by Carol Lynne
Strong arms wrapped around him and lifted him off the floor. Breaking eye contact with Joshua also broke the spell. Cory looked up at Tao and blinked.
“What happened?” Tao asked, leaning down to come face to face with Cory.
“What?” Cory asked, still stunned. He leaned to the side to try and look around Tao, but Joshua was gone.
Tao righted Cory and cupped his cheeks. “Babe, what’s going on?”
Cory rubbed his eyes and shook his head. “Nothing. Sorry. I’m okay now.”
The longer Cory thought about it, the more he believed he couldn’t have seen Joshua. What would the innocent teenager be doing in hell? Cory rubbed his stomach, feeling sick. “I need to use the restroom.”
He started to turn away, but Tao stopped him. “Wait. I’ll go with you.”
Cory put his hands on Tao’s chest. “Please. I just need a moment. I’ll splash some water on my face and be good as new.”
“I’ll wait outside the door then,” Tao said.
With a sigh of resignation, Cory crossed the busy bar. As he weaved his way through the crowd, he scanned the area for Joshua. If he was there, what did he want? Cory pushed open the restroom door. “Wait here.”
Cory hated the worried expression on Tao’s face as he nodded his head. He’d have a lot of explaining to do, Cory knew that much, but how could he explain what he didn’t understand?
Upon entering the bathroom, he waited for a man to finish washing his hands. Once the man was gone, Cory turned on the water and splashed his face. Bracing his hands on the sink, Cory stared at his reflection. No wonder Tao looked so upset. I’m white as a sheet.
He heard arguing outside the door moments before it flew open. Lu stepped inside and leaned against the door. “What’s happened?”
Cory shook his head. “Just a little dizzy spell.”
“Bullshit. I was up on the balcony when I was nearly blinded by your aura. Who was that man?”
“Not a man, a boy, and I can’t talk about it.” Cory turned away from Lu’s knowing glare.
“Until you deal with it, you’ll never heal,” Lu explained.
“I don’t deserve to heal! Don’t you fucking get that?” Cory’s eyes and nose began to burn as tears threatened. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to get himself under control. “Just drop it. I’m okay now.”
Lu’s hand landed on his shoulder. “Next time you see him, talk to him. If he’s here, it’s for a reason.”
With tears swimming in his eyes, Cory turned to regard Lu. “I know why he’s here. I thought I’d found a slice of happiness, and Joshua’s here to remind me I don’t deserve it.”
Lu pulled Cory into his arms. “Maybe he’s here so you can deal with the past and move forward with your slice of happiness?”
Cory couldn’t believe he was being comforted by Lucifer. He buried his face against Lu’s shoulder. “The ache in my head and side tells me he’s not here to chat.”
“You think he’s the one who jumped you?” Lu asked, kissing Cory on the head.
“I didn’t until I saw him out there. Now? Yeah. I mean, it’s not like I can blame the kid for wanting to hurt me.”
A thought struck him. He pulled out of Lu’s embrace. “Maybe taking care of me is what’s holding him in The City. If I can give him what he needs, maybe he’ll be able to move on to heaven where he belongs.”
Lu’s eyes narrowed. “What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?”
“Nothing. I mean, maybe you’re right. Next time I see Joshua, I’ll approach him.” Cory didn’t tell Lu he’d gladly stand in front of the teenager and allow him to do whatever he needed to do in order to release him from The City.
Lu stared at Cory for several moments. During that time, Cory squared his shoulders and tried to show Lu he was okay.
“I need to get back to work,” Cory said.
Lu stepped to the side without saying a word.
Cory strode toward the door. “Thanks for checking on me.”
Lu remained silent.
As he opened the door, Cory prayed he hadn’t damaged his friendship with Lu by being less than forthcoming. Tao was still blocking entrance to the restroom, and Cory put his hands on the man’s back.
Tao spun around. “You okay?”
“Yeah, but I need to get back to work.” Cory took off, but Tao was soon beside him with a hand on Cory’s lower back.
