Fic: See You in the Dark | Part 3 of 3
Title: See You in the Dark
Type: AU
Rating: R
Characters/Pairings: Kris Allen | Adam Lambert
Warnings Strong language | violence
In case you need them again:
Part I | Part II
~*~*~*~*~
Vox Populi
Santa Monica | Water Gardens Office Complex
The PacSun pack’s lieutenants, Damon Pepper and Paxton Meyers, were giants of men, from their height to stature to their serious, sunglass-clad, unsmiling faces. They stood a good six inches taller than even the tallest of soldiers in any wolf pack. Even toughened Bureau agents were in awe, staring and gawking like little kids looking up at professional basketball players. The women in the office were gawking for completely different reason…the two men looked like they stepped off the covers of romance novels.
Adam leaned over and whispered to one of the office assistants, “Sweetie, do you need a tissue, you’re drooling.”
She turned to him and blushed, but whispered back furiously, “Adam, look at them. How are they real?”
Chuckling, Adam patted her shoulder and followed Anoop up the stairs, as they swiftly ushered the lieutenants into a conference room and closed the blinds on the glass windows, ensuring they had privacy. Only when coffee and water were placed in the middle of the table and the door was securely shut, did Damon and Paxton remove their sunglasses and relax.
“Damon, Paxton, thanks for coming in,” Anoop said. He went around the table and hugged them tight. “Hate to think of all the shit we’d have to lug over to your compound for this meeting.”
Adam waited until Anoop pulled away before approaching the men with hugs of his own.
“Good to see you guys again,” Adam said smiling. “Though, I think we need to warn the women in the office next time.”
Damon shook his head, his dark hair falling into his eyes, as he stepped back to give Adam a once-over. “You’re an ass,” he laughed, pulling him into another hug.
“Good thing he likes dick, otherwise I’d doubt you like him as much since you’d be competing with him for the girls,” Paxton said with a grin. He opened his arms and enveloped Adam in a bear hug, “What’s up with you Lambert?”
“Same old shit, Meyers. You’re looking good, finally getting some?”
“Fuck off, Lambert,” Paxton said shoving Adam away.
“Hate to break-up this love fest, boys, but we got work to do,” Anoop interrupted. He stood between Paxton and Damon and turned them to the other people in the conference room. “Paxton, Damon, meet the rest of our team.” Anoop pointed to the end of the table, “That’s Cale,” Cale waved in greeting. “And that’s Kris,” Kris smiled and nodded. “You’ve already met the rest of the peanut gallery that work with Adam and me.”
The two lieutenants nodded and took their seats as Anoop handed out files to everyone. The room was silent except the flipping of papers as they caught up.
Adam took the time to gaze at Kris who was in deep discussion with Cale. Cale glanced over, knowing someone was watching and gave Adam a wink before turning back to their conversation, at which time Kris realized Adam was looking at him. His head ducked quickly before Adam could get a read of what he was thinking.
As Damon and Paxton took Anoop aside, pointing out things in the reports, Adam thought back to the weekend, how holding Kris in his arms again overwhelmed him to the point that he thought he could be happy again…which he didn’t think was possible. After more tears and clumsy grabbing, because Adam didn’t want to let go, they lay in each other’s arms on one of the over-sized cushions, Kris still wrapped in his arms.
“Kris,” Anoop called out. “Come here for a minute.”
Adam watched as Kris got up from the chair and made his way to the other side of the room. Cale took the opportunity to move seats and take the spot next to Adam.
“Hey,” Cale said.
“Hey yourself,” Adam replied, still staring at Kris.
Cale tilted his chin to where Kris was standing, “Kris seems better, you two okay now?”
This made Adam snap his head around and face Cale, “What?”
Cale smirked, “He crawled home with the sun yesterday, and it’s not like he’s got anywhere else to be.” He paused at Adam’s questioning look. “I live across hall, dude, and I was working out when I heard him try to shut that creaky door quietly. That hallway echoes pretty badly.” He studied Adam’s face, and dropped his voice, “He’ll stay if you ask, with you, here. He just needs to know that you want him to.”
**
Kris knew Adam was staring at him, but he tried to ignore it and focus on the questions being asked in their corner of the room.
“You the Kris Allen that lived with the BlackRiver pack in New Orleans?” Damon inquired.
Nodding, he answered, “Six months. Then Cale and I spent eight months with the StormOverland pack in Laramie.”
“And three months in Vermont with the HalfMoon pack, right?” Paxton asked.
“You guys seem to know all about where I’ve been, so what’s with the questions?”
Damon shrugged unapologetically, “Had to make sure. Sarver and our Alpha, Robert, had a short talk the other day; we did some research on the two folks we weren’t familiar with. You got a few nice notches on your belt.”
Kris crossed his arms, “I had good people around me. Can’t do this alone.”
“True,” Damon said. “But, from what I can tell, ‘Gruesome Foursome’ hasn’t been together for at least five years. What broke you guys up?”
“Hey, come on,” Anoop said interrupting. “We need to focus. Kris got the photos the other day, recognize him?”
Silently thanking Anoop, Kris walked to the monitor and pulled up the pictures from his phone, enlarged to fit screen. He felt the two men freeze behind him at the images.
“Shit, it is him,” Paxton whispered. “I was hoping…”
Damon’s face hardened as the folder in his hand warped as he tightened his grip at the photos of Kevin Burton. He turned to Kris and Anoop, “You can get him?”
“Yeah,” Kris answered resolutely. “If you can give us any insight…”
“That won’t be a problem,” Damon said. He headed back to the table and everyone grabbed a chair.
Kris didn’t realize where he sat until he felt Adam’s arm brush his as he reached over to grab a pen. He held his breath until Adam sat back in his seat and tried to concentrate on the words Damon and Paxton were saying.
“…bad relationship towards the end. We don’t know exactly know what happened, but there was a power struggle, a fight which Robert won, and Kevin and his group were banned, which ended up being pretty much the entire western hemisphere after the other Alphas heard about it,” Damon was explaining.
Paxton jumped in, “Kevin’s always been toxic, but his mom had a hold on him. After she died, there was no one to keep control of him, restrain him.”
Something…something…Kris focused on the timeline Damon, Paxton and Anoop had put together earlier. Something was there and his brain was pushing him to look at the lieutenants’ timeline and the one of the murders. He gathered the sheets of paper and went up to the whiteboard, oblivious to the sudden silence, not caring at the sudden disruption he caused.
“What is it, Kris?” Anoop asked rising to stand next to him.
“Give me a minute.”
Scribbling out what his mind was putting together, the whiteboard was quickly filled with words and photos, a jumble of scrawls and notes that tied in the information that Paxton and Damon provided and the times and locations of every victim of the last few weeks. As he finished putting everything together, he felt the press of everyone behind him, their collective breaths held in wonder and dread.
“Shit,” Adam said from behind him. “We have a couple of weeks. No wonder there was no visible pattern. It was personal.”
Alibi
Mar Vista| Pacific Ave.
After days of coordinating the strike effort with Damon and Paxton, Kris was finally kicked out of the BPI offices under threat of being left behind and manning the monitors in the truck. With the understanding of how the rogue, Kevin Burton, was working, they had another week before he would attack again. Kris had put together a rough pattern and it was what they were working from. It wasn’t a logical pattern, but one that made sense once they got the whole picture from the lieutenants.
Kris forced his legs to move, to climb up the stairs on two feet instead of giving in and crawling up with the assistance of his hands.
“You know,” a voice traveled down the stairwell. “You’re amazingly brilliant most of the time, but you really are kind of an idiot.”
Kris stopped and leaned against the rails to stay upright. “So I’ve been told.”
“You’ve been up for days.”
Kris snorted, “Everyone has, including you.” He pushed himself away from the rail and climbed the remaining steps up. “What are you doing here Adam?”
“Checking up on you.”
Stepping around Adam’s seated form in front of his door, Kris pulled out his key. “I’m fine, mother. As you can see, I’m safe and sound, just a little tired, so you can leave.”
“You’re not fine,” Adam said standing up. He wrapped his hand around Kris’s, helping ease the key into the door’s deadbolt lock. “You can’t even get inside.”
“That’s rich coming from you,” Kris breathed out. “You were sitting here like a bum. What? Couldn’t break in?”
This time Adam snorted, “A petty thief could break into this hovel. It’s not even a challenge, therefore it wouldn’t have been fun, so why bother?” He twisted the key and shoved the door open. “After you,” he said and waved his hand in a flourish.
Stepping inside, Kris immediately dropped his jacket and bag onto the floor. Kicking his shoes off, he padded to the sofa and flopped onto it face-first.
“When’s the last time you ate?” Adam asked as he picked up after him and ran his hand against the wall for a light switch. The small overhead light lit up a small path so Adam could see the living room space, just in time to notice Kris wave an arm weakly and mumble something into a cushion.
Kris heard Adam step into the small apartment, putting things away. He assumed Adam had hung the jacket and bag onto the hooks on the wall. The darkness around him receded as Adam switched on the floor lamp, then he heard the slide of the patio door open, bringing with it a cool breeze that filled the room. Another set of lights brightened the room even more and noise came from the kitchen.
“You’ve got nothing in your kitchen.”
Kris flipped himself over, squinted at the brightness of the room and sighed, “Go away Adam. I want to sleep.”
He was unnerved at having Adam in his…space. It wasn’t his home, temporary housing from the Bureau, but still, it was weird having him here. He stretched out his left arm and leg to hang off the sofa, hand grazing the cold glass of coffee table while his sock-clad foot slid against the hardwood floor. Kris was tired, but all the synapses in his body were going off, each nerve-ending sparking to life. Biting his lip, he was trying to find the words to make Adam leave, and Adam needed to leave before Kris did something…stupid.
