The truth about Caymen 10:
Caymen blinked himself awake to a chilly breeze coming in through the sliding door. During the night, Merit had rolled up in the covers, and Baggy had nested herself behind Merit's legs. This left Caymen with eighteen inches of bed sheet. He sighed and got up, covering the distance to the door quickly to close it.
The clock said it was 5:45 am, and he considered crawling back into bed, but it was to late. Caymen usually got up early anyway, so it was hard to get back to sleep. He headed for the shower, glancing down at the evidence of last night's sexual festivities dried on his skin from his chest to his crotch. He brushed at it abscently and grabbed a towel on the way into the shower.
Merit was snoring quietly when he got out. Baggy showed no inclination to move, so he grabbed a pair of khaki shorts and his sandals and went out to forage for coffee, his favorite vice. The crew kept coffee and tea around the clock in the Observation Deck, so he ran lightly up the stairs.
The Observation Deck was an enormous room with floor length windows at the forward end of the passenger accomadations. It was almost as wide as the main deck, and thirty five feet from the doors to the front windows. The furniture was deep comfortable blue leather on navy blue carpet. All of the accents were in oak. Caymen loved this area of the ship, since it sat directly over the bridge, and had a marvelous view of the open ocean. This time of day it was perfect for meditation.
He poured a mug of coffee from the service just inside the door. To his right, towards the east, the sun was just coming over the horizon, sending the most staggering colors over the water. He was about to sit down and watch the sun when he noticed feet propped up on one of the arm rests.
"Mornin', Cay." Cody mumbled, his arm drooped over his eyes. He wore only his white robe, and it was pretty obvious that he had a major sunburn.
"Boy, you're up WAY early for you, Cody. I am impressed." Caymen offered sarcastically, sitting down.
"I didn't sleep much. It was quiet up here."
Uh oh, Caymen thought, sipping at his coffee. "Uh, last I saw, you were with Randy last night."
"yeah." Cody didn't offer anything else, continuing to look at nothing and say nothing.
"So, uh, why so blue, man? What's up?"
Cody sighed, was silent for a long pause, then swallowed hard. "Cay, did you hurt in here when you decided you were gonna love Merit?" He patted his chest but didn't move his arm over his eyes. "Did you feel like you were, I dunno, losing something? Like you lost, and that you were giving in to some twisted joke of fate?"
"No, I never felt like I was losing anything. In fact, I kinda felt like I had gained something, like I was complete." Caymen set his coffee down and crossed his legs on the chair. The only thing he didn't like about leather was that he stuck to it. "Cody, what do you feel like you've lost?"
A tear rolled down Cody's cheek and he sniffed. "If I'm gay, I don't get to have kids, or a wife, or barbeques in the backyard, and I turn into a freak. I never get to be normal again."
"I wasn't normal to begin with." Caymen tried to make a joke, but it fell flat. "Look, Cody, would you be happy having a fake marriage, and an empty life? Where your kids hated you when they found out the truth, or you put a gun in your mouth because you can't live that way anymore?"
"No."
Caymen reached out and rubbed the other's foot affectionately. "I don't have any good advice for you, except that I am very happy, Merit is very happy, and we plan on having a good life together. I doubt there's any challenge out there we can't handle, and I know we'll be together. Maybe you should tell Randy how you feel, or play around with those interesting powers you have."
Cody sat up straight and slid against the arm of the couch, looking shocked and scared. "What are you talking about?" He whispered harshly, betraying himself.
Caymen reached out with his mind and touched Cody's, startling him. "Your dad and I talked a lot about your family and their brains." He put into Cody's mind. "Merit is quite skilled, and you and your dad are no slouches."
Cody didn't move or speak, but slowly relaxed against the couch. "Sometimes, I can tell what people are thinking, that's all." He said quietly.
"And you have a really good idea about how Randy feels, don't you?" Caymen asked through the link, not speaking aloud. Cody nodded. Caymen cleared his throat and smiled. "Believe it or not, that type of communication is a hell of a lot of fun at certain times." He said with a grin.
