Ignite, p.19
Ignite, page 19
“No,” Tan said, his voice soft. “It’s not normal by most people’s definition, but then again, neither are we. We’re already different because of what and who we are, Mack, so who cares if we make different choices? As long as what we’re doing doesn’t hurt anyone else, why should it matter? You don’t have to choose…and neither do we. Because I agree, I don’t want to choose either. I can’t.”
Austin put a hand on Tan’s neck the way he so often did, that big hand of his somehow stabilizing Tan or something. “I don’t want to choose between you either.”
A weight was taken off Mack’s chest and he smiled at Austin. “In that case, could you please kiss me?”
Austin grinned back at him. “Gladly.”
That big hand reached for his neck this time, and Mack allowed himself to be pulled in. Tan’s kiss had been soft and sweet, but there was nothing soft or sweet about Austin’s mouth claiming his. Mack was startled at the intensity for a moment, then gave in and opened for him. Austin’s tongue invaded his mouth, sweeping every corner with confidence, as if he wanted to claim every little square inch. Mack loved it, his stomach all swirly at Austin’s boldness.
Then Austin grabbed his legs and gently pulled them down so Mack ended up on his back on the bed, with Austin lowering himself on top of him. He forgot to breathe again at the incredible sensation of that strong body covering his, until Tan stretched out next to him and giggled. “Breathe, honey, remember?”
Mack sucked in a quick breath through his nose, then another one, his mouth too busy being explored by Austin. Then Austin let his full weight rest on Mack, grinding down on his crotch, and little stars exploded inside his head at the pleasure. He gasped into Austin’s mouth.
“He likes that,” Tan concluded with enthusiasm. “Do that again, babe.”
Austin repeated his move, and Mack couldn’t hold back another gasp. His cock had been hard that whole time, and now it was wet with his juices, his balls pulling tight against his body.
“I can’t…” he whispered, trying to pull back from Austin.
“You don’t have to,” Austin said, his voice low and hoarse. “I’m gonna come right with you, and it’s okay. Let it go.”
He ground his hips into Mack’s again, putting that perfect friction on his dick, and a mashup between a gasp and a sob escaped from Mack’s lips. It was too much, too perfect, his whole body on fire.
“Austin…” he whimpered.
“It’s okay,” Tan said, his face pressed against Mack’s from the side. “Let go, honey. Let him make you feel good.”
Mack turned his head sideways and caught Tan’s lips, and with that connection made, he surrendered to the wave rolling over him. Austin rutted against him, and he came in his pants, flooding them with cum. Tan caught his gasps, his little whinny, kissing him until he heard Austin grunt and felt him spasm on top of him.
They settled down on the bed in a tangled mess of limbs and heads, the sticky mess in his underwear not bothering him in the least. Tan kissed him again, then Austin, and they lay for a long time until their heart rates had come down. He’d never felt like this, so connected to someone else, and yet so devoid of any shame. It was the happiest Mack had ever been in his life.
16
When he woke up the next morning, it took a few seconds for Tan to realize where he was. The soft mattress felt unfamiliar, and so was the fresh smell of the bed linens. But the sensations of the two bodies pressed against his was all the assurance he needed that he was safe. Mack was spooning him from behind, his arm wrapped tightly around him as if he was scared Tan would have taken off sometime during the night. And Austin was flush against his front side, his breaths a furnace on Tan’s skin.
The sight of him always made Tan’s heart skip a beat, and today was no exception. If he’d already been halfway in love with the guy, last night had sealed the deal. The way he’d kissed Mack, then had allowed him to come without shame, it had been all kinds of special.
Even after Austin had given him implicit permission to kiss Mack, Tan had been worried about the repercussions. He’d never given much thought to the consequences of sex, mostly out of a well-developed sense of self-preservation, but with Austin it was different. Even more because it had been Mack he’d kissed. And it had been no ordinary kiss, either. That kiss had been everything, far more intimate and stuffed with meaning than many sexual acts Tan had engaged in, willingly or not.
