Elaine White

Tam looked scared, swallowing and wrapping his hands around Casen's. He slowly cupped his wrists and pulled his hands away. Then he turned to the door and unlocked it.Casen expected to have it shut in his face or be told that he'd crossed a line. After all, he didn't know Tam and he'd stupidly given him an ultimatum after meeting just a few hours ago. What had he been thinking?__re you coming in?_ Tam asked quietly, staring at his hands as he twirled his key.Casen crossed the threshold and reminded himself he was lucky; he could so easily have been turned away. Yet, when he turned to apologise for presuming too much, Tam was right in front of him and the door was closed.Before he could ask what was running through his head, Tam cupped his face, lightly caressing his cheek. It was soft and tender, identical to the look in his eyes. It was too much; Casen closed his eyes and leaned into the touch, tentatively raising his own hand to hold Tam there.It wasn't a kiss, but it was damned close.

Tam let his hand drop to his neck and slowly circled his fingers around it. It was a free, gentle touch and Casen knew that if he asked him not to, he would remove his hand and nothing would change. He couldn't get the words out; it wasn't the touch he had a problem with, it was the far away look in Tam's eyes that said he wasn't in the room anymore. The look that suggested he was lying on the ground, as the rain fell in buckets and a stranger knelt over him, trying to keep him awake.Casen blinked and looked away, as the urge to cry for that lost look threatened.

Tam let out a ragged breath, as he fought to reign his emotions back, while the realisation sank in.He was nothing. To Konnor. To Giovanni. To everyone.He was invisible.

You let this become a mess,_ he cursed, as though he'd walked up to Tam and asked him to be drop dead gorgeous and vulnerable, just so that he would have his first guy crush.__ didn't let anything happen. I just_felt it. I think he feels it too,_ he argued, trying to talk sense into him. Why was this a bad thing? Konnor didn't have anything to do with Tam anymore, so why did it matter?__h God. You're in serious shit now,_ Mack bemoaned, rolling his eyes and rubbing his forehead.

Jaxton hadn't changed, but he had. Maybe his old crush still hated him, but it shouldn'tmatter anymore. It didn't matter anymore. He was older, wiser and he had moved on. Jaxtonwas nothing more than an old high school crush.

Jaxton couldn't get his mind to settle on one thought, as he stared at the ground.Roman was here, after all these years. He was just a few steps away from him, talking and flirting with Thayer, as if the last six years had been nothing.Where had he been? Why did he leave? Why didn't he tell him where he was going, and why had he run off, without a word?Unable to focus his thoughts, he pushed them aside and ignored them. It was easier to pretend they didn't exist, than to face what they really meant.

Jaxton hadn't changed, but he had. Maybe his old crush still hated him, but it shouldn't matter anymore. It didn't matter anymore. He was older, wiser and he had moved on. Jaxton was nothing more than an old high school crush.

Even after six years, he was still turned on by the bastard, still desperate to kiss his lips and see how it felt to kiss him into submission, until he saw him as more than a loser geek.He wanted to taste his tongue, to touch his abs and stroke his cock; do all the things that it was so wrong to want to do to him. Wrong because of Ben, because of his love for Ben,because he barely knew Jaxton, back then and now.What the hell was wrong with him?

Jaxton met his gaze for just a second, then scowled and turned away.The recognition in that look was painful; years of recollections and long forgottenemotions buzzed through his brain. Ashamed of the flare of attraction he'd just allowedhimself, he turned away and faked a smile.

I remember him. Jaxton only knew I existed long enough to take the piss out of me. He certainly never liked me._ Roman sighed, giving his side of the story, though it was a slantedone. Only three people knew the real story; him, Jaxton and Ben, and it was far from the tale of bully and victim that Jaxton kept telling people.__eah, that's what he said,_ Thayer agreed, with a laugh.Roman wasn't even surprised. Disappointed, but never surprised.

He cupped her face and held her still, as he looked into her brown eyes; she was all flash and no bang. She talked big, but when it came down to it, she was a simple girl.

This was a great idea; he needed to go into tonight knowing that this was the last time he would ever be with Barry. He needed to savour it and enjoy it, to lock it tight in his memories, so that he would never forget how it felt to be with him.This would be his final goodbye.~ A Case of the Ex

He was getting undressed and it snapped something inside of him that had been drawing taut, ready to break for months.__'m hungry, Bruno,_ he said, in a soft voice, as he removed the shirt from his broad shoulders, revealing a perfect sight of smooth dark skin. __ can't wait for dinner,_ he continued, with a smile.When he put his hands to the fastening of his trousers, Bruno let out a sigh and put the take out menus on the counter. He couldn't look at him, because he knew Lyon was trying to seduce him on purpose. He didn't want to talk or hear him out or spend time with him that didn't end with an orgasm.__ can't do this anymore,_ Bruno confessed, quietly.

Chocolate makes everything better, in the end,_ he announced, and Thayer fully agreed.Thayer gave him a smile of gratitude and watched Castel lift his spoon from the saucer. He dipped it, gracefully, into his coffee and gave it a light stir.__oo many people rush to stir such delicate flavours. Take too long and they will clog together to become a lump of bitterness in your coffee. But take your time and be gentle with them,_ Castel explained, quietly, __nd they will create a symphony of flavours, to melt in your mouth,_ he said, leaning down, just until his nose was over his cup, to take a long inhale. He smiled and straightened, extracting the spoon to place it back on his saucer. __ow try it.__hayer took a sip and almost felt his toes curl at the luxurious taste.~ Cinnamon Kiss

Jaxton smiled and caught his hand, holding it tight in both of his. __re you burnt out? Is it all too much?_ he asked, getting straight to the root of the matter, in one go.__es,_ he sighed, hating that it was true.__hen you'll stay home.___ou know I can't. It's impossible,_ Roman complained about the unfairness of it all.He was due to return to the studio in two days times, to finalise the tracks he'd recorded yesterday. Then he had to sit down with Jalen next week, to pick out a new piece of his artwork for the next album cover. And two weeks after that, he had three interviews with three different music channels, to film.__ry telling that to Ben._ Jaxton winked at him, then ducked down to kiss him.~ From the Heart

Get your sticky fingers away from my cookies,_ Ben ordered, without turning his head, to see Jaxton trying to steal one from the cooking tray.__ou weren't saying that last night,_ Jaxton retaliated, coming up to Ben's side, to give him a nudge. They were both smiling, while looking down at the counter, where Ben was making his delicious rosemary cookies. __n fact, I seem to remember you grabbing my sticky fingers and putting them in your mouth,_ he teased, speaking quietly, so that Lyon wouldn't hear them at the other side of the room.Ben turned to Jaxton and abandoned his baking, to catch his face in flour covered hands and plant a deep kiss on his lips.Jaxton opened his mouth, in acceptance of his kiss.~ From the Heart

It all seemed so impossible, so difficult after searching for her, not knowing for so long. How many times had his daughter suffered some human sickness, death or heartache over the course of her many lifetimes? How many times had she loved, cried and been without her father when she most needed him most?

We__e soldiers, Emily. If we__e not elders or council members then that__ all we are. We__e here to serve those above us. We__e novel worthy, day walking, blood sucking, tortured souls trapped in a body that can__ die for all eternity with no feelings, no emotions and no heart. We don__ get to feel love, passion or desire. We do as we__e told, for the good of the clan and because we__e told to do it. And we protect people. So whatever grand delusions you have about being some kind of wonderful child and the master__ favorite are just misguided attempts to feel human again. Get over it.