The Tractor Rescue Service dispatcher, in a noncommital manner, promised to retrieve the Range Rover from the mountain as soon as possible. Once arrangements had been made, Nick hung up the phone, went back into Derek’s room and glanced with unease at the empty bed. He would be back soon. Tests could be time-consuming.
Mark was staring out the window at the scenic woodland behind the Lexington hospital. Nick joined him, patting him on the shoulder. “Whatcha looking at?”
“Nothing. Just getting my education.”
Nick smiled. “Is that supposed to make sense?”
“Not to you, it’s not. I just...I meditate. I learn. I understand things better when I stare at the woods. It enhances my gift. It makes me stronger.”
Nick was too mature to roll his eyes, too intelligent to write him off as a moron, but was vaguely reminded of the ravings of a lunatic he had met while in the Navy. His recall of the deranged sailor was disturbing because there had been times when those asinine messages had actually penetrated deep into the subconscious, surfacing years later, when he had least expected it. He wanted to limit his exposure to people who could leave him with such irrational thoughts and fears. If Mark was going to turn out to be one of those few, Nick was not interested in his friendship.
Suddenly, without explanation, Mark turned on his heel and strode out of the room. Nick sighed and listened to his loud boot-falls moving farther down the hall until the far door was opened and closed. “He’s ‘out there’.” he mumbled to himself, unwilling to put it in harsher terms.
“Where is Mark?” A nurse helped Derek from his wheelchair back into bed. Nick hurried to assist.
“He went outside, I guess. I think he got pissed at me, but I’m not sure why. Unless he can read minds, I did nothing to offend him.”
Derek gave him a sober gaze. “He reads minds, Nick.”
“Really?” Nick was already mentally kicking himself. “Shit!”
“Go find him. Bring him back.” Derek pleaded.
“Yeah, yeah. Gone.” Nick went out the door.
He found Mark in the rear garden. He sat on the stone fence, chewed a polystyrene cup as he stared across the expanse of the parking lot. He turned his head at Nick’s approach and drew in a deep breath. “Hi.” he said benignly.
Nick shivered at the chill. “Hi.” He joined him on the fence, looked off into the distance as he spoke. “You know, you’re not really like that guy I met way back there...the crazy guy I was thinking about. That’s why you left, right? You knew what I was thinking, didn’t you?”
“I realize I sounded pretty damn insane.” Mark said.
“Not to somebody who’s seen as much weird stuff as I have. You forget what I do for a living. I’m a ghost-hunter.”
Mark laughed bitterly. “Not only ghosts. You hunt a lot of poor, unfortunate beings that just happen *not* to be human.”
“I don’t mistreat them unless they start it. I’ve even helped a few.” Nick said.
Mark studied him. “All this work destroying evil demons and ghostly injustices. You’re very good, very keen. Derek’s psychic...he’s got that telepathic video thing that goes on in his head; it works when he touches you. You both have these wonderful gifts, a lot of brainpower there, too, but neither one of you have a clue about the really important things in life.”
Nick looked at him curiously. “We don’t? Not a clue, huh? Well, then, fill me in, Mark. Tell me what’s important.”
“It’s not my place to tell you. If you don’t figure it out yourself, it doesn’t work right.”
“No, please. Tell me.”
“Nick, I can’t.”
Nick gave him a friendly slap on top of his thigh. “Come on, Mark. What are we doing wrong?”
Mark covered his hand and held it in place. “You’re not telling each other what you really think. You’ve got all these feelings, and you’re keeping them to yourself. Both of you.”
“Feelings? Such as?”
“You’ll figure it out eventually. At least I hope you will.”
Nick studied his face and decided to let it go. “Thanks, Mark, for what you did for him...for saving his life, for taking care of him. I owe you a lot.”
“You don’t owe me anything.”
“That was pretty damned amazing, what you did. Can you tell me how it works? Have you always had that ability?”
“Yeah, I think so, but I can’t tell you how it works. I can’t really take the credit. None of it is really me. I’m just the host. If I could work miracles the way I wanted, Derek wouldn’t be in this hospital now.”
“But you brought him back from the dead. Derek told me the whole story. You really made a hell of an impression on him. He thinks you can walk on water!”