“Go take a shower,” Adam called out. “I’ll call for take-out and make some tea. Then we need to talk.”
Throwing an arm over his eyes, Kris shook his head, “You want to talk. Now.”
“You left the other morning before I got up,” Adam said walking out of the kitchen with a couple of mugs. “There wasn’t any other time, so why not now?”
Kris felt the sofa dip where Adam sat on the end by his feet. “Because I’m tired. The other night,” he paused. “I shouldn’t have…can we do this another night? Maybe after all this is over? I don’t have the energy for it.”
And, if Kris was to admit to the truth, he didn’t have the emotional strength for it. If the other night was any indication, Kris was weak. Having Adam’s arms around him, lying on the giant cushion on the floor, Adam’s warm breath on his neck, Kris felt like nothing had changed, like no time had passed by. They stopped talking and crying after a while and, neither of them said anything more. Instead, they wrapped themselves in each other’s arms, Adam burying his head against Kris’s chest, and that’s how they fell asleep. Kris slept soundly for the first time in five years.
As the first light of dawn flitted through the seams of the heavy drapes, Kris had gotten up and started to caress Adam’s face with the tips of his fingers. He had been careful not to wake him, but after a few stolen moments, he had rearranged Adam’s arms and legs, found a blanket to cover him with, pressed a small kiss to his lips and walked out.
Adam got off the couch at the sound of the kettle whistling; Kris sat up and rubbed his eyes, squinting as Adam walked back out with a steaming kettle and potholder.
“Here,” Adam said pouring the water into the mugs. “Drink.”
“You’re not going to leave, are you?”
“Eventually, but not now.”
**
After paying the delivery guy, Adam took the bags into the kitchen and set them on the counter. He pulled a couple of plates from the cupboard and utensils from the drawer, and tore a few paper towels from the roll after failing to find napkins. He heard the shower shut off and set more water to boil to refresh their tea.
At the sound of Kris shuffling from bathroom to bedroom, Adam removed the cartons from the plastic bags, sticking the chopsticks and serving spoons into the various cartons and set out the plates. Grabbing the tea mugs from the living room, he freshened up the tea and set it on the table. He quirked his lips, but decided against putting the out the candles he found hidden in a drawer. While waiting for Kris to come out of the bedroom, he took his tea and went out onto the balcony and stared at the moon.
“Nice view, huh?” Kris asked joining Adam outside. “Personally, the amazing wood shingle rooftops and the chipped painted buildings break up what could be an appalling and dreadful ocean view.”
Adam shook his head and smiled as he looked over at Kris who was leaning over the metal rails, his own mug of tea in his hands. “If you look at it just right, you can see the romance of the tips of the trees with the moon.”
Kris tilted his head, “I can see what you mean, close an eye and tilt your head about 30 degrees, then bend back on your right leg.”
Laughing, Adam put his arm around Kris’s shoulder and placed a light kiss at his temple, “Come on, dork, dinner’s getting cold.”
They ate while reviewing what was turning out to be the plan to put an end to the madness that gripped Los Angeles. Adam washed as Kris dried and put the dishes away. As Adam continued to clean the kitchen for something to do, Kris sat down at the table and sipped his tea. He was watching him, Adam could feel it. He tried to catch Kris’s eyes, but couldn’t time it to meet them back, as Kris averted them each and every time.
“Uh, thanks for dinner and for checking up on me,” Kris said, killing the awkward silence.
Adam returned to the table and twisted the chair around, sitting on it backwards and crossed his arms along its back, and placing his chin on his wrist. “You feeling better?”
“A little, yeah, and once I get some sleep, I should be good to go and back to the office tomorrow night,” Kris said. He finally looked at Adam, the delicate skin around his large brown eyes darkened with exhaustion. “What about you?”
“Lot of adrenaline right now, but I’m sure once it’s over, I’ll crash for a week.”
“I see that in all of our futures,” Kris said tiredly. He got up from his chair and walked back to the couch. Grabbing the blanket and huddling underneath it, he sat down heavily. “You wanted to talk?”
Adam inhaled deeply and nodded. “Did you bring that from home?” he asked, knowing he was trying to kill time.
Kris smiled fondly petting it, “Yeah, mama would kill me if I didn’t bring it on each trip.” He looked up and locked his eyes on Adam’s. “So…”
“Um, yeah…Are you…uh. What are you…” He moved out of his own chair and took the mugs back into the kitchen. After placing them into the sink, he gripped the counter to figure out what he wanted to ask. He walked around the corner to see Kris huddled into the corner of the sofa, idling picking at the loose strings of the blanket.
“What do you want, Adam?”
Sitting next to him, Adam asked, “Are you…are you planning on transferring here?” He crossed his legs, brushing them over Kris’s thigh. “Staying here? In LA?”
Adam held his breath when Kris reached over to clasp his hands, their rough, calloused fingers rubbing against each other. He started to blush as he followed Kris’s eyes roaming over his face, and looked down, afraid of what Kris might see in his eyes…the want and desperation that never went away.
“Would you want me to?” Kris inquired softly as he tangled their fingers together.
Staring down at their hands, Adam nodded, “Actually, yeah, I would.”
“Why?”
“I…” Adam flinched at the sudden tightening of Kris’s fingers around his. He took a deep breath and brought their wrapped hands to his lips. Placing a tentative kiss on Kris’s knuckles, Adam breathed out, “Will you stay?” He locked his eyes on Kris’s, measuring his reaction to his next set of words. “I want you here…with me.”
Search and Destroy
Sherman Oaks | Sepulveda Dam Recreation Area
The rush of water pounding over tons of concrete created a loud roar over the quiet of the man-made lake. The nasally honks and squawks of birds from the basin’s wildlife preserve echoed over the streaks of oranges, violets and grays of setting sun. A family of ducks created small waves, the only creatures in the area as agents from BPI had cleared the park area from picnicking families and the afternoon joggers from the dirt path.
Mike Sarver’s voice cut in, low and strong, “Everyone report in.”
Static, then a click, “Vector one is clear,” a voice reported in.
“Vector two is covered and clear.”
“All quiet in three.”
“Four and five are good.”
“Keep an eye out,” Mike said. “This Kevin is going to find it weird that no one is around, he’s not dumb and the second he feels something is off, he’s going to bolt. We don’t have hearing or the sense of smell like the wolves, and without the pack soldiers with us on this, we’re going to have to rely on weapons and instinct, so be alert.”
Adam checked his weapons again; the weight of the guns, extra ammunition and carving knives wrapped around his body a soothing source of calm for him. He went through his meditation routine, enfolding his mind in a relaxed state that would allow him to focus. This needed to end. It seemed like a lot just to take down these rogues, but they had found out that Kevin had recruited more than a dozen loners in the last couple of months with promises of money and power once a new pack structure had been set. As far as Adam was concerned, they wouldn’t have the chance to cash in on those empty promises.
This morning, he woke up feeling nauseated, nerves frazzled like nothing he’d felt before. The morning gloom finally dissipated in the late afternoon as they spread out to cover their quadrants, the setting sun and its colors finally breaking through the clouds and gray. He needed to be with Kris, see him in order to compose himself and take the tension and stress away, but he was taken away as soon as he stepped foot into the compound to review the plan.
Adam hadn’t seen him all day, and his skin was ready to burst. It took everything he had not to move to where Kris was located. Getting ready for this assignment didn’t help, as anxiety was at an all-time high among everyone. They knew the rogue wolves would approach the area separately; it was a matter getting to them first.
Three whistles flew through the air, signaling their approach, the presence of the malevolent wolves silencing even the wildlife in the area.
Closing his eyes and throwing a quick prayer up to all the higher beings in the universe to protect him and all his friends, Adam readied himself. He lowered his goggles and edged along the ground to get into position. Identifying the locations of Anoop, Cale and Kris, Adam waited for the sign that would launch them all and surround Kevin and his group.
Death was imminent for them; there would be no negotiating, no mercy.
**
Kris was barely able to contain his adrenaline. After tonight it would be over. All this time to hunt these creatures down; and it came down to this…tonight. Robert had officially sanctioned the kills, not that it had mattered because all rogues were killed, but because the Alpha had approved them, none of the other werewolves from PacSun or neighboring packs could or would interfere.
He patted himself down quickly and silently, double-checking the extra blades at his thighs, the katana sword at his back. He knew the other agents had guns, nine millimeters, Glocks, high-powered rifles, but he trusted the unbending steel of his knives; knew they wouldn’t jam up on him or miss the intended target.
Hearing the whistle, he tightening the straps of his goggles and got ready to move when the signal came. He studied the area carefully, pinpointing the spots where his friends were. The others would take care of the secondary wolves, but he would be the one to take this rogue down.
The first scream of pain came as the sniper’s bullet struck, missing its intended target, instead tearing through flesh. A deafening roar was followed by a hail of bullets, but Kevin was too fast, too lithe-bodied to stand still and take the assault. The other agents had underestimated this creature’s strength and prowess. Kris examined the scene and scuttled from his spot, knowing he was covered.
Kevin was standing over his fallen friend and howling at the sky in half wolf, half human form. The second body was riddled with holes, dark red blood trickling out in small gushes as the dying body struggled, the blood mixing with the grass and dirt. Kris took the opportunity to pull out his sword and rushed the beast, arms raised for a strike.
Only to miss.
Kris’s sword nicked the fleshy part of Kevin’s shoulder as the rogue turned around in the blink of an eye. Claws struck out and clashed with the metal of his blade, causing Kris to reel back from the impact. He pulled back and lunged again, this time finding his target, swiping his sword down across the chest. Blood spurted out from the gash, spraying out and hitting his face.
“Hold back! Cease your fire!” Mike bellowed into everyone’s ears. “Go down there and help him out! Get him out of there!”
