“I bet you can skate without blades.”
“And you’d be correct, though it’s been many years.” He kissed Travis, their cold lips sharing an electric spark.
“I keep feeling like we’ve done this before, or something like it.” He remembered running with Dylan, though he’d run on all fours while the fae…glided? Levitated? Whatever the case, he’d been swift. “Maybe it was a dream.”
Dylan didn’t answer. He reached down and clasped Travis’s gloved hand. “Thank you for bringing me here. This spot is the true heart of the town, you know.”
“Really?” Travis looked around. “In the summer the grass is incredibly green. We have concerts in the bandstand. When it’s not all snowy, we come here after dates.”
“To get lucky?”
Travis flushed. Somehow that seemed so long ago. When was the last time he’d dated rather than cruised a bar? “No, too open to get lucky. It’s romantic.” He grinned at Dylan. “Sets the mood for another time.”
“Ah, I see.” Dylan looped his hand around the back of Travis’s neck, making him shiver. “But we have privacy tonight. Few are venturing out into the cold.”
“Blacque’s around.”
“He knows where we are and probably suspects what we’re up to.”
Dylan tugged Travis closer. Their breath fogged the air, and inside Travis felt hot and tight. Strong. Wicked.
“I see that gleam in your eye, boy. You’d better let go of whatever evil thoughts you’re entertaining.”
“My evil thoughts are mostly about you, Dylan. Going down on my knees, sucking you off right here and now.” He rubbed the front of Dylan’s jeans, feeling a heated bulge through layers of glove and clothing.
“We have a different definition of evil, then, because that sounds very good.” He nipped at Travis’s mouth, causing a little sting where he dragged his teeth. He pushed Travis backward, into the hard, icy wall. “Right here, right now. What say you, little wolf?”
“I say I’m not so little!” He dug a hand into Dylan’s hair and let his fingers play through the silken length. In a smooth, quick move, Travis reversed their positions. He let his free hand drift to the fae’s hip, then pulled him in tight to drive their erections together. Dylan unbuttoned the front of Travis’s coat and placed cold hands against his warm skin.
They both gasped. Quickly, eagerly, they fumbled with clothing, unbuttoning, releasing buckles, until their cocks were exposed, steaming in the cold air. Neither had the patience nor the inclination to go to their knees in the snow, so they thrust, pumping their hips, their cocks pressing and sliding and slick with their fluids.
The kiss never ended. It went on and on between harsh breaths and stifled moans. It was tinged with desperation and fear. Dylan would no longer speak of his plans, but it was there in his gaze—sadness lurked in his very essence. He’d smiled and loved being outside. He’d sat at lunch, enjoying the company of Travis’s friends as they came by to talk. But he stared at Travis far too long and had spoken very little.
Now it was as though he was taking Travis with every bit of the intensity he’d hinted at all day. And Travis took back, pressing Dylan against the wall of snow, using his weight to keep him in place.
Travis finally broke the kiss, panting for breath as Dylan dived for his throat. He nipped at the tender skin, then slid his smooth cheek along Travis’s bristly jaw. When he reached down and clasped Travis’s balls, his hand was no longer cold. It was hot. Rough. Travis groaned at the forceful handling, sparks flashing before his eyes as Dylan tugged.
“Gonna…”
“Come for me, Travis. Look at me!”
Travis forced his eyes open and looked at Dylan’s face. He was close too, barely able to focus on Travis as they crashed together, their breathing fast and frantic. Travis bent his knees and dug in harder, driving his cock up against Dylan’s rigid shaft.
“Come now!”
Dylan let go of Travis’s balls, and the climax slammed through him, drawing him taut and throwing him down hard. Wildly he watched Dylan and saw the exact moment the fae exploded. He loved the pleasure-pain lines around his mouth, the way his eyes narrowed, then finally squeezed closed. The warmth of their semen smeared their bellies and quickly cooled. He shuddered, not resisting as Dylan pulled him in so they rested against each other. It took Travis a while before he could gather his bewildering emotions.
