Saving Jax

by L. M. Brown

  Jax finally looked at Ty and saw nothing but compassion in his amber eyes. "You should choose another mate, not me," he whispered.

  Cal slowly inched over from his seat and sat at Jax's feet. "Ty will choose whoever he wants. Take it from someone who knows. Now, why don't you tell us what the issue is with Lyndon?"

  "There is no issue."

  "I disagree," Cal argued. "I saw him fucking you in the garden earlier. Does your uncle know you're not a virgin?"

  The world swayed around him and Jax thought he might throw up. Then a strong arm wrapped around his shoulders, and he leaned into Ty, the strong steady heartbeat of the feline next to him helping to keep him calm.

  "Yes, my uncle knows," he whispered. "But he doesn't know Lyndon is the one who has fucked me."

  "He doesn't?" Cal asked.

  Jax shook his head and toyed with the hem of his kilt. He shivered, even though he had put on his warmer cloak before they’d begun their walk. His uncle did know about Lyndon. He just refused to believe it.

  "Tell us what happened," Ty encouraged. "We want to help you."

  "Why?" Jax asked. "You don't know me. I'm just a stranger who's been paraded in front of you because I happen to have both female and male genitals."

  Cal took his hand and gave it a quick squeeze. "Because what I saw in your face when Lyndon walked away this afternoon was not the face of a feline in love with his devoted servant."

  Jax gave a bitter laugh that he quickly tried to suppress. "I haven't been in love with Lyndon for a long time, if I ever was."

  "Your uncle seems to think a lot of him," Ty commented.

  "That's because he doesn't know the real Lyndon," Jax replied. "If he knew what he was really like… oh, who am I fooling? He'll never believe a bad word about him."

  "Why not?" Cal asked.

  "Because Lyndon is my uncle's primary food source, too," Jax said.

  "That's no reason to believe him over his own nephew."

  Jax shrugged. "He won't hear a thing said against him. Believe me, I learned that lesson the hard way."

  "Talk to us," Ty urged.

  Jax could tell he wasn't going to get off this boat until he told them what they wanted to know. Perhaps he could give them an edited version they would accept.

  "I thought I was in love with Lyndon," Jax said. "I suppose every feline runs the risk of getting attached to their food source. Well, I did. I didn't know he served my uncle as well until later. Anyway, I got attached and when he asked for more I gave it to him. I spread my legs whenever he asked me and have continued to do so from that day to this."

  "Why not just tell him no, if you no longer have such feelings for him?" Cal asked.

  "Because he's my only food source," Jax explained. "If I send him away, I starve."

  "Surely your uncle wouldn't allow that to happen?"

  "I doubt he'd even notice. This is the most time I've spent in my uncle's presence in three cycles. We don't see each other on a daily basis. Lyndon is the only feline I see every day."

  "You could leave," Ty suggested. "You're a grown feline. What's stopping you from just walking out the door?"

  Jax couldn't answer that question, not without revealing more than he was comfortable with. He had already said more than he had intended to. "Fear of the unknown, I suppose," he offered by way of an explanation, hoping Ty and Cal would accept it and not press him further.

  It was a little too much to hope for.

  "What did Lyndon do to you to make you hate him?" Cal asked.

  "It doesn't matter," Jax replied.

  "I think it does."

  Jax shook his head. "I just grew up and saw him for what he was. Self-serving and uncaring."

  "Would your uncle really send him with you if Ty chose you as his mate?" Cal asked. "If Lyndon is his primary food source, and a favourite like you say, I'd have thought he would want to keep him."

  "So would I," Jax agreed. "I suspect Lyndon will end up serving who he wants to."

  "And would that be you or your uncle?" Ty asked.

  "I don't know. Lyndon has often hinted that my uncle will leave him the business, though I don't believe it myself. My brother Rhys is his official heir. If Lyndon were to leave with me he would be giving up any hope of inheriting the business. Not that I know for sure. This is just speculation. Lyndon isn't what I'd call a friend and he certainly doesn't confide in me. He just likes the novelty of fucking me since I have something my uncle doesn't."

