Myths

by Rob Knight editor

  "Who, what are you?" he asked. The creature chuckled; a deep resonant sound that sent delicious quivers through Cameron. It ran a hand slowly up and down Cameron's spine while holding him securely about the hips with the other one. "I'm Philetus. Once I was a mage. I was cursed into the form of a gargoyle. Now, I am yours." "Oh," was all Cameron could think to respond. His eyes kept being drawn to Philetus' mouth. He leaned forward and pressed his lips against it again. Philetus held him tighter. Cameron carefully flicked his tongue against the fangs. They were sharp but not dangerously so. Philetus moaned and they kissed deeply.

  Gradually Cameron became aware that Philetus was still entirely naked and still very much erect. He froze, unsure of what to do. Philetus pulled back to look at him.

  "What's wrong, my love," he asked, brushing his fingers over Cameron's face.

  "I, I'm not sure what to do. You're...," he said, pulling his hips away ever so slightly.

  "Oh yes. I am..." Philetus said with a wicked smile. This frightened Cameron. He tensed and wondered if he could get away.

  "Shh, don't. I won't hurt you. I want you but I won't take anything you aren't willing to give. I am not Denman."

  Cameron relaxed somewhat. "You won't?" He knew that if Philetus wanted to, he wouldn't be able to do anything to stop him.

  "No, I won't. I only want what you wish to give me." Philetus said.

  While they stood there talking, wrapped about each other, Cameron began to run his hands over Philetus. First up the neck to the perfectly smooth head.

  Something occurred to him. "Why were you cursed?" "Ah, that is not so long a story," Philetus began. He tilted his head to rub against Cameron's hand, his eyes closing slightly. "I fell in love with another mage's apprentice. Unfortunately, he also fell in love with me. This did not please his master. We fought in this grove. He cursed me."

  Cameron's hands moved down to the broad shoulders. "You loved him?"

  Philetus focused on him, eyes dark and hooded. "Oh yes. He was beautiful, sweet, and brave. Like you."

  This startled Cameron but pleased him as well. "Did he sit at your feet after you were cursed?" he asked, his hands brushing across the broad chest.

  "Sometimes. He never discovered how to end the curse. Eventually he grew to love his master."

  Cameron paused in his explorations. "You don't seem upset about that."

  "I was then. But it was for the best. They grew old together. They took wives and had children but always loved each other. I eventually realized that seeing him happy was not so bad a thing."

  "Ah," Cameron answered. He reached up and hesitantly touched a wing. They were like a bat's wings he realized. "Then what happened?" "He grew old. His master died. He continued to visit me until his own death. One day I realized it had been longer than usual between his visits and knew that he must be dead. A few have visited me over the years but none regularly, until you," he said before leaning down to kiss Cameron again.

  Cameron smiled and pulled back to watch his hands smooth over the front of Philetus body. He didn't let his hands wander below the gargoyle's flat stomach but he couldn't seem to stop staring at the erection lifting up out of the mass of dark curls.

  "Would you touch me?" Philetus asked. "I want you to," he said as he leaned forward to nuzzle Cameron's neck. "I'm dying to feel your hands wrapped around me, stroking me."

  "Uh, I, yes," Cameron answered. Cautiously he let one hand reach out and touch the tip. It was darker than the foreskin it was poking out of. He wrapped his hand loosely around the cock and stroked down, watching the foreskin pull back, then stroked back up.

  "Ah," Philetus sighed, closing his eyes. "It's been so long."

  Cameron's heart sped up as he thought about what he was doing and the reaction it was causing. He gripped a bit harder and stroked a couple more times.

  "Mmmm, that's even better," Philetus said.

  Cameron liked that.

  Philetus grabbed Cameron's hand and pulled it up to his face. "I want to come in your hand," he said.

  Cameron nodded, breathing rapidly now. Philetus licked Cameron's hand and wrapped it back around his cock. He kept his own hand in place over it, making Cameron grip harder than he had before. Philetus pumped his hips and every time their hands came to the tip of the cock, they stretched the foreskin up before thrusting through again. Philetus' other hand braced on Cameron's shoulder. They kissed hungrily. Behind Philetus, his wings unfurled with a snap. Philetus growled and lifted his head, breathing rapidly. Cameron could feel his hair move in the breeze created by the slow movements of the huge wings. He looked down, wanting to see Philetus come.

