Memories III:
Madrid
Orithain
April 2000
Disclaimer: We all know that they don't belong to me, and
I promise to put them back when I'm done. Vic, Mac, the Agency and just
about everything else belong to John Woo and Alliance Entertainment. Just
let me win the lottery though....
Mac stared in dumbfounded silence from his lover to his...sister? He
shook his head in disbelief. It wasn't possible. She couldn't be. Her mother
was a director! "No," he whispered, not even realizing he
was speaking. "No!" he repeated more emphatically.
"Don't be ridiculous!" Nicky snapped, her rising voice
overriding Mac's as she denied the very possibility. She glared at Vic
venomously, apparently wishing that she hadn't intentionally missed shooting
him the last time they met.
"Not ridiculous, logical," Vic replied calmly. "You both
recognize this woman as your mother. I don't think there are too many other
explanations."
"She cannot be my sister," Mac sneered, looking
down his nose at her. "She's rude, arrogant, cocky, obnoxious, a
know-it-all..."
"Remind you of anyone?" Vic laughed, leaning forward to kiss
away the pout that appeared on Mac's face. He wished Nicky long gone as he
eyed the sulky expression; he wanted to pounce on the younger man every time
he did that.
"No!" Mac grumbled.
Nicky, on the other hand, was eyeing first Vic then Mac with dawning
realization. "Someone better explain this to me now," she
demanded. Although she had gestured to the others with her to leave once she
recognized the two men, there was an aura of toughness about her that said
she wouldn't need help to make them regret they'd ever been born. It was
disconcertingly similar to the Director.
Mac remained stubbornly silent, so Vic began to explain, starting with
the arrival of the package from Mac's father that had sent him on this quest
to find his mother. "So, from what we've learned so far, it seems
fairly likely that she's still alive," Vic concluded. "Although
Mac - and you - thought she had died several years ago, we keep finding
proof of her being alive more and more recently. There's no reason to
believe that she's not still alive right now.
"And now it's your turn," he said, turning his eyes on Nicky.
"Tell us what you remember about your mother, how she 'died,' anything
that might help us."
Nicky sighed. "She was my mother. You know, to a kid, that's
everything." She shrugged. "I was only eleven when she died - or
disappeared if you insist," she added before they could say anything.
"That much isn't in doubt, Nicky," Vic said gently. "We
found a friend of hers who told us she went to Madrid five years ago.
She was still alive at least two years after you thought she was dead."
"You're eighteen," Mac suddenly said. "Seven years younger
than me, and I was already seven when she disappeared. She left me to have
you." He couldn't bear to look at Nicky, all the bewildered pain of the
little boy who'd lost his mother and later been abandoned by his father
welling up inside him.
Nicky opened her mouth but didn't know how to respond to that. She just
stared at him silently, waiting. When it became apparent that Mac wasn't
going to say any more, wasn't even going to look at her, she drew a deep
breath. "Who's my father?" she asked in a tiny voice, one
completely at odds with every aspect of her personality they'd encountered
since first meeting her.
Mac blinked in surprise, suddenly realizing that he wasn't the only one
who'd lost out on knowing a parent. Nicky had never known their father, a
blessing though that might have been for her, and had also lost her mother
when not much older than he had been. He told her about their father, trying
to gloss over the worst parts, avoiding any mention of how Nicholas Ramsey
had simply abandoned him without warning one day in Hong Kong. Nicky was
pretty good at reading between the lines though, so she understood a lot
more than Mac intended. When Mac trailed off, staring moodily at the floor
between his feet, she waited, knowing something more was coming. "When
we met," he said slowly, "the Director said that she promised your
mother to take care of you. You knew her... well enough to call her Aunt Di.
Why? Why you and not me?" he demanded, the lost child appearing again.
Vic was on his feet and moving toward Mac where he stood leaning against
the window almost before Mac had stopped speaking. He caught his lover in
his arms, pulling him close, trying to let him know that he wasn't alone
anymore. "But she did," he emphasized. "I'm not sure
what happened when you were young, maybe she'd lost track of you, but I'd
bet she found you again sometime during your years with the Tangs. But you
were settled there, and you seemed to have a future, even if a criminal one.
"Think about it, though. The moment things went wrong for you, she
appeared in your life with an offer to start over. Admittedly, it was
bizarre offer and she didn't give you any way to turn it down... but I think
that in her own peculiar way, God help us, she was trying to protect
you." Vic shook his head in disbelief at finding himself saying these
things.
"Then I'd hate to imagine what she does to her enemies," Mac
riposted, but Vic's words did make a strange sort of sense. There really was
no reason for her to have gone all the way to Hong Kong to recruit a thief,
especially when she already had Li Ann. Maybe she had been keeping an
eye on him and had pulled him under her direct influence when he got into
trouble he couldn't handle. "God," he laughed helplessly, "Cruella
de Ville meets the Fairy Godmother."
Even Nicky had to laugh at that. "Better not forget it, or she'll
make you wish you'd never been born."
"And how would that be different from usual?" Mac asked,
suddenly sober.
Nicky was taken aback. Then she considered the situation. If Mac was
her brother, and she found less and less reason to disbelieve it, then he
hadn't seen his mother for the entire length of Nicky's own life, and he'd
been much younger then she when he lost her. She tried to imagine that, to
imagine a life without her mother or Aunt Di, and she couldn't. Or rather,
she could, but it was too far outside her experience to seem real. She'd
also seen his personnel files when she'd met him at the Agency, so she was
well aware of what his teens had been like and how he'd survived. Still...
"What's your - our - father like? Really like?"
Mac bit his lip. He had no idea how to answer that. The elder Ramsey was
a con man, a liar, a thief, a perpetual child who made Peter Pan look
mature, a man whose only concern was self-gratification. That was hardly the
description he wanted to give a girl of the father she'd never met.
Fortunately Vic interrupted before he could say anything.
"Our flight to Madrid leaves in barely two hours, Mac. If we're
going to be on it, we'd better get going."
"Why Madrid?" Nicky wanted to know.
"Because an acquaintance of Mom's told us that that's where she went
five years ago. We've been incredibly lucky so far finding people who knew
her, and we have to hope that our luck continues. But we have to get to
Madrid for that to happen."
Nicky chewed her lip, considering her commitments, then threw them to the
wind. "I want to come with you."
Vic and Mac just nodded. She had as much right as Mac did. Vic picked up
the phone to see if there was still an available seat on their flight, and
fortunately there was. Nicky didn't bother trying to pack anything, deciding
it would be easier just to pick up new things in Spain than trying to get
back to her place and get her things together in time for the flight.
