The Others Agency

by V J Lee

  Cosmo tossed his head back, laughing hysterically. “Apollo Steed, that’s classic. I may have to steal that from you. The erection is all part of who we are. We crave sexual energy, and not to mention, that’s how we heal one another—with sex. I know you’re hard right now. It’s the vibe in the house. I guarantee you all the little forest animals feel it, too, and are humping all over the forest floor.”

  “I’m not having sex with you.”

  “I didn’t ask. Besides, you’re not my type. Too uptight.”

  “Oh, and Rissa is?”

  “Yes.”

  The single word sent Trevor reeling back into his own head, alone with his thoughts. He was there for quite some time.

  “She was crying when I got here.”

  It took Trevor a few seconds to understand that Cosmo was talking to him.

  “Why?”

  Cosmo’s eyes went to the paper on the table with Jacob’s scrawling on it. “There was a lot behind it, I think, but that seemed to send her over the edge.”

  Oh, fuck, was all Trevor could think. Beer. He needed to drink more beer. So, he took a long swallow of his drink, but even that was bitter in his mouth.

  “You know how strong she is. Maybe too strong for a man like you.”

  That got Trevor riled. Maybe that’s what he needed: a good fight. Not with words, but fists. He knew Cosmo could take him out in a heartbeat, but he would get a few good throat punches in before he died painfully.

  “What the fuck is that supposed to mean? That I’m not man enough for a strong woman? I fucked up. You don’t think I know that? Being with Petra again was the worst mistake of my life. But she needed me.” He had to shake out his rattled thoughts, before going on. “Sometimes I feel like Rissa doesn’t need anyone. I wanted her to fight for us, for our relationship, to tell me not to go to Petra. I don’t know … maybe being with Petra again was my way of punishing Rissa.”

  Cosmo was peeling the label off his beer bottle, not even looking at him. “How’d that work out for you? You ever stop to think that everyone knew you would get back in Petra’s pants? And that Rissa thought maybe, just this once, she was the one you would fight for, and you would pick her over Petra? But no, you just couldn’t keep your ass away from Petra.” Cosmo spat, “Petra,” like it was poison on his tongue. “Then she finds out she’s Jacob’s real mom, but she can’t tell him yet. And on top of that, you encourage this kind of shit.” He waved a hand at the paper on the table. “For the woman who had your parents killed, no less. Now, Rissa is facing her death, and has no idea if the father of her baby will care for it when she’s gone. Plus, she thinks he sees her as weak. Rissa just can’t win. Now, do you maybe understand why she was crying when I got here?”

  Trevor stood up, then sat back down. He stood up again, and sat back down. “Fuck me. I am a huge fucking asshole.”

  Cosmo stood. “Well, that’s something we can both agree on. Now, come on, I want to get you some therapy.” Cosmo held out his hand.

  “I’m not going to get all girly and go talk to someone about my feelings.”

  “Take my fucking hand, asshole. Trust me when I say this is what you need … Just what the doctor ordered.”

  Trevor vigorously shook his head. “I’ve heard about you, and I don’t swing that way.”

  “You haven’t heard shit. Now, take my hand.”

  When he put a shaking hand up to grasp Cosmo’s, the other man pulled him into his chest, their clasped hands trapped between them. Cosmo took his other arm and wrapped it around Trevor’s waist, pulling him in flush against his body. If the guy tried anything, Trevor wasn’t sure how long he could fight him off, but he would give it his all.

  “Close your eyes, or what’s about to happen will make you puke all over my boots, and these are my favorite shit kickers, so I’ll be pissed if they get stained. If you do that, I’ll have to kick your ass, before your therapy session, and trust me when I say, you want to be at your best for this.”

  Trevor swallowed, tensed and waited for something freaky to happen. Everything started spinning—lights flashed, his stomach bottomed out and made him think Cosmo drugged his beer. He was going to punch the ass-hat in the throat. Or in the junk, depending on whether he ended up on his feet or knees when the earth stopped spinning out of control.