"Oh yeah?" A quirky smile touched Cody's lips. He turned red in a blush, which was a neat trick through his sunburn, and looked at the floor. "We, uh, we made out last night. We kinda kissed a lot and, stuff."
"There's a lot more fun things to do as well as kissing." Caymen finished his coffee and took the cup over to the service cart. He walked back over to Cody and kissed him on the forhead. "You can talk to me anytime you want, Cody. I'm cheaper than a psychiatrist, and I'll never lie to you, unless Merit makes me."
This time Cody laughed, then winced as he leaned forward. His skin was so sensitive that he almost couldn't move without grimacing. Having had only a tan on his arms, the white skin from his neck to his feet was cherry red. Even going to the bathroom was a bitch.
Caymen leaned down and touched Cody's temples. He gasped as Caymen entered his mind, and sped through his body, making his heart rate increase and his limbs shake. It was like a golden glow washed over every inch of his skin, and it began to tingle. He exhaled when Caymen stepped back, totally unaware that he had been holding his breath. He looked down, and his skin was less red, more brown, and it didn't hurt. "Dude, that was fucking intense."
Caymen smiled and ruffled his hair. "I'll bill you later." He watched as Cody stood up and pulled off his robe, revealing a very handsome physique that was rapidly turning light golden brown. Caymen shook his head, imagining that Cody, Merit, and Rick had a lot in common. Very little hair, great definition, and natural athletic builds. They looked a lot a like.
Cody put his robe back on and looked side long at Caymen. "Thanks, Cay. I appreciate it."
"Just do me one favor, okay? Give yourself a little slack, and don't be afraid of what hasn't happened yet?" Caymen went through the doors towards the stairs, followed by Cody.
"I guess I better talk to Randy, huh?"
"I would."
After breakfast All four boys went to the bridge to watch the crew bring them in to St. Thomas Island in the Virgin Islands. After docking, Deidre and Rick gathered them on the main deck to lay out the day's activities. They leaned over the side and watched as the shore launch boat was pulled out through doors in the side of the ship. A crewman brought it along side while another lowered a set of steps.
"Now listen, gentlemen. Rick and I deliberately packed lightly so that you could buy things that you like to wear while we're traveling. However," She held her finger up and took each of them in with her eyes. "This is not a free for all, and I expect you to represent me well whilst in the general public. I will not tolerate any upset with the local authorities, am I made clear?"
With a chorus of yes ma'ams, they went down the steps and into the boat. It was exilerating as the boat picked up speed toward the dock. People were everywhere, walking, playing and shopping. Randy laughed with excitement and grabbed Cody's hand. Cody looked startled, then relaxed, a pleasant smile on his face. Caymen winked at him.
The day was flurry of shopping, eating, and a trip to the beach. Caymen allowed Merit to pick out a new swim suit for him, ending up with a not half bad emerald green speedo. Merit was embarrassed with the one Caymen chose for him, in purple, but promised to wear it. They bought several pairs of shorts, loose fitting tank tops, and sandals. They waited outside for the others to finish up.
Merit nudged Caymen in the ribs and pointed at the shop they'd just come out of. Through the door they watched Cody holding up a shirt to Randy, then shaking his head. Randy handed him a different shirt, and he held that one up. "Isn't that cute." Merit's voice dripped with sarcasm.
Caymen grabbed Merit's thigh, making him jump and yelp. "You be nice to them, Merit Cheyenne Carter, or I will let you sleep in a separate room tonight and wonder what it is I would've done to you if I'd been there with you."
"Okay, okay! I'm sorry, baby, please don't make me sleep alone." Merit stuck out his bottom lip in an exaggerated pout, causing a lady near them to glance at them, then away quickly. Merit snickered as Caymen wacked him in the back of the head.
"I hate when you do that." Caymen grumbled, smiling despite himself.
"I know, but I love you, and that means I get away with lots of shit." Merit stole a quick kiss.