“It’s almost time for me to leave, but now I’m wondering if I should stay,” Tao said once they’d returned to the bar.
Even in the short time they’d spent with each other, Cory had learned the importance the Sabbath held for Tao. The idea that Tao would compromise his beliefs for him warmed Cory’s heart. He wrapped his arms around Tao and pulled his head down for a deep kiss.
“I’m fine. I’ll see you Monday? Don’t forget you promised to take me to The Village.”
Tao brushed his lips over Cory’s again. “I haven’t forgotten. Will you call me if you need me?”
Cory nodded. “Really, I don’t want you to worry about me. I’ll be fine.”
“Nick’s going to follow you home.”
“That’s not necessary, but I appreciate you trying to look out for me.” Cory started to turn away, but Tao pulled him into his arms once again.
“I’ll always look out for you,” Tao whispered in Cory’s ear.
Cory didn’t doubt Tao’s statement for a second, but he knew if he was going to give Joshua what he needed, he’d have to find time away from Tao.
Tao glanced at the large clock over the bar. “I have to go, but remember what I said.”
Cory gave Tao one more kiss and released him. “I will. Thanks.”
Cory watched Tao take several steps before stopping and speaking a few words into Nick’s ear. Nick nodded, and Tao squeezed their boss’s shoulder before giving Cory one last wave.
After a deep breath, Cory returned to his work, confident in what he needed to do.
* * * *
Once in front of the elevator, Cory took his bike from Nick. “Thanks again for following me home.”
“No problem. Sure you can get it from here?”
“I’m sure,” Cory answered. The elevator doors opened and Cory wheeled his bike inside. He smiled at Nick as the doors shut. The moment he was alone, Cory released the breath he’d been holding since arriving at his building. It wasn’t that he was afraid of Joshua, it was more the unknown that got to him. He used to be the same way with mice. The small brown rodents didn’t really bother him if he knew they were there, it was the skittering across the floor in his peripheral vision that had always freaked him out.
The elevator opened and Cory pushed his bike down the hall. One glance at his front door and Cory’s heart started to race. He leaned his bicycle against the wall and approached his broken door. Glancing around, he wondered if anyone had even bothered to check on the noise such destruction had to have caused.
Probably not.
Cory gave the door a gentle push and walked through the splintered doorframe. His apartment lay in ruins. There wasn’t a lamp, picture or dish in the entire apartment that wasn’t shattered and littering the floor. It was obvious that whoever had trashed the place did so in a fit of uncontrollable anger.
“Joshua?” he called out, his stomach in knots.
After a quick walk-thru, Cory went back out into the hallway and retrieved his bike. At least his mode of transportation had been spared. He cleaned the bits of broken glass from the shredded sofa and sat. If his apartment had been trashed in normal circumstances, Cory knew he’d not only be pissed, but heartbroken as well. Strangely, the only thing he felt was…nothing. He didn’t even bother to try and close the broken door. If Joshua came back, Cory vowed to meet his nightmare head-on.
He had no idea how long he sat there before the phone in his pocket began to ring. As if on autopilot, Cory reached for it. “Hello?”
“Are you home?” Tao asked.
“Yeah.”
<
br /> When Cory didn’t say anything more, Tao spoke again. “Everything okay?”
Cory’s gaze scanned the destruction all around him, knowing it was nothing compared to what was going on inside of him. “Yeah.”
His answer was met by several moments of silence.
“Do you want me to come over?” Tao asked.
“No.”
Once again, silence.
“Can I call you in the morning?” Tao asked.
“Yeah.”
“Okay then. I guess I’ll let you get some sleep. It sounds like you’re tired.”
“Thanks.”
Cory hung up the phone and slipped back into memories of the night that his life had changed forever, trying to remember exactly what had happened that awful night had plagued him for almost twenty-five years.
* * * *
After trying to keep his thoughts on prayer for nearly two hours, Tao sighed. How could he pray when his mind and heart were somewhere else? He’d tried to call Cory after church service, but his lover hadn’t answered.
