The following is a complete work of fiction. Any resemblance between the characters and any real life person is completely coincidental. Please do not copy or distribute the story without the author's permission.
Disclaimer: The following story may contain erotic situations between consenting adults. If it is illegal for you to read this please leave now.
If you enjoy this story please check out my other stories, City Of Dreams and Center Stage. They can be found under the Adult Friends section in the Nifty Archive or at my Yahoo! Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GryffindorCorner or you can send me an email at Gryffindor6698@aol.com Please remember to include something about the story in the subject line.
"It is for us to pray not for tasks equal to our powers, but for powers equal to our tasks, to go forward with a great desire forever beating at the door of our hearts as we travel toward our distant goal."
~Helen Keller
Kristen's sigh was the only sound heard in the darkened room. She reached out with her mind and a frown creased her face. She had been looking for any type of activity in Mat's mind, but she couldn't find anything. It had been five days since the incident in the reading room. Neither Kristen nor Joe had any idea of what was going on. That scared her. They were always on top of everything, and this unexpected situation rattled them both to the core. Mat was in some type of comatose state. His vital signs and brain activity were completely normal, but she couldn't pick up anything else. Kristen tried contacting him numerous times in the past five days, but she hasn't had any luck whatsoever.
"Any luck yet Kristen?" She jumped at the sound. Joe stood in the doorway. Kristen shook her head. "It appears that we are going to have to wait for Mat to come out of this on his own. I've checked with the staff. It seems that everyone heard it."
Kristen's eyes bulged with shock. Just before Mat passed out she heard him yell out to her telepathically. It was just one word. HELP. She still couldn't get the sound of his voice out of her head. It had been filled with complete terror. It wasn't a shock that the other six people in the room heard it as well because the thought was sent out with a force that nearly knocked her off of her feet. What was shocking was that Joe just confirmed that the rest of the people in The Manor heard Mat as well. There was three hundred and sixty nine people currently residing here, and all of them heard it.
No one exceeded Kristen in telepathic abilities. Joe came very, very close, but she was by far the strongest psi-human in that talent. It appeared though that Mat surpassed even her power. To be able to broadcast a thought to that many people at once was impressive. A thought suddenly occurred to her.
"Joe," Kristen began. "What if Mat's body is suffering from exhaustion? He just received his power and sent out a major telepathic broadcast. I know that when I broadcast to a group of people I sometimes feel drained, but to send out a thought to that many people..." Her voice trailed off.
"You may be onto something Kristen." Joe said thoughtfully as he tapped a finger to his lips. "Logically that sounds like the best answer. It had to take a tremendous amount of strength to send out a thought to that many people, but that would contradict everything we know Kristen. The psi-gene is supposed to buffer the body from things like this. Our only concern is how long will he stay in this coma? We can worry about why he was in afterwards."
Kristen and Joe both sighed in unison as they looked over at Mat. How long would it take?
The darkness swirled around him not allowing him to see anything. Mat did not know where he was. He could feel himself moving, but yet saw nothing. It felt like he had been lost in this darkness forever. Mat remembered what happened in the reading room, and what he heard before passing out still confused him.
'What in the fuck is a mage?' He thought. 'And what the hell is the fifth power? Kristen and Joe said there were only four powers.'
'Mortals know little of what the universe holds.'
The voice echoed through the endless darkness.
"Who is there?" Mat called out. "Where am I? What the fuck is going on?"
'Calm yourself.' The mysterious voice answered in his head. 'There is no need to speak. Answer with your mind.'
'Who are you?' Mat thought. He was definitely scared. It was one thing to be drifting along in darkness with only his thoughts, but to start hearing voices? He felt like he was going crazy.
'You are not going crazy. You may call me Gaia' The voice answered.
'Gaia.' Mat thought. 'As in the spirit of the earth?'
'Yes if that helps to ease your mind. I have many names, but unfortunately time does not permit that discussion right now. I have something to share with you Mateo.'
'How do you know my name?' Mat asked. His initial fear had begun to wane. He felt safe, but he couldn't understand why.
'I am the protector of the past, present, and future. You have been given a great gift Mateo, and an even greater destiny. Never before has mankind seen the power that was bestowed to your soul. The fourth was the greatest, but now the fifth exceeds even that.'
'What exactly is a mage? Why was I given this gift?' Mat asked.
'You have many questions, but there is not enough time. I can only tell you one important thing before you must go back. You have been given the fifth power, but it still lies dormant within your soul. It shall remain that way until you find the key.'
'Key?' Mat asked anxiously. 'What is the key?'
'The fifth power shall be released when you find the missing piece of your soul because only then will you have the strength to wield it and the courage to do so. Trust in your heart and do not be afraid. It is time for you to return Mateo. You will not remember any of this, but I will be helping you along the way. Keep an open mind and an open heart to find the key. He is waiting. Destiny awaits you Mateo.'
Before Mat could respond he felt the darkness surge and swell around him. A brilliant light suddenly burst forth from the darkness. It rushed towards him at breakneck speed. He felt a warmness flood his body as the light engulfed him.
Mat stirred gently in his bed. His eyes slowly drifted open. The room was filled a soft light that spilled in through the curtains. Mat was unable to stifle the huge yawn the erupted from him. His body still felt exhausted. He glanced around the room curiously. How did he get here? The last thing he could remember was the voice in the reading room. A soft snore came from somewhere on Mat's right side. He turned to his head to find out where the sound was coming from.
Devlin was sprawled out on the other bed in the room. Obviously his suitemates had moved in. Mat's eyes drifted around the room and he saw that there were no suitcases anywhere. The right side of the room was now filled with things.
'How long was I unconscious?' Mat wondered. 'It must have been for at least a day for Devlin to unpack all of his things.'
