A Shadow of Wings (14 page)

He glanced at Cam’s eyes, hidden behind the sunglasses. “Sure you couldn’t work your mojo on them?”

His mouth tightened. “Too many questions.”

He wasn’t sure if he meant it would raise too many questions or if Dylan asked too many questions, but it didn’t matter, because the girl came back over and handed the cell phone to Cam. “My sister’s gonna pick me up at the Getty station across the street.” She pointed to where a shabby gas and convenience store stood. “After that, I’m gonna live with my mama in New Orleans.” She narrowed her eyes at Crowbar, who sprawled facedown in front of the car, a mountain of waste. Her expression shivered for a moment from anger to regret to God knew what else, and she shifted from foot to foot. “He dead?”

Cam shook his head. “No. They’ll be coming around soon enough. We should take you over there.”

“I gotta get my diaper bag.” She eyed the car warily as if it were electrified. 

Dylan said, “I’ll get it. Anything else you need in there?”

“No. He took everything else.” She looked up at the sky the way people do when they’re trying not to cry, and rocked with the toddler riding her hip. “That’s why he’s so angry. He took everything but my baby and my life. Now I’m getting away from him. Finally.”

Cam put his hand on her shoulder. “That’s good. You’ll do well.”

Really wishing he could plug those asshats, Dylan went to the car. Adrenaline still rattled him from the inside out, and his brain struggled to sort out what had just happened. He’d think about it later. He found the diaper bag and brought it over to them, and he and Cam escorted Maya, as she introduced herself, and little Leon to safety.

Worse and worse. Cam paced restlessly alongside the brick wall of the convenience store, his mind whirling with options, none of them good. His body felt charged with energy, though he did his best to maintain a calm outward appearance, as he had been schooled to do. There was something feral and savagely satisfying in attacking those men that disturbed him deeply. At times like this, his monstrous soul surged and writhed beneath his skin like boiling oil. So hard to shake it off, to push it down. He took a deep breath, grateful for the dark glasses covering his evil eyes.

Dylan got up from where he sat with the woman and approached him. Gritting his teeth, Cam dropped his gaze to his shoes. 

“Hey, you okay?” He put a cool hand on Cam’s cheek, and Cam jerked his head away before he even thought about what he was doing. Surprise crossed Dylan’s face only for a second before concern replaced it. How could he be surprised by anything after he’d seen Cam’s bestial nature?

“I’m all right,” Cam muttered, reaching for calm before he asked, “How’s she?” He shrugged a shoulder toward Maya, who sat sheltered on a steel bench, cradling her sleeping child.

“Okay, I guess. Sister should be here any sec. You sure you’re not hurt?”

He grimaced and kicked a pebble. “I am. Sure, that is.” 

Turning his body so Maya’s gaze would be blocked, Dylan leaned against the wall. “You were pretty hot back there, dude. Gotta hand it to you.”

He didn’t want to hear words of praise for what he’d done. Sooner or later, the calling would get him killed, or worse, he’d lose control and kill someone else. Not for the first time, he wished his instincts led him to golden treasure, the way Tash’s did, or any other cockatrice’s. No, he had to be different. And now he’d dragged Dylan into it.

He glanced down the road, wishing the sister would hurry. They’d been waiting fifteen minutes already. The boyfriend and his gang in the parking lot had come around, searched the area briefly, but hadn’t come this way. With a squeal of tires, they’d driven off, and the tension had visibly drained from Maya. But he and Dylan were stuck here until she got a ride.

Firm fingers touched his jaw, turning his head. Dylan peered at him, frowning. “What’s going on in there behind those shades, hmm? I can tell something’s wrong.”

He didn’t jerk away again but allowed himself to sink into Dylan’s palm. A new, strange emotion rattled through him. He’d never shared these moments with another being. Dylan’s touch offered comfort, an almost completely foreign sensation. 

“Just adrenaline,” he said, though it was more than that. The calling reminded him he was more monster than man, that the man-shape he wore was as much a mask as his sunglasses and mirrored lenses. A trick of light and shadow, designed to deceive. He looked at Dylan’s earnest, caring face and felt his heart drop. His deception ate at him, a longing for honesty like a sharp pain in his chest. Without even realizing he’d done it, he found he’d reached out and curled his hand on Dylan’s waist.

Dylan moved closer, into the crook of Cam’s arm, his body heat soothing against the chill that seemed to have gripped Cam’s muscles. He put a hand flat against Cam’s stomach, his fingers brushing lightly. “Whatever it is, we’ll work it out, yeah? You did good. Those guys deserved what you gave ’em and more, so don’t you feel bad about that.”

