by Carol Lynne
“We need to talk.”
“Not now. Let’s get Draco to Old Town. The sooner we get Cory back, the better,” Tao informed Lucifer.
Tao noticed the way Lu’s jaw clenched as he opened the front passenger door and climbed in next to Dominic, who’d been sitting patiently behind the wheel of the big black sedan.
“Go to the east side entrance,” Draco informed Dominic.
Dominic studied Draco in the rearview mirror. “You already know where Cory is?”
“No, but I know where I can buy the information. In Old Town, everything is for sale.”
Lu turned enough to meet Draco’s eyes. “You need money?”
Draco frowned and turned his attention to the view out the side window. “Money’s not what they want.”
Lu turned back around and the interior of the sedan went silent. Tao wasn’t sure what Draco would have to give up for the information, but he would forever be indebted to the man.
Dominic pulled up outside the walled city.
“You’re sure about this?” Lu asked.
Draco opened the door and straightened his coat, pulling the collar up as high as it would go. “Just make sure your brother keeps his end of the bargain.”
Without another word, Draco slammed the door shut and strode toward the gate. He spoke to a man positioned outside before being allowed in.
Tao looked at Lu. “Now what?”
“Now you take a walk with me.” Lu leaned over and gave Dominic a kiss. “We won’t be long. Keep an eye on Joshua.”
Dominic nodded and pulled Lu in for another kiss. “Be careful.”
Although the area was lit by various streetlights, even Tao knew danger lurked around every corner.
“This is my city. I’ve walked its streets since before you were a gleam in your mother’s eyes,” Lu declared.
Tao opened the door and stood on the sidewalk as Lu gave Dominic another tongue bath before exiting the car. Lu took off and Tao followed.
“What did you want to talk to me about?” Tao asked.
“Several things. I need you to tell me what happened in The Between?”
“Michael came,” Tao began. “Very intimidating with the beauty and the wings and the big sword.”
Lu began to laugh. “Michael always was a show-off.”
Tao glanced down at Lu. “Do you have wings?”
Lu’s face took on a mask of sadness. “No. They were taken from me when I was expelled.” Suddenly, Lu’s expression changed to one of longing. “But when I did have them they were glorious, raven colored with pale blue tips.” Lu sighed wistfully. “I miss them.”
Tao shouldn’t have brought it up. He kicked himself for reminding Lu of everything he’d lost. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled.
“Yeah, me, too.” Lu shook his head. “So what happened between Draco and my brother?”
Tao tried to remember the conversation that he’d witnessed. “Draco asked Michael to cleanse Nelson’s soul. Then he offered to take the evil inside of himself.”
“No!” Lu spat, turning to run toward the east gate where Draco had entered.
Dominic must have been watching because he managed to get out of the car and step in front of Lu before he could get to the gate. “What’re you doing?”
“Draco’s on a suicide mission. I can’t let him do it.”
“It’s too late, babe. He’s gone.” Dominic pulled Lu into his arms.
“But he finally had a chance at something normal.” Lu buried his face against Dominic’s neck. “I should’ve done it. Dammit!”
Dominic shook his head. “We both know if the elders of Old Town got you within the walls they wouldn’t let you go.”
Tao felt like a third wheel, but he needed to know why Lu was so upset. “I don’t understand. I remember when you took Valstaat’s evil into you. It took you a while to heal, but you’re fine now.”
Lu turned his head enough to look at Tao. “I’m not human. Depending on the amount of taint on Nelson’s soul, Draco may never be allowed out of Old Town again.”
Lu closed his eyes. “Why would he do it? I know he’s fond of Cory, but what does he owe Nelson?”
“Draco told Michael his soul was already so dark he had no hope of salvation. Do you think that’s why?” Tao asked.
Lu opened his eyes to stare at Tao. “He said that?”
“Yes.”
For the first time since he’d met Lu, Tao saw tears fill Lucifer’s eyes.