Kevin tripped backwards and snarled. He crouched low and sprung off the ground with no momentum, grabbing Kris across the waist and throwing him to the ground. Kris’s sword dropped from his grip at the crash and slid out of reach. They rolled and tumbled a few yards before Kris was able to grasp the handle of kukri knife that was belted around his thigh. Angry and incensed eyes bore into his, as a jaw full of wicked sharp teeth came at his throat, Kris twisted around kicked up.
Teeth missed his jugular by inches, but Kris screamed as teeth sank into his collarbone. He continued to squirm and kick, trying to find room where he could maneuver his arm and grab pull blade out of its sheathe. Kris was yanked up, huge hairy arms pinning his own to his body. With the move, he was able to grip the handle of the kukri, and with the other, he rotated his wrist at an awkward angle to grab hold of the tanto knife. He curled and bent his body trying to wriggle out of the tight clutch with no affect. Using the heel of his boot, he heaved his leg back and made contact. He was dropped as Kevin spun around.
Holding his knives out in each hand, Kris stooped low to the ground, barely able to settle himself on his feet when Kevin heaved himself forward, arm out with claws extended.
**
Adam’s scream tore through the night air as he watched with horror as Kevin’s claws came down on Kris’s body, Kris unable to move out of the way. His knives were arched up and made contact at the same time.
Blood. There was so much blood.
Another round of bullets riddled the prone werewolf body to ensure its death while Adam skidded to a stop and pulled Kris to him, his hands pressing down to stop the flow of blood. His hands moved everywhere over Kris, trying to figure out where to put down the most pressure. Kris had too many cuts and gashes where blood was pouring out of, Adam’s mind couldn’t decide.
“You goddamn motherfucking idiot,” Adam whispered. “Why did you go in like that? We had him.” Adam looked around and yelled out for the medic.
Anoop and Cale were the next to reach them, shirtsleeve and patches of fabric being torn off to stem the blood flow.
Cale stood and shouted for the ambulance.
“Stay with me you asshole…you’re not allowed to do this to me,” Adam said furiously. “Kris, you dumbshit, stay with me.”
Kris’s hands opened, his sticky, blood-drenched grip on the knives slackened, making them roll to the ground.
Echelon
Westwood | UCLA Medical Center
Kris came awake with a lurch, his spine bowing off the bed, but the rest of his body unmoving, feeling heavy and tied down. Pain wracked his body as he tried to turn it. Panicked threatened to overtake him, so he closed his eyes and focused on his breathing, calming his heartbeat and breathing until he could hear the beep of the monitor again and the loud buzz in his head dissipated.
He opened his eyes again, listening to the steady beep of the heart monitor. Moving his head, he saw the endless lines of wires and tubes wrapped around his body, white bandages peeking out from his hospital gown and from beneath the thin sheets that covered him. Hospital. He was in a room at the hospital, a curtain separating him from the other beds, even though it sounded like he was alone. His corner was filled with flowers and stuffed animals, but, he eyed the chair next to the dark window, it was empty.
Disappointment washed over him.
The next time Kris opened his eyes, he was in a different room, the early morning sun creeping in through the slats of the blinds on the large window. He was smothered with kisses and little touches on his ankles and elbows, the only parts of his body that weren’t covered in bandages or wrapped in gauze dressing. Family. His family was here.
Nurses and doctors were in and out of his room all morning and afternoon. “…were very lucky, just missed your femoral artery, otherwise you would have bled out,” one of the doctors was saying.
Kris was hearing the words the two doctors at the foot of his bed were spouting, one going on about his injuries, the other about how lucky he was to be alive, but he wasn’t listening. Cale was by his side, Anoop standing in the corner, listening intently. Kris didn’t have to look around to know Adam wasn’t here.
He struggled to talk, to tell everyone to get out. His scratchy throat was making sounds that were uncomfortable, even to his own ears. The annoying high-pitched buzz that threatened to make his brain burst had finally gone away, only to be replaced by the infuriating sound of monitoring machines.
A nurse held a plastic cup with straw to his lips, and he drank the juice slowly, letting it moisten his mouth and throat, a groan of relief escaping his mouth. Leaning back, the nurse took the cup away, and he motioned with his hand for them to all go away. He needed to be alone. Smiling with understanding, the nurse quickly emptied the room boldly lying that he needed his rest. He’d have to find out her name and buy her a basket of goodies as thanks.
“He’s been wanting to come,” Anoop said calmly.
Kris opened his eyes, realizing late that Anoop never left the room, his spot in the corner hiding him.
“Why isn’t he here?” Kris croaked out.
“He’s…recovering.”
“How hurt…hurt is he?” Kris asked panic filling his voice. He reached over for the plastic cup to sooth his sore throat. “Can…can I see him? What room is he in?”
“He’s not in the hospital,” Anoop said pushing off the wall and coming to stand next to the bed. “We took him to a private facility. He’s being taken care of, Robert is making sure of it.”
“Why…” Kris cleared his throat and took another sip. “Why is the Alpha involved? Where is he?” He grimaced as he tried to sit up. “I want to see him.”
Gently, Anoop pushed him back down onto the bed with a steady hand. “Lie back down, idiot. You tear those stitches again, you’ll be in here longer. And let’s not forget about all the physical therapy you still need to go through.”
“What happened to him, ‘Noop?”
“You’re not asking what happened to you?”
“I was there; I think I have a pretty good idea of what happened.”
“Captain Sarcasm is back,” Anoop chuckled. “I guess you are feeling better.”
“You going to tell me or not?”
Anoop turned his back as if he was about to leave.
“Anoop! For fuck’s sake,” Kris grunted out as he grabbed his abdomen. “Tell me.”
“Jesus, Allen, I’m just grabbing a chair,” Anoop scolded. He lifted the chair and set it down next to the bed. “I’ve been on my feet all fucking day, can I sit if we’re going to chat?”
Kris rolled his eyes, “Fine. Mr. Smart Ass is still lurking, so I guess you’re fine.”
Anoop made a show of checking himself from head to toe and slowly turned around before sitting, “Not a scratch on me.”
“Goodie for you.”
“Whatever, I’m not the one laid up in a hospital bed recovering from giant gashes on my shoulder and thighs or healing a broken clavicle and ribs, oh and let’s not forget that you spilled your guts, literally.”
“I’m fine,” Kris huffed out.
“Obviously those knocks to the head fucked up your brain, too.”
“How long have I been here?”
“Three weeks. Medically induced coma for a week, you were so fucked up.”
Kris paused, then, “Damn.” He looked at Anoop, “What aren’t you telling me?”
Anoop’s dark gaze bored into Kris. “When are you leaving LA?”
“What?”
“I overheard Director Caldwell and your parents discussing moving you to Little Rock as soon as the doctors give the okay for you to travel. They’re looking up therapists and making arrangements for doctors to oversee your recovery.”
“I…I haven’t…”
“Because if you are planning to leave,” Anoop interrupted, leaning back in the chair, “I need to know when so I can get him good and plastered before I break the news to him. And,” he blew out a breath, “he can’t hear it from anyone else.”
“I’m not leaving,” Kris stated resolutely. “I…I haven’t decided on anything, but I’m not leaving. At least not yet.”
Anoop sat back and said nothing. He crossed his hands behind his head and threw his feet onto the edge of the bed. “Okay.”
“Okay.”
Savior
Thousand Oaks| Morrison Ranch
“Adam, you have to eat something,” Mike said blocking the door.
“I have to get to the hospital,” Adam growled as he paced the entryway with his crutches. “He’s alone and probably freaking out.”
“Our people are with him, agents are guarding the door, we’re keeping an eye out for him,” Mike replied calmly. “His family is here, Cale and Anoop are with him.”
“But, I’m not with him,” Adam shouted, fist pounding his chest. “I need to be there.”
“You need to get better.”
“I am better!”
“Getting out of the wheelchair and being barely able to stand for five minutes on crutches is not better,” Mike retorted as he leaned against the door. “And even after I leave, you won’t be able to get two feet outside the door, Robert’s soldiers are all along the property under strict orders not to let you leave until he says so.”
“What the hell, Mike?” Adam questioned. “None of my bones are broken, the bruises are just about gone. Fuck, I’ve been hurt worse before. Why aren’t I in the hospital if it’s that bad? I swear to god, if Anoop is trying to…”
“It was my call.”
Adam stopped his pacing and stared at his boss, his friend. “Why?”
“Do you remember what happened? Do you know how long you’ve been here? Do you know where here is?” Mike asked crossing his arms and staring at him.
Adam was about to reply when he felt his legs give out on him and he crumpled to the floor. “Dammit!” was the last thing he heard before he blacked out.
**
Kris stood over Adam’s bed, watching him as he slept the sleep of the truly exhausted. He cupped Adam’s face and smiled when he turned into it.
“He’s really okay?” Kris asked, voice soft.
Mike nodded, “Yeah, doctors say he’s fine.”
“But? There’s a ‘but’ in there.”
Mike shrugged, “Just a lot of theories and speculation, but the healers think it was a mental breakdown. His mind just broke.”
“Because of me.”
“Not necessarily.”
“I can see it in your eyes, Mike.”
Mike motioned for him to join him outside. Kris bent down and placed a kiss on Adam’s lips and swore he saw the semblance of a soft smile. Taking his crutches, he hobbled out into the hallway and followed Mike into another room.
“Sit,” Mike ordered.
Kris laid his crutches against the side of the chair and carefully sat down, “Tell me.”
Mike sighed, “I don’t know the history between you two, and Cale and Anoop have been keeping their mouths shut. The most I got out of them was that it’s ‘complicated’.” He used his fingers to put quotes around the word. Watching Kris with an unwavering stare, Mike continued, “Our docs say he’s fine physically, but he was brought here on Anoop’s recommendation. He thought the pack healers would be able to help more.”