  Just as quickly as things started going crazy, they stopped. Trevor was glad he had kept his eyes closed, or he would have lost his lunch all over Cosmo. Now, the thought amused him, but what wasn’t amusing, was the hard-on he had. Stupid Cosmo and his freaky sex touch. The night air was warm, but the breeze that blew the sweat on his skin, gave him chills, along with the smell of trash and … blood?

  Trevor heard grunts and moans, along with thumping and scraping.

  Cosmo released him, and when he took a step back, Trevor doubled up his fist and hit him square in that solid jaw.

  The crack gave him satisfaction, until he watched Cosmo smile, and Trevor’s hand felt like someone ran over it with a steam roller.

  Still grinning like a Vampire at a blood bank, Cosmo said, “That’s one. You get a chance to hit me two more times, then I attack back. But please, see that your therapy session is waiting.” He stepped back, while sweeping his arm toward the sounds Trevor had heard, making his eyes about pop out of his head.

  They were in the old warehouse district. Many of the warehouses and lots were abandoned years ago. Only the dregs of society and homeless would go near this area now.

  The lot they were in was overgrown with tumbleweeds and littered with trash. Trevor could make out some of the Light Aliens he had worked with over the years.

  Athena, Perseus, Zenith, Prometheus, and a few more he didn’t know by name, were all engaged in a fierce battle.

  Every one of them was in a mesmerizing, macabre dance to the death with the bald-headed, tattooed Dark Ones.

  As much as Trevor wanted to jump into the fray, he couldn’t legally fight one of the Others, unless he had proof of wrong-doing.

  “Cosmo, you have the night off. Get your fucking ass out of here,” Athena yelled between grunts of the beating she was giving to not one, but two, Dark Ones.

  “Just watching your form, Sweetness,” he yelled out to her.

  “What’s going on here? I can’t fight with you, not knowing what’s going on.” As the words came out of his mouth, Trevor felt his hands curl into fist and his body ready itself for a fight.

  “No one has to know you’re fighting. You’re the only human here. The Dark Ones won’t be around much longer to tell your secrets, and none of us would want to admit you helped, so your dirty work is safe with us.”

  “I can’t. How do I know this isn’t just some sort of pissing contest?”

  “You don’t. But correct me if I’m wrong, you guys have been investigating the strange behavior of several children from the Moonlight Academy, right?”

  “Yes, they have been lethargic, talking crazy. Some of the parents thought they were sexually abused, but there was never any proof. All doctors we brought them to, said the children were intact. We couldn’t prove any wrong-doing on the part of the teachers.”

  “Well, here you go. The reason doctors couldn’t find any proof, was because the children were all healed back to normal—by these lowlifes. We have all the proof you need. You can stand back and watch, or join in. It’s your choice. But they violated children … children like Jacob.”

  “Cosmo! Either get your sexy ass out of here, or get over here and kill something.” Again, Athena screamed over the fighting.

  Cosmo glanced over to Trevor. “Your choice, but I for one can’t stand back and do nothing when it comes to kids being abused like that. If you decide to put on your big girl panties and join us here …” He handed Trevor two daggers.

  Cosmo vanished, then reappeared right in the thick of the fight. Three big, bald men bull rushed him. Cosmo was all grace and lethal agility. With blades of his own that seemed to appear out of thin air, he disabled t
he men by slashing the tendons in their arms, making their blades fall to the ground with a clang.

  The smile that lit up Cosmo’s face was pure, evil joy. He was about to put the hurt on these guys. The first guy got a big boot stomped on his head repeatedly, until Trevor was sure he had no facial features left.

  The other two saw the sort of beat down their friend was getting, and tried to crawl away. Their fingers were bloody stumps as they tried to crawl, despite not being able to move their arms. Cosmo grabbed the one closest to him by the leg, picked him up and slammed him on the ground. Trevor could feel the tremor all the way to where he was standing. Cosmo started punching and punching, all the while, throwing Others off him like they were nothing more than flies on shit.

  Trevor watched as Cosmo kicked another one in the throat, snapping his neck. Whoa! Trevor realized the term “throat punch” was a misnomer. If you really wanted to hurt someone, you should throat kick them, while wearing a pair of steel-toed shit kickers.

