by Neena Jaydon
"I think it does say something about you," Theo said quietly. "I know I'm-I'm-lazy, and don't want to make decisions. I'm a follower, so it's easy to see why I'd, uh, be like that in bed. But I have to ask myself why you'd need to make me feel small and weak."
Shocked, Max couldn't reply for a moment. Theo smiled sadly and started to pull his hands away. "You've got it wrong, Theo."
"You'd better go." Theo turned away.
It took so long for Max to marshal his thoughts that Theo was nearly to the kitchen when he reacted. He marched after Theo, catching him by the belt; using it to pull him around and close, Max kissed him firmly on the mouth. There was a moment of startled resistance, then Theo's mouth took his in return. It took a couple of minutes for Max to drag himself back on track.
"You've got so much of that wrong," he said, thumbing Theo's lower lip. "One, lots of people with power in their day-to-day lives like to get dominated. Two, what you did for my sister wasn't what a follower would do, it's what a leader would do. Even you telling my parents stuff behind my back was a sign of leadership. And three, if I like dominating you, that's not because I want to make you weak." For a moment he was the one who couldn't make eye contact. "It's because then I have all of your attention and you're... Truly naked, in this beautiful, amazing way." He tugged Theo yet closer, glancing up at him, then down at his collarbone. "If you don't want to do it again, I'll understand, but I'd like you to stop trying to make yourself small and weak."
"To you it's all just that simple, isn't it?" Theo's words came out smoothly, softly.
"I guess it is."
"This is why I can't handle normal people," Theo muttered abruptly. "You all think things are so cut and dried."
"Normal?" Max tried not to get angry. "The gay dog trainer who talks to ghosts? There's a reason I like hanging out with you, you know. It's because we have things in common that we don't have with anybody else except family. Stop playing 'my life sucks worse than yours', Theo. It's stupid."
All at once, Theo's hands were on his waist; Max's breath jumped from him in surprise as he was turned and pushed back into the wall. Theo leaned in close.
"Oh, yeah, you're such a freak you look like you model for Preppy Outdoors Guy Monthly," Theo said. His tone was quiet, but not soft, and the gleam in his eyes reminded Max uncomfortably of just how much stronger he was.
"Is that a bad thing?" Max kept his voice steady. "Would you like me better if I wore a black T-shirt and jeans every day?"
"You think I… You think the problem is that I don't like you enough?" Theo's right hand brushed against his lower lip and then slid over his throat. Max felt one of his eyebrows jerk up. That hand continued down his chest, pressing in to feel through the fabric of his shirt. Theo's gaze followed his hand, then came back up to challenge. All at once he plucked the condom from Max's pocket and held it up accusingly; Max lifted his chin in challenge.
Go ahead. It doesn't hurt my feelings if you want to touch me, dummy. And you don't really scare me. He wanted to speak but clenched his teeth together and returned Theo's look. Feeling a tug on his fly, Max fought to keep from smiling. Go on, take control. Let's see what you come up with.
As it had last night, anger turned easily to arousal. He swallowed reflexively as he watched Theo's hand pull his pants open. Theo shoved in abruptly, nuzzling aside the collar of Max's shirt to press his face into his shoulder. Teeth grazed across Max's skin, and he shivered, closing his eyes. It was getting crowded in his boxers, and he moaned impatiently. Theo did him a favour and pushed them down, rolling the condom over his erection and wrapping a hand around it. Max gasped as Theo's teeth pinched his flesh and held it clamped; he twisted, trying to duck out from under the wonderful discomfort of that while at the same time shifting his hips closer to Theo. Just as he was about to break his silence, Theo's mouth released him. To Max's distress, so did Theo's hand.
Theo placed both hands on Max's clavicles, giving him a defiant glance before starting to unbutton his shirt. As his hands opened the shirt all the way down, his body sank with them. Max watched this with his lower lip caught in his teeth. Theo's long fingers were soft and very warm against his skin as they slowly trailed down it. Caressing his stomach and hips, Theo looked straight ahead; then he leaned forward, dropping one hand to position Max's cock.
