Kraken (13 page)

“And you didn’t read me wrong. But aside from the fact you’ve stumbled in here looking like you’ve been mugged in a park then pulled through a hedge backwards, you really don’t want to mess with Cyrus. Bad things happen to people who piss him off.”

Will took the glass and moved over to the other sliding door, heaving it open and walking out onto the deck, hoping Aiden would follow. He turned and leaned against the railing, looking towards the tree line where Cy was presumably still waiting. “Bad things like what?”

Aiden wandered out after him. “You heard Sina tonight? You know the Bennett place has a mussel farm?”

Will nodded.

“Parker’s parents annoyed Cyrus. They bought the property about ten years ago, and installed a manager. He found a . . . well, a shrine. On their land. They’re all over the island. The old timers still honor them. Leave gifts. And money. And Parker’s parents told him to tear it down. Cyrus told him to rebuild it, but he ignored him.”

“Leave gifts? Like what?”

“Shiny things. Feathers. Shells. And the cash, of course.”

“For whom?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, what happens to it all?”

“I don’t know. It goes.”

Over Aiden’s shoulder, Will could see Cy leave the cover of the trees and run, crouching, towards the house.

“And what happened to the manager?”

“This is all second hand, you understand. I wasn’t here then. But the mussel farm had always been very productive, and suddenly they had a lot of equipment breakage. Buoys cut loose. Spat lines stripped bare.”

Cy was inside now, and Will saw him cross the deck and slip in through the narrow gap in the door, crossing silently to the foot of the stairs to Aiden’s bedroom.

“Spat lines?”

“Baby mussels.” Aiden waved his hand impatiently. “Never mind. But suddenly there was no more money to be made. The manager moved off the island one night; just left them in the lurch. They never visited again. The mussel farm hasn’t operated for a decade. No wonder Sina’s looking for work. And then there was Ella’s first girlfriend.” He paused. “Will, do you want pants? I’ll get you some sweats.”

He went to turn, and Will’s hand shot out, grabbing his shirt.

“No! Wait.”

Will pulled Aiden in close, seeing his eyes widen in surprise. Out of the corner of his eye Will saw Cy’s legs disappear at the top of the stairs, then he leaned in to kiss Aiden softly on the lips. Aiden was warm and his mouth was gentle on Will’s. He tasted of a long-forgotten summer. And then Aiden pushed him away, wiped his mouth with his hand, pulled up his shirt to scrub at his lips with the hem.

“Jesus, Will! What the hell?”

“I— I want you.”

“Cut it the fuck out. Cyrus doesn’t seem like the sharing type to me. You
have
taken something, haven’t you? I can taste it on you.”

Will rubbed his face with his hands. “No, I’ve . . . it’s just . . . it’s been a very strange day,” he finished, lamely.

“Did Cyrus put you up to this? Is this a ‘get the townie all hot and bothered’ game?”

“No,” said Will. “Wait, you’re hot and bothered?”

“Oh, you want to play?” said Aiden. “Here.” He grabbed Will’s hand, and brought it to his groin. Will felt Aiden’s hardness under his hand, and he squeezed a little, making Aiden groan, before he pushed him away.

“What do you expect? You show up here, looking freshly fucked, with those bee-stung lips, like you’re built expressly to suck my dick, and you’ve got this wide-eyed ‘lil ol me?’ thing going on.”

Will gulped.

“I saw you, you know. I saw you talking to Cam, waiting for the ferry. Nervous as hell, looking like you were going to your execution. So, what, did you think now he was gone Cyrus would be easy pickings? It might have been nearly twenty years, but I knew you. All geeky and straight-laced, and now suddenly you’re coming across like the local good-time boy.”

It was Aiden’s turn to step in closer now, cupping Will’s face in his hands. “You want me? Okay then. Come upstairs and I’ll show you how much I want you too.”

The words sent a thrill of longing down Will’s spine. Gods,
this
seemed right, this here, now, in Aiden’s arms. Will’s hands tightened into fists, and he wondered how to voice what he was feeling.

“He’ll be coming with me.”

Cy was there, behind Aiden. Aiden leaned in, and kissed Will again, sucking Will’s lower lip into his mouth, then nipping it softly with his teeth as he pulled gently away. Aiden closed his eyes and breathed out.

“Yeah. Figures.”

Will tightened his grip on Aiden’s arms, and breathed in his scent. He smelt like evergreen and mint and new paperback books. “No,” whispered Will.

“Cy wants you,” said Aiden. “You’d better go.”

Aiden peeled Will’s hands away from him, and stepped backwards. “Shut the doors after you, would you? The opossums get in after the fruit bowl.”

He walked away, heading up the stairs to his bed. Will and Cy stood across the room from each other. Will heard Aiden turn the water on, somewhere upstairs, and suddenly he wished more than anything he could be in that shower with him, letting warm water wash everything away, cleansing him.

“You kissed him?”

“Cy, no— I didn’t mean it!”

Cy reached out and stroked the hair back from Will’s face. His voice was soft and caressing, and he leant in to claim Will’s mouth in a kiss, thrusting his tongue against Will’s. Cy pulled back and whispered against Will’s lips. “So good, my love. You’d be my beautiful fucking whore, if asked, wouldn’t you?”

Cy’s suckered arms were in his hair, grasping and kneading, the sensation making him shiver reflexively. Will felt curiously numb. Cy’s face was right up against his, his luminous green eyes looking into Will’s plain brown ones. “Just remember, you do as I tell you, lovely, and everything will be perfect. I’ll be so good to you.”

