The Painting in the Background

"I came to warn you," Jared said in a low, slithery voice.

"What are you talking about? How the hell did you do that? You know, move so quickly and appear in front of me like that."

"Listen, nothing makes sense right now, but I need you to keep an open mind."

Robin was up and alert, worried all of a sudden, and deep in thought. Why does he keep pacing around?

"Keep an open mind? This is the second time I've seen you move beyond the normal speed of a racing car."

Jared ran a hand through his chaotic hair. "Stay calm. I'm a mutant."

"A mutant? What the hell is one of those? Some kind of freak, is that it?" Robin's legs went to jello, and his heart rate kicked up.

"Yes, well, I may not appear to be a freak but I can definitely turn into one."

"What do you mean? I can't believe you didn't mention that you were some kind of mutant. Stay away from me."

Robin's whole frame vibrated from a drumming heartbeat. He rubbed his palm over his forehead. As he trudged toward the door, a brown-haired man with a dense beard appeared a few feet away. Robin would bet he'd become as pale as Jared.

"Who are you?" Robin asked in a shaky voice.

Jared looked like he was seeing a ghost. The apprehension in Robin's heart was momentarily replaced by fascination when he saw that Jared wasn't so tough. A sweeping hand grabbed the collar of Robin's tshirt and dragged his body so his face was inches away from the stranger.

"I'm Lester, his big brother. We're here for the big guy. Show us where he is."

"Gary?" Robin ignored the hand choking him and glared at Jared. "What do you want from him?"

"You ask too many questions." Lester tossed Robin aside, sending him rolling on the grass. Robin quickly stumbled to his feet, wide-eyed in disbelief at the sheer force his body was propelled into the air.

"That was unnecessary," Jared said. "Don't ever do it again."

"Hey! Focus." Lester flexed his fingers. "You don't tell me what to do. We're here for..."

"No, no. Let's go, we'll find someone else."

The words seemed to take Lester by surprise. He laughed and shook his head. "No, it's not that simple," he clarified.

"You see, we have a witness now, a problem. Unless you're suggesting that we deal with him. Besides, we agreed on the big guy."

"No, you insisted on him."

"Then we better go ahead."

"I won't allow you," Robin snapped.

Lester lowered his head, shaking it. Slowly, he approached Robin, his hand stretching toward his neck. Robin's neck cracked under Lester's clawing fingers. Robin fell on the ground as temporary anxiety and disorientation took over. His breath came in rushed heaves. Jared reached for him, placing a gentle hand underneath his jaw. His black eyes searched his.

"Hey, hey, don't black out." His breath brushed Robin's skin. "This is not the time to faint. Go inside and act normal."

Cold fright iced through Robin's veins. "What's going on?"

"I'll explain later, just keep it together."

Robin lost his touch. Jared threw his big brother over his shoulder and flashed out of sight. Silence filled the night, leaving no trace of the unreal scene that had just played out. It made Robin wonder what kind of formidable creatures possessed their bodies. He took a deep, quivering breath and entered the house. No one was in sight. He suppressed a raging scream inside. After locking his bedroom door, he dropped on the bed facing upward. Dizziness had his head or the ceiling spinning, he wasn't quite sure.

A knock on the glass door of the balcony nearly had his skeleton jump out of his skin. He stood and crouched in attack mode although he was sure he'd bolt the other way. Jared opened the door that was never locked. Robin relaxed and tried to imagine how he'd managed to get on the balcony in the first place. In a weird way, he was kind of glad he'd come. Perhaps that would break the curse which seemed to overwhelm him. The dark intensity of Jared's eyes as he turned to glare at him was glum, and he looked sad and apologetic.

"I guess you're back because you know this isn't something I can just report to the police."

"You can't involve the police or anyone, do you understand?" Jared's tone went hostile and threatening.

Robin's body was shaking again. Tell him to leave. "Go away and never come back."

All of a sudden, Jared's expression softened and confused him. "Can you at least allow me to explain?"

Jared gazed at him with an intensity that caught him in a spell. A great wave of longing swept through him.

Robin surrendered to the chilling pull of his presence. "Why didn't you say anything when we met?"

"My brother was on my case. That was him on the island. I panicked when he appeared. We planned on trying to abduct Gary there, but I was already changing my mind."

"You're sick, please just leave..."

"Allow me to explain."

