The door opened. Sean stood there, still fully dressed, though the water behind him flowed loudly. He looked shell-shocked.
“Here.” Tucker reached out to him with the shirt.
He took it. “Thanks,” he whispered. Then he stared down at it like it had been a gift from the Magi.
“It’s no problem. You look so tired, man. Take a shower and let’s get some sleep. Yeah?”
Sean nodded and shut the door.
Tucker crawled back into bed. He’d had enough of the day. He stretched out on his back with a sigh and stared at the crappy popcorn ceiling, listening to the water run. When it cut off, he closed his eyes, but after a few quiet moments, he opened them. Sean stood in the middle of the room again. His gaze alternated between the beds.
“Sean? Do you want to sleep with me?”
“No, uh, I...uh...”
“I mean sleep, Sean. Not sex. Just sleep.” He patted the mattress beside him. “I’m not gonna try anything. Your choice.”
Sean chewed at his bottom lip, looking worried, making Tucker’s protective side scream out.
“Come here, Sean.”
Reluctantly, Sean moved closer to the bed then crawled under the blankets. He wore nothing but Tucker’s shirt and his underwear, having left his jeans in the bathroom. He rolled, facing away from Tucker, then Tucker rolled toward Sean. He wrapped his arms around Sean, pulling him close. “It’s okay, Sean. I’ll take care of you. We’ll find Vern, and everything will be fine.”
Sean nodded. After a moment, Sean’s body relaxed, then he surprised Tucker by wrapping his hand over the back of Tucker’s arm, holding on. Tucker silently promised to be there for Sean to hold onto any time he needed it. Ever.
NINE
Teague
Teague followed Vern south along the highway. He’d had a few rides, and he’d walked a long way. Finally, someone had dropped him off at a gas station outside of Ocala. Teague hoped Vern would get some food and rest there, but he wasn’t very optimistic.
Vern’s distress made him want to jump in and help, but he couldn’t. Fortunately, Vern appeared somewhat happier, though Teague had a hard time telling. He had to be relieved to be away from his fucked-up father and those idiots at his school, but with no safe place to sleep, little to no money and no food, it skinned life down to survival mode.
Vern went into the store, and Teague made to follow but then stopped. That little niggle in his stomach indicated his brother lurked somewhere close. By the intensity of the signal, Zepher should have been right beside him, so Teague walked along the side of the store and looked around. “Come on, brother.”
Zepher walked out from around the corner. He tsked and shook his finger back and forth. “Still watching, I see.”
“Why are you harassing me?”
Zepher ran his fingers through his hair, pulling it back from his face. His dark eyes, lined in kohl, sparkled with mischief. There had been a time when Teague liked that look on his brother’s face, but that time had passed.
“Zeph. This is ridiculous. I don’t need your help.”
“Apparently, you do. I set you up with a gem. Golden, fuckin’ opportunity here, man. And what do you do? Nothing. Again.”
“He’s having a hard time all on his own, man. I didn’t need to lend him a hand. Yet...” Teague probably couldn’t actually do anything to hurt Vern intentionally, but he couldn’t share that with Zepher, either. He wouldn’t understand. They didn’t do kind. Their entire nature—their very existence—demanded they cause anguish and pain. Understanding? Oh no. They were demons. Born and bred to do one thing.
Wreak havoc.
Zepher huffed and crossed his arms. “I don’t like this. Not one fuckin’ bit.” He faded away without explanation and right in plain view of everyone. Sure, the asshole would break the rules for his own benefit, but he’d be damned if he’d let Teague get away with it.
Whatever. Zepher would be manipulating the people around Vern again. He only needed a little room to work. Teague would have to figure out how to minimize the damage.
The door to the store flew open, and Vern flew out of it. A big fat man followed him. The bastard had a bald head, a full beard, and wore some kind of vest and heavy boots like some kind of wannabe-biker. “Stay away from me. From here.” He yelled with a deep southern accent, and if his face weren’t turning a fiery shade of red while shaking his fist at Vern, Teague might have laughed.
