“Brought the world together? Only so Bush could use that patriotism to fuel his agenda for a new war,” Tyrant said dismissively.
“A war that made its way into every living room,” Paragon said. “Mankind is finally seeing that war doesn’t work. People see these pictures on their televisions, on their computers, and they know.” Paragon gestured at an image with his head. “People demanded an end to the Iraq War.”
We did, thought Daniel. We did!
“But things are going far too slowly, Paragon. If something isn’t done soon this world will crack open like an egg.” Tyrant raised a hand and snapped it closed into a fist. “And it will burn in nuclear fire. I can bring an end to that.”
Now it was Paragon who snorted. “And what makes you think you’ll be any better than any other dictator?”
“Could I be worse? I am trying to save the world. I am the shepherd who will usher in a new age of peace. I am the real hero!”
Paragon chuckled.
“Don’t laugh at me!” Tyrant strode over to Paragon and gave him a mighty backhand. Paragon’s head flew back, and when it came upright, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
“Tyrant!” Daniel shouted. “Leave him alone!” Had he entertained the idea even for one brief second that Tyrant was right? “What kind of man are you? Hitting someone who can’t hit back? That’s how you’re going to save the world?”
“People are helping each other,” Paragon continued. “Remember the people who went to each other’s aid when the towers fell? Why aren’t you showing those kinds of pictures? Scientists finding cures to diseases. Shelters for battered women. Equal rights finally being signed into law.”
“AIDS Walk,” said Daniel joining in. His blood was singing in his veins. This was a side of Paragon the news never showed, didn’t have the opportunity to. This was a hero! Naked and chained, he was ten times the man the Tyrant was.
Tyrant spun around. “AIDS Walk. Of course you would pick that. Have you marched in an AIDS Walk, little boy?”
“I have,” Daniel said finding a courage he didn’t know he had. “Four so far.”
Tyrant’s face turned into a gruesome rictus. “Look at the mouse roar,” he said. “The little gay mouse. You’ve practically given him an erection, Paragon. You might not have taken him as lover, but I think he would take you without a moment’s hesitation.”
I would, thought Daniel, his heart pounding.
“But tell him why that wouldn’t work, Paragon. Couldn’t work.” Tyrant laughed again. “No,” he said when Paragon didn’t respond. “I’ll tell him.” He thrust his face into Daniel’s. “He would kill you, you pretty little thing. Break you in half. He wouldn’t be able to help it. He’d snap your legs like a wishbone. This man has been clocked at lifting over a hundred tons. If he can do that, just think of the muscles that control the power of his ejaculate! If he had an orgasm while he was fucking you, he’d blow your head off!”
“Tyrant! Enough!” Paragon shouted.
Tyrant looked back over his shoulder. “That is supposing you are what the gays call ‘a top’, right, Paragon? Maybe you would like this mouse to ‘top’ you?” Then back to Daniel, “Think of his anal sphincter involuntarily clenching around you.” Tyrant brought up his hand and tightened it into a fist. “He would emasculate you. He wouldn’t be able to help it!”
“Enough!” cried Paragon. “Why are you doing this to him?”
“To prove that he is a mouse. A mouse in what will one day be a kingdom of lions.”
“I know what I am,” Daniel said. “And I know Paragon isn’t interested in me. He was just being kind. He saved me. He was being a hero.”
Tyrant spat at Daniel’s feet. “Please!” Then once more he turned to Paragon, his cloak sweeping about him and seeming to capture the darkness, drawing it to him.
“Paragon. I give you one last chance.” He walked back to the desk, played with the panel there. “This site has been compromised. I have no doubt your compatriots will find you one way or another. That is what they do. So I am setting the self-destruct sequence.”
In response to his words, red numbers were now hovering in the dark. They were counting down.
“Two hours. In that time you can either choose to join me or not. If you make the right decision, simply shout out my name. I will save you. If not, you will die in fire.” He walked slowly up to his super prisoner. “And what a shame. But if you will not join me, what use are you?”
There was a purple shimmer, and Tyrant was gone.
