Chapter Six

From where he hid in the woods behind the camp, Will kept track of the comings and goings. Kitted out as he was with the latest human and Val-created tech, he could practically see inside the walls of the buildings. He kept his focus there, although he couldn’t tell where Damien was. The heat sensors only highlighted humans, not specific ones, no matter how much Will longed to form a connection with his lover through the distance separating them. The only positive part of this first night’s surveillance was that he could tell Bran was both there and isolated. His body registered as different from the others and no human was in the room where he’d settled in the last hour.

Thank God he doesn’t have his foul hands on Damien.

Of course, that was cold comfort. There was no telling what the humans might be up to. He’d lobbied unsuccessfully to put a tracker on the boy. Val had the ability to do so. And while it was likely that it wouldn’t be detected any more than the phone tucked between the material of the duffle bag they’d given Damien, there would be no acceptable answer for having it. Hiding his mobile would be something any human might do. Being wired like an informer for the human authorities would definitely pique Bran’s interest. Unlike everyone else there, he would know that it was likely an Alex move, which in turn could endanger Damien.

More than this long-shot scheme was already doing… God… Will couldn’t settle down. Worry crawled all over him like ants. The urge to text the boy for an update was almost too hard to resist. Only the knowledge that such a thing might put Damien in the kind of danger he worried about stayed his hand. Under no circumstances was he to contact Damien, not unless it was to say I’m getting you out of there right fucking now! He had to be patient and wait for the boy to contact him, when and if it was safe to do so.

Waiting was hard, but what on this planet hadn’t been? At least he knew that Annika was well looked after. Mackie was entertaining her in the living room, and Dafydd had surprised him by offering to see her to bed, not that she needed the kind of help that Idris did. Still, there had rarely been a night when Will hadn’t overseen her bedtime routine. The separation was hard, although not as much as he’d feared. He had a family with him now to help him raise his daughter. His Queen. If he hadn’t been afraid to reveal her to the others, he could have had this help from the very start. In hindsight, he’d worried for nothing. They’d all been missing having her. Annika was a balm to each of them.

Knowing that her future was secure gave him the opening to face what he hadn’t been able to for many years. He was lonely and needed someone more than his daughter and his shipmates in his life. He craved having a man in his bed, in his life. Being with Damien had made that more than clear. He wasn’t going to be able to remain celibate and alone. With that knowledge came the fear that he’d held at bay. Without conscious thought, he ran his fingers along the lines that Damien had traced during the night. Here was the one thing that held him back from embracing the joy that begged to be let out.

Last night, there’d been no worry. Condoms and Damien’s exuberant willingness to be topped had allayed any fears. If they got fully involved, however, where Damien learned Will’s true origin, would that last? Could Will bind himself to another human without risking what was now something that was a known possibility? He wouldn’t be caught unaware this time. Did he want that for himself? Why was it so difficult to accept his own nature?

The issue was too hard for him to face now. It was enough that he’d taken the step to allow himself some pleasure. The focus had to be on keeping Damien safe, not on his own existential angst. Adjusting the heat-seeking goggles on his face, he concentrated on the camp below. This was how he’d spend his night, guarding his lover by watching for trouble. The future would come eventually, but not now.

 

* * * *

 

“You’ll be bunking in with me,” Earnest Elliot said with a sweep of his arms, like Vanna showcasing a vowel.

The room was practically a cell, with two high windows that would be impossible to climb out of, two narrow cots and two rickety wooden bureaus, on which lay two folded towels. It was like a prison version of Noah’s Ark, except here there would be no sex.

Putting his duffle down, Damien forced a smile. “It’s great…cozy. I can, um, really do some serious thinking here.” Yeah, such as how the fuck did I get into this situation? Oh, right, because I’m at least halfway in love with Will already, even after only one night and though he’s still mourning his dead partner, and I’d do anything for him. Not that he said any of that out loud, of course.

Earnest Elliot wasn’t finished with the tour, though. “You can put your belongings into that bureau.” He pointed to the one on the right, as if the one on the left having personal stuff wasn’t a clue that it was Elliot’s already. “We like to pair up newbies with more experienced campers.”

They liked to refer to this place as if it were an overnight, fun-filled camp for adults, instead of the hellish prison it really was. They had nature-based group names with a heavy dose of masculinity such as ‘the bears’ and ‘the bucks’. The counselors promised full days of healthy activities, like canoeing, along with trying to convince their campers that they were deranged. Yeah, right…macramé and self-loathing. Fun, fun, fun.

Dinner had yielded his first useful results. Warren and his wife had joined their ‘boys’ in the large dining hall. They’d sat on the dais at one end of the room while the campers had spread out on long picnic-style tables and benches. The food had been bland, naturally. Damien had amused himself by mentally listing the various seasonings he would use to make it all more palatable. Halfway through the meal, the man he was there to spy on had come slinking in. That was the only way to describe it. Will’s cousin had appeared at the end of the dais, almost as if he’d materialized out of nowhere, and taken a seat beside Warren. He looked exactly like the other Stelalux men, except his expression was set in granite and he wore sunglasses, even inside. Weird.

