by Tara Lain
Sammy laughed. “No worries, buddy. He’s harmless.”
Chen narrowed his eyes. “If there’s one thing that guy isn’t, it’s harmless.”
Estera did an efficient job of gathering the guests for the present opening. Though the invitations had specifically said no gifts, almost everyone had at least brought flowers. Some of the students sat on the floor in front of Killian and Blaine while older people and witches took chairs. Sammy, Lucien, and Chen stood in the back, and Estera passed packages and wrote a list of who gave what for thank-you notes. The girl was organized.
Killian opened the wonderful antique book on witchcraft that the young witches had found to buy for him. Sammy had contributed, as had Lucien.
Killian beamed and held the book to his chest. “I said no gifts, but I’m happy you didn’t listen. This is marvelous, you guys. Thank you so much.” He passed it to Blaine, who admired the book and kissed Killian’s cheek.
Sammy smiled. Seeing the two of them together made his heart swell and hurt just a little. How wonderful would it be to have that kind of love in his life? He glanced at Lucien. The witch seemed restless, impatient. He must really want his gift to be opened.
Finally Estera presented the two silver boxes. Killian looked at the cards. “From Lucien and Sammy. Thank you, gentlemen.” Killian smiled, and his beautiful face lit up.
The gift thing felt a little weird since Sammy hadn’t actually given any money, but he had picked out the style of the tea set, so at least he’d made a contribution.
Killian and Blaine each took a side of the big bow and tore off the silver paper. Killian opened the box and looked in. “Ah, I see this was selected by someone who knows us well.” He pulled out the contemporary pewter teapot and removed the white tissue. “Beautiful. I adore tea, as my students know, and this style is clearly the selection of two artists. I’ll enjoy it immensely.” Lucien squeezed Sammy’s hand.
Blaine grinned. “He’s even converted me to tea. Sometimes. Thank you both so much.”
Lucien cleared his throat. “There’s a companion box.”
Killian picked up the small silver package. “Ah yes.” He pulled off the paper and cocked his head. “Hmm. What have we here?” Blaine reached in and lifted out a glass container full of dark brown squares of food that looked like fudge or brownies, maybe.
Lucien smiled. “It’s a special delicacy from my homeland I had shipped just for the occasion. Rather like a cross between candy and pastry. I hope you like it. It can be served cold or warm.”
Killian smiled. “I’m sure Blaine and I will enjoy this very much.”
Lucien beamed. “It can be served in very small amounts because it’s so rich, so perhaps you’d like to give everyone a sample?”
Killian looked steadily at Lucien. What was the Witch Master looking for?
Blaine leaned over and loosened the container lid. “Personally, I love chocolate. Shall we dig in?”
“Yes, wonderful.” Lucien clapped his hands together as he did whenever he was very excited.
Blaine smiled at Estera. “Can you give me some napkins, please?”
She produced a big stack of paper napkins and helped Blaine portion out the squares into small servings for anyone who wanted to try the confection. She handed a square to Sammy and then held one out to Lucien.
He held up his hands. “I don’t want to take any away from someone else.”
Killian held his rather larger square on the napkin in his lap. “I insist, Lucien. You must share in the pleasure with us.”
Sammy glanced at the Witch Master. Was there some challenge in that polite demand?
Lucien smiled slightly. “I’d be delighted.” He took the proffered napkin, picked up the small brown square, and raised it in a salute to Killian. “To happiness.” He bit, chewed, and swallowed.
Hmm. If Killian had thrown down a gauntlet, Lucien had picked it up and put it on.
Blaine took a big bite of his square. “Wow. That’s delicious. Like spicy chocolate. What’s it called?”
“It is called kouzla, which means ‘magical’ in my country. The taste is magical, yes?”
Killian took a bite and chewed. He smiled. “Delicious.” His nose wrinkled. “Oh, the spices go to my head.”
Lucien smiled. “Yes, it’s part of the effect. Try a little more.”
Killian gazed at Lucien again. It really seemed like the Witch Master was trying to read his visitor from Europe. Killian gave a little nod and took another bite, then swallowed, but with difficulty. “I think the spices must not agree with me.”
Blaine snapped the kouzla out of Killian’s hand. “Ah, more for me.” He laughed and chewed it up.
