#cory rosenberg

[dandylion240]

An hour or so later when he was sure he had lost any pursuers he went back to where he left Miah. Tying the boat to a nearby tree he went to Miah’s side. “Did you miss me?” he asked, “Sorry it took so long but I ran into a few of the old man’s men.” He wasn’t sure if Miah heard him or not. It looked like he was unconscious. Picking him up he moved him to the boat. He took a moment to redress the wounds with clean bandages before pushing off and heading back towards Sulani, the closest hospital he could think of.

Miah’s eyes fluttered open when they felt Cory tending to their wounds. They mumbled in complaint and turned to their side, looking at Cory. 

“You’re back…” 

They smiled. Cory had promised to come back and they had. They were now sure their trust hadn’t been misplaced. They noted that perhaps this shape would not be easy for Cory, they were fully aware how heavy their tail could be. They sat up and held onto Cory’s arm, looking up at him.

“This shape, not good. I am going to change.”

Holding onto Cory’s arm for support, the dragon closed their eyes as their shape slowly changed, tail splitting into two as the bones and flesh divided to form the shape of a pair of legs instead of a singular tail. The wounds parted with the splitting, leaving two large gashes across both legs. Miah groaned in pain, as once again they started bleeding. With a pained whine, Miah hid their face against Cory’s arm as his scales receded giving way to pale skin. Gasping tiredly, the dragon felt himself drift away from the pain and effort, the change complete.

Cory knew that Miah had passed out from the effort to change forms by the way his weight changed in his arms. His body was limp, dead weight in his arms. With a grunt he moved Miah to the small boat knowing if he waited he wouldn’t have the strength to do it later. 

By the time he had Miah on the boat he was breathing heavily and the lashes on his back were bleeding freely once more. Gritting his teeth he set a course towards Sulani. They could get help there. 

Looking down at Miah seeing the pool of blood growing on the bottom of the boat. They both needed medical care, stitches at the very least but he doubted Miah would trust a hospital full of humans. Caiden might be able to help. Caiden would help them. Taking his eyes off the instruments he rummaged in his emergency kit where he kept a spare Tracfone in case he lost his Iphone. 

With shaking hands he stared at the numbers. His mind temporarily blank. “Come on think,” he muttered to himself “you know his number.” He regretted not programming Caiden’s number into the phone. Closing his eyes he just let his fingers sort the numbers, sure that they’d remember the pattern even if his mind couldn’t bring up the numbers he needed. 

“Hey Caiden,” he said to the voicemail “I need a bit of help. Miah and I had a run in with the old man. We need some place to lay low and heal and…” He took a deep breath “check on my kids will you? Tell them it’s time to Rabbit. They’ll know what it means.” He shook his head trying to clear his eyes of the dots swimming before them. “With luck we’ll be in Sulani tomorrow morning. If not come looking for us.”

Caiden cursed inwardly as he gathered the men on the port to send out a whole rescue party. Part of him wanted to beat the living shit out of Cory, for leaving to investigate on his own accord, knowing full well how dangerous the Albino was. But the other part of him was beyond concerned for his friend. He had called Cory’s daughter, relaying to her the message her father sent. He knew well enough it was code for the kids to either lay low themselves or do something he had not disclosed with him. He’d give Cory an earful once he found him, for not disclosing with him what his plans were. It reminded him of Ethan all over again, doing things on his own he knew full well Caiden could have helped with. 

It was morning already and the boat had not shown up. So Caiden made a few calls and arranged a search party. He was sure Cory would be nearby and his reference to a ‘Miah’ made him wonder if it was the strange albino boy that had been unaccounted for when they rescued Jonah. Caiden got into one of the lead boats, seeing the signal from Cory’s phone was only a few miles off the coast.

“Let’s go. We need to hurry. If his message is anything to go by they’re wounded, and we don’t know in what state they’re in. We need to get to them as quickly as possible!”

The boats set out with Caiden in the lead. He was attentive on both the rader and the waters, just waiting to find them, until he saw a small inconspicuous boat with apparently drifting on the waves. They took their boat closer to the starboard side.

Caiden yelled, “it’s them!” It was a mixture of relief and victory finding them alive.

His men quickly went to pull the boat closer. Inside there was blood and Caiden saw two bodies motionless inside. He recognized Cory instantly, but there was someone else with him, and he imagined it was the unaccounted for albino man. Jumping from his boat to the other despite the sailors warnings not to, Caiden got on the boat quickly checking for vitals and was relieved to see Cory breathing.

“Cory,” he shook the man’s broad shoulder.

Moaning Cory opened his eyes. the corners of his lips quirked upwards recognizing the man staring down at him. “Took you long enough,” he mumbled.

“I didn’t have much to go on,” Caiden mumbled, frowning as his relief was replaced with irritation at the man’s recklessness. “Why didn’t you tell me you were going after the Albino? I could have helped.”  He moved to help Cory sit up “what happened to you?” His observant eyes took in the gashes in his friend’s back and the fact he had obviously used most of his clothing as bandages to bind the boy’s wounds that were still oozing blood.

“Can the interrogation wait?” Cory snorted grimacing in pain “at least until after we get stitched up?” He staggered to his feet stumbling towards Miah who seemed to be stirring into consciousness and he wasn’t sure how he would take having so many unfamiliar faces staring down at him.

Grabbing him by the arm Caiden kept him from being tossed to the deck of the boat. “You’d be better off sitting…” shaking his head knowing his words would be unheeded until Cory got his way. Motioning his men to clear a path “how is he?” He directed his question towards the medic he brought along just in case his services were needed.

“He’s lost a lot of blood but I don’t think any major veins were hit,” he never looked up as his hands inspected the horrific wounds in the boy’s legs. “Should have x-rays done to make sure though.”

“We’ll worry about that once we get back to Sulani,” Caiden said decisively.

The noise and the feeling of someone touching them roused Miah back to consciousness. Their eyes fluttered open, as they tried to focus, their entire body ached, and they realized they had taken human form despite being so wounded, and they were nowhere near the water. They tried to push the person touching them away from their wounds and tried to stretch and contract their muscles to hopefully alleviate the pain but all that did was make them groan in pain. Their sight adjusted and blinking they recognized Cory watching them, but there were more people around.

They’d been captured!

Miah widened their eyes and pulled back hissing in warning at the man touching them, fangs bared. The medic yelped and pulled back.

“Hey, kid, we’re friends! We’re here to help you both!” Caiden quickly assured them by lifting their hands to be visible to the dragon. 

He motioned the medic to step back, as he was sure if the boy felt threatened, they’d carve that row of shark like teeth in the medic’s neck. He wondered what type of creature that boy was, if their teeth were to go by, it certainly wasn’t your average merman like his friend Hideaki.

“My name is Caiden! Do you remember me? I was part of the team that rescued you.”

He looked at Cory to support him in his claims, as the boy seemed to be ready to fight them.

“We need to take you to Sulani. The doctors there are specialized in supernaturals, they can aid you both,” he explained.

Seeing the panic in Nehemiah’s eyes Cory moved around Caiden, hands out like he was trying to calm a frightened horse. “They’re friends,” he assured Miah, “they want to help. Make you feel better.”

“Perhaps you and your men should leave,” Cory suggested to Caiden, his eyes never leaving Miah’s face. “He's skittish around strangers. He might even think he’s about to be captured again. I know I would if I was hurt and scared.”

Caiden jerked his head indicating his men back away and leave. When the last of his men were aboard their boats Caiden put a hand on Cory’s shoulder squeezing hard. “You shouldn’t be alone, you’re hurt and…” his eyes swept over the boy “that kid’s dangerous.”

Shaking his head “who wouldn’t be in his situation? He’s just scared. I know I can get through to him.”

“You’re being pigheaded” Caiden hissed “why didn’t you ask me for help? If you had a lead you should have called me.”

“You wouldn’t have liked what we had planned,” Cory snapped, too tired and sore to care what Caiden thought now that their opportunity had slipped through their fingers.

Miah glared daggers at the strangers, scooting to hide behind Cory, gripping what was left of his shirt. They peaked from behind Cory at the strangers, feeling once again lightheaded. They looked down at their legs and made a clicking noise with their tongue, they needed proper treatment so that they could heal.

Caiden sighed annoyed, eyes falling again on the boy.

“You’re stubborn as a mule, Cory and that’s going to get you killed!” He shook his head. “Don’t go around trying to play the hero! Last time someone tried to play hero with this situation, we nearly lost Jonah! Do you want a repeat of that?”

Shaking his head he opened the way to his boat.

“Convince him to get in. I know a guy, a doctor, who’s specialized in supernaturals;” he imagined if that kid was skittish with a lot of people, taking them to the hospital would not be the best course of action. “He can give your… well, whatever they are, a hand. That way we don’t need to take them to the hospital. But you both need medical aid.”

Cory’s lips flattened into a thin, grim line., his eyes glaring at Caiden. “No, that’s not what I want. But playing it safe isn’t going to catch this guy either. We’ll talk about this later.” From the look on Caiden’s face he knew Caiden wasn’t happy and would like nothing more than to have it out now but right now all Cory wanted was to get Miah the help he needed.

Shaking his head he knelt beside Miah, “Caiden is a friend. He’s here to help us. I promise no hospital but someone needs to treat you. Do you trust me?”

He could see the conflicting emotions in Miah’s eyes. Holding his hand out, “come on. I’ll be with you the entire time. I promise.”

“I trust you,” Miah nodded and took Cory’s hand, still looking towards Caiden with suspicion.

They were in pain and they knew Cory would help them as they did before, so for now, they would trust this ‘friend’ of Cory’s. If Cory trusted him, so would Miah.

Caiden sighed relieved. Quickly he moved both Cory and the mercreature into the boat. Instructing his men with the coordinates towards the doctor’s home. Grabbing his phone he messaged the doctor so they’d be ready for them. Arms crossed, he turned to Cory as the boat sailed away.

“Tell me you were able to find something useful or at least leave a dent in the albino’s operation…”

“I sank the old man’s boat and ate some of his men! Is that good?” 

Caiden looked at the boy surprised. They held onto Cory as if Cory was some sort of life-raft but they’d been quiet most of the time, so when they spoke now it surprised Caiden. But what surprised him most was the part about ‘eating’ people. Concerned, he turned to Cory, realizing his first assessment of the young man was wrong.

“You’re…” He looked at Cory. “That’s not a merman, is it?”

Turning to face his friend Cory raised an eyebrow “what if he’s not? Is that a problem? What he did was in self defense. Look what they did to his legs! I would have died if he hadn’t come for me.”

He put a hand on Miah’s shoulder to keep him down, to let him know that he was safe. “So what if he ate a few of them. The world’s a better place without them. The albino is down a few more bad guys but his operation is wider than we thought. People live in fear of him or work for him.” He couldn’t help but wonder how many boys go missing in businesses run by his business associates. Boys that are never found.

“I’ll give you an address where you’re sure to find more victims of the albino in need of rescuing.” With a heavy sigh he sat down in a chair that Caiden placed near the bunk where they put Miah.

Caiden nodded “I’ll get a doctor to fix you up. Then go to the address. If  you sank the albino’s boat he’s sure to be on the run and not covering his tracks. Hopefully I’ll be able to pick up his trail again.”

Barely able to keep his eyes open Cory murmured a thank you, grateful for a little quiet. “Oh,” he said, “be careful the old man has a lot of eyes and you can’t trust anyone.”

“I’ll be careful,” he promised “just get better and I hope whatever your friend is he knows the difference between us and the bad guys.”

Miah lay in bed watching and listening in silence as they talked about them. They frowned at the comment by Caiden and sat up.

“The old man is bad. Cory is good! And I trust Cory, so if Cory says you are safe I will trust him about it, but I will protect myself!” They hissed.

They reached for their legs, wincing in pain at the blood. The bleeding was starting to subside but they needed help. They ignored the strangers for now, hearing them walk away to probably ride the boat to where they said help would be, and Miah much needed it, so did Cory. They looked at Cory and reached over, touching his shoulder.

“You’re hurt too… The old man hurt you.” They smiled, a gentle smile, with gratitude. “Thank you, for not letting me get caught, even knowing you’d get hurt. You still tried to protect me.”

Cory closed his eyes for a moment. He was tired. It was the first time he felt old. Old in body and old in mind. Forcing his eyes open he gave Miah a tired smile “I didn’t do a very good job.” 

His eyes took in Miah’s wounds “I’m sorry. You wouldn’t have gotten hurt if you hadn’t tried to save me. ” Maybe it was a bad idea to go after the old man on their own. It wasn’t the first time that thought had run through his mind. Every time he looked at Miah the idea repeated itself in his brain. “Do you still want to go after him? He knows we’re after him now. It could be…” He was going to say dangerous but Miah knew that already. He wanted the old man as much, no, make that more than Cory did himself. Cory wanted him for all the boys he damaged. All the boys like Cecil, Jonah and Miah and hundreds of others. 

“You can trust Caiden,” he leaned back grimacing as his body protested. 

It didn’t take long before the doctor came just as Caiden had promised. Cory insisted that she look at Miah first not only because his wounds were more severe than his own but because he was afraid if he passed out that Miah wouldn’t have anyone to reassure him that all these strangers weren’t going to hurt him. 

Finishing up the neat little stitches the doctor shook her head “you should be fine in a few weeks. You just need plenty of rest and to stay off your feet. Change the bandages twice a day and any sign of infection have someone come get me.” She handed a small bottle of pills to Cory “for pain. They’ll make you sleepy so don’t drive.”

Knowing that Miah was taken care of Cory knew he could relax and he felt himself drifting off despite the sharp pains as the doctor mended his wounds. Once Caiden checked things out they could decide what their next step would be. They’d be better prepared. More cautious.

“Miah?” Cory called as he walked into the room where Miah and he had been staying in Caiden’s home for past several weeks. “Do you feel up to going out with me?”

Getting no response he walked into the bathroom where he suspected Miah was soaking in the bathtub. “Caiden should be home in a few days,” he continued, knowing that Miah probably heard him through the walls. “Once he comes back we’ll start our search for the old man again. He thinks he found a lead for us to follow.”

He smiled seeing Miah in the tub “I could go for a swim in the ocean. Want to come with me? I’ve made some sandwiches to take with us. We can have a good old fashioned picnic.”

