Fine Lines: Burn Outs #2

by Dani Hermit

  Unlike the other times that Leo had used Curtis to filter and refill his power, this time Leo wasn’t stopping before he drained out Dark Mirror’s power. He wasn’t leaving Curtis tired but refreshed. There would be no sweet cuddle while they both slept soundly after this. He was going to leave Curtis as powerless as he had found him for a few days. Let him really understand what he’d done and the consequences of disobedience.

  Curtis began to scream and not in pleasure. “Please, no, something’s wrong. It’s burning cold inside.”

  Most of the noise coming out of Curtis’s throat was pure pain. One worse than anything he’d ever known. The power was a part of him again, and burning out sucked but you knew it was coming. There were phases. This was nothing like that. Curtis felt like the marrow was being torn out of his bones and nerves were being sliced open and some part of his body still believed he was supposed to enjoy it. He made lost, agonized sounds as he felt his power going into Leo without restraint.

  Letting go when he was certain that there was not a drop of Curtis’s power left in him, Leo pulled back. He looked at Curtis hanging limply in the bounds, his cock the only part of him that seemed to still have any life left in it at all.

  “I will release you when you have served your time,” Leo said coldly. He locked the full scope of his punishment in place as he spoke. “You may shower and redress then. However, your cock will remain in that restraint until I take it off myself.”

  Leo walked away then to the small bath area set up in the corner of the playroom. He shed his sweaty clothes as he walked, carelessly leaving them lay about. Curtis would clean this all later. When he was done with his punishment.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  After a meal and a shower, Thomas was more comfortable than he’d been in days. He was a bit surprised to be given the way to Blue Bolt’s chambers but if Curtis had been right about him being on some secret list, it wasn’t so odd.

  It was hard not to marvel at what the little twat had already achieved. The hotel was gorgeous and running with eerie efficiency. They might as well be a small, self-contained city for how well it functioned.

  The door to Blue Bolt’s chambers had been left unlocked, so Thomas wandered in. He sat on the lounge, studying the room. He heard small sounds coming through one of the two doors. Probably Curtis getting his reward for recruiting him. Or just being re-bandaged. Boris had mentioned Matt’s temper tantrum and how much he’d taken it out on Curtis. And even though Thomas had tried to help with the healing, he hadn’t exactly made a thorough examination of Curtis’s body. He assumed it was really bad.

  Either way, he didn’t have time to worry about that hot mess. The question was were they busy enough that he could do a little poking. The room didn’t give much away. At face value it was a very simple but pretty room. That bed looked sweet and if Thomas had long to wait that was his next stop. Assuming he had time to open a few drawers or look under the bed, Thomas went to the vanity. Locked. Well, he probably shouldn’t break into the cult leader’s things day one so no go there.

  Besides, by the time I’m done with this little prick, he’ll be showing and telling me everything, Thomas told himself as he let the vanity be. Then he had a distressing thought. There could be cameras. Especially in here. I’ll just wait.

  He sat on the bed testing it and decided this was a good place to wait. Even if he fell asleep, the kid wouldn’t think he was nervous if he was found napping.

  Thomas’s peaceful slipping into dreamland was interrupted by the most horrible screams he’d ever heard and they were coming from the room he assumed Boris’s old friend was in. He sat bolt upright wondering if he should stop whatever was happening. He was supposed to be a hero. But he was a hero on a mission. Screaming was to be expected in a weird sex cult.

  He sat on the edge of the bed hoping it was kinky sex screaming and not a more sinister kind. Thomas had made up his mind to move to the rescue just as the screaming stopped. He settled back on the edge of the bed. He rubbed his palms on his knees, trying not to let the uncomfortable silence knock him completely off his game. This was all about first impressions and he needed to control the situation from minute one.

  The silence stretched out for nearly ten minutes before the double doors leading into the adjoining room were opened. Clad in a black robe edged in gold and seemingly nothing else, Leo emerged. Behind him, Thomas had a clear view of the play room, including the large cube like contraption where Curtis was still strung up. Stepping into the room, Leo only closed the doors behind him halfway. He stopped a couple of steps in, his unusual eyes raking over Thomas.

  “Hello, Echo.” He smiled softly. “I assume you were welcomed properly downstairs?”

