* * *

The Boy thought he was going to die… When the gang caught him, quite off his guard, he didn’t dare to protest… in fact, he didn’t give a damn, his life was a mess, he thought he didn’t need it, anyway…

And then He appeared. The Boy was suddenly aware of His presence, something like a call that echoed in his body… He shuddered. The gang grew quiet under the stranger’s gaze.

‘Let me do him,’ He snapped. Everyone obeyed. They held the Boy spread-eagled, his back against the wall, his clothes already torn and hanging off in rags, showing his skin with fresh bruises.

The stranger came close to the Boy and held him by the chin, his breath warming the Boy’s cold lips.

‘Gotcha, my little darling… now you’re going to be mine! And don’t you dare close your eyes… look at me!’ He demanded. The Boy eagerly followed the order. Every single movement the stranger made, every single word he uttered, every tiny sparkle in his eyes send waves of inhuman happiness through the Boy’s body… a sudden hope, a lightening…

The stranger lit a cigarette and inhaled. He was still holding the Boy’s chin and looking him in the eyes.

‘Now, what do you think I’m going to do with this cigarette, my boy? You’re right, extinguish it… and watch you writhe with pain…’

Tears showed in the Boy’s eyes. He was momentarily afraid and strangely excited… he longed for the pain, he had longed for it so much!…

The stranger took his time. There was no rush… He slowly picked a naked spot on the Boy’s shoulder, and held the cigarette close to it, so that the Boy could feel its heat.

‘Don’t you want it, darling?’ he said with a smile. And smashed the cigarette against the Boy’s flesh.

The Boy shuddered and shut his eyes. At that very second the stranger slapped him in the face.

‘I told you not to close your eyes!’ hissed he in an angry voice. Another cigarette was lit… This time, the Boy made his best to keep his eyes open, but nothing happened…

He saw the stranger’s face so close… A pale demonic face, the face of a man who was out to kill… His eyes were dark brown, almost black, the angry and hungry eyes, his eyelids slightly reddened, feverish, as though the man felt like crying but couldn’t shed a tear, wasn’t able to…

At this point, the rain began, filling the air with soft noises as the drops were hitting the leaves, the roofs, the grass… The slightly bleached early October grass…

‘So, my darling… beg for me to burn you…’ said the stranger with a sly smile, but his eyes remained intense and grave. ‘And remember, keep your eyes open…’ and he placed a light kiss on the Boy’s lips, tearing away the moment he felt the Boy respond. ‘Beg...’

The Boy opened his mouth, but failed to speak, his throat cluttered and cramped. He shook his head, and tried again.

‘Please, sir... I beg you... please burn me... with that cigarette... please...’ He froze, his lips parted, breathless, waiting...

The stranger leaned closer and whispered, ‘You get it, slut...’and crushed the second cigarette against the Boy’s lips... the Boy moaned, almost fainting, mad with desire, crazed with the pain...

And then the fun began. The stranger let everyone had his turn with the Boy. They fucked him, his ass and his mouth, they whipped him with their belts, they half chocked him, they made him beg to lick their dicks, beg to have their cocks shoved up his ass or down his throat...

And he begged, and he surrendered, he gave himself away to the feelings he had never known, to the pain he couldn’t have imagined, he obeyed every order... and he came, over and over, and he knew he would come till he died... come to that stranger... for the sake of his mere presence. He didn’t think about it, he wouldn’t have understood it if he tried, but ... that’s how it was.

They all left one by one, having satisfied their wants, getting scared of the stranger, of the dark power that he exuded.

The Boy curled up in the mud, oblivious of anything but the stranger’s gaze. The stranger came up to him, stood still for a moment... then ordered him to get on his knees and thrust his cock into the Boy’s eager mouth. The Boy shook and tremble, his exhausted body was filling with life and excitement until he exploded, clutching at the stranger’s thighs, relishing the taste of the cock in his mouth...

But the stranger didn’t come. He shrugged the Boy off and stepped back.

‘Strip those rags off. Now.’ His voice was demanding and angry, just like his eyes. ‘Turn to the wall,’ he commanded when the Boy was naked.

And in a whirl he took the boy. He fucked him hard, fucked him hard as though he was going to kill him... slamming him against the wall, taking in his moans and stifled cries... The Boy came over and over, but the stranger didn’t... he just kept hammering the Boy until the Boy fell to his knees, barely breathing... The stranger then withdrew his cock and replaced it with his clenched fist, tearing up the Boy’s sore ass. His movements were rough, hard, rhythmical, his eyes still hungrier... till the Boy exploded again, losing consciousness... His burnt and tortured lips moved without emitting a sound. He gasped...

The stranger gasped, too... He stood up and undressed. Then turned the Boy face up and lay on him, like he was his lover... and he kissed him, his lips hard and cold. A freezing emotionless kiss... then he rose and walked away, naked.

Like he didn’t belong to anyone, not even to himself...

He didn’t look back, and he didn’t give a damn about the rain...

And then the Boy hugged him from behind. And the stranger turned abruptly and slapped him. And received a slap in return... and they fell to the ground in a deadly embrace, and they wrestled... to entwine?... to get rid of each other?... And the rain kept pouring on them, washing the dirt and blood off their bodies...

And the stranger suddenly gave way and lay still, the Boy clenching him in his arms... And, quietly, he said, without addressing anyone in particular, without looking at the Boy, ‘Fuck me.’ And though the voice was calm, the Boy sensed the emotional tension behind it, like a bomb on the verge of an explosion...

And slowly he released the stranger’s arms... and helped him open up... and entered his tight, hot, hungry ass...

And as he was moving to and fro, gaining rhythm, the stranger began to cry. And the Boy realized he was crying, too... the rain washed away their tears; their bodies trembled, entwined...

And then the stranger came, he was coming forever, with each and every move the Boy was making... his hands clutching at the Boy’s shoulders, burning his skin much like the cigarettes a lifetime ago...

‘I love you,’ thought the Boy, but he didn’t dare to speak...

Half dead, they lay together for a while... For what seemed an eternity, yet was not nearly long enough... Then the stranger pulled away, stood up, all in silence, and dressed up... Then he walked away, his eyes hopeless yet happy... which was the last the Boy could see before he fainted.

* * *

The Boy shifted slightly... opened his eyes and sat up. He was stark naked, and terribly cold. He glanced around and saw his black coat, it was the first thing they ripped off and thanks to it, the coat was not damaged, just dirty and soaked through with water. The rain must have stopped quite some time before, as the mud began to dry up. The Boy wondered what time it might be, but there was nobody to ask for it.

His body ached, every muscle, every inch of his skin was sore. He touched his face, it felt swollen; his lips hurt like hell when he opened his mouth...

He stood up. His legs were shaking, and the few steps he had to make towards his coat were a torture. His ass burnt as if a million bees were stinging him inside it.

He finally put the coat on, it didn’t do much by way of warming him, but at least it covered most of his body. He hobbled to a bench and sat on it, very carefully, not to increase the pain. He had to think over his plight. There was nowhere he could go now... Not to the orphanage, where he’d only be laughed at. Yet he had to go somewhere if he didn’t want to die. He did, actually, but that wasn’t his concept of a death, and he didn’t want to spend his last minutes cold and miserable. On top of all, he must have caught a severe cold, lying on the ground. His nose was beginning to run, and his throat felt inflamed. He coughed, and felt the taste of blood in his mouth. He wasn’t scared... the thing that happened to him seemed to have changed his whole being. He no longer was a boy, he was a young man, and through all the pain and misery bright happiness shone. Something had happened to him, something so delightful, so miraculous!

He tried to recollect the stranger’s face... He could visualize every detail, every tiny spot on his skin. And his touch... ah... His body, sore as it was, eagerly responded to the mere thought of the stranger, the merciless lover.

He was freezing in his wet coat, but the thoughts of the stranger carried him away, and he no longer felt the cold or the pain, only that, which he now understood to be love... His eyelids grew heavy, and, warmed from the inside by this feeling, he relaxed, and dozed off.

The barking of a dog startled him and woke him up. It was quite light by then, probably around 8 a.m. Occasional strangers paced the quiet street, but none of them was Him. A beautiful mastiff came up to the Boy and smelled him quite amiably.

‘Hi doggie,’ said the Boy and petted the animal on the head.