“He doesn’t keep many secrets from you, does he?”
“I hope not.”
“I never met any two people like you two.” Mark said. “Both of you.”
Nick did not understand. “You’re talking about the fact that we’re Legacy members?”
“No, it has nothing to do with your damned ‘club’. It has to do with your hearts.”
Still, Nick did not know what he meant. Suspicion of insanity crept in again. “Why don’t we go back and check on him now?” he suggested.
Mark stood, gathered up all the tiny pieces of his chewed-up cup and took it to the trash can. Then, putting an arm around Nick, he walked with him back into the hospital.
“I know what I have to do to regain my health.” Derek said at dinner time.
“What?” Nick was taking the lids off dishes on the tray, arranging them on the table in front of him.
“I have to kill the mountain lion.”
Mark had been gazing out the window again, but turned at the statement. “You can’t kill her, Derek.”
“She’s indestructible?” Derek asked. “What if I cut out her heart?”
Mark winced visibly, looked very sad. Without a word, he turned back to the window. Nick dipped a spoon into the mixed vegetables and lifted it to Derek’s lips. “Here. Eat.” he said. “Talk about this later.”
Derek took the bite, chewed it slowly. “I can feed myself, Nick.” he said softly. He caught Nick’s hand as he returned the spoon to the bowl. “Thank you.”
“I know you can, but will you?” Nick transferred the spoon to Derek’s hand.
“Yes, I will. I need strength. I want to survive, so I will eat.”
“Good.” Nick gently rubbed his arm, then brushed the hair from his forehead, tender touches that affectionately treated the emotional anguishes. “Eat.”
Derek took another bite.
“You’re going to need some help.” Mark said, not facing him. “You can’t do it alone. She’s too powerful.”
Derek stopped chewing and paid attention. “You’ll help me, Mark?”
“Yes, I’ll help you. She can’t go on the way she is. Dying is her only real way out.” There was a catch in his throat.
“Mark, can you really do it?”
“I killed her once already. I can do it again.”
“Derek,” Nick said, “If you think I’m going to let you go back up there and confront that mountain lion...”
“I have to, Nick, to restore my own health. Otherwise, I’m going to be a near-invalid the rest of my life. And a short life it will be, as it is. I will never get well if I do not do this. Penelope is miserable in her present form, and so am I. We have to do something to put everything to right.”
“Nick will help, too.” Mark said. “We’ll get her for you, Derek.”
Derek nodded. “Thank you, Mark.”
“Mark, can I talk to you outside?” Nick asked, gritting his teeth.
“Nick!” Derek began. “Do not start a fight with him over this! This is something that must be done!”
“Mark and I need to discuss this, Derek. You finish your supper.” Nick caught Mark’s arm and dragged him outside the door.
Mark jerked away from him in the hallway. “You’re upsetting him!” he said angrily.
“Why did you encourage him? I don’t want him back on that mountain again!” Nick said, barely above a whisper so Derek would not hear him.
“Nick, we’re both going to be there to protect him. He’s right, you know. If he takes out her heart, if he eats her heart while it’s still warm from her chest, he will be given back his health. I don’t know how he knows that, but he’s right. Penelope doesn’t deserve to live after what she did to him. It’s the only thing that will correct the present situation.”
“What if we can’t protect him? What if she rips him open again? Next time, your ‘gift’ may not bring him back.”
“We have to have faith, Nick. It’s the only hope Derek has. He won’t live long unless we go through with this.”
The words had a numbing effect on Nick. “He’s dying?” “Yeah. He’s dying. His body is never going to adjust. We have to do this for him. I know you love him, Nick. I haven’t known him long, but believe me, I understand why. I’ve looked into a lot of souls. Derek’s is the gentlest, the most generous and caring I’ve ever seen. We cannot let him die.”
Nick’s eyes were brimming. “What are we going to do, Mark?”
“We’ll take him up to the mountain. We’ll get Penelope for him.” Mark reached to pull Nick into a long, hard embrace. “It’ll be all right. I promise. I won’t let her hurt him.” Very softly, his lips grazed Nick’s ear. “I won’t let her hurt either one of you.”
“Why would she want to?” Nick asked, so absorbed by his concern for Derek that he did not notice the light kiss.
