SPARRING PARTNER
Silver Rayne
Chapter 3

Bright and early the next morning, a thin ray of sunshine shot through the window curtains to arouse Ryu from his slumber. He rubbed his eyes and yawned, absently scratching his mussed hair. Ordinarily, it would be normal for him to wake up on the floor or hanging halfway off the bed. Today was different.

Ryu stroked his hand down Ken’s smooth back and back up to his soft shoulders, sweeping strands of reddish-blonde hair across the pillows. His lips found Ken’s and gently kissed him before he got out of bed.

Ten minutes later, Ken peered down at Ryu who was on the floor doing push-ups, buck naked. He watched with fascination as his lover showed off his powerful body. There was an aggressive drive energizing Ryu. Not a hint of that brute strength had been evident last night.

“Good morning, sweetheart,” Ryu announced coyly. He flopped onto the mattress, making no effort to conceal his erection.

Ken lay on his side, occasionally stretching his legs but being careful not to make any sudden moves. He didn’t want to worry Ryu over how incredibly sore he was. “It definitely is,” he agreed. Just looking at Ryu made him feel as if he were glowing inside and out. *I am so in love.*

“How are you feeling?”

“Dazed.” A seductive smile lured Ryu in closer until Ken could move up to kiss him. Then Ryu was all passionate with ardent kisses and caresses that promised more to come. “What are you thinking about?” Ken pressed his ear to Ryu’s chest to listen to the pounding of his heart.

“Last night.” *And thanking the heavens that your parents live on the other end of the building.*

A sliver of doubt poked at Ken’s brain, making him bring up the next topic. “Before you…I haven’t…”

“I know.” Ryu pet Ken’s long mane of hair down to his waist while staring into his beautiful brown eyes. “That’s what made it special.”

“I just hope that you weren’t…disappointed.”

“You could never disappoint me. It’s not like I’ve had that much experience myself. Of course, I didn’t expect you to be so tight.” He flashed Ken a killer smile and laughed when his lover beamed red. “That was my only concern. I didn’t hurt you, did I?” He reverted back to his serious self to run two fingers between Ken’s thighs.

“Actually…” Ken pushed Ryu’s hand away and kept his legs firmly together. “Can we wait a while before doing that again?”

“Ken, I wasn’t going to do anything. I want to make sure you aren’t bleeding.” His compassionate expression became more intense when Ken paled.

“No one said anything about bleeding.”

An hour after that, a very bitter Ken limped out of the bathtub, trying not to think about how painful it was going to be sitting down for the next few days. He was consoled somewhat by Ryu who insisted on rubbing in some ointment to ease his suffering. It did more than that and he threatened Ryu that if he didn’t make him feel better, there would be no sex for a month.

In the afternoon, Ryu was dragged along with Ken to one of his boring shopping sprees. He should have been grateful seeing as how he owned barely any clothes which weren’t tattered or from passed down from someone. The only new item of clothing which he had was a suit Ken had bought him for his nineteenth birthday. It was going to remain new for as long as Ryu refused to wear it.

“How about this?”

They were in the back of a very expensive men’s store and Ken was holding up an outfit that only a geek was worthy of wearing.

“It won’t fit. Hey, why don’t you try this one on?” Ryu tossed Ken a blazer and sighed when his love went into the fitting room. Being rich was one of Ken’s faults. He was by no means arrogant or stuck up but he loved to shop. How could Ryu possibly argue when everything Ken tried on looked so hot on him.

The next store relaxed Ryu into trying on some jeans. He was a casual dresser, meaning if it was on sale and devoid of logos or brand names, it was his style. As he zipped up his new pair of jeans, he began to wonder what the significance was for Ken buying him everything. Prior to visiting Ken, he had been a poor, humble wanderer. Now, Ken was supporting him financially as well as putting a roof over his head.

Ryu left the fitting room just as Ken was sliding his credit card back into his wallet. The staff were bending over backwards to accommodate Ken, well aware of the Masters fortune. This was a customer they wanted in their store on a regular basis. As a complimentary gift from the store, Ken received a free nifty pair of sunglasses.

On the way out, Ryu casually wrapped his arm around Ken’s waist. “That’s enough shopping for one day. Why don’t we head back and maybe watch a movie?”