‘Careful! He’s kind but he can bite your arm off! Caesar, come back!’ shouted someone. The Boy turned in the direction of the voice, and saw a young man, on the short side, sturdy, well-built, handsome. ‘I should have put his muzzle on,’ explained the young man as he caught up with the dog, ‘But he was so eager to get out, he didn’t let me. He’s usually friendly though.’ He took the dog by the collar, and at this point his eyes glided over the Boy, and the young man turned pale. ‘Hey, what’s happened to you? Have you been... raped?...’

‘I’m fine. Don’t worry.’

‘Anyone can see you’re not fine. Can you walk? Let’s get over to our place, you need to have your coat dried, at least. And I’m sure you could use a cup of coffee.’

The Boy thought for a moment, then nodded.

‘Okay. If it’s not too much trouble.’

* * *

The next couple of days were all mixed up, the Boy slept and slept and slept, and in between sleep he would eat something (oh, the food was delicious, he’d never been treated to such exquisite dishes, and the coffee... he wished they would give him more of it, but he was allowed a tiny cup a day). His consciousness was still somewhat blurred, he didn’t remember people’s faces... only the two striking blond and brunette boys, who seemed to him twins save for the colours. The black-haired beauty had a small scar on his lower lip, a scar so similar to the one that was fresh on the lips of the Boy...

Each and every little detail reminded the Boy of Him... Exhausted as he was, he felt electricity cut through him at the mere thought of That Stranger... Oh well. He was healing so fast, and in a couple of days he’d be able to steal away from the house and go look for Him... Or maybe He himself would find the Boy? but of course!!! He must love him too... He’ll be looking for him! He’ll find him...

The Boy yawned and sat up. He felt much better, and he thought he could venture a short trip round the house. He liked the house. The owner scared him a bit, a certain Dr. Stern, an elegant man in his late sixties, a man who seemed to be in love with the blond beauty. What was his name? Ivy?... Yes, he now remembered, Ivy it was. The brunette was called Jules, and he proudly wore the many scars and bruises and black spots his love gave him. What a world, thought the Boy. What a wonderful world... people in love with each other, no constraints, no restrictions, everything’s possible... what a happy world!...

They clearly didn’t mind his becoming a part of their world. But he... he didn’t want it. He liked them, that’s for sure, but none of them could ever come close to That Stranger...

Carried away with his thoughts, he almost bumped into Ivy.

‘Whoa, who’s that!’ cried Ivy hilariously.

‘I... I got bored of lying... just wanted to... walk around... I hope you don’t mind...’

‘Why, sure. May I join you?’

The Boy would much rather have stayed alone, but so charming was Ivy’s smile, he couldn’t say no. Ivy immediately took him by the hand and onto the verandah.

‘What’s your name?’

‘Dunno...’

‘How come? Everyone’s got a name?’ Ivy was stroking his shoulder ever so lightly, sending a pleasant warmth down the Boy’s body...

‘I’m a foundling. I don’t know my real name... and the one they gave me at the orphanage... well... it’s not mine. I have no name... have yet to find myself some...’

‘Well... didn’t He give you a name?’

‘Who?’

‘He? The man you’re dreaming and raving about day and night!’

‘Oh...’ the Boy blushed heavily. ‘Yes... He called me slut.’

Ivy laughed softly, striving to contain himself, but failing.

‘Slut, huh? What a glorious name for a beautiful boy...’

‘Beautiful?’

‘Well, yes... when your scars are gone... you’ll be a darling! Wait a second... that one, on  your lip... it’s gone... How come?’

‘I dunno... maybe just healed?’

‘No, them scars take their time... Some don’t ever heal...’

* * *

The Boy ran away. He just couldn’t stand it, their happiness, their calm... when all his body was aching for one, for Him, for His touch... He left all the clothes they gave him behind, he was only wearing his black coat (which was now clean and dry, though).

He wandered about the city, not looking where he stepped... there was a feeling, something in the air, he didn’t know what, nor why, that He was somewhere near... The Boy paced the streets and prayed quietly, and it was a pretty short prayer he said... ‘Please let me find him, please oh please!’

‘Where do you think you are going, baby?’

Boom! the blood rushed to the Boy’s head, his vision faded...

‘What a sweet little darling...’ the stranger, THAT stranger, came to the Boy and pulled him closer, by the belt of his coat. ‘How about a thorough fuck, baby?’ oh that smile, oh that smile!!!!

‘Yes.... ssir... whatever you say...’

‘Shut up, slut...’

He led him to a bench, made him undress (oh, just take that coat off, he wasn’t wearing anything underneath), then He just made him bend over the back of the bench... and without any warning, He ripped up the Boy’s ass with his cock.

The Boy cried out, in pain, and in pleasure. A cramp ran through him, a wave of that same inhuman pleasure, happiness, ecstasy, call it what you would... and all of a sudden the stranger froze. And slowly withdrew, and pulled the Boy up, and turned him round to see his face...

‘That’s you,’ he whispered. And pressed his burning lips to the Boy’s. With a stifled moan, the Boy dissolved in the kiss...

*

‘I can’t believe you want it! This dirt, of all good things?! Is that the Love I brought you up in, is that the Love I educated you in, is that the Love you should be? Look in to my eyes!’

The Fallen tried to… It wasn’t easy, to look into this stream of light, tears covered his face… He saw himself in The Lord’s eyes, one of the beautiful white-winged angels his Creator wanted him to be…

‘It’s not me… It’s not the love I crave… I am sorry, I am a weak link, I am a mistake, you failed me, Creator…’

‘I never fail. You did. You’re fallen but not lost yet. You just don’t understand your wishes… You’ll learn. You’ll learn it through yourself.’

That sharp pain, it felt like he was being torn into pieces – his wings… they’re gone…

‘They may be back, depends on you. Take him, the Darkened One. Keep him on a good chain. Give him all the Love of the kind he has chosen. Teach him.’

‘I was not meant for Your Love, My Lord.’

‘I meant it, not you.’

All it had done – was the deepening will… the aching to reach another body with all that fire, to lay all of it onto another one like himself… To share with somebody who can feel the same way… Not teaching him a lesson of the Lord, not trying to get the Hell out of him by giving it all without any spark of desire… but to love… to really love… and to be loved in return… the way it meant to be, for him…

*

‘That’s you...’ repeated the Fallen Angel and placed another burning kiss on the Boy’s lips.

‘Kill me,’ whispered the Boy.

‘Oh, won’t I...’ echoed the Fallen.

And held the Boy in his arms... and lifted him high above... then slowly slowly slowly – down... dragging him against and onto his own body.... onto his aching flesh, and then another kiss... biting into the Boy’s lips, digging his teeth into the submissive and willing flesh....

Such was their desire that they once again didn’t feel the cold, didn’t feel anything else but each other’s presence... And they made love, in the only way they could, for it was only through the pain that they could reach their climax.... The Angel was giving all of the pain to the Boy, the pain that he had accumulated during the dark scorching nights in Hell, and the Boy, he was taking it in with his every pore, and yet wished for more and begged for more...

The Angel tore a thick chain off his neck, one of them chains of Hell, and tied the Boy’s hands together, then tied them to the brink of the bench. The Boy was standing on his knees, rocking slowly, murmuring something incoherently, his ass almost glowing in the semi-darkness of the park... And the Angel took him once again, putting his whole being into the act... then, feeling the Boy was aching for more pain, the Fallen fumbled for his belt, and whipped the ass before him, the ass, the back, the chest and stomach, all of that white and fragile body that he craved. The Boy went screaming at first, but very soon he was just moaning and breathing heavily, red and white flashing before his eyes...

And so was the Angel... he whipped and fucked the Boy till he felt he would fall, till he couldn’t anymore........ and then he crawled under the Boy and put himself onto the Boy’s hard cock, and fucked him, slamming his back against the Boy’s groin....

And then they exploded... first, the Boy... inside the Angel’s ass... and as a chain reaction, the Angel... and fell down... into the mud... under the Boy...

‘Take me with you,’ whispered the Boy, when he could manage a sound.

‘I can’t,’ said the Fallen.

‘Then kill me!..’

‘I can’t....’

And, coming back to his senses, the Fallen asked, matter-of-factly... ‘Were you looking for me?’

‘Yes,’ answered the Boy, his eyes searching for the eyes of his love, in vain.

