Here is chp 24. Hope you enjoy it.
JMH
trandar2002@yahoo.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/adultwritingworkshop/
When the blindfold was removed from his eyes Falcon could not hide his brief second of terror on finding himself back in Thomas `playroom'... especially since it was now he who was strapped to the table.
"I see you recognize the place. "Gerick voice boomed.
Falcon struggled to free himself but he was bound tight. "I notice you have not redecorated."
"Nor will I ever... this room shall remain a monument to what Thomas and I had together."
"How you broke and twisted that poor man's soul."
"I reshaped him... improved him... made him stronger... is that not what you tried to do when you would beat your son black and blue?"
"He needed to learn how to protect himself." Falcon said defensively. "It is the responsibility of a Protector to teach him that."
"And all I was doing was teaching Thomas how to both take and give pain. For is not the world filled with pain?"
"All that boy wanted was you to love him as much as he loved you."
"And I did love him... just as I will come to love you."
"Do your worse."
"Very well." Gerick agreed.
Falcon steeled himself for the whips he thought was coming but they never came. Instead he felt only a small pain of a needle in his left arm. "What did you just do?" Falcon demanded even as he felt his head begin to cloud.
"Nothing that would harm you... in fact you will soon be feeling better than you have in your entire life I wager."
"Why?"
"Why? Why would I use pain to break a Protector who has already suffered the ultimate loss... the death of the woman he was to protect. No... no form of torture I could come up with would get you to help me return Joshua to his original body. As a result I have decided to take the opposite approach... to give you pleasure. To that end you will be receiving daily doses of heroin... I know that might sound barbaric...even a little primitive... but I am sure it will have its effect. You will quickly become addicted... dependent on your daily dose... dependent on me. Yes deep down you will continue to hate me... hate me for what I am doing to you but in the end I will take what I want... your total and complete trust... just as you took it from Thomas. Once I have it I won't kill you... though you will wish that I had. I will cast your soul into the Void and leave it there to be everywhere and nowhere for all time. I will then use your body like a puppet to gain Joshua's trust and return his soul to its proper vessel."
"Joshua would never fall for such a trick." Falcon said.
"You're right... I can't fool Joshua but that's the beauty of it, Joshua will fool himself. He will want to believe his father has come back for him so badly he will ignore his own self doubt. That is why I am not even bothering to look for Joshua at this time. So long as the interdiction around Aquarius remains intact I will know where he is when the time comes. Admit it Falcon... I've already won," Gerick said as he left the dungeon.
"You will never get Joshua!" Falcon shouted. "You will never get him. I'll... I'll get out of here. You'll see."
Even as the drug sent him into the clouds Falcon felt nothing but despair.
When Joshua awoke, it was to the pain of an empty bed... no Falcon, no Brail, no Austin or Thomas... no one at all. Needing to find someone... even if it was just for a hug, he left the bedroom to find Matt asleep on the sofa, another man was busy cooking in the kitchen while a third was reading a newspaper.
On seeing Joshua enter the red headed man reading the newspaper folded it up into a neat pile on the bar and walked over to him. "Good morning sir."
"Good morning." Joshua blushed.
"I am Clive and will be your butler... if there is anything you need or want just ask."
"Morning sir... how would you like your eggs?" The man whom Joshua assumed had to be the cook asked. He had black hair and olive skin.
"Scrabbled." Joshua replied.
"That's Miguel... if you ever get hungry just ask for him." Clive explained.
"Thank you Clive."
"Shall I get you the newspaper and a cup of coffee?" Clive asked.
"You can get him the cup of coffee but I would not bother with the newspaper." Matt's voice came from the sofa.
"Sir?" Clive asked questioning.
"Coffee would be fine." Joshua nodded, hurt by Matt's comment.
While breakfast was being made Joshua went searching for his clothes but could not find them.
"May I help you find something sir?" Clive asked after Joshua and paced around the room three times."
"My clothes... where are they?" Joshua asked.
"Forgive me sir...I sent them to be washed. Shall I lay out a fresh set of clothes for you?"
"He doesn't have any other clothes." Matt spoke up as he raised two objects into the air. "All he has on him is a load of cash and these."
"All of the basics!" Miguel laughed when he saw the dildo and bottle of lube Matt was holding up.