  “Yeah, it was pretty impressive. Surprisingly warm.” Thomas stood up, feeling more comfortable making those strange eyes follow him than study him as he stood still.

  He saw what he assumed Leo meant him to see. He knew the man hanging there and he feared he might have to tell Boris he never got the chance to look out for Curtis. He appeared to be broken in half, hanging over a blood-stained floor. All the more reason to end this child’s reign of terror.

  “A far cry from the sacrificing to ancient gods you seem to have going on in there. Hope that’s not your way to send me screaming into the night.” The scene was so brutal it might have been staged. Thomas knew right away the games were starting.

  “If it does, that will be a great loss for me.” Leo replied. “If it does not, then when we are done with our chat, I will have someone take you to your room. I have taken the liberty of designating you a suite on this floor with the rest of my inner circle.” Leo moved to sit on the end of the couch and indicated that he’d like Thomas to join him there.

  “Let me be clear. I haven’t decided anything yet. I’m feeling you out just as much as you think you’re sizing me up.” Thomas leaned on the curved back of the lounge squatting down. Making it clear he wasn’t going to stand on ceremony and he would be as casual with Mr. I Have A Cult So You Should Worship Me as he pleased.

  “That’s fair enough,” Leo nodded, his eyes still drinking in every bit of Thomas. He seemed to be pleased with what he saw. “I was curious, Echo. What was it that brought you here? No one just comes to see me because they’re bored.”

  “Not bored, Necromancer.” Thomas tried out Blue Bolt’s new nickname. “Just looking for where the action might be. And I’m not as dumb as some might think. I saw how strong and wild Dark Mirror became with you.” Thomas knew that was a stumble the moment he said it. He tried to cover by jumping over the back of the lounge to sit next to Leo. “Maybe not the best example but Mythos has this theory and if it’s true I think I can discover what I need to know about my power here.”

  “You’re looking for power?” Leo almost sounded disappointed. “I don’t know if you’re going to find that here. It’s not what we’re about.”

  “Not power exactly. Understanding, I guess.” Thomas tried to look troubled. “It’s kind of complex.” He wrung his hands. “I want to know how what I can do belongs somewhere. It, and again, maybe bad example, seemed like Dark Mirror was finding that here. So I thought I’d see what you were about and oh yeah, why you wanted me?”

  “Ah, yes. He told you about the list.” Leo nodded. “When I was formulating my ideals, determining how best to achieve and protect them and the people who would inevitably come to me, I made a list of Chosen who seemed to have the powers and personalities to help me. You were part of that list. Your powers, Echo. They are astounding and were wasted on your partnership with Forge.”

  “Forge? Damn, I haven’t heard him called that in forever.” Thomas wanted to appear vulnerable even if he was feeling anything but. “Actually, I’m also here for him. You won’t ever get him on your side but if you leave him and Colton be, I don’t think he’ll give you any trouble. Keep going after Mythos and Matt’s going to come for you. But if I’m so phenomenal maybe you could leave them be?”

  “I
would like to have Mythos’s power on my side.” Leo admitted. “And if Forge would come with him, he would be welcomed. His son is already here. Did you know that?”

  “Ugh, yeah. Don’t even get me started. Fucker never told me he made a baby Hammer till like two weeks ago.”

  Thomas fought not to look back in the room. Hell, if Curtis wasn’t dead, he might be able to keep him from dying by accelerating his healing. “Did Dark Mirror really fuck up that bad? You kind of look like you were having a temper tantrum and broke your toy. It makes me question how valuable I can possibly be if I wasn’t enough to save him from your wrath at losing Mythos.”

  Thomas grabbed a few wrapped candies from the dish on the stand and spun them open to pop in his mouth. “And if you can’t take what I just said, you have this whole complex fooled about your ability to do or change or create anything.”

  “Dark Mirror was both rewarded and punished.” Leo replied. “His body could barely take it. That is hardly something to spread around to everyone.” Leo smiled, watching Thomas eat the candy. “I’m sure he’ll be rested and back to his old self before you know it. If you are that concerned, should I change your room assignment? Would you like to bunk with Curtis?”

  Leo leaned towards Thomas and touched his knee lightly. “If you’ve found companionship with each other, there is no reason to worry. I am not the jealous type and will respect whatever arrangement you have come to.”