“Okay.”
“He’s getting better, they just think he needs more time.”
“Without me. Away from me.”
“Fuck, Kris!” Mike said pacing the room. “I don’t know.” He stopped in front of a desk. “I’m getting different information every other day. He’s one of my best agents and a damn good friend. I don’t know what happened or how to fix it.”
“You have your theories though.”
“Yeah, I do,” he said glaring at Kris now. “Like I said, I don’t know what kind of relationship,” he sneered, “the two of you had or have, but I know that since you got here, he’s been off his game. He hasn’t been the same.”
Kris stated quietly, “I guess asking for a permanent transfer is out of the question right now.”
“I don’t think it would be a good idea,” Mike replied.
Kris looked up, “What are the healers saying? I’ve lived with different packs over the years and know how they work.”
Mike sighed and threw up his hands, “One is saying that you need to be here, that Adam needs to feel your presence in order to get better. The other one is making noise that you need to not be around, that you being here is slowing the healing process down. Robert says it’s my call, and I don’t know enough about it to make a decision one way or another. I trust our docs, and they’re at a loss.”
“What’s your gut tell you, Mike?” Kris demanded. He stood up and grabbed his crutches, making his way over to where Mike stood and faced the angry man. “What do you want to happen?”
“I think he needs his space. You need to leave.”
Closer to the Edge
Chino | Oranco Bowman Archery Range
Kris powered on the three fans the minute he stepped inside the trailer. The aluminum siding drew in the harsh Inland Empire sun like the cow shit around the property did flies. He opened the windows hoping the searing heat within his temporary home would cool down faster and circulate before the weighted stench of the manure from the dairy farms got stuck inside.
After a few heated arguments with his parents, they conceded in their relentless badgering and left him alone to stay in the LA area to finish his physical therapy. Even though he was employed by BPI, Kris knew he couldn’t stay in the LA office. Not wanting to go back to Little Rock or Atlanta, he took a temporary leave of absence. The apartment was still his to use until he made a decision, but he needed to get away until things had settled. Instead, his father’s cousin’s friend offered him this trailer in a small town about an hour east of LA. The trailer sat on the edge of the archery range where he could practice and workout without interference. It would give him a chance to hone his shooting skills and get his head together.
Director Caldwell made no secret of wanting him back, and Mike gave no indication as to which direction he’d go with the status of his transfer.
Cale and Anoop had been out to visit, giving him sporadic updates on Adam’s well-being. Adam was back at work, but he was benched to desk duty until the pack healers cleared him. They shook their heads when Kris probed deeper.
Taking out a cold soda, Kris went outside and sat on the wood bench underneath the awning of the trailer, waiting for the fans to work their magic. The smog was a thick gray layer that hid the base of the mountains to the north of him, allowing people to only see the tan and brown dried vegetation and the green tops of swaying palm trees. Moving his hand up to hide the smog, it was a gorgeous site. He dropped his hand and finished off the soda. Stretching, he decided to go inside and take a nap. His life was awesome…awesomely yawn-inducing and boring, but at least he was alive and healthy.
As he was about step into the trailer, the sound of tires on gravel stopped him. Anoop and Cale weren’t scheduled to visit for another week, and no one else knew where he was. Thinking it might be his temporary landlord, he turned the corner to greet him.
The black SUV’s tires kicked up dirt and rock, making dust rain over the bottom half of the formerly shiny and clean Tahoe. Kris wrinkled his brows trying to place the SUV and wondered at who it would belong to amongst his friends, which was a pathetically short list.
Kris shaded his eyes with his hand and headed towards the vehicle, then was stopped in his tracks as a familiar shape jumped out of it.
“Adam,” he whispered.
“Hey,” Adam said walking towards him.
“What are you doing here?”
Adam’s step stuttered, as a look of hurt came over his face.
“Shit,” Kris muttered. More loudly, he said, “Sorry, um, that didn’t come out right.” He smiled, “Hey.” Kris went up to him and grabbed his arm. “Uh, come on, I was heading inside, it’s too hot out here.”
**
Adam sat uncomfortably on a plastic chair behind a small wobbly metal table that looked as if it would break as soon as something was set on it. He kept his hands on his lap and watched Kris as he pulled out a couple of cold sodas from a refrigerator smaller than him.
It took him two weeks of nagging and begging to get information from Cale and Anoop. In the end, it was Matt who provided him with an exact location. Since he didn’t have work, Adam decided to make the trek out to see Kris. What he didn’t expect was a trailer in the middle of nowhere, sandwiched between a giant dairy farm, an odd park and golf course.
“Here,” Kris said handing him a soda and took the seat across from him. “It should cool you off some.”
“What are you doing here?”
Kris played with the can of the soda and shrugged, “Just getting back to nature and working on my shooting skills. The range is right up the way. It was an Olympic venue.”
“Why not stay in LA to do all that? I mean, you had use of the complex, the apartment.”
“Needed to decompress,” Kris answered. He looked up to see Adam watching him. “Missed being in a small town, being from one myself. The big city thing and all those people…”
“Shut up,” Adam interrupted. “Mike told me.”
“Told you what?”
“That you should leave. Leave me.”
“Adam,” Kris started to say.
“But you didn’t,” Adam stood up and turned around to look at the trailer. He laughed, “Really? You couldn’t find a hotel room or a nice apartment?” He shook his head, “Whatever.” He took a step until he stood over Kris and bent down, arms bracing the back of the chair. “You didn’t leave. Why?”
Kris leaned his head back to gaze at Adam, eyes moving over his face. “I couldn’t,” he whispered. He reached up and took hold of Adam’s neck in a possessive gesture. “You needed to get better. I needed to wait until I could see you, know that you were better. Until then, I couldn’t leave.”
Adam moved his arms and pulled Kris’s body up to his. Kris closed his eyes at the contact and tightened his clasp on Adam’s neck, “I’m glad.”
“Are you better?” Kris asked softly.
“I am now.”
“Good,” Kris replied, closing the distance between them and took Adam’s lips.
100 Suns
Riverside| Mission Inn
Dinner is at eight. Dress appropriately and don’t be late.
Kris smiled at the memory of the note as he finished buttoning up his shirt. Grabbing his jacket, he checked his pockets for the key and left the hotel room.
As he walked from his room, he slowed down to enjoy the architecture of the Mission Inn. Elaborate green wrought iron bordered the circular staircase leading to pale marble flights of steps; blood-red tiles with sun-dried streaks lined the walkways of the giant rotunda that hid archways that extended out to various hallways of the property. Kris gazed down, taking in everything before heading downstairs.
He made his way outside, his shoes clicking on the giant clay tiles, passing potted shrubs and azalea plants that lined the footpath towards the restaurant. Tiny lights were strung along the low-hanging roof edges and giant candles lit the corridor, the scent of citrus in the air. Kris smiled pleasantly at the couples who walked by him, and nodded to the staff as he continued to stroll leisurely.
Adam was standing at the entrance of the restaurant, hands in his pockets, rolling on his feet while orange and pink lights were shining on him like spotlights.
“This is a hell of a place to drive out to just for dinner,” he said as he wrapped his arms around Adam’s waist.
“You clean up nice,” Adam said smiling, then leaned down to kiss him, “It’s your birthday weekend.”
Kris pushed up on his toes to kiss him back, “Still could have done something in LA. I would’ve been okay with a drink at Matt’s bar.”
Adam pulled away and held Kris’s hand, “It’s your birthday, not happy hour, why would we do something so tacky?” They went inside, but bypassed the hostess table.
Kris frowned, “Where are we going? Do you already know where we’re sitting?”
“Stop being a pain, come on,” Adam said with a small yank to his hand.
They stopped in front of a closed door. Kris tried to lean back to see through the stain-glass windows. “Private room, Adam? Really?”
Adam moved him in front of him and put his hand on the handle. “Behave.” Opening the door, Adam pushed him inside, stepped behind him and placed hands on his shoulders.
The shouts of “Happy Birthday!” and “Surprise!” greeted him. Kris stood frozen in the doorway, Adam at his back, shocked at the faces in the room. He turned around in Adam’s arms, “What did you do? What’s going on?”
“Happy Birthday, Kris,” Adam whispered and kissed his forehead.
“Kris, baby, come give me a hug!” his mom scolded as she pulled him out of Adam’s embrace for a giant hug. “Happy birthday, sweetie.”
A hard thud on his back, he turned to see his father and brother squeezing in for a hug. “Happy birthday, son.” They separated a few inches before his father patted him on the back again, “We’re going to miss you, but congratulations. It’s a great opportunity.”
“Wait, congrats? What congrats? What are you congratulating me for?”
Mike approached him with a smile on his face. He held out his hand, “Your transfer to the Southwest Region of BPI is official. Welcome to the team, Kris.”
Kris shook his hand, trying to piece everything together. He laughed as Anoop and Cale took turns hugging him and lifting him off his feet.
“Gruesome Foursome is back in business, buddy,” Cale snickered, as he and Anoop pounded their shoulders and fists and laughed.
“That’s a ridiculously awful name,” Adam said as he hugged Kris from behind. “We need to come up with something better.”
“It’s perfect,” Anoop said, giving them both kisses on the cheek. “BPI is gonna regret this forever.”
Kris turned in Adam’s hold and laid his head down on his chest, arms wrapped around his waist under his jacket. “Thank you.”
Adam squeezed him and kissed his temple, “You’re okay with this, right? Moving to LA?”
Nodding against Adam’s shoulder, “I’m totally okay with this.” He leaned his head back and gazed into Adam’s eyes, “I love you.”
Adam’s fingers moved up and traced the features of Kris’s face, “I love you, too.”
