Secrets and Magic Ch. 03

Finally, breaking the kiss, Zechariah watched as Tomas's eyes fluttered open. The orbs were full of want and desire. Just as quickly as he was gentle, Zechariah tightened his hands in the silky ringlets and pulled until Tomas let out a wince of pain. His nostrils flared at the sound, kicking things up a notch. "Beautiful," Zechariah whispered, "Absolutely beautiful..."

He sharply pulled Tomas's hair one more time before trailing a hand down the young man's heaving chest and across his stomach to settle on the stiffness between his legs. There he curled his fingers and gently stroked through the material of the robe. Tomas's mouth fell open as bands of pleasure wove their way around him. His hands dug into Zechariah's biceps as he struggled to steady himself. Of their own accord, his hips began to move in rhythm with each caress and a loud moan filled the room.

"Please..." The man's plea tickled Zechariah's ears and he smiled.

"What is it you ask for?" Zechariah tightened his grip and stroked a little faster.

Tomas closed his eyes as his head fell back, completely overtaken by the sensation. He gasped again and his whole body shook as a particular spot was hit. He tried to answer, but couldn't.

Zechariah walked them over to his bed and stopped long enough to undress them both. He laid Tomas across and surveyed his flushed skin caught up in the passion of his body. Positioning himself alongside him, he couldn't fight the jolt of their skin-on-skin contact. Leaning down, Zechariah kissed inside the crook of Tomas's neck, eliciting more delicious sounds. Again his hand cupped Tomas and he stroked, this time slowly... teasingly. The young man's body arched in surrender as his hands clutched the sheets.

"Yes..."

"What do you need, Tomas?" Zechariah's voice was quiet.

"You," he sucked in a breath as Zechariah brushed his fingers against his sack, "I need you."

"Do you?" His hand squeezed Tomas's cock making him buck, "But are you ready for me?"

"Yes... Please..."

On the tail of those words, Zechariah rolled Tomas onto his stomach. He straddled the slender hips as his hand rubbed his own length. He closed his eyes briefly in pleasure and anticipation then opened them. Quietly reciting a spell, he called forth oil to form on the tips of his fingers. He took some and covered his cock in it then gently pressed between Tomas's cheeks until he found what he was searching for. Beneath him, Tomas went rigid, pressing his face into the mattress. Zechariah teased the opening, reveling in the way it stretched around and sucked his fingers. Content with his preparations, Zechariah spread Tomas open with one hand and grasped his cock with the other. He lined up with Tomas's sweet entrance and pressed forward. Both men moaned at the action. All the way in he went until his entire cock was enveloped in warmth. Zechariah paused, giving Tomas a chance to adjust.

But only a moment.

"On your knees," Zechariah managed to get out between gritted teeth. His fingers pressed deep into Tomas's skin as he hoisted him up. He pushed his hips in further making sure he was deep inside before withdrawing and slamming back in.

"Ahh..." Tomas cried out, brutally filled to the brim. A crease appeared between his brows as he squeezed his eyes closed and accepted Zechariah. He was used to this; his master would never be completely gentle.

"So good..." Zechariah spread his legs for better leverage and drove into the smaller man again and again. His cock was hugged and pulled in deep with every thrust. Reaching around Tomas, he began to stroke him - only this time there was no teasing. He murmured a string of words and his hand grew especially warm and soft as it worked up and down Tomas's cock. Blonde curls fell forward as Tomas let his head drop. Zechariah only stroked him faster as his fucking picked up speed.

Zechariah watched as Tomas edged closer and closer. He heard every sound his servant made – every moan... every whispered plea. He would oblige him. He saw the tell-tale strand of saliva fall from Tomas's mouth as he was overwhelmed. Moaning out loud as his own body was saturated in pleasure; he withdrew completely then forced Tomas back onto his cock. A sharp cry reached his ears and it was almost too much for him. His hand rubbed Tomas faster as he took him. Soon the youthful body began to shake as the tension built and expanded.

"I want it, Tomas," Zechariah thrust in as hard as he could, "Give it to me."

There was a deep groan and sudden shudder as Tomas came all over his hand. Every gush was coupled with a defeated moan as he did just what his Master ordered. When the shudders subsided, Zechariah twisted his coated hand in Tomas's hair and yanked his head back. He was rough then, pounding into him hard and uncompromisingly.

