Page 6 of Loved to Death

He stumbled down the front steps and fell into the dirt, looking wildly around, disoriented again. The crickets were chirping, an owl hooted in the trees, the stars and moon were in the sky, and a couple of bats were flying overhead, but he could see it all as clearly as noon on an overcast day.

Samuel arrived at the doorway and brought the rifle to his shoulder again.

Thomas got to his feet and ran. He ran, and ran, until he could see the town up ahead. He stopped dead in his tracks and put a hand to his chest. There was no heaving or gasping for breath, and no rapid heartbeat. He was still breathing just as steadily as if he were sitting down to dinner. Frowning, he held his breath. Several moments later, nothing had changed. There was no struggle to continue holding his breath, no light-headedness, no trouble maintaining brain function, and no heartbeat that he could detect. He purposely started breathing again and nothing changed.

AmI dead? What did that demon woman do to me? Turn me into some un-living monstrosity?He needed a looking glass to inspect the wound on his neck. Sarah had one in her dresser. But he couldn’t just stride into Rusty’s Saloon and ask to see her. What if the townsfolk reacted to him the same way his family had? He couldn’t imagine Jeffrey or Sarah being so cruel, but Rusty and most of the other people he knew would happily run him out of town, or worse, burn him at the stake. He’d have to be careful.

As silently as possible, he walked behind the buildings to Rusty’s. He knew which window was Sarah’s and started tossing pebbles at the shutters every few seconds, hoping she was in there. Almost an hour later, the shutters were pushed open and Sarah leaned out. She scanned the ground below.

He stepped closer to the building and called out softly, “Sarah?”

“Thomas?” She put a hand over her mouth. “Everyone said you’d been murdered.”

“Not murdered, injured. I’m okay now, but no one else can know I’m alive. Can you bring me your looking glass? I need to check the injury on my neck.”

“Rusty doesn’t let me go outside after dark. Afraid someone will take me without paying. I can send Jeffrey.”

Thomas nodded. “Thank you.”

She closed the shutters, and Thomas stepped back into the shadows in case someone else came outside.

Less than ten minutes later, Jeffrey came around the side of the building holding a lantern in one hand and the little mirror in the other.

“Thomas?”

“Here.”

Jeffrey held the light up and once they locked eyes, Jeffrey’s chin started to quiver. “They told us you were dead.”

“I’m sorry.” Thomas held a hand out, needing to comfort.

Jeffrey glanced around, set the lantern down, and walked into the darkness to take the offered hand.

When they touched, Jeffrey gasped and pulled his hand back. “You’re deathly cold.”

Frowning, Thomas held out his free hand. “The looking glass.”

Jeffrey handed it over. “Not sure you’ll be able to see anything here in the dark.” Jeffrey tentatively reached for Thomas’ free hand and held it between both of his, rubbing slightly. “You must be freezing.”

Thomas held up the mirror. He swallowed and watched the muscles moving where skin should have been. A wave of nausea hit him, and he handed the mirror back. “Take it.”

“What happened? Why are you so cold? Sarah says you’re injured.” Jeffrey pocketed the mirror and pressed his entire body against Thomas, wrapping his arms around the taller man.

Very suddenly, Thomas caught the scent of sunshine warming a grassy meadow in the late summer. He followed his nose and soon found his face buried in Jeffrey’s hair. “You smell so good,” he muttered.

“I smell normal, but you could seriously use a wash.” Jeffrey chuckled and tried to lean back, but Thomas tightened his grip.

Jeffrey tilted his head back to look up at Thomas. “I have to get back to work.”

Thomas nodded absently but couldn’t tear his eyes away from Jeffrey’s throat. He leaned in to kiss the neck that he’d kissed many times before. As soon as his lips touched the skin, he needed to kiss, nibble, taste, bite,consume.

There was an unusual pressure in his upper gums and then liquid ecstasy started pouring down his throat.

The intense pleasure of a quickly building orgasm started in his throat, moved to his chest, stomach, and extremities. With each swallow, the heat built and made him desperate for more so that the growing pleasure could come to a satisfying crescendo of exploding waves. His source of pleasure made noise and tried to move away. He gripped tighter and sank his teeth further in. He drank faster, needing that release. But before he could achieve it, the liquid ecstasy slowed to a trickle. He sucked harder, but it soon stopped all together and the building pleasure receded, leaving him frustrated. An inhuman growl rattled the air and he realized that it had come from him.

Chapter Three

Thomas’ eyebrows furrowed.What was I doing?He lifted his head, wiped his sleeve across his damp mouth, and looked down at the limp body in his arms.

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