Randy looked up from the rack of T-shirts in front of him. Cody held up two tank tops, one low cut and one muscle cut, and lifted his eyebrows. Randy pointed at the low cut one, then watched as Cody went into the little fitting room. He shook his head as he moved the shirts back and forth.
Cody had come to his cabin early this morning and had crawled back into bed, holding Randy close to him. Randy didn't know what to think, but he liked it. After kissing Cody, his head had gotten all muzzy inside, and it made his legs weak to remember it.
God Cody was beautiful. And funny. And charming. Randy forgot what he was doing for a second and dropped several items on the floor, stooped to pick them up, and hit his head on the rack. Embarassed, he looked around to make sure no one was looking.
Cody stepped out of the changing room and held up his arms. The shirt was joined only at the waste and shoulders, leaving little to cover his sculpted sides. Randy blushed and nodded, then handed him three swimming suits to try on. He had to admit, playing dress up with someone else's money was a hoot.
Cody stepped out in a French cut spandex suit that was high on the hips and turned around, keeping his eyes on Randy. The shimmering green fabric accented his crotch really good, and hugged his ass. Cody liked it. Randy smiled and nodded. He walked over to hand a pair of pants to Cody, and was taken off guard when Cody kissed him. Not thinking, he put his hand on Cody's bare chest, then took it away. They took their items to the shop attendant and paid with the money Rick had given them. While the lady bagged their things, Cody took his hand.
"Well, Cuddles, you've done it again." Merit said, watching Cody and Randy. "I'm not sure what exactly you did, but you did it again."
Caymen sighed and smiled. "I didn't do anything but treat a burn, and that's the truth."
They met Deidre and Rick near the dock and sent their things to the yacht. They each put their suits on under their shorts and kept a shirt to wear after they got done at the beach. The water was fantastic, and snorkeling equipment was quickly purchased. Rick showed them how to operate the snorkels, and then led them into the water.
Deidre watched from the shade of a nearby bistro, working on a crochet project she'd started when Caymen was five. She seriously doubted she'd ever finish it, but it was nice to have mindless pursuits now and then. Every now and again she looked up to see what the boys were doing.
Caymen slipped through the warm caribean water and pulled himself down around a large rock, entranced by the life that flooded into his mind. The rythms were so different from the mountains, yet the flavor was the same. The colors on the fish were so vibrant that they almost hurt the eyes. He felt Merit's hand on his leg, and he knew that he was feeling it too.
Cody dived near his dad, then came up sharply, poking him in the stomach. Rick grabbed his mask and popped the seal, forcing Cody to surface. As soon as he did, Randy grabbed his ass, then flippered away before he got caught. Cody pretended to ignore Randy until he got very close, then startled him in to exhaling his breath in a woosh by grabbing his crotch. His eyes went wide in the mask.
They stretched out in the sun to dry, sharing soft drinks and some dried fruit. Rick told them about scuba diving, and how he had dived on a wreck near the Cayman Islands when he was younger.
"You're named after some islands?" Randy squinted at Caymen. "Everyone else gets named after famous people and family members, and you're named after an island?"
"I think their spelled different." Cody said, poking Randy in the belly button.
"That's right." Merit nodded his head. "The islanders wouldn't let him spell it the same. They have their pride." With that, he was up and running, Caymen hot on his heals. They dodged blankets and people, chasing at top speed through the sand. Merit was the stronger of the two, but Caymen ran like lightening. He quickly closed the gap and grabbed Merit around the waist, propelling him into the surf.
The both came up laughing as the waves pushed them ashore. Caymen stood up and grinned like a fool at the others still on the sand, then jumped and yelped when Merit pinched his ass. They walked back, hand in hand, and flopped on the blanket. Caymen's usually impecably neat hair was all over the place.
"Let's go see if there's an arcade over by Grandma." Cody suggested. By now, they were all calling Deidre grandma. "I could use some air conditioning for awhile. Can we Dad?"
Rick gave them some money and sent them on their way. Caymen fell behind, waiting for Rick. "I need some cash, and I need to go get something done. I'll be back in about an hour, okay?"