"So full, Tomas... you are going to be so full." Zechariah slid deep into Tomas, air hissing past his teeth as his body jerked at the absolute pinnacle of everything. He grunted harshly as his cock exploded, flowing in hot spurts. In the aftermath he continued to rock his hips, his body sensitive to the remnants of pleasure.

He eventually withdrew from Tomas and lied down next to him. The air filled with their heavy breathing. Moments later, Zechariah rolled on his side away from what he had done – what he couldn't help but do – and spoke, "There is much to be done. Get out."

The next morning Aden waited impatiently in the exercise room for Jack. He reached behind him to bind his hair and winced in pain. He had hoped to get used to the ache but as much as he wanted to believe otherwise, he was not getting any better. He exhaled in frustration. This was no predicament for someone of his station. The constant reminder of his failure could not be tolerated much longer. He sat staring at the doorway until Jack, followed closely by Merced, appeared. Aden frowned. Merced was not to be a part of this. He looked at his 'assistant' in question, but was met with his usual veneer.

Jack was the first to speak, "Before you say anything, there is something I need to try." This was said in a rush as she glanced nervously between him and Merced. "I-," she took a breath, "I need his help."

Aden remained silent as he held her to the spot with a look. He noticed her hair was loose and decided he liked it better that way. The brown curls were thick and hung past her shoulders making her even sexier. He also noticed, with a pang of disappointment, she still wore her wardrobe of loose fitting garments; for some reason that irritated him. He wanted to see what she looked like in the more form-fitting dresses of his people.

"I think it would be best if you were lying down," Jack's voice interrupted his thoughts, "We should go to your bedroom."

Sudden heat traveled up Aden's spine at her suggestion before he caught himself. There was a familiar tightening in his lap which made him scowl. No. No. No. Focus. "What is going on?" Something was being kept from him and he didn't like it.

Jack looked at Merced before responding. "Your injury is outside the scope of mere physical therapy, but I think I have something that can help you."

Aden's expression darkened, "Explain."

She looked at Merced again before answering, "I... I may not have been truthful when I said I didn't believe Magic existed." Jack ran an anxious hand through her hair, "You could say I've been trained in it... sort of." She averted her gaze and concentrated on her shoes.

Aden's first reaction was anger. How dare she lie to him? And what of...His gaze slid to Merced. The young man looked as if nothing had transpired. He made a mental note to speak to his appointee privately about what constituted a 'need to know'. He returned his focus to Jack but she refused to look at him, instead maintaining her relationship with the floor. Aden cleared his throat and drilled her with his gaze until her eyes finally met his.

"Why didn't you mention this before?" He narrowed his eyes, "What was the point of your deception?"

She had the nerve to look offended, "You were being impossible."

Aden blinked in disbelief. Was this woman serious? He was being impossible? If there was anyone at fault here it was her. She was the one who eavesdropped. And now, she was the one confessing her lie. The audacity...

He sighed his annoyance, "How exactly do you think you can help me?" Despite himself, a small flicker of hope ignited. If there was a chance, even a small one, he'd be a fool not to take it.

Jack shot a fleeting glance at the item Merced was holding and let out a breath, "I can't cast spells like you or Merced, but I can make salves," she shook her head then quickly corrected herself, "I mean - I can make a salve." She looked between the two of them then went on, "But I need help to... use it."

Aden watched her, a strange expression on his face, "Help?"

Jack rolled her eyes in frustration at herself; she was not doing a very good job of this. "Without my grandmother to help me focus, I'll pass out if I try to use it on my own."

Merced immediately added, "I have offered her my assistance." Jack's eyes shot to him, thankful for the interjection.

Aden sat back in his chair, rubbing his chin in thought. What Jack just said was... odd. How could she not be able to focus? He had never heard of anything like it. Something poked the back of his mind and he frowned. He shifted a little to keep the muscles in his back from locking up. There were so many questions. Why would her so-called salve work where his physicians had failed? However, if Merced was going along with it, he must know or suspect something. Aden looked up at the Ca'lai who only nodded in response.

The flicker grew into a small flame as the possibility of returning home presented itself. What if - What if this worked? For whatever reason, what if Jack did what others could not? Aden briefly closed his eyes and exhaled through his nose, "Tell me what will happen."

