AnK - Black Moon Rising

Black Moon Rising

By: ElegantPaws with all due deference to Yoshihara Rieko

Edited by: Ainzfern

Key Pairing: Raoul/Katze

Rating: Mature

Parts: WIP – 36 of 37

Reviews are fuel.


This penultimate chapter is dedicated to Mazarinem for her depiction of Raoul Am, a gift of great feeling, and sensual warmth. You will find the portrait titled “Exactly Two Beats” on DeviantArt As a reviewer I hold dear said, it is all in the eyes in this beautiful depiction. They are alive. I will always cherish it. No greater love as they say...thank you Mazarinem. It is spectacular in its depth.
~~~
ElegantPaws


Chapter 36 of 37 – Sons of the Moons (Post OVA)

They illumined the world those celestial twins in their eternal, silent orbit; mysterious, omnipresent, and wholly indifferent when seen from the vantage of dusk’s gloaming which heralded the rapid fall of night’s somnolent cloak.

Quietly, dispassionately their iridescent silvery beams fell upon Amoi and the sentient beings below, harbouring in their silence a secret privy to a select few. Take for example the entity with gilt exotically tinted eyes looking up contemplatively at their sheen. His smoke perched between pursed well formed lips. Silk clad, albeit rumpled, pale eyes sleep deprived and calm.

Katze yawned and stretched languidly, he had left Raoul snoring peacefully post sensual romp, oblivious to the universe at large, hugging the pillow with an indolent smile, utterly content and sated.

Pale eyes regarded the coming of dawn on the horizon. Its presence subtle, a moderate shift of wavelength is all it was at the moment, barely perceptible to the naked eye but for a pallid blue undulating line in the distance.

Tonight had been different in content. Of limbs fluid of movement and yet urgent in need as they came together, the moment held briefly but felt for an eternity.
A breathy exchange in a kiss, vows, not previously spoken uttered as they came in the dwindling light and then there was silence as they held each other and basked in the moment of completion, their forms liquid and hot in resolution, taking another turn in the conquest of flesh and mind.

Silence...a peaceful one.

Both realizing what they held within each other’s arms, the unspoken that needed no words, evident in the touch, in the whispers of time held infinitely still; too sacred to be spoken aloud as they kissed through the ebbing of heart beats, the ebbing of the most bestial and primal of needs replaced by the awareness, they were one.

He pulled the silk robe about him and tucked the belt more tightly, enjoying the feel of the cool sleeves upon goose-fleshed skin. The dealer raised the scorching bitter brew to his lips, sniffing the steam in delight. He hadn’t lost his touch. Katze sniffed the dark brew again, happily, having made it himself, amusingly he could not remember the last time he had done so menial and gratifyingly simple a task.

At least he was sure of the ingredients unlike last night’s succulent meal, each bite suspect.

Twice now he had examined himself for symptoms. None made themselves evident.

Coffee brewed to perfection.

No better smell. Well, possible Raoul Am’s sweat, but that was another context.

The dealer snickered lewdly to himself and sipped after blowing on the steaming dark liquid with a satisfied sigh as he savoured the heat from the cup between his fingers staving off the shivers within his frigid limbs.

Peace. Silence and uninterrupted peace, akin to his rooftop at morning’s light. He looked down at his naked feet, spotting the soft organic material nudging the tip of his big toe in surprise, his gaze drifted back upward.

His feet were still inordinately cold though. Katze’s toes curled involuntarily on the hard, reinforced surface not covered with organically grown lichen and moss. He needed the cold which kept his senses alert. Cognac eyes surveyed with pleasure the balcony.

How truly different the two Blondies were in there privately held spaces called home.

Where Iason had chosen the barren and the linear aspect of a gray wide vista unadorned, Raoul had a created a studied space of greenery with a walking path that overlooked the cityscape below.

No kidding he favoured green as could attest the two trees flanking both corners of the oblong rectangular corners, their respective trunks topped with a series of intertwined leafy branches forming braids, fostered by years of training.

He was patient, unlike his brethren.

Not something the circumspect and wholly indifferent Deek would have done. This had the hand of Raoul in it. Yes, he could imagine his Elite carefully coaxing these branches to bend to his will without breaking; a lot like he had done with the ex-Furniture himself.

Katze turned, seeking his smokes which he must have left on the low wooden table or bench to the right of where he stood. His brows furrowed, a thought suddenly occurring to him as he looked back at the sliding doors and lit his smoke, placing the steaming cup on the table.

He hadn’t come out here last night. Why in hell was an ashtray here and a fresh pack of smokes. It was not as if he requested it.

Raoul had thought of this, anticipated this; cagey bastard, his bastard when all was said and done.

The ex-Furniture looked about suspiciously, finding nothing out of place before reaching for the cup once more, noting in his peripheral vision the lowering of the twins and their incandescent glow which had dulled significantly, that distant horizon of pearlescent blue growing by degree.

He could see his own hands clearly now, how long had he stood here, contemplating nothing but the crack beneath his feet that marred the cement-like surface he stood upon? When had the light been sufficient for him to note the green mossy brush and the purplish bloom atop it beneath his feet? Tiny to be sure, but resilient in its determination to live, to break through to seek light and flourish, despite the fearsome odds against it in this oasis, this self created Eden?

The dealer brushed his big toe over the inconsequential bloom, possibly a wild flower, a spore that had dwelt unhindered beneath the weak spot awaiting its turn.

