A Likely Story: A Wayward Ink Publishing Anthology (14 page)

“Go away! Please, just go away. I… I can’t think right now. I…” Mason sobbed into the pillow he clutched to his chest. Seconds, minutes, maybe hours dragged, flew past. When he didn’t hear a reply to his plea, he looked up… at emptiness. Jeremy was gone. It was as though he’d never been there. But Mason knew with certainty that Jeremy had returned. He could still feel Jeremy’s hands, his hungry lips.

Jumping up from the couch, Mason raced to the door, flinging it open as he called for Jeremy. He shouted for him, whispered for him, cried for him, but Jeremy was truly gone. Mason collapsed on the broken sidewalk, hidden from passersby by the overgrown hedge.

JEREMY WAS distraught. He’d driven his love away. Had he lost everything he ever wanted, ever cared about, just by being himself, his new self? Ann had cautioned him when he insisted it was important Mason know his story. She agreed that Mason should know everything eventually, but the first hours of Jeremy’s return? Maybe not. As things turned out, Ann was right. He should have kept things simple until Mason got his head around Jeremy actually being back. Now he didn’t know what to do. So he did what Mason asked… he left.

After Jeremy returned to the hotel and explained what had happened, Ann went to Mason, hoping to convince him to listen to Jeremy and try to understand the events that shaped Jeremy into the man he was today. Instead of the talk she anticipated, she found Mason comatose, lying in his front yard. Carrying him into the house, she phoned Jeremy and let him know she would be staying with Mason for a while.

Ann ached for Jeremy, felt his loss, and was determined to help somehow. She knew he wouldn’t go far, so she switched her attention to Mason. Ann loved Jeremy like a son. She had found him lost and in agony, reliving daily the first months of his new life. She helped him come to terms with the many changes he had recently experienced and convinced him, she thought, to see past the things he had done. Now, she was not sure he had, in actuality, forgiven himself. She didn’t want to leave him alone, but she needed to help Mason. If anything were to happen to him, Jeremy would never survive.

DAYS CRAWLED by, days spent in loneliness that Mason blamed entirely on himself. He’d had Jeremy back, had him in his arms, and threw him away like rotten trash. He disappeared inside his head, remembering every word Jeremy spoke; analyzing every expression, every movement. He never cooked, never sent out for food, yet it appeared next to him as if by magic. He never questioned it… just ate what was there. He quit bathing, yet seemed to have clean clothes on whenever he drew back to consciousness. He lived in limbo, castigating himself for the loss of his love. At times, he seemed to see a guardian angel. She was beautiful: tall and slender, dark luxurious hair, pale flawless skin. She never spoke, but was there watching over him.

Mason didn’t know how long he wallowed in self-pity. One day he just woke up, prepared to find Jeremy and apologize, welcome him back into his life, no matter the time or the cost. He remembered the angel that watched over him and a light bulb went off in his head. It was the Ann Jeremy spoke about. It had to be. Now he just had to figure out how to find her.

She had been there for him, maybe at Jeremy’s behest. Surely she would come back. Until then, he had to start living for the first time in a very long year—if not for himself, then for Jeremy.

His Jere had seen horrors no one should ever see, had fought his way back from the monster he said he became. And what had Mason done this past year? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. He quit school. He threw his phone away. He cut everyone out of his life. He wallowed. He quit living. He died. He just hadn’t been buried. He cut off all ties with the world, refusing to see anyone, talk to anyone. True, his father had wanted nothing to do with him since the day after his high-school graduation, but his mother and younger sister had tried to understand. They were there for him when Jeremy was sent away. They wanted him in their lives. But he had abandoned them, too. It was time to make amends.

With new resolve, Mason rose from his bed and stepped into the shower.

Mason murmured to himself while turning over the events of the past year in his mind. Listing those things most important to accomplish, he realized the list was short. Find Jeremy and apologize, call his mom and apologize, call his sister and apologize… it seemed that he had a very short list indeed, and a lot of groveling to do.

Stepping out of the shower, Mason thought about what he would say to the three most important people in his life. He knew where to find his mother and sister. But Jeremy? No clue. So, first things first… he had to wait for his angel to appear.