"By all means. Start feeding me lies and weird crap I can't handle."

"I wasn't born like this. My brother is the reason I turned into this monster."

"What? Why would he do that?"

"Well, it wasn't intentional. He's always been a geek. He took chemistry in college. Somehow, he got it into his head that he was some sort of inventor. I grew tired of warning him not to conduct experiments without supervision. At times, he'd dispose of what he thought was a failure or hazardous, then he injected himself with a blue substance. It turned him into some kind of machine. He acts irrational, aggressive, and worst of all bloodthirsty. I tracked him down, and he attacked a couple one night by the beach. I had to inject myself, too—that was the only way to control him. I trained him to curb his appetite. Every now and then we collect a donor blood. It keeps us calm."

Robin's eyes bulged and his mouth hung open. He took a long moment to process what he'd heard. "Like vampires?"

Jared nodded. "Yeah, but tamed ones, I guess, although Lester is getting out of control again. He took a higher dose."

"That's so messed up."

"Yup, he was working on a cure for months but gave up. Now he wants to go back to hunting for blood."

"What does he want from Gary?"

A sinister look filled his dark eyes. "I'm guilty of supporting him on that one. Before I met you, we thought he'd be great muscle, make it easier to hunt. He'd join us easily. The change induces short-term memory loss."

"You want to hunt?" Robin asked, disbelieving.

"Just the bad guys. We'd be lending a helping hand," he said with a chuckle.

Robin frowned at him. "Still twisted."

"Okay, fine. I get it. That's why I knocked him out. He'll be furious when he wakes up."

"I don't have to tell you that you have to sort this out. You're not going anywhere near Gary."

"How cute." Jared walked up to him and ruffled his shaggy hair.

Robin found himself merely gazing at him, bewildered by his true nature. He had to maintain his composure until he was sure that Jared didn't notice his affection. He was still holding back a growing yearning to kiss him. The arousal of having Jared so close shook him. He placed his lips against his, half expecting him to pull back. Instead, his hand came around Robin's neck to keep his head in place. Jared pushed his tongue into his mouth. Robin's whole body ignited when their tongues met. He became more insistent, sucking on his lips. The heat between them increased, but Jared was quick to lean back.

Jared pulled out a cigarette from the small carton, and he dangled it between his lips. And then he walked toward the balcony. Robin was awestruck by his behavior. Still gathering his emotions, Robin took a deep breath. Everything Jared told him sounded like something out of a horror film. He reminded himself that he was supposed to be afraid.

Nothing gave Jared's mutant state away. His pale skin had a radiant glow that looked natural. A small wave of relief came over Robin when Jared came back in after his smoke.

"Do you believe anything I told you? Do you believe such exists on Earth?" Jared asked.

Robin stole quick glances in his direction, Jared's dark eyes showing his ardent curiosity.

"After what I saw, no, you could be lying to me. I don't trust you."

"I respect that. But you have to keep it to yourself no matter what."

"I will just leave Gary out of it."

"I told you, it's under control."

"When you came into the yard, I thought you were going to pounce on me. Why aren't you a vampire or something I can understand?"

"You believe in vampires?"

"No. I no longer believe you are real. This is probably a horrid nightmare."

They looked into each other's eyes. Jared closed the distance between them and kissed him again, a slow brush of their lips. He became more aggressive, pushing him against the wall. His lips crept up his neck, then returned to his lips. Robin was slowly getting hooked on the taste of his lips.

Even with the pungent smell of tobacco on his mouth, Robin found himself licking his lips. The physique beneath the half-open shirt made him weak. He ran a hand under the material to feel his abs.

"Can you do cool stuff like Wolverine?"

Jared laughed. "I can't do anything that alters the shape of my body, just the size and speed. The best, which is quite addictive, is how much it enhances my senses, feelings. I'm probably ten times more intelligent."

"What happens to your energy?"

"Endless unless we're starving—and we starve a lot."

"This is a bit too much for me."

"You'll get through the thoughts in your head. I have to go..."

Jared jumped over the balcony. Robin looked over to check if he was okay. Jared landed with remarkable skill and poise. Robin returned to his previous position on the bed. This time the spinning was worse as was the loud pounding in his chest and the chilly sweat forming on his forehead. I have to get a grip.