  An interesting offer. Thomas wondered if he should take it. Being an inside man, it might be useful to share a room with Curtis. Maybe he could unlock a desperate jealousy in the Necromancer if he did. “I just don’t like to see people suffer needlessly. And despite what my Mark says I’m not a Villain. I can’t take his death on my conscience. He was so sure you’d be pleased if I went along. And as to us being companions, I don’t do companions.”

  “That will break the hearts and disappoint the loins of many people here,” Leo said, drawing his hand back from Thomas’s knee. “But as I said, I will respect your arrangements. If you prefer to sleep alone, or in the company of many, that is your concern and not mine.”

  “I meant I don’t really have long term things. I’m down for that other kind of companionship.” Thomas felt he should correct himself before the Necromancer thought an asexual was trying to join his sex cult. “I’m guessing you have a similar way of living. Or you’d have loyal members trying to take out your special guy.”

  “My friends are respectful of people’s choices or they have no place here,” Leo replied, leaning back and looking at the ceiling. “Whom I choose to spend my time with is of little concern to most of them. And Dark Mirror can take care of himself should there be… Dissent about his place with me.”

  “You two are, oh OK, wow,” Thomas showed just a little more of who he was as he said: “I’m sort of glad to know he’s not alone.”

  Not, of course, adding that he already felt bad for taking away the man that Curtis clearly loved or at least used to. And now Thomas was possibly setting himself up to do the same thing here. “But what are you hoping I can do for you? And can you show me a reason to stay? Or do we have to go over the freaky sex cult rules first?”

  Leo laughed. He turned to look at Thomas again. “Is that why you seem so nervous? Echo, this isn’t a sex cult. You are not expected to do or not do anything sexual. We are trying to make the world a better place. To take away the things that make equality impossible. That is what you are here to help me do.”

  That was more information than they had. Still a bit vague but one thing Thomas could tell for sure, the Necromancer meant it. “Huh, equality? How?” Thomas thought of his mentees at the back lots, wishing they were Chosen. “Is it a pyramid scheme where the top gets to be given Chosen powers? Fuck, is this a Scientology branch?” Thomas stood up and walked over to the mirror so he could see Blue Bolt’s reaction in it. “I want no part of that crazy.”

  He feigned ignorance but he knew well enough it wasn’t what the Necromancer was about. This way he appeared open, thoughtful, and didn’t give away whether he was crafty or just big dumb cock. Damn, this spy stuff was complicated.

  “In the end, I intend for no one to be Chosen. Once I have achieved my ends, even my powers will be forfeit.” Leo said, eyes watching Thomas’s body. He was trying not to stare but the big man was hot as hell and it was impossible not to notice. He just hoped he was able to hide his interest. Or at the very least, not drool.

  “That might be crazier.” Thomas watched Blue Bolt’s subtle shifts. He knew the signs and wasn’t surprised. It wouldn’t be tonight, but the admittedly beautiful man - and Thomas acknowledged that now so it wouldn’t get in the way of his plans - would be begging Thomas to fuck him soon enough. “Especially since, if you haven’t noticed, the Disk seems to be picking and choosing again after your first attempt at equality.”

  “I have noticed,” Leo replied. “But the ones it is picking are the ones that I could most use. I think that perhaps our goals are the same.”

  Leo stood up and went to his vanity. Edging in close to Thomas, he took down a key that was hanging at the top of the mirror, one of many dangling from the top of the frame. Unlocking one of the drawers, he pulled out a key ring with an old fashioned key.

  “But that’s enough philosophy for one night.” Leo held out the key to Thomas. “You’re in room 4, just down the hall. In the morning, we will see about getting you anything you need to be more comfortable and I will introduce you to Jammer and the others. For now, I need to see to getting Curtis into bed.”

  Thomas chided himself. He’d had this whole pull down my shirt and show my glowing Mark and more of my skin to make the Necromancer swoon plan. Maybe do that thing Matt was always doing and take off his shirt for no good reason. He was going to say something clever like “I know you can’t take credit for this.” He should have done it sooner.

  “Don’t take this the wrong way,” Thomas said instead. “But I think you could use some help with your Curtis issue.”

  Burn Outs # 3 -- Variant

  July 3, 2020

  https://amzn.to/3caaYfZ

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