Rules Are Meant to Be Broken

by N. J. Nielsen

  the kissing and touching was done, until sleep had come to

  claim them both.

  Michael didn’t mind. Christian was now his.

  § § § §

  Sebastian raged, screaming his anger. How was he

  ever going to get Christian back under his control if Michael

  kept taking him further away? This is not how it was

  supposed to be. Coming to this God forsaken country was

  supposed to bring him closer to his plan, but it wasn’t what

  happened. Since being here his Christian had been taken

  from him and given to someone else. Given to a bitch! She

  didn’t deserve Christian!

  Sebastian knew before long he would have to do

  something about her. There was no question; she needed

  to be put in her place. Heading into the bowels of the earth

  he thought about how he was going to exact his revenge as

  he walked into the lower hal s. Coming to a standstil ,

  Sebastian pressed his ring to the wal so it would open.

  “Hel o, creature,” Sebastian said as he unfurled his whip.

  “Have you missed me?”

  The creature stared at him with sightless eyes. “Why are

  you stil here? I would have thought by now you would have

  run back to your home,” the creature retorted.

  It pissed Sebastian off even more even this dirty and

  mangled thing thought he was above Sebastian. Flexing his

  fingers, Sebastian prepared to show him how wrong he

  was. “I wil leave when I am goddamn ready.” The crack of

  the whip was loud as it fel across the creature’s face and

  chest, yet the creature never made a sound. In al the time

  Sebastian had been visiting the creature he had never

  once heard him cry out in pain.

  “What keeps you so quiet? Why have you never tried to

  escape?” Sebastian enquired with another crack of the

  whip.

  “I am waiting,” the creature answered calmly.

  Those three words stopped Sebastian cold. “Waiting for

  what?”

  “Michaela. She is coming for me. I belong to her.”

  “Who is Michaela? Where is she coming from?” The

  closeness to Michael’s name worried him.

  “I do not know.”

  Sebastian burst out laughing. “You wil be waiting forever

  then. There is no one coming for you.”

  “She wil come.” The creature stared at him with the

  clearest blue eyes Sebastian had ever seen. They

  reminded him of something he couldn’t quite recal .

  The certainty in the creature’s voice spurred Sebastian’s

  fury as he let the whip fly, and stil the creature stayed silent.

  Not even a whimper passed his lips.

  Waking up much later, Michael sat up and stretched. It

  was already dark. Christian sat nervously on the edge of

  bed beside him ful y dressed and watching him. “I couldn’t

  face them on my own.” Christian gestured out the door.

  Michael could hear the others getting ready to head out for

  the night. “I think they’re stil mad at me.” Christian hung his

  head in shame. Reaching out, Michael gently stroked his

  arm in comfort.

  Getting up out of bed he said, “Not everyone is mad at

  you, Chris.” Stretching again, Michael realised al his

  clothes were stil al up in the attic. “Fuck it.”

  “What?”

  “My bag, it’s upstairs.” Michael gestured to his naked

  form. “I have no clothes aside from the ones I have been

  wearing for the past couple days. They’re yours and by this

  stage they kinda reek.” Michael wrinkled his nose. “Badly.”

  Standing up, Christian walked to his dresser and pul ed

  jeans and a long sleeved t-shirt out of the drawer. Tossing

  them onto the bed he said, “We know they should fit, seeing

  as you have worn my clothes before.”

  Michael poked out his tongue as he pul ed on the jeans

  but left the t-shirt; he had always hated wearing them. “I’l

  get my own shirt.” Michael walked out into the quiet hal and

  wasn’t surprised when Christian fol owed close behind him.

  His hand pressed to the smal of Michael’s back.

  They entered the now less cluttered attic. “Wow! You

  were busy.”

  “Anger seemed to help me focus.” Michael shrugged as

  he upended his bag onto the bed and searched through his

  belongings until he found another one of his crinkled black

  dragon shirts. It was probably the only thing which didn’t

  need ironing. The shirt fit the contours of his body perfectly.

  This had also been a gift from Gypsy. For some reason she

  had just decided that Michael liked dragons.

  “You look good,” Christian said as he reached out to

  straighten Michael’s col ar.

  The edge of Christian’s thumb caressed his neck; he

  shivered as he leaned further into the touch. Michael loved

  the feeling of Christian’s fingers touching his body. It was

  strange, exciting, and new. He sighed as Christian stared

  at him with so much heat in his gaze it made Michael

  desperately want to stay in this room, away from everyone,

  yet he knew they couldn’t. Somehow Michael could sense

  the rest of the family waiting for Christian and him to join

  them. They al needed to talk. Sometimes it felt like al they

  did was talk.

  “Ready to face the music?”

