Brush with Catastrophe

by Tara Lain

  If only Jimmy were here. Surely Blaine had called him. With Killian unconscious, there was a real lack of leadership in the community. Killian had pretty much wiped out the powerful Witches’ Council and instituted a much more laissez-faire structure, but the hierarchy that would eventually exist wasn’t yet fully established. Killian ran everything that needed running, with Jimmy and Lavender to help him. Sammy swallowed hard. Killian’s out of it, and Jimmy and Lavender aren’t here. Blaine’s a great man, but he’s human. Gods, this could be serious if something goes wrong. I can’t help feeling something’s about to go very wrong. Hells, it already has.

  He had to tell Jimmy.

  “Excuse me.” He got up, and stooping to be less noticeable, scooted past the three people in his way and made it to the aisle of the lecture hall. He slipped out the door, down the front steps of the building, and onto the city street. A quick dodge across the side street, and he ran into the library and back to the computers students could share. After putting in his code, he opened an e-mail and addressed it to Jimmy. Quickly he typed In case you haven’t heard, Killian is in a coma. Too horrible to talk about. Really need you home. Miss you. Love, Sams.

  He took a deep breath. That made him feel better. Now to figure out how to talk to Ryder.

  With a soft ping, the e-mail to Jimmy bounced back.

  Chapter Nine

  RYDER LAY on the lumpy couch and looked at his watch. Sammy was late getting home, and after the day they’d had, it made Ryder nervous. This was a day when their schedules didn’t coordinate, so they hadn’t met after class. But God, he worried so much when Sammy was out of his sight. Shit was hitting fans. There was no way around it, and somehow Sammy was involved. The latest blow—taking out Killian Barth—could not be a coincidence. Two more minutes and he was going after—

  His cell rang. Sammy! He clicked on without looking. “Sams?”

  “No. This is not Sams.”

  Shit. “Hello, sir.”

  “You haven’t reported in.”

  “I know. I’ve been trying to figure out the nature of the threat. I was going to call.” Sometime.

  “There is no need. We have someone else in line to take your place. Make arrangements to return home immediately.”

  Ryder’s heart hammered. “Sir, a new person is not going to understand the situation and will not be accepted. I have to stay, at least until we know what’s happening.”

  “You are too well accepted, in my opinion. And far too involved. You are not the only observer there, as you know. I receive reports on the extent of your… attachment.”

  Ryder sighed. “Yes, sir, I’m sure you do.”

  “I am far along in negotiations for your partnering.”

  Ryder’s hammering heart stopped. “No.”

  “You knew this was coming, Ryder.”

  “No.”

  “Do not defy me, young. Your ceremony will represent a significant alliance.”

  Ryder shook his head. This could not be. No. He hung up. He stared at the phone in his shaking hand. Good God. He’d just hung up on his father.

  RYDER, YOU see, I’m a witch. You know how I painted that picture? Well, it’s because I’m a witch. Ryder, have you ever seen movies about witches? They may not be just fantasy. Sammy walked slowly toward the apartment with Al asleep around his neck. No combination of words worked in his mind.

  Hells, I’m such a crummy witch that maybe I don’t have to admit anything. We could move away. Maybe go south and run Ryder’s family business, and I’d never have to say I’m a witch. He stopped walking. Wow. That actually made sense.

  He shook his head. No. He had to tell Ryder who and what he was. Then, if Ryder could see them being together, they could make plans. The thought of losing Ryder made him want to vomit. Except witches never did.

  Slowly Sammy walked up the steps of the apartment. Outside his door, he inhaled deeply. “Okay, Al, here we go.” He opened the door and walked in. Ryder was sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. “What’s wrong?” He pushed the door closed, crossed to the couch, and sat, wrapping Ryder in his arms. Al jumped down and started rubbing against Ryder.

  Ryder looked up and smiled, but it was strained. “Family troubles. Just your regular.”

  “This seems worse.” Icicles floated in Sammy’s blood.

  Ryder sighed so deeply it sounded like his chest would crack. “Yes, they want me to come home. Now.”

  Everything in Sammy froze. “No. I thought—”

  “They want me to get married.”