Breakfast finished, dishes sorted, and dirty clothes in the laundry, Mason sat down in the newly vacuumed living room. His angel had not yet appeared, so he did the only thing he could think to do: he shouted for her. “Ann? Are you my guardian angel? Ann? I need to talk to you, please.” He felt foolish talking to the wall, but he didn’t know how else to find her.

Mason jumped in surprise when a smiling Ann appeared in front of him, seemingly out of thin air. She was as he remembered, tall and beautiful. He couldn’t help his answering chuckle when he heard her laugh.

“You called, sir?” Ann giggled, while trying to conceal the sound behind her hand.

“You are Ann, right? You’re the Ann Jeremy is friends with?”

“I am. Nice to finally meet you, Mason.” She extended her hand and Mason took it, shaking it gently.

“Thank you for watching over me. I wasn’t sure you were real, but I hoped that… well, that you would know where Jeremy is. I messed up and I really need to apologize. I love him, but I was stupid and… and… he left.”

“I do know where he is, but I wonder if we can talk first. I think a few explanations might help. First off, do you have any questions for me?”

“Um, kinda. How do you know Jere? He said you helped him, but he didn’t say how.”

“I stumbled over him—literally. He was hiding in a shallow hole, trying to disappear. I was chasing dinner and somehow landed on top of him! You have to understand, it is quite rare that we trip or fall. I’m not sure how it happened, but I’m glad it did. He had been through things I can’t even begin to understand. He was transformed and then abandoned, with no explanation or guidance, which is against our laws. I don’t know how he retained his reason or humanity. I’m not sure I could have. I’ve seen lesser men destroyed by half of what he experienced. They went mad and had to be put down.”

“Put down? You sound like you’re referring to an animal! This is Jeremy we’re talking about!” Mason leaped up and started pacing furiously. If she weren’t a woman. …

“Mason! Mason, calm down. I didn’t mean any slight to Jeremy. It was just a bad choice of words. Please… just sit down and let me explain.” Mason finally settled, and Ann continued.

“It is law that if we take on a human, we are responsible for them until they have control of their needs and desires. Jeremy wasn’t given that aid. He did what he had to in order to survive. He was working purely on instinct and hunger. He was in no way responsible for his early months. It is fortunate that he regained his reason before another of our kind found him, or he would have been killed. That’s why I am so glad I fell over him that day. He has one of the purest hearts I have ever seen, and he didn’t deserve what happened to him.

“I wish I would have found him sooner. Perhaps I could have saved him some of the anguish and heartache he suffers to this day. I’ve tried, and thought I had succeeded in helping him heal, but since he spoke with you I can clearly see the hurt still marring his soul. I think he is going to need your help if he is ever to become whole again.”

Mason didn’t know what to say, so he kept quiet and mulled over the past few minutes of information. He had caused this recent hurt. He was certain of it. Jeremy probably was fine until Mason attacked him and accused him of being a monster. Sure, he didn’t use the words, but his actions spoke loud and clear. How was he going to fix this?

“Would you like to talk to Jeremy? I think I know where he is. He will hear me if I call.”

Mason only had to think for a minute before nodding. He was fearful he would do more damage, but eager to see Jeremy again and clear up the mess he’d made.

JEREMY WAS up a tree… a real tree. It was his go-to place when he needed to think or to just get away and stew. Today was a ‘stew’ kind of day.
How was Mase doing? Was he still out of it?
Jeremy knew this was his fault. He should never have dumped everything on him so quickly. Ann warned him. He didn’t take it to heart as he should have. He didn’t mean to tell Mase everything… it just spilled out. He was so excited to have finally found him, he didn’t think. He just started talking and… didn’t stop. Now Mason had snapped. Ann hadn’t said much, but Jere snuck over a time or three for a peek. He looked so frail and lost. What if he never came back from it? What if. …

“Jeremy?” It was Ann’s voice. “Hey, hon, Mason is awake and asking for you. He really wants to see you. Could you come to his house, please?”

Jeremy was running toward her before she had finished calling him.
Mason woke up! He was going to be all right!
Jeremy was prepared to do anything Mase asked. As long as Mason was happy, Jeremy would be, too. It didn’t matter if that meant he had to leave and never see him again. If it made Mase happy, Jeremy was his to command.