Although nothing of note happened for the rest of the meal, Damien’s heart had galloped with excitement and fear. He really wanted to come through with something useful for Will, but at the same time, he appreciated even more how much Will’s admonition to not take chances mattered. He’d said this man, Bran, was dangerous, and boy, was that an understatement. The guy could play death in any avant-garde stage production with no makeup required. Stealing glances at him sent shivers down Damien’s spine.

Elliot was still talking. “I’ve been here for nearly a year and stay on because the program really works. My impure thoughts and impulses have all but vanished.” He dropped his gaze and his voice briefly. “I continue to struggle and that’s okay. No one expects years of damage to be repaired in any kind of predetermined timeframe. You can stay as long as you want.”

Damien figured as young as Elliot looked, he must have run straight to this horrid place on his eighteenth birthday. He nodded his head. “Great! I’m really looking forward to, um, making progress.”

“Good.” Earnest Elliot grinned broadly for a second before becoming serious again. “We don’t give anyone their own room for a reason. You have to get used to seeing another man—me—naked without, you know, reacting. It’s normal for men to be around each other without their clothes on. You know, lockers and whatever. Here we learn to give each other privacy and not allow our bodies to betray us.”

Damien was nodding again while thinking Seriously, dude, I don’t get a boner every time I see another guy’s dick and ass. God help poor Elliot if he did. It was just rude. “Sure, I understand,” he said, because his roomie seemed to be looking for some kind of response.

“Excellent. And we learn to sleep with another man nearby without again, reacting inappropriately. Also, I’m sure you’ve read all your intake papers, but remember that there is no self-polluting. God wants us to save our bodies for our wives. Otherwise, it’s a slippery slope from that to fornication with men.”

Self-polluting? Gee, Elliot is both earnest and old-fashioned. And if whacking off led to straight men fucking each other, then same-sex relationships would be mandatory by law. Jesus Christ, this is going to be tougher than I’d thought when I volunteered. He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from responding. He just kept nodding like an idiot, hanging on to every pearl of wisdom dropping out of his roommate’s mouth.

“Anyway, I’m here to help you in any way I can. I’ll guide you through your meals, workshop sessions and physical activities for the first couple of weeks until you settle in.”

“Okay, thanks.” He waited, because clearly Earnest Elliot had more to say. He just wasn’t getting to it quite yet.

The boy sighed heavily. “Look… This is tough…at least at first, and I want you to know that it’s particularly hard at night.”

I will not snicker at the word ‘hard’. I will…not. The inside of his cheek was almost bleeding from the force he had to use to bite it.

“So, if, in the middle of the night, you find yourself in trouble, maybe the urge to, ah, touch yourself becomes overwhelming, then come to me. Crawl right in next to me. I promise I won’t be mad. I’ll hold you until the crisis passes. That’s what real men do for each other without going so far as to violate God’s law. We’re like trench buddies in a form of war. Soldiers give each other comfort all the time. There’s no shame in it.”

And that’s when Damien’s irritation at the guy turned to pity. Elliot wasn’t so much earnest as absolutely miserable, and he was keeping himself in this hell in a futile effort to change feelings that would never go away.

Damien held out his arms. “Real men can hug, right? I mean, I have to admit that I’m kind of scared. I’m afraid I’ll fail,” he added, keeping up the pretense of wanting to be there. “Do you mind?” he added, gesturing with his arms.

Elliot’s face lit up. “Of course not! Real men can hug without it being an abomination.”

The boy came to Damien and practically fell into his arms. Damien gave him the same affection he’d given lots of guys who struggled with addiction, homelessness and domestic violence. It was easy to do and cost him nothing. He didn’t worry about getting hard, either, because contrary to what the people running this place thought, he wasn’t aroused by the touch of any and all men. Only certain ones…

Will. Yup, that was the one at the moment, and he suspected that his desire for Will would never go away, even if the guy himself did.

So no, hugging Elliot didn’t make him hard. Too bad the same couldn’t be said for poor Elliot. Damien simply ignored it and let the boy cling to him for as long as he wanted.

Eventually, his roomie broke the embrace and stood back a little red-faced. “Go ahead and get settled. I have to see Congressman Warren. I report to him every evening. He has been my personal counselor since I first came here and he’s gracious enough to continue with that, even though he’s so busy. I, ah, don’t know what I’d do without his kindness. It’s, um, my life-line, you know? I won’t be long,” he added with a visibly hard swallow.

“Okay. Thanks. I’ll see you later.”

“I won’t be long,” he repeated and scurried out of the room.

Rolling his eyes, Damien opened his duffle, pulled out the few clothes he’d packed and dumped them in one drawer. “All unpacked,” he muttered to himself before lying down on his cot. Lumpy and hard, the perfect combination. He briefly wondered if he could get away with jerking off, then decided against it. But he was hard—and not because of Elliot. He was thinking of Will—again. He was out there, watching, ready to come to Damien’s rescue. He had absolute certainty of that and knew, as well, that it would be difficult not seeing him for a whole twenty-four hours.