Mat assumed that the twins took the other bedroom. He had a feeling that would happen. Anything that he had ever read about twins described the bond that they share. Mat wasn't sure how he felt about sharing a room with someone. He had never had to share one before. His eyes roamed over to look at Devlin again. A sheet covered the lower half of his body. Devlin's upper body was exposed and he was bare-chested. The light from the windows caressed over the exposed skin and gave it a healthy glow.
Mat yawned and gently eased himself out of bed. He tried to be as quiet as possible so he wouldn't wake up his roommate. Mat entered the bathroom and went through his morning routine on autopilot. His morning shower washed away the lethargic feeling he was having. He took his time as he dried off. Mat wrapped the towel around his waist and headed back into the bedroom.
"Welcome back."
Mat hadn't expected Devlin to be awake, and the sound of his voice startled Mat. He spun around to find Devlin sitting up in bed and was gazing at him curiously.
"Jesus!" Mat exclaimed. "You scared the hell out of me!"
"Sorry about that." Devlin replied. "I guess you hadn't noticed I was sitting up."
"No problem." Mat said. "I'm just not used to rooming with someone. So I was surprised to hear you talking. I didn't wake you up did I? I tried to be as quiet as I could."
"You did wake me up, but it wasn't your fault." Devlin said with a grin. Mat's face was a mask of confusion. "I'm a second power, a Telpath. Normally I'm a very sound sleeper, but I used my abilities to wake me up once you woke up. I didn't say anything right away because I didn't want to frighten you, and besides, I have no clue if you're a morning person or not."
Devlin had a deep, smooth voice, and his laughter was infectious. It was only a matter of seconds before a wide grin appeared on Mat's face.
'Maybe having a roommate won't be as bad as I first thought.' Mat thought.
Devlin stood up and stretched. Mat turned to say something to him, but the sight before him stopped him. Devlin was clad in a pair of tight black boxer briefs. The briefs showed off the man's beautiful ass. Mat had heard the term bubble butt before, but he never knew what it exactly meant until now. A blush crept over Mat's face and he quickly turned away. He forgot that people didn't know him here and he had to be careful. Not everyone would be as accepting about him as his family had been. He didn't want to have any problems in his new home. He glanced quickly over his shoulder. Devlin left the bathroom door open, and he was bent over the sink. His entire lower body was visible. Mat sighed and ran his hand through his hair. Living with Devlin was definitely going to be a major exercise in restraint.
Devlin and Matt were just finishing up getting dressed when the bedroom door slammed open against the wall. Two figures leapt in the room, but it was impossible to tell what they looked like. The air around the figures seemed thick and it shifted around them. They looked like two giant blurs. Mat grabbed Devlin and pushed the man behind him.
'Stay behind me and don't move.' Mat sent to Devlin.
Before Devlin was able to protest the two figures lunged towards them. Mat's hands shot up in front of him and the figures were thrown backwards against the wall. Mat's hands clenched into fists and turned his hands sideways. The things were held against the wall and were unable to move. Suddenly the air stopped shifting around the figures to reveal the Maresh brothers. Mat's hands fell to his sides and they tumbled to the floor.
"What the hell were you two thinking?" Mat bellowed. "You scared the fuck out of me. I could have killed you both."
Gideon and Galen looked up at him.
"How were you able to knock us back against the wall?" They asked in unison. "No one's ever been able to stop us."
Mat opened his mouth to answer, but it snapped back shut. He had no idea what he did. Everything was reflex. It was like he had been doing it his entire life. All three of them were looking at him expectantly.
"I...I don't know." Mat stammered. "It just kind of happened. I'm really not sure what I did."
"Don't worry about that. It happened with us as well but god damn Mat. That was fucking awesome." Galen said. "You did just receive your powers. It will be a little while until you understand them and have full control over them. You're not pissed off are you?" Mat and Devlin exchanged a look and then shook their heads at the twins. "Good. We thought it might be fun to scare you, but of course now we know not do try that again."
"We're heading down for breakfast. Unless of course you still plan on kicking our asses?" Gideon added with a smile. "We'll save you two some seats."
"Thanks." Mat replied with a smile. "We'll be down as soon as we finished getting dressed."
The twins nodded and headed out the door. Mat turned around to talk to Devlin about what happened, but he was not there. He could hear water running in the bathroom and figured Devlin was just finishing up. After a few moments the water stopped running and Devlin came out of the bathroom. Just as Mat was about to say something to him, Devlin walked passed him without even looking at him.
"Hey!" Mat called out at Devlin's retreating back. "Wait a minute Devlin!"
Mat hurried into the living room area and was able to catch Devlin by the arm. Devlin spun around and knocked Mat's hand off of him. He crossed his arms and glared at Mat.
"What is wrong with you?" Mat asked.
"I'm not a child." Devlin said with a cold tone to his voice. "I'm quite capable of handling things myself. I've been working with my powers longer than you have, and I didn't appreciate that scene back there. You might be a higher power than I am, but I know more than you right now. You had no right to treat me like that."
Without another word Devlin turned and left the room. Mat was flabbergasted. He didn't mean to do that to Devlin on purpose. It was just a gut instinct. Somehow Mat knew that he could handle the situation, and he didn't want the younger man to get hurt. Devlin keep an eye out for Mat when he was out of it, and Mat just wanted to return the favor. He would have to be careful. Mat didn't want to cause any more trouble for anyone else. He waited a few moments to make sure Devlin got a good head start, and then Mat headed down to breakfast himself. It was going to be a long day.
Mat really wanted to talk to Devlin at breakfast, but that was an impossible feat. Joe and Kristen bombarded him with question after question. He wished he could give them more information, but he didn't remember anything after hearing the voice in the reading room. It was bad enough that they were talking about the reading room's announcement, but then Gideon and Galen mentioned what happened in their room this morning.
"I'm glad to see that your powers are starting to manifest Mat." Kristen said in an excited voice. "The fifth power is a complete mystery to us. It's going to be very exciting to see what exactly it entails."
