Those Who Wander

[Sekot]

So I want to separate this series from my other thread. I think, in general, what I am trying to accomplish here is different from my other thread. While both are quite masturbatory, I would like to keep this from getting lost in the mire that is my parent thread.

We'll see what happens.
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"Fuck the world."

He took a sip from his glass, the crimson liquid inside slowly rising to his pale lips. He pulled his lips back in a snarl, a soft hiss escaping through his clenched teeth as he lowered the drink. His dark blue eyes stared off into the dark distance, his dark brow furrowed.

"Dramatic."

He looked at his companion out of the corner of his eyes, not allowing her the comfort of his full attention. "Fuck. You," he spat back.

She took her own sip from her glass, the same drink inside, before shrugging her shoulders. He shifted in his throne of bones, his legs draped over one of the arms. His back ached. "How long are we going to sulk here?" she asked again.

This time he did turn his head, slowly but with purpose. He imagined a thousand broadswords were piercing her body at that very moment. She merely smiled at him and took another drink, but her eyes held the same icy glare. With a heavy sigh he broke her stare and drained his glass. He pulled his legs up and over and then rose out of his throne. His booted feet clicked loudly against the black and white marbled floor. The sconces that lined either side of his dais roared to life with jets of blue-green flame.

Without hesitation and great speed, he threw his glass at her. She merely craned her head to the side and the glass sailed past only to shatter into countless pieces. She ran a thin hand through her thick fire red and green hair before she sat her own glass on the long table she sat next to. "That was uncalled for."

He snarled at her as he stepped down from the platform and walked with great stride toward the double doors that stood as the sole entrance into the hall. She tracked his course in silence for the several seconds it took him to make his way before speaking, "Where are you going?"

"Out," was his only response before throwing the doors wide open. The guards outside would have been startled if not silenced with a word from him as he passed by. The passage he had entered was lined with windows that looked out upon the grey wastes. He stopped at one of the many balconies and at a whim stepped outside.

The cold air stole his breath but he moved to the very end of the balcony and leaned over the ledge to look down upon the grassless sands. "What do you want?" he asked, allowing the fatigue to enter into his tone.

"Nothing," she said before moving to stand next to him.

They were silent for several minutes before he looked at her. Their hair blew in the winds that escaped from the sky scraping mountains. Her cheeks were red from the cold, her brown eyes staring at the horizon. He smiled before leaning forward to place a light kiss on her rosy cheek.

She did not smile back, instead choosing to roll her eyes. "Ass."

He shrugged before he too followed her gaze to the end of the world. "What is my name?" he asked her.

"You have many."

"Tell me one."

"The more dramatic the better I guess. World Eater. Architect. Manipulator. Lover."

He smiled. "And you are all those things as well."

She did not smile. Instead she pursed her lips and turned away from the falling stars that marked the passage of time. "We have walked together for many years."

"Many."

"Will you follow me for a few more."

He nodded once.

[Sekot]

The fields were green, glittering from gathered dew on the tall, thin blades. The clouds moved peacefully overhead, occasionally casting great shadows across the valley as they passed before the sun. But it was not long before they moved on, the many spears of light revealing once more the pair that lay in the grass.

They lay on their backs, arranged so that their heads lay next to each other but their feet pointed in opposite directions. They were naked, their skin browned by many hours outdoors. They had the bodies of youth, taught with muscle born from work and training. They lay together under that shining sun, allowing the warm breeze to gently caress their bodies and without a word needing to be discussed between them.

The sound of buzzing insects sounded close to their ears. The birds above danced in delight and chirped with excitement. Sekot opened his blue eyes and looked up at them, moving his hand to shield them from the glare of the sun. He laughed lightly as he turned his head just enough to look at his friend who lay fast asleep.

He lay with golden hair that curled lightly down to his shoulders. He had a strong jaw and prominent bones in his cheeks. He was a beautiful man to gaze upon, Sekot knew well because he often did so. Sekot smiled widely and leaned forward to place a light kiss upon his lover's lips and then leaning down to his ear to whisper his name.

The eyes of his friend opened, the deep almond brown staring intently into Sekot's own. They both smiled at one another before Sekot rose, waiting for his friend to follow. He too did so and together they ran, jumping into the nearby stream.

"Does it hurt?"

Sekot did not turn. Instead he merely looked up at the sky.

