Unconventional

“Shifting around, just like you said.” Julian squinted into the darkness. “Like… shuffling.”

He was still naked, and for a moment my mind wandered. Even in the excitement of impending danger, I couldn’t drag my eyes away from the tight curve of his magnificent ass.

I edged over, and looked for myself. Sure enough, the figure was out there at the far end of the field. Too far to really see details, but close enough to see its shuddering, halting movement.

“That’s fucking creepy,” I whispered.

The big mason nodded in agreement. Then he stood up, walked to the bed, and began throwing on clothes.

“What are you doing?” I said in alarm.

“Going after after it.”

I grabbed his arm. “Julian, no! We don’t know who or what that is. It… it could be—”

I felt him pull away, and I suddenly was talking to air. My lover was already gone, moving with surprising swiftness. I listened to his bare feet padding down the staircase, until it was so faint I could no longer hear him.

Holy shit holy shit holy shit…

I ran back to the window, just in time to see him burst from the front of the keep. Still shirtless, Julian sprinted along the northern hedge, staying in the shadows. A dark blur of motion, against the stillness of the boxwoods.

Then he broke into the field, and poured on the speed.

The man or figure or whatever didn’t notice him right away. Julian took off like a shot, making a beeline across the grass and straight toward the intruder.

If I’d kept the landscaper on, he would’ve caught him. The grass wouldn’t be so high and thick, slowing my lover down. As it was, the intruder noticed Julian with just enough time to turn and flee. It melted quickly and easily into the treeline… and then Julian went in after it.

Oh no!

I clapped my hand over my mouth. Gasped loudly in fear and worry, as the two of them disappeared entirely from view.

Then I got a hold of myself, and let anger take over.

“Fuck this.”

I got dressed in seconds, pulling on my clothes and flying down the staircase in under a minute. I’d gone from scared to pissed. From helpless to ‘holy shit why aren’t you helping?’ in all the time it took to blink.

The front door was wide open as I flung myself outside. I crossed the courtyard and exited the gate, my eyes adjusting to the pale blue half-light.

Why the hell didn’t I grab shoes?

Everything was mud and muck, squishing beneath my bare feet with every step. The air was humid, the night thick. A thousand insects buzzed all around me, as I followed Julian’s original path along the hedge.

I broke out at about the same point he did, and headed for the edge of the trees. The field actually hurt. I could feel my feet stepping on rocks, my shins being torn by razor-grass, as I reached the spot where they’d disappeared.

“OHH!”

I nearly had a heart attack as Julian came bounding out of the woods and stopped in front of me. For once he was actually breathing heavy. His bare chest, heaving with all the exertion.

I took one hopeful look at him, but the mason shook his head.

“Whatever it was, it was too fast…” he heaved. He stopped for a moment to put his hands on his knees. “The forest… gets dense quickly. The trails… not wide enough… for…”

“Easy,” I said. “Don’t talk, just breathe.”

Julian was practically drenched in humidity and sweat. Totally naked except for his boxers. He reminded me sharply of a Tarzan movie… if Tarzan had panty-melting arm-sleeves and hot chest tattoos.

“Well at least we know one thing for sure…” he said, when he could speak again.