Mat wanted to be excited, but he just couldn't do it. The problem he had with Devlin was weighing heavily on his mind. The others in the group obviously picked up on it as well because the four of them looked back and forth between him and Devlin a few times throughout breakfast. Mat realized they must have been picking up on the tension with either their telepathic or empathic abilities. In one brief moment Devlin's eyes met with his. Mat took a chance.
'Devlin...' Mat sent out to him. 'I'm really sorry about this morning. It was just a reaction. I never meant to act like you couldn't handle yourself. It was just instinct. I hope you understand.'
Mat gauged Devlin's face for any type of reaction. He thought that maybe he messed up because Devlin didn't respond. After a moment, which seemed to take forever to Mat, Devlin's hand raised slightly. He flashed his hand palm out, and then made a fist and flashed the back of his hand at Mat. Mat looked at him questioningly.
'No worries Mat.' Devlin's voice said in his head. "Five by five man.'
The men made eye contact again and they exchanged smiles. Mat immediately realized what TV show he pulled the saying from. Buffy was one of his favorite shows, and he was glad that they shared a common interest. Mat enjoyed the rest of his breakfast. His appetite returned and he dug into the food that he had gotten. After everyone was done eating Kristen announced to that it was time for classes. There was a collective groan from the table. One by one all of their chairs pulled back from the table. All eyes turned towards Kristen.
"Let's go." Kristen said with a mirthful smile.
Kristen led them through The Manor towards the classroom they would be using most of the time. The only power that was practiced outdoors was the conjuring of lightening. Everything else could be safely practiced within The Manor itself. The group was surprised when they saw the inside of the classroom. Everyone was expecting your typical classroom environment, but this was completely different. It looked more like someone's living room. There were couches and chairs spread throughout the room. There was a stack of different sized pillows in one corner.
"Everyone take a seat please." Kristen said as she motioned them all to sit down. "The training that you will be given here will be extremely important. The only way your powers will be useful to you is if you have complete control over them. This will come in time, and it will require a great deal of concentration at first. After you have gained control of your powers they will become second nature to you. Everyone has difficulty mastering every aspect of their powers. So please don't allow yourselves to get too frustrated. You should also try to get to know the other people in this room as best as you can because you will be spending a lot of time together. The more comfortable you are with each other, the more you trust each other the better. The atmosphere of the classes will be very informal and I won't be assigning any homework." She paused for a second as the group cheered. "However I do expect all of you to be practicing and working on your powers as much as possible."
"Won't we exhaust ourselves if you are constantly using our powers?" Gabriella asked.
"You could become exhausted." Kristen replied. "Though it won't be from using your powers. The psi-gene gives our bodies a natural buffer from our powers. The only way you would become exhausted is if you don't take care of yourselves, and since you all look pretty healthy and fit to me I don't think there will be any problems there." Kristen looked at Mat. She saw the curious expression on his face. She continued on quickly.
"We are going to start with something simple today. We'll be working on telepathy. I want you all to pair off and try to hold a conversation with each other. We'll switch on and off with different partners. After that we'll try and have a group discussion. All you need to do is concentrate on the person and your thoughts should transmit automatically. I know most of you can do this so please just take the time to get to know one another."
For the next few hours the group took time talking with each other and getting to know everyone better. Mat was always uncomfortable around new people, but it was different with these people. Everyone was nice, and Mat found himself relaxing and enjoying the time. The group activity at the end went well. Everyone was able to get the hang of talking to a group after a few moments. To Mat's surprise he was taking to his powers like a duck to water.
The only thing that concerned Mat was something Kristen had said before. If use of the psi-powers wouldn't exhaust you, then why did he pass out?
Later that evening Mat found himself lounging in the suite's living room with his three roommates. He was soon able to tell the Maresh brothers apart. Gideon's hair was longer than Galen's. Mat was grateful for the small difference because otherwise it would have been impossible for him to tell them apart.
"So how old are you two?" Gideon asked Mat and Devlin. "Galen and I turned twenty..."
"Back in May." Galen said finishing the sentence.
"I turned twenty one a few days ago on August 17th." Mat replied. "Can I ask you two a question?" He continued after the twins nodded their heads. "I don't want this to sound rude, but why is that you two always finish each other sentences. I thought it was a twin thing, but Gabrielle and Isabella don't do that."
"Well..." Galen began after exchanging a look with his twin. "Almost every pair of twins we have ever met finished each other sentences. I get the feeling that those two aren't very happy having a twin."
"A few times tonight I could feel something going between the two of them." Gideon added. "But there were so too many people there for me to pick up on exactly what it was. I do get the feeling though they aren't very fond of each other. It happens sometimes with twins. Sometimes one, or even both, will start to resent the other. Some people are just too independent and they don't like having to share."
Mat nodded his head thoughtfully. That would make sense.
"So Devlin," Gideon said. "How old are you? You've been pretty quiet."
Everyone turned and looked at Devlin. His eyes were focused on Mat.
"It's kind of funny actually." Devlin said with a smile. "I just turned twenty one as well, on the 17th."
"Are you serious?" Mat asked. "You don't look that old at all! I would have put you somewhere around eighteen, nineteen tops."
Mat couldn't believe that Devlin was the same age as him. No wonder why he got upset about the incident in their room this morning. Mat did kind of treat him like a child and it turned out they were the same age. Mat realized that everyone was looking at him curiously.
"What?" He asked. Mat looked down at his waist. "Is my fly open or something?"
Everyone laughed.
"Did you even realize what date Devlin's birthday was Mat?" Galen asked.
Mat thought back for a moment to what Devlin said. It suddenly hit him.
"We have the same birthday?" He asked in shock. Devlin nodded his head and was laughing his ass off. "Ok. I admit I was a bit slow on the uptake, but I was more surprised that you were the same age as me. I didn't click in my head that we were exactly the same age."
