by Jas T. Ward
Mr. Hahn knew this was bad. Very bad. Worse than finding half a cockroach in half of a dumpling you had already eaten. But the ancient god was fascinated such as the cat of that proverbial endangered mouse had him captured with curiosity. Mr. Hahn watched the two and wondered what curve was being formed in a path that had been so clear just moments before, right before his eyes.
Stepping up to Emma, he placed his wrinkled hand on her arm. “I can do this, Emma. You tired from the last?” Being a Healer took so much energy from the Relay because of how they used their own life spark to heal the injured and ill. They could even burn out and die if they tried to heal someone beyond repair or injured too severely and they gave up all their light to help.
Emma shook her head, never taking her eyes off the man in front of her. He had the most beautiful blue eyes, as if lit from behind by some light. And they looked so deeply into hers she was having difficulty breathing. Even her heart seemed to want to jump into those blue depths right from her chest. As the man sat down, her eyes went to the stamp on his inner forearm and then back to his.
“So you’re a Breaker?” Reno nodded.
“New to San Fran? Because I don’t think I’ve met you before.”
Again he nodded and yeah, doing only that felt so stupid, but with her this close, his senses filling with the scent of her, the sound and sight of her, it was about all he could pull off. He was glad that he hadn’t lost control and just started dry-humping her with them being this close.
As Emma leaned in to look at the bullet hole in his chest, Reno’s eyes closed and his face went into her hair to breathe that lavender vanilla scent in, a hand coming up to cup the back of her neck as his forehead sank to her shoulder.
“Dry humping would have been far less embarrassing than this...sheesh.”
Mr. Hanh cleared his throat and Reno snapped his head up fast with his hand flying away as if she had bit it. She stared at him and then looked at Mr. Hahn confused.
But the confusion came not from the Breaker’s strange reaction but from Emma’s own reaction to his bizarre behavior.
She became aroused instantly as if her body knew that hand. And as strange as him putting his face in her hair was, it felt as natural as if he had given her a friendly handshake.
Stepping away with puzzlement creasing her brow, she brought a hand up to rub there as she nodded. “Yeah. Maybe I’m weaker than I thought.”
She looked at the man again who was staring at her so intensely with those incredible blue eyes. “Nice to. Well, I didn’t really meet you. But my name is Emma. Maybe Mr. Hahn does need to take care of you.”
Stupid. Idiot. Dumbass.
These are the words that ran through Reno’s brain like a steam engine of fail along with the loud guffawing of Sundown’s laughter.
His Witch had been right there and all he had to do was sit there and he could have felt her hands on him. Even if it was just mending his wounds he could have felt her touch. It would have been his flesh she warmed with those gifted hands. But noooo, because he had to get all weird and sniff around on her like a dog, he caused her to totally freak out.
“Dude. That was great. Why don’t we go out and find other ways to look like a dumbass? This is almost as fun as killing.”
As she was backing away, Reno felt Mr. Hahn’s warning hand on his arm, leaving Reno standing there nodding, having to keep down his own self berating as he did so to say in a rumbled tone.
“Reno.”
She seemed to hesitate like she did not to want to go and finally she nodded. “Reno. Well, nice to meet you, Reno.” And just like that, she was rushing out.
Chapter Seven
It’s a Bad Bad thing
Reno couldn’t sleep. And it had nothing to do with the stitches in his chest and leg pulling at his skin, as his flesh had healed up overnight to leave behind pale pink scars.
No. It was because he could still smell her. On his skin as if he could almost taste her just from the air she had breathed out that touched his skin. Taking root in his senses, seeds of longing in his brain.
It had been a total mistake putting him in this city where she lived.
Right now he was wishing he had been placed in New York. Budapest. Fuck, Alaska. Anywhere was okay with Reno as long as it was far away from Emma Devenmore.
Reno never claimed to be very smart and in fact swore he was the complete opposite of it, but this had not been his idea to be transferred here. It was Bounce’s idea.