Rick gave him some money, eyeing him suspiciously. "Are you sure it's wise to go off alone?"
"Don't worry. The shop I'm going to is half a block away, and I can call you or Merit if I need help. I don't even need a cell phone." Caymen pulled on his shorts, sandals, and shirt.
"Don't be long. Deidre wanted to have dinner before we go back." Rick squeezed Caymen's shoulders and watched him go, then turn toward the arcade and went inside.
Merit was kicking ass on Mortal Kombat. He had nearly been bested by Randy twice, but even the two of them together couldn't beat him. They played on one of the large multi player games, and even Rick had played a game or two. After an hour, their stomachs had started growling, and Merit took a dive, allowing the game to end.
As they walked out, Deidre was standing near a bench talking to someone. Merit's brow crinkled, and he immediately looked for Caymen but couldn't see him. He was about to ask who the guy was, feeling very protective, when he stopped and did a double take. The guy talking to Deidre was a blond haired, blue eyed god, with short wavy hair who looked so completely different his own lover didn't recognize him.
Caymen blushed, running his hand through his new very short haircut. It laid flat on his head, parted on the left side and swept back. He looked older. Merit's jaw dropped. "Are you okay, Mer'?" Caymen asked nervously, feeling very self-conscious. Cody patted his shoulder and told him he looked great, followed by Randy. Still Merit hadn't said anything.
"You, uh," Merit stammered, "You are….uh, the most gorgeous thing I have ever seen." He finished quietly. Caymen's look had totally changed, making him in Merit's mind perfect. He opened the link up and sent what he was feeling, then got back how relieved Caymen was.
They ate in a local restaurant, trying new dishes and sampling everything. Merit couldn't keep his eyes off Caymen, and every time Caymen caught him looking, he blushed and smiled. Rick told them more about diving, and they decided to try it when they reached the Cayman's. It was dark when they left the table for home.
Randy got sick on the way back. Rick held him to keep him from falling overboard while he lost his dinner. When they climbed back onto the main deck, Cody to Randy to his cabin. Merit and Caymen distributed bags to the various owners, then headed for bed, yawning.
Cody helped Randy undress and get in the shower. What ever had been bothering his stomach was gone now, leaving Randy feeling a little shaky, but better. To much sun, fun, and excitement, according to Rick. He came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel and laid down on his bed, wishing the room would stop spinning.
"Are you going to be okay?" Cody asked. "Do you want me to stay?"
Randy was still feeling far to shitty to be anything but blunt. "I want you to stay, Cody, but not because I'm sick." He propped himself up on his elbows and shot a withering look. "I want you to stay because I love the feel of your skin on mine, and because I love being in bed with you. I want you to stay because I am ninety nine percent sure I love you, and if I didn't feel like something Caymen's cat hacked up, I would want you to stay so we could make love."
"Oh." Cody sat in a chair, eyeing Randy nervously. All of the sudden his palms were sweaty. "I kinda wanted to talk to you about that. You see, I kinda think that I feel the same way, but I'm kinda, uh, scared." He figited with his hands, realized what he was doing, then stopped, embarrassed.
"You think you feel the same way as in you love me, or that you feel like cat barf?" Randy's face darkened. "That's a bit global, Cody. I noticed that there was sort of something between us today, but I thought it was wishful thinking. Are you trying to tell me you love me?"
Cody looked up, then down at the carpet, then looked up, swallowed, then felt light headed. "Yeah," he almost whispered. "I think I love you, but I'm afraid."
"Cody, I don't bite. Well, not unless you want me to." Randy saw shock on Cody's face and raised a hand up. "I'm kidding, Cody, really. I was teasing. I'm sorry." He stood up and walked over to the chair, then knelt down. "I would do anything to be with you, but I won't push you. I wouldn't even be able to tell you that if I hadn't met Caymen and Merit. They helped me take my time to accept myself, and I wouldn't push you."