*
the.end
*
Type: AU
Rating: R
Characters/Pairings: Kris Allen | Adam Lambert
Warnings Strong language | violence
In case you need them again:
Part I | Part II
~*~*~*~*~
Vox Populi
Santa Monica | Water Gardens Office Complex
The PacSun pack’s lieutenants, Damon Pepper and Paxton Meyers, were giants of men, from their height to stature to their serious, sunglass-clad, unsmiling faces. They stood a good six inches taller than even the tallest of soldiers in any wolf pack. Even toughened Bureau agents were in awe, staring and gawking like little kids looking up at professional basketball players. The women in the office were gawking for completely different reason…the two men looked like they stepped off the covers of romance novels.
Adam leaned over and whispered to one of the office assistants, “Sweetie, do you need a tissue, you’re drooling.”
She turned to him and blushed, but whispered back furiously, “Adam, look at them. How are they real?”
Chuckling, Adam patted her shoulder and followed Anoop up the stairs, as they swiftly ushered the lieutenants into a conference room and closed the blinds on the glass windows, ensuring they had privacy. Only when coffee and water were placed in the middle of the table and the door was securely shut, did Damon and Paxton remove their sunglasses and relax.
“Damon, Paxton, thanks for coming in,” Anoop said. He went around the table and hugged them tight. “Hate to think of all the shit we’d have to lug over to your compound for this meeting.”
Adam waited until Anoop pulled away before approaching the men with hugs of his own.
“Good to see you guys again,” Adam said smiling. “Though, I think we need to warn the women in the office next time.”
Damon shook his head, his dark hair falling into his eyes, as he stepped back to give Adam a once-over. “You’re an ass,” he laughed, pulling him into another hug.
“Good thing he likes dick, otherwise I’d doubt you like him as much since you’d be competing with him for the girls,” Paxton said with a grin. He opened his arms and enveloped Adam in a bear hug, “What’s up with you Lambert?”
“Same old shit, Meyers. You’re looking good, finally getting some?”
“Fuck off, Lambert,” Paxton said shoving Adam away.
“Hate to break-up this love fest, boys, but we got work to do,” Anoop interrupted. He stood between Paxton and Damon and turned them to the other people in the conference room. “Paxton, Damon, meet the rest of our team.” Anoop pointed to the end of the table, “That’s Cale,” Cale waved in greeting. “And that’s Kris,” Kris smiled and nodded. “You’ve already met the rest of the peanut gallery that work with Adam and me.”
The two lieutenants nodded and took their seats as Anoop handed out files to everyone. The room was silent except the flipping of papers as they caught up.
Adam took the time to gaze at Kris who was in deep discussion with Cale. Cale glanced over, knowing someone was watching and gave Adam a wink before turning back to their conversation, at which time Kris realized Adam was looking at him. His head ducked quickly before Adam could get a read of what he was thinking.
As Damon and Paxton took Anoop aside, pointing out things in the reports, Adam thought back to the weekend, how holding Kris in his arms again overwhelmed him to the point that he thought he could be happy again…which he didn’t think was possible. After more tears and clumsy grabbing, because Adam didn’t want to let go, they lay in each other’s arms on one of the over-sized cushions, Kris still wrapped in his arms.
“Kris,” Anoop called out. “Come here for a minute.”
Adam watched as Kris got up from the chair and made his way to the other side of the room. Cale took the opportunity to move seats and take the spot next to Adam.
“Hey,” Cale said.
“Hey yourself,” Adam replied, still staring at Kris.
Cale tilted his chin to where Kris was standing, “Kris seems better, you two okay now?”
This made Adam snap his head around and face Cale, “What?”
Cale smirked, “He crawled home with the sun yesterday, and it’s not like he’s got anywhere else to be.” He paused at Adam’s questioning look. “I live across hall, dude, and I was working out when I heard him try to shut that creaky door quietly. That hallway echoes pretty badly.” He studied Adam’s face, and dropped his voice, “He’ll stay if you ask, with you, here. He just needs to know that you want him to.”
**
Kris knew Adam was staring at him, but he tried to ignore it and focus on the questions being asked in their corner of the room.
“You the Kris Allen that lived with the BlackRiver pack in New Orleans?” Damon inquired.
Nodding, he answered, “Six months. Then Cale and I spent eight months with the StormOverland pack in Laramie.”
“And three months in Vermont with the HalfMoon pack, right?” Paxton asked.
“You guys seem to know all about where I’ve been, so what’s with the questions?”
Damon shrugged unapologetically, “Had to make sure. Sarver and our Alpha, Robert, had a short talk the other day; we did some research on the two folks we weren’t familiar with. You got a few nice notches on your belt.”
Kris crossed his arms, “I had good people around me. Can’t do this alone.”
“True,” Damon said. “But, from what I can tell, ‘Gruesome Foursome’ hasn’t been together for at least five years. What broke you guys up?”
“Hey, come on,” Anoop said interrupting. “We need to focus. Kris got the photos the other day, recognize him?”
Silently thanking Anoop, Kris walked to the monitor and pulled up the pictures from his phone, enlarged to fit screen. He felt the two men freeze behind him at the images.
“Shit, it is him,” Paxton whispered. “I was hoping…”
Damon’s face hardened as the folder in his hand warped as he tightened his grip at the photos of Kevin Burton. He turned to Kris and Anoop, “You can get him?”
“Yeah,” Kris answered resolutely. “If you can give us any insight…”
“That won’t be a problem,” Damon said. He headed back to the table and everyone grabbed a chair.
Kris didn’t realize where he sat until he felt Adam’s arm brush his as he reached over to grab a pen. He held his breath until Adam sat back in his seat and tried to concentrate on the words Damon and Paxton were saying.
“…bad relationship towards the end. We don’t know exactly know what happened, but there was a power struggle, a fight which Robert won, and Kevin and his group were banned, which ended up being pretty much the entire western hemisphere after the other Alphas heard about it,” Damon was explaining.
Paxton jumped in, “Kevin’s always been toxic, but his mom had a hold on him. After she died, there was no one to keep control of him, restrain him.”
Something…something…Kris focused on the timeline Damon, Paxton and Anoop had put together earlier. Something was there and his brain was pushing him to look at the lieutenants’ timeline and the one of the murders. He gathered the sheets of paper and went up to the whiteboard, oblivious to the sudden silence, not caring at the sudden disruption he caused.
“What is it, Kris?” Anoop asked rising to stand next to him.
“Give me a minute.”
Scribbling out what his mind was putting together, the whiteboard was quickly filled with words and photos, a jumble of scrawls and notes that tied in the information that Paxton and Damon provided and the times and locations of every victim of the last few weeks. As he finished putting everything together, he felt the press of everyone behind him, their collective breaths held in wonder and dread.
“Shit,” Adam said from behind him. “We have a couple of weeks. No wonder there was no visible pattern. It was personal.”
Alibi
Mar Vista| Pacific Ave.
After days of coordinating the strike effort with Damon and Paxton, Kris was finally kicked out of the BPI offices under threat of being left behind and manning the monitors in the truck. With the understanding of how the rogue, Kevin Burton, was working, they had another week before he would attack again. Kris had put together a rough pattern and it was what they were working from. It wasn’t a logical pattern, but one that made sense once they got the whole picture from the lieutenants.
Kris forced his legs to move, to climb up the stairs on two feet instead of giving in and crawling up with the assistance of his hands.
“You know,” a voice traveled down the stairwell. “You’re amazingly brilliant most of the time, but you really are kind of an idiot.”
Kris stopped and leaned against the rails to stay upright. “So I’ve been told.”
“You’ve been up for days.”
Kris snorted, “Everyone has, including you.” He pushed himself away from the rail and climbed the remaining steps up. “What are you doing here Adam?”
“Checking up on you.”
Stepping around Adam’s seated form in front of his door, Kris pulled out his key. “I’m fine, mother. As you can see, I’m safe and sound, just a little tired, so you can leave.”
“You’re not fine,” Adam said standing up. He wrapped his hand around Kris’s, helping ease the key into the door’s deadbolt lock. “You can’t even get inside.”
“That’s rich coming from you,” Kris breathed out. “You were sitting here like a bum. What? Couldn’t break in?”
This time Adam snorted, “A petty thief could break into this hovel. It’s not even a challenge, therefore it wouldn’t have been fun, so why bother?” He twisted the key and shoved the door open. “After you,” he said and waved his hand in a flourish.
Stepping inside, Kris immediately dropped his jacket and bag onto the floor. Kicking his shoes off, he padded to the sofa and flopped onto it face-first.
“When’s the last time you ate?” Adam asked as he picked up after him and ran his hand against the wall for a light switch. The small overhead light lit up a small path so Adam could see the living room space, just in time to notice Kris wave an arm weakly and mumble something into a cushion.
Kris heard Adam step into the small apartment, putting things away. He assumed Adam had hung the jacket and bag onto the hooks on the wall. The darkness around him receded as Adam switched on the floor lamp, then he heard the slide of the patio door open, bringing with it a cool breeze that filled the room. Another set of lights brightened the room even more and noise came from the kitchen.
“You’ve got nothing in your kitchen.”
Kris flipped himself over, squinted at the brightness of the room and sighed, “Go away Adam. I want to sleep.”
He was unnerved at having Adam in his…space. It wasn’t his home, temporary housing from the Bureau, but still, it was weird having him here. He stretched out his left arm and leg to hang off the sofa, hand grazing the cold glass of coffee table while his sock-clad foot slid against the hardwood floor. Kris was tired, but all the synapses in his body were going off, each nerve-ending sparking to life. Biting his lip, he was trying to find the words to make Adam leave, and Adam needed to leave before Kris did something…stupid.
