Stepping Through the Mirror

by Mike Shade

  Okay, used to this, but a whole lot warmer.

  Epilogue

  Bram corrected Kitae's stance and nodded to Bella who stood opposite the faceless girl. "Okay. Try it again. You can do this Kitae, you'll know when she's coming for you, which direction. Don't let her past your defenses."

  He stepped back and nodded again at Bella who flew at Kitae as soon as she was given the signal.

  This time, Kitae raised her arms, blocking the attack and turning, running straight to him.

  "Excellent! You've got it! Defend and run. Good girl!"

  Good! Good! Her voice rang inside his head, joyous.

  "Yes!" He picked her up and threw her up in the air, catching her on the way down. "Well done."

  Such a fast learner, and under such odds, Kitae amazed him every time he worked with her. As did all the kids. They were bright and eager to learn and he was going to teach each and every one of them how to defend themselves. He was teaching all the mages how to defend themselves.

  Her laugh was silent, but rang inside him over and over, making him smile. He put her down and she headed for her friends, the little hands reaching and bringing her into their circle.

  Bram looked around at their camp, a sense of satisfaction filling him at the sight of it.

  They hadn't been turned away by the people in the city in the valley, but they hadn't exactly been welcomed either and in the end he and Quinn had explored further afield and found a place for them. They were east of the valley, in a clearing on the hillside. There was a stream with beautiful, fresh water and the game was plentiful.

  They had tents for now, organized hunters, and gatherers of fruits and vegetables. And the teaching had finally begun. Adults first, strategy, hand to hand combat, riflery.

  Now he was turning to the children. Arcon and the elders had argued against teaching them violence, but he had held fast. No one had protected these innocents and look what had happened to them.

  He caught sight of Quinn, silver hair long and silky as one thing after another was pulled through a large mirror.

  The energy that was between them, that was always present, his reassurance that Quinn was alive and well flared as he saw his lover, making him need. He followed his gut, letting it lead him to the one spot he wanted to be.

  Quinn's eyes lit up, hands leaving his work and reaching up for him. "Bram. How are the classes going?"

  He wrapped his arms around Quinn's waist, sighing happily as everything clicked into place, just humming with how right it was.

  "They're going well. Kitae mastered that defensive move I've been teaching her, fending off Bella without benefit of any direction."

  "Did she? I told you she was brilliant."

  "She's amazing." He shook his head. "It's just as well we made our own place. They wouldn't have understood in Valley City. They would have been afraid of her. Here's she's accepted. You all are." And one day the makeshift camp with its tents and rough dwellings would be a beautiful city that housed the mages of the world and that was something the Emperor should fear.

  Bram turned his focus back on Quinn. "Come to our cave. I want to show you something." He and Quinn lived in a cave near the stream, just a little bit away from the rest of the mages. It gave them the privacy they needed.

  Quinn nodded, hand slipping into his. His lover was at peace, Bram could feel it inside Quinn. That peace settled something deep inside Bram, something he hadn't even known was restless and wanting. The energy hummed between them, strong and right.

  "What are you showing me?" The trees seemed to close around them, protect them.

  "It's nothing really." It felt silly suddenly, but there it was as they drew close to their cave, in a patch of melting snow: a dozen little, white flowers with purple edges peeking through.

  "Oh!" The delight in those pale eyes made it not silly all over again, Quinn's fingers just brushing the petals. "Look!"

  He beamed, feeling as if he was personally responsible for this sign of spring. "It'll be warm soon. The hillside covered with greenery, flowers."

  "It'll be perfect. We can make love under the stars, see the fireflies."

  "You're here -- that makes it perfect no matter what else is going on."

  Those eyes flashed up at him, pleased, warm. Shining. "Are you saying you're not sorry you didn't kill me?"

  He laughed and then wrapped Quinn in his arms, taking a long, slow kiss. "That's one way of putting it."