“I know what you want to do.” He quickly brushed off Ryu’s arm before anyone could spot their flirtatious behavior. Then the shades came down, making Ken seem like some Hollywood stud. “You’ll have to wait until we get home.”

“Why are you wearing those obnoxious sunglasses? You look like a snob.”

“The manager said that they were made specifically for me. I’m not one to turn down a gift. This way, you’ll have to guess what I’m thinking because you can’t see my eyes.”

“I’d rather see your eyes.” Ryu pouted all the way back to the mansion in the limo.

*********************************************

Back at Ken’s estate, Ryu had disappeared, saying that he had something to do. So, Ken went up to his bedroom to wait. He was flattered to come across a fresh vase of exotic flowers which could have only come from his gardens. There was also a box of chocolates sitting on the pillow, a rose lying across the top of it.

“Did you miss me?” Ryu climbed through the window with a bunch of tulips under one arm.

“Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

“I didn’t feel like taking the stairs. These are for you.” He made a grand display of offering the flowers to Ken.

Ken blushed and accepted the new bouquet. “Did these come from my gardens as well?”

“Nope. I got them the old fashioned way, by paying for them. And what do you mean ‘as well’?”

Ken pointed absently to the fancy flowers and imported chocolates while searching for another vase. “Do you expect me to fall for that? There’s only one person who has any reason to give me gifts and can get past my father’s security guards. That person is standing right behind me.”

“Ken, I didn’t put either those flowers or that box of chocolates in your room.” Ryu picked up the box and carelessly shook it. “What creep would give you flowers and chocolates? Is there something that you aren’t telling me?”

A glimmer of amusement shone in Ken’s eyes. “You’re jealous? Maybe I have a mystery admirer.”

The way that Ryu grabbed Ken’s arms revealed a level of possessiveness which might have been dangerous to any other person. “You already have my love and loyalty, there’s no need to cause any friction between us.”

“Okay, I’ll send them back. I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize what we have.” Ken was already feeling horrible for teasing Ryu. There were certain flaws in his personality which demanded attention. He just didn’t know when to stop when he had enough.

“There isn’t a return address.” The box of chocolates ‘accidentally’ dropped onto the floor to be stepped on and crushed by Ryu’s weight. “Oh darn it. Sorry.”

“I’ll bet you are.” Ken threw his arms around Ryu’s neck and hugged him.

******************************************

That night, Ken was in his study typing up his next assignment to hand in to his tutor for the next week. The glow of the computer screen barely lit up the desk but he was accustomed to the low lighting. The sooner he finished the work, the sooner he could go to bed. And going to bed meant sleeping with Ryu. They had been uneasy and unsure of how to act in public, that left only a hug or secret kiss here and there. It wasn’t enough and the last thing Ken wanted to do was go to bed too tired to enjoy Ryu’s company.

A light tapping on the wall slipped by Ken’s awareness, he passed it off as a quiet sound in the night. He saved the file to one of his disks and selected the shut down option from the menu. The assignment was finished in record time. And, he was in the mood for a romantic evening alone with Ryu. So long as they didn’t go too far, he still ached in all the wrong places.

Ken sealed the disk away in the pocket of his shirt and headed out of the study. That was when a large, heavy blur knocked into him. It came from the hallway and hit him so hard and fast that his mind didn’t register what it was. He stayed on the floor for long minutes, breathing raggedly. The object was draped over his legs, still heavy and now warm.

“Ryu!” His voice cracked and all that came out was a panicked choking sound. *What the hell is it? It’s so dark in here.*

He eventually started to kick it off, cringing when the object finally slumped beside his legs with a squishing noise. He started to get up when the new angle revealed a hint of a shape and the color of blood.

“Oh God!” A lifeless husk of a body was staring up at him with two hollows where there should have been eyes. Four mangled limbs hung from the torso which was marked with cuts and wrapped in chains.

“For you, my love,” a bittersweet voice announced.

Terror was consuming Ken, he still couldn’t scream. There on the floor beside him was his pet, his beloved dog strangled and beaten to death. The dog had been in the family for years, he had remained by Ken’s side when Ryu was not around. What had he done to deserve to die so brutally?

