by Maggie Walsh
“Great, so now we not only have to find this sick fuck Brighton and his witch, we have to find a dragon and this heart who will bring Utopia to the planet. Along with making sure no one gets their hands on Taylor. Especial now, knowing all of this. We have to make sure Taylor is protected at all costs,” Christian said. Taylor looked at him with a big smile and blew him a kiss as he winked.
“But, what about these six leaders? Who are they? Where do we find them?” Raith asked.
Micah and Ryland stared at each other. A knowing look in both their eyes. Micah cleared his throat. “I believe five of them have already been found.”
* * * *
Raith’s arm was wrapped protectively around Aaron’s waist as they walked into the club. Aaron was dressed in tight black boy shorts and a collar around his throat. Raith wore tight black leather pants and an even tighter black T-shirt, along with black combat boots that Aaron loved. They made their way over to a table that sat Grant and Eric. Grant sat back in his seat in a relaxed pose, watching the scene on the stage, as Eric knelt at his feet. His head rested against Grants thigh and his hands were tied behind his back with a thick leather band. One of Grants hands slowly ran over Eric’s head, petting him tenderly. A shiver ran up Aaron’s spine at the sight. As they approached the pair he noticed that Eric wore nothing but his collar and the leather band holding his hands together. Grant’s head turned as he spotted the pair approach the table, a smile on his face.
“Hey Raith, good to see you, man.” Grant held out his hand. Raith shook it and sat down.
“You, too, buddy. I haven’t seen you here in a while. How’s life treating you?” Raith asked.
“Oh you know, like a dirty diaper,” he said with a chuckle and Raith smiled.
“So, who do you have here?” Grant asked, looking in Aaron’s direction. Aaron stood still during their exchange, with his eyes toward the floor.
“This magnificent creature is my boy, Aaron,” Raith said with pride. It made Aaron feel all warm inside that his Sir was so proud to introduce him to these men.
“He is a cutie. Good for you, Raith. It’s about time you got a boy of your own,” Grant said.
Raith turned his attention to Aaron. “You may kneel, boy. Rest your head, hands at your side.” Aaron slowly knelt at Raith’s feet between his spread legs like Raith liked. His arms stayed straight down at his side as he laid his head on Raith’s thigh. He released a contented sigh as his cheek met his Sir’s leg. Raith placed a hand on Aaron’s head and started to slowly run his fingers through his hair. It felt so good that Aaron couldn’t resist closing his eyes.
“So who’s this up there?” Raith asked and nodded his chin toward the stage.
“That’s the A-hole Tom I was telling you about,” Grant answered.
“The one that just pushes his sub under the limit so the dungeon guards don’t boot his ass?” Raith asked.
“Yeah, that’s him. I don’t usually like to watch him, but, there’s something about his sub that just pulls on mine and Eric’s hearts, you know. It’s like he’s broken. Like he doesn’t really want to be there but he just does it,” Grant explained. “Right, boy?” he asked Eric softly.
“Yes, Master. He seems so lost and alone. Like he’s given up and doesn’t think he deserves better. It breaks my heart,” Eric answered.
“So why is he still with this ass?” Raith asked.
Grant shrugged his shoulders. “Who knows? Tom doesn’t let anyone talk to his sub and if they do, he doesn’t allow his sub to answer.”
* * * *
Rory didn’t want to be here. He just wanted to be anywhere that Tom wasn’t. He missed Roman, his old boyfriend. Roman was his Dom. He was a great Dom. He never pushed Rory to do anything he didn’t want to do. He always protected Rory and treated him like a precious gift. He could trust Roman, he loved Roman. But Roman left him. Not that he wanted to, but he left him all the same. He and Roman were together since they were sixteen. They were each other’s firsts in everything. First boyfriend, first blow jobs, first hand jobs, first anal sex, first kiss, first everything. They took each other’s virginities in all things sexual. When they were nineteen Roman watched a Dom/sub together on a porn site and it excited him. He asked Rory if he wanted to try it with him, spice up their sex life. Rory loved Roman so much that he agreed.
