Only six more chps left... Enjoy.
JMH
trandar2002@yahoo.com
"Captain Fon'lo please report to the bridge... Captain Fon'lo please report to the bridge." The intercom rang, waking Ryan up with a start. He was nestled between John and Tidal, the smell of sweat and sex still heavy in the air.
"Ryan, is there something wrong?" John asked as he rolled over to face the man he had just made love to.
Ryan looked at his watch and saw that two hours had passed since lunch. "No... I think we are just about to land is all. You can rest a little longer, my love.
John's face made a small smile on hearing those words. "When will I see you again?"
"Tonight... if I am able," Ryan replied as he started to put his uniform back on. "Your father will not be too happy with me for bringing your friends along."
"Are you going to tell him about what we just did?"
"No... that's none of his business."
"Thank you... I don't think father would understand."
"Wish me luck." Ryan grinned, blowing John a kiss before leaving.
On arriving on the bridge the communication officer pointed Ryan to a pair of headphones. "Master Van'sol wishes to speak with you."
Letting out a sigh, Ryan picked the headphones up and covered his ears. "Master Van'sol.
"What took you so long, captain? I've been waiting for almost ten minutes."
"Sorry sir... I was busy care of another matter."
"Such as finding a way to rid ourselves of my son's guests? Do you not know what one of them is?"
"Yes sir... I am aware that your son made friends with the counterpart."
"And you still allowed him aboard my ship?"
"You son ordered me to..." Ryan tried to explain.
"My son is a fool lost in a world of books. You have always known that!"
"John is not a fool you bastard!" Ryan thought to himself but only said, "Yes my lord."
"When the ship lands I want my son and his guests brought directly to me... you are then to prepare the ship for another journey. If all goes well, my son and his guests will be going to the Brotherhood."
"It will be done as you say."
"Good... see that it is."
Once Ryan heard the clicking sound of the line being cut he threw the headphones off.
"Damn him!"
"What was that, sir?" one of the officers asked.
"Prepare the ship to land... and send security to keep an eye on our guests," Ryan forced himself to say.
"As you say, sir." The officer saluted.
Needing to sit down to think, Ryan went to his chair. "There has to be a way around this... there has to be."
Clive hummed a merry tune while he dressed, for he was in love... or at least in lust. Each time Joshua was inside him Clive would feel a joy he had never known in life... yes he knew that Vard was the most important person in Joshua's life... yes Clive knew that Joshua would not have much time for him once Vard recovered... but Clive also knew this... that Joshua would never abandon him, nor did Clive think he was capable of leaving Joshua.
"Do you think I might spend tonight with you, Joshua?" Clive asked hopefully.
"Yes... I think I would like that." Joshua chuckled. He laid naked on the bed, Clive's seed drying on his chest.
On hearing a knock on the door, Clive threw a blanket over Joshua. "Come in."
Three security guards, their guns drawn, entered the room. "Where is lord Van'dar?" one of them demanded.
"I'm here," Joshua said as he pulled the blanket off his head.
"Sir, by the orders of Master Van'sol we are to detain you."
"I understand... may I dress first?" Joshua asked as he pulled the remaining blanket off his body, causing Clive to bend over with laughter.
"Our pardon, my lord... you may," the man replied as he and the other security guards left.
Once he was dressed, Joshua and Clive left the room to find the others with their hands bound. "I'm sorry Joshua but it is my father's orders," John sighed as the guards cuffed Joshua and Clive's hands.
They then waited for the ship to land.
"My lord Gerick?" Paul Van'sol, father of John and Clare, said surprised as he looked at the young face on the screen.
"You will call me Mathew." Gerick smiled. "That is the name of this body I have taken."
"I see, my lord."
"You have something to report?"
"Yes, Prelate... I have the counterpart."
"Really... and how did you manage that?"
"It seems my son befriended him while on vacation... I think my son assumed that he could convince me to help the counterpart escape Aquarius. Such foolishness."
"So you do not intend to help Joshua?"
"No, my lord... I would never think of going against your will."
"Where is he now?"
"On my airship... it's preparing to land."
"Good... see that Joshua is well taken care of. You are to give him whatever he wants... so long as it does not lead him to escaping. I want him to be relaxed and comfortable when you send him to me."
"I will do as your will demands."
With a sudden shudder the airship touched ground on the landing pad, a ramp quickly brought up to the door. When Joshua came out, the bright sun stopped him from seeing his surroundings for several moments but when he did he was stunned.
"You like it?" John asked, seeing the expression on Joshua's face.
"I... I don't know what to say," Joshua said amazed. What stood before him was a mountain, marked by several waterfalls, pools, and streams, John's home carved into the mountain itself.
