by Gayle, A. B.
“Are you okay?” Flynn asked, hugging him back. It felt good to feel him again, but there was that nagging voice in the back of his head, telling him this was just a reminder of Eidolon’s power over him. They had Aiden; they could take him away any time they wanted.
“Okay? Am I okay?” Aiden laughed sharply, a touch hysterical. He felt it bubble up and tried to suppress it. “How are you? Where have you been?”
“I -” How much could he say? Oh right – the test. Were they listening? He felt paranoid, and that pissed him off even more. “I’m fine. My life has been so fucking weird lately. What the fuck is this place?”
“Your life isn’t the only one.” Aiden glanced around at the trees and huts and shrugged. “Some island. I don’t really remember much… it hasn’t been a good past few days. I just know I agreed to come here because I’d be with you… but then they took you off somewhere else and wouldn’t tell me where you were or if you were even okay.” He reached up and touched a strand of Flynn’s hair, noting how it had grown and curled it around his finger. “You are okay, right? You’re sure?”
Flynn shrugged, aware he should be feeling something other than rage and fear. “As okay as a person can be who has no idea what’s going on. Captain Haircut – uh, this guy who works for Eidolon, told me this place is lot 242. We should probably come up with a better name. Any suggestions?”
“The Inferno feels appropriate. It’s hotter than hell and looks just like it. In fact, right before you showed up I was trying to figure out what level of hell this would be.”
“Is there one where corporate middle management kills you with paper cuts?”
“No. Dante didn’t really have that problem in his time.”
“Fine. Let’s just call this Craphole Island and be done with it.” Flynn ran a hand through Aiden’s hair. “Speaking of haircuts, where did you get yours?”
“I did it myself… a little while ago. I just couldn’t stand how hot it was. Like I said… not a good few days.” Aiden winced, nose wrinkling. “How bad is it? I just put it in a ponytail and cut it off.”
Flynn gave him a reassuring smile, smoothing down the hair on the back of Aiden’s head. “It’s cute. You can carry it off. On me, it’d make me look like an escaped mental patient. But then, I usually look that way.”
“No you don’t. But your hair is longer.”
Flynn felt his own head. He hadn’t been paying attention to his looks while trying in vain to figure out Eidolon. It didn’t help that plastic mirrors also kind of sucked. “I guess so. Now I have your haircut! Sorry, you can’t have it back.”
Aiden laughed softly. “It’s okay. Mine will grow again.” Dante had given up his barking and sat at their feet, panting. “I’m… really glad you’re back. I um… I brought some of your things.”
Flynn was torn. Part of him wanted to shake Aiden, tell him he was a tool of Eidolon and as trapped here as he was, maybe even more so. But he was glad to see him alive, relatively okay, and safe from Vale’s people. There was just no way to win here, was there? “I didn’t have much.”
“No, you didn’t. But I got some clothes, and the book that was on your table. The Proust.”
“Oh, that.” Remembrance of Things Past. Perhaps Aiden appreciated that joke. He was probably the only one who could. Flynn cupped his face, feeling the fine scuff of stubble on Aiden’s jawline. “I’m glad to see you again.” He then kissed him, wondering if this was a huge mistake.
Well, bigger than his usual mistake. Which was mountainous to begin with.
Aiden smiled into the kiss, tightening his hold on Flynn and returning it with a degree of forcefulness. He didn’t want to break the kiss to tell him how relieved he was, but he was sure his actions spoke volumes.
19: Temptation Personified
Miles Sutherland, Caroline Halapati and Lucas Olutopu
with mention of Carter (Gil) Gillespie and Aaron Lightfoot
___________________________________________________
Morning 26th January, Rapatoka Island
Miles got up as quietly as he could. His patient had been restless until midnight, muttering incomprehensible words every few minutes as if something was on her mind. In the end he’d given her something to help her sleep and tried to get some rest on a nearby hospital bed.
