Blaze

by Christa Tomlinson

  Nice art. But it would have been better if you’d drawn Ignite.

  Danny screamed a tiny little rage scream at the tweet. Comments like this drove him crazy. He didn’t care if people didn’t like who or what he drew. But taking the time to tell him what he should have drawn was plain rude. Finished with the sandwich, he held onto his phone with both hands, thumbs flying as he hit reply and typed.

  How ‘bout no since Ignite wasn’t the one who saved me?!!!

  Danny stared at the drafted tweet, with its multiple exclamation points, in vindicated satisfaction. Then he drew in a deep breath, released it, and sent the cursor racing backward to delete every single word without hitting send. It wasn’t worth getting into an argument online with someone who complained about his art. He’d spend all day doing nothing else if he did. It was better to ignore them. Besides the good comments far outweighed the bad. And the tweet was being shared so fast that he had real hope Blaze would see it. Maybe it would get picked up as a Twitter moment which would give it even more reach.

  The Blaze art was one post that he wouldn’t mute after a few hours, just in case any truly interesting replies popped up. For now, he went to spend a little time on the stationary bike to work out the remaining stiffness in his knee, and get the blood flowing after the hours spent sitting and drawing. With the music going he got up to a nice steady pace. It wasn’t long before his muscles warmed, the exercise helping his body and mind to relax. He climbed off the bike after the brief workout, ready to get dressed for his second attempt at attending a D/s club.

  Club Decadence was a much nicer spot than The Stocks, and Danny briefly considered changing up his style to something a little fancier, maybe with latex. Standing in front of his open closet, he tugged at a shiny black latex vest he’d bought but never worn. It had potential, but he decided to stick with what he was most comfortable in. Danny dropped the vest in favor of a sapphire blue crop top, pairing it with tight jeggings that shimmered with a blue-black sheen. The material of the shirt was so silky and light it swayed with every movement.

  Since the shirt left most of his midriff exposed, he used one of his thicker moisturizers to make sure he wasn’t ashy. Squeezing a dollop of the beach and coconut scented cream onto his palm, he rubbed it into his skin until his torso gleamed dark and smooth. The jeggings were so tight the pockets couldn’t fit a credit card much less his phone, wallet and keys, so he buckled another fanny pack — this one a sleek black leather with silver chains — around his waist. A pair of black ankle boots completed the look.

  Glancing at himself in the mirror, Danny realized he’d dressed in Blaze’s colors. It was unintentional but fitting. Since he was only attending Club Decadence thanks to Blaze, he’d gladly go out dressed as the hero’s unofficial mascot tonight.

  Danny thrummed with excitement the entire drive down to Laclede’s Landing. Club Decadence was at the end of the downtown entertainment district, tucked back from the street. The club had valet parking but Danny went to the well-lit parking lot instead. A guard sat in a security booth, giving Danny a nod as he drove onto the property. Just like Blaze had said, better lighting and security. His appreciation for the superhero’s gesture rose even higher as he got out of the car and made his way to the club. Like many of the buildings on the Landing, Club Decadence was constructed from red brick. It stood two stories high, with black awning over the entryway, and an elegant black and silver sign that read — Club Decadence Private Club — nestled amongst manicured shrubbery.

  The cracked glass doors automatically opened outward as he approached, giving off the vibe that he was about to enter another world. A woman seated on a stool behind a glossy black hostess stand greeted him with a warm smile as he entered the small lobby.

  “Hello. Welcome to Club Decadence.”

  “Hi. Um. This is my first time here. I received this invitation.” He held out the black on black card.

  “Your name please?”

  “Danny Griffin.”

  “Ah, Mr. Griffin. Again, welcome. We’re glad to have you. Arrangements have been made for a club hostess to show you around.” She raised a hand and pressed a finger to the ear piece clipped to her ear. “Vivian? We have a guest here who requires your assistance. Thank you.” The hostess looked back at Danny. “She’ll be right out.”

  “Thank you.”

