Dark Obsession

Part
6

face="Times New Roman">Ben
watched from across the room as the familiar young man ran a
shaky hand through his dark blonde hair in mild frustration.
Another night spent trying to drown his worries with alcohol, to
envelop his senses in a haze of amber and gold hues, in liquid
fire. It was useless; the transgenic in him refused to bow to
the pressure and issue him sweet release in the form of a
drunken stupor.

face="Times New Roman">Ben
continued to watch the other man closely as he rose
quietly from the barstool and slapped some money on the counter
to cover the cost of his drinks. Edging towards the exit, he
slipped his
arms into the sleeves of his worn, leather jacket and pulled the
zipper up to his chin.
Lowering
his head against the impending stinging rain and whiplash winds,
he opened the door and stepped out into the icy winter night.
Shoulders hunched, he  cursed his idiocy in muttered
disdain. 

Ben
chuckled in response. His target had decided to walk to Crash
earlier that evening - clearly a mistake given the extreme
weather conditions. Not that he cared how it had happened - just
that it had. Things would be easier this way.

face="Times New Roman">The
other man sighed, as flashes of lightning streaked through the
storm clouds, illuminating his form and casting shadows of his
profile against the darkened ground. He massaged his temples
with increased vigor at every ear-splitting crack of thunder
that resounded in the night sky. 

face="Times New Roman">Ben
followed at a discrete distance.

face="Times New Roman">Due
to the thick sheet of rain pouring down around him, battering
his body like only forces of nature were wont to do, the blonde
man dug his hands deep into the pockets of his jeans and tucked
his chin against his chest, all the while looking like a drowned
rat. Tired, hazel eyes squinted against the raging elements as
he started across the empty street.

face="Times New Roman">Ben's
lips curved into an evil sneer. Finally it was happening. It was
too good to be true...

face="Times New Roman">The
distracted man never saw it coming; never heard the squeal of
tires sliding out of control on the slick surface of the asphalt,
never felt the shift in the air that would have alerted him to
the presence of the oncoming collision. The sudden impact of
metal meeting flesh was a complete surprise; his body
catapulting into the air, almost as if he were retaliating
against the cruel weather that brought him to this point in the
first place. His body landed with a terrible thud and he took a
shaky breath before the pain overwhelmed him.

face="Times New Roman">His
last conscious image was of a figure to his left, arms flailing
and lips moving frantically, mouthing the warning he'd failed to
hear.

face="Times New Roman">Ben
turned to look at what it was that Alec had last seen before he
died, and the grin he'd been sporting just moments before faded
in a flash of blinding pain. 

face="Times New Roman">Max. 

face="Times New Roman">His
Maxie was rushing forward, dropping to her knees next to her
fallen lover, mind-numbing sobs wracking her small form. She
raised her eyes heavenwards and cried, "Nooooooo!"

face="Times New Roman">A
ghostly form rose from his brother's twisted body. The wispy
manifestation, eyes milky-white and saddened beyond
comprehension, came to a standstill before him. Ben's own eyes
widened in fright as a whisper tickled his ear.

face="Times New Roman">"Is
this you or me, brother? Did I die, or did you?" 

| O | O | O |

face="Times New Roman">Ben
shot up in bed screaming. He raised a hand to wipe at his
sweat-slicked brow, brushing damp curls from his forehead.
Bracing both arms at his sides, he took deep breaths to steady
his rapidly beating heart. What had started off as a pleasant
dream ended as a frightening nightmare. What had Alec meant by
those words? 

face="Times New Roman">All
thought abandoned him as the door to his room opened, revealing
a thoroughly disheveled Max flanked by a wary and worried Alec
and a gun-toting, ever-prepared Zack.

face="Times New Roman">"Max,"
Ben whispered brokenly. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to, I
swear." 

face="Times New Roman">His
eyes were wild, sending a wave of sympathy through Alec's chest.
His brother was in pain. Max inched forward and gingerly sat on
the edge of the bed. Pulling Ben into a tight embrace, she
rocked his body softly against her own, murmuring soothingly
into his ear. Ben visibly relaxed against her chest, and
burrowed his face into the crook of her neck. Max looked over
his shoulder, nodding to Zack who replied in kind and left
without a word. Alec leaned against the doorframe silently
taking in the sight of his dispirited brother cradled in his
lover's arms.

