A Taste of Home Ch. 04

"Oh Baby, I wish I could. Your grandfather has been around, and from things he's said, he's managed get a trace on my phone. I don't want to lead him right to you."

"He already knows where I am, Mom. Don't you remember? Jack was here." The silence lengthened and he wanted to scream. He needed to talk. He needed his mother to be there for him.

"Jack is dead, Micah. The message I got was that your grandfather was responsible. When I showed the message to the police here, they didn't think it was clear, but we both know different, don't we? Added onto that message was another, for you. It said 'Tell M to come home immediately or we'll find him.' Please, be careful. Change your phone, keep a low profile and hopefully Johan won't know exactly where you are."

He didn't want to hang up with his mother. Who knew when he would be able to call her again? Yet, he couldn't stand to put her in danger so he closed the phone, and swore to himself not to call her or contact her unless he was certain it was safe. Maybe Ryan could keep tabs on her, to make sure nothing happened. If anything happened to his mother, he would never forgive himself. And Jenny, God, he had to make sure Jenny stayed safe as well.

******

It wasn't until Micah was halfway up to Pen's apartment that he thought he might not have any luck arriving so late in the morning. Pen might already be on his way to work and there wasn't time enough for Micah to reach his own apartment before the sun got too strong for him to stand. His shame over his behavior with Simon, and his fear after his conversation with his mother, hadn't made him careful enough.

There was still time for him to find a safe place, however, so he stepped out of the elevator and hurried to the apartment door. He started to smile at the sound of Pen singing inside, before his memories wiped the smile from his face.

"Micah, I wasn't expecting you so late." Pen looked closer at his cousin's face and pulled him inside. "What's wrong? What happened to bring you here now?"

"I called my mother earlier and she said she couldn't talk because Grandfather is monitoring her calls somehow. Jack's dead. Grandfather sent her a message hinting that he was responsible, but when she showed the police, they dismissed it. With that was a message for me, telling me that I have to go home right away or they'd find me. I need to make sure my mother and sister are safe. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to them because that damned old man wants me for some unknown reason."

"I'll call Ryan right away and let him know. Are you all right to stay up a little while longer? If not, it's fine, but Ryan will probably call back once he sees to your family's safety. It might be a good idea for you to pull all the blinds while I call, just to be on the safe side."

Micah ran the controls for all the windows in both the kitchen and the living room. The doors to the other rooms were all closed, so he was safe enough until later. He didn't think he'd be able to sleep at all until certain he'd done everything possible.

He cast his thoughts back to that morning's encounter with Simon while waiting for Pen to finish his phone call. Until they finished, Micah was certain that everything was proceeding as Simon wished. Simon had taken hold of him and kissed him as soon as they were out of sight of any possible observers. After the kiss, with the taste so strong in his mouth, that incredible familiar taste, Micah had simply moved things along. He didn't want a travesty of seduction, when it would be nothing of the sort.

After he fed, everything had proceeded exactly as it always had. With hardly a pause, Simon was ready to fuck and did so with great enthusiasm. That he stopped once he got his rocks off, not caring that Micah didn't follow, was not out of the ordinary. Well, except that Micah didn't come as well. This was the first time he hadn't gained his own release, helped along by Simon or not.

"Ryan promised to have someone keep watch on your mother and sister. He'll call back with the details as soon as it's set up. Do you need something to eat or drink while we wait?"

"No, I fed before trying to call my mother," Micah whispered, ducking his head in embarrassment. He cursed his light complexion because he knew Pen would see the blush. "I made a fool of myself, Pen. The man I told you about, he walked into the gas station last night and of course, he said he was glad to see me. I hadn't talked to him since that night Jack attacked me. He invited me for breakfast and I said yes.

"I thought about it and wondered why I should give up a good feeder, just because I was expecting more. I mean, I get the blood I need, he gets sex, we're both happy. After we...well, afterwards, I said we didn't have to go through the charade of having a regular meal together. That's something I had insisted upon when I thought we were developing a relationship, so I figured, we'll just abandon that, make this like a business transaction and all will be fine."

He trailed off, wondering how much information to give. He worried that if he got carried away, he might inadvertently say something to let Pen know who his feeder was. Simon had gone out of his way to make sure nobody knew of their acquaintance. As much as it hurt, Micah didn't feel comfortable exposing Simon. He probably had a very good reason for keeping quiet.

Pen gently stroked Micah's hair, tucking a stray strand behind his ear. There was no condemnation in his eyes as he prompted Micah to finish with his tale. "Then what happened? There has to be more than that. Come on, you can tell me."