Voices rose at the back of the crowd by the entry. Killian and Blaine both looked up. Sammy stared over his shoulder. He saw people moving about and recognized Maybelle and Bilden walking through the crowd. Wow, they seemed kind of weird, both of them. Their eyes looked too wide and really shiny. Maybelle was usually quite neat, but now her cardigan appeared rumpled. Were she and Bilden on a date? Were they a couple?
Lucien murmured, “What are they doing here?”
Sammy shrugged. “I’m sure they were invited, just like the rest of us.”
“They’ve disrupted everything.”
Sammy glanced at Killian and Blaine, who had set aside the now nearly empty container of kouzla and gotten up, ready to greet the newcomers. Killian frowned at Maybelle and Bilden, but then he turned to all the guests still gathered around the couch. “Thank you for all the wonderful gifts, everyone. We’ll open some more later. I’m sure everyone wants a break for more food and drinks.”
People nodded and started moving into the dining room and back to the bar.
Lucien leaned in to Sammy. “Dr. Barth didn’t seem to like his sweet.”
Sammy smiled. “Blaine certainly did.”
Lucien’s pale eyes stared after Killian and Blaine. “Yes. That’s wonderful.”
Sammy looked at Killian, who was now talking to Maybelle and Bilden. He couldn’t hear what Killian said, but Maybelle’s voice rose. “We’re great, Dr. Barth. Really. Sorry we were late. We didn’t mean to disrupt the party.” Even though she looked strange, she seemed to be making sense. Still, her voice sounded different. Forced. Like she was on a stage.
Killian and Blaine nodded and smiled, and Blaine shook hands with Bilden.
“Do you think they seem a little—” He glanced up at Lucien. He was staring at the group with the intensity of a laser. Was he watching the Witch Master, or Bilden and Maybelle?
Lucien flicked his eyes at Sammy. “Sorry? What did you say?”
“I wondered if you thought those two were acting weird.”
“Weird? No. Rude, yes.”
Hmm. Maybe they just seemed weird to him, but across the room Ryder stared at Maybelle and Bilden and frowned.
Sammy spotted one of his younger brothers over near the bar. “Hey, want to meet my family?”
Lucien’s eyes seemed to tear away from staring at Maybelle and Bilden. “What? Oh, certainly. But do you feel up to it? Families can be so exhausting.”
For whom? “Sure. Come on.” Sammy took Lucien’s hand and threaded through the crowd to where his mother and father were nibbling on some cheese and crackers. His mom had worn a suit, since that was her best outfit, and his dad had on a sports coat with his pressed jeans. Fancy for him. Sammy thought his parents were great-looking. Sammy was tall like his dad, but his mom had the red hair. Of course, on her it was long, silky, and auburn. “Hey, Mom, Dad, this is my friend Lucien Eshel. Lucien, this is my mother, Anna, and my dad, Marius.”
His mother’s eyes widened. That was easy to understand. Lucien’s beauty was almost unreal.
Lucien took her hand and turned on the charm. “I am delighted to meet you, Mrs. Raphael. I see where Sammy gets his beauty.”
His mother’s steady gaze rested on Lucien. “My son’s unique, brilliant, and talented with no help from me, Mr. Eshel. I’m glad
to see you appreciate that fact.”
Wow. As the third oldest of eight, Sammy didn’t get tons of praise from his parents. They didn’t have time. He’d store those words in his heart forever.
Lucien looked a little startled but recovered and shook hands with Sammy’s dad. “I’m pleased to meet you, Mr. Raphael.” He wasn’t pressing his luck with the charm this time, it seemed.
Sammy’s dad smiled, but he was a laid-back guy, and after teaching high school for eighteen years in a tough inner-city neighborhood, there wasn’t much that fazed him. “You’re an artist also, I understand.”
“Nothing near as good as Sammy, but yes.”
“Planning to make a career of it?”
Lucien’s eyes widened. “Career?”
Anna nodded. “As in work?”
Sammy smiled. They were so human.
Lucien shrugged elegantly. “I expect I will manage my family’s holdings and investments and paint as a hobby.”
Sammy’s mom’s sharp eyes narrowed. “I see.”