“I…I don’t feel bad.”

“So what’s the problem, then?” 

Before Cam could respond, a battered Honda pulled in, and Maya stood, her sleeping son like a sack of potatoes in her arms. “That’s my sister.” She lifted her chin, then hefted her child and diaper bag, and walked away. Her sister, who looked like much like her, only heavier and older, eyed them warily as she held the back door. Maya buckled the baby into a car seat, then slid into the passenger side. Neither said another word before the doors shut and they drove off. Maybe she didn’t like gays and didn’t know what to say after two had rescued her. Who knew with humans…

“Shit, didn’t even say thanks,” Dylan huffed. “And after I gave her my last twenty bucks.”

Cam shoved his fingers through his hair. “At least that’s resolved.”

“Yup. Now what’s wrong with you? That’s what I want to know. You ain’t been right since you heard that voice, whatever the fuck that was. You and I both know you didn’t hear nothing.”

“There’s something wrong with me.”

“What? What’s wrong? You look fine to me. Damn good, actually.”

“I…I hear things. Like when someone’s in trouble. Like the night I found you.”

“So…you heard me from far away, like you did Maya?”

He nodded. “You saw where I lived.” It was at least as far as the park had been from the movie theater.

“And you knew, while you were in your house, that I needed you somehow?” He anchored his hand on Cam’s hip but didn’t pull away, thank God. Cam would die if Dylan found him repulsive for this. 

“The calling for you was stronger than usual. It started in the morning”—he dug his fingers into his scalp, still feeling the phantom burning presence—“and by evening, it felt like bees under my skin, biting.”

“It’s wasps that bite. Bees sting,” Dylan said, though by his pensive expression, it was clear his mind absorbed this new information. Cam was endlessly grateful Dylan seemed to be taking events in stride. “So…wow…I think that’s really chill. So it’s like a Spidey-sense or something?”

“It’s torture. Sheer burning agony unless I follow it. For a long time, Tash tried to train it out of me, but nothing helped, nothing stopped it. If we’re somewhere quiet, it’s not so bad, but here, in the city, it comes every few days.”

“I wasn’t your first, then, huh?” Astonishingly, he smiled at Cam.

“No. But you were my best.” He lifted his fingers to touch Dylan’s cheek. “You can see why I didn’t want you to follow me. I don’t know what I’ll run into, but there’s always a fight, often with more than one man. It seems to be the nature of the…the beast.” He let his arm fall away and sighed. “I don’t want to be this way.”

“Hell, man, it ain’t no thang.” He laid on the street drawl thick and crowded Cam against the wall. “You were sexy as fuck laying into those asswipes. This town needs more people like you. You’re like a fucking superhero.”

“I’m just a man,” he practically moaned, but of course that wasn’t true. He was a ravening creature that warred against the gold chain that bound him, that yearned to tear and claw soft human flesh. A living lie. He turned into Dylan’s embrace and buried his face against his throat. “I
want
to be just a man.”

Dylan didn’t understand what was bugging Cam so bad, but what he did know was that he wanted to fuck him, hard and fast. All that adrenaline needed an outlet. His skin felt too tight for his body, and his dick had been half hard since he’d seen that flying kick. 

Narrowing his eyes, he gave a quick look up and down the alley. Sadly, it was too public here for even a BJ, but that was okay. He was a clever boy, as his old grandpa used to say, and he had ideas. 

He took Cam’s hand. “C’mon, there’s something I gotta get from the store.”

“Here? Now?”

He laughed. “Yeah. That’s why they call it a convenience store, ’cause it’s convenient. Actually, there’s something I want you to get for me.”

Cam’s drawn brows nearly made him laugh again as they walked into the dingy place. “Surely you’re old enough to buy your own beer?”

Aware of the Pakistani-looking dude behind the counter scowling at his and Cam’s clasped hands, Dylan tightened his grip. Fuck him. “It’s not beer I want.” He pulled Cam down the candy aisle toward the freezers with the soda and energy drinks, where the counter guy couldn’t see what was going on below their chests. While he pretended to consider the bottles, he turned a little sideways and dragged his palm up Cam’s thigh and up and down Cam’s cock. Cam stiffened—all over. Nice.

“Remember our plans for later? I wanna get started.” Dylan murmured.

