BlackMoonRising Read online

  It was obvious today that they still had an attraction to one another after all this time. A major attraction that they both sensed.

  As Steve walked toward home, he felt the need to shift and get some of his anxiety out. Not as an aggressive dog, although his emotions waffled between anger and despair at his situation. He headed down a side street and into an alley. A Dalmatian. Something that a fireman might want, he thought wryly as a lump formed in his throat. He took off his jacket and gym clothes and placed them next to a dumpster. Maybe someone else could find use for them. He lost a lot of clothes this way but had learned over the years that it happened from time to time. If he cared enough about certain clothes, he’d hide them and with any luck they might be there later when he returned to pick them up.

  He visualized a Dalmatian. His muscles and bones shifted throughout his body as he became a midsized, muscular white dog weighing approximately fifty pounds and standing twenty inches tall. Black spots appeared all over his body. He was on all fours and ready to run.

  Steve ran for blocks, down side streets of quiet apartment buildings and elementary schools with children out on playgrounds for recess. He was careful when he crossed roads and remained on the lookout for other dogs that might present a problem.

  Once he reached his street, he turned into the alley behind it and into the small backyard. He was out of breath and tired. At least his head was clear from the fresh, cool air. It was time for a rest and then decisions needed to be made.

  His landlord never did much to the yard of the three-apartment home where he lived. And although he had neighbors in houses on both sides, everyone minded their own business. He kept an apartment key inside a fake rock under a shrub near the garage. As he shifted back to a naked man, he quickly pulled his key out of its hiding place.

  “What do we have here?” cooed a female voice. “Is this my neighbor from the first floor? My neighbor who is obviously a shifter.”

  “Obviously.” Steve stood, but covered his genitals with his hands. The woman had long, braided black hair, wore a brown overcoat and carried a small bag of groceries. “Yes, ah, I recognize you as the woman who lives above me. I’m Steve.”

  “Nahla.” She smiled. “Nice to meet you, shifter. Although we have a chilly day for a walk, it must be even chillier to be naked.”

  “Thank goodness we have no snow. My feet would be even colder.” He laughed nervously. “Please excuse me. As you can see I’m freezing and should get inside.”

  “I planned to brew some ginseng tea once I made it home. If you’d like some to help you warm up, I can bring you a cup.”

  He shook his head yes, although he just wanted to leave. “That is very kind of you. Thanks.”

  They walked into the landing of the house together. She took the stairs to the second floor, while Steve opened the door to his apartment on the first.

  Instead of plopping into bed like he wanted to, he threw on a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt. He picked up yesterday’s shirt and socks from the living room and put them in the dirty-clothes pile on his bedroom floor. The unwashed dishes on the coffee table were thrown in with the others in the kitchen sink. He knew he was messy but so what. Rarely did he ever have company.

  He wasn’t sure if Nahla meant what she said. Taking his phone to the couch, he checked to see if there were any messages from work. There were.

  His mom had requested some kind of update today on how the search for Herman was going. He let out a breath. Not sure what to say about that one. I met him, Mom. Followed him from where he’s hiding to that gay gym I used to like in Boystown. Turns out Herman is the love of my life. I offered sex but he turned me down.

  Not sure that was what his mom wanted to hear.

  Nahla was true to her word. He heard her tap on the door moments later. After opening it, he took the warm cup of tea from her hands.

  “Thank you.” He took a sip of the fragrant beverage and it warmed his throat all the way down. “Tasty.”

  She stood in the doorway and he wasn’t sure what to do next.

  “Thank you again. I’ll bring the cup up later after I wash it.”

  She smiled. “I have what many people call a sixth sense. You see, I’m a witch. A rather good one too.”

  “Oh,” Steve stammered. He hadn’t asked for any information, but she obviously had other plans.

  “I have the power of premonition. I’m also able to sometimes sense and tap into other people’s emotions.” She breezed into his apartment and sat down on the couch.

