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Excerpt from "Exodus"
"Welcome home to you, too, sweetheart," Calyx answered. "Where's
Darkness?" Jake shifted uncomfortably. "Courtyard," Jake muttered. "With Parker." Calyx immediately felt a little burr of jealousy in the air. Whether
it was his or Jake's was up for debate, but either way it was enough
to send him strolling away. "Hey, Black said not to disturb them," Jake called. "Stay
out of it!" "When was the last time I listened to you?" Calyx drawled
flippantly and headed for the back door. Damn that Darkness. If he was going to comfort any psypath tonight,
it was damn well going to be him and not some spoiled little braid of
a man. Calyx's lips tightened as he reached for the door, but the muffled
conversation froze him, and he found himself leaning against it to hear
just a little better. "I know it was him," Parker said quietly. "I felt him
and Starr did too." "Did you tell him anything?" Black said, his voice sharp
and commanding. "No," Parker answered. "I never do, I never tell anyone
anything, just you." A shaky laugh escaped the prescient. "Everyone else I tell ends up dead anyway." "That's not your fault." "I wasn't trying to make you say that," Parker said, his
voice still soft. "My head just hurts, and I feel…pressed." "Do you…want something for it?" Black said, the words
thick with his effort to sound neutral. Oh, goddamn that Darkness. He never asked Calyx if he wanted something
to soothe his head. And Calyx had woken up with some serious emotional
hangovers since joining JC2. Where was his sympathy? His lips narrowed and he closed his eyes. Black was always different
with Parker. Whatever had happened between them, it had been enough
to permanently change things. There was always this strange tension
between them, on both sides, and Calyx would have sold what little Bliss
Black did allow him just to find out why. Another brittle laugh left Parker. "No," he said dully. "Just some sleep." Calyx felt the uncomfortable silence that fell between them then. "The vision," Black murmured reluctantly. Parker sighed heavily. "I'll tell you later," Parker said tiredly. "He just
always makes it worse. I just feel like…like dying now." Calyx stepped quickly to the side as the door swung open and Parker
pushed past him. Cocoa colored eyes widened for a moment when they passed
over Calyx, but then the prescient just sighed again and shook his head. "What?" Calyx said with a cheeky grin. "If you were anyone else, I'd knock that off your face,"
Parker muttered and headed deeper into the house. Calyx stared after him a moment and then turned back to the courtyard.
Black was seated at the fountain, and a faint smile ghosted across Calyx's
face as he joined his brooding Darkness. Oh if this fountain could talk
it would tell the dirtiest tales. "Sweetheart, I just had a horrible day," Calyx said as he
lounged at Black's side. "I want some comfort and I want it now." "How are you feeling?" Black asked distantly. Calyx scowled. "I just told you," he answered crossly. Black glanced at him and then stared up at the dark sky. "You don't have any headaches? Your…abilities aren't different?" Calyx's scowl shifted to a confused frown. "Darkness, what are you talking about?" Black still didn't really look at him. "You were in a stressful situation," Black said flatly. "It
may be advisable for you see a physician or psychiatrist tomorrow." Calyx's eyes narrowed. He knew what Black was doing. The world shifted
suddenly as Calyx launched himself forward and quickly pinned the younger
man down against the fountain. A strangled cry escaped Black and then
he glared up at Calyx with open irritation. "What are you doing?" he growled lowly. "Shut it, sweetheart," Calyx said sternly. "You aren't
pulling this with me again. You aren't hiding behind your protocols
and your responsibilities. I think I've already made it clear that you're
mine, and that includes every dark little secret you're trying to keep
from me." "Starr--" The blonde growled low in his throat and didn't bother to let Black
finish. His lips were demanding, and he forced his tongue down into
Black's mouth as he pinned the writhing body beneath him. Fuck information.