With a stifled exclamation of either surprise or fear, the Fallen grabbed his clothes and rushed away in a whirl, disappearing almost instantly, but not fast enough to miss the Boy’s desperate cry – ‘I love you!!!’

*

‘I love you,’ echoed in the ears of the Fallen as he went down to the dungeon of the Darkened One, to the Hell... ‘I love you,’ he heard the Boy say over and over again... ‘I love you,’ he saw in burning letters written on the walls...

‘Love you too,’ whispered the Angel, in a sudden revelation... and rushed forward into the depth of the Hell, his home...

*

Back in the park, now completely dark, still chained to the bench, the Boy was sobbing... ‘I can’t,’ were the words ringing in his head; ‘I can’t...’

*

‘Oh what a night, what a night!’ The Darkened One chuckled as he turned from the screen. ‘By the way, you’re late...’

The Angel didn’t answer, half deaf, half crazed by the memories...

‘Liked the boy, eh?... That puny mortal?’ the Darkened One gave out a hearty laugh. ‘But I’m sure you’ve got another nice load down there...’ with his sweetest sly smile, he squeezed the Fallen’s balls. ‘Charming, we’re going to have some real fun tonight...’

Before he could blink his eyes, the Fallen found himself chained to the wall. Not that he cared to notice.

‘Are you with me, honey?’ inquired DO sweetly. ‘Well it doesn’t really matter, darling... I’m going to use you all the same... and you’re gonna LOVE it, charming... Well at least I know I’m gonna LOVE it...’

DO chuckled again, utterly pleased with his own perfection. He cut a fine figure, indeed. Tall, slender, artistic, imaginative – oh, that imagination of his!... The Fallen used to crave for it – that is, before that good for nothing mortal boy intervened.

‘I’m gonna rip you apart, sweetie,’  purred the Darkened One into the Fallen’s ear, then kissed him – a full deep penetrating kiss, sending immediate shivers down the Fallen’s body... the body that DO had learned so well he could get response from it even when the Fallen’s mind was wandering elsewhere... ‘Rip you apart... and watch you die...’

The Fallen moaned softly, feeling the blood rush to his joint, his pulse hammering in his ears... He saw nothing; only flashes of the Boy, the way he fucked him, the way he left him... chained to the bench...

‘Yes, yes, that’s so much like you!... Leave behind the precious chains of Hell... that’s too generous a gift for that Boy of yours...’ DO snapped his fingers, and those chains all of a sudden materialized on the floor. ‘That’s better now...’

DO pointed his index finger at the chains, and they began to move, slowly heating up to a warm red glow.

When the tip of a chain touched the Fallen’s foot, he screamed, so hot and biting it was. The Darkened smiled.

The chain made its way up the Fallen’s body, leaving a red trace behind. It crawled as far as the Fallen’s groin and settled there, twisting around his cock... The Fallen arched and moaned again... The other chain reached his throat and stayed there, a choker of red-hot metal...

‘These little helpers... what would I do without them,’ said DO. ‘Hold him tight,’ he ordered, and the chains rearranged themselves, almost stifling FA.

‘Must be having an empty feeling in that pretty hole of yours, huh?’ A statement rather than a question, of course; a huge pale emerged in the middle of the room, and FA was placed on it by some magic, the chains that tied him to the wall now held him spread-eagled in the air, so that his ass only touched the tip of the pale. ‘This one is a special treat, it’s solid metal, and it’s been sharpened especially for you,’ DO kept purring. ‘Now feel the cold metal penetrate your hot ass, darling...’

The chains pulled the Fallen down, slowly but persistently. Sharp pain shot through his body as the thing was getting in, skewering his bowels...

The Darkened was there at once, eager to watch the Fallen’s suffering closely. He ran his hands down the tortured body, pinching it here and there, tugged at his joint, pulling him down, forcing the pale deeper inside him.

‘Oh I knew you’re gonna love it... see how hard your cock is... darling...’ DO was licking the salty sweat off the Fallen’s temples, then gave him another deep kiss... this time, the kiss was lasting forever, DO’s demonic tongue reaching down, filling the Fallen’s throat...

Suddenly, there was a tiny steel fork in DO’s hand. He kept kissing the Fallen, at the same time stabbing the fork in one of FA’s balls. The wild cry that FA gave out at this was buried in the Darkened One’s mouth... The fork was slowly withdrawn, then plunged into the other ball, making FA shake and groan, and sweat...

‘Oh...you’re so sweet, honey...’ whispered DO, tearing away and watching FA writhe on the pale. ‘Still dreaming of your Boy, aren’t you?... Oh, go on dreaming, Charming, go on dreaming... I love the sounds you make in your dreams....’ With this words, DO kneeled before the Fallen and licked his cock lightly. Then took his head into his mouth and gently sucked it... The Fallen kept moaning and groaning, either with pleasure or pain... or with pain that was pleasure...

Then, with a stifled moan of enjoyment, DO clenched his teeth on the cock in his mouth. The Fallen wailed... and at that sound, as if by a command, the handsome slender DO turned into a dark Demon, with fierce eyes and a long nervous tail.

‘Are you enjoying it, my love?’ he growled, his paws reaching out for the Fallen, his long claws piercing his body... The Demon licked the blood that showed, dragging the sharp claws all over, leaving blood-filled scratches.

Then the blood-thirsty creature began biting the Fallen’s flesh, first rather gently, but stronger and stronger with each bite. Until tears began rolling down the Fallen’s cheeks... until the Beast grew impatient...

And with a wild cry, he ripped open the Fallen’s body, and tore his heart out...

And he held the heart in his paw, and the heart trembled, warm and alive... while the Fallen’s body hang lifelessly, impaled...

‘Oh shit!’ cried the Darkened one, turning into himself, ‘OH SHIT!’

It took him several minutes to fit the heart back, and heal the wounds, but the Fallen remained cold and lifeless...

‘Listen, honey, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, now wake up, honey wake up NOW!’ he was shaking the Fallen, slapping him on the cheeks, pushing and turning him...

At last, the Fallen began to breathe... With a sigh of immense relief, the Darkened one lowered himself onto the Fallen and kissed him slightly... and heard, much to his surprise, a quiet ‘Take me, please...’

*

‘He does not need me.’

‘He needs you. He’d have killed you if he didn’t. But tell me again, what happened to the chains... ’

‘Nothing. They were there, then they were gone. That’s all. I fell over... I didn’t feel my hands, didn’t feel the chains, nothing. They were holding me, the chains. They were gone, and I fell on my face, and I was wondering why and then I saw the chains were gone...’

‘How strange...’

‘Everything’s strange about him...’

‘What else?’

‘The way he never cums before he fits his ass on my cock... I can’t possibly understand that... The way his fingers burn; oh, when he’s excited they burn like fire! And he’s always excited... Well, almost...’

‘You turn him on...’

‘Me?... No... he’s just excited, he loves to fuck, he loves to dominate... that’s not me.’

‘It’s you... why would he look for you?..’

‘He wasn’t! I was looking for him, and he didn’t even recognize me...’

‘Well, but then he did?...’

‘Yes...’

‘And what happened next?...’

‘He held me... like I was a precious gem he’d just found...’

‘See?.. He loves you.’

‘No!! He only loves to fuck...’

*

‘My boy, how are you today?’

‘I had that dream...’

‘Which one?’

‘I dreamed he was with me... and he wasn’t hurting me, only kissing me and licking me and then he fucked me, but not the way he did when we really met... he was slow and tender....’

‘Did you enjoy it?’

‘Oh... I did...’

‘But you don’t really care for all this vanilla stuff?’

‘I... no... I don’t.... but with him...’

‘I know... you love him... and in your dream, it was as if he loved you, too...’

‘Oh yes! Exactly so, sir...’

*

‘Poor baby,’ thought Ivy. ‘Poor dear. He’s gonna die... He’s better than me – in his pursuit of death... he’ll find it, one day...’

*

‘Charming! Wake up! Wake up and service me, you bastard!’

The Darkened One, in the best of his moods, was shaking the Fallen, but to no avail. ‘Slut! He’s gone away in his sleep, oh well he’s gonna get me really pissed off one of these days!’

He turned away and paced the room for a minute or two, sulkily. Then returned to the sleeping Angel.

‘Honey...’ his voice was sweet as sweet can be. ‘Honey, wake up now... I’m sooo impatient...’

The Fallen opened one eye, blinked, then opened the other.

