by R J Sorrento
The room spun around Cal. “He’s gone?” He knelt down beside Margo, hollow and defeated.
“Cal?” Fernando called out.
Cal sprung up from the floor, feeling lighter than air, despite all his body had been through today. “Fernando?!”
It felt impossible, but Fernando was alive.
He threw off his helmet, letting it roll on the floor as he ran to him. Cal lifted the small black mask over Fernando’s head and tossed it. He wrapped his arms around Fernando and took his mouth as if tasting him for the first time. Fernando grasped at him and pressed hungry kisses along his jaw, like he was trying to touch all of him at once. Cal moaned and his skin tingled with the press of Fernando’s bare hands on his back. Shivering with pleasure, Cal’s legs went weak.
Fernando clung to him, and his warm lips tasted Cal’s neck. Cal fought exhaustion, as Fernando’s mouth kissed a trail up to his lips, but his body swayed. He broke the kiss breathlessly. Fernando lingered closer, his gaze soft as he looked into Cal’s eyes. Cal leaned against him for support, breathing in his scent. Resting his head on Fernando’s shoulder, the room was silent enough to hear the rhythm of his heartbeat, which comforted Cal.
His head jerked up. It seemed too quiet and peaceful here.
Cal’s eyes searched the tech room. No sign of Dr. Almighty. “Where is he, Fernando?”
Fernando avoided his eyes. He knelt to the floor and touched the ashes with his bare hands. “He’s here.”
“What did you do?” Cal took a step back from him, hit by a wave of fear. His jaw dropped.
Fernando stood, wiping his captor’s dust from his hands. “I had to, Cal.”
“You had to kill him?!” His voice echoed. Cal felt like the walls of the tech room were closing on him. The man he loved more than any other had killed a human being with his bare hands. Dread gripped him, his heart on the edge of breaking. Cal couldn’t bear losing Fernando to darkness. He would fight, do anything, to save Fernando from himself.
“You don’t understand.” Fernando stepped forward to rest his hands on Cal’s shoulders, protected by his uniform. “The bomb was only a minute away from detonating. It would have killed everyone on that pier. He wouldn’t listen. I told him to stop the timer, but he wouldn’t listen.” Hot tears stung his eyes.
Cal softened, hearing the pain in his voice. Fernando looked broken and lost.
“What was happening at the Ferris Wheel was on those television screens. I would have been forced to watch you die. I can’t lose you, Cal.” Fernando took Cal’s hands in his own, turning them pink.
Cal’s hands grew warmer with Fernando’s touch. He slid out one hand to brush the hair from Fernando’s face. Someone had killed for him. Gone were the days when his biggest problem was getting in trouble at work for being late or hungover. As he stood in the tech room, holding Fernando’s hand, he would never again wish for things to return to how they had been. He even forgave Dr. Almighty for changing his life the night of the meteor shower.
“What about Princess Freeze?” Margo stood, wiping tears from her face. “Has she followed you here?”
“I knocked her out, but it’s only a matter of time before she returns with the recruits, looking for Dr. Almighty,” Cal rubbed his jaw.
“We have to leave before she finds him dead.” Margo panicked. “Angry won’t describe her-”
“No. I’m done running.” Cal stood firm. “I’m staying here.”
“He’s right. Let them come.” Fernando stood beside him, squeezing his hand.
Margo walked over to join them.
“Don’t look so worried,” Fernando reassured, reaching out to her but then pulling back, remembering his lack of gloves.
She stood beside her brother.
“We have Captain Stellar on our side.” He smiled at Cal.
“Dr. Almighty’s gone. We’ve made it through the worst of it,” Cal glanced from Margo to Fernando. “I’m not done fighting yet.”
The End
Captain Stellar will return in Book 2
About the Author
R.J. Sorrento is an indie author of the new novel Captain Stellar, the first book in a queer superhero trilogy. A writer of fiction with positive LGBTQ+ rep, she published her first novelette, Death at Sagehollow, a Regency era murder mystery on her author website (www.rjsorrento.com). When she isn’t writing, R.J. can be found practicing speech-language pathology, wrangling toddlers, watching anime with her husband, or drinking strong coffee. She lives in the Chicago area with her family. Her second home is Twitter (@RjSorrento).
You can connect with me on:
https://www.rjsorrento.com
https://www.twitter.com/rjsorrento
https://www.instagram.com/rjsorrento