Chapter Six

They all gathered for breakfast in the dining hall. Heavy rain pattered on the roof. Robin had on his red parka, planning to leave anyway. He was restless and paranoid. Despite the weather, Gary was his usual excited self.

"It's messed up, I can't go surfing, but I guess spending time with my new girlfriend will be neat."

"Wow, you make it sound like she was always the second option," Amy said.

"Nah, she understands how important it is for me to be out there."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Gary."

As far as Robin was aware, none of them knew about the scenes that had played out the previous night. He excused himself and took the keys for the Jeep. He drove to Mike's store at a high speed. He searched inside the store. Jared was in a tight leather jacket, arranging a shelf. Robin went to stand next to him.

"What are you doing here?" Jared's change of attitude made him uneasy.

"I want to talk to you."

"Not so many people around, go ahead."

"No, I'd rather find a private place."

Jared gave him a weary look. "I'll ask Jessie to cover my shift."

"I'll wait outside."

Robin rushed back into the warmth of the car. After what felt like an eternity, Jared dropped into the passenger's seat.

He set the navigator.

"You can follow that route."

"Where to?"

"My apartment. Isn't that private enough for you?"

"You're in a bad mood." Robin used the small screen as a guide. The apartment was a less than a four-minute drive.

"Oh, well, let's see, my brother woke up and tried to strangle me before I offered him a pint of blood. And then when he was stable told me to leave him alone. He's planning on proceeding with his plan regardless of what I say or do."

"I'm sorry about that."

"Not as sorry as I am."

In the woods, not far beyond the town, a tropical cabin appeared. The rain hadn't stopped pouring. Robin followed Jared into the nifty interior.

"Welcome to my modest home." His voice was flat.

Jared took him into his colorful bedroom. Despite all the light from the lamps on either side of the bed, the room was dim. He played some rock music in the background. Robin kept an eye on Jared's behavior, knowing the existence of the supernatural was already too strange and surreal for him. He just couldn't handle any more surprises.

"What do you want, Robin?"

It was the first time he'd heard him call his name—the intimacy pleased him. Robin never dreamed that he'd be attracted to another man, let alone a mutant one.

"Chill out, relax."

Jared laughed. "Oh wow, do I seem stressed?"

"Yes."

"Okay, and why are you so calm? You just learned that my DNA has been tampered with, which makes me a half human. Doesn't that creep you out? Honestly, I thought you wouldn't want to see me again."

Robin shrugged. "I've been paranoid. I want to know that you have your brother under control."

"He's all about blood and vengeance. I'm trying hard." Jared ran a hand through his wayward hair.

Robin had difficulty taking his eyes off him. "Let me know how I can help."

Jared seemed amused. "What do you really want?"

"I told you already."

"This is sad. You want me. Unnatural as I am."

"You're mistaken, that's not true," Robin denied, shaking his head.

"I have better vision than the average human. Maybe now you can tell me why you watched me closely at the art shop."

Robin opened his mouth then closed it, thinking of an answer that might sound rational. With a wicked smile, Jared pulled him close and wrapped his arms around Robin's waist. His sweet scent surrounded him. Impressed by his chivalry and confidence, Robin thrust his tongue deep into Jared's mouth. Their tongues intertwined, sliding over each other. Jared tightened their embrace, and an electric feeling traveled down Robin's spine.

"God, you set my blood on fire," Jared exclaimed.

Robin kept his gaze on Jared's full lips, hungry for more. Robin ran an outstretched hand across pale skin. Jared held his gaze while his hand rubbed his crotch. He planted kisses down his chest. Was Jared's heart racing as much as his? Robin took off his jacket and lifted his tshirt over his head. Jared's bare chest was broad, and his abs toned. His midsection gave a quiver again. It made him tear at his own clothes until he was naked. Undoing his belt, he pushed his jeans and underwear down.

Robin dropped to his knees and pulled out his engorged manhood. He ran his hand up and down Jared's shaft. His tongue stroked it, then his mouth took Jared's tip in. He teased the head for a while before taking the whole length.

"Ahh, that feels so good." Jared pushed his hands through Robin's curls, watching through half open eyes as Robin sucked on his cock.

It wasn't long until the pleasure took over and Jared thrust his crotch at Robin's face. Robin moaned and sucked harder. Jared pushed in deeper to the back of his throat, held his head in place, and released low groans.

