Sex & Mayhem 02 The Devil's Ride (39 page)

Bell rubbed his forehead, looking as tense as a
string. “Okay, okay… Just keep this shit away from Priest for now.
And, Tooth, if he ever tells me you’re messing him around, you’re
dead, you get that?”

“
I’m not gonna.
Trust me.” Tooth reached out his hand to Bell, who stared
at it as if it were a snake ready to bite off his
finger.

Eventually though, his tense shoulders slouched, and
he shook Tooth’s hand.

Luci laughed. “This is some Jane Austen shit.
Gentlemen arranging my betrothal.”

Tooth chuckled, turned him around, and pressed a
soft kiss to Luci’s forehead. It was as if he tight strings of his
muscles relaxed just enough for Tooth to let go.

“Jesus Christ, I can’t believe this is real,” moaned
Bell from the side.

Luci smiled, holding on to Tooth’s forearms. “It’s
very real.”

“Bell, you happy now? Can’t find the cat,” sighed
Tooth, never stopping to hold Luci close.

“No! What do you mean? Where’s Manson? Who let him
out?” Luci looked around, alarmed.

Bell shook his head. “I suppose I’m okay with this
now. Kinda. I’ll leave you to look for your gay foster cat.”

Tooth let out a low sigh and touched the bruise
already forming around his eye. “He just wasn’t there when I came
back. I don’t think he’s in the room.”

“Lucifer? Something happens, you come to me, yeah?”
Bell said on his way out, pointing to Luci.

“Yeah, yeah,” Luci groaned, squeezing Tooth’s
hand.

“He’d do that anyway, right? A smart boy.” Tooth
rustled Luci’s hair and gave Bell a flat glare. It was obvious he
wanted him out.

As soon as Bell finally shut the door, Luci gave
Tooth his best puppy eyes. “I’m so sorry, Tooth. He promised to
keep a secret.”

Tooth gave him a slight frown but relaxed against
the wall. “It would have been better if we spoke about this
first.”

“I had a bad day, and it just came out. I didn’t
think he’d flip out like that.” Luci walked up to Tooth and gave
him a kiss.

Tooth huffed. “Yeah, I just think I need some frozen
steak on my eye once we find Manson. So, where did you leave
him?”

“I left him in the room. I can’t imagine where he
could have gone.” Luci sighed and got down to his knees to look
under the bed. “It’s kinda funny how Bell changed, right?”

“He hasn’t. He just likes you.” Tooth pulled out a
pouch of Manson’s favorite food and started rustling to lure the
kitten, but it was no use.

“But you don’t hate me, right?” Luci looked up at
him and laughed. “‘Cause you know that if you dump me, my brother
will kill you?”

“Yeah, I’m stuck with you now,” snorted Tooth,
looking behind and under all the furniture, including the
fridge.

“Don’t worry. I’ll apologize with the BJ of your
life.” Luci wiggled his eyebrows.

Tooth smiled at him from across the room. “Can they
get any better?”

“Maybe I should get my tongue split and see what
happens?”

Tooth blinked, almost dropping the pouch. The look
of sheer horror on his face was hilarious. “Er... maybe not?”

A knock on the door was followed by a yell. “Hey,
Luci, you in?” Astaroth asked through the door.

“Come in!” yelled Luci and sat on the bed. “I was
just telling Tooth I’m considering splitting my tongue.”

Astaroth nodded and wrapped her arms on her chest.
“Oh yeah, I’m planning to do that when I’m eighteen.”

Tooth remained strategically silent and just waved
at her.

Astaroth sighed. “Where’s Manson?”

“We don’t know. We can’t find him,” Luci said from
the bed.

Astaroth blinked, instantly roused. “I think I’ve
seen him outside. I thought I’d ask just in case...”

Tooth joined her by the door within seconds.
“Where?

Luci got to his feet. “Where? It’s dangerous for
him. Fuck. He’s a tiny thing.”

Astaroth was already on her way to the door. “By the
trash outside. “

“Who let him out?” growled Tooth, already running
for the staircase.

“It’s only been me and Mom around the club today.
All the guys are out.”

Luci followed everyone with his head pulsing with
anger. He was sure the fucking witch did it.

Tooth’s broad shouldered figure was so stiff he
looked like an extra-large scarecrow as he thudded down the stairs,
calling out for the cat even before they burst through the door. It
was already getting dark, and with Manson being so tiny, he could
have even sneaked out of the compound.

