A Simple Shadow

"Get the hell away from him!," he heard snarled savagely as he was jerked away. "You will not reward this...piece of crap!" He heard the words just as he heard the kicks. It sounded unfamiliar in its bitter anger. Shadow heard the man cry out. He'd struck a sensitive area with one of his last kicks. Shadow responded instinctively. He snarled a similar response and attacked! Only to scream away in terrified horror as he scored a hit and was seared with the blood. He tucked his tail and fled. Only he was blind. He stumbled over people, chains, children, and even bodies. He didn't know Collin was chasing him. The blood was burning him! Literally, he realized as he smelled the burning flesh and fur. He rolled still too scared to think straight. A phoenix! The slaver was a phoenix...He had known that, but hadn't realized it was Collin he was attacking! He screamed when someone picked him up soothing the ache with a cooling breath of air. The cat trembled.

Wide-eyed, the little animal let him carry him from the dungeon prisoner's hold. As soon as they exited the large room , he began to talk. "I overreacted. I am sincerely sorry for that." He waited a minute trying to calm himself. "If you only understood...that man killed a dozen or more of the youngest I have here when he recognized where he was. No reason! Just death. He took the life of a very rare child that day. Irreplaceable!," he hissed. "But he won't say why!" Shadow considered his words wondering what kind of child Collin would count as irreplaceable.

Collin laid him down on a soft surface. "Let me look at this. You have done yourself some permanent harm here." The cat already knew that. Phoenix blood scarred for life! His face and neck burned in agony from the wounds. "I am sorry, Shadow...I should have expected your reaction." The slaver sounded utterly regretful blaming himself for the damage. "The scarring will never heal," he sighed sounding like real tears were choking his voice. He felt the gentleness of his hands and wondered why the man cared. Again, he reached out. This time he actually encountered feelings before the barrier slammed down. Collin had been feeling every inch of pain that burned at the cat's flesh. He was an Empath!

"I am also sorry I cannot let you do that, Shadow! Only Kasey can navigate the paths of my mind without going insane. I wish...I wish I could. But I cannot allow it..." Just when he was about to give up, someone came into the room. "De 'Vorga? What is wrong?" Shadow perked up at hearing the boy's name. Feeling it, Collin didn't jump down the boy's throat the way he normally did when one of the children interrupted him without permission.

"M...my...My L...," the boy was too scared to talk.

"It is okay this time; come inside! I was just about to send for an extra set of hands anyway...He needs a burn salve. Only the creme I keep in my room will work on this. Do you know the one I speak of? Where I keep it?" The kid must have nodded. "Hurry then!" He heard the door shut. "He must have taken a shine to you. He usually doesn't do what he knows is against my rules. He even looked upset. Someone must have told him you were hurt." Collin brushed his hand over the exposed areas magically removing hair an inch around each burn. He could feel them covering the right side of his face and neck. Not an entire burn, but tiny patches where the drops of blood had sprayed and spread.

The boy raced back into the room. "Here, sir!" He was the only one allowed to touch the creme, or he would have let the boy doctor the creature. It felt good on the burns, Shadow moved back into the boy's arms. The young man instantly held him still, petting him to comfort him. "Easy, Shadow...Easy, boy." He stroked his back and legs without thought. Shadow closed his eyes. Then, he had a thought.

He sent into the boy the unknown man's confusion; his pain and horror at Collin's usage of the children. His utter lack of understanding in how it could be anything but sick and horrible. De 'Vorgas gasped. He slumped as Shadow released him. "De 'Vorga...De 'Vorga!" The boy looked up at his master, but didn't explain. "What did he say, De 'Vorgas?," he warned softly. The boy swallowed hard before answering.

"It isn't words, sir. Just impressions, or memories. It was chaotic. Sickened and confused. Horrified...Directed at...at you, mim'da! You must have frightened very badly. He seemed almost peaceful earlier! Sir...I don't understand it! He liked you before...I think..." The boy was desperate to keep from offending him, or getting the cat in trouble.

"I can. Thank you, De 'Vorga. It was my answer. He tried to tell me a while ago, but couldn't. I didn't know why someone would do something. He was explaining. Never fail to tell me something just because you don't understand it, or want to get someone into trouble, boy! Keep it in mind...I understand things better than you ever will."

The boy sat for a moment confused. "He used me to answer you."

"What is on your mind?," Collin asked carefully allowing the boy the opportunity to ask.

"Can't he use me for other things, too. I...I have...seen people that psychics use to do their bidding, sir. I...I don't want...to ever be like that! He could use me to hurt someone! To do things against you! Or just to see through my eyes, can't he?," he asked shaking against the cat's back.

