Swallowing Mayhem

by James Cox

  “Dust storm.” Mayhem startled me with his deep baritone voice.

  I glanced behind me as the wind outside picked up. “Yeah. Going to be a dark night.” Mars didn’t have rain. When we had a storm, it was all wind and red dust scratching your skin and annoying your eyes. Nearly all the buildings were set for some seriously high winds. A few construction rigs had fallen down in the past. The only major thing from a storm on Mars were the lights. Our electricity was all solar. At night, the solar power collected from the day powered us up. However, a bad storm with strong winds tended to fry the backup. Thus, no lights. Eh, it didn’t bother me. So, what if we had to sulk around in the dark for a while. I bet the government was going to panic now that the lights on the edge of the city were defunct. They’d probably step up their patrol at least by three men. The couch dipped and I was surprised to see Mayhem kneeling next to me. While I was thinking, he must have lit up a cigar. The end was bright as he inhaled and the white smoke swirled around him. “The city looks nice like this. All dark. Hints of light from candles in windows.”

  “Kind of looks like Earth,” he muttered.

  There was only the prison on Earth now. There’s mining, but mostly we’re trying to let nature take it back into the amazing planet it used to be before we fucked it up. I’d never been to the prison there. The guards were paid a lot of money, but it was a minimum ten-year gig. Ten years on Earth away from the city, your family, your whole world. That’s beside the fact that getting to and from wasn’t exactly incident free. I think the count was up to over ten thousand dead because of asteroids, malfunctions, etc. “Your father sent you there.”

  He nodded. “That was my first time. Only for a year.”

  He’d survived more than one trip. Not a common occurrence. Prisons didn’t use expensive transport ships. They were thrown in a cheaply made pod and shot out into space, hopeful that the trajectory didn’t get messed up or an asteroid hit them before they landed. “Two times?” I knew he was older than me from the government file. Mayhem was thirty-seven. Eleven years older than me. But I never got to read the whole file. Now, I wondered how many times he’d been there.

  “Second time was the worst. My fucking pod malfunctioned. Almost sent me into the damn sun.” He took a puff of his cigar. “Peacekeepers raided this joint years ago. Probably before you had hair around your dick.”

  “Funny.” I rolled my eyes.

  “Shitheads found our alcohol stash. Since its illegal, I took the fall for the club. Two years because of the high alcohol volume. I wasn’t as big back then either.” He flexed his muscle.

  The movement made those uncomfortable feelings rise. My dick nudged to life. Damn it!

  “I got into many fights to prove my ass wasn’t a free hole.”

  I winced. The prison rumors have been gaining that the guards were becoming too lax.

  “Third time was three long years.”

  “Fuck,” I muttered. Three times in prison. Mayhem wasn’t just a threat he was the threat.

  “That time was for explosives. I was getting better with them, practicing more. I blew up a car that held gun ammunition for the peacekeepers. They didn’t like it all that much. But I loved watching it. There’s this quiet, a stillness almost, and then that rumble as the bomb begins. The explosion makes my blood pump faster. My heart beats so strong sometimes I think it might burst. People run, screaming, debris fills the area and that tiny bomb has disintegrated, creating mayhem.”

  Suddenly his name made sense.

  “I watched too long. They caught me. Three years and I had nasty fuckers for guards that time. I couldn’t keep count how many men they beat into submission. I worked the mine instead of staying in their radar. Down there, there’s nothing but rock and dust. It’s where I started using my muscle, working them bigger, and I was hooked. Smoked my first cigar there too.” Mayhem shook his head and snorted. “Traded it for a blowjob on some ugly fucker that had a body like a god.”

  I scoffed, hiding my erection closer to the couch. My dick was lengthening. The shaft growing and that soft skin was thickening. What the fuck? Why did he stir up all these things inside me? I’d spent twenty-six years of my life happy to be a straight man. However, when I went to the breeding house I only picked the virgins. I made sure their first time wasn’t rough or horrible. Well, less horrible than it could be. I hadn’t been to the house in years, even before they blew it up. I was content with my hand and now my dick was getting all excited for another man. It made no fucking sense.

