—
Chapter Ten
A Battle of Wills
—
‘Alright, we need to think about this logically,’ Ben began.
‘Logically?! A shifter broke into my house!’ Kalevi roared. Ben was silently glad the man could only turn into a cat because right then and there, he looked as though he would breathe fire if he had been able.
‘Kal, please try to calm down. You’re shifting again,’ Vano said. Something in his deep voice must have connected because with a great effort, Kal seemed to master himself. His eyes were still flickering back and forth between the human and the feline. His control was little more than a thin suggestion.
‘Let’s go through this carefully. Has anything been taken?’ Ben asked. He pulled out his phone. ‘We should document what we can.’
The black cat wasn’t listening. Kalevi was breathing hard. Another shifter. In his house. Where his brother sleeps. He grabbed for his phone and hit dial before the others could ask what he was doing.
‘Kal?’
‘Eli! Are you alright?’
‘Huh? Yeah, I’m fine. Why? What’s wrong? You sound really panicked.’ Right. Fuck. Kalevi took several deep breaths, trying to bring his voice back down to an acceptable volume.
‘Yeah, yeah, everything’s fine. Something just came up.’ Ben and Vano were both giving him confused and faintly disapproving looks. Kalevi ignored them. They could judge him all they liked. He didn’t care. Eli was his brother, and he would protect him.
‘Something?’ Now Eli sounded scared. Shit.
‘Kal, wouldn’t it be best to just tell him the truth?’ Ben asked a quiet murmur. Kalevi shot him a venomous look. Seconds later, a black cat tail was whipping back and forth over the top of Kal’s jeans.
‘Sorry for freaking out on you. Really, it’s nothing. I’ve got to work tonight. You okay to crash at Miles’ place?’
‘You asked me to come home as soon as I could, though?’
‘Yeah. Didn’t realise how much a pigsty this place was.’
‘O..okay… Are you sure that’s all it is?’ Inside the nervousness was a touch of frustration that made Kalevi pause. Eli was a smart kid, always had been. He knew Kal wasn’t telling him the full story, especially after such an explosive start to the phone call. Kalevi looked around the room, at the broken furniture and rubbish. This shouldn’t be Eli’s problem.
‘Yeah. Try not to stay up too late.’ The call ended, leaving Kalevi feeling a whirlwind of emotions. Everything from worry to guilt to frustration. He didn’t like lying to his little brother but if it kept him safe, he would do it. Now to get this mess cleaned up.
Ben and Vano watched in concerned silence as Kalevi pulled out several garbage bags and started to pile ripped cushions and broken crockery into them. Ben sighed. ‘Kal, please let us help.’
Kalevi’s eyes flashed dangerously. ‘Fine. You can help, but you stay the fuck out of my business when it comes to my brother. I know what’s best for him.’
‘Lying to him? Kal, what if this wasn’t a random act of vandalism?’
Kal’s irises turned to slits. ‘Don’t you think I’ve thought of that? I know! Just fuck off and let me think!’
‘Do you have homeowners’ insurance?’ Vano asked.
‘Are you shitting me? Homeowners insurance? I can’t even afford to keep the lights on most months!’
‘We can help subsidise-’
Kalevi shouted over Ben. ‘I don’t need your charity! I-’
‘Enough!’ The boom of Ben’s voice actually forced Kal to pause. ‘Kalevi, I’m not quite sure how to get this through your head but I’m going to try once again. We are here to help you, but we are also here under order. Your stubbornness and volatility aren’t helping anyone! You want to keep your brother safe? Then stop chasing away the only people willing to make that happen. You’re still acting like an aggressive thirteen-year-old. I’m sorry but if you can’t control yourself then you will not be allowed to stay here!’
The silence that fell was ice cold. Ben’s face was stern. Vano stood beside him like some kind of stone guardian. Kalevi suddenly felt like a small child being told off by the head mistress. What made it worse was that Ben was right. Kalevi couldn’t bring himself to respond, so like a bratty teenager, he said nothing. He just picked up the garbage bag and stood there, glaring at the carpet.
Ben sighed, rubbing at his eyes. ‘If a shifter is involved in this break in, it will need to be reported. We need to find out if anything is missing. Vano can start cleaning up the mess. I’ll make a list if you search the rooms, okay Kal?’ Kal nodded. What was odd about the destruction was that certain items that might have been worth some cash were left completely alone whilst other things like books had been ripped to shreds. Kalevi carefully sorted through each room, Ben following quietly behind. Kal’s and Eli’s rooms were mostly untouched though drawers had been pulled out.