"I would assume," Collin stated casually. "It could be that he doesn't want anyone to see what he himself has seen. He doesn't connect to people for more than a minute. I think he is being very careful to keep the contact short." Shadow jerked surprised at his answer! "Easy, Shadow." He finished quickly.

"You mean, I would know things about him just because he touched my mind," the boy asked sounding doubtful.

Distracted as he cleaned up the slight mess he had made, he mumbled, "You probably already do...you just don't know it yet." Shadow moved again in irritation. "Hold on. De 'Vorga...I still want you at his side every minute you have available." The boy swallowed again.

"Yes, mim'da, but..." His breathing escalated.

There was a defining silence as the two stared at each other. "But what, slave," Collin asked coldly.

"Nothing, mim'da...I am yours! Whatever you wish, I do!" He was a fervent believer that Collin was God by the sound of his words. Shadow tensed.

"Then why do you keep questioning me? Do you want to be punished?"

"No, master, please! Not that..." The boy dropped to his knees nearly crying. "Don't send me away," he mouthed. "I was only worried about you, sir!"

"Worried..." Collin took the boy's face into his hands lifting it to meet his eyes. "Worried how?," he asked softly. Shadow tilted his head studying their character without sight.

"He seems old, mim'da. He has erased himself from our world, and doesn't seem to want to return! If he can use me...what is to stop him?," he whispered.

"I doubt he would do anything bad to us, Vorgas," he said calmly. "He couldn't harm me regardless. I would know if you being controlled. I promise you that," he stated firmly. "Trust me."

"Yes, mim'da, as you say," he agreed unhappily.

"Vorgas," Collin teased. "Have you ever heard of me failing at something I want? Ever..."

"No, master," he added shakily. "Not once."

"Treat him as you would treat me, De 'Vorgas. Give him whatever he asks. I want him comfortable and as happy as you can make him...I owe him that."

"You...you know him, sir..." The boy swallowed again. It seemed to be a nervous habit of his, Shadow realized.

"No...," he sighed. "But I should have. I suspect he has been badly treated in the past and decided not to get help from someone. There is no way to determine how long he has survived since it happened...as a Shadow. Unseen. Unheard. A faint illusion of the magnificence he was meant to be..." There was sadness coating every word as he spoke. Shadow stared in his direction.

"Master? If he does change..."

"Give him whatever he wants, boy," Collin seemed to be grinning as he told him. He could hear it in his voice. "No charge," he added seeing Shadow's ears swing in interest. The cat was surprised. He had already seen the goods. He could almost smell the sweet boy blushing.

He swallowed. "Yes, sir," he whispered hoarsely.

"I will put this back into my room. Take him with you if you go somewhere. You can even show him the club, if it isn't too crowded. I wouldn't want a customer to step on him," he joked dryly as he left.

"Like it is ever uncrowded, mim'da," the boy said practically laughing at the man's teasing. "So is...there...ah...somewhere you would like to go. I could get you a collar if you need one. It would be easier to follow me around that way. It would make crowds easier, too. Noone would expect you to do anything but follow blindly." Shadow didn't move. He didn't want to be seen. For once in his life, he knew people wouldn't line up to pet him...touch him. He could feel the burns still and knew the patchy fur looked vulgar and ugly. He was just a scarred, deadly animal now. Not beautiful, and friendly. Not a disinterested being that still craved attention. Just an ugly, scarred thing. He settled on the bed to get his point across. "We could stay here," De 'Vorga suggested uselessly seeing that Shadow had already made up his mind. He plopped down on the bed beside him bored. "Guess I am on a temporary vacation."

When he woke from his dozing, restless sleep. He got a serious shock. Long, pale white hair spilled around them both. He twisted in a daze seeing the white eyes watching him blankly. De 'Vorgas flinched. Shadow's skin was like burnt ashes mixed in black to white colors. The scars on his face blended into the dappled coloring obscuring them. Only his snow white hair and eyes were spotless in their purity. Shadow. He had changed. The boy wondered if he had been given the nickname long before turning into one. He blinked to adjust his eyesight to the pattens before him. They seemed to make his eyes swim. "Shadow," he whispered cautiously.

The man tilted his head slightly regarding him. He was so small, De 'Vorga thought. He couldn't be more than five foot, maybe less. It was hard to tell with him lying down. Yet undressed, he could clearly see the powerful way he was built. His tiny body was toned and muscled to perfection. Put clothing on him and you wouldn't see it until it was too late. "Can you change the color of your skin? Most of our kind like a pale shade. Something that is pink to brown. Pure black would be too obvious, but better," he suggested. "Or not."

