“To where are we going?”
“My great-aunt willed me a cabin. I was on my way there when I found you. I want you to know that you can stay with me as long as you need to,” Drew promised.
Ciaran sat on the edge of the bed. “What if I am unable to get home? I know of nowhere else to go, but I cannot inconvenience you indefinitely. I must find a way home at once.” He bit his lush lower lip, his eyes downcast.
There was something going on here other than unwillingness to cause Drew problems. Drew sat down next to the half-demon. “Look at me, Ciaran.” He waited until Ciaran’s violet eyes met his. “Do you want to go home?”
“I must go home.”
“But do you want to go home?” Drew insisted.
There was a long silence. “No!” Ciaran burst out suddenly.
“Then stay here, with me.” Please stay with me!
Ciaran looked like a child who was wishing with all his might for a treat but was expecting a punishment instead. “You would not mind?” he whispered hopefully. “Truly?”
Drew reached over and squeezed Ciaran’s hand. “I would love to have you there,” he replied honestly.
Chapter Eight
The sign welcoming them to the small Northern Missouri town of Trenton read Population: 2,321. It had been a good forty-five minutes of basically empty road since the last town they’d been through, but at least it had a population of over ten thousand. It would have been obvious even without the sign that this place was much smaller.
As they rode along the town’s main street, Drew saw the usual small-town businesses: a post office, a small grocery store and a hardware store. Rather than the stereotypical diner, however, there was a coffee shop. He and Ciaran would stop there for some lunch before they headed out to the cabin. He pulled over to the side of the street by the grocery store and shut off the bike.
“We need to order a couple of things from the grocery store before we head out to the cabin,” Drew said, turning to Ciaran, who was removing his helmet.
“Good,” Ciaran replied. “I am hungry.”
Drew couldn’t help laughing at that. “Me too. Let’s go to the coffee shop down the street and get some food first, then shop. I don’t want to wait until we get to the cabin to eat, especially since I don’t know how much longer it’ll take to get there.”
Ciaran nodded his agreement to the plan. He put the helmet on one of the bike’s handlebars and they headed down the street together. As they passed an antique shop, Ciaran paused to stare at the store window. He did the same at the resale clothing shop they passed next. Drew had to slow down to accommodate Ciaran’s slower progress.
“We could come back into town in a few days and check out the shops,” Drew offered as they came to a complete stop in front of a pawn shop window.
“If it would be no trouble,” Ciaran began hopefully.
“It would be fun. If we’re going to be living here we ought to check the place out.” After he spoke Drew realized how easily that little “we” had jumped to his lips. He was talking like he and Ciaran were a couple or something. He shook his head, hard, and resumed walking. Ciaran followed, walking quickly now that he knew he’d be returning soon.
Inside the coffee shop, Drew headed for the counter and began to examine the menu. There were sandwiches, pastries, coffee and espresso drinks, teas, hot chocolate, sodas, and lemonade. Caffeine and werewolves didn’t go well together, so he decided to have a strawberry lemonade.
“Can I help you?” The girl behind the counter wiped her hands on her apron.
Drew ordered a roast beef sandwich, the lemonade, and then turned to Ciaran, who was looking bewildered by the choices. After a few minutes, Ciaran ordered a veggie sandwich on a croissant accompanied by a hot chocolate.
Drew carried the tray to a booth in the back.
Ciaran grabbed his sandwich and hot chocolate off the tray. He stuck his finger into the whipped cream topping on his hot chocolate and tasted it. His face lit up as he licked the whipped cream from his finger.
“This is very good,” Ciaran announced. “Do you want some?”
Drew felt himself swell as he imagined sucking whipped cream from one of Ciaran’s slim fingers. Since he was living in fantasy-land for a moment, he let himself imagine Ciaran moaning in arousal and offering to reciprocate by sucking whipped cream off Drew’s cock. Oh yeah.
Suddenly Drew recalled Ciaran had asked him a question he had never answered. In fact, he didn’t even remember the question. It didn’t help that he was sitting in a coffee shop with a hard-on that could probably cut glass.
