Gargoyle Rising

by Meraki P. Lyhne

  I look forward to getting to know you, dear son.

  All my love, Dad (God, that sounds good!)

  Meino sniffled and laughed at the end remark, yet he felt cheated because he didn’t know all the letter implied he should by then. “He said I’m special. He was always going to tell me.”

  “Yes.” Burkhart stroked Meino’s hair, and Meino felt peaceful at having the big being with him. Maybe somewhere in the letters, Meino’s dad would explain why Meino preferred the Gargoyles and dead things over the company of humans. Or maybe Meino was just an introvert.

  Meino found the next letter and read it.

  Dear Meino.

  You have had an excellent first year in life. You have accomplished so much. From the moment you began to crawl, you quickly upgraded to hand and feet gorilla walk, and man, you can run fast! A week before your birthday, you decided to let go and walk on your own. Now you’re not so fast anymore, but I know that will change soon.

  I saw magic in you today. Your mother and I sat with you on the couch after your guests had eaten all the cake. You interacted with a coloring book that your aunt Gitta had brought for you. Only I could see what you conjured, because we both share a sight that transcends the physical world. I have never seen an elephant with such... interesting colors. I can’t wait to show you one so you can get those colors right.

  “I knew magic at age one.”

  “You still do, Meino, just not cognitively. I have witnessed you using it in the workshop many times.”

  “How?” Meino put his head back to look up at Burkhart.

  “You would without thought reach into a box and pull out the exact amount of things you needed. Or blindly reach for tools and pick up the exact tool you need, foregoing any other. Most often, it happens when you are listening to one of the audio books. When your mind is otherwise occupied, and no critical thinking intervenes between what you think you know is possible and between the instinctual magic in you.”

  “Hmm,” Meino mumbled and looked at the letter again. “I never noticed. Never thought about it.”

  “That will change now, little one.”

  Meino smiled, feeling both exhilarated and tired at the same time. He didn’t get to read the rest of the one-year birthday letter, as it was quite a bit longer than the one from the day he was born. Instead, Meino fell asleep cradled in Burkhart’s arms.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Lucien did what he could to let Nathan mourn, which meant leaving his lover to bury himself in a book, in research, or in Lucien’s arms for early morning reading and snuggling. But the general tempo on campus was picking back up after Gershman’s memorial service. The amount of flowers put at the professor’s office door was diminishing, and the lady at the front desk, behind which the box with the book stood for Lucien to watch, didn’t have as much work with collecting them and placing them by the slab of granite erected in Professor Nigel Gershman’s honor.

  It had been almost two weeks, and no one had come for the box. Lucien had already made a plan for how he was going to snatch the book without getting caught by a camera.

  But then four men came by in a truck. They had a letter stating that they were family of Gershman there to clean out his office. They looked the part, since they had long braided hair like Gershman. The lady took the box and handed to them, and Lucien sighed as he watched them make off with the top item on Nathan’s Christmas list.

  Since he had no reason to stay, Lucien went to hang around Nathan while he sat in class. He liked that much better, anyway, but it was clear that Nathan was less than thrilled with the new professor who took over Gershman’s position. At least it was the last class of the day.

  Once Nathan made it back to their room, he seemed agitated. Lucien went to share his space to soothe him, but it wasn’t agitation that shimmered through to him, it was excitement.

  “Hey, baby,” Nathan said. “I noticed you were back early. Did they finally collect the book?”

  Lucien stayed in him to answer yes.

  “Hmm. Okay. I’m gonna have to give you an order today.”

  Get the book anyway? Not that Lucien expected an answer.

  “Leave this room until sunset, and don’t peek in to see what I’m doing. You’re not to return until sunset unless you sense I’m in trouble.”

  As you wish. Lucien backed away before the chain would drag him outside the walls of the room. What was Nathan planning? Lucien wanted to be able to walk the park in the beautiful weather, but since he couldn’t, he toured the pond in shadow, glancing back toward their room. Luckily, he didn’t have to wait more than an hour and a half.