Miah had been attentively listening to Cory’s every word and footstep as he made his way to them. A smile crossed their lips and they swayed their tail, watching Cory. The prospect of a swim in fresh ocean water felt tempting. Miah looked down at their legs. They had been healing well and they had this to thank Cory.

“I’d prefer to swim in the ocean,” they smiled in answer. 

Carefully they pulled their tail, letting their legs form as the tail split in two, scales receding back revealing pale hide. The bruises from their wounds split equally to both legs, and the small ivory scales of their skin were starting to grow around the reddish and purple marks. They got out of the tub and grabbed a towel, clumsily trying to dry their hair, as they knew it annoyed Cory and the other human, Caiden, when they left water on the floor, which they’d leave anyway as they weren’t good at this ‘dry your hair’ thing.

Annoyed, they threw away the towel. They’d let the air dry it. Cory would just have to mop.

“Will there be meat sandwiches?” They smiled, always with such a big appetite. 

Cory watched Miah’s transformation. He couldn’t help but find it fascinating. He found it beautiful when it was human to a leviathan. The magnificent tail that could no doubt crush him if Miah wanted to hurt him. He knew most of the men Caiden had gathered to help them were afraid of Miah including the doctor who treated his wounds. 

Shaking his head at the puddle forming on the floor he knew he would be mopping later or perhaps it’ll have dried by the time they got back from the beach. He wasn’t going to worry about it. Caiden wasn’t there to fuss about the mess. 

Smiling at Miah’s question he nodded “are there any other type of sandwiches? I have several different kinds of meat sandwiches.” He could still see the astonished expressions on the deli worker’s face when he had placed his order. “Trust me you won’t go hungry.”

Miah made a small chirping sound and nodded eagerly. 

“Then let’s go to the beach for a swim!”

They ran past Cory heading to what the humans called their room. They rummaged through the clothes that had been given to them, even if they’d rather walk around with none.

They walked out wearing a mismatched track suit and, as usual, barefoot. 

“Ready! Seawater and meat sandwiches and talk about the old man!” 

As they spoke, a bit too fast, they took Cory’s hand, pulling on his hand.

Cory couldn’t help but to chuckle at Miah’s enthusiasm. It had been a while since they had been able to relax and enjoy the moment. Their days had been either hunting the old man or healing. Today was going to be different. He could feel it even though he didn’t know why. They were still going to discuss their next step in finding and ending the old man but there was an undercurrent of something that Cory couldn’t put his finger on.

Previous/Next

[dandylion240]

Meanwhile Caiden was standing in the middle of a playboy’s dream mansion. It made his skin crawl. There were discarded condoms littering every surface imaginable. It was obvious that Cory and Miah had interrupted an orgy. 

He took some satisfaction in knowing he had caught a few predators and saved some boys from a lifetime of misery and an early grave when they lost their looks and appeal. It would take years before they recover from this, if they ever did. In the back of his mind he was wondering about how he could set up a foundation for lost and exploited boys and girls. He’d need backing as he couldn’t afford to do it on his own. It was something he’d like to pursue later on. 

Shaking his head, he needed to get his mind on the job at hand. Approaching a young officer, “have the premises been searched?”

The young officer snapped to attention. “They’re still searching the dungeons sir.”

“Have someone tell me when the search is done,” he ordered.

“Yes sir,” the officer all but saluted him before turning to get an update on the search. 

Sighing Caiden felt old and jaded. It was hard to imagine himself at that point in his career. He’d seen too much to believe he could rid the world of all evil but he could rid it of a few bad apples and send a few boys home to their families. He’d take a win like that any day.

It took several days to question everyone they had found in the house. The boys were from everywhere, most scared their families wouldn’t want them anymore because of what they’d been forced to do. It would take time, Caiden knew before they felt like they were worth something other than some sick perverts sex toy. The thought of what they survived made him want to strangle the old man with his own bare hands. The desire was so strong his fingers curled at his side. 

It would have been too much to ask for the old man to have been rounded up with the other perverts. Fortunately they were able to locate other locations like this and save other boys from a life as sex toys. Take the good with the bad Caiden’s mother always told him. 

Gathering as much information as he could, Caiden returned to Sulani. Opening his front door he was greeted with silence. He found Cory’s note. Tossing it aside Caiden decided that what he had to tell them could wait until the morning. He needed a shower. A bed. And a good night’s rest. 

The good night’s rest was elusive. He laid staring at the ceiling for hours. The faces of the boys kept flashing in his head. Their lost sad expressions seemed to be reproaching him for not saving them earlier. Accusing him of losing time. They were suffering while he slept. 

Tossing the blankets aside, he turned his bedside lamp on. Grabbing his phone he made a call and it wasn’t until he heard her irritated voice did he realize how late it was. “Sorry,” he apologized even as he smiled at the sound of her voice.

“Where are you?” she asked, yawning in his ear.

“Stop that,” he said, “yawns are contagious.”

“Good,” she moaned, “maybe you’ll let me go back to bed.” After several seconds passed where he didn’t say anything she asked “are you alright? Do you need me to come over?”

“I’m fine,” he said. “I just needed to hear your voice.”

“Liar,” she giggled.

“Which part?” he asked.

“The part where you said I’m fine,” she said, sounding more awake. “Do  you need me to come over?”

“Hmm I’d love to have you come over but I’m not ready to have that conversation with your dad yet.” He heard her mocking laugh “I’m rather fond of my head remaining on my neck.”

“Chicken,” she taunted, “but I couldn’t come over even if I wanted to. Kai’s asleep and I’m not waking him up to make a house call.”

 “What if I came over there?” he asked knowing he wouldn’t go.

“Will you?” her voice became a sultry whisper.

He let out a moan of desire “you know I won’t. Not until I tell your dad.”

He could imagine her head shaking as she said “why are all my boyfriends afraid of my father?”

“Boyfriend?” he asked not rising to the bait.

“Well … maybe,” she giggled, “the verdict is still out. You still have to survive the dad test.”

“I’m a dead man,” he groaned, his head sinking into his pillow.

“Pleasant dreams,” she said as she disconnected the call.

“Not likely,” Caiden muttered, staring at the ceiling with a slight smile on his lips. Courtney was a girl who knew what she wanted and she wasn’t about to date someone who was afraid of her dad. She had effectively tossed the ball back into his court. He had to decide if this was what he wanted. Did he want a relationship? He’d thought so when he joined Rae’s BC. Then again when he had dated Himari. He still had a tender spot for Himari but it was more the feeling he’d have for a dear little sister than anything else. Himari had been right not to settle for second place next to his career. 

His eyes grew heavy and his thoughts scattered like leaves in the wind

Caiden smirked, shaking his head as he walked up the path to the bungalow he expected to find Cory and his friend. Friend? Caiden doubted he wanted to even touch that subject with the older man. A slight breeze brought the salted freshness of the ocean and the sweetness of fresh ripened fruit. 

Clearing his throat loudly as he came to a stop several feet away from Cory snoring softly in a lounge chair while the boy was swimming laps in the nearby pool. The startled growl had Cory jumping to his feet, wide awake and alert.

It took only a moment for Cory to identify the danger. “Miah, it’s alright. It’s  Caiden. Our friend.” 

“So…this is what you’ve been doing while I’ve been working,” Caiden chuckled as he sat opposite Cory on one of the scattered lounge chairs. “Are you and Nehemiah well enough to travel?”

Cory moved to his vacated lounge chair, perching on the edge. “Does that mean you found him?” The eagerness in his voice showed how much he wanted to resume the hunt.

“I found his mansion,” a shadow fell across his face as the faces of the scared young boys he’d found there came to mind. Staring into space he forced those pitiful faces to the back of his mind. “Unfortunately he wasn’t there. Some of the boys said he was hurt and was there long enough for the house doctor to patch him up.”

Disappointment clouded Cory’s eyes “Damn it,” he spat, his hands bunching into fists. 

Caiden nodded. He knew how his friend was feeling. There was nothing he wanted more than to hit something. “Do you think your friend can pick up his trail?”

Nehemiah watched Caiden from the waters, body nearly all hidden as they tried to ignore the smell of the chlorine. Listening carefully to their talk. At the mention of the old man their interest was pricked and they swam closer to the two older men.

“I can pick up the trail!”

Caiden looked over at the dragon, licking his lips. He pulled himself over to sit at the edge of the lounge, looking down at the dragon who stared at him with suspicion. What an antsy and jumpy creature, but he had seen first hand the damage that thing had done to the old man’s ship, once they found the sunken yacht, that is. Small but incredibly dangerous.

“So if I take you to the mansion, can you find where he went?”

Nehemiah lifted a brow and looked from Caiden to Cory. “Will Cory come?”

Shaking his head Caiden grumbled “I doubt I could stop him.”

“Damn right,” Cory said standing up. “I’m going to hunt him down if it’s the last thing I do.” Glancing over at Miah where he floated by the edge of the pool watching them “maybe you should stay here. The guy is more dangerous than any of us expected and he has connections that keep getting him out of trouble.” 

Scratching his head, Caiden’s eyes moved between him and the creature in the pool. “I don’t know,” he sighed, feeling there was something between the two that he had missed before. “I think we need him,” he crossed over to one of the deck chairs and sat down. “He’s the only one who can sniff out the guy’s tracks. We tried but as far as we can tell he vanished.”

Cory bit into his bottom lip. He didn’t like it. He knew Miah wanted revenge but he also knew he was afraid of being recaptured. He couldn’t ask him to put himself at risk again. What if this time he was captured? What would the old man do to him? Where would he go? How extensive was his network? 

Snapping his fingers as an idea flashed inside his head. “We know more than we did before about this guy. He may have been able to hide his trail but he wasn’t able to hide his paper trail. Shouldn’t we be able to search for other likely locations where he may have set up shop?”

“I’ve got people working on that,” Caiden rubbed his chin. “It’s unlikely he would run to another. Not after we’ve discovered two already. It’d be too predictable and stupid.”

“Yeah and he’s anything but stupid,” Cory agreed. Sitting on the edge of the pool, dangling his feet in the water “what do you think Miah? Where do you think the old man will go? Did he ever mention anyone who owed him any favors? Or maybe someone who he has a grudge against?” 

He groaned as his thoughts went to Jonah and Cecil. “Maybe we should check on the ones who got away.”

“I can follow his scent!” Miah informed him.

They swam to the edge and pulled themself from  the pool, letting their human form settle, noticing the way Cory’s friend watched him with suspicion. They got on their feet flexing their toes and stretching. Changing forms was still incredibly uncomfortable and stiff, but at least it was no longer painful. They moved closer to Cory, placing his hand on their arm.

“The old man was vain…” They remembered and touched Cory’s face, tracing a finger down his cheek as they remembered something. “He has an ugly scar now.”

A thought crossed them and they pulled away.

“Their favorite! The blind one! They were his favorite. When he came to torture me he’d often speak of his favourite dragon and all the boons he gave him to try and break me.”

“The blind one tried to blind the old man!” They realized. “If it were me, I’d go after them.”

Resting his elbows on his knees Cory groaned, shaking his head. “That’s what I was thinking too. He’d want revenge.”

Caiden looked between the two not quite following their logic. “What are you two saying? You don’t think Jonah and Cecil are in danger do you? Surely the old man would be wanting to go into hiding now that two of his estates have been located.”

Leaning back Cory let out a weary sigh “the old man isn’t logical. He’s fanatical and obsessed.” Rubbing his chin he gave a good impression of a man deep in thought. “I think Miah’s right. He’s been obsessed with Jonah since he first saw him playing piano in that seedy bar in San My. He knows we’re closing in on him and it’s thanks to Jonah that we even found him the first time.”

“I better get on the line with the authorities in Brindleton Bay. They can get someone to watch the house until we get there.” Caiden stood up pulling his phone from his pocket.

“If we’re not already too late,” Cory stood up, pulling his phone from his back pocket. He felt sick. All this time they wasted here recuperating the old man may have already gotten to them. What had he been thinking? They could have set a trap for the old man and their window may have already closed.

“Hey Jolene,” he forced a lightness into his voice he didn’t feel when he heard Jonah’s little girl pick up the phone. “Can I talk to your daddy?” 

“He’s playing the piano right now,” she explained “Daddy Cecil says we’re not to disturb him when he’s working.”

“I know sweetheart but this is important,” he heard her talking to Eli in the background.

“Uncle Cory,” Eli’s voice said in his ear “I can give daddy’s phone to Cecil. Would that be ok?”

“Yes, let me talk to him,” he tried to keep the urgency from his voice as he felt time slipping through his fingers.

After disconnecting the call Cecil stared blankly into space. It took Jolene tugging on his arm to yank him from his thoughts. 

“I wanted to talk to him,” Jolene whined. “I told you I wanted to talk to him.”

“Jolie don’t,” Eli cautioned.

“Don’t what?” she demanded turning her disgusted face on her brother.

“I think Uncle Cory called with bad news,” he nodded towards Cecil who was leaning over their dad’s shoulder, talking softly in his ear. The discordant notes as Jonah’s hands splayed out over the piano keys emphasized his words. 

Worry lines replaced the discontent she felt earlier. “Looks bad,” she reached for Eli’s hand “what should we do?”

Eli watched as his parents held each other, talking in whispers so that they wouldn’t be heard. “I think they need to be alone.”

“But shouldn’t we help them?” Jolene took a step forward.

“Jolie no,” Eli entreated her knowing that once she got an idea in her head it was almost impossible to dissuade her. “They need to be alone. Let’s take the twins outside to play.”

“Who can play at a time like this?” she demanded.

“They’re little and don’t understand bad stuff,” Eli explained “Dad would want us to look after them. That’s how we can help.” He hoped that Jolene could be persuaded to help him with the twins. 

“Alright,” she relented. “Let’s get them but I’m not helping either of them use the potty. That’s just gross.”

“If either of them have to go I’ll take them,” Eli assured her.

Cecil watched as Eli and Jolene took their young siblings outside grateful that Eli was sensitive to Jonah’s needs. “The kids are outside now,” he said in a normal voice.

Jonah nodded knowing that was Cecil’s way of assuring him that he could lose control if he needed to without adversely affecting the kids. He wouldn’t deny he was afraid. As soon as Cecil told him the old man could be outside their house watching them his heart leaped  into his throat suffocating him. “We need to get the children away from here.” 

