"Here's a dollar what do you want it for?" Josh mumbled.
"Don't you ever, ever say, anything so dangerous ever again. The dollars is for paying me off to take your words to my ashes. Damn it Josh! Don't you know many of our kind worry about you becoming insane? They perceive you as a threat because you can trot out in the sunshine. Hell, you can easily expose me to the sun. Henri too. And take Pete away from us if you wanted to."
"I'm not like that!!" Josh protested
"Beat Michael up if you want to through you'd be foolish to try it. At night Michael is a million times more powerful than you. We're jealous of power. All of us are."
"You too?"
A little bit. But not so badly I would like to see a child of Damion's and Daniel's dead. Much as I gripe about Damion I do care about him and Daniel. I even care about that huge piece of tragic mincemeat Les. Night walkers have the capacity to care for someone. A stupid flaw."
"If you care about Pete tell me what Michael did to him."
"If Michael hurt Pete don't you think my fist would have been the first to impact against Michael's puss a long time ago? Michael has been honorable in all of this."
"All of what? I know Michael makes Pete uneasy. I thought it was because he felt bad about breaking up with Michael! What really happened between them. I have to know."
"No, you don't," Christov said angrily regretting his stupid disclosure of Pete's past.
"Josh what are you doing here?" Thomas asked.
Josh spun around. Thomas' movie star face had no no surprise on it. "I knew you were on our team," he laughed.
"Not really," Josh said, flashing him a dangerous smile "I'm taking my no good cousin out to see the sights."
"Charmed," Christov said.
"This is my buddy Ricky," Thomas said, already unsteady on his feet,. He gestured to a handsome young man. "They found a guy in the back passed out."
"Is he all right?" Josh asked, knowing it was his cigar chewing buddy.
"I guess so they're walking him around to sober him up. I guess his buddies taking him home. So Josh you're here to get piss faced drunk too, or are you here to dance?"
"Let's dance," Josh said getting off his stool. Thrusting his hands in a surprised Thomas' back pockets, Josh thrust the boy forward, flexing his hips into his groin. Swaying passionately to the music Josh sang, "Did you do it for love, did you do it for money, did you it because you felt you had to honey? Time will tell if our love is a strong one. It's a strong one."
Christov smirked putting his finger down his throat pretending to gag.
Josh went into heavy duty flirt mode. Teasing all the boys and men in the bar, laughing and singing songs with the leather masters and slaves, having in all around infectious good time.
Guess what?" Josh whispered to Christov
"I'm afraid to ask" Christov whispered back.
"I still want him."
"Of course you do," Christov said sardonically.
"No, I mean I still love him. It doesn't matter what Pete did with Michael. Why did you sell Pete? Christov tell me the truth did you try to pimp Pete to other men besides Michael, to women?' Josh begged.
Putting his hand to his stinging face, his ears ringing, Josh got off the floor.
Christov's fist hurt from slapping Josh silly. "I'm leaving," Christov said coolly, "You ever try to suggest I," Christov's face reddened, "Damn me, and damn you. And God damn especially Bianca for putting Pete on the Devil's road. God damn all of us. It's up to Pete if he wants to see you! But I personally never want you around him again."
"Wait Christov," Josh yelled trying to follow him out, "Some thing happened What was it? Did you? We're you and Pete ever? Did you want to? Did you try?"
"If I had the power of fire you would be such ashes right now! Christov growled, rubbing his forehead.
"It all makes sense to me now. You sold Pete to Michael because you're in love with Pete. You don't believe in love. So you sold him to prove to yourself you don't love him Michael did something horrible. So you took Pete back and now you're keeping him away from me because he loves me. And you can't stand the idea of Pete falling in love with anyone but yourself."
"I'm in love with Pete! You stupid ass if I'm in love with anyone I'm in love with!" Christov stopped talking. Horrified he slammed his mouth shut, he yelled, "OH MY GOD!"
Falling to the floor laughing his head off, Christov giggled hysterically "I'm in love with Pete. Right."
Springing up to his feet in a fury, putting his finger into Josh's face, Christov yelled "Don't you ever pull any of that psycho babble on me again. I sold Pete because I wanted him to have a good home. I'm whore. What kind of home could I give to a middle class kid like Pete? If it wasn't for Henri I have no idea how I could have kept Pete after he left Michael. Henri made me see the both of us could provide the family Pete needed. Yes, I love Pete, but I never had one sexual thought in my head about him. He's my kid more or less. You sick bastard I worry about him!"
"Who are you in love with!!" Josh demanded,
Christov went silent. "I, I," his words struggled to come out. "I love you Josh!" he whispered, throwing his arms around him, "Oh Josh, It's always been you!! From the moment we first met I loved you. Why do really think I've been trying to keep Pete away from you? It's all because I love you. Kiss me. Make mad passionate love to me I'm your toy Josh. Please."
"You, you what? No, it can't be. You love me?" Josh said his mouth wide open.
"Are you nuts?" Christov smirked "Josh I don't love Pete or you in that kind of way. Pete is not mature enough to be in a relationship with boy his own age. Not a long term relationship I think Pete's a child. He'll never grow out of being a child His maturity level is arrested since his death. Pete needs someone more mature than you for a lover. Grow up in ten or more years and we'll talk. Later. You know I'm right!"
I think your wrong, Josh worried, watching him leave, wondering if Christov was right Worried if Pete lied to him because he didn't love him enough to trust him.
"I didn't tell Pete about the days I lived on the street when I was fifteen, I told him the truth about everything else about by past. Wasn't it because I felt damaged, not good enough for Pete if he knew the truth? That's how Pete feels. I have to assure him whatever happened between himself and Michael doesn't matter. It's obvious Pete doesn't feel he's worthy of me. That's why he refuses to go all the way. My poor Pete. We have to talk about this. Put it behinds us.
"Josh, Josh," Thomas said, breathing in his face, "Wake up! I'm going to a party. Want to come with me?" Thomas said, drunkenly snuggling up against him.
"Sure why not," Josh said, wanting to think about how he was going to approach Pete about his worries, needing another little drink
Leaving The Cell block, Josh hailed a cab for Thomas and himself.
"Where's your friend?" Josh said as the car drove down the street.
"Little Ricky hooked up with a leather tool."
"That is so not what I'm into," Josh laughed, still troubled about Pete. His hunger drawing him to he party.
"Well have to find your scene," Thomas said, merrily getting into the car, stroking Josh's leg. The intimacy of Thomas' touch made Josh's head spin.
Ending up at a duplex pent house he and Thomas went inside.
"Look, we have to pay twenty dollars at the door," Thomas said.
"I thought this was a party of friends of yours."
Nope. I found out about this place on the net. I had to send my buck ass naked picture to the host to be eligible to be invited. Only twenty something year olds are allowed. Only beautiful twenty something people."
"I haven't been approved of. I better not go," Josh said backing away.
"You'll get in easy. I'll tell them your my date."
Entering into the house Josh and Thomas were cheerfully greeted by a ravishingly built "Chelsea Boy" type. A young muscled up pretty queen.
"Hey boys," the queen chirped, taking their money, "Check your clothes here. The dress code is underwear only."
"You got got be kidding," Josh whispered.
Taking Josh into the dressing room, Thomas took off his clothing showing off his tight ass in a pair of cheery red thong underwear. His cock hung heavily in the thong.
"You're buff," Josh said weakly , striping off his own clubbing clothes, his hands itching to take a try of Thomas' lanky butt cheeks. "I can't go in there," Josh moaned, utterly naked, "I'm not wearing underwear. I'm so underdressed. There is no way I'm going out there like this!"
tbc