Katze bent set on removing it. He would not allow it to intrude. If not attended to, that crack would shatter the reinforced foundation, marring an otherwise perfect space.

“Leave it. I want to see what becomes given time. Deek has been after it for weeks too.” Raoul chimed in softly with an expansive yawn, sleepy green eyes fixed on Katze’s big toe reproachfully. “Did you plan on returning to bed anytime this morning or were you simply awaiting an opportune moment to scurry away without any by your leave?”

Katze stood, raising his cup in silent greeting before a playful smile curved his lips, lazily shifting his stance away from the aforementioned flora to the Elite’s visible relief.

“Good morning to you too, Sir Am. Serious case of bed head you got going there, Blondie.”

A golden brow arched. “Clearly you have not looked in a mirror yourself, Katze.”

Raoul’s full lips broke into a soft lecherous grin. “If I were you I would rethink the current favoured hair product, Mongrel. Your coif looks stiff to the touch.”

Katze’s eyes narrowed meaningfully, catching the nuance implied by the Elite’s words.

“And whose fault would that be, Sir Am?”

The dealer proffered the cup he was sipping to the Elite.

“Guilty as charged.” Raoul’s lips pursed as he looked down upon Katze’s sleep mused hair with a sidelong grin. “On second thought this look becomes you.”

Katze snorted. “Emphasis on the word come. By the way I need a toothbrush, any going spare in this abode?”

Raoul took the cup, ignoring the question as he carefully placing the delicate porcelain on the table before drawing his mongrel into his arms.

“We shall see. It very much depends what is being offered in exchange.” Raoul murmured against the soft skin of his mongrel’s neck. Katze shivered, softly moaning his encouragement, while long limbs acquiesced to the insistent feel of hard muscled form pressed so intimately against him.

“How’s this?” Katze offered tipping up with a roguish smile and placing a chaste kiss on smirking lips.

“Not nearly enough,” Raoul countered playfully, teasingly licking damp, still swollen lips with the tip of his tongue as he ground his hips forward, receiving for his efforts a wholly satisfying moan that reverberated through the mongrel’s body sending a hot jolt of arousal through his own frame as he rolled his hips forward.

Their kiss broke, both panting breathlessly, both gazes intent at the wordless request implicit in Raoul’s eyes.

“I want you.” Raoul whispered against the damp salty neck, enjoying the hitch of Katze’s breath as he nipped the firm jaw line edging slowly up to indulge those soft wet lips parting beneath his tremulously.

He drank of Katze’s mouth thirstily again, savouring the warm brush of lips and tongue that still bore the tang and musk of him, spiking his own arousal once more. Strong elegant fingers parted the mongrel’s robe, seeking and finding the hot pulsing length denied him earlier.

“My turn I think?”

Such a strange light, Raoul thought in those cognac depths as Katze nodded panting softly, licking his lips, edging closer to that inviting mouth as he closed his own palm over that of the Elite’s guiding his deft strokes, widening his stance, allowing in a haphazard manner, the Blondie to back him into the balcony wall, pinning him there.

“Yes.”

This was bliss to intently watch his mongrel’s flushed face and neck, his heaving chest and the soft cry as his eyes shuttered closed, the robe slipping from his shoulders revealing pearlescent skin kissed by the early dawn.

Raoul lowered himself to his knees, eyes fixed on their fingers intertwined, those beautiful fingers slackening their near strangle hold of his own, brushing back the long golden mane from the exquisite head and hot mouth encircling the head of his cock, licking the damp slit.

“Oh fuck...yes!”

Both supplicated with closed eyes.

Raoul’s tongue was gentle, almost teasing in its exploration as strong fingers continued to pump the mongrel’s throbbing sex, matching the rhythm set by lean hips, as pale eyes continued to look into deep hooded amber equally intent.

Katze knees almost buckled from the dual sensation of that hot tongue pressing into the wet slit and that of the maddening caress of the thin sensitive skin between entrance and testes.

“Come back up here, Sir Am.” Katze commanded huskily, shivering at the cool sensation of air upon his distended shaft, glad of the warmth as Raoul took him in his arms once more twinning their members in a slow sensual grind as their lips met hungrily.

Dawn greeted them thusly in a tangle of limps as they kissed unaware of a curiously pensive set of dark brown eyes observing them stealthily from the kitchen with com to hand.

Deek replaced it on the cradle and set about making breakfast. It was obvious both his Master and that ex-Furniture were ravenous, he sighed. Perhaps another hour would pass before his Master would bellow for breakfast, probably from bed with that creature in his arms.

He heard the quiet whispers and the odd stolen kiss, matched step for step, coy, his Master’s laughter, a genuine smile upon that usually stoically beautiful face; had he just done wrong by Sir Am?

Food would be next on their agenda, their current needs evident as both fumbled at cross purposes with the sliding doors before it opened and the mad undignified dash towards the bedroom, like adolescence.

The Furniture sighed fretfully, eyeing their respective backs once more with foreboding as he scrambled eggs and reset the percolator to brew, noting the amount used by the wretched mongrel in the canister he had refilled the night before.

Surely the quantity utilized could wake the dead.

So be it, if the wretched creature insisted on poisoning his system willingly, who was he to argue?

Toast would be next and some other manner of protein, fruit and grain for his Master. For now, he had morning tasks, the mongrel’s presence would be ignored.

Dark eyes did remain disquieted. His Master bore the look of contentment. Dare he think it? The word happy came to mind; no, he had done right informing Cal of the mongrel’s continued presence, hadn’t he? All he had done was answer a simple query. Nothing more would come of it.

The niggling doubt still remained at the back of his mind as he heard the bedroom door close.