"You always turn up at the most inopportune times."

Mallyce whispered a word to another of her hook ups who then turned and walked away with glazed eyes. Sekot did not need to see him to know that the thrall was hypnotized. "Its hard to miss when you're heart is breaking."

Indeed it was, for as Sekot sat atop the building, looking over the railing at the many cars and people below, white fire was wrapped around him. No heat was given off, neither his flesh nor his dark suit burned away from the flickering tongues of flame. He was a beacon in the dark night, a shining star come to grace the stage of man. No shadow graced his features, he was laid before his one true friend.

"I was remembering times past. And you so rudely interrupted me."

Mallyce rolled her eyes and took a sip from her martini. "Come with me, I've got some friends for you."

Sekot looked at her for a moment and felt his heart ache. He allowed the feeling to wash over him, to lose himself within the hole in his chest, before taking in a deep breath and stifling the flame. Mallyce leaned forward and wiped the wetness from his face and together they left the roof and descended into the darkness below.

The club was packed with people. From wall to wall they either danced or stood in conversation. The music thumped with heavy bass and fast beats. At any other time Sekot would have been in his element, but the trigger that had sent him over the edge was unforgiving. Mallyce was of course caring no more for his melancholy and was gleefully weaving her way through the crowd with him firmly in tow.

They eventually stopped and another pair turned around to look on them. Both were young men, both tall and fair haired. Mallyce made the introductions. "So this is Jon!" she said, offering the taller of the two with shockingly red hair and green eyes who did not bother hiding his interest in the woman.

"And this is Simon."

Sekot took pause, and for a brief second the eyes of his lover stared back at him. The music faded and they were alone. But the moment was a heartbeat and the music returned and Simon had switched places with Jon who had begun to dance with Mallyce. Simon smiled, a cute smile if not a bit awkward. His brown eyes shown clear as day from under the light brow. His own curly blond hair was cut short and so only the fewest of curls were visible.

Sekot smiled back and pulled Simon in close. The boy was caught unawares, his smile breaking and his eyes going wide. Sekot locked his gaze to the other's and there caught him. Together the pair danced.

It was closing time and Sekot, Mallyce, and their two companions stumbled outside into the cold air. They laughed amongst themselves, parting away from the crowd that was gathering at the exit. They made their way down the street and stopped under a light so that Mallyce and Jon could share a cigarette.

"So...are you two like...twins?" Simon asked, his breath visible in the air as the words stumbled out.

Sekot and Mallyce stole a glance and neither could hold back a smile. "Yes," they both answered at once.

"Cool...cool," Simon spoke, bumping into Sekot with a small laugh.

"So where do you live?" Jon asked Mallyce with a grin.

Sekot held back a sigh, knowing Mallyce was doing the same. "We have an apartment not too far from here," she answered, tugging at Jon's shirt collar before leading the way.

The apartment door had scarcely been closed before clothes were flying everywhere. Mallyce and Jon disappeared into her room and Sekot and Simon into his. Sekot closed the door before turning back to Simon who had fallen back on the bed.

There he paused, slowly removing his shirt as he observed Simon. The boy was ecstatic, it was apparent in his eyes and his smile. He was also drunk, both of them were but Sekot knew himself to be a bit more lucid. There was a tugging in Sekot's chest as he pushed Simon back and straddled him.

The kiss shared between them lacked spark. The room was dark and no birds chirped in the air. The air was stale for no warm breeze flitted through the closed blinds. Simon was into it, but Sekot felt himself pulling away. He felt his heart slow and slowly turn to ice and his eyes grew dark.

He pushed Simon back and rose from the bed. He could already hear Mallyce and Jon through the thin walls. He craned his head to listen for a moment, his gaze never leaving Simon who stared back almost pleadingly. Sekot allowed a smile to part his lips, a malicious hungry grin.

The night moved swiftly and the sun soon rose. The room however remained dark. Sekot sat up in his bed, the body of Simon resting beside him. He turned his head to look at the prostrate form that stared with empty eyes at the ceiling.

"He's taken care of."

Mallyce stood in the doorway, a silk robe covering her body. Sekot looked at her with a face that had forgotten how to smile. "Was he fun at least?" she asked, moving to sit at the foot of his bed, disregarding the body draped over the side.

