A Promised Land (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove)

by Jools Louise

  * * * *

  Aaron glanced across the street, two miles from where he had begun his trek. The blazing sun of midday was frying his brain and he looked to see if there was anywhere to shelter from the brutal heat. Two backpacks slung across his shoulders front and back carried everything he owned, the weight of supplies fairly small but stifling against his thin shirt.

  A reflection in a shop window revealed that two men who had followed him from the hotel were still there. They looked like the kind of thugs who used to bully him before he left school at eighteen. They all had the same kind of demeanor in Aaron’s opinion. A sort of menacing, angry air about them as though they hated everyone for no other reason than it pleased them to be angry and hateful. The kind of men who rarely got laid unless they were forcing themselves on someone.

  Aaron had an idea these goons were biding their time, thinking the stupid tourist with the two children was easy pickings. Aaron had other ideas. A lifetime of being bullied for one reason or another had made him an expert in escape and evade. He just needed a distraction of some kind, and he’d be gone.

  Zada tugged on his hand, looking up at him.

  “Those men are bad. They get information on people in our town, then those people disappear.” She whispered the words, her accent heavy but musical at the same time. Aaron glanced again at the reflection of their stalkers. It was time to move a little more quickly.

  “We need to get to the coast. Toward Tartus. Then on to Turkey. If we can find some kind of transportation, we should be okay.” Aaron whispered back, though loudly, trying to throw his stalkers off the scent. He fully intended to head south, to Jordan, since he had just come from there a few days before. It was far closer than trekking north from Damascus along the Lebanese border. He frowned, having no clue how to go about either task.

  “I need to pee.” Akeem spoke for the first time, his voice trembling a little, his words spoken in perfect English with just a hint of an accent.

  Aaron looked down, startled, then nodded, smiling a little. No matter what the circumstances, small kids still had to pee at the most inconvenient times. Shit. Where the hell were the public toilets?

  A small shop was still open a few doors up. A woman was sweeping away debris with a stout brush, looking grim and determined. Aaron sped up, moving to speak to the female.

  Zada began to babble in Arabic, speaking quickly to the shopkeeper who smiled at the children warmly, her teeth white in her lined face.

  She nodded to the little boy, taking him by the hand and gesturing for Aaron and Zada to follow her inside the cool interior of the shop. The smell of spices hit Aaron’s nostrils, and he inhaled with a slight smile.

  The woman smiled at his reaction before escorting Akeem into the back behind a curtain. Soon the sound of fluids urgently released into a bowl sounded and Aaron realized he needed to go too. He joined Akeem, spurting out the contents of his bladder, sighing silently in relief, then turned as a noise reached his ears. Stepping further behind the curtain, his peripheral vision made out the two thugs fast approaching and he grabbed Zada’s hand, pulling her behind him.

  “Does she speak English?” he asked the little girl urgently and she shook her head. “Ask her if there is another exit. We need to leave quickly.” Zada spoke to the woman again, who pointed through a second doorway into a small stockroom. Aaron looked at the woman, noting her suspicious gaze on him and the children. He made his decision fast.

  “Do you want to stay with me or stay with this lady?” Aaron asked Zada quietly. She looked startled, pausing for a moment.

  “I don’t want to stay here. Akeem and I want to go with you. Our father said if anything happened to us we should go to the British Embassy for help. He told us there were people here he who would do harm to me and Akeem if they found out who we are. I told the lady that you were helping us, that you are a friend of our family.” Aaron gave her a startled glance, eyed the shopkeeper again with newly suspicious eyes and then nodded once. He called for Akeem, watching as the woman headed to the front of the shop again. Calling softly to Akeem he smiled at the little boy, grabbing both children again and closing the door to the stockroom as though they had entered. Instead of going inside he moved further into the building, finding a small living area.

  “She is telling the bad men you have kidnapped us. She is telling them to kill you.” Aaron blanched, his stomach knotting as Zada relayed the woman’s betrayal to their pursuers. He had done nothing to the woman, merely asked for help, and she sent two men after him to kill him based on her own warped opinion? What kind of place was this?