  It wasn’t so hard to kill witches after all. “Oh.”

  Ryder clenched his fist. “I’m not going to do it, Sammy. I’m not marrying someone else. I won’t.”

  Heart beating again. “Yes, we can go away. Just the two of us. Leave it all behind. But wait.” He inhaled and let out his breath slowly. “I need to tell you something about me. It’s going to be hard to believe, but I need you to know before we plan anything.”

  Ryder was smiling at him with such huge sadness. Gods, it felt like despair. “That you’re a witch?”

  Sammy rocked back on the couch. “Holy shit! You know? Wait. How the hells could you know? Who told you?”

  “I’ve known for a long time. I knew you and Jimmy and Chen were witches before you did.”

  “What?” Sammy knew his eyes were bugging out of his head.

  “My family knows about witches. I’d always heard about them, and when I came here and met you guys, I knew you must be witches. I could barely believe that you didn’t know.”

  “Why didn’t you ever say anything?”

  “I knew you didn’t share your secrets with humans. I waited to see if you would ever tell me.”

  “And I finally did.”

  “Yes.”

  A glimmer of hope. “So you must not object to witches, right? You don’t care that I’m a witch? I mean, you can, uh, care about me anyway?”

  Ryder grabbed him and held him in a death grip. “Care about you? God, dummy, I love you. I’ve loved you so long, it’s like you’re a part of my blood and skin.”

  “Oh, Ryder.” Tears trickled out of the corners of Sammy’s eyes. It felt like he’d lived every day of his life until now just to hear those words. “Do we need to go now? Can we wait to graduate, or shall we pack up and go?”

  Ryder’s head moved against Sammy’s neck.

  “What?”

  “I can’t stay for long.”

  “What? What the hell? You just said you love me.”

  He sat back, and his eyes were red. “I’ll never marry someone else, but I have to go back soon.”

  “No. No. We’ll find a place where no one knows us.”

  “I can’t explain fully, but there are traditions and rituals in my culture that have to be followed. They aren’t optional. They’re built into us. I have to go home.”

  Can’t breathe. He’d been given everything in one word—love. Now it was all being taken away. “Then I’ll come with you. We can run the family business together.”

  Ryder shook his head slowly, and every shake was like a death knell. “They wouldn’t let you.”

  “Because I’m a witch.”

  “Yes.”

  Sammy frowned. “So you know about witches because your family hates them?”

  “Doesn’t mix with them at all. Never has.”

  “But there are so many witch/human couples.”

  “Not my family.”

  “I don’t get it. Not at all. Not at all.” Shit. Sammy started to cry.

  Ryder gathered him into his arms. “If I could think of a single way around it, I’d take it. I haven’t given up, but I have to tell you, there’s not much hope.”

  Sammy cried harder. “Not fair.” He sobbed. “I only just got to have you. Now you get taken away. Thought we had until at least June.” He gave up words for tears.

  Ryder rocked him and cried just as hard.

  SMOKE. SOOTY, twisting, winding through his entrails. Si
ck. Witches didn’t vomit. Sammy’s eyes flew open. Awake. I’m awake. What?

  Eyes stared at him. Glowing. Calling. Sammy looked down. He was naked in front of his easel in the morning light, painting a picture. A picture of Lucien. The angelic face gazed at him, dark and twisted like the smoke in his dream. The eyes glowed.

  Go to Lucien. Go now.

  The angel charm blazed as brightly as a star and burned as badly.

  Shit. No way. “Ryder!”

  “Merwaorwr.” Aloysius shrieked and landed on Sammy’s shoulder, slashed out a paw, and ripped a stripe through the middle of the painting. Black dust oozed from the cut.

  Strong hands gripped Sammy’s shoulder. “Sams, what’s happening?”

  Sammy turned and hurled himself into Ryder’s arms. Al lithely stepped from Sammy’s shoulder to Ryder’s. “I don’t want to go. Don’t let me go.”

  “Go where, sweetheart?”

  Sammy nodded his head toward the painting. “To him. I think he’s calling me or something.” He clutched tighter. “The worst thing is, some part of me wants to go.”

