by Wolfe, H. M.
Picking up his phone and wallet, Darien stepped out of the apartment, then exited the building, where the cab he called was already waiting. The ride to the restaurant he was supposed to meet Carter and his new life partner took quite long and, when Darien, helped by the driver, stepped out of the car, he realized something was very out of place.
"Are you sure this is the right address?" he turned to the cabbie, who was still standing on the sidewalk as if he was waiting for something or someone.
”Yes, babe, I’m positively sure this is it" the man replied in a voice that made Darien’s blood freeze.
The next second, he felt someone grab him, holding his body in a tight grip, while the driver put a cloth over his nose. The kid struggled to escape the clutches of the attackers, but his attempts were futile. As the seconds passed, Darien’s body became less and less responsive to the commands of his brain, until there was nothing else but endless darkness surrounding him.
When he woke up, the first thing the boy noticed was the amalgam of scents and sounds that confused his senses, preventing him from defining the environment he wain. Then, it was the coldness, so sharp and persistent that it got inside his bones. As the fog in his brain started to dissipate, Darien registered that he was naked from the waist up, tied on a metal surface.
”Oh, look, the sleeping beauty woke up,” a hateful voice spat. Terrified, the boy recognized the person whom the voice belonged to.
”Carter?” he said, tugging at his restraints. ”What happened, where are we?” The effort he made to formulate the words left him exhausted.
”The one and only, in all his uniqueness,” the voice answered in the same tone. How did a lowlife like you dare to dump someone like me? You played the sweet and innocent with me, when in fact you were a filthy whore, ready to take anything up that little ass of yours.”
”How…it’s not true. I was forced to do those things. I’m not... Please, Carter, let me go!” Darien pleaded, fighting back the tears.
"Let you go? Of course, I will, but first I’ll make you suffer just like you made me suffer. I will give you so much pain, that you will beg me to fuck you. And by the time I’m done, with you, there will be nothing left."
Darien didn’t beg for mercy. There was no point in it. Instead, he sucked in a breath, bracing for the pain, welcoming it. There was no other way if he wanted to survive the hell.
Getting out of the traffic jam, Liam finally could answer to the phone, that rang insistently for the past fifteen minutes. All the calls were from his cousin Elizabeth, and the redhead instantly had a bad feeling about it, as the girl never called anyone when she was at work. He dialed her number, waiting.
"Liam, thank Heavens, I thought something’s wrong with you, too!” The voice at the other end of the line sounded agitated, confirming the young man’s suspicions that something was wrong.
”Take it easy, girl, I was caught in traffic, that’s why I couldn’t answer your calls. Now tell me, what’s happened?" Liam spoke as calmly as he could.
”It’s Darien; he hasn’t answered any of my calls over the past five hours. It's never happened before, he always calls back..." Elizabeth, usually so calm and composed, was on the verge of crying.
”Listen to me, cousin,” Liam fought hard to keep his emotions under control, ”where are you now?”
”In my office...” she paused, ”with Ezra. Oh, how stupid I am!” the girl exclaimed, suddenly getting what her cousin was trying to say. ”I’ll put him on the speaker.”
With a shaky voice, the boy gave Liam Leon’s address. After a short pause, he spoke again. "I will message you a phone number. It’s of a guy I know, Seymour. He said I could call him anytime if I’m in trouble, he’ll help you.”
”OK, big man, I’ll do that. We’ll find Darien and we”ll bring him home safe and sound,” Liam said, hanging up. Then, he started to dial up the number Ezra already messaged to him.
After a few seconds, someone answered. ”Yes, who’s there?”
The redhead let out a long breath. ”Ezra’s cousin. One of our friends, a boy who can’t see, is missing, and there are reasons to believe that he’s been kidnapped.”
After a short pause, the voice at the other end of the line spoke. ”I’ll try to locate him, you go to Leon’s and wait for me.”
”How are you going to locate him? I mean...” Liam spoke, a trace of doubt in his voice.
”I have my methods, kiddo. Now, do what I’ve told you,” the man replied in an assuring voice.
All the way to Leon’s house, the young Stark’s mind was filled with images of Darien being tortured or even worse. He prayed as he’d never done before, imploring the deities of Heaven, Earth, and Hell to have mercy on his poor friend who went through so much already from a very young age.
When Liam arrived, Leon and another guy, most likely Seymour, were already waiting for him.
”Here’s the location, your car won’t go there, I’d go for the truck, it blends in easily,” the stranger said.
The redhead nodded. ”Let’s go!”
Apparently, the Seymour fellow had taken driving lessons from a professional race car driver, because they got to where Darien was held captive in the blink of an eye. It was Liam’s turn to show what he learned in the military academy.
Sliding along the walls, the redhead let himself in, evaluating the situation. Only four men were in sight, and he took care of all of them, shooting them in the back of the head. Once this part of the mission completed, Liam went outside, signaling the other two to follow him.
