Parallel Process

by Barbara Sheridan

  But the question racing through Haku’s mind was what had possessed Matt’s body?

  He moved to the edge of the bed, wincing at the soreness in his body. How could Matt not be aware of what he was doing? For so many things, the guy was stubborn as an ox. If his feelings for Haku were even half as strong as his passion for their stupid program, shouldn’t he have been able to at least put up a fight?

  Tears stung at Haku’s eyes before he could stop them. “I have to go,” he said.

  “Wait.” Matt sat up again, his face losing what little color it had at the sudden movement. “What’s going on? That thing from tonight ‑‑”

  “Stay in bed and sleep it off.” Haku moved into the living room, picking his pants up off the floor. “I’ll figure something out.”

  “Haku, please wait,” Matt called out in a shaky voice.

  Closing the front door behind him with a soft click, Haku left the apartment.

  * * * * *

  By the time he made it back to the university, Haku had a twinge in his neck from constantly looking over his shoulder. Each time a new person boarded the bus and sat somewhere behind him, he swore that they spoke in that peculiar British accent, repeating the “invitation” or just plain laughing at him.

  Maybe he had it wrong ‑‑ Matt wasn’t possessed by this thing; he was. Stifling a groan, Haku punched the elevator button. His roommate Foster got off the elevator with his girlfriend as Haku stepped in

  “I’m out for the night, so don’t worry about me disturbing your precious study time, Nishikawa.”

  The girl giggled, twirling a lock of crimped blonde hair around her finger, and Foster smacked her on the ass. He flashed Haku a leering grin before they walked off toward the parking lot.

  “Thank God for small miracles,” Haku whispered into the quiet elevator. Up in his room, he dropped his messenger bag near the door, kicked off his shoes, and dimmed the lights. Aching throughout his entire body and especially in his ass, he eased onto the bed waist down. He burrowed his face against his pillow, but shoved it against the wall when he picked up too much of Matt’s scent on the case.

  Haku clamped his eyes shut, determined not to dwell on the stranger’s words as they started echoing in his head. He tried not to acknowledge the mental image of the man’s handsome, swarthy face with its prominent cheekbones and dark eyes fairly burning with a mysterious inner fire.

  “Come see me tomorrow,” Haku repeated the invitation out loud through clenched teeth. “Fine.”

  Chapter Eight

  In the morning, Haku blew off his classes. He took his bike and returned to the film site, the only place he could think of to start looking for the guy from the previous night. The melted film equipment still smoldered in front of the condemned building, the trailers abandoned since last night. But there was no trace of the creature, save for the scratch marks on the bricks along the wall, no clues to lead to the mystery man.

  “Dammit.” Haku ran both hands through his hair, frustrated and angry. The search felt pointless, but he couldn’t bring himself to call Matt, either. As he came around the side of the trailer, Haku stepped on the dingy mask the actor had discarded then kicked it away, cursing again.

  All this trouble had started with Voyager Films and that farce of a documentary. Haku headed straight for their studios, determined to speak his mind to Dannings. He barged into the building, stopping at the round glass desk in the middle of the lobby.

  “Where’s Dannings’s office?” Haku demanded, and he wasn’t going to take any brush-offs.

  The receptionist gave him a bland smile before turning back to her issue of People. “He’s already expecting you.” She pointed to her left without looking up. “Take the elevator to the top, and he’s through the big double doors at the end of the hall.”

  That took a lot of the steam right out of Haku. “Oh, okay,” he mumbled, before following her directions. On the ride up, he mentally prepared everything he was going to tell Dannings, calling the prick for lying about the documentary and setting them up to look like fools.

  By the time he pushed open the heavy wooden doors, he had a damn good speech ready. Unfortunately, everything flew out of his mind the moment the man seated at the mahogany desk swiveled around in the executive chair to face him.

  “You.” Haku sucked in his breath.

  “Sadgurunath maharaj ki jay,” said the stranger, whose image hadn’t left Haku’s mind since the night before. “Do you know what that means?”