~~~BMR~~~

Sir Niiro’s gaze grew inward as his lips curved into a contemplative moue. He still had a single card to play, perhaps two. He looked back into the sepulchral space that was the bedroom, noting the inordinately still figure within the dishevelled sheets.

Ajna had been compliant but distant in their games. One would say almost pre-occupied offering none of the usual zeal. Not the most satisfying of encounters considering, almost of two minds.

The Ruby returned his focus without, studying the subtle movements of the celestial orbs, his face shadowed by the borrowed light of the distant star unnoticed by all that gave the barren twin spheres their light.

Perspective was everything.

His fitful thoughts returned to the bright silver discs above as he perched on the side of the open window and mused. Their incandescent forms had been forged billions of years before sentience as they understood it. Silently they had followed one another in orbit unaware and uncaring of the mythology that had developed about them by the bipeds below since the half millennia of occupation. The humanoid species was fond of storytelling, even from their humble origins by firelight.

Darkened, meditative citrine eyes noted abstractedly the dulling of their sheen and attendant magic, by the coming of dawn; Raoul had left him a message demanding an audience at the Medical Centre at his earliest convenience, a private meeting. Raoul Am had never been an early riser. No doubt the wretched mongrel had something to do with this request. Raoul wanted to keep him quiet, he could use that.

