Jade Archer - Sandpipers 2 - Raven's Mark (12 page)

“Mark!”
Oh yes!
Mark loved the sound of his name mingling with so much desire slipping out between Raven’s lips. He pulled his hand free to fumble with the top drawer of the bedside table—not wanting to break contact with Raven’s mouth or disturb the delicious friction of their hard shafts rubbing together as he hunted blindly for supplies.
“Damn!”
“W-what?” Raven asked, sounding worried.
That would never do.
“It’s okay. Just hold on.”
Mark struggled to sit up a little without dislodging Raven. It was difficult, but worth the effort. Finally he managed to snag the lube and a condom.
“Hold out your hand.” Raven hesitated for a moment, then did as he was asked and Mark coated his fingers with slick. “I want you to help me get you ready.”
Raven made a soft sound—somewhere between a gasp and a moan—that sent a prickling rush of heat and need racing over Mark’s skin.
Guiding him back, Mark used Raven’s own finger to circle and rub lube around the small tight opening of his body. Raven arched into the touch eagerly.
“Oh! That f-feels…”
“You like it?”
Raven sat up straighter and pressed down into their fingers, unconsciously searching for more. “Y-yeah.”
Mark grinned into the darkness. Raven was a delight—glorious and sensual. Who would have known? Well…he’d known Raven was more than met the eye all along, but this was an especially welcome discovery. Raven all lost in passion was sexy as hell.
Still smiling, Mark pushed gently against Raven’s finger and was thrilled with the deep groan he received in reply. Once he felt the tip of Raven’s finger breach the barrier, he released the pressure and let Raven feel his way forward at his own pace—stimulating and slowly opening himself.
Eventually, Raven’s hips began to move, riding the sensation and his own digit.
Mark grinned into the darkness. “You like that?”
“Yeah. B-But…”
“But you want more?”
“Uh-huh.”
Mark circled Raven’s hole, feeling where the finger was buried into the second knuckle. Still slick with lube, he slowly added his own finger in beside Raven’s.
Raven moaned and gently rolled his hips.
“Yeah?”
“Oh yeah!”
Mark let Raven get accustomed to their fingers thrusting and retreating together for a while, then added a third. At the same time he wrapped his free hand around Raven’s cock and stroked the long thin shaft as he gradually stretched Raven open until his soon-to-be lover was desperate and moaning.
Pre-cum was leaking fast and free from Raven’s cock down over Mark’s knuckles now.
“Mmm… I love the way you respond to me.”
“You d-do?”
“Yeah. All this delicious pre-cum just for me. One day I’m going to lick your cock right to orgasm. I’m going to watch you cum just from the feel of my tongue on your balls and shaft and running over your tight hole.”
Raven’s hips thrust forward. It was time.
Mark reached for the condom. Raven—clever man that he was—needed no guidance now. He adjusted himself and waited until Mark touched the tip of his latex-covered cock to Raven’s waiting hole, then slowly lowered himself onto the thick shaft.
Mark moved to grip Raven’s hips and support him, but Raven intercepted him. He interlocked their fingers and used their joined hands to brace himself as he bore down on Mark’s cock. It was so hot Mark almost came right there and then. He loved this bold, assertive side of Raven in bed.
They worked together, inch by blissfully torturous inch, until Raven was fully seated on Mark’s cock. As Raven stilled and breathed through the pleasure-pain, Mark thanked whatever gods looked after horny gay men for the moment to get himself under control. But it didn’t last anywhere near long enough.
All too soon Raven was rolling his hips, moving tentatively up and down Mark’s cock, quietly driving him insane.
“Raven!” Mark arched up into his lover’s body. “Oh I need more! I need you to move, baby. I can’t—”
Raven responded instantly, as if Mark’s desperate plea had been the last, reassuring piece of the puzzle. He started to ride Mark in earnest. A steady, timeless rhythm that built and built as he lifted up almost to the point of losing their connection then sank back down over Mark’s shaft.
Together they climbed higher and faster. Mark thrusting up, Raven pushing down. Hands locked together as they struggled to hold onto every glorious second.
Then Raven’s ass clamped down around him in orgasm and it was all over.
Mark’s world went momentarily white as cum exploded out of the tip of his cock and filled the condom in Raven’s ass with his seed. Distantly, he heard himself cry out Raven’s name.
Raven, in contrast, was completely silent as he orgasmed. The crushing grip of his hands, the tight clamping of his hole around Mark’s cock and the shape of his body in shadowy relief—neck hyper-extended and head thrown back in ecstasy—followed by the warm, wet splatter of his cum across Mark’s belly and chest marked Raven’s passage into rapture.
Finally, Raven collapsed, gasping for breath and smearing his cum between them. Mark managed to free a hand to hold the base of the condom as he slid from Raven’s body. He stripped it off and dropped it into the wastepaper basket beside the bed—not overly concerned if he missed.
Practical necessities dealt with, he draped his free arm over his lover’s lower back to savour the orgasmic echoes of their first lovemaking. But Raven immediately started to squirm. He levered himself up and started searching around the bed then pulled the sheet up from the end and wrapped it around himself.
“What’s wrong?” Mark asked, worried by Raven’s silence and the sudden tension invading the room.
“I…ah…b-bathroom?”
“Oh! Through there.” Mark pointed out the door and watched as Raven picked his way carefully across the room—wishing the whole time he’d lose the sheet. In the low light, without the sheet draped across his left shoulder and trailed down to drag across the floor, Raven’s ass would have made a delectable display. “The light switch is on the left.”
The toilet flushed, water ran and a few minutes later Raven was back—a wet washcloth in hand that he held out for Mark to use. Once Mark was done, he returned it to the bathroom.
When he came back this time, Raven hesitated by the bed.
“Are you okay?” A sense of dread overcame Mark as he stared up at Raven hovering above him.
“I can’t stay. I have to g-go to Ryan. I don’t want him getting scared waking up in a strange p-place on his own,” Raven said, voice heavy with regret.
Mark nodded with relief. He was disappointed, of course, but he understood. And it was nice to think Raven might be as reluctant to leave as Mark was to let him go. It was a good sign.
He opened his arms in invitation. “Just…can I hold you for a minute before you go?”
He’d always been a cuddler if he could get away with it. Right now he had a feeling they could both use the contact.
Raven lay down on the mattress, sheet still wrapped around him like a toga, and cautiously moved into Mark’s embrace. Raven’s head tucked neatly under his chin, and Mark encouraged him with a gentle squeeze as he draped an arm around Raven and snuggled in.
“You cold?” Mark murmured into the top of Raven’s head.
“A l-little.”
Mark shifted just enough to drag the blanket up to cover them.
“Th-thank you,” Raven whispered, relaxing into Mark’s arms and burrowing in properly.
Mark sighed with relief and let go of the worry that had been plaguing him since the diner. It looked like everything was going to be fine after all. Better than fine, in fact. Raven was now officially his lover, and Mark couldn’t have been happier with the world as he drifted off to sleep—content and finally settled with Raven held close in his arms, at least for a little while.