When they started playing with BDSM, Rory was shocked to find out he liked it. They explored the whole lifestyle together, slowly, cautiously, and found what each of them liked and what they didn’t like. They found what worked for them. It wasn’t ever anything too over the top. What they did would be considered light BDSM, but it was perfect for them. Rory loved being submissive to Roman, and he loved the way Roman had taken care of him. After every scene, he held Rory tight and caressed him gently, and kissed him tenderly. It was his favorite part of their sex life. He loved giving Roman his control, and he trusted Roman with it. Roman would never break his trust.
When they were twenty-two, Roman was coming home from work one day on interstate 80, when he swerved off the road and into a ditch, banging his head on the steering wheel. The police thought he swerved to avoid an animal. Roman was killed instantly. That was the only solace Rory had, that his love didn’t suffer.
“Daydreaming, slave?” Tom’s deep voice broke through his thoughts. He closed his eyes in guilt. He knew better than to not pay attention to his Master. He would be beat now for sure. Not over-the-top, but close. Tom would never go too overboard in the club because he didn’t want the dungeon Masters to kick them out. He couldn’t help it though, he saw the two most beautiful men he had ever seen walk into the club. The big one, the Dom, was stunning, tall, muscular, long dirty-blond hair pulled back at the nape, wearing tight black leather pants and a tight black T-shirt. It wasn’t too different than what most of the men wore at the club, but on him it looked delicious. And he topped the whole look off with black combat boots that made Rory want to bend down and lick them.
Then there was his sub. He was so pretty. He was small like Rory and thin like him, but instead of Rory’s jet-black pin-straight hair that hung down to his shoulders, he had beautiful red hair with golden highlights. It was short and spiked at the top. His eyes were what caught Rory’s attention at first. The sub’s eyes were like his hair. They were golden with orange streaks in them. But what really caught his attention was the possessive but loving way the Dom held his sub. He watched them cross the room and sit at a table. The Dom looked at his sub with such love and devotion. There was a lot of pride in his eyes when the Dom looked at his sub. And the way the sub looked at his Dom, with love and adoration. The sub slowly and sensually lowered to the floor to kneel between his Dom’s legs. He laid his head on his thigh and Rory could see him sigh. Then the Dom caressed his head so lovingly and the sub closed his eyes in pleasure.
God he missed that. Roman use to make him feel that way. He wanted that again someday. He wished he could be right there, kneeling on the floor next to the sub, his head resting against the beautiful Dom’s other leg as he lovingly stroked Rory’s head, too. He wanted to be with those two men, they were both so pretty and loving.
He felt tears form in his eyes, but it wasn’t from the pain he was receiving from his sadistic Master, it was from the thought of never being with the two men in front of him. It was silly, because he didn’t even know them, he had never even seen them before, but he wanted to be there with them.
“Not enough, slave? Just you wait until we get home. You’ll learn to never ignore me again.” Tom seethed in his ear in a whisper that only he could hear. He opened his eyes and they locked with the beautiful golden-eyed subs. He was looking at him with such sadness that it made Rory want to cry. The sub looked like he was calling out to him with his eyes. His Dom’s hand ran down the subs face gently and he looked up at his Dom quickly, then back to him. Rory shifted his gaze to the Dom and was surprised to find him looking back. He was staring right into Rory’s eyes. His beautiful emerald-green eyes l
ooked full of concern and anger.
Just then all the pain of what his Master had been doing to him hit him all at once. The tears that he fought so hard to hold in started to run down his face without control. He couldn’t wipe them away because his hands were bound above his head as he dangled above the stage. His feet just barely made contact. His body started to shake uncontrollably. His eyes rolled to the back of his head and he started to convulse. Darkness took him.
* * * *
Aaron and Eric both jumped up and took off for the stage, followed closely by their Sirs. Aaron made it to the sub first and he wrapped his arms around his waist holding him up. Raith and Grant reached up and untied the sub quickly and Eric helped Aaron lower him gently to the floor.
“How dare you all touch my sub. Unhand him,” Tom yelled. Raith turned toward the Dom and narrowed his eyes at him, blocking him from going near the unconscious sub.