"I just realized something." Gideon said. "We technically have three sets of twins in our group. Two sets through birth, and one through fate it seems."
"That is odd isn't it?" Devlin added. "I wonder if they planned it that way. I would say that it was probably due to power levels, but everyone here is stronger than I am. You guys," He pointed at Gideon and Galen. "Are in the third power, the girls are fourth powers, and Mat. Well Mat seems to be special. I wonder what exactly the fifth power holds."
Everyone's gaze focused on Mat. Their scrutiny made him feel a bit uncomfortable. He wasn't uncomfortable about being a fifth power, that wasn't the case at all. Mat was uncomfortable because even he did not know what exactly having the fifth power meant. He thought that his actions this morning reflected his powers, but Kristen told him that everything that happened fell with in the third power. She said he used telekinetic abilities to pin the twins to the wall.
"As soon as I figure out what it means you three will be the first to know." Mat said with a smile. Galen sensed Mat's discomfort and decided to change the subject.
"So is everyone single here?" Galen asked. Gideon gave his brother a death stare. Galen responded by sticking out his tongue.
"No girls in my life right now damn it." Devlin said with a sigh.
"Nothing for me either." Mat added. "I haven't had a steady girlfriend since high school."
"You that unlucky buddy?" Devlin asked with a grin.
Mat took a deep breath. He could either just tell the truth or go along with the game. He figured he might as well get it over it.
"Not unlucky Devlin." Mat said with a nervous grin. "Just not interested in girls anymore."
"You're gay?" Gideon asked.
All eyes turned to look at Mat. He nodded his head.
"You'll fit right in with my brother then." Galen said. He turned and looked at Devlin. "Looks like it just you and me on girl watch buddy."
"You're gay Gideon?" Mat asked. Gideon nodded his head.
"Just so everyone knows it won't bother me at all." Devlin said with a grin. His hand lazily rubbed up under his shirt exposing some of his tight, muscular stomach. "At least I know there are two people who will wash my back for me if I'm feeling lazy."
"That's not the only thing that would get washed." Mat and Gideon said together.
Everyone cracked up with laughter. They spent the rest of the evening talking and enjoying each other's company. The four of them were quickly becoming good friends. As the evening progressed Mat was happy he decided to come here. Things were definitely looking up.
The next few weeks were interesting to say the least. Their classes got more and more intense. Mat was happy that his powers seemed to be developing well. He still wasn't exactly sure what his supposed fifth power was, but it was clearly evident that it made him stronger in the other four powers. Kristen finally told him about how he broadcasted his thought to everyone in The Manor weeks before.
He surprised everyone the other day when they were practicing the telekinetic aspect of their powers. Kristen was explaining the difficulty of manipulating more than one object at once. They practiced it one at a time. When it was Mat's turn to try and lift the two pillows off the floor he must have concentrated too hard because everything in the room lifted up off the floor.
The four men had quickly all become fast friends. They hung out together most of the time. There were times though that the twins went off and did their own thing, leaving Mat and Devlin alone. Mat really enjoyed hanging out with Devlin. He realized in the back of his mind that there was a strong attraction growing towards Devlin, but he refused to allow himself to think about it. Though he couldn't seem to stop himself from checking the man out. Sharing a room with Devlin proved to make the situation even harder to handle, with no pun intended. Every morning Mat got a glimpse of Devlin's practically naked body.
Devlin had the hard, muscular body that genetics definitely played a part in, but it was obvious that he worked out as well. The muscle definition on his chest was phenomenal. His quarter-sized nipples stood out on his firm, rock hard pecs. His chest tapered down to what looked like an eight pack of abs and a small, muscular waist.
On the mornings that Mat really allowed himself the indulgence of looking at Devlin he could see that there was a prominent bulge in Devlin's underwear. Devlin's chest as naturally smooth with the exception of a thin treasure trail of hair the started below his belly button and ran down into his underwear. There was a light coating of brown hair that ran down his arms and over his firm, muscular legs.
These thoughts were starting to worry Mat. At first they were just random thoughts, but then the dreams began. There were dreams of Devlin's muscular legs wrapped around his waist. Their bodies pressed together. Their sweat covered chests gliding against each other. Many times Mat dreamed of following that trail of hair on Devlin's stomach to the treasure that surely waited below.
At first Mat just ignored the dreams. He chalked it up to his over active libido, but the more he ignored the dreams the more vivid they became. There had a been a few times now when he woke up in the middle of the night and his underwear was soaked through. The last, and only, wet dream Mat could remember having was back when he was thirteen. He was so confused. When he had that dream he was able to go to his brother and get all the answers he needed. That wasn't an option for him now.
It was in the middle of the night when Mat awoke from another dream, and he just couldn't go back to sleep. He was starting to feel depressed. Mat hadn't been able to get a full night's sleep in about a week. He didn't understand his attraction to Devlin. Mat had never been attracted to men before, but never like this. He felt drawn to Devlin. Mat was also feeling depressed because it felt like he had no one to talk to. Of course Joe and Kristen were there for him, but this felt too personal to talk to them about it. It was during times like this that he wished his mother and brother was still alive.
Mat knew he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep. He quietly got out of bed and sat in one of the window seats in their bedroom. He gazed out into the night sky. It felt like there were a million emotions running through him. Silent tears ran down his cheeks in the moonlight. Mat was startled when he felt a hand run across his bare shoulder.
'Are you ok?' Devlin's voice echoed through his mind.
'I just couldn't sleep.' Mat sent back as he nodded his head soundlessly and quickly tried to dry his face without Devlin noticing.
"That's bullshit. You've been having dreams again haven't you?" Devlin asked out loud.