  The hand on his shoulder squeezed, the wings stopped in mid-beat and for the first time, someone else was coming all over Cameron's hand. He stared at it before wiping it on the bottom of his tunic. He looked up to see Philetus smiling down at him. Then his lips were captured in another long, deep kiss.

  "Let me return the favor?" Philetus asked, one hand lightly touching Cameron's hip.

  "Ye-es," Cameron answered, realizing he was hard again. Then he was kissed again before he was pulled into Philetus' hip for balance, a strong arm wrapped around his back. There was a hand in front of his face and it took a moment to figure out what for. Philetus chuckled again. Cameron grabbed the hand and licked it sloppily. The hand disappeared from his view and wrapped around his cock. He grabbed Philetus' broad shoulders and held on for dear life. Philetus kissed his neck, ear, and jaw. All the while Cameron was lost in the sensation of another man's hand touching him, there, different than the girls who had touched him. A man knew what felt best. He heard a pathetic gasping whimper and vaguely knew it had come from himself.

  "That's it, my love," Philetus encouraged. "Let go. Trust me."

  Cameron couldn't think. It just felt so good.

  "You are so lovely in abandon," Philetus whispered to him. Cameron could smell the sharp scent of the gargoyle's skin. He began thrusting his hips fast and hard. The hand around his cock squeezed, released, and kept pumping. Philetus was nibbling at his throat and all he could think to do was lean backward and offer it to his lover.

  "Mmmm, so good," Philetus said, licking the offered flesh. "Come for me, love," he commanded. And Cameron thought that was a marvelous idea. A few more thrusts and with a sharp little gasp, Cameron came. His hips pumped until the contact with Philetus' hand became too much. Cameron watched as Philetus licked his hand clean. Cameron had never thought to do something like that. Philetus straightened out Cameron's clothes and kissed him again.

  "Thank you," the gargoyle said.

  "Thank you," Cameron managed to respond.

  They held each other some more before Philetus sighed wearily. "I must return to my perch."

  "What? But you're alive now. You could come with me. We could leave this place." "I'm sorry, my love. I can't leave this grove. I must stay until the curse is fully broken."

  "How do I break it? I'll do it now."

  "I can't say," Philetus answered, stroking Cameron's face. "But every time you kiss me I will come to life. I will love you but must return to my cursed form before dawn."

  They parted then, Cameron not wanting to watch the transformation back into stone. Almost every night after that, Cameron fled to the grove. No one questioned him about his new habit of sleeping late or napping during the day or the fact that he stopped spending time with the girls of the keep. Every night, he kissed the stone mouth and felt those first words breathed across his lips.

  With Philetus he learned more about loving than he ever thought possible. Mouths could bring pleasure beyond kissing. Fingers and tongues could be used for things that made Cameron see stars. He still could not quite get over the fact that such a formidable looking creature could be such a caring lover. He always left well before dawn.

  One evening, before he left, Philetus told him to bring some butter or grease from the kitchen the next time he visited. The night he stole the butter Cameron gave up everything to Philetus
. They lay on the ground slowly arousing each other. Then Philetus used his tongue to relax Cameron's hole.

  "Put some grease on your fingers. I need you to stretch yourself for me," Philetus instructed. The gargoyle murmured encouraging words, telling him how beautiful he looked, how much he was desired. When Cameron was ready, he lifted his legs and hooked his ankles on Philetus' shoulders. His world narrowed to the feeling of his lover's cock breaching him for the first time. When Philetus was finally sheathed, he leaned forward forcing Cameron's legs back to his chest. The gargoyle braced himself above Cameron and slowly pulled out until all that was left inside was the head of his cock. Cameron opened his eyes to see why his lover had stopped. Philetus smiled and dipped his head for a quick kiss.