Cecil nodded, a faint smile on his face. He knew that would be Jonah’s first thought. The safety of the children. It was why he loved him so much. He was so selfless. “Call your brother. I’m sure Jayden will let the kids stay with them.”

“We need to pack clothes for them too,” he stood up, swaying a little once he was on his feet. He inhaled several deep breaths the way he was taught to control the start of an anxiety attack. Now was not the time to lose control. His family needed him. 

“Jonah,” Cecil sensed the mounting anxiety in his partner. He could hear the rapidity of his breaths despite his efforts to take slow deep breaths. He heard the way his voice sounded stretched and squeaky not the usual even soothing tones he was used to. The sounds of his footsteps on the floor, uneven and clumsy. “Jonah, you can do this. You are strong and brave. The courageous person I know.”

“I don’t feel like any of those things,” he said leaning into the man who both needed him to be strong and gave him strength. It was the opposite of what he had felt with Ethan. Somehow he’d always felt drained even when Ethan was trying to encourage him or help him through an anxiety attack. Shaking his head he shoved thoughts of the past from his mind. Pulling his phone out he handed it to Cecil “you better call Jayden. It’ll be quicker for me to pack the kids’ things.”

Once the calls were made and the bags packed they gathered the children around them. Jonah tried to smile at the worried faces of his two oldest children peering up at him. He longed to tell them that everything was going to be alright. “This is just a precaution,” he glanced down as Cecil’s hand slipped into his. “We don’t know for sure if there’s anything to worry about.”

“Then why do we have to go?” Jolene demanded. 

“We could help protect you,” Eli added “The little ones can go but I can help.”

Jonah tried not to smile at Eli’s earnest offer to help protect him and Cecil. “I’m very proud that you want to protect us but that’s not your responsibility. It’s our responsibility to protect you.”

“But what if the bad man takes you again?” Eli cried 

“Your Uncle Cory and his partner Caiden are coming to help us,” Jonah explained.

“They didn’t keep you safe before,” Jolene pointed out.

“A lot of things happened last time that prevented them from being able to protect me,” Jonah was careful not to point blame at his ex-husband and his hero complex. He didn’t want to taint their view of their father anymore than what Ethan has already done himself. 

“Please,” Eli pleaded.

“You heard your dad,” Cecil stepped in. “Jayden will be here soon. We want you to listen to him and help around the house just like you do here.”

“But we’re guests,” Jolene whined, “guests shouldn’t have to do dishes and make beds.”

“Good guests do,” Jonah gave his daughter a no non-sense stare until she sighed and nodded at him.

“Do we have to go to school?” she asked, hoping to get something out of this.

“Yes you do,” Jonah said sternly. 

“Did you pack my makeup?” she asked 

“No,” he shook his head “you’re too young for makeup …”

“But daddy gave it to me,” she cried.

“He did,” Jonah sighed, wishing Ethan had given their daughter a more age-appropriate gift. “You can only wear makeup at home.”

“This is intolerable,” she cried, pushing her bottom lip out in a pout. 

The knock on the door kept Joanh from having to say anything else. He knew his daughter wasn’t happy about going even more so now that she couldn’t bring her most prized possession with her. It had been a promise he made to his brother after the last time Jolene had stayed the night and Jolene had given Josie a makeover. 

“Do you have everything?” Jayden asked the kids surrounding him.

“Yeah,” Jolene mumbled, stumping past him.

“What was that about?” he asked, looking towards Jonah.

“She’s just mad because she can’t bring her makeup with her,” Eli answered for Jonah. 

When the kids were outside Jayden asked “are you sure you don’t want to come too?”

“We’ll be alright,” Jonah assured him, clinging to Cecil’s hand. “Cory and Caiden will be here soon. So we’ll be ok.”

“Call if you need anything,” Jayden said, backing towards the door “day or night.”

“We will,” Jonah promised, locking the door behind him once he’d left. It was only after everyone had left that Jonah felt his strength drain from his body and he felt Cecil lifting him up and holding him close as his tremors took control of his body.

Previous/Next

[dandylion240]

“What do we do now?” Cory asked as they started to walk towards Caiden’s office building.

“I’m going to run the Albino through the database and see if we get any matches.” He was about to add more when Cory received a phone call.

“Go on ahead,” he said, pulling his phone from his pocket.  Annoyance made his brows furrow as he realized who was calling. “Why are you calling me? I thought we agreed it was better if we didn’t see each other anymore.”

“I know but Kai misses you alot,” her voice syrupy sweet.

“I miss him too but it’s not fair to him for me to keep going there. It’ll only get his hopes up.”

“That’s why I’ve been thinking we should give it another try. See if things can work between us.” When Cory was silent for longer than she thought he should she continued “what do you think? I really do like you. I was just scared of getting involved with anyone because you know, my ex and all.”

A part of him wanted to believe her. Another part knew she was just using him. “Noelle I don’t think that’s a good idea. I don’t want Kai to get hurt and he will if this doesn’t work out.”

“Please just come for the weekend,” she pleaded, sensing victory. “Kai really wants to see you and we could talk.”

“I’m in the middle of something important…”

“Aren’t we important? Isn’t giving us another chance worth it?”

“Yes of course but I can’t just drop everything on a whim to go to Sulani…”

“What if we go there? We can meet at a park. Talk. See where things go.”

“Fine,” he rolled his eyes wishing he could come up with an excuse to say no. “Noelle I don’t see this changing my mind. We’re done.”

“That’s what you say now,” she giggled “it just means I have my work cut out for me.”

“Whatever,” he mumbled, shaking his head and putting his phone away. He had a feeling she was up to something, he just didn’t know what.

Sitting back she moaned when her phone rang. 

“Did you do it?” a man’s deep voice demanded.

“Yeah I did it,” she snapped.

“What time is he arriving in Sulani?”

“He is not coming to Sulani…” she held the phone away from her ear.

“You didn’t do what I told you,” his voice was filled with rage.

“He wouldn’t have believed me,” she huffed. “We were careful and it’s been months since we’ve been together…”

“You could have told him you didn’t know how to tell him,” he snarled “you're a damn good liar when you want to be.”

“And he’d have known I lied the moment he saw me.”

“Not if you had done as I told you and gotten one of those pregnant belly things.”

“I don’t have that kind of money. If I did I wouldn’t have agreed to do this.”

“You would have if you had done as you were told..” he was speaking slowly as if each word was being cut in stone.

“Oh I fully intend on getting what you owe me,” she smirked, “I’m going there.”

“I’m listening.”

“I thought you might be,” she toyed with her hair. “We’ll meet in the San My park.” She outlined the plans she made inwardly laughing at the man’s irritation.

“Not bad,” he grudgingly admitted. “You’re a cold hearted bitch, you know that?”

“That’s why you loved me,” she sighed her mind going back to a time when they had been a good team. Then Kai came along. 

“”Is that Cory? Can I talk to him? Is he coming?”

Disconnecting the call before Kai could hear who was on the phone. “No sweetie, he’s not coming here.” At the disappointment in his eyes she added “we’re going there to see him.” She ignored the twinge of guilt twisting her stomach inside out. She had to do this. It was the only way to get the money she needed for her and Kai to disappear forever.

Jonah couldn’t feel the floor beneath his feet as the guards escorted him back to his room. His mind was a kaleidoscope of emotions each warring for precedence inside him. Anger, shame, fear, helplessness but mostly shame. Shame that he complied with the master’s wishes. His cheek was sore and swollen from the master’s hand when he’d failed to comply fast enough. Even the tiniest perception of disobedience was met with some kind of cruel punishment.

The guards shoved him through the door to his and Cecil’s quarters. Too shocked from what he’d just endured he sprawled face first on the floor. He was tempted to just lay there forever. Perhaps the master would punish the guards for mistreating his new toy. An almost hysterical laugh bubbled up from inside him as he crawled towards his bed too weak to attempt getting to his feet and walking the short distance. 

Reaching it he covered his face wishing he was anywhere but where he was. Wishing that the hurt reproachful look his mind kept conjuring up of Ethan’s face would change to one of empathy. That the words he’d say was that he understood and that when they were together again this wouldn’t matter. The flicker of doubt troubled him more than he wanted to admit.

Cecil barely slept at night. When he wasn’t attending to his duties with the master, dancing or doing other designated tasks, he spent the days locked in his room dreaming of stars. It felt like such a hollow existence. He was allowed books, if he behaved, at the behest of his master, written in braille, he couldn’t read one single word in them, but he dreamt of what they could mean.

When the door opened, Cecil turned their back to the door, pretending to sleep, as he always did, listening to every sound. A familiar smell came to him, a broken smell of desperation and sweat. He heard Jonah be thrown in and the small hysterical laughter, right after the door was closed behind him, had Cecil lift his head and turn towards the sound.

“Jonah?” He called. 

Pressing his lips to a thin line, he sat on the bed and got up, slowly walking towards Jonah’s side of the bedroom. It had been Jonah’s first night, so he imagined the horror. He could feel it crawling under his skin like vermins, the touch of that man.

 “Jonah?…” He reached for the bed, touching the sheets, his fingers searching for him.

Pressing a hand to his mouth Jonah tried to stifle a sob. It tore through him with the force of a hurricane. 

“I tried to fight,” the words tumbled from his lips “I wanted to fight. To hurt him like he was hurting me but….but … ” Sobs took his words away. Nothing he did stopped what was happening to him. He felt caught in his worst nightmare. He tried to just lay there and let him do what he wanted but that too was wrong. 

“I want to go home,” he wailed knowing that even there he’d never get the stench and the feel of him off his skin.

He could feel the bed moving as Cecil moved towards him. He was tempted to not answer him but he needed the comfort of another person who understood the pain he was going through. “How can you do this over and over again,” he asked.

Cecil gently touched his shoulder, feeling the way he trembled and wailed. 

“I’m sorry, Jonah… I’m sorry he hurt you. I’m sorry you have to go through this!” 

He wanted to assure him, to tell him it would get better, or that he would get used to it. 

“I know you want to go home. And you will! You will go home! Your family is looking for you! They won’t give up! Trust me!” 

He slowly wrapped his arms around Jonah pulling him to lay his head on his lap if he wanted to, rubbing his shoulder.

“It’s going to be okay.”

He thought of his question. He didn’t have an answer. He knew very well the desperation Jonah felt, that disgust one felt of themself for allowing such to be done to them. He closed his eyes, the question hanging heavy.

Something of what Cecil said gnawed at the back of Jonah's mind. Something that pulled him a little from his own suffering. Lying with this head in the dragons lap trying to piece it together in his head. Home. Family. That was it. Never once had he said his family was looking for him. Just Jonah.

“Don’t you have a family?” he asked, his voice was small like a child seeking information but afraid to do or say the wrong thing. “Aren’t they looking for you? Don’t you have a home to go back to?”

He knew that maybe Cecil didn’t have the same loving family background that he made his heart ache. He wanted him to have those things and if he didn’t, what kept him to want to continue this existence. What made him so strong?

He wondered also if maybe he could be that strong too. It wasn’t something he’d ever considered before about himself. He was weak. Needy. Someone who needed to be taken care of. But was he? Or had he just allowed himself to believe those things because others thought of him that way? 

He felt bad thinking that Ethan never told him he could be strong. It was always I’ll take care of you. You can lean on me. I’ll protect you. Take this pill and everything will be ok when you wake up. Words without substance were just words.

Cecil gently brushed Jonah’s hair, looking ahead. The question actually caught him by surprise. He licked his lips.

“No. I don’t have a family. And home?” He scoffed. “I lived in a cave, where I collected bobbles that felt soft or smelled nice. I was told not to leave. Me being here means I clearly left at some point. Some people found me, taught me how to turn to this shape so I could accompany them. They promised to show me so much. I could feel the sand, the ocean, smell the flowers and sense the stars… They promised…”

He looked down at Jonah. “Forgive me, I don’t want to burden you with my sob story.”

Taking a deep breath Cecil continued, “I want to live, live long enough to either see time punish him, and if not, I want to outlive him. I want to feel him grow old and weak and sick and feel him wither. Then I’ll be free.” There was anger in his voice, every repulse and every disgust and shame he felt coloring his voice with an unfiltered rage.

Sitting up jolted from his own misery Jonah said, “that’s awful.” 

With jerky, halting movements he took Cecil’s hand in his. “You have family now. I’ll be your family.”

He wasn’t sure exactly where he was going with this other than he knew it was true. It’s what his heart was telling him was true. “If, as you say, my family is coming for me, then we’ll leave together. I won’t leave you behind. Not with him.”

It was a promise he fully intended on keeping. He just didn’t know how yet. His lips quivered, fighting the tears that still coursed down his face. “What do you think? Would you like to be my brother? My family?”

Cecil looked at him, eyes wide with surprise at the proposition. Family? Brother? He liked the sound of that, the sound of family. Closing his eyes he nodded, brushing Jonah’s hair gently away from his face, he placed a hand on his cheek, reassuring.

“Yes. I’d love to be your brother, Jonah! Thank you!”

Though he doubted on the part where they would come for him, to help him escape, as many others had promised the same, he still, nonetheless, wanted to hope. And stars, was Jonah’s hopeful and genuine voice enough to make him want to believe, hope.

Giving Jonah a playful smile.

“Be like a… dead fish!” He laugh3e. “It helps. Just, when he comes to you, don’t think about it. Don’t think about it, it’s what I do. I don’t dwell on what happens, on what he does. You just need to make it through another day, long enough to survive. I just do what he wants and if it gets too hard I just pretend to be a dead fish and lay there while thinking about… a way out!” He smiled.

“Dead fish huh?” he chuckled leaning into Cecil “I’ll have to try that next time.”

He shuddered at the idea of a next time but that he knew there would be a next time didn’t fill him with the same kind of dread. It was just the way it had to be. Something he had to do to survive. He had a reason to live. A purpose. He had to live long enough to see Cecil out of here. That was a concrete motivation where seeing his children and husband again seemed more and more like a dream.

Previous/Next

[dandylion240]

“Son what are you waiting for? I told you we were leaving ten minutes ago.” “Dad I don’t want to go,” Eli crossed his arms, determined to make him listen. “Did Jonah put you up to this?” he demanded frowning down at his son. “I know he’s not happy about going but I thought he’d gotten over it. He shouldn’t have gotten you involved.”

Shaking his head, Eli said “he didn’t tell me to do anything. He told me it’d be fun. I have a bad feeling. Why do we have to go? We could have a family day here. Swim in the pool. Cookout.”

