Morningstar: The Malaise - 34. Chapter 34 True Colors

Morningstar: The Malaise

Chapter 34

Walking home from Miss Sybil’s hand in hand, Kellar was lost in thought. The idea of his mate facing any kind of danger did not sit well; in fact it was screwing with both his head and instincts. What choice did they have? There was no way Tobyn would let him search Reznick out alone, just like he wouldn’t allow the reverse. No, their course was set. Shutting the camp down for a concerted hunt wouldn’t be a good idea. Aside from the obvious need to service the bustling marina, the garage, and highway store clientele, a move like that could alert the hunter he had somehow been identified.

They absolutely could not tip their hand. Having a bunch of wolves roaming the forests en masse would certainly spook the experienced hunter, and through sheer numbers alone, he’d be bound to pick off a few of them. It was something Kellar didn’t want to even think about. Even if his silver didn’t pulse, the man still had eyes and ears. Most importantly, though, was the fact they couldn’t afford to miss another chance at him; possibly the last chance where the tables had been turned in their favor.

By virtue of their now heightened senses, it fell to Kellar and Tobyn to rid Morningstar of such a deadly threat. It was one they’d already dealt with firsthand. Never in a million years would he have envisioned falling into this kind of role, but these people had become his family, and losing even one of them was unacceptable.

Tobyn’s voice brought him out of his reverie. “When are we going to do this… start our search for Reznick?”

“Oh, ah… I was thinking just before daybreak would be best. I can’t see him moving around pack lands in the dark. I would expect he’d look for running trails and set his traps in the most opportune spots, and then he’ll wait. I’m sure hunters are experts at reading sign.”

“Near the traps? Are you sure? Won’t he be worried a shifter will smell him?” Tobyn stopped to face Kellar.

“No, I’m not sure. I’m not sure about anything, but think about it, babe. Hunters probably haven’t come across any strong noses like ours in a long time, and I only recently was able to penetrate the elk scent. You were able to as well, when that cougar was near old Reznick’s corpse, after we started the joining. It’s their tried and true method, and he has no reason to doubt it will continue to mask his smell. My guess is, like his uncle, he’ll be somewhere close by until nighttime, waiting to feel the silver pulse. The traps are there more for when they aren’t around, but the scent is to draw us in to investigate. Maybe I’m wrong, but I see him in a blind ready to shoot anyone who avoids getting caught in their jaws. If he doesn’t know he’s been detected, he’s not going to worry about shooting a gun off, because it’s a common occurrence in every woods in Northern Ontario. Make sense?”

“Babe, huh? It’s becoming a thing.” Tobyn beamed his approval. “And yeah, it does make sense, but won’t he be doing that right now? Why are we waiting until morning?”

“My guess is he’s scoping out the area. I’m not worried about tonight because we’re all on high alert, and no one has seen him as yet… not since Warren’s encounter. None of us are going to venture out for a run after the warnings.”

“So, you think he’s found a spot to hide his truck?”

“He might have picked out a place, but I doubt he’ll park there… not until he’s ready to hunt. This guy is an expert, and that wouldn’t be smart.” Kellar saw the skepticism in Tobyn’s expression. “Remember what your mom said about him probably recognizing the camp name as a pack one?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I think your mother is one-hundred-per-cent right. We can’t underestimate how perceptive he’ll be. He found a shifter, saw the name, and knows he’s found a new hunting ground.” Kellar hated seeing the jerk of his mate’s shoulders at his words.

“Tobyn, these guys haven’t taken out hundreds of shifters each by being rash. My guess is he’s holed up well away from here, and after some rest, he’ll do his thing. It’ll be getting dark in four hours, and they don’t have our eyesight.

“Besides, I doubt he’d want a big fire going at night, and we know that’s how they dispose of bodies. He’d want to be able to see anyone coming if it drew attention. Tomorrow, when he’s lying in wait, we’ll be stalking him. His advantage is gone, and we have our noses and our hearing, and as long as the other members stay out of the woods, we should be able to locate him.”

