I was still gripping his butt cheeks in my hands to support his weight and I pressed up, at the same time lowering Ari a bit more, nudging my way deeper into his gloriously tight hole. When he’d taken all of me, he was back to babbling incoherently against my chest while our bodies rocked together.
When Ari tensed suddenly, I didn’t even have time to ask if he was alright before he came apart in my arms, his release coating our shirts when I didn’t get them out of the way in time. His already tight ass clamped down, milking me for every drop of cum my balls held until I was as much of a boneless, orgasmed-out mess as the sweet thing in my arms was. While we gasped for breath together, my only thought was how soon we could do it again.
ChapterOne
6 Weeks Later
Ari
“Connery! Get yer goodfernuttin ass out here!”
A blow on the thin door shook my entire shack, not that there was much of it beyond the four walls and a bucket in the corner so I didn’t have to be allowed out to relieve myself. My father’s voice was always angry, but since the night I’d snuck out to meet Roger at the bar, there was an overt edge of hostility that frightened me, so on the rare occasion that I was called out of my prison, I didn’t dare dally in my response.
I struggled to my feet, brushing the rice from my knees and pulling my dirty jeans on. Shoving my feet in my battered sneakers, I rushed out, wincing at the bright sunlight that assaulted my eyes.
My father and a few of the other men stood on the prayer platform with the Shaman, so I rushed over to drop to the dirt in front of them, the impact on my bruised knees had me fighting back tears.
“Have you been doing your penance, Archman?”
The Shaman’s voice was cold and flat and heavy with disdain.
“Yes, your Holiness.”
“Stand up and pull down your pants.”
I did as I was told, keeping my eyes trained on the dirt.
The men before me cackled as my battered privates and bloodied knees came into view. When the noise stopped abruptly, I suspected that the Shaman had leveled them with one of his dead-eyed stares.
“It’s a start,” the Shaman said firmly, “but it still falls short of the sacrifice needed to earn absolution from your sins, Archman.”
“Yes, your Holiness.”
I had no clue what my next punishment was to be, but I could only hope I’d be allowed food before it began. It had been five days since my salvation had been deemed stalled and the fasting intended to starve the evil from me began and even kneeling on the uncooked rice left me dizzy.
The Shaman grunted approval at my response. “Pull up your pants.” He waited until I’d done so and gestured for me to follow him and the other men to the table at the center of the platform where a crude explosive device was proudly displayed.
“Tonight, you will be given the opportunity to earn the right to ask God for forgiveness for your transgressions,” he intoned flatly. “You will infiltrate the enemy with the others and seek out the spot where God’s Vengeance will bring Him the most glory.”
I struggled with his words for a minute and then realized that the old man was referring to thebombas God’s Vengeance, like they’d named the thing like it was a person. Which, I realized, was exactly what had happened and the fear in my chest began to grow. I’d never presume to suggest I understand His will better than the holiest of men, but how could our Lord want us to do damage to other living creatures in his name? It just didn’t make sense.
“Connery? Are you listening?” my father spat the words in my direction.
“Yes, sir,” I said quickly. “I’m to take the..to take God’s Vengeance into the enemy camp and seek the best place to release it.”
“Not tonight,” the Shaman corrected quickly. “Tonight, all you will do is help to scout for the best location. Vengeance will be released in two days’ time as the sun dawns His Glory.”
“Yes, your Holiness. I’m sorry, your Holiness,” I murmured, steeling myself for the blow that would come for having misunderstood the instructions. It knocked me to the ground and I stayed where I landed, muffling the moans from the repeated kicks to my chest and stomach, grateful I hadn’t been given food after all. The only thing worse than an empty stomach was vomiting after having finally been given food. That was a lesson I had learned months ago, the first time I’d been forcibly fasted to show me the error of my ways.
When the blows ceased, the Shaman and others walked away, leaving me on the ground until my mother and younger sister came to help me to my feet. My sister was crying, and Mama prayed under her breath as she helped me back to my shack and closed the door behind them.
I stripped out of my jeans -after all, I hadn’t been given permission to forgo the remainder of my punishments- and studied the grains of rice scattered over the dirt, realizing for the first time that I was going to be lucky to live if the punishments continued. A plan began to form in my mind, it was dangerous but if God wasn’t going to save me, I would have to throw myself on the mercy of the enemy.
Roger
Home for a little R and R during the pandemic that seemed to be locking down the entire freaking country, I’d stopped back in at the Hole in the Wall Bar and Grill a few too many times to be chill after my encounter with Ari. No matter how much I was dying to find out if it was all in my head or if the chemistry between us had really been as crazy as I remembered, luck wasn’t on my side and we didn’t cross paths,
Then shit went south quickly. Due to a bunch of bullshit conspiracy theories blaming shifters for the pandemic, hate groups started attacking innocent shifters all through the country and I was called back to active duty with theBöxenwolfBrigade. Not only was I called back, but I was also given an unexpected field promotion to lead my own unit. My team’s first mission was to provide security assistance to a non-profit organization called Omega Destiny, International which was conveniently located only a few miles from my townhouse. That, and butting heads with the damned hyena that headed their security detail, kept me too busy to give much thought to Ari.