‘What do you want?’ Then, suddenly really waking up, ‘Oh hallo my Lovely...’ his lips spreading in anticipation of a kiss.

‘Nnnnooooo, you aren’t getting kisses from me, sir... not today...’

‘Oh c’mon Lovely... I’ve been so far away, I’ve missed you...’

‘Don’t lie to me!’ hissed the Darkened One, beginning to lose his temper. ‘Where did you go, you wouldn’t wake up when I asked you to!’

‘I... I dreamed I was with the boy... Damn it, I don’t even know his name!’

‘He doesn’t have a name, and you know that...’

‘Yeah, right...’ FA turned to his side and tried to get up, but the Darkened pushed him down and held him. ‘What’s wrong, Lovely?’

‘You are, my Charming!’ whispered DO, and bit the Fallen’s lips...

The light went out for a sec, then flooded the Fallen’s sight.

‘...I am a weak link, I am a mistake, you failed me, Creator…’

‘I never fail. You did...’

The Angel broke free and buried his face in the pillows. For all his impatience and nastiness, the Darkened One stayed still, not daring to touch him...

‘I’m a mistake... I should not be... If only I could die!’ whispered the Angel.

‘You can’t,’ answered the Darkened One, softly.

‘I know!’ he cried, ‘Oh what a curse, to be forever, and to be what I am, what for, what have I done, why!!!! Not really an angel, not really a demon, not even a human, what am I good for?!?!’

‘You’re so damn good for me,’ purred the Darkened One. ‘Not that I think it could be any kind of consolation, Charming. Calm down, you’re a piece of art as you are, stop hurting yourself, I can do it so much better. There... let me...’ he placed his hand on FA’s butt, tapped it lightly...

Gradually, the sobs ceased and gave way to moans...

*

‘Where have you been all this time?...’

‘What’s that, my pet?.. Are you trying to control me?’ the Fallen smiled his unique smile.

‘N-no... I’m not.’

‘Well then... get undressed, now.’

The Boy didn’t move.

‘I thought I ordered you to get undressed.’

‘I don’t want to.’

The smile faded away. Suddenly, the Angel’s face was weary and tortured...

‘There. Now. You’ve said it. Well. I’m not holding you, go.’

He said that, and turned away. The Boy didn’t move.

‘I don’t want to go. Unless I go with you.’

Slowly, slowly, slowly did the Fallen turn back... He was panting, as though he had run a hundred miles.

‘When you said you...’ he fixed his eyes upon the Boy’s eyes and went on with a stumble, ‘...loved me... did you mean it?...’

‘Oh didn’t I!’

‘And what does it mean?...’

‘???’

‘What does it mean? Just tell me what it means.’

‘But don’t you know?’

‘Tell me.’

‘Oh well...’ It was the Boy’s turn now to stumble. ‘It means... it means you’re important to me. It means ... I want to... see you ... near me... always... It means... without you... I’d better be dead...’

‘Does it mean you want to fuck with me?’

‘Oh...’ and the Boy blushed. The Angel couldn’t see it as it was twilight, but he sensed the Boy’s confusion and reached out to hug him, to hold him... then thought better of it...

‘Isn’t that the only thing on your mind? Why are you talking about not being able to live without me? You seem to be alive... so much alive...’

‘This is because you are with me...’

The Boy finally pulled himself together, raised his head, reached out... and gently touched the Fallen’s cheek.

‘May I ask you?’

‘Yes...’ the Angel’s voice grew strangely tender.

‘Who are you?’

‘I can’t tell you,’ all the tenderness was gone in a flash.

‘Why?’

‘Because.’

The Boy came closer and kissed his lips lightly.

‘But why indeed?’

‘Because I’m not supposed to tell you.’

‘Are you a spy?’ the Boy chuckled. ‘Or a criminal on the run?’

Against his will, the Fallen chuckled, too.

‘And you are an FBI agent, right?’

‘Gosh, no! I’m nobody. I haven’t even got a name.’

‘Seems to me you want to talk. Well, why not...’ with these words, the Fallen pulled the Boy to a bench.

They kept silent for a minute or two.

‘Why do you always have to go? and why can’t you take me with you?’ the Boy’s voice trembled as he ventured the question.

‘Because I live in Hell.’

‘Oh do be serious!’

‘I am.’

‘In Hell... what’s that, married?’

‘No, that’s Hell. Ever read the Bible?’

‘You must be mad.’

‘Well, I could say the same about you.’

‘And you would be right...’

The Angel gave a nervous laugh.

‘We’re both freaks, I guess... two of a kind... I’m an angel...’ After a pause, “A fallen angel...’

‘What?!?!’

‘Want me to prove it?...’

‘No. That explains it all...’

‘And what is that?’

‘The chains...’

FA shuddered at the word.

‘The chains, and everything...’

‘I shouldn’t have told you... Oh. I shouldn’t have touched you, in the first place... Cus I can’t be with you, I can’t make you mine, and I can’t be yours...’

‘Can’t you possibly?...’

‘No way.’

The Boy clutched at him frantically. The Angel lovingly touched his shoulder, his head...

After a long, long while the Boy lifted his face and stared at the Angel bluntly.

‘I can’t live without you. If you can’t be with me, kill me.’

‘Oh come on. Even angels know that life is precious. Don’t say such things. I can be a bastard, I know that, but never bastard enough to take someone’s life.’

‘You don’t want me.’

‘No, it’s you who doesn’t want me. You never obeyed my order...’ the Angel attempted a smile, with no particular success.

‘You don’t want me,’ repeated the Boy. ‘Okay, have a good night,’ and he rose to go.

The Angel sighed.

‘Silly puppy. I told you I want you. What the hell!’

‘Yes, you want me.’ The Boy turned back, his face flushed, his eyes dry and angry. ‘Sure you want me! Your plaything, your rubber boy, to satisfy your every wish, use me then leave me to wonder when if at all I will see you again! I can’t take it anymore! I’m a living thing, not just a piece of shit!’

‘Shut up you slut! I never promised you anything; I never gave you any hope, and as to using you – weren’t you just dying for it!’ The Angel cleared his throat and went on, on a calmer note. ‘C’mon, little one. I don’t want to hurt you. But I’ve told you, I can’t take you with me, nor can I stay with you, and as to kill you – better not say it again.’

The Boy sat down on the bench.

‘Down there in Hell... I always think about you. You’re such a perfect lover for me... I had never thought this could happen...’

‘I think of you... every single day. I’m just falling apart... They ask me questions and try to help me... but all I need is you...’

‘And who are they?...’

‘Oh. Ivy, Sebastian... Dr. Stern... He’s a real old man, and he knows everything... But I only told Ivy about the chains... I think Ivy envies me. He’s in love with Dr Stern, but he had always been looking for some cruel games... almost died a couple of times, it was Dr Stern who saved him, made him feel loved and helped him learn how to come and have fun without being strangled to death...’ The Boy calmed down gradually; he was talking, the Angel was listening with great interest. ‘Ivy is very beautiful,’ continued the Boy. ‘He’s the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen, he’s got lovely long blond hair and blue eyes, and he looks such an innocent! You won’t believe he’s into hard core sex!’

For a while they both forgot what the conversation was about, what situation they were in... The Angel smiled at the Boy’s excited speech, at times, he closed his eyes and tried to imagine the house the Boy was talking about – a place that seemed Heaven of love.

‘...And they’ve got a dog, wow, you should see him! He’s huge, Caesar is! Sebastian told me that once Caesar fucked Ivy – imagine that?... There’s also a boy named Jules, but I didn’t talk a lot to him, he’s sort of quiet. He’s got similar scars all over his body – the marks of cigarettes... he loves pain almost as much as I do... Oh they’re all so sweet to me... but I run away every now and then... they don’t really care to know where and what for, only Ivy and Dr Stern take an interest in it, Ivy – because he’s curious, and Dr Stern – because he’s a kindly man, he doesn’t want me to get hurt too much... But I run away... when... you know... I kind of feel that I might see you... and I see you...’

‘That is a good place... stick with them, if you can... I don’t want you to get into too much trouble, little one.’

‘Oh, I’m such a pervert... You know I’m looking for pain... longing for it...’

The Boy’s voice grew husky. ‘I want you to... take me...’

‘Come here...’

‘Yes sir...’

* * *

‘I love you,’ whispered the Angel into the Boy’s ear as they came, one after the other.