They made it to the airport with enough time to get a drink before the
flight, and even though none of them had had dinner, they were too
distracted to eat. Mac and Nicky both could think of nothing but their
mother, wondering why she had left each of them in turn, was she still
alive, did the Director know... Vic watched Mac closely, wanting to comfort
him but unable to do so. He wondered if this relationship between them was a
result of Mac feeling lost right now and whether that meant that it would
end once Mac found his mother, alive or dead.
God, how did I fall in love with him so fast? Vic wondered
miserably. I know this is crazy. He's under stress, and everything could
change once we get back to normal. Or at least what passes for normal for
us. He never gave me the slightest indication that he was interested in me
before we got to Hong Kong. Before he was thrown into a totally bizarre
situation where I was the only vaguely familiar thing in his life. He
dropped his head back against the seat and groaned softly. I'm so fucked.
Vic was startled a moment later to feel Mac's hand land softly on his
thigh. He opened his eyes and turned to meet Mac's gaze questioningly.
"Thank you," Mac said quietly.
Vic frowned questioningly, not sure what he was being thanked for.
"Thanks for supporting me, for being here for me, for helping me
through this when no one else would."
Vic's heart sank at the words that seemed to confirm his fears that Mac
was simply grateful to him. "You don't have to--" he started.
"I know I don't. But neither do you." Mac looked away, staring
at his knees as if they were suddenly the most fascinating thing in the
universe. "I know you never intended... us... and I'll understand if
you want to stop when we go back. I know it's Li Ann you really want."
He shrugged unhappily. "You don't have to stay with me just to keep me
from coming unglued. I'm not that badly off."
Vic gaped at him. He opened his mouth several times and closed it again
without anything coming out. "What are you talking about?"
he finally managed to gasp out. "You're the one who can't give
up on Li Ann. I got over her after she dumped me."
Mac gave him a look of total disbelief. "Oh, puh-leeze. You damn
near had a hissy fit every time the Director paired me with Li Ann. Don't
try to tell me you didn't care."
Victor blushed slightly. "Well, uh, yeah. That is, I did care... but
only because I didn't want you to get back together with her," he
finished in a rush.
"Like I said," Mac said unhappily.
"No! I mean I didn't want you to get together with her. Or
anyone else," Vic mumbled.
Mac was left staring at him, unable to say a word. Finally, he blinked
slowly, as if coming out of a trance. "You mean you want me?"
He sounded completely stunned.
"What the hell do you think I've been telling you, showing you, for
the last several days? Do you think I'd wander around London wearing a
cockring for someone I didn't want?" Vic barely managed to keep his
voice down. "Damnit, Mac, what do I have to do to prove it to you? I've
never done that, been like that, for anyone else. I felt like I lost myself
in you last night, and I didn't care."
"Sex," Mac said flatly, shrugging. "I had good
trainers."
"No, damnit!" Vic snapped, loudly enough that several
passengers turned to see what was happening, only to turn around again when
they met Vic's glare.
"Yes, the sex is amazing... god, is it ever amazing!... but that has
nothing to do with your damned trainers! It's because I love you, you idiot,
and you love me!" He glared at Mac, panting with ire.
Mac was left speechless again, staring at Vic as his words echoed in his
head. "You love me?"
Vic groaned and buried his face in his hands. "How many times do I
have to tell you? I've been showing you in every way I know since Hong Kong and
telling you. What the hell is it going to take to convince you?"
Mac grinned suddenly. "I dunno. I think a declaration at damn near
the top of your lungs in the middle of an airplane works for me. And, by the
way, yes, I do love you too." Still grinning at Vic's rather
dumbfounded expression, he reached down for the blanket they'd gotten
earlier from the stewardess and spread it over them.
"I don't happen to be cold, you know," Vic observed.
Mac licked his lips lasciviously. "Good. I'm hoping for hot."
As Vic gaped at him, Mac shifted onto his hip so that he was facing his
lover and trailed a hand lightly over Vic's thigh. Never taking his eyes
from Vic's, Mac allowed his hand to creep higher, coming to rest alongside
his stirring cock.
Mac chuckled throatily. "Seems like at least part of you likes my
idea, babe." He stroked a finger lightly over the hardening length in
case Vic was unsure which part he was referring to.
Vic gasped, catching his lower lip between his teeth. His hand shot over
to hold Mac's still, and he glared at the younger man. "We are not
going to do this here, Mac!"
Mac snickered. "Whatsa matter, Vic? Afraid you won't be able to keep
quiet?"
"Afraid of us both ending up in jail and the Director coming to get
us out!"
That gave Mac pause for an instant, but not even that image could deter
him when he felt Vic hot and hard under his palm. "Better find a bullet
or something to bite then, lover, because I want to feel you come in my
hand, feel you come apart for me." He leaned closer to lick at Vic's
lips, which parted eagerly for him, letting him inside.
They lost themselves in each other, mouths feeding hungrily on one
another, parting only to change angles and melt together again. Meanwhile
Mac's hand wasn't idle, stroking the straining flesh before moving up to
unfasten Vic's belt and jeans then delving inside and under the tented
boxers to grasp the heated length.
Vic groaned into Mac's mouth, his hips arching involuntarily off the
seat, and his own hands clenched bunches of Mac's shirt. It felt so good,
but they were in public. There were people all around them, people who would
hear them... One of Mac's fingers worked inside him, and his other hand
continued to jerk his cock, and Vic suddenly didn't care if people were
selling tickets and scoring their performance so long as Mac didn't stop.
He whimpered feverishly, squirming as he tried to thrust into Mac's hand
and push back onto his finger at the same time. Mac pulled his head away for
a moment to breathe and to admire the sight of a needy Victor, then claimed
his mouth again, muffling his soft cries. His body tensed, and Mac speeded
his strokes, knowing Vic was on the edge. A moment later a rush of warmth
covered his hand, and Vic shuddered deeply, moaning Mac's name.
Mac continued to stroke him until the last tremors faded away, then
pulled out a handkerchief and cleaned him up before tucking him back into
his pants. "I do love you, you know," he whispered, resting his
head on Vic's shoulder.
Vic leaned his own head against Mac's, smiling. "I know. Just try to
stop doubting that I love you, or I swear, I'll tattoo it on your ass!"
Both men burst into laughter, but Vic couldn't see the speculative look
that appeared in Mac's eyes. They snuggled together for a little while until
they had to sit up for the landing in Madrid.
