[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

food? Not since the attack at Heaven s Seat. Mouth watering, he
swallowed, placed his hands together in supplication, and bowed his
head. After a very brief prayer of thanks, he lifted his gaze to Stryver,
looking for a sign of when he could start eating.
Blue was met with a cocked eyebrow and a half smile.  Hungry?
A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. Heat rushed to his
cheeks, and he ducked his head, embarrassed at his eagerness.
The headman threw back his head and laughed.  Eat, little
brouda! Eat! There s plenty much now. Last season, this time, we
suffer mightily. The fruits spoiled in the trees before they ready for
picking. We found little fish. Many went hungry. This year much,
much better.
So he did. Blue used two fingers to scoop some of the mushy,
yellow paste from the banana leaf. He didn t bother to sniff, just put it
in his mouth. Rich fruity flavors tinged with a light nut taste ran
rampant over his tongue. Without thinking, he took another bite then
another. The roasted meat on the wooden platter lay forgotten while
he devoured the mush. Once it was gone, Blue looked up to find
Stryver and the headman staring at him.
With a quick duck of his head, face heating, he managed a little
smile as he mumbled,  It s good.
 That s paipai. Very good, yes, brouda? The headman motioned
to one of the women.  Bring more paipai for our new friend.
Stryver chuckled and pointed to the meat on Blue s platter.  Eat
the meat, too. We have a long way yet to go, and you have to be
strong.
 Oh, I will. I didn t realize how hungry I was. Blue glanced up at
the woman standing before him. She smiled, and he returned her
smile with his own. She piled two large scoops of the yellow mush
onto his banana leaf and left.
Blue Heaven 73
Blue ate, half listening to Stryver and the headman talking. The
way Stryver maneuvered the conversation amazed him. He asked how
often Raegemon soldiers came through here without coming out with
the question directly. From what Blue gathered, Raegemon rarely sent
anyone this far south. The land was peaceful and poor, not worth the
bother of more than one or two patrols a year. Next came questions of
any monks in the village.
 No, no, brouda. The holy men come here for one day to bless the
village, then they leave. They no stay.
This caught Blue s attention.  Why not?
 Long ago, long before even my grandpappy lived, a demon was
brought to a place deep in the jungle and sealed away. Even now,
many believe they still can hear the screams of rage from the place
this one resides.
Shivers slid up his spine. Blue swallowed and shot a glance at
Stryver. He stared at the headman. A demon? How had the humans
captured and contained it? Unease built inside Blue. A sudden need to
leave this place nudged at him. He met Stryver s gaze. His wink did
nothing to sooth Blue s nerves.
74 Jadette Paige
Chapter Nine
Awaken to the dawn and realize nothing will ever be the same.
Stryver s curiosity sparked with the mention of sealing a demon
away. He d never heard of such but didn t doubt what Melbo, the
headman, told them. The mention of a place in the jungle where even
the monks refused to go did tempt his curiosity, but he had a mission
to complete. And it didn t include side trips through cursed jungles to
satisfy his inquisitiveness.
He glanced over at Blue. The smaller man met his gaze for a
second before lowering it to his food. Fear glinted in his lover s azure
eyes. Blue s reaction triggered unease in him. What was the Godchild
thinking? He d find out once they returned to the hut for the night.
For now, he d bide his time with the celebration in their honor.
Several of the village children sat farther down the beach on their
left. They chewed on juicy slices of meat. The greasy moisture clung
to their mouths and fingers. Some of the men joined them, teasing
them about their appetite. The calming normalcy of the atmosphere
helped alleviate some of Stryver s tension. He decided not to mention
the demon to Blue. No use worrying about something so unimportant.
Women and men came closer to him and Blue, speaking in low
tones, inquiring about what their home was like. Blue kept silent,
allowing him to weave a simple tale nothing too complicated where
a lie could be detected.
Waves crashed against the beach. Even the wind appeared
determined to sooth their visit to this seaside village. Once everyone
Blue Heaven 75
had eaten and the fire burned low, the villagers slipped away,
returning to their homes for the night.
Stryver nudged Blue with his toe.  Time for bed. It ll be nice to
sleep in comfort tonight.
His lover nodded and stood with a low groan.
 You all right? Stryver rose to his feet and took hold of Blue s
arm to steady him. Damn, had he been that rough with his
lovemaking? The whole episode blurred in a cascade of intense
pleasure. He hadn t meant to hurt him.
A shy smile graced Blue s lips as he ducked his head and
mumbled,  Just a little stiff.
 Ah, I see. He threw an arm about Blue s shoulder. With slow,
steady steps, he guided him toward their dwelling.
 You see what? Blue tilted his head to look at Stryver s face.
 I didn t mean to be so wild with you. Couldn t help it, though.
You have a way of driving me a little crazy. How else could he
explain how Blue affected him? He d never had anyone, male or
female, instill such a need to possess as he experienced with Blue.
Not even with Rance. Hell, he hadn t even spared a single thought for
his dead lover. In a way, his reaction frightened him. He didn t want
to belong to anyone. No ties whatsoever. They were too easy to use
against him, to devastate him like when Rance died. Now, the one
person he intended to desert upon completion of this mission turned
out to be the one he dreaded to leave. What had changed since his
arrival in Heaven s Seat? A slim, short Godchild with innocent eyes
had wormed his way into Stryver s mind. He had to stop this.
Glancing down, he noted the tiny smile on Blue s lips.  What?
 Sorry. The Abbot said often I have an ability to frustrate. I never
intended to affect you, too.
 This kind of frustration is all right, I guess. It s only for a little
while longer.
They reached the hut, and Stryver let Blue climb the steps ahead
of him.
76 Jadette Paige
 You re sure?
 Positive, he affirmed, hoping to alleviate any doubt in Blue. He
took the thinner wrist in his hand and rubbed the pad of his thumb
over the bone.  Lay with me. I want to hold you close through the
night with the moon shining down on you.
Blue s pulse raced under his fingertips.
Together, they knelt on the mat, fixing the blankets. As one, they
reclined, facing each other. Stryver ran a finger along the edge of
Blue s face. He moistened his lips. His muscles tightened with need to
cover the smaller man s mouth, to taste his sweetness. Giving in to
the temptation, he leaned closer, tilting his head. He raised his gaze
and met Blue s eyes. Stryver lowered his eyelids. The touch of warm
breath slipped over his lips a second before he brushed a soft kiss on
Blue s mouth.
Heat built in his body. Throbbing started deep in his balls,
insisting he seek relief and fuck Blue again, but he refused to allow
his baser side to dominate him. Blue needed time for his soreness to
disappear. Another round of intense lovemaking would hurt him more
than it would hurt Stryver to sleep with a hard-on. No, he d wait.
 Good night, my Blue, he whispered against the parted, satiny
lips.
One thin arm slipped about his waist. Blue rested his cheek
against his chest.
Stryver placed his jaw on Blue s head and smiled. Why did this
seem so right? He tried to picture his future, but all he saw was Blue
smiling, laughing, twirling in a dance of power and joy. He squeezed [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Archiwum