"You knew who he looked like," he almost whispered, his voice hoarse.

Mallyce looked at the body and spoke a word. Simon rose, the lifeless eyes still staring straight ahead. The body stumbled to put on clothes and then left the room to sit on the floor outside. Dutifully awaiting further orders. She turned back to Sekot with weariness and nodded, "I did. I thought it would make you feel a bit better."

"Thank you," Sekot whispered.

Mallyce rose from the bed and gave Sekot a kiss on the forehead before leaving. Sekot closed his eyes and was swimming in freezing water. Quickly he changed his mind and got back out, running up the bank and out of the shadows of the trees. The field was warm and his running was comforting.

Behind him he heard his laughter, and he turned to see his lover chasing after him. Another cloud moved to block the sun and Sekot stopped, allowing the other to catch up to him. Together they embraced and fell upon the earth.

[Sekot]

He stood over the cradle, staring at the two small forms inside. They were pushed up against one another as if to protect each other from the world outside. There eyes were closed, their hands nearly grasping each others', and their breath came peacefully. The light from the flickering fire danced upon the walls and upon their soft skin.

For several minutes Sekot stared, watching the two as they slumbered. They were twins, one boy and one girl. The air was warm and humid, but he did not notice. So transfixed he was upon the children that he did not hear Mallyce enter the room. "So we go back even this far do we?"

"My wandering will lead me across a great many distances."

She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his chest from behind. He felt her warmth pressing up against him and he felt comforted. He grasped one of her hands and held it tightly.

And then it was gone and they were back in the wastes, the cold grey space and the towering obsidian keep. The wind was harsh, the air stolen from them and replaced with frigid nothing. Sekot looked up at the sky, where thousands of stars shown in great clusters that did not twinkle as they had once but stood out as the burning orbs of power that they were.

On the wind came a child's laugh, a tug at the emptiness within Sekot's chest. It passed quickly, but Mallyce who had heard it too still held tightly. "When will I die?" he asked to himself, to Mallyce, to the wind.

"When the world stops."

"But hasn't it already?"

"If you die I die."

"You cannot tell me that you have not wished it too."

"Aye, but you keep me here."

"And so I enslave us both."

The space was gone, replaced by another room not unlike the previous. It too had a flickering fire in a hearth, but no children slept. Instead there was a large bed covered in furs, the walls covered in what had once been amazing paintings but now the symbols and meanings had been lost. All except for one.

Sekot released himself from Mallyce's grip and went up to the wall, placing his cold fingers against the stone and feeling the warmth and the wear that it had taken. He bit his lip and closed his eyes against the sight. His chest ached, his hands trembled and he had to steady himself against the wall. The warmth from the room had evaporated, and if it weren't for the lack of breeze he would have thought himself locked away in a chamber in his castle.

But no, he was here. Mallyce was quiet and stood aside, waiting patiently. Sekot felt her presence but did not care. He bit back a heave that extended upward from his gut. His mouth tasted of bile. His fingers scraped at the wall, at the lines that had been drawn upon it.

Bodies dancing before a fire, a great festivity. A time of coming of age, of turning points and a look back at the past and a look toward the future. And to deny them both. So many choices to be made, and Sekot could not help but feel he had made the worst.

He pressed his cold forehead against the stone, allowing a sob to wrack his body before he took in a deep breath and silenced himself. Far off, a child began to cry, a high piercing shriek that only an infant can produce. Mallyce waved a hand and the fire died in the hearth. Footsteps rushed past but none stepped inside their room.

"We must go," Mallyce said.

Sekot bade her wait just one moment more so that the image was once again emblazoned upon his memory, before turning his back to it and stepping back into the stream of time and away from that place.

[Sekot]

Her eyes were firmly shut, and her mouth hung agape in a partial smile. Her eyes were wide with ecstasy, with ecstatic elation as her blood rushed through her body at astronomical speeds. Her fingers tingled as as she grasped her weapons, as the world spun beneath her. In her gestures she defied gravity, moving about in the air like a tossed doll. But always in control.

When she landed, her arms were out quick as the viper's snap and they found purchase in the guts of two men dressed in the finest armor their military could buy. Like a witch she laughed, quickly removing her hands and several pieces of organ and much blood with them. The men toppled, not whispering a word as they collapsed into the sand.