Without being able to stop himself, Ken touched the dog’s throat to search for a pulse. His fingers came away dripping with blood. That’s when he lost it. He screamed at the top of his lungs, Ryu’s name turning into a cry for help. Even as the scream was leaving his lips, Ken was lunging at the source of the voice. Tears of anger, sorrow and hatred coursed over his face.

Ken lashed out with a flurry of kicks but was caught by his neck. He could no longer feel the ground beneath his feet as he was picked off of it, choking in agony.

“Why do you fight me, my love? I did it for you. I would do anything for you.”

It was a man’s voice. Who was he? Ken grabbed the man’s arm with both of his hands and tried to free himself. But, the man only shook him, using his free hand to rip Ken’s shirt open.

*No! I’m not going to let this pervert get away with what he has done.* Ken did the only thing he could think of. He strained his neck painfully and sunk his perfectly straight set of teeth into his attacker’s fingers.

“Shit!”

A wild, furious tantrum built inside the man until he punched Ken viciously, throwing him on top of his dog. He hastily jumped out the window, wanting to avoid Ryu’s wrath at all costs.

Ryu skidded on the hallway carpeting, swearing at Ken for acting like the teenager he was and for ordering that no guards be posted in his wing of the mansion. If there had been guards, help might have gotten to Ken sooner. But, Ryu arrived too late. The stench of decomposing flesh rattled his nerves. He crept into the study, stepping into a puddle of sticky blood. *Please be alright.* He prayed silently while scanning the room.

“Ken?” His lover was curled up on the rug, halfway on top of the dog’s corpse. When Ryu tried to pull Ken into his arms, he met up with resistance. There wasn’t a single muscle in Ken’s body that wasn’t stressed out. He wouldn’t budge from his position, knees drawn up to his chest, hands covering his face. “Let me take you away from here,” Ryu whispered gently.

“He killed my dog,” Ken sobbed.

Again, Ryu attempted to move Ken and was successful this time. He slid an arm under Ken’s back and knees to lift him off of the deceased pet. Once they were in the hallway, the blackening bruise along Ken’s right hip became too clear for Ryu to see. He didn’t know what to say or think. Some sadistic bastard had broken in, killed the dog and then proceeded to torment Ken. *Could it be those gifts?*

No romantic evening evolved for either Ken or Ryu. Mr. Masters and his team of armed guards and medical personnel spent a couple of hours questioning and then treating Ken’s injuries. After that, Ken stayed in his bedroom, sitting on a chair facing the window. He had hardly spoken to Ryu in those hours, avoiding even looking at him.

But Ryu stayed close, watching and waiting. When Ken dealt with his emotions, he would be ready to talk. Until then… While Ken was staring up at the moon, Ryu decided to open the box of chocolates that he had crushed. It was too much of a coincidence that someone would leave the box there in the day and then have Ken attacked at night. He had forgotten to tell Mr. Masters about the gifts, and the security team was busy performing an autopsy on the family pet.

Ryu cautiously peeled back the lid of the chocolate box to find a large assortment of smashed beetles. A couple of them were crawling around missing legs or pieces of their bodies thanks to someone who had stepped on them. Their type was of a rare poisonous breed which Ken could do without. Closing the lid once again, Ryu dropped the box back onto the floor and squashed the contents. He would have Mr. Masters analyze the box later.

“Ken, are you coming to bed now?”

“I’m lucky to have you,” came the quiet reply. “If you hadn’t come…”

*Finally, he’s talking to me.* Ryu knelt in front of Ken’s chair and placed both hands on Ken’s knees. “I’ll find who did this. You know that I can’t promise it but I will try my best. I won’t let anyone get away with hurting you because I love you so much.”

“Just hearing you say that makes me feel better.” The need to be comforted by Ryu was too great for Ken to resist. He hugged Ryu tightly, leaning onto him, and allowed himself to be lifted off of the chair and carried to the bed. “If I weren’t feeling so lousy, this might actually be funny.”

“It’s the thought that counts.” When they were inside the blankets with the lights off, they only remained close to each other. No romance swirled in the air, only morbid thoughts and the fear of what could come.

