Page 1 of Damian & Jun, Episodes 13-16
Episode 13
Damian
“That was him. That was the man at the resort with the pale hair. The one who got me out.” Jun’s words rang over and over in Damian’s head. He locked eyes with his wolfling.
Collin sat up, clumsily, looking to Richard. Jun steadied him and Richard nodded, giving him permission to speak. “So how does he know Ellisandre?” Collin asked softly. “The accent’s Russian.”
Damian sorted through the strands of what knowledge was at his disposal. The Russian part made sense. He’d already suspected Jun’s rescuer had been Russian. The motive had been suspect; the subsequent contact during Damian’s hijacked lunch had cleared up nothing.
Émeric and Richard both frowned, exchanging looks.
“Ellisandre has a… history,” Richard said slowly, eyes on Émeric.
“If Ellisandre is bringing that history here, then they’re breaking their silence,” Émeric countered, voice level.
Collin pushed himself up on his knees. “Mikhail was afraid of Ellisandre. He was angry when he found out they here. I never asked why.”
Richard grimaced, looking at Émeric again.
Émeric shook his head and shrugged. “Mikhail isn’t the only one who has been afraid of Ellisandre over the years.”
“Ellisandre protects Linda,” Richard said quietly. “I’ve never asked for details, and they never offer them. I suspect they were something else before they became Linda’s shadow.”
Jun wrapped his arms around Collin, who leaned into him.
“I trust Ellisandre,” Richard said. “If they’ve chosen to bring someone here, then the reason is good.” He extended his hand to Collin. Jun released him and Collin went to his Master immediately. “Breathe, brave boy.” He held Collin against his chest. “No matter what is coming, Ellisandre would tell us if there was something we needed to do before tomorrow morning.” He kissed the top of Collin’s head. “We still have most of today and tonight. Do you need to talk about this, pet?”
Collin paused with the unfocused look in his eye that came when he was thinking hard. Richard pulled that look out of him more than anyone else. Damian waited.
With a long breath out, Collin shook his head. “Thinking won’t change what’s coming. And I trust Ellisandre, too. But I need a moment.”
Richard praised him with a kiss on his temple. “Émeric?”
Émeric shook his head. “We should all take a moment. I had plans for tomorrow night. I think I’ll move them up to tonight. We don’t know anything new.”
Richard raised an eyebrow and looked down at Collin.
Émeric nodded.
Richard inclined his head in agreement. He turned his eyes to Damian.
Damian clenched his jaw and released it. It wasn’t just himself that he had to think of now. The urge to think and consider and research, to throw himself into a frenzy of work until the tension went away, was there. But he wasn’t on his own anymore. He needed whatever time he had with Jun. Needed it like air.
He turned to Jun. His wolfling was still sitting in the open cave with the blanket half wrapped around his naked hips.
“I’ll take a few minutes with Jun,” Damian heard himself saying, as if he were someone else. He ran a hand over his head and looked to Richard. How did one just say, “We might lose each other, so we should have each other while we still can?”
Richard understood, though, without Damian needing to speak. He gave Damian a nod. “Let’s all take a moment.”
Émeric reached out, taking Collin from Richard. “Reset time,” he said, lifting off Collin’s kitten ears. “Then we’ll get back to where we were.” He gestured with Collin’s kitten ears. “I’ll give these back, boy, when I know we’ve gotten you back into headspace. You can talk freely until then.”
Collin smiled, grateful, but said nothing. He looked lost. Coming out of a period of deep submission in the face of an outside threat was never easy.
Émeric checked in with Richard and Damian with a glance, then looked directly at Jun. “Do you need anything, little crime?”
Jun blinked, startled, then half smiled and shook his head. “Just thinking about doing big crimes.”
Émeric smiled back. He turned to Collin and led him from the room.