Mat found out early on that Devlin had very strong empathic powers. Anytime that Mat awoke in the middle of the night it seemed like Devlin was awake as well. He certainly couldn't tell him about the actual dreams he was having. Mat ended up explaining about his family and lied saying that the dreams were about that. At first Mat felt guilty about lying, but it turned out they had something else in common. Devlin didn't have any family either.
His mother died during childbirth and no one knew who his dad was. Devlin was raised in the foster care system. He stayed with some wonderful families, but no one was really looking to adopt children at that time. So Devlin understood Mat's loneliness completely. Devlin's began to massage Mat's shoulders in an attempt to relax his friend. Devlin changed the subject.
"Have you been getting any odd vibes from the girls?" Devlin asked.
Mat thought back to their classes earlier in the day. He had walked past the girls while they were in a heated conversation, and he did feel something resonating from them. The feeling still made his stomach clench.
"Yeah I did." Mat replied. "It felt like they hated each other, and not just a sibling rivalry type of hate either."
"I know what you mean." Devlin said as he continued to massage Mat's shoulders. Mat felt his body begin to relax. "I was afraid to mention it to anyone else in case I was wrong, but I think you're right. It felt like pure hatred. It makes my stomach feel queasy even thinking about it. Though I will have to admit I wouldn't mind having some fun with Gabrielle. She's at nice and friendly most of the time."
"Gabrielle is pretty nice. Isabelle can be such a bitch. How about today when she threw me across the room because she thought I was looking at her funny? I don't even want to imagine what that would feel like to really hate someone that much. Just sensing it is enough to..." Mat's voice broke off and his body shivered.
"You could never hate someone that much." Devlin said.
"How do you know that?" Mat asked. He turned around to face Devlin with a grin. "You think you know me that well?"
"Yeah I do." Devlin didn't smile in return. There was an intense look on his face. "My powers pick up so many things from you, but I can't tell what any of them are. I've never had that happen before. I know this though, you could never hate anyone that much. Don't ask me explain how I know. I just know."
"Thanks." Mat said. "I wish had as much control over my powers as you do. I never know if something will work or not. Fuck I don't even know the extent of my powers."
"I can normally sense a person's psi-strength. It seems to be some type of weird gift that I have, and I don't tell many people about it. Besides Joe and Kristen, you're the only person that knows. Your powers are beyond the limit of anything I've ever felt." Devlin said. He reached out and placed his hand on Mat's bare chest, right above his heart. "Right here. The feeling of power there is so tangible I can almost grab it. You haven't even begun to tap into your potential Mat. I hope to be there when you do though. It's going to be amazing."
The feeling of Devlin's hand on his chest sent Mat's body into overload. The urge to just grab onto this man and hang onto him was becoming overwhelming. A surge of emotion flashed through Mat, and again he couldn't tell what any of them were. Mat flashed a smile at Devlin before he turned and looked out the window again.
"Right now I would just be happy with being able to sleep the whole night through." Mat said with a sigh. "My powers will come eventually, and hopefully sleep will as well." Mat chuckled.
"I have an idea that might help you out." Devlin said. "But you can't freak out on me ok?"
"Ok." Mat replied curiously.
Devlin moved over to Mat's bed and laid down. He pulled the covers over himself and lifted one side while patting the bed. Mat's eyes bulged in shock.
"What are you doing?" He asked.
"You know about my empathic powers." Devlin said. Mat nodded. "Well I could do this from over in my bed, but it will take less strength if I am closer. Now get your scrawny ass over here."
Mat had no idea about what was going on, but figured he might as well indulge Devlin. He wasn't sure if sharing a bed with Devlin was a good idea, but in the back of his mind he realized this might be the only time they would ever share a bed. With a small sigh Mat went over and gently laid down in his bed. Devlin pulled the covers up over them both.
"Please don't freak out on me." Devlin sounded nervous. "You're becoming a good friend to me Mat, and I want to help you out. I don't want you to think I'm messing with your head because I know you're gay, but I think this will help."
Before Mat could respond he felt Devlin's arm snake around his waist. Devlin pulled Mat back until Mat's back was firmly pressed against his chest. Electricity shot through Mat's body as he felt the solid wall of muscle press against him. If he thought just having Devlin's hand on his chest was exciting, then this was going to send him into orbit.
He could feel his body starting to react and he was a second away from getting out of the bed. Suddenly a great sense of calm and safety flooded through his body. Devlin must be projecting the feelings to Mat. Mat's body automatically relaxed back against Devlin's. It was so comfortable lying in Devlin's arms he could feel himself start to fall asleep.
'Thanks.' Mat sent to Devlin.
'What are friends for Mat? Sleep my friend.'
Mat was worried that the dreams would return. He was afraid that he would somehow broadcast his feelings to Devlin while they slept. Mat was unable to worry about anything too long though because sleep overtook him quickly.
Mat awoke alone in his bed the next morning. He was disappointed to find that Devlin was gone, but he thought it was probably for the best. If they woke up together in bed it might cause an uncomfortable situation. Mat was grateful for what Devlin did last night. He had slept very soundly and hadn't had any dreams. Well not any that he could remember anyways. There was a soft knock at the door.
'Come in.' Mat sent out.
The door opened slowly and Gideon's head popped in. His long hair wasn't pulled back this morning. As he stepped into the room Mat saw that he was only wearing a tank top and briefs. He looked sexy as hell.
"Morning Gideon." Mat said as he stretched in bed. "What's up?"
"Nothing. I just wanted to see if you were up." Gideon sat on the edge of Mat's bed. "I should have known you were sleeping in."
"It's Saturday." Mat said as Gideon laughed at him. "There aren't any classes on the weekend so I can sleep in if I want to."
"Did you have problems sleeping last night?" Gideon asked with concern in his voice.
"I did. A little bit. Why?" Mat asked cautiously.
"I couldn't sleep last night either and I was watching TV in the living room. I thought I heard voices in here. Did Devlin help you get back to sleep?" Gideon responded.
