The Hour

"Well that was awkward." Said Bennet from the floor. He slowly sat up- cradled his head for a moment then headed after his newly made friend. They had a lot to talk about anyway.

Ian held onto Luke's hand, cutting off the other man's circulation. His face was pale, making the bruises stand out even brighter.

"I think we all need a break. Daire stood and the others followed. Luke pulled Ian with him to the porch. The cool night air felt good to both of them. The stars looked unusually bright.

"Is this your life all the time?" Ian asked softly. He still hadn't let go of Luke's hand. Even though he was tucked tight against the other man's chest.

"Not usually. I try to stay away from this sort of thing. But this has been building for some time. Change is difficult for many, and for a group this large, this old, and this based on tradition- there is bound to be conflict." Ian sighed and pulled Luke's hands tighter around him.

"I wish none of this was happening. I wish we could just go somewhere and be together for a while." Luke nuzzled Ian's hair and nodded.

"I want that too."

*

"What was that all about?" Bennet found Ryder sitting in Bennet's own bedroom. Staring at the wall.

"I'm not stupid. I just don't want anyone to die." Bennet sat next to the other brunette.

"I don't think you are stupid. But I also think none of the other's want anyone to die either." Ryder nodded slowly, his anger slipping away with his breath.

"I know. I just don't want anything to happen to any of them. I guess I am just scared." Bennet nodded, then it hit them too. His family could die, his father, his new friend, Sawyer. They had even come close this evening.

"Why does everything always have to happen all at once? Why do the life changing, terrible, terrifying things take turns?" Bennet pulled his knees to his chest, facing the wall with Ryder. Ryder shrugged.

A few minutes later there was a soft knock on the door and Tove entered. He held out his arms and Ryder launched himself into them.

"Please don't do it, don't die!" Ryder whispered into Tove's chest and shook. Bennet felt he was intruding in his own room. He sat frozen, unable to escape as the door was blocked.

"I won't pretty thing. I'll be here for you." Tove stroked a hand down Ryder's back slowly, soothingly. And Bennet suddenly wanted Sawyer. Self-consciously Bennet slipped past the couple and tiptoed down the stairs. The meeting room was empty, so were all the other rooms. Bennet stopped and listened carefully, if he stood near an air vent he could hear muffled speech. Considering his options and possible punishments Bennet made his way to the door that had always been forbidden to him. He took a deep breath and turned the knob slowly. It was open. Holding his breath Bennet made his way down the brightly lit stairs, through another closed door and into a room walled in chrome. The bright lights made it difficult to see, but after staring for a few moments his eyes adjusted, to see weapons he had never imagined. The walls were lined with them, and the table where the others were gathered was piled high.

"What is all this?" Bennet asked softly, looking from his father to Sawyer. "You always told me you wouldn't tolerate any weapons in the house. I couldn't even have a fucking nerf gun!" Bennet was beginning to wonder if anything his father had told him was true. If any of the principles Daire had taught his son were anything but than hypocritical mumblings. Daire stood silently and looked at his son with grief in his eyes.

"I never wanted you to know of any of this. I just wanted you to be safe." Bennet turned and left the way he had come. It was all too much. He sat on the couch and closed his eyes. From downstairs he could hear the soft murmur of voices and from above he heard a slow steady rocking, from his own room. Bennet rolled to face the back of the couch and covered his ears. He hummed to himself and tried to pretend the last 24 hours had never happened.

*

Ian was again sitting on Luke's lap, this time in a basement that looked more like a hi tech weapons development lab. He looked around slowly, his hands buried in Luke's shirt. Finally something interesting was happening to him, but it was so scary, in his imaginings there wasn't so much danger, and it wasn't so real. It was obvious the others were scared, probably for their lives, and there was nothing Ian could do about it.

Ian thought of his life before, and how he hadn't cared if he lived or died. He wished he felt that way now, because now dying was an available option.

"How long till they come?" Ian interrupted the hushed planning. All eyes turned to him.

"Maybe a week, maybe less. Luke spoke quietly. "We don't know now because of the attack earlier. There is no chance of a civilized ending now. We just don't know if the attack will be a blatant act of war, or small hidden attacks meant to weaken us. We know next to nothing and not knowing is the most dangerous thing.

