Strings Of Fate

Chapter 10

Jaz wasn't in the apartment. 

Marquez grumbled but held down the wave of anger that threatened to flow. Jaz was not in the flat anymore but his friend was and Jaz was not one to abandon his friends in a dangerous situation. He'd have to have a word with Jaz about leaving without permission. He stretched, letting his muscles uncoil and his bones crack. The wave of pleasure was immense, and he collapsed back down on the makeshift bed to indulge in some relaxing. 

They'd found Jaz. Now, Terrence. 

Marquez was annoyed with himself for not realising immediately, but it wasn't like he'd ever seen Terrence's human face before. Madame had introduced him to the lion hybrid already changed and with a lion's face. Blue eyes, white fur and whiskers, ready to play and enjoy his new life. The sweet child had grown up into a handsome young man and Marquez wanted him.

Terrence was a little taller than Jaz, not by much. His last growth spurt must have pushed him up the few inches of difference. Once blue eyes were now a stormy grey but no less expressive than the wide eyes that he'd had. His skin was as fair as one would expect from someone who'd been an albino lion. Freckles danced around his cheeks and shoulders, not to mention his legs. Despite the fact that Jaz's fur had been white, Terrence had black curly hair. A remembered trait from before he was a lion, possibly? 

The smell of the circus no longer came from the man, though the hint of magic lingered on. Some of his natural scent remained, but now mixed with oil from the city air and bread. Marquez had scented Terrence as much as he thought he could get away with. It would mean nothing, but it settled the animal side of him that wanted to claim their partner. Terrence wasn't ready for that, not by a long shot. He needed to do this right, and that meant making sure they had Terrence settled back into the circus again before working on making their relationship romantic.

Daniel stirred next to him, the young man waking up as the people around him moved. Sanvish was up and wandering over to the bathroom. The sounds of people moving in Terrence's flat was filtering through the walls. Muffled and unintelligibly but there. The herd was hard at work pulling the poisonous mess of a life back together again. 

His job was going to be much harder. Pulling Terrence out of this life and back where he belonged. Preferably before Madame lost their patience. That was going to be so much harder and baiting a soul to join. Terrence knew the circus and despite its love, he was pulling away from it. Stubbornness, maybe? Or fear of what going back would mean. 

The words he had said to Sanvish the night before moved through his mind. 

"Oh my sweetheart," Marquez exhaled, closing his eyes and rubbing his forehead. 

The grief rolling off Terrence was overwhelming, and he was collapsing. Now they were here. No doubt a nightmare that had haunted his steps since he left the circus. They had the perfect opportunity now to wrap Terrence in support that he needed so much. As long as they didn't scare Terrence off. The man was skittish at the moment. 

The body next to him moved. Marquez reached over and dragged the little human to him, nuzzling his hair and scenting him. Daniel was stiff, uncomfortable with the attention, but he ignored it. The kid needed to get used to the attention.