Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

C al's house wasn't far from town, which didn't surprise Jesse at all. Of course the sheriff would live close by. What he didn't expect was how domestic the place seemed for such an outwardly rough guy. The small garden behind the house was well kept and neat, the home itself small and humble but clearly made for a bigger, taller person. The porch leading up into the home had two rocking chairs next to a table, and Jesse could clearly visualize them sitting there having a drink and watching the sunset.

While that thought, being together with Cal in such a familiar, sweet way, would have terrified him only days ago, now it seemed warm and inviting. It was something he couldn't wait to experience.

"Nice place," he said as they crossed the threshold, smirking at the simple furniture and bachelor placing of things.

While the man was clearly used to living alone, he kept everything nice. The house wasn't large. There was a main living area with chairs and a table, a fireplace at the center, with a simple kitchen nestled on one end. Off to the right of the living room was no doubt Cal's bedroom. Above the fireplace was a beautiful, bronze shield with the same crest Jesse had seen on Cal's destroyed necklace but in much more detail than the medallion.

Two long swords crossed at the blade in the middle of a circle of text in a language that Jesse didn't recognize. Jesse stepped over closer to see the design, the detail outstanding against the golden surface. While the shield was no doubt symbolic, it did seem like there were some scars from a long-ago battle nicked into the otherwise shiny surface. Each blade on the shield had hilts that curved upward into spikes, a piece of fabric wrapped around each handle, intertwining at the base.

"What does it say?" Jesse scanned over the text he couldn't read.

" Find Love in Strength & Honor ." Cal was beside him, looking at the shield. "The Klelbor family creed."

"That's something," Jesse whispered. "How long this been in your family?"

"Since they could make shields. We're an old family."

"You got family back home?" Jesse glanced his way, saddened by the distance in the man's eyes.

"Probably. But I lost touch a long time ago." He moved away, pulling his hat off and tossing it onto the table. "I'm gonna go fill the tub. It's outside connected to a small room to keep it warm during the winter. The outhouse is across the way."

"Got a well?" Jesse asked surprised.

"Yep. You'll see it when you go out to bathe."

Jesse glanced around the basic living room quietly, not spotting what he was looking for before asking, "Where is it?"

"Where is what?" Cal asked absently, taking off his gun holster and hanging it up.

"Your collection of beetles."

The look of surprise followed by the painfully adorable blush that covered the tall man's cheeks made Jesse nearly bust a gut laughing. Uncurling from where he had been folded in half from overwhelming amusement, Jesse wiped his eyes with the heels of his hands.

"Did you think I forgot about that?"

"I… just… didn't know you… actually wanted to see them…" Cal mumbled, looking down like a shy, little boy. It was almost too much to handle.

"Course I wanna see them. I said I did, didn't I?"

With a nod, Cal rubbed the back of his neck and made his way into the room Jesse had guessed was the bedroom. Inside the rather large room was a monstrous bed made for two men Cal's size. Across the walls were small shadow box frames with all sorts of specimens of the natural world. There were multiple frames of displayed beetles but also butterflies, a couple small samples of birds, and even a long frame of different size snake skins. The rainbow in the variety of the earth's creatures was impressive and beautiful, lovingly collected and displayed proudly.

Jesse took his time walking around to each one, asking questions about the ones that were most stunning or that he'd never seen before. Cal told him about each one. Where he'd found it, where they'd originate from, most of them coming from his time traveling for the war. He'd collected them and stored them, shipping them back to friends who kept them safe until he could come home and properly display them.

"You have one of the green, shiny ones!" Jesse grinned, pointing at the box. "Hell, I thought you were messing with me!"

"Yeah, course I do. It's one of my favorites."

"Well, this is the best collection I've ever seen," Jesse declared with a nod of finality, making Cal laugh.

"You ever seen another collection other than mine?"

"Nope, so you've got a monopoly on them, Sheriff. The best and only one."

"I'm glad it lives up to your standards." He snorted, pulling him over by the shirt to steal a kiss .

Jesse hummed approvingly and snared the sheriff before he could pull away, kissing him back and teasing the rim of his lips with his tongue. Cal opened his mouth and shut his eyes, letting Jesse deepen the kiss and slide a hand up into his hair. The embrace started sweet enough, but as soon as Cal's hands pulled Jesse's hips flush against his body, the mood shifted quickly. The kiss turned heated, demanding, and Jesse nearly melted at the grunt coaxed from Cal as he nipped at his lower lip.