Sex wasn’t about feelings. Sex wasn’t about emotion. It was about pleasure and release, about getting his rocks off. He shouldn’t have this soft feeling, this need to bow his head and cry afterward. Confused, he looked at Dylan, asking the question without saying a word.
“Oh, Travis.” The fae said no more, and the elation of the moment slowed, then melded back into trepidation.
“Don’t leave, Dylan. Just stay. Give us some time.” He wrapped his arms around the other man’s shoulders. They fit so perfectly. In all his life, Travis hadn’t ever felt so grounded, so…worthy. “Just stay till New Year’s, and we’ll talk about it.”
Dylan simply tightened his hold on Travis and then let go. He pushed Travis back and looked at the two of them in their disarray. The wicked smile returned, as though their lovemaking hadn’t devastated them both. He produced a handkerchief and quickly wiped Travis clean. He then wiped the seed from his own skin. The act was excruciatingly personal, yet Dylan seemed so remote.
“You still have Christmas shopping to do.”
Wordlessly Travis nodded.
“I’ve never celebrated Christmas. This will be my first. Will you guide me through this?”
Travis let his head drop back, and he looked up into the sky. It was clear, and all the stars were brilliant and bright. Some of the trepidation began to trickle away. Granted, the next day was Christmas Eve, but it was a commitment. A small, tiny promise of time. One more night. One more day.
“Yeah, I’ll walk you through this.”
“You have a large family. We’ll have to hurry if we are to finish before the stores close.” He gently worked at Travis’s clothing and set him to rights. It took only seconds for him to straighten his own clothing. Travis started to walk, but Dylan clasped his arm and tugged him back. For a moment he just stared at Travis, and then he pulled him into his arms and hugged him tightly.
Abruptly he let Travis go. Dylan started to speak and then stopped.
Travis wondered what the fae would have said.
Chapter 18
The jewelry store was exactly as it had appeared in Travis’s dream.
The display window was decorated differently, with silver tinsel and gold glass ornaments scattered throughout, but priceless gems outshone their tawdry competition, and true works of art nestled among evergreen foliage. After glancing in the window, Travis pulled open the door and let Dylan enter first.
The store was narrow and deep, the interior’s dim lighting punctuated by bright lights in glass cases, where engagement rings sparkled with promise and gold gleamed with subtle truth. The air was redolent with cinnamon and orange, making Dylan feel warm inside. He wandered away from the wedding case to gaze at original designs similar to those he’d seen in Travis’s dream.
“Kell. Pim. Merry Christmas!”
He looked up and froze. In the dream they’d seemed odd but ordinary, and he’d clearly caught the essence of Other about them. Here in person, he could almost see their true forms beneath their juvenile, androgynous bodies. The black-haired man came to a stop, his eyes going wide as he saw Dylan. Dylan opened his senses just a bit and saw ice and snow in the man’s aura. Kell was young—very young. His surprise turned to wary delight as he moved to greet Dylan. He extended a hand, and Pim stepped forward to intercept. She gave Dylan a hot look, her suspicion crackling around the edges. Good. She was older and savvy enough to keep the other elemental out of danger. She was fire to his ice.
What a pair.
Dylan dropped his hand and bowed slightly.
“This is my friend Dylan.”
> “You are an elder.” Pim backed up slightly, clearly spooked.
“I am older. I have no formal standing within my community.” He smiled. Over the years he’d interacted with so few of his own kind. At least not in a friendly setting.
Generally he hunted them.
“How old are you?” Kell still looked intrigued.
“There’s no real way of telling. I wasn’t born on this side, and time functions differently in the Homewood. But sometimes I feel quite old.” In truth, he felt ancient. Worn.
Reluctantly Kell looked away. “Travis, I suppose you want that piece you designed.”
They were off, chatting, and Dylan studied the cases, listening with half his attention. Pim still watched him warily, and he gestured her over.