It was snowing again. A soothing pattern of falling flakes outside the apartment window that slowly formed a pretty white blanket over Chicago…at least for now, before the reality of city living had a chance to taint it. Even the normally bustling street below was quiet and peaceful, most sensible folks having been driven indoors.

Raymond hated it.
Being cooped up inside always made things worse. It was harder to escape. Harder to avoid a confrontation. And any dirt on the floors would turn to messy, muddy marks with even the slightest amount of snow being trekked in.
The hairs prickled on the back of his neck. He spun around, afraid he was no longer alone, but there was no one there.
Raymond swallowed around the sudden knot of fear in his throat. So many times it had started with something as simple as dirty floors or an unexpected delay. But then there were the times when it started for no reason at all. First, there would be the yelling and the scolding. Then the random slaps and sometimes, if he wasn’t paying attention, the unexpected excruciating agony of a cigarette burn. It was like living on a knife’s edge—precarious, never sure when the blade was going to cut you to ribbons.
Raymond wrapped his arms around himself. Maybe today would be better. Maybe nothing would go wrong. He was so tired—worn down to a shadow. He should just try to enjoy the calm while it lasted.
Somewhere deep in the back of his mind, he knew this wasn’t real. At least not present-day real. It wasn’t the first time he’d found himself reliving this particular scene. But the house felt so solid and familiar it sent a shiver down his spine. White floors. Pale walls. Art he’d never understood or appreciated.
“Raymond!”
Oh shit!
“Raymond, I thought I told you to leave your boots outside?”
Oh God!

Raymond could hear the sound of boiling water in the kitchen. He struggled against the urge to cry or vomit all over the multi-coloured rug beneath his boot-clad feet. Terror squeezed him so tightly he could hardly breathe.

Raymond broke out in a cold sweat. There was still the fresh sting of a cigarette burn aching and throbbing on his chest. But when he walked into the kitchen he knew there was far worse awaiting him. He could hear the echoes of his own screams as the boiling water hit him even now. He’d walk into the kitchen. There would be angry, hateful words, slapping and then the water from the stove.