Mark continued to hold him. “It works either way for Penelope. If she eats the warm heart from a human chest, especially from a human who loves *me*, then she can become human again. Everything in her life is tied to me, because we were once very close, because we were spiritually bound. She’s an anomaly....and so am I.”
“I don’t believe that.” Nick took comfort in his embrace, rested his cheek against the taller man’s shoulder. He had questions, but he couldn’t ask them. Not now. There was something so utterly compelling about this man that he could not bring himself to back away from him.
“Derek’s trying to get up. Come on, before he falls and hurts himself.” Mark said, reluctantly releasing him.
Wiping his eyes, Nick allowed him to re-enter the room first. He had to get himself together before he met Derek’s eyes again.
_________________________________________________
A week passed before Derek was released from the hospital. He was still very weak, still very dependent on them. They took the helicopter to the top of the mountain. They had seen the Range Rover, still waiting in the ditch to be rescued, then, farther up, the remains of an animal that had been ripped to shreds. “She’s close.” Mark said.
The air was apocalyptically colder by the time they reached the summit. From above, the cottage looked very insecure and vulnerable, even moreso than Derek. The door sagged on rusty, bent hinges, the small window and its shudders gave way to each gust of wind, the chimney top swayed beneath its own weight. If one brick of the teetering stack slipped from its place, the following succession would cave in the entire roof.
Nick landed the helicopter in the brown grass and got out. He took a closer look at the cottage. “You know, I think I’d feel safer sleeping outside.”
Mark grinned at him as he climbed to the ground with the first of the supplies. “I thought you liked living on the edge, Nick.”
“Not this far out.” Nick said, then moved to the porch, putting his foot through the first board. He swore softly, pulled up his foot and called, “Watch that step!” Then, he went into the cottage to check out the interior with a flashlight.
Mark helped Derek from his seat in the helicopter to the ground, then held his arm as he walked. “Are you okay?” he asked.
“I’m fine.” Derek leaned on him.
Nick shouted to them from inside. “The floor is stained with blood! It looks like fifty people were slaughtered in here!”
“No, just one.” Derek said. “Well, two. Me and Penelope.”
“It stinks!” Nick came back out on the porch. “I’m still in favor of sleeping outside. This is horrible.”
Mark left Derek with him and went into the cottage. After one whiff, he was in agreement. “It smells like death.” he said. “Old blood.”
“Dead blood.” Derek added. “We can’t sleep outside. It’s going to snow tonight. It’s already freezing cold.”
Nick sighed. “Anybody bring any air freshener?”
They moved everything into the cottage and Mark went for water. He and Nick scrubbed the blood away and left the door open for the remainder of the daylight hours. Gradually, the smell began to clear. They had brought in three sleeping bags, laid them all on the side nearest the fireplace. A roaring fire gave them the comfort of heat.
By dusk, Derek had been on his feet too long. He stumbled and fell to his
hands and knees. Both his protectors ran to help, lifted him and
tentatively put him to bed. They treated the scuffs on his knees, washed
the dirt from his palms, spent a few consoling minutes by his side. He did
not sleep, but laid quietly for a time, convalescing. Later, he took his
insulin shot, supervised by both his companions, then ate his supper at the
prescribed time, half an hour afterward. It was a serene night of subtle
talk, nothing at all about Penelope.
Nick opened his eyes sluggishly. “Hm?” he asked, not awake.
“I have to go pee. I can’t wait any longer.”
With a yawn, Nick raised up and scooted from the blankets. Carefully, he
helped Derek to his feet and walked him to the door. It was cold inside,
but when they stepped outside, into the dawning, the icy wind caused them
to hesitate. There was a layer of new-fallen snow on the ground, some
piled onto the porch.
“Whoa!” Nick exclaimed, his teeth chattering. “Come on. Hurry up or
we’ll freeze to death.”
Derek worked to free himself from his pants, still very weak and clumsy.
Nick didn’t have to ask if he needed help. He reached to unzip him and
quickly slid his fingers into the fly to take him out. The flow began
almost immediately, no time to switch the pale, withered organ to Derek’s
hand. Putting his arm around him for support and for warmth, he held him
while he emptied his bladder.
Derek glanced at him with a grateful, blushing smile. “Thank you, Nick.”