  The urge to join in the fight was overwhelming. As a father, if any of them had ever touched his son, there would be no holding him back. But as an agent, he couldn’t just go around kicking anyone’s ass without proof. Trevor looked back at Cosmo, and the man was true poetry in motion. Scary, murderous poetry—but poetry nonetheless.

  His phone dinged. Pulling it from his pocket, Trevor saw the message was from Draco. It was a video, and it was proof of the foulness these fuckers had been causing the children in their care.

  When he looked up again, Cosmo was standing in the middle of several withering bodies, looking at him. Cosmo wasn’t even breathing hard, and he looked beautiful. “There’s not going to be many left, if you don’t get your ass over here and help.” He must have sent a mental note to Draco to get Trevor the video. That was all he needed, and so he ran right into the thick of the fighting.

  * * *

  “I will not puke, I will not puke,” was all Trevor could think, because like an idiot, he forgot to close his eyes as Cosmo brought him back to the house. Trevor staggered, then grabbed hold of Cosmo’s shoulders. He closed his eyes and swayed again.

  “Did you two have a nice date?” Apollo asked from somewhere behind them, but because his eyes were still closed, and he had a death grip on Cosmo, Trevor didn’t know exactly where he was located.

  “I would never date him. He would be a one and done,” Cosmo commented. “Purely sexual, this one. I couldn’t look at myself in the mirror, if I had to buy him a dinner first.”

  Trevor pushed on the other man’s large chest. “Fuck you, asshole.”

  “That’s what I said. I’d fuck you, but nothing more. Only if I was depleted of all energy and could barely move. Then, you’d have to do all the work.”

  “I told you I don’t swing that way, fucker.”

  Trevor pushed himself off Cosmo, then bent at the waist, as he took great big gulps of air into his lungs. The dizziness finally subsided. He stood, feeling a whole hell of a lot better. Apollo was lounging, stretched out on the couch, dressed in navy blue scrubs. Well, half of him was on the couch. There was about three feet of legs and feet hanging over the end. The man was as white as a piece of paper, but he had enough energy to look over at Trevor through ridiculously long lashes.

  “From this angle, it looks like you’re all but ready.” Apollo was looking directly at Trevor’s raging erection.

  Trevor adjusted himself. “It’s because of his freaky sex touch.”

  Cosmo dropped into the chair at Apollo’s feet. “Not my fault. I didn’t use any mojo on you. That’s all you my friend.”

  “Fuck you.”

  “Not on the first date. You have to buy me dinner three times. Then, I might consider it.”

  “You said I wasn’t your type.”

  “You’re not, but if the date is nice, anything is possible. I mean, Rissa likes you, and she’s about as perfect a human as you can get, so you must have some redeeming qualities. Maybe I’ll let you kiss me after the first date.”

  “Yuck. Shut the fuck up, you sick motherfucker.”

  “What? You’re the one with the hard on, not me.”

  Trevor rolled his eyes. “I’m going to take a shower. Be gone by the time I get out.”

  “Or what? You’ll jump our bones?”

  “Who even says that anymore? You’re showing your age, grandpa.” But before he turned to leave, Trevor had to ask. “Apollo, how is she?”

  The man could barely turn his head. “They are both getting stronger every day. And before you ask, I don’t know if she will make it. It looks good now, but I don’t know what’s going to happen during delivery. We don’t know what we are dealing with. As of now, she’s doing well.”

  “Thank you.” Trevor didn’t make eye contact. He didn’t want to lose his shit in front of them.

  The fight had been just what Trevor needed. It was great therapy, taking out those Dark fucks. It had been a much-needed stress reducer. Every punch he had thrown, or kick that made contact, was for Rissa. Every time he plunged the blade of his dagger into a gut or an eye, was for them and their relationship. Every Dark One who went down, was for all the innocents those fuckers took advantage of.

  He watched the warm, soapy water swirl around his feet. There was blood and dirt washing down the drain, erasing much of the tension in his body—except for his erection. That part of his body was still awfully tense. Hopefully, Rissa was feeling up to a little stress release of a different kind.

  With nothing but a towel around his waist, Trevor was heading down the hall to get Rissa some fresh ice water, when he stopped dead in his tracks.

