Passion

by Sarah St Ives

The campfire crackled, lulled the two campers into a sense of quietude. They were tired, had been on the road all day, and it had been a hot, miserable day. The cool was a welcome change, made them want to curl up and fall asleep in their hastily thrown-together tent.

Nick gave a long stretch and a wide yawn, stirred in the fire with a handy stick. "Do you think this is the right place? It feels too good here. Too peaceful."

Derek drew in a weary breath and said, "The last two men who were here were committed to an institution. They believed the spirit attacked them while they were sleeping, invaded their dreams. It created strange feelings in them, made them do abominable things they would not ordinarily have done."

"That's something straight out of a horror flick. Nightmare of Crystal Lake."

"Only this one's for real." Derek said. Nick smiled at him. "I don't think it's a good idea for us to go to sleep tonight."

"As tired as we are, we can't go to sleep?"

"It wouldn't be wise." Nick sighed in distress, but did not argue. "Let's go for a swim. The water's nice."

Nick looked out over the peaceful lake. It was beautiful, serene, inviting. "Okay. Sounds good. We can skinny dip out here. Nobody's gonna walk up on us."

Derek gave him a grin. "Let's hope not."

They moved to the water's edge and undressed, waded in up to their armpits, then swam out to deeper water. It was cool, but not too cool, just perfect to invigorate them.

They found themselves playing like children, splashing one another, giggling, dunking, chasing. Nick's arms closed around Derek's waist.

Without regard to their need for air, he pulled him down, and though his friend fought to gain the surface, he was held below the surface. Derek was detained until his lungs were ready to burst. He became desperate, began to beat Nick's arms with his fists, thrashed out with all his might until he was finally released.

He broke surface, sucked in deep lungfuls of air. When Nick came to the top alongside him, Derek hit him again on the shoulder. "What were you doing! You nearly drowned me! Why did you hold me under so long?"

Nick stared at him with eyes that were momentarily blank, then terrified guilt set in. "I'm sorry!" he said, throwing his arms around him. "I don't know what came over me. I wouldn't hurt you, Derek, not for anything, you know that. I'm really sorry."

For a minute, Derek was tense, holding him off, then relaxed his muscles and let him hug him. "Apparently, the spirit doesn't only attack dreamers. Don't ever let that happen again, Nick." he said. "I think it's time for us to get out now."

Nick nodded forehead to forehead with him. "Okay." After a sigh, after his fingers coursed through Derek's curls, he turned and swam toward the land.

"I don't know what that was all about." Derek said as they walked toward the camp. "I hope if you have something against me, you'll talk to me about it."

"I have nothing against you, Derek." Nick said, taking him by the arms. "I didn't mean to do that, really. I don't know how it happened. I'm sorry." He led him to the campfire. "I would never hurt you. Never, Derek. It had to be the spirit!"

Derek shivered, not from the chill. Nick disappeared inside the tent and returned with towels. He approached Derek again and began to dry his hair, to gently touch the towel to his face, to dry his body. Derek stood still for it, allowed him to dry his skin. Nick walked around him and carefully rubbed every inch of his back with the plush towel. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm fine." Derek answered.

"You want to lie down on your sleeping bag and let me give you a massage?"

"A massage?"

"Yes, a massage. Let me rub your back."

"Do you really want to do that for me?"

"I wouldn't have mentioned it if I didn't want to." Nick knelt to dry his legs, but Derek took the towel from his hands and, in embarrassment, began to dry himself.

Nick smiled at him. He dried himself with his own towel and waited. "Whenever you're ready, I'm ready. I'll give you that massage."

Derek nodded. "Let me dry your back."

"You want to?"

"Turn around."

Nick turned and Derek dried his back slowly. It felt good, made him hot, but then everything seemed to make Nick hot. He was, by nature, a hot-blooded human. He knew he shouldn't be having those sort of feelings toward Derek, but he could not stop the burning. When the towel stopped, he sighed. "That was great." he said.

"I'm ready for my massage now."

Nick took in a deep breath and thought about it. He wanted to say, 'This is dangerous, Derek. We're playing with fire.' But good sense failed him. With a hard swallow, he said, "Okay."

They retired to the tent, opened the sleeping bags, piled them one on top of the other and brought out a thin blanket for a cover. When Derek was prone, lying comfortably, Nick began the promised massage, but Derek only allowed it to continue a few minutes before he rolled onto his back. "This is making me sleepy. I don't want to fall asleep."

