Wait Until Dawn

by Bailey Bradford

  Severo’s eyebrows couldn’t possibly get any higher. Chris only grinned as Severo sputtered for a second then snickered. “I don’t know why it’s hard to believe what you’re telling me, considering what I do.”

  “I had the same thought myself a while ago. Now—” Chris stood and brushed at the seat of his jeans before wincing. Scotchgard. “I need to talk to Rich, make sure he’s okay—”

  “He’s not, and he, uh, he doesn’t…”

  Chris expected it, but still, it hurt. He didn’t let Severo see that, though. “And when he said he didn’t want to see Laine or anyone else, how’d that work out for him?”

  Severo flashed a quick grin before bobbing his head. “Yeah, I see your point, and besides, Conner’s been nagging me to make you hang around. He wants to see your PA.” Severo’s honey brown complexion couldn’t hide his blush at the mention of Chris’ Prince Albert piercing. Chris thought it was adorable, then he felt that ghostly hand cupping his package.

  “Conner needs to get it through his head it doesn’t give him permission to cop a feel,” Chris said calmly, trying not to squeal and bat at the touch. “If he asked nicely I might invite him to watch me jerk off.”

  Conner was gone before Chris finished the last word.

  “Shit,” Severo muttered. “That’s not… I think I want one of those, maybe.”

  “Do some research first,” Chris advised. “I had an easy time of it but not everybody does. And you need to talk it over with your partner. It’s not a good idea to spring it on someone you’re with after it’s a done deal. Severo?”

  Severo looked up from frowning at Chris’ groin. His cheeks darkened more but Chris blew it off. Severo hadn’t been looking at him with lusty thoughts, more like trying to figure out how the piercing would actually look. “Two things—if you talk it over with Laine and he and you want to kind of check it out, I’m not shy and I won’t take it as anything other than curiosity if y’all want to see it. And who was the other spirit or whatever that was in Rich?”

  “I don’t know,” Severo muttered, “but we’re trying our best to figure it out with a little help from Conner.” Severo jumped and glared over his shoulder. “Okay, a lot of help from Conner, who’s going to be sucked into a vacuum cleaner and disposed of the next time he pops me on the ass. Grabby damn ghost.”

  Chris didn’t like it, but there wasn’t much he could do to find anything out either. He nodded and walked back to the door to the guestroom. The door was locked, but a soft snick from the other side and a phantom touch on his shoulder told Chris that Conner was probably asking nicely in his own spirited way. It worked for Chris. He turned the knob and entered the room, shutting the door quietly. Rich was on the bed, curled into a tight ball on his side, his back to the door. The rise and fall of his ribs along with the unnatural stillness proved he was faking sleep. Chris had held the man, watched him sleep. Some part of Rich was always twitching.

  “I’m not buying it, and I’m not letting you tell me you don’t want anything to do with me, or you’re fine, or any of the other crap you told everyone else so they’d leave you alone.” Proclamation made, Chris strode to the bed and hooked a hand under Rich’s elbow. It didn’t take much effort to get the man to roll to his back, although he didn’t open his eyes.

  “Come on now, I’m not leaving and you can quit hiding.”

  Rich’s eyes fluttered open and Chris hadn’t known the relief he’d feel at seeing those dark chocolate irises framed in white. He didn’t wait for an invitation and ignored Rich’s stiff limbs. Chris crawled onto the bed and lay beside Rich, whose gaze dipped to the bruises on his neck. Rich gasped and tried to roll away, but Chris caught him and held him to his chest while Rich struggled weakly for a minute. “I’m not letting go.”

  “Why?” Rich quit fighting and snuggled against him. “I don’t understand.”

  “I don’t either,” Chris confessed. “But I feel something for you, something that pulls me to you like an invisible string tethering us together. I can’t walk away and leave you like this now.” He cleared his sore throat against a swell of emotion. “Maybe not ever, though I can’t say for sure. We barely know each other, but we fit.”

  “No, we don’t.” Rich pushed to sit up and Chris let him. He could catch the man if he ran. “No one fits with me. I don’t even fit with me. There are other things in here—” Rich splayed a hand over his thin chest. “I don’t think they’ll ever go away, and I know I can’t go on like this. I wouldn’t subject anyone else to it. Look what I did…” He paled as he touched Chris’ neck with a trembling finger. “How can you not be afraid?”