“I need a favor and assistance with a gift. For Travis.” He took a pouch from his pocket and slipped a pendant from the velvet bag. He laid it on a tray with care. The piece was ancient and yet looked as new as the day it had been crafted. The metal glowed; the design was intricate. “Can this be reproduced in a metal that won’t injure a shifter?” He’d been unable to wear it when he and Travis were together. Even the silver earrings burned the shifter if they didn’t use caution.
Reverently, she lifted it. “You’re royalty,” she whispered.
“Our village was small. I imagine they are lost to this world.”
She looked at him sadly yet with understanding. She’d been separated from her people too. Otherwise she wouldn’t be here in Arcada.
“Kell does the metalwork. I’m sure he can make another.” She slipped it gently into the pouch. “I suppose you want it immediately. He should be able to do it quickly.”
He swallowed. “That’s part of the favor. He should receive it on Christmas day. You and Kell must give it to him before witnesses.”
She didn’t ask why he couldn’t give it to Travis himself. She also knew the symbolism of the witnesses. It was how the fae formalized a relationship.
“And I need you and Kell to present him with the original as well.”
“But—”
He put up a hand. “You know what that means. You will need to explain to him.”
“Damn it.” She swore softly. “I don’t know you, but I know Travis, and he’s obviously deep in whatever’s between the two of you. If you hurt him…”
“I will hurt him worse if I remain here. I’ll hurt you all.” He pulled his black woolen coat tighter around his body. “I just wish things were different. This is a wonderful place. It would have been nice to stay.”
She tucked the pendant into a packet and scrawled on it. He noticed she didn’t write in English. He reached into an inner pocket and set an envelope on the counter. “If you prefer cash—”
“Don’t worry about it. Angry as this makes me, it’s also an honor.” She took the payment and slipped it into a pocket. “Come here.” They moved to the opposite side of the store, where various art objects were displayed. Pim pulled several jewelry pieces from the case and set them on the glass counter. “Travis designed these. Kell cast them, but they’re his. If you can push him back into college before you leave, that would be a very good thing to do.”
He stared at the pieces in front of him. Unlike Kell’s and Pim’s ethnic designs, Travis’s were inspired by nature. A broad wrist cuff portrayed stages of the moon. Another featured an emerald-eyed raven, its wings outspread to encompass the wearer’s wrist. There weren’t many pieces, but they were all vividly imaginative and exquisitely rendered.
“Kell’s been teaching him some basics in design, but he’s gifted. He draws, he paints, and he sculpts. He’s got as much magic as any of us.”
“I suspected as much.” That explained his powerful, instinctive attraction to Travis. “He has no clue.”
Pim shook her head. Under her dowdy exterior, her fiery beauty showed around the edges. “He’s long needed to find himself. If you can give him that, there is no greater gift.” Her gaze wandered to her partner. “Kell didn’t know what he was when I met him. He was a changeling, abandoned by his own people.”
“Why?” He’d heard of that happening, but it was rare.
“I suppose his parents were embroiled in a feud.” She looked back at Dylan. “We often make great sacrifices for those we love.”
Dylan’s eyes stung, and he dropped his gaze till he gathered his emotions. “I grow weary of sacrificing. But it seems I have no choice.”
“Then do what you must. Take comfort in the knowledge that you are sparing him greater pain.” She patted his hand. “Travis will survive.”
But would Dylan? He didn’t think his heart was strong enough anymore.
Travis tossed the bags into the backseat of Dylan’s black sedan and then slid in behind the wheel. It took only a few seconds for the leather seats to warm up once the engine started. Once night fell, Oliver Bleu had come for Blacque. They’d vanished together into the dusk.
“Nothing like a warm ass on a cold winter night.” He grinned at Dylan, who was buckling his seat belt. He drove slowly, giving Dylan time to see the elaborately lit and decorated houses. Earlier that day they’d taken a small crew to his mother’s house and decorated. He wanted the fae to see the fruits of their labor. Travis and his mother lived near downtown, so only a few moments passed before the small Craftsman came into sight.
