Wednesday Briefs: Take Flight Part 25... Epilogue!!

Where oh where has the story gone? I hope you like this final installment of my Wednesday Briefs flash story, Take Flight. Today's prompt was inspired by 'use a dance somewhere in the story'. Enjoy!!

Take Flight Part 25

“Where did Sayer go?” Birch liked Lady Celeste, but he wanted Sayer. So much had happened in such a short time, his head was spinning.

“He’s taking care of a few things,” she said casually. “I’m sure he will return shortly. Haverlseen will probably be back to badger both of us if I do not let you rest. I shall go.”

“It was nice meeting you.” Birch didn’t stand up when she rose from her chair. It was probably more polite not to flash Sayer’s mom than to not get up.

“Welcome to the family, Birch.”

Birch squirmed down in bed. He fingered his amulet. “Come back, Sayer.”

***

Sayer knelt next to the bed. Birch was curled on his side, his amulet clutched in his fist. He looked tired. The Grigori had taken control of his son and promised that Rittenhauser wouldn’t hurt anyone else. Now that his parents were well, Sayer didn’t have to rule. He could take Birch home and spend some time in the human realm for a while. It’d be nice to get away from all the drama of the fae realm, and they could keep an eye on... things.

Sayer smoothed Birch’s hair away from his face. He didn’t want to wake him, but... Sayer leaned down and kissed Birch’s slightly parted lips. He slipped his tongue inside and swirled it gently, tickling the roof of Birch’s mouth. His beloved sighed into his mouth, kissing back before he opened his lust-darkened blue eyes.

“Mmm,” Sayer rose up on his knees. He sank both hands in Birch’s hair and lifted his head, needing him closer. The kiss went from gentle to straining, trying to get closer. Birch tugged on Sayer’s shoulders, rolling onto his back on the bed, pulling him onto the bed.

The sheet slid down Birch’s body. Sayer needed to touch him all over. He gave into the fervor gripping them, stroking Birch’s arms and kneading his shoulders. They barely parted so he could rip off his shirt. It caught on his wings and he used a the tiny amount of his returned power to fade his wings from view just long enough to struggle out of the sleeves. He knelt over Birch.

“I don’t”—Sayer stroked up Birch’s lean stomach and thumbed his nipples—“want to hurt you.”

“You won’t.” Birch lunged up and pulled Sayer down. He mashed their lips together. “But I’ll hurt you if you don’t get those pants off.”  He ran his hands down Sayer’s bare back and thrust his hands into the back of the loose jeans. “Now.”

Sayer rolled off Birch and squirmed out of his pants. Birch kicked the sheet off, wincing.

“You’re still hurt.”

“My cock hurts more.” It jutted from a neat patch of hair, the thick shaft throbbing with each beat of Birch’s heart. The head was an angry red, shiny with pre-cum. Sayer licked his lips, then looked up at Birch. His beloved watched him, his cheeks flushed and his eyes bright. He’d almost lost him, not once but twice.

He wanted to see Birch come apart in his arms, then spend the day in his arms. Sayer slid between Birch’s legs, stroking them slowly and easing his sore leg to one side and bending the other. When he was sure Birch wasn’t going to be hurt by the position he slid closer. His cock was rubbing against his stomach, but Sayer did his best to ignore it.

Birch tasted salty and a little bitter. Sayer circled the head of Birch’s cock with his tongue, then used the tip to rub just under the edge of the head.

His beloved gasped. “Oh shit!”

Sayer opened his mouth wide. Birch was thick and filled his mouth. He bobbed his head, going farther each time and hollowing his cheeks with suction each time he pulled up Birch’s cock, rubbing his lips around the flared head. When he bottomed out, his lips sealed at the base of Birch’s shaft.

Birch jackknifed off the bed when Sayer swallowed. He did it again, squeezing the head lodged in his throat. Birch’s hips jerked, and he grunted. Thick cum filled Sayer’s mouth when he backed off to taste his beloved.