  “Six years of my life spent on Earth. It’s not as bad as they say there. Quiet. Dark but the air’s fresher and there’s rain. Water falls from the sky. Sometimes it even turns colder and forms these ice crystals that dissolve on your skin.”

  “Snow.” I read about that. No law-abiding citizen on Mars ever experienced rain or snow before. Mayhem had me wondering about it. The wind outside blew hard against the window. There were small dinging noises as thicker pieces of sand hit.

  “We all did time for this club, Torrin.”

  There he was saying my name again. It unnerved me how he was the only one not to call me Two or asshole or shithead. It made this bond between us grow but my betrayal sting harder.

  Mayhem looked at me. “This isn’t just a bunch of guys. This is a family. Some of us are a little more fucked up than others.” He sucked on his cigar. “Whip.”

  The computer guy. I lifted a brown eyebrow. “Really?” How bad was Whip that even these guys thought he was out there?

  “Yeah. Don’t ever agree to sex with him.”

  “Noted.”

  “I’m glad you joined us.”

  I smiled, but it was hard to hold. Thankfully the light still hadn’t turned on so he wouldn’t be able to see too much of the lie in my expression.

  Mayhem let out a deep breath, more smoke filling the room. “I’m going to go make sure the garage is locked up tight. Last time Prospect didn’t lock the door and we had a good foot of sand in there. Fucking idiot.” He backed off the couch and gave my butt a smack.

  It was so startling I jerked. “The fuck?”

  Mayhem laughed. It was a long, deep laugh that made me wonder if his chest rumbled with the sound. Then he walked off.

  I glanced back at the dust storm raging outside and the one raging in my pants.

  Chapter Five

  The lights were out all night. I fell asleep on the couch, thinking about homosexual things that did nothing but embarrass and confuse me. Why would I possibly focus on Mayhem’s words about his first blowjob? I constantly wondered what his dick looked like, felt like, and tasted like. I woke up with a hard-on that I was tempted to deal with. However, the rest of the club was up. I was doing paperwork for the garage, then stuck helping a mechanic. Of course, it wasn’t complete until I got to clean the clubhouse. It was all boring, menial shit, but that’s what a prospect did. Thankfully, Prospect actually didn’t mind doing this work. He took over for me as the sun started to set. I made my way to the garage. The bar had a lot of people in it and the patch members were up there so I had some time to actually think. Not that I wanted to. I walked to the garage and found a bike they’d fixed up. I sat on the seat, placing my hands on the handles to feel it out. I’d ridden before. Hell, most of the population rode hover bikes. They were twice as cheap as hover cars and easier to park. I had to buy one for this undercover assignment, but I hadn’t used it. Not once. It was out there in the parking lot looking sad and pathetic.

  The sun was fading, shadows filling up the brightness that was there a minute ago. I was left to think. What the hell was I going to do? I actually wanted to come clean to the club. The things Mayhem said made sense. I understood why they felt the need to fight and that small, nagging voice I always pushed down was rising. Things kept popping up, memories that made me wonder whose side I was on. A slave was sold and a child beaten and I didn’t talk to my father anymore. Most men would have encouraged the brutality because that was the law. I hated t
he way we treated women. It was all crashing down on me like a dust storm suddenly picking up boulders. Hit after hit crushed me under the weight of my thoughts. I knew that if the government called me for a report, I’d lie. I’d actually lie and it would be solely to protect this club. For Mayhem. He got to me like no one else ever had. Damn it, how does a guy suddenly show interest for dick? That should be impossible, but the bulge in my pants said otherwise.

  My life was so fucked up I didn’t even know which direction was up.

  Then I heard heavy steps coming down the hall. Mayhem came out the door I left open. His face was almost red with rage. What had happened?

  “What’s wrong?”

  He walked up to me and fucking slugged me in the face. The punch was so strong and well placed that I lost my balance and fell off the damn bike. My eye radiated pure pain and I knew it’d be one hell of a black eye.

  “You fucking shithead!” He spoke quietly, but it was suppressed rage. He came around the bike, hands still fisted.