 

* * * *

 

Annika felt only a minor amount of guilt over her actions. With her father gone for the night, she had an unexpected opportunity to do what needed to be done. Mackie was back in his room, sleeping—thankfully, not sick. The others were working, leaving only Dafydd at the family building to watch over her and Merlin to keep her company. She’d had no trouble pretending to retire for the night before slipping out again, while coopting Merlin to her cause. That hybrid drone chafed at confinement and was happy to do the impermissible. His father was easily gotten around. Poor, sweet Dafydd and Alun didn’t deserve this kind of duplicity, but the good of the hive overrode all other considerations.

She hushed Babette as they crept through the connecting tunnel between the two buildings, the family quarters and the pretty club where human men went to enjoy themselves. She would have loved it if this underground part led directly to the basement of the club. Annoyingly, she had to first go up to the street level, then back down through the secure door. It meant she had to be very careful not to let the others see her. It wasn’t easy, but she had the benefit of the noise and the distraction of the business. Plus, she knew that most of her hive were occupied in some fashion with their work. They weren’t expecting to find her there, so she had more chance of avoiding them. Merlin was a solid presence at her back, equally stealthy. He was a difficult boy, but she trusted him to do her bidding and he would be able to protect her if it became necessary.

She’d chosen her red velvet dress, hoping it helped her blend into the décor. It also made her look her most regal, she thought. Reminding her quarry of her position in as many ways as possible was critical to her success. She only had to get there without being seen. If someone caught her on the way back, she could always claim curiosity as the reason for her journey, and her goal would have been achieved. That was what mattered. Babette was a bit of a concern, but her presence also gave an excuse for why she’d gotten up. Dogs needed to go out sometimes after dark, and naturally Annika wouldn’t want to interrupt the men at their work. She’d already instructed Merlin to back up any story she told, and having the boy with her made more sense than her venturing out on her own.

Luck was with her. Other than a startled human woman—one of Emil’s cooks, rushing to deliver a tray of food—she and Merlin met no one. The kitchen worker shot Annika a quick smile without pausing. It was easy from there for Annika to reach the basement door, enter the code she’d seen Alex use on her one trip to this place, then slip through it.

Neither she nor the boy needed light to see the way, which was good, because that could possibly attract attention. There was some risk that Harry was in his lab. Opening her hearing, she listened for his heartbeat or footsteps. Nothing. There was only the one she was going to see occupying this level. Babette whined and wiggled in her arms. She shushed the creature and rubbed her head in comfort while they descended.

Another door with another keypad lock and she was in the room filled with weapons. Here she dared to turn on the light.

“Whoa!” This from Merlin, who stopped dead in his tracks and looked around with obvious awe.

“Pay attention,” she admonished. “You are here for a purpose and that doesn’t include gawking at this…stuff.” She didn’t like things that killed, although she understood the need for them.

Merlin’s expression turned mulish, but as always, he obeyed.

Although the dog briefly voiced her unhappiness, Annika nevertheless tied her leash to the leg of a table by the entrance. She needed to be the Queen, not a little girl with a pet. Plus, while she was willing to risk being hurt herself, she wasn’t going to put her precious Babette in harm’s way.

She strode across the room to the last barrier to her goal, Merlin still sticking to her heels, then paused and took a deep, cleansing breath. If she was supposed to be free of fear of her subjects, she was failing. There wasn’t enough of the emotion to stop her, but it did give her a moment’s pause before she opened the last door.

Her subject was on his feet before she became fully visible, his gaze flicking only briefly past her—to take in Merlin, no doubt. The bright light in his cell emphasized its starkness, as well as the nakedness of the man. He held a book in front of him, shielding her view of his most private parts, not that she cared. She wasn’t a human child, after all, although it was a touch of almost gallantry that would be appreciated on this planet. So she chose to ignore it and focus on what mattered.

Except, Mr. Petru, as she knew he was called, lunged as near to her as he could get and dropped to his knees in the next second. “My Queen,” he said and bowed his head. His fingers remained clenched around the book and its position didn’t waver. The metal collar around his neck dug in with the way he pulled to the farthest limit of the chain that kept him from getting any closer.

Annika opened her mouth to tell him to get up then thought better of it. His devotion to her station, if not her personally, was a critical test of what she could accomplish.

“Look at me,” she commanded instead, and she did so in the tongue of his world.

When his gaze met hers, she relaxed a hair. She could see his feelings laid bare. If his submission to her was an act, she couldn’t detect it. It seemed unlikely, given how good she was getting at knowing the hearts of her subjects. The man waited for her to speak again. Now that she was here, her carefully thought-out script flew from her head. This man needed bluntness, not graciousness.