“Sayer,” Birch panted. “Please.” Sayer let go reluctantly. He stretched up, his wings flared over them and claimed Birch’s mouth. They kissed noisily. Birch slid a hand between their bodies and grabbed Sayer’s slender cock. He pumped. “Come on me.”

He thrust into Birch’s hand. The idea of his spunk painting Birch’s stomach and chest… Sayer groaned. His balls drew up. He dug his toes into the bed. “Tighter,” he begged.

Birch squeezed the head of his cock. Sayer’s wings rustled as his whole body spasmed. Birch drew out his orgasm, jacking him and milking every drop of cum out. Sayer struggled to breathe and not collapse in a puddle on top of Birch, but his beloved wrapped around Sayer and pulled him down.

“I feel amazing,” Birch said.

“Me too.”

“No, I mean, really amazing. My leg doesn’t hurt at all.”

Sayer lifted up on his arms and stared at Birch. His beloved looked energized. Sayer waved a hand at the balcony doors. They opened and a warm breeze fragrant with the aroma of the night blooming blossoms in the garden swept through the room. Petals swirled around them on the streams of Sayer’s power.

“It’s back!”

Sayer flapped his wings and hovered over the bed, his pale body glistening in the moon. “You did this.” He settled back down on the bed. “You’re amazing.”

Birch shook his head. “I don’t even know what I did.” He pushed up to his knees.

“You’re still amazing.” Sayer would tell him every day until his beloved believed him. He held out one hand. “Come fly with me?” They’d never danced above the clouds together. “It’ll be dawn soon.”

Birch’s wings shimmered and then solidified. “I don’t know….”

“I won’t let you fall.”

Birch took Sayer’s hand. “Promise?”

“Always.” Sayer smiled.

THE END

Thank you to everyone who has followed this story! I hope you enjoyed Birch and Sayer's struggles. So, do you have any idea of what you'd like to see next as a flash story? Feel free to tell me in a comment.

 

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Wednesday Briefs: Take Flight Part 24

First off: Merry Christmas!! I hope everyone is having a lovely holiday season. This week I toyed with the idea of doing a flash story that related to the day, but I decided to keep going with Birch and Sayer's story. I can't say as you'll get too many answers, but there's a new character being introduced. This week's inspiration came from a picture prompt. Enjoy!

Take Flight Part 24

The dark hid them as Sayer flew for the veil. Birch clung to him, wishing he could fly beside Sayer. He shivered in the cold air.

“Hang on, Birch. We’ll be there soon!”

“I’m trying.” Birch struggled to stay conscious.  He was so tired. His head sank against Sayer’s chest, and he closed his eyes.

“Birch? Birch!”

The panic in Sayer’s voice scared Birch. He forced his eyes to open. “Yeah?”

“You need to stay awake.”

“Mmhmm.” The chill faded. Birch blinked. His eyelids felt like they weighed a thousand pounds.

“Please stay awake.”

Sayer risked himself to rescue Birch. All he wanted was for Birch to stay awake, but he couldn’t do it.

“Too tired.”

***

Birch roused from his lethargy briefly.

“Let him sleep.”

“But I have to go to the human realm. I don’t want him to wake up when I’m not here.” Sayer was speaking to someone.

“We’ll watch over him for you.” The man’s voice wasn’t familiar. “He’s recovering nicely, Haverlseen said. He needs rest, and you should stop hovering.”

Sayer sighed. “Fine. I won’t be gone long. I need to do some research on Grigori, and meet with that man.”

Birch didn’t want to be left behind while Sayer was meeting with his lunatic boss. He struggled to speak, to object to Sayer putting himself in harm’s way.

He failed as the darkness overtook him again.

***

The second time Birch woke up someone sat on the edge of the bed. It dipped under their weight. “Time for you to wake up, Birch.”

A trickle of power flowed into him. Birch gasped. His eyes flew open, and he sat up.

“Haverlseen!”

“What?” The healer glanced over his shoulder. “I didn’t hurt him.”

“That’s not a very nice way to wake someone up, though.”