“Okay, but I thought we were going to try to figure out where he’d hide his truck and check it out; see if we’re right? Wasn’t that the plan?”

“Yes, but we’ve narrowed it down to the most probable place being somewhere on the south end of the property near the river, and I’ve been thinking.”

“Of course you have.” Tobyn genuinely smiled for the first time in their conversation. He’d taken the mention of burning bodies well from what Kellar could see. “What did you come up with, doc?”

Kellar grinned back, pleased to see his mate relax a little. “That I don’t want us to confront him anywhere near his vehicle if it turns out I’m wrong and he is on pack lands already. I don’t want to spook him or give him any chance to get away.”

“God, you are always ahead of me. I wish I had your mind; you constantly have all the answers.”

“Tobyn.” Kellar sighed. His mate’s faith in him was good and bad. “You know this isn’t going to be easy no matter how we do it, right? I mean, these guys are deadly accomplished at this, and I’m just a healer who works in a fabrication plant. All I’m doing is speculating, and everything I’m saying could be completely off base.”

“Yes, but you have a methodical mind, and you haven’t been wrong yet… not about anything. So what now?”

“First, we go home and change into some jeans because it’s getting cooler out. Then we go to the lodge, tell your mom our plans, and wait for her to get over freaking out about her baby boy,” he said with a knowing smirk. “Then we eat and go home to sleep. We’ll need to beat Reznick out into the woods tomorrow.”

“What about checking on the kids to see whether they cause silver to pulse?”

“I’ll text Warren. He should be off work anytime now.”

The lodge was jam-packed when they walked in. The buzz of conversation petered out as they walked through the dining room toward Elinor and Denver’s table. Kellar was pleased to see the glints of copper here and there, but hoped Elinor would stress they must be completely hidden from view outside the immediate compound.

The chatter picked up again as greetings were called out to them both. Kellar flickered, just for the pleasure of watching their energy dust do its thing. As they reached their table, the front door opened and Warren, Adelin, and Tilly walked in. Still flickered, Kellar noticed an increase of mist from the new pair. They were well on their way in their joining. It was nice to see the attention his brother got from the appreciative members. Warren was a bright shade of red when he finally made it to the table with Adelin walking proudly at his side. The change in the girl since meeting her mate was a joy to behold.

“Dude, you were right about the kids not setting off the silver. I tried with Bertram and Rina, and there was nothing.”

“See,” Tobyn said. “You haven’t been wrong yet. It’s great to know shifter kids are naturally protected, and always have been.”

“That is good to know,” Elinor agreed. “We never have to worry about hunters recognizing them when they are out and about. So, we’ve been discussing what sort of action to take. What would you boys be thinking we should do about our unwelcome visitor?”

They all took their seats, and Tobyn looked around the table before settling on his mother. “Kellar and I are going out in the early hours to track him down.”

“All by yourselves?!” Elinor questioned, her voice showing anxious alarm. “Why on earth would you want to do that? No. There’s no way I can allow such a thing, Toby; not you two alone. I have to insist it be a group who goes after such a dangerous man. Ingram and Maynard have already rounded up some volunteers. You’ll need some firepower against this hunter, and a few wolves as back up.” Elinor spoke with determined authority.

“Mom, please!” Tobyn whispered fiercely. “Just listen to what we have to say. We’re not going off half-cocked. Kellar has put a lot of thought into this, and I agree with him. We have the best noses and ears in the pack outside of maybe you and Denver, and we’ve already faced a hunter. If a bunch of us go running through the woods, we’ll spook him, and if he gets away, we’ll never be able to let our guard down again. Is that what you want? Not to mention, if he sees a shifter’s wolf, which you know he won’t mistake for feral, we’re screwed. He won’t feel a pulse from the silver, and that’ll tell him we’ve figured out a way to protect ourselves, and there goes our new advantage. We don’t want to do this, we have to.”

“No, Toby, of course I don’t want him to get away, but sending only two of you after him makes no sense. Denver and I can go with you at least.”