Upstairs Bennet felt a hand on his back. He ignored it. He didn't want to talk to anyone. He hoped the person would just go away. He pressed his hands tighter to his ears and hummed louder. The hand moved higher up his back and up the nape of his neck. Worried now Bennet opened his eyes. Before he could turn his head there was a hand over his mouth. Bennet twisted trying to dislodge it, but he was at a disadvantage. His captor had trapped his right arm against his ear, and the other was under Bennet's body, trapped by the cushions and Bennet's own weight. The hand over his mouth was removed but only long enough for Bennet to take a deep breath and for a chemical tasting piece of cloth to be placed in his mouth. The free hand grabbed Bennet's left, flipping him onto his back. Tape was wrapped around his wrists. Bennet tried to twist away again, but he was held too tightly. He couldn't kick- his captor was standing behind the arm of the couch, behind Bennet's head. Breathing quickly through his nose, Bennet relaxed. There was nothing he could do now, he might as well save his energy. He looked into his captors face and tried to remember his every feature, and hoped he would live long enough to describe him.

*

"Where's Bennet?" Ryder looked for his new friend, knowing he probably was not downstairs in the strategy room.

"Maybe outside?" Tove suggested, tucking in his shirt. "The door is unlocked." Tove froze, there was a strange smell in the air, faint, but strange. It smelled like chemicals, chemicals meant to hide another's scent.

"Ryder, get the others. Bennet didn't leave on his own."

It seemed the war had started much earlier than anticipated, and it was personal.

*

Bennet was bundled out of the back of the SUV and onto the ground. He breathed slowly through his nose and tried not to panic. His captor had shoved him into the car, which had been blatantly parked in the driveway, and motioned for the driver to begin moving, and after placing a sack of dark fabric over Bennet's head, disappeared into the bushes.

Now the sack was removed, and Bennet was pulled to his feet, his arms still taped painfully together. He was lead into a house, not unlike his own. Inside the foyer he met the leader of the other side.

"Hello Bennet, the last time I saw you, you were just a tiny innocent baby." The man had dark red hair that was obviously died, and green eyes too bright to be natural. "Welcome to my home, I wish we were able to meet in more favorable conditions. I don't want to hurt you, so I hope you will do as I ask." The man came toward Bennet and brushed his hair out of his eyes.

"Such a pretty boy, I'm sure many will miss you."

The next hours passed in a blur for Bennet, he was treated gently, and placed in what seemed to be a guestroom. The room had a comfortable bed and attached bath, a shelf full of books and a TV with many channels. It was a place Bennet usually wouldn't mind spending time, but there were bars over the window, and after he was left alone, an ominous click from behind the door. After investigation Bennet realized it was a deadbolt on the outside of the door. Seeing no easy why out Bennet flopped on the bed and turned on the TV. He wondered how long it would take the others to even realize he had gone.

*

The house was in commotion. All felt guilty that Bennet had been taken and how long it had taken them to notice, but most of all the flurry of activity was about bringing him back.

After hours of looking for possible locations Ryder had a simple but elegant solution.

"Why don't you just go online and find the GPS of his phone, I think he had it, and it isn't anywhere else in the house." Surprised at the simplicity of the idea, but worried about its possible failure, the group found a computer and watched anxiously as Ryder and Daire typed in the necessary information. Miraculously moments later, a small blinking dot appeared on a map. The phone, and maybe Bennet were in a small subdivision just minutes from them. But even with a possible location, the work was not over.

Hours later a small group of rescuers were ready. They took two cars to the location, copying the blatant show of violence, both parked on the long sloping back lawn, two from each group walked up to the back door and rang the doorbell.

"Can I help you?" The red-haired man answered in a black and red smoking jacket. He showed no surprise at finding his former associates answering his door with guns and body armor.

"I think you have something of ours." It was Sawyer. He could hardly hold back his rage. He knew Bennet was in the house, he could feel it, smell it, and see it on the man's face.

"Pity, I don't recall taking anything." The man began to close the door.

Meanwhile the other group had gone around the front, and after quickly picking the lock, were inside.

"I don't think there is a basement." Ryder spoke softly, running his hand against the wall. "He's close, really, really close." Closing his eyes Ryder lead the other two men deeper into the house. They had nearly made it to he rear door when Ryder stopped.

"Here." He said quietly.

"Sorry, but there isn't a door." Ryder glared at the man who had spoken.

