by Kit Fortier
"We know you're almost done with the circle."
Jake's eyebrows furrowed.
"You've been watching?"
"Watching out for, more like. We've kept an eye out for any wolves or bears that are still linked to a master, for ravens, eagles."
"Why? Why would you help me?"
The fox-man leaned against the tree he stood near, folding his arms. His hair was a coppery red, and his eyes impossibly bright. His canines were a little longer than average. His smile faded, and a serious look took its place.
"You were working with Sully."
Jake's head went back in surprise. "You knew Sully?"
Jake's visitor shifted from foot to foot. "He saved a lot of us from experiments. I know you're aware of the covens and arguments--the mages. Otherwise you wouldn't be trying to consolidate power the way you are."
Witches and wizards. Magic users. Not all of them bad, but not all of them good, either.
"He asked us to keep an eye on you. And we have."
The news stunned Jake. Sully still kept an eye out for him, even after death.
"How long have you been keeping tabs?"
The fox-man stepped towards the edge of the clearing. He peered around the corner at the man sleeping a few yards away. Jake cleared his throat.
"Our falkoi friends started the watch when you left San Diego. Word travels fast when it can fly. They cast a wide net, keeping a close watch on you and your surroundings. At the start, they watched how Sully sacrificed himself for you."
Jake blinked. He thought no one else knew about his shame.
"Your grief is thick in the air, friend. I can actually taste it. But just know, he did it for you."
Jake looked up at the little man, now standing at his side. The way this visitor moved without a sound gave Jake a chill.
"Ben is well. Your friends are well. It would seem like the rest of the world is moving along fine."
Jake breathed in deeply, and slowly sighed.
"But you should know that mages are looking for you."
"Who?"
The fox-man looked over his shoulder. Jake glanced back at Fox.
"A pair--one man, one woman, from what the falcons say. They're looking for prima materia."
The first material? Jake shook his head.
"Even in alchemy, that doesn't exist. Philosopher Stones don't exist. It's beyond our ability to transmute."
"With the prima materia, they don't have to worry about the laws of alchemy. They don't even have to be alchemists to use it. We think that's what they want--to be able to use magic and alchemy simultaneously."
The implications of what Jake's Vulpi shadow said made him shiver. When a mage could make their impermanent magic permanent, there would be no telling how much hell they would force on the rest of the world.
The fox-man sniffed the air. "Your mate stirs."
Jake threw a look over where Fox lay. He was sitting up, rubbing his eyes.
"He's not my--"
The fox-man grinned at him wolfishly, if that was possible.
"Mate."
"Uh-huh. Here." The fox-man tossed three small stones at Jake, one at a time. He caught them and looked at them. A fragment of cinnabar, a piece of sulfur, and a small chunk of salt.
"What's this for--" Jake asked, interrupted by the absence of the fox-man. Instead, a fox sat where he was, grinning, if Jake could believe it.
"Jake?"
Jake turned and found Fox standing right behind him, still naked to the world.
"Hey there, Foxy baby."
Fox smiled. "Is that our little friend?"
Jake looked at the fox. It winked. The little shit winked.
"I think so."
A chuckle escaped Fox. "I'm gonna get the steaks started," he said, taking the bundle of wood from under Jake's arm. He padded back to the firepit, well out of earshot.
"Your strapping young mate sure likes being naked."
Jake whirled around and saw the fox-man again. The little guy leered appreciatively at Fox's departing form.
"He's not--" Jake paused.
"Not…? Not pregnant yet? Not a wolf? Not an alchemist?"
Recognition struck Jake on the fox-man's last words. That's what he was sensing whenever he shook Fox's hand. Whenever they were close. The little man's lips pressed into a thin line.
"Yep. We can sense the spark on him. He burns bright. Like you." Of course, they could. This fox must belong to an earth nearby.
Jake looked at the three pieces of minerals in his hand.
"You'll probably want to make him a Locus like your own. That seems pretty handy. And he's going to have to come with you."
Jake shook his head. "Why?"