“With all due respect, Elinor, the less of us the better, and as a pack leader, you’re needed here. Denver needs to be at the garage, and the store and marina need to continue operating because everything should appear normal. This could take days to go down. If Reznick gets tipped off in any way, or he gets away because of a blunder, it’s possible he could bring in reinforcements. What’s that word they use in warfare where it’s more like hit and run fighting?”

“Guerilla,” Denver answered. “They make good points, my love. I’m sure as hell willing to go after this guy, but I can see where less is more against the slimy bastard, and you know both of our noses, as much as they’ve improved, still go in and out, so we really would be a risk to the boys if we went. I would love to rip his throat out, but with an experienced hunter, a stealthy approach—guerilla warfare—seems like the best way to do it. These two do make quite a team; they’ve proved that already.” His words were soft as he attempted to soothe his mate, but Elinor was still stewing.

“Bro, what about me? I want to help. Could I do anything?”

“Thanks, Warren, but you’re not a wolf. Tobyn and I can be so quiet, he’ll never hear us, and since he won’t be able to sense us either, we should be able to find him and get close. Don’t worry… we’ll be fine. Our senses are reliable.”

“I know, but…,” Warren breathed out. “I guess there’s no sense mentioning my eight years of boy scouts training?”

Kellar smiled and then chuckled. “If we need a fire built, we’ll give you a call.”

“Hey, I was really good at tracking, and I know how to use firearms. My buddies and I used to target practice way out in the woods at our old house. I was a damn good shot, I’ll have you know.”

“So, that’s what those gunshots were?”

“Yeah, but don’t tell Mom,” he said with a wink.

Kellar’s belly laugh made an appearance before he answered. “No worries there.”

Their little exchange served to lighten the tense mood, even Elinor’s, and they all settled down to eat.

Walking home, Kellar felt Tobyn’s overall relief. He’d only pecked at his food during dinner. After they’d eaten it had got a little tense again, but with more discussion, the pack leader accepted, rather reluctantly, their plan to go out without backup. Warren’s last words before they parted ways outside, still echoed in Kellar’s head. He’d told him to watch his back because he didn’t want to lose his only brother now that they’d really found each other. ‘I need you, man.’ Warren had said that! Life was indeed strange.

“That went off the rails a few times, didn’t it?”

“Yeah, for sure it did. I kind of expected it, though, from your mom anyway. She’s terrified for you.”

“I know, and I get it. Thank God for Denver because he was the voice of reason. Are we doing the best thing?”

Kellar stopped walking, pulling Tobyn close as he looked him in the eye. “I have my own doubts. If you aren’t comfortable with this, we’ll come up with something else. If I’m wrong….”

“Stop. You’re never wrong, and I don’t want you to feel pressure by me saying that. I trust you. I understand the risks; so do you, and we both know the element of surprise is our best chance. I understand there are no guarantees, but I guess I was just looking for some reassurance after that discussion. Did you see Tilly’s tears?”

Kellar drew back a little. “She didn’t say too much with words, but she said a lot when she cried. She’s scared; everyone is, and that’s what hunters do to us. It’s why we have to go after him while we can. Morningstar is only now starting to leave the fear behind, and we don’t ever want to go back to our isolated ways. We need this win for all of us.”

“Always looking at the big picture, aren’t you? Let’s get home. We’ll worry about this in the morning. I don’t want to think about it anymore today.”

“I’m with you on that, babe.”

“Babe again, eh? I like it.”

“Well, it was that or cupcake,” Kellar said with a teasing grin.

Tobyn laughed. “And, once again, you weren’t wrong.”

Kellar was ready to call it a night, but his mind was whirling. It was endearing Tobyn thought him infallible, but he sure as hell didn’t feel that way. There was so much at stake tomorrow, and truth be told, he was frightened. He had little fear for himself, but he had plenty for Tobyn. So many things could go wrong. This hunter they were going to try to kill—a mental shudder went through him—this hunter would be one hell of a challenge. He could feel it in his bones. Doubts were difficult to keep at bay.