  Once the sun set, Lucien crossed from shadow to find Nathan grinning at him with a long-stemmed rose in his hand, a white button down shirt left open at the neck, and the sexy pants Lucien loved on him. The room smelled of delicious food. The table was set with a white tablecloth and candle lights and more roses.

  “Aw, what is this?” Lucien asked, closing in on his grinning lover.

  “I’ve been so down lately, and I figured we needed some we-time to obliterate my sadness.”

  “Couldn’t agree more.” Lucien pulled Nathan in for a hug and kissed him on the lips. “I’m so underdressed.”

  Nathan looked up at him, and the tenderness in his eyes took Lucien’s breath away. “I planned dinner so that you have time for a shower and a change of clothes.”

  “You did well planning this surprise. Thank you.”

  Nathan let go so Lucien could find fresh clothes and take a shower. He hurried through it, eager to be with Nathan again, but he took the time to shave and look his best while he wondered how Nathan had gotten a hold of fresh flowers. He wouldn’t have had the time while cooking. Nathan had to have planned this for a long time.

  Lucien left the bathroom, loving the hungry look in Nathan’s eyes as he bit his lower lip. Oh, he was planning something naughty, and Lucien’s heart did a pitter-patter.

  “Come sit,” Nathan urged, pointing Lucien to a chair. Lucien sat, and Nathan rummaged around in their small kitchen. He returned with a bottle of what looked like red wine, but he held a dishcloth around it.

  “Normally, only cool drinks are covered when pouring,” Lucien said, teasing.

  “Yeah, but I don’t want you to see the label.” Nathan poured just enough for a taste into Lucien’s wine glass before he stood back and smiled expectantly. Lucien even noticed that the wine glasses were new—varietal specific glasses, even.

  “Am I being tested? To see if I can guess the wine?”

  “No.” Nathan chuckled. “I just want your opinion before I show you.”

  “Mm-Hmm.” Lucien took the glass and smelled the wine before checking color and viscosity. He was so being tested. He finally drank from the glass and savored the taste. “Definitely a decent wine. Cabernet Sauvignon...” Lucien smacked his tongue and breathed out through his nose to see if he could decipher more, but Nathan didn’t give him time. He grinned wider as he removed the dishcloth and turned the bottle for Lucien to see.

  “Oh, my God! You found one,” Lucien exclaimed and got up as he took the bottle, staring at the label he had grown up putting on bottles.

  “Yeah, I had Severin help me track it down. I remember when you showed me his wine cellar you said you always hoped to find one of your uncle’s wines. We bought three bottles. That was all we could find. The other two are in Severin’s basement under do not touch.”

  “Thank you, mon coeur,” Lucien said, feeling emotions choking him up. How did he become so lucky to find a master and lover so focused on making him happy? He put the bottle down and hugged Nathan tight.

  “You’re welcome. Now, if you pour us a glass of wine, I’ll get us the food.” Nathan reached down and slapped Lucien’s ass playfully, wagged his brows, and released Lucien.

  Lucien poured the wine and sat, spending the wait by sniffing the wine and admiring Nathan’s ass. Nathan returned with two plate
s, placing them at their seats. Lucien groaned at the scent and sight. Steak, steamed and roasted vegetables, and something he had no idea what was.

  Nathan sat and held up his glass. “I’m excited about this wine. A toast.”

  “To meeting you,” Lucien said, holding up his glass.

  Nathan smiled and nodded. “And to meeting you.”

  They drank from their glasses, and Lucien kept his eyes focused on Nathan to see what he thought about the wine. Nathan looked positively surprised.

  “This is good.”

  They tasted the food, and Lucien felt pampered.

  “How did you get the wine here?” Lucien asked.

  “Ethan. He also brought the flowers.”

  “Oh. Where are they now?”

  “In Scotland, helping with something. Jenny’s been flying all over the place lately.”

  “Bet she loves it.”

  “She does, she’s thriving.”

  “Is school all you wanted it to be?” Lucien poured them another glass while Nathan finished his mouthful, but once he had, he thought about the answer.

