Franklin snorted and moved closer, wanting to nuzzle him, but settled on stroking a lock of hair from his forehead."You're free to go wherever you want.There is food in the kitchen, and there are clean towels in the bathroom, should you want to shower.I won't be home until after three in the morning, okay?"
Axar nodded.
It was a struggle to step back, but in the end, Franklin did."I'll lock the front door, but if you want to go for a walk or something, there is a spare key underneath the doormat."
Interest sparked in Axar's eyes, but he didn't speak.
"Do you have a phone?"Franklin wanted his number.
Axar shook his head."No, I've never had one."
Who didn't have a phone?Could you live without a phone these days?"Okay, we'll have to make do without for now."He didn't have a landline, so there was no way for Axar to call him at work."We'll fix one tomorrow, okay?For now, we have to make the best of the situation."
Axar's eyes were wide as he nodded.
"See you later."Franklin reached out and caressed his neck.He wanted to bury his face there, inhale his scent, but he took a step back.Once he'd exited, he locked the front door and headed to his car.
* * * *
Chapter 7
"Where are they?"Franklin strode to Elvin's side as soon as he entered the bar, not paying any attention to the people around them.
"They left shortly after you did."Elvin walked into the dim corner next to the swing door the staff went through to get behind the bar.
"What did they say?"
"Not much.She demanded I hand back her son, but it was as if she could sense he wasn't here.They left shortly after, and the men with her never spoke."Elvin studied his face."Is he okay?"
Franklin nodded, then shook his head."He's covered in wounds and bruises, and there are a lot of old and new scars."
A crease formed between Elvin's brows."He did smell of blood."
"I only saw his arm.I cupped his elbow when I showed him the spare bedroom--"
"The spare?Why didn't you take him to yours?"Elvin wiggled his eyebrows, and Franklin sighed.
"I don't think he's ready for that."
Elvin sobered."Maybe not."
"I don't know ifI'mready."
"You're so ready, and everyone in your surroundings is so, so ready.Claim him, and then you can stop snarling at people for breathing."
Franklin flashed teeth at him."It's the whole ghost thing.He says he can only see shifter ghosts."He waited for Elvin to say something, but, for once, he didn't.
"Do you believe in ghosts?"Franklin looked around to make sure no one listened to their conversation.
Elvin scrunched his nose."I don't know, but I remember Neoma, and I don't see how he could know she worked here.He's what, ten, fifteen years younger than us.There is no way he could've met her when she worked here."
"He calls my office the murder room, says it's where she died.That someone wanted to bet her in a card game."
This time it was Elvin who flashed teeth--human-looking, but still."They played for her and then killed her?"
"No idea.He said she didn't make any sense.She was agitated, and they often are when they're in a location of past trauma."
Elvin was quiet for a long time, then he shrugged."I don't know what to believe, to be honest, but psychics can do all kinds of shit.He's a psychic, and if he says his skill is to see the ghosts of shifters, can we say he's wrong?"