"Bath," Cal huffed, trying to pull away but unable to unglue himself from Jesse.

"Mm-hm," Jesse agreed, slipping a hand around to grab Cal's firm ass.

"Goddammit," he hissed. "Stop it."

"You know… we could bathe together. Save some water that way." Jesse didn't stop shamelessly groping the big man.

"You don't stop doing that, and I'm gonna fuck you all dirty," Cal threatened, making Jesse grin.

"I like it when you talk as dirty as you are, Sheriff. But—" He made a point of sniffing his neck loudly. "—you kinda smell like horse sweat."

Cal groaned and reached around, grabbing Jesse's wrist to pull it free from the torment he was bestowing and pulled him along toward the tub in question.

"You don't smell like roses either, just for the record."

"I never claimed to," Jesse sang, strolling along as he was tugged along by the wrist.

Outside, Jesse did see the well Cal had been talking about because the annoyed man who claimed to be "offended by the claim against his odor" made Jesse help fetch water to bathe in. The house with the tub inside was big enough to house a hilariously large tub made for a Centaur-sized man, with fresh soap hanging nearby on the wall. While the tub was massive, with two grown men inside, it was a bit of a tight squeeze. They had almost made it all the way through the process without getting distracted by seeing each other properly nude for the first time. What had started as washing each other's backs turned into exploring skin, counting scars, and painting kisses all over.

The water was warm and refreshing, and they ended up needing a second round of rinsing to make sure they got properly scrubbed down. Once they were fully clean and rightly riled up, they staggered back inside to dry off and continue what they had started, wet and naked. Each now smelling like soap and clean water, they crashed down onto the bed in a tangle of limbs and eager kisses.

Driving his fingers through Cal's chocolate mane, Jesse was able to fully appreciate the unique texture of Cal's hair. It wasn't as coarse as horse hair but was thicker than normal human hair, falling heavily around his shoulders. In human form, his hair kept just to his head and didn't ride all the way down his spine like it did when he was in his full Centaur form, so Jesse trailed his fingers down the hairless back. The shudder that rippled through the big man tugged a grin at Jesse's lips, and Cal growled at him.

"You like teasing me too much."

"Oh, I live for it." Jesse nipped at his bottom lip, rolling over onto his back so he was squished into the mattress by Cal's larger frame. "Just like I've been living for this right here."

"Being pinned down into my bed?" Cal rumbled, his chest vibrating against Jesse's as he spoke, sending waves of heat down below his waist.

"Mm-hm. Pinned by you and hopefully impaled on that big horse cock."

Cal flexed his hips to dig said giant length into his hip, spiking Jesse's fluttering heart. Dropping his lips to Jesse's ear, he added with another long roll of his hips, "That can be arranged."

Jesse's dick bucked at the sensation, the promise of having that monster in him making his stomach tighten with anticipation. Finding Cal's mouth, Jesse kissed him wantonly, painting over the broad muscles in his shoulders and chest with his fingers. When his fingers grazed over the hard nubs on his chest, he gave one a pinch, grinning at the hiss that escaped Cal's lips.

"Evil man," Cal whispered.

"You know you l—" Jesse inhaled sharply as Cal's blunt finger swiped over his back entrance, causing him to tense briefly. "Asshole."

"Yes, it is." Cal chuckled, and Jesse bit his shoulder in retaliation.

"You're an asshole. You didn't warn— Sonofabitch…" Jesse hissed again as Cal repeated his action, teasing him viciously. Huffing, Jesse leaned his head back and spread his knees wider in an invitation before adding, "Please tell me you have something besides spit for that."

Cal paused and cursed, moving his hand away from the torment to land on Jesse's hip.

"No… I don't."

"Are you serious?" Jesse lifted his head, eyes wide. "You don't have anything here?"

Cal shook his head. "I don't… date. And I sure as hell don't typically bring anyone here."

"Am I the first boy you brought home?" Jesse smirked, lacing his hands behind his head and flexing slightly to make Cal's mouth water. The Centaur was distracted almost immediately, sliding a big hand over Jesse's chest.

"Something like that."

