Baile Siochanta (Southern Vampire Mysteries)

Chapter 17 - The Way

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There were moments when it was as if they were back in those days when Claude had truly loved Breandan. His cousin was playful one moment, demanding the next. He pressed Breandan so hard they barely slept for two days. There were restraints and games. Claude took away Breandan's phone and ordered him to remain unclothed.

It was on the second day Claude slipped. He growled that he wanted to wipe away any memory of the mongrel's time here and it killed it for Breandan.

"That's why it had to be here, isn't it?" Breandan stilled beneath Claude's hands. "Because you're jealous. This isn't about you and me at all, it's about Sookie."

"That's not so!" Claude protested, but from that point on, it was just another encounter between consenting beings. They were getting what they each wanted, but Breandan no longer felt that deep connection to Claude, not in the way he felt when he was with Sookie. Instead of erasing her memory, every motion and movement seemed to bring her more fully to mind.

On the morning of the third day, Breandan heard his phone chime. He fished it from Claude's pants pocket. There was a text from Preston Pardloe, so he answered it, but before he could browse through the rest of his messages, Claude was on him, taking his phone, and demanding his attention by fastening his mouth around Breandan's morning erection. The play became rougher and by evening, Breandan was ready to go home.

He heard his phone chime again. "Oh, no!" Claude scolded. "We're not doing that again!" and he tried to head Breandan off.

"People will be wondering," Breandan growled. "I haven't checked in with anyone."

"You checked in with the hotel this morning," Claude pouted. "Isn't that enough?" and then Claude's eyes narrowed, "Or maybe it's because you didn't check in with her?"

"You forget yourself!" Breandan snapped, and then the phone chimed a second time and rolled into the buzz of an actual call. "Give it to me!" Breandan demanded. He thought for a moment that Claude would try to play some form of keep away with him, but his cousin must have seen his rising anger because he tossed the phone, purposely making it awkward to catch.

"Baby!" Breandan hissed again. It was his Father and with a sigh, Breandan connected.

"Where the fuck are you?" It was shocking. Rogan could be abrupt, but he was rarely profane.

"On a trip, I told you..." Breandan started to explain.

"Well, it doesn't look like a trip to me, not with where your phone locator has paced you," his father snarled. "Get your ass back here right now."

"To Slievemore?" Breandan asked. "You're there? What happened?"

"I don't explain anything over phones," Rogan snarled and the line disconnected.

Claude watched Breandan pack with sullen eyes. "I bet this is about her," he pouted.

"She has a name," Breandan shook his head. He stilled, looking out the window toward the sea, "I don't think we'll be doing this again for a long time, Claude."

"What are you talking about?" and Claude started to look wary.

"I don't think this is right for me anymore," Breandan told him.

"And why do you feel that way? What is 'right' for you? That thing?" and Claude's voice started to rise. "She can't give you what I can! What is she? A creature, not even one of us!"