  Chris was afraid. Not flinching at that brief brush over his neck was one of the hardest things he’d ever done, but he’d managed it because the alternative was to hurt Rich by showing that fear. And Chris was more afraid of hurting Rich, of losing him before they could explore this strange and wonderful bond between them. “It wasn’t you,” he said simply. “You wouldn’t ever have hurt me, and you certainly aren’t stronger than me. Whatever that was—whoever—” Chris tested the waters, saw the way Rich averted his eyes. “You believe it’s McAlister.”

  Rich dipped his head in agreement. “I suspected all this time. I’d wake up with something else in my head, images of the men he’d raped and killed, of Conner tied to the bed, screaming as McAlister eviscerated him, McAlister looking down at my body tied to Laine’s bed. I could f-feel his pleasure in s-suffering and—”

  “Shh, you don’t have to tell me unless you want to.” Chris wasn’t sure he could handle it, but he’d find a way, for Rich. “You can’t let him win. There was another presence, wasn’t there?”

  “Yeah, that one’s new.” Rich shuddered hard enough Chris figured it had to rattle his bones. “Showed up the night I decided to blow my brains out to put an end to McAlister once and for all.”

  “No, Rich, honey, don’t ever do that.” Chris ached inside, a sharp, hollow pain that reverberated through him, obliterating his center and every trace of the peace he’d found earlier. He found himself clinging, for the first time in his adult life, to another person, desperate to touch. “Don’t give him that, don’t give him you and take that from me. Don’t.”

  “Chris.” Just his name, one syllable. How could it carry so much desolation and heartache?

  Chris caught a puddle of moisture that spilled from the corner of Rich’s eye. He bent and kissed the tender skin, his hands tracing over any part of Rich he could touch. He wanted the man in his arms with every cell in his body, and he’d take him in the way that would be best for Rich.

  Catching Rich’s wide mouth with his own, Chris rolled to his back, pulling Rich on top of him in a way similar to the episode earlier. Chris thought he could handle it, but his stomach burned and clenched and a tremor traveled from his shoulders to his feet. He rolled them back to their sides, keeping Rich’s mouth busy, learning the taste and texture of the man all over again, branding the scent and memory into his mind.

  “Fuck me,” Chris pulled away long enough to whisper then promptly took Rich’s lips in a demanding kiss. Chris fitted his groin to Rich’s and cupped his ass, bringing their cocks together in a hard grind that had them both groaning. “Fuck me, Rich, don’t make me beg.”

  Chris swallowed the protest he could see coming before it spilled from Rich’s lips. He slipped a hand between them and unfastened his jeans, kicking carefully as he shoved them down. He toed off his shoes and socks, then he was naked except for his shirt, but he had that pulled off quickly and tugged Rich’s head toward his pierced nipples. “Please, honey…”

  Rich leaned back on his elbow and swept Chris with a slow gaze from head to toe. “Yes,” Rich said so softly it was more an exhalation than a word. He started to unbutton his shirt then stopped when he fingered the leather strip. “I want to feel you all over, but I—”

  “Put it on me,” Chris advised, trying not to shout out at Rich’s willingness to allow him to see the man’s sexy body. The
trust in him doing so was an even stronger aphrodisiac. “Here.” Chris lifted the necklace from Rich and dropped over his own head. He flipped the crystals to his back. “You want unlimited access to the front, the crystals go back. You want me on my knees or side so you can fuck me until I can’t breathe for a week without feeling you, I move them to the front.”

  “God, Chris!” Rich didn’t hesitate as he unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it aside. He was a little less enthusiastic about removing his jeans and boxers until Chris reminded him he’d already seen it. “Not quite,” Rich muttered then stripped the rest of his clothes quickly. He tensed and scooted to the edge of the bed, then stood and turned his back to Chris.