Nicky eyed them oddly as they headed out to catch a taxi to their hotel,
but neither of the men was willing to say a word. They thought she had been
seated too far away from them in the plane to have seen what went on, but
they really didn't want to find out for sure. Instead, she and Mac darted
curious looks at each other throughout the ride, curious about this suddenly
discovered sibling. It wasn't like they'd gotten along too well the last
time they'd met either.
Vic vowed to keep out of it as long as Nicky didn't seem about to kill
Mac. He had enough troubles trying to figure out his relationship with his
own sister. Glancing over at Nicky through the screen of his lashes, he
decided he'd definitely take Alice over her any day. Moments later, entering
the hotel lobby, he wondered if he'd suddenly found his way into the
twilight zone.
"Moose!" Alice herself came hurtling toward him before he had a
chance to register her yell.
"Alice??" Vic couldn't imagine how she could be here when he
hadn't even known until a few hours ago that he would be. "What are you
doing here?"
She finally released her stranglehold on his neck and stepped back.
"Oh, Di called me and let me know you were coming here. Since I wasn't
far away, I decided to come spend some time with my big brother."
"Di? Never mind. When did she call?" Vic demanded
suspiciously, wondering if she'd known where Mac's mother was all along.
"A couple of hours ago, why?" Alice was understandably
confused.
Vic and Mac relaxed. "Doesn't matter. I'm just glad to see you,
Alice."
"Allegra." "Whatever," Vic sighed.
Nicky pushed forward. "Hi, I'm Nicky," she said. "I'm...
Mac's sister."
Alice shook her hand. "Allegra. Nice to meet you." She frowned
curiously. "I didn't know you had a sister, Mac."
"Neither did I," he muttered.
"Let's quit blocking the entrance and go up to our rooms," Vic
suggested. "Where are you staying, Alice?" When she glared at him
silently, he sighed and corrected, "Allegra."
"I don't have a room yet," she admitted.
"You can share mine," Nicky offered. "I'm next door to
these two." She offered a sly grin. "I suggested a suite, but they
wanted their own room. I didn't have the heart to tell them that the walls
aren't thick enough to make it worth bothering." She glanced over at
the two men, who were gaping at her in dismay. "Pity my flight wasn't
nearly as interesting as yours, big bro."
Vic and Mac blushed crimson.
Allegra looked blank. "What do you mean?"
Nicky smirked. "You mean you didn't know that these two are an item?
And a rather loud one, too, from what I was told."
"What?!" Mac yelped, while Vic grabbed the girls' arms and
herded everyone toward the elevator. This was one conversation he wanted to
keep private.
"An item?" Allegra repeated. "As in, a couple? Good!"
Vic and Mac turned surprised expressions toward her.
"Oh, come on, guys. You were both pretending to moon over that
prissy Li Ann when it was clear that you were interested in each other. I
just didn't expect you to admit it this soon. Mac'll be good for you, Moose.
You were getting way too stolid, like Dad."
"I am nothing like Dad!" Vic snapped.
"Not in personality, of course not. But you were getting pretty set
in your ways there, Vic. You were acting more like someone of his
generation."
Vic shuddered and looked pleadingly at Mac. "Was I?"
"Well, uh, I have told you that you acted old, Vic. Not that
there's anything wrong with that, but you're not old. It's okay to
have fun, you know."
Vic sulked, refusing to look at Mac after that response. Mac eyed the
pouty expression and, despite the girls' presence in the elevator, pulled
Vic into his arms and captured his mouth with his own. When they finally
surfaced, to the sound of giggles, they found Nicky and Allegra standing in
the hall with the luggage, holding the elevator door open as they tried to
get their attention.
A tide of pink washed over their cheeks once again as they exited the
elevator and picked up the bags. Once at their rooms, they agreed to get
some sleep before continuing their search. Allegra looked confused, but Vic
promised to explain everything to her in the morning after he got some
sleep.
The following morning, Mac woke in Victor's arms, his head tucked under
Vic's chin in an attempt to hide from the bright, early morning sunlight.
"Why didn't we close the drapes last night?" Mac moaned
piteously.
"Because you wanted to 'make love by moonlight,' as you put
it," Vic grumbled.
"What, you don't like being romanced?"
Mac could feel Vic's tension in the stiffness of his body. "I don't
like feeling like you're parroting things you've said to Li Ann and God
knows how many other women to me." He took a deep breath. "I'm
still me, Mac. Talk to me."
Mac remained silent for so long after Vic finished that Vic started to
worry that he'd pushed too hard. Still, he couldn't apologize because he'd
meant every word he said.
"I'm sorry," Mac finally whispered, and Vic took comfort from
his not having moved away. "It's... habit. I don't even realize I'm
doing it half the time. It made customers pay better... back then."
Vic winced. "You don't have to do that any more, Mac. I swear to
you, I'm not going to leave you."
Mac finally raised his head to stare at him somberly. "No one's ever
told me that before."
Vic stared back unblinkingly. "I mean it. I love you, and I want
you, and I'm going to keep telling you that until you believe me."
Mac grinned suddenly. "That may be a lifetime commitment."
"I certainly hope so," Vic smiled. "What time is it,
anyhow?"
Mac raised his head to peer at the clock and groaned. "It's only
five o'clock. What the hell are we doing up at this obscene hour?"
"Actually, it's fortunate that we're up early. It means that we have
time before we have to get up and meet the girls. I'm sure we can put it to
good use." As he spoke, Vic squirmed suggestively, his thigh rubbing
between Mac's.
Mac's breath caught in a gasp, and he pressed closer. "What exactly
did you have in mind, Mansfield?"
"Oh, nothing in mind. More like your cock in my ass,"
Vic purred.
"I think I'm up to that," Mac leered back, making Vic burst
into laughter.
"Why don't you show me exactly what you're 'up' to," Vic
snickered.
"Don't rush the master, Vic." Mac grinned down at his chuckling
lover, then applied his mouth to that tempting body. He started by pressing
a kiss on the parted lips, lingering for long moments to explore the
interior. He pulled away to smile into hazy green eyes, pleased that he
could affect the other man so quickly. He nibbled along Victor's jaw line,
taking care not to mark him, then caught a tender lobe between his teeth to
tug gently. He soothed the tiny hurt with quick swipes of his tongue, then
blew lightly on the damp flesh, making Vic shiver.
Mac explored every millimeter of Vic's ear, then switched his attention
to the other one, not wanting it to feel neglected. Only when Vic groaned
and his hands clutched at Mac did the younger man move on. He nipped at
Vic's throat, sucking on the dampened skin, this time unable to resist the
temptation to leave a mark of his ownership. He pulled back to survey the
passion mark, judging that it would take some days to fade and that unless
Vic wanted to start a new fashion of turtlenecks in the Spanish summer, he
would be unable to hide it.
