Chapter 23Brandon closed his eyes and then opened them back up as a familiar chorus of snarls and growls ripped the night apart.The Guardians fell on the Ghouls like an avalanche of claws and fangs and testosterone.....but no body hit them as hard as Ezekiel. He was an unstoppable squall that blew in and slammed like a metal boulder into the Ghoul that was closest to Brandon. Bones cracked. Ghouls howled. Mantilo rushed in next, tackling one of the eight foot beasts into the forest floor like he was simply swatting down a fly. Claws rent flesh, talons swiped back and forth.Brandon stood back worried at what the outcome would be and was shocked a moment later to witness the unconditional surrender of the Ghouls. He was also surprised to see the black skinned Ghoul climb back to its feet. Having have a few minutes to recovers it strength, the Ghoul howled to the heavens,, hacked blood, turned and took off into the night. Under the fierce onslaught of the brothers and Mantilo the Ghou
Chapter 24In the silence that followed Brandon’s sudden departure Ezekiel avoided any engagement with his brothers.He felt something in his soul quivering. It was relief. Bone crushing, heart hammering relief.He was slowly coming down form the fear.He’s not dead...He’s okay...Ezekiel thought to himself...even if he didn’t know why these simple sentences settled him so much. Or why he had been so desperate to see Brandon safe from harm.But just as Ezekiel couldn’t leave Brandon to bleed to death the first night they had meet....He now seemed incapable of allowing any form or idea of danger to be visited upon him....without totally losing his shit. Did he honestly want to analyze any of this? Did he really want to know what was at the heart of his behavior....?Wow...I cant believe that just happenedLander suddenly quipped into his mind breaking Ezekiel’s train of thought. Uncaring of Ezekiel’s obvious need to center himself. An icy slug of thoughts slammed into his temples and
Chapter 25The next two days were a blur of activity all across the Clans Lands for Ezekiel, his parents and his Brothers.The Clan Head and the Guardians were called on continuously to assist the various other families in the Villages or to move stands, tables, sheets and food out into the Northern fields just beyond the Mansion, where the Clan’s annual Celebration had been held for the last few decades.As the men in the family stayed busy, Ezekiels mother, Glen spent a lot of her time organizing the music, decorations and the various Leopards and Leopardess who would be running their crafting booths and food stands. He and his brother helped move merchandise about or clean out space.Ezekiel knew that many of the craftsmen in their villages made their living on the night of the Celebration, hocking various items from steel, to wools and leathers, all the way down to jewelry and honey.So he took his time to help many of the Craftsmen set up and transport their wares across the fiel
Chapter 26From all that Brandon had been told by Ezekiel the Clan Celebration was a very lively party that was held annually and was a commemoration of the Leopard Clans prosperity and continued longevity.For all Brandon had seen and heard over the last few weeks the entire thing promised to be a huge jamboree of people and action. Seeing as only a few nights ago Brandon had come to the startling realization that there were a lot more Ghouls hunting in the night then he could have believed somehow he was shocked to find a silver of excitement trying to take hold of him.Soon enough Glen had run Erin off on some random errand, before she had Brandon dress in a loose white button up shirt embossed with silver patterns at the cuffs and shoulders and white pants.After dressing she ushered Brandon down into the middle of the Mansion. Her buzzing energy and mind making Brandon worried that the little Healer was going to start bouncing off the walls.And suddenly there was Ezekiel. He was
Chapter 27After that Brandon soon found himself separated from Ezekiel’s side, as he spent most of the afternoon and evening with Glen and Mantilo.While in the Leopards Mansion, and living with Ezekiel’s family....it was obvious to see the deference, and love....and adoration that Ezekiel and his brothers held for their father and mother.The brothers craved their guidance and leadership....and because Mantilo and Glen were good parents they gave it to them with full and open hearts.But as the night wore on Brandon was surprised to realize that the same devotion and openness that Mantilo and Glen showed their sons extended out wards to each of the Leopards in their Clan. Every Shifter that came up to speak with them...or to speak with Brandon gave them all of their attention or their respect. None of them made direct eye contact with Mantilo for long...or spoke in a brash or negative tone.And even though there was a definite air of distance and dominance around Glen and Mantilo...