Standing, Tao crossed his hut to look outside. The sun was already starting to set. Did he wait until the end of Sabbath or go to Cory immediately? Tao’s need to protect the ones he cared about was what had landed him in hell in the first place. Still, he wouldn’t take back the murder he’d committed. Mahal’s mistreatment of his people had warranted the death. How many had died at his chief’s hands before Tao had put a stop to it?
Brushing the thoughts away, Tao turned and grabbed his keys off their hook. He walked outside, sat on the small stool and put his boots on. He prayed God would understand his need to check on the one man who made The City a tolerable place for him.
He tried to make as little noise as possible as he walked through the village on his way to the parking lot. Instead of climbing on his motorcycle and firing it up, he decided to push the heavy bike far enough away from The Village so as not to disturb the weekly day of observance.
Several blocks away, he climbed on and headed toward Cory’s apartment. Maybe Cory wasn’t answering because he was busy. Tao was ashamed to admit he didn’t know what Cory did on days the club was closed. During the week, Cory usually attended classes when not working, but Tao knew Cory was between semesters at the moment, which was why they had made plans for Monday.
Tao made a left and roared down the street. The closer he got to Cory’s building, the more his gut twisted. He should have checked on Cory the previous night after their odd phone conversation. It had been obvious Cory wasn’t himself despite what he’d said.
As he rode, Tao once again ran through the previous nights events. He’d been standing at the door when Baz ran up and told him something was wrong with Cory. Tao hadn’t given a second thought to leaving his position to run to Cory’s side. He’d found his lover staring off into space, completely oblivious to what was going on around him. It was as if Cory had simply checked out.
Tao shook his head. He still didn’t understand what had happened, and Cory had refused to talk about it. One thing was for certain, in order to get close to Cory, Tao would have to get the man to trust him enough to talk.
He pulled up to the curb and shut his bike down, pocketing the keys as he entered the building. After a short elevator ride, Tao made his way towards Cory’s apartment. The moment he spotted the door, his stomach started to roll.
“Cory!” he shouted, running the few feet to Cory’s apartment. He pushed the broken door out of the way and rushed inside.
Cory was sitting on the couch, once again staring off into space. Tao took in the destruction of the room and crossed to kneel in front of the man he was falling in love with. “Cory?”
Cory blinked several times and glanced at Tao. “What’re you doing here?”
“I came to check on you. When did this happen? Why didn’t you call me?” Tao began to fire off questions.
“I guess it happened while I was at work,” Cory was slow to explain.
“Do you think it was the same person who attacked you?” Tao asked.
Cory nodded. “I’m sure of it.”
Cory stared at Tao for several moments before leaning forward and falling into Tao’s arms. Tao tried to hold Cory as tight as he dared without applying too much pressure to his still-sore ribs.
“It was Joshua,” Cory mumbled, his face pressed against Tao’s neck.
Tao’s spine stiffened. “Who’s Joshua?”
Cory shook his head, refusing to answer.
With a hand under Cory’s chin, Tao made the smaller man look him in the eyes. “Please tell me who Joshua is.”
Tears filled Cory’s eyes. “The teenage boy I killed.”
Cory moved off Tao’s lap and slumped to the floor on his side. “I was drunk. I don’t even remember the events leading up to it. One moment I was partying in a bar, and the next I was in handcuffs.”
Cory wiped at his eyes and nose. “Evidently I was so out of it, I didn’t even see Joshua when he tried to cross the street. I ran right over him, killed him instantly. The police said I had to have been traveling at around sixty miles an hour in order to do the kind of damage I did to him.”
Instead of pulling Cory back into his lap, Tao laid on the floor next to him. He brushed the blond hair out of Cory’s eyes and gave him a soft kiss. What could he say? The guilt over what he’d done seemed to be eating Cory from the inside out. Tao didn’t know what that kind of remorse felt like. He had none for the crime he’d committed to land himself in hell.
“Why do you think Joshua did this?” Tao asked, smoothing Cory’s hair behind his ears.