The sound of the seaplane’s engine had woken him. The other island was too far away to see details, but the plane had remained for some time before taking off again. Who or what had it brought, he wondered as he rubbed the back of his neck.
The smell of stale BO penetrated his morning fog. Shit. He’d been in the same clothes ever since leaving Haven Falls. Both he and them stank like billy-o.
A couple of spiders scurried away when he opened the door. The simple shower over a drain in the floor was primitive, but it would work. No classy marble and tile arrangement here, but at least it had hot and cold taps, so he shouldn’t complain.
After placing his filthy clothes on a chair in the corner where they’d stay more or less dry, he stepped under the warm spray. During the night, memories had played havoc with his mind again, preventing him from falling asleep. Funnily enough, now he was away from Mystery Island, visions of Darren had faded. Instead, an image of Gil, sprawled out naked on the bed had haunted his dreams.
Miles idly stroked his cock as the warm water trickled down his neck. At his age he wasn’t used to waking up with morning wood, so this morning’s boner had come as a surprise.
A noise at the door made him open his eyes. Lucas. The young man smiled when he realised Miles had noticed him.
Miles stared back, too stunned to move, his attention at first riveted by liquid brown eyes then drifting lower as, with a quick flurry of hands, the brightly patterned sulu the boy wore wrapped around his hips slipped to the floor.
A quick glimpse of a perfectly formed uncut cock was all Miles saw before the young man sank to his knees in front of him. Breathing became difficult as the boy gazed up at him through long black lashes, his pupils wide, then he licked his lips, seemingly appreciating Miles’ jutting cock, his own hand busy in his lap.
Lucas made a comment: quiet and soft. Whatever he said sounded gentle, almost submissive, and encouraging. A request maybe? Asking for permission?
Miles felt as if he’d been shot by a dart filled with curare. Couldn’t move. Couldn’t think.
A loud groan escaped when his cock was finally swallowed to the root. The boy’s mouth could barely cope with his width, but his tongue was working to make the best of it as he lapped and kept trying to keep the broad shaft in his mouth. All the time, he continued to look up at him, pleasure in his eyes.
“Fuck, no!” Miles shoved the boy backwards, staggering himself as his knees nearly gave way.
He turned the shower off and clutched his clothes in front of him. Shit. Now he was shaking like a leaf as he stared at the surprised boy. He managed to take one step, then another, eventually making it out the door and into the relative safety of the ward.
Lucas followed, not bothering to dress himself, just dragging the colourful skirt that passed for clothes on this island behind him. “Malahi nehu? Mi achine…moto luna” He sounded a bit…disappointed?
Miles collapsed on the bed and stared in horror as Caroline’s whole body shook with some emotion. Anger or laughter?
“What did he say?” The words came out an octave higher than usual.
Her shoulders kept shaking. “Do you really want to know?” It must have been laughter, as she wiped her eyes with the edge of the sheet.
“Yes, I do.” Miles draped his dirty T-shirt over his lap. Thankfully his erection had started to soften. Not that she wouldn’t have seen one and much more before. She was, after all, a nurse.
“He said he likes you, and that you have big balls.” She glanced at him appreciatively as if she agreed, then added softly, “And he wanted to know if you didn’t like men licking your cock.”
“Men?” Miles shuddered. In some places, the
natives were definitely not accepting of gays; he might end up in that cooking pot, yet. The young man stood near the end of the bed, his tongue darting over his luscious bottom lip; his gaze flicking between him and Caroline. Nerves or anticipation? Miles groaned. The burnished bronze skin was unmarred by scars or tattoos, just sheer perfection. “He’s still a boy!”
Lucas flinched at Miles’ tone. He looked to Caroline in confusion and concern. “It’s alright Lucas,” she assured him. “Just get a towel and some clothes for Dr Sutherland, please.” This time she spoke English.
The boy refastened his sulu and ran out the door.
Miles glanced at Caroline, totally confused by the resignation and look of sadness on her face as she watched the young man disappear, presumably to carry out her instructions. “What was that all about?”