A woman glided toward the bed. Her long hair hung, raven-black, to her waist. Her exquisite face was drawn down into a frown. “He would have woken naturally soon.”

“Well I have other patients to see to.”

“What’s going on? Where’s Sayer?” Birch coughed, his throat and mouth dry.

“I’ll get him some water.” The woman slipped away silently.

“Sayer will be back shortly. In the meantime, let’s see how you’re holding up. You know, you really should stop getting hurt so much. It takes a lot of energy to heal.” Haverlseen sniffed.

“I’m sorry,” Birch said automatically.

“Nevermind. Like before, I want you to focus within. See your inner light.”

Birch closed his eyes. “I see it.” It pulsed, not bright, not dim, but quiet. A red light imbued the space he imagined as the center of his power.

“Good, good. You’re healing nicely.”

A tingle ran down Birch’s leg. “What are you doing?” he asked.

“Checking the mending I did on your leg. Again.” Haverlseen stopped running his hand through the air over Birch’s leg, and then stood up. “You’ll be a bit stiff and you should rest for a few more days to fully recover your strength. There were no adverse effects I can detect from handling that cross the others mentioned. I’ll let Sayer know when he gets back.”

“Thank you.”

Haverlseen nodded. The woman came back with a goblet of water. He took it from her and motioned toward the soft chair pulled up beside the head of the bed. “You should sit down too, my lady.”

“I’m fine.”

The healer snorted. “Yes, well, who’s responsible for that?”

She sighed. “You.”

“Exactly. So, unless you believe I would ask you to rest and not have a sound reason, you should sit down. Your recovery could last weeks, not days, my lady. Don’t hinder it.”

The woman smoothed her skirt and sat down regally.

“Thank you, my lady.”

Birch watched their interaction with interest, but he wanted that water. His tongue felt like it was stuck to the roof of his mouth.

“Can I have the drink?”

“What? Oh!” Haverlseen flushed. “Yes, of course. Sip it slowly.” He handed Birch the goblet. “I’ll be back later.”

He swept out of the room without a look back. Birch groaned when he finally got a drink.

The woman in the chair laughed. The throaty sound was at odds with her ethereal appearance and the dainty way she sat with her hands folded in her lap.

“I bet you’re really confused.” She smiled at Birch.

“Yes.” Birch wanted Sayer. The last few days were jumbled.

“First, introductions.” She held out her hand. “I’m Sayer’s mother, Lady Celeste.”

Sayer’s mother wasn’t dead? But… Birch didn’t know if he should kiss her hand or shake it. He sat up to take her hand and the covers slithered down to rest in his lap, exposing his bare chest.

“Oh my god.” Birch gasped. Would he ever learn? He clutched at the blankets, glad they hadn’t gone down any farther. Heat prickled up his neck and face. He stared at the rich colors on the goblet’s mistletoe design, sure his face was as red as the berries against the deep green leaves.

Lady Celeste laughed again. She covered her mouth. “I’m sorry! I wasn’t laughing at you, truly. You just look so embarrassed, and your face turned so red. Don’t worry, invoking the Christian Lord’s name won’t bring harm, but you should probably avoid it.”

Birch sagged against the pillows. “Thank go-goodness,” he said. “I’m sorry.”

She waved his apology away. “Don’t trouble yourself about it. Old habits are very hard to break, I know.” She looked sad. “Our realm is healing, because of you.”

“I didn’t do anything.” Birch gestured toward his leg. “Except get hurt, again.”

“Stuff and nonsense. Croll filled us in on everything that has happened since we…,” she faltered. “Well, everything. Without you, the son of the Grigori who tainted our magic and used you as bait would have destroyed us. No one here could have done what you did, without thinking of the consequences to yourself. My husband and I owe you a great debt. All fae do.”

TBC

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MA Church



Wednesday Briefs: Take Flight Part 23

Well here we are again! It's Wednesday and there's another flash installment to read in Birch and Sayer's story. I think you'll like this week's reveal!! The flash inspiration I used was: "A fire smoldered in his eyes."