His brain told him they had two options. Proceed with the plan and go out alone, or backtrack, and enlist some help. It would be so much easier if they could just call the police, but they had no choice other than resorting to ‘frontier justice.’ If he removed emotion from the equation, their plan, while filled with some big unknowns, was the best one given their time restraints. Stealth—guerilla warfare—was what the situation required, and the pack had no swat team. Just a pair of earth mates with heightened senses. Sighing, he looked to the closed bathroom door. What was taking Tobyn so long? Kellar needed his mate’s presence to calm him down.

As if the man heard his thoughts, the door opened and Tobyn stood in a halo of steam. All thoughts of tomorrow stopped cold as Kellar took in the silhouette of his mate while he briskly rubbed his body dry. Kellar’s throat ended up dry too.

“Are you stewing?”

“What? Yeah. No, not anymore. Would you hurry up and get over here? I miss you.”

Tobyn snickered. “You just keep on trying to boss me around and maybe one day it’ll work.”

“Please. You’ve been in there forever. How much drier do you need to be?”

“I’m coming.” Tobyn hung his towel on the hook behind the door and headed for the bed. “This is pretty early to be going to bed.”

“I know, but we need to be up at around four or so. I want out there well before Reznick does his thing.”

“Are you back to stewing again?”

Kellar watched as his mate climbed over him and straddled his waist. “No, definitely not. My attention has been diverted,” he said as his eyes roamed Tobyn’s still-damp body. His hands were drawn like magnets to the glistening skin.

“Your blood flow’s been diverted too. He’s wide awake now.” Tobyn emphasized his words with a squirm and a slide back and forth. Leaning forward, he reached under and pulled his mate’s cock out so it was resting between his ass cheeks.

Kellar’s breath caught and held at the unexpected move. “What did you expect,” he said with a whimper, resisting mightily the urge to thrust. When Tobyn moved his body back for closer contact with the upright column, Kellar groaned. “Move up so I can taste you.”

Tobyn stayed where he was, moving almost imperceptibly, but enough to end Kellar’s resistance. His hips humped of their own accord, and Tobyn smiled shyly. “I’m ready, mountain man.”

Kellar stilled, his eyes moving from Tobyn’s hardness to his face. “Ready? Do you mean… oh, God,” he hissed out as Tobyn’s ass pushed against his cock again. “Ready for what?” Kellar needed to hear it, and watched as his mate’s hand moved out of sight as if in slow motion.

“Ready for this.” His hand pushed Kellar’s erection against his crack, and he proceeded to rise and fall against it. He stopped with his upper body lifted and stayed there, the big cockhead poised at his entrance. “Are you ready?”

Kellar needed water badly. He struggled to produce some saliva so he could speak… or croak was more like it. “Are you sure you want to do this now?” He cleared his throat of what felt like dust. “I thought you wanted to do this at the cabin, where we met, and you know, all that stuff you said?” He was having trouble thinking with his dick in the position it was.

Tobyn settled again, taking some of the exquisite pressure away as he did. “I did want that, but I’m adapting.” He grinned impishly before becoming serious. “I realize it doesn’t matter where we do it. This, our home, is a perfect place to create a memory, and there’s no reason to wait. I want to feel you inside me. I want to make love and complete the joining. Don’t you?”

“Oh, hell yeah. That was so fucking romantic,” he said with a huge smile. “Wait. Is some of this about the joining making us stronger for tomorrow? Would you still be ready if we weren’t going out to face a hunter?”

Tobyn didn’t answer. Instead he leaned forward until his lips were firmly planted against his mate’s. The kiss escalated from soft to crushing, and Tobyn claimed his lover’s tongue, nursing it. When he finally gave it back and pulled away, Kellar’s mouth came with him, intent on lengthening the union. Tobyn giggled into the attentive, demanding cavern. “I need to breathe, man.”

“Breathing’s over-rated,” Kellar panted out in a raspy voice. “So I take it that was your answer to my question?” He took note of the pool of pre-cum that had been left on his abdomen.