  Danny ignored the lobby’s black velvet love seat in favor of standing off to the side to nervously wait. Based on the sophisticated decor, he half expected someone wearing a full dominatrix outfit to come through the door behind the hostess stand. Instead the door opened, and a short woman with curly red hair, dressed in a short, daffodil yellow baby doll dress, white knee socks, and shiny black patent leather shoes approached.

  “Hi, I’m Vivian. Welcome to Club Decadence.”

  “Thank you. I’m Danny.”

  After the brief introduction, she led the way back to the door she’d come through, holding it open for Danny. Music with a slow, heavy bass beat poured out of the open doorway, loud enough for the crowd on the dance floor to enjoy but not so loud that Danny couldn’t hear Vivian as she spoke close to his ear.

  “Let’s get started on your tour. I’ll show you around, explain the rules, and have you fill out your membership forms. If you have any questions or want a closer look at something, feel free to stop me and ask.”

  Danny nodded, a little of his nervousness fading away at her friendly demeanor. “Okay.”

  “This is the main bar. As you probably know, lowered inhibitions and BDSM don’t mesh well, so we don’t serve alcohol or allow outside drinks to be brought in. But our bar is filled with lots of yummy non-alcoholic treats, sodas, and water. Plus, it has hooks for Doms to restrain their subs. The usual.”

  Danny’s eyes went wide at that last bit. “Oh.”

  Vivian grinned and continued on.

  The place was exquisite. Lots of plush velvet and tufted leather seating in black or rich jewel tones. Sparkling crystal chandeliers hung over the dance floor and mirrored walls reflected their light. On the far end of the club, dancers spun and dipped behind a wall of screens, their dark silhouettes giving a sleek air of mystery to their performance. And servers dressed in glossy black fetish wear moved throughout the crowd. Danny followed along as Vivian pointed out the currently empty stage that was used for demonstrations and entertainment. They stopped in a small lounge area with big leather club chairs and dim red lighting.

  “Are you looking for a Dom right now? Because lots of people are looking at you. There’s going to be a little sniffing around based simply off the fact that you’re fresh meat but you’re so darn hot that I’m sure a Dom is genuinely going to want to snap you up right away.”

  Danny tore his gaze away from a sub kneeling at the feet of her Dom, gently rubbing her face over the leather of his knee-high boots before he answered. “I definitely want a Dom. But I think for tonight I only want to learn my way around. This is my first time out in public in a D/s scene.”

  “Ah!” Vivian nodded in understanding. “I’m happy your first night is with us. You couldn’t have picked a better place.” She started walking again. “Since you’re with me you don’t have to worry too much about being approached but after tonight if you still don’t want to be bothered, let the hostess know when you check in and she’ll give you what we call a Do Not Disturb bracelet.”

  “Got it.” Danny appreciated that was an option. He turned around and tilted his head back to look at the private suites on the floor above. “This is a gorgeous club. I can’t believe I’m here.”

  Vivian smiled. “Believe it.”

  “Amazing,” Danny whispered to himself. It was amazing and he had Blaze to thank for it.

  ***

  Jordan sat at his desk in his glass walled office, reviewing order forms and design specs. The work day was over, the street level garage below quiet and empty, the lights dimmed to low. As the owner of the number one custom auto body shop in the Greater St. Louis area,
there was always work to do. But it was time to put the paperwork away and stop for the night. He had a few hours to kill before he went out to patrol as Blaze. He could relax for a while before he suited up. Or he could swing by Club Decadence to check on Daniel.

  Jordan huffed a laugh to himself. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d sat around to relax so the first option was out. However, that didn’t mean he should do the second option. His original plan had been to leave Daniel alone after taking care of his membership to Club Decadence. But he had the urge to see him again. And a quick follow up couldn’t hurt. He would make sure that Daniel had received the invitation to Club Decadence and was okay after his mugging. That was it. After he checked up on him, he really would move on and forget about the adorable little sub.

  His decision made, Jordan put the paperwork away, left the office, and took the stairs to the fourth level. Since he only planned to make a quick stop in the club, he didn’t dress in any leather gear, opting instead for black slacks and a black button down with the sleeves rolled up.