  “Yes and no. Sometimes I get so eager because I finally think I’ve found something relevant to help break your curse, but then we’re rushed on to some irrelevant subject instead, and it infuriates me. I love studying, but...” Nathan shook his head, and Lucien felt sorry for him. He’d felt the turmoil in Nathan for a while, but it had become worse after Professor Gershman passed away.

  “I’m not the only one you have to help. The Order does a lot of good in general, too.”

  “Yeah, which is why I feel bad, because I just want to focus on you and the Order, but flying carpets and this new nine-hundred-page volume on new-age candle magic by color is...” Nathan pulled a face, and Lucien decided to change the subject.

  “I’m sorry to tell you that the book was collected by Professor Gershman’s family today.”

  Nathan sighed heavily but nodded. “I guessed as much since you came to hang out during class without popping out. I did ask Severin to see if the Order has a copy.”

  They finished the last of their food, and Lucien sat back.

  “But enough of all that.” Nathan sat forward and smiled. “You and me and the entire night.”

  “You haven’t had your nap today because of all this.”

  By the look on Nathan’s face and the way he bit his lip, Lucien knew the next sentence coming out of his mouth would be something about playing hooky the next day.

  “I don’t care about tomorrow right now. I’m gonna focus on my hot boyfriend and leave tomorrow’s lessons in red candles to someone else.”

  “That means we can have another glass of wine, then.”

  “It does. But I only have the one bottle of your uncles. Severin picked out two more.”

  “Two? Oh, you are planning on an all-nighter.”

  Nathan wagged his brows and stood to clear the table. Lucien helped, and they returned to the table with another bottle. Lucien moved his chair so they sat closer and took Nathan’s hand.

  “Thank you for all this. It’s not even our day yet.”

  “Yeah, I know, but I need it. And I feel like you need it, too, because I’ve been so down.”

  “I’m there for you in both the good times and the bad times.”

  Nathan closed his eyes and leaned his head on Lucien’s shoulder. They sat like that in silence for a while, and Lucien felt peaceful from the calmness he sensed growing in Nathan. Movement out the corner of his eye made him look out the window, and he saw it had begun to snow again.

  “All we need to make this perfect is a roaring fire,” Lucien said, pulling Nathan just a bit closer.

  “Or a hot tub,” Nathan said looking at Lucien.

  “Oh, yeah, a hot tub. We have to put that on the to-do list.”

  Nathan stretched for a kiss, which grew into more long and passionate kisses. He then put his glass on the table before doing the same with Lucien’s. Lucien was free for Nathan to straddle and move in for a more heated kiss that went straight to Lucien’s already filling cock.

  Lucien groaned into Nathan’s mouth and fought for the tight space between them to undress Nathan, whose fingers were already working through the buttons of Lucien’s shirt. Finally he managed to pull the shirt off Nathan’s shoulders and off his arms, but Lucien’s arms stuck between his back and the chair when Nathan struggled to do the same.

  Nathan grinned and moved off Lucien’s legs to kneel between them. “Well, now I know where I’ve got you.” Nathan opened Lucien’s belt, unbuttoned his pants, and pulled at them. Lucien lifted his ass to let Nathan pull his pants and underwear down. He then continued his struggle against the cuffs gripping his wrists, but when Nathan leaned in to gently suck his cock, Lucien stopped and moaned.

  “I’ve had fantasies about this all day,” Nathan said, licking and nibbling his way down the shaft while pushing at the inside of Lucien’s legs for him to spread them.

  “I knew it,” Lucien said, grinning.

  “Oh?” Nathan looked up while licking from balls to head, making Lucien quake and groan. “How did you know that?” Nathan tongued the slit, still keeping his gaze locked on Lucien.

  “The way you—” Lucien was cut off by another moan, when Nathan took him into his mouth and deep enough for the head to be squeezed by the soft tissue in Nathan’s throat. “Bite your lip,” Lucien finally managed in gasps.

  Nathan didn’t let up on his attention, and Lucien drifted away in pleasure as he sat tied down by his own shirt and Nathan’s hands and mouth pushed him steadily toward ecstasy. Nathan pulled back to spit on his fingers before devouring Lucien’s cock again and reaching under to run the slick fingers around Lucien’s hole.