  “She is the mother of a young man who was recently stoned to death for liking men.” Zada whispered. “She led the authorities straight to her son. I did not know this before, but she told these men that. She is evil.” Zada looked scared.

  Aaron closed his eyes, feeling like his nightmare was never ending. A mother betrayed her own son for being gay? Knowing her son would be killed? Who did that?

  He had recognized one of the men following him.

  He was someone who had approached him in the bar of the hotel, making advances which Aaron’s gaydar knew were sexual. He hadn’t acknowledged the man’s interest, had sent him on his way with an angry glare, sensing something was off about the whole exchange. He had been a little too intent, a little too forceful considering they were in a country where being gay was such a crime. Aaron had got the impression he was being set up…now he had confirmation. These thugs were part of the group rounding up young men, using a honey trap to out them, then murdering them.

  He was British, and had been openly gay for years. At school he’d endured the usual round of bullying disguised as teasing. He’d been picked on and had nasty little jokes played every day. He had brushed off the idiots’ attempts at ridicule by being smarter, faster, and funnier, turning the joke on them, using sarcasm as a weapon.

  He’d never in his life bowed to bigots, and he wasn’t about to start now. He couldn’t believe that in the 21st Century such rigidly archaic views still existed, but he was a realist and knew they not only existed but flourished in places like this.

  What were people afraid of?

  He didn’t have a disease, just liked kissing men rather than women. His mother couldn’t have cared less. His father had taken a little longer to accept that his son was gay, but since Aaron played rugby and fished and was well on his way to a career as a teacher he didn’t have too many arguments left. Those were the things “real men” did, after all. Aaron shook his head. Stereotypes were such a bore.

  “Then we’ll just have to make sure we all get away from her.” Aaron replied softly, tensing as he heard footsteps in the hallway. They all held their breath, watching through a gap in the door. The woman gesture to the stock room, opened the door and called out to Aaron.

  As if he’d be so stupid as to answer her.

  Getting no answer, she sounded angry, entering the room the two thugs following behind her.

  Aaron crept past the stock room, holding his breath as he and the children darted past, into the shop and outside into the searing heat.

  “Come. There is no time to argue. You must follow me.” A young man, perhaps a couple of years older than Aaron approached fast, grabbing Aaron’s arm and dragging him down a narrow alleyway. A pile of rubble provided a convenient hiding place, and the stranger shoved them all behind it, then headed to the mouth of the alley.

  The two thugs and the woman could be heard shouting and arguing. The man rounded the corner and his voice could be heard joining the fray.

  “That is Kadil. He worked at the hotel. His best friend was the woman’s son. He is telling them that he just saw a young man with two children running back toward the Embassy.” Zada translated with a smile, her brown eyes smug. “Kadil is very smart. He will be able to help us.” Aaron hoped like hell that Kadil came through. He ignored the jolt of awareness that had raced through him at the man’s touch, searing his skin through his thin sh
irt. It would do no one any good to show he felt arousal for another man. No good at all.

  The man Kadil suddenly appeared behind them, making Aaron jump about a foot in the air, although he refrained from shrieking like a girl, but only just. Zada gave a little giggle at his shock and Akeem a shy smile. Little dimples appeared in Akeem’s cheeks and Aaron gave a smile of his own, holding a hand to his chest in comical parody of a heart attack. The little boy smiled wider.

  “You must come with me. I will get you to safety.” Kadil commanded, dark eyes glimmering like liquid chocolate, his lashes long and luxuriant against his cheek. His lips were perfectly formed, teeth white against the darkly tanned skin. Black hair, short and curly, perfectly styled, lay against his perfectly shaped head, barely touching his nape. He was five foot nine inches to Aaron’s six foot two, and Aaron felt his mouth begin to water. The guy would look fantastic lying on stark white sheets with Aaron’s cock wedged deep in his ass. Scowling Aaron felt that annoying twinge again. Kadil was sex on a stick. It was a shame that there was something in those dark eyes he just didn’t trust. The guy was after something.