Mat was a bit nervous as to where this conversation was going. Mat looked into Gideon's eyes. Mat reached out with his senses and could only feel sincerity coming from him. How he did it was another mystery to him. Hopefully he would be able to get some control over his powers soon.
"Yeah he did." Mat answered. "He sensed that I was having trouble sleeping so he used his empathic ability to help calm me so I could sleep."
"That's cool." Gideon said with a nod of his head. "It's nice to have such a powerful empath in the group. He helped me out the same way a few nights ago."
Mat kept his face as smooth as possible. Devlin did the same thing with Gideon? Mat scorned himself mentally. Of course he would. It's not like Devlin was interested in him. Devlin clearly stated the other night that he was straight. Mat was just fooling himself thinking that Devlin might be interested in him.
"My brother and Devlin have already gone down to breakfast." Gideon said breaking Mat away from his thoughts. "If you're getting up I could wait for you and we could go down to breakfast together."
At that exact moment Mat's stomach let out a huge rumbling noise. They both laughed.
"I guess it's apparent that I'm hungry." Mat said. "Give me a minute and I'll meet you in the living room and we can head down. You might want to put on some more clothes by the way."
"Huh?" Gideon asked. He looked down and a deep blush covered his face. "Sorry about that. I'm so used to it be just me and my brother..."
"It's ok." Mat said interrupting him. "Besides, I have to admit that you're nice to look at." Mat realized what he said the minute it left his mouth. "What I mean is..."
"I know what you mean." Gideon asked with a wicked grin. "You're not that bad on the eyes either Mr. Sanders. I'm going to go get dressed. I'll meet you in the living room. Ok?"
Mat nodded and Gideon gave Mat a bright smile. As Mat was going through his morning routine thoughts of last night ran through his head, the feeling of Devlin's arms around him, how safe and secure he felt in his arms.
'Wait a minute.' Mat thought. 'Was I really feeling that or was Devlin projecting all of that to me? Maybe I'm not attracted to him at all. Maybe the feeling he's sending to me is just making me feel attracted to him. Gideon is pretty cute. He definitely looked sexy standing there in that tank top and briefs.'
That thought wasn't as comforting as Mat hoped it would be. He tried to concentrate on his mental picture of Gideon, but he couldn't. He could still remember the feeling of Devlin massaging his shoulders, and his hand on Mat's chest. Mat remembered the surge of passion that shot through his body at Devlin's touch. His cock was thickening and lengthening just thinking about it. Mat glanced down at the large bugle that now tented the front of his towel.
'I can't kid myself.' He thought. 'I am attracted to Devlin. I'm just going to have to push that aside and get past it. There seems to be a possibility that Gideon might be attracted to me. I need to keep my eyes pealed on that instead of Devlin. I can't be fantasizing about a straight boy. I'll just end up with my heart broken or I'll lose a friend.'
With a sigh Mat got dressed and pushed all thoughts of either man out of his mind. It was giving him a headache. He put on a happy face as he walked into the living room to met Gideon. He had gone from a stress free sleep to a stress filled morning. Mat hoped that as the day went on things would get better. He just had to remember that what he was feeling for Devlin was most likely not real at all. Just some resonance of the broadcasted feelings he was receiving. As they walked down to breakfast and chatted Mat realized Gideon was very intelligent and funny, besides being cuter than hell. There wasn't a thought of Devlin in his head the entire time.
Mat woke up panting and covered in sweat. He was barely able to suppress the scream that threatened to erupt from his mouth. He tried to remember what he was exactly dreaming about, but it was already fading quickly from his mind. Whatever it was though scared the hell out of him. Mat ran a hand through his sweat drenched hair and let a long, quiet sight. This was the second night in a row that he had been plagued with nightmares. He should have taken Devlin up on his offer of help, but he just couldn't do it. To be in bed with Devlin again would be too much. A rustle of moment caught Mat's ear by the window. Mat's body spun around to face it with his arm outstretched. He was prepared to strike.
'MAT, IT'S ME!' Devlin sent out to him in a telepathic yell.
Mat wasn't prepared for the volume that echoed in his head, and the power of it was strong enough that it knocked him off of the bed. Mat tumbled to the floor with his hands clutching his head. The voice still echoed in his skull. He was fearful it would never stop. Finally after a few moments the pain went away. He realized that Devlin was kneeling down next to him shaking him and calling out his name.
"I'm fine!" Mat snapped. "Jesus, Devlin! I thought for a second I was going to go fucking deaf. What's with the psychic scream?"
"I'm so sorry." Devlin said as he helped Mat up. They both sat back down on Mat's bed. "I couldn't sleep. I woke up from the middle of a dead sleep. I don't know how you did it, but you called out to me to me somehow. I heard your voice in my head calling out for help." Mat's eyes bulged. Before he could say anything Devlin continued it. "It scared me. I sprang out of bed and found that you were sound asleep. You started tossing and turning. I wanted to help you, but after you saying no last night and tonight I didn't think it was a good idea. I didn't mean to yell out to you like that, but I saw your hand was outstretched as you spun around. I was afraid you would strike without realizing it was me."
Guilt immediately flooded through Mat's body for snapping at Devlin. He realized that Devlin was right. Mat was still dealing with controlling his powers, and god only knows what Mat might have done if Devlin didn't stop him. Mat wasn't even sure himself what he was planning on doing. Mat's heart broke, as he looked a Devlin. He could see the fear that was on his face, but his mind reached out to see how Devlin was feeling. The magnitude of how fearful Devlin was killed Mat. He didn't want Devlin to be afraid of him.
"I'm sorry Devlin." Mat's voice broke with emotion. "I don't know what's going with me. I can't even remember what these dreams are that keep haunting me, and now tonight I almost hurt you. I would never want to hurt you Devlin. Never."
