by CJ Roberts
61. Felipe
“Celia?” Felipe knocks softly on Caleb’s door. Uneasy about Celia’s absence and Caleb’s hesitancy to speak on the subject, he went to investigate the matter just as soon as he was able. After several long minutes, he repeats his query. “Celia?” He switches off the safety on his 9mm. Plans aside, he has to prepare for any deviation.
“I’m in here with Kitten,” Celia says through the door. Her voice is strained, as though she’s been crying and is now trying to hide it for Felipe’s benefit.
“Why is the door locked?” Felipe rattles the knob. He’s going to have keypads installed on all the doors as soon as possible, not just his and Celia’s rooms.
“Caleb was worried,” she says cautiously. “Where is he?”
“Downstairs with Rafiq. Open the door,” he commands. It takes a while, but Celia gingerly opens the door. Felipe’s heart clenches in his chest at the sight of a tearful Celia. He enters the room with his gun raised and his eyes vigilant.
“Tell her Caleb is all right,” Celia says. She stands firmly between Felipe and the girl.
“Why have you been crying, Celia? What happened here?” Felipe’s tone is deadly calm.
“Nothing, my love. I’ve just been keeping Kitten company.” She attempts a rueful grin. “She’s scared, Felipe. Tell her Caleb is all right. She’s worried about him.”
“He’s fine,” Felipe relents. Whatever has caused Celia such distress, he’ll root it out later. For now, it’s more important to him that he get Celia and Kid to safety. Whatever is to pass, it’s going to happen tonight. “He and Rafiq are having a drink. He should be up here shortly. We can all wait for him,” he says without lowering his gun.
“Why didn’t he come himself?” Kitten frets.
“He couldn’t, not without raising suspicions. As it was, I suspected something might be happening up here. Why were you crying, Celia?” Felipe asks again more softly.
“It’s just girl talk, Felipe. Please don’t make a fuss. She was terrified you were coming to hurt her, and it made me think about…” Celia’s voice trails off. Slowly, she raises her hand to his cheek. “Don’t you remember what it was like in the beginning?”
He does. He lowers his gun and presses a fervent kiss to Celia’s forehead. “I’m sorry she made you remember,” he whispers, “especially when I’ve tried so hard to make you forget.”
She reassures him. “I have, Felipe. I promise you, I have.”
With that, Felipe returns his attention to the other woman in the room. “Go wash up, sweet girl. Your master should be coming back any minute, and I suggest you’re ready for him when he does. You don’t have much time together.”
“What do you mean?” Her lip quivers.
Felipe is not without a heart, and this girl’s boundless capacity for love and forgiveness prods at his idle conscience. “I wish there was more I could do for the two of you. I’ve enjoyed watching your relationship unfold. Good luck to you, Kitten.” He means every word. He takes hold of Celia’s hand and escorts her out of the room.
62. Kid
Kid has been beside himself with worry for several hours, waiting for Felipe or Celia to come and retrieve him…or for someone else to take him prisoner…or to hear that one or both of them has been murdered. He’s angry with Felipe all over again for locking him away. His fingers rub the spot where Felipe’s punch landed. He’ll be tender for days.
Finally! A voice comes over the intercom; it’s Felipe’s. “Open the door, Kid. The code is 27-44-56-29.” Kid wastes no time in punching in the code. Celia envelops him in her arms and sobs into his neck.
“Felipe? What’s wrong?” Kid holds Celia to him as though she’ll fly apart if he doesn’t.
“There’s no time to explain. Put on these clothes. We’re leaving.” Felipe brooks no argument and Kid knows better than having to be told twice when his master is this serious.
Still, Kid can’t help but laugh as he zips his pants. “Did you have to bring me the lime green suit? I look like a gangly lizard.” Celia laughs and sniffles, Felipe shakes his head, and the three of them rush out of the panic room.
Outside, Reynaldo is waiting for them in a pitch-black Cadillac CTS. Kid barely has time to admire the vehicle before Felipe’s hand lands on his head and urges him into the backseat. Celia and Felipe slide in beside him. “Where’re we goin’?” he asks. Despite his cooperation, Kid is more than a little nervous about the night’s events. “What’s going on, Celia? Why are you both acting so strange?” His mind quickly fills with all sorts of awful scenarios.