"It's even more amazing inside." John grinned.
Crossing several bridges Joshua went inside the giant stone house and instead of finding it dark, dank, and cold as he had expected, it was warm, dry, and well lit... the white crystalline walls giving off their own light. Then he walked into the grand hall, it was over 100 yards long, fifty yards wide, with a vaulted roof that towered ten stories high.
Joshua and his companions were so engrossed by their environment that they did not notice a tall man in a gold mask approach until he spoke. "Welcome, Lord Van'dar."
Joshua darted his eyes to the gold mask... a sign of the Guild, the color on his face slowly draining away.
"It's alright Joshua... he's my father," John said reassuringly.
"Your father is the Assemblyman!" Tidal said, surprised. All he had known was that the Van'sol family was one of the most powerful on Aquarius.
Seeing Joshua take a step back, John felt his heart sink. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Joshua, it's just that..."
"It's just that my son finds me an embarrassment," Paul Van'sol finished for his son.
Clare, who was standing behind everyone, was biting her nails. She had kept silent during the entire trip from Sparta... wanting to tell her father directly what had really happened to her.
"Father!" Clare's desperate voice came from behind. "Father!"
"Clare... my dear Clare... I'm so proud of you," Paul said as he embraced his daughter.
"Father... what are you talking about. I was..."
"Shhhhh... I know what happened. The Prelate himself gave me the good news."
"The Prelate?" Clare said confused.
"Why... you didn't know? You did not recognize the Prelate."
"Father I was..."
"You were blessed..." Paul cut her daughter off curtly before waving a servant hold a large box over to him. "Here is the gift the Prelate instructed me to give to you."
Clare, who had assumed her father would have been outraged by what had happened to her, was lost for words. "Father how can you?"
"You have always liked gifts daughter, so you should not reject Prelate's."
"But."
"Open it!" Paul commanded.
Frightened by her father, Clare opened the box, finding a silver mask inside. "What does this mean?"
"You are now a Guild Mistress my daughter... one of the highest honors one can receive. Now go ahead and put on your mask."
Knowing her father's request was an order, Clare covered her pretty face with the cold grinning mask of the Guild.
Once his daughter's face was covered, Paul snapped his fingers again, bringing another servant and another box to him "As for you Lord Joshua, the Prelate sent you a mask as well."
Paul then opened the box and took out the mother of pearl mask, placing it over Joshua's face. As soon as the Assemblyman's hands were away, however, Joshua tore the mask off, throwing it down on the stone floor where it shattered into multicolor pieces.
"Now why did you do that, my lord?" Paul said disappointed.
"I hate masks," Joshua said coldly.
"But you are a Guild's man."
"I will never be a Guild's man."
"I am sure Gerick will change your mind..." Paul chuckled before turning his grinning mask towards John. "He has promised to at least teach my son how to behave."
"No!" Joshua shouted. "Gerick will not have him!"
"But he will... he will reshape my son into a proper Guild's man... promising to make him the Assemblyman of Earth itself.
The white light in Joshua's eyes darken to a stormy grey. "You would hand your own son over to that monster?"
"The Prelate is a great man!"
"No father... he is a monster... but you can't see that. All you care about is increasing the power of our family," John said sadly.
"You will change your tune soon, my son... I am to send you to Gerick tomorrow. As for you, Joshua, you will..." John's father never got a chance to finish that sentence for at that moment Joshua broke the cuffs holding him and charged at the Assemblyman, wrapping his hands around the other man's throat, tackling him.
"Help!" Paul gasped before Joshua slammed his head down on the stone floor, knocking him unconscious.
"Joshua, stop!" John pleaded... afraid that he would kill his father.
Joshua did not stop... he kept pounding the Assemblyman's head against the floor, blood staining the white stone. All he cared about was extinguishing the life of a man who had threatened John.
Joshua would have killed the man if he had not felt a firm hand on his shoulder. "Joshua, you must stop," a deep voice commanded.
Turning his tear-stained face around, Joshua saw Vard standing behind him. "But, Vard..."
"Let him go, Joshua," Vard commanded again.
Joshua let go of the Assemblyman's throat, standing back on his feet. "But, Vard... he was going to let Gerick hurt John."
"I know, my love, but it is not your role or purpose to bloody your hands. There need be only one killer in the family, my cousin," Vard said as he embraced Joshua.
"What have I done, Vard," Joshua cried, looking at the blood on his clothes.
"You were protecting your birth kin," Vard said calmly, pressing Joshua's head against his chest so he would not see the Assemblyman's bloody body being carried off.