With a glimmer in his eyes, Nick leaned forward, took him in his arms and placed a light kiss on his lips. "I have a better idea." he said, not at all sleepy any more.

Derek stared at him. "Oh, Nick." he said softly.

Nick kissed him again, let it last slightly longer this time. Then, abruptly, he turned his back to him. "I don't know what's happening to me." he said brokenly. "Derek, why did you let me do that? Why didn't you whack me over the head? I don't mean to be disrespectful."

Derek sat gazing at him, his handsome face disturbed. "Disrespectful?" He got hesitantly to his feet. "I think perhaps we should put on our clothes, Nick. This situation is not good for us. You're right. I have let this get out of hand. I did not mean to lead you on like this."

"It was my fault. My fault." Nick was self-condemning.

Getting on his clothes, Derek handed clothing to Nick. "Let's go." he said. "We must leave this place before something unretractable happens."

In less than half an hour, they were packed into the Range Rover and driving.

Nick turned on the air conditioner in the stuffy motel room, peeped out the bulky, flowered drapes and spoke glumly. "I've been doing a lot of thinking and I still can't come up with an explanation. If I become a danger to you or anyone else, don't hesitate to knock my ass out cold."

Derek closed his eyes. "You're the only one in the world I feel I can trust, Nick."

"Yeah, well, it's mutual. Everything is weird right now between us." The young man stared unblinkingly at the cobwebs in the corner, his mind still on the kisses they had shared at the campsite.

"I have a question for you. When...when you kissed me...was it you, or was it the spirit?"

Nick's gaze came round. "What?"

"Was that your idea, or was it something acting through your body?"

There was a pause, then admission. "It was me."

"Good."

"Good? What do you mean by that?"

"I mean...for YOU...I was willing. For the spirit...he can go to hell."

Nick took his hand and held it. "You were willing?"

"I'm still willing...if it's for you."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. So what are you going to do about it?"

Nick shrugged, looked helpless. "I've thought about it constantly. You don't know just how stirred up I was. I guess I was afraid even the mention of it might ruin our friendship. Could even ruin our working relationship."

"Nick, our friendship is strong enough to last through anything."

"I hope that's true."

Sitting side by side with him, Derek swung his leg comfortably over Nick's knee. "I don't want you to feel that you have to restrain yourself so severely to be my friend."

"You're offering yourself to me."

"If you want me."

Nick was awkward. "So, what do I do? What do you want from me?"

"What do you want from me?" Derek asked, running gentle fingers down his cheek.

"I have no earthly idea. I've never been with a man before."

"You know what you want, Nick. You're not stupid."

Nick's eyes were on his lips. "Yeah, I guess I do. But I want to know what you need. I love you, Derek. I want you, but I want you to love what's happening between us. I want you to need it. Can you understand that? I won't touch you if you're not quivering in my arms."

Derek laughed. "I promise to quiver." He leaned forward, waited for a kiss.

Nick touched his lips thoughtfully with his thumb. "I want you to want me more than I want you."

Nipping lightly at the thumb, Derek said, "I do."

Nick kissed him, soft and sensuously, his arms went round him and his heart rate increased. He felt Derek's warmth and wondered at his passion. He drew back from him, looking into those big brown eyes and whispered, "You're completely serious, aren't you?"

"Completely." Derek confessed.

"You love me?"

"I do. I love you, Nick, more than anybody, more than anything. I love you. I love you, love you, love you. Love you." His eyes were soft, his lips were warm.

The words drove Nick on to the next kiss, which lasted longer than the first. He was hot for him, was impatient for him and he knew what he wanted fom him. And, for the moment, it was not sex.

At least not the way sex had ever been. Nick wanted to kiss him, to hold him, to touch him everywhere. He wanted to breathe in the aroma of his flesh, to taste him.

He opened his mouth on Derek's neck and sucked, felt the deep, strange contentment it gave him as he tasted his blood for the first time. It was the most satisfying feeling he had ever felt, a hundred times more orgasmic than sex.

When he had created a large mark on the skin, he moved to the other side to begin a new mark. Somewhere in the light, he could hear Derek grunt in discomfort. "Are you a vampire, Nick? What are you doing?"

Nick could not be sidetracked. This was too delicious, too necessary. When he finally backed away, he was drunk with the flavor. He reeled, laid back his head and laughed. "Wow, what a rush."

Derek frowned at him. "You're drinking my blood and getting high on it? Nick, that's almost perverse."