“Go take a shower,” Adam called out. “I’ll call for take-out and make some tea. Then we need to talk.”
Throwing an arm over his eyes, Kris shook his head, “You want to talk. Now.”
“You left the other morning before I got up,” Adam said walking out of the kitchen with a couple of mugs. “There wasn’t any other time, so why not now?”
Kris felt the sofa dip where Adam sat on the end by his feet. “Because I’m tired. The other night,” he paused. “I shouldn’t have…can we do this another night? Maybe after all this is over? I don’t have the energy for it.”
And, if Kris was to admit to the truth, he didn’t have the emotional strength for it. If the other night was any indication, Kris was weak. Having Adam’s arms around him, lying on the giant cushion on the floor, Adam’s warm breath on his neck, Kris felt like nothing had changed, like no time had passed by. They stopped talking and crying after a while and, neither of them said anything more. Instead, they wrapped themselves in each other’s arms, Adam burying his head against Kris’s chest, and that’s how they fell asleep. Kris slept soundly for the first time in five years.
As the first light of dawn flitted through the seams of the heavy drapes, Kris had gotten up and started to caress Adam’s face with the tips of his fingers. He had been careful not to wake him, but after a few stolen moments, he had rearranged Adam’s arms and legs, found a blanket to cover him with, pressed a small kiss to his lips and walked out.
Adam got off the couch at the sound of the kettle whistling; Kris sat up and rubbed his eyes, squinting as Adam walked back out with a steaming kettle and potholder.
“Here,” Adam said pouring the water into the mugs. “Drink.”
“You’re not going to leave, are you?”
“Eventually, but not now.”
**
After paying the delivery guy, Adam took the bags into the kitchen and set them on the counter. He pulled a couple of plates from the cupboard and utensils from the drawer, and tore a few paper towels from the roll after failing to find napkins. He heard the shower shut off and set more water to boil to refresh their tea.
At the sound of Kris shuffling from bathroom to bedroom, Adam removed the cartons from the plastic bags, sticking the chopsticks and serving spoons into the various cartons and set out the plates. Grabbing the tea mugs from the living room, he freshened up the tea and set it on the table. He quirked his lips, but decided against putting the out the candles he found hidden in a drawer. While waiting for Kris to come out of the bedroom, he took his tea and went out onto the balcony and stared at the moon.
“Nice view, huh?” Kris asked joining Adam outside. “Personally, the amazing wood shingle rooftops and the chipped painted buildings break up what could be an appalling and dreadful ocean view.”
Adam shook his head and smiled as he looked over at Kris who was leaning over the metal rails, his own mug of tea in his hands. “If you look at it just right, you can see the romance of the tips of the trees with the moon.”
Kris tilted his head, “I can see what you mean, close an eye and tilt your head about 30 degrees, then bend back on your right leg.”
Laughing, Adam put his arm around Kris’s shoulder and placed a light kiss at his temple, “Come on, dork, dinner’s getting cold.”
They ate while reviewing what was turning out to be the plan to put an end to the madness that gripped Los Angeles. Adam washed as Kris dried and put the dishes away. As Adam continued to clean the kitchen for something to do, Kris sat down at the table and sipped his tea. He was watching him, Adam could feel it. He tried to catch Kris’s eyes, but couldn’t time it to meet them back, as Kris averted them each and every time.
“Uh, thanks for dinner and for checking up on me,” Kris said, killing the awkward silence.
Adam returned to the table and twisted the chair around, sitting on it backwards and crossed his arms along its back, and placing his chin on his wrist. “You feeling better?”
“A little, yeah, and once I get some sleep, I should be good to go and back to the office tomorrow night,” Kris said. He finally looked at Adam, the delicate skin around his large brown eyes darkened with exhaustion. “What about you?”
“Lot of adrenaline right now, but I’m sure once it’s over, I’ll crash for a week.”
“I see that in all of our futures,” Kris said tiredly. He got up from his chair and walked back to the couch. Grabbing the blanket and huddling underneath it, he sat down heavily. “You wanted to talk?”
Adam inhaled deeply and nodded. “Did you bring that from home?” he asked, knowing he was trying to kill time.
Kris smiled fondly petting it, “Yeah, mama would kill me if I didn’t bring it on each trip.” He looked up and locked his eyes on Adam’s. “So…”
“Um, yeah…Are you…uh. What are you…” He moved out of his own chair and took the mugs back into the kitchen. After placing them into the sink, he gripped the counter to figure out what he wanted to ask. He walked around the corner to see Kris huddled into the corner of the sofa, idling picking at the loose strings of the blanket.
“What do you want, Adam?”
Sitting next to him, Adam asked, “Are you…are you planning on transferring here?” He crossed his legs, brushing them over Kris’s thigh. “Staying here? In LA?”
Adam held his breath when Kris reached over to clasp his hands, their rough, calloused fingers rubbing against each other. He started to blush as he followed Kris’s eyes roaming over his face, and looked down, afraid of what Kris might see in his eyes…the want and desperation that never went away.
“Would you want me to?” Kris inquired softly as he tangled their fingers together.
Staring down at their hands, Adam nodded, “Actually, yeah, I would.”
“Why?”
“I…” Adam flinched at the sudden tightening of Kris’s fingers around his. He took a deep breath and brought their wrapped hands to his lips. Placing a tentative kiss on Kris’s knuckles, Adam breathed out, “Will you stay?” He locked his eyes on Kris’s, measuring his reaction to his next set of words. “I want you here…with me.”
Search and Destroy
Sherman Oaks | Sepulveda Dam Recreation Area
The rush of water pounding over tons of concrete created a loud roar over the quiet of the man-made lake. The nasally honks and squawks of birds from the basin’s wildlife preserve echoed over the streaks of oranges, violets and grays of setting sun. A family of ducks created small waves, the only creatures in the area as agents from BPI had cleared the park area from picnicking families and the afternoon joggers from the dirt path.
Mike Sarver’s voice cut in, low and strong, “Everyone report in.”
Static, then a click, “Vector one is clear,” a voice reported in.
“Vector two is covered and clear.”
“All quiet in three.”
“Four and five are good.”
“Keep an eye out,” Mike said. “This Kevin is going to find it weird that no one is around, he’s not dumb and the second he feels something is off, he’s going to bolt. We don’t have hearing or the sense of smell like the wolves, and without the pack soldiers with us on this, we’re going to have to rely on weapons and instinct, so be alert.”
Adam checked his weapons again; the weight of the guns, extra ammunition and carving knives wrapped around his body a soothing source of calm for him. He went through his meditation routine, enfolding his mind in a relaxed state that would allow him to focus. This needed to end. It seemed like a lot just to take down these rogues, but they had found out that Kevin had recruited more than a dozen loners in the last couple of months with promises of money and power once a new pack structure had been set. As far as Adam was concerned, they wouldn’t have the chance to cash in on those empty promises.
This morning, he woke up feeling nauseated, nerves frazzled like nothing he’d felt before. The morning gloom finally dissipated in the late afternoon as they spread out to cover their quadrants, the setting sun and its colors finally breaking through the clouds and gray. He needed to be with Kris, see him in order to compose himself and take the tension and stress away, but he was taken away as soon as he stepped foot into the compound to review the plan.
Adam hadn’t seen him all day, and his skin was ready to burst. It took everything he had not to move to where Kris was located. Getting ready for this assignment didn’t help, as anxiety was at an all-time high among everyone. They knew the rogue wolves would approach the area separately; it was a matter getting to them first.
Three whistles flew through the air, signaling their approach, the presence of the malevolent wolves silencing even the wildlife in the area.
Closing his eyes and throwing a quick prayer up to all the higher beings in the universe to protect him and all his friends, Adam readied himself. He lowered his goggles and edged along the ground to get into position. Identifying the locations of Anoop, Cale and Kris, Adam waited for the sign that would launch them all and surround Kevin and his group.
Death was imminent for them; there would be no negotiating, no mercy.
**
Kris was barely able to contain his adrenaline. After tonight it would be over. All this time to hunt these creatures down; and it came down to this…tonight. Robert had officially sanctioned the kills, not that it had mattered because all rogues were killed, but because the Alpha had approved them, none of the other werewolves from PacSun or neighboring packs could or would interfere.
He patted himself down quickly and silently, double-checking the extra blades at his thighs, the katana sword at his back. He knew the other agents had guns, nine millimeters, Glocks, high-powered rifles, but he trusted the unbending steel of his knives; knew they wouldn’t jam up on him or miss the intended target.
Hearing the whistle, he tightening the straps of his goggles and got ready to move when the signal came. He studied the area carefully, pinpointing the spots where his friends were. The others would take care of the secondary wolves, but he would be the one to take this rogue down.
The first scream of pain came as the sniper’s bullet struck, missing its intended target, instead tearing through flesh. A deafening roar was followed by a hail of bullets, but Kevin was too fast, too lithe-bodied to stand still and take the assault. The other agents had underestimated this creature’s strength and prowess. Kris examined the scene and scuttled from his spot, knowing he was covered.
Kevin was standing over his fallen friend and howling at the sky in half wolf, half human form. The second body was riddled with holes, dark red blood trickling out in small gushes as the dying body struggled, the blood mixing with the grass and dirt. Kris took the opportunity to pull out his sword and rushed the beast, arms raised for a strike.
Only to miss.
Kris’s sword nicked the fleshy part of Kevin’s shoulder as the rogue turned around in the blink of an eye. Claws struck out and clashed with the metal of his blade, causing Kris to reel back from the impact. He pulled back and lunged again, this time finding his target, swiping his sword down across the chest. Blood spurted out from the gash, spraying out and hitting his face.
“Hold back! Cease your fire!” Mike bellowed into everyone’s ears. “Go down there and help him out! Get him out of there!”