Ciaran sat there eating like nothing was wrong, so it must not be too obvious that Drew was losing his mind. He shook his head and started on his own food. He tried really hard not to watch Ciaran eat.
* * * *
They stopped briefly at the store where Drew arranged a grocery delivery. When that task was completed, Drew turned the bike toward his cabin. It was only a few miles’ ride away. Drew had seen pictures of the cabin before, when Aunt Lizzie visited and when the lawyer had informed him of his inheritance, but seeing it in person and realizing that it was really his was amazing.
The cabin was small but neat, with old-fashioned log construction and dark blue shutters. There were planters at each of the front windows. The yard and drive were in wonderful condition. Obviously someone had been taking good care of the place while it had been empty. Drew couldn’t wait to see the inside.
He hopped off his bike, grabbed the saddlebags, and beckoned Ciaran to follow him. Moments later they were entering the front door. The inside was even better than Drew had expected. As he’d been told, the cabin was furnished. The small, cozy living room featured a fireplace, comfortable-looking navy blue overstuffed furniture, and a small television. Drew continued into the kitchen/dining room, which was bright and cheerful. It was decorated in yellow, and the curtains were open, allowing the afternoon light to stream in. The appliances were in good repair, and a quick check inside the fridge showed that it was clean and had been left on.
Ciaran had wandered back into the living room and was peering down the hallway. “Ready to check out the rest of the house?” Drew asked.
Ciaran nodded, and together they walked down the hallway. The first bedroom was the larger of the two and had been Aunt Lizzie’s. It was decorated in shades of blue and green. Drew tossed his saddlebags onto the queen-sized bed and they went to check out the second bedroom. It was smaller and very plain. The walls were beige—the only color in the room was a rather bland beige and blue comforter on the bed.
“This’ll be your room,” Drew told Ciaran.
“Thank you,” Ciaran said softly. His grateful violet eyes met Drew’s, and Drew nearly melted on the spot. Keep your mind on business! Drew told himself sternly. They quickly checked out the bathroom and the small office, which Drew determined would be perfect for his needs.
Just as they finished touring the house, the doorbell rang. Drew answered the door and was surprised to find the movers had arrived early. They brought in the computer, fax machine, and other office supplies he’d packed, as well as a few boxes of clothing and personal items. They worked quickly and efficiently, and half an hour later had finished and left.
The next couple of hours flew by as Drew set up his office and explained his job to Ciaran. Ciaran had never seen a computer before, so explaining that he was a web and software designer took some doing. When the computer was set up and Drew turned it on, Ciaran was amazed. Drew showed him some of the websites and software he’d designed, which Ciaran proclaimed to be “most impressive.”
Ciaran was equally impressed later that evening as Drew showed him how to work the stove, the microwave, and the dishwasher. It had been a while since they ate, so Ciaran proudly popped a bag of microwave popcorn and presented it to Drew. Drew put it into a large bowl, grabbed a couple of sodas, and headed for the living room to show Ciaran how to work the television.
Drew and Ciaran set
tled onto opposite ends of the overstuffed couch with the bowl of popcorn between them. Drew turned the TV on and found an educational program about animals of the rain forest.
“These animals are found here?” Ciaran asked.
“No, they live in the rain forest. That’s a long way from here,” Drew replied, reaching for some popcorn. Obviously Ciaran had the same idea, because their hands brushed together in the bowl. Drew felt a thrill go up his arm at the contact. He grabbed a handful of popcorn and moved his hand away as casually as he could.
He found his attention constantly wandering from the TV to Ciaran’s rapt expression. At times, Ciaran turned to share his amazement at the animals and Drew found himself thinking how nice it was sitting in front of the TV with someone, just hanging out.
“Look at that creature!” Ciaran exclaimed, breaking into Drew’s thoughts. “It has wings like mine!”
“That’s a bat,” Drew said. “They fly at night and use sound to navigate.”