“He’s having convulsions, you dickwad. He needs medical attention. I’m a doctor,” Aaron seethed. He never took his eyes off the little human. He put his ear to his chest and listened to his heart. It was slow, but okay. He watched his chest rise and fall with his breathing.
“His pulse is weak,” Eric said to Aaron.
“What? Are both these little twinks doctors?” Tom asked in disgust.
“Yes, they are. Got a problem with that?” Raith growled. “Lucky for you that they are. You pushed your sub too hard, you sadistic fuck.”
“He never used his safeword. He should have used his safeword if he needed to stop.” Tom defended himself.
“You’re the Dom. You’re supposed to know your sub. Know when it’s too much. He shouldn’t ever have to use his safe word if you’re doing it right.” Raith seethed.
“What can we do?” one of the dungeon masters asked.
“We need to get him to the hospital. Call 911,” Eric said.
“We already called them. They’re sending an ambulance,” another Master said.
“Can you get us some water and a few cool cloths please?” Aaron asked.
The first dungeon master nodded and took off behind the stage. Grant carefully removed the collar from around Rory’s neck. “What’s his name?” Aaron asked as he ran his gaze over the sub’s face.
“Rory,” Tom answered.
“Rory,” Aaron repeated in a whisper. Raith? Aaron spoke using their mating link.
I know, sweetheart. He’s our mate, Raith said back in the link.
What if he…Aaron started but Raith cut him off.
He won’t. He has the best doctor in the world by his side right now. Just focus on helping him, sweetheart. I know you can do it. Raith encouraged him. Someone brought over a blanket and Aaron, Grant, and Eric carefully placed him on top of it and wrapped it around him. Others laid clothes down beside Aaron and Eric. He looked up and saw a wall of strong Doms standing beside them, guarding them. His eyes met the gaze of one big Dom and the man nodded at him.
“Thank you,” Aaron whispered. He stood up and dressed in the jeans and T-shirt that was given to him. When he was done, he lowered back down next to Rory and Eric stood to dress.
Just then the paramedics came rushing toward the stage. The doms helped them lift the gurney onto the stage and then helped the men up. They looked around cautiously as they approached Aaron.
“I’m Dr. Aaron Winthrope and this is Dr. Eric…?” Aaron didn’t know his last name.
“Sinclair. Hi guys,” he whispered to the paramedics.
They both nodded. “Doc, what do we have here?”
“He was doing a scene onstage with his Dom. He was being whipped, when suddenly he went pale and he started to cry, his eyes rolled back in his head, and he started to convulse. He was bound by the wrists up there at the time,” Eric explained and pointed up to the pulley system. “As soon as Dr. Winthrope and myself saw his eyes start to roll back, we took off onto the stage. Dr. Winthrope caught him before he went completely limp, but it looked like his wrists got jerked. Aaron grabbed him and held him up until we got him untied. His pulse is weak, his breathing is shallow, and his heartbeat is slow,” Eric explained.
“Thanks, Doc, we’ll take it from here,” one of the paramedics said.
“Good, but we’ll stay right here by his side, thanks.” Aaron said.
“We got this, Doc, don’t worry.” The other paramedic snickered.
“Do you have something to say, too uncommitted or dumb to get into medical school?” Aaron asked in anger. The paramedics pulled back in shock. “What? You want to stand there and snicker because Doctor Sinclair and I are at a place like this? Instead of focusing on your patient. It just shows you’re just wannabes. No one cares what your personal feelings are about this. Just do your job and help the patient, you asswipe.” Aaron pointed to Tom. “Name, age, medical history?”
“Tom Freeman, thirty-one, and I’m healthy. I’m a cop and we have to be checked all the time,” Tom answered and Aaron rolled his eyes.
“Not you, you brainless twit,” Aaron said in frustration. “Rory.”
“Oh, yeah, right. Rory Franklin, he’s twenty-six, and I don’t know his medical history,” Tom answered.
“How the hell you’re on the force is beyond me,” Aaron said. The paramedics had already placed Rory on the stretcher and hooked him up to an IV while Aaron was questioning Tom. He looked at the other Dom’s. “Gentleman, would you mind helping us?”
