Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 10

stopped short as his eyes once more met Ren's, noting with dismay how they now blazed with a venomous hate. Oh god, what had he done? How could he fix this now? He had been so startled by Ren's reaction to the clothing. Silently cursing Anzel, Con straightened himself up. Well there was only one thing for it now. The boy needed to know that Con was still in control. That Anzel had no power here. The knee jerk reaction that turmoil always produced in Con rose up and he felt that old rigid air of authority settle itself about him, transforming his smiling mouth into a grim line.
    "That'll be enough of that boy!"
    Ren's eyes widened at the tone in Con's voice. Suddenly, as if the last six months of hell had never happened, Ren felt himself transported back to the battlefield and the oddly familiar comfort that his commander's orders gave him. In his feeble attempt to keep his joy at seeing Con and his love for him at bay he had chosen to act the part of the whore that Anzel had tried to convince him he was. Ren saw what a mistake that had been. Con was not Anzel. With a rush, Ren felt the old need to please his commander resurface; once again he was a soldier under his authority. The sudden rush to win back Con's affections, to see happiness replace the disappointment in Con's expression, washed over Ren. All he wanted was to be at this man's side once again.
    At his side…oh god, how amazing it was to finally be at Con's side. Everything within Ren cried out to him to fall into Con's arms and never leave them again. But would Con welcome him there? Ren looked up at the face of the man whose memory had kept him alive these last six months and gasped at what he saw there. Con's face had lost its former grim expression and now something else, so pure shone from his eyes. Ren felt himself take a step forward, saw his hands reach up and out toward Con, and saw Con's raise as well. Then they froze, in an achingly sweet tableau…neither one able to take the final steps…neither one willing to turn away.
    "I've missed you, boy."
    "Yes, sir."
    " You're home now, boy, you understand that, don't you? That you're home now with me?"
    Ren, fully entranced, took a step closer.
    "Yes, sir."
    "And no one, no one can take you away again. Do you understand boy? No one, ever again."
    "Yes, sir."
    Quietly, taking the last step needed to bring his body to stand right in front of Ren's, Con talked to him, reassuring him, soothing him.
    "We'll not speak of these last few months or of what just happened here, boy. That's all in the past. That's behind us now. We'll speak only of the future. You and I, together. That's as it should be. Just us and our future…together.
    Con reached out and gently caressed Ren's cheek, allowing all the love he felt for his boy to finally show in his eyes. Ren's eyes drifted closed as he felt the warmth and strength of that hand seep into his very soul. As he stood, every fiber of his being attuned to the man in front of him, Ren allowed his hold on all the pain and agony of the last six months to untether itself and begin to gently float away. Then, when he felt a warm breath on his face right before Con kissed him, and the last barrier to his heart gave way as he leaned into the kiss.
    " You'll ingratiate your sorry ass into Constantine's good graces… or you'll curse the day that whore spat you out of her womb…"
    Ren stiffened and tore his lips away from Con's as if they were on fire. What was he doing? Why had he let himself slip up like this? He needed to get away from here, from this man who held such sway over him. Ren knew that if he stayed in Con's embrace he would spill all his secrets and then the only chance to regain his honor and save Con would vanish like a puff of smoke.
    Oh yes, Ren knew exactly what the commander would do if Ren told him the mission he was about to perform. He would put Ren aside; try to keep him safe, and go after Anzel and the assassin himself. Ren couldn't let that happen. No, Ren would take care of Anzel on his own. He would steal the key from Con and unlock that door in three days' time. But instead of the docile whipping boy the assassin expected, there would be in his place, a soldier; a soldier who had fought side by side with the Agorian high command.
    Ren's plan was brilliant in its simplicity. He would take out the assassin and make his way down the pathway to Anzel's palace. All the time spent below had not been wasted. Ren had watched and secreted away the