For a while Vard rocked Joshua in his arms, the others too stunned to say or do anything. The silence was eventually broken by the sound of a single pair of hands clapping.
"Joshua... I am so proud of you." A man appeared out of nowhere.
"Matt?" Tidal said surprised and confused on seeing his son. "How did you get here?"
"How indeed, father..." a voice that was not Matt's replied.
Joshua knew that voice... knew it all too well. "Gerick?"
"Yes Joshua... I was going to wait for you to come to me but after what I saw through Lord Van'sol's eyes, I knew you would need me."
"Matt, what game are you playing at?" Tidal demanded, still not understanding who was really before him.
"Come over here, father, and I will show you," Gerick's voice beckoned.
Tidal took a step towards the man he thought was his son only for Vard to grab his arm.
"Don't go near him unless you wish to lose your soul."
"But my son?" Tidal protested.
"That might be your son's body but it is Gerick's soul which inhabits it."
"Then my son?" Tidal asked.
"Your son's soul is keeping my real body warm for me," Gerick replied. "But I might decide just to keep this one, for I am enjoying being Joshua's cousin... don't you, Vard?"
"I was born Joshua's cousin... you only wear the skin of one."
"Be as that may... I can sense you are still weak, Vard... barely able to stay awake."
"I am strong enough to defend myself."
"Then come... defend yourself," Gerick dared.
Vard let go of Joshua and took several steps forward only for his legs to fold under him, sending him down to the floor.
"Vard!" Joshua shouted, running to Vard's side.
"I'm sorry, Joshua..." Vard said as he fell back asleep.
Joshua rocked Vard in his arms, Gerick coming over till he was standing over both men.
"Joshua I want you to love me... need you to love me. If you give me what I want I will spare the lives of your friends," Gerick whispered.
"How can I believe you?" Joshua asked even though he already knew his answer.
"You have no choice than to believe me," Gerick replied as he took Joshua blood-stained hands, licking them. "Think of it, Joshua... you can be with Falcon again."
"Falcon..." Joshua whispered.
"Yes... he misses you so much. Come with me, Joshua... we will be such a happy family... you me Falcon and Vard."
"Vard?"
"You don't think I would demand you not see him," Gerick chuckled. "I see Vard as a son... a very rebellious one... but a son nonetheless."
Joshua's face twisted with his internal struggle. "First, let the others go."
"Done," Gerick said as he snapped his fingers. Within seconds the guards had removed the cuffs from around the others' wrists.
"Joshua?" John asked concerned.
"Go back to the airship... Ryan will take you away from here."
"But Joshua!" Tidal protested
"Do it!" Joshua watched as the others left... all of them but Clive.
"Go Clive... go while you still have a chance," Joshua pleaded.
"I will not leave you, sir."
"But Clive!"
Clive went down onto his knees and bowed his head. "I am your servant, Joshua, be it into the light or the darkness, I will be by your side."
Joshua was about to protest again but was stopped by Gerick. "Such loyalty should not go unrewarded... you may come with us."
Nodding, Clive stood back up and joined Joshua.
"You are a fool, Clive," Joshua sighed.
"A fool in love," Clive chuckled.
"Joshua, it's time," Gerick said after a moment.
"Very well," Joshua nodded as he and the others were pulled into the void.
"Father... what has he done to you," Joshua cried.
The first thing Joshua had demanded on returning to Earth was seeing Falcon. Gerick had been more than happy to fulfill that wish. That had given Joshua hope that his father was safe, for he did not think Gerick would have been so willing to show Joshua his father had he been mistreated.
Led into the dungeon Joshua found Falcon strapped to a table, an IV connected to his arm. Falcon's face was vacant... almost lifeless except for the thin smile he was wearing.
"Does he not look happy?" Gerick asked, not hearing the pain in Joshua's voice.
"He does not even look alive," Clive replied, as he covered his face from the smell of human waste.
"He's alive alright... he lives for the liquid happiness I give him," Gerick said as he took out a syringe.
"What are you doing?" Joshua demanded as he saw Gerick inject the syringe into the IV.
"Making Falcon happy," Gerick said defensively.
"He's not happy!" Joshua said as he pushed Gerick away.
"Ahhh... but he is," Gerick laughed as he pointed to the growing smile on Falcon's face.
"Stop it... make him better... make him like he used to be!"
"But that would be painful... and make Falcon so unhappy. You don't want that do you?"
"I want him back to the way he was."
"Very well... my cruel young man, but I have my price."
"Anything."
"You must come to my bed of your own free will. You must let me make love to you without protest."
"Only this once," Joshua replied.
"Only once!" Gerick laughed. "I want to make love to you every day."