Poor guy. Sammy’d better rescue him. “Great to see you, Mom and Dad. We need to go say hi to a few more people. Have a great time.”
His mother kissed his cheek. “Have fun, darling.” She nodded at Lucien. “Good to meet you, Lucien. Perhaps we’ll see you again.”
He gave a little bow. “I shall look forward to it.” He shook hands with Sammy’s dad.
Sammy took Lucien’s hand and led him away. He looked a little shell-shocked. “I should have warned you. They’re essentially human. Their lives are based on hard work and service. That’s what they understand.”
Lucien cleared his throat. “Very admirable, I’m sure.”
Sammy laughed. “It’s okay. More than one of my boyfriends has felt like they were raked over the coals.”
Lucien raised his eyebrows. “But I do not wish to be just another boyfriend.”
Sammy shrugged. “Then you may have to take a public service job.”
Lucien’s pale eyes got huge, and Sammy threw back his head and howled. “I’ve never seen such a picture of horror. Don’t worry. We’ll see if you can’t win them over with your boyish charm.” He didn’t say that was not likely.
They stayed a little while longer, but Lucien seemed to lose interest in the party. Finally Sammy got tired of trying to entertain him and found Killian to say good-bye. Lucien went to wash his hands.
Sammy stuck out his hand to Killian. “Thank you so much, sir. It was a wonderful party.”
“Glad you could come, Sammy. You and our new member seem to have struck up a friendship.”
“Yes, sir.” Sammy hoped he wasn’t blushing too much.
“You like him?”
“He’s very kind to me, sir.”
“That’s good to hear. You’re very special to us, Sammy.”
Wow. Did the Witch Master really say that? “Thank you.”
“I hope you’ll come and see me soon. I’d like to talk with you about your life and progress.”
“Thank you. I’d like that.” Maybe Killian could help him sort out his weird lack of powers.
Lucien walked up. “Thank you so much, Dr. Barth. This has been a lovely party.”
Killian smiled and shook Lucien’s hand. For a second Sammy felt a tingle of something like electricity. Strange. Sammy never felt such things. Killian drew back his hand. “Thank you for your generous gifts.”
“I wouldn’t have been able to select them without Sammy.”
Killian nodded and gazed at Lucien. “I’m sure that’s true.”
“Merwaor.” Aloysius padded over, brushed against Killian’s pant leg, and then leaped all the way to Sammy’s shoulder in one fluid jump. Killian laughed. “It seems he was only on loan to us tonight. He belongs to you, Sammy. At least for the present.”
“It seems so, sir.” Sammy reached up and petted Al’s head. Funny how glad he was not to have lost the cat.
Sammy said good-bye to friends and got some cheerful ribbing about his “splendiferous” appearance and beautiful date. It was the first time he ever remembered being looked at as a sex object, and it was damned fun.
He stopped inside the door as Lucien went out to hail a cab. Sammy glanced up and saw Ryder gazing at him. Sammy smiled because it was so wonderful to look at Ryder. Ryder smiled back. Sammy wished it was for the same reason.
“Sammy, cab’s here.”
Sammy gave one last look to the friend he was trying not to love and walked down the steps.
Chapter Six
RYDER WATCHED Sammy walk down the stairs. A shiver went up his spine. Sammy was going to be alone with that scary guy, and yet Sammy refused to be scared. Hell, I’m scared enough for both of us. He looked across the thinning crowd for Maybelle. Answers. Time to get them.
Maybelle stood next to Bilden over by the entrance to the dining room. Ryder didn’t want to take them on at the same time. He grabbed a mineral water from the bar and waited. Finally Bilden walked away from her, in the direction of the bathroom. Good.
Ryder had started across the room when Chen stepped in front of him with the pretty dark-haired girl Ryder knew from a couple of his classes. “Hi, buddy. Where you been? You know Estera.”
Ryder smiled but glanced up toward Maybelle, who was staring into space. “Yes, hi, Estera. Will you guys excuse me for a minute? I need to tell Maybelle something. I’ll be back.”
Chen laughed. “No hurry. She is attractive.” Chen widened his eyes significantly.
What? He glanced at Maybelle. Oh, of course, the chest. He grinned. “Right. She does measure up. But that’s not my target. I just need to talk to her. See you in a few minutes.”
