Hidden Gem

by Lissa Kasey

  “Look at me.”

  Aki looked up, meeting Shane’s gaze. The heat in his eyes spoke volumes.

  “Watch me. Don’t forget to use your safewords. I’m going to touch you. Your body is mine tonight to do with as I please. You won’t come until I tell you to. Understood?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  Shane kissed Aki lightly on the lips, then began to work his way slowly down, tasting his chin, neck, collarbone, and finally his bare chest. Aki released a sigh and had to struggle to keep his eyes on Shane when the man began licking his nipples, flicking one with his fingers, pinching, and lapping, sucking and nibbling the other with his mouth. He switched sides, and Aki arched into his touch.

  “Hard little pebbles,” Shane mumbled. “So sensitive. Don’t move. I’m not even close to being done playing with you.” His fingers caressed the psi’s stomach and briefly brushed the lacy undies.

  Aki’s erection was caught in the red fabric, pressing his own heat against his body. He wanted to reach down and adjust himself, but Shane hadn’t given him permission to do that.

  “Please, Sir,” Aki whispered as Shane continued to nibble his way south, even dipping into his belly button. Shane’s lips were hot against him, tongue tracing a fire line across his flesh. Aki fought to keep still. At least his shield remained firmly in place with little effort.

  Shane tugged at the edges of the red underwear, sliding them down Aki’s thighs and helping him step out of them. He added them to the pile of clothes, then sat on his knees. Perfect height for what Aki longed for, but the man just stared. Did he not like what he saw? Aki knew he was nowhere near as well-endowed, but he liked to think he was adequate. His sex strained upward, begging to be touched, tip beginning to weep tiny drops of liquid, and Aki could barely breathe through the need to have someone other than himself touch him. Jerking himself off had never been this good. He wanted Shane to keep exploring him, didn’t matter how, as long his Aki got to experience his warmth.

  The expression on Shane’s face was a calm mask. Aki wanted to know so badly what he thought. Was his body okay? Was Shane disappointed?

  “You’re thinking about what right now, boy?”

  “You, Sir.”

  Shane glanced up, meeting Aki’s gaze. “That’s a lie.”

  Not entirely. “About what you think of me, Sir. Worrying that I’m not good enough.”

  “Worry about what I tell you to do. You should be focusing on making me happy. And in turn I will see to your pleasure.”

  “Yes, Sir. Sorry, Sir.”

  “Spread your legs.” Shane nudged them apart, and Aki adjusted his stance. He resumed his assault of kisses but began with Aki’s hipbones, skipped his straining erection, and peppered his thighs with tiny nibbles, heat, and wetness that went right through the thin hose. The scrape of teeth was almost as erotic as the warmth caressing his skin. Aki’s knees trembled as he fought to keep upright. He bit his lip to keep from crying out, begging, or otherwise displeasing his master. His body ached for release like it never had before, but he couldn’t help wanting more. The expression on Shane’s face said he was pleased, and that eased some of Aki’s anxiety. “Don’t bite back your cries. I want to hear sweet moans from your lips.”

  “Yes, Sir,” Aki whispered as he stopped worrying at his bottom lip. Shane’s mouth sucked on the back of Aki’s thigh, pulling a soft sigh from him. He wanted to reach out and touch Shane’s hair, watch the man undress, anything to have more of this beautiful man.

  Shane stood and took a step away to strip out of his clothes. Aki almost reached out to pull him back. A ghost of Shane’s legendary smile touched the corners of his lips. “On the bed, on your back, knees up. Don’t hide anything from me. I will have all of you tonight.”

  Aki crossed the room to the bed and lay down on his back, pushing his knees up, legs splayed. The heels forced him to tilt his hips slightly to find a comfortable position. Shane stood at the end of the bed, just watching while Aki fought to breathe evenly. He could see his cock dripping with precome, darkened with need.

  Shane reached over and spread Aki’s legs a little wider. He crawled up onto the bottom of the bed, kneeling between Aki’s thighs, and frowned slightly. Aki frowned with him, not sure what to do next, only that he wanted his Sir to be happy, enjoy their play.