Luci followed, calling out the cat’s name as soon as
they got out into the yard. “Beast could have trampled him if he
got there.”

Tooth wasn’t listening to him and dove between the
trash cans and loose black bags. He started moving them around with
the resolve of an
Olympic swimmer.

“Tooth, wait!” Luci grabbed Tooth’s arm and they
both stilled in silence until a meek meowing sounded from somewhere
in the trash.

“There,” shouted Astaroth, rushing between the bags,
high heels, fishnet tights, and all. They followed, closing in on
the poor thing from three sides.

Manson’s big eyes stared back at them in panic, but
as much as the cat tried to back away, it could only go into
Tooth’s firm grip.

“Got him!” The shout of triumph was accompanied by a
low jump with the cat safe in Tooth’s hands which made Manson look
only tinier.

Luci sighed with relief and ran up to Tooth to give
the kitten some comfort. He’d kiss Tooth, but he couldn’t with
Astaroth around.

“The poor baby!” She gently petted the top of the
kitten’s head with her index finger. “It’s shivering. How could it
have gotten out on its own?”

“I don’t know. I’m sure I closed the door and
everything, jeez.” Luci took a deep breath, feeling guilty as
fuck.

But when Tooth moved his hands, presented the kitten
to him, and the little thing crawled into his palms, it all went
away, replaced by a sweet warmth spreading all over his chest.

“Maybe he slipped between your legs,” muttered
Asty.

Luci put Manson
inside his hoodie and looked down at the eyes
peeking up at him. “There won’t be any more running
away.”

“That’s right. You tell him,” chuckled Tooth with a
little nudge to Luci’s side.

Luci groaned as they made their way back. “Thanks
Asty!” he yelled to his sister, who walked over to her goat with a
wave of her hand.

Tooth sighed and put his arm around Luci’s shoulders
as soon as they went inside the building. “What counts is that he’s
back, but you need to be more careful.”

“I don’t know when he could have gone out.” Luci
shook his head and hugged the kitten through the fabric of the
hoodie. “What if something happened to him?”

“It didn’t.” Tooth kissed the top of Luci’s head as
they strode upstairs at a lazy pace.

Luci smiled up at him. He was still getting tingles
in his stomach from being close to Tooth. “I was impressed with
your trash-diving skills.”

Tooth’s mouth quirked. “A boy had to eat some time
ago.”

Luci nudged Tooth’s bicep with his nose, the hours
of scrubbing tiles long forgotten. “I hope you didn’t eat
cats.”

“Nah, I wouldn’t do that. No fear, Manson,” said
Tooth, nudging the kitten’s chin as they went into their room.

Luci sat on the bed. “How was your day? I was
thinking of cleaning your bike before I went to work, but you were
out with it.”

Tooth scratched his head. “I was out looking for
someone, but it seems to be a dead end,” he muttered and slowly
lowered himself to the mattress.

“How come?” Luci held out a hand to Tooth.

They were both petting Manson when Tooth finally
spoke, “I’m searching for the people who killed Tracy. I was
meeting an informant on the day when we... you know, hooked
up.”

“Oh. You’re still actively looking?” Luci tried to
make up his mind about what to think about that.

Tooth bit his lip. “Yeah. There’s two more victims
with a similar pattern. Frankie Harris, found without a liver and
heart, and Betty Wong. They’re calling her One-Eyed Betty, so you
can imagine what she’s missing.”

Lucifer frowned. “And who were you looking for
today? I know a Frankie Harris. Just, you know, it’s a common last
name.”

“One-Eyed Betty’s husband...” muttered Tooth, but
his eyes focused on Luci’s face. “Who’s the Frankie Harris you
know?”

“You won’t be happy to hear it. She’s Rick’s
sister.”

A low growl escaped Tooth’s throat. “What do you
know about her? When’s the last time you’ve seen her?”

“
A few months ago. I’ve only seen her once. But if
you’re gonna go to the Vanilla, I wanna go, too. I wanna say ‘hi’
to people.”
And make sure you don’t kill Rick
.

Tooth bit his lip, staring at the wall. “Could
you... ask him about her? Maybe tell him you wanna meet her
again?”

“Yeah, sure.” Luci stroked Tooth’s tense bicep. The
last thing he wanted was for Tooth to dwell on all this after so
many years.