His lips thinned, too close for comfort. All subjective conjecture mind, but still the dealer had been closer to the mark than was strictly tolerable in more ways than one about their shared genome. He could see it ever present in those eyes studying him with malice.

First things first, the encrypted files, once retrieved, would have to be destroyed. Damn the wretched mongrel. Such a waste, they had been the actual reason for the journey not the reunion as Raoul fancifully imagined. He had not left with the one item he needed, the box.

A cold breeze wafted into the room, Sir Niiro shivered, lowering the window a fraction, noting the soft moan that came from the region of the bed. Clever minx, she had been awake all this time, probably watching his movements unable to see his eyes most fortunately, her means of borrowing thoughts unlike her brother, who could do so at will to his singular detriment.
It did keep him in check and isolated, unlike her. Her skills lay elsewhere and perhaps, just perhaps had not been the best of decisions on his part, a direct link to the cloud of consciousness that was Jupiter’s matrix.

Useful to be sure, but a dangerous skill set to be harnessed only when necessary to his continued survival and that of their own. It had been fortuitous not to complete them after all. The game’s play had shifted significantly in recent days.

The redheaded mongrel would have to be disposed off first before they could continue.

Pale eyes looked up in thought, almost giving an absent deferential bow to his aces in the hole as they moved further off upon the horizon, graciously leaving space for a new day, secrets intact.

Malleable lips quirked at their equally cold indifference, oblivious to the machinations of the bipeds below such as himself, so determined to thrive, making over the universe to their own exacting specifications.

The Ruby self deprecatingly chuckled at the irony. That which he, they, most fervently sought in their youth out of curiosity would be their undoing, and that of their maker.

