Page 49 of Dark Stars
"Is that safe?"
"They won't be able to comb the entirety ofthese woods, even knowing we're somewhere between the third andfourth circles. Even with arcana, not when they're up against mine.We can afford a few hours rest."
"Should have brought more food."
"We'll manage." Certainly if it came to ithe could ask the dark for help in bringing food to them, thoughthat increased the risk of being noticed. Then again, by now thatwas almost a moot point.
They walked the next three miles withminimal breaks. When they neared the third circle, Bobby finallyfelt the presence of arcana. "I feel traps. Stay here aminute."
"Okay."
Silently requesting the dark keep himhidden, Bobby crept closer to the man-made clearing where thecircle was located.
What he tasted, as he drew closer, was yetanother relative. The Unnamed Darkness itself, one of the offspringof Azathoth. So Azathoth had his children doing the grunt work, anda thin sliver of the Unnamed Darkness's power had been given to thelittle cultists.
Well, if you were going to steal power fromthe Lord of the Flickering Lights, the Unnamed Darkness was a goodlackey to put to work. But as ever, they simply handed off a speckof power, all that humans could handle, to leave the work toothers.
Unwinding the nasty little trap actuallytook a modicum of effort. Whoever had laid this either actuallycared about their job, or several of them had hastened here to setthe trap up after the destruction of the previous circles. Morethan likely the second one, but he supposed there could be acultist flitting about who actually took pride in their work.
Well, too bad, so sad. Gonna have to tryharder than that. "Alejo, all clear."
Alejo joined him in the clearing, and justminutes later the third circle was ashes in the wind. "Let'sgo."
They walked another mile and a half beforecalling a halt. Nine miles the previous day, and nearly anothernine today. Alejo looked exhausted beyond measure, but Bobby didn'tpress him on it, knowing exactly what kind of stubborn reply he'dget.
Instead, he got their sleeping bags out, andsettled beneath a low-hanging tree, asking both it and the darknessto shroud them from view. Once that was done, he set a few discreettraps.
"Should have brought a tent," Alejomurmured. "Might have been worth the extra weight."
"Too easy to get trapped inside, harder tospot oncoming threats. If inclement weather pays a visit, I canhandle it. Though I don't smell rain, so I think we're in the clearon that front."
Despite all the walking they'd done, it wasnot quite eleven in the morning. Given they'd started at four, thatwas pretty good time all told, especially considering they'dalready walked nine miles through dense forest.
Alejo had gathered up some leafy branchesand stacked them up to make better padding for their sleeping bags,getting them well clear of the cold ground. Bobby dug food out ofhis bookbag, gave some of it to Alejo, and then wolfed the restdown.
When they were done eating, he drew Alejo tosprawl across him and curled his fingers into the nape of that softhair before giving him a lingering kiss. "Get some rest, hmm? Westill have roughly thirty miles to cover, not including any detoursand whatnot we might have to take to avoid suspicion."
"Really wish we had four wheelers orsomething right now," Alejo grumbled.
"That would be delightful."
Alejo kissed him again, and Bobby could notresist the urge to flip them over and pin him down, devour thatmouth like it was his sole chance of salvation. "Never fucked inthe woods before," he said breathlessly.
"What a travesty." Bobby mouthed at hisneck, diligently sucking up a mark, even as his hands slid down toget Alejo's jeans open. Access granted, he shoved a hand pastfabric and pulled out his cock, already hard and wet.
Tearing away from Alejo's throat, he shifteddown and licked the wet tip, smirking at the breathy groan thatimmediately gained him. Wasting no time, he swallowed Alejo downlike a monster on a mission.
"Flick!" Alejo wailed, scrabbling at hishead, gripping his hair, and after a look where Bobby silentlygranted permission, fucked his mouth with shameless abandon. It wasa quick and dirty blowjob, because this really wasn't the time orplace, but Alejo didn't seem to have any complaints. "Fuck, fuck,fuck. I'm gonna—"
Bobby took him all the way down, swallowingas Alejo spilled down his throat, until every drop was gone and hestarted to squirm from overstimulation. Pulling off gently, Bobbysat back on his heels and wiped his mouth with the back of hishand, taking in a flushed, ruffled Alejo with pleasure.
"Come he—" Alejo yawned. "Come here."
"Later," Bobby said.
Alejo pouted. "I'm not going to enjoy ablowjob like that and not—" another yawn, this one so strong hiseyes watered, and Bobby could practically hear his jaw crackingwith the effort. "Damn it."
"Get some rest," Bobby said, and he didn'teven have to use arcana to push him that last little bit. Sillyhuman.