face="Times New Roman">"Didn't
mean to what, Ben? What are you sorry for?" Max cooed
gently.

face="Times New Roman">Ben's
gasps were interrupted by hiccups and deep breaths, alternately.
He seemed frail, somehow, and he trembled with every caress of
Max's hands on his skin. Anyone observing the scene would think
it was a side effect of his nightmare, the aftermath of a
terrible fright. But in actuality, Ben quivered from the touch
of her fingertips trailing over his skin as they left a line of
fire in their wake. He was overly aware of her close proximity,
of the way her breasts curved against the plains of his chest.
He wanted her now more than ever before.

face="Times New Roman">Pulling
away slightly, Ben glanced up at his brother, framed in the
doorway, soft moonlight playing on his face like leaves dancing
in the wind. Shadows fell on his features, the distinct
discomfort in his hazel eyes, the resigned set of his jaw, head
tilted idly to one side as he watched the pair on the bed. Ben
wasn't stupid; he could see how it bothered his brother that Max
was in his bed; in bed with a boxer-clad Ben, in bed wearing
nothing but a skimpy t-shirt to cover her luscious body. 

face="Times New Roman">Trying
to take advantage of the situation at hand, knowing a chance
like this wouldn't likely come along again any time soon, Ben
turned to face Max and plastered a helpless look on his face.
His eyes drew her in, the sadness he managed to display,
tangible. 

face="Times New Roman">"Please,
Maxie, stay with me a while?" he asked in a voice
uncertain, his gaze unsure as it fell from her face to his lap.

face="Times New Roman">Max
looked at Alec, silently begging him to understand her need to
reassure Ben, and he dipped his head to acknowledge her request.
Turning to leave the room, he sighed. Max was the only one Ben
ever opened up to; it was hardly surprising that he hadn't been
asked to stay.

face="Times New Roman">Max
leaned back against the pillows and was somewhat surprised when
Ben turned her onto her side, spooning up against her back and
anchoring an arm tightly around her waist. He leaned closer,
nuzzling her neck like he did when they were children in
Manticore. Max tensed for a moment, but relaxed finally as she
felt the tension in his body ease. She lay still, waiting for
him to drift off to sleep, comforted in the feeling of love and
warmth she provided.

face="Times New Roman">Ben
stared thoughtfully at the sensuous young woman his sister had
become. Her small lithe form, generous womanly curves, nicely
rounded hips. What he wouldn't give to run his hand up her
thigh, to feel her tremble for him, from his touch. Barely able
to keep his hands at bay, Ben instead focused on the back of her
head. He inhaled the scent of berries that wafted from the
luscious, silky dark hair that fell in soft waves over her
shoulders. He yearned to thread his fingers through it, to tangle
his hand at the back of her neck, to pull her face close to his,
to caress her bee-stung lips and be lost in her sweetness.

face="Times New Roman">He
turned her in his arms again so that they faced each other in
the dark room. The pale light filtering in through the window
lit her hair like a halo and gave sparks of life to tired, brown
eyes. His gaze locked with hers, lingering for a long
moment.  Ben could swear her full, pouty lips were calling
to him, enticing him, begging him to taste her...

face="Times New Roman">Yet
she belonged to another; his brother. The man he'd desperately
wanted in his life, yet irrationally wanted out of the the way.



Alec. 

face="Times New Roman">The
dream came rushing back; the milky eyes of his brother, the
soulful stare, the haunting words. What had Alec meant?
In the dream it was Alec who'd died. Yet hearing the whispered 'Is
this you or me, brother? Did I die, or did you?' shook
Ben to the core. Was this a sign? Did Alec know just how dead
Ben felt inside? How he longed to be more than he was? How weak
he felt that he had no control over the events that molded him
into the man he'd become? Or was it something else? Maybe Alec
sensed his hatred...Or perhaps it was Ben's own subconscious
taunting him. Murder, mayhem, death, destruction. You know
you thrive on it, you bastard. Own up to the demon inside,
embrace the darkness that shrouds your deadened soul...