Nick smiled back, not embarrassed at all. “Any time, Boss Man.” he said.
He shook the last drops from the soft organ in his hand and carefully put
it away, zipped him up and walked him back inside. Barring the door, he
put Derek back to bed with Mark, then rebuilt the dying fire.
“Nick, come back to bed for a while. There’s no reason to be up so
early.” Derek said, his hand reaching out for him.
Nick went back to bed, snuggled close against him. Derek raised up to put
his head on his shoulder, his arm across Nick’s chest. Nick wrapped both
arms around him and held him. It felt good to hold him. In fact, it felt
downright wonderful.
His skin and hair were soft and silky. He smelled good. He looked good.
Everything about him was soft and scrumptious. Nick had never experienced
such instantly intense longing in his life. It frightened and alarmed him.
Derek’s breath swept across his neck, his hair tickled his nose and lips.
He seemed guileless to the sensual sparks he created, innocent and
ignorant of what the situation was doing to Nick. Closing his eyes, he
murmured, “Sleep a while longer.”
Nick groaned in torment and tried to will away his erection. He felt
ashamed of his own perverse thoughts, but no matter how ashamed he was, no
matter how many times he mentally kicked himself, the stiffness would not
go away. It was torture.
He let old memories filter into his hormone-drugged brain, sad memories,
painful memories, things he normally blocked out for the sake of his own
emotional salvation. Now, he welcomed them. Now, he greeted them with
gladness. The memories of the beatings he had suffered, of the unhappy
home in which he had grown to manhood, the visions of his mother and his
father, their domestic violence...all these things were now useful to him
because remembering took away the burning desire he felt for Derek.
_________________________________________________________
“There’s a huge snow on out here.” Mark announced as he returned from the
porch with an armload of firewood. “The chopper’s covered up.”
Nick looked around, remembered where he was, and who was in his arms, and
tried to cover any suspicions by acting nonchalant. He yawned and checked
Derek’s temperature, attempted to be casual, but every touch shot bolts of
electricity throughout his body. “Hey, are you alive?” he asked, gently
rubbing his cheek.
Without opening his eyes, Derek grunted, “Tired, Nick.”
“You’re tired. I know.” Nick wanted to kiss those sweet lips, to kiss
them again and again until they were consumed by the fire. Carefully, he
unattached himself from his sleepy friend and got up. “Sleep some more.”
he said.
Mark smiled at him from the fireplace. “Now you’re getting the drift of
what I was talking about.” he said.
Nick stared at him, pretending not to comprehend.
“Yeah.” Mark said, and turned away from him. “You just go right on
pretending. It’s the way we all start, my friend.”
____________________________________________________
Derek woke at noon, paler than ever. His beautiful eyes had taken on an
ever- worsening sickly, hollow look. Wrapped in a blanket, he sat, his
back against the wall.
The snow was deep, the strong wind was arctic. Going out for long could
be fatal. It seemed the only thing they could do was sit and wait until
Penelope showed herself. Hunting for her was impossible.
“Anybody want to hear a ghost story?” Mark proposed as the sun was
setting.
“Sure.” Nick answered, seating himself in front of the fire. “Tell us a
story, Mark.”
Outside, the blizzard was changing to freezing rain, and the sound of
rainfall on the roof enhanced the scare effect. They nibbled on crackers
and drank bottled water as the spooky tale unfolded. It was pure fiction,
but Mark was an exceptionally good storyteller, soon had them wide-eyed,
sitting on the edge of the blanket, waiting for the pounce at the end.
The story and the rain put them in the mood to sleep again. Another night
was upon them and again, Nick was faced with the passionately tormenting
prospect of holding Derek again....
When they went to bed, though, Derek slid away from him. Disappointed but
relieved, Nick laid awake for hours, pondering.
__________________________________________________
“I think it’s time to do something.” Nick said the next day. He was
getting antsy and it was obvious that Derek was not getting better. His
condition was critical.
Mark was gnawing on a jerky stick. “She travels at night, Nick. Right
now, she’ll be curled up in some hole asleep. It’s still raining, it’s
cold, there’s still some snow on the ground. She’s a night creature, and
we’re not. We're not gifted with night vision, so we can't see if we're
about to step off a cliff. I don't want to go out traipsing around this
mountain after dark. Did you see some of those drop-offs on our way up
here?”