  “Are you always this bossy?” Aaron asked in a whisper, irritated with himself rather than Kadil.

  Kadil grinned at him, arching a brow enquiringly, white teeth flashing against his tanned skin.

  “Yes,” he replied succinctly, and began shooing them all in the direction they had come. Aaron shook his head, following the irritating yet beautiful man, trying not to let his gaze linger on Kadil’s lower torso. The man’s ass was spectacular. He wore a pair of black uniform trousers and a thin t-shirt which stretched over his nicely muscled frame leaving nothing to the imagination. The darker circle of nipples showed clearly, as did the smattering of dark chest hair. Aaron gulped, blushing. He hadn’t been this attracted to a man for a long time, and his libido was being irritatingly persistent. His timing, as usual, sucked big time. He was fleeing for his life, with two young children, but his cock still wanted to get laid.

  Typical.

  They left the alley, winding through the narrow backstreets of the city, avoiding the main roads as they made their way slowly out of the city.

  It didn’t occur to Aaron, distracted by Mr. Dark and Gorgeous that they were heading in the wrong direction.

  Chapter Two

  Night fell, a relief from the blazing heat of the day, the temperature dropping sharply. The town glittered brightly in the distance. A stream of like-minded travelers began to leave the city of Damascus, refugees of a war which had no care for its people.

  Kadil looked at his three charges ruefully, thinking that his plan so far had gone just a little awry. He hadn’t expected to feel such an attraction to a mealy-mouthed tourist from England from the first touch of his fingers on a muscular, searingly hot bicep. He hadn’t expected to lock eyes with a green-eyed male tempter, who had looked startled yet interested all at the same time. Neither had voiced their instant attraction. Neither dared. Kadil knew what he felt. He also knew that his betrayal of his friend, by not speaking up when he should have done, weighed like a millstone around his neck. He would not make the mistake again. He would not put anyone else in danger because he couldn’t control his libido.

  The man’s sandy brown hair gave away his heritage, at least it gave away the fact that Aaron was not Syrian. His green eyes blazed with emotion, beautiful like gemstones, reflecting his inner thoughts like a beacon. Kadil knew it wouldn’t be long before someone noticed the slightly longer glances, eyes lingering a little on the curve of a butt cheek or a muscular pectoral. He shook his head, his eyes making out the darker shadow of Aaron and the children beside the large palm tree they were sheltered beneath. He had managed to score a Didashah, a long, dark colored robe which covered Aaron’s torso. The Shamaq which covered his head was in the traditional red and white checked pattern which could be used to cover his nose and mouth if needed. For now it was enough that his light-colored hair was camouflaged. The man stood out with his blond, green eyed European coloring.

  Kadil would stay on guard for the night. He was used to long hours and little sleep. A hotel porter had to be. As the night surrounded them, like a warm blanket, he began to think. He felt sadness for Zada and Akeem’s families. He had liked them a lot. Akeem’s father had been a fair man, not like the despots who craved power like a drug. He had been in government, trying to bring balance to a regime where balance was considered a weakness. Kadil was not blind to the fact that Akeem’s father had been one of the first targeted, his home blasted to smithereens into the dust. Zada had been friendly with Kadil’s sister, who died two years ago in an accident on the street. A police raid that had killed the wrong person. Kadil’s sister had been only eight. The innocent always paid the price for the brutality of others.

  He heard a sigh, felt rather than saw Aaron’s gaze on him in the darkness.

  “Are you okay? Do you want to sleep for a bit? I can keep watch.” Aaron whispered, sitting up and running a hand through his shaggy hair wearily.

  “I am okay. I will take first watch.” Kadil answered firmly, tilting his chin in a show of defiance. Quite why he was acting this way he had no idea. The man had simply asked a question.

