Henri - 36

 

After making certain nothing in them would damage the ecosystem, Henri disposed of the bags of trash from Xavier's lab in the simplest way possible—he teleported to the bayou near his home outside of Paradis. Then, using his airboat to go deep into the swamp to a small island, he buried the bags.

 

With that finished, he went for a long run in his wolf form before returning to his house. He knew the place wasn't much, compared to homes in New Orleans, but it was his and had been forever it seemed like.

 

"Do I want to live here again?" he asked himself, walking through it, ending up back in the living room.

 

Standing at the window, looking out over the bayou, he pondered the question.

 

"It's a long drive from the city, but then," he chuckled, "since I don't drive it's hardly a problem. I can come and go with no one being the wiser. Spend time with Taegan whenever I want and still live here. But if I came back, would I be as happy as I was in the past?"

 

That brought up yet another question. Had he really been happy? Or had he been deluding himself? I had all the freedom I needed to run and be me. But did that make me happy? All I had was freedom, when I wasn't working. No friends and very few acquaintances.

 

"Now I have both," he murmured. "And there's nothing to say I can't come out here whenever I want to, just to breathe fresh air and feel the breeze on my face when I'm being my wolf."

 

Going out onto the porch, he sat on the steps with his arms wrapped around his knees. If I do stay in the city, what will I do? He wondered if he could get a job with one of the swamp tour companies. He did, after all, know the ins-and-outs of that. What else am I capable of doing? Not a damned lot when it comes right down to it. Helping Allyn when he needs it is great, but it's not a paying job. "Sooner or later, I will run through my savings. So, I guess job hunting is in order."

 

With a sharp nod of his head, he teleported back to his apartment and, after fixing a very late supper, went to bed.

 

* * * *

 

"You did what?" Taegan asked Henri the next evening. The gallery was closed for the day, and they were down by the river after deciding it would be a pleasant place to eat supper.

 

"I started job hunting." Henri smiled wryly. "Apparently I don't have enough training to do much of anything. I did put in an application with one of the swamp tour places and found a couple of outfits looking for carpenters. That I do know how to do, thanks to a man I worked with on a logging job, way back when. Of course I can't use him as a reference, since he died forty-some years ago. I could probably get a job in some shop selling tourist crap but…" He shuddered.

 

Taegan smiled, patting Henri's leg. "There are worst jobs, like…umm…"

 

"That's not the encouragement I was looking for," Henri grumbled.

 

"Why are you searching for work in the first place?"

 

Henri looked at him in disbelief. "I have rent to pay. Bills. I like to eat. And that's just for starters."

 

"The rent problem is easily solved. Move in with me."

 

"No."

 

Taegan seemed genuinely puzzled by his reply. "Why not?"

 

 "We're nowhere near that level in our relationship, and you know it."

 

"We'd get there faster if…"

 

"Taegan, it is not happening. And if you try to push it, I'll go back to where I lived before all this crap with Xavier came down. I was happy there."

 

"You aren't now?"

 

"Of course I am. But I will not become a kept man. I need to be me."

 

"I see," Taegan replied slowly. "So living with someone you care about, who cares for you, would make you a kept man?"

 

"It's hard to explain, but right now? Yeah, it would. I'm beholding to you and everyone else for my freedom. I have to prove to myself I was worth your effort."

 

"Henri—" Taegan clasped Henri's hands, "—never doubt we all think you were. Are. Especially me."

 

"That's all well and good, but this is my self-respect I'm talking about. Let me make it on my own—make something of myself—before we decide we should be living together." He looked pleadingly at Taegan. "Please?"

 

"Of course," Taegan replied, hugging him. "I do have a question however. Would you at least let me help you find a job you like?"

 

Henri nodded, kissing his cheek. "I may be stubborn but I'm not stupid."

 

"You are definitely stubborn," Taegan agreed, smiling. "All right. I have a friend who is an expert at creating reproductions of antique furniture. She's been searching for someone who knows their ass from straight up, as she puts it, when it comes to woodworking. I can introduce you to her and let you take it from there."

 

"She's not trying to sell them as the real thing, I hope."

 

"Camilla would never do that. Much of what she creates is used in shops around the area that want a high-class look without having to pay a small fortune for the real thing."

 

"Then, sure, I'd like to meet her."

 

"Done. Well, first thing in the morning it will be. For now, if it doesn't go against your independent streak," Taegan winked, "why don't we go back to my place and end the evening in my bed?"

 

Henri grinned. "Or in mine?"