Arms were wrapping around his chest now, holding him gently, like something fragile and treasured. He struggled feebly in Cy’s grasp,

“Whose are you?” Cy said.

Will couldn’t think of the answer for a moment. “Yours,” he gasped. “I’m yours.”

“Such a good boy. Open.”

Will wanted to keep his mouth closed, but Cyrus’s tender touches urged him into compliance. He wanted to be Cy’s. Oh, how he wanted that. Cyrus tenderly held his arm suspended above Will’s face and drizzled his exuded gel across Will’s face and into his mouth. The stream trickled down the back Will’s throat. Cyrus calmed Will’s coughing with a soft caress down his neck and chest.

“That’s it.” He held Will close and stroked his hair, pressing a kiss into the brown strands. “It’s time to go home now. Maybe loosen you up a little more, yes?”

Cyrus gently took his hand, and led him into the house, closing the door carefully behind them, then across the living room and out the other side.

“Shut the door, lovely. We have to be neighborly after all. Respect other people’s property.”

Cyrus stood patiently on the deck and watched Will pull the door closed, running his hand down Will’s spine through his t-shirt. Will looked up and saw Aiden standing naked at the top of the stairs, toweling his wet hair. He paused in his movement and their eyes through the glass. With a tug from Cyrus, Will turned and walked away, feeling Aiden’s eyes boring into his back with every step.

Will woke to Cy’s tendril around his body, holding him still. The big bed was cozy and warm, and Cy felt like a blanket where he spread across Will’s body. Will lay quietly and listened to the birds in the trees outside.

Finally Cy stirred. “Mmmm. It’s going to be a good day today, isn’t it my love?” He nuzzled into Will’s hair, and his soft breath ghosted across Will’s face.

Will stretched, pushing into Cy’s body. “I feel like I really need a shower.”

Cy slapped his ass with one hand. “Nonsense! A morning swim, that’s what you need. Let’s go.”

Will groaned at Cy’s enthusiasm, but rolled to his feet.

Will’s bag was waiting outside the sliding door. Cy reached past him, lifting the bag into the cottage. “We can deal with that later.”

Down on the beach Cy urged Will out further than he’d gone before. The lapping of the water and Cy’s gentle caresses felt uncannily similar. Cy disappeared for several long minutes, and returned with two ling cod.

He held them up gleefully. “Breakfast!”

The climb back up to the cottage felt much easier today, even though Will ached, bone-deep. Will dried himself off with a towel in the bathroom and brushed his teeth. His skin felt strangely tender, all over. He softly stroked his face with fingers, wincing as every touch seemed magnified. His arse felt raw, too.

“Do you own hiking pants?” came Cy’s voice.

“Seriously? Um, no?” called back Will.

“I’ve got a pair you can wear,” said Cy, coming into the bedroom. “But first, turn around and lean on the bed, my love.”

“What?”

“I know we’re past this, lovely. Just lean on the bed. Now.” His hand brushed Will’s sides and reached around to grab his bare ass.

Will turned and let Cy knead his ass cheeks, then prised them apart. Two of his fingers were suddenly in Will’s mouth. “Get them wet,” said Cy.

Will licked and sucked at the fingers. He wasn’t quite sure why he was doing this, exposing his hole to this man he hardly knew. He felt as if he could stop at any time, he just didn’t want to.

Cy withdrew his fingers, then quickly Will felt them being worked into his arse, scissoring and spreading his anus apart. It burned but didn’t quite hurt, but he moved his weight uneasily between his hands, stretched apart on the colorful quilt. Cy’s hand on his arse cheek calmed and settled him as Cy began to pump steadily in and out of him.

“That’s good, lovely. Do you remember what a good time we had last night?”

“Last night?”

“We went to Aiden’s. You drank quite a lot. That’s okay though. You’ll always have me there to look after you.”

Cy’s fingers started plucking at Will’s ring, teasing the sensitive skin, pushing and pinching, while simultaneously stroking the soft line between his hole and balls. The texture of CY’s touch felt weird and unsettling.

Will found it impossible to concentrate. He didn’t know how Cy could be having this calm conversation while he opened him in his most private place.

The sensation in his arse moved towards pain, and Will realized Cy had added another finger. The moisture from his spit was nowhere near enough, and he keened a little at the painful intrusion. The stretch and burn grew until it felt like Cy was about to split him apart.

“Cy, please— “

Abruptly Cy withdrew, walking into the bathroom to wash his hands.

“Get dressed now,” he said. “We’ve got a big day ahead of us.”

Will sat carefully on the bed. “Cy, I don’t understand.”

Cy came back in. His hands massaged Will on his shoulders, and he laid a kiss on Will’s forehead. “You don’t need to understand. That will come later. Just do as I say.”

When Will came out two cod fillets were sizzling in the pan. The smell was amazing, and Will watched as Cy filleted the second fish. The flesh twitched as Cy cut into it.

“Oh my god,” said Will. “It’s not dead?”

“Just a reflex response,” said Cy. “Shows it’s fresh. It’s dead all right. It’ll be inside us in five minutes. Here.” He tipped a fillet onto each of their plates. “Eat.”

The way he looked at Will made him pick up his fork. The fish was delicious, and as he finished Cy dished up the second fillet.

Cy ate quickly, then grabbed his small backpack from the cupboard under the sink. He disappeared back into the bedroom, and came out holding Will’s grubby t-shirt from the day before, and a familiar dark stone.