In the second section of the warehouse, however, the situation was much more complicated, as eight heavily armed men appeared from nowhere, starting to shoot at the three. The redhead evaluated the situation and, seeing a small corridor that remained unsecured, indicated the direction to Leon, while he and Seymour kept the gunmen busy.
Two bulky men blocked the door at the last second, making it impossible for Darien’s rescuer to reach to him. All the gentleness and goodness of the man vanished in no time, replaced by the ferocity and mercilessness of the beast who fought into a cage.
He took them both at once and the men, who relied exclusively on their physical force, were easy prey for Leon, who applied all the martial arts techniques Francis had taught him.
Meanwhile, Liam and Seymour finished off the eight gunmen and were about to step into the room where they held Darien when a man who came running from the opposite direction almost knocking them down.
From the corner of his eye, the redhead recognized the bastard who’d made Darien feel uncomfortable when he helped him. However, the scum had gone already by the time Liam figured out his identity, so pursuing him would have been a waste of time.
At the sight of Darien tightly tied on the metal table, tens of hot needless stuck in his delicate skin, the beast disappeared, replaced by the tender, caring Leon. He freed the boy, caressing his cheek and kissing his forehead and temple, while Seymour removed the needles with dexterity.
"Leon, is that you?" Darien whispered through tears. I knew you would come and rescue me!"
”I’ve got help, I couldn't have done it by myself,” the man spoke, holding the boy in his arms.
”You have quite a boyfriend there, kid, if you ask me,” Seymour spoke, his voice melancholic. Then, turning to Liam, he put two small tablets in his hand. ”Those are some pills to help him sleep and...forget. And here is an ointment to apply to his torso and hands, where the needles were stuck. I got to go now.”
”Wait! What about the truck?”
”Leave it at Leon’s. I’ll send someone to pick it up.
On the way back, the two men talked and decided to leave Darien, who was fast asleep, with his lover, whose proximity made him feel safe. After helping Leon carry the boy inside, Liam stepped into his car, getting ready to drive back to the apartments, when the beep of the phone stopped him. As expected, it was Elizabeth.
”For the name of all things holy, cousin, why don�
�t you answer the goddamn phone?” she yelled, making the redhead to shake his head and smile. ”OK, tell me that everything’s fine,” the girl spoke in a much softer voice.
”Everything’s fine now, Darien is with Leon, I’ll tell you everything when I get home,” Liam replied calmly.
”Um... I hate to be the one who delivers the bad news, but great-uncle Alastair summoned all of us to Daniel and Tarquin’s mansion. According to him, someone from the family has come home after a long absence, and we have to greet them.
”OK, I’ll be there,” Liam sighed softly, finishing the call.
All the way to the mansion, the redhead tried to figure out who the family member visiting them after a long time may be. He couldn’t think of anyone, except his uncle Sebastian, Daniel’s dad, but he’d already been introduced to all of them, integrating very well into the chaotic atmosphere.
Liam didn’t have to wait long, because, five minutes after his arrival, the guest also appeared. Alastair went to the black-haired man, hugging him tightly.
”Please, give a warm welcome to your uncle, brother, and my dear nephew Benjamin Bloom, who returned to us after a too long absence. I hope you are no longer leaving, Ben, my dear boy.”
”I’ll stay as long as I’m welcome, Uncle Alastair" Ben stated. "I missed you all, dearly," the man spoke, looking around the room.
Ignorant. Blind. Such an easy prey, Ben thought, looking each of them in the eye. None of them suspected what was going to hit them soon. Suddenly, the man gasped, as he spotted first Ezra, then Daniel, Joraan, and Sebastian.
They should have been dead by now, all of them, Benjamin thought, the smile on his face vanishing in a second. But it’s never too late, and this time he would make sure that once cornered, those standing in his way would have nowhere to run.
EPILOGUE
”So, what is it you wanted to talk to me about?” Alastair said, relaxing in his favorite armchair, the massive one behind his desk. He smiled to Joraan, who seemed a little tense.
”Well, the thing was on my mind for quite a long time, but it seems that it was never the right time, and with the latest events... I’ve located your grandson, Tyler’s younger son, the Spitfire," the younger redhead smiled gently.
”That’s wonderful news!" Alastair's dark green eyes lightened. "What about the older one? Don’t they live together?”
”I didn’t get in touch with him, and I don’t intend to, "Joraan replied harshly. "That coward abandoned his brother at LaGuardia airport and left him there, while he embarked for a flight back to Seattle." Joraan pressed his lips in a rictus of disgust.
”Wait a minute, so Alasdair lives here, in New York City?” Alastair couldn’t contain his excitement at the news. Why didn’t you bring him home?” he frowned all of a sudden.
”Well, he didn’t want to, said he needed some more time to think it through." Joraan smiled. "Alasdair is a healthy, happy kid, and very well taken care of. That is all he allowed me to tell you, and I promised to keep the rest secret.”
”Then so be it, no one will pressure the kid until he decides to look for us,” the former Supreme Dragon nodded in understanding.