  I fumbled to my feet. The guy that gave me a hard-on was also going to beat me to death. That seemed more fucked up than usual. “Mayhem?”

  He threw something at me. It bounced off my shirt and landed on the floor. Even with the dim light, I recognized it. My throat closed up and breathing became hard. I lifted my head and started at the angry beast before me. What he threw at me was an information chip. The one I stole from the chapel. It had blueprints for the peacekeeper buildings. It wasn’t enough to hurt the club but maybe show their intention with the bombings. The government didn’t think it was enough and kept me here. Now, Mayhem found it.

  “You. Are. The. Rat.” Each word was forced out between clenched teeth.

  Oh, fuck. I braced myself but took his punch. I felt the sharp pain as his fist slammed into my stomach. I fell forward and he grabbed a handful of my hair, pulling me up to stare at him.

  “You fucking rat.” He wrapped his hand around my throat.

  Air was suddenly not getting in. I sputtered, shaking my head but I didn’t fight him. I deserved this beating. It was for all the times I should have done the right thing and didn’t. It was for all the people I hurt being a peacekeeper. Mayhem let go of my neck and hair then slugged me in the face again. I felt my lip split, the blood seeped into my mouth tasting coopery. I landed hard on my side and moved to my knees. Blood dribbled down my chin as Mayhem picked me up by my hair again. “I’m not a rat!” I managed to yell before he hit me again.

  Mayhem hesitated. “Don’t lie to me, fucker.”

  “I swear. I am not a rat. I’m a peacekeeper.” Okay, not the best plan ever. His fingers tugged my hair harder until I thought he’d tear the strands right out of my scalp. “I’m sorry. Jesus, Mayhem. I’m sorry.”

  His gaze traveled the line of blood coming from my split lip. “You betrayed us.”

  “I know and I’m sorry. I didn’t realize the peacekeepers, the government, were the bad guys. That’s all I knew, but you opened my eyes, Mayhem. You showed me the truth.” I thought for sure he’d kill me, but apparently Mayhem liked me because he didn’t. He stood there, breathing heavily and frowning. “I didn’t give them anything else. I could have. I could have given them a lot of shit, but I didn’t, Mayhem.” I spit some blood out of my mouth, the sanguine liquid already slowing down. “I made a mistake. I didn’t know. Don’t kill me.”

  Mayhem let me go and kicked the bike. His expression was fucking scary like a wild animal about to charge. “If I tell the club, they will gut you. Rats are only useful when they’re fucking dead. But I cannot hide anything from them. They’re my brothers. You’re just a man I’m attracted to. You should have no fucking hold on me.”

  “What if I can give the club something they want? Something big.”

  “There’s nothing...”

  “What if I can give them the blueprints to the government building?” I was in there quite a bit because of my father and then being a promising peacekeeper.

  Mayhem stilled. “You’re serious.”

  “Yes. I give them the blueprints, they spare my life, and...and let me stay in the club.”

  “Are you bleeding in the fucking brain? Why the fuck would you want to stay in the club, you’re a damn peacekeeper!”

  “Was. I was a peacekeeper. You changed that.” Then I used my big balls in an entirely different manner. I used them for fucking courage and kissed Mayhem. Hey, if they killed me at least I went knowing these confusing feelings had some kind of outlet. It was different kissing a man. His lips were rougher. His beard scraped at my skin. My lip bled more as our mouths pressed together. I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to take the lead or he was. I pulled back surprised by how much I liked kissing him.

  “You’re a stupid fucker,” Mayhem said then grabbed my shirt and tugged me to him.

  This kiss was more action. Our lips parted, our mouths fused together, and his tongue pressed into my mouth. I was still as Mayhem showed me he was dominant. He was the one taking charge. I wasn’t sure where to put my hands. Did I place them on his shoulder or his hips? Did I touch him lower? Hug? I was lost. Then I was swept away by his kiss. He made my mouth feel raw and ravaged. His tongue found mine. Our saliva mixed with a few drops of my blood and this kiss took on a completely new meaning. This shoved me from confused into surety. I knew I’d done the right thing. Mayhem felt right. He moved away, staring at me with half-lidded eyes.