  He nodded but felt irritated at the nerve she had to invite herself into his apartment. “Please make yourself comfortable.”

  “I’m not here to annoy you. Promise.”

  Steve sat down. It was as if she’d read his mind.

  “I’ve been on the landing right after you’ve entered your apartment. I’ve touched the mailbox after you’ve picked up your mail. I’ve felt your aura many times from living in the same building. I know you have issues.”

  “Then tell me. What will happen tomorrow?”

  She stared at him for a space of a heartbeat. “Tomorrow will be a day you will always remember.”

  He couldn’t help but laugh out loud. ”That could mean a lot of things. I’ve already had a bad day, so I guess I’ll hope for a good one.”

  Nahla stood and walked to the door. “If you ever feel like there is some way I can help you, please don’t hesitate to contact me. We have something in common. We’re different from others in normal society. I’m a witch, you’re a shifter. There are even witches who are shifters, you know.”

  “I’ve heard of that in Native American history, but never in modern Chicago”

  “Hmm. Seems like someone needs to keep an open mind.” She left his apartment and started up the stairs. “Just remember what I said.”

  “Hey, Nahla,” he hollered, “is there a cost?”

  “Of course. There is always a cost.”

  Steve closed his door and continued to drink his tea. Always a cost. Monetary? Who knew with a witch? But he would keep her advice in mind.

  Next thing on the agenda was to call his mom. He touched the number on his phone and waited for the connection.

  “Hey, Steve.”

  “What’s up, Ma?”

  “Checking in. Any news on Herman?”

  He hated like hell to lie. His mom had always been there for him. Not only after his dad had been killed, but also when puberty brought on shapeshifting and after Steve came out as gay. He was fortunate in that his mom had been there every fucking day of his life.

  So many people couldn’t say that. Families are torn apart by life events like death, divorce or a son admitting he’s gay. What a lucky guy he was to have a strong, supportive mother. She had even pushed the therapy after Herman left because she was concerned for his mental health.

  He wouldn’t lie but he couldn’t tell her everything.

  “Steve? You there?”

  “Yeah. How’s it going on your side?”

  “Herman took a large amount of money out of the bank right after his dad died. It looks as if he knew he wouldn’t be able to access his account for a while. Eric and I checked out the fire station where Herman worked. We talked to his boss and numerous co-workers. They all said the same thing. He’s a great person and firefighter. No complaints, nothing out of the ordinary with his behavior. He was supposed to cover for a co-worker on the night of his dad’s death but the co-worker changed his mind and came to work instead.”

  “Interesting.”

  “Another thing. One of his buddies mentioned that Herman thought his stepmother might be having an affair.”

  “That would be a motive.”

  “Yep. I think I’ll have Eric look into that one more. If he needs help, he’ll give you a ring. And make sure you stop by the office and finish your work from last week—I don’t want it lapsing. We have new cases coming in and your sister likes to get the old things archived quickly. You’ll need to t
ake on a couple more cases too.”

  “That’s fine, Mom. I’ll get in this afternoon and finish the cases for Suzy.”

  “Oh, yeah. Someone mentioned Herman was gay. Maybe that explains the phone number that originated from Boystown.”

  “You’re right. Herman is gay. I found out he’s been to the gym I used to frequent a few years ago.”

  “How did you get that information?”

  “I stopped in for a visit.” Steve bit his lip. He still wasn’t lying to his mother.

  “You going back?”

  “Yep. Tomorrow. Talk to you soon.”

  “Good luck. Bye.”

  Steve hung up the phone. After a quick nap, he’d get to the office and be a good employee for the rest of the afternoon. Tomorrow was going to be a big day. If Herman showed up to the gym, Steve was going to confront him with their history.

  Chapter Three

  Depressed. That was the way Herman felt today. He’d stayed up late with Mike and had a few beers, hoping they would help him sleep. Wrong. His brain and body had decided that sleep wasn’t happening. All he did was think about Gerry from the gym.

