STORY EXCERPT

Never in a thousand years would Milan Ambrozi have expected this. He leaned on the door to his room and stared at the letter in his hands. Father Theosis had hand delivered it to him just minutes ago. As he turned the folded manila envelope, he frowned. It was from his sister Arianna.

Five years had passed since Milan last saw her. It was a day Milan could never forget and wished had never happened, because it was the worst day of his life, the day the world as he knew it ended.

The images of elongated, sharp fangs, black fur, and demonic red eyes seared his eyes as the haunting memories of that night returned. They were still as painful now as they were five years ago.

He released a long breath and tapped the letter on his chin. A part of him wanted to open it and find out what Arianna wrote, but another part of him dreaded it.

They hadn’t kept in touch all of these years. Arianna had tried and so had his father, sending him letters to the sanctuary’s P.O. Box, but Milan had never replied. He read every single one of their messages and his heart ached with each breath he took. He missed and loved them so much. Just as he missed and loved his one true love, Carlos Hernandez, whom he’d abandoned that night just like he did them.

It was supposed to be the first night of the next chapter in their relationship. Carlos had popped the question before the nightmare ever occurred that ripped Milan from him and everyone else he loved.

Not a day went by that Milan didn’t fantasize or reminisce about their love and what he had left behind. Carlos was and would forever be his soul mate. No one would ever replace him in his heart.

If only he could turn back time to the way things were. Back to a time when he and Carlos were madly in love and having passionate sex every waking hour, and his baby sister was still in pigtails, and his father was happy and not angry with him.

But unfortunately that wasn’t an option. Time only moved forward, not backward, and so must he. Sooner or later he needed to step forward and out from this shelter he had immersed himself, and return to his family and friends and his past life.

But how could he ever face them again? How could he tell them the truth?

Casting his thoughts and fears aside, he sighed and slumped onto the edge of his bed. The springs in the mattress creaked under his weight. He combed his wavy black locks out of his eyes and tore the envelope open in one swift and smooth movement.

The scent of rose water drifted into the air, tickling his nose. He closed his eyes and sniffed the folded letter he extracted. It smelled of his baby sister. Tears filmed his eyes as memories of her in pony tails, smiling at him in a wide, dimpled grin flooded his mind. Her sixteenth birthday had passed three months ago. He wondered how much she had changed in these past five years. Not only had he missed all of her teen years so far, but her sweet sixteenth birthday, as well. He’d never regain those lost precious moments, ever.

He unfolded the paper and began to read, preparing himself for a back lashing, words of hatred, of resentment at being abandoned and forgotten. But what he read took him completely by surprise.

Dear Milan,

This letter will probably never reach you as my other letters before this haven’t, but I had to send it just in case you do get it and read it.

I don’t know how to write this. What words can I use to make this any less painful for you? I know they’ll break your heart and make you cry, but there is no good way to pass on bad news.

A few months ago Daddy was diagnosed with lung cancer. Treatments haven’t helped. The cancer spread. We found out yesterday that he has only a few weeks or months to live.

Please come home. We really need you.

Love always,

Ari

His grip on the paper slacked and it drifted to the carpeted floor as the silence in the room ended with his cries. He covered his face with his hands and leaned his elbows on his knees. He cried for his father, for his sister and their suffering. He cried for his damnation and the cruel God he had come to know all too well.

Life wasn’t fair, and the good always suffered undeservingly. His father, a kind and generous man who had loved and nurtured him and his sister all of his life, was suffering a slow and painful death. And there wasn’t anything anyone could do to stop it.

He let the sorrow and despair flow out, until there were no more tears or energy to spare. He lay back on the bed and stared at the twirling ceiling fan, being mesmerized by its simple and constant spinning motion.

Now that this detrimental blow had been delivered, he knew without a doubt that the time for hiding had passed. He needed to face his inner demons and conquer them.

The letter screamed its purpose in his ears. His father and baby sister needed him. Now more than ever. It was time to go home.

ADULT EXCERPT

Carlos walked up to the bureau and turned on the MP3 player. Soft and sensual jazz music seeped out of the tiny speakers. He began to take off his shirt as he approached Milan.

Milan flopped onto the bed, admiring this sexy man’s moves and scrumptious chest as Carlos’s shirt moved up and over his shoulders and head. His muscular arms flexed, and so did his pecs.

Carlos certainly took pride in his physique and Milan was ever-grateful as inch by heavenly inch of his toned body was revealed.