Slowly she raised one blood covered hand before her icy eyes and watched as the crimson liquid sent warm tendrils down her pale arm. She brought it to her mouth and extended her tongue, gracefully sliding it up her index to taste of the succulent wine of the gods.

"Bitch!"

She stopped, her tongue halfway up her finger, when she turned her attention to the only remaining man who held a rifle with barrel aimed at her chest. She continued, her eyes locking with his, and then smacked her lips with child like delight as she lowered her hand. His were shaking, his entire body was shaking, and the fear rolled off of him in waves.

She took a step forward, pressing the barrel between her breasts. She smiled at him, he was young and newly recruited. She tilted her head just enough, her smile coy and inviting. Her eyes were fire, in their depths his soul was captured. He took pause, choking on words that could not be expressed.

Gingerly she forced the gun down and pulled the young man in close so that their bodies were caught together. She smiled at him, but with ferocity and hunger. His eyes glazed and his body went limp before she tossed him off the small bridge so that he tumbled end over end. He awoke from his trance just before his body crashed against the stone and water and split open like a fruit.

A pair of great doors were now all that stood before her. For a moment. All she had to do was walk up to them and press her palms against them. There was a rush of electric energy that snapped through the atmosphere and then the doors crumbled from their hinges and collapsed onto the marble floor of the interior.

Mallyce stepped over the threshold, where her body was revealed before, it was now clothed in the finest cloths of the nobility. Her heels clicked loudly as she made way with purpose down the long hall. No guard moved to block her path, all hid behind whatever manner of column or obstruction they could. Those who looked upon her saw the gorgon, her hair alight like fire, alive like snakes, and their hearts were broken and their vision blurred and the walls came alive.

Behind her shadows moved. They passed silently like a great cloud and made no attempt to interact with the world. They made no attempt to surpass the woman, but stood behind her like a great many birds of prey. And so it was that the pair entered the chamber of the king's throne and so it was that they found themselves surrounded by a great many armored guards dressed in gleaming armor with weapons trained upon the woman. But not the man, for he was nothing more than presence.

"Spare us!" the king cried from his golden throne.

Mallyce craned her head to the side, her lips pressed into a thin line. She merely shrugged her shoulders and stood silently. "Please spare us!" the king cried out, but still no answer.

The king looked sideways at his steward who returned the glance with one as equally frightened and concerned. Mallyce opened her mouth and out came a great many words that no one in the room had knowledge of. The woman smiled, taking delight in everyone's confusion.

She spoke more for several minutes and no one dared interrupt her to ask for clarification. And so it was that they were entranced by her words that they did not notice the room beginning to shake. So subtle was the gradual rise in turbulence that it was not until a light collapsed from the ceiling and shattered into a great many pieces on the floor that one guard cried out.

Mallyce ceased her speech and righted her head before taking a bow before the king. The monarch's eyes glazed over as he looked to the distance, words spoken into his ear from a far off place, and then he snapped back to reality. "You will die here, my king," her words were crisp, they echoed in the hall and everyone present heard them.

It was then that the darkness coalesced around a single body, appearing right behind Mallyce for but an instant before grabbing her and both disappearing into the void. The king rose from his chair, struggling to find the words to express his surprise, awe, and despair.

Mallyce and Sekot reappeared on top of a great hill far, far away from the hall where the king awaited his execution. Above it the sky was alight with a thousand plumes of fire, all rocketing toward the ground at tremendous speeds, all ships from space once controlled and manned but now spinning out of control. At once they collapsed into the spot where they had been standing not mere seconds before and the world went white.

Sekot and Mallyce turned their bodies, calling up protection against the explosion that tore at the world. The shockwave that came next leveled the plain, snapped mountains in half, but they found themselves safe. When they turned their eyes, they only saw absence.

[Sekot]

Sekot stood atop the tower, billowing like a curtain in the wind. In the far off distance, armies marched. Their targets were unknown to him, purposefully for he could know them in an instant if he so wished. But for now he was content with the knowledge that they were moving. Much like the birds that twirled in the sky.

The moon hung low, just about to descend completely below the horizon. He stood facing it, his back to where the spears of Helios would first pierce the world. It was that period of the early morning when it is coldest, when the warmth has been sapped from the world and there is hardly a sound as the transition between the nightwalkers and daywalkers begins.