He’d been worried it would change things between him and Austin, and it had, but in the best way possible. They’d finally crossed that line Tan had wanted to cross months ago. Now, all he could hope for was that Austin didn’t regret it. Tan wasn’t sure he understood why Austin had kept him at bay all that time, but he knew on some deep level that it wasn’t because he wasn’t attracted to Tan. It had felt that way at times, but he’d caught Austin checking him out enough to know that wasn’t it. It was that built-in decency he had, that moral compass. Apparently, it had taken Mack for Austin to get over that, and boy, was Tan grateful.
He’d been truthful though when he said he didn’t want to choose between them. He didn’t. He wanted them both, with a force that scared him a little. This was not just sex, as much as he would love to do more with both of them. This was more, way more, and it was scary as fuck. His body hadn’t been his own to give for a long time, but he’d always, always kept his heart close. They couldn’t take that from him, but it seemed Austin and Mack had managed it without him even knowing. He hadn’t realized how much they’d come to mean to him until last night.
“Morning,” Austin said, startling Tan, who hadn’t even noticed he’d woken up.
Behind him, Mack stirred, pressing his morning wood against Tan’s ass. How he longed to push back, to seduce him, but he held back. He couldn’t, not with Mack. He was too pure and innocent. He deserved to be wooed, slowly introduced into the wonders of gay sex and relationships. If Tan had ever met anyone who deserved more than a quick fuck, it was Mack, and he vowed he’d treat him right. When he met Austin’s eyes, he saw his own resolve mirrored there, and he smiled.
They followed their usual morning routine, each of them going in a different direction to take care of business. Tan threw on some clothes afterward and made breakfast—a hearty oatmeal that had them all eating till their bellies were stuffed. After, he cleaned up the things they’d used in the kitchen so far, while Austin went outside to explore the farm, Newt on his heels. Mack offered to help Tan, but he waved him off, and the guy sat down at the dining table and fiddled around with the radio.
Tan boiled water to do laundry, then proceeded to wash all the clothes they had, hanging them outside to dry. It was crisp, the temperature announcing fall was well on its way. They’d lost the exact count of days, but by their estimate it was around mid-October. It looked like it had hovered around freezing point that night, and the first snow wouldn’t be that far off.
“I found chickens wandering about,” Austin said as he walked up to Tan just as he was hanging up the last shirt. “I’m sure there have to be eggs somewhere, but I didn’t see them.”
“If we decide to stay, we can bring the chickens inside the coop again and they’ll lay eggs there, but until then, leave them be,” Tan said. “They may have a spot where they lay, so I’ll check later today. I’d love some fresh eggs.”
Austin licked his lips as he grinned. “Same here. I’m gonna walk over to the field where the cows are to see how many are still alive.”
“I’ll come with you,” Tan said. “It’s not like you’d know what to do with cows anyway.”
Austin shrugged. “True. I was gonna ask Mack, but I’ll settle for you,” he teased.
Tan put his hands in his pockets as he peeked at Austin from under his lashes. “Are we good?”
He didn’t need to say more, Austin understanding him as usual. The man’s big hand squeezed his neck. “We are. I don’t have a definition for what we are, the three of us, but we’re good, you and me.”
Tan leaned into his touch, relief flooding him.
“Has Mack said anything?” Austin asked.
“No, but he’s not been acting weird.”
Just then, Mack came running outside. “Guys! It’s working! Come listen…”
He held up the radio and after some crackles and static, a voice came through loud and clear.
“It’s a repeating message,” Mack said. “It’s halfway now, but hold on and it will start again.”
A minute or so later, he gestured that it was starting fresh.