  “No.” Christian dropped his hands. “I don’t know what to

  say to them. I don’t know how to explain any of this to them

  without it coming out al wrong.”

  Christian stared at the floor for a moment. “This thing

  between you and me, wel I don’t real y understand it. I don’t

  understand why I feel about you as strongly as I do, or why

  you do either. I don’t know if this is real y us, what we want,

  or if it is something else, pushing us into a bizarre new

  direction. The dreams seem to be fucking with my head

  today. Don’t get me wrong, I like it. I really like it, but it’s

  completely different from anything I have ever known. Did

  we just do this on our own, or was it because of the

  dreams, was it just easier to go with the flow?” Christian

  shook his head. “I’m just a little confused right now. Does

  any of this make sense?”

  Nodding sadly, Michael was quiet for a long time before

  he could bring himself to speak, “I take it by what you just

  said you’re now having second thoughts and you’re not

  ready to show the others, about us I mean. They already

  know,” Michael took Christian’s fingers in his own. “They

  heard what was said in the hal last night. They would have

  to be both blind and deaf if they haven’t worked out we are

  into each other.”

  Disappointment ran through him and he hated it. “They

  already thought I was gay, just from the other night. Our

  argument last night would have confirmed it.” Michael didn’t

  want to get into another discussion about Rhys again, but

  he had to add. “They don’t know nothing happened with

  Rhys. Wel , nothing happened until I got home to you.”

  “No, not second thoughts, exactly. I don’t
think our

  relationship is wrong,” Christian said. “But there is this little

  part deep inside me which tel s me it isn’t real. And I mean

  something deeper than what the dreams have told us. This

  thing is tel ing me I wasn’t meant to be this way. I love you –

  don’t ever doubt that. My heart tel s me just how much I love

  you, but I can’t shut up the fear and doubt running through

  my mind right now. I am scared that we won’t have enough

  time before we get pul ed apart. Does that make sense?”

  Michael brought their entwined fingers to his lips. “No!”

  Closing his eyes, Michael kissed their joined fingers. “But

  what’s right for me might not be right for you. I won’t force

  you to be with me.”

  Letting their fingers drop Michael stepped away. He

  hadn’t said al he wanted to, because he couldn’t bring

  himself to tel Christian that to beat the creator they had to

  be together. Both he and Christian needed to give

  themselves to each other mental y, physical y and

  intimately. With the conversation that just passed he knew

  Christian wasn’t ready to hear everything he had to say no

  matter how eager he had been earlier.

  “I need time to work it out,” Christian said.

  “Am I going to be your dirty little secret now?” Michael

  was hurt, and he couldn’t understand why. Up until three

  days ago he would have… no, he had sworn he was

  straight. So why did this hurt so much? Why did it feel like

  he was now being rejected? That his heart was being

  ripped out of his chest and stomped on? It may be a little of

  an overstatement, but right now it was exactly how he was

  feeling. Who said at twenty-two you had to be al grown up

  and act as though nothing affected you?

  Christian reached out and caressed Michael’s face.

  “Don’t say that. I just need time to adjust. I just don’t

  understand. I mean after you found out about what I had

  done to you. After how angry you were. I mean, I can’t work

  out why you stil want to be with me at all. Why did you

  come and get me even though I had already taken so much

  from you? ”

  “I don’t know why.” Michael held up his hands in

  resignation. “I just know I need you.” He pul ed on his shoes

  and socks. “I can’t explain it, so I’m not going to try, except

  to say even though it stil hurts to be near you — knowing

  what you did to me — it hurts even more to be away from

  you.”

  “I wil never forgive myself for what I have done to you. It’s

  the reason why I needed you to forgive me.” Christian took

  a step closer to him. “I.” He took another step. “Am.” And

  another. “So.” Christian stepped once more until their

  bodies were pressed flush against each other’s. “Sorry.”

  Christian fol owed his last word with a long kiss.

  Michael sighed into the kiss. His body was reacting

  violently to Christian’s nearness and he wanted to rip

  Christian’s clothes off and throw him to the bed. To cover

  Christian’s body with his own and take what they both

  wanted.

  This was kil ing him. “But you stil need time?” Michael

  asked breathlessly as they parted. “Do you stil love me?”

  Christian whispered sadly, “Yes, I stil love you and yes, I

  stil need time.”

  Michael put on a brave face and traced his fingers softly

  over Christian’s cheek. Taking a deep breath, he turned

  and headed for the stairwel , leaving Christian to

  contemplate his own thoughts. This was something

  Christian could only work out on his own.

  Something felt off. Both Doyle and Charm stared at him

  as he walked into the kitchen. Kerr had his head bent over

  the paper and was reading the front page story. Michael

  shuddered as he glanced at the headline.