“It means he longs to rise to Heaven, but doesn’t feel worthy of such a gift.” Lu sighed. “He is worthy, though. The only thing holding him here is him. If he’s willing to risk his shot at Heaven, it tells me he’s in a state of inner turmoil.”
Lu wiped at the few tears that had managed to run down his cheeks. “I’ve been working so hard to get Draco to see the good within himself. I thought…I thought I was getting somewhere.”
“Shhh,” Dominic soothed, kissing Lu’s forehead. “This isn’t about something you did or didn’t do. This is about Draco, and no matter who you are, you can’t make someone see what they don’t believe.”
Lu nodded and separated himself enough from Dominic’s chest to square his shoulders. “What else did Draco and Michael discuss.”
“I don’t know. They walked off far enough that Joshua and I couldn’t hear their conversation.” Tao’s attention drifted to the walled city. “Do you think Cory’s okay?”
Lu broke away from Dominic completely and put a hand on Tao’s shoulder. “That’s the other thing I wanted to talk to you about. There’s no way of knowing what effects Old Town will have on him.”
“What do you mean? You think he’s being hurt?” Tao asked, ready to storm the walled city.
“Evil has a way of infiltrating even the purest of souls. Cory’s is so fragile right now. The guilt he feels over Joshua’s death leaves him open to attack from those who would love nothing more than to bring one more over to their dark ways.”
Tao shook his head. “No. Cory would never. Could never. Be evil.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Chapter Seven
Cory tried to see out of eyes swollen from the beating he’d endured earlier. Since losing his temper, Nelson had taken up position on the floor in front of the bookshelf. In the hours that followed, Nelson had read aloud almost every book in the room. Many of the stories took Cory back to his own childhood.
How could he feel anything but sorrow and pity for a man so locked into the past? Cory had an idea of how to help Nelson, but he knew he was taking a big risk. “Which story was Joshua’s favorite when he was a boy?”
Nelson turned and immediately grabbed a bright yellow book from the shelf. “Curious George. He had several of them, but this one he’d ask me to read at least three times a week.”
“Did his mother read to him, too?” Cory asked. He’d never heard Nelson mention his wife.
“Diane died giving birth to Joshua,” Nelson mumbled.
Although sad, Cory knew he could use the information to help Nelson. “I bet she misses you.”
“Who?” Nelson asked, clutching the book to his chest.
“Your wife. Joshua seems happy in Heaven. I bet he and Diane wish you would have joined them.”
Nelson sprang to his feet. “You don’t get to talk about that. You’re the reason I’m here and not with them.”
Cory flinched when Nelson swung, clipping him on the jaw. “I know you feel guilty about what you did to me.”
“No. See, that’s just it. I don’t feel one bit guilty. You took away the one person in my life who loved me. I’m glad I get to see you rot in Hell.”
The vehemence in Nelson’s voice left little doubt that the man truly believed it. “I ruined your life, Nelson. Don’t let me ruin your afterlife, too. I don’t blame you for what you did. I deserved that bullet. I know it. You need to come to terms with what happened and ask God for forgiveness.”
“Never!” Another slap landed on Cory’s alr
eady swollen cheek.
Cory’s face felt like it was on fire, but it was nothing compared to the pain evident in Nelson’s eyes.
“I don’t need you to punish me, Nelson. I do that all on my own every day.”
When his words didn’t seem to get through to Nelson, Cory tried another tactic. “Joshua’s here in The City. Have you seen him?”
Nelson’s head reared back. “You’re lying. My Joshua would never be in this cesspool.”
Cory shook his head. “He’s here to speak to you. He wants to age, but your hold on his past is too strong to allow that to happen.”
“He’s my baby. Always will be,” Nelson growled.
“He’s your son. He’s not a baby or a boy,” Cory countered.
Nelson blinked several times. “Is he really here?”
Cory nodded. “If I were a betting man, I’d say he’s outside the walls of Old Town with my boyfriend. I would imagine Joshua is trying to find a way to come in here and talk to you.”
“No, he can’t. That would ruin him!”