Take Flight Part 23

“Stop them!” Sayer gasped when a hand grabbed his ankle, yanking him down. “There’s more than one!”

None of the men answered him.

Sayer strained his wings, flapping hard, but couldn’t break free of the iron grip on his ankle.

Rittenhauser heaved them downward. Sayer held Birch closer and protected his head as they tumbled to the floor. He landed on his back with a thud. Birch cried out when Sayer couldn’t prevent his legs from being jarred.

“Don’t move, or I’ll shoot!”

The man who’d captured Birch stood over them, his feet spread wide. He pointed his shotgun at Sayer’s face. “I’ll do it, demon.”

He was insane. “I’m not a demon!” Sayer protested. His instincts screamed for him to use his magic, but he was too weak still.

“What do think I am? An idiot? Your filthy tricks won’t fool me.” The remaining light flickered. Sayer strained his eyes, careful not to move his head. The sprites were dancing near the bulbs. He had to stall. The other fae would contain the humans. Birch’s boss was something… different.

“Why harm Birch? I know you said you saw me, when we were kids.”

“He drew you to our town. I’ve seen it happen. He draws you demons like a moth to a flame. He is no innocent! My father warned me of your kind so I could be a soldier in the war against evil.” Spit flew from his lips as Rittenhauser raged. A fire smoldered in his eyes. “I am Grigori! I can sense your filth. I know when your evil comes creeping out of the shadows to taint mortal men. But not here! Not in my town!”

The priest gasped and began mumbling.

Sayer had never heard of any being called a Grigori, but Birch’s boss was definitely not a mortal. It explained why he could see the fae, and why the cross had such an effect on the balance of power in the fae realm.

There might still be hope to hide the fae from the human realm for a while longer, at least until they could recover from the damage this being did to them.

A loud boom echoed off the high stone ceiling. “Mitch, stop!” A huge man, easily seven and a half feet tall, ducked through the open doors. How had he gotten by Croll? “My son, you are mistaken about these folk.”

Rittenhauser shook his head violently. “No, Father. I saw them; I feel it!” He gestured wildly with the fun. “Tell me you can’t feel that taint all around us. You taught me how to sense demons and their effect on men. This is my purpose, my calling. I will eradicate the evil on behalf of the Lord. They deserve to die.”

The barrel of the gun he was staring down shook. Sayer desperately hoped the incensed man wouldn’t pull the trigger.

“There are many folk on this Earth beyond mortal men and demon-kind. I only told you after you came across a demon as a child to help you understand. I never intended for you to become a Scourge.”

“They wouldn’t have me! Said I was delusional. But I saw him turn into smoke. He flew! He has wings!”

Birch trembled in his arms. Sayer could smell his blood and feel his pain. He had to get away from the church and get his beloved to Haverlseen. “I am Lord of the Fae. We are magical beings, but we are not demons. We are not evil.”

“No! Your kind all lie. You’re trying to trick me into letting you go, but I won’t.”

“Mitch, my son”—the man’s voice was closer, almost directly behind Sayer—“he speaks the truth. There are many realms on Earth and many creatures who have no affiliation with demon kind. I am sorry that I left your education so lacking. I wanted to keep you from this war.”

The tip of the man’s shotgun began to lower. “B-but… you said… You said to be vigilant against evil around me.”

The man reached over them with one long arm. He gently closed his hand over the barrel, plucking it from Rittenhauser’s limp hands. The older man no longer looked at Birch and Sayer; he stared at his father. He shook his head.

“I-I don’t understand.”

“That’s okay, I’ll help you. We’re going to let these folk go, and they’ll free your… friends.”

Sayer took the first deep breath he’d allowed himself since he found out Birch had been captured. The insane man who’d grabbed him looked like a lost child. All his rage seemed to have disappeared with the arrival of his father.

“What are you?” Sayer asked.

“I am a Grigori.”

There was that word again.

“I don’t know what that is, but you clearly know what I am.”

