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Nght Of The Wolf 3: There Has To Be A Morning After
by PEJA
Derek cupped Blair's cheek, turning his tired face up for a buss on the corner of his mouth. Smiling, Blair turned his face just that little bit more and his tongue slipped out to sample the exotic flavor of the older man's skin.
The door to the loft swung open as a soft groan of pleasure escaped Blair's lips.
"What the hell is going on here?" Jim demanded, his blue eyed stare wide and disbelieving. "Blair...?"
Blair turned his head toward his roommate and sighed.
"Morning, Ellison. Sleep well , did ya?"
Jim glared at the men gathered in his hallway and glowered.
"I should sleep after the way you stormed out of here last night?" he demanded. "Where the hell have you been?"
Blair rolled around in Derek's loose embrace, literally rubbing his body against the man holding him. "Chill, man," he rumbled, letting his head loll on Derek's shoulder. "I'm all grown up now. Don't need a keeper."
Derek nuzzled the exposed neck, his long fingers curling around Blair's forearms. "Tonight, Cub?"
Swaying seductively against Derek's long length, Blair nodded. "Yes, tonight."
Derek lapped at the junction of neck and shoulder.
"Downstairs, then. We will meet there, yes?"
Blair arched back, sighing. "At dusk?"
Chuckling, Derek ruffled Blair's curls. "You see," he spoke to the pack. "Our new cub, he is a wise one, eh?"
"You like to live dangerously, Derek."
Derek curled a finger around Blair's chin, pulling the younger were's face around to lap a tickling tongue at the corner of Blair's mouth. Blair's tongue swept out to tease the older man." He is one to savor, Anton. So eager to please."
Anton laughed out loud. "All cubs are playful, Derek. This one is no different."
Blair cut him a smoldering look under lush lashes. "Don't be so sure, Anton," he purred.
A low rumbling growl parted the lean Anton's curved lips. "A rogue's cub." He shook his head. "Still this one does have promise."
Blair grinned. "You remember that tonight, Anton."
Laughing, Anton patted Blair's cheek. "Rest well, cub. Tonight we prowl your Cascade streets like we do in the homeland. I think you will find it...enlightening.."
"That's it." Jim's fingers curled around Blair's forearm, dragging him inside the loft. "I don't think tonight's gonna be possible, fellas." He directed to the pack. "Blair is busy."
Blair peeked over Jim's shoulder. "Tonight." he said, tongue in cheek. "On the street, Derek. I'll be there."
Derek's bark of laughter filled the hall. "Don't be late, cub."
"Count on it." Blair assured him. "You'll bring the..." He bite his lip, casting a disquieting glance Jim's way.
Derek nodded. "I will bring our supper, Cub. Trust me to know what you need."
Blair grinned widely. "We'll find him tonight, Derek. I feel it." He touched his chest. "...Here. He is close. Watching."
Derek nodded, "Blood calls to blood, cub. The sire wants to unite with his childe. It is the nature of the beast."
"Am I in danger?"
Derek's gaze touched and locked in Jim's. "I think you have a protector in this one. Stay close to him, Cub. The rogue we hunt will not approach you when you are with him."
"Hunt?" Jim zeroed in on the idea. "Just exactly what are you hunting here in Cascade?"
Derek smiled, shaking his head. "Watch over the cub, Detective. The beast who attacked him is not yet finished with him."
"How would you know that unless..."
"Unless we also seek him."
"You know who attacked Blair?" Jim snapped.
"I know many things about the beast, but who he is now, that I do not know."
"Vigilantism isn't looked on well in this town," Jim snapped. "I'd recommend you leave this investigation to the people in charge."
Derek exchanged glances with his pack. "This is good advice, yes, Anton? The beast should be apprehended legally. By the dictates of this country."
Anton smiled, nodding. "I see where you are going with this, Derek. And agree." He clapped the were nearest him on the back, Jeffy, I think we have our morning set for us, eh?"
Jeffy chuckled. "Most definitely."
"Get some rest, Cub." Derek said and whirling on his heel strode off with a laughing, "Look for us later, infant."
The rest of the pack shadowed his steps down the hallway, leaving behind the eerie echo of their barked laughter.
Jim stared down the empty hall for a long moment, listening to the baying comments of the strange pack of men. Then he turned a baleful eye on his roommate and thrust him inside ahead of him.
"Where the hell have you been all night?" Jim raged, dragging Blair behind him into the living room and shoving him down onto the sofa. "For Christ's sake, you didn't even call. Didn't you think I'd be worried?"
Blair shrugged scowling. "Why start now?"
"Start now? What's that supposed to mean? You know I...."
"Leave it alone, Ellison," Blair sighed.
"Oh, no, I don't think so. This isn't going to go away that easy, Sandburg."
"I'm not a kid, Ellison," Blair sneered. "I don't have to report in to anyone. Especially you."
"What the hell is going through your head, Sandburg?" Jim stormed, waving his arms helplessly. "I don't understand where this is coming from. I don't understand you since..." he drew up short, staring at the grim-faced man. "You blame me for your attack, don't you? I wasn't there to protect you. I failed you and you blame me for that, don't you?"
"Close, but no cigar, man," Blair glared up at him. "I know what happened that night. I'm not crazy, but you....." He shook his head. "Derek knows. He believes.."
"And that's another thing," Jim rounded on him. "Since when do you go out and pick up strange men to spend the night with? Those guys looked...dangerous. Where did you find them anyway?"
"Derek and the pack are my friends."
"Your friends?" Jim eyed him, tilting his head to focus his hearing on the young man's thrumming heart. "Since when? You've never mentioned them before. so what are you to them. From what I saw....Christ, Blair, are you sleeping with that guy?"
Blair's heart skipped a beat, his jaw slack. "You....bastard...." He snarled, eyes blazing, and bulleted to his feet. "You god damn bastard....."
"Dammit, Blair," Jim grabbed Blair's arms and snapped him close. "You know better than this. It's no wonder you're a professional victim."
"Is that how you see me?" Blair choked on his furious tears. he slammed his fists against Jim's chest, winding the bigger man and gaining his freedom. "Thanks for the life description....buddy." He whirled on his heel, racing toward his room.
Jim grabbed him up again and spun him around, pinning him close within his steel embrace. "Damn you, Sandburg. Don't walk away from me. You've been walking away from me for a month now and I don't like it one damn bit."
Blair's lips curled in a warning growl and the beast glowed in his eyes. "Let me go, Ellison," he hissed.
"No way, Chief." Jim matched Blair for temper. "What's going on with you, Blair?"
"Nothing." Blair rasped, slumping in his own helplessness. "Nothing is going on with me. At least nothing you want to hear."
"Won't you just tell me who those men were? Tell me just that much?"
Blair shook his head. "You have no idea."
"Blair......Please....Talk to me..."
Blair shook his head again. "I wish..but no. I tried talking to you a month ago. All you did was....." Blair shoved away again, his hand lashing the air. "Leave me alone, huh? I have nothing left to say to you." He stormed toward his room and sanctuary once more, pausing only when his hand rested on the knob. "Jim, I know you don't understand what's happening to me. Hell, I don't know how much I understand, and I'm living it."
"Blair..."
Blair held up a silencing hand. "Don't. Just don't, okay? Don't say anything." His blue eyes spoke volumes of his pain. "Please, man. I love you. I love being here with you. Don't make it impossible for me to stay."
Blair shoved into his room, leaving Jim to stare and wonder what had just happened.
THE END