Suddenly Nelson seemed to panic. He ran his fingers through his hair and began pacing the room in agitation, knocking books and other childhood mementoes from the shelves. “Shit!”
“Take me back and you can talk to him before he risks his soul trying to find you.” Cory held his breath, waiting for Nelson to do the right thing.
After several tense moments, Nelson left the room.
Cory released his breath and sighed. What if he never saw Tao again? Nelson may not be able to kill him, but keeping him from the man he loved was worse than death. Tao’s laugh came to mind, bringing gooseflesh to Cory’s skin and a smile to his face. Maybe he could survive on the memories of the time he’d been lucky enough to spend with his lover?
The door opened and Nelson stepped into the room, knife in hand. “If you’re lying to me about Joshua being here, I’ll hunt you for the rest of eternity.”
“I know.”
Nelson cut the ropes that secured Cory’s wrists to the bed. Before freeing Cory’s ankles, Nelson tied the remaining ends of the ropes behind Cory’s back, shackling him. “Let’s go.”
* * * *
Nelson forced Cory through the streets of Old Town with a grip on his arm. Cory tried to concentrate on his feet, the surroundings too much to bear. No wonder Old Town tainted the souls of its inhabitants. Everything around him was black as coal with dirt and grime, the buildings crumbling, the streets littered with trash and lost souls.
Cory shivered as a man with eyes devoid of any humanity, stared at him. Cory quickly looked away and tried once again to concentrate only on where he was stepping, avoiding the pools of thick, congealed blood that seemed to be everywhere.
For Nelson to voluntarily live in Old Town, the man must be more tormented than Cory had originally thought. Why would anyone feel they deserved such a dire eternity?
Nelson led Cory through the gate. Cory surveyed the area as his heart plummeted.
“I thought you said they’d be out here,” Nelson spat.
Cory refused to believe Tao wouldn’t be waiting for him. “They have to be here somewhere. Maybe another entrance?”
With a grunt of disgust, Nelson continued to pull Cory along beside him. “You’d better not be wrong.”
After twenty minutes of walking, Nelson stopped dead in his tracks. “Is that them?”
Cory blinked several times, trying to get his swollen eyes to focus on the figures in the distance. They were still too far away to discern faces, but Tao’s size compared to the other men was easy to spot.
“Tao!” Cory screamed.
Within seconds, the group of men was running toward them. Cory noticed the smallest figure and gestured with his head. “There’s Joshua.”
Nelson released his grip on Cory’s arm and stopped walking. “Joshua,” he whispered.
The murderous expression on Tao’s face as he neared prompted Cory to step in front of Nelson. “Tao! I’m fine. Don’t touch him!”
Tao skidded to a stop in front of Cory. He reached out and cupped Cory’s swollen cheek before leveling a narrowed-eyed gaze over Cory’s shoulder.
With his hands still bound behind his back, Cory leaned against Tao. “It’s okay. Please trust me on this.”
Tao wrapped his arms protectively around Cory and pulled him to the side just as Joshua launched himself at his father.
“Dad!”
Nelson hesitated only for a moment before embracing his son, picking him up off his feet to swing him in circles. “I never thought I’d see you again.”
Cory gave Tao a nudge with his shoulder. “Take these off of me and let’s give them some privacy.”
Tao spun Cory around and went to work on the knotted rope. “How can you be so forgiving? That man kidnapped you.”
Cory glanced over his shoulder at the teary-eyed man. “I feel sorry for him.”
“Where’s Draco?” Lu asked, coming to a stop.
“Draco?” Cory shook his head. “I never saw him.”
“Fuck!” Lu screamed and grabbed fistfuls of his black hair.
Cory looked to Tao for clarification as to what was going on.
Tao tossed the rope to the pavement before pulling Cory into his arms once more. “Draco went in to find you.”
Cory’s jaw dropped. He knew what that meant. “He didn’t find me.”
Lu turned toward Dominic. “I need to get to The Temple. Now!”
“I think we all should go,” Cory said. “As much as I’d love a shower, I think there are other parts of me that feel dirtier than my skin.”