As Vic twitched and moaned beneath him, Mac continued his explorations,
giving his lover a leisurely tongue bath. He admired the well-muscled,
hairless expanse against which the nipples stood out so prominently. The
swipes of his tongue gradually grew nearer to the rigid buds of flesh, then
veered away at the last instant to trace an almost equally sensitive aureole
while Vic groaned and urged him to continue.
Mac's torso was now draped over Vic's waist, holding him down, and he
held Vic's wrists in his hands, preventing him from moving. All Vic could do
was squirm restlessly, pleadingly, under him, one foot running up and down
the length of one of Mac's legs.
Mac shifted slightly, letting an elbow graze Vic's erection, drawing a
needy whine from Victor. Mac let his chin graze one nipple, the stubble
rasping over the sensitive flesh. Vic quivered, a harsh groan tearing from
deep inside him.
"What's a matter, baby?" Mac murmured solicitously, then
spoiled the effect by smirking. "Have I mentioned lately that I love
how fucking sensitive your nipples are? You make the most incredible sounds
when I touch them. In fact, I bet you could come just from that, couldn't
you, Vic?"
Vic moaned in negation. "Come on, Mac... oh God!" He
lost track of what he was saying when Mac's mouth finally closed over a
nipple and sucked...hard. He twisted wildly, trying to pull away, or maybe
trying to push deeper inside that voracious mouth, but Mac still held him
almost immobile. "Mac, please," he whimpered, tugging against
Mac's grip on his wrists. The leg that had been rubbing against Mac's was
now wound around his waist despite the discomfort of the angle.
Vic tried to press harder against the erection digging into his hip, but
Mac held him still, wanting to concentrate on Victor just then. There would
be plenty of time for him afterward.
Mac shifted to the second nipple suddenly, his teeth grazing the
sensitized nubbin, then biting down sharply. Vic howled, but there was more
pleasure than pain in the sound. Mac raised his head, stretching the nipple,
and Vic arched off the bed to decrease the pressure. When he released the
reddened bud a moment later, however, Vic moaned in protest, again arching
up, this time seeking the return of the sharp pleasure-pain of Mac's mouth.
Mac laughed softly, the puffs of his breath across the moist skin of
Vic's nipples making the older man moan. He licked a nipple softly, knowing
that the touch was far lighter than Vic wanted just then. Vic begged him to
stop teasing, and Mac laughed. His tongue flicked lightly over the rigid
nipples, darting back and forth between them, never settling long enough or
pressing hard enough for Vic. Only when Vic was cursing and pleading did
Mac's lips close around a nipple again. His teeth worried it, making Vic
whimper, and Mac finally released one of Vic's wrists to bring his hand to
the other nipple, his nails scraping lightly over the now hypersensitive
bud, then pinching it suddenly at the same moment as he nipped its mate.
Vic's entire body stiffened and shook as he came, and Mac released him to
sit up on his haunches and watch with hot eyes as the creamy fluid covered
Vic's belly. "Beautiful," he murmured, and Vic's eyes opened to
stare up at him fuzzily. Mac leaned down to kiss him tenderly, unable to
resist the impulse to lick quickly at a nipple as he did, and Vic gasped and
quivered.
"So beautiful," he repeated, sitting up again and running his
hands over Vic's belly and thighs, spreading the semen over him.
"Uh, Mac, that's not body lotion, you know," Vic pointed out
huskily, his eyes watching Mac's hands stroke him.
Mac chuckled, noting that Vic was pressing slightly into his touch, just
like a cat being stroked. "No, I was thinking more along the lines of a
nice Bearnaise sauce on a succulent cut of meat." As Vic howled with
laughter, Mac added softly, "It makes eating even more
pleasurable."
Mac shifted so that he was straddling Vic on all fours, then slowly drew
his tongue along Vic's belly in a long swipe. He grinned up into wide, green
eyes.
"Mmm mmm good."
Both men burst into laughter before Mac returned his attention to his
"snack." He lapped at the sensitive skin, licking it clean, paying
particular attention the indent of his navel. His tongue probed at the
dimpled spot, delving inside then pulling back slowly while Vic moaned
softly. Vic's hands were cupping his head, holding him close with the
fingers woven through the soft strands. Mac was actually enjoying the
involuntary scalp massage almost as much as he liked tasting Vic.
Finally certain that Vic's navel was as clean as his tongue could get it,
Mac continued licking the expanse of tempting skin laid out for him. He
tasted every inch of Vic's lower belly, removing every last trace of the
semen he'd so carefully spread minutes before. Vic quivered when Mac allowed
his teeth to scrape lightly over his pelvic bone, his tongue immediately
following to lave the barely reddened spot.
"Didn't anyone ever teach you not to play with your food?" Vic
moaned, making Mac chuckle.
"Nope. I was taught to enjoy every experience to the fullest."
Mac smirked up the length of Vic's body at him. "And you, beautiful,
are definitely worthy of extended enjoyment."
Vic tried to chuckle and groan at the same time. "Wonderful. Do you
think you could step up the pace some?" He indicated his again rigid
erection with his chin.
Mac patted the straining flesh comfortingly, then took his hand away,
much to Vic's frustration. "Sorry, Vic. I'm a connoisseur. I like to savor
my treats." The familiar cocky grin appeared. "So be a man. Be
strong."
"I wanna be fucked," Vic half-wailed.
"Everything in its own time, Victor. All good things come to those
who wait," Mac spouted the cliches with a smirk.
Vic snarled and looked around for his gun, fortunately out of reach.
Mac laughed at him and turned his attention to his cranky lover's thighs,
licking away the now dry semen and visibly savoring the flavor of Vic on
Vic. His tongue traced the sensitive juncture where thigh and pelvis met,
and goosebumps covered Vic's entire body as he shivered. Mac smiled happily,
realizing he'd found another of Vic's hot spots, and he wormed between Vic's
legs, settling comfortably. He licked the spot again and again while Vic
whimpered, his tongue rasping over the incredibly sensitive spot. When he
fastened his mouth onto it and sucked, drawing the blood to the surface,
then allowed his teeth to bite down, Vic yelled incoherently and came again
without a single touch to his cock.
Initially startled, Mac made note of that spot, promising himself to
spend lots of time getting better acquainted with it on other nights. He
eyed the mark he'd left with satisfaction, then raised his head to see Vic's
face. The older man lay shattered against the pillows, panting, satiation
clear in every line of him.