In minutes, Jeremy was standing shyly by the front door, unsure whether to step in and greet Mason or wait to be invited in or, the gods forbid, sent away. His doubts were answered when Mason launched himself into Jeremy’s arms, nearly knocking them both over in the process. Lost in the moment, both men finally did what they probably should have done when they met again after their time apart.

MASON’S LIPS met Jeremy’s in a passionate embrace. Their teeth collided as tongues searched and reclaimed what had been lost. Mason’s hands roamed, clutching Jeremy’s shoulders and clawing at his shirt, aching for the closeness denied them for so long. Mason moaned as Jeremy’s hand slid past the waistband of his pants, groping for a closer connection.

Breaking apart at last, Mason told Jeremy how much he needed him at the same time that Jeremy stuttered out his apologies.

Mason blushed as he realized he had completely ignored Ann’s presence. Catching Jeremy’s eye, he nodded toward Ann as he pulled Jeremy through the door and into the living room.

“Well, boys. I see you are both looking pleased with yourselves.” Ann chuckled as they sat next to each other, holding hands and facing her, grinning like naughty schoolboys. “Guess I will leave you alone to get to know each other again.” With a wave of her hand, she headed toward the door, pausing as Jeremy called to her.

“Thanks, Ann. I don’t know what I would have done without you all these months. I love you.”

“Thank you for the time you spent telling me about yourself and Jeremy, Ann,” Mason added. “I’m still sorry I reacted so poorly when all Jere was trying to do was explain what happened.”

Turning back to his love, he continued, “Jeremy, I love you so much. I know we can make this work.” He raised the hand he was holding and kissed it gently, smiling at Jeremy.

“Well, boys, that’s it, then. I expect to see you soon. Work things out together and I’ll help in any way I can. I think we are going to be a beautiful family.”

Jeremy leaned toward Mason, giving him a lingering kiss. “I’ll need your help, Mason. I hate what I did. I thought I’d got past it, but… not so much, I guess. I need you in my life. I love you. Will you take me back?”

“I love you, too. I didn’t mean to be so harsh. You aren’t a monster, and I’m sorry if I made you think that. You are my Jere, and I’ve loved you my whole life. We can make this work… I know we can.”

“Ann will help, Mason. She’s a good friend. I trust her.”

“I can’t believe she was here, taking care of me after I drove you away. She told me a lot of things; how you were when she found you, how long it took for you to feel better, how you searched for me. She seems nice, but what did she mean by family?”

“She’s become my family, Mason, my only family except for you. Without her, I wouldn’t be here now. I’d like you to get to know her better. One thing, though… we probably can’t stay here even if you love this place. It would be awkward around the neighbors. We’d be found out.”

“Found out? I don’t understand. This is our home, yours and mine. If the neighbors are homophobic, that’s their problem. You know, Ann could stay, too, if she wanted.”

“Hmm, Mason, that’s not what I meant.”

Mason paused, trying to figure out what was bothering Jeremy. He wasn’t making any sense. They both loved this house. Jeremy had told him how it felt like home, so what was his problem? It looked like they were going to stay together and work things out. But something was nagging at Mason. Suddenly, it hit him. Feeling a bit crazed, he questioned Jeremy.

“Uh, I know this is probably a really stupid question, but what exactly are you and Ann? You talked about devils and demons, but that doesn’t seem right. And I don’t think angels could do the things you spoke of. So, uh, witches? Fairies? Elves? Trolls? What are you?”

Jeremy smiled softly. “We, Mason, are not devils or angels. We are known as the ancient denizens of the night. However, the night does not hold us captive as the legends and stories imply, since we can walk in the sun without harm. I think it would be easier for you to just call us by our modern name. We are vampires.”

KIRIFOX is an accountant by day and a writer by night – at least, when the muse allows!

She has been an archaeologist, a minister, and a salesperson in her past lives. Suffice it to say, she gets very little sleep! Her three kids, of the feline persuasion, love to sit on her keyboard and ‘help’ her type. Angel, Eagle, and Lotus think it is their duty to make sure “mom” always has a tail in her water glass, a fuzzy mouse near her computer, and a lap full of love.

In her limited spare time she enjoys counted cross stitch, making jewelry from beads and found objects, building 1/12
^th
scale miniature furniture, and gardening, not necessarily in that order. She has at least three books open at all times and always has one with her. She thinks eBooks are awesome as her phone is never out of reach.