Kevin tripped backwards and snarled. He crouched low and sprung off the ground with no momentum, grabbing Kris across the waist and throwing him to the ground. Kris’s sword dropped from his grip at the crash and slid out of reach. They rolled and tumbled a few yards before Kris was able to grasp the handle of kukri knife that was belted around his thigh. Angry and incensed eyes bore into his, as a jaw full of wicked sharp teeth came at his throat, Kris twisted around kicked up.
Teeth missed his jugular by inches, but Kris screamed as teeth sank into his collarbone. He continued to squirm and kick, trying to find room where he could maneuver his arm and grab pull blade out of its sheathe. Kris was yanked up, huge hairy arms pinning his own to his body. With the move, he was able to grip the handle of the kukri, and with the other, he rotated his wrist at an awkward angle to grab hold of the tanto knife. He curled and bent his body trying to wriggle out of the tight clutch with no affect. Using the heel of his boot, he heaved his leg back and made contact. He was dropped as Kevin spun around.
Holding his knives out in each hand, Kris stooped low to the ground, barely able to settle himself on his feet when Kevin heaved himself forward, arm out with claws extended.
**
Adam’s scream tore through the night air as he watched with horror as Kevin’s claws came down on Kris’s body, Kris unable to move out of the way. His knives were arched up and made contact at the same time.
Blood. There was so much blood.
Another round of bullets riddled the prone werewolf body to ensure its death while Adam skidded to a stop and pulled Kris to him, his hands pressing down to stop the flow of blood. His hands moved everywhere over Kris, trying to figure out where to put down the most pressure. Kris had too many cuts and gashes where blood was pouring out of, Adam’s mind couldn’t decide.
“You goddamn motherfucking idiot,” Adam whispered. “Why did you go in like that? We had him.” Adam looked around and yelled out for the medic.
Anoop and Cale were the next to reach them, shirtsleeve and patches of fabric being torn off to stem the blood flow.
Cale stood and shouted for the ambulance.
“Stay with me you asshole…you’re not allowed to do this to me,” Adam said furiously. “Kris, you dumbshit, stay with me.”
Kris’s hands opened, his sticky, blood-drenched grip on the knives slackened, making them roll to the ground.
Echelon
Westwood | UCLA Medical Center
Kris came awake with a lurch, his spine bowing off the bed, but the rest of his body unmoving, feeling heavy and tied down. Pain wracked his body as he tried to turn it. Panicked threatened to overtake him, so he closed his eyes and focused on his breathing, calming his heartbeat and breathing until he could hear the beep of the monitor again and the loud buzz in his head dissipated.
He opened his eyes again, listening to the steady beep of the heart monitor. Moving his head, he saw the endless lines of wires and tubes wrapped around his body, white bandages peeking out from his hospital gown and from beneath the thin sheets that covered him. Hospital. He was in a room at the hospital, a curtain separating him from the other beds, even though it sounded like he was alone. His corner was filled with flowers and stuffed animals, but, he eyed the chair next to the dark window, it was empty.
Disappointment washed over him.
The next time Kris opened his eyes, he was in a different room, the early morning sun creeping in through the slats of the blinds on the large window. He was smothered with kisses and little touches on his ankles and elbows, the only parts of his body that weren’t covered in bandages or wrapped in gauze dressing. Family. His family was here.
Nurses and doctors were in and out of his room all morning and afternoon. “…were very lucky, just missed your femoral artery, otherwise you would have bled out,” one of the doctors was saying.
Kris was hearing the words the two doctors at the foot of his bed were spouting, one going on about his injuries, the other about how lucky he was to be alive, but he wasn’t listening. Cale was by his side, Anoop standing in the corner, listening intently. Kris didn’t have to look around to know Adam wasn’t here.
He struggled to talk, to tell everyone to get out. His scratchy throat was making sounds that were uncomfortable, even to his own ears. The annoying high-pitched buzz that threatened to make his brain burst had finally gone away, only to be replaced by the infuriating sound of monitoring machines.
A nurse held a plastic cup with straw to his lips, and he drank the juice slowly, letting it moisten his mouth and throat, a groan of relief escaping his mouth. Leaning back, the nurse took the cup away, and he motioned with his hand for them to all go away. He needed to be alone. Smiling with understanding, the nurse quickly emptied the room boldly lying that he needed his rest. He’d have to find out her name and buy her a basket of goodies as thanks.
“He’s been wanting to come,” Anoop said calmly.
Kris opened his eyes, realizing late that Anoop never left the room, his spot in the corner hiding him.
“Why isn’t he here?” Kris croaked out.
“He’s…recovering.”
“How hurt…hurt is he?” Kris asked panic filling his voice. He reached over for the plastic cup to sooth his sore throat. “Can…can I see him? What room is he in?”
“He’s not in the hospital,” Anoop said pushing off the wall and coming to stand next to the bed. “We took him to a private facility. He’s being taken care of, Robert is making sure of it.”
“Why…” Kris cleared his throat and took another sip. “Why is the Alpha involved? Where is he?” He grimaced as he tried to sit up. “I want to see him.”
Gently, Anoop pushed him back down onto the bed with a steady hand. “Lie back down, idiot. You tear those stitches again, you’ll be in here longer. And let’s not forget about all the physical therapy you still need to go through.”
“What happened to him, ‘Noop?”
“You’re not asking what happened to you?”
“I was there; I think I have a pretty good idea of what happened.”
“Captain Sarcasm is back,” Anoop chuckled. “I guess you are feeling better.”
“You going to tell me or not?”
Anoop turned his back as if he was about to leave.
“Anoop! For fuck’s sake,” Kris grunted out as he grabbed his abdomen. “Tell me.”
“Jesus, Allen, I’m just grabbing a chair,” Anoop scolded. He lifted the chair and set it down next to the bed. “I’ve been on my feet all fucking day, can I sit if we’re going to chat?”
Kris rolled his eyes, “Fine. Mr. Smart Ass is still lurking, so I guess you’re fine.”
Anoop made a show of checking himself from head to toe and slowly turned around before sitting, “Not a scratch on me.”
“Goodie for you.”
“Whatever, I’m not the one laid up in a hospital bed recovering from giant gashes on my shoulder and thighs or healing a broken clavicle and ribs, oh and let’s not forget that you spilled your guts, literally.”
“I’m fine,” Kris huffed out.
“Obviously those knocks to the head fucked up your brain, too.”
“How long have I been here?”
“Three weeks. Medically induced coma for a week, you were so fucked up.”
Kris paused, then, “Damn.” He looked at Anoop, “What aren’t you telling me?”
Anoop’s dark gaze bored into Kris. “When are you leaving LA?”
“What?”
“I overheard Director Caldwell and your parents discussing moving you to Little Rock as soon as the doctors give the okay for you to travel. They’re looking up therapists and making arrangements for doctors to oversee your recovery.”
“I…I haven’t…”
“Because if you are planning to leave,” Anoop interrupted, leaning back in the chair, “I need to know when so I can get him good and plastered before I break the news to him. And,” he blew out a breath, “he can’t hear it from anyone else.”
“I’m not leaving,” Kris stated resolutely. “I…I haven’t decided on anything, but I’m not leaving. At least not yet.”
Anoop sat back and said nothing. He crossed his hands behind his head and threw his feet onto the edge of the bed. “Okay.”
“Okay.”
Savior
Thousand Oaks| Morrison Ranch
“Adam, you have to eat something,” Mike said blocking the door.
“I have to get to the hospital,” Adam growled as he paced the entryway with his crutches. “He’s alone and probably freaking out.”
“Our people are with him, agents are guarding the door, we’re keeping an eye out for him,” Mike replied calmly. “His family is here, Cale and Anoop are with him.”
“But, I’m not with him,” Adam shouted, fist pounding his chest. “I need to be there.”
“You need to get better.”
“I am better!”
“Getting out of the wheelchair and being barely able to stand for five minutes on crutches is not better,” Mike retorted as he leaned against the door. “And even after I leave, you won’t be able to get two feet outside the door, Robert’s soldiers are all along the property under strict orders not to let you leave until he says so.”
“What the hell, Mike?” Adam questioned. “None of my bones are broken, the bruises are just about gone. Fuck, I’ve been hurt worse before. Why aren’t I in the hospital if it’s that bad? I swear to god, if Anoop is trying to…”
“It was my call.”
Adam stopped his pacing and stared at his boss, his friend. “Why?”
“Do you remember what happened? Do you know how long you’ve been here? Do you know where here is?” Mike asked crossing his arms and staring at him.
Adam was about to reply when he felt his legs give out on him and he crumpled to the floor. “Dammit!” was the last thing he heard before he blacked out.
**
Kris stood over Adam’s bed, watching him as he slept the sleep of the truly exhausted. He cupped Adam’s face and smiled when he turned into it.
“He’s really okay?” Kris asked, voice soft.
Mike nodded, “Yeah, doctors say he’s fine.”
“But? There’s a ‘but’ in there.”
Mike shrugged, “Just a lot of theories and speculation, but the healers think it was a mental breakdown. His mind just broke.”
“Because of me.”
“Not necessarily.”
“I can see it in your eyes, Mike.”
Mike motioned for him to join him outside. Kris bent down and placed a kiss on Adam’s lips and swore he saw the semblance of a soft smile. Taking his crutches, he hobbled out into the hallway and followed Mike into another room.
“Sit,” Mike ordered.
Kris laid his crutches against the side of the chair and carefully sat down, “Tell me.”
Mike sighed, “I don’t know the history between you two, and Cale and Anoop have been keeping their mouths shut. The most I got out of them was that it’s ‘complicated’.” He used his fingers to put quotes around the word. Watching Kris with an unwavering stare, Mike continued, “Our docs say he’s fine physically, but he was brought here on Anoop’s recommendation. He thought the pack healers would be able to help more.”
