A Taste of Home Ch. 06

He and Ryan carefully carried the man onto the grass and examined him. Although he was still alive, it was easy to see that unless help arrived soon, he would not last long. The low rasping voice startled them, as the words were clear.

"Good, you're here. There is very little time left for your friend. Ah, Penlan Taylor, I wonder if you remember me. We met once before, albeit very briefly."

"I'm not sure," Pen began, frowning and leaning a little closer. He was quiet for a moment, and then his eyes widened in shock. "Yes! You...Ryan this is the man who cut my hair." Simon remembered hearing this story. The two men had discussed it once during a dinner party. He remembered because Pen got a little upset when Ryan mentioned how cute Pen was with curls around his face.

"What the Hell is going on around here?" Simon stood and walked a short distance away, because he knew shaking the man would only do more harm than good.

"My name is Dr. Benson Freitag. I am unfortunately the person responsible for the development of the formulas your grandfather is using against Micah. When I saw you that night, I wanted to bring you to my offices and get some blood to work on a new formula to change nightwalkers without taking away their good qualities. It was my hope to enmesh the characteristics of both nightwalkers and daywalkers, as they were in you, further enhancing the positive traits I got a little overenthusiastic and panicked when your companion called out for you. That is why I took your hair.

"I was successful, but I had to work in secret, to hide it from your grandfather. All I have is a single vial. You must take it and inject it into Micah as soon as possible. He's...well I hate to say that he is in a very bad way. Over each of the days since you've been gone, he's been turned human and then turned back into a nightwalker. When he's human, he cannot eat. The sight and smell of food and water makes him ill. As a result, Micah is very weak. His physical appearance has also changed. When he's a nightwalker, he claims all the blood he tastes is foul to him and takes barely enough to slake his thirst.

"It is full daylight now, and as a turned nightwalker, he cannot tolerate even a hint of sunlight. This will change him into a half-breed, much as you were. He will no longer have the thirst for blood, and he will be able to withstand even the midday sun." Benson Freitag paused, coughing up blood and weakening visibly. Pen tried to get him to rest, but he refused. "I tried to refuse, I want you to know that, but Johan killed my brother right in front of my eyes. He promised to kill the people closer to me, one by one, if I continued to resist. I am ashamed, but I didn't think I had a choice. Take the vial, half the contents will be enough. It shouldn't take long to take effect, but I can't be positive. I never tested it on anything more advanced than a guinea pig."

"We have to get inside there now. Can we trust this Blake fellow? Will he help us?" Simon was desperate, but knew he needed this information.

"I would say yes. He is not pleased with his role in this. Be wary, in case I am wrong, but I believe he truly wishes to save Micah. Hurry now. Micah insulted Johan, angered him greatly, and I'm afraid of what might happen. Someone was watching the road and sounded the alarm almost ten minutes ago. Go. Save him."

They made the doctor as comfortable as possible, moving him to some shade, where he would still be visible from the road when the agents arrived. As they neared the gate, Ryan parked the car off to the side so they could continue on foot under the cover of the trees. According to the instructions Blake gave them, there was a small door where they could enter. It was safer than trying to get through the main gate, but not unknown to the guards.

Keeping Pen safe between them, Ryan and Simon hurried to the door, entered the security code, and slipped through. Staying within the relative safety of the recessed opening, the men looked in all directions. Nothing seemed to be moving. There didn't appear to be any guards, even in those areas Blake indicated on the map.

Just as they were about to move from their place of concealment, one of the doors on the house flew open and half a dozen guards ran out. From within the house came angry shouts and the sound of things breaking. One of the guards stopped and stared directly at the intruders.

"The old man's gone crazy! He and the Blake fellow are fighting their way through the house, destroying everything in their path. I never saw nightwalkers fight before and I hope never to see anything like it again." The guard threw a keycard in their general direction and pointed at it when it fell in the grass. "That will open the door right around the corner. Go right as soon as you're in the corridor, and your friend's room is third on the right. We know agents are coming. I think we'll just sit next to the doc and wait for them to get here."