Oh, hell yeah. Max's breathing was doing double-time. His fingers curled up into his palms as Theo placed a very light kiss on the tip of his arousal. The kiss made a tender little sound. Then Theo touched his lips to it again, and they parted to take in just the tip. Letting out a sigh, Max lowered his eyelids; his blurred focus beheld Theo's bent head. Every tiny movement of Theo's careful mouth sent burning chills through Max's body. His hardened nipples interpreted air as friction.
Growing more confident, Theo drew his tongue around the head of Max's cock. His head dipped as he took more and more of it into his mouth. Max's hand moved of its own accord to dive joyously into Theo's abundant black curls. As Theo applied pressure, he threw his head back and barely missed thunking it against the wall. He wouldn't have cared if he had; he now had both hands in Theo's hair, and it took all that was left of his self-control not to yank.
"Oh, god, that's good." Theo's mouth was the perfect mix of aggression and exploratory caution, wet heat and curious tongue; he was letting Max slide in deep. "Where'd you learn—oh, hell, where'd you learn to do that so damn good?" A moan in Theo's throat sent ripples of new fiery pleasure up his cock. Hands massaged his hips, cupped his buttocks, and played down his thighs.
"Theo," Max groaned as Theo sucked harder. "Oh, Theo…" He could hear that Theo was breathing very quickly through his nose, could feel his big hands clutch at Max's hipbones. Pleasure built and built until Max could barely feel anything else, could hardly distinguish the different sensations assaulting his senses. "Yes. Yes, Theo—Theo!" His hips jolted, and he bent forward instinctively, curving over Theo as his cock pulsed inside Theo's mouth.
Slowly Theo pulled his head back. Belatedly Max forced his benumbed fingers to let go, regretting the loss of Theo's sweet warmth as his spent cock slipped free. His heart pounded and his knees trembled as though he'd been running a race. Wiping his mouth, Theo got to his feet and looked at him. Max busied himself getting his clothes back in place, so he didn't laugh at how red Theo was under the serious expression. When Theo continued to search for something to say, Max hooked his fingers through the belt loops of his jeans and tugged him closer. He wedged one knee between both of Theo's and, pulling slowly, brought Theo's crotch against his thigh.
"Now what?" he asked softly, watching Theo's jaw tighten as he kept up a slow grind against the impressive bulge in his jeans. "What are you going to do with me?"
"Send you home," came the quiet reply.
"What? Are you serious?" Max smiled uncertainly, caressing Theo's lower back. "That's got to be a joke." He leaned in closer, letting his mouth hover pointedly over Theo's. "Go ahead," he said. "Throw me down right here, tear my clothes off with your teeth. Show me you're the big man. I can take it." He was close enough to see Theo's pupils dilate, but then strong hands pressed him into the wall as Theo disentangled himself.
"Not today," he said. "I've got work to do."
"Theo," Max said, uncomfortable, "I don't get it."
"No, you don't get it." Suddenly, Theo's voice sharpened. "You think I'm sometimes a wolf. I'm never a wolf. I'm always a w-werewolf."
"Which means what?"
"It means I don't live in a pack. I don't chase caribou across the freaking tundra. And s-submitting might be... natural to me, but..." Theo raised his head, his cheeks rosy but his eyes hard. "I'm nobody's b-bitch."
"Theo," Max said again, this time in exasperation, "that was just a game, a fun screw."
"Yeah. I guess so." Theo went to open the front door, his expression still unyielding.
At a loss and still rubbery from the wonderful way Theo had pleasured him, Max couldn't find it within himself to fight bac
k any longer.
"Call me," he said on his way out. "Call me for real, okay?" He got a nod in response before Theo closed the door. Then he nearly tripped on his way down the stairs. What did he just say about submitting?
*~*~*
Theo hadn't called. Not yesterday, not today.
Max was getting frustrated on multiple levels. Mom was still angry, so he avoided spending much time in the main house. There'd been news of another local going into a coma, probably because of a spirit attack. Theo wasn't talking to him, which meant he still didn't know what the intriguing statement "submitting might be natural to me" was all about.