"So. Guess you're waiting to fuck me, then? ‘Cause that's going to take something besides spit and determination." Jesse glanced down at Cal's still proud erection. Cal sank back down over him, blanketing him and shamelessly pressing that beast of a cock against him again, groaning at the friction.

"I want you so fucking bad…" Cal's breath heated Jesse's neck, making him shut his eyes and sigh. Just as Jesse was about to suggest some other methods of getting their dicks wet, namely talking Cal into putting his mouth around certain parts of him, an extremely loud pounding at the front door caught their total attention.

The damn thing sounded like it was about to fly off the hinges, and Cal was up and fuming, Jesse not far behind him.

"Cal!" Jack's voice was booming on the other side of the door. "Get your ass out here now!"

"Don't break down my goddamn door, Jack! I'm coming!" Cal yelled back, stepping into his pants and tugging them up over his ass. Jesse hopped into his own discarded pants and skipped along with him, getting the fabric over himself before Cal ripped the door open and glared at the red-faced marshal. Jack's green eyes flared, his jaw set in an angry line, and one hand came up to jab a finger right at Jesse.

"Why isn't he in the cell?"

"Jack, I know my men gave you the intel Jesse provided." Cal was outwardly calm, but his stiff shoulders were clear warning bells. The man was pissed but trying to keep a lid on it for the sake of saving face.

"You think that means he gets to walk free? ‘Cause he flipped on the rest of his bandit friends?" Jack laughed humorlessly. "The hell's the matter with you, Calhoun?"

"He gave you everything! The location of their hideout, where they stash guns, how they plot out their marks!" Cal stepped outside, trying to let the door shut behind him, but Jesse was there to catch it. "What's the damn problem?"

"I told you—" Jack's voice dropped subzero low, his heated emerald eyes boring into Cal's angry brown ones. "—that they want blood, Cal. They're going to want to see him hang along with the rest of them. Intel or not."

Jesse gripped the door as pinpricks of cold stabbed up his spine at the remark, fear racing through his blood.

"He gave us everything we need to nail the real criminals—"

"Real criminals? He is a fucking criminal! I shouldn't have to explain this to you, Sheriff! "

"I gave him my word, Jack." Cal stepped up closer to the man, his voice a whisper and his eyes pleading. "I brought his family here for protection so he could give us this information."

"Well, why the hell would you do something stupid like that?"

"Jack, goddamnit, I'm doing my best here! Tell me what I need to do!"

"You need to do your job, Calhoun. I don't know what the hell got into you or why you're trying so desperately hard to save this piece-of-shit thug, but he's going to swing. There isn't a good goddamn thing you can do about it," Jack hissed, grabbing metal cuffs from his belt, turning his molten gaze toward Jesse. The man was huge, intimidating as all get out, and was aiming his fury right at him.

The prospect of running seemed like the only option he had, but he knew better than to think he could honestly outrun them. Cal's rifle was close by, but he also didn't want to murder the man who was stubbornly doing his job. Plead? Beg? Jack didn't seem to give a shit about any of that. Jesse was cornered. Trapped. The gallows once again pressed against his back.

Jack shoved past Cal's frame and reached for Jesse's wrist, unlatching the cuff to snap around him and drag him away.

That's when everything went to shit.

Cal had always prided himself as a man that could control his emotions. During the war, when hell was unleashed on earth and death was a welcome companion, Cal led his men through the throngs of cannon fire and over the corpses of the fallen. He had known fear, known what bravery he could pull forward in order to survive and drag the souls following him through to the other side, victory or not. Death of soldiers he'd known and liked, loved like brothers and sisters, were stained on his soul in permanent marks of sorrow .

But Cal had never known anger, not true, white-hot anger until that very moment. The moment Jack reached past him, despite all he had done, all Jesse had laid out for them in hopes of saving his family, he reached for him with means to see him hang from a noose. Something snapped in him then, something deep and primal that overrode all modern sense of societal laws and customs, of his current status as a man of the badge, and swallowed it deep in the guts of basic instincts.

Protect.

Defend.

Fight.

Jack's green eyes were wide with confusion as he was forced backward down Cal's porch steps, Cal's hand gripping the front of his nice vest so tight his knuckles were white. Walking out into his yard, Cal shoved the man back so hard he nearly fell on his ass.

