by Jools Louise
“Thank you,” David said, tearing up. “This is perfect.”
Cody rubbed his knuckles on his chest, then blew on them, looking smug. “I know,” he grinned, nudging David with his hip.
David laughed, shaking his head. “You look happy,” he said suddenly, serious now. His blue eyes showed his affection for one of the men who’d rescued him and his friends when things had been at their worst. Even Joe didn’t really know how bad things had become, when David had been close to suicidal, wanting to end his life and escape the pain he’d suffered every day, since childhood. He was glad that Cody had found someone. From what Cameron had told them, that smooch yesterday had been epic. He sighed inwardly, glancing at Chaz. He wished his own love life was so positive. He and Chaz were a little distant lately.
“I am,” Cody replied simply, smiling. Then he narrowed his eyes when John entered the room, his look warning the guy from saying anything sassy. For once John looked serious, though, gesturing to Cody.
“What’s wrong?” Cody asked, moving away from David.
John had an official-looking envelope in his hand and handed it to Cody. “Pace found out some stuff,” John said. Cody looked at the envelope, feeling uneasy as he studied John’s carefully blank expression, his green eyes giving nothing away—a precursor to something unpleasant.
Unsealing the envelope, Cody took out a file, taking note of the name scrawled across the top. Marissa Horton. Cody’s ex-wife. There was a second name, Douglas Horton, and a date of birth that was eight months after he’d left Marissa, over twenty years ago. Cody did some quick mental arithmetic and sent John a swift glance. John jerked his chin, gesturing for Cody to open the file.
Feeling nervous, something that rarely happened, Cody opened the file up. The first page was a report, detailed mumbo jumbo in legalese that he barely understood. The name Douglas Horton appeared several times, something about being given into care. Another name had his heart stopping, the pain so intense he felt sick. Leonard. Pastor of some obscure church in upstate New York. It couldn’t be a coincidence that their nemesis, recently deceased, shared the same name. Leonard was the whole reason Sage had been destroyed—he was the pastor behind the cult, the one who had set off a chain reaction resulting in the destruction of the town. Pastor Leonard had recruited other like-minded monsters, building an empire of fear, deceit, and evil that was still resonating today. His homophobia and racism toward shifters, his penchant for abusing innocent kids, had been only some of his many crimes. His final swan song, with the help of a deranged ex-federal agent, had resulted in Sage being blown to smithereens. He was the reason David and his friends had suffered years of abuse. And according to the report, Leonard had taken someone named Douglas Horton, with the same last name as Cody, born just about twenty-one years ago, after he left Marissa.
“Leonard took my son?” he asked, staring hard at the paper in his hand. He turned the page, seeing a birth certificate, naming him and Marissa as parents, with the name Douglas Horton as the child.
“Turn the page,” John said gruffly, placing a hand on Cody’s shoulder. Cody just knew the bombshell hadn’t quite dropped yet.
The next page carried the punchline. Douglas Horton, named as Cody’s son, had not only been given to Pastor Leonard, but had ended up at a facility in Idaho. A large facility that had bred young shifter children like lab rats, had experimented and sold children for profit to the highest bidder. Douglas Horton had not been sold. He had remained in Idaho from the date he had been sold to Leonard, at the age of five, according to the damning report. He had not been named as deceased either. Which meant only one thing. He had been at the Idaho facility when the place was invaded and shut down by the Two Spirit crew last year.
“He’s at the ranch?” he asked, incredulously.
“No,” John said, smiling suddenly, his vivid green eyes shining with glee. Turning to the door, he gestured to the nervous young man standing there, shuffling from one foot to the other.
Cody stared, meeting eyes the exact same shade as his. The newcomer’s hair was the same warm, medium brown, with hints of gold, in a shaggy style that needed a trim but suited the kid’s face. The kid was a little thin, extremely nervous, and Cody noticed something else—he kept glancing at Cody with a mixture of hope and fear.
“Douglas?” he asked, keeping his voice low and calm, not wanting to frighten the boy any more than he obviously was.
The kid looked up, startled. “I’m not called Douglas. My name is Alpha six three five eight zero,” he replied tensely.