“My kind are rare. We were angels once, but now we live among humans and cannot ascend to the heavens.” The giant man sighed. “I am very sorry my son hurt your people. I know it means little to redress the balance, but he did not know he was doing wrong.”

“He poisoned my people and shot my beloved. An apology is not enough.”

Sayer curled Birch into his arms more securely and carefully rose to his feet. “I don’t have time to deal with this. I must see to my beloved. I will release his men, but not their weapons.”

“When you have settled things, you can find me through the father over there. He can contact me with a time and place. I’m sure you have questions for me.”

Sayer nodded sharply.

He rose into the air. “Let’s go.”

The fae who had followed Sayer into the church to rescue Birch followed him out the open doors.

 TBC

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Wednesday Briefs: Take Flight Part 22

Cannd brought up several questions last week, and I hope to answer some of them here. This week's flash update was inspired by the prompt:

Don't forget to check out the central site the Briefers have set up due to the weekly effort by Andrew Q. Gordon!

Take Flight Part 22

Sayer leaned on the passenger window. Croll parked around the corner from the church near Birch’s house. They stared at the gray stone building crouching ominously in the center of the block blocking out the fading sunlight. It had wide, square walls and a tall, pointy spire stabbing at the sky. “Why here?”

“Ange said the guy talked about a Father. That means a priest in the human world. They called us demons; where else would they take him?”

“I’m surprised you’re not rushing in to find your beloved.” Croll tapped his fingers on the steering wheel.

“The last time I rushed I became a Darkling. My actions put Birch in this place with these maniacs. We need to know more before we can save him.” Sayer could feel the fae around them, blending in with the human realm, surrounding the church. “If that man wants demons, we’ll give him demons.”

Fae, great and small, had gathered to help Sayer save Birch. He’d risked his life to protect the fae realm, and now that they knew the cause of all the damage they’d put a stop to the religious fanatic. Sayer could feel his subject around him. His magic was weak but growing stronger.

A small fae with rough, pebbled grayish skin knocked on Sayer’s window. He rolled it down. “What did you find?”

“He’s in there, my lord. But….” The dwarf clutched at his jacket, hesitating.

“But what?” Croll prompted him.

“He’s hurt. His blood coated the rock inside their building.”

Sayer’s heart began to pound. Night fell around them. He couldn’t wait any longer. “We go in.”

“Your powers are not fully recovered yet.”

“That doesn’t matter. What I have will be enough.”

The dwarf bowed his head. “We’ll help you. We’ve opened a tunnel inside the sanctuary. You can enter there.”

Croll turned off the car. They climbed out. “Sprites.” Croll waved at the streetlights. Small groups of the glowing air sprites flew toward bulbs, swarming them until the glass popped in a shower of sparks and the lights went out. Darkness shrouded the street and the fae that materialized from the rocks, trees, and stone.

“You organize out here. Cover our retreat,” Sayer told his second-in-command. He pointed at several fae in the crowd. “You, you, and you. Come with us.”

The dwarf led the way into the tunnel they’d made through the stone walls. Sayer strode behind him, anxious to see his beloved. The tunnel climbed vertically through the walls. They climbed the irregular stones like a ladder up to a balcony. The tunnel exited in the shadowy recess.

“He’s close,” Sayer whispered. They crept out to the railing and peered over.

“You shot a man. What were you thinking?” The priest was hovering over Birch’s body. He was on the floor in front of the altar.

“He’s not a man! He’s associated with those demons you refused to believe in. I told you, I told you!” the other man screamed. He waved a gun around.

“You’re delusional.” The priest pressed the altar cloth tight around Birch’s thigh but it was stained red with blood that wasn’t stopping.

“I have proof. They saw it, the demon that was with him. It melted into a tree.” Several men were ranged around the sanctuary.

The priest shook his head. “We have to call an ambulance.”

“No. No ambulance and no cops.”

“He’ll die!”

“If he dies, he deserves it for consorting for with that filth. You can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs.”

Sayer clenched his hands into fists. Birch wasn’t moving. There was blood all over his shoulder and his leg was bleeding profusely no matter what the priest tried. He didn’t have much more time.