Devlin reached out to take Mat's hand. Right before they made contact Mat made sure all of his emotions were held in check. Mat discovered that some of his feelings could go undetected if he concentrated hard enough. He didn't want Devlin to sense what was truly in his heart. Devlin gripped Mat's hand in his own.
"I know you'd never hurt me Mat." Devlin said with a calm smile. Mat could sense that Devlin was in fact calm now. "Everything just happened so fast and I couldn't help the fear that flashed through me. I know you sensed it. Forget it. Please. I'm not afraid of you. It's my own damn fault. I should have called out to you as soon as you woke up instead of moving towards you first. I should have realized that you would have been out of it. I could practically sense your dreams from here."
A look of surprise flashed over Mat's face. Devlin could sense his dreams?
"No I can't see what you're dreaming." Devlin said with a chuckle. "I could tell by the look on your face you were thinking that. I can only sense the emotions you were going through. It was intense. Why won't you let me help you? I've helped you before."
"I..." Mat began. "I don't know. I just don't want anyone to get the wrong impression that's all. What if someone walked in and saw us in bed together? I don't want people spreading rumors about you." Mat knew the lie was a bad one even before it left his lips.
"Why are you lying to me?" Devlin asked. Mat pulled his hand away. Mat could sense the hurt that was beginning to form in Devlin and he couldn't stand feeling that. "The only other people that would come into the room are Gideon and Galen. They wouldn't tell anyone. So..." A look of recognition dawned on Devlin's face. "You don't want Gideon to see us in bed. You're afraid that he might see us together, and that will ruin your chances with him. Right?"
"Why would I care if Gideon saw us in bed?" Mat asked. "He knows that you helped me that night."
"You told him?" Devlin asked with shock in his voice. "Why did you tell him that?"
"Why are you freaking out?" Mat was getting frustrated. "Gideon couldn't sleep and was in the living room watching TV. He heard voices and he knew I wasn't sleep that well. Gideon figured out on his own that you helped me. I don't see what the big fucking deal is. It's not like you didn't help him out as well."
"What do you mean?" Devlin asked.
"You know exactly what I mean." Mat threw back at him. "Gideon told me that you helped him sleep once before when he was having trouble. I didn't realize that you had a cuddling thing."
"Green is not a good color for you Mat." Devlin snarled back. "You seem to think you hide your emotions so well, but the jealousy that just shot through you was strong enough to kill a fucking horse. Not that you need to know, but I didn't 'cuddle' up with Gideon. I sent the emotions out to him from my own bed. So what's with the fucking jealousy Mat?"
For a moment Mat didn't know what to think. What the fuck did he mean that he didn't lay in bed with Gideon? Didn't he say that it worked better if he was close to the person?
"There was no jealousy Devlin." Mat said. "Though maybe you'd like to explain why you were able to help Gideon on the other side of the suite, but to help me you had to climb into bed with me?"
"I don't have to take your attitude." Devlin threw over his shoulder as he headed towards the bedroom door.
Before he could get to the door Mat reached out with his mind. The door closed very quickly, but he stopped it from slamming shut. Mat knew that slamming the door would wake up Gideon and Galen. Devlin's hand gripped the knob and tugged at it. He tried a few more times before slowly letting it go.
"Open the fucking door." Devlin said without looking back at Mat.
"No." Mat turned around and gazed out the window. "Not before you hear what I have to say."
Devlin turned around, but didn't leave his position by the door. He didn't say a word, so Mat began.
"I was jealous." Mat sighed. "When I found out that you helped out Gideon I thought it was the same way you helped me. You made such a big deal about it when we were in bed together it made me feel important. Like you cared enough to put everything aside to help me out. I didn't know that you and Gideon weren't in the same room when you helped him. I didn't discuss the details of it with him."
"Why did it bother you that much to think of me being in bed with Gideon?" Devlin quietly asked.
"Because I didn't want to think about you sharing anyone else's bed but mine." Mat replied quietly. "Because I think I may be falling in..."
"Wait a second Mat." Devlin quickly interrupted him. "Before you finish that sentence there is something you should know about Empaths."
"What do you mean?" Mat asked.
"Sometimes when we broadcast feelings," Devlin began as he sat down on his bed. "Some of the Empaths own feelings get mixed in there. It's kind of like a signature. A very powerful Empath would be able to trace the signature back to the original person. The attraction you feel for me isn't real. You're most likely feeling a reflection of my attraction for you."
"Your attraction to me?" Mat asked. Confusion etched in his voice. "But you said you were straight that night we were all hanging out!"
"No I didn't." Devlin said with a large sigh. "If you think back I said there were no girls in my life right now, and that's true. There aren't any girls because I'm gay. I have to get to know people better before I start letting them in. I didn't know any of you that well back then. I know you're gay too Mat but before you say anything else I want you to really think about how you feel. There's a good possibility what you are feeling is just a reflection."
A thousand thoughts were racing through Mat's head. Was it even possible that his attraction for Devlin wasn't real? It sure as hell felt real. If he was confused before then he was mind boggled now.
"That's why you gave me the massage." Mat said quietly. "And that's why you climbed into my bed that night. You just wanted to be close to me?"
Devlin didn't respond. He just nodded his head. Devlin stood up and went towards the door again. Mat had unconsciously let his power go before and didn't have the time to stop him again. "Think about what I said Mat." Devlin said with a sad smile. "We can talk about it again soon." And with that he left the room.
Mat sat down and gazed out the bedroom window. He thought things over time and time again. There was no way his feelings weren't real. The day he woke up from that coma he was checking Devlin out. That night in bed he got hard just from Devlin's touch, and all of that was before Devlin helped him. He had to talk to Devlin first thing tomorrow. Mat had to tell him that he was positive that his feelings were real. Fate had given him a chance, and he wasn't about to let it go.
Mat awoke the next morning to find that Devlin was already gone.