"He said...he said that this morning wasn't supposed to be about feeding and sex. God Pen, he was just being nice and I almost begged him to let me feed. After that, well, I already told you that when I feed I make sure it's pleasurable for the feeder, so he..." Micah felt his face burning and stopped talking. He was sure Pen knew what happened. "He didn't want that to happen, and I almost made him. I'm a horrible person."

It was too much. For the first time in a long time, Micah burst into tears. Raising his knees up, he buried his face, hiding his shame. The arms that wrapped around him only made things worse, even as they made him feel safe. He cried out his fears for a long time and Pen rocked him the entire time, telling him everything would be fine. When the storm passed, Micah felt drained and hollowed out, yet things looked clear. His path was there and he knew exactly what he needed to go forward and be true to himself at the same time.

He needed to speak plainly with Simon. Simon needed to know that Micah wasn't comfortable with a superficial relationship. If they were to continue with Simon as a feeder and the two of them indulging in sex, it had to be a real relationship, where they were together, in public. There could be no hiding in the shadows. Any intimacies had to be shared between the two of them, not just Simon taking what he wanted and Micah following if he was able.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Yes, thank you. I think I'll go take a shower, if that's all right with you." He leaned over and gave Pen a hug in thanks for the love and support. "I'm so happy that I came to Rutherford and met you. My very own twin, even if I am the younger."

"You may be younger, but I'm much more handsome, twin or not." Pen grinned and winked. "Go on and have your shower. I'll put some clothes out for you to sleep in. Things will work out as they're supposed to, Micah; I know they will. In the meantime, Ryan and I are here for you and if you tell us the name of your feeder, we'll go beat some sense into him. We love you and don't want you hurt."

"Thank you, but I don't think that will be necessary. In a way, I set the tone of the relationship during our first encounter. Both of us are at fault, but since I'm the one who's unhappy with the direction it took, I have to take charge. Tonight, we will either move forward or end our association, and that will have to be enough."

Micah took a quick shower, unwilling to linger and think too much. He was pleased to hear the phone ring as he exited the bathroom. Ryan had spoken to the police in Canada and there were people assigned to keeping a close eye on Sara and Jenny. They were going to sweep the phones as well, to see if there were any bugs or taps on the line. As soon as it was safe, Sara would call Micah and they would be able to speak freely.

It eased his mind a great deal, although the fear didn't leave entirely. Johan was a nightwalker, and might employ other nightwalkers even if he held them in disdain. Nightwalkers could easily evade notice, slipping in and out of any place without anyone being the wiser. Ryan assured Micah that the police were aware of the difficulties, and had measures in place to safeguard against nightwalkers.

Micah could only hope it was enough.

******

Blake walked into the house, hating the old man more than ever. At least now, with the police watching Sara and Jenny Taylor, they were safe from danger. It was a relief, since he knew Johan would send him to carry out the 'message'. With the police involved, Johan would not take the chance. He needed Blake and there was no one else he trusted.

"Father? How long do we wait for Micah to come home of his own accord before we go get him?"

Johan continued reading the results for another few minutes. He looked them over at least twice a day, but he loved the numbers and notations and couldn't seem to put them down. He finally took a deep breath, tossed the comp onto the desk and looked at his son.

"One month. I will allow him one month to show his face on my doorstep. If he doesn't, you go down there and drag him back, by the hair if you have to. I don't care who you have to threaten, what threats you have to carry out, but he must be here no later than five weeks from now. That will give you one week to travel down, find him and travel back. Will that be enough for you?"

"Of course," Blake confirmed, hoping against hope that he was telling the truth. If he failed, his usefulness would likely be at an end. If he thought he would not meet the deadline, he would make sure he never came back. "I know where he lives, where he works and where his cousin lives. Over the next month, I will ensure the tail we have on him continues to make sure we can find him as quickly as possible."

"Good, I knew I could count on you. You're the only family who's never let me down. If this formula works as I believe it will, you will benefit from it with me."

Blake nodded his head in thanks and acceptance before taking his leave. Dear God, he was damned. At moments like these, Blake wanted nothing more than to get in touch with Micah and let him know the truth. He dreamed of giving up all information he had on his father, and then walking out into the sun. The only thing that stopped him was the memory of a little boy. Blake remembered being teased by his cousins about not having a mother or a father of his own. That little boy looked up to the man who claimed to be his father and lavished him with love and toys; the man who gave him the affection he so desperately craved.

He was damned for sure, and there wasn't a thing he could do about it now.