“I think I should like to fly at night,” Ciaran mused. He seemed to ponder that idea for a moment, then turned back to the television. Neither of them spoke again until a couple of hours later, when Ciaran shut off the television and they headed off to bed.
Chapter Nine
After that first, strange day and night, things settled into a routine at the cabin. Drew went for a run each morning (often in wolf form) while Ciaran got up and made breakfast. They ate together, before Drew spent the rest of the morning working in his office.
Drew had a couple of web pages to work on, as well as a new program he had been working on for a while, so he had plenty to keep him busy. While Drew worked, Ciaran read, watched television, or did work around the cabin. Ciaran actually seemed to enjoy cooking, cleaning, and doing laundry. They ate lunch separately, but at dinnertime they generally fixed a meal together and shared it.
Dinnertime and the time after dinner quickly became Drew’s favorite part of the day. He enjoyed working side by side with Ciaran making a meal and talking as they worked. Ciaran was not much of a talker, but he was a wonderful listener and seemed endlessly fascinated by Drew’s work.
After years of living with his father and older brothers, who had barely tolerated him and thought his work was boring and not manly enough, it was great to have someone who cared what he had to say. Drew had never been able to have a real relationship because of his desire to hide his sexuality from his family, but having Ciaran live with him was beginning to feel like a relationship.
You can’t start thinking like that! Drew told himself almost daily. He’s staying with you because he has nowhere else to go. You can’t take advantage of that. Sometime soon he’s going to want to move out of here.
A week after they moved to the cabin, Drew was watching Ciaran laughingly eating spaghetti when he felt his mind turning once again to his growing feelings for his roommate. “Hey, Ciaran,” Drew began, mostly to distract himself, “It’s Friday, so the shops should still be open in town. Want to go check them out?”
“I would like that very much,” Ciaran agreed, finally managing to get the spaghetti twirled around his fork.
“We’ll go right after we finish eating, then.”
* * * *
Less than an hour later, Drew found himself in a pawn shop purchasing an acoustic guitar. Ciaran had seen a musician playing one on TV and had expressed an interest in learning to play. Drew could play a bit himself, so he figured he could teach Ciaran the basics.
He went outside to where Ciaran was standing in front of another shop window and handed him the case.
“Here,” he said, suddenly feeling awkward.
Ciaran looked at the case quizzically, then opened it. “A guitar!” A smile lit his face, and he turned happy eyes toward Drew.
“I can play a bit,” Drew said. “If you want, I can teach you.”
“I do not want to take up your work time,” Ciaran began.
“It’s not a problem. I need a break every now and then anyway.”
Ciaran’s excited expression was the only answer Drew needed. At Ciaran’s insistence, they went home right then to begin the lessons.
Chapter Ten
Giving Ciaran guitar lessons turned out to be an exquisite torture for Drew. He set aside time before dinner each day for the lessons. At first, he had to show Ciaran how to position his hands correctly, how to hold and use a pick and tune the instrument, and then how to play the chords. It seemed like he had to touch Ciaran constantly, and each time he did he wished he could really touch him.
Ciaran took the lessons very seriously however, and learned quickly. Soon he was playing songs on his own. He proved to be a lot more talented at the guitar than Drew had ever been. Within a couple of weeks Ciaran was creating simple songs of his own. After dinner he often amused Drew with short songs about silly things like the time Ciaran put way too much soap in the dishwasher or a story he had seen on a soap opera.
Drew loved listening to Ciaran play, but listening to him sing was even better. His singing voice was sweet but surprisingly husky. Drew would sit there listening, imagining that voice urging him on in bed. No matter how often he told himself not to think about such things, he couldn’t help succumbing.
Drew had often found himself thinking inappropriate thoughts about Ciaran. Nearly every night he dreamed of the two of them together in his bed. In his dreams he’d strip off Ciaran’s shirt to explore the wings hidden beneath. He’d kiss his way down that marble-pale chest and take Ciaran into his eager mouth. In one particularly memorable dream, he’d bent Ciaran over the kitchen table, stripped off his jeans, and thrust into him while Ciaran cried out encouragement in his so-sexy voice.