"Well," Jack began, "Merced will use his energy to help me focus as I infuse my Magic into the cream. Then I'll apply it to your wound." She laughed nervously, "In theory it should work."

Aden nodded, "Let's proceed." He was ready to act. Though the flame within him grew stronger, he recognized this experiment could just as easily lead nowhere.

But this time something felt different.

Aden wheeled himself to his room with Merced right behind him. Jack would have followed as well, but she was asked to wait outside. A few moments later the door opened and she was allowed access. Not surprisingly, the decor was lacking. The only thing of note was the weird looking laptop on his desk. Her eyes snapped to Aden and she paused. He had removed his shirt and was lying on his stomach with his head resting on his forearms. She could feel his eyes on her and they made her warm as she took in his form. He wasn't moving, but she could see the muscles poised under his skin. Absently she wet her lips and moved forward. There was a towel covering his lower back and Jack cocked her head to side as she gingerly removed it. Aden tensed and she sucked in a breath. Her eyes formed perfect circles when she saw the wound. It looked as if something had exploded on impact taking a chunk right out of his flesh. The edges were blackened and charred with deep tissue and muscle on display in the middle. Jack gulped.

Someone cleared their throat and her eyes slid to Merced who had removed the small jar from its bag. He shook his head, silently reminding her not to stare. Her gaze drifted down to Aden's, but his was unreadable. Jack took a deep breath as her heart picked up speed. She wanted this to work. Badly. Earlier she had delighted in the idea of having Aden in her debt, but beyond that, she wanted him to think of her as more than just some problem.

"Remember what we discussed," Merced's voice was calm and encouraging. He held the jar out to her.

As her hand moved closer, Jack could feel the erratic energy of her Magic shifting within. Her fingers closed around the smooth container and instantly her head was dangerously foggy; she was so tired. Her body felt like it weighed a ton. If only she could sleep...

"Jack." She shook her head in response, but that only made things worse. The world went blurry and a pulse of pain began at her temples then spread to the base of her skull. It hurt. Why did it always hurt? She sucked in air, feeling her shirt cling to the fresh perspiration on her back. Her eyes opened and closed as she struggled to keep her grasp on consciousness. Again her Magic shifted, dancing out of her control. She swayed on her feet.

"I don't think..." The fear-laden words tumbled out of her mouth as the jar almost slipped from her hands.

Merced jumped in and closed his hand around hers, tightening their grip. "Breathe."

Jack shakily inhaled as her head cleared little by little. Her body returned to normal and in relief she felt the chaos of her Magic subside. Merced was helping her, temporarily quieting the conflict. She took another breath and marveled at the way her power thrummed through her. This was the way her grandmother felt – the way Aden and Merced must always feel. Looking up at the latter, she saw his were eyes closed in deep concentration. Jack moved her attention to the jar and used her empty hand to scoop some of the salve onto her fingers. She gasped as vines of energy traveled down her arm and into the substance causing it to tingle. Eyeing Aden's injury, she lowered her hand until it was a hair's breadth away. Without further hesitation, Jack pressed her fingers to one part of the damaged area and massaged.

Beneath her, Aden went suddenly rigid without a sound then completely lax. With each touch Jack felt her Magic saturating the salve, infusing the rare ingredients. Once a portion was used up, she immediately gathered more for use until the entire wound was covered. In the aftermath, a distinct scent of peppermint filled the room and intensified the deeper it traveled through his layers of skin. Jack exhaled. She surveyed Aden's body and saw it wasn't moving – that it hadn't moved. She peered at his face and found his eyes trapped open in a blank stare; they'd turned completely black. A sliver of panic raced down her spine and disrupted her connection to Merced causing him to groan.

"Oh my God..." Jack forgot all about staying calm as a feeling of horror took root.

Merced quietly opened his eyes and removed the jar from their joint hold. He released Jack's hand and abruptly the hum of power and control left her. Her expression was fearful as she looked from Aden to him. Remaining cool, Merced leaned down and appeared to check for signs of life. When he was satisfied he straightened up and looked at Jack.

"It's odd. He's not breathing but his Magic is very much alive," a trace of a frown marred his face. "I have never seen this before."

Jack's insides clenched, "W-what do we do?" She was dangerously close to freaking out. What if he never woke up? Her chest rose and fell rapidly; she was going to hyperventilate. My fault, the words echoed in her head, this would all be my fault.