  "That's better. I want you to look at me while I take you." He pushed his cock back in just as slowly as he had pulled it out. "I want you to see how you make me feel." With that, Philetus began fucking, deep thrusts, not too fast but a steady rhythm. The gargoyle's eyes were partially closed, his mouth open, breath hissing past pointed teeth. Cameron grasped his lover's arms to hold himself in place and groaned as he tried to move to meet each thrust. Philetus' wings furled and unfurled in time with his pumping. It felt so good to be pinned and filled by this amazing creature. As Philetus sped up, his balls slapping against Cameron's ass, Cameron got lost in the sensation. He wanted to touch himself but knew if he let go Philetus would shove him across the ground. Suddenly Philetus began thrusting shallowly, gnashed his teeth and growled. Cameron felt his lover's cock pulse and knew that he had come. Almost immediately Philetus reached down to bring Cameron off, still thrusting as much as he could before he softened. It was too much sensation and Cameron came with a soft cry. They stayed like that until Cameron felt the ache in his legs and began to squirm.

  The next day he found it hard to walk without limping or sit without wincing. His father asked if he was feeling well but he brushed it off as having pulled a muscle the day before. Only Denman looked at him as if he was lying.

  Over the next several weeks, Cameron found himself running into Denman constantly in the evenings. He feared Denman suspected something. He tried to be nonchalant about it; pretending not to notice Denman while being more careful about his nightly absences.

  One morning he awoke to find Denman sitting on the edge of his bed. He sat up quickly and reached for the dagger he kept under his pillow, only to see Denman playing with it.

  "I know you have a lover," the dark man informed him. "I know you sneak away to meet him."

  Cameron tried not to show his concern. "You are mistaken." He was sure that Denman didn't know the truth. The mage was simply using what little he did know to play on Cameron's fears of discovery. "No, I'm not. I've asked about and it seems the ladies are missing your attentions, yet you disappear in the evenings and frankly look well fucked, upon occasions you have difficulty sitting and I remember your reaction when I kissed you. I have no doubt it is a man."

  "Get out of my room," Cameron ordered. Denman smiled his evil little smile and tilted the knife so it was pointing at Cameron. "No, I rather think not. You see, since I know your secret, you will have to give me reason not to reveal it."

  "What do you mean?" Cameron asked although he had no doubt what Denman had in mind.

  Denman just flicked the knife and crawled across the bed until he was right in Cameron's face. Cameron never flinched.

  "You know exactly what I mean. Now be good," he said as he bent to steal a kiss.

  Cameron didn't dare fight with that knife so close to his face, but he didn't have to give anything to Denman. His passivity seemed to just make the man angrier. "I wanted you first," Denman said and grabbed Cameron by the throat. "Now, I'm going to get a taste of what you have given to another." He flung Cameron down on the bed and pulled his nightshirt up. He opened his own trousers and lay on top of Cameron. Denman kissed him viciously and ground his erection into Cameron's unresponsive groin. Cameron wanted to yell or fight but didn't dare just yet. He lay there, trying not to react. Denman continued to hump him like a rutting animal and spew insults. Cameron could see the knife out of the corner of his eye. The closer Denman got to orgasm, the less he controlled the weapon. When the fingers clenched and relaxed, Cameron grabbed the knife and had it pointed right at Denman's eye. The dark man froze and Cameron threw him onto the floor.

  "Get out of my room you filthy...." he began. "Get out before I kill you." "You'll regret this, Cameron," Denman said.

  Cameron jumped out of bed and brandished the knife. "I said get out!" Denman scrambled out of the room pulling his trousers up. Philetus was angry and worried when Cameron told him what had happened. He raged for an hour, telling Cameron what he would do to Denman if he could only leave the grove. Finally, he admonished Cameron to be much more careful of his visits and even suggested that they forgo them for a short time.

  Cameron would have none of that. He needed Philetus more than anything. In the end, he promised to be especially careful. He didn't notice Denman watching from above as he snuck out of the keep one night. The evening after that he didn't notice the form in the shadows outside the gate that watched him enter the forest. It took four nights for Denman to find Cameron's destination, each night he watched without following. The next night he would wait further along Cameron's path. When he finally found the destination, he went immediately to Lord Sigmund. The 5th night, Denman, Lord Sigmund and his adviser hid in the shadows of the grove and observed.