Perspective was everything.

~~~BMR~~~

The big ox was too tired to swat his wandering fingers.

Guy’s face broke out into a soft smile as he watched the slow progress of his own index outlining the well sculpted nose that wriggled beneath the pad of one finger tip in its travels down towards the not particularly full but well formed soft lips.

He bit his own lower lip in focussed concentration adjusting one palm beneath his head, determined not to jog the bed as he examined the big ox in slumber.

Nice bones, a passing thought while running his finger over the well proportioned jaw line with furrowed brows coming to the knick on Donovan’s cheek.

Hadn’t meant that to happen, he leaned in pressing is lips to the injury, kinda salty from residual sweat. Didn’t remember who the fuck told him that kisses made shit like this better, but hey no loss fucktard was asleep and couldn’t call him on it.

Guy gazed at the raised red welt accusingly. Didn’t work worth shit, but made him feel better. Maybe that was the point. Guy sighed, his gaze becoming speculative. No point dwelling in a day it would disappear. Wasn’t deep, wouldn’t be permanent unlike the scars he bore which would always be livid where the arm had been replaced by painful re-growth and rehab.

Scarface had a vengeful streak a kilometre long, no way would he have paid to do anything other than the basics. Cosmetics were extra, particularly for the unworthy, whom he had sooner died at the time.

Pale gray eyes returned to the minder, the hard caste of his attractive face softening as he really looked at Donovan’s profile in repose.

The big fuck looked almost angelic. Well except for the slackened jaw and the open mouth sure to catch flies if there were any. Nimble fingers gently shut Donovan’s mouth, only to have it open again.

Guy sniggered, smoothing his palm over the beard roughened cheek once more for something to do.

He really did looked fuckin’ innocent, almost made him want to protect him. The hard lines of the weathered face relaxed, his true age showing in this dormant state. Donovan couldn’t have been more than three years older than Sid.

Guy blinked acknowledging for the first time that Donovan was actually handsome, fuck that the bastard was beautiful, when you put his features together.

Touching, not something Guy was fond of doing unless it served a purpose, had been a major pre-occupation for Bison’s leader in the last half hour as he carefully slid the sheets lower revealing the exquisite prone form to hungry curious eyes.

Who the fuck knew when he would have this kind of opportunity again to study the stupid fuck like this without fear or favour, no retribution, no play to lead anywhere. Didn’t have a clue what he was looking for, but look he intended to do.

Donovan loved foreplay more than anyone else he had ever known. He was sure Donovan knew every nook and cranny of his own body by heart. He’d never been given the same opportunity until now.

Guy shifted carefully on the bed, intent on examining the minder’s ink fully without needless jarring banter. Beautiful work, must have taken forever and it was professional too, definitely off world and expensive, not to mention painful. Asshole never mentioned anything about his past. Then again when had they ever talked, really? Not likely either the way things were going.

Definitely a mercenary, that was obvious with anyone who had eyes. The markings kinda told that tale all by themselves, Guy narrowed pale gray eyes following his fingers’ path down the thick throat and the prominent Adam’s apple, over the ridge of the smooth even collar bones, coming to a slight rise over the left.

Woe, why hadn’t he noticed that before? The left had broken once. Must have hurt like a bitch at the time, hadn’t been set either just knitted back together, Guy’s lips thinned in anger, imagining all manner of circumstances. It was old, would have been a kid at the time.

Guy eased off his right wrist and flexed it, encouraging circulation, while observing the still body next to him. Donovan shifted his sleep turning towards him as he held his breath and a heavy arm threw itself over his shoulder, stilling his own movement temporarily as he evened his breathing soundlessly.

Didn’t want to wake the overgrown fuck now, he’d just gotten started with his explorations.

He smiled to himself as Donovan murmured in his sleep and reached out over Guy’s shoulder. The mongrel relaxed again and rolled his eyes, even in sleep. Bison’s leader lowered his head allowing the massive paw-like hand to find what it sought, flinging his thick mane over one shoulder allowing callused fingers to slide down his waist length mane, the tentative flex of strong fingers content with the loose hold upon tendrils wrapped about a thick wrist.

No question this one would be into a little bondage given half a chance, though he had never pushed it with Guy. Fucker did love to use his hair as reins at the slightest opportunity like earlier, controlling his movements in their play.

Guy’s lips pursed. Not that he was going to complain, felt good at the time. Just something he noticed. Strong fingers passed tentatively over the well muscled abdominal cavity, fascinated by the details of each scale upon the serpent that coiled about Donovan’s torso, hiding its head from view gorging itself on its own tail.

“Beautiful.” Bison’s leader found himself whispering into the early dawn reverently, caressing the smooth skin covering hard muscles at rest. “You really are the most beautiful thing, I’ve ever seen, Donny Boy.”

The hand over his back stilled its wandering and the muscles beneath his flattened palm grew rigid. Guy’s heart skipped a beat as his face became defensive and hard, carefully raising his palm from the flat warm skin of Donovan’s hip as his eyes rose to meet sparkling sleepy blue ones.

“How long you been awake, fuck face? Wipe that shit eatin’ smirk off your damn face. Was just killin’ time lookin’ at the ink, what’s it mean?”

Donovan snorted. “Awhile, but it was beginning to tickle, Baby.”

The Chestnut haired mongrel raised his head, eyes becoming dark accustomed in the dim light as he looked into amused bright blue, his heart skipping several beats.

“You can stop staring at me any time now, Donny Boy and answer my question.” Guy scratched his head self consciously and inched further towards the end of the bed. How long had he really been awake?

“Come up here, Baby and make Donny’s mouth happy.” Donovan murmured groggily, pulling on Guy’s mane coiled about his fingers, before releasing it.

“Why and you still haven’t answered?” Guy asked diffidently with a lowered gaze; couldn’t stand when Donovan just stared as if he knew something.

“Be a good boy and bring that mouth up here before it says something to spoil the mood. I’ll explain later.”

Guy laughed outright and slinked up the warm body, allowing Donovan to roll over onto him and steal his breath. Damn nice way to wake up that was for sure, as was the feel of those hands reacquainting themselves with his body in the most intimate of fashion.

“You feel so good, Baby.” Donovan moaned against his neck, nipping gently the soft earlobe between his teeth. “It means rebirth.”

That nip did the trick, causing the mongrel’s limbs to twitch as the muscles of his lower abdomen tightened involuntarily and he arched his lower back off the bed. Oh yeah, Donovan knew damn well what he was doing alright, evil fuck was about to tease him unmercifully, pressing, rubbing that taut abdomen against his own burgeoning erection. Yeah, like they both didn’t know where this was leading, fucker was half way to being hard as a rock already.

Unselfconsciously Guy reached a long arm out for the lube sucking Donovan’s lower lip between his teeth and nibbling softly as he began to pant, warm breath fanning the minder’s face.

Despite expert ministrations on the bodyguard’s part and the familiar slick wetness signalling Donovan’s readiness to penetrate him, was gonna need some help.

“Ease up big boy. Need some room to work here, if you want me to enjoy this too,” Guy jogged his hips to illustrate his point. Donovan raised his head, sleepy lust hazed eyes intently focussed on the mongrel’s open mouth.

“Again with the pre-emptive striking, little man, what’s the hurry? Got anywhere to be in the next twenty minutes? Just enjoy, got all morning.”

Gray eyes widened as he gasped when Donovan shifted above him aligning their cocks.

“You think I can take that monster comfortably without this, you got another thing coming, asshole.”

Hard to be mad when those fuckin hands were making him slowly insane with their wandering, he stretched managing with great effort to flip the cap’s lid as he sought Donovan’s mouth with his own and shifted his limbs to accommodate the bodyguard between his thighs, despite his words.

He felt the moist chuckle against his neck as Donovan held him firmly and rolled onto his back. “Never assume, little man. Be gentle this time. I’m not going anywhere.”

Guy blinked, finally finding his voice, however croaked as he caught his breath and fumbled with the tube, spilling a more than generous quantity in his palm as he stuttered, slathering his member nervously, still unsure. Was Donovan actually offering himself?

“You sure? Me? You want me, right? Not just taking the piss? Me?”

Donovan smiled guilelessly up at the nervous mongrel licking his lips. He beckoned him with a finger. Carefully, Guy eased himself between Donovan’s legs, eyeing the minder hungrily and suspiciously, licking his lips again before pressing them tentatively to Donovan’s cheek with a slow relieved exhalation.

“Couldn’t want you more, Baby.” The minder assured softly snaking one hand between their bodies, well satisfied with the progress of things on Guy’s end, as the chestnut haired mongrel groaned softly at the welcomed touch, closing one hand over that of Donovan’s, adjusting his rhythm.

“I’ll make it good for both of us, Donny Boy, I promise.” Guy whispered carefully, slowly shifting atop Donovan’s prone form, teasing puckered flesh with a slicked finger. “However long it takes.”