  Another loud moan tore from Lucien’s throat, and he spread his legs to give Nathan more room. As a finger breached the tight muscle, Lucien’s self-control was gone, and the climax rolled over him. Nathan sucked and swallowed, holding on as Lucien quaked.

  “Oh, fuck, mon coeur.”

  Nathan hummed in response and licked, making sure he hadn’t spilled anything. He looked up, locking gazes with Lucien. Another shudder raked through Lucien at the sexy sight.

  Lucien finally managed to get out of the shirt, and he reached down to grab Nathan’s arms and pull him back up to straddle his legs. Nathan moved in for a deep kiss while Lucien grabbed his ass, kneading the plump cheeks and coaxing moans from Nathan.

  “Clear the table, I have a plan,” Lucien whispered against Nathan’s lips.

  Nathan snickered against Lucien’s lips, kissed him again, but then got off and moved their wine glasses to the kitchen counter. Lucien guided Nathan to lie on his back on the table and pulled up a chair.

  “What’s your plan?” Nathan asked.

  “Dessert.” Lucien pushed Nathan’s legs back and leaned in to kiss his way down his inner thigh while his hands explored all he could reach from there. Nathan sighed and relaxed while Lucien slowly narrowed his attention to lap at Nathan’s ass.

  A grunt of pleasure escaped Nathan, and Lucien dove in, licking and nibbling until Nathan shivered and moaned relentlessly.

  “Oh, God, I need more, please,” Nathan whispered and squirmed. “Please, fuck me, come on, please.” Nathan reached down, but he didn’t manage more than to mess up Lucien’s hair while Lucien ate him out more eagerly. “Lucien, please.” Nathan reached for him again.

  Lucien decided to give him what he wanted. He got up and hurried to the bedside table for the lube, and returned to where he’d left Nathan panting with a big pool of pre-cum on his stomach. While slathering some lube into his own cock, Lucien leaned down and licked around Nathan’s head, making sure to drag the soft underside of his tongue over the glans of Nathan’s cock, which made him jerk and moan.

  “Oh, stop teasing me, please, I need you in me, now!”

  Lucien stood and steered himself to enter Nathan, loving the expression as he slowly push
ed inside. Nathan quaked, and a soft whimper escaped him as Lucien sheathed himself fully.

  “Oh, yeah,” Nathan whispered and reached up. Lucien leaned over to kiss him, but then the table collapsed under them. Nathan yelped, and Lucien’s reflexes made him catch himself before he landed heavily on top of Nathan.

  “You okay?” Lucien asked.

  Nathan sputtered laughter and pulled Lucien down for the kiss that was interrupted by unsteady furniture. “Fuck the table, just fuck me. Fuck me on the table like you planned.” Nathan still sounded short of breath from lust, and Lucien kissed him greedily and pushed inside him again.

  Lucien lost himself in the throes of Nathan’s hunger, his demanding kisses, and the way he clutched at Lucien as they fucked on top of the broken table. It was raw and amazing, and Nathan’s cries for more pulled him into a fog of steeply building pleasure.

  Nathan convulsed in orgasm, squeezing Lucien tightly, and he rode him through it, his own following on the waves of Nathan’s.

  “Holy shit. We need to fuck so we break the furniture more often,” Nathan said between gasps for air. Lucien chuckled and relaxed, enjoying the warm sweaty body pressed against his own and the chill from the sweat on his own body cooling.

  “That was pretty intense,” Lucien agreed, shuffling himself around to not press Nathan against the hard surface of the table. They ended up in an embrace and enjoyed the aftermath until Lucien felt the chill become uncomfortable. “Well, in this little room, we now have two chairs, an armchair, and the bed to choose from.”

  “And that.”

  Nathan pointed blindly in the direction of the kitchen.

  “Hmm, you’re right. The kitchen counter is bolted to the wall, so it might not break.”

  “I’m willing to give it a go if you are,” Nathan purred and snuggled in to kiss Lucien under the ear, sending shivers through him.

  “Now?”

  “Hmm... no, we can wait five minutes. I need something to drink first, anyway.”