  Once he was dressed, he took the elevator back down to the street level, crossing the shop garage to the smaller area where his personal cars were parked. His fingers twitched with anticipation as he slid into the driver’s seat of his 1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am. He couldn’t explain his excitement. He just knew that he had to see Daniel again.

  Twenty minutes later, he pulled up to the valet stand at Club Decadence. The valet came over, his eyes wide as he took in the fully restored muscle car. Jordan tossed him the keys then held up a crisp ten dollar bill.

  “I’ll treat her like glass, sir,” the valet said as he accepted the tip.

  Jordan nodded and walked into the club’s lobby, where the hostess greeted him with a pleased smile.

  “Mr. Wells, it’s been too long since you’ve been in. We’ve missed you.”

  He returned her greeting as he passed over his membership card to be scanned. “Hello, Lucille.”

  They spent a few moments catching up before she waved him inside with a manicured hand. Jordan hadn’t been to the club in over a year, but it was the same as he remembered — elegant atmosphere with scene members enjoying their kink in whatever way pleased them.

  He went upstairs to the private suite he shared with a few acquaintances. There was only one person inside. Rob Marshall, or Big Rob as those who knew him well called him. The man was huge, taller than Jordan’s six foot two, and built like a tank. Although Rob had a calm and easy-going demeanor, people instinctively knew not to mess with him. And that was before they found out what he could do.

  Rob looked up from his phone, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise when he saw Jordan.

  “Holy shit, it’s Jordan Wells. Haven’t seen you here in a while.”

  “Hey, Rob.” He held out his hand and they exchanged a quick, firm handshake. “Been busy.”

  “What brings you in tonight?”

  “Had some free time. Thought it’d be nice to get out of the house.”

  “And out of that suit?”

  Jordan’s lips twitched in a small smile. “That too.”

  They went quiet when a server stopped in to see if they wanted anything to drink. Rob ordered a non-alcoholic beer while Jordan requested a glass of water. He needed to be hydrated for later. After their drinks were delivered, Jordan went over to the balcony of their suite and leaned on the railing. Sipping the ice-cold water, he scanned the club below. There was no guarantee he’d find what he was looking for, but he had a feeling Daniel wouldn’t be able to wait to check out the club now that he had a free membership.

  The low lighting and the crowd made it difficult to distinguish faces. After a few minutes of searching, Jordan spied a short young man on the edge of the dance floor. From the back it looked he could be Daniel. He kept the man in his sights... waiting.

  When the man finally turned around, raising his face to look at the private suites, Jordan’s palms tingled. There he was. Jordan sucked in a breath when he realized that Daniel wore his colors — black pants that gleamed in the light and a blue top. The possessive thrill that shot through him at something so simple and probably without meaning was foolish. But he liked it. He wanted that little sub in his colors. Jordan continued to watch from the shadows as the hostess escorted Daniel around the club. Rob came over and leaned on the railing next to him.

  “Ah, I see. It wasn’t just free time that brought you in from the streets. He’s cute.”

  Jordan didn’t respond. He didn’t expect his silence to stop Rob however. And it didn’t.

  “Who is he?”

  “I don’t know him personally. I saved him from a mugging last night.”

  “And you knew he’d be here how?”

  “He told me he was headed to The Stocks. I suggested he come here instead.” Jordan left off the part about paying for Daniel’s membership fee, knowing that bit of information would make Rob dig even deeper.

  “Then why are you up here watching him instead of down there talking to him?”

  “I’m not looking to get involved with anyone.”

  “Still?”

  “Ever.”

  “Hmmm... Maybe I’ll go down and talk to him then,” Rob said as he pushed back from the railing.

  “Don’t you fucking dare.” Jordan snapped the words out without thinking.

  Rob laughed. “Rein it in, man. Unless you want everyone here to know that Jordan Wells is Blaze.”

  Jordan looked down. A small spark of electricity arced over his hand. Thankfully it was indistinguishable from the laser lights currently flashing over the club. He drew the power back in. “Sorry.”