  Shane shoved a pillow under Aki’s hips and readjusted the Aki’s knees. “Hands behind your back, grasp your elbows.” When Aki complied, Shane added a pillow under his back and helped him adjust his arms and shoulders to rest comfortably while still using his own weight to hold him down.

  “You’re going to be like this for a while. Anything hurt or straining?”

  Other than his cock, which throbbed with the need to be touched, “No, Sir.”

  “I just want you to feel. Give me your moans.” Shane gripped Aki’s hips and pressed lightly, which translated to making it difficult to rise. Aki sucked in a deep breath at the feeling of the Shane’s strength against him, holding him down.

  “Please, Sir,” he whispered.

  “Please what?”

  “Hold me down.”

  Shane laughed and pressed harder this time on Aki’s shoulders, briefly letting his weight press against Aki. “I’ve learned a lot of neat rope tricks, but tonight we’re starting simple. And I have wanted to taste you for a very long time.” He ducked his head between Aki’s legs; a moment later a teasing kiss was placed on the very bottom of Aki’s left butt cheek, then his right, and a tiny bite. “Paris has told me about your discipline. I would like to take over that honor.” He blew a sweet caress over the bite.

  “Oh sweet Goddess,” Aki moaned as Shane began licking the place where his legs and butt met and moving inward. Shane dug his nose into Aki’s taint, using long swipes and tiny nibbles to coax more cries from him. The heat built at the base of Aki’s spine, teasing as it would rise and fall. He fought not to move his hips and thrust himself against Shane to ease some of the need.

  Aki’s body strained for release. Just when he thought he’d lose it, Shane would pull back, give gentle kisses, and work his way slowly up to teasing again. When the man took his balls into his mouth, covering them in heat and warm suction, Aki thought he’d die. His legs trembled with the force of his need, but he fought it back, breathing deeply and keeping himself focused on Shane. His hands clenched his arms, and he was certain he’d dug bloody half-moon indents into them with his nails. All this and Shane was barely touching him.

  Shane massaged Aki’s hole with lube-slicked fingers as he released Aki’s balls to engulf the length of him. Aki cried out, fighting to keep his hips from bucking to force himself deeper down Shane’s throat. He pressed one firm hand onto Aki’s stomach and pushed him into the bed, keeping him from moving. A finger eased its way inside of him, burning at first, but Aki knew that would fade. Then it twisted, and he saw stars.

  “Sir…,” he warned, knowing he’d not be able to take much more. A second finger was added.

  Shane sighed deeply around Aki’s cock, released it long enough to say, “Not yet. Not till I’m in you.”

  Aki nearly screamed in frustration. He bit the inside of his cheek, trying to fight the growing need. Shane licked the underside of Aki’s dick, lips playing with the head one final time before pulling back. Aki felt empty when Shane’s fingers left his body.

  “Hands up over your head,” Shane said as he reached for the nightstand to grab some more lube. “No condom, since I can’t give you anything and you can’t give me anything. Wrists together.”

  Aki moved his arms, shoulders protesting a little with stiffness. He crossed his wrists and waited. Was Shane really going to do it? Could he handle it? His heart hammered in his chest at the thought of feeling every inch of Shane without a barrier. Aki sucked in a deep breath and clung to his quiet place of shoes. Shane shifted his weight, and Aki felt Shane’s cock head rest against his hole. The detective took both of Aki’s wrists in one hand and pressed him into the bed at the same t
ime he eased his way inside.

  Aki shook with the need to come. His whole body was quaking, breath hard and ragged as Shane filled him. His body stretched around Shane’s cock, a minor ache easing to a teasing fullness. He wanted to move his hips, tilt to the left a bit or even shift down, anything for the touch of that sweet spot that throbbed.

  “Ready, boy?” Shane whispered, his grip tightening on Aki’s wrists to near pain.

  “Please fuck me, Sir,” Aki begged.

  Shane pulled back and slammed forward, canting his hips and hitting that spot inside that sent Aki flying. Aki tried to rein himself in, concentrate on his shields or even on being still and not meeting Shane’s thrusts, but his body moved on its own. His mind tilted, sliding from his quiet place to Shane’s and back. Mewling cries fell from his lips as he begged for more, faster, harder. The world became a blur, and Aki could take no more.