He went to Jimmy's. Not much else was open at this time of night, and it gave him an excuse to go for a drive.
Jimmy's was surprisingly lively as he stepped inside. Seeking out the source of all the laughter, he spotted a group of people sitting at a table near the windows. He couldn't miss the tallest figure in the group or his mop of dark curls. Max started to smile in disbelief. He drew a breath.
Theo leaned forward, lowering his head as his shoulders visibly shook and he slapped the table. Then he fell back in his chair, tilting his head back. His laughter was as loud as anyone else's.
Max's smile failed. He stood there uncertainly, watching Theo talk with unfamiliar energy, even give one of his friends a teasing push. The cashier was looking at him quizzically, so he went to order. Once he had coffee and doughnuts in hand, he considered just slipping out. But then the one woman in their group spotted him. She said something to Theo, who turned to look. And all the amusement seemed to drain from him.
That reaction really made him want to leave, but Max walked over to the group. The woman, a freckled redhead, gazed up at him through green-rimmed glasses. Next to her sat a slender, dark-skinned man who wore a friendly smile. Beside Theo was a man with a ragged ponytail. He was much less fit than Theo, but his black T-shirt could have come right from Theo's closet.
"What are you doing at this Jimmy's?" Max asked. "Bit far for you, isn't it?"
"That's my fault," the woman said. "I live out of town. This is the closest place for me. I'm Marnie, by the way. That's Frankie." She indicated the ponytailed man. "And this is Whitney. We're all old friends of Theo's."
"Max." And your guess is as good as mine what I am to Theo right now.
Frankie was staring at him, unsmiling. Max supposed this was some sort of protective gesture.
"Everything okay?" Theo mumbled.
"Yeah, fine. Just wanted a doughnut." Max gestured with the bag to a notebook on the table. "What are you guys up to?"
"Planning Halloween," Marnie said.
"Oh, yeah? What do you guys do?"
"Movie marathon." Frankie abruptly spoke. "This year we're doing zombies."
That requires planning weeks in advance? Max nodded.
"Max," Theo said, "Marnie's sister is another one who fell into coma."
"Oh." Max turned to her. "I'm so sorry to hear that. Is she...?"
"She woke up, thank goodness." Marnie laced her hands before her on the table. Whitney put his arm around her shoulders. "Doesn't remember a thing, but she's getting stronger all the time."
"That must have been scary." Max put a hand on Theo's shoulder, trying to signal his understanding. Theo was here protecting his friend.
"It was. It was." She smiled bravely. "Are you into zombie movies, Max?"
"Not really." He smiled back. "Sorry." He squeezed Theo's shoulder. "I'd better get going. It was nice meeting you guys. Theo." He leaned down to kiss Theo's cheek, then spoke into his ear. "You need to call me."
Theo dipped his chin. His cheeks were quickly turning pink, and he only made eye contact for a second. Max escaped the awkward scene, feeling their attention follow him out. He didn't look back, because he didn't want to see how much more relaxed Theo was around his friends. He tore at a defenceless doughnut with his teeth as he drove home.
Either I rock your world or I kill your buzz. Make a decision, Wolf Boy. Ball's in your court.
CHAPTER SEVEN
The highway had gotten slightly less lonely. It was a subtle change, because the highway was still lined with evergreens and birch alternating with relentlessly featureless pastures. The truck shot down the asphalt, sandwiched between semis, to pass a gas station and then a sign welcoming them to the city.
"Almost there, babe." Adrian glanced at Kelsie in the passenger seat. She was folded casually into it, one booted foot up on the dash, and she rolled her eyes at his assured tone.
"I'm doing fine," she said. "Not as excited as you, though." He chortled.
"I just can't wait to see the look on his face!" He gripped the steering wheel until it squeaked.
"Be nice to him." She toyed with her ponytail.
"What? What bad stuff I ever done to him?"
Snorting, she rested a foot on his thigh. He chuckled as he patted the top of her boot, his hand covering most of it.
"Be nice to him," she repeated as he massaged her calf.
"Don't worry," he said. "It'll just be a nice family visit."