  Cosmo had an arm around Apollo’s waist, and they both had an arm around each other’s shoulder. Cosmo was taking the entire weight of the big healer. Apollo could barely move, so Cosmo reached down, and picked the other man up into his arms. It was the weirdest fucking sight Trevor had ever seen.

  Cosmo said in a calm, soothing voice, “Let’s get you back to your energy chamber. I’m so sorry this is causing you so much energy loss.”

  “I would have done it, even if you hadn’t asked. I just wish you would reconsider taking the punishment for this.”

  “I would do anything for Rissa, you know that. Plus, I can’t let any of you be punished for this. I just wish you could be with Rose while this is going on.”

  “Me too. My energy would be greater, but as long as I’m taking care of Rissa, it’s work. And I can’t be with Rose, until this is all said and done.”

  “Well, at least promise me you’ll take a long, much needed vacation. You can use my villa in Greece for a couple of weeks … It’s right by the sea … beautiful views, and so peaceful.”

  “You have a villa in Greece? You never let anyone know where your places are.”

  “I don’t think anyone knows how much it means to me that you agreed to help Rissa. I’d do anything for her. She’s one of the few who has never judged me,” Cosmo said.

  “I think I’ll take you up on that villa. Now, home James. I need to rest in my energy chamber. And go directly there—do not pop us into the bar or workout center, while you are carrying me in your arms. I’d never hear the end of it.” They dematerialized on a note of laughter from Cosmo.

  Wow, who would have thought that Trevor actually liked Cosmo? The guy knew he needed that fight with the Dark Ones. He carried his friend, when the man couldn’t hold himself up, and most of all, he cared so much for Rissa that he was willing to take all the backlash from them healing her. Cosmo knew it was against all their laws to heal humans, and yet, they all were going above and beyond to help, and Cosmo was risking the wrath of the Fates for all of them.

  Trevor would have to reevaluate his dislike for the man. The disgust he had could stay, but maybe overall, he wasn’t half bad? Maybe, he would just have to wait and see.

  But right now, Trevor needed Rissa. So, he got the ice water and headed back to her room.

  The comforter was pulled up to her chin, and her eyes
were closed. Those spiky black lashes seemed like they were a mile long. She looked so innocent, peaceful even. His heart melted, the same way it had, since the first day he met her. That smile of hers, when it was turned on him solely, would melt a glacier. He wanted that special smile of hers to be directed just toward him once again, so he could feel warm again.

  Chapter 23

  Rissa was dreaming that she was on her back in an open mountain valley. Wildflowers surrounded her and she could smell their soft, fragrant wisps, as the gentle breeze blew across her naked body. The sun was bright, and the day was cloudless. She was in total bliss. Even though she couldn’t see his face, she knew that there, between her legs, was Trevor, his dark head moving back and forth, and up and down. He was pleasuring her the way he knew she liked it—kissing, sucking, driving his talented tongue deep into the very core of her. Rissa was at the apex of an intense orgasm, something that she had refused for so long, but she now yearned for. This was her dream and in real life, she may not be able to let herself come. However, here in her dreams, she could and would control this.

  The pressure in her pelvis was building with pleasure. She was soaring with the eagles that circled overhead. Rissa grabbed the back of Trevor’s head, pushing him into her body as hard as she could, as she ground her hips into his sweet, sensual mouth. He groaned into the very hot depths of her, as the vibration sent her over the edge. Rissa wrapped her legs around his neck and back, pulling him in tight. She shuddered and came with a vengeance that she had missed.

  Rissa didn’t want to leave the eagles, but she was floating down from the sky, her pleasure still racing through her body. More energy than she had had in months, raced through her veins, making her feel alive.

  When she crashed back down into her body, her eyes flew open as she sucked in air. The pleasure she had felt was still assaulting her. The dark head was still between her thighs and her pleasure was spiking again. She wasn’t supposed to let this pleasure happen, but for the life of her, she didn’t know why. Right now, everything felt like pure perfection—she just needed something more. Suddenly, she was being filled with Trevor’s magnificent beast, right when she was about to break apart again.