  “No way.” Ryder picked Sammy up easily and carried him back to the bed. “Al, do your thing.”

  The cat jumped onto the bed, wrapped himself around Sammy’s head, and went to work with his scratchy tongue.

  Sammy smiled. “I don’t know why that feels so good.”

  Ryder lay down beside Sammy and scratched Aloysius’s head. “Because you’re a magic cat, aren’t you, fella?”

  Sammy looked at the gorgeous man next to him. “You know that too?”

  “I figured it out after he started hanging around with Dr. Barth all the time.”

  Sammy sighed and gazed at Ryder. Did he really get more gorgeous every day, or did Sammy just love him more all the time? Was it his imagination, or did those vine tattoos actually glimmer? Last night rushed back. Ryder’s leaving. They’d cried themselves to sleep.

  Whoa. A cramp clutched Sammy’s stomach, and Lucien’s eyes filled his mind. “Shit. He’s doing some witchy stuff.” Another cramp and Sammy rolled in a ball. “Damn. Owww.”

  Ryder pulled Sammy up from the bed and kissed him hard. Oh yeah, that’s good. When he pulled back, Sammy gasped. “More. That’s so good. Just what I need.”

  “I know what you need.” Ooh, was that growly voice his Ryder?

  Ryder grabbed the lube from the dresser. “He put his darkness in you. I’m going to drive it out.”

  He squirted lube in his hand and began pressing the sticky juice into Sammy’s hole. Sweet gods. Great. “Yes. I want that, please.”

  Ryder plopped a little lube in Sammy’s hand. “Keep working. This is going to be a hard ride.”

  Hells, that sounded good.

  Ryder slicked his cock, which stood at proud attention, ready for service. Sammy shoved a little more lube in his hole, but watching Ryder was so sexy, he couldn’t concentrate.

  Ryder scooted forward on his knees, cock in hand. “We don’t have to pretend you can get a disease, or that I can get one from you, so bareback. Besides, I want to come in you.”

  Sammy’s cock hurt, it was so hard. “Oh yes.”

  Ryder positioned his big mushroom head right at Sammy’s pucker. “Ready?”

  “Forever.”

  Ryder inhaled and pushed, exhaling as he leaned into his deep thrust. His decorated cock pressed in like the proverbial hot knife through butter, sending sizzling zings of electricity into Sammy’s balls. When Ryder’s lips got down as far as Sammy’s ear, he whispered, “You’re mine. He can’t have you. You belong to me.”

  That dark little piece of Sammy’s mind murmured Not for long, but Sammy pushed it away and reveled in the hot, stretching pleasure of the intruder.

  Ryder pulled out and slammed back in. “You’re mine.” Again. “Mine.”

  Ryder propped his arms on either side of Sammy’s head and pistoned his hips like a jackhammer. Ecstasy. Every deep push connected to Sammy’s gland—and his heart. I want this forever. His body under Ryder, their hearts joined. Their souls united. Why couldn’t that be? Why? Gods, please. Yes. Yes. A flash of white light blazed through Sammy’s head like a bolt. He sucked in a breath. “Ahh.” Juice shot out of his cock onto Ryder’s belly. Jet after jet as Sammy’s body shook.

  “I’m yours, Sammy. Forever.” Ryder threw his head back. “Oh yes.” He froze, and then started a metronome of pulses with his hips as searing heat blazed into Sammy’s ass, flowed into his balls, spread through his belly, then blasted a trail up his spine and out the top of his head in a shower of energy.

  His body vibrated with a cool, white light. He vaguely felt Ryder roll to the side and get up. A warm washcloth spread across his belly. Nice, so nice. A blanket covered him, and Ryder scooted up behind, wrapping Sammy in his strong arms. Purring tickled his ears.

  Filled with light. Filled with Ryder. He slept.

  THE PAINTING was gone. Sammy’s portrait of the horrible, beautiful Lucien had disintegrated into black dust. Sammy swept it up and carried it out to the trash. He barely saw the bright morning sun.

  Call Blaine. Top priority. If Blaine agreed, Sammy would try to bring together the young witches for an update. They had to be freaking with the rumors.