  “I guess I’m a stupid fucker too.”

  I snorted, but the adrenaline was fading. My face and stomach were starting to hurt.

  Mayhem winced as he touched below my eye.

  “I deserved it.” I honestly believed that. Hopefully, Outlaw and the club would see it as fit punishment and not a prelude to more pain for my lapse in judgment. “I meant what I said. You changed me.”

  Mayhem inhaled and exhaled slowly. “We can’t just come out and tell him. Not right now. After our guest leaves.”

  Who was coming?

  “At chapel tonight. We’ll fucking tell him.” Mayhem placed his forehead against mine.

  It was awkward. Okay, I felt awkward. It wasn’t every day I was this close to a man that I wasn’t fighting with. “Now what?” Did we kiss again? I kind of wanted to. I wanted to see how far this whole gay thing would go. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to take it up the ass yet, but kissing had a been a damn good start and I liked it enough to try again.

  “We get you cleaned up. You look like shit.”

  I scoffed. “You should see the other guy.”

  Mayhem grunted.

  We made our way into the living room. He pushed me onto the couch and went behind the bar. Mayhem came back with a glass filled with amber-colored liquid and a small box. I threw the drink back, letting the burn curb some of the pain in my face. Mayhem pulled a laser pen from the box and held my chin in his hand. After kissing him, this seemed like a tame touch but it still made my cock jerk in my pants. I couldn’t believe I was gay. You’d think over the past few years it would have come up. What the fuck?

  “Don’t move,” he said quietly, leaning forward. The laser pen was bright in the dull room. I felt it close the split lip and sealed it with heat. Thankfully, the laser also had a numbing agent. These pens were hard to come by. I wondered where the club found it. Then I was entirely focused on Mayhem. He finished with the pen and our eyes caught, his hand still on my chin, the laser pen fell to the couch, and he shifted forward. Our mouths were less than an inch apart. I could feel his breath on my lips like a whisper.

  “Mayhem.” My voice rushed across the space but was barely audible.

  “Don’t fucking ruin the moment,” he muttered then pressed his lips to mine. Our touch was just as intense as in the garage.

  It was strange kissing a man. Even closing my eyes I could tell it wasn’t a woman. The stubble scratched at my freshly shaven skin. His lips were harder, more demanding as his tongue slid in. His hand shifted to the back of my head. He held me still as his mouth pillaged
mine. There was no tenderness in the touch. Mayhem was pure, raw need.

  He pulled away. “You’re going to follow me, Torrin. Right now.” He stood.

  When he said my name, I shivered. Yeah, I stood. I’d given up my job, my livelihood, my life, to remain in this club. If Outlaw did kick me out, or kill me, at least I could deal with these feelings for Mayhem. He started walking down the hall and I followed. I knew what gay men did. I mean there was a seminar in school about what was considered homosexual and why it was illegal. Now, I wished I’d paid closer attention.

  Mayhem stood at his bedroom door. “Inside. Now.”

  I nodded and walked in. The room wasn’t big, enough to fit a two-person bed and a mirror over a dresser. The drawers were open. I could see socks and shirts hanging out of them. Neat, he wasn’t. Not that I cared. I think I was actually trying to stall. It made me clear my throat.

  Mayhem closed the door. “You ever suck cock before, Torrin?”

  I shook my head.

  Mayhem grunted. “Good. You won’t have any bad habits. And you’ll learn faster what I like.” He pulled off his shirt.

  I’d seen Mayhem shirtless before, but I was always trying to avoid staring at him. Now I looked at him openly. He was thick with muscle. Mayhem had eight pack abs and tan skin. His nipples were small or maybe it was because his pecs were so muscular. He had more tattoos than just the one on the back of his neck. Above his heart were the letters D and C. I knew they were for two club members who died because almost everyone had those marks and I had asked Prospect. They were script with the C coming dangerously close to his nipple. The word Outlaw was in bold, arching over his belly button. Underneath was MC of Mars. I reached out to touch him, feeling audacious and awkward at the same time.