The silence between them didn’t linger long. His father, Xaphan, had never been one to leave things hanging. He was a demon of action. How many times had Teague and Zepher been told the story of the fall? Millions? Probably. Xaphan fell with Satan, leaving Osestra for good, and on the way out, he set fire to the palace. “Let the damned place burn,” he would holler as he told the story. Always the same.
“Teague!” His voice boomed through the hall, grabbing Teague’s attention. “The Seers have changed their plan.”
“What?”
“This kid. He’s important. They’ve seen his role in the war more clearly. Beleth wants him ready to lead.”
One of the seven kings of Exilum, the war king, Beleth, had command over eighty-five legions of demons at last count. He’d probably added more since then, but Teague didn’t keep up with the news of the day. Beleth constantly conscripted lesser demons into his army so when the time came, he could claim Manna for his own. He wanted it as a seat of power to take on Osestra.
What the hell would any of Beleth’s plans have to do with Vern? “Lead? He’s a kid!”
“Now, but time changes everything. He’ll grow up, and you need to make sure his allegiance is with Exilum when he does.”
“And you think torturing him is going to get him on our side?”
“No. I think if others of his kind torture him, he’ll be more prone to siding with us.”
“Then Zepher has that in the bag.”
“Enough sarcasm.” His dark body flashed through a quick session of neon colors with his anger before settling back to dark gray. “Zepher will leave you alone. You see to it the boy has no love for others of his kind. And do not let him see you. Wait. When the time comes...you’ll know.”
“Fine.”
“Don’t fail me. Whatever is going on with you, I don’t want to know. Remember your house, your family, Teague.”
“My allegiance is to you always, father.” The words tasted like a lie on his tongue. He had always been loyal, and he maintained his loyalty even now—to a point. But Vern came first. He didn’t examine his feelings on the subject too closely.
“It had better be.”
Teague bowed, as he’d been taught, then left, marching back down the same corridor. His boots tapping on the onyx floor echoed in an oddly satisfying way. He might be able to work things out with Vern.
And then he threw open the door of the great hall and came face to face with Zepher. Once his brother’s countenance had brought him comfort in whatever form Zepher chose, but now he didn’t want to see his brother at all. He huffed and turned away.
“Teague. Wait. You’re being stupid.”
Teague didn’t want to give Zepher the satisfaction of knowing he’d gotten to him. He stopped and turned with a fake smile plastered on his face. “Hey! There’s no problem here. I don’t know why you had to go tattle to Daddy. But as I told you before, brother, I have this under control.”
Zepher’s form shifted to Exilum, looking almost identical to his father and to how Teague also appeared in that form, but their family could all tell each other apart, even if others couldn’t. His clawed feet scratched at the marble floor of the exterior gallery as he came closer. His leathery body moved sensuously. “You’d better. Next time, it won’t be Xaphan you answer to.”
Teague understood the veiled threat. Hadn’t his father already thrown out the dreaded name? Beleth.
Where their father was a prince of hell, Beleth had been named a king. Ten times more powerful and ten times wealthier. Beleth had few in hell who could compete with his status, especially on the subject of the war. Everyone understood the inevitability of it, and Beleth’s army grew larger and larger. Eventually, they’d invade Manna, and their sister-realm, Osestra, would come to their so-called rescue.
That time still had not come to pass, and Teague had a job to do, whether he liked it or not. Why the fuck did the Seers think Vern had a leadership role in the war? Teague sure as hell couldn’t understand it. Vern was a meek boy, even if he’d grown stronger since he’d left home. His character had only strengthened through his ordeals, but Vern as the leader of a demon army? Ridiculous!
Zepher snorted. “Go on, then. Back to Manna to play with your human. You had better be ready, Teague. You’re my brother. I do not want to fight you. Don’t want to find you on the opposite side of the war.” He shoved Teague’s shoulder hard, but before Teague could push back, Zepher leapt into the air. His great, leathery wings beat down with a loud clap, echoing through the building.
