template	 *THE WHEEL OF THE YEAR #4:* 
                                  *IMBOLC*                              
*By GILDA LILY* 

     This is the fourth in the WHEEL OF THE YEAR series.  The first two 
are on the DUE SOUTH Archive, and the third still has to be posted. 
     Disclaimer: I don't own these characters (more's the pity), 
Alliance does, but I let them have fun! 
     Rated NC-17 for m/m sex (the best kind). 
     (c) January 30, 1998 

  
     *Ray watched as his lover dug in the ground.  Only Benny could 
make rooting around in dirt look sexy!  He smiled as Benny's obvious 
delight made itself known in the look on his face.  Dief was gamboling 
around somewhere, and he was just content to gaze upon the man that he 
loved. 

      "If we get the right herbs, Ray, we can use them in our Imbolc 
ceremony tonight." 

      "Yes, love." 

      Benny looked up at the amused tone of his partner's voice.  He 
smiled and continued digging, pulling a green thing from the earth.  Ray 
had no idea what it was, but he was sure he was going to get a lecture 
from Benny about it, from its history all the way back to ancient times 
and down through its genus and scientific name, most likely.  Ray smiled 
with affection. 

      "There.  That ought to do it." Benny put the herb into the 
bucket he carried. "We should head back now, Ray, so that we can start 
the ceremony as the moon comes up." 

      "Sure.  Where is Dief?" 

      "He'll come.  Just call him." 

      "How come we're always calling a deaf wolf?" 

      "He just knows, Ray." 

      Rolling his eyes, Ray did as he was bid and Dief came running 
up, wolfie tail wagging.  Ray just shook his head and fell into step 
beside Benny as they headed for the Riv. 

      The ride back was comfortably quiet, and Ray drove into his 
driveway with a smooth motion.  Benny carried the bucket into the house, 
and Dief followed Ray inside.  Ray noticed that the moon was just coming 
up. 

      For some miraculous reason, he and Benny were alone in the 
Vecchio house.  They had big plans for this night, and it didn't all 
include casting circles and chanting.  Ray grinned evilly, watching as 
Benny bent down to deposit the bucket on the kitchen floor. 

    "Benny." 

    "Yes, Ray?" 

    "Let's get started." 

    Benny nodded, and they set up the altar in Ray's bedroom.  It 
consisted of a crystal ball mounted on a pewter dragon base, the 
dragon's ruby eyes glittering in the moonlight, and a red and an orange 
candle in silver candlesticks flanked the ball.  A statue of the Goddess 
was directly behind the ball, and there was a single white rose set in a 
green vase beside her.  A statue of the God flanked her other side, and 
the cloth that covered the altar was a snowy-white.  Benny laid 
some of the greens as an offering and carefully lit the candles.  He 
lifted his wand to cast the circle. 

      The ceremony was simple but heartfelt, thanking the Goddess and 
God for the coming spring, and ended with "This is the time of the feast 
of torches/When every lamp blazes and shines/To welcome the rebirth of 
the God./We celebrate the Goddess,/We celebrate the God;/All the earth 
celebrates/Beneath its mantle of sleep." 

      When the circle was released, they went about the house and lit 
every candle and lamp, as was customary on Imbolc.  The blaze lasted for 
a short time while they ate dairy foods and full-bodied, spicy dishes 
made with curries or peppers or leeks.  Ray eyed the greens from the 
woods with uncertainty, but Benny ate them and despite Ray's 
assertion that "Anything *you* taste, I don't wanna know if I wanna 
try!", he ate them.  They were surprisingly good.  Then they 
extinguished the lights and went upstairs to the bedroom, the 
strawberry/orange scent of the candles still faint upon the air.  Other 
candles were softly lit around the room, the flames flickering off the 
crystal ball on the altar.  The dragon's ruby eyes glittered in the 
light. 

     Benny and Ray stood before the bed, gazing into each other's eyes, 
then Benny removed Ray's robe, the silk whispering on the carpet as it 
fell.  Ray smiled and returned the favor until they both stood nude 
before each other. 

     Benny laid his hands on Ray's shoulders and then leaned forward to 
kiss him.  Ray parted his lips and Benny's tongue slid in, tasting him 
with great zeal.  Ray pressed their bodies closer, their cocks touching. 
Electricity shot through them both as they clung to each other. 