Then the big guy shoved Vern, who landed on his ass in the parking lot. Teague stepped forward and scowled at the man. “Go back inside.”
The man obeyed, but at the last second, he turned. Holding the glass door with one hand, he leaned out and spat at Vern. Teague took a step back before he did something stupid like punching the guy. Zepher was still around, even though he couldn’t see him, and he didn’t need to give his asshole brother any more ammo to use against him. He walked away, even though everything inside of him screamed out for him to stay.
Vern sat there, crying. He covered his face and sobbed. He was hurt, probably physically as well as his feelings, his pride—what little he had left. That feeling of wanting to wrap his arms around him and comfort was not only something so completely against his nature but strong enough to make him gasp.
He needed to get the hell away from there.
He crossed the parking lot, weaved through the cars lined up at the pumps, and headed for the main road.
“What the fuck, man?” Zepher appeared out of nowhere. Another violation. “It took a lot to get that guy to go after him.” Zepher chuckled. “I told him that boy was looking at his little wiener...” he broke into another fit of laughter.
“Not funny.”
Zepher bumped his shoulder against Teague’s as if nothing had happened between them. “You used to think shit like that was funny.”
“Uh...no. That was always pretty much you.”
“Whatever. Why’d you fuck it up? I’m seriously getting pissed at you and your bullshit, Tea.”
He wanted to punch Zepher in the face. “If you step in and fuck with my work, I’m gonna stop it.”
“What the fuck? You fucked that shit up because you’re still pissed at me?”
“Yes.”
“Fuck off. You lie. Something else is going on here.”
Teague shoved Zepher. “Don’t make me kick your ass. I told you. Leave me and my work alone, already.”
Zepher flipped him off and disappeared.
This time he left the realm. Probably running home to daddy, again. Not what Teague needed at all. With all his tattling, it was a wonder Teague still hadn’t been called home for it. “Fuck,” he growled. He didn’t know if this fucked up situation could get any worse.
Eventually, Vern got up and walked away from the bright lights of the gas station and out to the dark highway. Teague followed him at a distance. He couldn’t see him well in the middle of the night, but he sensed Vern nearby. They walked along the same stretch of road. Teague’s boots clunked on the pavement with each long stride. It was deserted for the moment, but traffic would pick up again soon enough as they got closer to the turnpike.
He spent his time on the road thinking about Vern and the changes inside himself. Why would this one kid get him so turned around? He risked so much by not fulfilling his duties. Zepher pissed him off, but he’d been right to be concerned about what Teague was doing with Vern. Or rather what Teague was not doing. In the bigger scheme of things, Vern had an important role to play, and even if Teague didn’t know or understand it, he had a responsibility to carry out his mission—without question.
What would his father do to him? He’d had an easy life for a demon. Protected by the rank he’d been assigned at birth. But his life and prestige could all change in a minute if they thought he’d betrayed them. And the Seers would know, wouldn’t they? They would. Probably already did. Even if Teague wasn’t blindly loyal, knowing the Seers checked up on him should be enough to get him to act against Vern.
&
nbsp; But it wasn’t.
Teague stopped walking and turned around. Vern seemed too close. Where was he?
Teague jerked back. Vern stood there, right in front of him, not even a foot away. He could have reached out and grabbed him.
“Oh-my-God. Oh, Lord. Oh!” Vern dropped to his knees. His bags fell to the ground beside him.
Without realizing it, Teague had let his Manna form slip, transforming closer to his true form that leaned toward invisible iridescence in this realm. He still held his human-like shape, and he was mostly solid, but his great feathered wings spread out behind him, and he glowed, his skin giving off a golden hue. He could imagine what Vern thought, seeing him caught in between. Teague was going to be in so much trouble. “Get up, Vern.”
“I’m yours.” He bowed forward, stretching his hands in front of him.
“I’m nothing to worship.”
“You’re an angel. I’m not worthy,” Vern said into the ground.
“I’m not. Come on. Get up. I’m not an angel.” He toned down the glow-show, so Vern could see him better.
