Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 10

days pass quickly by …a reminder that this was the third day and he had to act.
    But perseverance is the key… his mission—to get the key that hung around Con's neck every waking hour and was bound to his wrist when he slept.
    For without it all is lost and little boys are left in the dark… If Ren failed, Anzel would find him and then…Ren began trembling all over, his hand shaking as he grabbed the wine and poured some into his goblet. He threw back the drink and shivered as the warmth of the alcohol flooded his throat and chest. Crumpling the note up once more, he crossed the room and threw it into the fire that was burning in the hearth. He watched as it caught and burst into flame, bright blue and then golden yellow, and he was reminded of the Commander's eyes and of his hair.
    Hair, that just last night, Ren recalled gripping in his two hands as he came and came and came, the force of his orgasm ripping him out of this world and thrusting him into a place where time stood still and all there was in that moment was being filled with Con, beautiful Con, and the magic of their loving. How could he walk away from that? From the man he loved more than life itself? And yet he had to if he was to save Con…and Con must be saved at all cost, even if it meant death for Ren.
    Ren looked at the chair that normally held his lover. He knew what he had to do. Ren walked into the bedroom he shared with Con and looked around. Finally his glance lit on the very thing he would need. With a heavy heart, Ren crossed to the bedside table and picked up the vial that contained medicinal herb that enhanced sleep. He remembered how Con had shown it to him their first night together. He'd wanted Ren to know he could use it if he had trouble falling asleep. It had sat there ever since. Finally it would get some use. Sighing, Ren turned and went to prepare Con's drink for the evening, the one he sipped every night right before he made love to Ren.
    ****
    Ren clutched the key in one hand as he felt along, near darkness shrouding the outer wall, looking for the break that would let him slip into the narrow alleyway that led to the gate. Anzel had beaten the directions to the gate into him night after night until he was not only black and blue but also certain of the path. Very few people knew the alleyway and so Ren had no fear that he would be discovered.
    The trip out of the palace had been remarkably easy once he had drugged Con. In fact, Ren was surprised at the near non-existence of posted sentries. He refused to dwell on it however, instead looking at it as confirmation that he was doing the right thing. Ren found the entryway to the dark passages and slipped inside, pausing to catch his breath and get his bearings.
    It was a short journey through to the gate. If Anzel had held to his part of the deal, then the guards that normally held post on the Agorian side would be hot in pursuit of a disturbance outside the gate further down the wall. He would have just a few minutes until the relief guard moved into place. Ren shuddered to think of the poor soul who would be sacrificed as bait for the soldiers. Anzel cared for nothing and no one, so the loss of life was merely collateral damage in the quest to see his brother and second in command dead by morning.
    Well not this time Anzel. This time you'll be the one to suffer. Ren gritted his teeth with renewed determination and pushed on through the dark, narrow passageway. A flash of light at the end of the alley caused Ren to dive back into the shadows. While he stood, trying to still his frantically beating heart, the light flared again and its flickering glow caused Ren to recall the light of the fire that he had laid in the hearth just a few short hours before.
    Ren placed the last log onto the slowly burning fire and knelt back, once again wishing that this night didn't have to take place. He felt a rough hand caress the top of his head and the steadiness of the strong legs as he leaned back into their warmth. Con's hand dipped down and caressed his cheek, drawing Ren's head up so that their eyes met. The love he saw reflected there almost made him blurt out the entire plan; but instead he bit down hard on his tongue and allowed himself the pleasure of reaching up to wrap an arm around Con's body, holding him close.
    "I missed you, boy."
    Ren closed his eyes as a shiver of need rose in him at the sound of his lover's deep voice. Con grasped Ren by the arms and pulled him