Scavengers: August (7 page)

“And you two?”
asked James, moving a bit closer to the fire.

“A couple of
months,” beamed the boy.

Ira breathed
slowly, sliding his hand over James’ waist and trying to gently
pull his guest closer. He wanted him to feel comfortable. To his
relief, the man didn’t protest.

“How did you
meet?” James asked, looking at the pretty faced Jewish boy, who
swallowed, leaning back in his chair.

Joshua bit his
lip shooting a glance at Ira, and smiled as their eyes locked.
“Well, I promised him a good time, but he invited me to a coffee
house first. That’s how it went,” he finished sweetly, his long
eyelashes casting a shadow on reddened cheeks.

“Oh, I
understand,” said James politely, but Ira was sure he didn’t have a
clue what to make of his behaviour. He once again closed the
distance between them, pulling the aristocrat’s back into his own
chest. His soft, chestnut hair smelled absolutely delightful and
Ira closed his eyes for a moment.

“It’s good to
have company,” he explained.

“It must be
nice to have a friend,” James said and Ira felt his body tense
up.

“Talking about
friends... I need to go,” smiled the boy, gulping down the remains
of his ale. He stood up, picked up a knee-length coat and quickly
put it on. Ira gave him an appreciative nod. He liked Joshua’s
intelligence. The boy could recognize when his presence became
dispensable.

James’ gaze
followed the boy as he grinned at Ira once more and left. The
silence that followed hung between them like a heavy curtain. The
host breathed, lowering his face and burying it into the wavy mane
of hair. He liked how the other man’s body fit in his arms. “You
like it?” he asked, his own meal already finished.

“It’s a strange
taste,” said James honestly, looking at the bottom of his empty
glass. Holding him close, Ira could feel how fast his heart was
pounding as he caressed the other man’s chest through the
shirt.

“But good for
you,” he insisted and after a moment of hesitation, he kissed the
scar on his neck.

“Yes,” James
whispered, looking into the fire, “though it has a bit of a sour
aftertaste.”

“Like
everythin’ that’s good.” Ira slowly massaged the front of his
guest’s torso. Feeling no rejection, he kissed the scars again.
“They heal all right?”

“Yes, you did
it quite skilfully,” said James, slowly touching Ira’s hand with
his fingers.

“I tried,” the
other man answered, intertwining their hands gently. He wondered
how desperate James really was.

“And most of
all, I am still alive. That’s what counts. I’m sorry I barged into
your house like that.” The guest let out a long, tired sigh.

“That’s all
right. Glad you came,” murmured Ira, nuzzling his ear and looking
into the sparkling fire.

“I didn’t feel
at ease with what happened earlier today...” James returned to the
broken conversation. He seemed vulnerable as he sat there, holding
his hand, even though he was neither weak nor small. It made Ira
feel uneasy, but he simply hugged him closer.

“Me
neither.”

“No? It seemed
you got what you wanted and left...” said James, pushing his back
close to Ira’s chest, clearly relaxed by the embrace.

“I didn’t want
to,” the other man mumbled, “but things you said...”

“Give me a
break! I have never met someone like you! I’m nervous!” James’
honesty kept surprising Ira.

“About me
origin,” Ira explained with a moan.

At those words
James went silent. “I’ve never met a nice Jew before...” he
whispered in the end, with a bit of a cringe.

“You met any at
all?” asked the host with a sigh.

“No... but you
people don’t believe in Christ,” said James, firmly holding Ira’s
hand. “One of the archbishops told me in confidence that it was the
reason for you to want the undead to cause disorder. So that your
savior comes down to earth.”

Ira groaned,
shaking his head at his companion’s naivety. “D’ya live on the
moon? Look around! Ya really think there can be a savior?”

James turned
his head to Ira, with a shocked expression. “How can you say things
like that!?”

“I’m no
privileged man!” said Ira, looking him straight in the eye.

“It has nothing
to do with that! It’s about the future of mankind and hope. Christ
died for our sins, but now it is up to society to work together for
the good of our children!”

“I want no one
to die for me! And if you make some betta’ than others, how can
there be a future for us, down below?!” asked Ira, frustration
clear in his voice.