"I want to so bad, but I don't know what's stopping me." Cody was near tears, and he felt Randy's hand on his cheek. He looked up and met Randy's hazel eyes, so honest, without a bit of mockery. His chest tightened, and Cody felt himself falling. Their lips met tenderly, and already it was different from last night.
Randy leaned back and broke the kiss. "Stay here tonight. No sex. No pressure. Just be here and let me hold you." Cody nodded, and Randy gently pulled his tank top up and off, then ran his hands over Cody's chest. Cody shivered and closed his eyes.
He stood up and allowed Randy to take off his shorts and swimsuit, feeling a stirring in his stomach. Randy dropped his towel, then led him to the bed. They got in, and Randy backed up against his chest. Cody put his arm around his ribs, accidentally brushing against Randy's penis. He almost jerked his hand away, then let it rest, feeling the tip of it on his hand.
It felt wonderful to hold someone, and he began to rub Randy's chest and stomach. Randy smelled good, and he inhaled deeply. Unaware of it, he had started to get hard, his member nestled between Randy's cheeks. Randy turned over and kissed him, a long deep kiss. He felt a hand on his dick, and this time he didn't pull away.
Randy kissed his way down, stopping at each nipple, each curve and muscle. He got to Cody's now hard cock and put his mouth over it. Cody inhaled sharply, clutching at the sheets. "Oh, god!" He moaned, drawing up his knees. Randy worked slowly, using his mouth and hand. Before long, Cody tensed up and groaned loudly, and Randy felt fluids erupting into his mouth and onto his tongue.
"Jesus, that was incredible." Cody gasped, then pulled Randy up and kissed him. They rolled over, and Cody pushed Randy back gently before enveloping him in his mouth. Randy was in extasy. It was exactly what he'd dreamed of and more. The sensations of Cody on him were intense and a bit rough, but enough to completely fill his imagination.
Cody almost gagged when Randy came, overwhelmed by the amount and intensity of his orgasm. It spilled out of his mouth, but he got most of it, amazed that it actually had a flavor that he could like. He looked up at the now spent Randy and smiled, wiping his chin with the back of his hand. "You know, for a little fucker, you put out a lot." They laughed hard, holding each other.
Twice more they went at each other, until it was almost painful to move. After a long rest, they raided the galley for late snacks, then fell soundly asleep in each other's arms. It was almost eleven when they woke up. Randy woke up first and showered, put on his new swimsuit and a tank top, then went to Cody's room to get him some clean clothes.
Cody was awake when he walked in, and he set the suit and T-shirt on the dresser. "Everyone's out on the deck. I heard your dad say that if we weren't up in twenty minutes, he'd wake us up."
"Aw shit. We're gonna get looks from him." Cody rubbed his sleep-mussed hair and got up. "Fuck it. I have never had a better night in my life." He grabbed Randy around the waist and kissed him hard, then went into the bathroom. Randy laughed, blinking his eyes.
They walked out onto the deck hand in hand, wearing their new sunglasses and clothing. Rick said nothing as they sat down at the table, but smiled knowingly at his son. Cody showed no reaction what so ever. Merit and Caymen continued their discussion with Deidre about the next stop, Cayman Brac, one of the Cayman Islands. Caymen winked at Randy, then went back to the details of a house that was there somewhere.
Over the next two days, they tanned, swam, helped clean various parts of the ship, and played video games or watched movies. By the time they neared the islands, they all had all over tans that were deep brown. Rick called them the American Aboriginees.
Caymen and Cody fell into the habit of sharing the dawn together on the Observation Deck, while Merit and Randy both preffered to sleep later. Deidre spend a lot of time in the ship's communication room, talking to England and the family. As they neared the islands, her mood became somewhat erratic, often causing them to give her a wide berth. She would never get angry or cross, but did get demanding and snippy. Caymen watched carefully, worried, but said nothing.
The next morning, the four of them stood at the bow and watched Grand Cayman Island drifting by. It was several miles away, and they couldn't make out details very well. The Captain had told them they would reach their destination late this afternoon, and even though they loved life on the ship, they wanted to be on land again, even just for awhile.