Teague had half a mind to go after him and clobber him for being a cheating ass, but what else could he be? Maybe Teague had spent too much time on Manna. Forgot what it meant to be of the house of Xaphan. “Stay away from me, Zepher!” he called after his brother, instead.
His brother’s laughter echoed back to him.
TWELVE
Sean
Sean rolled over and looked at the alarm clock. One o’clock in the morning and he could not sleep. They’d been staying at this cheap hotel outside of Miami for two days with no luck finding Vern, but it didn’t necessarily bother him. He woke up in the middle of the night worried about Tucker...and their relationship—or lack of one.
They’d shared a bed, cuddles, plenty of touching and kissing, but it ended there. Sean wanted more, but Tucker wasn’t in any hurry. Sean feared asking for real sex could push him away. What if he said no? Sean was being ridiculous. Who said no to sex?
He got out of bed, pulled on his jeans, and tucked the key card in his back pocket. He needed to get some air, and he’d noticed a convenience store not far away. He had enough money to buy a drink.
Inside the store, the fluorescent lights blazed over the isles of merchandise with an eerily bright glow. Sean made his way to the back and found a Yoo-hoo. He shook it up on the way to the register. The cashier was cute with red hair and freckles. He winked at Sean when he paid for his drink.
The night air was humid but cooler than it had been during the day. Miami got damned hot under the sun. Sean kept thinking about everything else in the world to avoid thinking about his actual problem.
Tucker had been a perfect gentleman. He let Sean lead. They’d never talked about it, but he had to know Sean was a virgin. His inexperience had to be obvious, but Sean wanted to get over it—the faster, the better. And he wanted Tucker to be his first.
“Hey, kid! You lost?”
Sean instinctively stopped and looked behind him. The exact wrong thing to do. Two guys had followed him. They approached from a side street. He had only just left the parking lot of the convenience store, but he would never be able to run back there before they caught him. He shook his head and kept walking. He tried to ignore them.
“Nah, man. No. You ain’t goin’ anywhere.” They ran up behind him, and one of them yanked on his arm, turning him around. He had tan skin like cinnamon and wore a backward ball cap and a nasty scowl on his face.
Sean’s heart leapt. It pounded in his head. He swallowed hard. “I don’t have anything...” He held out the Yoo-hoo, and the guy with the ball cap snatched it from his hand and tossed it to the ground. “That’s all I have...I swear.” He held his hands up.
“Too bad for you.” Sean had no idea which one had spoken, and he didn’t care.
He could only focus on his shaking hands in front of him. He couldn’t move. Couldn’t speak. Someone shoved him, and he jerked back. He stared straight ahead, seeing nothing.
“Fucker! Look at me when I’m talking to you. Disrespecting bitch.”
Sean tried to focus, but he couldn’t.
Pain.
He fell to his knees, pain shattering his face. He barely recognized his tears, except for the cold track they left against the hot sting. Then more. Someone kicked him in the side. He grabbed his stomach. “Stop. No. No.”
“Get the fuck away from him, you punk-ass, shits.”
Feet running.
“Are you okay, kid?”
Sean looked up through the blur of tears in his eyes. The store clerk knelt beside him. He wanted to say he was fine. Wanted to tell the guy to leave him alone. Wanted to curl up and die. He closed his eyes tight.
“Maybe you need to go to the hospital? That dude hit you pretty hard.”
“Sean! Sean! Oh my God!” He recognized the voice. Sean opened his eyes.
“T-Tucker...” He pushed to sitting with help from the clerk, and in a second, Tucker was on him. Examining him, pushing his hair back from his face.
“Oh, God. What the hell are you doing out here?”
“I-I wanted a drink.”
“Those assholes jumped him. He’s lucky he only got a bruised jaw. Three on one is not a good scene.”
Sean looked at him. “There were two.”
“Nope. When you went down, asshole number three walked up. I counted. By the time he kicked you, I was here with my shotgun.” He held it up and shook it a bit. Sean hadn’t noticed the third guy or the gun.
“I wanna go home.” He tried to burrow into Tucker’s arms.
Tucker helped him up off the ground. “Come on. Let’s go get some ice on your jaw.” He reached out his hand to the clerk. “Thank you. Thanks for running them off.”
