The Wheel of the Year #1: Mabon    

   *THE WHEEL OF THE YEAR #1*	*MABON* *By GILDA LILY* 

 The series that I've just begun will be posted periodically throughout
the year, as the Wheel of the Year turns. There will be companion poetry
as well. The series will use the Wiccan sabbats (holidays) as the theme,
and I invite you to join us for the adventures that will unfold. 

 This installment honors Mabon, or the Autumn Equinox. The next
installment features the Wiccan biggie, Samhain! Also known as Halloween,
of course. Please enjoy! Rated NC-17 for m/m sex. Disclaimer: I don't own
these characters, Alliance does, more's the pity. 

 (c) August 28, 1997   *I* *CIRCLE FARM* The Riv drove up the winding
driveway, Benny pleased at the welcoming sight of the farmhouse. Though it
was only mid-September, the house was already decorated for Halloween, the
biggest holiday of the year at this place. Benny smiled at the thought and
gently squeezed Ray's hand. 

 Ray looked at him with a smile of his own. If he felt any nervousness,
Benny could not detect it. He was glad that Ray felt comfortable by now
with the Wiccan religion and all that entailed. 

 It hadn't been easy. Ray had been born Catholic and had felt comfortable
in his Church for years, but there had always been an uneasiness that he'd
experienced. When he'd grown old enough to understand why, he'd been in a
dilemma: his Church condemned the kind of love he was destined to seek.
Finally, after years of struggle, he'd quietly left the Church of his
childhood and had embraced a new religion with his lover. Benny knew the
decision hadn't been made without pain, but Ray was committed now. Just as
t he Italian was committed to him. 

 Ray parked the Riv and they got out, both charmed by the decorations:
cornstalks firmly tied to the white pillars on the veranda, entwined with
orange 'lanterns' that grew wild around the grounds. Two enormous pumpkins
flanked the door, and a jack o'lantern grinned through the bay window. 

 The windows were decorated with paper cut-outs of ghosts and Witches, and
the Witch on the door was no old crone but a lovely young woman, complete
with blond hair and twinkling blue eyes. A broom was propped up by the
door, and a black cat lazed in the morning sun, its tail flicking back and
forth. 

 They stepped up to the veranda and Benny rang the doorbell, a soft,
melodious chime alerting the occupants inside the house. They only waited
a few seconds and then heard quick footsteps approach. The door was opened
and the blond Witch (or at the very least, her twin) from the door greeted
them. 

 "Selena," Benny said. 

 "How wonderful to see you, Ben!" She opened the door and gave him a hug,
which she returned. Long, blond hair reached her waist, and her blue eyes
were a dark blue, reminding Benny of sapphires. She was a little shorter
than him, and as slender as Ray, but with an appealing feminine shape. Her
eyes looked with bright inquisitiveness at Ray. 

 "And this is Ray?" 

 "Yes. Ray, this is Selena Ashby, descendant of the founder of the Circle
Farm Commune here at Salem, Massachusetts." 

 "Pleased to meet you," said Ray, and he shook hands with the woman. Her
grip was light but firm. 

 "Come on in. You boys must be tired. Probably ready for some food." 

 "I could use a bite," Ray said easily, and Selena laughed. 

 They followed her through a small entryway that faced the main staircase.
It was polished mahogany and gleamed in the bars of light streaming
through the windows. A small table held a bowl of fresh flowers, and they
passed the living room, a dining room opposite. They walked down a short
hall, a small library directly opposite the kitchen. When they entered the
kitchen, both men smelled the heavenly aroma of apple pies baking. 

 "Have a seat," Selena invited. 

 The kitchen was delightfully old-fashioned but with modern appliances.
Yellow curtains fluttered at the windows, and the wallpaper was white with
large yellow roses patterned on it. The counter space was filled with
stoneware jars that held sugar, coffee, tea, and salt, and a spice rack
tempted Benny to start exploring all the wonderful scents they held. 

