If they had caught Brian off guard, he didn't show it when the three of them entered the room. In fact the man wore a bemused smile on his face from the high back chair he was sitting in, a cigar in his hand.
"I hope the three of you didn't rush here on my account," the dark haired man chuckled.
After they had walked halfway towards Brian, Daryl did something that shocked the twins... he went down on his knees and bowed before his former lover.
"Father..." Daryl whispered.
"Daryl." Brian said with a faint whisper that was barely audible.
The twins watched as Brian placed his cigar in a nearby ashtray before standing up and making his way toward where Daryl remained bowed. Placing a hand on top of Daryl's bleached hair, the man ran his fingers through its long strands. He then closed his hand into a fist, offering the ring on his finger to Daryl's lips. After Daryl had kissed the ring, Brian grabbed Daryl by both shoulders and lifted the man back onto his feet.
"I've missed you Daryl. Have you missed me?"
"Every day," Daryl replied, his eyes still looking down at the carpeted floor.
"Look at me Daryl," Brian said, placing an index finger under the man's chin, raising his head up.
"Look at me Daryl," Brian said more insistently when he found Daryl's eyes still closed.
"Look at me Daryl!" The Father eventually shouted, this time causing Daryl to pop both eyes open.
`There now... was that so hard?" Brian said, his voice once again calm.
"We are not supposed to gaze upon the face of the Father," Daryl whispered.
"That never stopped me or your brother. It was a silly custom in the first place so I got rid of it after dad stepped down," Brian said as he circled around Daryl as if he were examining a piece of art.
"That's not all you've changed," Daryl said accusingly, his nose wrinkling from the smell of the cigar.
"You mean this?" Brian asked, taking quick strides to the ashtray and picking up the cigar. "That's funny coming from you... how many of the rules of discipline did the two of us break when we were kids?"
"What about these outsiders?" Daryl demanded, pointing to the six armed men in the room.
"True believers of the faith." Brian said defensively. "After becoming the Father I decided our church needed to expand. I therefore became quite the missionary."
"I don't understand. It takes five years to become Blessed."
"Another stupid custom." Brian laughed as he went over to where a man, dressed in a gray suit stood. "Daryl... I would like you to meet Missionary Peter Thomson. He's the one who helps me see where to find the people who will lead our church in this new century."
"Where did you find them?" Daryl asked.
"The streets," Peter said. "Among the homeless, drug addicts, hustlers, and disaffected youth. With the funds the Father generously provided, the church now has hostels, shelters, and youth centers all over the country. You would be amazed how lost most American youth are. Parents these days treat most of their kids like fashion accessories or score cards. All it takes is love and a little motivation and you can not only make them your friends but willing to give their lives for you."
"What have you done Brian? What are you doing with this... this evil man?"
"I'm rewriting all our holy texts," Brian said, slipping back into his leather chair.
"But why?"
"For you Daryl... I've done all this for you."
"What?"
"What happened to your brother and to us was a sin, a sin I have committed myself to making unrepeatable."
"I don't understand. How can you erase over a hundred years of tradition?"
Brian reached over and took the hands of two of his bodyguards. "Can't you see what I've done? We are now the chosen people, not those cattle whose only good use is breeding."
"You mean gay people?" Daryl asked.
"Yes... us men! It came to me one night like a divine vision. All our texts refer to God as a man and as everyone knows Jesus was a man too. Now if both were divine, and both were capable of perfect love, then should men not aspire to achieve that same love?"
"You've gone mad," Daryl accused.
"No... I've become a prophet," Brian insisted.
"A prophet of doom... our people would never go along with this craziness," Daryl replied. "You will destroy everything our people have built... have stood for."
"But what have our people ever built? For almost the last 120 years our `people' have been living off the kindness and generosity of your family. And how did we treat you in return? My father had your parents killed Daryl. They didn't die in a blizzard."
"That's not true," Daryl stammered.
"It is... my father told me himself. You're parents threatened to not renew the lease. My predecessor, thinking he would have better luck with you and David, had them killed. It's the same reason why my dad had to get rid of David."
"No... David died because I shunned him."
"But why was he shunned in the first place? Dad feared that David would influence your decision on renewing the lease. He had to find someway of separating the two of you."
"So you are telling me my brother died over money that I have never wanted?"
"Yes," Brian said as he stood up and embraced his former lover. "Can't you now see why I must reshape our church? It must be purged of corruption and hate and rebuilt on the foundation of true love. I can't do it though without you."
"I still think this is madness Brian... a gay cult?"
"No... a true religion for a people who have been abandoned by all other faiths." Peter said.
"I'm sorry Brian, but I can't go along with this," Daryl said, gently pushing the man away.