  “Come, boy,” Shane murmured into Aki’s lips.

  Aki let go. The world exploded around them. Starbursts of light flashed through Aki’s vision. His entire body tingled, felt weightless as Shane pounded into him. The green meadow quiet place invaded his mind while he flew. He heard Shane reach climax but was too far gone to see anything other than lights and stars. Aki basked in the glow, breathing heavily. Shane wrapped his arms around him, and they both lay together in the moment until fire poured down Aki’s spine, and pain ripped through his back.

  He screamed and arched off the bed, flinging Shane as though he weighed no more than a fly. The warm fire of blood rained down on Aki. Shane rose slowly from where he fell on the floor, confusion on his face. Aki doubled over, reaching for him, wanting to beg for help but unable to free the words from his lips. He felt as though someone was trying to rip out his spine. He dug his hands into the bed, trying to hold on to consciousness, but the pain swung up and smashed him solidly in the head, taking the world to black.

  TWENTY-SIX

  CANDY ENJOYED a quiet dinner with the doctor. They walked hand in hand through the zoo, Claudius trailing behind them at a reasonable distance. Candy had to admit he enjoyed doing more than sex with the man. Heck, with anyone. But he was quickly beginning to realize the doctor was not the one.

  “The zoo is a very sad place,” the man said.

  “Why is that?” Candy asked.

  “Because all the animals are trapped. They are subjected to the whims of humans who don’t really care what happens to them. If one of them dies, they will be replaced. Unlike the world at large, it’s not survival of the fittest.”

  “But a lot of the world is no longer safe for any of these animals. Some places not even for humans.” The South was toxic. More people died of cancer in the South each day than were born in the North. But the Third World War had changed everything. Obliterating entire countries and changing how most of humanity existed.

  “You’ve never been an animal in a zoo. Safe is a relative term.”

  Candy frowned but decided to steer the topic back to more positive things. “If the zoo bothers you, perhaps we could go for ice cream or walk down the strip.” There would be plenty of lights and people around, unlike the zoo, which mostly seemed deserted. Something felt off about the man as the sun began to set. Candy decided that when he got back to the Gem he would refuse more contact with the doctor. Perhaps even warn Bart about the man. His instincts had always served him well in the past.

  The doctor paused and gripped Candy’s hand. “Yes. Let’s head to the strip. I’m sure there are some pretty things I can buy you.”

  Candy smiled and followed the man back to their car. The doctor opened the door for him, and Candy slid in. “Give me just a moment to update your guard on our direction.” He shut the door. Candy realized for the first time how dark the windows were and the coming evening only made them harder to see through.

  There was a muffled cry. Candy pulled at the door, but it wouldn’t open. The lock wouldn’t budge no matter how he pushed. He slid across to the other side, but that door was the same. Dread filled his stomach. He reached for his phone only to find it missing from his pocket. He vaguely recalled the man groping him earlier, teasing about how their night would end. Was that when the phone had disappeared? Candy should have noticed.

  He slammed his fists on the door. “Fuck!”

  SHANE SAT on his knees beside the bed, afraid to touch Aki. The psi’s scream of pain had bounced off the walls, and the security system was going nuts. He’d been tossed halfway across the room like a rag doll by a kid half his size.

  Had any of them ever expected this?

  His room was splattered in blood like some slasher movie set. Aki lay on the bed, blond hair falling over the side, white as the two enormous wings that protruded from his back. The smear of blood dripping from the feathers just looked so wrong, like Shane had murdered an angel.

  His phone rang, and he knew who it was by the tone. Paris. First he had to turn off the stupid alarm. “Miles, standby please.”

  “Does your guest need medical assistance?” the computer replied.

  “I’ll let you know. Monitor his vitals please. Put Paris through.”

  A second later the com clicked to let him know the senator was on the line. “I thought you were going to trust me?” Of course Paris had been the one to suggest the security system. Shane had a feeling he could see everything they did if he wanted to.

  “Alarms went off. What happened?”