The moon is taunting him, laughing at him from its lofty perch above the goings on of the people. Sekot can only smile back in full knowledge that he will have the last laugh. Eventually.

But for now he lets it. He lets the world taunt him, deep within the darkest caves comes the bitterest winds to tear at him, to rip him off his tower and bring him to the ground where he will be swallowed by the mulch and the grass and become a part of it all. If it were only so easy.

Not even an insect approaches him. So repelled are the creatures of the world from his position, by his presence that he is too tired to hide. For a few moments, a handful of white sparks light in the air about him, but he quells the urge to burn, lest he attract those moving armies.

The stone is cold underneath his bare feet. His breath coils in the air before him. Though the wind is bitter and the ground freezing, he still finds comfort in the present. In the moment amongst the living things. It is at this peaceful juncture where he can finally talk with time itself.

From behind him appear shades, as pale as the moonlight. The shamble forth, climb gingerly upon the stone wall that Sekot himself is standing on. They stand like watchdogs, guardians against nothing. Sekot is the dark stain, the blackest spot. They are the haunted souls taken from their bodies and now released.

One by one they take a step forward, falling with arms flung wide only to fade into nothing before touching the ground. Sekot does not take his eyes away from the moon, he will not watch them go. He is weakened by the exercise and the hunger returns, that deep seated abyss within his body that is gaping.

He is taunted once more. A hand is placed upon his shoulder, the hole in his chest groans and he feels as if he is being torn apart at the waist. He refuses to turn this time, gathering just enough strength to resist the urge of that one soul that will not fall. He knows what he will see if he turns and so he does not.

But the shade is crafty and determined to reveal itself. It walks onto thin air, as if the ground was level with them both. It stands before Sekot, taking up his view and filling his vision with the sickly light. Gazing upon it, he sees a never constant face. A shapeless body covered in cloth. A tormented soul unable or unwilling to be set free. A constant reminder.

With a gesture, he silences it, brings it back within him and the hole in his chest dissipates, satiated briefly. On the air he hears the laughter, the callings and the cries as those given to the earth are taken away.

[Sekot]

Thunder rolls like the great many orchestral drums, it is a laugh, deep and rumbling that is heard. Frozen rain pelts the many, large windows. The click click click times well with the sound of footsteps. He is advancing quickly, chin held tight to his chest, his hands rapidly clenching and unclenching, his nails digging into his palms. He chews on his lower lip, the sides of his mouth curling like a snarl, unintelligible words are spat from him.

He does not stop before the threshold, instead he throws open the portal and with a great clap the way is made clear. He stops, his anger stolen from him. For within the great chamber sits a woman dressed in green relaxing upon the large, elegant, crimson couch. One leg is revealed, pale in the meager amount of light that spills from the lamps that hang from the ceiling. Her long black hair appears to shimmer and shift colors and becomes fiery red and then a burnt orange before going back to black. Her violet lips part in a sultry smile as her eyes light upon him.

He forgets why he is here, why he came. She rises from the couch, the gown sticking to her as if it were painted over her frame. Slowly she makes her way around the furniture, but does not go to him. Instead she turns her back on him and finds herself at the liquor cabinet where a glass of auburn scotch lays sitting.

She picks it up as he reaches into his coat and pulls out a pistol. He takes aim with both hands to keep himself from shaking and levels the gun at her back. She takes a sip of the drink before running a hand through her thick hair that changes to indigo and cerulean and a greenish yellow. The sound of the gun is loud within the small room, his ears are ringing.

Thunder rolls once more, accompanied by a soft, lilting, feminine laugh. A glass shatters, the many shards spilling into the air. She is no longer there, she has moved faster than any eye could catch her. The man lowers his weapon, his heart pounding in his chest.

She is there, before him, her eyes piercing through him, holding him captive. He is struggling to breathe, choking on his own tongue. He struggles, attempts to move her but she is somehow just one step away. Then she is gone, and he can breathe. Falling to his knees, he fiercely rips at his tie to loosen it.

But he can feel her presence, it is an oppressive weight falling on his shoulders, making the air taste of chalk. He looks behind himself, over his shoulder and he sees her there, in the doorway. She is framed by the darkness behind her, her eyes are alight, glistening brighter than they should be. Her hair is wild as if caught in a storm.