"But you don't know what's at stake or what I need of you."
"You need to pray Brian... try to find your way back to the person you once were."
"I can never go back Daryl...I have HIV," Brian whispered.
"How did you get that?" Daryl said, shocked. New Hope had been such a tight community that it had been blessed in being free from all sexually transmitted diseases.
"Giving my love to our chosen people." Brian said guiltily.
"You slept with outsiders?"
"So many I've lost count," Brian admitted.
"Including hustlers..." Daryl remembered.
"Yes... I waited for you... hoping you would come back but you never did. Then I met Peter and together we came up with the idea for a new church based on love. I wanted to make sure though that everyone of my new followers loved me..."
"Slut..." Patrick said, covering his mouth as if he were coughing.
"Yeah slut..." Brian chuckled weakly.
"What do you want from me Brian?"
"I screwed up Daryl... I caught the virus but I didn't stop having sex. Remember Tammy?"
"Your wife?"
"Yes... she's now sick. So are most of our old friends... Landon, Glenn, the people who I've put in charge of New Hope. Your old friend Stan is not sick though."
"Stan was always sensible," Daryl replied.
"It didn't make him smart enough to see what would happen by helping you run away," Brian retorted.
"You've not hurt him... have you?"
"No... I made him CEO of NM Mining. Even so the ungrateful wretch refuses to have much to do with me."
"As I said... he was always sensible. You have not answered my question though. What do you want with me?"
"New Hope is facing a crisis. Outsiders and locals combined, there are over eight hundred of us infected... that I know of. Almost none of them are getting treatment. Our own doctors don't know how to treat it and I can't be sedating 800 people each month to go to the mining doctors. We need our own doctor... one that is trained in modern medicine and who understands our customs. Our people need the Gavin family again... they need you Daryl."
"Damn you Brian... damn you for being so stupid, damn you for betraying our church, damn you for putting me in this position and twice damn you for shunning me."
"I have a lot that needs forgiving I know... but can't you find it in your heart to forgive me Daryl. Everything I did was for you... to change things in New Hope so you would come back home."
"And it seems you've succeeded," Daryl sighed.
"You mean it... you'll come back home with me?"
"I would be damning myself if I didn't. But you have to do some things for me Brian."
"Anything Daryl. You name it and it's done."
"Get rid of this bastard." Daryl said, pointed a finger at Brian's Missionary.
"Done." Brian said with a snap of his fingers.
"Now wait a minute." Peter said, stepping back as Brian's followers closed in on him.
To Daryl and the twins' horror one of the men pulled out a gun, quickly screwing in a silencer.
"Brian!" Daryl shouted.
The Father, now sitting back in his chair gave Daryl a blank expression as the man with the gun shot Peter in the heart, the missionary falling back into the waiting arms of the other men.
"Why did you kill him?"
"Because his sins demanded it... he was stealing money from our people not to mention planning to kill you, and betray me."
"Why would he kill me?"
"Did you not forget that since my father legally adopted you if you were to die, everything you own, including the gas fields, would go to me? My father remembered. That's why I had to get rid of him, in case he decided to have you killed like David and your parents."
"I shouldn't go back... I shouldn't," Daryl said, afraid of what additional madness he would find if he went back home.
"Before you decide, there is someone else you should talk to." Brian said, snapping his fingers, this time triggering the opening of the bedroom door.
Standing in the doorway, looking dirty and disheveled was a plain dressed woman with long black hair. Next to her was a blond man holding a gun.
"Diana?" Daryl said in disbelief, on seeing Brian's sister, the woman the former Father had wanted him to marry.
"Daryl..." the woman said in a hoarse, disused voice.
"Get that gun away from her Landon!" Daryl demanded as he hurried toward the woman's side.
"Oh Daryl... finally someone who will talk to me," Diana cried as she raced to meet her former betrothed.
"Why isn't anyone talking to you?" Daryl asked, confused as he tried to comfort his old friend.
"Father had me shunned." Diana wept.
"Brian or dad?"
"Dad."
"But surly your brother could have it removed."
"Not going to happen" Brian said darkly.
"She's your sister Brian!"
"Tell him sis... tell him why dad had you shunned."
"I did something terrible... unforgivable," Diana whispered.
"You will never convince me of that."
"But it's true... and when I tell you, you will feel the same revulsion the rest of the church feels toward me."
"I promise you Diana, I won't feel that way."
"Don't make promises you don't know if you can keep," Brian chuckled.
"Let her talk," Daryl barked at Brian.
"Remember when David was shunned?"
"Yes... you and I were the only ones who tried to stick by my brother. It was you who passed the notes between us."