“We need their guns,” Sayer whispered to the drow he’d brought with him. The night-stealer grinned, his round face full of wicked glee.

He bounced off into the shadows.

Two small sprites had followed them. Sayer pointed to the lights over the center aisle. “Gently take some of those out.” They flew up to the ceiling and began stroking the lights. They flickered. “When I give you the signal, encase the human’s feet in the floor,” Sayer told the dwarf. “Skim a fine layer of rock into dust while we wait.”

Birch’s boss didn’t seem to notice. He continued ranting at the priest, exposing years of fixation on the fae as demonic beings sent by Satan to pollute his town. He’d been watching Birch since he and Sayer were children. Sayer blanched. One of his trips to leave a gift on Birch’s pillow had set this guy off?

Crouched, ready to spring, Sayer held on to his control by his fingertips. The dwarf at his side watched him for the signal.

The tall sylph he’d picked to come with them stood silently, her eyes huge, her hands spread. She was powerful but wild, rarely interacting with other fae. “You’ll create a cover. Use the stone dust.”

Shadows fell across the church as two of the three main lights went out, one after the other. “Now!” Sayer sent a trickle of power to the doors, shoving them open. He panted at the effort.

The dwarf began to mutter and the sylph waved her hands in flowing motions through the air, beginning to swirl the stone dust all through the church as if huge gusts of wind flowed in through the outer doors. Men shouted and a gun went off.

“The demons are here!”

Sayer jumped onto the balcony railing. His wings burst from his back and he drifted down to the main floor. A personal aura kept the fine stone grit from blinding him as he flew straight to Birch’s side. The priest was mired in stone, still kneeling beside his beloved.

“Thank you for trying to help him,” Sayer said. He gathered Birch’s body into his arms. Sayer flapped his wings to get back to the balcony and their escape route.

TBC

Don't forget to check out the other great updates by the other Briefers! There are so many active authors taking part each week. And if you're interested in joining the group, let one of us know! We can steer you in the right direction.

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Wednesday Briefs: Take Flight Part 21

December already?! Seriously... wow. Okay, so the story is drawing close to it's climax... but I won't spoil it for you. This week's update was inspired by the prompt: The whole thing was just swept under the carpet.

Enjoy!

Take Flight Part 21

“I don’t figure you’re too worried about the iron part,” Mr. Rittenhauser said. “But a shot to the chest will kill you just as quick. I see a hint of that foul magic from him and you both die.”

The older man curled his lip in disgust. “I always knew you’d be the link we needed. Filthy, unconsecrated sinners like you always draw in the demons.”

Birch blinked. “What?”

“I know! I saw the pale demon enter your window one night, like smoke from the fires of hell. No one believed me but I started watching. I got proof. Then Father Biscayne finally took me serious. Then the pale one left and you went away.”

Birch shivered. Icy tendrils of dread coiled in the pit of his stomach. What proof did he have?

“The whole thing was swept under the carpet. I began to dig, to find ways to stop the demons from coming into our world.”

Birch struggled to keep the cross from slipping without moving. Rittenhauser’s cross had poisoned the fae realm, but had he meant for that to happen? His raving didn’t sound like it.

Spit sprayed from Rittenhauser’s mouth. “I had to test it. So I offered you a job. But he came back! That filthy demon wasn’t stopped by the righteous power of the Lord. Now this one escaped, due to you.” Rittenhauser jerked the gun toward Ange and then back to him. Birch flinched.

Ange’s eyes began to shine in the waning light. The change wasn’t sudden, but his glamour faded. The men surrounding them didn’t seem to notice but Birch could see it from the corner of his eye. The other men were all listening to Rittenhauser’s psychotic rant.

“I knew when that freak took you from your house that you’d be back sometime. We were watching. The faithful stand firm, as the Lord commanded us.” Birch’s former boss stabbed his finger into his chest. “We’ll purge the forces of evil from the heavenly places in this world, as He commanded.”

“Amen!” the men chorused.