  "Good. I'm glad to hear it." Quinn settled close, the energy between them flowing. "Feels good to stop running for a while, though."

  He nodded. "I have to admit I miss it just being you and me, but this is good." He tugged Quinn into the cave with him, finding the bed they'd made out of pillows and blankets

  The little storeroom was almost cleaned out now, the cave homey, warm, theirs.

  He rolled Quinn beneath him, taking long, slow kisses. They'd found if they kept their clothes on they could take their time, let the pleasure build more slowly. Skin on skin, the energy was too intense, needed heat and fast and hard.

  Quinn pressed up, soft, sweet little sounds buzzing through him.

  He stroked Quinn's cheek, staring into those pale eyes. "Love," he murmured, taking another soft kiss.

  "Yes. Yours." Quinn nodded, fingers stroking the ring in his nipple, the one the matched the one Quinn wore. "Mine."

  He gasped. Even through their clothes it was so sensitive. "Yours," he whispered, taking Quinn's mouth hard, the need strong between them, like a fire consuming them.

  One of Quinn's legs wrapped around his hip, tugging them closer and closer together.

  Bram pulled Quinn's top apart, loving the sound of the material ripping, the feeling of skin suddenly beneath his fingertips.

  Quinn laughed. "You have to fix it. Mend it. Keep me warm."

  "I keep you warm better without the clothes." He bent, proving it by wrapping his tongue around the ring in Quinn's nipple and tugging.

  Quinn gasped and yeah, that pretty, little nipple went tight and hard, Quinn's hands sliding up his chest to retaliate.

  He grunted, hips jerking as the ring was twisted, the sensation going like a shot to his cock. "Too many clothes," he growled, fingers working at getting Quinn's pants off.

  "Bossy." Quinn's laugh felt so good.

  "Yep, get naked."

  "You, too. Come on, skin." Someone else could fake bossy just fine.

  Laughing, they got each other naked, bodies soon sliding urgently together. Quinn rubbed and rocked against him, thighs parted and heart pounding. He pushed two fingers into Quinn's heat, tongue pushing into his lover's mouth. Quinn's body went tight, tugging at him, asking him in. All the while those eyes watched him. Wanted him. Loved him.

  He pushed in a third finger, stretching Quinn, stretching out the loving. Quinn's legs spread, thighs shivering, entire body begging for him. That eagerness was matched by his own and he let his fingers slide away, moving to push his cock into Quinn's pliant body.

  Quinn took him in, tight and hot around him, squeezing down on him with a happy cry. Moaning, he started to move, pushing into Quinn over and over again. Their sounds twined together, echoing in the cave, the noise bouncing again and again.

  He moved harder, faster, driving into Quinn's body, trying to push himself into his lover, make them become one. Quinn's fingers were flat on his chest, the energy between them flowing faster, zooming.

  His lips left Quinn's, his mouth sliding along Quinn's jaw to his ear. "Love you," he whispered, the sound seeming loud, echoing.

  Quinn jerked, energy pouring through him in a mad rush, heat spraying up along his belly.

  He cried out, shuddering as his own orgasm hit, pulled out of him by Quinn's. The pleasure was intense, wonderful. Quinn just held onto him, panting, twisting, body sliding gently on his prick.

  He purred, tongue sliding to lick at Quinn's earlobe, at Quinn's neck. He felt energized, whole.

  "Home, yes? We're home?"

 
; He nodded. "Can't you feel it?"

  Quinn nodded, hand over his heart. "I can."

  "I didn't even know I wasn't home until I met you."

  "Then it's good you did."

  He considered a moment, living out his days loveless and alone, only his job to take pride in. He shook his head and smiled down at the man who was his life. "I wasn't alive until that moment."

  Quinn touched their noses together. "Then we went through the mirror and things...changed."

  "Everything changed." He kissed Quinn. "Thank you."

  "Everything changes, yes? That's why it's magic."

  End.