“Enough,” Ethan snapped his son’s words hitting a sore spot. “We’re going to the beach. Your sister is already in the car ready to go. It’ll do us all good to get out of the house for a while.”

“Why are you mad?”

“I’m not,” he snapped.

“You sound mad.”

Groaning, Ethan said ‘you have to understand that sometimes we have to do things we don’t want to do for the good of those we love.”

Puzzled Eli frowned up at him “how is going to the beach for the good of anyone? What if the bad man’s there? Daddy’s safer here. At home.” He may only be seven but even he knew that. “Why does Daddy have to go to the beach?”

“It’s not up for debate,” he turned, opening the door, “now get in the car.”

Sometime later Awan observed “your dad’s acting weird.”

Glancing across the sand Eli watched his parents. They were sitting close watching Jolene as she ran along the beach. “Weird,” he asked, turning to his friend “how?”

“Well,” he hesitated, lowering his voice “your dad freaked out when Jonah walked away to throw our empty wrappers and stuff after lunch. 

The crease between Eli’s eyes deepened “I remember.”

Nodding Awan continued “it’s like he’s afraid to let Jonah out of his sight.” It reminded him of his parents. His mom said it was because his dad was jealous and wanted to control her. Shaking his head “I guess that makes sense. He doesn’t want the bad man getting him.”

Nodding Eli’s eyes followed his parents. He could tell Jonah was nervous by the way his hands trembled and how his eyes darted around the beach keeping a lookout for anything that didn’t feel right. With his anxiety that was normal but what wasn’t normal was the way Ethan seemed to be doing the same thing. Was he more worried than the let on? Then why did he insist they had to come to the beach?

“I’m sorry,” Awan whispered in his ear “I shouldn’t have said anything.” 

Turning to his friend “it’s not your fault that a bad man is watching my dad.”

Giving his friend a hug “I just feel bad.”

“I know,” Eli shook his head. “We better scan the beach. Let me know if you see anything odd.” Nothing seemed out of place. Maybe he was worried for nothing but the bad sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach told him that he wasn’t wrong. It wasn’t his imagination like his dad said it was. His daddy was in danger. He could feel it.

One thing he didn’t understand and he turned to Awan hoping he might be able to tell him. “Why did my dad want my daddy to come to the beach? There has to be a reason.”

“I don’t know,” looking at his friend Awan wanted nothing more than to be able to give him a different answer. “Maybe he…” he closed his mouth watching Eli as he seemed to walk away from him.

“It’s the guy,” he pointed, “the other one we saw watching Daddy at the house.” Turning “I have to tell Daddy.”

Eli ran up to Ethan “where’s Daddy?”

Glancing over his shoulder, Ethan asked “Jonah?” He dropped the shells he’d been holding for Jolene to run to where he’d last seen Jonah. He hadn’t been gone that long. “He promised he wouldn’t go anywhere,” he mumbled to himself as his brain scrambled to catch up.

Pulling his phone from his pocket he called Jonah’s phone. “Come on pick up,” he muttered hoping he’d just gone to the bathroom or gotten up to throw something away. Holding his breath he heard a phone going off nearby. Walking in that direction he found Jonah’s phone discarded in a trash can and Jonah was nowhere in sight.

“Jonah,” he screamed causing a few people to turn and look at him.

Tugging on his hand Eli demanded “the bad man has him doesn’t he?”

Looking into his son’s expressive green eyes he could see the unspoken accusation. Running his hands through his hair, this was his fault. Everything that everyone had been trying to tell him came crashing in upon him, crushing him with guilt. Feeling as if his world was falling apart he dialed another number “Caiden he’s…” he ran his tongue over his lips “he’s gone. Jonah’s gone.”

Two hours later Eli stood with Awan and Jolene alone on the beach. “It’s going to be alright,” he tried to reassure her as silent tears ran down her cheeks.

“It’s my fault,” she cried “if I hadn’t wanted to come to the beach Daddy would still be here.”

“It’s not your fault,” he told her firmly. “Bad things just happen sometimes,” he repeated Jonah’s words to her. He knew whose fault it was though. Who put their daddy in danger by making them come to the beach. He didn’t need anymore proof than when his dad ran up to Caiden yelling at him that it was his fault. That he was supposed to have kept Daddy safe. That didn’t make sense. The only person who was supposed to keep Daddy safe had put him in the most danger. Something inside him seemed to shatter. Why hadn’t he kept his promise to keep Daddy safe? They had all heard him promise him in the car as they arrived.

“Eli,” Awan whispered in his ear concerned for his friend “are you okay?”

“No,” he half sobbed the word but at the stricken look on his sister’s face he forced a smile to his lips. “It’s ok Jolie. They’ll find Daddy.” Turning to Awan he whispered “nothing’s okay until Daddy comes back.”

Nodding he gave Eli’s hand a squeeze “I know how you feel.” It hadn’t been that long ago he’d been home with his mom, safe and loved. Then he’d been forced to go away and he wasn’t sure if he’d ever see her again. He knew this was different. A bad man had taken Jonah. He’d heard stories about how people were never found. He kept that to himself. He wanted his friends to believe that Jonah would be found.

“Eli,” Jolene sniffed “when can we go home?”

“I don’t know,” he rubbed her back as they moved into a tight knit circle hug. 

“I want Daddy,” she sobbed on his shoulder.

“I know,” he whispered, unsure what he could do or say to comfort her.

Looking up she pulled free “Uncle Evan.”

Evan picked up his sobbing niece holding her tight as she soaked his shirt with her tears. Looking down at the two young boys “what are you kids still doing here?”

“We wanted to stay until Daddy was found,” Eli explained.

“This is no place for kids,” Evan muttered, turning to see if he could locate Ethan somewhere. He found him in a heated argument with someone he’d met a long time ago. “Kids stay here,” he bent to set Jolene down but she refused to let him go, clinging to him like her life depended on it.

“I’ll get him,” Eli said, stomping off towards his dad. As he neared him he heard their raised angry voices. 

“You did what?” Cory shouted.

“I thought he’d be safe,” he shook a little from his own rage boiling through him.

“You thought wrong,” Cory shouted.

“I didn’t think anything would happen to him,” he sounded close to tears “not with so many people on the beach.”

“How stupid can you be?” Cory growled hands bunched at his sides.

“If Caiden had done a better job,” he accused “everything would have been alright.”

“You still don’t get it, do you?” Cory hissed “this is your fault. You did this. You put Jonah in this situation. Ignoring the danger. How could you do that to him? He trusted you?”

“I..I..” he stumbled forward, almost falling to his knees. “What have I done? Jonah I’m so sorry. I thought I could protect him. I wanted to make him safe. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”

Scowling down at the man almost hating himself for giving Jonah up so he could be with him. Cory said, “all you’ve done is make things worse.”

Rushing forward Eli shouted “I hate you. Daddy trusted you and you made him come here. I told you it wasn’t safe and you wouldn’t listen.”

Looking into his son’s anguished eyes Ethan could almost see Jonah looking back at him “I’m sorry.” He moved to hug his son.

“Don’t touch me,” Eli cried, flinching from Ethan's touch, running from him.

“I’ll get him,” Awan volunteered going after him. 

Evan had heard most of what had been said. A part of him wanted to slap his twin upside the head while he also wanted to tell him that things would be okay. But would it? He was appalled that Ethan could have done this to his family. “I’ll take the kids home with me. They can spend the night and I’ll bring them home in the morning. 

“That might be for the best,”  Ethan said, his eyes on his son and the rejection he never thought he’d feel from him.

Eli burst into the house “Uncle Jayden my Daddy’s gone.” Sobbing he crawled into Jayden’s lap.

Wrapping his arms around his nephew, chest tight with the effort not to sob with him. His brother, his twin was gone. It was a pain he hoped to never feel again except this time it was worse. This time he knew someone had him. Someone who meant to harm him. He looked up meeting Evan’s eyes. He knew there was something he wanted to tell him but wouldn’t until little ears weren’t around to hear.

As the ragged sobs slowed to sniffs and  hiccups Jayden said “I know it’s bad right now but we can’t give up hope. I know my brother. He’s not going to stop fighting until he…” His voice faded unsure what else to say. He almost said fight until he couldn’t or came home. What if he never came home?

Sitting up, rubbing red and swollen eyes, Eli said “you don’t have to spare my feelings. I know he might not come home. The bad man won’t let him unless we find him.”

The matter of fact way the little boy spoke almost shattered Jayden’s resolve not to cry. Gulping he held his breath until the tightness eased in his chest. “No matter what happens I know your daddy will always be right here with us,” he touched his own chest, where his heart was. “He loves us and he’ll want us to remember that.”

“I know but,” Eli's voice quivered “but sometimes it’s not enough.”

Shaking his head he pulled Eli close “no it’s not.”

Clapping his hands together to get everyone’s attention, Evan said “is anyone hungry? I could order pizza.” He could hear the false cheery tone in his voice and knew by the way everyone stared at him that it wasn’t working. Turning to Awan, he said “you should probably call your dad. He’s probably worried about you.”

Shrugging Awan knew his dad was only worried about him not drawing attention to himself. Worried that one of the reporters may have gotten a picture of him on the beach. Silently he took the phone from Evan’s hand. He almost jerked his hand away when his father’s voice boomed in his ear. “Hey Dad I’m staying with Eli and Jolene at their Uncle’s house.” He held his breath hoping his dad didn’t want him to come home. “But Dad I…” Silently he held the phone out to Evan feeling as if his heart were shattering into a million pieces.

Taking the phone from him, Evan said “Mr Bemossed this is Evan O’neil, Eli’s Uncle…” He jerked the phone from his ear a slightly shocked expression on his face “it wouldn’t be any trouble. He’ll be good for the kids…Yes sir. I understand.”

Shaking his head as he disconnected the call “I’m sorry. Your dad wants you to come home.”

Nodding Awan slumped into a chair. He knew it had been too much to hope for. He just hoped his dad would let him come over another time.

“I’ll take you home when I go to pick up the pizzas,” Evan said.

Nodding Awan glanced over at Eli hoping that Eli would offer to come with them. “Okay” he mumbled disheartened that Eli didn’t seem to notice or care that he was leaving. 

Squeezing the boy’s shoulder Evan looked towards Jayden and the kids. “Do you guys need anything from your house? I’ll pick up some nightclothes for you and something for tomorrow.” 

Looking up with a slightly desperate expression on his face Eli asked “can’t I stay here with you? At least until Daddy comes home.”

It was heartbreaking to watch the rift between father and son but Evan knew it was largely Ethan’s fault. He should never have done what he did. “I’ll talk to him,” he assured the boy. It was one of many things he wanted to say to his brother. Sighing, he picked up his phone to put in the pizza order his mind more on Ethan and how mad he was at him. He hadn’t been this mad since he found out Ethan had wanted Jonah to have an abortion instead of manning up and being the man Jonah needed him to be.

Previous/Next

[dandylion240]

A man standing in front of a large window on the fifth floor in a hotel near the oceanfront mumbled something into a mouth piece. Tossing binoculars on the queen sized bed he stretched his arms wide groaning loudly. 

Muttering to himself he moved towards the single desk in the room. He opened the laptop, typed a few commands and several files opened on his hard drive. Tapping on one he hummed softly in anticipation. Several pictures showed two kids playing together. He lingered on a picture of a blond green-eyed boy of about ten years old. He knew several clients that would pay a king’s ransom to get their hands on a child such as this. The girl too. 

Cursing he reached for his phone that was buzzing on the desk. Grimacing, he mumbled a hello into the receiver.

“Yes I’m watching the house,” rolling his eyes as he walked over to the window. 

“They’re all home,” he sighed “why exactly am I doing this?” He listened to the disembodied voice wondering if it was time to replace the boss. A boss that wasn’t obsessed with a couple of toys that had escaped his grasp. 

“Are you sure you don’t want to take the kids?” he asked once more. He pulled the phone from his ear to save his eardrums from the angry decibels. “Fine,” he muttered. 

Tossing the phone beside the binoculars on the bed he muttered “stupid fool.”

He walked back to his laptop, rubbing his chin unwilling to let go of the goldmine that could be had with this one family. Four kids that would go for millions. The dad wasn’t bad either. He ran a finger of Jonah’s picture. He could see the man’s allure. He was older than most boys he dealt with but he could still make a profit off him. 

The blind dragon would most definitely be dead once the boss finished with him. Perhaps he could save the dragon if only to maximize his own profit. He knew a buyer that liked rare specimens. The boss once he was preoccupied with his pets would be easy to kill.

He sat down to draw up plans. He knew once the boss was out of the way the others would follow him. He already had an idea where he’d set up shop and selling this family would finance it nicely. He already had potential buyers lined up. All he had to do was deliver the goods. 

“Is he going to be alright?” Caiden jerked his chin towards the leviathan who sat by the window eyes darting every which way as the plane filled with passengers.

Cory glanced over at Miah, worry knitting his brows together.  “I hope so,” he said in response to Caiden’s question. The last thing they needed was for Miah to panic while they were thousands of miles in the air. He had done his best to explain what an airplane was but he had no idea how much of it Miah understood. 

Caiden twisted around in his seat barely managing to keep his long legs from going out into the aisle. “Maybe we should give him the tranquilizers now?” 

“I’d rather not,” Cory shook his head. “We don’t know how tranquilizers will mix with his body composition. He’s not like us.”

“No kidding,” Caiden muttered. He knew he didn’t like the idea of bringing the leviathan with them even before they had to figure out how to shove his big feet into shoes to comply with regulations. The only thing that would fit was a pair of old flip flops that barely qualified as shoes yet Miah had complained that they hurt his feet. It had been comical watching him shuffle his feet as if he had never worn shoes before. Maybe he hadn’t. What need did a leviathan have for shoes?

“Relax,” Cory hissed in his ear.

Leaning back in his chair, closing his eyes “wake me when we get there.” Caiden knew he wasn’t going to be able to sleep. He had too much on his mind. Did they warn Jonah in time? Were they safe? Was the old man on his way there? Would they get there before he does? Of course they could be wrong and he wasn’t even there. He had the money to go anywhere in the world. He could hide and they’d never find him. They were banking on the old man’s need for revenge. 

Cory gripped the arm rests as the plane started moving. He hated flying. Hated it even more sitting next to what could be a ticking time bomb. How would Miah react around all these people? Babies crying? The engine noise? 