  Ty and Cal exchanged a glance that Jax couldn't interpret.

  "Jax," Ty said, "I'd like to get to know you better. I mean with a view to claiming you as my mate. Would that be agreeable to you?"

  Jax wasn't sure what to say. He couldn't imagine why Ty would want him as a mate, not when he had Cal, who appeared to be devoted to him. Except Cal almost certainly wasn't dual-gendered, Jax reminded himself, which meant Ty wanted the same thing from him that Lyndon did.

  "I don't think I'm the right one for you," Jax said. "You should have someone who's as untouched as they claim to be. Not a slut like me."

  Cal smacked him lightly on the leg. "Don't call yourself that. You gave yourself to someone you loved and he took advantage of you."

  "I let him take me willingly," Jax reminded him.

  "Not from what I heard," Cal argued. "You said yourself, if you sent him away you'd lose your food source. He blackmailed you with the threat of starvation if you didn't give him what he wanted."

  Jax hung his head. "I'm not completely innocent in this. You said yourselves, I could have left."

  "If you become my mate, you'll be safe," Ty said. "You'll be fed and you won't ever have to feel as if you owe me or anyone else sex in order to ensure your next meal."

  Jax gave him a hard look. "You really believe that? All felines rely on their mates for their food. Suppose I was to agree to be your mate, what if I change my mind in a few seasons’ time?"

  "Then I would let you feed from whoever you wanted. Cal, or someone else, if you prefer."

  "Of course you would." Jax couldn't keep the sarcasm out of his voice.

  "Yes, he would," Cal snapped. "Don't judge Ty by the actions of Lyndon or anyone else. He's a good feline and he would care for you whether you were his mate or not. That's just the way he is."

  Ty snorted. "I'm not perfect, Cal. And had I known you had such a high opinion of me, we'd have been having this afternoon's little discussion a lot earlier."

  Cal flushed, but there was a wide grin on his face as he faced Ty. Suddenly, Jax felt as if he was intruding on a private moment and he fixed his gaze on the shore.

  "Jax?" Cal touched his arm. "Give Ty a chance."

  Since it was clear they weren't going to take no for an answer, Jax gave a small nod. It wasn't as if it would make any difference. Lyndon didn't want Jax to be chosen by Ty, and he would do whatever it took to put Ty off. All Jax had to do was wait.

  *****

  "He's hiding something," Ty said as he and Cal wandered through the trees the next morning.

  "Yes, but what?"

  Ty had no idea, but he was glad he wasn't the only one to think so.

  "Why didn't you tell him you're dual-gendered?" Cal asked.

  "I didn't think it relevant to the conversation," Ty replied. "We were talking about Jax, not me."

  "I suppose, but I think you should mention it to him before the festival is over, assuming you decide to claim him as your mate."

  "Oh I definitely intend to do that," Ty confirmed. "Assuming he's agreeable, of course."

  Cal gave him an odd look and Ty realised what he had said.

  "And that you want him to join us," he hurried to add.

  Cal chuckled and looped his arm through Ty's. "You worry too much. Of course I want to help him."

  "We could help him without my claiming him as a mate."

  "No doubt, but you like him too."

  "I'm sorry."

  "What for?" Cal sounded genuinely surprised.

  "We
've only just come to an understanding, and here I am, trying to convince another feline to climb into my bed."

  Cal's chuckle became a full belly laugh. "I don't mind. I like Jax too, even if he is hiding something. I think while you're getting to know Jax, I might take a little time to chat with Lyndon, one food source to another."

  "You're more than a food source to me."

  Cal stepped into Ty's path and wrapped his arms around his neck. "I know."

  They kissed on the path until Cal finally released him. "Just something to remember me by, while you're romancing Jax."

  Ty was still grinning like a fool when Cal disappeared round the corner.

  *****

  Cal found Lyndon in the gallery, where many of the guests enjoyed walking the length of the room. Paintings of Ty's ancestors, all with their proud expressions and black and white stripes, lined the walls. Cal didn't like the place. He always felt as if the eyes of the portraits followed him round.