“I’m afraid my nephew spent some time at the resort when it was open and became used to the idea that some men there found him desirable.
A small gasp escaped Miles before he could stop himself. Desirable? That was the fucking understatement of the year. Lucas was temptation personified. “But I didn’t… I couldn’t… He’s just a boy, for Christ’s sake.”
“He’s sixteen.” Caroline added gently. “Although I admit he was younger when he started going over to the island, and …” She seemed to be searching for the right word. “Prostituting himself for all and sundry.” Her mouth turned up in distaste.
Miles tried to find words for a response, but they caught in his throat. The thought of that beautiful boy being used or even abused sickened him. Why, then, was his body going hard again at the memory of having his cock in that glorious mouth? It had taken all his willpower to break away when all he wanted to do was thread his fingers through the shaggy black hair and thrust into that warm moist heat. If he’d just been in there a few moments longer, he’d have come. No way could he have stopped himself. Lucas obviously had a lot of experience and / or natural talent. And here he was being horrified at the thought someone might use him for sex. How hypocritical was that? He really did need to check himself in with a shrink when he got out of here. If he got out of here.
Lucas returned and gave him a towel and a length of dark grey material, his hand brushing against Miles’ as he did so. A shudder ran through him, and he couldn’t prevent himself from flinching away. The furtive glance and quickly hidden smile told him that the touch had been deliberate. Cheeky devil.
More unintelligible dialogue passed between the two, Miles wiped himself dry and wrapped the native skirt around his waist, island style. He’d love to know what the conversation was about. Him, presumably, by the way they both kept glancing in his direction every now and then.
A smothered laugh and pat on the backside was the only clue he got as Caroline sent Lucas from the room with more instructions. At the door he stopped and turned back for a second, giving Miles a mischievous grin and making another smart comment before laughing and running away at Caroline’s barked response of “Go.”
She caught sight of his raised brows and took pity on him. “He thinks your hairy chest is beautiful and should not be covered by clothes. Mind you, I’m not sure whether it’s the color or the quantity of hair that he finds impressive.”
Miles was sure his face was nearly the same shade of red. Compared to the smooth-skinned islanders, he must look like a bear. A big lumbering bear. Even the mocha-colored skin of his two large captors had been smooth, allowing their tattoos to be seen clearly.
To cover his confusion and get the images and memory of Lucas out of his brain, Miles removed the bandage on Caroline’s leg. The maggots had done their job, so he was able to extract them from the gaping wound.
In some ways, he regretted not being able to get her to a hospital; in other respects he didn’t mind. After ridding her body of one lot of infectious organisms, getting reinfected by golden staph would be too ironic for words.
By the time he finished wrapping the area again, Lucas had returned with a cup of tea and a sandwich. Miles helped Caroline into a sitting position so she could enjoy her breakfast then sat on the edge of her bed so she wouldn’t have to crane her neck to look at him.
Lucas sat on the floor cross-legged like a little kid, a grin from ear to ear. No way was he sixteen. “His parents…” Miles glanced at Caroline; she had mentioned he was her nephew.
She wiped the crumbs from her mouth and finished swallowing before she spoke. “While my brother may be a worthy man and a good chief, he still lives very much in the past. He controls everything that happens on Rapatoka, but ever since Mata Api Kisiwa was sold, he has wiped it from his mind. The island doesn’t even exist for him anymore.”
“Mata Api Kisiwa?”
She turned to him with an ironic smile. “You know it as Mystery Island.”
He studied her for a second. Maybe she could enlighten him about where they were. Fill in the gaps. “What can you tell me about the place? That’s if you’re up to it. I don’t want to tire you out.”
She waved a hand in a dismissive gesture. “No. I’m fine. That sleep did me the world of good, and from the way I feel, I gather you’ve been pumping me full of painkillers and other goodies.”
Miles just grinned. He had no idea how he’d replace the stock he’d used, but he’d learnt long ago to stop worrying about things like that.