~~~BMR~~~

That pounding in his head seemed almost real, fucks sake he could almost hear it aloud, juxtaposed to Raoul’s harsh breathing against his ear, as his body was forced down repeatedly into the giving bedding.

Katze’s long fingers squeezed the firm buttocks within his grasp with tight shut eyes, basking in the feel of the hot rigid length impaling him, each fervent stroke sending burst of starlight beneath shut lids.

Great, just great, he had lost his mind for sure this time, hearing voices other than Raoul’s guttural hisses and his own soft moans of pleasure as that skilled hand between their bodies working his own shaft to its inevitable fruition, matching the cadence and force of each upward, deliciously burning thrust within his body.

“Close, Katze...so close...” Raoul panted, harshly against his mouth, taking kiss bruised lips once more, angling his thrusts deeper. “Come with me, my Katze, come with me.”

Even better, Raoul’ physical exertions had driven him to madness, cause he could swear that was Iason’s sharp, decisive retort in the distance thrum within his head. Raoul roared in exultation when Katze quickened beneath him giving of his own essence in response to the wet pulses of heat within his own body as Raoul shuddered through his release.

Katze’s limbs continued to shudder though the heavier male’s form atop his left little room for air, as the clearly fatigued and sated Elite atypically flopped upon him breathlessly.

The dealer began to chuckle while soothingly stroking the wet back of his lover, causing the Blondie to raise himself on his elbows and glare down at the sniggering mongrel querulously.

“I wonder. Should I be insulted by your current expression?”

Raoul looked like hell. Like he had just fought a great battle, skin flushed hair unkempt and wild and the petulant expression wasn’t helping.