Was he being tested? Was the god seeing if he could do what was right and stay strong despite the swarm of temptation that was buzzing in his head and thoughts?
Maybe.
It wouldn’t be the first time the god tested a Breaker. But he had never heard of this kind of test. They were usually tests of fighting skill and cunning.
Not tests of the heart, the soul, the will of wanting something so bad it hurt.
Groaning and dragging a pillow over his face to let out a long drawn out yell of frustration, he then threw the pillow across the room to land with a soft thud on the floor against the wall.
His new place was nice, even though he hadn’t picked it out. The keys had been given to him when he was transferred here. It was once a warehouse for storing yarn and cloth as the first floor had been cotton mill. Now the bottom half was an updated garage and work out space with his open loft apartment on the second story.
He loved the raw, open concept with exposed beams and duct work. The only area with walls was the bathroom and even that was a huge space with the panels on casters so it could even be opened up, just as it was now.
Bounce knew his history and he was betting the god had picked out this place because of his phobia of closed in spaces.
The industrial windows were made of wire enforced frosted glass to filter the light of day, but the space was still softly lit by a wall of windows, along with over head skylights with the same glass, all suited to someone that would explode simply by sunlight.
Now that glass was darkening as the day was ending. He had two days off to heal after being shot up and he hated that. No patrol. No fighting and no way to feed his need for violence. Sure, he could eat sugar until his fangs rotted to keep it at bay but the edge would be there, slicing into his calm.
Rolling out of bed to plant his feet on the floor, he stared down at the polished grey concrete and let out a long breath.
Only one other thing would level him as much as violence did. And it was something he could do alone with a bottle of lotion and his right hand.
But as fun as that was at times with his mind remembering the only night he had someone else’s hand in the act, tonight it seemed down right pitiful.
Sex, like violence, helped keep the whispers and crackling need from his brain; to feed his dark side when it got its fill of being a hero and honorable. But he hadn’t done it with anyone. And he knew why.
Emma. His Witch.
“That’s so stupid.”
“Hello? Have you met you? I’ve been waiting for us to get laid for years.”
He smirked at Sundown’s usual charm and encouragement as he got out of bed and looked at the clock.
Okay, it was time to stop the stupidity as he grabbed some clothes and things for a shower. There was only one place for a Breaker to go and get their freaky dink on when they needed it.
Club Bounce.
The club was hopping with loud techno pounding so loud that the walls seemed to vibrate with it from the outside. Finding a parking place for his H3 a block from the place, he was standing in the crowded line to enter when he heard someone calling his name.
“Reno? Dude! We don’t wait in line.”
He leaned to the side to see Evan standing up by the door beckoning him to come join him. Making his apologies as he made his way through the crowd to get to the front of the line, Evan slapped a hand on his back.
“Dude, the Boss owns this joint. We don’t have to wait with the norms.” Evan flashed his stamp on the ba
ck of his hand at the huge bouncer at the door and they were let in.
Club Bounce rested in the very center of the Tenderloin district of the city. The Tenderloin district was chock full of tattoo parlors, massage joints and strip clubs and was known in the city for where the fringe of those thought to be non-socially acceptable were free to be wild.
The dance club was three levels with Bounce’s living quarters being on the top floor. The first level was all dance floor with a long bar on one wall and open in the center to the second floor. The second floor consisted of another bar, with meeting space with plush couches and areas of chairs along with bathrooms and private “chat” rooms, and a balcony surrounding the open space to look down on the floor below.
The whole place was a blend of modern techno, rock and roll and 80’s flashback somehow swirled together to be the coolest club in town. And the central socializing spot for those on The Grid.
Reno had never been here and now he was regretting that. The place was sizzling full of energy and excitement as bodies writhed, dancing in the machine generated smog, laser lights with strobes pulsing through the air.
Evan laughed and hauled him by the arm over to the bar to find them two stools at the crowded glass and neon length of it.