“I am here to inform you of your role in my hive.” She channeled Elsa in her tone, although it was hard, given the chasm of differences in Earth languages and that of her alien father. She was delighted when Petru bowed his head.

“I serve you, my Queen, however you decree.”

“Very prettily said, but words don’t mean much on this world. You’ve been here a long time indeed. How do I know you can be trusted to follow the dictates of our people?” She’d almost said ‘your people’ and caught herself just in time. It could be hard having this duality in her identity.

Petru rattled his chain. “Words are all I have to give you, my Queen. Set me free and I will prove my loyalty.”

Annika trilled out a laugh. “I don’t think so.” She deliberately took a step closer to show she wasn’t afraid. Of course, with Merlin practically plastered against her back, it was easier. That was the reason she’d brought him. His presence helped, although she doubted he could best Petru, so fear did skitter up her spine. But demonstrations of fearlessness and confidence were helpful. “The time for your release will come, of course. Not by my hand. You are under the domain of the captain, for so long as I permit it. When you are let off your leash, he and his men will ensure that you don’t betray them. However, I require that you do just that when the time comes.”

Petru shook his head, a human gesture, she believed, and one that she used herself without much thought. How long, she wondered, had it taken her men to adapt to Earth’s ways? How long would it take humans to adapt to theirs, once she demanded it?

“I do not understand, my Queen.”

“You don’t have to. However, I will explain this much to you, although it should be obvious to you all. I am Queen. I have only one biological imperative, despite the human DNA within me—to form and grow a hive. Living in secret from the humans was the right decision at the time that the captain made it. The situation has changed.”

In the pause that followed, Petru’s face lit up and his eyes turned shiny. “You are going to subjugate the humans, succeed where Dracul failed over and over again.” He laughed. “Oh, my Queen, that is too delicious.”

Annika turned her expression flinty. “Do not get ahead of yourself,” she snapped, satisfied when he instantly sobered.

“Of course not. My apologies,” he said with a bow of his head.

“Dracul made that mistake. This isn’t his planet to dominate, and you have no real notion of what it means to rule a hive. The humans will live far better lives under my beneficence than they have ever known. There will be no subjugation, only gentle herding in the right direction.”

“I understand, my Queen. I have been under the influence of that madman for too long. I have promised Alex that I will go quietly away after we defeat Dracul once and for all. Naturally, I will break that, if you wish.”

“I insist that all of my men fall into their ordained roles. That includes you and Alex. There will be no hiding away among the humans. I don’t know how matters will play out, so I am warning you now that, at the right moment, I will call upon you to do as I say.”

She did take another step closer, almost putting herself within his reach. “From this moment forward, you are my creature and no one else’s. Do you understand?”

He stared at her again and his fervor was back in his eyes. “Yes, my Queen. I am yours, only yours. I merely ask for you to grant me the boon of having my boy back.”

“A human, yes?” She nodded. “If he wishes it. There will be no more forcing humans to do anything, except those that I dictate,” she added, although whether that was to reiterate that to Petru or herself was hard to say. This power didn’t sit as easily with her as she would have liked.

Stepping away, she shepherded Merlin farther into the larger room, and taking the door in hand, she added, “You will say nothing of this visit to anyone.”

Petru placed a finger to his lips and nodded as she shut him into his bright prison.

Merlin moved in concert with her as she headed back to Babette. “I will keep quiet about this, as well,” he said.

“Naturally.” She dismissed him with a flip of her hair, a move she’d gotten from Elsa. “Don’t touch anything!” she said when he ran his hand over a shiny gun.

“I know how to use it,” he replied with his usual petulance. “When it comes time for you to take over this planet, you’ll need warriors who can fight for you.”

As she reached to untie Babette, she narrowed her eyes at him. “It won’t be like that.”

“No?”

“Certainly not. Besides, I have warriors already.”

Merlin raised his chin. “Then why did you have me come here with you instead of one of them?”

Annika hugged Babette close to her and peppered her with kisses before answering. “I don’t have to explain myself to you. However, as you undoubtedly know, I must ease my warriors into the new way of doing things. Plus, you were bored.”

“I don’t like being a prisoner any more than Petru does.”

“Stop being difficult and you won’t be. And be nicer to your poor father.” She led the way out of the room.

Merlin snorted as he closed the door behind them. “He’s…”

“Your father,” she repeated. “He deserves respect and appreciation for all he’s done for you.”

They quickly climbed the stairs. “If you say so.”

She shot him a glare before opening the door back into the club. “I most certainly do.”

Her luck didn’t hold out on the way back to her room. She and Merlin met Dr. Ric in the living room as they both entered the building. They stared at each other in surprise for a few seconds. Before she could explain her late-night wanderings, the human asked, “Annika, what are you doing up? Dafydd texted me that he had put you to bed almost an hour ago.”

She held up Babette’s leash. “My doggie needed to pee,” she replied, deliberately using childish language to reinforce in the man’s mind that she was young. Humans underestimated the minds of their offspring, and she was far more advanced than her physical form indicated. “I didn’t want to disturb Mr. Dafydd, and Merlin was awake and happy to accompany me.”

