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want you in his face. The risks are high."
"Do we have any leads on how to get close to him?" Jason asked as they all took seats.
Gale laughed, but there was a dangerous and somewhat wry undertone to it. He fixed Ghost with a
meaningful look and said, "Luckily, Mr Stephen Arling seems to have a penchant for young Asian men."
Ghost stiffened.
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Chapter Six: Capture
"Mocha Frappuccino with an extra shot," called the barista, eyes half-heartedly searching for a
claimant's signal.
"Thanks," a nearby customer greeted, smiling back when the barista gave him a somewhat-sincere
smile. Collecting his cup he moved toward a couch in the corner, smoothing down his suit jacket as we
went. He nodded politely in return when he met someone's eyes, not pausing in his step to greet the
familiar face.
In the corner was the couple he had noticed earlier; an attractive young man sat speaking earnestly to a
pretty blonde young woman who looked upset by his words. As he approached and they continued their
heated discussion, he pretended to ignore them but listened in on their conversation as he took his seat.
He was within ear shot after all.
"I don't know," the young man was saying. "This isn't a simple matter, and it's difficult to know how I
really feel about this all. I need some time to think things through."
"You didn't have to call me out in public to tell me this," the girl said, her voice strained. "Things like
this& I deserved to be told something so private, in private!"
"I realise that now, and I am so sorry," the young man said softly, miserably. He rubbed a hand across his
face, obviously stressed. "I just didn't know what to do."
"I don't know what you expected of me, but I can't take this." She collected her bag, shaking her head, "I
have to go."
"Marianne& "
"No!" She paused to hiss into his face, and swept away. With a weary sigh, the young man slumped
back, propping his elbows up on the seat armrests so he could bury his face in his hands.
The observing customer took this opportunity to study the young man, who was indeed more attractive
than he'd originally observed. Slight, slender but muscular build, only around five feet and five inches
tall perhaps. Chunks of silky black hair framed his heart-shaped face, and when those elegant hands
parted, slanted black eyes hinted at Asian heritage.
"What are you looking at?" the youth demanded crossly.
Tentatively, he tried, "I couldn't help but overhear& "
"You shouldn't listen in on things that don't concern you!" The young man seemed to dismiss the
customer then, snatching up his own cup of coffee and downing a gulp. He choked, however, and the
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Andra Sashner Dragonfly
amused observer moved closer to helpfully thump the young man on his back. Eyes red and ego bruised,
the youth begrudgingly muttered, "Thanks."
"You're welcome." He dared a grin, "No sense in adding up your misfortunes by letting you choke to
death after that spectacular shoot-down."
With a grimace, the young man admitted, "I didn't handle that very well at all." He sighed, "I need a
drink." With a distasteful glare at the menacing cup of coffee, he clarified, "and I don't mean more of
this crap."
With a laugh, the older man asked, "What's your name, kid?"
"Don't call me a kid!" He glowered, then sniffed and replied, "It's Aki. You?"
Finishing off the rest of his Frappuccino, the customer said, "If you let me buy you a drink, you can call
me Stephen."
Aki smiled almost warmly, youthful features seeming ever more breathtaking, and said, "Deal."
*~*~*
Stephen was feeling reckless enough, daring enough to slip a liquid dosage of his favourite 'relaxant' into
Aki's drink.
It wasn't that he didn't have confidence in attracting the kid all on his own. Hell, he knew he looked
close to a decade less than his thirty-two years. Body as trim, muscled and tight as four visits a week to
the gym and intense working-out could get him, not to mention his extra training&
But never mind that.
Aki was driving him mad. Why, the kid had been nothing short of dazzling all evening, dancing
seductively with partner after partner in this club they'd chosen, and downing drink after drink. Well, he
certainly knew how to have fun, Stephen admired. Aki's smiles came more easily now, and he had
become delightfully affectionate with his guard lowered. His initial display of temper had magically
never resurfaced, and his charm had begun to attract more than a little attention&
Stephen found he didn't like that very much at all, hence the slip of his hand over Aki's glass.
Oops.
He shook his head to a familiar face he passed in the crowd on his way to Aki's side; that could wait until
later. He had& some things to do first. His breath hitched at the wide smile he received when he found
Aki on the dance floor and handed over the drink. In turn, he smiled warmly to the trusting young man
and watched as Aki knocked back nearly half of it in one gulp.
"Careful, Aki," Stephen leaned closer to say, "You don't want to choke again, now do you?"
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Andra Sashner Dragonfly
Instead of blowing up Aki laughed, a hand landing on Stephen's arm, and said, "You'll save me again,
won't you?"
"Always," Stephen murmured under his breath, taking a swig of his own drink.
He moved to stand to one side and watch Aki make an attractive spectacle of himself. Stephen waited,
slowly consuming his current drink, pacing the time for the drug to take effect before setting his empty
glass down and moving into the crush of people toward his object of interest.
Aki was dancing with another young man now, much to Stephen's surprise, tall and attractive with ash
blonde hair and alcohol-glazed pale brown eyes. Their seeming pre-occupancy with each other irked
him, a slow burn of possessiveness winding forked-tongued in his gut. With a growl, he stepped up
behind Aki, slipping an arm around the young man's waist, and pulled him away from the stranger.
"Get lost," the stranger said with some hostility, but Stephen ignored him, pulling Aki against himself. In
his arms, Aki gave a soft laugh, slender arm reaching over to clasp at Stephen's shoulder.
"Sorry, but I'm here with him tonight," Aki said to the stranger, soothing Stephen's temper instantly.
He flashed the 'intruder' a triumphant grin, and the young man huffed before turning reluctantly away.
He pulled Aki away as well, moving to the beat, pressing the young man against himself and enjoying the
way Aki turned slowly around to face him. Unashamedly, the young man pressed close, arms lifting to
hold Stephen just as tightly.
Surprised at both the young man's earlier choice of partner and his current behaviour, Stephen bluntly
said, "I thought you were straight."
"At Starbucks when we met earlier, I was actually telling Marianne," Aki laughed, "That I might be
interested in playing both fields."
Stephen laughed too, dazzled and delighted. He pulled Aki closer still, bending to whisper into one small
ear, "I'm so glad for that."
Aki seemed startled, looking up at him with wide eyes. He seemed embarrassed when he hesitantly said,
"I& I've never& "
"Don't worry, Aki," And he wanted to shudder too, blood roaring in his veins, when Aki shook in his arms
at the desire Stephen could not help but drape over the simple phrase. He murmured, "I can be
incredibly patient."
And he was.
He danced with Aki, held his partner close, kept himself in control and merely relished the feel of Aki's
rising& interest. Oh yes, he relished that, sliding a hand down very low on Aki's back to help press the
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