 Apple pies were cooling on the windowsill. Selena smiled at their hungry
looks and said, "You shall have the very first pieces." 

 She gave them apple cider and the freshly-cut pieces of pie, and Ray
closed his eyes and moaned, "Heaven!" 

 Pleased, Selena took a bite of her own pie. 

 After sating their appetites, Selena offered to show them their room. 

 Ray glanced at Benny, who smiled serenely at him. Ray understood that
their hostess knew about them and it didn't bother her. Relieved, he
happily followed Selena and Benny up the main staircase. 

 Portraits of ancestors from the last century lined the staircase wall,
and Ray looked curiously at the old photographs. His eyebrow raised and
when Selena saw him, she laughed. 

 "Yes, I'm the spitting image of my ancestor, except she was raven-
haired." 

 She led them to a small corner room with a four-poster bed that had a
canopy stretched over it, and the wallpaper was white with tiny sprigs of
yellow roses. The yellow curtains framed two windows that looked out at
the back and side of the house. The furniture was blondwood and consisted
of a dresser, bedside table and rocking chair in the corner. A hooked rug
adorned the floor, and a quilt was neatly folded at the foot of the bed. 

 "Very nice," Benny said. 

 "I'm glad you like it. Rest for awhile and then I'll give you a tour of
the farm." 

 She left, closing the door behind her, and Benny smiled at Ray. The
Italian returned the smile and gently drew his lover into a kiss... 

  *II*	*"YELLOW SUITS YOU"* Benny and Ray settled into life at the farm,
becoming accustomed to the daily routine. They'd met the other members of
the commune and were graciously accepted, and they both decided that they
would be happy on this vacation. Preparations were being made for Mabon,
the celebration of the Autumn Equinox, but there were chores to attend to
as well. 

 So it was that Benny and Ray found themselves in the farm's apple orchard
on a glorious autumn morning, cheerfully picking ripe apples off the
trees. They soon had it down to a science, each taking turns going up the
ladder while the other one held it steady. Besides, it offered such great
views! 

 Ray smiled almost wolfishly as he admired the view above his head. Benny
was straining to pick an apple and Ray was thinking lusty thoughts. He
could feel the blood racing along his body and was thankful that he was
wearing baggy pants. 

 *A lovelier ass I've never seen in my life!* 

 Grammatically torturous, nevertheless the sentiment was pure Ray. He
hungrily watched Benny move, his delicious cheeks encased in tight jeans.
Oh, the man was a shameless tease, all right! There were names for naughty
boys like that. 

 Benny looked fetchingly over his shoulder. "Ray?" 

 "Hmm?" 

 "Are you all right?" 

 "Sure. Why do you ask?" 

 "You look a little flushed." 

 "I do?" Ray's voice dripped innocence. Immediately Benny was suspicious. 

 "Ray..." 

 "Benny, just *think* of my position down here. Now think of your position
up *there*. Now, is there *any* reason I might be a 'little flushed'?" 

 Benny thought for a few seconds, then blushed apple-red. Ray laughed
delightedly. 

 "Hey, um, sweetheart, isn't it time for a break?" 

 "Yes." Benny started down the ladder and he slipped his hand into Ray's.
Here at Circle Farm no one cared if they were openly affectionate. "I
think we should go for a short walk." 

 "Honey, you're a mind-reader." 

 Ray scooped up a couple of apples which they crunched on as they walked.
The leaves under their feet were crunching as well, and they soon
disappeared from sight. 

 The woods were pleasantly cool, patches of brilliantly-blue sky peeking
through the canopy of leaves overhead. The woods were a riot of scarlet,
gold and orange, Ray picking up a scarlet leaf and twirling it in his
hand. They walked far enough away so that they would have privacy, then
Ray grabbed his lover and kissed him fiercely, the leaf and apples falling
to the ground. 