“This is an official message from the President of the Conservative United States. Please note this is not a secure channel and that the enemy is listening in on all communications and messages. It is our sad duty to inform all our citizens that we are now at war with the planet Zagor and its inhabitants after an unprovoked and vicious attack on our nation. We regret to inform you that President Coulter died during the first attack, as well as Vice President Keller and most of the cabinet. Former Defense Secretary Martino has assumed the presidency and is coordinating our nation’s war efforts in close cooperation with the Eastern and Western United States. President Martino has declared martial law in the entire CUS and there’s an evening curfew between five p.m. and eight a.m. All able-bodied men between ages eighteen to forty-five will be called up for duty as soon as possible in our nation’s proud army to conquer our attackers. Please keep checking this channel for further news.”
They looked at each other in shock. It was true then, everything they had feared. It was an alien attack, and they were losing by the sound of it. Tan couldn’t believe the president had died, as well as the whole cabinet. They’d all been homophobic, judgmental assholes, every single one of them, but still. To see them taken out by aliens was a shock.
“If they call all men up, we’re fucked,” Austin said. “We’ll have to go into hiding or risk being imprisoned all over again.”
Mack nodded. “They may let us serve, but I doubt it.”
“I can’t serve in the army,” Tan said, panic bubbling up inside him. “I’d be dead in a day.”
“That’s not all,” Mack said. “That’s the official government channel, but I’ve already found several pirate channels or whatever you want to call them.”
“What are they reporting?” Austin asked.
“The same things we’ve been noticing and that we’ve heard. Supermarkets being destroyed. Cities are burning. Food becoming scarce. Info about the bots and how to defeat them—water is so far the most popular way,” Mack said. “And I’ve heard several reports people are fleeing the big cities and heading toward the rural areas in hopes of finding food.”
“If they find this place…” Austin said.
Tan shuddered. He didn’t need to say more. They all understood.
They were quiet as they walked back inside and huddled around the kitchen table with some fresh tea and cookies Tan had found. Oreos, if you could believe it. He hadn’t tasted those in years.
“The closest cities are Casper and Rapid City,” Mack said, practical as ever. “It won’t be long until those people get there.”
“But will they come here? Everyone from this region knows there’s nothing here. Farms are few and far between and even they struggle to make a good existence considering how harsh Mother Nature is here. Most people here have jobs in the coal or oil industries,” Austin said.
Mack cocked his head, clearly considering it. “True, which means we may not get the first wave of city-folk, but at some point, people will come knocking. What do we do if they come?”
“The letter from Doug and Ruthie said to pay it forward,” Tan said softly. “But I’m sure they didn’t foresee it would come to this.”
Austin let out a deep sigh. “God, I don’t know. As much as I would love to say we should share, with food being this scarce, it’s literally us or them. Are we prepared to share even at our own expense?”
Mack shook his head. “That’s not my worry.”
“What’s your thought process?” Austin asked him.
“We may be honorable and be willing to share, but what’s to say those arriving here will be? If we let them in and they see what we have, what’s to keep them from simply killing us and taking our place?”
An ice-cold band wrapped around Tan’s heart and he shivered again. “Nothing,” he whispered. “We’d be at their mercy.”
Death wasn’t what worried him most. He still believed in God, and even after everything he’d been through, he clung to the concept that God was love, and that there would be a place for him in heaven. No, it wasn’t the prospect of being killed that frightened him. There were worse things than death, and he couldn’t go through that again. Not ever again. Mack wouldn’t understand, his innocent soul too pure to even grasp what men were capable of when they had the power and no one to stop them. But Austin would.
As if he knew where Tan’s thoughts had gone, Austin reached for his hand and took it. “Never again,” he swore, meeting Tan’s eyes with a holy fire burning in his own. “You have my word.”
Then he took Mack’s hand with his other hand and Mack and Tan laced their fingers together as well. “We’ll make it if we stay together,” Austin said. “The world may be burning, but we have each other, and together, we’re strong. We can make it if we’re smart and rely on each other.”
He wanted to believe him so badly, Tan thought. He wanted to latch on to Austin’s words, to the hope he was offering, but he was so scared. Even now, his heart was racing, adrenaline pumping through his body.