“So, you’ve never been in the club before?”
Reno glanced at him and had to speak loud over the music. “How did you know?”
Evan laughed and ordered them two beers as he stated the obvious. “Oh, maybe because you have that look of kid who just discovered tits for the first time and realized not all tits are attached to their mama.”
He handed Reno his beer. “So why are you here now? I thought you didn’t socialize?”
Reno shrugged and took a swig from the beer, grimacing at the taste. Reaching over to take some sugar cubes from the bar fixings and crush them into the bottle, swishing them around to sweeten it up. He looked at Evan and then looked over at the people dancing. “I don’t know, I just got tired of lying around and thought it was time.” He watched how women looked over at them and Evan elbowed him.
“See that? They like you.”
Reno glanced over and he had to will himself not to blush or stutter and hunched over his beer. “Nah. I mean. No. Uh, they don’t even know me.” He rubbed a hand through his hair and then darted a look back at the women who then waved and he swallowed a big lump in his throat. “Oh. Uh. That’s just silly.”
Evan watched him and narrowed his eyes with a grin and nudged Reno once again. “They definitely like you. It’s not about knowing you, man. You’re a Breaker. And one of the perks are women are naturally attracted to us. We’re immortal, hot, built bad-asses.” He laughed at Reno’s look and then twisted on the stool to face him, a shit-eating grin spreading on his face.
“Hold on. Reno? Are you a virgin or something?”
Reno choked on his beer and had to wipe the spittle from his lips at Evan’s question. “What? No. I’ve had someone. I mean, I’ve, I’m uh, not a virgin.” He frowned and stared fidgeting with label of his beer as embarrassment made him want to run. “I just don’t know how to uh,” glanced back at the women who were making their way over, “pick up women in uh, clubs. The other time, uh, I mean times it was more uh, less uh, public.”
Reno covered his face with his hands and that caused Evan to laugh more then say. “It’s easy. Watch.”
Evan turned to face the two approaching women as he flashed them a huge smile loaded with charm and seductive promises.
The tall brunette walked up to Evan and without a word they were lip-locked. Reno’s jaw dropped as he watched them and didn’t even realize the cute redhead friend had sidled up next to him.
Evan and the brunette headed to the dance floor and that was when he realized the redhead was talking to him. He looked over at her and she was smiling up at him.
“Hey. My name is Lucy.” She was really cute with blue eyes and cute freckles across her nose with pouty lips even when she smiled. She was dressed in a spaghetti strap t-shirt and gypsy skirt with high platform heels. He felt kind of under dressed in his Looney Tunes t-shirt and jeans with sneakers.
He fumbled to find words as he gave her a shy smile. “Hi. I’m Reno.”
Lucy giggled and took his hand to pull him out to the dance floor. He had never danced. Never. Not even once. But Sally was bouncing and jumping as she laughed and spun around him like she didn’t care about his Fred Astaire skills. Before long he was bobbing and moving right with her. He wasn’t even sure if it was called dancing but whatever it was, he was having a lot of fun doing it. Soon they were moving close and she reached up to pull his head down to whisper. “Want to go private?”
He lifted his head to blink at her, unsure what she meant by that and laughed back. “Private?”
Lucy giggled in response. “You’re so cute. I’ve never seen a Breaker so shy and cute.”
And once again she was taking his hand and tugging him through the dancing crowd. Evan smacked him on the back again and he was laughing too. “You go, Reno! Yes!” Okay, he wasn’t sure what he did right or what was going on but he gave Evan a smile with a big thumb’s up as he was being pulled away.
Lucy led him up the stairs and Reno was busy looking around to take in that part of the club but stopped when he realized they had gotten to the bathrooms. “I don’t need to go, but thanks.”
Lucy laughed and shoved him in the ladies bathroom. He went to point out her mistake but she launched herself at him and covered his mouth with hers as his back hit the wall.