"I know he is here." Ryder turned in a slow circle before fixating on a large painting. "There." The other two men moved the painting. Behind it was a door locked with a simple turning dead bolt. One of the men reached out and flipped the switch.

"Don't" Ryder hissed, but it was too late. A loud screeching alarm began to sound. Immediately there were footsteps from both sides of the hall. Ryder pulled the door open and squeezed through the small opening and slammed the door behind him. They could handle the violence to follow. Ryder couldn't.

Inside Bennet still lay on the bed, listless.

"Good god, get up!" Bennet slowly turned to look at Ryder.

"How'd you get here?" Bennet asked, and calmly changed the channel.

"We broke in, dumb shit. Get up!" Ryder tugged on Bennet's arm. The other man didn't move.

"But it's comfy here." Bennet rubbed his face in his pillow and changed the channel again.

"What did they give you?" Bennet shrugged.

"I just had a milkshake. It was good." He flipped onto his back. "You should have one too." Ryder shook his head and hauled Bennet off the bed. Bennet hit the floor with a loud thud, and stayed there.

"Ouch. Don't do that." Halfheartedly he pulled himself to his knees. "Why would you do that? I wasn't doing anything to you."

There were no sounds from outside, the room was too tightly sealed. After staring at Bennet for a few moments Ryder wondered what they were going to do if the two men were killed. No one else knew where they were. They would kill the leader and leave, they could be stuck in here forever. Ryder breathed deeply and tried not to panic. After being trapped in a dry well for three days as a three year old he had never gotten over his fear of inescapable places. Small was okay- locked was not. The could run out of air, or starve. Images of trying to climb out of the narrow space, breaking his nails wearing his fingertips bloody assaulted Ryder's memory. Whimpering he tried the door. It didn't budge. Tears began to fall slowly from Ryder's eyes. They were going to die here. Ryder hurried to the curtained window, and sobbed when he saw the bars and wire in the glass. Panting for air Ryder covered his ears and sank down in the corner by the window.

The two were found that way two hours later, Ryder crying facing he wall, fingernails imbedded in his palms, blood dripping down his wrists; Bennet on his knees next to the bed, watching the TV with wrapt attention.

"Oh baby." Tove went to Ryder first. He pulled the smaller man into his arms and kissed his head. Whispering encouragements he coaxed Ryder's fingers out of fists. Clucking at the blood he pulled him from the room. Meanwhile Sawyer watched Bennet watch TV. It was a show about a teenage mother who planned to put her unborn child's ultrasound in a pageant.

"What did they do to you?" Sawyer asked. Bennet said nothing. When Sawyer pulled Bennet to his feet, the brunette didn't struggle. He was dead weight in Sawyer's arms, that was until he was turned away from the screen. Then he began to cry and struggle. The further away they got from the screen the louder he screamed. By the time the pair made it to the car Sawyer had scratches up and down his arms and Bennet was screaming, and long unbroken screech.

"Can't we give him something?" Tove asked looking pointedly at Bennet, his hands over a still sniffling Ryder's ears.

"Not until we know what he was given." Sawyer responded.

The trip back to the house was long, the guards were each nursing mild injuries; Bennet screaming; Ryder crying softly.

After a quick checkup by one of the visiting members, Bennet was cleared for a light tranquilizer. After he was tucked in the others settled into what was going to be a stressful meeting.

"The man had dyed red hair. He was tall and had fake green eyes." Ryder spoke quietly, still shaken. He had a cup of rich Mexican hot chocolate in his hands, the small ripples across the surface revealing the slight tremble in his hands. "I don't remember much else."

"He must have escaped with the others. They were obviously expecting an attack. There is no way they could have been so surprised and so well coordinated." Said one of the visitors, he had dark brown hair and eyes so dark they looked black. His thick eyebrows seemed to touch his narrowed eyes. He was the one that had helped Bennet, but Ryder still shrunk away from him. He looked evil.

"They got exactly what they wanted. We just don't know what that is yet." Laquor said softly. "I never expected them to do something so seemingly useless to declare their intent. Taking Bennet has an easy explanation. But why drug him, why let him go so easily?" None of the others responded. Quiet they sat, and thought their own thoughts, what could have happened, what was coming, what the Night could have possibly wanted. After waiting for someone else to speak, and no one did, Ryder excused himself and went to check on his friend.