Joraan smiled to himself. Indeed, the Alastair in front of him was extremely different than the one from twenty-eight years earlier. When Sebastian recovered his memories, he was terrified at the perspective of his uncle intervening and trying to split the three of them up again.
He didn’t even want to see Alastair or talk to him, and it took all Vincent’s patience and gentleness to convince Sebastian to give his uncle another chance. Only after meeting Daniel and his family, the youngest of the Bloom brothers agreed to take the next step.
”How are you?” Alastair suddenly asked, bringing Joraan to reality.
"We are... happy, in love, there for each other, together and all the things in between. Of course, there are still days when Sebastian gets confused and nights when nightmares plague Vincent's sleep from the day of his stabbing, but we are working on it. One step at a time, one day after another. What about you?"
”Like you said, one step at a time. I still haven’t taken Mallory to bed, not all the way, because I’m still afraid I could screw things up badly. When I've been given a second chance, Joraan, blowing it up is the last thing I want. Speaking of Mallory, he will be here in about forty-five minutes to pick me up."
”Going to the mansion again?” Joraan grinned. ”I’m with you on that. We can’t stay away from the little ones, either, especially Sebastian. Being with our grandsons makes him feel young again, especially since Gabriel is the spitting image of his father. And the little blonds...by all gods, they are too cute for words!"
”Indeed, Emery and Lochlin are two little heartthrobs,” Alastair replied, amused. ”And yes, Mallory wants us to go to Rayne’s and stay there for a few days. Elliott is due any day now, and his best friend wants to be there for him. Plus, Liam insists he wants me to meet someone, and he made me curious.”
”Well, I’ll leave you then, I’m going home to enjoy a shower in the company of my men, then we’ll head to the mansion, too,” Joraan checked his watch. ”See you there,” he said, shaking hands with Alastair.
Left alone, the patriarch of the Stark clan let out a content sigh. Finally, everything was starting to fall into place for those he loved. Those who struggled so much over the years, decades even, all of them were trying to overcome the obstacles put out there by the Fates, into the way of their happiness. All of them had succeeded, it was time for them to rest. They'd then enjoy everything they’d fought so hard for.
Meanwhile, Joraan arrived at Vincent’s house, the place he and Sebastian now called home. He unlocked the door, careful not to make any noise that could wake up the two men. However, to the redhead’s great surprise, his husband was already in the kitchen, cooking a deliciously smelling breakfast.
”G’morning, beautiful," Sebastian greeted Joraan, planting a butterfly kiss on his lips, "you look stunning."
”Hello to you, too, sunshine,” the redhead replied, returning the kiss, ”you don’t look bad yourself, not to mention the wonderful taste,” he licked his lips.
”Well, aren’t these the best-looking men on the planet, and they are both mine," Vincent entered into the kitchen, wrapping the two husbands in an adoration-filled gaze. They both got the message, walking straight into his arms and letting themselves, be tightly held, against his chest.
"Oh, man! I'd never thought someone your age could have such strength. Especially after last night," Sebastian mocked being suffocated.
”Unlike others, I’m not a grandpa,” Vincent grinned, getting ready for the lighthearted banter he was sure would follow.
”Wait a minute, mister,” Joraan was the first to attack, ”last time I checked, a certain someone was more than thrilled when Sir Chatalot called him grandpa.”
”Who’s Sir Chatalot?” Vincent attempted to feign ignorance, with no success.
”Lochlin, who else? Your favorite grandson, the blond kid who talks everyone’s ears off,” Sebastian smiled. ”Speaking of, don’t you miss them? Because I do, very much.”
The other two nodded. "Well, boys, what about we eat our breakfast, hop in the shower and go to see our children, grand-kids, and nephews?" Vincent spoke out loud what all three of them were thinking.
Half an hour later, they were showering together, washing one another’s backs, planting butterfly kisses here and there. Caressing one another’s heated bodies, they enjoyed the closeness, the intimacy, the passion that was always present, even when they weren’t making love. As Vincent said when they spent their first night together, everything about them was passion and affection.
Since they'd gotten together, the three men hadn’t wasted any more time, recovering, at least partly, the long years of painful separation. Their lovemaking sessions were sweet, intense, an expression of the affection between the three of them. The bond between Vincent and Sebastian tightened and deepened even more, both men prot
ecting Joraan, showering him with attention and affection, giving the redhead what he wanted, when he needed it.
"Uncle Sebastian, Uncle Vincent!" Elliott’s twins greeted the men, throwing themselves into their opened arms about two hours later.
”Oh, look who we have here!” the raven-haired man kissed the top of Aidan’s head, ruffling his rebellious curls. From the first day he saw them tightly squeezed in on one another, the shy boy became Sebastian’s favorite.
”Evan and Lochlin had a fight,” the child whispered in the man’s ear, burrowing his head in the nape of his neck.
"These boys, they are so...so unrealistic," Lochlin huffed at the same time in Vincent’s arms, casting sidelong glances in his cousins’ direction.”