Simon dashed forward and grabbed the keycard. Everyone seemed to be going out of their way to lend their help, and he only hoped it wasn't a trick or a trap. It didn't really matter to him. As long as he could get to Micah, he didn't care at all. Reaching the corner of the house seemed to take forever. It took Simon three tries to get the keycard to work and open the door. A thin haze of smoke filled the corridor, making his heart stop in fear. He was afraid to think what it could mean and shoved all thought from his mind. All he could focus on now was getting inside and to Micah.

Pen was the first to reach the corridor where they had to turn and stopped with a horrified gasp. He pressed back against the wall and turned huge, frightened eyes to Simon and Ryan. Simon couldn't hold in the howl of fear when he reached Pen and looked in the direction they needed to go.

Only one door was apparent on the right side of the hallway. After that, fallen debris and dust blocked any possible passage. Blake and Johan struggled together, their fighting apparently responsible for destroying the space. Even as he watched, Simon saw Blake manage to get his hands around the older nightwalker's head and twist. Johan dropped to the floor like a rock, no longer an immediate threat.

"I need your help," the nightwalker called out. "Take his body outside, into the sun, before he heals. I can't do that. I can be of more help here, working at clearing this rubble. My father engaged the mechanism for the panels that protect us from the sun. The controls are on the other side with no way but this corridor to reach them. If we don't move quickly...Micah is a nightwalker now and we have to reach him as soon as possible."

Pen nodded encouragement. "I have the vial. As soon as there's a space large enough, I'll get through and give it to him. Simon, I swear, I'll do whatever I can to get to him fast."

"I know you will, Pen. If you fail, it's because there really was nothing to be done. You love him too."

There's no choice, this is all I can do right now, Simon chanted repeatedly in his mind. He moved automatically, desperate to be the one tearing through the rubble to reach the other side. He knew Ryan was talking to him, trying to reassure him, but Simon couldn't hear the words.

He took great satisfaction in seeing Johan Taylor, the man who had single-handedly destroyed and hurt so many people, scream and burn under the rays of the sun. Ryan stayed with him, watching until all attempts to rise stopped. The last thing they wanted was to turn their backs and risk an attack.

When they returned the hallway, Blake was working more slowly but without stopping, tossing pieces over his shoulder. He worked from the top down, trying to avoid bringing the whole thing down and causing more damage. Pen had already managed to slip through and was now, hopefully, giving Micah the injection that would save him. Simon went and helped clear a wider opening. He wanted to be with Micah, wanted to get to the other side. The physical activity would keep him from going mad.

At long last, the three men cleared away about half the rubble. They still needed to climb, but it was easy enough for them to get through. Once they stood on the other side, Ryan and Blake hung back, letting Simon go forward on his own. His steps were swift and sure, until he saw Pen walk out of the room, tears streaming down his face and mouth working soundlessly.

"Did you...? Pen, were you able to give him the injection?" Simon knew the answer to his question would either save him or destroy him. "Is Micah all right?"

"He's alive," the young man reassured him once he had his voice back. It was thick with tears, breaking at the end of the words. "I don't think he's quite all right, but he is alive, even with the panels gone and the sun shining on him. Go see him, but don't mention anything negative about his appearance. We don't look at all alike anymore. I couldn't take the chains off, either."

Simon took several deep breaths, telling himself not to react no matter what he saw in that room. The last thing he wanted was to do anything that would hurt the man he loved. Pen hugged him tight for a moment then moved off to find his husband. This reunion was for him and Micah, no one else existed in that moment.

His first sight of Micah almost broke his heart. He looked so small on that bed, curled up on his side with his eyes closed and lines of pain plain to see. One hand and one foot remained chained to the bed, the skin probably undamaged simply because he'd been a nightwalker until the most recent injection. Micah also looked painfully thin, his clothes hanging off his body. Although it was warm enough in the room, Simon could see the tiny frame shivering. That could be from either shock or a remnant from the injection Pen gave him.

"I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner, beauté. We'll get you out of here soon, mon bel ange, mon amour." He knelt by the bed and kissed Micah's cool and dry lips.