Vern looked up at him. “You look like one.”
“How the hell would you know?”
Vern sat up, feet tucked under him. “You don’t sound like one.”
Teague laughed. It felt good to have this conversation with Vern. He’d wanted to talk with Vern for so long, but letting Vern see him was a mistake. He sighed. His trouble kept mounting higher and higher by the minute. He’d been so wrapped up in his musings and worry, he hadn’t realized he’d shifted forms or how close he’d let Vern get. “This is not good.”
“I’m still yours.”
Such an ordinary kid with such horrible things happening to him, and still, he stayed the course and held his head up. It crushed Teague to see Vern on his knees.
Vern crawled closer, touched his thighs. “Whatever you want...”
“Why? Why would you do that? Vern, I’m not some guardian angel.” He was a weak demon, who wanted Vern beyond reason.
“You’re something.”
“Yeah, the complete opposite.”
Vern ran his hands over Teague’s thighs. He slowly unbuckled Teague’s jeans and shoved them down. Teague let him. He made an excuse in his head, some line about being in shock, but it was a lie. He wanted it—wanted to see what Vern would do.
Vern had given him plenty of time to say stop, but he didn’t. He let Vern do what he wanted. Letting Vern blow him made him—yeah, it tapped into his true nature. He wanted Vern, and he should take what he wanted as all demons did.
His brain went blank as soon as Vern’s tongue flicked across the tip of Teague’s dick. “Oh! Yes, Vern.” Teague dug his fingers into Vern’s soft hair.
He stopped and pushed his glasses up on his nose. “Can I?” He wanted to do it, but Teague could be projecting. Vern was probably overcome by Teague’s presence. He should tell him no. He should leave.
He couldn’t. “Yes. I said, yes.” It was so dark out, and Teague sensed there weren’t any cars for miles. He’d never get this chance again. He needed to know what it was like, or what it would be like, if he could actually be with Vern—his darkest fantasy.
Vern took Teague’s cock in his mouth. He sucked hard, bobbing his head and supporting himself with his hands on Teague’s thighs. Every few minutes, he’d pull off and squeeze his dick while licking across the top. He pulled on the foreskin, exposing the sensitive tip, then flicked his tongue in Teague’s slit. Teasing and building. He took Teague to the back of his throat. He sucked dick like he’d been doing it a long time. How did he know exactly what to do? What Teague liked?
Teague closed his eyes, enjoying the moment. Spit dripped down his balls, but the suction of Vern’s hot mouth sucked him. Simply incredible. He jerked his hips forward, needing to move them. “Fuck!” The pressure built with each slurp, pushing Teague closer and closer to orgasm. “Vern...yeah, like that...”
In the distance, Teague saw headlights coming, but still far enough away. “Vern. Someone’s coming.”
Vern didn’t stop. He only wrapped his arms around Teague’s legs, holding on tightly. Teague grunted and thrust his hips, forcing Vern to take more of him.
As the lights approached, Vern sucked harder, Teague fucked into his mouth. He groaned. “Now. Now. Now.” And came hard into Vern’s mouth.
The car flew past, but Vern was not dissuaded. He swallowed every bit Teague had to give him. The people in the car probably hadn’t seen them, anyway. They didn’t stop if they had.
“Damn. So good.” He meant every word. He wanted more of Vern’s hot mouth.
When Vern finally pulled away, Teague pulled up his pants and fastened them shut. “Come on now. Get up.”
He pulled Vern up off of his knees and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. Vern seemed different, but Teague couldn’t put his finger on what had changed.
“Am I ever going to see you again?”
“Probably not.” He brushed Vern’s hair back because he could. He wanted to reciprocate Vern’s gift, but he had already spent too much time with him. If Zepher showed up, it would get ugly.
“Oh, uh...I’ll never forget you.”
“I figured as much, Vern. But you probably should.”
“Why?”
Teague sighed. “I’m betting it won’t be a good thing for you. I’m sorry. For what it’s worth. But keep holding your head up. You’re stronger than you think.”