The doctor furrowed his brow, glanced suspiciously at the boy. “Oh, I don’t think anyone expected that.” He looked in the direction she’d approached from and his frown deepened. “Going outside at this time of night isn’t a good idea, even with Merlin. He’s not entirely safe, either, at his age.”

Except, of course, he hadn’t found her in the alley or out on the sidewalk. She’d come from the tunnel that led to the club. That wasn’t a place to walk a dog. She changed tactics in an instant.

“I’m very sorry, Dr. Ric. I just lied to you.”

“No kidding. Did you two sneak into the club to watch the dancing? I know you’ve wanted to.”

“Yes.” She latched onto his explanation, which was essentially what she’d intended to claim. The fact that he’d thought of it on his own proved it was a good excuse.

“I wanted to see it, too,” Merlin interjected, then shrugged when Dr. Ric looked at him. “I’m bored being trapped here.”

The truth woven into the lie was an excellent touch. She would have to reinforce her approval later with the boy. She lowered her gaze. “I know it was naughty of us. My father leaves for one night to do important work and I take advantage of his absence.”

“You know that Dafydd took his responsibility to watch you very seriously?” The human’s tone was stern. Of course it was. He was worried about his man’s state of mind more than Annika getting into mischief. “And Alun doesn’t need the extra worry, either,” he added to Merlin.

Given the importance of her activities for the hive, she could not feel guilty over what she had done. But she didn’t want to hurt these nice humans more than necessary. “I know,” she replied contritely. “He was very kind to me, too, reading a bedtime story to both Idris and me. Paddington Bear. I do love the classics, and Baby Idris seemed to like looking at the pictures.”

That mention of father and child served to distract the doctor. He smiled. “Dafydd’s relationship with his son has improved greatly. I think the baby simply loves the sound of his father’s voice. He could probably read sports results and it would be fine.

“None of which explains away your sneaking out,” he continued, the sternness returning. “I understand that among your kind, you are special. You’re still a child, as far as I know, and my concern is for Dafydd, first and foremost. This thing with Bran is hard on him. He doesn’t say much…”

“You’re worried about him.” Annika was happy to keep steering the discussion back to Mr. Dafydd. “I am, too. I promise I won’t do this again. It was a whim, and now I know that I don’t like what goes on in that club.”

“I did,” Merlin said with a smirk.

“Not helpful, Merlin,” Annika chastised.

“Neither of you should, at your ages,” Dr. Ric scolded.

“Very true,” Annika agreed. “I guess I’m a little unsettled. My father has rarely been away all night before and never since we arrived in Boston.”

The human’s expression morphed into compassion and understanding. His sincerity radiated off him. ”Oh, of course. I understand. Let me take you back to your room and we’ll say nothing more about it. I’ll see you to yours, as well, Merlin.”

“I don’t need babysitting.”

“Nevertheless.” Dr. Ric held out his hand to Annika as he smiled.

She took it and returned the look. Now the guilt was setting in. Being duplicitous, playing on the human’s emotions, didn’t make her happy. She needed to get used to it, however. Being the Queen was going to be a lonely place for the rest of her life, one in which she did things that she didn’t like and with no one to confess to.

 

* * * *

 

Will was in his element—slipping from shadow to shadow, silently and invisibly making his way to the compound. The waiting was over. This night, he could see for himself that Damien was okay. There had been a brief sighting of the boy earlier in the day when all of the campers had headed down to the small lake situated on the property. They’d stripped to their skin for a quick dip in the cool water. Yup, having a whole gaggle of gay young men skinny-dipping was somehow supposed to be therapeutic. Frankly, Will was inclined to believe that whoever set the curriculum was merely trying to satisfy his own prurient interests under the guise of ‘help’.

And who was that again? Oh yeah, the closeted politician whose own peccadillos had him sucking off randos in Boston clubs. Was the guy trying to sink his career? Probably. With self-loathing came self-destructive behavior. In any event, Will had been grateful for the peek at his lover, to know for sure that he was not locked up being bombarded with a water cannon or some other sadistic shit. He’d still sweated his way through the hours that followed until their time to meet. The text that Damien had sent giving him a thumbs-up thirty minutes before had helped a lot. The relief had left him almost dizzy.

At the moment, however, he was concentrating on the mission. Val’s surveillance told him exactly where the security cameras were and what was their range. He had no trouble avoiding their line of sight and was able to get right up to the fence where they thought a blind spot was. Crouching behind a large bush, he opened his hearing to detect anyone nearby, nevertheless. It didn’t appear that the camp actually posted guards, but one couldn’t be too careful. It was already crazy that they enclosed what was supposed to be a voluntary experience as if it were a prison. The idea of a patrol in addition to the high wire fence wasn’t completely far-fetched.