A few moments later, more lights came on, and Daniel felt a lurch and stumbled to his knees. Whatever had held his shackles in place had let go. He was no longer held upright. When he looked up, he saw that Paragon was free as well.
The newly lit room showed something else. The room wasn’t nearly as large as Daniel had imagined. It was high, but no larger than his apartment. There were several other tables and the equipment that had held them both in place. Besides three doors around the walls, there was nothing else.
Paragon fell to one knee at Daniel’s side. “Are you okay?”
Daniel nodded. “Yeah. I think so. My arms hurt a little.”
“We have to get out of here,” Paragon said. He stood up and held out a hand. Daniel took it, and even without powers, he was lifted easily to his feet.
Without powers? “Did he really take your powers away?” Daniel asked.
“Let’s find out,” Paragon said and strode, naked, to one of the doors. It opened easily and Daniel, coming up behind Paragon, saw that it was a bathroom. The next door led to a room with a simple bed and little else. The third was locked. “This should be the one,” Paragon said, and yanked at the handle. But unlike the door on that roof months before, this one did not break. Undaunted, Paragon punched it, only to cry out and look down at his fist in alarm. “No.” Then he raised both arms and slammed them against the door. “Aargh,” he cried, and stumbled back.
“God,” Paragon said. “My God. It’s true.” He turned around. “We’re trapped.”
“HOW much of all that was true?” Daniel asked, trying once more not to look at Paragon’s penis. It wasn’t easy. They were sitting on the bed in the other room and that made it even more difficult. “All that stuff Tyrant said about you?”
Oh just look, came John’s voice. How often do you get to look at a naked superhero? Especially one so hot.
But now Daniel knew it wasn’t his friend. That voice was his own, albeit a part of him that had been influenced by his best friend. A friend that had helped him countless times. A friend who had helped him make sense of the world.
Daniel wondered if his voice was ever in John’s head.
Of course it is, girl. You know it is.
Daniel smiled.
“About me being homosexual?” Paragon suddenly whispered. “Yes, it’s true.”
Wow! My hero is gay.
“I’m gay,” Paragon said so quietly Daniel barely heard him. “I’m gay.” This time louder. Then, “I. Am. Gay.” Paragon let out a colossal breath. “I said it. I don’t know if I ever have. Not really.”
Daniel’s eyebrows shot up. “I....” He reached out and touched Paragon’s hand. “I don’t know what to say.”
Paragon looked at him with those eyes (wait, if his powers are turned off, then those really are his eyes) and said, “I’m sure my teammates must have an idea. It isn’t like I’ve dated any women. Epitome teases me sometimes. She’ll point out some guy and ask me what I think. But I just couldn’t say it. I don’t know why.”
“Oh, Paragon.” Daniel shifted closer and dared put a hand on the hero’s muscular arm.
“My dad...,” Paragon said. “The man I thought was my father died when I was really young. Mom raised me. It wasn’t easy. A tiny town. Little work. Then when I began to figure things out, that I liked boys, well, other things were happening too.”
“Like what?” Daniel asked.
“Well, like when I got my powers. One d
ay I was noticing I was growing hair around my dick and the next I woke up floating above my bed.”
“Whoa….”
“I’ll never forget the first time I... well... the first time I came. You know....” This time there was no hiding his blush. “It went through the wall.”
Daniel’s eyes widened. “What?”
“Ever seen what a high-powered waterjet cutter can do? It can cut through granite.”
“Oh.... Of course. I saw that on TV, I think,” Daniel said, nodding. But the image Paragon was painting didn’t seem possible. It was almost funny. “Come on. It can’t be the same thing.”
“Worse. It scared the shit out me.” He sighed. “I realized I couldn’t tell anyone. And if I was with someone... I knew I might kill them. So... so I never took the chance.”
“You mean…?” Daniel asked.
Paragon sighed. “I’m... I’m a virgin.”
What was there to say to that? Maybe change the subject? “Paragon. You’ve got to get out of here. The world depends on you.”
“Did you hear Tyrant? I don’t have any powers.” He tugged at the collar around his neck. “I can’t get us out of here.”