"The people we've been tracking who are tracking you will find him here, living a happy life, thinking fondly of you. When the Ursoi the mages sent after you break into his home, they'll shred him, and eat through his chest to rip out his heart after they catch your scent on him."
Blood drained from Jake's his head. The world tilted ever so slightly around him.
"Are they close?"
"Last we checked, they were searching outside of Fresno."
Jake's hands trembled. "Are they driving?"
The fox-man shook his head. "These are bears who turn human, not the other way around. I don't think the mages were thinking clearly when they sent bears--wolves would have been faster."
Except wolves were few and far between. Jake knew that. Too many wolves became dangerous to the covens and arguments. In greater numbers, they could barely be controlled.
"How long?"
"You'd probably have a month at most."
There was still a little time.
"Bring your mate. Or don't. At least give him a fighting chance," the fox-man said, pointing at the hand that held the minerals. "The name's Hamish. Feel free to call out my name if you're done calling out his. I wouldn't mind being mauled by a bear," The fox-man snickered.
Jake looked at the bits in his hand. He then looked back up and saw a fox grinning at him. With a flick of his tail, the fox disappeared further into the woods.
Turning around, Jake saw a fire roaring in the twilight. Fox's form struck a handsome silhouette against the light of the dancing flames.
Jake pulled out a silver knife from a sheath and laid it down on a clear patch of dirt. He then pulled out the little plastic bag that held his salt and silver mix. When he poured a small, thin circle, Jake touched it. After a brief litany, the circle became a smaller version of the one branded on the leather scroll in Jake's room. Another litany affixed the circle permanently. He could easily hide it by the surrounding dirt and leaves, in case he needed it again.
Jake placed the three bits of mineral around the knife, and another litany ran through his head. He watched the knife melt into an amorphous blob. The blob spread out flat, assimilating the minerals. The silver then opened from the center of the blob. It seemed to fold in on itself and congeal. It compacted into a large ring, then compacted and consolidated further. Within a matter of moments, Jake had an exact replica of his own bracelet in his hand, including the etchings in Arabic that decorated the bracelet's surfaces.
He thought about Fox and what to tell him. He was both excited and terrified at what it meant that Fox carried the spark. On one hand, he had the potential for alchemy. On the other, no amount of cleansing could rid Fox of the fact that he had come in contact with Jake.
With that in mind, Jake decided he'd let Fox have tonight. Maybe even tomorrow. He didn't want to rush, and there was still time yet.
*** Fox
Fox smiled to himself, flipping the steaks on the grill over the fire. He was so relaxed, so open, so warm, despite the rapidly approaching night. He hadn't bothered to put on a scrap of clothing, enjoying the feel of the cool evening touching him everywhere.
Thoughts of Fox's mother crept in. The feeling of unworthiness that his ex-boyfriend fostered didn't start with Adam. Jake worked at stripped away the
layer of Fox's damaged psyche that was his bastard of an ex. But he only cracked the veneer of what his mother's abandonment did to him.
But Jake… Jake went out of his way to make Fox feel better. That notion warmed Fox entirely.
"Aren't you cold?" Jake plodded down the slight incline that lead to the firepit. He pulled up behind Fox, wrapping his arms around him and holding him close.
Fox leaned his head back and breathed Jake in before he turned his head to give Jake a quick kiss.
"I'm totally fine."
"Yes, yes you are," Jake murmured into Fox's ear.
"Haven't you had enough of me yet?" Fox laughed.
Jake shook his head. "I don't think I'll ever have enough of you."
Fox went quiet. The two stood, one holding the other, staring at the fire.
"Mom left us."
Jake stilled.
"I don't talk about her much. I didn't have anyone to talk to before now." Jake was about to interrupt, no doubt referring to Adam, when Fox continued. "At least, I didn't have someone that cared that wasn't Dad." Fox turned the steaks again and found himself in Jake's arms once more. They stood, listening to the crackle of the fire.
"How old were you?"
"Ten."
Jake sighed and pressed a kiss pressed against the back of Fox's head.
"I'm sorry, baby."