Reno’s eyes widened and he froze as she kissed him, keeping his eyes open to watch her face as she did. Was she really kissing him? It felt weird and nothing like when Emma had kissed him. That had been more... something. Something he never did understand. But this kiss from Lucy felt nice. It didn’t take long before he was kissing her back and their tongues were into the process.
Lucy shoved him into one of the stalls and was right back to kissing him with her hands going under his shirt to run her fingers over his abs. “God. Breakers are so fucking perfect.”
Her blue eyes lifted to his for him to see the smoldering desire there and he liked that.
Reno smiled at her appreciation before going down to kiss her again after saying, “Thanks. I didn’t really have a say so in it or anything.”
She laughed and bit his bottom lip to tug it in her teeth as she giggled. “You really are very cute.”
They started kissing again and he was getting into that as his hand came up to twist his fingers in her hair to tug her head back to kiss deeper. She let out a moan and he raised a brow. That was always a good sign. But for some reason, Reno’s mind drifted. Probably in the worst direction it could have possibly gone.
As his hand came up to cup her breast when she ground against him, he found he was disappointed that it wasn’t as full as Witch’s. And she didn’t taste like Emma as they kissed again nor was it one that set him alive like Emma’s did.
As Lucy tugged his shirt up to kiss her way down his chest, flicking her tongue across his nipples, she didn’t do it right. Not like when Emma did it.
No giggle. No thrill.
And as she grabbed his belt to pull his hips forward as he leaned his shoulders against the wall, he looked down as she worked at his belt and longed to see a dark wavy-haired head there with its curls teasing his abs. Not red and not that woman.
Closing his eyes to let his head go back to hit the wall, he tried to focus on who he was with now. Not who he had been with. But he knew it was who he wanted to be with.
Lucy went to her knees as his head dropped back down when she undid his fly and took him in her hand. “Hey? What’s wrong?”
Reno blinked and looked down at her hand then squeezed his eyes back shut. “Uh...”
Lucy worked him with her hand and flicked her tongue across the tip what should have been hard with aching for her to touch it. But it was not even on the same page. Probably not even close to the same book b
ecause he was completely, totally limp. “You’re kidding me right?”
Lucy tried to coax it with both her hands along with her mouth and now they weren’t even close to the same library. The same cock that jumped into hardness with just the thought of Emma was doing the opposite now. He felt completely and totally betrayed.
“Don’t blame me. I love red-heads. You’re the brunette nut.”
Reno opened his eyes and tried to get into it in hopes that if the big head orchestrated, the little one down below would get into tune.
“It’s not you. Promise. Just uh. Give it a minute.”
Lucy didn’t look like she believed him but did become determined as she yanked him by the jeans closer to lick, suck and tease.
He tried to focus on that sensation and even at one point reached down to try to help with his own hand to stroke the damn thing to life.
Nope. Nothing going on for it was complete dead-cockville and Lucy got to her feet in a huff. “Great. I get a Breaker and you’re broken. Just my damn luck.”
She was walking out of the stall leaving Reno standing there staring at his uncooperative not-even-happy-not-even-sure-if-it-was-alive part with jaw dropped. “Wait!”
He tripped running out of the stall as he tucked himself back in to zip and belt back up and Lucy got to the door as he rushed out after her.
“So. That was quick.” Evan was leaning against the wall in the hall as the brunette was making a lip snack of his neck. They were apparently waiting for the space that he and Lucy had just vacated.
Lucy smirked and threw a hand back to point a finger at Reno as she talked to her friend still attached to Evan. “Let’s hope yours isn’t broke like mine is.”
Okay, Reno totally blushed at that as heat spread on his cheeks to sputter. Evan looked from him to Lucy. “What do you mean broke?”
Lucy smirked and twirled her hair around her fingers, rolling her eyes. “He couldn’t get it up.” Of all the things the woman could have said, why, oh why did it have to be that?