“Okay.”
“He’s getting better, they just think he needs more time.”
“Without me. Away from me.”
“Fuck, Kris!” Mike said pacing the room. “I don’t know.” He stopped in front of a desk. “I’m getting different information every other day. He’s one of my best agents and a damn good friend. I don’t know what happened or how to fix it.”
“You have your theories though.”
“Yeah, I do,” he said glaring at Kris now. “Like I said, I don’t know what kind of relationship,” he sneered, “the two of you had or have, but I know that since you got here, he’s been off his game. He hasn’t been the same.”
Kris stated quietly, “I guess asking for a permanent transfer is out of the question right now.”
“I don’t think it would be a good idea,” Mike replied.
Kris looked up, “What are the healers saying? I’ve lived with different packs over the years and know how they work.”
Mike sighed and threw up his hands, “One is saying that you need to be here, that Adam needs to feel your presence in order to get better. The other one is making noise that you need to not be around, that you being here is slowing the healing process down. Robert says it’s my call, and I don’t know enough about it to make a decision one way or another. I trust our docs, and they’re at a loss.”
“What’s your gut tell you, Mike?” Kris demanded. He stood up and grabbed his crutches, making his way over to where Mike stood and faced the angry man. “What do you want to happen?”
“I think he needs his space. You need to leave.”
Closer to the Edge
Chino | Oranco Bowman Archery Range
Kris powered on the three fans the minute he stepped inside the trailer. The aluminum siding drew in the harsh Inland Empire sun like the cow shit around the property did flies. He opened the windows hoping the searing heat within his temporary home would cool down faster and circulate before the weighted stench of the manure from the dairy farms got stuck inside.
After a few heated arguments with his parents, they conceded in their relentless badgering and left him alone to stay in the LA area to finish his physical therapy. Even though he was employed by BPI, Kris knew he couldn’t stay in the LA office. Not wanting to go back to Little Rock or Atlanta, he took a temporary leave of absence. The apartment was still his to use until he made a decision, but he needed to get away until things had settled. Instead, his father’s cousin’s friend offered him this trailer in a small town about an hour east of LA. The trailer sat on the edge of the archery range where he could practice and workout without interference. It would give him a chance to hone his shooting skills and get his head together.
Director Caldwell made no secret of wanting him back, and Mike gave no indication as to which direction he’d go with the status of his transfer.
Cale and Anoop had been out to visit, giving him sporadic updates on Adam’s well-being. Adam was back at work, but he was benched to desk duty until the pack healers cleared him. They shook their heads when Kris probed deeper.
Taking out a cold soda, Kris went outside and sat on the wood bench underneath the awning of the trailer, waiting for the fans to work their magic. The smog was a thick gray layer that hid the base of the mountains to the north of him, allowing people to only see the tan and brown dried vegetation and the green tops of swaying palm trees. Moving his hand up to hide the smog, it was a gorgeous site. He dropped his hand and finished off the soda. Stretching, he decided to go inside and take a nap. His life was awesome…awesomely yawn-inducing and boring, but at least he was alive and healthy.
As he was about step into the trailer, the sound of tires on gravel stopped him. Anoop and Cale weren’t scheduled to visit for another week, and no one else knew where he was. Thinking it might be his temporary landlord, he turned the corner to greet him.
The black SUV’s tires kicked up dirt and rock, making dust rain over the bottom half of the formerly shiny and clean Tahoe. Kris wrinkled his brows trying to place the SUV and wondered at who it would belong to amongst his friends, which was a pathetically short list.
Kris shaded his eyes with his hand and headed towards the vehicle, then was stopped in his tracks as a familiar shape jumped out of it.
“Adam,” he whispered.
“Hey,” Adam said walking towards him.
“What are you doing here?”
Adam’s step stuttered, as a look of hurt came over his face.
“Shit,” Kris muttered. More loudly, he said, “Sorry, um, that didn’t come out right.” He smiled, “Hey.” Kris went up to him and grabbed his arm. “Uh, come on, I was heading inside, it’s too hot out here.”
**
Adam sat uncomfortably on a plastic chair behind a small wobbly metal table that looked as if it would break as soon as something was set on it. He kept his hands on his lap and watched Kris as he pulled out a couple of cold sodas from a refrigerator smaller than him.
It took him two weeks of nagging and begging to get information from Cale and Anoop. In the end, it was Matt who provided him with an exact location. Since he didn’t have work, Adam decided to make the trek out to see Kris. What he didn’t expect was a trailer in the middle of nowhere, sandwiched between a giant dairy farm, an odd park and golf course.
“Here,” Kris said handing him a soda and took the seat across from him. “It should cool you off some.”
“What are you doing here?”
Kris played with the can of the soda and shrugged, “Just getting back to nature and working on my shooting skills. The range is right up the way. It was an Olympic venue.”
“Why not stay in LA to do all that? I mean, you had use of the complex, the apartment.”
“Needed to decompress,” Kris answered. He looked up to see Adam watching him. “Missed being in a small town, being from one myself. The big city thing and all those people…”
“Shut up,” Adam interrupted. “Mike told me.”
“Told you what?”
“That you should leave. Leave me.”
“Adam,” Kris started to say.
“But you didn’t,” Adam stood up and turned around to look at the trailer. He laughed, “Really? You couldn’t find a hotel room or a nice apartment?” He shook his head, “Whatever.” He took a step until he stood over Kris and bent down, arms bracing the back of the chair. “You didn’t leave. Why?”
Kris leaned his head back to gaze at Adam, eyes moving over his face. “I couldn’t,” he whispered. He reached up and took hold of Adam’s neck in a possessive gesture. “You needed to get better. I needed to wait until I could see you, know that you were better. Until then, I couldn’t leave.”
Adam moved his arms and pulled Kris’s body up to his. Kris closed his eyes at the contact and tightened his clasp on Adam’s neck, “I’m glad.”
“Are you better?” Kris asked softly.
“I am now.”
“Good,” Kris replied, closing the distance between them and took Adam’s lips.
100 Suns
Riverside| Mission Inn
Dinner is at eight. Dress appropriately and don’t be late.
Kris smiled at the memory of the note as he finished buttoning up his shirt. Grabbing his jacket, he checked his pockets for the key and left the hotel room.
As he walked from his room, he slowed down to enjoy the architecture of the Mission Inn. Elaborate green wrought iron bordered the circular staircase leading to pale marble flights of steps; blood-red tiles with sun-dried streaks lined the walkways of the giant rotunda that hid archways that extended out to various hallways of the property. Kris gazed down, taking in everything before heading downstairs.
He made his way outside, his shoes clicking on the giant clay tiles, passing potted shrubs and azalea plants that lined the footpath towards the restaurant. Tiny lights were strung along the low-hanging roof edges and giant candles lit the corridor, the scent of citrus in the air. Kris smiled pleasantly at the couples who walked by him, and nodded to the staff as he continued to stroll leisurely.
Adam was standing at the entrance of the restaurant, hands in his pockets, rolling on his feet while orange and pink lights were shining on him like spotlights.
“This is a hell of a place to drive out to just for dinner,” he said as he wrapped his arms around Adam’s waist.
“You clean up nice,” Adam said smiling, then leaned down to kiss him, “It’s your birthday weekend.”
Kris pushed up on his toes to kiss him back, “Still could have done something in LA. I would’ve been okay with a drink at Matt’s bar.”
Adam pulled away and held Kris’s hand, “It’s your birthday, not happy hour, why would we do something so tacky?” They went inside, but bypassed the hostess table.
Kris frowned, “Where are we going? Do you already know where we’re sitting?”
“Stop being a pain, come on,” Adam said with a small yank to his hand.
They stopped in front of a closed door. Kris tried to lean back to see through the stain-glass windows. “Private room, Adam? Really?”
Adam moved him in front of him and put his hand on the handle. “Behave.” Opening the door, Adam pushed him inside, stepped behind him and placed hands on his shoulders.
The shouts of “Happy Birthday!” and “Surprise!” greeted him. Kris stood frozen in the doorway, Adam at his back, shocked at the faces in the room. He turned around in Adam’s arms, “What did you do? What’s going on?”
“Happy Birthday, Kris,” Adam whispered and kissed his forehead.
“Kris, baby, come give me a hug!” his mom scolded as she pulled him out of Adam’s embrace for a giant hug. “Happy birthday, sweetie.”
A hard thud on his back, he turned to see his father and brother squeezing in for a hug. “Happy birthday, son.” They separated a few inches before his father patted him on the back again, “We’re going to miss you, but congratulations. It’s a great opportunity.”
“Wait, congrats? What congrats? What are you congratulating me for?”
Mike approached him with a smile on his face. He held out his hand, “Your transfer to the Southwest Region of BPI is official. Welcome to the team, Kris.”
Kris shook his hand, trying to piece everything together. He laughed as Anoop and Cale took turns hugging him and lifting him off his feet.
“Gruesome Foursome is back in business, buddy,” Cale snickered, as he and Anoop pounded their shoulders and fists and laughed.
“That’s a ridiculously awful name,” Adam said as he hugged Kris from behind. “We need to come up with something better.”
“It’s perfect,” Anoop said, giving them both kisses on the cheek. “BPI is gonna regret this forever.”
Kris turned in Adam’s hold and laid his head down on his chest, arms wrapped around his waist under his jacket. “Thank you.”
Adam squeezed him and kissed his temple, “You’re okay with this, right? Moving to LA?”
Nodding against Adam’s shoulder, “I’m totally okay with this.” He leaned his head back and gazed into Adam’s eyes, “I love you.”
Adam’s fingers moved up and traced the features of Kris’s face, “I love you, too.”
*
the.end
*