* * * *
Safely ensconced in his bed, Cory snuggled further into Tao’s warm embrace. “I don’t think I’ll ever feel warm again.”
Tao adjusted the pile of blankets around the back of Cory’s neck. “You will. Lu said it would take some time, but you’ll feel right in your skin again.”
Cory closed his eyes. If anyone could help him, he knew it would be Tao. Since leaving Old Town, Cory hadn’t been able to sleep more than an hour or two without waking in a cold sweat, the nightmares chasing him even after his eyes opened.
“Make love to me,” he whispered. He didn’t want to think about Draco and what he must be enduring behind the walls of Old Town. It didn’t matter to Cory that Lu and Michael were working closely to get Draco out. Cory knew it was his fault Draco entered Old Town in the first place. According to Lu, Michael was beside himself with remorse for the bargain he’d made with Draco. Evidently, Draco set the transfer of Nelson’s taint into motion before he’d left The Between. Somewhere behind the walls of Old Town, Draco carried not only his own burdens, but Nelson’s as well, and there didn’t seem to be a damn thing anyone could do about it.
Although Joshua’s reunion with his father had gone better than any of them had hoped, it still hadn’t released Cory from his guilt. The remorse over Joshua’s death was still in his heart, but now he also carried the guilt of Draco with him. Perhaps his purpose in Hell was to carry more than his share of remorse and guilt. Regardless, both feelings seemed to have taken up permanent residence inside of him.
“Stop thinking so hard,” Tao said, smoothing the worry lines of Cory’s forehead with his thumb.
“I love you so much, but I’m afraid I don’t deserve you,” Cory confessed.
Tao rolled over on top of Cory. “You deserve better than me, but I’m not about to look a gift horse in the mouth.”
Tao insinuated himself between Cory’s thighs and kissed him. Cory opened himself to Tao’s questing tongue and moaned. Maybe Tao had the right idea. Instead of questioning why he deserved to be loved by someone like Tao, perhaps he should just embrace the gift he’d been given.
Cory reached for the lube and handed it to Tao. As much as he enjoyed the simplicity of Tao’s home in The Village, nothing beat a nice soft bed. He’d be willing to give up everything else in his home, but his bed simply wasn’t one of them.
Tao’s slicked finger f
ound its way to Cory’s hole. They’d made love earlier that morning when they’d returned home from work, so it took no time for Tao to stretch Cory’s body enough to accept the thick cock.
Work had been tense since Draco had gone missing. Dominic stormed around Ice Water, growling at everyone, while Lu spent his time either in The Between with Michael or holding vigil outside Old Town.
“Just feel,” Tao whispered as he entered Cory.
Cory did his best to push the thoughts away, he owed it to Tao. His lover had been more than supportive, holding Cory before, during and after the nightmares, putting up with the occasional flare up of his temper, which seemed to have come from nowhere. Never once did Tao complain and for that, Cory knew the man deserved to have Cory’s full attention every moment they were together.
He threaded his fingers together behind Tao’s neck and hoisted his legs higher around Tao’s back. Fucking had taken on a whole new dimension since he’d fallen in love. He knew it was girly, but it was more than a physical feeling when Tao made love to him. Each time, another corner of Cory’s insides seemed to thaw.
Tao pulled out and tapped Cory’s hip. “Turn over for me, baby.”
Cory did as asked, positioning himself on his hands and knees. There had been a time when Cory would have considered doggy-style as fucking and nothing more. How could two people who loved each other not want to hold and kiss during sex?
As Tao began to move in and out of Cory’s ass, he couldn’t help but smile. He’d discovered the love between them was always present, regardless of their particular position. Although they still enjoyed making love face to face, he was becoming more comfortable asking for what he needed during sex. Cory figured that was what making love was all about. Loving someone enough to tell them what you desired, even if out of the norm, was a true gift.
As Cory came, he panted words of love to Tao. Yeah. Love was definitely the true gift in someone’s life, or death, as the case may be.
About the Author