Tooth’s nose brushed over Luci’s ear, inhaling his
scent. “Thanks. That will help me a lot.”

Luci pulled Manson out of his hoodie and let the
kitten go free on the floor. “You know I’d do anything to help
out.” He turned around and wrapped his arms over Tooth’s neck.

“He has food, doesn’t he?” whispered Tooth, already
pushing Luci to the mattress.

“Yeah, he does.” Luci’s breath quickened, as he
anticipated his lover’s weight on top. They’d been having a
fuckfest since they got together, and he wasn’t anything close to
bored with it. He wanted that beard tickling him as they kissed,
and those strong hands spreading his legs. He wanted Tooth’s
beautiful cock push between his thighs, or to have it in his mouth,
and he now knew he was also totally up for anal sex as well. His
need for Tooth’s body didn’t have any unnecessary boundaries.

Tooth tipped Luci’s head back, and his lips were
there, along with the bush of a beard, already setting Luci’s skin
ablaze. Nothing could better help him unwind after work at the
salon.

The ground smelled of decay. It was a cool, rainy
afternoon, and once all the wetness mingled with dirt, with used
condoms and pieces of stale bread, the smell in the small back
alley became pretty close to the emotions rotting in Tooth’s gut.
He came well prepared. There were no cameras around here nor on the
way Luci was supposed to lead Harlow
along. It would be a clean job. Dirty, but clean.
Tooth had the syringe ready, the dose inside just low enough not to
kill the bastard. Harlow wouldn’t get a quick death. He would pay
for all the things he did to Luci and other defenseless kids. Even
thinking about it made Tooth’s head pulsate with anger.

And there they were. Luci walking along with an
older man. The fucking Harlow guy actually had a hand on Luci’s
shoulder. The predator couldn’t look plainer. Khaki pants, glasses,
a tidy haircut, and a dark woolen coat.

Even knowing he was safe with Tooth around, Luci
seemed stiff, and his face was tensed into a mask of a fake smile.
Tooth wanted this to be over for his boy, to use his trusted
medical bag on the bastard rapist and take away all of Luci’s pain.
He
’d even gotten new
restraints for today, just so remains of Luci’s sweat wouldn’t
touch Harlow’s skin.

“Yeah, let’s just go here, I can blow you there,”
Tooth heard Luci say, and his stomach turned.

“Aren’t you eager. You must have really missed my
dick,” said the human scum.

Tooth waited, listening to the rustle of leaves, to
two pairs of feet: one known so well, one alien and sharp,
aggressive. The prey was luring the predator into the trap of
Tooth’s funnel, and once caught, Harlow would never see the light
of day again.

Tooth moved behind a thick tree to let them pass
without Harlow noticing him. The bastard had to have
the serious hots for Luci if he
agreed to this excursion. Not that Tooth couldn’t understand that,
the boy was beyond pretty. What Tooth couldn’t stomach was that
Harlow had thought so back when Luci was eleven. After Luci
confined in him, Tooth couldn’t sleep, his thoughts a dark
whirlpool of hate.

He saw the mismatched couple pass and turn into the
alleyway that would be the entrance to Harlow’s tomb, and followed
them without a second thought.

“
Is that your car?” was the last thing Harlow said
before Tooth stuffed the needle into his neck and unloaded the
syringe. There was no reason to catch the dirtbag as he slumped to
the ground with his face
ending up in a pile of wet leaves. Only then could Tooth
breathe again. He raised his eyes to look at Luci.

The boy flinched back and took a deep breath, then
another, and another. He couldn’t stop with the heavy breathing,
but his eyes met Tooth’s over Harlow.

Tooth bit his lip, and his stomach convulsed. “Did
he... do something?”

“
No, it’s just… I hate him so much,” Luci uttered
with a scowl and looked down
at the limp body.

Tooth snorted in relief. “You wanna kick him?”

Luci stilled, but then, his heavy combat boot landed
in the middle of Harlow’s stomach. “Fuck you,” he hissed with his
fists clenched.

Tooth smiled and delivered a kick to Harlow’s ass.
“Bet he’d like
that
.”

“
Well, he’s not gonna fucking get it.” Luci kicked
the piece of garbage again. “He’s never gonna touch me again. He
can fuck off with his fucking fingers, and his fucking filthy
mouth, his fucking camera.” Luci
’s chest was heaving and he underlined each part of his
sentence with a kick.