  Chris had to bite his cheek hard enough to draw blood in order to keep back the cry that threatened to burst free. There were so many scars, and shapes that maybe were supposed to be letters or something but they were nothing but jumbles of painful memories for Rich. Shoulders, spine, ribs, lower back, and his beautiful ass—all were cut and marked with thin lines, thicker lines, smooth and jagged. A particularly nasty one ran from inside the cleft of Rich’s ass to the divot in his right cheek. Chris vowed then and there to find a way to vanish McAlister, and if it were possible to make a ghost or spirit or demon, whatever the fuck McAlister was, if Chris could make it painful for the son of a bitch to be exorcised, then he’d do it. Gladly.

  “Come here, sweetie,” Chris crooned before the silence could be extended too long. Rich looked doubtful as he crawled onto the bed. Chris wanted to ask about the scar that delved into Rich’s crease, but he’d find out in time hopefully. If Rich couldn’t take him anally, there were plenty of other things they could do. Fun things, like— “So you’ve never blown anyone with a PA? Wanna try? Because I have to say, your mouth on my dick felt pretty spectacular yesterday. Almost made me come too quick.”

  I should say no. I should leave if he won’t. I almost killed him! But Rich could see Chris wanted this, needed it as much as he did, and he wasn’t a good enough man to deny either of them this pleasure. He eyed the fat cock and the piercing through the glans and urethra. “Fuck, that’s so sexy.” And he couldn’t wait any longer, but— “Can I, um, turn?”

  Chris’ face lit up like the New Year’s Eve ball dropped in Times Square. “Oh, definitely, I love simultaneous sucking.” Chris winked and helped Rich slide into place, then Rich was faced with the bounty of Chris’ thickly veined cock and his big furry balls.

  “Mmm,” Rich hummed as he nuzzled Chris’ balls. Musky and sweat-tinged, the scent set fire to the need in Rich, spurring him into action. He lapped and sucked first one nut then the other as he squeezed and pumped the base of Chris’ dick. Chris’ answering volley of several slow licks from the crown of Rich’s shaft to the soft skin right behind his balls nearly distracted Rich from his prize. He whimpered at the firm flick of tongue over his frenulum then set about sucking the cum from Chris’ dick. The hoop piercing was fascinating, as was the way Chris’ rhythm stuttered and even completely died when Rich stuck his tongue through the hoop and tugged. The rougher he was with it, the louder Chris’ cries were, and Rich found himself addicted to the sounds his lover was making.

  Rich sucked the pre-cum leaking from the tip, rolling the tasty liquid over his tongue. Truthfully the piercing intimidated him and turned him on, but he wasn’t sure about having it in his throat. He fisted the base of Chris’ shaft and slid his lips around the crown, tonguing the hoop then the small sensitive bundle of nerves that set Chris to pleading for more. Rich thrust his own cock forward, plunging into Chris’ mouth and moaned around the plump glans. He cupped and rolled Chris’ balls as he worked more of Chris’ length into his mouth. He lost himself in the act of pleasuring his lover, not caring when Chris’ mouth went slack around his shaft as Rich pushed a spit-slicked finger into Chris’ tight opening.

  “Fuck it, Rich, please, I need you!”

  Rich smiled around his mouthful of cock and sucked harder, his tongue tapping a rapid beat over the thick veins pulsing under it. He used to be good at this, sex and driving his partner over the edge—why had he thought he wouldn’t still be? Rich curled the finger he had buried in Chris’ ass, catching the spongy gland inside. He pumped the base of Chris’ cock faster as he bobbed and slurped, a firm believer that a messy, wet blow job was always the best kind. Saliva ran down the length of Chris’ penis, spilling onto his balls and dripping lower still. Rich nudged his thumb against the bottom of Chris’ balls as he worked a second digit into his lover’s pucker.

  Chris thrashed and undulated, his hand loosely fisting Rich’s dick. Rich pumped his fingers in a series of short jabs, twisting the tips around the inner rim, loosening the tight muscle stroke by stroke. Chris’ moans were louder now, his shouts and pleas inescapable to anyone in the house and likely in the yard. Maybe even the surrounding mile, Rich thought smugly, as he grazed the underside of Chris’ crown with his teeth. Chris’ ass clenched around his fingers in warning and Rich pushed a third one in as hot cum spewed into his mouth. He swallowed and lapped at the treat, seeking every drop.