“When we were in the office, and I realized there was no way we could leave for the cabin, I was surprised how disappointed I was. Yes, I admit making you—I mean us—stronger for tomorrow plays a part, but I want this more than anything. Okay?”

“Works for me.” Kellar’s hands slid up the sides of a still-damp torso, and with no warning, flipped Tobyn onto his back, laying himself prone on the startled man. “I love you. Are you sure you want to be the one to go first?”

Tobyn nodded, pulling Kellar’s face back down and mashing their lips together in a kiss that revealed a new hunger. “I want you to take me, doc. I know it won’t be easy, but I’m ready… I want this, and I’m all prepared.”

Kellar murmured into Tobyn’s bared neck. “So that’s what took you so damn long in there?” He felt the affirmative nod as he nibbled his way to collarbone, and then on to Tobyn’s Adam’s apple.

“You just have to….”

“I know what to do.” He looked down into smoldering eyes. Tobyn appeared different; needy, yet so completely trusting, and Kellar swallowed at the impact it had on him. “Ah… lube… do we have…?”

Tobyn took one of the hands caressing Kellar’s back and pointed to the side table. “In there.” When Kellar went to take his mate’s now familiar cock into his mouth, Tobyn stopped him. “Don’t. Just the thought of you fucking me has me so close. I don’t know how long I can hold off.”

“I’m not going to go fast, babe. I’ve read enough to know this can’t be hurried. I’m on a hair trigger too, but if we blow, we blow.”

“Good choice of words, and I know you’re right, but don’t touch my dick. You’re too damn hot for your own good,” he said, smiling shyly as he let his legs fall outwards.

The beauty of what lay before him froze Kellar temporarily. Seeing his mate so open, so exposed, was unbelievably powerful. He ran his hands up the back of golden-haired thighs, coaxing them to pull closer to his mate’s chest. They went willingly. His exposed center lay before Kellar, and the intimacy of it thrilled him beyond measure.

Moving his head forward, his tongue slid out to flick at this new prize, and he was instantly immersed in new sensations; not all of them were physical. Being overwhelmed with the beauty before him didn’t prevent him from claiming this offering. Tobyn’s first appreciative utterance set him off and his tongue began a dance it seemed to instinctively know.

Kellar couldn’t have said how much time passed before his mate uttered 'more,' but knew he was forever addicted to this astonishing new part of lovemaking. The taste, texture and sounds from his mate were all branded into his brain.

The lube was in his hand and he didn’t remember even grabbing it. Kneeling between Tobyn’s legs, he watched the man writhing ever so slightly, his head thrown back in what Kellar suspected was a combination of anticipation and pure lust. His coated fingers seemed already educated in what he needed to do, and by the entrance of the third, he was worried his own cock might spontaneously explode. This was passion wrapped in a desire he never could have imagined, and when Tobyn began pushing back on his combined fingers with abandon, he knew it was time.

“Are you ready, babe?”

“God, yes. I never knew….”

“Me, neither; this is going to hurt.”

“I don’t care. I want you so bad. Please, just do it.”

The tone in that plea spoke to Kellar on some new level and he moved forward, aiming his almost painful hardness at his partner’s hole. He advanced, ever so slowly exerting as much pressure as he dared, and waited. Nothing happened. There was no giving way. Dammit. His dick was too fucking big, and he found himself wishing he could shrink it.

“Push harder. You have to push harder, doc.”

Kellar wanted nothing more than to make this beautiful man happy, but he wasn’t comfortable pushing with any more pressure than he was. “I’m sorry, babe. It’s not going to go, and I don’t want to tear you… shit… I’m sorry, but I think I’m too thick.”

Tobyn leaned slightly up and looked into Kellar’s stricken face. “If you apologise again, I’m going to pinch your nipple off.” His words were accompanied with a little grin as he took Kellar’s cheeks in hand. “You’ve already taken me somewhere fucking amazing, and we can do this. You’re a challenging man, Kellar Haylan, but you’re worth whatever it takes.”

Kellar relaxed as he stared into the face still flushed with a sexual glow. “What are we going to do?”

“We’re going to switch positions.”