Miah turned from the window where he had been watching the baggage carts zipping this way and that way on the tarmac. He rested his hand over Cory’s. “This … plane … take us to the old man?”

“Yes,” Cory affirmed, taking his hand from the armrest in favor of holding Miah’s hand. “We just need to build up speed before the plane can take off.”

Miah nodded as though he understood “good. That is good. I am hungry.”

“We ate just before we got on the plane,” Cory chuckled. “I can ask the flight attendant if they have any chips.”

“Pizza would be good,” Miah said “or a hamburger.”

“I don’t think this flight serves food like that,” Cory said, wishing he had thought to bring sandwiches in his carryon. 

“Don’t worry Cory,” Miah grinned. “I will not eat the pass-en-gers. Just the old man.”

“That’s a relief,” Caiden muttered on the other side of Cory.

Cory chuckled, “I told you we had nothing to worry about.”

“I will take some chips though,” Miah said. “And water.” There was a moment of weightlessness as the plane took off. “Oh,” Miah gasped, pressing his face to the window as the plane lifted into the sky. “Can we get a skybox? I like flying!!”

Cory shook his head “plane. I’m afraid we can’t buy one.”

“Aww,” Miah turned back to the window.

Seeing the way Miah’s shoulders slumped with disappointment Cory added “but i promise to travel with you all over the world so you can fly? What do you think?”

Turning from the window, head nodding “yes I like that.”

The old man shoved his phone into his pocket. “I don’t trust him.”

“Delaney is one of the best…”

The old man glared at the man speaking “I know he’s good at surveillance but he’s not good at taking orders.”

The man shrugged, “it’s a sound business proposition.”

“I don’t like it,” the old man grumbled, sipping his gin and tonic. 

“After the losses you’ve encountered…”

“No,” he slammed his drink onto the tray next to him, the liquid sloshing over his hand. “I don’t deal in children.”

“Maybe it’s time for a change,” the man suggested.

The old man picked up his gin and tonic as he glared over the rim at his partner. “If I didn’t know better I’d think you’re about to stage a coup.”

Chuckling, the man shook his head “you know me better than that.”

“Yes,” he swallowed his drink. “We’ve mostly skated under the radar of the authorities because we don’t deal in children. We don’t need that kind of heat. Nothing stirs up a hornet’s nest like messing around with children.”

Raising his eyebrows “so even you have standards.”

Stirring his drink the old man shrugged “hard to believe I know but I’d suggest little brother that you set a standard or you won’t last long in this business.”

“Oh I have standards,” the younger man smirked, “they’re just not the same as yours.”

“What’s that supposed to mean,” the old man narrowed his eyes at the man. 

“Nothing,” he shrugged, reaching for his dirty martini. “Just that my standards aren’t yours.”

The old man stared into his drink before lifting his one good eye. “We wouldn’t want another me running around now would we?” He chuckled without enjoyment. Leaning over he gripped his brother’s wrist “remember this little brother, no man crosses me and gets away with it.” Squeezing harder “that includes you.”

Jerking his wrist free, “I know that and that’s why I haven’t tried to talk you out of going there. Your pets need to learn who their master is.”

“Yes they do,” he said, sitting back with a satisfied grimace on his face.

Moaning Jonah kicked at the blankets constricting his movements as he tossed and turned in his sleep. Sweat dotted his forehead. His lips moved but no sound came out. He seemed to calm a little at the slight touch of a hand on his shoulder. 

“Shh,” Cecil soothed, sitting up beside Jonah in the bed. His sensitive hearing alert for any sound. Without the children the house felt unusually quiet. Instead of searching for the sounds of a child in need he was searching for something much more sinister. The sounds of an intruder. The old man. Was he outside right now waiting for his chance to take them? 

He looked down to find Jonah staring up at him. 

“I fell asleep,” Jonah said reproachfully, looking away. “I’m sorry.”

“No need to be sorry,” Cecil pressed his lips to Jonah’s cheek. “You needed to rest..”

Pulling Cecil’s arm around him, threading his fingers between Cecil’s, Jonah sighed. “You need me to be alert and watchful.”

“I need you to be safe,” Cecil said. Squeezing Jonah’s hand he said “I want you to go stay with Jayden…”

“Only if you come too,” Jonah protested with a distinct whine in his voice.

“You know I can’t,” Cecil said sitting up “I’d only put you and the kids in danger. You’re brother too. What do you think would happen once the master found out you have a twin?”

Jonah gasped, shivering as he pulled the blankets over his shoulders. It was too horrible to contemplate. “Why can’t he just leave us alone?”

“It’s not in his nature,” Cecil pulled Jonah close, holding him tight. “I ruined his face. Took his eye. He wants revenge.”

“You don’t have to be stoic about it,” Jonah nestled into Cecil, saying “It’s ok to be scared.” He stopped, just gazing into Cecil’s face “and you don’t have to protect me.”

“I will do what is necessary to protect my family,” Cecil ran his fingers through Jonah’s hair. “Do not ask me to do less.”

“I won’t,” Jonah snuggled into him “as long as you do not ask me to leave again. I can no more leave you than you can leave me.” 

A faint smile curved the edges of Cecil’s lips. “My Jonah is so strong. How did I get so lucky?”

“You’ve got that wrong,” Jonah protested “I’m the lucky one. You brought me back to life. I was lost but you helped me find my way again.”

“I pointed you in the right direction but you made the journey yourself,” tapping Jonah’s chest “you have a heart like gold. Pure. Kind. Loving.”

Jonah’s lips twitched “I think you’re talking about yourself more than me.” Rolling over Jonah stood up “are you hungry?”

“Thank you Mr Reagan for inviting me over” Awan said as he walked inside. 

“You’re quite welcome,” Jayden said, returning the formal greeting with a slight nod and smirk. “Eli’s in the backyard. I’m hoping you can cheer him up.”

“I’ll do my best,” Awan promised, walking past and out the back door. He stood for a moment on the porch just looking around. He took a step off the porch when he caught sight of his friend standing with him back to the house. “Eli?” he called, walking towards him.

“Hi,” he flipped his hand in a halfhearted wave. 

Awan tilted his head to the side observing his friend. “What’s wrong? It’s more than just cheering up you need.”

“I don’t need cheering up at all,” he turned his gaze onto his friend.

“That’s not what your uncle said.”

Shrugging, Eli went on brooding.

“Well…” Awan shuffled his feet unsure what he should do “it’s cold out here. I’m going inside.” He took a few steps towards the house before he was stopped by the unexpected sob that was muffled as soon as it came out. Reversing his steps Awan put a hand on Eli’s shoulder “what’s wrong?”

Turning Eli buried his face in his friend’s shoulder “something bad’s going to happen..”

Wrapping his arms around his friend Awan just held him while his brain mulled over what Eli said. “Is this like a premonition? I’m not so good with those. I know more about active powers. Maybe you should contact one of the sages in ROM.”

“No,” he shook his head, pulling away from Awan. “It’s not something magical. The bad man who took my daddy is back.”

“Oh,” Awan’s brows knitted together in alarm, “that is bad.”

“No one will listen to me,” Eli grumbled “they all talk about keeping me safe but what about my daddy? He’s not safe. I need to keep him safe.” He paced in front of Awan in short agitated steps, swinging his arms back and forth. “I can’t let him down. Not again.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” Awan reached out to stop Eli from walking past him. “You couldn’t have prevented your dad from being taken that day on the beach.” 

Hugging himself closely “I can’t let it happen again. Not when I can prevent it.” He took Awan’s hand “you can show me how. We can protect them with our powers. If anyone comes, we can stop them.”

Glancing at their hands clenched together Awan nodded “alright but you have to do what I say. You don’t have enough control. You could hurt…” 

“I don’t care if they get hurt,” he said putting on a brave front “as long as daddy’s safe and Cecil.”

“I was going to say you could hurt yourself,” Awan said “magic isn’t something to be used lightly and it could hurt what’s inside,” he placed a hand on Eli’s chest over his heart “here.”

Gulping Eli blinked back tears “you mean it could turn a person to the dark side? Like becoming evil?”

Awan nodded “it’s something my mother told me when I was little. Sometimes magic doesn’t work at all if we try to use it for bad.”

“Oh,” Eli sagged a little “but it still might work. I have to try. I have to keep my daddy safe.”

“We better get started then,” Awan said. “It’s a long way to your house from here.”

“Don’t you know a faster way of getting there?”

“Ask your uncle?”

“He’d say no.”

“Then we walk,” Awan took Eli’s hand and began to lead him away from the house.

Caiden stood reaching for the overhead compartment for his overnight bag. He smiled listening to Cory’s low conversation with Miah. 

“We fly again,” Miah asserted, face pressed against the window.

“We will,” Cory repeated, keeping a tight rein on his frustration. “But first we have to find the old man.”

Miah turned from the window “first we eat then we fly.”

Caiden snorted “at least he’s consistent.”

“Well there are worse things than an appetite for bad guys,” Cory said, joining Caiden in the aisle and reaching for his carryon.

Following Cory as they exited the plane Miah asked “can we get pizza? I’m hungry.”

Caiden glanced pointedly at his watch before asking, “is he always hungry?”

“Yes,” Miah asserted, sniffing the air as he walked past his companions in the direction of a restaurant.

“He’s a bottomless pit when it comes to food,” Cory shrugged before hurrying to follow Miah. He’d done well on the plane but what would he do inside a restaurant on his own? He wasn’t versed in human etiquette and he doubted he understood how money worked either. 

“Pizza,” Miah grinned at Cory when he came up to his side. “Can we have meat pizza?”

“What do you think?” Cory turned as Caiden joined them “Do we have time to eat?”

“We have a couple hour layover,” Caiden shrugged. “We may as well eat while we wait.”

Delaney shifted his weight from side to side as he waited for the arrival of his boss. He couldn’t wait for this to be over and he could assume control of the operation. He even had a bonus trick up his sleeve that he hadn’t anticipated but he was never one to pass up an opportunity; especially one that just stumbled upon him. He glanced down at the two kids he had tied up and gagged. The blindfolds had been added later. 

It was a safeguard once he realized they were both staring at him like they were waiting for him to explode or something. He’d seen that stare before from an ex-girlfriend. She’d been an energy witch and had thrown him across a room during an argument. He had fixed her and the same would go for these kids. Of course it would cut into his profits. He stepped forward as a car drove up and stopped. Yanking open the door “I thought I told you to walk …” he raised his hands stepping back.

“No one tells me what to do,” the boss said pointing a gun at the man while he screwed on a silencer with the other hand with a practiced ease that showed he was no stranger to the act. 

“I didn’t mean any disrespect,” Delaney said, eyes shifting towards the younger man walking around the car. “Just ask your brother. He can tell you.”

“He has,” the older man said as his finger pulled the trigger. “That could easily have been you,” he said, “it’s not because you’re my brother.”

Staring at the dead man, he nodded “what about the kids?”

“Bring them,” the older man said. “Don’t look so eager. They’re not for you.”

“I wasn’t asking,” he bent down beside the kids. He ran a hand through the blond hair of the smaller boy moaning softly.

Shaking his head the boss snapped “we don’t have all day to indulge your sick fantasies.”

“Fine,” he jerked the boys up by their arms and roughly dragged them towards the house. “I wonder why Delaney blindfolded them.”

“Who cares,” the boss said, “just make sure they stay blindfolded. I don’t fancy killing kids.”

“Or anything else,” his brother mumbled.

“I’m not a pervert like you,” he said, full of his own self-righteousness.

“Yeah right,” the younger man grunted, “if you weren’t a pervert we wouldn’t be here to play with your pets.”

“Well I’m going to play,” he said “you’re just going to watch.”

“I should be able to have a little fun too,” he whined.

“How many times do I have to say we’re not going to get into that kind of trouble. You start messing with kids, they never stop looking for you.” They neared the house “if you hadn’t conspired with Delaney against me I might have let you keep one as a bonus.”

“But…”

Glaring at his brother “just be thankful I’m letting you live.”

Jonah fell silent when he saw Cecil hold a finger to his lips. Fear clawed its way up his spine. The master had found them. He hadn’t seen Cecil so scared since they had been slaves together. Play things. Biting his bottom lip to keep from asking stupid questions that would give their presence away. 

They had to hide. Escape. The window. They could crawl out the window. He climbed onto the bed. The click of the window lock releasing sounded much too loud. He swallowed hard as his ears strained to hear what Cecil had heard.  Opening the window he grabbed Cecil’s hand. “We have to go,” he whispered. “You must go without me,” Cecil said, standing as if frozen. “I will only slow you down.”

“I won't leave you,” Jonah protested. “I’ll help you. We can do this together.”

Lifting Jonah’s hand to his lips Cecil brushed his lips across them “you must go. The children need you.”

“I need you,” Jonah felt his chest tightening as he fought back the tears. “You need to come with me. I won’t leave you behind. Please.”

“You must,” Cecil pulled him close, “you’re strong and good. You have given me more than I thought possible. A life. A family.”

“Don’t make me choose between you and the kids,” Jonah pleaded. “Come with me. We can make it together.”

“If this sacrifice means that you survive I’d gladly do it over and over,” Cecil said, pushing Jonah in the direction of the bed as he moved closer to the door “I will distract them while you escape.”

“I love you,” Jonah said as he crawled across the bed to the window. “I’ll come back with help.” With trembling fingers he started to pull himself out the window. He heard the door to the bedroom crash open causing him to almost lose his grip on the window frame.

“Stop,” the familiar voice of the master commanded.

“Jonah go,” Cecil urged as he charged forward intent to take the master’s remaining eye.

“I wouldn’t do that,” a different voice said “unless you want one of these kids to get hurt.” Pulling the gag from Eli’s mouth he said “say something kid.”

“I’m sorry daddy,” Eli sobbed “I wanted to protect you.”

Falling backwards from the window Jonah fell onto the bed. Rolling over he got to his feet. The scene was worse than any nightmare he’d ever had. Putting his hands out “don’t hurt my son.” 

“Come over here and give your master a kiss,” the old man said, his voice low lusty. “Then you can show me how much you’ve missed me. Then I might consider letting him go.”

On feet that weren’t connected to his body Jonah made his way towards the monster that haunted his dreams. As soon as he was within reach he let out a yelp when strong arms reached out and grabbed him. Bile rose as his mouth was taken in a possessive kiss that threatened to suffocate him.