As Ryder lightly stroked Bennet's hair away from his restless closed eyes, the door opened quietly. Ian entered. His eyes were red rimmed and he looked terrified.

"Luke told me to come here. I'm no help downstairs." Ryder nodded and patted a place next to him at Bennet's bedside.

"I'm not either. I wasn't meant for this type of thing. Much too serious for me." Ryder managed a small smile and Ian sighed.

"I can't believe that this time yesterday I was in my house wishing I had someone to love-and now I am here. I got my wish- I guess." Ian sighed. Bennet nodded he understood the feeling.

"There should be some time before the next attack, maybe you will get some alone time with Luke." Ryder suddenly smiled. "From the sound of it, you were interrupted, am I right?" Ian blushed, but nodded.

"It all just happened so fast, I don't know what I was thinking, or not thinking. But now it feels like we have been together forever. I can't imagine not having someone. It's amazing how quickly everything can change." Ryder nodded.

"Well, I have to say I can sympathize. I didn't even know Tove's name before we- consummate our relationship. I didn't know what I was doing. Only that I couldn't stop. It was quite the event." Ryder smiled in memory. "You are already doing better than me on the self control front."

Ian laughed, and it was soft but genuine.

"I suppose- I just can't believe all that has happened. And yet here we are."

"Yes here we are."

**

Bennet was waking up, slowly. Sawyer watched anxiously as the young brunette slowly opened his deep blue eyes, only to close them with groan. Bennet turned, then slipped back to sleep, the pattern had repeated several times in the last hour. Sawyer wanted to shake the younger man awake, but knew he would wake on his own when he was ready. And sure enough an agonizing 30 minutes later Bennet opened his eyes and kept them open.

"Hello, who are you?" Bennet asked calmly. Sawyer's heart dropped.

"Sawyer." He said quietly.

"Hi, I'm Bennet. Yesterday I saw a man turn into a lion. I think I am crazy. Is this a mental hospital?" Sawyer shook his head slowly.

"Do you really not remember anything?" Bennet squinched his nose, thinking hard.

"I remember a underground date. There were pretty lights. It was with the lion guy. He looked kind of like you. And there was, umm, some big booms." Bennet rubbed his eyes.

"That all happened. Bennet you aren't crazy." Bennet nodded slowly. He took a deep breath and sighed. He sat up and the lazy clueless air faded.

"I wish it was all a dream. Or some crazy trip. But I don't do drugs."

"Do you remember it all?" Bennet shook his head. There are only bits and pieces, but I get the gist. There is some group that wants to help the humans, and one that doesn't. The bad guys took me, and-" He paused. "Before that we went to an underground place. It used to be a catacomb? And you said I am your mate. I made a bit of a fool of myself." Sawyer nodded.

"You are my mate. Your father wants to have a formal acknowledgement ceremony, or he did, but that is looking less and less likely the more we learn."

"About the bad guys." Sawyer nodded again. Bennet ran his hand through his hair and sighed.

"Can I kiss you?" Sawyer asked after a moment of silence. Bennet looked up surprised, then nodded.

"I think I'd like that. A lot." He smiled.

Sawyer had been planning on a small soft kiss, just enough for a taste, but Bennet though wasn't having any of that. With the first touch of Sawyer's lips all the desire of the first meeting came rushing back. Bennet gripped Sawyer's hair and kissed with all his might. One touch was feeding an addiction he knew would never end. When Sawyer managed to unlock Bennet's hands he pulled back to look at the younger man. Bennet looked delightfully mussed. Sawyer groaned.

"We can't do this right now, Bennet we have to stop before this goes further." Bennet shook his head and pulled the covers off himself.

"Why not, why can't we do it here now." Sawyer buried a hand in Bennet's hair, to hold him away, and because he couldn't resist such a touch.

"There are others, we are in your father's house." Bennet shrugged and pushed himself closer to Sawyer.

"My house, my virginity, my rules." He whispered against Sawyer's lips. The next minutes blurred as Bennet quickly stripped himself and Sawyer. Once he finished he slowed, nervousness rushing over him, calming his fever. His eyes cleared as he looked at Sawyer lying beneath him, calmly watching. Bennet slowly reached out one finger to trace Sawyer's muscles.

"I've always wanted muscles like these." Bennet said softly. He had always had a slender figure, the hours he spent in the gym showing only in faint lines, never sculpted muscles.