  “No worries. But you know that someone is eventually going to approach him, right?”

  At that moment, a tall Dom walked up to Daniel. They spoke briefly, Daniel tilting his head back to look up at the taller man when he responded. Whatever he said must have been a polite rejection, because the Dom nodded and walked away.

  “Guess he’s not looking to get involved with anyone either,” Rob said. “Or he’s waiting to see if his hero will show up.”

  “He doesn’t need to get mixed up with me. You’ve seen how that turns out. I’ve learned my lesson.”

  Rob took a slow sip of his beer before responding. “I don’t think the lesson was never get involved with anyone for the rest of your life.”

  Jordan made a noncommittal noise. He wasn’t going to argue the point with Rob when he’d long ago made up his mind. “What about you? Why are you on your own tonight?”

  Rob shrugged. “Recently parted ways with my last sub. We weren’t clicking the way I’d hoped and I haven’t found anyone new yet. I’m not looking, but if the right guy happens to fall into my lap, I won’t push him off.”

  Daniel moved out of Jordan’s line of sight. His water finished, he put the empty glass on the table with a tip beneath it. “I’ll see you around.”

  Again, Rob’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Leaving already?”

  “Crime never sleeps.”

  “True. Be safe out there.”

  Jordan nodded in acknowledgment then left the suite. On the ground floor he passed close enough to Daniel to call out the other man’s name and be heard over the music. But he didn’t. After one last glance, Jordan left the club, reminding himself that the little angel was not for him.

  Hours later, Jordan returned home as he always did, in that dark, silent hour before the birds began to sing. Tonight, his near-scalding hot shower was especially welcome to soothe away the aches that resulted from being slammed up against a Dumpster. And clubbed in the ribs. And punched in the jaw. His accelerated healing would kick in soon, taking away the pain before the bruises could change from red to black, but right now, he hurt like hell. The beating he’d taken tonight was worth it, however.

  He’d obtained the information he needed regarding the drug Croton coming into town. Croton was a powerful stimulant that made you feel as if you could conquer the world, right up
until the moment your circulatory system went into overdrive and your heart exploded. The drug originated as a legal enhancer for athletes but quickly spread beyond controlled usage in professional sports to unregulated and illegal use for people who wanted an edge in their careers, adrenaline junkies, and criminals.

  Already prevalent on the east coast, Croton was slowly making its way across the country, and had recently started to show up on the streets of St. Louis. He’d heard rumors that the L Street Posse — a gang known for petty crimes at the bottom and gambling on illegal street racing at the top — was the one bringing it in. Blaze intended to put a stop to it before it took over the city. The first step in that plan was confirmation of the rumors. Now that he had it, he could move forward and find out how they were distributing the product.

  Jordan sighed. After the night he’d had, it was hard to leave the soothing heat of the three-headed shower, but the lure of sleep finally got him to twist off the faucet and step out onto the shower mat.

  He didn’t bother with pajama pants after drying off. He strode naked over to his California king and slid between the sheets, sighing with pleasure as cool, soft cotton settled over his bare skin. Laying there in the middle of his big bed, he swept his arms out to either side. The space was nice. But even better would be a lover keeping the sheets warm for his return. For a blissful moment, Jordan allowed himself to imagine Daniel cuddled up against him. He’d hold him close, tucked into the curve of his shoulder, sharing lazy kisses until they drifted into sleep.

  Before he could sink too far into the fantasy, Jordan resolutely pushed the longing for sweetness and warmth away. He was lonely tonight. Big deal. Everyone was lonely on occasion. The feeling would pass, as it always did. And he’d go back to kicking the asses of St. Louis’s criminals without caring about the fact that night after night, he returned to a cold, empty home. Alone.

  Chapter Three

  U

  gh, I’m never going to get everything in order!” Frustrated and tired, Danny dramatically collapsed onto his work table, arms spread over scattered sketch books, merch samples, and colored pencils. His roommate Scott passed by the open doorway on his way down the hall. At Danny’s outburst, he stopped and backtracked to lean against the door frame.