"Once a month."
"Nay Joshua nay... I am a man with a man's lust. My passions are not like a woman's blood cycle."
"Once every other week."
"Once every other day," Gerick counter offered.
"Once a week."
"Three times a week."
The two men just stared at each other as their wills clashed.
"Just say twice a week and get it over with," Clive shouted when he could not take the tension any longer.
"Well Joshua... are you willing to give yourself to me twice a week in return for an unhappy Falcon?"
Seeing he had no choice, Joshua nodded his head.
"Good... I shall have the preparations made." Gerick grinned as he ran out of the room out of joy.
"Joshua... I'm sorry," Clive said once they were alone.
"Clive... what am I going to do?" Joshua said as he hugged the other man tightly.
"Be strong... that is all we can do."
Then to both men's surprise Falcon spoke in a craggy and hoarse voice. "Be strong, Joshua..."
"Falcon?" Joshua said hopefully, but Falcon did not say anything else. Still Joshua and Clive remained by the Protector's side until Gerick's servants came to claim him.
"The lord Prelate beckons you join him in his chamber." The clay-masked servant bowed.
Joshua nodded his head, gave both Clive and Falcon a parting kiss and followed the servant to the upper chambers.
To Joshua's relief he did not go directly to Gerick's bedchamber. He was first given a light meal, which he ate so slowly that a servant had to remind him that he had agreed to go willingly to Gerick's bed. Giving up that ruse, Joshua finished eating quickly. He was then bathed, his hair dyed and cut, the bush around his manhood trimmed. Oils and perfumes were rubbed into his skin, a gold armband put around his left bicep, a white loincloth wrapped around his waist. It was then and only then that Joshua was led to Gerick's chambers.
"Joshua... you are prefect," A tall, muscular, blond, with deeply tanned skin and Gerick's voice smiled at Joshua.
"Another puppet," Joshua sighed.
"I wanted the perfect body for our perfect love," Gerick explained, sending a shiver down Joshua's spine.
"Are you cold?" Gerick asked concerned as he wrapped his arms around Joshua.
Joshua wanted to pull away but didn't, remembering the bargain he had made. This made Gerick laugh. "Good... very good. You have come to me willingly, just as you promised."
"Yes." Joshua nodded.
Gerick frowned at Joshua's sad look. "Smile, Joshua... I will not hurt you."
With Gerick so close to him, Joshua could detect the strong sent of citrus and let out a strong whisper. "Guild cologne."
"Yes..." Gerick said sadly, his mood flattened. "I thought it would help... help you that is. I know you don't love me even if you come to me willingly. Should I go wash it off?"
"No..."Joshua replied, feeling pity for the mad man. "I like the smell."
"Then I will be sure to always wear it." Gerick grinned, his mood lifted.
Joshua took in several deep breaths, letting Gerick's scent cloud his mind and enflame his lust. Feeling Joshua harden made Gerick the happiest he had been since that terrible day he had killed Thomas. He lifted Joshua up and carried him to the bed, carefully undoing the knot holding Joshua's loincloth in place. Gerick sucked on the young man's manhood, while his hands worked the fabric off his own waist. Once his manhood was free Gerick moved his body on top of Joshua, head to tail, his mouth never ending contact with Joshua's sex.
"Joshua, please put my manhood in your mouth," Gerick pleaded.
Joshua, enraptured by Gerick's smell an the feel of his muscular body on top of his own did not think... he only acted when he took Gerick's sex inside his mouth. The two men suckled off each other's manhoods until they tasted the cream of their seed. Gerick then moved to face Joshua, kissing him deeply, tasting the mixture of their essence. Gerick poured his will into the young man... filling him with his desire, his lust, his twisted love. Joshua felt himself drowning... any resistance he once had almost washed away.
"Gerick... please," Joshua whispered, afraid of being consumed.
"Joshua... I can't stop myself. I need to be in you."
For a moment Joshua thought Gerick was about to penetrate him with the long shaft of his manhood but he didn't. Instead Gerick collapsed on top of him as if he had been struck down. Pushing the man's body off him, Joshua staggered to stand up, his head in a dizzying fog.
As he wrapped his loincloth around his waist Joshua heard Gerick stir. "I give you three days... three days before you must come back to me."
"I understand." Joshua nodded, tying off the knot. He could still feel a part of Gerick's desire burning inside him.
"You may always return to me sooner, Joshua," Gerick said as if he had read Joshua's mind. "You may even spend tonight with me."
Looking back at Gerick, Joshua felt his manhood stir. Gerick's desires were starting to become his desires. Still Joshua forced himself to turn away and leave the room, Gerick chucking after him.