“Next week is the twenty-fifth anniversary of his death. I think he’s seeking vengeance, and I can’t say I blame him.”
“Well I can, and I won’t let him get away with it. You’re paying for your sins already. You have to understand that you don’t deserve what’s being done to you.” Tao could tell by the blank expression on Cory’s face he didn’t agree.
“Was he at the club? Is that what upset you so much?”
Cory nodded. “I glanced up, and there he was, staring at me from across the room. He looked really sad. I felt so sorry for him.”
“Sad?” Tao looked around the room. “This isn’t the work of someone who’s sad. This is pissed.”
Cory wiped at his face again, cleaning the remaining tears from his cheeks. “Sad or pissed, it doesn’t really matter. He’s found me for a reason. I think I owe it to him to find out what he needs.”
“Fuck that,” Tao spat, wrapping his body around Cory. “I’m taking you home with me.”
Cory tilted his chin up and kissed Tao’s jaw. “You can’t shield me from my past, especially not here. It’s the reason I was sent to The City in the first place.”
“I’m falling in love with you. I’m not the kind of man who can just sit by and wait for someone to hurt you. That’s just not the way I was made.” Tao knew taking Cory home with him wouldn’t be without repercussions. Although the villagers weren’t opposed to homosexual activity, it was considered a sin to live with someone outside the bonds of marriage.
“I need some time to think. Maybe I’ll take a long bath,” Cory mumbled. The man’s normal spirit seemed to be missing, hurting Tao even more.
“Okay, babe. You go take a long soak, and I’ll try to get some of this cleaned up.” Tao rolled over onto his back, and Cory sat up.
“You don’t have to do that. I’ll get to it sooner or later,” Cory said, getting to his feet.
“You’re right. I don’t have to do anything. I want to.”
Cory gave Tao a forced smile before retreating to the bathroom. As soon as the door closed, Tao pulled out his phone. Maybe Lu would have an idea as to where he could take Cory to keep him safe.
* * * *
By the time Cory walked out of the bathroom, not only was the living room clean, but Lu and Dominic were chatting with Tao.
“Hey,” Cory greeted.
“Lu wants to help.” Tao stood an
d crossed the room to wrap an arm around Cory.
Cory’s chest squeezed. He couldn’t believe Tao had betrayed his trust. He pulled out of Tao’s arms. “You told them?”
“No. I mean, not everything. Just that I felt you were in danger.”
Cory growled his frustration and left the room. He entered his bedroom and slammed the door behind him. How could Tao do that to him? Lu wasn’t just some guy off the street. He was Lucifer for Hell’s sake. He fell onto his bed and covered his eyes with his arm. First his lawyer had gotten him off without having to pay for his crime, and now Lu? No way.
He heard his door open. “Go away.”
The bed beside him dipped, whoever it was ignoring his request. Cory uncovered his eyes to look at Lu. “I seriously don’t want to talk about this.”
Lu chuckled. “Really? Could’ve fooled me.”
“Just say what you came to say and leave me alone. Please,” he quickly added.
Lu sighed dramatically. “I don’t know what happened between you and this boy, but I do understand the need to face your past. Allow me to find Joshua and bring him to a place where the two of you can discuss your issues in a safe environment.”
Although Cory’s initial reaction was to turn Lu down, the more he thought about it, the more sense it made. “You’d have to promise not to interfere. Not just you, but anyone, including Tao.”
Lu eventually nodded. “I’ll agree to hold everyone back unless I see things get out of hand.”
Being made to pay for what he’d done to Joshua was important to Cory. He started to shake his head no, knowing Lu and Tao would be the first to get into the fray should something happen.
Lu held up a finger, stopping Cory’s words in his throat. “I’m a fun and charming guy, but don’t forget who I am. I can banish both of you to the inside of the Mountain of the Damned.”
“What? What’s that? Why’ve I never heard of that?”
Lu brushed a piece of lint from his expensive black pants before giving his shoulders a slight shrug. “You have your secrets, I have mine.”