  Taken aback, Haku blinked at him in silence for a minute. He stared, captivated by the sultry smile that tugged at the corners of the man’s lips and the way the sunlight brought out the gold flecks in his hazel eyes. He wore an off-white shirt with long sleeves, the first three buttons open to reveal an amber necklace dangling from a black leather cord around his neck.

  “I don’t ‑‑” Haku’s voice cracked, and he cleared his throat before trying again. “I don’t speak Hindi.”

  The man folded his hands on the desk. “Call me Maaya,” he purred. “And I want you, Haku…whatever-your-last-name-is.”

  “Nishikawa.” Haku swallowed.

  “Oh, very nice.” Maaya stroked his chin. “‘The river that flows toward the west.’ Sexy.” He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the desk. “Does that also reflect the direction of the currents tugging at your heart, drawing you to that boy?”

  “You mean Matt?” Haku looked away from Maaya’s steady gaze.

  “Oh, so you do have more.” Maaya sounded surprised. “Lovers, of course.”

  “No, I don’t,” Haku replied sharply.

  “I didn’t think so, but then the way your reply ended with a question, I just assumed.” Maaya shrugged. “But don’t tell me he’s been the only one.”

  An uncontrollable blush spread across Haku’s cheeks in a warm rush. He clenched his jaw at the sound of Maaya’s throaty chuckle. “I see.” The other man grinned.

  “Who the hell are you, and what do you want from me?” Haku regretted those words the minute they popped out of his mouth.

  “I want to penetrate you. To taste you.” The corners of Maaya’s lips curled up in a smile. “In fact, I could take you right now.”

  Haku tensed, instinctively taking a defensive stance with his weight on the balls of his feet. A peal of laughter burst from Maaya, and he waved dismissively.

  “No need to bother posturing,” Maaya assured him. “This is how it’s going to be between us; there aren’t many options.” He counted them off with his long, graceful fingers. “I could rape you and just take what I want. Or, I could slip into your mind and make you want it also. But the problem with those options is that I wouldn’t enjoy it very much. There’s no fun it, no real challenge.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me.” Haku sucked in his breath.

  “No, of course not. Why should I lie?” Maaya shook his head. “The sooner you accept the fact that I will have you, one way or another, the easier things will become for you.”

  “Another ‘option’ you’re not considering is that I kick your ass.” Haku clenched his teeth.

  “The idea that I could be bested crossed my mind.” Maaya stifled a yawn. “Needless to say, that concern didn’t last very long.”

  Haku’s rage coursed through him, and he wanted very much to dive across the desk to pummel the smirking man before him.

  “A little FYI, Nishikawa-san ‑‑ that strong emotion you’re radiating now is making me horny.”

  “Fucking bastard,” Haku muttered.

  Another peal of derisive laughter burst from Maaya. “Correct on both counts.”

  “If I do what you want,” Haku said, forcing the words out. “You’ll leave Matt alone and stay out of his body.”

  Maaya leaned forward, that fucking superior smirk growing into a wide smile. “That boorish oaf has no idea of the depth of your feeling for him.”

  “You’ll leave him alone,” Haku repeated.

  “He is of little conce
rn to me.”

  “Why me?”

  “Why not you?”

  Suddenly Maaya was before him, leaning in close, easing forward, making Haku take several steps back until he bumped into a leather chair and stumbled, hitting the seat with a soft thud and putting him at eye level with the bulge in the man’s perfectly tailored slacks.

  Maaya leaned down, his hands on the armrests effectively trapping Haku in the chair. Closing his eyes, Maaya inhaled deeply, and Haku shivered as an odd chill swept through him. Maaya’s eyes sprang open and impaled Haku with their intensity, their savage sexual hunger.

  And Haku felt his own lust awaken.

  Dipping forward, Maaya captured Haku’s lips with his own. Their mouths locked together, rolling and surging in unison with the passion of their kiss. Smooth, sharp teeth nipped at Haku’s lower lip teasingly, and encouraged him to open wider. Maaya eased into his mouth, gliding his tongue along Haku’s. Pressing into Maaya, Haku welcomed this fiery passion, no matter how invasive it was.