These people had the fervor of absolute certainty that they were right. He’d seen that in humans before, and they could do anything to justify their goals. That included keeping others confined against their will, if necessary. Fear for Damien swamped him for a moment. What if they’d found out that he was a mole? What might they do to him if they had?

Except he was getting himself into a lather based on nothing. Damien was smart and he hadn’t been in the camp for more than a couple of days. He knew his job—to keep his ears open without going anywhere or doing anything he wasn’t supposed to and try to figure out where the asshat’s campaign kept their records. There was no reason to worry about his getting into trouble, not unless Damien had taken unnecessary risks, despite his clear order to the contrary. And now he’d just ratcheted up his worry again.

Just fucking move, moron.

Standing, he ran toward the fence, leaped over it and landed on the other side in another crouch—the right side, the one with Damien on it. How quickly his life had changed, where he wanted to be wherever his lover was. For years, it had been all about Annika, but he’d spent an entire night and most of the day away from her. Nothing bad had happened. He’d found her at dawn, tucked into her bed with Babette. Neither of them had stirred when he’d peeked in. She’d been her usual perky self at breakfast and hadn’t batted an eye when he’d told her he was returning to the camp and wouldn’t see her for the rest of the day.

‘Please do not worry about me, Father Damien. I will spend the day with Mackie once Mr. Val decides he’s fit to come down. And Mr. Dafydd and Dr. Ric will take excellent care of me.’

The two men in question had been there, feeding Idris, although without Damien to pamper them, breakfast had been bagels and cereal. Something, a look, had passed between Annika and the doctor in particular. Will hadn’t been able to figure it out, but nothing seemed out of place, so he chose to accept the truth that his daughter was fine with his being gone so much. At the moment, it was Damien who needed him more.

With that thought in mind, he sprinted toward the rendezvous point. Nothing stirred, nothing shone. The security for this place really was for shit. Then again, as far as the assholes who ran this place were concerned, there was nothing but a bunch of confused queer men here and everyone knew they wouldn’t have the guts to do a runner. Yeah, right. In their insular world, gay men were never cops or soldiers or just plain ballsy like Damien was. He was ten times the man that Congressman Asshat was, if for no other reason than he’d had the courage to come out to his family and find a way to survive when they’d kicked him to the curb. How many other kids in this place had been treated the same and had come to this place out of desperation to be welcomed back?

The idea that humans could treat their young in such a cruel manner infuriated him. It made him want to track down Damien’s family and rip their throats out. There was nothing that could justify turning your back on your child. Even if they did something you couldn’t forgive, you had to at least love them and do your best for them. The love he’d felt the moment when Luuk had placed Annika in his arms had been alarming in its ferocity and continued to be so. He would do anything for her, to keep her safe or help her with her troubles. Even if she came to him and said ‘Screw this whole Queen thing. I just want to be like a human girl’, he would fight Alex and all of the others if necessary to give her what she wanted.

These thoughts and emotions weren’t going to get the job done, however. Amateurs they might be, but he couldn’t afford to get complacent. Instead, he raced to his destination and slid behind the old potting shed where Damien knew to meet him. This spot had no security cameras and there were enough bushes in the back to give them more cover if anyone came wandering around. Although he’d surveilled the place himself the previous night and had spotted no guards patrolling, one never knew what might have changed since then.

With the wind blowing toward him, he smelled his boy before hearing his familiar tread. Damien darted around the side of the shed and right into Will’s waiting arms. He couldn’t help himself. He pulled the boy in for a deep kiss, inhaling his sweet smell and tasting his equally delectable mouth. He went instantly hard and had to really fight the urge to take him down to the ground and push into his tight ass. He was actually shaking with the effort to keep himself in check. By the time he broke the kiss, he was panting, as well.

Damien was in much the same condition. “Wow,” was all he said as they stood with foreheads pressed together, catching their breath. “I guess that answers my question.”

“Which one?” Will huffed.

“The one where I wondered if you could possibly miss me as much as I was missing you.” He grinned, his white teeth gleaming in the moonlight.

Will chuckled softly then took one of Damien’s hands and placed it against the spot where his hard dick strained against his worn fly. “Every fucking minute.”

Now it was Damien’s turn to chuckle and kiss him, which led to more long seconds in which they fought to consume each other. It was up to Will to find the strength to shut off the reunion. He tugged Damien down so that they were both sitting on the ground behind the shed, out of view. And if, hey, that meant creating a smaller footprint by having Damien sit on his lap? That was the price they had to pay for their covertness.

It was a stupid temptation, but Will couldn’t help it. Holding the boy, touching him, even in a non-sexual way, eased his worry. “What have you found out?” he made himself ask, because that was the purpose of his visit.

Damien relaxed against Will’s shoulder, the trusting gesture of affection pleasing Will enormously. “Well, the food here sucks. I mean it’s like the kitchen staff isn’t even trying to put something decent on the plate. I know they’ll say it’s hard to fix good meals for a large crowd but come on. I do it all the time at the club and… Jesus, have some pride in your work, people.”