The eyes fluttered opened, the blues much darker than Simon remembered, but he didn't care. They were still exceptionally beautiful. He needed to move a little closer to hear the words Micah spoke. "I didn't think I'd see you again. At first, I didn't want you to come back. Later, seeing you again was all I had to hold onto. I love you, Simon, so very much. I'm not me anymore, though."

"Of course you're still you," Simon said. He carefully climbed onto the bed, positioning himself behind Micah's body to hold him close. "You're still beautiful, still my beautiful angel."

"But my hair and my eyes, Simon. I don't feel the same inside, either. Grandfather changed everything about me. Nothing is the same."

"I don't believe that. Your heart and your soul are still the same. When I see you, even with the physical differences, I can feel down to my bones that I love you. Unless your grandfather took away your love for me, then he hasn't changed anything that was important."

Voices approached the door, but neither man paid any attention. Micah pressed back into Simon's larger body as much as he could, drawing comfort from the warmth and love. Too soon the agents would come in, and Micah would have to go to the hospital for treatment. In the meantime, the two men just wanted to be together, happy to be reunited and safe.

Simon knew what he said was the truth. It didn't matter to him that Micah was different. His hair was brown now, as long as before but very straight. It would probably be lovely once it clean and brushed. His eyes were still blue, darker and framed by brown lashes, but Simon recognized the love inside them. Simon's heart still missed a beat when he looked in Micah's eyes, and that's all that mattered to him.

He kissed the top of Micah's head and thanked God that they hadn't been too late. Just a few more minutes and...Simon couldn't think about it, even now. They could talk later about everything, but there was one thing Simon needed to say before their reunion was interrupted.

"My parents are at home, waiting for me to call so they can jump on a plane for a visit. They're anxious to meet the man who's won my heart. My mother hardly even drew breath when I told her, just asked when they could come visit. When you feel up to it, you'll have her fussing over you as much as your own mother will be."

"I want to go home, Simon. Home to Rutherford. I want my mother and sister, and your parents, to come visit us in Rutherford."

"Of course. First, you'll have to go to a hospital here, but we'll arrange for transport to Rutherford as soon as possible."

Ryan came into the room, with Pen close behind. They indicated that the restraints should be open and Simon eased Micah's wrist and ankle out, massaging the skin. Micah looked into the faces of his friends, saw their uneasy expressions, and demanded to know what had happened.

"Blake is gone. After showing us the controls for the restraints he walked into one of the rooms on this side of the corridor and...well, it's just past ten, when the sun is strongest, so he..."

Micah was sorry about his uncle, but couldn't mourn him too much. The man could have saved them so much grief if only he'd stood up to Johan Taylor. "Blake tried to be good, I suppose, but he couldn't get out from under his father's thumb. I hope he's at peace, now that he's gone from this world."

******

A low whimper and a gasp sounded in the room. "Oh God, oh please!"

Micah arched his back and grabbed at his lover's head to hold it to his chest. When teeth once again grazed his erect and sensitive nipple, his entire body shuddered in pleasure. This was the first time in the three months since his rescue that Simon was making love to him and he thought he would explode from the pleasurable sensations the man created deep inside his body.

"Simon, I need you. Please, I want to feel you inside me, filling me up. It's been so long. I promise I'm well enough, strong enough, for you to love me."

For the longest time, anything more strenuous that walking from the bedroom to the living room had been so tiring that he would fall asleep wherever he happened to be. As a result, Simon kept his kisses and touches brief. They were wonderful, but just not enough. Now, tonight, Micah wanted to make love with the man he loved. He needed it not only because he loved Simon, but to know that he was well and truly alive.

"Mon amour, tu es ma vie. Je t'adore. Tu es mon destin." Simon caressed Micah tenderly, his hands stroking and touching every possible inch.

Micah moaned, reveling in the touches, wanting more. He wanted everything and could hardly wait. When a slick finger touched the puckered skin of his anus, the moan turned into a cry of need. His hips jerked, searching for a firmer touch. He'd missed this, being intimate with Simon, allowing the man to overwhelm his senses and his control.