“Look at that. James was right. The large bulbs look awesome.” All along the street, houses were bedecked with tiny lights, while his home had large, vintage-style lights. It looked cheerful, just like a Christmas card. Glancing at Dylan, he was amused to see the fae looking at it in delight.
“Surely a being as ancient as you has seen Christmas lights before?”
Dylan flashed him one of those brief, heartwarming smiles. It started in his eyes before moving to his mouth. “Of course, but never that I’ve helped put up myself. They look so common in the daylight.”
“And magical after dark.” He pulled up and idled the car. They could have gone inside, but the dark SUV told him James was there, and he probably should give him and Melody time to work through whatever problems they were having. Dylan noticed as well.
“Your Uncle James is visiting.”
“He practically lives here when he’s in town. They’re close.” He watched the windows, pleased to see the lit tree in the front room. He turned off the engine. “She’s expecting us.”
“This is probably a personal question, but I don’t understand…”
“Them?” Dylan nodded. “They’ve been best friends as long as I remember. When I was a kid, I used to wish he was my dad instead of Dane.” Dylan said nothing; he just waited for Travis to continue. “When I was little, it was all fine. Dad had me over all the time. Then the other kids started coming. Women came to him for babies, and he was suddenly glad to oblige.”
“You were shut out.”
Had he been? Really? He remembered it started a year or two before Lukas and Drusilla came into town. Before, there’d been just him, his mom, and Dane. There had been a couple others, but when he’d hit his teens, Dane was suddenly reproducing.
“I don’t know if I was shut out or if I shut myself out.”
“Why do you suppose his behavior changed?”
The answer came to him, obvious and humbling. “That’s when Lukas and Dru’s mother got sick. She eventually died.” He looked at Dylan. “She was his mate. Things didn’t work out with them, but you can’t undo mating. I don’t know. They might not have loved each other, but they had a deep, elemental need to connect. To make children. It doesn’t take love.”
“James acted very possessive of your mother.”
“So did I. Besides, he’s gay.” Dylan gave a small laugh. “What?”
“Just…people today and their labels. Do you think I’m gay?”
“Well…you don’t do girls…”
“I have in the past. I had children. I’d have slept with the waitress in the bar if you hadn’t come in.”
“So
you’re bi.” Travis shrugged. That was pretty much how he viewed himself. Liking Dylan in favor of a woman, now that was a surprise.
“I’ve slept with humans. Vampires. Other beings we might not have names for. I’ve enjoyed the company of those whose gender doesn’t fall into a defined category. Until these past few decades, I’d never seen such an obsession with putting people into neat little compartments.”
“What’s the point of this exercise in sharing?” He wasn’t sure if Dylan’s vast experience annoyed him or turned him on. Jealousy was there as well, peeking around a dark corner of his soul.
“My point is that you shouldn’t define people in categories of black and white. There’s a lot more gray in the world than people realize.”
He looked up at his house and swallowed. Had James’s behavior been more than protectiveness? His mother had certainly been spooked by him. And more to the point, though she’d been barred from going to the basement, he’d seen Melody pause at the stairs, looking down as though she were being drawn… To Deacon? The thought scared the hell out of Travis.
He started the car and slowly pulled away. This was crazy—all of it. Melody and James had made up and were probably having dinner together. Thoughts about his parents whirled around his mind, shaking the complacent order of his life. His father had suffered a grievous wound to his soul. He and Lukas had talked about Dane’s mating, but it hadn’t seemed real. Back when his father might have needed him, Travis had pushed him away like the angsty, selfish teen he’d been.
And Melody. Was she in love with James? Had she resigned herself to living with—and for—her only son, because she’d given her heart to a man who couldn’t love her back? And James… Travis didn’t even want to go there. The only seminormal member of the family was Drusilla, now that Blacque had gone and done the commitment thing.
“Why’s life so complicated, D?”
Silver-Steel Page 21
