by Neena Jaydon
"I can tell you're trying to be gentle, but you're not." Max abruptly continued, his voice adding a fresh shock to the overwhelming pleasure of his insistent stroking. "You're too big. Too hard. But I want it, so I'm pushing back."
"I'd never want to hurt you." Theo's words came out mostly air. "Never."
"I know, but you can't help yourself. I'm too sexy."
"You are," Theo groaned.
Max, who had been about to keep talking, snorted, then put his free hand to his face. "God, Theo."
"Don't stop talking." Theo saw his chance and yanked the blankets aside. He saw the bulge in Max's pyjama bottoms and reached for it. Max quickly caught his forearm and shoved down.
"Not yet."
"Max, I want you to feel good."
"I am feeling good." Max's tone grew sultry again. "You're inside me, just pounding away, and I'm loving it. You start speaking Greek to me, but I don't understand it. For all I know, you're calling me your bitch."
"I wouldn't," Theo breathed.
"Or a slut." Max's hand abruptly moved faster, making Theo groan.
"I wouldn't, Max."
"Hm. You probably wouldn't. I wouldn't care." Max chuckled. "I am a slut."
"No—"
"Shhh." Max licked his lips, watching his own hand work. "I don't care, because I love hearing you speak Greek. It's sexy. And I love that you're so into me you can't even keep straight what language you should be speaking. I think I'm going to come soon."
"No." Theo shifted restlessly closer. "I want to finish with you on your back. So I can see you. Your face." He drew closer still, holding his mouth over Max's. "So I can kiss you."
Max grinned as he tightened his grip and pumped vigorously; Theo shivered, thrown off the kiss.
"You're fucking me so hard now. You must be close. Are you just about there, Theo?"
"Yes—"
"Okay, then." Max finally released his arm.
Theo reached desperately for Max, running hungry fingers over his cock. When he took hold, Max's composure slipped; they leaned into each other, hands pumping with equal urgency, until their mouths came together. It was a hungry kiss, lips parted and tongues darting at each other. Theo could barely tell his own moans apart from Max's. The heated friction of Max's grip created shocking pleasure. He had a hard time believing the elaborate fantasy itself could feel better than this.
"Theo, I'm going to come. Slow down."
"I want you to come," Theo said fervently. Fierce desire spurred him on, made him work harder and harder at Max's erection.
"Oh, yeah? You going to make me?" Max's brows knitted, and he hissed through his teeth. "Jesus, Theo. That feels so good. So good." He shook his head sharply, then pressed his forehead against Theo's shoulder as he cried out. The sensation was almost lost on Theo because he was so close himself.
Max abruptly shifted onto his knees, looking fiercely into Theo's eyes as he stroked him with long, thorough movements. That commanding gaze startled Theo, but also sent a thrill through him that his overworked nerves couldn't take. He couldn't look away from Max's eyes, gone green and dark. Beyond words, all he could do was drown in every firm sweep of skin against skin. Then Max resumed a quick, punishing rhythm, and the shock of that shoved Theo over the edge. The ecstasy that surged through his cock forced a yell from his throat.
That embarrassing cry faded, leaving them in too much quiet. The game was over, leaving them back where they'd started. Theo grabbed a box of tissues off the bedside table, so they could both tidy up. That intent glow in Max's eyes was completely gone now, as was any hint of a smile. Theo felt empty, uncomfortable. Max tossed crumpled tissues past him into a garbage can, his mouth pulled into a thin line. He glanced at Theo.
"You don't have to sleep on the couch." With that, he slid over to the side of the bed and turned away.
Theo stared at his back, blinking. After a moment, he got woodenly to his feet and stripped out of his clothes.
He got under the covers and turned his back to Max. Urges argued within him, one to punch Max in the face, another to hold him and tell him it was all going to be all right.
I said I wanted to be more than a friend, not to be a stress reliever. He remembered the genuine fear in Max's eyes upon waking from the nightmare and sighed. Maybe I'll tell him that some other time.