 

"Deal." Taegan stood, pulling Henri to his feet.

 

As they strolled back to the gallery to get Taegan's car, Henri wondered if his need to be independent would end up ruining their slowly blossoming relationship.

 

As if Taegan had read his mind—although Henri knew it was more likely Taegan's strong empathic ability kicking in—he said, "I'll give you all the time you need. I promise. I don't want to drive you away. You're too important to me."

 

"Thank you," Henri murmured, pausing their walk long enough to kiss Taegan quickly, despite the fact they were in the middle of a busy sidewalk. "Thank you for understanding."

Henri - 35

 

Henri awoke to find Taegan sitting on the edge of the bed, watching him.

 

"This is creepy, you know," Henri muttered. "How long have you been here?"

 

Taegan brushed a lock of hair off Henri's forehead. "Since I closed the gallery for the day."

 

"It's…? I slept all day?" He eased up, leaning against the headboard. "Why aren't you in bed? You must be exhausted."

 

"Does being on a bed count?" Taegan asked with a wicked grin, adding, "I was tired, until I came to check on you. Now I have other things to worry about, such as whose bed I should be sleeping in…when I do go to sleep."

 

Henri chuckled. "That was one bad, umm, proposition line, if that's what you think you're doing."

 

"The question is, is it working?"

 

Rather than replying with words, Henri leaned forward, putting him within kissing range of Taegan—and did just that. The instant their lips met, any residual doubts Henri might have had about the wisdom of them taking their relationship to the next level vanished. All he wanted was the two of them tangled together in the throes of hot, passionate sex.

 

"Whoa!" Taegan broke the kiss several moments later, eyeing Henri. "That was not quite what I expected."

 

"Oh?" Henri pulled back, afraid to ask.

 

"What happened to the shy man from a few hours ago?"

 

Now it was Henri's turn to grin wickedly. "The wonders of a good day's sleep? And some very interesting dreams? I think shy has gone by the boards." As he spoke, Henri began unbuttoning Taegan's shirt, caressing every inch of skin as it was revealed.

 

Taegan swallowed hard. "I'm supposed to be the seducer, not the seducee," he whispered.

 

By then, Henri had the shirt open, and he pushed it off Taegan's shoulders. He tweaked one of Taegan's nipples before laving his tongue over it, then the other one. As he did, he pressed his hand to the rapidly growing erection beneath Taegan's slacks. Stopping his teasing of Taegan's now hard nipples, Henri told him, "This would be easier, and more fun, if you were naked."

 

"I think it can be arranged." Taegan stood, hastily toeing off his shoes before removing his socks and slacks, revealing his thick cock, which was definitely standing at attention. "You might want to get rid of your briefs, you know, in the interest of…fun."

 

Henri had no problem with that idea. The second he was totally naked, he grabbed Taegan's hands and pulled. Taegan complied to the non-verbalized request by climbing onto the bed, sprawling over Henri. Resting on his elbows, he looked down at him, smiling. "Now what to do with you, since I seem to be in a position of supremacy."

 

"Anything you want to," Henri managed to reply before Taegan kissed him. Of course he didn't intend on allowing Taegan to remain supreme. Henri took advantage of the kiss, as much as he was enjoying it—and he definitely was—to wrap his arms around Taegan and roll them over so he was on top.

 

"Hey!" Taegan muttered. Then he groaned when Henri slid down to envelop Taegan's cock with his mouth.

 

Henri chuckled while tormenting Taegan—sucking, licking then swallowing his cock, all the while rolling his balls gently between his fingers. Taegan's moans inspired him to greater heights and he might have let him come then and there if he didn't have needs of his own. Slowly he pulled away, circling the base of Taegan's cock with his fingers to keep him from exploding.

 

"You are in so much trouble," Taegan growled.

 

"Good trouble, I hope," Henri replied, looking up at him, not releasing his hold until he was certain it was safe.

 

"Depends if you consider my fucking you into oblivion good."

 

"Oh, yeah." Henri crawled up Taegan's body, meshing their lips in a heated kiss which involved deep exploration of each other's mouths in the process. His cock throbbed in anticipation and it was all he could do not to come at just the thought of being penetrated by Taegan.

 

Breaking the kiss, Taegan suggested, "It would be easier if you were on your hands and knees, not spread across me."

 

"That can be arranged," Henri replied. He slid off Taegan, got on his knees, gripping the headboard with his hands. He heard the nightstand drawer open, then, moments later, he groaned as one lubed finger pushed through his entrance. When it touched and stroked his gland, he would have come on the spot—except Taegan had wrapped his fingers around his cock to keep that from happening.