  Bodies Found In Burnt Out Shack

  Two bodies were found by the Ashgrove Fire Department this

  morning at three am when they were called to put out a fire on Range

  Crescent. The house in question belongs to Christian Risley,

  grandson of the late Sir Bertram Risley. It is still undetermined if

  either of the bodies is that of Christian. The senior Officer…

  Michael pointed to the paper, “Don’t let Chris see that.”

  “Did he light the fire?” Michael watched as he pul ed the

  paper off the table as Christian stopped in the doorway.

  Christian seemed unsure whether or not he should enter. It

  didn’t help matters with Kerr and Doyle glaring daggers at

  him.

  Al Michael said was, “I did it.”

  “Where did you go last night?” Charm asked. She turned

  to Michael, as if she wanted to take the focus off of the fact

  Christian was back.

  As he sat down at the table, Michael thought the truth

  would be best. “Home. I went to see my family. I wanted to

  see Gypsy but she wasn’t there, which was lucky I guess. It

  was good to see them but it was also kinda hard, because I

  needed Gypsy so much. She is the one I turn to when al my

  shit goes haywire. She always fixes everything when I

  break.” Michael sat in one of the chairs not realising just

  how much he needed to talk until he began tel ing them

  about it. “I just wanted to see them. I watched them through

  the window for a long time, and then I stood at the closed

  front door for even longer. It’s where my mother found me.

  My leaving had upset them and I needed to make it okay.”

  “Did you?” Michael didn’t turn toward Doyle as he spoke.

  Michael frowned in thought. “Yes and no. My tel ing them

  came out al wrong. Their scent was so overpowering. It

  messed up my head, which was already pretty messed up

  to begin with.” Michael struggled for words. He needed just

  the right ones to explain it properly. “They stil want me.

  They want me to come home. Dad doesn’t think I am

  capable enough to look after myself. I don’t think he wil

  ever let me and Gypsy actual y grow up.”

  Michael glanced at Charm when she asked, “Did you tel

  them what you are?”

  Michael wanted to reach for her hand. He thought

  somehow she could understand what he was feeling, and it

  felt nice. Michael shook his head. “They found out I’m gay.”

  Michael shrugged, “I’l let them deal with that part of my life

  first. It’s easier for them to understand, to accept. I don’t

  know if I ever want them to know what I have become.”

  Michael turned as Christian spoke. He stil stood in the

  doorway, his arms crossed over his chest, frowning. “Wil

  you go back?” Even though he real y wanted to go back,

  Michael didn’t want to leave Christian. Not now that they

  had taken a new step in their relationship. Even if Christian

  was stil confused over exactly what their relationship was.

  “I want— I guess I can’t have what I real y want. I just don’t

  want to have to give them up completely. I don’t know how

  any of you can stand it.” Michael shook his head in
r />   frustration. “Don’t you ever miss your families?”

  Charm reached for Michael’s hand. “None of us have

  any family left,” she said. “It’s the main reason why it was

  such a shock when you were changed, because you…”

  Charm let her words trail off into nothingness.

  Michael final y understood how it had never bothered

  them. “Because I did,” none of them ever had to go through

  what he was going through. None of them have had to

  experience his pain. “I don’t want to give them up. I can’t,

  especial y Gypsy. She is half of me.” At their confused

  faces he added, “Gypsy is my twin sister. She is the one I

  go to when I am having a hard time. Gypsy has always had

  my back in times of need, and now.” He shrugged.

  “But you can’t stay with them ful -time as the temptation

  would be too much to bear.” Kerr paused for a moment

  before continuing, “It wil get easier, the scent thing. It real y

  only lasts for the first couple of months.”

  Michael thought Charm was just happy her family was

  back together the way it belonged. She added, “And if you

  feed before you see them.”

  Feeling better after the conversation, his brain went

  through a list of things he could do where his family was

  concerned. “Thanks.”

  Maybe he didn’t have to give everything up. Maybe he

  could stil have Gypsy, even if it was only for a little while

  longer.

  “I think I might cal them.” Michael felt happier when he

  stood up. Taking Doyle’s phone off the bench he asked,

  “Can I borrow this?” Michael didn’t wait for an answer as he

  headed outside.

  Doyle watched Michael walk out of the house; his heart

  ached for the things he was going through. He wished there

  was something he could do to help ease the way. Doyle

  frowned at Christian watching Michael. The dreams had al

  told them how Michael belonged to Christian for now, but

  only Doyle knew this wouldn’t be the way it would always

  be. But his thoughts were private and he didn’t feel ready to

  share this dream with any of them – he needed to work it al

  out in his own head first. In reality he needed to come to

  terms with what could possibly happen in the future. Yet it

  stil hurt to watch Michael and Christian get closer.

  Returning his attention to Christian, Doyle asked. “Wel ?”