  Heating him from the inside out, the warmth of Maaya’s kiss spread down through Haku’s body until his lungs burned for air, his heart raced, and perspiration trickled down the sides of his face. The throbbing in his sex matched his quickening pulse, his balls taut against his groin as his cock strained against the front of his jeans. But the kiss was smothering him, drowning him. Unable to breathe, Haku jerked away and pressed back into the chair.

  “Don’t do that again,” he panted, fingers digging into the leather cushion.

  Maaya raised a hand to caress Haku’s cheek. “Did I kiss you, or did you kiss me?”

  “You ‑‑ I ‑‑” Haku faltered. He didn’t know the answer. Confused and pissed, he swatted at Maaya. “Just don’t.”

  “Do you drink tea as the English do, or without the cream?” The man cocked his head to the side.

  Admittedly, Haku’s common sense was crumbling in light of the lust dangerously building up inside of him. About a hundred different perversely erotic thoughts raced through his mind as he considered the possible innuendo in Maaya’s question. Haku licked his moist lips. “Just plain green tea,” he answered in a shaky whisper.

  “Ah,” Maaya sighed, his eyes fluttering closed. “The flavor that gives your essence must be delicious.” He dropped his hand to Haku’s waist, tracing a fingertip along his fly.

  Haku grabbed Maaya’s hand. “Why are you here? What did you do with Dannings?”

  “I did nothing to him…yet.” Maaya easily broke free of Haku’s grip and continued to run his index finger up and down the bulging fly of Haku’s jeans. Haku whimpered as the simple touch sent another wave of heat through his blood.

  Maaya grinned and licked his lips. “Such a passionate, sexual being you are beneath that impossibly calm façade. You shouldn’t deny this side of you.”

  “I don’t.”

  “But you do, and we both know it.” Smirking, Maaya straightened and looked at the office door. It closed, and the lock clicked shut. He shifted his gaze back to Haku then to the front of his own trousers. He teased himself with that same playful stroking of his index finger before tugging the zipper down and letting his cock spring free. It stuck out, pulsing with the strong beat of his heart.

  Haku squirmed, and Maaya laughed.

  “This is just too easy.” Maaya’s laughter faded, and he eased his swollen organ back into his pants. The slow, deliberate way he touched himself, rubbing the tip of his finger over the slit at his head, sent another jolt straight through Haku’s cock. A heavy feeling of disappointment sank into the pit of his stomach as he watched Maaya tuck his dick back into his pants and zip up.

  “Taking you now would be like, oh, I don’t know.” Maaya tapped his chin. “Like trying to eat a fruit before it’s fully ripened. Just nasty.”

  Haku bit the insides of his mouth to keep from blurting out that he needed no time to “ripen” ‑‑ he was ready and wanted it now. Fidgeting in the chair to ease the pressure of his pants against his erection, Haku glared at Maaya. “I thought the whole point was that you wanted me.”

  “Wow, you changed your mind pretty fast.” Maaya leaned back against the edge of the desk. “You’ve already stopped resisting?”

  “Can’t you read my mind to find out for yourself?” Haku brushed his bangs out of his eyes, trying so very hard to ignore the throb between his legs.

  “No.” Maaya gave him a condescending look with raised brows. “That’s not a skill most demons have, and even fewer mortals besides. Don’t you and your friend study this sort of thing? I’m sure he has lots of ‘theories’ and ‘ideas’ of that nature floating around in his head.”

  “Leave Matt alone,” Haku warned.

  “Trust me, I have no interest in thickheaded blonds with a limited understanding of what true sexual gratification is.” Maaya laughed, the rich sound filling the room. “But you have the heart of a warrior in you, Haku Nishikawa. The passion that heats your blood and colors your soul makes me crave you.”

  Oh, God… Haku’s willpower was crumpling fast.

  “Too bad you have to go home now.” Maaya stepped around the desk and shrugged. “But I’m patient. After hundreds of thousands of years, what’s a couple of hours?”

  “I’m not going anywhere.” Haku glared, his entire body shaking with more than anger. “Not until you tell me what the hell is going on. And no more bullshit.”

  Maaya looked up from the papers he was skimming through. “I’m not shitting you, and yes, you will go home. I need you rested.”

  “For what?” Haku hated the hopeful tone that leeched into his voice, despite his nagging conscience. But convincing himself that he didn’t want to feel Maaya’s hands and tongue all over his body would’ve been impossible.