  The paintings, however, didn't appear nearly as malevolent as Lyndon. For someone who was supposed to be enjoying a festival, he appeared rather angry as he stared out of the window.

  Cal approached him and wasn't surprised to see Ty and Jax walking together outside. "They seem to be getting along quite well," he said.

  Lyndon gave a non-committal grunt. "Did you want something?"

  "Just to talk," Cal said. "If Ty chooses Jax, it sounds as if we'll be spending a lot of time together. I thought we could get to know each other."

  Lyndon gave him a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "What do you wish to know?"

  "Well, how long have you been with the family? Is Jax a good feline? That sort of thing."

  "Orin fed from my father and after his death, five cycles ago, he began feeding from me. Later he offered me to his nephew as well."

  "What will happen to him if you stay here with Jax?"

  Lyndon shrugged. "I'm not his only food source. Not that I think your master will claim Jax."

  "What makes you think that? They seem to be getting along quite well."

  "That's because he doesn't know Jax yet."

  "What do you mean?"

  Lyndon smiled and leaned in closer. Cal steeled himself not to recoil. "Jax may look sweet and innocent, but the truth is, he's completely depraved."

  "He is?" Cal didn't believe it for a moment. He trusted his instincts and they were telling him Jax was in trouble and that Lyndon was the likely cause of it. He wondered how far Lyndon would go with his tale.

  "Oh yes. He seduced me as soon as he came of age, flaunting himself in front of me at every opportunity. He'd make sure he was naked when I went to feed him, sometimes he'd be touching himself, other times he'd be fucking himself with a fake phallus. He was always desperate and begging me to fuck him."

  "Are you saying he's not the virgin Orin claimed him to be?" Cal whispered. He hoped Lyndon really hadn't seen him when he'd come upon them having sex the previous day.

  "That's right," Lyndon replied. "I'm ashamed to say I couldn't resist him forever. What feline could? I gave him what he begged for."

  "Does Orin know? Or does he genuinely believe his nephew to be untouched?"

  "He knows Jax is depraved, but he doesn't know he lured me into his bed. I know I should have resisted the temptation, but you know how it is for us servants. When your master demands something of you, it's not as if you have any choice in the matter."

  "How does Orin know he's no longer a virgin?" Cal asked. Jax had avoided answering that particular question, and he wondered what Lyndon's explanation might be.

  "He accompanied me to Jax's room one day and found his innocent nephew fucking himself with his fake phallus."

  "Then he doesn't know he's had a real cock in him?"

  "He knows that too. Jax blurted it out that he'd been fucked by a feline in the middle of the argument that followed."

  "He didn't name you?"

  "No."

  "Why not?"

  "I don't know. I suppose you'd have to ask him, though I wouldn't rely on him giving you the truth."

  Cal stared out of the window to where Ty and Jax were now seated on a bench, their hands clasped. "He looks so innocent."

  "That's all part of his charm. The face of a virgin with the soul of a whore."

  "Some species say all felines are whores," Cal commented.

  "Maybe we are," Lyndon agreed. "Still, we don't have to flaunt it quite as much as Jax does. See?"

  Cal did see, perfectly clearly, what Lyndon was referring to. Ty and Jax appeared to be getting along very well indeed. They were kissing, while their hands were under each other's kilts. Cal waited for the jealousy to hit him, but it didn't come. Instead, he was aroused at the sight.

  "They only met yesterday," Lyndon reminded him. "Yet he's already got his hand on your master's cock. A couple more days and he'll be spreading his legs as well. You should warn Ty about him. I'd hate to see an upstanding feline like him becoming ensnared by one like Jax. He may feel obliged to claim Jax as his mate after Jax has seduced him, when the truth is Jax has already bedded at least two other felines since our arrival yesterday."

  "He has?"

  Lyndon nodded. "He's a slut, pure and simple."

  Something about Lyndon's story didn't sit right with Cal. Both he and Jax were hiding something, but Cal had no idea what.

  *****

  Jax left Ty to return to his quarters with a smile on his lips. The smile vanished as soon as he found Lyndon waiting for him there.

  "Did you enjoy having Ty's hand around your cock?" Lyndon asked.