He gave him a seductive look over twice and licked his lips. “Mmm, you look so good. How often do you work out each week?”

Carlos gazed at his arms and chest before saying, “Often. Oh, so does that mean you like what you see?”

Milan moved closer to him as Carlos came to the bed’s edge. He gently touched his hairless chest and glided his hands over every defined muscle until goose bumps of pleasure formed on Carlos’s skin. “You could say that, yes.”

Carlos caressed Milan’s hair. “Well, why don’t we even things out?” He dipped in and began to tug Milan’s black suit jacket and tie off. Milan’s gaze focused on Carlos’s body while Carlos kept undressing him. He traced the outline of his limbs and torso with his hands, which sent pleasure plowing into Carlos’s cock. It twitched and stretched in Carlos’s tight briefs under Milan’s scrutiny, which excited Milan even more. He drew in air and moaned his approval. He cupped his huge bulge and gently squeezed it.

Carlos pulled him up to his feet and pushed Milan’s pants down below his knees. Now they both stood close to one another dressed only in the boxer briefs. Milan’s erect cock was already peeking out of his brief briefs. Carlos brushed his right hand over its wet tip. Shivers of pleasure soared through Milan. He closed his eyes and groaned.

A look of worry washed over Carlos’s eyes, and he halted his ministrations. “You okay, or are you in pain?”

Milan bit his lip and shook his head. “No, I’m okay.”

Carlos motioned to the handcuffs. “Should we put these on you now?”

Milan followed his gaze, then he looked back into Carlos’s eyes. “No, not yet. I want you to get your pleasure and then we’ll restrain me so you can give me mine.”

Carlos grinned encouragingly. “All right, but the minute you feel any discomfort, warn me, okay?”

Milan cocked a brow and nodded as his gaze traveled downward. “Yes, lover boy,” he murmured.

He slipped his right index and middle fingers into the elastic top of Carlos’s’ underwear and drew him in. Cool air circulated around Milan’s hand and Carlos’s cock with the quick movement, which Milan could see made Carlos’s cock twitch in response.

Milan crushed his pelvis against Carlos’s. His hands circled around Carlos’s waist and slid his briefs lower until he was able to cup Carlos’s ass cheeks. He squeezed and rubbed them while he tilted his head and kissed his lips.

Sparks of sexual pleasures circled around Milan’s lips and tongue as Carlos teased and caressed them.

When Milan gently bit his lover’s lower lip and sucked it, Carlos apparently could no longer contain his desires. He slid his hands down Milan’s back, his short nails scratching him in erotic foreplay. Milan moaned in satisfaction as the sensation was so pleasurable. His cock grew and stretched.

The moment Carlos’s hands reached the top edge of Milan’s boxers, he pulled them downward toward his knees. He squeezed and pinched his ass cheeks and demanded, “Turn around.”

Milan followed his orders, facing the bed, his shins against the end of the mattress. Carlos began to kiss and lick his neck and earlobe. Milan leaned against him, his eyes closed. His breathing was heavy, but it wasn’t a deep growling sound like he had heard escaping his lips a few days back that warned Milan he was starting to lose control. So far so good.

Carlos’s lips moved downward, kissing his shoulders and his back. Milan constricted his shoulder blades twice when Carlos tickled him involuntarily. Goose bumps formed all over Milan’s body, turning Carlos’s kisses and licks on his skin into erotic sensations.

Carlos focused on Milan’s ass once he’d finished with Milan’s back. First he kissed each cheek, while he directed him to bend over. Milan balanced his upper body weight on his bent elbows on the bed.

“Oh, fuck,” Carlos murmured as he passed his finger over Milan’s asshole. Milan puckered it in pleasurable reflex. Carlos pulled his own underwear down completely and stepped out of them while he continued to tease and stimulate Milan’s ass with his right hand.

Carlos’s freed cock brushed against Milan’s left cheek, its wet tip leaving a streak of pre-cum in its path. Carlos moaned in pleasure, apparently from the stimulating friction it gave him. He pushed Milan’s ass cheeks apart and lifted Milan’s pelvis, obviously so that he’d have a more strategic position to fuck Milan. He passed his cock up and down and around Milan’s hole, which Milan continued to pucker. Then he slipped his index finger into him.

A groan escaped Milan’s lips. Carlos stopped and asked, “Do I continue?”

“Fuck yes,” Milan purred.