Merced was staring Aden when he answered softly, "We wait."

It was approaching late into the evening and Aden had yet to show signs of waking up. Jack spent the entire day tense and worried; fearful she'd done the unthinkable. Merced, for his part, wasn't as quick to assume the worst. After one of his periodic checks he would calmly assure Jack her patient wasn't dead. That should have comforted her some, but it didn't. If he wasn't dead then what was wrong with him?

Dinner was a rather subdued affair, lacking its usual easy conversation. Jack was so concerned about Aden she didn't bother trying to discuss her earlier talk with Merced. He seemed to have some understanding of her predicament and felt he could help her gain control of her Magic. Jack was a little frightened at the prospect of going down that road again; the process was never without pain. Her actual knowledge was limited to the salve she had and even that wasn't made entirely by her. If she somehow managed to get a handle on her power, there was still the matter of learning to craft other things. Who could teach her that? Jack sighed and climbed into bed. Her mind was a massive jumble and trying to sort it out only made sleep arrive faster.

It was her door crashing open that shocked her awake.

Jack's senses weren't given a chance to register what was happening before she was dragged out of bed and dropped unceremoniously on the floor. She blinked in the darkness and her eyes landed on a pair of boots planted in front of her. Her whole body tensed as fear exploded through her. What was going on? Her eyes traveled up slowly until her head was tilted all the way back. The man towering over her sneered before grabbing her by the hair and lifting her to her feet. She let out a loud cry as her scalp was bathed in pain. Immediately the man snatched her by the arm and proceeded to drag her along. Jack kicked at the man and struggled to get her arm free, but a sharp smack to the face had her seeing stars.

"We'll have none of that, love." His voice was gravelly and unpleasant. Tears stung her eyes as her cheek began to throb. She tasted blood.

"W-who are you? Why are you doing this?" Jack hated how weak her voice sounded.

"You don't need to worry about that," the man answered before pulling her along again. She caught a glimpse of her attacker's face in the moonlight and started. Along with the scar running the length of his face she noticed his eyes were completely devoid of color. She had seen that before, if briefly. It was unsettling.

As they entered the hallway several crashes from downstairs reached their ears. Jack nearly jumped out of her skin prompting the man to squeeze her arm in a death grip. She hissed in response. Where was Merced? Aden? Panic gripped her as she thought of them lying somewhere in the rubble. They made it to the stairs and the man descended, still holding Jack by the arm and not caring if she walked or stumbled. When they got to the bottom he practically threw her in a corner. The wall met her head hard and she moaned in distress. When she was finally able to open her eyes they widened at the site in front of her. Every piece of furniture in the living room was broken; it looked as if a tornado had swept through. She squinted, then covered her mouth to hide her gasp. At least six bodies were buried in the mess - six bodies that weren't moving.

Two figures blew right through the door leading to the kitchen and Jack screamed. One of them made it to his feet right away and dropped into a fighting stance. The first thing Jack noticed was the bright glowing silver of his eyes. Merced. He didn't wait for the other man to get all the way up before delivering a kick at lightning speed. His opponent flew into the wall and in a blur of movement, pale streaks trailing behind him, Merced had him pinned by his throat. Without hesitating, his other hand impaled his chest and turned. Bright light filled his victim, pouring out of his eyes and mouth, before dissipating. The limp body was quickly released and hit the floor with a heavy thud. There was a lull of silence before Merced took notice of her. Right away the youth headed toward her, but was blasted sideways after only a few steps. Jack screamed again and jumped to her feet to help him, but found she couldn't move. Her feet seemed to be trapped in something.

Before she heard him, she felt his breath on the back of her neck. "It wouldn't be wise to interfere," the soft voice sent a chill down her spine.

Jack gulped and remained silent, scanning for any movement of Merced. She let out a pent up breath when he staggered to his feet. He looked off to the side and Jack followed his gaze. She saw the man who'd drug her downstairs advancing on him. He was holding some kind of red glowing rod. The two circled one another menacingly. Suddenly the man went on the attack, going for a swing, but was blocked just as quickly. This time Merced went on the offensive, landing a series of punches that sent his enemy reeling. Jack's eyes tried to follow his movement, but he was just too quick – all she saw was the array of streaks.