“Sit back,” Felipe snaps. He places one hand on Kid’s chest and reaches across for his seatbelt. Kid looks at Celia who is already with the program and latching her belt. Felipe makes sure hers is secure anyway before he sits back and secures himself. Reynaldo is seriously hauling ass down the driveway.
Once they’re off the property, Reynaldo slows down and Felipe visibly relaxes. It’s odd to see this side of the older man and he doesn’t particularly like it. He prefers his master’s haughty and over-confident demeanor because it makes him feel safe. Kid doesn’t feel like he’s out of harm's way right now. He rubs his abdomen.
“I apologize,” Felipe says softly. He turns his face toward the window and reaches out to hold Celia’s hand in her lap. “I shouldn’t have hit you. Rafiq surprised me and I didn’t want to discuss your safety.” He meets Kid’s eyes and says, “I won’t ever do it again. A man has the right to choose his own destiny.”
Everyone looks so grim. It makes Kid nervous. “Hey,” he smiles, “just because I’m more of a lover than a fighter doesn’t mean I can’t take a punch. Ask Amanda Simpson; she punched me all through third grade and I still went out with her in junior high.”
Felipe grins in spite of himself and covers his mouth. “I still should not have done it. You’re my lover, not just my ‘fuck toy’ as you so eloquently put it once.”
Kid scrunches his nose. “Gross! Do you have to say it like that? Lover? Sounds so…old.” He winks at the other man, instantly pleased by the charmed look in his master’s eyes.
“You’re free.” Celia’s broken voice hits Kid’s ears like a slap.
“Excuse me. What?” Kid takes Celia’s free hand in his and squeezes. It isn’t until Celia hisses in pain that he loosens his hold the slightest bit. “Celia, what the hell are you talking about?”
She turns her blotchy face toward him and looks up at him through spiky lashes. “Is that what you want?” She’s so sad. Kid’s heart feels like it’s pulling apart in his chest.
“Celia,” Felipe says in his ‘I know what you’re up to’ voice. “Stop trying to manipulate him. You know better than I do that if we don’t give him his freedom, he’ll resent us no matter how well we treat him.”
Kid has never been more glad or miserable for his lessons with Celia. “You’re letting me go?” He covers his face with his hands. The worst days of his life begin typically. Kid’s parents went out for lunch and never returned. His uncle went out for a beer and wound up with his head separated from his shoulders twenty-four hours later. The normality of the events leading up to each catastrophe has always sat heavy in his gut. This morning, he woke up to Celia’s warm kisses and Felipe’s hot mouth on his skin. He was happy.
“Isn’t that what you want, boy?” Felipe asks. “Your freedom?”
“Yeah…I guess.” Please. Don’t send me away. Celia thrusts her face onto his chest and sobs. “Celia—”
“—We’ll travel by car for a few hours to a private airstrip. Reynaldo can take you anywhere you wish,” Felipe says. His tone gives nothing of his emotions away. Except…Kid can see how hard he’s gripping Celia’s hand. He can’t look away.
Kid has been wary of ever feeling safe and secure. Wary of the happiness those things might bring him. Terrified of what might happen if he ever found himself completely alone.
Terrified of this fucking moment.
“Boy. Look at me,” Felipe says
.
Kid calls upon every lesson Felipe and Celia have taught him. He meets the other man’s eyes without sobs or protests. He sits, quiet and patient, as this world crumbles around him too.
“Do you remember what I asked you when we met in the dungeon?”
Kid answers steadily. “You asked me what I wanted most in the world.”
“Do you remember what you said?”
Kid doesn’t dare look down toward Celia who is still sniffling on his chest. Felipe has a fondness for poetry, and Kid has to hand it to him—this shit is poetic. He’s going to give Kid his freedom now that he doesn’t want it anymore. Felipe has somehow found a way for him to provide his own send off and break his own fucking heart in the process. “I said…” he wipes at a tear that has somehow escaped, “I said I wanted to go home.”
“Yes, and you said you couldn’t because there is no one left to love you,” Felipe whispers.
“That too.”
“Do you still believe you’re unloved?” Celia’s shuddery words are softly spoken against him.