"I did more than pass notes." Diana said nervously. "I comforted your brother."
"Comforted him how?" Daryl asked.
"The two were fucking each other!" Brian shouted, his voice filled with rage.
"Interrupt your sister one more time and you will never see me again Brian," Daryl swore.
"Fine..." Brian said, getting out of his chair and leaving the room to smoke on the balcony.
"I'm sorry Diana," Daryl sighed.
"It's alright... my brother has every right to be angry with me."
"I don't see why."
"Because of the unforgivable sin I committed. I only comforted David once but once was all it took for his seed to grow inside me. Remember how sick I was the month before David killed himself?"
"Yes... I thought it was the flu."
"So did dad... that was until mother told dad she thought I was pregnant."
"What happened then?" Daryl asked.
"Father sent me to the mining clinic. I was too sedated to know what happened there but when I came back father was very angry. It was the same day that Brian started shunning you."
"I remember."
"Dad then forced me to commit an unforgivable crime. He made me go to David and tell him I was pregnant and that unless he killed himself his child would be shunned as well. That's why your brother killed himself Daryl... not because of you."
For the first time in his life, Daryl felt his faith abandon him. Even after he had run away from New Hope, he had remained a believer. Diana statement wiped that all away. He could no longer see any good in his church.
"You hate me now... don't you? You're going to shun me as well?"
"No Diana... I don't hate you. I hate our church for what it did to us," Daryl said, as he hugged the woman close to him.
"What happened to the baby?" Daryl asked after a long silence.
"I don't know... when it came close for the baby to be born dad sent me back to the mining clinic. When I came back I was no longer pregnant and I had this scar." Diana said as she lifted up her shirt to show it."
Daryl ran his finger down the scar as if not sure if it was real. "They did a c-section on you." He whispered.
"Is that an abortion?" Diana asked worried.
"No...it's another form of delivery." Daryl said, a storm of emotions raging through him. A part of him was very angry... angry at what his adoptive father had done to his own daughter. Another part of him was excited by the possibility that a part of his brother might still be alive. If there was such a child, Daryl knew of only one person who would know where such a child was... Brian.
"I need to talk to Brian... will you be ok?" Daryl asked.
"Yes... you are coming back home with us though, right?"
"Maybe... for a short time," was all Daryl could promise at this point.
"Well?" Brian asked, puffing in his cigar when Daryl joined him on the balcony, not prepared when Daryl punched him right in the jaw.
"How long have you known?" Daryl demanded.
"Honestly... I only figured it out yesterday," Brian said, waving his bodyguards off. "Sis decided to take advantage of my absence and run off on her own... with Stan's help I assume. Took Landon a few weeks to track her down and when he did she was in pretty bad shape so I had a doctor examine her. That's when I learned what a cesarean section was. Knowing that dad most likely had it done at the clinic I had Stan look into it."
"And what did you learn?" Daryl pressed.
"That the doctors removed a pair of twins from her."
"Twins!" Daryl said excitedly. "Where are they?"
"I don't know... the records don't say. As soon as I go back I plan on question dad about it though. Care to join me in that visit?" Brian said.
"You've thought of everything... haven't you." Daryl accused.
Brian reached into his pocket and pulled out a gun, pointing it at his head. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to bring you back home Daryl... even kill myself."
"Put that gun away." Daryl said with disgust.
After seeing Brian return the gun back to its holster Daryl began to list additional conditions. "I can't just leave here you know... I have patients of my own that need taking care of."
"I've already seen to that... tomorrow you will resign from Memorial."
"But they need me there."
"Not as much as they need more money." Brian pointed out. "After you resign I will see that a ten million dollar donation is made to Memorial... more than enough money to hire twelve good doctors and nurses to cover for you."
Looking back into the hotel room Daryl saw the nervous expressions on the twins' faces. "Still, I don't know if I can leave. I've fallen in love Brian."
Brian dropped his remaining cigar over the edge of the balcony, embracing Daryl with his now empty hands. "I know Daryl. You don't know how happy I am you have found the Nash brothers. I was beginning to worry you would never let yourself fall in love again."
"Not jealous? Daryl chuckled.
"I'm green with envy." Brian said as he rocked his former lover in his arms. "I like your new hair."
"Are you flirting with me or just trying to be funny?"
Brian tightened his hold on Daryl. "I've missed you so much Daryl."
"I too... it hurts to see what has become of you. Maybe if I never left..."
"If you had never left, I would have never gotten the courage to stand up against the Father."
"I want you to stop the shunning of your sister." Daryl said.
"You know I can't do that." Brian sighed.
"Why not... you're the father."
