The series that I've just begun will be posted periodically throughout the year, as the Wheel of the Year turns. There will be companion poetry as well. The series will use the Wiccan sabbats (holidays) as the theme, and I invite you to join us for the adventures that will unfold.

This installment honors Mabon, or the Autumn Equinox. The next installment features the Wiccan biggie, Samhain! Also known as Halloween, of course. Please enjoy! Rated NC-17 for m/m sex. Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, Alliance does, more's the pity.

(c) August 28, 1997

Ray looked at him with a smile of his own. If he felt any nervousness, Benny could not detect it. He was glad that Ray felt comfortable by now with the Wiccan religion and all that entailed.

It hadn't been easy. Ray had been born Catholic and had felt comfortable in his Church for years, but there had always been an uneasiness that he'd experienced. When he'd grown old enough to understand why, he'd been in a dilemma: his Church condemned the kind of love he was destined to seek. Finally, after years of struggle, he'd quietly left the Church of his childhood and had embraced a new religion with his lover. Benny knew the decision hadn't been made without pain, but Ray was committed now. Just as t he Italian was committed to him.

Ray parked the Riv and they got out, both charmed by the decorations: cornstalks firmly tied to the white pillars on the veranda, entwined with orange 'lanterns' that grew wild around the grounds. Two enormous pumpkins flanked the door, and a jack o'lantern grinned through the bay window.

The windows were decorated with paper cut-outs of ghosts and Witches, and the Witch on the door was no old crone but a lovely young woman, complete with blond hair and twinkling blue eyes. A broom was propped up by the door, and a black cat lazed in the morning sun, its tail flicking back and forth.

They stepped up to the veranda and Benny rang the doorbell, a soft, melodious chime alerting the occupants inside the house. They only waited a few seconds and then heard quick footsteps approach. The door was opened and the blond Witch (or at the very least, her twin) from the door greeted them.

"Selena," Benny said.

"How wonderful to see you, Ben!" She opened the door and gave him a hug, which she returned. Long, blond hair reached her waist, and her blue eyes were a dark blue, reminding Benny of sapphires. She was a little shorter than him, and as slender as Ray, but with an appealing feminine shape. Her eyes looked with bright inquisitiveness at Ray.

"And this is Ray?"

"Yes. Ray, this is Selena Ashby, descendant of the founder of the Circle Farm Commune here at Salem, Massachusetts."

"Pleased to meet you," said Ray, and he shook hands with the woman. Her grip was light but firm.

"Come on in. You boys must be tired. Probably ready for some food."

"I could use a bite," Ray said easily, and Selena laughed.

They followed her through a small entryway that faced the main staircase. It was polished mahogany and gleamed in the bars of light streaming through the windows. A small table held a bowl of fresh flowers, and they passed the living room, a dining room opposite. They walked down a short hall, a small library directly opposite the kitchen. When they entered the kitchen, both men smelled the heavenly aroma of apple pies baking.

"Have a seat," Selena invited.

The kitchen was delightfully old-fashioned but with modern appliances. Yellow curtains fluttered at the windows, and the wallpaper was white with large yellow roses patterned on it. The counter space was filled with stoneware jars that held sugar, coffee, tea, and salt, and a spice rack tempted Benny to start exploring all the wonderful scents they held.

Apple pies were cooling on the windowsill. Selena smiled at their hungry looks and said, "You shall have the very first pieces."

She gave them apple cider and the freshly-cut pieces of pie, and Ray closed his eyes and moaned, "Heaven!"

Pleased, Selena took a bite of her own pie.

After sating their appetites, Selena offered to show them their room.

Ray glanced at Benny, who smiled serenely at him. Ray understood that their hostess knew about them and it didn't bother her. Relieved, he happily followed Selena and Benny up the main staircase.

Portraits of ancestors from the last century lined the staircase wall, and Ray looked curiously at the old photographs. His eyebrow raised and when Selena saw him, she laughed.

"Yes, I'm the spitting image of my ancestor, except she was raven- haired."

She led them to a small corner room with a four-poster bed that had a canopy stretched over it, and the wallpaper was white with tiny sprigs of yellow roses. The yellow curtains framed two windows that looked out at the back and side of the house. The furniture was blondwood and consisted of a dresser, bedside table and rocking chair in the corner. A hooked rug adorned the floor, and a quilt was neatly folded at the foot of the bed.

"Very nice," Benny said.

"I'm glad you like it. Rest for awhile and then I'll give you a tour of the farm."

She left, closing the door behind her, and Benny smiled at Ray. The Italian returned the smile and gently drew his lover into a kiss...

So it was that Benny and Ray found themselves in the farm's apple orchard on a glorious autumn morning, cheerfully picking ripe apples off the trees. They soon had it down to a science, each taking turns going up the ladder while the other one held it steady. Besides, it offered such great views!

Ray smiled almost wolfishly as he admired the view above his head. Benny was straining to pick an apple and Ray was thinking lusty thoughts. He could feel the blood racing along his body and was thankful that he was wearing baggy pants.

*A lovelier ass I've never seen in my life!*

Grammatically torturous, nevertheless the sentiment was pure Ray. He hungrily watched Benny move, his delicious cheeks encased in tight jeans. Oh, the man was a shameless tease, all right! There were names for naughty boys like that.