"Twice in barely half an hour, Vic? I'm impressed," Mac
praised. "I'm also not nearly done with you yet."
Vic forced heavy lids up and peered blearily at the demon lying between
his legs. "Mac, I love you, but I'm done. I've got nothing left."
Mac chuckled evilly. "Trust me, babe." He petted the soft flesh
lying against Vic's thigh.
Vic shook his head. "I'm not a teenager, Mac. It's not going to
happen."
Mac didn't bother saying a word, simply pressing his mouth back to that
spot that had garnered him such spectacular results only moments before. Vic
moaned in disbelief when he felt himself stir. Not even in his teens had he
been able to go three times in this short a time.
"God, you're going to kill me," he whimpered.
"Want me to stop?" Mac asked, his breath softly caressing the
sensitive head of Vic's rising cock.
Vic moaned again at the sensation of Mac's breath on him and looked down
to see the lush mouth only millimeters from him. The arousing sight made him
stir more, and as he watched, his cock brushed against Mac's lips, which
parted to allow him entrance. His entire body shook when Mac sucked lightly,
and then he felt a single finger slip inside him. Despite Mac's miracle of
arousing him again, his body was still limp from the climaxes, so Mac easily
worked a second finger inside him to rub his prostate. White shocks of
pleasure exploded through Vic, but his balls were still drained. He shook
from the overwhelming sensations of Mac's fingers inside him and his mouth
on him. He'd never felt anything like this in his life.
Mac knew that he'd reduced Vic to a primal state, unable to concentrate
on anything except the pleasure racing through him. Watching Vic like this
was nearly enough to make him come on its own, but this time, they were
going to come together, with Mac buried so deeply inside Vic that he became
part of him. He only hoped he could hold on. Vic was so incredibly
responsive that it made it difficult not to just let go and fuck him through
the mattress.
Mac watched Vic twisting and whimpering almost soundlessly, his senses
overloaded. He slowly pulled off of Vic, letting the once again rigid length
fall from his mouth and pulling his fingers out of him. Vic cried out in
protest at the sudden loss of Mac's touch, his eyes flying open just in time
to see Mac settle on his knees and draw Vic toward him. Both men watched
avidly as Vic's ass approached the head of Mac's cock and Mac slid inside
effortlessly. Vic's head fell back against the mattress, and his back arched
as he tried to drive himself further onto Mac.
Mac stilled as he slid home, as deep inside Vic as he could get. He
gritted his teeth as he fought for control, the tight heat of Vic gripping
him, rippling around him, nearly too much for him. Only his grip on Vic's
hips held the other man still; he was beyond reason, not realizing why Mac
was holding still, only knowing that he wanted more. Tiny, pleading whimpers
escaped the older man, and Mac moaned desperately at the arousing sounds.
Vic's hands were clawing at him as he writhed mindlessly, occasionally
catching his nipples, and Mac knew he wasn't going to be able to last long.
But he was determined that Vic was going come one last time, so he released
Vic's hips to slide his hands under Vic's shoulders and yank him up so he
was sitting in Mac's lap, the length of their torsos pressed together. Vic
squirmed madly, delighting in his new freedom to move as Mac supported him,
and both men groaned their pleasure.
Mac forced Vic back a little, then fastened his mouth on one rigid
nipple. Vic yelled and arched his back, only Mac's arm at the small of his
back supporting him. He screamed again when the shift in position rammed
Mac's cock against his prostate, and his balls drew up against his belly
again. Mac was shoving into him almost desperately, and Vic met every thrust
eagerly. It wasn't enough, and Mac pulled Vic off of him and turned him
around, pushing him down onto his hands and knees.
Vic, after an initial howl of protest, realized what Mac wanted and
cooperated eagerly. He parted his legs wantonly and arched his back,
offering himself. Mac hastily positioned himself and slid back inside him,
both men emitting hoarse groans of satisfaction. Mac began pumping rapidly
into Vic, who pushed back, trying to force him deeper still. Their bodies
met and separated, again and again, a long whine of pleasure tearing from
Vic's throat.
Vic let himself drop to one shoulder, his other hand reaching down to
pull at his cock, now frantic to come. One of Mac's hands released its
bruising grip on his hip and moved up over his chest to an aching nipple,
nails flicking over the tightly drawn up center. Vic screamed as the
combined sensations pushed him into another, almost painful orgasm. The
feeling of Victor convulsing around him was too much for Mac, and he came
almost immediately afterward, the rippling of Vic's ass milking the pleasure
from him.
Mac groaned ecstatically, falling forward over Vic, who dropped flat on
the bed, covered by his Mac-blanket. Both men lay motionless, limp, drained.
"Mac?"
"Hmm?"
"If you ever decide to do that again, please remember that I'd
prefer to be cremated not buried."
Mac snickered. "Trying to tell me you didn't like it?" He
shifted slightly, pressing into Vic for a moment, and discovered that he was
still hard enough to draw a gasp from the other man.
"You know I did," Vic responded shakily, praying that Mac
wasn't going to try for another round.
"Good." Mac punctuated his statement with a quick, hard nip at
Vic's shoulder, then carefully pulled out of him and drew back enough to
flip Vic onto his back. That done, Mac dropped back on top of him, snuggling
close again. Vic's arms closed around him, and he chuckled softly. "You
know," he said, resting his chin on Mac's head, "this is where we
started from."
Mac laughed when he realized that they were back in the exact same
position in which he'd woken up that morning. "I like it here," he
said simply, and Vic's arms tightened around him.
"Unfortunately, we have to get up soon if we don't want the girls to
come looking for us," Vic pointed out, and Mac grumbled a protest into
his throat.
"Too late," a chipper voice announced, and both men sat bolt
upright, Mac painfully smacking his head on Vic's jaw, and scrabbled for the
sheets to pull over themselves. They stared in horrified dismay at the two
girls.
"Don't know why you're so surprised," Nicky said calmly.
"You were making enough noise to wake the dead."
Allegra only giggled, eyeing her brother and Mac with new appreciation.
Each of the girls decided she had to get Mac to teach her some of his
tricks. Vic's reactions indicated that they were pretty impressive.
"Would you please get out," Mac demanded, trying to
regain some shred of dignity, but it was difficult when blushing from the
top of his head to the tips of his toes.
Nicky shrugged. "Why bother? You've got nothing left to hide."
Vic actually growled at her, and she blinked in surprise. There was a
decidedly feral gleam in those green eyes, and the man she'd dismissed as a
middle-aged conservative suddenly looked very different. Maybe it wasn't
just Mac's skill that made him wild in bed. She shrugged.