Cody took a step closer, his ears picking up the complete silence in the apartment. John’s appearance had been a show-stopper, it seemed. “Your mother named you Douglas, it says so on your birth certificate,” he said.
“I don’t have a mother,” Douglas said flatly. “She didn’t want me. She gave me to Pastor Leonard when I was little.”
“You remember that she gave you to Leonard?” Cody asked gently, feeling that sick feeling return.
“I was five years old,” Douglas replied, blinking. “John said you’re my dad. Are you?” He looked almost afraid of the answer. “Leonard said my dad didn’t want me either. He said you were a freak, that nobody wanted me because I was one, too.” He bared a set of big cat fangs, long and deadly.
Cody took another step nearer. “I didn’t know about you, Douglas,” he said hoarsely, feeling tears prick his eyes. The big bad ex-sergeant was going to be bawling in front of everyone, he thought wryly, but couldn’t find it in him to care too much. “Your mother was sick, I think, she had long-standing problems and didn’t tell me about you. I left her, so maybe she didn’t know she was pregnant then. I didn’t know,” he repeated.
“She was a drunk and a drug addict,” Douglas said, matter-of-factly. “If I wasn’t a shifter, I would have died. I was able to shift and feed myself when she went off on binges. Rats, mice, cockroaches. Worms. She didn’t remember to feed me, didn’t remember I was there most of the time. When Leonard came, I thought things would get better. But he didn’t ignore me. He made me do things. Bad things, sexual things, to men he brought to the Idaho place. They had rooms there. People who did well in their organization were rewarded by oral sex performed by the kids there.” His face was deliberately blank, and Cody felt his heart break in two, felt sick at what had been done to his beautiful son—and this was his son.
“I’m your dad, Douglas,” Cody confirmed gently. “We stopped Leonard, and he won’t be able to hurt any more like you. He’s dead. If I could kill him twice, I would. Sorry isn’t enough for what’s been done to you, but I am sorry. So sorry.” Cody felt his tears fall finally, the pain in his chest a physical thing.
“You’ve been in town this whole time, building this place?” Douglas asked, the sudden change of subject throwing Cody for a second. Cody sensed the boy move closer, then felt the light touch of his son’s hand on his shoulder.
“Yes, my partner Thomas and I have been overseeing the construction for the last nine months. This place was completed last week, as well as the café, diner, and the inn next door. Sage is coming back to life.” Cody’s head was down as he answered, feeling ashamed for some reason and not able to meet his son’s steady gaze. “We’re breaking ground on the garage, a grocery store, bookstore next week. Then we need to build a multiplex mini mall for a dentist’s office, lawyer’s office, as well as a medical doctor’s. There’ll be a medical clinic in town, too.” He closed his eyes, speaking on autopilot, unable to process what had been done to Douglas, what he’d been forced to do. Servicing men as a fucking reward. Cody’s fangs descended and he felt a growl rise in his throat. He wanted to find that bitch Marissa and rip her throat out.
“Can I stay with you?” Douglas asked tremulously. “You’re not Marissa or Leonard. I know that. You saved us. You fought for us. I spoke to Joe and Aaron and John and Rafe and Murphy. They told me all about you, hunting those bastards down, one by one, through the tunnels and beyond. I’d like to know
my dad. So, can I stay?”
Cody felt his heart splinter again, his tears falling freely now, and opened his arms wide. Douglas stepped into them, his arms going hesitantly around Cody. “I’d love for you to live with me. I have a large trailer that I share with Thomas. There’s three bedrooms in it, so you’d have one for yourself. Once construction is finished we’ll look at living somewhere a little out of town, I think, our own little place with land around it.” He felt Douglas’s arms tighten, his head resting under Cody’s chin, a few inches shorter than his father. His slender frame felt far too thin, the bones fragile and his muscle tone practically nonexistent. Cody looked at John over the boy’s head and met the man’s deadly green gaze, seeing the same anger there that he was feeling. He saw John nod briefly, as he communicated an unspoken plea, their long-standing friendship needing no words. He wanted John to go after Marissa.