"I tried Daryl... but our people have not forgiven her. They still believe she is a baby killer. No matter how many sermons I could give on the subject you know our people will never forgive her. Hell... I can't even bring myself to forgive her. That's why I wanted to ask you if you would take her in when you come back home. You were supposed to be the one to marry her."
"Alright..."
"Good... how soon until you think you can settle your affairs here. I have a jet waiting at the airport that can fly you and your friends to New Hope at any time."
"I need to talk with Steven and Patrick first... but regardless of what they say I should be ready sometime tomorrow."
"Then I will meet you at the airport sometime tomorrow." Brian said, giving Daryl another tight hug before letting go. "Never doubt that I still love you."
"I know..."
"Aren't you going to tell me you love me too?"
"After all you've done?" Daryl demanded.
"I'm willing to do a whole lot worse to get you to love me again," Brian replied.
"Don't Brian... please don't."
"I think you should go now... your friends as starting to look worried," Brian said as he handed Daryl a large cell phone.
"What's this?"
"Patrick's cell phone... the real one at least. You can also tell him that he will find his gun toting friend back home, unconscious but otherwise unharmed.
"What as I going to do with you Brian?" Daryl sighed not able to stop his hands from touching the man's familiar face.
"So you do still love me." Brian smiled, nuzzling against Daryl's touch.
"I loved you Brian... almost as much as David. I hate what you've become but I can't stop feeling something for you."
"May I kiss you?" Brian asked, a tear rolling down his face.
Daryl didn't say a word, answering by closing his eyes and leaning forward. Soon he felt Brian's lips against his mouth, the man's warm wet tongue slipping out, letting Daryl taste the flavor of saliva and tobacco.
Eventually pulling away, Daryl saw the tears that were now streaming down Brian's face. "Are you going to be ok?"
"Now that you will be coming back home... Yes, I think I will," Bryan said.
********************************************************************************* Well folks were getting near the end of this part in the tale. I do have a sequel in mind but it's going to take some time to get done as I'm trying to switch focus from net writing to publishing as I have two books published, one going to a publisher, and one in the final stage of editing before sending out. Still there are tons of stories still available on the yahoo group, including some by several other writers who are great. There you will also find Children of Mir, which is a rough draft of the soon to be published book Son's of Mir. It is only half the length of Sons but would give you a good idea where I'm headed and will hopefully perk your interest in getting the final version of the book. The Centurion and the Academy are still available on Amazon, now on sale at 25% off so now might be a good time to get it. Will know how well the books have sold sometime in the next few months so now might be your last chance to add to the sales
numbers for the midyears sales report. I'm hoping to have broken 100 books mark. Here's what one reader had to say about the series
The Centurion Cycle a series of epic proportions begins with the three part first book titled "The Centurion". It opens with the start of a war between two great powers, Qul Tos ruled by the Ice Queen, Regent Eleanor against the Domus Empire led by its famed Centurion General, Agamemnon. At stake is the fate of their son, the young man Jason, who, because of his cruel mother has been forced to live most of his life exiled in the Labyrinth Tower, more of a prison than a home. For 21 years Jason lives without the company of other men, a naïve, almost feral, youth, unaware of the world around him until the day the besieging Centurion army finally discovers the secret of the Labyrinth as save the young man from certain death.
Out of all the Centurions, it is Philip Helios, a military commander, who takes over the guardianship of Jason, bringing him home to the capital of Domus, the heart of the Empire. There Jason tries to understand what it means to be a Centurion and a man, dealing with the unfortunate twin curses his people bear, the shorten half lives of the Centurion and the long fragile lives of the Legatio.
Jason, a hemophiliac Legatio, tried to aspire to become just like his warrior saviors even with his blood sickness. And though he fails on numerous occasions while attending school at the famed Academy, he never gives up on his dream or on love as he develops his first crush on his weapon's instructor, Varrus.
It is Philip however who proves to have the strongest hold on Jason's heart. On the day of Jason's 21st birthday, after both he and Philip have been forced to flee the Academy and return back to Qul Tos the two express the ultimate sign of their love for each other and are forever transformed by the sharing of their anima, the living elixir of their souls that is responsible for both their strengths and their weakness, turning themselves into the Angel and Demon of prophecy, forever bound together through love.
As you can tell it is a fantasy series, a bit different from Love in Passing but I think you will find it as enjoyable if not more so. It took me five years of off and on writing to get The Centurion and The Academy up to par and I really do feel they represent the hard won fruits of that effort. So if you like a good romantic tale with plenty of action to keep you heart going then I think the Centurion and the Academy are the books for you. Take care.
JMH
trandar2002@yahoo.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/adultwritingworkshop/