Thunder claps once but the light of the lightning is stolen. From behind her comes a great rolling cloud, the vanguard is of snapping hounds set for the hunt. He sees her smile, a wide wicked smile that speaks of a mind unhinged. He grabs for his gun and pulls it up just as the darkness descends. He fires once while rising, but the gun has gone cold and no bullet escapes.

Quickly he turns and runs, jumping over the couch and through the window. He can feel the pieces of glass as they rend through his clothing and they bite into his skin. He can feel the cold air and the rain as it drenches him. He is freefalling, briefly for another roof is not far below. He collapses, the air beaten out him and he chokes.

She is there in the window, looking down at him. The mysterious cloud does not escape into the night but stays within the room, coiling about her like a precious pet. She takes a step and floats downward until her heels touch the gravel littering the roof. He scrambles forward on hands and knees, a foolish try to leave.

"You were sent here to kill me and now you run like a dog!" she calls out.

He was sent here to kill her, but his contractor had apparently no clue who he was dealing with. "Tell me who it was that pays you!" she says, her words a whisper in his ear.

He stops dead, not able to turn around to face her but also unable to advance any farther. He is almost to the edge, almost able to leap over. Mallyce places a hand on his shoulder and leans down, she then laughs in his ear before pushing him over effortlessly and palming his face.

He is lifted by one arm off of the ground so that his feet are dangling. Blood begins to trickle from where her nails dig into his skull. He screams but it is muffled. She tosses him back, back the way he came and he flies like a doll end over end until he crashes hard. There is a crack as he falls on his arm, breaking it at the elbow. He is already in a growing puddle as the gravel has torn him open.

She is upon him in a moment, the air is warm from the bending of space. The rain sizzles and pops as it is heated rapidly. He cringes, too tired to cry out. Leaning down, she brings her mouth close to his but do not touch. She inhales deeply as he exhales. A pale white light extends between them, fills the air between their lips. Rising to her full height, Mallyce takes a step back, the soul following her.

Greedily she consumes it, filling herself with the essence and taking in his memories. Faces fly by until she recognizes a particular one, the contractor who sent the poor fool. Smiling, she turns to bend space once more and fade away from the countryside.

[Sekot]

Sekot traced his lover's eyebrow with his thumb. He felt the hairs being brushed under his skin, the tickling touch as they curled under and then extended back out when he passed over them. He moved his fingers into the other's hair, running across his scalp and down to his neck. Michael lay next to Sekot with eyes closed, sighing contentedly as Sekot traced across his body.

Sekot's hand moved across the strong jaw, feeling the stubble their so rough in comparison to the soft, downlike hair from before. He dragged a finger across Michael's lips, which parted slightly to allow a warm breath to caress his hand. Smiling, Sekot leaned forward and placed a kiss on his lips, a light peck, a meeting that sparked and sent warm air cascading through the small room. Michael smiled back and moved closer to Sekot so that their bodies were pressed right against one another's.

Sekot closed his own eyes and pressed his forehead against Michael's, their hands meeting and clasping tightly together. The window rattled as the cold air from outside threatened to intrude. Another spark flashed and another wave of warmth flooded between them. Sekot felt his heart leap for a moment and he squeezed Michael's hands who then squeezed back. Sekot began to whisper and the room faded away.

They were transported away from the cold, from the bed and the tiny room, and they were now in an open field with a moon was close to disappearing behind the great snow-capped mountains that lined the valley. The grass was tall and appeared to glow silver in the moonlight. Insects buzzed, glowing in a wide array of colors before fading. It was the quietest moment, the hours of latest night and earliest morning where the sun is just about to break.

Sekot and Michael sat amongst the grass, covered in blankets to keep away the cold. They sat side by side, hands clasped, and they just observed silently the vast plains that stretched out infinitely before them. No animals moved except for the insects, nothing made a sound. The air itself was still, no breeze blew.

"I could sit here forever," Michael said, resting his head on Sekot's shoulder.

Sekot craned his own head just enough so that he could rest his chin on Michael's head before closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath. He let it out slowly, the weight of the world removed with the act. "You don't agree?" Michael asked quietly, his voice sounding so loud in the stillness.

Sekot smirked, "No, I agree."

"You could've picked someplace warmer," Michael said with mock disdain.

"Probably," was all Sekot replied before kissing Michael's crown and then falling back so that he lay flat on the cool ground.