Kid shrugs. He’s getting fed up with this shit. “I guess.”
Felipe stares at him for several minutes as though he’s trying to decipher truth from fiction. “I’d wager you’re wrong,” he says simply.
Kid can’t take any more. “What are you saying?” He glances first at Felipe, then Celia. “You want me to go? I’ll go. You want me to stay? I’ll stay. Stop being so shy all of a sudden because we all know how ridiculous it is and tell me what to do! You’ve been doing it for months. Nothing new.”
Felipe kisses his teeth but a smile lurks in his expression. “I’ll take your desire for instruction under advisement, boy. For now, I’m asking you: Will you choose to stay with Celia and me? Will you choose us? Will you give us the chance to love you?” There is a hint of yearning in the question.
Simultaneous emotions bombard Kid’s every synapse. He’s falling and flying. Terrified and yet elated. He wants to cry and to laugh. But he settles for spewing out a stream of consciousness. “Fuck!” Kid exclaims. “Why the fuck didn’t you just say that? I thought you were getting rid of me! I’m over here choking down my dinner so at least I have something in my stomach when you toss me out. I’m wondering how I’m going to live without you guys, and the whole damn time, you never said I can stay?”
Felipe laughs heartily and pulls both his lovers close to him. He kisses both their heads. “Language, boy.” He pecks the younger man’s lips when Kid lifts his head. “Such a filthy mouth.”
Celia wipes her eyes and grins. She kisses Felipe, and then Kid. “We’ll just have to remind him of his manners.”
Kid laughs. “Yeah, I guess you better.” He boldly reaches beneath Celia’s dress to bury his fingers in her slippery pussy. Seconds later, he takes those fingers and slides them into Felipe’s mouth before he kisses the older man senseless.
They unbuckle their seatbelts because:
Celia can be too brave.
Felipe can’t tell her no.
And Kid is determined to obey.
-Fin-
Foreword
From CJ Roberts
Hello Readers,
I hope you’re enjoying the Dark Duet bonus materials. Most of you are probably unaware, and some author’s will frown upon it, but I am a huge fanfic fan (that’s right mofo’s, I’m a fan of the fans. That’s like, Fangirl Level: Ultimate Shit). Before you ask, no, I haven’t written any (that I would post online, lol). My addiction began in the 90’s after the original 90210 went off the air (I’m dating myself and I don’t care!). Today, you can find me cruising the Supernatural boards (mmmmmm, I <3 Sam/Dean). Anyway, I love fan fiction for a number of reasons, but mostly because it allows the fans to continue a story they love and share it with people who love it just as much. So I decided to host a writing contest.
Entrants posted their fanfiction on fanfiction.net and all titles are still available for free reading online. Judging was much more difficult than I anticipated. All of the stories touched me in a different way and each story read like a love letter from the reader to me. I had to publish them all!
Please enjoy them; I have.
CJ
Dark Twist
By Luna Quinn
Grand Prize Winner of Editing, Cover, and Review services on an original manuscript
CJ’s Thoughts: HOLY SHIT! It’s like you crawled directly into my head and hijacked all my dirty dreams. I LOVED THIS!! Again, each character was so beautifully, achingly, pain-stackingly TRUE to themselves that I couldn’t breathe because my chest felt so…ugh, I think I shed a tear in the middle of this super HAWT fanfic. There really isn’t anything Caleb wouldn’t do to prove his love, is there? I love that fucking man. And Reed!! PURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
“I’m only doing this for my Livvie, you understand me, Agent?”
“Yes,” Reed ground out, the muscles in his shoulders bunching with the strain of keeping his balance. His forehead was wet with sweat, his breathing fast.
Hanging from the ceiling. Who would do that to a person?
Livvie should know. How many times had she been in Reed’s position? One hundred times? Two hundred? Livvie smiled. She’d lost count.
“Yes, what?” Caleb asked, his voice even. Yet, there was no mistaking the authoritative tone in his voice. It wasn’t something Caleb had to work at. The man was fucking bossy by nature.
Reed’s jaw clenched. “Yes, sir.”