"If you will excuse me." Clive bowed, leaving Joshua, going to the sofa and lifting up Matt by his ear. He then escorted him outside. "Want to tell me why you are pulling this shit!" Joshua heard Clive's voice shout... all the gentleness gone from it.
"Clive what's your problem... you and I have been making fun of the guests since we were kids."
"There is a difference between laughing at their foibles and insulting them. Are you trying to cost me my job?"
"Dad won't fire you." Matt said confidently.
"What if the guest complains?"
"So what... my dad says he's my cousin but you know what I think... I think he's nothing but an illiterate whore my dad is trying to hide from my mother."
"That's enough. Consider yourself relieved."
"But..."
"I'm going to tell your father everything I have witnessed... including your accusations. Tidal will have your hide and this time I am not going to save you.
"Fine! I guess you too are fucking my dad."
That was the end of the conversation for few second's later Clive walked back inside... not a hair out of place. "I'm sorry you had to hear that sir. Matt can be difficult at times."
"But what he said was true... I am an illiterate fool."
"You must have had a hard life. I saw the scars on your back but did not want to ask you an awkward question you might not want to answer but may I know how you got them?."
"It's ok... I got them in the mines... the foreman would beat me because of whom my father was."
"Did he not get in trouble for that?
"Why would he... I was a slave."
"But there is no slavery... at least not in the Assembly of Worlds." Clive asked confused.
"I'm from what you call a dark world."
"Really?" Miguel said, his mouth open wide.
"Yes... the planet Wor."
"The planet that Tidal's brother and sister were sent to." Clive nodded. "So you really are Matt's cousin."
"Yes... Falcon is my father."
"Amazing... proves what a fool Matt is. He thinks I'm fucking his father. Well he's got that totally wrong."
"So you are not sleeping with him." Miguel laughed.
"Well since we are being honest right now... I am actually... only that it is Tidal who's fucking me." Clive grinned.
"I knew it!" Miguel shouted.
"Oh come on... everyone knows that the only way to become a butler here is to sleep with the boss."
"But is not Tidal married?" Joshua asked confused.
"And unhappily so. He would have left Jessica years ago if it were not for the fact he still compares every guy he sleeps with to his brother. That is why Matt thinks his father is a bottom... because Falcon never let Tidal fuck him."
"I see..." Joshua blushed.
"Anyway... Matt and I have been friends for what seems like forever... it helped having the same birthday and all."
"You and Matt have the same birthday?" Joshua asked with raised eyebrows.
"Born within three minutes of each other."
Joshua did not understand all he had heard but he did know that Matt was a birth kin... which meant that Clive could be one too. Hoping that it would turn out better this time, Joshua took hold of Clive's hand...felt the jolt... and moved directly in for the kiss. He was not prepared however for Clive to be faster then him, resulting in their heads colliding.
"Ouch!" Clive shouted as he took hold of his head. "That didn't turn out the way we wanted."
"I know..." Joshua agreed.
"What were you two doing... it looked like..." Miguel laughed.
Clive, now recovered gave Joshua an impish look. "How long till breakfast will be ready?"
"It's ready now." Miguel replied. Pointing to the prepared plates to Clive's disappointment
Clive was still for a moment as if he were deep in thought Then he made his way toward the bedroom peered in, gave Joshua another wink and then said; "Well I don't think I will have time for breakfast today... this bedroom needs a lot of work," before he went back inside and closed the door.
"Sorry," Joshua said as he picked up a piece of bacon from his plate.
After Miguel watched Joshua eat for almost a minute he could not hold back his laughter any longer. "Man... you must really be clueless. Don't you know what Clive is doing?"
"He's cleaning the bedroom," Joshua replied sincerely.
"No man... by now he's stripped down to nothing, spread across the bed, wondering what is taking you so long. I'm starting to wonder the same myself."
"Oh..." Joshua blushed as he stood up. "I think I will finish breakfast latter."
"You do that," Miguel grinned.
On opening the bedroom door, Joshua saw that Miguel had been correct... Clive was spread out on the bed, his sex erect while his face had a impatient look to it. "Get in here and close the door." Clive ordered.
Joshua, letting his boxers fall to the floor, had a wide grin on his face. It was a long time before he finished his breakfast.