Michael followed suit and they adjusted so that Sekot lay with his head resting on Michael's chest and Michael's arms wrapped around him. He heard Michael's heart beat, felt the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. Closing his eyes, he wished the world away and took comfort in the embrace. "I'll come back from time to time," Sekot said.

Michael mumbled his acknowledgement, the fatigue setting in his mind and his eyes were heavy. Sekot raised his head, to look at his lover's face that lay quietly looking upward at the glittering stars. He smiled, a rare true smile that was wide and full of teeth. He lay with his chin resting on Michael's chest and he just watched him sleep for minutes.

It was that first hint of orange that awoke Sekot from his trance. By now Michael was fast asleep, but his hands still tightly grasped Sekot's. The light of the moon had faded, the grass ceased to glow and instead glittered from the light hitting the dew. Harsh in comparison.

Color returned to the world with each passing second, and Sekot knew that he must go. A bird stopped just as it took flight, its wings stretched as far as they would go. The beginnings of its light, airy call ceased in mid-note. While the sky was still grey with only the faintest of highlights, Sekot pushed himself up so that he could whisper in Michael's ear: "I'll be back soon."

He rose, draping the blankets over Michael's body before turning and fading away. He reappeared back in the little room with a now empty bed. The wind still howled outside and the air had taken a noticeable chill. But inside his chest, Sekot was warm and he was not bothered.

[Sekot]

Sekot sipped, the icy cocktail burning his tongue as he kept it lingering before he swallowed. He pulled his lips back from his teeth and clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth before setting the glass back on the counter. The ice inside clinked softly against the walls of the container and against each other. He scratched behind his ear and looked up at the wall of assorted liquor bottles behind the bar. The bartender moved past him, moving from one end of the bar to the other.

Someone bumped into his back, jolting him forward and sending a bit of a shock through his body. He turned his head, looking for the stumbling fool. The bar was busy, and there were far too many people behind him to see which one was the perpetrator. Sighing out of his nose in agitation, he turned back to the bar, catching the eye of the bartender who looked away almost immediately.

Sekot picked up his drink and downed it before slamming it back on the counter and pushing himself up and away. He whirled about on his feet as he wiped the sounds of his mouth with thumb and index finger. Everyone was loud, all of them mingling with at least one other person. They laughed and smiled at one another, shared stories and flirted. He stood watching them for a moment, the alcohol moving quickly to his head.

With another silent sigh, he weaved his way between the massed bodies, waiting for the little paths to open before slipping through quietly and quickly. The bar was tiny, allowing for little room to negotiate much of any space. Escaping the claustrophobia, he found himself on the dance floor, which was also far too small for the amount of occupants that wanted to partake in the act of rhythmic movement.

A short rail blocked part of the path onto the floor, suggesting that this had once been some sort of loading ramp for a warehouse. Leaning against the rail, Sekot reached into his pocket and pulled out a long cigarette. Personally he detested the things, but he felt he had to make an effort to fit in this evening. The tip lit automatically as he pressed the other end to his lips. It flared briefly as he took in a deep drag, pulling the scratching smoke down his throat and into his lungs. He held it there for several seconds, allowing the last bits of oxygen to become strained and his chest to ache. He then released it through his nose, feeling the burning of his nasal cavity as he did so.

As the smoke rose before his eyes, it mixed with the light and scattered his vision. The music thumped in his chest, mingling with his accelerated heartbeat. His foot tapped on its own accord, but he kept the rest of his body still as stone. The smoke cleared and he could see into the crowd. Like a tortured amoeba, the crowd moved and flailed and withered to the tune of the beat.

Someone moved differently than the rest and Sekot's attention was dragged from the mundane to the anomaly. One other man was not dancing, or at least not as wild as the others. This one's attention was drawn to Sekot as Sekot was to him. Their eyes met under the strobe light and for that one brief moment Sekot was interested. Then the darkness, then the light.

And he was still staring.

Then the darkness, then the light.

And he was smiling.

Then the darkness, then the light.

A subtle nod. One that could easily be mistaken for a dance move, but it was out of harmony with the rest of his body. Sekot returned the nod, unable to keep a partial smile hidden. The other smiled back, a wide smile with a tongue pressed beneath his molars. And then the light died and the room was plunged into darkness. The crowd screamed and Sekot was broken from his trance.

