The gas station was finally empty. This was the first time it had been so busy after midnight since Micah started working there. He sat down behind the counter with his procedures text and found his place. He'd barely read a page when he absently glanced out the windows to the pumps and noticed a folded piece of paper. Someone had tucked it beneath the side of the register.
He reached out and picked it up, wondering if it might be instructions from the owner that the evening clerk forgot to give him. His fingers numbed at the words written and the paper fluttered to the floor.
You have one month to present yourself to me of your own free will. After that time, we will bring you back by force. JT & BT.
Although Micah knew there was no one within the store area, he jumped to his feet and looked carefully through all the aisles. When they proved empty, he sat down again and chewed nervously on his bottom lip. He hadn't noticed anyone linger without purpose, so had no clue as to who could have left the note. His grandfather had someone watching him here in Rutherford, and it could be anyone. He needed to keep a careful eye on his surroundings, to see if anyone seemed out of place. A face that kept cropping up wherever he went would give him a clue as to the identity of his stalker.
If he only knew whether his watcher was a nightwalker or not, he might be able to find him. Without the knowledge, however, it was best not to do anything right now. Perhaps his boss would let him watch the security server. His eyes would pick up anyone moving with nightwalker speed on the recording. Of course, from now on, he would be on the alert for the movement in real time as well.
His texts couldn't keep his attention for more than a few moments at a time. After half an hour, he tucked them away and paced up and down the aisles. In the morning, he would bring the note to Ryan and hope that the lab could tease a clue or a print from the paper. Reading through the note again, his eyes stopped on the signature. JT & BT. If he understood correctly, BT would be the Blake his grandfather spoke to on the phone those many years ago. Did this mean that Blake was a Taylor? Perhaps a brother to his grandfather? There was no mention of anyone named Blake in any of the papers or family histories. Was it only a coincidence that his last name began with the same letter?
Micah served two customers absently, not forgetting his smile and easy words, but his mind was elsewhere. As he watched them leave, his heart picked up its beat. Simon was here. He stood beside his car, head turned down. He took a few steps forward, paused, and then moved back to his car. Once again, he did the same thing. Finally, he squared his shoulders and marched inside.
"Simon," Micah breathed, feeling something deep inside. He desperately wanted Simon to agree to his terms. If Simon refused, Micah knew he needed to cut off all contact. He also knew that he didn't want to do it. "I'm so happy you came. I planned on calling you in the morning, one way or the other."
"I didn't know that you would want to see me. I've driven around for almost two hours, trying to gather my courage up to see you."
The soft voice washed over Micah. It made him want to melt and cry. No one who spoke with such care in his voice could be all bad. If only Simon wanted to be with him, wanted to have more than just quick encounters for feeding and sex, Micah would give almost anything. To have the chance to be with Simon, for them to be together, Micah knew he had to speak openly and honestly about his needs and expectations.
"I need to apologize to you, Simon. That first night in the club, we had an intense encounter. I think we both believed we wouldn't meet again after that night. The next time, I needed to feed and our attraction was strong. After that...after that, I should have made my feelings clear. I assumed that since we kept seeing each other, there was more between us than what there obviously was. I imposed my rules on you, insisting we eat dinner and such. I never asked what you expected, and didn't let you know that I was not comfortable with the way things were going."
"No. You told me you shouldn't feed from me so often and I completely ignored you. I didn't treat you very well during our sexual encounters and I didn't even think twice about it. I didn't consciously set out to hurt you, or use you in any way, but once you fed it's like I wasn't in control of myself anymore."
Micah chewed on his lower lip as he considered how to say what was on his mind. The best thing to do was simply come out with it, yet it seemed a little out of context. "I think we should both say what we want and expect. Perhaps what you want won't be acceptable to me, or what I want won't be acceptable to you. There is room for compromise, I suppose, but neither of us should do anything we aren't comfortable with."
Two cars of college-aged young men pulled up and there was a boisterous interruption to their discussion. Micah watched Simon carefully even as he kept a close eye on the half-drunk guys wandering about. One young man seemed intent on hitting on Micah, but he back off quickly enough with just one flash of nightwalker fangs. It amused Micah to see him hurry off to his friends, as well as the surprised looks the others sent in his direction.
There were no problems. As each young man came to pay or wait for his friends, they were quiet and careful. Micah gave them a wide smile, displaying his fangs shamelessly. He was certain that, even without the fangs, they wouldn't have done anything. Tried to hit on him, give him a little verbal annoyance, but nothing physical at all. Still, he didn't believe in taking chances.
"Did you enjoy that?" Simon asked, offering a grin. Micah laughed in answer
"I did. I don't mind a bit of banter most of the time, but sometimes it's best to let people know where they stand right off the bat."
Neither one spoke for several minutes, and Micah began to get nervous. He took his rag and carefully wiped down the counter and rearranged the displays near the register. Soon he had to go replenish the coffee machines, but it could wait a bit longer. His nerves stretched taut as he waited for Simon to speak. It was unfair of him, but he wanted Simon to make his position clear before he said anything. He needed to know where he stood and how much leeway he could give.
"I've never had any kind of relationship, or even any kind of intimacy, with a man before you," Simon said finally. He nodded at the gasp of surprise from Micah at the confession. "There was some groping once, when I was about fifteen, but I kind of pushed it from my mind a long time ago. I made it into a dream, best forgotten. We were just about to indulge in a blowjob when we heard the lady who hired us to work her yard calling for us."
"That's...wow, that's kind of amazing. I remember thinking that perhaps you were inexperienced, but dismissed it because what you did was so right."
"The first time I saw you, in the club, I wanted you. While I've always admired Pen, thought him beautiful, what I felt for you was so much more. There's no confusing the two of you in my mind. When I look at him, I feel admiration and friendship, more maybe than what I feel for other men, Ryan for example, but nothing like what I feel for you. I see you and my blood boils. I see you and I want all of you."