“What about your teammates? Surely they’ll be looking for you. What do you usually do when this kind of thing happens?”
“If nothing else works, PsyBorg will usually manage to find us. He’s a telepath and that armor of his amplifies his powers. But he can’t read my mind. We’ve never known why. PsyBorg says there are just some people he can’t read.”
Dammit, Daniel cursed to himself. “If only you didn’t have that damned collar on, you could bust us out of here. Let me look at that thing.” Daniel leaned in, had to lay a hand on Paragon’s chest (still velvet-covered concrete). It was all he could do to concentrate. The collar was thick, rounded at the edges, and up close Daniel could see he’d been right. It was covered on one side with numerous rows of buttons, each with a number. “It’s some kind of combination, I’ll bet.”
“Let me see yours.” Paragon bent his head closer and as he examined it, Daniel felt his heart beat begin to race. You’re about to die and you’re getting turned on? he asked himself. Fuck! I can’t help it.
“Jesus,” Paragon said. “I could punch numbers all damned day, all year, and never get it right.” He leaned back, his hand on Daniel’s shoulder. “Daniel. I’m sorry. I’m not going to be able to get us out of this one.” His beautiful eyes took on a glassy sheen. “I got you into this. It’s my fault. And now you’re going to die.”
Daniel shook his head. “It isn’t your fault. And Paragon, you can get out of here. All you have to do is call Tyrant. He’ll take you out of here.”
“If I join him.”
“Lie! Get out of here so that you can turn against him.”
“You think he won’t know? And even if I could fool him, do you think I can leave you here to die? There’s just no way.”
“Oh, Paragon.” He dropped his head and let it rest against the hero’s solid shoulder. “It’s worth it. I met you. I really, really met you. What could ever beat meeting you?”
Paragon’s grasped Daniel’s waist. “Daniel,” he whispered.
Daniel looked up once more into those eyes. Could there be a better last sight? he wondered.
“I don’t want you to die,” Paragon said.
Daniel gave a half laugh. “I don’t want to die. I don’t want you to. Please. Call Tyrant. Get out of here. Save yourself.”
Paragon shook his head. “Not happening.”
Daniel pulled himself closer to Paragon and rested the side of his face against one of the hero’s immense pectorals. Paragon pulled him even closer. He gave a gentle squeeze. “My God,” he said. “That’s the first time I’ve ever hugged someone that I didn’t have to worry about hurting them.”
Daniel looked up.
“For so long... I’ve hardly dared touch anyone. It’s probably why I’ve never come out. I mean, what’s the point? I could never... you know....”
Daniel reached up, touched Paragon’s face, ran his fingers along his cheek, down his jaw, then down his mighty neck. “Then touch me now,” Daniel said. “Before it’s too late.”
For what seemed forever, nothing happened. Then Paragon did more than touch Daniel.
He kissed him.
Their lips touched ever so gently, and then Daniel parted his lips, ran his tongue across Paragon’s.
Paragon sighed. “Daniel. I don’t know how. Show me.”
“Show you what?” Daniel asked, heart racing, feeling himself stirring. I’m getting hard. I’m about to die and I’m getting hard!
“Everything.”
Daniel pulled back. “Are you sure?”
Paragon nodded. “Please.” A tear escaped his blue, blue eyes.
“I only wish I was like you,” Daniel said. “That your first time... your last time was with someone like you.”
“Jesus, Daniel. You’re beautiful. When I was outside your window at the hotel and saw you come out of the bathroom... saw that it was you, that beautiful man from Kansas City, I couldn’t believe it.”
Daniel’s eyes were wide in surprise. “You really remember me?”
“Oh, yes,” Paragon said. “And you looked damned sexy in that towel.” He gave a chuckle despite his tears.
“I just can’t believe it,” Daniel said. It was so impossible. Coming to New York. Meeting Paragon. The battle. Being captured by Tyrant. Finding out Paragon was gay. Being told they were going to die. And now to find out Paragon was attracted to him? Now that he was going to die! “Fuck!” Daniel cried. “Now this happens?”
“I am so sorry, Daniel.”
