Page 5 of The Blood Guardian

So much had happened that evening, and yet here he was, feeling safe and secure in the arms and home of a veritable stranger. Yet he wasn't a stranger; he was the handsome man from the bar, the one who had captivated his attention. Rall was not a stranger. Nothing about him was odd or unfamiliar. He was a friend, and from the first moment of contact, he was Luke's friend in all the ways that mattered.

“May I keep this on?” he asked when Rall was about to help him off with the jacket.

“Of course.” He said immediately.

"I like the feel of this around me, and I like the smell. You smell really good, Rall."

“Thank you. You smell good too sweetheart.” Rall called him sweetheart, and Luke was suddenly feeling butterflies in his stomach. The endearment was unexpected and went right to his heart. He wanted to be Rall’s sweetheart. He wanted someone like Rall in his life caring about him, loving him but that was probably the trauma talking so he tried to tone down the excitement that was prickling through him.

“Am I your sweetheart, Rall?” So much for toning it down. He wanted to hear more.

"You are my sweetheart, my love, and my darling." Rall did not hesitate in his response.

“I like you, Rall.” Luke smiled and gathered the lapels of the jacket close snuggling into the fabric and breathing deep the heady scent.

"I'm glad to hear that." Rall pulled him close and kissed his forehead. It was a soft, brief touch, but Luke felt it to his toes. "Now, why don't you lie down and try to rest. I'll be in the living room, so if you need anything, just call out, and I will hear you." Luke was tired, and the thought of lying down was attractive, but he also didn't want Rall to leave. There was no way for him to ask Rall to stay without it sounding weird, so he simply nodded.

“Okay.” He said half heartedly.

"Make yourself at home. There is an attached bath and extra linen in the closet. I can bring you some pajamas if you'd like." Rall was a perfect host, but what Luke wanted was more than that. He wanted contact with heart and meaning, but considering the circumstances, Rall probably would not believe that he was sincere.

"I'll be fine. Thank you." Luke struggled to sound normal and okay.

"You're welcome." He kissed his forehead again and then stepped back. It looked like he was having trouble leaving, but Luke was most likely just reading his own needs into it. "If you need me, I'm not far away."

"I'll be fine," Luke repeated, but everything in him wanted to beg Rall to stay, to hold him, to make love to him, and wash away every terrible thing that had happened to him that day.

Rall's eyes traveled over Luke's body, head to toe, several times before he suddenly turned around with a curt. "Good night," he said, leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

Luke stood there staring at the door willing him to come back. He had to get hold of himself his emotions were all over the place and he didn’t want to scare Rall away. His sudden obsession with his savior was really not the healthiest of choices. Luke berated and forced himself to move over to the bed and sit down.

He slipped off his shoes and socks and took off the jeans that Rall had given him. He left on the t-shirt and Rall’s jacket and turned out the lights and got into bed. He probably should have washed up, but he was just to exhausted and the bed looked so welcoming. As soon as his body began to relax he started tensing up with the memories of the evening flooding back through his mind.

The room, the bed, and the silence started to wear on him, and he sat up, pulling Rall's jacket tight around him. He took a few deep breaths and felt the calming effect of the scent that infused the fabric. Whatever that was, he wanted to bottle it, but nothing had ever had such an instant effect before.

Listening, he heard Rall quietly moving around, and then the lights went out, and he heard him walk past his door and down the hall. Luke assumed he was going to his bedroom since it was late. He had to stop himself from calling out to him. The man deserved some rest, but Luke needed to get himself settled down. The thought of having to go back to his apartment in the morning was not a pleasant one, but it kept forcing itself to the front of Luke's mind.

His roommate Dale loved riding his last nerve and would take the incident with Adam to new heights of humiliation. They were most likely on the phone now, discussing it in detail. The more the scene played out in front of him, the more his heart began to race. He tried to lay back down and push everything unpleasant from his thoughts, but the minute he tried, the bastard from the bar popped up, and his face would not go away.

Was he so weak and pathetic looking that he was targeted? The guy assaulted him in the middle of a busy bar. He dragged him to the back and pummeled him with his fists, and then he was gone, and Rall was there. The vision of Rall busting into the room and blocking him from the view of others came to him, and relief washed over him.

Rall had helped him, protected him, and took care of him. Rall was his champion, and being near him made him feel grounded and safe. Luke looked down at his body, remembering the battering he'd endured, and was surprised to see no marks remaining. He'd bled on the floor and on his clothing, but he saw no wounds.

Luke got up, stepped into the bathroom, and looked in the mirror. His face showed no evidence of the beating he'd taken. No cuts or bruises or even redness. He checked the rest of his body, and it, too, was clear. He had no sign of injury whatsoever.

Luke kept staring, trying to figure out how he could have healed so quickly. There was still blood on his chin but no sign of where it had come from. He decided to let it go and just be happy that he wouldn't have to meet Dale looking like he'd had the shit kicked out of him. If all went well, he could possibly keep the whole Blood Rose beat down under wraps. He washed up, getting rid of the last of the blood traces, and then headed back to bed.

Once again, he lay there, unable to turn off his thoughts. Adam was still blowing up his phone, asking to meet, and trying to explain himself in ways that did not explain anything. Luke finally took his phone and blocked him from everything, and then things quieted down.

It wasn’t as big of a surprise as he thought it was when he walked in on Adam with that other man. The signs were there for weeks maybe months, but it was easier to ignore them and just carry on with life. Change was so trying and time consuming and Luke just wanted to pretend that things were not as bad as they obviously were.

He should have broken it off with him long ago back when stinging sarcasm became his go to form of endearment and when constant criticism became the norm. To be honest, Luke hadn’t been happy for a long time and this wake up call was long overdue. He wasn’t going to fight or cry about it he’d simply lick his wounds and move on.

With that thought suddenly on the forefront of his mind he again brought up the handsome, vibrant vision of Rall Smith. He held him and even kissed his forehead and, it was probably terrible for him to feel this way but, he wanted so much more from that amazing man. He fought with himself for several minutes and then he decided he had to go see him.

He wasn’t sure what he was going to say but he had to see him, have him stand close and tell him everything was going to be okay. Rall’s assurances were solid and filled Luke with a certainty he had never gotten from anyone else. He believed Rall when he spoke, and he trusted everything his said. It was probably a big mistake, but he’d made bigger ones, like Adam.

Quietly he walked down the hall to the bedroom on the left. The door was partially open and the light on. As he approached his nerves started to abandon him and he almost turned back but his desire to see Rall was too strong. Luke stood at the door and slowly pushed it the rest of the way open revealing the interior of the bedroom.

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