"You're so hot." Jared pulled him up and kicked off the jeans pooling around his ankles. "Turn around."

Jared reached down and closed his palms flat against Robin's butt, drawing his mouth closer until Robin felt his hot breath. Jared pressed his tongue in between his butt cheeks. He worked the walls of Robin's hole with his tongue even harder, lapping hungrily. Teeth sank into Robin's skin. Jared moved upright to rub his tip up and down.

"Have you ever been taken like this?" Jared murmured.

"No, it's my first time," Robin confessed.

"You've never been with another man?" Jared asked, sounding doubtful, but he didn't stop rubbing.

"No."

"Just relax."

Jared was slow at first, plunging the head through the opening. Robin gasped at the strangely stimulating contact. At first, the discomfort was unbearable then Robin experienced an overwhelming sensation. His heartbeat was racing like never before. He couldn't control his heavy breathing. His small hole gripped Jared's hardness, releasing Jared's low moans. His cock stretched him more. Robin's came quicker and more ragged with every thrust.

"Take it easy," Jared instructed.

After several thrusts, Robin's eyes closed. The tightness of his hole caused Jared's moan to grow louder. Jared pumped in a slow, gentle rhythm, throwing his pelvis against him. He knew how to move to make him feel good and comfortable.

"Good boy," Jared murmured.

Robin relaxed more, and Jared drove his cock hard and fast until they were breathless. Robin was eager to see the lips that caused his irrepressible lust to wrap around his cock, so he turned around to face Jared. When Jared parted his thick lips and devoured him, Robin grunted, his hips bucking. Most of the pleasure shot to his groin. He inhaled deeply. The sensations traveling through his body overcame him.

A tiny tribal dragon drawing was painted on Jared's back below his right shoulder. The muscles of his back flexed as Jared assumed a position on his hands and knees. After applying lube, Robin climbed onto his back and guided his erection into his tight ring. Jared roused with a groan when Robin's cock plunged deep inside him.

Robin clawed at Jared's skin while he slid in and out of his opening. The walls pulled his shaft in, causing a burning sensation that compelled him to move faster. He pounded hard enough the friction made him groan and sweat. Robin slowed his movements when his cum filled Jared. Robin stayed inside him, relishing the feel of his tightness and heat.

"Were you being honest about going to school?"

"Yes."

"How is that going work?"

"Keeping my true identity a secret has worked so far. You didn't suspect anything until I told you."

"No, I didn't. But you should totally cut off the sprints."

"Oh, you see, about that... I always hope I'm too fast for the eye to catch."

"No, you're not. I thought I was losing it the first time I saw you."

"I'll keep that in mind."

At sunset, they set out for the woods, in search of Lester. They resolved to meet with him and try to talk some sense into him. It was the only way Robin could determine if there was still a threat.

Chapter Seven

Wandering in the woods at night didn't feel safe at all, considering the creatures on the loose, but they had to find Lester's hiding place. The place where Jared claimed Lester would breed more hunters. They trudged on, Jared leading the way to guide them through the trees. The cold made Robin shudder every other minute, the howling wind not doing much to keep him warm. Gusts of bitter wind with traces of rain droplets pricked his facial skin. Only the sound of their boots pounding on the earth filtered to Robin's ear. Why did I agree to this? He would have to accept that the world he was in was total madness. No one would believe what he was seeing.

"There it is, the haunted house," Jared announced.

"We can't go in there."

"I need to find him."

It appeared lifeless from a distance. The wood was pale and stained. Some windows were broken and others clouded with dust. The unkempt, long grasses surrounding the house were dry and bent over.

They crept around the garden. Jared climbed the creaking porch steps. The interior was hostile and abandoned. Even the light filtering through the windows was failing. The ghost house was hollow with no furniture or paintings on the walls.

"Perhaps suicide or some sort of self-destruction will be my salvation."

Lester's grating voice came from a dark corner. He emerged looking like he suffered from fatigue. His eyes drooped, and the tiny red lines on the sclera seemed to be bleeding. He wore a large brown coat and slumped forward as he walked. The man had to feed. Robin was beginning to understand why he was so desperate for sustenance.

"You can just keep working on the cure. What you want to do takes us back to square one," Jared complained.

"Easy for you to say. You haven't failed a thousand times trying to get it right. The last thing I need is to make a mistake and make it worse."