“I’m so scared,” he finally whispered, his voice choked by the iron band around his throat.
“I know,” Austin said, squeezing his hand.
“So am I,” Mack whispered, and did the same.
They sat for a while, until Tan said, “Can we go to bed for a little bit and just cuddle? I need to feel safe.”
Without words, they stripped down to their underwear and got into bed, both Mack and Austin putting a gun on the nightstand at their respective sides. Mack spooned him from behind and he pressed against him as close as he could, then reached out for Austin, who wrapped his arms around the two of them. They were a unit, Tan thought, a family.
He thought of Austin’s words. The world was burning, but they could make it. Together.
Continue reading in Smolder, the second book in the Ignite trilogy! Turn the page for a sneak peek.
SMOLDER SNEAK PEEK
Austin woke up disoriented, the bed way too soft, too comfortable. A warm body pressed against him, limbs sneaked in between his. Tan. He remembered, and the tension left his body. The farm, Doug and Ruthie’s farm. That was where they were.
Outside in the hallway, Newt whimpered, probably distressed because he was separated from the humans. It had been three and a half weeks since the attacks, Austin calculated, having kept track of the days, so if Doug and Ruthie had left soon after, the dog would’ve been alone for at least two weeks before they had shown up. No wonder he longed for companionship.
He carefully extracted himself from Tan and slid out of bed. Tan let out a murmur, then turned around in bed and sought Mack’s presence. Austin smiled, a warm feeling in his belly, as Mack pulled Tan closer in his sleep. He’d come a long way, their scared little rabbit. And what they had experienced two days ago had been amazing. Kissing, Mack’s face filled with wonder, his mouth both eager and pliant, so happy to please. It had been everything Austin never knew he’d craved.
He grabbed the clothes he’d discarded on the floor, then slipped out of the bedroom and closed the door behind him with a soft click. Newt pressed his face against his legs, his wet nose cold on Austin’s warm skin.
Austin crouched down and rubbed his head. “We’re still here, big guy. Don’t you worry now.”
The dog let out another whimper, then licked his hand. Austin grinned. Animals were so much easier to please than humans. They didn’t care what you looked like or who you loved or fucked. All they wanted was for you to love them, and in return, you got endless devotion till their dying day.
He put his clothes on, Newt watching his every move as if he was scared Austin was gonna disappear on him. As soon as he was dressed, he walked into the kitchen, where he put out some kibble for Newt and filled his bowl with fresh water. The dog attacked his food immediately. Austin scratched his head one last time and left him to it.
One look at the complicated stove that Tan had handled with such ease made Austin decide coffee could wait. His mouth was watering at the thought of coffee, but he’d better not get used to it. Not only did they have enough coffee for a week or two at the most, since Doug and Ruthie appeared to be tea people, but they hadn’t determined how long they would stay here. Right now, the farm was a little slice of paradise, but for how long?
He drank a glass of water, then poured himself another one, his throat a bit parched. He debated with himself for all of two seconds before deciding two Oreos would make an excellent appetizer to breakfast and moaned when the taste hit his tongue. How could those taste so freaking good when before he hadn’t cared that much for them?
With the glass of water in his hands, he stood in front of the kitchen window, looking outside. A cold hand clamped around his heart when he spotted the telltale signs of frost, the thin white layer that topped the brown grass. Winter was coming, and where would that leave them? He shivered, taking a sip of his water.
They couldn’t outrun winter, could they? They’d have to go west fast, but they’d never make it through Wyoming before snowfall. They still had hundreds of miles to go before they reached Nevada. Hundreds of miles of nothing, as the area between them and Salt Lake City was sparsely populated. They’d have nowhere to stay except out in the open, and the little tent would not be enough to keep them warm. Plus, what would they eat or drink? They might hit upon the occasional farm like this one, but the chances of them being abandoned were slim, and they might get shot before they could ask for help.