The agreement bolstered Rittenhauser’s grandeur and he swelled up like a toad. His eyes bugged out as he glared at them.

Birch’s arms began to tremble. The standoff couldn’t go on much longer. He’d either drop the infernal cross and Rittenhauser would shoot, or the religious fanatic would get tired of his self-aggrandizing and shoot.

He felt a moment of sorrow for the pain Sayer would feel when he died, but Birch couldn’t let Ange be killed. He’d never get away, but Ange might. He was a dryad, and they were surrounded by trees. The trembling in his hands was almost too strong to let Birch get a good grip on the arms of the cross. He licked his lips.

“Run, Ange!” Birch screamed and heaved the cross at the men closest to him. The cross knocked two men over. Birch rushed toward Rittenhauser. He hoped Ange listened to him.

Shots broke out in the clearing as the men reacted to the confusion. Birch flinched as he dove toward his boss. A fiery trail slid across the top of his shoulder. Pain burst through one thigh, and Birch fell.

He struggled for possession of Rittenhauser’s gun. The older man had a strong grip. They rolled on the ground. Birch tried to brace his leg and buck his hips but it wouldn’t move. He was too weak to stop the blow as Rittenhauser brought the gun down on his chest.

The next strike was to his head.

***

“My Lord!” Two guards burst into Sayer’s suite. They carried a dryad… Ange!

“What are you doing here? Where’s Birch?”

Sayer had woken from the madness of the taint. His time as a Darkling had been short, but the damage had been done. He couldn’t access the magic of the fae realm for more than a trickle of power. Haverlseen sent all the recovered Darklings to rest. It was all he could do.

“Some guy, his human boss, surrounded us as soon as we left the fae realm with the cross. He knows about us and was watching the cross. He…” Ange drooped between the guards. “He captured Birch when your beloved threw the cross at the men and attacked.”

“He what?” Sayer shouted. He threw the blankets off.

Ange flinched. “I’m sorry, my lord. I didn’t want to leave but he ordered me to run. I knew you had to be told, so I left him there. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!”

“It’s not your fault. Birch made the right choice. We never would’ve known who was behind all this if you hadn’t listened to him. Did you…? Was he…?” Sayer couldn’t bring himself to finish the questions.

“Communing with the trees in the human world was hard, but I was still close. He was hurt, but still alive. I heard the one who was in charge, Mr. Rittenhauser Birch called him, order the guys with him to tie Birch up.”

Ange swallowed. “They plan to use him as bait. For you.”

TBC

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MA Church

Jon Keys

JC Wallace

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Andrew Gordon

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Julie Lynn Hayes

Chris T. Kat

Grace Duncan  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday Briefs: Take Flight Part 20



Wow, so Thanksgiving tomorrow for Americans and the holiday season steadily approaches for most of us too! I wasn't sure if I'd get this done, but I did, I did! This week I took my prompt inspiration from the phrase, 'Failure is not an option.' Enjoy!!

 

Take Flight Part 20

“Ow!” Birch yanked the amulet from under his shirt. Radiant white light lit the stone. Not caring who saw, Birch reached into his pants. He shuddered when he touched the plug in his cock. Cold fire invaded the slit in the tip. Drawing out the hollow plug took a minute.

“Oh, thank fuck.” The burning faded as soon as Birch removed the plug. He held it carefully, not touching the cage with the stone inside.

“What happened?” the Alchemist asked. He stared at Birch. All the fae were watching him, their eyes huge.

“Oh, g—” Birch cut himself off. A wave of heat rose through him until his face prickled. He was probably beet red. “How embarrassing,” he muttered. Sayer was so going to owe him. A lot.

Birch stared at the ground, avoiding everyone’s gaze. “When I touched the cross my amulet, and um”—he stuffed his plug into his pocket—“something else with a gift from Sayer, lit up. They burned.” Birch looked down the collar of his shirt. He certainly wasn’t going to open his pants.

“No marks.”

“Interesting. The metal did not cause a reaction in you, but your fae, um, items.”