*~*~*
Max had woken up refreshed yesterday morning and done his chores in a good mood but had gone back in to discover Theo had left without so much as a note or a text. Add to that another night of poor sleep in a bed he'd begun thinking of as empty, and Max's mood went straight downhill again. He tried to push his irritation out of his mind as he went into the house.
"Oh, good. You're home."
When Max passed by the kitchen, Mom straightened up from in front of the oven.
"Technically I'm not," he muttered. She gave him a raised eyebrow but didn't respond. He went into the living room to find Anastasia waiting. She was setting out teacups and gave him a tight smile. Mom came through with a teapot on a tray.
"So glad you actually want to talk to your mother about the evil spirits coming into our town."
Instead of the bait, Max took a cookie from the plate on the coffee table.
"So do you know what we're dealing with, Mom?" Anastasia asked, taking the tray and pressing her mother down by the shoulders. Max poured tea and kept his mouth shut.
"Clearly they're malevolent spirits," Mom said. "Possibly shadow spirits, or shadow ghosts as they're sometimes called."
"Seriously? I thought shadow spirits were just hallucinations caused by sleep paralysis dreams." Max belatedly sat down. "I didn't think they were real spirits."
"I thought they were a hoax too. I'm not sure I have any real information on them." She bit her lip. "They're always described as malevolent, though."
"They sure felt that way," Anastasia said.
"Mm." Max shook his head. "We're going to need to know what to do about them."
"I'll make some calls," Kaitlyn said. "See what my friends know. Until then, I think we should stay in contact as much as we can. Don't be alone. I'll call your Uncle Yuu in the morning, when the time zones work. In the meantime, you two..." Her voice sharpened abruptly. "Don't you dare keep any more secrets from me."
"Yes, Mom," they chorused. Max slurped tea rather desperately, because Theo's true nature was still a massive secret to keep from her.
Shadow spirits in Fort Rivers. A werewolf for a boyfriend. A sister who knows too much about my life. Man, I need a smoke.
*~*~*
The past four days had not passed easily. Theo had tried to bury himself in work and was only partially successful. He welcomed Anastasia's text inviting him out to coffee at a nearby café as a chance to get out of the house, although it puzzled him.
Anastasia was already seated at a table when he got there. She raised a hand in a casual wave to draw his attention.
"Uh, hi," he said as he sat down opposite her. He made eye contact with a waiter as he turned over the coffee cup in his place setting.
"Hey, Theo. Thanks for coming to meet me."
"Of—of course. What's up?"
Anastasia waited for the waiter to fill Theo's cup and leave. Then she put both hands on the table and leaned forward.
"We haven't had a chance to talk since the other day."
Theo's neck went hot. He turned the coffee cup in slow quarter turns with his fingertips, watching the surface of the coffee tilt in reaction.
"And, more to the point, it doesn't sound like you and Max have either." At his startled glance, she smiled grimly. "I know my brother. When he started talking vague about you, I figured something was up." She leaned on her elbow, idly stirring her coffee. "But with those things out there, we need to stay in contact. I read in the paper that another person's been hospitalized. It's only a matter of time before somebody gets killed."
Theo nodded, his stomach sinking. At the same time, he felt vindicated by the determination in h
er words. He clearly wasn't the only one who felt that they had to keep looking for a solution.
"Do you know anything new?"
"Mom thinks she knows what they are." Anastasia swallowed a mouthful of coffee and sat back in her chair. She was subtly more restless than her brother in her movements.
Theo wished he wouldn't keep comparing her to Max. He didn't want to think about him right now.
"Shadow spirits," she went on, oblivious to his distraction. "I always thought they were just an urban legend, but I guess not. I'd never have thought they were this dangerous."
"So what—what do they do?" Theo carefully looked over his shoulder. They weren't completely alone in the café, but the tables nearest them were empty.
"They're spirits from another dimension. The spirit world's another dimension, but these ones are from one farther away. That must be why it's so hard on the mediums they use as portals. Most reports aren't clear about them, but it sounds like they drain people of energy, doesn't it? With all these people collapsing." Anastasia coughed a little, then rubbed at her throat. "We really don't know much—not even if Mom's charms will work on them. They aren't normal spirits."
Normal spirits. Jesus. Theo grimaced. "What do you think we should be doing?"