Nick pulled back, his glazed eyes clearing. He viewed the marks on his neck. "Shit...." he muttered. "Damn it! Derek, just kick me outta here right now."

"I have a better idea."

"What's that?"

"Let's go to bed."

"You want to sleep with me after all the crazy stuff I've already done to you?"

"Well, yes."

" That's what you really want?"

"Yes." Derek's eyes were brimming. "Yes, it is."

Nick kissed his full lips and began to undress, reached to unbutton the shirt Derek wore.

Derek got up and led the way. He seemed anxious to the point of frenzy. Nick knew that this was going to be the hottest sexual experience of his entire life. Anxiety was building. When they were undressed, they snuggled beneath the covers, kissing again and again.

Nick felt the nearness, the heat, felt Derek's complete submissiveness to him, and best of all, felt the quivering. Derek was living up to his promise. He had promised to quiver.

The only remaining concern was that the damaging spirit lingered, but in their passion, they had not the presence of mind to be troubled by it.

Morning found them cuddled close. Derek yawned, gave a sleepy-eyed glance around the quiet room, then turned his attention to Nick, who was motionless, his face in Derek's hair.

Derek gazed at him fondly, ran his fingers slowly through the younger man's dark hair, the memory of their newfound love still fresh in his mind. Their bodies still smelled of musk. A shower would help, but he did not want to take it alone. He wanted Nick to join him.

Nick's eyes fluttered open as he drew in a deep, waking breath. He stretched and groaned.

"Good morning." Derek said, smiling at him.

Nick sat up suddenly and looked around at him. "Derek! What..." Then, memory struck him. "Oh, shit." he murmured, inspecting the deep purple bruises on either side of his neck.

"What's wrong?"

"Derek, what have I done? What happened? Are you all right? Did I hurt you?"

Looking down, Derek answered in a monotone. "You are now."

"What? What am I doing?"

"Hurting me."

"By..." Nick hesitated and studied him. "I made these hickeys on you! I made love to you! And...you...you let me! You...you wanted it. You were just as turned on as I was."

"And is this a bad thing?"

"No...no...it's a wonderful thing. It was wonderful." Nick bent over him and lightly kissed him. "I don't know what I was thinking."

"Neither do I. But rest assured, Nick, you had my full consent. You didn't rape me." Derek pulled him down for a better kiss.

"Damn..." Nick was aroused instantly. "Whew! You are red-hot, you know that?"

"I don't think you have any room to talk."

"What would you like to do this morning?"

"I think we should shower and check in with Alex and Rachel."

Nick nodded in mild frustration. "Okay."

"Let's get in the shower together." Derek murmured as he kissed him again.

The smile on Nick's handsome face was suggestive. "Good idea."

Several long, probing kisses followed, and neither of them made a move to get out of bed. Their eyes were tender as Nick raised himself above and brushed idly at his hair. "Do you feel that evil spirit? Do you think it ran scared?"

"I think it's still in you, Nick."

"Then why are you letting me so close to you this way?"

"If I love you enough, maybe it will be repelled."

Nick nodded, unconvinced. "I don't feel it."

"I think it's what gave you the courage to be with me."

"I always wanted to be with you. Always."

"Yes, I know."

Nick cleared his throat. "We need that shower. Come on." He slid off the bed, pulled Derek along by the hand as he headed to the bathroom.

As they closed the door behind them and stepped beneath the warm spray of soothing water, the cellphone on the lamp stand began to ring.

"It's raining outside." Derek stood in the window, watching the steady downpour.

Nick stepped up and hugged him from behind. "I can see that. Now close the curtains before somebody sees you standing here in your birthday suit."

Derek grinned and slid the drapes together. "I like to watch it rain." "Me, too."

Turning in his arms, Derek took Nick's head in his hands and studied him. "You're trying to locate that 'spirit' again, aren't you?"

"I'm trying. I want it out of you!"

"Yeah, well, if it's really in here, tell it to get the hell out! I don't want an evil spirit in me! What can we do about it?"

"Drink some holy water."

"Is there even a church around here? I didn't notice one."

"There's one across town."

"Not Catholic."

"We'll call Directory Assistance. They can tell us where the nearest one is."

"Cool." Nick kissed him, backed him slowly toward the bed.

"We haven't called home yet."

Nick picked up the phone and dialed it, stole another kiss as he listened to the ring. A female voice answered. "Dr. Rachel Corrigan."