“Definite proof the cross is an attack against the fae,” Forisilki said.

Vernon harrumphed. “Like that was in question.”

Birch jumped in before the Formorian could snap. “Stop bickering. You guys have tasks to do. Vernon… why are you still here?” Birch raised an eyebrow at the cranky man.

“Fine. We’re going.”

Birch turned to the cross. “I’m going to try this again.” The amulet and plug had stopped burning him when they were away from his skin. He had to get the cross out. “Failure is not an option,” Birch reminded himself.

Ange stood by, watching. The rest of the fae had left when Vernon did, moving far from the cross. “You gonna be okay?” Birch asked.

The dryad flipped his long hair over his shoulder. “I’m fine.” Birch hoped the other man could hide his appearance like Sayer had, or he was going to draw a lot of attention once they left the fae realm. No one had hair that shade of green naturally, and Ange’s rich, brown skin had an odd luster.

“Okay. Here we go again.”

Birch hesitated then grabbed the cross. Nothing happened. He sighed and closed his eyes. Now for the lift.

The cross was buried deeper in the mud than Birch expected. He strained to pull the twisted metal form out. His arms and legs trembled from the effort.

“Ahh!” His breath exploded from him in a sharp cry. Birch stumbled, the heavy cross freed from the ground with a jerk. He nearly dropped it but managed to stagger into a tree. He panted, holding the cross to his chest with his arms locked around the arms.

“We gotta… get this... out of here,” he said. “Where do we cross?”

Ange led the way past the lake toward the shimmering veil. The ground sucked at Birch’s feet and bushes snagged his clothing and scratched his arms. Ange couldn’t help him, so Birch struggled to hold on and keep moving forward.

Passing through the veil was the last thing on Birch’s mind, but still… he expected something. One moment they were in the fae realm, the tainted land fighting against him, and the next they were in the human world. The glow on his amulet faded until it looked like an ordinary stone.

“Whoa.” Birch spun and the veil was still there. A vague worry in the back of his mind whispered that once he left, without Sayer, he’d not be able to reenter the fae realm. But he could still see it there, through the veil, the magical shimmering marking the spot between realms where they could pass.

When Birch turned around Ange changed. His green hair darkened to brown and his skin was tan but had lost the luster. Good. One less thing to worry about.

“Where now?” Ange asked him.

The house Sayer grew up in had been kept up. Birch had driven by it, more than once, to his personal shame. If he’d caught a glimpse of Sayer there, after four years of being alone, Birch might have hit him with his car. But he hadn’t seen any sign of anyone living there, though the yard was manicured.

“Do you know if Sayer maintained the place he grew up, or was it sold when he didn’t come back?”

“I am not sure, my l—”

“Birch. Use my name, especially here,” Birch reminded him.

“Sorry.” Ange grimaced. “I am not entirely sure. I don’t spend much time on this side of the veil, but if he did keep the house, there would be a ward around it.”

“Let’s go check, huh?”

Birch wasn’t entirely sure where they were, but the town was at the foot of the mountain. Downhill was good. The metal cross wasn’t too heavy, but it was awkward.

“How will we find out who made that?” Ange glared at the cross Birch carried.

“Well….” Birch paused, resting the cross on his foot. He had a bad feeling about it touching the ground. “I’ve been gone a while, but I know there are a few churches in town. We can start with them.”

“I hope this won’t take too long,” Ange sighed.

“We don’t either.” Men stepped out from trees in a semi-circle in front of Ange and Birch. “Purging you demons shouldn’t be too hard.”

A gray-haired man pointed a rifle at them. He smirked. “Did you really think we wouldn’t be watching?”

Birch’s heart pounded in his chest. Sweat trickled down his back as he stared down the barrel of the rifle.

“Mr. Rittenhauser? What are you doing?” His boss smirked at him.

“You really had no idea, did you?” the older man scoffed.

Birch looked at Ange. The fae stood calmly beside him. He flexed his hands.

“Don’t even think about it. This gun has iron bullets, just for you.”

TBC

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