“Here, in the store?” Cam’s whole face was red. Dylan could see their reflection in the case glass and knew Cam could too, and by the feel of him inside his jeans, he liked it, no matter how flustered he seemed.

“Trust me.” He leaned a little closer, never stopping the slow up-down of his palm, keeping one eye on the reflection of the staring shop clerk. “You gotta buy condoms. And lube.”

Cam’s whole body jerked. Dylan smiled. “Think you can do that?”

“I don’t know. Yes. Maybe. Yes…” 

“You
want
to do that?” he asked with a squeeze.

“Yes.” Cam took a short step back as if to get his head back together. “Yes, absolutely.”

“Good. They’re behind the counter. You gotta ask that guy.”

Cam whipped his head around to meet the beady-eyed, disapproving glare of the clerk. He swallowed hard. Dylan watched his Adam’s apple bob. “I c-can’t. He’ll know.”

“What? He’ll know what?” He edged closer again, this time running his fingers under the back of Cam’s T-shirt, teasing the skin along his spine. “When you walk up to the register with a fat stiffy and your face all flushed and ask for condoms and lube, you think he’ll know what we’re gonna do with ’em?”

Cam made a strangled snort and looked back at Dylan. Even with his eyes hidden, Dylan could read his expression—horrified but hot and horny. He slid his hand over Cam’s ass. “Or we can skip it,” Dylan whispered.

“I’ll do it,” Cam gasped out. He swallowed again, muttered something about being insane under his breath, then stepped back to adjust himself. He gave Dylan a scolding frown before he tugged down his T-shirt and walked up to the clerk.

Hanging back, Dylan watched the clerk divide his suspicion between him and Cam. Probably he figured Cam was the distraction while Dylan would shoplift, but Dylan didn’t need any of this sugary shit. What he needed was six-foot-something of sweaty, flustered ninja.

Cam approached the counter and mumbled his request.

Without a word, the clerk grabbed a box of Trojans and K-Y and slapped them down in from of Cam. The sharp smack made Cam jerk, and Dylan chuckled under his breath. Man, he was evil. Cam paid; the clerk shoved the goods into a brown paper bag, then practically threw it at Cam’s chest. Cam caught the bag, and when he turned, his face was as red as a can of Coke. 

Dylan moved to the door and opened it wide for him so Cam could bolt out. Three steps into the sunshine, and Dylan couldn’t help it, he started laughing.

“Well, that was the most humiliating thing I’ve ever had to do,” Cam muttered, but then in the next breath, he started laughing too. “You’re a dick, you know that?”

“Shit, I thought that clerk was gonna go medieval on your ass. Or at least kick us out.”

Just then the clerk burst out of the store and pointed to the “No Loitering” sign, spouting off in thickly accented, agitated English. 

“Okay, okay, buddy,” Dylan said, holding up his hands to cool him down. The clerk kept shouting, so Dylan grabbed Cam’s arm and pulled him back into the alley, and they took off running, still snorting with laughter. 

Dylan thought this might end up being one of the best days of his stupid, fucked-up life.

Chapter Eleven

They stopped jogging a few blocks from Cam’s place, and as they caught their breath, they kept sliding each other glances. Cam burst out in a fit of what could only be called nervous giggles, a sound he was sure he’d never made before. 

“That was insane,” he said as Dylan slowed to catch his breath. The top of the paper bag had grown crumpled in Cam’s sweaty grip. Just thinking about what was inside made him shiver, then gulp. “Are we really going to do this? Do you have time? What about work? What about Tash?” 

He started to look at his watch, but Dylan grabbed his wrist and pulled it down. “Don’t you worry ’bout nothin’.”

Bold as brass, Cam leaned in for a quick kiss as they walked along the sidewalk toward his street. The touch of Dylan’s lips on his triggered a warm electric rush all over his skin. Alive. That’s what he felt, for maybe the first time ever. 

But when they rounded the last corner to the house, Cam’s heart sank. “Shit.” 

“What’s the matter?” Then Dylan saw it too, the silver Nissan parked in the shade of the sidewalk trees. “Dammit.”

This time he didn’t stop Cam from glancing at his watch. “It’s later than I thought,” Cam said. “Three twenty. And he’s early again.” He wondered if Tash suspected he was up to no good and had come to check up on him.

“Fuck. How did that happen?” Pulling up his T-shirt to wipe his sweaty face, Dylan stopped and stared at their goal, so close and yet so far, then laced his hands on top of his head. “I gotta go anyhow. Gotta get to work.”