  The following morning Lord Sigmund and Denman observed as four soldiers dragged Cameron from his bed, bound him and marched him to the grove, still in his nightshirt. His father would not look at him nor answer his frantic questions. Denman just looked smug. When Cameron saw the wood piled high around the gargoyle, he began to struggle. His father had him gagged and his legs bound as well.

  "I'm sorry, my son. But you have been bewitched. You must watch as we destroy this demon. Then you will be free," his father told him. The old man nodded to Denman. "We've been told it's the only way."

  Denman leaned close. "This is all your fault, you know. You never should have denied me." Cameron tried to strike Denman with his shoulder but was pushed to his knees. Cameron felt tears running down his face as one of the men walked around the statue, lighting the fire. He tried to get up but the soldiers held him down. When the flames licked up Philetus' body, he tried to scream in protest. It took ages for the entire statue to heat. By the time the stone was reddening, he was silent again. His heart felt cold and hard inside. He would never forgive them for this.

  When the first soldier swung his mallet, Cameron turned his head away, only to have Denman force his face back around.

  "Oh no, little lord. You must see what the consequences of your actions are." Long fissures appeared in the body. They expanded and crisscrossed, spreading over the entire thing. The hammers struck repeatedly. Cameron's heart beat violently within his chest. The wings shattered and fell. Cameron sagged in defeat.

  Suddenly the flames went out as if smothered. They all stared at the gargoyle. His father signaled one of the men to re-light the pile. Just then, the statue quivered. The stone fell away and a man stood up calmly and spread his arms wide as he took a deep breath. It was Philetus.

  This was the first time Cameron had seen him in anything more than moonlight. His skin was a dark burnished bronze; his hair and eyes pitch black. He was broad, tall, and handsome beyond all reasoning. Cameron began struggling again. Philetus looked at him and smiled broadly.

  "My love," he said, his deep voice carrying. "Don't worry. I shall free you in a moment. First I must deal with these others." Philetus turned to look at Denman and glared.

  Denman turned to run. "Come back, mighty mage," Philetus called. Then he leaned on his staff and spoke words that Cameron didn't understand. When Denman reached the edge of the grove, the trees bent and caught him in their branches.

  "Leave me be, demon," Denman screamed as he was bound.

 
Philetus looked at the guards. "Leave us." They hesitated for only a moment before fleeing.

  Next, Philetus looked at Lord Sigmund. Cameron's father drew himself up, placed his hand on his sword and stood firm. "Be gone, demon. Leave my son in peace."

  Philetus stepped down off the pedestal and Lord Sigmund stepped in front of his son and drew his sword. "I said leave my son in peace, demon." "I am no demon, Lord Sigmund," he said and looked at the other man. "I am a mage and, unlike that fakir over there," he said, pointing to where Denman struggled violently, "a rather good one. But no demon." He took a step toward Cameron.

  "You have bewitched him but I will not allow you to do him further harm," Lord Sigmund said. Behind him, Cameron struggled to get to his knees. "You annoy me, Lord Sigmund. You are the one who brought your son here to watch his lover destroyed." With a sneer, Philetus waved one hand and spoke some words. Lord Sigmund's sword fell to the ground and the lord was knocked backward.

  Philetus walked over to Cameron. His expression softened as he reached out to pull off the gag and softly stroke his lover's face.

  "Philetus," Cameron said. He closed his eyes and leaned into the touch. "I thought you would be destroyed."

  "No, only finally freed." Philetus stroked Cameron's cheek with the back of one claw. "Do I still please you by the light of day?"

  "You please me greatly. You are stunning, absolutely breathtaking. But my father?"

  "He's is only stunned. We shall revive him and try to convince him that I am a much better choice for his staff than that conniving brute." They woke Lord Sigmund, but Cameron kept hold of his father's sword. When the lord would have denied Philetus further, the mage directed their attention to Denman. Before their eyes, the false mage began to writhe and scream in agony. When they moved closer, they could hear bones snapping and see his body contorting. His face elongated, his body shrank and fur sprouted from his skin. Soon the screaming devolved into exhausted moaning. Finally, all that was left was a small dark fox, which whined and crawled off into the bushes.