'That is if he even came back last night.' Mat thought.
He rushed through his morning routine. He just had to talk to Devlin as soon as possible. Mat didn't want to waste anymore time. Devlin had to know how he felt. He refused to let anything get in his way. There was one thing that Mat didn't count on. Gabrielle. When he rushed into eat breakfast Gabrielle was already attached to Devlin's hip it seemed. Mat decided he wasn't going to let this little thing get in his way. Gabrielle was a sweet and wonderful person, but she doesn't let anyone get a word in edge wise. Mat would have to rely on his psi-powers. Which didn't seem to always work as he planned.
'Devlin...' Mat sent out.
The response shocked Mat to the core.
'What the fuck do you want asshole?' Devlin's voice snarled in his head.
'What's wrong Devlin?' Mat sent back in shock.
'Don't play games with my mister fifth power. Didn't you realize that once I was out of that room your control over me would be gone? As soon as I hit the living room I realized that you were making me say all of those things because you wanted to get in my pants you piece of shit homo. LEAVE ME ALONE.'
The thought hit Mat like a ton of bricks. The food he had managed to get down so far was all coming back for a repeat visit. He leapt up from the table and rushed to nearest bathroom just in time. What the fuck was going on? There was no way Mat would be able to use his powers like that without knowing it. Right? Suddenly Mat remembered times when his powers seemed to kick in on their own volition. Could Mat have been capable of such a thing? He had to talk to Kristen right away. Mat left the bathroom and ran towards the classroom.
As Mat skidded to a halt in the room he realized he was too late. Everyone was already there. He would have to wait until after classes were done to talk to Kristen. As he sat down Kristen explained that their exercise today would be dealing with mind probing and how to stop it. She explained to them the concentration techniques needed to stop a probe, and the techniques used to probe a mind. They would sit in a circle with one person in the center. One of the people in the circle would attempt to probe the center's mind. It was the center's job to block them and to try and figure out who it was.
Mat was picked to go first. Everyone moved to a cleared spot on the floor and sat down in a circle. Kristen sat down with the class as well. Mat sat in the center and cleared his mind as instructed. He imagined a steel wall forming around his brain. After a few moments of silence he felt something nudging at the wall. Just as he attempted to determine who it was he felt a second nudge on a different side.
'What is going on? Kristen clearly stated it would only be one person probing. Why are there two people trying to get in?" Mat thought.
After a few minutes the two nudges began hammers slamming into the wall. It was difficult to maintain the shield, but Mat held on by the skin of his teeth. Finally after what seemed like forever he heard Kristen calling out to stop. Mat stood up and room began to pitch and sway. Mat's stomach was tied up in knots and felt like he was going to pass out.
Suddenly the door to the classroom slammed shut with a resounding bang. A chill wind whipped through the classroom at cyclone speed. Mat's eyes focused for a moment and he realized that everyone was still sitting in a circle on the floor. All of their eyes, even Kristen's, were filled with fear. Isabella's voice rang out in his mind.
'I can't move! Can anyone else move?' Her voice teetered on the edge of hysteria.
'Everyone remain calm! We need to figure out what is going on here!' Kristen's calm voice echoed through everyone's mind.
'Is Mat doing this?' Galen was the only one brave enough to voice that concern.
'I don't know.' Kristen's voice replied.
It was suddenly difficult for Mat to breath. He had no idea what was going on. Mat's body suddenly lifted from the ground. The wind that was whirling around the room suddenly shifted and flowed around Mat's body. The air pressed his legs together tightly and his arms were stuck to his sides. Kristen was just about to send out another thought to the group when Mat's eyes began to glow. His eyes glowed so brightly you were unable to see his actual eyes at all. Mat's mouth opened, but the voice that came out if it was not Mat's. In fact it sounded like a group of voices speaking.
"The protectors of the earth, the guardians of time Are speaking to you to deliver a sign. Now is the time, Now is the hour You must find the key to unlock the power. The power of Morpheus is beginning to thrive The fate of the world is destined for five. The forces of nature will answer one's plea Other's minds and their dreams one will be able to see. One shall have sight of the future, present and past And one will be given full powers at last. The last one remaining, the last of the five Will be given the power to heal, and the will to survive. Darkness is among you, hidden in plain sight It will kill the fifth and vanquish the light. Six in the beginning, only five will remain LISTEN AND HEAR US, THE FIFTH WILL BE SLAIN. NOW IS THE TIME, NOW IS THE HOUR YOU MUST FIND THE KEY TO UNLOCK THE POWER."
Mat's mouth snapped shut and the glow faded from his eyes. The wind stopped suddenly and his body plummeted to the floor. Kristen was able to reach out and stop him from hitting the ground just in time. She gently laid him on the floor. Everyone jumped up at once. The group was all talking at once. Kristen rushed to Mat's side.
"Kristen what the fuck just happened?" Devlin said to her. "What type of fucking game is Mat playing with us?"
"That wasn't any game Devlin." Kristen said in awe. "You are all lucky. You just witnessed a visitation from The Oracle."
"What do you mean?" Gideon asked.
"I can't get into all of that now. I promise to explain everything later." Kristen began. "First we need to make sure that Mat's ok and tell Joe about the prophecy that The Oracle gave."
"Kristen!" Galen yelled to her. "Mat's hurt."
Kristen's gaze snapped over to Mat. A small trickle of blood ran from the corner of his mouth down to his chin. She was worried about Mat's safety, but one thing plagued at the back of her mind. What key were they referring to?
That is all for chapter two! I'm sorry about the wait everyone! If you enjoy this story please check out my other stories, City Of Dreams and Center Stage. They can be found under the Adult Friends section in the Nifty Archive or at my Yahoo! Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GryffindorCorner or you can send me feedback at Gryffindor6698@aol.com Please remember to include something about the story in the subject line.