 

"Easy, love," Taegan murmured while pushing another finger in.

 

Henri felt a brief flair of discomfort when Taegan began stretching him and ignored it; letting the pleasure Taegan was giving him take precedence. He groaned in frustration as Taegan removed his fingers. When the head of Taegan's cock replaced them, he refused to react to the ensuing pain, afraid Taegan might stop if he did.

 

"I'll take it slowly," Taegan assured him, making truth of his words by easing in inch by inch.

 

Soon, Henri found pain turning to pleasure when Taegan began to ride him. With each thrust in, he brushed the head of his cock across Henri's sweet spot. Henri began moving with him, damning the tight grip Taegan had around his cock to keep him from coming, but only minimally since the pleasure Taegan gave him outweighed that small problem for the moment.

 

"Ready?" Taegan murmured, kissing the nape of Henri's neck.

 

"Was…an hour ago…" Henri managed to reply.

 

Taegan chuckled. "Payback, lover." He ran his hand up Henri's cock in time to increasingly rapid thrusts.

 

That was all it took. Henri almost passed out as the power of his orgasm flooded him. He was dimly aware when Taegan came, his shout echoing through the small bedroom before he collapsed on Henri, panting.

 

"You know," Henri said a while later, now on his back with Taegan beside him, "For someone who should have been too exhausted to do anything more than sleep, you comported yourself quite admirably."

 

Taegan snickered. "Comported?"

 

"Meaning—"

 

"I know what it means," Taegan replied with a laugh before kissing Henri softly.

 

Henri stroked Taegan's now wildly disordered hair, unsuccessful in trying to tame it. He was certain his hair was equally as messy—not that he gave a damn. "Stay here. I'll get a washcloth and clean you up," he suggested. "Then you can catch up on your sleep while I go home and deal with the trash we brought back from the lab."

 

"You're going to leave me?" Taegan asked in obviously mock dismay.

 

"Unlike you, I don't get off on watching someone sleep," Henri replied with a grin as he got out of bed. He went into the bathroom, washed the cum from his chest, then returned with a washrag as promised. He smiled when he saw Taegan was already sound asleep. After carefully cleaning him without waking him, Henri got dressed. He bent over Taegan, brushing a kiss to his temple. Then, with a thought, he returned to his apartment. 

Henri – 34

 

Henri was about to say no.

 

But why? It's not like he's only got one bedroom, with one bed, and is asking me to share it with him. Not that I'd refuse. He realized that was the truth, and it didn't really surprise him.

 

"All right. If you insist," Henri replied.

 

"Good. Come on. I think you'll like the one overlooking the courtyard. It's quieter."

 

"Let me clean up first."

 

"It's got its own bathroom," Taegan told him.

 

"I meant…" Henri picked up the plates to take them to the sink.

 

Taegan laughed. "I know. Leave them. I'll get them later."

 

They were halfway up the stairs when Henri realized Taegan wasn't planning on going to bed himself. He had the gallery to run. "You're going to be dead on your feet by tonight."

 

"Not really. It's not as if I expend a lot of energy working. It's more mental than physical."

 

"Yeah. Right."

 

"Would I lie to you?"

 

"I hope not," Henri replied seriously.

 

"I wouldn't. Ever." Taegan opened the door to one of the bedrooms. It was bright and airy, and as promised, looked out over the courtyard below. Not that Henri cared at the moment. One glance at the bed with its thick mattress, and all he could think of was crawling into it and passing out.

 

"Bathroom…here," Taegan told him, putting his hands on Henri's shoulders to steer him in the right direction.

 

"Could it be much bigger?" Henri asked sleepily.

 

"Only if I knocked out the wall that separates it from mine."

 

"Then it could… Aw, never mind. I'm beginning to babble."

 

"Then go to bed. You can babble again when you wake up."

 

"Sounds good. Wait, I don't babble."

 

Taegan laughed as he walked Henri over to the bed. "By your own words, you do. Now get undressed and into bed."

 

Henri took off his shirt, shoes and socks before hesitating.

 

"You are wearing underwear, I presume," Taegan said, his gaze roaming over Henri's torso with obvious approval of what he was seeing.

 

"Yes." Henri turned his back to Taegan before stripping off his jeans.