  By morning, he leaned toward the fact that Gerry might be Steve, and thought about their affair so many years ago. Their lovemaking had been passionate and powerful but Herman had messed things up. Had Steve continued to frequent the gym after all those years?

  He remembered about a scar on the upper left side of Steve’s butt that Steve had explained away as being from a camping accident as a kid. It was about two inches long and uneven. Herman was going to the gym today at the time Gerry said he would be there. If Gerry was there, Herman planned to look for that scar.

  As he ran to the gym, he was on the lookout for police cars. How quickly his life had changed. Just over a week ago, he was happy with work and his relationship with his dad. The only thing missing was a love life. Today he was in hiding and he felt as though he was going through the motions of life. The only thing to look forward to today was seeing if Gerry might be the Steve of long ago.

  It was rough not talking to any of his friends from work but he couldn’t take any chances. The ones he cared about would understand once this mess was all straightened out. Those guys knew him well enough to know he wouldn’t have considered hurting his father.

  Some of the others were strictly co-workers, without the closeness of actual friendship. Those were the people who would have no trouble giving out personal information. Throw him under the bus—or the fire engine, in his case. After all, he was a wanted fugitive. He supposed he couldn’t blame them if they did.

  He had no idea what to do next. Should he turn himself in? Maybe hire a good lawyer and hope for the best? He wasn’t going to find the real killer. He couldn’t even go to his dad’s house and look for clues.

  After arriving at the gym, he started on weights, moving his feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. There were only a few men in the gym. Two were obviously together and ready to head for the showers and the others were concentrating on their workouts.

  As soon as he finished the chest press, he saw Gerry coming through the door, pulling off his coat to reveal a tight tank top and baggy shorts. His well-shaped biceps and triceps were tantalizing. He’d love to lick their muscular definition and taste Gerry’s salty sweat all at once.

  “Morning,” murmured Herman as Gerry walked over to him.

  “Hello to you.”

  “How was your evening?”

  Gerry hesitated. “Not so good.”

  “Sorry to hear that. I had a difficult night too.”

  “I’m glad you’re here.” Gerry looked away for a moment and then back into Herman’s eyes. “I hoped to see you today.”

  Every time they glanced into each other’s eyes, Herman felt a connection.

  “I thought I was going to work out, but don’t feel like it now.” Gerry shrugged. “I’m not myself today.”

  Herman nodded. “I understand. I’m feeling a little out of sorts too.”

  “I’ll be in the shower. Feel free to join me.” Gerry gave Herman a piercing stare before he left the fitness room.

  Herman sat down on a weight bench and pondered his options. Was he up to a confrontation? That had been the plan for today. He forced himself to stand and start walking toward the showers. His heart was heavy and he felt sick to his stomach.

  Herman moved through the jungle-themed lounge, where two men watched a movie. He passed the closed green door that held the twelve-man whirlpool. By the time he walked through the locker room and over to the showers, he felt stronger. He could do this.

  There were three showers running at full force in the sizable shower area. All the curtains were closed.

  “Gerry,” he called out.

  The second shower curtain opened. “Down here.”

  Herman made the few steps. He let out a deep breath as he turned to face him.

  The water cascaded over Gerry’s body like a waterfall, powerful and beautiful. Herman was instantly mesmerized and unable to turn away. Gerry’s blond hair lay plastered wet against his handsome face. The defined muscles on his arms and chest glistened from the water and ceiling lights like stars in the sky. Herman stared at the firm six-pack of his abdominal muscles and followed the happy trail at his bellybutton down to Gerry’s hard cock, which bobbed back and forth in front of him as he moved.

  Herman felt sweat running down his chest and back. He didn’t know if it was from the steam of the water or his sexual arousal. All he could do was stare at the handsome man in front of him.

  “You like?” asked Gerry. His hand skimmed down the front of his chest to his dick. He took it in hand and slid it through.

  Instead of looking at Gerry’s shaft, Herman focused on the next step. “Turn around.”