“Is Thomas your boyfriend?” Douglas asked curiously. “It doesn’t bother me; I think it’s cool.” He paused for a moment. “David said he thinks it’s cool that two old guys can still get it on like you can.” He giggled when David protested his innocence, his laughter a balm to Cody’s soul. At least those evil cult bastards hadn’t broken his son.
“David might take even longer than I did,” Cody retorted. “If they ever get to second base, I’ll be amazed—and probably in my dotage,” he grinned, hearing David’s sassy response.
“Careful there, gramps,” David said, flipping him off. “I prefer to keep my love life a private, intimate kind of thing…unlike a certain somebody we all know and love, who makes sexual statements in the middle of the street.”
Cody laughed loudly, stroking a hand over his son’s back, hearing the kid’s giggle again and wanting to make his life from here on full of fun and laughter. He was pleased that Douglas didn’t seem afraid or adversely affected by the sexual references, or the fact he was in a relationship with another man. And once he got his hands on Marissa, he’d make sure he told her what a fantastic kid their son was, right before she drew her last breath through the hole that he ripped open in her rib cage while he removed her vital organs.
“It’s a shame I’m so old,” he told David sadly, sighing heavily. “This brain of mine forgot to mention you might be having roomies across the hall,” he said, smirking when David looked wary.
They all looked at the door to the apartment as Sheriff Pace and Zack stepped inside. Cody shot David a laughing glance, seeing the realization dawn on David. The look of controlled horror made the jibe worthwhile. Joe had pulled a fast one, convincing the two men to move into the other penthouse apartment. Having the local sheriff living opposite was bound to cramp the kids’ style. Zack and Pace had been looking forward to informing their new neighbors and were making lots of references to noise abatement, partying too hard, and curfews just to mess with David’s head. That was a big joke, since right now the town was a construction site, with nothing going on after dark anyway.
“Come on, son, let’s go see what Thomas cooked for lunch.” He laughed, guiding Douglas out of the apartment and winking at David. Tossing the keys over his shoulder, he dug a second pair from his pocket and handed them to Pace. “Guys, this is my son Douglas Horton,” he told the pair, proud as punch to introduce his son to the pair.
Then he left to go find Thomas.
* * * *
Night surrounded the lovers writhing together in shadow, intensifying their other senses as they kissed tenderly. Cody sighed, lying sprawled on his back as Thomas’s soft lips mapped out his body with tiny kisses, sharp little nips, and a hot tongue that lapped and licked at every inch of exposed skin.
Cody’s cock was standing straight up, dripping pre-cum that pooled on his taut abs, his muscles rippling with each tortured breath he took, trying not to cry out his pleasure. He felt a warm, moist suction against one nipple, his back arching and his eyes closed in bliss at the feeling of Thomas’s mouth sucking on his sensitive bud. Thomas’s big hand gripped his cock gently, pumping up and down Cody’s engorged rod with an expert touch. Cody felt his balls draw up and knew he was going to blow any second now…his trembling body literally quivering with anticipation.
Thomas’s mouth left his nipple, moving back up to fuse with Cody’s, the kiss scorching hot as Cody’s cock exploded cum all over his chest and abs, hitting Thomas as well as it just kept on shooting heavy loads of cream. Cody’s lusty cry was drowned out by his lover’s succulent lips, but he had to bite his own forearm when Thomas curled around, then began to lap at the thick cum that was splattered all over Cody’s torso. Groaning with intense pleasure, Cody whimpered at the feel of that hungry tongue licking at him, moving south with each stroke. His limp cock flared with renewed zeal when Thomas began to kiss and lick at it, cleaning off the cream intimately, humming his pleasure and sending new darts of pleasure straight to Cody’s core.
“Baby, you’re so fucking hot, it’s not even funny,” Thomas growled, mouthing the spongy head of Cody’s fat dick. “Your taste is all spice and musk and sweet as honey.” Cody’s fangs descended and he drew blood as he tried to muffle the whimpers coming from his throat, feeling Thomas suck on him with a skill that left Cody breathless. “So fucking hot,” Thomas repeated, then deep-throated Cody in a sudden move that had Cody spurting once more, unable to prevent the deep groan as his release spattered the back of Thomas’s sexy mouth.