Caleb twirled the cane. It made a whistling sound that was new to Livvie, but she noticed the sound made Reed’s skin break out in goosebumps. And she totally got that. Something about the action mixed with the sound had her reacting the same way. Not so much to the cane itself, but to the man wielding the implement like an extension of his own arm.
Fuck, how many times had Caleb beat someone for pleasure? Pain? Fun? The thought made Livvie’s stomach twist and her sex tingle. Even after all this time, Caleb still had the same effect on her. She was such a fucking masochist. She feared him just as much as she loved and lusted for him.
“Better,” Caleb acknowledged. “You should know that my motives for giving in to Livvie’s…” He paused to look at her and his mouth lifted at one corner, one sharp fang peeking out from his god-perfect lips. Would she ever get over those damn smiles? “…nagging,” the bastard continued, “aren’t entirely selfless.”
Livvie rolled her eyes, but she was fighting a smile.
Caleb leaned in so close to Reed’s face it almost looked like Caleb was about to kiss him.
Her sex pulsed.
“I really couldn’t pass up the opportunity to beat the living fuck out of you, Agent.” Caleb breathed the words right into Reed’s face.
Reed couldn’t have moved away even if he’d wanted. The handsome FBI agent hung from the ceiling, his hands restrained in his own handcuffs.
“You’re not a stupid man, Reed. I’m sure you knew this before I even agreed to this. I don’t like you. In fact, I’m fairly certain I hate you. I don’t like you near my Livvie, and I would love nothing more than to help you with that breathing problem of yours.”
The suspended Agent would be able to smell the shot of whiskey Caleb had drunk earlier. Livvie was suddenly jealous. There was very little that could compare to the feeling of having all that intensity directed at you. Nothing better than having that barely leashed violence that always seemed to surround Caleb completely focused on you. No matter who he was now, Caleb would always be just this side of sociopathic. And handsome beyond compare.
Caleb backed off without so much as touching Reed. Livvie pouted in disappointment. Was a little man on man action too much to ask for?
“But Livvie likes you. Which only makes my hate for you exponentially greater.” Caleb’s eyes shifted suddenly. Half vampires like Caleb weren’t hard to piss off. They might be half human, but their other half was a dangerous predator. They were territorial by nature, so it was safe to say that Cale
b and Reed would never, ever be besties. “Nonetheless,” Caleb continued, “here we are about to fulfill this dirty little need of yours.”
Caleb’s grin was scary. All fangs and black eyes.
Reed scoffed. “Yeah, well, you should be in prison, you sick fuck. Nothing would make me happier than seeing you in an orange jumpsuit behind filthy metal bars.”
Caleb moved around Reed until he stood behind the restrained FBI Agent again. “I doubt that, Agent Reed. You seem to like me just fine standing right here holding this finely crafted cane, ready to take it to your flesh.”
Caleb gave Reed a tolerant smile, his face going back to human. Caleb’s bare torso looked golden and shiny under the track lighting of the finished basement, his eyes darker than his normal Caribbean blue, sparkling like sapphires. Livvie couldn’t take her eyes off him. It was the same every time they were in this space together. The instant she crossed the threshold of the basement door, all her senses went into hyperdrive. She breathed Caleb in here. Out there, she was an independent, successful woman, but in here, in this world she and Caleb had created, she was Caleb’s. His Kitten.
The room certainly wasn’t a full-on kink room, not by a long shot, but it did have a few of Caleb’s…special playthings. Like the pipe Reed now hung from. It was the color of fresh blood, and to others it might look like a cleverly disguised plumbing fixture—the red paint tastefully accentuating the decor of the room—but to them, to Caleb and Livvie, it was something used for pleasure. Or in Reed’s case, pleasure and pain.
“Asshole.”
“That’s it? No witty comeback? I’m disappointed, Agent.”
Reed kept his mouth shut, but fire burned in his eyes. Lust or hate, Livvie couldn’t tell.
Running the end of the rattan cane (Caleb had told her that’s what it was called) down Reed’s spine, Caleb spoke in that quiet, commanding tone. “But alas, my hate and the desire to help you stop breathing will have to be put on hold for tonight.” Caleb paused, a dangerous glint in his eyes. He flexed his hand around the cane. “Livvie’s desires come first. So I beat you to an inch of your life. Now breathe, Agent Reed.”