"I'm not sure. Just keep your ear to the ground. Or nose." Her eyes met his for a moment. "There can't be that many other people with the spiritual capacity to become portals in Fort Rivers, so hopefully there haven't been more and more getting through."
"How many do we think are around?"
"Two that I know of," she said. "At least one came through me, and another came through Louis. I'm not sure everybody who fell into a coma actually let one through." She cleared her throat, then raised her shoulders and dropped them. Her tone changed as she gazed at a random point on the tablecloth. "So what did my brother do now?"
"Wh-what?" Theo blushed, blindsided.
Anastasia smiled tightly, glancing at him sidelong. "Like I said, I know my brother. It was his fault, wasn't it?"
"I don't know." Despite his fierce blush, Theo fought to keep talking. He hadn't been able to talk about it with Marnie or any of his other friends because his secrets were too bound up in what had happened. "He's mad I told you."
"God." She shook her head in exasperation. "I swear he makes up things to be mad about sometimes. So why are you mad at him?"
"Because..." Theo smiled in spite of himself, rubbing at the back of his neck as he leaned back in his chair. "Because he's mad at me, maybe."
Anastasia's expression remained serious. When she didn't reply, he felt compelled to fill the silence.
"He—I don't know, accused me of making it harder for him to get to know me, or something like that."
"Because you told me?" Her brows knitted.
"Mm." Theo gulped coffee.
"He's what, jealous?" Her eyes widened, and she stared at Theo. "How does that make sense?"
He shrugged stiffly, watching Anastasia deflate. Her mobile face took on a pained expression next.
"I'm sorry, Theo. Max really can be a jerk sometimes." Her gaze went a little distant. "But you have to remember something. I mean, I'm not saying you have to forgive him for anything. Selfishly, I want you guys to be happy together, because that would make me happy, but…The thing is, Max likes to pretend that things haven't affected him as much as they have."
"Things?"
"Our dad passing away when we were little, growing up different, things like that. What happened when he was a kid with Deep Murky."
"Deep, uh..."
"He was forcibly possessed by a spirit we call Deep Murky. Trust me, that leaves scars." She gave a shiver. "He's really..." She suddenly looked down. "He's scared. A lot of the time, he's scared."
Theo's heart twisted in sudden, intense sympathy. He stared out the window at the street outside as he tried to get his emotions under control.
"But," and her voice regained brightness, "the other thing to remember is that he gets really mad sometimes, but he doesn't stay mad very long." She reached out to give his hand a pat. "Don't worry too much."
"I do," Theo said, not very loudly.
"What, worry?"
"Stay mad." He licked his lips.
"Well, fair enough. It'll serve him right to get a little reminder that people aren't there just to suit his needs." She smiled at the waiter who came to refill her coffee cup, then began doctoring the coffee with sugar and milk. "So how's work going, anyways?"
Theo was grateful for the change in topic. They chatted about unimportant things for about an hour before he went home to get back to work.
He sat at his desk and looked at his computer screen. It seemed to reflect back the image of Max, staring at him in naked terror. Theo shook his head, as if he could shake it away, and started typing.
If I don't forgive him, I can't protect him. But if I forgive him, he'll probably start treating me like crap again. Theo sighed heavily, his fingers coming to a stop. But if he needs me, I'll go.
CHAPTER TEN
Yet again, Theo's voicemail message played. They'd last spoken on the ninth. It was now the fourteenth, and Max was down to his last scrap of patience.
"What the hell, Theo?" Max frowned at his cellphone as he hit the disconnect button. "Are you seriously just going to keep ignoring me?" He grunted with effort as he peeled himself off his couch and picked up the crumb-detailed plate and empty coffee cup from the table. "I'm going over there." He put the dishes in the sink and paused, staring at them. "And still I'm chasing after you, Theo. Do I ever get to stop doing that?"
Days apart, plus the drive to town, meant plenty of time to reflect on how he'd acted. While he didn't think he'd been completely out of line, he knew he'd lashed out, and Theo had obviously taken his words too hard. Playing around after had made Max feel better, but he had to admit that things had still felt awkward. The worst part was that when he replayed the night in his head, he realized Theo had reason to be upset.