Fox took a shuddering breath. "You weren't the reason. She was a small-town girl, and she saw me as… Well, I'm not sure what she saw me as. I could see her pulling away from me and Dad, and I tried everything I could think of to get her to stay. But I know now, it was obvious that she was going to leave us one way or the other." Fox passed the tongs to Jake. He wordlessly took care of the steaks. Meanwhile, Fox started taking things from the footlocker.
"My mom ruined a lot of people's lives. When I was five, she got involved with the reverend at our church. They'd been at it for a year before they were caught. And boy, were they caught," Fox said. He pulled out a pair of plastic plates, knives, forks, and a couple of beers, before closing the lid.
"Some church board member found them in the reverend's office, going at it. I got a lot of sideways looks because of it growing up. But, no one ever said anything to my face because they thought Dad would beat them in the face with a baseball bat if they did." Fox sighed. "I don't even know what made them think that, honestly."
Jake laughed. Fox reached out to him with a plastic plate, and Jake plated a steak on it. After the second steak hit a plate, Fox plunked down in the grass behind the footlocker. That left Jake room to do the same next to him. The giant container would serve as their table, and for the steaks, they'd need it. Fox handed Jake a medium sized bag of chips. He watched as Jake cut into his steak and took a bite.
"When I was ten, she left. It was building for a while. I knew it was going to happen, but it didn't hurt any less. Even though everyone whispered behind my back, sneered at me. Still, I tried to be a good boy," the last couple of words were ones Fox spat out. "Whatever that meant."
Jake took a pull from his beer, his eyes on Fox's the whole time. He nodded at Fox, urging him on.
"She went to New York with one of our guests. I guess he promised to show her what real life was like. She didn't even let us know she had left. We ended up getting a call from her. I hoped she said she would be coming back. Instead, she asked Dad for money."
Fox put his silverware down and stared at the half of a steak he had in front of him.
"I know it was selfish, but I didn't care. I wanted her to come back. But wanting wasn't enough. I wasn't…" Fox stared into the fire, unable to finish his sentence. Jake's fingers combed gently through his hair.
"Fox."
Fox looked at Jake.
"Eat up. The night's still young." The smile on Jake's face was prize-winning, and Fox was lost in its warmth and promise. He popped open his bag of chips and spread some onto his plate.
Jake's gaze never left Fox as he watched the other man eat. His own plate was empty, his chips gone, and the second beer was quickly draining. Fox simply looked happy as bit by bit his food finally disappeared. The sun had gone down completely. Soon, celestial bodies began shining through the dark blue sky. When Fox cleaned his plate, Jake cleaned up.
That made Fox smile.
"So, sleeping arrangements," Jake said matter-of-factly. He reached out, initiating a full-body stretch that flexed his feet and pulled up to his wrists. He exhaled for a while as he scratched his stomach.
"Ah, yes," Fox hopped to his feet, giving Jake a few quick scratches on his chest. He trotted to his truck's cab, pulling out a couple of pillows and another blanket. "Grab that blanket, would you?" Fox asked, indicating the one beneath the pine tree.
Jake came back, grinning. "It smells kinda hot."
Fox rolled his eyes. "You and your smells," he snickered. "If it makes you happy, it'll be the blanket we actually sleep on."
Jake smirked at Fox. Fox laughed and leaned into Jake for a kiss. He jumped into the truck bed, spreading the blanket Jake pulled up. He tossed the pillows near the head of the bed and spread the other blanket. It would be much warmer than the one over the mattress, and Fox was relieved he'd brought it. Fox went to his knees on the mattress, and beckoned Jake into the bed.
Jake jumped into the bed, stripped off his pants, and laid down next to Fox. Fox looked down at Jake's face, studying his features intently. The deep shadow, almost a beard. The outline of his regal, masculine nose, his deep-set eyes that shone silver in the starlight. Fox reached out and put his hand on Jake's chin, running a finger over his lips. Jake gently took Fox's finger between his teeth. He closed his mouth around the tip and sucked on it for a moment before releasing it. Fox stroked his now moistened finger over Jake's lips, enjoying the velvety feel of the man's smile.
"You know, you're helping me check off a lot of boxes," Fox said.