Chapter 28Without a further word Brandon was soon pulled away to gallivant with Erin and Glen by one of the far off bone fires.Against his will Ezekiels eyes followed him, before they came back to rest on his father, who was slowly leading him in the opposite direction.His father walked him a few feet away from the home, to a table laden with clay cups, turned upside down and stacked in a pyramid shape next to two giant bowls. One filled with off yellow juice. And another filled with chipped ice. Mantilo didn’t speak until he had filled two cups up with ice and drink, and quietly handed one cup to Ezekiel.The off yellow drink was spicy and hard, tasting of pomegranate juice and lemons and an unidentifiable herb that heated up his tongue and spiced his lips. The drink had been named “Sunset” for as long as Ezekiel could remember. A strong brew that was held all year and dished out only once on this joyous occasion, during the three nights of the Celebration. The Brew was a delicacy
Chapter 29The next three nights of the Celebration went smoothly enough, aside from one small fire breaking out.Brandon spent that time gathering his strength and his will for the travels ahead of him.All of the family members invited him to dance on various nights of the Celebration and even a few of the other Shifters sought him out and passed along a few pleasantries. But most of the nights he spent rehashing the steps of the dances that he had been taught and mingling on the dance floor with Ezekiel’s family.From Glen, to Nate, to Erin and eventually even Mantilo took a place opposite him on the dance floor, which was a shocking experience considering the fact that he couldn’t have imagined such a large and strict Shifter like Mantilo doing something as informal as dancing.But to Brandon’s surprise Mantilo easily out matched him step for step. The Clan head was graceful in all his strength, and surprisingly smooth even taking the time to tease Brandon for his faulty rhythm an
Chapter 30Ezekiel took his time closing in and yet he knew that he was far beyond out of time t do or say everything he wanted to.A part of him simply wanted to be near Brandon. Spend time with him just a little while longer. But another part of him was still bubbling with questions and suspicions. It was hard to know what to do....or what to say.But he knew this could very well be his last chance to do...or say anything. He didn’t really want to waste it. No matter what the outcome would be.So Ezekiel bided his time. He let the moon dance into the sky far to the west of the pine forest, and he let the seven Bonfires burn until the wood no longer hissed and creaked, but simply burned in silence, illuminating the multitude of bodies and activities, as the music floated up and across the fields.Finally the dance began.Couples and parents and brothers and sisters and cousins took to the fields in earnest. Swaying and swinging and cavorting. Feeling the levity of the moment Ezekiel
*First off thank all of you so much for your time and support and your reads! Please tell me any thoughts you have so far about Brandon and Ezekiel. I would love to hear from you guys. Now lets end this!* Chapter 48 Ezekiel turned around from the wall that he had nearly walked into and began to walk in the opposite direction. He soon came to the other wall in his room and turning he began the whole thing all over again. Pacing. It was a nervous anxious device that people used to elevate the pressure of insecurities. Pacing is something Ezekiel had never done before. To wake up in the early hours of the morning and pace the ground in worry? It was so against his nature to worry. It was also against the nature of a Guardian, a nature that his father had trained into him from the moment he was old enough to hold a blade. To protect his Clan and those that he cared for. His father had always taught him to be composed and filled with surety, but still he found himself bothered endlessly
Chapter 47Brandon sat on the bed, and quietly downed an entire bottle of water. He’d been vomiting on and off for hours now. Weakness, nausea, they always came running up right after a huge loss occurred inside of him. It was inevitable that after each outpour of his strange power, he fell severely ill, it was like an emptiness inside of him grew where the power once resided for a short time.Most of the time he prayed for separation from his power. He spent every minute of every day hoping it would leave him in peace....but the sickness that followed was not a pleasant alternative.Unfortunately coupled with the unbelievable hunger, and pain inside of him there was a mountain of things weighting on Brandon’s mind to keep him from wallowing in sorrow.The escape...was a miserable failure that sat like a guilty blot across every one of Brandon’s interaction with Ezekiels family.....even though none of the Guardians treated him unkindly seeing as his actions had almost gotten their sib
Chapter 46With his cat eyes unsure and speckled with the stirrings of unconsciousness, Ezekiel suddenly reached forward. His hand closed around Brandon’s wrist and lifted it to his lips as he opened his mouth.His canines slowly elongated and Brandon strangled his immediate reaction which was to pull his arm back from the intimidating sight and instead he pressed his arm against the pointed teeth, using the points to help the blood flow out of the cuts he had made with Ezekiel’s claw.A few fat rapid drops fell into Ezekiel’s mouth after that, seeming to get his attention.A growl of pure need.....and satisfaction wound its way up and out of Ezekiel. The sound was like a caress, igniting and stroking Brandon’s own pleasure and confusing him as well.Whoa, I feel like I can’t breathe.Brandon thought to himself, realizing that he was in fact holding his breath in anticipation. His whole being was zeroed in on the feeling of Ezekiel’s breath on his skin, his hot palms grasping him, and