  When he was certain he had it all and Chris’ dick was too sensitive for him to continue suckling, Rich released the softening length and laved a path from Chris’ balls to his stuffed hole. Chris bellowed and almost unseated him when Rich nipped the stretched ring. He sucked hard on the soft skin right above, applying pressure to the spot inside and out. Chris was panting as if he’d run for hours. Sweat slicked his skin—his abdomen was shiny and streaked with it. The ridges were deep and Rich promised himself he’d lick every drop of sweat from them next time. If there was a next time.

  Chris was dying. His body couldn’t possibly handle so much ecstasy. The nerve endings in his body were going to explode and he’d turn into a gross pile of goo. Rich pushed further into him and Chris couldn’t stifle the scream as pleasure seared from his ass to his balls and cock then all the way up to his brain. No one had ever mastered him so quickly and had it been anyone else but Rich, Chris had no doubt he’d be running out of the door right now no matter how good he felt. The scrape of teeth over his rim sent Chris’ thoughts to scattering and his mouth to babbling.

  “Please, please, honey, Rich, now, I can’t—” Chris gasped as another electrical current of pleasure rippled over him. “Rich! Uhn!” That was it, he was gonna die, his heart would give out—

  “Condom? Lube?”

  Rich had to repeat the question a few times before it made any sense to Chris. He flopped a hand in the direction of his jeans and managed to mumble, “Wallet.” A lubed condom would do, and Chris preferred it sometimes when he wanted the bite and pinch, the burn of penetration. He had meant it when he said he wanted to feel Rich for a week every time he took a breath.

  Rich crawled back on the bed with the condom open. “No lube?”

  “No need,” Chris croaked. Rich straddled his chest and held the package out to him. Chris took it and managed to slide it on his lover despite the way his arms felt like overcooked spaghetti noodles. Rich smiled down at him, a wicked sexy tilt of lips that speared lust straight to Chris’ ass. He needed this, and Rich was going to give it to him.

  “On your knees,” Rich ordered, moving aside and Chris let out a whoop as he immediately rolled over. “Like it this way, do you? Because I can fuck you hard and deep or—”

  “Yes,” Chris interrupted. “Need to feel you, like I said. Want your bruises on my hips, your hands clenching while you shove that big dick in me.”

  “That’s what you want?” Rich asked, one hand clamping hard on Chris’ hip while his cockhead nudged Chris’ hole. “You want me to just—”

  Chris’ strangled gasp drowned out the rest of Rich’s words as Rich filled him with one swift thrust. Chris couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t do anything but experience the pain and pleasure of the rough entry. His rectum contracted and the pleasure intensified. Chris’ eyes nearly crossed from it and his dick was already erect and leaking onto the bed. He was going
to come embarrassingly fast.

  “Goddamn it, like being in a wet velvety fist,” Rich rasped, then the time for words was gone as he took hold of Chris’ hips and began slamming into him.

  Chris arched his back, sticking his ass up for more, shivering as Rich’s balls slapped against his. It was too good, too perfect, and when Rich angled his thrust and slid the head of his cock over Chris’ gland, Chris’ vision whited out and he shot his load without having touched his shaft. Rich’s grunt was tinged with desperation and Chris clenched his cheeks, setting his inner muscles to rippling and massaging Rich’s dick. Rich jabbed into him with a series of erratic thrusts, then he ground his hips against Chris’ ass, moaning as he filled the condom. Chris felt the warmth inside him, the pulse of Rich’s thick cock, and the only way it’d have been better was without the barrier between them. Even in his sex-stupid state, or maybe because of it, Chris knew they’d have that, in time.

  Chapter Nine

  Trying to put some emotional distance between himself and Chris after that was impossible. Rich couldn’t find the strength to roll away from the man for longer than it took to dispose of the condom. He also couldn’t stifle the blossoming hope as he listened to Chris talk about his mother. It wasn’t long ago Rich would have been scoffing at Wiccans and any other religious sect, but maybe he’d only been envious that those people had found something to believe. He had something to believe in now—the man lying beside him. His magical lover who saw auras, something else Rich wouldn’t have thought possible, but there were spirits, and he was possessed or something very close to it, so why not auras?

  “I don’t think you’re possessed,” Chris said out of the blue. He’d just been talking about giving his next long haul to an associate so Rich and he could spend more time exploring their new relationship.