"Ooh. Fox's boxes. I wonder what's in them," Jake snickered. Fox glared at Jake, but there was no anger in his gaze. Jake came out of his little fit. "You wanted to make love in broad daylight. Check." Jake made a little tic mark in the air.
"I wanted to bring a guy here. You're my first."
Jake turned his head to get a better look at Fox. "Check."
"I have one box left that I think we can take care of here and now."
Jake smiled knowingly. "Let me guess."
While Jake made the query, he went quiet. A slight, serene smile curled his lips.
"You want me to make love to you under the stars."
Fox's heart thudded in his chest. He wouldn't have said it like that, but he realized if there was something he desperately wanted, it would be that.
He wanted Jake to make love to him.
He wanted Jake to love him.
He wanted Jake.
His heart ached at the want.
"Let's see what we can do," Jake said, desire in his voice. He made a move to sit up, but Fox held him down.
"Wait, Jake. I'm gonna rephrase what you said," Fox said, a breath away from whispering. "You gave me something today when we were under the tree. While we're here, under the stars, I'm going to make love to you."
*** Jake
Jake caught the scent of Fox's heat. He still had a faint smell of their release on his skin when Jake sought to chase Fox's demons away. The ever-present hint of fresh rain on Fox's skin tickled his mind and his heart.
Now here he lay with Fox, and the man seemed more open to him than he could have thought possible. Like the actual creature he was named after, Fox had curled around his heart. Playful, laughing, loving.
Love.
It was only a week. Less than. He hadn't been closer to anyone else. The feelings were confounding, maddening, but engulfing, and incredibly right. Jake soaked in it like slipping into a warm bath.
Fox took Jake's face in his hands and kissed him at a measured pace, with aching reverence at first. Then he pulled closer, his dick rubbed against Jake's thigh. Fox began devouring Jake's mouth li
ke it was a rare and delicious fruit. Fox hummed and moaned, and Jake drank in the sounds--the effect going straight to his dick.
Fox mounted Jake, like Jake had done to him before. He shifted so that Jake's hardness was pressed against the cleft of his ass. Fox chewed on Jake's lower lip, worrying it between his lips, his teeth. He probed every inch of Jake's warm and welcoming mouth. He writhed on Jake's dick, desperate for more touch, more heat, more, more, more.
Jake took in the sight of Fox's undulating body. His silhouette was contrasted by flashes of firelight, hints of starlight. Fox looked down at Jake, his eyes glazed over in lust. Jake was lost in that moment. He wanted to give Fox anything and everything, all that to see the young man endlessly happy.
Jake's hardness was slick with precome, and Fox's grinding was relentless. At some point, Jake realized Fox was pressing his dick against his back door. He was still supple from their physically heated exchange earlier that afternoon. And yet… Fox continued to gyrate. He speared himself millimeter by excruciating millimeter until the inevitable would happen. In a flash, Fox's intent became clear. He was only waiting for permission.
Jake panted. "Baby."
Fox moaned again in response.
"I'm clean," Jake huffed. "If you want me that way, I'm clean."
The haze of lust in Fox's eyes turned into a flash of fire. Jake was so hot for Fox in that moment that the fire both scared him and exhilarated him.
Fox was wordless. His little hums and moans picked up as he slowly pressed onto Jake's long, hard dick.
Jake's heart almost exploded. His body flushed with want. Fox took him into an impossibly warm, tight place. Slowly. Achingly. Eventually, completely. This was the closest he'd ever been with a man, and it was the only thing that mattered in that moment.
Fox bottomed out, and Jake's whole-body shiver. Fox poured his moans into Jake's mouth as he began to pump his hips, pulling pleasure from Jake in two places. Jake's mind was blank with bliss, only heat and sweat and starlight mattered.
Fox leaned back and shifted around, and moments later, he gasped. He ground Jake's dick against the inner-most part of him that gave him instant, white hot pleasure at a mere touch. He threw his head back and managed to grind against that spot again and again. His own dick sputtering and dripping with precome. Still, Fox's hands pressed against Jake's chest, holding him down. He was insistent that he be the one to give the other man the release they both needed.