Will smiled as he kissed the top of Damien’s head. “I mean, outside of the food service part.”

Damien sighed. “I know. It’s just… Everything here is so depressing. It’s easier to fixate on the crappy quality of the food than how sadly unhappy everyone is. The ‘campers’, I mean. The staff are mostly relentlessly cheerful and so goddamn smug that you just want to smack them. Except most of them are female, as it happens, so I’d never give in to that temptation. And they’re really good-looking too. Pretty and ultra-feminine in appearance. And stacked, you know? I guess the idea is to expose us poor, deluded homos to the real deal, hot women that are there for the taking if we can only shed our pesky perverse natures.”

Will was surprised by that statement. “You don’t mean these church-goers actually employ women to ‘service’ you?”

“Not in any overt way. We’re mostly learning all about how our bodies are temples that we must save for our future wives. No self-polluting, as they call it, and no premarital sex of any kind. But I get the feeling if I approached one of those women and asked her to help me ‘get over’ my gayness by giving me a hand job, she’d have me in the broom closet in record time.”

“Good lord, what a fucked-up place this is.”

“You got that right.”

“How are you holding up?” Will’s worry for his lover increased. He’d expected possible physical restraint or cold showers or the like to be employed in this awful place. Psychological torture could be far worse. Risking Damien had never been his first choice—or, any choice he’d make, for that matter. He’d been overruled, however, including by Damien himself.

“I’m fine, really. I know who and what I am, and I love myself as I am way too much to buy into any of their bullshit. Please don’t worry about me. We’ve had this conversation before,” he added with a pointed look.

Will barked out a soft laugh. “I know, and it’s impossible for me to stop fretting over your welfare, especially after everything you’ve told me about your past.” Revealing that was the verbal equivalent of his initial assault. He wore his feelings for Damien on his sleeve, no doubt about it. He found he couldn’t care much about that. It wasn’t as if he wanted to hide them from the boy. It was more that he couldn’t quite forgive himself for falling for another human, despite his internal vows not to do so.

Damien twisted his head enough to place a quick kiss on Will’s lips. “You’re very sweet. I promise you that I’m not at risk of buying into their nonsense. Now, do you want to hear what I’ve discovered? It’s not much.”

“Please.”

“Okay, so this place is just as advertised. Their focus is on converting those who want it, although I’m not convinced everyone here really wants to be ‘saved’. Sure, legally they’re adults and signed themselves in, but I get the sense that a lot of these boys were dragged here by their families and basically given an ultimatum—get ‘cured’ or get out. You know?”

Yes, Will did know.

“Anyway, as far as Congressman Asshat, excuse me, Congressman Warren is concerned, he and his wife—please call me Cathy—do keep an extensive suite of rooms on campus and have been here both days since I arrived. This is definitely their home base and a few office rooms in the main building are designated for their campaign, too.

“Both Mr. and Mrs. also do personal counselling for some of the boys. I’m not sure if either of them have any kind of degree, not that there is one that would be sanctioned for this conversion crap. Anyway, my roommate and personal guard, for lack of a better word, still sees Warren for his personal therapy.”

He wiggled his butt, trying to look at Will more closely, and didn’t that movement drive Will’s dick crazy? “The thing is, when he comes back from his nightly sessions, he’s kind of subdued and obviously unhappy. I know it’s only been twice since I’ve arrived, but I swear that kid is so beaten down afterward. And yet he keeps pretending that this is a great place…” He sniffed. “I’m worried about him. This isn’t good for him…or anyone.”

Will petted the boy’s head, much as he did with Annika when she needed soothing. “I promise you, baby, if there’s any way we can shut this whole shitty thing down, we will. All it takes is finding the right leverage.”

“Yeah, I know.” Damien swiped at his face to clear the moisture that had been gathering in his beautiful green eyes. “So, your, um, cousin? He’s also here, tags along with Warren like the way Babette sticks to Annika’s side. And no offense, but he creeps me the fuck out. Inside, he occasionally takes off his sunglasses, I think to scare the crap out of all the boys. Anyway, his eyes are nothing like yours. I mean, you have gorgeous Liz Taylor eyes and I could stare at them forever. On him, they just look dead.”

Damien shuddered with that pronouncement and Will hugged him closer. He was ridiculously pleased at the human’s praise of his eyes. “No offense taken,” he said in the silence, understanding that some response was necessary. “His nature is perverted, as we warned before sending you in. He has the temperament to do a great deal of harm. We must stop him before he does. Family honor and all that.” That was the official line for their checking up on Bran’s movements, and Damien did seem to buy it. Tremendous guilt ate at Will, nevertheless.

Damien shook his head. “I don’t understand how such a nice family could produce that evil-looking spawn. I guess that’s how it works sometimes. And he’s different than the rest of you in another way.”

“How so?” Will had a feeling he knew the answer already.

“Let’s just say he’s the perfect guy to be working security here, in that he has zero interest in the boys. There’s no gay gene there. The way he leers at the girls, staring at their racks and asses… Yikes!” He shuddered again. “If I had a daughter, I wouldn’t want that letch anywhere near her.”