"We're not visiting. We're looking for work, you doof."
"Yeah, but it all starts with family. Grandmother said it always starts with family." As he said this, he turned onto the street that led into the older part of the city.
*~*~*
Anastasia had felt nervous the entire trip over, yet her urge to do this wouldn't let up. She couldn't manage much of a smile when Louis opened the door.
"Hi," she said. "Sorry to drop by unannounced. I wanted to see how you were doing."
"Oh. Well, that's nice of you." Louis blinked in surprise, then stepped back to let Anastasia in.
"How have you been holding up?" Anastasia rubbed her hands together. She peered around the living room, relieved to find it empty. She'd tried to predict when he'd be alone in the house. Friday afternoon seemed a good bet, as she sometimes ran into his wife at the supermarket then.
"I'm actually feeling pretty much back to normal, but the wife doesn't believe me." Louis headed for the kitchen. "Coffee?"
"Love some."
"Have a seat. I'll bring some in."
Anastasia perched on the edge of an armchair, unsettled. She'd been here before for the occasional Christmas gathering, but she couldn't say she knew Louis very well. She certainly didn't know him well to easily broach this subject.
Louis looked a little uncomfortable too, when he brought her the coffee. He sat on the worn sofa, nudging aside blankets and an open novel.
"Doctor's orders," he said. "It's tough being told to rest when you feel fine. I was a paramedic so long, you'd think I'd be a better patient."
"It's understandable." She smiled tightly. "I tried to do too much too soon too. It wasn't a good idea."
For a moment, he looked puzzled. Then the clouds cleared from his brow.
"Yeah." He rubbed his beaky nose. "I forgot about that. You seem like you're doing okay."
"I am. I am." She cleared her throat. "I'm sorry, Louis. I came here to ask you something really strange, and I can't think of any other way to say it than to just say it. When you had your—when it happened to you, what did you see?"
She saw the wariness come into his pale eyes, and it felt familiar. She felt bad for causing those feelings, feelings that every medium felt at some point.
"Not much," he said. "I blacked out."
"No, I mean before that." She tucked her hair behind her ears and dove in. "I think the same thing happened to the both of us. I think we both became portals to some kind of otherworldly spirits. Awful ones that look like shadows."
Not unexpectedly, Louis didn't immediately respond. He sat with his lips pursed, his gaze flicking around the ceiling. Finally, he started to smile, but the expression wasn't reflected in his eyes.
She didn't feel like hearing the lie. She spoke before he could. "It sounds crazy, but you believe me. You believe me because it happened to you, just like it happened to me. That's why I wanted to tal
k to you about it. Maybe we can figure out what happened."
Louis's expression fell. He leaned forward and rubbed a big hand over his mostly bare head. For a while, he was silent. She heard a car go by on the road, gravel popping. Finally, she broke that silence. "I've seen ghosts my whole life. I've let them inside me—been possessed. But it was never like that. I mean, have you ever felt anything like that?"
"No." His voice was a soft grumble. "Not like that." He sighed heavily and sat back. "When I was a boy, my family told me they were hallucinations. Or called me a liar."
Anastasia nodded, feeling a swell of compassion. She knew how lucky she was to have been born into her family, where everyone understood and nobody judged.
"I started to believe it, I guess. But those damn things didn't let the past stay the past. Damn it." He covered his face with his hands for just a moment. "Do you think they'll come back?"
"I don't know, Louis. But I'm going to try to figure out everything I can about them. If there's a way to stop them, I'll tell you about it." She tried to sound sure as she got up. "If you hear anything, or you need any help, give me a call. Okay?"
Louis nodded. They seemed to have run out of words, so Anastasia let herself out.
*~*~*
Max spotted Theo standing, hands in the pockets of his army-green coat, next to a tow truck. Sheepishly Theo walked toward him as Max stopped the car. Max waited for Theo to get in.
"Thanks for coming to get me," Theo said as they buckled up. "My car'll be out of the shop in a couple of days. Just needs a part sent up from down south. Sorry about this. Couldn't get hold of any of my friends."