  Jax didn't bother to ask how Lyndon knew what he had done with their host. They hadn't exactly hidden themselves away. "Yes, I did."

  Lyndon gave a humourless laugh. "I suppose I didn't really need to ask that question, did I? Sluts don't care whose brings them pleasure, do they?"

  Jax didn't bother to answer him, but Lyndon grabbed his arm as he tried to walk past him. "Let go of me!"

  Lyndon shook his head and used his free hand to grope him under his kilt. "This is mine, Jax. Never forget that."

  Jax shoved his hand away and twisted out his grasp. "You had your chance to claim me as your mate. You refused, remember?"

  Lyndon pushed him onto the bed and climbed on top of him. "You think your precious Ty is going to claim you?"

  "Maybe."

  "He'd be a fool to accept a slut like you into his bed. When he finds out you're not a virgin, he'll move onto one of the others."

  "And how would he find out?" Jax asked, not bothering to tell Lyndon that Ty already knew.

  "Gossip spreads very quickly at functions such as these," Lyndon replied.

  "And you'd be the one to start the gossip, no doubt."

  Lyndon climbed off him and flopped onto the bed beside him. "You're not only a slut, you're a foolish one. Aren't you forgetting something?"

  "No, I've not forgotten."

  "Just see that you don't," Lyndon warned. "Now, I think you should get some sleep before the next event of the festival. If you're in a more amenable mood when I return, I'll feed you. I'd rather not have my cock near your mouth when you're in this sort of mood, you might just bite it."

  Jax waited until Lyndon had left the room before throwing the nearest pillow after him. "Hateful feline!"

  No, of course he hadn't forgotten the one reason why he could never be with Ty, or any other feline. He climbed off the bed and opened his trunk. He flipped open the bottom drawer and pulled out the holo-recording and set it to play. The three newborn felines were the most beautiful babes he had ever seen. He was, of course, totally biased in his opinion, after all, they were his.

  A tear rolled down his cheek as he looked on the only image he had of the litter he had given birth to three cycles ago. They had been taken from him the very next day and he hadn't seen them since. If not for the kindness of the feline who had helped with the birth, he wouldn't even have this holo-recording.

  He would find them one da
y. He had to.

  *****

  Cal jumped to his feet as Ty entered the chamber.

  "You don't have to leap to attention when I enter the room," Ty teased. He sat down on his feeding chair and Cal hurried over to him. Ty seemed to realise where he had sat and waved him away. "No, I'm not hungry."

  Cal tried to hide his disappointment, but apparently he was unsuccessful.

  Ty laughed and beckoned him closer. "I might not be hungry, but I won't say no if you want me to suck you anyway."

  "Well, in that case…" Cal laughed as he climbed onto Ty's lap and straddled him. "I hate wasting cream, but how about we try this instead?"

  Cal rubbed his groin against Ty's stiff cock, the two layers of fabric between them increasing the friction. Ty grabbed his arse to hold him in place and urge him closer.

  With a groan of pleasure, Cal buried his head in Ty's neck and held on. He let Ty set the pace as they ground against each other, rocking and moaning. His cock ached and he could feel Ty was equally hard.

  "Did you enjoy spending time with Jax?" Cal whispered into Ty's ear. "Did you like it when he held your cock?"

  "You saw?" Ty gasped but didn't stop moving.

  "Yes."

  "Were you jealous?"

  "No."

  "Really?"

  "I was aroused, watching him touch you. Watching you touch him. I never thought myself a voyeur, but I suppose I must be, because I wanted nothing more than to touch myself as you pleasured each other."

  "Did you?"

  Cal snorted. "Unfortunately, I was watching from the portrait gallery and the odious Lyndon was at my side."

  Ty cringed. "Can you please not mention that feline while we're doing this?"

  "Sorry, but you did ask."

  "I asked if you'd pleasured yourself. How was I to know that the answer involved him?"

  Cal chuckled. "I apologise again. Now, how about we don't talk at all?" He pressed his lips to Ty's before he could answer.

  Slowly, Cal took charge and guided them to the brink, and only when he needed to suck in long breaths of air did he release Ty's lips.