 Benny returned the kiss eagerly and they stumbled against a massive maple
tree, the trunk keeping Benny upright as Ray started massaging his groin.
He pressed back further into the tree and moaned, his hand cupping a
well-shaped buttock and squeezing. Ray cried out softly, already hard, and
pushed against his lover. His tongue invaded Benny's mouth and his hands
slid up and down his ribs underneath the cobalt-blue sweatshirt he wore.
Benny thrust his hips forward, desperate for contact, and they rubbed up
against each other in familiar rhythm. Ray's hands moved to Benny's
buttocks, kneading and squeezing, driving the Mountie wild. He looked at
his Benny, his dark hair damp and curling over his forehead, blue eyes
sapphire- dark with passion. 

 Ray worked his way back to the front and unsnapped the jeans, pulling the
zipper down and then the fabric itself. He rubbed himself up against the
boxers, then swiftly pulled those down, too. Benny moaned with need,
pushing up against his lover again. Ray whispered, "Easy," into his ear,
though he was delighted to elicit this reaction from his lover. Benny
panted and 

 his tongue flicked out to lick Ray's ear, the Italian moaning this time.
Ray shivered slightly as a cool wind blew against their bodies, Benny
slowly sliding down the trunk of the tree, Ray sliding with him. 

 The leaves crinkled beneath them as Ray thrust against the body trapped
face-down beneath him. Benny gasped, "Please, Ray!" but the other man was
not ready to bring this home quite yet. He teasingly ran his fingers
through Benny's wavy hair, the Mountie nearly sobbing. Ray slid his tongue
around Benny's jaw, then laved little circles on his throat, deep sounds
emanating from that perfection. Ray nipped at the white throat, Benny
shuddering as he pleaded silently with his lover. 

 Ray was also growing heated as he proceeded to devour his beloved. He
then molded himself to Benny and tongued the back of his neck, sliding his
hands up under the sweatshirt. His fingers busily played with erect
nipples, then he pulled the shirt up and ran his tongue all along the
spine, Benny arching his head back as Ray worked his magic. Ray carefully
avoided the scar at the base of the spine and slipped his tongue in
between the exposed buttocks, Benny's hand grabbing a handful of leaves
and crushing them, the crackling sound causing a smile to come to Ray's
face. He continued to swirl his tongue around the tender flesh of the twin
globes, darting his tongue in and out between them. Benny groaned
passionately, more leaves being sacrificed on the altar of lust. 

 "*Please*, Ray!" he begged, trembling as Ray's tongue teased the curve of
one pleasing buttock. 

 "Hmm. Let me think about this, Benny." 

 "*Ray*!" 

 The growl caused Ray to chuckle, then he leaned over and nipped his
beloved's neck. He whispered into Benny's ear, "You will have me, my
love." 

 He slowly entered his lover, the hot moistness welcoming him as it always
did. He thrust gently, Benny's back arching, and the Mountie let out
little sounds of pleasure as Ray made love to him. The wind blew,
scattering leaves in little arcs around their bodies, Ray feeling an
overwhelming rush of love for this man beneath him. 

 Cool breezes caressed their bodies as they joined together, in body and
soul. Benny's eyes were closed, long lashes brushing his cheeks as his
heart swelled with the love he felt. He softly whispered his love, Ray
hearing every word as he increased his pace. Their bodies moved together
in passionate frenzy as sweat gleamed pale/olive skin. Ray looked down at
his lover and felt himself fountain inside him, a growl of lustful passion
ripped from him. Benny gave a little cry and his fingers closed around a
new clutch of leaves, crushing them instantly. In that shared moment, a
shower of leaves fell from the branches above their heads as the wind
blew. Ray groaned and collapsed on top of Benny, who was breathless. 

 They lay quietly for a long span of minutes, just listening to each other
breathe, then Ray lifted himself up and kissed the nape of Benny's damp
neck, delighted to find a yellow maple leaf adorning the wavy brown hair.
He leaned closer and whispered, "I guess yellow suits you, too." 

 Their laughter echoed throughout the forest as the leaves came down. 

  THE END (Only until Samhain!) 

  

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