A piercing scream reverberated through Darryl’s skull. His first thought was that it was Amandine that was frightened of the dark, but her next words removed all doubt as to the screamer’s identity.
“Quit being such a girl, Brushton!”
“I say, no need to be rude!”
“Well, if this isn’t a bitch of an unsatisfactory situation.” That was Sawyer’s voice, cutting through the darkness. Darryl shifted slightly on Sawyer’s lap, deriving comfort from the feel of his lover’s arms about him. Not that he was frightened, mind you, but the whole situation was rather disconcerting. He felt Sawyer’s lips brush lightly along his neck, and his heart rate instantly began to calm at his touch.
“It’s the second wave, isn’t it?” Brushton continued, his trembling voice betraying his perturbation.
“Don’t be daft!” Sawyer chided him. “They can’t get underwater. That’s why we’re here, remember?”
“Oh yeah.” The cow-shaped man lapsed into silence.
Taking advantage of the inability of the others to see, Sawyer claimed Darryl’s lips, sending a tingle through his frame. He responded by reaching blindly for Sawyer. It wasn’t hard to gauge what was where, even in the dark. He placed one hand at the back of Sawyer’s head, the other found his hand, their fingers intertwining, even as their tongues meshed.
Amandine coughed pronouncedly. “We can hear you, you know. Stop that immediately.”
“What do you hear?” the clueless Brushton asked.
“Never mind. They know what I mean, don’t you, my love?”
Any reply that Sawyer might have made was lost inside of Darryl’s mouth, which only elicited a moan from him.
“Elias!” Amandine hissed. “Please don’t tell me you forgot to pay the power bill?”
“My dear, I’m deeply insulted.” As if to prove his point, he hammered his fists onto the organ’s keyboard. At least it seemed that way to Darryl, judging by the cacophony of notes which instantly swelled from it.
As if on cue, a mechanical whirring and rumbling began, and a strange clanking, followed by the return of the lights. They flickered once, unsurely, before flooding the room with illumination once more. Darryl and Sawyer were caught in mid-embrace. Sawyer’s hand had conveniently snaked inside of Darryl’s trousers. He took his time removing it, to Amandine’s apparent disgust.
“You know you owe me an apology, Sawyer Thomas, and before this night is through, I intend to get it,” the disgruntled woman groused.
“What’s that, love?” the unflappable blond replied, as he and Darryl came up for air. “Apologize? To you? Haven’t you heard? Love means never having to say you're sorry. Besides, what do I have to apologize to you for? My hand was not down your knickers, and I don’t hear Darryl complaining. Or is that the problem?”
Amandine spluttered like a Roman candle. She tightened her grip about her parasol, her muscles appearing to tense, but before she could launch herself at her ex, her brother intervened, grabbing her arm.
“Here, here,” he protested. “You two can take care of that later. Let’s concentrate on getting out of this, shall we?”
“Was that a generator problem?” Sawyer glanced at Elias with upraised brows.
“You know it’s hard to keep a good mechanic these days.” Elias shrugged, causing his beard to dance.
“What were those things that attacked us?” Darryl interjected. He was desperately trying to get a handle on this bewildering situation. He glanced almost fearfully at the lights, as if his question might triggerthe a return of the darkness. They remained blessedly lit. “And what’s coming that’s worse than those things? What did you call it? The Second Wave?”
“I’ll tell you everything, love, I promise. “ Sawyer gently stroked Darryl’s cheek.
Amandine snorted. “Sweet words, Sawyer, from those honeyed lips. Too bad you’re so deceitful.”
“Only with you, love. Only with you,” he murmured, unperturbed. “You forget. Darryl’s the one. You’re not.” He held Darryl’s hand up once again, as if for inspection, never releasing it. “We’ve all night to discuss this. Apparently we’re not going anywhere, eh Elias?”
“No, I think it’s best you stay the night,” Elias agreed.
Darryl couldn’t help but stare at the man, now that he had a chance to see him close up, as it were. He’d never seen so many pockets in his life. Are they all functional? While he watched, the strange man reached inside one in the vicinity of his hip, drew out what appeared to be a piece of cheese, and nibbled on it.
“Do you have food?” Brushton asked, hopefully.
“Aye. In the galley.”
Brushton’s smile at the news was electric. He leapt up from the couch and into the air, as if he were kicking off. “Sister, come into the galley with me, won’t you?”
Darryl felt the heat of her ireful stare as she glared at him and Sawyer. “Why don’t you join us?” she asked between gritted teeth.
“Would you care for refreshment, love?” Sawyer kissed the back of Darryl’s hand. If he’d had any thought of food, it fled instantly.
“Not really,” he managed to say, telling his nether regions to please remain in place, this wasn’t the time to be leaping about in such ecstasy. They paid him no heed, pressing eagerly against his trousers, as if seeking release.
“Thank you for the offer, but I think Darryl and I shall retire,” Sawyer commented. He turned to Elias. “My usual room, I suppose?”
“Of course, of course. Go right ahead. I’ll be in here all night. “
Sawyer’s hands on Darryl’s ass were almost his undoing. He rose from Sawyer’s lap, with some difficulty, feeling as if the attention of everyone in the room were centered on his swollen crotch.
“That’s our room!” Amandine protested. “How could you?”
“Not for many years!” Sawyer countered.
“Whose fault is that? If you weren’t so afraid of—“ Her words broke off with a sudden cry.
All eyes turned toward Darryl, who was glaring daggers at Amandine.
“He has the power!” Sawyer gloated gleefully.
to be continued