“We are
equal...” said James, looking into his dark eyes and lightly
kissing his cheek. “Someone needs to govern, so that the world
doesn’t fall apart. It doesn’t mean they are ‘better’.”

“Ya know what I
mean!” sighed Ira brushing his lips against the other man’s
cheek.

“No I don’t.
What do you expect to happen? Some kind of revolution? It would be
extremely dangerous in the current situation. We are lucky to have
the Plague under control in the city,” said James with
conviction.

“I want
respect. No policemen followin’ me! No more leaving people like me
out!”

James slouched
a little, turned in the chair and wrapped his arms around Ira’s
neck. “We can see what happens...”

The host
swallowed and looked into his eyes stroking his arched back. The
other man felt warm against his skin. “What d’ya want now... boy?”
he breathed, feeling a pleasant heat coursing through him.

“I need to make
sure you do nothing stupid tonight...” said James, his eyes fixed
on Ira, who grinned back.

“What’s
‘stupid’?” Ira demanded, his excitement rising.

“Anything
unlawful...” James' breath sped up a little.

“Yeah? Sure you
want that?” The host teased him as he slowly withdrew, taking
James’ arms from around his neck.

James let out a
short, loud sigh, but nodded. “It’s for the better. I... We
shouldn’t be doing this anyway.”

“Not
convincin’,” said Ira, strolling to the door and locking it with a
loud, dry click. He slowly turned around, looked at James and
returned to the table. He then moved behind the other man’s chair
and massaged his arms... They were warm and so tense that Ira
immediately felt sorry for him.

“I only did it
because I thought I was going to die,” James confessed, “and now
it’s like the forbidden fruit, there is no going back. I thought I
would just have to live with this craving for the rest of my life
with no hope for satisfaction and today, seeing you at the
university... I had only hoped for a kiss.”

“Oh, but you
get a night!” Ira whispered in his ear, abruptly bending to kiss
it. Oh, how he craved to have James in his bed once again!

“But you didn’t
want me, you just left back then...” said James, in a soft
moan.

Ira swallowed,
wondering just how many times they would have to go through it. “I
did! ‘was you who didn’t want one like me!”

“Back on the
train... I said I wanted to see you some time and you left!” He
looked away.

This
conversation made Ira want to break the table with his own head. “I
left ‘cause you wanted me on your call! I’m a free man just like
ya!”

“We could make
up the date together! I wouldn’t enforce it!” answered James, with
a new anger.

“I want
somethin’ different! No set dates or hidin’ that we know each
other!” the man growled into James’ ear.

The aristocrat
pouted with a sour look on his face. “Somehow, I don't think I
would get bored having you around every single day,” he said,
turning his face towards Ira’s, “but I have responsibilities. It
has to be reasonable.”

Ira looked at
him, his breathing getting ragged. He opened his lips, freezing for
a brief moment. They both wanted each other so badly that it had to
work somehow. “I want you to kiss me, boy,” was what he finally
said and didn’t have to wait long for an answer to that request, as
James’ lips met his in a matter of seconds. They were warm, sweet
and softer than anything Ira could think of. He could get drunk on
them. The raw emotion rising deep in his chest made him realize how
rarely he felt that excited about someone. “Yeah...” he trailed
off, moving to the side of the chair and putting his hand under the
other man’s knees to pick him up. He wanted him in his bed right
now.

James stopped
him, with a laugh. “I’m not a lady, nor am I that light!”

Ira lowered
himself on one knee, looking up at the other man, slowly stroking
the leather bootleg. He knew it hid hot skin and bent slightly to
kiss James’ knee through his trousers. “You aren’t,” he agreed,
massaging his partner’s ankle through the shoe.

“I always
thought all I was ever going to do was watch those drawings of
other people having fun...” said James, with a nervous laughter.
Ira shook his head, pulling off the boot and putting it under the
table before doing the same with the other one.

“I’ll show you
fun, boy,” he smiled, more and more excited about what was going to
happen. “Today you see my bedroom.”

“But what will
happen next?” worried James, tracing Ira’s tattooed arms with his
fingers.