‘It’s like they were looking for something,’ Kal muttered as he carefully placed Eli’s socks back in the drawer and closed it.
‘Do you know what for?’ Ben asked.
Kal shook his head. ‘My dad was a fucking scumbag. He hung out with all kinds of losers. A few them used to come round looking for money. It took a few rounds for them to realise there wasn’t anything here for them anymore,’ Kalevi said coldly. ‘All that was years ago though. No one has shown up asking for my old man in a long time.’
‘Interesting. I’ll see what I can find out. It could be that someone who knew your father has only recently been released. Were any of these people particularly dangerous?’
Kalevi whipped around. ‘Not really. Most of them were just lazy pieces of shit floating in the same circles but… there were a few. Got arrested for getting involved in some gang shit or something. One of them ate a guy.’
Ben stared. ‘… ate a guy?’
Kalevi shrugged. ‘Yeah. Alligator shifter I think. I’m not sure. Thankfully they never really came round here.’
‘Okay. Kal, I really don’t think it’s safe for you to stay here.’
‘I’m not going to be chased out of my home.’
‘Then you owe it to Eli to give him that choice for himself. He is nearly an adult. He has a job and an education.’
Kalevi nodded glumly. ‘I know. It’s just… hard. I keep seeing him as that scared, skinny little kid. I just want him to be happy.’ A hand gently squeezed his shoulder. For once, he didn’t knock it away.
‘There’s nothing wrong with that but he can handle the truth,’ Ben said gently. It took them nearly three hours to have everything photographed and cleaned. Honestly, the house looked cleaner now than it ever had. Vano and Ben were like machines. Ben had only stopped to order them food. Kalevi was mildly amused by the transformation of the living room. Whoever had broken in might have done them a favour by smashing some of the old, shitty furniture.
‘There are some very reasonable second-hand furniture places. We can replace the coffee table and cushions for you,’ Vano said.
‘You don’t need-’
‘I wasn’t asking permission,’ the stag replied. Kalevi huffed but let it go. Honestly, he was ready to sleep for a week which wasn’t going to happen because he had to work tonight. Fuck his life sucked…
‘Are you done with your plate?’ Ben asked. Kalevi nodded. Vano collected up the dishes and headed into the kitchen.
‘Thanks for… all this,’ Kalevi grumbled.
‘Please. I would like to think we’re your friends. We are happy to help. Would you have called anyone else?’
‘Yeah, no… friends tend to use up a lot of time. Don’t exactly have much of that these days,’ Kalevi said.
‘Well, now you have to make time for us.’ Ben gave him a wink. Was this idiot flirting with him?
Kalevi grunted. ‘Bet you’d love that. Don’t exactly have much of a choice with the elders breathing down my neck. You have any other shifter projects you’re working on?’
‘No Kal, just you. We weren’t interested in anyone else once we heard your story.’
‘Lucky me,’ Kal mumbled, aware of how close Ben was to his personal space.
‘You deserve support. I know you don’t seem to think so.’
‘I’m fine,’ Kalevi said automatically. When he looked up, Ben was right there.
‘Kalevi, you’re allowed to be not okay.’ He didn’t know what made him do it. Maybe it was sleep deprivation, maybe it was contact starvation, hell, maybe he just did it to shut the man up, but Kalevi leant forward and kissed Ben hard. He expected to be shoved away. He half expected Ben to punch him. He deserved it. Which was why his brain stuttered to a halt when Ben tugged him closer.
The kiss was anything but dainty. It was a messy, hard, almost violent contact of bodies and claws. Their teeth clacked together, and Kal had just enough sense to notice that they both had steadily sharpening canines. Ben smelt like sandalwood and rooibos tea. He pressed the taller man back, but Ben didn’t move. Kal felt the muscles ripple under his touch. It was the first time that Ben had shown he was a lot stronger than he looked.
Suddenly a large arm coiled around his waist, and he was gently tugged away from Ben. ‘What the hell Vano?!’ Kal yelped as the stag manhandled him.
‘Are you alright?’ It took Kal half a second to realize that Vano was asking Ben! Ben looked somewhere between stunned and sheepish. He licked his lower lip. It was a little swollen.
‘Yes, I’m fine.’ Vano’s arm was like iron. It was squeezing Kal just enough to press him firmly against the massive shifter. Kal was still panting, pulse thudding in his ears.
‘Kalevi, what was that?’ Ben asked. He didn’t sound angry.
Kalevi felt himself flush. Embarrassment was not an emotion he was used to. ‘It was… nothing. Forget about it.’