"Rachel." Nick began, in a hurry to be done with the minor duty. "We're holed up in a motel. It's raining here. We're probably gonna be here another week or so. I just thought I'd call and let you know."

"Okay." Rachel said, a bit puzzled. "Why are you staying so long if you're not at the campsite?"

/Because I'm making mad, passionate love to Derek and I want him to myself for a while./ Nick didn't say the words he was thinking. "Maybe we'll get a chance to check out the site again when the rain stops."

"I see." She cleared her throat. "How's Derek?"

"He's just fine. Wanta talk to him?"

"Just for a second." she answered.

Nick put the phone to Derek's ear. "Hi, Rachel. Is everything all right there?"

"Yes, everything's fine. I'm just a little concerned with the reason you're staying away so long."

"We're doing some personal research." Derek answered.

"Did you spend any time at the campsite?"

"Yeah, a few minutes. Nick tried to drown me."

"What?"

"We went swimming in the lake. It's a beautiful place."

"But everything is okay?"

"Yes, everything is fine."

"Okay. Talk to you later, then." Rachel said.

Derek smiled. "Goodbye."

Nick pushed a button and put the phone back on the stand. Then, the two of them tumbled onto the bed, sharing more kisses. "It's not a demon. Not really evil." Derek said as the kisses subsided. "I don't know what it is."

"You are too psychic. How do you expect me to be romantic when you're trying to exorcise some crazy spirit out of my body?"

"Do you want to keep it?"

"No, of course not."

"Then let's call and find a church."

"Do you think that's really gonna work?"

"I'm positive it will. Holy water has powers."

"Yeah. I'll buy that." Nick sighed. "Okay. First things first. You're not going to have your heart into this until we get rid of this damned spirit, so let's find a church."

Derek kissed him again. "Don't be so impatient." he said. "We don't have to call this very minute."

"We can make love first?"

"I wouldn't deny you for anything in the world. I could never deny you anything."

///Nick kissed him again, first his lower lip, then the upper, then opened his mouth and kissed him fully, passionately. "I want to feel you from the inside." he whispered. "Inside you." He set his knees between Derek's, lowered himself on top of him and kissed him again, rubbing his sex into the space between his legs. "I need you."

Derek gasped at the sensation. Short of breath, he said, "Make love to me. Do it, Nick. I want you..."

It took no further provocation. Nick began, very gently, to make love to him.

"There's the church." Nick pulled the car into the drive, stopped several feet short of the front entrance, then sat for a time with his hands still on the wheel. "So...you just want me to march in there, pick up the holy water and drink it."

"Basically, yes. That's pretty much what I think you should do." Derek said.

Nick took a deep breath. "Go in with me?"

"Of course." Derek got out on the passenger's side and met him at the front door. They walked in together. The church was empty, large and quiet.

Nick genuflected between two wooden stands which bore twin basins and without a pause, lifted one of the heavy containers from its perch and began to drink from it. He gulped down nearly half the contents.

Almost instantly came the convulsions. The water splashed out onto the tan carpet, spread out in a darker brown circle. The basin clattered to the floor, then Nick crashed on top of it, laid doubled up on his side, retching.

Derek dropped frantically to his knees beside him and held him as the seizure continued. With fear, he watched a shimmering apparition rise from Nick's body, writhe in torment, dancing in mid-air for for a few moments before it dispersed into oblivion.

Nick was left giddy and weak. "Holy water." he mumbled.

Derek helped him slowly to his feet and hauled him into a desperate embrace. "I saw it leave your body." he sobbed into his ear. "It's gone, Nick."

"We have to clean up this mess." Nick said, looking around him. He pulled away from Derek to pick up the basin and set it on the stand. He wavered unsteadily.

Derek grabbed him again and held him. Nick's eyes rose to meet his tears. "Why are you crying?" he asked, puzzled.

"I don't know." Derek answered, furiously wiping at his eyes. "I don't know."

Nick hugged him. "Are you afraid that I won't love you any more now that the spirit is gone?"

"Yes. That's exactly what I fear." Derek admitted.

Nick kissed his cheek. "No fear. No fear." he said soothingly, gently caressing his lover's back. "I will always love you. Always. That wasn't the spirit."

Derek laughed and sobbed at the same time, buried his face in Nick's shoulder. "Come on. Let's go back to the motel." Nick said into his ear. "I'll show you."

With a sigh of relief, Derek turned with him and led the way out of the church.

END