Yes, as Petru had warned, Bran was different. Not pursuing human females had been the one point Dracul and Alex had agreed on. They were too hard-wired to view them in a certain way. Preying on them hadn’t been a real option. Of course, Dracul hadn’t cared about millions of females being hurt and killed through his machinations over the years. That kind of remote violence toward females was okay, apparently. It was the upfront and personal type that none of their crewmates could stomach, at least up until now. However Dracul had raised his son, Bran had decided to take a different path. The likelihood of their being able to contain the guy using Annika’s influence was diminishing, the more they learned.

“Okay,” he finally said, “this is good intel, useful. We should probably think in terms of getting you out of there tomorrow. I’ll come in the front door this time, pretending to be your boyfriend, and…”

Damien looked at him, a flash of hurt crossed his face. “Pretending?” He turned away in the next instant and tried to wiggle out of Will’s embrace. “Sorry, that was bitchy of me. I can be a needy little fuck sometimes. I’ve been working on it.”

Will silenced whatever else Damien might have said by pulling him hard against his chest, taking his chin in a firm, grip and putting the kid’s mouth right where he wanted it. This time when he kissed the human, he waited until they both convulsed, desperate for air, before releasing him.

Damien rested his forehead against Will’s chest and gasped like a landed fish. “Jesus, I guess I’m forgiven.”

Will squeezed him hard enough to make him squeak a little. “There is nothing to forgive. I expressed myself badly. What I meant to say is that I’ll pretend to be your outraged boyfriend, coming to collect you before they put stupid ideas in your head. Although frankly, I prefer the words ‘lover’ or ‘partner,’ as they typically say in Europe. I’m a bit old to be called a boyfriend.”

“Um, okay.” Damien smiled broadly. “Whatever works for you, I’m onboard with.” He dropped his gaze. “I’ve never been in a relationship before, not really. I don’t know the rules. I thought maybe I’d jumped the gun.”

Will shook his head slowly. “Not in the least. I haven’t been with anyone since Luuk, Annika’s father, died. I didn’t think I wanted another relationship. Being with you has changed my outlook.” He kissed the boy again, this time keeping it light and reverent. “You make me feel again, and that scares me.”

This was hardly the time and setting for such a heartfelt conversation, and he was acutely aware that he had no right to draw Damien any further into a relationship without revealing his true nature. But, like Damien, apparently Will was also ‘a needy little fuck’ because God, he couldn’t help himself.

Damien cupped Will’s cheek. “We’ll take it slow. I can appreciate how hard this is for you, and your being Annika’s father adds an extra layer of difficulty. I adore her, by the way. It’s hard not to. And you’re not so old.”

Now they were really treading on dangerous territory. You have no idea, he started to say, although he had no plan on how to end it.

“It doesn’t matter.” Damien gave him another quick kiss. “And I’m not going anywhere tomorrow. It’s only been two days. I need more time to learn anything that might be useful.”

Will knew that was what Alex wanted. He couldn’t shake the feeling that leaving Damien in this hideous place for much longer was dangerous. In fact, it was all he could do not to pick up the boy and race out of there.

“Okay,” he forced himself to say instead. “As long as you’re sure and take no chances. Don’t try to rifle through their offices or anything. We’re only looking for weaknesses and obvious information to use against Bran.” Clasping Will’s face with both hands, he stared hard at him. “When we said that Bran was dangerous, we meant it. Deadly so. Everything you think you see in his eyes is real. It is not your imagination. He has no moral compass. You are like a bug to him, and you can’t assume you’re safe simply because there are so many people around.”

“I understand.” A spark of fear showed in Damien’s eyes. Good, let him be afraid. Hopefully it would make him more careful.

Will nodded and expressed the sentiment. “Good.” Then he kissed him again and, damn, this time he didn’t stop. They ended up sprawled flat on the ground, Will grinding his pelvis against the human’s.

Until Damien pushed on Will’s chest hard enough to make him stop. “I-I can’t afford to climax in my pants,” the boy gasped. “If my roommate smells cum on me, I’m in trouble.”

Will grinned. “Then I’ll makes sure not to spill a single drop.”

He didn’t wait for Damien to react. He merely slid down and undid his lover’s fly. The hard cock sprang free the moment he had the zipper lowered. He wasted no time sucking it into his mouth and swallowing it all the way down.

He kept his eyes open as he lavished attention on the shaft, using his tongue to stimulate the underside. He cupped the balls with one hand while sliding his forefinger underneath to tickle the puckered flesh that his cock so hopelessly wanted to breach. To his delight, Damien slapped his hand over his mouth to muffle the moans he wasn’t successful in stifling. Will pressed the tip of his finger inside, crooked it and rubbed the bundle of hard flesh he found. Damien bucked up, giving Will the perfect leverage to swallow over and over again, his throat working that dick. When Damien let go, Will made good on his promise.