As you may recall from the last chapter of Lust Never Sleeps, we left Sawyer and Darryl in a flying car, soaring through the clouds, and they had just become aware of another vehicle in the sky. See what or who has joined them, in Chapter 8 of Lust Never Sleeps. Enjoy!
At first Darryl thought that it was the beating of his excited heart, before he came to the realization that what he was hearing was an exterior noise, something mechanical. He and Sawyer simultaneously raised their heads, turning them in unison. There, in the airspace before them, was a zeppelin. Airspace was a relative term, as it was not near enough to be considered in any danger of being on top of them by any means; the sky was a big place. But this was a huge ship, and it appeared to be bearing down upon them. More quickly than Darryl felt was safely comfortable.
The airship was silver in color, but in the sunlight it seemed to shimmer in fluctuating shades of blue. Blat! Another angry honk issued from the depths of the zeppelin—big, brassy and booming. Darryl froze in place, watching his life flash before his eyes, as Sawyer slid back into his seat. Other than the brief time spent with Sawyer, it was a rather disappointing show. Again he gripped Sawyer’s strong thigh, and began to pray.
“Our father, who art in heaven….”
Suddenly he felt the car rise. Darryl was thrown backward against the seat by a force he didn’t even attempt to fight. They ascended, easily clearing the top of the zeppelin which was still moving inexorably toward them at a genteel pace. It sailed on its way beneath them.
Darryl felt Sawyer’s gentle touch as he felt the other man remove the air goggles he wore. He opened his eyes to see Sawyer’s concerned face, also sans goggles. “It’s alright, we’re well above it now. No harm done.”
No harm if you didn’t count the near heart attack Darryl felt as though he’d just survived. But before he could voice his opinion, his lips were stilled by Sawyer’s, and he simply melted into them once more.
Darryl’s breathing calmed, and for a time, they simply sat together, leaning into one another. The car-plane seemed to have a pre-set course, as Sawyer did very little actual work. Occasionally, he checked the instruments, made an adjustment. Most of his attention was focused on Darryl.
It was mid-afternoon when Sawyer reached into the glove compartment, brushing his hand across Darryl’s lap as he did so, producing an inadvertent moan. In his hand, he clutched a pair of binoculars. He peered into the distance, in a downward direction. “Lust ahoy!” he cried at last, in a chipper tone.
“I beg your pardon?”
“Look! Down there!” He handed Darryl the field glasses, directing his attention to a point below. Darryl could see what appeared to be buildings and streets coming into view. Maybe even people. At this height and distance, that was hard to determine for sure.
“That’s the city of Lust,” Sawyer explained. “Our destination.” From his coat, he produced a pocket watch, snapped it open. “Right on time too. Good.”
“We’re on a schedule?”
Sawyer dazzled him with a brilliant smile, before turning his attention to the various dials and knobs recessed into the vehicle’s dark-wooded instrument panel. Deftly avoiding answering the question in the process.
Darryl decided that in the scheme of things it didn’t really matter. He settled in for the remainder of their journey. When Sawyer raised one arm, he gladly snuggled against him, wrapped in his warmth, content to be there—no matter where there was or where they were going. He closed his eyes for just a second, breathing in the scent of Sawyer.
When he opened them again, they were on the ground and driving. The way that normal vehicles did, on a paved road. Had they really been flying? Or was that but a crazy dream?
“All real, love, all real.” Sawyer gave him a cocky grin.
Ahead of them, Darryl saw a stone entranceway, flanked on either side by wrought iron gates which hung open. As they drove through them, Sawyer turned to Darryl. “Welcome to Lust, love,” he said.
The city of Lust was big and loud and boisterous; Darryl quickly discovered how it had obviously gotten its name. Everywhere he looked he saw women, with long limbs and short skirts. Unabashed at the amount of skin they displayed, they beckoned to every passerby, grinding and promising a good time. On the sidewalks, shady men with bright suspenders and brighter smiles attempted to lure people into games of chance—dice, cards, brightly lit wheels, or colored bones. Anything and everything that could be conceived of.
There were pretty men in loincloths, who offered to fuck or be fucked. Men clad in kilts, and others in dresses. Black leather-clad women brandished whips; they offered to chastise naughty sinners. Brightly costumed clowns, men on stilts, and men in bear suits. Penitent priests and scintillating nuns. Whatever your taste, your preference, or your perversion, Lust had a way of satisfying it. And if it didn’t exist, Lust would make it up.
Darryl goggled at the colorful figures determined to part him from his money, and perhaps stomp on his heart as well. He moved closer to Sawyer when one bold woman almost pulled him out of the car. Sawyer touched her arm lightly. She shrieked, then disappeared into the crowd. He couldn’t help but remember the way Sawyer’d parted the other crowd, the one that gawked at the victim of the gypsy Milosh.
“How did you do that?”
Sawyer made a sudden left turn, and parked the car. “We’re here,” he announced, pushing a button. Darryl felt the car shiver, but it was only the top, which Sawyer was putting up. He came around the front of the car.
Opening Darryl’s door, he reached for his hand, helping him onto the sidewalk, before he locked the car.
“Now we…” he began, just before he was hit from behind, whacked over the head by a cherry-colored parasol.
Darryl started to protest, until he felt the tip jab into his rib.
“Don’t move!” a feminine voice growled.
.
Can't wait to find out who knocked Sawyer on the head and why. Love it.
ReplyDeleteZOhMyGosh.I love the flying car. *dancing around giddily* More please. More. Do I really have to wait?
ReplyDeleteThanks, guys, appreciate the support!
ReplyDeleteSorry, Cherie, you do have to wait. I'm thinking I might need to do two next week, one for Lust, one for Scent of a Wolf lol
always a cliffhanger! I like the flying car I wish I had one
ReplyDeleteI think I'd be afraid of falling! I'm scared of heights lol
ReplyDelete