  Back in the apartment, Ryder was tucking in his shirt. He walked over and wrapped his arms around Sammy. “You okay? I don’t mind missing class. I’m happy to stay with you.”

  Sammy shook his head. “I’m going to try to get the young witches together. It would be better if you weren’t there. I don’t think you want to explain to them why you know we exist.” Hells, Sammy didn’t know if he could explain it.

  Ryder kissed his nose. “I’m scared Lucien will start his antics again.”

  Sammy blew out his breath. “Hopefully I swept him out with the ashes.”

  “That would be great.” He didn’t look convinced. “Call me instantly if anything weird happens, okay?”

  “You mean anything else weird?”

  “Yeah. See you after class.”

  Sammy closed the door after Ryder and dialed Blaine’s phone number. He flopped on the couch as it rang.

  “Hello.” Blaine sounded exhausted and defeated.

  “Hi, Blaine. I’m so sorry to bother you.”

  “No bother, Sammy.” His voice was so soft, Sammy had to strain to hear it.

  “I was thinking of getting the young witches together and giving them a report so they don’t have to live on rumors. I’m worried that someone could take advantage of their ignorance.”

  It was a measure of Blaine’s depression that he didn’t even ask who. “That’s a solid idea. Sadly I can’t give you good news. Killian’s being fed and hydrated intravenously. He keeps breathing but doesn’t open his eyes or respond in any way.”

  Tears pressed against Sammy’s eyeballs. “I’m so sorry. So very sorry.”

  “Me too.”

  “Thank you, Blaine. Tell him we all love him.”

  “That’s nice. I will. Bye.”

  He hung up. How could Sammy convey this to the witches without making them give up hope?

  He started dialing the witches’ phone tree.

  Three hours later, after some quick straightening of the apartment and a call to Chen asking him to bring coffee and refreshments, Sammy welcomed the first of the young witches into his place. Twelve of them made it, which, considering school schedules and the short notice, was good. But Maybelle and Bilden weren’t among them.

  Chen sat next to Sammy on the floor, letting the others take the seats available in the tiny apartment. He leaned over to Sammy. “I called Estera, but she’s not there. Gods, what’s happened to her?”

  Sammy shook his head. “I’m afraid I know. I wish I knew what to do.”

  Mitzi Elmer got down to business. “Sammy, do you know what the hells is going on?”

  “A little, Mitz. That’s why I called everybody. I thought we should know facts instead of rumors. But the facts aren’t happy.”

&n
bsp; Everyone talked at once. Sammy held up his hand. “Here’s what I know. The Witch Master has fallen into a coma. He’s alive and breathing but not responding. They’re feeding and hydrating him intravenously.”

  Mitzi and another one of the girls started to cry.

  Sammy nodded. “Yes, it’s terrible. The doctor doesn’t know what happened.” Okay, let’s see the reaction. “I’m told he had an appointment with Lucien Eshel in the morning, and when Lucien went into the office, Killian was lying on the floor, unconscious.”

  Mitzi looked up. “Lucien found him?”

  “Yes.”

  She frowned but said nothing. Okay, she didn’t seem smitten with the angel face.

  Sammy took a deep breath. “The doctor’s trying to find causes. I’m sure he will. We all know he’s a great doctor. I guess I just wanted us all to be steady and not start listening to hearsay or anything until we all know what’s going to happen. Jimmy and Lavender will be back soon.” He fervently hoped, but the e-mail situation didn’t look promising. “They’ll take over whatever the Witch Master needs of them. And….” He grasped at straws. “I’ll help them in any way I can. And some of our parents are good leaders too. So there will be plenty of witches to look after the community.”

  Mitzi actually smiled. “That’s good, Sammy. It’s great to know that there are people looking after things.”

  Paulie Peabody frowned. “But the Witch Master is the most powerful witch in ten generations. Who can fill his shoes?”

  Chen cleared his throat. “Hopefully no one will have to. But we know Killian has said that Jimmy and Lavender are both extremely powerful. If power is required, they should have what’s needed.”

  Good job, Chen.

  “Merwaor.”

  Aloysius leaped off Sammy’s shoulder into the middle of the room, big balls bouncing.