"We'll meet you downstairs in the restaurant for breakfast at
7:00." She turned to leave, followed by Allegra, who was still
giggling. As she reached the door, which she had picked with a skill even
Mac would have applauded, Nicky couldn't resist glancing back to add,
"Try not to get too distracted in the shower, boys."
This time both men growled, and she laughed as she pulled Allegra out of
the room.
Less than an hour later, showered, dressed, and completely unable to meet
the eyes of their sisters, Vic and Mac were seated at a table in the
restaurant, nibbling on cinnamon-dusted pastries and sipping coffee.
"So now that we're here, how exactly are we supposed to find one
woman in a city of five million?" Nicky wanted to know. Allegra didn't
look confused, so Vic realized that Nicky must have filled her in on what
was happening.
"Do you even know what name she's using?" Allegra asked
reasonably.
The others all looked startled, not having considered that.
"Nicky?" Vic caught her attention. "What name did she use
when she was with you?"
"Victoria Malcolm."
Mac winced, sorrow shading his face. Vic started to ask what was wrong,
then stilled. "Mac?" he asked softly. "You've never told me
what your name's short for."
Mac smiled sadly. "Malcolm."
Allegra shrugged. "So find me a computer, and I'll hack into a few
databases and find out everything I can about Victoria Malcolm or Victoria
Ramsey. Do you know what her maiden name was, just in case?"
"Benton," Mac and Nicky both replied.
"Well, good, that means that she's not willing to cut herself off
from her past completely, if she's maintaining that much continuity. It
should make it easier to track her. Now all I need is a computer and
Internet access. Maybe some specialized hardware and software if the Agency
has been covering for her." Allegra looked at them expectantly.
"Allegra, I love you," Mac vowed fervently.
She grinned. "Careful there, Mac. I'd hate to make my own brother
jealous."
That made everyone laugh. After breakfast they headed out to purchase
what Allegra needed, and for whatever reason, Mac seemed a lot calmer than
he'd been since this all started. Vic wasn't sure if it was the girls' mere
presence, Allegra's calm certainty that she would be able to find some
helpful information, or maybe even something he'd done to make Mac feel more
secure, but he was grateful for it.
It took a few hours, but by the time they'd finished lunch, everything
they'd bought that morning had been set up in the girls' room, and Allegra
was ready to go. She started with the public records but found no trace of
Victoria Ramsey or Victoria Malcolm after the dates when she'd supposedly
died.
Seeing Mac's expression of dejection, Allegra laid a comforting hand over
his.
"Cheer up, Mac. I haven't even started yet. I will find her,
but you have to be patient. It may take a while."
Six hours later, Mac was positive that this was a waste of time, but
Allegra reassured him that she'd only scratched the surface. "Hacking
into secure databases is a slow process, Mac. But the one that I skip could
be the one that has the information we're looking for."
A beep from the computer caught her attention, and she suddenly grinned.
"Got a hit on the picture match I'm running from the international
driver's license database!" A couple of mouseclicks later Mac suddenly
found himself looking at a bad but recognizable picture of his mother. She
was older, and the smile she'd always had for him was missing, but it was
her.
Mac raised a trembling hand to press his fingertips to the monitor,
gently tracing the outline of his mother's image, tears slowly streaking his
face. It was true; she was really alive.
"Where is she?" he whispered, feeling Vic come up behind him to
offer his support.
Now that she had a name, Allegra was able to find all kinds of
information on the woman now calling herself Victoria Maxwell. She seemed to
have cut all ties with the Agency at the same time that Victoria Malcolm
"died," and she was working as a travel agent with a large,
multinational corporation. Her personnel file yielded the information that
she had inherited a fair size fortune from elderly parents, -- "Agency
funds," Nicky noted -- so she was able to live well beyond her salary.
She had an apartment here in Madrid, but she was currently out of the
country on business, overseeing the opening of a new branch office.
"Well, let's go to where she is," Mac said impatiently.
"We'd be more likely to miss her," Allegra replied patiently,
knowing how frustrating this had to be for him. "She's due back in
Madrid tomorrow afternoon. Your best bet is to get her at home as soon as
she gets back."
Mac fidgeted impatiently, but he knew Allegra was right and agreed with
ill grace. Suddenly realizing that Nicky had been conspicuously silent, he
glanced over at her. "What, nothing to say, Nicky? No better
plan?"
Nicky raised her head to meet his eyes, he flinched from the unshielded
misery he saw there. "Malcolm. Maxwell. See a pattern there, Mac?
You're the child she wanted, the one she missed and kept reminders of.
Nothing of me. What about me?" It was the heart-wrenching wail of an
abandoned child, and Mac reached out to her, wanting to hug her, wanting to
hold his sister close for the first time in their lives, but she pulled
away.
"I shouldn't even be here," she sniffed, dashing away her tears
with the back of a hand.
As she turned for the door, Mac spoke softly, stopping her in her tracks.
"Don't go, Nicky; please don't go. I don't want to lose another family.
Everyone walks away: Mom, Dad, Li Ann, Michael, Father... now you too. Why
can't anybody love me?" he finished in a sad, little whisper.
Vic gasped and wrapped his arms tightly around Mac. "I love
you," he whispered so softly that no one else could hear.
Mac turned in Vic's embrace, unable to watch his newfound sister walk
away from him like everyone else in his life had already done. Only Vic
never abandoned him. Only Vic. He clung desperately, those two words running
through his head like a mantra, grounding him, reminding him that he wasn't
alone and never would be. He was startled when he felt a small hand land on
his back, glancing over his shoulder to meet tear-filled brown eyes.
"It's not you, Mac," Nicky tried to explain. "I just don't
understand why she left me, why she and Aunt Di lied to me. I don't
understand what's happening here!" She was angry, unaccustomed to being
out of control of her environment. Only Aunt Di had ever been able to
outthink her, and right now, she just wanted to break something. Seeing
Mac's pain, though, had stopped her. For the first time, she was considering
someone other than herself, and although it felt weird, it was kind of...
nice.
She smiled tremulously at Mac, who smiled back, and the next thing they
knew, they were holding each other, hugging.
"Don't think that this changes anything," Nicky warned in the
familiar, tough tone, totally at odds with the shaky smile on her face.
Mac grinned back, almost his usual brash expression. "Don't worry,
once we get all this with Mom straightened out, I'm sure it won't be long
before I'm back to wanting to shoot you."
Nicky laughed. "And don't you forget it."