“What d’ya
think happens?” Ira got to his feet and vigorously pulled the other
man up as well.

“Oh Ira! I keep
thinking of only you!” James exclaimed, getting up quickly and
followed him into the bedroom. It was heart-warming to see him
every bit as excited as he was himself.

“So it’s
settled,” breathed the other man with a smile, pulling him close
and leading him to the other room. He took out a pack of matches
and lit a tiny, white lamp standing on a shelf right by the door.
Its soft, dim glow revealed a small, square room that seemed
unexpectedly cozy and homely in comparison to the one they'd just
left. A large bed, which could easily fit three people, occupied
most of the space inside. It was covered by a red, velvet spread,
with numerous cushions scattered over it, though most of them lay
in a heap at the headboard. The pillows were colorful, beautifully
embroidered with small beads and metallic thread, which gave them
an oriental look. Since the bed was definitely too large for a room
like that, there wasn’t much space left for anything else. The only
other piece of furniture inside was a simple closet at the foot of
the bed. Also, there were no windows, which only strengthened the
feeling of absolute privacy.

“And we will
work something out?” James asked, looking around with
curiosity.

“I guess so,”
said the other man, turning James’ face in his own direction gently
and pressing a soft kiss on his cheek.

The other man
took off his jacket, throwing it on the small oriental rug by the
bed. “You wouldn’t believe how rotten my mind is...”

“Oh yeah? Why
don’t you tell me?” Ira urged him with a wolfish smile. That was
something he definetly wanted to hear. He took off his jacket as
well and lowered the suspenders to start working at the buttons of
his yellow-chequered shirt.

“I would go
into my study, look through those drawings I collect and imagine
you in all of those situations. Your muscled, colorful arms, your
tender lips...” said James, slowly opening his vest. “There is such
a sense of completion when I fantasize about it.” The delicate bone
structure of his face made him look even more elegant, not like the
people Ira usually met in the streets. He swallowed and reached
across, taking the waistcoat off his partner.

James was too
beautiful. Even seeing the curve of his neck and shoulder sent
shivers down Ira’s spine. He quickly pulled the collar of his shirt
a bit lower and kissed his flesh with a soft moan. “You’ll have
that tonight,” he promised as his hands trailed down over the other
man’s chest.

“Do you meet a
lot of men like me?” James asked, leaning in for a kiss. It was
like a touch of electricity, going straight to Ira’s groin. He
slipped his hand into James’ half-open shirt, massaging soft skin
and he already knew he wanted to kiss it all over, devour this man
whole.

“Not like you,
no.”

James smiled at
this comment, wrapping his arms around Ira’s neck. “I never meet
men like you. They never talk back to me or grab me...” James’
breath became more hoarse as he pressed his body to Ira, who hissed
loudly, gripping his hips with strong fingers.

“Would you like
that?” he smiled hungrily, pulling him close and smelling the long
hair yet again, “Them rippin' ya shirt off and fuckin’ ya against a
wall?”

James moaned
quietly and Ira could only imagine how those words must have
affected him. “I couldn’t let someone treat me like that...” he
said, but it was obvious, judging from their first encounter, that
it was exactly what he'd dreamed of.

“What if they
forced ya?” breathed Ira in a raspy voice, squeezing his nipple.
“They’re rough lads these sailors...”

“I’d have to
fight back, right?” James said, caressing Ira’s arms and slowly
rubbing his own body against the other mans. “I couldn’t just bend
over like some harlot from the docks...”

Ira felt a
sudden surge of desire overcome him. Unable to help himself, he
grabbed James’ hair and used it to turn his face to the side as he
crushed the man into the wall with his own body. “Oh yeah? What
makes you say that?” he hissed, yanking the shirt down James’ back.
He wasn't too forceful as he didn’t want to rip the expensive
garment, but it sufficed to reveal his partner’s shoulder blades
and arms. The view of perfect, creamy skin made him ache.

James gasped,
nervously trying to look back at him. “Because I’m of noble
birth...!” he said, his body shivering violently. “If someone
knew—” Ira interrupted him with a long, lazy lap along the
uncovered part of his spine. The taste of that young, salty skin
there was all Ira craved tonight.