Even when Drew was awake, he couldn’t keep his thoughts in line. Many times he imagined reaching over to take Ciaran’s hand while they watched television, or kissing him when they stood at the sink to wash the dishes that couldn’t go in the dishwasher.
He realized that he had never been happier than he was now, with Ciaran here, and that was terrifying. Eventually Ciaran would want to get his own place, or even worse, find someone he wanted to date and bring her home to meet his roommate. That would be unbearable. Drew considered trying to find someone to date himself to take his mind off Ciaran, but he knew that wouldn’t work. Ciaran was the only one he wanted.
As Halloween approached, Drew became increasingly restless. His morning run was in wolf form every morning now. He often chased rabbits and deer, trying to get out his frustration before he returned home for breakfast. Changing did provide some relief, but being so close to Ciaran every day and not touching him kept Drew’s frustration level high.
Ciaran seemed completely unaware of Drew’s tension. He had found an old bicycle in the shed behind the cabin and spent time fixing it up. While Drew worked during the day, Ciaran had taken to riding his bicycle around, sometimes to town. One day, he rushed into Drew’s office carrying his guitar. He looked extremely excited.
“Drew!” he began, rushing into speech without even a hello. “I was at the park in town, playing my guitar, and a woman asked if I would play at her coffee shop this weekend. She offered to pay me fifty dollars! Do you think I could do it?”
Drew sat for a moment, stunned. He had known that Ciaran would probably want to get a job and make his own money some day, but he hadn’t expected it to happen so soon. Once Ciaran got a taste of the world out there, he would leave to start his own life.
I have to tell him that I’m gay. And I have to tell him how I feel. I can’t keep it inside anymore, he thought desperately. At least when he leaves he’ll know I cared for him.
He opened his mouth to tell Ciaran how he felt, but what came out was, “I’m a werewolf.”
“What?” Ciaran asked in confusion, obviously not expecting that.
Shit! I can’t tell him. Look what happened when I told my own father. “Sorry to just blurt it out like that. I should have told you this earlier, but there just never seemed to be a good time. I’
m a werewolf.”
Ciaran tilted his head, thinking. “I have read about werewolves. You can change into a wolf. Do you change every full moon, as the books claim?”
“No. I can change whenever I want or need to. Most of the things the books say about werewolves are wrong. The only things they get right are that we have an allergy to silver, we have a good sense of smell, and we’re strong.”
“Could I see you sometime…as a wolf?” Ciaran asked hesitantly.
“Sure. You can see me right now, if you want.”
“I would like that.”
Drew stood and stripped off his shirt. “I have to take off my clothes,” he said, suddenly feeling awkward. Ciaran seemed to notice Drew’s nervousness, because he turned around while Drew undressed.
“Okay, I’m going to change now. I won’t be able to talk afterward, but you can talk to me. I’ll understand you.”
Drew felt the usual pain and twisting as he Changed, the next instant, he was a wolf. He walked forward and nudged Ciaran’s hand with his nose. Ciaran turned and knelt next to him.
“You are beautiful,” he cooed, his voice both fascinated and awed. “May I touch you?”
Drew nodded his head, and Ciaran laughed. He reached out tentatively to touch Drew’s head, stroked the soft fur cautiously at first, but soon he was running his hands over Drew’s ears, neck, and shoulders.
It felt so good to be touched. Drew leaned into Ciaran’s caressing hands, whining encouragingly.
“This is amazing, Drew. Thank you for showing yourself to me.” Ciaran gave Drew a final stroke and stood. He turned away again, and Drew Changed back. He quickly pulled on his boxers and pants.
“Well,” Drew began, “that was totally off the subject. You were talking about playing at a coffee shop. I’m sorry I messed up your announcement. That’s really great news. You’re talented. I think you should do it.”
“Thank you. And do not apologize for sharing with me. I am honored.”
Drew actually found himself blushing. “I should have told you a long time ago. Now tell me, when’s your gig?”
Bat-Boy and The Wolfman Page 3