When they finally separated, turning to the others with embarrassed
grins, they found Vic and Allegra standing with his arm over her shoulders
and hers around his waist, smiling at them.
"Kid sisters are a royal pain in the ass," Vic remarked
confidentially to Mac, "but they have their moments. Hey!" He
yelped and jumped, scowling at Allegra, who'd lived up to his comment by
pinching him on the butt.
Allegra smiled beatifically at her brother, then turned to Nicky.
"Big brothers are just a pain. Not to mention overprotective. But I'm
sure you'll find out for yourself." She shook her head pityingly.
Completely ignoring her, Vic suggested going out to a club to relax that
evening. "We can't do anything till your mom gets here tomorrow, and I
think you could both stand to unwind. You're so tense I expect to hear a
boing every time I touch you."
Mac had to laugh. "Sounds good to me. Girls?"
Both young women glared at him. "Only if you promise to stop calling
us girls," Allegra grumbled.
Mac theatrically crossed his heart and fell to one knee before them.
"Take pity on us, oh ladies fair."
Nicky and Allegra had to giggle at that, and the four agreed to get ready
and meet at 9:00 for dinner before heading out.
There was, of course, prolonged discussion over which club to go to, and
Vic started eyeing his sister nervously when she wanted to go to the places
Nicky suggested. Even Mac thought some of her ideas were pretty good, so
finally Vic, outnumbered, gave in. Unfortunately, once they got up to go, he
and Mac got a good look at what Nicky and Allegra were wearing, and they
spent the next several minutes yelling back and forth, the men appalled and
the women infuriated. In the end, the girls went as they were, but the
atmosphere in the cab should have caused frostbite.
"Look, we didn't mean to make you mad," Vic offered tentatively
as they pulled up in front of the club they'd finally chosen. "It's
just that... well, you're our sisters, you know?" He waved his
hands helplessly, not knowing how to explain that he and Mac'd be much
happier if the girls would agree to wear sackcloth and never go out on
another date. He wasn't stupid enough to actually say any of that to them,
though.
Allegra sighed. She understood exactly what Victor was trying to say, but
that didn't mean she was going to give in to his overprotective instincts.
She turned to Nicky with a wry grin. "See what it's like having an
older brother?"
Nicky frowned. She understood too, but the idea of someone trying to
protect her was completely alien to her. She chose to avoid the entire issue
and pretend that nothing had happened. "Come on," she urged,
stepping out of the cab. "Let's go have some fun." She headed for
the door, not waiting to see if the others followed her or not.
The bouncer took one look at Nicky and Allegra, a slightly longer one at
Vic and Mac, and waved them in. "Just like at home," Nicky
laughed, blowing him a kiss as she passed. Once inside, the girls headed
directly for the dance floor, and Vic and Mac, after sharing a commiserating
look, took themselves off to the bar. They had a feeling they were going to
need a few drinks to get through this night.
The club was obviously popular. There wasn't a single available seat or
table to be seen, so Vic and Mac took their drinks and staked out a section
of wall to lean against. They could see Nicky and Allegra dancing, obviously
having a great time, surrounded by men. Vic gritted his teeth when one of
them pulled Allegra closer, but she danced away a moment later. The guy who
grabbed Nicky wasn't quite so lucky; from their vantage point they thought
she might have broken one of his fingers when she twisted his hand away from
her. After that, the men remained a respectful distance unless one of the
girls initiated the contact.
Vic and Mac looked away, not wanting to see any more of their sisters'
play. Several women came up and asked them to dance, one persistent woman
practically crawling inside Mac's clothes with him. He was about to agree,
figuring that one dance would get rid of her while he still had his clothes,
when he happened to catch Vic's expression. The older man was eyeing the
woman like a shark presented with an especially tasty treat, and the
possessive gleam in his eyes was perfectly clear. Mac suddenly got the idea
that if he were to dance with the woman, Vic would remove her in a way that
would very publicly stake his claim. While he liked the idea that Vic could
be jealous of him, he didn't think that announcing that they were a couple
in a bar full of macho, Latin males was such a good idea. With that in mind,
he got rid of the woman as quickly as possible and placed a discreet hand on
Vic's arm.
"Calm down, babe," he said softly. "I'm not going anywhere
with anyone except you."
Lambent green eyes flashed up to meet his. "You'd better not,"
Vic growled through gritted teeth, wanting to pull Mac to him possessively,
but realizing, as Mac had, that this was not the place for it. Fortunately,
Nicky and Allegra had been keeping an eye on them as much as they'd been
watching their sisters, and they suddenly appeared in front of their
brothers to pull them onto the dance floor.
Allegra laughed to herself, knowing that the others were in for a
surprise once they started dancing. Mac and Nicky actually stumbled, so
shocked were they when Vic began to move. Allegra, who'd seen her brother
dance before, grinned widely and threw herself into the music. Mac and Nicky
danced as well, their fascinated gazes fixed on Victor. The seemingly staid
ex-cop lost all inhibitions when he danced, moving sensuously to the music,
his body seeming boneless as he flowed with the beat.
Wearing tight, black leather pants and a green silk shirt that he'd
allowed Mac to pick out for him during their quick shopping trip earlier
that evening -- none of them had had any clothes appropriate for a night
out, so they'd all had to go buy something -- Vic appeared a completely
different person than usual. Seeing him like this and remembering how they'd
sounded that morning and the quick glimpse she'd had of him naked, Nicky was
envious of Mac. She remembered how she'd dismissed him as old on their first
meeting, and she wondered how he kept this hidden so well.
Mac couldn't take his eyes of Vic, stunned and aroused to see his
normally conservative lover like this. He wanted nothing more than to throw
him down on the ground and take him, lose himself in him. He couldn't stop
himself from moving in front of Vic, dancing with him, their eyes locked
together, cocooned in their own private universe despite their sisters
dancing beside them and the crowd around them. They gradually moved closer
together, helpless to prevent it, until a harsh voice cut through the fog of
their arousal.
"Well, look at this - two gay boys in our club."
Vic and Mac blinked, dismayed to realize that they'd so completely lost
track of their surroundings, and turned to see a group of about half a dozen
young Spaniards making rude gestures and taunting them. Vic bit his lip,
realizing this could get real ugly real fast and knowing that Allegra
wouldn't be able to protect herself. He had no fears for Nicky -- he made a
mental note to ask Mac whether he'd bet on Nicky or the Director in a steel
cage fight -- but he didn't think Nicky would help Allegra. She seemed like
an adrenaline junkie to him, unable to think once things got started.
Unfortunately, it didn't seem like he had any choice in the matter as one of
the locals took a swing at him.