Moaning the old man released Jonah’s mouth but kept a possessive arm around his waist. “You’ll come with me.”

Nodding Jonah leaned into the man even as his body broke out in a cold sweat. “Just don’t hurt my son. Please, I’ll do anything. Just don’t hurt him.” 

“Put the kids in there,” he pointed towards the bathroom door. 

“Can’t I just have one of them?” his brother asked.

“We’ll see,” he smirked, stealing another kiss from Jonah. “It depends upon how nice my boy is to me.” Savoring the fear he was invoking he chuckled “for now put the kids in there. We have other things to do.” He turned a sinister eye on Cecil “it’s time for one of my pets to get his well deserved punishment.”

They were in the living room where the master’s brother had dragged one of the dining room chairs. “Sit,” the master commanded “or your pretty little fiance won’t be so pretty anymore.”

“Don’t do it,” Jonah shouted as Cecil stepped forward. “Ow!” he cried as something sliced through his skin along his ribs. He could feel a warm trickle of blood running down his side.

“Remember what I said about you being nice to me,” the master warned

“Brother tie my pet to the chair and find me a better knife than this pocket knife,” he licked his lips in obvious enjoyment of the pain he was about to inflict. 

“Cecil?” Jonah felt himself pulled tighter to the master’s side. He cringed from the familiarity and the unwelcome touch. 

“Don’t worry about me,” Cecil said calmly, allowing himself to be tied to the chair. 

Jonah didn’t like the defeat he heard in Cecil’s voice. This couldn’t be happening. This had to be a dream. A bad. Horrible. Nightmare. He was going to wake up any moment. He let out a yelp as something crashed in the bathroom where the kids were trapped. Were they hurt? Had they gotten free? 

The younger brother returned from the kitchen waving a knife that Jonah recognized and knew was sharp enough to cut through bone.. “This should be sharp enough,” he announced, handing it to his older brother.

“Let’s test it,” he winked at Jonah like they were sharing a secret pleasure just before he lashed out with the knife drawing a crimson line across Cecil’s chest.

Jonah cried out like it was him that had been cut. “Please, I’ll do whatever you want. Just don’t hurt him.” 

“I knew that would get your attention,” the master smirked, “as tempting as that offer is you both need to learn a lesson. No one crosses me and gets away with it.”

Jonah’s stomach lurched as the master approached Cecil. The brother grabbed his head, jerking it backwards. Jonah felt something building inside him. A tingling sensation, like electricity in his hands. He watched in terror as the old man raised the knife to Cecil’s throat,  He realized soon he’d never hear Cecil’s sweet voice again. Never hear him say I love you.

“No,” Jonah screamed, his hands rising and a burst of energy flooded the room. The shattering of glass and people groaning in pain were the only sounds Jonah heard before swaying on his feet and he crashed to the floor, his forehead smacking the wood floor with a sickening thud.

Previous/Next

[dandylion240]

“Cory? You spoke of a good friend. Is that him?” He asked with curiosity, he sat on the bed with Jonah, listening to him. “Tell me about him.”

“Yes that’s him,” he curled up on the bed, his head resting in Cecil’s lap. “Cory’s my best friend. He never got upset when I needed to talk about … bad things that happened to me. Like the first time I met the master.” He shivered at the memories. He’d been so young and scared.  Now he was just scared.

“He always made me feel like I was still a whole person even though I felt like damaged goods,” he didn’t know why his mind kept prompting him to say unlike Ethan. He never felt able to tell him the things he’d been able to tell Cory. He missed having someone to share the dark hidden places that he kept locked inside him. Some days it felt like that darkness was trying to eat him from the inside out. 

“I know he’s looking for me,” there was the doubt again as a voice wondered inside his head if Ethan was looking for him too. Of course he was. Wasn’t he? 

“He and Ethan are  probably working together,” that image didn’t bring the comfort he thought it would. There was an underlying animosity between the two men. Jonah had felt it many times. 

“Maybe he will come with us when we take you to see snow,” he said trying to push the unsettling thoughts away from him. “Wait until you meet him. You’ll know you can trust him with anything. Even your life.”

Hearing Jonah’s words Cecil brushed his hair gently. Cecil could tell this was someone important to Jonah. But it rather puzzled him, Jonah spoke of this man, but very little of his husband. He’d ask Jonah about this some other time.

“He sounds like a good friend. And I am certain they are looking for you. This is why you need to send a message. Send him a message.”

Gently he brushed Jonah’s cheek. 

“Tell me more about your family. Your children, your husband.”

“Oh he is,” he enthused “he’s the best friend you could ever have.”

He could feel himself relaxing as Cecil brushed his hair. “Ethan…,” he stopped wondering why he found it so difficult to talk about him. “We,” he almost said high school sweethearts but that wasn’t really true, “we dated in high school. I thought he was the love of my life.” 

“Prom night Ethan and I took our relationship to the next level.” He paused before adding “I wasn’t sure I was ready but I wanted to make him happy.” He’d never told anyone that before, not even Cory.

“I found out later I was pregnant with Eli,” a soft smile transformed the sadness in his eyes. “No one wanted me to have him. My parents said I was too young. They would take my baby and raise it for me. Ethan he…” he gulped the old pain resurfacing “he didn’t want to be a father yet. That having the baby would ruin all of our plans. That he would go with me to ….”

“I couldn’t do that,” tears were silently running down his cheeks. “I ran away to keep my baby. My son. No one would listen to what I wanted. It was like I didn’t matter.”

He wiped away the tears unsure why he was telling Cecil about this other than it had been on his mind lately. “I’d do anything for my kids and I never want them to think their feelings don’t matter.”

“I’m sorry I shouldn’t have unloaded all of that on you,” he sniffed a little “I didn’t really answer your question did I? You wanted to know about my family and I gave you this sob story.”

Cecil brushed his cheek gently, helping him wipe his tears.

“I think it was unfair for your family to not take into account what you wanted. To not listen to you… I hope this doesn’t happen anymore. You have a right to a voice, to have your will respected.”

And he sighed, brushing his cheek.

“But you are now with Ethan, so this means he accepted your will. Correct?”

Yet he felt by Jonah’s voice, that Jonah was not happy. He felt antsy and scared, despite being such a strong man who had already survived so much. Then why did Jonah feel so vulnerable.

“And you don’t need to apologize for that,” he smiled at Jonah. “You are my friend. I am glad to hear your story. If it’ll make you feel better, I can share mine.”

“Yes I suppose he has,” Jonah sounded uncertain. “We don’t talk about it much. We had three more kids together after Eli so I guess he has.” He wished he knew for sure or had he just assumed. 

“You are a good friend to me,” he reached for Cecil’s hand kissing the fingers before saying “I would very much like to hear your story if you want to share it with me.”

“I know it may be painful for you,” he shivered wondering what it would be like to be blind and living inside a cave.

He smiled at Jonah’s kind action and takes a deep breath, eyes cast to the ceiling. That was the one thing he could “see”, so to say. The stars, he was aware of them, where they were, what they looked like, why they were.

“I was born blind,” he explained. “It is not common among my kind. But I was born blind. When a dragon is born blind, he is to be killed at hatching. But… like you… my parents didn’t want to give up on me. So they did the other thing they were forced to when a dragon is born blind. They raised me inside a cave for me to never leave.”

He lifted his hands. “I was not aware when I became alone. I only know that at a point, it was only me in there. I think when they believed I was old enough to take care of myself, they just left without a word. Dragons are… prideful beings. Very prideful, and, as a society we pride ourselves in being perfect. Any defect, disability, unsavory thing is to be either hidden or rid of.”

“When I said you were someone I meant it. No one is looking for me… I have no family, no friends, the only humans I took for friends only wanted me to turn human so they could sell me to master, so they could make up for that one toy that got away. They thought, if they sold the master an exotic dragon, he’d be happy.”

Jonah gasped sitting up “you’re here because of me. I’m the toy that got away.”

He pulled his knees into his chest “I’m sorry … for all of this.” How many times has the master told him he had searched far and wide for him. The toy he most wanted. 

“Even if we escape here, the master will still look for me,” he shivered “I’ll never be free of him. He’ll always be out there looking to bring me back here.” How many more innocents like Cecil would be brought here? 

Swallowing the bile that rose inside him. He didn’t want to stay here but if it would save someone else from being taken … no that didn’t make sense. He shivered, the master had several toys he used to entertain his guests. Shoving the unsettling thoughts aside to focus on something more important.

Inhaling deeply he pulled Cecil into his arms “no matter what you’re not alone, not anymore. You have me. I am your family.”

He stroked Cecil’s hair “I’m glad your parents did not give up on you. You are worth more than ten perfect dragon’s put together. You see more than most people do who have two good eyes.”

Holding the dragon close “you are priceless and if anything good has come from being here it’s that I got a chance to meet you. To know you. You have given me so much. I’ve given you so little. I promise if it’s the last thing I do you’ll walk out of here a free dragon. I’ll make sure that when they come for me we won’t leave without you.”

Cecil held tight to Jonah, closing his eyes, he buried his face on his shoulder. He took in his words, never had he thought of himself like this. Priceless, it sounded nice, to feel worth something beyond being a toy. He didn’t answer back and with a deep sigh he pulled back, holding Jonah’s hands in his own. 

“It’s not your fault. Master would eventually bore himself of you, as he did of me, and then he’d find a new favourite to obsess about. I just came in handy at the right time for some underling to get off the hook for failing. That is not your fault…”

Brushing his cheek he added. “We will escape, I trust in you, I trust you will find a way, and the master won’t look for you, or me, or any of us, once we find an escape. The same way you promise me freedom, I promise you safety. I won’t let him hurt you.”

No, he had decided that once Jonah’s efforts had led his family to them and freed them, he’d show his master the dragon he had in chains, and he was going to hurt him. He was going to hurt his master as he had hurt all of them, and make sure that even if he wanted, he’d never be capable of taking or harming anyone ever again. He told Jonah one thing for sure, dragons were prideful, but they were even more resentful and quite loyal. 

Ethan stepped back, glaring at his uninvited guest. “What do you want?” he demanded. “Checking to make sure your avenging dragon didn’t eat me.” He tossed his head back, finishing the bottle’s contents before tossing it aside.

Turning he stumbled to the kitchen in search of another bottle. Opening the fridge he took out a wine bottle he and Jonah had been saving for a special occasion. Without preamble he uncorked it, taking several swallows from it.

“Maybe he should have,” Evan observed watching his brother. He ached for the man Ethan could have been. It was hard to imagine that this was all that was left when he didn’t have Jonah to hide behind.

“What happened to all that brotherly love you keep telling me you have for me?” he asked rocking slightly on his feet, his words slurring. “I want to see my kids.”

An eyebrow rose in shock “I’ve told you before you can come see them whenever you want. Jolene would love to see you.” Shaking his head, the bottle in his hand waving in front of him. “I want them here with me. I’m their father.”

Crossing his arms Evan shook his head “then act like their father.” He made a grab for the bottle “you don’t need this. Whatever you’re trying to block from your memory isn’t going to happen with this stuff.”

Snatching the bottle out of reach, he held it close like a baby. “I can quit anytime I want to.”

“Prove it,” Evan challenged, wondering if he could appeal to Ethan’s ego. His pride. “If you want your kids back you have to stop drinking.” He paused thinking a moment before adding “what would Jonah think if he could see you now?”

Ethan’s chin jerked upwards “will he come home?”

“I think so. At least I hope so,” Evan said, almost telling him what Caiden and Cory were planning. Pressing his lips together he forced himself to remain silent. He couldn’t determine what Ethan would do if he knew. He was a loose cannon at best with the ability to go off and ruin the best chance they have of ever finding Jonah.

“I know what you’re thinking,” he jabbed a finger at Evan. “You’re thinking it’s a good thing I’m not helping. That I’ll mess up again and he’ll be lost forever. You probably think it’s all my fault that he was even taken in the first place.”

“What else am I to think? Everyone warned you not to do it. That it was too risky. You wouldn’t listen to anyone.” He flinched a little at the murderous gaze Ethan bestowed upon him. 

“It would have worked,” he mumbled sounding like a broken record “I couldn’t have known how imcompetent Caiden was at his job.”

Shaking his head sighing “the point is it didn’t work. No amount of drinking or pointing fingers is going to change that. It’s time you stopped wallowing in self pity and accept your part in the blame.”

Tears rolled down his puffy cheeks “how would you feel if it were Jayden? What if he never came home?” “I’d feel terrible,” he didn’t have to think, he’d lived in fear of that for weeks while Jayden lay in a coma. He’d spent night after sleepless night alone in their bed feeling it’s emptiness and cried himself to sleep only to do it over the next night. Yet he had held it together. “I never gave up hope and neither should you.”

“It’s not the same,” he hissed “what is there to hope?”

He sounded so lost, that Evan blinked in shock “there’s always hope. He could come home. He took a step back at the hostile look his brother gave him. Why was he bothering to try and help him when he obviously didn’t want it? He knew the answer even as he asked himself the question. He wouldn’t give up on the random stranger who walked into the shelter needing his help and he wouldn’t give up on his brother if he wouldn’t give up on anyone else. “Or don’t you want Jonah to come home? Maybe it’s easier to give up instead of facing up to what you’ve done and risk him finding out.”

“Get out,” he bellowed, spit flying from his mouth. 

“You’d like that wouldn’t you? Then you can tell everyone that when you needed me the most that I have failed you. That won’t work. Not with me brother.” “Suit yourself,” he muttered walking past him, still clutching the wine bottle to his chest.

Shaking his head as he watched Ethan shuffle past he couldn’t help but wonder if they had it wrong. Maybe it was Ethan who was the unstable one and not Jonah the way they all believed it was. It was like Ethan had lost his identity the day Jonah disappeared, like he didn’t know who he was if he weren’t Jonah’s protector. His hero.

The door to Caiden’s office slammed open. A wild eyed man stumbled inside “I demand to know where my husband is?”

Caiden exchanged looks with Cory. “Why don’t you have a seat,” he offered as Cory stood up to make room for him to sit.

“I don’t want to sit down,” he snapped petulantly, sounding more like a child than the adult he was.

Rolling his eyes Cory moved to close the door. He couldn’t disguise the disgust he felt from flickering across his face. What did Jonah ever see in him? If it weren’t for Jonah he’d have shown Ethan out the door and into the nearest dumpster where all the rubbish went.