‘Oh, what do I hear?..’ inquired a sugar sweet voice from out of the dark.

‘Who’s there?’ mumbled the Boy.

‘Yes indeed, who is there?’ went on the voice, playfully.

‘Lovely, what are you doing here...’

‘Oh do not mind me, please go on, Charming.’

‘Who’s that?’ demanded the Boy.

‘Well Charming since it’s no use to deny my presence, why don’t you introduce me to this little darling babe?...’

‘Little one... I... never had a chance to explain...’

‘WHO IS THAT?!’

‘My master. The Darkened One.’

‘Yes, little darling. I am his master. So he’ll get up now and go with me... See what I mean?... So put your coat on and get back to where you belong... He told you he loves you... well in your place I would try to forget these words. He’ll never be yours, you hear me? Never...’

‘Little one... Go find yourself someone who’ll give you a name. You’ll find someone who’s good for you. Well, at least good enough... Don’t cry, and please return to that house you told me about, please... I don’t want you to freeze to death, and it’s winter now.’

‘Okay’, said the Boy.

‘Promise me you’ll go home.’

‘Okay.’

‘You promise?’

‘I promise.’

‘You okay?’

‘I’m fine.’

‘Charming, let’s go! We must hurry, time’s running fast!’ The Darkened One was getting really impatient.

The Angel looked at the Boy once again, then placed a little kiss on his lips... Then gave his hand to the Darkened One, and they both disappeared at once.

‘Will I ever see you again?’ cried the Boy in despair.

A sudden gust of wind brushed against the Boy’s face, and he thought he could hear a gentle whisper – some day, one day...

* * *

‘I’ve no idea where he is. I haven’t seen him since morning.’

‘Too bad. The kid’s going to get into trouble. Why don’t you ask Sebastian to go and look for him.’

‘I could go myself, August.’

‘No, please ask Sebastian. I don’t want you to go out in the dark...’

‘But I’m cured, darling.’

‘Of course you are, love. It’s just that I don’t quite trust Caesar to accompany you in the park, you know,’ August winked at Ivy.

‘Oh. How thoughtful of you!’ Ivy giggled and picked up the phone. At that very second the front door opened and the Boy came in.

The door closed quietly behind him. He didn’t move.

‘What’s happened?’

‘Did you see him again, my boy?’

‘Are you okay? Did you really see him?’

‘I’m sorry... I’m fine. I’d ... I’ll go up, if you don’t mind.’

‘Leave him alone,’ said August to Ivy. ‘At least he’s alive.’

* * *

The Boy flung himself onto the bed without bothering to get undressed or turn on the light. He went to sleep almost immediately, not really a sleep, but some semi-conscious drowsiness, where there was no way to tell the real from the unreal...

‘Look, we can stay here! Isn’t this a good place? Nobody’ll find us...’

‘Yeah... you maybe right... I like this place...’

He couldn’t see well but he knew it was the Angel by his side, they were holding each other, talking to each other...

‘Tell me we don’t have to part...’

‘Why should we?...’

‘Oh... but I thought you said you can’t stay...’

‘That was a bad dream... you see, we are together now, and we’ll always be together...’

‘And you won’t go?’

‘Where should I go?.. I belong here.’

The Boy smiled.

‘That’s right... It’s so easy!’

Soothed, his consciousness began to fade, until at last he sunk into deep untroubled sleep...

* * *

‘So, Lovely, what do you think of him?’

‘He’s a cute babe... but Charming, how could you fall for a mortal, I don’t understand.’

‘I dunno... It just happened, you know. I heard him cry for me, you know what I mean?...’

‘Well, this has happened to you before, you’re sensitive and always hear them souls longing to be caressed... your way. But I don’t recall your ever really falling for any of them. How come?...’

‘Maybe I’ve fallen in love...’

‘I love it! You’re an Angel, you are – love. Love can’t fall in love!’ The Darkened One laughed. ‘Seriously, though, I don’t think you should fool around with him anymore. No good will come out of it, Charming.’

‘I know!.. But I can’t help it. He craves for me, I crave for him... that’s it.’

‘Oh well. I’m beginning to get jealous. You should crave for me, and only me, you know that?’

‘Lovely, you know you’re the one.’

‘Oh am I...’

DO pulled by the chain wrapped around FA’s neck, almost strangling him... ‘Come closer, my little darling... I’m gonna make you prove to me... that I am the one!’

‘Yes, My Lovely,’ wheezed out the Angel.

‘That’s better...’

* * *

Ivy dreamed he was walking through a forest on a warm summer day. It was bright and quiet at first... and then all of a sudden a flock of birds attacked him, nasty birds that were shouting in loud voices, and then there was some great wind howling in the trees, and it was getting dark... dark... dark.... No, it wasn’t dark, it was just that he closed his eyes.

Ivy woke up. The bed was empty, August must have gotten up much earlier, which he often did. Everything was still. The first rays of sun were creeping through the window. It must have been just around nine. He yawned and crawled out of the bed. It was Sunday, and he had nothing in particular to do... He opened his wardrobe, thinking of what it was he wanted to wear for this particular Sunday...

He suddenly was aware that a quiet conversation was going on somewhere near. He could distinctively hear August’s voice, his intonations soft and compassionate. Ivy was immediately curious; holding his breath he tiptoed to the door and listened.

‘Believe me, my boy, this is the way life is. People rarely find each other and most of the time, they can’t stay together.’

‘I know!’ there were tears in the Boy’s voice. ‘But what about you and Ivy, or Jules and Sandy, or Dr. Lancey and Jeff!!!’

‘Believe me, it’s not so easy for them either. And as to Ivy and myself... well... You know, this is temporal. Look at me, I’m old... and look at him. Oh, my dear, I’m sure we’ll have to part quite soon, and without any hope of a meeting – at least, in the material world.’

This sentence made Ivy feel dizzy. The Boy stopped crying, obviously, impressed by that last argument.

‘So, calm down, dear, and let’s go have tea. Don’t think about it. Think of how lucky you are to have met someone who’s so ... appropriate for yourself.’

‘Yeah, right... I’m sorry... and thank you so...’

‘Don’t be sorry, dear. This is only natural.’

Ivy sniffed, wiped his tears, and opened the door.

‘Morning, guys. Wait for me, I’ll be ready in a sec!’

‘He must have heard us,’ thought August. ‘Well... sooner or later this will happen, so perhaps it is for the better that he is aware...’

* * *

‘The mortals are no good!’ growled DO, biting into the Angel’s butt. ‘You always have to remember that you’ve gotta be careful with them, you can’t exceed their limits, cus if they die, they die... That is, unless you want them to die...’

The Angel only moaned in reply.

‘No, no, no good...’ repeated DO, turning the Angel onto his back and slowly making his way up to his throat. Then, with a great roar, he plunged his teeth into the Angel’s neck, biting through the artery, causing a fountain of blood to burst out. ‘Uuh I love you, Chaaaarming...’ he drawled, dipping his fingers in the blood and licking them one by one. ‘Tastes good...’

DO stepped back and looked at the Angel hanging in the chains, his blood flowing out, dripping down... ‘Oh what a sight! What a sight! What if your mortal lover could see you, I wonder...’

‘Please!...’ whispered the Angel, ‘Please...’

‘Please fuck me,’ prompted DO.

‘Oh... yes....’

‘Granted, Charming...’ he said, entering the tortured body.

*

Having healed, the Angel looked up at DO, who had been watching the process intensely, and said, ‘You are a damned bastard.’

‘Oh! Isn’t that why you love me, Charming?’ chuckled the Darkened One.

‘Oh isn’t it indeed...’

DO chuckled again and pinched FA’s nose. ‘I bet you can never come like this with your boy, though.’

The Angel sighed. ‘It’s different... So different...’

* * *

The Christmas tree was decorated with all kinds of colourful toys, beads and ribbons. Under it, in stacks, lay boxes wrapped up in green and red. The Boy blinked, not really believing his eyes. He thought he had outgrown the Christmas excitement, but apparently that was a premature conclusion. He held his breath and stepped into the room.

‘Like it?’ whispered Ivy.

The Boy started and began to mumble some apologies. Ivy laughed softly.

‘I always come here the night before Christmas. When I was a kid, Mom used to decorate the tree, and then she wouldn’t let me see it until Christmas. August used to do the same, when I was younger… Now we do it together, but there’s still some… special feeling about being here the day before Christmas, you know.’