He couldn’t do it. Not again.
“Raymond!”
No!
He turned to run before it was too late, but he wasn’t moving. His legs pumped, but he

Oh God!
It hurt so bad. And then would come the infection when he couldn’t look after the burn properly by himself. Because he sure as hell wasn’t going to tell anyone about it.
No! I can’t! I can’t do this! Not again!
“Raven!”
Images and memories fast getting the better of him, he felt his breath get caught up in his chest as he struggled to get air into his lungs. The sensation was quickly followed by a moment of panic. For all the world it felt like a large, clawed hand was digging into his throat and squeezing his neck. It tightened its hold every time he tried to draw oxygen into his body. He couldn’t even scream now.
Squeezing. Crushing his windpipe.
He had to get out of here. He had to—

“Raven! Raven! Wake up! You’re having a nightmare.”
Raven fought with all his might, finally able to move.
“Raven!”
The voice wasn’t right. The room wasn’t cold and he couldn’t hear the water boiling in

the kitchen anymore. But that wasn’t going to stop him getting away. He continued to struggle against whatever pinned his legs.
“Raven, you need to open your eyes. It’s just a dream. Wake up.”
Something touched his shoulder. He pulled away and raised his arm up over his head. Blinking rapidly, he tried to focus his bleary eyes and work out which way it was coming from this time…and he slowly started to realise he was in a bedroom, not a kitchen. It didn’t make sense. It wasn’t even somewhere he recognised, which was reason enough to keep his heart pounding.
Where the hell—?
“It was just a dream, Raven. You’re okay.”
Raven looked over to see Mark staring at him. Not touching him anymore—thank the Lord—but close and…
Naked
.
Oh!
“Hey,” Mark murmured, his expression full of concern.
Raven felt the bottom drop out of his world. He’d had the dream. And a panic attack. In bed with Mark. After…
He wanted to disappear, just fade away until he didn’t exist anymore. He was so thoroughly humiliated he didn’t even want to keep his eyes open, but at the same time he couldn’t risk closing them again.
Glancing around he suddenly realised he could see. It was morning. He’d spent the entire night in Mark’s arms. He hadn’t checked on Ryan. He’d had the nightmare and woken Mark up with his craziness.
Shit!
After everything he’d done. After trying so hard to get it right.
Shame, anger, bitterness and the threat of tears crashed in on him. Raven pushed and shoved frantically at the sheet he’d wrapped around himself last night, now twisted up and bunched around his legs. At least he was still covered.
“Hey, it’s okay,” Mark said, reaching out. Raven cringed away before Mark could touch him. “It’s okay. Just take it easy.”
“I n-need to go. I…n-need to ch-ch-check on Ryan.”
I need to get out of here!
“Okay. But just slow down. Take a minute. You’re okay.”
No, he wasn’t. He really wasn’t. Raven scrabbled against the mattress to get away. He needed to get up and get the hell out. Now. He forced himself to concentrate on Ryan—on what he needed to do to look after his son, to get him ready for the day and off to preschool. He focused everything he had on that and nothing else.
“I n-n-need to get Ryan some breakfast. And I… I mean, is th-that ok-kay?” “Yes, of course.”
Damn!
Mark sounded worried and maybe a little hurt. He didn’t want that. Didn’t want that at all. But…he couldn’t deal with it right now.
“Th-thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll…um… I’ll get it while you check on Ryan if you like. Is cereal and toast okay?”
“Yes. Th-thank you.” Raven fumbled his way into a shirt, keeping busy and avoiding Mark’s eyes.
He felt himself flush as he realised he’d accidentally slipped on the shirt Mark had been wearing last night. He had no idea where the one he originally borrowed was. One thing he was certain of, however, it wasn’t the only reason he smelt strongly of Mark right now. His cheeks heated to scorching as he mumbled that he needed to take a shower.
“Oh! Um…yeah. Sure. You know where the bathroom is, right?” Mark faltered out as he started his own hunt in the mess of clothes on the floor. “I mean…yes, of course you do.”
“Yes. Th-thank you.” He felt like one of those birds dipping in and out of a glass of water—
yes, thank you, yes, thank you
—but as long as he kept saying something maybe he could fake his way through…and escape. “I’ll just…um…g-g-go get Ryan up and ddressed.”
Without meeting Mark’s eyes, Raven hurried from the room. All he had to do was keep moving. If he concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other and taking care of Ryan, he’d make it. He just had to.