“I don’t think you’re all that evil.”
“You don’t know me. I’m a demon.”
“Yeah, but I offered you my body, and you didn’t take it. You could have had me...any number of ways.”
“I don’t want that.” Not purely sex for the sake of sex, not owning another’s body. He wasn’t into such vile inclinations, though he knew some who were.
“My soul, then? You want to buy my soul or steal it?”
Teague chuckled. “I don’t want your soul. We don’t actually do that.”
“What then?” He held his arms up, begging for answers, but Teague didn’t have any he could give. Having sex with him, even if it had only been a quick blow job, was bad enough. Although the rule had been established to keep demons from getting human women pregnant, it rarely stopped them from fooling around. He could get away with a blow job for sure, but telling Vern about demons? Nope. That could not happen.
“Go on, Vern. And try to keep safe.”
“Safe? I don’t know what the word means.”
“Yeah, I guess you wouldn’t.”
Vern kicked at a rock, sending it skittering across the asphalt. “Do me one favor then.”
“What?”
“If we do meet again. Call me Vick. I kind of hate Vern now.”
Teague couldn’t help his smile. “Okay. Vick it is. I’ll try and remember.”
“Don’t laugh at me.”
“I’m not. Never. I’m glad to see you’re still trying.”
“What else is there to do?”
“What else, indeed.”
Teague pushed his body into the full version of his true form, disappearing in front of Vern. One more little indiscretion wouldn’t make a difference.
“Yeah. I probably imagined you, anyway. Right? Whatever. You changed me, you know...” Vern looked around, then picked up his bags and walked off, and Teague watched him go.
He felt clueless on what action he should take or what would happen next, but the happiness Vern left in his wake overwhelmed him. He’d had his moment with Vern. He shuffled his feet and dragged his hand through his long, thick hair. Happy. What a new concept for him. He liked it entirely too much.
TEN
Vern
Vern made it to the huge rest area on the turnpike as the morning sun rose into the sky. Before long, it would be too hot to walk, and Vern couldn’t remember the last time he’d slept. There were benches in some of the other rest areas he’d stopped at on this journey. This one should also have one, maybe in the shade, where he
could nap. He hoped, anyway.
He approached the picnic area, thankful that they had a few tables open. He dropped his bags under the table, stretched out, and took a nap. He fell asleep quickly, and when he woke up, the sun had made it to the other side of the sky. His stomach growled. Nothing besides hunger could have woken him.
If he wanted to eat, he’d have to go find someone willing to give him food or money. He had nothing. He’d eaten burgers with someone who had given him a lift, but it had been over twenty-four hours ago. This journey had proved much longer and harder than he’d thought it would be. He had no other choice, though.
He’d waited around for a day or two, mostly hanging out in the woods. He had contacted the insurance company to claim the money from his mother’s passing only to find his dad had already collected it on his behalf before he’d turned eighteen. As his parent, he had every right to do it. Vern had torn up the insurance papers and burned them in a barrel behind an old liquor store.
The money had been his hope, but as he’d watched the contracts burn, he formulated a new plan. Granted, he couldn’t come up with anything else. He still wanted to get to Miami. Only he’d have to walk and hitch rides to get there. He could do it. Vern was a small guy, and with his glasses, he looked harmless. Ultimately, there had been some people who pitied him, but not many, not enough.
Then there was his angel. Or demon. Or whatever he’d been. If he’d been there at all. Vern had half-convinced himself it hadn’t happened. A trick of the mind brought on by hunger and sleep deprivation. He could still taste him, though, and feel him in his mouth—his hard cock covered in soft skin. He could smell him on his hands, like burnt sulfur. Leave it to Vern to have the world’s only guardian demon.
Or maybe not.
Regardless, the experience had done something to Vern. He meant what he’d said. It had changed him. Something inside his chest had moved...clicked into place. He didn’t know how to describe it, but a much needed relief had rushed over him like a cool shower after a long run—only better.
Demon or Angel (Age of Exilum Book 1) Page 7