‘It’s beautiful…’

‘Oh, isn’t it!’

‘I’ve never seen a Christmas tree like this before… May I touch it?…’

‘Oh go right ahead,’ smiled Ivy. ‘Wait a second! I’ve just figured out what is missing! How could I have forgotten…’ He rushed out and returned holding a beautiful shimmering figurine of an angel. ‘Here. Place it on the top, would you?’

The Boy took the figurine in his hands. ‘I’m an angel… A fallen angel…’ A tear rolled down his cheek.

‘Hey? What’s wrong?’

‘No, nothing. I’m sorry… I can’t do it… please…’

Silently, Ivy took the figurine from him and carefully positioned it on top of the tree. Then hugged the Boy.

‘Tell me what is going on…’

‘I don’t know… I don’t understand… He can’t be mine, he said… but he can’t kill me, he said… He said life was precious, but he said he can’t be mine…’

‘Oh…’

‘He said he’s an angel…’

‘What?…’

‘And that he lives in Hell…’

‘Oh dear, are you sure he’s quite… all there?…’

‘Remember the chains?… and the scar that is gone?… I believe him… He said he’s a fallen angel and he said that he loves me…’

‘Well then, if he loves you, there’s surely some way out?’

‘He said he can’t stay with me and he can’t take me with him, because he lives in Hell and his chains are tight…’

‘His chains…’

‘Yes…’

Suddenly, with a great bang, the figurine fell down and crushed into a million pieces.

* * *

‘What have you done! You idiot!’

‘I’m sorry!... I didn’t mean it!...’

‘You didn’t mean it... the fucking thing cost me a tenner!! Off to your room now, and don’t you DARE come here until I let you! Do you hear me, you fucking asshole?! Until I LET you!!’

The door is slammed, and the little boy remains to cry alone in the empty dark room. His sobs are endless, but gradually he cries himself to sleep, and he dreams that nothing has happened, that the beautiful silvery porcelain angel has not been broken, that Daddy wasn’t angry. That it isn’t dark, that he is playing under the Christmas tree, and everybody, EVERYBODY is happy.

* * *

‘What is it? C’mon, it’s just a silly little toy, we’ll get another one, hey, stop crying, dear!!’ Ivy was shaking the Boy. ‘C’mon, c’mon... what’s the matter!...’

Suddenly the Boy stopped crying and opened his eyes. It was as though he couldn’t understand where he was. Ivy held his hand.

‘Oh my G-d...’ breathed out the Boy. ‘I almost remembered my name!...’

‘What was it? What did you remember?’

‘I was a boy of five... and I broke a porcelain angel. And Daddy locked me in my room...And he wouldn’t let me come to the Christmas tree...’

‘Oh...’

‘It hurt me so much... I was just a kid...’

‘Yeah, I know... Been there...’

‘You?! Weren’t you always the loved one?’

‘Well you know... it depends. I don’t remember who my dad was, and my mom always made such a fuss about loving me... guess it’s just the same.’

‘I wish my parents made a fuss about it...’

‘Oh well... In the end, mom denied me and almost asked August to put me to sleep.’

‘WHAT?’

‘He never speaks about it, but I remember her words.’

‘Oh my god...’

‘I was different from her... That’s alright, I bear her no grudge, you know. August has taught me to live my life to the full, to be myself... to get what I want without longing to die afterwards...’

‘Oh... what was it you wanted so badly... that it made you feel like dying?’

‘Easy, dear. Sex, sex, sex. While in my head there was the deeply rooted belief that sex was wrong. And my way of having sex, torture and humiliation, that was simply a taboo.’

‘I... had sex the first time the night before Sebastian found me... I never knew I was longing for it, but it turned out I was. Simply dying for it, you know.’

‘Oh don’t I...’ Ivy’s voice began to tremble slightly and a tear rolled down his cheek.

‘Oh... I’m sorry...’ mumbled the Boy.

‘It’s okay. Oh. We must clean up this mess... I’ll get the broom.’

* * *

‘Are you going to bed, my love?’

‘Yes.’

‘Well, sweet dreams.’

‘Aren’t you coming with me?’

‘I’ll join you later. I want to work some more before going to sleep. I’m already late with that article, you know...’

‘Don’t work too hard.’ Ivy kissed August and went up.

After shower, Ivy arranged a comfy nest in the silks of their huge bed. Having read a few paragraphs of some recent novel, he felt his eyelids grow heavy and put the book away. He was almost asleep when a thought flashed through his head, and woke him up, and brought to his mind August’s words about their not so far away parting. There was no escaping it... and it made him feel so lonely, so vulnerable. His custom of putting off such weird ideas till later just didn’t work now. He was immediately thinking of what August meant to him, and what would be gone with him... for a second, he almost wished he had never met him, so impossible it seemed to be without him.

August had been everything to him for so long, forever. ‘Oh dear God, please please please don’t take him away from me, please let him stay...’

Suddenly that thought was washed out by a thought still uglier, the ‘I’m-going-to-die-too’ thought. Strange how it happened, now he wouldn’t give a damn about dying, now he would cry hours away about the prospect of dying in the end of the road which was his life.

He bit the blanket to muffle up his sobs. Had August been there, how easy it would be to dispel the nightmare with their love... but August wasn’t there... and a sense of sheer hopelessness was taking over.

It was all building up until he couldn’t take it any longer. He got out of the bed and walked to the door, flung it open and - and bumped into the Boy.

‘What are you doing here?’

‘Oh. I’m s.... I heard you cry and I wanted to ask if I could be of any help to you but ... didn’t dare to come in...’

‘Well... you can come in now.’ Ivy stepped back, giving way to the Boy.

‘Has anything happened?’

‘No, just a bad dream.’

“Oh... I see....’ He put his arms around Ivy. ‘Don’t cry,’ he whispered. ‘Please don’t cry...’

And just so naturally, their breathing became faster; their lips being drawn to each other... until they touched... and pressed hard against each other.

Slowly, they undressed, kissing and caressing each other, feeling the heat grow... until they both were so horny, too horny to remember their trouble.

‘So the first time you had sex, you were raped?’ asked Ivy, pulling the Boy’s hands behind.

‘Yes...’

‘Well... then probably you don’t know the human way... I’ll show you...’

* * *

Glancing at the clock, August saw it was almost four in the morning. He saved the file and shut down his laptop.

The house was asleep. He went up the stairs... and saw light under the bedroom door. It took him a few seconds to guess what the matter was. He opened the door very carefully and peeked inside. Yes, there they were, Ivy and the Boy, asleep, still holding each other. August smiled. ‘Poor kids,’ he muttered as he went down, to spend the rest of the night on the cozy sofa in his cabinet.

* * *

‘O-la-la, Charming! Look what I’ve got! That’s the Boy, eh?’ DO handed FA a print-out of some picture. ‘Hey, don’t turn away, look... it’s him, it’s him!’

‘Lovely, you’re not supposed to spy on him! I’m your goal, not the Boy!’

‘C’mon, Charming. I want to know everything about you... Just every-thing, dahlin...’

‘Who’s that with him? Oh, it should be the beautiful blond he was rambling about that night....’

‘The blond is beautiful indeed... mmmm... almost makes me feel like trying some human flesh, Charming. What do you think?’

‘Darkened, don’t you try that. You’ll kill him, with your ways!’

‘What have you against my ways?!’

‘Lovely, please, you know quite well what I mean! You’ll ruin him. Don’t try that. Don’t follow in my footsteps!’

‘Oh who cares. Shut up. I haven’t decided yet anyway.’

* * *

August woke up with a worn out feeling. Strangely, he felt really uncomfortable on the sofa that he used to love so. He tried to turn over, and realized he was not alone. Ivy was lying practically on top of him, his arms forming a tight circle around August’s shoulders.

August tried to free himself gently, in vain. He didn’t want to disturb his love, so he practically gave up when suddenly his eyes met Ivy’s intense glare.

‘Let me go, darling.’

‘Are you angry?’

‘Of course not.’

‘Oh. Then you don’t know anything?’

‘Darling, I do know; I’ve seen you, but I’m not in the least angry, this is only natural. Let me go, be a dear.’

Ivy unclenched his hands and sat back.

‘What do you mean, it’s only natural?’