His heart had slowed, he felt cold. He rose from the railing and stretched his sore arms before turning away from the floor and heading back into the bar. The lights were harsh here, stinging his eyes at the same time the noise of talk assaulted his ears. He suddenly felt claustrophobic and he left immediately.

The cold air was a slap to the face. His breath was stolen from him for a moment as he attempted to adjust his body temperature. When he did breathe, his breath came out like the smoke from the cigarette. He snorted and rubbed his forehead with one hand while stepping out onto the balcony and away from the door.

There were a few people outside, but they talked quietly amongst themselves. He could still hear the sounds from inside, the noise of the crowd and the thumpthump of the bass. No one really paid any attention to him as he took a seat next to the fireplace. He took out another cigarette and lit it with a tongue of the flame.

"Can I take a seat?"

Sekot didn't turn right away. Instead he sat staring into the center of the flame where the hottest parts burned. He took a drag and then nodded, "Be my guest."

The guy from the floor pulled up a chair and sat next to Sekot, the other's knee almost touching his. "Why'd you leave? You should've come out and danced."

Sekot smiled and turned just enough to look at him with both eyes. Off of the floor and in more natural lighting, Sekot noticed that he was more attractive than he had first thought. His hair was dark and styled up. He wore dark paint around his almond eyes, an elaborate flower petal pattern that stretched up to his temples. His lips glistened green and his clothes were a tattered mess. They revealed more body art in a variety of symbols, many painted over internal organs and particular muscles. He smiled back at Sekot. He reeked of the floor in all its various smells.

Sekot looked back at the fire and bit his lip before chuckling. He merely shrugged a shoulder and blew cigarette smoke into the air above them. "What's your name?" Sekot asked.

"Michael," the other answered, pulling out his own cigarette and lighting it with a lighter.

"I'm Sam," Sekot offered, smiling back at Michael.

"So why'd you leave the dance floor?" Michael asked. "You don't look like you need a breather."

"Looks can be deceiving," Sekot answered. "I just didn't feel like being in there tonight."

Michael laughed, "Then why come out at all? Certainly not for the company."

Sekot shot him a glare and Michael responded by laughing once more. It was a loud laugh that attracted attention from some of the other people outside. "So why are you here?" Michael asked as he turned his body to fully face Sekot, pulling his legs up onto the edge of the chair in a crossed fashion.

"I had to get out, be around people," Sekot leaned back in his chair, exhaling his last cloud of smoke.

He watched Michael's face for a reaction to his moodiness, but Michael merely sat smiling back. Sekot began to wonder if he was high. "Always a good plan," he tossed his cigarette aside. "Come on, let's go back inside. I'll introduce you to some friends."

[Sekot]

The shadows extended from him, around him. The lights flickered in patterns that, when paired with music, would sing a haunting song. His booted feet clicked against tile. Like wings from his spine, the wings did climb.

Up and up and up until they touched the ceiling, scraping along the roof. The lights died at his passing, consumed by the ravaging. His empty eyes looked forward, his jaw set. His fingers twitched to errant rhythm. The clouds of smoke and ash behind him danced with the gesture.

With hands they groped him. Grasped his face. Pulled his hair. Weighed down, he struggled to move forward. His own power threatening, pushing him lower. He bared his teeth, a grimace, a grin. Fleeting was the face, his lover. Rage, a storm built within him. Pulsing power pushed, the hands gave way and they screamed out to him please forgive us.

Quickly running, sprinting down the hall. The shadows were seas, he was the cresting wave. Behind him was the torrent, so many liquid bodies twirling madly. The hall gave way, the structure faded away and upon the open space he was a bird, a snake, a beast let free. Where was he? Where did he go?

The face once more. Give him to me!

He couldn't see. The darkness had his eyes, took his vision. He lost his touch, floating. He could not smell the sweet honeysuckle, the dangling dew and the smell of him. Gone, away. What is left?

She is there, beside him. Her hand is pressed upon his and he can feel her. She is the anchor, the mistress that shall bind him. She adds hers to his, delivers herself unto him. The storm is building, the rage is gathering and the clouds are burning. The face a name she knows. A whisper in his ear the only sound above the screaming.

I shall have him take him he shall be here and now. Find the space the place where wild things die and the light is safe where the power resides and the people obey.