"So do I," he muttered to himself, drumming his fingers on the wheel. "But I guess it's a day for being the bigger man."
Max pulled in to a gas station to refill. As he stood by his car, watching the numbers roll by on the pump, a truck pulled in to the diesel pump behind him. He glanced at the big red pickup, then did a double-take.
You've got to be kidding me.
Adrian was grinning as he got the pump going. He put a hand on the side of his truck, looking Max up and down.
"Hey."
"Hey." Max cleared his throat. "Thanks for, uh, before."
"No problem." Adrian's grin weakened for a moment. "That was pretty wild."
"Yeah," Max said. "So you're still in town."
"Yup. I'm lookin' for somebody to haul logs for. Somebody who don't know me yet." Adrian chuckled.
"Well, good luck." Slamming his fuel tank hatch shut, Max turned away. Normally he disliked that all the gas stations had gone to pre-pay, but now he was grateful that he could just go.
"Hang on." Max turned, then raised his eyebrows at Adrian's outstretched hand. "Who Theofanis wants to be with ain't any business of mine. Sorry I was gettin' on your case before."
Max took that rawboned hand in a businesslike shake. "I appreciate that." He tried to sound like he meant it.
"Yup." Adrian squeezed Max's hand, not letting Max pull away. His grin turned naughty. "You're gonna be real glad you just ran into me."
"Adrian, what are you doing?" Max lowered his voice. There was a truck parked at another pump; although he couldn't see the driver, he could hear the pump ticking and churning. He didn't want this awkward scene to be witnessed.
"The thing is, Kelsie's outta town." Adrian's eyebrows quirked. "She was just keeping me company on the phone. I had to pull over to take care of it or go right off the road."
Skin crawling, Max jerked his hand free. "Not cool," he breathed.
"Trust me," Adrian said, leaning in close to lightly slap Max on the cheek. "You're gonna thank me la
ter."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Max recoiled from Adrian's touch.
"We can smell 'em." Adrian lowered his tone dramatically as he tapped the side of his nose. "Pheromones. You're in for a fun afternoon."
"You're disgusting," Max snapped, backing away. Adrian's laughter chased him into his car. As Max drove, he dug a bottle of hand sanitizer out of the glove compartment and applied a generous amount. "No wonder Theo lives alone! I wouldn't live with family either if they're all like that!"
It took him the rest of the drive to calm himself. The whole point of meeting Theo today was to smooth things over, which he wasn't likely to do if he was biting Theo's head off.
"Goddamn, what a jerk," he said, and did one more round of hand sanitizer before getting out of his car. He was still rubbing his hands together when he reached Theo's door. He found himself hesitating before it, uncertain of whether to knock or just go in as usual. Before he could decide, the door opened, and he was face-to-face with Theo. "Hey."
"Hey." Theo's expression was almost aggressively neutral. He was reasonably dressed and groomed, and he didn't look exhausted; Max was annoyed that he looked so good.
"Look, last time, at my place..." It abruptly got harder to talk. He wondered if this was how talking felt to Theo all the time, like his jaw didn't want to unlock. "Things were said. Things that we should probably talk about." He looked into Theo's increasingly puzzled eyes. "Are you in the middle of something? Do you want to go have lunch?"
"Sure." Theo's easy agreement relaxed Max's jaw. "Let me grab my coat."
"Okay. I'll be in the car." Max jogged back down the steps, amazed at how much lighter he already felt. He was even able to smile a little when Theo got into the passenger seat. "You up for Greek?"
"Honestly? Always." Theo bobbed his head sheepishly.
"All right. That place near the highway has a decent lunch special." Max put the car into drive.
*~*~*
God, I'm pathetic. Theo didn't feel pathetic when he looked at Max. He felt amazing, like a jolt of caffeine but to something more important than his bloodstream. He glanced sidelong at Max in the driver's seat. The sunlight coming in through the windshield turned his eyes very pale gold and warmed up the colour of his lips. I swear I've never seen anybody so gorgeous in my life. It didn't change the fact that sometimes Max turned difficult to handle—as well as difficult to resist.