He threaded his way through the crowd and stopped in front of Maybelle. “Hi.”
She glanced up, looking confused. “Oh, hi, Ryder.”
“Hey, could I talk to you for a minute?”
“I guess so.”
“I brought you a mineral water.” He handed her the glass.
She made eye contact. The first time he’d seen her do that in a while. “Thank you. That was very nice.” She sipped the water.
“I know you’re good friends with Lucien.”
She smiled dreamily. “Yes, I am.”
“I thought you might be able to tell me about him. I’m a great admirer, and I’d like to be friends with him, but I thought it would be good to know more. Perhaps I’ll get him a gift.” Ryder hated to lie, but she was so gone on Lucien, he couldn’t think of a better way to approach her.
She nodded. “I’m sure he’d love a gift from you. He’s very generous. He always brings me something when he comes to see me.” She held out a small angel charm on a chain. “He gave me this. Isn’t it beautiful?”
“It’s lovely. Does he see you often?”
She frowned. “Not as often as I’d like, but he has so many responsibilities. I have to wait my turn.”
“Your turn?”
She glanced up, frowning. “Yes. Do you really want to buy him a gift?”
He nodded. “I’m thinking of it. But I also thought he and I might be better friends.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I’m sure he’d like you a lot. Strong, handsome guy like you.”
He smiled to suppress his shudder. “I’ll bet you guys have fun when he comes to see you.”
“You’d bet right.” She sipped more water.
“You’re so attractive. Even though they say he likes guys, I’ll bet he can’t resist you.” He laughed and nudged her.
“He’s bisexual.”
“Really? How do you know?”
She lowered her voice. “Because he fucks me every chance he gets, and believe me, it’s not something you’d want to miss.”
Ice water poured through Ryder’s veins. “Oh?” He could barely breathe.
“It’s like being plugged into an inferno.” Her eyes went blank, and the glass dropped from her hand.
THE CAB pulled up in front of Sammy’s apartment. Sammy smiled at Lucien as he he
ld the car door for him. Gods, he was tired. It had been a week since their confrontation and Lucien’s promise to “woo” Sammy. He’d done a great job. Flowers, dinners out twice, another movie that Sammy picked this time. Plus Lucien had really wanted to go to the party with Sammy. Now the party was over.
Sammy unlocked the door and turned to Lucien. “It was fun. Thank you for taking me. And thank you for the suit. I’m going to try to repay you for it.”
Lucien frowned. “Why would you do that? As your boyfriend, I should be entitled to buy you gifts from time to time.”
“Errrrrr.”
Sammy reached up and petted Aloysius, and the cat stopped growling and started purring. Lucien had been a perfect boyfriend this past week, and powerfully attractive. Just looking at Lucien made Sammy’s cock sit up and say howdy. But—yeah, but—he felt weird. Uneasy. Maybe Aloysius and Ryder were getting to him? “You know, I hate to not ask you in, but for some reason, I’m still really tired. Maybe it’s all the excitement.”
Lucien’s frown deepened. “Oh, I was hoping to hold you all night.”
What do I want? Al’s purr filled his head. “I feel like a squashed helium balloon.” He smiled at Lucien’s beautiful face. “Don’t be mad. We have lots of time for holding and all the rest.”
Lucien’s perfect lips tightened, then relaxed. “I’m not mad at all. Just disappointed. But as you say, we have time. Can I see you tomorrow?”
“I’d like that.”
“Good. I’ll call you first thing.” He lowered his head. His soft lips caressed Sammy’s and then his tongue quested for entrance. Sammy opened and let that hot flesh enter his mouth. His cock gave an exploratory wiggle and leaped to full attention. Lucien did know how to kiss.
Lucien moaned and pulled Sammy tight. Maybe I’m not so tired. He threaded his fingers through Lucien’s silken mane and let his tongue explore. Strawberries again. Amazing. Should I relent? His ass ached for penetration.
“Purrrrrr. Purrrrrrrrr.”
Lucien pulled back. “You are irresistible, little witch. Please let me fuck you.”
“Purrrrrrr. Purrrrr.”
Gods, Sammy felt ripped in half. “No, I’d best get some rest.” He laughed. “Last time you made me come, I didn’t recover for a week.”