face="Times New Roman">A
shift of weight on Max's part roused him from his sinister
thoughts. She was angling to move from the bed. Swallowing
his bitterness and disappointment, he 
tightened his grip around her, bringing their bodies in even
closer contact than before. Ben reached out to trace the curve of her
cheek, cupping it gently. 

face="Times New Roman">"Thank
you for staying with me," he whispered.

face="Times New Roman">Max
broke out into the angelic smile he wished were a permanent
fixture on her face. "Why wouldn't I stay with you? I love
you, Ben." After a pause she added softly, "Do you
want to talk about it?"

face="Times New Roman">He
shook his head. "Not really. It was another dream of loss.
I dreamt that Alec...never mind."

face="Times New Roman">Max
saw the detached look in his eye and knew better than to pry. He
needed her silence and acceptance, not her meddling. As
uncomfortable as she was in her current state of dress, or lack
thereof, she stayed. And willed him to sleep.

face="Times New Roman">"Go
to sleep, Ben. I'm here; I won't let anything happen to
you," she said, stroking his hair and lulling his eyes
closed.

face="Times New Roman">"I
don't need protection, Maxie," he mumbled sleepily. His
senses were alive and he was wide awake, yet he forced himself
to regulate his breathing to appear as if he'd fallen asleep.
Max couldn't stay all night; he knew that. But he was reluctant
to let her go so soon. Because when she left, Ben knew she
would be going back to him. 

face="Times New Roman">Finally,
Max disentangled herself from his embrace, pecked him lightly on
the forehead and exited the room, leaving a frustrated Ben
behind. His fingers wandered idly over the warm indentation Max
had left in his mattress. Proof that she had been in his arms,
even if only for a short while.

face="Times New Roman">Whispers
filtered through the thin walls and the creak of bedsprings
alerted Ben to the fact that Max had gotten back into bed with
Alec. It was enough to drive him to murder. Oh, the irony. Nothing
made him crazier than seeing his brother with the woman he
loved.

face="Times New Roman">Need,
desire and rage filled him. Making a snap decision, Ben sprinted
from the bed, dressed hurriedly and snuck out the window and
into the darkness. It was becoming intolerable. His acute desire
to have Max writhing beneath him was a painful dream he could
not have. The realization was what spurred him on. If he
couldn't have the real thing, his substitute of earlier that
evening would do.

face="Times New Roman">Jinx,
baby, here I come.

| O | O | O |

face="Times New Roman">"Leaving
so soon?" he asked nonchalantly, leaning against the brick
wall just outside the back exit. 

face="Times New Roman">The
figure whirled to face him, hands raised in self-defense.
"Oh, it's you!" she exclaimed in a high-pitched
giggle. Her relief was quite obvious. "My shift's over, hot
boy. Were you coming back for an encore?" she asked,
flirtatious as ever.

face="Times New Roman">"Can't
you make an exception for little ol' me?" he purred
seductively, inching closer to the girl who smelt of sex,
alcohol and heavy, flowery perfume.

face="Times New Roman">Jinx
giggled again, put a finger to her lips and cocked her head as
if giving the idea serious thought. "I wouldn't exactly
call you little..." This earned her a deep throated chuckle
from the man in front of her.

face="Times New Roman">"Aw, hell. Why
not? You
got someplace we can go? My room's booked for the next twelve
hours, honey, so this joint's a no-go." Jinx flung an
errant strand of hair from her eyes and waited for his reply.

face="Times New Roman">Ben
pursed his lips. "I'd offer to take you to my apartment,
but I've got roommates. So, seedy motel or your place?" His
eyes wandered over her body, darkening with desire.

face="Times New Roman">"When
you put it that way..." she replied with a laugh,
"I'll take you home. Are you a kinky kinda guy? Cuz I'd
love to play..." Jinx pressed up against him, inserting one
leg between his thighs, rubbing against his painful erection.

face="Times New Roman">Fire
shot through him at the thought and sensation. "Depends on
the toys, babe. But I'm open to suggestion..." He captured
her lips in a brutal kiss, shoving her against the wall.
Breaking apart, both breathless, Jinx linked her fingers with
his and whispered in his ear. 

face="Times New Roman">"Jason,
baby, I'll be whoever you want, whatever you want."

face="Times New Roman">Not
like I'd give you a choice anyway, bitch.