"Cal, what the f—"

" You dishonor me ." Cal spoke in a language he hadn't used since he was a colt. His native tongue, rich and sharp, flowing out of him now like it had always been part of him. Despite the fact Cal's tongue hadn't formed the staccato, somewhat whistle-like language in decades, his mouth fell back into old muscle memory.

Jack's eyes nearly bugged out of his head, likely not hearing it for about as long. Centaurs and Minotaurs had a very complicated relationship as it was, but they did share a common language as well as their own unique to them. Jack understood what he was saying. Cal could tell by the shift from anger to shock.

" You dishonor me, cousin, " Cal continued. " You step onto my ground and transgress against that which I love, my home and heart, and bare horns and hooves against me ."

Jack stared at him, mouth agape, and somewhere behind him, Jesse said something like, "Holy shit, is that Centaurian? "

"Are you serious right now?" Jack finally asked in English. "I transgressed against you ?"

" Upon my earth, my land, and my home, I demand you relent and bare tail, and do not return unless my hand extends in offer ," Cal kept speaking their language, squaring his shoulders and not moving from his spot.

"You're fucking serious."

"Leave." Cal switched to English. "Or I'll make you leave."

"You prepared to go against a marshal, Calhoun? Because that's what you're doing right now."

"I'm not going against a marshal. I'm going against you ."

"Same goddamn thing."

"No." Cal shook his head slowly and switched back to their shared language. " I go against you in battle. Cousins in combat. I will fight for what is mine ."

Jack threw his head back and laughed, belting out a chorus of mocking chuckles before scrubbing a hand over his face. " Yours . Him? You can do better, Cal."

"Don't."

"He's a fucking thief! A robber! Gods, what would your brother—"

Cal roared, shifting without even bothering with removing his pants, the poor fabric ripping to shreds and clinging to one leg. Rage pumped under his skin so hot it ached, his heart hammering like it was trying to bust free of his ribs.

"Cal…" Jack warned, setting his jaw.

"Fight me or leave! You will not take him! I will not allow it!"

"That's not how this shit works, Cal! We can't settle this with old-world dueling!"

"Shift and fight, Minotaur! We settle this now!" Cal boomed. "You bull-headed fuck!"

"Horse's ass!" Jack roared back, finally pushed too far, charging straight for him as he shifted into his full Minotaur form, which Cal had only ever seen once. The massive man was even bigger in beast form, his lower half thick with muscle and ink-black hide that covered his bovine hind legs with cloven hooves. From the waist up, he remained mostly human but massive and raging, his fabric straining and ripping around his chest and bulging biceps. His face kept a mostly human look, not growing into a bull's face like most imagined he would. His ears grew long and aimed downward, tipped in his black fur, but the most impressive addition were his big, powerful horns.

Forming at the temples, Jack's giant, bone-white horns tipped with black, grew out and curved upwards with a slow spiral, sharp, deadly, and aimed for Cal. Just before said horns could run him through, Cal grabbed hold of the bony spears and braced himself against the man's assault. All four of Cal's hooves slid against the dirt as Jack bellowed and pressed forward, trying to outmuscle him with brute force and connect the blow. Cal ground his teeth together and pushed back, grunting in pain as Jack began slamming his fists into Cal's torso. Each jab was like a train knocking its grill into Cal's insides, and Jack refused to stop pushing forward against Cal's grip.

Cal twisted his horns to the side, causing Jack to careen with them and tumble, grabbing Cal's wrists with his hands and started trying to pry them away. A cloven hoof reared up and slammed into the meaty part of his horse chest, rattling the second set of organs inside the large torso. Coughing, Cal twisted his horns again and let go, balancing back on his back legs and kicking him with his front ones. The blow sent Jack staggering back, holding his chest, pissing him off further.

Jack lowered his head, nostrils flaring, glaring ahead at Cal. The man was going to charge again but was starting to circle around him to flank the Centaur and position him where he couldn't reach to defend himself. Cal tracked him, making sure to remain facing him with his hands out ready to catch him again. In a sudden burst of movement, Jack fired forward again, sending dirt flying behind him as he sprinted. Cal readied himself to grab him, but the agile Minotaur shot to the side and pushed his meaty shoulder into Cal's side, forcing him over.