 

"Nice ass," Taegan commented. "What I can see of it." He wrapped his arms around Henri, pulling him against his chest. "Stop being so shy," he murmured, kissing the nape of Henri's neck. "I'm not planning on taking advantage of you, despite the circumstances. First off, you're way too tired. Secondly, anything we do will be by mutual consent."

 

Henri turned in Taegan's arms to look at him. "If I had it in me right now…"

 

"You would consent?"

 

"Yes. But…" Henri brushed as kiss over Taegan's smiling lips.

 

"Falling asleep in the middle of things would be sort of demoralizing for both of us. I understand." Taegan kissed him gently. "Later though…"

 

"I think…definitely."

 

"A slight hesitation there, but I'll put it down to your tired brain not running on all cylinders," Taegan replied with a grin as he pulled back the covers on the bed.

 

Henri got the message, settling on the bed. He looked up at Taegan, beckoning with one finger. "Another kiss?"

 

Resting his hands on the bed, Taegan complied. When they broke apart, he murmured, "Sleep well."

 

Before Henri could answer, Taegan was gone. Damn, he moves fast. I hope it was because he was resisting temptation. But, as he said, I'm too… He was asleep before he could finish his thought.

Henri – 33

 

Almost as soon Ransom took Upton away, the two other men came in from the balcony. They went over to Sebastian, thanking him for inviting them to his party, and left as well.

 

"A job well done," Sebastian commented, sitting beside Emil on one of the sofas.

 

Henri glanced at Taegan and Allyn. ::I think we should leave the two of them alone to catch up.::

 

::Definitely,;; Allyn agreed.

 

Taegan stood, going over to Sebastian. "We appreciate what you did."

 

"Think nothing of it. I was glad to be of service." Sebastian smiled. "After all, it wouldn't pay for them to go running their mouths about the fact there really are shifters in the world."

 

"Definitely not," Allyn said, getting up.

 

"Emil," Henri said, "if you need someone to talk to, feel free to call me, day or night."

 

"Thank you," Emil replied. "I appreciate the offer but I think," he glanced at Sebastian, "I already have someone who will listen and understand."

 

Taking Emil's hands in his, Sebastian said quietly, "Indeed you do."

 

"Again, thank you," Taegan said. His thanks were echoed by Allyn and Henri. When they left the condo, Sebastian and Emil were deep in conversation.

 

"If they aren't a couple," Henri said while they waited for the elevator, "I have the feeling they soon will be."

 

Putting his arm around Henri's waist, Taegan replied, "Oh yes. Trust me. Sebastian will see to that."

 

"Says the man who's empathic enough to know," Allyn said, just as the elevator doors opened. Ransom was standing there, about to get out. Putting his hand on his husband's chest, Allyn backed him in again, saying they were leaving.

 

Ten minutes later, Taegan dropped Ransom and Allyn off at their apartment. Then, much to Henri's surprise, he drove into the Quarter. The sun was just coming up, so Henri decided Taegan was going to find them somewhere to eat breakfast before taking him home.

 

Apparently, that wasn't the plan—or at least not eating in a restaurant—because Taegan pulled into the lot behind his place and parked.

 

When Henri looked quizzically at him, Taegan said, "I thought you might like breakfast and, personally, I'm not in the mood to deal with any more people at the moment. So, if you can handle eggs and bacon and decent coffee…"

 

"Sounds wonderful," Henri told him, realizing he was past hungry and into starving.

 

When they got upstairs, Taegan went straight to the kitchen, collecting the makings for breakfast. Henri watched for a moment then asked, "Is there something I can do to help?"

 

"No. Sit and relax. You've had a hell of a night." Taegan pointed to the table along the wall opposite the counters.

 

"You have too," Henri protested.

 

"But I'm used to it."

 

"Uh-huh." Henri tried, and failed, to repress a yawn. "I guess the adrenaline is finally wearing off."

 

Taegan grinned as he put bacon in a frying pan then readied and turned on the coffee maker. "Thus, breakfast."

 

Not willing to sit, Henri started opening cupboards.

 

Shaking his head, Taegan told him, "Far left. And the silverware's in the drawer underneath."

 

While Henri set the table, Taegan checked the bacon, put a second pan on the stove to heat and when it had, broke several eggs into it. While they cooked, he popped bread into the toaster and soon everything was ready.

 

"Who knew," Henri said after making inroads into his meal, "that a simple breakfast could taste so good."

 

Taegan laughed. "Me? I much prefer this to some of the fancy stuff they serve in the local restaurants."

 

"Not into crepes and omelets or those eggs with Hollandaise?"