Ben’s fingers tipped his chin up so he could hide his gaze. ‘No Kal, it wasn’t nothing. Don’t hide. Talk to us.’
‘You know I’m not good at that shit,’ Kal snapped. Vano gave him another squeeze. The cat shivered but went limp.
‘Can you let me go?’ Kal grumbled.
‘No. You need this,’ Vano replied.
‘What, to be squashed by a giant?’
‘No. To be grounded. You can’t do it with words alone so the touch might help,’ Vano said.
Kalevi spluttered. ‘I, you… What?! That’s not-’
Ben considered him thoughtfully. ‘Have you heard of domination and submission in relationships?’ Kalevi’s brain stuttered to a halt.
‘As in like whips and bondage and shit?’
Ben frowned and Vano let out a vaguely tied sounding sigh. ‘No Kal. Not whips and bondage. I also refuse to believe that’s all you know on the subject. Submission doesn’t need to involve sexual contact at all if that isn’t what the parties involved want.’
Kalevi swallowed. He had no idea why he was suddenly so nervous. ‘Are you and Vano… together?’
‘Is that a problem?’ Ben asked with surprising sharpness.
‘No.’ He wasn’t that surprised. He knew they at least lived together. Now though, he found himself curious about exactly what their dynamic was. Kalevi didn’t know what to make of this insane situation. It was kind of his fault. He practically launched himself on Ben. ‘Can we sit down on the couch or something? This is getting uncomfortable.’
Ben nodded. Kal was not impressed when Vano carried him to the damn couch. As they sat, Kal was plonked down in the man’s lap. He immediately began to try and wiggle free.
‘Let him hold you.’
‘I don’t need coddling,’ Kalevi grumbled but he settled himself against Vano’s chest. The bastard was comfortable.
‘Kal, you lost control again,’ Ben said softly.
‘I know. I shouldn’t have kissed you,’ Kal muttered.
Ben smiled ruefully. ‘Whilst that was rather unexpected, that’s not what I meant. You partly shifted again. Is this all because of the break in at your apartment?’
Kal shrugged uncomfortably. ‘I don’t know. Maybe?’
‘You’re stressed, you can’t regulate your reactions to stimulus and it’s only going to get worse.’
‘I was managing,’ Kal said weakly.
‘You were drowning,’ Vano murmured, his deep voice rumbling against Kal’s ears. Kalevi didn’t reply. He stayed where he was. It was only then that he noticed the long black cat tail flicking beside him. Fuck. Was he really that much of a mess? Stupid question really.
‘Okay.’
Ben and Vano glanced at each other. ‘Okay?’ Ben asked.
‘I need help,’ Kalevi admitted quietly.
‘You’ve needed help for a while. The real question is, do you want help?’
Kal bit his lip. It was so hard to hide from these two. They seemed to so easily cut him open and scrape him raw. Maybe that was what he needed, to get rid of all the deep seeded rot and decay.
‘Yes. I… Want the help.’
Vano’s arms hugged him tightly, helping him feel like he wasn’t about to leap out of his skin. ‘Alright,’ Ben said. ‘Let’s try this again.’
Kal gave him a weak smile. ‘What, the kiss?’ Something of the jungle cat flashed in Ben’s eyes. He cleared his throat.
‘No, not the kiss but… I wasn’t joking when I talked about the dominance and submission. It will take a lot of questions and some study on your part, but I don’t think simple talking will be enough for you. If you want something more physical, we would be open to that as well.’
‘Wait, what? You would?’ Kal said stupidly. Both Ben and Vano were at least nice to look at. Ben was handsome with an almost too young face and bright eyes. He was lean and tall with a warm smile. Vano was big and broad everywhere with rugged features. He was only missing the beard to be the stereotypical woodsman. Kal was staring. Fuck, Kal needed to get laid. He just hadn’t expected it to be with his “babysitters”. Not that it had to be… but. He glanced down at his tail again. If he didn’t get control of his shifting, the elders would take Eli away from him.
‘Alright, we can… try it.’
Ben looked momentarily surprised. ‘You’ll let us help you? No more screaming, no more running away?’
Kal growled softly, the sound more cat than human. ‘I can’t promise I’m not going to react to the stupid shit you say but yes, I’ll try to participate,’ he said drily.
Ben looked over the moon. He beamed at Kal. Before Kal could say anything else, Ben leant forward and rubbed his cheek against Kal’s. A deep feline chirping rumble escaped Ben’s chest. From behind, Vano hugged Kal tight, making him feel like a small toy trapped between two delighted children. He wanted to shove them both away.
He would.
Absolutely.
In a minute.
—
END
—