Calyx Starr wanted sex, and he was going to get it. Black arched and
struggled, but Calyx was muscle now, and his fingers were iron around
Black's wrists. He pulled back enough to lightly clamp Black's lip between
his teeth, a thin haze of lust filling dark eyes as they stared up at
Calyx. "Now, I want my comfort," Calyx said lowly. "You can
be a good little boy for me, or I'll hold you down and take it." Black moaned low in his throat, his eyes closing for a moment as Calyx
thrust lightly forward. "That's it, sweetheart," Calyx coaxed and dragged his tongue
down Black's neck. "Maybe I'll hold you down anyway. Maybe I'll
tie you up in my bed and fuck you till you can't walk." Black's lips parted and Calyx leaned forward to nuzzle against him. "Starr--" "Nuh-uh, sweetheart," Calyx said quietly. "I don't think
you're going to be allowed to talk tonight. All I want coming out of
you are those sexy little noises you make." He thrust forward again and Black arched, his neck a tempting curve
as he offered himself up to Calyx. The empath closed his eyes and savored
the lust that was filtering over the tops of Black's shields. It was
intoxicating. It made him want to rub all over Darkness. "Maybe I should just tie you up and fuck you," Calyx whispered. A delicious tremor raced through Black's body and Calyx smiled with
pleasure. He and Darkness were so bad for each other, it was a perfect
match. They were going to have so much fun tonight. Black's PRU buzzed. "Ignore it," Calyx growled. "I…I can't," Black panted. For a split second, Calyx seriously considered ripping Black's PRU
from his pocket and throwing it in the fountain. A long sigh escaped
him and he untangled himself from Black's enticing body. Black sat up
and ran a hand through his hair, his breathing a little ragged and cheeks
dark with lust. Calyx kept one pale hand on his lieutenant's thigh,
Black's muscles tensing beneath his hold, but the brunette didn't shove
him off. "You look fine, sweetheart," Calyx said. "Utterly delicious." Black gave him a wry look. "I doubt whoever's on the line wants to see me like that." Calyx smirked. "You'd be surprised." Black didn't bother to answer as he flipped the PRU to vid mode and
suddenly whatever emotions might have been left on his face faded. "Sir," Black said flatly. Dickerson stared up at Black with grave eyes, his hands neatly folded
on his desk and hair carefully in place. Calyx began to rethink his
plan of throwing the fucking PRU in the water. "Well, well, well," he drawled. "If it isn't my favorite
Capt. Dick." "Starr," Dickerson said, his voice dark and threatening.
"Leave. That's an order." Calyx's eyes narrowed and he glanced at Black. A faint frown passed
over the brunette's features, and Calyx knew that Black had picked it
up too. Something was wrong here, something was very wrong if Dickerson
was going to pass up an opportunity to remind Calyx just where he stood. "Now," Dickerson added irritably. Again, Calyx glanced at Black. Black was determinedly not meeting his
eyes and Calyx slumped a little as he shook his head. "Fine," he said and pulled completely free from Black. If Black wanted to play good soldier and not undermine the supreme
dickhead, Calyx wasn't going to hang around any longer. He strode across
the courtyard and then couldn't help pausing in the doorway for one
last look back at Darkness. The night was pressing in close, the little
bit of light that fell over Black cast most of his face in shadows.
He looked young, and tired, and something in his eyes made Calyx want
to rip him free and take him someplace where there was only sunlight. Did he understand any of the ties that bound Black? Black waited until the door clicked shut before he looked back down
at the PRU. Dickerson looked grim. Black tensed. "Go ahead, sir," he said flatly. "There's a problem." Black took a deep breath and struggled to keep calm. Dickerson's problems
were Black's nightmares. "The drugs JC2 seized have been stolen," Dickerson said.
"They hit the transport team and took out every man in it." "What?" Black practically snapped. "That's impossible." Dickerson's eyes narrowed slightly and Black glanced away for an instant.
The captain's cool voice continued. "There's a video feed. I'm patching it through to you." The PRU's screen flicked and then a grainy black and white film began
to play. Black frowned as he struggled to quickly adjust a few settings
to give him the best picture. It amazed him that porn dealers had top
of the line cameras that they practically threw away after one shoot
and Juxtapose City was still making do with some pieces that couldn't
even pick up color. A JCPD transport rolled to a stop, and Black frowned as the vehicle
jerked suddenly. For a long time nothing happened, then the back door
swung open and a single man climbed out. Black leaned closer as he tried
to make out just what was happening. A limp arm hung from the open door,
and Black could see a few fuzzy blurs that were probably bodies. The
man was walking towards the camera now, his features slowly becoming
clearer, the darkness of his suit a strange inky blot on the screen.
He moved slowly, almost as if out for a stroll, and stopped to light
a cigarette before he took the last few steps necessary to bring his
features into sharp focus. Black almost dropped his PRU. "Exodus," he murmured. The video feed abruptly cut off and Dickerson's face flashed back at
him. "Yes, Exodus," Dickerson said. "This is a problem." "Yes, sir," Black mumbled. "I want it taken care of," Dickerson said, and then his eyes
darkened. "I want you to take care of it this time. Do you understand?" Black's spine stiffened and his eyes shot to Capt. Dickerson's. For
a moment, he couldn't get any words out and his fingers nervously flexed
around his PRU. And suddenly Black realized something. He was thinking about refusing. There might have been a time when he could have questioned just what
Dickerson was doing or just what role he played in it all. There might
have been a time when he could have demanded answers or refused to just
blindly follow. So why was he hesitating now? Black closed his eyes
for a moment. That time was long gone, and even then he had never thought
about disobeying Dickerson for any reason. This was his life now, this
was his only chance to get everything he wanted-- Black's body relaxed a little. That was it. It was Starr doing this
to him. It was Starr making him want something that he didn't deserve.
It was Starr making him wish that he wouldn't be so damn dead anymore.
Black turned back to Dickerson. And if it meant having Starr with him,
Black would stay a corpse. "Yes, sir." "Good," Dickerson said, blatantly ignoring Black's hesitation.
"I can always count on you, can't I, Lieutenant?" "Yes, sir," Black said numbly. |