Terror ripped through Cal as he flailed, his massive frame pushed over onto his side and crashing to the earth. Jack was on him then, navigating away from Cal's deadly hooves to straddle his human half, cracking a fist across his cheek. Stars blinded Cal's vision from the impact, the hammer fist of the Minotaur knocking his vision out for half a second. Another fist caught him in the same spot, and Cal almost fell into darkness before his training kicked in and his arms raised to block the onslaught. As he blinked color back into his eyes, Cal's arms caught the incoming blows to his face, grunting in pain at the punches to his ribs he couldn't protect. Kicking up with his front leg, Cal drove a sharp knee into Jack's back, bucking him forward, off balance, and forcing his horns within Cal's reach.

Grabbing hold, Cal twisted the man off him violently, Jack roaring in pain as his neck twisted painfully and his body followed, practically cartwheeling off Cal's body. Jack rolled away as Cal released him, holding his neck in pain and glaring daggers. Cal surged back onto his feet as Jack launched at him again, too blinded by rage to notice Cal was turning his bottom half his way.

Bracing onto his front legs, Cal drew his back legs up and shot them backwards in a powerful kick, both hooves connecting on chest and jaw. Jack was airborne for a couple heartbeats before he tumbled across the dirt and landed in a heap. Panting, sore, and bleeding, Cal held his ribs and watched Jack roll over slowly, groaning loudly in pain as he held his jaw.

"Stay down," Cal called out to him, getting ready for another charge but knowing in his bones he couldn't take much more. His muscles were screaming from the strain against the massive brute, and the punches had done a helluva number on his insides. Not to mention he was still seeing flecks of stars in his vision. Zeus, that man could punch .

Jack slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position, testing his jaw to see if it was broken. After opening and closing it, rolling it around with a wince, Jack slid his eyes to him and narrowed them.

"That fucking hurt."

"Good," Cal spit, holding his throbbing ribs and wiping the blood from his tender cheek. "Are we done here, Jack?"

Jack's long, bovine ear twitched in irritation. "Yeah, we're done, Calhoun. This doesn't change a goddamn thing. Now we're beaten up and still have a problem."

"They're gonna come here as soon as word gets out Jesse flipped. This town is in danger, Jack. We got bigger problems."

"They won't come here if he's already hung, Cal. Saves us a lot of grief."

Cal's eyes flashed with anger, his hands curling up into fists again.

"They'll come for my family even if I'm dead and gone, Marshal." Jesse was there, standing a couple of feet away, rifle in hand but not aimed. Jack eyed the weapon warily, curling his lip at the unspoken threat. Jesse picked up on the look and glanced down at the gun in his hand before moving his eyes back to Jack.

"I wasn't gonna shoot you, Marshal. Well… maybe in the leg or something if I had to, but it didn't get that far."

"For the record, kid, you better kill me if you shoot me," he growled, exhaling a loud bull snort afterwards.

"Noted." Jesse shifted the rifle to rest over his shoulder. "Like I was sayin', Marshal, these bandits are still coming here once the law starts nipping at their heels. Me dying isn't gonna change anything. That's the bargain I struck. I give you them, but they will come here."

"You can stay and help us," Cal said to Jack, gaining a sharp glare in return. "Keep Stallion Ridge safe."

Jack rolled his jaw again, moving his tongue across his bruised gums and spit to the side. The rage was gone, but a cool anger was simmering under his skin. With a long, slow breath, Jack shifted back to his smaller but still meaty human form and climbed to his feet. The ripped and straining clothing seemed to settle back into a more comfortable fit but still looked like he'd been rolling in the dirt. A deep, angry bruise was forming on his jaw where Cal's hoof had connected, but otherwise he just seemed dusty and angry.

"I've known you a long time, Cal. We haven't seen eye to eye on a lot of shit, but this?" He gestured between Cal and Jesse, scowling. "This is just stupid."

Stomping past Cal briskly, Jack swept up his hat from the ground and tucked it back onto his head. Without turning around, Jack said over his shoulder, "If they're not here in a week, I'm dragging your ass to Worthington, Woodlock."

Jesse exhaled through his nose, watching the marshal leave the property in a huff. "It just took you two trying to kill each other to get him to work with us?"

"If that's what it takes." Cal winced again, shrinking down to his human form, still holding his ribs. With his pants ripped to pieces from his shift, Cal shook the last bit of clinging fabric from his ankle and walked naked back to the house.