  “Would you believe me if I said I don’t know?” Shane crept to Aki’s side, comforted by the rise and fall of his chest. He reached for his wrist to check the kid’s pulse. Aki’s nails had grown long, hard, and arched, more like talons than anything human. Shane blinked at the nails and the wings. “I think Aki just manifested some of his A-M genes.”

  “Not possible. They can only be one or the other. Psi or A-M. His A-M genes were dormant, basic healing.” Paris paused, then said, “Are you telling me he changed into something?”

  “Access to my alarms but no video?”

  “Don’t make me hack my way in, Detective, just tell me.”

  “He has wings and talons. He bled a lot and is unconscious, but his pulse is strong. He’s breathing okay.”

  Paris’s silence spoke volumes. Shane wanted to hit the man since he obviously knew something he wasn’t sharing. Was this bad? Would Aki be able to turn back? He still had two legs and two arms, just two wings added to the bunch. Were they heavy? Would he be able to move around normally with them? They were so large. Beautiful, but Aki wouldn’t see them that way. The kid had had more than enough rejection in his life for being different. This little addition wasn’t going to make him love himself more.

  “What aren’t you telling me?”

  “It was a failed project. Scrapped decades ago.”

  “Yeah, well there’s a good chance that Misaki Itou is Asaki Ino—who died fifty years ago—with a whole lot of genetic manipulation. Tell me how that happened.”

  “That actually makes sense.”

  Shane pulled on his jeans, then grabbed some towels, wet them, and carried them back to the bed. He bathed Aki, careful around his back and the area of his wings where they met his spine. The skin was red and raw but healing. No gaping wounds or tears.

  “Maybe you can share, then.”

  “I’m on my way.”

  “Talk to me, Paris. Or I’ll keep you out. If you knew this could happen…. Hell, I’d just let him come. What if he associates that pleasure with this pain? You didn’t hear his scream.” Shane had never heard anything so bloodcurdling in his life. He hoped to never hear it again. “Will this happen every time he comes?”

  “Don’t be so arrogant. I’ve given him pleasure before, and he’s been just fine.”

  “Yet he hates sex.”

  “That’s because it’s his job. You think you see some of the worst of humanity as a cop, but be a whore for a few hours and you’ll really see it. We might as well be nothing but blow-up dolls for all the respect given to us.” Paris sound
ed tired. “Usually it takes five years before a companion really begins to hate the job. But I believe Aki used to sell himself in the camp too, so he had a head start.”

  “I was trying to show him there was more than just the job. And now he’s this thing. Beautiful, but he’s going to freak.”

  “An angel. It was called the Angel Protocol. The North was trying to combat the psis of the South and the plague that wiped out half of mankind and turned others into beasts. This was ages ago, so really, I wasn’t a part of it.”

  “Just tell me what they did already. What was the Angel Protocol?”

  “The ISS took the recently deceased and experimented with them. Used a lot of the psi strains we’d gathered from the war, and then when the A-Ms appeared with their healing abilities, added those. The idea was to create people impervious to the next plague, not to build supersoldiers. Essentially we did what the South did, only with the dead instead of the living.”

  “So Misaki really is Ino’s brother brought back from the dead?”

  “Yes and no. If he’s really from the AP project, he was so heavily manipulated with different strains of both mutations it’s unlikely he’ll ever remember whatever that past might have been. I can try to look into those records, but most of that was sealed up or destroyed. You have to understand, Shane. They were dead. The few who were brought back were deemed unstable. The cells kept mutating and recreating themselves. Evolution on steroids. The last batch of scientists tried to put a biohazard stamp in all their DNA so anyone trying to track them would know what they are. Only it didn’t seem to work since none of the scanners pick them up. It probably became another mutation we haven’t yet discovered.”

  And wasn’t that nature’s way of taking over where man fucked up? Shane sighed. “So how did he land in a Southern concentration camp?”

  “Your guess is as good as mine. He would have been on lockdown. The experiments stopped almost twenty years ago. Everything would have been in cryogenic sleep, destroyed, or exported to an ISS lab in one of the major cities. The only reason I know about it at all is because I’ve been digging since Misaki went into the hospital, searching for anything that would make sense with his abilities. You mentioned cryogenics, so I dug.”