He ducked and punched the young man, knocking him down, and in the next
instant, the boy's friends were on them. He later remembered disjointed
flashes of Mac taking on two of the Spaniards, Nicky attacking one who was
sneaking up behind Mac, Allegra kicking one man in the balls, but at the
time, all he could concentrate on was the person in front of him. In
moments, the four of them were the only ones left standing in their little
area, and they decided that it was definitely time to leave. They bolted out
the front door barely ahead of an infuriated group of locals and leapt
inside a cab that was just disgorging its load at the curb.
Nicky yelled the name of their hotel, and the driver, after a single look
back at the mass of enraged people boiling in their direction, stepped on
the gas. For the duration of the ride back to the hotel, Vic and Mac sat in
the corners of the cab, Nicky and Allegra squashed between them. Their eyes
were fixed on each other, and the girls wondered that the air between them
didn't spontaneously combust. Between the dancing and the fight, they
thought it would be a miracle if their brothers managed to keep their hands
off each other until they got back to their room.
Nicky tossed money at the driver as soon as they reached the hotel, then
she and Allegra dragged the men to the elevator. Fortunately it was empty
since Mac pounced on Vic the instant the doors closed, slamming him up
against the wall and taking his mouth. One of Vic's legs wrapped around his
waist, and they writhed together, rubbing frantically.
"Want you," Vic gasped out, his mouth travelling feverishly
over Mac's face.
"Mine," Mac growled, pressing closer.
Nicky and Allegra prayed that they'd get them to their room before the
clothes started flying. They yanked the men out of the elevator as soon as
it reached their floor and practically shoved them inside their room,
yelling at them to lock the door. As soon as they heard the lock click, they
collapsed against the nearest wall, panting.
"I don't know about you," Nicky said, "but after that, I
need..."
Allegra nodded emphatically. "Definitely!"
Of one accord they headed back downstairs to head for a club, leaving
their brothers to amuse themselves.
In the room, it was Vic's turn to push Mac against a wall, pressing his
entire body against the younger man while he devoured his mouth. He tore at
Mac's clothes, wanting to feel his skin, and Mac groaned his approval, his
own hands busy on Vic's garments. They staggered toward the bed, but it was
too far. Mac pushed Vic face down over a table, yanking at his pants till
they hung around his thighs. He shoved his own slacks down, dragging his
briefs with them, and lay on top of Vic, his cock settling into the dark
channel between Vic's buttocks.
Mac groaned, fighting not to just shove into Vic without preparation,
knowing he was too far out of control to take him like that without hurting
him. Since there was no way in hell he was moving away from Vic, it was a
good thing that the container of hand cream they'd picked up for Allegra was
still on the table where they'd dropped it that afternoon. Mac grabbed it
and squeezed some out directly on Vic's ass, making him jump when the cool
lotion hit his overheated skin. Mac hastily spread some over Vic's anus,
pushing a slickened finger inside to coat his inner walls. Vic moaned and
squirmed lewdly, and Mac abandoned any thought he might have had of further
preparation. He stroked the remaining lotion onto his cock, positioned
himself, and pushed inside.
Vic groaned at the initial burn of Mac's entry, but even the pain felt
good, and he pushed back, begging for more. Soon the burning and stretching
was replaced by a feeling of fullness, urgency, and he clung to the table to
brace himself as he met each thrust. His cock was pressed uncomfortably
against the hard wood, and he whimpered, trying to raise himself, needing to
feel Mac's hand on him.
"Mac, please, touch me," he begged, spreading his legs even
wider. He gasped his pleasure as Mac responded by thrusting harder, making
him crazy with lust. One of Mac's arms suddenly hooked around his waist,
raising him slightly, making it easier for Mac to go deeper inside him and
making his cock accessible. Vic was whining with every thrust now, seeing
stars as Mac hit his prostate, and he knew that even a single touch on his
aching cock would be enough to push him over the edge. Just then the arm
around his waist shifted, and Mac's hand wrapped around his erection,
stroking him.
Vic went rigid, every muscle momentarily locking in a rictus of pleasure.
He cried Mac's name as he exploded, feeling the hot surge inside him as his
climax triggered Mac's. They lay draped over the table for a few minutes
before Vic shifted uncomfortably.
"Get off, Mac. This table is hard."
Mac grumbled but slowly pulled away, weaving unsteadily on his feet for a
moment before dragging himself the few feet to the bed. He flopped down in
the exact middle of the bed, arms and legs splayed so he took up the maximum
amount of space. Vic just looked at him for a long moment, then dropped on
top of him. Mac gasped as the air was knocked out of him, then simply
wrapped his arms around Vic. Vic grabbed for the sheet, drawing it over them
in case of another early morning visit by their sisters, then drifted off to
sleep, comforted by the sound of Mac's heart beneath his ear.
Neither Mac nor Nicky was able eat the next morning, too tense at the
idea that they might see their mother that very afternoon. They checked with
the airport shortly before the flight was due in and drove over to their
mother's house when they found that the flight was on time. Mac clung to
Vic's hand as they sat in the car waiting for his mother to arrive, and they
could hear Allegra and Nicky talking softly in the back seat.
A cab pulled up in front of the apartment, and a woman stepped out, her
back to them as she pulled out her bag. As the cab pulled away and she
approached the front door, they got out of the car and approached her.
Whatever else might have changed, the instincts that had served her as a
director were still intact. As they came near, she suddenly spun around, gun
in hand and pointing steadily at them.
All four froze, Mac's eyes searching her face hungrily. She looked
confused as they showed no sign of aggression, then she saw Nicky clearly,
and her eyes widened. Before she could say anything, however, Mac moved
slightly and her attention focused on him. Sudden awareness dawned on her
face, and her eyes widened still farther.
"Mac?" she mouthed, unable to make a sound. The gun fell to the
ground unheeded, fortunately without going off, and she raised a hand to
trembling lips, tears coursing down her face. "Mac?" she tried
again, this time managing to say the word. She reached out to him, her
fingers touching his cheek tentatively as if afraid that he would disappear
when she touched him, but he remained solid, and she sobbed his name.
"Mama," he whispered, stepping forward to hug her, clinging to
her like the child he'd been the last time he saw her. They wept together,
then Victoria raised her head, still holding Mac, and held out a hand to
Nicky. Nicky stared at it for a long moment before taking it and allowing
herself to be drawn into the embrace.
After a time, Victoria straightened up and stepped back, wiping away her
tears. "Come inside," she invited with a curious look in Vic and
Allegra's direction. "We have a lot to talk about."
END
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