  Gerry slowly turned around. The solid muscles in his calves and thighs. The curve of his luscious butt.

  The moment of truth.

  Herman looked at the upper left side of his butt and saw it. The scar had faded even more over the years but it was there. This man was Steve, his lost love. Part of him felt anger at the deception but Herman knew he shouldn’t judge, as he’d been dishonest too.

  “How you been, Steve? I’ve missed you.”

  Steve didn’t flinch, but turned off the water. “Guess it wasn’t difficult for either one of us to recognize the other, even though we’ve changed physically.”

  “Even with your blond hair and increased muscle tone, I thought you might be Steve. I couldn’t stop thinking about you last night. It made me remember our time together.”

  “Five years ago. Next question. Why did you leave me without an explanation? I didn’t even know your name. Was I dumped for someone else?”

  “Not at all.” Herman shook his head. “There wasn’t anybody. I had family issues.”

  “Family issues?”

  “Yeah. It had nothing to do with us. It was all about my relationship with my dad. We hadn’t talked in a long time and he wanted to patch up things at the same time me and you were meeting. He was ill and needed care and I couldn’t say no. Did you still come here regularly after all these years?” Herman couldn’t help but leave out an important part. The part about him being scared. He wasn’t ready to go there with Steve.

  “No. After about a month of visiting the gym and constantly looking for you, I gave up. Having a few anonymous hookups with those fleeting moments of happiness didn’t help. I only wanted you.”

  “I’m sorry. It wasn’t supposed to be that way.”

  “It tore me up.” Steve shrugged. “I didn’t know if you were living or dead or just were tired of fucking me. Between dreaming of you and having a recurring nightmare about another problem of mine, I’m surprised I ever get any sleep.”

  “Again, I apologize for my behavior. I didn’t mean for it to be that way.” Herman hated not telling Steve the complete truth.

  Steve nodded. “I’ll think about what you said.” He stroked his dick.

&
nbsp; “Don’t do that, please.”

  “Why?” Steve’s eyes widened. “Do I still excite you?”

  “You know you do.”

  Steve tilted his head but didn’t smile. “Then watch this.”

  “No. Don’t.” But Herman couldn’t move. His feet felt like they were stuck in cement.

  Steve lathered his hands with soap and closed one hand around his shaft. He slid his rod up and down inside his fist, from base to hilt, slowly at first. Herman stared at the wonder of how Steve’s muscles moved as he handled himself. The biceps of his arm bulged, his abdominals retracted, his pelvis pulsed back and forth to an imaginary beat. The cock head would disappear and suddenly reappear from his fist, driving Herman wild with desire.

  As Steve increased the pace, Herman couldn’t turn away. He stared at the curvature, the thickness, the beauty of this man’s hard-on as he fucked his fist. It took all Herman’s resolve not to drop to his knees and take Steve’s dick into his mouth. He wanted to make love to it with every bit of his being. Steve moved his hand faster and every time Herman glanced into his eyes, Steve stared back at him. It took only moments before Steve shouted as he came. He moaned loudly as his cock pulsated with his orgasm, his hand not leaving it until he milked every drop of his come onto the shower floor.

  Herman could barely stand. He felt weak and exhausted by the emotion of what had happened. “I have to go.”

  Steve let out a breath. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that. It wasn’t nice.”

  Herman wiped the sweat from his forehead. “It was actually very nice.”

  “As you can see, I still want you.”

  “I’ll be here tomorrow. Same time if you can make it.”

  Steve nodded.

  As Herman turned and forced himself to leave, he heard the water turn back on. There was no way he could run to the apartment. He could barely walk.

  * * * * *

  The next day they threw their clothes into a locker the minute they got to the gym and in moments they were in a private hot shower together. Muscular chests and hard cocks pressed against each other as the water rained down. It was glorious and Herman felt his dick twitch with excitement. Rough hands slid over wet skin, exploring the strength underneath. Fingers touched nipples and skimmed stiff erections as they became familiar with each other’s bodies once again.