“We’re doing everything we can to find your husband,” Caiden assured the younger man who was rocking from side to side in front of his desk. “Have a seat and I’ll….”

“I don’t want to sit,” he repeated,almost tripping over his feet.“Evan told me you were bringing Jonah home. I want to know how. He’s my husband. I have a right to be with you. To bring him home”

“Now’s not the time to play hero,” Cory ducked in time to miss the fist Ethan aimed at him.

“Fuck you,” he cried his forward momentum making him lose his balance and he sprawled on the floor at Cory’s feet. Crawling to his knees “I need to do something. It’s my fault…” His eyes bulged at the sound of his words like he didn’t quite believe what he was saying.

“Damn right it is,” Cory dragged him upwards and deposited him into the nearby chair. “Jonah wouldn’t need to be rescued if it weren’t for you.”

“I didn’t mean for it to happen,” he sobbed, covering his face in his hands. “I need to find him.”

“What you need to do is go home and dry out,” Cory snorted, disgusted at the sight of the drunken man. 

“No,” he cried “not until I know what you’re doing to find my husband.” He put special emphasis on the word husband needing to remind them that Jonah was taken.

Sighing loudly Caiden interrupted whatever Cory was about to say. “We have made some discoveries that may lead us to where Jonah is.” That was putting it mildly. He and Cory had closed down a traffic ring that saved almost a hundred kids from being sold around the world. 

“Jonah? You found him?” he looked up “why didn’t you let him come home?” Glaring at Cory “it’s because of you. You don’t want him to be with me. You don’t want me to have him.”

“Do you even hear yourself?” he asked, appalled “you’re talking about him like he’s a piece of property…”

Tears swelled in his eyes “I love him. More than anything…”

Shaking his head “I didn’t think it was possible but I like you even less drunk than sober.” Turning to Caiden “don’t tell him anything. He’ll only mess it up. Ruin our chances of getting Jonah back.”

“Wasn’t planning on it,” Caiden replied.

“Please let me help,” Ethan begged, “I need to find him. He needs to know I tried…”

“No,” he shook his head firmly “maybe if you were sober…”

“I’m not drunk,” he staggered to his feet swaying.

“Cory take him home. Make sure he stays there,” Caiden said. “When you come back we’ll go over our next plan of action.”

“You know where Jonah is and you’re not telling me,” Ethan accused sulking a little.

“Telling you is the last thing Jonah needs right now,” Cory grabbed Ethan’s arm hauling him towards the door “time to go home.”

“I can drive myself,” he jerked himself free.

Heaving a sigh Cory looked towards Caiden before punching Ethan and sending him to the floor way he lay whimpering like a hurt puppy. “That didn’t feel as good as I hoped it would.”

Previous/Next

[dandylion240]

“Cory, Cory,” a young boy called jumping up and running across the park to greet a man walking towards him and his mother.

“Hey buddy,” Cory knelt to hug the boy tight, smiling as the small arms went around his neck.

“I’ve missed you,” he whispered in Cory’s ear. Stepping back “why don’t you come to visit us anymore? Don’t you like us anymore?”

“Of course I like you,” he hugged him again. “It’s just different now.”

“It’s because mom doesn’t like you anymore isn’t it?” Sighing it was always like that. As soon as he started liking his mom’s new boyfriends was when she dumped them.

“Kai that’s enough,” Noelle chided him as she joined them. “It’s not that we don’t like each other. We’re friends.” She gave Cory a look that said back me up on this. “It’s complicated.” “No it’s not,” he contradicted her “If you were friends Cory would come and visit. It’s because of you that he doesn’t,” he cried taking off running across the park.

“You shouldn’t do that…”

“Do what?” she snapped glaring at him.

“Treat him like he doesn’t understand. Kai’s not stupid. You need to explain things to him.” He stopped shrugging his broad shoulders. Kai wasn’t his kid. He had no say in how she raised him.

“He’s too young to understand,” she said dismissing his suggestion.

Crossing his arms impatient to have this done and over. “What do you want Noelle and don’t say to get back together. We both know that’s not going to happen.”

“What makes you think I want something? Why can’t I just want to see you? We had something good. We owe each other a second chance.”

Shaking his head he looked around the park trying to see where Kai went. “Maybe we should go after him,” he said “he shouldn’t be alone…”

“You don’t have to worry about my son,” a deep voice said as a man stepped around some nearby bushes.

“Julien I told you to wait…”

“I’ve waited long enough,” his cold eyes swept over her. Turning he focused his attention on Cory “I’ll take care of my son.”

“You’re doing a good job of that so far,” he scoffed, “how are you going to care for him living on the run from the cops? That’s no life for a kid.”

“That’s no concern of yours,” he growled.

Stepping in front of her ex husband Noelle asked “where is Kai? What did you do?”

Chuckling softly “did you think I planned this little reunion just to meet him?” He waved a hand towards Cory. “I came for my son.”

Turning she gaped at him “but you said you weren’t interested in Kai. That you didn’t care about being a father. That you’d leave me alone once I…”

“I lied,” shaking his head he snarled at her. “Kai is the only thing we did right. He’s mine. I’ll teach him to be a man. Strong like me. Teach him he can take anything he wants.”

“Where’s my son?” she cried raising her hands as if to claw his eyes out.

Moving quickly Julien pulled a knife from his belt. He grabbed her, sliding the knife across her throat her cries turned to gurgles as blood gushed out. He pushed her body towards Cory causing him to stumble backwards.

From the glossy dull look in her eyes Cory knew Noelle was beyond help. Glaring at the man who took her life “you didn’t have to do that.”

“I don’t like to share not even with the bitch who birthed my son.” He circled around Cory seeking a soft spot he could take advantage of. “Pity I don’t have the time to make you suffer.”

Cory reacted instinctively when Julien made his attack. He felt the bite of the knife as it’s steel blade sliced through skin to the bone leaving his forearm dripping blood. “Where’s Kai?” he demanded keeping his eyes on the blade.

Julien struck again “you really should learn to keep your nose out of other people’s business. It’s going to get you killed.”

Panting Cory knew that he just had to hold Julien off long enough for Caiden to reach them. “I think you’ve got that backwards,” he moved, pressing the attack hoping to keep the man off balance.

Grunting Julien thrust the knife deep into Cory’s thigh. Tugging the knife free he pinned Cory to the ground, grinning as he sensed the man beneath him was tiring. A sound like a gunshot rang across the park. Julien groaned then crumpled over.

Pushing the man from him Cory sat up panting. “Why did you have to shoot him?

“It seemed like the right thing to do,” Caiden said walking over to him “I just saved your life.” Kneeling down he checked for a pulse “damn he’s gone.”

“Now we’ll never know who the middle man was or where Kai is,” anger and frustration wiping away the pain from his wounds.

We’ll find Jonah. The middle man was a long shot at best,” Caiden assured him.

“He took Kai,” Cory struggled to his feet “I should have gone after him.”

“Kai’s safe,” Caiden spoke firmly “you need to get stitched up.”

“Not until I find Kai,” Cory said his chin jutted out. “Kai’s fine,” Caiden repeated “I followed him when he took off. I thought you’d want me to look after him. That’s why it took me so long to back you up.”

“You sure?” he asked unconvinced. 

“I’ll even have him ride with you in the ambulance if it gets you out of my hair,” he grinned “so what do you say about getting fixed up? Then we’ll figure out our next move.”

“Alright,” Cory agreed, relieved that at least they didn’t have two people to look for.

Walking through the silent house Evan’s nose wrinkled in disgust. The once meticulous home was a pigsty. Throwing open the doors of Ethan’s room he shouted “get up.”

The lump he once knew as his brother mumbled something but otherwise remained still. “Get up,” he repeated, tugging the blanket from the lump.

“Go away,” he growled, hiding his face beneath a pillow.

Shaking his head Evan walked past him into the bathroom. Filling a glass he walked back into the room. The lump had retrieved the blanket from the floor, “get up.” His usually soft voice now gruff as the last remnants of patience slowly ebbed away. “Alright have it your way,” he poured the cold water over his brother’s prone body.

“What the hell,” Ethan growled rolling to a sitting position, holding his head as if he thought it might fall off. “I told you to go away,” his words were slurred and almost incomprehensible.

“Not while my brother pickles himself to death,” he stepped back unsure what to expect. Both their dad and Jonah’s parents had tried to help him but were chased from the house. Now it was his turn.

Ethan reached for a bottle frowning when he found it empty. “Get me another,” he demanded of his twin.

“No,” Evan almost took a step backwards at the murderous glare Ethan directed towards him. “It’s time you stop wallowing in self pity and pull yourself together.”

“Easy for you to say. You didn’t just lose your husband,” he belched loudly.

“You didn’t lose Jonah,” not yet anyway he added in his head “he was taken.”

“Same dif,” tears welled in his bloodshot eyes.

“No it’s not,” Evan moved to block the door as Ethan moved towards it.

“I need a drink,” he growled.

“That’s the last thing you need,” Evan backed into the door. “What would Jonah say if he saw you like this?”

“Don’t bring him into this,” he growled between clenched teeth. 

“Why not?” he asked innocently. “He’s the reason you’re like this right? Drinking your sorrows away.” He heard the gasp and intake of breath. If it were anyone else he might have stopped but he couldn’t. ”Or is it something else? Guilt perhaps?”

Ethan’s bloodshot eyes squinted at him “what do I have to be guilty for? My idea should have worked. It would have if…”

“But it didn’t,” Evan interrupted him not wanting to hear the same tired reasons. He’d heard them all a hundred times before.”You have no one to blame but yourself. You’re the one who put Jonah in that dangerous position and no amount of drinking is ever going to change that.”

“It should have worked, he repeated obstinately. He was like a bucking bronco at a rodeo. Locked inside the chute bucking and kicking with no way out. “It should  have worked, “ he repeated as if saying it would make it so.

“But it didn’t,” Evan repeated firmly hoping to break through his brother’s haze. “The sooner you accept that fact, accept responsibility for your part in this disaster the sooner you can put your life back in order.”

“Why? What does it matter? Jonah’s gone.”

“How about for your kids? They need you.”

“I never wanted them…I mean…” he stammered eyes round at his unwitting admission. “I didn’t mean that. Of course I didn’t.”

“I hope not,” Evan felt sick and cold inside. He’d seen it dozens of times at the shelter. Large families barely scraping up enough to get by but the kids kept coming. As if the number of kids showed how much they loved each other. Surely that wasn’t the case here. He hoped it wasn’t. “Do you even love Jonah?” he asked, shocked by his own thoughts and concerns.

“What kind of question is that? Of course I do. He’s my husband My world.”

“”Then act like you do,” he entreated him “if you want him back pull yourself together.”

“They won’t let me help,” he sniffed “won’t let me look for my own husband. I should be there when he’s found. I want to be his …”

“His what? Hero? Jonah doesn’t need a hero. He needs a partner. A husband.” He didn’t like the suspicions running rampant inside his head. Had Ethan been unconsciously pushing Jonah down to make himself look better. The hero. Have another baby. See how much I love you. “Be the man he thought he married. The man who will take care of his kids, your kids until he comes  home. Be that man. Not some make believe hero.”

He wasn’t sure if anything he had said had made an impression. He stepped away from the door. He couldn’t barricade it forever nor did he want to. Ethan had to make his own decisions. Ethan left the room leaving Evan alone. He wasn’t sure what prompted him but he went in search of Jonah’s medicine cabinet. He hoped he was wrong but he had to know for sure.

Evan stood outside by his car frowning up at his house. He was stalling having to face Jonah’s kids. A crease formed in the middle of his forehead. Why was it every time he referred to the kids they were Jonah’s kids and not Ethan’s? Was it because it felt like the kids were disconnected from his brother somehow? Was it what he suspected? He really hoped he was wrong. 

Ethan hadn’t noticed when he left or suspected he’d taken samples of the medication that Jonah had been taking before his abduction. How much of this had been necessary? Was it the correct doses? It was so easy to see looking back. The sometimes dazed almost foggy look in Jonah’s eyes. Had he trusted Ethan so much that he didn’t realize he was being over medicated? Sighing, he began walking towards the house. He’d give anything to be able to tell Jayden there was nothing to worry about. He knew Jayden carried a great deal of guilt for setting Jonah up with Ethan. He had loved the idea of his twin brother being married to Evan’s twin brother. Now he had trouble sleeping worrying that it was his fault that all of this had happened. Would it have been any different if Jonah had been with anyone else but Ethan? He didn’t like his own answer.

Opening the door he was greeted by the wild barking of Shadow announcing he was home. “How is he?” Jayden asked from where he sat obviously waiting for him to come home. His eyes fell on the small parcel in Evan’s hands and frowned.

Before he could say anything the kids surrounded them “Can we go home now? Is Dad feeling better now?” Jolene asked, coming from Josie’s room.

Wishing he could give her the answer she wanted he shook his head. “No sweetheart not yet,” his eyes met Jayden’s over the kids heads, he could see the silent rage in his husband’s eyes.

“Why?” she cried tugging on his free hand “doesn’t he love us anymore?”

Kneeling down in front of her, his heart aching for her “he’s not himself right now.”

“He’s drunk isn’t he?” Eli declared glaring at him. “He’d rather drink than be our dad.”

“That’s not true is it Uncle Evan?” Jolenw looked at him with troubled eyes wanting him to tell her otherwise.

“I … um” what could he say? “He’s not himself,” he repeated lamely. He had never been a very good liar especially when put on the spot.

“When will he be himself,” she demanded tears spilling down her cheeks.

“He’s never going to be himself,” Eli shouted, turning and running from the house.

“It’s true isn’t it,” she sniffed, fighting back the tears “I have no daddies anymore.”

“You have me and you have Uncle Jayden and your grandparents,” Evan pulled her close hugging her tight. Times like this he felt so helpless. How could he fill the hole that her parents left behind? Yet somehow he knew if Jonah had been here and Ethan were the one gone the kids would have been better off. Would have known they were loved.

Looking over Jolene’s head he saw Jayden following Eli outside. 

Rolling to a stop a few feet behind Eli he asked “want to talk about it? I’m a pretty good listener.”

“He’s never coming home is he?” Eli stared across the yard afraid if he looked at his uncle he’d start crying again.