“Here, baby, have a taste,” Thomas invited, curling back up to share Cody’s load with him, the dirty kiss sloppy and deliciously decadent. Cody grabbed his lover’s neck, dragging him closer, biting at his lips hungrily. His hands moved over his lover’s body, exploring the man’s big, muscular frame eagerly. Sweat coated the ebony skin, his chest heaving with passion as the kiss continued for long seconds, their desire for each other only just beginning. After all the years of separation, they were making up for lost time.
“Now your turn,” Cody said with a growl, pushing Thomas onto his back, careful not to jolt the man’s sore leg. It wasn’t that leg he was interested in, but the thick and sexy appendage protruding invitingly from his lover’s groin.
“Payback time?” Thomas asked with a breathless laugh.
“You betcha,” Cody replied and then moved down the bed, starting at Thomas’s toes first and sucking on each one. He heard his lover moaning, felt the shaking of the bed as his mate writhed helplessly and lifted his head. He placed his fingers in Thomas’s mouth, to muffle the sexy noises. “Suck on those, beautiful,” he said, as he knelt beside the gorgeous man, deciding to work on the man’s torso instead.
Thomas latched on to Cody’s fingers, sucking erotically on them, giving Cody all sorts of naughty ideas as to where he could shove them next…Thomas’s body was built for sex, and Cody intended to explore in every way possible.
He aimed his mouth at Thomas’s shallow belly button, delving into the small indentation and tasted sweat and musk and Thomas. His other hand fisted Thomas’s thick dick, pumping it firmly. He turned his head, licking the slit that oozed pre-cum, then sucked on the spongy head, his tongue exploring the corona and under the crown, then slid down the thick veiny length to the heavy ball sac that dangled below.
Thomas bucked, moaning continuously now, his big body trembling like a stallion scenting a mare. Cody grinned at his analogy, thinking that neither had the right equipment to be mares. They were stallions who liked cock…and Thomas had such a delicious cock.
Cody removed his fingers from Thomas’s mouth, moving to lie between his lover’s thick legs, then grabbing the man’s balls in his mouth, rolling them around on his tongue gently. He sucked at them, enjoying their salty taste, his hand still pumping at the man’s cock, his other hand playing along the shadowy crease where a small trove of treasure lay.
“Now, let’s see what this little beauty has to offer,” Cody smirked around Thomas’s cock, probing with one finger against the small hole perched between the hard mounds of his lover’s ass. Thomas arched his back, throwing his good leg out
to the side, then lifted it out of the way, inviting more of Cody’s touch.
Cody inserted his finger gently past the guardian ring of muscle that clenched around him, protecting their host’s most intimate place. Cody leaned forward, kissing the hole, his tongue licking around the quivering starburst gently. Moments later, the muscles relaxed and Cody probed deeper, crooking his finger a little, fucking in and out carefully.
“Fuuuck.” Thomas sighed, his voice muffled slightly. Cody grinned, thinking Thomas was chewing on his arm now, trying not to make too much noise—they had a new houseguest after all.
“Come for me, baby,” Cody whispered, finding the tiny gland he knew would produce gratifying results. Sure enough, as soon as he stroked over it a couple of times, pumping with his hand along Thomas’s cock, the man began to erupt like a volcano, thick streams of cream shooting out in all directions. Cody directed the spray to his mouth, feeling it spurt against his face, hair, chest and captured as much as he could on his tongue.
“So fucking sexy,” he purred, his jaguar delighted at the taste, and he moved up the bed, sharing a sexy, sloppy kiss with Thomas, sharing his man’s own spunk with him.
“Aren’t you glad you came?” Cody asked teasingly.
Thomas let out a soft, deep laugh. “Baby, I’m glad I found you again, I’m sooo glad you turned out gay, and I’m incredibly fucking glad that you love the taste of my cock.” He wrapped a heavy arm around Cody, dragging him closer. “Yes, I’m glad I came.”
Cody laid his head on Thomas’s chest, sighed contentedly, then closed his eyes and drifted off. He realized there had been a large hole in his life for so many years…and now he had two large pieces of the puzzle fitting right into place…a beautiful lover and a son at last. He couldn’t think of much else to top it. He sighed again, then fell asleep.