“You’re going to turn around? Do you think that will work?”

“Maybe, but that’s not what I had in mind. You’re going to lay on your back, and I’m going to be in control. I know you don’t want to hurt me, but I’m the stubborn one, remember? I’ll decide what I can handle.”

“But, I don’t want you to….”

“Shush, mountain man, and get on your back. You have one horny mate here, and I wouldn’t argue if I were you.” He gave Kellar a look that said he really was in control.

Kellar chuckled. “You talked me into it.” He spun around and laid on the king-size bed, his erection hovering over his belly at the ready. Tobyn wasted no time applying more lube to them both, but Kellar appreciated that he didn’t handle his cock more than necessary. He was captivated by the sight of the blond man moving into position over him. They locked eyes as Tobyn placed the hefty instrument at his opening and sighed. Concentration took over his expression as he lowered his body.

Kellar watched the golden-haired man poised on his cockhead for what seemed an eternity, but the resistance was still there. Slowly, intense pain revealed itself in Tobyn’s eyes and the set of his mouth, but his determination showed through it. Knowing he wasn’t going to give up stirred something in Kellar, and without thought he sent a trickle of healing energy through the fingertips resting on his lover’s thighs.

The result was shockingly immediate, and the spectacular body opened to welcome him inside. When Tobyn slid a couple of inches down and froze, Kellar stopped the trickle. He hadn’t been prepared for how incredible this felt, and he had to grit his teeth as he fought back the rising threat of ejaculation. He breathed a sigh of relief as he succeeded for the moment.

He was inside his handsome mate, and the previous agony had cleared from his face. Why hadn’t he thought of trickling before? Because Tobyn wouldn’t have wanted you to, dummy. He decided then and there, through the astounding waves of pleasure, he would keep what he did a secret. His mate, while still in the same spot, radiated proud satisfaction.

“Oh, fuck. You feel so good. I told you we could do this,” Tobyn said, a smug smile spreading across a very flushed face.

“Is it… are you really okay?”

“Look at my dick,” he said with a bit of a whimper. “Does that answer your question?”

Now that it was brought to his attention, the answer was indeed obvious. Tobyn’s cock was pointing up again, and leaking; really leaking. But he still hadn’t moved any further down.

“So there’s no pain?”

“Oh fuck yeah, there is, but it’s the best kind. No pain, no gain,” he said, looking happy. “Don’t worry, doc. I’m just getting used to sitting on this telephone pole of yours. Ahhh, there… I’m… oh, I’m good.” Tobyn let himself drop, and this time it was a torturously slow but steady slide. His eyes widened when he reached bottom, but his expression had become purely sexual again. He shuddered, and stalled briefly as he sat fully impaled, but soon lifted a couple of inches, gasping as he did. His eyes closed and his head rolled back as he began a rhythm of very short ups and downs.

Kellar was in heaven. It was like being milked in a velvet grip, and the love he felt for the man doing it flooded his whole being. Tobyn was magnificent. Every muscle stood out on the sweat-slicked man as he rode Kellar with controlled power. Kellar’s earlier concerns left as he watched his mate rise higher and higher, plunging down farther each time. The sensations were almost too much to bear, and he felt his balls begin to pull up. At the same time, his mouth began to feel different… strange, and his tongue found itself scraping against lengthened, needle-like wolf teeth.

His eyes moved up to his mate’s. “My teeth, they’re….”

“Mine too,” Tobyn gasped out, still riding Kellar’s cock ferociously. "I’m going to come, doc, I’m going to come.”

Kellar reached up and pulled Tobyn’s head toward him. “Bite me. I need you to bite me… taste my blood… please.”

“This is about making love… not… not joining. I don’t want… oh fuck….”