  “You know, you don’t need to be an ass,” Aaron replied with an edge of irritation tinging his voice. “I didn’t ask you to help us. Although I’m very grateful that you did,” he added hastily. Kadil smiled slightly, teeth flashing in the darkness.

  “Those men who followed killed my friend. They are not friends of our country, they seek to undermine and cause people to turn on each other. That woman was probably scared, since Malik and Qasim have a tendency to murder people they don’t trust. She might already be dead if they think she lied. Their kind have no respect for the living.” Kadil sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. The coolness of the night air caressed his skin, and he desperately wanted a shower to wipe away the blood and dust of the day.

  “I’m sorry about your friend. Zada told me his mother led the authorities straight to him,” Aaron said gently, reaching out and offering a comforting hand on Kadil’s arm. Kadil flinched and the hand was quickly removed.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable,” Aaron said tautly, moving away slightly.

  “No, don’t be sorry. It wasn’t because of you touching me. I didn’t realize that Atifa had betrayed him.” Kadil sounded disgusted and sad simultaneously.

  “Atifa is the one behind most of the killings lately.” Zada’s voice whispered in the darkness. “She and her husband have hurt a lot of people. My uncle said she is paid well for her information, which is why her shop still stands. Pointless since there are no customers left to shop there,” Zada continued, her voice fierce.

  “I’m sorry about your uncle, Zada. He was a good man,” Kadil said, moving to sit next to her. “Your parents, too.” He gathered her closer, feeling her slender body cuddle into his side. She sighed, then he felt her slump a little as she drifted asleep again.

  “I can’t believe Atifa would betray her own son.” Aaron piped up hesitantly. “I don’t understand that at all.”

  “This place is rife with treachery,” Kadil answered vehemently. “It is a good idea to guard yourself, for there are those who seek to secure their own safety at any cost. Bahir, my friend, was the kindest and most gentle man you could meet. He trusted people who turned on him, he trusted his family. He trusted me.” Kadil’s voice dropped, the last barely audible.

  “Did you betray him?” Aaron questioned, almost fearfully.

  “No, but I should have stood up with him. I should have defended him against the accusations. I did nothing, and he was taken. I am as much a monster as those others.” Kadil felt numb, his guilt palpable.

  “No, Kadil. His mother was the one who should have done everything in her power to protect her son. She was the monster. What could you gain, except your own death? She gained money to fuel her greed. You are not to blame.” Aaron patted Kadil’s arm again. “Besid
es, we have left her far behind. She is nothing to us now. We will be across the border before we know it.”

  “I beg to differ.” A thickly accented voice spoke out of the darkness. Kadil tensed, gripping the hilt of the small but lethally sharp knife he carried firmly. Malik had followed them after all. Which meant Qasim was not far behind.

  “Malik and Qasim, what a surprise. Still skulking in the shadows, following behind your betters. Why am I not surprised?” Kadil said sarcastically, easing Zada to the side carefully.

  “Silence, dog!” Malik hissed, something glinting in his fist. Kadil smirked, tensing ready for an attack. He eased the knife from its scabbard, prepared to kill if he had to. These monsters deserved to be gutted for their treachery.

  “The little servant boy, escorting tourists and children, holding their hands as they flee like rabbits ahead of the hunt? My, how the mighty are brought down.” Qasim’s evil taunt came from behind the small group on the ground. Kadil snarled silently, pushing at Zada to try to get her away from the threat.

  “This little servant boy can’t believe that two supposedly big strong men need to waste their time following tourists and children. Perhaps you need someone’s hand to hold, too?” Kadil mocked sneeringly.

  The thugs cursed viciously in their native tongue, giving little warning before springing to attack. The cursing turned to yelps of pain as they both ended up on the ground, Aaron’s booted foot pushing at Malik’s throat after delivering a swift kick to Qasim’s unprotected groin.

  “I do believe you may have underestimated the power of the tourist dollar, my friends.” Aaron growled at them in a tone which had Kadil’s cock twitching excitedly at the display of power, despite their situation.