“I told you how I left here.” She waited for his nod before she continued. “I was still living and working in Auckland when I first heard about this mysterious resort.” She sketched quotation marks in the air. “Escape from the hassles of the everyday world. Come to an island paradise where you can forget your cares and worries. So remote no-one even knows it exists.”
Miles noticed absently that Lucas seemed to be listening. Maybe his English was better than he let on.
The boy must have felt Miles look at him. He glanced up, noticed Caroline had finished eating and crossed to her side, taking the small plate from her grasp and handing over the tea.
She accepted it with an absent-minded nod then continued speaking. Lucas resumed his position on the floor. Or almost the same position. This time he angled himself, so his back brushed against Miles’ legs. No way was that accidental, judging by the smirk he gave him.
Miles tried to concentrate on what she saying: something about seeing a poster in a travel agent’s window, recognising it immediately and wrangling her way back as an employee. Apparently none of the other nurses appreciated being somewhere their iPhones didn’t work. Her story was hard to follow though as most of his attention was centred around trying to find a way to avoid touching Lucas, but every time he shifted, the boy squirmed around to regain contact, catching his eye every now and then with that cheeky: “Fuck me” smile on his face. Half dare, half promise.
Eventually Miles gave in, and Lucas relaxed back against him with a contented sigh. Who needed a cat when you had Lucas around? Miles dragged his attention back to Caroline, remembering her comment from the previous night. “What about your husband?”
She sniffed. “He took off in his boat again and I haven’t heard from him for eleven years. I was stuck in New Zealand with a job and other…” She glanced down at the boy for a second. “Commitments that prevented me from going too.”
“Your family must have been ecstatic to have you back again.”
“In a way.” She shrugged. “Apparently things hadn’t gone well on Rapatoka after I left. When the resort was proposed, they thought it would be the answer to all their problems: jobs, food, a future.” Her face darkened, her normally full lips thinning noticeably. “However, in reality it was more like slave labor. What good is money if there is nothing to spend it on? When I came back, I tried to tell them they were being exploited. Instead of eating the fish we caught or the few vegetables we grew, everything was snapped up by the resort. What did they give us in return? Nothing we could actually use. But would anyone listen to me? No way. I’d run away to the big smoke with a Pakeha; my advice was no longer welcome.” She
huffed and straightened the sheet, pleating the material with her fingers.
Miles pictured the contents of the cupboard in the kitchen. He hadn’t checked the expiry dates, but he wouldn’t mind betting they were long gone. Payment had probably been in either goods the resort didn’t want or couldn’t use. “What happened? Why is the place empty now?”
“The owner, a guy called Aaron Lightfoot, spent a fortune making it all eco-friendly: solar and wind powered electricity, eco toilets, desalination plant. The lot. Must have cost him a bomb.”
Lucas had started at the mention of the previous owner’s name. Miles couldn’t see his expression, but his whole body tensed as he sat upright. Funny, how even after such a short time, Miles missed the closeness they’d shared. A flash of anger passed over Caroline’s face before it twisted into an ironic smirk.
“Rough justice, really. When the economy went belly up, so did he.” She glanced at Miles in surprise. “But you should have known all that if you bought the island off him.”
“Me?” He laughed. “No, I’m just an ignorant bystander who came along for the ride.” He rubbed his forehead. The heparinoid ointment he’d put on the bruises was helping, but it was still sore. “Then I was, er… given an invitation I couldn’t refuse and brought here.”
Caroline frowned and narrowed her eyes. “Were Jerri and Tommi at the resort again, filching things? I told those boys to stay away. If I didn’t have a broken leg, I’d kick them up the arse.”
Miles had no doubt that she would. She may be half their size, but from what he’d seen so far, she’d have no trouble keeping them in line. All he had to do now, was behave and make sure he didn’t exploit the gift the young man at his feet was so blatantly offering him, otherwise Caroline would have his guts for garters.
20: Down the Rabbit Hole
Carter (Gil) Gillespie, Gideon Sterling and Roofie