Katze chuckled, pushing a few strands of the thick damp forelock out of Raoul’s face, as their sweat dampened skins began to cool.

“Have I told you lately that I love you, Sir Am and that I fell in love with you the very first time I laid eyes on you?”

Raoul’s brow quirked as he tried to look indignant at the prone male with the softest of smiles gracing full swollen lips, dark amber eyes speaking volumes, as they pulled the diffident head forward and took the petulant mouth.

Soft was the parting of lips in the moment as sea green eyes closed briefly and a hand came up from the coverlet and gently stroked the scarred cheek reverently.

“And have I ever told you, Katze, that I have wanted you from the first moment you spilled tea on my person?”

Dark auburn brows knitted in confusion, before a smile came back to kiss bruised lips.

“So that’s what you were thinking then? I thought it was just me wanting something else I couldn’t have. Didn’t know why you needed a bath considering but boy did I get an eyeful, pretty much learnt later that night that a castrate could come.”

“I wanted you, but had no words. I freely admit now attending several showings and open parties after with no satisfaction, finally having to take things into my own hands so to speak, always with you in mind. I did not have the words for what I felt, other than lust and insatiable need. Hence I bedded your likeness to no avail, even convinced him to follow his cosmetic fancy.”

Katze gently smiled. “Now that’s a nice ego stroke, if I’ve ever heard one. You made him change his eye colour?”

Raoul nodded, shifting his weight prepared to carefully withdraw, his fingers gently stroking the mongrel’s sides as his hand wended its way between the mongrel’s wide spread thighs.

“Not the most intelligent thing I have ever done. Gave false hope, until he saw you again and realized. That is where the loathing began I would imagine. He just never gave it voice.”

Katze stilled his progress with a gentle swipe of long fingers over his spine, a sad smile playing about his lips.

“No. Not yet. You’ll leave me soon enough. You’re going to be called you know? I feel it. Know I forgive you because I love you and I thank you for that gift.”

The Blondie stiffened, brows furrowing as he gazed into tired, warm eyes that held no censure.

“Katze, what is your meaning?”

“You’re going to think I’m crazy, but while we were...you know, I thought I heard Iason’s voice. For a second there I thought I was going to be dragged away bodily.” Katze chuckled, smoothing long fingers over Raoul’s lips.

“Jupiter can’t take this away from me. No matter what comes by daylight.”

Raoul trembled involuntarily as a hollow feeling hit him in the pit of his stomach. Those sacred lips took his and he tumbled inexorably into their warmth with a feeling of foreboding as a single beam of sunlight penetrated the shut curtains.

~~~BMR~~~

The first light of the morning sun shone through white billowing drapes of the Mink master bedroom. Iason turned regarding Riki’s sleeping form with trepidation in pale blue eyes.

Had it been the right decision to leave the ex-Furniture with his friend of years? Should he have taken him there and then? What would have been the repercussions had he barged in? Raoul would not have stood for it, causing a further rift in their understanding. There had been a growing distance over the last few weeks between them. Culpable deniability was essential.

Deek’s behaviour had been anomalous too. Since when had he taken to defending the recalcitrant dealer, his logic had been sound though with respect to Raoul’s reaction. The moment had not been apropos considering they were otherwise engaged, if the sounds in Raoul’s bedroom were anything to go by.

He had to allow them that final moment.

Far easier to capture the ex-Furniture on his way back to Ceres, no one would be the wiser of the vanishing.

Those in his employ would assume he was with the Chief Medical Officer and Raoul in turn would assume the very same, business as usual for the dealer. Nightfall is what would present the challenge where the mongrel’s disappearance would be noticed by all concerned.

By then, Jupiter would have secured its quarry and all else would be set in motion, including the possible disposal of the tiresome Ruby, who had long outlived his usefulness.

Riki groaned softly bringing Iason out of his reverie as he turned towards Iason’s pillow, pulling it towards him, his tanned form resettled amidst the pristine white sheets with a sigh.

His mongrel would never forgive him for this if he found out, but there was more at stake here, childish pranks had come to roost, the androids in question would have to be destroyed too before Sir Niiro’s original task set could take form.