‘Honey, I must go to the bathroom. Let’s talk a bit later. It doesn’t mean anything special, I assure you.’ August kissed this rebellious youth and left the room.

Ivy sat quietly for some time. He was thinking hard, the work of his mind reflecting in his face. Finally, he slammed his fists against the sofa, sprang to his feet and also left the room.

In the kitchen, he found the Boy fixing coffee.

‘Hey there,’ said the Boy.

‘Hey,’ echoed Ivy. ‘Seen August around?’

‘Nope. Are you okay?’

‘Yes... sure... Where can he be?’

‘In the shower?’

‘He’s seen us.’

‘Oh... I’m sorry...’

‘Stop saying you’re sorry! You shouldn’t be. It’s all my fault.’

‘Why...’

‘Because... Well, you know... I wanted to tell you... I do like you a lot... I think you’re very sweet and I really enjoyed being with you... but please don’t think that...’

‘I know... Well I also wanted to tell you that... I loved it but ... I’m not sure we can do it again.’

‘You got my point. Good. We’re friends?’

‘If you let me be your friend...’

‘Gosh do stop speaking to me as though I were a princess!’

‘You know you are...’

‘Oh c’mon!’ Ivy punched the Boy in the stomach. ‘Stoppit.’

The Boy laughed.

* * *

Lovely laughed and kissed the Angel.

‘Well Charming... you win. I will let you show me what it is that makes your boy crave for more even after you leave him almost dead!’

‘Oh I make sure he’s alive when I leave him.’

‘You know what?... You don’t sound like someone in love, so far as I can judge about it.’

‘Well... there are moments when I don’t feel in love... Because it’s so ... future-less, if you excuse this wording. I can’t imagine what should happen that the two of us could be together...’

‘Worse than that, Charming... I’m positively sure that if you find a way to be together, you’ll fall out of love pretty soon...’

‘You may be right...’ the Angel sighed. ‘You may be right...’

* * *

At last it was Christmas eve! His heart missing a beat every now and then, the Boy sat at the table, helping himself to the delicious festive treatments. There were the three of them, and Caesar was lying peacefully on a mat near the fire place.

Then they started opening the gifts. Again, the Boy’s heart trembled in anticipation every time he opened a box... There were beautiful things inside each of the several boxes, but his anxiety wouldn’t disappear, and he knew the best is yet to come. Finally, there it was. A not-so-large box which seemed hot to him when he took it. The note attached read: ‘to my Little One. Take them if you want to be with me for Christmas. Love you, A.’ Inside, there were chains. Ivy gasped at the sight. August sighed.

The Boy looked at each of them, in disbelief, then said, ‘I’m afraid I have to leave you. Thank you for being with me. I love you so...’ and he reached for the chains.

‘We’ll go looking for you if you don’t come back,’ said Ivy.

‘And we’ll miss you,’ added August, raising to hug the Boy.

‘I love you...’ whispered the Boy and touched the chains. In a flash, he was gone.

Ivy shuddered. August sighed.

‘I wouldn’t believe it if someone told me about it.’

‘Did he tell you his lover is a Fallen Angel?’

‘No. Oh dear.’

‘Yes...’

After a minute of silence, Ivy came up to August and sat in his lap. ‘Merry Christmas,’ he said quietly, pressing his cheek against August’s, feeling August’s hand stroke his thigh...

* * *

‘Welcome to Hell, my little darling. Please feel at home,’ Darkened was literally beaming with friendliness. ‘Come with me, I’ll show you the way. We’ve been waiting for you.’

* * *

‘I’m sorry... I don’t know why it happened... I was feeling terribly lonely, and I cried, and he heard it and came to help me... and... I fucked him.’

‘So... what is there to be sorry about, my love? You wanted to fuck someone... and you fucked him... I see no problem.’

‘But... aren’t you jealous at all?’ there was hidden hope in Ivy’s intonations.

August smiled.

‘Of course I’m jealous. But, you know... I shouldn’t have stayed up so late... To make you feel lonely...’

‘Well... I just want you to know... that it wasn’t any substitute for you... it was just... I dunno, just having fun...’

‘Well... I want you to know, too... that as long as I’m with you... you can do whatever you like... but remember, darling... until you claim something different, you belong to me.’ Saying this, August grabbed Ivy by the hair and kissed him, his other hand freeing the boy from the clothing.

Ivy immediately went limp, succumbing to his master...

* * *

‘So how did you like fucking in the human way?’ inquired Lovely, when the Boy was naked and tied safely in chains. ‘Come, Charming. We’re going to hear an interesting story, aren’t we, my little darling?...’

‘I’m sorry, little one... I couldn’t resist it. I miss you. This was our only chance...’ The Angel looked at the Boy, feeling pangs of remorse for not having been strong enough, for bringing the Boy to Hell... where nobody knew what would happen.

‘It’s okay,’ muttered the Boy. ‘I loved being fucked in the human way,’ he continued in a lighter voice. ‘It was... soft and gentle and ... satisfying...’

They both stared in him.

‘But... in fact... I’d rather have it your way.’

‘What a darling, Charming! Where did you say you found him?’

Lovely came up to the Boy and touched his body. Then he leaned forward and kissed the Boy’s lips, penetrating him with his fiery demonic tongue. The Boy felt he couldn’t breathe, he was twisting and turning, but there was no escaping Lovely’s grip.

At last, Lovely withdrew his tongue, leaving the Boy semi-conscious, licked his breast and stomach... then started biting his thighs, digging his teeth into the Boy’s flesh, making the Boy scream... in pleasure.

Charming came up from behind and pushed his dick into the Boy’s ass, gently, lightly. His hands were fondling the Boy’s shoulders, breast, nipples... the Boy was melting between the tender loving touch of the Angel and the rough, tearing, painful caress of the Demon.

* * *

It was long past midnight. In front of the fireplace, in his favourite rocking-chair sat August. Ivy was sitting in his lap, blindfolded, naked, his hands tied behind his back, his legs spread, his ass pinned to August’s groin. With unending love in his eyes, August was looking at Ivy’s pale face and parted lips, occasionally giving him a deep penetrating kiss, holding him by the collar – yes, there was a new soft collar on Ivy’s neck, and August was twisting it, now lightly, now forcefully, allowing Ivy to breathe only from time to time. Ivy seemed unconscious, his body limp and lifeless, but his cock was sticking out in the air, hard and swollen, betraying Ivy’s extreme arousal. To the measured crackling of the fire, to Ivy’s stifled moans, August kept rocking his chair, now and then whipping Ivy’s breast and stomach and crotch, or pinching his nipples, or tenderly touching his skin... speeding up and delaying the inevitable explosion... the very atmosphere around them filled with love and affection and red-hot desire.

* * *

‘And now, my little darling,’ said Lovely when the echo of the Boy’s screams faded, ‘You will watch us. I want to show you what it is... I want you to really grasp it...’

Suddenly, the Boy was chained to the wall, and his mouth was gagged. ‘Don’t want you to try and interfere, nor shout,’ explained the Darkened One. ‘Just watch.’

The next moment, without any more words, DO tore into the Angel’s ass. Lovely’s tail slashed the air and cut deeply into the Angel’s stomach, drawing blood. Which was the signal for Lovely to turn into the Beast. The Boy was scared as hell... and Hell it was.

In cold sweat, the Boy watched his lover being tortured. Slowly, painfully, with great sophistication, the Demon was killing the Angel. Now and then, the Beast would throw back his head and roar in delight, his blood-stained mouth opening wide, his tongue twisting and turning like a snake’s, shedding drops of poisonous saliva... 

‘Let him go, don’t kill him!’ shouted the Boy. But the gag wasn’t there just because it’s the fashion. He could only emit meaningless sounds, and his heart was tearing apart.

It was going on... until it was over. The dead body fell to the ground...

The Boy fainted.

* * *

Lovely stretched out, resuming his regular looks.

‘Why do I always have to clean it up right after all,’ he thought with some irritation. Then he freed the Boy, still unconscious, and carried him to August’s home, and lay him on the porch. Returning to his lair, he kneeled at the Angel’s body and, very accurately, fixed it.

‘Where’s the Boy,’ were the Angel’s first words.

‘Home. Don’t worry, he’s safe... Hey, Charming, I’m so tired, would you mind rubbing my back?’

‘Later, darling. I must go to him. Will you let me?’

‘C’mon, he’s asleep, he’ll think that’s a dream... Anyway, what’s the point in being rude?’