After lunch Deidre took Caymen into her sitting room, leaving the others to swim. Caymen followed her inside and closed the door, then sat down in a wingbacked chair to wait for her to speak. She took out several large folders full of legal documents and put them on a table.
"I'm sorry if this has upset you, Caymen. Sometimes a little business must interfere with the grandest of holidays." Deidre had him move to a chair at the table. She opened one of the folders to show him. "This is what we call the family blood line. It is pure, going back over seven hundred years. Our family has served as high priests, court magicians, healers, and about any other special position you can think up. Right now, two of the Royal Advisers are McCandles."
"As you can see here, this line starts with you, goes back through your father, grandfather, and so on, back to a man called Dackus who lived near to the time of the Roman occupation of England. What makes him special is that he is related to both you and I, even though we each have a seperate blood line. You see, Caymen, what makes you as talented as you are, and the threat that they think you are, is that you are twice McCandles, as was your father."
"You mean that instead of having four family lines I have two?" Caymen asked, trying to fathom what she was saying.
"No, boy. I mean you have one. You're mother was a McCandles several generations back, I am McCandles, and your father was pure McCandles. You're grandfather was the son of a McCandles woman. Not only did you get the gifts of those men, but you got the missing fragments from me and your mother, dear." Deidre patted his hand affectionately. "It's as though old Dackus himself was reborn. He was the most powerful of us, and his kin have all been deeply influenced by his gifts. Now you are the most complete of us that has been born."
"So that's why I'm suddenly supposed to lead them?" Caymen asked warily.
Deidre nodded gravely. "Everyone of them that thinks they're strong enough is going to challenge you, and there are a bloody lot of them. And every one of them will come if you like it or not. The men that are coming to see you will test you, Caymen, to see if I can reveal you to the family yet or not."
"So I get to spend the rest of my life either fighting these guys, or running from them, is that what I inherit?" Caymen's tone was bitter, and he tried not to hurt her, but he was angry. This wasn't what he wanted. They could take the money and everything, and stick up their asses.
"Caymen," she said soothingly, "There was no way to avoid this. You were born this way, and this battle would come no matter what. I took you to the colonies so that you could enjoy a normal life, and so you could explore you abilities in peace. But they will find you, because you're gaining strength every day, and you shine like a beacon in the night."
"And what happens to my life now?" Caymen stood up and slammed the folder shut. "I forfeit everything now so I can spend the rest of my life in fights like the one with Darius and Marrin? What the hell kind of life is that?" He slid his chair in and leaned over it, openly glaring at Deidre. "Sorry, but I have a life, and it's with Merit. You'll have to find a new champion. They can have the whole goddamn thing."
"Caymen, stop and listen." Deidre was quiet but firm. "They will find you whether you want them to or not, and if you hide, they will take Merit so you have to come. The power isn't the money, it's this." She tapped the side of her head. "And in this particular party, you have all of the cookies. They want the power, or they'll want you dead, Caymen. How do you think your father died?"
"You said it was a car accident." Caymen growled.
"And so it was, child. Just like the great plague was a glorified case of the flu."
"What the hell does that mean?"
"It means, Caymen, that you are now being deliberate thick, and that you have a lot to think about." She said tartly. "I've done what I can for you, whether or not you appreciate it."
Caymen stomped out of the room and headed for the Observation Deck. It was deserted as he walked in, and he threw himself into one of the chairs. He didn't dare tell her that he sometimes knew the future, and that he knew what the battles were like. He also didn't tell her about the black shadow thing that still haunted his dreams. He sighed as the weight of the world settled on his shoulders.
I have several ideas on where we're headed with this story for awhile, and there will be several loops, switchbacks, and cliffhangers. I appreciate the input from 'The Advisors' as I've come to know them, and welcome all input as usual. Also, I have had a lot of help getting a web page ready, and if anyone has a suggestion as to good sites to put a page on, please let me know. I want to post these stories, but places like Tripod etc. don't care for them much.
Rimshot@planetaccess.com
Dan