Chapter 45The venom was impossible to stop. There was no cure. There was no stopping the victims from dying.Brandon had already tried to save a life and had instead aided in taking it....There was nothing he could do......The moment Brandon looked at the wound in Ezekiel’s stomach he knew all of this to be the truth, but he refused to accept it.“No....They can’t have you too!” Brandon whispered into his hands.He wouldn’t allow this to happen!Without thinking about what he was doing Brandon tore the gloves off of his hands, dropped down in the sand and grass and shoved his hands against Ezekiel’s chest.Both he and the Shifter were soaking wet from their dip in the lake so Brandon was forced more than once to reach up and dash water from his eyes that was dripping lazily from the strands of his bangs.Then with all of the will power in his body Brandon tried to make the Flame do as he commanded. He tried his hardest to make it heal. He let it out of his soul. Bliss kissed his eve
Chapter 44With little to no problem Brandon managed to keep up with the grueling pace that Ezekiel instantly set.Panting Brandon risked a look back and with a grim breath he reported. “They are following us. Both of them are following us....We're weaponless....and running nowhere.”Ezekiel glanced back getting a quick glimpse of two Ghouls loping after them at break neck speed. One of the Ghouls, the largest, nearly seven feet tall, had skin the color of dead leaves, and heavy thick claws and fangs that were so over developed that some talons curled and some of the fangs shot strait up through its own snout.The second Ghoul was smaller at only about six feet and had flesh the color of cardboard. It also now had a giant knife handle sticking out of its brain that was leaking a furious fountain of blood down its face and jowls to mix into the black goo that dripped thickly from its jowls.Ezekiel glanced away from the disturbing sight, glanced at Brandon and shook his head. “Were not
Chapter 43OK....so far so good....” Brandon thought to himself as he gazed out over the expansive area and the mountains sitting like black and gray sentinels miles out in the dimming sunlight.After a week of planning Brandon had come to the easy conclusion that the norther part of the Leopards Lands would be the best place to attempt his escape from. The entirety of the north was vastly wild brush, tall grasses, bodies of water and thick pine tree canopy’s.Brandon had picked the best time to make his escape. The mid-day. Knowing after weeks in the mansion that none of Ezekiel’s family members were at home during the midday and were instead off in the villages healing the sick, or doing farmers work.“Brandon stop!”Brandon jumped and quicker than anyone would have believed possible, he had dropped his pact to the forest floor and pulled a long, slim kitchen blade out of the belt at his waist.He had stolen the simple blade form the kitchen. “Ezekiel? No please dont do this now!” h
Chapter 42The mortal was as crafty and stubborn as Ezekiel gave him credit for....maybe even more so.After the attack on the Clan Celebration and their falling out Brandon refused to budge. And Ezekiel refused to continue to pretend like he didn’t have suspicions.So he had no choice but to pull back and give Brandon the space that he acted desperate to have.Ezekiel didn’t chase after answers he was dying to have. He didn’t question and dig....and he physically had to stop himself from trying to touch the man all the time.And the fact that Ezekiel could barely stop himself for reaching for the mortal at any given hour....or when they accidentally connected gazes.....should have frightened him....but all it did was make Ezekiel more frustrated with their current standoff. Why did Brandon insist on turning from not only Ezekiels company....but the mutual attraction they felt was confounding.And the dreams!There were no words to explain the confusion the sensual, hot dreams he suff
Chapter 41Brandon felt a momentary hesitation of guilt settling over him as he found himself standing outside of Ezekiels bedroom door. It had been five hours since the attack on the village.Brandon had no idea what was going on outside, or what Ezekiel and the rest of the Guardians had had to suffer in the last few hours, but he knew that Ezekiel would not only be exhausted...but also not in the mood to talk.Which was perfect.Brandon knocked on the door and in moments it was opened to reveal the mostly unclothed body of a god.Ezekiel was all defined muscle and flawless skin, long arms and thick legs, none of which was easily hidden by the short pair of blue boxers that the Shifter answered in. Brandon was practically powerless to stop his eyes from dancing down between the Guardians pecks, past his lickable ribs and belly, to settle for a moment on the small dusting of slightly golden hair just below his navel that summoned a little ridiculous curl of heat in Brandons thoughts a
“Another LOCK DOWN!!!” Brandon screamed minutes after running into his room and slamming the door shut between him and Ezekiel’s sharp gaze.He didn’t care if he was heard. He screamed because he couldn’t bring himself to break down and cry again like he had shamefully just did in Ezekiel’s embrace.“This can’t be fucking happening to me....NOT now!”Brandon walked across the room and slammed his fist into the lamp. The heavy glass toppled swiftly in wake of his frustration and shattered, splaying shards all across the wooden floor. And Brandon didn’t stop there. He kicked the mattress, forcing the heavy wooden frame to shift half a foot, then he swiped his arm across the top of the drawer knocking every item atop it to the floor including the pack he had received from Glen and a decorated box of mahogany and lace that held smooth stones and beadsMORE GHOULS HAVE APPEARED! PEOPLE HAVE DIED. AND TO TOP IT OFF THE FUCKING LOCK DOWN HAS BEEN REINSTATED!! IT’S ALL JUST MORE WASTED TIME!