The Doms on the stage walked to the edge and lifted the stretcher with Rory on it. They guided it over the edge to Doms who were on the floor, along with Raith who had joined them. They gently lowered Rory to the floor and the paramedics jumped down. Raith helped Aaron down and Grant helped Eric.
“I want to go with him,” Aaron said to Raith.
Raith ran his fingers down Aaron’s cheek and smiled. “Of course, sweetheart, go. I’ll drive over and meet you there.” Raith leaned in and whispered in Aaron’s ear. “Take care of our mate, baby. I’m right behind you.” Raith pulled back and kissed Aaron on the lips. He smiled up at Raith and nodded, then turned and followed the paramedics out.
“That’s one fine boy you’ve got there, man. Any chance you might be willing to give him up?” Raith turned to see one of the Doms that helped them.
He smiled and shook his head. “Nope, sorry. He’s all mine,” Raith said and turned away walking toward the exit.
* * * *
Raith paced back and forth across the waiting room floor, running his hands through his hair. What was he going to do? His other mate was human. Not only human, but a sub. He longed to have a boy of his own, but he really didn’t want to get into all that whips and shit. He wouldn’t be able to do that to his mate. It was his mate. They didn’t harm mates, they protected them, kept them safe, not whip them. Gods please help me help my mate.
The waiting room door swung open and Micah, Jesse, Taylor, Gabriel, Christian, Xander, and Lexi walked in. He turned to look at his Alpha and felt tears burn the backs of his eyes. Micah stopped in front of Raith and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I felt your pain, brother. What is it? Is it Aaron?” Micah asked.
Raith shook his head. “No, Micah. It’s Rory.”
Micah tilted his head in confusion. “Rory? Who’s Rory?”
“Our second mate,” Raith answered and sighed, dropping his head.
“Shit, buddy. What can we do?” Micah asked.
“I don’t know. Aaron, Grant, and Eric are in there with him now, along with another doctor,” Raith said and moved away from Micah to walk to the window.
“Who are Grant and Eric?” Lexi asked.
“Eric is a doctor here at the hospital. Grant is a nurse here and Eric’s partner. They’re friends of mine,” Raith answered.
Jesse stood next to Raith and placed his hand on Raith’s back. “Your mate will be fine, Raith. Aaron is the best. He’ll help him.”
Raith turned his head and looked at Jesse. “I know he will. But he was so hurt. He was in so much pain. He started to have co
nvulsions and then he passed out.” Raith cut himself off and turned back to look out the window so no one could see the tears forming.
The door opened and Aaron walked in. Everyone turned to look at him. “Hey, guys. How did you all know?”
“Micah’s link told him Raith was in stress,” Gabriel answered.
“Oh, yeah right. Sorry,” Aaron said and looked to Raith, who had moved across the room and was now standing in front of him.
Raith placed a hand on Aaron’s hip. “How is he, sweetheart?” His face was full of concern.
“He’s okay. They want to keep him overnight for observation. He’s so malnourished. His electrolytes are low. He’s dehydrated. They ran an IV line to help with that and his heart is strong. They treated all the wounds and bandaged him up, so he should be able to be released tomorrow,” Aaron said and pressed his body against Raith’s and laid his head on his chest.
“Is there anything we can do to help?” Jesse asked.
Aaron smiled at the Alpha mate. He really was the sweetest person Aaron had ever met. He genuinely cared about all of them and truly wanted to help. “Help us figure out a way to convince him not go home to that prick of a boyfriend of his and come home with us. That would be great.”
“His boyfriend did this to him?” Micah started to growl. Jesse quickly went to his side and wrapped his arms around the big Alpha. His body relaxed.
“It’s a long story. One that’s really not ours to tell. And I’m sure there’s more to it. More than we even know,” Raith said in frustration.
“I don’t want him going back to that sadistic fucktard, Raith. What are we going to do?” Aaron looked up at him pleadingly.
“Will they let us see him? I mean, we’re not family. Not yet,” Raith said.
“Yes. I’ve been given permission by the chief of staff. He’s heard of me and he’s impressed of course, so he allowed me access to Rory,” Aaron stated and everyone chuckled.