“No problem. Those guys cause trouble everywhere. Punks. You want me to call the cops or something?”
“No. No, it’s fine. We’ll be gone tomorrow, anyway. Thank you.”
Tucker led Sean back to the hotel. “What were you thinking?”
“Guess I wasn’t. Never had this problem back home.” It hurt to talk.
“This ain’t rural Georgia. Though you’d think that would be as bad. Those Georgia hicks don’t clobber anyone they run across. They target people specifically. What’s worse?”
Sean shrugged. He didn’t want to talk anymore.
Back in the hotel, Tucker ran a warm bath and made him get in before fetching a bag of ice for his face. “It’s already bruising.”
“Hurts.”
“Mmm...looks like. Don’t do that again, Sean. Like ever. I don’t know. If I would have lost you.”
A part of Sean wanted to question him, but another, larger part didn’t want to think about anything. He’d been beaten up, and he’d stood there, letting it happen, frozen in panic. When it came to the important things in life, is that how he’d handle it? Freezing up? Panicking? He resolved to do better.
Sean jumped up from a dead sleep. The dream.
He’d had the dream ever since Vern disappeared, but this time it had been far worse. It had to do with finding Vern. Darkness surrounded him, but beyond the urgent feeling in his chest, he couldn’t remember the details. “We gotta go,” he mumbled, shaking Tucker.
“Hey. Wait. You’ve got to be hurting.”
Sean nodded. He couldn’t argue. His whole body ached, and when he turned his head wrong, his jaw shot lightning through his face and neck.
“Let’s slow down a minute, here. Get some breakfast, some painkillers.”
“I had that dream. Feels like I have to go. Have to find him.” He grabbed his jeans off the floor and pulled them on, then searched for his shoes.
Tucker looked at him so hard it forced Sean to pay attention to him, but he had to turn away. Sean stared at the carpet to avoid his scrutiny. He didn’t want Tucker thinking he was a coward. He waited for him to tell Sean to get out...expected Tucker to change his mind about everything any second, all the time.
“I’m worried about you.”
“Don’t.”
“I do. Can I ask you? I asked before, but I hope you’ll be honest. We’re close now, right? You and me.”
“What? Ask already.”
“Vern? Are you in love with him?”
Sean scoffed. “No. I told you. I feel...I don’t know. Compelled. Yeah, that’s it. I feel compelled to follow him. Find him. Make sure he’s okay. I can’t expect you to understand, but—”
“I get it, Sean. I understand. Maybe because I’ve felt something like that before.”
Sean’s stress had him cracking. The pressure from the dream, knowing he more than likely would never go home after this, and now having been beaten up, not to mention how horribly his face still hurt, all of it had him blurting out what lingered at the top of his mind. “Damn it, Tucker. I’m not in love with Vern. Can’t you see? I’m in love with you. But I can't help feeling like I have to do this. I have to help my friend.”
Tucker glanced away, suddenly shy and shocked. He inspected the mattress between them. “You're in love with me?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay. I don’t know why you’re so intent on helping Vern, but I do understand more than you think.”
“You do?”
“Yeah, because I kind of feel that way about you.”
Sean stepped closer to the bed. “What do you mean?”
“Haven’t you figured it out? I’d do anything for you. I don’t go out on a limb like this for anyone. I’ve always thought you were special. I didn’t—I-I...” His eyes traveled over Sean. “I didn’t know how. You know? To ask for more. From you.”
Sean knelt on the bed and leaned forward to kiss Tucker. He used Tucker’s shoulder for leverage to hold himself up as he deepened the kiss. Their tongues entwined, telling Sean everything he wanted to hear. Maybe they both needed to think less and act more.
Tucker nibbled at Sean’s bottom lip, making him feel crazy and unbalanced. He slowly lifted Sean’s shirt over his head and skimmed his hands over Sean’s back. “I do want more Sean. When you’re ready.”
“Ready? I’m so ready.”
“Are you sure? I want everything.”
“If everything means you’ll finally take me. Then, yes.”
“Take you?”