For Ryu, he vowed never to leave Ken unattended. He had sacrificed too much to be with his love, giving up the way of life he was accustomed to. And he would continue to give up whatever he had to if it meant being with Ken. There would be no second attempts on Ken’s life.

As for Ken, he felt the same way about Ryu. If his secret admirer were to see Ryu as competition, they might want to eliminate him. In a way, Ken’s dog had been competition since he had received a lot of attention. Had the man who killed the dog done it out of jealousy? Would he kill Ryu just as violently in order to claim Ken as his own?

Neither of them had any peaceful dreams that night.

*********************************************

Another box arrived for Ken and was thoroughly inspected before being sent up to his bedroom.

“What’s this?” Ryu was shaking the box again, listening to a dull thumping sound every time the object hit one end and came to a stop.

“Security already checked it. They said there are candies inside. I don’t really want them.”

“There’s no return address.”

“I don’t have time for this. My tutor will make me stay an extra ten minutes if I’m late for my lesson.” He hastily knotted his tie and pulled on a trendy jacket.

Ryu embraced him for a few seconds, kissing him on the lips. He smiled when Ken kissed him back, still not as skilled as he would have liked to be. “I’ll see you in an hour then. Don’t leave your bodyguard’s side. I know how you like to shun authority.”

“I’m taking this as seriously as I possibly can. It wasn’t funny what happened last night.” Having said that, Ken left feeling very moody and depressed.

With not much else to do, the growling of Ryu’s stomach convinced him to open the candy. Somehow, he wasn’t too surprised when the stiff corpse of a bludgeoned robin toppled out. *Now would be a good time to tell Mr. Masters that his security team sucks. I wish Ken would stop teaching me all these bothersome curse words.*

*******************************************

One tiresome physics lesson flipped over in Ken’s brain when his bodyguard left him at the front door. He couldn’t deny the fact that the man made him suspicious. Everyone had him ready to leap in their face. All he needed was an excuse. A weird quirk, a small gesture, something. All he wanted was one reason to kick the crap out of the first unsuspecting…*hello.*

Ken approached the gardens upon catching a glimpse of dark blue, a baseball cap and sneakers. “Are you lost?” The vehemence in Ken’s voice shredded away his normally soft tone.

“No.” He turned around, revealing a wrapped parcel under one arm. “I’m supposed to deliver this at exactly ninety degrees from the water fountain, five meters from it.”

“Are you?” Then Ken had one fist out, his feet finding the fighting Shotokan karate stance. “So you’re very precise. Were you that accurate when you slaughtered my dog?” Ken flew into the air in a side kick, snapping the man’s head back from the impact. “You aren’t so strong in the daylight.” Another kick and the man went sailing over some hedges.

*He’s pretty short for a man who nearly choked me to death.*

“Wait!” He held up his hands, begging for mercy. “I’m just a courier. Honest! I was paid a hundred dollars to drop this off.” He tossed the parcel at Ken. “I’ll never trespass again. I promise.”

“I…don’t…believe…you.” The rage in Ken began to escalate until he naturally clenched both hands by his waist, a ball of bluish light coalescing between them. “I’ll make you suffer!”

Ken didn’t smell the sizzling electricity in the atmosphere nor see it. It was surrounding him even as he was starting to release it.

“HA..DOU…K…”

“KEN!!!” Ryu tackled Ken around his waist and flung him onto the ground as his fireball harmlessly disbursed. “He’s not the one.”

“YES HE IS!” Ken struggled but could not dislodge Ryu who held on as tightly as he dared without injuring his lover.

“Get out of here. Now!” The order came sharply from Ryu and the courier obeyed. He tore out of the estate grounds, not even asking for an apology. There was the distant hammering of Ken’s heart on the back of his arm but Ryu couldn’t be distracted. “What were you doing? You nearly killed him.”

“I don’t know.” Ken settled down and clutched at Ryu, shivering intensely from an inner cold. “I thought…”

“You thought he was the one.” That finished sentence confirmed what Ryu and Ken already knew. The man could be anyone, anywhere, beside them at anytime. Until they located and identified him, he was free to pull Ken’s strings. If he really wanted to, he could trick Ken into getting himself incarcerated. The real question was, what did he want? Was it Ken’s body or something else.

End of Chapter 3