Nick remembered the bottomless ravines and craggy hillsides, the narrow
paths that led up the mountain, sheer wall on one side, the path curving in
and the sudden end of the earth just a few feet to their other side. He
remembered the breathlessness of it. It was heart-stopping, even to the
bravest of men. If a man but slipped, he would drop straight into an
unfathomable abyss. The expanse of the edge had been so deep that, looking
down into it, one could see only a cloudy blue sky. He shuddered.
Mark put a hand on Derek’s shoulder, offered him a piece of jerky, but
Derek pushed it away. “If it stops raining, I could wander a mile or two
into the forest at dawn or at dusk, but I won’t stay out late.”
“You can’t go today.” Derek said listlessly. “It’s still pouring rain and
freezing.”
“Maybe tomorrow.”
“Yes, maybe.”
“You just feel like shit, don’t you?” Mark asked, and hugged him. As he
backed away, he touched his forehead. “You’re a little too warm. You’re
getting a fever.”
Nick knelt beside him and laid the back of his fingers on Derek’s cheek.
“Damn it.” he whispered, then strode to the door, walked out in the rain.
Mark sat on the blanket behind Derek. “Lean back against me.” he said.
“Mark, what’s going on in his head?” Derek asked wearily.
“In his head? What are you talking about?”
“What is he thinking about? Does he want me to survive this?”
Mark laughed. “You don’t know how he feels about you, Sweetheart? You
really don’t know?”
“I know. I’m just being paranoid. I know he cares.”
“He cares.” Mark said. “More than just a little bit.”
Mark kissed his temple and rocked him for a minute. “Both of you feel the
same way, but you’re scared. You’re scared somebody will find out and
condemn you for who you love.”
“I’m not scared.” Derek said.
“Liar.” Mark smiled. “You haven’t let me kiss you in front of Nick.”
“You haven’t tried.”
“I won’t try, because I have a lot of respect for that young man.”
“So do I.” Derek said. “I also have a lot of respect for you, Mark. But
I don’t see what one thing has to do with the other.”
“You belong with him, not with me.”
Derek shivered thoughtfully.
Nick came through the door with the first aid box in hand. “It’s getting
warmer.” he announced. He handed the box to Mark, then moved to the other
side of the room to look for dry clothing. He changed as Mark gave Derek
aspirins and water.
“I can't help remembering how big that lion was.” Derek said. “She was
bigger than me, taller, heavier. Huge.”
“Maybe she just seemed like that at the moment.” Nick said.
“No,” Mark said, “She is that big. She could bite off Derek’s head, no
shit. Her mouth is that big. She stands up on her hind legs and she’s
twice his size. Her neck is as big around as a tree trunk. He's right
about that.”
“Damn.” Nick muttered. “How are we gonna destroy something that big?”
“We shoot her until she falls down dead and cut her chest open so Derek
can take out her heart. If he needs help, we’ll help him. When he takes a
few big bites of that heart, he'll be cured of this diabetes.” Mark said.
“Is it just a theory?” Nick asked. “Do we really know for sure this is
going to work?”
Derek was firegazing. When it was quiet a few moments, he glanced up to
them as if he thought he had missed his cue in the conversation. “What?
What did you say?”
“What were you thinking?” Mark asked knowingly.
“I was just thinking about the girls.”
“They’re fine. I called them just before we came up here.” Nick said.
“Girls? You guys have women?” Mark asked teasingly.
“Rachel and Alex. They work with us.” Derek reached for his wallet and
showed him pictures.
“Which one do you like best, Mark?” Nick asked with a sparkle in his eye.
“They’re both pretty.” Mark answered. “But I’m not really into women.”
“What, you like men?” Nick asked, still smiling.
“Yeah. I thought you knew.”
Nick’s smile disappeared. “Nope.” he said, a little coldly. “I didn’t
know.” He gave Derek a bitter glance. “You ready to lie down, now?” he
asked, tugging him out of Mark’s embrace.
Derek allowed him to tuck him in, very uncomfortable with Nick’s hardened
state of mind. Mark went to put another log on the fire.
.......to be continued........
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