Sean stood up to pull off his jeans. “Yeah. You know. I want you inside me. Making love to me.”
“Are you? Uh...Are you a...you know...”
“Virgin? Duh. Who am I gonna have sex with? Vern’s been the only prospect and he’s...no. He’s like a brother. Don’t you get it?”
“I’m starting to.” Tucker watched him as he kicked his jeans off.
Sean liked Tucker’s eyes on his body. He tingled everywhere Tucker looked.
“Are you wearing mix-matched socks?” Tucker snickered, covering his mouth with his hand.
Sean looked at his feet. He had a blue sock on one foot and a red one on the other. “Uh...I didn’t pay attention. Didn’t want to wake you up. I didn’t turn the lights on.” He held up one hand and wiggled his toes as if proving his point with his feet.
Tucker rolled over onto his stomach, smothering his laughter into the mattress.
“Oh. You’re gonna get it, mister.” Sean jumped on the bed and straddled Tucker’s butt. He grabbed Tucker’s sides, trying to roll him over, but he clearly couldn’t manage the feat.
Tucker finally stopped laughing and rolled over, bucking Sean off of him. The covers fell below his waist, and Sean got a good view of his cock and balls, snug under his red briefs.
“I want to make love to you, Sean. More than anything. But I’m afraid. I don’t want to rush you. What we’ve been doing is okay, isn’t it?”
Sean’s heart jumped, doing a little happy dance—something like The Macarena. “Oh yeah, what we’ve been doing is great. I want more.”
“Because you think I do? Or you’re supposed to? I don’t—”
“No! Not at all. Because...Oh, God...” Sean dug his face into Tucker’s neck, wiggling as close as he could to Tucker’s body. “Because I dream about feeling you inside of me, being a part of me. I-I need that. Need you, Tucker.”
Tucker rubbed Sean’s arms and back. “Okay.”
“I’m so sappy. I’m sorry.”
“No. Not sappy. It’s...all the right reasons, Sean.”
“So, we can?”
“Yes, but not right now.”
“Why?”
“For one...you’re hurt.”
Sean started to protest, but Tuck
er shut him up with a kiss.
“And two. I don’t have condoms. We’ll pick some up later today.”
“Oh. I’m a virgin, though. I swear I’ve never been with anybody.”
Tucker ran his fingers through Sean’s hair. It was still short, over his ears, but beginning to grow out. “Sean...It’s not—ugh! I believe you. I trust you. But...I’ve been with someone else, and I’m going to protect you. So we’re gonna wait until I get tested again to go without.”
Sean didn’t say anything. Thinking about Tucker with someone else shattered him.
“It was a long time ago.”
“No, it’s okay. I understand.” He did, but something inside him kind of wished Tucker had saved himself for Sean—such a stupid idea. He needed to stop. “Seriously, it’s okay. But blowjobs are out of the question.” His jaw was killing him.
Tucker chuckled, pulling him tighter. “I need you here, in my arms, safe. Okay? We’ll figure the rest out later.”
“Okay. So like are we boyfriends now?”
Tucker blushed and ducked his head. “Yes.” He reached over and turned off the light. “If you want. Whatever you want, Sean.”
“I want the boyfriend-thing a lot.”
“Good. It’s still very early. We can get back to the search for Vern tomorrow. Let’s go back to sleep now, boyfriend.”
Sean slumped against him. The inexplicable pressure to go simmered under the surface. A little calmer, but still there. He ignored it the best he could and snuggled with Tucker—his boyfriend. And Tucker was right. They could wait until morning.
THIRTEEN
Teague
Teague couldn’t find Vern anywhere. Damn his father for calling him in at such a perilous time. To conserve energy while he searched, he stayed in his true form and ghosted over the city. He flew over the beaches and around the art deco buildings. Nothing.
The sun rose over the beach, sending streaks of orange and pink across the sky, reflecting into the water. It might have been a beautiful sight if the unusual pain hadn’t cracked Teague’s empty heart. He had to find Vern, and he had no clue where he had gone.
Demon or Angel (Age of Exilum Book 1) Page 11