“No. Don’t say that. Just say that you mean it. You really think I’m beautiful? You don’t think I’m a skinny geek?”
One corner of Paragon’s mouth rose in a gentle curve. “Oh my God, no. Perfect. I love your body. You are not skinny. You’re a colt. A beautiful, slim colt.” He ran a hand over and down Daniel’s chest and torso. “How can you say you’re skinny? You have beautiful muscles. A swimmer’s build is what they call it, right? God, I’ve always loved swimmers. And that bottom! My God. I don’t know how I kept from having a hard-on when you answered that door, me almost seeing you naked....”
Daniel felt his face heat up. “But you should be with a hero.”
“You are hero enough for me.”
“I can’t believe it.”
Paragon raised a brow. “Look at me,” he said.
“I am.”
“Down, Daniel. Look down.”
Daniel did, and gasped. There was no doubt that Paragon was aroused. I guess I don’t need to be embarrassed about getting a hard-on. His hero’s cock flexed and rose into full erection. So big. “This is crazy,” he whispered. “We’re going to die and....” He looked up again into Paragon’s beautiful face. “Fuck it. If we’re going to die, let’s do it right,” and he leaned up and kissed the man of his dreams.
Paragon learned fast for someone who had apparently never even kissed. Their mouths soon opened to each other, their tongues tangling, sighs and moans escaping them both. Daniel pushed Paragon back on the bed (I can actually do it!) and climbed on top of him. He kissed Paragon (Paragon! I am kissing Paragon!), his face, his eyes, his nose, his chin. He licked along the man’s jaw and then down his neck. Sucked gently at its side. Sucked at his Adam’s apple. Then down. Down. Down his neck and over his magnificent chest. Sucked at his large beautiful nipples. Their cocks throbbed against each other, uncaring of their impending deaths.
Hadn’t he heard that lots of people had sex after a funeral? That’s what this is. It’s just our funeral.
He kept kissing, kept licking, letting himself grow wilder as he went. Kissing. Nipping. Even biting. Letting his lips crisscross the great expanse of Paragon’s chest (velvet-covered concrete) and marveling at his fate.
Paragon cried out, near weeping. “Daniel! Ohmygod, Daniel! I never knew! Ohmygod!”
I’m
going to make this the best sex ever.
The kisses reached Paragon’s deeply carved abdomen. It was breathtaking. All of Paragon was breathtaking. Daniel had never dreamed he’d make love to a man like this. And it was Paragon. Fuck you, Tyrant. Fuck you for this.
No—thank you.
Then he was at Paragon’s cock. Paragon’s throbbing, stunning cock. Cut. How? He was supposed to be invulnerable.
He was cut before he got his powers, he answered himself, and then took the beautiful column of flesh deep into his mouth. He used lots of saliva. This wasn’t about the blowjob. This was about getting the man wet. Men loved his ass. So by God, he would let Paragon have it.
He climbed back onto the man like a mountaineer and straddled his hero. Reached back. Took that cock and began to wiggle back, searching for—
“No,” whispered Paragon.
Daniel looked into his face, questioning.
“Me. Please. Fuck me, Daniel. I want that so bad. You can’t imagine. Daniel, I always have to be in charge. I always have to be the hero. I always have to be strong. Please. You be strong….”
“You want me to…?”
Paragon’s eyes pleaded up at him. “Oh God, please. To surrender myself. Take charge, Daniel. I want to feel that. To be human. To be flesh. I have to see what that feels like. Please, Daniel. Hurry!”
Shaking his head in disbelief, Daniel climbed down his hero’s side. Paragon wanted him to fuck him! This really was too much. Too wonderfully much. Someone actually wanted him to be the top, and that someone was Paragon! “Roll over,” he said.
Paragon sighed and did as told…
...revealing a splendor such as Daniel never dared imagine would be offered to him. The man’s back was a great expanse of muscles, cut deeply by the line of his spine, which guided Daniel’s eyes down to Paragon’s all-but-impossibly-narrow waist and then up the swell of his high, round ass. The cleft that ran between those cheeks looked like a valley.
Men of Steel Page 16