     They swayed and fell to the bed, hands running up and down smooth 
skin as they moved against one another.  Ray grunted as Benny rolled 
over on top of him.  The Italian wound his long legs around Benny's 
sturdier ones and their groins ground together.  Ecstasy swept through 
them both as their bodies moved as one. 

     Ray threw his head back, eager for more contact as Benny rubbed his 
body over him.  Benny nipped his ear, his tongue wet and laviscious as 
it lapped Ray's neck.  Wild with lust, Ray pushed his hips up.  He 
opened his eyes, Benny gasping at the reflected candlelight he saw there 
as Ray growled, "*Fuck me*!" 
  
     Benny lost no time obeying that command.  He shifted around and 
positioned his cock against Ray's ass, easing in while Ray spewed forth 
all the dirty talk he could think of.  Benny grinned and pulled out, 
then rammed home. 

     Ray felt the pulsating organ fill his being, his body achingly 
vulnerable to the man piledriving into him.  He would be sore tomorrow, 
but what a way to get into that condition! 

     Benny towered over him like some sweat-slicked god, and he looked 
positively edible.  He thrust one final time and Ray felt himself burst 
into flower, Benny's semen spilling into his body like melting candle 
wax. 
  
     "Mama mia!" Ray said with heartfelt passion, and Benny laughed.  He 
pulled out of his partner and snuggled up close to him, holding him so 
tightly that Ray nearly gasped for air. 

     "Whoa!" Ray patted Benny's shoulder. "Everything okay?" 

     Benny's face was buried in Ray's shoulder.  Ray grew alarmed as he 
felt his lover tremble. "Benny, what is it?" 

     Benny lifted a tear-streaked face to him. "You trust me so 
completely.  Sometimes I wonder how you can after what I did when...when 
Victoria..." 

     *Uh, oh.* 

     "Benny, listen to me." Ray gripped his arm. "I trust you 
*completely*.  I have no doubts." 

     "After what I did to you?  How can you?" Misery glittered down 
Benny's face. 

     "I can, Benny.  Just believe me." 

     Benny wiped away a tear and Ray was struck at how child-like the 
gesture was, even though what had just transpired was anything but 
child-like.  He stroked a wet cheek. 

     "Ray, I promise you," Benny said with a sudden intensity that 
nearly frightened Ray as the Italian clutched at him, "I will *never* 
betray you again.  I *vow* that I will never do such a thing again." 

     "Benny, I believe you," Ray whispered, stroking a bare shoulder. 

     "Oh, Ray, I never told you *why* I did such a reprehensible thing. 
I...I thought you could never love me after I allowed Victoria to do 
what she did.  I was on the precipice of despair by the time I found her 
at the train station.  In that instant the train was pulling away with 
her on it, all I saw was bleak years stretched out in front of me.  I 
thought you were lost to me.  My regret at what I'd done to her 
overwhelmed me.  I didn't think of what you would be facing if I left in 
that instant.  I was too selfish.  She knew exactly what word to use: 
regret. So I made the split-second decision to join her, knowing that 
she would kill me eventually.  I felt that I deserved it." Benny's 
lashes quivered and Ray clutched him tighter. "In the hospital, I *was* 
angry at you...for not finishing the job!  I wanted to push you away 
from a wretch like me and die in peace. But you stayed, no matter *what* 
I did or said to you." 

     "Oh, Benny." Ray's eyes shimmered with tears. "How could I *not* 
stay?" He wrapped himself completely around his lover. "You are my 
everything.  I couldn't leave you even if I wanted to.  You're too much 
a part of me.  Take you away, and I'd bleed to death from the part of me 
ripped out and gone.  I *need* you, Benny.  Forever." 

     Benny sobbed as he buried his face into Ray's shoulder again.  Ray 
gently stroked the wavy hair and crooned softly to the distraught man in 
his arms.  He glanced up and saw the dragon's ruby eyes wink at him, the 
candles around the room burning down. 

     If the Goddess willed it, their lives would be happy now that old 
wounds had finally bled clean.  Ray held his lover and rocked him to 
sleep.* 
  
  
  
  

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