  For a quiet moment, Maaya regarded him with a piercing stare. “The man who’s supposed to be here ‑‑” He gestured to indicate the office. “‑‑ this Dannings fellow. He stole something very important from me that I must have back.”

  “And you want me to help,” Haku said flatly.

  “Exactly. You know this city, and all the places a son of whore like him might be hiding.” Maaya tossed the papers on the desk. “He takes my Key and the Guardian right out from under my nose, where they’ve been safe for years. Then he cowers under a rock somewhere and expects me to just let him have this power? Alexander the Great pissed his pants at the thought of fucking with me, so where does someone as miniscule as Dannings get off? It’s cheeky.”

  “Right.” If Haku could raise his eyebrows any further, they’d touch the ceiling.

  “Go home,” Maaya commanded, that provocative smile playing on his lips once again. “I’ll send for you when it’s time.”

  Haku blinked. Repeatedly. “I’m either imagining this whole episode, or it’s just a very detailed and unnervingly realistic dream.” Yes, this definitely had dream stamped all over it.

  “Believe whatever you want, if it makes you happy.” Maaya smirked and made a ladylike dismissive gesture with his hand. “Go now. Shoo, shoo.”

  Haku glared and turned to leave without another word.

  Maaya laughed. The door slammed shut in Haku’s face, and he trudged down the corridor to the elevator, Maaya’s laughter echoing in his ears.

  Once outside, Haku cast a lingering glance up to the floor where Dannings’s office was located, then got on his motorcycle, not at all comforted by the way the bike vibrated beneath him. He took a roundabout route back to the university, making certain to take the one road slated for repairs. The bumps on the uneven surface were jarring enough to take away any stray pleasurable sensation the constant hum between his legs might cause.

  At the dorm, Haku found his door locked. When he knocked, Foster told him to fuck off.

  “I think you beat me to it,” Haku grumbled as he dragged himself back down to the lobby. He considered going to Matt’s, but changed his mind before he even reached for the bike’s keys.

  His ass was still sore from last night
, the muscles in his back and shoulders throbbing with a pleasurable ache. Haku couldn’t lie and tell himself the sex hadn’t been the most exhilarating of his life. Then at Dannings’s office, Haku had felt a strong attraction to that cocky bastard Maaya, and the connection between both instances of pure lustful desire didn’t sit well with Haku. If the demon had possessed Matt once, he might be more likely to do it again with Haku around.

  “And don’t forget the guilt nagging at you over being so turned on by Maaya,” Haku reminded himself with a sigh. At the moment, that made it even harder to face Matt.

  Heading over to the food court on campus, Haku tried to give his friend a call. Checking up on Matt was the least Haku could do. Not that he had any real idea of what to say. “Hi, Matt, feeling better?” Haku mumbled to himself. “Yeah, getting taken for a ride by a sex-crazy demon really does a number on you. But try being the bottom next time.”

  On the fifth ring, he got Matt’s voicemail and gave up. Haku tucked his cell phone away and ducked into the cafeteria. He ordered a hot tea and sat at an empty table trying to clear his head. The more he tried not to think about Maaya or Matt, the harder it was to stop. With a groan, Haku rested his head on the back of the vinyl-upholstered sofa. “What the hell am I going to do?”

  He finished his tea and decided to look for Professor Adler to see if he could shed any light on what the real Dannings might have discovered. He was exiting the cafeteria when Foster and his girlfriend sauntered by. He stood still for a moment and debated with himself, finally settling on just going up to his room to think things over.

  That was not a good idea.

  The room reeked of marijuana and sex. Still, Haku couldn’t think of anywhere else to go. He just wanted to get a shower and think. He opened up the window to air out the room and took out the large can of linen-scented air freshener. He sprayed the aerosol liberally around the room, concentrating most of it on Foster’s rumpled bed.

  “For the love of God,” Haku moaned when he entered the bathroom. Stuck to the top of the sink was a large, garish pink dildo that Foster or his girlfriend had evidently just washed and set out to dry. “Disgusting,” Haku mumbled before setting a towel over the thing and undressing.