Jayden began to say something then changed his mind. What could he say? That Jonah was coming home but would he? The fact was he didn’t know. He hated that most of all. He hated feeling a part of him might be gone forever. He and Jonah had shared everything. Shaking his head he pulled his thoughts away from the past and what might have been. “We can’t give up hope,” he said.

“Hope for what,” Eli asked, swiping a hand across his face as he turned towards his uncle.

“That your dad will come home,” he said motioning for Eli to come closer.

Taking several steps closer to his uncle, his eyes red from tears “I want to believe that he will but it’s so hard.”

“I know it is,” Jayden reached a hand out ruffling Eli's fluffy blond hair. “I know one thing for sure. That wherever your dad is right now he’s fighting to come back to us. He wants to come home.”

“You really think so,” he asked, crawling into Jayden's lap.

“I know so,” Jayden wrapped his arms around his brother’s son, hugging him tight. “Do you know why?”

“Because Daddy loves us,” he laid his head on his uncle’s shoulder “sometimes love isn’t enough though. It can’t make someone come back.”

“No sometimes it’s not enough,” he kissed the top of the fluffy head. But this time he hoped it would be. Please please bring my brother back to us. He silently prayed to anyone in the universe listening to him.

Previous/Next

[dandylion240]

Eli stomped up to the house. Dropped his school bag on the floor before going out the back door.

Jolene followed him outside. “Eli,” she said, sitting down beside him patting his back sad because he was.

“I thought he liked me,” he wiped a hand across his face. “Thought we were friends.”

“I’m your friend,” she offered, patting his back like she’d seen her parents do when one of them was upset or sad.

“I know Jolie,” he sniffed “I just thought he wanted to be my friend too.”

Not understanding she continued patting his back crying with him. 

Sometime later Jonah joined them under the tree. “Want to talk about it?” he asked.

Looking up frowning “should you be doing that?”

“Doing what?” he asked, ruffling his son’s hair. “You’re like your dad, you worry too much. I’m fine. So are your siblings,” he put a hand to his stomach.

Staring at his dad’s stomach wondering what it’d be like to have someone growing inside him. “Siblings?” Eli asked, raising an eyebrow inquiringly.

“Twins,” he grinned. His stomach was just beginning to grow but he was already bigger than he was with his other pregnancies at this stage. “Is Stephon up to his old tricks again?”

Shrugging Eli shook his head “no worse than usual.” He looked away knowing how much it upset his dad when he found out the things Stephon did to him. He didn’t want him worrying with the babies coming. He’d been silent too long and he knew he had to say something. “Awan says he doesn’t want to come over next Friday. I don’t understand why not. I thought we were friends.”

Rubbing his chin Jonah thought a moment. He knew how close Eli had become with his new friend over the last several weeks. “What did his dad have to say about him staying the weekend? Maybe he said no?” 

“I didn’t ask,” he mumbled, looking at the ground. “His dad isn’t very nice. I saw him shaking Awan pretty hard one day after school.” He looked away trembling slightly at the memory “Awan said his dad was stressed out and didn’t mean to do it.”

“But you don’t believe him?” Jonah asked his heart already going out to the boy he hadn’t met yet.

“I don’t know,” he murmured, picking at his fingernails “why would he lie about that?”

“I don't know,” Jonah said except a little voice inside his head was telling him Awan was afraid. “Maybe he’ll change his mind between now and next week,” he suggested.

Looking up with hope filled eyes, Eli said “you think he might.”

“Anything’s possible,” he said grinning as Eli threw his arms around his neck.

Meanwhile Awan finished the last of his homework. Putting his books away ready for the next day. When he couldn't avoid it anymore he picked up his violin. He couldn’t put it off any longer. He detested the violin. His father insisted he play it since he was old enough to hold the instrument in his arms. It was the talent that got him accepted into the school he was attending. With an inward sigh he picked up the violin touching the bow to the strings preparing to hear the usual squawk that accompanied his practice sessions. The sound that always set his father on edge. Tonight was different. He managed to play with neither screech or squawk earning himself a tiny smile of approval from his father.

Encouraged by this display he carefully put the violin away. “May I…” he hesitated, licking his lips suddenly afraid to ask. “Um … a friend at school invited me to spend the weekend. May I go? Please. I promise to be good.”

“No,” his father shook his head.

“Please I won’t tell,” he snapped his mouth shut, sensing by the change in the air around him that he was treading on dangerous ground.

“Tell?” he asked, his eyes narrow slits “ tell them what?”

“I uh about magic,” he stammered “I know it’s bad. Evil. I won’t ever talk about that stuff ever again.”

“That’s a relief but how do I know you’ll keep your word?”

Drawing himself up straight “you have my word.”

“Why do you want to go to this boy’s house so much?” he peered intently into his son’s eyes almost as if he were trying to peer inside his mind.

“He’s my friend,” he met his father’s eyes “having friends is normal. I want to be normal.”

“So do I,” he nodded with a slight smile “you may go.” As Awan turned to go to his room he added “don’t make me regret it.”

“You won’t, I promise,” he said, feeling almost lightheaded with joy. He could go. He couldn’t wait to tell Eli.

A few months later

“Cute kid,” a dark haired man observed tossing the faded scrapbook at his inmate. “Is he your boy?”

Smoothing the crumpled page the irreverent toss caused. Grunting his fingers tracing the boy’s face. There was a sadness in the brown orbs staring up at him…”he owes me.”

His inmate’s eyebrows rose “is he the reason you’re in here?”

Slapping the scrapbook closed “mind your own business,” He stored the scrapbook beneath the mattress where he kept it hidden.

His inmate shrugged indifferently, lighting his cigarette in the semi darkness. He didn’t much care why his cellmate was in prison. Eventually he’ll find out. He always did. The brooding type always felt the need to talk, to explain, to air their grievances. 

“I had a buyer lined up for him,” he mumbled glaring at the bars that kept him locked inside like an animal at the zoo. “Might still be interested if I could just get out of here and broker the deal.”

A smirk played across the man’s face a plan forming in his mind. He could use the man’s greed against him. Take the money to further his own interests. Taking out an old creased picture from his shirt pocket. Staring at the woman’s face he chuckled at the way the photographer had caught the haunted look in her eyes. The dread that his soul hungered for. “I’ll be seeing you soon,” he promised her photo before putting it into his pocket once more.

“How much?” he asked as if no time had lapsed between them.

“How much for what?” he asked, confused.

“For the kid,” he snapped biting the end of his cigarette.

“Enough,” he grunted annoyed.

“How much is enough?” his teeth clenched on the end of the cigarette his own annoyance rising. 

“Why?” the ancient springs of the bed he sat up on groaned in protest.

Smirking he blew a smoke ring “what if I could arrange for you to get out? Would it be enough to be worth my while?” 

“My client has very particular tastes and was willing to pay top dollar” he paused momentarily wary but his desire for revenge and money won out as he tossed his concerns aside. “He was willing to pay a hundred thousand dollars at the time.”

Whistling softly in the darkness “I’m in the wrong business.”

“Do we have a deal then?” 

Smirking in the darkness he put his cigarette out before lying on his bunk. “Not until you make the sale. Once you do, we’ll talk.”

“He may not be interested anymore. He likes them young. It’s been years. The kid has to be in his mid twenties by now” There was a distinct whine in his tone now as if he felt the man’s stipulations were unreasonable.

“If you want out of here you’ll find a way,” the man shrugged “either way I’m out of here whether you come with me or not.”

“You’ve got to give me time,” he whined.

“I don’t have to do anything. If I didn’t need the money I wouldn’t even have offered you the chance.” Rolling to his side clearly over the conversation he closed his eyes and ears to the man’s stream of profanities and complaints. Smirking a little at the images of what he was going to do to his annoying cellmate once he no longer needed him helped him fall asleep and filled his sleep with satisfying dreams of his hands wrapped around the man’s neck.

“Honey, what’s wrong?” Ethan asked, coming up behind Jonah as he stared intently out the window. Frowning he followed the direction Jonah was looking in trying to see what had so captivated his attention.

“You see that car?” Jonah asked.

“Yeah. What about it?”

“Doesn’t it seem odd to you? They’ve been sitting there for a while…” Crossing his arms, “I think they’re taking pictures.”

Turning Jonah away from the window Ethan tilted his chin upwards. He could see the fear in the gentle brown eyes “it’s probably just an adoring fan. You’ve been gaining a lot of fame and popularity after taking your dad’s place in the orchestra.”

“I suppose,” he acknowledged grudgingly. “I don’t remember anyone sitting outside our house taking pictures when I was a kid though.”

Grinning Ethan gave him a gentle kiss “of course not. You were just a kid and probably didn’t even notice.”

Shivering a little as he felt Ethan hug him close and lead him away from the window. He knew Ethan could be right. It could be just a fan. He had this feeling that it was more than that. He reached out “you don’t think…” his mouth went dry and he couldn’t bring himself to say his fear aloud.

Stopping Ethan looked down into Jonah’s face. He noticed the way Jonah’s chest was rising and falling rapidly as his breathing escalated. Pulling him close, kissing the top of his head “it doesn’t make sense for him to come here. He’s on the run. This would be the first place the police would look for him.”

“But I owe him…”

Ethan's arms tightened around him “you don’t owe him anything.”

“He thinks I do,” his voice was muffled against Ethan’s shoulder. “What if he comes here to collect? What if he hurts the kids? You? I wouldn’t be able to live with that.”

Ethan felt the first tremors run through Jonah’s body. He felt the tension as it stiffened Jonah’s body as he fought to breathe. “Jonah honey, listen to my voice. You’re alright. I’m here. Just breathe. In. Out. In. Out. That’s right just like that.”

“Dad,” Eli’s voice preceded him into the room as he opened the door into his parents bedroom. “Cory and Courntey are here.” His smile faded upon sight of his parents. “Is daddy alright?”

“He’s a little upset,” Ethan assured him. “Why don’t you stay with him while I get his anxiety medicine.”

“Ethan no,” Jonah shook his head “I don’t need it and the twins definitely don’t. You know what the doctor said.”

“Alright” he agreed knowing the doctor was concerned at the weight Jonah had been losing. They were all concerned the babies were underweight “then you better lie down for a while. I’ll go talk to our guests and Eli can read you a story.”

Cory jumped to his feet upon seeing Ethan walk into the living room. “Is he …  resting?” He almost said alright but Jonah would never be alright as long as that guy was on the loose.

Shaking his head Ethan glanced over his shoulder “he thinks someone is watching the house. Taking pictures.”

Cory heard the concern in the younger man’s voice “could he be right?”

Turning to face the older man he nodded. “There was a car out front earlier. I didn’t think anything of it until now…”

“After Jonah saw the car” Cory sighed, guessing that Jonah had a pretty bad anxiety attack.

“Yeah,” Ethan sighed, scratching his neck “why now? It’s been years.”

“Revenge,” it was a statement of fact. “Look I don’t want to alarm you but Jonah doesn’t make things up.”

Anger surged through Ethan’s veins. Clenching his hands he bit down hard enough to make his jaw pop. “Do you think I’m not taking his concerns seriously enough?”

“If I thought that I’d take him and the kids with me tonight,” there was an edge in Cory's voice. Ethan’s unfounded jealousy always so close to the surface was getting old and potentially harmful if he rejected his help. Taking a firmer grip on his own emotions Cory tried again “I care for him. I won’t deny that. All I want to do is help.”

“How?” the word exploded from Ethan's lips loud and angry. “We don’t know where this guy is or if he’s the guy watching the house. It could be some random fan…”

“You don’t believe that,” Cory snapped like he wanted to shake some sense into him.

“It’s what I want to believe,” he murmured softly. “I want it to be that because then I’d know how to protect him. If it’s not” he looked up looking as helpless as he felt “this is Jonah’s worst nightmare! The one that wakes him up screaming in a cold sweat in the middle of the night.”

“Let me help,” Cory offered “I have contacts. I can find out what that guy is up to.”

“What do I do in the meantime?”

“Live your life,” he gave him a reassuring smile “take him out for a romantic dinner. Eli mentioned how much Jonah likes to dance. Take him out dancing. Show him he’s safe. Loved. That he doesn’t have to hide.”

Hugging himself, Ethan nodded. “I can’t lose him. Not like this. Not now.”

Putting a hand on his shoulder, Cory said “you won’t lose him. Give me a few days to make some inquiries. Looking out the window where his daughter was pushing Jolene on the swing he smiled “together we’ll keep your family safe. Tell Jonah we’ll get together another time.”

“Thank you,” Ethan tried to smile but it felt flat. “I’ll tell Jonah we rescheduled for next weekend.”

“Sounds good,” he said, turning to greet Courtney as she brought Jolene inside “I promise we won’t let anything happen to him.”

Leaving the house Courtney glanced at her dad “you didn’t tell them, did you?”

Sighing he glanced over his shoulder towards the house “I couldn’t. Not now.”

“You’re going to have to some time,” she pointed out, yanking the door open on the car.

“Don’t you think I know that,” he snapped facing her. “How could I? Jonah was already upset enough and Ethan has all he can handle with that asshole running around loose.”

“I care about them too Dad,” she glared at him, “what’s going to happen when you’re not around to help?” She gave him a thoughtful penetrating look “you still have feelings for him. After all this time you still love him.”

“Courtney don’t look at me like that,” he held her stare. “He’s special. He always will be.”

“Does he know how you feel?”

“No,” he shook his head “and you’re not to tell him either. He’s made his choice and I’ve made mine.”

“You’re still gonna marry her?” she turned away “unbelievable.”

Shaking his head, his shoulders stiff and straight “I had my chance and I choose to let him go. He’d have stayed out of a sense of loyalty to me but it wouldn’t have been love. I didn’t want that. He deserved better. I deserved better.” Opening his door he continued “we both got better. Once I make sure he’s safe I’m going to Sulani to start a new life.”

“Uh huh,” she raised an eyebrow at him “you really like her that much?”

“I do,” he grinned, “are you ready for a new mother? A little brother?” he asked. 

“I’m too old to need a mother,” she retorted, getting inside the car “I’m almost a college graduate.”

Getting in beside her “don’t tell me you’re jealous.”

“I am not jealous,” she huffed, crossing her arms in front of her.

“You’re still my number one girl,” he assured her “I’ll always be your dad. That will never change.”

“Dad, I’m not a child,” she protested “you can do what you want.”

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