He shifted uncomfortably. "I like it, but people will...notice...it is just not done these days." He had warned him because he couldn't see. Otherwise, he wouldn't have said anything. In his lands, people wore colors proudly. They knew they were different and enjoyed flaunting it.

Changing the subject, he thought about something else. He had noticed the cat's interest earlier. "Do you want me?" He was trying to sound casual, but he could hear the nerves in the kid's question. Did he want him to want him?, Shadow wondered. He listened feeling for the boy gently. It was in Vorga's mind that he wouldn't if he could see how plain his gift looked. He didn't know that Shadow had inadvertently caught an image of him before. A face that Shadow now carefully caught between his hands. He leaned forward slowly giving the boy time to say 'no' if he wanted.

De 'Vorgas moved into him almost eagerly, guiding his lips into Shadow easily. He sighed happy to be there when there lips touched. The stranger was slow and meticulous, kissing and touching every inch of his face and neck. He wiggled pulling Shadow over him wanting him to hurry just a little. Collin's boys rarely wore shirts or shoes, so only De 'Vorga's thin pants lay between them. So Shadow moved down to his chest unerringly. He teased and touched until the boy was jerking beneath him panting.

"Oh, please...," he begged. "It doesn't take much! You are killing me...Collin makes certain we respond to the slightest indication," he panted. "We aren't used to being seduced...Please! Please, please, please...Hurry!" Laughing, Shadow eased the boy's pants away. De 'Vorga held still tensely to keep himself from ruining it. He wanted to force the man to take him faster! When Shadow paused, he begged again. "Come back to me," he called softly waiting. Shadow looked like he was watching him, but the boy knew he couldn't. Confused, he sat up and moved his legs up under him as he knelt on the bed mimicking Shadow. He waited. Neither of them moved.

"Are you toying with me? Because...," he was breathing hard.

Shadow touched a finger to his lips stopping his words. He hadn't missed. The boy was amazed at his accuracy. Without missing a beat, the kid licked the appendage and sucked it into his mouth wantonly. Shadow closed his eyes. The boy came closer. He nearly moaned in reaction. "Why are you stopping? You can't see me..." The kid was desperate to understand. He took the hand in his own trying to seduce him with only his mouth on the man's hand. Shadow trembled finally reopening his eyes and for once wanting to see again.

"Gods! You are good...," he spoke. It startled them both to hear his voice. He hadn't meant to say anything at all.

De 'Vorga grinned. "I have to be good! I am not beautiful like the others."

Shadow tilted his head wondering at his words. "You smell like things lost in time...to me," he mumbled. "You feel perfect. Beneath my hands...Beneath my tongue." The boy shuddered leaning into him. The kid claimed the mentioned item eagerly. He let him kissing him deeply in return. He used enough skill to make the boy draw back wavering in uncertainty. "Turn around," he ordered. De 'Vorga moved to obey without hesitation. Shadow frowned. He hadn't meant to do any of this! He hadn't even meant to change. He had awakened that way. Spoken. Why? Just for this boy, he wondered. It would only get worse again. Too many of his own rules lay before him broken...without an explainable reason. De 'Vorga held perfectly still, but he bowed his head. He sensed the man's dissatisfaction and distraction plainly. He was holding his breath to slow his breathing down. The faint smell of tears was growing as he sat there.

"Why are you doing this to me?," he whispered. "What I done wrong? You want me...I know you do!" The boy turned to look at his face sadly. How many times would he be rejected for not being good enough?, he wondered. "Do you want me?," he said finally sobbing outright. Shadow frowned. He hadn't meant to hurt him.

He shrugged off his edgy mood, moving into the boy's back. He held him hugging him close about his waist. He placed little kisses along his shoulders and neck. "Shh...Calm down. You have already tempted me more than I usually allow," he soothed moving on to his jaw and ear. The boy trembled before him. "I keep trying to figure out what you have done to me. What about you draws me as nothing else has for so long." He closed his eyes inhaling into the boy's hair. He held it memorizing the scent and enjoying the feel of the boy. He memorized every little detail. He laughed at the way the kid's tears slowed with his words and actions. It was a soft chuckle of pure delight. It made the boy shake leaning back into him with a moan.

He never wanted to forget a single sensation. It had been so long since he had done this kind of thing. The feel of the bed as it dented beneath their knees, the boy's soft skin on the inside of his thighs clasping him. His firm little ass cradling him with muscles and the soft skin on his lower back teasing the very top. He rubbed his upper body against the boy's back feeling his strength and his youth both. He hugged him tight and moaned softly into the back of his hair inhaling again. The scent of dragons making him shudder. "I miss the Dragons," he sighed feeling Vorgas lean back into him harder.

"It isn't really me you want, is it?," the boy asked sounding resigned.