When Simon pushed his finger inside, gently working in the lube and stretching the muscle, Micah could only sigh. It felt so right, even if it burned slightly. It had been so long and he wanted this more than he could possibly say. A second finger joined the first. As soon as those fingers touched his prostate, Micah couldn't help his climax. It overwhelmed him without warning and his body tightened as his come landed on his stomach and chest.

As his senses returned, Micah found a third finger had joined the other two, taking advantage of his relaxed, post-orgasmic state. He was hard again. In fact, he was certain that he barely had time to soften at all, what with the dual stimulation of his channel and his nipples.

"Now, Simon. I want your cock inside me. I want you to make love to me."

Their mouths met as Simon positioned himself between Micah's wide-spread legs. Micah kept his eyes open, staring up into the brown eyes that looked back at him with such love. It made his heart swell, and for a moment, fear filled him. He tried to hide it, but of course, Simon noticed it right away.

"What's wrong? If you're not ready..."

"No! No, I want this, it's just that I love you so much. You'll think I'm crazy, but I'm worried because I can't feed from you anymore and I know how much you liked that. I mean that was the main reason we got together."

"You're an idiot," Simon vowed gently, kissing his lover to show he wasn't angry. "When I first saw you in the club, I wanted you, and it had nothing to do with you feeding from me. Yes, I enjoyed it, but I don't need it. What I do need is you, in my arms, in my life. Je t'aimerai jusqu'à la fin de mes jours."

Slowly, carefully, Micah felt Simon slide into his prepared body. Tears of love filled his eyes, knowing how close he'd come to never feeling this again. Once they were completely joined, he wrapped his arms and legs tight around his lover's body, holding him close. If he could, he would take more. They lay without moving for a moment, lost in their emotions. Micah lifted his hips to urge Simon into moving.

This was heaven. Micah knew there was no chance to get Simon to love him hard and fast this time. His lover was much too worried about his well-being for that, too worried that he would tire and delay his recovery. Still, there was something to be said about the sweet and languorous joining. Every movement screamed of love, the slow back and forth said more than any words possibly could.

Words did flow back and forth between them; sweet whisperings to increase pleasure and stoke the flames of passion. Promises for the future were abundant. They lapsed back into silence, save for moans and gasps, as Micah felt his body start to tremble and tense. He needed something a little more to come. While Simon's hard prick glided over his prostate with each thrust, Micah squirmed to adjust his position, so he could receive more direct contact.

"Yes! Like that, oh Simon! Soon, so close."

"Come for me, mon ange, show me how beautiful you are when you come for me. I love you, Micah, je t'aime."

The sticky, wet heat of his release covered Micah's stomach, more abundant than he would have thought so soon after his previous orgasm. His body tightened around Simon and he moaned when he felt the hardness inside him swell and fill him. It was the most wonderful experience of his life, and he'd never had a reason to complain since he had and Simon came to their understanding. This had been sweet and tender and once again, he felt tears fill his eyes.

"I never want to be away from you again, Simon. I should have told you this a long time ago, but it's more than love between us. From the first time I tasted you, I knew you were special. When I fed from you, it was bigger than anything I'd ever known. You tasted of home. My home."

"I felt it, too. It was confusing for me, since I couldn't allow myself to acknowledge my feelings for another man. I'm so happy that you gave me another chance, Micah. You're my everything. In case you didn't hear me earlier, I'll repeat what I said. I love you, beautiful, until the end of my days." Simon claimed a kiss, tasting his home in the soft mouth too. "Let's go get cleaned up, and then you have to scan, it's been a week. Our families will be waiting for us for supper. The last thing I want is one of our mothers coming in here when you're supposed to be resting. I'd never hear the end of it."

Micah laughed and allowed his lover to help him to the bathroom to clean up and get dressed. There was no time for a shower, but Simon was very thorough with the warm cloth. It made him wish they could go right back to bed and start their lovemaking all over again.

Unfortunately, Pen knocked on the door and laughingly told them they had five minutes until the food was on the table. His cousin obviously knew what they were up to and came to prevent any comments from overprotective mothers.