Benny looked fetchingly over his shoulder. "Ray?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you all right?"

"Sure. Why do you ask?"

"You look a little flushed."

"I do?" Ray's voice dripped innocence. Immediately Benny was suspicious.

"Ray..."

"Benny, just *think* of my position down here. Now think of your position up *there*. Now, is there *any* reason I might be a 'little flushed'?"

Benny thought for a few seconds, then blushed apple-red. Ray laughed delightedly.

"Hey, um, sweetheart, isn't it time for a break?"

"Yes." Benny started down the ladder and he slipped his hand into Ray's. Here at Circle Farm no one cared if they were openly affectionate. "I think we should go for a short walk."

"Honey, you're a mind-reader."

Ray scooped up a couple of apples which they crunched on as they walked. The leaves under their feet were crunching as well, and they soon disappeared from sight.

The woods were pleasantly cool, patches of brilliantly-blue sky peeking through the canopy of leaves overhead. The woods were a riot of scarlet, gold and orange, Ray picking up a scarlet leaf and twirling it in his hand. They walked far enough away so that they would have privacy, then Ray grabbed his lover and kissed him fiercely, the leaf and apples falling to the ground.

Benny returned the kiss eagerly and they stumbled against a massive maple tree, the trunk keeping Benny upright as Ray started massaging his groin. He pressed back further into the tree and moaned, his hand cupping a well-shaped buttock and squeezing. Ray cried out softly, already hard, and pushed against his lover. His tongue invaded Benny's mouth and his hands slid up and down his ribs underneath the cobalt-blue sweatshirt he wore. Benny thrust his hips forward, desperate for contact, and they rubbed up against each other in familiar rhythm. Ray's hands moved to Benny's buttocks, kneading and squeezing, driving the Mountie wild. He looked at his Benny, his dark hair damp and curling over his forehead, blue eyes sapphire- dark with passion.

Ray worked his way back to the front and unsnapped the jeans, pulling the zipper down and then the fabric itself. He rubbed himself up against the boxers, then swiftly pulled those down, too. Benny moaned with need, pushing up against his lover again. Ray whispered, "Easy," into his ear, though he was delighted to elicit this reaction from his lover. Benny panted and

his tongue flicked out to lick Ray's ear, the Italian moaning this time. Ray shivered slightly as a cool wind blew against their bodies, Benny slowly sliding down the trunk of the tree, Ray sliding with him.

The leaves crinkled beneath them as Ray thrust against the body trapped face-down beneath him. Benny gasped, "Please, Ray!" but the other man was not ready to bring this home quite yet. He teasingly ran his fingers through Benny's wavy hair, the Mountie nearly sobbing. Ray slid his tongue around Benny's jaw, then laved little circles on his throat, deep sounds emanating from that perfection. Ray nipped at the white throat, Benny shuddering as he pleaded silently with his lover.

Ray was also growing heated as he proceeded to devour his beloved. He then molded himself to Benny and tongued the back of his neck, sliding his hands up under the sweatshirt. His fingers busily played with erect nipples, then he pulled the shirt up and ran his tongue all along the spine, Benny arching his head back as Ray worked his magic. Ray carefully avoided the scar at the base of the spine and slipped his tongue in between the exposed buttocks, Benny's hand grabbing a handful of leaves and crushing them, the crackling sound causing a smile to come to Ray's face. He continued to swirl his tongue around the tender flesh of the twin globes, darting his tongue in and out between them. Benny groaned passionately, more leaves being sacrificed on the altar of lust.

"*Please*, Ray!" he begged, trembling as Ray's tongue teased the curve of one pleasing buttock.

"Hmm. Let me think about this, Benny."

"*Ray*!"

The growl caused Ray to chuckle, then he leaned over and nipped his beloved's neck. He whispered into Benny's ear, "You will have me, my love."

He slowly entered his lover, the hot moistness welcoming him as it always did. He thrust gently, Benny's back arching, and the Mountie let out little sounds of pleasure as Ray made love to him. The wind blew, scattering leaves in little arcs around their bodies, Ray feeling an overwhelming rush of love for this man beneath him.

Cool breezes caressed their bodies as they joined together, in body and soul. Benny's eyes were closed, long lashes brushing his cheeks as his heart swelled with the love he felt. He softly whispered his love, Ray hearing every word as he increased his pace. Their bodies moved together in passionate frenzy as sweat gleamed pale/olive skin. Ray looked down at his lover and felt himself fountain inside him, a growl of lustful passion ripped from him. Benny gave a little cry and his fingers closed around a new clutch of leaves, crushing them instantly. In that shared moment, a shower of leaves fell from the branches above their heads as the wind blew. Ray groaned and collapsed on top of Benny, who was breathless.

They lay quietly for a long span of minutes, just listening to each other breathe, then Ray lifted himself up and kissed the nape of Benny's damp neck, delighted to find a yellow maple leaf adorning the wavy brown hair. He leaned closer and whispered, "I guess yellow suits you, too."

Their laughter echoed throughout the forest as the leaves came down.

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