 

"Eggs Benedict." Taegan shuddered dramatically.

 

Henri chuckled, finishing the last of his meal. He was full and so relaxed his eyes began to close. He snapped them open, taking a large gulp of coffee.

 

"That's not going to help." Taegan told him. "Go upstairs and get some sleep."

 

"I… What?"

 

"Sleep. You know, lie down on a bed, pull up the covers and let nature take its course."

 

"I couldn't. I have my own bed, in my own apartment."

 

"You'll be dead to the world before you make it there. I have two guest rooms. Use one of them. Please?"

Henri – 32

 

Once they'd made a stop at Henri's apartment to pick up the last of their prisoners, the group drove to Emil's condo building. Before leaving the apartment, Taegan and Henri had brought up the trash bags with the remainder of what they'd taken from the lab—so there would be room for all eight people in the SUV.

 

"Oh, I know this place," Allyn said with a trace of envy when they pulled up in front of a warehouse which had been converted into condos. He turned to look at Emil. "You must be fairly well off."

 

Emil shrugged as they got out of the car. "I've been around long enough to have some savings and investments."

 

"Like most of us," Allyn agreed.

 

Ransom gestured for their prisoners to join them, warning them not to do anything foolish. Norm Upton seemed ready to try anyway, but a hard look from Ransom, when he gripped Upton's arm, obviously made him think twice.

 

Emil had called his friend while they were at Henri's, telling him very briefly what had happened and why they needed his help. So, it was no surprise to anyone when they were greeted as they entered the building lobby by a slender, dark-haired man.

 

He ignored the others while enveloping Emil in a tight embrace. Then he stepped back, grasping Emil's arms as he looked him over from head to foot. "The lab coat does nothing for you," he pronounced. "And you look like hell."

 

Emil snorted softly. "I'm glad to see you as well, Sebastian. Allow me to introduce you to my saviors."

 

Sebastian greeted them warmly before glowering at the prisoners. "I presume these are the men you want me to deal with."

 

"Yes, but not right here," Taegan said with a bit of a smile.

 

"Of course not. Follow me, if you will."

 

Everyone got into the—thankfully—large elevator, stepping off again on the fourth floor. Sebastian led the way to his condo. The living room was spacious, with a great deal of what, to Henri, looked like an eclectic collection of antique furniture. At Sebastian's suggestion, everyone but the prisoners sat.

 

"What are you going to do with us?" Upton asked Sebastian belligerently.

 

Sebastian smiled wickedly. "Nothing you'll remember after I've finished. Just a little mind probing before I wipe away memories of my new friends here, and anything to do with them and their kind."

 

"No." The prisoner Ransom had threatened with mind probing at the lab whimpered, cowering away. "I don't want to be a babbling idiot." 

 

Sebastian cocked an eyebrow. "Now why do you think that would happen?"

 

"He told me so," the prisoner replied, pointing at Ransom.

 

"Well he was…pulling your leg as they say." When the man shook his head in disbelief, Sebastian turned to Upton, ordering, "Look at me."

 

Unable to resist the vampire's compelling voice, Upton did.

 

"Good lord. You are a wicked man," Sebastian commented in disgust, staring into Upton's eyes. It took him a few minutes, and a few muttered curses, but finally Sebastian released his control over Upton.

 

Upton shook his head, muttering, "This is supposed to be a party. Where are the girls?"

 

"All in good time," Sebastian told him. Then he set to work on the other two prisoners. When he finished, he suggested the three men go onto the balcony to wait for the rest of guests to arrive. When they were out of the room, he told Ransom and the others, "Obviously, they think they've come here for a party. That's it. They have no memory of the five of you, other than as more of my friends. In about ten minutes, they'll think the 'party' is over. What happens after that is up to you. I can tell you, despite the fact they worked for this Xavier, only Mr. Upton did anything more than help with Xavier's experiments. Perhaps not much consolation as far as Emil and Henri are concerned. However, since those two don't remember now, I think it's safe to let them go. Upton on the other hand…"

 

"Will be arrested for the murders of Mrs. Graham and her children," Ransom stated.

 

Sebastian nodded. "Good. I implanted a motive for that in his mind. He's a petty thief they surprised in the act."

 

Ransom grinned, saying as he strode out to the balcony, "That works for me." He returned moments later with Upton, once again handcuffed and loudly protesting his innocence. Ransom took out his phone, calling for a squad car to pick up his prisoner, then walked Upton out of the apartment, saying he'd be back as soon as he'd turned Upton over to the officers.