‘I’m sorry, Lovely...’ the Angel kissed his Demon apologetically. ‘Please let me go... he thinks I’m dead... It’s really hard on humans.’

‘Oh well. Go if you want to.’ Lovely turned away.

‘I’ll be back.’

‘Blah-blah-blah.’

* * *

Caesar sniffed the air and stood up. August looked at him in surprise. Ivy was asleep in his lap, wrapped up in a huge towel. Caesar barked and sniffed the air again. Ivy stirred and opened his eyes.

‘What’s going on?...’ he asked, dreamily.

‘Caesar has sniffed something. I’ll go and look, stay here.’

‘Be careful...’

Ivy was not particularly surprised when August returned, carrying the Boy. Knowing where the Boy had gone, he had expected something of the kind.

‘Is he alive?’

‘Yes, but he’s unconscious.’

‘Poor baby... what did he see there, I wonder...’

They took the Boy to his room, and August examined him for injuries. Ivy stood near, in case his help would be wanted.

‘It’s strange... He’s not half as bad as I thought he would be.’ said August. ‘Why is he unconscious then...’

At that very moment the Boy came to. But instead of gratitude, there was hatred in his eyes. Hatred, and anguish.

‘He killed him,’ said the Boy, staring in front of himself. ‘He fucked him till he was dead. He’s DEAD!!!!’

‘Who’s dead?...’

‘My lover! The Angel!! He’s dead! He killed him, oh boy oh boy he killed him!’

There was no reasoning with him; he wouldn’t listen to the words of wisdom; he’d cry and cry and cry, and Ivy began crying too...

August sighed. He couldn’t help the Boy; nothing could. Only time. Time to live out the nightmare, to get over it... time to get back to life... But how sad. Was that the Christmas gift they sent him?.. Oh well. What gifts could be sent from Hell...

‘There you are!’ exclaimed an unknown voice.

Ivy started, August turned to face the stranger.

It was a dark haired man, with a pale face and burning eyes. Without looking at August or the striking blond beauty, he rushed to the Boy and, covering the Boy’s mouth with his hand to stop the hysterics, he whispered, ‘Shhh... hush baby... I’m alive... I’m here... I love you.’

He then replaced his hand with his lips... and covered the Boy with his body... surrendering to the Boy’s violent embrace.

Ivy moaned softly and pressed his hand to his throat. August gently lead him away...

* * *

‘Ah so, Charming, you’re back... you’re finally back...’

‘Yes....’

‘I wonder... what if I told you you could go and be free?...’

‘I’d have no place to go...’

‘Heaven?’

‘Please...’

‘Earth?’

‘Stoppit!...’

‘No, seriously... would you go?..’

‘No. Tell you, there’s no place for me other than this...’

‘Is this why?...’

‘Yes... mostly. But also...’

‘Yes?...’

‘I’d miss you, Lovely...’

The Demon laughed. He was laughing hard... so hard that a few tears rolled down his cheeks.... until he laughed himself into a fit of hiccups.

‘Oh, sorry...’ he wiped his eyes, a nervous and a somewhat convulsive smile still lingering on his lips.

The Angel stared at him, without saying a word.

*

The hardest part was to prevent the Darkened One from turning into that thing... But the Fallen Angel was trying his best, telling DO how good he had been for him, how sweet (‘Sweet?’ exclaimed DO in utter disbelief – ‘Yes, sweet... oh so sweet...’) and important... And he was caressing the Demon... as he never did with anyone... He only knew how it should happen... and it was happening to them...

And it went on and on, and the Darkened’s hair was getting lighter... and lighter... ‘Like a kinda sunshine!’ chuckled the Fallen....

But the Demon wasn’t very submissive... trying to escape every now and then... The only moment he endured with a piece of mind was when the Angel really hurt him (‘I’m sorry, Lovely, you’re SO tight, it’s the only way....’) And then he was crying... yelling... whaling... ‘Please bite me, beat me, kill me, I can’t take it anymore!’

But the Angel went on, inexorable in his sweetness...

And then the Demon bit his tail... (‘You silly one can’t you survive a quarter of an hour without being hurt?....’) and he came in pain... the only way he knew...

‘And what did I say then?’ asked Lovely, a couple of hours later, all flushed and sweet and tender...

‘You said, “It’s worse than I have ever imagined. The feeling of you not coming back from dead was awful... but this one, of my coming to you... aching to become a part of you... to cease to exist as my precious self!... now THAT was unbearable!!! You are perverts, you and your mortals...

‘And you gave the wind my ring... Just one ring of these chains, and you took it from my finger... and you said, “You know better to hurt yourself than I ever will. Did you hear me, Creator, copy!...”

‘And you stretched... and you said, “Now, when we are not engaged anymore, let’s start afresh... Maybe you’ll like me, after all.” And you laughed, and we did it your way...’

‘Bullshit,’ said the Demon when the Angel finished. ‘Did I say that?’ and he sort of blushed.

‘Yes, you did, Lovely... See?’ Charming waved his hand in front of DO’s face, a hand with no rings on any of the fingers...

‘We’re both crazy,’ mumbled Lovely...

They held each other and they slept together... like lovers... like partners...

*

Just as most of his dreams, this one was intoxicatingly surreal, and painfully real at the same time. He dreamed he was back in Heaven, but Heaven was earth and Hell was next door... there was fire in the fire-place, its warm glow reflecting in polished surfaces, bringing to life the exquisite bronze figurines, throwing intricate shadows all over the place....

Then there was this table, a small table with a deck of cards on it... Then he saw hands, white hands playing with the cards... shuffling them, throwing them on the table casually... The reverse sides of the cards were covered with detailed drawings which he couldn’t see for the dark; but their faces were...

Oh...

There was himself... and the Darkened One... And the Boy... some other faces...

Now it was this; now it was that... Himself and the Darkened One... Himself and the Boy.... the Darkened and the Boy... all combinations, all sorts of variants...

And the man whose hands those were, he was calling him Fabian... and the Darkened One – Dominic...

Then another face became visible in the dark, the face of an elderly man, a handsome and somewhat weary face...

‘Let me,’ said the man, in a voice deep and vibrant... And he took the deck of cards... and in his hands, the combinations grew different...

And the other one, still only his hands visible, said, ‘So be it...’

The rest of it was a mess... a shuffle... He saw nothing, and his breathing grew heavy... until he was tossing about desperately, struggling to break free from something that wasn’t holding him... trying to break free from his...

He opened his eyes.

It was morning, and he could see the sun shining outside...

Oh... what was it... the thought was escaping him... his mind felt a terrible whirl...

The bright sun... The blue sky...

The light room... the soft bed...

‘What is it!...’ he cried, desperately.

And then he heard a voice say, with a chuckle, ‘Your freedom, silly puppy...’

And with great surprise did he realize that the voice was his own.

And he finally woke up. And he looked around... The Darkened One was still asleep, next to him. His face was so sweet and innocent that the Angel... er... Fabian smiled...

Suddenly somebody knocked on the door.

‘Who’s that?!’ cried Fabian, wrapping himself up in a sheet, hastily.

‘Please let me in, I must talk to you,’ answered the somebody in the voice that belonged to the elderly man.

‘Oh, oh, do come in, Sir,’ said Fabian, totally in awe. He kicked Dominic and hissed, ‘Get up now!’

August couldn’t but smile when he saw them, the angel, the demon – in white sheets, young and sleepy and so bewildered...

‘I am here to welcome you, my friends... You can stay today and tomorrow and as long as you find this little house nice and comfortable. I believe you have all sorts of questions about your new situation... well, I could probably answer some of them. In the first place, I am to tell you that this does not mean you have been dismissed from... where you were. It means that you are free. You can stay here, you can return, you can do what you please, and you preserve whatever skills you’ve had. Immortality, too....’

‘My tail!’ Dominic jumped up in great agitation. ‘I want my tail back!’ But nothing was wrong with the tail, it appeared at once, like it always did. Relieved, Dominic sat down and smiled, the tip of his tail trembling with pleasure.

‘I told you, you keep it all. Such was His will. You have both been... Well, He has found you worthy of freedom.’

Fabian stared at August, failing to grasp this man... the man who had talked to God...

‘So now, dear friends, make yourself at home and please join us for breakfast at half past nine.’

With that, he left.

* * *

What a change!.. What a life!