Six
Over
the next two days of riding, Justin kept to himself. He wasn't unfriendly to
the others, but he did not seek their company. The seriousness of their quest
had fallen heavily on his shoulders, almost as heavy as the sword at his side.
He rode quietly, deep in thought but still on the lookout for any trouble that
might come at them. He could at least do that.
“Your
heart is troubled, Timberlake,” Lance said, finally breaking the silence on the
third day. He pulled his horse in to ride next to Justin
“You
could say that.” Justin couldn't meet Lance's eyes.
“You
are worried you will not be able to do your part. You are worried about
something that pulls at your heart as well.”
Justin
looked at him sharply. “You can read minds?”
“No.
I can read your face.” Lance smiled kindly. “I see how you watch for any sign
of trouble, yet you look unsure about what to do if trouble comes. And…I see
how you watch our Prince.” Lance's green eyes shifted to look at JC, then he
looked back to Justin. “He is beautiful…and not unaccustomed to the love of
another male. I even think he may have a soft spot for humans…”
“No.”
Justin shook his head. “That is not what I want.”
“I
think it is, young Warrior.” For someone that Justin KNEW was just a few years
older than he, Lance sounded wise far beyond his years.
“This
isn't the life I know.” Justin surveyed their surroundings unhappily. “I'm not
sure what to do.”
“Follow
your heart, young Warrior. No matter what.” Lance spurred his horse on and took
the lead.
“Wow, thanks, Lance. THAT'S gonna help me
sleep tonight,” Justin muttered.
“Tomorrow
we will reach the place that no one wants to go, but that we've been heading
for all these days.” Chris sank down next to Justin with a weary sigh. He held
out his hands to warm them. The fire crackled merrily, but the group was too
tired and too worried to take much cheer from its bright light. “Aye, but I
wish I could wake up from this nightmare.”
“Me,
too,” Justin said. He looked over to where JC was talking to Lance. “You still
hate elves?”
“Mebbe
not…that one is proving not to be so bad,” Chris said, grudgingly admitting his
respect for JC. JC had ridden as long and as hard as any of them, and never
seemed to break a sweat. He was always willing to help in whatever tasks needed
done, and his mental power had helped them avoid disaster more than once.
“Still think they're prissy pretty boys, though.”
Justin
smiled. “He is pretty,” he said before he thought. He stood. “I need to stretch
a bit. I want to take a walk.”
“It's
cold away from the fire, Timberlake,” Chris reminded him, but Justin simply
shrugged.
“I
don't mind.”
He
wandered into the forest, making sure to keep within earshot of the group. He
didn't need to get lost. He leaned against a tree, thinking about what was
going to happen. He still felt out of sorts, like he would be letting everyone
down if he even TRIED to fight this evil dragon. He knew that he could simply
get on his horse in the middle of the night and ride out of there while
everyone was sleeping. But the more he thought of this idea, the more he
realized it was simply wrong. First of all, he'd have nowhere to go. Word
traveled amazingly fast in this reality, and everyone would know that he was
Timberlake the Coward. Secondly, and more importantly, he couldn't let his friends
down, no matter what.
“Timberlake.”
Justin whirled around to see JC standing behind him.
“Damn,
Jayce…scare me to death, why don't you? I won't NEED a dragon to kill me…you'll
just give me a heart attack.”
“I
apologize.” JC put a hand on Justin's shoulder. “I wish you would stop
worrying. I can feel your apprehension.”
“I'm
sorry.” Justin swallowed deeply. Even in the chilly forest, in the middle of
the night, JC looked composed and calm and sexy.
“I
wish I could take away your fears.” JC tilted his head to the side. “I do not
feel that you fear me as you did before, though.”
“No,”
Justin said with a sigh. “I think I've come to terms with the fact that I'm
incredibly attracted to you.”
“I'm
attracted to you, too,” JC said, moving closer. His hand trailed down the side
of Justin's face. “I was afraid that maybe I was a distraction to you.”
“Oh,
you're a distraction, all right,” Justin said, trying to smile. This time it
was JC who pressed Justin against a tree, but he did it with a gentle strength
that took over before Justin even knew what was happening.
“In
a good way?” JC's lips were trailing down Justin's neck. Justin ran his hand
down the long hair until he settled his palm against JC's back.
“Jayce…God…”
Justin gasped.
“I
want to be with you…tonight. Want to feel you inside of me…” JC whispered. He
led Justin a few feet away, and slowly lay him down in a spot where the moss
was thick and soft.
“I
can't do this, JC…I don't want to do anything you don't…”
“I
want it…” Justin could see JC's blue eyes as they seemed to sparkle in the
moonlight. “You're not taking it. I'm giving myself to you.” Nimble fingers
pulled at Justin's shirt, and suddenly he was naked from the waist up. “I want
this…before we go tomorrow. I know something bad will happen…and I want us to
have this.”
“JC…”
“And
don't think I'll break…I'm stronger than I look.” JC gave a gentle thrust up
with his hips, and passion overtook Justin before he knew what was happening.
