forward to shitting him out.’

‘He can’t get out of the underworld again can he?’

‘No, the seal was rock solid.’
 
Michelle’s eyes sparkled.
 
‘I think the creep is pretty well screwed.’

Back at the house Michelle took each of their hands in hers.
 
“I know this doesn’t make sense after I was unconscious all that time, but I’m exhausted.”
 

“Go to sleep, sweetheart,” Max said.

“Take the guest bedroom,” Votan said.
 
“I’ll curl up in my cat form somewhere.”

She gave them each a soft kiss on the lips and headed to bed.

***

Votan and Max remained standing in the living room.
 
There was a brief period of silence that seemed natural rather than awkward.
 

Max looked at Votan.

“Let me go first,” Votan said.

Max gestured for him to go ahead.

“Did you mean it when you said you wished to retire to the
Yucatan
, and that you would cease misusing your powers?”

He nodded slowly.
 
“I don’t want to keep going the way I have.
 
I want a new life, Votan.”

Votan looked toward Michelle’s door.
 
“So do I.
 
With her.”
 
He eyed Max.
 
“But there’s room for you, also.”

Max scoffed.
 
“How gracious.”

“It’s the best I can do.”

Max stared at him several moments.
 
Votan’s face was calm.
 
He knew he was receiving a massive concession from the proud brute.

“Let’s share her.”
 
Max extended his hand.
 
“As brothers.”

Votan gripped his palm.
 
There was a smile on the edges of his lips.
 
“Agreed.”

Max puffed out a deep breath of air.
 
Somehow it felt as if he were truly gaining a brother.
 
He sensed the same contentment in Votan.

“Let’s give her the threesome she wants,” Votan said.

Max smiled.
 
“Yeah.
 
As soon as she’s recovered.”

*

** **

*** ***

**** ****