“Tobyn,” he cried out sharply. “Our wolves want this, and they deserve it… do it… please, just do it.” Kellar felt the immediate nip and the lick at the same time he felt the first clamping on his cock. His nose nuzzled his mate and he was rewarded with a bared neck offered. The slightest nip, and blood flooded his mouth and his senses. His cock erupted inside his mate as clamp after clamp from Tobyn’s orgasm matched his spurts. He hadn’t knowingly flickered, but colors swirled around them in a dance he’d never witnessed before. Every sense was being fed in the most fulfilling way possible. His whole body felt like it was in a delicious burn, his fingertips bursting with energy, and his hearing picked up the music of their hearts pounding out a song of their union.

His mate was now sitting and grinding slowly… sensually… on his pulsing cock. Kellar watched him through a riotous parade of colors, and the wonder present on that handsome face matched what he felt. Jesus Christ. Nobody could ever properly describe the joining. It defied words. The profoundness of it wasn’t just sexual. It was emotional and spiritual to go with a chemical reaction of the physical. The earth mother had truly outdone herself.

“Is this what you see?” Tobyn’s words broke through the haze of ebbing coital bliss. “Kellar? These colors are all around us? Is this what you see?” He twisted as if to look behind him, and moaned at the change in position of the still rigid cock. Kellar understood because he felt the new clamping coincide with his own jolt of pleasure. Another blob of semen spurted out of the cock in front of him. And even though his mind was struggling to comprehend what Tobyn had said, he caught and consumed the coveted fluid.

“You… you see the colors?”

“Yes, I see them. Kellar, I never imagined something like this. They are so beautiful.”

He couldn’t help it. After the emotion of their incredible consummation, tears filled his eyes to overflowing, and water ran down his cheeks to the already damp bed.

Tobyn leaned forward when a few sobs escaped. “What’s wrong?”

Kellar swiped away tears that renewed immediately. A few more sobs shook his body, and Tobyn’s orgasmic-like sounds at the movement helped him regroup. “Sorry. Do you want me to pull out now?”

“Don’t you dare; don’t even think about it. I might just stay like this forever. Now tell me why you’re crying.”

“Can you still see them? The colors?”

“Yes, but they’re fading. My seeing colors is the reason?”

“Yes.” Another orgasmic aftershock hit him, rendering him speechless for a few seconds. “I know it’s silly, but all the times I’ve ever explained what I see, I’ve always felt like it sounded crazy. As far as I know, no one else sees them but me… until now. You have no idea what it means to me; that someone else in this world shares this. I’m not the only freak." A hand rubbed the remaining wetness from his face.

“I warned you before about calling yourself a freak, but I get it. I understand why it would mean so much to you. It means a lot to me too. It’s a pretty amazing thing you get to enjoy.”

“And now you can share it with me.” Kellar felt an incredible lightness as it sunk in.

“Kellar, they’re gone now. I can’t see them at all anymore.”

“That’s okay. Just picture them and they’ll come back.”

Tobyn looked around him, and Kellar could see the concentration on his face. “No, they aren’t coming back. Are they supposed to slowly fade away like they did?”

“Um, they never have for me. They turn on and off, but they never fade. I don’t understand.”

“I think I do. I think the joining let me share all of you in the final moment. It’s complete now. Can you feel it?”

“For sure. There’s a calmness in me I’ve never felt before, and I feel like I know you… am connected to you at, I don’t know… a cellular level?”

“Damn, you’re good at explaining stuff. That’s exactly the way I feel, and yeah, that calmness.”

“Maybe the colors will come back?”

“Maybe, but even if they don’t, I’ve seen them, and I’ll never forget them. Isn’t that the important thing here? The earth mother let me share that part of you, and I am so thankful. I’ve always wondered what it looked like, and now it’s imprinted on my memory. No description could have ever done it justice.”

Kellar’s initial disappointment let up as he thought about his mate’s words, and he coaxed him to lean forward. They both groaned, sighed, and mourned the loss as Kellar’s semi-flaccid cock slipped from Tobyn’s body. Arms wrapped and lips met as Tobyn stretched out his legs with another, but dissimilar sound of protest, and soon they were joined front-to-front in an entirely different way. Neither man moved or talked as they held on to each other. Supreme contentment washed over Kellar. He was one with his mate. Thank you, Earth Mother, for leading me to Tobyn. You have given me my heart.